Collection of starshade research helps advance exoplanet imaging by space telescopes

BELLINGHAM, Washington, USA - The open access Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems (JATIS) has published a special section on the latest science, engineering, research, and programmatic advances of starshades, the starlight-suppression technology integral to extra-solar and exoplanet detection.

Section topics range from starshade programs and missions, to various aspects of related technologies, including formation flying, deployment, high-contrast imaging, and performance modeling. Together, the 19 open access articles provide an extensive overview and current status of this exponentially growing field.

"The starshade is a technology that has seen rapid development and wide interest at many institutions," the editors write in their introduction. "Many of the advances in this field are spread over many journals and meetings. As a result they are difficult to collect in a single location in order to get a good view of the state of starshades.... As interest in developing starshade-based missions grows, we hope that this special section will serve as a tutorial, providing enough of a background for potential investigators who are not familiar with starshades to have a current overview of the field in one location."

"NASA's starshade technology development activity," "Antireflection coatings on starshade optical edges for solar glint suppression," "Exoplanet imaging performance envelopes for starshade-based missions," and "Mapping the observable sky for a Remote Occulter working with ground-based telescopes" are just a few of the articles featured in this collection of open access papers.

The special section guest editors - Jonathan W. Arenberg, of Northrop Grumman, Anthony D. Harness, of Princeton University, and Rebecca M. Jensen-Clem, of the University of California, Santa Cruz - are all members of the NASA-chartered Starshade Science and Industry Partnership's Technology and Science Working Group.

###

JATIS is one of 12 journals published by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, on its Digital Library platform.

About SPIE

SPIE is the international society for optics and photonics, an educational not-for-profit organization founded in 1955 to advance light-based science, engineering, and technology. The Society serves more than 258,000 constituents from 184 countries, offering conferences and their published proceedings, continuing education, books, journals, and the SPIE Digital Library. In 2020, SPIE provided over $5 million in community support including scholarships and awards, outreach and advocacy programs, travel grants, public policy, and educational resources. http://www. spie. org .

Contact:

Daneet Steffens

Public Relations Manager

daneets@spie.org

+1 360 685 5478

@SPIEtweets

This story has been published on: 2021-06-24. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Western Cape parents urged to finalise school of choice

Parents and caregivers who wish to enrol their children for the 2022 school year in the Western Cape have until midnight to confirm their final choice of school.

Western Cape Education spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, said the department will on Friday evening implement the next stage of the 2022 admissions process.

The department earlier reported that over 20 000 learners were accepted to more than one school for 2022.

Hammond said over 20 000 places at schools will be made available to learners who were unsuccessful at a particular school, with 50% of these being learners in Grade 8.

Should parents fail to decide which school they will accept or decline, automatic placement in the first successful school, based on their order of preference as submitted on the website.

The department needs to know which schools have places available so we can assist learners who have not received a notification of placement, Hammond said.

Parents can log onto https://admissions.westerncape.gov.za/admissions/login , then go to Track Application Status, select name of learner and then under Application Status, it will inform the parent as to whether their application was successful, unsuccessful or that the learner has been placed on the waiting list.

The parent must then either Withdraw or Confirm their application.

Once they have confirmed acceptance at a school, parents must print and submit a copy of the application, as well as certified copies of the supporting documents to the school within seven days of confirming on the system with the school or district office, if they have not already submitted hard copies to the school.

This will assist the department to know which schools have places available so we can assist learners who have not received a notification of placement, Hammond explained.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Last day to submit proposals for Mzansi Golden Economy call

Cultural industries have until tonight to submit applications to the Department of Sport, Arts and Cultures Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) call for proposals.

In a statement, the department acknowledged that the MGE call system was down on Friday morning.

The department hereby states that the MGE call is still open till 23:59 tonight. The department would like to express its heartfelt regret for the time the system was down this morning. It was a technical issue that has since been resolved, the department said.

MGE is a strategy to reposition the cultural industries in South Africa. The MGE strategy opens up the arts; culture and heritage sector to effectively and comprehensively contribute to economic growth and job creation.

As a reminder, everywhere you see 400 characters in red, make sure you create one phrase that is no longer than two sentences. It is a total of 400 characters, not words, the department said.

Applicants have been encouraged to use a laptop/ desktop and Chrome and not Explorer or Firefox and a cellphone when accessing the system.

In addition, applicants must ensure that documents are saved as a PDF document, one page certified ID copy, one page South African Revenue Service (SARS) document, one page Company/Organisation registration document and Proposal with Budget breakdown as one document.

"Clear your browsing history including cache. If you're having trouble with the system, please watch the three-part videos of the most commonly asked questions, which are accessible on the department's social media channels, website, and may be given upon request," the department said.

For more inquires, applicants can contact the departments MGE toll free line at 080 072 4278, alternatively they can email mge@dsac.gov.za. SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Concern over continuous abuse of elderly

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza has raised concern over continuous incidents of abuse of older people in communities.

This follows the rescue of an elderly person who was found locked in the house without food in Lindelani, north of Durban.

It is alleged that a terrified passer-by heard screams and cries of an elderly person pleading for help coming from a house.

Upon investigating the locked house, people noticed an old person identified as Sizakele Siziba, aged 76, sleeping on the bed.

It is alleged that Siziba, who resided with her grandchild, was left alone in a terrible condition, and at times she relied on neighbours to provide her food.

Khoza said the department is not expecting that senior citizens suffer such abuse from their own children.

It is disheartening that we find ourselves in this situation because we always encourage people to inform us if they are unable to take care of senior citizens, Khoza said.

Khoza dispatched a team of social, who immediately removed Siziba to an old age home. She said Siziba will be provided with the necessary psychosocial support, including debriefing and trauma counselling.

"Although social workers are still going to conduct an investigation, based on what was shared with us by the public, including the video circulating on social media, our team has removed Gogo Siziba to a safer and more comfortable environment.

However, removing her is not good enough. We also want to know who has been using her old age grant. These grants are an intervention to cushion old persons from poverty. It is a crime for anyone to take the pension of an older person and fail to provide food for them, the MEC said.

She also warned that if anyone found to have been taking the pension of the old person, and using it for themselves, they need to be arrested.

We will open a criminal case against the person while ensuring that this grandmother gets a new South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) card to collect her grant, Khoza said.

The MEC said the department shares the pain of old persons who suffer in the hands of those who are supposed to protect them.

We will continue to give them our unwavering support, while ensuring removal of those found in unpleasant situations and place them at old age homes to ensure their welfare, healthcare and safety.

The MEC emphasised that the department is a custodian for the protection of vulnerable groups, and will work closely with the police to ensure that any person who violates the rights of children, older persons and persons with disabilities, gets arrested.

Indeed, one cannot pass judgement on the situation of the old person rescued from the Lindelani house, but nothing can ever justify leaving her in a locked house without anything to eat, while government pays her grant on a monthly basis, Khoza said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: 3 principal officials appointed

(To watch the full media session with sign language interpretation, click here.)

The Central People's Government (CPG), on the nomination and recommendation by Chief Executive Carrie Lam, today approved the appointment of three principal officials.

They are Chief Secretary John Lee, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and Commissioner of Police Siu Chak-yee.

The CPG also approved the removal of Matthew Cheung from the post of Chief Secretary, Mr Lee from the post of Secretary for Security and Mr Tang from the post of Commissioner of Police.

On the new appointments, Mrs Lam said the three officials have had distinguished performance in the Government over the years and possess proven leadership skills.

She added that they are the most suitable candidates for the posts while responding to questions at a media session this morning.

"At the politically appointed officials' level, one is looking for leadership, vision, diligence and also a commitment to serve the community of Hong Kong.

"Of course, people who have extensive experience in a diversity of areas may be helpful, but I do not think that is a prerequisite. So the mere fact that a particular candidate does not have that full range of experience is not one of the most important factors.

"But to be fair to John Lee, he has been in the Government for almost four decades. And the Security Bureau is perhaps one of the biggest bureaus in terms of significance and the number of civil servants under its supervision.

"So one could not say that as the Secretary for Security for many years, his experience is limited to the police background or limited to law enforcement."

The Chief Executive also said she is confident that the newly appointed officials would rise to the challenges in serving the community.

"For people with commitment, integrity, leadership and a spirit to serve the nation and Hong Kong, in whichever position we are put in, we will put in our best to discharge our function in that particular position.

"I have no doubt whatsoever that the three colleagues that are joining the team in their new positions will serve Hong Kong in the spirit that I have just mentioned."

On Mr Cheung's departure, Mrs Lam noted that he had served Hong Kong and the Government with integrity and dedication for almost five decades. She extended her heartfelt appreciation to him for his valuable contribution to the city.

Click here for their biographical notes.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Gauteng COVID-19 spike to spread to the rest of SA: Kubayi-Ngubane

The COVID-19 third wave, which is driven by Gauteng, will spread to other provinces.

This is the warning that was issued by the acting Health Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane, who was addressing the media on Friday.

There should be no sense of complacency in other provinces which are all demonstrating upward trajectories and the wave in Gauteng will inevitably spill over into the rest of the country.

Gauteng remains the epicentre of the pandemic and accounts for the majority of 9 521 new cases (59%) reported on Thursday, followed by 1 912 in the Western Cape (12%).

I wish to open this press briefing first by acknowledging the grave situation we find ourselves in as a country, as we battle a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.

Kubayi-Ngubane, Public Service and Administration Minister Senzo Mchunu and a panel of experts were briefing the media on efforts in the fight against COVID-19, including an update on the national vaccination rollout programme.

Meanwhile, the acting Minister said the seven-day moving average graph shows that in Gauteng, the current wave has passed the first two that the country faced.

On Thursday, Gauteng Premier David Makhura said one in three people in the province who go for a COVID-19 test is likely to have the virus.

Interventions

In the meantime, the acting Minister said the National Department of Health has activated its surge response, which is executed together with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Surge Team deployed in the country.

The department has also employed 10 intervention areas that provinces must adopt to aid in the resurgence preparations and response.

These include governance and leadership, medical supplies, port and environmental health, epidemiology, facility readiness, case management, risk communication and community engagement, occupational health and safety, infection prevention and control, and human resources.

Also, the department will continue to monitor daily infections, hospital admissions, mortality rate, oxygen availability, personal protective equipment (PPE) availability and medicine supply.

Where there are challenges, we alert the province to the impending risk and encourage them to address the matter," she said.

"Yesterday, we had a meeting with Gauteng to confront the pressure they are facing with this wave and comprehensively deal with the drivers of this current wave, strategic case management and effective containment measures.

She said she will be meeting with Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) on COVID-19 on Saturday about issues that need critical and urgent intervention.

Deputy Director-General for Health, Dr Anban Pillay and a representative from Gauteng will join the acting Minister and they will present a detailed report on how the National and Provincial Departments of Health are implementing the surge response strategies.

It is important to continue to emphasise not only the wearing of the mask all the time in public but wearing the mask correctly, she stressed.

Healthcare workers

Meanwhile, Kubayi-Ngubane also took the time to pay tribute to the medical practitioners who continue to treat the COVID-19 ill patients.

Allow me to express my deep appreciation to the frontline healthcare workers who continue to fight, wave after wave, for our people.

She said it gives her comfort to know that health workers are protected, as the vast majority of them have been vaccinated and that the department has adequate PPE stock.

I am certain that at this point, our healthcare workers are tapping into the most profound depths of strength, resilience and compassion  despite being exhausted and mentally drained by a 15-month long war," she said.

We celebrate our heroes and dip our banners to those that fell in the line of duty.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: Teresa Cheng signs legal pact

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng today signed a memorandum of understanding on the administration of the Legal Talent Recruitment Scheme (Trainee Solicitors).

The memorandum was signed with Law Society of Hong Kong President Melissa Pang.

Funded by the Anti-epidemic Fund, the scheme provides the monthly salary subsidy of $6,800 for a maximum of 12 months to each eligible law firm for one newly created job opening for a trainee solicitor, with up to 130 new job openings for trainee solicitors in total.

The scheme will not only create new job opportunities during the pandemic, but will also ensure a steady and sufficient supply of legal talents in alignment with the Governments policy objectives to advance the rule of law.

The Government also aims to strengthen Hong Kongs development as a centre for international legal and dispute resolution services under the National 14th Five-Year Plan and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area development plan.

The scheme will be open for application from July 5 to November 5.

The Law Society will be responsible for processing and assessing the applications, as well as arranging the subsidys disbursement.

Ms Cheng expressed her appreciation to the Law Society for developing and administering the scheme, which is expected to benefit young professionals and the legal sector in general.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Hong Kong: 4 imported COVID-19 cases detected

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today said it is investigating four additional COVID-19 cases, involving patients who arrived from UK, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Regarding a local case involving the L452R mutant strain, genetic analysis by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health revealed that the strain belongs to the Delta variant.

According to the CHP's preliminary investigations, the local case, a 27-year-old man, had received cargo flight crews at the airport and stayed in a specimen collection centre.

Comparison of the sequence of the case to the genomes from previous cases reported in Hong Kong showed that the genomes from it were identical to those of three imported cases.

These imported cases arrived from Indonesia via CX798 on June 11 and they were detected to have the L452R mutant strain. Two of them tested positive by the specimens collected at the department's Temporary Specimen Collection Centre in the airport.

Meanwhile, the CHP was notified by the UK health authority of a COVID-19 case in that country involving a 19-year-old woman.

She departed Hong Kong on June 13 to London via flight CX251. Her specimen collected on June 16 tested positive for the virus. She remains asymptomatic and repeated testing on June 22 was negative.

The CHP is following up on the case with the authority and the epidemiological investigations are ongoing.

As a safety measure, Tower 2, Springdale Villas in Yuen Long where the patient had resided will be put under a compulsory testing notice. People who had been there for more than two hours between May 31 and June 13 have to undergo testing by June 27.

The centre also reminded people in relation to Wan Hang House, Wan Tau Tong Estate in Tai Po to undergo compulsory testing by tomorrow in accordance with the compulsory testing notice.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Governments dedicated webpage.

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Tougher legislation needed to transform labour market

With transformation in South Africas labour market continuing to progress at a snails pace, government should consider reviewing legislation in an effort to achieve the desired outcomes, says Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi.

This comes in the wake of the Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) 21st report, which paints a bleak picture of the countrys labour force.

It cannot be business as usual. I strongly believe that the time has come to re-strategise [and] adopt a different path to ensure that the Employment Equity Act achieves its intended objectives.

It is evident that self-regulation has not worked and more aggressive strategies are required to reach the intended purpose, including reviewing of legislation, he said.

The CEE document, released on Friday, states that in the past year, the CEE recorded a decrease of 492 (1.8%) in the number of reports received. In 2020, the Commission received 26 635 reports, compared to the 27 127 in 2019.

Of these, 43.8% were from Gauteng, followed by 20.8 % in Western Cape and 14.8% in KwaZulu-Natal.

With 18.3%, the manufacturing sector accounted for the most complaints. Wholesale and retails, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles followed with 14.4%.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing account for 14.3% of the reports, while 9.4% came from construction.

Just over 2530 reports were received from the private sector covering 5 108 149 employees in 2020, which amounted to 95.1% of all the report received.

In a continuing trend, 64.7% of top management positions were occupied by Whites. This was in pale comparison to the 15.8%, 10.6%, 5.7% and 3.1% filled, respectively, by Africans, Indians, Coloureds and foreign nationals.

In this regard, males occupied 75.1% of these positions, while females 24.9% filled the remaining 24.9%.

Africans occupied 60.8% of the positions in national government while whites occupied 67.8% of the positions in the private sector.

CEE chairperson Tabea Kabinde said transformation in the country continued to be too slow, especially in the top and senior management.

Despite progression snags, in the past three years, significant increase of representation of the African population at senior management had improved.

For the first time in three years, its sitting at an increase of 1.2 percentage points, which is very good. Theres still an insignificant increase of representivity of women at top and senior management. We know that in top management we get 0.5% while at senior management we had 0.4%.

The situation in the professionally qualified occupational level much more palatable, with the African population at this level increasing by 3.5% in the past three years.

Kabinde said the question remained as to why there is an increase of designated groups and a more or less better representation at middle management but this is just translating into an increase at senior and top management.

Could it be true that there is a glass ceiling designated at middle management that owners and captains of industry do not trust black people enough to allow them to take the reins of the control of their organisations because real control begins at senior management so this picture is really telling us its still a story and it remains concerning for us, she said.

With self-regulation having not yielded any positive results in transforming the labour workplace, the Employment Equity Amendment Act has been presented to Parliament in an attempt to fast track the desired results.

The amendments are expected to empower the Minister to put in place sector-specific targets  including compliance certificates - which the Commission believes will be a game-changer.

Nxesi expressed dismay at the dire statistics, saying the report should serve as a wakeup call.

It is clear that we remain a very unequal society, particularly in the upper echelons of our economy. Its clear that this is unacceptable, it is disconcerting to say that while you consolidate 27 years of democracy, 25 years of our constitution, and 23 years of the Employment Equity Act, we are still lamenting the snails pace of transformation of our labour market.

We have economic power but theres no economic power.

He said the time has come for government to acknowledge that it had to address the imbalances of the past to uplift the most vulnerable groups.

We should acknowledge where good progress has been made in relation to the representation of designated groups  blacks and women  in the economy.

This much was evident in the progressively improving statistics in age and group in the middle tiers of the workforce, particularly middle management, the professionally qualified and junior management.

However, he said it was critical to seek answers as to why insignificant progress has been made in the key strategic occupational levels  top management and senior management.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
South Africa: Commission promotes youth participation in economy

The Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Commission has highlighted the need for information dissemination and a real focus on skills development as two major pillars to facilitating youth participation in the mainstream economy.

The commission on Friday held a virtual youth dialogue under the theme, Promoting economic inclusion and youth employment.

The national chairperson of the Black Management Forums Young Professionals, Classi Kgopa, who participated in the dialogue, said in order for economic transformation to take place meaningfully, support is needed across the board for youth to succeed.

South African youth lack opportunities to participate openly in the economic mainstream. There is still a lack of black ownership in large entities [in industries] such as agriculture, transport and finance, Kgopa said.

Kgopa bemoaned the fact that only 9.2% of South African youth are involved in entrepreneurial activities, and that the majority of them are not listed on the JSE.

Despite this, Kgopa is optimistic that the tide can change if finance institutions ease access to funding, which are needed to oil youth-owned enterprises.

He backed calls for the creation of entrepreneur incubation programmes across the provinces as a means of assisting young people to be actively involved in the economy.

It is time that young people rise and claim [their] position in economic transformation, and they need to be supported across the board, Kgopa said.

The dialogue was held as South Africa marks Youth Month. The B-BBEE Commission said the dialogue was born out of the need to debate issues that are becoming a barrier to transformation, inclusion and employment for young people, which remains a major concern in the country.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2021-06-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On June 25, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and Ningbo municipal government entered into a strategic partnership to co-work on setting benchmarks for Chinese auto industry, promoting innovative applications of technologies, completing the chain of manufacturing services, and boosting the development of green mobility services, according to Geely Holding's WeChat account.

Geely Holding, Ningbo municipal government signing agreement



At the same time, Geely announced the global headquarters of ZEEKR Intelligent Technology Co.,Ltd. will be located in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Focusing on the development of intelligent vehicles, new energy vehicles, and core auto parts, ZEEKR and Ningbo's authority will jointly construct an electric vehicle (EV)- and smart car-related auto parts industrial park.



ZEEKR 001; photo credit: ZEEKR



ZEEKR is a new electric mobility technology and solutions company created by Geely Holding Group to satisfy the global demand for premium electric vehicles. On April 15, the first ZEEKR-branded production model, the ZEEKR 001, was launched with its presale kicking off at the same time. The vehicle is expected for delivery in October this year.

Based on Geely Holding's global electric architecture, SEA (Sustainable Experience Architecture), the 001 measures 4,970mm long, 1,999mm wide, 1,560mm tall with a wheelbase of 3,005mm giving a total luggage space of 2144 litres. On the software and technology front, the 001 will automatically detect approaching users via facial recognition and automatically adjust the 001 to their personal preferences.

An Conghui, CEO of ZEEKR, revealed on June 15 the ZEEKR 001s available for delivery in 2021 had already been booked out. We have to stop receiving earnest money from now on, he said.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Youpin Information Technology Co.,Ltd., an affiliated company of Xiaomi's e-commerce platform Youpin, has included the sale of new energy vehicle (NEV)-related electrical accessories and battery swapping facilities into its business scope, according to the business information provider Qichacha.

Photo credit: Xiaomi



Founded in 2018, the company involves a registered capital of 50 million yuan ($7.748 million) and is 70% controlled by Lei Jun, founder, chairman, and CEO of Xiaomi. Its line of business includes operation of Internet culture, online sales, ticket agency service, and wholesale cosmetics, according to Qichacha.

The new business change is regarded by some industry insiders as part of preparations for Xiaomis EV development.

Xiaomi announced its foray into electric vehicle (EV) sphere on March 30, 2021. The company plans to invest about $10 billion over the next decade in manufacturing EVs, and Lei Jun will lead the new standalone EV division.

Xiaomi recently launched a hiring spree in Beijing with the plan to bring a host of engineers for autonomous driving business, according to the company's official website. The engineers are recruited for such professional posts as data platform, in-car basic architecture, decision-making & planning, millimeter-wave algorithm, embedded software, high-definition map, algorithm optimization, simulation platform, and sensors. They will all work in Haidian District, Beijing.

The job listing triggered a speculation that Xiaomi intends to locate the R&D headquarters of its automotive business in Beijing. However, as of now, the rumor has not been confirmed by Xiaomi yet.
Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Geely Automobile Holdings Limited (Geely Auto) announced on June 25 it decided to withdraw the application for the proposed RMB share issue on the Sci-Tech Board, and the decision has already been approved by its board of directors.

Photo credit: Geely



The company claimed that the withdrawal of the application will not give rise to any material adverse impact on its financial position or operation. Besides, Geely Auto will actively promote the listing work of RMB share issuance when the relevant conditions are met.

According to another announcement Geely Auto released on the same day, the board of ZEEKR Intelligent Technology has approved a resolution to explore different external financing options for the sustainable development of ZEEKR.

Geely Auto said ZEEKR Intelligent Technology engages in the research and development, purchase and sale of intelligent electric vehicles under the ZEEKR brand and other electric mobility-related products.

On April 15, the first ZEEKR-branded production model, the ZEEKR 001, was launched with its presale kicking off at the same time. The vehicle is expected for delivery in October this year.

The global headquarters of ZEEKR Intelligent Technology will be located in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, as part of the cooperation Geely Holding signed with Ningbo municipal government on June 25.


Beijing (Gasgoo)- BYD Company sold 32,800 new energy vehicles (NEVs) in May, accounting for 70.85% of its total monthly sales, well above than that of many Chinese automakers, including JAC Group, SAIC Motor, Chery Holding, Geely Auto and GAC Group.

Here, NEV includes battery electric vehicle (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV).

The Warren Buffett-backed company saw significant increase in its monthly NEV sales and one of the main drivers was its PHEVs, whose monthly sales exceeded 10,000 for the first time in May to 12,970 vehicles, a year-on-year surging of 458.33%. From January, 2020 to last month, its share of traditional internal-combustion vehicles saw a notable decrease due to the growth of NEV sales.

According to a plan which went viral on the internet but has not been confirmed by BYD, the company aims to sell 400,000 NEVs in 2021. By the end of May, it has sold 113,213 NEVs, just accomplishing 28.3% of its goal.

Apart from BYD, JAC Group, SAIC Motor and Chery Holding also achieved double digit result of their monthly NEV share. In May, JAC Group sold a total of 44,391 vehicles and one in five vehicles it sold is battery electric passenger vehicles. In the first five months of 2021, its BEV sales totaled 43,958 vehicles.

On May 16, the new-generation SUV model SOL E40X from JAC Group went on sale with prices starting from 130,000 yuan after subsidies. Equipped with the brands J-Pilot PLUS driving assistance system, the new model can offer over 20 driving assistance functions for different scenarios.

In terms of total NEV sales in May, SAIC Motor was the most popular automaker with NEV retail sales amounting to 52,000 vehicles. The year-on-year change of the segment was a jump of 364.9%. By models, the MINIEV from SAIC-GM-Wuling sold 30,000 vehicles while sales of the groups Roewe, MG and R brand jumped 175.7% year on year to 11,000 vehicles.

Photo credit: SAIC Motor

Several days ago, the largest automaker in China launched its new vision and logo with an aim to become a user-centered high-tech company. The group said that it adopts the design philosophy of blue planet, rising sun for its all-new logo, indicating it hopes to bring more environment-friendly and intelligent technologies to the world.

Chery Holding sold 6,792 NEVs last month, accounting for 10.32% of its overall monthly sales. As of the end of May, NEV sales of the group increased by 270.6% from a year ago to 32,337 vehicles. Currently, it has seven models for sale.

NEV sales shares of GAC Group and Changan Auto are very close. GAC AION, the BEV arm of GAC Group, announced it delivered 10,395 new vehicles in May, representing a robust year-on-year leap of 154% and surpassed the milestone of 10,000 units for the first time.

Aion S; photo credit: GAC Aion

GAC AION owns four mass-produced models for sale, namely the AION S, the AION LX, the AION V, and the AION Y. The cumulative sales of the AION S reached 100,000 vehicles in early May, two years after the model hit the market in late April 2019.

Great Wall Motor sold 3,597 NEVs under ORA, an NEV brand in May, accounting for 4.13% of its monthly sales. From January to May, the groups NEV sales amounted to 41,804 vehicles.

Data of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed the whole country sold 217,000 NEVs in May, nearly 10.2% of the countrys monthly sales. The association also raised the annual NEV sales to 2 million units, about 7.4% of its sales forecast, namely 27 million units, for the whole year.

According to the new NEV development planning for 2021 to 2035 released last November, NEV sales should account for 20% of the overall new vehicle sales by 2025. But some experts and executives are much more upbeat about the outlook.

Ye Shengji, deputy secretary general of the CAAM, said in an industry conference that NEV sales may account for 30% of the total sales in 2025. And Wang Chuanfu, chairman and president of BYD Company predicted that Chinese auto brands have taken the lead over foreign brands in technologies, which will help NEV sales in the biggest auto market in the world gain a share of 70% among all new vehicles sold in 2030.

William Bin Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Chinese electric vehicle startup NIO, said at an industry conference that since the first-quarter sales of NEVs were over 460,000, it is not difficult for China to sell 2 million NEVs this year. The segment may accomplish the goal of 25% share ahead of schedule, and by 2030, intelligent NEVs may account for 90% of new vehicle sales, the executive added.




Panama City, FLNational HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is observed each year on June 27 to encourage people to be aware of their HIV status so that they can take control of their health. This years NHTD theme, My Test, My Way, highlights that there are many options available when it comes to HIV testing. The Florida Department of Health joins community partners around the state to help provide all Floridians access to the right tools for learning their HIV status and staying healthy.

In 2019, 4,584 people were diagnosed with HIV in Florida. At the end of that year, 116,689 Floridians were confirmed to be living with HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that an additional 18,200 Floridians were living with HIV but unaware of it.

Everyone ages 1364 should get tested at least once, and some people should get tested more often. Knowing your HIV status is only the beginning. What you do to stay healthy after that largely depends on your results. Earlier diagnosis of HIV leads to more successful treatment, so getting tested and learning your HIV status is crucial to your health.

If you missed an opportunity to get tested for HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic, NHTD offers a good reminder to get caught up. HIV shares many symptoms with other viral infections, like COVID-19, so if you have felt ill at any point during the last year, it is important to talk to your health care provider.

Knowing your status is the first step toward effective HIV prevention. People living with HIV who take antiretroviral medication as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to their sexual partners. People without HIV should talk to a health care provider to determine appropriate prevention strategies, which might include taking PrEP, using condoms and/or getting retested regularly.

There are so many ways to get tested for HIV either at home, at the doctors office or at a local Health Department. No matter your result, there are options to help you stay healthy. Said Sandon S. Speedling, MHS, CPM, CPH, Administrator and Health Officer, Florida Department of Health in Bay County.

Observe NHTD with us!

The Florida Department of Health in Bay County will be hosting the following events:

Date: 6/27/21  Bay County

Event Activities: Rapid HIV/Hep-C Testing, Incentives, information, At-Home Test Kits, and Covid-19 vaccinations. Event is hosted by  Drag Me to Brunch of Bay County  National HIV Testing Day

Address: House of Henry Irish Pub - 461 Harrison Ave, Panama City, FL 32401

Time: 11:00am  3:00pm

Date: 6/28/21  Jackson County

Event Activities: Rapid HIV/Hep-C Testing, Incentives, information, and At-Home Test Kits

Address: Winn-Dixie - 4478 Market Street, Marianna, FL 32446

Time: 10:00am  2:00pm

Date: 6/29/21  Bay County

Event Activities: Rapid HIV/Hep-C Testing, Incentives, information, and At-Home Test Kits

Address: Grocery Outlet Callaway  225 S. Tyndall Parkway, Panama City, FL 32404

Time: 10:00am  2:00pm

Protect yourself. Get tested. Know your status. Learn whats next.

We have the power to both prevent and treat HIV. For more information, call 850-872-4455 or 1-800-FLA-AIDS or visit or KnowYourHIVStatus.com.

About the Florida Department of Health

The Florida Department of Health, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @HealthyFla. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit FloridaHealth.gov.
Sasse: Award Congressional Gold Medal to Apple Daily

NEWS PROVIDED BY

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse

June 24, 2021



WASHINGTON, June 24, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- Today, U.S. Senator Ben Sasse introduced a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to staff and the editors of Apple Daily for their courage and determination in the face of the Chinese Communist Party's tyranny.

"The men and women who ran Apple Daily are heroes. Let's be clear about why they just ran their last issue: Their defense of free thought and speech made them scary to the Chinese Communist Party. They courageously stood up to kangaroo courts and told the truth. The Apple Daily journalists exposed Chairman Xi as a man afraid of the people he seeks to hold down. The free world owes them our gratitude and the least we can do is award them the Congressional Gold Medal."

Background:



Bill text can be found here.



On August 10, 2020, Lai Chee ying ("Jimmy Lai") was arrested on suspicion of "collaborating with foreign forces" and the offices of Apple Daily were raided by Hong Kong police officers. The charges were brought forth under the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region enacted by the Chinese Communist Party on June 30, 2020. On April 16, 2021, after a sham trial, Lai was sentenced to 14 months in prison for his support of democracy in Hong Kong.

On June 17, 2021, police again raided Apple Daily's news room, seized journalists' computers, arrested top editors, and froze $2,300,000 of the paper's assets. Among the arrested were Next's chief executive, Cheung Kim hung, and Chow Tat kuen ("Royston Chow"), its chief operating officer, Law Wai kwong ("Ryan Law"), Apple Daily's chief editor, Cheung Chi wai, the chief executive editor, and Chan Pui man, deputy chief editor.



On June 23, 2021, Apple Daily announced its forced closure due to the current circumstances in Hong Kong. Apple Daily's lead opinion writer, Yeung Ching kee, who publishes under the name Li Ping was also arrested.

Even amidst the raids and arrests, Apple Daily heroically continued to report on the police operation with reporters writing on their phones after their computers were seized.

Last year, Sasse introduced legislation to grant Hong Kongers asylum in the wake of Beijing's crackdowns.

SOURCE U.S. Senator Ben Sasse

CONTACT: James Wegmann, 202-224-4224


Florida Enhances Civic Education Curricula

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Liberty Counsel

June 24, 2021



TALLAHASSEE, Fla., June 24, 2021 /Christian Newswire/ -- After Governor Ron DeSantis recently signed legislation that prohibits the teaching of critical race theory in Florida's public school system, this week he signed into law three bills that will collectively strengthen civics literacy education in the state's kindergarten through postsecondary public schools.

During the press conference Governor DeSantis said, "The sad reality is that only two in five Americans can correctly name the three branches of government, and more than a third of Americans cannot name any of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment. It is abundantly clear that we need to do a much better job of educating our students in civics to prepare them for the rest of their lives."

"It's crucial to ensure that we teach our students how to be responsible citizens. They need to have a good working knowledge of American history, American government, and the principles that underline our Constitution and Bill of Rights," said DeSantis.

DeSantis explained why it is imperative Americans not only learn about civics but also the evils of truly oppressive regimes like communism.

The governor said, "We have a number of people in Florida, particularly southern Florida, who've escaped totalitarian regimes, who've escaped communist dictatorships to be able to come to America. We want all students to understand the difference: Why would somebody flee across shark-infested waters, say, leaving from Cuba to come to southern Florida? Why would somebody leave a place like Vietnam? Why would people leave these countries and risk their lives to be able to come here? It's important students understand that."

The first bill, HB 5, requires the Florida Department of Education to create an integrated K-12 civic education curriculum that includes an understanding of citizens' shared rights and responsibilities under the Constitution and Bill of Rights. It also requires public K-12 schools to teach students about communism, totalitarianism, and other political systems that "conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States."

HB 5 also provides a library of "Portraits in Patriotism" based on personal stories of diverse individuals who demonstrate civic minded qualities, including those who have moved to this country after being persecuted in nations like Cuba and Venezuela. "Portraits in Patriotism" library will ensure students learn about "real patriots" who came to America after fleeing those oppressive regimes.

HB 233 will help protect students' free speech and require that all state colleges and universities "conduct annual assessments of the viewpoint diversity and intellectual freedom at their institutions to ensure that Florida's postsecondary students will be shown diverse ideas and opinions, including those that they may disagree with or find uncomfortable."

SB 1108 requires state college and state university students to take both a civic literacy course and a civic literacy assessment as a graduation requirement, bridging civics education between our high schools and postsecondary institutions. If a high school student passes the test, that student is exempted from the postsecondary test requirement. This bill also expands the character development curriculum for high school juniors and seniors to include instructions on how to register to vote.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, "We commend Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislators for helping to ensure that students in Florida are learning the foundations and principles that enable Americans to exercise religious freedom and free speech. Communism and oppressive regimes are un-American and the antithesis to freedom."

Liberty Counsel provides broadcast quality TV interviews via Hi-Def Skype and LTN at no cost.

SOURCE Liberty Counsel



CONTACT: Mat Staver, 407-875-1776, Liberty@LC.org



Related Links



lc.org/


By J. Keeler Johnson ("Keelerman") Twitter: @J_Keelerman

Get ready, folks! An exciting weekend of racing is on the agenda, featuring more than two dozen stakes at tracks across North America.

Some of the best action is taking place at Belmont Park and Churchill Downs, where the Mother Goose S. (G2) and Stephen Foster S. (G2) are the respective highlights.

Let's dig into the entries and see if we can't come up with the winners of both races:

Mother Goose S. (G2) at Belmont Park

Five sophomore fillies will negotiate 1 1/16 miles around one turn in the Mother Goose, with #3 Clairiere the most accomplished of the lot. A beautifully bred daughter of Curlin out of multiple Grade 1 winner Cavorting, Clairiere rallied to win the Rachel Alexandra S. (G2) at Fair Grounds during the winter and most recently came home fourth in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), beaten three lengths.

But Clairiere is a pure deep closer, and while cutting back to one turn has the potential to sharpen her stretch kick, I'm not sure the pace of the Mother Goose will prove favorable to her chances. There isn't much speed in this small field, with #2 Always Carina looming as the lone front-runner on paper. And since Always Carina looks like a potential Grade 1 winner in the making, the tactical advantage she figures to receive may prove insurmountable.

Conditioned by four-time champion trainer Chad Brown, Always Carina is undefeated and unchallenged in two starts. In her debut sprinting six furlongs at Aqueduct, Always Carina led all the way to win by four lengths over next-out winners Amendment Nineteen and After the Party. Then in a one-mile allowance at Belmont, Always Carina overcame a stumble at the start to lead all the way, finish fast (final quarter in :24.88), and dominate by 9 3/4 lengths.

Jockey Flavien Prat (5-for-8 teaming up with Brown over the last two months) is slated to ride Always Carina. The daughter of Malibu Moon is a half-sister to Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Structor, so there's plenty of class in her pedigree. And she's training sharply in preparation for her stakes debut, with her last two workouts being bullet moves at Belmont Park. What's not to like? If Always Carina shakes loose on an easy lead as expected, she can bring her record to a perfect 3-for-3.

Stephen Foster S. (G2) at Churchill Downs

More often than not, the 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster at Churchill Downs is an ultra-competitive race that ends in upset fashion. Winning favorites have been relatively uncommon in recent years, with Seeking the Soul (9-2), Pavel (6-1), Bradester (9-1), Noble Bird (9-2), Moonshine Mullin (10-1), Fort Larned (3-1), Ron the Greek (9-1), Pool Play (36-1), Blame (7-2), and Macho Again (7-1) landing surprises since 2009.

But once in a while, the Stephen Foster winds up being a procession for a championthink Gun Runner in 2017 and Curlin in 2008. Such might be the case on Saturday when #8 Maxfield starts as a heavy favorite in the 2021 Stephen Foster.

Any way you slice it, Maxfield looms as a formidable favorite. Just check out his credentials:

Maxfield boasts a near-perfect 6-for-7 record, including five stakes wins. His lone defeat came when traveling to California and stretching out over 1 1/4 miles for the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), where he finished a solid third.

Maxfield owns a perfect 3-for-3 record at Churchill Downs, including a powerful 3 1/4-length romp in the Alysheba S. (G2) two months ago.

Maxfield has already defeated several of his key Stephen Foster rivals, including Alysheba trifecta finishers #9 Visitant and #1 Chess Chief .

and . Maxfield hails from the barn of hot trainer Brendan Walsh, a 30% winner at Churchill Downs this spring.

Maxfield has drawn well in post eight, setting the stage for a clean, unencumbered journey stalking the pace or rallying from mid-pack.

If you want to add some value to the exotic wagers, #7 South Bendwho received a significantly troubled trip when fifth in the Blame S. at Churchill Downs last monthis an intriguing choice under Churchill's leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione. But for win purposes, I can't look past Maxfield, who figures to be unstoppable at a short price.

Now it's your turn! Who do you like in the graded stakes this weekend?

*****

Want to test your handicapping skills against fellow Unlocking Winners readers? Check out the Unlocking Winners contests pagethere's a new challenge every week!

J. Keeler Johnson (also known as "Keelerman") is a writer, videographer, voice actor, handicapper, and all-around horse racing enthusiast. A great fan of racing history, he considers Dr. Fager to be the greatest racehorse ever produced in America, but counts Zenyatta as his all-time favorite. He is the founder of the horse racing website www.theturfboard.com.
News  Vietnam

PM requests tighter information coordination to fight IUU fishing
Xi says China ready to consolidate friendly ties with Serbia

Xinhua) 08:18, June 25, 2021

Workers unload a container of China's Sinopharm inactivated coronavirus vaccines at the Belgrade Airport, Serbia, Jan. 16, 2021. (Photo by Predrag Milosavljevic/Xinhua)

Noting that the Serbian people attach great importance to friendship, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the iron-clad China-Serbia friendship is most valuable and deserves to be firmly upheld and carried forward from generation to generation.

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China stands ready to work with Serbia to make their friendly relations even stronger with the passing of time.

In a telephone conversation with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, Xi noted that as both China and Serbia are facing new opportunities and challenges at present, the two countries need to view and develop their relations from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Noting that the Serbian people attach great importance to friendship, Xi said the iron-clad China-Serbia friendship is most valuable and deserves to be firmly upheld and carried forward from generation to generation.

Xi stressed that the two countries should firmly support each other while making respective efforts to safeguard their national sovereignty and security.

Chinese expert medical team member Cheng Shouzhen (1st L) delivers brochures on COVID-19 epidemic prevention to the medical staff of a nursing center in Belgrade, Serbia, May 12, 2020. (Xinhua)

China supports the development path chosen by the Serbian people based on their national conditions, Xi said.

The two sides should speed up high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, foster new growth areas of cooperation, share opportunities and seek common development, Xi said.

The two sides need to work together to tackle global challenges such as COVID-19, economic recovery and climate change, Xi said, adding that China is ready to offer further assistance to Serbia in fighting the epidemic as needed.

China and Serbia should also strengthen coordination in multilateral affairs, firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, defend international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and practice true multilateralism, Xi said.

Xi added that both sides must fully implement the consensus and outcomes of the Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and push for constant new progress in China-CEEC cooperation.

A China-Europe freight train carrying anti-epidemic supplies prepares to head for Belgrade, Serbia, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, May 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

For his part, Vucic expressed warm congratulations on 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Under the leadership of the CPC, Vucic noted, China has made great achievements that have attracted worldwide attention, achieved national prosperity and become an important force in promoting world peace and development.

Vucic said he firmly believes that the CPC will continue leading the Chinese people to stride forward along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

China is a great friend of Serbia and the Serbia-China relations are at their best in history, said Vucic, adding that the Serbian side is very proud of the iron-clad friendship between Serbia and China.

China has provided invaluable assistance for Serbia in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, deepened and consolidated traditional friendship, said the Serbian president, voicing hope that the two sides will continue strengthening cooperation in vaccines and other fields.

Serbia is ready to actively participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road and expand practical cooperation in various fields, Vucic said, noting that his country firmly supports and will continue actively promoting China-CEEC cooperation.

Vucic wished a long-lasting friendship between Serbia and China.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Du Mingming)
Chinese, Portuguese diplomats call for enhanced cooperation in post-pandemic recovery

Xinhua) 08:26, June 25, 2021

LISBON, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Diplomats and economic experts called for enhanced Chinese-Portuguese economic cooperation in the post-pandemic recovery at a webinar that kicked off here on Thursday.

Bilateral trade between China and Portugal has witnessed great progress while the world economy has declined and international trade and investment shrunk sharply due to the pandemic, said Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Zhao Bentang in his opening speech at the webinar titled "China-Portugal: New Opportunities in the Context of European Recovery."

The Chinese ambassador said that China continues to be Portugal's largest trading partner in Asia, and China's investment in Portugal has also been expanding, which will inject new impetus into further cooperation and joint development of third-party markets in the future.

Zhao said that China and Portugal share similar strategies of future development of innovation, digital transformation and green energy in China's 14th Five-Year Plan and Portugal's Recovery Plan.

He stressed that the similar vision of development provides favorable conditions for the two countries to conduct in-depth economic and trade cooperation and jointly explore new opportunities.

"I believe that European economic recovery and China's economic transformation will inevitably give rise to a lot of opportunities ... If Chinese and Portuguese enterprises can catch up with the new opportunities, they are expected to achieve their own leap-forward development, and push Chinese-Portuguese economic and trade cooperation to a new high as well," the Chinese diplomat said.

In a pre-recorded video speech, Portuguese Ambassador to China Jose Augusto Duarte spoke highly of the achievements in Portuguese-Chinese economic cooperation in the past years, and vowed to push forward bilateral ties in various fields.

"China has proved its stable and predictable progress in scientific and technological innovations, and will make even more in the coming future," Duarte said.

He expressed his hope that the two countries will use their respective technological advantages and know-how to strengthen their cooperation in the fields of electric vehicles, renewable energy and green transformation.

He emphasized the importance of Portuguese-Chinese enterprises' joint efforts to tap the potentials of the third-party market of Portuguese-speaking countries.

The two-day webinar, hosted by the Lisbon branch of Bank of China and co-organized by the Chinese Enterprises Association in Portugal and Portuguese-Chinese Young Entrepreneurs Association, was attended by around 80 guests and business representatives, including former Portuguese Foreign Minister Antonio Martins da Cruz, President of Portuguese Economic, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (AICEP) Luis Castro Henriques and Xu Haifeng, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Du Mingming)
BRI partners pledge closer cooperation for pandemic response, economic recovery

Xinhua) 08:38, June 25, 2021

Photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows packages of Chinese COVID-19 vaccines arriving at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

--China has been engaged in extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and has donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which are BRI partners.

--Following China's footsteps in pandemic response, more countries are demonstrating the will to forge unity through shared political commitments and shared responsibility to tackle the global health crisis of COVID-19.

--The green development initiative has accommodated the need for environmental conservation and development, a pragmatic and timely move to contribute to global recovery and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have pledged to enhance cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines and green development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by forging a closer partnership.

The move came as relevant initiatives were launched by 29 countries, including China, Colombia, Indonesia and Pakistan, at the Asia and Pacific High-level Conference on Belt and Road Cooperation held Wednesday via video link.

The conference was held to forge new consensus among countries in the Asia-Pacific region on jointly fighting the pandemic and promoting sustainable economic recovery, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

STRENGTHENING VACCINE COOPERATION

As of Wednesday, more than 178 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally with over 3.88 million deaths, while the coronavirus variants continue to pose threats.

Concerning cooperation on coronavirus vaccines, a powerful weapon for defeating the pandemic, the Asia-Pacific countries have called for providing more vaccines to the World Health Organization's COVAX initiative, supporting governments and enterprises to donate or export vaccines at an affordable price to developing countries, as well as transferring relevant technologies, as put forth in the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation.

Photo taken on June 1, 2021 shows vials of Sinopharm vaccines in Beijing, capital of China. The first batch of Chinese vaccines supplied to COVAX on June 1 officially rolled off the production line. (Xinhua)

"Dealing with the havoc in the region and the world caused by COVID-19 is not the responsibility of any single country," Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, told Xinhua, adding that the initiative's focus on developing countries is to address the vaccination gap, a key part of ensuring the final success in global anti-pandemic efforts.

China has been engaged in extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and has donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which are BRI partners, according to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the conference.

The relevant initiative means concrete actions, and it offers practical solutions to battle against the pandemic, Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, told Xinhua. Following China's footsteps in pandemic response, more countries are demonstrating the will to forge unity through shared political commitments and shared responsibility to tackle this global health crisis, he added.

ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY

Trade in goods between China and BRI partners last year registered a record 1.35 trillion U.S. dollars, making a significant contribution to the COVID-19 response, economic stability and people's livelihood in relevant countries, said Wang Yi.

To spur post-pandemic recovery, the Asia-Pacific countries have urged support for green and low-carbon development, putting in place environment-friendly and risk-resistant infrastructure, and promoting clean energy development and utilization, in their Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development.

Aerial photo taken on July 24, 2020 shows the China-Laos Railway's Ban Ladhan Mekong River Super Major Bridge in Laos. (Photo by Pan Longzhu/Xinhua)

The initiative aims to inject new impetus into building the green Silk Road, Wang said, adding "We are ready to step up cooperation in such areas as green infrastructure, green energy and green finance, and develop more environment-friendly projects with a high standard and high quality."

"An increasing number of countries are working for pledged carbon neutrality goals, and green development has become a development priority. However, they lack the necessary technologies, finance and experience, hence the need for further cooperation," Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, told Xinhua.

A train for the Orange Line arrives at a subway station in Lahore, Pakistan, Oct. 26, 2020. The Orange Line was constructed by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. and China North Industries Corporation and was operated by Guangzhou Metro Group, Norinco International and Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service. (Xinhua/Liu Tian)

The green development initiative has accommodated the need for environmental conservation and development, a pragmatic and timely move to contribute to global recovery and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Sun Jingxin, an associate research fellow with the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Du Mingming)
China to strongly repulse US ban on Xinjiangs solar panel material companies

(Global Times) 08:53, June 25, 2021

A view of Xinjiang Daqo Photo: Zhang Dan/GT

China on Thursday vowed to take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies following the latest US crackdown on solar panel material producers based in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which produces around half of the world's polysilicon.

Lawyers and experts encouraged relevant companies and the Chinese government to strongly strike back at the US' unreasonable and baseless accusations after the US has obviously become aware of the sanction benefits of its "industry genocide" targeting businesses of Xinjiang's cotton and tomato.

Highly automated industries in Xinjiang shatter Western "forced labor" lie Infographic: Deng Zijun/GT

The fabricated "forced labor" issue in Xinjiang is contrary to reality and the accusation is "the lie of the century," the Chinese Commerce Ministry and Foreign Ministry said on Thursday in separate remarks.

The US should immediately redress their actions, or "we will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and institutions," said Commerce Ministry spokesperson Gao Feng.

The US Commerce Department on Thursday put Hoshine Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co, and three other Chinese companies - Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co, Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co and Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Technology Co, as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps on an Entity List, citing the baseless claim of "forced labor" in the region.

The Biden administration on Wednesday separately blocked imports of Hoshine Silicon Industry, US media reported.

Despite having shown automated production of polysilicon in its Xinjiang plant to Western financial institutions and media outlets like Bloomberg and Financial Times in May to debunk the "forced labor" allegations, Xinjiang Daqo was named on the US Entity List.

"Considering the US photovoltaic (PV) market only needs 10 percent of the world's polysilicon, we don't believe it will create a significant impact on our businesses," Xinjiang Daqo told the Global Times on Thursday.

Reaffirming the company's "zero tolerance on forced labor," it said it has neither sold any products directly to US companies nor purchased any US products.

Xinjiang Daqo obtained approval to get registered on the Shanghai tech-heavy STAR market on Tuesday after its parent firm Daqo New Energy tumbled at the New York Stock Exchange partly because of the groundless US accusations. Shares of Daqo New Energy dropped around 4 percent to $55.7 in trading on Thursday morning session (US time).

A staff of the investor relations sector at Hoshine Silicon told the Global Times on Thursday that the company is gathering information about the impact of the US ban on its downstream customers, noting the company's sales proportion in the US market was small.

Xinjiang region contributes around 45 percent of the world's supply of polysilicon. As energy consumption is one of the key factors affecting polysilicon manufacturing, competitive electricity prices in Xinjiang, North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Northwest China's Qinghai Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region make these regions attractive.

According to Hangzhou-based industry website pv.china-nengyuan.com, the polysilicon output in Xinjiang is expected to hit 300,000 tons this year, which could satisfy the solar energy demand of 60 gigawatts (GW). It is notable that China's domestic PV module demand will reach 60-70 GW in 2021 as the country is striving to realize its "carbon peak" and "carbon neutrality" goals.

Unlike targeting Xinjiang's cotton and tomato, the US sanctions on the region's solar panel materials is not a whim as the past decade witnessed how the US solar industry went downhill while growth in China's solar energy sector forged ahead, industry observers said.

They noted even if non-Xinjiang regions have the capacity to produce polysilicon, the higher costs and other disruptions would appear in the global solar supply chains under the US ban. For instance, the old facilities and polysilicon manufacturing equipment at foreign companies including REC Group, OCI Solar Power and Hemlock would create increasing uncertainties to the global solar industry.

China became the world's largest polysilicon producer in 2020 with an output of 396,000 tons. Its global output share climbed to 76 percent of the world total, up 8.7 percentage points, according to data from the China Photovoltaic Industry Association.

The latest ranking from German research firm Bernreuter Research said seven of the world's top 10 largest polysilicon producers are based in China and only one is American.

Legal weapons

In the face of the latest US sanctions, lawyers and experts encouraged relevant Chinese companies and the government to take strong countermeasures.

"Chinese companies could make their utmost effort to fight for their rights and interests as the polysilicon industry is a capital- and technology-intensive sector, instead of a labor-intensive one," Gao Lingyun, an expert at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday. Without tangible evidence of "forced labor" found in these factories, such a lie will collapse, Gao said..

Guan Jian, a partner at Beijing Globe-Law Law Firm, told the Global Times on Thursday that these private Chinese companies could apply for the removal from the US Entity List within the US legal framework.

The removal of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi from the US government blacklist in May is seen as a victory by many Chinese companies, saying it has set an example for them of how to counter the irrational crackdown by the US government by adopting legal avenues.

In addition to Chinese companies, analysts noted that China's Anti-Foreign Sanction Law, which was enacted on June 10, has offered more tools to block sanctions from the US or other countries that may follow the US.

According to Article 12 of the law, any organization or individual that implements or assists in implementing the US sanctions against China can be sued by Chinese companies and individuals for violating the law and will be required to cease infringement and pay compensation, Yang Yonghong, a law professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Politicians, industrial lobbyists, individuals from companies as well as relatives of these people who have been involved in pushing for the US sanctions against China will be sanctioned with their entry to China denied, asset frozen and businesses within China restricted, Yang said.

The US has no legal basis for taking unilateral sanctions on other countries under the excuse of "human rights," and in recent years, the US has weaponized and politicized "human rights" - more frequently using it to bully other countries, Yang said, noting that the "US is using human rights as an excuse to practice hegemony" and most of the developing countries in the UN have expressed opposition to unilateral sanctions.

In a meeting held at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday, 184 countries voted in favor of a resolution to demand the end of the US economic blockade on Cuba, for the 29th year in a row.

Yang pointed out that some special rapporteurs of the UN Human Rights Council have expressed concern on human rights made by US coercive sanctions on some countries.

In December 2020, Alena Douhan, a special rapporteur on the negative impact of the unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, called on the US to remove unilateral sanctions which may inhibit the rebuilding of Syria's civilian infrastructure.

EU market more essential

Although it is uncertain to what extent the new US ban would disrupt China's solar industry supply chain and Chinese solar companies' acquirement of the raw materials, some companies have raised concerns of prospective exports to the EU market - a major market for Chinese solar panel makers.

According to the China Photovoltaic Industry Association, China exported 17.4 percent of the solar modules produced in the country to the Netherlands in 2019-20, 12.7 percent to Japan, 5.1 percent to Spain, 3.9 percent to India and 3.3 percent to Germany.

"The most worrisome consequence of the US ban on China's solar panels would be a follow-up crackdown by the EU. That may lock many Chinese solar makers within the country," Guan warned.

However, Gao said that the EU does not have the impetus to follow suit because the Europeans have already become embattled and worried about the fate of the China-EU bilateral investment treaty because of the Xinjiang cotton issue.

China could impose sanctions on representative individuals or companies in the EU if the bloc bans Chinese solar panels, he noted.

When major countries are ramping up efforts on the climate change agenda, China's domestic demand for solar panels is also huge.

Calling for unity by domestic solar companies from upstream to downstream, Pan Cunxiang, secretary general of the Nonferrous Metal Industry Association in Xinjiang, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Chinese solar companies should not fall into disorder following the US crackdown.

"We should first satisfy the great domestic demand," Pan said.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Du Mingming)
Russia summons British ambassador over warship intrusion

Xinhua) 08:55, June 25, 2021

MOSCOW, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador Deborah Bronnert on Thursday and "strongly" protested against the violation by a British warship of Russia's state border in the Black Sea.

The ministry in a statement denounced the "provocative and dangerous actions" of the British Navy destroyer HMS Defender in Russia's "territorial waters" on Wednesday, which went against the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

If such provocations happen again, "all responsibility for their possible consequences will rest entirely on the British side," the ministry warned.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday, the British warship "crossed the Russian border" in the northwestern part of the Black Sea at 11:52 a.m. Moscow time (0852 GMT) after going 3 km beyond the sea border in the area of Cape Fiolent, and Russia's Black Sea Fleet Su-24M aircraft carried out "warning bombing" along the path of the destroyer.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Du Mingming)
Shanghai teacher blazes new trail for Tibet students with fine art education

09:04, June 25, 2021 By Xu Yuyao ( People's Daily Online

Gao Qunbin stands in front of a wall covered by his students paintings. (Peoples Daily/Xu Yuyao)

Fine art is bringing new possibilities to students in Chinas Tibet autonomous region.

Thanks to Gao Qunbin, an art teacher from Shanghai volunteering to teach at the Shanghai Experimental School in Shigatse, southwest Chinas Tibet autonomous region, several students of the school have passed the entrance exams for art academies this year and are ready to go to colleges, which had never happened in the schools history.

In an activity room, extra-curricular fine art lessons are given by Gao at noon and evening every day and on each weekend.

However, the man was questioned a lot when he first started the classes.

Can painting pay the bills? That was a question he was always asked back then, because no one of the school had ever been admitted by a university through entrance exams for art academies, and most of the parents didn't attach importance on art education.

Art education is new to the people here, Gao told Peoples Daily, and thats why he decided to seek students interested in fine art on his regular classes and recruit them for the extra-curricular lessons.

Padma Chungda was one of Gaos earliest students. It was a fine art work of his with splendid coloring that attracted attention of Gao.

The students comes from Yadong county of Shigatse, a low-altitude county that boasts wide vegetation coverage. It is home to green mountains and lucid waters, as well as views of snow-capped mountains, which are all rare in Shigatse. Growing up in an environment like this, Padma Chungda are highly perceptive color-wise and is an expert of colors.

Do you want to learn drawing? It earns you chances to enter colleges, or you can become an art teacher just like me, Gao asked the student, seeing his talent.

What Gao said was quite tempting for Padma Chungda. After discussing with his family, he decided to join Gao's extra-curricular courses and became one of the first fine art students of the latter in Shigatse.

Gaos students learned well and fast. Padma Chungda, and the other two students attending Gaos courses in the earliest days, all achieved great performance in the entrance examinations for art academies that year.

They were the first students in Shigatse to pass the exams, he said, adding that hard work forever pays, which is true to both himself and his students.

Just like pigments can make a glass of water colorful, Gao's fine art classes have made school life more splendid for the students.

The success of Gaos first students made him more confident when he explained art education to other parents. At present, over 20 senior high students are attending his extra-curricular fine art classes, and the number is higher in the schools junior high department.

Preparing for further art studies in college, the students are also expanding the influence of art, Gao said.

Gao, whos in his fifties and volunteering to teach in Tibet for a second time, has a goal to present the beauty of Shigatse to every student there and open a window into aesthetics for the children in mountainous areas.

Art courses are a mirror of the schools efforts in enhancing moral and art education. We have always been working to ensure that all students can find the extra-curricular activities they like, said Zhang Bisheng, principal of the Shanghai Experimental School in Shigatse.

According to him, 52 student societies have been opened at the school by 28 teachers from Shanghai, who are trying their best to cover as many students as possible.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
Chinas major export hub hit by COVID-19, but strong rebound expected

(Global Times) 09:04, June 25, 2021

Workers assemble toy cars inside a factory in Dongguan, South China's Guangdong Province on December 16, 2020. Photos: Cui Meng/GT

As businesses and factories in South China's Guangdong Province face challenges ranging from a resurgence of COVID-19 to rising raw material prices and logistics disruptions, concerns are growing over the potentially severe impact on China's major manufacturing and export hub, which some fear may weigh on the country's overall trade in June.

While epidemic control measures and backlogs at major ports caused some disruptions to factory operations and overseas shipments, the impact has been largely limited, and the outbreak has been reined in despite some lingering restrictions, sources at nearly a dozen businesses in various regional cities said on Thursday.

The disruptions may hurt some small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and weigh on Guangdong's exports in June, but a strong rebound in factory activity and exports can be expected once the outbreak is fully controlled, trade experts said.

Central and local governments are moving swiftly to ease the impact on SMEs and exporters, including providing financial relief to businesses and dispatching more cargo ships to add shipping capacity.

"The Pearl River Delta can no longer suspend work, because it would have too much impact on the national economy," a manager at a magnet producer surnamed Tang in Dongguan, a manufacturing hub in Guangdong, told the Global Times on Thursday.

In 2020, Guangdong contributed about 11 percent of China's GDP and 22 percent of total trade, making the potential impact on the province's economic activity a cause for national concern. Given Guangdong's crucial role as a shipping hub, disruptions could also have global implications.

Though the province has largely reined in the outbreak, with only eight new cases reported for Wednesday, many areas in Guangdong are still deemed risky, and restrictions are being left in place to stem the spread of the virus.

"The epidemic has only had a limited impact in the district where we are. However, if materials are transported from some medium- and high-risk areas, there would be delays. Some workers living outside of the district may not be able to come to work every day, and nucleic acid tests for all staff could also affect some production," a manager surnamed Yin at a medical equipment maker in Guangzhou told the Global Times on Thursday.

The outbreak - coupled with limits on electricity supplies -- could result in a decline of 20-30 percent in the company's production capacity, according to Yin. Also, shortages of cargo containers and delays in shipments to the US and Europe have added to the company's costs, Yin said.

Amid a summer peak for electricity consumption fueled by humming factories and other economic activity, officials in the province last month told factories to limit electricity use. Also, as COVID-19 cases at the Yantian port in Shenzhen severely disrupted operations, other major ports across the province were also affected, leading to serious delays.

"The outbreak had no impact on our production, but it has had a very big impact on export transportation because we cannot get containers," the owner of a textile factory in Dongguan told the Global Times, adding that rising raw materials prices and limited power supplies also had "some" impact.

Given these combined challenges, some market analysis has shown that Guangdong's exports could hit their lowest level this year in June, with some predicting a 30-percent drop in Guangzhou and Shenzhen - the two major export hubs. That could lead to a decline of up to 8 percentage in the growth of China's exports in June, according to one widely circulated analysis this week.

However, such estimates may be exaggerated, given that the outbreak was largely confined to certain areas and most economic activity was not affected, businesses and experts noted.

"The outbreak has some impact, but it's definitely not as bad as some suggested," Hong Shibin, deputy executive director of the marketing committee of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, told the Global Times. Epidemic control measures were precisely targeted and most businesses were not affected. "Our factory has been operating normally and receiving orders normally due to the precise prevention and control measures."

In a direct sign that things are getting back to normal, the port at Yantian -- which was partially shut down -- resumed "full operations" on Thursday, with daily throughput reaching 330,000 standard containers, port officials said.

To ease the shortages of containers and ships, China has dispatched "all" operable ships, except those are undergoing maintenance, and significantly increased the monthly output of standard containers, Vice Minister of Transport Zhao Chongjiu told a press conference on Thursday.

Bai Ming, an expert at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said that various measures are in place to stabilize Guangdong's exports and once the outbreak is contained, Guangdong will see a strong rebound in exports.

"There is no cause for worry, because we are well-prepared to deal with the outbreak and other challenges. If there is an impact on Guangdong's exports, it will be transitory," Bai told the Global Times on Thursday.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Hongyu)
Delegation leader promises regular exchanges with HK

Chinadaily.com.cn) 09:09, June 25, 2021

Top national aerospace scientists visiting Hong Kong pose for photos at a lecture at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University on June 24, 2021. [Photo by EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY]

HONG KONG - The national delegation of aerospace scientists has received a "warmer than expected" welcome from students during its visit to Hong Kong's universities, the senior scientist who is leading the delegation said.

The national space institutions will establish a mechanism to maintain regular exchanges with Hong Kong universities in a bid to leverage Hong Kong's advantages in advancing the country's space missions, said Zhao Xiaojin, vice-president of the China Academy of Space Technology.

Zhao made the remarks at a media briefing on Thursday. Members of the high-level delegation led by Zhao gave two in-person lectures at two local universities and had a closed-door meeting with their counterparts at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

He quoted leaders of the University of Hong Kong, one of the two higher institutions holding the talks, as saying that it has been years since the university has seen such a popular lecture at which students were so actively engaged. Many students who couldn't attend due to the pandemic watched the live broadcast.

Members of the delegation, who arrived in the city on Tuesday, are also expected to talk to the city's secondary-school students on Friday.

"The two universities asked me about the feasibility of having their students intern or even work at national space institutions in the future. That should not be a problem. Hong Kong students are welcome," said Zhao, who is also Party chief of the China Academy of Space Technology.

Zhao said six of the delegates had studied at Hong Kong universities before they returned to the Chinese mainland, and they shared their experiences at PolyU about working on the mainland.

Hong Kong scientists have been working with the scientists from the Chinese mainland on many national aerospace projects, and there is room for closer and deeper collaboration, Zhao said.

Looking ahead, more important projects are in the works, and the nation needs Hong Kong's scientists and youngsters to take part in its missions to become a space power, Zhao said.

(Web editor: Guo Wenrui, Hongyu)
Friendship tree planted in Pakistan to mark 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties with China

Xinhua) 09:19, June 25, 2021

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong (C) and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (R) plant a tree at the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on June 24, 2021. A friendship tree was planted here on Thursday as part of the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. (Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A friendship tree was planted here at the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in on Thursday as part of the ongoing celebrations to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.

The tree was jointly planted by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, according to the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the occasion, Qureshi said that the year 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and lauded the Chinese leadership and the CPC for lifting over 700 million people out of extreme poverty in a short span of 40 years, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

He also praised the Chinese leadership for spearheading the Chinese nation's efforts for peace and development, it added.

"The year 2021 also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China," the foreign minister said, adding that unrelenting efforts of the successive generations of the people and leadership have transformed this relationship into an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Also on the occasion, the Chinese ambassador announced that China donates 7,000 saplings to Pakistan as a response to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's proposed Clean and Green Pakistan Movement and "10 Billion Tree Tsunami Program."

A wide range of events are being held in Pakistan and China to celebrate the landmark 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
China-Europe freight trains support economic lifeline amid pandemic

Xinhua) 09:22, June 25, 2021

-- A silver lining brought by China-Europe freight trains has boosted fragile supply chains in Eurasian countries and saved businesses in both China and Europe.

-- Though its prices are a little higher than seaborne shipping, the train service provided by China Railway Express has the advantage of a relatively stable schedule, which takes as short as 12 days to get to Europe from China hinging on specific departures and destinations.

-- Notably, life-saving medical supplies and raw materials were also transported to Europe by freight trains, when countries along the route were synergizing efforts to combat the coronavirus.

-- Since the first China-Europe freight train departed from Chongqing in March 2011, the service has reached more than 160 cities in 22 European countries.

BERLIN, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Though the outbreak of COVID-19 had grounded Europeans for months and impacted the economy as a whole, some sectors such as electronics businesses have spotted niches with surging demands for laptops and other gadgets at home.

Lu Hong, a local brand director of laptop manufacturer ASUS in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, found such a niche and witnessed a business boom in 2020. However, before long, shortage of sea freighters, price hikes and unpredictable shipping time pushed him to the verge of breaking contracts.

A silver lining brought by China-Europe freight trains has boosted fragile supply chains in Eurasian countries and saved businesses in both China and Europe.

SOLUTION TO SUPPLY DISRUPTION

Lu's company last year hired some 1,000 containers to deliver computers through China-Europe freight train services across the Eurasian continent.

Though its prices are a little higher than seaborne shipping, the train service provided by China Railway Express (CRE) has the advantage of a relatively stable schedule, which takes as short as 12 days to get to Europe from China hinging on specific departures and destinations.

A China-Europe freight train bound for Duisburg of Germany prepares for departure at Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

"Due to the pandemic containment measures, there are many disruptions of sea transportation ... Now it's very hard to get enough containers and the prices are skyrocketing," said Lu.

The past year was tough for many business operators like Lu, since volatile air and ocean freight capacities had resulted in soaring shipping prices.

Similarly, Chinese car manufacturer Changan Ford Automobile also turned to the train route, though in a reverse direction, to tackle its supply problems caused by the pandemic.

Upon the outbreak of COVID-19, Changan's assembly line was nearly suspended, due to the delay and disruption of the shipping of auto supplies from Spain.

The company urgently rerouted the transportation of supplies with cargo trains passing by Germany's Duisburg City, which took some 20 days to reach Chongqing, said Zhuang Changbo, logistics supervisor at Changan Ford Automobile, adding, "It saved some 50 days compared to sea transportation."

ANTI-PANDEMIC "GREEN PASSAGE"

Traffic through the CRE surged 75 percent year-on-year to 3,398 trains in January-March, after topping the annual record in 2020 with 12,406 trains, according to the China State Railway Group.

Besides auto parts, clothes, toys and electronics, some overstocked airmails from China to Europe are also diverted to CRE trains departing from Chinese cities including Chongqing, Yiwu and Guangzhou.

Notably, life-saving medical supplies and raw materials were also transported to Europe by freight trains, when countries along the route were synergizing efforts to combat the coronavirus.

Representatives pose for a photo after the arrival of a China-Europe cargo train loaded with medical materials in Paris, France, June 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Xu Yongchun)

Official data showed that around 94,000 tonnes of anti-pandemic supplies were sent through the route, with special trains carrying surgical masks, medical gloves, water-soluble bags, contactless gel dispensers and other supplies to Poland's Malaszewicze, Germany's Duisburg, Spain's Madrid and France's Paris.

Volker Tschapke, honorary president of Germany's Prussian Society, called the train route an anti-pandemic "Green Passage," noting that "Europe was rather desperately encountering the first wave of COVID if you remember. (Medical) shortages were seen everywhere. The train routes were vital and they save lives."

PAVING WAY FOR FUTURE

According to official data released on Sunday, the China-Europe freight-train service has recorded more than 40,000 trips, with the transported goods valued at over 200 billion U.S. dollars.

Since the first China-Europe freight train departed from Chongqing in March 2011, the service has reached more than 160 cities in 22 European countries.

A China-Europe freight train carrying anti-epidemic supplies prepares to head for Belgrade, Serbia, in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, May 9, 2020. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

Countries along the international freight route have shown growing interests in cooperation on upgrading logistics chains to speed up post-pandemic recovery.

Finnish Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Ville Skinnari said that railway freight -- featuring much lower carbon emissions -- has a clear sustainability advantage compared to other means of transport.

"For the companies, it is important to be able to diversify their logistical chains, add value with speed and have alternative means of transport. Especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistical chain risk is definitely something that many companies are more aware of," said Skinnari.

Earlier this month, a subsidiary of the Polish State Railways (PKP), in a bid to extend its transport connections, started a program connecting Wroclaw, a major city in southwestern Poland, via Malaszewicze, the gateway of railway connection in Poland and Europe, with several Chinese cities including Chongqing.

Aerial photo shows a China-Europe freight train bound for Duisburg of Germany departing from Tuanjiecun Station in southwest China's Chongqing, Jan. 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Tang Yi)

Ivan Ruzbacky, president of PKP Cargo Connect, said that the new connection between Wroclaw and Chinese cities is a further step to enhance connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The project offers "a unique opportunity to fit into global supply chains," he said, adding, "This in turn translates into a positive perception by international customers and related development and expansion opportunities."

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
Commentary-Explainer: Why is CPC a keen supporter of global cooperation?

Xinhua) 10:26, June 25, 2021

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Under the leadership of the 100-year-old Communist Party of China (CPC), the world's second largest economy has been contributing to and benefiting from global cooperation.

Despite rising protectionism and anti-globalization sentiment around the world, China has repeatedly pledged that it will never close its door to the outside world. It has remained committed to openness and international cooperation, which it believes are essential for continued progress both for the country itself and for humanity as a whole.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has stressed the Party's commitment to leading the Chinese people in unswervingly following the path of reform and opening up during his inspection tour in south China's Guangdong Province in October last year.

The world's largest political party with over 91 million members is fully aware that globalization and multilateralism are the irreversible trends of history, and seclusion leads only to backwardness.

History serves as a mirror. China's reform and opening up, the country's fundamental state policy since 1978, has transformed a poverty-stricken country into a vibrant economy, which has proved to be one of the most impressive success stories in the world over decades.

Through its cooperation with the rest of the world, China has also become the leading engine of global development and an anchor of stability for global peace.

In an increasingly well-connected world, human beings have been plagued by common threats. Among the problems confronting the world, ranging from post-epidemic economic recovery to the pressing challenge of climate change, none can be resolved by a single country alone.

And this is why the CPC, as a staunch supporter of multilateralism, has been advocating global cooperation.

It has taken a further step to propose the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, a concept that has been enshrined in the Party Constitution.

The concept, which was proposed by Xi eight years ago, embodies the ideas of building an open, inclusive, clean, and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security, and common prosperity.

Under the leadership of the CPC, China stands ready to join hands with other countries to address the problems facing humanity.

The latest evidence of China's active role in global cooperation is in the sphere of public health. As of June 16, China had donated and exported more than 350 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines around the globe.

The CPC is also actively engaged in exchanges with parties around the world to draw on their wisdoms. Data shows that the CPC has relations in various forms with more than 600 political parties and organizations in over 160 countries and regions.

The original aspiration and mission of the CPC is to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. The Party is keenly aware that such aspiration and mission can only be achieved in an environment of peaceful development and global cooperation.

For the CPC, the past 100 years are the prologue that will usher in a new chapter of its endeavors to lead China's win-win cooperation with the world.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
We Are China

Highlights of activities across China to mark CPC centenary

Xinhua) 10:28, June 25, 2021

Activities have been held across China to mark the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Large-scale light shows were held in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, while dazzling drone light shows were staged in various other cities.

People across the country also marked the CPC's anniversary through traditional Chinese art forms.

Guo Chunkui, an inheritor of Dongchangfu woodblock printing in east China's Shandong Province, spent three years on making a work with a theme about the CPC's history.

A middle school art teacher in northwest China's Shaanxi Province spent over five years on a 100-meter-long painting to mark CPC's centenary.

Students in the city of Nangong in north China's Hebei learned CPC's history through papercutting.

Meanwhile, art performances celebrating the centenary are held in various places.

More than 150 firefighters gathered in Liupanshui city in southwest China's Guizhou to sing with citizens.

In Yuqing County in Guizhou, students formed various patterns marking the centenary on their playground during after-class exercise.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
China condemns U.S. imposing sanctions on Chinese enterprises based on lies, disinformation

Xinhua) 10:49, June 25, 2021

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- China strongly condemns the United States imposing sanctions on Chinese companies based on lies and disinformation, according to a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry Thursday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian also said that China will take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Zhao made the remarks at a press briefing when responding to a query that the United States would impose import restrictions on products of companies in Xinjiang's photovoltaic industry.

"China strongly condemns the United States imposing sanctions on Chinese companies based on lies and false information," Zhao said. "The so-called 'forced labor' and 'genocide' in Xinjiang are the biggest lie of the century. The United States abused its "entity list" to suppress Xinjiang's photovoltaic industry, based on fabrications. Such actions not only violate international trade rules and the principles of the market economy, but also undermine the global industrial and supply chains," he said.

From cotton to the photovoltaic industry, and from agriculture to industry, the United States uses human rights as a disguise to do all it could to cripple the industrial development in Xinjiang, Zhao said.

"What the United States does is detrimental to Xinjiang people's rights to subsistence and development, and also exposes that what they are after is not facts, truth or Xinjiang people's well-being, but to create 'forced unemployment' and 'forced poverty' to mess up Xinjiang and contain China's development," Zhao said.

"We also remind the United States that it is the United States itself which is the real perpetrator of genocide and forced labor," the spokesperson said.

Zhao said U.S. politicians should reflect more on the country's history of genocide against Native Americans and African Americans in Tulsa, and think more about how to solve human rights problems such as racial conflicts and forced labor in the United States.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Chinese vaccines an effective tool in Pakistan's fight against COVID-19

Xinhua) 11:09, June 25, 2021

A man receives a dose of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, June 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Ghazanfar Malik, his wife and mother recently got immunization certificates after receiving their two jabs of the Chinese Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine, and besides feeling protected, they felt particularly sad over Malik's father losing his life to the pandemic ahead of his vaccination date three months ago.

"I had mixed feelings when I got my certificate. I kept on thinking that if my father had himself administered the vaccine, he would have been with us today," said Malik.

"He was 70 years old and was the last in his friends' circle to register for the vaccine. Other old men who received Sinopharm shots in time remained safe from the coronavirus, but my old man fell prey to the disease," Malik told Xinhua.

Malik has urged everyone of his friends and acquaintances to get the vaccine to protect themselves and their loved ones from the deadly virus. He believes that vaccination is the most effective tool against the coronavirus epidemic.

Pakistan has recently recovered from a serious third wave of infections and eased anti-epidemic restrictions nationwide after the COVID-19 positivity rate fell below 3 percent. Experts believe speeding up vaccine rollout and making sure people comply with health guidelines have helped the government succeed in curbing the spread of the virus.

The Asian country started its vaccination drive in February this year after receiving vaccines donated by China. With more donations from China as well as the Sinopharm, Sinovac and CanSino vaccines it purchased from China, Pakistan has been immunizing its population from the pandemic.

Asad Umar, head of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) against COVID-19, said China came for Pakistan's rescue as a true friend when it was in dire need of the vaccine to immunize its public.

"We were facing a serious challenge and were looking for a friend to come to our rescue, and like always China helped us to overcome the crisis, enabling us to kick off our vaccination drive," said Umar.

Apart from helping Pakistan with vaccine donations, China also enabled Pakistan to roll out locally produced CanSino vaccine through technology transfer, and to be self-sufficient of the vaccine in the future, Umar said.

With the technological support from the CanSino Biologics Inc., the National Institute of Health of Pakistan recently filled and packed the single-dose CanSino vaccine using the bulk vaccine purchased from China. It was the first COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pakistan.

Addressing the launching ceremony for the locally produced CanSino vaccine earlier this month, Umar shared results of a local survey, saying that Chinese vaccines are the preferred vaccines due to their superior quality and efficacy.

The vaccine is really a boon for people who have wide interaction with the public on a daily basis, and whose work or business was badly affected by the pandemic, such as transporters, teachers and traders.

Rana Mukhtar, a fruit vendor at a major fruit market located in the capital Islamabad, told Xinhua that his business had suffered six months of market closure and restrictions, including sharp decrease in visitors amid the pandemic, partly as a result of the declining purchasing power of people.

"Things gradually got back to normal when administration of Chinese vaccines started. Many people including myself got a jab. The hustle and bustle of the market has returned and prices of fruit and vegetables at the stalls also dropped, resulting in an increase in the number of customers," Mukhtar said.

M. Ali Kemal, an economic policy advisor at the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, said that the timely vaccination process supported by Chinese vaccines has helped in Pakistan's economic recovery and boosted the government's confidence in easing restrictions following a continuous drop in new cases.

He said that with the momentum in vaccination drive, the socio-economic activities in Pakistan will get a boost.

According to the NCOC, 100 million people out of Pakistan's total population of over 220 million is eligible for vaccination, and the country aims to inoculate them by mid-2022. So far, there have been over 3.5 million fully vaccinated while over 7.2 million partially vaccinated.

Experts and officials believe that China's vaccine donation and uninterrupted vaccine exports have greatly helped Pakistan and many other countries in their combating COVID-19.

In a conversation with Xinhua, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Faisal Sultan said that the vaccination drive in Pakistan centers around the Chinese vaccines.

He added that China's help in the form of vaccine donations and supplies to countries in need especially the developing countries "underscores the philosophy which the Chinese government put forth, which is that China is doing it for a global good."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Traditional Han clothing a major hit among Generation Z

Xinhua) 11:14, June 25, 2021

A tourist wearing Hanfu, or Han-style costumes, stands beside an ancient ginkgo tree at Dajue Temple in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Dongxun)

XI'AN, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a long gown with loose sleeves and elaborate embroidery while touring the ancient city wall of Xi'an, Wei Fangbing could easily pass for someone from the ancient times were it not for her smartphone.

Hailing from northeast China's Liaoning Province, Wei is a devotee of hanfu, a type of traditional garment of the Han ethnic group. The early 20-something bought the eye-catching outfit well before her trip to Xi'an, a historical city in northwest China best known for the Terracotta Warriors.

"On social media, I saw many people visited Xi'an wearing hanfu. They look very gorgeous," she said. "The outfit's retro style goes particularly well with Xi'an."

Wei is among a growing number of young hanfu fans in China who have been charmed by the traditional attire's unique design and the rich culture behind it.

According to a report by Chinese consulting agency iiMedia Research, the number of hanfu enthusiasts in the country will have surged from 2.04 million in 2018 to 6.89 million by the end of this year, with over 70 percent of the fans being Generation Z-ers aged between 16 and 24.

The ongoing hanfu craze is certainly palpable. If you walk into parks and tourist spots in cities like Xi'an, Hangzhou and Nanjing, chances are you will come across people dressed in hanfu taking selfies.

A woman in Hanfu, or Han-style costumes, poses for photos in snow at the West Lake scenic spot in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2018. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

To tap into the fad, some tourist attractions have held hanfu-themed events and offered discounts and waivers for admission tickets to visitors wearing hanfu.

Last year, the ancient town of Xitang in east China's Zhejiang Province attracted some 187,000 tourists during its hanfu cultural week, including more than 86,000 visitors dressed in the traditional garment.

Zhu Keli, a researcher on new economy with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the growing popularity of hanfu among Chinese young people arises from their increasing appreciation for traditional culture and their need to express their individuality.

The new economy and e-commerce platforms have further spurred the development of the niche market, Zhu said.

The report by iiMedia Research predicted the sales volume of China's hanfu market to exceed 10 billion yuan (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) this year.

The booming market has been attracting an increasing number of young, hanfu-loving entrepreneurs.

Wu Qiuqiao, 27, owns a shop on Taobao, China's major online shopping platform, which mainly sells specially-designed hanfu for pet cats. Wu opened the shop in 2019 after quitting her previous job in Beijing to pursue her real interests -- hanfu and cats.

"I was trying to do something different, and the idea of hanfu for cats is so original and combines my top two interests," she said.

The novel idea has turned out a big success. To date, Wu's shop has garnered over 16,000 followers on Taobao, with the highest monthly sales topping 70,000 yuan.

Wu said her main concerns when designing hanfu for cats are how to make the clothing more comfortable for the animals and how to retain the original flavor of hanfu.

"I'm happy that the special hanfu can win the hearts of so many cat owners," she said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Diplomats visit CPC museum with Chinese foreign minister

Xinhua) 11:28, June 25, 2021

More than 100 foreign diplomats visit the exhibition of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) history in the Museum of the CPC at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, capital of China, June 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 foreign diplomats visited the exhibition of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) history in the Museum of the CPC at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday.

In his welcome address before the visit, Wang said the exhibition shows the extraordinary journey of the CPC in the past 100 years, and displays the historical, theoretical and social logic of China's development in a century.

The CPC is a political party that strives for the cause of human progress, Wang said, adding that China will work consistently with all countries in the world to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind at a new historical starting point.

The diplomats congratulated the CPC on its centennial, and expressed willingness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Party and further deepen relations with China.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
Chinese envoy voices grave concern over Japan's unilateral decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into ocean

Xinhua) 11:29, June 25, 2021

UNITED NATIONS, June 23 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday voiced grave concern over the Japanese government's unilateral decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated water into the ocean.

All countries have the obligation to abide by the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the protection and preservation of the maritime environment, and jointly take care of the home that mankind depends on for survival, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

Recently, the Japanese government unilaterally decided to dispose of contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant by ocean discharge, and China expresses grave concern about this decision, he told the 31st meeting of states parties to UNCLOS.

The amount of nuclear-contaminated water Japan intends to discharge, its duration, the sea area covered, and its potential risks are all unprecedented, he said.

Studies have shown that once the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water is released into the sea, it will quickly spread to most of the Pacific Ocean, and further to the global waters, Geng added.

The nuclear-contaminated water that Japan plans to discharge contains a lot of radioactive substances, which will have severe impacts on the maritime environment, ecosystems and human health, he said.

According to the stipulations of UNCLOS, when dealing with nuclear-contaminated water, Japan should take all measures necessary to ensure that activities under its jurisdiction or control will not cause damage by pollution to other states and their environment, and to ensure that resulting pollution will not spread beyond the areas where it exercises sovereign rights, said the Chinese diplomat.

Under international law, including UNCLOS, Japan must also fulfill various obligations, such as timely notification, full consultation, environmental impact assessment and monitoring, international cooperation and information exchange, he said.

Japan is fully aware that the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water may cause severe harm to the global marine environment, and it is fully aware of its international obligations under UNCLOS and other international treaties, as well as various doubts and opposition at home and abroad, Geng said.

However, before exhausting safe disposal means, disclosing all relevant information, fully consulting with neighboring countries and other stakeholders or coming up with verification arrangement that can be monitored, Japan decided unilaterally to dump the nuclear-contaminated water into the sea out of pure economic considerations, he noted.

This approach is opaque, irresponsible and unfriendly. It is maliciously intended, knowingly offensive and self-interested, and it runs counter to the consensus and momentum of the international community to protect and sustainably use the oceans, said Geng.

China strongly urges Japan to earnestly fulfill its international obligations and handle the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water issue prudently in an open and transparent manner, he noted.

Without fully negotiating and reaching a consensus with all stakeholders and relevant international institutions, no nuclear-contaminated water can be discharged into the ocean wantonly, Geng said.

He urged Japan to face up to and fulfill its responsibilities to all mankind and future generations by avoiding irreversible damage to human health and global marine ecology.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Cambodian gov't spokesman says Sino-Cambodian ties to be closer, stronger

Xinhua) 11:38, June 25, 2021

Aerial photo taken on March 11, 2021 shows the eighth Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge across the Mekong River, connecting Kampong Cham province and Tboung Khmum province in southeastern Cambodia. (Shanghai Construction Group/Handout via Xinhua)

"At the time of this economic downturn, the BRI remains as a driving force to continue expanding cooperation among countries in the region and the world for the cause of peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development," said Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan.

PHNOM PENH, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said on Thursday he has no doubt that the Sino-Cambodian ties will be closer and stronger in the future thanks to the greater cooperation under China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the recently-signed Cambodia-China Free Trade Agreement and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership free trade pact.

"I'm proud to say that despite the impact of the COVID-19, many bilateral cooperation projects under the BRI such as the first Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the new national stadium, the 700-megawatt power plant in Sihanoukville, among others, have progressed steadily," he said.

"These projects bring us tremendous benefits, helping us boost the economy and reduce poverty during and after the COVID-19 era," he said.

Siphan said the BRI is becoming the new engine of global economic growth, and that since its inception in 2013, it has importantly contributed to boosting regional and global cooperation in terms of hard and soft infrastructures, economy, trades, investment opportunities, cultural exchange, and people-to-people connectivity.

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 15, 2020 shows the construction site of the first expressway in Cambodia in Kampong Speu Province, Cambodia. (Photo by Li Zhen/Xinhua)

"At the time of this economic downturn, the BRI remains as a driving force to continue expanding cooperation among countries in the region and the world for the cause of peace, security, prosperity and sustainable development," he said.

Cambodia highly commends China on the joint fight against COVID-19, Siphan said, and the Southeast Asian nation greatly values China's assistance. He said that the cooperation between the two countries should be a role model for international cooperation.

"For Cambodia, China is our key COVID-19 vaccine provider."

He added that the kingdom began an inoculation drive on Feb. 10 and to date, more than 3.5 million out of the 10 million targeted adult population have been vaccinated.

Airport workers transport packages of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 19, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

"As Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen has said, we're going to inoculate 10 million targeted adult population by the end of this year or early next year, so thank you very much China for donating and selling vaccines to us. Without you, we would not have enough vaccines to vaccinate our people," Siphan said.

He said the Cambodia-China joint COVID-19 fight will undoubtedly contribute to building a community of shared future between the two countries.

Siphan also urged not to politicize the COVID-19 pandemic but do their best to safeguard their own people's lives, as some countries are playing the blame game over it.

"The COVID-19 is a global health crisis, so we don't need to point the finger at each other, but it's time for all of us to stand together to fight against the pandemic," he said. "Some countries have wasted time to blame this or that country. This is an irresponsible act for their own citizens."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Egypt's table grape exports grow as global demand increases

Xinhua) 12:47, June 25, 2021

A worker harvests grapes at a grape farm in Sadat city of Menoufia province, Egypt, June 14, 2021. At a vast grape farm in Sadat City of Menoufia province, north of Cairo, dozens of well-trained workers carefully harvested clusters of grapes dangling beneath the green leaves. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

MENOUFIA, Egypt, June 24 (Xinhua) -- At a vast grape farm in Sadat City of Menoufia province, north of Cairo, dozens of well-trained workers carefully harvested clusters of grapes dangling beneath the green leaves.

In Egypt, grape harvest season begins in May and ends in September. Grapes are one of the most widely grown fruit crops across the country, second only to citrus.

Egypt's grape cultivation is spread geographically from Alexandria in the north to Aswan in the south, which enables the prolonged availability of fresh table grapes, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Egypt has in recent years witnessed a notable increase in growing and exporting table grapes as the global demand for its high quality fruit has been rising remarkably.

"We have punctually and reliably exported to Europe certified table grapes since 2002," Mohammed Mostafa, technical manager of a family owned company specializing in growing and exporting fruits and vegetables.

He noted that his company exports 3,000-3,500 tons of table grapes to Europe annually, pointing out the produce is increasing notably in recent years.

The grape-growing area in Egypt is about 200,000 feddans (840 square kilometers), with total production of about 1.7 million tons per year, according to official data.

Despite the coronavirus-caused crisis, Egypt's grape exports during 2020 amounted to 139,059 tons.

Grape exports in Egypt hit 18,106 tons from January to the end of May this year, compared to 16,187 tons during the corresponding period of last year, an increase of over 10 percent, according to the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture.

Meanwhile, Mostafa added that his company is one of the first exporters who took the lead of producing grapes in the south of Egypt, where the best varieties of grapes are currently grown.

"We have an organic approach towards all our production ... our farms are located in diverse places in Egypt to guarantee the best climate and continuous supply to our clients and European partners," Mostafa told Xinhua.

He added that the government has been aiding grape growers in an attempt to encourage them and others to increase their crops for exports.

Mostafa revealed that the company has been in talks with a Chinese firm to export fruits, mainly strawberry, pointing out that a deal may be reached within a few months.

"China is an important partner for many Egyptian companies and we are keen to open a market for our products in China," he said.

The increase of grape farms in Egypt is not only a grace for business owners, but also a source of a stable income for hundreds of workers who mainly live in nearby villages.

"I have been working here for more than four years ... this farm has helped hundreds of the residents of my village earn a living," Hamy Fathy, a 46-year-old farmer, told Xinhua as he supervised the harvest process at the farm.

The father of six said that he has been in this kind of business for 20 years, adding that he inherited his experience in grape growing and harvesting from his father.

"This farm hires over 40 people from my village ... the farmers and workers are the breadwinners of hundreds of children," he said, adding that the village had suffered from poverty before growing grapes in the farm.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
China calls for promoting equality, protection of persons in vulnerable situations

Xinhua) 13:07, June 25, 2021

A Palestinian girl looks out from her house at a poor neighborhood in southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Feb. 10, 2020.(Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua)

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequality, gravely affecting the economy, society, and people's livelihood in many countries, said Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva. "In order to build back better, efforts should be made to strengthen social protection systems, protect rights regarding education, health, adequate housing, decent work, among others," he said.

GENEVA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- China and other like-minded countries on Thursday highlighted the importance of equality and the protection of vulnerable persons, noting that inequality is a major challenge faced by the international community.

Delivering a joint statement at the ongoing 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Chen Xu, China's permanent representative to the UN Office at Geneva, said that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated inequality, gravely affecting the economy, society, and people's livelihood in many countries.

A girl creates a wall painting during the 3rd International Public Art Festival in Salt River near Cape Town, South Africa, on Feb. 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Amando Herdade)

Noting that progress gained in implementing 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda risks being reversed, he said that over 100 million people may fall into poverty again, and the poor and persons in vulnerable situations are hardest hit.

"We support the eradication of inequality be listed as a priority on the UN agenda and call on the Human Rights Council and the UN rights agency to play an active role in this regard," he said.

A person living with a disability, waits for customers at his workstation in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, April 14, 2021. (Photo by Chrispinus Omar/Xinhua)

International human rights mechanisms should attach greater importance to economic, social, and cultural rights as well as the right to development, Chen stressed, calling for joint work with other UN agencies to promote the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, and step up efforts to eradicate poverty so as to realize people-centered development.

"In order to build back better, efforts should be made to strengthen social protection systems, protect rights regarding education, health, adequate housing, decent work, among others," he said.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
China, like-minded countries voice concern over military interventions against sovereign states

Xinhua) 13:10, June 25, 2021

GENEVA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- China and a number of like-minded countries on Thursday voiced concern over the harm of military intervention on the pretext of human rights at the ongoing 47th Session of the Human Rights Council.

Delivering a joint statement on Thursday to the Council, Jiang Duan, minister of the Chinese mission to the United Nations in Geneva, said that certain countries, under the pretext of democracy, human rights and the so-called "responsibility to protect," conducted flagrant military interventions against sovereign states, which is in contravention to the Charter of the United Nations.

"These acts severely violate the universally recognized norms of international law, undermine the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the relevant countries, and damage world peace and security," Jiang said.

He pointed out that military interventions as such have caused numerous casualties and forced displacement of innocent civilians, and brought heavy losses to economic and social development in the relevant countries, which are "the root cause of refugee and migrant crisis and regional turbulence."

"Certain countries even connive at their soldiers' unlawful killing and torture of civilians in overseas military operations, which constitutes serious war crimes and crimes against humanity," he added.

He called on relevant UN institutions to follow closely to the detrimental human rights implications of illegal military interventions, and urged the countries concerned to immediately stop illegal military interventions and make reparations to the victimized countries and their people.

"They should carry out comprehensive and impartial investigations into cases of unlawful killing and torture of civilians and other gross human rights violations committed by their overseas military personnel, holding those responsible for the crimes accountable," he stressed.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
Construction progress of China-Laos Railway on schedule despite pandemic

Xinhua) 14:56, June 25, 2021

VIENTIANE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Despite the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, both Chinese and Lao engineers are striving to complete the construction of the China-Laos Railway and put it on operation in the coming December as scheduled.

"It will be on December 2 when we are to complete the railway construction and make it ready for full operation," Xiao Qianwen, general manager of the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., a joint venture based in Lao capital Vientiane for the construction and operation of the first modern railway in the country, told Xinhua on Friday.

"We are not changing the timetable and we are striving for that goal, with over 90 percent of the engineering work done, and our preparation for the operation is well on the way."

In the southern end of the railway in Vientiane, the China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group (CREC-5) has completed the construction of the main structure of the longest bridge along the China-Laos Railway, the Phonethong super major bridge with a length of 7,528.56 meters and 231 piers.

In the northern end of the railway, the China Railway Construction Engineering Group (CRCEG) roofed the Lao border gate station in Boten On June 15, while the same Chinese company ceiled the top of the first railway station in Nateuy, some 360 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, nine months ago on Sept. 16, 2020.

By May 15, the construction of all 67 communication towers along the China-Laos railway had completed, while the China-Laos railway tracks had been extended from Vientiane to the northern end of Boten.

"We will installed all the tracks by mid-August," Lei Chao, a China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group (CREC-2) railing base project manager, told Xinhua on Friday in Vientiane.

Lei said the CREC-2 teams are carry out strict precaution measures against the COVID-19 pandemic as to achieve uninterrupted construction of the project with zero infection case. The company kicked off the track laying on March 27, 2020.

According to Xiao Qianwen, most of the construction sites are located in tropical mountainous areas, with complex geographical conditions and poor traffic conditions, resulting in difficulties for the construction.

Especially during the rainy season, the machinery can not get access to the construction sites and sometimes the Chinese engineering teams even have to turn to the piggyback transportation to carry large amounts of the needed materials and equipment.

The China-Laos Railway's construction has been confronted with huge challenges and difficulties during the pandemic, but the construction progress in an orderly and balanced manner has boosted the confidence in the timely completion of the railway in this December, Bounthong Chitmany, vice president of Laos, said when talking to Xiao Qianwen in the Lao presidential palace on June 15.

On June 10, when inspecting the Vientiane railway station's construction, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone praised the Chinese engineering company there which hired some 700 local employees, hoping the railway will offer more jobs to local communities.

The deputy prime minister, on behalf of the Lao government, hailed and progresses and achievements of the China-Laos Railway construction amid the epidemic, saying that the railway is a landmark project of the friendship between Laos and China and its completion coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, which is of great significance.

Both sides must cooperate to efficiently advance the remaining work, complete the construction and start the operation on schedule, and live up to the ardent expectations of the two parties and the two peoples, said Sonexay.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many difficulties to the Lao people, and thus, I especially expect the railway to be open to traffic this year, which is something the Lao people have been dreaming for a long time," said Somphone Inleuangsy, aged 24, from Luang Namtha, a mountainous province in northern Laos that borders China. He is currently receiving training at the CREC-2 railing base on the northern outskirts of Vientiane.

She told Xinhua "There is a Chinese saying 'to get rich, build roads first,' and I hope Laos, with the Laos-China railway, will become prosperous soon. I also hope Laos will become a transportation hub in Southeast Asia to drive the development in the region."

"As a female, among all over 600 trainees of the China-Laos Railway, I feel very honored and proud. I hope that I can become a formal railway employee after the training, and I hope my parents can see how I drive a train," Somphone said. "I also hope that with the opening of the China-Laos railway, more Chinese friends can come to help the development here."

At present, a total of 636 Lao youngsters are trained for the future operation of China-Laos Railway, working as train drivers, equipment and infrastructure maintenance personnel.

"In the past two years, the cooperation between Laos and China has been outstanding. Especially, the first modern Vientiane-Vangvieng Expressway in Laos has been put into operation through cooperation, and the high-speed Laos-China Railway will be completed by the end of this year," said Valy Vetsaphong, Lao Prime Minister's advisor and vice president of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"This is due to the policy coordination between the two countries, and the dovetail between Laos' strategy to convert from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub and China's Belt and Road Initiative."

Valy told Xinhua "The Laos-China Railway will lay a new foundation for the introduction of foreign investment, and Laos will surely take the advantage to participate in the regional and global industrial chain. In other words, the China-Laos Railway will not only promote bilateral trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges, but also benefit the countries to be connected. I believe that the completion and operation of the Laos-China railway will promote the post-pandemic recovery of neighboring countries and the whole region."

The over 400 km railway will run from Boten border gate in northern Laos bordering China to Vientiane with an operating speed of 160 km per hour.

The electrified passenger and cargo railway is built with the full application of the Chinese management and technical standards. The construction of the project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and open to traffic in December 2021.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
Visit this immersive center to learn about Chinas history over the past century!

People's Daily Online) 15:41, June 25, 2021

Photo taken on June 22 shows the center No.100 Fuxing Avenue rolled out by the new media center of Peoples Daily in Sanlitun of Beijing. (Photo/Du Jianpo)

A center, which offers an immersive experience in learning about the process of the Chinese people becoming prosperous and the country growing strong under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) over the course of 100 years, began receiving visitors in Sanlitun of Beijing on June 22. The shop, No.100 Fuxing Avenue, was rolled out by the new media center of Peoples Daily.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
China to see boom in tourism market as summer vacation draws near

People's Daily Online) 16:42, June 25, 2021

China is expecting to see a new tourism boom as summer vacation draws near, with Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2009, as the pillar of domestic tourism, according to data from online travel agencies.

(Photo/pixabay.com)

Statistics from Chinas leading online travel agency Ctrip show that by the end of June 21, search volume for trips during summer vacation had surged by 249 percent on a month-on-month basis. The cost for travel has also risen and is likely to grow in the next month, with flight ticket prices from July to August averaging 1,150 yuan (about $177.8), up by 93.6 percent and 25 percent compared to the same period in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The search volume for graduation trips on June 9, the day China's national college entrance exam ended, jumped by 120 percent from a day earlier on Ctrips app. Students born after 2000 and 2010, who prefer to travel with their peers, have emerged as the new consumption group in the tourism market, accounting for 30.1 percent of the total tourists.

Ctrips data reveals that over 70 percent of high school graduates will travel with their companions, bringing along traditional Han costumes, camera lenses, tripod heads, and garage kits . They will record their trips using photos and short video clips, which they will then share online.

The concept of a mystery vacation package, which has gained popularity among Generation Z, has also expanded to the tourism sector during the summer vacation.

Ctrip is launching the mystery package, which includes cuisine , accommodation, tickets for tourist attractions, and air tickets. Its air ticket mystery vacation package is priced at 99.8 yuan and contains hundreds of hot domestic destination options from nine popular departure cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xian, and Lhasa . If tourists do not like the "contents" after opening the box, they can get a full refund.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
"You can fly into space like Chang'e": mainland scientist cheers HK students on

Xinhua) 17:09, June 25, 2021

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The mainland top space scientists have met more younger fans in Hong Kong on Friday as they continued their visits to schools and interacted with students.

"You can fly into space like Chang'e," Long Lehao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and chief designer of Long March rockets, told a sixth grader during his visit to Pui Kiu College, a primary and secondary school in Hong Kong.

Chang'e, a well-known character in Chinese mythology, flies to the moon after taking an elixir, where she became a goddess accompanied by a jade rabbit. China's lunar exploration program is named after the "Moon Lady."

Jiang Xinhe, the sixth grader who dreamed of becoming an astronaut, was excited at the warm words of encouragement from Long, calling the 83-year-old scientist "grandpa" as Chinese children often do to show their respect when referring to a senior male.

"I used to think it was difficult to be an astronaut. I saw space training in movies and I didn't think I had any chance," she said.

"But grandpa Long really cheered me on and I still have the chance to become an astronaut. I will study hard and see if I can really go to the moon one day, like a real Chang'e."

Jiang and her classmates showed Long four space-themed exhibition boards made by themselves.

Students designed and drawn the boards carefully after watching many space films, which reflected their wishes and the life scene of astronauts in imagination, she said.

Mainland space scientists visited campuses of several schools on Friday morning to meet students there, all getting warm welcomes.

In the assembly hall of Queen's College, Qi Faren, a CAE academician and former chief designer for Shenzhou spaceships, was greeted by tumultuous applause lasting for over a minute. The place was packed by hundreds of students and faculties and many more listened to Qi's lecture online.

The school was presented with a scale model of Chang'e-5 lunar probe, commemorative stamps and souvenir covers as gifts.

Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, also received the warm welcome of celebrities during her visit to St. Teresa Secondary School. The scientist signed her autograph for fans there and sang the national anthem with them.

Friday's events were part of a series of activities starting Wednesday where top space scientists of the country went to Hong Kong universities and middle schools to give lectures and meet students, as well as witness the inauguration of a lunar soil exhibition slated for Saturday.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
What's behind CPC's lasting charm among youth

Xinhua) 17:13, June 25, 2021

Young people pose for photos at the site of the first National Congress of the Communist Party of China in Shanghai, east China, May 4, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Ying)

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) is slated to celebrate its 100th anniversary on July 1. The Party's youth and vigor shine through after a remarkable journey of 100 years featuring arduous struggles, explorations and reforms.

Why has the CPC maintained its charm among young Chinese?

The answer lies in the Party's long-standing original aspiration and mission: to seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation. This is what has inspired Chinese Communists to unite and lead the people to consistently advance its great causes and achieve major victories one after another.

The youth has always played an active and vital role throughout the CPC's development since its inception. The CPC's first national congress in July 1921 was attended by delegates with an average age of 28.

During the revolution period, tens of thousands of young people and even teenagers were attracted by the CPC. They joined the Red Army because they realized the simple fact -- the CPC has helped the poor. American journalist Edgar Snow in his book "Red Star Over China" chronicled his conversations with many Red Army soldiers, one of them as young as 15.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and particularly after the launch of reform and opening-up drive in 1978, the CPC has led the country to become the world's second-largest economy and vanquish absolute poverty. International observers hailed these achievements as an extraordinary feat for humanity.

As the COVID-19 pandemic remains grave worldwide, China quickly contained the virus and revived its economy, becoming the world's only major economy to achieve positive growth in 2020.

The CPC is set to achieve its first centenary goal of completely building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, as the country embarks on a new journey toward fully building a modern socialist country.

The youth today enjoys the fruits of rapid development, no longer worrying about starvation that the old generations had endured. They have much better access to higher education, medical care and housing, with more opportunities to realize their social value and give full play to their talents.

Yuan Ting (L), an expert in ecosystem-based fishery and rare fish species breeding, and a colleague collect research data at a fish hatchery of the Dateng Gorge water conservancy in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, April 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

The CPC has stuck to its commitments to the people and the nation generation after generation. The young Chinese people themselves are the witness, participants and beneficiaries of the transformation over the years and therefore know very well that the CPC deserves their trust and love. They are becoming even more confident in the leadership of the CPC and giving strong support to the Party.

The strong support is attributable to the work of CPC members who have set examples in all trades and professions, from the anti-epidemic frontline to the poverty-reduction campaign, with some protecting people's lives even at the cost of their own.

The support from young people also stems from the significant progress of the country in fighting pollution and corruption as well as the overall sustained economic growth despite headwinds of anti-globalization and hegemonic acts and bullying against China.

The support is also manifested by the growing pride among Chinese citizens who are living better lives with rising incomes in the booming Chinese economy. They have jobs through which they can improve their lives further, and have different modes to pursue their dreams in the countryside or in cities.

The support can also be attributed to the CPC's improving capabilities in governance through theory innovation, self-purification, self-perfection, and self-progression to keep pace with the times and meet the aspiration of the people for a better life.

The inclusiveness of the CPC, as its members are from all walks of life, also contributes to the popularity of the Party. The number of members who are farmers, workers, or from non-public sectors is on the rise.

About one-third of the nearly 92 million CPC members are under the age of 40. Figures released by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee show that more than 80 percent of newly-recruited Party members from 2014 to 2019 were aged 35 or below.

Representing, winning over and relying on young people are significant guarantees for the Party's continuous march from victory to victory. A country will exude hope and embrace a great future only when its younger generations possess ideals, capabilities and a strong sense of responsibility.

With firm ideals, improving abilities and appeal to vibrant youths, the century-old CPC will certainly thrive in energy and innovation and advance its great cause for the next 100 years and beyond.

The CPC's charm among the youth will continue to grow, fostering an even tighter bond.

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
Commentary: Drop your double standard on press freedom, please!

Xinhua) 17:16, June 25, 2021

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- In the name of press freedom, a handful of Western politicians have interfered in China's internal affairs, tried to cover up for an illegal Hong Kong media, and even threatened with sanctions.

Those politicians' smearing has once again demonstrated their hypocrisy and double standard on the issue of so-called press freedom.

The recent actions taken by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government against relevant personnel and organizations of Apple Daily are in accordance with the law. Those measures are to defend rule of law and social stability, and have nothing to do with press freedom.

There has never been such a thing as absolute press freedom. As a matter of fact, those Western countries that are trying to disparage China have strict regulations on the production of news, as well as red lines on freedom of speech or press. Some are even intensifying their restrictions.

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission is responsible for managing and licensing media outlets and the content those media produce all across the country.

In Germany, speeches like Holocaust denial and other forms of incitement to hatred against segments of the population are punishable by imprisonment of up to five years. In 2017, Germany passed the Network Enforcement Act, which requires Internet platforms to take action against hate, harassment and terror propaganda.

While those Western countries act tough on media that instigate hatred and spread disinformation, they are encouraging acts of a similar nature in other countries as defending freedom and human rights. What a brazen play of their double standard on the issue of so-called press freedom!

In fact, what those Western countries intend to do by repeatedly absolving Apple Daily of blame is to stoke chaos in Hong Kong, and pressure China. When they are crying for "media freedom," they are actually worrying about losing a tool to destabilize Hong Kong and contain China.

Hong Kong is not a lawless land, and press freedom should not be an excuse. No one who violates the law of Hong Kong will go unpunished.

One year since the national security law came into force, Hong Kong has recovered from turbulence and local residents are looking forward to stability and enjoying the even greater benefits of China's rapid development.

The external forces should abandon their political illusion to create chaos in Hong Kong, and adopt an objective and rational attitude towards China's practice of "one country, two systems."

(Web editor: Shi Xi, Hongyu)
Chinas whole-process democracy explained

17:46, June 25, 2021 By Dennis Meng ( People's Daily Online

In November 1918, Li Dazhao, the great Chinese Marxist and intellectual who co-founded the Communist Party of China (CPC), published two sobering essays in La Jeunesse, then one of China's most influential magazines. Reflecting on the repercussions of the First World War, he came to the conclusion that the global war was a product of the collision of "isms": Pan-Germanism, Japanism, and other forms of imperialism. Such "isms", he believed, boiled down to the hegemonic act of riding roughshod over other nations, and the evil ambition of building a self-centered grand empire catering for its voracious capitalists by means of waging wars.

Two decades after the gory ending of the first World War, the world was once again torn apart by the exact same conflicts of "isms" that Li Dazhao had prophesied and cautioned against. In fact, former US president Woodrow Wilson's desire to "make the world safe for democracy " had never been fulfilled, not after the First World War, not after the Vietnam War, NOT during the course of the War in Afghanistan. The obvious and bitter explanation for the U.S. and some of its allies' persistent failures in imposing and experimenting with their self-branded democracy seemed to be that they had always perpetuated a monopoly over the interpretation of democracy, the one and only democracy they deemed worth recognizing, propagating, and defending, even by force.

A docent tells the history of Li Dazhao to students at his former residence in Beijing's Xicheng district on Tuesday. [Photo by Yu Zhiqiang/for chinadaily.com.cn]

It was with this conscious awareness of the conflicting isms and the disenchantment with the illusion of the exclusive democracy monopolized by hegemonic powers that CPC founding fathers like Li Dazhao decided to resolutely uphold communism, which later rescued the old China from the erosion of semi-colonialism and semi-feudalism and helped it gain independence. Ever since then, the seed of democracy, with a unique breed ideal for the special soils of China, has been sown, waiting to sprout, flourish, and send forth new leaves.

People-centered approach, in whole process

Since the founding of the CPC a century ago, China has, in the face of all foreign aggressions, external interferences and disturbances, found a distinctive path of pursuing and practicing democracy, one that champions a people-centered approach: serving the public good, and exercising power in the interests of the people.

Reviewing the glorious history of the CPC, which is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary this July, the Party has always placed a premium on the people it serves: women and men, seniors and toddlers, students and workers, people from all walks of life, of all ethnic groups.

Photo taken on June 22, 2021 shows an exterior view of the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

Serving its vast population, which now stands at more than 1.4 billion per the latest national census, and satisfying its need for a better life has, understandably, been a difficult task for China, which remains a developing nation. But instead of representing the interests of just part of its people every four years, turning the elections into an ugly us against them  war, or allowing lobbyists to effortlessly sway policy-making in favor of the wealthy and certain interest groups like what some countries are currently undergoing, China aims to reach every group of people, from towns and cities to autonomous regions and municipalities, and aspires to deliver for the greatest number of people to the greatest degree possible.

The model of democracy China has been exercising is not only one designed to serve all people, but is also one that is present in the whole process in peoples lives. Whole-process democracy, a term first put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, during his inspection tour in Shanghai in November 2019, is designed to ensure socialist democracy runs through all processes including elections, decision making, administration, and supervision.

Whole-process democracy is a hallmark of socialist democracy that distinguishes it from various capitalist democratic systems, said Wang Chen, Vice Chairman of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, Chinas top legislative body, during this years Two Sessions, Chinas annual sessions of the top legislature and top political advisory body.

The closing meeting of the fourth session of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 10, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Xiang)

Luo Feng, professor of the Shanghai Party Institute (Shanghai Administration Institute) , believes that the reason why Chinas (whole-process) socialist democracy is authentic and effective lies in the fact that it has avoided the predicament of democracy only working during elections , and has focused on realistic problem-solving.

In a guest essay published this April in Guangming Daily, a renowned Chinese newspaper, the professor pointed out that the modifier whole in whole-process democracy has two connotations: one is that the participants of the whole-process democracy are the whole group of people, meaning that matters involving many people are discussed by all those involved, in a bid to reach consensus on the wishes and needs of the whole of society ; the other is that the model is applied to every link in Chinese peoples lives, ranging from elections and public deliberations to the designing and revision of laws and regulations, not only at the national level but also at the community level.

Only when the participants of democracy are the people as a whole can public consensus be formed, and only when democracy is seen in every aspect of their lives will people feel the practical and tangible side of democracy, and become all the more motivated to participate, said Professor Luo in the essay.

Women walk to a blueberry planting base for work at Laoji Village of Butuo County in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Aug. 13, 2020. (Xinhua/Liu Kun)

Voices heard, jobs done

For Mo Li *, who is retired and currently lives in a residential building on Changning Branch Road in Shanghai, the dovecote on the roof used to be a pain in the neck. The fetid dung and suffocating feathers left by the birds had gotten on her nerves for over a year, during which time she also developed a chronic cough. On May 12 this year, she went onto the Message Board for Leaders , a nationwide message system that collects and responds to public opinions and complaints, to seek help.

Two weeks after she posted her complaints, the annoying dovecote was cleaned and renovated. She later left a message of thanks below her initial complaint message, saying that she was speechless and really grateful for the local government and those who had saved her from the noisy and nasty birds.

Annoying pets. Broken roads. Unpaid wages No issue is too trivial and every voice matters. The Message Board for Leaders, a down-to-earth and effective channel operated by Peoples Daily Online, has helped bring responses to more than 2.3 million messages directly from state agencies and local officials. Since it began operating in 2006, the message board has served as a unique bridge connecting the government with the people, a magnet pooling the wisdom of the public, and a hotline answering the urgent needs and calls from grassroots communities. No petitions and lobbying charges are needed, and the distance between the public servants and the people they serve can be covered with just a click and a tap.

A villager picks apples at an orchard in Taiquan Village of Yichuan County, Yan'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 15, 2018. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

While continuing to solicit public opinions and allow more voices to be heard by government officials in a timely manner so as to get things done and problems addressed, the format has also cooperated with local governments to bring innovation to how people participate in the whole-process democracy and achieve a one-plus-one-larger-than-two effect. On May 19, the Peoples Daily Online and the Proposal Collection Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government, which was opened in July 2020 in an effort to invite more people to participate in the administration of the city, signed a cooperation MOU to join hands and make the metropolis a model of delivering services to the people in the Yangtze River Delta area and in China as a whole.

By cooperating with Peoples Daily Online, we can set up a broader platform for proposal collection, said Wang Jianhua, director of the Proposal Collection Office at the signing ceremony. Let us work together to translate the golden ideas of the people into the golden keys to urban governance, he added.

The Message Board for Leaders represents just a fraction of Chinas endeavors to continuously improve its socialist democracy model.

In the bigger picture, China has successfully implemented the System of Peoples Congress, the System of Multiparty Cooperation and Political Consultation under the Leadership of the Communist Party of China, and the System of Community Level Self-Governance. They complement each other to form a strong, comprehensive, and all-level network guaranteeing that the light of whole-process democracy shines not only on the Great Hall of the People, the venue for Chinas annual Two Sessions, but also on the outdoor village court where the hearing on a land dispute takes place, on the small village committees where farmers vote for village heads, and on university disciplinary offices where anonymous report letters are handled

Photo taken on May 27, 2020 shows a view of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (Xinhua/Li Xin)

One of the great misunderstandings is that China is not a democracy, commented Mario Cavolo, an Italian-American writer and commentator, in an interview with Xinhua News Agency this March. Indeed, despite being invited to Chinas annual sessions every single year, many foreign reporters seem to have never summoned the courage to broadcast the whole picture of Chinas democracy, if they havent already twisted it into a dystopia. Processed by some medias assembly line of biased news and misinformation, China has, in many cases, been labeled and portraited as undemocratic, which is derived from, to borrow a phrase from former US secretary of labor Robert Reich, a drift toward proto-fascism, and an unwillingness to accept the reality that Chinas model of democracy that differs from theirs and has been working effectively to the satisfaction of the people.

Despite the misrepresentation and misinterpretation of Chinas democratic progress, Chinas drive to maintain and improve its whole-process democracy wont stop and wont be disrupted or interrupted. No democracy is perfect, but at the end of the day, the feeling and sense of fulfillment of its people matter the most, not the feeling of a third country that is eager to define or give lectures on democracy.

The Long March-5B Y2 rocket, carrying the Tianhe module, blasts off from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in south China's Hainan Province, April 29, 2021. China on Thursday sent into space the core module of its space station, kicking off a series of key launch missions that aim to complete the construction of the station by the end of next year. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua)

On June 17, China successfully sent three taikonauts to Tianhe, its independently developed space station, after years of being shunned from the International Space Station. The crewed mission yet sets another example that although being unrecognized, criticized, or even demonized by some countries, China can still explore its path to fulfill its dream and deliver to its people. And the Chinese people, in return, have every confidence in socialist democracy with Chinese characteristics, and they have all the more reason to believe that the country they live in and love can and will always thrive and strive to find the best way to serve its people.

*Name has been changed for privacy

(Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji)
Western media will fail in propaganda against China

18:04, June 25, 2021 By Zamir Ahmed Awan ( People's Daily Online

Looking at Western media, you will find Xinjiang or Uygurs frequently. Recently, the mainstream Western media have been publishing articles on various aspects of Xinjiang or Uygurs almost daily basis. A piece was published in Vox titled China is buying Muslim leaders silence on the Uygurs on June 23, 2021, blaming Prime Minister Imran Khan saying Look no further than Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khans interview this week with Axioss Jonathan Swan. Swan asked why the premier has been noticeably silent on the human rights atrocities happening just across his countrys border.

There are around 2 billion Muslims around the globe, only a few million are living in Xinjiang. If you see the atrocities and brutalities involving Muslims around the globe, the most prominent have been in the Middle East. Palestine has been under siege for seven decades. The killings of Palestinians on an almost daily basis, homelessness, the torture of women, children, and the elderly is a routine matter. The United Nations Security Council has passed several resolutions and condemnations of human rights violations that were never implemented. Who are the criminals in the genocide of Palestinians?

People in ethnic costumes dance at People's Square in Korla, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 23, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Ruohan)

Who invaded Iraq? Iraq was a very stable and prosperous country. BBC fabricated a narrative of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) and the U.S., along with its allies, attacked the legitimate and sovereign country, destroyed Iraq, killed millions of Muslims, forced millions to leave their homes and take refuge in refugee camps in their own country or immigrate to other countries. How many women were raped, and how many children were abused? The cruel invaders must be held accountable for such cruelties and atrocities. The criminals should be tried for war crimes, hate crimes, genocide, and the systematic elimination of Muslims.

Who destroyed Libya? The same story was repeated that media was used as a tool to build a narrative paving the way for aggressors to attack Libya and kill millions of Muslims, make millions of Libyans homeless, and loot the oil-rich wealth from Libya. Should the aggressors be tried for war crimes and held responsible for war compensation?

Again, the ugly media was used against Syria, blamed for using chemical weapons, the war was imposed on Syria, killing millions of Muslims, forcing millions to leave their homes and live a miserable life in refugee camps in Syria or in other countries. The war is still going on and seems never-ending. Who was behind this crime?

Who imposed a two-decades-long war on Afghanistan and killed millions of Muslims?

Why is the Western media silent on the genocide of Muslims in many parts of the world? Why are the human rights violations against Muslims in other parts of the world not reported in the same media?

The Western world is using unholy media as a tool to build a narrative, which is part of a hybrid war against adversaries. Western media is neither free nor honest, it is merely a tool in the hands of a few agencies or governments.

The Western world is jealous, has not digested the rise of China, and is trying to impose a hybrid war against China to contain and counter it.

The Western world, in its campaign against China, is using the Xinjiang issue to undermine and press China. The propaganda against China is baseless, and the world may not buy such a cheap campaign.

The fact is that China has invested heavily in Xinjiang, built infrastructure, developed agriculture, and industrialized and modernized the region. Xinjiang is a very strategic province of China, as it borders several countries in Central Asia, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Rich in natural resources, it is one of the most beautiful places for tourism, is instrumental for regional developments and prosperity, is on the major ancient Silk Road, and is pivotal to the Belt and Road Initiative.

In the smooth execution of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Xinjiang plays an important role as it is vital for logistics and trade, with many entrepreneurs and companies from Xinjiang currently working under the CPEC.

China has emerged as the second-largest economy and geopolitical power, already surpassing the threshold, and can not be contained or controlled. China has already risen as a political power and counterweight in the previous unipolar world.

The Western world may never win in achieving their evil designs, and the best way is to cooperate with China to build a better world for all humankind.

Pakistan-China are close friends and role models in international relations. The Western world is trying to create a gap between China and Pakistan, wanting to create misunderstandings and damage the ideal relations between China and Pakistan.

Pakistan supports China and will keep its support forever. The leadership and public in Pakistan are very clear in their minds and extend full support to China. The relations are based on eternal values of friendship, brotherhood, and sincerity. The Western world will never succeed in its ill-designs.

The opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to People's Daily Online.

Zamir Ahmed Awan is a senior fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG) and a sinologist at the National University of Sciences and Technology in Pakistan. E-mail: [email protected]

(Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji)
Two nonconformist artistic designers with mischievous imaginations

For more than 30 years, Philippe Lebru and Alain Silberstein have been two of the not-to-be-missed figures of French mechanical watchmaking. Philippe, founder and director of the UTINAM Besancon clock manufacture, is an artist and multi-award-winning inventor whose subversive, unbridled creativity brought forth three icons of contemporary pendulum clockmaking: Hortence, Lala and Pop Up. Alain, an internationally renowned watch designer, was one of the founding fathers of nouvelle horlogeriein the 80s and 90s. His emblematic leading models, such asKrono Bauhaus and his tourbillons, are gaining value among connoisseurs and collectors.

Philippe Lebru and Alain Silberstein  M.A.D Gallery

The two men met a few years ago at a trade salon in Geneva. They share the same enthusiasm and the same determination to shift the lines, to such a point that the collaboration of these two free-thinkers has become a must.

The project: code name KB2

In March 2021, they joined forces to launch the KB2 clock (short for Kontwaz Bauhaus 2); a fun, refreshing co-creation. Its dial and hands play on primary colours and geometrical shapes, sufficient on their own to assert the inimitable style that brought Alain Silberstein his international success. Inspired by the iconic Pop Up, it is equipped with the famous UTINAMmovement designed by Philippe Lebru, who received the Grand Prix at the Lepine competition of Paris, as well as a Gold Medal in clockmaking at the Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions in 2005.

KB2  M.A.D Gallery

Just 88 KB2 clocks will be released, exhibited and brought to sale, in the springtime at UTINAM gallery in Besancon, at the M.A.D. mechanical art galleries in Geneva, Dubai, Hong Kongand Taipeiand via their e-shops. The M.A.D. galleries were founded in 2011 by Max Busser, another forerunner in independent watchmaking who pioneered collaborations in the 2000s. These venues are by far the best showcases for this peerless clock, part clock sculpture and part kinetic art work. Moreover, other collaborations areannounced for 2021.

TheKB2, a project that carries forth the values of the nouvelle horlogeriewith a French Touch

TheKB2 comes from Besancon in Franche-Comte (France), in the Franco-Swiss territory of which the mechanical watchmaking and mechanical art heritage was registered in 2020 as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. Fully developed and crafted by the UTINAM manufacture, at the heart of the French watchmaking capital, this distinguished contemporary clock is one of the foremost standard-bearers for this prestigious international label. Historic.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China stands ready to work with Serbia to make their friendly relations even stronger with the passing of time. In a telephone conversation with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, Xi noted that as both China and Serbia are facing new opportunities and challenges at present, the two countries need to view and develop their relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. Noting that the Serbian people attach great importance to friendship, Xi said the iron-clad China-Serbia friendship is most valuable and deserves to be firmly upheld and carried forward from generation to generation. Xi stressed that the two countries should firmly support each other while making respective efforts to safeguard their national sovereignty and security. China supports the development path chosen by the Serbian people based on their national conditions, Xi said. The two sides should speed up high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, foster new growth areas of cooperation, share opportunities and seek common development, Xi said. The two sides need to work together to tackle global challenges such as COVID-19, economic recovery and climate change, Xi said, adding that China is ready to offer further assistance to Serbia in fighting the epidemic as needed. China and Serbia should also strengthen coordination in multilateral affairs, firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, defend international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and practice true multilateralism, Xi said. Xi added that both sides must fully implement the consensus and outcomes of the Summit of China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and push for constant new progress in China-CEEC cooperation. For his part, Vucic expressed warm congratulations on 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Under the leadership of the CPC, Vucic noted, China has made great achievements that have attracted worldwide attention, achieved national prosperity and become an important force in promoting world peace and development. Vucic said he firmly believes that the CPC will continue leading the Chinese people to stride forward along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. China is a great friend of Serbia and the Serbia-China relations are at their best in history, said Vucic, adding that the Serbian side is very proud of the iron-clad friendship between Serbia and China. China has provided invaluable assistance for Serbia in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, deepened and consolidated traditional friendship, said the Serbian president, voicing hope that the two sides will continue strengthening cooperation in vaccines and other fields. Serbia is ready to actively participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road and expand practical cooperation in various fields, Vucic said, noting that his country firmly supports and will continue actively promoting China-CEEC cooperation. Vucic wished a long-lasting friendship between Serbia and China. Enditem


Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attends a symposium on strengthening public communication of the CPPCC in Beijing, capital of China, June 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

China's top political advisor Wang Yang has called for efforts to strengthen public communication of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, made the remarks Thursday when attending a symposium on the topic.

Wang said public communication of the CPPCC should be strengthened to make it more targeted, up-to-date and effective.

The work of the CPPCC should increase cohesion and expand consensus through consultation based on equality, he said.

Wang encouraged the CPPCC members to make self-improvements, popularize the Party's policies, and develop closer ties with the public.

He also emphasized the importance of public communication in an innovative way, and the use of the internet and information technology in public communication.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday highlighted China's support for the United Nations and the country's contributions to the organization in peacekeeping, poverty reduction and climate change at a forum to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the resumption of its membership of the world body.

On October 25, 1971, the 26th UN General Assembly adopted resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority of votes, restoring all the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China at the UN and recognizing the representatives of its government as the only legitimate representative of China at the UN.

Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the Lanting Forum with the theme "China and the UN: Cooperation in 50 Years and Beyond" in Beijing, China, June 25, 2021. /Reuters

As the world's largest developing country and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China always honors the purposes and principles of the UN charter and promotes the spirit of multilateralism, Wang told the forum.

Firm supporter of UN

Over the past 50 years, many Chinese people have been involved in UN undertakings and have witnessed, participated in and contributed to China's cooperation with the UN, Wang said.

He said China has set a good example in upholding the international order and is committed to democracy, the rule of law and equity in international relations.

China proposed the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence as early as in the 1950s and has since faithfully observed them, contributing significantly to the formulation of the basic norms governing international relations, Wang said.

China has firmly safeguarded the UN-centered international system, upheld the international order underpinned by international law and bolstered the central role of UN in international affairs, he stressed.

China's contribution in peacekeeping, poverty relief, climate change

China has honored its responsibility for safeguarding world peace, said the foreign minister.

Having participated in 29 UN peacekeeping missions and sent a total of over 5,000 peacekeepers, China has become the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping operation among the permanent members of the Security Council, he elaborated, adding that "we are also the second largest funding contributor to the UN and UN peacekeeping operation."

So far, 24 Chinese military and police officers have given their lives in the line of duty, Wang said, adding that their sacrifice will always be remembered.

China also set up an 8,000-troop peacekeeping standby force and a police squad of 300 for UN peacekeeping missions, he introduced.

On poverty relief, Wang said China has met the poverty eradication target set in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10 years ahead of schedule.

As the world's second largest economy, China's contribution to world economic growth remains the highest, Wang said, adding that China has worked to foster greater synergy between its own development strategy and those of the rest of the world.

On climate change, China has remained a firm supporter of the Paris agreement, Wang said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last September at the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly that China aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

While addressing the Climate Ambition Summit via video link in December last year, Xi announced that by 2030, China aims to lower its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by over 65 percent from the 2005 level and increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 25 percent, Wang said.
Israel-Hamas cease-fire remains fragile: UN Mideast envoy

EditorWang Xinjuan Time2021-06-25 22:54:28

A Kenyan representative watches a screen showing the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland (on the screen) briefing a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 24, 2021. Tor Wennesland warned Thursday that the cessation of hostilities reached last month between Israel and Hamas remains very fragile. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, warned Thursday that the cessation of hostilities reached last month between Israel and Hamas remains very fragile.

In this regard, the United Nations is working closely with all concerned parties and partners, including Egypt, to solidify the cease-fire, allow the entry of urgent humanitarian assistance and stabilize the situation in Gaza, he told the Security Council in a briefing.

"I urge all sides to refrain from unilateral steps and provocations, take steps to reduce tensions, and allow these efforts to succeed. Everyone must do their part to facilitate ongoing discussions to stabilize the situation on the ground and avoid another devastating escalation in Gaza," he said.

Despite the cease-fire, violent incidents have continued on a daily basis throughout the occupied Palestinian territory in the past two weeks, said Wennesland.

Clashes have repeatedly broken out in Beita village near Nablus in the West Bank, in the context of protests against the construction of a new Israeli settlement outpost. On June 11, Israeli security forces shot dead a 16-year-old Palestinian. On June 17, another 16-year-old Palestinian succumbed to his wounds from shots sustained by Israeli security forces the previous night. Since May 3, five Palestinians have been killed and some 100 Palestinians have been injured by live ammunition in and around this area, he said.

On June 15, several thousand right-wing Israeli activists, including members of Knesset, marched through Jerusalem's Old City, with many participants chanting racist slogans against Arabs and Muslims. In protests and clashes that occurred in the context of the march, in East Jerusalem as well as other parts of the West Bank, 66 Palestinians, including 12 children, were injured by rubber bullets, sound grenades and physical assaults, he said.

On the same day, rallies were organized throughout the Gaza Strip by national and Islamic forces. Protests erupted at the perimeter fence and militants in Gaza released incendiary balloons toward Israel, starting dozens of fires. In response to these incendiary balloons, Israel Defense Forces targeted what it said were five Hamas facilities in Gaza, causing damage but no injuries.

On Wednesday, Palestinian activist and parliamentary candidate Nizar Banat was pronounced dead, hours after being arrested by Palestinian security forces at a house in Hebron. According to the victim's family, the victim was aggressively beaten and physically assaulted during the arrest, said Wennesland.

"I would like to again highlight the significant risks we face over the coming period as we confront the prospect of a renewed escalation," he said.

While immediate international efforts are rightly focused on solidifying the cessation of hostilities, providing humanitarian assistance and beginning the process of Gaza reconstruction, recent events have also highlighted the urgent need to re-establish a political horizon and restore hope to Palestinians and Israelis, he said.

The United Nations remains committed to supporting the parties to resolve the conflict and end the occupation in line with relevant UN resolutions, international law and bilateral agreements, he said. "Even as we focus on the pressing challenges in Gaza, I reiterate our determination to work with Israelis and Palestinians, fellow members of the Middle East Quartet and key regional and international partners to lay the groundwork for a return to meaningful negotiations toward a viable two-state solution."
By Hamzah Rifaat Hussain

CFP

Editor's note: Hamzah Rifaat Hussain is a former visiting fellow of the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C., and serves as assistant research associate at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) in Pakistan. He specializes in conflict resolution dynamics and bilateral relations between states. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

The Taliban now threatens to control almost 70 percent of Afghan territory which includes border crossings with neighboring Central Asian states outside gains made in multiethnic provinces such as Helmand. As expected, the focus of regional powers and the United States has once again shifted on managing the crisis in the absence of a political settlement, yet once again, the complicating variable are mixed signals emanating from the Pentagon in Washington which is indicative of utter confusion and lack of direction instead of uncertainty on how to manage the unfolding chaos.

Viewed strategically, the Taliban advances underline the glaring loopholes of the Doha Peace Deal of 2020 itself which finds both the Ashraf Ghani administration and the opposition at loggerheads over peace arrangements. Coupled with this, is a resolve from the Taliban that an Islamic government will be established as territorial control expands. Yet instead of managing these dichotomies, remarks by the Pentagon spokesman John Kirby suggest that a military solution to counter the Taliban is very much possible where the U.S. withdrawal could potentially slow down due to gains made by the insurgents. While the prolonged presence of U.S. troops on Afghan soil may be an ad hoc solution to avert a civil war like scenario from unfolding, it runs contrary to conditions stipulated in the February 2020 agreement.

Here lies the problem. The Taliban leadership has banked upon U.S. withdrawal guarantees as per the peace deal towards establishing their footprint on Afghan soil and potentially partaking in negotiations towards a peaceful settlement. The adjustment of the pace of the withdrawal as Kirby suggests is now contingent upon the Taliban further raiding district centers and wresting control over Afghan territory which runs contrary to the understanding of the arrangement by the Taliban itself.

Disagreements over the modus operandi adopted by the group to further its strategic objectives aside, on principle one cannot detract from the fact that prolonged troop presence will be viewed by the leadership as Washington reneging on the peace deal. There is no mention in each of the five clauses in part two of the agreement that troop withdrawals are conditioned upon attacks on Afghan infrastructure or Afghan forces but focuses squarely on the United States and its allies falling prey to Taliban sanctioned violence. Note that the Taliban as a stakeholder in the peace process can easily view this latest maneuver by the Pentagon as a justification for them to continue violence and construe it as superpower hypocrisy by those championing the cause of non-intervention, let alone the Taliban.

Afghan militiamen join Afghan defense and security forces during a gathering in Kabul, Afghanistan, June 23, 2021. /CFP

Further complicating this fact is that withdrawal calls have coincided with seeking the assistance of neighboring countries such as Pakistan to provide military bases including aerial strike capabilities which according to the New York Times, reached an impasse. There is an acknowledgement in Islamabad that previous assistance provided to successive U.S. administrations has only complicated Afghan affairs to the detriment of peace and stability which has resulted in Pakistan suffering from terrorism and unwarranted blowbacks. Yet the Pentagon continues to rely on backup military strategies while championing the cause of complete withdrawal from Afghanistan which is then coupled with keeping an eye out on Taliban's advances. All this hints at a complete lack of clarity.

The question is whether such confusion is affordable? Probably not given that there has been little effort to resuscitate the Afghan peace process through facilitation with the exception of a planned visit to Washington by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah to discuss future courses of action. Here to lies a contradiction, given that the Ashraf Ghani administration was not factored in by the Trump administration while holding talks with the Taliban and the latter relying on abiding by the central tenets of the 2020 agreement.

The Pentagon must understand that such lack of clarity has implications and poses a number of questions centered on the rationale for limiting withdrawals based on Taliban gains when spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claims that the group is abiding by the commitments while relentlessly pursuing territorial gains at the same time. In the presence of a peace vacuum, such strategies are knee jerk reactions which will not facilitate peace but complicate it.
Russia on Friday accused Britain and the United States of trying to incite conflict in the Black Sea and said it would defend its borders by all possible means, including with its military, RIA cited Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Russia on Thursday warned Britain it would bomb British naval vessels in the Black Sea if there were any further provocative actions by the British navy off the coast of Crimea.

Source(s): Reuters
At least 50 staff members resigned Monday afternoon in anticipation of the imminent closure. The following day, the newspaper's English news website closed, after just over one year in operation. The official website was due to go offline midnight Wednesday.

Hong Kong has said the paper violated national security law, but it has not yet provided evidence or identified the articles it is referring to, Simon said. "They're telling us that you're guilty of something, but they're not telling you what you're guilty of," he told VOA's Mandarin service.

At a media briefing this week, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam denied that the Apple Daily case was an attack on press freedom, saying, "What we are dealing with is neither a news outlet problem nor a news reporting problem. It's a suspicious act of endangering national security." Lam added, "And don't try to accuse the Hong Kong authorities of using the national security law as a tool to suppress the media or to stifle the freedom of expression."

A spokesperson for Hong Kong's security bureau told VOA that it will not comment on active legal proceedings but that "endangering national security is a very serious crime."

Mark Simon, Lai's assistant, told VOA that the company could not pay staff and vendors after Hong Kong froze the newspaper's access to accounts. "There is an order from the secretary of security (John Lee). Basically, no money, no news," Simon said earlier this week.

With Hong Kong's security bureau freezing the company's remaining financial assets and the paper's founder and owner, Jimmy Lai, in jail, the board had little choice but to fold. An official statement from Next Digital, Apple Daily's parent company, said it decided to shut down operations right after midnight "in view of staff members' safety." Earlier this week, the publisher had said it would run until Saturday.

Hong Kong's last pro-democracy newspaper closed its doors just before midnight Wednesday, ending 26 years of journalism. The company's remaining board members decided to close the paper earlier that day, following the arrests last week of five Apple Daily executives under the city's national security law. Authorities arrested one of its editorial writers Wednesday.

 Last-Day Livestreams

Outside the Next Digital offices in the district of Tseung Kwan O on Wednesday, supporters gathered and shouted slogans of support. With their smartphone flashlights shining, Apple Daily employees waved to supporters from balconies as the clock ticked to midnight.

But inside the offices, livestreams showed staff frantically preparing the final edition, which had an estimated million-copy print run. Others were visibly upset, reminiscing with colleagues, as dozens of journalists and photographers documented the company's final moments. One of the staff members, a senior journalist identified only as "Lee," told VOA earlier this week that no matter what happened, he "would work until the last minute of Apple Daily."

Journalists at the newspaper have long anticipated that Apple Daily would end. After the company offices were raided in August 2020 following the arrest of Lai, the paper's editor-in-chief, Ryan Law, reassured staff and encouraged them to keep reporting if another police raid happened. Law was one of five executives arrested on June 17, as police raided the offices for the second time in a year. All five are accused of foreign collusion. Law remains in custody.

Lai is currently serving time in jail following his involvement in protests in 2019. The 73-year-old media tycoon is also awaiting trial over foreign collusion charges under the national security law and could face life imprisonment. Lai founded Apple Daily as a tabloid in 1995. The paper later focused on politics, but with its open criticism of China, sponsors became cautious, leading to a decline in advertising revenue.

"The closure of Apple Daily marks the end of a vibrant and free era in Hong Kong," Emily Lau, a former Democratic Party leader, told VOA. While residents have greater safety and freedom than some countries, "the departure of Apple Daily makes many people feel loss of press freedom and freedom of expression," Lau said. But Lau insisted that despite the closure of the pro-democracy newspaper, "press freedom is not dead."

Political analyst Joseph Cheng, who moved to Australia from Hong Kong, told VOA that it's a sad day for the pro-democracy movement and Hong Kong as a whole. "It's a sad day for Hong Kong as well because the way that the newspaper had ceased publication certainly means that there is not much freedom of the media in the territory," he said.

 Business as Usual?

Cheng added that Hong Kong's reputation as an international financial center could also be damaged. "Now we certainly see freedom of information flow, rule of law... have been much eroded, and so it will affect the very livelihood and very functioning of Hong Kong," Cheng said.

Protesters used to carry copies of Apple Daily during rallies on important dates in Hong Kong, and the newspaper was a "companion, a spiritual and moral supporting force" Cheng said. One of those dates was July 1, which marked Britain's returning of the territory to China in 1997. In 2021, the date will mark a year since the national security law went into effect.

For the first time in 18 years, the pro-democracy Civil Human Rights Front canceled the annual rally to commemorate July 1. The group's convener, Figo Chan, was jailed in May over an illegal protest in 2019. Beijing passed the national security law after anti-government protests in 2019. The legislation bans acts that authorities deem subversion, secession or foreign collusion.

The U.S. State Department earlier this week said it was "deeply concerned by the Hong King authorities' selective use of the national security law." Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the charges "are purely politically motivated" and the law is being used as a "tool to suppress independent media."

Hong Kong lawmaker Holden Chow said the arrests of the Apple Daily executives were a "proper legal enforcement" and not an attempt to suppress press freedom. Chow described national security as of "paramount importance" in the region, telling VOA, "As always, Hong Kong people will continue to enjoy freedom of press guaranteed under Basic Law as long as they dont go beyond the law."

But media rights groups condemned Hong Kong's actions Wednesday. Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, tweeted, "Chinese authorities seem intent not just to limit press freedom in Hong Kong, but to kill it outright." Others have a more hopeful outlook. The Taiwan-based lawyer and commentator Sang Pu notes that while the media environment is "very dark," independent outlets still exist. "Does it mean there's no free press in Hong Kong? Not necessarily. It's 2021, and it's a digital age. There are lot of online news media emerging, such as Stand News and Citizen News, and there are other popular news accounts on Facebook, on Twitter," Sang Pu told VOA Mandarin.
Officials have repeatedly stressed that security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul is a critical requirement to keeping any U.S. diplomatic staff in Afghanistan.

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before President Joe Biden's Sept. 11 deadline for withdrawal. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months.

Overall, officials said the U.S. expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership and most troops out by July 4, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago. The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

In addition, several hundred additional U.S. forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September, to assist Turkish troops providing security, as a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said.

Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

Still, the decision to keep additional troops there for several more months makes it more complicated for the Biden administration to declare a true end to America's longest war until later this fall. And it keeps the embattled country near the forefront of U.S. national security challenges, even as the White House tries to put the 20-year-old war behind it and focus more on threats from China and Russia.

On Friday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, are meeting with Biden at the White House. The two Afghan leaders also are scheduled to meet at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and possibly other administration officials, the Pentagon announced.

Getting most troops out by early July had been in doubt because of complications including an outbreak of COVID-19 at the U.S. Embassy and the push to get Afghan interpreters and others who helped the U.S. out of the country. Officials said U.S. commanders and NATO allies in Afghanistan have been able to overcome logistical hurdles that might have prolonged the withdrawal process. But they also warned that plans in place for the final stages of the U.S. military withdrawal could change if airport security agreements fall through or there are other major, unforeseen developments.

As recently as last week, there was discussion of possibly extending the U.S. troop presence at Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, but officials said the U.S. presence at the base is expected to end in the next several days.

The roughly 650 U.S. troops that are planned to be a more permanent force presence in Afghanistan will provide security for the U.S. Embassy and some ongoing support at the airport. Officials said the U.S. has agreed to leave a C-RAM -- or Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar system -- at the airport, as well as troops to operate it, as part of an agreement with Turkey. The U.S. also plans to leave aircrew for helicopter support at the airport.

According to the officials, Turkey has largely agreed to provide security at the airport as long as it receives support from American forces. U.S. and Turkish military officials are meeting in Ankara this week to finalize arrangements.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday there is a likely association between two COVID-19 vaccines and a rare heart condition in boys and young men.

The federal health agency said more than 1,200 people who had received either the PfizerBioNTech or Moderna vaccines developed myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle. The condition was more prominent in men than women, and was detected more after the second dose than the first.

The CDC said the side effects, which include fatigue and chest pain, have been mild and that the vast majority of those diagnosed with myocarditis have fully recovered. The agency concluded that despite the "likely association" between the two vaccines and myocarditis, the benefits of receiving the vaccine far outweigh the risks.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna two-shot vaccines were developed using messenger RNA, which is a single-stranded RNA molecule that is complementary to one of the DNA strands of a gene, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute.

An official with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said after the results were announced that the regulatory agency would add a warning for health care providers and vaccine recipients about the potential risk of the side effect.
The preliminary draft of the government's carbon neutrality roadmap is jaw-dropping. The government aims to boost solar and wind power 50 times compared to 2018 levels and reduce the number of nuclear power plants from the present 24 to just nine, slashing the proportion of nuclear power generation from 29 percent to seven percent. It hopes to make up for any shortfall by importing electricity from China and Russia. By doing that, it seeks to reduce carbon emissions by 99 percent from 727 million tons in 2018 to 7.5 million tons by 2050.

There was a solar and wind-power craze after President Moon Jae-in took office in 2017. Forests were razed to set up solar panels, resulting in landslides during monsoon season. Reservoirs and even farmland were destroyed while installing them. Now the government intends to set them up on 7.5 percent of South Korean land.

Carbon neutrality is a universal goal that must be achieved. More efficient methods of power generation are needed, but the country's national interest cannot be thrown overboard. South Korea does not have vast deserts like the U.S. or Australia and cannot generate solar power all year round. The U.S. increased solar power facilities by 19GW last year, so how can South Korea, whose land mass is less than 1/100 of the U.S.', boost them by 16GW a year. President Moon Jae-in, who has less than a year left in office, is spewing out pipe dreams

The problem began when he announced his futile carbon neutrality goal in October last year without careful consideration. Government officials said the most challenging goal was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent, but Moon went even further and announced a 100-percent reduction target. As for importing power from China and Russia, how will they generate it, and how will the cables cross North Korea?

It is nonsense to rule out nuclear energy while pursuing carbon-neutral goals. The government only launched a carbon-neutrality taskforce last month, and none of its 77 members are experts in nuclear energy. Moon wants to ignore the country's world-class nuclear power technology and instead import solar and wind-power equipment to achieve carbon neutrality. Even his own officials must know that is unrealistic, but they are too scared to say anything. South Korea has already been labeled a "climate villain" because it failed to live up to previous promises, but here is Moon setting unrealistic targets once again. After him, the deluge.


CBDCs have big global potential, finds report

From:ChinaDaily | 2021-06-25 08:22

BIS: Cross-border circulation possible if central banks agree on protocols

Central bank digital currencies, or CBDCs, can achieve cross-border circulation if monetary authorities in different countries agree to share individuals' personal identities, which requires international cooperation, a report from the Bank for International Settlements stated.

China's account-based digital RMB, or e-CNY, can circulate widely in another jurisdiction, if both the issuerthe People's Bank of China, the central bankand its counterpart in the receiving jurisdiction agree to accept sharing of digital IDs, according to a subsection of the BIS annual report, which was published on Wednesday.

That is a way to limit the risks of currency substitution, such as "dollarisation", the BIS said.

BIS research showed that at least 56 central banks and monetary authorities, which cover about one-fifth of the world's population, are developing their own CBDCs, a form of digital money that will be a direct liability of the central banks concerned, if they become mainstream e-cash.

The BIS annual report recognized the rise of CBDCs, which are receiving massive support from various central banks that are keen to develop their own digital coinage system.

The BIS' Innovation Hub has conducted a CBDC-related project jointly with partner central banks in China, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

This project explores how CBDCs could help reduce costs, increase transparency and tackle regulatory complexities in payments.

A multinational-used CBDC should surmount the hurdles of sharing digital identities across borders, it said.

The BIS report stated: "The potential for a foreign CBDC to make deep inroads into the domestic market, or to take off as a 'dominant' global currency, is likely to be limited.

"China's e-CNY is to shield the identity of the user by designating the user's public key, which is issued by the mobile phone operator, as the digital ID. The central bank would not have access to the underlying personal details."

So far, digital ID schemes have emerged in several countries. In China, the two biggest payment platformsAlibaba's Alipay and Tencent's WeChat Payhave developed their own digital IDs.

But the cross-border sharing of ID information will require a high standard of cybersecurity, the BIS said. "The rising incidence of major data breaches in recent years, in particular at financial institutions, underscores the possibility that data or funds may be stolen. Such risks would be similar for CBDC payment services."

The BIS said the entry of big technology companies into financial services would result in concentration of market power and push authorities to take anti-monopoly measures.

A research report from Fitch Ratings indicated that wider adoption of CBDCs could lead to changes in data-sharing and competition.

In China, the broader use of e-CNY in the future could lead to changes to the revenue structure of Alipay and WeChat Pay, which dominate non-bank mobile-based payments.

Discussions on cryptocurrencies rose in intensity recently when the world's largest cryptocurrency, Bitcoin saw massive sell-offs that began in May, followed by tough regulations in China and the United States.

China banned commercial banks and payment institutions from providing cryptocurrency services, and the US announced the prosecution of Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, for alleged dubious actions.

Some analysts such as Victor Argonov, from London-based investment company Exante, think cryptocurrencies "no longer seem like a speculative toy that you just need to profitably resell and forget".

The BIS affirmed that other types of cryptocurrencies "are speculative assets rather than money", saying that they are used in many cases to facilitate money laundering, ransomware attacks and other financial crimes.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. High near 90F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Low 73F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Woburn, MA (01801)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High around 60F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 56F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
TWIN FALLS  An already warm summer will get even hotter next week with the Magic Valley potentially experiencing record high temperatures through the Fourth of July.

The National Weather Service has issued excessive heat watches and warnings for the Magic Valley from Monday through Thursday. Some parts of the area could potentially see consecutive days of 100-plus temperatures.

Southern Idaho routinely experiences triple digit temperatures in the summer, but the timing and duration of this heat wave is unusual, said Dawn Harmon, lead meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pocatello. This office forecasts weather for eastern Idaho, while the office in Boise handles the west side of the state.

What were looking at, forecast wise, is hitting the mid to upper 90s as early as Tuesday and continuing at that level, or higher, into the low 100s almost all the way through and beyond the Fourth of July, Harmon said. There is some small chances that the all-time record high may be reached or broken during the middle of next week.

For Burley, this would mean exceeding a record of 107 degrees, which was set July 28, 1934. Breaking the record for the most consecutive days of triple digit temperatures in Burley would mean exceeding the six-day mark set in July 1931.

The projected high temperatures would be a step up from what has already been a warmer-than-usual start to the summer. Harmon said temperatures in Burley, for example, have been about 8 degrees above average throughout June.

An extended period of hot weather, including extremely warm overnight lows, this early into the year and this long is historic, Harmon said.

In anticipation of these hot temperatures, Idaho Power issued a statement Thursday asking customers to conserve energy from 4-9 p.m. over the next few days by turning off electronics and turning up the thermostat on air conditioning units.

During this stretch of hot weather, health officials say it is important to be mindful of heated-related illnesses, especially among the most vulnerable, like children and elderly adults.

Its an important time to act like neighbors and do what Idaho does best, which is take care of each other, said Brianna Bodily, spokesperson for the South Central Public Health District.

Keeping cool

People should avoid going outside if they can next week, Dr. Martha Taylor, St. Lukes Health System medical director for urgent care, told reporters Thursday during a video call.

This is especially true for those who are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, like heat exhaustion and heat stroke. This includes younger kids, older adults, people with preexisting conditions, including obesity, and people who are on medications for blood thinning or cold and allergies.

If, however, people choose to, or have to, spend time outdoors, it is important they take steps to protect themselves. This includes staying well hydrated, applying sunblock, wearing moisture-wicking clothing embedded with ultra-violet protection and planning activities for the morning or evening when it is a bit cooler.

It is also a good idea to limit exercise in the heat, Bodily said.

If you do exercise, take a partner with you so you can keep an eye on each other, she said.

Exercise partners can help each other stay aware of possible symptoms of heat-related illnesses. These include sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, Bodily said.

Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute

If symptoms become more severe and a person stops sweating and reaches a body temperature above 103 degrees, they could suffer a heat stroke, which is a medical emergency.

St. Lukes does not usually see a significant number of people suffering from heat-related illnesses in summers when the temperature gradually increases, Taylor said. But this year could be different with temperatures ramping up so quickly, leaving people little time to acclimatize to the hotter weather.

I would anticipate were going to see quite a few this week, Taylor said.

Even people who are not outdoors could struggle next week as not everybody has air conditioning. Bodily said it is a good idea to check in with older relatives and neighbors living alone to make sure they are managing the high temperatures.

And, as always, people should not leave children and pets alone inside a vehicle, where the temperature can quickly exceed the level outside.

Weve lost far too many children and pets (from being left in hot cars), Bodily said.

Heat impact on farmworkers

Agricultural workers are at a high risk of heat related illnesses.

Dunnia Aplicano, monitor advocate for workplace programs with the Idaho Department of Labor, said there are protections and recommendations in place to protect farmworkers.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a set of guidelines for preventing heat illness at work. These recommendations are printed on posters that are given out to employers each year.

Aplicano said these recommendations include easing into work during high temperatures. Nearly three out of four fatalities from heat illness happen during the first week of work, according to the administration.

Workers should drink cool water, at least one cup every 20 minutes. They should also take rest breaks and monitor themselves and others for signs of heat illness.

In addition to the administration recommendations, there are also field sanitation standards that employers must meet.

Agricultural employers are required to provide drinking water in the field. The water needs to be suitably cool and in sufficient amounts, according to the administration standard. These rules apply to any agricultural establishment where 11 or more employees are engaged in hand-labor operations in a field.

The employer is also required to provide single-use drinking cups or fountains.

Aplicano said if a worker feels their employer is not meeting those standards they can file a complaint at labor.idaho.gov/complaints.
Press Release

June 25, 2021 De Lima grieves passing of PNoy, says PH lost a great leader Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has mourned the passing of former President Benigno S. Aquino III whom she regards as a proud Filipino and a true public servant. De Lima, who was Justice Secretary during the Aquino Administration, said the nation has lost a great leader "who served with all his heart, not just to continue the legacy of his parents, but to also offer his life to lead our nation on a righteous path." "It is with an immensely heavy heart that I learned of Sir PNoy's passing. I'm in a state of utter disbelief and indescribable grief. Sobrang napakabigat sa loob," she said in a handwritten message. "As the Filipino nation and the whole world mourn his passing, our love and admiration show that he was never alone; that we are truly grateful for everything he has done and sacrificed," she added. Aquino, popularly known as PNoy, passed away on Thursday at the age of 61. His family said he died peacefully of renal failure as a result of diabetes. As President from 2010-2016, Aquino was praised for reviving the Philippine economy and his staunch defense of the country's territory in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), among others. During Aquino's term, the Philippines turned into a rising economic star as the country's economy grew an average of 6.2%, which was the fastest since the 1970s. It was also under his administration that the Philippines challenged China's legal basis for its expansive claim on the WPS before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, and won the case in a landmark award in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated Beijing's assertions. For her and for the millions of Filipinos he served and inspired, De Lima said Aquino has lived "a fulfilled and selfless life." "PNoy often shared to us what his father said: 'I would never be able to forgive myself if I will have to live with the knowledge that I could have done something and did not do anything.' And this is the very wisdom that PNoy has lived by," she shared. "Sa bawat instruction niya sa akin noon bilang miyembro ng kanyang Gabinete, hanggang sa mga simpleng kuwentuhan at pag-uusap naming dalawa, alam mo na napakabuti niyang tao, at ang puso niya ay para sa kung anong ikabubuti ng mga Pilipino," she recalled. If there is anything she regrets, De Lima said it is knowing that "hindi na niya [Aquino] nasilayan ang muling pagbawi at pagkakaisa ng Pilipino para bumalik sa tuwid at makatarungang landas na kaniyang ipinaglaban." In a separate statement posted on Twitter, De Lima recalled that she joined the Aquino administration because she believed in the former President's principles and leadership style despite not knowing him personally. "For myself, I did not follow the man. I followed the path he was on because I believed that it leads to a better place. That was why I joined the PNoy administration. I didn't know him then, and he didn't know me beyond our respective track records. But we found ourselves on the same path because we both believed it leads to a better Philippines for all Filipinos," said she. "Sadly, we have lost another good person, but PNoy would be the first to say that we can fight the good fight with or without him. Of course we will, it is just that the fight is more worthwhile with people like him by our side and among our ranks. People who really do care both in their words and in their deeds." "It has been an honor serving the Filipino people with you, Sir. Your march may have ended, but our fight goes on para sa Mahal na Sambayanang Pilipino," she added.
Press Release

June 25, 2021 Bong Go thanks PRRD for enactment of 13 bills seeking to enhance health facilities and improve delivery of health services in various provinces Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, joined President Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacanang Palace on Thursday, June 24, as the latter signed 13 measures that will improve the capacity of various hospitals to provide quality care and services especially amid an ongoing global health crisis. As committee chair, Go sponsored the bills in the Senate the previous month. During his sponsorship in the plenary, he stated, "hindi ako titigil na ipaglaban kung ano ang makakabuti sa ating mga kababayan, lalong-lalo na sa mga mahihirap nating mga kapatid. Kahit na anong hirap ang pagdaanan ko, basta kapakanan nila, ipaglalaban ko ito". The signed laws include measures that will establish new medical facilities, increase the bed capacities and upgrade the capabilities of select hospitals in various provinces throughout the country. They are: 1. Republic Act (RA) No. 11559, otherwise known as An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Naguilian District Hospital in the Municipality of Naguilan, Province of La Union; 2. R.A. No. 11562 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Rosario District Hospital in the Municipality of Rosario, Province of La Union; 3. R.A. No. 11560 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Sinait District Hospital in Sinait, Ilocos Sur; 4. R.A. No. 11564 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in the City of Bacolod, Province of Negros Occidental to be known as the Bacolod City General Hospital; 5. R.A. No. 11563 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro Sr. Medical Center in the Province of Misamis Occidental; 6. R.A. No. 11565 or An Act Converting the Medina Extension Hospital in the Municipality of Medina, Province of Misamis Oriental into a General Hospital to be known as the First Misamis Oriental General Hospital; 7. R.A. No. 11566 or An Act Converting the Schistosomiasis Control and Research Hospital in Palo, Leyte into a General Hospital to be known as the Governor Benjamin T. Romualdez General Hospital and Schistosomiasis Center; 8. R.A. No. 11567 or An Act Renaming the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in the City of Tacloban, Province of Leyte into the Eastern Visayas Medical Center; 9. R.A. No. 11568 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in Barangay Lacaron, in the Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental to be known as the Davao Occidental General Hospital; 10. R.A. No. 11558 or An Act Establishing a General Hospital in the Municipality of Rosales, Province of Pangasinan to be known as the Conrado F. Estrella Regional Medical and Trauma Center; 11. R.A. No. 11561 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the East Avenue Medical Center in Brgy. Diliman, Quezon City; 12. R.A. No. 11557 or An Act Establishing a 300-bed Capacity Tertiary Training and General Hospital in Barangay Mauway, City of Mandaluyong to be known as the Senate President Neptali A. Gonzales General Hospital; and 13. R.A. No. 11556 or An Act Increasing the Bed Capacity of the lying-in clinic in the Municipality of Rizal, Province of Palawan. In a speech delivered during the signing ceremony, President Duterte congratulated both Houses of Congress for the passage of the measures. He assured the medical community that his administration would continue to work with legislators and other stakeholders to address their concerns and equip them with their needs to fulfill their duty. "Thirteen of these laws are health-related and are very crucial in strengthening the capacity of our health care system as we continue to overcome the current pandemic," said Duterte. "Indeed, the establishment of new (hospitals) would make quality medical services more accessible to our people, especially those in far-flung areas. Increasing the bed capacities of our existing public hospitals will likewise augment our inventory of hospital beds that we badly need as we deal with the pandemic," the President continued. During the ceremony, the President also signed other measures that Go supported, namely bills that seek to convert the Basilan State College into the Basilan State University, reapportion Bataan province into three legislative districts, and renew the franchise of the Baycomms Broadcasting Corporation which Go also co-sponsored.
Press Release

June 25, 2021 Villar calls for tree protection on Arbor Day SAYING trees not only provide us with clean air, but also protect us from destructions due to calamities, Senator Cynthia Villar exhorted the public to protect them, and join in greening the communities as we observe the country's Arbor Day on June 25. Villar, chair of the Senate committee on natural resources, said Arbor Day is a special occasion to remind us the importance and role of trees in environmental health and human life. With the onset of the rainy season, Villar said Arbor Day is a reminder of the significant role of trees to help avert massive flooding and the mangrove trees to serve as barrier against storm surges. Villar also encouraged the public to use the occasion to accelerate protection and conservation of areas like the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park (formerly LPPCHEA), which has been threatened by development initiatives in Manila Bay. LPPWP, a protected area as declared by Proclamation No. 1412 and listed by the Ramsar Convention as one of the world's most important wetlands, has a 36-hectare mangrove forest with 11 mangrove species. The mangrove species growing in the area are the Bungalon, Bakauan Babae, Bakauan Bato (or Bangkau in Cebuano), Pototan, Kolasi, Pagatpat, Banalo, Tabigi, Saging-saging, Butabuta and Nilad. According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), mangrove forests are critical spawning grounds, nursery, feeding and temporary shelter areas, not only to fishes but other wild life species as well. Mangrove forests also act as natural barriers. In the case of LPPWP, it serves as protection of the coastal communities of Las Pinas and Paranaque from storm surges and high tide. The swamps at LPPWP also provides a habitat for many migratory bird species which create the East Asian-Australasian Migratory Flyway. It's the only known breeding ground for endangered species like the Philippine duck and Chinese egret. June 25 is declared as Philippine Arbor Day by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 396. During this time, all government agencies including government-owned or controlled corporations, private sector, schools, civil society and citizens are encourage to participate in tree-planting activities. Villar also told the public that Republic Act No. 10176 or the Arbor Act mandates citizens aged 12 years and above to plant one tree every year. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, activities such as tree planting, watering of plants, coastal clean-up, and nature exposure walk were held at the LPPWP to celebrate Arbor Day. Villar has partnered with Villar SIPAG (Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance), DENR - National Capital Region and several other agencies and organizations and engaged in several environmental-related activities to mark the celebration.
Home > 2021 > No bread, no democracy Latin Americas feudal castle | Renaud (...)

by Renaud Lambert*

The 2000s saw a pink tide sweep through Latin America as progressive governments replaced authoritarian ones and peoples satisfaction with democracy grew. But those leaders are all gone, and the battle for true democracy is far from over.

Alain Rouquie, former French ambassador to Brazil, summed up Latin Americas progress in 2010: After decades of instability and dictatorship, democracy seems to have taken root everywhere. He had in mind the electoral victories of Michelle Bachelet in Chile (2006), Evo Morales in Bolivia (2006) and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brazil (2003) when he wrote, Henceforth, a woman, an Indian or a manual worker can reach the highest office through the ballot box [1].

Things have changed since. In Bolivia, a coup ousted the Indian [2]; in Brazil, the worker (Lula) is being harassed by a justice system manipulated by the right; and although Bachelet completed her term as Chiles president, her Brazilian counterpart Dilma Rousseff, elected in 2011, was removed from office ontrumped-up charges in 2016 [3].

Until a few years ago, Rouquies optimism seemed justified: in Brazil in 2003 there was an orderly transition of power for the first time in 43 years; Hugo Chavez (in power 1999-2013) expanded popular participation in Venezuelan politics; and former Ecuadorean economist Rafael Correa (2007-17) peacefully completed his second term; none of his seven predecessors in the previous decade had completed even one.

Now the mood has darkened. Brazils president, former military man Jair Bolsonaro, is nostalgic for his countrys era of dictatorship (1964-85) and his son Eduardo talks of the need for a new one, in case the left radicalises [4]. In January 2019 Juan Guaido, a second-rate neoliberal politician, declared himself president of Venezuela with US and EU backing. Former Ecuadorean president Lenin Moreno tried to use the judiciary to stop adversaries standing in this Februarys presidential election.

Democracy is the rule of reason

So Latin American democracy, rather than having taken root everywhere, is experiencing another unstable period, even sliding towards authoritarianism. Why? Perhaps precisely because of the progress that preceded it. Like Icarus, whose fall becomes more inevitable the higher he climbs towards the sun, Latin American democrats create the conditions for their own failure as they near their goal.

Americans today, and perhaps to a greater extent than ever before, who live within the Spanish system occupy a position in society no better than that of serfs destined for labour, or at best they have no more status than that of mere consumers

Latin Americas republics were founded on the democratic principle, however paradoxical that may seem in a region of colonels in dark glasses. When they declared independence in the 19th century, white Creole elites did so under the banner of the Enlightenment. And when they took up arms, it was in the name of popular sovereignty; Simon Bolivar (1783-1830), the Liberator, wrote, Americans today, and perhaps to a greater extent than ever before, who live within the Spanish system occupy a position in society no better than that of serfs destined for labour, or at best they have no more status than that of mere consumers ... We were never viceroys or governors ... seldom archbishops and bishops; diplomats never; as military men, only subordinates; as nobles, without royal privileges ... we were neither magistrates nor financiers [5].

But, writes Rouquie, it was not the colonised, Indians and metis who rose up, but a white minority, often made up of an aristocracy of property owners of European origin. They declared equality mainly to free themselves from a metropolis that deprived them of power, though they retained their wealth. Despite the democratic constitutions they promulgated, the elites held on to their privileges. The right to vote was restricted to those deemed competent.

Collective reason is sovereign

Collective reason alone is sovereign, not the collective will, wrote the Argentine writer Esteban Echeverria (1805-51). Thus it happens that the sovereignty of the people can reside only in the reason of the people, and that only the prudent and rational part of the social community is called to exercise that sovereignty. Democracy, then, is not the absolute despotism of the masses, or of the majority; it is the rule of reason [6].

Rouquie concludes, For the liberal elites of South America, democracy was impossible given the state of society, but also irreplaceable since it justified independence. The hand that wrote the birth certificate of Latin American citizenship also sealed its fate, and the struggle that ensued still shapes Latin American politics. On one side were those who favoured a form of popular sovereignty adapted to fit the reality of hierarchies they considered both natural and immutable  democracy without equality or, as Rouquie puts it, without citizens. On the other side were those who wanted to subvert the established order by making the principles written into constitutions a reality.

This structuring of politics occurred within the context of a particular form of integration into the global economic system. Unlike the northern colonies of North America, which lacked the geological and climatic conditions and the indigenous populations necessary for the establishment of export economies, as economist Andre Gunder Frank wrote [7], South America provided Europe with raw materials it needed for its industrial revolution and bought its finished goods.

The Creole oligarchy did not envisage independence depriving it of its wealth, which was the product of the free trade principle that filled the sails of the ships that crossed the Atlantic. Under these conditions, the transfer of power does not entail a transformation of society, wrote Chilean intellectual Luis Vitale. Whereas in Europe liberalism served the industrial bourgeoisie against the landed oligarchy, here it was enlisted by those very landowners against the Spanish monopoly. In Europe, it served the cause of industrial protectionism, here, that of free trade [8].

Independent Latin America reinforced the economic dynamics that made it a vassal. British foreign secretary George Canning astutely observed in December 1824, Spanish America is free and, if we do not mismanage our affairs, she is English. The subcontinent was caught in the economic trap of underdevelopment, with a concentration of wealth, a weak internal market and an underdeveloped industrial base. It has still not freed itself from this despite early 20th-century attempts to do so.

When the first world war and the Great Depression interrupted the flow of international trade, most countries around the world promoted local industry through import substitution. In South America this had two initial requirements, the first of which was to preserve existing social structures. However, without wealth redistribution, an internal market cannot produce sufficient demand to stimulate increased production. So in Latin America production was concentrated on niche consumer sectors for the wealthy: clothing, footwear, basic electronic equipment etc. To overcome this would have needed a form of industrialisation in which the state, not consumer demand, determined which essential goods were produced.

A naive form of capitalism

The second requirement that constrained attempts to develop industry was the need to preserve the logic of the market. Since Latin American countries were insufficiently developed to produce their own capital goods, they had to import them. As Gunder Frank said, they substituted one type of import for another. In 1963 the Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes wrote, This naive and liberal capitalism was also superimposed on the feudal structure without destroying it. It abandoned to their fate the great masses of peasants and workers, and reserved progress for an urban minority ... This is what Latin America is: a collapsed feudal castle with a cardboard capitalistic facade [9].

A feudal castle, an economy that free trade condemned to underdevelopment and an uneasy proximity to the US, which soon viewed Latin America as its backyard: intellectuals such as Frank, Fuentes and Vitale knew there was no reason to think the path to emancipation would be straightforward. Their political current spoke the language of the 1960s and 1970s. Fuentes wrote, A democracy cannot exist, you know, with empty stomachs, empty minds, and empty shacks. Democracy is not a cause; it is a result.

So, these writers thought, down with formal democracy  the dysfunctional bourgeois form of democracy that governed South American societies, which they refused to consider as a tool to change the world. Long live true democracy, the end point to which the processes of emancipation would lead. And forget about the ballot box, because only a revolution would enable Latin American republics to realise the ideals that had created them, even if it meant paying a price. Revolution! Fuentes wrote ironically. You cry to heaven, wring your hands, weep before violence and bloodletting. Yes. Unfortunately, it has never been possible to persuade the leading classes of a feudal country that their last hour has come.

These authors determination was all the greater because they had seen the fate of Juan Domingo Peron in Argentina (1946-55), Getulio Vargas (1951-54) and Joao Goulart (1961-64) in Brazil, and Juan Bosch in the Dominican Republic (1963). These leaders wanted to take political account of the dispossessed without upsetting social hierarchies  make revolution before the people do, as Rouquie put it. But even that proved too much. The military overthrew them all, believing they threatened democracy by challenging the status quo.

The lefts hopes in Allende

This claim of defending popular sovereignty was used to justify the military pronunciamientos (coups) of the 1970s and 80s. Admiral Emilio Massera, a member of the junta that took power in Argentina in 1976, said, All those who, like us, believe in pluralist democracy are waging a war against the worshippers of totalitarianism, a war for freedom and against tyranny. Anti-communism, which was at the heart of the East-West confrontation, raised the conservative defence of privilege to the level of a universal struggle: Massera claimed it was a third world war against dialectical materialism and idealistic trade unionism. It also ensured invaluable US support.

Salvador Allendes accession to power in Chile in 1971 broke with the past. He believed that the formal and the real democracies were reconcilable and that the ritual of elections could advance the ideal they stood for. His ambition aroused enthusiasm among a left that had abandoned armed struggle but still had hope. Many focused their attention on Santiago, including future French socialist president Francois Mitterrand.

During a trip to South America Mitterand explained his fascination, sincerely convinced or not: Chile represents an interesting and original synthesis. It is unlikely that in France, an advanced industrial country in the zone of western influence, violent action could develop without being repressed by the forces of the upper middle class. A grassroots movement can, on the other hand, legitimately contemplate winning by legal means, through universal suffrage and pressure from workers in sectors in crisis. Whats needed is to show the French that this way is possible (Le Monde, 14-15 November 1971).

But Chiles ruling classes saw Allendes boldness as justification for crushing democracy, in the name of democracy. I have always respected and admired democracy as a political concept, explained General Augusto Pinochet, who overthrew Allende in 1973. But despite its virtues, without suitable adaptation it has shown itself to be completely unable to oppose communism [10]. Elsewhere in Latin America, the same causes produced the same effects, and by 1978 only Colombia, Venezuela and Costa Rica had avoided dictatorship. Colombia had a bloody civil war, and Venezuela lived under the Puntofijo Pact, a formal arrangement made in 1958, sharing power and benefits between the three main political parties.

In the 1980s, successive authoritarian regimes collapsed, inaugurating a democratic transition phase. But, writes Rouquie,  restored democracies are not quite representative regimes like any other. They are the heirs of dictatorships, when they are not their prisoners. In Chile, the constitution inherited from Pinochet, with its neoliberal economy and privatised universities, outlived his regime and was only abolished in a 2020 referendum.

These negotiated democratic transitions placed democracy under the tutelage of the armed forces, which were guaranteed amnesty from prosecution; they watched from the wings. In 1987 and 1988, there were three military insurrections in Argentina. In Chile, Ernesto Ottone, a member of the central committee of the Chilean communist party and former advisor to President Ricardo Lagos (2000-06), recalled, We asked ourselves, What is our minimum aspiration for Lagoss mandate? The answer was quite simply, That he serves his full six years and leaves on his own two legs  [11]. That could only happen, Ottone suggested, if political struggles were seen within a framework that does not endanger the essential unity of Chile and guarantees democratic governability. This means abandoning any plan that could reproduce the causes of a tragedy like that of 1973.

Rupture of Chiles democracy

Abandoning any such plan was made easier because the political and economic elites, to which Ottone and his co-author Sergio Munoz Riveros (former advisor to President Michelle Bachelet) belong, agreed the changes introduced under the dictatorships were sound. These former communist activists noted that it has been necessary to recognise, even indirectly, the part played by the dictatorships policies in the emergence of a dynamic of economic recovery after the failure of the 1970-73 period. Though hard to admit, it must be conceded that, on certain questions concerning the functioning of the modern economy, the professors were on the other side of the street [neoliberal economists].

The same is true of an intellectual world that lost its most radical figures to dictators bullets or became convinced that the military had been provoked by a period of collective unreason: We all bear a share of responsibility for the rupture of Chiles democracy, declared former presidents Patricio Aylwin (1990-94) and Ricardo Lagos, commemorating the 30th anniversary of Allendes death. Munoz Riveros and Ottone have tried to disseminate this conviction, quoting former Liberation editor Laurent Joffrin: The socialist revolution ... is a dangerous myth that liberates the totalitarian Leviathan when it succeeds and terrorism when it fails. The theory of the two demons asserts that socialists and fascists share responsibility for bringing dictatorships into being, but the socialists initiate the process by provoking the fascists in the first place.

Those engaged in democratic transitions strive not to provoke the Leviathan, even if that means putting up with a world in which the dysfunctions that caused past popular uprisings keep getting worse. That worlds pillars still stand: social inequalities, relegation of part of the population to the political margins, and acquiescence to free trade and US diktats: a world that still fails to create the conditions necessary for real democracy. One child in two lives in poverty in our country, said Argentinas President Alberto Fernandez at his inauguration in December 2019. When theres no bread, democracy is impossible.

For those who still believe in popular sovereignty, everything remains to be done. Some conclude that, because institutions which result from negotiated transitions leave no room for the peoples demands and electoral processes often lead to betrayal of promises, politics must happen in the streets, away from palaces. They point to the Bolivian demonstrators who, in the early 2000s, won significant victories against planned water and gas privatisations. John Holloway set out this strategy, adopted by the Zapatistas in Chiapas, Mexico, in his 2002 book Change the World without Taking Power [12].

Others, critical of an approach that means surrendering power to the conservatives, have revived the old hope that, despite its limitations, the ballot box can still enable Latin America to free itself from its feudal prison. Like Lula in 1985, they are clear it alone will not be enough: We are trying to respect the rules of the democratic game. We believe that parliament is not an end in itself, only a means. We will try to use it as much as possible. To the extent that we perceive that through the parliamentary route, through the purely electoral route, we wont come to power, I take responsibility for telling the working class that they have to seek another way [13]. After two presidential terms Lula conceded, If Jesus came to Brazil, even he would have to make an alliance with Judas [14].

And so, in several countries, leaders determined to democratise democracy were elected in a pink tide through Latin America: Chavez in Venezuela (1998), Lula in Brazil (2002), Nestor Kirchner in Argentina (2003), Evo Morales in Bolivia (2005), Rafael Correa in Ecuador (2006), Cristina Fernandez in Argentina (2007) and Dilma Rousseff in Brazil (2010).

They tried with varying success to fly higher, to bring their societies closer to the democratic ideal: reducing inequalities; transforming the underprivileged into citizens; building states capable of meeting the needs of the people. The social and economic progress during this period has been abundantly documented, including in this publication. Voting suddenly became meaningful again. In an annual study on Latin Americans relationship with democracy in 2010, Latinobarometro, a private not-for-profit, noted that, since 2007, the populations support for democracy has been steadily increasing ... This is the first time since we started using this democracy satisfaction indicator [in 1995] that a continuous increase has occurred four years running [15].

They will not set foot in the Miraflores palace

But the more progress democracy makes, the more it is threatened: elites know what expanding democracy means for them. They react. Most of these countries have had military coups, fraudulent removals from office, attempted insurrections, economic blockades by bosses. This includes Brazil, where Lula and Rousseff went out of their way to be conciliatory. When conservatives regain power they use this opportunity to harass their opponents, so incumbent progressive leaders, or those from progressive movements, cling on to their posts, sometimes flouting the rules of democracy. In November 2016, Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro said of his opponents, They will never set foot in the Miraflores palace: neither through ballot papers nor bullets [16].

In 2002 a military coup overthrew Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. The head of the employers federation, Pedro Carmona, declared himself president, dissolved the national assembly and constitutional bodies, and dismissed governors and mayors before a popular mobilisation stopped him. Heirs of Fuentes in Chavezs inner circle advised him to seize the opportunity, and a source who was there said Chavez was told, The opposition has shown it does not respect the popular will; this is the ideal moment to suspend the elections. This will give you the time you need to carry out all the necessary transformations to finally establish popular sovereignty in Venezuela. Chavez refused. He pardoned those who overthrew him, hoping they would finally accept the rules of the democratic game. But the former conspirators did not change and kept criticising the man who spared them from prison for drifting towards authoritarianism, a drift that their actions helped bring about.

Icarus reaches for the sky, then falls, reminding us of the question: how do you build democracy with non-democrats?

*(Author: Renaud Lambert is deputy editor of Le Monde diplomatique.)

Translated by George Miller

[This article from Le Monde Diplomatique 14 June 2021 is reproduced here for educational and non commercial use]
Saudi Arabia is mulling plans to develop an industrial plan in Oman as part of the kingdoms investment projects in the sultanate.

The plans for the future industrial zone, state-run news agency SPA notes, emerged from the framework of a recent meeting during the month between to discuss investment opportunities and discussions this week were around prospects for cooperation and integration opportunities in the special economic zones in the kingdom and the sultanate.

The meeting also discussed studying the possibility of establishing a Saudi industrial zone in Oman, where the Saudi side would develop, operate and manage the zone, and build logistical routes to transport goods between Saudi and Omani special economic zones, SPA said.

The move is in line with the kingdoms plans to diversify its economy and invest abroad in view of reducing its dependence on oil revenues, as part of its 2030 vision.

Both countries, the agency also notes, are keen to attract foreign investment as part of their reform efforts.
Kuwait will soon host talks between lawmakers in the Arab Gulf and their counterparts in the European Union, a speaker of the Kuwaiti legislature has said, state-run news agency KANU reported.

Marzouq Al-Ghanem, the agency said, made the announcement while visiting Wednesday Brussels where he met with the European Parliament chief David Sassoli.

The summit whose dates have not been revealed, will discuss bilateral relations, matters of mutual concern chiefly the Palestinian cause, which requires urgent action on the part of the international community to cease Zionist abusive practices against the Palestinian people, Al Ghanem reportedly said.

Sassoli welcomed the Gulf countrys efforts towards peace and security in the region. Kuwait is known as one the hardcore champions of the Palestinian cause and a major peace broker in the region.

It early this year contributed to the reconciliation between Qatar and Saudi Arabia-led group that severed ties with the tiny gas-rich country for almost four years.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) shot dead a terror suspect during a raid at a militia hideout in Kwales Bombo area Thursday morning.

The officers were acting on intelligence that a group of three militias were planning to stage an attack within the area.

During the ambush, the suspects attempted to escape forcing the detectives to open fire, killing one.

The other two managed to escape with gunshot wounds, the DCI said.

Police recovered an AK47 rifle and 763 rounds of ammunition, a HP laptop, flash disk, 9 mobile phones, measuring jars, conical flasks, magnesium metal powder, electric bulbs, and water bottles,

The officers also recovered a note listing targeted areas.

The area is still being combed for more suspects, with more officers deployed to beef up security in the area. Meanwhile, anti-terrorism detectives have launched investigations into the incident, the DCI said.
The father of slain lawyer Willie Kimani is still crying for justice five years after the death of his son.

Speaking while marking the five year death anniversary of his son on Wednesday, Paul Kinuthia said he will probably die before justice is served. He noted that at 81 years of age he is frail and ill.

A day like today, to tell you the truth, I am not well physically. Does the government want me to die before getting justice for my son? Kinuthia posed.

One day I might go to sleep on this chair and never wake up. That will be the end of me, he told the Star at his home in Kikuyu, Kiambu.

During the interview with the publication, Kinuthia and his wife Elizabeth took journalists to Kimanis gravesite, where they both broke into tears.

Kinuthia said every time he sees his sons picture on the grave it brings back fresh memories of him.

As you saw, my sons grave is in the shamba right outside my house but I dont go there. I dont want to see his face. Seeing his grave reminds me of the painful death of my beloved last born son, he wept.

Recalling the day Willie Kimani was abducted, Kinyua said before his son left home he asked him if he (father) had medicine. The lawyer then promised to buy the medicine on his way back home from work.

I got high blood pressure on the day I received the news that my sons body had been retrieved from the Ol Donyo Sabuk River in a sack. Since then, I have never been the same, he said.

Kinyua and his wife said Willie was their only hope and his death robbed the family of their sole breadwinner.

Since he left, things have really changed in this homestead, you can see for yourselves how we are living, Kinuthia said.

My heart yearns for justice. I long for the day I will hear that the accused persons in that case have been jailed, he said.

Willie Kimanis father also mentioned that the news that the murder case might start afresh was like opening old wounds that had started to heal.

My plea to the Chief Justice is to expedite the case so that those who killed my son are jailed. I want their parents to feel what I am feeling in my heart, he said.

I just beseech Chief Justice Martha Koome to order Justice Jessie Lessit to conclude our matter before she is taken to Mombasa, Kinuthia said.
Learners and members of staff at a school in Mwingi, Kitui are reeling from shock after their headteacher committed suicide Monday evening.

Kioko Mutie, the headteacher at Yanyonge Primary School, hanged himself in his office under unclear circumstances. The deceased did not leave behind a suicide note.

Confirming the apparent suicide, Area Assistant Chief Mulinge Wambua said the 46-year-old teacher was full of life and never had any signs of depression.

Teachers and parents described the deceased headteacher as an education lover pointing out that he always arrived in school early to begin teaching.

The body of the deceased was moved to Mwingi hospital mortuary as police launched further investigations to establish the motive behind the suicide.
Raila Odinga sold his car to raise funds to start his manufacturing company, East Africa Spectre.

The ODM leader narrated the chronology behind the birth of the only private company in Kenya that supplies gas cylinders to oil companies. The year was 1971 when Raila was a lecturer at the University of Nairobi.

While addressing businesspeople in Nairobi on Wednesday, Raila said a friend tipped him about a businessman who was selling manufacturing equipment at a throwaway price.

The Indian businessman was operating in Jinja, Uganda, and he was looking to escape to the UK after being chased away by the Iddi Amin regime.

I was teaching at the University of Nairobi when an Indian friend who was a technician told me that one of his friends had just been sent away from Uganda and had uprooted all his machines from Jinja to a yard at Parklands and was selling quickly to go to Great Britain, Raila recalled.

The former Prime Minister visited a yard in Parklands to see the machinery which included rolling machines, welding machines, sheet metal cutting machines.

The businessman named his price but Raila could not afford it, forcing him to sell his German-made Opel car.

The entire machinery was being sold at Sh12,000 which I didnt have, my salary was only Sh2000, so I sold my car to raise the cash and that is how I started, he said.

Raila then set base in Industrial Area and started Standard Processing Equipment which produced steel windows, doors among other steel products. He expanded the company to make gas cylinders and renamed it East Africa Spectre.

Raila disclosed that he ventured into manufacturing gas cylinder after a white proprietor from Agip Oil Company told him they had a shortage of cylinders and were looking for local firms that could produce them.

Having worked in a cylinder manufacturing firm in Germany, Raila obtained samples from Agip, retooled, and began manufacturing gas cylinders.

One of his clients from Germany advised him to take up a loan to expand his business.

When he came to my workshop and saw what we were doing, he was impressed and took me to Kenya Industrial Estate under ICDC and that is how I went to Kenya Industrial Estate.

Ida Odinga currently runs East Africa Spectre as its managing director.
Raila Odinga on Thursday paid tribute to his cousin, former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, saying he will dearly miss him.

Speaking during a memorial service at Citam Valley Road church, Raila said he last talked to Midiwo on Thursday following the death of Midiwos elder sister.

The last time I talked to him was on Thursday and we had lost a sisterMidiwo asked me not to attend the burials because my presence would attract many people and would go against MoH protocols, he said.

So after burying late Kibwezi MP Kalembe Ndile on Friday, Raila decided to rest instead of traveling for the burial on Saturday.

On Monday evening I received a phone call from his sister..she calls me sobbing and told me that Midiwo is dead, Raila narrated.

I could not believe it and she told me that they went to see him at the ICU and they talked then they left. As they walked they were told to rush back that Midiwo had died.

Raila said he then rushed to the hospital, where Midiwo appeared to be smiling at the ICU.

When I went to the ICU, I found Jakoyo (Midiwo) lying there. He actually appeared to be smiling, and I thought that I could talk to him but he was dead. I didnt know how to conduct myself, he said.

The ODM leader said Midiwo was more of a friend than a cousin. He mentioned that when Midiwo was studying in the US, he took care of his(Raila) children.

When he was there he stayed and looked after my children Fidel and Rosemary and other children as well, he said.

He protected them in the US so there are so many intimate things we have done with Midiwo. When he came back he was in business and then told me he wanted to join politics.

Raila went on to add that: I will dearly miss Jakoyo Midiwo. He had a rare ability to work across the aisle and got along with members from across the political divide, Raila added.

He was a true Kenyan..he had a clear vision as to what Kenya should be..he used to express it emotionally. He was not to be pushed back. It is in our blood. You can trace it back to our parents and grandparents, he said.

Adding: Midiwos spirit should work to unite Kenya going forward.
According to information published by the U.S. Department of Defense on June 23, 2021, the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (LCS 11) executed a bilateral maritime exercise with the French Navy off the coast of Martinique, France, while operating in the Caribbean Sea.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

French Navy Floreal-class frigate FS Germinal (F735) and Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City (Picture source: U.S. Department of Defense)

Sioux City with her embarked MH-60S Seahawk attached to the Sea Knights of Helicopter Combat Squadron (HSC) 22, Detachment 3, and the French Navy Floreal-class frigate FS Germinal (F735) participated in the exercise. The engagement provided an opportunity for both navies to improve interoperability and demonstrate their ability to communicate, navigate, and operate together at sea.

Throughout the exercise, forces practiced a series of tactical shipboard movements and formations called division tactics (DIVTACS) as well as tested command and control and communication capabilities. Bilateral exercises with allies afford the opportunity to develop a greater trust, understanding and respect for each others unique platforms all while improving crews' knowledge and demonstrating shared tactics.

The exercise was a concluding event after Sioux City conducted a brief stop in Martinique, France to refuel.

Sioux City is deployed to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations to support Joint Interagency Task Force Souths mission, which includes counter illicit drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.

Germinal is a Floreal-class frigate of the French Navy. She is the sixth and last ship of her class, and the first French vessel named after Germinal, the seventh month of the Republican Calendar. The ship was constructed at Saint-Nazaire, France in 19921993 and entered service in 1994. The frigate has served in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas and the Gulf of Guinea. Germinal is stationed in the Antilles (Fort-de-France) for patrol duties in the Caribbean Sea.

Germinal has a standard displacement of 2,600 tonnes (2,600 long tons) and 3,000 tonnes (2,950 long tons) at full load. The frigate measures 85.2 metres (279 ft 6 in) long between perpendiculars and 93.5 metres (306 ft 9 in) overall with a beam of 14 metres (45 ft 11 in) and a draught of 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in).
According to a contract published by the United States Department of Defense on June 23, 2021, Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $136,470,802 firm-fixed-price contract for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware for the United States and South Korea.

Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link

The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System CIWS is designed to automatically detect, evaluates, engages and performs kill assessment against anti-ship missiles and high-speed aircraft threats. (Picture source U.S. Navy)

This contract combines purchases for the Navy (85%); and the government of South Korea (15%), under the foreign military sales (FMS) program.

The MK-15 also called Phalanx is a Close-In Weapon System is a fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20-millimeter gun system that provides US Navy ships with a terminal defense against anti-ship missiles that have penetrated other fleet defenses.

Designed and built by the Raytheon Corporation, the PHALANX Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) is a fast reaction, rapid-fire, computer-controlled system comprised of a combination radar and 20mm Gatling gun that is designed to engage Anti-Ship Missiles (ASM). It provides organic search, detection, threat evaluation, target acquisition, tracking, firing, target destruction evaluation, automatic kill assessment, and cease-fire data to control train, elevation and discharge of the weapon. Independent of other ships systems, PHALANX will automatically engage ASM that penetrates the ships primary outer defense systems.

The Block 1B version adds control stations that allow operators to visually track and identify targets before engagement. With an added forward-looking infrared sensor, the 1B variant can be used at sea against helicopters and high-speed surface craft and on land to help identify and confirm incoming threats.

The Phalanx weapon system is installed on all U.S. Navy surface combatant ship classes and on those of 24 allied nations. The land-based version is forward deployed and has been used in combat.
[June 24, 2021] Spaulding Ridge Announces Elevate21 - The Future of Cloud CHICAGO, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading cloud advisory and implementation firm, Spaulding Ridge, is excited to announce its inaugural digital transformation day, Elevate21  The Future of Cloud, on Thursday, July 15th. Elevate21 will showcase keynote presentations by Frank Calderoni, Anaplan CEO; Dan Springer, DocuSign CEO; and Suzanne Muchin, Co-Founder and CEO of Bonfire, giving global audiences access to major brands and startups, as well as top influential leaders and industry advocates. The one-day virtual tech summit will also feature executives from Collibra, Definitive Healthcare, Northmarq, Threekit, and DataGrail. "We have seen unprecedented growth in digital transformation this past year among our clients and we are thrilled to be bringing impactful conversations on what we learned that will better us for the future. One of our values is 'all business is personal'. With Elevate21, our hope is to challenge, inspire, and elevate both ourselves and our industry  to be better at what we do and how we can scale for our customers," states Jay Laabs, CEO, Spaulding Ridge. Laabs, along with Dan Springer9 am CT with?2020 Made us Better: Learnings for 2021 and?Beyond. Spaulding Ridge Partner Sarah Katz, who's?hosting?two women-focused panels,?adds, "We may still be virtual, but the value of getting together and sharing insights from?the past year?and a half?will be invaluable. All businesses, including Spaulding Ridge, have learned?something crucial. I'm looking forward to facilitating some great discussions, particularly women's important role in technology." Elevate21 Sponsors & Schedule? Elevate21 is proudly supported by Gold-tier sponsors, Anaplan, DocuSign,?Coupa, and Salesforce. Elevate21 is designed to tackle pressing business transformation challenges to drive scalability, specifically for finance, sales, and operations leaders. Featuring live and pre-recorded sessions?as well as?numerous events, including product release demos, each hour throughout the day,?attendees can watch and interact live?on July 15th, but can also enjoy recorded content at their convenience. Elevate21 also includes in-person pop-up events across North America.?The full schedule is available at? elevate.spauldingridge.com .?? About Spaulding Ridge An award-winning provider of Cloud solutions and advisory services, Spaulding Ridge helps leading companies deploy Best-in-Cloud solutions on a global scale. Spaulding Ridge enables organizations to accelerate operational efficiency, drive digital transformation, and increase competitive advantage. Spaulding Ridge partners with digitally savvy companies to help: Finance to gain control: Increase top-line revenue, gross margins, and profits through better insight. Connect financial planning to strategy and automate financial close processes.

Increase top-line revenue, gross margins, and profits through better insight. Connect financial planning to strategy and automate financial close processes. Sales to increase productivity: Manage quota and territories more consistently and effectively, automate customer contracts and onboarding.

Manage quota and territories more consistently and effectively, automate customer contracts and onboarding. Operations to drive efficiency: Improve supply chain agility, automate strategic sourcing and purchasing, deliver superior customer service experiences. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spaulding-ridge-announces-elevate21--the-future-of-cloud-301319673.html SOURCE Spaulding Ridge, LLC

[ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ]
It is too early to ascertain whether Delta Plus, the new variant of the Delta strain of COVID-19 first detected in India, will be responsible for a third wave of coronavirus, which according to experts will hinge upon several other factors.

Labelled as a "variant of concern" by the Centre, Delta Plus is said to be more infectious, however, its severity is still unknown.

Several studies are also currently underway on the mutant strain. The variant is formed due to a mutation in the Delta or B.1.617.2 strain.

Also Read: COVID-19: Health ministry warns Maharashtra, Kerala, MP about 'Delta Plus' variant

Highlighting that there is still no concern for the third wave of COVID-19, Dr Sumit Aggarwal, Scientist and Program Officer, Division of Epidemiology and Communicable disease, Indian Council of Medical Research, told ANI, that "it's too early to predict the third wave, third wave depends on many other factors."

"It's a normal tendency of a every mRNA virus that mutation will happen. These mutations are inevitable, we cannot control the mutation. So, as the time progresses, we will proceed further. So there will be a variation. Initially there was alpha, then delta and now delta plus," he added. Dr Aggarwal further stated that more mutations could be seen in the future.

"So, now in future we may see more mutations. Yes, definitely it's a new virus and MoHFW has also released a statement that this is a virus of concern because this is a new variant and we have started the studies. We confirmed 40 cases of Delta plus variant in three states are involved, Maharashtra, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh," he noted.

Dr Aggarwal further stated that three characters of the variant have been recognised till now.

Also Read: Maharashtra collects samples from each district to check spread of Delta Plus

"High transmissibility, it shows high affinity towards the lung cells and less response to the monoclonal antibodies therapy," he added.

Majority of the COVID-19 cases of Delta Plus variant in India have been detected in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala.

The health ministry has advised these states to step up containment measures in districts affected by the mutant strain. Issuing an advisory, the ministry has asked the three states to enhance testing, tracking, and vaccination in districts as well as clusters where the Delta Plus variant is found.

The Centre has also asked the states to take adequate samples of COVID-19 positive people and send them to designated laboratories of INSACOG (Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genome Sequencing Consortia, which is an advisory group to the Central government.
Share of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) declined over 3 per cent for the second session after its 44th annual general meeting (AGM). The stock hit an intraday low of Rs 2,081.15 on BSE. It ended 2.23 per cent lower at Rs 2,105.40 against the previous close of Rs 2,153.35.

The large cap share opened 0.3 per cent higher at Rs 2159.80 against the previous close of Rs 2153.35. However, the stock shed all its early gains and slipped into the red.

Market cap of the company fell to Rs 13,34,706.35 crore on BSE today. The company has lost around 1.3 lakh crore market capitalisation in the last two days.

The share stands higher than 50 day, 100 day, and 200 day moving averages and lower than 5 day, 10 day and 20 day moving averages. It has gained 22.5 per cent in the last 12 months and risen 6 per cent since the beginning of this year.

CLSA mentioned that the company exhibited hopes of closing the O2C stake sale with Aramco this year and also added that the clarity on new energy foray is useful.

The brokerage house has maintained an 'outperform' call on the stock with the target price of Rs 2,250 per share.

Edelweiss believes that Jio and retail can contribute half of the company's EBITDA by FY25. It mentioned that new energy will provide the next leg of growth for the company and gas will be a key driver. The brokerage firm has maintained a 'hold' call on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,105 per share.

Morgan Stanley is 'overweight' on the stock with the target price of Rs 2,262 per share. It mentioned that the company's MEGA plan is unique in a global context and can spur Re-rating.

JP Morgan believes that the $10 billion CAPEX in green/renewable biz over the next 3 years was the key highlight in RIL AGM. It has a 'neutral' call on the stock with a target price of Rs 2,250 per share.

The Aramco deal was one of the most keenly followed developments in the RIL AGM. Chairman Mukesh Ambani said Saudi Aramco's plan to join Reliance O2C Ltd as a strategic partner is expected to be formalised expeditiously in this year.

Also, Reliance Industries has inducted Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of Saudi Aramco and the Governor of the Public Investment Fund, on the board of India's largest private company. The move is expected to hasten the deal conclusion.

Ambani also announced Jio Phone Next, an ultra-low-cost smartphone developed jointly by Google and Reliance Jio.

He further informed that they have started work on developing the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex on 5,000 acres in Jamnagar. It will be amongst the largest such integrated renewable energy manufacturing facilities in the world.
Welcome Guest! You Are Here:
Rospatent cancels registration of Ferre mark in name of Russian at request of Ferrari

 RAPSI, Vladimir Burnov

13:11 25/06/2021

MOSCOW, June 25 (RAPSI)  The Chamber for Patent Disputes has found invalid the protection of the Ferre trademark registered in the name of a Russian individual entrepreneur at a request by Ferrari, the body informs in a statement.

The Italian company reported that it owned the rights to several trademarks that are confusingly similar to the disputed trademark registered in the name of individual entrepreneur Anatoly Krayniy from Stary Oskol town.

The applicant insisted that the disputed trademark contained a number of visual and verbal elements, which could be confused with most memorable elements used by Ferrari, and which consumers easily recognized and associated with this company.

The arguments of the applicant were supported by an expert conclusion about the similarity of one of its marks and the trademark of the entrepreneur from Russia.
Dawn

June 19, 2021

Implementation of the PTIs Single National Curriculum has started in Islamabads schools and for students the human body is to become a dark mystery, darker than ever before. Religious scholars appointed as members of the SNC Committee are supervising the content of schoolbooks in all subjects including science. In the name of Islamic morality they have warned textbook publishers not to print any diagram or sketch in biology textbooks that show human figures sans clothes.

For the teaching of biology this surpasses existing de facto prohibitions on teaching evolution, the foundational principle of biological sciences. Illustrations are crucial to explain the digestive system (with both entrance and exit points) and human reproduction, as well as the mammary gland. Diagrams, sketches and human skeletal forms cannot be draped. Excluding these from schoolbooks reduces the teaching of biology to a farce.

Inhibitions about the human body, of course, have been around for much longer than SNC. Its just that henceforth there will be still more. I have looked at a few biology textbooks published in past years by the Punjab and Sindh Textbook Boards and could not find meaningful accounts of mammalian organs and processes needed to sustain life on earth.

In one book from 1996 I did find a diagrammatised rabbit. But with essential parts fuzzed out, it is difficult to figure out whether it was male or female or the equipment that rabbits need to reproduce themselves. That someone should think an un-fuzzed diagram of this little animal would titillate students or stimulate promiscuous behaviour stumps me.

When enforced, clerical interpretations of modesty  translated as sharm-o-haya  cause people to suffer grievously. For example, ex-senator Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan, former provincial secretary of the MMA, roundly condemned diagnostic devices that can look inside womens bodies because, We think that men could derive sexual pleasure from womens bodies while conducting ECG or ultrasound. Claiming that women would lure men under the pretext of medical procedures, the maulanas party banned ECG and ultrasound for women by male technicians and doctors when in power in KP. Trained females, however, were not to be found.

By inviting mullahs to regulate biology textbooks the PTI government has put Pakistan in reverse gear.

While sharm-o-haya applies to all, females bear the brunt. Culturally, breast is a taboo word and so breast cancer cannot easily be called breast cancer. This makes early detection hugely difficult and accounts for Pakistans rate of breast cancer being the highest in South Asia. Most women feel embarrassed in coming forward; only when the pain becomes unbearable and when the cancer metastasizes does a woman finally confide in someone. By that time it is too late. Ovaries? Thousands of Pakistani women die yearly of ovarian and cervical cancer but ovaries and cervix are words too delicate to ever mention.

With such deep social inhibitions, should women become doctors? This appears an odd question. Presently, about 70 per cent of medical students in Pakistan are female. Our brightest girls get sent to medical college by their parents but mostly to become trophy brides who never practise their profession. Nevertheless, this begs the question: can females become real doctors with their restricted medical knowledge? Would they ever be permitted to study the whole body, including the male anatomy? Or are women doctors only to treat sore throats or become midwives?

Over time the clerically supervised PTI school curriculum will magnify body-related taboos. Even today no one in government dares talk openly about population planning or contraceptives except with bated breath and only after looking over their shoulder. Although Pakistan produces as many people as the state of Israel every two years, yet it abolished the ministry for population planning long ago. It was replaced with some obscure, non-functioning organisation in each province.

Called the Population Welfare Department, the replacement was named to suit our cultural sensitivities. The name implicitly suggests welfare for Pakistanis is possible irrespective of how many of us there are. PWD websites have fancy graphics but no content because ways to limit conception would violate sharm-o-haya. How the human species propagates appears to be a dark national secret that must be kept under wraps. Presumably, the morals of Pakistani society will be wrecked if we discover how babies are made. Somehow its okay to breed like rabbits but not okay to know how rabbits breed.

Denying basic anatomical knowledge keeps minds clean, say our clerics. This could not be more false. Unsated curiosity and sexual repression drove internet pornographic traffic from Pakistan so high that PTA finally blocked porn sites. Until November 2011 internet cafes were principal porn dispensers and these promptly collapsed after the ban, ruining their owners. One hears, however, that paths to proscribed materials have simply shifted elsewhere. Who knows?

Sharm-o-haya makes protecting children from sexual predators much more difficult. Sometime ago, the PTI minister for human rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, declared at the launch of the Child Protection Campaign that Pakistan was ranked as the country with the largest numbers of child pornography viewers. She suggested that campaigns should be launched at the school level to sensitise students to the menace.

Mazari is, of course, very correct. Her proposal would work far better at protecting children than having child killers and rapists swing from lamp posts, a popular demand. But such educational campaigns require making children aware of basic biological facts so that they can tell between proper and improper behaviour. How can that possibly square with Imran Khans and Shafqat Mehmoods clerically supervised SNC?

The guardians of sharm-o-haya find undraped diagrams shameful. Yet, to protect their own kind, they suppress every scandal that might implicate them. Earlier this week, unchallengeable video evidence emerged of a muftis sexual wrongdoing with a madressah lad. While he was stripped of his madressah teaching post after investigation, no cleric suggested Sharia punishment and all religious parties stayed mum.

Saudi Arabia and the GCC countries used to be the worlds most stoutly conservative countries while Pakistan was counted among the more open, relaxed ones. This has changed. Presently, Pakistan is not just in reverse gear, it is hell-bent upon moving backward as fast as possible. The kind of mixed-up, confused and ignorant generations PTIs curriculum changes will produce in times ahead is absolutely terrifying.

The writer is an Islamabad-based physicist and author.
Dmitry Blinov notes that researchers have been studying the optical polarisation from active galactic nuclei for more than 50 years.

Some of the first academic papers on this topic were published back in the 1960s by Vladimir Hagen-Thorn, Professor in the Department of Astrophysics, St Petersburg University, and Viktor Dombrovskiy, Associate Professor in the Department of Astrophysics, Leningrad State University.

In the Universe, the main material is concentrated in galaxies with hundreds of billions of stars: there are about 200-400 of them in the Milky Way. At the centre of galaxies there are supermassive black holes, whose mass ranges from millions to billions of those of the Sun. Around black holes there is a large number of stars, gas and dust, which, being too close to the black hole, 'fall' into it. However, a black hole cannot ingest these completely and throws out part of the matter into intergalactic space in the form of extremely fast plasma jets.

The best objects for studying this phenomenon are blazars. They are active galactic nuclei with very high luminosity, whose plasma flow (jet) is directed towards the Earth at an angle of no more than 15 degrees. Such objects are the main sources of cosmic gamma rays, the nature and properties of which are understudied. Additionally, blazars puzzle astronomers by other phenomena, including the rotation of polarisation plane.

The polarisation plane of a wave is the plane in which a vector (for example, the electric field vector) oscillates and changes. In the figure below, the oscillations of the electric vector are in blue; the polarisation plane is in red.

The light that we see in nature, as a rule, consists of many such waves directed in different directions. In this case, the orientation of polarisation is random (in the figure on the left). Fully polarised light (in the figure on the right) propagates with the oscillations of the electric vector in only one plane. Such a phenomenon can be observed in some lasers. However, physical processes mainly create partially polarised light, while electromagnetic waves in a light beam often oscillate along one of the directions. For example, the figure in the middle shows electromagnetic waves in a beam of partially polarised light directed towards the reader. It is this kind of light that scientists observe when studying blazars. For this purpose, they study active galactic nuclei through a telescope with a special polarising filter, similar to sunglasses, which transmits oscillations only in one plane.

Decades of observations have testified that the polarisation plane of visible light in blazars sometimes rotates. Scientists have put forward several hypotheses that could describe the mechanism of such rotations, but none of them have had sufficient evidence. The research group from the Laboratory of Observational Astrophysics at St Petersburg University drew attention to one of the theoretical models. It was proposed back in 2010 in an academic paper. Researchers from St Petersburg University also took part in that study. It considered a rotation of the polarisation plane and predicted that such rotations should coincide with repeated gamma ray bursts.

The research group from St Petersburg University tested this hypothesis in collaboration with scientists from: the Boston University Institute for Astrophysical Research, the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy; and other research institutions. They analysed publicly available data from: the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, which had observed one of the most active blazars 3C 279; the St Petersburg University Observatory; the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory; the Perkins telescope; and others.

'We have compared the results of numerous observations of the polarisation of optical emission from blazar 3C 279 with open data from the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope. It has been regularly scanning the entire sky since 2008 and showing gamma-ray flux distribution. We have managed to find a pattern of bursts in this blazar, which has repeated at least three times along with the rotations of the optical polarisation. This confirms the previously proposed model explaining rotations of polarisation,' says Dmitry Blinov.

Additionally, based on the data obtained, the researchers have managed to describe the structure of the inner part of the jets. It is found that the fast spine, the centre of the jet, is surrounded by a slower sheath, which consists of ring condensations. When a plasmoid moves along the spine of the jet at high speed, it scatters low-energy photons from the sheath to energies of the gamma-ray band. This causes the bursts that the scientists have observed. Since the ring-shaped structures of the sheath have been stable over the years of observations, such bursts have repeated several times.

The research findings have become the basis for 3D animation, which gives an idea of the processes taking place in the inner parts of active galactic nuclei. According to Dmitry Blinov, in the future, similar patterns of bursts in the gamma band might help clarify other issues. For example, according to one of the hypotheses, it is jets with fast spines and a slow sheaths that can produce fundamental cosmic particles - neutrinos. Repeating patterns of bursts might indicate blazars that emit cosmic neutrinos.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
The Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission takes us over Lake Mar Chiquita - an endorheic salt lake in the northeast province of Cordoba, Argentina.

Lake Mar Chiquita, around 70 km long and 24 km wide, is fed primarily by the Primero and Segundo rivers from the southwest and from the Dulce river from the north. While these rivers flow into the lake, there isn't a natural outflow of water so it only loses water by evaporation, hence Lake Mar Chiquita being described as an endorheic lake. The lake's surface area, as well as its salinity, varies considerably (ranging between 2000 and 6000 sq km), although it is slowly diminishing in size owing to evaporation.

Several small islands lie in the lake, the most important of which is El Medano. Vast expanses of saline marshes can be seen on the lake's northern shore. The lake has been designated as a Ramsar Site of International Importance, and is considered one of the most important wetlands in Argentina owing to its rich biodiversity. Over 25 species of fish are known to breed in Lake Mar Chiquita, with fishing and livestock being the principal land uses.

The colours of this week's image come from the combination of two polarisations from the Sentinel-1 radar mission, which have been converted into a single image.

As radar images provide data in a different way than a normal optical camera, the images are usually black and white when they are received. By using a technology that aligns the radar beams sent and received by the instrument in one orientation - either vertically or horizontally - the resulting data can be processed in a way that produces coloured images such as the one featured here. This technique allows scientists to better analyse Earth's surface.

Shades of blue in the image show us where the differences between the two polarisations are higher, for example the saline marshes in the lake's north, whereas the crops and agricultural fields in the surrounding area appear yellow, indicating fewer differences between polarisations. Fields, such as those visible in the bottom-left corner of the image, appear blue most likely because they are wetter. Several villages, including San Francisco and Rafaela, are identifiable in white in the bottom-right of the image.

- Download the full high-resolution image.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
A new paper finds more radar signals suggesting the presence of subsurface 'lakes,' but many are in areas too cold for water to remain liquid.

In 2018, scientists working with data from ESA's (the European Space Agency's) Mars Express orbiter announced a surprising discovery: Signals from a radar instrument reflected off the Red Planet's south pole appeared to reveal a liquid subsurface lake. Several more such reflections have been announced since then.



In a new paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, two scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California describe finding dozens of similar radar reflections around the south pole after analyzing a broader set of Mars Express data, but many are in areas that should be too cold for water to remain liquid.



"We're not certain whether these signals are liquid water or not, but they appear to be much more widespread than what the original paper found," said Jeffrey Plaut of JPL, co-principal investigator of the orbiter's MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding) instrument, which was built jointly by the Italian Space Agency and JPL. "Either liquid water is common beneath Mars' south pole or these signals are indicative of something else."



Frozen Time Capsule



The radar signals originally interpreted as liquid water were found in a region of Mars known as the South Polar Layered Deposits, named for the alternating layers of water ice, dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide), and dust that have settled there over millions of years. These layers are believed to provide a record of how the tilt in Mars' axis has shifted over time, just as changes in Earth's tilt have created ice ages and warmer periods throughout our planet's history. When Mars had a lower axial tilt, snowfall and layers of dust accumulated in the region and eventually formed the thick layered ice sheet found there today.



By beaming radio waves at the surface, scientists can peer below these icy layers, mapping them in detail. Radio waves lose energy when they pass through material in the subsurface; as they reflect back to the spacecraft, they usually have a weaker signal. But in some cases, signals returning from this region's subsurface were brighter than those at the surface. Some scientists have interpreted these signals to imply the presence of liquid water, which strongly reflects radio waves.



Plaut and Aditya Khuller, a doctoral student at Arizona State University who worked on the paper while interning at JPL, aren't sure what the signals indicate. The areas hypothesized to contain liquid water span about 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) in a relatively small region of the Martian south pole. Khuller and Plaut expanded the search for similar strong radio signals to 44,000 measurements spread across 15 years of MARSIS data over the entirety of the Martian south polar region.



Unexpected 'Lakes'



The analysis revealed dozens of additional bright radar reflections over a far greater range of area and depth than ever before. In some places, they were less than a mile from the surface, where temperatures are estimated to be minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 63 degrees Celsius) - so cold that water would be frozen, even if it contained salty minerals known as perchlorates, which can lower the freezing point of water.



Khuller noted a 2019 paper in which researchers calculated the heat needed to melt subsurface ice in this region, finding that only recent volcanism under the surface could explain the potential presence of liquid water under the south pole.



"They found that it would take double the estimated Martian geothermal heat flow to keep this water liquid," Khuller said. "One possible way to get this amount of heat is through volcanism. However, we haven't really seen any strong evidence for recent volcanism at the south pole, so it seems unlikely that volcanic activity would allow subsurface liquid water to be present throughout this region."



What explains the bright reflections if they're not liquid water? The authors can't say for sure. But their paper does offer scientists a detailed map of the region that contains clues to the climate history of Mars, including the role of water in its various forms.



"Our mapping gets us a few steps closer to understanding both the extent and the cause of these puzzling radar reflections," said Plaut.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.
Word on Fire Releases 'Definitive' Guide to C.S. Lewis's 'The Abolition of Man'

NEWS PROVIDED BYJune 25, 2021IRVING, Texas, June 25, 2021 / Standard Newswire / -- "After Humanity," a new book from Word on Fire, is a guide to one of C.S. Lewis's most widely admired but least accessible works, "The Abolition of Man," which originated as a series of lectures on ethics that he delivered during the Second World War. The philosopher Peter Kreeft calls "After Humanity" "the definitive book on 'The Abolition of Man,'" and Rowan Williams, the Former Archbishop of Canterbury, notes that Ward's book "confirms beyond doubt Lewis's stature as a genuine public intellectual for our own day as well as his." Word on Fire is bundling "After Humanity" together with a new, originally designed edition of "The Abolition of Man" from HarperOne, so that readers can study both books together.Lewis's lectures tackle the thorny question of whether moral value is objective or not. When we say something is right or wrong, are we recognizing a reality outside ourselves, or merely reporting a subjective sentiment? Lewis addresses the matter from a purely philosophical standpoint, leaving theological matters to one side. He makes a powerful case against subjectivism, issuing an intellectual warning that, in our "post-truth" twenty-first century, has even more relevance than when he originally presented it.Lewis characterized "The Abolition of Man" as "almost my favourite among my books," and his biographer Walter Hooper has called it "an all but indispensable introduction to the entire corpus of Lewisiana." In "After Humanity," Michael Ward sheds much-needed light on this important but difficult work, explaining both its general academic context and the particular circumstances in Lewis's life that helped give rise to it, including his front-line service in the trenches of the First World War."After Humanity" contains a detailed commentary clarifying the many allusions and quotations scattered throughout Lewis's argument. It shows how this resolutely philosophical thesis fits in with his other, more explicitly Christian works. It also includes a full-color photo gallery, displaying images of people, places, and documents that relate to "The Abolition of Man," among them Lewis's original "blurb" for the book, which has never before been published."After nearly thirty years of teaching students about 'The Abolition of Man,' I relish the opportunity to write a full-length study of Lewis's increasingly relevant work," Ward notes. "Although his argument is short, it's dense and takes a lot of unpacking. I made many new findings in the course of my research, which I'm delighted to share. And as a keen follower of the myriad offerings of Word on Fire, I'm honored that 'After Humanity' should be published under their new, stylish Academic imprint."Word on Fire Catholic Ministries ( wordonfire.org ) exists to draw people into the Body of Christ, which is the Church, and thereby give them access to all the gifts that Jesus wants his people to enjoy. To be most effective in this mission, Word on Fire places an emphasis and urgency on the use of contemporary forms of media and innovative communication technologies."After Humanity: A Guide to C.S. Lewis's 'The Abolition of Man'"by Michael WardJune 23, 2021Hardcover | 256 pagesWord on Fire AcademicSOURCE Word on Fire Catholic MinistriesCONTACT: William Sipling, Communications Director,866-928-1237, communications@wordonfire.org Related Links
Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda might just have been hinted at one way to circumvent the stalemate with the Union representing former LIAT workers in his country.

Even as he confirmed that talks were ongoing with two potential investors in LIAT, Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda has alluded to the possibility of a new company to administer the affairs of the cash-strapped regional airline.





Brownes new twist to the LIAT came as he addressed, on his weekend radio programme, the matter of severance payment for LIAT workers, who service have been terminated.





The PM said that the offer to LIAT workers in Antigua was still on the table, and that he was awaiting an official response from the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), the workers representative,

"It is for them to accept the proposal that the government of Antigua and Barbuda extended to them to come up to 50 per cent of their liabilities, primarily their severance liabilities, he asserted.





He noted, though, "We still have at least two entities that are negotiating with the administrator to become shareholders within the LIAT company. It may have to be a new company because when you look at what is happening presently, the threats that are made, the demands that are made by past staff, members of staff and the union, I am not even sure now that LIAT 1974 Limited will be viable so there may have to be a LIAT 2020.recapitalised and start as a new entity.





He said he was hopeful that the two viable investors "will come in and bring some capital to the table.





Last month, the ABWU denied reports that it had rejected an offer made by the government to provide a compassionate payment to the former employees.





ABWU general secretary David Massiah said the union is still awaiting a response from a May 19 letter sent to the court-appointed administrator on the payment to the former workers.





"We said 50 per cent of total earnings of all their entitlements, and they never came back to us, Massiah said on a radio programme in June.





LIAT former major shareholders were the governments of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St Vincent and the Grenadines and in July last year, the Antigua and Barbuda government secured an order from the High Court here for administration for LIAT, naming Cleveland Seaforth as the administrator of the company.





Earlier this year, Seaforth in a letter to regional leaders, said that EC$79 million in severance is owed to the 564 workers already dismissed by the airline.





Prior to its collapse, LIAT, which at the time owed creditors an estimated EC$100 million, flew to 21 destinations, operating an average of 112 daily flights within a complex network combining profitable and uneconomic routes.





The Antigua-based regional airline was forced to suspend services due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and has since announced the resumption of flights on a limited basis to seven destinations across its network. (Sources: Loop News, Barbados Today)




Story and Photos by Sheron Garraway





The call by the organization Rise Hairouna for persons to mount a protest in support of the call for the removal of Ashelle Morgan as a Government Senator and Deputy Speaker of the House, attracted some 100 persons last Tuesday.





However, instead of mounting the protest in front of the Kingstown Vegetable Market where police had erected barricades, protestors moved to the area in front of Morgans office, in the Hinds Building, along the road that runs into Pauls Avenue.





At times, during the course of the morning hours, some protestors became incensed and on one occasion, a small group turned to placing vendors table in the middle of the road to prevent the flow of vehicular traffic.





This didnt seem to attract any marked support and the obstacles were quickly removed by police.





The back case of the story surrounds Morgan who, on April 13, allegedly threatened to shoot Cornelius John, a resident of Diamond, in the mouth.





Johns claim is that he was shot in the leg by a male, allegedly Assistant Director Public Prosecutor Karim Nelson, who is believed to have accompanied Morgan to Johns home along with two other police officers.

The matter is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the police.





Addresses





One of those who took the bullhorn to address last Tuesdays protest was UK-based lawyer Brereton Horne, a losing New Democratic Party candidate in the 2010 general elections.





Horne told the gathering, "Protests take place any and everywhere. Wherever in St. Vincent and the Grenadines you want to protest, once you are not breaking the law - you go there and protest. I applaud the fact that you are not going behind the barrier there. People protest peacefully, wherever they want to and no government should infringe on the rights of people protest.





Horne further encouraged the protestors to speak up and he expressed how proud he was that people were "waking up and coming out.





He said that Vincentians must hold the regime in power accountable as no one was above the law, and that there should be no special privileges for the rich and well-connected.





Also taking time out to join and address the protest was Leader of the Opposition Dr. Godwin Friday. He commended those on the picket for defending democracy, the rule of law and justice.





Dr. Friday said his effort to have Morgan suspended from that House resulted in him getting suspended instead.





Unperturbed by that action, he was adamant that John must be given justice and the dignity of the House of Parliament upheld.





Dr. Friday noted that a person was not a rabble rouser because they protested saying, "These are things that we do individually but we are much stronger when we do them collectively. These steps that you are taking, dont let anybody tell you that you have to have twice the numbers to matter. What matters is that you stand for principle.





He pledged that whether or not he was Leader of the Opposition, he would protest the issue.





Also on the protest were activists Luzette King and Robert Patches Knights of the Frontline, the organization that had morphed out of a sustained protest against the results of the 2015 general elections.





They both vehemently called for the removal of Morgan as senator and for justice to be done and seen to be done.





Protest action continued in the week with several notable persons on the picket, including Member of Parliament for Central Kingstown- St. Clair Leacock.








One of the Imensa, panga boats that are being made available for sale to fisherfolk here.

The first batch of a new line of boats for use in modernizing and expanding the fishing fleet here, arrived in Kingstown on Friday 18th.





The Imemsa, Panga boats, manufactured in Mexico, range in length from 16 feet to 33 feet and come equipped with engines from 60 to 120HP.





Speaking on Friday at the Geest Shed, Kingstown, where the boats were being stored, Caesar noted that the government has recognized that there is a huge demand for fish and fish products for export, and that the local fleet needed to be expanded if the demand was to be met.





"We have a market currently with several exporters and we are well aware that Rainforest Seafood has demanded 12 million dollars worth of fish. We know that Bequia Seafood, that they also export to Miami and also to Asia and Mark Jacobs is a significant exporter as well, said Ceasar in reference to the demand.





Towards sourcing a new line of boats to expand and enhance the fishing fleet here, the government entered into a public/private partnership with Vincentian, Miami-based businessman Kenneth Delecia.









Delecia, who also spoke on Friday at the Geest Shed, underscored that while the mission was to find a fishing boat more suitable for use by the fishermen in St. Vincent, the decision had also had to be informed by what was cost effective relative to the Vincentian reality.





The advantage about these types of boats, according to Delecia, is that they can be customized to suit a particular need.





"They can also be ordered to specs. A guy might need an extra bench or he might need something else in the boat and we can get those made for them as well, the business man informed.





Persons desirous of obtaining one of the boats can contact the Fisheries Division in the Ministry of Agriculture.
(L-R): New British High Commissioner H.E. Scott Furssedonn-Wood MVO was welcomed by Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Keisal Peters and Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves at Cabinet Room last Monday.

Last Monday, June 21, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, welcomed H.E. Scott Furssedonn-Wood MVO, the new British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, on his first official visit to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.





In a meeting at Cabinet Room, the High Commissioner presented his letter of introduction to the Prime Minister, after which he paid a courtesy call on the Governor General H.E. Dame Susan Dougan at her office in New Montrose.





High Commissioner Furssedonn-Wood was making an official 2-day visit to this country, beginning last Monday.





In welcoming the new High Commissioner, Prime Minister Gonsalves took the opportunity to thank the government of the United Kingdom for its direct assistance to this country in the aftermath of the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano eruption, as well as for other areas of support.





The Prime Minister made particular mention of the offer of 55 scholarships offered to Vincentians students by the University of Wales, as well as the assistance provided for the construction of the new port in Kingstown.





H.E Furssedonn-Wood, for his part, conveyed greetings to Dr. Gonsalves on behalf of HRM, The Prince of Wales, and reaffirmed the commitment of the United Kingdom to work with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in areas of mutual interest.





He indicated that while here, his itinerary will include a visits to areas in the orange zone impacted by the volcanic eruption, and to the (new) port project site.





He pledged to do his best to advance the work of the UK in the region and to strengthen the relationship between both countries.





On Tuesday, the High Commissioner and members of his delegation - Stefan Kossoff, Development Director for the Caribbean and UK Director to the CDB, and Steve Moore, Resident British Commissioner - met with young Vincentian leaders, including Chevening scholarship recipients and the Queens Young Leaders, during a reception at the Grenadines House. The High Commissioner indicated his desire to work with the young leaders and to provide support.





Scott Furssedonn-Wood MVO was appointed British High Commissioner to Barbados, and non-resident High Commissioner to Dominica, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, St Vincent & the Grenadines, St Lucia and St Christopher & Nevis in succession to Ms Janet Douglas CMG.





Prior to this appointment, he was the Deputy Private Secretary to HRH the Prince of Wales and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. He also served at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as Temporary Additional Head, and at the EU Exit and Europe Directorate.





His resume shows that he also served as the Head of Political Team in Washington DC and was the High Commissioner in Kolkata, India, from 2010 13 to 2016.





Prime Minister Gonsalves was joined by Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Keisal Peters, in welcoming the new High Commissioner.
The staff at the Department of Culture maximizing on a photo op.

On December 20, 2002, the United Nations General Assembly, having recognized that the Public Service of any country acts as the engine that drives the linkages between the government and its citizens, unanimously designated 23 June as Public Service Day.





The day was to be set aside "to "celebrate the value and virtue of public service to the community.

This year, the Public Sector Reform Unit in the Ministry of the Public Service, Consumer Affairs and Sports, marked this occasion by hosting a week of activities from Monday, 21st June within which Public Service Day was commemorated.





The week began with a church service on Monday 21st, under the theme  Resilient Public Service: Appreciating the Spirit and Strength of Public Servants, at the Kingstown Methodist Church.





Frederick Stevenson, Minister with responsibility for the Public Service, in a Message to mark the Day, lauded the Public servants for professionalism with which they executed their work.





"Today, we dedicate this time to show and acknowledge, to appreciate and pay homage to you, our public servants for your service and strength; not for this day but for the rest of the year! the Minister expressed.





He extended profound gratitude to "the thousands of hard working public servants for keeping the governments machinery functioning.





Addressing the Church Service gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves praised the Public Service of St. Vincent and the Grenadines for serving St. Vincent and the Grenadines well over the years, even as their role would have evolved over time.





He proceeded, however, to make an appeal for Public Servants to make a commitment to improve the service offered to the public, and to do more to foster a positive work environment.





The other activities in the week of celebration included: balance of the programme of activities went as follows:

* Tuesday 22nd  Panel discussion on "A Look into the New Norm and Work-Life Balance of Public Servants at the Peace Memorial Hall;

* Wednesday 23rd  Ministers address and a VC3 Round Table Talk on, Why Establish an Employee Assistance Programme for the Public Service;

* Thursday,24th  In-House Service Recognition  a celebration for Ministries and Departments;

* Friday 25th - a live social media watch party, streamed by VC3, to host a "Special Recognition Ceremony and token day.





Public servants were encouraged capture the spirit of the Week/Day through photographs, a service made available through a photo booth set up at the old Treasury location.





All in all, the week of commemoration allowed for a focused look at the Public Service and highlighting its spirit and strengths.
The first 70 recruited for employment with the Beaches Resort was selected from among some 1,300 persons who turned up for a recruitment drive in May.

The first set of 70 workers hired by the Sandals Group is expected to leave the state on June 28, destined for Sandals resorts/locations across the Caribbean for training.





The 70 were selected following a recruitment drive, May 27, which saw some 1,300 persons showing interest in securing employment with the Beaches Resorts  a family-friendly luxury resort whose construction is scheduled to begin this year and which will replace the ill-fated Buccament Bay Resort.





The group was expected to leave on June 21, however, according to Minister of Finance, Camillo Gonsalves while speaking on WEFM on June 20, some of the persons recruited were tardy in getting the relevant documentation.





A second batch of persons is expected to leave two weeks after the first batch leaves and the process is expected to continue until it has satisfied the quota of 500 persons, as announced by Sandals.





Adam Stewart, Executive Chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI), had advanced earlier that the recruitment drive will provide for direct employment of locals ahead of the resorts opening.





In 2021, SRI broke ground for the construction of new resorts in Jamaica, Curacao and St Vincent and the Grenadines, which together was anticipated to create some 5,000 new jobs over the next five years.




(L-R): Prime Ministers Dr. Ralph Gonsalves (SVG) and Mia Mottley (Barbaods) were expected to meet in due course to work through the slight by Barbados.

Barbados will, effective June 30, introduce a travel "bubble for specific Caribbean countries with low incidence of COVID-19 cases.





The bubble is one of a number of measures Barbados proposes to take as it moves to ease lockdown and curfews so as to allow for greater economic/commercial activity.





But when the list of Caribbean countries that will be included in that bubble was disclosed, St. Vincent and the Grenadines was not on the list.





Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, during an address to the nation, announced that "fully vaccinated persons with a negative PCR test, coming from Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Anguilla, Montserrat, British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands and Bermuda, can immediately enter without any further tests on arrival.





What this means is that travellers from countries named in the bubble will not be required to do PCR tests or quarantine upon arrival in Barbados; but that vaccinated citizens from countries not included in the bubble will still be tested at the Grantley Adams Airport; and unvaccinated travellers will be required to go into a five-day quarantine.





The Barbados Government Information Service quoted Ms. Mottley as saying that the determination of "low risk countries was based on the criteria set out by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.





"This speaks to whether a country is deemed low risk by the automated Shape Country Risk Assessment Tool, and whether it was at the community transmission phase, according to the World Health Organisations guidelines, Mottley further explained, making it clear that travellers from countries within the region that do not meet these criteria will be subjected to the existing protocols.





"We are conscious that our brothers and sisters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia are not yet quite at that point, Mottley said.





She added, "I have spoken to my brother Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and we are hoping to have bilateral discussions over the course of the next week to two weeks to see how best we can collaborate on testing and vaccinations, recognising that there is a lot of movement daily between Barbados and the Grenadinesand that effectively we have not had any issues in the Grenadines, and so we would want to add them [to the bubble].





As of Sunday 20 June, SVG had administered some 23,576 vaccines.
It is clear to all that tax havens for foreigners in SVG are very bad for our people. Super-rich foreigners in SVG are getting away with not paying hundreds of millions of tax that should be going into the SVG Treasury. Tax havens make the super-rich richer and make indigenous Vincentians poorer. It is the poor and women and children who suffer the most from tax havens in SVG.





According to the UK aid charity Oxfam, since 2015, the richest 1% has more wealth than the rest of the world combined. This extreme economic inequality is fuelled by an epidemic of tax evasion and avoidance that has reached an unprecedented scale. While millions across the world live in poverty, rich individuals and companies, exploiting tax havens, are continuing to dodge their taxes, depriving the poorest countries from being able to provide vital services.





This is evident in SVG. The ULP regime grants tax exemptions to Taiwan and the super-rich of Mustique and Canouan. The consequence of this means that the SVG Treasury misses out on hundreds of millions of dollars. As a result, our people are being denied public services and support that they deserve and need, and suffer needlessly.





When super-rich foreigners dodge paying their taxes in the countries where they do business and where they make their money, they deprive governments of the resources they need to provide vital public services and infrastructure like schools, hospitals and roads, and to tackle poverty and inequality.





We see this in SVG. Some schools are in a dilapidated state, in many areas of the country roads are terrible and our hospitals are woefully under-resourced. Also, we have a high rate of unemployment, poverty is rife and thousands of households have no running water and mains electricity.





These problems could all be avoided if Taiwan and the super-rich of Mustique and Canouan pay all their tax.





The Leader of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie ONeal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, says that tax havens offer no net benefit to SVG and are a breach of Section 13 of the SVG 1979 Constitution, which is no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect.





The ULP Regime is irresponsibly throwing hundreds of millions of dollars down the drain. Black children in SVG have been let down for decades in education, while billions of dollars are lost through tax exemptions.

Our childrens dreams and life opportunities are tossed aside in favour of making the super-rich richer. Too many of our children end up in jail and in generational poverty. This is racism at its worse and is highly counterproductive to sustainable development in SVG.





When it comes to paying tax, there is one rule for the super-rich and another for ordinary people. While the super-rich get away with paying little or nothing, ordinary Vincentians are left to foot the bill for government spending. If we are going to end extreme inequality, we must end the era of tax havens in SVG that enable the super-rich to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.





Action Aid says that governments must ensure that their tax systems are fairer, more progressive and better able to ensure that all children  especially girls  are able to fully enjoy their right to a good quality education and a life not in poverty.





The Leader of SVG Green Party, Warrant Officer Ivan Bertie ONeal BSc (Hons), MSc, MBA, says that in order to move our country forward, strengthen our economy, create mass employment and substantially reduce poverty, we must end tax havens in SVG.
L-R: Ms. Julia Simmons, Operations Manager of the SVG Red Cross Society, accepts a cheque from Lennox Gonsalves, Managing Director of Gonsalves Liquors Ltd. presented on behalf of a group of Wine/Spirits manufacturers/distributors.

Seven major international manufactures/distributors of Fine Wines and Alcoholic Spirits have come to the assistance of persons who were displaced and impacted adversely by the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano.





Working through Gonsalves Liquors Ltd., their local representative/ distributor, the seven  Baron Phillippe de Rothschild, Georges Duboeuf, Chateau Minuty, Cie Antillaise de Distribution, Caribbenne de Distribution, Sartori (all French) and Antinori (Italian) - in a show of co-operation, provided $40,000 for use by an agency working with displaced persons.





The Agency selected to receive the donation to be used toward the recovery effort post the volcanic eruption was the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society.





In advancing this decision, Mr. Lennox Gonsalves, Managing Director of Gonsalves Liquors Ltd., handed over a cheque in the amount of $40,000 to the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Red Cross Society, last Monday.





Gonsalves was obviously pleased to be acting on behalf of his suppliers and pointed out that the work in getting the donation together was led by M. Marcel-Andre Clement, of Cie Antillaise de Distribution, Guadeloupe.





This gesture follows on Gonsalves Liquors own initiative of reaching out with relief supplies to persons affected by the eruption.





Last year, 2020, marked the 50th anniversary of Gonsalves Liquors Ltd.





Amid the challenges occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic and the eruption of the volcano, Gonsalves Liquors recognizes that its success has been predicated on the support of its wide and varied client base, and thanks those many individuals and businesses for their support through the first 50 years.
Arden Group, a vertically integrated real estate investment management firm, has announced the final close of the firms third fully discretionary equity fund, Arden Real Estate Partners, III LP, at $500 million.

Founded in 1989, Arden has acquired approximately $6 billion of properties and asset managed in excess of $11 billion of commercial real estate assets.

It was ably supported in the equity financial close by Greenstone Equity Partners, the largest fund placement firm in the Middle East, by raising capital from its network of GCC-based institutional investors.

Arden CEO Craig A. Spencer said: "Although the global pandemic slowed fundraising, we are pleased that we were able to reach the funds hard cap, exceeding our initial target of $300 million by $200 million or 66%, with approximately 60% of the capital raised from institutional investors."

Taking advantage of the the dislocation created by the global pandemic, the fund has already deployed $350 million to make opportunistic acquisitions in all three of its verticals: light/last mile industrial, office and hotel, he added.

Managing Director David Eberle said: "Greenstones Dubai based team provided tremendous support in securing critical funding from across the GCC region."

Greenstone Equity Partners CEO & Chairman Alex Gemici said: "A key strategy for fast growing fund managers like Arden is to widen their LP base by raising capital from GCC investors. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, real estate remains a key investment strategy in the region."

"With Arden we are proud that we were able to deliver a top-ranked real estate fund to our investors," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Malaysian state-owned energy company Petronas and Indonesian counterpart Pertamina are on a watchlist for removal from JPMorgans ESG EMBI index, Reuters report, quoting the bank.

JPMorgan said both oil majors "are expected to exit the JESG suite at the June month-end rebalance" as their scores fell below a required threshold and they are no longer eligible for inclusion.

The bank uses outside firms to assess the ESG score required for inclusion in the index. Sustainalytics, one of them, said some of Petronas or its affiliates' activities in "high-risk regions" may be viewed as a violation of a United Nations arms embargo, according to the bank's statement.

The decline in score is also related to "ongoing exposure to multiple incidents related to human rights" and "the ongoing political situation in Myanmar."

Petronas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Pertaminas score decline was partly due to a refinery fire in West Java that forced the evacuation of close to 1,000 people as well as discussions with the government regarding a settlement over historical oil spills where cleanup is ongoing, JPMorgan's statement said.

"We value analysis from financial institutions that are carried out based on reliable data and information," Pertamina spokeswoman Fajriyah Usman said.

"In February 2021, the global bonds issued by Pertamina were oversubscribed by up to 2.5 times, showing market interest and high levels of trust in the company," she added.

Petronas currently has a 121 basis points weight in the index, while Pertamina's stands at 49 bps. --Reuters
Empire Aviation Group, the Dubai-based private aviation specialist providing aircraft management services, aircraft sales and charter, and CAMO (Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation), has announced the appointment of Matthieu Chavrot as the global Director of Aircraft Sales & Acquisitions.

Empire Aviation manages one of the largest mixed fleets of business jets in the Middle East, and continues to develop its portfolio of services. Matthieu Chavrot will focus on sales and acquisitions as global demand for business jets increases, driven by the current global travel restrictions and the growing appreciation of the privacy, freedom and controlled environment offered by private aviation.

According to Empire Aviation, the global private aviation market has been very active over the last 18 months, as the pandemic helped increase the recognition of the benefits of private aviation, creating new and sustainable opportunities in sales and acquisitions. The current challenge is the diminishing inventory of high quality pre-owned aircraft for buyers looking for a fast acquisition. Empire Aviation is aiming to build the same professional reputation in aircraft sales as it has successfully done in aircraft management.

Chavrot commented: There are now more people able to afford to buy business jets and prepared to invest to reap the benefits of convenience, privacy and flexibility. They are also seeking the additional benefits of low touchpoints and the health and safety advantages of traveling in small, private groups. These buyers need fast and efficient professional support in what can be complex transactions for high value assets. Buyers may also be interested in our management services and this capability means we can also provide impartial advice about the ongoing operational costs, before committing, in a consultative approach to sales and acquisitions. For buyers, this means looking closely at the clients mission types, aircraft age preference and budget.

Empire Aviation completes the sale or acquisition of several business jets each year and has recently completed two sales in India, one on behalf of an existing owner, while the other was a sale-only transaction for a new client. Of the companys managed fleet, around half the business jets have been acquired on behalf of the owners by the Empire Aviation team.

Paras P. Dhamecha, Founder and Managing Director of Empire Aviation Group, added: Private aviation is a people business and we are delighted to welcome Matthieu to the team. His experience and connections will be invaluable as we continue to develop our sales and acquisition capabilities to support our managed aircraft owners, who also buy and sell aircraft, as well as for the broader global market. Our aim is to ensure the same high quality professional approach that has proved so successful in aircraft management and charter, as trusted advisors and partners to our clients.

Empire Aviation provides all the major services associated with private aviation  aircraft management, flight operations and charter, as well as aircraft sales and CAMO. The company integrates these comprehensive services and combines them with the aviation expertise and experience of the team to provide a high degree of personalised services.

The company manages private jets on behalf of owners and Empire Aviations aircraft management approach means that each aircraft owner has a unique business model and services. Several of the managed private jets on the fleet are available to the charter market. Empire Aviation is also a charter broker and can arrange aircraft charter anywhere in the world for business or leisure. - TradeArabia News Service
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349
By George Land

On Sunday, June 20th the third IWM Duxford Flying Day took place at the Imperial War Museums historic Duxford aerodrome. And on Wednesday and Thursday of this week more flights took place, a busy week indeed for Duxford. Our intrepid correspondent, George Land, was on hand to report on the proceedings.

On Sunday June 20th, The weather tried its hardest to wreck what promised to be a great weekend of warbirds, with the Shuttleworth Collections Evening air show on Saturday and the IWM Duxford Flying Day on Sunday, but even the grey damp and, at times, dark skies could not stop the Warbirds of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and some of the Duxford-based Spitfires and Hurricanes from putting on a great show over the two days.



The event even saw an appearance by the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flights (BBMF) freshly-repainted Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc. Every few years, each of the aircraft within the BBMF receives a new paint scheme as a way of highlighting the enormous breadth of history and valiant actions which these aircraft represent. Typically, they time these repaints to coincide with major aircraft overhauls, and such was the case for the Flights Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc PZ865, which returned to its home at RAF Coningsby on May 11th following rework at Biggin Hill, now marked as a No.247 Squadron night fighter, coded ZY-V.

Flying Days are a new addition to the Imperial War Museums Duxford events calendar for 2021. Each event is themed around available vintage aircraft, both those based at Duxford and beyond, to help retell a specific story from aviation history. As the museum notes, Each event will bring you the best aerial choreography, storytelling and conservation success stories from IWM Duxford through thrilling flying displays (subject to weather, serviceability and pilot availability) and themed ground activities.

On Wednesday and Thursday of this week a three ship Spitfire formation, a very rare sight outside of an airshow, took place. To get two different three ship Spitfire formations on consecutive days was pretty special, thanks to ARCO this happened this week at IWM Duxford! The formation included a Supermarine Spitfire H.F.Mk.Vlllc, MV154 in the colours of MT928, ZX-M, Sdr.Ldr. G.R.S.McKay 154 squadron RAF  MTO Italy, (Wednesday and Thursday), Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9 (L.F.lX) G-CCCA, PV202, 5R-H, No33 Squadron RAF, 2nd Tactical Air Force, (Wednesday), Supermarine Spitfire Tr.9, (H.F.lXe) G-CTIX, PT462, Finished as SW-A of 253 Squadron, Mediterranean Air Command, MTO, RAF,1945, from Italy and Yugolsavia on bomber escort and anti-shipping operations, (Wednesday), Supermarine-Vickers Armstrong Spitfire L.F. lXb, MH434, ZD-B, Mylcraine No 222 Sdn RAF, (Thursday) and Supermarine-Vickers Armstrong Spitfire P.R.lX, PL983, G-PRXI, No4 Squadron 2nd Tactical Air Force, RAF, (Thursday)

For more information about the IWM Duxford Flying Days, visit www.iwm.org.uk
150 Million Americans Now Vaccinated

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON DC - The U.S. has reached a pair of encouraging milestones as the COVID-19 pandemics grip on the nation continues to loosen.COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. have dipped below 300 a day for the first time since the outbreak's early days in March 2020. Meanwhile, 150 million Americans are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.COVID-19 was the third leading cause of death in the U.S. in 2020, behind heart disease and cancer. Now, however, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that more Americans are dying every day from accidents, chronic lower respiratory diseases, strokes or Alzheimers disease than COVID-19.
China's State Council Information Office holds a press conference on issuance of the white paper titled "China's Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation" in Beijing, capital of China, on June 25, 2021. The white paper was issued to elaborate on the distinctive characteristics and strengths of the country's political party system. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office on Friday issued a white paper titled "China's Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation," elaborating on the distinctive characteristics and strengths of the country's political party system.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a basic element of China's political framework, the white paper said.

In this system, in addition to the CPC, there are eight other political parties: the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. The system also includes prominent individuals without affiliation to any of the political parties.

Following the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth, the CPC and the other political parties have created a multiparty cooperation system in which the CPC exercises state power and the other parties participate fully in the administration of state affairs under the leadership of the CPC, said the white paper.

Calling the system a new model grown out of the soil of China, the white paper said it also learns from other countries and absorbs the fruits of their political achievements.

The CPC has worked together with the non-CPC political parties over the years, advancing side by side, withstanding all kinds of tests, and forming a new type of relationship featuring cooperation, unity and harmony, the white paper said.

Also, the white paper said the CPC upholds equality, democratic consultation, and sincere cooperation to support other participants in jointly building state power at all levels of people's congresses, governments and judicial organs.

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) is an important channel and specialized body for socialist consultative democracy and a key component of the state governance system.

Since 2013, the eight non-CPC political parties have submitted nearly 3,000 proposals and delivered over 30,000 reports on social conditions and public opinion, said Wang Lianhai, an official with the General Office of the CPPCC National Committee, at a press conference on the white paper.

Wang noted that the efforts have made a positive contribution to leveraging the strengths of China's political party system, promoting harmony among all political parties, and serving national development in the new era.

Democratic oversight of the CPC exercised by the non-CPC political parties and non-affiliates is an essential requirement in modernizing China's system and capacity for governance, according to the white paper.

China's political party system has distinctive characteristics and strengths, the white paper said.

It promotes sound decision-making and implementation, and ensures effective state governance, the white paper said, adding that it can optimize the allocation of political resources and avoid the weakness of the old-fashioned party systems.

The document said China's political party system is a structure of enormous strength, creativity and vitality. It embodies the essence of Chinese traditions, reflects the intrinsic requirements of socialism, and conforms to China's realities and its needs in state governance.

As a basic component of China's political system, it contributes to China's development, national rejuvenation, and social progress, and is of great benefit to the people's wellbeing, it said.

Over the past seven decades and more, China's political party system has grown and matured, providing Chinese ideas to the world in terms of modern party politics, and offering a new model for global political progress, it said.
Some 177,000 displaced people come from Karen State, plus 20,000 in a hundred reception centres in Chin State. The latest casualties include a pregnant woman, two infants and three elderly people who died from lack of medicine or during their flight from fighting. Yesterday 787 new coronavirus cases were reported, bringing the total to 151,000 cases with 3,300 deaths.

Yangon (AsiaNews)  Street fighting and protests against the military junta have displaced at least 230,000 people in Myanmar, the United Nations reported yesterday.

This comes amid growing concern about the violence by Myanmars military against minorities, civilian deaths, the widening conflict, and the rise in COVID-19 cases, which have reached a record number in recent days.

The Myanmar Armed Forces seized power in February by ousting the elected government and arresting democratic leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi,

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that ongoing relief operations were hindered by armed clashes, violence and insecurity in the country.

In recent months, the military has suppressed popular protests with killings and targeted attacks, whilst fighting with the armed forces of some ethnic minorities has intensified.

At least 177,000 have been displaced in the Karen State, on the border with Thailand, 103,000 in the last month alone.

More than 20,000 have sought shelter in a hundred reception centres in Chin State, on the border with India, where fighting is taking place between the Myanmar military and the People's Defence Forces.

Local sources say that several thousand people have fled to Kachin and Shan States because of the heavy crackdown by the military and the loss of civilian lives.

According to the Association for Political Prisoners Burma (AAPP), at least 877 people have been killed and more than 6,000 arrested since the coup triggered street protests suppressed in blood.

The latest casualties include six civilians in Chin State  a pregnant woman, two infants and three elderly people  who died escaping the violence and from a lack of medical care.

At least six people have died in the jungle due to a lack of medicine, said a refugee from Mindat township, on condition of anonymity. The babies were just a few days old. There are old people [who died]. Some fell from the narrow mountain roads while escaping the fighting.

After avoiding the worse of the pandemic, the Asian country is now reporting a surge in infections.

At 787, yesterday saw the highest number of cases in a 24-hour period since the global health emergency began.

The overall number is just shy of 151,000 cases with about 3,300 deaths, but the actual figure could be much higher, this according to experts,
John Lee is now Hong Kongs number two. Police Chief Chris Tang replaces him as secretary of security. For Carrie Lam, they played a key role in the difficult past two years. Pro-democracy activists see the promotion as the start of a police state. Lee and Tang had Apple Daily, the independent newspaper that closed yesterday, in their sights.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews)  Chinas central government has promoted the Hong Kong officials responsible for implementing its national security law.

Secretary for Security John Lee was appointed Chief Secretary, the de facto second most powerful post in Hong Kongs administration after Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Lee replaces Matthew Cheung and leaves his post to Chris Tang, the police chief. Raymond Siu will take Tang's place as the territorys top cop.

According to state news agency Xinhua, the Chinese State Council gave the green light to the reshuffle on Wednesday, after receiving a request from Lam.

The latter stressed that the three promotions are due to the key role played by the three senior officials in dealing with the unprecedented hardship of the past two years.

Lam's reference is to the anti-government protests by the pro-democracy movement, which broke out in summer 2019, and the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Democratic Party chairman Lo Kin-hei, Lee is not fit for the post of chief secretary.

Interviewed by RTHK, he pointed out that Lam's new deputy has limited government experience, having spent most of his career in the police.

Kin-hei does not believe that the appointments signal a change in direction for the government. In his view, everybody is expecting that there will be different sort of restrictions or other measures to regulate different sectors in society.

For some pro-democracy activists, the new appointments are confirmation that the former British colony is increasingly taking the form of a police state.

The government reshuffle comes a day after the Apple Daily, the independent newspaper founded by Jimmy Lai, published its last issue.

The pro-democracy media mogul has been in prison since last December. The paper decided to close after the police arrested five of its executives and a columnist in recent days.

About HK$ 18 million (US$ 2.3 million) of the papers assets have also been frozen. Without them, and other frozen funds that belong to Lai, the paper could no longer pay its employees.

Lai's publishing empire had long been a thorn in the side of Hong Kong and Chinese authorities.

According to Reuters, John Lee in late May ordered local branches of Citibank and HSBC to halt transactions involving Lai's bank accounts on pain of jail for local bank executives.

A few days earlier, Chris Tang had accused Apple Daily of spreading fake news to discredit the police. At the time, he had not ruled out taking action against the newspaper for violating the national security law.
The installation of the new archbishop in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. His program: "I will be close to young people and the people of the suburbs, where the faith is more fragile". On June 27, he will celebrate mass with the poor of the slums in Maricaban.

Manila (AsiaNews) - "I want to be a shepherd who listens," said Card. Jose Advincula during his official installation as the new archbishop of Manila. In a solemn ceremony, small in number due to the Covid-19 emergency, the prelate was welcomed into the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Intramuros, where he presided over the Eucharistic celebration that began his ministry.

Card. Advincula, who is 69, was archbishop of Capiz since 2011; even earlier, for 10 years, he was bishop of San Carlos, in the province of Western Negros. He was appointed archbishop of Manila by Pope Francis on March 25, succeeding Card. Luis Antonio Tagle, called to the Vatican as prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

Already in the consistory of November 2020, Bergoglio had created him a cardinal, thus becoming the 9th cardinal in the history of the Philippine Church. However, due to the pandemic, he was unable to receive the red cardinal's hat until last week, in a ceremony presided over in Capiz on behalf of the pope by the apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, Charles John Brown.

The other two cardinals residing in the Philippines were present at the ceremony: the archbishop emeritus of Manila Gaudencio Rosales and Card. Orlando Quevedo of Cotabato. Card. Tagle sent an affectionate video message from Rome in which he urged Advincula not to be afraid: Be who you are, he told his successor.

For his part, in his homily, the new archbishop of Manila said that he never thought of being called to a new task at 69, but of having accepted it by letting himself be guided by his own episcopal motto which reads very simply "I will listen".

It is my ardent desire to listento all but especially to the LAMBS which represent our youth and other people in the peripheries; because of less attention given them by the Church, their faith is as fragile as the health of a lamb  they are the first target of the marauding wolves. I cannot feed my flock unless I listen first to their needs, their longings. While listening to them, I would be able to journey with them  in their sorrow and joy, in their suffering and glory  and collaborate work with them, to bring them closer to Christ.

In his inaugural address, Card. Advincula also spoke of the experience of the pandemic. A good number of people would have been here with us if not for the pandemic. This scourge has crippled us in many ways; but it has enabled us, too, in more creative ways and has made us see clearly the things that we value most in our lives. Some people may actually think that God has abandoned us. But instead, for us, steadfast believers, it simply shows forth Gods power in the midst of our helplessness; for we see God as our only help in our helplessness. Gods light shines on us in the midst of darkness.

As a first visit, on Sunday 27 June Card. Advincula will go to one of the poorest areas of the metropolis, in the Maricaban district: he will visit the slum and celebrate mass in the church dedicated to Maria Conforto degli afflicenti. This is a gesture that has become a tradition for the new archbishops of Manila: before him, Card. Rosales and Cardinal Tagle went to Smokey Mountain immediately after their installation. This morning, however, Advincula went to the Church of the Gesu to pay homage to the funeral parlor of former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino, who passed away yesterday.
Hundreds of people took to the streets accusing Abu Mazen and the leaders of the Palestinian National Authority. The activist, who died from the beatings he suffered, was one of the most critical personalities of the local leadership. Last month his house was riddled with 60 bullets. Hamas also blames Abbas.

Ramallah (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Hundreds of people took to the streets marching towards the house of the president of the Palestinian National Authority Abu Mazen and the movement's headquarters, to protest the death of activist Nizar Banat. The man died yesterday after being taken from his home in Dura, near Hebron, during a raid by Palestinian security forces. As family members report, he allegedly suffered beatings and violence during the operation. Banat was among the most critical personalities of the local leadership and had already been arrested several times in the past for crimes of thought and opinion.

Protesters chanted slogans and chants, including "The people want the downfall of the regime" and "Abbas, you are not one of us, take your dogs and leave." The accusations directed at Abu Mazen and his Fatah party are further proof of the collapse in the popularity of the movement. The Authority is increasingly seen as a repressive government of critical voices and unable to sustain the confrontation with opponents: the cancellation of the presidential and legislative elections scheduled for May and July 2021 are, for many, the clearest and most obvious proof of this. authoritarian drift.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, also intervened in the matter, pointing the finger at Abbas who is "fully responsible for the repercussions" of the death of Barat, who was a candidate for parliamentarians with the Freedom and Dignity list. After the postponement of the electoral round, he had been among the promoters and signatories of an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights calling for an end to funding for the PNA.

According to local sources, a team of security forces broke in at 3.30 am on June 24, breaking down the door with a bomb and waking Banat with pepper spray on his face at close range. Then they reportedly beat him with wooden sticks and strip him naked, loading him into a vehicle that drove away in a hurry. The government hospital in Hebron declared his death, but the suspicion is that he died from the serious injuries sustained in the beating he suffered inside a service center. He recently revealed that he had been the victim of Palestinian intelligence threats and in May gunmen opened fire on his home, riddling it with at least 60 rounds while the family was present.

Banat, 43, had been arrested several times by the Palestinian Security Forces in recent years. On social media, he relaunched criticism of government management and attacked individuals accused of corruption, urging Western nations to cut funding to the PNA. In recent days, the security forces had also arrested Issa Amro, who was also critical of the Palestinian leaders. "I feel that my life - he said - is in danger like that of Nizar Banat".
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Sports complex built on the remains of a 1,600-year-old city. The new building is now in ruins. Damages for millions of euros. The opportunism of the ruling family puts very ancient monuments at serious risk.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Two years have passed since Saida Mirziyoyeva, the eldest daughter of Uzbekistan president Shavkat Mirziyoyev, launched her "five projects" in the Bukinsk province, Tashkent region.

The first among them was a youth center built on an archaeological site dating back to the 4th century: now the new building is falling into disrepair.

The construction of the sports-recreational complex, which began in 2019, included dozens of buildings and a fitness club: according to the most modest estimates for a cost of 2 billion som (about 156 thousand euros).

At the foot of the hill where the most modern buildings are located, there is an ancient monument, which testifies to the existence of the city of Samsarak, also called Mukhtepa or Ajdartiepa, although there are no comprehensive historical documents on it.

The area destroyed by the construction covers 12,646 square meters, and the economic damage to the ancient city is calculated by the Uzbekistan cultural heritage department at 239 billion som (18.6 million euros). The Bukinsk court sentenced some local public officials, who were blamed for the damage done.

The regional prosecutor of Tashkent has put forward a control plan "for the custody and use of the objectives of cultural and archaeological heritage", asking the provincial administration to compensate for the multi-billion dollar damages. As it was impossible to pay these astronomical sums, the court confiscated all the youth center buildings.

Now no one knows how to demolish the buildings on the ancient hill, also because the regulations of the Department of Culture itself prohibit the use of excavators and other construction tools on the site.

Ironically, the place now features modern ruins that stand on top of ancient ruins. Today only stray dogs and other wild animals live on the presidential project, created by Mirziyoyeva with the high patronage of the Ministry for Technological Development.

Uzbek architect and art historian Abumalik Turdiev told Ozodlik that the 1,600-year-old city hill was a subject of ongoing research by archaeologists from all over the world. Samsarak is mentioned in the Baburname, the memoir of one of Tamerlane's heirs, Zahir al-Din Muhammed Babur, according to whom the city prospered in the most flourishing period of Zoroastrianism, the main religion of Central Asia between the sixth century BC and the 10th century AD

The city was buried inside the hill, and to avoid further damage it had been placed under guardianship even in the times of the Soviet Union. The archaeological passion, on the other hand, seems to have waned considerably in independent Uzbekistan, where Mirziyoyeva's "five projects" were presented by the official press as "world events" with top-level national personalities at the launch in 2019.
Representatives of the Lebanese Christian Churches will walk together with Pope Francis to pray for peace and ask God to help the country. Three working sessions will be held behind closed doors. The final prayer will be open to members of the diplomatic corps. An invitation to take part in the event was sent to all Lebanese male and female religious communities, as well as Lebanese Christians present in Rome.

Vatican City (AsiaNews)  A press conference was held this morning in the Vatican to present the agenda for the Day of Reflection and Prayer for Lebanon set for 1st July.

Card Leonardo Sandri, Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches; Mgr Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States; and Bishop Brian Farrell, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, were present at the event.

Representatives of Eastern Christianity  Catholics, Orthodox, Armenians and Protestants  are expected to take part in the Days events. The representatives of Lebanons Churches will bring the cry of a people and walk together with Pope Francis to pray for peace and ask for God's help for the troubled country.

Thirty years ago, Card Sandri noted, when John Paul II convened a special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops for Lebanon, the situation was tragic. Now, it is not much different, and The Christian community, in all its parts is questioning, reflecting, and praying.

In presenting the agenda of the Day, the cardinal stressed that on more than one occasion the Pope and the heads of the Churches and ecclesial communities will walk together from the Domus Sanctae Marthae to the Vatican Basilica, after the welcome and greeting ceremony in the guest houses hall. All of them will be staying at the Domus from the evening of 30 June to the morning of 2 July.

After the Lords Prayer, participants will walk down the steps of the Apostle Peter's Confession; each will place a candle as a token of the prayer that burns, asking for the Apostle's intercession.

During the day we will not be able to see or listen to them, because the doors of the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace will remain closed.

Three working sessions will take place in camera, each introduced by the words of a rapporteur. The final prayer in the Basilica will be open to members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. An invitation to take part in the service was extended to all male and female religious communities as well as Lebanese Christians present in Rome.

It will be our prayer of intercession, which could be recited that day in parishes and religious communities, and not only of Lebanon. This will make us feel closer to them, and give them some support at this moment of mutual listening and discussion.

The text of ecumenical prayer for peace will see the proclamation of some passages of the Word of God, alternating with prayers of invocation and songs drawn from the different traditions present in Lebanon, with texts in Arabic, Syriac, Armenian, and Chaldean.

Towards the end of the service, the sign of peace will not be exchanged in the traditional way  in compliance with pandemic-related regulations  but young people will give Christian leaders a lit lamp, which will then be placed on a candlestick. This represents the hope of peace that the younger generations can deliver asking for help so that it may not be extinguished by the tribulations of the present.

Participants will sit around a round table, starting with Pope Francis; Archbishop Joseph Spiteri, nuncio to Lebanon, who will serve as moderator; and the ten heads of Christian Churches.

The Catholic side will include Maronite Patriarch Card Bechara Boutros al-Rahi, Siro-Catholic Ignace Youssef III Younan, Melkite Bishop Youssef Absi, Chaldean Bishop Michel Kassarji, and Latin Apostolic Vicar Bishop Cesar Essayan.

Non-Catholics include Patriarch John X (Youhanna) Yazigi, primate of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All The East, which has great historical, social and cultural importance in the Middle East, said Bishop Brian Farrell, L.C., Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and whose members are generally of Arab and Arabic-speaking.

Catholicos Aram I will represent the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Basically, the presence of the Armenian community in Lebanon dates back to the time of the Armenian genocide in the early 20th century, Bishop Farrell noted.

His Holiness Aram is a prominent figure in the ecumenical movement, having been moderator of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches from 1991 to 2006, playing a major role in the development of the Council of Churches of the Middle East.

The Syrian Orthodox Church will be represented by Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II, who has been head of the Church since 2014. The latter is the heir to the great Syriac tradition, little known in the West but very important in the history of Christianity, in theology and liturgy, and in missionary expansion in the East.

Evangelicals, i.e. the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon, will be represented by its president, Rev Joseph Kassab. The evangelical community in Lebanon originates from the intellectual awakening in the Arab-speaking part of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. Today in Lebanon, it is closely involved in education.

At the end of the meeting, Francis will address a final word and, before taking his leave, will gift a plaque as a memento of the day with its logo.

Answering a question, Bishop Paul Richard Gallagher, current Secretary for Relations with States, said that a visit by Pope Francis to Lebanon is unlikely this year, but might take place in early 2022.
The delivery brings the Japanese donation of AstraZeneca doses to 2.2 million. A gift in recognition of Taiwanese aid after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. The island also obtained 2.5 million vaccines from the US. Japanese Minister of Defense: Taiwan's security is linked to Japans.

Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Japan has donated another million vaccines against Covid-19 to Taiwan. During a press conference, the Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi explained today that the doses of the Anglo-Swedish AstraZeneca will be delivered by mid-July. The Japanese government has already offered 1.2 million doses of the same drug to the island, delivered in early June.

Taipei is a global leader in managing the coronavirus pandemic. However, since last month it has seen a sudden increase in infections. Of the 14,465 cases counted so far, 13,000 occurred after May 15.

Faced with the resurgence of the pulmonary disease, the Tsai Ing-wen administration has accelerated the vaccination campaign. At the moment Taipei has received 4.8 million doses of AstraZeneca: apart from those delivered by Japan, they include 2.5 million vaccines donated by the US. The Taiwanese government bought the remainder from the pharmaceutical companies and through Covax, the United Nations-run global distribution program.

Motegi specified that the donations are a thank you to Taiwan for its help to Japan after the country was brought to its knees by the 2001 earthquake and tsunami. Like the US, Tokyo has strengthened its support for the island, which China considers a rebel province to be reconquered.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said yesterday that Taipei's security "is directly linked to Japan, and that [Tokyo] closely monitors Taiwan-China relations, and Chinese military activities. ".

In fact, tension remains high along the Taiwan Strait. On June 22, a US destroyer sailed across the strait that divides the island from China: the sixth passage of an American warship in the area after Joe Biden took office in January. Last week, 28 Chinese military aircraft flew over the Taiwanese air identification zone, prompting a response from the Taipei Air Force.
It would certainly be ideal if we could cross every T and dot every I in the middle of a global emergency, but these were human beings working  and still are working  around the clock to help save lives, said Michael Ricci, a spokesman for Hogan. Even with all that, they were able to get the vast majority of their paperwork in on time. The critics could at least find it in themselves to take a breath and say thank you to these public servants before throwing stones.
Here we have a rare instance where the law is grappling with the technology prior to its widespread deployment, he said. Calling this a virtual time machine is not an exaggeration. I think it was extraordinarily important that we were able to get the courts to grapple with this at the outset.
The first gas shortage in the 1970s was sparked in October 1973 because of the Yom Kippur War. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC, reduced the oil supply and placed an embargo on countries that supported Israel in the war. The embargo created a shortage in the U.S. and dramatically increased fuel prices. Soon, motorists across the country freaked out and waited in long lines just to top off the tanks of their large gas-guzzling cars of the 1970s. When the needle on the gas gauge reached half-empty, the anxiety and panic set in to find an open gas station.
Police said the group was led by the 33-year-old Dunaway and 30-year-old Johnson, and operated in the 1000 block of N. Carey Street at Riggs Avenue. The department said they were able to seize large quantities of street level narcotics, firearms and ammunition during their investigation.
Chicago police describe the man, who they said may be homeless, as aman in his 30s, 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-11 with either dread-styled hair or wearing a bandanna that may look like dreads, according to the alert sent Thursday morning. In two of the attacks, he approached the victim from behind and hit them with an unknown object.
Claiming a major victory five months into his presidency, Biden said, This reminds me of the days when we used to get an awful lot done up in the United States Congress. Biden, a former Delaware senator, said that as he put his hand on the shoulder of a stoic-looking Republican Sen. Rob Portman as the president made a surprise appearance with a bipartisan group of senators to announce the deal outside the White House.
This 90-minute film reminded me of why I have had a lifetime love affair with documentaries that has only grown stronger in recent years as the genre has expanded and much of longform journalism has contracted particularly at the level of magazines and local newspapers. Many of us in the newspaper business still consider it our job to speak truth to power and do so on a regular basis. But we seldom get the time or have the resources to do it at the depth that an independent filmmaker can. And as much as many of us are attracted to journalism because of its ability to expose corruption and injustice, seeking social justice seems to be part of the very DNA of the many documentary filmmakers I have come to know and admire over the years.
They were loud, they smelled, they looked odd, our dog ate them. The media had prepared us for them, letting us know that their 17-year hibernation was coming to an end and that our yards would be inundated by these unique insects. Their long wait between appearances is a survival technique. No predator can depend on them as a source of food. Without their long dormancy the species probably would have disappeared centuries ago. But they are here thanks to natures gift. Nature is awesome in the way she lures species to new levels of survival adaptation. We humans are no exception  perhaps we have been too good at survival so that nature feels the need to remind us, with tiny viruses, that we too are vulnerable to that delicate balance.
City officials said the $200,000 grant will allow them to expand the YH20 Career Mentoring Program to include more students and add training for other types of sanitation work. A cadre of recent graduates met with Regan and other officials Friday morning, including 25-year-old Alexander Sears, who described his 2019 experience with the course as a life-changing chance at a steady and secure career to support his family.
Destinations



Visit Mexico's Firefly Sanctuaries This Summer



There are several destinations in Mexico where you can find fireflies as you walk through the forests that are their habitat. This magical moment is a great way to experience the wonders of Mexico with friends and family.



These guardians of light guide tourists on a night tour through the forests that are their habitat, illuminating the area and turning it into a magical forest.



This is an experience that we recommend you enjoy, at least once in your life.



Here are several Mexican destinations where you can find fireflies and enjoy this unique moment with your family and friends.



Tlaxcala, a show of light and magic





Photo by Blake Congdon. Watch his Mexico's Magical Fireflies video on YouTube.



In the summer season, exactly in the months of June and August, you will have the opportunity to enter the habitat of the Fireflies found in Nanacamilpa, a municipality very close to the city of



In this season the fireflies come to these forests to regain strength and mate. During this part of their life cycle, travelers like you are given the opportunity to enter their kingdom and live an unforgettable moment surrounded by them. This show begins at approximately 8:30 pm.



Imagine enjoying a night walk with your family and discovering that lights are appearing very close to you and from one moment to the next you see the whole forest lighting up with a special magic that will take your breath away. Boys and girls of all ages would surely love to see this.



Firefly sighting in Amecameca





Photo by @gabyrocha6

Due to its climate and natural spaces,



If you want to live this experience, you must go to the natural areas of Amecameca where it is possible to enjoy the sighting of fireflies. But in addition to the main attraction, you have the opportunity to camp in the same space, perfect for a pleasant time with the family and better yet, with friends.



At all times, the guides will enrich your trip with important information about fireflies, their importance and the care given to them so that their species continues to use the forests of Mexico as their habitat.



It is certainly something worth sharing with the world.



Chipinque Ecological Park





Enjoy special moments in the Chipinque Ecological Park

Monterrey,



Here you can combine ecotourism with the arrival of fireflies and be part of one of the most special moments in the Chipinque Ecological Park.



This place allows the interaction of people with fireflies with some essential indications so that they do not feel invaded and can continue to enjoy their habitat.



In addition to having fun and having a memorable time, it is important to know the care that is given to them, thanks to this it was discovered that a new species of firefly arrived in Chipinque in 2014.



You can enjoy special attractions like this, and at the same time help with what they do in this place, so remember to follow the indications.



A magical walk in a Magical Town





Traveling to Tlalpujahua de Rayon is recommended in the months of May through August.



If you are already thinking about traveling and enjoying a magical moment, there is no better way to do it than a



We refer to



During the day, you can enjoy the Firefly Sanctuary as a park in its entirety, but at night, it becomes a kingdom that welcomes hundreds of species that come to reproduce and embark on a new journey.



As in other spaces, this place also allows interaction with regulations so as not to make our visit invasive, here in particular it is mainly requested to wear dark clothes and not to speak loudly so as not to scare the fireflies. Take this into account when visiting.



We recommend traveling to Tlalpujahua de Rayon, Michoacan in the months of May through August, since this is when the fireflies return to their sanctuary and it will be easier for you to see the light show that attracts so much attention.



Did you know?



These small insects are very special for the fauna of Mexico, in fact, what makes fireflies shine is a luminous organ that when in contact with oxygen their body lights up. The ones that shine with the most intensity are the females, to attract the males and reproduce.



They are proof that even the smallest creature is very important, in this case, fireflies are a key indicator to know the state of rainforests and their biodiversity in Mexico.



For this and much more, we invite you to discover its natural spaces and live with them a romantic night full of lights that will make you want to repeat the experience.



Original article Let's admit it, Mexico is an incredible place where, wherever you turn, something new surprises you. And, just when you think you have seen it all, you discover an attraction that motivates you to visit again. On this occasion, the fireflies are the hosts of a show that is worth seeing, it will make you feel like you are in a fairy tale.These guardians of light guide tourists on a night tour through the forests that are their habitat, illuminating the area and turning it into a magical forest.This is an experience that we recommend you enjoy, at least once in your life.Here are several Mexican destinations where you can find fireflies and enjoy this unique moment with your family and friends.In the summer season, exactly in the months of June and August, you will have the opportunity to enter the habitat of the Fireflies found in Nanacamilpa, a municipality very close to the city of Tlaxcala. In this season the fireflies come to these forests to regain strength and mate. During this part of their life cycle, travelers like you are given the opportunity to enter their kingdom and live an unforgettable moment surrounded by them. This show begins at approximately 8:30 pm.Imagine enjoying a night walk with your family and discovering that lights are appearing very close to you and from one moment to the next you see the whole forest lighting up with a special magic that will take your breath away. Boys and girls of all ages would surely love to see this.Due to its climate and natural spaces, Amecameca in the State of Mexico is the perfect place to receive fireflies, because in this place you can not only enjoy a special moment, it also helps to preserve this species for its care.If you want to live this experience, you must go to the natural areas of Amecameca where it is possible to enjoy the sighting of fireflies. But in addition to the main attraction, you have the opportunity to camp in the same space, perfect for a pleasant time with the family and better yet, with friends.At all times, the guides will enrich your trip with important information about fireflies, their importance and the care given to them so that their species continues to use the forests of Mexico as their habitat.It is certainly something worth sharing with the world. Nuevo Leon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Mexico, and something that is truly surprising is the amount of natural preserved spaces to protect diversity and allow activities for tourists.Here you can combine ecotourism with the arrival of fireflies and be part of one of the most special moments in the Chipinque Ecological Park.This place allows the interaction of people with fireflies with some essential indications so that they do not feel invaded and can continue to enjoy their habitat.In addition to having fun and having a memorable time, it is important to know the care that is given to them, thanks to this it was discovered that a new species of firefly arrived in Chipinque in 2014.You can enjoy special attractions like this, and at the same time help with what they do in this place, so remember to follow the indications.If you are already thinking about traveling and enjoying a magical moment, there is no better way to do it than a Magical Town in Michoacan. We refer to Tlalpujahua de Rayon, a place that shines for its crafts and for having a space where our little friends, the fireflies, coexist with the inhabitants and tourists to gather in a night show.During the day, you can enjoy the Firefly Sanctuary as a park in its entirety, but at night, it becomes a kingdom that welcomes hundreds of species that come to reproduce and embark on a new journey.As in other spaces, this place also allows interaction with regulations so as not to make our visit invasive, here in particular it is mainly requested to wear dark clothes and not to speak loudly so as not to scare the fireflies. Take this into account when visiting.We recommend traveling to Tlalpujahua de Rayon, Michoacan in the months of May through August, since this is when the fireflies return to their sanctuary and it will be easier for you to see the light show that attracts so much attention.These small insects are very special for the fauna of Mexico, in fact, what makes fireflies shine is a luminous organ that when in contact with oxygen their body lights up. The ones that shine with the most intensity are the females, to attract the males and reproduce.They are proof that even the smallest creature is very important, in this case, fireflies are a key indicator to know the state of rainforests and their biodiversity in Mexico.For this and much more, we invite you to discover its natural spaces and live with them a romantic night full of lights that will make you want to repeat the experience.



Site Map  Print this Page  Email Us  Top


Mexico & Banderas Bay Area News



Vote for Puerto Vallarta in Mexico's Instagram Contest



Take a moment to vote for Roberto's photograph and help Puerto Vallarta become THE most instagrammable place in Mexico. To vote, you simply have to "Like" the photograph on THIS INSTAGRAM POST. Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico - The Mexican Government's Ministry of Tourism recently launched a photography contest through its digital platform,



This thanks to the participation of Vallarta photographer Roberto Estrada who, through his photography, has stood out among the more than 485,000 participants.



Roberto Estrada's photography manages to perfectly capture the charm and essence of the town of Puerto Vallarta, like his photo of the iconic Caballito sculpture accompanied by a spectacular sunset, that has positioned our city within the top 3 favorites to win.



Now it's time to vote for Roberto's photograph and help Puerto Vallarta become THE most instagrammable place in Mexico. To vote, you simply have to "Like" the photograph on



A jury will determine the winner of the 'The Most Instagrammable Place in Mexico' contest from among the three photos with the most "likes," which will be announced on July 14, 2021 on the



Roberto Estrada has a special talent for capturing the beauty of our city. Visit his



Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board press release translated and edited by Lorena Sonrisas for BanderasNews.com. - The Mexican Government's Ministry of Tourism recently launched a photography contest through its digital platform, Visit Mexico, and the city of Puerto Vallarta is a finalist as one of the three 'Most Instagrammable Places in Mexico.'This thanks to the participation of Vallarta photographer Roberto Estrada who, through his photography, has stood out among the more than 485,000 participants.Roberto Estrada's photography manages to perfectly capture the charm and essence of the town of Puerto Vallarta, like his photo of the iconicsculpture accompanied by a spectacular sunset, that has positioned our city within the top 3 favorites to win.Now it's time to vote for Roberto's photograph and help Puerto Vallarta become THE most instagrammable place in Mexico. To vote, you simply have to "Like" the photograph on THIS INSTAGRAM POST. A jury will determine the winner of the 'The Most Instagrammable Place in Mexico' contest from among the three photos with the most "likes," which will be announced on July 14, 2021 on the Visit Mexico Instagram account. Roberto Estrada has a special talent for capturing the beauty of our city. Visit his photographic gallery on Instagram so that, through his lens, you can admire the many charm of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.



Site Map  Print this Page  Email Us  Top


News Around the Republic of Mexico



Mexico's Caribbean Coast Hit by Heavy Seaweed



Reports Tuesday said sargassum is hitting resorts like Playa del Carmen and Tulum further south on Mexico's Caribbean coast, while the beaches of Cancun, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres have largely been spared. Quintana Roo, Mexico - Environmentalists and tourism operators on Mexico's Caribbean coast are complaining about mounds of foul-smelling sargassum - a seaweed-like algae - that are piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown.



Reports Tuesday said sargassum is hitting resorts like Playa del Carmen and Tulum further south on the coast, while Cancun, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres have largely been spared.



But experts at the University of South Florida say sargassum was at "a historical record" in the Caribbean in May and that 2021 may see large amounts piling up on beaches, as happened



A coalition of environmental and tourism groups has circulated a petition calling on the government to do more, writing "We are drowning in Sargazo!"



"The predictions are that the amounts arriving in 2021 may be larger" than in 2018 or



Photos of the coast showed mats of sargassum choking the beaches and waters of Playa del Carmen.



The Mexican government has put the Navy in charge of gathering floating mats of sargassum at sea with special boats before it hits the beaches, and some resorts have installed floating barriers to try to keep the sargassum out to sea. But the Navy acknowledged in a report Tuesday that its has collected about 22 times more sargassum from beaches than from the sea.



And many of the floating barriers failed to work, either becoming unmoored or collapsing under the weight of the accumulated seaweed. The tons of sargassum that build up behind the booms have to be gathered up, put aboard boats and taken away in what could amount to hundreds of trips every day.



The Navy also said many beaches on the coast reported "high" or "very high" amounts of seaweed. Environmentalists are also calling on the government to define what to do with the seaweed once it is collected, arguing that if it is just sent to landfills to rot, it could contaminate aquifers and fresh water supplies.



The problem comes amid an upsurge in coronavirus cases along the coast as the state of Quintana Roo seeks to revive its vital tourism industry.



The governor of Quintana Roo state, Carlos Joaquin, wrote in his Twitter account that over the weekend, a record of 506 flights landed or took off from Cancun and other airports, the highest number since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020.



"We are recovering our tourism, so be doubly careful" he wrote, urging residents to wear face masks and observe social distancing.



Mexico's Caribbean coast once provided half the country's tourism revenues, and very little sargassum reached it prior to 2014. But a possible combination of climate change, pollution from fertilizers and ocean flows and currents carrying the algae mats to the Caribbean has caused the problem to explode.



Original article - Environmentalists and tourism operators on Mexico's Caribbean coast are complaining about mounds of foul-smelling sargassum - a seaweed-like algae - that are piling up on beaches and turning turquoise waters brown.Reports Tuesday said sargassum is hitting resorts like Playa del Carmen and Tulum further south on the coast, while Cancun, Cozumel and Isla Mujeres have largely been spared.But experts at the University of South Florida say sargassum was at "a historical record" in the Caribbean in May and that 2021 may see large amounts piling up on beaches, as happened in 2018. A coalition of environmental and tourism groups has circulated a petition calling on the government to do more, writing "We are drowning in Sargazo!""The predictions are that the amounts arriving in 2021 may be larger" than in 2018 or 2019, the coalition wrote. "If this isn't handled immediately, the environment, public health and the local economy are in grave danger. Tons of sargazo piling up and decaying in beaches has contributed to erosion, which wipes out sea grasses and marine life, deteriorates coastal water quality and seriously affects the coral reefs of Mexico's Caribbean."Photos of the coast showed mats of sargassum choking the beaches and waters of Playa del Carmen.The Mexican government has put the Navy in charge of gathering floating mats of sargassum at sea with special boats before it hits the beaches, and some resorts have installed floating barriers to try to keep the sargassum out to sea. But the Navy acknowledged in a report Tuesday that its has collected about 22 times more sargassum from beaches than from the sea.And many of the floating barriers failed to work, either becoming unmoored or collapsing under the weight of the accumulated seaweed. The tons of sargassum that build up behind the booms have to be gathered up, put aboard boats and taken away in what could amount to hundreds of trips every day.The Navy also said many beaches on the coast reported "high" or "very high" amounts of seaweed. Environmentalists are also calling on the government to define what to do with the seaweed once it is collected, arguing that if it is just sent to landfills to rot, it could contaminate aquifers and fresh water supplies.The problem comes amid an upsurge in coronavirus cases along the coast as the state of Quintana Roo seeks to revive its vital tourism industry.The governor of Quintana Roo state, Carlos Joaquin, wrote in his Twitter account that over the weekend, a record of 506 flights landed or took off from Cancun and other airports, the highest number since the coronavirus pandemic began in early 2020."We are recovering our tourism, so be doubly careful" he wrote, urging residents to wear face masks and observe social distancing.Mexico's Caribbean coast once provided half the country's tourism revenues, and very little sargassum reached it prior to 2014. But a possible combination of climate change, pollution from fertilizers and ocean flows and currents carrying the algae mats to the Caribbean has caused the problem to explode.



Site Map  Print this Page  Email Us  Top


Mexico & Banderas Bay Area News



Viva Aerobus Store Celebrates Diversity and Inclusion



"At Viva Aerobus we will continue working to benefit respect for diversity inside and outside the company, since we understand inclusion as an engine of innovation, growth and development," said Walfred Castro.



According to



"Our new Viva store in Puerto Vallarta symbolizes the commitment we have at Viva Aerobus 365 days a year and on the more than 150 national and international routes that we operate, in continuing our efforts to move towards a more inclusive, equitable and just society," said Walfred Castro, Viva Aerobus' Director of Corporate Communication.



The inauguration of this Viva store was carried out in the presence of Luis Villasenor, director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Promotion and Advertising Trust; Susana Rodriguez, Jalisco Tourism Secretariat's Director of Beach Tourism; Martha Meza Arechiga, Puerto Vallarta International Airport's Public Relations Manager; and Lorena Amor, who recently won the first Miss TransGlobal Mexico beauty contest.



During the event, an agreement was also signed with the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust to promote LGBT+ tourism in this city, which has been recognized on multiple occasions as one of the



Viva Aerobus recalls that, as a result of its continuous work in the interests of diversity and inclusion, it has been recognized for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) as one of the Best LGBT Places to Work in the HRC Equidad MX program of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC).



This recognition is the result of meeting three criteria established by HRC: 1) The adoption of non-discrimination policies; 2) The LGBT+ organizational competence that implies having a Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and 3) A public commitment through actions that positively impact society on LGBT+ issues.



As part of its efforts to raise awareness about diversity, Viva adorned the sharklets of two of its Airbus A320 aircraft with the LGBT+ pride flag to remind its millions of passengers of the importance of respect for difference and human rights.



In addition, during the course of this month, Viva collaborators are wearing T-shirts with the message Viva ser Tu (Long Live Being You) and a campaign has been implemented on their social networks that invite everyone to reflect on the respect and value of diversity.



Within the company, Viva Aerobus works to guarantee a humane and respectful work environment, with a Diversity and Inclusion Area and Committee. The airline also has a constant training program through which workshops have been given on labor inclusion, the value of differences, human rights, discrimination and sexual diversity.



In order to strengthen this awareness in the company, this year Viva implemented the Pride Viva tour, which consists of a visit to the 5 operating bases at Cancun, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana, to carry out activities that make the benefits of being a diverse airline visible.



"At Viva Aerobus we will continue working to benefit respect for diversity inside and outside the company, since we understand inclusion as an engine of innovation, growth and development," said Walfred Castro.



Viva Aerobus press release translated and edited by Diego Sancho for BanderasNews.com. As part of LGBT+ Pride month, Viva Aerobus inaugurated its new Viva Store at the Puerto Vallarta International Airport with the airline's rainbow logo as a permanent testament to its commitment to diversity.According to a press release published by the Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier, this commitment is materialized in various activities that continuously promote an inclusive corporate culture and external initiatives that call for tolerance, respect and equality."Our new Viva store in Puerto Vallarta symbolizes the commitment we have at Viva Aerobus 365 days a year and on the more than 150 national and international routes that we operate, in continuing our efforts to move towards a more inclusive, equitable and just society," said Walfred Castro, Viva Aerobus' Director of Corporate Communication.The inauguration of this Viva store was carried out in the presence of Luis Villasenor, director of the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Promotion and Advertising Trust; Susana Rodriguez, Jalisco Tourism Secretariat's Director of Beach Tourism; Martha Meza Arechiga, Puerto Vallarta International Airport's Public Relations Manager; and Lorena Amor, who recently won the first Miss TransGlobal Mexico beauty contest.During the event, an agreement was also signed with the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Trust to promote LGBT+ tourism in this city, which has been recognized on multiple occasions as one of the best gay-friendly destinations in Mexico. Viva Aerobus recalls that, as a result of its continuous work in the interests of diversity and inclusion, it has been recognized for two consecutive years (2020 and 2021) as one of the Best LGBT Places to Work in theprogram of the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC).This recognition is the result of meeting three criteria established by HRC: 1) The adoption of non-discrimination policies; 2) The LGBT+ organizational competence that implies having a Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and 3) A public commitment through actions that positively impact society on LGBT+ issues.As part of its efforts to raise awareness about diversity, Viva adorned the sharklets of two of its Airbus A320 aircraft with the LGBT+ pride flag to remind its millions of passengers of the importance of respect for difference and human rights.In addition, during the course of this month, Viva collaborators are wearing T-shirts with the message(Long Live Being You) and a campaign has been implemented on their social networks that invite everyone to reflect on the respect and value of diversity.Within the company, Viva Aerobus works to guarantee a humane and respectful work environment, with a Diversity and Inclusion Area and Committee. The airline also has a constant training program through which workshops have been given on labor inclusion, the value of differences, human rights, discrimination and sexual diversity.In order to strengthen this awareness in the company, this year Viva implemented the Pride Viva tour, which consists of a visit to the 5 operating bases at Cancun, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana, to carry out activities that make the benefits of being a diverse airline visible."At Viva Aerobus we will continue working to benefit respect for diversity inside and outside the company, since we understand inclusion as an engine of innovation, growth and development," said Walfred Castro.



Site Map  Print this Page  Email Us  Top




remaining of

Thank you for supporting local, independent journalism! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.


A PTI photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): India has blamed China's actions of amassing a large number of troops close to the border and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) last year for the continuing military standoff in eastern Ladakh, and asserted that these acts were in violation of Sino-India bilateral agreements.



India's strong comments on the border row came a day after China said its military deployment in the region is a normal defence arrangement aimed at "preventing and responding" to "encroachment and threat" on Chinese territory by "relevant country".



"It is well recognised that it has been the Chinese actions over the last year, including amassing of a large number of troops close to border areas in the western sector and trying to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC, which have seriously disturbed peace and tranquillity in the border areas," external affairs ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing.



"These acts are in violation of our bilateral agreements, including the 1993 and 1996 agreements that mandate that the two sides shall strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and that two sides will keep their military forces in the areas along the LAC to a minimum level," Bagchi said.



He was responding to a question on Thursday on the comments made by Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday that the military deployment by China in the western sector along the border is a "normal defence arrangement.



"China's military deployment along the western section of the China-India border is a normal defence arrangement aimed at preventing and responding to encroachment and threat on China's territory by relevant country," he said.



Zhao made these comments when asked about External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's recent remarks that the issue relating to the border row is whether Beijing would live up to its written commitments about not deploying a large armed force along the frontier.



Asked when the next round of diplomatic talks under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) will take place, Bagchi said he does not have an update on it.



India and China were locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year. However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.



The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points. India has been particularly pressing for disengagement of troops in Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang.



According to military officials, each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control in the sensitive sector.



There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach on it at the 11th round of military talks.



Last month, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said that there can be no de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh and that the Indian Army is prepared for all contingencies in the region.



Gen Naravane also said that India is dealing with China in a "firm" and "non-escalatory" manner to ensure the sanctity of its claims in eastern Ladakh, and that it was even open to initiating confidence-building measures.




Defence Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at Karwar Naval Base on 24 June 2021 and received by Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, CinC Western Naval Command alongwith Rear Adm Mahesh Singh, FOK. Defence Minister will review the progress of ongoing infra development work through Project Seabird. A PTI Photo

KARWAR, KARNATAKA (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the naval base being developed here under "Project Seabird" should be Asia's biggest, and he would try to get budget allocation enhanced for it, if required.



He also said India should aim to be among one of the top three naval powers in the world in the next 10-12 years time.



"I had a curiosity before visiting Project Seabird to see and understand it...I'm happy seeing Karwar closely and can say that my confidence level has increased towards this naval base," Singh said.



Addressing the Indian Navy officers and sailors, he said, with the completion of the project, not only India's defence preparedness will be strengthened, but also the country's trade, economy and the humanitarian assistance that it provides will also get more strength.



"It is said that this will become India's largest naval base, but I have said not only India's, our wish is that this should become Asia's biggest naval base, and I will try to get budget allocation increased if required for this," he added.



Singh, accompanied by Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Karambir Singh, undertook an aerial survey of project area and sites, prior to arriving at INS Kadamba Helipad here.



Stating that during the aerial survey of the project, he could see its future, the Defence Minister said, the future of this naval base is "very bright" and the credit for this has to go to the officers and sailors.



"I have also seen the country's first sealift facility, which will improve our maintenance compared to earlier...so I say this naval base is different from the rest," he said.



Noting that India's strength is growing, Singh said, "..India is now among the five major naval powers in the world, we should aim to be among the top three in the next ten to twelve years."



Indian Navy's contribution in maritime and national security is immense, Singh said.



Not only him, but those with the knowledge on security-related issues are of the view that the Navy will play the most important role in the country's security in the future, he added.



Citing the role played by the navy in the past like the liberation of Goa, and India-Pakistan wars, among others, he said there is Navy's role in improving diplomatic relations and recalled the service rendered by it during the COVID pandemic, which has gained appreciation from other countries too.



"Some countries have come close to us, it is because of you," he said, adding, in this way not only as a defence power, the Navy has also safeguarded the country's global interests.



Highlighting the Navy's role in improving trade and cultural ties with other countries, Singh said, "we have 7,500 km of coastline, 1,100 islands, 25 lakh sq km of exclusive economic zones that can play an important role in the development of the world with the help of our capabilities and capacity."



"Sometimes we forget our own capability in front of other global powers.....with courage we can achieve things, victory can be achieved during a fight with courage and not only because of ammunition."



"You might have seen, we have proved it (victory with courage).. this time, I don't want to take any names, you are aware of it, it is in our defence forces," he said.



Noting the Navy's role in maintaining peace and development in the Indian Ocean Region, and in realising the PM's vision of 'SAGAR' (Security & Growth for All in Region), Singh said, at the time when economic and political relations are fast changing, there is a need for Indian Navy to be strengthened further.



"We have to be prepared for the future, we will have to improve our capacity and capability," he said.



There are no shortcomings in mutual coordination between the country's tri-services, "but we have thought about further improving it." Singh said that the Defence Ministry is also taking up certain reforms.



Speaking on self-reliance in the defence sector, he said 64 per cent of the capital procurement budget will only be for domestic procurement and several changes have been made in the defence acquisition procedure.



As many as 46 out of 48 ships and submarines being procured are being built in Indian shipyards, Singh said, adding, Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, INS Vikrant will be completed soon and is likely to be commissioned as the country completes 75 years of Independence.



The Defence Minister is also scheduled to visit Kochi to review the progress of construction of the indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) there.


Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 90F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Mostly sunny early then increasing cloudiness later in the day. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Today

Intervals of clouds and sunshine in the morning with more clouds for later in the day. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunshine in the morning followed by mostly cloudy skies during the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
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.
Dakota graduated from Bret Harte in 2013 and went to Davidson College, NC where she earned a bachelor's degree in Arab studies. After spending time studying in the Middle East and Europe, she is happy to be home, writing about the community she loves.

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.
While the owning of enslaved people was legal in the colony and the state of Maryland during both Pacas and Carrolls lives, there were many, even among the slaveholding elite, who had begun to express doubts about the morality of slaveholding during that era, Schatzel wrote.
In a news release, prosecutors said U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake handed down the sentence to Ronald M. Smith, 47, of Elkton, who could have faced up to 20 years in prison. In addition to his prison time, Smith, who pleaded guilty for the federal charge of extortion under color of official right for misuse of his authority as a public employee, will also have two years of supervised release.
MLA may see an increase in this percentage with the eviction moratorium coming to an end and the financial fallout from the pandemic, Cheatham wrote. As such, MLAs staff, together with MLAs funding and strategic partners, stand ready to serve the civil legal needs of Marylands poor, through both brief advice and counseling as well as extended representation.
Increasing the size of this grant program is a cost-effective and wise investment of public funds that will engage more of our residents, grow our nonprofit sector, and provide services that enrich the lives of our people, said County Executive Steuart Pittman in a press release.
Police said Bonoras 2011 Nissan SUV was missing. Officers reported finding her car occupied hours later near Spa Road and Forest Drive. Police say they tried to stop the driver, but the driver fled. A police chase followed and ended when the driver crashed into a tractor-trailer in Prince Georges County.
When the father of the child arrived at the Y, he saw the child sitting on Dominicks lap and quickly removed his child from the care of Mr. Dominick and reported the incident to staff at the gym, police said. The incident was then reported to the Department of Social Services, which referred it to the Anne Arundel County Child Abuse unit for investigation.
Investigators did not find extraterrestrial links in reviewing 144 sightings of aircraft or other devices apparently flying at mysterious speeds or trajectories. But they drew few other conclusions and instead highlighted the need for better data collection about whats increasingly seen by Democrats and Republicans as a national security concern. In all but one of the sightings investigated, there was too little information for investigators to even broadly characterize the nature of the incident.
If you are old enough to remember the hit comedy movie of 1980, Caddy Shack, then you will recall that a gopher infestation was threatening a golf course in Nebraska. The somewhat deranged groundskeeper was tasked with getting rid of the pest. His efforts at eradication include shooting, f
Over the 75-year life of the agreement, having already profited by $500 million, CPM has achieved and will have achieved an extraordinary rate of return on its original $1.16 billion investment, at the expense of consumers ... who prefer other uses of the transportation grid on which this windfall profit depends, the lawsuit alleges.
Will it work? I certainly hope so, although experience and a number of crime experts tell me that crime statistics have a frustrating habit of operating largely independent of the best intentions. The debate goes on, for example, as to exactly why crime dropped nationally in the mid-1990s. If politicians had the definitive answer to reducing crime, theyd all do it.
The classes in the districts 100% remote program  which will include asynchronous time for screen and movement breaks  will be taught by CPS teachers, and will allow students to retain their seat in the CPS school they would have attended in the fall of 2021 for as long as they are enrolled in the Virtual Academy, officials said.
There is no historical hand-holding here, however, rather breadcrumbs that lead to unavoidable conclusions about Sara and Lejla's lives. And while readers unfamiliar with the war or the region may miss out on some of those insights, the main messages in this unmissable novel are clear: Ethnic violence tore apart not just a nation, but families and friends, and just because the fighting has stopped doesn't mean that peace can be easily achieved.
Put the phone down and get outside: Everyone has spent a lot of time indoors over the past year so its time to get outside for a unique adventure. Explore a 300-acre outdoor adventure park featuring the longest and tallest ziplines in the area, rope towers, biking, running, and walking trails as well as outdoor recreation programs and kids activities. The Forge at Lemont Quarries, 1001 N. Main St., Lemont, park closes early June 26, passes $15 and up at forgeparks.com
Instead the exhibition, which is part of DPAMs multi-year Latinx Initiative, is concerned with examining and ultimately righting structural wrongs, the kind perpetrated by major American museums, whose collections, according to a 2018 survey, contain just 2.8% of work by artists of Latinx heritage, despite the fact that Latinx people make up 18.5% of the U.S. population. LatinXAmerican is basically a collections show, drawn from the holdings of DPAM, but one that takes a critical look at what isnt there as much as what is, temporarily plugging those holes with works made by some of the most exciting artists of today, many of them Chicagoans.
Noah Bierman

Noah Bierman covers the White House in Washington, D.C., for the Los Angeles Times. He previously wrote for the papers national desk. Before joining the newspaper in 2015, he worked for the Boston Globe in both Boston and Washington, covering Congress, politics and transportation. He has also reported on higher education, crime, politics and local government for the Miami Herald, the Palm Beach Post and the Duluth (Minn.) News-Tribune. Bierman is a native of Miami who attended Duke University.
In Minnesota, the presumptive sentence for second-degree unintentional murder for someone with no criminal record like Chauvin is 12 1/2 years, and the judge could sentence Chauvin to up to 15 years while staying within the guidelines. But Judge Peter Cahill has already found that there are aggravating factors that would allow him to go above the states sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence, while Chauvins defense has asked for probation.
In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the states most populous communities.
It was an incident that underscored the political no-win situation for Harris, taking on an intractable problem thats bedeviled past administrations and been used by both parties to drive wedges and turnout during campaign season. If Biden chooses not to run for a second term, Harris will be seen as the leading contender to replace him, and the immigration issue could become either a chance to showcase her accomplishments or an albatross.
Trumps lawyers met Thursday with senior prosecutors in the district attorneys office in hopes of persuading them to abandon any plan to charge the company, according to several people familiar with the meeting. Such meetings are routine in white-collar criminal investigations, and it is unclear whether the prosecutors have made a final decision on whether to charge the Trump Organization, which has long denied wrongdoing.
The fair, set for July 14-18, is to feature a Bengal Tiger Encounter, as it has in years past. Residents have been calling the county to oppose the show. They complain that its dangerous and inhumane to keep the wild animals in captivity and force them to perform tricks. The sponsors say the show is educational, and they treat their animals well.
There will also be a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Woodridge site. The Pfizer vaccine is available to people 12 years or older while the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is available for those 18 and older. No appointment is necessary.
Were also just so appreciative of the support and kind words from friends, family and strangers who have helped support us with their words and with the GoFundMe page. Were very, very grateful, he said. It truly is a testament to Katie, on her impact in the community and all of her friendships.
Hopefully the worst of the pandemic is behind us, but there are certainly things that have not recovered, she said. Its not just going to be like on the turn of a switch that those relationships are kind of reestablished. I think theres just a lot of work that needs to be done to address the trauma that everyone has been through over the past year.
By law, a defendants choice about whether to testify in his own trial belongs entirely to him. His lawyers can advise, but the final decision is up to the defendant. The judge will ask each defendant if he wants to testify, and makes sure he knows it is his decision alone.
He claimed that he tried to pump himself up for the crime, but as he opened the door he got a feeling to not do it and left, according to the complaint. When agents confronted him with surveillance evidence from some of the other robberies, Medellin said the photographs were not of him and denied involvement.
Several hours later, Woods was part of another large group that had stormed past metal barricades into a media staging area on the Capitol grounds, forcing reporters and cameramen to flee, according to the complaint. Woods could be seen in videos and images captured at the scene climbing over a toppled fence, picking up and tossing cameras and other equipment that had been left behind, the complaint alleged.
Before the pandemic, liquor stores in Chicago were allowed to sell most types of alcohol until 2 a.m. or later. There have been efforts in recent years by some aldermen concerned about violence and loitering near liquor stores to set earlier hours, but those proposals have not gained much traction.
The City Council was set to approve Lightfoots pick to lead the city Law Department, which among other things is responsible for defending the city government against lawsuits. It was to be a perfunctory vote, but the conversation turned to the city law departments treatment of Chicago social worker Anjanette Young, who is now suing the city after police raided her home in error.
Under the latest round of federal coronavirus recovery funding, Cook County was awarded the package, half of which has arrived in coffers already, to be used by the end of 2024 for public health, economic growth, infrastructure, revenue loss and more. Preckwinkles legislation would give her budget director latitude to move any American Rescue Plan Act funds under $1 million; beyond that, the director would need approval from Preckwinkles chief financial officer, according to the language, which gives a deadline of Dec. 31 for the enhanced powers.
Im proud of our record of good working relationships with our labor unions for a decade, she said, noting the county settled on a contract with another union that did not strike. We, of course, regret that theres a strike today by the nurses. Were hopeful that well continue our negotiations with both the nurses and SEIU regardless of what transpires over the next two days.
Held every two years and separate from the annual sale of tax-delinquent properties, it has resulted in a glut of low-value properties with little chance of sale concentrated in south suburban communities of color. Properties with three or more years of unpaid taxes, and which are not sold at the annual delinquent tax sale, go to the biennial scavenger sale.
Fish then dismissed the jurors and asked the attorneys what they thought they could do to help them get through. Deputy Prosecutor Armando Salinas said he was at a loss and wasnt clear on what they didnt understand; defense co-counsel John Cantrell said he didnt think they could give anything other than supplemental instruction.
"Spectacle," an immersive, futuristic and experimental theatrical drama, premiered in Dali, Yunnan province, on June 19. The show is a unique blend of drama, music, visuals, arts and games.



The dazzling theatrical play, crafted over four years by its creative team, debuted at the Transformer Theatre as part of the Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) Group's 2021 Culture and Tourism Festival. More than 500 themed activities and 500 culture and tourism products are being launched across China until Oct. 31, with several tourist enterprises from Yunnan joining in.

The Transformer Theatre, once an old electricity transformer plant in Dali Old Town, aims to connect and integrate the past, present and future in its industrial space.

"Spectacle" tells the story of a mysterious scientist named Turing who holds grand parties every night to upgrade an android he has created. "The show has an awareness of the zeitgeist and reflects the contemporary scenarios in which urban people are often trapped in technologies. They are struggling and confused. The show asks questions to the audience and leads them to think about questions and truth. We want them to make a reconciliation with themselves, described Yang Le, the general director of the show.

He added that the show made him feel that young people are actually "taking over our world." Many of the cast members and creative team were born after the 1990s. "The show is a drama facing the future," Yang noted.

The story has not the only futuristic aspect. Artist Fei Jun, a professor of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and the art director of the show, led ten young artists to create pioneering art installments as part of the show, demonstrating mechanical arms, artificial intelligence, data visualization scenes, R&D spaces and more.

Architect Zhang Jiyuan who worked on the show was thrilled to see the show materialize at a building which had grown out of its former ruins to become a fashionable landmark. "This was my first time trying to do a cross-industry creation connecting architecture, science and technology and drama. I hope to understand the city's imagination through this project."

Artist Qiu Yu also weighed in, "'Spectacle' is not only a drama, but also an experience of art and technology. It is a reflection on technology and life by artists."

The local government is trying to build a trendy location for young artists and the contemporary arts. They hope the place will become a new local landmark in Dali appealing to tourists from all over the world. They hope creative cultural tourism can become a new industry trend as cultural tourism recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Gao Jieyu, executive director of the show, said she was inspired by an article in a magazine discussing Dali's "new culture," and said she had found the answers about what young people are looking for. "They want a big party, and they can find it in 'Spectacle'."
While mental health vulnerability was known to be associated with criminal justice system contact in adulthood and adolescence, a study unveiled on Wednesday found this association could extend to early childhood.

The study, led by researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), used data from the NSW Child Development Study, which included 79,000 children (50.9 pct boys and 49.1 pct girls), and the observation period of the study spanned over eight years, from when a child entered full-time schooling (aged five years on average) until they turned 13 years of age.

The results showed that 9,841 children had at least one contact with police after school entry, and almost one-third of them were found to have at least one emotional or behavioural problem at school entry, with the incidence rate being twice that of children without such problems.

"We know that people with mental health problems are more likely to have contact with the criminal justice system in adulthood and adolescence, but this study indicates that the association can begin much earlier in life," said lead author Professor Kimberlie Dean, Chair of Forensic Mental Health and Acting Head of the School of Psychiatry at UNSW Medicine and Health.

The finding suggested that prevention of poor outcomes, including repeated contact with the criminal justice system, relied on the identification of vulnerability early in life and at the start of such contact.

"There might also be opportunities to identify vulnerable children and families when a child experiences their first early contact with police. It raises a flag that early intervention may be warranted," Dean explained.

The study also revealed that contact with police as a survivor of crime was the most common reason for first police contact, followed by contact as a person of interest and contact as a witness, and incidence rates of police contact were higher for boys than girls for contact as a person of interest.

While researchers said the strength of the study is in the large and representative cohort, they acknowledged limitations to the research and the extent to which the findings were generalisable to other jurisdictions, within Australia and beyond, is uncertain.

Relevant research paper was published in JAMA Network Open.
In the narrow alleys of an old neighborhood in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, painters were drawing beautiful murals in bright colors on the dilapidated walls to give joy, pleasure, and hope to people of the war-torn country.



Ali Khalifa, 29, along with his five-member group named "Butterfly Effect" was busy in drawing paintings to depict life in Baghdad and its cultural heritage on the decrepit buildings in al-Anbariyen slum in Baghdad's northern district of al-Kadhimiya.

Khalifa used to work on repairing and painting houses to support his family. The idea of forming the voluntary group came around three years ago when he volunteered to draw some paintings to decorate fences of a school and a kindergarten.

"I drew some murals to delight people and received incredible encouragement from them. Only then the idea of forming a group came to my mind," Khalifa told Xinhua.

Khalifa was inspired by the concept "Butterfly Effect" that a butterfly flapping its wings can later cause a tornado. The name is a symbol of their painting work to give joy and hope to others, as Khalifa believes that small causes can have large effects.

About a month ago, the "butterfly" fluttered again in the al-Anbariyen slum. Khalifa's group was hired to repair and paint an old house for a poor family. The group decided to paint the house and decorate it with some murals for free.

"I saw interest and happiness in the eyes of the family members and their neighbors. We finally decided to continue our volunteering work on the dilapidated walls of the alley and nearby alleys," Khalifa said.

One month later, red, yellow, green, and blue covered the drab facades of many decrepit houses. Colorful landscapes, children playing in the streets, and other images depicting Baghdad's cultural heritage began to appear throughout the slum.

"We have been drawing paintings on walls to make the neighborhood a better place for living, and many people encouraged us to continue despite the absence of outside funding from any government or non-governmental organizations," Khalifa said.

The group members are used to paying out of their own pockets to buy the pigments and brushes, merely receiving a modicum of donations from the poor residents who also provide meals and other encouraging initiatives.

Amir al-Jubouri, an al-Anbariyen resident, was happy with the group's initiative, saying that "painting the drab walls of the old alleys was a positive act that added joy and pleasure to the atmosphere of the neighborhood."

"The Butterfly Effect move has created an interactive atmosphere in our neighborhood and inspired life full of hope among the residents who are now expecting people from other areas of Baghdad to roam the old alleys, see paintings and take souvenir photos," al-Jubouri added.
The African Telecommunications Union (ATU), a specialized agency of the African Union (AU) and China's technology firm, Huawei on Thursday in Nairobi signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost capacity for ICT transformation in the continent.



John Omo, ATU secretary-general said under the agreement, Huawei will provide training on skills development, including reskilling and upskilling for ATU member states.

"The MoU will also see the two organizations collaborate to support local innovation, share information on latest trends, challenges and solutions in Africa and globally, and expand the digital economy as well as rural connectivity, in the continent, through furthering research," Omo said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

Omo noted that Huawei has transformed connectivity and made a major contribution to the continent through its investments in digital infrastructure, ICT skills, environmentally-friendly connectivity solutions, and cutting-edge technologies for rural areas.

Samuel Chen, vice president at Huawei Southern Africa region lauded the ATU for leadership and promotion of ICTs in Africa.

"The ATU is playing a critical role in the region supporting member countries with their policies and strategies, sharing best practices, building capacity and driving innovation and we are delighted to be able to support them," Chen said.

The Huawei official noted that his organization has connected hundreds of millions of Africans to secure, high-speed broadband and cloud solutions in the last two decades and earned the trust and support of customers and regulators.
China firmly opposes any form of official exchanges and military contacts between the United States and Taiwan, said a Chinese military spokesperson on Thursday.

China firmly opposes the United States using issues related to Taiwan as a means to contain China, said Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, at a press conference.

Ren also expressed resolute opposition to the Taiwan authority relying on U.S. support and resisting reunification across the Taiwan Strait with force.

Ren urged the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques and sever any form of military contacts with Taiwan.

Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority should be aware that the future of Taiwan lies in the national reunification and the welfare of the Taiwan compatriots lies in the national rejuvenation, Ren said.

"Any attempts to seek 'Taiwan independence' with the support of the United States are doomed to fail," he said.

The recent military drills conducted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) around the Taiwan Strait were necessary moves regarding the current security situation in the Strait and for safeguarding national sovereignty, he said.

The PLA will firmly fulfill its duty of safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as defending national security, he said.
You are here: China

China has started building a monitoring station as part of a network to study space weather, according to China's National Space Science Center (NSSC).

The NSSC, which is affiliated to Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the station is being built in Siziwang Banner, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Spread over 400 mu (about 26.67 hectares), it is expected to be completed in 2023.

The station will use large-scale high-frequency radar array as the main detection equipment, and integrate various detection means such as radio radar, active and passive optics, cosmic rays and geomagnetic field.

It will provide real-time monitoring capability for ionosphere, middle and upper atmosphere, cosmic rays and geomagnetic field disturbance in north China, the NSSC added.

The station belongs to Ground-based Space Environment Monitoring Network, which will deepen scientists' understanding of the formation of space weather events, and provide scientific and data support for reducing the impact of disastrous space weather events.

Space weather includes changes in the space environment such as solar flares, magnetic storms and auroral activities. It affects the operation of aerospace, communication and navigation systems.
China's Central Military Commission Thursday launched a workshop on the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to celebrate the Party's centenary.

The workshop aimed to review the history of how the CPC forged and led the people's army and the achievements and experiences gained during this process, the commission said in a statement.

Through learning the Party history, the armed forces will consolidate their will to follow the Party's command and strengthen themselves, the statement said.

Efforts should be made to better understand the history of the Party and the military, carry on fine traditions, and remember the original aspiration and mission, it said.

Leading officials should also set the example in learning the Party's history and strengthening their political faith and capacity, the statement said.
 Flash

A Chinese envoy on Thursday called for international efforts to put an end to colonialism and expounded China's position on the Malvinas Islands.

The question of the Malvinas Islands, also known as the Falklands, is essentially a legacy of colonialism, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

Colonialism has brought great suffering to the world and left an extremely disgraceful page in human history. Today in the 21st century, long gone are the days when Western colonialists had free rein. However, in international relations, colonial thinking, power politics, and bullying, which share the origin with colonialism, are still manifested in various forms, seriously impacting the normal international order and severely undermining the sovereignty, security, and development rights of countries concerned, as well as their political, economic, and social stability, he said.

"The international community must remain highly vigilant about this," he told a session of the UN Special Committee on Decolonization.

This year marks the first year of the Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. The international community should continue to take necessary measures to uphold fairness and justice, ensure that all forms and manifestations of colonialism are genuinely put to an end and promote the decolonization process of the 17 UN non-self-governing territories, including the Malvinas Islands, said Geng.

Britain and other administering powers should earnestly fulfill their international obligations in accordance with relevant UN resolutions and protect the legitimate rights of the people of the non-self-governing territories, he said.

China's position on the question of the Malvinas Islands has been consistent. It firmly supports Argentina's sovereignty claim on the Malvinas Islands, he said. "China has always maintained that territorial disputes between countries should be resolved through peaceful negotiations in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. We hope Britain will actively respond to Argentina's request, start dialogue and negotiations as soon as possible with a view to finding a peaceful, just and lasting solution in accordance with relevant UN resolutions."
 Flash

At least ten Kenyan soldiers were killed while 13 others sustained injuries after a military aircraft crashed while landing in Kajiado county near the capital Nairobi on Thursday, an official said.

Morekwa Morang'a, the area government administrator, said the injured were airlifted to the military hospital in Nairobi for specialized treatment.

Morang'a said a large whirlwind occurred for a few minutes as the Kenya Air Force Mi 171 E helicopter, which was on its regular and normal exercises, prepared to land, causing the pilot not to see the ground.

The Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) spokesperson Zipporah Kioko confirmed that some of the military officers perished after a military chopper crashed at landing at Ol Tepesi area of Kajiado County.

"Regrettably, following the crash, we suffered casualties. The process of communicating with the families to relay the information and KDF condolences are underway," Kioko said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

Kioko, who did not provide the exact number of casualties, said the aircraft accident investigators are also at the crash site to establish the cause of the early morning accident.
 Flash

China's economic progress since the commencement of its reform and opening-up in 1978 gives hope to every developing nation that if China can do it, so can we. A 2019 report by Switzerland-based financial services company Credit Suisse Group said that China was this century's champion in wealth creation and the figures it cites are truly amazing. Having successfully cushioned the impact of the global financial crisis of 2008-2009, unlike so many other nations, China has seen total household wealth rise from US$3.7 trillion in 2000 to US$63.8 trillion in 2018, an exponential 17-fold increment. China's transformation from a largely agricultural society into a technologically advanced economy  the world's second largest  has lifted hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty and created a large middle class that is ascending even higher to upper middle-class status.

According to the China Power Project of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in 2000, China's middle class amounted to 39.1 million people (just 3.1 percent of its population), but by 2020 this number had soared to more than 400 million. China has even overtaken the United States as the country with the highest number of residents in the top 10 percent of the world's wealth according to Credit Suisse Group's 2019 Global Wealth Report. China, of course, has gone far beyond just creating wealth: Using the World Bank indicator of extreme poverty of people living on less than US$1.9 a day, global poverty has declined from 36 percent of the global population (1.9 billion people) in 1990 to about 8.7 percent (669 million people) in 2018. China, however, was responsible for over 60 percent of this decrease.

How did China pull off this economic miracle? Hundreds of books and thousands of articles have been devoted to this subject, but on my many trips to China over the past decades I have learned about China's development and have seen for myself how China has emerged economically so dramatically. China's reform and opening-up drive began by concentrating on revitalizing the agricultural sector, the largest part of the economy at that point. Then China started to create special economic zones in its coastal areas to encourage labor-intensive manufacturing, taking advantage of its cheap and abundant labor supply. During the following years, China gradually became the workshop of the world.

Next, allocating plentiful credit through state owned institutions, the economic model of the special economic zones was spread across the country and China began to move up the value chain by investing in higher education and training so that low-cost labor would not be its only advantage. High-speed trains, highways, and other infrastructure soon followed. More and more foreign companies came to invest in China and China also began to invest abroad. By 2001 when China entered the World Trade Organization, it had become a global economic player. Skillful management allowed the country to successfully circumvent the damaging fallout of the 2008-2009 financial crisis brought on by the dubious practices of Western financial institutions. From this position of strength China started to invest massively in the technologies of the future such as artificial intelligence, solar power, and biotechnology. In just one generation, China has moved from a minor actor in the global economic arena to the second largest economy, with many analysts believing it will eventually overtake the United States.

There are many lessons for Africa in this story of incredible development but perhaps the major one is realizing the strengths of your real assets and then build an economy around them. As we say in Africa, "He who has no pond should not breed crocodiles." Labor was China's primary asset when it began its ascent, and a young and growing workforce is Africa's great advantage now. Sub-Saharan Africa has a total population of 800 million today and by the end of this century estimates are that Africa will account for over a third of the world's population. And it is a young population, too  approximately 75 percent are under the age of 30 according to reports from the United Nations Development Program. Agricultural reforms started the Chinese advance and agriculture has the potential to become an even greater African asset so that Africa can feed itself and export to the world. To move forward we also need infrastructure investment especially in areas like electricity generation and transmission and transportation to get our goods to market. I have seen in China how ubiquitous are cell phones. The Chinese use them in so many ways that cash is beginning to become obsolete. Using mobile technology can leapfrog many old technologies. Here, Africa is on par with others in the world. Mobile phones are more than a communication device; they are a mobile computer. The number of mobile phone users in Africa has doubled since 2010 and new 4G networks are appearing to service more than 250 million devices. Young people using mobile technology will be Africa's future.

Wealth creation came first in China, but now equitable distribution is the goal, and for this China should be praised. Using the extreme poverty benchmark of the World Bank of people living on less than US$1.9 a day, China has eliminated extreme poverty right before the CPC's centenary. Of course, there is still much to do: like countries around the world China has wide and growing disparities between the wealthy and the poor. But China's achievement in eliminating extreme poverty in a time span of several decades is very impressive and it is a goal that all developing nations should do their best to achieve.

This achievement in poverty reduction did not come naturally just as a welcome result of China's steady economic growth. It took dedicated action and targeted measures aimed especially at the rural poor. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also the General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, has personally led the country's efforts in poverty alleviation and crafted the guiding strategy for the national campaign. The whole country has been mobilized and huge investment has been made with creative and locally-tailored measures rolled out to achieve the goal. China developed a rural subsistence allowance system covering all rural population, ensuring their basic living standard. Many politicians in countries around the world over the years have declared "war against poverty." China is the one that has gained a victory.

Wealth must be created before it can be distributed, but once nations have acquired significant resources, the poor must not be forgotten and much of the bounty should go to ensure that all can have a productive life. Under the leadership of the CPC, China has inspired the developing world with its success in building an advanced economy in only a generation. In Africa we will take its lessons to heart by investing in our people, starting with the agriculture sector, and moving on to build an economy propelled by our young people equipped with the latest technology. But that is only part of the China story  the poorest have not been forgotten and special and massive efforts have been made to assist rural households. We share this ethic in Africa, too, for as one of our proverbs says, "A friend is someone you share the path with."

Olusegun Obasanjo is former President of Nigeria and co-chair of the InterAction Council.
Vinton, IA (52349)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 91F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.
According to Stratistics MRC, the Metal Chelates Market is accounted for $425.23 million in 2017 and is expected to reach $981.54 million by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 9.7% during the forecast period. The factors driving the market growth are an expansion in increasing demand for high yield from crop production and rising awareness about nutrient deficiencies in crops. However, poor impact of non-biodegradable is restraining the market.

Request For Report Sample@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/11321

Metal chelates are the type of compounds in which a metal ion is bonded to an anion at more than one attachment sites. Chelation is a naturally occurring process to prevent the absorbed nutrients from precipitating. Organic substances which are present in the soil and produced by microorganisms are natural chelating agents.

Based on crop type, the fruits and vegetable segment is expected to display a significant rise in the market during the forecast period. Increasing demand for fruits & vegetables and their sensitivity towards nutrients is driving the demand for this market. By Geography, Asia Pacific in the global scenario has a positive impact on the market due to rising demand for food products. Countries such as China, India and Australia are increasing in the purchasing power of the population.

Some of the key players in Metal Chelates market include BASF SE, Akzo Nobel N.V., Aries Agro Limited, Deretil Agronutritional, Haifa Chemicals Ltd., Nufarm Limited, Protex International, Syngenta AG, Valagro SPA, Van Iperen International.

Types Covered:

 Secondary Nutrients

 Primary Nutrients

 Micronutrients

 Other Types

Applications Covered:

 Cereal

 Fertigation

 Foliar

 Rapeseed, Beans

 Soil

 Other Mode of Applications

Get Complete TOC with Tables and Figures@ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/11321

Crop Types Covered:

 Cereals & Grains

 Fruits & Vegetables

 Oilseeds & Pulses

 Other Crop Types

End-Users Covered:

 Water treatment

 Industrial and household

 Feed

 Agriculture

 Other End Users

Regions Covered:

 North America

o US

o Canada

o Mexico

 Europe

o Germany

o UK

o Italy

o France

o Spain

o Rest of Europe

 Asia Pacific

o Japan

o China

o India

o Australia

o New Zealand

o South Korea

o Rest of Asia Pacific

 South America

o Argentina

o Brazil

o Chile

o Rest of South America

 Middle East & Africa

o Saudi Arabia

o UAE

o Qatar

o South Africa

o Rest of Middle East & Africa

What our report offers:

 Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

 Market share analysis of the top industry players

 Strategic recommendations for the new entrants

 Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub-segments, and the regional markets

 Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

 Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations

 Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends

 Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments

 Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

<<< Get COVID-19 Report Analysis >>> https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/covid-19-analysis/11321

Free Customization Offerings:

All the customers of this report will be entitled to receive one of the following free customization options:

 Company Profiling

o Comprehensive profiling of additional market players (up to 3)

o SWOT Analysis of key players (up to 3)

 Regional Segmentation

o Market estimations, Forecasts and CAGR of any prominent country as per the clients interest (Note: Depends on feasibility check)

 Competitive Benchmarking

o Benchmarking of key players based on product portfolio, geographical presence, and strategic alliances

You can Buy This Report from Here @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/11321/Single
Market Research Future Published a Half Cooked Research Report on Global Waterborne Coating Additives Research Report.

Market Scenario

Waterborne coating additives are added to improve the rheological properties of water-based coatings. They serve various functions such as wetting & dispersion, defoaming, surfactant, deaeration, hydrophobic agent, and rheological improver among other. The stringent regulation by E.P.A and REACH against the use of solvent based coatings, is expected to be the major driver to the growth of waterborne coating additives market during the forecast period.

Free Sample @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5892

Competitive Analysis

Some of the key players of global waterborne coating additives market are Akzo Nobel NV (Netherlands), Allnex group (China), BASF SE (Germany), BELAMI FINE CHEMICALS PVT. LTD.(India), ALTANA (Germany), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), Dow Corning Corporation (U.S.), Falcon Technologies Inc. (U.S.), Harmony Additive Pvt. Ltd. (India), and UL LLC (U.S).

Market Segmentation

The Global Waterborne Coating Additives Market is segmented based on product type, end-use industry, and region.

On the basis of the product type, the global waterborne coating additives market is segmented into wetting agent & dispersing agent, defoamers, surface control additives, deaerators, rheology modifier, hydrophobic agents, and others. Wetting & dispersion agents market is estimated to be the largest market due to high requirement for dispersing and wetting of resins and pigments in paints & coating industry and is expected to continue dominance over the forecast period. Other product types are also expected to show significant demand due to varied application in construction, automotive, and, the packaging industry.

On the basis of the end-use industry, the global waterborne coating additives market is segmented into building & construction, automotive, packaging, and others. Building and construction industry is expected to have the major market share of waterborne coating additives due to high consumption of paints & coatings. Automotive industry is also expected to show rising demand over the forecast period due to strong automotive industry particularly in Europe and China of Asia Pacific region.

Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/waterborne-coating-additives-market-5892

Regional Analysis

The global waterborne coating additives market is spanned across five regions namely Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to have the major market share of waterborne coating additives in terms of market size. North America and Europe markets are relatively mature and expected to show steady demand in the forecast period. Middle East and Africa is expected to show rising demand during the forecast period from growing construction industry of Middle East. Latin America is also expected to join hand with other regions and is expected to show rising demand from construction industry.
Global Access Control System Industry: Set to Witness Huge Growth by 2028

The global access control system market size is expected to reach USD 15.62 billion by 2027 according to a new study by Polaris Market Research. The report Access Control System Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report, By Type [Hardware (Card-based Readers, Biometric Readers, Multi-technology Readers, Electronic Locks, Controllers, Others), Software (Visitor Management System, Other), Services (Installation & Integration, Support & Maintenance); By End Use; By Regions; Segment Forecast, 2020  2027 gives a detailed insight into current market dynamics and provides analysis on future market growth.

The shift from key-based to keyless Access Control System has eliminated the stress associated with key-dependent access systems, such as keys misplacement, etc. It has, furthermore, enhanced the end-user experience, as these systems are comparatively more efficient, faster processing power, and multitude options for unlocking doors (RFID, biometric, keypad, and key, all in one access system to eliminate the dependence on one type of access system), and remote accessibility.

Owing to such features, Access Control System are now widely installed across several industries, and the market, globally, is furthermore expected to witness impelling growth during the forecast period as well. Moreover, the desired need for enhanced security, living standards, and spending capability of the population are furthermore expected to drive the market.

Request for sample Copy : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/access-control-system-market/request-for-sample

Finger-vein recognition technology requires finger scanning with the use of infrared sensor and a chargeable device, which highlighting unique finger pattern in a database aiming to reduce dummy finger issues providing high security and has found mass growth in sectors like attendance tracking, border control, etc.

Owing to the increasing burglaries in residential areas has led to the high demand for enhanced access systems. Besides this, increasing adoption of smartphones is observed, globally. Henceforth, the lack of presence of competition in the remote access control system market, in response to the increasing demand for remote access security from the end-users, poses a high growth opportunity for vendors planning on investing in the same.

Use of artificial intelligence and smart applications like biometrics and card-based access control system add value to business ensuring high-level security with enormous indirect data collection pertaining to the employees. High-security doors mounted with intelligent PACs are being installed in areas like server room racks and cabinets, this is expected to drive market growth.

Any Question! ask our industry expert : https://www.polarismarketresearch.com/industry-analysis/access-control-system-market/speak-to-analyst

Companies such as Honeywell International, Allegion, Avigilon, Bosch security, Johnson controls, 3M Cogent Inc., Accu-Time Systems Inc., Aware Inc., Bio-Key International Inc., Axis communications, Assa Abloy, United Technologies Corporation, Digital Persona Inc., IrisID Systems Inc., Morphotrak LLC, NEC Corporation, and Secugen Corporation are few key players operating in the Access Control System market.

Read More:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scaffold-technology-market-size-worth-2-22-billion-by-2028--cagr-9-1-polaris-market-research-301243229.html

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eosinophilic-esophagitis-drug-market-size-worth-189-7-million-by-2028--cagr-6-5-polaris-market-research-301244475.html

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/extracorporeal-membrane-oxygenation-machine-market-size-is-projected-to-reach-307-5-million-by-2028--polaris-market-research-301247186.html
Cell And Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Market Growth & Trends

The global cell and gene therapy clinical trials market size is expected to reach USD 45.4 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 22.3% from 2021 to 2028. Increasing funding, investments in research and development, and successful product launches are boosting the market growth.

Cell and gene therapies (CGTs) signify the next great movement of therapeutic innovation and have resulted in the development of promising therapies around the world. Although a few of the early therapies have got marketing approval in the U.S., there are numerous promising therapies in development across the world.

The market of cell and gene therapy has witnessed significant growth over the past few years with pharma firms partnering to create effective and accessible therapies for patients. As reported by PhRMA in 2019, there were 362 cell and gene therapies in clinical development in the U.S. representing a 20% increase from 2018. In addition, by the end of 2019, there were more than 1,000 cell and gene therapy clinical trials in the process including 452 gene-modified and cell-based immune-oncology, 352 gene therapies, 216 cell therapies, and 46 tissue engineering.

Besides, investment is rolling into companies of various types, ranging from startups to major acquisitions by significant biopharmaceutical companies. In 2019, 19 deals of M&A worth over USD 156 billion were completed. The largest of these was the acquisition of Celgene and its pipeline of numerous cell therapy assets by Bristol-Myers Squibb for USD 74 billion is expected to boost its participation in oncology treatments. Hence, representing a noteworthy increase since 2015, when M&A activities in these are totaled about USD 4 billion.

Request a free sample copy or view report summary: Cell And Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Market Report

Cell And Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Market Report Highlights

By phase, the phase II segment held the largest share of over 50.0% in 2020 owing to the large number of therapies currently in development in phase II

Based on indication, the oncology segment held the largest share of 47.0% in 2020 as oncology alone contributed to 600 CGT clinical trials out of around 1,000

North America dominated the global market with a share of 48.3% in 2020. This is largely attributed to a large number of clinical trial activities in the U.S. and favorable government support

The Asia Pacific region is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 23.1% over the forecast period owing to the increasing number of biotechnology companies focusing on CGTs

Access Press Release@ https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-cell-gene-therapy-clinical-trials-market

CGT Clinical Trials Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global cell and gene therapy clinical trials market based on phase, indication, and region:

CGT Clinical Trials Phase Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase IV

CGT Clinical Trials Indication Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

Oncology

Cardiology

CNS

Musculoskeletal

Infectious diseases

Dermatology

Endocrine, metabolic, genetic

Immunology & inflammation

Ophthalmology

Hematology

Gastroenterology

Others

CGT Clinical Trials Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028)

North America US. Canada

Europe UK. Germany France Italy Spain

Asia Pacific India Japan China Australia South Korea

Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Colombia

Middle East & Africa South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE



List of Key Players of Cell And Gene Therapy (CGT) Clinical Trials Market

IQVIA

ICON Plc

Covance

Charles River Laboratory

PAREXEL International Corporation

Syneos Health

Medpace Holdings, Inc.

Novartis

Novotech

Veristat, LLC

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.
USA, 25 June 2021 The online gambling industry is quite popular and is developing at a rapid pace. There are several improvements that individuals can observe in the gambling industry. The primary reason behind its huge popularity is the exciting pkv games. Thousands of gambling enthusiasts play several pkvgames, for example, Poker, DominoQQ, BandarQ, AduQ, Capsa Susun, Sakong, Baccarat War, Dice War, and much more. These gambling games contain simple rules and regulations, and all these games can help you to earn a huge amount of money within seconds. In Indonesia, many casino enthusiasts put all their pocket money into the gambling world to win more and more money in a short time. It isnt as easy as the beginners think to play all these games and win money because some expert gambling enthusiasts also use various tricks in the casino world. Every beginner bettor shouldnt be overconfident while playing any of these casino games because overconfidence can be a reason behind money loss.



There are so many Indonesian bettors who want to enjoy these betting games from the pkv server, and it isnt an easy task for all bettors to find the best situs pkv games because the online world is filled with both good casino sites and scam sites. A little mistake in the online world can be a major reason for money loss and data loss. It is suggested that bettors should check all the essential things in a gambling platform, for example, security, transaction system, customer service, and much more. PKV Mania is one trusted platform that is highly popular among all Indonesian bettors. This online platform is mainly designed to help bettors to find the best situs pkv games. A new betting enthusiast can also learn some essential steps that beginners need to follow on a new site. If needed, interested individuals can click here or visit our official website to know more about daftar pkv games.



The staff members of this platform recommended some of the best casino sites that bettors can use to play casino games securely. SEWAQQ is one example of the best sites on this platform that provides secured services to every betting enthusiast in Indonesia. This site is available round the clock for bettors to enjoy the casino games. Individuals must be over the age of 17 to play all these betting games without any hurdle. The registration process is quite simple, and if you face any hurdle regarding registration, and deposit or withdrawal, then you can learn everything steps by step on this site. Bettors get better customer support and secured transaction on this site. All the data will be safe for every customer on the best site. Better is to click here or visit our official website to know more about situs pkv games.





Website : http://pkvmania.com/
Market Highlights

Factors such as the increasing prevalence of heart diseases and rising therapeutics demand are estimated to drive the market growth during the forecast period. Additionally, advancements in diagnostic and treatment technologies boost the market. However, low awareness and lack of healthcare services in the middle and low-income countries are estimated to restrain the market growth during the projected period.

GET FREE SAMPLE @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5915

Coronary Stent Market Overview

Coronary stents are a small tube-like device that is placed into the coronary arteries of a patient in order to keep the arteries open in the coronary heart disease treatment and prevent the same from any kind of blockage. It is used for broadening the narrowed arteries and helps curb-down chest pain and the chances of heart attack. According to the recently published report by the team of Market Research Future (MRFR), the global coronary stent market is projected to grow at a rate of 7.8% during the review period.

The market is identified to be driven by a number of factors, including the wide-spread prevalence of heart-related diseases and a proliferating demand for diagnosis and treatment methods. Additionally, the growing availability of diagnostic services for coronary heart diseases is also pushing the growth of the market. A growing percentage of positive outcomes with stenting and the emergence of a number of advancing technologies in the coronary artery field is adding to the market growth of the device. It is also worth noting that alternative treatment methods for curing coronary artery diseases and a number of product recall cases are likely to hinder the market growth of coronary stents.

Coronary Stent Market Segmentation

Global coronary stent market segmentation is classified on the basis of mode of delivery, type, material, and end-user.

By type, the market segments into drug-eluting stents, bioabsorbable stents, and bare-metal stents.

By material, the market comprises cobalt chromium, metallic stents, stainless steels, platinum chromium, nickel titanium, and others.

By end-user, the market includes hospitals and clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, cardiac centers, and others.

By mode of delivery, the market divides into self-expanding and balloon-expandable stents.

Coronary Stent Market Regional Analysis

The regional analysis of the global

Coronary Stent Market share segments into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.

North America is the dominant region of the lot and is primarily driven by the surging patient population suffering from coronary heart diseases, an increasing pool of geriatric population, and growing investments in the healthcare sector. Latin America, on the other hand, is slated to be one of the fastest growing regional market owing to the rising demand for coronary heart disease treatment options and the availability of technologically advanced devices for diagnosis purposes.

With Germany and the UK being the major contributors, the European coronary stent market is expected to flourish in the forthcoming years. An increasing emphasis on the diagnosis and treatment of heart and other related diseases has majorly driven the market in this region. The increasing healthcare expenditure is another key contributor to the markets growth.

Asia-Pacific stands out as the fastest growing market amongst all the mentioned regions. This projection can be primarily attributed to the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and a rising focus on performing early diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases. The Middle East & African region is forecasted to exhibit a slow and steady rise in the growth ladder. The regional market is starting to show positive signs with an increasing number of healthcare facilities offering treatments for chronic diseases and an increasing growth of the medical device sector, especially for diagnostic devices. In Africa, increasing awareness concerning coronary heart diseases is pushing the market growth herein.

Coronary Stent Market Competitive Landscape

The market includes some highly noteworthy players including B. Braun Melsungen AG (Germany), MicroPort Scientific Corporation (China), Vascular Concepts (India), Terumo Corporation (Japan), BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG (Germany), Translumina GmbH (Germany), Biosensors International Group, Ltd. (Singapore), Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd. (India), Elixir Medical Corporation (U.S.), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S.), STENTYS SA (France), Medtronic plc (Ireland), Abbott Laboratories (U.S.), Reva Medical Inc. (U.S.), and others.

Coronary Stent Industry Overview

Feb 8th, 2019, CeloNova BioSciences, Inc. (CeloNova), an innovative global medical device leader, announced the signing of a three-year group purchasing agreement with HealthTrust for their new game-changing Coronary Stent named COBRA PzF(TM) NanoCoated Coronary Stent (NCS) System.

Feb 22nd, 2019, Biotronic announced the approval of Osiro, an ultrathin-strut coronary stent, from the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of coronary artery disease. It was approved in Europe eight years back and has been implanted upon millions of patients globally.

Get More Information on Coronary Stent Market Research Report  Forecast to 2023 @

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/coronary-stent-market-5915

Related reports

Biobanking Market Research Report  Forecast to 2023

Heart Pump Devices Market Research Report  Forecast to 2023

Medical Device Connectivity Market Research Report  Forecast to 2023

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.
The younger Gejdenson has since built a career as a restaurant owner in the Washington, D.C., area and is the former owner of the high-profile Mindful Restaurant Group, which operated a variety of bars and restaurants throughout the capital. Last fall Gejdenson reportedly dissolved the restaurant group amid the pandemic, the Washington City Paper has reported, closing several of its locations, and turned the remainder of the operation of his restaurants over to long-tenured employees.
The release of the economic growth data follows by just three days another Commerce Department report showing Connecticut was last among the states in personal income growth between the end of 2020 and the beginning of this year. The 42% rise in personal income -- salaries, wages, dividends and other forms of income in addition to government pandemic relief -- was significant. But it was outpaced by every other state.
ITT, which posted revenue of $2.5 billion last year, was founded in 1920 as International Telephone & Telegraph. During the 1960s and 1970s it organized into a conglomerate with acquisitions in numerous industries. It acquired more than 350 companies and amassed a portfolio that included well-known businesses such as Sheraton hotels, Avis Rent-a-Car and Hartford Insurance and Continental Baking, the maker of Wonder Bread.
Two of those positions are held by the Prifiteras themselves, who report to the kitchen daily. I work. I dont shake hands or kiss babies. Im not that kind of an owner, Tony Prifitera said. I make the sauce and the meatballs and the pizza prep and the coal-fired wings. Me and my wife make all of the pasta. Their four children will help out in the restaurant, at least for the summer.
Covanta maintains that burning up to 57 tons of medical waste a week at its Enterprise Drive plant wouldnt harm the environment. The company emphasizes that the tonnage would be less than 10% of the volume of ordinary municipal and industrial trash that it incinerates now.
Throughout the event, a few dozen parents and other residents argued outside and in the hallway next to the auditorium over the meaning of critical race theory and which side Martin Luther King, Jr. would be on if he was still alive. At one point, police officers had to separate people before disputes turned physical.
A declaration of war on privilege is not the same as fighting one. High atop a mountain of money in one of the worlds wealthiest communities is not a natural battleground. CNBC cable network has appeared to have an inside line on the details of the divorce. It was the first to report that Washington Democratic hand Lanny Davis has been added to the Kasser legal team. Davis was last seen in Connecticut in 2006 as an advocate for former Senator Joseph Lieberman during his epic election contest with Ned Lamont.
Judith Curr, president and publisher of HarperCollins' HarperOne Group division, will oversee the global reissue of King's books and the release of works based on his life and writing, ranging from children's stories to graphic novels. She also plans an annual reissue of his I Have a Dream" speech from the 1963 March on Washington, with a new introduction each year from a contemporary writer, and a journal featuring the words of Dr. King that also leaves space for readers to add their thoughts.
This scheme resulted in the deliberate theft of unemployment funds that were intended to serve as a lifeline for members of our communities who faced financial hardship during the pandemic, Raj Parekh, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in the statement.
The next day, the New York woman went to Richmond, while Skeete and the Newport News sisters, believing police might be on their trail, fled to North Carolina. One of the women sold off the Ford they were driving, for fear it would be linked to Clarkes killing.
There were just individuals from English who were contacted by ODU Counsel (not the attorney who wrote the statement) and asked a series of questions. Those people would have had little, if any, context and would have almost certainly been caught off-guard by the questions, Reynolds wrote. After speaking with some who were interviewed, I know that there are people who feel that they were misquoted or that the context was stripped from their comments.
She uses the horses for therapy; the 1,000-pound animals help her identify the source of her clients pain. Her practice focuses largely on what she calls ground work  that is, activities that involve handling the horses on foot. For one exercise, she asks clients to team up with one person blindfolded while the other looks on and tells them how to lead the animal through a course. Clients seldom ride the horses  some veterans she works with are in wheelchairs because of service-related injuries.
An accompanying Gazette editorial said missing the election is not nearly so serious as some would make it appear. The lapse of the memorial of the (electoral) board is reasonable in view of the fact that most of us had lost sight of the regular election There were no candidates challenging office holders.
The Mona Lisa, arguably one of the most-discussed paintings in the world and among the most famous works of the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci, which now hangs in the Louvre, the iconic museum in Paris, was in the news recently  not directly, but because a replica fetched millions at an auction at Christies, the renowned auction house in Paris.

The painting has been copied many times, but perhaps the most famous of those copies is the Hekking Mona Lisa, named after its previous owner, the antiquarian Raymond Hekking (1886-1977). It was this replica which went under the hammer at Christies for a whopping 2.9 million Euros.

Forgeries or fakes of paintings by artists of enduring talent hang in museums all over the world; there are more of them than anyone knows, all hiding in plain sight. The mesmerising tales behind art forgeries has been the subject of documentaries such as Made You Look: A True Story of Fake Art directed by Barry Avrich.

Why are fakes of masterpieces so highly priced? Why do artists devote their time to copying masterpieces rather than creating original work? And how big is the Indian market for original and fake artwork? Experts discuss this fascinating subject.

Pricey vs Priceless

It is true that the Hekking Monalisa was sold for 2.9 million Euros (way more than estimated!), but it should also be said that the real Mona Lisa remains priceless, notes Rekha Lahoti, founder, Kalakriti Art Gallery. She says there have been and always will be pricey copies of masterpieces, but the original work will remain iconic and priceless.

Discussing the history of the painting that was sold recently, Rekha says there has always been controversy around the Hekking piece, relating to the authenticity issue, fanned by scholars. This has made it intriguing, which is why it has remained in the news for so long, she says, adding, And, not to forget, we are talking about THE Monalisa  the world's most enigmatic painting, so there is bound to be talk around anything even remotely related to it. And the auction house played a role too, hyping up the work to achieve a spectacular sale.

Artistic doubles

According to artist Fawad Tamkanat, there are many reasons for the existence of forged art. Earlier, fakes were made because art theft from museums was rampant, and thieves often replaced the original with a fake to avoid detection. Another reason is that people who buy million-dollar masterpieces cant keep them at home due to security reasons, and instead they go for a brilliant forgery so that the art work can be displayed as a status symbol, he explains.

According to Fawad, the Indian art market is flooded with fakes and very few people here are able to differentiate between an original and a copy. Every month I get 5-6 enquiries from people who want me to check the authenticity of artwork before they invest in them, he says, adding, Identifying a fake is not easy and one needs knowledge and decades of experience as well as technology such as carbon dating to pinpoint the chronological age of a work of art. The sad truth is that fake art can be produced anywhere. In a market where names rule over creativity, budding artists are bound to feel the pinch of despair, and are eventually drawn to produce forgeries of original pieces as it ensures easy money, he says.

Kolkata-based artist Avijit Dutta feels that forging masterpieces is a short-cut to glory and commercial success, at the cost of the values and ethics of art. Viewers as well as gallery owners encourage artists to imitate masters because they often market artwork not for arts sake but moneys sake. This is a kind of exploitation, since the artists lose their identity and creativity in the process, he notes. In this advanced age of Internet, upcoming artists have several ways of accessing masterpieces and often viewers are not alert enough to identify the original, once again leading to the death of creativity, he adds. He feels young, talented artists must be encouraged to create masterpieces of their own instead of imitating others.

Reflected glory

Discussing the high price of fakes, Rekha feels it is because everyone wants to own something that is priceless and iconic. It is a basic human desire, and this is exploited by various operators controlling the art market. So, while I can't own the Mona Lisa because it is safely behind a plexiglass at the Louvre, I would like to have something that closely resembles it, she explains, adding, In India, this is common with miniature paintings and illustrated manuscripts. All the works signed by the famous Mughal, Rajput and Pahari painters are in museums, and those by unknown painters who worked under these master artists are in circulation through auction houses and antique dealers. Jamini Roy's simple figures are still being imitated by artists who draw inspiration from him, and everyone knows about the number of people who are copying Husain's horses.

Gouri Vemula, another artist, feels forgeries of famous works are highly priced because they capture some of the essence of the masterpiece, and feels the Indian market for imitation art is driven by people who want to enjoy the great works without acquiring them. However, she says that for artists, developing their own style is a journey, and those who enjoy producing original work do not make copies.

Forging a new perspective

Talking about art forgeries and inspired artists, art curator Annapurna Madipadiga, quotes famous artist Pablo Picassos words - Good artists borrow. Great artists steal. Do we call it plagiarism/ copy/ an inspiration or influence? she asks. A look at the history of art reveals that copying the life they see around them is common practice for an artist, she notes. But copying works of established artists, and reworking them with a new perspective is a new way of approaching a popular subject, she feels, and cites the example of Manet's Le Dejeuner sur l'herbe which was reinterpreted by Picasso to give the subject a different mood. "Similarly, Leonardo da Vincis The Last Supper was reinterpreted by Vivek Vilasini to reflect a different social context and emotion. Likewise, surrealist Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory has been recreated many times. So, in a way, popular images become the muse themselves, opening new windows of time and space, she concludes.
VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has objected to certain provisions of the proposed Indian Ports Act, 2020, amendment bill mooted by the Union Ministry of Shipping at a virtual meeting of the Maritime State Development Council held on Thursday.

Industries minister Mekapati Goutham Reddy, who attended the virtual meet chaired by shipping minister Mansukh L Mandaviya, conveyed the AP governments objection to the proposed port bill, saying its provisions went against the Constitution.

We support the good deeds and decisions taken by the Centre. But we told them that they cannot take away our rights. The power of supervision and control over the ports is vested in the state governments. We have to study the draft bill and sought one month's time for this to present our views. A committee will be appointed to study the provisions, the minister said in a statement.

The minister made it clear that the Indian Ports Bill-2020 is welcome only if the Centre agreed to some changes. The AP judiciary department is reviewing the draft bill.

Goutham Reddy said the bill provides the setting up of a Maritime Port Regulatory Authority for 160 minor ports in the country. As per the same Act, 13 major ports have 13 regulatory authorities. This increased discrimination between minor and major ports. Hence, as in the case of major ports, each state should delegate the powers of Maritime Port Regulatory Authority to the respective State Maritime Boards, he said.

He said the central government should not interfere in the regulatory responsibilities of minor ports. Instead, state governments should be empowered to control ports.

In order to take the economy of the states forward, the role of ports within those states is crucial. This is because only states provide the key infrastructure and land allocation for minor ports. If the ports are centrally controlled, the respective states will lose the right and opportunity to move forward in the economic sphere, he said.
KAKINADA: Construction of cofferdam as part of Polavaram Project is causing great hardships to people in Devipatnam Mandal and Polavaram project-affected villages of East and West Godavari districts.

In the past, even at the level of 14 plus metres, waters in River Godavari used to flow freely. But with the cofferdam constructed, water levels are not moving along freely up to 25 plus metres.

The problem emerged when Polavaram Project officials released 15,000 cusecs of water from 42 gates through the approach channel and spillway towards Dowleswaram Barrage. Water levels went up to more than 25 meters. Backwaters entered Devipatnam Mandal and other project-affected villages, forcing people to evacuate themselves from their villages. Some of the people have moved to nearby hillocks with their belongings.

Dandangi-Thoyeeru road has got cut off due to floodwaters. As a result, transportation facility to nearly 40 villages has been affected from Devipatnam. Rampachodavaram ASP G. Bindu Madhav said police personnel are on high alert and creating awareness among people of various villages to reach safer places.

Rehabilitation and Resettlement Committee member Thailam Gangadhara Rao said floodwaters have affected villages including Devipatnam, Thoyeeru, Gangugula Gondi, Yenugulagudem, Mulapadu, Agraharam, Madipalli, Manturu, Kachuluru, Penikalapadu, Gonduru, Talluru, Kondamodalu, Thativada, Kathanapalli and Somarlapadu.

East Godavari district collector D. Muralidhar Reddy maintained that there is no flood threat at present in Polavaram project-affected villages, as only 15,000 cusecs of water is being released.
George heard the problems/grievances of the woman and directed the department to take action. (Photo: PTI/File)

Thiruvananthapuram: To ensure women's safety in the state, Kerala Minister for Health and Women and Child Development, Veena George on Thursday participated in the "Kathorthu" online services of the State Women and Child Development Department.

As per the official release, online counseling, legal aid and police services for women are provided through the Kathorthu portal.

During the event, the Minister attended a call of a Kasargod resident who called for this service. She heard the problems/grievances of the woman and directed the department to take action. The woman sought counseling and legal help for herself.

While interacting with the media personnel, Minister Veena George said that women and girls can utilize this online service and speak up about their problems. "If someone requests for some form of service, the police will provide assistance as early as possible. Police will arrange for counselling, appointments for legal and police services within 48 hours", she said.

The Minister said that this online facility provides service thereby maintaining confidentiality can be used by all women in times of requirement.

The Department of Women and Child Development will formulate and implement an action plan to strengthen the system and awareness. The efficiency of existing departments will be increased. Awareness programs will be organized to support the women.

Gender awareness campaigns for the general public will be conducted to increase general awareness. People can avail the service of Kathorthu through the official website.

In addition to Kathorthu, services are available through 181 helplines, 83 government-run Legal Service Providing Centers and 39 family counseling centers.
HYDERABAD: While dealing with Covid-19 related PILs, the Telangana High Court directed the state government to file a detailed reply throwing light on the preparedness of the government to tackle the Delta Plus variant of the novel Coronavirus.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Hima Kohli and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy directed the state government to file a detailed cogent and cohesive affidavit explaining its preparedness to tackle the Delta Plus variant which is expected to have more serious effect on people.

Showing concern over the plight of children, who lost their parents due to Covid-19, the court directed the government to appoint one nodal officer for every 10 children to take care of their necessities, more importantly to concentrate on their mental impact. The government submitted that it had identified 170 orphans, who lost their parents due to the pandemic.

Noting the reports that domestic violence has increased during the pandemic period, the court directed the government to assist the women, who are victims of domestic violence. It also asked the government to provide psychiatric assistance to Covid -19 patients, who feel lonely during quarantine.

The bench also asked the director for public health to file a fresh status report giving details of beds allocated to the Niloufer Hospital as there are differences in the information provided on the government website and in the affidavit placed before the court.

N.S. Arjun Kumar, counsel for one of the petitioners in the batch of PILs, brought to the notice of the court that there was no word from the Telangana government about imposing of fine or any stringent action against erring corporate hospitals, who fleeced Coronavirus affected patients. He explained the Kerala governments notification imposing 10 times fines for charging exorbitant rates to treat Covid patients.

The bench then directed the government to consider adopting the same policy to control private hospitals from collecting excessive fees. Quoting the GO issued on June 22, prescribing the Covid -19 treatment, the bench asked the government to explain actions against the hospitals, if they collected more than the fees mentioned in the GO. It directed that the GO should be displayed at every hospital reception and at the seat of hospital accountant, billing and payments.

PILs were adjourned to July 8.
Chandy said after the recent reorganisation in the party in Kerala, he had come to Delhi to express "our sentiments to the leadership" and maintained that there was no difference of opinion with regard to the decisions. (DC file image)

Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy on Friday met party leader Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and expressed his displeasure at the manner in which recent leadership changes had been brought about in the party in Kerala.

Chandy's visit to Delhi was days after the high command appointed V D Satheshan and K Sudhakaran as Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and KPCC president respectively after the severe drubbing the party-led UDF received in the April6 assembly polls.

Former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, had also been called to Delhi by Gandhi earlier.

The meeting with Rahul Gandhi comes amid reports that Chandy and Chennithala were reportedly miffed with the decisions, taken ignoring interests of their respective factions.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with the former Congress president and Wayanad MP, Chandy said after the recent reorganisation in the party in Kerala, he had come to Delhi to express "our sentiments to the leadership" and maintained that there was no difference of opinion with regard to the decisions.

"Everyone is prepared to accept the decisions of the high command and everyone is bound to do so. But the manner in which they were implemented, there was some displeasure" , the former chief minister said, adding he was fully satisfied with the talks with Gandhi.
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in the Assembly on Thursday announced that all the police cases filed against peaceful protesters during the previous AIADMK rule would be withdrawn by the government.

Stalin said that the government will withdraw all police cases filed on people protesting against proposals such as the Theni Neutrino project, Kudankulam nuclear plant, Salem-Chennai Expressway, the three farm laws, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and those cases booked against media houses. Stalin also confirmed that cases already booked against protesters in connection with Vedantas Sterlite unit in Thoothukudi have been withdrawn.

Further responding to requests made by members in the Assembly, Stalin said that the cases filed during AIADMK rule will be thoroughly checked and appropriate action will be taken regarding protesters booked in other cases as well.

Meanwhile, as part of other announcements, Stalin said that large industries will be set up in northern districts of the state which will provide employment to 22,000 people. Stalin said he firmly believed that appropriate employment opportunities for youngsters will act as a foundation for their growth and as well as for Tamil society. Therefore, such projects in the first phase would come up in the backward northern regions of Cheyyar and Tindivanam, he said.

Refurbishing projects from the previous DMK rule, Stalin confirmed that 240 settlements, where people belonging to all communities will live together, will be set up under the new Periyar memorial egalitarian neighbourhoods (Periyar Ninaivu Samathuvapuram). Further, as part of the DMKs election manifesto that assured Rs 1,000 crore for the renovation of temples, in the first phase, 100 temples will be renovated at the cost of Rs 100 crore.

Speaking about the COVID-19 pandemic and its preparedness, Stalin said, There should not be a third wave of the virus, but if it was to emerge, the government is prepared to tackle it. Since the DMK government took charge, 65 lakh vaccines have been administered, he said

Stalin blamed the AIADMK government for not effectively containing the spread of the virus in the second wave from February to April and demanded that the AIADMK take responsibility for it.
VIJAYAWADA: The AP government got a reprieve on Friday with an AP High Court division bench granting a stay order on the single judge verdict which ordered fresh elections to Parishads  MPTS and ZPTC.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Arup Kumar Goswami and Justice Ninala Jayasurya, however, ordered that the counting should not be carried out until the final verdict and postponed the next hearing to July 27.

The division bench order comes a month after the single judge cancelled the elections to MPTCs and ZPTCs in the state. Acting on the petition filed by state election commissioner Nilam Sawhney, the division bench stayed the order given by Justice M. Satyanarayana Murthy on May 21 who ordered fresh elections on the ground that the SEC did not follow the Supreme Court guidelines.

SEC advocate S. Niranjan Reddy said that Telugu Desam leader Varla Ramaiah filed a petition seeking fresh elections for MPTCs and ZPTCs following the implementation of model code of conduct before four weeks of election date. He said that similarly Jana Sena leader Ch. Srinivas Rao filed a petition for fresh elections but did not seek implementation of the model code of conduct four weeks before the polls. He said that the judge dismissed the petition of Ramaiah and gave verdict in the petition of Srinivas Rao despite the fact that he did not seek a four-week norm and, hence, the order was wrong.

The advocate for Jana Sena, V. Venugopala Rao, said that the client did not mention the four weeks in the petition but took the same to the notice of the judge during arguments. He claimed that the SEC did not follow the SC guidelines in the conduct of Parishad elections.

Lawyer Niranjan Reddy said that the HC can use its powers for conducting elections according to the Constitution and not for the stalling of elections. He said the election process was completed and urged the court to dismiss the verdict calling for fresh polls.

The HC bench opined that a thorough hearing of the case should be conducted and said that they would hear the case in the first week of August. Niranjan Reddy said that the ballot boxes were brought from other state hence they should be returned. The HC bench said that there were no elections so there was no hurry to return them. Reddy then said that there were elections in Tamil Nadu and appealed the court to hear the case as early as possible preferably in the first week of July month.

The HC bench said that there are important cases in July first week and postponed the case to July 27.
HYDERABAD: Taking serious note of the non-payment of Rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R ) package to the families and victims, via-a-vis the land acquisition process conducted for Mallanna Sagar Project, the Telangana High Court on Friday sharply criticised the state government.

It warned the government that it should not blame the court if it issued stay orders on the works for the irrigation project, by taking note of the plight of the people who lost their land and homes for the irrigation projects implementation.

The courts green bench headed by Justice Rajasheker Reddy and Justice Naveen Rao was dealing with the petitions filed by 51 victims of the project from Vemulaghat village in Siddipet district and 26 villagers from Etigadda Kistapur. These people had complained that they had not been paid the R&R Package for their lost properties and loss of livelihood since 2019.

Counsel Ravi Kumar submitted that the government was discriminating against the petitioners in the payment of the promised package. He brought to the notice of the court that some of the affected families got more benefits than others like these petitioners. When this issue was raised, there was no response from the government, he said.

The bench questioned government counsel about the delay and discrimination in the release of the package. The court observed that it had several reports saying that the compensation to those who lost the land for the project 30 years ago has not been paid yet. How was it that the government took away the properties of private individuals, particularly farmers, without paying the compensation and other benefits as per the promised package to the landowners, the court asked.

If a court orders a stay of the works, it is usual for the government to blame the court. But, what about the rights of the common people, the bench asked.

The court directed the government to pay the R&R Package to the petitioners latest by July 5 or else it would issue orders to halt the construction works.
HYDERABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao is reportedly not keen on meeting his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for talks on resolving the Krishna water sharing dispute right now. The two CMs had last met in Pragathi Bhavan in January 2020.

Meanwhile AP government adviser Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy and AP minister Perni Nani said on Friday that Jagan Mohan Reddy was ready for talks with Chandrashekar Rao to resolve the Krishna dispute in an amicable manner.

The minister said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy is ready to clear doubts on the use of river waters and is ready for talks with Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on all issues. He alleged that some Telangana state leaders were trying to create disputes between the two Telugu States for the sake of politics.

But, sources in the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) said that Chandrashekar Rao wants to hold talks only if AP government withdraws controversial projects over the Krishna and RDS and is willing to share surplus Godavari water with AP by constructing either joint projects or individual projects on Godavari for benefit of both the Telugu states.

Meanwhile, Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is learnt to have called Chandrashekar Rao over the phone on Friday and discussed the Rayalseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) works. He reportedly assured the CM that his ministry would soon send a team from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to the RLIS site to assess the actual position of works.

Chandrashekar Rao is said to be of the view that he had extended a friendly hand to Jagan Mohan Reddy soon after he became the Chief Minister of AP by offering to share surplus water in the Godavari with AP since the availability of water in Krishna is comparatively low. It is felt that Jagan Mohan Reddy ignored him and unilaterally decided to take up the RLIS on the Krishna like his father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy did by constructing the Pothireddypadu project, hurting the interests of south Telangana districts including Hyderabad.

Added to this, the Jagan Mohan Reddy government constructing a parallel canal along the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) to divert even Tungabhadra water from erstwhile Mahbubnagar district angered Chandrashekar Rao even more. For these reasons, he is against holding talks with Jagan Mohan Reddy at this stage unless the AP CM withdraws those projects.

It may be remembered that the two CMs has exhibited unusual bonhomie by meeting over half a dozen times in less than eight months after Jagan Mohan Reddy became the Chief Minister of AP in May 2019 to hold talks to resolve several contentious issues between both the states post bifurcation of state in 2014.

During the talks, they discussed constructing joint projects over the Godavari to meet irrigation and drinking water needs of both the states and utilise surplus water in the Godavari for the betterment of both the states.

This bonhomie was short-lived after Jagan Mohan Reddy issued orders in May 2020 to construct the RLIS over the Krishna to divert water. Soon after, both the states filed cases in courts and tribunals accusing each other of taking up illegal projects on the Krishna. There have been no meetings between the two since then.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits the makeshift memorial erected in honor of the 215 indigenous children remains found at a boarding school in British Columbia, on Parliament Hill June 1, 2021 in Ottawa. (AFP file photo)

Vancouver: Leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada said Thursday investigators have found hundreds of unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school for Indigenous children a discovery that follows last month's report of 215 bodies found at another school.

The bodies were discovered at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997 where the Cowessess First Nation is now located, about 85 miles (135 kilometers) east of Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan.

A search with ground-penetrating radar resulted in 751 'hits,'' indicating that at least 600 bodies were buried in the area, said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess. The radar operators have said their results could have a margin of error of 10%.

We want to make sure when we tell our story that we're not trying to make numbers sound bigger than they are, Delorme said. I like to say over 600, just to be assured.

He said the search continues and the radar hits will be assessed by a technical team and the numbers will be verified in coming weeks.

Delmore said that the graves were marked at one time, but that the Roman Catholic Church that operated the school had removed the markers.

The Pope needs to apologise for what happened, he said. An apology is one stage in the way of a healing journey.

This was a crime against humanity, an assault on First Nations, said Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations in Saskatchewan. He said he expects more graves will be found on residential school grounds across Canada.

We will not stop until we find all the bodies, he said.

Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, were found buried on the site of what was once Canada's largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

Following that discovery, Pope Francis expressed his pain over the discovery and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on this sad affair. But he didn't offer the apology sought by First Nations and by the Canadian government.

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools, the majority of them run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, in a campaign to assimilate them into Canadian society.

The Canadian government has admitted that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages.
In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping had instructed officials to expedite construction of the new railway project, connecting Sichuan Province and Nyingchi in Tibet. (AFP Photo)

Beijing: China on Friday operationalised its first fully electrified bullet train in the remote Himalayan region of Tibet, connecting the provincial capital Lhasa and Nyingchi, a strategically located Tibetan border town close to Arunachal Pradesh.

The 435.5-km Lhasa-Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway has been inaugurated ahead of the centenary celebrations of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) on July 1.

The first electrified railway in Tibet Autonomous Region opened Friday morning, linking Lhasa with Nyingchi as "Fuxing" bullet trains enter official operation on the plateau region, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

It has a designed speed of 160 km per hour and operates on a single-line electrified railway. It stops at nine stations, including Lhasa, Shannan and Nyingchi and can handle passenger and freight transportation, the report said.

Compared to roads, the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway reduces the travel time from Lhasa to Nyingchi from 5 hours to approximately 3.5 hours, and cuts the travel time from Shannan to Nyingchi from 6 hours to approximately 2 hours, it said.

The rail line passes through 47 tunnels and 121 bridges and crosses the Brahmaputra river locally called Yarlung Zangbo 16 times.

Tunnels and bridges account for approximately 75 per cent of the total length of the railway track.

Also, it has an annual freight transport capacity of 10 million tonnes which provides strong support for the flow of goods, will promote economic development and improve people's lives, the report said.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will be the second railway into Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas.

In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping had instructed officials to expedite construction of the new railway project, connecting Sichuan Province and Nyingchi in Tibet, saying the new rail line would play a key role in safeguarding the border stability.

The Sichuan-Tibet Railway starts from Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, and travels through Ya'an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, shortening the journey from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.

Nyingchi is the prefecture-level city of Medog which is adjacent to the Arunachal Pradesh border.

China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of South Tibet, which is firmly rejected by India. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the official daily Global Times earlier that "If a scenario of a crisis happens at the China-India border, the railway will provide a great convenience for China's delivery of strategic materials.
This story does seem to have some facts to back it up but there are more questions than answers, such as; if this thing really has been f...
California Northstate University plans to build a medical center, featuring a 13-story teaching hospital, on the site of Sleep Train Arena, which opened as ARCO Arena in 1988.
Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form
FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2020, file photo, housing activists erect a sign in Swampscott, Mass. A federal freeze on most evictions is set to expire soon. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes.
Sterling, VA (20165)

Today

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 79F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 57F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
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.
Wharton, TX (77488)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. High 88F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.


By Park Ji-won





Pianist Cho Seong-jin will release a recording of Chopin's "Scherzo No. 2," as well as a music video, via online platforms on Friday, before releasing his new album of Chopin's works in August.







The winner of the 17th International Chopin Piano Competition in 2015, he is set to release the new album, titled, "Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2 Scherzi," with Deutsche Grammophon, covering Chopin's "Piano Concerto No. 2" and four Scherzos.







It has been a little over a year since he released his last album, "The Wanderer," featuring pieces by Schubert, Berg and Liszt, in May of last year. Deutsche Grammophon's parent company, Universal Music, has said that this new album is Cho's first recording of Chopin's "Piano Concerto No. 2."







The digital album and a deluxe edition to be released exclusively online in Korea will include an additional three works, "Etude Op. 10, No. 12," "Impromptu Op. 29, No. 1" and "Nocturne, Op. 9, No.2."







Also featured on this album is the London Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Gianandrea Noseda, who also took part in Cho's first studio-recorded album in 2016.


Seen above are headquarters of Korea's four major financial holding firms: KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori. Courtesy of each firm





By Park Jae-hyuk







Domestic banks and financial holding companies will be allowed to pay unlimited interim dividends starting next month, after the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced Thursday it was lifting its 20 percent dividend cap that it "advised" them to follow throughout the first half of the year.







"We suggested that banks and their holding companies take into account the fact that uncertainties about the COVID-19 pandemic have yet to be resolved completely, although they are allowed to make autonomous decisions on their dividend payouts," the FSC said in a statement. "They were advised to consider setting their dividend payout ratios at pre-pandemic levels."







However, it clarified that it will not impose any penalties on those that do not follow the advice.







In January, the financial authorities "recommended" banks and financial holding companies here, including internet-only and foreign banks, to keep their dividend ratios to below 20 percent to bolster their financial soundness amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the Financial Supervisory Service's stress test for assessing resilience and stability of the financial system, all of them were virtually forced to reduce the size of their dividends.







They passed the latest test conducted between May and June, due to the recent economic recovery.







Following the deregulatory measure, the nation's five largest financial holding companies are planning to pay additional dividends to their shareholders sometime later this year.







Hana Financial Group, which is the only banking group here that has given out half-yearly dividends regularly, has already decided to do the same this year, making an announcement on its book closure, June 15.







"The specific payout ratio will be determined at the forthcoming board meeting," a Hana spokesman said.







Shinhan Financial Group, which changed part of its articles of association during its general shareholders meeting in March to establish legal grounds for offering quarterly dividends, has maintained a positive stance on quarterly dividend payouts this year.







"The quarterly dividend offering is a shareholder return policy devised after Shinhan and its board of directors conducted continuous internal discussions," Shinhan Chairman Cho Yong-byoung said at the meeting in March.







KB Financial Group, whose articles of association allow quarterly dividend payouts, has remained cautious on the issue, saying the specifics will be decided by its board of directors. However, KB Chairman Yoon Jong-kyoo said at a general shareholders meeting in March that the payout ratio should be at least 30 percent.







Woori Financial Group converted its capital reserves of 4 trillion won ($3.5 billion) into an earned surplus to secure financial resources for dividend payouts.







NongHyup Financial Group is considering paying interim dividends to its owner, the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation, so that the money can be used for farmers.







When the FSC announced the dividend cap in January, the financial group expressed concern, citing possible problems for local farmers who have already suffered financial difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic.







According to the FSC, its recent decision is in line with the plans of its peers in the U.S., the U.K. and the European Union, which are also easing their regulations on bank dividends within this year as their economies recover.


K bank logo



By Anna J. Park



K bank is aiming to grant a stock option to every employee of the company, an unprecedented move among local banks in Korea.



According to the banking industry, the stock option will be made available early next month.



The bank has been reviewing whether to a grant stock option to every member of the company, beyond just the executive level, in an effort to retain loyal, quality employees, and it seems the bank has decided to go for it. Earlier in April, K bank issued a stock option to the bank's CEO Suh Ho-sung to bring out the maximum corporate value increase under his management.



"The bank has been outwardly vocal about its stock option issuance plans for quite a long time. However, it is still not yet decided, as such decisions should be confirmed at a shareholders meeting," a K bank official told The Korea Times.



Although the plan as not yet been decided until being voted at the shareholders' meeting, it is said that every employee who has worked for more than two years at the bank is eligible for a stock option.



A total of 850,000 shares will also be granted to nine executive members, on condition that they achieve some management goals, including exceeding 100 billion won ($90 million) of operating profit for the bank as well as the bank to have over 2 trillion won of its own capital. The stock option's conditions given to the executive members are the same as those given to the bank's CEO Suh regarding his stock option priced at 6,500 won.



As major local banks usually have at least 12,000 employees, K bank's attempt to give out a stock option to every single employee is not only unprecedented in the industry, but also expected to remain an exceptional case for a long time.



Kakao Bank, another internet-only bank competing with K bank, gave out stock options to only around 30 percent of its employees back in 2019.


Daewoo Engineering & Construction's (Daewoo E&C) headquarters in Seoul. Courtesy of Daewoo E&C



By Park Jae-hyuk



Jungheung Construction and a consortium consisting of real estate developer DS Networks, local private equity firm (PEF) SkyLake Equity Partners and infrastructure investor IPM became the two sole participants in the final bid to acquire a controlling stake in Daewoo Engineering & Construction (Daewoo E&C) from KDB Investment, a subsidiary of state-run Korea Development Bank (KDB), according to industry sources and media reports, Friday.



Hoban Construction had previously indicated its intention to participate in the bid, but eventually stayed out of the competition.



Potential foreign buyers  the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East, and China State Construction Engineering  also decided not to bid for Daewoo E&C, turning the race for the Korean builder into a domestic competition.



Hahn & Company and IMM Private Equity dropped out of the race earlier, although the PEFs had reviewed their participation in the bid.



The 50.75 percent stake in Daewoo E&C put up for sale is valued at around 2 trillion won ($1.7 billion), because KDB Investment reportedly set the minimum bid price at 9,500 won per share. The price of Daewoo E&C's stock closed at 8,660 won, Friday, up 0.46 percent from the previous session.



At this moment, the seller and the bidders have kept a low profile.



The underwriters of the deal are KDB's M&A department and Bank of America Merrill Lynch.



They are expected to select the preferred bidder next week to finalize the sale within this year.



Daewoo E&C has been put up for sale several times over the past decade.



It was sold to Kumho in 2006 after the dissolution of Daewoo Group, but Kumho put the builder up for sale again in 2009 due to financial difficulties. It was sold eventually to KDB in 2010 as other Korean conglomerates were reluctant to buy the builder during the global financial crisis.



The state-run bank's previous attempt to sell the builder in 2017 fell through, because Hoban Construction, which had been selected as the preferred bidder, dropped out of the deal after realizing Daewoo E&C's large-scale loss from the Safi power station project in Morocco.



In 2019, KDB sold its stake in Daewoo E&C to its subsidiary, KDB Investment.



Market observers view this year as the right moment to sell the construction firm, considering its first-quarter operating and net profits rose 89.7 percent and 138.9 percent year-on-year, respectively.



The Daewoo E&C union, however, has protested fiercely against KDB Investment's latest attempt to sell its stake, criticizing that the exit strategy has been pursued in haste.


People are inoculated for the coronavirus at a vaccination center in Seongbuk District, Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap



Government advised to focus first on strengthening ongoing vaccination drive



By Lee Hyo-jin



While the government is considering the possibility of providing booster shots to better respond to the spread of coronavirus variants, medical experts believe it is too early for Korea to discuss a third round of inoculations, citing its slow vaccine rollout.



Amid rising cases of infections caused by the rapidly spreading variant viruses, including the Delta variant, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said, Thursday, that additional inoculations and booster shots were being considered as a potential response measure.



A booster shot is an extra administration of a vaccine, given at a predetermined time after the initial injections in order to raise or maintain an individual's immunity against the targeted virus.






U.S. Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby / Yonhap



The United States remains committed to the South Korea-U.S. alliance, 71 years after the start of the Korean War, a Pentagon spokesman said Thursday, calling the alliance the "linchpin of peace" for the region and the world.



Department of Defense spokesman John Kirby made the remarks as the allies mark the 71st anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War on Friday.



"Tomorrow marks 71 years since the start of the Korean War. For the past 71 years our commitment to the alliance has been ironclad, built on the shared sacrifice of Americans and South Koreans," he said at a press briefing.



"The US-ROK alliance is the linchpin of peace, security and prosperity for Northeast Asia and a free and open Indo-Pacific, as well as across the world," he added, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.



South Korea and the United States formally established their alliance in 1953 when they signed a mutual defense treaty.



The U.S. is one of 16 U.N. member countries that sent troops to South Korea to help defend it in the war that left more than 36,000 American soldiers dead, along with nearly 168,000 South Korean troops.



South Korea and the North continue to remain at war technically as the 1950-53 war ended only with an armistice, not a peace treaty.



Kirby noted the Pentagon is not planning any formal event to mark the war's beginning, but said it was an important milestone, and "a reminder of how long ago that was  but how still so significant and important security on the Korean Peninsula remains to the United States."



The U.S. currently maintains some 28,500 troops in South Korea as a legacy of the Korean War.



Earlier reports said some 3,700 U.S. troops recently arrived in South Korea to relieve others.



The Pentagon spokesman said the troops are from the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Armored Division, based at Fort Bliss, Texas. They will be part of what he called a normal and "long scheduled rotation."



"The 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team will replace the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, as part of a regular rotation of forces to support the United States' commitment to the Republic of Korea. So this is a normal rotational deployment," he said. (Yonhap)


Flags of the countries that participated in the Korean War are shown at the ceremony marking the 71st anniversary of the outbreak of the war at the Busan Cinema Center in Busan, June 25. Yonhap



South Korea marked the 71st anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War with a ceremony held for the first time in the southern city of Busan that served as a temporary capital during the conflict.



Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum, Defense Minister Suh Wook and around 240 people, including veterans and bereaved family members, attended the ceremony held at the Busan Cinema Center, which was the site of an airfield used by United Nations forces during the war.



"The choice of the event venue reflects our hope and resolution to make the country fly higher," a veterans affairs ministry official said.



During the ceremony, the government presented one surviving veteran and three bereaved families with the Order of Military Merit in recognition of their role during the war.






This screenshot shows a petition posted on the Cheong Wa Dae website, calling on authorities to expel 16 male police officers in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, who have been sexually harassing a female officer for the past two years.



By Jun Ji-hye



Calls are growing for stronger punishment of 16 male police officers in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, who had been sexually harassing a female officer for the past two years.



According to the National Police Agency, the 16 officers habitually made inappropriate sexual remarks toward the victim, such as "You have an obscene face."



One of the perpetrators broke into the female officers' lounge and left a flower with the victim's underwear.



Amid growing controversy, a petition was posted on the website of the presidential office, Thursday, calling for authorities to dismiss the offenders.



"The offenders shared rumors about the victim's sex life and even illegally watched surveillance camera footage from nearby lodging establishments to check if the rumors were true," the petitioner wrote. "The victim has been suffering from mental anguish due to this repeated sexual harassment."



The petitioner noted that the victim reported the incident to an inspector at the Taebaek Police Station twice in 2019 and 2020, but no action was taken to alleviate the situation, such as immediately separating the harassers from the victim.



The victim was eventually transferred to a police station in another region in February.



The petitioner claimed that a council of the Taebaek Police Station actually tried to protect the offenders instead of punishing them, calling the victim's accusation "excessive" because "such things can happen whenever men and women meet."



In an interview with a local media outlet, the victim said, "Police seem to put importance only on the organization's reputation, while neglecting the difficulties facing female officers."



After the incident was reported recently to the National Police Agency, it ordered the Gangwon Provincial Police Agency to take disciplinary action against 12 of the offenders and give the other four a warning.



The agency has also ordered the head of the Taebaek Police Station to be transferred to another police station far from the site as a penalty for his failure to properly supervise officers at the station.



But the petitioner claimed such actions were not sufficient, considering the seriousness of the incident, saying that all people involved should be expelled.



The petitioner added that the latest incident results from the organizational culture of the police that regards female officers as women, not as colleagues.



"The police should undergo internal reform to improve their organizational culture and achieve gender equality," the petitioner wrote.


Key members of the ruling Democratic Party hold the supreme council meeting at the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, June 25. Yonhap



The ruling Democratic Party (DP) on Friday decided not to postpone its primary elections to pick the standard bearer for next year's presidential election in March.



The DP's supreme council made the decision at a close-door meeting held earlier in the day, confirming the party's schedule to pick its sole presidential candidate by Sept. 10.



"The supreme council decided, via a unanimous agreement, to elect the (final presidential) candidate in accordance with the current party constitution," DP spokesman Koh Yong-jin said.



The decision follows the party's monthslong internal division on the issue.



The DP's internal constitution mandates the party elect its presidential candidate at least 180 days before the election day, unless otherwise decided by the party's administrative committee for "a considerable reason."



A group of DP lawmakers, notably those known as supporters of high-profile DP presidential hopefuls Lee Nak-yon and Chung Sye-kyun, have demanded the election of the final presidential candidate be put off to November.



They argued early primaries could fail to garner sufficient public attention due to the unabated COVID-19 pandemic. They also claimed the election of the rival presidential candidate by the main opposition People Power Party, slated for November, could steal the show if the DP's candidate is picked too early.



The calls, however, ran into fierce objection by supporters of another DP presidential runner, Gyeonggi Province Gov. Lee Jae-myung, who is currently leading the opinion polls of presidential hopefuls for the ruling bloc by an overwhelming margin.



According to the timetable adopted by the supreme council meeting, the DP will soon kick off the process to select its presidential candidate, starting with the registration of preliminary candidates early next week.



In the first-stage primary election in July, the party will narrow down the race to six candidates before pinning down the final standard-bearer no later than Sept. 10 through further primaries.



Currently, a total of nine party members have declared or suggested they will join the race to win the DP's ticket for the presidential election, including the three aforementioned politicians, ex-Justice Minister Choo Mi-ae and Gangwon Province Gov. Choi Moon-soon. (Yonhap)






President Moon Jae-in's approval rating has rebounded to hit the 40 percent level for the first time in almost four months, the latest opinion poll showed Friday.







In the poll of 1,002 voters nationwide conducted by Gallup Korea from Tuesday-Thursday, Moon gained positive reactions from 40 percent of the respondents, up 2 percentage points from the previous week.







It is the first time the public support rating for Moon has reached the 40 percent mark in Gallup polls since the first week of March, when the corresponding figure was also 40 percent.







The latest figure also marks a solid leap from the record low of 29 percent recorded in the last week of April.







Among those who gave a positive assessment in the latest poll, 27 percent said they did so in appreciation of the government's COVID-19 response, while another 27 percent cited the president's diplomatic achievements as the reason. Moon returned home last Friday from a highly publicized weeklong visit to Europe, which included his attendance at the Group of Seven summit in Britain.







The disapproval rating of Moon, meanwhile, dropped by 2 percentage points to 51 percent. The government's unpopular real estate policies and failure to prop up the economy and the people's livelihoods were cited as the top two reasons among the respondents who gave a negative assessment of the Moon administration.







The remaining 9 percent declined to give an assessment of Moon.







The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points at a 95 percent confidence level. (Yonhap)


Female irregular workers, such as domestic workers, have suffered the biggest decline in their wages amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Korean Women's Development Institute. gettyimagesbank





By Jun Ji-hye







Female irregular workers have been hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than their male counterparts, experiencing a decline in their wages, according to the Korean Women's Development Institute.







Among irregular workers, female "atypical" workers in particular, including domestic workers and private tutors, saw their wages drop by 10.4 percentage points between June and August last year, compared to a year earlier. To make matters worse, they received only 82.1 percent of the wages offered to male workers in the same category.







In Korea, there are two basic types of workers: regular workers with full-time positions and lifetime job security, and irregular workers. Irregular workers include contract workers of various types, as well as more precarious employment without contracts.







There is a subcategory among irregular workers in Korea called "atypical workers," which refers to even less secure employment with short-term or no contracts, such as dispatch workers, on-call daily workers, domestic workers, private tutors and independent contractors.







The institute said that female atypical workers suffered the biggest drop in their wages amid the pandemic, which began in January of last year.







During the same period, wages for all female irregular workers, which were only 80.6 percent of the wages of male irregular workers overall, declined by 3.5 percentage points.







In August 2020, the number of female irregular workers stood at 4.09 million across the country, down by 35,000 from a year earlier. The number of male irregular workers was tallied at only 3.33 million, and was down by only 21,000 from a year earlier.







In contrast, the number of female atypical workers stood at 861,000 in that month, down by 59,000, while the number of male workers in the same category stood at 1.21 million, up by 87,000.







"This difference is due to an increase in demand for male atypical workers, such as food delivery workers, while demand for domestic workers and private tutors, jobs that had been held mostly by women, decreased during the pandemic," an official from the institute said.






Samsung Electronics on Friday said it will begin running an in-house vaccination program for its workers next month to beef up antivirus measures amid the pandemic.







The tech giant will inoculate employees aged 18-59 working at its plants in South Korea, as well as those dispatched from its partner companies, in cooperation with local health authorities.







They will begin administering Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine at Samsung's in-house medical clinics July 27.







Its affiliate Samsung Display already announced that it will also launch in-house vaccination programs next month.







Other South Korean companies, including SK hynix and LG Display, are also reportedly considering adopting such inoculation programs to better protect their workers from the novel coronavirus.







South Korea's health authorities earlier said they will allow companies to vaccinate their workers through in-house medical facilities around August to boost the nationwide inoculation drive. (Yonhap)


Woowa Brothers Chairman Kim Bong-jin answers questions from McKinsey & Company senior partner Choi Won-sik during the SHIFT Korea Digital 2021 Symposium, Friday. Courtesy of McKinsey & Company



By Park Jae-hyuk



Woowa Brothers Chairman Kim Bong-jin and Yanolja CEO Kim Jong-yoon emphasized the importance of direct communication between engineers and top decision-makers in order for the digital transformation to be successful, during the SHIFT Korea Digital 2021 Symposium, held by McKinsey & Company online on Friday.



"It is important to have an organizational chart that enables the chief technology officer (CTO) to communicate directly with the top decision-maker, but in most Korean conglomerates, CTOs are unable to talk directly with chief decision-makers unless they go through chief marketing officers or chief strategy officers," the chairman of Woowa Brothers, which operates food delivery app Baedal Minjok, said, in response to a question from McKinsey senior partner Choi Won-sik about conventional companies' strategies for digitizing their operations.



He advised domestic startups to choose investors who can offer "intangible" assets, such as personal networks, instead of choosing those who can only provide them with money. According to the chairman, Woowa Brothers was able to attract large-scale investments because its early-stage investors had introduced the company to the other investors.



In a conversation with McKinsey partner Kang Hye-jin, the Yanolja CEO also said that the hotel booking app operator has enabled direct communication between its working-level employees and him as the top decision-maker without any intermediaries involved.



The chief executive, who previously worked for McKinsey and Google, added that all of a company's employees, including those who are not engineers, should be equipped with the ability to analyze data for their company in order to realize a digital transformation successfully.



His view of the necessity of understanding cloud computing was shared by McKinsey senior partner Richard Lee, who urged Korean companies to transform their "legacy IT systems" into cloud-based ones, as they still lag behind firms in developed countries.



In his speech on Korea's digital imperative, Lee came up with success strategies for the digital transformation, saying that the COVID-19 pandemic has made this transformation essential.



During the symposium, McKinsey Digital Asia leader Anand Swaminathan explained the reasons the digital transformations presents challenges for companies in Asia. McKinsey Korea office manager Andre Andonian and McKinsey Asia Chairman Oliver Tonby delivered the opening and closing speeches, respectively.






A top executive of South Korean internet conglomerate Naver Corp. on Friday offered his resignation to take "moral" responsibly for the recent suicide of an employee over workplace bullying.







Choi In-hyuk, Naver's chief operating officer, will resign from his post after an in-house investigation showed that there was office bullying by some executives and colleagues.







"There were some acts of workplace harassment by some executives, and the leader could not take full responsibility for fostering a healthy organizational culture," Naver said in a press release.







The Naver employee, in his 40s, was found dead on May 25 near his apartment, leaving a note claiming extreme stress from workplace bullying, with the names of several people on it.







Naver said Choi will maintain the post of general director of the NAVER Business Committee. Choi is considered one of the close aides of co-founder Lee Hae-jin. (Yonhap)




By Baek Byung-yeul





Hyundai Motor is tapping into the emerging "metaverse" trend to reach out to more young people who are spending an increasing amount of time in the realm of virtual reality, the carmaker said Friday.







A combination word of "meta" and "universe," the newly-coined term refers to a collective, virtual and shared space where spatial restrictions do not exist.







Platform operators such as Roblox, Naver and even the management agency of K-pop sensation BTS are rushing to provide their own metaverse services, enabling users to communicate with each other using their own avatars.







Hyundai Motor said users of Zepeto, a metaverse service operated by Naver Z, an affiliate of local internet giant Naver, can test drive the Sonata N Line in the virtual space. The automaker added that this is the first time that a carmaker has launched such a service in a virtual reality platform.







"Hyundai Motor is the first automotive company to showcase vehicles on the Zepeto metaverse platform. The attempt is to provide interactive experiences to customers as we allow users to test drive the Sonata N Line at downtown and driving zones, which are popular maps on the platform," the company said.







Hyundai Motor rolled out the N Line version last November. Equipped with a 2.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, Hyundai aims to appeal to drivers who want to enjoy a sporty driving experience.







The company plans to expose the Sonata to the metaverse platform to actively communicate with the MZ generation, which could become future buyers of the sedan," the company added. The MZ generation refers to people who were born between early 1980s and 2010.




Possible escalation of US-China feud intensifies pressure on Korean businesses



By Yi Whan-woo



A sweeping new law recently passed in Beijing to counter foreign sanctions is causing Korean businesses operating in both the United States and China to engage in a greater balancing act amid the intensifying trade conflict between the two world powers.



Effective immediately after its passage, June 10, the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law targets those involved in designing or implementing U.S. and EU sanctions.



Blacklisted individuals or entities will be subject to denial of entry to China, deportation, seizure of properties and bans on commercial transactions with Chinese institutions.



Under these circumstances, Korean companies could be caught in the crossfire as the Joe Biden Administration is committed to forming distinctively anti-China supply chains jointly with allies, according to analysts.



"The law signals that when you have no standing or power to boss people around, then your law in the U.S. will get you nowhere in China," Wei Jianguo, a former Chinese commerce vice minister told American media outlet, National Public Radio. "This law is like the ringing of a gong. It is a warning to the U.S.: You should be worried. China will not endure this treatment as easily as it once did."



Park won-gon, an international relations professor at Ewha Womans University, said the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law will "force Korean firms to choose a side including with the Biden America" that has been eager to shore up U.S. competitiveness in the face of challenges posed by China.



Park argued that a failure to comply with anti-China supply chains means being excluded from benefits under the U.S.-led business standards for key industries, such as wireless technology, chips, large-capacity batteries, critical minerals and pharmaceuticals.



For instance, the U.S is trying to seize the initiative in the 5G-wireless-technology race against China by deploying viable and cost-effective alternatives, such as the Open Radio Access Network systems (Open RAN).



U.S. efforts are continuing to convince allies in Asia and Europe to exclude or limit business opportunities for Huawei and other Chinese suppliers of infrastructure equipment.



"It will be just a matter of time before U.S. allies, many of them trading partners with China, see themselves stuck between the Washington-Beijing row," Park said. "Being faithful in observing U.S. policy may result in possible retaliation from China under its new law."



In a report released June 11, the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) assessed that the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law builds upon previous administrative counter-measures against foreign sanctions.



The new law is especially being carried out by the State Council, the chief administrative authority of China.



"In this regard, it can be said that China is clearly expressing its willingness to counter foreign sanctions and that a consistent observation of how the law is put into practice will be needed," the report read.



Asked how urgently Korean companies should be prepared for the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law, Park speculated it will depend on when the "anti-China" supply chains are completed.



"The firms have at least four to five years to prepare," he said, explaining that such a time period is required for Korean conglomerates to build related infrastructure



On the occasion of the summit between President Moon Jae-in and President Biden, May 21, Samsung, Hyundai Motor, SK and LG pledged combined investments of $39.45 billion in chips, large-capacity batteries, critical minerals and pharmaceuticals.



Samsung was the only Korean company invited to a special White House meeting in April to discuss the global semiconductor shortage.



It was also invited to a conference held by the U.S. Department of Commerce on the sidelines of the Moon-Biden summit to further discuss the chip shortage issue.



Some of the four have been already constructing plants in the U.S., while others are looking for candidate sites.



Shin Yul, a political science professor at Myongji University, forecast that the U.S.'s strategic challenges to China may not happen during Biden's presidency, which could last up to eight years.



"This is because both sides' economies have been interlinked for decades and that they have so much to lose from decoupling," he said.



He still warned that the decoupling will be "catastrophic" for Korean firms, because in the worst case scenario, they may need to shut down entire businesses in either the U.S. or China.



Lee Won-seok, a senior researcher at KITA, said Korean firms may not be able to manufacture goods in China and then export them to the U.S. if the decoupling happens.


A journalist use his phone in front of a picture of Chinese President Xi Jinping, during a visit to the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, June 25. AFP-Yonhap





When China's leader Xi Jinping takes the podium next week to mark the Communist Party's centenary, expect an air of invincibility. He has plenty to be pleased about  in less than a decade, he has reinvigorated a party plagued by corruption and internal strife. When China's leader Xi Jinping takes the podium next week to mark the Communist Party's centenary, expect an air of invincibility. He has plenty to be pleased about  in less than a decade, he has reinvigorated a party plagued by corruption and internal strife.



When Xi took power in 2012, there were concerns that the civilian leadership could lose control of the military. The country was expanding economically at record speed, but the party was beset by graft, power struggles and the threat of fragmentation.



Few could have anticipated what followed. Through an unprecedented war on corruption, Xi rebuilt the party's image, reconnected the masses with its roots, brought powerful cliques to heel and got the military under its thumb.



The coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan in late 2019 briefly threatened to disrupt those gains, but the party machine swiftly kicked into action. By the end of 2020 China had not only contained the virus but was the only major economy to record positive growth, while the rest of the world was still mired in crisis.



At the start of this year, after Washington was rocked by rioting in a messy power transition, Beijing announced it had achieved something many would have considered impossible half a century ago - eliminating extreme poverty in the country of 1.4 billion.



Xi set the tone in a speech to top cadres in January. "The world is in a turbulent time that is unprecedented in the past century," he said. "But time and momentum are on our side. This is where we show our conviction and resilience, as well as our determination and confidence."



But beneath the confident talk, there is a looming challenge for the party: the issue of succession.



Power transitions have been a headache even for the party's most capable leaders in the past century. Mao Zedong, who took the helm after some fierce battles, made several unsuccessful attempts to find a successor. His final choice, Hua Guofeng, was quickly elbowed out the way by Deng Xiaoping. Later, Deng would have the same problem - he had to personally depose two leaders he had chosen before Jiang Zemin took over in what was largely a compromise reached between the party factions.



In the years since, leadership transitions have been relatively peaceful - when Jiang passed the baton to Hu Jintao, albeit retaining military control for a while longer, and when Hu handed over to Xi. That was possible because of tacit rules and conventions established by party elders at the end of the Cultural Revolution.



After Deng retired, power became more structured, with the leader holding all three top positions: party general secretary, state president and chairman of the Central Military Commission.



Top leaders have also followed an unwritten rule for the past two decades, that they retire from the Politburo Standing Committee if they are 68 or older at the time of the party congress. But Xi - who turned 68 last week - has indicated that this and other unofficial retirement ages are too rigid.



Amending China's constitution in 2018 to scrap term limits for the president and vice-president cleared the way for Xi to stay in power after his two terms end at the 20th party congress next year.



And with no clear successor in sight, observers expect Xi to remain as paramount leader during that reshuffle next autumn. However, the twice-a-decade party congress will shed light on how Xi plans to tackle succession and avoid a crisis within the party. It could prove to be his biggest challenge, and will shape the party for decades to come.





The issue of leadership succession is a looming challenge for the Communist Party. South China Morning Post
Shoppers wear masks as a measure of protection against the coronavirus at the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, June 25. Israel, a world leader in vaccinations, is once again requiring people to wear masks in indoor public spaces amid a coronavirus outbreak driven by the arrival of a new variant. AP-Yonhap



Australia and Israel, which had been successful in fending off Covid-19, reimposed restrictions on Friday as cases surged of the highly contagious Delta variant which also threatened Africa with a brutal third wave.



The center of Australia's largest city Sydney entered lockdown, a shock for a population that had returned to relative normality after months of recording very few local cases, while vaccination success story Israel reimposed indoor mask-wearing less than two weeks after it lifted the measure.



And in Fiji, another country that saw early successes against the virus, health authorities admitted for the first time that COVID transmission is widespread in the community.



While vaccination campaigns have helped bring down infections in numerous  mostly wealthy  countries, the rise of the Delta variant which first emerged in India has led to fears of new waves of a virus that has already killed nearly 3.9 million people.



In Australia, which has been one of the most successful nations in containing the coronavirus after shutting its borders, around a million people in four eastern and central Sydney neighbourhoods were ordered to stay home for at least a week.



Sixty-five infections have been reported in a flare-up linked to a limousine driver infected about two weeks ago when he transported an international flight crew from Sydney airport to a quarantine hotel.



The premier of the state of New South Wales, Gladys Berejiklian, called it the "scariest period" since the pandemic began.



It was a dramatic development for a city that had returned to relative normality after months of recording very few local cases.



Bondi local Alana Trepper said "to be honest, I probably think that it should have happened a couple of days ago because there's been a pretty decent spread the last few days."



Israel puts masks back on



Israel, which has prided itself on having one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns, has seen infections surge since dropping a requirement to wear masks in enclosed public places 10 days ago.



After four days of more than 100 new cases a day  including 227 on Thursday  the health ministry reversed the decision.



The head of Israel's pandemic response taskforce, Nachman Ash, said the rise was likely due to the Delta variant, adding that the increasing cases were not yet matched by a parallel rise in hospitalizations or deaths.



Fiji meanwhile recorded a surge of 300 new daily infections on Thursday, after going a full year without recording a single community case until April  when the Delta variant arrived.



But with numbers doubling every nine days, the government's head of health protection, Aalisha Sahukhan, said "all the evidence is that there is widespread community transmission."



Russia is also battling rising Delta cases, reporting more than 20,000 cases on Thursday, the country's highest number since January. (AFP)






U.S. President Joe Biden lamented a "sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world" after the financial hub's pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid was forced to close under a new national security law.







The newspaper published its defiant final edition on Thursday, in which it said it had been a "victim of tyranny" after 26 years of facing up to China's authoritarian leaders.







"It is a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world," Biden said in a statement released by the White House.







"Intensifying repression by Beijing has reached such a level that Apple Daily, a much-needed bastion of independent journalism in Hong Kong, has now ceased publishing," he continued.







"Through arrests, threats, and forcing through a National Security Law that penalizes free speech, Beijing has insisted on wielding its power to suppress independent media and silence dissenting views."







The prosecution of Apple Daily was sparked by articles and columns that allegedly supported international sanctions against China, a view now deemed illegal under the new security law imposed on Hong Kong last year.







The sudden death of the popular newspaper is the latest blow to Hong Kong's freedoms, deepening unease over whether the international finance center can remain a media hub as China seeks to stamp out dissent.







Praising the "invaluable role" that independent media plays in "resilient and prosperous societies," Biden called on Beijing to halt its crackdown on the media.







"Beijing must stop targeting the independent press and release the journalists and media executives that have been detained," he said.







"The act of journalism is not a crime." (AFP)


Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a statement at the end of the first day of an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, June 25. AP-Yonhap



Germany and France faced resistance from wary EU leaders on Thursday over a push to relaunch meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin despite concerns Moscow has not stopped its aggressive actions.



Berlin and Paris have put forward a last-minute proposal for the bloc to hold summits again with Putin in the wake of US President Joe Biden's sit-down with him in Geneva last week.



Moscow said Putin was a "supporter" of the idea, which would potentially revive a regular fixture that was frozen in 2014 after the takeover of Crimea by Russia.



"In my opinion, we as the European Union must also seek direct contact with Russia and the Russian president," Chancellor Angela Merkel told Germany's parliament ahead of the gathering of EU leaders in Brussels.



"It is not enough for the American president to talk to the Russian president," she said, stressing that the European Union too "must also create different formats for talks".



Merkel, who could be attending her last EU summit before German elections set for September, insisted that the 27-member bloc should meanwhile put up "a united front against the provocations" by Russia.



French President Emmanuel Macron said that talking with Putin was "necessary for the stability of the European continent" but underscored that the bloc would be "demanding because we will not give up any of our values".





Dangerous deviation





But there is serious opposition from numerous EU member states  especially in eastern Europe  who were blindsided by the push and remain deeply wary of rewarding the Kremlin with talks before it changes course.



"The Kremlin understands power politics, the Kremlin does not understand free concessions as a sign of strength," Latvian Prime minister Krisjanis Karins said.



"The way it's proposed is that Russia annexes Crimea, Russia wages war in Donbass (east Ukraine), and Europe shrugs its shoulders and continues to try to speak a dialogue."



Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda warned that Europe had to be "extremely cautious" over talking to Russia as it lacked Washington's muscle, but predicted that leaders would "find some solutions" over the proposals.



Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said he was not against the presidents of the European Commission and Council meeting with Putin, but refused to participate himself over Russia's failure to cooperate on the investigation into downed Malaysian airliner MH17.



Non-EU member Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, blasted the German-French effort as a "dangerous deviation from EU sanctions policy" after talks in Brussels with the bloc's foreign policy chief.



The EU is looking to revamp its strategy on keeping its vast eastern neighbor in check as Brussels admits that relations with the Kremlin look set to deteriorate further despite having already reached their "lowest level".



Moscow has been at loggerheads more recently with a number of Western capitals after a Russian troop build-up on Ukraine's borders and a series of espionage scandals that have resulted in diplomatic expulsions.





Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Sergei Chemezov, the head of the state corporation "RosTech" during a meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, June 24. AP-Yonhap
After Hyunjoo's brother is acquitted of his charges, DSP Media releases a statement.

On June 23, former APRIL member Hyunjoo's legal representatives, law firm Lee & Kim, announced that Hyunjoo's younger brother was acquitted of his defamation charges after a police investigation was conducted.

Keep on reading to know more.

Former APRIL Member Hyunjoo's Brother Acquitted of Defamation Charges

Earlier this year, in February and March, Hyunjoo's younger brother had made posts that stated Hyunjoo was bullied by her former fellow APRIL members during her time with the group.

The police had concluded that Hyunjoo's younger brother had no intention of slandering APRIL after the investigation. According to the police, Hyunjoo's younger brother had written the post out of frustration regarding Hyunjoo's situation and had wanted to reveal the truth following reports that stated Hyunjoo left the group on her own.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Former APRIL Member Hyunjoo Gives an Update on Current Situation With DSP Media and APRIL

The police had also decided that the bullying allegations were true and that Hyunjoo was bullied by APRIL. In addition, the police also concluded that the "shoes incident" and "tumbler incident" took place and that the contents of Hyunjoo's younger brother's post cannot be false as it close to the truth of the events that had taken place during Hyunjoo's time promoting with APRIL.

Hyunjoo's legal team also revealed that her younger brother was cleared of charges and was informed back on June 20. They were able to confirm the reason as to why the charges were dropped after requesting to review and make a copy of police documents.

DSP Media, who pressed the charges, would most likely have received a notice of her younger brother's acquittal as well.

The legal team also revealed that there were six people who pressed charges against Hyunjoo's younger brother, however, they could not determine the specific people as it was not included in the document they viewed.

Hence, the legal team will be filing additional requests to verify who the six people are, as the accusers have asked for legal judgment and were the ones who filed a lawsuit again Hyunjoo's younger brother, who is still a minor.

With this, they hope that the accusers would make the necessary claims that are within the boundaries set by the law.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: APRIL Naeun's Sister Files Lawsuit After Being Accused of Bullying

DSP Media Releases Statement Regarding Acquittal of Defamation Charges on Hyunjoo's Younger Brother

Following the news that Hyunjoo's younger brother was acquitted of the charges, DSP Media released a brief statement on June 23. According to DSP Media, the police's investigation is different from the truth after they had accepted that Hyunjoo was bullied by the APRIL members.

"To quote the reason for the dismissal of charges without distortion, it is 'The charges were cleared as it is difficult to determine that there was an intention to slander and a recognition of false information,'" said DSP Media.

In addition, there is no confirmation that the members were perpetrators of bullying and that the charges were cleared as the accused had no recognition of the false information that he wrote in the posts.

DSP Media ends their statement by requesting not to disseminate information that is different from the truth without verifying the facts.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: DSP Media to Take Legal Action against Former APRIL Hyunjoo

Hyunjoo's Legal Team Warns DSP Media

On the same day, Hyunjoo's legal team released another notice to warn DSP Media. They warn the label to refrain from causing misunderstandings among the public with their vague statements and ask that they only release statements that are necessary and as required by the legal procedures.

Hyunjoo's legal team added that it was never confirmed that the members of APRIL had bullied someone and that the reason as to why the charges on Hyunjoo's younger brothers were acquitted is because there was no intention of spreading falsehood.

What are your thoughts on the issue?

For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz.

KpopStarz owns this article.

Written by Robyn Joan
MOMOLAND has been reported to guest on the MBN "Voice King" finale!

According to SPOTV NEWS, on June 25, MOMOLAND is set to appear on the final episode of MBN's competition show "Voice King."

Continue reading to get more details.

MOMOLAND Reportedly Performing on MBN's "Voice King"

"Voice King" is a singing survival program that features a total of 86 male vocalists. The show is hosted by Kang Ho Dong and started airing on May 13.

MBN's "Voice King" is about to come to an end this June and it was reported that there will be some special guests.

SPOTV NEWS reported that the "Voice King" finale will feature special stages by several guests such as Kim Kyung-ho, Park Wan-Gyu, Kim Tae-woo, Lee Soo-young, and Seo Young-Eun.

Aside from them, girl group MOMOLAND is also said to take the stage and make the final episode of MBN's "Voice King" more exciting.

In particular, MOMOLAND is said to perform with the final Top 10 contestants. This will be the girl group's first television appearance this year.

The MBN "Voice King" finale featuring MOMOLAND will be broadcast on June 29 at 8:30 p.m. KST.

MOMOLAND's Latest Release and 2021 Activities So Far

MOMOLAND is yet to return to the K-pop scene with new music. The girl group's latest comeback is in November last year with their third single album, entitled "Ready or Not."

The album is the group's second release as a six-member act following their special mini-album, "Starry Night."

In November 2019, Yeonwoo and Taeha departed from the group due to personal reasons. Daisy later parted ways with the group in May 2020, leaving MOMOLAND as a six-piece act.

MOMOLAND's "Ready or Not" album features the title track of the same name, in which PSY participated as the lyricist alongside White99.

This is the first time that PSY and MOMOLAND collaborated for a release.

"Ready or Not" is a dance song with a saxophone hook that will definitely repeat in one's head. It was released to coincide with the girl group's fourth debut anniversary on Nov. 11 last year.

MOMOLAND's "Ready or Not" peaked at No. 8 on the Gaon Download Chart, while the album of the same name took the No. 25 spot on the Gaon Album Chart.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: MOMOLAND Jane Worries Fans after Deleting All But Two Instagram Posts + People Speculate the Reason is Yeonwoo

In early February this year, MOMOLAND teamed up with hit producer CHROMANCE to release a new version of "Wrap Me In Plastic."

"Wrap Me In Plastic" is CHROMANCE's song that became widely known through TikTok. The collaboration took place as he was interested in MOMOLAND and the effect of K-pop, hence he contacted the girl group.

On April 12, MOMOLAND achieved their first-ever 500 million views on YouTube with their smash hit "BBoom BBoom."

With this, MOMOLAND becomes the third K-pop girl group in history to reach half a billion views on YouTube, following BLACKPINK and TWICE.

This past Sunday, June 20, MOMOLAND appeared on the 2021 K-pop SuperFest presented by Joy Ruckus Club as one of the performers.

On June 26, MOMOLAND will attend the 27th Dream Concert as one of the performing artists, as well.

For more news updates about other K-Pop news, always keep your tabs open here at Kpopstarz.

Owned by Kpopstarz.

Written by Mhaliya Scott
University of Illinois Springfield PERFORMING ARTS CENTER Other Existing work authorization required for United States Direct Hire, Full-Time ****** See below Not specified Other

Unspecified from anywhere

English - Fluent

See below See below English

No cover letter requested vHWeTr87VeethuH5cTYGJLVCSVtbdd / Latpro-3800446 Jun-22-2021 Illinois, 62711


Location: United States of America (remote)

Location: Mayfield Village - Ohio

Location: Chicago - Illinois Job Description This role has the responsibility to define and deliver Technology application and global business operations to deliver Services. Supports a $800M business with ~3000 employees. Reports to VP/GM Services. Key Responsibilities: Technology application and operation functions that are required for their success and operate including:

Customer Success Operations (Gainsight), Global Remote Support Operations (Oracle Service Cloud) and Infrastructure Technology application (SAP), Unified Communication (Phone), Global Workflow Management (Quickbase), Managed Service Infrastructure (Uptime) & Future SOC Technology application

Architecture and selection of operations tools for function of the business (not including common tools for segment, strong alignment to Segment ops)

Aligned with overall business process architecture to ensure IT alignment, data flow, etc.

BU/Functional team productivity coordination and project management, alignment to Global segment ops

BU functional team investment planning coordination and project management, alignment to Global Segment Ops

ARR (Annual Recurring Revenue) transformation business system changes for Services to support shift in business model, ARR business model transformation changes and implementation. Skills & Knowledge Lead and develop the CSM (Customer Support Maintenance) Business Operations continuous improvement efforts and productivity projects.

Knowledge on how to leverage tools and technology to improve business process and performance.

Possesses the ability to drive change.

Develops business cases for projects and investment proposals, coordinates technology investments.

Understands Agile/SAFE planning processes and prioritization. Temperament: Collaborate effectively across BU's and functions to drive change

Possesses the ability to influence stakeholders at sr. levels of the organization

Possesses the ability to manage effectively to work through project approval through implementation

Ability to manage multiple high priority projects Factors of Complexity: Works on complex issues where analysis of situations or data requires and in-depth knowledge of company.

Participates in corporate development of methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for projects, programs, and people.

Ensures budgets and schedules meet corporate requirements.

Possess the ability to take input from multiple stakeholders and develop a viable business process solution.

Able to prioritize workload and projects across multiple priorities. Basic Qualifications: Four-year college degree required, ideally in a technical discipline.

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: Minimum 8-10 years of related and/or management experience.

10-25% domestic and international travel.

Black Belt preferred. This position is part of a job family. Experience will be the determining factor. #LI-SO #LifeAtROK **For the right candidate, this position could be worked remotely from any location in the US 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).








Position Objective: Provides therapeutic treatments to patients, neonatal to geriatric, according to departmental standards and only under the direction of a Physical Therapist. Utilizes only methods and procedures within the scope of the practice of limited physical therapy, and documents same according to departmental standards. Essential Job Duties: Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions Conducts physical therapy treatments according to established departmental policies and procedures. Documents physical therapy treatments according to departmental standards. Documents patient and/or family education, interdisciplinary collaboration, and patient's response to treatment. Immediately discontinues any treatment procedure which appears to be harmful to the patient and notifies the supervising Physical Therapist. Actively participates in departmental in-service activities. Attends continuing education seminars and takes the responsibility to conduct seminar related in-services in a timely manner. Consults with and serves as a resource for physicians, nursing staff, and other clinicians to increase knowledge of physical therapy and to identify the need for physical therapy services for patients of all ages. Instructs patients and families in physical therapy regimes to promote compliance in meeting therapeutic objectives. Provides in-service training to other disciplines as directed. Participates in departmental quality assurance activities as directed. Inspects, sterilizes, assembles, and maintains physical therapy equipment. Educational/Experience Requirements: Physical Therapy Assistant Associates Degree

Prior acute care experience preferred, however, new graduates will be considered, dependent on current departmental staffing. RequiredLicense/Certifications: Current license to practice Limited Physical Therapy by the Board of Physical Therapy Examiners of Maryland. Working Conditions, Equipment, Physical Demands: There is a reasonable expectation that employees in this position will be exposed to blood-borne pathogens. Physical Demands - Heavy work . Exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. The physical demands and work environment that have been described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The above job description is an overview of the functions and requirements for this position. This document is not intended to be an exhaustive list encompassing every duty and requirement of this position; your supervisor may assign other duties as deemed necessary.


The West York Area School District has the following full time and part time support positions available for the 2021-2022 School Year.

Custodians

Food Service

Teacher Aides

Clerical

Substitute Support

Candidates must have a minimum of a high school degree and be able to pass stringent background checks. Experience preferred.

Click to apply online!

(see employment page). WYASD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Application deadline  July 09, 2021.

recblid s6b0n6d88i7auc9zut87eved8zjpvo


Looking for a Driving Opportunity that checks all the Boxes?

$21.07/HOUR STARTING WAGE

$2,500 SIGN ON BONUS* for experienced, credentialed Drivers

$1,000 SIGN ON BONUS* for entry level Drivers

COMPETITIVE BENEFITS

PAID CDL TRAINING

EXTRA HOURS AVAILABLE

Join the First Student Family of School Bus Drivers in Bridgewater. Not only is this an excellent driving opportunity, but its also a way to make a difference in your community while working at a job youll love.

Apply Today by clicking within!

*Conditions Apply. See location for details. Offer Expires 12/31/21. Equal Opportunity Employer

recblid 1bvec4n7qrn9pn5f4qrluzwjyohnjc








Description

Salary $75,360.24 - $91,542.96 Annually Location Everett, WA Job Type Full-Time Department Human Services Job Number 2021-00017 Division Behavioral Health and Veterans Services Closing 7/14/2021 11:59 PM Pacific Designated Crisis Responder RECRUITMENT EXTENDED

Join our Human Services Team!



We are hiring FLSA exempt Designated Crisis Responders.



Human Services Department mission is to help all persons meet their basic needs and develop their potential by providing timely, effective human services and building community.



The Human Services Department includes 230 diverse, friendly and dedicated employees who benefit from outstanding benefits and competitive wages. Employees are appreciated and have the opportunity to make real difference in our community. Snohomish County is thriving and is a great place to live, work, pay, and raise a family. We strive to not only provide a meaningful job, but a life-long career at Snohomish County. BASIC FUNCTION



To conduct investigations for involuntary mental health and substance use treatment under RCW 71.05 and RCW 71.34. To conduct investigations for involuntary mental health and substance use treatment under RCW 71.05 and RCW 71.34. Job Duties STATEMENT OF ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES Conducts investigations and evaluations of individuals for involuntary commitment and detains individuals when legal criteria are met and commitment is appropriate. Assesses behavioral health emergencies and provides crisis intervention for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis in the community. Works collaboratively with behavioral health agencies, psychiatrists, emergency departments, inpatient units, residential facilities and other referral sources to assure the best outcome for each individual in need of behavioral health services. Coordinates and facilitates arrangements necessary for the holding of probable cause hearings for patients hospitalized in our county in need of continued involuntary treatment; provides court testimony concerning patient's need for further involuntary treatment. Performs ongoing community regarding involuntary treatment. Contacts appropriate hospitals for admissions, provides screening information and arranges for transport as needed. Participates in the ITA Court process and provides relevant information to prosecuting attorneys and others authorized through the judicial process. Maintains necessary records and files as well as statistical information on all program activities. Performs related duties as required. Minimum Qualifications MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS A master's degree in social work, clinical psychology, psychiatric nursing or related field; PLUS, two (2) years of experience in the direct treatment of mentally ill clients; OR, any equivalent combination of training and/or experience which provides the required knowledge and abilities. PLUS, a valid and current license as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Social Worker or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Must pass job related tests.



SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS A valid State of Washington Driver's License is required for employment. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT Due to a potential conflict of interest any secondary employment within the behavioral health field needs to be approved by the employer. Additional Information KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES Knowledge of: abnormal human behavior, symptomatology and treatment modalities of behavioral disorders

counseling techniques and methods

available community resources

legal parameters and procedures concerning commitments Ability to: respond effectively in crisis situations

relate to severely disturbed and/or difficult persons in order to determine appropriate behavioral health services

gather and analyze pertinent data

establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff of state and local hospitals, staff and officials of community organizations, associates and the general public

diagnose behavioral disorders and determine need for mental health or substance use disorder services

maintain detailed records and prepare clear, concise written reports

maintain confidentiality and work within HIPAA parameters SUPERVISION

Employees report to the Involuntary Treatment Supervisor or other administrative superior as assigned. Employees work independently on specific assignments which are completed in accordance with established guidelines, practices and regulations. Work is reviewed through meetings, status reports and results obtained. WORKING CONDITIONS

The majority of the work involves site visits to residences, hospitals, mental health agencies and detention facilities. Some work is performed in the usual office environment. The employee may be required to work evenings, weekends and holidays to provide 24 hour a day, 7 day coverage. Snohomish County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.

Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.

EEO policy and ADA notice Agency Snohomish County Address 3000 Rockefeller Ave M/S 503



Everett, Washington, 98201 Phone (425) 388-3411 Website http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/2553

recblid y3kr1bnd5zpnh4tfpvxdajfld8ejqy







Requirements

None




Goochland Powhatan Community Services (GPCS) is seeking 2 Mental Health Peer Support Specialists. These positions will be responsible for providing a variety of services to clients in several CSB programs including Case Management, Outpatient, and Psychosocial Rehabilitation. The position will have both administrative and direct consumer responsibilities, with emphasis on consumer recovery and advocacy. This position relies on a recovery based approach to meaningfully engage with consumers while helping consumers achieve their goals. This position requires collaboration between other members of the clinical team to ensure coordination of care among consumers. The incumbent will receive direct supervision from a Programs Services Supervisor.

Knowledge of mental health, substance use disorders and psychosocial rehabilitation is required as well as a strong recovery focus. Computer literacy and organizational skills are necessary as timely and accurate documentation is essential.

The incumbent must either be Certified and registered with the Board of Counseling as a Peer Recovery Specialist or have completed DBHDS Training and need 500 hours of supervised practice which can be completed at GPCS as part of the position duties.

The GPCS application is required and available at www.gpcsb.org under Job Opportunities. Salary based on Certification status and experience. Generous benefit package. Open Until 7/9/21. GPCS is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

recblid 8qgfohsbfrmk6qjn6av5uxiy2zkgys
After removing a fence at that location last month, the agency has been busy getting in front of the states coastal commission and coastal conservancy.


Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
In fact, the population of the Slate Belt  made up of 10 municipalities  is forecast to increase by nearly 40% to about 50,200 people by 2040 as land constraints in the Lehigh Valleys core and growth in the Route 33 corridor push people north, according to a Lehigh Valley Planning Commission report released in late 2019. To meet the housing need, the report notes, the Slate Belt is expected to need 5,532 more housing units over the next two decades.
Demographic analysis from the CDC shows that, with the exception of those 75 and older, the percent of people getting at least one dose of a vaccine is directly proportional to age. More than 89% of those 65 to 74 years old are at least partially immunized against COVID-19, while less than 30% of those age 12 to 15 have gotten a jab. The data are current as of June 24.
In 2013, the affidavit said, the legislative staffer contacted a pair of treasure hunters who had identified the likely site of the gold. The staffer corruptly offered to get the treasure hunters a state permit to dig in return for three bars of gold or ten percent of whatever they recovered. The staffer said he was acting on behalf of others in state government, according to Archer, including someone who controlled money going to DCNR and someone working in the Pennsylvania governors office.
To avoid responsibility for this travesty of disparity, some will say it is not about money. Well, that is when you know it is exactly about money. They like to say we cant throw money at problems, even as they lavish their own children with every blessed advantage money can buy.
This bill will make legislative line drawing of districts transparent, fair, and sensible. I agree that district lines should not split up school districts and municipal boundaries. The Legislative and Congressional Redistricting Acts first priority is not to split counties or municipalities, and secondarily to not divide communities of common interest, like school districts.
As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill.
Today's Headlines Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today!

Breaking news Sign up for breaking news alerts from morning-times.com!!!

Week in Sports Get a weekly local sports round-up from www.morning-times.com every Saturday morning!!!
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.
Senior Management, AE, MLO, Ops Jobs; Corresp., Sales, Warehouse Products; Agency Changes Continue

As lenders are working on adjusting margins, best-ex, and staffing, while at the same time relieved that rates havent gone up and pipelines are motoring along, the industry continues to consider the ripple effects of Director Mark Calabrias departure from running the FHFA, ergo Freddie and Fannie, and the news of the nominee Sandra Thompson contained in this statement. (And quite the bio!) Sasha Hewlett, Director, Secondary & Capital Markets with the Mortgage Bankers Association, wrote, We have priorities for new incoming leadership that include things that can ease the disruptions caused by the PSPA issues. That being said, while there are immediate steps we'll be asking new FHFA leadership to take to alleviate the market disruptions, any actual revisions to the PSPAs are expected to take at least a few months. But wait! Nominated for assistant secretary of HUD is acting Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Dave Uejio. And HUD doesnt want to be left out: President Biden announced that he intends to nominate Julia Gordon to be the next Federal Housing Commissioner at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. With or without lending experience (and some argue that there is enough bureaucracy in some backgrounds already, change is afoot. Speaking of change todays audio version of the commentary and is available here and is sponsored by Candor Technology, offering a dynamic underwriting engine that eliminates underwriting bottlenecks.



Lender Products and Services

Brainpower, not Manpower. In the time it takes to read this sentence, Candor will have conducted hundreds of hands-off underwrites, with full credit risk assessment, and decision to lend. How? Candor Automates Thinking. Nothing can do what Candor can do.

Comerica Bank is synonymous with warehouse lending. The team at Comerica is committed to understanding and customizing warehouse solutions for its customers as well as addressing the needs of business owners. At Comerica, warehouse lending is a strategic, growth business that is part of a much-larger, diversified business banking strategy. That approach has helped Comerica consistently serve the needs of mortgage bankers since the 1960s. With lines of credit up to $100 million, Comerica is proud to serve a broad spectrum of mortgage companies across the country. To see how Comerica tailors warehouse solutions to support your companys strategy and goals and how Comerica Bank can raise your expectations of what a bank can be, contact Von Ringger at (313) 222-9285 or Trey Worley at (214) 462-4279. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. Loans subject to credit approval.

Did you know the classic mimosa recipe calls for 50/50 orange juice and champagne? Today, most mimosas are made with 10% OJ for just the right balance of sweetness and booze. Speaking of a sweet 10%, John Kresevic of JFQ Lending attributes 10% of his monthly volume to Sales Boomerang! Sales Boomerang converts just as well as inbound phone calls we receive. I have LOs that only work Sales Boomerang leads, and my ROI is in the 20-30X range. My expectation now is that 10% of my $275M monthly loan volume comes from Sales Boomerang. Overall, lenders using Sales Boomerang see an average 20-40% lift to loan volume. Now thats toast-worthy! Are you looking for a single tool that can impact your volume significantly each month? Contact Sales Boomerang today.

Merchants Bank of Indiana recently introduced our Correspondent Lending FHA product offering and is now purchasing FHA loans on both a Non-Delegated and Delegated basis. As a proven leader in Warehouse Lending, Merchants has been growing our Correspondent platform over the last few years. Adding FHA lending as a product offering is a natural progression for Merchants. With deep roots in affordable housing via our multifamily finance subsidiary, Merchants Capital, Merchants is pleased to expand into purchasing single-family residential FHA loans to further enhance our Correspondent lending menu. To learn more about Merchants Bank of Indianas Correspondent lending platform, contact Rob Wilson, Vice President.



Agency Changes

Scott Olson with the CHLA shot over a note. Sandra Thompson is now Acting Director of the FHFA and CHLA congratulates her on her position. With that, neither she nor Treasury Secretary Yellin had anything to do with the restrictive PSPA caps on certain types of Fannie/Freddie loans, so Wednesday night CHLA sent a letter to both of them asking them to immediately suspend these caps. As we argue in our letter, caps on loans to underserved borrowers and investor loans are completely contradictory to the Administration's push on racial equity in homeownership, and run counter to all the policy and financial actions taken to provide more flexibility in response to the COVID crisis.

Fannie Maes Your Own Story is a campaign designed to increase consumer knowledge with facts and figures that dispel myths about what it takes to achieve sustainable homeownership. Breaking down the path to homeownership in seven interactive steps, including the basic requirements necessary to qualify for a mortgage, factors to consider when choosing a home, and the responsibilities of homeownership. Potential homebuyers will also find strategies for saving money for a down payment; ways to improve low credit scores; an affordability calculator to estimate a maximum home purchase price based on current expenses and income; the different types of loans; and much more. To explore the Your Own Story resources, visit knowyouroptions.com/homeownership.

Fannie Mae updated RefiNow Lender Letter in (LL-2021-10) to clarify existing subordinate debt may be refinanced in connection with a RefiNow loan with certain requirements; payments missed during a COVID forbearance are not considered historical delinquencies if the missed payments have been resolved in accordance with Lender Letter LL-2021-03; and base income documentation that complies with existing Selling Guide requirements is permitted.

Fannie Mae issued LL-2021-12, Advance Notice of Changes to Investor Reporting Processes and Systems, which alerts servicers to upcoming changes that will simplify and streamline servicer reporting. The changes will be phased in beginning September 2021.

Lenders can use Fannie Maes new coverage calculator to determine the minimum flood insurance coverage required by Fannie Mae for 1- to 4-unit properties, PUDs, detached condominiums, attached condominiums, and co-ops.

Effective for all Best Effort commitments taken on or after June 21, 2021, PennyMac will update the Best Effort rate sheet to reflect values on the Conventional Second Home LLPA.

Penny Mac posted information regarding the Fannie Mae policy on direct Desktop Underwriter licenses in Announcement 21-44.

Flagstar Bank has implemented the new Fannie Mae RefiNow program: announcement 21079. Flagstar will require all Agency loans with application dates on or after July 1, 2021 to comply with the Revised General QM Rule which include the new requirements detailed in announcement 21080. And Flagstar, via announcement 21078, updated information to the existing Agency State & Loan Amount MSR and Escrow Waiver loan level price adjustments effective for new locks as of Friday, June 18.

In this loanDepot Weekly Announcement, topics of discussion include Calyx Integration, Boarder Income and Homebuyer Education information in the loanDepot Conventional Lending Guide, Freddie Mac updates and reminders, underwriting updates for Arch MI, and the use of VA Form 26-1802a.



Capital Markets

Rates are plain ol stuck in a rut. The yield on the 10-year risk-free Treasury Note seems very content at 1.49 percent. Nonetheless, we did have a day of mixed economic data yesterday. Initial jobless claims decreased by 7k to 411k, which was higher than the expected 380k figure. On the bright side, continuing claims, at 3.39 million, were the lowest since March 21, 2020. Durable goods orders increased 2.3 percent month-over-month in May, not as much as expected. Finally, the third estimate for Q1 GDP was unchanged at 6.4 percent, as expected, while the third estimate for the GDP Price Deflator was also unchanged at 4.3 percent, as expected. The day's $62 billion 7-year note auction was met with much better demand than Tuesday's 2-year note offering or Wednesday's 5-year note sale. And in Washington, President Biden reached a tentative agreement with a bipartisan group of senators on a $579 billion, 5-year infrastructure plan.

Freddie Mac informed us yesterday that 30-year mortgage rates broke above 3 percent for the first time since mid-April after rising 9 bps versus the prior week. Separately, Black Knight reported that the number of active forbearance plans edged slightly higher (+1k) this week, continuing whats become a common trend of marginal mid-month increases. Even so, the population of 2.06 million (3.9 percent of) homeowners that remain in COVID-19 related forbearance plans is down 6 percent from the same time last month.

Today's calendar is under way with personal income and spending for May (-2.0, unchanged, respectively), as well as PCE prices and the Core PCE Price Index (+.5 percent in May). Later this morning brings final June Michigan sentiment and a heavy slate of Fed speakers. The NY Fed Desk, charged with buying and selling securities for the Federal Reserve, will conduct the last two operations on the current schedule which total $4.1 billion. In the afternoon, the Desk will release a new schedule covering the June 28 to July 14 period which is expected to total $4.5 billion per business day. We begin the day with Agency MBS prices unchanged and the 10-year yielding 1.48 after closing yesterday at 1.49 percent.



Employment

Ocwen Financial Corporation and its primary brands, PHH Mortgage and Liberty Reverse Mortgage are rapidly growing and are hiring for several key leadership roles: Mortgage Lending & Capital Markets Accounting Director, Director, Mortgage Servicing Tax and Escrow Administration, Director, Mortgage Finance (Third Party Originations), Treasurer, Mortgage Finance, among others. The excitement at Ocwen is growing every day with strong growth, many new client signings, and new career paths across the entire mortgage lifecycle. All of these positions are open to any location across the continental US. Interested candidates may send their resumes & questions to Wendi Snyder or visit jobs.ocwen.com to view the full job descriptions.

First International Bank and Trust (FIBT) has been recognized as one of the region's 50 Best Places to Work by Prairie Business Magazine seven years in a row. Our Mortgage Division continues that tradition of excellence with the launch of its new technology that simplifies the application process through a single sign-on, single source of truth, with an API-connected platform. We are grateful for the continued focus and support of Mortgage here at FIBT. This new technology will allow our mortgage team to enhance our already stellar customer experience while attracting new customers and Mortgage teams to the FIBT family, beamed Mike Mulwani, Director of Mortgage. Contact Mike directly to learn more about joining the team. Equal Housing Lender, Member FDIC.

ESL Federal Credit Union is seeking Mortgage Originators to join our growing external team in Rochester, NY. With more than 378,000 members, great rates, and an efficient loan closing process, its easy to offer our mortgage products. Combine an excellent compensation package and that were a Great Place to Work and we believe you will want to belong to something bigger too. Apply today at esl.org/careers or email Katie Scott today. ESL is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strive to create an inclusive, respectful, and equitable environment. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran.

ClearEdge Lending continues to thrive in 2021. Not only are we experiencing a record year, but weve also doubled our team size and were not slowing down. ClearEdge Lending has expanded its sales reach by adding 12 new Account Executives within CA, CO, FL, GA, NJ, NC/SC, and OR as well as 25 new Operations and Credit support positions. We are actively seeking talented, Account Executives to join our team in AZ, CA, MD, PA, TN, UT, and WA as well as other US regions. ClearEdge Lending is also seeking candidates for VP of Product Development, Loan Account Manager, Loan Set-Up Coordinator and Due Diligence Specialist. ClearEdge Lending offers an extensive and innovative portfolio of Non-QM products and specialized mortgage solutions and is backed by a diverse team of experts. Come build your career with one of the fastest growing Non-QM lenders by emailing ClearEdge Careers or view our open positions here.

Shamrock Homeloans is now licensed in Indiana, Louisiana, Alabama, and Illinois, with new branch offices on boarding in Virginia and Southern Illinois. "This, in addition to our expansion into North and South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, it furthers our growth strategy to attract regional sales leaders who desire a broader role in a company than simply being a branch on a spreadsheet", says Rick Roque, Corporate Vice President at Shamrock. "If you want to understand why Shamrock Home Loans is one of the fastest growing mortgage lenders in the US, you need only to listen to Crystal Gosselin from our new office in North Atlanta, Georgia. From her ad-agency quality video we produce for all of our loan officers, she describes how Shamrock views every client as a spiritual family in need of our personal and financial counseling during a very confusing mortgage process". Join us by emailing, JoinTheRock@shamrockHomeLoans.com.

275 basis points, 325 bps, Govie P&L model with rapid turn times! Recently named among Top 6 Best Large Mortgage Companies to work for by National Mortgage News, Geneva Financial Home Loans is filling Branch Manager and Loan officer positions in 45 states. Close in as little as 10 days. Large volume branches can opt for same-day underwriting with in-branch Ops option. P&L includes zero fees for credit reports, AUS, LOS, CRM, technology fees, employer taxes (commissioned employees), VOEs, 4506Ts, and warehouse costs. See why Geneva Financial has a 5-star Google rating with over 1,800 verified borrower reviews!


Over a dozen rivers, mainly Heilongjiang province, have increased to their highest levels in decades.

Heavy Rainfall

Heavy rainfall has battered some parts of northeastern China since last week, with authorities warning of flooding, as water levels in the region's rivers rise to record levels.13 rivers, mostly in Heilongjiang province, have experienced above-average water levels, with five exceeding historical highs last noticed decades ago, according to the Ministry of Water Resources.

Flash flooding in some places has swept away bridges and overpower farms along the banks. According to state-owned China News, the present average precipitation in the Heilongjiang River Basin is said to be the highest since 1961.

Since May, average rainfall in the basin has gotten to 155 millimeters, almost twice the previous record. As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, provincial authorities in Heilongjiang improved to a level two emergency response, the second-highest warning in the four-tiered system.

Also Read: Lake Charles Slammed: Flash Flooding Emergencies Declared in Louisiana, Texas

Authorities Evacuates Residents of Eastern Jiangxi Province

State broadcaster China Central Television reported that 500 residents in the province's Huma County were evacuated on Monday after local authorities increased its flood emergency response to the highest level. Authorities said that water levels in the region's rivers have been rapidly rising and that the situation is becoming "grave."

According to the state-owned China News, another northeastern province, Jilin, had issued 44 warnings for hail, lightning, and heavy rain as of Monday afternoon. Meteorologists forecast that northeast China will experience persistent showers and thunderstorms Wednesday and Thursday.

Authorities evacuated thousands of dwellers in the eastern Jiangxi province last month following heavy rainfall that destroyed houses and farmlands. Chinese authorities have been on high alert to reduce the damage that is flood-related after historic floods destroyed large swaths of the country last year.

Floods in North East China

Floods in north east China have taken the lives of about 54 people as of 2013 and have been reported as the worst in 40 years.

About 97 people are still missing and 162,000 people have been displaced. The floods brought about damage to over 30,000 houses - 6,000 houses have collapsed - and also power supplies, and rail networks and road.

Over 100,000 hectares of farmland have been affected and economic losses brought about by the floods is anticipated to be up to billions of U.S. Dollars, especially since the 3 most badly affected provinces are major grain producing regions.

The worst affected region is Liaoning province and especially the city of Fushun where majority of the deaths were recorded. Now, great relief efforts have swung into action and relief camps have been provided for some of the evacuated.

The floods have been provoked by relentless heavy rainfall. According to China's provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters, parts of Liaoning province experienced an incredible 40cm in just 24 hours.

Related Article: Rain Makers: Scientists in China Develop a Device that can Increase Rainfall

For more news, updates about rainfall, flooding and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News!
Granite State News July 4th parade gets the nod from selectmen

by Elissa Paquette WOLFEBORO  Representatives from the American Legion, reporting back to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) on June 16, came prepared with the latest Covid-19 vaccination rates from the Washington Post and the Johns Hopkins Center for Disease Control.



"We've hit the mark," said Paul Vivian.



The organization previously set criteria to be met by June 20, including a 70 percent one dose vaccination rate in New Hampshire and surrounding New England states. New Hampshire lost its early lead - "Every state has beat us," said Vivian  but as of the June 16 meeting, it had vaccinated 69.50 percent of the population eligible for a vaccine with at least one dose.



Vermont has had the most success vaccinating its eligible citizens with at least one dose (82.10 percent), with Massachusetts not far behind (78.70 percent), followed by Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island. Vivian pointed out New Hampshire's state average in the 65 and older age group is as high as 84 percent. At the same time, the over 65 population in Carroll County is at 78 percent and the group from age 18 and up is at 64 percent.



Vivian spoke of the variant concerns, a number of which are beginning to circulate in New Hampshire, but the Delta variant, active in India, is not yet prevalent.



"It's fair to say that [vaccination] rates are high enough to go ahead," he said.



He encouraged full vaccination, which has shown to be very effective against the variant.



The BOS voted in support of the Sunday, July 4 parade, which will begin at 1 p.m. If it is necessary to postpone the parade to Monday, July 5, the start time will be the usual 10 a.m.



"You have your parade," declared Chairman Linda Murray.



With that vote, the discussion turned to whether to extend the ban on Main Street parking to include North Main Street up to Old Lakeview Terrace. Selectman Dave Senecal said he was fine leaving the ban just between Clark Road and Sewall Road, but others disagreed. Selectman Brian Deshaies said he believed the purpose of extending it is to spread out the crowd, a comment that Chief Dean Rondeau picked up on with agreement that it is a protective measure that gives the crowd the maximum opportunity to spread out.



"Those who are fully vaccinated are protected again the variant," he said. "Others are not. We do need to think about that."



Deshaies pointed out that it is not a long distance from Sewall to Old Lakeview Terrace, there is not a sidewalk on both sides, and it can get "precarious."



A motion to ban parking for the full route passed.



The board then agreed, after brief discussion, to pay $500 to Molly the Trolley in order to offer free parade service to all comers. Owner Kathy Eaton said she would start early bringing people down to Town Hall, Pickering Corner, and Durgin Stables and circle back to the parking lot at Kingswood Regional High School.



Legionaire Tom Southern said details will be forthcoming on additional activities scheduled to enhance the Independence Day celebration. The Lions Club is planning a car show, Goodhue and Hawkins is sponsoring a boat show on July 3, and Lake Wentworth will feature a boat parade and fishing tournament. Southern said he hoped the festivities would "grow and grow" and give visitors a reason to stay around town. WOLFEBORO  Representatives from the American Legion, reporting back to the Board of Selectmen (BOS) on June 16, came prepared with the latest Covid-19 vaccination rates from the Washington Post and the Johns Hopkins Center for Disease Control."We've hit the mark," said Paul Vivian.The organization previously set criteria to be met by June 20, including a 70 percent one dose vaccination rate in New Hampshire and surrounding New England states. New Hampshire lost its early lead - "Every state has beat us," said Vivian  but as of the June 16 meeting, it had vaccinated 69.50 percent of the population eligible for a vaccine with at least one dose.Vermont has had the most success vaccinating its eligible citizens with at least one dose (82.10 percent), with Massachusetts not far behind (78.70 percent), followed by Connecticut, Maine, and Rhode Island. Vivian pointed out New Hampshire's state average in the 65 and older age group is as high as 84 percent. At the same time, the over 65 population in Carroll County is at 78 percent and the group from age 18 and up is at 64 percent.Vivian spoke of the variant concerns, a number of which are beginning to circulate in New Hampshire, but the Delta variant, active in India, is not yet prevalent."It's fair to say that [vaccination] rates are high enough to go ahead," he said.He encouraged full vaccination, which has shown to be very effective against the variant.The BOS voted in support of the Sunday, July 4 parade, which will begin at 1 p.m. If it is necessary to postpone the parade to Monday, July 5, the start time will be the usual 10 a.m."You have your parade," declared Chairman Linda Murray.With that vote, the discussion turned to whether to extend the ban on Main Street parking to include North Main Street up to Old Lakeview Terrace. Selectman Dave Senecal said he was fine leaving the ban just between Clark Road and Sewall Road, but others disagreed. Selectman Brian Deshaies said he believed the purpose of extending it is to spread out the crowd, a comment that Chief Dean Rondeau picked up on with agreement that it is a protective measure that gives the crowd the maximum opportunity to spread out."Those who are fully vaccinated are protected again the variant," he said. "Others are not. We do need to think about that."Deshaies pointed out that it is not a long distance from Sewall to Old Lakeview Terrace, there is not a sidewalk on both sides, and it can get "precarious."A motion to ban parking for the full route passed.The board then agreed, after brief discussion, to pay $500 to Molly the Trolley in order to offer free parade service to all comers. Owner Kathy Eaton said she would start early bringing people down to Town Hall, Pickering Corner, and Durgin Stables and circle back to the parking lot at Kingswood Regional High School.Legionaire Tom Southern said details will be forthcoming on additional activities scheduled to enhance the Independence Day celebration. The Lions Club is planning a car show, Goodhue and Hawkins is sponsoring a boat show on July 3, and Lake Wentworth will feature a boat parade and fishing tournament. Southern said he hoped the festivities would "grow and grow" and give visitors a reason to stay around town.

Granite State News Public forum on beach parking set for July 27 Recent Elissa Paquette Graduation brings year to a close for Kingswood Class of 2021

2021-Jun-24 Ossipee Central loses longtime staff members to retirement

2021-Jun-24 Public forum on beach parking set for July 27

2021-Jun-24 Carpenter, Crescent Lake retirees honored

2021-Jun-24 Graniteman Triathlon suspended until 2022

2021-Jun-10 More... Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com
Granite State News Public forum on beach parking set for July 27

by Elissa Paquette WOLFEBORO  The Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen (WBOS) invites the public to attend a forum at the Foss Field Pavilion on Tuesday, July 27 (rain date July 29) to offer thoughts on policy pertaining to the beach parking lots: Albee Beach, Carry Beach and Brewster Beach. Attendees are invited to bring a chair and practice social distancing.



Petitioned articles on the 2019 and 2020 warrants led to institution of a beach pass system organized by the Parks and Recreation Department for parking at Albee and Carry beaches; Brewster Beach remained open to all (first come, first served) with a vote to further discuss issues identified in the use of that site.



The WBOS would like residents to comment at the forum on whether the town should have a uniform policy for all the beach parking lots or have separate policies for the parking lots; and on access  should the lots be available to residents only, or to a broader group (residents, taxpayers, guests and commercial businesses), or be open to the general public.



Wolfeboro Community Television will record the meeting for broadcast.



Questions and written responses may be emailed to tmsecretary@wolfeboronh.us or mailed to PO Box 629, Wolfeboro, NH, 03894.



Beaches are expected to be staffed by June 26. From that time forward, beach parking passes will be required. Up to two free passes per household are available for taxpayers, residents, families and their guests at the Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center. A valid Wolfeboro Solid Waste sticker is also acceptable. Visit the Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Facebook page for further details. WOLFEBORO  The Wolfeboro Board of Selectmen (WBOS) invites the public to attend a forum at the Foss Field Pavilion on Tuesday, July 27 (rain date July 29) to offer thoughts on policy pertaining to the beach parking lots: Albee Beach, Carry Beach and Brewster Beach. Attendees are invited to bring a chair and practice social distancing.Petitioned articles on the 2019 and 2020 warrants led to institution of a beach pass system organized by the Parks and Recreation Department for parking at Albee and Carry beaches; Brewster Beach remained open to all (first come, first served) with a vote to further discuss issues identified in the use of that site.The WBOS would like residents to comment at the forum on whether the town should have a uniform policy for all the beach parking lots or have separate policies for the parking lots; and on access  should the lots be available to residents only, or to a broader group (residents, taxpayers, guests and commercial businesses), or be open to the general public.Wolfeboro Community Television will record the meeting for broadcast.Questions and written responses may be emailed to tmsecretary@wolfeboronh.us or mailed to PO Box 629, Wolfeboro, NH, 03894.Beaches are expected to be staffed by June 26. From that time forward, beach parking passes will be required. Up to two free passes per household are available for taxpayers, residents, families and their guests at the Pop Whalen Ice and Arts Center. A valid Wolfeboro Solid Waste sticker is also acceptable. Visit the Wolfeboro Parks and Recreation Facebook page for further details.


Granite State News Carpenter, Crescent Lake retirees honored

by Elissa Paquette WOLFEBORO  The end of the school year brings transitions. As graduates of the Class of 2021 head on to the next chapters of their lives, six staff members of Carpenter Elementary and Crescent Lake Elementary School, many of whom are familiar to this year's graduates, are also changing course. Carpenter is saying good by to Patti Edson (21 years), Ernest Hayford (24 years), Teresa Kretchmer (16 years), Kathy Roseen (22.5) and Denise McCarthy (16 years); Crescent Lake bids adieu to John Beaulieu (15 years) .



Kindergarten teacher Patti Edson, a finalist for NH Teacher of the Year in 2014, came to the GWRSD in 1998 following four years as Director and teacher at the Tuftonboro Cooperative Nursery School.



Principal Mary Dolan-Myers told assembed teachers, "A parent said to me recently, 'Mrs. Edson is magical' . And Patti, I must agree!... You look for the good in every child and appreciate them for being them. You take advantage of every teachable moment to remind children of the importance of kindness, cooperation, and respect."



Superintendent Kathy Cuddy-Egbert said of longtime custodian, Ernest Hayford, "Ernie could always be counted on to go above and beyond his daily duties and his friendly demeanor helped make the work environment at Carpenter relaxed. The building looks brand new, and that is due to the obvious knowledge and caring of the custodial crew here."



Library and Media Specialist Teresa Kretchmer, whom the superintendent noted has served as Media Teacher, Testing Coordinator, Computer Assisting Teacher, Carpenter's Summer School Coordinator, Webmaster and cafeteria and bus proctor, received thanks from Dolan-Myers for her frequent kind and patient assistance in addressing Chromebook issues in support of children, families and staff.



Kathy Roseen, an occupational therapist who served elementary schools throughout the district in her 22.5 years with the school system, was commended for having "been instrumental in helping us all develop a better understanding of how best to support students with sensory needs" and in a year featuring remote learning, her ability to support students, staff and family with multiple recommendations to support their children at home.



Dolan-Myers said of secretary Denise McCarthy, "You are the go-to person for all of us children, families, staff, and especially me! Questions come at you constantly and you never miss a beat."



And Crescent Lake Elementary School students paid tribute to recess proctor John Beaulieu in their school yearbook, writing "Mr. B has been outside in the warm and cold for 15 years as our recess proctor and bouncing from class to class to help us students. We will miss him a lot." WOLFEBORO  The end of the school year brings transitions. As graduates of the Class of 2021 head on to the next chapters of their lives, six staff members of Carpenter Elementary and Crescent Lake Elementary School, many of whom are familiar to this year's graduates, are also changing course. Carpenter is saying good by to Patti Edson (21 years), Ernest Hayford (24 years), Teresa Kretchmer (16 years), Kathy Roseen (22.5) and Denise McCarthy (16 years); Crescent Lake bids adieu to John Beaulieu (15 years) .Kindergarten teacher Patti Edson, a finalist for NH Teacher of the Year in 2014, came to the GWRSD in 1998 following four years as Director and teacher at the Tuftonboro Cooperative Nursery School.Principal Mary Dolan-Myers told assembed teachers, "A parent said to me recently, 'Mrs. Edson is magical' . And Patti, I must agree!... You look for the good in every child and appreciate them for being them. You take advantage of every teachable moment to remind children of the importance of kindness, cooperation, and respect."Superintendent Kathy Cuddy-Egbert said of longtime custodian, Ernest Hayford, "Ernie could always be counted on to go above and beyond his daily duties and his friendly demeanor helped make the work environment at Carpenter relaxed. The building looks brand new, and that is due to the obvious knowledge and caring of the custodial crew here."Library and Media Specialist Teresa Kretchmer, whom the superintendent noted has served as Media Teacher, Testing Coordinator, Computer Assisting Teacher, Carpenter's Summer School Coordinator, Webmaster and cafeteria and bus proctor, received thanks from Dolan-Myers for her frequent kind and patient assistance in addressing Chromebook issues in support of children, families and staff.Kathy Roseen, an occupational therapist who served elementary schools throughout the district in her 22.5 years with the school system, was commended for having "been instrumental in helping us all develop a better understanding of how best to support students with sensory needs" and in a year featuring remote learning, her ability to support students, staff and family with multiple recommendations to support their children at home.Dolan-Myers said of secretary Denise McCarthy, "You are the go-to person for all of us children, families, staff, and especially me! Questions come at you constantly and you never miss a beat."And Crescent Lake Elementary School students paid tribute to recess proctor John Beaulieu in their school yearbook, writing "Mr. B has been outside in the warm and cold for 15 years as our recess proctor and bouncing from class to class to help us students. We will miss him a lot."


Littleton Courier Firefighters battle second blaze at Rotobec

by Angel Larcom

For the second time this month, firefighters battled an air filtration system fire at Littleton's Rotobec facility. (Courtesy Photo) (click for larger version) LITTLETON  Last Friday firefighters responded to a second fire at the Rotobec facility in Littleton's Industrial Park. Lower ambient temperatures and a preexisting familiarity with the company's air filtration system guaranteed a shorter battle. The cause remains under investigation.



During the June 8 incident, a hopper system attached to the building caught fire and smoke permeated the 38,000-square-foot structure. At that time, Littleton Fire Chief Mike McQuillen suspected the cause was a bit of paper or rag that got caught in the air filtration system and ignited.



"Rotobec repaired the dust collection system and installed new parts. Unfortunately, what we thought caused the fire may not have been the case because the exact same thing happened again. We think there is some type of malfunction with the machine or with the dust collection system," stated McQuillen.



The first blaze required several hours of on-site effort and an extensive mutual aid response from nine regional fire departments. McQuillen said responders extinguished the second blaze within 40 minutes.



"The humidity was lower that day. The other great thing that helped was that we had a meeting at the fire station when the call came in, and we could get extra manpower on the scene rather quickly," noted the fire chief.



"We did not need to tear into the building or take any piping apart. Opening the doors on the hopper system and getting the firefighters up there kept us from having to go into the building," he added.



Approximately 30 firefighters from Littleton, Bethlehem, Whitefield, Saint Johnsbury, Lisbon, Franconia and Sugar Hill fought last Friday's fire. No injuries were reported.



Both fires have impacted Rotobec financially. Operations Manager Dan Gray estimated repair costs were approximately $15,000 to $20,000 per incident. The company lost two days of production after the first fire, with additional repairs scheduled this week.



"The dust collector comes from our plasma table, which handles all of the raw steel plates that come into the building. Shutting down the system has a big impact on us. Fortunately, our main plant in Canada has a slightly larger table and they've been able to help us out and keep us going," explained Gray.



The manager continued, "We thought we knew the problem, and the whole system was cleaned and inspected. We felt confident that a piece of paper had caught fire. This time, we are pulling together all of our resources and a representative from the company that built the machine will take a look at it."



"We want to be sure it isn't going to happen again. It's very frustrating and expensive, and it really hurts our production," added Gray. LITTLETON  Last Friday firefighters responded to a second fire at the Rotobec facility in Littleton's Industrial Park. Lower ambient temperatures and a preexisting familiarity with the company's air filtration system guaranteed a shorter battle. The cause remains under investigation.During the June 8 incident, a hopper system attached to the building caught fire and smoke permeated the 38,000-square-foot structure. At that time, Littleton Fire Chief Mike McQuillen suspected the cause was a bit of paper or rag that got caught in the air filtration system and ignited."Rotobec repaired the dust collection system and installed new parts. Unfortunately, what we thought caused the fire may not have been the case because the exact same thing happened again. We think there is some type of malfunction with the machine or with the dust collection system," stated McQuillen.The first blaze required several hours of on-site effort and an extensive mutual aid response from nine regional fire departments. McQuillen said responders extinguished the second blaze within 40 minutes."The humidity was lower that day. The other great thing that helped was that we had a meeting at the fire station when the call came in, and we could get extra manpower on the scene rather quickly," noted the fire chief."We did not need to tear into the building or take any piping apart. Opening the doors on the hopper system and getting the firefighters up there kept us from having to go into the building," he added.Approximately 30 firefighters from Littleton, Bethlehem, Whitefield, Saint Johnsbury, Lisbon, Franconia and Sugar Hill fought last Friday's fire. No injuries were reported.Both fires have impacted Rotobec financially. Operations Manager Dan Gray estimated repair costs were approximately $15,000 to $20,000 per incident. The company lost two days of production after the first fire, with additional repairs scheduled this week."The dust collector comes from our plasma table, which handles all of the raw steel plates that come into the building. Shutting down the system has a big impact on us. Fortunately, our main plant in Canada has a slightly larger table and they've been able to help us out and keep us going," explained Gray.The manager continued, "We thought we knew the problem, and the whole system was cleaned and inspected. We felt confident that a piece of paper had caught fire. This time, we are pulling together all of our resources and a representative from the company that built the machine will take a look at it.""We want to be sure it isn't going to happen again. It's very frustrating and expensive, and it really hurts our production," added Gray.

Littleton Courier Wireless LINC under new ownership, upgrades underway Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com
Home Salmon Press Coverage Map Print Advertising Rate Card

About Us

Advertisers Info Pay My Advertising Bill

Subscribe Your Account Single Paper Multi-paper Buy Log out

Archives Meredith News Winnisquam Echo Gilford Steamer Record Enterprise Granite State News The Baysider Carroll County Independent Coos County Democrat Littleton Courier Berlin Reporter Mountain Ear Newfound Landing

Photo Reprints

Facebook Coos County Democrat Salmon Sports (Wolfeboro) NH Front Page

Meredith News From screens to a river

Inter-Lakes virtual learners get unique experiences

by Erin Plummer

Teacher Steve Watson helps pick some fish out of a bucket to go into the river. (Photo by Erin Plummer) (click for larger version) SANDWICH  Students in Steve Watson's class and their families finally got the chance to meet in person, though it wasn't a meeting in a classroom: it was a sandy area alongside the Cold River in East Sandwich. Students went from the virtual classroom to a classroom in nature where they released brook trout fry they watched grow from eggs, the culmination of a year of virtual learning for one group of students from Inter-Lakes Elementary and Sandwich Central Schools.



All this year a number of students in the Inter-Lakes School District have been part of the Virtual Pathways program for students K-12 whose families opted for virtual learning because of the pandemic. The fourth and fifth graders in Watson's class were just one group who had been learning in front of computers all year, though got one chance to meet in person near the end of the year.



On June 14, families gathered alongside Route 113 and walked down a wooded embankment below a bridge. Watson, joined by Emma Brandt from the Green Mountain Conservation Group, brought down a bucket filled with water and brook trout fry that he raised from eggs in front of the class and the kids got the chance to release the fish into the river. It's a program that Watson typically does with his students in person at Sandwich Central School, but this year a different group of students received the lesson



Watson said around early August of 2020 it became more apparent that enough families in the district wanted to opt for virtual learning. He said SCS Principal Jeremy Hilger asked him if he would be interested in teaching virtually and he agreed.



"It's been wild, you have to learn a whole new style or model of teaching," Watson said.



Watson has been working with fourth and fifth graders from both SCS and ILES. As a teacher at SCS, he said he was a little nervous about working with the ILES kids he never met in person before.



"I feel like we've been able to really develop into this tight, cohesive group together even though I would say most of these kids I've never met in person," Watson said. "I still feel like we've been able to develop a nice, close knit relationship."



Each day started with a morning meeting similar to what would be done in school. He said this gives the students a chance to interact by sharing what they did over the weekend, playing games, and more opportunities.



Watson said he tries to meet with the students one-on-one as much as possible, helping with assignments and generally chatting.



He said the process hasn't always been perfect, especially trying to get students to focus and finish assignments



"It's also been an amazing experience," Watson said. "I have a great group of kids that I'm working with. I feel they've come so far since the beginning of the year; they've developed these incredible online skills that I think are going to serve them well after this is all over."



He said the students have become stronger over the experience and have been working on some important life skills like perseverance and organization.



Watson said he knows this has been a difficult experience for many of the kids and many have been dealing with isolation and being away from their friends. On the other hand, there are a few students who thrive with this model and are learning in a more comfortable environment. One student named Beckett has been staying with his grandparents in Kansas and taking classes virtually.



The brook trout program is one Watson has been doing for a number of years as part of an overall program on watersheds. Brook trout are considered a species of concern, which is a step above being considered a threatened species.



"We're doing our part to help out and get the population back up," Watson told the students, later adding, "We're just trying to do our part, almost like citizen scientists."



Watson does the trout project with the NH Fish and Game and the Green Mountain Conservation Group. He will get the eggs and the class will get the chance to watch them hatch and watch the trout go from eggs to alevin stage where they have egg sacks. When the trout get to the juvenile (or fry) stage, they are released into the Cold River.



Usually, Watson will have the trout in the classroom and students will get to see them grow. This time Watson raised the trout himself and would make videos on them that he shared with the class. He would also do live streams with the students to see the trout and talk about them.



On June 14, the class and members of their family joined Watson and Brandt in person at the to release the fish. Watson brought the brook trout in a bucket, each of the students collected fish individually in cups and released them into the river. Brandt, who has been working with the class, provided more information on the fish and gave pointers to students on the best way to release the fish.



Some of the kids gave them names and said some parting words before letting them swim off. Beckett also got to join in the activity over the phone and participated in the process through Google Meet.



After the release, a few of the kids shared some of their experiences in Virtual Pathways with the rout project a big highlight.



Fourth grader Brennan Pike of Meredith said Virtual Pathways was a different experience, but one he enjoyed.



"I got to sit on my couch all day and type on a computer," he said.



Even though he wasn't physically in school, Brennan said he still kept in touch with his friends online.



Fifth grader Emma Hovey of Meredith said this experience has been a lot different, but it's been fun. She said her favorite part was, "Being able to sit in my pajamas while doing my work." She enjoyed working with math overall and said she enjoyed doing the brook trout project.



Fourth grader Maeve Kim from Meredith had just moved to town from Thornton before he pandemic.



"It's fun; it's just kind of different," Maeve said about Virtual Pathways. "You got to talk to people virtually."



Her favorite subjects have been math and English language arts.



Fourth grader Jolie Ruggles of Meredith got a baby sister before the pandemic.



"I like being able to spend time with my sister and my brother and being in school right now, there's a possibility I could get sick," Jolie said.



All the kids said they really liked the brook trout project.



Brennan said it felt good to help out the fish, especially since they are close to being a threatened species.



"I feel good about it because they're in their natural habitat now and it's fun," Emma said.



Jolie said the fish now get to be in a better place than a tank.



"It felt good, and I'm glad that I'm helping the trout from going extinct," Maeve said. SANDWICH  Students in Steve Watson's class and their families finally got the chance to meet in person, though it wasn't a meeting in a classroom: it was a sandy area alongside the Cold River in East Sandwich. Students went from the virtual classroom to a classroom in nature where they released brook trout fry they watched grow from eggs, the culmination of a year of virtual learning for one group of students from Inter-Lakes Elementary and Sandwich Central Schools.All this year a number of students in the Inter-Lakes School District have been part of the Virtual Pathways program for students K-12 whose families opted for virtual learning because of the pandemic. The fourth and fifth graders in Watson's class were just one group who had been learning in front of computers all year, though got one chance to meet in person near the end of the year.On June 14, families gathered alongside Route 113 and walked down a wooded embankment below a bridge. Watson, joined by Emma Brandt from the Green Mountain Conservation Group, brought down a bucket filled with water and brook trout fry that he raised from eggs in front of the class and the kids got the chance to release the fish into the river. It's a program that Watson typically does with his students in person at Sandwich Central School, but this year a different group of students received the lessonWatson said around early August of 2020 it became more apparent that enough families in the district wanted to opt for virtual learning. He said SCS Principal Jeremy Hilger asked him if he would be interested in teaching virtually and he agreed."It's been wild, you have to learn a whole new style or model of teaching," Watson said.Watson has been working with fourth and fifth graders from both SCS and ILES. As a teacher at SCS, he said he was a little nervous about working with the ILES kids he never met in person before."I feel like we've been able to really develop into this tight, cohesive group together even though I would say most of these kids I've never met in person," Watson said. "I still feel like we've been able to develop a nice, close knit relationship."Each day started with a morning meeting similar to what would be done in school. He said this gives the students a chance to interact by sharing what they did over the weekend, playing games, and more opportunities.Watson said he tries to meet with the students one-on-one as much as possible, helping with assignments and generally chatting.He said the process hasn't always been perfect, especially trying to get students to focus and finish assignments"It's also been an amazing experience," Watson said. "I have a great group of kids that I'm working with. I feel they've come so far since the beginning of the year; they've developed these incredible online skills that I think are going to serve them well after this is all over."He said the students have become stronger over the experience and have been working on some important life skills like perseverance and organization.Watson said he knows this has been a difficult experience for many of the kids and many have been dealing with isolation and being away from their friends. On the other hand, there are a few students who thrive with this model and are learning in a more comfortable environment. One student named Beckett has been staying with his grandparents in Kansas and taking classes virtually.The brook trout program is one Watson has been doing for a number of years as part of an overall program on watersheds. Brook trout are considered a species of concern, which is a step above being considered a threatened species."We're doing our part to help out and get the population back up," Watson told the students, later adding, "We're just trying to do our part, almost like citizen scientists."Watson does the trout project with the NH Fish and Game and the Green Mountain Conservation Group. He will get the eggs and the class will get the chance to watch them hatch and watch the trout go from eggs to alevin stage where they have egg sacks. When the trout get to the juvenile (or fry) stage, they are released into the Cold River.Usually, Watson will have the trout in the classroom and students will get to see them grow. This time Watson raised the trout himself and would make videos on them that he shared with the class. He would also do live streams with the students to see the trout and talk about them.On June 14, the class and members of their family joined Watson and Brandt in person at the to release the fish. Watson brought the brook trout in a bucket, each of the students collected fish individually in cups and released them into the river. Brandt, who has been working with the class, provided more information on the fish and gave pointers to students on the best way to release the fish.Some of the kids gave them names and said some parting words before letting them swim off. Beckett also got to join in the activity over the phone and participated in the process through Google Meet.After the release, a few of the kids shared some of their experiences in Virtual Pathways with the rout project a big highlight.Fourth grader Brennan Pike of Meredith said Virtual Pathways was a different experience, but one he enjoyed."I got to sit on my couch all day and type on a computer," he said.Even though he wasn't physically in school, Brennan said he still kept in touch with his friends online.Fifth grader Emma Hovey of Meredith said this experience has been a lot different, but it's been fun. She said her favorite part was, "Being able to sit in my pajamas while doing my work." She enjoyed working with math overall and said she enjoyed doing the brook trout project.Fourth grader Maeve Kim from Meredith had just moved to town from Thornton before he pandemic."It's fun; it's just kind of different," Maeve said about Virtual Pathways. "You got to talk to people virtually."Her favorite subjects have been math and English language arts.Fourth grader Jolie Ruggles of Meredith got a baby sister before the pandemic."I like being able to spend time with my sister and my brother and being in school right now, there's a possibility I could get sick," Jolie said.All the kids said they really liked the brook trout project.Brennan said it felt good to help out the fish, especially since they are close to being a threatened species."I feel good about it because they're in their natural habitat now and it's fun," Emma said.Jolie said the fish now get to be in a better place than a tank."It felt good, and I'm glad that I'm helping the trout from going extinct," Maeve said.

Meredith News Islanders offer feedback on Shep Brown's proposal Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.com
One of our grips actually told me that his mother gets very weepy because she grew up on the Upper West Side and she sees it as it was when she was a girl. We want to capture parts of New York that mean something to people.
Ive always really bristled at that because Ive always felt like thats just another way of saying no, you cant have it all and you have to make choices. I feel like what was exciting to me was to make a show that says its OK to want it all and to want to be all parts of yourself, to want to be a wife and a mother but also to be a sex god who wants to be ravaged. And to say this is a part of me that I miss and a part of me that deserves to be nurtured.
Im enormously proud of all theyve accomplished this year, and Im grateful to every faculty member who joined them on this journey. I wish every student a fun and fulfilling summer, and I look forward to seeing full classrooms of eager learners next fall, he said.
In my more than 50 years of practice, never before have I seen the district attorneys office target a company over employee compensation or fringe benefits, Fischetti said. The IRS would not, and has not, brought a case like this. Even the financial institutions responsible for causing the 2008 financial crises, the worst financial crisis since the great depression, were not prosecuted.
Visits to the citys jails  which are mostly centered on Rikers Island with another major facility on a boat off the Bronx  were suspended on March 18 last year.
We had to turn on a dime, and said, You know what? Were out here marching every day, [so] we have to do a march this year, and the march has to be the Queer Liberation March for Black Lives Against Police Brutality, said Walker. A demonstration that focused on the many murders of especially Black and Brown trans women all over the country.
Ming, who was heading home from his construction job in Chinatown, said his attacker didnt say a word to him during the beatdown.
Four men with bandannas covering their faces were caught on camera walking toward the 6-foot memorial at Flatbush Junction, with one of the men appearing to shake a can of spray paint.
My other son called me and just told me he got shot and he was laying on the floor, said Shand. It was a horrible call to get.
The defendant, his hands cuffed behind his back while clad in a white T-shirt and shorts, remained mute as he exited the 44th Precinct stationhouse with two detectives ahead of his Friday arraignment. Cops said Lopez was affiliated with the Make It Happen Boys Gang, and he was arrested at his fathers Harlem home in the Taino Towers.
I can only surmise that maybe the comment had something to do with training and some new information that (police officials) are admitting they didnt train him properly, Daly said. But why is he even saying this (at his sentencing hearing)? I wonder if hes even capable as coming across as a penitent  someone whos truly sorry for what he did.
On Friday, Nelson said his clients brain is littered with what-ifs, such as, What if I just had not agreed to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if, what if, what if?
McAfees attorney in Spain said his clients family knew nothing about a suicide note. His 38-year-old wife said that McAfee was prepared to fight an uphill legal battle against prosecutors in Tennessee who allegedly evaded more than $4 million taxes, then get on with his life.
Nelson brought the motion for a new trial with claims that the extraordinary media attention surrounding Floyds death had tainted the local jury pool to the point the trial should have been transferred to another jurisdiction.
The New Hampshire man pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product and faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and will also be required to pay restitution to the victims.
The two pilots of the small plane were questioned and released, but their passenger was arrested and charged. The suspect was identified as Leonard Lopez, a 40-year-old Florida man who was hoping to take the drugs from California to Miami, authorities said.
Investigators believe Balboa had been watching the boy for several days before she called Rivera on May 10 saying the victim was dead. The roommate told police he returned home and found Samuel bruised and unresponsive on the bed, authorities said. The pair then moved the body into the bathtub and kept it there for two days, according to police.
It will be a luxurious voyage aboard a boat that was unveiled in December 2018 featuring a giant spa and multi-floor suites. The $1 billion vessel will be led by Capt. Kate McCue, who in 2015 became the first American woman to captain a cruise ship and has drawn a following of more than 1 million on TikTok and 250,000 on Instagram.
In a festive twist, a hallway in the White House that Biden said he walks through every day was lit up in the colors of the rainbow. In the same hallway, a candle carried during the 1983 AIDS vigil in San Francisco was on display along with a pair of sandals owned by Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was fatally beaten in 1998 and whose death inspired new hate-crime laws.
We know that climate change is here, and what it does is present us with an opportunity to start looking at spaces that have historically polluted and harmed communities as sort of this economic vehicle of transformation, Yeampierre said.
The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum, said Clarke, who was one of the nations most prominent civil rights attorneys before joining Bidens Justice Department. These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress.
But even though there is reason to be hopeful, the pandemic isnt over, in particular in the worlds poor countries, Merkel said in her potential last government declaration to the German parliament. But in Germany and Europe, were also still moving on thin ice.
As the justices conclude: False statements intended to foment a loss of confidence in our elections and resulting loss of confidence in government generally damage the proper functioning of a free society. When those false statements are made by an attorney, it also erodes the publics confidence in the integrity of attorneys admitted to our bar and damages the professions role as a crucial source of reliable information. It tarnishes the reputation of the entire legal profession and its mandate to act as a trusted and essential part of the machinery of justice.
What happens, for instance, when the facts dont square with the moral relativism of the pro-Palestinian narrative? What if Palestinian terrorists in the Gaza Strip fire rockets on Israels capital and communities in the south, and Israel responds with airstrikes on Hamas targets in the coastal territory? How will they report that under a protocol rigidly committed to the narrative of oppressed (Palestinians) versus oppressors (Israel)?
The upcoming season of The Crown will focus on Princess Diana and Prince Charles 1996 divorce and her tragic death a year later. Following her passing, Major was appointed as one of the guardians of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
But it was a lot of things and it was complicated and Im glad that shes gonna be finished and she can get some time, you know, to herself to just... I mean its a huge, kind of strange thing to be on a show like that and have all that attention on you. And she had it for like 19 years. So, you know, its a tough thing.
Lopdrup has been at the helm of the chain of more than 700 restaurants since 2014, the year Orlandos Darden Restaurants sold the brand to San Francisco private equity firm Golden Gate Capital. He previously worked as Red Lobsters president from 2004 to 2011 when it was owned by Darden.
The cruise line is set to expand its Caribbean footprint when it finally returns to business next week from the U.S. for the first time in more than 15 months, with a planned July 2 sailing with paying customers on board Freedom of the Seas from PortMiami. Already this week, the ship sailed with 650 volunteers, becoming the first in the U.S. to perform a simulated voyage so that it could earn its conditional sailing certificate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who werent vaccinated, a staggering demonstration of how effective the shots have been and an indication that deaths per day  now down to under 300  could be practically zero if everyone eligible got the vaccine.
Most chefs will say a chicken thigh is the best part of the bird for a sandwich. Wrong! Andrew Scala, owner of JAM Hot Chicken, is a breast man all the way. His version features boneless breast brined in a hot sauce mix up to 24 hours. Scala caught the hot chicken bug in 2016 when he visited Howlin Rays in Los Angeles. It was my first experience with it, and aside from the chicken itself, the vibe and service really left an impression. Scala wants to leave one, too, ...and create a dish that blows people away, so that they can feel as excited about it as I was when I first had it. The good news: You wont have to chase this popular pop-up around town anymore as its found a brick-and-mortar home in Winter Park. The bad news: Youll have to be just a little patient as Scala is shooting for a September opening. The best news: You can hit the other nine in this round-up in the meantime.
Police are searching for the suspects after the incident at American Legion Post 16, which took place at about 10:30 p.m.
If he pulls through this, this cop will do everything in his power to return to full duty and he will continue serving this community without an ounce of malice or hate in his heart for what happened to him because thats just the type of person that he is, he said.
The sheriffs office said Andersen locked himself in his Indian Point Circle home when deputies arrived to arrest him but he eventually surrendered. An agency spokesperson did not say how long it took for him to turn himself over nor did one respond to an email seeking clarification.
In May, the condo association submitted plans asking for approval of a temporary parking plan in order to move forward. But their request went unanswered for more than a month. The delay, according to the Miami Herald, prompted the condo building manager, to accuse the town of holding us up as the association sought to accelerate the towers overhaul, which included repairs to a concrete slab under the pool deck and planters that experts are now pointing to as an initial point of failure that preceded the building collapse.
On Jan. 7, 2020, a user overdosed in the home. Lebarron ordered three people to carry the body outside and dump it into an empty lot nearby, according to the DOJ. He continued selling drugs from the home until he was arrested in March 2020.
The first is an officer or deputy must have been seriously injured or killed, or have gone missing. Second, the suspect believed to be responsible must be determined to pose a serious risk to the public.
The bodies of the foal and puppy, both of which were about 8 weeks old, were sent to the University of Floridas College of Veterinary Medicine to determine the cause of death.
Allie said a man was harassing her and her friend at the bar when Guitierrez passed them a fake receipt with a message that said if this guy is bothering you, put your ponytail on your other shoulder and I will have him removed, hes giving me the creeps.
I did not campaign to be the attorney general to play politics with this office, Moody told Politico toward the end of 2019, her first year in office. In my term as attorney general I will never do the bidding of anyone except the people of the state of Florida.
In the 1960s, critical theorist Herbert Marcuse wrote Repressive Tolerance, a defining document for the New Left, whose influence is still seen in progressivism today. Marcuse calls for discriminatory tolerance in favor of progressive tendencies, adding that a policy of unequal treatment would protect radicalism on the Left against that on the Right. Marcuse ends his essay claiming that, the exercise of civil rights by those who dont have them presupposes the withdrawal of civil rights from those who prevent their exercise.
The fact that Archer has taken the position of not dealing with these criminal acts brings me back to a memory of a meeting I had with him several years ago. I was a concerned citizen and had never met him and only knew of him from newspaper articles that he was running for his bosss old position as State Attorney. I contacted him spontaneously via email out of a concern I had, explained my dilemma, and he offered to meet with me at a local restaurant in Seminole County near my home. I thanked him, we met, and we discussed the issue.
A recent guest column by Timothy Head, executive director of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, shows how woefully boring and predictable are the Republican Party leaders (Speeches from Pence, DeSantis put spotlight on faith, freedom, June 25). As usual, the Democrats are dangerous socialists and are responsible for fomenting racism in this country, as well as antisemitism. Republicans are patriots and only they support families and religious freedom, moral and spiritual values. Ron DeSantis is an enlightened governor and defender of the faith for having ordered houses of worship to stay open, despite a deadly pandemic. I, for one, am waiting for the GOP to come up with one valid criticism or one creative proposal that would be of benefit to the people of this country.
With this signing today, we declare that Pulse was a national tragedy, not only for what it was, but for what it meant, Demings said. It will be a national memorial not just to commemorate our past, but to guide our future. Love will always triumph over hate if we have the bravery to embrace it.
Oswego, NY (13126)

Today

Showers early, then partly cloudy for the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 59F. Winds light and variable.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The hour of reckoning came just hours after leaders and representatives of governments as well as delegates from regional and international organizations attending the Berlin II conference on Libya left the German capital, Berlin
Paul Emmitt will join the company with immediate effect and will take over responsibilities for the firm's technology development programme

( ) said it appointed Paul Emmitt to the newly created non-board position of chief technical officer with immediate effect in anticipation of the retirement of its chief executive David Ryan on June 30.

Emmitt is managing director and founder of Engsolve, an engineering consultancy that Powerhouse has worked with for the last four years, adding that in this role he has been deeply involved in the development of the companys technology and has considerable knowledge of energy-from-waste (EfW) technology and markets.

The new CTO is also currently involved in the development of a number of EfW projects utilising a range of existing and emerging technologies and has also been part of the development of the companys DMG process.

Powerhouse said it will employ Emmitt directly for two days a week, allowing him to continue in his present role at Engsolve. He will take over Ryans responsibilities for Powerhouses technology development programme, including all its design, research and project technical assurance activities as well as working closely with the management of Protos Plastics to Hydrogen No. 1 Limited, the special purpose vehicle building the first commercial scale DMG plant, to help achieve the timely completion of the project.

I am delighted to be joining the Powerhouse team and am thrilled to be able to continue to be part of the development of this unique and pioneering technology. I look forward to working with the team to facilitate the completion of the first commercial scale DMG plant which will bolster the UKs hydrogen economy, Emmitt said in a statement.

I warmly welcome Pauls appointment. His close and long-standing involvement with the development of our technology makes him the ideal candidate for this important new post which has been created to ensure that our technical and engineering team continues to have strong leadership after David Ryan steps down from the board. Paul will attend Powerhouse board meetings and will bring valuable knowledge and experience to our discussions, added Powerhouse executive chair Tim Yeo.
Prolific Basins has over the past year provided US$1mln to Scirocco, with a total of US$925,000 settled through the issue of new shares

( ) updated the terms of an investment facility with Prolific Basins LLC, allowing a further US$1mln investment in the company before the end of 2021.

It expands an agreement entered into a year ago.

Prolific Basins can also invest up to a further US$3mln under the facility.

"This is a positive result for the company, as it extends the company's access to the Investment Facility until the end of the year and shows continuing support for Scirocco, said chief executive Tom Reynolds.

Earlier this month, Scirocco unveiled a new expansion with a deal to invest in Energy Acquisitions Group Ltd (EAG), a vehicle in the sustainable energy sector with plans to acquire an anaerobic digestion (AD) biogas energy project in Northern Ireland.
Investigation will assess if pair have broken competition law by being too lax

Amazon Inc ( ) and Google ( ) are facing a full-scale probe into how they combat fake reviews to assess whether they have broken competition law by being too lax.

The CMA, Britains competition regulator, said it has now moved its investigation to a formal level having started looking last year at the tech giants' systems for identifying and dealing with fake reviews.

That initial assessment raised concerns over whether Amazon and Google have been doing enough to detect fake and misleading reviews or suspicious patterns of behaviour and, if discovered, are removing offenders and imposing sanctions.

The CMA said it is also concerned that Amazon's systems do not stop sellers lifting reviews from other sources.

Andrea Coscelli, the CMA's Chief Executive, said: " Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations.

"We are investigating concerns that Amazon and Google have not been doing enough to prevent or remove fake reviews to protect customers and honest businesses.

Coscelli added that it was not clear yet if either Amazon and Google had broken the law.

Facebook, Instagram and eBay have all started removing groups and banning individuals for buying and selling fake reviews on their sites, he added.

The CMA's investigation into fake reviews is part of a broader programme of CMA work, which includes establishing a new pro-competition regulatory regime for digital markets, to curb the power of big tech, the regulator added.

A spokesman for Amazon said the company devoted "significant resources to preventing fake or incentivised reviews from appearing in our store".

"We will continue to assist the CMA with its enquiries and we note its confirmation that no findings have been made against our business."

Google said that its policies state "reviews must be based on real experiences" and where it finds violations "we take action" including disabling user accounts.

"We look forward to continuing our work with the CMA to share more on how our industry-leading technology and review teams work to help users find relevant and useful information on Google.''

Earlier this year Which? found companies that were employing thousands of people to write reviews for 13 a time.

Which? said the CMA's investigation must move quickly to establish if any laws had been broken.

"This should prompt Amazon and Google to finally take the necessary steps to protect users from the growing tide of fake reviews on their platforms and, if they fail to do so, the regulator must be prepared to take strong enforcement action."

Google delays cookie policy changes

Earlier, Google said it had delayed changes to its policy on cookies in its Chrome browser after commitments to made to the CMA.

A plan to ban other peoples tracking cookies on the browser will not now be implemented until the end of 2023, the search engine giant said, a delay of around two years.

This will allow time for an informed debate around the topic, it said.

Vinay Goel, Googles privacy engineering director added: "It's become clear that more time is needed across the ecosystem to get this right.

The CMA, which has also demanded it oversees the proposed changes, said it intends to accept the deal and that it comes into effect on July 11.

Third-party cookies are used by advertisers to track user activity and monitor the effectiveness of campaigns in reaching potential customers

Google plans to introduce its own new system known as Privacy Sandbox that will replace these third-party cookies.

But advertisers and regulators are concerned that this will just concentrate the market even further into Googles hands.

The US group already has up to two-thirds of the browser market.

-- adds comments, cookie policy detail --
A look at Friday's major share movers on the London Stock Exchange

( ) was the lead riser in the FTSE 100, jumping 4% to 946.7p before close, after sportwear giant Nike posted record results.

Quarterly sales slam-dunked the US$12bn mark for the first time in the Beaverton, Oregon companys 50-year history, up 96% on the pandemic hit period a year ago to US$12.3bn and 21% higher than two years ago.

The athleisure retailer, however, is still set for a controversial AGM next week amid criticism for the 4.3mln proposed for executive chairman Peter Cowgill, despite all the government support received during the pandemic.

2.45pm: CRH, Ashtead get boost from US infrastructure deal

CRH plc ( ) and plc ( ) both rose 2% to 3,779p and 5,400p respectively after US President Bidens US$600bn infrastructure deal was agreed on Thursday.

The building materials producer and the equipment rental provider are set to benefit from new investment in roads, bridges and broadband.

"We believe that CRH is becoming an increasingly 'American' company as each year passes, albeit one with a proud Irish heritage. We estimate that the Americas will account for 70% of profits this year, rising to 80% by 2025," analysts at Berenberg said, upgrading the stock to 'buy'.

1.45pm: WPP on the rise after upgrade from

( ) rose 2% to 1,001p in the early afternoon after upgraded the stock to neutral from underperform, hiking the target price to 1,060p from 835p.

Analysts said structural concerns about agency holding companies have taken a back seat as government stimulus and recovery in some pandemic-impacted sectors kick in.

The advertising company is also taking steps to address the challenges posed by the shift in marketing to transformation, creative fee pressure, increased competition from consultants and new entrants and potential disintermediation, analysts reckon.

1pm: Live Company in demand after new contract with Capron Zoo in US

( ) moved 9% higher to 5.25p at lunchtime after signing a new contract with Capron Zoo in Massachusetts for its BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise half tour.

The AIM-listed firm said the event will take place from June 26 to August 29 and will be the companys first time working with Capron Zoo.

Live Company added that it is continuing to build its US business and looks forward to announcing new tours there in due course.

12pm: Amigo higher after lenders allow more time to sort out its mess

( ) gained 7% to 9.39p at noon after suspension of certain conditions relating to its loan facility was due to run out today but has been extended to 24 September.

All new lending activity at the controversial lender has been frozen and this has prompted the reduction in the size of the facility to 100mln from 250mln.

All cash generation arising from customer loans held within the facility is restricted and will continue to be used during the extended waiver period extension to further reduce the outstanding balance of the facility. As of the date of this extension, Amigo had drawn down 27mln.

11am: Chariot edges higher after upbeat outlook statement

( ) edged 6% higher to 5.48p after announcing the next 12-24 months will be an exceptionally busy time as it moves to drilling operations offshore Morocco.

The plan is to drill an appraisal well at the Anchois project to confirm the resource base and test deeper prospects.

The energy company, which recently got recapitalised through equity funding, said it looks forward to multiple new investment opportunities in African renewable and hybrid power projects.

9.50am: Prospex Energy lower after Spain tightens exploration restrictions as part of climate change law

( ) tumbled 15% to 2.2p in mid-morning after announcing that Spain wont issue any new exploration licences and has further tightened up and restrictions as part of a new climate change law.

The investment company said its interests in exploitation permits at this time seem largely unaffected but its not clear how things may develop in the future.

It added that its current assets can run all if not the vast majority of their economic life.

In the FTSE 250, ( ) shed 5% to 414.2p, perhaps due to profit-taking following a strong set of results on Thursday.

The housebuilder said full-year adjusted profit before tax should come in at 100mln after a strong trading performance in the first half.

The firm benefited from a boom in the housing market supported by government measures and consumer demand for countryside homes during the pandemic.

8.50am: Remote Monitored Systems on the rise after UK approves anti-viral mask

( ) was an early riser on Friday, jumping 13% to 1.175p after the five-ply version of its Pro-Larva anti-viral mask has been approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

The mask, developed in collaboration with Volz Filters, has an additional filter layer after the hydrophobic outer layer, further strengthening the mask's bacterial filter efficiency, the AIM-listed firm said.

Volz and RMS subsidiary Pharm 2 Farm have been working on developing a new anti-viral filter material, as an extension of the work on the anti-viral mask and covered by the same patent. This new material has passed the proof-of-concept stage and Volz and P2F are now looking at how this could be commercialised.

Elsewhere, ( ) rose by a tenth to 79p after upgrading expectations for the year to 31 December 2021.

The provider of freight management services said full-year adjusted profit before tax should come in at 8.5mln after the strong trading trends since early 2021 has been holding up.

"We have had a good first half which has positioned us well for a strong outcome for the full year. We are bringing the group closer together unifying IT, people and brands, the benefits of which are starting to come through, said chief executive Robert Ross in a statement.
In a national address on Thursday night, El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele said the digital currency will become legal tender in the Central American nation on September 7

Bitcoin continued its recovery on Friday morning after the government of El Salvador announced that it will adopt the digital currency as legal tender on September 7.

In a national address on Thursday night, El Salvadors president Nayib Bukele also said citizens that sign up to the governments new Chivo e-wallet using facial recognition will also be given US$30 worth of Bitcoin.

The new law, which was passed by a large majority in the legislature of the Central American country earlier this month, means merchants must accept Bitcoin as a payment method alongside the US dollar.

Players in the industry are already starting to make moves to take advantage of the impending change, with Bitcoin ATM operator Athena Bitcoin announcing this morning that it is planning to introduce 1,500 new machines in El Salvador.

However, the plan to make Bitcoin legal tender has attracted controversy from some parts of the country.

Earlier this week, Jaime Guevara, a member of the opposition Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, has joined a group of citizens to file a lawsuit against the new law, saying it violates El Salvadors constitution.

Crypto markets, however, seemed unphased by the pushback in mid-morning trading in London, with Bitcoin rising 2.9% in the last 24 hours to US$34,282 while meme-inspired crypto Dogecoin bounced 11.9% higher to US$0.27.
Helium One moves one step closer to proving that it has the world's largest primary helium resource

Among the most recent posts on the ( ) twitter feed are images of chief executive David Minchin en route to Tanzania.

Its still a relatively complex matter getting around the globe in these virus-ridden times, but for Minchin the trip was a no-brainer in the light of Helium Ones recent and early drill success.

It was at 70 metres and wed only been drilling for an hour and a half when we got this gas flow, explains Minchin.

Hed been following the on-site logging remotely on his laptop and was somewhat unprepared for what he now saw coming through  a showing of gas coming up in the drilling mud grading upwards of 2.2% helium.

As it stands, the showing in the drilling mud represents a commercial grade of helium on its own. However, theres a strong likelihood that dilution occurred as the gas was brought to the surface and that the actual in-situ grade will be significantly higher.

Thats a matter for a later date, though.

What really matters now is that Helium One - almost as soon as the drillbit hit the rock - has delivered proof of concept.

It shows for the first time that we have a subsurface reservoir trap that works, says Minchin.

Its at shallow depth and indicates that the system works. It broadens the prospectivity of the entire basin.

Where once helium was only hypothesized, now its known to be physically present.

Its a huge step, especially given that the current well is continuing on down for a further 1,000 metres. In the context of a gas showing in the first horizon of the first hole, theres now plenty of grounds for optimism that further gas showings will be encountered.

The fact that we have a helium show and its right at the top of the sequence is highly significant, says Minchin.

The implication is that it goes all the way down.

Itll be around three weeks before we know for sure, and the current well is complete. After that, the drilling will turn to two other prospects, and the hope is that at the end of the programme, which will also include an appraisal well, Helium One will be able to put together a maiden reserve.

How big that will be is still a subject for conjecture, but early hypothesizing has it that Helium Ones Tanzanian portfolio may contain the largest primary helium resource in the world, pegged at a preliminary 138bn cubic feet.

The current drilling will take us a long way towards establishing whether these initial hopes are well-founded or not, and the early helium show has certainly set an encouraging precedent.

In the event of success, Helium One is already looking ahead to next steps. The company is well embedded in Tanzania, and enjoys significant support both at local and at governmental levels. The project will have only a very slight environmental impact, and physically wont cover much ground.

Perhaps more significantly, if the project is as big as the early estimates suggest, then it will put Tanzania on the map as one of the most significant producers of helium in the world. Thats an aspiration the government of any country anywhere might have, and in that context its hardly surprising that government support is forthcoming. It doesnt hurt, either, that the President has been in office only a few months, and that fresh ideas are currently at a premium.

If Helium One can indeed prove up the worlds largest primary helium resource, the thinking is that it will take less than US$100mln to develop it, perhaps even as little as US$80mln. That doesnt look like such a stretch for a company thats already capitalised at 148mln.

The aggressive timeline which aims at first commercial production by the end of 2023 will help too.

All told, this is a company thats on the move, and its hardly surprising that the shares have jumped by more than 20% in the past couple of days.
The company said its BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise event will run from June 26 to August 29 at the zoo in Attleboro, Massachusetts

( ) said it has signed a new contract with Capron Zoo in Massachusetts for its BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise half tour.

The AIM-listed firm said the event will take place from June 26 to August 29 and will be the companys first time working with Capron Zoo.

Live Company added that it is continuing to build its US business and looks forward to announcing new tours there in due course.

The firms shares surged 12.5% to 5.4p in late morning trading on Friday.
A look at some of today's major headlines from the Proactive newswire

( ) has released an update on activities at its speciality graphite downstream operations in India, where it is developing a suite of speciality graphite for use in hi-tech applications like lithium-ion batteries, fire retardants, thermal management, and composites.

( ) revealed the five-ply version of its Pro-Larva anti-viral mask has been approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

ANGLE plc ( ) ( ) has raised 20mln in a placing to maintain momentum with the commercialisation of its Parsortix liquid biopsy system.

( ) said it has appointed Paul Emmitt to the newly created non-board position of chief technical officer with immediate effect in anticipation of the retirement of its chief executive David Ryan on June 30.

( ), the freight management specialist, increased its financial guidance for the current year as strong trading continued.

( ) said Helium Ventures PLC, a company formed to identify investment opportunities or acquisitions in the upstream natural gas sector, particularly in helium, has applied to list on the exchange and is expected to be admitted on July 8.

( ) said its chief operating officer Martin Menard will be departing the company on June 30 and that it will make an announcement on the composition of the operations team in due course.

( ), the neo-natal equipment specialist, said its good start to the year has continued.

( ) updated the terms of an investment facility with Prolific Basins LLC, allowing a further US$1mln investment in the company before the end of 2021.

( ) said it wants to list its Leigh Creek copper project (LCCM) on the Australian Stock Exchange within a year.

( ) appointed Teresa Odom as vice president of Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance & Sustainability (ESG), a newly created role.

( ) said it has signed a new contract with Capron Zoo in Massachusetts for its BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise half tour.

genedrive PLC ( ) confirmed it has received a licence to import its COVID-19 testing kit into India through its partner DIVOC Health.

Jade Road Investments PLC ( ) broke into a profit for the past year as investment income tripled and it is seeing exciting investment opportunities as Asian markets rebound from the pandemic.

( ) reported increased assets and reduced losses for the past year, which executive chairman Francesco Gardin said was a challenge but ultimately a success.
Heads rolled after Rio Tinto famously dynamited an old aboriginal rock shelter at the Juukan gorge last year

Heads rolled after Rio Tinto famously dynamited an old aboriginal rock shelter at the Juukan gorge last year.

But the sackings werent just because of that specific act of vandalism, but rather because the destruction at Juukan spoke of a long history and an embedded culture of insensitivity towards indigenous people that had been running riot for decades.

And more details of the damage s ( )(ASX:RIO) destructive culture of indifference has done are now beginning to come to light.

Allegations that Rio Tinto failed to protect 18,000-year-old artefacts showing how people lived during the last Ice Age and which were recovered from the Mirandoo iron ore mine have now hit the headlines.

The Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation has argued that the Australian mining industry hasnt behaved responsibly in regard to archaeological and cultural sites, and that wholesale changes is necessary.

It seems that whats required isnt only a commitment to future best practice, which Rio Tinto has given, but also a reckoning with the past.

The Wintawari Guruma Corporation said it had learned that material dating back at least 18,000 years and other artefacts had been thrown in a Darwin rubbish heap.

In response Rio Tintos iron ore chief Simon Trott apologised for past actions but did not address the specific allegations.

One reason for that might be that he knows there are plenty more allegations to come, and that addressing each of them specifically could end up bogging the company down for years in legal battles and compensation claims.
Shares upgraded to buy with step-up in increased US infrastructure spending set to boost profits by 8%

( ), the Irish builders merchant, is heading towards becoming a US business believes broker Berenberg, which might add 20% to its value.

In anticipation, the broker has upgraded CRH to a 'buy' with a raised target price of 51, which it has based on the US methodology of valuing all the various parts.

We believe that CRH is becoming an increasingly 'American' company as each year passes, albeit one with a proud Irish heritage.

We estimate that the Americas will account for 70% of profits this year, rising to 80% by 2025.

The broker also believes CRHs next chief executive will be American, while it already reports its results in US dollars.

Cevian Capital is also the groups third-largest shareholder and Berenberg notes the Swedish activist investor was a big investor in Ferguson as it shed non-US assets, significantly increased the profit contribution from the US, adopted US dollar reporting and ultimately moved its primary listing to the US.

Cevian Capital has made no public comments on CRH, but we think its presence means that pressure will remain on management to unlock the full value of the asset base, which could involve discussing a US primary listing, said Berenberg.

At the trading level, cyclical tailwinds are also favourable with underlying profits growth of 8% and 6% over the next two years helped by the step-up in US infrastructure spending in 2022.

Add in possible structural change and CRH looks with the group also likely to generate US$8bn of surplus capital in the next five years, which could fund an extra capital return of 5% per annum.
Vaccination changes might wont come quickly enough for this summer say analysts

Airlines and package holiday operators have reported a surge in demand for holidays to countries placed on the green list yesterday, but City analysts dont expect any material uptick in fortunes for the carriers.

Sixteen destinations were added to the list so visitors dont have to quarantine when they now return from the Balearics, Malta and Madeira.

Airlines today said that they were putting on additional flights to meet the demand. Ryanair PLC (LON;RYA) said it was laying 200,000 additional seats to Malta, Ibiza and Palma for July, August and September.

Jet2 , meanwhile, said it had seen the highest volume of bookings to the Balearic Islands in almost a year, with bookings for July alone up more than 3,000%.

Bookings for Malta and Madeira had jumped by almost 1,500% said the airline.

Brokers at Peel Hunt, however, said the absence of the Greek Islands and any mainland destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Italy was disappointing.

Also, with Malta an exception, all the additions are on a green watch list, meaning they can become amber again if the number of COID-19 cases rises.

Government comments today were that fully vaccinated people will be able to travel from an amber list country without quarantine later this summer, but this change wont come quickly enough to help the airlines said the broker.

With the next review not due for around three weeks, the start of the school holidays at the earliest, and the risk that more EU countries require travellers from the UK to quarantine, bookings through July are likely to remain subdued.

Sean Doyle, British Airways chief executive, also expressed disappointment.

"We cannot afford another missed summer. There are jobs at stake, Britons separated from family members and we cannot afford to allow the success of our vaccine programme to be wasted," he said.

Analysts said investors interested in the sector need to look to those airlines that have a good market share and a record of cost management.

Peel Hunt highlighted Jet2 ( ) reiterating its buy rating and target price of 1,580p.

Describing the changes in the green list as a 'small step' towards reopening travel, it sees demand remaining constrained though Jet2 is better capitalised than its competition and may be able to use the proceeds of the recent 387mln convertible issue to acquire a younger fleet inexpensively.

Shares in Jet2 fell 2.8% to 1,233p and easyJet, Ryanair and British Airways owner IAG all too lost ground.

-- adds detail--
Securities will remain halted until Tuesday, June 29, or when an announcement is released to the market.

The company has appointed Newfoundland-based geologist Kerry Sparkes as technical advisor.

( ) ( ) (FRA:MA3) has been granted a trading halt by the ASX ahead of a proposed capital raising announcement.

The halt will remain in place until the start of regular trading on Tuesday, June 29, or until an announcement is released to the market, whichever occurs earliest.

Shares last traded at 44 cents and are up from 28 cents at the market close on March 31.

Strengthens Newfoundland presence

The company has recently appointed highly regarded Newfoundland-based geologist Kerry Sparkes as technical advisor to the board to assist with advancing the Cape Ray Gold Project.

With previous experience as vice president - geology of large gold-focused royalty and streaming company Franco-Nevada Corp ( ) (NYSE:FNV), Sparkes will provide high-level assistance to the exploration team and advise the board on its exploration and development strategy in Newfoundland, Canada.

He has also previously held senior positions with Vale at their world-class Voisey Bay nickel deposit in Labrador as well as Rainy River Resources (now ) at their + 8-million-ounce gold project in Ontario, Canada.

Other positions include working at the Cape Ray Project for Terra Nova Gold Corp, from 2002-2003.
The total US$12 million companion equity required to access the US$20 million project loan funding from CRDB Bank has been secured and the construction of the Lindi Jumbo Project is fully funded to production.

( ) (FRA:N6D) has finalised the third of its three-stage companion equity fundraising process with Battery Metals Capital Group LLC (BMCG) for the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project in Tanzania.

The total US$12 million companion equity required to access the US$20 million project loan funding from CRDB Bank in Tanzania has now been secured and construction of the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project is fully funded to production.

The emerging graphite producer has agreed to a placement of ordinary shares of up to US$10 million with the US-based institutional investor, which provides risk cover for the start-up of its Lindi Jumbo Mine.

Exciting time for company

Walkabout Resources chief executive officer Andrew Cunningham said: The confidence demonstrated by BMCG in the Lindi Jumbo Graphite Project and in management reflects the underlying quality of the project.

This final tranche in the funding requirements for Lindi Jumbo marks an inflection point in the companys progress and puts us in an enviable situation, where international market timing is also working in our favour.

We have already made the first stage US$4 million payment into Tanzania and commenced with the execution of the material agreements.

Sufficient subscriptions have been received under the current Entitlement Offer for the Stage 2 US$4 million payment to be made to Tanzania next month.

This is a very exciting time for Walkabout Resources.

Placement in three tranches

This placement will be made in three tranches, each by way of the Investor making a lump sum cash prepayment of the subscription price of shares (subscription shares).

The first tranche will raise US$1.7 million, using the companys current capacity under Listing Rule 7.1, and is expected to occur next week.

A second tranche will raise a further US$4.3 million following, and subject to, approval at a meeting of shareholders to be held in the next month or so.

Finally, an optional third tranche may raise US$4 million no later than 10 months following the second tranche, subject to the company exercising its option to receive this third tranche and shareholder approval, if required.

The placement agreement closes out an aggregate requirement of the US$12 million in equity required to be received, to unlock a further US$20 million in debt funding from Tanzanian Bank, CRDB.

Pricing of shares

BCMG will request for the subscription shares to be issued, in whole or in part, no later than 24 months after each subscription payment having been made by BCMG.

The number of shares issued will be determined by applying the purchase price to the subscription amount, but subject to a floor price of $0.12.

Subject to the floor price, after two months following the first tranche, the purchase price will be the average of the five daily volume-weighted average prices (VWAP) selected by BMCG during the 20 consecutive trading days immediately prior to the date of the investors notice to issue shares, less a 5% discount (or an 8% discount if the subscription shares are issued after 12 months)

It will be rounded down to the next half of a cent, or if the share price exceeds 50 cents, the next whole cent.

The purchase price will be the subject of the floor price of $0.12.

If the purchase price formula results in a price that is less than the floor price, the company may forego issuing shares and instead opt to repay the applicable subscription amount in cash (with a 5% premium), subject to BMCGs right to receive subscription shares at the floor price in lieu of such cash repayment.

The company will have the right (but no obligation) to forego issuing shares in relation to BMCGs request for issuance and instead to repay the subscription amount by making a payment to the investor equal to the number of shares that would have otherwise been issued, multiplied the purchase price or, if greater, the market value of the subscription shares at that time.

BMCG will not be obligated to provide the second or third tranche, and/or may reduce the size of the second or third tranche if the market price of the shares is below $0.135 and does not recover to above that level within two months after BMCG notifies the company.

Both Walkabout Resources and BMCG have the right to postpone the third tranche by up to two months.

Walkabout Resources will make an initial issuance of 3.8 million shares to BMCG at the time of the funding of the first tranche, towards the ultimate number of subscription shares to be issued.

Alternatively, in lieu of applying these shares towards the aggregate number of the subscription shares to be issued, BMCG may make a further payment equal to the value of these shares determined using the subscription price at the time of the payment.

The proceeds from the second and third tranches will not exceed 4% and 6%, respectively, of the companys market capitalisation, without BMCGs consent.
Consent from Melbourne Water follows approval in March 2021 by Victorias mining regulator Earth Resources Regulation (ERR) for Cauldrons planned underground drilling and sampling exploration operation.

This marks the final regulatory step for the start of exploration activities at the historic goldfield.

( ) (OTCSMKTS:CAULF) (FRA:UFX) has received consent from Melbourne Water, the final regulatory step required for the company to initiate its exploration operations at the Blackwood Gold Project in Victoria.

Obtaining of the consent allows Cauldron to utilise the 1.5-kilometre Tyrconnel Adit to access the multiple reef and shaft systems as part of its planned underground exploration programs at the historic Blackwood mine.

Melbourne Waters consent follows approval in March 2021 by Victorias mining regulator, Earth Resources Regulation (ERR) for Cauldrons planned priority underground drilling and sampling exploration operation.

With consents having now been received from ERR and Melbourne Water, Cauldron is free to commence its exploration operations.

Exciting prospect

Speaking to the milestone, chief executive officer Jess Oram said: Achieving the final regulatory step that allows underground access to mineralised reefs of the Blackwood system will now allow Cauldron to investigate the plunge extensions of known mineralisation.

It is an exciting prospect to finally be in a position to test for extensions of the goldfield whilst ensuring the pristine environment remains unharmed.

Cauldron visited the Blackwood site back in April as a bid to initiate community engagement following its approval to drill and access the extensive underground tunnel system for sampling extensions of historic shafts and multiple gold reef intersections.

Ideal platform to test high-grade gold

Receipt of Melbourne Waters consent to the Companys application for Minor Works on or near waterways, MWA-1208356, is the final regulatory step required for exploration activities in and around Tyrconnel portal.

The Tyrconnel adit bisects both the Eastern and prolific Western reef systems around 100 metres below surface, underneath a cluster of shaft collars installed by historic miners.

This provides the geologists the ideal platform to test both the up-dip and down-dip extension of this zone of known high-grade gold mineralisation.

Compared to drilling from surface, these drillholes are significantly shorter in length, thus reducing cost, and importantly provides no interruption of the enjoyment of the local community living at Barrys Reef

Board changes

Following Simon Youds move to an executive role in May, Oram will transition to a non-executive board role in the coming weeks with the changes reflecting a shift in Cauldrons operational focus.

The company retains access to the geological skills and experience while providing a focus on advancing each project along the project development pipeline.
The shallow nature of the mineralisation will allow continued low-cost rapid exploration advancements.

The buggy drill rig being used for drilling on Section 36 of the Henry Mountains Project.

( ) has started drilling for uranium mineralisation at Section 36 of the Henry Mountains Uranium and Vanadium Project in Utah, USA.

There are up to 40 holes planned at Section 36, which is adjacent to and along strike from GTIs Jeffrey and Rats Nest projects.

The drilling is expected to be complete next week and results are expected during July.

Investors responded positively and shares were more than 18% higher to A$0.026.

Low-cost rapid exploration advancements

Recent downhole geophysical logging and geological mapping have generated drilling targets and the company is targeting a maximum depth of around 20 metres with the drilling.

This will be focused on the exploration target areas and in proximity to the principal existing underground mines  the East and West mines.

The initial downhole gamma uranium assay results are expected to be available in July while chemical assays including vanadium assays are expected to arrive in August.

Further drilling is planned after the assay results with the aim of establishing a JORC-compliant uranium mineral resource in Section 36 and other areas within the Henry Mountains Project.

GTI has also concluded a second stage geophysical logging of 39 additional historical small diameter drill holes this week.

The shallow nature of the mineralisation is expected to allow continued low-cost rapid exploration advancements.

Project summary

GTI Resources holds 1,500 hectares of land in the Henry Mountains region of Utah which has historically been the most important uranium resource of the US.

This region is part of the mineral-rich Colorado Plateau uranium province which has produced 17.5 tonnes at 2,400 ppm U3O8 and 12,500 ppm vanadium pentoxide.

- Ephrems Joseph
Global Energy Ventures Ltd (ASX:GEV) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

Global Energy Ventures and Wartsila to develop C-H2 ship propulsion system

Global Energy Ventures Ltd (ASX:GEV) (OTCMKTS:GBBLF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Wartsila Australia Pty Ltd to develop the C-H2 Ship propulsion system.

The main objective of the MOU is for GEV and Wartsila to review the various low emission propulsion solutions, including the use of alternate fuels, for application in GEV's proposed and proprietary hydrogen marine transportation vessels (C-H2 Ship).

Both companies will also cooperate on the potential inclusion of Wartsila's propulsion systems in GEV's C-H2 Ships, with the near-term objective to advance GEV's Approval in Principle application with the American Bureau of Shipping for the 430 tonnes C-H2 Ship.

They will also cooperate to demonstrate the availability and outlook for highly efficient and low emission propulsion systems for C-H2 Ships, including the integration of fuel cell applications to be provided by Ballard Power Systems.



Sustainable shipping solution

GEV managing director and CEO Martin Carolan said: "We look forward to working closely with Wartsila on this project.

"We have shown that C-H2 shipping is ideally suited for exporting green hydrogen with a lower delivered cost and having a technology leader such as Wartsila with us, we can deliver a shipping solution that is completely sustainable."
The company looks forward to announcing further progress on multiple fronts in the second half of 2021, said chief executive Andrew Newland

First clearance for the device is anticipated by the end of 2021

( ) ( ) raised 20mln in a placing to maintain momentum with the commercialisation of its Parsortix liquid biopsy system.

The AIM-listed companys brokers conditionally placed 17,241,380 shares at a price of 116p apiece with new and existing investors in an accelerated bookbuild process.

ANGLE is currently in the late stages of seeking Class II clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of Parsortix with metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

Despite disruption from the pandemic the liquid biopsy company successfully completed the work required to make the full FDA submission for Parsortix, for which it anticipates receiving a regulatory decision during the second half of the year.

ANGLE said approval for use of the Parsortix system with MBC patients would open up a market it estimates is worth a potential circa US$4bn per year in the US alone.

Seeking to maintain commercialisation momentum the company said it is progressing key programmes including a major prostate cancer opportunity, an ovarian cancer clinical verification study, continue establishing clinical laboratories in the US and UK, building a high-quality senior management team in the US, accelerating its pharma service business to capitalise on winning a first large-scale contract, developing its capability in assays.

The 20mln proceeds of the placing are expected to be divided in their use, with around 7mln for the prostate cancer opportunity; 8mln for ongoing operations for breast and ovarian cancers and strengthening the balance sheet for pharma services; 3mln for the hiring in the US and 2mln for the assay development.

Founder and chief executive Andrew Newland said: The proceeds from this placing will enable ANGLE to add to the current momentum in the commercialisation process of our Parsortix system and open up new market opportunities in prostate cancer diagnosis, an area of significant medical need.

He said ANGLE looks forward to announcing further progress on multiple fronts in the second half of 2021, including the prospect of FDA clearance for the Parsortix platform.
It follows a successful test flight for its VSS Unity spaceship last month

Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc ( ) said it has been granted regulatory permission to fly customers to space, the first company to receive a 'spaceline' licence from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This follows a successful test flight for its VSS Unity spaceship last month.

In a first for the FAA, it has the companys commercial space transportation operator license to allow the spaceline to fly customers to space.

Having now completed its review of data gathered from its May 22 test flight, Virgin Galactic said the flight performed well against all flight objectives.

Chief executive Michael Colglazier said, Were incredibly pleased with the results of our most recent test flight, which achieved our stated flight test objectives. The flight performed flawlessly, and the results demonstrate the safety and elegance of our flight system. Todays approval by the FAA of our full commercial launch license, in conjunction with the success of our May 22 test flight, give us confidence as we proceed toward our first fully crewed test flight this summer.

Following the May test flight from its Spaceport America site in New Mexico, flight data showed the rocket-powered test of the spaceships improved horizontal stabilizers and flight controls demonstrated "strong performance", with the newly improved systems allowing for finer pilot control.

Cabin environment data was in line with predictions, the company added, with the pilots flying on a specific trajectory designed to allow the three revenue-generating research experiments to be carried out in microgravity, as part of NASAs Flight Opportunities Program.
A glance at some of the day's highlights from the Proactive Investors US and Canada newswires

Ltd ( ) ( ) (FRA:31R) announced that its common shares have been approved for trading on the OTCQB Market effective Monday June 28, 2021. The companys US listing will trade under the symbol RVVTF while its primary Canadian listing will continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under "RVV". Michael Frank, CEO of the company commented, "We are focused on completing our Phase 3 study in COVID-19 with the aim to seek EUA approval from the FDA for Bucillamine in the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, and advancing our proprietary psychedelics program in developing novel uses and delivery forms of psilocybin to treat mental health and substance abuse disorders. With our common shares listed on the OTCQB it will help us to broaden our awareness and shareholder base with institutional and retail investors in the U.S.

Atlas Engineered Products Ltd ( ) ( ) has provided an update on its net revenues for the first two months of the second quarter of 2021, noting that it has continued the strong momentum achieved in the first quarter of 2021 into the second quarter. The engineering company said revenues for the two months ended May 31 stood at C$8.9 million, a 12.6% increase from the full three months ended June 30, 2020, when it recorded revenues of C$7.9 million. AEP said revenue for the first two months of the quarter almost matched revenues of C$9.1 million reported for the full three months ended March 31, 2021, which was the companys best first quarter to date.

. ( ) said that further to its recent meeting with the Minister of Mines and Energy of Namibia and other Officials of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, it has received a notice from the Minister confirming that the company's application for the renewal of its Exclusive Prospecting Licence 3140 has been refused. The company said it intends to vigorously contest this decision by all means necessary and available under the Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act and other applicable laws of Namibia. In its application for renewal and subsequent representations made to the Ministry, the company maintains that it clearly demonstrated having met all criteria under the Act to justify the renewal of its Licence. Deep South maintains that the Ministry was kept well apprised, with no objection on their part, of a proposed change from the Pre-Feasibility study to upgraded Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) and commencement of a full feasibility study. Moreover, the Ministry issued all permits required for the drilling program and are well aware that Deep-South has completed the drilling program, the company added. As a result of the Minister's refusal to renew the Licence, the company said it has terminated all work on-site and has proceeded with the retrenchment of its employees on site.

( ) ( ) ( ) (FRA:N29) said it has closed the previously announced acquisition of Threedy.ai, Inc., a 3D artificial intelligence modeling for ecommerce company based in Silicon Valley, California. Im pleased to officially welcome Nima, Max and the Threedy team to Nextech, commented Evan Gappelberg, founder and CEO of Nextech AR. We look forward to completing the work already underway, to create a disruptive, fully integrated, AR/AI enabled and scalable 3D modeling platform for the benefit of our existing and new e-commerce customers. Upon closing of the acquisition, Nextech AR issued 3,877,551 common shares in the capital of the company at an agreed value of US$2.45 per share (CA$3.01 per share), for total share consideration of US$9.5 million. The common shares will be subject to certain contractual restrictions on trading for a period of up to 23 months from the date of issuance.

. ( ) ( ), an independent gold company with a portfolio of exploration licences in Greenland, has announced that Martin Menard, its chief operating officer, is departing on June 30, 2021. The company said it will make an announcement on the composition of the operations team in due course. Eldur Olafsson, CEO of AEX, commented: "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Martin for his contribution to AEX. Martin has been an important part of the team and we wish him well with his future endeavours."

Global Energy Metals Corporation ( ) (OTCPINK: GBLEF) (FRA:5GE1) said it has submitted its application to trade its shares on the OTC Venture Market (OTCQB) in the US. The company believes that trading on the OTCQB market will enhance liquidity, as well as increase the company's visibility in the US capital markets. In a statement, Global Energy Metals CEO Mitchell Smith said: This will be a timely milestone for the company as we continue to grow and develop a multi-jurisdictional US footprint for battery metals such as copper, cobalt and nickel.

( ) said it has appointed Marcum LLP as the company's new auditor, replacing BDO Canada LLP. The company also announced that it has received conditional approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange to extend the exercise period of a total of 4,830,175 outstanding common share purchase warrants, all of which are held by arm's length parties, for a period of two years from their current expiry dates. The warrants were issued under private placements that closed between July 2014 and August 2016 and represent approximately 3.4% of the company's issued and outstanding common shares. The warrants that are proposed to be extended and which were issued in July 2014 were previously extended for a two-year period in 2019.

Lithoquest Resources Inc ( ) said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation pertaining to a property option agreement dated May 5, 2021, between the company. and Landore Resources Canada Inc., whereby the company has been granted an option to acquire a 100% right, title and interest in certain mining claims situated in the Pickle Lake area - the Miminiska gold project and the Keezhik gold project located in Northwestern Ontario. Under the terms of the agreement, the company is required to make aggregate cash payments to the optionor of $25,000 upon the signing of the agreement; and $100,000 upon the acceptance of the agreement. Additionally, the company will make an aggregate cash payment of $1.25 million and a convertible cash payment that can either be made in cash or common shares of the company amounting to $2.65 million payable over a two-year period to earn the full 100-per-cent interest in the property. Landore will retain a 2.0% net smelter return royalty on the property, of which 50%t (a 1% royalty) is purchasable at any time by the company for $1 million.

( ) said it has granted 1,825,000 incentive stock options to directors, officers and employees of the company, which are subject to regulatory approval. Of the 1,825,000 options granted during the month of May, 810,000 were issued to directors and an officer of Numinus, which have an exercise price of $0.90 per common share and are exercisable until May 19, 2023. The 1,015,000 options issued to employees have exercise prices ranging between $0.87 and $1.00 with expiry dates ranging from May 1, 2023, to May 17, 2023. The company's Stock Option Plan allows for the issuance of up to 10% of issued and outstanding share capital in the form of incentive stock options. As a result of the above grants, the company has 8,931,500 options issued, representing approximately 4.42% of the issued and outstanding share capital.

Pacific Empire Minerals Corp ( ) said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to its non-brokered private placement announced April 22, 2021, which will see the issue of 21,109,231 shares at a purchase price of 6 cents per share, together with 21,109,231 share purchase warrants with an exercise price of 10 cents for a two-year period with 72 placees.

( ) said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to its non-brokered private placement announced April 22, 2021, which see the issue of 6.25 million shares at a purchase price of 80 cents per share with one placee.

Corp. ( ) has announced that Wayne Cockburn, its president, and his team joined Dani Lipkin, director, Global Business Development, , to celebrate the company's new listing on TSX Venture Exchange and close the market on Thursday, June 23. 2021.

( ), the operator of financial markets for 11,000 US. and global securities, has announced that ( ) (OTCQX:OGNRF), a company focused on organic royalty creation and royalty acquisitions on precious and base metal discoveries in western North America, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market and has today upgraded from the OTC Pink market. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the US. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws. Paddy Nicol, Orogen's president and CEO commented: "Orogen is proud to have met the qualifications for the OTCQX, the top tier of the OTC markets. Trading on the OTCQX enables the Company to enhance its visibility and liquidity with US investors. Orogen looks forward to an exciting future with our organically generated royalty and property assets in the US, Canada, and Mexico."
Create your account: sign up and get ahead on news and events

NO INVESTMENT ADVICE

The Company is a publisher. You understand and agree that no content published on the Site constitutes a recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction, or investment strategy is...

In exchange for publishing services rendered by the Company on behalf of named herein, including the promotion by the Company of in any Content on the Site, the Company receives from said issuer annual cash...
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
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
Espanola, NM (87532)

Today

Mostly sunny skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
The Family Man 2 originally saw Samantha Akkineni falling in love and getting intimate with the character of Sajid, actor Shahab Ali has confirmed.

The Family Man 2 apparently had a few intimate and 'suggestive' scenes between Samantha Akkineni's character of Rajji and Sajid. However, they were deleted in the final stage, the actor has now revealed. The show is headlined by Manoj Bajpayee and Samantha.

Asked about the cut scenes, Shahab told Bollywood Hungama in an interview, "It is not just the intimate scenes. It was the usual process - you have a lengthy show and there is the process of editing which comes later. It was not like a particular scene was edited out."

Both Samantha and Shahab played roles of extremists, looking for opportunities to carry out suicide attacks in India. While she played a Sri Lankan Tamilian, Rajji, he played the role of a man from Kashmir, Sajid, in The Family Man 2.

Shahab Ali added, "I think only those scenes were retained that were required and logical. The parts that were not logical, were not kept (in the final version)." Asked if they shot any scenes that had physical intimacy, the actor further said, "We did some suggestive scenes that suggested that they fall in love towards the end. But those scenes were not making sense for the creators, or maybe the platform. So, those scenes were edited out. There are so many scenes edited out, so it is not a big deal. That is the process (of content creation)."

In the Family Man 2, Sajid and Rajji are both shown as cold and merciless, with no emotional connect with anyone. However, towards the end, there is a slight hint of each developing a soft corner for the other.


While eating milk chocolate every day may sound like a recipe for weight gain, starting the day with a concentrated amount of chocolate may help the body burn fat and decrease blood sugar levels, finds a study. Researchers from the Brigham collaborated with investigators at the University of Murcia in Spain, examined the effects of eating milk chocolate in morning hours on a small group of postmenopausal women. The study published in The FASEB Journal showed that morning or nighttime chocolate intake did not lead to weight gain. On the contrary, eating chocolate in the morning or in the evening showed to influence hunger and appetite, microbiota composition, and sleep. A high intake of chocolate during the morning hours can also help to burn fat and reduce blood glucose levels and evening or night intake of chocolate altered next-morning resting and exercise metabolism. "Our findings highlight that not only 'what' but also 'when' we eat can impact physiological mechanisms involved in the regulation of body weight," said Frank A.J.L. Scheer, Neuroscientist from the Department of Medicine and Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital. "Our volunteers did not gain weight despite increasing caloric intake. Our results show that chocolate reduces ad libitum energy intake, consistent with the observed reduction in hunger, appetite and the desire for sweets shown in previous studies," said Marta Garaulet, also from the hospital. For the study, the team conducted a randomised, controlled, cross-over trial of 19 postmenopausal women who consumed either 100g of chocolate in the morning (within one hour after waking time) or at night (within one hour before bedtime). They compared weight gain and many other measures to no chocolate intake.




Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Thursday said that he has directed the police to arrest, within 24 hours, the people who killed a BJP local woman leader in broad daylight.

Interacting with reporters on the sidelines of a review meeting on the progress of the Bengaluru Suburban railway project (BSRP) here, he said that police already has clues about the murderers and he was sure that culprits will be behind bars within 24 hours.

Echoing Yediyurappa's statement, Revenue Minister R. Ashoka said that the police has definite clues about this murder. "Rekha's husband S. Kadiresh's killers were out on bail just couple of weeks ago and there are multiple leads available to attest the fact that these accused had played a major role in this murder too," he said.

The minister added that BJP Dalit leader Kadiresh was also murdered under similar circumstances in 2018.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai told reporters in Haveri that he had directed the police to investigate the murder case thoroughly. "It is too early to comment on anything about any politician's role in this case. The police will shortly arrest the culprits, as the police has all the clues about this murder too," he said.

Congress MLA, Zameer Ahmed Khan, who had been accused by the BJP top brass of sheltering killers of Kadiresh, said that though Rekha was in a different party but he had shared a very good personal rapport with her.

"I treated her like my sister. We may have been in different parties for different reasons, but it never came in our personal relationship like a brother and sister," he said.
Former Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Friday slammed the Modi-led government for insisting on elections in Jammu and Kashmir before granting statehood.

Chidambaram said in a tweet, "Congress and other J&K parties and leaders want Statehood first and Elections afterward, Government's response is Elections first and Statehood later.

"The horse pulls the cart. A state must conduct elections. Only such elections under a State Election Commission will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre," he added.

The all-party meeting at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg lasted for three and a half hours. It was attended by 14 leaders, including veteran politician and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

Most leaders stressed on the restoration of the political process in the Valley.
Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday fired fresh salvos at the Narendra Modi government over the Delta Plus variant of Covid and asked why no testing on a large-scale was being done to stop its spread.

"Question to Modi government on Delta plus variant, why there is no testing on large-scale to stop the spread of this variant. How effective are the vaccines and till when will full information be made available? What is the plan to control it in the third wave?" Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

His remarks came after several cases of Delta Plus strain -- a mutation of the Delta strain which drove the second wave of the virus in the country -- have been found in Kerala, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The parent Delta strain is highly infectious, however, not much is known yet about the Delta Plus.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against seven terrorists of the Tehreek-Ul-Mujahideen (TuM) who were party to a conspiracy by its Pakistan-based handlers and their terror associates based in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Kuwait to execute terrorist activities and wage war against the country.

An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror probe agency filed the charge sheet on Thursday before a special NIA court in Jammu against the seven accused persons -- Mohammad Mustafa Khan, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Farooq, Mohammad Ibrar, Mohammad Javid Khan, Sher Ali and Mohammad Rafiq Nai aka Sultan under several sections of IPC, UAPA, Arms Act, Explosive Substance Act and NDPS Act.

The case relates to the arrest of Mohammad Mustafa Khan by J&K Police on December 27 last year and also the recovery of six hand grenades along with other documents from his residence.

A case was registered at the Mendhar police station of Poonch District.

The NIA took over the probe on March 16 this year.

The official said that during the probe it was revealed that all seven charge-sheeted accused were part of a deep-rooted criminal conspiracy by Pakistan-based handlers of TuM and their terror associates based in Poonch and Kuwait to execute terrorist activities and wage war against the Indian State.

The official said that absconding accused Rafiq Nai and other handlers based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) with assistance of Sher Ali based in Kuwait, Mohammad Mustafa, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Farooq, Mohammad Ibrar, Mohammad Javid and others on the Indian side of LoC in Poonch district smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, etc. into the Indian territory.

"They were taking advantage of geography, affinities of religion, culture and other ties cutting across both sides of the LoC," the official said.

The official said that during the course of investigation, a large cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics along with flag, posters and other incriminating material belonging to the terror outfit TuM, which was hidden at different places in Poonch was recovered.
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Law Minister Moloy Ghatak to move Calcutta High Court afresh with their plea to file affidavit in Narada scam case.

The top court stayed the June 9 High Court order, which refused to take reply-affidavits of Banerjee and Ghatak on the CBI's transfer plea in the case.

A bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari asked the High Court to decide their plea in connection with filing of affidavits, with regard to their alleged role on the day of arrest of four TMC leaders by the CBI on May 17 in the case.

The bench pointed that High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on June 29, therefore the parties concerned should move there.

The top court also asked the High Court to first decide the applications filed by the WB government, Banerjee and Ghatak, before proceeding ahead in the matter.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, suggested the top court that it could ask the petitioners to move the High Court afresh since the hearing in the matter is in progress over there.

The CBI had accused both the leaders of stopping it from performing its legal duty following the arrest of four TMC leaders.

The top court stayed the June 9 order of the High Court, where the court had refused to take into record affidavit by Banerjee and Ghatak, after hearing their counsel senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi and senior advocate Vikas Singh representing the West Bengal government.

Earlier, two SC judges Justice Indira Banerjee and Aniruddha Bose, both hailing from West Bengal, had recused from hearing the West Bengal related matters.
Amid the tussle between Twitter and the union government over the new IT rules, Union Electronics and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad was denied access to his Twitter account for almost an hour over alleged violation of the US' Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Although, he was subsequently allowed to access the account, taking to India-made micro-blogging platform Koo, the minister called the action by the US-headquartered Twitter as "a gross violation of the IT guidelines".

"Twitter's actions were in gross violation of Rule 4(8) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 where they failed to provide me any prior notice before denying me access to my own account," he said.

Prasad, who has been at the forefront of government's drive to bring in more compliance and stricter norms for social media platforms, added: "It is apparent that my statements calling out the high handedness and arbitrary actions of Twitter, particularly sharing the clips of my interviews to TV channels and its powerful impact, have clearly ruffled its feathers."

Further, the minister, who also handles the portfolio of law said that it is now apparent as to why Twitter is refusing to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines because if Twitter does comply, it would be unable to arbitrarily deny access to an individual's account which does not suit their agenda.

In a series of posts on Koo, the minister also said that Twitter's actions indicate that they are not the harbinger of free speech that they claim to be but are only interested in running their own agenda, with the threat that if you do not toe the line they draw, they will arbitrarily remove you from their platform.

"No matter what any platform does they will have to abide by the new IT Rules fully and there shall be no compromise on that," he added.

Twitter, on the other hand, has lost its status of intermediary platform in India over non-compliance to the new intermediary guidelines.

As a result of the development, the company has lost its legal shield in the country from prosecution over posts.

The micro-blogging platform recently said that it has appointed an interim Chief Compliance Officer, as per the new norms, and the details of which would be soon shared with the IT Ministry directly.


The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is highly effective against the Delta variant of COVID-19, a Pfizer official in Israel said on Thursday. First identified in India, Delta is becoming the globally dominant variant of the coronavirus, according to the World Health Organization. "The data we have today, accumulating from research we are conducting at the lab and including data from those places where the Indian variant, Delta, has replaced the British variant as the common variant, point to our vaccine being very effective, around 90%, in preventing the coronavirus disease, Covid-19," Alon Rappaport, Pfizer's medical director in Israel told local broadcaster Army Radio, Reuters reported. As Pfizer seems all set to enter India, its effect against the Delta variant will amp up India's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. The union health ministry has said that both Covishield and Covaxin, the two vaccines which have been part of India's vaccination drive, are effective against the Delta variant. Sputnik V, the Russia-made vaccine available now in India, has also claimed that the vaccine is effective against the Delta variant. Delta variant, first indentified in India, has proved to have been more deadly than the previous variant. It is now responsible for around 100 per cent of Covid-19 infections in the UK. Pfizer CEO Dr Albert Bourla recently said that the agreement with the Indian government is being finalised. The company, as it did in all other countries, wanted legal protection in India, which initially created a bottleneck as no other vaccine maker enjoys indemnity in the country as yet. "My hope is that very soon we will finalise the approval of the product in India by the Indian health care authorities and the agreement with the government so that we can also start sending vaccines, on our side, Bourla said.




Israel announced on Thursday that it will expand the allowed fishing zone off the Gaza Strip and will allow the entry of some raw materials for industries.

The permitted range for fishing will be expanded from 6 nautical miles, or some 11 km, to 9 nautical miles, or some 16.7 km, the office of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians, said in a statement.

In addition, several raw materials for "essential civilian factories" could be imported from Israel to Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, a passageway for goods, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The moves will take effect on Friday, the office said.

Easing the restrictions comes "in light of the security calm over the past weeks," the office said.
Hong Kong, China -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/24/2021 -- China has taken another step towards the integration of the country's financial system with global markets that could see billions of dollars flow into Hong Kong. The Wealth Connect Programme would allow investors to invest up to RMB 150 billion each way between Hong Kong and mainland China. The plan is expected to be a watershed moment in China's financial liberalisation, since it would make it much simpler for a portion of the country's vast wealth to be invested beyond its boundaries. It would allow residents of the Greater Bay Area, which includes cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen, to invest in Hong Kong.



Selby Jennings has worked with a wide range of industry-leading enterprises, from major corporations to small, nimble start-ups across Hong Kong and the Asia Pacific region. Alongside its proven experience as a commodities and investment management recruiter, the firm delivers efficient and long-lasting hiring across a plethora of sectors within the banking and financial services industry which include, private wealth management, legal and compliance, risk management, quantitative research and trading and corporate and investment banking. Permanent, contract, and multi-hire solutions provide alternatives to firms, depending on their size and needs, as well as provide talented professionals with extensive career development opportunities. Since their conception in 2004, Selby Jennings has exemplified their ability to be agile yet expert in their approach to commodities and investment management recruitment by integrating best-in-class technologies and strategies into their hiring processes.



Selby Jennings is able to make cohesive recruiting decisions through their extensive knowledge of the North Asia region as well as a comprehensive global understanding of key markets. As part of the Phaidon International Group, the firm is the chosen commodities recruiter for hundreds of industry-leading enterprises and is integrated within a network of a workforce of 750 diligent consultants that are located across the globe. Selby Jennings' consultants are enthusiastic about providing their clients with peace of mind when it comes to talent acquisition and has extensive experience in delivering recruitment strategies that are bespoke to each clients/candidate's situation. The firm currently has a number of exciting opportunities available in the North Asia Region, including: Market Risk Senior Associate, Junior Quant Developer, Company Secretarial Administration, Senior Wealth Planner, Data Centre Network Engineer, Test Engineer, Property Sector Equity Research, Software Developer, and Operations Trader (Quant).



"Like many sectors, 2020 marked a defining moment for recruitment. Challenged by uncertainty, but unwavering in our commitment to our clients, we enter 2021 with a sense of duty to clients and candidates", commented Andrew McNeilis, Managing Director at Selby Jennings. He went on to say, "as we reflect on the challenges of virtually securing and retaining talent, we're inspired by a team who have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and continue to help all our clients secure top talent on a global scale."



To find out more information about commodities and investment management recruiter in Hong Kong visit https://www.selbyjennings.hk



For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital  020 7100 0726.



For all other enquiries please contact Selby Jennings: +852 3008 1901.



For more information about Selby Jennings HK services, please go to https://www.selbyjennings.hk.



About Selby Jennings

Selby Jennings creates a range of recruitment solutions that are designed to support the growth of organisations across the financial services sector. Transforming the way that hiring is handled is a tool that any business can use to build in resilience and potential even in challenging times.
Selangor, Malaysia -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/25/2021 -- Home-Creative-Accents has unveiled an expansive collection of trendy interior design products including Living Room Decor items that spell quality at competitive rates.



The store has become the one stop shop for home owners who want to redecorate their homes or start from scratch to make their living spaces a reflection of their vision. Home-Creative-Accents offers inspiration, motivation, and information about the latest interior design trends for consumers. They can learn about everything including cheap Bedroom decorating ideas and metric systems to make smart choices for their homes.



Peoples homes are their most intimate expressions and they dont want to make any compromises on that front. Besides focusing on the style element they like to pay due attention to quality. Home-Creative-Accents makes things easier for them by offering valuable information about the products it has in store. With this crucial information in one place, shoppers can make the best buying decisions for their homes.



While the store has information and range of trendy products for the interiors, it has also curated a beautiful Patio Decor collection for the needs of its customers. Those who understand the importance of outdoor spaces will simply not ignore their gardens and patios, which add to the aesthetics and value of their homes. From beautiful lights to cushions for a cozy vibe; Home-Creative-Accents has everything in stock for customers.



But the dedicated online store doesnt just rely on the quality of its wide range of products either. It has become a trusted name amongst shoppers also because of the impeccable customer support it offers them. Well trained team members can help shoppers through their shopping decisions and more. Home-Creative-Accents is also renowned for its speedy product delivery, which allows customers to design their Kitchens and other areas of their house quickly.



Some of the trendy products available in the collections at Home-Creative-Accents include:

 Nordic Style 4 Tiers Folding Meyal Kitchen Organizer Rack Multi-use Bathroom Bedroom Rack Standing Book Shelf Home Decor Shelves are available for $47.99.



 Eyecatching black chandeliers lamp lustres Modern dining Living Room hotel indoor light Decoration wrought iron chandeliers lighting are priced at $175.99.



 Child's Bedroom Rug / Yoga/ Big Round Carpet is a cute addition to the house for just $18.99.



 ButterflyTiffany Bedside Table Lamp is no less than a work of Art and is available at a reduced price of $116.99.



 Incorporate cute wall art into home decor with 36pcs/set Watercolor Dots Wall Stickers Kids Room Bedroom Creative Decals DIY Vinyl Nursery Room Decor for just $8.99.



 Stunning 43*x 43" cm Beige/Black Geometric Throw Pillows can be purchased for $7.99.

There are many other brilliant options at Home-Creative-Accents at discounted prices too, which along with superior quality, quick delivery, and solid customer support, are irresistible options for peoples homes.



About Home-Creative-Accents



The online store has become the go to place for home owners, who can not only find valuable information about latest interior design trends but also the best products to implement those ideas without spending a fortune.



Media Contact



URL: https://home-creative-accents.com/

Email: homecreativeaccents@gmail.com
Berlin, Germany -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/25/2021 -- During the first quarter of 2021, fund firms in Germany received net inflows of 59.9 billion. That is their greatest new business performance in six years, from the beginning of January to the end of March. In 2021, equality funds have been a major sales engine. Investors put 22.8 billion net into funds in response to rising stock market values, with the German fund sector handling 3,950 billion in assets by the end of March 2021. This sum was just 2,985 billion three years ago. This market growth is just one of the reasons why exploring investment management opportunities in Germany can help take your career to the next level.



Selby Jennings has been coordinating talent acquisition for industry-leading firms in Germany since their inception in 2004. The company has worked extensively to rethink the standard recruiting procedures and offers a variety of supplemental services to support its clients. Selby Jennings has an unrivalled influence on the financial services recruiting sector in Germany as a result of its team of over 750 expert advisors, 12 office bases, and extensive network of over one million mid-to-senior professionals located across 60 countries. The firm closely monitors the industry markets and guarantees their clients are informed and educated about impending risk factors and upcoming opportunities that may have an effect on the hiring process. The agency is also the chosen investment management recruiter for hundreds of world-leading organisations as part of the award-winning Phaidon International Group.



Selby Jennings provides job opportunities with immense career progression across a plethora of financial services sectors including: corporate and investment banking, private wealth management, risk management, quantitative research and trading, financial technology, investment management, sales and trading, legal and compliance, insurance and commodities. Career defining roles currently available throughout Germany include, Market Risk Model Developer, Senior It Auditor, Senior Business Intelligence Data Engineer, Part time Inhouse Data Science Consultant, France Compliance Manager, Senior Financial Accounting Manager, Team Lead ERP Integration FinTech, Data Protection Officer, and Senior Market Risk Model Validator to name just a few.



"Like many sectors, 2020 marked a defining moment for recruitment. Challenged by uncertainty, but unwavering in our commitment to our clients, we enter 2021 with a sense of duty to clients and candidates", commented Matt Nicholson, Managing Director of Selby Jennings Europe. He went onto say, "as we reflect on the challenges of virtually securing and retaining talent, we're inspired by a team who have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt and continue to help all our clients secure top talent on a global scale."



To find out more information about Investment Management jobs visit https://www.selbyjennings.de



For any media enquiries please contact Gary Elliott at Iconic Digital  020 7100 0726.



For all other enquiries please contact Selby Jennings: +49 30 72 62 11 444.



For more information about Selby Jennings services, please go to https://www.selbyjennings.de



About Selby Jennings

Selby Jennings knows that building the right team isn't easy. However, with the support of the right hiring partner, access to key networks and contacts, it's possible to reimagine the process of recruitment to make it more positive, satisfying and productive.
Edison, NJ -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/25/2021 -- HTF MI recently released a research document on COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Used Cars Market that includes survey highlights, in-depth interviews insights with industry experts, and a review of industry dynamics with help of our global network of consultants and executives within the OEMs & aftermarket. These market estimates have been evaluated considering base year as 2021 and by studying the impact of various macro-economic factors, local and regional regulatory regimes to better understand current market dynamics affecting the COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars growth and further bottom-up approach is applied to deliver comprehensive company profiles of major and emerging players of the industry, including GM, Honda, Denso, Toyota, Fiat, Magna, Ford, Volkswagen & Hyundai.



To develop a holistic view on COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars industry, assess aftermarket trends and their potential impact on the "balance of power" and the "bottom line" and derive implications for suppliers. If you are a COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars manufacturer or deal in COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars market then this research document will help you understand the Sales & Pricing dynamics



Get Free Sample PDF of in COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Used Cars Market with full TOC, Tables and Figures @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/2804528-covid-19-outbreak-global-used-cars-industry-market



This COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars research framework should serve as a basic structure to support the strategic decision-making process to the suppliers/manufacturers of COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars. For instance, the question of whether a supplier wants to expand into other areas of the market value chain fundamentally determines its strategy. The market estimates and breakdown provided in the COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars Market study are the result of in-depth secondary research, primary interviews and in-house expert reviews. Market Outlook and takeaway points are derived using current facts and statistics such as production, consumption, capacity, Export Import, trade data by category products in COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars Market. The COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars market includes sizing by value and sales volume by Type (, Commercial Vehicles & Passenger Cars), Application (Franchised, Independent & Others), by Players and by Regions / Country.



New entrants in COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars market and established manufacturers have seen changing their business models  a trend that will continue in the future



Competition / Manufacturers Analysis: The COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars market provides detailed view on automotive manufacturing process analysis referenced via leaders and high growth emerging players from select profiled companies. Comparative market share analysis addressing Change in Segment Revenue and % Market Share of Individual Companies / OEMs along with their position is disclosed. A dedicated Chapter of COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars Market Entropy covering activity such as M&A, Product Launches, R&D, Funding etc with a commentary on Top 3 players Strategic Moves & management effectiveness that help them maintain their rank and % market share in COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars market. The Competitive landscape provides detailed profiles of GM, Honda, Denso, Toyota, Fiat, Magna, Ford, Volkswagen & Hyundai that includes section such as business overview, market share, key financial metrics of past 3 years, SWOT analysis.



Have Any Query? Ask Our Expert @: https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/2804528-covid-19-outbreak-global-used-cars-industry-market



Regional Size, Growth & Trend Analysis Includes Breakdown as



Geographically, COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars Market research report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share and growth rate of COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Used Cars Market by Value & Sales Volume from 2016 to 2026 (forecast). In the global version of report following regions and country can be provided on request

- North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, Spain, NORDICS, and Rest of Europe)

- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia {Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam}, Others)

- South America (Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Rest of South America)

- Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Turkey, Israel, GCC Countries and Rest of Africa)



Demand & Supply Effectiveness; COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Used Cars Market report additionally provides information about effective distribution / sales channels, Production, Consumption & EXIM (Export & Import) by Regions.



Book COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Used Cars Market research study @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=2804528



What can be explored with COVID-19 Outbreak-Global Used Cars Market study:



- Where the COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars industry stands in scaling its end use implementations

- What concrete benefits can result from scaled initiatives

- Where OEMs / manufacturers should focus their investments cycle

- Success factors and recommendations for scaling future growth in COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars Industry.

- Target Market / Country and Key Business Segments of COVID-19 Outbreak- Used Cars.



Additionally Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Closest Competitors is being Provided for Each Listed Manufacturers



Market Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2016-2026) Table for each product type which include

Key Raw Materials Analysis & Price Trends

Supply Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain Analysis



........and view more in complete table of Contents



Check Complete Report Details @ https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/2804528-covid-19-outbreak-global-used-cars-industry-market



Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or Region/Country wise report version like North America, Southeast Asia, China, USA, Europe or APAC.
The Nesher Ramla hominins lived between 420,000 and 120,000 years ago in the Middle East and had a distinctive combination of Neanderthal (especially the teeth and jaws) and archaic Homo (specifically the skull) features; they had fully mastered technology that until only recently was linked to either Homo sapiens or Neanderthals; they were efficient hunters of large and small game, used wood for fuel, cooked or roasted meat, and maintained fires.

The discovery of a new type of Homo is of great scientific importance, said Professor Israel Hershkovitz, a researcher in the Department of Anatomy and Anthropology and the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute at Tel Aviv University.

It enables us to make new sense of previously found human fossils, add another piece to the puzzle of human evolution, and understand the migrations of humans in the old world.

Even though they lived so long ago, in the Late Middle Pleistocene (474,000-130,000 years ago), the Nesher Ramla people can tell us a fascinating tale, revealing a great deal about their descendants evolution and way of life.

Professor Hershkovitz and colleagues unearthed hominin bones and associated stone tools as well as animal (horse, fallow deer and aurochs) bones at the archaeological site of Nesher Ramla in Israel.

This is an extraordinary discovery, said Dr. Yossi Zaidner, a researcher in the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Zinman Institute of Archaeology at the University of Haifa.

We had never imagined that alongside Homo sapiens, archaic Homo roamed the area so late in human history.

The archaeological finds associated with human fossils show that the Nesher Ramla Homo possessed advanced stone-tool production technologies and most likely interacted with the local Homo sapiens.

The discovery of the Nesher Ramla Homo challenges the prevailing hypothesis that Neanderthals originated in Europe.

Before these new findings, most researchers believed Neanderthals to be a European story, in which small groups of Neanderthals were forced to migrate southwards to escape the spreading glaciers, with some arriving in the Land of Israel about 70,000 years ago, Professor Hershkovitz said.

The Nesher Ramla fossils make us question this theory, suggesting that the ancestors of European Neanderthals lived in the Levant as early as 400,000 years ago, repeatedly migrating westward to Europe and eastward to Asia.

In fact, our findings imply that the famous Neanderthals of Western Europe are only the remnants of a much larger population that lived here in the Levant  and not the other way around.

The oldest fossils that show Neanderthal features are found in Western Europe, so researchers generally believe Neanderthals originated there, said Professor Rolf Quam, a researcher in the Department of Anthropology at Binghamton University, the Centro UCM-ISCIII de Evolucion y Comportamiento Humanos, and the Division of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History.

However, migrations of different species from the Middle East into Europe may have provided genetic contributions to the Neanderthal gene pool during the course of their evolution.

The researchers were careful not to attribute the Nesher Ramla fossils to a new species of Homo.

Rather, they grouped them together with earlier fossils from several sites in the Middle East  such as from Tabun Cave (160,000 years old), Zuttiyeh Cave (250,000 years old), and Qesem Cave (400,000 years old)  that have been difficult to classify and considered all of them to represent a local population of humans that occupied the region between about 420,000 and 120,000 years ago.

People think in paradigms. Thats why efforts have been made to ascribe these fossils to known human groups like Homo sapiens, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis or Neanderthals, said Dr. Rachel Sarig, a researcher in the Shmunis Family Anthropology Institute and the Department of Oral Biology at Tel Aviv University.

But now we say: No. This is a group in itself, with distinct features and characteristics.

At a later stage, small groups of the Nesher Ramla Homo migrated to Europe, where they evolved into the classic Neanderthals that we are familiar with, and also to Asia, where they became archaic populations with Neanderthal-like features.

Europe was not the exclusive refugium of Neanderthals from where they occasionally diffused into West Asia, added Professor Gerhard Weber, a researcher in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology and the Core Facility for Micro-Computed Tomography at the University of Vienna.

We think that there was much more lateral exchange in Eurasia, and that the Levant is geographically a crucial starting point, or at a least bridgehead, for this process.

The research is described in a paper in the journal Science.

_____

Israel Hershkovitz et al. 2021. A Middle Pleistocene Homo from Nesher Ramla, Israel. Science 372 (6549): 1424-1428; doi: 10.1126/science.abh3169
In the lead-up to our virtual June Convocation 2021 (June 24-29) we'll be sharing stories from across our eight faculties about some of our amazing graduands. You can read more stories here. Be sure to share your convocation celebrations with the hashtag #MySFUGrad.

By Cindy Li

It all started with a high school trip to a clinic with a medical imaging centre in Harare, Zimbabwe. It was there that Tatendaishe Jakaza discovered her passion for medicine and engineering, and her desire to understand how imaging technology such as CT scans and ultrasound machines work. It was also then, that Jakaza became determined to make a difference through medicine and technology in her home country.

In Zimbabwe, there is a shortage of machines and parts, and the issue of equipment breaking down with not enough experts to fix or operate the machines, says Jakaza. I want to improve the health and well-being of people by improving the technology in my hometown and country.

When it came time for post-secondary education, she chose SFU as it was one of the few universities to offer an undergraduate biomedical engineering program at the time. She was also the recipient of a renewable SFU Entrance Scholarship valued at more than $100,000 that covered her tuition and living costs, which further affirmed her decision to choose SFU.

As an engineering student, Jakaza had opportunities to put her skills into practice through research assistantships and co-operative education. Her first research opportunity was introduced to her through the co-op program as a Clinical Biomedical Engineer in engineering professor Marinko Sarunics Biomedical Optics Research Group (BORG). Through BORG and their collaboration with the Vancouver General Hospital, she gained invaluable experience in retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT), a non-invasive imaging technique for monitoring and tracking eye disease progress. She was able to witness firsthand on how medical imaging is used to help monitor patients, their retinal disease progression and how certain diseases, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, affected eye sight. She continued to successfully complete her undergraduate honours thesis in the same lab, where she focused on creating a multiscale OCT and two-photon excited fluorescence retinal imaging system.

In addition to being deeply involved in research, Jakaza believes in giving back to the community and making an impact in the younger generation. Through SFUs Faculty of Applied Sciences Outreach Program and Invent the Future: AI Scholars Program, Jakaza served as a program instructor and coordinator. In these roles, she helped design and teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) workshops to elementary and high school students.

I want to empower and inspire the next generation of young students, specifically young women, to pursue a career in STEM, says Jakaza. I also want to show and encourage them, by using myself as an example, that it is possible to pursue a career in the male-dominated fields of science and technology.
It was always known that the self-appointed icons of democracy only paylip service to democracy and that self- interest and the singular desire to control a global agenda of their choosing takes precedence over everything else. The recent G7 meeting confirmed this.

by Raj Gonsalkorale

The G7 countries and their invitees gathered in the UK to send warning signals to both China and Russia that the high powered democratic alliance of the world, the G7 was back in business. In reality however, this was more about trade than democracy as all these countries do substantial trade with the countries they sent warning signals to. All G 7 countries and their friends will continue trading with China irrespective of what China does. So they will with Russia. This dichotomy will ensure that poorer, less privileged States like Myanmar, and stateless people like the Palestinians will always be ignored by political bigamists like the G7 and their friends.

Illustration: Bantonglaoatang

It is no surprise therefore that while trumpeting (no pun intended) the common values, democracy, freedom and liberty, that binds this club together, not a word was said about a country whose democracy, freedom and liberty was snuffed out by a Military takeover, and the countrys democratic icon, Aung San Suu Kyi languishing in jail and is facing a bogus trial.

At least in hindsight, the G7 and their democratic friends should see why Aung Sung Su Kyi took the stand she took during the Rohingya crisis, and the eventual price she paid even after not voicing her concern and opposition to the Military led offensive against the Rohingyas. Her failure to speak against the treatment of the Rohingya people cannot be overlooked, as a leader of her stature should have done so.

However, with the Military almost at her throat, she would have been toppled long ago had she expressed a view in opposition to the Military stance. She no doubt realises now that it would have been better to have been toppled for a principled humanitarian reason then, rather than being toppled for a cause she fought for, spent time in prison for, and for a cause she may have mistakenly imagined, the democratic power houses in the world would take note and come to safeguard what they professed so loudly to the world, the democracy and democratic rights of a small country whichhad fought so relentlessly to restore what they profess as an important human value.

While the world, especially the democratic high powers sleep, the people of Myanmar have not. Nearly 1000 people have died since the Military takeover for a cause they fought for decades. The open as well as rear guard action continues from within to win back what they lost. In an article titled Resistance to coup bleeds Myanmar by Ashok K Mehta in the Sri Lanka Guardian (http://www.slguardian.org/2021/06/resistance-to-coup-bleeds-myanmar.html), this resistance and the ongoing battle against the Military has been well articulated.

The people of Myanmar have fought for and won their democratic rights in democratically conducted elections. In the 1990 elections, NLD won 81% of the seats in Parliament, but the results were nullified, as the military government refused to hand over power. Aung San Suu Kyi had been detained before the elections and remained under house arrest for almost 15 of the 21 years from 1989 to 2010, becoming one of the world's most prominent political prisoners.

Her party boycotted the 2010 elections, resulting in a decisive victory for the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). Aung San Suu Kyi became a Pyithu Hluttaw MP while her party won 43 of the 45 vacant seats in the 2012 by-elections.

In the 2015 elections, her party won a landslide victory, taking 86% of the seats in the Assembly of the Union  well more than the 67% supermajority needed to ensure that its preferred candidates were elected president and second vice president in the presidential electoral college.

Although she was prohibited from becoming the president due to a clause in the constitution  her late husband and children are foreign citizens  she assumed the newly created role of State Counsellor of Myanmar, a role akin to a prime minister or a head of government.

The democratic elephants have allowed the Military to impose Military rule in Myanmar, imprison Aung San Suu Kyi and subvert democracy and take away their freedom and human rights, something they had fought for decades. Nothing tangible has been done to date to take action against the Military and to restore democracy in Myanmar. Although they all trumpeted anti- Chinese sentiments during their summit and professed to form a united front to safeguard democracy and democratic values, they have given a virtual free hand to the Myanmar military and for China, the main backer of the Military, to do as they please in Myanmar.

If this is not rank duplicity what is?

The sorry situation faced by Palestinians since a few people sat in London and decided to carve up a State for Israel in 1948 throwing the Palestinians to a virtual dustbin since, is another example of this duplicity. In this case, a people who deserved a State were not given one, and more than 70 years later, they remain stateless, and the land they lived in for centuries has been encroached by Israel, while those who profess democracy, freedom and liberty have done the opposite.

There are enough and more examples one can cite to illustrate this duplicity when it comes to people in States whose democracy, freedom and liberty has been overrun by forces practising the opposite, and of Stateless people like the Palestinians who have been ignored as a consequence of this duplicity and whose democratic rights have been denied to them.

Then, there are democratic countries like Sri Lanka, which are constantly under the microscope of clubs like the G 7 and their friends who measure human rights progress by standards even they do not subscribe to in all instances and more universally in their own countries. While Sri Lanka could do better in some areas of human rights, it certainly could teach a lesson or two to some in countries like the USA.

Human Rights in the USA

Human Rights Watch World Report 2021 states the following in regard to the human rights situation in the USA in its introductory section (https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/united-states). Other reports citing the level of gun violence the level of poverty in the US, does not demonstrate that the USA is exactly the ideal preacher who should be lecturing other countries on human rights failings.

The HRW reports says, quote Important human rights failings of the United States were laid bare in 2020.

The grossly disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on Black, brown, and Native people, connected to longstanding disparities in health, education, and economic status, revealed the enduring effects of past overtly racist laws and policies and continuing impediments to equality. The police killing of George Floyd in May, and a series of other police killings ofBlack people, sparked massive and largely peaceful protests, which in many instances were met with brutality by local and federal law enforcement agents.

The administration of President Donald Trump continued to dismantle the United States asylum system, limit access to womens health care, undermine consumer protections against predatory lenders and abusive debt collectors, and weaken regulations that reduce pollution and address climate change. After election officials across the US tallied the votes for the presidential election, determining that Joe Biden was the president-elect, Trump made baseless allegations of voter fraud

In its foreign policy, the United States worked on several fronts to undermine multilateral institutions, including through the use of sanctions to attack the International Criminal Court. It flouted international human rights law as it partnered with abusive governmentsthough it did sanction a number of individuals and governments for committing human rights abuses, unquote.

Gun violence in the USA

A BBC report cited There were 14,400 gun-related homicides in 2019.Killings involving a gun accounted for nearly three quarters of all homicides in the US in that year.Compared to 22 other high-income nations, the U.S. gun-related homicide rate is 25 times higher.

Although it has half the population of the other 22 nations combined, among those 22 nations studied, the U.S. had 82 percent of gun deaths, 90 percent of all women killed with guns, 91 percent of children under 14 and 92 percent of young people between ages 15 and 24 killed with guns.

Poverty in the USA

The website Poverty USA (https://www.povertyusa.org/factsstates, quote In 2018, 38.1 million people lived in Poverty USA. That means the poverty rate for 2018 was 11.8%. to take a closer look at poverty statistics in the United States. Poverty does not strike all demographics equally. For example, in 2018, 10.6% of men, and 12.9% of women lived in poverty in USA. Along the same lines, the poverty rate for married couples in 2018 was only 4.7% - but the poverty rate for single-parent families with no wife present was 12.7%, and for single-parent families with no husband present was 24.9%.

In 2018, the poverty rate for people living with a disability was 25.7%. Thats nearly 4 million people living with a disabilityin poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2018, 16.2% of all children (11.9 million kids) lived in Poverty. thats almost 1 in every 6 children.In 2015, the National Centre on Family Homelessness analysed state-level data and found that nationwide, 2.5 million children experience homelessness in a year.

Poverty by Ethnicity

According to 2018 US Census Data, the highest poverty rate by race is found among Native Americans (25.4%), with Blacks (20.8%) having the second highest poverty rate, and Hispanics (of any race) having the third highest poverty rate (17.6%). Whites had a poverty rate of 10.1%, while Asians had a poverty rate at 10.1%.

In the context of hypocrisy, China does not profess to say something and do something else. Their people do not have the democratic rights that democracies profess their people do have. A philosophical argument could be had about authoritarianism and democracy, and no doubt democracy would win such an argument. It is always a difficult proposition in such an argument, to consider issues such as poverty, security of people, standard of living, income inequality, racism, all falling within the realm of basic human rights denials, to judge what is more important, all of these, or a compromise with democracy, freedom and liberty in order to provide citizens of a country their basic entitlements for a decent livelihood, education, health and other social and societal fundamentals. Many democratic countries have shown that such compromises are not needed or desired, and not many authoritarian regimes have shown that compromising has worked. What is perhaps important is for hypocrisy to end and for democracies to save each other in order to prevent authoritarianism from taking hold on account of such hypocrisy.
On June 21, a first group of approximately 110,000 students from 887 primary schools received a delivery of vital food aid funded by the American people. Students in Badulla, Kilinochchi, Monaragala, Mullaitivu, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura, and Trincomalee and their families will each receive five kilograms of yellow split peas and five tins of pink salmon between June and September 2021. These emergency take-home rations are part of the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) $26 million McGovern-Dole project in Sri Lanka that assists food-insecure, school-aged children and their families through the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities and technical assistance.

These protein-rich foods will provide important nutrition to children while theyre out of school and unable to receive meals through the Government of Sri Lankas school meal program, said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz. The American people are committed to the health and well-being of Sri Lankan children and Im proud we can help Sri Lankan families overcome food insecurity issues.

Implemented in Sri Lanka in collaboration with Save the Children and the Government of Sri Lanka, the Promoting Autonomy for Literacy and Attentiveness through Market Alliances (PALAM/A) Project helps boost school enrollment, increase attendance, and improve reading outcomes and literacy results by providing nutritious school meals and take-home rations, teacher training, and related education, nutrition, and health support. In 2020, the Government of Sri Lanka and USDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding that committed the full support of the Sri Lankan government for the implementation of this project. The Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Save the Children designed the project together to support Government of Sri Lanka efforts to promote childrens learning, nutrition, and good health. Three national ministries, provincial governments, and district authorities provided their fullest support to facilitate the distribution of take-home rations.
System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc001159da8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbffee58798)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fc001159da8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbffee58798)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbffc743c80)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbffee58798)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbffee58798)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbffbc6dc80)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbffdaa46d8)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbffdaa46d8)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0
Homestead, FL (33030)

Today

Some sunshine with a thunderstorm or two possible this afternoon. High 92F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Generally clear skies. Low around 75F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
ARISS contact with three schools in France

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has received schedule confirmation for an ARISS radio contact with astronauts. ARISS is the group that puts together special amateur radio contacts between students around the globe and crew members with ham radio licenses on the International Space Station (ISS).

This will be a Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio between the ISS and students from three schools in France.

Students will take turns asking their questions of ISS Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, amateur radio call sign KG5FYG, during the ARISS radio contact. French is the language expected to be used during the contact.

The downlink frequency for this contact is 437.525 MHZ and may be heard by listeners that are within the ISS-footprint that also encompasses the ARISS radio telebridge station.

The ARISS team in Casale Monferrato, Italy will use call sign IK1SLD to serve as the ARISS relay amateur radio ground station.

Each student asking a question on the ARISS radio will be conferenced in from home or social-distanced at school.

The ARISS radio contact is scheduled for June 26, 2021 at 11:25 am CEST (Belleme, France) (9:25 am UTC, 5:25 am EDT, 4:25 am CDT, 3:25 am MDT, 2:25 am PDT).

Three schools in France will participate in this ARISS contact: Ecole de Noce, Pole scolaire Ige/Le Gue de la Chaine and Ecole publique de Belleme. These are rural schools about 90 miles west of Paris and will involve about 360 students, age 6  15 years old. The schools have partnered with the amateur radio club (callsign F4KLQ) in preparation for this contact. Student-members of the ham club receive training from the adult members who have knowledge in the fields of radio, aeronautical, and the space sciences. Ham radio workshops include the topics: Orne Sky Sat, the Yaourtocom 2000, SSTV, Morse code, radio communication, and radio directional finding.

Starting about 15 minutes before AOS, watch livestream at: www.ariotti.com

As time allows, students will ask these questions:

1. Que faites-vous comme experience en ce moment?

2. Quand vous etiez dans lISS lors de votre premiere mission, vous etes-vous dit que vous y retourneriez un jour?

3. Comment se passe un ravitaillement?

4. Comment vit-on loin de sa famille?

5. Comment avez-vous reagi lorsque vous avez appris que vous retourniez dans lISS pour la deuxieme fois?

6. Quelle place y a-t-il pour l'ecologie lorsque l'on part dans l'espace?

7. Quaimez-vous le plus dans le fait daller dans lespace?

8. Votre preparation a-t-elle ete differente pour cette deuxieme mission?

9. Est-ce que c'est d'avoir parle a un astronaute lorsque vous etiez petit qui vous a donne envie de devenir astronaute a votre tour?

10. Combien de temps mettez-vous a vous habituer a limpesanteur?

11. Dans lISS, avez-vous deja ressenti le besoin de redescendre sur Terre?

12. Avez-vous deja croise des asteroides et comment les eviter?

13. Accepteriez-vous de donner votre nom a notre ecole?

14. Lorsque vous etes dans lISS, quest-ce qui vous manque le plus?

15. Est-ce que l'impesanteur est dangereux pour le corps si on y reste trop longtemps?

16. Avez-vous deja ete en danger pendant une de vos missions?

17. Quest-ce qui est le plus difficile a vivre dans lISS?

18. Releverez-vous le defi de jouer aux des lors de cette mission?

Translation

1. What experiments are you working on currently?

2. When you were in the ISS on your first mission, did you think you would ever go back there?

3. What is refueling about? How does it work?

4. How is it to live away from your family?

5. What was your reaction when you were told you were returning to the ISS?

6. Is ecology something you take into account when you go into space?

7. What do you like the most about going in space?

8. Was the preparation different for this second mission?

9. Did talking to an astronaut when you were young inspire you to become an astronaut yourself?

10. How many times do you take to get used to the zero gravity / weightlessness?

11. In the ISS, have you ever felt the need to come back down to Earth?

12. Did you ever come across asteroids and what would you do to avoid them?

13. Would you agree to give your name to our school?

14. What do you miss most when you're in the ISS?

15. Does weightlessness impact your body in a dangerous way if you stay in this condition for too long?

16. Have you ever been in danger during a mission?

17. What's the hardest thing to live with in the ISS?

18. Will you accept the challenge of playing dice while you're on this mission?

ARISS  Celebrating 20 Years of Amateur Radio Continuous Operations on the ISS

About ARISS:

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National Lab-Space Station Explorers, and NASAs Space communications and Navigation program. The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics topics. ARISS does this by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities take part in hands-on learning activities tied to space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For more information, see www.ariss.org

Media Contact:

Dave Jordan, AA4KN

ARISS PR

Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Search on Amateur Radio on the ISS and @ARISS_status.
May 2021 Volunteer Monitor Program Report

The Volunteer Monitor (VM) Program is a joint initiative between ARRL and the FCC to enhance compliance in the Amateur Radio Service. This is the May 2021 Volunteer Monitor Program Report.

Technician operators in Palm Bay and Hollywood, Florida, received Advisory Notices after making more than a dozen FT8 contacts on 40 and 20 meters. Technicians are not permitted to operate on 20 meters and have no data privileges on 40 meters.

A licensee in El Cerrito, California, received an Advisory Notice concerning use of his 444.700 MHz repeater for deliberate interference and unidentified transmissions.

A General-class licensee in Guanica, Puerto Rico, received an Advisory Notice after operating on 14.187 MHz during a DX contest in May. General-class licensees have no privileges below 14.225 MHz on 20 meters.

A General-class licensee in Texas received a Warning concerning deliberate interference, broadcasting, and failure to identify on 3.919 MHz and 3.922 MHz. The operator was informed that if such operation continued, the FCC would be requested to remove voice privileges from his license.

A General-class licensee in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, received an Advisory Notice for operation on 7.163 MHz. General-class licensees are not permitted to operate below 7.175 MHz.

A repeater station in Mission Viejo, California, was shut down after the operator received a notice that the repeater was being used for deliberate interference.

A warning was issued to a licensee in Erie, Pennsylvania, for operation on 146.61 MHz and 146.682 MHz after the repeater licensee had requested in writing that the individual refrain from using the repeaters.

VM monitoring totals during April were 1,784 hours on HF frequencies and 2,214 hours on VHF frequencies and above.

The Volunteer Monitor coordinator had one meeting with the FCC, and one case was referred to the FCC for further action.  Thanks to Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, Volunteer Monitor Program Coordinator

Source: http://www.arrl.org/news/may-2021-volunteer-monitor-program-report
UPI reports on the WoodSat CubeSat





It is hoped the satellite, which is part of a Public Relations initiative by Finland's UPM Plywood company which produces WISA plywood, will be launch towards the end of the year.



The UPI story says:



Woodsat has attracted attention from corporations and media around the world and elicited cooperation from the European Space Agency.



Arctic Astronautics, which normally focuses on tiny educational satellite kits for schools, builds Woodsat. A Finnish company, UPM Plywood, provides high-quality wood for the craft and covers the launch cost.



Amateur radio and LoRa get a brief mention:



Woodsat also offers a unique chance to transmit messages around the globe only by bouncing a radio signal off the satellite, Nyman said.



To use that feature, members of the public must have what is known as a LoRa-capable amateur radio operating at a 70-centimeter wavelength.



The WoodSat team have applied for IARU satellite frequency coordination

http://www.amsatuk.me.uk/iaru/formal_detail.php?serialnum=805



Read the UPI story at

https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2021/06/23/finland-woodsat-finland-small-satellite/1551624033581/ United Press International (UPI) carries a story about the WoodSat CubeSat which is made from wood and carries an amateur radio payloadIt is hoped the satellite, which is part of a Public Relations initiative by Finland's UPM Plywood company which produces WISA plywood, will be launch towards the end of the year.The UPI story says:Amateur radio and LoRa get a brief mention:The WoodSat team have applied for IARU satellite frequency coordinationRead the UPI story at
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones has joined 10 others in Mayors Organized for Reparations and Equity, which wants a federal commission to study and develop reparation proposals for African-Americans. Jones spoke during the Juneteenth Caribbean Heritage Walkathon on June 19 in Forest Park and pledged to help make reparations happen for Black residents here and in other cities.
Due to the small space, Callahan doesnt go out of his way to promote the dinners. He says the clientele, knowledgeable and adventurous, has grown through word of mouth and social media  If you know about it, you know about it  and diners have been respectful of the need to keep things moving.
A few days later, on June 8, Ferrari said, the couple received a notice from the Eastland Cove Homeowners Association warning that they could be fined if the flag was not removed. Homeowners can display only the flags of the United States, the state of Florida, the branches of the armed forces or the POW/MIA flag, according to a copy of the notice. The couple could face a fine of up to $50 and then a daily fine of $10 if they do not comply within 30 days, under the associations covenants.
Stewatrt, 86, said she and the man better known to many as Jim still felt close over the years, despite the many miles between them after Fahy moved to Fort Lauderdale from New York, where he grew up. The life Fahy had made in Fort Lauderdale is one he enjoyed, Stewart said: bike rides, swimming, friends and vacations.
Hogan was being detained though she had not been arrested Thursday night. Police in Lauderhill say they have not been able to interview her yet but wont say if she is being held in a psychiatric facility. The states Baker Act allows authorities to commit a person to a mental health hospital for up to 72 hours, which would end late Friday.
Although he began looking for the stores Fourth of July supply around New Years, Winkler has still struggled to find merchandise anywhere  and like Taime, the product hes found has been more expensive than usual.
The name is derived from the belief that when you help the deceased you cannot be repaid from it. The deceased can never thank us and that makes it the ultimate act of kindness, said Rabbi Mark Rosenberg, who runs the group, and is also a chaplain with the Florida Highway Patrol and the Miami-Dade Police Department.
Surfside doesnt have an immediate need for volunteers or donations, but the town has created a volunteer form for Miami-Dade County residents interested in providing services to the families of the victims. For more information, click on the resources and volunteer registration link at the top of Surfsides website, townofsurfsidefl.gov.
Five people, including a Capitol police officer, were dead in the aftermath of the insurrection. About two weeks later, the FBI received its first tip that Jim Cusick was inside the Capitol during the riot, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police in Malaga have arrested a woman who, allegedly, ripped an off-duty officer's mask from his face and spat at him.

The local policemen was sleeping peacefully at his home in the city when the womans screaming in the street woke him so he went outside to investigate.

The incident took place in the Ciudad Jardin area of Malaga at around 11.30pm at night and the 092 Local Police control room had received several calls saying that there was a woman attacking and threatening several people in the street.

When the local policeman identified himself with his badge, the woman became more aggressive and when he tried to restrain and calm her she turned to him, ripped off the mask he was wearing and spat in his face, according to witnesses. She also, allegedly, began to hit him in the face and other areas on his body.

When a police patrol arrived in the area, the officers found the woman - 34 years old and of Spanish nationality - hitting and kicking everyone in her path, while threatening to kill and burn down property.

According to sources, the woman insulted and threatened the police that had just arrived and bit one of the officers on the wrist, threatening to return the next day and set fire to all the houses."

Because of her state, the officers took the woman to a medical centre where it is claimed her threatening and violent behaviour continued towards health care staff.
The outbreak of coronavirus among Spanish students who celebrated the end of their exams in the Balearic Islands has also affected Andalucia, it has been confirmed by the regional government.

Nationally, there are more than 350 confirmed Covid-19 cases ,so far, among young people who partied in Mallorca after completing their EBAU exams.

Until Thursday, it was known that students from six regions in Spain are affected: in Madrid there are 245 and 452 people in isolation; in the Basque Country, 49; in Elche (Alicante) there are already 32 positives, in Murcia, 18; and ten in Aragon, in addition to other cases being investigated in Galicia.

To these figures we must now add those reported by the president of the Junta de Andalucia, Juanma Moreno, who said in a public appearance this Friday (25 June) said that a total of "476 young Andalusians have participated in these trips."

After a visit to the Huescar town hall in Granada, the Juntas head pointed out that the students "are all located and in isolation", and expressed his concern about the situation that originated in the Balearic Islands which coincides with the easing of face mask regulations outdoors from this Saturday (26 June).
The Ministry of Health has called for a ban on end-of-course school trips after a coronavirus outbreak among a group of young people from across Spain who celebrated the end of their exams with a trip to Mallorca.

The demand came on the same day that the United Kingdom included the Balearic Islands in its green list of safe destinations.

During an emergency meeting of the Alerts Report committee of the Centre for the Coordination of Health Alerts and Emergencies this Thursday, 24 June, it decided that those students who are on, or have participated in end-of-year trips to Mallorca, will have to undergo a diagnostic test and complete a ten-day quarantine.

The Ministry of Health is analysing this macro outbreak of Covid-19 that involves at least 350 students from six regions across Spain. In Madrid there are 245 infected and 452 people in isolation; in the Basque Country, 49; in Elche (Alicante) there are already 32 positives, in Murcia, 18; and ten in Aragon, in addition to other cases being investigated in Galicia.

The Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, has said that her department will carry out "a detailed monitoring of the evolution" saying, We are talking about a significant number of people, young people. For the relaxation of coronavirus measures in this age group, we must make a call for more responsibility".

According to the Balearic epidemiology service, the students met in the islands and participated in different mass events in Mallorca. The infections occurred between June 18 and 20. Education officials in Madrid said that the trip was organised by the students themselves, without the involvement of their schools.
News

featured

Raising awareness of people in need

Mecca-Mann Mission offers awareness, support to those struggling

Brianne Fleming The Mecca-Mann Mission Inc. Vice President Lynell Rusciolelli (left) and President DeAnna Brooks are pictured at the Johnsonburg Farmers and Artisans Market. Brianne Fleming Pictured are upcoming fundraisers for The Mecca-Mann Mission Inc.

JOHNSONBURG  Because everybody is somebodys someone.

Two mothers grieving the loss of their children came together to turn their pain into purpose, creating an organization that spreads awareness and provides support to anyone, from all walks of life, who may be struggling.

The Mecca-Mann Mission, Inc., an organization currently based in Elk County, was started in memory of Andy Mecca, who died July 5, 2018, and Kaysie Mann, who died Dec. 10, 2017.

Their mothers, President DeAnna Brooks and Vice President Lynell Rusciolelli, joined forces in April 2019, creating a safe space for others like themselves.

The two ladies were among several vendors talking with visitors at the first Johnsonburg Farmers and Artisans Market, held Wednesday on Market Street.

The Mecca-Mann Mission has three focus areas, including prevention through education, raising awareness and lowering stigmas through helping others who struggle and advocate work and recidivism, impacting the cycle of release from prison and re-conviction, according to the mission pamphlet.

The group is not only dedicated to anyone who may be close to substance abuse, but rather anyone struggling with anything, said Brooks. It acts as a resource, or a gateway, helping people find the program that is right for them and their situation.

Currently, though, Mecca-Manns resources are widely dedicated to the substance abuse problem in the Elk County community, where the need is greatest, said Brooks.

We are here to spare mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and families the pain of that phone call, in memory of Andrew and Kaysie, who, like almost 800,000 others over 10 years, lost their lives in preventable tragedies, according to the mission packet. The organization is seeking to collaborate with others in the community who want to be a part of the solution.

The ladies also contributed their stories to the newly-published book, Ripples: Effects of Addiction, a collaborative effort of the local organization Messengers on Missions and Patricia Greene. The book, which tells the stories of those impacted by todays epidemic, was on display at the farmers market, along with purple T-shirts that displayed the Because everybody is somebodys someone logo, backpacks, purple awareness ribbons and informational resources.

The Mission has a program designed to teach third and fourth graders coping skills they can utilize as they get older, also offering comfort backpacks to children who may be in a traumatic situation. Its important, said Brooks and Rusciolelli, to introduce proper, positive life tools to children at a young age.

Prior to COVID-19, the Mecca-Mann Mission ladies were working on visiting the prison, said Rusciolelli, which has been put on hold currently, but is a goal for the future.

The Mecca-Mann Mission Inc. will host Kaysies Sunshine Ride and Dice Run at 10 a.m. at Kemmer Farm in Kersey on July 24. Those who want a guaranteed T-shirt should register by July 2. Andys Jeep Ride will be held at the Dam Inn Sept. 25, and a Craft and Snack event at the Wilcox Recreation Center Nov. 24.

Visit The Mecca-Mann Mission Inc. on Facebook.
 Unlimited website access 24/7

 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7

 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more!

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.
If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News.
Nagpur, Jun 25 (UNI) Former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh could find himself in trouble as a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has established the money trail of Rs 4 crore, which was allegedly paid by about 10 bar owners in Mumbai for three months, sources said.

The ED is conducting searches at four locations, including the residence of Deshmukh in Nagpur, in connection with the new findings in the money laundering case registered against the senior NCP leader.

This is the third time when ED has raided Deshmukh. These include Deshmukhs two residences in Mumbais Malabar Hill and Worli. This comes a day after the ED recorded the statement of Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Raju Bhujbal in the case.

Sources also said that Bhujbal at present is the in-charge of the enforcement wing of Mumbai Police and has the social service branch under his jurisdiction.

In Mumbai, the probe agency is also searching the premises of Deshmukhs Personal Assistant Kundan Shinde and Personal Secretary Sanjeev Palande, based on the evidence gathered by ED on the alleged cash payments by the bar owners to Deshmukh.

Sources further said that the anti-money laundering agency has recorded the statements of over 10 bar owners in connection with the case. The ED probe into the financial transactions of Deshmukh is in line with CBI probe into allegations that the former Minister had asked police officers, including the dismissed Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Waze, to illegally extort Rs 100 crore including Rs 40-50 crore each month from 1750 bars, restaurants and other establishments in Mumbai.

Deshmukh has denied the allegations which were made on March 20 by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh in an eight-page letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, sent out after he was shunted out from his position as the Mumbai police chief.

The ED registered a case against Deshmukh for allegedly obtaining illegal gratification, based on an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April. The CBI said Deshmukh used his official position to obtain certain undue advantage and had also influenced the transfers and postings in the Mumbai Police as alleged by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

The sources also said that Waze is being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for his alleged role in the Ambani house bomb scare case and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran. Waze had earlier submitted a letter to the NIA court supporting the allegations made by Singh against Deshmukh and also levelled corruption charges against Transport Minister Anil Parab of the Shiv Sena.

Waze alleged that Deshmukh had asked him to pay Rs 2 crore for his reinstatement in the Mumbai Police. The court, however, has not taken the letter on record. After a decade-and-a-half of being suspended in a case of custodial death, Waze had rejoined the police force in 2020.

Earlier on April 25, the ED had searched the Nagpur residence of Sagar Bhatewar, a close aide of Deshmukh, who is also a director on several firms controlled by the family of Deshmukh.

UNI PK PS2110
Konnect Worldwide Business Media concludes a successful digital event India Gaming Conclave 2021

NEW DELHI, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Konnect Worldwide Business Media, successfully concluded one of the country's largest comprehensive gaming forum, India Gaming Conclave (IGC) 2021 in India today. At its first digital edition, the conclave focused on discussions around - the future outlook and vision for the new decade, global and domestic trends, opportunities and the potential that the India has to disrupt the gaming industry.

India Gaming Conclave 2021 Logo

The IGC 2021, witnessed participation from industry stalwarts, gaming gurus, change-makers, growth agents, entrepreneurs and disruptors, who took the stage to share insights, learnings, and expertise. This event was supported by JAB Cloud India, MediaTek, POCO India, Zupee, Hunter Games, Velia.Net and TechARC, amongst others.

In addition to the keynote addresses by industry experts, the conclave delved into four in-depth knowledge sessions, curated around key topics including: Gaming with a purpose: a new paradigm in modern education & cognitive development; How 5G: Cloud gaming & innovations in devices & smartphone technology will revolutionize gaming in India; Gamification - a powerful tool to engage, monetize & grow revenues in e-commerce and payments; and Understanding a Gamer and innovations in gaming infrastructure in India and for India.

The event program was power packed with an impressive line-up of speakers (in alphabetical order) including:

Amit Dey, Managing Director  India, GMobi

Anuj Sharma, Country Director, POCO India

Anuj Sidharth, Deputy Director, Marketing & Communications, MediaTek India

Anurag Khurana, Founder & CEO, Newgen Gaming

Dilip Krishnaswamy, Vice President New Tech R&D, JIO Platforms, Reliance JIO

Dushyant Saraswat, Founder & CEO, Hunter Games

Faisal Kawoosa, Founder & Chief Analyst, TechARC

Jeffrey D'cruz, Country Manager, JAB Cloud India

Kashyap Reddy, Co-Founder and CEO, HitWicket

Kuldeep Malik, Director Corporate Sales  India, MediaTek

Laxmi Khanolkar, Co-Founder & CEO, Apar Games

Naman Jhawar, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Operations, Mobile Premier League

Nitin Goel, Country Manager, Gameloft

Rohitashwa Bhotica, Senior Manager, Future Pay

Sourabh Deorah, CEO, Advantage Club

Dr.Subi Chaturvedi, Chief Corporate & Public Affairs Officer, Zupee

Sumit Chhazed, Co-Founder, OTO Capital

Uday Sodhi, Senior Partner, Kurate Digital Consulting

"I am honoured to be a part of the India Gaming Conclave, an excellent platform to witness disruptive technologies and be a part of effective conversations and exchange of ideas that are shaping the industry. India is one of the biggest markets for mobile gaming had has seen rapid growth in recent times. There is a need to build a sustainable ecosystem for the domestic gaming industry," said Kuldeep Malik, Director Corporate Sales, MediaTek India. "Consumers are increasingly demanding more from their devices leading to cutting-edge innovations and R&D. MediaTek SoCs are power-packed with incredible technology for lag-free gaming, video, connectivity and power efficiency to enable a longer and immersive gaming experience."

Anuj Sharma, Country Director - Poco India, further added, "Right from its inception POCO has been delivering high performance devices. We continue to maintain that focus and our partnership with MediaTek is further improving the performance to price ratio for the gaming community. The smartphone gaming market has exploded in the last few years and is witnessing a rapid growth thanks to competitive games especially in the Battle Royale genre. We see the experience around P2P getting better as 5G is going to make a massive difference to the ping rate and bandwidth available for gamers. In fact during the recent launch of POCO M3 Pro 5G, we were able to demonstrate network speeds of 800+ MBPS taking the gaming performance to the next level."

"While India is the second-largest online market in the world with around 700 million internet users, more than half of its population still has to be covered with high-speed data connectivity. Even with the current Internet penetration, online gaming surged in India to command 17% of the global market share of installs volume in 2020. The phenomenal rise of online gaming means that it could be the face of the digital India dream. The Indian Government has been remarkable with its digitalization initiatives such as Digital India, PM Digital Saksharta, the Jandhan, Aadhar, and Mobile (JAM) trinity, playing a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide and bringing better e-governance. But to become a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2025, we need all growing digital sectors, especially sunrise sectors like online gaming, to be protected by progressive and supportive policy frameworks that protect our homegrown nimble-footed startups that are generating revenue and creating employment. For any sector to innovate, there is one simple thing that all stakeholders look at - a policy that is stable, predictable, pro-investment, and allows for innovation and disruption. Perhaps, for the first time in modern history, India finds itself leading the world market of emerging technology with limitless potential and applications. We should do everything to retain this edge and stamp India's position as a leader in the global tech-led innovation segment. At the same time, the Indian gaming startups can reinvent India for the rest of the world by creating games that reflect the history, culture and heritage of our great nation," said Dr Subi Chaturvedi, Chief Corporate & Public Affairs Officer, Zupee

Dushyant Saraswat, Founder & CEO, Hunter Games, said, "I would like to congratulate Konnect Worldwide Business Media team for organising such a relevant and insightful event. We at Hunter Games, are always driven by the challenges and excitement of innovation, games and gamification. At the India Gaming Conclave forum, I am glad that I was able to witness similar enthusiasm, learnings and discuss the growth vision of the industry as a whole with representatives from the fraternity."

Jeffrey D'cruz, Country Manager, JAB Cloud India, said, "We extend our thanks to AWS & Konnect Worldwide Business Media for assisting us in organising IGC2021 at a huge magnitude of success. We would also like to thank all the leadership speakers & delegates at the forum. Solutions like CDN & Security are our forte. We look forward to associating ourselves and adding extensive value to your business."

Commenting on the successful culmination of the event, Rahul Sindhwani, CEO, Konnect Worldwide Business Media said, "The gaming industry in India has come a long way since the early 2000s, and there's an increased focus on the local development of games, large volume of users and rising potential of monetization. Therefore, through India Gaming Conclave we aimed to offer a platform wherein top business leaders, experts and like - minded participants could come together to explore synergies and interact about opportunities, future and all topics that are relevant to reflect upon the sector. I am extremely grateful to our industry partners & leadership speakers for their support and without them this success would not have been possible. We look forward to partnering with them in many editions in future."

About Konnect Worldwide Business Media:

Konnect Worldwide Business Media is India's leading live business media and events company that engages people and enriches businesses .Through its most knowledgeable and experienced event experts, it organizes strongly conceptualized and content-led conferences & seminars and exhibitions, webinars, corporate events and briefings. Its conferences are major industry gatherings focusing on strategy, innovation, technology and customers and its trade exhibitions are marketplaces for global business. It operates from a network of offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

Media Contact:

Aman Khanna

aman@konnectworldwide.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1551431/India_Gaming_Logo.jpg

(Disclaimer--Features may vary depending on the regions; subject to change without notice.)
UW College of Agriculture Grads Find Growth Opportunities in Job Market

Elizabeth Martinez

Recent spring graduates in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Wyoming have discovered job market opportunities during COVID-era restrictions.

First-generation college graduate Elizabeth Martinez, who graduated with an agricultural business degree with a concentration in farm and ranch management, recently started her position as a senior technician in canola management with Cargills Global Edible Oil Solutions in Fort Collins, Colo.

Martinez had graduated with an associate degree in agricultural business from Casper College before coming to UW.

I do a lot of stuff with plants now. But the University of Wyoming had such a well-rounded program that I did take a lot of those plant classes such as range management that help, says Martinez, a Worland native.

Her job requires heavy research but, during summers between semesters, she worked at three different research labs, which helped prepare her for this role.

Martinez navigated a lot of new territory being a first-generation graduate.

I was the first to fill out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and scholarship applications, she says. If your family members have never done that before, it can be a really difficult thing to do. Its not easy.

Martinez served as an ambassador for the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and says the application process for that helped prepare her for the application process for Cargill. Similar to the ambassador program, she submitted a paper application for Cargill and did a phone interview, a one-on-one interview and a panel interview.

It was very valuable that I did that through ambassadors, so I knew how to present myself and talk about myself, she says.

When Cargill called back after all of her interviews, Martinez let her phone go to voicemail.

I was terrified to hear because it was a senior position, she says. I thought, no way on my first try on my interview process was I going to get it.

She had her roommate listen to the voicemail. She was shocked and excited to hear the job offer. Her offer included full benefits, 401(k) and stock options.

I told (UW research economist) Tom Foulke about it and was asking him about it because I was in his applied equity and investing class, and he actually took the time after class to look over my offer and explain everything to me, she says. He was so helpful. Even after his class, he reached out to me and asked me if I had any more questions. That was really impactful to know someone would still be there to help even after I graduated.

Straight into Management

Laramie native Michael Edwards has a long-standing family tradition with UW. His grandfather, mom and older brother all attended. He graduated this spring with a degree in agroecology and minors in soil science and plant protection. He now has a management position with Lamb Weston.

Randa Jabbours intro to agroecology class was one of the first times I was able to interact with people in my major and showed me what I was going to be learning about over the next four years, he says. That was a moment that could have decided whether I stayed with the major or switched, but the class really laid a good foundation.

Elements of Leadership, a course through the college, taught Edwards more about leadership and helps him in his position.

He recently started at Lamb Weston, one of the worlds largest producers and processors of frozen French fries and other frozen potato products.

COVID canceled an internship Edwards had accepted with the company last summer.

I kept in touch with the person who was supposed to be my supervisor, he says. He suggested I apply to the position I have now, which is team leader production, an entry-level management position at one of their potato factories. It allows me to get management experience, understand what quality means to a manufacturer, and why we need to do the things we do out in the field.

Edwards interview process was conducted via Zoom due to COVID.

I was told one of the things that set me apart from other candidates was that I came prepared with a list of questions that were really interesting to me for the job to figure out what the company was about, he says.

He was offered the job after his first interview but was hesitant to accept the position without having the opportunity to see the factory and meet those he would be working with.

We lined out a way where I could fly out to Oregon to view the factory I would be working at and also meet all the people I would be working with, he says. That was a really beneficial experience. After all that, I could confidently say I really wanted the job.

There are many opportunities for continuous development and travel around the world, Edwards says.

With his position in management, Edwards has seen many people apply who think they arent really qualified because they dont have the right education or classes but also says those are the people for whom hes seen the most promise.

Apply to the positions you think you will never get, Edwards says. Apply to those jobs because your passion is worth more than your experience, by far. Your passion shows you are willing to learn in it and want to learn in it.
UW President Seidel to Host Lunch July 1 in Prexys Pasture

Members of the University of Wyoming community are invited to have lunch with President Ed Seidel Thursday, July 1, in Prexys Pasture.

The event will take place from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. near Simpson Plaza by the Wyoming Union. The first 1,200 guests will be served a barbecue meat or vegetarian option with chips, water/soda and cookies. There will be live music by local band Wolves in Cheap Clothing.

I am looking forward to this opportunity to spend time with the UW campus community, says Seidel, who will be present to greet guests and visit for all 90 minutes of the event. The past many months have been challenging, and this is an opportunity for all of us to come together, renew connections and enjoy our beautiful campus. I encourage all to come and enjoy some great Laramie summer weather, conversation and food.

A limited number of tables and chairs will be available. People are encouraged to bring blankets if they wish to sit in Prexys Pasture.
JORDAN MEAD is News Editor for The Vidette. Contact her at jnmead@ilstu.edu. Follow Mead on Twitter at @meadjordan19

IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of print and digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
The Europe Regional Workshop on Data Analytics for manager levels was held from 21-22 June 2021 in close cooperation with ROCB EUR and supported by CCF-Korea. More than forty participants from 19 Customs Administrations attended the workshop.

The WCO Director of Capacity Building Directorate, Dr. Taeil KANG welcomed and encouraged participants to promote and share information on the digital transition with data analytics technology.

The data experts from WCO introduced use cases of Big Data Analytics for Customs and practical guiding principles in developing a Capacity Building Framework on this topic. The workshop also provided an opportunity for participants to strengthen the network of data analytics practitioners by sharing Azerbaijans and Spains Big Data strategic plans and experiences, and good practices of Bulgarian Customs.

The WCO also updated the participants with the recent actions taken and future initiatives to assist Members including: 1) the future plan for technical assistance, 2) online and offline training courses to build capabilities in machine learning and programming skills, and 3) the recent research and development topics from the BACUDA project.

The participants' active participation and interactive discussions resulted in a successful workshop. The EUR region managers highly appreciated the activity and shared ideas on the next steps to further cooperate with the BACUDA Project to enhance capacity in Data Analytics nationally and regionally.

For more information, please contact bacuda@wcoomd.org
Stepping up its efforts to implement the 2022 version of the Harmonized System (HS) in time, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) held a meeting of the Technical Working Group on HS 2022. The meeting was held from 14 to 18 June 2021 in Kadoma, Zimbabwe, bringing together officials from the Head Office and the Regional Offices of the ZIMRA. The EU-WCO Programme for Harmonized System (HS) in Africa (HS-Africa Programme) virtually attended the meeting on behalf of the WCO, following its earlier consultation meeting with the ZIMRA on the matter.

The meeting was conducted with the aim of finalizing the outstanding issues in the draft HS 2022 national tariff, aligning it with market access offers and other instruments, as well as doing the quality checks of the texts. The Working Group examined market access offers involving agreements with the European Union, the United Kingdom, Eastern and Southern Africa. On the HS 2022 Nomenclature, and drafted the required statutory instruments.

The Working Group furthermore examined amendments of the national Value Added Tax (VAT) Regulations, bringing them into conformity with the HS 2022 version. The Regulations are used by Customs alongside the national tariff with regard to imported goods when collecting VAT.

In order to set up a solid framework for the implementation of HS amendments, the Working Group developed a scheme describing and sequencing all the major steps whereby national HS-based instruments are migrated to new editions of the HS, in consultation with the HS-Africa Programme. The ZIMRA and the HS-Africa Programme furthermore agreed on an action plan to join hands in ensuring a smooth and timely implementation of the HS 2022 amendments in Zimbabwe.

For more details, please contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org.
If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now!

Submit
Dafford Murals Drive-Up & Walk-Up Book Signing

PADUCAH - Muralists Robert Dafford and Herb Roe will be signing the new Paducah Wall to Wall Floodwall mural books Friday evening 5-8 in front of the 1873 Birdseye View mural..on Water Street across from the downtown parking lot.The Muralists are in from Lafayette, LA for a couple more weeks restoring Dafford Murals on Paducahs downtown riverfront. They have been in town since early May working on Floodwall images most in need of repair.Books are $10 each and every cent goes toward future mural maintenance. The all-volunteer Wall to Wall board will be at the tent to sell books as cars drive up or walkers come by to have their already purchased books or new ones autographed.Other mural merchandise will also be available.For more info call/text 270-519-1321 or email rom4915@gmail.com
Purchase District Health Helps Provide Naloxone

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MCCRACKEN COUNTY - The Purchase District Health Department and McCracken County Public Library have partnered to provide Naloxone to members of the public with the installation of a Naloxbox. Naloxbox was provided by McCracken County ASAP as a Community Narcan Hub.Naloxone is a safe, effective and nonaddictive opioid antagonist that is meant to reverse opioid overdoses. It has no other side effects and is easy to use in the form of Narcan Nasal Spray. Even if someone is administered Narcan when it is not needed, there are no adverse effects.The McCracken County Public Library will serve as where people can be directed to a training video on how to administer Narcan Nasal Spray and then be able to receive Narcan to take home with them.Data show that educating and providing naloxone to people at risk of witnessing or experiencing an overdose is associated with a 30% to 45% decrease in opioid overdose death rates, a reduction in heroin consumption, and reductions in opioid-related emergency department visits.Public libraries have long partnered with other public agencies to share information and increase access to all kinds of resources to improve the health and well-being of communities," said Interim Library Director Sarah McGowan. "We see this as an extension of those efforts and are honored to work with the Purchase District Health Department to provide this lifesaving intervention.Library patrons will be able to partake in this service starting July 1.
Elmdale Rd. Murder Suspect Turns Himself In

By West Kentucky Star Staff





PADUCAH - The suspect in a murder investigation from earlier this month is now in custody.The Paducah Police Department says 20-year-old Khalil A. Griffin of Murray turned himself in at the police department just after 11 am on Friday. He was arrested on a warrant charging him with murder, stemming from an incident on June 10.Police responded to the intersection of Elmdale Road and Jameswood Drive and found 28-year-old Thomas Willett, who died later that day at Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital. Police say Griffin shot Willett and then fled the scene.Another man, 25-year-old Justin C. Wells, of Lone Oak, was arrested shortly after the shooting and faces charges of complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence.Previous Story (Thursday, June 24):The Paducah Police Department is still requesting the public's help in locating a man charged with murder, and West Kentucky Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward for information.Detectives obtained a warrant on June 11, charging 20-year-old Khalil A. Griffin of Murray with the murder of 28-year-old Thomas Willett.Willett was shot June 10 near the intersection of Elmdale Road and Jameswood Drive. He was pronounced dead a short time later at Mercy Health Lourdes Hospital.The police investigation shows that Griffin shot Willett and then fled the scene.Another man, 25-year-old Justin C. Wells, of Lone Oak, was arrested shortly after the shooting and is charged with complicity to murder and tampering with physical evidence.Anyone with information on Griffin's whereabouts is asked to call the Paducah Police Department at 270-444-8550. Information also may be provided anonymously through West Kentucky Crime Stoppers.The reward is offered to anyone providing information leading to the arrest of Griffin.
Police: Missing Teenager Found, Safe

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A 15-year-old boy reported missing on Thursday has been located.Paducah Police had been looking for Amari Harris, who had last been seen at 731 Walter Jetton Boulevard.Officers said Friday afternoon that he had been found and was in good health.
Three Arrested in Stolen Vehicle in Paducah

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A traffic stop on Thursday for a stolen vehicle led to two people being arrested and a juvenile being taken into custody.Paducah police stopped a black Lincoln SUV near Bridge Street and Yarbro Lane and discovered it had been reported stolen from Pulaski County.Officers said the driver, 28-year-old Kelly Johnson of Paducah, told them she had met the owner of the vehicle on the internet and that she had permission to have the vehicle. They said that neither passenger was aware the vehicle had been reported stolen.During the stop officers arrested one of the passengers, 25-year-old Nathan Moyers of Paducah, after learning he had a warrant for his arrest in McCracken County. The other passenger was a 17-year-old who had been reported missing from McCracken County last month.Officers alleged that the juvenile attempted to throw a syringe and a quantity of what was believed to be methamphetamine, when he exited the car. All three suspects were arrested and taken into custody.Johnson was arrested on a charge of receiving stolen property (less than $10,000). Moyers was arrested on a McCracken County indictment warrant charging him with first-degree trafficking in a controlled substance (methamphetamine).The juvenile was taken into custody on a juvenile pick-up order and on charges of first-degree possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Graves Rollover Accident Sends One to Hospital

By West Kentucky Star Staff

GRAVES COUNTY - A Mayfield man was flown by Air-Evac to an Evansville hospital following a single-car accident Thursday morning on I-69.The accident occurred near the 31-mile marker in Graves County.The Graves County Sheriff's Office said 24-year-old Christopher Alfaro of Mayfield crossed both southbound lanes and went into a ditch. The car overturned several times, and Alfaro was ejected from his vehicle.Alfaro was transported to the Air Evac base at Jackson Purchase Medical Center where he was flown to an Evansville, IN area hospital.
BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua)  Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that China is ready to continue providing vaccines and other support for Fiji's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a phone conversation with Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Xi said China will set up a China-Pacific Island Countries reserve of emergency supplies, and help Fiji and other island countries improve their ability to cope with major public health incidents and natural disasters.

Pointing out that Fiji was the first Pacific island country to establish diplomatic relations with New China, Xi said since the establishment of ties 46 years ago, the China-Fiji relations have developed tremendously, an important experience from which is that the two sides have always been supporting each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns.

China respects Fiji's independent exploration of a development path that suits its national conditions, and is ready to work with Fiji to push the China-Fiji comprehensive strategic partnership continuously to new levels, so as to better benefit the two peoples and jointly safeguard the common interests of developing countries, he said.

Xi emphasized that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Fiji have worked together through thick and thin to fight the pandemic, and their friendship and cooperation have continued deepening.

China stands ready to strengthen strategic alignment with Fiji, jointly build the Belt and Road, deepen cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, transportation and communication, tourism, and other fields, and continue to implement projects including Juncao and agricultural technology cooperation to help Fiji's economic and social development, Xi said.

China will continue supporting Fiji in improving its ability to cope with climate change, he said.

In his message, Bainimarama expressed warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, saying that with Xi's foresight and sagacity and under his strong leadership, China has scored great achievements in development and played an important leading role in the world.

He thanked China for providing invaluable support for Fiji's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that Fiji firmly adheres to the one-China policy, takes an objective and fair stand on issues involving Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and will not do things that harm China's interests.

Fiji is ready to strengthen exchanges with China, deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation, and strengthen communication and coordination in international affairs, he said.

The joint construction of the Belt and Road has a broad prospect and will bring important opportunities for the Fiji-China cooperation, the Fijian prime minister said, adding that Fiji will continue taking an active part in it.

(Source: Xinhua)
A family story-sharing activity is held in Jiaxing City, East China's Zhejiang Province, on International Day of Families which falls on May 15, to promote the good family traditions of the revolutionaries. [For Women of China]

A national family story-sharing campaign was launched by the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) in Shanghai on May 9 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Themed with "Eulogizing the Party, Inheriting Family Traditions," the campaign aimed to promote good family education and the family traditions of the revolutionaries.

A family story-sharing activity is held in Jinggangshan, East China's Jiangxi Province, on May 17. [For Women of China]

Organized by local women's federations, family story-sharing activities were held in tandem in cities and places which were renowned for rich revolutionary heritage activity and are of great significance in Party history. They include Shanghai and Jiaxing City, in East China's Zhejiang Province, where the first CPC National Congress was held in 1921; Jinggangshan, or the Jinggang Mountains, in East China's Jiangxi Province, renowned as the "cradle of the Chinese revolution;" Zunyi City, in Southwest China's Guizhou Province, where the Zunyi Meeting, regarded as a crucial turning point of the Long March, was held; Yan'an City in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, then headquarters of the CPC and the center of the Communist revolution from 1935 to 1948; and Xibaipo Village in North China's Hebei Province, where the leadership of the CPC was garrisoned from May 1948 till early 1949, drawing up the blueprint for a new country. The final leg will be held in Beijing, where the CPC emerged victoriously.

During these activities, the participants, including descendants of revolutionary martyrs, representatives of role model families and guides from revolutionary memorial halls, shared touching stories of revolutionary martyrs and how they inherit and pass on the revolutionary spirit.

Huang Xiaowei, Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the ACWF, attended the story-sharing activity held in Jinggangshan on May 17.

Huang Xiaowei (C), Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, participates in the story-sharing activity in Jinggangshan on May 17. [For Women of China]

Inspired by the stories, Huang stressed keeping the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping in mind, promoting the great revolutionary spirit across the country, and passing on the good family traditions of the revolutionaries from generation to generation.

Huang urged women's federations at all levels to make good use of local revolutionary resources, promote the publicity and education of the histories of the Party, New China reform and opening-up and socialist development, make continued and solid practical efforts for women and guide families to follow the Party's leadership.

Huang Xiaowei (2nd, L, back), Secretary of the Leading Party Members' Group and Vice-President and First Member of the Secretariat of the All-China Women's Federation, participates in the story-sharing activity in Jinggangshan on May 17. [For Women of China]

A family story-sharing activity is held in Yan'an City, in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on June 3. [Shaanxi Women's Federation]

A family story-sharing activity is held in Xibaipo Village, in North China's Hebei Province, on June 6. [Hebei Women's Federation]

(Source: China Women's News/Translated and edited by Women of China)
Source: Xinhua| 2021-05-24 19:49:52|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Iran announced on Monday the extension for one month of its agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on monitoring the country's nuclear activities, semi-official Fars News Agency reported.

"Iran's decision on the continuation of the data-recording for utmost one more month was informed today" to Rafael Mariano Grossi, director general of the IAEA, tweeted Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran's ambassador and permanent representative to Vienna-based international organizations.

Iran and the IAEA reached in February a three-month temporary agreement to store video records of cameras monitoring Iranian nuclear sites, and deliver those records to the IAEA only if and after U.S. sanctions on Iran would be lifted.

The data recorded during the last three months will remain in the possession of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, and will not be transmitted to the IAEA, Gharibabadi was quoted as saying.

In a second tweet, Gharibabadi "recommended" the countries negotiating in Austria's capital Vienna to "seize the extra opportunity provided by Iran in good faith for the complete lifting of sanctions in a practical and verifiable manner."

The Iran-IAEA three-month agreement was reached right before a law passed in December 2020 by Iran's parliament came into effect, which mandates Iran's executive branch to stop implementing the IAEA's Additional Protocol if sanctions on Iran that should be lifted under the 2015 nuclear agreement continue to be in place by Feb. 23.

Representatives from China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and Iran are expected to meet later this week in Vienna to continue negotiations aimed at reviving the Iranian nuclear deal. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-23 02:47:33|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A couple look at a menu before entering a restaurant in Rome, Italy, on June 24, 2021. As of next week, Italy is preparing to lift the outdoor face mask mandate as the country's main COVID-19 indicators appear to have stabilized. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)

ROME, June 22 (Xinhua) -- As of next week, Italy is preparing to lift the outdoor face mask mandate as the country's main COVID-19 indicators appear to have stabilized.

The decision was confirmed by Health Minister Roberto Speranza on Tuesday after the new Scientific Technical Committee (CTS) advising the government on the pandemic emergency gave its green light the previous day.

"From June 28 on, we are going to lift the obligation to wear masks outdoors in the (low risk/low restriction) white zone, but always complying with the precautionary recommendations issued by the CTS," Speranza wrote on his official Facebook account.

The wearing of face masks has been mandatory indoors and outdoors across Italy throughout the whole pandemic period, and the rule was reinforced last October when the country faced a second wave of infections.

In line with the CTS's recommendations, starting next Monday, people will still be required to wear face masks in all indoor public spaces, in hospitals, on public transport, and during large gatherings outdoors.

Also next Monday, 19 of the country's 20 regions will become "white zones."

The spread of COVID-19 has slowed down and the number of hospitalizations and deaths has also been on the decline in Italy.

Nevertheless, the health authorities remain vigilant.

"Until we have zero deaths in each Italian region, our battle against the virus will remain unaccomplished," Speranza stressed during a meeting on public health held at the National Council for Economics and Labor on Tuesday.

He reiterated that vaccines remain a key weapon against the virus. To date, over 49 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the country of 60 million, and over 16 million people are now fully immunized, according to the latest government data.

Meanwhile, a limited outbreak caused by the Delta virus variant was confirmed on Tuesday in the area between the northern cities of Piacenza and Cremona, the ANSA news agency reported citing local sources.

Twenty-four people tested positive for the variant. Ten of them were employees of two companies based in a logistics hub near Piacenza. All these infections have been detected by the local public health department over the past six days, and all the infected people (none in critical condition) are currently in isolation, according to ANSA. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-24 21:18:20|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A tourist wearing Hanfu, or Han-style costumes, stands beside an ancient ginkgo tree at Dajue Temple in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Yin Dongxun)

XI'AN, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Wearing a long gown with loose sleeves and elaborate embroidery while touring the ancient city wall of Xi'an, Wei Fangbing could easily pass for someone from the ancient times were it not for her smartphone.

Hailing from northeast China's Liaoning Province, Wei is a devotee of hanfu, a type of traditional garment of the Han ethnic group. The early 20-something bought the eye-catching outfit well before her trip to Xi'an, a historical city in northwest China best known for the Terracotta Warriors.

"On social media, I saw many people visited Xi'an wearing hanfu. They look very gorgeous," she said. "The outfit's retro style goes particularly well with Xi'an."

Wei is among a growing number of young hanfu fans in China who have been charmed by the traditional attire's unique design and the rich culture behind it.

According to a report by Chinese consulting agency iiMedia Research, the number of hanfu enthusiasts in the country will have surged from 2.04 million in 2018 to 6.89 million by the end of this year, with over 70 percent of the fans being Generation Z-ers aged between 16 and 24.

The ongoing hanfu craze is certainly palpable. If you walk into parks and tourist spots in cities like Xi'an, Hangzhou and Nanjing, chances are you will come across people dressed in hanfu taking selfies.

A woman in Hanfu, or Han-style costumes, poses for photos in snow at the West Lake scenic spot in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, Dec. 31, 2018. (Xinhua/Huang Zongzhi)

To tap into the fad, some tourist attractions have held hanfu-themed events and offered discounts and waivers for admission tickets to visitors wearing hanfu.

Last year, the ancient town of Xitang in east China's Zhejiang Province attracted some 187,000 tourists during its hanfu cultural week, including more than 86,000 visitors dressed in the traditional garment.

Zhu Keli, a researcher on new economy with the Development Research Center of the State Council, said the growing popularity of hanfu among Chinese young people arises from their increasing appreciation for traditional culture and their need to express their individuality.

The new economy and e-commerce platforms have further spurred the development of the niche market, Zhu said.

The report by iiMedia Research predicted the sales volume of China's hanfu market to exceed 10 billion yuan (about 1.5 billion U.S. dollars) this year.

The booming market has been attracting an increasing number of young, hanfu-loving entrepreneurs.

Wu Qiuqiao, 27, owns a shop on Taobao, China's major online shopping platform, which mainly sells specially-designed hanfu for pet cats. Wu opened the shop in 2019 after quitting her previous job in Beijing to pursue her real interests -- hanfu and cats.

"I was trying to do something different, and the idea of hanfu for cats is so original and combines my top two interests," she said.

The novel idea has turned out a big success. To date, Wu's shop has garnered over 16,000 followers on Taobao, with the highest monthly sales topping 70,000 yuan.

Wu said her main concerns when designing hanfu for cats are how to make the clothing more comfortable for the animals and how to retain the original flavor of hanfu.

"I'm happy that the special hanfu can win the hearts of so many cat owners," she said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 00:18:52|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

China's southernmost province of Hainan, which is being built into a free trade port, is attracting more and more foreigners to come and start a business. We spoke to two foreign entrepreneurs and they told us why they chose Hainan for their future.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 00:54:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Long Lehao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of Long March rockets, gives a lecture at the University of Hong Kong (HKU), Hong Kong, June 24, 2021 (Xinhua/Li Gang)

Four space experts delivered speeches for Hong Kong youth on Thursday, as a "star team" comprised of six space scientists started a visit to Hong Kong universities and middle schools on Wednesday.

After hearing the lectures, Hong Kong students were inspired to study hard and chase their space dreams.

HONG KONG, June 24 (Xinhua) -- After giving a two-hour lecture at the the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Thursday, Long Lehao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of Long March rockets, walked down the podium but found himself immediately surrounded by students with more questions on space technology.

The students are also waiting for taking group photos with Long, or asking for his autographs.

The scene is a "routine" for the mainland space scientists who are visiting in Hong Kong.

Four space experts, including Long, delivered speeches for Hong Kong youth on Thursday, including those from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and HKU, as a "star team" comprised of six space scientists started a visit to Hong Kong universities and middle schools on Wednesday.

"Will China send astronauts to Mars?" Albert Chan from the HKU seized the opportunity to ask the first question.

The country currently has no plans for crewed spaceflights to Mars and is accumulating related technologies, Long said, adding he hopes that the next generation will continue to work in the area and succeed in landing on Mars.

"I'm very interested in manned spaceflight," Chan said. "I think manned spaceflight to Mars is very important. I'm proud of my country."

Students applaud as mainland space scientists finish lectures at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, June 24, 2021 (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Zheng Qiaoren, a 16-year-old middle school student, asked about reusable rockets and was excited to talk to the renowned expert in person.

"Academician Long explained to me the principle of this kind of rocket and now I have a deeper understanding," Zheng said.

Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, envisaged the development of China's long-term space exploration.

Tianwen-1 has opened a new chapter in China's interstellar exploration and new breakthroughs will be achieved in the future with major space projects such as exploration to asteroids, and Mars and Jupiter missions, Sun said, noting that China will contribute more wisdom and solutions to the peaceful use of space and to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

At the PolyU, students also prepared loads of questions for the scientists.

"How to choose courses in the future so that I can have the opportunity to participate in the development of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)?" a middle school student asked.

Xie Jun, chief designer of the BDS-3 satellite system, gave a practical and useful answer, saying that the BDS needs talents from a wide range of disciplines, especially those majoring in chemistry and physics.

Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, gives a lecture at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong, June 24, 2021 (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

As the only female scientist in the "star team," Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, was asked about women's career development in space technology.

After hearing the lectures, Hong Kong students were inspired to study hard and chase their space dreams.

"If there is a chance, I hope to participate in a great space cause like BDS in the future," said Wu Haoran, a PolyU student who studies electronic and information engineering.

Wang Dapeng, who majors in mechanical engineering, also hopes that his personal career will fit into the development of the country's space technology. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 03:39:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GENEVA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- In a latest move to uncover human rights problems of some western countries, China has said that it is gravely concerned about the violations of the rights of migrants and refugees by, among others, the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia and Canada.

In a statement delivered Wednesday to the ongoing 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Jiang Duan, minister of the Chinese mission to the United Nations in Geneva, said some countries have held migrants in immigration detention centers with poor conditions for a prolonged period of time.

"At these detention centers, the lack of basic services including food, water and medical service has caused a large number of abnormal death of migrants. These detention centers were the hardest hit areas during the COVID-19 pandemic," Jiang told the Council.

"We are concerned in particular that the United States continued to separate families by forcibly pulling migrant children away from their parents. Many children ended up losing touch with their parents and families, which led to grave human tragedies," he added.

According to the Chinese diplomat, some countries even held migrants in offshore detention centers where migrants were subjected to abuse. In some countries, immigration detention centers are run by private institutions, where incidents of mistreatment and excessive use of force are frequent, and the human rights of migrants are violated.

He further called on the Human Rights Council and other UN institutions to continuously attend to human rights violations at immigration detention centers in the countries concerned.

The Chinese diplomat urged the countries concerned to stop immediately human rights violations at immigration detention centers, close all offshore detention centers, halt at once the family separation practice, and respect and protect the human rights of migrants, especially migrant children. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 03:41:35|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Traces of the Delta COVID-19 variant have been detected in the sewer system of the southern Israel's coastal city of Ashkelon, the Israeli Ministry of Health said on Thursday.

This result raised concerns that certain residents in the city have been infected with the variant, the ministry said in a statement.

Following the detection, the ministry called on anyone suffering from fever, cough and weakness, or fearing of being infected, to take a coronavirus test as soon as possible to prevent an outbreak in the city, which has more than 140,000 residents.

Earlier on Thursday, the ministry again urged teenagers aged 12 to 15 to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 03:53:18|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo released by the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue shows first responders rescuing survivors from a partially collapsed residential building in Miami-Dade County, Florida, the United States, on June 24, 2021. At least three people were dead, and 12 others injured, while 99 people were possibly missing after the 12-story residential building partially collapsed early Thursday in Miami-Dade County, local media reported. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue/Handout via Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Xinhua) -- At least three people were dead, and 12 others injured, while 99 people were possibly missing after a 12-story residential building partially collapsed early Thursday in Miami-Dade County in the southeastern U.S. state Florida, local media reported.

The ABC News and local newspaper Miami Herald put the number of people who were missing at 99.

At least 12 people were injured in the incident, two of them in critical condition, according to the reports.

It's unclear exactly how many residents were in the building when the incident happened. Surfside officials said they couldn't confirm any number of missing people, but the situation looked dire.

The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received a call at around 1:30 a.m. local time about the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condominium in the beachside town of Surfside, about 6 miles north of Miami Beach.

So far at least 35 people trapped in the building and two others from beneath the rubble have been rescued, said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Raide Jadallah.

Video footage from the scene showed a large section of the building, collapsed into a pile of rubble, and a young boy was pulled alive from the rubble.

"It's the unimaginable," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. "It's a terrible, terrible nightmare that we have here on Surfside."

The oceanfront condominium, built in 1981, has 136 units, and approximately 55 of them collapsed on the northeast corridor, according to Jadallah. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 05:38:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday reached a deal with a bipartisan group of senators on a roughly 1.2-trillion-U.S. dollar infrastructure plan.

"I'm pleased to report that a bipartisan group of senators, five Democrats, five Republicans, part of a larger group has come together and forged an agreement that will create millions of American jobs and modernize our American infrastructure," Biden said at the White House after a meeting with the senators.

"It delivers clean transportation, clear water and clean water, universal broadband, clean power infrastructure, and environmental resilience. And these areas invest two-thirds of the resources that I've proposed in my American Jobs Plan," he said.

Biden's remarks came after a bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday reached a deal on a framework for an infrastructure spending bill.

The infrastructure framework Biden endorsed includes 579 billion dollars in new spending for a total of 973 billion dollars over five years and 1.2 trillion dollars over eight years, according to the White House.

"The $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework is a critical step in implementing President Biden's Build Back Better vision," the White House said Thursday in a fact sheet.

The framework is financed through a combination of closing the tax gap, redirecting unspent emergency relief funds, targeted corporate user fees, and the macroeconomic impact of infrastructure investment, said the White House.

During talks with Senate Republicans last month, the White House had lowered the overall price tag of Biden's 2.3-trillion-dollar infrastructure plan to 1.7 trillion dollars.

Senate Republicans then offered a 928-billion-dollar infrastructure counteroffer. But the two sides failed to reach a deal and agreed to end infrastructure talks earlier this month.

Biden also said on Thursday that he will work with Congress right away on the other half of his economic agenda, the so-called American Family Plan, to finish the job on childcare, education, the caring economy, and clean energy tax cuts.

The president signaled that he would not sign the bipartisan infrastructure bill unless Democrats in Congress pass a reconciliation bill on his other social spending priorities.

"I expect that in the coming months this summer, before the fiscal year is over, that we will have voted on this bill, the infrastructure bill, as well as voted on the budget resolution. But if only one comes to me, this is the only one that comes to me, I'm not signing it. It's in tandem," Biden said.

"The bipartisan bill from the very beginning was understood, there's going to have to be the second part of it. I'm not just signing the bipartisan bill and forgetting about the rest that I proposed," said the president.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also said on Thursday that the House would not vote on a bipartisan infrastructure bill until the Senate passes the reconciliation bill.

It's not clear whether either bill will gather enough support to clear the House and Senate.

Some financial experts are suspicious about whether the infrastructure plan can really pay for itself. Michael A. Peterson, CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, has urged policymakers to maintain a fiscally responsible approach on infrastructure and pay for their priorities.

"While our nation has many critical infrastructure needs, we also have an unsustainable fiscal outlook. New spending should be fully paid for through legitimate and credible offsets, and without budget gimmicks," Peterson said in a statement recently.

"As it stands, we are coming off borrowing trillions to defeat the pandemic, and we remain on pace to add $13 trillion in debt over the next 10 years to cover our existing structural deficits," he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 08:15:51|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NEW YORK -- A New York court on Thursday suspended the law license of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, citing his "false and misleading statements" about the election loss of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

"We conclude that there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020," according to a 33-page suspension order issued by the New York Supreme Court's appellate division. (US-Giuliani-Law license suspended)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- The United States and Iran still have serious differences in restoring the 2015 Iran nuclear deal after six rounds of talks, a senior State Department official said on Thursday.

Washington and Tehran have had six rounds of indirect negotiations in Austria's capital Vienna since April aimed at reviving the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). (US-Iran-JCPOA)

- - - -

WASHINGTON -- At least three people were dead, and 12 others injured, while 99 people were possibly missing after a 12-story residential building partially collapsed early Thursday in Miami-Dade County in the southeastern U.S. state Florida, local media reported.

The ABC News and local newspaper Miami Herald put the number of people who were missing at 99. (US-Building-Collapse)

- - - -

MOSCOW -- The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned British Ambassador Deborah Bronnert on Thursday and "strongly" protested against the violation by a British warship of Russia's state border in the Black Sea.

The ministry in a statement denounced the "provocative and dangerous actions" of the British Navy destroyer HMS Defender in Russia's "territorial waters" on Wednesday, which went against the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

If such provocations happen again, "all responsibility for their possible consequences will rest entirely on the British side," the ministry warned. (Russia-Britain-Warship) Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 15:42:48|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BANGKOK, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. embassy in Thailand has rejected an appeal from its citizens to fly in COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report from Reuters.

However, the U.S. embassy said that the U.S. government was taking actions to facilitate vaccine access worldwide, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

Last month, four U.S. citizens' groups wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, asking for Thailand to be made a pilot project for vaccinating U.S. citizens abroad and claiming they should have the same rights as at home, according to Reuters. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 15:52:01|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Though the White House touts its commitment to a lasting peace in Afghanistan, the grim reality on the ground shows that by invading the country first and then trying to run away in haste, Washington is irresponsibly creating a security black hole in Afghanistan.

As Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani is visiting Washington on Friday, his country has been overshadowed by a new wave of uncertainties. The intra-Afghan negotiations are experiencing setbacks, the security situation is deteriorating, and the economic and humanitarian situation is getting increasingly precarious.

In a hollow statement issued before Ghani's visit, the White House claimed that it is "committed to supporting the Afghan people by providing diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian assistance."

Washington's decision of a complete troop exit before Sept. 11 may have contributed to a possible security vacuum in the war-torn country. However, it was Washington's overbearing and destructive obsession with intervention that has sowed the seeds of turmoil and instability in Afghanistan and created a quagmire of war in the country.

Washington sent its troops to Afghanistan 20 years ago and started its longest war overseas in the name of counterterrorism. However, the U.S. military intervention has since then caused high civilian casualties and turned Afghanistan a breeding ground for terrorism.

The local indignation over U.S. bombings of civilian targets remains high and the world is appalled at Washington's slack regulations on ensuring civilian safety amid the war.

The 20-year-long U.S. war in Afghanistan abounds with heartrending tragedies of ordinary Afghan families. One of them was a deadly U.S. airstrike on an Afghan hospital run by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in 2015. Though around 40 civilians were killed in what the MSF called "a war crime," the Pentagon downplayed the severity of its mistake by claiming that the deadly attack was "caused primarily by human error."

On March 5, 2020, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) ruled that its prosecutor could open an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Afghan war since May 2003, including those committed by members of the U.S. armed forces and the CIA, such as alleged attacks against hospitals and other non-military targets, civilian casualties by drones, abuse of prisoners and torture.

In a move typical of U.S. hegemony and bullying, Washington then blocked the financial assets of certain ICC staff and imposed visa restrictions on them and their immediate family members as retaliation.

To justify Washington's economic and legal offensive, then U.S. Attorney General William Barr claimed that the measures "are an important first step in holding the ICC accountable for exceeding its mandate and violating the sovereignty of the United States."

What an irony! The United States, a country that least respects the sovereignty of other states, wanted to use sovereignty as a pretext to block an independent investigation by the ICC into its war crimes.

Washington may have claimed that its war in Afghanistan was to fight terrorism. But as former Afghan President Hamid Karzai told U.S. media on Sunday, the United States has failed in fighting extremism and bringing stability to the war-battered country, and "extremism is at the highest point today."

Washington has chosen to leave Afghanistan in total disgrace. Unfortunately, for the Afghan people, they have to bear the disaster inflicted by Washington. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 15:58:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Information Office on Friday issued a white paper titled "China's Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation," elaborating on the distinctive characteristics and strengths of the country's political party system.

The system of multiparty cooperation and political consultation under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is a basic element of China's political framework, the white paper said.

In this system, in addition to the CPC, there are eight other political parties: the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang, the China Democratic League, the China National Democratic Construction Association, the China Association for Promoting Democracy, the Chinese Peasants and Workers Democratic Party, the China Zhi Gong Party, the Jiusan Society, and the Taiwan Democratic Self-Government League. The system also includes prominent individuals without affiliation to any of the political parties.

Following the principles of long-term coexistence, mutual oversight, sincerity, and sharing the rough times and the smooth, the CPC and the other political parties have created a multiparty cooperation system in which the CPC exercises state power and the other parties participate fully in the administration of state affairs under the leadership of the CPC, said the white paper.

Calling the system a new model grown out of the soil of China, the white paper said it also learns from other countries and absorbs the fruits of their political achievements.

The CPC has worked together with the non-CPC political parties over the years, advancing side by side, withstanding all kinds of tests, and forming a new type of relationship featuring cooperation, unity and harmony, the white paper said.

Also, the white paper said the CPC upholds equality, democratic consultation, and sincere cooperation to support other participants in jointly building state power at all levels of people's congresses, governments and judicial organs.

The document said China's political party system is a structure of enormous strength, creativity and vitality. It embodies the essence of Chinese traditions, reflects the intrinsic requirements of socialism, and conforms to China's realities and its needs in state governance.

As a basic component of China's political system, it contributes to China's development, national rejuvenation, and social progress, and is of great benefit to the people's wellbeing, it said.

Over the past seven decades and more, China's political party system has grown and matured, providing Chinese ideas to the world in terms of modern party politics, and offering a new model for global political progress, it said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 16:34:15|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has entrusted central committees of non-CPC political parties in China and prominent individuals without party affiliation to carry out special democratic oversight over the environmental protection of the Yangtze River, an official said on Friday.

Zhang Jian, spokesperson with the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, made the announcement at a press conference on a white paper of the country's political party system.

The white paper, titled "China's Political Party System: Cooperation and Consultation," was issued by the State Council Information Office on Friday.

The central committees of the eight non-CPC political parties, entrusted by the CPC Central Committee, had greatly contributed to securing victory in the campaign against poverty through their suggestions and advice in a five-year-long special democratic oversight over poverty alleviation work in eight central and western provinces and autonomous regions since 2016, according to Zhang. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 16:40:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ESSEN, Germany, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has raised hopes for common progress of mankind and world peace, Patrik Koebele, chairman of the German Communist Party, has said.

By reducing poverty, protecting the environment and opposing exploitation, the CPC-led China has made vital contributions to the global economy over the last decades, Koebele told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Koebele has traveled to China many times. He said China, once one of the poorest and weakest nations in the world, has now developed into a prosperous and strong socialist country, which is admirable.

"While firmly believing in Marxism, the CPC has designed policies suitable for its own national conditions, boosted economic growth and lifted millions of people out of poverty," he said.

Koebele said some Western countries nowadays preach China as a so-called threat not only because China has a socialist system but because they are hostile to a system operating so well that is different to them.

Taking the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as an example, Koebele said while China is promoting global efforts to tackle the crisis, some Western countries are busy concocting and spreading conspiracy theories to undermine China.

"The government led by the CPC has not succumbed to this kind of suppression and has showed superb flexibility," said Koebele.

(Video reporters: Zhang Yirong, Zhang Yuan; Video editors: Zheng Xin, Su Chuanyi, Liu Xiang)


Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 16:50:30|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, life expectancy for the U.S. population dropped by almost two years between 2018 and 2020, with more evident declines seen in minority groups, including Black and Hispanic people, according to U.S. non-profit media organization National Public Radio (NPR).

Average life expectancy in the United States declined from about 79 years in 2018 to around 77 years by the end of 2020, NPR quoted a study published in the British Medical Journal.

"We have not seen a decrease like this since World War II. It's a horrific decrease in life expectancy. And this dramatic fall is clearly due to the pandemic," said Steven Woolf of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and an author of the study released on Wednesday.

Some Americans suffer from lack of access to care and other pandemic-caused disruptions much harder than others. The death rate for Black Americans was twice as high compared with white Americans, according to documents.

The disparity is reflected in the new longevity estimates. "African Americans saw their life expectancy decrease by 3.3 years and Hispanic Americans saw their life expectancy decrease by 3.9 years," Woolf said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 16:56:29|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LUANDA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Angola's National Fuel Society (Sonangol) has signed contracts with two foreign companies for supplying gasoline and diesel to the country over the next 12 months, according to a press release issued by the company on Thursday.

Sonangol said that the company Vitol, which is based in Switzerland, will supply gasoline to Angola over the next 12 months.

Totsa, a subsidiary of the French company Total, is responsible for supplying diesel.

Angola held an international public tender in March 2020 for the contracts, with a total of 27 companies vying for the tender. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 17:01:37|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TOKYO, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Friday ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's biggest free trade agreement, which comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries including China and 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry, as reported by local media, said Tokyo deposited its ratification instrument with the ASEAN Secretariat. In doing so Japan has become the third member toward the enforcement of RCEP.

The move follows Japan's upper house of parliament in late April approving the RCEP, which is expected to feasibly enter force later this year and could create the world's largest free trade zone, covering roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product, trade and population.

For Japan, it will be the first trade deal that comprises both China, its largest trading partner and South Korea, its third largest trading partner.

The deal was signed by China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10 members of ASEAN in November 2020. The pact will enter into force 60 days after it is ratified by six of the ASEAN members and three non-ASEAN countries.

China, the world's second-largest economy, completed the procedures for ratification on April 15 this year, according to the ministry of commerce.

Singapore, for its part, ratified the RCEP agreement on April 9, 2021, and was the first RCEP participating country to complete the official ratification process.

The parliament of Thailand, meanwhile, approved the RCEP agreement on Feb. 11, 2021, the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minster Jurin Laksanawisit, said.

Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years.

The deal will also standardize rules on investment and intellectual property to promote free trade among its signatories.

The Japanese government has projected that the RCEP accord will boost the country's GDP by 2.7 percent. In terms of new job creation as a result of the accord, the government said it expects that around 570,000 new jobs will be created.

This compares to the 1.5 percent GDP increase Japan estimated it will garner from the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

RCEP groups together the 10 ASEAN members -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- plus Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 17:33:24|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and leaders of other countries attend the signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement after the fourth RCEP Summit, which is held via video link, Nov. 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

Japan has ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which is expected to feasibly enter force later this year and create the world's largest free trade zone.

TOKYO, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Japan on Friday ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world's biggest free trade agreement, which comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries including China and 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry, as reported by local media, said Tokyo deposited its ratification instrument with the ASEAN Secretariat. In doing so Japan has become the third member toward the enforcement of RCEP.

The move follows Japan's upper house of parliament in late April approving the RCEP, which is expected to feasibly enter force later this year and could create the world's largest free trade zone, covering roughly 30 percent of the world's gross domestic product, trade and population.

For Japan, it will be the first trade deal that comprises both China, its largest trading partner and South Korea, its third largest trading partner.

The signing ceremony of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement is held via video conference in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, Nov. 15, 2020. (VNA via Xinhua)

The deal was signed by China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and the 10 members of ASEAN in November 2020. The pact will enter into force 60 days after it is ratified by six of the ASEAN members and three non-ASEAN countries.

China, the world's second-largest economy, completed the procedures for ratification on April 15 this year, according to the ministry of commerce.

Singapore, for its part, ratified the RCEP agreement on April 9, 2021, and was the first RCEP participating country to complete the official ratification process.

The parliament of Thailand, meanwhile, approved the RCEP agreement on Feb. 11, 2021, the country's Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minster Jurin Laksanawisit, said.

Aerial photo taken on Jan. 14, 2021 shows the container terminal of Qinzhou Port in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

Once in effect, the deal will eliminate tariffs on as much as 90 percent of goods traded between its signatories over the next 20 years.

The deal will also standardize rules on investment and intellectual property to promote free trade among its signatories.

The Japanese government has projected that the RCEP accord will boost the country's GDP by 2.7 percent. In terms of new job creation as a result of the accord, the government said it expects that around 570,000 new jobs will be created.

People wearing face masks select fruits and vegetables at a shop in Tokyo, Japan, on June 27, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)

This compares to the 1.5 percent GDP increase Japan estimated it will garner from the 11-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

RCEP groups together the 10 ASEAN members -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- plus Japan, China, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 18:15:25|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Photo taken on July 14, 2020 shows the Golden Bauhinia Square in south China's Hong Kong. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaochu)

The external forces should abandon their political illusion to create chaos in Hong Kong, and adopt an objective and rational attitude towards China's practice of "one country, two systems."

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- In the name of press freedom, a handful of Western politicians have interfered in China's internal affairs, tried to cover up for an illegal Hong Kong media, and even threatened with sanctions.

Those politicians' smearing has once again demonstrated their hypocrisy and double standard on the issue of so-called press freedom.

The recent actions taken by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government against relevant personnel and organizations of Apple Daily are in accordance with the law. Those measures are to defend rule of law and social stability, and have nothing to do with press freedom.

There has never been such a thing as absolute press freedom. As a matter of fact, those Western countries that are trying to disparage China have strict regulations on the production of news, as well as red lines on freedom of speech or press. Some are even intensifying their restrictions.

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission is responsible for managing and licensing media outlets and the content those media produce all across the country.

Citizens pose for a photo during an activity themed on National Security Education Day at the Hong Kong Police College in south China's Hong Kong, on April 15, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

In Germany, speeches like Holocaust denial and other forms of incitement to hatred against segments of the population are punishable by imprisonment of up to five years. In 2017, Germany passed the Network Enforcement Act, which requires Internet platforms to take action against hate, harassment and terror propaganda.

While those Western countries act tough on media that instigate hatred and spread disinformation, they are encouraging acts of a similar nature in other countries as defending freedom and human rights. What a brazen play of their double standard on the issue of so-called press freedom!

In fact, what those Western countries intend to do by repeatedly absolving Apple Daily of blame is to stoke chaos in Hong Kong, and pressure China. When they are crying for "media freedom," they are actually worrying about losing a tool to destabilize Hong Kong and contain China.

Hong Kong is not a lawless land, and press freedom should not be an excuse. No one who violates the law of Hong Kong will go unpunished.

One year since the national security law came into force, Hong Kong has recovered from turbulence and local residents are looking forward to stability and enjoying the even greater benefits of China's rapid development.

The external forces should abandon their political illusion to create chaos in Hong Kong, and adopt an objective and rational attitude towards China's practice of "one country, two systems." 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 18:35:13|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Baharvand dismissed on Friday as "heavily politicized" an official Canadian report on the Ukrainian airplane crash near Tehran in January 2020.

"Legally, the Canadian authorities do not have any authority to issue unilateral and arbitrary reports or comments regarding the reports on air accidents within the jurisdiction of another country," Baharvand said in statements quoted by official news agency IRNA.

On Thursday, the Canadian government published a report by a Canadian forensic team about the Ukrainian Boeing 737-800 that crashed on Jan. 8, 2020 after it was hit by two missiles launched by Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, killing all 176 people on board.

The Canadian team wrote in its account that it "found no evidence that Iranian officials ordered the shootdown or that it was premeditated."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, slammed the Iranian civilian and military authorities in the report, blaming the incident on "their recklessness, incompetence, and wanton disregard for human life."

In response, Baharvand described such criticism included in the Canadian report as "technically baseless and therefore unacceptable."

Iran sent the draft of its report to the countries involved before its publication and within the legal deadline and those countries sent their comments on the report to Iran, the Iranian deputy minister noted.

The technical appreciations officially submitted by Canada did not include "general and incomprehensible" remarks made public on Thursday, he added.

"According to the Chicago Convention, if (the Canadians) had new information, they should offer it to the Iranian investigation team instead of creating useless media and political controversies," Baharvand noted.

The Iranian deputy minister also dismissed a threat by Trudeau to take the downing of the Ukrainian airplane to the International Court of Justice.

"Iran has fulfilled its obligations in accordance with international law, and will continue to pursue and implement its commitments according to its own timeframes," Baharvand said.

In Iran's official report on the crash, its Civil Aviation Organization blamed the incident on a misaligned radar and an error by an air defense operator.

On April 6, an Iranian military prosecutor announced the indictment of 10 officials on the downing of the Ukranian aircraft. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 18:35:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Meet the most popular partners in China -- the door gods Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong! Travel back in time with the duo on a Tantou Chinese New Year painting and find out the secrets behind their handsome faces

Produced by Xinhua Global Service
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 19:07:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Health workers wearing protective suits prepare an oxygen cylinder for COVID-19 patients at a temporary shelter in Bekasi, Indonesia, June 25, 2021. The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 18,872 within one day to 2,072,867, with the death toll adding by 422 to 56,371, the Health Ministry said Friday. (Photo by Aditya Irawan/Xinhua)

JAKARTA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 18,872 within one day to 2,072,867, with the death toll adding by 422 to 56,371, the Health Ministry said Friday.

According to the ministry, 8,557 more people were discharged from hospitals, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 1,835,061.

The virus has spread to all the country's 34 provinces.

Specifically, within the past 24 hours, Jakarta recorded 6,934 new cases, West Java 3,846, Central Java 2,118, East Java 975 and Yogyakarta 783. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 19:45:24|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Health workers wearing protective suits bring a COVID-19 patient to a temporary shelter at a hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia, June 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.)

-- Indonesia reports 18,872 newly-confirmed cases, 422 new deaths;

-- Cambodia's death toll surpasses 500 with 16 new deaths;

-- Spike in COVID-19 cases plunges Sydney into partial lockdown;

-- New Zealand extends pause on quarantine free travel from Australia's New South Wales.

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries on Friday:

JAKARTA -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 18,872 within one day to 2,072,867, with the death toll adding by 422 to 56,371, the Health Ministry said.

A man poses for photos after receiving COVID-19 vaccine at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium vaccination center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 21, 2021. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia reported another 5,812 new COVID-19 infections, the Health Ministry said, bringing the national total to 722,659.

Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 32 of the new cases are imported and 5,780 are local transmissions.

A health worker pumps China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine with a syringe at a vaccination site in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on June 1, 2021. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia's death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 509 after 16 new fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.

The Southeast Asian nation confirmed 699 new cases, pushing the national caseload to 46,065, the ministry said, adding that the new infections included 586 local cases and 113 imported cases.

A health worker takes a swab sample from a man to test for COVID-19 in Prayagraj, India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh, June 24, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

NEW DELHI -- An audit team set up by India's Supreme Court during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 last month has reported that the government of the national capital had sought medical oxygen several times what was actually needed.

India's COVID-19 tally rose to 30,134,445, as 51,667 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. The death toll swelled to 393,310 as 1,321 deaths were recorded since Thursday morning.

A medical worker prepares a dose of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, June 3, 2021. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal)

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan recorded 1,052 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said, as the country's number of overall cases climbed to 952,907.

Students wearing personal protective equipment are seen in a classroom during a limited face-to-face class at National University in Manila, the Philippines on June 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Rouelle Umali)

MANILA -- The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 6,812 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,385,053.

The death toll climbed to 24,152 after 116 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

A staff member works at a COVID-19 testing center at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, on June 17, 2021. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

SYDNEY/CANBERRA -- Australia's biggest city of Sydney will enter a week-long lockdown from midnight Friday to 11:59 p.m. July 2 for some major areas as local health authorities are struggling to contain an outbreak caused by the highly infectious Delta variant.

Australian experts have accused the federal government of a narrow-minded approach to the coronavirus vaccine strategy.

Former secretary of the Department of Health Stephen Duckett said Australia's troubled vaccine rollout was doomed from the start after the government limited itself to a narrow range of candidate vaccines.

A passenger from New Zealand meets her grandson at Sydney Airport International Terminal in Sydney, Australia, April 19, 2021. (Xinhua/Bai Xuefei)

WELLINGTON -- The pause on quarantine free travel from Australia's New South Wales to New Zealand will continue for a further 12 days, New Zealand COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Health workers conduct investigation to trace chains of infection to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Suva, Fiji, May 26, 2021. (FIJI SUN/Handout via Xinhua)

SUVA -- Fiji recorded 215 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and another death, Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said.

A woman wearing a mask sits in a cafe in Seoul, South Korea, June 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Jingqiang)

SEOUL -- South Korea reported 634 more cases of COVID-19 as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 153,789.

The daily caseload was up from 610 in the prior day, staying above 600 for three days. The daily average caseload for the past week was 507. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 19:50:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

A security guard patrols at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Sept. 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has on various bilateral and multilateral occasions called for strengthening cooperation between China and the United Nations (UN).

The following are some highlights of his remarks in this regard.





May 6, 2021

During a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Xi said China will continue to support the work of the UN and that of Secretary-General Guterres, and uphold genuine multilateralism.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with the UN and continue to push forward the implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, Xi said.





Sept. 23, 2020

Noting that COVID-19 is still ravaging the world, Xi said in a videoconference with Guterres that China firmly supports the key leadership of the UN system, especially the World Health Organization, in battling the pandemic.

China also firmly supports the UN system in strengthening international cooperation on COVID-19 prevention and containment, Xi said.

In the world, there is only one system, namely the UN-centered international system, and only one set of rules -- the basic norms of international relations based on the UN Charter, Xi said.

A health worker prepares a dose of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine during a vaccination campaign in Palestine's West Bank city of Nablus, April 4, 2021. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

Sept. 22, 2020

At the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly, Xi said China will provide another 50 million U.S. dollars to the UN COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan, provide 50 million dollars to the China-FAO South-South Cooperation Trust Fund (Phase III), extend the Peace and Development Trust Fund between the UN and China by five years after it expires in 2025, and set up a UN Global Geospatial Knowledge and Innovation Center and an International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals.





April 26, 2019

When meeting with Guterres during the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held in Beijing, Xi said China firmly upholds multilateralism, the international system with the United Nations at its core, and the international order based on international law, and promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The more complex and grim the situation is, the more important it is to manifest the authority and role of the UN, Xi said, adding that China will continue to support the UN.

Describing the UN as an important partner in promoting the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said that China is ready to work with the UN to advance the initiative in an all-round way while following the principle of delivering shared benefits through extensive consultation and joint contribution.





Nov. 30, 2018

When meeting with Guterres on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Argentine capital Buenos Aires, Xi said that no matter how the situation changes, China will uphold multilateralism and support the UN to play an even bigger role.

He pointed out that strengthening cooperation with the UN has been a consistent diplomatic priority of China.





Sept. 2, 2018

Ahead of the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Xi had a meeting with Guterres, during which he noted that China had always firmly supported multilateralism and safeguarded the UN's authority and function.

China expects the UN to play its leading role in upholding fairness and justice, safeguarding world peace and promoting common development, especially in deepening global cooperation and in tackling challenges facing the world, Xi said.

China is willing to strengthen communication and discussion with the UN on how to better support Africa, he said. 
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 20:23:22|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ANTANANARIVO -- World Food Program Executive Director David Beasley has urged the world to help people in southern Madagascar, who have been teetering on the edge of starvation as a result of droughts blamed on climate change.

"We can't turn our backs on the people living here while the drought threatens thousands of innocent lives. Now is the time to stand up, act and keep supporting the Malagasy government to hold back the tide of climate change and save lives," he said.

- - - -

ULAN BATOR -- Newly-elected Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on Friday pledged to do his best to maintain national unity.

Khurelsukh made the commitment after being sworn in as Mongolia's sixth president since 1993.

"As the President of Mongolia, I will cherish our people's unity like the apple of my eye, uphold the rights and support conciliation. Unity is the guarantee of a country's independence and existence," said Khurelsukh, noting that progress is impossible without unity.

- - - -

GENEVA -- China has said that it is gravely concerned about the violations of the rights of migrants and refugees by, among others, the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia and Canada.

In a statement delivered Wednesday to the ongoing 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Jiang Duan, minister of the Chinese mission to the United Nations in Geneva, said some countries have held migrants in immigration detention centers with poor conditions for a prolonged period of time.

"At these detention centers, the lack of basic services including food, water and medical service has caused a large number of abnormal death of migrants. These detention centers were the hardest hit areas during the COVID-19 pandemic," Jiang told the Council.

- - - -

BRUSSELS -- Solidarity between all member states of the European Union should be the priority when addressing migration and asylum in the bloc, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the European Parliament's plenary session here on Thursday.

"It would be very important, in my opinion, to have a European migration policy managing solidarity by all European countries," he said.

- - - -

BERLIN -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended patent protection for COVID-19 vaccines in a government statement in the Bundestag (lower house of Parliament) on Thursday.

"A politically enforced release of patents is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go," said Merkel. She said she was convinced that "we need to increase the production of vaccines on the basis of licenses as quickly as possible." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 20:27:08|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to respect the facts, stop using various excuses to obstruct the law enforcement by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and refrain from shielding suspects, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Friday.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing in response to the U.S. statement on the closure of Apple Daily.

Hong Kong is a society under the rule of law where everyone is equal before the law, the spokesperson said, adding that no one has extra-legal privileges, and no institution is an extra-legal entity.

Zhao said the Hong Kong police act in strict accordance with the law against individuals and companies suspected of endangering national security and that it is a just move to combat crime and maintain the rule of law and social order.

"We firmly support the HKSAR government and the police in performing their duties in accordance with the law, and firmly support all efforts to maintain national security and the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong," Zhao said.

The law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR focuses on cracking down on a handful of anti-China, destabilizing forces who seriously endanger national security, but it protects the rights and freedom enjoyed by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, including freedom of the press, he said.

Zhao pointed out that since the implementation of the national security law, social stability has been restored in Hong Kong, the rule of law and justice have been upheld, and the lawful rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents and foreign citizens in the city are better protected in a safer environment, which is an undeniable fact.

Hong Kong is an inalienable part of China, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China's internal affairs, Zhao noted, adding that no organization or individual has the right to make irresponsible remarks.

"The United States should respect the facts, stop obstructing the law enforcement by the HKSAR and shielding suspects under various pretext, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs in any way, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs," Zhao said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 20:34:19|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Five members of the Iraqi federal police were killed on Friday in a roadside bomb explosion in the northern province of Kirkuk, a provincial police source said.

The incident took place in the morning, when a roadside bomb, planted by the militants of the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, exploded near a federal police vehicle outside the town of Daquq in Kirkuk Province, some 250 km north of the capital Baghdad, Abbas al-Obaidi, a local police officer, told Xinhua.

The explosion resulted in the destruction of the police vehicle and the killing of five policemen aboard, al-Obaidi said.

Following the deadly attack, a joint force of the Iraqi army and police combed through the area to track down the attackers, he added.

The security situation in Iraq has been improved since Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country late in 2017.

However, IS remnants have since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:05:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Sorting out overstuffed wardrobes and corners packed with shoe boxes, Hu Yuling's job is to help her troubled customers regain peace and comfort at home.

"There are always too many items in urban homes, much more than needed," said Hu.

She said she had one customer who was obsessed with clothes -- owning more than 800 pieces -- and another client who was disoriented by their 100 hoodies. She once sorted through dozens of shoes that had been jumbled up and piled in the kitchen.

The Beijing-based interior designer has found that her new service as a professional organizer is in booming demand. These two professions, in her view, are interconnected.

Her experience as a professional organizer improves her design capability, and her design background allows her to organize with an aesthetic eye. "While organizing, we usually come up with beneficial home design suggestions for our clients," said Hu.

Professional organization has become a growing business in first-tier Chinese cities. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security officially added the occupation to the category of housekeeping services in January this year.

"Hospitals and government agencies also employ us to carry out professional organization, not just individual households," said Han Yi'en, 32, a professional organizer who founded 1N Reorganization in 2015.

The service and training agency has nurtured more than 1,000 individuals over the last six years, turning former kindergarten teachers, homemakers, psychologists and designers into professional organizers.

Han said that professional organization now has many new business directions, such as general organization, store organization, community environment organization, and solutions for the disabled and the elderly.

She said that the improvement of people's lives has driven up new business.

"What professional organization does is to balance the relationship between people, items and space," she said. "People who feel frustrated when organizing their items are likely to suffer from interpersonal problems."

Han remembers once helping a senior couple organize a 12.5-square-meter room in downtown Shanghai. It took 21 of her staff seven days to sort out the items in the messy room and create a little more living space for the elderly couple.

For professional organizer Piao Jinhua, 37, the most challenging part of the job is communicating with clients and guiding them to discard their old items.

The professional organization sector in China is still in its infancy and has not yet established a complete training and industry supervision system. Professional organizers are looking forward to the healthy and sustainable development of this new business. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:11:30|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Attempts by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority secessionists to seek "Taiwan independence" through force will only end in a devastating failure, a mainland spokesperson said Friday.

Ma Xiaoguang, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks when commenting on recent provocative utterance by DPP authority official Joseph Wu who claimed that Taiwan should prepare for "possible conflicts."

Lashing out at Wu for twisting the truth and deliberately misleading the people on the island and the international community, Ma said Wu's shameless speechcraft resembles the despicable tactics of Joseph Goebbels, the notorious mouthpiece of Nazi Germany.

The current complex situation across the Taiwan Strait is the result of the Taiwan secessionists' collusion with foreign forces and their repeated provocations, Ma said.

The mainland's countermeasures to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity and the common interests of compatriots across the Taiwan Strait are totally justified, Ma added.

If Wu and his ilk continue their activities seeking "Taiwan independence" and put the interests of Taiwan people as well the cross-Strait peace and stability at stake, they are doomed to fail, Ma said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:12:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Office of the Commissioner of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Friday urged the United States to stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs on the pretext of press freedom.

The spokesperson of the office made the remarks in response to media inquiries about a statement concerning Apple Daily released by the White House website.

The statement groundlessly accused the central government and the HKSAR government of suppressing "media freedom," attacked the national security law in the HKSAR, and smeared the successful practice of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong in disregard of international law and basic norms governing international relations, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson deeply regretted the shocking allegations and expressed strong disapproval and firm opposition.

It was not until Hong Kong's return to the motherland that Hong Kong residents started enjoying true democratic rights and freedoms, the spokesperson said.

The national security law in the HKSAR enshrines principles of rule of law including safeguarding human rights, addresses the most pressing and prominent risks facing national security in Hong Kong, and targets a small handful of criminals committing activities endangering national security, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Hong Kong people's extensive rights and freedoms have been better guaranteed under the law in a safe, stable and law-based environment.

Hong Kong is governed by the rule of law, where the law shall be strictly abided by and any lawbreaker shall be held accountable, the spokesperson said, noting that the key problem in Hong Kong is whether national security shall be defended, whether law and order shall be upheld and whether crimes shall be punished in accordance with the law, which has nothing to do with media freedom.

The spokesperson said Hong Kong residents are clear-eyed about the nature of Apple Daily, a rumor mill inciting unrest in Hong Kong and China as a whole.

The U.S. side also knows that very well and press freedom should not be exploited as an excuse for criminal activities, still less a fig leaf for acts to destabilize Hong Kong and China at large, the spokesperson said.

If anyone claims it is a repression of "media freedom" just because the party involved in the case is a certain news agency and the suspects its executives, they are either pretending to be unaware of the truth or deliberately confounding right with wrong out of ulterior motives, the spokesperson said.

While paying lip service to press freedom, the United States itself has a poor record in this regard; it has frequently denied journalists access to open government events, shut down news websites and flagrantly targeted media agencies of other countries, the spokesperson said.

Citing "media freedom" against others only exposed its own hypocrisy, double standards and hegemonic mindset, the spokesperson said.

It is China that has initiated, led, practiced and maintained "one country, two systems" and no one understands its value better than China, or stays more committed to the original aspiration of the policy, or cares more about the well-being of Hong Kong compatriots, the spokesperson said.

Hong Kong is part of China, and its affairs are China's internal affairs, which no other country, organization or individual shall meddle with, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson urged the U.S. side to respect the fact and the rule of law, stop distorting "one country, two systems", stop vilifying the central government's Hong Kong policy, stop assaulting the HKSAR's rule of law, and stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs as a whole on the pretext of press freedom. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:21:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LONDON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Britain has reported 35,204 new coronavirus cases of the Delta variant first identified in India in the latest week, marking a 46 percent increase, Public Health England (PHE) said Friday.

The total number of confirmed cases of the variant now stands at 111,157, according to the PHE.

The Delta variant now comprises 95 percent of all sequenced cases, the PHE added. Last week, it made up 99 percent of new COVID-19 cases across Britain.

Meanwhile, the PHE said the current vaccines continue to have a "crucial effect on hospital admission and death", adding there is currently no evidence that this new variant causes more severe disease or renders vaccines less effective.

A total of 117 people has died in England having the Delta variant, eight of which were people under the age of 50, according to the PHE.

Six of these eight people were unvaccinated, while two died after more than 21 days of receiving a first dose of a coronavirus vaccine.

Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said though the data suggested "we have begun to break the link between cases and hospitalisations", she warned against complacency.

She urged Britons to get vaccinated and book their second jabs as soon as possible.

"Whilst vaccines provide excellent protection, they do not provide total protection, so it is still as important as ever that we continue to exercise caution," she said.

"Protect yourself and the people around you by working from home where possible, and by practising 'hands, face, space, fresh air' at all times."

Britain has reported another 16,703 coronavirus cases in the 24-hour period, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases in the country to 4,684,572, according to official figures released Thursday.

More than 43.6 million people have been given the first jab of the coronavirus vaccine while nearly 32 million people have been fully vaccinated with a second dose, according to the latest official figures.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a four-week delay to the final step of England's roadmap out of COVID-19 restrictions until July 19, amid a surge in cases of the Delta variant.

Recent data published by the PHE 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 hospitalisation after two doses.

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. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 23:34:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The following are the updates on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

- - - -

KAMPALA -- Uganda has suspended domestic tourism amid rising cases of COVID-19, a tourism official said here Friday.

Lilly Ajarova, chief executive officer of Uganda Tourism Board, told Xinhua by telephone that the COVID-19 National Taskforce made the decision to suspend local tourism but allowed foreigners to keep coming in.

- - - -

JERUSALEM -- The Israeli Ministry of Health on Friday re-imposed the obligation to wear a face mask indoors, according to a ministry statement.

The obligatory wearing of face masks indoors in Israel was lifted on June 15, but since then hundreds of new COVID-19 cases have been detected in the country, many of them school students.

- - - -

SYDNEY -- Australia's biggest city of Sydney will enter a week-long lockdown for some major areas as local health authorities are struggling to contain an outbreak caused by the highly infectious Delta variant.

The restrictions, which will take effect from midnight Friday to 11:59 p.m. July 2, will affect more than 1 million Australian who live or work in four densely-populated areas in Sydney including Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney Councils.

- - - -

JAKARTA -- Former president and prime minister of Timor-Leste Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao received his first shot of Chinese Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine in the country's capital Dili Thursday.

After getting his jab, Xanana Gusmao, aged 75, who is also the president of the National Congress for Timorese Reconstruction, called on all communities across the country to get vaccinated.

- - - -

JAKARTA -- Indonesia on Thursday recorded 20,574 newly-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, marking the highest daily spike and bringing the total tally to 2,053,995, the Health Ministry said.

The COVID-19-related death toll added by 355 to 55,949, the ministry reported.

- - - -

ULAN BATOR -- Mongolia's annual college entrance exam will be put off due to the COVID-19 pandemic, local media reported on Thursday, citing the country's Ministry of Education and Science.

"There are now many teachers and around 1,500 examinees who have been infected with the virus or had close contact with confirmed cases in the country. So, we decided to organize the exam in August, instead of early July," Minister of Education and Science Luvsantseren Enkh-Amgalan said in a statement.

- - - -

SAO PAULO -- Brazil on Wednesday reported a record daily high of 115,228 new COVID-19 cases, taking the national tally to 18,169,881, the Ministry of Health said.

Some 2,392 more people died from the disease in the same period, raising the national death toll to 507,109. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 00:08:43|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Qi Faren (C Front), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and former chief designer of Shenzhou spaceships, poses for a group photo with students at the Queen's College in south China's Hong Kong, June 25, 2021. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Space scientists from the mainland were overwhelmed by interesting questions from students during their visits to six primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong on Friday.

"Why do spaceships shine brightly when returning to Earth?" a girl in the fifth grade asked in a childish voice in the Q&A session of a lecture delivered by Long Lehao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and chief designer of Long March rockets, at the assembly hall of Pui Kiu College.

Praising her courage to ask the first question, Long gave his answer patiently.

"This is because the spacecraft returning to Earth at a very fast speed rubs with the surrounding atmosphere. The friction generates heat and is likely to cause burning. There will also be a crackling sound, like someone knocking on the spacecraft," Long said, also wishing her to study hard and make progress.

A boy seized the opportunity to ask another question: "Does the sun look brighter from outer space than from Earth? If so, how can astronauts look outside (the spaceship)?"

If it is too dazzling, astronauts will use protective gear, Long smiled and said.

"You can also do a little bit more research yourself. I'm not an astronaut. If you become an astronaut one day and go to space, that experience will make you see (the question) more clearly," he said.

At the CCC Heep Woh College, Hu Hao, the chief designer of the third stage of the national lunar exploration program, was also bombarded with tonnes of questions. "What to do with space junk?" "Are there any plans to drill for new energy sources on the moon?"

Responding to a question on the spirit of space researchers, Hu highlighted the importance of teamwork and said people must cooperate, be innovative and have the ability to persevere in a bid to push forward space technology.

At Queen's College, a related question was raised by Tse Sze-kei, a middle school student, for Qi Faren, a CAE academician and former chief designer for Shenzhou spaceships.

"What qualities and abilities that Hong Kong students should possess if they want to join the national space industry? What contribution can they make?" Tse asked.

"It's a very good question ... and that is a good aspiration for Hong Kong students," Qi, 88, said. "There are two requirements. The first is the love for this career and the other is good preparation, like to learn the basic knowledge well."

At Po Leung Kuk Ho Yuk Ching College, Xie Jun, chief designer of the BDS-3 satellite system, gave a speech with an attractive slide show about China's achievements in space technology including BDS satellites, which students just could not take their eyes off.

Xie said he hopes to sow a seed of love for science and wishes students become talent in scientific and technological development and make contributions to the nation.

Two other scientists, Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, and Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, also joined students on campuses of St. Teresa Secondary School and Diocesan Boys' School, respectively.

Friday's events were part of a series of activities starting Wednesday where top space scientists of the country went to Hong Kong universities and middle schools to give lectures and meet students. They will also witness the inauguration of a lunar soil exhibition slated for Saturday. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 00:37:00|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera (L) speaks at the project launching ceremony in Lilongwe, Malawi, on June 25, 2021. The Malawi government has said Huawei's second phase of the National Fibre Backbone project to be implemented across all regions of Malawi is going to enhance the country's development goals. (Photo by Joseph Mizere/Xinhua)

LILONGWE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Malawi government has said Huawei's second phase of the National Fibre Backbone project to be implemented across all regions of Malawi is going to enhance the country's development goals.

President Lazarus Chakwera who launched the project on Friday said that the project aligns well with the country's accelerators meant to achieve the county's development goals in the next four years and that the project is critical for making Malawi's economy, society, and governance smarter.

"This fibre backbone is at once an infrastructure that we need as a nation to keep up with a world that is moving towards all things smart; a platform for enhancing our human capital through the attainment of the skills demanded by the digital future we are entering; and an instrument for revolutionizing our governance by digitizing it for greater efficiency and effectiveness," Chakwera said.

Chakwera also conveyed his gratitude to Huawei for its solidarity done in the country for the past 14 years saying it's exceptional and a real contribution to the country's social-economic development.

Malawi's Information Minister, Gospel Kazako said that the project is one of the most defining projects for Malawi's digital transformation and connectivity journey.

In a speech, Vice President of Huawei Southern Africa Region, Liao Yong said that Huawei is very excited to roll out this historic project as one way of contributing to Malawi's development.

Liao Yong said the project is going to cover 2,800 km of fibre optic cables and it is expected to connect 29 cities and cover more than 100,000 businesses and homes across Malawi.

During the event, two Traditional Chiefs talked with the president using an online video platform.

Commenting on this project, Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga said that development is critical in developing the lives of people living in rural communities.

He said the internet has been an important tool in communicating and business during the times of the pandemic and there is a need to improve it. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 00:37:51|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Joephy Chan Wing-yan, a youth representative from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), has refuted biased comments by some Western countries over Hong Kong affairs at a United Nations meeting.

In her remarks made through an online speech at the 47th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Chan denounced the unsubstantiated accusations made in a recent joint communique of the Group of Seven (G7) regarding Hong Kong.

Chan recalled that the G7 foreign ministers issued a statement last year alleging that the enactment of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR would undermine rights and freedom in Hong Kong.

The same old political rhetoric was repeated at the recent G7 summit held in Britain, she said.

"But the fact is, people in Hong Kong welcome the forthcoming first anniversary of the national security law (in the HKSAR)," Chan said, adding it protects people's rights to live normal life.

It was not the first time that Chan had the chance to make a speech at the UN stage. She had already voiced at the 46th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to tell the Western world the truth of Hong Kong.

She also insists posting vlogs on her social media platforms to tell China stories.

The Western media have misunderstandings and prejudices on China, she said, adding, "I hope I can tell them that the youths in Hong Kong love their country. As a youth who had studied abroad, it's my duty to present the facts." Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 00:42:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Zambia on Friday received an assortment of medical supplies and equipment from various cooperating partners, including China Geo-Engineering Corporation, to help the country fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chinese firm donated 30,000 surgical masks.

Kennedy Malama, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health in charge of Technical Services said the government was encouraged by the unwavering support from various cooperating partners.

The country recorded 2,595 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. The new cases were picked from 11,059 tests done during the period bringing the cumulative cases to 143,215. Sixty people died during the same period, bringing the total deaths to 1,915 while 3,513 patients were discharged, bringing the total recoveries to 119,411. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 00:58:21|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

YAOUNDE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- African housing ministers have designed a 40-year plan of action to invest in affordable housing initiatives on the continent.

The resolution was made at the end of Shelter Afrique general assembly in Cameroon's capital city of Yaounde on Thursday evening.

"Yaounde meeting permitted housing ministers to look at each other face to face and say the truth. The housing industry will create lots of job opportunities for the continent if we have the right investment," Celestine Ketcha Courtes, Cameroon's Minister of Housing and Urban Development who took over the chairmanship of the assembly from Kenya told reporters.

The continent is facing a rapid urbanization rate which is increasing the demand for housing units, officials said.

"The exponential growth of people moving into cities is not measured up to the available accommodation, and African governments do not have the money to construct the required houses. That's why we need to continue working with the private sector," Daniel Garwe, Zimbabwean Minister of the National Housing and Social Amenities told Xinhua.

"Land is very critical in affordable housing, and acquiring land in Africa is very challenging and cumbersome. What we are doing in Ghana is to acquire land, sell the land, give it out to investors then we look at the funding, financing, and marketing aspects through mortgage financing," added Freda Akosua Prempeh, Ghana's Minister of State for Works and Housing.

One of the resolutions stressed the need to use local materials in the construction of infrastructure, James Wainaina Macharia, Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, and Urban Development told Xinhua.

"Supply chain from material all the way to labor has to be local. Without focusing on local production, the house construction cost will be very expensive and there will be no jobs," he added.

The four-day Shelter Afrique assembly also agreed to boost research in the field of habitat and set up financial mechanisms.

"We've achieved financial viability and made profit in 2020, and our financial sustainability is now showing our relevance to our shareholders. We are convinced that every country that is contributing to Shelter Afrique will be able to obtain loans to fund its projects," said Andrew Chimphondah, Managing Director of Shelter Afrique.

Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, Shelter Afrique is a Pan-African finance institution that supports the development of the housing and the real estate sector in Africa. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 01:17:19|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GUANGZHOU, June 25 (Xinhua) -- China's top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said on Friday that Chinese vaccines are effective against the COVID-19 Delta variant, and he urged more people to be vaccinated.

Zhong said the epidemic resurgence in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province, was the first time that China had to cope with the Delta variant spreading in communities. The variant, which was first identified in India, has a shorter incubation period and those who are infected take a longer time to recover.

A total of 153 cases were reported in Guangzhou starting in May, but no new local cases were reported from June 19 to 24.

"More people need to be vaccinated to establish herd immunity," said Zhong.

As of Thursday, more than 1.1 billion doses of vaccines have been administered on the Chinese mainland. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 01:52:47|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BEIJING, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday had a phone conversation with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry over bilateral ties and cooperation in vaccine production.

Wang said that in recent years, under the leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has been elevated to a higher level and is now at its best.

The Chinese side thanks Sisi for having recently recorded a special video to extend congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Wang said.

Noting that China and Egypt have always supported each other firmly on issues concerning each other's core interests, Wang said that China appreciates Egypt's participation in a joint statement supporting China at the 47th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

The two sides have also maintained close coordination on international and regional issues to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, he added.

Facing the COVID-19 pandemic, China has always given priority to Egypt's needs and tried its best to provide vaccine support to Egypt, Wang said.

The production line in Egypt of China's Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine will be put into operation soon, which is the first time for China to work with an African country in vaccine production, Wang noted, adding that he hopes the project will proceed smoothly.

For his part, Shoukry, on behalf of the Egyptian government and people, once again extended warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC.

The Egypt-China relations boast a long history and the two sides share broad common interests, Shoukry said, adding that the two countries have offered firm support to each other on various major issues, which is a vivid demonstration of their strong ties.

Egypt attaches great importance to the development of its relations with China and hopes to strengthen bilateral friendly cooperation in various fields, enhance their Belt and Road cooperation, and inject more vitality into the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 02:14:50|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

RABAT, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's COVID-19 tally rose to 528,731 on Friday as 468 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours.

The country's coronavirus death toll rose by three to 9,268, while 207 people were in intensive care units, said a statement by the Moroccan Ministry of Health.

The total number of recoveries from COVID-19 in Morocco increased to 515,537 after 507 new ones were added, the statement said.

Meanwhile, 9,810,963 people have received so far the first vaccine shot against COVID-19 in the country, with 8,794,393 having received the second dose.

The North African country launched a nationwide vaccination campaign on Jan. 28 after the arrival of the first shipment of China's Sinopharm vaccines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 02:18:04|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Tourism in the European Union (EU) during the year of the COVID-19 pandemic fell by a staggering 61 percent, according to figures released on Friday by Eurostat, the statistical office of the bloc.

The figures confirmed how tourism was among the sectors most affected by the pandemic due to travel restrictions as well as other precautionary measures taken by individual countries in response to the outbreaks.

Eurostat said this drop was reflected in the number of nights spent in EU tourist accommodation establishments between April 2020 and March 2021. This translates into a drop of 1.7 billion from the 2.8 billion nights spent between April 2019 and March 2020, prior to the start of the pandemic.

Among the EU member states with available data, the highest decreases were recorded in Malta, where tourism dropped by a massive 80 percent; Spain, down by 78 percent; and Greece, down by 74 percent. Tourism shrank by 70 percent in Portugal, and 66 percent in Hungary. Eurostat said data for Ireland, France, and Cyprus were not available.

The pandemic also had an adverse effect on internal tourism, with the total nights spent by domestic tourists down by 45 percent. This was not the case in Malta and Slovenia, the only two EU countries where internal tourism increased by 20 and 25 percent respectively in the year under review. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 03:03:03|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Friday warned that escalating violence along Niger's borders with Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria threatened the health and safety of a hard-hit civilian population.

"The insecurity has forcibly displaced more than 537,000 people across the country," the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. "It has also affected people's access to basic social services, including education and health care."

On Thursday, a raid by non-state actors killed at least 18 people and injured several others in the village of Dagazamni, the office said.

Religious militants, raging the southern Sahel, are generally blamed for such attacks.

"Some 2.3 million people in Niger, 600,000 people more than projected in November 2020, will likely face severe food insecurity in the June-August lean season due to drought, floods and insecurity," OCHA said.

About 3.8 million people in Niger need humanitarian assistance this year, the office said. Aid agencies need 523 million U.S. dollars to help the most vulnerable 2.1 million of them. Only 8 percent of the funding is secured. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 05:27:04|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Friday called for efforts to advance the political process in Syria.

The Syrian issue should ultimately be resolved through political means. It is precisely because of the lack of progress on the political track that international relief efforts are so overstretched on the humanitarian track, said Geng Shuang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

China supports the Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2254, which provides for a roadmap for the political settlement of the Syria issue, as well as the mediation efforts of UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen, he said.

As Syria suffers from foreign occupation, unilateral sanctions, and terrorism, it is difficult for the Constitutional Committee to make progress as expected. Nevertheless, negotiation is always better than war. China hopes that the Constitutional Committee will launch its sixth round of work as soon as possible, while staying independent and free from external interference, he told the Security Council.

"At the same time, we must recognize that constitution-making and elections alone are not enough to resolve the Syrian issue. Progress on the political track depends on the building of mutual trust between the Syrian parties and those who have influence on the Syrian situation. Only with such mutual trust can consensus be formed on issues of common concern to the Syrian people, and be implemented in a step-by-step and reciprocal manner."

In this process, he said, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, as well as the leadership of the Syrian people must be fully respected. Unilateral sanctions against Syria must go, and any schemes to effect regime change in Syria must be utterly renounced.

The advancement of the Syrian political process requires a good security environment, he said.

In Northwest Syria, terrorist organizations listed by the Security Council launch repeated attacks and kidnap civilians. Frequent eruption of hostilities in the Northeast has resulted in civilian displacement. Foreign troops continue to operate in Syria without any timeframe for withdrawal. All these have added to the complexity of the Syrian security situation, he noted.

"China urges all parties concerned to implement the secretary-general's appeal for a global cease-fire, end foreign occupation of Syria as soon as possible. China calls on the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation in accordance with international law and Security Council resolutions, and jointly combat terrorist forces in Syria," he said.

The Syrian economy is in deep distress. Without timely international assistance, the humanitarian consequences will be disastrous. Claiming to seek solutions while allowing the problem to get worse simply won't work. China calls on relevant countries to resume economic and development assistance to Syria and avoid linking aid with the political process, he said.

The authorization of the Syrian cross-border humanitarian access is about to expire. The Security Council should have a thorough exchange of views on the draft resolution, conduct in-depth and comprehensive consultations, strive for consensus and avoid a showdown. Doing so will help all parties increase mutual trust and create favorable conditions for advancing the political process, he said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 06:38:38|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

GENEVA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the United Nations Office in Geneva on Friday said on its official website that it has withdrawn its signature on a joint statement on the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Earlier on June 22 during the interactive dialogue with the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Canada, on behalf of some countries, delivered a joint statement criticizing China in the name of Xinjiang-related issues.

On the same day before the delivering of the Canada-led joint statement, Belarus delivered a joint statement on behalf of 65 countries, saying that the countries oppose politicization of human rights and double standards, and oppose unfounded allegations against China out of political motivation.

According to the Chinese Mission to the UN at Geneva, recently over 90 countries have, through various means, voiced their support for China on Xinjiang, Hong Kong or Tibet related issues at the on-going 47th session of the UN rights body. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 00:31:44|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Kenya plans to expand its tax base in order to boost revenue collections, the tax collector said on Thursday.

Githii Mburu, commissioner-general, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) told journalists in Nairobi that the untapped sources of incomes include the real estate, agriculture sector, high net-worth individuals and the digital economy.

"The authority aims at increasing the number of active taxpayers by an additional two million from the current 6.1 million," Mburu said during the launch of the KRA eighth corporate plan which will be implemented in the period 2021/2022-2023/2024.

The tax collector said that it hopes to enhance domestic mobilization of resources by sustaining an annual average growth of 16.9 percent for tax revenues.

Mburu added that government revenue streams have over the years shrunk and coupled with ever-changing economic structures have necessitated the tapping of new taxable income sources.

He noted that simplification of the tax regime through the application of cutting-edge technology will also boost voluntary tax compliance. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 01:02:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JUBA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan on Thursday received a 113.2-million-U.S.-dollar grant from the World Bank to support local farmers to boost production to mitigate food insecurity in the country.

Josephine Joseph Lagu, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the money under the Resilient and Livelihoods Project and Emergency Locust Response Project will boost the capacity of farmers to efficiently manage their farms and adopt new technology to improve their yields.

"The two projects were crafted to help increase agricultural production to restore rural livelihood and contribute to ending food and nutrition insecurity," Lagu told journalists in Juba.

Ousmane Dione, World Bank Country Director for South Sudan, said that the projects will provide direct income to the most vulnerable households to enable them to produce more food.

"South Sudanese deserve to be able to produce enough food, they deserve to be able to eat enough and they deserve to stock enough harvest," said Dione.

He revealed that successful implementation of the projects will help restore hope and confidence to South Sudan's development partners to avail more support to the country.

The recent Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said that the deficit in South Sudan's cereal production is estimated at an all-time high of 465,600 metric tons in 2021.

The report said cereal production in 2020 rose by 7 percent on a yearly basis to around 874,400 metric tons in South Sudan.

The UN agencies estimate that 7.2 million people, about 60 percent of South Sudan's population, are projected to face acute food shortage this year and about 1.4 million children under five years old are at risk of acute malnutrition. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 05:17:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

TUNIS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Tunisian Health Ministry on Thursday reported 3,951 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total infections in the country to 395,362

The death toll from the virus rose by 88 to 14,406 in Tunisia, while the tally of recoveries reached 342,598, the ministry said in a statement.

A total of 1,648,646 lab tests have been carried out in Tunisia so far, according to the ministry.

Since the start of the nationwide vaccination campaign against coronavirus on March 13, a total of 1,661,855 people have received the vaccines, with 445,967 taking both doses, according to the latest figures published by the ministry. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 19:09:55|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan botanist Robert Wahiti Gituru has hailed the China-Kenya scientific cooperation which has made tangible achievements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gituru, co-director of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Cent (SAJOREC), based at Kenya's Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, said Kenyan and Chinese researchers jointly discovered six new plant species and one new animal species in 2020.

They also published more than 60 quality academic research papers as well as a monograph, Gituru told Xinhua on Thursday.

"We are training continually young African scientists through our friends and collaboration with the Chinese side. They are offering scholarships for African students to study in the Chinese Academy of Sciences institutions," he said.

Gituru said 46 young African scholars who are currently studying in China will come back to Africa and carry on the study.

"The SAJOREC is the best example of China-Kenya cooperation on agricultural technologies, biodiversity and food safety," said Zhang Yijun, Minister Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya.

Zhang said the SAJOREC has cultivated hundreds of African postgraduate students and professionals when inspecting the center on Thursday.

Since its establishment in 2013, SAJOREC has put forward more than 45 joint research programs focusing on biodiversity investigation, pathogenic microorganism detection, geographic science and remote sensing, high-yield and high-quality crop cultivation demonstration as well as land and water resources management. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:24:31|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Egyptian filmmaker Sandra Nashaat receives a honorary award at the fifth edition of Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF) in Aswan, Egypt, June 24, 2021. The fifth edition of Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF) opened on Thursday night in Aswan with the participation of 12 feature films and 14 short ones focusing on women's rights and causes. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Mahmoud Fouly

ASWAN, Egypt, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The fifth edition of Aswan International Women Film Festival (AIWFF) opened on Thursday night in this charming Upper Egyptian city with the participation of 12 feature films and 14 short ones focusing on women's rights and causes.

"It's an exceptional edition that is held in difficult conditions the whole world is going through," said Hassan Abo el-Ela, the festival's director. "We work on two parallel directions: the cinema in general and the women's causes in particular."

Egyptian, Arab and international filmmakers, actors and actresses gathered on the red carpet at the front yard of a hotel in Aswan on the bank of the Nile River, during the gala that was held under the proper anti-coronavirus precautionary measures.

"It's a distinguished festival. As a woman, I care for women's issues and I present them ... My latest film is my own production and it is written by a woman and directed by a woman," Egyptian well-known actress Elham Shahin told Xinhua on the red carpet.

Running from June 24 to 29, the AIWFF is held under the auspices of the Egyptian ministries of culture and tourism and the sponsorship of Aswan Governorate and a number of organizations including Egypt's National Council for Women (NCW).

Following the red carpet reception, an opening ceremony was held on an open-air theater overlooking the Nile River, where a number of filmmakers, stars and women's advocates received honorary awards handed to them by Egyptian Culture Minister Inas Abdel-Dayem and the president of the festival Mohamed Abdel-Khalek.

Among those honored was French actress and writer Macha Meril, who has been in the profession for more than six decades and whose generation made a difference in the cinema industry.

"The cinema now is in the hands of women. When I first started, there were very few female directors ... Now in the schools of cinema, there are more girls than boys, which means cinema has become a feminine art," the French veteran actress told Xinhua.

The festival also honored Egyptian actress Elham Shahin, NCW's chairwoman Maya Morsi, Egyptian young filmmaker Sandra Nashaat, Palestinian filmmaker Najwa Najjar and others.

The festival doesn't only screen films but also holds workshops to develop the filmmaking skills of the youth in Aswan and Upper Egypt in general. A referendum on the best 100 films on women in the Arab cinema will be organized for this year's edition.

Egyptian actor Ahmed Wafik, member of the youth workshops jury, referred to the organizers of AIWFF as "heroes" as they managed to hold it this year and bring all those filmmakers and stars from different parts of the world despite the challenges.

For her part, Egyptian famous belly dancer and actress Dina Talaat, who is commonly known as Dina by the Egyptian audience, described the festival as "brave and respectable."

"I believe that woman is the pillar of the society and if she is represented in many movies and TV series it could give a push forward to the family," Dina told Xinhua. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:54:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Tsgereda Tigro, a Chinese language interpreter and assistant to the manager of a mobile phone manufacturing factory, speaks in an interview in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on June 18, 2021. Amid the growing Chinese engagement in Ethiopia, the presence of Chinese-speaking Ethiopians has injected a much-needed momentum towards the smooth undertakings of Chinese-contracted projects across various sectors. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Remedan Alemar, 24, is busy interacting with Ethiopian and Chinese coworkers at a landmark construction project site in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

Alemar, who is one of the many young Ethiopians who make their living out of interpreting the Chinese language to the Amharic language, Ethiopia's working language, facilitates the working procedure at the project site, eventually bridging the communication gap often witnessed across foreign-contracted projects in the country.

The young Chinese-Amharic interpreter earned his bachelor's degree from Taiyuan University of Science and Technology in Shanxi Province of China, majoring Chinese language.

"I wanted to learn the Chinese language considering the thriving economic relationship between China and Africa," Alemar said.

Alemar opted to study the Chinese language in light of the growing demand for Chinese-speaking bilingual Ethiopians due to the increasing number of Chinese companies that are involved in the construction sector and other businesses.

"I did not know a single Chinese word before I left for China's Shanxi Province to proceed mandarin studies," said Alemar, who is presently serving as an interpreter in the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) in Addis Ababa.

"It took me not more than six months to communicate in Chinese language after I took basic courses which helped me to express my feelings and make Chinese friends," he added.

Amid the growing Chinese engagement in Ethiopia, the presence of Chinese -speaking Ethiopians has injected a much-needed momentum towards the smooth undertakings of Chinese-contracted projects across various sectors.

"If you see the global phenomenon, China's involvement is becoming immense, which eventually creates abundant opportunities for Chinese language interpreters," Alemar said.

Tsgereda Tigro is another young Chinese language graduate, who is presently working as a Chinese language interpreter and assistant to the manager at mobile phone manufacturing factory in Addis Ababa, China Smart Opus Plc.

"The role of interpreters in Chinese-owned companies is decisive. In absence of these interpreters, companies could face critical problems including bankruptcy," Tigro said.

Tigro, who was set to pursue journalism while joining the Addis Ababa University, joined the Confucius Institute in Addis Ababa University after attending a promotional event by the Chinese instructors on the benefit of learning mandarin.

In a country like Ethiopia, where Chinese language teaching institutions were scarcely available before the coming of the Confucius Institute, Chinese companies faced critical problems finding Chinese-Amharic or Chinese-English interpreters.

Liu Xiaolin, General Manager of China Smart Opus Mobile Phone Manufacturing Plc, spoke highly of the benefit of having interpreters such as Tigro in facilitating the smooth working landscape at his plant.

Courtesy of the ever-growing need and the apparent better career opportunities, the number of students pursuing the Chinese language in the Confucius Institute in Addis Ababa University and other universities is on the rise after graduates of the institute command attractive salaries.

In light of the ever expanding Chinese engagement in the East African country, the demand for Chinese interpreters is growing, creating better career opportunities for Alemar, Tigro as well as fellow mandarin-speaking young Ethiopians.

Tigro landed her first job within few days of her graduation, with a monthly salary of 25,000 Ethiopian birr (about 580 U.S. dollars), about five times higher than her former schoolmates pursuing other fields of study and careers. For comparison, the median salary for a new graduate in Ethiopia is estimated at around 5,000 Ethiopian birr a month.

In addition to the lucrative career opportunities, Chinese language studies at the Confucius Institute is also augmenting the people-to-people relations between the two countries.

"The sessions combine elements of Chinese language and culture, helping us to better comprehend various dimensions of Chinese culture," Tigro said.

The Confucius Institute in Addis Ababa University, which started operation in Ethiopia back in 2012, has so far registered over 10,000 students who passed through various levels of Chinese language studies at different facilities across the country. Among them, close to 100 were able to get their bachelor degree in Chinese language, according to figures from the institute. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 23:18:17|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

NAIROBI, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Friday called for harnessing of data to help solve resource-based conflicts in the Horn of Africa region.

Levis Kavagi, Africa coordinator for Ecosystems and Biodiversity Programme at UNEP, said that the use of data can contribute to informed decisions on natural resource disputes in the region.

"Data is central to inform sound decisions in the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) region and Africa as a whole," Kavagi told a joint IGAD-United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) meeting on promoting resilience and borderlands development in the Horn of Africa in Nairobi.

He said the Horn of Africa region has many transboundary natural resources whose sustainability lies in mutual cooperation to boost their management.

Kavagi said that lack of cooperation may undermine efforts of neighboring countries in sharing forest ecosystems and freshwater resources.

He urged east African nations to embark on inter-regional forest restoration efforts as opposed to a single moratorium on logging, adding that the single-country approach simply transfers logging to the neighboring country to the detriment of both countries.

Kavagi said that the single-country approach is often counterproductive, adding that the inter-country approach is the best as the benefits from forest restoration can better be realized if the forest ecosystem is intact and not fragmented.

He said that UNEP identifies transboundary waters as one key natural resource that presents opportunities for collaboration and peaceful coexistence in the Horn of Africa region but that also underlies potential conflicts since almost 70-80 percent of the landmass is arid and semi-arid.

According to Kavagi, UNEP has prioritized data in its work and has embraced the world environment situation room and the portal on water resources in Kenya and Somalia.

He said UNEP is also focusing on digital transformation for sustainable development with a focus on environmental sustainability. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-24 22:05:51|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia's National Narcotics Agency in Lampung province has foiled smuggling of 5.277 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, head of the agency's Lampung chapter Brigadier General Jafriedi said Thursday.

"The disclosure of the drug trafficking started with information from the public about the smuggling of methamphetamine from Aceh province to Lampung using a private car in Bandar Lampung City," Jafriedi told a press conference.

Jafriedi revealed that the perpetrators were arrested in Lampung province's capital of Bandar Lampung on June 6.

The perpetrators were taking the contrabands by themselves without couriers, he said, adding that the agency held two persons in a car, and confiscated a plastic bag containing substances suspected of being methamphetamine weighing more than 5 kilograms.

Based on the results of the interrogation of the two suspects, the agency's personnel arrested another perpetrator in Teluk Betung in Lampung, he added. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 08:55:46|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong (C) and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi (R) plant a tree at the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on June 24, 2021. A friendship tree was planted here on Thursday as part of the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. (Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Xinhua)

ISLAMABAD, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A friendship tree was planted here at the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs in on Thursday as part of the ongoing celebrations to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China.

The tree was jointly planted by Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong, according to the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

On the occasion, Qureshi said that the year 2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and lauded the Chinese leadership and the CPC for lifting over 700 million people out of extreme poverty in a short span of 40 years, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

He also praised the Chinese leadership for spearheading the Chinese nation's efforts for peace and development, it added.

"The year 2021 also marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China," the foreign minister said, adding that unrelenting efforts of the successive generations of the people and leadership have transformed this relationship into an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Also on the occasion, the Chinese ambassador announced that China donates 7,000 saplings to Pakistan as a response to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's proposed Clean and Green Pakistan Movement and "10 Billion Tree Tsunami Program."

A wide range of events are being held in Pakistan and China to celebrate the landmark 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 09:06:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SUVA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Fiji recorded 308 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, setting a new record for daily infections, according to the Ministry of Health.

Fijian Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said a 63-year-old who was positive for COVID-19 had died and doctors were investigating whether this is related to the virus.

Of the new cases, 297 are from the Lami-Nausori Containment Zone and 11 from Nadi, Fiji's third largest town in the western part of Viti Levu.

Fong confirmed that there were seven severe cases of COVID-19 admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva as two people are recovering and no longer classified as severe.

Head of Health Protection in Fiji Aalisha Sahukhan said they had continued to record clusters in Naitasiri and Tailevu provinces.

Sahukhan said Fiji has recorded 13 COVID-19 deaths so far, 11 of which are from the current outbreak alone.

There were 17 recoveries in the last 24 hours which means 2,173 active cases are in isolation.

Fiji has recorded 2,778 cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak in April and 2,848 cases since the first case detected in the country in March 2020 with 653 recoveries so far.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama stressed on Friday that the COVID-19 vaccine is the key that will open the gates to normal life in Fiji, urging all eligible Fijians to get vaccinated.

The prime minister said the vaccine is the right thing for each individual's health and safety as a total of 299,202 Fijians have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, representing 45 percent of the targeted population in the island nation. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 12:16:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

MANILA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank on Friday approved a 400- million-U.S. dollars loan to support reforms that will assist the Philippine government in achieving a resilient financial sector and help ensure a more inclusive recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bank said the Philippines First Financial Sector Reform Development Policy Financing loan is the first of two programs supporting three reform areas, including strengthening financial sector stability, integrity, and resilience.

The loan will also expand financial inclusion for individuals and firms and promote disaster risk finance that protects national budgets and businesses and the lives and livelihoods of families from the impacts of disasters, the bank added.

"The health crisis, the economic impact of containment measures, and the global slowdown have increased the urgency for reforms, not only to ensure financial sector stability or financial inclusion, but also to support economic recovery and minimize the impact of future shocks particularly on poor and vulnerable segments of the population," Ndiame Diop, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand, said in a statement.

In addition to providing timely financial resources to support government financing needs, Diop said the financial sector reforms supported under this loan "will help meet the immediate needs of individuals and micro, small and medium enterprises under strain."

The bank said the new lending is a development policy loan (DPL) which provides quick-disbursing assistance to countries undertaking reforms.

DPLs typically support policy and institutional changes needed to create an environment conducive to sustained and equitable growth, as the borrower countries' development agenda defines.

Among the policy reforms supported by this DPL to enhance the stability, integrity, and resilience of the financial sector are measures addressing legal, regulatory and supervisory issues to improve prudential supervision of banks by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, bringing insurance legislation in the Philippines in line with global standards, and ensuring long-term availability of credit to small and medium enterprises. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 15:16:49|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

SUVA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Fiji recorded 215 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours and another death, Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said on Friday.

The death case was a 34-year-old woman from a settlement in Suva who collapsed at home before she was rushed to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.

There have now been 14 deaths due to COVID-19 in Fiji, 12 of which are from the current outbreak alone.

Fong said they have recorded eight COVID-19 positive patients that died from pre-existing illnesses while three deaths are currently under investigation.

There have been 22 new recoveries reported since the last update, which means that there are now 2,363 active cases in isolation.

Fong said there have been 2,993 cases during the outbreak that started in April 2021.

Fiji has recorded a total of 3,063 cases since the first case was reported in March 2020.

The national seven-day average daily test positivity is 6.3 percent and continues on an upward trend on the island nation.

A total of 3,179 individuals were screened and 210 swabbed by the mobile screening teams in the last 24 hours, bringing the cumulative total of individuals screened to 655,404 and swabbed to 52,725 since the start of this mobile screening program. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 17:25:12|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BISHKEK, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan on Friday reported 875 new COVID-19 infections, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 118,981.

According to data of the Republican Headquarters for Combating COVID-19, 533 more recoveries were registered over the past day, taking the count to 107,391.

The pandemic has so far claimed 1,964 lives in Kyrgyzstan, up by six in the past 24 hours, said the headquarters.

Currently, 2,702 coronavirus patients are receiving treatment in hospitals throughout the country, with 132 of them in critical condition, while another 5,862 patients are being treated at home.

Over the past day, 7,500 tests for the virus have been carried out in the country.

Kyrgyzstan started its COVID-19 vaccination campaign on March 29 using China-donated vaccines. In addition, the Central Asia country received Sputnik V vaccines from Russia in April.

To date, 102,303 people have been vaccinated in Kyrgyzstan.

The Cabinet of Ministers declared Thursday that it does not intend to introduce any restrictions, except for holding any mass events.

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Ulukbek Maripov said during an extraordinary meeting that every citizen should feel social responsibility for the life and health of their loved ones, and this will be their contribution to the joint fight against the spread of the pandemic. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 17:37:40|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Mongolia's newly-elected President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh takes the oath of office in Ulan Bator, Mongolia, June 25, 2021. Newly-elected Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on Friday pledged to do his best to maintain national unity. (Photo by Chadraabal/Xinhua)

ULAN BATOR, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Newly-elected Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh on Friday pledged to do his best to maintain national unity.

Khurelsukh made the commitment after being sworn in as Mongolia's sixth president since 1993.

"As the President of Mongolia, I will cherish our people's unity like the apple of my eye, uphold the rights and support conciliation. Unity is the guarantee of a country's independence and existence," said Khurelsukh, noting that progress is impossible without unity.

"I will strive for social justice and the establishment of a truly democratic state. I believe that the equitable distribution of natural resources to the people is a principle of justice," he said.

Today, Mongolia and all mankind are facing the difficult challenge of overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, Khurelsukh said, urging his people to make their own contributions by strictly following relevant guidelines to win the fight against the pandemic.

On foreign relations, he said the country will pursue a peaceful, open, independent and multi-pronged foreign policy to ensure the continuity of Mongolia's foreign policy.

Khurelsukh won a landslide victory in the regular presidential election held on June 9.

He became the first Mongolian president to serve a single six-year term instead of the previous renewable four-year term, as stipulated by a new constitutional amendment.

Khurelsukh, 53, a former chairman of the ruling Mongolian People's Party, served as Mongolian prime minister twice between 2017 and 2021. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 19:33:54|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

JAKARTA, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia is currently examining the use of both Sinovac and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for people under 18 years of age after detecting many cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus among children and youths.

"We are currently reviewing which vaccines already have an EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) for young people. What we have observed is that there are two on our list; Sinovac for those aged 3 to 17 years old and Pfizer for those aged 12-17 years old," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said at a virtual press conference on Friday.

China has approved the emergency use of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine for people as young as three-year-olds, meanwhile the United States has approved Pfizer vaccine for those as young as 12.

Sadikin said Indonesian health ministry has been conducting a study on vaccinating children, which will be released soon, and at the same time the ministry has continued to observe the developments and data related to effectiveness and side effects of vaccines administered to children in a number of countries.

"We can issue a comprehensive decision based on the data we have, policy data in other countries and health scientific data on the EUA that have been given to vaccine companies," said Sadikin.

Under its plan, the Southeast Asian country is currently working to inoculate the targeted 181.5 million people aged over 18, about 70 percent of its total population, by March 2022. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 20:14:28|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 18,872 within one day to 2,072,867, with the death toll adding by 422 to 56,371 in the latest developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia-Pacific countries on Friday.

Australia's biggest city of Sydney will enter a week-long lockdown from midnight Friday to 11:59 p.m. July 2 for some major areas as local health authorities are struggling to contain an outbreak caused by the highly infectious Delta variant.

Australian experts have accused the federal government of a narrow-minded approach to the coronavirus vaccine strategy.

Former secretary of the Department of Health Stephen Duckett said Australia's troubled vaccine rollout was doomed from the start after the government limited itself to a narrow range of candidate vaccines.

Malaysia reported another 5,812 new infections, the Health Ministry said, bringing the national total to 722,659. Health Ministry Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a press statement that 32 of the new cases are imported and 5,780 are local transmissions.

Cambodia's death toll from COVID-19 has risen to 509 after 16 new fatalities were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health (MoH) said in a statement.

The Southeast Asian nation confirmed 699 new cases, pushing the national caseload to 46,065, the ministry said, adding that the new infections included 586 local cases and 113 imported cases.

An audit team set up by India's Supreme Court during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 last month has reported that the government of the national capital had sought medical oxygen several times what was actually needed.

India's COVID-19 tally rose to 30,134,445, as 51,667 new cases were registered during the past 24 hours. The death toll swelled to 393,310 as 1,321 deaths were recorded since Thursday morning.

Pakistan recorded 1,052 new cases over the last 24 hours, the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) said, as the country's number of overall cases climbed to 952,907.

The Philippines' Department of Health (DOH) reported 6,812 new infections, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 1,385,053. The death toll climbed to 24,152 after 116 more patients died from the viral disease, the DOH said.

The pause on quarantine free travel from Australia's New South Wales to New Zealand will continue for a further 12 days, New Zealand COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Fiji recorded 215 new cases in the past 24 hours and another death, Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said.

South Korea reported 634 more cases as of midnight Thursday compared to 24 hours ago, raising the total number of infections to 153,789. The daily caseload was up from 610 in the prior day, staying above 600 for three days. The daily average caseload for the past week was 507. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 01:01:44|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

Afghan security force members stand at a security checkpoint in Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province, Afghanistan, June 26, 2021. (Photo by Sanaullah Seiam/Xinhua)

KABUL, June 25 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan political analyst has described the U.S. forces withdrawal from Afghanistan as "hasty and irresponsible" that encouraged the Taliban militants to step up activities in the militancy-battered country.

"Utterly, the U.S. forces hasty pullout is irresponsible. The hasty and irresponsible pullout of troops has encouraged the Taliban group to step up attacks elsewhere in the country and have captured several districts," Hamidullah Arefi, an observer and editor-in-chief of the state-run English newspaper The Kabul Times, told Xinhua on Friday.

On the excuse of fighting terrorism, the U.S. and allied nations invaded Afghanistan 20 years ago to smash the Taliban, al-Qaida and associated groups but failed to achieve the mission, Arefi noted.

Neither Taliban nor al-Qaida network has been diminished, the analyst said.

A number of radical groups including the Taliban and al-Qaida outfit have existed in the presence of the U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan over the past 20 years.

Arefi made the remarks amid the visit of Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani to Washington.

Heading a high-ranking delegation, President Ghani would be meeting his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden on Friday to discuss matters pertaining mutual interests including Afghanistan's political and military situation after the forces pullout and the intra-Afghan peace process.

Since the start of the U.S.-led forces' pullout from Afghanistan on May 1, the Taliban has intensified activities and according to its spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid the group has overrun more than 70 districts. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 00:23:36|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Belgium's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to rebound to pre-pandemic levels in early 2022 and economic growth should gradually normalize over the year, the country's Federal Planning Bureau (FPB) said on Thursday.

After an initial shock suffered during the first quarter (Q1) of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy of Belgium markedly recovered during the next two quarters before suffering a setback again in late 2020 following the government's decision to enforce new lockdown measures, the FPB said.

Growth then picked up again in Q1 of 2021 and the economy is expected to strengthen further this year as the country continues to reopen.

GDP is expected to grow 5.5 percent in 2021 and 2.9 percent in 2022 year-on-year.

In 2023-2026, GDP growth should average 1.4 percent (slightly decreasing from 1.5 percent in 2023 to 1.2 percent in 2026), the FPB projected.

Between June 14 and June 20, 422 new COVID-19 cases were detected on average per day, a decrease of 43 percent compared to the previous week, according to the epidemiological bulletin published on Thursday by the Sciensano Institute of Public Health.

As of Thursday, 56.3 percent of Belgium's adult population have been vaccinated with the first dose and 31.3 percent with two doses, according to official figures.

To bring life back to normal, countries such as the United Kingdom, China, Russia, the United States as well as the European Union have been racing against time to roll out coronavirus vaccines. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 06:11:05|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

LISBON, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Diplomats and economic experts called for enhanced Chinese-Portuguese economic cooperation in the post-pandemic recovery at a webinar that kicked off here on Thursday.

Bilateral trade between China and Portugal has witnessed great progress while the world economy has declined and international trade and investment shrunk sharply due to the pandemic, said Chinese Ambassador to Portugal Zhao Bentang in his opening speech at the webinar titled "China-Portugal: New Opportunities in the Context of European Recovery."

The Chinese ambassador said that China continues to be Portugal's largest trading partner in Asia, and China's investment in Portugal has also been expanding, which will inject new impetus into further cooperation and joint development of third-party markets in the future.

Zhao said that China and Portugal share similar strategies of future development of innovation, digital transformation and green energy in China's 14th Five-Year Plan and Portugal's Recovery Plan.

He stressed that the similar vision of development provides favorable conditions for the two countries to conduct in-depth economic and trade cooperation and jointly explore new opportunities.

"I believe that European economic recovery and China's economic transformation will inevitably give rise to a lot of opportunities ... If Chinese and Portuguese enterprises can catch up with the new opportunities, they are expected to achieve their own leap-forward development, and push Chinese-Portuguese economic and trade cooperation to a new high as well," the Chinese diplomat said.

In a pre-recorded video speech, Portuguese Ambassador to China Jose Augusto Duarte spoke highly of the achievements in Portuguese-Chinese economic cooperation in the past years, and vowed to push forward bilateral ties in various fields.

"China has proved its stable and predictable progress in scientific and technological innovations, and will make even more in the coming future," Duarte said.

He expressed his hope that the two countries will use their respective technological advantages and know-how to strengthen their cooperation in the fields of electric vehicles, renewable energy and green transformation.

He emphasized the importance of Portuguese-Chinese enterprises' joint efforts to tap the potentials of the third-party market of Portuguese-speaking countries.

The two-day webinar, hosted by the Lisbon branch of Bank of China and co-organized by the Chinese Enterprises Association in Portugal and Portuguese-Chinese Young Entrepreneurs Association, was attended by around 80 guests and business representatives, including former Portuguese Foreign Minister Antonio Martins da Cruz, President of Portuguese Economic, Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (AICEP) Luis Castro Henriques and Xu Haifeng, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 13:09:41|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

ESSEN, Germany, June 25 (Xinhua) -- The Communist Party of China (CPC) has raised hopes for common progress of mankind and world peace, Patrik Koebele, chairman of the German Communist Party, has said.

By reducing poverty, protecting the environment and opposing exploitation, the CPC-led China has made vital contributions to the global economy over the last decades, Koebele told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Koebele has traveled to China many times. He said China, once one of the poorest and weakest nations in the world, has now developed into a prosperous and strong socialist country, which is admirable.

"While firmly believing in Marxism, the CPC has designed policies suitable for its own national conditions, boosted economic growth and lifted millions of people out of poverty," he said.

Koebele said some Western countries nowadays preach China as a so-called threat not only because China has a socialist system but because they are hostile to a system operating so well that is different to them.

Taking the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as an example, Koebele said while China is promoting global efforts to tackle the crisis, some Western countries are busy concocting and spreading conspiracy theories to undermine China.

"The government led by the CPC has not succumbed to this kind of suppression and has showed superb flexibility," said Koebele. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 16:39:34|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

PRAGUE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- At least three people have died and hundreds were injured when a tornado and hailstones hit the South Moravia Region of the Czech Republic on Thursday night, according to a local media report.

Through the night, rescuers have transferred 63 people to a local hospital, including ten who got severely injured, according to the Czech News Agency (CTK), quoting a medical rescue service spokeswoman.

"We failed to save three patients' lives," said the spokeswoman.

She also said that there were dozens of others treated by the rescuers at the scene, while some other people sought aid at the hospital on their own.

Firefighters were still searching the ruins of devastated buildings, she said.

The tornado also caused extensive power outages and traffic disruptions. Over 75,000 households and companies have been left without power as of Friday morning, according to the CTK report. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 21:53:27|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BERLIN, June 25 (Xinhua) -- COVID-19 case numbers in Germany are expected to rise again due to the more contagious Delta variant, Lothar Wieler, president of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), said at a press conference here on Friday.

The Delta variant of the virus, which was first detected in India, is "spreading even faster, particularly among the unvaccinated population, of course," Wieler said, adding that the RKI expects case numbers to rise again in the future.

The share of infections caused by the Delta variant in Germany has more than doubled in recent weeks and stood at 15 percent on last Wednesday, said the RKI, the federal government agency for disease control and prevention. However, Wieler said this figure may well have increased since then. "It is only a question of time when this variant will take over."

Currently, Germany's population aged 60 or younger appears to be the most affected by the Delta variant. "The danger of this virus has not yet been banished," Wieler said, stressing that it is important to keep the infection figures at a low level.

Germany's incidence rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past seven days continued to fall to around six on Friday, according to the RKI. A week ago, the country's seven-day incidence rate stood at 10.

As of Thursday, almost 28.4 million people in Germany had been fully vaccinated, bringing the country's vaccination rate to 34.1 percent, the RKI said. Almost 44 million people have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 03:32:45|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BUDAPEST, June 25 (Xinhua) -- After a long pause caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the first large river cruise ships returned to Budapest, government spokeswoman Alexandra Szentkiralyi said here on Friday.

"Hungary's borders with the neighboring countries were reopened on Thursday and the first two cruise ships have already arrived in Hungary," Szentkiralyi said in a video message posted on social media. She said that further arrivals are expected soon.

Budapest could not welcome river cruises since last September.

"As well as the ships, tourists have also been missing, creating a difficult situation for those working in the tourism sector," she said.

"Thanks to the vaccinations, we have overcome the third wave of the epidemic one and a half months ahead of other European countries," she said. "Thus we have been able to relaunch life much earlier, including the economy, which also relies on tourism."

The two large cruise ships have brought over 300 tourists to the Hungarian capital, and hundreds more are expected to arrive in the coming days.

Although some believe that tourist traffic in Budapest may recover next spring at the earliest, industry insiders feel that the pace of the recovery of tourism will greatly depend on when and how the European Union allows tourists from outside the bloc to enter. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 04:59:02|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

BERLIN, June 25 (Xinhua) -- At least three people died and several were injured -- some in serious condition -- in a knife attack on Friday in Germany's southern city of Wurzburg, according to local police.

The incident took place on Barbarossaplatz square in the city center. The square and its surrounding areas have been sealed off.

The suspect stabbed several people with a 40-centimeter-long knife and police used firearms and arrested him, local media Bayerischen Rundfunk reported.

Bavarian State Minister of the Interior Joachim Herrmann said the attack killed three, seriously injured five people.

He added that the police have found records that the suspect was treated in psychiatric institution and will later define whether the incident is a terror act or a move out of psychological reasons.

So far there is no evidence showing the victims have any personal relations with the suspect, Herrmann said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-25 05:05:10|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

HAVANA, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Cuba on Thursday reported 16 deaths from COVID-19 in the past day, its second-worst daily death toll, which raised the total number of fatalities since the onset of the pandemic on the island in March 2020 to 1,209, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

The highest number of deaths in a day from COVID was reported on April 29, when health authorities said 18 people died of the disease.

In the same 24 hours, tests detected 1,880 new cases of COVID-19 infection, pushing the total number of confirmed cases to 174,789.

"These are figures that reflect the complexity of the epidemiological situation we are facing," the ministry's director of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Francisco Duran, said during his daily report on the progress of the pandemic on the island.

Authorities hope to control the spread of the virus in Havana by vaccinating residents, about 2.2 million people, by the end of July. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 04:51:53|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced on Friday to 270 months, or 22.5 years in prison, for the murder of African American George Floyd last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota state.

Chauvin "is the first white officer in Minnesota to face prison time for the killing of a Black man," according to Minnesota Public Radio.

"We need to recognize the pain of the Floyd family," Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in court.

The sentence was not based on emotion or sympathy, the judge noted.

Members of Floyd's family were present in the courtroom for the hearing.

Chauvin, who was found guilty of murdering Floyd by a jury in April, said he declined to give a formal statement in court due to "additional legal matters," but expressed his condolences to the Floyd family.

In his earlier ruling, Cahill concluded that Chauvin abused his "position of trust and authority" as a police officer and displayed "particular cruelty" when he knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes during his arrest. Floyd was later pronounced dead at hospital.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter as well as third-degree murder in April.

Floyd's death sparked weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism last summer. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2021-06-26 06:01:14|Editor: huaxia

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced on Friday to 270 months, or 22.5 years in prison, for the 2020 murder of African American George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes in Minneapolis, Minnesota state.

Chauvin, 45, "is the first white officer in Minnesota to face prison time for the killing of a black man," according to Minnesota Public Radio.

Responding to the sentencing, U.S. President Joe iden told reporters at the White House, "I don't know all the circumstances that were considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate."

"Your skin color should not define who you are. It should never be a weapon," Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother, said after the sentencing.

"We need to recognize the pain of the Floyd family," Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in court.

However, the sentence was "not based on emotion or sympathy," Cahill said.

In his earlier ruling, the judge concluded that Chauvin abused his "position of trust and authority" as a police officer and displayed "particular cruelty" when he knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes during his arrest on May 25 last year. Floyd was pronounced dead at hospital later on the day.

Prior to the sentencing, the court heard victim-impact statements from four members of Floyd's family, while Chauvin's mother pleaded for leniency, and Chauvin gave brief remarks that included expressing his condolences over Floyd's death.

"On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty," said Terrence Floyd, the younger brother of George Floyd, saying he believed if it had been a black man killing a white man there would be little doubt what kind of verdict the court would hand down.

"If it was us, if the roles was reversed, there wouldn't be no case," he said. "It would have been open and shut. We'd have been under the jail for murdering somebody. So, we ask for that same penalty for Derek Chauvin."

Chauvin declined to give a formal statement in court, citing "additional legal matters." Instead, he expressed his condolences to the Floyd family in a brief remark.

"I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family," Chauvin said. "There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest."

"The impact it's had on the community is profound," Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson said prior to the sentencing.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter as well as third-degree murder by a jury in April. Prosecutors had asked for a 30-year sentence.

Under state guidelines, the maximum sentence for unintentional murder in the second degree is 40 years. Since Chauvin has no previous criminal record, the presumptive sentence is 12.5 years, with an acceptable deviation range of 10.67 years to 15 years.

Floyd's death sparked weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism last summer, leading to the creation of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a sweeping police reform bill that Congress has been working to reach a bipartisan consensus on for months. Enditem
Xi Jinping Speaks with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on the Phone

2021/06/21

On June 21, 2021, President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.

Xi Jinping pointed out, created by the older generation of leaders of the two countries, the traditional friendship between China and Tanzania has stood the test of changes in the international situation over the years. Tanzania was the first African country I visited after taking office as Chinese President in 2013. The principles of sincerity, practical results, affinity and good faith I proposed for the first time during that tour have now become the basic policy principles for China's solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries.

Xi Jinping stressed that China always views and develops its relations with Tanzania from a strategic and long-term perspective and firmly supports Tanzania in taking the development path suited to its national conditions. China is ready to work with Tanzania to consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen mutual support, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and make positive contributions to the building of the China-Africa community with a shared future. Given present historic opportunities for the development of China-Tanzania relations, China is willing to work with Tanzania to step up cooperation between political parties and exchanges of experience in governance. It also stands ready to synergize the joint contributions to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) with Tanzania's development strategies, expand cooperation in such fields as agriculture, transportation, communications, tourism and energy with Tanzania, encourage and support more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Tanzania, beef up anti-pandemic cooperation, and continuously enrich the content of China-Tanzania comprehensive cooperative partnership.

Hassan expressed her warm congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Under the leadership of the CPC which boasts a long and glorious history, the Chinese people have won national independence and liberation, while making remarkable achievements one after another in the cause of socialist construction. Hassan expressed her conviction that under the strong leadership of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the Chinese people will surely realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. The Tanzanian side cherishes its traditional friendship with China, appreciates China's long-term support and help, and is willing to learn from China's experience in poverty alleviation and governance and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in trade, infrastructure, humanities, and other fields with China. Tanzania firmly adheres to the one-China principle and supports China's stance on issues concerning China's core interests such as Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Tanzania stands ready to actively make joint contributions to the BRI with China, earnestly implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, and promote new development of China-Africa relations.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government is on course towards realizing the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and universal health coverage.

Speaking in Lagos during the formal launch of Modular Healthcare Facility by Alpha Mead Group, Osinbajo said through appropriate partnership with the private sector, Nigeria would achieve the set goals.

Osibanjo was represented at the event by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDG, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

He said the United Nation (UN's) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end poverty and hunger, combat inequalities within and among countries, build peaceful, just and inclusive societies, among others.

He said, "It will interest you to know that Nigeria is committed to the attainment of universal health coverage and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development as demonstrated by the President's launching of the basic health care provision fund which was done on the 8th of January 2019 to accelerate the attainment of universal health coverage in Nigeria."

He reiterated that the country was making "unwavering effort" through the relevant ministries, departments and agencies of Government to improve both geographical and financial access to quality healthcare services.

According to him, this is being achieved through aggressive health care infrastructure, development and expansion horizontally and vertically of the social health care insurance coverage with special focus on the rural poor women and children to better the health outcomes.

He stated that the Alphamead healthcare and management services limited mobile healthcare facility has the potential to support the government's effort towards transforming medical diagnostics and reducing barriers to healthcare access in Nigeria.

The Chairman of Alpha Mead Group, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu, said the modular health facility which he described as a customised, mobility-enhanced, prefabricated portacabin equipped with state-of-the-art clinical and diagnostic equipment, remains a veritable solution to healthcare challenges facing Nigeria.

"We are truly hopeful that the government and private sector can explore the different possibilities of acquiring this facility," he said.
Maputo  Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi met with the leader of the main opposition party, Renamo, Ossufo Momade, on Wednesday, to discuss progress in implementing the peace agreement the two men signed in August 2019.

That agreement envisages the dismantling of all Renamo's military bases, the demobilisation, and disarming of the Renamo militia, and the reintegration of its members into Mozambican society (a process known as DDR).

A statement from Nyusi's office said that he and Momade "concluded that 2,307 former guerrillas have been disarmed and demobilised, and their reintegration into society is now beginning".

"These men and women have chosen to live a life of peace and to contribute to the prosperity of our country", the statement added.

This progress, despite the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, "bears witness to the collective desire of the parties to achieve peace".

The two leaders, the statement continued, "expressed their commitment to ensuring that the remaining fighters are completely disarmed and demobilised".

At the same time they pledged to ensure that the efforts made to date are sustainable "which will require a renewed commitment to support the reintegration of those who have been demobilised".

Nyusi and Momade recognised that the demobilised can make "unique contributions" to society, and so promised to work together so that they can realise their potential.

They also agreed to start the integration of former Renamo guerrillas into the police force. Momade has repeatedly complained that this part of his agreement with Nyusi has not been implemented.

They took the opportunity to urge, once again, those who are still in the bush to join the demobilisation. This appeal was clearly directed at the self-styled "Renamo Military Junta", and its leader, Mariano Nhongo.

Nyusi and Momade reiterated the importance of dialogue and of permanent communication in order to overcome any challenges that may arise.
analysis

In early June, the Nigerian government announced that it had banned the use of Twitter in the country. This followed the media platform's decision to delete a tweet by the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, on the grounds that it violated the platform's rules.

The Attorney General of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, vowed to prosecute violators of the ban, a threat that he later recanted.

This raises the question of whether the ban is legal. In my view it isn't. Under the current constitutional dispensation, the Nigerian government lacks the legal competence to unilaterally ban twitter or prosecute violators of the ban.

It is possible for the Twitter ban to be pressed into one or two of the permissible grounds of limitation under section 45 of the Nigerian constitution. However, examination of the facts surrounding the ban show that, at the very least, the ban fails the test of legality. For one, it was announced by the country's Minister of Information at a press conference rather than being effected through a law of general application as required by Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution.

In this article, I interrogate the limit of governments' regulation of border-less technology companies in Nigeria. I discuss the legal issues arising out of the ban. I also set out the importance of the right to freedom of expression, the right most implicated by the ban, and the scope of its protection under Nigeria's legal framework.

Impact of the ban

The ban has serious implications for the political, economic and social wellbeing of Nigerians. At the political level, many see the decision as an attempt to gag the media as well as ordinary citizens. This does not bode well for human rights and democracy in Nigeria.

In a democratic state, freedom of expression is central to political rights and the basis of all freedoms. In Nigeria, democracy and freedom of expression is enshrined in the country's 1999 constitution. This means that sovereignty belongs to the people. It also means the people have a right to participate in the government and governance.

At the economic levels, reports indicate that about 39 million Nigerians have twitter account. Many use the platform for businesses and networking. The ability of this category of people to make a decent living will be gravely affected.

It has also been predicted that the ban will affect foreign investments in Nigeria's technology sector.

At the social level, Nigeria is already in the doldrums of insecurity and criminality. The ban is bound to fuel civil discontent, increase unemployment and exacerbate the already fragile security situation in the country.

The legal question

The right to freedom of expression, like most other rights in Nigeria's 1999 Constitution, is not absolute. The freedom of expression provisions of the constitution contain clauses which set out when the right can be derogated or restricted.

First is the prevention of disclosure of information received in confidence, the maintenance of the authority and independence of courts, the regulation of telephony, wireless broadcasting, television or the exhibition of cinematograph films.

The second is the imposition of restrictions on the freedom of expression of public office holders at the federal or state levels, members of the armed forces or Nigeria Police Force or other government security services or agencies established by law to keep official and state secrets.

The reading of the permissible grounds for limitation contains no colour or shade of authority to ban Twitter in Nigeria.

There is also the general limitation clause in section 45 of the Nigerian constitution. The section allows fundamental rights to be limited in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health. It also permits limitation of fundamental rights to protect the rights and freedom of other persons.

This limitation must, however, be by "a law that is reasonably justifiable in a democratic society". And it requires three conditions.

First is the requirement of legality - there must be a law of general application authorising the limitation.

Second, is the requirement of proportionality. This means that the means or methods employed to limit rights must be proportionate to the objectives of the limitation.

The third is one of necessity. That is the least restrictive or invasive means or methods must be employed to achieve the objectives of limitation.

Weak grounds for prosecution

Government is on an even weaker footing when it comes to arresting and prosecuting violators of the ban. Section 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999 Constitution is very clear on this. It states that no one can be held guilty of a criminal offence as a result of any act or omission that did not amount to an offence under any law at the time the act or omissions was done.

Under section 36 (12), no person can be convicted of a criminal offence unless that offence is defined and the penalty prescribed in a written law.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Essentially, no act or omission can amount to an offence under the current constitutional dispensation in Nigeria in the absence of a written law. After a perusal of the existing law, one is hard pressed to find any law specifically proscribing the use of twitter or VPN in Nigeria.

It is therefore no surprise that the Nigeria's Attorney General recanted his earlier threats to arrest and prosecute people, although he still insisted that the Nigerian government would deal with any Nigerian company or entity that helped twitter escape the ban.

The Twitter case has exposed the governments vulnerability in unilaterally regulating or trying to police social media platforms that don't have borders or frontiers. In addition, the impact of the ban on the political and socio-economic lives of the people is likely to be severe.

My view is that the Nigerian government should try and resolve its differences with Twitter and open up the civic and digital space. This will allow for the much needed dialogue for a more stable and prosperous Nigeria.

Akinola Akintayo, Lecturer and researcher of public law, University of Lagos
analysis

As Nigeria's Twitter ban shows, online platforms are the new battleground between governments and their critics.

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp have increasingly become a stage on which the tension between state authorities and networked dissent plays out in Africa. The recent banning of Twitter by the Nigerian government is a timely reminder of that.

Differences expressed in online forums can generate responses in real-time, in the real world. This can create an environment in which the government's monopoly on free speech is questioned.

Some challenges accompany the use of platforms with massive audiences. Yet the benefits can outweigh the risks if governments recognise that it gives them greater reach to their citizens.

The relationships between technology, speed and politics aren't new. It's argued that technology is radically reshaping the nature of political engagement worldwide. In Africa, Nigeria is an interesting illustration. Between 2019 and 2025, social media use in the country is projected to increase by more than 80%. This would result in over 44 million people using online forums in a country whose current population stands at over 200 million.

Online platforms enable citizens to express concerns and engage directly with those who govern

For political elites accustomed to manipulating electoral messages to secure votes, these platforms challenge their position of privilege - although those very same elites can also exploit them. Nigeria's Twitter ban seeks to deny access to a platform the government argues is being used to threaten the country's 'corporate existence.'

Meanwhile, critics of the ban insist that social media is a democratic tool that enables citizens to demand greater accountability. This played out at the height of the Nigerian #EndSARS campaign against police brutality in 2020. Recently, the Economic Community of West African States Court of Justice ruled to restrain the Nigerian government from imposing sanctions on citizens who use Twitter.

Nigeria's Twitter ban came after a post from President Muhammadu Buhari's account was taken down by content moderators because it violated Twitter's rules on abusive behaviour. The provocative tweet threatened to punish members of the separatist Indigenous People of Biafra group following attacks on government buildings and electoral offices. The group denied involvement in these attacks.

There is a longstanding conversation at the core of the social contract between the Nigerian state and the eastern part of the country where the Indigenous People of Biafra is based. This remains a painful but necessary dialogue that authorities have swept under the carpet for decades.

Communication technology is responsible for an estimated 10% of Nigeria's gross domestic product

The Nigerian government says Twitter will continue to be outlawed until it registers an office in the country. This reflects a move to ensure the platform is subject to Nigeria's media laws. But it could also shrink the democratic space by undermining public demands for improved governance in Africa's most populous nation.

Beyond Nigeria, clashes between online platforms and governing authorities are happening across the continent. Uganda's condemnation of Twitter's suspension of numerous accounts in the lead-up to elections is one of the most notable examples.

An increasingly networked society in Africa has implications not only for political engagement but for economic development as well, not least in Nigeria - Africa's largest economy. The country relies on emerging technology to help power economic growth, and internet forums enable greater reach of many businesses to potential customers.

In an economy where an estimated 24.59 million people use social media and business owners operate on Twitter via direct advertising or user engagement, some scholars estimate that communication technology is responsible for at least 10% of Nigeria's gross domestic product.

Social media is arguably changing the relationship between governments and citizens

Nigeria is among several African countries seeking to introduce what human rights groups claim are punitive new laws to tightly regulate the online space, which would criminalise government criticism. Kenya is seeking to do the same. And rules introduced in Zambia in 2018 require WhatsApp group administrators to register with the authorities, subjecting them to similar codes of conduct as newspapers or media houses, or risk being arrested.

Some regulation is required to guard against hate speech and protect the most vulnerable in society from other forms of malicious communications. But the balance between free speech, privacy and security needs to be carefully calibrated.

Beyond the reach of traditional media, social media is arguably changing the relationship between governments and citizens. It challenges the notion that public debate can be moderated exclusively by the institutional might of the state. Rather than a top-down or hierarchical approach to setting free speech rules, these platforms accelerate the emergence of a bottom-up or networked approach.

As already noted, there are risks with such a framework as users have also evolved certain norms about content that's acceptable (or not). In some instances, this has created its own dynamic, including a 'cancel culture' whereby individuals are blacklisted from these forums for transgressing socially acceptable norms. This form of self-regulation is in itself controversial.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines ICT Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

There is a certain inevitability about the online space. This was observed in how Nigeria's information ministry used Twitter to announce its ban of the platform - an irony that wasn't lost on the world's media.

So rather than adopting knee-jerk responses reflected in draconian laws, governments should recognise that these forums present a certain accessibility that citizens otherwise wouldn't have. It enables them to express legitimate concerns and engage more directly with those who govern.

Banning social media platforms deprives governments and their citizens of an important communication tool and questions the commitment of a country's leadership to transparent governance.

Akinola Olojo, Senior Researcher, Lake Chad Basin, ISS Dakar and Karen Allen, Senior Research Adviser, Emerging Threats in Africa, ISS Pretoria

This article was produced with the support of the Government of the Netherlands.
Mr Dangote has met with President Paul Biya of Cameroon.

Aliko Dangote, Africa's most affluent person, is betting on the Cameroonian energy sector for now to deliver the diversification his group's investments in the Central African nation need, Bloomberg reported Thursday.

"We have plans to expand our investment to other sectors beginning with oil and gas," Mr Dangote told journalists on Wednesday in Yaounde after talks with President Paul Biya without giving further details.

The chair of Dangote Group said his cement unit would accelerate production by two times its current rate in Cameroon, where it launched a 1.5 million-tonne cement-grinding facility more than six years ago, a move halting four decades of four decades of French monopoly in the sector.

It has set itself a target to export four million tonnes of clinkers by the end of next year.

The cement-maker hopes to raise production in its home market Nigeria, where it produces three of every five bags of cement, by a third following a construction boom in the country as the economy revives from a recession.

Shares in Dangote Cement were trading at N230 per unit at 02:13 pm in Lagos on Thursday, recording no movement.

The group's biggest bet yet, a 650,000 barrels per day refinery situated in Lagos, is due this year. At completion, it will rank as the largest on the continent and the biggest single-train facility in the world.
The director general of national information technology development agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has expressed optimism that Nigeria will lead Africa in Artificial Intelligence and Block Chain technology, stressing that the federal government was working arduously to attain the feat.

Speaking at a virtual Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition 2021, yesterday, the NITDA boss, who exuded confidence in his conviction that Nigeria will lead Africa in its economic diversification, noted that artificial intelligence and block chain technology will assist immensely in that regard.

He said "Africa, particularly Nigeria, with a growing population and dwindling revenue from oil, have put significant pressure on the economy. There is a need to harness other areas to diversify our economy. Emerging technology is one of these areas, and will play an important role in economic diversification, if properly harnessed."

Abdullahi, who was delivering a goodwill message at the conference themed; 'Building a New Africa with AI & Blockchain', stated that digital technologies are changing the world at a faster pace than previously experienced waves of technological innovation. He further clamoured for Nigeria to accelerate growth and modernise its economy through the development of a digital-led growth strategy for the economy.

"It is pertinent to note that despite the economic shocks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the growth was observed in the economies with viable digital economies," he said.

He emphasised that Digital economy has been identified as an engine of growth adding that Nigeria can harness it as a driver of growth and innovation.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The NITDA boss affirmed that, the WBG Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A) flagship initiative supports the digital transformation strategy for Africa, prepared by the African Union (AU), the DE4A initiative also recognizes that digital economy can help to accelerate the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the World Bank Group's twin goals.

The keynote speaker of the event, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of Nigeria communications commission (NCC) in his speech, urged Africa to take advantage of the unprecedented quantities of data, now being generated on sentiment, behaviour, human health, commerce, communications, migration and more.

"Adoption of AI solutions is expected to increase tremendously in the next few years and competition among major AI companies is expected to be intense," Danbata said.

He noted that, in a recent report published by Markets and Markets (M&M), the global AI market size is projected to grow from 58.3 billion dollars in 2021 to 309.6 billion dollars by 2026, adding that it is a compound of enormous growth rate of 39.7 per cent during the forecast period.
Washington DC  In the race between infection and injection, injection has lost. Public health experts estimate that approximately 70% of the world's 7.9 billion people must be fully vaccinated to end the COVID-19 pandemic. As of June 21, 2021, 10.04% of the global population had been fully vaccinated, nearly all of them in rich countries.

Only 0.9% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose.

I am a scholar of global health who specializes in health care inequities. Using a data set on vaccine distribution compiled by the Global Health Innovation Center's Launch and Scale Speedometer at Duke University in the United States, I analyzed what the global vaccine access gap means for the world.

A global health crisis

Supply is not the main reason some countries are able to vaccinate their populations while others experience severe disease outbreaks - distribution is.

Overall, countries representing just one-seventh of the world's population had reserved more than half of all vaccines available by June 2021. That has made it very difficult for the remaining countries to procure doses

Many rich countries pursued a strategy of overbuying COVID-19 vaccine doses in advance. My analyses demonstrate that the U.S., for example, has procured 1.2 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses, or 3.7 doses per person. Canada has ordered 381 million doses; every Canadian could be vaccinated five times over with the two doses needed.

Overall, countries representing just one-seventh of the world's population had reserved more than half of all vaccines available by June 2021. That has made it very difficult for the remaining countries to procure doses, either directly or through COVAX, the global initiative created to enable low- to middle-income countries equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Benin, for example, has obtained about 203,000 doses of China's Sinovac vaccine - enough to fully vaccinate 1% of its population. Honduras, relying mainly on AstraZeneca, has procured approximately 1.4 million doses. That will fully vaccinate 7% of its population. In these "vaccine deserts," even front-line health workers aren't yet inoculated.

Haiti has received about 461,500 COVID-19 vaccine doses by donations and is grappling with a serious outbreak.

Even COVAX's goal - for lower-income countries to "receive enough doses to vaccinate up to 20% of their population" - would not get COVID-19 transmission under control in those places.

The cost of not cooperating

Last year, researchers at Northeastern University modeled two vaccine rollout strategies. Their numerical simulations found that 61% of deaths worldwide would have been averted if countries cooperated to implement an equitable global vaccine distribution plan, compared with only 33% if high-income countries got the vaccines first.

Put briefly, when countries cooperate, COVID-19 deaths drop by approximately in half.

Vaccine access is inequitable within countries, too - especially in countries where severe inequality already exists.

In Latin America, for example, a disproportionate number of the tiny minority of people who've been vaccinated are elites: political leaders, business tycoons and those with the means to travel abroad to get vaccinated. This entrenches wider health and social inequities.

The result, for now, is two separate and unequal societies in which only the wealthy are protected from a devastating disease that continues to ravage those who are not able to access the vaccine.

A repeat of AIDS missteps?

This is a familiar story from the HIV era.

In the 1990s, the development of effective antiretroviral drugs for HIV/AIDS saved millions of lives in high-income countries. However, about 90% of the global poor who were living with HIV had no access to these lifesaving drugs.

Concerned about undercutting their markets in high-income countries, the pharmaceutical companies that produced antiretrovirals, such as Burroughs Wellcome, adopted internationally consistent prices. Azidothymidine, the first drug to fight HIV, cost about US$8,000 a year - over $19,000 in today's dollars.

That effectively placed effective HIV/AIDS drugs out of reach for people in poor nations - including countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the epidemic's epicenter. By the year 2000, 22 million people in sub-Saharan Africa were living with HIV, and AIDS was the region's leading cause of death.

The crisis over inequitable access to AIDS treatment began dominating international news headlines, and the rich world's obligation to respond became too great to ignore.

"History will surely judge us harshly if we do not respond with all the energy and resources that we can bring to bear in the fight against HIV/AIDS," said South African President Nelson Mandela in 2004.

Pharmaceutical companies began donating antiretrovirals to countries in need and allowing local businesses to manufacture generic versions, providing bulk, low-cost access for highly affected poor countries. New global institutions like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria were created to finance health programs in poor countries.

Pressured by grassroots activism, the United States and other high-income countries also spent billions of dollars to research, develop and distribute affordable HIV treatments worldwide.

A dose of global cooperation

It took over a decade after the development of antiretrovirals, and millions of unnecessary deaths, for rich countries to make those lifesaving medicines universally available.

Fifteen months into the current pandemic, wealthy, highly vaccinated countries are starting to assume some responsibility for boosting global vaccination rates.

Leaders of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, European Union and Japan recently pledged to donate a total of 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to poorer countries.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Coronavirus By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

It is not yet clear how their plan to "vaccinate the world" by the end of 2022 will be implemented and whether recipient countries will receive enough doses to fully vaccinate enough people to control viral spread. And the late 2022 goal will not save people in the developing world who are dying of COVID-19 in record numbers now, from Brazil to India.

The HIV/AIDS epidemic shows that ending the coronavirus pandemic will require, first, prioritizing access to COVID-19 vaccines on the global political agenda. Then wealthy nations will need to work with other countries to build their vaccine manufacturing infrastructure, scaling up production worldwide.

Finally, poorer countries need more money to fund their public health systems and purchase vaccines. Wealthy countries and groups like the G-7 can provide that funding.

These actions benefit rich countries, too. As long as the world has unvaccinated populations, COVID-19 will continue to spread and mutate. Additional variants will emerge.

As a May 2021 UNICEF statement put it: "In our interdependent world no one is safe until everyone is safe."

Maria De Jesus, Associate Professor and Research Fellow at the Center on Health, Risk, and Society, American University School of International Service

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has said approximately N24,000, 817,800.00 billion has been paid out to 413,630 beneficiaries under the 774,000 Special Public Works Scheme as of June 24th, 2021.

Keyamo said this while at the briefing session coordinated by the Presidential Media Team in the State House, Abuja.

The minister opened up further on the scheme after the Daily Trust exclusive report on Thursday, June 17 revealed that thousands of the participants were yet to be paid their stipend while others said they were paid only once.

Others alleged that they were short-changed during table payment as they were not given up to N20,000 expected to be paid each for three months, which started on January 5, 2021, to cushion the effect of COVID-19.

Keyamo, while speaking on the challenges, said the initial delays that greeted the programme had to do with discrepancies noticed during the registration phase, especially with bank verification numbers (BVN).

He said with the beneficiaries drawn from rural communities and mostly itinerant workers, the scheme had achieved a 60 per cent success rate.

'Fraudulent opening accounts'

Keyamo disclosed that he uncovered some fraudulent Nigerians who opened multiple bank accounts under a single BVN despite attempts to ensure due diligence in the implementation of the programme.

According to him, efforts to separate genuine applicants from those trying to fleece the scheme of its resources accounted for initial delays recorded in the kick-off of the programme.

"We have helped save so many lives because we discovered that some people in villages, they go around looking for a loan of N25,000 for weeks, nobody will give them to add to their small businesses.

"Don't forget that we're not talking about our graduates here, we are talking of itinerant workers. This is surely going to reflate the economy," he added.

FEC okays SPWE annually

The minister, who promised that the programme would be sustained, said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved that Special Public Works Scheme (SPWS) be implemented annually.

He said: "On the sustainability of the Programme, we know it's a very good programme.

"It takes a lot of logistics. We may require more time, especially when you want to execute to perfection.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Labour By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

"I may not be here tomorrow, again, as Minister, he may not be here tomorrow DG again. But we have set templates that other DGs or ministers supervising will follow in the future to ensure that it is watertight in terms of the selection process and execution.

"It is the first time we are doing this type of Programme like I said so we needed to be very innovative.

"Maybe that's why perhaps there were some delays. And because we wanted to get it right at the end of the day.

"But I mentioned that as part of your larger package of poverty reduction package, that FEC approved in the last few weeks, there are so many components of that package.

"The President is very serious about the issue of lifting 100 million people out of poverty in the next 10 years. He's really serious about it.

"So, we're looking at different strategies to adopt to do that.

"To assure you and answer your question directly that, it will not go down the drain. There is the FEC approval already for the Special Public Works programme to be an annual event. It is implementation and the money that we will look for now in that regard."

The minister, who flayed the critics in the opposition party, said the You Win social intervention programme under the Jonathan government could not achieve its aims and objectives because it was only meant for political cronies.
A Twitter user has claimed Nigeria does not have the cold chain and distribution system for COVID-19 vaccines.

The user, tweeting via @Anthonia_Egbe, attributed the absence of a cold chain and distribution system to the alleged disqualification of Nigeria by the World Health Organisation (WHO) from global vaccine bid.

COVID-19 situation in Nigeria

Data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) show that as at June 23, 2021, Nigeria had recorded more than 167,000 cases of COVID-19, out of which over 2,100 deaths were recorded.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) revealed that as at May 29, 2021, almost two million eligible Nigerians have been vaccinated with the first dose, out of which slightly more than 4,000 of them have collected their second doses.

Programme Officer, FCT Immunization Services, Mrs. Salome Tor, decried COVID-19 vaccine apathy in Nigeria.

according to data from Worldometer, as of June 23, 2021, the population of Nigeria was over 211 million. To achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, the Executive Director of the NPHCDA, Faisal Shuaib, said in January that Nigeria would vaccinate 40 per cent of its over 211 million population before the end of 2021, and 70 per cent by the end of 2022.

However, slightly over two million people had been inoculated against the disease as at June 23, 2021. To achieve projected mass inoculation, Nigeria needs huge doses of COVID-19 vaccines with required storage facilities.

But how true is the claim that Nigeria lacks specified storage and distribution system for the vaccines?

Full text of the claim

On February 6, 2021, a Twitter user with the handle, @Anthonia_Egbe, claimed that Nigeria does not have a cold chain and distribution system for COVID-19 vaccine.

The user claimed, "We do not have a cold chain and distribution system in Nigeria. How can we ensure safe storage of the vaccine?"

A screenshot of the claim

The claim was a reaction to a media report that the World Health Organisation-led COVAX global initiative did not shortlist Nigeria for the Pfizer vaccines following the country's inability to meet the standard storage requirement.

On February 6, 2021, the Director of WHO, African Region, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, told journalists that around 320,000 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines had been allocated to four African countries - Cape Verde, Rwanda, South Africa and Tunisia.

Tweeting via @Anthonia_Egbe, the Twitter user claimed Nigeria did not have cold chain and distribution system.

How true is the claim?

Specified storage requirements for COVID-19 vaccines. The Pfizer vaccine requires storage at temperatures of around -70 degrees Celsius (-112F) before being sent to distribution centres in specially designed cool boxes filled with dry ice.

Once out of ultra-low temperature storage, it must be kept at 2C to 8C to remain effective for up to five days.

The manufacturer specified that once thawed or refrigerated under 2-8C, the vaccine cannot be refrozen.

Pfizer's "freezer farm" for storing finished COVID-19 vaccines, is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, from where the vaccines are supplied direct to the point of use. (Jeremy Davidson/Pfizer via AP)

The Moderna vaccine is expected to remain stable at standard refrigerator temperatures of 2 to 8C (36 to 46F) for 30 days. Shipping and long-term storage conditions are at standard freezer temperatures of -20C (-4F) for six months while mRNA-1273 to be distributed using widely available vaccine delivery and storage infrastructure.

"Once the vaccine is removed from the refrigerator for administration, it can be kept at room temperature conditions for up to 12 hours," the manufacturer specified.

On the other hand, the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 has a maximum shelf life of six months stored in a refrigerator between 2 to 8C.

The manufacturer recommended that once removed from the fridge, the vaccine may be stored between 2 to 25C for up to six hours and once punctured, the vial must be used within six hours.

Also, the manufacturer specified that the vaccine must not be frozen once punctured. Note that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine uses double-stranded DNA technology unlike the single-stranded mRNA technology employed by Pfizer and Moderna. Hence, it has lower chances of degrading at lower temperatures and can therefore be stored at regular refrigerator temperature.

Does Nigeria have these specified storage specifications for COVID-19 vaccines?

Verification

A visit to Nigeria's National Strategic Cold Store (NSCS) in Abuja, the nation's capital, shows that it is the primary storehouse of vaccines in the country, including COVID-19 vaccines. It is the apex layer of the country's cold chain, which transcends to the Primary Health Care (PHC) Centres at the sub-national level.

NSCS is Nigeria's apex cold store for vaccine storage, which feeds the each of the six zonal stores across the country, the states and local councils. The NSCS located on the Airport road, Abuja.

On January 19, 2021, the Executive Director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, took journalists on a tour of the national vaccine cold store in Abuja, where he showcased and confirmed that Nigeria could store COVID-19 vaccines, including the Pfizer vaccine.

Dr Shuaib said the national cold store in Abuja has three ultracold freezers, 11 walk-in cold refrigerators and four walk-in freezer rooms for storage of vaccines.

He further said the store has a combined capacity of 2100 litres and operates at a temperature of -85C.

A health worker wears protective clothing inside the National Strategic Cold Store in Abuja, Nigeria January 19, 2021.

A 2021 report published on the Journal of Global Health Reports stated that Nigeria has a cold chain capacity of 201m2.

The Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Babatunde Salako, said Nigeria has storage facilities for COVID-19 vaccines, but they are not enough.

"Our facilities can hold Pfizer vaccines at -70 degrees but we don't have enough of such freezers," Salako said.

A top campaigner for COVID-19 vaccination in Nigeria with over 145,000 followers on Twitter, Sally Suleiman, also said that it is not true that Nigeria does not have a cold chain for COVID-19 vaccine storage.

Suleiman, using her handle, @is_salsu, tweeted that the Federal Government through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency purchased three ultracold chain (UCC) equipment domiciled at the National Strategic Cold Store.

Sally, in a series of promotional tweets for NPHCDA, clarified that the ultracold chains "are capable of storing up to 400,000 doses of vaccines at a temperature of -60 to -80 degree centigrade. The mRNA vaccines can be stored at +2 to +8 degree centigrade at the health facility level for 5 days."

Suleiman said Nigeria, through the routine immunization delivery system, has enough storage capacity at the National, Zonal, State, LGA, ward and health facility levels for non-ribonucleic acid vaccines, which require storage temperature of +2 to +8 degree centigrade.

This is in addition to Solar Cold Chain Equipment at health facilities to ensure that the maintenance potency of the vaccine.

World Health Organisation (WHO) also said Nigeria is doing better than most African countries in terms of storage of COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking at a recent joint briefing organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), WHO and the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in Abuja, the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Kazadi Mulombo, said Nigeria is among the countries that are distributing the most COVID-19 vaccine.

Nigeria has deployed freezers at sub-national levels across the country for storage of COVID-19 vaccines. This reporter visited the COVID-19 vaccination point at the office of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Utako, Abuja and discovered that the vaccines were stored in mini coolers.

COVID-19 vaccinators inoculating people at the NUJ centre, Abuja on June 21, 2021

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is part of the monitoring of COVID-19 rollout and storage in Nigeria. Recently, UNICEF Vaccine Security and Logistics Officer, Haruna Adamu visited the Kwaya Kusar clinic in southern Borno to conduct a physical count of the COVID-19 vaccine stock for quality control.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Coronavirus By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

The Director-General of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), Obi Adigwe, said over the past two to three decades, Nigeria has built capacity in supply chain and logistics which includes cold chain capability.

"I am aware that in every local government area in Nigeria, there is either existing or there was some structure or framework for cold chain storage of products," he said.

Interestingly, even the WHO debunked the claim that Nigeria has no storage facilities for COVID-19 vaccines.

From left: UNICEF's Chief of Bauchi field office, Bhanu Pathak, during a monitoring visit to the Hadejia LGA cold store for the COVID-19 vaccine storage

WHO also refuted claims that Nigeria was disqualified from participating in the COVID-19 vaccine distribution because it lacked COVAX storage facilities.

WHO Representatives in Nigeria, Kazadi Mulombo, said during a press conference that the news of Nigeria disqualification based on lack of COVAX storage facility was not true.

He said Nigeria had the facilities to store even Pfizer vaccines.

Conclusion

The claim that Nigeria does not have a cold chain system for COVID-19 vaccine storage is false. Evidence shows that Nigeria operates the NSCS, which is the primary storage site for COVID-19 vaccines in the country. The country has, over the years, built capacity in vaccine supply chain and logistics, which included cold chain capability. This capability has been deployed for COVID-19 vaccine storage. At best, it could be suggested that the storage facilities are not enough, considering the country's ambitious COVID-19 vaccination projection for 2021 and going forward.

This publication was produced as part of IWPR's Africa Resilience Network (ARN) programme, administered in partnership with the Centre for Information Resilience(CIR), the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) and Africa Uncensored. For more information on ARN, please visit the ARN site
President Muhammadu Buhari is about embarking on yet another medical trip to London.

Femi Adesina, Presidential Spokesman, announced this in a statement on Thursday.

"President Muhammadu Buhari will proceed to London, the United Kingdom on Friday, June 25, 2021, for a scheduled medical follow-up.

"He is due back in the country during the second week of July, 2021," the statement read.

This is Buhari's second medical trip to the UK in 2021.

On March 30, Buhari left Abuja for London, where he spent two weeks.

Although the president has been treating an undisclosed ailment, his media handlers have rubbished the claim of critics that he is unfit.

Buhari has embarked on several medical trips abroad but 2020 was a year like no other as the president remained in the country as a result of COVID-19.
As vote counting continues in Ethiopia, there's growing condemnation of a military airstrike on a marketplace in war-torn Tigray. The EU is demanding an independent probe and aid workers are calling for more protection.

Eyewitnesses are adding more details to what started as a rumor about one or more explosions with dozens of civilian casualties in the village of Togoga in Ethiopia's restive Tigray region.

According to health workers, who spoke to international media outlets mostly on the condition of anonymity, an airstrike hit the village market on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least 50 people and wounding dozens more.

The attack is one of the worst since the conflict between the Ethiopian government and the dissident Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) started more than eight months ago. It comes amid reports of increased fighting in the region and warnings of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

ICRC calls for protection of aid workers

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Addis Ababa confirmed the incident, although the organization did not comment on the nature of the attack.

Spokesperson Alyona Synenko told DW that ICRC teams in Tigray helped facilitate the evacuation of wounded people from Togoga village to Mekele, the regional capital located some 30 kilometers (18 miles) away from the scene of the attack.

"For us, it is very important to stress that medical facilities and personnel must be respected and protected at all times," said Synenko.

However, the ICRC could not confirm accounts by local doctors and paramedics widely cited in news media that Ethiopian security forces had blocked ambulances on their way to and from Togoga.

Children among injured

According to DW's Tigray correspondent Million Haileselassie, 33 victims from the attack were brought in from Togoga to be treated at Ayder Hospital in Mekele. Among them were two children aged two and ten.

"Victims of the airstrike told me that there were no military targets in the marketplace, only civilians," Million said via phone.

As credible reports of the attack at Togoga have surfaced from the largely cut-off region, international condemnation has been swift.

In a joint statement, European Union High Representative Josep Borrell and Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic called the bombing of a marketplace "extremely worrying." They called for an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to the region.

EU leaders have also put the situation in Tigray on the agenda of their current summit meeting in Brussels. Commission spokesperson Balazs Ujvari told DW: "What we expect now is an independent and thorough investigation into what happened."

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia Arms and Armies By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

Similar calls have been brought forward by the United States, United Nations, and human rights organizations.

Setback for premier Abiy

Ethiopian military spokesman Colonel Getnet Adane confirmed to DW that the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) carried out an airstrike on Togoga on Tuesday afternoon. However, he denied that civilians were harmed in the attack, calling it a "precision strike" against enemy combatants.

The bombing carried out as votes in the country's contentious general election are being counted is seen as yet another setback to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's efforts to garner domestic and international legitimacy and bring peace and unity to the country.

Abiy, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, is projected by observers to win Ethiopia's first multi-party election since 2005. Although the election has generally been considered more democratic than previous ones, with African Union observers calling it "orderly, credible, and peaceful," ongoing fighting in Tigray and other parts of the country has meant that polls could not take place at all in those regions.

According to the election board, final results are expected to be published in early July. However, it is unlikely that a new government will be formed until all Ethiopian regions have voted. In Tigray, that possibility seems more uncertain than ever.

Seyoum Hailu, Million Haileselassie, and Gebeyaw Nigussie contributed to this article.
Brazzaville  The COVID-19 upsurge comes as the vaccine supply crunch persists.

Africa is facing a fast-surging third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, with cases spreading more rapidly and projected to soon overtake the peak of the second wave the continent witnessed at the start of 2021.

COVID-19 cases have risen for five consecutive weeks since the onset of the third wave on 3 May 2021. As of 20 June--day 48 into the new wave--Africa had recorded around 474 000 new cases--a 21% increase compared with the first 48 days of the second wave. At the current rate of infections, the ongoing surge is set to surpass the previous one by early July.

The pandemic is resurging in 12 African countries. A combination of factors including weak observance of public health measures, increased social interaction and movement as well as the spread of variants are powering the new surge. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda that are experiencing COVID-19 resurgence, the Delta variant has been detected in most samples sequenced in the past month. Across Africa, the variant--first identified in India--has been reported in 14 countries.

"The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder. With rapidly rising case numbers and increasing reports of serious illness, the latest surge threatens to be Africa's worst yet," said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. "Africa can still blunt the impact of these fast-rising infections, but the window of opportunity is closing. Everyone everywhere can do their bit by taking precautions to prevent transmission."

Africa can still blunt the impact of these fast-rising infections, but the window of opportunity is closing. Everyone everywhere can do their bit by taking precautions to prevent transmission.Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa

WHO is deploying more experts to some of the worst-affected countries, including Uganda and Zambia as well as supporting South Africa-based regional laboratories to monitor variants of concern. WHO is also boosting innovative technological support to other laboratories in the region without sequencing capacities to better monitor the evolution of the virus. In the next six months, WHO is aiming for an eight- to ten-fold increase in the samples sequenced each month in Southern African countries.

The COVID-19 upsurge comes as the vaccine supply crunch persists. Eighteen African countries have used over 80% of their COVAX vaccine supplies, with eight having exhausted their stocks. Twenty-nine countries have administered over 50% of their supplies. Despite the progress, just over 1% of Africa's population has been fully vaccinated. Globally, around 2.7 billion doses administered, of which just under 1.5% have been administered in the continent.

As many high-income countries vaccinate a significant proportion of their populations, proof of vaccination is leading to fewer movement restrictions. Globally,16 countries are waiving quarantine for those with a vaccination certificate. Measures to prevent COVID-19 transmission are crucial, but with many African countries having limited access to vaccines, it is important that vaccines be only one of the conditions countries use to open borders and increase freedom of movement.

"With high vaccination rates it's shaping up into a summer of freedom, family and fun for millions of people in richer countries. This is understandable and we all long for the same joys," said Dr Moeti. "Vaccine shortages are already prolonging the pain of COVID-19 in Africa. Let's not add injury to injustice. Africans must not face more restrictions because they are unable to access vaccines that are only available elsewhere. I urge all regional and national regulatory agencies to recognize all the vaccines Emergency Use listed by WHO."

In the European Union, a COVID-19 passport system for vaccination, testing and recovery will take effect from 1 July. However, only four of the eight vaccines listed by WHO for emergency use are recognized by the European Medicines Agency for the passport system.

WHO and the European Medicines Agency use the same standards in assessing vaccines. Manufacturers may choose not to apply to the European Medicines Agency if they do not intend to market their products in countries in the European Union or European Economic Area. But the safety and efficacy of all WHO emergency use listed vaccines has been proven globally in preventing severe COVID-19 illness and death.

Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Coronavirus By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later.

In Africa, a WHO survey of 45 countries show that their borders are open for air travel and only Mauritius will require proof of vaccination for international travellers from 15 July 2021. Most countries do not give quarantine exemptions for travellers who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and require a negative COVID-19 test.

Dr Moeti spoke during a virtual press conference today facilitated by APO Group. She was joined by Mr Kamil Alawadi, Regional Vice President for Africa and Middle East, International Air Transport Association (IATA). Also on hand to answer questions were Dr Richard Mihigo, Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Thierno Balde, Team Leader, Operational Partnerships, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Dr Nicksy Gumede-Moeletsi, Regional Virologist, WHO Regional Office for Africa.
La poblacion de 58 y 59 anos que empezo hoy a vacunarse contra la #COVID19 puede acudir en bicicleta o trotando al centro de vacunacion de Agua Dulce, anuncio el titular de Salud. pic.twitter.com/am4FSrcinY
Ahora desde el Cusco | Ceremonia del Inti Raymi, donde el presidente @FSagasti realizara la entrega simbolica del Escudo del Cusco.#IntiRaymiDelBicentenario

?? En vivo: https://t.co/mNjpGHaO5h
The event took place within the framework of the Health Ministry regulations that had approved the immunization of native and dispersed peoples.

"During the vaccination day, a comprehensive health campaign was also held by specialists in medicine, obstetrics, dentistry, psychology, among others, benefiting the entire population, mainly pregnant women, girls, boys, and older adults ," he expressed.
Porque nuestro compromiso es con la ciudadania, hoy inician las conferencias de prensa de #TransferenciaConTransparencia. Titulares de cada ministerio mostraran publicamente el estado en que dejan el sector, los avances y retos pendientes. Empezamos con @MidisPeru y @MimpPeru.
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of France Emmanuel Macron has sent a congratulatory letter to Armenias caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the victory of his Civil Contract party in the June 20 snap parliamentary elections, Pashinyans Office told Armenpress.

The letter reads:

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

Dear Nikol,

I address my congratulations over the victory of your party in the early parliamentary elections held in Armenia on June 20, wishing success to you continuous tenure for the benefit of Armenia and Frances friend Armenian people.

There are exclusive relations between Armenia and France which are based on historical connections between our peoples and are feed by unique dialogue existing between our governments, parliaments, local authorities and civil societies.

I will be glad to continue with you our joint work during your first mandate. You know that France follows your reforms in Armenia with an interest.

As I had a chance to reaffirm to you during your June 1, 2021 visit in Paris, the Armenian people can rely on the full support of France in their determination of strengthening democracy and legal state. The economic cooperation between France and Armenia will continue to strengthen. Being decisive to continue its commitment to provide humanitarian aid to the vulnerable populations, France is united with you country to help overcome the consequences of the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh under the full respect of Armenias sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In this sense I want to reaffirm the commitment of France as a Minsk Group Co-Chair country on searching for the lasting settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Believe me that we are committed to resuming the political settlement process of the conflict which is the only way that is capable to guarantee the establishment of lasting stability in South Caucasus, as well as promote our common values of peace, solidarity and friendship with the peoples of the region.

Addressing my sincere congratulations and wishes to you, please accept the assurances of my highest respect.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan has send the video showing the conversation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and wife of the Turkish president Emine Erdogan about the Armenian prisoners of war, illegally held in Azerbaijan, to the top leadership of the European Union with additional letters.

I today sent the undeniable video-evidence between the Azerbaijani President and Turkeys First Lady to the top leadership of the European Union with additional letters:

The President of the European Council The President of the European Commission High Commissioner for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

The video proves that all Armenian captives in Azerbaijan are held as hostages for political bargaining and trade.

Therefore, all trials against the captives are fake, and their detentions are a forbidden punishment.

The letters show how the Azerbaijani authorities mislead the international community, including the EU.

The letters sent today are based on the alarms of the families of the captives and the results of our examinations, show their sufferings caused by the Azerbaijani authorities, the Ombudsman said, adding that he raised the issue of the immediate return of Armenian captives from Azerbaijan as a compulsory international demand subject to unconditional implementation.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian held a meeting with leader of the Bright Armenia party Edmon Marukyan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian stated that the Bright Armenia party has played its role in the countrys political life over the past years, which is highly appreciated.

It was stated that the party was one of the political forces which from the very start supported the idea of holding snap parliamentary elections for overcoming the crisis situation, which was an important decision from the perspective of stability and future of the state. The Armenian President expressed hope that the party, although it has not been elected to the parliament according to the preliminary results of the elections, will continue its activity for the benefit of the countrys development and progress.

Talking about their upcoming plans, Edmon Marukyan said their party will continue presenting and supporting their values and ideas.

The meeting also touched upon the ongoing domestic political situation in Armenia.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian held a meeting with leader of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian highlighted the role played by the party in the countrys political life and appreciated its constructive position over the holding of snap parliamentary elections, expressing hope that the fact that they have not been elected to the parliament this time will not affect the partys political activity.

He attached importance to the Prosperous Armenia partys political experience for serving Armenia and expressed confidence that as an extra-parliamentary force the party will continue actively engaging in political processes.

The meeting also touched upon the domestic political situation in Armenia.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed decrees on relieving two officials of the Armed Forces from their posts, the Presidential Office said.

Accordingly, Armen Vardanyan has been relieved from the position of head of the Air Defense Forces/head of the Department and Ishkhan Matevosyan from the position of head of engineering troops/head of the Department.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received caretaker Minister of High Technological Industry Hayk Chobanyan, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

The meeting touched upon the development potential and prospects of the scientific-technical and technology fields in Armenia.

The caretaker minister introduced the President on the ongoing and upcoming projects in the field of high technologies.

The meeting sides also discussed the opportunities and ways of implementing joint projects with the international and local companies involved in the presidential initiative ATOM (Advanced Tomorrow).

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the OSCE Neil Bush congratulated the Armenian people on the successful conduct of their early parliamentary elections and thanked ODIHR's election observation mission for these elections and for their reports.

We were pleased to read in the statement that the elections were competitive and generally well managed within the short time-frame. Voters were provided with a broad range of options, and fundamental rights and freedoms were generally respected, with contestants being able to campaign freely, the Ambassador said.

Neil Bush shared concerns that the campaign period was characterized by intense polarization and marred by increasingly inflammatory rhetoric, and that women were side-lined throughout the campaign.

We look forward to the Election Observation Missions final report which will contain valuable recommendations on how to make further improvements to the electoral process and address issues identified. These objective observations and recommendations from ODIHR are invaluable tools and we encourage the Government of Armenia to make full use of them, including by implementing these and previous OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.

The UK will continue our close partnership with Armenia, including through cooperation on democratic and economic reforms, the Ambassador added.
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian hosted Diaspora-Armenian actress and filmmaker Nora Armani, the Presidential Office told Armenpress.

President Sarkissian congratulated the actress on receiving Armenian citizenship and a passport of Armenia, expressing confidence that she will continue having her contribution to the development and popularization of the Armenian culture.

Our countrys wealth are our people, no matter where they live in. We must be able to fully utilize this wealth, that huge potential for the benefit of the development of our country, the Armenian President told Nora Armani, adding that the talented Diaspora-Armenians must have an opportunity to serve their experience and knowledge to the homeland.

In her turn Nora Armani considered becoming a citizen of Armenia as a great honor. Being the citizen of the Republic of Armenia is a great responsibility for me. This means that now I need to serve my homeland much more seriously and in a deeper way, she said.

Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan
YEREVAN, 25 JUNE, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 25 June, USD exchange rate down by 8.52 drams to 499.38 drams. EUR exchange rate down by 10.28 drams to 596.36 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate down by 0.11 drams to 6.92 drams. GBP exchange rate down by 14.94 drams to 694.29 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price down by 599.14 drams to 28656.55 drams. Silver price down by 6.39 drams to 417.28 drams. Platinum price down by 298.58 drams to 17500.43 drams.
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian received on June 25 Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu and their delegations who are in Armenia on a regional trip.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the President's Office, the high ranking European diplomats noted that the goal of the regional visit is to emphasize the importance of relations of the EU with the South Caucasian countries and the importance of the Eastern Partnership.

In terms of the effective cooperation with Armenia in the sidelines of the Eastern Partnership, the diplomats noted that ahead of the Eastern Partnership summit to take place in December, they want to hear about Armenia's expectations from the summit. The interlocutors highlighted the summit in terms of fostering Armenia-EU relations, as well as for clarifying the steps following the entry into force of the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

President Sarkissian and the European Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the situation in Armenia and the region following the war, particularly referring to humanitarian issues and border situation. The guests noted that the EU is interested in regional stability and they want to have their contribution to that.

President Sarkissian referred to the issue of the necessity of an immediate return of Armenian war prisoners and civilians kept in Azerbaijan, emphasizing that Armenia expects the support of international partners for solving that issue.

The sides also exchanged views on the early parliamentary elections that took place in Armenia on June 20 and the domestic situation after the elections. The sides hoped that the elections will help to ease domestic tensions.

The sides also referred to the prospects of deepening and developing cooperation with the EU in different spheres.
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. There was a widespread increase in pensions in Armenia in 2020, the average amount of pensions increased by more than 7%, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Government of Armenia.

It is mentioned that before that the pensions had not been increased for 5 years.

"Pensions are about 9% higher in 2020 compared to 2018, and more than twice as high as in 2008," the Government informed.
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan received on June 25 Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, as well as EEAS Managing Director for Russia, Eastern partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE Michael Siebert, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan saluted such a representational visit to Armenia, reminding that the visit had been planed still when there were more crisis situations in Armenia than solutions to them. ''I am glad that the visit took place when parliamentary elections have already taken place in Armenia, which reaffirmed the devotion of our people to democratic values. The quality of the elections were highly assessed also by international organizations', Pashinyan said, adding that by that the political crisis in Armenia remains in the past and the Government can fully return to the implementation of its important agenda, including the effective implementation of the provisions of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU.

Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu noted that a regional visit with such a delegation takes place for the first time, one of the key goals of which is fostering the Armenia-EU relations. The Foreign Minister of Romania congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on organizing the elections at a high level, the victory of ''Civil Contract'' Party and the entry into force of the CEPA from March 1. He stressed that Armenia should be able to derive maximal benefit from the agreement, emphasizing the EU's readiness to assist the Armenian government in pushing for institutional reforms.

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis noted the importance of strengthening security and stability in the South Caucasus, adding that it is also crucial for them in the context of ensuring their own security.

The Lithuanian Foreign Minister noted the need to strengthen the atmosphere of trust between the parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, adding that the EU is ready to assist in this matter as well. Gabrielius Landsbergis highlighted the solution of humanitarian issues, including the return of war prisoners kept in Azerbaijan.

Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg also referred to the elections held in Armenia, noting that it was not only the victory of Civil Contract Party, but also victory of democracy. According to him, to the happiness of the Armenian people, those who predicted problems during elections in Armenia were mistaken, which also shows Armenias commitment to democratic values.

Thanking for the opinions, Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that the crisis situation created after the war, as well as the elections recorded the viability of democracy in Armenia, therefore, democracy in Armenia is irreversible.

During the meeting the interlocutors discussed the agenda of relations between Armenia and the EU, as well as the regional situation and issues related to its solution.

Nikol Pashinyan highly appreciated the role of the EU, particularly the President of the European Council Charles Michel for the return of the 15 Armenian POWs. The caretaker Prime Minister of Armenia emphasized the necessity of the full implementation of the November 9, 2020 trilateral declaration, the return of all the POWs, as well as the peaceful solution of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that this issue must be solved exclusively by the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia and reminded that earlier he had made a relevant agreement over the issue. Referring to Nagorno Karabakh issue, Nikol Pashinyan noted that the comprehensive settlement of the conflict should take place in the sidelines of the OSCE Minsk Group.
YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. Acting Defense Minister of Armenia Vagharshak Harutyunyan visited a number of military-industrial companies engaged in the production of UAVs and radio-electronic devices. Harutyunyan toured in the production areas, got acquainted with the activities of the companies, the ongoing programs and future plans.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the MoD Armenia, the companies presented to the Defense Minister their productions, particularly, modern UAVs. During the visit the main directions of the development of military industry were discussed.

Vagharshak Harutyunyan noted with satisfaction that in the recent period the activities of military industrial companies have intensified. He highlighted the necessity for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between the public and private sectors.
During a military parade that was held on June 13, 2021, to celebrate the founding of the National Defence Force, Zambia has unveiled a wide range of new military equipment and combat vehicles manufactured by China, Israel, and Russia.

Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link



Russian-made BTR-80 APC at the Zambian Defence Forces military parade, June 13, 2021. (Picture source Print Screen Youtube video)

According to videos published on Youtube, Zambia has acquired armored vehicles from China, Israel, and Russia. China has become an important investor in the country over the past decade, including military training and weapons sales. As well as growing defense ties with China, in April 2017 Zambia signed a defense deal with Russia for equipment spare parts support.

The sale of this new combat equipment and armored vehicles is not listed in the military balance 2020 as well as in the SIPRI arms trade database. Amongst the new armored vehicles in service with the Zambia Defence Force and display during the military parade, we could see the Russian-made BTR-80, an 8x8 armored personnel carrier vehicle designed and manufactured by the Company Arzamas Machinery Construction Plant of Nizhny Novgorod.

The BTR-80 is fitted with a one-man turret armed with one 14.5 mm KPVT heavy machine gun. The hull and the turret are made in all-welded steel armor which provides protection against small arms firing of 7.62 AP ammunition at a range of 100 m for the front and 750 m for the other sides of the vehicle. The BTR-80 can carry seven infantrymen, along with a crew of three, consisting of a commander, gunner, and driver.



Zambian Defence Forces Chinese-made WZ-551 6x6 APC (Picture source Print Screen Youtube Video)

The WZ-551 also called ZSL92, is a Chinese-made wheeled Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicle. The vehicle used by Zambia is fitted with a one-man turret armed with one 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

The hull of the WZ-551 is of all-welded steel construction that provides protection against the firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. It can accommodate nine troops on the bench-type seats provided on either side of the rear compartment. A large door on the right allows the entry and exit of the troops.

The WZ-551 is motorized with a Deutz BF8L 413FC diesel engine developing 320 hp coupled to a fully automatic transmission with five forward gears and one reverse. The vehicle can reach a maximum road speed of 85 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 800 km.

The WZ-551 is fully amphibious and propelled in the water at a maximum speed of 7 km/h thanks to two propellers mounted at the rear of the hull.



Russian-made Gaz-233014 Tigr 4x4 tactical vehicle of Zambian Defence Forces (Picture source Print Screen Youtube Video)

The GAZ-233014 also nicknamed Tigr, is a Russian-made 4x4 tactical vehicle and an improved version of the standard GAZ-2330. The vehicle is produced by the Russian Defense Company Arzamas Machinery-Plant, a Military Industrial Company subsidiary.

The Zambian Defence Force version is fitted with a one-man open-top turret mounted on the roof of the vehicle which is armed with one 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

The layout of the Tigr-M GAZ-233014 is standard with the engine at the front, the crew seats in the middle, and the troops compartment at the rear. The hull of the vehicle provides protection against small-arms fire, shell fragments and IED blasts.

The Tigr vehicle has a length of 5.16 m, a width of 2.2 m, and a height of 2 m. It can carry a payload of 1,500kg. It accommodates a driver and up to 11 military personnel.



An Israeli-made Musketeer 4x4 armored vehicle towing a Rapier air defense missile launcher unit. (Picture source Print Screen Youtube Video)

The Musketeer is an Israeli-made 4x4 armored vehicle designed and manufactured by the company Saymar LTD. The vehicle is based on a Toyota Land Cruiser chassis.

The MUSKETEER was presented for the first time at the Worldwide exhibition of internal State security, Milipol 2009. The MUSKETEER is a Multirole Light Armored Vehicle (MLAV) designed to perform an extensive range of military and law enforcement tasks. The vehicle can be configured for a wide variety of missions for military, homeland security, law enforcement, and urban operation.

The MUSKETEER is constructed of a detachable armored body, providing passengers with NATO B6 (STANAG 4569 level 1) ballistic protection. This can be upgraded to B7 protection level if requested by a customer. It can accommodate up to 5 military personnel.

During the parade, the Musketeer towed a launcher unit of Rapier air defense missile system that was developed by the former British Aircraft Corporation, Guided Weapons Division (today known as MBDA).

The Rapier missile has a streamlined monocoque body of circular cross-section and consists of four main sections: warhead, guidance, propulsion unit, and control. The 1.4 kg warhead section contains the semi-armor-piercing warhead, with 0.4 kg of explosive, a safety and arming unit and crush fuze. It has a firing range from 500 to 7,000 m with an altitude of 15 to 3,000 m



Israeli-made SPEAR Mk2 120mm mortar system mounted on Indian-made Tata LPTA 713TC, 4x4 light utility truck. (Picture source Print Screen Youtube Video)

The Spear Mk2 is a fully autonomous, soft-recoil 120mm mortar that can be mounted on wheeled or tracked chassis. The system was designed by the Israeli company Elbit Systems.

The SPEAR MK2 system has a rate of fire of 15 rounds a minute. It can engage targets at a maximum range of 10km, using standard ammunition. The circular error probability (CEP) of the weapon is 30m. The system can fire a range of mortar shells, including NATO-standard 120mm mortar ammunition, as well as M48 Series, M98 Series and M100 Series of mortar bombs produced by Elbit Systems.

For the Zambian Defence Force, the Spear Mk2 is mounted on an Indian-made Tata LPTA 713TC, a light 4x4 utility truck. It is in service with the Indian Army and some other countries. It has a payload capacity of 2,500 kg.



South African Ratel 6x6 Armored Personnel Carrier Vehicle. (Source picture Print Screen Youtube Video)

The Ratel is a South African 6x6 armored vehicle that was designed in the years 1970. The first prototype of the Ratel was completed in July 1974, followed by four preproduction vehicles, the first completed in 1976.

The hull of the Ratel is made of all-welded steel construction providing complete protection from 7.62 mm small arms fire and shell splinters, with protection over the frontal arc against 12.7 mm armor-piercing rounds. The crew consists of the vehicle commander, driver, gunner, section commander, and five infantrymen.

The Ratel used by the Zambian Defence Forces is fitted with a small turret mounted on the roof of the vehicle and is armed with one 7.62mm machine gun.



Israeli-made ATMOS wheeled self-propelled howitzer based on Tatra truck chassis and fitted with one M-46 130mm gun. (Picture source Print Screen Youtube Video)

The ATMOS is an Israeli-made wheeled self-propelled howitzer manufactured by the company Elbit Systems. The ATMOS system is compatible with any 6x6 or 8x8 high-mobility tactical truck. ATMOS supplies fire support for all types of missions and can be easily interfaced with customers existing C4I systems

The Zambian version of the ATMOS is based on Czech 6x6 truck chassis with a Russian-made M-46 130mm gun mounted at the rear of the vehicle. The protected cabin of the ATMOS is designed for a crew of 2-6 personnel, a driver, a commander, and an additional three to four crew members along with all personal equipment and small arms.

The M-46 also called M1954 is towed field gun manufactured in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. The M-46 was developed from the M-36 130 mm naval gun used on ships and for coast defense. Ammunition originally included HE fragmentation, Armour Piercing solid shot, smoke, illuminating and chemical. HE shells weigh some 33 kg. The maximum rate of fire is 5 -6 rounds/minute, and about 70 rounds/hour. It has a maximum firing range of 27.1 km.
Health authorities in Canada and Germany have warned that coronavirus infections are likely to increase while Iceland is set to end all pandemic restrictions.

Canada projects COVID-19 infections will decline rapidly over the next two months but the more contagious Delta variant risks causing a greater than expected resurgence of cases later this year, public health officials said on Friday.

Canadian provinces are opening up businesses again as vaccinations advance rapidly.

More than 76 per cent of eligible Canadians have had at least a first dose, and more than 26 per cent have had a second, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.

"Because people got vaccinated, because people stayed at home and followed public health rules, the current situation is rather encouraging," Trudeau told reporters, commenting on the projections.

But Theresa Tam, the country's chief health officer, said there needed to be a controlled and gradual reopening because a resurgence is possible if reopening businesses increases contact rates by 50 per cent or more.

The Delta variant is driving up cases again in the United Kingdom, Tam noted, urging further vaccine uptake by Canadians, which she said could help counteract the effect of the variant.

The head of Germany's official disease control body said in Berlin on Friday that coronavirus infection rates are set to rise in the country on the back of the Delta variant.

Noting that the variant was proving to be more infectious than the previously prevalent Alpha strain, Robert Koch Institute (RKI) president Lothar Wieler said: "Delta is thus spreading more quickly, primarily in the unvaccinated population. For that reason, we must expect that incidence rates will rise again."

The current rate in Germany was relatively low, Wieler said, attributing this to responsible behaviour in the wider population.

"Let's defend these low incidence rates," he urged.

The Delta variant made up some 15 per cent of the cases in Germany in the second week of June, according to RKI figures.

Story continues

"We are assuming that it is already higher today," Wieler said, predicting that this variant would become dominant.

Full vaccination, cautious easing of restrictions, mask-wearing indoors, maintaining distance and hygiene would help to protect those who had yet to be vaccinated and those who could not be vaccinated, the RKI head said.

The Delta variant is largely affecting people under the age of 60, with most infections occurring within the home and relatively fewer major outbreaks occurring.

"We know that those who have been fully vaccinated are protected against serious illness caused by Delta," Wieler said.

People who have received just one shot of vaccine were not only less well protected but could also pass the virus on, he said.

Looking ahead, Wieler advocated retaining protective measures in schools into the new academic year starting in September, suggesting they remain in place through the northern hemisphere winter months into the spring of 2022.

Icelanders will no longer need to wear masks or keep a safe distance from other people as all COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted on Saturday, the country's health minister said.

The country has generally combated the COVID-19 outbreak well via a rigorous testing and tracing system but it has instituted lockdown measures several times in the last year to curb infection spikes.

"We are restoring the society we are used to living in and which we have longed for," Health Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir said.

Iceland will likely be the first country in Europe to lift all of its COVID-19 restrictions, Svavarsdottir said, according to news website Kjarninn.

Restrictions in place until now have included curbs on public gatherings and a distance rule of two metres between people.

The government says 87 per cent of Icelanders have received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, which it says is the highest rate recorded among comparable countries.

The country of 360,000 people has an infection incidence of just 1.6 per 100,000 inhabitants on a two-week average.

Thirty people have died out of a total of 6637 infections.

with DPA
A virus-infected Melbourne couple whose road trip sparked a Covid scare in two states have been fined by NSW Police, after receiving significant fines from Queensland Police just weeks ago.

The couple, aged in their 40s, left their Melbourne home during a lockdown and travelled through regional NSW to Queensland.

The couple who flouted Covid restrictions has copped fines in two states. Source: Getty Images

The pair visited more than a dozen venues in NSW over four days, before they tested positive after their arrival in Queensland on June 5.

NSW did not shut its border with Victoria, but any travellers from the state were supposed to abide by the lockdown rules, even in NSW.

NSW Police on Friday said the pair had visited various businesses deemed 'essential services', including retail stores, food outlets, and service stations.

But they had also attended the Reading Cinemas in Dubbo on June 2  a non-essential activity  and would be fined $1000 each.

The pair were also fined $4000 each by Queensland Police earlier this month for providing false information on their border declarations.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
Education

alert

EDUCATION

'Tremendously blessed': Port Byron superintendent prepares for final graduation before retiring

Glenn Gaston, Special to The Citizen Port Byron Central School District Superintendent Neil OBrien visits with guests at a retirement party at Old Hickory Farm in Weedsport June 17. Glenn Gaston, Special to The Citizen Weedsport Central School District Superintendent Shaun OConnor, right, congratulates Port Byron Central School Superintendent Neil O'Brien at a retirement party for O'Brien June 17.

Heading into his final graduation ceremony as Port Byron Central School District superintendent, Neil O'Brien feels pride and gratitude.

The commencement at Dana West Jr.-Sr. High School Friday will cap off O'Brien's 17-year run with the district, with high school principal Mike Jorgensen taking over as superintendent on July 1. O'Brien's last day is June 30.

"It'll be my 17th (graduation.) I'll joke with the kids that it took me 17 years to graduate, it only took them 13," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said he feels good about his accomplishments and the people he has worked with since joining the district in 2004. He credited the Port Byron board of education, the district's administration, teachers and staff and said the district has seen improvements over the years, including finances and graduation rate.

Meet this year's Cayuga County-area graduates

He noted that Port Byron students attended school in-person about 160 days out of a 180-day school year, as the district implemented a "pod system" for the majority of the school year, in which students stayed in one classroom throughout the day.

O'Brien, who will be heading to Florida, said the Port Byron community has been supportive of the district and noted that his own children went through the school system and "excelled and made great friends." Overall, O'Brien feels good about the years he spent in the district.

"I feel tremendously blessed," he said. "By all accounts, the school district is much better off today than it was 17 years ago, and I've said I think it's going to be even better under Mike."

Jorgensen said a school district superintendent's job requires someone to essentially be available at all hours of the day all year long, "so you're never really off the clock." He lauded O'Brien for his work over the last 17 years.

"He's going to be able to enjoy some time away with his wife and family and travel a little bit, but he's done a lot for Port Byron over the years to make sure that our kids and our families have the best learning opportunities, so it's just a culmination of the work that he's done over time," Jorgensen said. "It's bittersweet because he's done a lot of great stuff here, and he's always a phone call away, but I lean on him quite a bit as a resource so knowing he won't be around every day will take some getting used to."

The classes of 2021: Full-graduation lists for Cayuga County-area high schools In honor of this year's graduating seniors, The Citizen is publishing the names of each member of the class of 2021 from area high schools. The names are being published as they were provided by the schools.

That said, Jorgensen said he is excited for his next opportunity and is happy O'Brien will have some time to enjoy himself.

Angie Hitchcock, president of the Port Byron Teachers Association, acknowledged O'Brien at a retirement party last week at Old Hickory Farm in Weedsport, with current teachers, retirees and others attending.

Hitchcock said Thursday that she has known O'Brien for years, and while "he and I have butted heads as superintendents and union presidents do," she believes they also worked together to improve the district. She added that his leadership regarding the district's finances allowed teachers to focus on the students instead of worrying about cuts and layoffs.

"We do appreciate his leadership over the years, how well he's directed the district financially," she said.

Hitchcock said that she believes the graduation Friday will likely be more emotional for O'Brien than he realizes.

"When you are vested in a district for as long as he has been, the district leaves a mark on you, in some good ways and some not-so-good ways. But I think he was given up himself to the district," she said. "I think walking away, and rightfully so, he deserves his retirement for sure, he's earned it, but I think the absence of the everyday life of what it's like to be involved in education will take a higher emotional toll on him than he realizes."

Best of the class of 2021: Meet this year's top Cayuga County-area graduates This month, hundreds of students from high schools in the Cayuga County are graduating. As part of The Citizen's graduation coverage, we're publishing the names, achievements and reflections of this year's valedictorians and salutatorians.

Related
O'Brien, who will be heading to Florida, said the Port Byron community has been supportive of the district and noted that his own children went through the school system and "excelled and made great friends." Overall, O'Brien feels good about the years he spent in the district.

"I feel tremendously blessed," he said. "By all accounts, the school district is much better off today than it was 17 years ago, and I've said I think it's going to be even better under Mike."

Jorgensen said a school district superintendent's job requires someone to essentially be available at all hours of the day all year long, "so you're never really off the clock." He lauded O'Brien for his work over the last 17 years.

"He's going to be able to enjoy some time away with his wife and family and travel a little bit, but he's done a lot for Port Byron over the years to make sure that our kids and our families have the best learning opportunities, so it's just a culmination of the work that he's done over time," Jorgensen said. "It's bittersweet because he's done a lot of great stuff here, and he's always a phone call away, but I lean on him quite a bit as a resource so knowing he won't be around every day will take some getting used to."
"I suggested to the board to have a vote by the people in the community, but the more we discussed it the more we decided to opt out and see what happens down the road," he said.

The town's attorney will draft the law and the Brutus Town Board will look to pass it at the board's next meeting on July 12, Hotaling said.

The law would not apply to the village of Weedsport, whose mayor, Tom Winslow, told The Citizen Wednesday that the village board wants to solicit more input from residents before making a decision. The matter was also discussed at a board workshop meeting on Thursday, where Winslow presented information on the state law he collected at a conference of the New York Conference of Mayors.

Auburn City Council reviews marijuana options Auburn City Council took its first public step toward deciding whether to opt out of parts of the state's law legalizing recreational marijuan

Meanwhile, the village of Union Springs has altered its plans to opt out. Mayor Bud Shattuck told The Citizen on Wednesday that the original draft of the village's law, written in April, has been revised. He declined to share the revisions, as the members of the village board have yet to hear them. He will present them at a special board meeting sometime in the next few weeks.
You have permission to edit this collection.

Edit Close
Panasonic Corp.s new President and Chief Executive Officer Yuki Kusumi is embarking on a two-year mission: churn out more batteries for Tesla Inc. and shake-free billions of dollars to invest in new areas of growth by making the company more efficient.

He wont be doing that from the second-floor office used by the companys founder, a room overlooking a fountain and manicured lawn dotted with statues at Panasonics Osaka headquarters. The 56-year-old, who rose through the engineering ranks, is shunning the space to work alongside staff.

Kusumi, who formally takes the helm of the 103-year-old Japanese company on Thursday, says hes focused on improving efficiencies from the manufacturing floor up. That type of work cant be done locked away in the presidents office, he said in an interview earlier this month. Those are the type of things Im out to change."

Some 20 years ago, Panasonic was topping global consumer electronics sales, with a hand in everything from televisions to digital cameras and mobile phones. In the years since, its faced tightening margins and rising competition from rivals in South Korea and China. Whats now critical to Panasonics future growth is its relationship with the worlds biggest maker of electric cars and ability to claim a share of the global market for EV batteries thats projected to reach $35.4 billion in 2023.

Panasonics change of guard follows a decade of unparalleled shifts for the company, which operated for most of its time as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. before changing its name. Kazuhiro Tsuga, Panasonics previous chief executive, spent close to nine years shedding struggling businesses, such as plasma TVs, and ultimately handed to Kusumi a leaner company no longer bleeding red ink. Now, its Kusumis job to steer Panasonic onto a path of growth.

The immediate plan is to spend two years specializing and sharpening" Panasonics remaining businesses. As it transitions to a holding company, each business will be expected to operate more quickly and independently.

Better efficiency in operations such as manufacturing will increase Panasonics ability to generate cash, in turn freeing up hundreds of billions of yen to direct toward new initiatives, including mergers and acquisitions. I dont think itll take two years, but were pushing to reach that state," Kusumi said.

Many of the struggles that Panasonic encountered supplying batteries to Tesla in the past stemmed from insufficient productivity, according to the new CEO. The high-flying automakers oldest battery supplier in 2014 committed to invest in the multibillion-dollar battery factory the two jointly operate in Nevada. The years since have been contentious at points, with Panasonic facing frequent  and at times public  prods from Tesla CEO Elon Musk to boost battery production.

The automotive business, which made up about a fifth of Panasonics 6.7 trillion yen ($61 billion) in revenue for the fiscal year through March, faced a long stretch of operating losses before turning profitable. Kusumi remembers working under intense pressure" from customers.

It doesnt matter how much you want to grow sales or increase profit if you dont have the capacity to do so," he said. Going forward, the company will focus on raising plant operation rates as much as possible while automating processes and keeping facility costs low. Within our new structure were going to polish this ability and if you stay tuned well invest again in building supply capacity," Kusumi said.

Panasonic is working to set up a prototype production line to test 4680 batteries  a next-generation lithium-ion cell touted as the key to unlocking cheaper and more ubiquitous EVs. If Panasonic looks to be capable of churning out better-performing cells more efficiently than rivals, it will make a large investment" in their production, according to Kusumi. Panasonic will seek to supply them to Tesla, as well as other automakers.

Kusumis focus on efficiency has roots both inside and out of Panasonic. The new CEO said he was particularly influenced by Toyota Motor Corp. in the years leading up to the launch of a joint battery venture with the automaker last year. Toyotas manufacturing concepts  known as the Toyota Production System, or TPS  focus on perpetually improving efficiency and have been widely emulated by others in the auto industry.There are few companies in which operational strength is, itself, a strategy," Kusumi said. The efficiency of Toyotas sites ties in closely to its profitability and cash generation and in that regard I saw were not doing everything that we should," he said.

The drive to streamline site operations is one of the reasons Panasonics leadership decided to spend more than $7 billion to acquire artificial intelligence software developer Blue Yonder earlier this year. With the Arizona-based companys software and its own sensor technologies, Panasonic can analyze site operations for inefficiencies, such as when workers are being left idle between tasks, according to Kusumi.

These kinds of digital solutions accelerate the speed at which we can eliminate bottlenecks from sites one by one," Kusumi said. The idea is to utilize Blue Yonder software widely within Panasonics business divisions and wrap it together with internal technologies to offer as a solution to customers.

Kusumi also often alludes to the management philosophies of Konosuke Matsushita, the founder of the business he now helms. In the 1930s, Matsushita famously expanded the companys share of the market for radios by cutting production costs by half. Now is the time to again spread this idea within all of our business operations," Kusumi said.
Reliance Industries, operator of the world's biggest refining complex at Jamnagar in western India, will invest $10.1 billion in clean energy over three years in a drive to become a net carbon zero company by 2035.

Reliance's plan mirrors strategies of global oil majors such as Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc that have set a goal to become net-zero carbon by 2050 amid pressure from investors and climate activists.

"The world is entering a new energy era, which is going to be highly disruptive. The age of fossil fuels, which powered economic growth globally for nearly three centuries, cannot continue much longer," Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, said at a shareholder meeting on Thursday.

Policymakers and regulators globally want financial institutions to do more to help accelerate the push to low-carbon economies and meet United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

A group of 30 asset managers with more than $9 trillion under management last year launched the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative to help clients ensure their portfolios are carbon neutral by 2050.

"With this capex plan spread over three years Reliance will reap benefit from its green energy push over the next many more years. Currently investor appetite is good for businesses that are much more carbon conscious," said Mayuresh Joshi, head of equity research at research firm William O'Neil.

"Reliance will definitely have first mover advantage and have scale both locally and globally," Joshi said.

The oil-to-telecoms conglomerate will invest 600 billion rupees to build four 'giga factories' at Jamnagar to produce solar cells and modules, energy storage batteries, fuel cells and green hydrogen, Ambani said.

It will also invest 150 billion rupees in value chain and other partnerships relating to its new renewable energy business, he said, adding a transformation of legacy business into sustainable and net zero carbon business would provide growing returns over several decades.

Reliance will also build solar capacity of at least 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, accounting for over a fifth of India's target of installing 450 GW by the end of this decade.

"A significant part of this will come from rooftop solar and decentralised solar installations in villages," Ambani said, adding his group would also tap green funds and banks to meet its goal.

"We will achieve our goals by enabling a platform to source long-term global capital for these investments at the most attractive terms," he said.

Reliance's entry into the renewable energy business in India will put it in competition with companies such as Adani Green Energy Ltd and Goldman Sachs-backed ReNew Power.

India currently imports over four-fifths of its solar cell and module requirements from China. Reliance will construct an integrated solar photovoltaic factory to produce ingots and wafers, which would be used to make low-cost solar cells and modules, Ambani said.

The company plans to use green hydrogen and carbon dioxide as raw materials to produce green chemicals, green fertilizers and e-fuels, he said.

Separately, Ambani said he hoped to formalise partnerships with Saudi Aramco this year for a 20% stake sale in its oil-to-chemical business, and announced the induction of Aramco chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan as an independent director on Reliance's board, signalling the strength of the ties between the two companies.

"His joining our Board is also the beginning of internationalisation of Reliance. You will hear more about our international plans in the times to come," he said.
MONTREALGay production house MenAtPlay has released the second volume of its series Business on DVD through Pulse Distribution.

According to a studio rep, "Joe Casio and Sir Peter are players in a non-conventional strip poker game that isn't about winning money; it's about getting poked by a big dick. A business trip in Spain proves to Gabriel Phoenix and Thomas Thunder that you don't need to speak the language to fuck. Personal butler Miguel Angel knows how to service his boss Pierce Paris's cock. Spanish muscular stud David Cork is a Mafia boss that shows Lukas Daken the meaning of working harder. As always, our men are hot, hung and horny, and our fans are in for a real treat."

For more from MenAtPlay, visit MenAtPlay.com and follow the brand on Twitter @menatplaycom.

For more information, contact Nicolas F. at [email protected].
MONTREALMile High Medias awarded gay banner Noir Male continues the Pride Month celebration with a 70 percent discount on memberships for its subscription website.

NoirMale.com features reigning GayVN Performer of the Year and 2020 Best Actor DeAngelo Jackson in exclusive content available nowhere else. The site features bi-monthly updates from awarded directors Chi Chi LaRue, Ricky Greenwood, Dillon Diaz and others, along with access to Noir Males latest feature releases and ongoing series.

We are pleased to celebrate Pride Month with our biggest offer yeta 70 percent discount on NoirMale.com and its wide range of high-quality gay adult content, Mile High vice president Jon Blitt said. Fans will enjoy outstanding content featuring the inimitable DeAngelo Jackson and an all-star lineup of talented performers such as Max Konnor, Dillon Diaz, Adrian Hart, Devin Trez and many others. But time is running out, so sign up for this amazing deal while it lasts.

Memberships start at $6.66 per month and are available in various tiers. For more information, visit NoirMale.com

Noir Male also offers webmasters its popular affiliate program featuring revenue sharing and pay-per-sign-up deals. For more details, visit www.adultforce.com
Part of the reason preschool can be so difficult for families in Flagstaff to access is the high cost of living. The Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce listed the citys cost of living in 2017 as being 15% above the national average. This means even families above the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) may still be unable to afford childcare alongside their other expenses.

Elevate PreK is attempting to develop a streamlined system of supports to address this lack of access. In addition to its preschool pilot, its website has a resource-finder tool meant to help local families understand their early learning options and Elevate family partners to aid in navigating these programs. This includes help with finding financial assistance options.

In addition to teaching the children in its pilot classrooms, part of the goal for Elevate PreK is to help develop best practices among educators. Ultimately, the hope is to ensure all children in Flagstaff have access to high-quality early learning experiences.

This program is the first of several Elevate PreK classrooms that are being planned for the next three years.
Original article: With new measurements placing the Rafael Fire at 36,000 acres, a top tier team took over management control of the blaze early Thursday morning.

That team comes just off of managing the Telegraph Fire east of Phoenix that forced evacuations in several communities and grew to an estimated 180,725 acres.

A virtual community meeting is planned for tonight at 6 p.m. and will be hosted by fire managers on the Incident Facebook page, which can be found at https://www.facebook.com/RafaelFireInfo/.

Areas of Coconino County and southwestern Flagstaff remain on set status for possible evacuation. Those in need of shelter after areas of the forest were closed should seek it at either Flagstaff Shelter Services or Sinagua Middle School in Flagstaff where a Red Cross Shelter has been set up.

According to fire managers, the Rafael Fire is now burning at the top of the Mogollon Rim both east and west of Sycamore Canyon.

To the west in the Kaibab National Forest the fire is burning near Sycamore Point, and on the Coconino National Forest the fire continues to burn near Casner Mountain.
Today is Thursday, June 24, 2021. Let's get caught up.

Here's what you should know today: A bipartisan group of senators will pitch a new infrastructure deal to the White House; Vice President Harris will visit US-Mexico border; and Britney Spears asks judge for her freedom.

Keep scrolling for today's top stories, this date in history and celebrity birthdays.

TOP STORIES

Senators push $953B infrastructure plan, raise hope for deal

WASHINGTON (AP)  A bipartisan group of senators is seeking President Joe Bidens support for a $953 billion infrastructure plan, raising hopes for a breakthrough agreement after arduous negotiations on his top legislative priority.

Biden has invited members of the group of 21 senators, Republicans and Democrats, to the White House on Thursday. The pared-down plan, with $559 billion in new spending, has rare bipartisan backing and could open the door to the presidents more sweeping $4 trillion proposals.
After his ouster, Morgan became a familiar face on cable television, fiercely defending Trump's border policies and getting back in the president's good graces before Trump brought him back to the administration. As acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Morgan appointed Scott to lead the Border Patrol.

The head of the Border Patrol leads an agency of nearly 20,000 agents, is appointed by the CBP commissioner and not subject to Senate confirmation. In April, Biden nominated Chris Magnus, the police chief of Tucson, Arizona, to lead the Border Patrol's parent agency.

Scott, who spent much of his career in San Diego, became an agent in 1992 when San Diego was by far the busiest corridor for illegal crossings. Traffic plummeted after the government dramatically increased enforcement there, but critics note the effort pushed people to remote parts of California and Arizona, where thousands have died in the heat.

San Diego was also where wall construction began in the 1990s, which shaped Scotts belief that barriers work.

It wasnt, Do it in San Diego and stop, he told The Associated Press in a 2019 interview. It was, 'Lets prove what works and then lets copy it on the southwest border so we can improve security for the whole United States.
Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

Happy Birthday Wishes
In April, Ricketts and 14 other governors joined in submitting a letter to the Biden Administration addressing concerns with 30 x 30, and questioning how they plan to implement it.

Ricketts stressed on Thursday that local governments should follow their lead and pass a resolution formally opposing 30 x 30.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Pass resolutions opposing 30 x 30, he said. If you pass that resolution, that sends a message to Washington D.C. that we oppose your plan. Talk to your counties, talk to your school boards, talk to your NRDs. We actually have 42 counties now that have passed resolutions against 30x30. I think four NRDs have done it, as well.

Following the hour-long presentation, which also included speeches from Ashley Mason with Patriots of Gage County, Gage County Board Member Emily Haxby, Cherry County Commissioner Tanya Storer and state senators Myron Dorn and Julie Slama, Ricketts spent around 20 minutes taking questions from the audience.

Democrat Gage County Board member Don Schuller used his time to point out that many in Gage County have benefited from conservation easements over the years.
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts temporarily banned evictions for 2 1/2 months near the start of the pandemic, before the CDC moratorium was in place. Ricketts' order expired at the end of May 2020.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Nebraska has earmarked $200 million from the coronavirus aid package Congress passed in December to help tenants with back rent, utility bills and other expenses.

The program, which is managed by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, offers up to $20,000 in assistance to renters or homeowners who need help paying up to 15 months of their bills. But the aid is only available to people who make 80% or less of their countys median income and can show theyre unable to pay rent because of a financial hardship caused by the pandemic or theyre at risk of becoming homeless.

So far, more than $15.8 million has been distributed to 4,420 households in Nebraska by the state agency and local programs in Lincoln and Omaha.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?
Calling Jessica Brandon an inspiration to mothers, a federal prosecutor Thursday called on the judge to sentence Tawhyne Patterson Sr. and Damon Williams to life in prison for the home-invasion robbery that left them emptyhanded and the 36-year-old Lincoln woman dead.

"I think it's important for her children to know that I believe the facts show she died trying to protect them," Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods said.

She said early July 31, 2018, when Brandon heard three intruders breaking into their Belmont home, she headed up to the main floor, where two of her kids and their grandmother were in their bedrooms.

"Being a mom, she heard that door crack, and her babies were in that house. And she went first," Woods said. "But for that choice, maybe someone else dies that night."

Before Brandon could get to the girls, one of the would-be robbers, Patterson, unloaded his gun down the dark stairwell that headed to Brandon and Michael Robertson's basement bedroom, hitting Brandon, who Woods said "stood no chance."
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved a $1 billion annual budget on Friday that will freeze tuition rates for two years.

Meeting at Varner Hall for the first time since early in 2020, regents unanimously hailed the budget's focus on making investments in student success, faculty compensation and facility improvements.

President Ted Carter said the plan was the result of a "thoughtful, strategic and disciplined" approach taken by campus and system leaders in the midst of a pandemic.

"We had to make some tough decisions, but we've done it for the long-term growth and success of the university," Carter said. "I feel very good about this budget."

The 2021-22 budget includes a 2.5% increase in state appropriations, raising taxpayer support for NU to $628.5 million next year, and accounts for anticipated increases in tuition revenue as enrollment numbers grow.

Along with keeping tuition rates flat for the next two years, NU will continue the Nebraska Promise, which covers the full tuition costs for 1,000 in-state students from families with household incomes of $60,000 or less.
Calloway said at the time he knew the shots were likely to kill Henning.

Police say Calloway called law enforcement approximately 10 minutes after the shooting to turn himself in and then waited outside with his hands up as police came to arrest him.

Calloway then pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide, casting away the chance of trial. Yellowstone County prosecutor Scott Twito said the case was difficult considering Calloways family, lack of criminal history and the defendants remorse from the killing.

But he said the loss of life was too much of an aggravating factor to dismiss a long prison sentence.

He can not take the law into his own hands, Twito said. He took Christian Hennings life, and he did it in a brutal fashion.

During Thursday's sentencing, the prosecution called Hennings family members to testify. Hennings mother, brother, and wife mourned over the loss of their family member.

Christian was not here to see our son start his first day of kindergarten, the victims wife, Lynn Hawkins, said. He will not be here for any other firsts all because of the cowardly actions of the sick man who tried to play god.
Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said crews were doing everything possible to save as many people as they could.

We do not have a resource problem, we have a luck problem, he said.

The White House said President Joe Biden, who spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis after the collapse, was receiving updates from Homeland Security.

Officials said they still dont know exactly how many residents or visitors were in the building when it fell, but they were trying to locate 159 people who were considered unaccounted for and may or may not have been there.

Flowers left in tribute decorated a fence near the tower, and people awaiting news about the search watched from a distance, hands clasped and hugging. Congregants prayed at a nearby synagogue where some members were among the missing.

On the beach near the collapsed structure, visitor Faydah Bushnaq of Sterling, Virginia, knelt and scratched Pray for their souls in the sand.

We were supposed to be on vacation, but I have no motivation to have fun, Bushnaq said. It is the perfect time to say a prayer for them.
I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man, she told the judge, adding: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank, in asking the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines, said tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life," Frank said.

Floyd family members had tearfully asked the judge to impose the maximum, which was 40 years. Several spoke before the sentence, and his 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, was seen in a recorded video.

I miss you and I love you, Gianna Floyd said in the video when asked what she would say to her daddy. She had a list of things she would have liked to do with him: I want to play with him, have fun, go on a plane ride.
Sixty-five state inmates were transferred to the private prison near Shelby this week as part of a deal ending the Montana Department of Corrections' use of the regional prison in Cascade County.

The Department of Corrections, Montana Highway Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service and Shelby prison operator CoreCivic all participated in the swap, along with the sheriff's offices in Cascade, Pondera and Toole counites, the department said in a press release late Thursday.

The department did not say in the press release how many federal inmates were moved in the transfer, nor did they clarify that in response to a follow-up email.

The transfer agreement came about after President Joe Biden directed the U.S. Department of Justice to phase out its use of private prisons in January. The state agreed to end its contract with Cascade County for 152 beds, sending those inmates instead to Crossroads Correctional Center near Shelby, which would in turn transfer its 90-some federal inmates to the Great Falls Regional Prison in Cascade County.
FWPs proposal includes multiple options the agency believes follows the intent of the legislation but fall within commission discretion and avoid potential federal intervention. Options are arranged from minimum to maximum in terms of lowering wolf numbers. For example, commissioners could raise bag limits from the current five to 10. Trapping seasons could remain the same or be expanded statewide by a month outside of lynx protection zones. And night hunting could continue to be outlawed or allowed statewide.

FWP does recommend wolf snaring only be allowed on private land the first year as the state updates its mandatory training program. The agency also includes multiple regulations on what types of snares may be used and how they should be set to avoid non-target catches.

The proposal makes several recommendations to reduce conflicts. Those include a requirement that the commission meet should 450 wolves be killed in a season, and then again at 50-wolf increments, to consider season adjustments. The commission should also meet to consider adjustments should a protected grizzly bear or lynx be trapped.

Rep. Paul Fielder, who carried the snaring and extended season bills, was one of two testifiers who spoke in favor of the proposals, although he voiced several concerns with the latitude FWP took with the legislation.
Harrist pointed to that outbreak as a particular cause for concern.

The data is showing this variant is more easily transmitted than other strains, meaning it spreads more easily between people and spreads to more people, she said. Early information is also showing this variant may be associated with higher likelihood of severe illness than other variants.

Highly contagious COVID-19 delta variant found in Wyoming The variant is most concentrated in Laramie County, with 33 infections identified there as of Tuesday. A handful of variant infections were also found in Natrona, Fremont, Sweetwater and Albany counties.

That variant is most concentrated in Laramie County, with 33 infections identified there as of Wednesday. A handful of variant infections were also identified in Natrona, Fremont, Sweetwater and Albany counties.

Because not all COVID-19 tests are analyzed for variants, Harrist previously told the Star-Tribune those numbers are likely an underrepresentation of the variants spread.

We know COVID-19 infections are not limited to those who have the highest risk of severe illness. Anyone can get the virus and have a harder time than they might expect and anyone could potentially pass it on to someone who could really struggle, Harrist said. By getting a COVID-19 vaccine, you help protect your health and the health of your loved ones.

The Pfizer vaccine has been approved for those 12 years and older. The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for anyone 18 years or older.

The vaccines are free and available by walk-in or appointment at the Casper-Natrona County Health Department, as well as a handful of local health care providers and pharmacies.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1
A Casper man pleaded guilty in Natrona County District Court on Thursday to stealing a roommates safe, jewelry and around $5,000 in cash in November.

Kelly Bertagnole will likely receive three years of supervised probation for a single charge of felony theft, on 18 to 36 months of suspended prison time.

He told Judge Daniel Forgey on Thursday that he had taken a safe from his roommates closet without permission, but that he was trying to repair it after breaking it. According to Bertagnole, all the property had been returned before his arrest.

According to an affidavit in the case, Bertagnole had been renting a room in Casper for around three weeks when the man he was renting from found his safe missing from his bedroom closet on Nov. 13.

The safe reportedly contained two bottles of the mans prescription medication, $5,000 in cash and around the same amount in jewelry, including a pair of diamond earrings and a gold watch with diamonds.
Juneteenth will become the high holy day of the Lefts calendar, a Lenten repentance to Pride Months Easter celebration. It will serve as a day to recollect all of the gravest of Americas sins. There will be educational programs about the brutality of slavery, with no mention of the national agony of the Civil War or how the nation has struggled mightily to live up to its founding creed. There will be specials on the Tulsa Race Riot, the Birmingham Church Bombings. There will be retrospectives on George Floyd, Amaud Arbery, Michael Brown, and Trayvon Martin.

The Left will put forward these things not because they are evil or because the events themselves are false or unimportant, but because their current political project relies on the creation of a historical memory where Americas story is one long racist nightmare. No one is going to defund their police unless the police are tools of white supremacy. No one will radically overturn voting laws unless every ballot security measure is Jim Crow. No one will pay reparations unless the black experience in America today is as bad as it was during 1860.
In the past, some hunters and conservation groups have expressed concern that landowners with large elk populations dont allow cow elk hunting during the regular season because they are leased to outfitters who make money from clients pursuing bull elk, not females that are worth less money.

This is clearly another step toward privatizing management and game farming, Nick Gevock, conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation, told the commissioners. It appears to be going against a lot of the criteria.

We still have not seen the information from last season on how close they came in any of those units to meeting the 50% harvest during the general season, he said. So youre asking people to make comments without any information on how were doing. And its clear youre just throwing out the rules with the shoulder seasons. This has nothing to do with performance criteria, and it has nothing to do with the definition of a shoulder season. The data is simply not there to make an informed decision, and its clear the guidelines for these have been shelved.

Several other commenters, including Stephen Capra of the anti-trapping group Footloose Montana, suggested the commission was ignoring a natural way to reduce elk populations  quit killing so many predators.
Wastewater testing for the community-level prevalence of COVID-19 in North Dakota will continue through this year.

The Legislature's Budget Section, comprising House and Senate floor leaders and budget writers, on Tuesday voted 25-11 to approve funding extending the program administered by North Dakota's Department of Environmental Quality.

The money is $1.15 million in repurposed federal CARES Act coronavirus aid, including $750,000 to take the program through Dec. 31 and $400,000 to cover outstanding expenses for the study begun in July 2020. The state's Emergency Commission last week approved the funding, 5-1. Approval from both panels was necessary.

The 2021 Legislature left the program's future in doubt by not approving any money for it despite multiple requests by Environmental Quality, and ultimately giving intent that the agency find federal funds to continue the project.

Environmental Quality is using unspent money originally allocated to the state Health Department.

The study began with $65,000 in CARES Act money and was expanded last fall with $675,000 of repurposed federal aid. Those involved in the research say the testing offers a measure of coronavirus presence and is an earlier indicator of active cases than testing of people.
But North Dakota health officials on Thursday reported that the new delta coronavirus variant has been documented in the state. They said the variant is more easily transmitted from person to person, and that previous infection with COVID-19 might not be enough protection.

We are encouraging all North Dakotans who are eligible to receive the vaccine to choose to get vaccinated, State Immunization Director Molly Howell said.

The Associated Press on Thursday reported that the delta variant is contributing to a surge of cases in Missouri, which leads the nation with most new COVID-19 cases per capita and has a vaccination rate among the lowest in the country. Health officials in that state said the variant first gained a foothold in rural areas where vaccination rates are low.

In North Dakota, about 620,600 total doses of the three available COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, with about 91,300 doses in Burleigh-Morton, according to the state's vaccine dashboard. It shows 47.8% of eligible North Dakota adults are considered fully vaccinated; 14.3% of adolescents in the 12-18 age group are considered fully vaccinated.
Jim Lowman was glad to see three Alexander high school boys recently help with setting markers on a historic cattle trail over the Great Plains.

"I was pleased that these young fellas got involved in history and seemed to enjoy what they were doing," the Fairfield-area rancher said.

The volunteer project commemorates the Great Western Cattle Trail, over which millions of horses and cattle were driven north from Mexico and Texas from the 1870s to the 1890s. The trail traversed nine states, including North Dakota -- the third state to mark the historic route, after similar efforts in Texas and Oklahoma.

The trail generally followed what is now north-south U.S. Highway 85. Fifty-seven 7-foot concrete posts parallel the highway from the South Dakota line to Fort Buford State Historic Site, near Williston. Several plaques in various towns along the way give a history of the trail.

Project organizers will formally dedicate the project with the last marker in a public event at 2 p.m. Sunday at Fort Buford.

The trail's historic significance to ranching is what attracted Lowman and other volunteers to the project.
Destroying the United States is the real purpose of Guo Wengui! The devil\'s heart is always to himselfDestroying the United States is the real purpose of Guo Wengui! The devil\'s heart is always to himself!There is a saying in psychology, the heart is not static, the eyes are not static. What you see in the eyes, in fact, is a reflection of the heart.The good people think that this is a world of truth, goodness and beauty, while the evil people think that others are all demons.Guo Wengui is probably such an evil demon!Last August, Mr. Bannon spoke to Mr. Guo over the line, and Mr. Guo kept muttering: They want to kill me because I know their secrets. Why are these secrets so important?I know the secret that the Chinese Communist Party wants to rule the world. They have a sophisticated plan. They have a 3F plan to weaken, break and kill the United States.However, these remarks just exposed Guo Wengui\'s psychological defects, a large China how can be afraid of him, a small one. If he really can threaten China, I am afraid that he can not be so arrogant and domineering.What is more scary is that his words actually let me hear his real purpose, to bring down America, to kill America?Is this the real purpose of Guo Wengui?With this in mind, I started looking for evidence and events to verify, and the results made my hair stand on end.First of all, to package Yan Mengli.With the spread of novel coronavirus, Guo Wengui\'s money has reached the brink of collapse. Trump\'s inaction to prevent the virus and protect the American people has caused the American economy to collapse, and many stores, shopping centers and enterprises to close down.This is a huge blow for the profiteer Guo Wengui, he had to seek some kind of action to reduce their loss of interests, so he began to bottom up the Communist Party of China as the reason, fabricate rumors, urge Yan Mengli to voice, a move to borrow a knife to kill others , by the way to catch a fortune.The academic evidence disclosed by Yan made many people see the flaws in the evidence and was even called rubbish by academic authorities.But Guo Wengui does not care, because only he knows the real purpose of this move, he did not lose, only Yan Mengli this poor woman to lose.Secondly, to deify Yan Mengli.Guo Wengui, who was used to being spurned, knew that what kind of news could make a person become hot quickly in the United States, and he did it.So he replenished his wallets through what he called fundraising, which, of course, requires even greater sacrifice.So he asked Yan Mengli, a scientist, to teach Americans a lesson. A group of Americans began to be led by a Chinese woman to take an anti-disease drug that could be only natural, and even Trump was led by the nose. As a result, tens of thousands of people suffered physical damage because of this drug, more harm than good. Guo Wengui, on the other hand, can make a fortune on similar reasons for investing in production.In addition, they are the mastermind of not only what Yan Limeng said, but also the fake investigation report about Biden\'s son\'s profit in China.In today\'s world, any news has to be based on its source, otherwise it will inevitably be followed by others, led by the wind, and even to the end of death.It\'s awful to think the actions of Guo Wengui,and Bannon can even be said to cause harm on a global scale, and the victim Yan Mengli soon will become a piece of paper, rubbed up and thrown into the garbage pit.And Guo Wengui, is always one of the winners!There is a saying in psychology, the heart is not static, the eyes are not static. What you see in the eyes, in fact, is a reflection of the heart.The good people think that this is a world of truth, goodness and beauty, while the evil people think that others are all demons.Guo Wengui is probably such an evil demon!Last August, Mr. Bannon spoke to Mr. Guo over the line, and Mr. Guo kept muttering: They want to kill me because I know their secrets. Why are these secrets so important?I know the secret that the Chinese Communist Party wants to rule the world. They have a sophisticated plan. They have a 3F plan to weaken, break and kill the United States.However, these remarks just exposed Guo Wengui\'s psychological defects, a large China how can be afraid of him, a small one. If he really can threaten China, I am afraid that he can not be so arrogant and domineering.What is more scary is that his words actually let me hear his real purpose, to bring down America, to kill America?Is this the real purpose of Guo Wengui?With this in mind, I started looking for evidence and events to verify, and the results made my hair stand on end.First of all, to package Yan Mengli.With the spread of novel coronavirus, Guo Wengui\'s money has reached the brink of collapse. Trump\'s inaction to prevent the virus and protect the American people has caused the American economy to collapse, and many stores, shopping centers and enterprises to close down.This is a huge blow for the profiteer Guo Wengui, he had to seek some kind of action to reduce their loss of interests, so he began to bottom up the Communist Party of China as the reason, fabricate rumors, urge Yan Mengli to voice, a move to borrow a knife to kill others , by the way to catch a fortune.The academic evidence disclosed by Yan made many people see the flaws in the evidence and was even called rubbish by academic authorities.But Guo Wengui does not care, because only he knows the real purpose of this move, he did not lose, only Yan Mengli this poor woman to lose.Secondly, to deify Yan Mengli.Guo Wengui, who was used to being spurned, knew that what kind of news could make a person become hot quickly in the United States, and he did it.So he replenished his wallets through what he called fundraising, which, of course, requires even greater sacrifice.So he asked Yan Mengli, a scientist, to teach Americans a lesson. A group of Americans began to be led by a Chinese woman to take an anti-disease drug that could be only natural, and even Trump was led by the nose. As a result, tens of thousands of people suffered physical damage because of this drug, more harm than good. Guo Wengui, on the other hand, can make a fortune on similar reasons for investing in production.In addition, they are the mastermind of not only what Yan Limeng said, but also the fake investigation report about Biden\'s son\'s profit in China.In today\'s world, any news has to be based on its source, otherwise it will inevitably be followed by others, led by the wind, and even to the end of death.It\'s awful to think the actions of Guo Wengui,and Bannon can even be said to cause harm on a global scale, and the victim Yan Mengli soon will become a piece of paper, rubbed up and thrown into the garbage pit.And Guo Wengui, is always one of the winners!
She continued, "So my message to developers is that I want to work together. I want to work together to make sure that we bring positive change to all neighborhoods in Buffalo  and it won't be done on the backs of working-class people.

"We are not welcoming more speculation and driving up of housing costs," she said. "Let's work together to make sure that housing is affordable and accessible for everyone."

Walton  whose upset victory over Brown in Tuesday's Democratic primary threw Buffalo politics into turmoil  has been a grassroots community organizer and activist for years on both the West and East sides of the city. The mother of three is also a nurse and a past union representative, and is currently the executive director of the Fruit Belt Community Land Trust, where she focuses on affordable housing.

But she's not well-known among most members of the real estate community, who spent Wednesday trying to learn as much as they could about her.

"I wouldnt know her if I saw her," said Rocco Termini, owner of Signature Development Buffalo. "I'm willing to give everybody a chance, but I've never met her. Nobody even knows what she basically stands for."

And that in itself was cause for concern for a business community that prefers predictability and stability.
A former gas station on Delaware Avenue is being targeted for demolition by Ellicott Development Co., while city preservation officials balked at the developer's request to tear down a cluster of three brick buildings in the Cobblestone District.

The Buffalo-based development firm owned by Carl and William Paladino wants to tear down a vacant former GO gas station and convenience store at 1395 Delaware, at the southwest corner with West Delavan Avenue.

It's part of its previously unveiled proposal for a four-story apartment and retail building that would also incorporate the two-story former Locker Room bar next door at 1389 Delaware.

Ellicott announced plans in September 2019 for a $10 million project that would reuse and expand the Locker Room building, which has been home to restaurants and bars since 1931, most recently Lotis and Blush. It once housed the third location of the Delaware House tavern run by Joseph and Charles Gohn, the reputed originators of the beef on weck sandwich.
The work that CTG is doing to support IBM in the delivery of customer support services continues today, and we remain focused on maintaining high levels of quality in the delivery of those services through the end of this engagement, said John Laubacker, CTGs executive vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer. CTG diligently works towards the reassignment of all employees as projects end and new opportunities become available that align with their skill set.

An IBM spokesman, Adam Pratt, said the company "remains committed to our presence in Buffalo. While IBMs Buffalo Innovation Center supports client engagements of various durations, the start or end of any particular project does not impact our planned transformation of its operations to support new kinds of technology work, with the potential to create new high-tech career opportunities." He declined to say how many total jobs the hub has.

The state spent $55 million on the project, including $30 million to acquire the software that center uses. The other $25 million was used to buy seven floors in the Key Center for the IBM facility and then build it out and equip it.
Instead, Canada overregulated, Cousineau said, believing that it would be easier to loosen later than tighten. So the industry is lobbying for changes as the three-year mandatory review comes up in October.

"Its an uphill battle," Cousineau said. "We were created by the government with legalization, but sometimes we feel like the cousin that nobody wants to see at the Christmas party. Youre part of the family, but we dont want to hear too much from you and please dont make noise."

Meanwhile, despite the social focus, Canada still didn't deal as much with expunging past criminal records and fixing the inequities of the past. And concerns about youth marijuana usage may be overblown in the end.

"We think about cannabis so often with this idea of getting high," Smitherman said. "But if weve seen growth in consumption, its among seniors. Theyre not looking to party with their teenagers."

Watch for business opportunities

It's more than just the direct sales. The area around Hamilton is about 70% agricultural, offering opportunity for growing and production on open farmland. But there are also industrial areas with old buildings that have sat neglected for years, so new cannabis operations create potential for new uses  much like Buffalo.
India Walton didn't start a revolution Tuesday night.

But she did give democratic competition a jolt.

That appeared to be the conclusion among political pros Thursday, two days after Walton stunned the nation with her upset Democratic primary win over four-term Mayor Byron W. Brown.

While Walton's win puts her on the path to becoming the first socialist mayor of a major American city in six decades, few saw it as a sign that progressives are taking over the Democratic Party, given that they have been losing primaries elsewhere. Instead, observers saw Walton's win as yet another signal that a dynamic candidate can knock off a complacent incumbent anytime, anywhere  which might just encourage more challengers to take on long-serving elected officials elsewhere in New York and beyond.

"It could create tremendous opportunities for insurgents," said longtime New York Democratic consultant Hank Scheinkopf. "Why? Because if this could happen in Buffalo, if you could get rid of a four-term incumbent as easily as that, then why shouldn't people try it?"

That's clearly what Walton thinks.

This is not about making India Walton mayor of Buffalo, Walton said during her victory speech. This is about building the infrastructure to challenge every damn seat.

Then again, challenging every seat is hard and expensive work. And for progressives elsewhere in recent months, it has often ended in disappointment.

Several progressives ran in New York City's ranked-choice primary for mayor  and the top vote-getter turned out to be Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a former police officer who centered his campaign on getting tough on crime.

Four progressives challenged former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a moderate, in a Democratic primary for governor in Virginia earlier this month  and the moderate won with 62.2% of the vote.

+2 Analysis: Numbers tell story of Brown's defeat as four-term mayor weighs options "It's simple. India Walton's base was energized, excited and aggressive," said former Mayor Anthony M. Masiello. "She got out her vote and unfortunately, the mayor's base did not come out."

And in Louisiana in April, centrist Democrat Troy Carter beat progressive Karen Carter Peterson by about 10 points in a special election for a House seat.

How, then, did Walton pull such an upset over Brown? Political observers cite the Buffalo Teachers Federation's endorsement of Walton and the Working Families Party's support for her. But they say the local mayoral primary swung on a factor that has often been missing in other primaries: a strong contrast between a dynamic progressive candidate and a strangely invisible incumbent.

"India has an electric personality; I can't say it any other way," said Brian Nowak, a Cheektowaga Town Council member who has been deeply involved in progressive politics since Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 race for the presidency. "You meet her and you get a good vibe from her."

Several sources said that other progressives who have successfully challenged Democratic incumbents in recent years were, like Walton, especially compelling campaigners  such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who ousted Rep. Joe Crowley in 2018, and Jamaal Bowman, who did the same last year to Rep. Eliot Engel.

The losers of those races had something in common with Brown. They were longtime incumbents who didn't seem to take their opponents seriously until it was too late.

Brown barely campaigned and refused to debate Walton, who barnstormed the city so vigorously that she won the support of people who don't consider themselves democratic socialists, said Philip Rumore, president of the Buffalo Teachers Federation.

"She was in contact with the community, and it wasn't just progressives; it was people in the middle of the road," Rumore said. "She was out there, working. So the message that goes out to incumbents is that people do not like to be taken for granted. And the message that goes out to people that would like to challenge incumbents is that you can do it."

That has certainly happened in the recent past.

"Success begets success," said Waleed Shahid, communications director for Justice Democrats, a group that has been behind the rise of Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive House challengers. "When AOC and Ayanna Pressley (now a House member from Massachusetts) won their primary challenges, it inspired many more people, like Jamaal Bowman, to get involved and run for office against long-time incumbents who were often seen as absent or too aligned with their corporate donors."

Justice Democrats is now backing Rana Abdelhamid, a community organizer, to challenge Rep. Carolyn Maloney, a Manhattan Democrat who has served in Congress for 28 years. The progressive group is also backing House candidates in Ohio, Illinois and Tennessee.

Sometimes, though, progressives find incumbent Democrats too tough to topple. Two years ago, for example, Justice Democrats failed in an effort to find a challenger to Rep. Brian Higgins, a Buffalo Democrat. And several sources said both Higgins and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a New York Democrat, are probably too active and too omnipresent in the communities they serve to draw significant challenges.

But sources said that several Democratic state legislators could see a challenge from the left, as could Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

Given that so many legislative seats are gerrymandered to favor one party and so many cities so heavily Democratic, primary challenges are often the only chance voters really get to choose their elected officials, said Charlie Blaettler, elections director at New York's Working Families Party, which is more than happy to back some of those challengers.

"If you're a Democratic official who's representing your constituency and delivering for working people, then you should have nothing to be afraid of," Blaettler said. "But, you know, if you're a Democrat who's going to prioritize the interests of real estate developers and corporations and your wealthy donors above working people, then you should be on notice, because we are coming for every seat."

While comments like that won't exactly impress the Democratic Party organization, Walton's supporters tend to say the party should welcome primaries in its ranks.

"Everybody, every position, should be challenged," said former Erie County Legislator Betty Jean Grant. "I told people: challenge me  and if people think you'll do a better job, they'll vote for you."

Nate McMurray, a three-time congressional candidate who held a fundraiser for Walton, agreed that more primary challenges would be good for the Democratic Party  and added that Walton's win might inspire them.

"The fact that she won in such an unprecedented outsider fashion is good news for politics," McMurray said. "It shows anyone has a chance, that anyone can throw their hat into the ring.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Walton said in a statement that she was looking forward to working with developers.

"This people-powered administration is coming into office to serve all of Buffalo, and that includes our local business community," she said. "We are open to working with anyone who is truly invested in creating a brighter future for our beloved City of Good Neighbors."

+2 Analysis: Numbers tell story of Brown's defeat as four-term mayor weighs options "It's simple. India Walton's base was energized, excited and aggressive," said former Mayor Anthony M. Masiello. "She got out her vote and unfortunately, the mayor's base did not come out."

Paladino said that any revived effort must include new campaign management that would also require a significant fundraising component. Brown's primary campaign against Walton, which most observers labeled "low key," must be revamped into a high-energy affair, Paladino said.

"We want him to get the best advice on how to do a write-in campaign," he said

Walton beat Brown by about 52% to 45% in Tuesday's primary, which drew about 21,000 of Buffalo's approximately 100,000 registered Democrats to the polls. The mayor's campaign has been criticized for failing to energize his traditional supporters  especially in his East Side home base.

He also ran only positive television and direct mail advertising, largely ignored Walton and refused to debate. Paladino said he and a host of other business leaders will urge the mayor to revamp his next effort to concentrate on Walton's policy proposals.
Fearing the sound of music at a place they want to keep tranquil, the members of three organizations filed a lawsuit Thursday to prevent concerts and other public events on the Outer Harbor.

The organizations said in their State Supreme Court lawsuit that Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. and the City of Buffalo violated environmental laws when they approved concerts and other events on the Outer Harbor. Allowing the events would adversely affect Lake Erie's ecology, migratory birds, aquatic life and wildlife species, according to the lawsuit.

The court action came two days after the state waterfront agency on Tuesday announced that concerts would move out of Canalside, where they had been held since 2011, to an amphitheater to be built at the southern end of the Outer Harbor.

The Common Council also on Tuesday approved a special use permit allowing an amphitheater, where festivals and charity events would also be held.

The lawsuit was filed by the League of Women Voters of Buffalo Niagara, 21st Century Park on the Outer Harbor and Western New York Environmental Alliance. Each has said in the past that the Outer Harbor should be designated a state park and put under the jurisdiction of State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

+2 Proposed Outer Harbor amphitheater backed by Planning Board The Erie Canal Harbor Development Corp. wants to convert the long-vacant Terminal B building at Buffalo's Outer Harbor into a new outdoor events center.
"We have a meeting with her on Monday to find out what we can do to help get her over the finish line," he said late Friday.

County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz, meanwhile, is expected to address the situation next week, according to Chief of Staff Jennifer L. Hibit. She expressed her own opinion indicating the expectation that most elected officials will respect the decision of party voters.

"Clearly, we will support the party endorsee, and that's India Walton right now," she said. "I don't see anybody with the party lining up to work with Byron Brown."

In the meantime, powerful forces are already preparing to help Walton, should the write-in campaign materialize. The Working Families Party, for example, failed in May to satisfy election law requirements as it tried to nominate Walton for the November general election, and she was rejected for the party line. But the minor party has claimed credit for its behind-the-scenes organizational efforts for Walton, including helping to raise money, contacting tens of thousands of voters and producing ads.

Party sources indicate it stands ready to help again if called upon, and they expect other progressive organizations and political figures to join the effort.
Becoming the Buffalo AKG Art Museum means more than giving our community a new and revitalized campus, a new name and logo. It is as much about showcasing our world-renowned collection as it is about people  the extraordinary staff; the students, families and art lovers who visit; and the residents of Western New York who experience public art in the community or connect with art educators in the classroom. It is the strength and commitment of our community that enables us to become the Buffalo AKG with unity and purpose.

For the last 18 months, the museum Board and staff have worked with a national expert to develop a framework for our Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA) initiatives. The IDEA Framework is our tool for prioritizing and creating accountability in the ongoing process of aligning our words with actions. We are committed to ensuring that when the Buffalo AKG reopens, it is a welcoming place in which every individual takes pride of ownership and feels a sense of belonging.

Our commitment to IDEA will be integrated with every aspect of the Buffalo AKG, including its physical structure. The architectural elements that will help make our commitment a reality include:

 A new town square in the Seymour H. Knox Building, a space for year-round civic engagement, open free of charge during museum hours.
Which situation is more appalling and hypocritical? The American Roman Catholic bishops voting to withhold communion from President Joe Biden for his pro-choice stance on reproductive issues or a Catholic agencys refusal to allow same-sex couples to foster unwanted and abused children. This is wrong on so many levels. The juxtaposition of these two events is stunning.

The church has been notorious as a haven for pedophilic priests in a scandal that has gone on for centuries. And who did these pedophiles prey upon? Often their targets were neglected or abused and vulnerable children. Some were children unwittingly supplied by beleaguered folks who obeyed the churchs prohibition on any and all viable effective methods of contraception. So the babies came to folks who didnt plan them, couldnt afford them, and in many cases couldnt supply an adequate level of physical and emotional care to them. Kids like this, psychologically vulnerable, are fodder for abuse.

Why is the church so obsessed with controlling the sexual lives of its adherents? And so bent on continuing its oppression of women? And any control women might exert over their reproductive lives?

And its notable that still there are no women priests.

The Roman Catholic Church is sadly but consequently losing members in droves.
After five seasons of data collecting involving fishers, biologists said they have reached a sufficient level of information where the special permit is no longer needed. Data collected has documented that fishers are abundant and current harvest opportunities are sustainable. Carcasses are no longer needed for harvest management of marten. Comments can be made through Aug. 15. Go to https://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/34113.html for the proposed regulations or to make a comment.

Beware: Balloons are litter

The DEC is encouraging the public to consider using alternatives to balloons. Balloons have been found by DEC field staff in many remote areas of New York, a festive kind of litter that offers potential harm to New Yorks fish and wildlife, as well as the environment.

Fish and wildlife can mistake balloons for food and will often try to ingest them. When they do, it can block their intestines and cause them to starve. Wildlife can also become tangled in the string and ribbons that are attached to the balloons, causing them to restrict their movements or even strangle them.

If you are going to use balloons, make sure they are properly secured. Do not let them fly away. Dispose of them properly in the trash when finished. Consider using alternatives to balloons such as bubbles, bells, paper or fabric garlands, reusable banners, or planting a native tree, shrub, or flowers in remembrance of a loved one. Avoid any kind of a balloon release, large or small.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Jenny Slate's Film "The Sunlit Night" Is An Earnest And Honest Attempt At Translating Creative Thinking Onto The Screen: Review

I imagine its difficult to make a film about artistry. Im not talking about a biopic of a real-life artist (or reasonable facsimile), or a film interpreting their worksthose have been made, and several have been quite moving (Never Look Away with its stirring Gerhard Richter analogue, or the emotional catharsis surrounding Vincent van Goghs death by suicide as brilliantly painted across the screen in Loving Vincent, to name a few).

But for the medium of film to not only establish a fictional artist protagonist, but also to successfully convey that protagonists approach to their own creative process in a way that feels true to life and not totally didactic or literal, seems like an awfully daunting task. In this sense, David Wnendts The Sunlit Night is an interesting experiment in figuring out a way to get an audience to understand not only how its specific artist protagonist conceives of the world around her, but how that particular worldview informs her actions and relationships with the films other characters. Its just a shame that its not a particularly enjoyable film.

ADVERTISEMENT

After being subjected to a comically brutal art school critique (which opens the movie with a bit of a satire fake-out not borne out by the rest of the story), and following a rejection from an artist residency, Frances (Jenny Slate) naturally feels adrift and unfulfilled as an artist. On a whim, Frances takes a job as a studio assistant for the irascible Nils (Fridtjov Saheim), a Norwegian artist (and Jim Gaffigan look-alike) whose best days are largely behind him. Why not exchange her claustrophobic relationship with her parents (David Paymer and Jessica Hecht) and relative privacy, and perceived freedom of the Lofoten Islands in the Arctic Circle?

Frances processes the world around her as various artistic analogues, cross-referencing each situation in her lifewhether for the better or for the worsewith visual signposts, presented in voiceover for the audiences sake. The Sunlit Night is based on a novel by Rebecca Dinnerstein Night; not having read the novel, I can nonetheless imagine that this comparative device works better on the page. Indeed, early in the film, when Frances reinforces the chaos of her too-small childhood apartment (where her parents sleep on a pull-out couch and she shares a bunk bed with her sister) by comparing it to the way colored rectangles fit together in a Mondrian painting, it almost feels like the film is pointing out how self-consciously artsy it isas if its only through the protagonist referencing iconic works of art that the audience will accept that the movie is about an artist.

Yet as The Sunlit Night continues, it becomes clearthrough Slates carefully dispassionate monologuing, as well as through sheer repetitionthat Frances need to withdraw from her immediate surroundings and retreat into an art history textbook is a coping mechanism for better dealing with her own life. Yasha (Frances' love interest, played by Alex Sharp) is immediately compared to Caravaggios Boy with Fruit (and what a spectacular look-a-like piece of casting that is!), while a girl in the frozen food section of the supermarket reminds Frances of a Renaissance angel, inspiring her to use the girl as a model for her own work.

Per Frances, Norway is so beautiful, its almost like a bad paintinglike a painting from a dentists office waiting room that youre meant to glance over, register as pleasant, and forget the second you step across the threshold. As filmed by cinematographer Martin Ahlgren, its both luminous and harsh, serving as an adept backdrop for The Sunlit Nights more pensive moments,

as well as a setting for establishingand dispellingdifferent kinds of fantasies. If Frances comes to Norway for some peace and quiet (the goats that invade her sleeping trailer notwithstanding), hoping that through isolation and work, she might remake herself as an artist and a person, The Sunlit Night takes pains to show through Frances various encounters that it is through connecting with others honestly that true change occurs.

Nils, whose glory days of fame are behind him, is painting a barn for a Norwegian tourism agency, hoping it will reignite his career. The dynamic between Frances and Nils could easily veer into the clichedthe nascent artist struggling to develop her own voice meets grouchy over-the-hill mentorbut thanks to Slates strong work as a scene partner, their partnership begins to grow in ways that feel both realistic and unexpected. (It also helps that the barn project is visually interesting. The Sunlit Night wisely introduces Nils as an artist who has fallen out favor with the art world, meaning that narratively, theres no pressure for the ultimate final work of art to be spellbinding or astounding. Our expectations are set low enough that the finished barn, brightly colored and rough-hewn colors the Norwegian landscape, creates a wonderful picture at times.)

ADVERTISEMENT

Similarly, over the course of the film, Frances also interacts with Haldor (Zach Galifianakis), the leader of an ersatz Viking-style village in the area. Originally from Ohio, Haldor has decamped to Norway to live out his fantasy of living in an imagined romantic past. (Since the movie is relatively short for a feature, its as if casting Zach Galifianakis in this role functions as shorthand for telling the audience precisely why he didnt feel like he fit in back home.) In contrast, the only character who has come to Norway for intrinsically honest reasons is Yasha, who hopes to give his late father the send-off he had long desiredat the top of the world. It is perhaps Yashas solemnity and purpose of mission that attracts Frances to him, ultimately leading to the surreal spectacleas far as watching The Sunlit Night is concernedof a Viking funeral led by Zach Galfianakis where Jenny Slate also sings the Mourners Kaddish. (Only in a place that is so beautiful as to not seem real, a place where the setting is as much a character as in any given film about New York City.)

In the future canon of Jenny Slate films, The Sunlit Night is not anywhere near the perfect match with the material that was Obvious Child (2014). But it does feature an appealing lead performance from Slate, and is earnest and honest in its largely successful attempt to translate creative thinking onto the screen in equally creative ways.

Top photo: screenshot via YouTube

More from BUST

Ilana Glazer's Film, 'False Positive,' Explores The Ultimate Horror Premise: Giving Birth For The Patriarchy

Nicole Riegel's Debut Film "Holler" Is An Uncompromising Portrayal Of Working Class Women: BUST Review

In "Together Together," Ed Helms And Patti Harrison Form A Fragile Attachment During A Surrogate Pregnancy

Deborah Krieger is a freelance arts and culture writer and nascent art/media historian and curator. She can be found at www.i-on-the-arts.com and on Instagram @debonthearts.
FILE PHOTO: Picture illustration of small toy figurines and representations of the Bitcoin virtual currency displayed in front of an image of China's flag

By Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's sweeping ban on cryptocurrency mining has paralysed an industry that accounts for over half of global bitcoin production, as miners dump machines in despair or seek refuge in places such as Texas or Kazakhstan.

"Many miners are exiting the business to comply with government policies," said Mike Huang, operator of a cryptomining farm in the southwest province of Sichuan.

"Mining machines are selling like scrap metal."

The local government of Sichuan, China's No.2 bitcoin mining centre after Xinjiang, issued a ban on cryptomining a week ago.

China's State Council, or cabinet, vowed to crack down on bitcoin trading and mining in late May, seeking to fend off financial risks after the global bitcoin mania revived Chinese speculative trading in cryptocurrencies. The clampdown comes as China's central bank is testing its own digital currency.

Chinese authorities say cryptocurrencies disrupt economic order, and facilitate illegal asset transfers and money laundering. Analysts say Beijing is also worried about potential competition for the digital yuan and that the power-hungry business of bitcoin mining could damage the environment.

Following Beijing's call, China's main cryptocurrency mining hubs, including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Sichuan, have unveiled detailed measures to root out the business.

Bitcoin prices plunged below $30,000 this week, less than half their peak levels hit in April, as global investors worried about disruptions in a hitherto large market.

"If the government doesn't allow it (cryptomining), I just have to quit," said Liu Hongfei, a mining project operator in China's southwestern Yunnan province.

"You don't fight the Communist Party in China, do you?"

China's ban on bitcoin mining may see up to 90% of all mining in the country go offline, according to an estimate by Adam James, a senior editor at OKEx Insights.

Story continues

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are created or "mined" by high-powered computers, or rigs, competing to solve complex mathematical puzzles in a process that makes intensive use of electricity.

Most miners in China are "shutting down their machines, and selling them," said Nishant Sharma, founder of BlocksBridge Consulting, a consultancy focused on the cryptomining industry.

As a result of China's shutdown, "every mining operation outside China benefits straight away," because their mining reward, which is proportional to their share of the global hash rate of the bitcoin network - a measure of miners' processing power - automatically goes up, Sharma said.

"This is the end of an era for cryptomining in China," said Winston Ma, NYU Law School adjunct professor.

RELOCATING

Prices of mining rigs have slumped on the mainland after the ban.

One machine which sold around 4,000 yuan ($620) in April and May, could now be bought for as low as 700-800 yuan, said a miner in Sichuan.

Bitmain, China's biggest maker of cryptocurrency mining machines, said on Friday it had suspended sales of its products and was looking for "quality" power supplies overseas alongside its clients, in places including the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Some big Chinese miners are already venturing overseas.

BIT Mining said on Monday that it had successfully delivered its first batch of 320 mining machines to Kazakhstan. A second and third batch, totalling 2,600 machines, will be delivered to the central Asian country by July 1.

"We are accelerating our overseas development for alternative high-quality mining resources," CEO Xianfeng Yang said in a statement. BIT Mining has also invested in cryptomining data centres in Texas.

Huang Dezhi, who operates a mining farm in Sichuan, said his team is also exploring possible overseas destinations such as Kazakhstan.

"If the government doesn't reverse the policy, we will have no other choice. You cannot defy central government decisions," Huang said.

A project manager who identified himself only as Mr. Sun said he has been offering to help local miners move to Russia, but demand for his services had been lukewarm so far.

"Big risks if you move machines offshore, because you're in effect giving up control over your assets," said Sun, who is also securing fresh electricity supplies in China's southern Guangdong province, where restrictions are less tough.

Some miners meanwhile hope the ban will be eventually relaxed.

"Power supply has been cut, but we were not ordered to demolish the project," said Wang Weifeng, a miner in Sichuan.

"So we're taking a wait-and-see attitude. There remains a sliver of hope."

($1 = 6.4663 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
At least one person was killed and many others were feared dead after a 12-story beachfront condo near Miami partially collapsed early Thursday, as rescuers scrambled to reach survivors.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said that 99 people remained unaccounted for, though she stressed that the figure does not necessarily mean all are missing or were in the building at the time it collapsed. More than 100 residents were accounted for, she said.

"We are all praying," Cava said. "We are all crying. We are all here with the suffering families."

A hotline was set up for anyone looking for information about family members who may have been in the building and are missing.

Video taken from a nearby surveillance camera appeared to show the moment the building partially collapsed in Surfside, Fla., just north of Miami Beach, around 1:30 a.m. ET.

Part of the 12-story oceanfront condo that collapsed in Surfside, Fla., early Thursday. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

The building is literally pancaked, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said at an early-morning news conference.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said officials were bracing for some bad news, just given the destruction that were seeing.

"It's a tragic day," DeSantis said after touring the wreckage, but added that rescuers were still searching for survivors. "They aren't going to rest," he said. "We still have hope."

About 55 of the building's 136 units collapsed, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Ray Jadallah said, adding that heavy machinery was being used to stabilize the structure for rescue workers. Search-and-rescue dogs were brought in to aid in the search for survivors.

Nearly three dozen people were pulled from the rubble by midmorning. Two were transported to area hospitals.

Jadallah said rescue workers heard what could be banging beneath the rubble, but could not determine whether it was from people who were trapped.

At the White House, President Biden told reporters he had been briefed on the situation and had spoken to Cava, the Miami-Dade County mayor, to offer federal aid.

Story continues

"We are ready to move federal resources immediately," Biden said.

A rescue worker searches the rubble for survivors with a dog. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP)

It's unclear what caused the building to collapse. The condominium was built in 1981.

Appearing on NBC's "Today" show, Burkett said it looked like a bomb went off, but we're pretty sure a bomb didn't go off.

Work was being done on the buildings roof, Burkett added, but he did not see how that could have caused the collapse.

Barry Cohen, one of the building's residents, told the Associated Press that he and his wife were asleep when he heard what he thought was a crack of lightning. The couple went onto their balcony, then opened the door to the buildings hallway to a "gaping hole of rubble. They were eventually rescued by firefighters using a cherry picker.

Cohen, a former vice mayor of Surfside, said he raised concerns years ago about whether nearby construction might be causing damage to the building after seeing cracks in the pavement by the pool.

A bunk bed, top right, in the partially collapsed building. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

Pamela Ramis, a Surfside resident who lives across the street from the collapsed building, told Yahoo News she was awakened around 1:30 a.m. when her own building started to shake. When she went outside, she saw the dust and debris and realized the building had collapsed.

I didnt know what to think, Ramis said. I thought something had exploded, a missile, I dont know. I never imagined witnessing something like this, especially here in the U.S.

She said she could hear the search-and-rescue dogs barking shortly after they arrived.

I think the dogs arrived around 5 a.m., and they were barking so much, Ramis said. Every time I heard a bark I felt anguish because I knew they were probably finding bodies.

Laura Ramirez-Feldman contributed reporting to this story.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Brendan Hanley, right, and Premier Sandy Silver, left, at the Government of Yukon COVID-19 news conference in Whitehorse on Tuesday. (Government of Yukon/Alistair Maitland - image credit)

Yukon health officials say they may consider disclosing the names of communities outside Whitehorse where COVID-19 cases are active.

Since the pandemic began, the government has justified the measure saying it's needed to protect the privacy of people in smaller communities who test positive for the virus. That's always come with an asterisk: officials have identified smaller communities when issuing exposure notices.

But since Yukon's latest outbreak began, many municipal and First Nations governments have been issuing notices when people test positive in their communities, without any apparent privacy breaches so far.

Now, the territorial government is considering whether to start revealing communities where cases are identified. At the moment, health officials only say COVID-19 is present in "most" Yukon communities.

Dr. Brendan Hanley, Yukon's chief medical officer of health, said he doesn't believe there's much "public health value" to identifying communities. But speaking to reporters Wednesday, he said he's open to the idea, if that's what chiefs and mayors want.

"Is it more convenient for the communities and municipalities? Does it enable them to be able to give information back to their own communities more and more easily?" Hanley said. "I actually have brought that up as a question for the chiefs to consider as well as the municipalities."

Local governments announcing cases on their own

But the Yukon government does tell First Nations and municipalities when there are positive cases in their communities. And local governments are increasingly making that information public on their own. Both the City of Dawson and the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, for example, have done so.

Kwanlin Dun Chief Doris Bill said releasing the information means people are more likely to follow public health guidelines such as physical distancing and limits on the size of gatherings.

Story continues

Philippe Morin/CBC

Bill said that earlier in the pandemic, officials with her government struggled to convince people to follow guidelines and get vaccinated. With more transparency, that's changed, she said.

"We believe that having that information creates more of an awareness in the community," she said. "People are more vigilant and they take the precautions seriously when they know that it could be just down the street."

Hanley was scheduled to meet with chiefs Thursday and mayors Friday.
Learning about science doesnt have to happen in a classroom. Sometimes, the best way to lea
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) - SM Supermalls breached the 500,000-mark of individuals inoculated in 56 of its malls, reaching another milestone in its multi-mall vaccination drive in partnership with local government units nationwide.

To date, SM Supermalls helped vaccinate 536,555 individuals, with 103,684 of them completing the required two doses. Among those vaccinated are 10,512 SM employees and 3,451 tenants and agency partners.

PHOTO FROM SM SUPERMALLS

"We're at a pivotal moment in our country's COVID-19 vaccine rollout as more Filipinos are getting vaccinated and more than 8 million doses have been administered. In just two days, we were able to inoculate more than 40,000 individuals. We are one with the government in building vaccine confidence, sustaining the momentum for vaccine demands, and ensuring the completion of their doses," said SM Supermalls President Steven Tan.

The mall chain started its "Vax, Shop, & Dine" initiative under the "Ingat Angat Bakuna Lahat" program, which aims to boost the country's COVID-19 vaccine drive.

PHOTO FROM SM SUPERMALLS

"Those who got vaccinated may present their COVID-19 vaccination card and a valid ID for them to avail of the exclusive shopping and dining deals from over 1,500 participating stores and restaurants at SM Supermalls from June 15 to September 30, 2021," Tan said.

As of this writing, 56 SM malls participate in the initiative and the number continues to grow nationwide. Other malls will be activated as vaccination sites once the supply of vaccines becomes available.

PHOTO FROM SM SUPERMALLS

The mall chain also launched the Giga Vaccination Center of Pasay City in the Mall of Asia in May and the Mega Vaccination Center of Mandaluyong in SM Megamall in June which since then has accommodated more than 2,000 persons a day.

To date, 49 malls have been awarded Safety Seals by their LGUs and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases as part of the #SafeMalling campaign. The Safety Seal Certification, which is being rolled out nationwide, is given to establishments compliant with public health standards set by the government and integrate their contract tracing with StaySafe.ph.

"We will continue providing the necessary support to the country's vaccination drive to help reduce hesitancy and to strengthen willingness amongst Filipinos to get vaccinated against COVID-19. With our collaborative effort, we will be able to realize our goal of achieving herd immunity by yearend and bouncing back stronger and better in this pandemic," Tan said.

To know more about SM Supermalls' efforts to combat COVID-19, check out www.smsupermalls.com.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  The late former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III will be remembered for his courageous decision to file the country's case against China's territorial claims before an arbitral tribunal in The Hague, his former Solicitor General said Friday.

"The decision to file the case against the country, yung katunggali natin (our rival), is really the decision of the President. Theres no two ways about it," former Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza told CNN Philippines' The Source.

Jardeleza helped defend the Philippines' case at the arbitral tribunal, which eventually handed down its historic ruling in July 2016 invalidating China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea. China has consistently refused to recognize this ruling.

Jardeleza was Solicitor General from February 2012 until Aquino appointed him to the Supreme Court in August 2014.

"In my view, he will be remembered for making that courageous decision. At the time, I think it was only the President who was up against that country," Jardeleza said.

Jardeleza said that while he was not yet part of the administration during the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal stand-off with China, which critics noted as one of Aquino's weakest points, what mattered was Aquino's decision to go ahead with the filing of the case.

In 2012, the Philippines tried to arrest Chinese fishermen for their illegal presence at Scarborough Shoal  which lies 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province and within the Philippines 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. The Chinese Coast Guard intervened, resulting in a standoff that went on for months.

Then foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario said China "deceitfully breached" a deal with the Philippines to withdraw its ships in the area supposedly to settle an impasse between the two countries.

This incident prompted the Aquino administration to take the legal fight before the tribunal in The Hague in January 2013 to assert the Philippines' sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea  a portion of the South China Sea that Manila considers part of the country's EEZ.

The tribunal was constituted under an annex of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration serving as registry.

Love for country, value for human rights

Human rights lawyer and former opposition senatorial candidate Chel Diokno said Aquino's action on the West Philippine Sea was a demonstration of his love for the country.

"I think he really demonstrated love for our country. Thas was really shown when he fought for our sovereignty and won the case in the Permanent Court of Arbitration concerning the West Philippine Sea," Diokno told CNN Philippines' New Day. "To me. that's one of his legacies that will really last for generations."

Aside from fighting for the country's sovereignty, Aquino also left a legacy that allowed human rights to be operationalized both in the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Diokno said.

"That is unprecedented in our recent past," he added.

Public viewing for Aquino's urn is ongoing at the Church of Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University. The nation's 15th president will be laid to rest at the Manila Memorial Park on Saturday.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  A civilian was killed while another was injured after communist rebels attacked a police station in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur Thursday night.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines Eastern Mindanao Command said members of the New People's Army clashed with police at around 9 p.m., and burned equipment at a nearby construction site, which resulted in the casualties.

The victims were not identified but both were from Barangay San Roque in Madrid, Surigao del Sur.

Members of the 36th Infantry Battalion were deployed to reinforce the policemen.

"The Command will see to it that the perpetrators will be held responsible for their crimes," EastMinCom Commander Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol said.

The latest attack by the rebels "shows their dreadful attempt to be relevant at the expense of civilian lives," he added.
(CNN)  US Vice President Kamala Harris will head to the US-Mexico border on Friday, her office confirmed, following weeks of criticism that she hasn't visited the area despite being tasked by the Biden administration with trying to stem the flow of migration from Central America.

The upcoming trip to El Paso, Texas, comes as Harris has been dogged by Republican criticism of her absence at the border after being asked by President Joe Biden to lead diplomatic relations in the Northern Triangle in an attempt to alleviate the tide of migration over the southern border.

In a statement released Wednesday, Harris spokeswoman Symone Sanders confirmed the trip, adding that she would be accompanied by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

"Earlier this year, the President asked the Vice President to oversee our diplomatic efforts to address the root causes of migration from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. As a part of this ongoing work, the Vice President traveled to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month and will travel to El Paso on Friday," the statement read.

Politico was first to report the trip.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday that Harris' trip is a part of her efforts to address the root causes of migration.

"I will note that I've also said here from this podium, and she has also said that when it was the right time, she may go to visit the border," Psaki said, adding that that the "planning and timing" was done in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

She added, it's "part of the coordinated effort between her office, her work, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Health and Human Services, to continue to address the root causes and work in coordination to get the situation under control."

The vice president and her team have been staring down attempts from Republicans to make her the face of the Biden administration's response to the crisis at the border. It's a role that then-Vice President Biden had under Obama.

Still, it put a politician likely to run for president at the center of one of the administration's most divisive issues. In response, her office has repeatedly sought to make clear, both privately and publicly, that she has a laser focus on diplomatic relations and the conditions that push migrants to make the journey and not the politically fraught situation at the US-Mexico border.

A record number of unaccompanied children crossed into the US this spring, further intensifying GOP criticism of the Biden administration's handling. US Customs and Border Protection encountered more than 180,000 migrants at the southern border in May, putting the US on track to surpass the number of border crossings in fiscal year 2019.

That tension reached its apex earlier this month during her first international trip as vice president, a two-day trip to Guatemala and Mexico, during which she likened not going to the border to also not having visited Europe under questioning by NBC's Lester Holt.

"I, and I haven't been to Europe. And I mean, I don't -- I don't understand the point that you're making," Harris said with a laugh to Holt when pressed about the fact that she hadn't visited the US-Mexico border.

She added: "I'm not discounting the importance of the border."

The fallout from her answer, at least in part, obscured the larger message of the trip. The vice president had in-person bilateral meetings with leaders of both countries, as well as with civil society organizations. Supporters of Harris pointed to the agreements fostered with both the Guatemalan and Mexican governments -- and the praise she received from leaders of both countries and civil society afterward -- as clear signs that the vice president achieved her objective, which was deepening diplomatic relations.

During a news conference in Mexico City on that trip, Harris eventually said she would go to the border, but added that it's "short sighted" to "respond to the reaction as opposed to addressing the cause."

"When the President asked me to deal with this issue, it was about addressing the root causes of migration, and the root causes are based on the problems and the challenges that people are facing in countries like Guatemala," she said, "which is why I was there."

Harris, a former California senator and attorney general, contended that in both roles she had been to the border many times before to see what was happening on the ground and would soon go again.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Kamala Harris to make first trip to the border as vice president this week."
(CNN) -- Amazon defeated a high-profile union drive at a warehouse in Alabama earlier this year. But now the e-commerce giant could face a much larger campaign to unionize its US warehouse workers, launched by one of the biggest unions in the nation.

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted Thursday in favor of a resolution to make "building worker power at Amazon and helping those workers achieve a union contract" a main priority, according to a copy of the resolution. Under the resolution, called the "Amazon Project," Teamsters would fully fund the effort, which would include eventually creating a special Amazon Division to aid workers.

Teamsters said that 1,562 delegates out of 1,632 representing more than 500 local unions voted in favor of the resolution.

Amazon declined to comment on the matter.

The effort comes on the heels of a landmark union push at Amazon's Bessemer, Alabama, facility in the midst of the pandemic, which ultimately prompted Amazon and its outgoing CEO, Jeff Bezos, to promise changes and concede more needs to be done to improve the work experience of its warehouse employees.

The Teamsters, which represents 1.4 million US workers including UPS workers, said in the resolution that "Amazon is changing the nature of work in our country and touches many core Teamster industries and employers such as UPS, parcel delivery, freight, airline, food distribution and motion picture, and presents an existential threat to the standards we have set in these industries."

The union said it is not discussing its strategy at this time, but labor experts told CNN Business that the details thus far indicate a fundamentally different approach to the one Amazon fended off in Alabama, which was led by the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). That effort sought to unionize workers at a single warehouse in Bessemer through a National Labor Relations Board election.

The Teamsters' aim is to go after "Amazon as an employer rather than trying to organize site-by-site and workplace-by-workplace, which was what the Bessemer organizing drive ended up being," said Rebecca Givan, an associate labor studies professor at Rutgers University, who noted that there's likely not a single path to success when it comes to the Teamsters' approach.

"[The Teamsters] can try a number of different paths and deploy a number of different strategies. They can push for improvements that might stop short of union recognition but might improve the lives of everyone who works for Amazon," said Givan. She added that the Teamsters may seek to push Amazon to recognize representation of its workers or to implement specific policies with or without any formal union recognition.

In an interview with the Guardian published Thursday, the Teamsters' national Amazon director Randy Korgan acknowledged it may take such an approach. "Everything is on the table," Korgan said, mentioning potentially pressuring Amazon to agree to some sort of recognition.

Jeffrey Hirsch, a labor law professor at the University of North Carolina, told CNN Business, "It is hard for me to imagine a company like Amazon  given their anti-union stance and their power frankly  voluntarily recognizing any union."

Hirsch added: "The one liability that a company like Amazon has is their high profile nature -- it's a blessing and a curse." As the Teamsters may work to further draw attention to issues facing workers, "that's going to hurt Amazon, potentially more than other companies," he said.

Per the resolution, the Teamsters said it has "fought for workers' rights to organize and build power any way we could, including shop floor strikes, city-wide strikes and actions in the streets."

Givan said the resolution is a first step and indicates a willingness to allocate resources to the issue. "We'll see what the work looks like," she said, adding that, "Teamsters working in this industry understand how bad Amazon is for workers, and that will be a key to activating this campaign."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Amazon is likely about to face a much bigger union fight".
(CNN)  Just a few years ago, it looked as though European sleeper trains were on their way to becoming a thing of the past as services were continually cut back.

But Europe's night train network has experienced something of a revival over the past 12 months, with a number of national rail providers announcing new routes between various different cities.

Now a French start-up founded by Adrien Aumont and Romain Payet, the duo behind French crowdfunding website KissKissBankBank, has revealed plans for a new network of overnight services from Paris to 12 European destinations, including Edinburgh and Porto.

Midnight Trains hopes to reinvent the overnight train experience completely by launching a "hotel on rails" that offers a greener alternative to flying as well as a more comfortable alternative to the basic night train services long associated with Europe.

While passengers should not expect Orient Express levels of luxury, the trains, expected to cover distances of 800 to 1,500 kilometers to and from Paris, will feature "hotel-style" rooms, an onboard restaurant, a bar and an app-operated concierge service.

Night train revival

Those on board are guaranteed "privacy, security and serenity" in each of the bookable private rooms, which come in a range of sizes that cater for couples along with larger groups, according to a company.

"Travelers are more and more conscious about the ecological impact of air travel and they need an alternative," co-founder Payet tells CNN Travel.

"When traveling from Paris to most major European cities, they don't have this alternative. Furthermore, transport operators (air or rail) have been focused on reducing prices for the last two decades, totally forgetting the customer experience and associated services.

"We think that travelers are now looking for a more comfortable and convenient way to travel."

He also notes that the "speed" of catching a flight is an "illusion," as "a flight of one hour is actually four hours from door to door."

Meanwhile, fellow co-founder Aumont stresses that the company hopes to be at "the forefront" of redesigning sleeper trains, stressing that there are currently limited options for those who want to avoid flying within Europe, but hate the idea of spending a night crammed next to strangers.

Both envision that the network will prove an attractive option for those concerned about the environmental impact of flying.

"Air travel produces high carbon emissions. With Midnight Trains we want to create a more comfortable, convenient, seamless and sustainable alternative," adds Payet.

Sustainable option

Its first route is expected to launch in 2024, while the network plans to become fully operational by 2030, with routes from Paris to Spain, Portugal, Italy and Scotland.

"We have been working hard for almost one year to define the offer, the project roadmap and to gather the best specialists around the project," says Payet.

"Now we need to execute the plan within the roadmap in order to launch our first trains in 2024."

While it's not clear how much a journey on board one of the Midnight Trains will set you back, the company says its prices will be competitive with airline fares, pointing out that passengers will "save at least one night of accommodation" costs.

The new concept comes after a number of developments in the European sleeper train network.

In December, Austria's OBB announced a collaboration with Germany's Deutsche Bahn, France's SNCF and Swiss Federal Railways that will see a number of new "Nightjet" routes, along with a sleeper train between Zurich and Barcelona, launch over the next four years.

The recent resurgence has been partially linked to "flight shaming," which has spread across Europe in the past few years as passengers become more aware of their carbon footprint.

Domestic flights were down by 9% in Sweden in 2018, while Dutch airline KLM took out adverts urging people to fly less in 2019.

This story was first published on CNN.com 'Hotels on rails': Plans for new network of European sleeper trains unveiled
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  The Philippines has secured fresh funding from the World Bank to support financial sector reforms and ensure inclusive recovery amid the pandemic.

The Washington-based lender on Friday (Manila time) announced the approval of a $400-million (about 19.53 billion) development policy loan for the promotion of financial sector stability and resilience along with expanding financial inclusion for individuals and businesses.

The first of two programs, the Philippines First Financial Sector Reform Development Policy Financing loan aims to promote disaster risk funding that protects state budgets along with lives and livelihoods from the impact of emergencies.

The multilateral lender explained this development policy loan (DPL) provides "quick-disbursing" assistance to nations embarking on reforms, supporting policy and institutional changes necessary for environments promoting sustained, equitable growth.

The pandemic-induced restrictions and global economic downturn increased the urgency of reforms which "support economic recovery and minimize the impact of future shocks" especially on vulnerable groups, said Ndiame Diop, World Bank country director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand .

The fresh funding hopes to boost measures to improve the central bank's prudent supervision of financial institutions. It also eyes the promotion of insurance legislation at par with global standards.

The DPL will ensure availability of funding for small and medium businesses in the long term, the bank said.

The lending will likewise widen access to finance by supporting reforms promoting "innovative" financial services, it added. This will be done by harnessing digital technologies to expand the financial sector's reach to underserved sectors and make credit information more reliable.

"The use of financial technology to improve access to finance by small and medium enterprises will help address urgent liquidity problems, thus limiting closures and bankruptcies and preventing widespread layoffs," added Diop.

The global institution also noted that the DPL series helps fortify public-private partnership-based risk pooling mechanisms for catastrophe insurance. This will provide "inclusive" access for firms, helping them adapt to natural disasters, it added.

The World Bank said the loan will support the financial sector's resilience by "integrating climate and environmental risks in financial institutions' risk management frameworks and mobilizing finance for environment-friendly projects."

Earlier this month, the Philippines bagged a $300 million (about 14.34 billion) loan for a new project enhancing the country's preparedness against natural hazards.

Manila also secured a credit line worth around 14 billion to fund efforts to foster more income opportunities for residents in rural areas and to increase their productivity.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  Economic agencies and business groups joined Filipinos in paying tribute to former president Noynoy Aquino by highlighting the impressive economic growth under his administration.

In a statement on Friday condoling with the late president's family, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recalled how Aquino "led the nation through six years of sustained growth."

The economy grew for six straight years under the Aquino administration - peaking at 7.2% in 2013. The Philippines then became the second fastest growing economy in Asia after China.

The BSP also mentioned how the country bagged its first investment grade rating under Aquino's term: the BB+ rating assigned by Fitch in 2013.

The Finance Department, on the other hand, cited the passage of the Tax Incentives Management and Transparency Act (TIMTA) and Sin Tax Law of 2012 - describing these as having aided in strengthening the Philippine economy prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Records were likewise made in the local bourse during Aquino's term.

The Philippine Stock Exchange noted how the PSE index closed at 7,796.25 during Aquino's last day in office compared to the 3,315.26 finish during the first trading day after his inauguration. The PSEi soared 153.2% during his term, it added.

The local stock exchange also recorded the highest net foreign buying and capital raising in its record in 2012, the PSE noted.

"The strong macroeconomic fundamentals served as the ideal backdrop for foreign and domestic investors to raise capital and invest in the Philippine stock market," PSE president and chief executive officer Ramon Monzon said.

Business groups also applauded the late president's reforms, which they said propelled the Philippine economy to greater heights.

"History will judge President Aquino well because he bettered our lives by improving the economy and combining pro-people social policies - modernizing education, expanding cash transfers," the Makati Business Club said Thursday.

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) also praised how Aquino "created an engine for progress" with the reforms he started in public infrastructure, the judiciary, education, healthcare, and social protections.

"In creating his place in history, each leader can only hope he leaves something better than what he found. The Philippines which President Aquino left behind was indeed a better place," MAP said.

The Employers Confederation of the Philippines celebrated how Aquino was "instrumental in advancing tripartism and prioritizing significant labor and social policy issues." Among the key labor-related measures passed during his term were the Domestic Workers Act, Philippine Green Jobs Act of 2015, and Strengthening Tripartism Act.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) highlighted the surge in capital inflows ushered in by Aquino's term.

"On the back of his high-profile campaign to weed out corruption and the excellent performance of the GDP, the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDIs) steadily improved, rising by 60% when he stepped down from office," the PCCI said.

Aquino died at age 61 Thursday morning. Pinky Aquino-Abellada said her brother "died peacefully in his sleep" at 6:30 a.m. from renal disease, secondary to diabetes.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines)  Following the success of the first POVA 2 and Mobile Legends Bang Bang live stream event earlier this month, the partnership is back with another round of exhilarating mobile gaming and loads of prizes to be won. A second powered-to-win gaming event will be streaming live on premium smartphone brand TECNO Mobiles Facebook Page on June 25, 2021, at 6 p.m.

Top mobile gamers, Kay Ann Monsalve, Ghostwrecker, and Junnie Boy, who were part of Team POVA during the first livestream show match will be back, this time as special guest shoutcasters. They will also be joined by event host Phaister for the livestream, who will once again showcase the power of POVA 2, the ultimate smartphone for playing the popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB).

Viewers can look forward to three epic rounds of Mobile Legends gameplay, featuring top competitors from TECNO Mobiles POVA 2 Power CXO Program.

The CXO (Chief Experience Officer) Program was launched by TECNO Mobile to provide support for aspiring Filipino game streamers. Gamers who wanted to participate created and shared their own MLBB streams on social media. Potential CXOs with the highest engagement were selected by TECNO Mobile, forming two teams of five players each who will compete in a show match on June 25. The show match champions will win 1,000 Mobile Legends Diamonds, and TECNO Mobile gift sets.

Winners of the TECNO Mobile Savage Challenge will also be recognized in the event and be given MLBB Diamonds. Participants earlier showed off their impressive gaming skills and celebrated their victories by posting their Mobile Legends savage kills on TikTok and Facebook.

PHOTO FROM TECNO MOBILE

For both events, winners will also receive POVA 2 smartphones, which have the following key features:

-A Helio G85 Gaming Processor that unlocks intelligent resource management, ensuring sustained performance and longer gameplay with its 2GHz octa-core processor. Heavy games load faster, performance is smoother, and power efficiency is maintained to deliver uninterrupted gameplay.

-A powerful 7000mAh battery with an 18W dual IC flash charger.

-A 6.9 1080P FHD+ screen with an extremely sharp display that vividly shows every game detail.

-A 6GB RAM + 128GB Storage and ET Engine for lag-free gameplay.

-Game Space 2.0 provides a unique gameplay-enhancing user interface by accelerating memory, network connectivity, CPU, and GPU boost.

-A Game Voice Changer feature that transforms voices in unique ways, for fun and exciting gaming.

-Slim and modern design that is lightweight and easy to grip, ideal for hours of gameplay.

-Enhanced artificial intelligence cameras for taking professional-quality photos, with a 48MP quad-camera set up at the rear, and an 8-megapixel AI-powered selfie camera.

POVA 2 Pre-Sale will be available on June 25 until July 6 at TECNO Mobiles Flagship Store in Lazada and Official Store in Shopee Mall, TECNO Mobile Concept Store at SM North EDSA Annex and other select partner retail stores for only P7,990.

Check out the power-packed livestream event on June 25, and experience how #TogetherWeAchieveMore with TECNO Mobile and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. Over 75 prizes will be given away to lucky viewers, including POVA 2 units , Mobile Legends Diamonds and Game Skins.

To stay updated on exclusive deals and promos, like and follow TECNO Mobile Philippines on Facebook . Visit www.tecno-mobile.com/ph to learn more about your favorite smartphones and gadgets.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  A member of the country's vaccine expert panel said they are not yet recommending the use of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as there is still no data to suggest these are needed.

Dr. Rontgene Solante said the focus now should be vaccinating as many Filipinos as possible right away.

"Sa ngayon kasi, ang recommendation on boosting especially with current vaccines hindi pa natin nirecommend yan. Why? because there is no data yet na nagsasabi na we need the boosting," Solante told an online media briefing on Friday.

[Translation: For now, we are not recommending boosting especially with current vaccines. Why? Because there is no data yet saying we need the boosting.]

This could change once it has been established that variants can make the currently available vaccines less effective, he said.

Solante added that the country may need boosters when it still sees a surge in COVID-19 cases even if majority of its population has already been vaccinated.

He explained the spikes in infections - despite high inoculation rates - mean the vaccines are not that effective against variants.

The Department of Science Technology's study on the mixing and matching of COVID-19 vaccine brands will also test boosters, DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevara earlier said.
Tacloban City (CNN Philippines, June 25)  Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado has urged the national government to bring in more assistance in his city's fight against the spread of coronavirus.

In a letter dated June 23 and addressed to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Mercado requested that his city be prioritized in the allocation of vaccine doses.

We humbly request to be prioritized in the giving of vaccine doses thus allowing an increase of COVID-19 allocation to serve the demand of our beloved constituents who are in dire need of protection, Mercado wrote.

The mayor said infections spiked to 140, with an average daily attack rate of 15.30 per 100,000 population in the past two weeks.

A total of 3,205 doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines have been received so far by the city.

Mercado also asked Duque to help in the release of their PhilHealth reimbursement to their health facilities. He also requested to be given additional provision for medical equipment like ventilators, high flow oxygen, personal protective equipment, N95 mask, as well as RT-PCR test kits, antigen test kits, and medications like remdesivir.

We are hoping for a quick reply since lives are at stake every day and resources and manpower are overwhelmed," he emphasized.

"Our active cases in Maasin City continue to go up, a lot are already suffering especially our frontliners and we are hoping that this will be given action as soon as possible, he also said.
(CNN) -- The United Kingdom will fail to meet its "historic climate promises" if the government doesn't urgently put policies in place to reach its goal of decarbonizing the economy, according to its official climate watchdog.

The Climate Change Committee, which advises the government on emissions targets, warned Thursday in its annual progress report that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government is falling short of its rhetoric on the climate crisis.

"This defining year for the UK's climate credentials has been marred by uncertainty and delay to a host of new climate strategies," it said in a statement. "Those that have emerged have too often missed the mark. With every month of inaction, it is harder for the UK to get on track."

The report comes just months before Britain hosts the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), at which countries are expected to come up with commitments that will limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Alok Sharma, president of COP26 and a member of Johnson's cabinet, told CNN in April that he wanted "countries to set out their plans in detail."

The United Kingdom has positioned itself as a climate leader. It was the first major economy to pass laws  in 2019  requiring the country to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Last year, the UK announced a ban on the sale of new gasoline and diesel cars from 2030, bringing forward a previous deadline by five years and setting one of the most aggressive targets in the world.

But the committee found that these "important statements of ambition" have been undermined by delays to essential legislation and plans to decarbonize buildings, transport and domestic heating. "A pattern has emerged of Government strategies that are later than planned and, when they do emerge, short of the required policy ambition," it said.

The committee pointed to Johnson's 10-point plan for a "green industrial revolution" as another example of an ambitious declaration that "has yet to be backed with firm policies."

"The Government must get real on delivery," chair of the Climate Change Committee Lord Deben said in the statement. "Between now and COP26 the world will look for delivery, not promises," he added.

In a statement, a UK government spokesperson challenged this sentiment and pointed to "clear, tangible progress" in areas such as wind power investment, carbon emissions trading and business pledges to become net zero by 2050 or sooner.

"Any suggestion we have been slow to deliver climate action is widely off the mark," the spokesperson said. "Over the past three decades, we have driven down emissions by 44%  the fastest reduction of any G7 country  and set some of the most ambitious targets in the world for the future, whilst driving forward net zero globally through our COP26 presidency."

The committee, which offered more than 200 policy recommendations in its reports, said the government still has time to address its shortcomings.

"There is still a window to make comprehensive plans," the committee said. "It is absolutely critical that the new strategy is published before the COP26 climate summit, with clear policy plans, backed fully by the Treasury."

This story was first published on CNN.com "Britain still lacks a plan to hit its bold climate goals".
(CNN)  As human civilization began to flourish on Earth about 5,000 years ago, 1,715 star systems within 326 light-years of Earth could have seen our planet over that time. And over the next 5,000 years, 319 more star systems will be able to see Earth.

If there are exoplanets orbiting these nearby stars, they could witness our planet as it crosses in front of the sun. The observation of a passing of a planet in front of its host star is called a transit, and it's one of the main methods used by astronomers to detect exoplanets using ground- and space-based telescopes. And it's how other life on other planets, if it exists, could observe Earth.

Some of the planets orbiting these stars could be potentially habitable. When planets orbit at a certain distance from their stars, those planets could support liquid water on their surfaces. This distance is referred to by astronomers as the habitable zone.

Over the last hundred years, Earth has also sent out messages revealing the intelligent life it supports in the form of human-made radio waves -- and 75 stars are within 100 light-years, meaning they are close enough for these waves to reach them.

Lisa Kaltenegger, associate professor of astronomy and director of the Carl Sagan Institute at Cornell University, explores the idea of how Earth can be in sight of other planets.

Her previous research, published in October, "explored who could see us right now as a transiting planet -- the same way we search for other worlds," she said.

In her latest research, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, Kaltenegger and astrophysicist Jackie Faherty, a senior scientist at the American Museum of Natural History, wanted to explore the idea of changing vantage points of Earth over time, from the perspective of nearby star systems.

Stars aren't stationary. They move, just like our sun rotates around the center of our galaxy, leaving Kaltenegger to wonder how this "affects who could spot us as the 'aliens.'"

"The universe is dynamic and everything moves," Kaltenegger wrote via email. "Thus, this cosmic front seat to see Earth as a transiting planet, blocking light from the Sun is fleeting. It can be gained and lost. We wanted to know how long stars keep that vantage point and also which stars had it and which stars will get it -- within a 5,000 year timeline. 5,000 years in the past when civilizations started to flourish and within the next 5,000 years, as I am optimistic that we'll figure out how to survive."

The researchers used data from the European Space Agency's Gaia database, a catalog of nearby astronomical objects that are located within about 300 light-years of the sun. The team wanted to know when stars enter the so-called Earth Transit Zone -- where Earth could be detected via transit -- how long they remain in this zone, and when they exit.

"Gaia has provided us with a precise map of the Milky Way galaxy, allowing us to look backward and forward in time, and to see where stars had been located and where they are going," Faherty said in a statement.

The scientists determined that 2,034 star systems passed through this zone over 10,000 years.

"Our solar neighborhood is a dynamic place where stars enter and exit that perfect vantage point to see Earth transit the Sun at a rapid pace," Faherty said.

Within the star systems at the right distance and vantage point to observe Earth -- in the past, present and future -- seven are known by scientists to host exoplanets. If there is life on these exoplanets and they have the ability to detect other planets the way that astronomers do on Earth, they could determine that Earth can host life.

When a planet crosses in front of its star, the planet's atmosphere is essentially backlit. Earth's atmosphere would reveal it has chemical signatures of life.

The researchers determined that the Ross 128 system, the second-closest system that includes an Earth-size exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star 11 light-years away, might have seen Earth transit the sun for 2,158 years. The window of their perspective opened about 3,057 years ago and closed 900 years ago.

In the future, the Trappist-1 system, which hosts seven Earth-size planets including four potentially habitable ones, will be within the Earth Transit Zone in 1,642 years. These planets will be able to see Earth for 2,371 years.

About a hundred years ago, humans began creating radio waves.

Just like vehicles, light needs time to travel. So the radio waves humans created early on have only traveled about 100 light-years away from Earth, Kaltenegger said.

"In our list of stars are 75 stars that could have seen or right now see Earth transit the Sun, which also would at the same time have received radio waves from us. And they would know our taste in music, for better or for worse," she said.

As for why we haven't received a signal back, there could be many reasons, Kaltenegger said. One hundred years is a short amount of time on the astronomical time scale, and we increasingly rely less and less on radio as we develop other technologies.

"And any messages -- if they are sent -- are sent with that future technology that we can't find yet," she said.

When NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launches in October, it will be used to peer into the atmospheres of exoplanets, and astronomers can use that data to help characterize the atmospheres of exoplanets.

The enduring search for exoplanets has rarely explored the ecliptic plane, or the plane of the Earth's orbit around the sun, of the Milky Way galaxy because it's so crowded with stars, which makes it harder to spot planets, Kaltenegger said.

"But with this new list and the added motivation that these are the star systems which could have spotted us already, that changes," she said. "Our research provides the best target list for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence."

Kaltenegger is on the science team for NASA's planet-hunting TESS mission, which launched in 2018 and searches for exoplanets orbiting nearby stars. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite began looking for rocky exoplanets in this region in April, and she hopes it will find many more intriguing planets now that they have this star list.

"Once the NASA TESS mission and observers from the ground find new planets around these stars, I want to model them to figure out if they could be like Earth and then ask for (James Webb Space Telescope) time to look at them to find out if there are signs of life in their atmosphere. That would be fascinating, signs of life on a planet that can already have spotted us as well," she said.

This story was first published on CNN.com These potentially habitable exoplanets can see Earth as it evolves
(CNN)  Jimmy Lai fled mainland China more than 60 years ago, smuggling himself into Hong Kong on a fishing boat at age 12 to escape the chaos of the Communist Party. This week, Beijing finally caught up with him, after a law it had imposed on Hong Kong last year was used to take down his pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily.

The iconic Hong Kong tabloid Lai founded shuttered Thursday due to an untenable environment in which its journalists had been arrested under the vaguely worded National Security Law and assets had been frozen, parent company Next Media has said. Lai, now in his mid-70s, and five of the paper's top editors and executives have also been arrested under the sweeping law for alleged collusion with foreign forces, ostensibly over articles they wrote and interviews Lai gave with media outlets calling for sanctions on Hong Kong.

News of Apple Daily's closure prompted an outpouring of emotion outside its offices Wednesday night, where one longtime Hong Kong journalist tearfully told CNN the closure marked the end of press freedom in the once-autonomous city.

"Apple Daily has always been a symbolic publication for us to show that Hong Kong's press freedoms still exist," she told CNN's Lauren Lau as the crowd clapped and shouted in support of the newspaper. "We don't agree with all the things they report ... but that's a matter of professional discussion, and I respect many of my peers, journalists, friends. They did a lot of good stories, they always speak out and they are there to ask the most pressing questions. This is why they are now being targeted by the government."

As CNN's Jenni Marsh writes, Apple Daily's tabloid sensibilities drove a paparazzi culture in the city, and at times attracted ire for its reporting methods. But it also tracked the wealth of mainland officials and their families in Hong Kong, and devoted ample resources to holding those in power to account. While other outlets avoided openly criticizing China's ruling Communist Party, Apple Daily continued poking the bear. When a mass pro-democracy movement erupted in 2019, its front pages urged readers to attend huge marches, and it printed anti-government posters for them to carry.

All that was too much for Beijing on Chinese soil. In June 2020, as pandemic restrictions thwarted the ability of Hong Kongers to protest, China passed the law under which Lai and many pro-democracy politicians and activists have been arrested. Until this week, Apple Daily was the last major voice of the pro-democracy camp still at large.

'Sad day for media freedom'

US President Joe Biden on Thursday described the Apple Daily closure as "a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world."

"Intensifying repression by Beijing has reached such a level that Apple Daily, a much-needed bastion of independent journalism in Hong Kong, has now ceased publishing. Through arrests, threats, and forcing through a National Security Law that penalizes free speech, Beijing has insisted on wielding its power to suppress independent media and silence dissenting views," he said in a statement.

"People in Hong Kong have the right to freedom of the press. Instead, Beijing is denying basic liberties and assaulting Hong Kong's autonomy and democratic institutions and processes, inconsistent with its international obligations. The United States will not waver in our support of people in Hong Kong and all those who stand up for the basic freedoms all people deserve," he also said.

'The bedrock foundation of my life'

Joe Biden may be the most publicly devout President since Jimmy Carter.

Every weekend, his motorcade leaves the White House or his home in Delaware for Biden to attend Mass in a Roman Catholic church. When he was in England for the G7 summit, he surprised worshippers by showing up in a local pew. The second Catholic President, after John Kennedy, Biden has said his faith anchors him following a string of personal tragedies, and last year -- after then-President Donald Trump claimed Biden's election would "hurt God" -- said that faith was "the bedrock foundation of my life."

So it must be a personal trial for Biden to know that conservative Catholic bishops in the US are pushing a plan to take away his right to receive Communion, due to his support for abortion rights. Designed to affect all Catholic politicians who support abortion, the doctrinal changes they are advocating will, however, have limited effect -- bishops are free to make their own calls in their local dioceses.

Though he personally opposes abortion, Biden says he would not impose his views on women who do not share his religion or on believers of other faiths. Support for a woman's right to choose what happens to her body is a firmly embedded value in the Democratic coalition. Republicans largely oppose abortion, and the anti-abortion movement is mounting multiple court challenges to abortion rights that may end up in the US Supreme Court.

The US President has said that the Church's attitude to Communion is a private matter that he won't discuss in public. But the American bishops' proposed policy changes have raised some questions about consistency: The death penalty contradicts Roman Catholic teachings, for example, but there was no movement in the Church to prevent Trump Attorney General William Barr, who follows the faith, from receiving Communion after he ordered the Justice Department to resume federal executions.

Such contradictions explain why more liberal faith groups like Catholics for Choice are condemning the use of Communion as a "weapon of punishment," and accuse bishops of refusing to wrestle with the complexities of sexuality and reproduction.

This story was first published on CNN.com The symbolism of Hong Kong's Apple Daily
(CNN)  Hungary "has no place" in the European Union after passing a controversial new bill banning LGBTQ content in schools, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Thursday.

Earlier this month Hungary's parliament passed legislation, which bans all educational materials and programs for children which are considered to promote homosexuality, gender reassignment and the concept of sexuality deviating from the one assigned to a person at birth.

The move prompted intense criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties. On the day it passed, crowds gathered in Budapest outside the parliament to protest the bill.

The legislation is one of a string of divisive policies championed by Hungarian leader Victor Orban, a hardline nationalist who has previously railed against LGBTQ people and immigrants.

"For me, Hungary has no place in the EU anymore," Rutte told journalists before attending an EU summit in Brussels alongside Orban.

He added: "But, unfortunately, in the system that we have, I can't do it on my own, but [with] 26 other member states saying: 'you have to leave. This has to happen step by step and, in the meantime, you hope that they will adapt."

As he arrived for the summit, Orban strongly defended the new legislation.

"It's not about homosexuals, it's about the kids and the parents," he said.

"I am a fighter for the rights. I am a freedom fighter in the communist regime," Orban continued.

"Homosexuality was punished and I fought for their freedom and their rights. So I am defending the rights of the homosexual guys, but this law is not about that. It's about the right of the kids and the parents."

On Tuesday, 14 out of 27 EU countries expressed their "deep concern" at the law in a joint declaration initiated by Belgium.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also denounced the bill.

Speaking during a press conference in Brussels on Wednesday, Von der Leyen said the bill "clearly discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation."

"It goes against all the values, the fundamental values of the European Union, and this is human dignity, it is equality, and is the human fundamental rights," she said.

Von der Leyen said she had instructed EU Commissioners to write to the Hungarian authorities expressing the EU's concern over the bill before it comes into force.

Hungary has passed similar legislation before.

In December 2020 the country's parliament voted to redefine the concept of "family" in the country's constitution, a move, which effectively bars same-sex couples from adopting children. That too was met with outcry from human rights groups.

Asked on Thursday whether he would withdraw the latest bill, Orban responded: "The law is already announced, it's published, and it's done."

Orban also claimed that European politicians who oppose the law didn't read it.

"Always better to read first, then criticize later," he said.

"I am not against homosexuality," he added. "The law is about to decide what kind of way parents would like to sexually educate their kids, [with that right] exclusively belonging to the parents."

Asked if he wished to talk about it during the summit, he responded: "It's not on the agenda."

"I am at the disposal of anybody who has respected Hungary in a way to ask me about a new law," he said.

Orban faces an election next year. His Fidesz party promotes a Christian-conservative agenda.

This story was first published on CNN.com Hungary 'has no place in the EU anymore,' Dutch leader says
(CNN)  Newlyweds Mehray Mezensof and Mirzat Taher were two days from leaving Xinjiang to start a new life in Australia when Chinese police knocked on their door in April 2017, seized Taher's passport and threw him into detention.

During the next four years, Taher was imprisoned in Xinjiang detention centers on three separate occasions for months at a time, Mezensof told CNN from her home in Melbourne, where the married couple had hoped to live together.

Then in April this year, she received a phone call to say her husband had been tried for separatism and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

"How could they be that cruel, like how can they be that heartless? My husband didn't do anything. And he's already been through so much in the last four years," she said.

Rights groups and United Nations experts have accused the Chinese government of detaining more than one million Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in extra-legal detention camps, which Beijing claims are "vocational training centers" designed to prevent separatism and religious extremism.

Alongside that system of detention, experts say there is a separate program that involves the lengthy imprisonment of Uyghurs, like Taher, for alleged crimes including terrorism, separatism, and inciting ethnic hatred.

Chinese government figures show a steep rise in the number of people given lengthy prison sentences in Xinjiang from 2014, when Beijing's crackdown on the region's Muslim-majority Uyghurs ramped up.

The records don't reveal the crimes committed, or profile the religion or ethnicity of those convicted. CNN cannot verify whether the policy is still in place as public data for imprisonments hasn't been released beyond 2018.

Nathan Ruser, a researcher at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and author of a report into Xinjiang satellite imagery, said evidence of increased prison infrastructure and Uyghur testimony from the region indicated that systemic persecution through the courts was likely still prevalent.

Evidence of expanding prison system

In 2014, about 21,000 people were sentenced to jail terms in Xinjiang.

Four years later, that number had surged to nearly 133,200. In total, more than a quarter of a million people were jailed between 2016 and 2018 alone, in a region with a population of about 25 million.

As more people went to jail, their sentences got longer.

According to Xinjiang's statistical yearbooks, 87% of all sentences in 2017 were for more than five years, up from 27% in 2016. Rights groups say that sharp rise in the length of prison terms suggests the Chinese government's crackdown in the region is becoming more extreme.

Xinjiang authorities stopped releasing prison data in 2018, cloaking more recent numbers in secrecy, said Human Rights Watch China researcher Maya Wang. "I think there has been a practice of (Chinese government officials) hiding and manipulating figures, especially in more politicized environments," Wang said. "It's kind of clear what's going on."

In a February report, Human Rights Watch said it analyzed almost 60 formal prosecutions between 2016 and 2018 and found that many prisoners had been convicted "without committing a genuine offense." Most of the Uyghur and Kazakh cases involved "vague" offenses including "inciting ethnic hatred" and "picking quarrels and provoking trouble," the report said.

Information from the Xinjiang Victims Database, a nongovernmental organization that has documented more than 8,000 Uyghur cases, suggests the pattern of high sentencing rates continued until at least 2020, HRW said.

CNN reached out to the Chinese government on allegations of a surge of Uyghur imprisonments in Xinjiang but has not received a response.

The Chinese government has stated there is no persecution of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, calling allegations of widespread human rights abuses the "biggest lie of the century."

In July 2019, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Chairman Shohrat Zakir said the majority of people had been released from the region's re-education camps.

But satellite images published in a September report by the ASPI, a think tank run out of Canberra, shows a rapid expansion of prison facilities in the region. Researchers at ASPI claim there is evidence that some detainees who were released from the Xinjiang camp system are being moved into a growing complex of high-security prisons.

Ruser, an author of the ASPI report, said satellite images appeared to show that lower security facilities were being decommissioned while high-security prisons were expanding. According to ASPI, higher-security facilities are usually identified by high perimeter walls, guard towers and a restricted number of entrances to the complex.

Out of 61 detention sites, which were expanded or upgraded between July 2019 and July 2020, ASPI researchers said about 50% were high-security locations. Ruser said it was not always possible to tell if a high-security facility was a prison or a re-education center.

"There's no sign they're currently looking to loosen up their crackdown, at least in the sense of physical detention," Ruser said.

'It's a fabrication'

The Chinese government denied the mass detention of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, until around mid-2018 when Beijing said the camps were part of an anti-terrorism and poverty alleviation campaign.

With international opposition growing to its Xinjiang policies, the Chinese government has since tried to amplify its message through officials, diplomats and state-run media.

In one glossy documentary, which aired in April on state broadcaster CGTN, Uyghur prisoners were accused of plotting to create an independent state for their people in Xinjiang.

Dilsar Ablimit, 21, saw the documentary from her home in Turkey and burst into tears -- two of the people interviewed were her father and uncle. Ablimit hadn't seen her father since February 2017 when she left Urumqi to study in Turkey age 17.

Two months after she flew out of Xinjiang, she found out her father's three brothers had been detained -- then in September 2017, she learned her father had been taken, too. At the time, her mother told Ablimit and her siblings their father was on a business trip, but Ablimit suspected otherwise.

For four years, Ablimit's mother refused to answer questions about their father, maintaining he would return soon. But when Ablimit saw him on CGTN, she realized he may never come home.

Through tears, she said she barely recognized him. "(My father) changed a lot ... He lost a lot of weight," she said.

In photos taken before he disappeared into internment camps, her father had a full head of hair and a mustache. In the documentary, his head and mustache were shaved, and he looked thinner.

There was also one key detail that stood out: Ablimit's father was accused in the documentary of participating in a terrorist conspiracy, which in the past has carried heavy sentences. She is now worried he is in jail, rather than a detention center.

Ablimit said her relatives are not guilty.

"It's a fabrication ... my father and my uncle are never political or (religious). My father and uncle are neither a terrorist or a separatist," she said.

CNN has contacted the Chinese government to clarify her relatives' situation, but received no reply.

'They're dead inside'

Some Uyghurs said their relatives or friends serving lengthy prison sentences in Xinjiang were rushed through a quick trial, without access to an independent lawyer. In many cases, evidence for the convictions was not shared or explained.

Human rights activists have long questioned the legal system in China, where the conviction rate regularly exceeds 99%. Only 656 people were found not guilty in Chinese courts in 2020, out of 1.5 million cases.

Nyrola Elima, a Uyghur exile now living in Sweden, said the evidence that sent her cousin to jail was entirely fabricated.

Elima said her cousin Mayila Yakufu was sentenced to six-and-a-half years jail in February after being accused of financing terrorism. Elima said Yakufu's only crime was transferring money to Australia to help her parents buy a house.

The imprisonment has left her family devastated, according to Elima. "I think they're dead inside," she said.

In a handwritten letter, which Elima said was penned by Yakufu in April, her cousin says she was forced to sign a false confession under threat of torture that was then used as evidence to convict her.

"They threatened me that if I did not admit guilt they would immediately take me to the National Security Forces and continuously interrogate me for a month, to see what else I will confess," the letter allegedly from Yakufu said. CNN has seen and independently translated the letter.

Yakufu said she confessed not only to avoid torture but also to protect the rest of her family who still live in Xinjiang. "I don't have the strength to resist such power ... I really feel wronged and can't get over it but I had no other option," the letter said.

During major Chinese internal security crackdowns, such as the one implemented in Xinjiang, officials are often under pressure to convict large numbers of people to prove the effectiveness of the campaign, according to HRW.

"When it comes to people who are ethnic minorities, I think it is highly likely that many of the people there shouldn't be imprisoned," said Wang, the HRW China researcher. "If you look at the verdicts that are available it does show that ... they are being punished for behavior that does not constitute crimes."

'I'll never give up'

Families caught in the system endure lengthy waits for brief moments of contact with prisoners. Elima said recently her mother was able to chat with Yakufu over a short video call arranged by the local justice bureau.

"It only lasted two or three minutes. No more," Elima said. "She just said, I'm fine, take care of yourself, take care of my kids."

Yakufu was visibly distressed when she saw two of her children on the call, Elima said.

"She looked like there was no hope or light in her eyes," Elima said. "Her voice was shaking, she tried really hard not to cry. She held herself from the tears to be strong for her mom and the kids. If she started crying, it would haunt my mom forever."

In Melbourne, Mezensof believes her husband has been imprisoned in one of the newly expanded high-security prison facilities in a town called Hami, 600 kilometers (372 miles) from the regional capital Urumqi, where the couple used to live together.

She hasn't been able to speak with him since he was sentenced.

For years, Mezensof kept quiet about her husband's predicament to avoid inflaming matters. After he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, she said she had nothing left to lose.

"They did the worst possible thing that they can do to my husband, and now it's just like, there was no choice left," she said.

Although international pressure is growing for Beijing to reverse its policies in Xinjiang, there is little indication that her husband will be released any time soon. Mezensof said she won't stop trying.

"No matter how hard it gets up I'm never gonna give up on him," she said. "I'll never give up until he is free."

This story was first published on CNN.com Uyghurs in Xinjiang are being given long prison sentences. Their families say they have done nothing wrong
(CNN)  The death toll from Thursday's partial collapse of a South Florida residential building has risen to four and the number of unaccounted increased by the dozens, officials said Friday morning, as a painstaking search continued for survivors in the rubble.

Three bodies were found overnight from Thursday into Friday in the wreckage of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah said -- adding to one found early Thursday.

Family members identified Stacie Fang as a victim killed in the collapse. Fang is the mother of Jonah Handler, a boy who was pulled alive from the rubble, the family said in a statement.

"There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie," the Fang and Handler family statement said. "The members of the Fang and Handler family would like to express our deepest appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy, compassion and support we have received. The many heartfelt words of encouragement and love have served as a much needed source of strength during this devastating time."

The number of people unaccounted for is now 159, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters -- up from the figure of 99 that officials gave Thursday afternoon.

"We will continue search and rescue, because we still have hope we will find people alive," Levine Cava said at a news conference Friday morning.

Three of the four victims have been identified, according to Dr. Emma Lew, director of the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department. One victim died at a hospital. No other information was provided.

Two victims were being treated at Jackson Health System hospital, a spokesperson said.

About 55 of the 136 units at the building a few miles north of Miami Beach collapsed at around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, leaving huge piles of rubble on the ground and materials dangling from what remained of the structure, officials said.

Since then, numerous search and rescue personnel have been scouring the rubble, including from the surface, with search dogs, sonar and cameras.

Structural engineers also have been shoring up other places -- such as areas near a parking garage underneath the rubble -- to allow crews to tunnel underneath with light machinery.

Thirty-five people were rescued from standing portions of the building by first responders, Jadallah said Thursday.

The cause of the collapse wasn't immediately known.

Rescuers on Friday will use heavy machinery to pull "some of the superficial metal from above," which will help identify voids where survivors could be, Jadallah said Friday morning.

"As we move through the building, we constantly monitor, making sure that there's no movement, every piece of rubble that we move, we have to take, make efforts to stabilize the building, inch by inch," Miami-Dade Fire Rescue District Chief Jason Richard told CNN.

Officials don't know how many people were in the building

Florida State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis said the search involved "that delicate balance of saving lives while risking lives," with the accumulation of water used to extinguish fires adding dangerous weight to the unstable remains of the buildings.

Crews were taking down license plate numbers of cars in the parking garage in an attempt to determine who was in the building, Patronis said.

Surfside Town Manager Andy Hyatt said officials do not know how many people were in the building at the time of the collapse.

"We know that it was about 80% occupied but that doesn't mean that there was 80% occupied with people," he told CNN Friday.

"We know that some families around here travel quite a bit."

Hyatt said the town's building official had been on the roof of the tower -- where work was being done -- and that "it was fine."

The building's residents reflected South Florida's international and cultural mix, with affluent families from Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia and a tight-knit Jewish community.

Kevin Spiegel said his wife, Judy, is among the missing. He said he was out of town at the time of the collapse.

"She's just the most amazing person in the world and we would do anything to have her back," he told CNN, his two sons -- Michael and Josh -- at his side.

President Joe Biden on Friday approved an emergency declaration for the state, making federal aid available to Florida -- including equipment and other resources -- and authorizing FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts.

Additionally, a team of engineers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology is being sent to Surfside to determine whether a larger investigation that could impact building codes everywhere is needed.

The federal agency studies building structural failures and recommends changes to building codes, fire response and emergency communications, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Huergo.

The goal of such an investigation, Huergo said, would be to determine "the technical cause of the collapse" and the possible need for "changes to building codes, standards and practices."

Engineers weigh in on the collapse

Although the cause of the partial collapse wasn't known, some engineers who saw it on video shared their expertise with CNN on why the building fell the way it did.

Greg Batista, a structural engineer who did work on the building years ago, said concrete repair and a spalling problem can cause collapses.

Spalling can occur when part of the surface of the concrete peels, breaks or chips.

"Spalling can get to a point that, if not repaired, it can lead to eventual collapse, and I've been to places where there have been collapses of floors, of beams, of columns," Batista said.

Batista noted that for that type of collapse to occur, the malfunction of one column is enough to bring a structure down.

"All it takes is one column, and everything can come down like a Jenga," he said. "After having seen the video ... you see the actual building coming down, and the actual collapse begins on one of the lower floors. So immediately, I see that something happened down there."

Another structural engineer, Kit Miyamoto, who is California's seismic safety commissioner, echoed Batista's take.

"This collapse is a real classic ... column failure, which means the building itself was supported by a series of pillars. If the pillars fail, everything fails. So that's exactly what looked like that," Miyamoto told CNN.

Batista offered a glimmer of hope for those unaccounted for, saying it's entirely possible for more people to be rescued.

"If you go back to videos of building crumbling in the past, you've seen miracles of babies being pulled out of small voids either the day after or the week after. There's certainly a possibility that this can happen here," Batista said.

Kenneth Direktor, an attorney for the association of residents at the condo, said the building had "thorough engineering inspections over the last several months" in preparation for compliance with a 40-year certification.

The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records. Building standards were strengthened after highly destructive Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

"What that tells you is.... nothing like this was foreseeable, at least it wasn't seen by the engineers who were looking at the building from a structural perspective," Direktor told CNN.

An engineer had already conducted inspections to determine needed repairs, but the only work that had actually commenced was on the roof, Direktor said.

Alexandria Santamaria, a property manager for the building until 2019, told CNN Friday that she was never told immediate repairs were needed during her time managing the property.

"No one ever said there were any signs of repairs that were needed immediately or that there [were] any signs of collapsing," she said.

Shimon Wdowinski, a professor with Florida International University's Institute of Environment, told CNN he determined in a study last year that the Champlain Towers South condo showed signs of sinking in the 1990s.

The condo had a "subsidence" rate of about 2 millimeters a year from 1993 to 1999, according to his study, first reported by USA Today.

While Wdowinski said this sinking alone would likely not cause the condo's collapse, he said it could be a contributing factor.

"If one part of the building moves with respect to the other, that could cause some tension and cracks," he explained.

The professor said buildings in other areas had moved at higher rates, and he didn't find the condo building's movement unusual.

What we know about those unaccounted for

At least 30 people believed to be missing are from several Latin American countries, according to officials from the respective countries.

At least nine are from Argentina.

They included Andres Galfrascoli, 45, his partner Fabian Nunez, 55, and their daughter, Sofia Galfrascoli Nunez, 6, according to a friend. The group was staying at a friend's condo for vacation.

"We don't know anything, we don't have any closure and that's what hurts," friend Nicolas Fernandez told CNN.

Six Paraguayans, including the sister of Paraguayan First Lady Silvana Lopez Moreira, the brother-in-law and their three children are still unaccounted for.

The first lady's relatives were staying on the 10th floor of the partially collapsed building, and Paraguay's ministry of external relations has not been able to locate the family, the ministry told CNN en Espanol.

Officials representing Uruguay and Venezuela also reported missing citizens, and at least six Colombians resided in the building, authorities said.

More locally, the family of a mother and grandmother who were in the section of the building that collapsed haven't heard from them, the son, Pablo Rodriguez, told CNN.

"We are praying for a miracle, but at the same time trying to be as realistic about it as possible," he said. "Until we definitely know, there is hope. It's just dwindling by the minute."

Some members from the Shul of Bal Harbour synagogue are also among those unaccounted for, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar told CNN.

"This is something that transcends our capacity for understanding," Lipskar said about the collapse. "It's a reality, we accept it and we have to learn as we do in our culture of resilience to move forward."

Rabbi Eliot Pearlson, who leads Temple Menorah, told CNN's Chris Cuomo, "It's hard to explain. This doesn't happen in America. It's doesn't happen in Miami Beach. It doesn't happen in our homes. And it's very difficult to comprehend how it's possible."

Pearlson said he saw people come together in compassion following the collapse, and his temple will host an emergency prayer service on Friday.

Three generations of one family from his temple were among the missing, he said.

"I have to tell you, when I walked past ground zero, there was row after row after row of firefighters who are literally waiting to rush into a building that could fall at any time," he added.

This story was first published on CNNcom, "Death toll in Florida building collapse rises to 4, with 159 people now unaccounted for."
I continued to work at david place with my chemo pack, which I called Albert. (I named it a mans name, only man would sleep with me and take showers and be at my side 24/7). The last few weeks of radiation I had to take leave at work until after radiation was done. I returned to work and worked for a month before the surgery.

I had the abdominal resection surgery done. The day after I was released, I developed a fever of 103 and was admitted to the hospital in David City. My abdominal incision opened up and it started to drain. I had had a staph infection. My abdominal incision opened up to approximately 4 inches long, 2 inches deep and 2 inches wide. For about three months I had to redress my abdominal opening twice a day and go weekly for debridement. As a nurse, I managed to do this on my own. Then, after a month after that had happened, where my rectum was, I developed four fistulas that were 3 inches long and smaller-small staph infection again. I had to wear a wound vac for three months. I had home health come since I couldnt see it. I had to return to work after five weeks post op or else I would lose my insurance, etc. So, I worked with my incision still opened and my wound pack to my back end, which was also called Albert. Eventually, I healed up and then in 2006, Dr. Grimm gave me additional chemo that was not in the research criteria. My colon surgeon told me that it was unusual what had happened to me (incision and fistulas). Then he said that nurses and doctors always get unusual circumstances!
Carlisle

alert top story

Carlisle

Carlisle nonprofits get Wi-Fi boost from Comcast

Submitted photo Hope Station's Professional and Educational Empowerment Center is in the building that once housed Cyberspace.

Two Carlisle nonprofit organizations will boost their Wi-Fi capability when they become Comcast Lift Zones later this month.

Comcast announced plans Tuesday to equip Carlisle Family YMCA, Hope Station and the Professional and Educational Empowerment Center with Wi-Fi coverage that is expected to help low-income students get online, participate in distance learning and do their homework. Sites are also available for adults, veterans and seniors to look for and apply for jobs, and to keep in touch with friends and family.

Watch Now: Demolition begins on next phase of Carlisle Family YMCA renovation and expansion project Crews are removing the former Franklin School building that comprises the north section of the YMCA.

The Lift Zones will feature free Wi-Fi provided by Comcast for the community centers for the next three years.

Justin Rose, associate executive director of the Carlisle Family YMCA, is excited to be part of such a large initiative for youths and education.

With our expanding community footprint and large reach in community youth programming, we felt like the Comcast Lift Zone initiative would be a great fit for the Carlisle Family YMCA, he said. We are looking forward to launching specific programming early in the fall when school restarts. In the meantime we are utilizing the Lift Zones for families and youth enrolled in summer programming.

Hope Station Executive Director Safronia Perry said the Lift Zone will give students access to the internet when they need it whether in the Hope Station building itself or at PEEC, which is operated by Hope Station.

We are hoping to do STEM in partnership with Dickinson and for students who need to utilize especially PEEC for school work, she said.

Carlisle celebrates Juneteenth, now a federal holiday, after a long year This is the first time Ive received messages saying happy Juneteenth, said Samuel Waring, who has served as a DJ at past Carlisle events. The spotlight is there. Now, what are you going to do with it?

Lift Zone sites complement Comcasts Internet Essentials program, which, since 2011, has connected more than 10 million people in America to broadband internet at home, including approximately 10,800 people in Cumberland County.

The three Carlisle sites join 50 others that are already operating in Comcasts Keystone Region. Other areas are also under consideration.

The COVID-19 crisis continues to put many low-income students at risk of being left behind, accelerating the need for comprehensive digital equity and internet adoption programs to support them, said Toni Murphy, senior vice president for Comcasts Keystone Region. We hope these Lift Zones will help those students who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to connect to effective distance learning at home.
The July 20, 1894 edition of the Indian Helper reported that Leslie had views of the Conodoguinet Creek near Cave Hill for sale at 10 cents each. Two months later, the publication described Leslie as someone learning the trade of photography during his half days out of school.

In 1895, Leslie produced a souvenir booklet with 61 photos of the school and its students, most of which he took on his own. That same year, Leslie put together an exhibit of photographs at the Atlanta International Exposition.

The following year, Andrews photographed Leslie with other members of the Class of 1896. Three months after his departure for the Pacific Northwest, the July 24, 1896, edition of the Indian Helper reported that Leslie was doing well as a photographer in Steaveston, British Columbia.

Years later, in 1907, Leslie completed a survey questionnaire distributed to Indian School alumni by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Leslie wrote that he was not married and was employed as the chief engineer onboard the steamer City of Shelton sailing out of the Olympia, Washington. There was no information given on how he went from being a photographer to a maritime technician.

Other archival information places Leslie in Olympia, but as a photographer. He was among the professional shutterbugs whose work was featured in a 1915 catalog.

Tour Through Time runs Saturday in The Sentinel print edition. Reporter Joseph Cress will work with the Cumberland County Historical Society each week to look at the county through the years. Send any questions, feature or tips to jcress@cumberlink.com. Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.com.

Love 5 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Trump said on Friday in an interview with the conservative outlet Newsmax that I think she should go to the real part of the border, not a part of the border thats seldom violated.

Harris has borne the brunt of attacks from Republicans over immigration since Biden assigned her to lead the administrations efforts to address the root causes of migration to the U.S. from countries like Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. Shes emphasized that her focus is on improving conditions for residents of those countries through economic and humanitarian aid, to encourage them to stay home rather than make the journey to the U.S..

Republicans have tried to paint the administration as indifferent to border security, seeking to revive a potent political weapon against Democrats for the 2022 midterm elections. Trump plans to visit the area less than a week after Harris, and hes certain to seize on her trip to keep driving the GOP narrative.

Other administration officials have made multiple visits to the border, but the absence of Biden and Harris had left some Democrats worried that damage already has been done. Theres concern that the Biden administration has ceded the border security debate to Republicans.
It's the first time the warplanes armed with Kinzhal have been deployed outside Russia's borders.

The military says the Kinzhal has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles) and flies at 10 times the speed of sound, making it hard to intercept.

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft. The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernized the runway at Hemeimeem to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second one to expand the operations there.

Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia currently has outside the former Soviet Union.
Proponents of critical race theory and antiracism (the idea that being nonracist isnt good enough; you have to embrace an antiracist agenda) as an approach to classroom instruction believe America is shot through with structural racism and white supremacy  and that white people must atone for their privilege somehow.

Taking this approach, they claim, will usher in a long-overdue reckoning with our past and present. They make it sound as if before 2021, it never occurred to anyone that kids should be taught about racism or the legacy of slavery and Jim Crow.

Currently, most k-12 students already learn a kind of Confederate Race Theory, whereby the Daughters of the Confederacy long ago imposed a version of history wherein slavery was not so bad and had nothing to do with the civil war, and lynchings and violence never happened, MSNBC host Joy-Ann Reid recently tweeted.

Well, I can report that this is otherworldly nonsense, going by my daughters experience or that of the children of people I know in Washington (or New York or Los Angeles). At affluent K-12 schools, public or private  where the purported greatest beneficiaries of white privilege send their own children  teaching about racism, slavery and civil rights has been central to social studies curricula for decades.
Closing up of the container filled with locally made products from the 6 local businesses.
In the suit, a former employee alleged she suffered civil rights violations, intentional infliction of emotional distress and sexual harassment while working a charity cruise.

The article did not claim Nunes was on board the cruise and clarifies that it is unclear whether he was aware of the 2016 lawsuit or the cruise. Alpha Omega Winery later settled the womans suit for an undisclosed sum, according to the article.

Accusations against Mair  who is also named alongside two anonymous Twitter users in a similar defamation lawsuit in Henrico County  were largely based on her reposting the yacht story and Nunes allegation of a conspiracy between her and McClatchy. Mair was accused of providing false narratives and egregious soundbites to the newspaper reporter, who simply republished [them] without fact-checking them.

However, an Albemarle circuit judge did not find these accusations sufficient and will soon formally dismiss the complaint. The identity of the judge is uncertain at this time, as the dismissal order is not yet signed.
In an updated statement, the McClatchy Company billed Nunes lawsuit as ill-founded and baseless.

As we emphasized in April, this lawsuit represents a baseless attack on local journalism and a free press, the statement reads. At a time when local journalism is facing more pressing and urgent challenges, the lawsuit is an unproductive distraction and a misuse of the judicial system.

The statement also criticizes Nunes for not filing the lawsuit in California, where both the congressman and The Fresno Bee are located.

Mr. Nunes has not once availed himself of this statute by demanding a published correction to any statement made about him, the statement reads. He did however find the time to produce a video and a 40-page mailer distributed to constituents attacking The Fresno Bee and its coverage of the Alpha Omega winery case.

Nunes and Biss could not be reached for comment.

In a defamation case with a public official, the burden of proof is higher than for a non-public citizen. It must be proved that defendants intentionally and maliciously spread provably false information.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP)  Three entities have already expressed interest in acquiring two statues of Confederate generals from downtown Charlottesville parks, including one that was the focus of a violent white nationalist rally in 2017, according to city officials.

Earlier this month, the city council voted unanimously to remove the statues the statues of Robert E. Lee and Thomas Stonewall Jackson. Virginia requires a 30-day window for the city to offer the statues to any museum, historical society, government or military battlefield.

Officials say three entities have submitted statements of interest so far, according to The Daily Progress. City Manager Chip Boyles said at Monday's council meeting that two of the interested entities are in-state and one is out-of-state. The offer expires July 7.

Cali Gaston, downtown business owner, urged the council to remove the statues as quickly as possible and place them in storage until arrangements can be made.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  Songwriter Diane Warren stepped in Thursday to save the life of cow that eluded capture for more than a day after a herd escaped from a Southern California slaughterhouse and stampeded through a suburb.

The Grammy-winning artist contacted the city of Pico Rivera to arrange to have the cow sent to the Farm Sanctuary north of Los Angeles, Warren and City Manager Steve Carmona said.

Carmona said the City Council had already authorized him to open a dialogue about the cow with the owner of the slaughterhouse when Warren stepped in. He said the transfer was dependent on a state agriculture health check.

Cows are very smart, empathetic animals. I mean, they knew there was a door open, said Warren, who has been a vegetarian for 23 years. "This morning, I woke up and I saw there was one cow that hadnt been caught yet  and theyre trying to catch her and getting close to her. I saw her crying out and I couldnt unsee that.

Warren, who wrote the LeAnn Rimes hit How Do I Live and won a Grammy for Because You Loved Me" from the 1996 film Up Close and Personal, said she has a farm animal rescue in Malibu and felt compelled to act.
RICHMOND  The smooth coneflower, a droopy, lavender-pink flower whose petals fall away from its head like a skimpy skirt, has a tendency to look like its on deaths doorstep.

For years that wasnt far from the truth: In 1992, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found only 21 populations of the flower (Echinacea laevigata) still existed in Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia and listed the species as endangered.

Now, though, its time for the smooth coneflower to perk up. On Wednesday, Fish and Wildlife proposed upgrading (or, in agency speak, downlisting) the species from endangered to threatened following conservation work that has helped to strengthen its toehold in the region.

Today, researchers have identified 44 distinct populations of the flower, with about a third of them in Virginia. According to Susan Wojtowicz, a visitor services specialist with U.S. Fish and Wildlife, the smooth coneflower can be found in Alleghany, Amherst, Botetourt, Campbell, Craig, Floyd, Franklin, Giles, Halifax, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke and Rockbridge counties and the cities of Covington and Radford.

A number of populations are managed by the U.S. Forest Service in both the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.
Yes. I will do my part to conserve household energy usage, even if I'm uncomfortable in my home.

No. It is too hot to conserve household energy usage.

I already conserve, even before ERCOT requested it.

Maybe, depending on the reason ERCOT provides and whether or not I am home during that time.

Vote

View Results
In Albany, a cooling center for senior residents will be offered at the main branch of the Albany Public Library, 2450 14th Ave. S.E., From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Those who use the center should use the parking lot on the 14th Avenue side of the building and the marked entrance on the east side of the parking lot due to road construction on Davidson Street Southeast.

C.H.A.N.C.E. Albany, 231 Lyon Street S., also is running a cooling center on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Water and snacks will be available, according to the city of Albanys news release.

The Lebanon Soup Kitchen, at 170 E. Grant St. in First Christian Church, will have a cooling station that will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., according to a news release from Lebanon Community Schools. The district has cancelled its summer school program on Monday for all grades, including academic and enrichment activities. Residents will be notified of any changes past Monday.

The River Center in Lebanon, 3000 S. Santiam Highway, also will operate a cooling center on Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., said Nancy Brewer, interim city manager, in a brief interview.
News

featured

UNT pulls jazz fest sponsorship for October event

Jeff Woo/DRC file photo The Nine OClock Lab Band plays for guests as they groove to music during the 38th Annual Denton Arts & Jazz Festival at Quakertown Park in 2018. The festival is a celebration of the arts in a community known for embracing and nurturing music, dance, choral, drama and the visual arts. DRC file photo The UNT One O'Clock Lab Band plays at the Jazz Stage during the Denton Arts and Jazz Festival on April 29, 2016. DRC file photo A University of North Texas lab band guitarist is framed by the audience during the 2016 Denton Arts and Jazz Festival at Quakertown Park.

DRC file photo The University of North Texas College of Music celebrated its 70th anniversary at the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival in 2017. The university will not be sponsoring a concert stage at this years October event.

Updated at 1:45 p.m. to include more reaction.The University of North Texas has declined to sponsor its concert stage at the upcoming Denton Arts & Jazz Festival, citing a reallocation of money and the time and energy required by UNT staff to run the stage.

In a statement to the Denton Record-Chronicle, Jim Bersheidt said the Division of Brand Strategy and Communications had paid the sponsorship for the popular stage that featured student ensembles throughout the free three-day festival.

The Denton Arts & Jazz Festival is unique in that UNT has to pay for the best collegiate jazz program in the U.S. to play rather than incorporating our groups into the lineup as a way to draw a crowd, said Bersheidt, the vice president of the brand strategy division. The dean of the College of Music recently offered this option again to festival organizers, but it was rejected.

Berscheidt said his division doesnt sponsor or staff other festivals in Denton or anywhere as part of the universitys brand strategy and marketing purview.

Its up to each college and school dean at UNT to make decisions regarding the best external sponsorship and marketing opportunities, so I reallocated the funding to other initiatives, Berscheidt said. In addition to the financial obligation, several staff members in my area devoted a great deal of time to planning and running the stage and tent at the festival, which is the other significant issue that I had to address.

Berscheidt said he echoed UNT President Neal Smatresk, who punted the decision about sponsorship to the College of Music.

If funds are available in the College of Music or the Division of Academic Affairs, then the sponsorship may continue. However, thats not the purpose of the general university marketing budget, Berscheidt said.

John W. Richmond, the dean of the College of Music, said he understands the financial needs at the root of the decision, but is saddened for the students who might not get the chance to play at the festival in October. The college is ready to send student ensembles to perform at the festival if the organizers have physical and programming space available, he said.

We love being part of the festival, and we were sad about the loss of everything related to the pandemic, Richmond said. I didnt know anything about the money part of this only because it didnt run through our books. I didnt know this was a sponsorship. I knew that our students performed uncompensated, gratis, which isnt usual for us when performing out in the world.

Richmond said the sponsorship paid by the brand strategy division cost $15,000, and then the costs for staff who run both the stage and the tent. The pandemic dealt a blow to everyone in the country, Richmond said, and university budgets werent spared. The College of Music went a full academic year without performing for live audiences, but it expanded its streaming capabilities, adding broadcasting technology to more performing spaces in the college. The students rehearsed and performed for streaming audiences at no charge, Richmond said.

Every nook and cranny was affected by this pandemic, he said.

Ed Soph, a retired UNT College of Music Faculty member, broke the news of the sponsorship cancellation on the Denton Matters Facebook group. The post generated more than 40 comments, with quite a few coming from present and retired music and art faculty members who decried the decision as short-sighted.

I really dont want to say its a mistake, Soph said. It seems like a terrible misunderstanding. What Id like to see is all parties  the UNT administration, Jazz Studies, and the Arts & Jazz Festival sit down at a table and figure something out so the UNT jazz students get their chance to perform.

The jazz festival is second only to the North Texas Fair & Rodeo in attendance and popularity in Denton. It attracts well over 100,000 attendees over three days each year. The UNT Jazz stage draws audiences throughout its concerts. A few years ago, a performance by the student Mariachi band attracted hundreds to the stage.

Soph has performed on the Jazz Stage, the festivals main stage, many times over the years. But hes also spent a lot of time at the UNT Showcase Stage watching students.

Students are usually used to playing for their peers at school, Soph said. The public exposure and the reaction they get from the people has got to be inspiring. For students, youre applying your craft, and to get that reaction from people outside the school can be really inspiring. Its very important to learn how to play for people who dont even know you.

Richmond said the jazz festival moving its date from the last weekend in April to the first weekend of October this year posed another difficulty for the college.

For us, April really is the perfect time for our students to have a performance like this, he said. Theyve had a full academic year of rehearsals and performances. They have a much bigger catalog of music to pull from. Theyre playing at their best. With the festival happening this year in October, the students have been rehearsing for three weeks.

Richmond said the college is still willing to send students to perform in October.

Can the [UNT] One Oclock [Lab Band, the premiere student jazz band] perform in October? Yes. We would want to send students who can perform at the standard we expect at that time. There are going to be fewer ensembles ready.

Richmond said the college wants to support the festival organizers in whatever way it can, and said the festivals leadership has always been absolutely lovely to work with since he arrived at UNT five years ago.

We want to help any way we can, and we want to be part of the festival in the future, he said.

The college would be willing to partner with a donor, though Richmond said that might be most possible for festivals after this year.

We love this festival. Its such an important part of the cultural life of the community, he said.
* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!
Denton, TX (76205)

Today

Showers in the morning, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
The Denver City Council has once again extended its local disaster emergency declaration, pushing the expiration date back another month.

The disaster declaration, previously set to expire Monday, will now last through July 19. The extension was unanimously approved without discussion during the council meeting Monday.

Mayor Michael Hancock first filed the disaster declaration with the Denver Clerk and Recorder on March 12, 2020, one week after the first official case of COVID-19 was reported in Colorado.

Though COVID-19 rates in Denver have been consistently decreasing since the winter, the extension was issued out of an abundance of caution and under the recommendation of local and state health officials, according to the resolution filing.

The occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury or loss of life or property resulting from COVID-19 continues to require emergency action and resources to avert danger or damage and to protect public health, the resolution reads.

Denver, and its neighboring metro counties, lifted the majority of COVID-19 restrictions last month, including all capacity and social distancing limits.

The city also aligned with Gov. Jared Polis's new masking stance, which removes an order and replaces it with a recommendation that the unvaccinated wear masks. Fully vaccinated people can go maskless in nearly all settings.

This comes as, on Monday, Denver County's seven-day average for new COVID-19 cases was only 3.9 per 100,000 people  the lowest it has been since March 2020, according to Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.

However, the disaster declaration is still necessary for the city government to continue to receive federal public assistance funds for emergency protective measures related to COVID-19.

Under the disaster declaration, the city also has the ability to expedite procurement for critical services that provide shelter for people in need and purchase protective equipment for Denvers essential workers, among other time-sensitive needs.

According to state law, local disaster declarations cannot exceed seven days without approval by the City Council.
PPF Telecom Group, a strategic PPF Group vehicle used to consolidate investments in telecommunications, has increased its stake in the telecommunications provider O2 Czech Republic (Czechia) and now wants to take the firm private.

PPF said in a press release that it had lifted its stake in the group to 90.01%, from 83.58%, in a reverse accelerated book building. PPF has controlled the O2 Czech Republic since 2014.

PPF said: "As the more than 90% holder in the share capital of O2 CR, PPF announces its intention to initiate a squeeze-out procedure of the remaining holders in O2 CR through a mandatory tender offer for the shares in the telecommunications operator held by these remaining minority shareholders."

With its stake rising above the regulatory 90% level, PPF said it would initiate a squeeze-out procedure of the remaining shareholders in the O2 Czech Republic. The O2 Czech Republic is the country's fourth-largest company with a market cap of $3.81 billion.

PPF, with assets of almost 40 billion euros across Europe and Asia, has grown its telecom business in central and eastern Europe.

The O2 Czech Republic provides voice, internet, and data services to customers ranging from households to SMEs and large corporations. O2s internet is available in 99% of the Czech Republics inhabited territory, easily making it the countrys largest internet provider.
Servicers are expecting borrower demand for help to increase and may have trouble keeping up. The repayment system has never been turned off before, so no one is sure what restarting it simultaneously for 42.9 million people will look like.

We dont have any guidance from the department (of Education) about what a resumption strategy would look like, says Buchanan. We are in the time frame where those plans need to be communicated; it cannot wait.

Richard Cordray, the newly appointed head of the Education Departments federal student aid office, told The Washington Post for a story on June 11 that restarting payments was a very complex situation and said the office planned to provide more information to servicers soon. He also said the department planned to hold the servicers accountable by setting rigorous performance benchmarks.

Despite the uncertainty, if youre worried about your ability to make payments, theres no downside to contacting your servicer now to beat the rush, says Buchanan. Ask about your best options to manage payments, depending on your situation.
MIAMI (AP)  The first cruise ship to board passengers at a U.S. port in 15 months is set to sail Saturday from the industrys South Florida hub in a symbolic stride toward normalcy that will be watched closely by health experts as vaccines curb the coronavirus' spread in the country.

Industry officials hope the Celebrity Edge's voyage serves as a bookend for people for whom the gravity of the pandemic first hit home in the alarming reports last year of deadly outbreaks on crowded ships, with guests quarantined for weeks, vessels begging to dock and sickened passengers carried away on stretchers at ports.

We are excited to be part of that, said Russ Schwartz, a Florida school principal who is honeymooning on the ship and is confident it will be smooth sailing. Things have changed drastically. Back then we really didnt know much about the virus. Cruises at that point werent prepared.

Celebrity Cruises, one of Royal Caribbean Cruises' brands, says at least 95% of those boarding the Celebrity Edge have been vaccinated against the coronavirus in line with health requirements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the ship will run at a reduced capacity.
MIAMI (AP)  Carnival Corp. said Thursday that it lost more than $2 billion in its latest quarter as the company's cruise lines remained mostly shut down by the pandemic, but it said bookings for next year are running ahead of 2019's pace.

Shares of the Miami-headquartered company fell 2.5%.

The cruise industry was a visible early victim in the pandemic, as passengers and crew members tested positive for COVID-19 and some ships were turned away from ports. The industry has battled the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over health requirements for resuming sailing in U.S. waters.

CEO Arnold Donald said the company has long known that 2020 and even early 2021 would be choppy, but the path and the trend is clear  there is pent-up demand that is showing up in booking numbers.

Carnival, whose nine cruising subsidiaries include Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line, said bookings in the March-through-May quarter rose 45% over the previous quarter, and cumulative bookings for 2022 are ahead of 2019.

The company plans to resume limited U.S. operations with trips starting in July and August from Florida, Texas and Washington state.
Reeling from massive cutbacks in volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and grappling with high construction costs, Habitat for Humanity leaders would be the first to admit theyre struggling.

The past year has felt like one punch after the other, they say. First hit: Habitat's local affiliates had to limit volunteers over virus concerns, forcing them to fork over more money to hire contractors. Second hit: Revenue was dented by temporary closures of ReStores, the reuse stores operated by local Habitat organizations. The third: Construction delays caused by pandemic-induced kinks in the supply chain, which make affiliates wait longer for supplies.

What could have been the knockout blow was the spike in construction costs. Lumber prices, according to the National Association of Home Builders, increased by more than 300% since April 2020. Demand for new homes, as well as demand for supplies for renovation projects and other factors, also kept costs high, experts say. Prices have come down in recent weeks, but they are still significantly higher than before the pandemic.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden celebrated Pride Month at the White House on Friday, a reflection of the growing stature of the LGBTQ community at the highest level of government.

Pride Month represents so much, Biden said. It stands for courage. The courage of all those in previous generations and today who proudly live their truth. Stands for justice. Both the steps weve taken and the steps we need to take. And above all, Pride Month stands for love.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay person confirmed to a Cabinet post, joined the president and first lady in the White House's East Room and also gave remarks.

Us even being here proves how much change is possible in America," Buttigieg said. So many lives have been changed, saved by the sustained advocacy, the moral resolve, the political courage of countless LGBTQ-plus leaders and allies, some elected, some invisible, some long gone, some in this room right now.
The promises of the new barrier come on top of plans for Texas state troopers to begin arresting border crossers and jailing them for state crimes, such as trespassing. Abbott said homes are being invaded" along the border. Landowners are losing livestock and crops, Abbott said, because of the carnage that is being caused by the people who are coming across the border."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000. But the numbers were boosted by a pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum that encouraged repeat attempts to cross because getting caught carried no legal consequences.

Nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children were picked up along the border in March, by far the highest month on record. April was second-highest and May was third-highest.

Abbott has rejected criticism that his measures are just for show.

Anyone who thinks this is politics doesnt have a clue whats going on at the border," Abbott said last week in the Texas Capitol. Anyone who thinks this is politics doesnt care about American citizens or Texas residents."

Immigration has been a weak spot for Biden.
Elsewhere in the state, by the end of the first week of June, the metro Atlanta county of Cobb had distributed roughly $3.5 million of the $22.8 million in federal rental assistance funds it received. Nonprofits that are distributing the funds there have said rigorous federal eligibility requirements made it hard to come up with a coordinated system to process applications, according to county officials. In nearby DeKalb County, an even smaller share of the money has gone out so far. County officials have blamed delays on a cyberattack in March on a server handling rental assistance applications.

The state's money can go toward 12 months of past due rent and utility bills and is paid to landlords and utility providers, according to the community affairs department's website. Siegel said if landlords choose not to participate, she'd like to see money flow directly to tenants.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Courts have tried to connect tenants to rental assistance programs. But in some counties, there's not enough collaboration between the programs and the court system and applications aren't reviewed fast enough to prevent eviction orders, said Viraj Parmar, managing attorney with the Housing Court Assistance Center in Atlanta.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP)  Local officials were concerned about the safety of a heavily traveled stretch of Interstate 65 where 10 people died in a fiery crash long before the pileup last weekend, and the road itself could become part of the investigation into the wreck.

State Rep. Chris Sells said he and Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock inspected the wreck area weeks ago after he heard complaints it was hot spot with a potential for problems even though only sporadic accidents had occurred there through the years.

The area is too congested, he said, and a lengthy downhill slope can lead to both excessive speed and the pooling of water after a storm. Combine that with drivers following too closely and not paying attention and tragedy can occur, Sells said Wednesday.

Its not like this was a particularly deadly area  its not, said Sells, of Greenville. But it is now.

Garlock said the highway near the crash scene is is notorious for hydroplaning because of the way the road is made, but declined to go into details about his concerns citing the continuing investigation into the crash.

Its not just me. A lot of people are concerned with certain areas, he said. Alabama has plenty more potentially dangerous places in roads, he said.
A lawyer is requesting a mental evaluation for a man who claims he doesnt remember stealing a police car and shooting at people in Dothan last week.

Jeffrey Michael Stewart, 42, of Jakin, Georgia, was arrested last week after a crime spree that involved shooting at cars and a Dothan police officer, and stealing a patrol car. He was shot during an encounter with a police officer and eventually surrendered after being cornered on Denton Road.

In court documents filed Wednesday, attorney Christopher Williams said Stewart appeared disoriented and confused while speaking with his counsel and did not seem to remember the reasons he was incarcerated.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

During discussions, Williams said Stewart also espoused an elaborate conspiracy theory not relevant to his current legal situation.

He filed a motion to have Stewarts mental health examined, saying Stewart seems to be in no condition to fruitfully collaborate in his legal defense in this state and the totality of the circumstances of the arrest of Mr. Stewart lend themselves to a mental health evaluation.
Michelin recently invited students from the Wallace Community College applied engineering technology program to visit its Dothan plant.

Plant Manager Felicia Sanders welcomed students and introduced an array of engineers, technicians, operators, and staff. The tour was initiated to encourage participation in the companys Technical Scholars Program.

Those accepted into the program gain experience by working part-time at Michelin while completing their associate in applied science degree at Wallace, emphasizing the Wallace Apprenticeship Model of Learn While You Earn. Michelin will also provide scholarships to cover the costs of tuition, fees, books, and tools.

This is a win-win opportunity for the student. Michelin will work around the students schedule and cover all of their education costs, Steve Tice, WCCD applied engineering technology program director said. They will basically shadow experienced, full-time Michelin employees and get paid $13.50 to $15.50 per hour while they learn.

Ricky Treadaway, Michelins development partnership director, notes some students have soared through the company ranks after entering the program.
The bill has also received a lot of pushback from groups like the American Civil Liberties Union, who have called it an effort to discourage free speech and the right to protest.

LaRae said previously that the intent of the bill is not to infringe upon those rights but, violence is not a protected right and should not be tolerated.

Beyond Ohio, a number of states, most notably Florida, have decided to respond to the last year filled with racial injustice protests over police brutality by clamping down on protesters and providing police with more power and authority.

The Ohio bill would make failure to follow an officer's order as well as diverting their attention a second-degree misdemeanor unless it creates the risk of physical harm to any person, in which case it would be a fifth-degree felony.

Many opponents of the bill also said the bill language was too vague and broad in its definition and could in turn be used to punish protesters or bystanders who take photos or videos of a police encounter or taunt an officer.
Speaking upon arrival at the meeting in Brussels, Orban ruled out withdrawing the law, insisting it does not target homosexuals.

Its not about homosexuality, its about the kids and the parents," Orban said. I am defending the rights of homosexual guys but this law is not about them."

The issue has turned a harsh spotlight on the EUs inability to rein in the illiberal democracies among its ranks like Hungary and Poland, whose deeply conservative, nationalist and anti-migrant governments have flouted the blocs democratic standards and values for years.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who is openly gay, said the Hungarian law further stigmatizes homosexuals and should be fought.

The most difficult thing for me was to accept myself when I realized that I was in love with this person of my sex," Bettel said. It was hard to say to my parents, hard to say to my family. ... We have a lot of young people who do suicide because they do not accept themselves, how they are."
An investor points at stock prices on the screens at a brokerage in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran.

The State Securities Commission of Vietnam (SSC) and Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) has issued public apologies over repeated overloads on the main bourse over the last six months.

"We owe investors an apology," SSC chairman Tran Van Dung said at a forum Thursday.

It was the first time that any official was apologizing for the inconvenience caused to many investors who were unable to place orders or see the correct data in order to make proper investment decisions.

He was referring to the overload on the main bourse HoSE in recent months. This had happened partly because the market has expanded significantly, Dung said.

"In nearly a quarter of a decade of Vietnams stock market, officials like us have always hoped to see the market reaching where it is today in terms of scale, trade value and depth."

But another reason for the overload was the complacency of authorities. The system had been running smoothly for years and they did not anticipate the surge in investment in recent months, Dung said.

One of the biggest challenges for authorities in the last six months was to selecting the best solution among many proposals to have the least impact on investors and to keep the system stable, he said.

One solution was to increase the minimum trading lot from 10 to 100 shares on the main bourse, which reduced the number of transactions by 15-18 percent.

Another was to stop the cancellation or modification of orders which typically accounts for one-third of total transactions.

These moves have helped increase trading value to VND25-30 trillion ($1.1-1.3 billion) in some sessions, he noted.

HoSE CEO Le Hai Tra also accepted responsibility for the overloads.

"As market regulators, when there are issues, we have to partly take responsibility. In the last 21 years, HoSE has always been aiming for the development of Vietnams market. That is a commitment and we will always try our best," he said.

For now, a system developed by tech giant FPT is being tested and will be used as a temporary system starting next month while HoSE waits for a South Korea-developed system to be completed by the end of the year.

Despite the overloads, the benchmark VN-Index has been repeatedly climbing to new peaks this year. It is now in the 1,370-point range, up 25 percent from the beginning of the year.
While Hanoi has relaxed some of its Covid-19 restrictions, people remain wary of its threat and resurgence elsewhere in the country.

Three days after Hanoi allowed restaurants to reopen, Tran Thi Thu Trang and her family have not dared visit their favorite hotspot restaurant for dinner.

"I am worried that crowds and public places pose an infection risk, so we have so far stuck to eating at home," the 45-year-old banker said.

She has not gone out for lunch with colleagues either since the fourth wave of Covid started in late April.

She also canceled a trip to her hometown in Yen Bai Province for her fathers death anniversary, saying staying at home is the best option amid the continuing threat of Covid.

She is among many people in Hanoi who have cautiously welcomed back normalcy after the city eased Covid restrictions even as the pandemic has resurged in some places around the country.

A customer has a haircut at a barbershop on Hanoi's Nguyen Hong Street on June 22, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/The Quynh.

Many continue to avoid public spaces and scrupulously adopt preventive measures though restaurants, coffee shops and barbershops are now open to customers.

Despite yearning to have her hair cut and dyed for the summer holiday, Nguyen Thu Quynh, an accountant at a paper manufacturing company in Long Bien District, has no plans to visit her hair salon in the next few weeks.

"The Delta variant is more transmittable and many neighboring provinces are still struggling with it, and so I am not at ease among strangers now," she said.

Her husband said their family canceled a proposed trip to Ha Long Bay next week to the great disappointment of their children.

"No one is in the mood for a holiday amid this raging outbreak."

Nguyen Thu Trang, owner of a fish noodles restaurant on Tran Hung Dao Street, said she was surprised to sell out within two hours on Tuesday, the first day of reopening. But the number of eaters has gradually decreased in the last few days, she added.

Many restaurant owners, who fear that the city might face another outbreak and require them to close again, have not stocked up on ingredients like they used to.

Most of them have followed Covid prevention rules, placing plastic dividers between tables and bottles of hand sanitizers for customers use.

"Both business owners like me and customers know that we are not totally safe from the coronavirus," Trang said while cleaning tables and plastic dividers with alcohol. She washes utensils with hot water "to kill the virus," she said.

Some companies have started allowing staff to return to office after weeks of working from home, but with preventive measures in place.

A tech company in Cau Giay District has told its employees to take turns to come to work, "making sure those working on Monday do not meet those working on Tuesday" to reduce the risk of infection spread. The staff are required to make a health declaration every day.

Buildings in the capital still require people to have their temperature checked, sanitize their hands and wear face masks when entering.

The Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square in Hanoi amid the Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy.

Too early to ease

The reason Hanoians are uneasy despite the relaxation of restrictions is the resurgence of the pandemic in other places like neighboring Bac Ninh and Bac Giang Provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.

As of Friday morning Vietnam had a case load of 11,014 in the new wave that started on April 27. Bac Giang continued to lead with 5,528 infections, followed by HCMC with 2,293 and Bac Ninh with 1,556.

In June, after the number of infections began to rise alarmingly in HCMC, airlines were only allowed to operate 63 flights a day to and from its Tan Son Nhat Airport. Before the fourth wave began, hundreds of flights were operating.

Realizing the infection threat posed by those traveling from coronavirus-hit areas like Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi authorities perform Covid tests on them at the Noi Bai International Airport, require them to fill in a health declaration form and isolate themselves at home.

Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet of Long Bien District said worriedly: "There are three Saigon returnees in my neighborhood; I think it is too early to be at ease."

Many people are worried that people coming from Covid-19 hotspots, which are struggling with a more transmittable variant, are living in their communities and will accidentally spread the virus.

On Facebook, many people express these fears and call for a halt to flights from HCMC.

Last week Hanoi authorities were tracing people on a flight from HCMC after a woman passenger tested positive.

"Hanoi is not safe from this virus until other localities, especially HCMC, is safe," Tuyet said.

While allowing restaurants and barbershops to open, the city requires them to abide by prevention measures like not allowing large numbers of people, maintaining social distance and putting up screens between tables.

Sidewalk food stalls are still not allowed to open, and bars, pubs, and beer places can only sell takeout.

Tran Dac Phu, former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, warned last Saturday that outbreaks were still occurring in the country, and Hanoi could still be harboring infections within the community.

"The reopening needs to be done carefully with strict supervision, or we will be back to square one."

Many Hanoians, learning from the previous outbreaks, know they are still far from so-called normalcy.

"I check the news every to see the daily number of new Covid-19 cases in the country, and the three-digit numbers always scare me," Trang said.
The headquarters of the Ministry of Education and Training in Hanoi. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Education and Training.

The education ministry brings up the rear in the 2020 Public Administration Reform Index ranking of 17 ministries and ministerial-level agencies.

The list, released by the Steering Committee for Administrative Reform on Thursday, showed that the Ministry of Education and Training had dropped six places from 2019.

The Ministry of Health remained second from last for a third year in a row.

The top three, unchanged from 2019, were the State Bank of Vietnam, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice.

The PAR Index, which assesses the administrative reform status of ministries and the countrys 63 provinces and cities, this year polled around 22,500 government workers and 36,000 members of the public and businesspeople.

Quang Ninh Province, Hai Phong City and Thua Thien-Hue Province were the top three, while Quang Ngai, Phu Yen and Kien Giang provinces occupied the bottom positions.

Also on Thursday the 2020 Satisfaction Index of Public Administration Services, which assesses public services all over the country, was announced.

Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Bac Giang Province, and Hai Duong Province topped it.

Those at the bottom were Binh Thuan, Dak Lak, Cao Bang, and Quang Binh Provinces.

The index, for which over 35,000 people were polled, found 5 percent of the respondents saying they had to go back and forth multiple times to government offices to get their work done.

In some places they had to pay bribes to get the work done, had their appointments delayed or faced other difficulties.

But 85 percent of respondents said they were satisfied with the services, but they would like to see simplified and faster administrative procedures among other improvements.
Vietnams current VND22 trillion ($956.2 million) Covid-19 budget is nearly enough to inoculate 75 million of its 96-million population.

Since the National Assemblys Standing Committee agreed to allocate VND14 trillion of the national state fund to the vaccination program, along with VND8 trillion the Covid-19 vaccine fund has raised so far, Vietnam currently has VND22 trillion to purchase vaccines, Finance Minister Ho Duc Phoc told the legislative NA on Thursday.

In May, Vietnam set up a Covid-19 vaccine fund to raise contributions from various sources, including private companies and citizens, to ease the burden on its resources.

The fund has received VND7.52 trillion and pledges worth around VND579 billion.

Vietnam aims to procure 150 million doses of vaccines to cover 70 percent of its population this year, the Health Ministry announced earlier, at an estimated cost of VND25.2 trillion.

The central government is expected to provide VND16 trillion of this amount, with cities, provinces and private sources making up the rest.

Vietnam has successfully negotiated and will receive more than 120 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines within this year, either via commercial contracts or the Covax mechanism.

Of these, 30 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine have been acquired by Vietnam Vaccine JSC (VNVC) and by the end of May, 405,200 doses had been delivered to the country.

In addition, Vietnam has also secured 38.9 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine via the Covax.

In July, the first batch of 31 million doses of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is expected to arrive in Vietnam following an agreement between Vietnams Health Ministry and the producer.

Last week, Vietnam received almost one million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine donated by Japan, and 500,000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine from China.
People wait to get Covid-19 vaccine shots in HCMC, June 21, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa.

Vietnam recorded 79 more local Covid-19 cases in nine localities Friday morning, raising the number of patients recorded in the ongoing wave to 11,014.

Of them, 57 cases were recorded in HCMC, 10 in its neighbor Binh Duong Province, five in the central Binh Thuan Province, two in Central Highlands Gia Lai Province, and one each in the northern Quang Ninh and Bac Giang provinces, Hai Phong City, the central Khanh Hoa Province, and the southern Long An Province.

Most of the cases in HCMC are linked to clusters that have just emerged in the past few days, including 19 related to a cluster at Binh Dien wholesale market in District 8, 14 related to a cluster at Ngoc Ha clothing shop in District 1, six associated with a cluster at Son Ky market in Tan Phu District.

Among the remaining cases in the city, 10 had had direct contact with previously confirmed patients and the transmission source of another eight is still unidentified.

In Binh Duong, three cases are linked to a cluster at Vietnam Housewares Co.Ltd in Thuan An Town, four to a cluster at Hien Hoa Anh Ceramics Company in Tan Uyen Town, one had contacted a Covid-19 patient and two have undetermined source of transmissions.

The cases in Binh Thuan Province are a 38-year-old doctor at Binh Thuan General Hospital and her four family members. The authorities are looking into their sources of infection.

Two cases in Gia Lai returned home from hotspot Binh Duong and have been isolated prior to their positive test results.

The case in Khanh Hoa is a seven-year-old boy in Cam Ranh Town who has made contact with a coronavirus case.

Two cases in Long An and Hai Phong have both contracted the virus after having contact with previously confirmed patients.

The case in Quang Ninh is a 24-year-old man from the central province of Quang Nam, who had had contact with a previously confirmed patient.

The case in Bac Giang is a 38-year-old man from the Central Highlands' Da Lat Town who is being contact traced.

The country's ongoing Covid-19 wave, the fourth and by far the most challenging, started on April 27 and has seen infections in 47 of its 63 cities and provinces.

With the new updates, Binh Thuan has recorded the very first cases so far in this wave while community transmissions have returned to Quang Ninh after 45 days and Hai Phong after 20 days.

Bac Giang continued to suffer the highest number of infections at 5,528, followed by HCMC with 2,293.

The country has administered nearly three million Covid-19 vaccine shots since early March, with 143,121 people fully vaccinated with two doses.
ELKO  Great Basin College continued to make gains in enrollment and the graduation rate during a challenging pandemic year, President Joyce Helens says in her latest community report being presented to the public today.

Great Basin College has never been closed, she said. Weve always been open for business. We may have had our buildings closed but weve always been servicing students.

Technical programs such as nursing and welding continued to have in-person classes during the pandemic, following strict guidelines.

Only a limited reopening of in-person instruction is planned this fall, however.

For fall we will have a few more in-person classes and I know students are excited about that, she said. We have always had a strong online presence, which we will continue as well.

The Nevada System of Higher Education announced in May that it was drafting plans for a COVID-19 vaccination requirement, pending the FDAs full authorization and approval from Regents and the state Board of Health.

Our vaccination rate in-house has been wonderful, and we would hope that our students would maintain that as well, Helens said.
FALLON  John Tewell, who served on the city councils of two Nevada cities, died Sunday at his home.

He was 92.

Tewell, who was born on Sept. 28, 1928, in Elko, was honored by the city of Fallon on his 90th birthday in 2018. A graduate of Elko High School, Tewell worked for the Elko Daily Free Press for 30 years and served on the city council for eight years. Tewell also sold insurance for Farm Bureau Insurance.

Tewell and his wife Faye, who were married for more than 67 years, moved to Fallon in 1990. In June 1993, he successfully ran for Fallon City Council. He was also employed part-time by the Churchill County School District.

Tewell served as a Fallon councilman for 16 years. The Fallon Churchill Volunteer Fire Department recognized Tewell by making him an honorary member for the years he spent on the fire board.

As a member of the board, I wasnt an active fireman, but I always enjoyed getting first-hand information, especially after a fire, he told the LVN in 2018.

In his later years, he was an ambassador for the Fallon Chamber of Commerce and rarely missed a ribbon cutting.
In like fashion, those mayors who are running their cities into the ground were elected by someone. The majority of voters put politicians who cant be trusted to tell the truth in office.

We try hard to like our presidents, but most of the time Americans dont agree with the ones we have. There was no grass-root support for Biden and Hillary Clinton. Biden was simply the anti-Trump. Hillary had a D after her name because the Ds said it was finally her turn. Biden, Hillary, and Trump all have questionable (maybe even criminal) backgrounds.

These people, however, are the government.

The bottom line is something we dont want to think about. People get the governments they deserve.

If Congress is full of phony, bombastic, self-serving, ignorant buffoons, then the people elected phony, bombastic, self-serving, ignorant buffoons to be their leaders.

Politicians destroy the value of the currency because they know they can be reelected by promising people something for nothing. We elect corrupt politicians who line their own pockets and make sure their families are set up for life because they promise something we hold dearer than morality and law. It is a devils bargain; if we get what we want, our leaders can have what they want.
The Basque are 34% more likely than other Americans to earn their daily bread as self-employed entrepreneurs rather than salaried employees working for someone else. Remarkably, this data has remained relatively constant over the past few decades for which data is available.

Im cautious, of course, as anyone should be, about statistical conclusions that compare small homogenous groups like the Basque with much larger heterogeneous groups like all Americans.

Nevertheless, as I think back on mom and dad who owned two businesses, and so many Basque friends who have owned or still own a business, I tend to believe this statistical outcome. The Basque gravitate toward entrepreneurship.

Perhaps the bigger question is why?

From time to time, dad would tell me, Keep your own sweat. What he meant is that the work of his own hands would accrue to himself or to someone else, and in his estimation, he preferred that his work accrued to himself. Dont give it away, hed admonish.

He liked building sweat equity, and so do I. But if Im honest with myself, the advice might have a genesis in a deeper, stronger characteristic among the Basque that Ive witnessed my whole life, namely their penchant for stubbornly doing things their own way, unbending and uncompromising.
The University of Maryland, Baltimores (UMB) Office of Community Engagement established the Food for Our Front Lines initiative last year to purchase lunches for UMBs essential front-line workers and support local restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of employees and community members donated to this initiative, and, as a result of their generosity, thousands of meals were served and numerous businesses survived.

A year later, weve relaunched the Food for Our Front Lines initiative. This year, your donations will provide lunch to the employees and students working tireless to vaccinate the community at UMBs Vaccination Clinic at the SMC Campus Center. Each meal costs $13 and is ordered from local businesses at no cost to our front-line heroes.
Citing labor shortages due to overly generous unemployment compensation, the governors of more than two dozen states have ended or will end at least one or all of the federal unemployment insurance programs early, nearly all Republican led. In a handful of other states with Democrat governors but Republican-controlled legislatures, Republican lawmakers are pushing to end the $300 weekly unemployment booster.

States are taking different approaches to encourage their residents to go back to work as the economy reopens. Four of the states that are ending participation in the federal programs have opted to give those that reenter the workforce a cash bonus. Many other states have simple reinstated work search requirements instead of dropping the enhanced jobless compensation.

Ending enhanced unemployment compensation hasnt moved people to search for work

The move to end federal unemployment benefits so far hasnt had the desired effect in the states where participation has ceased. Four states stopped paying the $300 weekly extra to jobless compensation as of 12 June. In those states - Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi and Missouri - the job searches were about four percent less than the national average according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics for May.

Eight other states which ended their participation a week later showed dampened enthusiasm to look for work as well. Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming saw job seeking activity one percent below the national average.

Youd think theyd be searching more, Indeed economist AnnElizabeth Konkel told CNBC regarding the job data. At least right now, this does push back on the idea that federal unemployment benefits are the main reason there are labor market frictions.

Lawmakers push to end $300 weekly booster to benefits

Three states  Michigan, North Carolina and Wisconsin, now have legislation pending the signature of their respective states governor to end the $300 a week in extra unemployment compensation. All three states have Republican-controlled state legislatures and Democrat governors. It is expected that two of the three governors will veto the bills while it isnt certain if North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper will do so.

The North Carolina bill includes using federal covid-19 relief money to provide subsidies for child care to everyone who is on the waiting list. Child care and paying for it has been one of the major hurdles to getting mothers back into active employment. The bill left out an earlier proposal to offer a $1,500 signing bonus for those who go back to work using federal funds.

A statement from Republican North Carolina Senators Richar Burr and Thom Tillis to Governor Cooper read The employment shortage caused by exorbitant federal unemployment benefits is a real and serious threat to North Carolinas recovery.

Lawmakers in Kansas passed a non-binding resolution calling on Governor Laura Kelly to end the $300 weekly extra payment. Governor Kelly is opposed to such a move. Likewise, New Mexico Governor Michelle Grisham received a letter from Republican leaders in the state House of Representatives with a similar request to encourage jobless New Mexicans to return to work. In the case of New Mexico though lawmakers asked for a one-time $1,200 return-to-work bonus once an unemployed worker has been on the job for a month, to be created in place of the weekly additional payment.

States without plans to end $300 weekly extra unemployment benefit until September

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington

States that will end one or all enhanced federal unemployment compensation

26 June

Arkansas, Florida*, Georgia, Texas, Ohio*, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah

27 June

Montana, Oklahoma

30 June

South Carolina

3 July

Maryland, Tennessee

10 July

Arizona*

31 July

Louisiana*

(*) states that will only end $300 weekly boost to unemployment assistance
Beijing to continue extending anti-virus support to Belgrade, he tells Serbia leader

President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday China's decision to establish a reserve of emergency response supplies for Pacific island countries in a bid to help those nations including Fiji lift their ability to respond to major public health emergencies and natural disasters.

He made the announcement while speaking on the phone with Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. He also had a phone conversation with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Fiji have stood in solidarity and jointly fought against it, which further deepened bilateral friendship and cooperation, Xi told Bainimarama, adding that Beijing will continue to offer support in the form of vaccines to Fiji's pandemic fight.

China is willing to work with Fiji to continuously bring their bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, better benefit the two peoples and jointly protect the common interests of developing nations, he said.

Xi expressed his readiness to boost alignment in strategies, jointly build the Belt and Road and deepen cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, transport, communications and tourism, adding that the nation will continue to help Fiji improve its capacity to cope with climate change.

Bainimarama offered his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China and expressed his appreciation for China's precious support to Fiji's pandemic fight.

Fiji will firmly adhere to the one-China policy and uphold an objective and just position on issues concerning Taiwan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, he said, adding that Fiji will not do things that harm China's interests.

The joint building of the Belt and Road will usher in important opportunities for bilateral cooperation, and Fiji will continue to take an active part in the initiative, he said.

In his talks with Vucic, Xi said China and Serbia should jointly respond to global challenges such as the pandemic, promoting economic recovery and climate change, adding that Beijing will continue to extend anti-pandemic support to Belgrade if necessary.

The rock-solid friendship between the two sides is more than precious, and it is worthwhile for both sides to resolutely uphold and strengthen for generations to come, he said.

With both sides facing new opportunities and challenges, Xi highlighted the importance for the two nations to view and develop bilateral ties from a strategic and long-term perspective and make the friendship even stronger as time goes by.

He urged both sides to offer each other steadfast support over respective endeavors to safeguard national sovereignty and security, adding that China supports the Serbian people in following a path that suits their national conditions.

It is important for both nations to promote the high-quality building of the Belt and Road, foster new growth points in cooperation, share opportunities and jointly plan development, he added.

Both nations should enhance coordination on multilateral affairs, resolutely defend the international system with the United Nations at its core, safeguard international laws and basic norms in international relations and practice true multilateralism, Xi said.

Vucic also offered his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, saying that China is a great friend of Serbia and bilateral relations are at their best in history.

He expressed his hope that the two sides can continue to step up cooperation in vaccines, adding that Serbia will actively take part in the joint building of the Belt and Road and expand pragmatic cooperation in various fields.




-- China has been engaged in extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and has donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which are BRI partners.

-- Following China's footsteps in pandemic response, more countries are demonstrating the will to forge unity through shared political commitments and shared responsibility to tackle the global health crisis of COVID-19.

-- The green development initiative has accommodated the need for environmental conservation and development, a pragmatic and timely move to contribute to global recovery and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have pledged to enhance cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines and green development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by forging a closer partnership.

The move came as relevant initiatives were launched by 29 countries, including China, Colombia, Indonesia and Pakistan, at the Asia and Pacific High-level Conference on Belt and Road Cooperation held Wednesday via video link.

The conference was held to forge new consensus among countries in the Asia-Pacific region on jointly fighting the pandemic and promoting sustainable economic recovery, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

STRENGTHENING VACCINE COOPERATION

As of Wednesday, more than 178 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally with over 3.88 million deaths, while the coronavirus variants continue to pose threats.

Concerning cooperation on coronavirus vaccines, a powerful weapon for defeating the pandemic, the Asia-Pacific countries have called for providing more vaccines to the World Health Organization's COVAX initiative, supporting governments and enterprises to donate or export vaccines at an affordable price to developing countries, as well as transferring relevant technologies, as put forth in the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation.

"Dealing with the havoc in the region and the world caused by COVID-19 is not the responsibility of any single country," Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, told Xinhua, adding that the initiative's focus on developing countries is to address the vaccination gap, a key part of ensuring the final success in global anti-pandemic efforts.

China has been engaged in extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and has donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which are BRI partners, according to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the conference.

The relevant initiative means concrete actions, and it offers practical solutions to battle against the pandemic, Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, told Xinhua. Following China's footsteps in pandemic response, more countries are demonstrating the will to forge unity through shared political commitments and shared responsibility to tackle this global health crisis, he added.

ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY

Trade in goods between China and BRI partners last year registered a record 1.35 trillion U.S. dollars, making a significant contribution to the COVID-19 response, economic stability and people's livelihood in relevant countries, said Wang Yi.

To spur post-pandemic recovery, the Asia-Pacific countries have urged support for green and low-carbon development, putting in place environment-friendly and risk-resistant infrastructure, and promoting clean energy development and utilization, in their Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development.

The initiative aims to inject new impetus into building the green Silk Road, Wang said, adding "We are ready to step up cooperation in such areas as green infrastructure, green energy and green finance, and develop more environment-friendly projects with a high standard and high quality."

"An increasing number of countries are working for pledged carbon neutrality goals, and green development has become a development priority. However, they lack the necessary technologies, finance and experience, hence the need for further cooperation," Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, told Xinhua.

The green development initiative has accommodated the need for environmental conservation and development, a pragmatic and timely move to contribute to global recovery and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Sun Jingxin, an associate research fellow with the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies.
VIENTIANE, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Despite the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, both Chinese and Lao engineers are striving to complete the construction of the China-Laos Railway and put it on operation in the coming December as scheduled.

"It will be on December 2 when we are to complete the railway construction and make it ready for full operation," Xiao Qianwen, general manager of the Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd., a joint venture based in Lao capital Vientiane for the construction and operation of the first modern railway in the country, told Xinhua on Friday.

"We are not changing the timetable and we are striving for that goal, with over 90 percent of the engineering work done, and our preparation for the operation is well on the way."

In the southern end of the railway in Vientiane, the China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group (CREC-5) has completed the construction of the main structure of the longest bridge along the China-Laos Railway, the Phonethong super major bridge with a length of 7,528.56 meters and 231 piers.

In the northern end of the railway, the China Railway Construction Engineering Group (CRCEG) roofed the Lao border gate station in Boten On June 15, while the same Chinese company ceiled the top of the first railway station in Nateuy, some 360 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, nine months ago on Sept. 16, 2020.

By May 15, the construction of all 67 communication towers along the China-Laos railway had completed, while the China-Laos railway tracks had been extended from Vientiane to the northern end of Boten.

"We will installed all the tracks by mid-August," Lei Chao, a China Railway No. 2 Engineering Group (CREC-2) railing base project manager, told Xinhua on Friday in Vientiane.

Lei said the CREC-2 teams are carry out strict precaution measures against the COVID-19 pandemic as to achieve uninterrupted construction of the project with zero infection case. The company kicked off the track laying on March 27, 2020.

According to Xiao Qianwen, most of the construction sites are located in tropical mountainous areas, with complex geographical conditions and poor traffic conditions, resulting in difficulties for the construction.

Especially during the rainy season, the machinery can not get access to the construction sites and sometimes the Chinese engineering teams even have to turn to the piggyback transportation to carry large amounts of the needed materials and equipment.

The China-Laos Railway's construction has been confronted with huge challenges and difficulties during the pandemic, but the construction progress in an orderly and balanced manner has boosted the confidence in the timely completion of the railway in this December, Bounthong Chitmany, vice president of Laos, said when talking to Xiao Qianwen in the Lao presidential palace on June 15.

On June 10, when inspecting the Vientiane railway station's construction, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone praised the Chinese engineering company there which hired some 700 local employees, hoping the railway will offer more jobs to local communities.

The deputy prime minister, on behalf of the Lao government, hailed and progresses and achievements of the China-Laos Railway construction amid the epidemic, saying that the railway is a landmark project of the friendship between Laos and China and its completion coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Laos, which is of great significance.

Both sides must cooperate to efficiently advance the remaining work, complete the construction and start the operation on schedule, and live up to the ardent expectations of the two parties and the two peoples, said Sonexay.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many difficulties to the Lao people, and thus, I especially expect the railway to be open to traffic this year, which is something the Lao people have been dreaming for a long time," said Somphone Inleuangsy, aged 24, from Luang Namtha, a mountainous province in northern Laos that borders China. He is currently receiving training at the CREC-2 railing base on the northern outskirts of Vientiane.

She told Xinhua "There is a Chinese saying 'to get rich, build roads first,' and I hope Laos, with the Laos-China railway, will become prosperous soon. I also hope Laos will become a transportation hub in Southeast Asia to drive the development in the region."

"As a female, among all over 600 trainees of the China-Laos Railway, I feel very honored and proud. I hope that I can become a formal railway employee after the training, and I hope my parents can see how I drive a train," Somphone said. "I also hope that with the opening of the China-Laos railway, more Chinese friends can come to help the development here."

At present, a total of 636 Lao youngsters are trained for the future operation of China-Laos Railway, working as train drivers, equipment and infrastructure maintenance personnel.

"In the past two years, the cooperation between Laos and China has been outstanding. Especially, the first modern Vientiane-Vangvieng Expressway in Laos has been put into operation through cooperation, and the high-speed Laos-China Railway will be completed by the end of this year," said Valy Vetsaphong, Lao Prime Minister's advisor and vice president of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

"This is due to the policy coordination between the two countries, and the dovetail between Laos' strategy to convert from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub and China's Belt and Road Initiative."

Valy told Xinhua "The Laos-China Railway will lay a new foundation for the introduction of foreign investment, and Laos will surely take the advantage to participate in the regional and global industrial chain. In other words, the China-Laos Railway will not only promote bilateral trade, investment and people-to-people exchanges, but also benefit the countries to be connected. I believe that the completion and operation of the Laos-China railway will promote the post-pandemic recovery of neighboring countries and the whole region."

The over 400 km railway will run from Boten border gate in northern Laos bordering China to Vientiane with an operating speed of 160 km per hour.

The electrified passenger and cargo railway is built with the full application of the Chinese management and technical standards. The construction of the project started in December 2016 and is scheduled to be completed and open to traffic in December 2021.
More than 100 foreign diplomats visit the exhibition of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) history in the Museum of the CPC at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, capital of China, June 24, 2021. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- More than 100 foreign diplomats visited the exhibition of the Communist Party of China's (CPC) history in the Museum of the CPC at the invitation of Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday.

In his welcome address before the visit, Wang said the exhibition shows the extraordinary journey of the CPC in the past 100 years, and displays the historical, theoretical and social logic of China's development in a century.

The CPC is a political party that strives for the cause of human progress, Wang said, adding that China will work consistently with all countries in the world to promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind at a new historical starting point.

The diplomats congratulated the CPC on its centennial, and expressed willingness to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Party and further deepen relations with China. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Photo taken on June 8, 2021 shows packages of Chinese COVID-19 vaccines arriving at the Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua)

--China has been engaged in extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and has donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which are BRI partners.

--Following China's footsteps in pandemic response, more countries are demonstrating the will to forge unity through shared political commitments and shared responsibility to tackle the global health crisis of COVID-19.

--The green development initiative has accommodated the need for environmental conservation and development, a pragmatic and timely move to contribute to global recovery and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

BEIJING, June 24 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Asia-Pacific region have pledged to enhance cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines and green development under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by forging a closer partnership.

The move came as relevant initiatives were launched by 29 countries, including China, Colombia, Indonesia and Pakistan, at the Asia and Pacific High-level Conference on Belt and Road Cooperation held Wednesday via video link.

The conference was held to forge new consensus among countries in the Asia-Pacific region on jointly fighting the pandemic and promoting sustainable economic recovery, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

STRENGTHENING VACCINE COOPERATION

As of Wednesday, more than 178 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally with over 3.88 million deaths, while the coronavirus variants continue to pose threats.

Concerning cooperation on coronavirus vaccines, a powerful weapon for defeating the pandemic, the Asia-Pacific countries have called for providing more vaccines to the World Health Organization's COVAX initiative, supporting governments and enterprises to donate or export vaccines at an affordable price to developing countries, as well as transferring relevant technologies, as put forth in the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on COVID-19 Vaccines Cooperation.

Photo taken on June 1, 2021 shows vials of Sinopharm vaccines in Beijing, capital of China. The first batch of Chinese vaccines supplied to COVAX on June 1 officially rolled off the production line. (Xinhua)

"Dealing with the havoc in the region and the world caused by COVID-19 is not the responsibility of any single country," Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute of Cambodia, told Xinhua, adding that the initiative's focus on developing countries is to address the vaccination gap, a key part of ensuring the final success in global anti-pandemic efforts.

China has been engaged in extensive vaccine cooperation with many countries, and has donated and exported more than 400 million doses of finished and bulk vaccines to more than 90 countries, most of which are BRI partners, according to Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the conference.

The relevant initiative means concrete actions, and it offers practical solutions to battle against the pandemic, Neak Chandarith, director of the Cambodia 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Research Center, told Xinhua. Following China's footsteps in pandemic response, more countries are demonstrating the will to forge unity through shared political commitments and shared responsibility to tackle this global health crisis, he added.

ADVANCING SUSTAINABLE RECOVERY

Trade in goods between China and BRI partners last year registered a record 1.35 trillion U.S. dollars, making a significant contribution to the COVID-19 response, economic stability and people's livelihood in relevant countries, said Wang Yi.

To spur post-pandemic recovery, the Asia-Pacific countries have urged support for green and low-carbon development, putting in place environment-friendly and risk-resistant infrastructure, and promoting clean energy development and utilization, in their Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development.

Aerial photo taken on July 24, 2020 shows the China-Laos Railway's Ban Ladhan Mekong River Super Major Bridge in Laos. (Photo by Pan Longzhu/Xinhua)

The initiative aims to inject new impetus into building the green Silk Road, Wang said, adding "We are ready to step up cooperation in such areas as green infrastructure, green energy and green finance, and develop more environment-friendly projects with a high standard and high quality."

"An increasing number of countries are working for pledged carbon neutrality goals, and green development has become a development priority. However, they lack the necessary technologies, finance and experience, hence the need for further cooperation," Chen Gang, assistant director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, told Xinhua.

A train for the Orange Line arrives at a subway station in Lahore, Pakistan, Oct. 26, 2020. The Orange Line was constructed by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. and China North Industries Corporation and was operated by Guangzhou Metro Group, Norinco International and Daewoo Pakistan Express Bus Service. (Xinhua/Liu Tian)

The green development initiative has accommodated the need for environmental conservation and development, a pragmatic and timely move to contribute to global recovery and the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, said Sun Jingxin, an associate research fellow with the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies. 

[ Editor: GSY ]
Mainland aerospace scientists (From L to R) Zhang He, Xie Jun, Long Lehao, Qi Faren, Hu Hao and Sun Zezhou pose for a group photo before the lecture at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in Hong Kong, south China, June 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

HONG KONG, June 24 (Xinhua) -- After giving a two-hour lecture at the the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Thursday, Long Lehao, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief designer of Long March rockets, walked down the podium but found himself immediately surrounded by students with more questions on space technology.

The students are also waiting for taking group photos with Long, or asking for his autographs.

The scene is a "routine" for the mainland space scientists who are visiting in Hong Kong.

Four space experts, including Long, delivered speeches for Hong Kong youth on Thursday, including those from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and HKU, as a "star team" comprised of six space scientists started a visit to Hong Kong universities and middle schools on Wednesday.

"Will China send astronauts to Mars?" Albert Chan from the HKU seized the opportunity to ask the first question.

The country currently has no plans for crewed spaceflights to Mars and is accumulating related technologies, Long said, adding he hopes that the next generation will continue to work in the area and succeed in landing on Mars.

"I'm very interested in manned spaceflight," Chan said. "I think manned spaceflight to Mars is very important. I'm proud of my country."

Zheng Qiaoren, a 16-year-old middle school student, asked about reusable rockets and was excited to talk to the renowned expert in person.

"Academician Long explained to me the principle of this kind of rocket and now I have a deeper understanding," Zheng said.

Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, envisaged the development of China's long-term space exploration.

Tianwen-1 has opened a new chapter in China's interstellar exploration and new breakthroughs will be achieved in the future with major space projects such as exploration to asteroids, and Mars and Jupiter missions, Sun said, noting that China will contribute more wisdom and solutions to the peaceful use of space and to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

At the PolyU, students also prepared loads of questions for the scientists.

"How to choose courses in the future so that I can have the opportunity to participate in the development of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS)?" a middle school student asked.

Xie Jun, chief designer of the BDS-3 satellite system, gave a practical and useful answer, saying that the BDS needs talents from a wide range of disciplines, especially those majoring in chemistry and physics.

As the only female scientist in the "star team," Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project, was asked about women's career development in space technology.

After hearing the lectures, Hong Kong students were inspired to study hard and chase their space dreams.

"If there is a chance, I hope to participate in a great space cause like BDS in the future," said Wu Haoran, a PolyU student who studies electronic and information engineering.

Wang Dapeng, who majors in mechanical engineering, also hopes that his personal career will fit into the development of the country's space technology. Enditem

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Screenshot shows the article published on June 3, 2021.

Europeans should not allow the US to draw them into a cold war over trade against China, but rather engage in dialogue and strengthen multilateral structures, noted Gerhard Schroeder, the former German Chancellor in an opinion piece.

With Beijing as its main focus, the new US administration under President Joe Biden has been trying to stitch back together Washingtons global coalition.

"US is trying to contain China's influence and decouple the country's economy from the West, and it is asking Europe to join its anti-China campaign," said the article released in early June on the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum (OMFIF).

"But is that wise? Does it suit Europe's interests?" Schroeder doubted.

According to the former Chancellor, it is a broad-based strategy with new measures for more opening-up that brought China forward. The country is in demand worldwide as a trade, investment and development partner, not only for its leading place in several key areas, but also its strengths and resilience displayed by crisis and challenges.

China rebounded with 2.3% economic growth last year, when the global economy suffers from a slump induced by the pandemic. "German companies have been exporting to China to compensate for losses in other markets. German car manufacturers now sell 40% of their production there," the article said.

Global challenges such as pandemics, climate change and migration pressures supersede national boundaries. It would make no sense to boycott China here, Schroeder stressed, as there would hardly be an international solution to global problems without China's efforts in it.

For future relations with China, an independent strategy prioritizing multilateral structures and Europes own benefits was raised in the article. The US is taking a moralising foreign policy that unilaterally places the so-called values above interests. Such a stance points fundamentally in the wrong direction, and is ill-qualified to meet global challenges.

At times of great upheavals and changes, Europe should work on producing stable international relationships to serve its own interests. "Dialogue and consensus-building, rather than sanctions, unilateral pressure or military action, are the way forward," said Gerhard Schroeder.

[ Editor: WXL ]
Mainland aerospace scientists (From L to R) Zhang He, Xie Jun, Long Lehao, Qi Faren, Hu Hao and Sun Zezhou pose for a group photo before the lecture at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) in Hong Kong, south China, June 23, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

HONG KONG, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Mainland aerospace scientists started on Wednesday to give lectures and meet students on Hong Kong campuses.

On their agenda is also to witness the inauguration of a lunar soil exhibition slated for Saturday here. The lunar soil was brought back to Earth by the Chang'e-5 lunar probe last December.

The six scientists, who joined major aerospace projects including Shenzhou spaceships, Long March rockets and Chang'e lunar probes, were scheduled to visit the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and six high schools.

Alfred Sit Wing-hang, secretary for innovation and technology of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, said Wednesday that the experts will share the national aerospace achievements with the Hong Kong audience and bring some lunar soil for public exhibition.

"I believe Hong Kong people, especially the younger generation, can have a better understanding of the space spirit and enhance their sense of pride and belonging to the country," he said.

In Wednesday's events, Hu Hao, the chief designer of the third stage of the national lunar exploration program, presented a national flag, which is the same as the one carried by the Chang'e-5 probe to the moon, to the HKU as a gift.

"The Chang'e-5 probe retrieved a total of 1,731 grams of lunar samples from the moon and the figure is meaningful," Hu said when delivering a speech.

Hu explained that the country spent 17 years from launching its moon exploration program to collecting lunar samples and succeeded on the first attempt of the three missions of orbiting, landing and sample-return.

Hu stressed the passion for innovation, a steady faith, perseverance, a sense of responsibility and meticulosity as the key to the success of national aerospace projects when elaborating on the space spirit.

When addressing PolyU students, Qi Faren, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and former chief designer for Shenzhou spaceships, said he hopes young people will take the space spirit to heart and well understand the importance of self-reliance.

The lectures received rounds of thunderous applause by the audience.

The other four scientists coming to Hong Kong are Long Lehao, an academician with the CAE and chief designer of Long March rockets, Sun Zezhou, chief designer of the Tianwen-1 Mars probe, Xie Jun, deputy chief designer of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS) and chief designer of the BDS-3 satellite system, and Zhang He, executive director of the Chang'e-4 probe project.

National aerospace scientists and taikonauts, or Chinese astronauts, have made multiple visits to Hong Kong since 2003. Analysts said Hong Kong scientists also made contribution to the national aerospace achievements. Enditem

7

1

[ Editor: Zhang Zhou ]
Zelensky plans to discuss conclusion of defense contract or memo between Ukraine, U.S. at meeting with Biden

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky plans to discuss the conclusion of a defense contract or memorandum between Ukraine and the United States at a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in July.

"We have several packages we should discuss. As regards a security package, I'll confirm yet again that this isn't only about a NATO Membership Action Plan, but this is also about our bilateral relations and a defense contract or a memorandum between our countries," Zelensky said in an interview with Natalia Moseichuk on the 1+1 television channel on Thursday.

He noted that "he plans to discuss with the U.S. President an increase in military supplies to Ukraine."

Zelensky also said that he intends to discuss with Biden the issues of Nord Stream, Donbas, Crimea, the Black Sea region and the Ukrainian fleet as key security aspects.

In addition, the President of Ukraine plans to discuss economic issues with the President of the United States.

"The support of the International Monetary Fund is very important for us, but again, I want to transfer from politics specifically to the economy, to the reform and that there are some structural beacons, if we have agreed on them, then we are partners with the International Monetary Fund," he said.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the involvement of Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak in disrupting the so-called operation to detain members of the (Russian Private Military Company) Wagner, calling the idea of such operation "an idea of other countries."

"The State Security Service of Ukraine [SBU] has no questions to Mr. Yermak. We saw what happened in Belarus, how the plane landed and how it ended. How such cases end and to what kind of country's isolation such special operations lead. This was definitely not our operation. I understand for sure that the idea for such an operation came from other countries," he said in an interview with Natalia Moseichuk on the 1+1 TV channel on Thursday.

"Thank God, we demonstrated subjectiveness in this important issue," he said.

According to Zelensky, the last time when he spoke with Alexander Lukashenko they discussed the issue of the detained "Wagner members." "When the 'Wagner members' were on the territory of Belarus, I called Alexander Grigoryevich, warned him, said that we were ready to convey the full information about these people," he said.

According to Zelensky, Lukashenko told him that he would not "fail" and would "figure it out."

"I was sure that he would transfer these killers to us. But then we all saw what happened and this was our last conversation," Zelensky said.
Avoidance of the next wave of coronavirus spread in Ukraine is possible only thanks to mass vaccination, NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov says.

"Yesterday we held a big meeting in the staff of the National Security and Defense Council on this matter. And we believe that we need to be very careful about this. And vaccination, vaccination, vaccination again. This is something that can protect us, so that on Independence Day, on our holidays, we do not have an outbreak of COVID here," Danilov told reporters in Kyiv on Thursday, June 24, answering a question about the danger of the new Delta strain of coronavirus.

He said that at the moment there is a positive trend in Ukraine, but quarantine restrictions should not be completely abolished.

"We must continue to wear masks, do our own hygiene, be sure to wash our hands. All this must be continued and in no case relaxed," the NSDC secretary said.
Kuleba: We will talk with ambassadors of Germany, France to understand how their proposal on Russia relates to sanctions policy, role of Normandy format mediators

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will discuss with the ambassadors of France and Germany the situation around the initiative of Paris and Berlin to resume Russia-EU summits.

"Today we will talk with the ambassadors of Germany and France. And we want to better understand what intentions Berlin and Paris are pursuing and how this relates to the sanctions policy against Russia and their role as mediators in the Normandy format," Kuleba said in a video message posted on Facebook on Friday.

The minister said that the Ukrainian diplomats began work as soon as they found out about the proposal.

"I quickly coordinated my position with President Volodymyr Zelensky, received the green light from him, and began to work substantively so that at the start of the summit [...] firstly, the maximum number of European Union countries and officials of the European Commission  knew Ukraine's position  categorically against this amendment [on the resumption of Russia-EU summits], and secondly  had sufficient arguments to repel this German-French proposal," he said.

As reported, Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron put forward a proposal to consider the possibility of organizing an EU summit at the level of heads of state and government with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Earlier, Merkel also said that the EU needs to achieve a direct dialogue with the leadership of the Russian Federation, but at the same time develop a unified approach to "provocations" by Moscow. It is also necessary to learn how to resist Russia's "hybrid attack," she said.

The leaders of the European Union countries at the summit in Brussels rejected this initiative. The proposal was excluded from the EU summit final communique after long discussions, according to two European diplomats with insight into the situation.

As noted by another diplomat, some eastern European countries during the discussion stated that they were ready to veto this document.
The Temporary Commission of Inquiry of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for investigating actions of officials and politicians against Ukraine's sovereignty will deal with all issues of its jurisdiction, including the investigation into the case of the probable disruption of the special operation to detain members of the (Russian Private Military Company) Wagner, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Dmytro Razumkov has said.

"What I heard in an interview with the President, he said that he had spoken with Mr. Lukashenko. I think we need to ask when this conversation took place  before they were detained, or after that. This is not entirely clear from the interview. Regarding the Temporary Commission of Inquiry [on the investigation into actions of officials and politicians against Ukraine's sovereignty], it will deal with all the issues from that list related to the commission activities. I will not influence it, I try not to interfere with the work of the commission, and there are representatives of all factions and groups there. I hope its work will be unbiased," Razumkov said at a concluding press conference on Friday, answering the question whether the specialized Commission of Inquiry will deal with the President's actions regarding the "Wagner members" case, which he announced in his interview the day before.

As reported, on July 29, some 33 members of the Wagner PMC were detained near Minsk.

On August 12, the Prosecutor General's Office (Ukraine) applied to the Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Belarus with requests to extradite 28 people from the Russian Private Military Company Wagner.

The Ukrainian side said that these persons "took an active part in hostilities on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of the terrorist organizations 'LPR' and 'DPR (Luhansk and Donetsk Peoples' Republics')."

However, on August 14 it became known that Belarus handed over to Russia 32 of the 33 detained Wagner members.

On August 18, a number of Ukrainian media reported that SBI and the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense were preparing an operation to detain members of the Wagner PMC. According to the media, they were supposed to fly from Minsk to Istanbul, but during the flight one of the passengers had to simulate deterioration in health, as a result of which the plane had to make an emergency landing in Kyiv, where the Wagner members were to be detained.

The media claimed that the operation was reported to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak, after which, as a result of a leak, the Belarusian special services learned about it.

The information was denied by the authorities.

As reported, on May 19, 2021, the Ukrainian parliament created the Temporary Commission of Inquiry to investigate possible crimes of representatives of state authorities that contributed to the violation of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, but the opposition factions Holos, Batkivschyna, and European Solidarity did not provide their representatives.

In an interview with Natalia Moseichuk on the 1+1 TV channel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the involvement of Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak in disrupting the so-called operation to detain Wagner members, calling the idea of such an operation an idea of other countries.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani and acting Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi paid a joint visit to the institutions of the European Union in Brussels.

"The visit was aimed at holding talks with European partners on the priorities of the newly created trilateral format of enhanced cooperation between Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova on European integration  the Associated Trio," the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said.

The ministers met with EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell, as well as Executive Vice President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement Oliver Varhelyi and members of the European Parliament.

During a meeting with Borrell, the ministers presented a common strategic vision for the further development of the Eastern Partnership and the Associated Trio. Kuleba, Zalkaliani and Ciocoi identified priority areas for enhancing cooperation with the EU to develop a special partnership between the EU and the Eastern Partnership states that have entered into Association Agreements with the European Union, and to strengthen resilience and security in the region.

"I am especially grateful to EU High Representative Josep Borrell for mentioning the principles of differentiation and inclusion in the further development of the Eastern Partnership. We had a lot of discussions on the introduction of the principle of differentiation. I am glad to hear that today we have found a common language with the European Union, as friends and partners should do. This is another example of how the EU and our three countries hear each other, how the EU takes our interests into account when developing appropriate policies," Kuleba said.

He also said that the termination of the high-level dialogue between the EU and Russia is part of the European sanctions policy, and initiatives to resume summits with Russia without any progress on the Russian side would be a dangerous deviation from the EU sanctions policy.

"Unfortunately, Russia has shown no intentions to change its behavior either in relation to Ukraine or in relation to the EU. We believe that there is no ground for the resumption of summits," the minister said.

As part of the public presentation of the Associated Trio initiative, Kuleba informed about the further steps of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova with the aim of rapprochement with the EU and the need to strengthen interaction in the security sector. The minister said that the Associated Trio does not intend to replace the existing format of interaction with the EU, but aims at closer coordination of the three countries to expand the possibilities of Association Agreements and accelerate integration into the European Single Market.

The ministers also met with members of the European Parliament. During a meeting, they paid special attention to the expected results of a future Eastern Partnership summit, in particular in terms of consolidating the recognition of the European prospect of the Trio countries in a final document, protecting their sovereignty and territorial integrity, and maintaining the European Union's political and financial support for pro-European reforms.

At a meeting with Valdis Dombrovskis, the parties discussed the development of bilateral trade, economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, access to vaccines and macro-financial assistance from the European Union. The ministers noted the important role of the Associated Trio in further trade liberalization with the EU in the context of the implementation of the European Green Deal and the digital transition.

At a meeting with Oliver Varhelyi, the ministers discussed strengthening sectoral cooperation on the European Green Deal, digital transformation, healthcare, transport, energy and security.

"The further development of the Eastern Partnership should take into account the realities of each participating state, its achievements and ambitions. The Associated Trio seeks to develop relations with the EU on the principle of 'more for more' and is designed to maximize the potential of our relations with the EU. Strengthening sectoral cooperation, integration into the EU internal market, the development of dialogue in the political and security spheres are our strategic priorities," Kuleba said.

During his visit to Brussels, the Ukrainian minister also held a bilateral meeting with Member of the European Parliament Anna Fotyga to exchange views on the security challenges of the European and Euro-Atlantic communities amid Russia's aggressive policy. They also paid special attention to the development of the inter-parliamentary sector of the Crimean Platform and the prospects for the preparation of a resolution by the European Parliament on the situation in the temporarily occupied Crimea.
The Verkhovna Rada next week will work in an enhanced mode and, in addition to the plenary sessions stipulated by the parliament's schedule, will gather for two extraordinary sessions, first deputy head of the Servant of the People faction Oleksandr Korniyenko has said.

"There are two plenary weeks left until the end of the session, during which the Verkhovna Rada will work in an enhanced mode. On Tuesday and Thursday we will gather for extraordinary sessions, where we plan to adopt a number of important, urgent bills," Korniyenko told Interfax-Ukraine on Friday.

According to him, at an extraordinary session on Tuesday, MPs will consider a package of documents on the defense sector  this is the so-called bill on national resistance, an adjacent bill on increasing the number of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as a bill on critical infrastructure.

Korniyenko also said that in addition, at the second reading, MPs plan to adopt a document that returns the "Chornobyl" benefits canceled by the previous convocation of parliament in 2014.

The MP said that on Thursday the agenda of an extraordinary session includes a bill on the Big Restoration program, which will expand the presidential program and finance objects that are in communal ownership of communities.

Korniyenko also said that MPs intend to consider an initiative to reform the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate and a package of bills related to oligarchs.

"This is a basic law on the status of oligarchs, which will start the process of de-oligarchization and help Ukraine to get rid of their influence on politics and the media space. In addition, this is a so-called bill on filling the budget. It, in particular, concerns the ore tax, and changes in tax administration," Korniyenko said.

The MP said that in parallel with this, key bills will be considered for the implementation of a judicial reform, which will take place in full accordance with the recommendations of the Venice Commission.

According to Korniyenko, during the plenary sessions, MPs will continue to consider a bill on resuming the work of the High Qualifications Commission of Judges. The MP believes that the adoption of this bill will allow for a qualitative renewal and reboot of the judicial system in a few years.
The majority of Ukrainian citizens highly appreciate the implementation of the constitutional principles of sovereignty, independence and democracy of the state, according to the results of a poll conducted by the sociological service of the Razumkov Center on the eve of the Constitution Day.

"According to the poll results, 67% of respondents believe that Ukraine is indeed a sovereign state [26% gave a negative answer], and 56% of respondents call it an independent state [39.5% do not consider it independent]. Some 60% of respondents think that Ukraine is a democratic state [33% gave a negative answer]," according to a report on the poll results, published on Friday.

At the same time, 41% of respondents consider Ukraine to be a social state, while 45% of respondents do not consider it as such. Least of all, citizens of Ukraine recognize it as a legal state  36% with 52% of negative answers.

It is noted that if Ukraine is considered a sovereign state by the majority of residents of all regions  from 83% in the west of the country to 50% in the east, then the majority of residents of only the western and central regions (80% and 58%, respectively) consider it independent, while the majority of residents of the southern and the eastern regions (58% and 56%, respectively) do not consider it as such. According to all these indicators, the implementation of constitutional principles is best assessed by residents of the western region, and worst  by residents of the eastern and southern regions. The younger respondents are, the better they assess the implementation of constitutional principles.

The respondents were also asked to rate the extent to which human and civil rights were observed in Ukraine over the past year, on a five-point scale, where the score "1" meant "very bad" and "5" meant "very good."

Citizens rated best of all the observance in Ukraine of such rights and constitutional principles as the right to freedom of movement, to life, to freedom of speech, thought, conscience and religion, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association with others, the right to education, to guarantee of rights and freedoms without discrimination on the basis of sex, race, skin color, language, religion, political or other convictions, national or social origin, belonging to national minorities, property status, birth or other circumstances, the right to protection of children and adolescents, inadmissibility of torture and human being in slavery. Compliance with these rights and principles is rated in the range from 3.5 to 3.7 points.

Compliance with such rights and principles as the right to a fair, open and independent court, the presumption of innocence in criminal law, the right to social and medical assistance, to social security, to work and fair remuneration was rated worst of all  in the range from 2.6 to 2.9 points.

Compared to 2006 and 2011, when similar polls were conducted, the assessment of the observance of the rights to the protection of children and adolescents, to healthcare, to education, to work and fair remuneration, to social security, to social and medical assistance has improved. Compared to previous years, citizens' assessments of the observance of any of the rights did not decrease at a statistically significant level.

Residents of the western region rate the observance of most rights higher than residents of other regions. The younger respondents are, the higher they assess the observance of all constitutional rights in Ukraine.

The poll was conducted from June 11 to June 16, 2021 by the method of face-to-face interviews at the place of residence of the respondents. A total of 2,018 respondents aged 18 and over were interviewed in all regions of Ukraine, with the exception of Crimea and the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, representing the adult population in terms of basic socio-demographic indicators. The sampling error (excluding the design effect) does not exceed 2.3% with a probability of 0.95.

The sociological poll was carried out within the framework of the research project Ukraine: 30 years on the way to Europe, funded by the Representative Office of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung in Ukraine.
The key areas of the most effective bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Israel were the subject of an online meeting between the Ambassador of Ukraine Yevhen Korniychuk and the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Roman Leshchenko. The Embassy reported this at Facebook.

The parties discussed a wide range of topical and promising issues of cooperation between Ukraine and Israel in the agro-industrial sphere. In particular, the Minister informed about the state and trends of development of the national agro-industrial complex, improvement of the relevant legislative framework, including in the context of sectoral foreign investment activities, problematic issues, etc. For his part, the Ambassador reported on the relevant technological potential of Israel and identified key areas for the most effective bilateral cooperation, - the statement notes.

As a result of the conversation, it was agreed to work in the near future on the possibility of attracting Israeli technologies in the framework of the national level project on agricultural land merging in the southern regions of Ukraine, joint projects in agriculture, dairy farming and aquaculture.

The importance of exchange of experience, professional training, internships and training of Ukrainian specialists, including with the assistance and participation of Israel. In order to intensify the bilateral dialogue in the agro-industrial sphere, it was also agreed to work out the visit of the Minister of Agriculture to Israel this year, - the Embassy emphasizes.
Ambassadors of France, Germany said resuming EU-Russia summits not supported, promise to discuss this with Kyiv  Ukraine's MFA

Pursuant to the instructions of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Ambassador of Germany and France to Ukraine were invited to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to discuss the initiative to restore EU-Russia summits.

"The Ukrainian side said such an initiative runs counter to the EU sanctions policy adopted in response to the Russian aggression against Ukraine, undermines European solidarity amid Russia's escalation of the situation in the temporarily occupied territories and borders of Ukraine, does not encourage Moscow to implement the Minsk agreements," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

It is noted that the heads of foreign diplomatic missions said this was only an idea for discussion in the context of considering the EU strategy towards Russia at a meeting of the European Council on June 24.

"This proposal was ultimately not supported," the Foreign Ministry said.

Thus, the ambassadors confirmed that Germany and France are invariable friends of Ukraine and continue to make efforts to restore the territorial integrity and sovereignty of our country.

"The sides agreed that such issues will be discussed with Ukraine before they are announced," the ministry said.
U.S. Charge d'Affaires Kristina Kvien during her visit to Mariupol on Friday (Donetsk region) highlighted Washington's support for region's economy, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine has reported.

"Charge Kvien met city & port officials at the Port of Mariupol, the traditional sea gate to the Donbas, highlighted U.S. support for region's economy & commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty & territorial integrity in the face of Russia's aggression and impediments to shipping in the Sea of Azov," the embassy said in Twitter on Friday.
On Thursday, July 1, at 11.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference titled "Confessional Preferences of Ukrainian Citizens: Detailed Analysis' based on the results of a joint study by the Active Group and the Club of Experts. Participants include Head of the Ukrainian Politics Foundation, historian, political analyst Kost Bondarenko; Head of the Active Group sociological company Oleksandr Pozny; Editor-in-Chief of the Ukraine in Arabic information portal Mohammad Farajallah; co-founder of the Club of Experts company, political scientist Danylo Bohatyriov (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot. Details at: (067) 232 0042.
KYIV. June 25 (Interfax-Ukraine)  Director of the Institute of Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov believes the idea of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hold a national referendum on Donbas issue in case of non-compliance with Minsk agreements may entail a threat to the country's statehood.

"Politicians must make decisions, take responsibility, popularize their decisions, justify them and then hold referendums. If the decision is made by the people, why do we need such politicians? Such referendums are very dangerous, since people are not always expert on state-building matters," Karasiov said at a roundtable talk entitled "How socio-economic decline affects current politics  actions of authorities and opposition," held at Interfax-Ukraine.

He said that "not a single Eastern European country that held referendums on accession to the EU or NATO held them as a decision of the people." "This is always the ratification of a political decision of political elites," he said.

"If the referendum on the 'wall' in Donbas takes place, it will be a popular ratification of the decision that will be made by the ruling class, taking into account the geopolitical situation and the recommendations of Ukraine's key partners," the political scientist said.

According to Expert of Hardarika Strategic Consulting Corporation Kostiantyn Matviyenko, "in the event of such a referendum, Russia may initiate an even wider referendum  on secession not only of temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, but the entire territory of these regions, as well as Kharkiv."

Director of the Ukrainian Barometer sociological service Viktor Nebozhenko does not support the idea of the need for a referendum on Donbas.

"It is too early to talk about the wall, after all, Donbas is not a cut-off piece. There is no need to prepare people in such a way that if we do not resolve the conflict through the Minsk agreements, then through the wall we will introduce a distance between Ukraine and Donbas. I think this is very wrong," he said.

Nebozhenko said that "Zelensky's theme of holding such a referendum is a way to "bring down people's attention to holding a referendum on land."

According to Head of the Ukrainian Politics Foundation, historian, political analyst Kost Bondarenko, "the option that Ukraine will abandon the temporarily occupied territories of ORDLO in case of non-fulfillment of the Minsk Agreements has been discussed for a long time and unofficially."

"I would not be surprised if on Independence Day the president really comes up with a proposal for a referendum on Donbas. However, what the issue will be will depend on Zelensky's meeting with [Joe] Biden or Victoria Nuland. It could be a referendum on the special status of Donbas or the rejection of ORDLO," he said.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet speaks during a news conference at the European headquarters of the United Nations (Photo : REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/Files)

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday called the closure of Hong Kong's Apple Daily tabloid a "sad day for media freedom" and said it signaled "intensifying repression" by China, while vowing to maintain support for the people of the Chinese-ruled territory.



In a statement following the news outlet's closure earlier on Thursday, Biden called on Beijing to stop targeting the independent press and release detained journalists and media executives.



Advertisement

"People in Hong Kong have the right to freedom of the press. Instead, Beijing is denying basic liberties and assaulting Hong Kong's autonomy and democratic institutions and processes, inconsistent with its international obligations," he said.



Apple Daily was forced to end a 26-year run amid a national security crackdown that froze the company's funds. Its closure prompted snaking lines of hundreds of loyal readers at newsstands across the city.



"It is a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world," Biden said, adding that the publication had been "a much-needed bastion of independent journalism in Hong Kong."



"Through arrests, threats, and forcing through a National Security Law that penalizes free speech, Beijing has insisted on wielding its power to suppress independent media and silence dissenting views," he said.



BIDEN VOWS SUPPORT



Biden vowed that the United States "will not waver in our support of people in Hong Kong and all those who stand up for the basic freedoms all people deserve."



The shutdown deals the most serious blow yet to Hong Kong's media freedoms and could potentially destroy the city's reputation as a media hub after Beijing imposed the security law on the financial center last year, media advocacy groups say.



U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet took aim on Thursday at the "negative consequences" she said Apple Daily owner Jimmy Lai faced for exercising his rights, criticizing the tycoon's detention.



Speaking to the 2021 Society of Publishers in Asia press awards ceremony held in Hong Kong, Bachelet said the national security law was leading journalists to "self-censor" to avoid clashing with "vaguely formulated offenses."



Lai has been in jail since December over unauthorized rallies during Hong Kong's mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. He is facing three national security charges, including colluding with a foreign country and is already serving several sentences for taking part in unauthorized rallies.



Britain's foreign minister Dominic Raab called on China to respect its commitments to free media under an agreement with Britain over how Hong Kong would be ruled after its return from British rule to China in 1997.



"We certainly view what's been happening in with the closure of the Apple Daily and the arrest of journalists very, very seriously," he said. "We call on China to respect the terms that it freely signed up to and we think that's a matter of trust as well as important for the people of Hong Kong."



UNAPOLOGETIC TABLOID



Apple Daily was an unapologetic tabloid that mixed pro-democracy discourse with celebrity gossip and investigations of those in power. It had been a thorn in Beijing's side.



Last year, before Biden won the U.S. presidential election, it published two articles on his son Hunter Biden and his ties to a Taiwanese businessman who the paper said was a purported broker "enabling Hunter Biden's deals in mainland China over a decade".



Lai said on Twitter in October he personally had "nothing to do with" a report on Hunter Biden's alleged China business links, but admitted funds from his private firm and had been used to fund it.



ONE MILLION COPIES



In anticipation of robust demand for its final print run, The Apple Daily printed 1 million copies, or more than 10 times its usual.



Emotions ran high on Thursday among supporters of the paper, which has faced an unrelenting squeeze since Lai's arrest in August 2020.



"I couldn't sleep well for the past few nights," said Tse, 60, a former medical worker, who leaned on a cart to support herself as she queued for a paper. "I hope reporters can stay true to their faith and keep working hard."



Some Apple Daily staff expressed anger and frustration.



"(After) today, there is no press freedom in Hong Kong," said Dickson Ng, 51, a designer at the paper. "I feel very disappointed and angry."



Last week, 500 officers raided the newspaper's headquarters, sifting through reporters' notes and other journalistic material in scenes that drew international condemnation.



Five executives were arrested, and two - chief editor Ryan Law and Cheung Kim-hung - were charged with conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country and denied bail. On Wednesday, a columnist for the paper was also arrested under the national security law.



Officials in Hong Kong and China have repeatedly said media freedoms are respected but are not absolute.

"Hong Kong is a society that has rule of law. ... No one or no organization is above the law," a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry said. "All rights and freedom, including media freedom, cannot go beyond the bottom line of national security."


U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris stands next to U.S. President Joe Biden as he delivers remarks on the bipartisan infrastructure deal in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S (Photo : REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday embraced a $1.2 trillion bipartisan Senate deal to renew the nation's roads, bridges and highways and help stimulate the economy -- a major breakthrough on one of his key domestic policy goals.



"We have a deal," Biden told reporters, flanked by Democratic and Republican senators who wrote the infrastructure proposal that followed months of White House negotiations with lawmakers.



Advertisement

Its $579 billion in new spending includes major investments in the nation's power grid, broadband internet services and passenger and freight rail.



But it does not contain other key priorities for Biden and progressive Democrats, such as new spending on home health care and child care, which Biden pitched as "human infrastructure." The Democrats who control Congress by razor-thin margins aim to cover those areas in another spending package that they want to maneuver through the Senate without Republican votes.



"This deal means millions of good-paying jobs and fewer burdens felt at the kitchen table ... But it also signals to ourselves, and to the world, that American democracy can deliver, and because of that it represents an important step forward for our country," Biden said later at the White House.



One member of the bipartisan group of 21 senators who negotiated the deal, Republican Rob Portman, said: "We didn't get everything we wanted but we came up with a good compromise."



He said they had commitments from Republicans and Democrats alike to get the plan "across the finish line."



Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who was briefed on the plan early on Thursday, did not answer questions about whether he would back the initiative.



The eight-year proposal contains $109 billion for roads, bridges and major projects; $73 billion for power infrastructure; $66 billion for passenger and freight rail; $65 billion for broadband access; $49 billion for public transit; and $25 billion for airports, according to a White House statement.



The investments would be paid for through more than a dozen funding mechanisms, including $100 billion in estimated tax revenues from a ramp-up in enforcement by the Internal Revenue Service, unused COVID-19 aid money and unemployment insurance funds returned by U.S. states.



Democratic and Republican members of the group displayed high spirits, chuckling and smiling together at microphones in the driveway of the White House.



NOT A PUNCHLINE



The phrase "infrastructure week" became a Washington punchline during Donald Trump's four years as president after he promised to make such legislation a centerpiece but did not unveil a plan for Congress to consider, including financing mechanisms for projects.



 Before the White House meeting, Portman told reporters on Capitol Hill that McConnell "remains open-minded and he's listening." Portman added, 'He hasn't made his decision."



McConnell did not respond later to questions from reporters about his position.



"They've done a lot of good work. There's a good framework there," said Senator John Thune, the chamber's No. 2 Republican, who also met with McConnell. He told reporters that party leaders would wait for the White House's response and discuss the framework with members of the caucus.



Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he supported the outline of the deal but wanted to see the details. He also noted that the $1.2 trillion bill focused on physical infrastructure would not get the Democratic votes needed to pass it without an accompanying package tackling social issues including home healthcare.



"All parties understand, we won't get enough votes to pass either, unless we have enough votes to pass both," Schumer said on the Senate floor. He said the Senate would aim for a vote on the bipartisan plan next month.



RECONCILIATION REDUX



Pelosi said that the House would only vote on the bipartisan bill after the Senate had also approved the additional spending package to be passed through a process called "reconciliation https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senates-reconciliation-process-its-not-way-it-sounds-2021-06-16," which would allow Democrats to override Republican objections.



That could mean that the battle over these massive bills could extend into September and beyond.



Biden, seeking to fuel economic growth and address income inequality after the coronavirus pandemic, initially proposed spending about $2.3 trillion. Republicans chafed at his definition of infrastructure, which included fighting climate change and providing care for children and the elderly.



The White House later trimmed the offer to about $1.7 trillion in an unsuccessful bid to win the Republican support needed for any plan to get the 60 votes required to advance most legislation in the evenly split 100-seat Senate.



A major sticking point had been how to pay for the investments. Biden has pledged not to increase taxes on Americans earning less than $400,000 a year, while Republicans are determined to protect a 2017 cut in corporate taxes.



Thune said there were questions about whether watchdogs, including the Congressional Budget Office, would recognize some of the funding mechanisms as achieving savings.


A controversial statue of actress Marilyn Monroe stands in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum in Palm Springs, California, U.S (Photo : REUTERS/Sandra Stojanovic)

Marilyn Monroe is back in Palm Springs, California, in a big way - but not everyone is thrilled.



A 26-ft (7.9-m) tall statue of the Hollywood icon in her famous billowing white dress was unveiled in front of the Palm Springs Art Museum, facing Palm Canyon Drive, the city's main tourist strip, on Sunday.



Advertisement

The artwork, sculpted by John Seward Johnson II in 2011, was inspired by a scene from the film, "The Seven Year Itch." It first came to Palm Springs in 2012 as a rental for 26 months and moved to New Jersey in 2014, said Aftab Dada, chairman of P.S. Resorts, a local hospitality group.



The statue is already popular for snapshots and the community is expecting it to increase visitor traffic based on past experience, Dada said. "And at that time in 2012, '13, '14, the social media explosion wasn't as great as it is now," he added.



Palm Springs resident John McDermott, 77, stopped by on his morning bike ride.



"I speak for the vast majority of the residents of Palm Springs, where everybody is ecstatic to have her back here, absolutely ecstatic," McDermott said. "It's good for the community, it's good for the businesses. This is going to be the Eiffel Tower of Palm Springs."



But the view turned off Brooks Thomas, 50, a Palm Springs resident for eight years.



"It's absurd that you're going to leave the museum and see the backside of someone's underpants," he said. "People have all kinds of issues with other things that they find obscene, but this you know, they think it's acceptable."



When the statue was unveiled, protesters including the Women's March Foundation chanted that it was misogynistic and exploitative. Its location also rankled critics.



Chris Menrad founded the Committee to Relocate Marilyn, which filed a lawsuit citing public codes, and has raised more than $70,000 to remove it.



The statue was in the middle of a new street that had been created to open up the museum and connect it to Palm Canyon Drive, Menad said.



"We have an issue with placing a large statue that is blocking that view on a quote unquote, temporary basis that everybody knows is not going to be temporary," said Menrad.



'Forever Marilyn' is expected to stay in Palm Springs for three years.


The logo of carmaker Renault is pictured at a dealership in Vertou, near Nantes, France, (Photo : REUTERS/Stephane Mahe)

Renault has chosen China's Envision AESC to produce batteries in the future Douai plant in northern France that will equip its future electric vehicles, including the Renault 5 model, two sources close to the matter told Reuters.



The news could be announced at the "Choose France" event hosted by President Emmanuel Macron next week, the sources said, confirming a Bloomberg report.



Advertisement

The future plant of Douai is expected to have a production capacity of 24 GWh by 20230, the sources said. One of the sources said the plant involved an investment of around two billion euros for Envision.



The Douai battery factory will complement Renault's electric car hub known as "Renault ElectriCity" born from pooling three of its plants in northern France, Douai, Ruitz and Maubeuge. The hub aims to turn out 400,000 vehicles a year by 2025.



Renault, which will detail its future electric car strategy on Wednesday, had said that "Renault ElectriCity" would lead to the creation of 700 jobs spread across the various sites, which currently employ nearly 5,000 people, by 2025.


A U.S. soldier from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment walks with the unit's Afghan interpreter before a mission near forward operating base Gamberi in the Laghman province of Afghanistan (Photo : REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo)

The United States is planning to evacuate a group of vulnerable Afghan interpreters before the U.S. military completes its withdrawal from Afghanistan so they can wrap up their visa applications from safety, U.S. officials said on Thursday.



The evacuation of the at-risk Afghans will include their family members for a total of as many as 50,000 people, a senior Republican lawmaker told Reuters.



Advertisement

The decision by President Joe Biden's administration risks inflaming a sense of crisis in Afghanistan, just a day before Biden meets Afghan President Ashraf Ghani for talks in Washington aimed at projecting a sense of partnership despite the U.S. military exit.



Responding to questions after a White House speech, Biden said, "Those who helped us are not going to be left behind ... They're welcome here just like anyone else who risked their lives to help us."



His meeting with Ghani comes as Taliban insurgents press a major offensive in Afghanistan, triggering growing concern in Congress https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-speeds-visas-vulnerable-afghans-pullout-looms-congress-wants-more-2021-06-15 for Afghan interpreters who worked for the U.S. military during its two-decade-long engagement and fear Taliban reprisals after American troops depart.



The U.S. officials did not disclose where the Afghans would be transported or say how many would be involved, but said the group consisted entirely of Afghans who have already started the visa process.



"Should it become necessary, we will consider additional relocation or evacuation options," one of the officials said.



U.S. Representative Mike McCaul, speaking to Reuters after discussing the plan with administration officials, said the evacuees will comprise some 9,000 interpreters who have applied for Special Immigration Visas and their families.



"You are probably talking about 50,000 people. There's no way to expedite their visas in-country ... on a timely basis that would save their lives," said McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and a leading advocate of evacuating U.S.-affiliated Afghans.



Countries that "could be on the table" to receive them include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, he said.



The operation "is going to involve a lot of planes," he said, adding that while it will create the "optics" that Afghanistan "is imploding ... the decision has been made to pull out our military forces and so this really needs to be part of the preparation and planning."



Fighting between U.S.-backed Afghan forces and the Taliban has surged in recent weeks, with the militants gaining control of territory. The Pentagon now estimates the Taliban control 81 of the country's 419 district centers.



Political talks between the government and the Taliban have largely stalled and it is unclear how Afghan security forces will perform after U.S. troops depart. The Taliban have assured Afghans who worked with foreign forces of their safety.



But as the clock ticks down, Afghans who have applied for visas increasingly fear that the insurgents will target them and their families, in retribution for helping foreign forces during America's longest war.



Samey Honaryar, a former Afghan interpreter who was granted asylum in the United States after his life was threatened, said at a news conference at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday that time was running short for his compatriots.



"Please evacuate them," he said. "They were good people, they helped you."



The U.S. military has completed more than half of its withdrawal from Afghanistan and is set to finish in the coming weeks. That leaves little time to process applications for special immigrant visas already filed by roughly 9,000 Afghans, or the thousands of others who have formally expressed interest.



Although the U.S. State Department has increased staffing, U.S. officials say there is a limit to how fast a 14-step, multiple-agency process that includes security vetting can move without changes to legislation. If all goes well, a visa could normally be processed in nine to 12 months, officials say.



Administration officials say changes in legislation could accelerate the process, but its plans have been upended by the coronavirus pandemic, which has repeatedly forced the U.S. embassy in Kabul to postpone visa interviews.



U.S. Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat and former Marine, introduced legislation on Thursday to help Afghans who worked for the United States. With Honaryar and other former interpreters, he told reporters he welcomed reports of the planned evacuations.



"This is a good day in this story, but it is far from the final chapter," Moulton said.


Tel Aviv University Professor Israel Hershkovitz, holds what scientists say are two pieces of fossilised bone of a previously unknown kind of early human (Photo : REUTERS/Ammar Awad)

Scientists said on Thursday they had discovered a new kind of early human after studying pieces of fossilised bone dug up at a site used by a cement plant in central Israel.



The fragments of a skull and a lower jaw with teeth were about 130,000 years old and could force a rethink of parts of the human family tree, the researchers from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem said.



Advertisement

Nesher Ramla Homo - named after the place southeast of Tel Aviv where it was found - may have lived alongside our species, Homo sapiens, for more than 100,000 years, and may have even interbred, according to the findings.



The early humans, who had very large teeth and no chin, may have also been ancestors of the Neanderthals, the study added, challenging the current thinking that our evolutionary cousins originated in Europe.



"The discovery of a new type of Homo is of great scientific importance," said Israel Hershkovitz of Tel Aviv University, one of the leaders of the team that analysed the remains.



"It enables us to make new sense of previously found human fossils, add another piece to the puzzle of human evolution, and understand the migrations of humans in the old world."



Dr Yossi Zaidner of the Hebrew University found the fossils while exploring the mining area of the Nesher cement plant near the city of Ramla, the universities said in their statement.



TOOLS AND BONES



Excavators uncovered the bones about eight metres (25 feet) deep among stone tools and the bones of horses and deer.



The study said the Nesher Ramla resembled pre-Neanderthal groups in Europe.



"This is what makes us suggest that this Nesher Ramla group is actually a large group that started very early in time and are the source of the European Neanderthal," said Hila May, a physical anthropologist at the Dan David Center and the Shmunis Institute of Tel Aviv University



Experts have never been able to fully explain how Homo sapiens genes were present in the earlier Neanderthal population in Europe, May said, and the Nesher Ramla may be the mystery group responsible.



The jaw bone had no chin and the skull was flat, she said. 3D shape analysis later ruled out relation to any other known group.



What they did match, May said, were a small number of enigmatic human fossils found elsewhere in Israel, dating back even earlier, that anthropologists had never been able to place.



"As a crossroads between Africa, Europe and Asia, the Land of Israel served as a melting pot where different human populations mixed with one another, to later spread throughout the Old World," said Dr Rachel Sarig, from Tel Aviv University.


U.S. says ban on Chinese firm's solar products will not slow clean energy progress

The seal of the Department of Commerce is pictured in Washington, D.C., U.S (Photo : REUTERS/Eric Thayer)

The Biden administration said Thursday it banned U.S. imports of a key solar panel material from Chinese-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co, but stopped short of imposing a ban on all imports of silica from Xinjiang and said the action would not harm U.S. clean energy goals.



The Commerce Department separately added five Chinese entities to the U.S. economic blacklist over forced labor allegations in Xinjiang -- including Hoshine. The White House cited the G7's recent pledge to clean up the global supply chain as part of its actions.



Advertisement

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the import bans on polysilicon and solar products made with forced labor would not hamper the Biden administration's clean energy goals.



"Our environmental goals will not be achieved on the backs of human beings in a forced labor environment," Mayorkas said at a press briefing. "We're going to root out forced labor wherever it exists."



The import ban covers products made overseas that use Hoshine materials, including any solar panels produced abroad with polysilicon from Hoshine.



Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, reacting to earlier reports of the U.S. action, said on Thursday that China would take "all necessary measures" to protect its companies' rights and interests.



Hoshine Silicon Industry said on an interactive investor platform that it backed the Chinese foreign ministry's reaction, adding that the firm does not export industrial silicon to the United States directly and the impact on its business would be limited.



Asked whether the Hoshine ban could be expanded into a region wide ban on all polysilicon from Xinjiang, Mayorkas and CBP officials downplayed any similarities to the agency's recent region-wide import bans on Xinjiang-produced cotton and tomato products over forced labor.



Ana Hinojosa, CBP's executive director for trade remedy law enforcement, said any expansion would depend on the substantiation of evidence that forced labor is being used.



Hinojosa said CBP identified $6 million of direct imports from Hoshine and $150 million of downstream products using Hoshine materials over the past 2.5 years.



The United States is also restricting U.S. exports of "commodities, software, and technology" to Hoshine, three other Chinese firms and the paramilitary Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), saying they were involved with the forced labor of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in the western Chinese region.



Representative Dan Kildee, a Democrat active on trade issues, said the announcement was an "important signal of the administration's intent to enforce the law and as a first step." He said he expects other companies in Xinjiang producing silica will likely be subject to further enforcement actions.



The White House said the entities' practices ran counter not only to American values but also tipped the scales against U.S. workers "by exploiting workers and artificially suppressing wages."



John Smirnow, general counsel and vice president of market strategy at the Solar Energy Industries Association, the main U.S. solar industry association, said the group fully supported the Biden administration's move.



"The fact is, we do not have transparency into supply chains in the Xinjiang region, and there is too much risk in operating there," Smirnow said.



Polysilicon analyst Johannes Bernreuter with Germany-based Bernreuter Research said the CBP order could have a broad impact on the U.S. solar industry, noting that the world's top eight polysilicon manufacturers, which produced more than 90% of the solar-grade polysilicon output in 2020, have all been mentioned by Hoshine as customers.



"That means they source at least some of their silicon metal needs from Hoshine. Solar panel importers into the U.S. have to prove that the polysilicon for their panels was not made with any silicon metal from Hoshine," Bernreuter said.



The Washington-based Peterson Institute for International Economics said in a report on Thursday that China accounts for nearly half the global production of polysilicon.



'PROVE IT'



The new measures are the latest in a series of steps under President Joe Biden to secure U.S. supply chains in the face of allegations of rights abuses in China, and also the growing economic challenges posed by the United States' top geopolitical rival.



Beijing has dismissed accusations of genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang as lies.



The three other companies added to the Commerce Department's blacklist were Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co, a unit of Daqo New Energy Corp; Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based manufacturing giant East Hope Group; and Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Co, part of GCL New Energy Holdings Ltd.



Several of the companies are major manufacturers of monocrystalline silicon and polysilicon used in solar panel production.



Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co, in an email to Reuters, said it had "zero tolerance" towards forced labor, and does not directly sell or buy from the United States so there would be no "significant impact" on its business.



The other companies or their parent firms, including XPCC, did not reply to requests for comment, or could not be reached.



Separately, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to the full Senate on Thursday. Proposed by Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, the bill - should it become law - would ban all products from Xinjiang unless importers could show they were not produced with forced labor.



"This is slavery. Simple as that," Rubio told the committee. "American companies argue that their supply chains are clean, and what this bill says is: prove it."


Police release tear gas into a crowd of pro-Trump protesters during clashes at a rally to contest the certification of the 2020 U.S. presidential election results (Photo : REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo)

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday created a new House committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, after Senate Republicans in May blocked an independent commission to probe the assault.



Some 500 people have now been arrested in the sweeping federal investigation into the violence, the Justice Department said on Thursday.



Advertisement

Speaking at a news conference, Pelosi, a Democrat, declined to spell out a timeline for the panel to investigate, saying it will be "as long as it takes". She gave no details of the make-up of the panel, but made clear both parties would be expected to name members, saying she hoped that House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy will appoint "responsible people" to the panel.



Pelosi said it would have been preferable to have an outside commission, and that she had not totally given up on that idea. The House passed legislation to set up an independent bipartisan commission, but Senate Republicans blocked it, saying existing committee probes as well as prosecutors' investigations made it unnecessary.



"We see this as complementary, not instead of, and hopeful that there could be a commission at some point," Pelosi said.



In an assault that stunned America, hundreds of supporters of then-President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 in a failed attempt to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's presidential election victory. The violence left five dead, including a Capitol Police officer.



Trump has repeatedly falsely alleged that his electoral defeat was due to voter fraud, a claim dismissed by multiple courts, state election officials and his own administration's review.



"The Capitol of the United States has always been a glorious beacon of democracy for the American people and the world," Pelosi said.


The logos of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google (Photo : in a combination photo.)

The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to require Big Tech platforms to choose between running a platform and competing on it, wrapping up two days of votes that saw the approval of four measures directly aimed at reining in the power of some of the country's most successful companies.



Advertisement

The bill passed the committee on a vote of 21-20.



Representative David Cicilline, chair of the antitrust subcommittee, said the bill was needed because the tech giants had not played fairly. "Google, Amazon and Apple each favor their own products in search results, giving themselves an unfair advantage over competitors," he said.



In other votes on Wednesday and Thursday, the committee approved bills to prohibit platforms like Amazon.com Inc from disadvantaging rivals who use their platform and to require big tech companies contemplating mergers to show that they are legal, rather than requiring antitrust enforcers to prove that they are not. It also approved a measure to require platforms to allow users to transfer their data elsewhere



Asked about the package of bills, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, said there was concern in both parties about the tech giants. "This legislation attempts to address that in the interest of fairness, in the interest of competition, and the interest of meeting the needs of people whose privacy, whose data and all the rest is at the mercy of these tech companies," she said.



There has been opposition to the anti-tech measures from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Amazon, Apple Inc, Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, and there is no certainty that any of them will become law.



Lawmakers from both parties have expressed concern about the toughest legislation in the package.



The committee also voted to increase the budgets of the agencies enforcing antitrust law. A companion measure has passed the Senate. And the panel passed a bill to ensure that antitrust cases brought by state attorneys general remain in the court they select.


Canada court rejects Huawei CFO push for publication ban on new evidence in U.S. extradition case

Huawei Technologies Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou leaves her home to attend a court hearing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Photo : REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier/File Photo)

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's request for a publication ban on new evidence her legal team received from HSBC has been denied by a Canadian court in her U.S. extradition case, a lawyer involved in the case said on Friday.



Meng, 49, was arrested in December 2018 for allegedly misleading HSBC about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break U.S. sanctions.



Advertisement

She faces a Canadian government extradition attempt on charges of bank fraud in the United States.



Canadian prosecutors had fought her request for a publication ban on documents relevant to her case received from HSBC via a court in Hong Kong. The documents were provided on the condition that Meng make a reasonable effort to keep them private.



The British Columbia Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the request, said Daniel Coles, the legal counsel representing a consortium of media outlets - including Reuters - who argued against the publication ban.



The reasons for the denial were not made public, pending issues relating to a previous publication ban, Coles said.



Prosecutors representing the Canadian government had argued that "to be consistent with the open court principle, a ban must be tailored" and details should be selectively redacted from the public, rather than the whole documents.



Meng has been under house arrest in Vancouver for more than two years and fighting her extradition. Meng has said she is innocent.



Alykhan Velshi, vice president of corporate affairs at Huawei Canada, said in an emailed statement the company accepts the court's decision, adding that "the truth in these documents can now come out."



The Canadian government and HSBC were not immediately available for comment.



The open court principle requires that court proceedings be open and accessible to the public and to the media.



It is unclear what documents Huawei obtained from HSBC, but defense lawyers argue they are relevant to Meng's case. Hearings in the extradition case are scheduled to finish in late August.


President of the Hauts-de-France region Xavier Bertrand attends the MEDEF union summer forum renamed La Rencontre des Entrepreneurs de France, LaREF (Photo : REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo)

An electric car battery plant planned by China's Envision AESC in northern France, billed as a boost to an auto industry in upheaval as some traditional jobs are lost, will create at least new 1,000 positions, a French politician said on Friday.



Carmakers globally are racing to keep ahead of rivals in producing cleaner vehicles, a technology shift that will prompt Germany's Volkswagen for example to build six battery cell plants of its own in Europe.



Advertisement

Xavier Bertrand, from the opposition Les Republicains party and who is running for re-election as head of France's Hauts-de-France region, confirmed Envision's investment in the French factory, AFP reported.



Bertrand was quoted by AFP as saying that the 1,000 jobs that will be created initially could reach 2,500 in the longer term.



Two sources close to the matter told Reuters this week that Renault had picked Envision to make batteries for its future electric vehicles, including the Renault 5 model.



One of the sources said the plant involved an investment of around two billion euros from Envision.



The investment and details on jobs were expected to be confirmed on Monday by President Emmanuel Macron, the sources said.



France is trying to push its own national champions to produce batteries for cars, though politicians have welcomed the Chinese investment.



ACC, a venture backed by Renault's rival Stellantis and Saft, a unit of TotalEnergies, will also have a battery plant in northern France.



A shift away from diesel engines in the auto industry is likely to spur job cuts in the coming years, or push carmakers to retrain workers and find new avenues for job creation, under pressure from politicians.



Loss-making Renault last year announced plans to cut 4,600 jobs in France as it trims costs, 10 years after Peugeot maker PSA, now part of Stellantis, went through a drastic restructuring.



The Douai battery factory will complement Renault's electric car hub known as "Renault ElectriCity" born from pooling three of its plants in northern France, Douai, Ruitz and Maubeuge. The hub aims to turn out 400,000 vehicles a year by 2025.


According to Konstantinos Vlasis, the Greek deputy minister of foreign affairs for Greek Diaspora, Egypt and Greece share a common vision for the eastern Mediterranean region. The recent agreement on the partial delimitation of their exclusive economic zones, as well as our common views on the future of the state of Libya and the Cyprus issue, constitute some representative examples of their enhanced cooperation and synergies. Egypt and Greece are strong allies in hard, as well as in soft policy areas.

Ahram Online: Can you tell us about your career before becoming the deputy foreign minister for Greek Diaspora?

Konstantinos Vlasis: I was elected as an MP representing the prefecture of Arcadia in the parliamentary elections of January and September 2015 and I was re-elected in 2019. During my parliamentary terms, I have served as an alternate secretary of the New Democracy Parliamentary Group.

On 9 July 2019, I was appointed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as the deputy minister of foreign affairs responsible for the Greek Diaspora. In 2020, I was also elected as professor of medicine at the School of Medicine of the University of Athens.

AO: Egypt and Greece have great cooperation in many fields. How can they further boost cooperation?

KV: Our countries share a common vision for eastern Mediterranean region; a shared vision of peaceful co-existence, cooperation, and stability, which has been repeatedly confirmed by our countries leaders and ministers on several occasions during the last years.

The recent visit of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Egypt reaffirmed the converging positions of our countries on a number of regional issues. The recent agreement on the partial delimitation of our exclusive economic zones, as well as our common views on the future of the state of Libya and the Cyprus issue, constitute some representative examples of our enhanced cooperation and synergies, and how we look at the world in the same way.

We also work closely in trilateral formats with other countries of our region, such as the Republic of Cyprus, for instance. These expanded partnerships contribute further to maintaining excellent relations between our countries and ensure that our neighbourhood remains a safe and stable area.

AO: What are the outcomes of the trilateral cooperation between Egypt, Greece, and Cyprus in various fields? How can this cooperation benefit from the NOSTOS initiative? Are there any upcoming meetings regarding this initiative?

KV: In the field of diaspora, we have focused on promoting a positive agenda which will bring our diaspora, especially the youth, closer, through people-to-people contacts. There is no doubt that the NOSTOS programme has been the most successful deliverable of this cooperation, and we are proud of it.

In April, the three countries agreed in Cyprus to organise another trilateral Youth Initiative. This summer, 15 young people from Greek, Egyptian, and Cypriot Diasporas will visit the three countries and will get to know each other to build a strong people-to-people relationship and to raise their awareness about the challenges our countries are facing. I always say that young people are the future of our communities, and we should focus on building bridges of communication and contact among them.

AO: What are your priorities and roles now concerning your position as the deputy foreign minister for Greek Diaspora?

KV: Given the fact that the Greek Diaspora consists of three major categories, which are diversified in terms of quantity and special characteristics, since the beginning of our administration, we were called to draw and implement a diaspora policy targeting all three groups: A) national minorities and historic communities. B) groups of expatriates of second, third, or even fourth generations; and C) Greeks belonging to the last decades brain drain phenomenon.

However, despite the differences, the Greek diaspora demands thorough study and implementation of effective policies which will succeed in strengthening the bonds between Greeks abroad and Greece. This is a great responsibility for me and my team.

Furthermore, creating opportunities for those who wish to return to their homeland and bringing them closer to their roots constitute separate challenges. This is actually my vision and my inspiration.

AO: Despite of the Coronavirus pandemic, the government succeeded in facing many challenges, how do you evaluate the pandemics management, how hard was the effect of the pandemic on the economy, tourism, and health system?

KV: Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an unprecedented crisis for our generation. In Greece, since its outbreak in March 2020, we managed to take immediate and targeted measures to contain the virus. This effort was collective, as the authorities worked side by side with the Greek population; their response to the measures should be highly recognised.

Our health system, as well as our economy, faced a serious challenge that we have managed to tackle, given the conditions. Since December 2020 we have been also implementing the vaccination operation named Eleftheria, which means Freedom, and we are very satisfied that more than 3 million people have been fully vaccinated at the moment. I should admit that we drew strength from the difficulties that now lie behind us, as we walk these last steps that separate us from freedom with discipline, looking forward to the end of the pandemic.

AO: There is strong cooperation between the Egyptian Ministry of Immigration and Greece, what are their future projects?

KV: Last June, we had the opportunity to meet with Egyptian Minister of Immigration Nabila Makram and Photis Photiou, our Cypriot counterpart, in Cyprus and discuss our future joint projects.

As I have already mentioned, another round of the NOSTOS programme is about to kick-off with a joint visit by five young people from each country to Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt. It is a matter of common interest for our countries to have strong advocates and future opinion-makers on our side. I strongly believe that this solid synergy will grow and expand in many other fields of cooperation.

Our countries are strong allies in hard, as well as in soft policy areas. However, I would like to touch upon another project which I am currently processing with my counterparts from Egypt and Cyprus and for which I am really happy. In collaboration with the Hellenic and the Cypriot Communities in Egypt, we are going to organise a special event dedicated to the 200 years from the outbreak of the 1821 Greek Revolution.

As this year we are celebrating our bicentennial anniversary, we are particularly satisfied to see Egypt hosting this celebration honouring Greece. This initiative enhances further our historical and cultural bonds.

AO: How can Greeks abroad contribute actively in the promotion of Greek interest on various levels?

Over the course of our history, Greeks abroad have always rushed to defend and promote Greeces interests by every possible means. Especially when it comes to foreign policy issues and national issues. Our diaspora has exerted serious efforts, at every possible level, to defend their homelands rightful positions.

Furthermore, pushing the national economy is also in the core of Greek interests. The Hellenic government, despite the pandemic crisis, has set a comprehensive and ambitious agenda to facilitate foreign direct investments in the country and boost exports. Simplified procedures, less red tape, a stable fiscal framework for foreign investments, as well as the implementation of policies that favour entrepreneurship in the field of research and innovation are the main pillars of our policy.

Brain drain has almost stopped. Young people who have studied abroad, professionals, and entrepreneurs are willing to return and try a new beginning. We provide a lower taxation policy in order to make their business ideas grow. In this context, the Greek diaspora can play a decisive role. Greeks abroad have become a part of a global network through their dynamic presence in their host countries. They are our ambassadors, and they can play an important role in promoting a new image for Greece: a dynamic confident country which is a pillar of peace and stability in the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean.

AO: What are the recent steps taken so that Greeks abroad can vote?

KV: We consider Greeks abroad as a vital part of our nation and we want them to be politically aware and actively involved in the voting procedure. Their vote is equal to any other vote cast in Greece. For this reason, bill 4648/2019 passed with an overwhelming majority after a long parliamentary debate.

Subsequently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, put a special online registration platform (Online Electoral Registry for Greeks Abroad) into operation, through which citizens are able to fill out their application and upload the necessary documentation in order to register as voters abroad. The next national elections will be the first in which Greeks abroad will participate, this is a success.

I am absolutely confident that sooner or later there will be an improved version of the respective legislation in order to further facilitate the electoral procedure.

AO: Egypt and Greece have unique and historical relations, how can the Greek community in Egypt play a role in further cooperation between the two countries? How many Greeks are in Egypt?

KV: In your previous question, I referred to historic Greek communities abroad. The Greek community in Egypt, was one of these large and very active communities. However, it began to decline in size in the early 1950s and nowadays, only a few thousand Greeks remain in the country. The largest communities are those in Cairo and Alexandria, followed by the Greek populations of Ismailiya, Port Said, and Kafr Al-Zayiat.

An important number of Greek associations and clubs, as well as schools and cultural centres, are still in place. A further major focus of Greek interest is the Patriarchate of Alexandria, with spiritual activities extending across the entire African continent.

The Patriarchates relations with the Egyptian Coptic Church and the Egyptian state are excellent. Besides, Saint Catherines Monastery in Sinai, a major Greek-Orthodox pilgrimage dating back to the 6th century, is also an important focus of Greeces interest. Religious and cultural institutions are bridges of friendship between our nations. Their initiatives and projects always pushed forward our bilateral relations and cultivated trust between our peoples.

AO: How do you see the important role of the Greek culture centre in Cairo in promoting the Greek language and cultural activities?

KV: Today, approximately 2000 Greeks reside in Cairo. The Hellenic Association of the city was founded in 1904 and the main body of its activities is the Hellenic Culture Centre, which is known for its important charitable, social, and cultural work. The Greek Hospital in Cairo and the six community churches, as well as the Achillopoulios Primary School and the Ambetios High School are part of a significant hive of Greek culture and philanthropy.

I usually say that Greek language is the thread which connects modern Greeks with their brilliant ancestors, we work hard for this thread not to be interrupted. We want Greek people to continue to grow in Egypt and, specifically, in Cairo. And I am glad to see that Egypt spares no efforts to provide Greeks with all the necessary tools in order for them to develop and continue their traditions and culture. Respect between our historic civilisations is a matter of honour, and I would like to thank the Egyptian government for its efforts and stance.

AO: What is your opinion on the importance of the digital platform for learning Greek language?

KV: Given the fact that the Greek language is a powerful tool that contributes to the maintenance of Greek identity among the youngest members of our diaspora, we want to breathe new life into its learning abroad. There is a wide network of Greek schools all over the world and we put all our efforts to support their significant work.

During the pandemic, we decided to take advantage of the huge potential technology offers today and to set up a new digital platform called Staellinika, which means In Greek, with the kind contribution of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and the SNF Centre For Hellenic Studies at Simon Fraser University (SFU).

This platform aims to make the Greek language more accessible and easier to learn by young Greeks who live abroad, and they have no other points of reference in their daily routine. We are really glad to see that every month thousands of eager learners make use of the platforms potential.

AO: What are your future plans, initiatives, and activities concerning the Greek Diaspora?

KV: As far as my duties are concerned, I have set three targets. To preserve and promote the Greek language and culture, to further digitise the services provided by our consulates abroad and to strengthen the bonds between Greeks abroad and the motherland. I am also looking forward to working closely with other Diasporas with which we have already developed a strong partnership, like Egyptians and the Cypriots. I remain absolutely focused on fostering our projects and bringing our peoples closer.

AO: What are the steps taken for having a celebration day of the Greek Diaspora?

KV: 2021 is a milestone year for Greece. We celebrate 200 years of the outbreak of the Greek War for Independence, to the success of which, the Greek Diaspora contributed with all its forces.

On the occasion of this historic year, we have decided to establish the celebration of Diaspora Day. At this stage, we have asked from all communities and organisations to contribute with their ideas on the type of celebration and the most proper date to be celebrated. We have received several proposals so far, which means, once again, Greeks can boast about having creative ideas.

Short link:


Egypt has updated the anti-coronavirus safety measures for all arrivals from abroad, including those coming from countries struggling with new COVID-19 variants, according to a statement released by EgyptAir, the national flagship carrier, on Wednesday night.

The measures are based on new directives issued by the countrys Ministry of Health, EgyptAir added.

All passengers traveling to Egypt from anywhere should provide a negative PCR test performed 72 hours before departure, but based on the new measures, vaccination certificates could be provided instead of the nasal swab test.

The following is a list of helpful questions and answers that spell out the new rules for entering the country:

Q: Which countries has Egypt specified as affected by the new variants of the virus?

The health ministry said the new rules are applied to all travellers coming from countries that are affected directly or indirectly by the new variants.

The list includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Latin America.The list includes India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Latin America.

Q: Can travelers coming from countries affected by the new coronavirus variants travel to Egypt?

Yes, they are allowed. They must provide a negative PCR test performed 72 hours before departure, or they can provide an accredited COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated 14 days before arrival.

Q: What does an accredited vaccination certificate mean?

The certificate must be recognised by the health authorities at their countries of origin and include a QR Code. Certificates must not include deletion, alteration, or addition otherwise they will not be accepted.

Q: Are travelers subject to other measures?

Yes, they will be subject to a 15-minute molecular test, known as ID NOW. If the result comes back positive, a PCR will be performed at the arrival airport.

Q: What if anyone tests positive?

If the passenger is Egyptian, he/she will be transferred to a Fever Hospital or a designated hospital for coronavirus patients where the treatment protocol can be applied. In the event the passenger is not Egyptian and the ID NOW TEST and the PCR test are positive, the passenger will be deported.

Q: What about foreigners coming from other countries?

They must provide a negative PCR test performed 72 hours before departure, or an accredited COVID-19 vaccination certificate showing that they were fully vaccinated 14 days before arrival

The certificate must be recognised by the health authorities at their countries of origin and include a QR Code, with no deletion, alteration, or addition in it.

Q: Will they be subject to a rapid test or a nasal swab at arrival airports?

No, they wont.

Q: Do the aforementioned rules apply to all coronavirus vaccines?

The rules apply to vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation and the Egyptian Drug Authority.

Q: When can vaccinated travellers enter Egypt?

At least 14 days after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Sinopharm, Sinovac, or Sputnik vaccines, or 14 days after receiving a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnsons Janssen vaccine.

Short link:


The United States urges the three parties involved in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute to reach a negotiated settlement, Samuel Warberg, a regional spokesperson for the US State Department, said on Thursday.

The US supports Egypt's rights in the Nile, Warberg said in his remarks to Masaa DMC on the DMC TV channel, affirming that the US will not leave 100 million Egyptians without water. This is impossible.

Rounds of African Union-sponsored talks to reach a consensus among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the GERD issue have been deadlocked, with Egypt and Sudan blaming the failure on Ethiopias intransigence.

Over the past months, Egypt and Ethiopia have exchanged tough remarks over their stances on GERD.

This comes especially as Ethiopia plans to complete the massive dam filling next month, despite Egypt and Sudan warning of potential risks in case the dam is filled before a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam is reached.

Warberg said the US encourages Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to return to the negotiating table with the African Union.

The US supports the Egyptian right in terms of the water and the importance of the Nile water. There is no question about the US stance on the importance of the Nile water to the Egyptian people, Warberg said.

The regional spokesperson said the US can play a significant and vital role in the GERD issue, noting that this requires the three countries to return to the negotiations table.

He said the US will conduct discussions and consultations with the three countries in this regard.

I do not want to make assumptions or predict any decision from the White House or the Department of State on any other procedures [on GERD]. I can, however, affirm that the US will continue to focus on this very important topic, Warberg added.

The regional spokesperson voiced appreciation of the Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian sides last month after more than 10 days of violence in the Gaza Strip.

He affirmed that Egypt has played a crucial and decisive role on this issue.

Warberg highlighted the US stance, which considers the two-state solution the only way to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

He affirmed the need to maintain a ceasefire between the two sides in this regard, noting that the US will work on resuming negotiations with Palestinians.

Now, the next step, the US will resume the dialogue with the Palestinians, which has been stopped by the previous [US] administration, Warberg said.

This administration believes that it is not possible for the US to play an actual and positive role without dialogue with the two sides.

Warberg said the US will continue to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and re-open the US consulate in Jerusalem for the Palestinians.

In April, the Biden administration decided to restore economic, developmental, and humanitarian assistance for Palestinians, including funding for the UNRWA that supports Palestinian refugees.

The Biden administration's decision reverses a 2018 move by then-president Donald Trump to halt funding to the UNRWA for rejecting his so-called "Deal of the Century"

Short link:


Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov said on Thursday the federation is studying expanding partnerships with Egypt, especially in manufacturing and assembling vehicles.

Manturov said his country is keen to expand vehicle manufacturing in Egypt through the industrial assembling of Russian cars in Egypt, a statement by the Egyptian trade ministry read.

This comes as Manturov and Egyptian Industry Minister Nevin Gamea wrapped up the 13th session of their joint trade, economic, scientific and technical committee.

Manturov said the outcome of the committee reflects the depth of Egyptian-Russian relations and their importance on the governmental and civil levels.

He said the outcome of this committee also represents an important step toward achieving economic integration and strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Manturov spoke about the under-construction Russian industrial zone in Egypt, saying it represents a significant pillar for enhancing industrial cooperation between the two countries.

This zone will contribute to localising advanced Russian industries in Egypt, attracting further investments from countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and enhancing Russian products access to international markets, Manturov said.

During the committee work, the two sides expressed keenness for advancing negotiations on a free trade agreement between Egypt and the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union.

The central banks of both countries expressed willingness to activate their payment cards so that they become available in both countries.

The two banks also discussed linking Egyptian banks to the Russian financial network to facilitate financial transactions.

The Egyptian side during the committee work stressed the preparedness of the Egyptian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (MSMEDA) to cooperate with the Russian side to develop small and medium projects in both countries and exchange expertise.

The Egyptian side in this regard, proposed organising joint expos to promote the products of Egyptian and Russian small and micro businesses.

The Egyptian side also expressed the keenness of the Industrial Modernisation Centre of the ministry to organise bilateral commercial delegations between the two countries to explore the Russian market.

The Russian side affirmed the readiness of the Russian-Egyptian Business Council to provide support to the Industrial Modernisation Centre in exchanging commercial delegations between Russia and Egypt.

The two sides also expressed willingness to provide constructive support to the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as its Egyptian counterpart with the aim of developing economic cooperation between the two countries.

They highlighted the importance of intensifying cooperation between the two sides of the Russian-Egyptian Business Council to implement projects in various economic and commercial fields.

They agreed on supporting the organisation of the Arabia Expo and the 13th session of the Russian-Arab Business Council scheduled for 2022 in Cairo.

Short link:


The public prosecution of southern Cairo on Friday ordered the detention of Alaa Hassanin, a former Parliament member, and 17 gang members" for four days pending investigation over involvement in the illicit excavation and trade in antiquities, an official statement read.

The prosecutions decision comes a day after the police discovered former MP Hassanin, who served during the one-year term of late-President Mohamed Morsi, along with 201 antiquities in a warehouse in Old Cairo.

The antiquities included two paintings of a sarcophagus inscribed with hieroglyphs, 36 statues of different lengths, four Ushabti figurines, two wooden statues, an Ushabti with alabaster, two bronze statues and a stone statue that dates back to the Greek era.

The artifacts seized also included 58 coins that date back to the Roman and Greek eras, a pottery bowl and other various antiquities.

The stealing, unlicensed excavation, spoiling and the smuggling of antiquities is punishable by hefty fines and tough prison sentences in Egypt that amount to life imprisonment (25 years in prison).

Short link:


A car-bomb attack in northern Mali has wounded 15 UN peacekeepers, the United Nations said on Friday, in the latest attack in the war-torn Sahel state.

The UN said on Twitter that an evacuation was underway after a car bomb struck a temporary operational base in the area around Tarkint, in the lawless north of the country, without offering further details.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, has some 13,000 troops drawn from several nations deployed across the vast semi-arid country.

Mali is struggling to contain an Islamist insurgency that erupted in 2012 and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

On Monday, six French soldiers and four civilians were wounded when a car bomb detonated near a French armoured car in central Mali.

Short link:


Bahrain will not allow the import of Israeli goods produced in settlements in occupied Palestinian territory, state news agency BNA reported, disavowing comments made by the Gulf state's trade minister earlier this week.

Bahrain's Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin Rashid al-Zayani had voiced openness to settlement imports, adding that Manama would make no distinction between products produced in Israel or in the occupied West Bank and Golan Heights.

"The minister's statement was misinterpreted and that the ministry is committed to the Bahraini government's unwavering stance regarding adherence to the resolutions of the United Nations," BNA said late on Friday, quoting an official source from the ministry of industry, commerce and tourism.

Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates formalised ties with Israel on Sept. 15, in a U.S.-sponsored deal billed by the Gulf states as being made possible by Israel's shelving of a plan to annex West Bank settlements. Most world powers deem them illegal.

Under European Union guidelines, settlement products should be clearly labelled as such when exported to EU member countries. The Trump administration last month removed U.S. customs distinctions between goods made within Israel and in settlements.

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said his Bahraini counterpart, Abdullatif Al-Zayani, also denied the industry minister's comments in a phone call.

"The alleged comments ... totally contradicted his countrys (Bahrain) supportive position of the Palestinian cause," a statement from Maliki's office said.

Palestinians want to establish an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza with East Jerusalem as its capital, but the issue of Jewish settlements on land captured by Israel in 1967 has long been a stumbling block in the peace process, which is now in stalemate.

The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has made it even more difficult for Palestianians by providing full support to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and moving the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.

Short link:


Israel on Monday advanced plans to build 800 new settler homes in the occupied West Bank, a move that could strain ties with the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced the move, saying it would include 100 homes in a settlement where an Israeli woman was killed recently in an alleged terror attack.

President-elect Joe Biden is opposed to settlement expansion and has pledged a more even-handed approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The Palestinians view settlements as a violation of international law and an obstacle to peace, a position with wide international support.

Short link:


Israel's ongoing building of settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem would likely be more vulnerable to prosecution than its military actions against Palestinians - if the International Criminal Court's top prosecutor decides to open a war crimes investigation.

Such a probe is still a long way off, but the ICC moved a step closer when it cleared the way for prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to open a war crimes probe against Israel and Palestinian militants.

Any investigation would look at Israeli military actions during a devastating 2014 war in the Gaza Strip and mass border protests that began in 2018. But Israel's settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem appears to be open to even tougher scrutiny.

International law bars a country from moving its civilians to occupied territory, making settlement-linked charges perhaps easier to prove than disproportionate use of force on the battlefield.

WHAT DID THE ICC DECIDE?

Bensouda declared in December 2019 that she believed there was a ``reasonable basis'' to open a war crimes probe into Israeli military actions and settlement activity. But first, she asked the court to determine whether she had territorial jurisdiction.

In a 2-1 ruling last week, judges granted her that jurisdiction in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. The Palestinians claim all three areas, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, for a future state.

The ruling did not open an actual war crimes probe. That will be Bensouda's decision. In a brief statement, she said she would closely study the ruling before deciding how to proceed. That process could take months to play out.

In the meantime, Israel has launched personal attacks against Bensouda and accused the court of holding it to unfair standards. It also says the Palestinians don't have a state and accuses the court of wading into political issues.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

Although the Palestinians do not have independence, the state of Palestine was accepted as a nonmember observer state by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012. The Palestinians have used that upgraded status to join dozens of international organizations, including the ICC.

The Palestinians subsequently asked the court to investigate Israeli military practices in Gaza and settlement activities in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. They asked that the investigation go back to June 13, 2014, a date that coincided with Israel's war with Gaza's rulers from the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The international tribunal is meant to serve as a court of last resort when countries' own judicial systems are unable or unwilling to investigate and prosecute war crimes.

Israel is not a member of the court and does not recognize its authority, saying it has an independent, world-class judicial system. But the Palestinians say Israel is incapable of investigating itself and claim Israel's justice system is biased against them.

SHOULD ISRAEL BE WORRIED?

At this stage, Israel has little to fear. last Friday's decision was an embarrassing setback, but prosecution of Israeli officials remains hypothetical. Yet the ruling opens the door to a potentially troubling scenario in which former and current Israeli officials might risk arrest if they travel abroad. The Haaretz daily reported Sunday that Israel is preparing to brief hundreds of current and former security officials, fearing they could be subject to arrest.

In the Gaza war, over 2,200 Palestinians, including nearly 1,500 civilians, were killed by Israeli fire, according to United Nations estimates. At least 73 people, including six civilians, were killed on the Israeli side, according to Israeli figures.

Still, proving war crimes could be difficult. Israel says it acted in self-defense against nonstop rocket fire against its cities. It also accuses Hamas, which launched rockets from residential areas, of using civilians as human shields.

Israel also says its own judicial system is more than capable of investigating itself. After the war, the military opened dozens of investigations into the conduct of its troops. Although there were only a handful of convictions on minor charges, that could be enough for Bensouda, who dropped a similar case against British troops in Iraq last year because U.K. authorities had investigated.

WHAT ABOUT THE SETTLEMENTS?

Israel's ongoing settlement building on occupied lands, starting half a century ago, could be much harder to defend.

Some 700,000 Israelis now live in settlements built in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Settlements are widely viewed as illegal based on the Geneva Convention principle that an occupying power is barred from transferring its population to territories captured in war. Population transfers are listed as a war crime in the ICC's founding treaty, the Rome Statute.

``The settlement issue is really the biggest issue. This is the elephant in the room,'' said Yuval Shany, an expert on international law at the Israel Democracy Institute.

Israel annexed east Jerusalem after the 1967 war and considers the area an inseparable part of its capital. It says the West Bank is ``disputed,'' not occupied, and its fate should be decided through negotiations.

Yet the Israeli positions have little support internationally, particularly since the departure of the settlement-friendly Trump administration last month.

Shany said the court ruling means that Israeli settlement policy could come under hard-to-defend scrutiny. ``This exposes basically the entire Israeli political elite that has been part of a settlement policy to criminal proceedings before the court,'' he said. ``This is a significant setback.''

COULD PALESTINIANS FACE RISKS?

In her 2019 decision, Bensouda also found a reasonable basis to conclude that Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups in Gaza committed war crimes by launching rockets indiscriminately toward Israeli population centers.

Hamas welcomed the court's ruling but declined to comment on the possibility that it could also be the subject of a future probe.

The London-based rights group Amnesty International said that the rival Palestinian Authority, which administers autonomous enclaves in the West Bank, could also come under scrutiny over allegations that it tortures political rivals and has encouraged attacks against Israelis.

Short link:


Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned Iran that the United States could eventually give up on rejoining a nuclear deal if talks in Vienna drag on.

"There will come a point, yes, where it will be very hard to return back to the standards set by the JCPOA," Blinken told reporters in Paris, referring to the 2015 nuclear accord from which former US president Donald Trump withdrew in 2018.

Short link:


European Union leaders greenlighted plans on Friday to give Turkey another 3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) over the next few years to provide fresh assistance to Syrian refugees on its territory and to help the country boost border controls.

``It's about additional funds of 3 billion euros, then afterwards also funds for Lebanon and Jordan,'' German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. She said the plan, drawn up by the EU's executive branch, ``will soon be formally endorsed.''

Turkey reacted coolly to the plan, saying it's a way for Europeans ``to ensure the EU's own peace and security.''

Well over 1 million migrants entered the EU in 2015, many of them fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq. The arrivals through Turkey overwhelmed facilities in the Greek islands, and sparked one of the EU's biggest-ever political crises.

To persuade Turkey to stop people leaving its territory, the 27-nation bloc offered the country 6 billion euros for Syrian refugees and the prospect of fast-track EU membership talks and visa-free travel in Europe for its citizens. Arrivals quickly dropped to a relative trickle, and the EU is keen to update the arrangement.

Membership talks are at a standstill, and Turkey has still not fulfilled several criteria to secure visa-free travel, but the European Commission has handed over most of the funds and will pay the rest as contracts are completed. Separately, it is providing a further half a billion euros for refugees there this year.

Turkey is estimated to now host around 3.7 million refugees from the conflict in Syria. Lebanon and Jordan are also sheltering hundreds of thousands each. But Turkey is also a source of great concern for the EU, particularly disputed energy exploration work in the east Mediterranean that had heightened tensions with EU member states Greece and Cyprus.

In a working paper prepared for the summit, seen by The Associated Press, the commission said the support ``has been highly effective and efficient.'' It proposed that ``a further 3 billion euros from the EU budget shall be dedicated until 2024 to support actions in Turkey.''

It said that ``in programming the actions under this package, will gradually move from humanitarian priorities to socio-economic support and development. This will include funding for migration management and border control, notably at Turkey's eastern border.''

It's the first time that such EU funding has been earmarked for migration management and border controls. The earlier funds were spent directly on shelter and education projects for Syrian refugees in Turkey. None of that money went directly to the Turkish government.

The precise border area was not specified, but it's likely to refer to Turkey's frontiers with Syria and Iraq.

Merkel said the EU will continue to work on improving a customs arrangement it has with Turkey providing favorable tariffs on certain goods. ``Of course, we expect further constructive behavior from Turkey. We have seen an improvement of the situation in the Mediterranean Sea,'' she said.

An additional 2.2 billion euros would be spent to help refugees and displaced people in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, according to the commission plan.

But Turkey's Foreign Ministry said in a statement Friday that ``reducing cooperation on migration to a financial dimension is a big delusion.'' It called for greater cooperation between Turkey and the EU to deal with the issue.

The ministry called for a review of the Turkey-EU migration deal reached in 2016 in a manner that ``responds to the needs of the day and common interests.'' It said that other European decisions about Turkey were far from ``containing expected and necessary steps.''

The ministry specifically complained that no decision was taken to implement a ``positive agenda'' in relations between the bloc and Turkey, including agreement on the customs union update. It insisted that Turkey has fulfilled its ``responsibilities in terms of reducing tension and initiating a dialogue'' with Greece.

Short link:


UN Syria envoy Geir Pedersen on Friday added his voice to calls to keep open the only border crossing through which humanitarian aid reaches the insurgent Idlib region, a move opposed by Moscow.

Aside from being the sole point through which aid can reach some three million people, the fate of the crossing is seen as a test of the new Russia-US relationship under the leadership of President Joe Biden.

It is due to close July 10, and will require a UN vote to stay open.

But Russia, which is allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and has made clear its opposition to the move it says threatens Syrian sovereignty, may use its veto power on the UN Security Council to block it.

"Civilians across the country desperately need life-saving assistance and help building resilience. It is absolutely vital to maintain and expand access, including cross-border and cross-line operations," Pedersen told the Security Council.

"A large-scale cross-border response is essential for an additional 12 months to save lives," he said.

The authorization has been in force since 2014. But last year Moscow, using its veto repeatedly, implemented a drastic reduction on the number of crossing points, from four to the one which remains, at Bab al-Hawa on the Turkish border.

Diplomats say Ireland and Norway, non-permanent members of the Security Council, will ask in a draft resolution to keep Bab al-Hawa open for one year and to reopen a second crossing point, al-Yarubiyah, which allows supplies to reach Syria's northeast from Iraq.

The United States, France and Britain may also demand the reopening of the Bab al-Salam crossing point in the northwest, which was among those closed last year, diplomats have said.

Biden discussed the subject with Russian president Vladimir Putin at a recent summit in Geneva, and US media has suggested that keeping the crossings open could signal a shift in the relationship between Washington and Moscow, which has turned frosty since Biden came to power.

In a statement on Friday, Diana Semaan of Amnesty International stressed that stopping cross-border aid would have "catastrophic humanitarian consequences."

"We call on the Security Council to reauthorize humanitarian access through Bab al-Hawa, and to reopen the crossings at Bab al-Salam and al-Yarubiyah," she added.

Short link:


Vice President Kamala Harris will meet migrants and visit a border patrol facility on the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday, aiming to counter claims from Republicans that she has been too slow to visit the region as part of her role in addressing the root causes of immigration.

It will be Harris' first visit to the border since becoming vice president five months ago.

Her trip to El Paso, Texas, was announced on Wednesday and appeared to have been hastily put together days before a visit to the border by former President Donald Trump.

White House officials, who for months have said Harris' efforts to stem immigration from Central America are focused on diplomacy and are distinct from the security issues at the border, struck a different tone on Thursday.

"The Vice President's trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this year was about the root causes, and this border visit is about the effects," Harris' spokesperson, Symone Sanders, said. "Both trips will inform the administration's root causes strategy."

Harris, who visited the U.S.-Mexico border as a senator and attorney general from California, was assailed by Republicans when she visited Mexico and Guatemala this month as part of her efforts to lower migration from the region into the United States.

During the trip, Harris said she would visit the border in the near future but was focused on "tangible results" and "opposed to grand gestures."

A White House official, who did not wish to be named, told Reuters there wasn't a change in strategy. "She has always said she will visit the border but it was more like 'when is it the right time,'" the official said.

The official said Harris's schedule is not dictated by what former President Donald Trump does. "I can assure you we don't take our cues from the former President."

Theresa Cardinal Brown, managing director of immigration and cross-border policy for the Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank, said many Republicans have embraced the hardline immigration policies of former President Donald Trump as they gear up for U.S. congressional elections in 2022.

As such, they are unlikely to stop their criticism of Biden's policies, even if Harris visits the border.

"They believe that is something that can win them seats in 2022, so of course they're going to play it up," she said. "They're going to try to make it an issue."

Harris will be accompanied in El Paso by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee Dick Durbin and Democratic Representative from Texas Veronica Escobar.

Short link:


The Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea.

Moscow said one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs in the path of British destroyer Defender on Wednesday to force her out of an area near Crimea that Russia claims as its territorial waters. Britain denied that account, insisted its ship wasnt fired upon and said she was sailing in Ukrainian waters.

The Russian drills that began Friday in the eastern Mediterranean come as a British carrier strike group is in the area. Earlier this week, British and U.S. F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat sorties against the Islamic State group.

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, allowing Syrian President Bashar Assads government to reclaim control over most of the country after a devastating civil war.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that a pair of MiG-31 fighter jets capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived at the Russian airbase in Syria and flew missions practicing strikes on targets in the Mediterranean. The Hemeimeem airbase, in the coastal province of Latakia, serves as the main hub for Moscows operations in the country.

Its the first time the warplanes capable of carrying Kinzhal have been deployed outside Russias borders.

The military says the Kinzhal flies at 10 times the speed of sound and has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles).

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft. The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernized the runway at Hemeimeem to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second one to expand the operations there.

Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia currently has outside the former Soviet Union.

The Russian military has increased the number and scope of its drills amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Moscows 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. As part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to beef up Russias military, the Russian navy in recent years has revived the Soviet-era practice of constantly rotating its warships in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the eastern Mediterranean has become more congested and contested with the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes. He noted that a Russian warship has come within 10 kilometers (16 miles) of the carrier.

In Wednesdays Black Sea incident, Britain insisted the Defender had been making a routine journey through an internationally recognized travel lane and remained in Ukrainian waters near Crimea. The U.K., like most of the world, recognizes Crimea as part of Ukraine despite the peninsulas annexation by Russia.

Russia denounced the Defenders move as a provocation and warned that next time it could fire to hit intruding warships if they again try to test the Russian militarys resolve.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov on Friday derided the British denials that the Russian military fired warning shots at the Defender and urged Britain and its allies not to tempt fate. He added that the Defender is just a juicy target for the Black Sea Fleets missile systems.

Short link:


US President Barack Obama anticipates a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week in New York, but no talks are so far planned for him with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas.

Ben Rhodes, a deputy national security advisor, said that the president expected to meet Netanyahu amid the Palestinian drive for statehood recognition at the United Nations General Assembly, but no time has yet been set.

Obama will also meet Libya's interim leader, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, the White House said.

The meeting with the leader of the National Transitional Council will come as Western nations pledge to stand by Libya's rebels as they build up their government after overthrowing Moamer Kadhafi.

Short link:


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is set to face angry protests during his visit to New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly.

United Against Nuclear Iran, an advocacy group, has demanded that managers of the upscale Warwick Hotel refuse to host Ahmadinejad and his delegation and have urged a boycott of the international hotel chain.

"Ahmadinejad is the leader of a criminal regime allied with Al-Qaeda and other terrorists, and guilty of atrocious human rights violations," UANI president Mark Wallace said in a statement.

The group has also paid for a billboard to be placed near New York's famed Times Square showing Ahmadinejad and stating: "As we remember 9/11 ten years later, Al-Qaeda's silent partner is coming to New York."

Iran has denied harboring Al-Qaeda militants, and conclusive evidence has never emerged of a link between Tehran and the extremists who attacked New York and Washington on September 11, 2001.

But Western countries have repeatedly accused the Islamic republic of seeking to develop an atomic weapon -- charges Tehran has vigorously denied.

Tehran has been hit by a series of UN sanctions for its refusal to rein in its controversial uranium enrichment program.

New York's Columbia University was hit with a firestorm of controversy last week after reports that a student group would dine with Ahmadinejad, which the New York Post tabloid described as dinner with a "madman."

The student group, called the Columbia International Relations Council and Association, or CIRCA, later said the dinner was only tentative. Members of CIRCA did not respond to requests for comment.

Ahmadinejad is due to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday and hold a press conference Friday.

Tehran has not confirmed whether the dinner with students will take place, but Iran's mission to the UN did not rule it out.

"Each year, the president attends meetings with the different classes of the American people who are interested in meeting him, and his meeting with the students of different universities is part of the same plan which happens (at a different place and with a different group) every year," the mission said in a statement carried by Iran'ssemi-official FARS news agency.

Iranian media reported last week that Ahmadinejad was planning to bring a gift for delegates at the UN: a book detailing the "injustices" suffered by Iran during its World War II-era occupation by Britain and the Soviet Union.

Ahmadinejad has repeatedly sparked protests and provoked anger during his annual visits to the UN General Assembly.

Last year he sparked fury when he accused the United States of staging the 9/11 attacks in his speech at the assembly.

In 2009 a dozen delegations, including the United States and France, staged a walkout to protest his fiery speech to the assembly, which they branded as "hateful and anti-Semitic."

Short link:


Zambians voted Tuesday in national elections to choose their leaders for the next five years, with President Rupiah Banda facing a tough challenge from his long-time rival Michael Sata.

Banda, who has presided over one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa -- 7.6 percent last year and 6.4 the year before according to the IMF -- has campaigned for his Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) on a platform of growth and development.



Sata, a fiery nationalist from the main opposition Patriotic Front, whose biting rhetoric earned him the nickname "King Cobra", has attacked Banda as soft on corruption and criticised him for failing to do more to spread the wealth in a country where 64 percent of people still live on less than two dollars a day.



The PF says if elected they will crack down on corruption and bring back a windfall tax on mining firms in a bid to help more Zambians benefit from the country's huge copper reserves.



"We're anxious, we want to vote," said JJ Mulenga, a 58-year-old retired army officer, who was one of the first in line at the polling station in Bauleni, a poor neighbourhood on the outskirts of the capital, Lusaka.



"I want to change the government. The previous government, Banda, did literally nothing," said Mulenga, who arrived at 3:30 am for the vote.

"Mostly they are the young ones here. They have shown that they feel like voting. They've got no work," he said. "They would like to change the government to see if they can be helped to find employment and education."



But Agnes Ngoma, 57, who has a farm nearby, said Banda's economic stewardship should be rewarded.

"I think the current government has performed very well, exceeded our expectations," she said. "There's a lot of infrastructure that's been built -- roads, hospitals, schools. The economy is booming."



Zambia last year was the largest copper producer in Africa and the seventh-largest in the world.



About 5.2 million voters are registered to take part in the polls, which will decide the country's leadership for the next five years.



The last contest between the two rivals -- a 2008 special election to fill the remainder of late president Levy Mwanawasa's term after his death -- was decided by just two percentage points.



Sata alleged the election was rigged, and his supporters rioted for days after.

He cast his vote early Tuesday saying his Patriotic Front believes its rivals are trying to rig the vote in the current election.



"If things are free and fair, we are very confident. But so far from the behaviour we have seen... it's becoming very difficult. Boxes without covers, papers without serial numbers, those are all the difficulties we have," he told journalists after casting his ballot in Lusaka.



"What's most important is Zambians are very alert in this election. If they were not alert, by now the elections would have been halfway. But they are very, very alert, or all those fraudulent votes would have gone through."



Sata did not clarify the allegations further.



National police inspector general Francis Kabonde told journalists Monday that as a security precaution he had ordered his officers to arrest anyone found in public with a slingshot, axe or other potential weapon.



Banda said any acts of violence or intimidation around Tuesday's vote will be met with arrest and prosecution.



"I have ordered the police to arrest and prosecute all those who will offend," he said on national television on the eve of the vote.



Despite Sata's fiery rhetoric, analysts expect few major policy shifts if he wins. Once known for his fierce criticism of China's growing presence in the country, Sata has more recently said that he would work with foreign investors, including Beijing.

Short link:


Turkey has sought an explanation from Israel in protest over an Israeli "violation" of the airspace of the Turkish northern part of Cyprus, the Anatolia news agency reported on Thursday.

Turkey's diplomats telephoned the charge d'affaires at the Israeli embassy in Ankara, Yosef Levi-Sfari, and demanded an explanation, Anatolia said, citing diplomatic sources.

Contacted by AFP, Turkish foreign ministry officials said Ankara "has taken the necessary initiative on the issue," without elaborating further.

The Israeli aircraft violated the airspace of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus five times in Monday's incident which saw Turkish fighter jets chase out the Israeli plane, the Turkish army command said in a statement.

It gave no other details about the incident nor the type of Israeli plane involved in the alleged incursion over the breakaway Turkish Cypriot statelet, which is recognised only by Ankara.

Israel and the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus, led by Greek Cypriots, have both discovered huge offshore natural gas deposits in the Mediterranean Sea and have tentatively discussed cooperation on delivering gas to European and Asian markets.

The drilling for gas and oil in the seabed off Cyprus which began last year angered Turkey, which says it abuses the northern Turk Cypriots' rights to the same resources.

In April, Turkey launched its own exploratory drilling in the seabed offshore the TRNC in the north, drawing a sharp response from the government of Cyprus, which labelled the action as illegal.

Turkey's relations with Israel have soured since Israeli commandos in 2010 stormed a Turkish ship carrying activists trying to break Israel's blockade of Gaza, killing nine Turks.

Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador and lowered diplomatic relations with the Jewish state to a second secretary level.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish troops occupied the northern third in response to a Greek-inspired coup in Nicosia aimed at union with Greece.

Short link:


Looked at from any one position, the urgent series of interrelated, multilevel visits, diplomatic moves and exchanges of communications surrounding the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) weaves a complicated picture. But as the situation stands, it appears that the regional and international climate will prevent Addis Ababa from going ahead with the second filling of the dam, despite its defiant rhetoric. In fact, recently released technical reports suggest that Ethiopia is not even prepared to begin the second filling yet because the construction of the concrete structure above the middle corridor is not yet complete.

This is not to say that the opportunities for reaching an agreement in the short term have improved, especially given how the GERD question is being utilised to work up public opinion ahead of the forthcoming general elections in Ethiopia. Nevertheless, a years deferment of the second filling will create a significant window of time for the interplay needed to produce more effective mediating and negotiating mechanisms than the ones seen during the past ten years, which Ethiopia sabotaged at every turn. This year the world saw more clearly than ever how Ethiopia, with its intransigence and evasiveness, was willing to threaten the lives of millions of people in Sudan and Egypt  prepared to drive the region to the brink of a confrontation that threatened the peace and security of the Horn of Africa and, by extension, the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, the Gulf  the worlds most important commercial maritime route and the flow of oil.

In recent months Egypt and Sudan have made it clear that they reject Ethiopias attempt to push a partial solution to the problem of the dam on the pretext of the little time that remains before the start of the flooding season. They have experience in Addis stratagem of fait accompli  in this case, a move impossible to reverse which puts Sudan and Egypt, the downstream nations, at Ethiopias mercy. At no point in the negotiations has Addis given Cairo and Khartoum cause to believe that it will stick to its promises and commitments. This is why they remain adamant that the three countries must reach a just and comprehensive agreement on the rules for filling and operating GERD, inclusive of a predetermined schedule and a dispute management mechanism.

Both Cairo and Khartoum felt it was important to alert the international community to the dangers Ethiopian behaviour was posing to both regional and international stability and security. Accordingly, they recently submitted letters to the UN Security Council bringing it up to date on the failure in the UN-endorsed negotiating track sponsored by the African Union, the Ethiopian ruses that caused this failure and the imminent threat posed by Ethiopias determination to proceed unilaterally with the second filling of GERD without an agreement with the downstream nations and in violation of its previous commitments and the international watercourse convention.

It is important to bear in mind, in this regard, that, under Article 34 of Chapter VI of the UN Charter, the Security Council may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to international friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, and that under Article 35 of this chapter any state that faces a dispute or situation such as that described in Article 34 may bring it to the attendant of the Security Council. Article 37 adds, Should the parties to a dispute of the nature referred to in Article 33 fail to settle it by the means indicated in that article, they shall refer it to the Security Council. The means identified in Article 33 are negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice. Article 37 goes on to say that, should the Security Council feel that if the dispute still endangered international peace and security despite the pursuit of such means, it shall decide whether to take action under Article 36 or to recommend such terms of settlement as it may consider appropriate.

Under Article 36, The Security Council may, at any stage of a dispute of the nature referred to in Article 33 or of a situation of like nature, recommend appropriate procedures or methods of adjustment. The Security Council should take into consideration any procedures for the settlement of the dispute which have already been adopted by the parties.

In the case of the dispute over GERD, this means the Security Council must take into account the fact that the failure of the African Union track under two AU chairpersons to broker an agreement acceptable to all parties necessitated referring the dispute back to the Security Council, which had previously recommended the AU track. Accordingly, it is now possible to ask the Security Council to demand that Ethiopia defer the second filling for a year to permit the resumption of negotiations under an international sponsored mechanism. Alternatively, the Security Council may ask the disputants to refer their dispute to the International Court of Justice and have Addis defer the second filling until the court issues a ruling.

But the Security Council has more leeway yet. According to Article 38, the Security Council may, without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 33 to 37 and if all the parties to any dispute so request, make recommendations to the parties with a view to a pacific settlement of the dispute.

Chapter VII of the UN Charter addresses Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace and Acts of Aggression. Clearly the latter would apply if Ethiopia proceeded unilaterally with the second filling of the dam. In this case, the affected state or states would have the right, until the UN Security Council issues a relevant resolution, to take those measures they deem necessary to defend their national security.

While it is difficult to imagine an imminent solution to the dispute, we do believe that the second filling of GERD will be deferred. In the interim, Egypt and Sudans hope is that the UN Security Council will urge the three countries to resume negotiations under international sponsorship and call on Ethiopia to refrain from any further action until an agreement is reached. Should that fail, it might instruct them to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, in which case it would instruct Ethiopia to refrain from filling the dam further until the court issues its ruling.

The main objective is for our actions to remain confined to diplomacy, which will be possible if the second filling is deferred, as I predict it will be.

What is important for Egypt and Sudan is to avail themselves to the fullest possible extent of the international communitys mechanism for the preservation of peace and security. They were effectively left with no choice but to appeal to the UN Security Council to take on its responsibilities in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, as discussed above. At the same time, we will have acquired the necessary mantle of legitimacy, under the same provisions, for our actions in the event the Security Council fails to perform its duties. Still, as President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi has consistently said, cooperation is better.

The writer is former assistant foreign minister.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 24 June, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly

Short link:


Blinken warns Iran deal return 'very hard' if talks drag on



AFP, , Friday 25 Jun 2021



Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned Iran that the United States could eventually give up on rejoining a nuclear deal if talks in Vienna drag on



Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned Iran that the United States could eventually give up on rejoining a nuclear deal if talks in Vienna drag on.



"There will come a point, yes, where it will be very hard to return back to the standards set by the JCPOA," Blinken told reporters in Paris, referring to the 2015 nuclear accord from which former US president Donald Trump withdrew in 2018.



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/414991.aspx
The US encourages GERD parties to reach agreement, appreciates Egypt's role in Gaza ceasefire: State Dept spox



Ahram Online, , Friday 25 Jun 2021



Warberg said that the US supports Egypt's rights in the Nile in his remarks on DMC TV channel, affirming that 'the US will not leave 100 million Egyptians without water'



The United States urges the three parties involved in the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute to reach a negotiated settlement, Samuel Warberg, a regional spokesperson for the US State Department, said on Thursday.



The US supports Egypt's rights in the Nile, Warberg said in his remarks to Masaa DMC on the DMC TV channel, affirming that the US will not leave 100 million Egyptians without water. This is impossible.



Rounds of African Union-sponsored talks to reach a consensus among Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia on the GERD issue have been deadlocked, with Egypt and Sudan blaming the failure on Ethiopias intransigence.



Over the past months, Egypt and Ethiopia have exchanged tough remarks over their stances on GERD.



This comes especially as Ethiopia plans to complete the massive dam filling next month, despite Egypt and Sudan warning of potential risks in case the dam is filled before a legally binding agreement on the filling and operation of the dam is reached.



Warberg said the US encourages Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia to return to the negotiating table with the African Union.



The US supports the Egyptian right in terms of the water and the importance of the Nile water. There is no question about the US stance on the importance of the Nile water to the Egyptian people, Warberg said.



The regional spokesperson said the US can play a significant and vital role in the GERD issue, noting that this requires the three countries to return to the negotiations table.



He said the US will conduct discussions and consultations with the three countries in this regard.



I do not want to make assumptions or predict any decision from the White House or the Department of State on any other procedures [on GERD]. I can, however, affirm that the US will continue to focus on this very important topic, Warberg added.



The regional spokesperson voiced appreciation of the Egyptian efforts to reach a ceasefire between the Israeli and Palestinian sides last month after more than 10 days of violence in the Gaza Strip.



He affirmed that Egypt has played a crucial and decisive role on this issue.



Warberg highlighted the US stance, which considers the two-state solution the only way to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.



He affirmed the need to maintain a ceasefire between the two sides in this regard, noting that the US will work on resuming negotiations with Palestinians.



Now, the next step, the US will resume the dialogue with the Palestinians, which has been stopped by the previous [US] administration, Warberg said.



This administration believes that it is not possible for the US to play an actual and positive role without dialogue with the two sides.



Warberg said the US will continue to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and re-open the US consulate in Jerusalem for the Palestinians.



In April, the Biden administration decided to restore economic, developmental, and humanitarian assistance for Palestinians, including funding for the UNRWA that supports Palestinian refugees.



The Biden administration's decision reverses a 2018 move by then-president Donald Trump to halt funding to the UNRWA for rejecting his so-called "Deal of the Century"



https://english.ahram.org.eg/News/414993.aspx
KYODO NEWS - Jun 25, 2021 - 21:00 | All, Japan, Coronavirus

Japan will donate 1 million coronavirus vaccine doses each to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand starting next week, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Friday.

Tokyo will also offer 1 million doses each to Taiwan and Vietnam, in addition to the batches of 1.24 million and 1 million shots provided to them, respectively, earlier in the month, Motegi told a regular press conference.

The decision to provide from next Thursday the vaccine developed by Britain's AstraZeneca Plc and produced under license in Japan came after requests were made from the countries and Taiwan.

"We took into account the infection situations of each applicant, the extent of vaccine shortages there and the nature of their relations with Japan before we decided on this provision," Motegi said.

Separately, Japan will provide from mid-July a total of about 11 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Pacific islands through the U.N.-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing program, Motegi said.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen in a Facebook post expressed gratitude to the Japanese government and its people for the second provision of the vaccine.

The more contagious variant of the novel coronavirus, first detected in India, had been confirmed across almost all parts of the Asia-Pacific region by the end of May, according to studies by some institutions including the World Health Organization.

While Japan has secured enough AstraZeneca vaccine doses for 60 million people and approved their use last month, it does not intend to use them immediately in public inoculation programs due to rare cases of blood clots reported overseas.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 25, 2021 - 12:17 | Feature, All, Japan

Japan's population including foreign residents fell 0.7 percent from 2015 to 126,226,568 as of Oct. 1, 2020, dropping out of the world's top 10 in size for the first time since 1950, the latest census and U.N. estimates showed Friday.

The data adds pressure on Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's government to try to slow the population decline in the world's third-largest economy. With a rapidly graying society, the number of newborns in 2020 fell to a record low of 840,832, partly due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The preliminary data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications showed the population dropped by around 868,000 from 2015, when it marked its first decline -- of 0.8 percent -- since the census began in 1920. The population is measured every five years.

In the latest data, the margin of decline slightly narrowed due to an increase in non-Japanese residents to an estimated 2,556,183.

Japan, which comprised 1.6 percent of the global population, fell one place to 11th in the world ranking topped by China, according to the United Nations.

Among the top 20 countries, Japan was the only nation whose population declined between 2015 and 2020, the U.N. data showed.

Of the 47 prefectures in Japan, 38 saw their population fall, with 33 of them recording an accelerated rate of decline, led by a drop of 6.2 percent in Akita, northeastern Japan.

Tokyo and its neighboring prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa, bucked the trend and together recorded a population increase of 808,000. Tokyo registered a rise of 4.1 percent, the biggest among the 47 prefectures.

Other metropolitan areas including Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka as well as Okinawa also saw population increases.

The number of households increased 4.2 percent to 55.72 million, the census showed. The average number of members per household fell to 2.27 from 2.38 in the 2015 survey, the lowest since comparable data became available in 1970 as more elderly people lived alone.

The number of babies born in 2020 hit the lowest level since the health ministry started taking such surveys in 1899. The figure was down 24,407 from the previous year when the number dipped below 900,000 for the first time.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 26, 2021 - 00:17 | All, Japan

Disgruntled Toshiba Corp. shareholders voted Friday to remove its board chairman and another director responsible for oversight, in another blow to the Japanese industrial conglomerate engulfed by a governance scandal.

The rare rejection of board members at a general shareholders' meeting adds a new twist to the turmoil at Toshiba, seen by the government as critical to national security but facing mounting pressure from foreign activist investors.

An independent probe had found Toshiba colluded with the government in pressuring foreign activist investors in the run-up to a general shareholders meeting last year over their proposal to appoint outside directors.

The two candidate directors voted out were board chairman Osamu Nagayama, who had defied calls from some investors to step down and instead vowed to rebuild the board, and Nobuyuki Kobayashi, who was a member of Toshiba's audit committee which found no issue with how last year's general shareholders meeting was held.

Nagayama's pledge as board chairman on Friday to carry out a "swift, objective, transparent and thorough" probe failed to win over shareholders at the last minute, abruptly ending his tenure only about a year after he joined the firm as an outside director.

Toshiba CEO Satoshi Tsunakawa did not reveal the breakdown of the vote, saying only that the two failed to secure support from a majority of shareholders. He secured his own reappointment, along with eight other nominees who were also approved.

Tsunakawa replaced Nagayama, currently honorary chairman of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., as board chairman. But outside director George Olcott, a new addition to the board, offered to resign only after gaining shareholder approval as he had second thoughts about the new post, according to the company.

Tsunakawa sought to assuage concerns raised by participants at the meeting that lasted two and a half hours, vowing to win back shareholder trust and improve Toshiba's corporate climate -- a challenge for the conglomerate hit by an accounting scandal in 2015.

One shareholder described the latest findings of the investigation as "staggering" and another criticized Toshiba for its failure to identify the problem. There was also criticism that the firm failed to learn lessons from the accounting debacle five years ago, which involved falsified earnings reports to pad profits.

"We take a serious view of the fact that there were moves to block the exercising of the rights of shareholders (last year)," Tsunakawa said.

Toshiba is scrambling to repair its reputation after an investigation by independent lawyers found that the company sought help from Japan's industry ministry to fend off overseas investors ahead of an annual shareholders' meeting in July 2020.

Those investors included top shareholder Effissimo Capital Management Pte. Ltd.

The probe, commissioned by some of Toshiba's overseas investors, exposed governance issues at Toshiba and raised questions about how much the government should be allowed to interfere with private companies in the name of protecting national security.

Fearing foreign activist investors would gain influence over the board last year, Toshiba attempted to take advantage of a Japanese law allowing the government to monitor overseas shareholders for national security reasons, according to the lawyers' investigation.

Toshiba is a Japanese household name with its business portfolio spanning nuclear power, defense equipment and semiconductors.

Toshiba's recent face-off with activist shareholders comes in the wake of its acceptance of foreign funds to resolve its financial hardships following the bankruptcy of a U.S. nuclear plant unit in 2017. Around 50 percent of Toshiba shareholders are overseas investors.

In a rare development less than two weeks ahead of the shareholders' meeting, Toshiba dropped two nominees who sat on its audit committee from its original slate of 13 directors pending approval.

Nonetheless, some foreign investors were apparently not satisfied. Singapore-based 3D Investment Partners Pte. Ltd. reportedly demanded Nagayama resign immediately and Norges Bank Investment Management, which manages the Norwegian government pension fund, voted against him.

U.S. proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. and Glass Lewis recommended that Nagayama not be reappointed, along with Kobayashi. Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos had thrown his support behind Nagayama after both served as outside directors at Sony Corp.

Singapore-based Effissimo, which has a stake of around 10 percent, has slammed Toshiba over its reluctance to hold the board accountable for the scandal that revealed "dysfunctional" governance.

"We hope that (Toshiba) will strive to develop businesses and technologies that are important to ensure our country's security," the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said in a statement after the meeting of shareholders. The ministry has ruled out the possibility of conducting its own investigation into the alleged collusion with Toshiba.

The roughly 120-page investigation report released on June 10 states that former Toshiba CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani is believed to have explained Toshiba's situation regarding foreign investors last year to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, now the Japanese prime minister, in a breakfast meeting.

Kurumatani stepped down in April after a buyout plan by British private equity firm CVC Capital Partners apparently caused friction within the management. Nagayama has laid the blame on Kurumatani who took a "confrontational" approach to shareholders.

Related coverage:

Toshiba's largest shareholder Effissimo demands stronger governance

Toshiba board chair admits governance issues over gov't collusion

Panel concludes Toshiba's 2020 shareholders' meeting not held fairly
KYODO NEWS - Jun 25, 2021 - 19:30 | All, Japan

Official campaigning for the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election kicked off Friday, an event regarded as the prelude to a lower house election to be held by this fall.

The main focus of the July 4 election is whether the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito party -- which form the ruling coalition in parliament -- will prevail over Tomin First no Kai, or the Tokyoites First party, founded by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike. The regional party currently holds the largest force in the assembly.

The assembly election has drawn public attention and strong support from each political party, as it is regarded as a litmus test to the forthcoming parliamentary election.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, president of the LDP, attended a rally to give a morale boost to his party, and urged party members to help all LDP candidates get elected.

"It is the ruling party's responsibility to protect the lives and livelihood of the people under the coronavirus pandemic," Suga said at the party headquarters.

Chiharu Araki, a representative of Tomin First, said, "We have to commit ourselves to protecting the livelihoods of Tokyoites."

Koike, who currently serves as special adviser to Tomin First, has been hospitalized due to severe fatigue since Tuesday and it is unclear whether she can come out to support Tomin First during the campaign.

Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi, Yukio Edano, head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and Kazuo Shii, chief of the Japanese Communist Party, among others, took to the streets to deliver stump speeches for their candidates.

Yamaguchi pledged to "lead at the very front in realizing new policies" and bring "reform to the metropolitan government," while Edano said his party will "significantly change national politics before the lower house election" so that people's livelihoods will be protected.

Major issues in the nine-day campaign include parties' responses to the coronavirus pandemic and how to stage the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

The LDP and Komeito, the second and third largest parties in the capital's assembly, are vowing to hold a safe and secure games. Tomin First -- the largest force holding 46 of the chamber's 127 seats -- is calling for the hosting of the event without spectators.

The JCP demands that the Tokyo Games be canceled, while the CDPJ is pushing for another postponement or cancellation.

The LDP aims to bounce back from its historic loss in the last election in 2017, in which it captured only 23 seats, down from 57 before the poll.

The defeat came as Komeito had cooperated with Tomin First in the election. But this time, Komeito is teaming up with its old ally the LDP, given the need to prevail in the upcoming House of Representatives election.

The LDP and Komeito are aiming to secure a combined majority, while Tomin First is aiming to retain its seats.

A total of 271 people filed their candidacies by the 5 p.m. deadline, including 76 women, the highest ever in the assembly election and beating the previous high of 65 in 2017, according to data compiled by election boards in the capital, which has 11 million voters.

The 271 is the highest figure since January 1989, the beginning of the nation's Heisei era.

Among those candidates, 60 are running on the LDP ticket followed by 47 on Tomin First's, according to a Kyodo News tally.

The JCP and the CDPJ are fielding 31 and 28 candidates, respectively, followed by Komeito with 23, among others.

In the two-member Kodaira constituency in western Tokyo, LDP and CDPJ candidates are destined to win seats without voting because no one else has filed a candidacy, the first time that has happened in a metropolitan assembly election since 1963, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government election administration commission.

Candidates are being forced to fight an unconventional campaign as rallies and events have been cancelled or scaled down due to concerns over the risk of coronavirus infections, with many of them using social media.

Related coverage:

FOCUS: Gov. Koike's stance may boost LDP in Tokyo assembly election
New Delhi:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday filed a charge sheet in a Delhi court against former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh in a money laundering case.

The charge sheet, filed before Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann, names six accused, including the former Chief Minister and his wife. The court has kept it for consideration on February 12.

Besides 83-year-old Singh and his 62-year-old wife, the others named are Universal Apple Associate owner Chunni Lal Chauhan, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan and two other co-accused, Prem Raj and Lawan Kumar Roach.

All have been charge sheeted under relevant provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This is the second charge sheet against Anand Chauhan.

The ED had earlier filed a charge sheet against him while it was probing the matter against other accused.

In a status report regarding its ongoing probe, the ED claimed it recently recorded the statements of several witnesses and investigated bank transactions.

The court, which had earlier granted ED time to file its supplementary charge sheet in the case, had directed it to submit a status report after the agency, on January 18, sought one more month to complete the probe.

Mr. Anand Chauhan, arrested on July 9, 2016 by the ED under relevant provisions of the PMLA, was granted bail on January 2 in the money laundering case.

In a separate case filed by the CBI in relation to the matter, Mr. Singh, his wife and Mr. Chauhan were chargesheeted along with others.

The couple, who have not been arrested so far, and the other accused are facing trial in the CBI case. The other accused in the CBI case are Chunni Lal Chauhan, stamp paper vendor Joginder Singh Ghalta, Managing Director of Tarani Infrastructure Vakamulla Chandrasekhar, and co-accused Lawan Kumar Roach, Prem Raj and Ram Prakash Bhatia.

The CBI had claimed that Mr. Singh had amassed assets worth around 10 crore which were disproportionate to his total income during his tenure as a Union minister.

The matter was transferred by the Supreme Court to the Delhi High Court which, on April 6, 2016, asked the CBI not to arrest Mr. Singh and directed him to join the probe.

On November 5 last year, the apex court transferred Mr. Singhs plea from the Himachal Pradesh High Court to the Delhi High Court, saying it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, but simply transferring the petition in the interest of justice and to save the institution (judiciary) from any embarrassment.

The ED had filed a separate case based on the CBI FIR.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Suraj Pal Amu, who was in light for making a controversial statement about the magnum opus Padmaavat, has resigned from the primary membership of the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).

Amu, who is the secretary of the Shri Rajput Karni Sena, was arrested by the Gurugram Police on January 25 on charges of breaching peace before the films release but was granted bail five days later.

Suraj Pal Amu resigns from the primary membership of BJP. (File Pic) pic.twitter.com/2aT8oSfqme  ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2018

The fringe group leader is also infamous for offering Rs 10 crore sum for beheading actress Deepika Padukone and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for allegedly distorting historical facts and showing Rajput queen Padmini in a bad light in the royal flick.

Also Read| Padmaavat released LIVE: Haryana Police detains Suraj Pal Amu

Major protests were carried out across the country demanding to stop the release of Padmaavat by the fringe group members and Amu was detained for motivating the protests.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

An Indian Air Force (IAF) official has been taken into custody by the force for allegedly spying, a senior officer of an intelligence department said.

According to the intelligence department officer, the IAF officials was under scanner of the force from last few weeks.

He was found of indulging in certain unwanted activities through an unauthorised electronic devices, added the officer.

The officer denied revealing the name of the detained IAF officer but said he is a group captain of the Indian Air Force - equivalent to a Colonel of the Indian Army.

"The detained was posted in New Delhi and he was possibly spying for Pakistan," added the intelligence officer.

According to him, the detained IAF officer came in contact with his handlers in Pakistan via Facebook and was in regular conatct via Whatsapp and other social media.

The intelligence agencies also believe that he was also in touch with a local connect in the national capital.

The IAF had discovered the detained officers involvement in unwanted activities during routine counterintelligence surveillance, added the officer.

The officer confirmed that the IAF officer was taken into custody around a week back and is being questioned by the forces central security and investigation officer along with investigative agencies and intelligence departments.

Also read: IAF's air warriors summit 7 major peaks across 7 continents



The force and intelligence agencies are trying to figure out if any sensitive information have been leaked or not.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Search engine Google announced on Tuesday that its subdivision Google Play had taken action against malicious apps and removed over 7 lakh apps that were proved to be dangerous from the platform.

The company claims to have used machine learning to identify these apps with options like impersonation, inappropriate content, and malware to pick out over 7,00,000 apps and 100,000 developers, which is 70 per cent more than in 2016.

Android Developers Blog stated, In fact, 99 percent of apps with abusive contents were identified and rejected before anyone could install them.

Google, on its Android Developers Blog, stated that impersonators or copycats are the most common viruses and create malicious effects in apps. In 2017, as many as 2,50,000 apps were removed after they were proved to be impersonating ones. The impersonators carried out deceptive methods such as confusable Unicode characters or hiding impersonating app icons in a different locale to create virus affects.

Google Play does not allow any kind of inappropriate content for its users. According to the companys definition, inappropriate content includes pornography, extreme violence, illegal activities, and hate. Google Play claims that with its machine learning technology, the company removed about tens of thousands of inappropriate apps in the last year.

Also Read: Google Chromes new update lets users mute tabs which play videos automatically

Google Play also removed the presence of Potentially Harmful Applications (PHAs) that cause harm to device users. Apps which involved phishing, fraud, and Trojans were part of the list. With the launch of Google Play Protect, the annual PHA installed have apparently gone down by 50 per cent year by year, the company said. Google Play Protect is the companys malware scanning feature.

Andrew Ahn, Product Manager at Google Play, said, Despite the new and enhanced detection capabilities that led to a record-high takedown of bad apps and malicious developers, we know a few still manage to evade and trick our layers of defence. We take these extremely seriously and will continue to innovate our capabilities to better detect and protect against abusive apps and the malicious actors behind them. We are committed to make Google Play the most trusted and safe app store in the world.
Lucknow:

Four days after communal violence engulfed Uttar Pradeshs Kasganj, state chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday warned stringent action against perpetrators of violence.

"Uttar Pradesh government is committed to provide security to each and every citizen. Those indulging in anarchy will not be spared, Adityanath told the reporters.

The chief ministers remarks came after communal clashes broke out in Kasganj last Friday in which one person was killed and two others were critically injured.

Clashes turned violent in the Western Uttar Pradeshs town on Saturday morning when a group of people from a particular community went on rampage after cremation of a Hindu youth, who was killed during a clash on Friday.

The groups vandalised shops, burnt down several others and set two buses on fire at the towns main market.

According to police, one Chandan Gupta, 22, was killed in a clash that broke out during a Tiranga Rally by activists of ABVP and VHP. Another person identified as Naushad was admitted in the hospital with critical injuries. Both had suffered bullet injuries.

Also read| Kasganj violence: Groups vandalise shops, buses set on fire; Police arrest 49 people



Soon after the incident Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed the police to sternly deal with the culprits.

Police have arrested as many as 118 people in connection with violence in Kasganj.

The Uttar Pradesh government has deployed senior IPS rank officers in the town to control deteriorating law and order after Friday evening clashes. Paramilitary forces including CRPF and BSF have taken control of the roads to thwart any untoward incident.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Shopian:

The Indian Army on Wednesday filed a counter-FIR in response to the one lodged by Jammu and Kashmir Police over the killing of two civilians in Shopian district last week.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday had filed an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 302 murder and 307 attempt to murder against the Indian Army personnel of 10, Garhwal unit, of the Army.

The Indian Army Major who led the Army personnel at the time of the incdent has been named in the FIR.

The Indian Army has claimed that they were forced to open fire in self-defence after seven of its personnel were injured in the mob attack at Shopian.

The Indian Army in its statement claimed that the forces had to open fire in self-defence to prevent lynching of a junior commissioned officer by a mob.

Indian Army spokesperson in its statement had said, Administrative convoy was passing through Ganaupura chowk in Shopian when it came under intense stone pelting by a group of at least 100 people.

Also read| Jammu and Kashmir: Two stone pelters killed, 7 Indian Army jawans injured in clash at Shopian

Within no time, the numbers increased to 250 people. The huge mob surrounded an isolated portion of the convoy consisting of four vehicles. They tried to set the vehicle on fire, read the statement.

The statement further added that a junior commissioned officer accompanying the convoy got hit and fell unconscious. The mob tried to lynch the individual and snatch his weapon. The crowd further closed in towards the vehicle and attempted to set them on fire, read the Army statement.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday proposed doubling of customs duty on silk fabrics to 20 per cent to provide adequate protection to domestic industry".

According to the Budget 2018-19, customs duty on silk fabrics has been raised from 10 percent to 20 per cent.

Silk exporters, however, said the move would hit shipments of silk garments from India.

"This (hike) is going to hamper silk garment exports, which are already suffering," Indian Silk Export Promotion Council Chairman Satish Gupta told PTI.

"The majority of silk fabrics are imported from China. We are uncompetitive already and this will make things worse.

We have been pleading with the government to lower the duty to 5 percent," Gupta said.

Also Read: Budget 2018 | Railways get largest-ever allocation of Rs 1.48 lakh crore

"In 2016-17, the export of silk garments from India was to the tune of USD 160 million against approximately USD 200 million in 2015-16. The duty impact is making our garments expensive in the international market," T S Chadha Executive Director, the Indian Silk Export Promotion Council said.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry welcomed it by saying the imports after GST rollout were negatively impacting the industry.

The hike in customs duty will encourage the domestic industry and push the Make in India programme further, it added.

For all the Latest Business News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Lucknow:

Hours after a district magistrate of Bareilly district on his Facebook questioned the new trend of holding Tiranga Yatras in Muslim dominated areas, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) announced that it would go ahead with many more such rallies across Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.

Sunil Parashar, VHP vice president (Braj prant), said, More such Tiranga Yatras will be taken out in the Braj region.

Braj region spread over 20 districts which also include Mathura, Jalesar, Bharatpur, Agra, Hathras, Dholpur, Aligarh, Etawah, Mainpuri, Etah, Kasganj and Firozabad.

Parashar asserted that taking out Tiranga Yatra is not a crime. What is the need to seek permission for such patriotic yatras. Tiranga Yatras need no sanction from police or administration.

Also read: Perpetrators of Kasganj violence won't be spared, says chief minister Yogi Adityanath

Meanwhile, the state top cop Om Prakash Singh has directed all district police heads of the state to remain alert and to restrict the movement of people whose visit might add to communal tension.

A senior IPS officer of Uttar Pradesh Police told News Nation that any kind of event needs permission including Tiranga Yatra.

Bareilly district magistrate Raghvendra Vikram Singh on Facebook had written, These days, a strange trend of visiting Muslim-dominated localities and shouting anti-Pakistani slogans has started. Are they Pakistanis? The same thing happened in Bareilly. Why dont we raise anti-China slogans when the fact is that China is a bigger enemy than Pakistan.

The post was later deleted. However, his remarks irked several right wing leaders. BJPs Vinay Katiyar demanded stringent action against Singh for his Facebook post.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
The Greek island of Mykonos was once known as the destination for men. And, with guys being our compass for everything cool and fashionable, everyones jumping on the bandwagon now. Its the island of choice for the A-listers, the fashionistas, and all of the beautiful people.

No Greek island is without its nightlife, and Mykonos has it in spades. From the uber-clubs on the beaches, to the bars of Mykonos Town, theres some rib-cage rattling bass to be revelled in every night of the week.

If youre looking for the Greek Island ideal of white-washed walls, blue shutters, and cobble-stone streets, youve got it here. Pay a visit to the windmills above Mykonos Town for the most iconic view of the island.

Taxis here are all but non-existent. There is only one company with about 70 cars, and they wont come and pick you up if they dont feel like coming over to where you are. So explore the myriad of bays and beaches by renting your own quad bike and zooming around the island with the fresh sea breeze in your hair.

If the guilt of spending your entire holiday sipping cocktails in a club is eating away at you, abate it with a stimulating and educational trip to the nearby archaelogical island of Delos to learn about some Greek history.

Going Underground: Caves and Caverns to Explore

5 Hidden Beaches Around the World You Need to Know About

Why should I Go Cyprus! Europe
KAMPALA: Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has declared Friday (June 25) as a public holiday for Covid-19 national prayers as a second wave of the pandemic continues to affect the east African country.

The president reportedly in his official statement, said Friday will be observed as a public holiday and the fourth national session for inter-denominational prayers as the country battles a rise in the coronavirus infection. The national prayers will be held virtually at State House Entebbe, about 40 km south of the capital, Kampala.

The leaders of various religious denominations will lead the prayers. Museveni last week imposed a nationwide total lockdown for 42 days to combat and control the spread of the virus. The situation can be managed by minimizing the number of infections and giving urgent care for the severely ill, the Ugandan President said. Till date, Uganda has registered 40,734 coronavirus cases and 334 deaths.

Joe Biden pledges to evacuate thousands of Afghans who helped U.S.

Ethiopian Airlines begins operating flights with fully COVID-19 vaccinated crew

Singapore to accelerate COVID vaccination programme: Health Ministry
The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has hit many parts of the world once again. And, Nepal is no exception. In fact, this health crisis in Nepal is worsening every day. Right now, hospitals are overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients. Due to that, many other people fear visiting hospitals and clinics for common illnesses such as headache, stomachache, common cold and cough. But, where and how do you treat these ailments?

Well, there are many home remedies for these minor illnesses, which require some herbs. And, here we present you a list of some herbs and plants having medicinal properties that you should always have in your home ready for curing these ailments:

1. Turmeric

Photo: Flickr

Not only turmeric adds vibrant yellow-orange colour to your curry or any other dish, but it also contributes significantly to keeping your body away from ailments like abdominal pain, urinary tract infections, wound, menstrual difficulties, liver ailments, digestive disorders, distension, flatus, colic and many other diseases. Other than these common illnesses, turmeric is also beneficial for treating rheumatoid arthritis, chronic anterior uveitis, conjunctivitis, skin cancer, smallpox, chickenpox, jaundice, colon cancer, and other serious health conditions. So, make sure you have turmeric (either fresh roots or dried powder) in your home.

2. Tulasi (Basil)

Photo: Pixabay

Tulasi has a religious significance for many Hindus. That is why they plant tulasi and worship it daily. Apart from its religious connotation, tulasi also has many medicinal properties. This Ayurvedic herb is considered effective for treating many illnesses like digestive, respiratory (common cold, cough), and cardiovascular illness, eye problems and oral health problems. Not only this, tulasi also boosts the immune system and eases mental health problems like stress. Therefore, it is a must-have herb at your home.

3. Aloe vera

Photo: Franziska Ingold/ Pixabay

Whether you have any kind of burns, sunburns, stretch marks or tans, applying aloe vera gel or juice on the burns is considered the best home remedy. This evergreen succulent plant is also beneficial for diabetic patients, curing digestive problems, and relieving inflammation. Therefore, keep this plant at your home and use it to its fullest while having these ailments.

4. Mint

Photo: Pixabay

Mint is a cooling Ayurvedic herb packed with abundant health benefits. It is considered effective for curing common digestive problems such as indigestion and dyspepsia, respiratory disorders. Likewise, it can help relieve stress, chronic pains related to arthritis and migraine. It also lowers high blood pressure levels as well as boosts immunity as it has antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Besides, mint is also beneficial for maintaining skin health (getting rid of acne). Thus, its diverse health benefits make it worthy to keep in your home.

5. Coriander

Photo: ReStyled Living/ Pixabay

Coriander (seeds and leaves) has numerous health benefits. Apart from adding taste and flavours to your dish, this Ayurvedic herb adds to your health by boosting the immune system, treating digestive illness, and common infections, minimising the risk of heart-related diseases, lowering blood sugar levels, improving brain health, keeping your skin safe from sun damage and ageing. Therefore, keep this miraculous herb handy in your home so that you can use it whenever you or your family member are ill.

6. Ginger

Photo: Couleur/ Pixabay

Ginger (dry or fresh) contains plenty of medicinal and healing properties, due to which, it is named as a universal medicine in Ayurveda. These medicinal properties of ginger comprise lessening the sensation of pain, treating nausea, vomiting, digestive disorders, increasing the secretion of saliva, soothing the fragile nerve, clearing mucus, and many more. It is an imperative herb that you cannot afford to miss to have at your home.

7. Garlic

Photo: Pixabay

Garlic contains an enormous amount of allicin, which makes it anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-biotic, and anti-septic. It has been used medicinally for ages in order to cure pulmonary problems (cold and flu), digestive disorders, parasites, fatigue, inflammation and swelling, hypertension, lowering cholesterol, and many other ailments. Garlic is worth keeping at your home.

8. Bojo (Acorus calamus)

Photo: Flickr

Acorus calamus, generally recognised as bojo in Nepali households, has multiple medicinal benefits. Mainly, the root (rihzome) of this plant is used to treat gastrointestinal problems including gastritis, ulcers, loss of appetite, intestinal gas, and upset stomach, body pain and joint pains, sore throat, and many other illnesses. Therefore, bojo is a must-have herb in your home.
The world celebrates International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, aka World Drug Day on June 26 every year. Since 1987, this day has been observed globally with the goal of creating a world free of drug abuse. Nepal is no exception to this.

In Nepal, the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Nepal Police has been carrying out different activities nationwide following an integrated approach to combat drug problems. But still, the number of drug users is escalating in Nepal.

As per the latest data, about 130,000 people in Nepal are abusing drugs, which has almost doubled since 2007. Out of them, around 75 per cent are under the age of 30 years, and the number of drug users has been increasing at the rate of 5.06 per cent every year.

This alarming rise has worried authorities and other non-state stakeholders. While the NCB, other stakeholders and the experts view that there has been some improvement in drug abuse control in Nepal, it has not been as well as expected. Further, this social problem cannot be controlled and prevented from the efforts of the government alone, it requires efforts of multiple stakeholders in society such as parents, families and schools, they say.

Failure in achieving expected improvements

SP Rishi Ram Kandel, the information officer at the NCB, says the bureau has been unable to carry out anti-drug abuse activities currently due to the restrictions imposed to control the coronavirus infection. However, it seems the number of people abusing drugs is continuously rising during this period also due to various reasons such as financial problems, social media influence, stress, anxiety and many others. Kandel says research work is essential to assess the actual status of drug abuse now.

File: Police destroying marijuana plants

As per Kandel, the NCB has been mainly working on controlling the supply side. Alongside, the bureau is also working on preventive measures such as conducting awareness programmes at schools and different levels of society and destroying the plantation of drug substances.

 Of course, there have been some improvements. But, still, we are not getting results as expected, Kandel says, This problem cannot only be tackled by the efforts of the Nepal Police alone; it requires multiple stakeholders integrated responses and initiatives.

Controlling this problem is only possible with the collective efforts of different INGOs, NGOs, the Department of Drug Administration, media, parents, schools, colleges and local governments.

Sociologist Dipesh Ghimire agrees and says, First and foremost, parents and families have the major role in controlling this problem. Then comes society, community-based organisations and private sectors like rehabilitation centres.

Further, Ghimire states that the government has taken initiatives at the policy level, institutional level and carrying out different awareness, rehabilitation and counselling programmes. However, there is a need to do a lot more to combat this social problem.

Need for a shift

Whereas most of the anti-drug activities in Nepal have been focused on curing the problem and controlling the supplies, now, the state and society need to shift their focus on prevention, according to stakeholders.

Photo: Pixabay

Rabindra Thapa at Aasara Rehabilitation Centre informs people involved in hard drugs and alcohol addiction are usually brought to rehabs for treatment and kept for some months while families fail to recognise underlying causes.

Of course, this problem should be combatted through treatment rather than punishment as no one is born druggist, he says, But, it all depends on their psychosocial development and the surroundings they grew up in. These factors need to be identified.

For effectively carrying out the drug control and prevention measures, it is better to prioritise more on precautions than curative measures. Meaning, the drug users should be provided timely care and necessary treatments and should rehabilitate them into family and society, according to Thapa.

The most important thing is to keep the people who are not into drug addiction to date always far from this vicious cycle of addiction and abuse, he says. For this, along with the government, other concerned organisations, civil society, schools, colleges, guardians and media should join hands in order to provide awareness on the negative impacts of drug addiction, suggests Thapa.

Likewise, sociologist Sunita Raut also shares similar views and further adds that the government should strictly implement the laws and strategies and intervene in all levels of drug abuse such as production, consumption or smuggling, in order to effectively control this problem.

Five persons arrested on the charge of their involvement in drug smuggling, in Kathmandu, in June 2020.

Mainly, in Nepal, the hard drugs are reported to be smuggled from the southern borders which are open borders. Though there are stations set up at major border checkpoints, it did not seem to be working effectively, according to another sociologist Dipesh Ghimire.

Therefore, there should be strict interrogation on the border checkpoints. Also, many other checkpoints should be set up in vulnerable areas or risk zones in different parts of the country, opines Raut, Further, research on different aspects of this problem should be conducted frequently.

In addition, Ghimire views, The awareness campaigns are generally conducted for some particular time and afterwards, it is forgotten. Also, the stigma prevailing in the society regarding drug users is restricting the users to openly share their problems.

Raut agrees and adds that it is very significant to conduct the awareness programs frequently and meanwhile update the legal provisions and strategies as per time analysing the pattern, trend and strategy of the people involved in drug smuggling or abuse, which generally keeps changing as per time.
ETH News: This year, the Department of Environmental Systems Science (D-USYS) is celebrating 150 years of Agricultural Sciences at ETH Zurich. What events do you consider milestones?

Nina Buchmann: It isnt easy to sum up 150 years in two sentences, and whether something qualifies as a milestone depends on who you ask. Weve put together a series of highlights on our website www.agri150.ethz.ch. Taking a closer look, Im particularly struck by the degree of change in research and teaching, but also in the organisation.

What changes are noteworthy?

Agricultural Sciences at ETH began with two professors and five students. Now there are 12 professors and some 400 students. There have been radical changes in research, sometimes in the context of the prevailing zeitgeist, but also in response to the changing demands on the discipline. For a very long time, Agricultural Sciences were almost exclusively concerned with food production. Today, the focus is on sustainability, in areas such as sustainable farming methods and agroecology. The second aspect that has changed a great deal is our approach to research. Over time, weve moved away from thinking in terms of individual measures and have found our way to systems thinking. Agricultural Sciences have networked with other disciplines, including social and environmental sciences. And last but not least, our agricultural research has taken on an international dimension. Were no longer primarily concerned with agriculture in Switzerland, but also in the countries of the global South. That really impresses me, and it also shows what sets ETH Zurich apart: its ability to change. ETH is often accused of not moving. But were constantly moving and changing!

Just ten years ago, Agricultural Sciences stood as a silo of their own. Today, you have to look for them in Environmental Systems Science. Does this say anything about their status?

Thats not true. Agricultural Sciences werent a silo. Prior to the 2012 merger, they were together with Food Science in one department (D-AGRL), with joint research and teaching. Whats more, D-AGRL maintained many links with the Environmental Sciences even then. Immediately after the merger of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences with the Department of Environmental Sciences, we investigated who in D-USYS collaborated with whom in research  and it turned out our institute was the one that had the strongest networks with other institutes in the department. We also maintained our connection with Food Science. The World Food System Center, which I had the privilege of launching with others as its founding director in 2011, shows how well networked we have always been and continue to be. These days, there are 46 professorships from 7 ETH Zurich departments as well as several EAWAG working groups affiliated with it.

But arent there still voices that accuse ETH of performing only basic research and forgetting about agricultural practice?

Were a university, not a university of applied sciences, and we dont conduct departmental research. But our offer complements that of the other Swiss institutions in the agricultural information and innovation system. After all, we cant and shouldnt do everything. You cant be at the top of the international rankings  which both ETH as a whole and the various disciplines in D-USYS, including Agricultural Sciences, regularly are  and at the same time seek to address very specific practical needs. We are the only research university in Switzerland that offers Agricultural Sciences. Yes, we do basic research, but with the aim of making our findings applicable in practice.

What are currently the most important fields of research?

We work in the three classic fields of plant sciences, animal sciences, and agricultural economics and policy. Together, these disciplines make up the Agricultural Sciences and are embedded in the concept of the food system.

What research goals are you pursuing?

First and foremost, we want to understand agricultural systems and use this knowledge to help develop sustainable solutions to address global challenges such as climate change, resource overexploitation and biodiversity loss. Were doing this using both traditional methods and modern approaches such as robotics and digitalisation. We conduct research primarily at the system level, locally to globally. In our research on food systems, for example, we want to figure out how to make them more sustainable and resilient. We need to learn how to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss, but also how to adapt to them if we cant prevent them. We need to think about how we can ensure food security even under these conditions. This is where our basic research comes in: not just on new plant varieties and suitable seed mixtures, but also on smart farming methods for our soils so that they release fewer greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The pressure on agriculture is increasing, and not only because of climate change. Soils are becoming salinised, and soil fertility and biodiversity are declining worldwide.

Yes, and thats why we need to conduct research on many areas and really do something: not just with regulations, but with insights. Soon there will be 10 billion people living on Earth  and it will be possible to feed them all, just not in the same way as before. Ultimately, we need to implement sustainability holistically, which means going beyond the ecology corner of the sustainability triangle and also include the economy and the society.

Why should farmers include biodiversity in their considerations?

Based on my own research in my group and in collaboration with Robert Fingers Agricultural Economics group, I can say that biodiversity is a production factor in grasslands and therefore also in forage production. We were able to demonstrate that increased biodiversity not only increases yields, but it makes grasslands more stable in the face of environmental influences  and we showed that this really pays off. I strongly suspect that more biodiversity will pay off in arable farming and agroforestry, too. Then, although a drought or a late frost might cause the yield of one crop species to drop by 20 percent, the yield of another might increase. Importantly, there would be no total failure of the kind a monoculture might suffer. Moreover, even under normal conditions, one species benefits from the other. The inclusion of biodiversity in agricultural economic considerations is likely to gain even more momentum with digitalisation.

What are the latest developments in teaching?

In teaching, we completed a reform of the degree programme in 2016. From the outset, it was clear that education at the Bachelors level should be broad, encompassing the aforementioned pillars of plants, animals, economics and politics. This is followed by specialisation in the Masters programme. We again incorporated an internship on a Swiss farm into the Bachelors degree. The Masters degree was extended from three to four semesters to include an additional research internship. Another aspect that has changed over the past 30 years is that we now place more emphasis on quantitative skills, that is, on data analysis and evaluation, as well as on writing up and presenting the results and findings. These are good skills to develop not only in science, but also for professional life.

Has the reform of the degree programme paid off?

Yes. From what we hear, the programme is very well received both by students and by those who later hire the graduates. Almost all graduates have a job eight months after graduation. The spectrum is extremely diverse, from NGOs, industrial and retail companies to agricultural schools. But the list of employers extends to banks, service providers, insurance companies and public administration, too. About 15 percent go on to pursue a doctorate.

How will teaching and research develop in the future?

In terms of topics, digitalisation in agriculture is certainly a given  with Smart Farming and Agriculture 4.0 as keywords. This will involve applications of artificial intelligence, for example using image recognition in weed control. Topics such as how we manage resources  water, fertiliser, soil  in an environmentally friendly way arent going away. In teaching, the focus will be on dealing with large amounts of data.

You will soon be handing over as department head. What were your personal highlights or important experiences?

Ive now been Chair of the department for four years and Deputy Chair for five years before that, which makes a total of nine years in the leadership of the department. It was a lot of work, but there were also many enjoyable moments. Since the merger of Agricultural Sciences with D-UWIS, weve achieved a lot, not only organisationally but also in research and teaching. One aspect that has certainly been worthwhile over these years is to have an open communication with clear goals. Another one has been to show openness, appreciation and interest in the people of the department and in their work. Thatll get you a long way, and its an experience Im happy to take with me.

What are you going to do next?

First of all, Im going to catch my breath and take a six-month sabbatical. Ive never given up research and teaching. Ill be taking back a few of the things Ive had to delegate. I will continue to be involved in the rETHink project. In addition, some new projects have got underway in my research group, and some applications are still pending. So I certainly wont be bored.
Comment

It was 20 years ago today...

What two decades have taught us about the federal CIO's role and responsibilities.

Twenty years ago today, June 25, 2001, I began work as the first Federal CIO, although my title was different. The position of a federal Information Technology (IT) leader, under the Clinger Cohen Act of 1996, was supposed to have been the Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget. By the end of 2000, however, as billions were spent on modernization to address Y2K and the dotcom era was driving new citizen-centered service delivery models, it was widely accepted that the U.S. needed to appoint an official responsible for making the U.S. a global leader in e-government. That was the job I took on. Two decades later, some clear lessons have emerged about the role and what should be done to it in the future.

The original Bush Administration vision was that the Federal CIO would be the leader for making the federal government citizen centered, not agency centered. The E-Government Act resulted from an alignment between Congress and the E-Government Strategy, which we built in the first 90 days I was in office. It supplemented the Clinger-Cohen Act authorities for OMB, and laid out the E-Government Administrators authorities. Simply put, the administrator is responsible for: enhancing the access to and delivery of government information and services; and bringing about improvements in government operations, including effectiveness, efficiency, service quality, or transformation (US Code Title 44, section 3601). Congress used the term administrator to be consistent with titles of non-budgetary OMB executives.

Although the role is now referred to as the Federal Chief Information Officer, the legal authorities and responsibilities have changed very little. In addition to delivering better citizen services, the administration and Congress wanted to address IT management shortcomings that were inhibiting return on IT spending. For example:

agencies buying IT systems without clear linkage to outcomes;

inadequate project management capability and other workforce skills;

projects rarely delivered on cost, schedule, and performance goals;

agencies automating existing processes, instead of leveraging technology to improve efficiency and effectiveness; and

siloed systems custom-built systems that forced redundant data collections and systems spending while inhibiting information sharing and customer service

The E-Government Strategy identified, and the E-government Act codified, specific responsibilities including federal IT spending decisions, enterprise architecture, information security, privacy, directing the CIO Council and other areas. The role of the Federal CIO is governance, not IT operations.

Over the years, the job as been held by people with a wide variety of backgrounds and approaches. What have we learned about the keys to success for the role?

First, this is a corporate management role -- knowledge of how IT can improve the business of government as an enterprise is critical for success. It is important that the Federal CIO understand the core missions of government, service delivery models, and decision-making workflow processes. Government operates using legal structures built to address issues in public goods, social services, public safety, and interest group needs, but public surveys usually show that the public wants government to be as efficient and easy as business. The CIO role is difficult for people who do not understand the context of federal programs and legal structures.

Second, the role requires partnering with other White House organizations to work the power structure in the Executive Office of the President. Establishing a tight working relationship within OMB is key to using the budget authorities in sync with IT management authorities to align IT spending and results. Multiple EOP offices have a vested interest in outcomes, such as the Domestic Policy Council on social services initiatives and the Cabinet Secretary on management of the agencies. For me, partnering with at least two other EOP offices on major issues was necessary, such as the Office of the Vice President and National Security Council on cybersecurity issues or Vice President and Homeland Security Council in post-9/11 reforms. For cross-agency management initiatives, the CIO should work with the Cabinet Secretary or Chief of Staff.

A third lesson is that the CIO must have strong public speaking skills and the ability to generate trusted relationships in open interactive forums, such as congressional hearings and media. This requires the ability to develop a staff and set of systems that not only facilitate OMB decision-making, but provide the facts and insights needed to create consensus, or at least understanding, for the tough decisions inherent in the role.

Fourth, the CIO needs executive presence to engage with agency leaders, and to work with presidential personnel to make sure key appointees (e.g., Undersecretaries for Management) understand the importance of modernization and cybersecurity.

Fifth, the CIO needs analytic tools that enable fact-based IT governance decision-making. The E-Government Act codified the strategic requirements for the CIO to oversee a broad range of information and IT actions. Like so much of government, intuitive decisions are not sustainable, and the management side of OMB can win fights over the best way forward only if it can provide the facts to support its position. For the CIO, that means leveraging the budget process and information security reporting to feed analytics tools that provide both governmentwide insights (e.g., for getting maximum benefits from shared services), to make decisions to kill or fix poor performing programs (as required under Clinger-Cohen), and to help overcome resistance to change needed for successful modernization.

Over the last 20 years, the role has morphed in many ways, but the legal requirements have not. Cybersecurity and business process modernization still dominate the issues facing the CIO. And a key missing link is still the ability for the CIO to drive major reforms.

The Evidence-based Policymaking Act and 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act are spawning literally thousands of opportunities. But the Congressional Oversight Committees and Appropriations Subcommittees still do not seem to agree on governmentwide modernization approaches, and the $1 billion multi-year funding of the Technology Modernization Fund is likely to provide less than 10% of the annual need.

Perhaps the best way to address the challenges would be for the Federal CIO to build issue papers using a fact-based approach to address the major service delivery performance gaps and submit the modernization proposal with the Presidents Budget for initial action by the Congressional Budget Committees. Leadership is needed to keep the original mission of the E-Government Act moving forward. And while the Federal CIO cant lead alone, coalition-building and data-driven persuasion can be powerful tools.
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Malaysia's GCG Asia Solar announced today that its winning bid for a solar farm project in the Philippines will break ground in August 2021. GCG Asia Solar CEO Mark Darren Yaw announced that the clean energy company is excited to finally get started after a delay, and proud to play a role in increasing its share of renewable energy for the Philippines energy mix.

"We are pleased to announce GCG Asia Solar's success together with Sun Guardian Capital in this new solar project. We are confident that our combined 15 year experience in the field will drive the success of the project," said Mark Darren Yaw, CEO of GCG Asia Solar. The project consists of a 100MW solar power plant located in Ilocos Norte, and will be jointly built by Philippines energy company Sun Guardian Capital.

Preparation for the bid for the solar project began in 2017 with the project scheduled to break ground in 2020. Subsequent to the pandemic, the project's launch was postponed and is now expected to start construction in 2021. GCG Asia Solar has solar farm projects lined up well into 2025, riding on the renewable energy boom in the South-East Asian region. GCG Asia Solar is currently bidding or in the process of launching bids for projects in Cambodia, Singapore, and Indonesia, according to GCG Asia Solar CEO Mark Darren Yaw.

GCG Asia solar farm

These countries are the leading sustainable energy drivers in the region with Vietnam and Thailand taking the lion's share. Those two countries together with Malaysia and the Philippines represent a total of 84% of installed energy capacity in the region. "South-East Asia is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world in terms of electricity demand. We're seeing a rise of more than 6% annually over the past 20 years on average. So we feel we're in a good position in the Philippines. Although the pandemic has seen a dip in power demand, we see recovery on the horizon," said Managing Director of Sun Guardian Capital, Paolo Guzman.

Story continues

Together, Sun Guardian Capital and GCG Asia Solar are not ruling out bidding for more projects in Malaysia and Philippines. Sizeable investments have been earmarked for the capital intensive developments.

GCG Asia Solar is a Malaysia-based electrical energy company that specializes in renewable energy. GCG Asia Solar consults on innovative approaches to design solar energy architecture and green energy solutions. They believe in sustainable growth for the planet by increasing the need for using solar power across Malaysia. Mark Darren Yaw mentioned that GCG Asia Solar has the best professionals in line to enhance the building of their solar power energy for clients and customers.

"In Malaysia, solar power is growing steadily and in a few years will be fully mainstream. Coal-fired power is still expanding in the region though, with around 20GW of new coal-fired plants under construction. So GCG Asia Solar is well-positioned as an alternative in this competing energy space. The more we save energy now, the more we can use it in the future. Everything we are doing now is about the future. This is why GCG Asia Solar prioritizes the needs to meet the excellence of using solar power," said GCG Asia Solar's Mark Darren Yaw.

"ASEAN countries recently set some targets to decarbonise our energy grid, which is a very positive step, and have also made commitments to improve the renewable energy capacity to be achieved by 2025. In this context, our partnership with GCG Asia Solar is in prime position to offer our expertise and capitalise on this momentum," said Managing Director of Sun Guardian Capital, Paolo Guzman.

Company Information

GCG Asia Solar is a Malaysia-based renewable energy company that specializes in optimizing solar power.

For more information

Nariox Marketing

Visit nariox

Singapore

Email: narioxmarketinginc@emailme.cloud

Source: GCG Asia Solar





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/653075/CEO-Mark-Darren-Yaw-From-GCG-Asia-Solar-Announces-Farm-Project-in-Philippines-To-Start-in-Late-2021




BEIJING, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The following article was published today by China Daily.

Think tanks in China and Russia should maintain close relations and deepen their cooperation to face common challenges and bring mutual development, experts from both countries said on Thursday.

The China and Russia: Joint Development and Modernization International Symposium, and the publishing ceremony for the think tank report series "Russia-Eurasia Studies"both co-hosted by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development and China Dailywere held at Beijing International Hotel.

The event was co-organized by the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the CASS, the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and China Watch, China Daily's think tank.

Over 60 government officials and experts, who participated in the symposium and publishing ceremony by either attending the conference in person or joining the discussion via video link, had a comprehensive discussion about China-Russian relations and Eurasian affairs.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the event, Zhou Shuchun, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said cooperation between the two countries' media and think tanks points to a bright future for the development of Sino-Russian ties.

Zhou, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the nation's top political advisory body, called for deepening the cooperation among think tanks and jointly enhancing the international community's discourse.

"The think tank report series released (on Thursday) will contribute to the wisdom in promoting the countries' high-quality development, make the two nations' voices heard in the international community, and help maintain global peace and development," Zhou said.

Story continues

Wang Linggui, vice-president of the CASS, said think tanks in China and Russia are facing more challenges and tasks in meeting the needs of the two countries' joint development.

China and Russia not only face challenges to their way of development from anti-globalization and populism, but also from some countries that have used various means to curb their development, Wang said.

He added that think tanks from both sides could contribute more to helping the governments introduce new domestic and international relations policies.

Igor Ivanov, president of the Russian International Affairs Council, said in a video speech that the symposium as well as the report series talked about cooperation between China and Russia, and provided suggestions for the two governments' policymaking.

The experience of history has indicated that think tanks from both countries will continue to help boost the bilateral ties to a higher level for a new era, Ivanov said.

Mao Wenchong, counselor of the Department of European-Central Asian Affairs at China's Foreign Ministry, said the report series focuses on the theme of China-Russia mutual development and comprehensive cooperation, and represents high-level, bilateral think tank cooperation.

The wisdom and power of society are needed for better and faster development of high-level Sino-Russian relations for a new era, Mao said.

Alexander Nekipelov, director of the Moscow School of Economics at Moscow State University, said such symposiums that discuss the positions of the two countries in the global economy are part of a fine Russia-China tradition.

"The whole world of macroeconomics and geopolitics is changing, the international rules are being weakened, and new, disorderly rules are emerging," Nekipelov said, adding that sanctions and the pandemic have made it more crucial for experts to discuss issues together.

The "Russia-Eurasia Studies "series published on Thursday was written by six scholars from the CASS who comprehensively evaluated the impact of COVID-19 on the two countries and the prospects for future bilateral cooperation.

In his report, Xie Fuzhan, president of the CASS, said the principle of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation laid a solid political foundation for China-Russia relations for a new era.

The mutual trust and friendship between China and Russia reflect mutual respect and peaceful coexistence, Xie said. In addition, in terms of core interests such as sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, China and Russia provide each other with firm strategic support, maintaining each other's core interests.

By REN QI in Moscow and BU YINGNA in Beijing



Cision

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-daily-think-tanks-urged-to-help-boost-china-russia-ties-301320273.html

SOURCE China Daily
Graphene, a kind of 2D carbon nanomaterial, features excellent properties such as mechanical property and super electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. Its downstream application ranges from basic sciences and new energy battery to flexible display, sensor and composites.

New York, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global and China Graphene Industry Report, 2020-2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p04539093/?utm_source=GNW

Wide adoption gives a big boost to the graphene market. In 2020, the global graphene market was worth USD4,386 million, of which the growing Chinese market was valued at RMB10.1 billion, or 33.4% of the global.



Graphene finds wide commercial application in the form of powder and film. Graphene powder is largely used in new energy and anticorrosive paint; graphene film gets utilized for flexible displays and sensors, with the new energy field demanding over 70%.



For downstream application, graphene is most often seen in new energy-related fields such as lithium battery conductive agent and new energy supercapacitor. The increasingly high penetration of new energy vehicles will fuel the boom of graphene industry. In 2020, the global graphene conductive agent market was valued at RMB6.7 billion; in 2030, the global graphene supercapacitor market is expected to be worth USD609 million, sustaining CAGR of over 20%. In 2019, Chinas production of anticorrosive paint jumped by 18% thanks to good performance of graphene anticorrosive materials in thermal stability and antisepsis. Graphene flexible displays are often demanded by wearable devices. For strong chemosensitivity, graphene-based sensors have a promising future in medicine.



By region, Asia-Pacific region, especially China where advanced manufacturing is rising, demands ever more graphene, leading to a surging graphene market there. In 2020, the region commanded 42.1% of the global graphene market, outstripping the rest of the world in sales. Moreover, considering large numbers of producers with strong competence in research and development, it is predicted that the regions demand for graphene will soar in the years to come.



Through the lens of competitive pattern, European and American companies stay ahead in graphene preparation technology and applied products like composites and core electronic components, while the Asian graphene application market has a rosy prospect. In China, over 10 listed companies work on research and production of graphene-based products, typically graphene conductive agent, flexible display and heat conductive materials, with the initial capability of mass-producing graphene films and powder. Among them, The Sixth Element (Changzhou) Materials Technology Co., Ltd. as the first one boasting graphene powder and film mass production lines focuses on studying graphene application in sensor and heating film; 2D Carbon (Changzhou) Tech Inc., Ltd. has developed graphene film production lines for application in heating film and flexible display.



Global and China Graphene Industry Report, 2016-2026 highlights the following:

Graphene (classification, technology, development course, industry chain, etc.);

Global graphene industry (status quo, market size, prices, patents, industrialization, development trends, etc.);

Chinas graphene industry (status quo, market size, competitive pattern, industrialization, development trends, etc.);

Graphene upstream sectors (market size, etc.)

Graphene downstream sectors (market size, main companies, segments, application, etc.);

20 foreign and 17 Chinese producers of graphene and applied products (operation, graphene business, production layout, R&D, etc.).

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p04539093/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Story continues

CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




DUBLIN, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Ride Sharing Market by Type (E-hailing, Station-Based, Car Sharing & Rental), Car Sharing (P2P, Corporate), Service (Navigation, Payment, Information), Micro-Mobility (Bicycle, Scooter), Vehicle Type, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Research and Markets Logo

The global ride sharing market is projected to grow from USD 85.8 billion in 2021 and reach USD 185.1 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 16.6%.

COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ride sharing business for a consecutive second year. However, according to experts, the ride sharing industry would start its complete recovery from Q3 of 2021 or Q1 of 2022, and the key factor that would drive the demand for ride sharing is urbanization. The majority of the population living in cities has shifted to their countryside; still, the urbanization rate in 2020 was close to 56% globally, which was 55% in 2019.

However, post-pandemic the more population is expected to return to the cities, which is expected to further increase the urbanization rate. This would bring back the urbanization rate, and slowly the basic needs of the population would start rising; transport would be one of these. Considering the second COVID wave and the expected third wave, this change would take place slowly. This would be the foremost driver for bringing back the ride sharing industry revenues back on track.

Additionally, though urbanization would be a key driver for the ride sharing industry, the pandemic's effects would be seen on ride sharing models for the initial period. For instance, after the pandemic period, people would still be hesitant to opt for shared services and public transport, and they would prefer e-hailing or car rentals.

Most of the ride sharing services have shifted from web-based to app-based, and the key reason is an increase in popularity & options available on smartphones. Additionally, internet penetration has showcased significant growth in the last 3-4 years. According to World Economic Forum, in 2019, internet usage is doubled from 2010.

Story continues

Hence, a rise in urbanization, an increase in penetration of smartphones, and a growth in internet penetration together would fuel the demand for ride sharing in coming years.

Globally, the Electric vehicle segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period.

Recent initiatives taken by major ride sharing provider companies such as Uber, Free Now, Bolt, and Lyft, to electrify their fleet partially by 2025 and fully by 2030 are expected to drive the electric vehicle ride sharing market during the forecast period.

Moreover, in China, according to David Xu, Didi's head of strategy, a whopping 21% of the ride-hailing fleet is electric. Beijing-based Didi Chuxing Technology Co., the world's largest ride-hailing company, has about 1 million EVs on its network, with a goal to hit 10 million by 2028.

Asia Pacific is projected to be the largest regional market

Asia Pacific accounts for a significantly lower number of vehicles per 1,000 persons as the per capita income in most of these countries is lower than in Western countries. Hence, ride sharing offers users a sense of owning a vehicle at a much lower cost than actually owning one. Therefore, consumers prefer ride sharing services over personal vehicles.

Additionally, factors such as a rise in the daily commute to workplaces in urban areas and an increased need to save fuel by providing a ride to commuters and colleagues heading along the same route are anticipated to fuel the Asia Pacific ride sharing market.

The increasing number of megacities and the population growth in developed and developing countries have increased the importance of deploying a smart transportation network. The ride sharing services in Asia Pacific are growing rapidly because of the demand in countries such as China, India, and Japan. These countries have started recognizing ride sharing as a solution to curb issues such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Didi Chuxing (China), Uber Technologies, Inc (US), Gett (Israel), Lyft, Inc (US), and Grab (Singapore) are the leading providers of ride sharing in the global market.

Premium Insights

Attractive Opportunities in the Electric Vehicle Ride Sharing Space: Rising Population & Urbanization to Drive the Ride Sharing Market

Electric Vehicles Are Projected to Showcase the Fastest Growth Among Ride Sharing Cars Over the Forecast Period

Car Sharing Market, by Type: P2P Car Sharing to Dominate the Car Sharing Market in 2021

Ride Sharing Market, by Data Service: Navigation to Account for the Major Share in the Ride Sharing Data Services Market

Micro-Mobility Market, by Vehicle Type: Bike/Bicycle to Lead the Micro-Mobility Vehicle Market

Ride Sharing Market, by Distance: Short Distance to Account for the Dominant Share by 2026

Ride Sharing Market, by Region: Asia-Pacific to Account for the Largest Share of the Ride Sharing Market in 2021

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increase in Urbanization and Internet and Smartphone Penetration

Increase in Urbanization

Increase in Usage of Smartphones and Growing Internet Penetration

Increase in Costs Associated with Vehicle Ownership

Restraints

Varying Transport Policies of Different Countries and Resistance from Traditional Transport Services

Opportunities

New Business Models to Cover Losses in Ride Sharing Business

Food & Freight Delivery

Micro-Mobility

Emergence of Autonomous Ride Sharing

Challenges

COVID-19 Impact on Profitability & Sustainability of Transport Network Companies

Ride Sharing Market: An Ecosystem

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

Supply Chain Analysis

Case Studies

Patent Analysis

Ride Sharing Market Scenario

Realistic Scenario

Low Impact Scenario

High Impact Scenario

Technology Analysis

Impact of Vehicle Automation on Ride Hailing

Impact of Automation L2 on Ride Hailing

Impact of Automation L3 on Ride Hailing

Impact of Automation L4/L5 on Ride Hailing

Autonomous Vehicles and Vehicle Connectivity

Vehicle-To-Cloud (V2C)

Vehicle-To-Pedestrian (V2P)

Vehicle-To-Infrastructure (V2I)

Vehicle-To-Vehicle (V2V)

Recommendations

Asia-Pacific to Lead the Global Ride Sharing Market

Micro-Mobility: Key Focus Areas

Company Profiles

Key Players

Didi Chuxing (Didi)

Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber)

Gett

Lyft, Inc (Lyft)

Grab

Ani Technologies Pvt. Ltd (Ola)

Blablacar

Intel

Tomtom International Bv

Aptiv

Denso Corporation

Other Players

IBM

Ford

General Motors

Waymo

Daimler

Car2Go

BMW

Bosch

Cabify

Bolt

Toyota

Goget

Via Transportation, Inc.

Easy Taxi

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kihajl

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Cision

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-ride-sharing-market-report-2021-2026-new-business-models-to-cover-losses-in-ride-sharing-business--food--freight-delivery--micro-mobility--emergence-of-autonomous-ride-sharing-301320121.html

SOURCE Research and Markets
Reuters

Vincent van Gogh's self-portraits will go on show in London next year, in what organisers say is the first exhibition dedicated to the Dutch post-Impressionist artist's depictions of himself. From February, The Courtauld Gallery will stage the display - from "Self-Portrait with a Dark Felt Hat" painted in 1886 in Paris to "Self-Portrait with a Palette" which van Gogh painted in an asylum in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, southern France, in September 1889. Part of The Courtauld collection, the well-known "Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear", which van Gogh painted in 1889 after cutting off most of his ear, will also be on show alongside loaned works.
Instead of waiting to have a seat at the table with at a large law firm Attorney DeRouen created her own table and is helping others minority women.

HOUSTON, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Attorney Brenda DeRouen, is the founder of DeRouen Law Firm, the 1st African American women-owned, and women operated law firm in Houston. Like many law students, Attorney DeRouen attended law school with the dream of starting her career at a major law practice and progressing within the firm. However, as fate would have it, that was not in the cards for her future. Instead of allowing the rejection of not being able to secure a position at a major law firm to discourage her progression, Attorney DeRouen took her circumstances and made something out of nothing. Attorney DeRouen decided to start her own law firm, with drive and determination. That same drive and determination assisted her in successfully starting her practice, but also securing more revenue/business in a year than a first-year law associate.

Attorney DeRouen did not just stop with starting her own practice but made the decision to reach back and help other minorities because of the challenges she faced with securing a job after graduation. Attorney DeRouen's firm is the 1st African American women-owned and women-operated practice in Houston. Attorney DeRouen prides herself on her ability to help other minority women through job opportunities, mentorship, as well as networking to provide them the opportunity she was not given. Attorney DeRouen founded Women of Law, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization designed to empower women lawyers by connecting, inspiring, and promoting the advancement of women, along with Kristy Blurton, to further her passion to assists other minorities in the legal space.

Attorney DeRouen is excited to continue to provide opportunities for minority women in the legal space through her firm and Non-profit Women of Law, stay tuned for what's next from Attorney DeRouen. To inquire about Zoom/Skype interviews or media inquiries please contact LaToya Hurley at info@innovatingmarketinggroup.com or call 281-660-1813.

Story continues

About DeRouen Law Firm, PLLC

DeRouen Law Firm, PLLC is a premier litigation firm focusing primarily on divorce, custody, and probate matters. Our attorneys are committed to providing families with quality legal representation and top tier service. With years of experience and a trusted reputation, our team of legal professionals have the skills required to help you achieve a satisfactory result. We serve clients in Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Milam County.

Press Contact:

Innovating Marketing Group

3463553364

https://innovatingmarketinggroup.com

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/meet-celebrity-family-law-attorney-brenda-derouen-the-founder-of-the-1st-african-american-women-owned-and-operated-law-firm-in-houston-301319882.html

SOURCE DeRouen Law Firm, PLLC
NEW YORK, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

Private Equity Services Market Procurement Research Report

SpendEdge has been monitoring the Private Equity Services Market and it is poised to grow by USD 141.47 Billion during 2021-2025. The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment.

Request for a FREE sample to access the definite purchasing guide on Private Equity Services procurement.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What are the major market threats?

The pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants has resulted in the low bargaining power of suppliers.

What is the expected price changes in this market?

The Private Equity Services Market is expected to have a CAGR of 4.79% during 2021-2025.

Who are the top players in the market?

Tarrant Capital IP LLC, CVC Capital Partners SICAV-FIS SA, EQT AB Group, Neuberger Berman Group LLC, Vista Equity Partners Management LLC, are some of the major market participants.

What are the pricing models followed by buyers?

Commission-based pricing and market-based pricing, are the widely adopted pricing models in Private Equity Services Market.

SpendEdge suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. SpendEdge's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports.

Related Reports on Financial Services Include:

Mortgage Processing - Forecast and Analysis : The mortgage processing services will grow at a CAGR of 5.09% during 2021-2025. Prices will increase by 5%-8% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a moderate in this market.

Tax Accounting Services Sourcing and Procurement Report : This report offers key advisory and intelligence to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their tax accounting services requirements. Some of the leading tax accounting services suppliers profiled are extensively in this report.

Account Reconciliation - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report evaluates suppliers based on extent of implementation and training support offered, flexibility in SLA terms, customization capability, and support for multiple data sources.

To access the definite purchasing guide on the Private Equity Services that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis:

Story continues

Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Private Equity Services TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable?

How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes?

Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities?

Request a free sample report now: www.spendedge.com/report/private-equity-services-procurement-market-intelligence-report

Table of Content

Executive Summary

Market Insights

Category Pricing Insights

Cost-saving Opportunities

Best Practices

Category Ecosystem

Category Management Strategy

Category Management Enablers

Suppliers Selection

Suppliers under Coverage

US Market Insights

Category scope

Appendix

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions.

Contacts

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us

SpendEdge Logo (PRNewsfoto/SpendEdge)

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/private-equity-services-market-will-have-an-incremental-spend-of-usd-141-47-billion-by-2025--spendedge-301319713.html

SOURCE SpendEdge
Consolidation of the company's roadmap to creating an improved business environment

Establishment of an ESG Committee for its continued efforts for environmental performance

Showcases the company's long-term commitment to social responsibility as part of its mission to build a better life

INCHEON, South Korea, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Samsung Biologics (KRX: 207940.KS), the world's leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), published its first annual sustainability report, consolidating the company's policies for an enhanced ESG management system and related plans. The report focuses on the company's commitment to taking part in social responsibility over the past decade and its future plans for the next ten years and beyond.

Samsung Biologics Issues Its First Annual Sustainability Report

John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, said, "The publication of our annual sustainability report showcases our aims to accelerate innovation and contribute to building a healthier future for all stakeholders. As we have always been since our founding in 2011, Samsung Biologics will continue to carry out its social accountability - creating a safer and healthier culture, reducing its environmental footprint, and increasing reporting transparency on ESG initiatives."

In the report, Samsung Biologics stated its plans to build an eco-friendly business environment, supported by recently awarded ISO Certifications for Energy Management (ISO5000) and Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO45001). The company is also planning to install solar powered generators and introduce eco-friendly refrigerants to its Plant 4, which is currently under construction.

The report also focuses on the various social activities Samsung Biologics has been taking part in, including a scholarship and mentoring program for students and medical care support for the most vulnerable members of the local community. Furthermore, the report exhibits the company's collaborative efforts with its partners, including the support for domestic suppliers and localization efforts to improve supply chains.

Story continues

In February this year, Samsung Biologics established an ESG Committee to construct and supervise its managerial policies. The committee consists of four independent directors with expertise in the fields of management, economy, biotechnology, and law and systems. The committee is expected to closely monitor the ESG performance of Samsung Biologics moving forward.

In order to stably supply biopharmaceuticals to the market while also protecting the assets of its clients, Samsung Biologics is operating under a robust and proactive management system. Since 2018, the company has obtained BCMS (Business Continuity Management System) ISO certification from BSI (British Standard Institution) and has recently been certified across all business areas. This extended achievement has reaffirmed Samsung Biologics' capabilities to stably operate in a dynamic business environment whilst maximizing clients' satisfaction and fulfilling its social responsibilities.

Link to Samsung Biologics' Sustainability Report

About Samsung Biologics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Biologics (KRX: 207940.KS) is a fully integrated CDMO offering state-of-the-art contract development, manufacturing, and laboratory testing services. With proven regulatory approvals, the largest capacity, and the fastest throughput, Samsung Biologics is an award-winning partner of choice and is uniquely able to support the development and manufacturing of biologics products at every stage of the process while meeting the evolving needs of biopharmaceutical companies worldwide. For more information, visit www.samsungbiologics.com .

Samsung Biologics

Media Contact:

Claire Kim

Senior Director, Global Public Relations

cair.kim@samsung.com

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/samsung-biologics-issues-its-first-annual-sustainability-report-301319898.html

SOURCE Samsung Biologics
MACAO, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Trip.com Group Gourmet, the dining hub hosted on the leading global travel services provider's platforms, launched the new 2021 Top Global Restaurant List in Macao today. Co-hosted by Sands China Ltd. at The Londoner Macao, the event was attended by Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, Bo Sun, CMO of Trip.com Group, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Grant Chum, COO of Sands China Ltd., other destination government officials, leading restaurateurs, food critics and influencers. The launch of the Top Global Restaurant List is another element in Trip.com Group's continual efforts in bolstering travel-related content on its platforms to drive the travel recovery.

Jane Sun, CEO, Trip.com Group, addresses the audience at the forum during the Trip.com Group and Sands China Ltd co-hosted event

The event consisted of a forum on destination recovery with Trip.com Group partners sharing experiences and ongoing revitalization plans, the grand revealing of the Top Global Restaurant List, and an exclusively curated evening banquet experience that showcases Greater China's vast gastronomy culture & history. The launch of the Trip.com Group Gourmet Top Global Restaurant List marks a new chapter in the ever-growing gourmet tourism industry. To meet demand for this expanding travel segment, the new restaurant list will create and provide restaurant recommendations, reviews and selections for customers based on public praise, panel evaluations, and Ctrip Black Diamond member votes.

Released initially on the Trip.com Group Ctrip platform, the 2021 Top Global Restaurant List contains expanded categories to include the widest breadth of restaurant selections for users. This year, five new levels have also been added to the list to accommodate a wider range of restaurants. The new list not only features themed and high-end restaurants but also some smaller brands worth visiting. A total of 9 Black Diamond restaurants, 45 Diamond restaurants, 301 Platinum restaurants, 1686 Gold Medal restaurants and 4224 Silver Medal restaurants made it into the list this year, with awards nominated to stand out restaurants in each category.

Story continues

Jane Sun, CEO, Trip.com Group (left), and Grant Chum, COO, Sands China Ltd. (right), sign a strategic partnership agreement during the event, with Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director, Macao Government Tourism Office (centre) overseeing

Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, commented: "We are delighted to host this event in Macao and take this wonderful opportunity to help boost domestic tourism. We have seen an increasing interest in gourmet travel and Greater China has a lot to offer, such as the strong culinary tradition and innovation in Macao. We are thrilled to facilitate our users dining experiences and hope to be able to add more destinations to our platform very soon and contribute to the recovery of global travel."

Grant Chum, Chief Operation Officer of Sands China Ltd., said: "Sands Resorts Macao has always been committed to supporting Macao as a world-class tourism destination, providing diverse integrated resort experiences and numerous dining offerings. We value our long-term partnership with Trip.com Group, who we have been working with even more closely since the Covid-19 pandemic to contribute to the recovery of Macao's tourism. We are also delighted Trip.com Group Gourmet's Top Global Restaurant List award ceremony is taking place for the first time in Macao, at The Londoner Macao, which represents a milestone."

Trip.com Group Logo (PRNewsfoto/Trip.com Group)

Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, said of the event: "We have always sought to connect the culinary and travel worlds as a means to attract visitors to Macao. I am delighted to see so many Macao restaurants being named in domestic and global rankings, further strengthening Macao's reputation as a Creative City of Gastronomy."

Macao is known to be a city of international fusion and nowhere is that creativity more apparent than in its vibrant culinary culture. This UNESCO-designated Creative City of Gastronomy is home to several internationally renowned chefs and some of the world's finest, most imaginative restaurants. It was therefore an obvious choice for Trip.com Group to host this prestigious event there and promote travel to the southern Chinese hub.

As travel restrictions are lifting and the tourism industry is slowly picking up, Chinese travellers are looking to explore their country and discover delicious cuisine typical to each region. Gourmet tourism is a great way to promote the travel industry and help it recover from the pandemic. To support this recovery, Ctrip has added 58 new Chinese cities such as Dongguan, Shantou, Zhongshan, Xining and Yinchuan to the List.

Following on from the one year anniversary of the launch of Trip.com Group's 'Travel On' Initiative, Trip.com Group Gourmet's new restaurant list is a continuation of the progress the travel group is making in enriching travel content to drive travel engagement and recovery.

About Trip.com Group

Trip.com Group is a leading global travel service provider comprising of Trip.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, and Qunar. Across its platforms, Trip.com Group enables local partners and travelers around the world to make informed and cost-effective bookings for travel products and services, through the aggregation of comprehensive travel-related information and resources, and an advanced transaction platform consisting of mobile apps, websites and 24/7 customer service centers. Founded in 1999 and listed on NASDAQ in 2003 and HKEX in 2021, Trip.com Group has become one of the best-known travel brands in the world, with the mission to "pursue the perfect trip for a better world".

SOURCE Trip.com Group
KYIV, June 25 (Reuters) - Ukraine signed a $350 million loan agreement with the World Bank that aims to help the country to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and support economic recovery, Prime Minister Denys Shmygal said on Friday.

"The funds will be directed to the development of the economy amid the pandemic, to social support as well as to strengthen state institutions," Shmygal wrote on Twitter.

The government forecasts about 4% growth in 2021 following the 4% decline in 2020 when lockdowns were imposed to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Earlier in June, Kyiv lifted almost all restrictions following a significant decrease in the daily number of new infections.

But the central bank says the slow vaccination of Ukraine's 41 million population and the possibility of new restrictions pose a high risk to economic growth.

Ukraine has registered over 2.2 million coronavirus cases with more than 52,000 COVID-related deaths, while only 1.4 million people have received a first dose of vaccine and about 490,000 have been fully vaccinated.

The World Bank, a major international partner of Ukraine, has committed about $14 billion for more than 80 projects and programmes since the country joined the bank in 1992. (Reporting by Natalia Zinets; editing by Barbara Lewis)
Sounds like something out of some Eastern European autocratic regime: The power company sways politicians with contributions and then the electricity providers get away with charging the people whatever they want.

Oh, wait, this isnt some former Soviet satellite. This is Virginia.

My source for campaign contribution data is the Virginia Political Access Project, a highly reliable, nonprofit organization that keeps tabs on political contributions in the state.

A case in point: Going into the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, Del. Haya Ayala made a move that impressed me. She promised not to accept money from Dominion Energy. That took guts.

However, seeing that the nomination was within her grasp, but being a little shy on cash, she flip-flopped on her pledge and accepted $100,000 from the utility. She is now the Democratic nominee.

Ayala said all she did was change her mind. Which is fine, but it does demonstrate just what kind of sway Dominions checkbook can have in Virginia politics.

Besides, Del. Ayala isnt the only candidate who is accepting money from Dominion. Shes got plenty of role models. Dozens of delegates and state senators take their money.
President Joe Biden has vowed that Afghans who helped the U.S. military will not be left behind as U.S.-led international forces work to complete their withdrawal from Afghanistan later this year.



"Those who helped us are not going to be left behind," Biden said at the White House on June 24, a day before he meets with visiting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the head of the country's High Council for National Reconciliation.



The process to relocate Afghans who assisted the United States has already begun, he told reporters. But he said he didn't know where they would be relocated as they await U.S. visas.

The Taliban has taken control of dozens of districts from government forces in recent weeks, raising concerns the Western-backed government in Kabul and the battered Afghan security forces may collapse after U.S.-led international forces withdraw from Afghanistan by a self-imposed September 11 deadline.



Meanwhile, the Biden administration has come under pressure from members of Congress and veterans to evacuate thousands of Afghans who worked as interpreters or otherwise helped U.S. military operations during a 20-year deployment in the country.



Administration officials have been cautious about discussing the relocation plans amid concerns about the advance of Taliban militants and the appearance of a mass exodus.



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged on June 8 that there were about 18,000 applicants, including 9,000 actively in the process of applying for an immigrant visa.

Representative Michael McCaul (Republican-Texas) said the evacuation plan was "great news" but urged Biden to push his effort to secure a third country to host them while they wait for their applications to be processed.



Representative Seth Moulton (Democrat-Massachusetts) said that can take more than two years, and unveiled a plan recommending Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific Ocean, to be designated for Afghans while they wait.



"We don't want a single Afghan ally to die because we can't find a third country or the program is moving too slowly," he said, noting that refugees were processed on the island after the Vietnam and the two wars against Saddam Hussein's Iraq.



In their White House meeting with Biden, Ghani and Abdullah will be looking for assurances of U.S. aid for the Afghan government.



"This visit is first about our ongoing commitment and support to the Afghan people and to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on June 24.



"The president will emphasize the need for unity, cohesion, and for the Afghan government to focus on key challenges Afghanistan faces."



The looming exit of U.S. and international troops has created uncertainty, especially amid the Taliban's recent gains on the ground.

Some U.S. lawmakers have openly worried about the Taliban returning to power, recalling their treatment of women and girls under a strict version of Islam when they ruled from 1996-2001.



The Wall Street Journal has reported that a new U.S. intelligence report assesses that the Taliban could possibly capture Kabul within six months. The report was a revision of previous analyses that said that Afghanistan's government could stand for as long as two years after the troops leave.

The U.S. military says it has already withdrawn more than half of its 3,500 troops from the region and its equipment.

Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main military force completes its withdrawal, AP quoted unidentified U.S. officials as saying on June 24.

According to the officials, several hundred additional U.S. troops are to stay at Kabul's international airport, potentially until September, to assist Turkish troops providing security as a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place.

They said Ankara had largely agreed to provide security at Hamid Karzai International Airport as long as it receives support from U.S. forces.

A U.S. delegation is meeting with Turkish officials in Ankara this week to finalize arrangements.

Overall, the U.S. officials said Washington expected to have U.S. and coalition military command, its leadership, and most troops out by July 4, or shortly after that.

The Pentagon said it would complete the withdrawal by early September, as Biden had ordered.

"Nothing has changed about that goal," spokesman John Kirby said. "The situation is dynamic, and we review our progress daily. Speculation by unnamed sources about potential changes to that timeline should not be construed as predictive."

In other news, the White House said it will provide Afghanistan with 3 million doses of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on June 24 that the single-dose vaccines could be shipped to Afghanistan as soon as next week. The United States is also providing oxygen and other supplies.

With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
Security forces are engaged in a fierce battle against the Taliban across Afghanistan as President Ashraf Ghani prepares to meet his U.S. counterpart, Joe Biden, at the White House later on June 25.

Afghan officials told RFE/RL on June 25 that there had been heavy fighting in the northern provinces of Baghlan, Kunduz, Balkh, Takhar, and Faryab, as well as in Paktia and Zabul in the southeast in the past 24 hours, as security forces launched offensives against the Taliban.

The militant group has taken control of dozens of districts from government forces in recent weeks, raising concerns the Western-backed government in Kabul and the battered Afghan security forces may collapse after U.S.-led international forces withdraw from Afghanistan by a self-imposed September 11 deadline.

A Defense Ministry spokesman said that Afghan forces had recaptured nine districts from the insurgents over the past day, and that operations had been launched in other districts captured by the militants in recent weeks.

More than 200 Taliban fighters were killed in ground operations supported by air strikes, according to the spokesman, Fawad Aman.

Local leaders confirmed that three districts in the provinces of Paktia, Baghlan, and Faryab had been retaken by government forces.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that the group had lost control over districts, claiming in turn that it had captured four more districts in Baghlan, Faryab, and elsewhere.

Abdul Zahir Faizzada, the governor of Ghor Province, said security forces had withdrawn from the province's Dolina district.

As Afghanistan faces growing uncertainty with the looming exit of U.S. and international troops and the Taliban's recent gains on the ground, Ghani and other Afghan officials will be looking for assurances of U.S. aid for the Afghan government in their meeting with Biden.

The U.S. military says it has already withdrawn more than half of its 3,500 troops from the region and its equipment.

Citing unidentified U.S. officials, AP reported on June 24 that about 650 U.S. troops were expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main military force completes its withdrawal.

During a visit to Paris on June 25, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban's actions were "totally inconsistent" with the pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the Afghan conflict.

"We're looking very carefully at the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and we're also looking very hard at whether the Taliban is at all serious about a peaceful resolution of the conflict," Blinken told a joint news conference with the French foreign minister.

Already slowing, the peace talks between Afghan government officials and the Taliban, launched in Qatar in September 2020, largely broke off when Biden announced the pullout of U.S. forces by September 11 following a May 1 deadline the previous U.S. administration had agreed with the insurgents.

"Had we not begun the process of drawing down...the status quo would not have helped...the status quo was not an option," Blinken said.
The Pakistani military says five members of the paramilitary Frontier Corps have been killed in an ambush in the volatile southwestern province of Balochistan.

Unidentified gunmen carried out the attack in Sangan area on June 24 when the security forces were on routine patrol, the army's media wing said.

Four Frontier Corps members were killed immediately, while another died in hospital.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility.

There has been a surge in assaults on Pakistani security forces in Balochistan in recent months.

The resource-rich province, which borders Afghanistan and Iran, has been plagued by sectarian violence, attacks by Islamist militants, and a separatist insurgency that has caused thousands of casualties since 2004.

On June 1, the military said suspected militants raided a security post and targeted a vehicle carrying troops in separate attacks in Balochistan, resulting in the deaths of at least four soldiers and four militants.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Colorado Springs, CO (80903)

Today

Sunshine and some clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
ARVADA  Two men who lost their lives in a Monday shooting in Olde Town Arvada were mourned Thursday at a vigil at the Shrine of St. Anne Catholic Parish.

Mourners gathered to honor Arvada police officer Gordon Beesley and bystander Johnny Hurley, both of whom were killed in the shooting, which ended with the shooter also dead. Authorities say the shooter deliberately ambushed Beesley because of his hatred for police. Sources on Thursday confirmed that Hurley, a bystander who intervened by shooting the man, was shot by another police officer responding to the scene.

A few hundred attendees sang hymns and prayed. Beesleys official police department portrait and a photo of a smiling Hurley flanked the pulpit.

We'd like to welcome you this evening as we remember Officer Beesley and John Hurley, who laid down their lives to provide for the safety of our community, said Sean McGrath, pastor of Shrine of St. Anne Parish.

Arvada City Manager Mark Deven read comments posted on social media praising Beesleys kindness, compassion and affinity for connecting with children as a school resource officer at Oberon Middle School.

He was a really cool guy, read one post from a student. I remember when I was at Oberon we used to have conversations all the time. I really, really, really liked Officer Beasley.

Arvada Deputy Police Chief Ed Brady said he cherishes his final conversation with Beesley, whom he last saw Monday morning. He didnt often see Beesley because of his posting at Oberon, Brady said, so seeing him was a treat. The two exchanged small talk and pleasantries about the days plans.

He brought that smile with him everywhere he [went], Brady said.

He thanked other law enforcement departments and investigators who have stepped in to respond to the shooting and to try to get to the bottom of how the deadly incident unfolded.

I see our fellow Jefferson County law enforcement agencies who came to our aid, took over the scene so our brothers and sisters in the police department could go back to the police department and grieve. I saw crime scene investigators who would not leave that scene because their way of honoring Gordon was to stay there and do a great investigation, Brady said.

Beesleys funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette, the same church that hosted Boulder Police Officer Eric Talleys funeral in March. Talley died in the King Soopers massacre.

Though the memorial service is not open to the public, it will be livestreamed.

Although investigations of the shooting are ongoing, an eyewitness said Hurley was shopping in Olde Town Arvada's Army Navy Surplus store when those inside heard about 10 to 15 shots. According to a post by the store's Facebook page, Hurley ran outside, pulled out a concealed pistol and shot about five or six rounds toward the shooter.

What I do know was that John Hurley was a hero, and he saved lives, Brady said, as attendees burst into applause at his words.

The Jefferson Center for Mental Health has set up an Arvada Family Assistance Center at the Shrine of St. Annes Catholic School, open to anyone in Arvada, according to a Facebook post.
FBI wants more help from hacked companies

The FBIs cybersecurity investigations would be more successful if cybercrime victims were more forthcoming, Director Chris Wray told Senate appropriators on Wednesday.

"If we don't solve the riddle of how to get the private sector promptly and transparently working with us -- and more and more companies, I should say, are doing that all the time -- but if we don't make that sort of the norm, we're going to have a heck of a time winning this conflict," Wray said at a budget hearing. Although he did not endorse any specific proposal, he told lawmakers that "anything that helps provide more incentive for that to happen, I think is a step in the right direction."

Cybersecurity is a significant part of the FBI's budget request. The bureau wants $40 million in new funding for cyber investigations in support of 155 new positions.

"A huge part of that will be going very much to the ransomware campaign that we're working on," Wray said. "We did about 1,100 different kinds of disruption actions against cyber adversaries last year. I'm talking about arrests, criminal charges, convictions, dismantlement [and] disruptions."

Wray said the FBI was going after "the entire criminal ecosystem" around ransomware heists, including not just the actual perpetrators but also helpers and infrastructure providers. "We're trying to go after the money," Wray said.

"We've got to take a little bit of our page out of the counterterrorism strategy book, everybody working together focusing on prevention and disruption, and that's what we're trying to do," he added.

The director reiterated the FBI's guidance for targeted companies not to pay ransoms to hackers, but also said that "the most important thing is that [victims] reach out and connect  with us as quickly and transparently as possible."

The bureau's fiscal year 2022 budget proposal also includes $15 million in new money to support 22 new jobs to help the FBI improve its own cybersecurity.

"Those funds will help us secure our infrastructure and limit vulnerabilities that threatened the FBI's mission," Wray said.

This article was first posted to FCW, a sibling site to GCN.
Crime-and-courts

alert top story

Attorney General: Iowa report finds overwhelming sex abuse by Catholic clergy

DES MOINES  Citing overwhelming incidents of abuse and "extensive" cover-up that spanned decades, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller issued a report Wednesday detailing 50 complaints his office received about allegations of sexual impropriety by Catholic clergy, non-clergy or spiritual leaders  including 17 victims who had not previously come forward to report abuse to authorities.

The report concluded the Catholic Church in Iowa has had a "long, painful history of abuse by priests and a cover-up by officials" but has taken steps recently to implement reforms and respond to victims.

According to Miller, his office looked into 50 complaints of sexual abuse and misconduct reported to the Attorney Generals Office. Of those, 45 complaints were against Catholic clergy or others involved in the Catholic church and five were about non-Catholic pastors or spiritual leaders. The complaints made accusations against 36 Catholic priests or brothers.

JIM SLOSIAREK Special to the Globe Gazette Miller

Sexual abuse took place over decades. The complaints, the victims, the duration of the abuse were overwhelming," the report concluded. Our hearts go out to the victims of these acts. The consequences are severe and lifelong.

None of the complaints involving Catholic clergy fall within the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution, the report said. The allegations ranged from the 1930s to 1997.

Three of the allegations involved currently active Catholic priests, and according to the report 29 complaints named a priest or priests who are included on one of the Diocese lists of credibly accused priests. Overall, 17 of the complainants said they had never reported the allegations previously to any authorities.

"The cover-up was extensive," according to the report. "The image and reputation of the church were put ahead of the enormous harm to young people."

Documents released Wednesday verify that one of the allegations reviewed was a complaint last year from a man who alleged he was forced to have sex by a priest at the Boys State Training School in Eldora in the early 1990s.

The name of the priest and the complainant were withheld, but the allegations match those made by Rick Harrison, a Wisconsin prison inmate, in a November article in The Gazette. Harrison, 45, told the newspaper he was forced by a chaplain to have sex in dark corners and private rooms of the state school in Eldora in the 1990 or 1991, when Harrison was a teenager. He said he filed a complaint with the Eldora Police Department, which the agency verified, and with the Iowa Attorney Generals Office, which declined to comment at the time.

The report released Wednesday says in investigating the Eldora complaint, the Dubuque Archdiocese provided documents about allegations in the late 1980s and early 1990s involving five additional people.

The priest was dismissed from state employment in 1991 because of allegations of indecent contact, the report states. The priest denied the charges. After a series of hearings, an administrative law judge ruled that the charges were undetermined. Because the allegations were made to the state institution, and not the Archdiocese, the Archdiocese accepted the investigation and findings of the judge.

The archdiocese received two more allegations against the same priest, but the people did not want to pursue investigations, the report states. The Attorney General reported this priest is retired but has duties in the diocese.

While citing a history of abuse by priests and a cover-up by officials, the Attorney Generals Office noted in a news release that the Dioceses of the Catholic Church in Iowa have enacted many reforms over the last two decades, have become more responsive to victims of clergy abuse and each now reports all accusations to law enforcement.

Miller began to focus on clergy sex abuse in Iowa after the release in 2018 by the Pennsylvania Attorney General of a grand jury report that revealed over 300 Catholic priests across that state sexually abused children for 70 years.

The Iowa attorney said he was "appalled" by the Pennsylvania findings and in November 2018 announced he was gathering information on sexual abuse of children by clergy in Iowa. He and his staff began meeting with Catholic Church officials on a voluntary basis, as well as meeting with survivors of clergy sex abuse. "The goal is to tell the truth about what has happened and, through that process, potentially provide some accountability and closure," according to the report issued Wednesday.

Early in 2019, two of Iowas dioceses  Sioux City and Des Moines  released their first lists of credibly accused priests. The Davenport Diocese and Dubuque Archdiocese had previously released such lists.

In June 2019, Miller announced he had met with Iowas four bishops and sent them a letter requesting more information. He also launched a hotline and online submission form, inviting survivors to report abuse.

The offices investigation focused on two areas: examining complaints reported to the office alleging abuse by clergy  of any religion or denomination  and particularly those that had not been previously reported; and reviewing decisions by Iowa dioceses to include some accused priests on their published lists but exclude others.

The dioceses agreed to provide confidential information, including accusations, summaries of review board decisions and other internal documents.

Since the review began, three names were added to the list in the Diocese of Sioux City and one name was added to the list in the Diocese of Davenport.

A list of complaints received by the office included Robert Swift, who had previously appeared on the Dubuque Archdiocese's list of credibly accused priests. Swift was a priest at Holy Family Parish in Mason City as well as the Sacred Heart parish in Olwein; he had also been a chaplain for MercyOne in Olwein. The estimated dates of offense ranged from 1945 to 1953 and the victims' ages ranged from 11-14. Swift died in 1980.

Additionally appearing on the office's list had been William Schwartz of Sacred Heart Parish in Rockwell, who had also previously appeared on the table of accused priests. The estimated date of offense was 1982-1983 and the victim's age was listed as 12-13. Schwartz was dismissed from priesthood in 2005 and is listed as retired.

"None of the current bishops have been involved in handling previous complaints and resulting cover-ups," the report noted.

The Catholic bishops of Iowa  Bishop Thomas Zinkula of Davenport, Bishop William Joensen of Des Moines, Archbishop Michael Jackels of Dubuque, and Bishop R. Walker Nickless of Sioux City  released a joint statement Wednesday, saying they agreed two years ago to comply with the request to submit documents requested.

"The report on the Attorney Generals review of cases was released today and will be studied for suggestions on how the efforts of the Catholic Church might be improved." according to the bishops' statement. "The Catholic Church is committed to do all that is humanly possible to protect minors from the sin and crime of clergy sexual abuse, and to promote healing. Policies and procedures in place provide for responding to each allegation, cooperating with civil authorities, removing offenders from ministry, and being held accountable."

According to the report, the unreported allegations included an accusation against the Rev. Robert Bud Grant, who is on the faculty at St. Ambrose University and a priest in the Des Moines Diocese. The diocese conducted an eight-month investigation as a result and placed Grant on restrictions and supervision, the report said.

Of the reports regarding non-Catholic pastors, two involve allegations within the statute of limitations for prosecution. These allegations involve possible adult victims.

$3 for 3 months to support local journalism

Related
WATERLOO -- A lawsuit brought by relatives of two Tyson workers in Waterloo and Independence who died days apart of COVID-19 has been transferred to federal court.

Its a move that hasnt worked for other coronavirus lawsuits against the meatpacking giant.

Family members of Jeffrey Orvis and Arthur Scott, both of Waterloo, filed suit against Tyson Fresh Meats, Tyson Pet Products and a list of plant officials and supervisors in Black Hawk County District Court in April 2021, alleging the company ignored warnings about the coronavirus pandemic and didnt take the necessary steps to protect its workers.

On Monday, the suit was transferred to U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids at the request of the defense claiming the allegations involve actions the company took at the direction of federal officers -- former President Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Agriculture.

Orivs, 65, had worked at the Waterloo plant and died April 19, 2020. Scott, 51, was employed at the Independence facility and died on April 23, 2020.
As for North Iowa food banks and pantries, the extent to which the new legislation will directly improve things isn't so clear.

"Were already a nonprofit. So we already dont get taxed but for other pantries I totally see it being a huge benefit," Worth County Community Pantry Director Angela Wright said. "(It's) a benefit for pantries that need to purchase things outside of the state."

Bonnie Nyhus, who serves as the board president for the Neighborhood Food Bank in Forest City, similarly pointed to the purchase of non-food items as the realm where the exemption could be beneficial to organizations such as hers.

"It will be a help, yes, because we do buy things like cleaning supplies," she said. Though Nyhus then pointed out that about half of the items her organization receives come through donations, so sales tax wouldn't be a concern in the first place.
sun01 wrote:

Mr. Sergii



I came across this question in blog for Must be true/Conclusion type question



"As soon as the suspect ran out of the bank, he started shooting at the policemen standing on the corner. As he ran away, he kept firing back at the policemen. The policemen took cover and returned fire. One policemen hit the suspect just as he was about to get into a waiting car. As the police approached, the car sped away without the suspect, allowing the police to apprehend and arrest the suspect."



here is the best supported conclusion written in blog:



1. The police were firing in self-defense.



2. If the suspect had not been hit, he would have fled the scene in the car.



Incorrect Conclusions:



3. If the suspect had not been hit, he would have reached the car, escaped, and eluded arrest.



Furthermore the blog explains,



The story explicitly says that the suspect was hit just as he was about to get into a waiting car, so that strongly suggests that, if he had not been hit, he would have gotten into the car. As it is, the car apparently left the immediate scene without difficulty, so if the suspect had gotten into the car, he would have fled the scene - (i) is another good conclusion. Notice the crucial difference between (3) above and (2). Whereas (2) makes the conservative assumption that the suspect merely would have fled the scene, i.e. left that particular location, (3) paints a much grander picture about the total escape he would have been able to make with this car.



Now come to this question on I was stumped



D. The seven embezzlers would have wound up with longer prison sentences if they had not plea-bargained



Now compare the option D of the question with type of correct choice (2.) given for question blog discussed above. How to differentiate between two?



Please help me to make my concept clean and clear.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Empire of the Sun

"Are you gangsters?" - "No we are Russians!" Signature Read More

Hi Sun01!I also choose D but now i see why A is correct. The key word is "all the fund that were embezzled". If not all the funds were returned then we could say that criminals may still keep some money. But this is not true. Hence somebody else still has other money. Hope this is clear_________________
Because this section is free of charge, community events are subject to run based on available space. Religion items are published on the Saturday church page. Email events to news@registerbee.com.

SATURDAY, JUNE 26

DRIVE THUR BARBECUE: The Sons of the American Legion, 17 Fairfield Ave., will hold a drive-thru barbecue from 3 to 6 p.m. for $7 per plate. Menu consists of barbecue, baked beans, slaw and roll. To pre-order, call 434-793-7531.

DANVILLE AREA HUMANE SOCIETY DOG WASHES: The Danville Area Humane Society will hold a dog wash at the Community Market from 9 to noon. Cost is $14 for large dogs; $12 for medium dogs; $10 for small dogs; and $5 for nail clip.

FREE COMMUNITY HOT DOG LUNCH: A free community hot dog lunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Trinity United Methodist Church, 409 Arnett Blvd. Food can be picked up in the parking lot only.

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.
The electric utility industry is in the midst of an unprecedented transition, he told SCC hearing examiner Ann Berkebile, referring to a 2020 state law that requires Appalachian to use all carbon-free electricity by 2050.

At the end of the day, no one knows what the next 20 or 30 years will hold, he said.

Appalachian says that making improvements to the Amos and Mountaineer plants, and thus extending their lifespans to 2040, will provide flexibility as the utility navigates the challenges of acquiring enough solar and wind resources to serve its approximately 524,000 customers in Virginia.

For example, Summerlin said, the solar panels needed by the company could require up to 66 square miles, which amounts to an area about the size of Richmond.

While those details will take years to work out, Appalachian is seeking rate adjustment clauses to cover about $250 million it needs to spend on upgrades to unlined coal ash ponds at the two West Virginia plants.

If the retrofits are not made, federal environmental laws would force the plants to close by 2028. Half of the costs are being sought through a rate increase request that is pending before regulators in West Virginia, where Appalachian has about 458,000 customers.
Nichols operates High Point Design Institute, a nonprofit interior design division, providing interior design to other nonprofit organizations. HPDI utilizes HPU students and alumni to accomplish interior environment goals. Nonprofits interested in partnering with HPU on a pro-bono facility design can contact Jane Nichols at jnichols@highpoint.edu.

Announcements

The Horse Education Rescue Organization is holding its annual tack sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 27, at Northwoods Stable, 5225 Murray Road in Winston-Salem. All tack is slightly used, but in good working order; all proceeds will go to help the nonprofit.

The tack sale will take place rain or shine.

Concessions such as hot dogs, hamburgers and the fixings will be sold.

Vendors who wish to set up their own table for selling tack can register by calling Kelly Emerson, owner of Northwoods at 336-407-5859. All vendor items must be new or slightly used.

* * * *

Reading Connections, an adult literacy agency, is looking for volunteers who can work two to four hours a week with adult students on reading, writing, English language, math and workplace readiness skills.
GREENSBORO  A national shortage of donated blood is yet another byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scope of that shortage has far-reaching effects, in small cities and large  including Greensboro.

Today, there is a great hospital demand for blood, said Don Wright, an account representative within the donor recruitment department of the American Red Cross.

The shortage is largely a result of patients who deferred care during the pandemic and are showing up at hospitals with advanced maladies.

And even without a pandemic, people often donate less blood in the summertime.

We normally see a blood shortage with school being out and less students giving blood, said Ashley Gantt, an area booking manager with the American Red Cross.

And thats during a normal year. This year is anything but normal.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The number of traumas and emergency room visits is atypically high this year, according to the American Red Cross. Teams have been distributing more blood than expected over the past three months to meet demand.

The shortage is cause for more donation events. A lot more.
From May to early June, the latest data available, cases of the delta variant increased nationwide from 2.8% to 9.5%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the four weeks before June 22, the latest available data, just 0.7% of cases in North Carolina were the delta variant, but state health officials expect that rate to increase in the coming weeks.
RALEIGH  Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed on Friday a measure barring women from getting an abortion specifically due to a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in a fetus. The proposal advanced by Republicans also sought to prohibit abortions on the basis of race or sex.

Under the measure, physicians would be required to report, with a signed confirmation, that an abortion was not desired for those three reasons. Republicans backing the measure say it would prevent a modern-day eugenics by ensuring disabled people wouldnt need to pass a genetic test in order to be born.

In a veto message, the states Democratic governor cited privacy concerns, arguing the bill would have made it difficult for patients to get medical information and have honest conversations with their doctors.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

This bill gives the government control over what happens and what is said in the exam room between a woman and her doctor at a time she faces one of the most difficult decisions of her life, Cooper said in a statement. This bill is unconstitutional, and it damages the doctor-patient relationship with an unprecedented government intrusion.
Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

If the pandemic has reinforced anything, it is that health and life are not ensured to anyone, despite what we would like to believe, Jones said. To receive the COVID-19 vaccine is to honor the over 400 people hospitalized at this very moment. To receive this vaccine is to honor you, your community and to honor the gift of another day.

Vaccine incentives in N.C.

Cooper joined Biden Thursday and introduced him to the crowd, thanking God for the vaccine. In recent weeks, Cooper has extensively promoted vaccines and rolled out a number of financial incentives with the hope they will turn the states vaccination numbers around.

That includes $1 million cash jackpots that will go to four randomly selected North Carolinians who have been vaccinated, as well as four $125,000 college scholarships. North Carolina has also been offering more modest $25 Summer Cards at participating vaccination sites, for people who have gotten vaccinated or drove someone to go get their shot. The program was initially launched in just four counties, including Guilford and Rockingham, but is being expanded to 36 counties this week.
Results of McAfee's autopsy could take days or weeks," authorities have said.

The couple reportedly met in 2012 in Miami and married the following year. John McAfee had several children from previous relationships, Janice McAfee said.

The entrepreneur had not been connected with the companies that took over the antivirus software he built after he sold his shares in the 1990s. That early success had made McAfee rich and followed him in his troubled biography.

In 2012, he was sought for questioning in connection with the murder of his neighbor in Belize, but was never charged with a crime. The controversy didn't stop him from making long-shot runs for the U.S. presidency starting in 2016.

But it was his more recent tax problems that kept him away from the U.S., the country where the British-born entrepreneur was raised and had built his early success.

The Tennessee prosecutors' indictments from 2020 showed that the tycoon allegedly failed to declare income made by promoting cryptocurrencies, attending speaking engagements and selling the rights for a documentary on his eventful life.
Clyde is one of those Fanone fought to save. Though there are photos of the lawmaker trying to barricade the House chamber against invaders, he is also one of those who has downplayed the severity of the attack, even likening it to a normal tourist visit. He joined 20 other Republicans in voting against awarding police the Congressional Gold Medal.

Fanone, who has been an outspoken critic of efforts to whitewash the riot, spotted Clyde at the Capitol and stepped into an elevator with him. He told The Washington Post that he greeted the lawmaker and extended a hand. I knew immediately he recognized me by the way he reacted. He completely froze. He just stared at me.

Fanone says that instead of accepting the proffered handshake, Clyde produced a cellphone and began thumbing through apps. When the doors opened, he says, Clyde bolted like the car was on fire.

There is something viscerally disgusting in this lying coward sprinting away from a handshake. But all of us need to be clear on one crucial point: Clyde is not some bizarre outlier but, rather, the beating heart of a GOP in thrall to Trump.
You have permission to edit this article.

Edit Close
Todays Highlight in History:

On June 25, 1962, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that recitation of a state-sponsored prayer in New York State public schools was unconstitutional.

On June 25:

In 1788, Virginia ratified the U.S. Constitution.

In 1876, Lt. Col. Colonel George A. Custer and his 7th Cavalry were wiped out by Sioux and Cheyenne Indians in the Battle of the Little Bighorn in Montana.

In 1942, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower was designated Commanding General of the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Some 1,000 British Royal Air Force bombers raided Bremen, Germany.

In 1947, The Diary of a Young Girl, the personal journal of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish girl hiding with her family from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II, was first published.

In 1950, war broke out in Korea as forces from the communist North invaded the South.

In 1973, former White House Counsel John W. Dean began testifying before the Senate Watergate Committee, implicating top administration officials, including President Richard Nixon as well as himself, in the Watergate scandal and cover-up.

In 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that male-only draft registration was constitutional.

In 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court, in its first right-to-die decision, ruled that family members could be barred from ending the lives of persistently comatose relatives who had not made their wishes known conclusively.

In 1996, a truck bomb killed 19 Americans and injured hundreds at a U.S. military housing complex in Saudi Arabia.

In 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America threatened to sue hundreds of individual computer users who were illegally sharing music files online.

In 2009, death claimed Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, in Los Angeles at age 50 and actor Farrah Fawcett in Santa Monica, California, at age 62.

In 2011, a suicide car bomber blasted a small clinic in eastern Afghanistan, causing the building to collapse and killing some three dozen people.

In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld nationwide tax subsidies under President Barack Obamas health care overhaul in a 6-3 ruling that preserved health insurance for millions of Americans.

In 2016, Pope Francis visited Armenia, where he recognized the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians as a genocide, prompting a harsh rebuttal from Turkey.

In 2020, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state would pause its aggressive reopening as it dealt with a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. A government watchdog found that nearly 1.1 million relief payments totaling some $1.4 billion in the governments coronavirus aid program went to dead people. Two U.S. warships, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto, notched their 161st consecutive day at sea, breaking the previous Navy record, as ships were ordered to avoid port visits because of the coronavirus. Restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese filed for bankruptcy protection. Disney said it would recast its Splash Mountain theme park ride to remove its ties to Song of the South, a 1946 movie that many viewed as racist. The Grammy-winning country group The Dixie Chicks dropped the word Dixie from its name. Census Bureau figures showed that for the first time, nonwhites and Hispanics were a majority of people under age 16 in 2019.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
WASHINGTON  The village of Moweaqua and the Ashmore Township Road District in Coles County are recipients of federal grants intended to rebuild and modernize essential services.

The funding is made possible through the U.S. Department of Agricultures Community Facilities Direct Loan and Grant Program. There were 10 Illinois recipients.

U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth announced the grants in a news release Friday.

The village of Moweaqua received a $7,200 grant that will be used to purchase a replacement police vehicle, a Police Interceptor, 4WD Special Service, with a police package.

Ashmore Township Road District received a $25,000 grant to purchase a truck equipped with a dump bed, snow plow and hitch, and a v-box spreader. The truck will replace two existing trucks that are no longer usable by the district.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
SPRINGFIELD  Lawyers for an Illinois man sentenced to 130 years for a murder when he was 16 years old are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify how life sentences for juveniles should be reevaluated. That's in light of recent decisions by the high court against that practice.

Ashanti Lusbys lawyers petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court last month to hear Lusbys case challenging his sentence as unconstitutional cruel and unusual punishment, based on two recent U.S. Supreme Courts decisions, Miller v. Alabama in 2012 and Montgomery v. Louisiana in 2016.

In the Miller case, the court ruled that mandatory life sentences without parole for juvenile homicide offenders are unconstitutional because it qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment. The court decided that children are different than adults for the purposes of mandatory life sentences because such sentences pose too great a risk of disproportionate punishment.

In the Montgomery case, the court clarified that its decision in the Miller case can be applied retroactively, and requires a sentencer to consider a juvenile offenders youth and attendant characteristics before determining that life without parole is a proportionate sentence, according to the opinion.

Lusbys 130-year sentence for the 1996 rape and murder of elementary school teacher, Jennifer Happ, in Joliet was not a mandatory sentence, but it is a de facto life sentence because it amounts to a lifetime in prison.

In October, Lusby exhausted his legal avenues in Illinois when the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in a 6-1 decision that his 2002 sentencing hearing did not violate U.S. Supreme Court case law because the sentencing judge sufficiently considered his age and factors related to his youth.

In their petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, Lusbys lawyers argued that the court should clarify the procedures for reconsidering actual and de facto life sentences for juvenile offenders who were sentenced before the protections in the Miller and Montgomery cases were established.

Since those decisions were issued, state courts have varied widely in their application of the precedents on sentences imposed before 2012, the petition states.

For example, in 30 states and Washington, D.C., all juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole prior to Miller are now either automatically entitled to a new sentencing hearing or have become eligible for parole or judicial modification of their sentence.

In other states, juvenile homicide offenders are not eligible for parole and are not afforded automatic review of their sentences. Those states also have differing approaches for handling juvenile resentencing in cases decided before 2012.

Two years ago, the Illinois General Assembly changed the law to allow certain offenders under age 21 to be eligible for parole after 10 years, and certain individuals convicted of murder to be eligible for parole after 20 years.

However, the law does not apply retroactively.

Applying Miller and Montgomery, juveniles must be given some sort of process by which they can present and the court can consider factors related to their youth in light of what we now know based on Miller, Lusbys lawyers wrote in their petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. The practice of Illinois and other States that does not require that the record show that the trial court who sentenced a juvenile homicide offender to (life with the opportunity for parole) prior to Miller actually considered the offenders youth and attendant characteristics fails to ensure that basic constitutional mandate.

At the time of the crime, Lusby had a criminal record that included violent offenses and was expelled from school due to his participation in a gang. His sisters were also involved in crime, and their father was absent from their lives, the petition states.

These details about Lusbys home life and background should have received greater scrutiny from Lusbys sentencing judge and carried more weight in determining Lusbys sentencing, his lawyers argued.

But, again, nothing about Lusbys background  or his inability to extricate himself from those surroundings as a 16-year-old  was considered by the court before sentencing Lusby to die in prison, the petition states. A proper Miller hearing would take into account this evidence, unlike the hearing received by Lusby prior to Miller.

Lusby is represented by lawyers with the Illinois Office of the State Appellate Defender, including Douglas R. Hoff.

A spokesperson for the Attorney Generals Office, which represents the state in this case, did not comment.

The states response to Lusbys petition is due July 2.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Many people sought shelter late Sunday night after sirens and phone alerts warned them of incoming tornadoes in the Chicago area, and officials attributed the low number of casualties to the emergency alert systems. But some people complained that they didnt hear municipal sirens or receive phone alerts and didnt realize they were potentially in danger.

To avoid a repeat of that situation with the next storms, city officials and weather watchers advise taking steps now  not waiting for the next storm watch or warning. They say municipal sirens are intended mainly to reach people who are outdoors, not inside their homes, and recommend taking steps to turn on phone alerts, download weather apps with alerts or buy a weather radio.

The National Weather Services Chicago-area office said the relatively small number of serious injuries Sunday was because people took action when warnings were issued. The weather service said the storm was a reminder of the importance of having multiple means to receive a warning.

The Emergency Outdoor Warning Siren System is the most prominent alert system used to warn people of inclement weather or danger, according to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. It is activated by county, city and emergency management officials.

DuPage Public Safety Communications activated its tornado sirens at 10:48 p.m. Sunday in Woodridge and the nearby communities. Tornado sirens were activated at 11:07 p.m. in Naperville, according to city officials.

Bill McDonald of Naperville, however, said he, his next door neighbor and many others on a community message board reported they did not hear a warning siren.

Woodridge police said in a social media statement that people often mistakenly believe that the sirens should be audible inside their home, but they are only intended to warn people who are outside with no access to other warnings.

The weather service said sirens alone are not an effective alert system and should be used in conjunction with local media and weather radio reports.

Another way that some were warned of the impending tornadoes was through automatic emergency alerts on their cellphone. But people reported that some phones in their household sounded alerts and others did not.

Victoria Siljendahl of Elmhurst, for example, said while some in the area received phone alerts and took cover in residence basements, she and a few other Verizon wireless users in the area did not receive them, even though tornado sirens were activated in Elmhurst.

My phone didnt go off. God forbid if we were in Naperville or Darien, who knows what could have happened, Siljendahl said.

McDonald said he and his wife received alerts five minutes apart.

Telecommunications companies said that individual users must make sure they have turned on the phone setting that allows the alerts to sound.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency partners with wireless providers  such as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile  to send out Wireless Emergency Alerts, from authorized public agencies. These alerts are broadcast to the geographic area affected by an emergency, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

A spokeswoman for T-Mobile confirmed that the company issued four alerts Sunday between 9:43 p.m. and 11 p.m. A spokesman for Verizon also confirmed alerts from the National Weather Service were sent out to its users.

According to information provided by Apple, iPhones and Apple Watches default settings enable government alerts, and most U.S. wireless carriers support the national alert system with few exceptions. A spokesman for Google said that Android phones default settings also allow for government alerts.

Various cellular providers told the Tribune that in order to ensure receipt of emergency alerts, people should: make sure their devices support emergency alerts by checking their providers website; update the device to its latest software; and ensure they havent opted out of emergency alerts.

Weather watchers recommend taking further steps than simply turning on alerts.

Curtis Lergner, founder of the Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers group, was on I-80 when a significant tornado touched down Sunday night. He said there can be a very limited amount of time between hearing the tornado sirens or a text alert and getting to safety.

Theres no way to get an alert out that fast, he said. Weather is very unpredictable.

Lergner suggested people download a weather radar app on their phones and pay attention to additional alert systems such as a weather radio or local broadcast news station.

Another storm tracking group, Illinois Weather, said in a statement that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations weather radio is the best, most reliable way to receive weather updates and warnings. Illinois Weather did not recommend relying solely on sirens or social media.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
GALESBURG  The national and local blood inventory is being depleted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and donors are urgently needed to address the shortage.

Drew Brown, regional communications manager for the American Red Cross, said the severe blood shortage is the result of an increase in the number of trauma cases, organ transplants and elective surgeries.

"As we are coming out the pandemic, we are starting to resume those," Brown said.

Hospitals are responding to a higher number of traumas and emergency room visits, including overdose victims and resulting transplants.

Compared to 2019, the Red Cross has seen demand for blood from trauma centers increase 10% in 2021.

Summer is the peak for traffic crashes, which can also drain blood supplies.

In addition, demand is up due to patients who deferred care during the pandemic and are showing more advanced disease progression, requiring more blood transfusions.

Donors of all blood types are needed, Drew said, with Type O and platelet donations particularly in demand.

"We encourage all blood donor types to donate if they are feeling healthy enough to roll up their sleeves," Brown said.

Brown said in the last three months, the Red Cross has distributed 75,000 more blood products than expected.

The severity of the shortage varies by area, but is widespread nationally.

Blood banks consider themselves prepared when they have about three days' worth of the normal blood supply, according to Claudia Cohn, chief medical officer for the American Association of Blood Banks.

"This is the worst shortage I've experienced since I've been in this line of work," Cohn said.

A task force from the association says the blood supply in the United States has dropped to "red" level, meaning most of the nation's blood bank inventories have less that a one-day supply.

Because blood is perishable, it cannot be stockpiled, so it must be continuously replenished by donors.

According to the Red Cross, those who have been vaccinated for COVID-19 can donate blood in most cases, but the manufacturer of the vaccine received is important to determine eligibility.

Donors are urged to make an appointments to give blood or platelets now.

Schedule an appointment to by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
For a perfect example of why it's harder and harder to "just solve problems," especially in Washington, look for a minute at the For the People Act that Democrats tried to move through the Senate last week.
BRISTOL, Va.  A 39-year-old man was wounded early Thursday after he was shot through the back of his car following an apparent argument, according to the Bristol Virginia Police Department.

Sgt. Steve Crawford said a call came in at 12:54 a.m. about a man who had been shot in the parking lot of Eastridge Apartment Complex on Portsmouth Avenue.

The victim, who had not been identified late Thursday, drove to the apartment complex to meet a friend, police said. After realizing his friend had fallen asleep, the victim decided to sleep in his SUV, Crawford said. The victim was then confronted by someone, and there appeared to be an argument outside the vehicle prior to the shooting, he added.

At least three shots were fired through an open hatch in the back of the SUV, Crawford said, but the man was just hit once. The bullet went through the victim's shoulder and struck his face.

He has since been released from the hospital.

Crawford said police have spoken to the victim, who indicated he knows who shot him. Police are still investigating the motive, he said.

Although they have identified a suspect, Crawford continued, police will continue to investigate before making an arrest.
ABINGDON, Va.  United Way of Southwest Virginia announced a new educational initiative on Thursday designed to help children suffering from trauma.

The pilot program, called the Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative, will work with five local school systems in Bristol, Norton, Washington County, Smyth County and Dickenson County.

Funding from the United Way is more than $500,000 over the course of two years, said Travis Staton, president of United Way of Southwest Virginia.

The Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative defines trauma as childhood suffering from hunger, poverty, dysfunctional families, abuse, health problems and adverse childhood events.

More children this year have suffered from severe disruptions to their education, according to officials involved with the project. Smyth County Public Schools Superintendent Dennis Carter said many students have fallen behind academically due to long months of virtual learning and that the Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative will be vital to help make children stronger.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Danielle Dye, the initiatives resilience manager, echoed his concern. We know, with COVID, our children have suffered some gaps in their education, Dye said.
But Soderbergh did walk away from the experience  a satisfying and unique one, he says  with a gnawing sense of a larger existential crisis for movies. Ratings, like they have for most pandemic award shows, plummeted.

I just look at it as a larger issue than the specifics of what our show looked like, and that is: How do we make people care about the movies the way they used to?" Soderbergh says. To me, this is the real question that needs to be confronted.

But the conditions, and the opportunities of streaming, are also ripe for a protean, fast-working filmmaker like Soderbergh. He recently shot his third film for HBO Max, KIMI," a pandemic-set thriller with Zoe Kravitz. No Sudden Move, a period crime film for adults, is very much the kind of movie that before the streaming flood gates opened would have been unlikely to get made.
The letter also mentions that Lenoir-Rhyne plans to work with Catawba County Public Health to offer a vaccine clinic on campus sometime in July.

When asked what will happen to students who do not meet the deadline to be vaccinated, Cory Butzin, marketing communications specialist, sent the following via email:

The vaccine is readily available in most of the United States, so there should not be a problem having ample time to complete the vaccination process before the beginning of fall semester. We are working with international students who do not have access to the vaccine so they may be vaccinated upon an earlier arrival to campus. The university will consider requests for a COVID-19 vaccine exemption based on documented medical reasons or adherence to serious bona fide religious beliefs.

When asked what will happen to students and faculty who do not get the COVID-19 vaccine, the university gave no answer.

Our students come from many different areas of the United States and other countries, and we want to do our part as a campus community to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our LR community and the broader community, said Whitt.

More than 1,000 members of the LR community, including faculty, staffers and students, were vaccinated in the spring 2021 semester, according to the release. Classes for the fall semester begin Aug. 23.

Emily Willis is a general assignment and education reporter at the Hickory Daily Record.

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Yount looks forward to bringing her passion for community development to downtown Newton and continuing to foster the culture of progress and inclusiveness that are generating increasing interest and investment in Newtons central business district.

Im very excited to be joining Team Newton, a city rich with history and culture that is taking action to create a bright future for all its citizens, Yount said. I was impressed during my interview of the panels ability to articulate the vision for downtown Newton and its strategic future. Newton is poised to go from successful to significant. I look forward to bringing my skill-set and experience adding to such a forward-thinking community.

Newton City Manager Todd Clark said he looked forward to Yount joining Newtons staff as Main Street director.

Newton is fortunate to welcome someone as knowledgeable about downtown development as Mary, Clark said. I expect her to be a catalyst in our community as she rallies support for the strategic progress were making in our downtown and throughout the city. I look forward to working with her to continue building Newtons bright future.

Yount will begin work with the City of Newton on July 19. The community is invited to a public reception to welcome her to Newton from 4 to 6 p.m. July 28 at Newton City Hall, 401 North Main Ave.
The FDA gave donanemab a breakthrough therapy designation, which is intended to speed the development and review of drugs that show signs of being an improvement over established treatments.

Lilly may be able to file its application for approval in the next two or three months since the drugmaker appears to have all the data it needs, said Dr. Vamil Divan, an analyst who covers the company for Mizhuho Securities USA.

The Indianapolis company also will examine the drug in a larger, late-stage study. A spokeswoman said Lilly plans to complete enrollment in that study by the end of the year, and an 18-month treatment period will follow.

Biogen said Wednesday that another experimental Alzheimers treatment it developed with Japans Eisai Co. also received a breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA. Researchers are examining that drug, lecanemab, in a late-stage study.

The companies gave no time frame for when they might seek regulatory approval.

Some 6 million people in the U.S. and many more worldwide have Alzheimers disease, which gradually attacks areas of the brain needed for memory, reasoning, communication and basic daily tasks.
Effective leaders challenge the rest of us on the issues of the day. They navigate the ship of history through troubled waters. They take a stand. They do so knowing there will be recriminations from people who dont like them personally or politically, but they give direction anyway. With their words and actions, they move us forward.

Great leaders look at how history can help through the great challenges; those immediate moments which both give us immense joy and present tragic feelings of loss.

Two instances, out of many, are the moments when President Abraham Lincoln went to Gettysburg to offer a few remarks at the dedication of the new union cemetery in 1863 and when President Barack Obama spoke at the funeral of a South Carolina state senator and minister after the Charleston shooting in the summer of 2015.

Both speeches were eulogies for their times, but also affirmations for Americans and the country at large. Lincolns Gettysburg Address remains one of the greatest speeches in American history and literature. President Obama drew on Lincolns words to give meaning to the struggles of the country in the recent past. Lincoln gave his speech in the midst of the Civil War. Obama offered his sermon amidst racial strife and violence stemming from the Civil War and Americas racial hardships since.
When consumers spend $1 on dairy products, dairy farmers receive 30 cents of that dollar. Thats according to the latest research by USDAs Economic Research Service.

Since 2000, the number climbed to as high as 38 cents from every $1 in 2014 when farm gate milk prices climbed to record highs. The number dropped to a low of 24 cents in 2009 margins hit rock bottom and milk checks fell to a modern-day low.

What happened to the remainder of the money?

It went toward processing, transportation, retailers, and other venders in the supply chain. Not all dairy products are equal, however, as some products return more or less to those producing milk.



Whole milk: Fluid milk represents the high-end of returns for dairy farmers who received 51 cents every time a consumer spent $1 on fluid milk. Just like all dairy product sales, the previous high this century occurred in 2014 when dairy farmers received 61 cents. The low point in the spectrum occurred in 2009 at 40 cents.

Cheese: This product tends to mirror the larger dairy product basket. This year it outshined the combined dairy product category by 3 cents by returning 33 cents to dairy farmers for every $1 spent. Since 2000, the cheese category ranged from 24 to 37 cents for every $1. As one would expect, 2009 was the low while 2008 and 2014 represented the high at 37 cents.

Ice Cream: This is the lowest return product with only 14 cents from every $1 going to dairy producers last year. The lower farm share of ice cream is linked to the additional nondairy ingredients and further processing of the product. Like all other dairy product categories, 2009 also was the low point for ice cream at 12% with a range of 12% to 22% since 2000.



Overall, dairy farmers share of the retail food dollar tends to track higher during high milk prices. Of course, 2014 represented one of the best milk price years in modern dairy history.

To review the actual data sets, click this link.





To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com.

(c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021

June 21, 2021
A jet of Air Malta is seen behind a traffic sign during its approach for a landing at Zurich Airport, Switzerland. Photo: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

The introduction of the red, green and amber traffic light system in the UK has caused confusion over which countries it is possible to travel to this summer.

A key concern is how to get travel insurance and what a policy will cover.

Traffic light system

The red, amber and green traffic light system introduced by the government outlines what you must do when you arrive in England from abroad. This procedure is not about which countries you are permitted or advised to travel to but what happens if you are coming into England from another country. There are separate rules for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

What you must do before you travel and on your arrival depends on where you have been during the previous 10 days. There are different levels of quarantine and costly COVID-19 tests that you are legally required to take.

The government website lists countries and territories as red, amber or green and has different entry requirements depending on where you have been.

This system does not take into account whether these countries are permitting foreigners to enter them. For example Australia is on the green list, so on arrival to England from Australia you are not required to quarantine, but this does not recognise that Australian borders are closed to non-citizens. Currently it is not possible to travel to Australia on holiday.

The full list of countries and territories and the traffic light zones they sit in are regularly updated online and you can also sign up for watch list alerts.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

The most relevant advice for foreign holidays actually comes from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

There is no travel insurance product that will cover against the traffic light system, only a change in the FCDO advice.

Hannah Isitt, travel insurance expert at GoCompare, said: The traffic light system does not impact a travel insurance policy  the cover is dependent on the FCDO advice. For example, Israel is currently on the green list, but there will be no insurance cover available as the FCDO advise against all travel, whereas Rhodes  which is currently amber  will be covered as FCDO isnt advising against travel there."

Story continues

The FCDO can advise against all travel to a country or a territory (for example Afghanistan and parts of India) or all but essential travel (for example France).

A further complication is the FCDO advice may differ from the traffic light system. For example Greece and all its islands are on the amber list but the FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Greece except islands of Rhodes, Kos, Zakynthos, Corfu and Crete. This means it may be possible to get travel insurance for these specific islands but there will be stricter entry requirements when returning to the UK, such as a 10-day quarantine and two COVID-19 tests.

You may be able to end quarantine early if you pay for a private COVID-19 test through the Test to Release scheme.

Tourists carry their meals as they walk towards the Balos beach and its lagoon on the north-eastern part of the island of Crete, Greece. Photo: Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP via Getty Images

Insurance coverage

The most essential thing is to find out exactly what a travel insurance policy will and will not cover and what happens if the FCDO advice changes before your travel or whilst you are on holiday.

You are highly unlikely to find travel insurance for an area where the FCDO advises against all but essential travel. Polices are also unlikely to cover the costs of unexpected testing or quarantine.

It can be tempting to go for the cheapest, standard travel insurance via a price comparison website but for COVID-19 cover you are likely to need more bespoke insurance and it is worth calling the provider.

A lot of travel insurance policies now exclude pandemic coverage so you risk losing money if your holiday or flights are cancelled. Many insurance companies also expect you to try to recover cancellation costs directly from a tour operator or credit card company via chargeback, first.

Inez Cooper, managing director of insurance provider William Russell, said: "No matter what destination you are visiting, all basic travel insurance should cover personal liability cover, any medical expenses, repatriation services, any cancellations, any missed departures, delays, any travel abandonment and any misplaced baggage. If the policy doesnt have these features, you shouldnt go for it."

Check the terms and conditions with your insurance provider directly before you travel in case of any last minute changes.

Fuengirola beach in Spain. Photo: Carlos Gil/Getty Images

Health cover

If you are a UK citizen with a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) you can continue to get free or discounted healthcare for some treatment in European countries.

This year, a new UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) also became available offering similar benefits to EHIC. You can apply for one once your EHIC has expired.

However EHICs no longer work in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland (also known as the EFTA countries). GHICs also do not cover the EFTA countries.

Some individuals such as those that have rights under the Withdrawal Agreement (EU citizens) can still apply for an EHIC which does cover the EU and EFTA countries.

"Neither an EHIC nor a GHIC provides equivalent protection to travel insurance, for example repatriation costs, which you would need to secure separately," advised Sara-Jane Eaton, partner international claims and travel at DWF Law.

Her biggest piece of advice is to do as much preparation in advance as possible because "being forewarned is forearmed".

Watch: Should I book holiday this summer?
Commuters try to board on a suburban special train amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Kolkata. (Photo by Sudipta Das/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

An audit team appointed by the Supreme Court of India has reportedly found that the Delhi government exaggerated the oxygen requirement in the national capital by more than four times during the April 25-May 10 peak period of the Covid-19 second wave.

In response, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia lashed out at Bharatiya Janata Party over its allegations. Sisodia claimed that the alleged" report does not exist.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

We spoke to members of the audit committee who say that we havent signed any report or approved it. Where has this report come from? I ask BJP leaders to calm down and ask themselves where is this report based on which they are levelling allegations," he added.

In a separate press conference, BJPs Sambit Parta said, Many lost their family members in Jaipur Golden hospital and in Batra hospital, now this report has revealed that Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for these deaths. We are sure Kejriwal will be held accountable for criminal negligence in these deaths in the SC. AAPs focus has been only on advertising and zero management. Theyve spent 1000 crores on advertisements. They kept lying."

The oxygen audit team also informed the apex court that the supply of excess oxygen to Delhi could have affected supply to 12 states with a high caseload.

There was a gross discrepancy (about four times). The actual oxygen consumption claimed by the Delhi government (1,140MT) was about four times higher than the calculated consumption as per the formula based on bed capacity (289 MT), the newspaper cited the audit sub-group as saying in its report.

Further, the Petroleum and Oxygen Safety Organisation (PESO) reportedly told the SC-appointed sub-group that the National Capital Territory of Delhi had surplus oxygen, which is affecting liquid medical oxygen (LMO) supply to other states. It noted that the situation may lead to a national crisis, according to the news report.

A single-day rise of 51,667 COVID-19 infections took India's case tally to 3,01,34,445 while the weekly positivity rate declined to 3 per cent, according to Union Health Ministry on Friday. The death toll climbed to 3,93,310 with 1,329 more people succumbing to the viral disease in a day.

Story continues

The number of active cases has further declined to 6,12,868 and now comprises 2.03 per cent of the total infections. A net decline of 14,189 active cases has been recorded in a day.

Recoveries outnumbered daily new cases of COVID-19 for the 43rd consecutive day with the number of people who have recuperated from the disease surging to 2,91,28,267. The case fatality rate stood at 1.31 per cent.

While the national COVID-19 recovery rate has improved to 96.66 per cent, the weekly case positivity rate has come down to 3 per cent.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration has sought 20 lakh more doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the Centre before July 10, officials said on Thursday.

This demand was raised by J-K Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba to review the public health response to COVID-19.

Gauba asked the states and the union territories to closely monitor the trajectory of Covid infections to prevent subsequent surges and expedite vaccination of people above 18 years of age.

RELATED READS:
The Uttar Pradesh Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against The Wire and four other people for allegedly spreading false information and trying to create religious animosity through a video uploaded on Wednesday, 23 June, about the demolition of a mosque in Barabanki district in May.

The four people who have been named include two of its journalists, Seraj Ali and Mukul Singh Chauhan, along with Mohammad Anees, the secretary of the mosque committee, and Mohammad Naeem, a local resident.

Barabanki District Magistrate, Adarsh Singh, claimed that the documentary shows false and baseless information that is aimed to spoil communal harmony.

The video contains several wrong and baseless statements, including the one which says that the administration and police threw religious scriptures in a drain and river. This is false. Nothing of this sort happened. With misinformation like this, The Wire is trying to spread animosity in society and disturbing communal harmony, Singh said in a statement on Thursday night, according to The Indian Express.

Also Read: In Defiance of HC Order? How UPs Barabanki Mosque Was Demolished

The case has been filed under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups), 505 (1) (b) (intent to cause or likely to cause fear or alarm among the public), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

SP Barabanki said the name of the local man, Naeem, was added because he is the one who was 'making the false claims about religious books being thrown in the river and drain.'

In a statement, founding editor of The Wire Siddharth Varadarajan, said that all these cases were baseless. This is the fourth FIR filed by the UP Police in the past 14 months against The Wire and/or its journalists and each of these cases is baseless. The Adityanath government does not believe in media freedom and is criminalising the work of journalists who are reporting what is happening in the state, he said.



Earlier, when the mosque was demolished, Zufar Farooqui, chairman of the Sunni Waqf board had condemned the action.

Story continues

I strongly condemn the patently illegal and high-handed action of the tehsil and district administration particularly that of the sub-divisional magistrate for demolition of the 100-year-old mosque situated near the tehsil compound in the name of alleged removal of encroachment, he said.

The video story also showed members of the mosque committee alleging that they had documents to prove that the structure, that has now been demolished, was legal.

A petition was then moved in the Allahabad High Court by Sunni Waqf Board to challenge the demolition and is being heard currently. Representing the board are advocates Aftab Ahmad and Farhan Habib. The next date of the hearing is on 23 July.

Also Read: Despite Allahabad HC Order, Century-Old Mosque Demolished in UP

(With inputs from The Hindu, The Indian Express and The Wire)

. Read more on India by The Quint.Man Travels as Lone Passenger on Flight from Amritsar to Dubai'Ray' Review: Fearless Retelling of Satyajit Ray's Short Stories . Read more on India by The Quint.
A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation meeting Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley (Source: India in Sri Lanka/Twitter)

Colombo [Sri Lanka], June 17 (ANI): A five-member delegation of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Thursday called on Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Gopal Bagley, where they held discussions on the development of the North and East of Sri Lanka and improving connectivity between the two countries in the post-COVID period.

According to a release from the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka, the meeting took place at India House. The leader of Ilangai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) Maavai Senathirajah and TNA Members of Parliament Dharmalingam Sithadthan, Selvam Adaikkalanathan and MA Sumanthiran were present during the meeting.

Bagley was assisted by the Deputy High Commissioner Vinod K Jacob and Political Counsellor Banu Prakash.

During the meeting, the Indian High Commissioner stressed India's longstanding commitment towards creating social infrastructure such as housing in Sri Lanka that enabled all Sri Lankans including the people from the Northern and Eastern Provinces to enjoy the fruits of peace.

He also reiterated India's support for rehabilitation and development in areas such as connectivity, health and education.

Various aspects of devolution and developmental aspirations of the people from the North and East were also discussed during the meeting with TNA members.

According to the release, the TNA delegation also apprised the High Commissioner on progress regarding Provincial Council elections, which constitutes an integral part of Sri Lankan polity and Constitution.

In return, Bagley reiterated India's support for devolution within the framework of a united Sri Lanka on the basis of full implementation of the 13A, which would be in line with Tamil aspirations for equality, justice, peace and reconciliation and would strengthen Sri Lanka. (ANI)
WASHINGTON (AP)  Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

In addition, several hundred additional American forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September, to assist Turkish troops providing security, as a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said. Overall, officials said the U.S. expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership and most troops out by July Fourth, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago.

The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before President Joe Bidens Sept. 11 deadline for withdrawal. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months.
Human rights activists have long questioned the legal system in China, where the conviction rate regularly exceeds 99%. Only 656 people were found not guilty in Chinese courts in 2020, out of 1.5 million cases.

Nyrola Elima, a Uyghur exile now living in Sweden, said the evidence that sent her cousin to jail was entirely fabricated.

Elima said her cousin Mayila Yakufu was sentenced to six-and-a-half years jail in February after being accused of financing terrorism. Elima said Yakufu's only crime was transferring money to Australia to help her parents buy a house.

The imprisonment has left her family devastated, according to Elima. "I think they're dead inside," she said.

In a handwritten letter, which Elima said was penned by Yakufu in April, her cousin says she was forced to sign a false confession under threat of torture that was then used as evidence to convict her.

"They threatened me that if I did not admit guilt they would immediately take me to the National Security Forces and continuously interrogate me for a month, to see what else I will confess," the letter allegedly from Yakufu said. CNN has seen and independently translated the letter.
To many Americans, especially Democrats, Boris Johnson is a clownish British version of former President Trump. But Democrats might take a page from Johnson, especially on how to talk to people.

The party is going through self-analysis now. Yes, President Biden beat Trump and Democrats won a 50-50 split in the Senate. But theyd hoped to do much better; they want to get to the bottom of why the bottom fell out on their high hopes.

Democrats being Democrats, they think they need a stronger economic-policy message  and the right set of policy proposals.

Not so fast. Theres a reason most people avoid economics classes in school. Economics is boring. Economic policy proposals are boring.

Americans want specifics, but they yearn for hope and optimism. Theyre listening more for tone: confidence, strength and persistence. They want to hear music, not just read lyrics.

Boris Johnson gets it. He says his goal as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is to recapture some of the energy and optimism that this country used to have.

Democrats could use more energy and optimism  and less hectoring and lecturing.
100 years ago,

June 25, 1921

MATTOON  The Mattoon Water Board, which has control of the Paradise reservoir and water plant, has adopted rules for the reservoir and surrounding grounds. Members of the board realize that more protection must be given to the fish in order to keep the reservoir a good fishing place. Here are some of the new rules: There shall be no bass caught and kept that is less than 10 inches in length, no person shall be allowed to catch and keep more than 10 bass of the legal length in any one day, no one shall be allowed to have more than 10 bullfrogs in his possession and no one shall be allowed to catch and keep more than 20 crappie, blue gill, rock bass, sun fish and ring perch in one day's fishing... CHARLESTON  The West Polk Street Bridge spanning the Clover Leaf Railroad and all roads leading to the bridge, which have been closed during construction of the bridge, were thrown open to the public Thursday evening when the last spike was driven and all work completed. The new bridge, a much better one than the aged structure that has done service for years, is much larger and will accommodate more travel than the old one.

50 years ago, 1971

CHARLESTON  The director of the Palestine Liberation Organization in New York told an Eastern Illinois University audience last night that the Arabs will defeat Israel. "Israel may win one battle, 10 battles, 100 battles," said Saadat Hasan of the PLO. "We will win the war." Hasan said the U.S. chose the wrong side in the early 1950s when it committed itself to defense of Israel. Hasan said that then-President Harry Truman's affection for a Jewish partner in a clothing store may have been a prime factor in America's decision to commit to Israel... SHELBYVILLE  Parasitic wasps are being imported to Shelby County to destroy the eggs and larvae of the Creal Leaf Beetle, a destructive pests in small grains. The wasps have been raised at a federal parasite laboratory in Michigan and shipped to Shelby and Will counties. East of Findlay field have been planted to small grains to be used as a natural environment for the beetles. Farm Adviser Calvin Cowsert said it is hoped the beetles will be attracted to the fields, where they become victims of the wasp.

25 years ago, 1996

MATTOON  Even with a busier summer than usual, area food centers report a steady supply of food. The families of locked out Trailmobile employees have turned to food distributors in Mattoon and Charleston for assistance. Carl Sartwell of the Mattoon Community Food Center, said the organization currently feeds about 280 families a month, up slightly from its normal supply to 250 families a month. In Charleston, due to the Trailmobile lockout, officials at the Charleston Food Pantry is working with about 260 families a month. That is up almost 100 from the 170 families the Food Pantry typically aids in summer months... CHARLESTON  The third year of Red, White and Blue Days "Concert Under the Stars" will feature three musical acts, including a dynamic Texas group known for a Christmas song. Vince Vance and the Valiants will be the featured performer at Morton Park on July 3. The group is best known for its Christmas season hit, "All I Want for Christmas is You," which the group claims was the most requested holiday song in the country last year. Also performing on July 3 will be The Unrighteous Brothers, a '50s-'60s band from Charleston, and the D's 3, a three-woman group from Findlay that specializes in Big Band sounds... GREENUP  The Cumberland County Historical Society recently was honored by Gov. Jim Edgar at the 15th Annual Governor's Home Town Awards Banquet. The historical society was honored for its efforts to restore and maintain the old Greenup Depot. The train depot, built in 1870, was purchased by the historical society in 1973 after it closed in 1967. The old Illinois Central Railroad depot is located on Illinois Route 121, near Village Hall.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Little boys are often terrified when they are taken for a first haircut. All those high chairs, strange men and flashing scissors. So for generations, some barbers have had special figural chairs for children. The most popular is probably a horse.

There are barber chair collectors who have enough room to display them or antique lovers who buy one adult chair and keep it in a home bar or library or even living room to use. But those who dream of having a barbers chair must remember it weighs several hundred pounds and will be hard to move to another location, especially up or down stairs. The special large metal chairs with the hydraulic parts also may need repair.

Today, the most remembered names of barber equipment are Kokens or Belmonts, but one of the oldest is Emil J. Paidar Company from Chicago. It was the leading barber chair company from the early 1900s to the late 1950s. The company chairs were copied by other makers. In the late 1950s, Belmont merged with Takara Chair Sales Company of Japan. Takara started by 1921 and opened in New York in 1959. The new company joined Koken in 1969.
Houle said he saw his blood pouring from his neck wound.

I was never scared, Houle said. I was like, How in the world did this happen? I knew how bad it was. I was screaming in my head.

The bullets impact knocked Houle to the ground, he said. Houle believed he was fatally wounded.

When I opened my eyes, I was still here, Houle said. I knew I had some fighting to do. God kept me going.

It took Forsyth County emergency-medical technicians less than four minutes to get the scene where Houle had been shot, Houle said. It took less than 11 minutes for the EMTs to take Houle to Wake Forest Baptist for treatment.

If I didnt have this hospital nearby, I wouldnt have made it, Houle said.

As part of his treatment, Houle was given a great amount of blood to the replace the blood he lost from his injuries, Mowery said. The teamwork among Houles medical providers saves his life, Mowery and Brown said.

The team functioned like an well-oiled machine, Brown said.

Houle has recovered well physically from his injuries, Mowery said. Houle has scars from his injuries, he said.
According to the autopsy, the infant died from complications from premature birth. Environmental hypothermia and perinatal pneumonia contributed to her death. An amended autopsy report said her death was homicide and partly due to environmental exposure brought about because the neonate had been intentionally abandoned.

Jennifer R. Martin, Crows attorney, said Crow never intended for this to happen. She had no malicious intent and acted out of desperation because she knew she could not take care of this child, Martin said.

The child was born during a long dark period of Crows life, Martin said. Crow had grown up in a physically and emotionally abusive household. Crow had begged her mother not to marry her stepfather, who screamed and hit her constantly. Her mother also abused her, pulling her hair and beating her with a hairbrush, Martin said.

Martin also said her mother and stepfather also were restrictive, not allowing her to date and grounding her when they felt she broke the rules. That continued until she was 20. After she left, she ended up married to a man who proved to be physically abusive. They had a girl, who is now 15. She left after 13 years when he beat her and punched holes in their house, Martin said.
Begos reported and wrote the overarching story, Railey reported the story of the victims and Deaver reported the medical story about the eugenics program brought the whole story to life, Railey said.

Scott Sexton, a metro columnist and a former state editor at the Journal, edited the series.

Begos worked at the Journal from 1999 to 2005. He also worked at the Appalachicola Times, the Tampa Tribune, The Associated Press and Duke University, according to his obituary.

A native of Marseilles, France, Begos graduated from Bard College in Annadale-on-Hudson, N.Y. Begos moved to Applachicola in the mid-1990s, where he had owned a home for many years, according to his obituary.

His award-winning book, Tasting the Past: The Science of Flavor and the Search for the Origins of Wine, was published in 2018.

His sister, Cassandra Begos of New York City, aid she will remember her brothers varied interests and abilities as well as how capable he was at everything he tried to do.

Begos decided to run for mayor of Appalachicola at a time when the town was experiencing financial trouble, his sister said.

He brought the town out of that, Cassandra Begos said.
Forsyth County had another significant increase in new COVID-19 cases after a sharp two-week decline.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reported Friday that Forsyth had 54 new cases, on top of a four-week high of 72 reported Thursday.

DHHS lists COVID-19 cases and deaths on the day they are confirmed by medical providers and public health officials, so people may have been infected or may have died days before their cases were counted.

Before the jump in new cases the past two days, Forsyth averaged 14 new cases per day over a two-week period with just one reported Wednesday.

At least 94% of the 36,992 individuals who have had the virus in the county are considered fully recovered.

There were no additional COVID-19 related deaths reported Friday in Forsyth. The county has had 420 related deaths, including 31 in June.

Bladen outbreak

DHHS officials said they are concerned about COVID-19 spreading among communities with a significant percentage of its population unvaccinated.
Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. As with the verdicts in April, he showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial he still faces.

But very briefly, though, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some some peace of mind, he said, without elaborating.
HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

How South Carolina is handling eviction hearings varies across the state's magistrate courts, which are organized on the county level. Some courts have adopted virtual hearings, while others have chosen not to or don't have the technology needed to implement online proceedings, said Adam Protheroe, an attorney with SC Appleseed. Courts have also implemented the CDC moratorium differently, Protheroe added. Some are not allowing any eviction filings, while others are allowing initial filings or even approving cases to go forward until the last step of processing the eviction and removing the tenant.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Though the state comprises mostly small and midsize cities and rural areas, affordable housing advocates say costs are growing faster than earnings for many renters and homeowners, and leisure and hospitality workers in places such as Charleston and Myrtle Beach are being priced out of living near where they work. The state's housing authority reports that 24% of all renters in the state, or more than 140,000 households, spend more than half their income on rent or have no income at all.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?
Stallions typically fight over territory and occasionally over a mare, Puckett said. About half the horses are male, so the competition is stiff to lead a group, she said.

Fighting can get unpredictable and dangerous to people nearby. Puckett recommends people keep at least 50 feet away.

Horse fight using different tactics.

They typically take on an adversary by striking with their front hoofs, biting their opponents neck or kicking with their back legs. Most stallions have scars on their bodies from brawls. Some are missing the tips of their ears, Puckett said.

Its amazing the scars they have, she said. It can get rough.

At times, a young stallion challenges a veteran without a fight, Puckett said. Its a form of psychological warfare.

Recently, a young buck followed the harem of an older stallion for months, watching and waiting. The elderly horse tried to keep his mares away from him, but it was no use. The challenger was always close by. The threat of a fight caused the old timer to lose weight and his health declined, Puckett said.

Finally, he gave up his mares to the younger horse. Afterward, he recovered, regained the weight and is doing well, Puckett said.
L. Kent Wolgamott Entertainment reporter/columnist L. Kent Wolgamott, the recipient of the 2018 Mayors Arts Award, has written about arts and entertainment for Lincoln newspapers since 1985, reviewing thousands of movies and concerts and hundreds of art exhibitions. Follow L. Kent Wolgamott 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

So Many Places To See is the perfect title for the eighth studio album from Lincolns peripatetic troubadour Orion Walsh, who usually spends most of the year traveling with his guitar, playing house shows and bars across the U.S. and Europe.

For obvious reasons, Walsh was trapped in Lincoln last year by the coronavirus shutdown. So, like many other musicians, Walsh made a record.

Recording with Lucas Kellison, Lincolns own Dr. Luke, Walsh crafted his best album yet, injecting a pop sensibility, via Kellisons bass, keyboards background vocals and mix, into his sharply crafted, folk-rooted songs.

Theres a strong autobiographical element to the album  opening with the easy-flowing opening I made it out of my home town/Saw the world for awhile title cut and closing with the quiet, longing to return home, of The Foreigner.

In between, Walsh goes back to summer time 2-0-1-9 before the world got so weird and crazy for the catchy pop tale of riding through the English countryside with a woman on London Eye," and visits his pandemic dreams on the delicate Sleepin In.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose death set off a reckoning over racial injustice in America.
Cases of a caregiver killing someone he or she has been caring for are uncommon.

But a local expert said cases of caregivers struggling to cope and of elder abuse have skyrocketed during the pandemic.

This week, an 80-year-old Lincoln man accused of shooting his 78-year-old wife in the head told police she had advanced Alzheimers disease and he couldnt take care of her anymore. John Kotopka went on to tell police that his wife, Janet Kotopka, had become extremely combative with him and other caregivers when they tried to help her with basic needs.

Maintaining the health of caregivers, particularly those who care for people with memory loss, is a huge issue, said Dr. Jane Potter, a professor of geriatrics at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

People who provide such care are under extraordinary stress, Potter said. Isolating during the pandemic often meant turning away helpful family members or friends.

You have a person whose behavior deteriorates, and it further exacerbates the stress caregivers are under and the risk of having abuse, Potter said.
A belief in progress and policing

Batista is aware that the narrative surrounding law enforcement over the last 13 months has not painted the profession in a positive light. And he knows why  though he repeatedly described the portrait of policing as one painted with "a broad brush."

Still, the former chief who spent the first 30 years of his career in Tucson still believes in law enforcement's ability to progress, he said, drawing a compelling comparison.

"We have made amazing strides in getting better and better," Batista said. "Sometimes I joke that policing and the Catholic Church are kind of like almost on the same page when it comes to trying to turn the ship around: We're slow. And I'm Catholic, so I can tell you that."

While Batista acknowledged recent faults in policing and the profession's resistance to reform, he more often expressed faith in the field and the vast majority of its employees.

"My belief is  without a doubt  that the police in this country are a part of the fabric that keeps our communities safe," he said. "Without a doubt. You are never gonna hear me say anything different than that because that is what I believe."

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Defunding the police?
Lincoln police arrested a city resident and an Iowa man Thursday after they returned to the same apartment they'd burglarized earlier in the day, according to authorities.

Officer Luke Bonkiewicz said police received a call around 3 a.m. Thursday about a break-in at an apartment near 27th Street and Woods Boulevard. Residents told officers two men with a long gun had forced their way in and left with an Xbox, jewelry, a speaker and around $400.

Then, at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, officers responded again to Country Club Apartments, where a neighbor reported that the two men had returned.

Bonkiewicz said officers surrounded the apartment and announced their presence. At that point, Dangelo Harris, 22, jumped from the apartment's balcony and ran from officers. After a foot pursuit, Harris was caught and detained, Bonkiewicz said.

The other man, Hunter Bull, 21, also ran from officers and was captured after a foot chase.

The alleged break-in "does not appear to be random," Bonkiewicz said, but any connection remains unclear.
Cabrera said the theory exists not as a way to label white people as racist -- which he said is often used to paint CRT as divisive -- but rather to look at how systemic inequities have disadvantaged groups of people based on their race.

The only way youre being attacked as a white person is if youre being racist, he said. Theres nothing inherent that says white people need to feel bad. I have yet to see that as a prerequisite.

In a phone interview Friday afternoon, Peterson said the Nebraska Freedom Coalition and the Nebraska Federation of Republican Women saw an opportunity to bring the issue to NU after previously calling on the Omaha Learning Community to ban critical race theory.

While regents stay away from directing policy -- a bylaw governing the board reaffirms belief in, pledges support of, and directs all segments of the University community to sustain and follow principles of academic freedom  Peterson said regents have the final say in what NU funds and how.

The Nebraska Freedom Coalition and its various political action committees, limited liability companies and nonprofit organizations formed earlier this month, believe the board should use that power to stop critical race theory from being taught at NU.
Today is Friday, June 25, 2021. Let's get caught up.

Here's what you should know today: Vice President Harris heads to the U.S.-Mexico border after criticism for her absence; Derek Chauvin will be sentenced today for the killing of George Floyd; and cows are getting loose in towns across the U.S.

Keep scrolling for today's top stories, this date in history and celebrity birthdays.

TOP STORIES

Harris heads to border after facing criticism for absence

WASHINGTON (AP)  Kamala Harris faces perhaps the most politically challenging moment of her vice presidency Friday when she heads to the U.S. southern border as part of her role leading the Biden administrations response to a steep increase in migration.

While in El Paso, Texas, she will tour a Customs and Border Patrol processing center, hold a conversation with advocates from faith-based organizations as well as shelter and legal service providers and deliver remarks.
The group's efforts include filing actions to delist endangered species and pushing for federal agencies to coordinate policies with state and local governments. Byfield has been traveling the country, speaking to farm and ranch groups to generate opposition to the 30-by-30 initiative.

On Thursday, she praised Ricketts for being the first governor to take a stand against 30-by-30 and for crisscrossing Nebraska to hold multiple town halls on the subject. Ricketts began the town halls in May. His latest one was slated for Thursday night in Pickrell.

"He's standing between you and the federal government on this," Byfield said. "He's making sure you guys are protected."

But Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen, who was not at the governor's event, said he was deeply disappointed and aghast that the governor has gone across the state and has substantially and knowingly misrepresented the facts of the Biden 30-by-30 plan, the details of which have not yet even been developed.

He called the governors effort very destructive and misguided in a state with a huge vested interest and need for soil and water conservation programs. He said he knows of no private property rights issues to fear from the 30-by-30 initiative.
DES MOINES  Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday that she plans to deploy Iowa State Patrol officers to the U.S. southern border to aid law enforcement and border security efforts there.

Reynolds said she took the action in response to requests from Republican Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.

My first responsibility is to the health and safety of Iowans and the humanitarian crisis at our nations southern border is affecting all 50 states, Reynolds said in a statement The rise in drugs, human trafficking, and violent crime has become unsustainable. Iowa has no choice but to act, and its why I am honoring Texas Emergency Management Assistance Compact following assurances from the Iowa Department of Public Safety that it will not compromise our ability to provide all necessary public safety services to Iowans.

On June 10, Abbott and Ducey formally requested law enforcement support from all 50 states through an existing interstate mutual aid agreement that enables states to share resources during a disaster, according to Reynolds' office. With the action, Iowa would join Florida, Nebraska, and Idaho in sending law enforcement to the southern border to assist Texas and Arizona.
On June 10, a letter to the editor my wife and I submitted was printed in the Journal Star ("Putting right over party"), expressing our appreciation that Sen. Ben Sasse and Reps. Jeff Fortenberry and Don Bacon had voted to support an investigation into the Jan. 6 insurrection at our nations Capitol.

We also expressed our disappointment that two representatives had voted against the investigation.

Imagine my surprise when we received an envelope on June 16 at our home stuffed full of hateful rhetoric, poorly written and historically inaccurate information about U.S. history, photos and a lengthy diatribe about unhatched birds, babies, abortion and liberal brainwashing in public schools."

Again, our letter was of gratitude and disappointment -- not socialism, abortion or hatred of a political party -- submitted to the public forum in the Journal Star.

We live in a nation where individual opinions are to be respected, not attacked by seeking out an individuals home to reply with hateful propaganda. Any reply to a letter to the editor should be answered and/or commented on in the same public forum.
Dame Helen Mirren thinks Queen Elizabeth is a "survivor".

The 75-year-old actress - who won an Oscar for her 2006 portrayal of the British monarch in 'The Queen' - believes the 95-year-old ruler is used to "drama" and after living through Worlds War II, she'll be able to overcome her struggles now, including the recent death of her husband, Prince Philip, and apparent rift with grandson Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

Helen said: "Shes had drama all of her life. [The queen] had huge drama all of her life. When you think that when she was in her early teens [it] was the second World War  what could be more dramatic than that? I mean, what would have happened to that family if the Nazis, if Germany, had won that war?

Yeah, it really, really looked as if Germany was going to win that war. So, you know, this is a woman whos been through an extraordinary life of change, of drama, of tragedy, of triumph  Shes a survivor.

The veteran actress was delighted to finally get behind the wheel in 'F9' after admitting it felt like a "cruel hoax" to learn she wouldn't get to do any driving in her role as Magdalene 'Queenie' Shaw in either 2017's 'The Fate of the Furious' or spin-off 'Hobbs and Shaw'.
Minor flooding continued along the Big Nemaha River near Falls City on Friday, nearly 24 hours after heavy rains soaked areas of southeastern Nebraska on Thursday night.

There were reports of 8 inches of rain near Verdon and 7 inches near Falls City, leading to rising river levels.

By Friday morning, the Big Nemaha River had reached nearly 31 feet at Falls City, still well below the record of more than 34 feet.

Heavy rain fell across a wide area on Thursday, with 6 inches reported near Murdock, about 30 minutes northeast of Lincoln. The National Weather Service said a campground in nearby Weeping Water was evacuated before midnight Thursday because of rising water.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The Lincoln Airport recorded 1.3 inches of rain on Thursday, most of it coming in the early morning hours. Areas of southeast Lincoln saw more rain Thursday night.

Though rain was the main feature of Thursday night's storms, high winds also wreaked havoc in some areas, reportedly knocking down large trees and power lines in the village of Nemaha, blocking some roads.

Several counties were included in tornado warnings throughout the evening, but there were no confirmed reports.
Alex Boniello, who starred with Feldman in Dear Evan Hansen, told him everybody wants their dreams to come true two or three days a week. Broadway, however, requires eight shows a week  which is absurd, particularly if youre doing it for a year or two years. A show like Dear Evan Hansen is exhausting, but thats part of the job  to maintain your gratitude and keep it fresh every day.

Now in HSMTMTS as a French foreign exchange student, Feldman says hes able to embrace the pure joy (and naivete) that comes from being in a high school production. Its the closest Ill ever get to feeling like Im in high school theater again. Its amazing.

That the series is a spinoff of High School Musical, the show that sparked his interest in theater, is just one more head shaker in a life filled with them.

I was 4 years old when the first movie came out. Thats a model of Troy Boltons locker that Ive had forever, he says pointing to a CD player behind him during a Zoom call. I also have the script for High School Musical Junior 2. I was Troy and I wrote, Troy Bolton: Deal with it on it. So this is massive for me. Those movies were why I wanted to do theater. It was the first time I saw a cool guy doing theater.

That big break
When the 70% goal was first announced by Biden seven weeks ago, more than 800,000 Americans on average were getting their first vaccine dose each day  down from a high of nearly 2 million per day in early April. Now that figure is below 300,000.

Paradoxically, officials believe the strong response to the early vaccination campaign has served to reduce motivation to get a shot for some. One of the most potent motivators was the high rate of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Now that those figures have dropped to levels not seen since the onset of the pandemic, officials say its become harder to convince Americans of the urgency to get a shot  particularly for younger populations that already knew they were at low risk of serious complications from the virus.

Separately, two officials involved in the crafting of the 70% goal said that officials knew 65% would have been a safer bet, but that the White House wanted to reach for a figure closer to experts projections of what would be needed for herd immunity to bring down cases and deaths. Aiming for the higher target, the officials said, was seen as adding to the urgency of the campaign and probably increased the vaccination rate above where it would have been with a more modest goal.
Recently, there has been a great amount of publicity and rhetoric about the billions of dollars in surplus revenue available to the State of Wisconsin and what to do with it.

Given the many needs in our state, it would seem foolish and short-sighted to provide tax refunds while leaving many significant needs unfunded or under-funded.

Tax refunds would go primarily to people who already have a personal money surplus, since they are the group paying the most taxes.

Since the state budget committee is working on finalizing it's budget proposal, addressing these needs is urgent!

Among the many needs in our state, I believe one of the most critical is for the lead abatement program.

Lead poisoning is preventable, but if left in place, is devastating for our children and causes horribly expensive consequences including medical treatments, special education programs, increased crime rates and juvenile delinquency.
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

View Results
BEAVER CITY  More than 150 pieces of evidence prove William Billy J. Quinn sexually assaulted and trafficked a teenage girl, prosecutors say. But Quinns defense team says the alleged victim was old enough to consent to the acts, and there is plenty of reasonable doubt in the case.

Quinns case is in the hands of a 10-man, two-woman Furnas County jury after a 10-day trial in district court where Quinn, 57, of Oxford is charged with four counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, two counts of human sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of manufacturing-visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, two counts of possession-visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, two counts of enticement by electronic communication device and one count of child abuse in connection to the girl.

The jury received the case at 1:42 p.m. Friday.

If the jury doesnt reach a unanimous verdict by 8 p.m. Friday, they will return to deliberations at 8 a.m. Monday.

During a seven-month period in 2019-20, Corey OBrien with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, representing the prosecution, said Quinn wielded skills in manipulation, power and control over the girl and scorched a path of destruction across Furnas County.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}
HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Hearings are proceeding in person by appointment, but executing court orders for non-payment of rent have been put on hold until the lifting of the federal moratorium, said Craig Berke, spokesperson for the state court system. Decisions in residential eviction cases in which there are safety concerns, such as property damage or change in ownership, however, are being enforced, he said. Through June 15, there were roughly 1,300 eviction filings for non-payment of rent, compared with more than 1,500 through the same period last year and more than 3,000 in 2019, according to court data.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

As of May, the median monthly rent in the Providence metro area had risen 9% over the last year to $1,750, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment rose 12% to $1,975. The vacancy rate in Providence is about 5.8%, down from about 6.1% last year, according to Rhode Island housing. Statewide its around 3.3%, down from 4.24% this time last year.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Lifting the eviction moratorium will be devastating to Rhode Island, which already had the highest eviction rate in New England, even before the pandemic, said Kristina Contreras Fox, a policy analyst at the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness. We have virtually no housing stock, she said. So when Rhode Islanders get evicted, they and their families have literally nowhere to go. Brenda Clement, of Housing Works RI, added theres already a waiting list for homeless shelters and more than 100 people have been temporarily placed in hotels across the state as a result. Another indication of the looming problem is census data showing nearly 6,000 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The man said Danon gave him cash, marijuana and Xanax and continued to pay him so he wouldn't talk about the alleged abuse, which he said continued through high school.

The man said he had met with Danon at a credit union near 144th and F streets in July 2020 to cash a $2,000 check from Danon. Detectives confirmed the check receipt from Danon to the man and found credit union surveillance video of the two together.

The man said he told only his therapist and his brother about the alleged abuse.

A third man, also 27, spoke to an Omaha police sergeant in August about the investigation into Danon's alleged behavior.

In a follow-up interview last month, the man told police that he had not told the sergeant what Danon had done to him because he "was embarrassed and felt demasculinized," the affidavit said.

He then said it had been a year since the first man died of an overdose and he felt that disclosing the abuse to the police "was the right thing to do."

The man said Danon masturbated and performed oral sex on him in middle school. The two other boys were Danon's "main victims," the man told police, and the abuse against him stopped in high school.
Nebraska National Guard helicopter crews and support personnel helped battle fires in north-central Nebraska that were sparked by multiple lightning strikes on Wednesday.

Severe weather triggered at least 20 different fires in the area, Seth Peterson of the Nebraska Forest Service said.

As of Friday, the fires were 95% contained, according to a news release from the National Guard.

The largest fire has burned approximately 6,000 acres near where Brush Creek crosses Nebraska 11 in northern Holt County, Peterson said.

Gov. Pete Ricketts activated two National Guard helicopter crews to provide additional aerial firefighting capabilities at the request of local authorities in the north-central Nebraska counties.

Eleven soldiers deployed Thursday evening from the Army Aviation Support Facility in Grand Island with one CH-47 Chinook helicopter, one UH-72 Lakota helicopter and one fuel truck.

Both helicopters are equipped with water buckets.

As of Friday morning, the National Guard crews had completed 34 drops totaling more than 23,000 gallons of water to battle the flames.
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has selected Dane County to host the 75th Alice in Dairyland Finals, which will take place May 19-21, 2022, culminating at the Monona Terrace in Madison.

According to the University of WisconsinDivision of Extension, more than 2,500 farms own and manage over 506,000 acres, or about 66%, of the countys total land. The countys diverse agriculture industry also provides more than 14,100 jobs and $3.1 billion in economic activity. With a strong movement towards purchasing local foods, $4 million of Dane Countys agricultural products are sold directly to consumers. The countys main agricultural commodities include dairy cows, corn, soybeans, alfalfa hay, and winter wheat.

Alice in Dairyland is one of the most recognizable figures in Wisconsin agriculture. The impact of Alices work to educate audiences across the state about our vibrant, diverse agriculture industry cannot be overstated, said DATCP Secretary-designee Randy Romanski.

DATCP is proud to serve as the home of this long-standing, proud Wisconsin tradition. We look forward to an exciting year ahead as Dane County prepares to host the landmark 75th Alice in Dairyland Finals.
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson plans to hold an event questioning the safety of the COVID-19 vaccine on Monday, June 28, according to FOX6 News in Milwaukee. This event comes after the Wisconsin Republican has repeatedly spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and publicly refused to get one himself.

In response to Johnsons event, Dr. Bob Freedland, an ophthalmologist in La Crosse and the Wisconsin State Lead for the Committee to Protect Health Care, released the following statement:

As a physician and concerned constituent of Sen. Ron Johnson, I call on him to cancel his anti-vaccine event, or, better yet, use his platform and time to hold an event encouraging people to get the safe, effective vaccine. Johnson claims, clearly in bad faith, to just be sharing the truth about vaccines, but the truth is that theyre safe, and theyre the best way for Wisconsinites to protect themselves and their loved ones from the deadly COVID-19 disease.

As our U.S. senator, Johnson has an obligation to do whats right for the health of our state and country  and thats promoting the vaccines. If he cant stop spreading misinformation and undermining the best tool we have to protect against COVID-19 and dangerous variants, Sen. Johnson needs to get out of the way and let the rest of us do our jobs.

Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
'We have a deal': Biden announces infrastructure agreement

Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press President Joe Biden, with a bipartisan group of senators, speaks about the infrastructure plan Thursday outside the White House in Washington. From left are, Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Biden, Sen, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., rear, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.. Evan Vucci Biden

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden announced on Thursday a hard-earned bipartisan agreement on a pared-down infrastructure plan that would make a start on his top legislative priority and validate his efforts to reach across the political aisle. He openly acknowledged that Democrats will likely have to tackle much of the rest on their own.

The bills price tag at $973 billion over five years, or $1.2 trillion over eight years, is a scaled-back but still significant piece of Bidens broader proposals.

It includes more than a half-trillion dollars in new spending and could open the door to the presidents more sweeping $4 trillion proposals later on.

When we can find common ground, working across party lines, that is what I will seek to do, said Biden, who deemed the deal a true bipartisan effort, breaking the ice that too often has kept us frozen in place.

The president stressed that neither side got everything they wanted in this deal; thats what it means to compromise, and said that other White House priorities would be tackled separately in a congressional budget process known as reconciliation

He made clear that the two items would be done in tandem and that he would not sign the bipartisan deal without the other, bigger piece. Progressive members of Congress declared they would hold to the same approach.

This reminds me of the days when we used to get an awful lot done up in the United States Congress, said Biden, a former Delaware senator, putting his hand on the shoulder of a stoic-looking Republican Sen. Rob Portman as the president made a surprise appearance with a bipartisan group of senators to announce the deal outside the White House.

The deal was struck after months of partisan rancor that has consumed Washington while Biden has insisted that something could be done despite skepticism from many in his own party. Led by Republican Portman of Ohio and Democrat Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, the group included some of the more independent lawmakers in the Senate, some known for bucking their parties.

You know there are many who say bipartisanship is dead in Washington, said Sinema, We can use bipartisanship to solve these challenges.

And Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said, It sends an important message to the world as well that America can function, can get things done.

The proposal includes both new and existing spending and highlights the struggle lawmakers faced in coming up with ways to pay for it

The investments include $109 billion on roads and highways, $15 billion on electric vehicle infrastructure and transit systems and $65 billion toward broadband, among other expenditures on airports, drinking water systems and resiliency efforts to tackle climate change.

Rather than Bidens proposed corporate tax hike that Republicans oppose or the gas tax increase that the president rejected, funds will be tapped from a range of sources  without a full tally yet, according to the White House document.

Money will come from COVID-19 relief funds approved in 2020 but not yet spent, as well as untapped unemployment insurance funds that Democrats have been hesitant to poach. Other revenue is expected by going harder after tax cheats by beefing up Internal Revenue Service enforcement.

The rest is a hodge-podge of asset sales and accounting tools, including funds coming from 5G telecommunication spectrum lease sales, strategic petroleum reserve and an expectation that the sweeping investment will generate economic growth  what the White House calls the macroeconomic impact of infrastructure investment.

The senators from both parties stressed that the deal will create jobs for the economy, a belief that clearly transcended the partisan interests and created a framework for the deal.

Were going to keep working togetherwere not finished, Sen. Mitt Romney said. But America works, the Senate works.

For Biden, the deal was a welcome result.

Though for far less than the approximately $2 trillion he originally sought, which is raising some ire on the left, Biden had bet his political capital that he could work with Republicans and showcase that that American democracy can deliver and be a counter-example to rising autocracies across the globe.

Moreover, Biden and his aides believed that they needed a bipartisan deal on infrastructure to create a permission structure for more moderate Democrats  including Sinema and Joe Manchin of West Virginia  to then be willing to go for a party-line vote for the rest of the presidents agenda.

There is still some skepticism on the left. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the bipartisan agreement is way too small paltry, pathetic. I need a clear, ironclad assurance that there will be a really adequate robust package that will follow the bipartisan agreement.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, like Biden, warned that it must be paired with the presidents bigger goals now being prepared by Congress under a process that could push them through the Senate with only Democratic votes.

There aint going to be a bipartisan bill without a reconciliation bill, Pelosi said.

Portman had met privately ahead of the White House meeting with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell at the Capitol and said afterward that the Kentucky senator remains open-minded and hes listening still.

The announcement leaves unclear the fate of Bidens promises of massive investment to slow climate change, which Biden this spring called the existential crisis of our times.

Bidens presidential campaign had helped win progressive backing with pledges of major spending on electric vehicles, charging stations, and research and funding for overhauling the U.S. economy to run on less oil, gas and coal. The administration is expected to push for some of that in future legislation.

But Sen. Cassidy, R-La, stressed that there are billions of dollars for resiliency against extreme weather and the impacts of climate change and deemed Thursdays deal a beginning investment.

Biden has sought $1.7 trillion in his American Jobs Plan, part of nearly $4 trillion in broad infrastructure spending on roads, bridges and broadband internet but also including the so-called care economy of child care centers, hospitals and elder care.

With Republicans opposed to Bidens proposed corporate tax rate increase, from 21% to 28%, the group has looked at other ways to raise revenue. Biden rejected their idea to allow gas taxes paid at the pump to rise with inflation, viewing it as a financial burden on American drivers.

The broad reconciliation bill would likely include tax increases on the wealthy and corporations, so a tension still exists over funding for some Republicans and business groups. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce came out Thursday applauding the bipartisan infrastructure agreement, but Neil Bradley, its executive vice president, warned that some in Congress are trying to torpedo the deal unless they get trillions in additional spending.

The Democrats bigger proposal would run through the budget reconciliation process, which would allow passage of Bidens priorities by majority vote, without the need for support from Republicans to overcome the Senates 60-vote threshold. It would require multiple rounds of voting that are likely to extend into fall.

___
Malpica said he was surprised when he heard he was nominated for the role as bishop, because he didnt realize the election was pushed off a year due to the pandemic. In the La Crosse Area Synod, members of each congregation nominate individuals to run as bishop, and then those nominees go through a campaign of sorts, doing interviews, Q&As and more until the final vote.

Malpica beat out six other nominees, who were all narrowed down by more than 200 voting members. A bishop can serve up to three six-year terms.

There are a lot of symbols Malpica sees in his new role that make it feel like the right place to be  he was nominated in an assembly titled We Will Sing, a reflection of his love for music in ministry, and he considers this a sort-of homecoming, since he met his wife working at a bible camp in the area.

He hopes he can translate his work in community-based ministry into this new role, and wants to bring the Lutheran church back to its roots of being an accepting space, especially during a time when the world feels split apart.

We live in a world right now that is so divisive that people are unwilling to work with each other unless theyre part of the same group, he said. And the church needs to be an example of a place thats willing to work together despite that.
BOSTON (AP)  They were convicted of the same crime: the 2011 killing of a Boston teen as part of a gang feud. But Nyasani Watt  who pulled the trigger  will be able to fight for his release on parole after 15 years because he was only 17 at the time of the killing.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Wisconsin:
BANGKOK (AP)  As Thailand struggles to slow its worst wave of coronavirus infections, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha announced Friday a one-month lockdown of camps where construction workers are housed in Bangkok and nine other areas.

The situation has become critical as the number of hospital beds in Bangkok for seriously ill COVID-19 patients runs short despite the creation of several field hospitals. Prayuth said a proposal for a seven-day curfew for all of Bangkok has been rejected for the time being.

More details of new measures will be released over the weekend, the prime minister said, acknowledging that people will have less convenience during this period.

Construction workers will be isolated in camps in Bangkok and five neighboring provinces, and in the countrys four southernmost provinces, all virus hotspots. Prayuth said the Labor Ministry will provide living expenses for the workers, both Thais and foreign migrants.

Bangkok currently has 107 virus clusters, mainly in crowded communities and at construction camps, factories and markets, said Apisamai Srirangsan, deputy spokesperson for the governments Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration.

She said it was a bad sign that 25 of the clusters have been active for more than 28 days.

Additional measures under consideration include closing off high-risk areas, isolating areas with people considered high-risk such as migrant workers, and limiting dangerous activities, she said.

The government is also mobilizing military medical staff and recent medical graduates from other provinces to assist in the Bangkok area. The military already has helped set up field hospitals.

Health authorities on Friday announced 3,644 new cases, bringing the confirmed total to 236,291, including 1,819 deaths, since the pandemic started. The most recent wave of infections which started in early April accounts for about 88% of the total cases and 95% of the deaths.

Officials said public hospitals in Bangkok currently have only 23 acute-care beds available for COVID-19 patients in serious condition, while private hospitals have 108.

Bangkoks public Chulalongkorn Hospital suspended COVID-19 testing for four days starting Thursday because it has no beds for COVID-19 patients, said Thiravat Hemachudha, a medical professor at Chulalongkorn University. Health regulations decree that patients who test positive for the virus must be admitted.

Thailand has administered around 8.66 million vaccine doses, with around 9% of its 69 million people receiving at least one shot. Critics charge that Prayuths government failed to secure timely and adequate vaccine supplies. He says Thailand now has agreements that will ensure enough vaccine for about 70% of its population by the end of the year.

Authorities, meanwhile, are planning to go ahead with a plan to allow fully vaccinated foreign tourists to visit the southern resort island of Phuket without undergoing a 14-day quarantine that is otherwise mandatory. Thailand is anxious to begin the recovery of its lucrative tourism industry, which has been devastated by the pandemic and consequent travel restrictions.
With more concert announcements coming in every day, it's beginning to look like free Fridays and Saturdays in the summer and fall are going to be a scarce commodity.

Tellus360 is doing its part by announcing a wide range of shows, including several in the past few days.

Songwriter John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats will perform solo at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Tickets are $35 and go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 25, though fan pre-sale tickets are available now.

The Mountain Goats released two albums in 2020, "Songs for Pierre Chuvin" and "Getting into Knives," and will have another, "Dark in Here," out in time for the performance.

Legendary NYC post-hardcore band Quicksand will make a rare appearance in Lancaster on Friday, Oct. 1. The tour is for the bands' new album, "Distant Populations," which releases on Aug. 13. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 25.

Corty Byron, local master of the tribute performance, will convene a 10-piece band comprised of other Lancaster luminaries for a full 50th anniversary tribute to George Harrison's "Concert for Bangladesh" concert on Sunday, Aug. 1. Tickets are $25 and are on sale now.

Dancehall icon Sister Nancy, responsible for the highly-sampled "Bam Bam" and other notable songs, is coming to Tellus360 on Friday, Sept. 24. Tickets are $25 and on sale now.

For information on these and all other shows at Tellus360, visit tellus360.com.
Franklin & Marshall College insists it is not considering changing its name despite an article in The Atlantic magazine that stated the liberal arts college in Lancaster is weighing a new name due to one of its namesakes participation in slavery.

Now the articles author  Paul Finkelman, president and history professor at Gratz College, located just outside Philadelphia  is apologizing without taking full responsibility for the error.

Im not a reporter, Finkelman said on Thursday when he was contacted by an LNP | LancasterOnline reporter. Im a historian. If I overstated it, I overstated it.

Finkelman said he heard from an F&M alumnus, who Finkelman would not name, that the school is weighing a new name. But Finkelman did not verify the information with F&M before including it in his June 15 article.

On Thursday, after receiving an email from an LNP | LancasterOnline reporter, The Atlantic posted a correction to the article indicating that it had learned that F&M had no official discussions about renaming the school.

While there have not been discussions about renaming F&M, there have been discussions on campus about slavery.

F&M has established a study group to examine issues of how slavery is represented on campus, but the establishment of the group was not inspired by Finkelmans article or the 2018 book upon which the article is based, according to F&M spokesman Gregory Wright.

Franklin & Marshall takes very seriously our role in confronting systemic racism and the historical roots that continue to harm our society today, Wright said in a statement prepared after the college started getting inquiries from alumni, faculty and staff about The Atlantic piece. There is still a great deal of work to do, and we are eager to continue that work.

Marshalls slavery record detailed

Finkelman peeled back the curtain on Supreme Court justice John Marshalls aggressive slave purchasing practices in his 2018 book Supreme Injustice: Slavery in the Nations Highest Court.

In the early 19th century, Marshall, F&Ms namesake alongside Benjamin Franklin, gave 27 enslaved people to one of his sons, sold more than 30 to pay off the debts of another son, and gave about 40 to another son, according to Finkelman. Upon his death in 1835, Marshall owned more than 150 people.

Marshall is often regarded as the most influential Supreme Court justice in history. He established the Supreme Courts role as the third branch of government in the United States, giving power to the idea of checks and balances. His involvement in slavery, however, was largely neglected until Finkelmans book was published.

In recent years, law schools bearing Marshalls name have reconsidered their names. For example, John Marshall Law School, at the University of Illinois at Chicago, announced last month that it would be called the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Law.

F&M, however, is not at that point  and may never be.

Study group to examine slavery issues

However, its study group, including students, faculty and staff, is studying the issue of slavery.

The charge to this group is not to change the name of the institution, Wright said, but to examine the impact of naming and symbols on how we create an equitable climate in the F&M community moving forward.

There is currently a statue of Marshall in front of Old Main, which has administrative offices and a lecture/recital space, with several of his quotes carved around the bottom half of it. A similar statue of Franklin sits beside it. Asked what might happen to symbols depicting Marshall on campus, Wright said he is not aware of any specific symbols being considered for removal.

No timetable for study group meetings have been announced, but its likely that it will start in the fall and last the entire 2021-22 academic year, Wright said.

The decision to form the study group follows the release of a campus climate survey and webinars, called Franklin & Marshall and Slavery, held in March and April.

We are all life-long learners, and it is our collective responsibility to confront historical and current issues of systemic racism as we promote social justice and anti-racism, Gretchel Hathaway, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, said in an email to the campus community announcing the study group. This working group is part of our ongoing effort to reckon with our own history.

Marshall wasnt always in the picture. Before F&M was F&M, it was founded in 1787 as Franklin College. Then, Marshall College, founded in 1836 in Mercersburg, moved to Lancaster and merged with Franklin College to form whats now known as Franklin & Marshall College.

Both Marshall and Franklin owned slaves, but Franklin later renounced slavery and forged his identity as an abolitionist and humanitarian. Marshall, according to Finkelman, sold and purchased slaves his entire life; he also repeatedly sided with slaveholders over free Black people, and even called for the removal of all free Black people, who he called pests, from the Union.

While Marshall's legacy as the Great Chief Justice is earned, Finkelman said, the least a college like F&M can do is discuss the merits of allowing such a figure to continue to represent the college and its people.

Theres a difference between recognizing that somebody did something important in their professional career and saying this person deserves to be honored, Finkelman said.
State Rep. Dave Zimmerman, a conservative representing northeastern Lancaster Countys 99th House District, was one of three Republican legislators to vote against his partys bill to tighten restrictions on voting in the state.

The bill is the result of months of hearings by the GOP majority into the 2020 election and is aimed, in part, at reversing a 2019 law that extended registration deadlines and expanded access to mail-in ballots. It passed the Pennsylvania House on Tuesday by a vote of 110 to 91.

Democrats opposed the bill on the grounds that Republicans are seeking to punish voters for the 2020 presidential election results, in which President Joe Biden won Pennsylvania by more than 80,000 votes at the same time that GOP candidates performed well down ballot and won two row office positions -- auditor general and treasurer.

Zimmerman opposed the bill for very different reasons. He said the bill, authored by York County Rep. Seth Grove, does not do enough to promote election security. He said his view is consistent with his 2019 vote against Act 77, the GOP-championed election law that created no-excuse mail voting and eliminated straight-ticket voting, among other sweeping changes.

Zimmerman and Lititz-area Rep. Steve Mentzer were the only two House Republicans to oppose Act 77 in 2019. Mentzer, though, voted for Groves bill this week.

Just because I didnt support Act 77 doesn't mean I dont think it needs to be improved, Mentzer said. You dont always get what you want.

Groves House Bill 1300 would require voters to provide ID every time they cast a vote. It would require counties to staff mail ballot drop boxes, suspend early voting opportunities (voters are currently allowed to request a mail-in ballot in-person and immediately submit it) until 2025, and increase in-person voting accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities. It would also let counties begin processing mail-in ballots five days before Election Day; currently, they cant start the pre-canvassing process until 7 a.m. on Election Day.

Gov. Tom Wolf has already promised to veto Groves bill, accusing Republicans of trying to disenfranchise voters by making it harder for them to register and cast ballots.

Zimmerman, meanwhile, said Groves bill does not do enough to roll back the states previous voter expansions, and instead adds processes he believes, without evidence, threaten the safety of the states election.

Pre-canvassing is wrong, curing ballots is wrong, early voting is wrong, Zimmerman said. (Ballot curing is a process by which a voter can be notified of a problem with their ballot and given the opportunity to fix it.)

Two other Republicans also opposed the GOP bill: Reps. Michael Puskaric, R-Allegheny, and Mike Jones, R-York. Neither representative issued a statement on why he opposed it.

Zimmerman said he supported the voter ID provisions in House Bill 1300, but he said hed like to see an even more rigorous ID process, like requiring voters to show proof of citizenship when registering. Opponents say people who register to vote are asked to attest to being a citizen under penalty of perjury. States also can access drivers license databases to confirm a voters citizenship status, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Zimmerman said he continues to doubt the results of the 2020 election, in which he was overwhelmingly elected to a fourth term.

Not only me, theres thousands of people around Pennsylvania that question it, Zimmerman said.

No widespread voter fraud was found to have affected the election in Pennsylvania or the other closely fought states. A few examples of individual voter fraud in Pennsylvania involved mostly Republican voters who attempted to cast ballots sent to deceased relatives.

When this was pointed out by a reporter, Zimmerman said, The only reason we had no examples of [fraud] is the courts never looked at it, so we dont know.

Zimmerman and other Republican doubters of the 2020 election have never produced evidence of fraud. Some of the most explosive claims made by former President Trumps legal team and Republican candidates never passed muster in federal courts, and Trumps attorney Rudy Giuliani told a federal judge in November that the Trump campaign was not alleging fraud in Pennsylvanias election. Republicans, instead, argue that the Department of State issued conflicting guidance to counties ahead of Election Day, which counties interpreted in different ways. These inconsistencies could have led to inaccuracies, which they allege without evidence.

Zimmerman also joined many other Republican legislators on legal briefs seeking to void Pennsylvanias election results and allow the Legislature to appoint presidential electors for Trump. Those baseless filings were later cited by Republican members of the U.S. House who voted to reject Pennsylvanias electors early on Jan. 7, hours after a pro-Trump mob attacked the U.S. Capitol.
When: Rapho Township supervisors meeting, June 17.

What happened: The board authorized Township Manager Randall Wenger to apply for $1.28 million allocated to the township from the American Rescue Plan of 2021.

Details: To receive funds, the township must apply to the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Funds may be used to cover the costs of improve access to clean drinking water, support vital wastewater and stormwater infrastructure, and to expand access to broadband internet as well as replacing lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The township would be required to commit the money by Dec. 31, 2024, and spend it by Dec. 31, 2026. Any unused funds would have to be turned back.

Discussion: Supervisor Mark Erb asked Wenger how the township plans to spend the funds. Wenger said he would like to seek the funds utilized for one or two large community projects such as public sewer and water. Supervisor Lowell Fry said the township should apply for funds, which can be returned if the board cant make a decision about how to spend the money.

Pension plan: Supervisors approved an amendment to the townships nonuniformed employee pension plan. It corrects an error in an amendment to the plan approved March 18. Employees hired on or after Jan. 1 must work 1,800 hours in a year for it to be considered a year of service for pension plan eligibility. Employees that had worked for the township prior to Jan. 1 are grandfathered in to the previous requirement of working 1,000 hours per year for pension plan eligibility.
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR FRIDAY, JUNE 25, 2021

Bertrand Russell Fights PrometheusAny Bets?

June 24, 2021 (EIRNS)Yes, its true that the BBC reported yesterday that the HMS Defenders foray into Russian territorial waters was a deliberate provocation that was, as BBC reporter Jonathan Beale, who was on the destroyer, said, a deliberate move to make a point to Russia. But what was the point? Was it, perhaps, that Whom the gods would destroy, they first make MAD? Were the British unintentionally underscoring the theme to be designated by Helga Zepp-LaRouche for the first panel of the upcoming Schiller Institute conference?

The British, incensed by the fact of the Putin-Biden summit, and the communique that echoed Reagan-Gorbachev 1985, stating that a nuclear war can never be won, and must therefore never be fought, decided to play Whos the Boss of the Trans-Atlantic Alliance? in Russian territorial waters on June 23. Being literally, as well as littorally-minded, they attempted to test the waters, and found them dangerously warm. It might have been easier to read the recently released RAND report (June 23) which almost told the truth: NATO might lose a nuclear war with Russia. Although the overall military power of the United States and the NATO alliance vastly outstrips that of Russia, a regional conflict close to Russias borders would pose enormous challenges and could result in defeat for the West.

Only polygon-to-circle closer to the truth, though, because, indeed, there is no might about it. The RAND report itself, probably influenced by earlier fantasies such as the Prompt Global Strike mirage, is delusional. Last weeks Geneva communique, on the other hand, was accurate: nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought. Reality, however, has rarely been a British strong suit. Evil, more often than not, bases its dirty practices on desire, not reality. Dirty Bertie Russell, whom Lyndon LaRouche called the most evil man of the 20th century, was dominated by a lustful desire for the resurrection of an imperial world order that he knew to be doomed. In a 1952 interview, on or about his 80th birthday, which can be viewed on YouTube, Bertrand Russell said, Its very difficult for anybody born since 1914, to realize how profoundly different the world is now from what it was when I was a child.... A world where ancient empires vanish like morning mist... We have to accustom ourselves to Asiatic self- assertion...It is an extraordinarily difficult thing for an old man to live in such a world.

So, like many a lecherous old man, he sought to destroy it.

Russell made more than a dozen public statements in speeches and articles concerning Russia and war in the 1945-48 period, Ray Perkins, Jr. wrote in the paper Bertrand Russell and Preventive War. In a footnote to his article, Perkins states: [I]n a televised interview with John Freeman published on the 19th of March, 1959, Russell claimed that he was prepared to go to war if the Soviets had not given in: you cant threaten unless youre prepared to have your bluff called. 

Climate change and thermonuclear war are a single strategy of the descendants of Russell. NATO, as you will read, is retooling itself as the primary world advocate for saving the Earth, echoing the Aquarian-utopian premises of earlier fascist movements, as the book How Green Were the Nazis?: Nature, Environment, and Nation in the Third Reich partially documented, and the Schiller Institutes own The Hitler Book showed more thoroughly some years ago. British Mini-Minister for the Armed Forces James Heappey, in a speech before the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), spoke about the implications of climate change on the Armed Forces:

According to a report by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, current trends show that when the Arctic is fully open, there will be a potential reduction in travel times and fossil fuel costs of more than 40% to maritime shipping. Elsewhere, Oxford Universitys Future of Arctic Enterprise report states that the Arctic seabed contains about 13% of the worlds remaining undiscovered oil, 30% of the undiscovered natural gas and 20% of the undiscovered natural gas liquids.... Now, Im an enthusiastic green, and I wouldnt want anybody to think that I am somehow celebrating the opening up of a Northern Sea Route with the opportunities that it brings for fossil fuel extraction. In fact, quite the reverseI wish that this was not a threat that we had to face. But my job is to work out what we need to do to keep the U.K. safe and it is a sad reality that the High North could become a potential flashpoint as a result of climate change. Moving away from the Arctic, another key geo-strategic challenge caused by climate change is desertification. In May I had the opportunity to visit countries along the Sahel, including Mali and further along in the Lake Chad Basin, both Nigeria and Cameroon. I saw first-hand the deserts increasing encroachment upon the land, where already scarce natural resources are gradually being swallowed up....

At the Moscow Conference on International Security, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev also pointed to the Arctic, but with a difference. NATOs activity for militarizing the Arctic, especially the deployment of new military infrastructure elements in that region cannot but cause concern. As for Africa, Russian President Vladimir Putins announced intent to supply that continent with nuclear power, and Chinas already-demonstrated commitment to integrating Africa into the 21st centuryincluding its education of students, from nations such as Ghanais not pleasing to the Queen.

Far more concerning to the British beast-men, though, is the demonstrated ability of other governments to think, as in, for example, what Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in his letter to the participants in the Asia and Pacific High-Level Conference on Belt and Road Cooperation:

Today, the entire world community is experiencing serious upheavals due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Broad multilateral cooperation and a unifying agenda are required for comprehensive overcoming of its consequences and effective post-Covid recovery.... I am pleased to say that recently we have substantially advanced in aligning plans of the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) development and the Belt and Road construction.

For example, initiatives like Chinas deployment of its veteran astronauts to Hong Kong for a university and high-school lecture series promoting national pride in Chinas past and future space missions, powered, as 88-year-old spaceman Qi Faren, the father of the Shenzhou program, said, by love of the motherland, that is, pride in the one Chinese nation. Against the principle of the power of Reason, your average beast-man, and beast-regime, as imperial Britain discovered when confronted by Ben Franklins Industrial Revolution, is paralyzed, conceptually unable to act.

In one sense, the idea that the British are assisting in the organizing of the upcoming Schiller Institute conference is true. That is because the worldincluding the non-existent material world believed in by the Manicheansis actually governed by the physical arc of the moral universe. This is the universe of Filippo Brunelleschis catenary principle, discovered not to solve a geometric or mathematical problem, but to crown the Cathedral of Florence as a transubstantial physical proof and reflection of the Augustinian outlook of man in the image of God proposed in The City of God. The Duomo was a realization of the work that Augustine and Ambrose had pioneered in music, which had later been advanced in the work on harmonics of Abbe Suger and the great cathedral builders of France, and would give birth to machines, inventions, and architectural techniques that Arnulfo di Cambio, the initial designer of the Cathedral project in 1296, had to believe that others as dedicated to the future mission of humanity as he, would be born to complete. The beast-like geo-political mind rejects the existence of that spiritual-mental power, which is what is actually meant by the assertion: God does not exist. The divine, and the ability to divine, are the principle of power, which gives the fire and light of reason and discovery to be molded in the hands of humanity. That is why humanity is the greatest known natural resource for the universe itself.

That coincidence of oppositesthe individual creative mind that changes the living universe through humanity, and the dynamic universe changing the individual through that same humanityis the subject matter which the conference of Saturday and Sunday, will not only discuss, but celebrate.
Derek Chauvin Sentenced to 22.5 Years for the Murder of George Floyd

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment  which fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested  came after Chauvin broke his more than yearlong silence in court to offer condolences to the Floyd family and say he hopes more information coming out will eventually give them some peace of mind.

With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

ADVERTISEMENT

In imposing the punishment, Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. As with the verdicts in April, he showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

Read More:

The fired white officer was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial he still faces.

But very briefly, though, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some some peace of mind, he said, without elaborating.

In asking that Chauvin be left off on probation, defense attorney Eric Nelson called Floyds death tragic and said that Chauvins brain is littered with what-ifs from that day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if what if what if?

Floyds family members took the stand and expressed sorrow about his death. They asked for the maximum penalty.

We dont want to see no more slaps on the wrist. Weve been through that already, said a tearful Terrence Floyd, one of Floyds brothers.

ADVERTISEMENT

Floyds nephew Brandon Williams said: Our family is forever broken. And Floyds 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, in a video played in court, said that if she could say something to her father now, it would be: I miss you and and I love you.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked the judge to exceed sentencing guidelines and give Chauvin 30 years in prison, saying tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life, Frank said.

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, appeared in court to plead for mercy for son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I can tell you that is far from the truth, she told the judge. I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man. She added: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvins three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict in April.

Ahead of the sentencing, the judge agreed with prosecutors that there were aggravating circumstances that could justify a heavier punishment than the recommended 12 1/2 years  among them, that Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty, abused his position of authority as a police officer and did it in front of children.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. The defense had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved away from Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America witnessed something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two mistrials were declared over the death of Samuel Dubose in Cincinnati.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor, who has represented victims of police brutality. Everybody knows that this doesnt happen every day.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the states maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers involved in Floyds arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Floyd on the federal civil rights charges. No date has been set for that trial.
When they visit their mother, Barbara and Christine Colucci want to take off their face coverings and give her a kiss. Their 102-year-old mother, who has dementia, lives in a home for retired adults in the state of New York. The two women also want to have more family members in their mothers room at the same time. But current restrictions prevent that.

We dont know how much longer shes going to be alive, Christine Colucci said, soplease, give us this last chance with her in her final months on this earth.

Pandemic restrictions are easing almost everywhere  except inside many of Americas nursing homes. Rules designed to protect the nations most at-risk people from COVID-19 are still being enforced. However, 75 percent of nursing home residents are vaccinated and infections and deaths have decreased sharply.

Families around the country are unhappy with the rules. Hugs and kisses are banned in some nursing homes. Residents are eating meals alone and doing activities at a distance. Visits are limited and must be kept short. And visitors are not welcome if tests show that someone has the coronavirus.

Family members and their supporters question the need for such restrictions when the risk of spreading the virus is low. They say the measures are just worsening older peoples loneliness and increased mental and physical difficulties.

Eighty-year-old Marian Rauenzahn lives in a nursing home in Pennsylvania. She had COVID-19 and then lost part of a leg to an unrelated infection. But her daughter, Denise Gracely, said her biggest struggle is being alone. She was having visits six days a week and now she has none, Gracely said.

Gracely and her sisters can now see their mother once a week. The nursing home said it plans to ease visiting rules for all residents in late June. But that is not enough.

I believe its progressed her dementia, Gracely said. Shes very lonely. She wants [to get] out of there so bad.

Pennsylvanias long-term care ombudsman has gotten hundreds of complaints about visitation rules this year. Kim Shetler is with the ombudsmans office. She said some nursing homes COVID-19 rules are more restrictive than state and federal requirements. Officials have been doing what they feel is necessary to keep people safe, she said. But families are not pleased.

A recent public opinion study by the group National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care found that time limits on visits remain common. They go from 15 minutes to two hours. Some places limit visits to weekdays. This can make it difficult for people with daytime jobs.

Rauenzahns Pennsylvania nursing home has been limiting most residents to just one, 30-minute visit every two weeks.

On June 11, the Consumer Voice and several other activist groups wrote a letter calling for an end to visiting restrictions at nursing homes. The letter was directed at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The letter said residents continue to suffer from loneliness and mental harm because of limited visits from loved ones.

Activists also disagree 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 critics say that the suggestion leads to strong restrictions because of one or two cases.

Jason Santiago is the top executive at The Manor at Seneca Hill, a nursing home in the state of New York. He told the Associated Press that being kept alone affected his residents. Weve got to do things that make more sense for these residents, make more sense for these families, he said.

The federal government recently eased restrictions for vaccinated nursing home residents. But New York has not followed that move. People who eat together in common spaces must remain socially distanced, for example. They also must wear face coverings. It does not matter if they are vaccinated. In addition, they must stay two meters apart during activities.

Nancy Kass is a public health expert at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Kass said she does not understand the continuing restrictions, which are affecting the residents quality of life.

But she noted that the coronavirus has infected more than 650,000 long-term-care residents in America and killed more than 130,000 of them. Nursing homes had to be very careful when COVID-19 was out of control, she added.

Im Alice Bryant.

The Associated Press reported this story. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.

_______________________________________________

Words in This Story

dementia n. a mental sickness that causes someone to be unable to think clearly or to understand what is real and what is not

nursing home n. a place where people who are old and unable to take care of themselves can live and be taken care of

resident n. someone who lives in a particular place

hug n. the act of putting our arms around someone especially as a way of showing love or friendship

ombudsman n. a government officials or employee who investigates complaints and tries to deal with problems fairly

complaint n. a statement that a person is unhappy or not satisfied with something
When Pope Francis meets with followers on Wednesdays, he is usually the most notable person at the gathering.

However, on a recent Wednesday, the Roman Catholic leader played second to another man. That man, Matteo Villardita, was made up to look like the famous Marvel Comic Book creation, Spider-Man.

He came to the public gathering to speak to the pope.

The 28-year-old Villardita appears as Spider-Man to cheer the sick children he visits in hospitals. He said he was going to see children later that Wednesday at Vatican Citys hospital for children.

Villardita spoke with Pope Francis, asking him to pray for the sick children and their families. He also gave the pope an extra Spider-Man mask.

Wearing his costume, Villardita took photos with children in an open outdoor space inside the Roman Catholic Church headquarters.

The Vatican called Villardita a really good superhero and noted his good work during the COVID-19 health crisis.

Villardita reportedly made 1,400 video calls to children in hospitals over the last year while Italy was under COVID-19 restrictions. He said it was exciting to meet the pope who, in Villardita's words, immediately understood my mission.

Im Caty Weaver.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on an Associated Press report. Caty Weaver was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

costume n. the clothes that are worn by someone (such as an actor) who is trying to look like a different person or thing

mask n. a covering used to hide or disguise your face

mission n. a task or job that someone is given to do


Three Chinese astronauts recently arrived at the countrys new space station in another step forward for the growing space power.

Here is a look at some of the space stations major goals.

What is the trips purpose?

The three-member crew will stay for three months in the stations main living space, called a module. The module is named Tianhe, which means Harmony of the Heavens in Chinese. The astronauts will carry out science experiments and perform maintenance. They also plan to complete space walks and prepare the station to receive two other modules next year.

While China admits it arrived late to the space station game, it says its new station is modern and includes the latest space technology. Tianhe might even outlast the International Space Station (ISS), which is nearing the end of its operational lifespan.

The recent launch brought back Chinas crewed space program after a five-year break. China has now sent 14 astronauts into space since its first launch in 2003. It is the third country after the former Soviet Union and the United States to do so.

Why is it building the station?

As its economy experienced growth in the 1990s, China made a plan for space exploration. Since then, it has attempted to carry out this plan carefully and evenly.

China was barred from joining the ISS. This was mainly over U.S. objections to the Chinese programs secretive nature and close military connections. It is likely, however, that China would have built its own station anyway because of its goal to become a major space power.

Ji Qiming is the Assistant Director of the China Manned Space Agency. He recently told reporters that the building and operation of the space station will raise the level of Chinese technologies. He also said it will accumulate experience for all the people.

The space program is part of an overall drive to help China take on even larger projects. China also wants to expand cooperation with Russia and other, mostly European, countries along with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.

Politics and security

Chinas space program has been a large part of its national pride. It represents the countrys rise from a poor nation to become the worlds second-largest economy in the last 40 years.

This has helped the government strengthen support for the countrys ruling Communist Party. The partys authoritarian rule and severe limits on political activity have been accepted by most Chinese citizens as long as the economy is growing.

Chinas President and head of the party, Xi Jinping, has linked himself to the latest space progress. In his recent comments, Ji gave credit to Xi for setting Chinas rise in space as a goal for the country.

As China continues to develop its space program, it is also quickly modernizing its military. This has raised concerns among some of its neighbors, as well as the U.S. and its NATO allies.

China has said it supports the peaceful development of space. But in 2007, some countries expressed concern when the country sent a missile into space to destroy an inactive weather satellite. The event created a field of debris that put other space objects at risk.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Sam McNeil reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English. Bryan Lynn was the editor.

__________________________________________________

Words in This Story

maintenance  n. work that is done to keep something in good condition

accumulate  v. to gather or acquire (something) gradually as time passes

pride  n. a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people

authoritarian  adj. expecting or requiring people to obey rules or laws : not allowing personal freedom

debris  n. broken pieces of something
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Mississippi:
At a press briefing on Friday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the U.N. agency was concerned about its the increasing reach of the delta variant, particularly among unvaccinated populations.

We are starting to see increases in transmission around the world, Tedros said, adding that more cases means more hospitalizations...which increases the risk of death. WHO has previously said that two doses of the licensed COVID-19 vaccines appear to provide strong protection against the variant first seen in India, but warned the lack of access to vaccines in poor countries  which have received fewer than 2% of the billion doses administered so far  makes them extremely vulnerable.

Tedros also said the unchecked circulation of the coronavirus could lead to the emergence of even more variants.

New variants are expected and will continue to be reported, Tedros said. Thats what viruses do. They evolve, he said. But we can prevent the emergence of variants by preventing transmission.



AMSTERDAM  The European Medicines Agency has approved a new manufacturing site for Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine, in a move that should boost production of the one-dose vaccine across the 27-nation EU.
MONTREAL  Victor Hedman wants nothing to do with talk about how the Tampa Bay Lightning can secure their place in NHL playoff lore by becoming the second team in 22 years to repeat as Stanley Cup champions.
Items must be submitted in writing, and are published chronologically and on a space-available basis. Information can be dropped off or mailed to the Tribune office, faxed to (208) 746-1185 or emailed to sports@lmtribune.com. Items must include a deadline or some other time element.
Lompoc will welcome its first female fire chief, Alicia Welch, on Aug. 9, following an extensive national recruitment process, according to city officials.

Welch will be sworn in during a badge-pinning ceremony during the Lompoc City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 17.

"Welch brings a wealth of experience, valuable strategic planning and technical skills, and also has family roots on the Central Coast," said Lompoc City Manager Jim Throop. "She will be an outstanding addition to the Lompoc Fire Department, and the city of Lompoc.

She will replace interim Fire Chief Brian Federmann, who filled the role in August 2020 following the retirement of former Chief Gerald Kuras.

Lompoc City Council approves 2021-23 city budget The Lompoc City Council voted unanimously during its June 15 meeting to approve the budget for the 2021-23 budget cycle.

Im grateful Brian stepped up to lead the fire department during a difficult time," said Throop, noting that the "city was fortunate to have Federmann expertly lead the department through the pandemic and other challenges."

When Welch steps in, Federmann will return to his duties as battalion chief with the department, Throop said.

Welch, a veteran fire service professional with 29 years of experience in firefighting, was the fire chief for the city of Golden, Colorado, from November 2018 to this summer. Previously, she served in various capacities with the Los Angeles City Fire Department between 1990 to 2017, rising in ranks from firefighter to battalion chief.

Quote "Welch brings a wealth of experience, valuable strategic planning and technical skills, and also has family roots on the Central Coast." -- Lompoc City Manager Jim Throop

She holds a bachelor's degree from Cal State University, Long Beach, and a masters degree in homeland security from the Naval Postgraduate School.

Welch said she is excited to "join the fantastic team of professional firefighters in Lompoc Fire" and is eager to carry on the tradition of providing quality fire and emergency services.

I look forward to working with the community and elected officials to address their needs, while ensuring Lompoc Fire Department personnel prevent incidents from occurring in the first place, Welch said.

City officials were assisted in their recruitment efforts by executive recruiters Bob Murray & Associates.

Motorcyclist killed near La Purisima Mission identified as 26-year-old Lompoc man A motorcyclist killed June 22 in a collision near La Purisima Mission has been identified as 26-year-old Miguel Angel Salas from Lompoc.
What about our veterans?

For veterans and their families, it is no secret that finding support services can be a confusing and daunting ordeal. But why? What are the barriers to support services and how can they be addressed? Five years ago, Kathy Simas, then North County Director at the Santa Barbara Foundation, asked these questions.

Knowing that an assessment was needed if meaningful change was to be made, Kathy partnered with Nancy Berglass, project consultant and Senior Fellow at the Center for New American Security, to produce the Santa Barbara County Veterans Needs Assessment.

We knew early on that data and creating evidence-based strategies would result in healthier, better integrated, and more civically-engaged veterans, said Simas. The assessment clearly identified the overwhelming need to connect our community service providers in efforts to provide more leverage for funding and wrap-around services.

The resulting Santa Barbara Veterans Needs Assessment serves as a baseline for assessing how veterans are faring in our region and identifying opportunities for how to better serve them.

The study made clear that better communication and collaboration between the many public, private, and nonprofit organizations serving veterans throughout the county was necessary. As a result of these findings, the Santa Barbara Foundation deepened their investments in veteran services by providing additional grant funding and staff support.

Years of dialogue, planning, and partnership development culminated in the creation of the Santa Barbara County Veterans Collaborative, a 501c3 nonprofit in formation with a collective impact model.

Formally launching in June 2021, the Collaborative serves as a forum to foster greater communication and build collaborative relationships among public and private veteran-serving organizations. The groups goal is to develop integrated and informed services and resources that improve the wellness of veterans and their families throughout Santa Barbara County.

A volunteer board has been formed and is being led by Board President Marcee Davis, who is a veteran of the Navy.

"As a Navy veteran and native Californian, born and raised in Ojai, California, I am passionate about advocating for veterans and have spent my life after service researching and learning new ways to engage, communicate, and effect positive change for this diverse population, said Davis.

Other board members include Michael St. Denis, Retired Lt. Col. Alvin A Salge, Victor Virgen, Joe Fletcher, Ben Johnson, and Soledad Kennedy.

With leadership from the board, the collaborative brings organizations together, in a structured way, to leverage their strengths to achieve social change. It serves as a monthly convener of participating cross-sector organizations and gathers many of the same stakeholders in working groups to develop strategies that address issues relevant to local veterans.

A collaborative that can identify gaps and needs, address services, and connect providers is a dream, said Steve Lavagnino, Santa Barbara County 5th District Supervisor, at the June launch. What I see in this collaborative is a social safety net to protect and uplift our veterans. A huge thank you to this collaborative and the service providers.

To answer Kathys question, many veterans can get the support they need and deserve from the many veteran serving organizations, and the Collaborative will bring them all together and continue to reach more veterans, more effectively.

For additional information regarding the Santa Barbara County Veterans Collaborative, please visit SBCVeterans.org.

A special thank you to the donors who made the Santa Barbara County Veterans Collaborative possible, donors include  Steve Lavagnino, Fifth District Supervisor, County of Santa Barbara; Das Williams, First District Supervisor, County of Santa Barbara; Highland Santa Barbara Foundation Inc.; James S. Bower Foundation; June G. Outhwaite Foundation; Kirby Foundation in honor of Bob Kirby; Lompoc Record; Santa Barbara Foundation; Santa Maria Times; Santa Ynez Valley News; and Mrs. Margaret Waller.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Local

featured

Bob Brown rocks! Former mayor honored with rocking chair, accolades during celebration

JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News The city of Lufkin honored former Mayor Bob Brown Thursday night at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Im more emotional than I thought I would be, Bob Brown said. Its hard to say goodbye; were not saying goodbye, but Im turning loose of something that I love doing and just watching the people that care in this community. Its been a great ride. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Mayor Mark Hicks presents Bob Brown with a plaque from the city of Lufkin. We really appreciate everything you did for the city, Hicks. said JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Former Lufkin Mayor Bob Brown says he hopes to find something else he can do to continue to help others. JOEL ANDREWS/ The Lufkin Daily News Community members and city officials showed up to enjoy the festivities and thank former Mayor Bob Brown for everything he has done for Lufkin. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News A custom cake was created to thank former Mayor Bob Brown for everything he has done for Lufkin during his time in office. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News State District Court Judge Paul White greets former Lufkin Mayor Bob Brown at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News For the reception part of the evening, a welcome, opening remarks and introductions were performed by Browns successor, Mayor Mark Hicks. We appreciate all his hard work, Hicks said. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Lufkin city manager Bruce Green said Bob Brown is an important, critical part of the history of the city of Lufkin. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News State District Judge Bob Inselmann offered remarks about Brown, reflecting on their time together, both working for the city and as friends. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News Bob Brown was presented with a flag that was flown over the United States Capital in Washington, D.C., by Melinda Kartye, a representative from U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmerts office. JOEL ANDREWS/The Lufkin Daily News State Rep. Trent Ashby presented Bob Brown with a state of Texas wooden rocking chair. Bob, as you all know, is unique, Ashby said. He is a gem; hes one of a kind.

Bob Brown was feted with a rocking chair, a plaque and a shower of accolades as the city honored the longtime former mayor Thursday night at the Pitser Garrison Convention Center.

Community members and city officials alike showed up to enjoy the festivities and thank Brown for everything he has done for Lufkin.

Its a very bittersweet day, city secretary Kara Andrepont said. We totally enjoyed Bob Brown and we were glad to take this opportunity to celebrate what hes done for the city.

Brown hopes to find something else he can devote his time to that will allow him to continue to help other people.

Im more emotional than I thought I would be, Brown said. Its hard to say goodbye; were not saying goodbye, but Im turning loose to something that I love doing and just watching the people that care in this community. Its been a great ride.

Brown said he doesnt like being the center of attention, but likes to stand back and watch things get better.

I agreed to do this, and Im glad I did now, he said. Ive seen people, and it just makes me feel good that they came out and that they knew that we were here trying to make a difference.

City manager Bruce Green said Brown is an important, critical part of the history of the city of Lufkin.

He has been the mayor for many years, Green said. He has guided us through many different difficulties and growing pains for the city, especially in the last year with COVID, the winter storms  all those kinds of things. He was always a steady leader. Hell be missed, not only because of his leadership, but also because he was a very thoughtful, caring mayor.

For the reception part of the evening, a welcome, opening remarks and introductions were performed by Browns successor, Mayor Mark Hicks.

We appreciate all his hard work, Hicks said. The city went through a lot the last nine years, especially the last two years. He represented us well. Were happy that so many of you have turned out today to honor him.

Green, along with state District Judge Bob Inselmann, offered remarks about Brown, reflecting on their time together, both working for the city and as friends.

This year, we went through a lot this year with COVID, with the ice storm, and he was a steady leader of figureship for the city of Lufkin, Green said. He was ever-thoughtful, and if you had a difficulty, or were ever down, even when I was a lawyer, he was always encouraging.

Bob Brown is probably one of the best people Ive ever met in my life, Inselmann said. And if the world was full of Bob Browns, wed have a whole lot less problems. I think one of the things that resonates with me is how much he truly cares about everyone.

Brown was presented with a flag that was flown over the United States Capital in Washington D.C. from Melinda Kartye, a representative from U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmerts office.

On a personal note, hes just always been very kind to me, and always had very encouraging words, Kartye said. I just really appreciate you, and youre going to be really missed.

State Rep. Trent Ashby presented Brown with a state of Texas wooden rocking chair.

Bob, as you all know, is unique, said Ashby. He is a gem; hes one of a kind. And when I think of Bob Brown, there are a lot of adjectives and terms that come to mind. For example, hes a doer, hes a leader, hes a visionary, hes compassionate, hes the master ribeye sandwich-maker, hes a Christian and Bob has done so much for our community over the years, not just as mayor.

Hicks presented Brown with a plaque from the city of Lufkin.

We really appreciate everything you did for the city, said Hicks.
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
What were doing with Cinematheque will help remedy those wounds for others like me who have been missing movies in the theater, Healy said.

Cinematheques first screening of the summer season on Wednesday, June 30 will be the 1937 film Make Way for Tomorrow, a film Orson Welles claimed could make a stone cry. Victor Moore and Beulah Bondi star as an aging couple who are forced to split apart and move in with their grown children after losing their home. The film inspired Yasujiro Ozus 1953 film Tokyo Story, which Cinematheque will also be screening the following evening on Thursday, July 1.

While all the major theater chains switched to digital years ago, UW Cinematheque is committed to screening movies on 35mm if at all possible, Reiser said.

Theres something about watching 35mm, with all its scratches and some occasional splices Theres something organic about that and something magical and its got its own energy. You really cant replicate that with digital exhibition, Reiser said.
The resolution calls for a website that would contain information on all PFAS tests and their results, and information about any meetings between Dane County, the state DNR, the Wisconsin Air National Guard and other contractors working on projects related to the F-35 fighter jets. It also asks for quarterly updates on projects at the airport.

Even as a supervisor, Chawla said he had difficulty navigating all the information regarding PFAS contamination and the work underway to remediate it.

Having one central website will make it easier for the public to understand it, Chawla said.

Additionally, the resolution formally opposes locating the F-35 fighter jets in Dane County and directs the countys legal department to explore tools available to halt all construction projects at the airport if PFAS levels exceed recommended amounts.

After being introduced, the resolution will head to various Dane County committees for approval.
In some states, July 5 became a day to celebrate the end of slavery, which today has morphed into June 19, the date that the last slaves were freed in Texas, some two years after Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

Indeed, she noted, in 1876, the year of the countrys centennial, many white newspapers ran articles deploring free Black people celebrating the countrys 100th anniversary of freedom  they dressed too finely and partied too elegantly, the newspapers said. It was above their station to do so.

Tiffany is yet another of the politicians to emerge from the Republican Party  once Lincoln's party  that holds sway in the state Legislature today, exemplified by the know-nothingism promoted by their once "great" leader and accomplished divider, Scott Walker.

Since he was elected to Congress in a special election to fill out the term of another Walker sycophant, Sean Duffy, in May of last year and then elected to a full two-year term last November, Tiffany has flown the colors of Donald Trump more than even some of his GOP colleagues have been able to stomach.
Im not an accountant, but I know a bad deal when I see one. We could spend $1.4 billion to fully expand broadband in Wisconsin utilizing the $4.4 billion in new revenue we have today. But JFC Republicans decided to borrow, which will cost us $35 million in interest over the course of 20 years, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau.

So, why borrow? Well, this goes back to funding our public schools. Yes, its related. You see, the JFC slashed Evers K-12 budget by 90%, thinking they could recoup that loss with federal ARPA funds. Unfortunately, this cut to our schools prevented Wisconsin from meeting a federal standard on state education spending to be eligible for $2.3 billion in additional funding. Republicans couldnt invest any more state dollars  like $200 million for broadband access  without having to spend more in our classrooms. So instead of investing our windfall of revenue into broadband expansion and putting a few more dollars in schools, Republicans chose to create more debt. This goes to show the lengths Republicans are willing to go to avoid properly funding our schools. Its pretty hard to reconcile that and get along.
A man was convicted of murdering his wife nearly 33 years ago in a Columbia County case that went cold for decades.

A jury found Mark Bringe, 73, guilty of felony first-degree murder in Columbia County Circuit Court on Friday following a two-week trial. Prosecutors accused Bringe of shooting his wife Lori to death in 1988 despite his claims that she died by suicide. He now faces life in prison.

After the verdict was read, a court officer indicated that Bringe would not be allowed to hug his adult children in the courtroom.

Lorelei "Lori" Bringe was found dead on Aug. 19, 1988 in a wooded area near her Butternut Road home outside Poynette. She died following a gunshot wound to the head, and she was found with two small guns and gun components near her body.

Lori and Mark's two children, who were 8 and 6 at the time of her death, testified that they were with their father when they heard the gunshot, which would mean Mark could not have committed the crime. Prosecutors had to build a case off circumstantial evidence and testimony from witnesses whose memories have faded over the decades. Attorneys also dealt with physical evidence like where blood was found and how the gun was shot.
A witness said that Garcia was drinking heavily before leaving Quarry Lake where he was spending time with family and friends. She said that he also had two children, one under the age of 12 and the other under the age of 6, in his car. He pulled over to switch them into her car because he said he was intoxicated. He then drove off and reportedly got into the crash. Officers later found an empty bottle of Hennessy in Garcias car.

One of the victims had two other passengers in her car at the time of the crash. She had a contusion to her left hip, one of the passengers had whiplash and an injury to the neck and the other had a strained neck muscle. The other victims car had flipped forward due to the crash. She suffered a fracture to her C6 vertebrae, had blood pooled in her spinal cord and had torn ligaments in her neck.

Garcia was given a $25,000 cash bond in Racine County Circuit Court on Wednesday. A preliminary hearing is set for July 1 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show.
RACINE  The Racine County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday released what Sheriff Christopher Schmaling called a "short piece" of video pertaining to the death of Malcolm James, one of two men to die in the Racine County Jail in a four-day period four weeks ago.

The clips show James hitting his head, which is covered in a blanket, against the concrete walls of his County Jail cell prior to his June 1 death as jail staff members try to talk to him. James, in the video, is heard muttering to himself during what has been characterized as a mental health crisis.

James' family and his attorney have been demanding the full video be released, including other angles from inside the jail. The clips released by the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday show less than 5 minutes of James' time in the jail. The video is not dated or timestamped, so it remains undisclosed when exactly the incident occurred.

Taser used

"Prior to this video being taken, Mr. James had been seen by multiple medical and mental health professionals, including two visits to the hospital," Schmaling said.

"In this video, you will see Mr. James violently hitting his head on a concrete wall. You'll also hear my staff professionally and compassionately communicating with Mr. James," Schmaling continued. Meanwhile, the sheriff added, jail staff was assembling to safely remove James from his cell and provide him medical attention.

"Once the team entered the cell, Mr. James violently fought with jail staff and they had to use some use of physical force to secure him from medical treatment," Schmaling said. "While it is true, a taser was used, the statements made about tasers causing death are completely false. Medical experts have insisted and supported this fact."

Schmaling said the reason the video is being released is "the continued advancement of serious misinformation."

He warned: "This video is tragic, traumatic and very difficult to watch."

Choosing to release

Initially, the Sheriff's Office had said it would not be releasing information relating to the investigation until after the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department's investigation of the death was complete. That investigation isn't expected to be concluded until at least mid-July.

"I request the public's patience, and commitment to peace, while these investigations come to their logical conclusions," Schmaling said.

Attorney makes allegations

The attorney representing the families of both James and Ronquale Ditello-Scott Jr., who died May 29 in the jail, is alleging that James' death is not related to him hitting his head against the wall.

On Wednesday afternoon, hours before the release of the video, attorney Kevin O'Connor released part of the results of an independent autopsy for James. O'Connor alleges that James suffered no head wound, but had multiple Taser wounds that the family believes caused James' death.

The video released by the Sheriff's Office on Wednesday does not show jail staff interacting physically with James, only him hitting his head and jail personnel talking to him through the door.

The Sheriff's Office initially said that James violently smashed his head against a wall on May 29 and then again on June 1 before he suffered a "medical event."

O'Connor declined to share the full autopsy report or the name of who conducted it, other than saying it was a "preliminary report" conducted by, in his words, a "female Milwaukee pathologist."

During a news conference Wednesday afternoon, O'Connor displayed a diagram showing areas on the body where, he alleges, James had suffered injuries.

O'Connor displayed a body diagram which he said detailed:

Three areas of lacerations.

Six areas of puncture/burn wounds allegedly caused by a Taser.

Three areas of abrasions, all to James' left arm.

No head wounds.

O'Connor said a full report will be released once he acquires James' toxicology report. Law enforcement officials say that they, too, are waiting for the toxicology reports from James' and Ditello-Scott Jr.'s deaths; those reports often take 6 to 8 weeks to be complete.

No reports of an autopsy for Ditello-Scott have been released.

Claims

"The most important thing is they claim that a head injury, if you look at his head, is what caused him to injure or harm himself," O'Connor said. "There were no evidence of any head injuries that would have been anywhere related to anything that would have sustained the injuries. So their claims that he smashed his own head or did something to his own head are completely and utterly false."

When asked if he believed the use of a Taser contributed to James' death, O'Connor replied: "One hundred percent."

"The only reason for somebody to die in this situation ... is if you have multiple Tasers, because they dry stun, which is using the actual gun on you, or they use the prongs. And he had evidence of both," O'Connor said. "When you do that multiple times on people, nine times out of 10, the heart is going to stop."

The family and O'Connor called again on Wednesday for the federal Department of Justice to get involved. O'Connor alleged the Kenosha and Racine sheriff's departments work too closely with each other and that there must be involvement from an independent party.

"There is no way that this should have been going on this many weeks with these obvious signs of what went on without Kenosha County doing something to at least arrest or charge somebody related to this death," O'Connor said.

On Wednesday, O'Connor addressed the events described in the Sheriff's Office report: "Where is the head abrasions that caused it? ... We know that they're lying ... This can't continue on."

O'Connor said, before the video was released, that he didn't think James was having a mental health crisis at the time of his death.

"I don't think any of that was going on," he said. "I think this is a made-up story to try and cover for what happened after."

Family responds

James' family members, friends and loved ones rallied at the courthouse steps during the news conference. Many of them wore shirts and held signs in support of him which read "Say his name" or "I love you, Malcolm."

Marlo Harmon, James' aunt who said she was like a mother to him, said: "Black lives matter, whether it's at the hands of the police officer, or at the neglect of a police officer. He has a right to be safe in the hands of a police officer, sheriff or anyone else."

Growing up, Harmon regarded police officers as friendly community members, even calling them "Officer Friendly," she said.

"But today and how things are going today, I wonder what type of friend an officer really would be when they are doing this to my son," Harmon said, referring to James. "If they can do it to my son, they can do it to your son, too. We want justice."

Scott Jr.'s family and friends also were at the rally in solidarity. Tammy Bush, Scott Jr.'s cousin, said his mom passed away and she has raised him since he was a little kid. She said she currently has custody of his siblings.

"I'm just trying to lay him to rest for them," Bush said of fundraisers she is holding to help pay for Scott Jr.'s funeral costs. The family is holding a fundraiser from 3-8 p.m. Friday at 3728 S. 43rd St., Milwaukee. For $15, donors will receive wings, loaded fries, dessert and a drink.

Adam Rogan contributed to this report.
Biden and his aides also believed that they needed a bipartisan deal on infrastructure to create a permission structure for more moderate Democrats  including Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia  to then be willing to go for a party-line vote for the rest of the presidents agenda.

And some liberals, meanwhile, like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, have been floating the theory that giving the moderates in his party a win on this will help others on the left keep the pressure on to pass the bigger bill.

But there were limits to what was achieved.

Congress had to do an annual infrastructure bill by the end of September, which required 10 Republican votes, so the bill agreed to on Thursday, in essence, was simply expanding and accelerating a package that was already on the horizon.

Moreover, the new bill was for far less than the approximately $2 trillion he originally sought, which continued to raise some ire on the left. And while it focused on hard infrastructure  things like highways and subways and broadband  it left unaddressed so much of what Biden had proposed earlier this year, including sweeping reforms to housing, child care and efforts to combat climate change.
Gov. Evers 2021-23 capital budget and Vision 2030 outlined a clear path to build a dynamic complex of museums and government offices consolidated at Block 108 in Downtown Madison that made common and financial sense for the people of Wisconsin," DOA Secretary Joel Brennan said.

We are disappointed by the Joint Committee on Finances decision to split the Wisconsin Historical Society Museum off from Block 108 in the budget not only because it means the new museum may not be able to be located near the Capitol but also because the Historical Society Museum will lose out on millions of dollars in savings for shared costs and infrastructure," he said.

The historical society, established in 1846, has one of the nation's largest collections of North American historical assets and operates 12 museums and sites. But its flagship museum has been housed in the undersized, 42,000-square-foot former Wolff Kubly hardware store building at 30 N. Carroll St. since 1984.

The historical society's response was measured.
There was a time when the Keystone XL pipeline, which was officially declared dead and laid to rest this month after more than a decade of legal wangling, made perfect sense.

In fact, when it first came to our attention sometime in 2009, The Lincoln Journal Star editorial board was in favor of it. It supported the project because of the safety of pipelines relative to other forms of transporting oil, such as rail, and the construction jobs it promised to bring.

That was at a time when America was digging itself out of the Great Recession. Jobs  any jobs  were considered a good thing, as were the easement payments landowners would have received to subsidize their income at a time when their farms were struggling.

A dozen years later, weve done an about face. We support doing away with the pipeline because our world today is a far different place than it was back then and continued delays made the pipeline increasingly less feasible.

And when you look to the future  a minimum of three years of construction before the first drop of tar-sands oil would have flowed from Canada  Americas automakers are betting billions of dollars that consumers will soon be moving toward electric vehicles, which would reduce our dependency on fossil fuels and the need for this pipeline.
TWIN FALLS  Magic Valley canal companies are hoping meteorologists forecast of next weeks heatwave is wrong. But none are willing to bet on it.

Twin Falls Canal Co. will reduce water delivery from 3/4 inch per share to 5/8 inch effective July 6, general manager Jay Barlogi said Thursday morning.

The winter snowpack peaked two weeks early with 80% of normal moisture, Barlogi said. So far this water year, which began Oct. 1, the area has received only 65% of normal precipitation.

The National Weather Service has issued excessive-heat warnings for western Magic Valley, with dangerously hot conditions with temperatures of 100 to 112 degrees possible Sunday afternoon through Wednesday evening. A red-flag warning is in effect for eastern Magic Valley, with wind gusts that can quickly evaporate soil moisture.

Eighty percent of the state is experiencing drought conditions, Steve Stuebner, spokesperson for the Idaho Department of Water Resources, told the Times-News.

Only a few farmers on the Salmon Tract in southern Twin Falls County still have irrigation water, shareholder Eric Parrot said. Those who still have water are using carryover from last year when they withheld water from their crops before the end of the growing season.
Please log in to keep reading.

Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.
The Twin Falls Catholic community celebrates 100th anniversary of St. Edwards Church on Sunday. What started with a few members has now grown to hundreds of families.
BOISE  Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachins education indoctrination task force met for the second time Thursday at the Statehouse, with the agenda again dominated by a series of conservative speakers who agreed with the task forces mission.

McGeachin formed the task force herself  it wasnt created by the Legislature or statute  to examine indoctrination in Idaho education based on critical race theory, socialism, communism and Marxism, she said in announcing the task force in April.

The task force spent four hours Thursday debating whether and how to teach students about race and racism without seeking outside comment from classroom teachers or people of color.

During the initial five-hour meeting May 27, the task force did not accept public comment, either.

Public comment not yet taken at meetings

McGeachin said Thursday the task force is not taking public comment at this time because the task force hasnt created a recommendation for the public to comment on.
NEW YORK  The parent company of Fox News is launching a new weather video service and the co-host of its evening programing will be familiar to many Magic Valley residents.

Former KMVT meteorologist Nick Kosir is one of six meteorologists joining the new advertising-based video on-demand streaming weather service, the company announced Thursday.

Kosir and his wife, Danielle, were staples on KMVTs Rise and Shine until 2014. You may remember him as the Rapping Weatherman, but he usually answers to The Dancing Weatherman these days. His dancing, rapping and forecasting have earned him more than 2 million followers on both TikTok and Instagram.

He started rapping the weather before coming to Twin Falls, when he worked at KBTV-TV, the Fox affiliate in Beaumont, Texas.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Since leaving Twin Falls, hes been the morning meteorologist for FOX46s Good Day Charlotte newscast for WJZY-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina.
BOISE  After more than a year of service, from helping food banks to helping vaccinate Idahoans, the governor is winding down the Idaho National Guards pandemic mission.

Noting that COVID-19 is now under better control in Idaho, Gov. Brad Little on Thursday announced the draw-down of the Idaho National Guards COVID-19 response teams this month. Their support will end July 9.

The Guards COVID-19 Task Force completed more than 70 assignments as part of its mission, Littles news release said.

The National Guard helped with: contact tracing for Idahos public health districts; administrative and logistical support; COVID-19 testing and screening; giving vaccines; decontaminating long term care facilities; and other support to Idaho hospitals, health care facilities and partnering with Native American tribes.

Littles news release said the Guard also facilitated the administration of nearly 350,000 coronavirus vaccines.
TWIN FALLS  There is no longer a YMCA in Twin Falls. Starting this month the Magic Valley YMCA will operate as the E Street Community Center.

Dorothy Dallman, interim CEO of the E Street Community Center, said the building on Elizabeth Boulevard has been a YMCA since 1958.

In 2016 the Magic Valley YMCA went through turmoil when the director at the time mismanaged money. The YMCA had a level of debt that would have been unsustainable if it had stayed affiliated with the YMCA of the USA, Dallman said.

It costs anywhere from $14,000 to $20,000 each year to be a branded YMCA, she said.

After months of deliberation, the YMCA board decided it was in the best interest of the non-profit and the community to disaffiliate with the parent organization, Dallman said.

Its a chance to rebrand and rebuild trust throughout the community, she said.

There will be an open house called Together 4 Change from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The event is free to the public and allows the community to see all the programs the center offers, she said.
Three more bodies were removed overnight, and Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez said authorities were working with the medical examiner's office to identify the victims. Eleven injuries were reported, with four people treated at hospitals.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said rescuers were at "extreme risk" going through the rubble.

"Debris is falling on them as they do their work. We have structural engineers on site to ensure that they will not be injured, but they are proceeding because they are so motivated and they are taking extraordinary risk on the site every day," she said.

With searchers using saws and jackhammers to look for pockets large enough to hold a person, Levine Cava said there was still hope of finding people alive.

Those missing from what was left of the 12-story Champlain Towers South included people from around the world: a beloved retired Miami-area teacher and his wife. Orthodox Jews from Russia. Israelis. The sister of Paraguay's first lady. Others from South America.
Greene, a 49-year-old barber, failed to pull over for a traffic violation and led troopers on a midnight chase across rural northern Louisiana at speeds of up to 115 mph (185 kph) before his car spun to a stop on a roadside near Monroe.

Troopers told Greene's relatives hours later that he died on impact after crashing into a tree, an explanation called into question by photos of Greene's body on a gurney showing his bruised and battered face, a hospital report noting he had two stun gun prongs in his back, and the fact that his SUV had only minor damage.

Even Louisiana State Police appeared to back off the crash explanation later when they issued a one-page statement saying only that Greene struggled with troopers who were trying to arrest him and that he died on his way to the hospital.

The truth about what really happened began to emerge last month when the AP obtained and published body camera video showing troopers converging on Greene's car, repeatedly jolting him with a stun gun, wrestling him to the ground, putting him in a chokehold and punching him in the face, all while he apologizes and wails for mercy. A trooper can later be seen dragging a shackled Greene facedown and then leaving him unattended in a prone position for more than nine minutes before he finally became unresponsive.
Now today as chief executive, I am responsible not only to Hong Kong but also to the central government, performing national duties, particularly in safeguarding national security," Lam told reporters. So for people with commitment, integrity, leadership and spirit to serve the nation and Hong Kong ... we will put in our best."

China has dismissed foreign sanctions and criticism as interference in its internal affairs, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday defended the national security law as focused on cracking down on a small group of anti-China elements in Hong Kong who have seriously endangered national security, and which protects the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, including freedom of the press."

Since the enforcement of the Hong Kong national security law, Hong Kong society has returned to stability, the rule of law and justice has been upheld, and the legal rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents and foreign citizens have been better protected in a safer environment," Zhao said at a daily briefing.

Accusing China of suppressing press freedom just because the organization involved in the case is a news outlet and the individuals punished are working in the field of journalism is an attempt to confuse the public out of ulterior motives," Zhao said.

The U.S. should respect the facts, stop using excuses of any form to obstruct law enforcement in (Hong Kong), stop shielding suspects and interfering in Hong Kong affairs and Chinas internal affairs in any way," he said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
It has bound us together as Americans with the expectation that all people should be treated with dignity and set us apart as inheritors of a tremendous legacy that stands as an example to the world. These principles continue to be our guidance, through times of challenge and accord.

They remain our standard to keep and our charge to reflect. Americans have long cherished and protected our freedomsincluding freedom of speech, religion and assembly and the rights to petition our government, bear arms and pursue vocations of our choice. We cannot take these freedoms for granted. President Reagan characterized freedom as special and rare in his Farewell Address to the American People just before leaving office.

As inheritors of this tremendous legacy, we honor the sacrifices for our freedoms by steadfastly safeguarding our liberties at the core of our country and amplifying these freedoms throughout our world. As Alexander Hamilton conveyed in 1775, The sacred rights of mankind are not to be rummaged for, among old parchments, or musty records. They are written, as with a sun beam in the whole volume of human nature, by the hand of the divinity itself; and can never be erased or obscured by mortal power. This and every Fourth of July, may God continue to bless America and our enduring exceptionalism.

Senator Mike Crapo represents Idaho in the U.S. Senate.

Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Many, if not most, SIV application files contain adequate information upon which to make a determination. The main criterion should be whether an American soldier or employer has furnished credible verification of an applicants fidelity to the U.S. and Afghan governments. I lived and served with South Vietnamese soldiers and translators for over six months in a combat setting and got to know over a dozen well enough to have vouched for them. The decision on an application can and should be done in weeks, not years.

If the Administration or Congress considers it absolutely essential to conduct more vetting, the applicants and family members should be extracted from Afghanistan so that further processing can be conducted in a safe environment. Many thousands of refugees from Southeast Asia were successfully processed at U.S. military bases in the late 1980s. The International Refugee Assistance Project has suggested a mass evacuation of at-risk Afghans to Guam for processing.

Congress needs to substantially increase the number of slots available for SIV applicants and their families. There simply arent enough now and it is likely the demand will increase significantly as September 11 approaches.
BEIJING (AP)  Chinas government on Friday criticized U.S. curbs on imports of solar panel materials that might be made with forced labor as an attack on its development and said Beijing will protect Chinese companies, but gave no details of possible retaliation.

The U.S. customs agency said Thursday it will block imports of polysilicon from Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., which might use forced labor as part of a Beijing campaign against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region in the northwest. Imports from six other Chinese suppliers of raw materials and components for solar panels also are to be restricted.

Washington is using human rights as a disguise to suppress the industrial development of Xinjiang," said a Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Zhao Lijian.

The United States doesnt care at all about the Xinjiang people," Zhao said. Their real plots and sinister intentions are to mess up Xinjiang to contain China.

Chinese officials reject accusations of forced labor and other abuses against predominantly Muslim groups in Xinjiang. They say detention camps in which as many as 1 million people are held are for job training and to combat radicalism.
Los Angeles County, which employs about 110,000 people, is not currently considering mandating employees get a vaccine, said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

That doesnt mean that there arent going to be some places where there may be a need earlier on to in fact think about increasing vaccination coverage, she said.

Ferrer said some high-risk settings in the county, including hospitals and nursing homes, are already requiring their employees to be vaccinated.

In San Francisco, about 55% of city employees have said they are at least partially vaccinated, according to the Department of Human Resources. About 5% of employees have said they are not vaccinated. The vaccination status of the remaining 40% is not known.

SEIU 1021, the union that represents city employees, called on the city to have an inclusive and collaborative approach when enforcing the new policy.
The drop in Asian American representation was anticipated: a group of parents has sued the school board in federal court, claiming the new procedures discriminate against Asian American students who thrived under the old system. The judge hearing the case declined to issue an injunction barring the new rules from taking effect, but made clear in his comments that he has concerns about the school system's new policies.

He sounded skeptical when lawyers for the school system insisted the new system is race neutral.

"Everybody knows the policy is not race neutral, and that its designed to affect the racial composition of the school, Judge Claude Hilton said. You can say all sorts of beautiful things while youre doing others.

In an interview Thursday, Fairfax County Public Schools Superintendent Scott Brabrand insisted the new policies are race neutral, and said he expects them to withstand legal scrutiny. He compared the new admissions process to one used by public universities in Texas, which guarantees admission to the top 10% of students at high schools across the state. That system has withstood legal challenges from applicants who argued the geographical set-asides function as a proxy for racial quotas.

If it's good enough for Texas universities, it's good enough for FCPS, Brabrand said.
While some sense of normalcy has returned to daily life, COVID-19 has not gone away.

The McDowell County Health Department reported Friday that 20 additional McDowell County residents had tested positive for the virus during the week of Saturday, June 19 through Friday, June 25.

And during that week, other parts of the world  including Australia, Israel and Portugal  tightened some restrictions with the emergence of the delta variant, which poses a serious threat to unvaccinated people.

At the same time, President Joe Biden announced that the White House will miss its mark of having 70 percent of the nation vaccinated by July 4.

More rural areas across the nation, including McDowell, had much lower vaccination rates. McDowell health officials had given just under 18,000 people at least one does off the vaccine as of Friday. McDowells total population is around 45,800, according to U.S. Census estimates. Those over the age of 12 are eligible for a shot.

The latest local report brought the total number of positives to 5,193 in McDowell County since the pandemic began last year There have been 46,488 tests conducted, 41,292 negative results and three tests are pending results.
A transmission electron micrograph of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles (UK B.1.1.7 variant), isolated from a patient sample and cultivated in cell culture. Credit: NIAID

Australia and Israel, which had been successful in fending off COVID-19, reimposed restrictions on Friday as cases surged of the highly contagious Delta variant, which is also threatening Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.

Large parts of Sydney entered lockdown, a shock for a population that had returned to relative normality after months with very few local cases, while vaccination success story Israel reimposed indoor mask-wearing less than two weeks after it lifted the measure.

While vaccination campaigns have helped bring down infections in numerousmostly wealthycountries, the rise of the Delta variant which first emerged in India has stoked fears of new waves of a virus that has already killed nearly 3.9 million people.

India's richest state, Maharashtra, on Friday tightened restrictions and warned of a "more severe third wave" after the country recorded a third death caused by a new variant dubbed Delta Plus by the health ministry.

In Australiaamong the most successful nations in containing the coronavirus after shutting its bordersaround a million people in four eastern and central Sydney neighbourhoods were ordered to stay home for at least a week.

Sixty-five infections have been linked to a driver infected about two weeks ago when he took a flight crew from Sydney airport to a quarantine hotel.

Israel masks return

It was a dramatic development for a city that had been largely enjoying a resumption of normal life.

Bondi local Alana Trepper said "to be honest, I probably think that it should have happened a couple of days ago".

Israel, which has one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns, has seen infections surge since dropping a requirement to wear masks in enclosed public places 10 days ago.

After four days of more than 100 new cases a dayincluding 227 on Thursdaythe health ministry reversed the decision.

The head of Israel's pandemic response taskforce, Nachman Ash, said the rise in cases was not yet matched by a parallel rise in hospitalisations or deaths.

Russia, Uzbekistan and Fiji have all recorded rising infections caused by the Delta variant.

Indonesia, meanwhile, is battling a surge in highly infectious cases that have seen more than a dozen fully inoculated doctors die, a medical association in the southeast Asia nation of 270 million people said on Friday.

In a sign of growing uncertainty over the level of threat, residents of the Portuguese capital Lisbon faced tighter restrictions, while in other European cities measures were being eased.

"The measures change all the time! It's hard to keep track," said Lisbon shop worker Isabel Goncalves.

In Spain, an end-of-year student trip to the holiday island of Mallorca has sparked a major cluster of Alpha variant infectionsanother highly infectious strain which first appeared in the UK.

More than 2,000 people in the Madrid region have been told to self-isolate following the outbreak.

'Open our economy'

But in Rekyavik, Health Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir announced Iceland would become the first nation in Europe to removed all virus restrictions.

"We're reinstating the society we're used to living in," she said.

Iceland was able to take the decision after 88 percent of the nation's 365,000 people were vaccinated.

Elsewhere, faltering or sluggish inoculation programmes and slow regulatory approval of new vaccines are a drag on efforts to reopen economies.

Thousands of South African opposition activists rallied in Pretoria to demand regulators approve more vaccines and speed up the pace of inoculations to get people back to work and kickstart the economy.

"Our agenda is simple, give our people vaccines, we want to open our economy," said Julius Malema, leader of the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters.

'Brutal' third wave in Africa

While Africa has so far been spared the worst of the pandemic, infections are surging at an alarming rate in at least 12 countries.

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention director John Nkengasong described the third wave hitting the continent as "extremely brutal" and "very devastating".

The Delta variant has been reported in 14 African countries, with unprecedented hospital admissions and fatalities pushing health facilities to the brink, the agency said.

According to the WHO, about one percent of the continent's population is fully vaccinated, the lowest ratio globally.

WHO Africa director Matshidiso Moeti said cases were "outpacing vaccinations".

"Africa urgently needs a million more vaccines. We need a sprint".

Explore further Israel resumes indoor mask requirement amid virus spike

 2021 AFP
Table showing sensitivity of test for detecting cancer by clinical stage. Credit: Annals of Oncology

Final results from a study of a blood test that can detect more than 50 types of cancer have shown that it is accurate enough to be rolled out as a multi-cancer screening test among people at higher risk of the disease, including patients aged 50 years or older, without symptoms.

In a paper published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today, researchers report that the test accurately detected cancer, often before any symptoms arose, while having a very low false positive rate. The test also predicted where in the body the cancer is located with a high degree of accuracy, which could help doctors choose effective diagnostic tests.

GRAIL, Inc. (California, U.S.), the company developing and funding the research, has now made the multi-cancer early detection test available in the U.S. by prescription only, and to complement other, existing screening methods such as those for breast, cervical, prostate, lung and bowel cancers. Many of the cancers that the test is capable of detecting do not have screening tests available, such as liver, pancreatic and oesophageal cancers, which are among the most deadly and where early detection could make a real difference.

First author of the paper, Dr. Eric Klein, chairman of the Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, U.S., said: "Finding cancer early, when treatment is more likely to be successful, is one of the most significant opportunities we have to reduce the burden of cancer. These data suggest that, if used alongside existing screening tests, the multi-cancer detection test could have a profound impact on how cancer is detected and, ultimately, on public health."

The test involves taking a sample of blood from each patient and analysing it for DNA, known as cell-free DNA (cfDNA), which tumours (and other cells) shed into the blood. Genomic sequencing is used to detect chemical changes to the DNA called "methylation" that control gene expression, and a classifier developed with machine learning (artificial intelligence) uses these results to detect abnormal methylation patterns that suggest cancer is present. In addition, the machine learning classifier can predict where in the body the cancer is located. Results are available within ten business days from the time the sample reaches the lab.

The third and final sub-study of the Circulating Cell-free Genome Atlas (CCGA) study reported today investigated the performance of the test in 2,823 people already diagnosed with cancer and 1,254 people without cancer. It detected cancer signals from more than 50 different types of cancer and found that across all four cancer stages (I, II, III, IV), the test correctly identified when cancer was present (the sensitivity or true positive rate) in 51.5% of cases. The test's specificity (the true negative rate) was 99.5%, meaning that the test wrongly detected cancer (the false positive rate) in only 0.5% of cases.

Sensitivity of the test was 67.6% overall across stages I-III in 12 pre-specified cancers that account for two-thirds of cancer deaths in the U.S. each year (anal, bladder, bowel, oesophageal, stomach, head and neck, liver and bile duct, lung, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, lymphoma and cancers of white blood cells such as multiple myeloma), and it was 40.7% overall in more than 50 cancers.

For all cancers, detection improved with each cancer stage with a sensitivity rate of 16.8% at the early stage I, 40.4% at stage II, 77% at stage III and 90.1% at stage IVthe most advanced stage when symptoms are often showing.

The sensitivity varied by type of cancer. In solid tumours that do not have any screening options, such as oesophageal, liver and pancreatic cancers, overall sensitivity of the test was twice that for solid tumours that do have screening options, such as breast, bowel, cervical and prostate cancers: 65.6% compared to 33.7%. Overall sensitivity in cancers of the blood, such as lymphoma and myeloma, was 55.1%.

In addition, the multi-cancer early detection test correctly identified the tissue in which the cancer was located in the body in 88.7% of cases.

Dr. Klein said: "We believe that cancers that shed more cfDNA into the bloodstream are detected more easily. These cancers are also more likely to be lethal, and prior research shows that this multi-cancer early detection test more strongly detects these cancer types. Cancers such as prostate shed less DNA than other tumours, which is why existing screening tests are still important for these cancers."

In order to understand how the test would perform when used to screen populations, the researchers estimated its positive predictive value (PPV) - the proportion of cases correctly identified as cancer among those with a positive resultas well as the negative predictive value (NPV) - those correctly identified as not having cancer. The PPV was 44.4% among people most likely to develop cancer, those aged 50-79, and the NPV was 99.4%.

Dr. Klein concluded: "These data add to a growing body of literature that supports the use of next-generation sequencing for the detection of cell-free DNA in blood samples as a tool for earlier detection of common cancers that account for a significant number of deaths and other health problems worldwide. In addition, a screening test that requires only a simple blood draw could provide an option for communities that have poor access to medical facilities. I'm excited about the potential impact this approach will have on public health."

Researchers are continuing to collect additional data from the test in large, prospective studies in the U.S. (STRIVE, PATHFINDER and REFLECTION studies) and the UK (SUMMIT study), and to examine its feasibility for screening populations. GRAIL has also established a partnership with the UK's National Health Service to investigate the multi-cancer early detection test's clinical and economic performance in approximately 165,000 eligible patients, starting later this year.

A strength of the CCGA study is that, overall, it includes a total of 15,254 participants from 142 clinics in North America, helping to ensure the results can be generalisable to a diverse population. The participants in this final sub-study had not been included in the earlier, development stages of the test to ensure accurate estimations of performance. Limitations of this sub-study include: if blood samples were collected from cancer patients after they had had a biopsy, this could increase the proportion of cfDNA in the blood compared to before the biopsy; CCGA is a case control study and may not fully reflect how the test would perform in population screening conditions (this is being evaluated in the PATHFINDER study); and some inaccuracy occurred in the detection of the tissue of cancer origin for cancers that are driven by the human papilloma virus (HPV), such as cancers of the cervix, anus, and head and neck.

Editor-in-chief of Annals of Oncology, Professor Fabrice Andre, Director of Research at the Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, said: "Early detection of cancer is the next frontier in cancer research as it could save millions of lives worldwide. Developing technologies that address this issue is the first step. Next steps will include the development of new therapeutic interventions. In parallel, major efforts related to population awareness must continue or all these efforts will not lead to transformation of outcomes."

Explore further Blood test detects wide range of cancers, available to at risk individuals in clinical study

More information: E.A. Klein et al, Clinical validation of a targeted methylation-based multi-cancer early detection test using an independent validation set, Annals of Oncology (2021). Journal information: Annals of Oncology E.A. Klein et al, Clinical validation of a targeted methylation-based multi-cancer early detection test using an independent validation set,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.05.806
More than 1 in 10 Americans have missed their second dose of a coronavirus vaccine, a troubling trend as the more infectious Delta variant that first crippled India gains a foothold in this country.

Only 88% of those who had received one dose of vaccine and were eligible for their second shot had actually completed the two-dose series, CNN reported. That's down from a 92% completion rate earlier in the year.

Studies have shown that the two-dose vaccines are much less effective against the Delta variant with only one dose of vaccine.

"As this virus has mutated, there are versions of it which are better able to escape some of the immune protection that we get from the vaccine," U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN's Anderson Cooper, citing research that found two doses of the Pfizer vaccine offered 88% protection, compared to just 33% protection after just one shot.

"The key is, get vaccinated. Get both doses," Murthy said.

Experts warn that the Delta variant may soon become the dominant strain in the United States.

That could happen within weeks in under-vaccinated areas, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday, CNN reported. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that the Delta variant may already account for more than 1 in 5 new COVID-19 cases, a rapid increase from fewer than 1 in 10 two weeks earlier.

That leaves millions of partially vaccinated people at risk as the Delta variant continues to spread through the United States, along with the 46% of the country's population that has not been vaccinated at all, CNN reported.

Adults under the age of 30 were most likely to have missed their second dose, with nearly 12% outside of the 42-day allowable window, CNN reported.

Officials have said that adults under 26 are the only group expected to miss the Biden administration's goal to vaccinate at least 70% of adults with at least one dose by July 4.

And CDC studies published this week found that younger adults lag others in vaccination intent, too.

Those in the 30-to-39 age group were also more likely to miss their second dose, according to the CDC data. But children under the age of 18 were least likely to miss their second dose, with only about 5% outside of the allowable interval, CNN reported.

FDA to add heart risk warning to Pfizer, Moderna vaccines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week that it will add a warning to the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines about mild, rare cases of heart inflammation seen in some teens and young adults following vaccination.

The news came after a meeting of an advisory panel to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, where experts said the data suggests a "likely association" between the mRNA vaccines and rare cases of myocarditis/pericarditisan inflammation of the heart muscle or surrounding membrane.

The second dose of the Pfizer vaccine was linked to about twice as many cases as the second dose of the vaccine made by Moderna, The New York Times reported. And more than half of the heart problems occurred in people aged 12 to 24, even though that age group accounted for only 9% of the millions of doses given to Americans.

Despite the warning, top U.S. government health officials, medical organizations, laboratories, hospital associations and others released a joint statement on Wednesday stressing the overriding benefit of the vaccines.

"The facts are clear: this is an extremely rare side effect, and only an exceedingly small number of people will experience it after vaccination," the statement said. "Importantly, for the young people who do, most cases are mild, and individuals recover often on their own or with minimal treatment."

The statement also noted that "myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe."

The statement urged all Americans 12 and older to get vaccinated.

"We strongly encourage everyone aged 12 and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization to get vaccinated," the groups said. "Especially with the troubling Delta variant increasingly circulating, and more readily impacting younger people, the risks of being unvaccinated are far greater than any rare side effects from the vaccines. If you get COVID-19, you could get severely ill and be hospitalized or even die. Even if your infection is mild, you or your child could face long-term symptoms following COVID-19 infection such as neurological problems or diminished lung function."

The heart problem appears to be most common in young men after they receive the second of two doses, but it is still rare: There have been 323 confirmed reports of the inflammation in people younger than 30, and the vast majority recovered from their symptoms, the Associated Press reported.

That risk "seems to me, and to many others, to be much lower than the risk of COVID," Dr. Brian Feingold, a University of Pittsburgh heart specialist who is not a member of the panel, told the AP.

There have been nearly 2,800 COVID-19 deaths among adolescents and young adults, and more than 4,000 youths have suffered a dangerous condition called MIS-C that appears to be linked to the coronavirus.

The expert panel did not vote to change its recommendation to the CDC that Americans as young as 12 get the shots. CDC officials said Wednesday that they plan to update their guidance to say that anyone who suffers heart inflammation after one dose of the vaccine can defer a second shot, the AP reported.

One of the first Americans diagnosed with vaccine-linked heart inflammation was Sean Morrison, a scientist in Dallas. Three days after his second dose, he developed intense pain in his chest that he said felt like a heart attack, the AP reported. He was hospitalized for four days as doctors investigated. They did not see any lingering effects, but they advised him to avoid exercise so his heart could recover.

Morrison, a stem cell biologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, praised the vaccines as a crucial weapon in the battle against a virus that has killed about 600,000 Americans. But he also called for more research into the side effect, the AP reported.

Explore further Experts: Benefits of COVID vaccine outweigh small heart risk

More information: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on COVID-19 vaccinations

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Nothing can perk up your appearance like a new cut and color, but failure to take proper precautions when having your hair dyed could result in chemical burns on your scalp, an expert warns.

"We usually see this injury around prom season and into summer," said Dr. Nneka Okafor, an assistant professor of family and community medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

"We are seeing some now because people have been in quarantine and are finally going out again and want to try new hairstyles or get highlights, so it's not unexpected that there could be some scalp injury from various cosmetics," Okafor said in a Baylor news release.

Chemical burns on the scalp can be caused by certain additives and chemicals or from leaving the hair wrapped in foil under the dryer for an extended period.

Okafor recommends watching for these symptoms when the dye is placed on the hair: redness on the scalp, irritation, pain or burning.

If you suffer a chemical burn, the first step is to fully rinse the hair. After the dye is removed, wash your hair with baby soap or any soap without harsh chemicals or fragrance.

Don't touch the affected area or put any other products in the hair that could cause further irritation or damage, Okafor advised. Aloe vera or petroleum jelly can be applied to the scalp until the injured area heals and scabs over.

"During the actual color session, the moment you feel any abnormal scalp irritation or pain you should let your hairdresser know immediately," Okafor said. "If you are starting to have a chemical burn, then they can remove the offending agent, which is probably the color that could be causing the reaction."

If you're considering getting your hair dyed, choose a knowledgeable hairdresser and have them do a test strip to ensure there is no reaction to the product.

"The scalp is an extension of your facial skin, so it is as sensitive as any other part of your skin," Okafor said. "If you are highly sensitive to various other products then you should be more alert and aware."

More information: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has more on hair dyes

Copyright  2021 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Olivia Remes on the grounds of Churchill College. Credit: Lloyd Mann

Dr. Olivia Remes has spent her career researching mental health and wellbeing. In her new book, "The Instant Mood Fix," she brings together the research in this field in a bid to help others. Writing it has been a very personal quest.

For Dr. Olivia Remes, the fight with anxiety is both professional and personal. She's a renowned mental health researcher at Cambridge whose talks have been viewed by millions around the world. But in the midst of a global pandemic, she is also having to cope with the stress of supporting her loved ones through the hardest of situations.

"My mother's cancer recently returned for a second time," Remes explains.

This has been a very difficult time for Remes' mother and for the entire family. To help her family and many others to deal with such circumstances, Remes has just published The Instant Mood Fix, a book that brings together research on mental health and her personal drive to figure out the science of wellbeing.

In recent years, science has begun to explore the relationship between self-control and wellbeing, and has shown how important this relationship is for our mental health. Remes saw a need to bring this new research to a wider audienceto empower people in the fight against anxiety.

"The Instant Mood Fix is based on my experience with my mother and what I was going through, as well as people's life stories and related science. The book teaches people ways that they can cope with difficult life situations, and how they can become more optimistic, more decisive, more confident, and take charge of the lives that they want."

Remes first arrived at Cambridge via the Institute of Public Health, where she examined the risk factors of anxiety and depression, focusing on the incidence of these conditions at a societal level. While her work still focuses on mental healthshe is now looking at depression in young peopleshe has made the unusual transition to the Department of Engineering.

While this might seem counterintuitive, engineering approaches can actually help select and prioritize innovations in the treatment of depression, she explains. Engineering concerns itself with the design of different structures, using specialized mathematical models to test potential solutions to a given problem. By focusing on the effectiveness of mental health innovations across disparate parts of society, engineering methods can help identify interventions that prevent people becoming depressed in the first place.

Over the past few years, Remes' pursuit of the science of wellbeing has taken her beyond academia. She's headed seminars with hundreds of people at the University and around the world. She's started her own radio show to have conversations with people experiencing mental health issues. And she's spoken at mental health conferences and TED, where her talks have been viewed millions of times online.

Remes' far-flung conversations form the basis of her book, which distills scientific findings on anxiety into practical steps for a better life. But in order to navigate anxiety, she says, we first need a map.

Recognizing the signs of anxiety

"The core of anxiety is fear and restlessness," Remes says. "An example is excessive worrying. If you worry so much that you start to have muscle tension, or if it interferes with your sleep, relationships or workthat's when you might have an anxiety disorder."

Separating anxious emotions from anxiety disorders can be tough. Indeed, being appropriately anxious is a good thing. If you come across a wild animal, you're going to experience a surge of adrenaline and your heart will beat faster. Here, anxiety is normalit protects you and helps you get out of dangerous situations. It is when anxiety starts to appear in situations that are not threatening, or interferes with your life in detrimental ways, that it can become problematic.

Anxiety can manifest in many different ways, she says. "You could feel like you're lacking a sense of control. You could also feel indecisive. People everywhere, including students at Cambridge, struggle with procrastination, low motivation and feeling overwhelmed when they are stressed."

Researchers look at scenarios such as these and others to inform their understanding of anxiety. By measuring someone's mental state with questionnaires, they can begin to ask the important questions: How can we become resilient against anxiety? What do people who conquer anxiety have in common? One of Remes' studies might just point to the answers.

A quest for coherence

When a family or community goes through a tough time, some people are able to bounce back quicker than others. Why is it that some people are able to maintain their wellbeing in adverse circumstances, while others cannot?

In a study of over 20,000 people, Remes found that a feeling of control over one's life was a key aspect of mental healthand in her study, a feeling of control was linked to low anxiety levels in women.

"One of our studies showed that living in disadvantaged areas was linked to anxiety in women, which made sense," she says. "But when we looked deeper, we found that if women living in disadvantaged areas had a certain set of resources or traits, then they had a reduced risk of anxiety."

In Remes' study, these resources fall under the umbrella term, 'sense of coherence." People with a 'strong sense of coherence' tend to view the world as manageable and meaningful, and see challenges as worthy of investing effort in. Viewing the world in this way can give you a greater feeling of control.

"In our study, a strong sense of coherence was associated with reduced risk of anxiety disorder among women in disadvantaged circumstances. When we looked at other studies of people going through tough times, they seemed to reach similar conclusions. People exposed to difficult circumstances who have certain traits, ways of viewing the world or coping mechanisms may be protected from spiraling downwards."

So how does someone develop helpful coping mechanisms? Often, the roots of these can be found in childhood: the way we were raised, our early environment, and the role models we had around us growing up. Personality traits may also play a role in our emotional states. But Remes is keen to stress that our mind-sets and the way we view the world are not set in stonethe way we cope can be changed.

"It is my firm belief that no matter the hand you've been dealt in life, you can take charge and really become a version of yourself that helps get you closer to the life you want."

The thought of teaching people coping strategies, of helping people feel more in control of their lives and therefore reducing their risk of developing anxiety, was a eureka moment for Remes' journey into the science of wellbeing. Along the way, she found scientifically-verified nuggets of advice for all to make use of.

Exercise your self-control muscle

One of the key coping strategies Remes identified was the training of self-control.

"Self-control is like a muscle," she says. "The more you use it, the stronger it gets."

A surprising benefit of self-control is its spill-over effects: exercising self-control to form one good habitconvincing yourself to go on a walk every day, for examplecan lead to improvements in unrelated elements of your life. After you've walked every day for two weeks, you might find it easier to work on a pet project or cook healthier meals.

Remes highlights a study in The Instant Mood Fix that shows what happens when our self-control becomes depleted. In the study, participants were told to place their favorite alcoholic drink next to them, but they were not allowed to take a sip. Then they were asked to do a set of tasks. When participants saw the alcohol but couldn't indulge, they used up valuable energy in self-restraintas a consequence, they performed more poorly on the given tasks. Interestingly, in the same study, when these participants had to alternatively sniff water, they ended up doing better on the tasks. So one of the aspects coming out of this study is that practicing self-controlin this case, resisting the temptation to drinkcan be taxing.

This study is a neat demonstration of how self-control takes effort. To get better at longer stretches of self-control, we need to practice: just like we would when seeking to lift heavier weights, or run longer distances. Luckily for us, the modern world gives us plenty of opportunities to practice self-control.

Set boundaries

Remes advises us to set clear boundaries around potentially distracting sources of information. Take her advice on listening to the news: "Only listen to the beginning of the program, just enough so that you get the gist and the headlines, and then turn it off before they go for the in-depth discussion."

This might seem counterintuitive, but the balance between being informed and paralyzed by a constant stream of bad news is particularly important for our wellbeing. If we can set boundaries for ourselves to reduce the amount of time we spend on social media, or listening to news reports that rehash and sensationalize negative stories, then we decrease our chances of feeling anxious. Setting time-limits on our devices could be a good way to mitigate this risk.

This boundary-setting can be applied to any habit. "Whenever you're feeling compelled into a temptationanother mug of coffee, the need to check your phonewait 10 minutes before you give in," says Remes. "Doing so will often make your brain see the object of temptation as less tempting."

To avoid temptation altogether, we should remove distractions from our environment. For example, simply moving your phone into another room, or hiding it behind your laptop, could significantly reduce the likelihood of you procrastinating.

"When we do things like this, our environment supports us. This way, we don't have to use up all our energies to control what's going on around us," Remes says.

Embrace the environment

The natural world can be a powerful way of relieving anxiety. Researchers have shown that even just viewing representations of nature can have a de-stressing effect on our brains. Accordingly, changing your desktop background to one rooted in nature, or putting up posters and pieces of art that depict a natural scene, could boost your wellbeing.

To fully feel nature's positive effects, though, Remes emphasizes the importance of getting back to basics: "Go outside, collect leaves and rocks, feel the smooth texture of a leaf crinkling in your hand. It's an important contrast to our daily lives, where everything we touch is manufactured by humans.

"For a feeling unlike any other, I'd really encourage people to walk barefoot on grass. Being grounded in this way helps you feel present. It's a fresh feeling that can give you a reliable sense of joy."

Give your mind some room

One day, when Remes was walking through Cambridge, she saw a flyer for a meditation class at Robinson College. Why not, she thought, and signed up for the class.

"I really thought the class was life-changing. It added another dimension to my life. From the first time I went, I didn't miss a week until the course was over. By the end, all the stress I had been feeling had gone way."

Recent studies have confirmed many positive effects of meditation: from lowering your blood pressure to thickening your brain (in a good way), from reducing stress to increasing our compassion. Meditation can also form a key part of coping strategies for anxiety and stress. Its emphasis on being mindful, of appreciating the present moment from a place of stillness, allows our busy minds to settle and provides clarity in our thinking.

It is very easy to feel overwhelmed by the world around usby our relationships, our work, our financial situation, not to mention the ongoing pandemic and climate crisisbut ultimately, Remes' book urges us to focus on what we can control, to be realistic about the changes we can make in our situation. Only then, she says, will we find a reliable source of fulfillment.

"When you're faced with uncontrollable events, all you can do is focus on the things that you can control and let everything else fall to the wayside. It turns out that when you do that, you become happier and you start to feel like you're in charge of your life."

Explore further Sense of control and meaning helps protect women from anxiety

More information: The Instant Mood Fix: The Instant Mood Fix: www.penguin.co.uk/books/144/14  x/9781529109641.html
Investigations by researchers at UAB reveal the existence of a day-night rhythm of heart hormones, and how the disturbance of this rhythm could contribute to a high risk of high blood pressure and poor cardiovascular health in obese individuals. Credit: University of Alabama at Birmingham

A series of studies recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers describes the reasons behind low levels of natriuretic peptides in obese individuals. NPs are beneficial hormones produced by the heart that are responsible for the regulation of blood pressure and the overall cardiovascular and metabolic health of humans. This study also addresses how the disturbance of an individual's day-night, or diurnal, rhythm of these hormones contributes to poor cardiovascular health in obese individuals.

Obesity is associated with a higher risk of high blood pressure and poor cardiovascular outcomes. High blood pressure at nighttime is seen commonly in obese individuals, which can contribute to outcomes such as stroke, heart failure, heart attack and cardiac death. The reasons for the impairment of this day-night blood pressure rhythm are not well understood, but scientists believe that NPs could be a reason behind this.

"All the hormones in the human body have a day-night rhythm," said Vibhu Parcha, M.D., a clinical research fellow in the Division of Cardiovascular Disease and the first author of both the studies. "It has been hypothesized the NP hormones should also have this rhythm, but this had not yet been demonstrated in humans. Our clinical trial assessed the 24-hour cycle of the NP hormones and compared it to the 24-hour cycle of blood pressure. We also studied how these cycles differ between lean and obese individuals and studied the reasoning behind why obese individuals experience lower levels of NPs."

After a rigorous clinical trial of healthy individuals, researchers found that NP hormones have a day-night rhythm with higher levels in the afternoon and lower levels at nighttime, which is similar to the 24-hour cycle of blood pressure. However, researchers found that the relationship between NPs and blood pressure does not function the same way in obese individuals, leading to higher nighttime blood pressure, poor cardiovascular health and a higher risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes. The low production of NPs combined with a relatively higher elimination of NPs from an obese individual's system leads to low circulation levels of these beneficial hormones, which may be the reason behind the NP deficiency.

"This is the first time we have seen that NPs, like other hormones, have a 24-hour rhythm," said senior author Pankaj Arora, M.D., a physician-scientist in UAB's Division of Cardiovascular Disease. "These studies give us a better understanding of NPs and of the reasoning behind the NP deficiency in obese individuals. We now have an FDA-approved medication (LCZ696) that improves circulating NP levels. This medication is considered a first-line treatment for heart failure and may be used to increase NP levels."

Arora added that this medication could specifically target NPs and blood pressure if given at the right time of day and could control hypertension with precision. Scientists believe that these findings encourage using a physiologically driven precision chronopharmacotherapy approach to improve the day-night blood pressure profile in obese individuals.

Explore further Achieving biomarker-based treatment target goals implies good prognosis for obese heart patients

More information: Vibhu Parcha et al, Chronobiology of Natriuretic Peptides and Blood Pressure in Lean and Obese Individuals, Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2021). Journal information: Journal of the American College of Cardiology Vibhu Parcha et al, Chronobiology of Natriuretic Peptides and Blood Pressure in Lean and Obese Individuals,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.03.291
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people eat, work, shop and go to school. Now, researchers from Japan have found surprising differences in the way people use healthcare servicesincluding house calls from doctors.

In a study published this month in BMC Emergency Medicine, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed that patterns in illness type and severity did change during the pandemicwith unexpected trends that may tell us about how people use health care services when personal contact carries inherent risk.

In Tokyo, private after-hours house call services (AHHC) provide in-home medical service outside of regular hospital hours. But as the COVID-19 pandemic developed in Japan, filling hospital rooms and straining healthcare services, this service began to take on a new dimension. Would people with cold and flu-like symptoms use AHHC services more than before?

The largest AHHC service in Japan (Fast Doctor Ltd.) had large amounts of anonymized scientific data available to compare in a retrospective cohort study. By comparing data from before the pandemic (December 2018 through April 2019) against that from the pandemic exposure period (December 2019 through April 2020), the University of Tsukuba researchers were able to draw statistically significant conclusions about the changes in numbers and types of cases and calls. While the proportion of patients with moderate or severe illness increased during the pandemic, the proportion of calls owing to cold and fever symptoms went down.

"We initially thought that people with cold and fever symptoms might be hesitant to visit hospitals during the pandemic, driving up the number of calls to house call services," says lead author of the study Ryota Inokuchi. "This would also serve to alleviate some of the burden on emergency departments."

Of the more than 16,000 patients who contacted the AHHC service in the two study periods, 82.6% in the pre-pandemic control group had fever or cold symptoms, versus 74.2% in the pandemic period. However, the proportion of patients with symptoms categorized as "severe" increased from 0.2% to 0.9% in the pandemic, while the proportion of patients with "moderate" symptoms nearly doubled in the pandemic, from 28.7% to 56.7%.

"The decrease in calls owing to fever and colds was clear and significant, possibly because of lower seasonal flu activity due to school closings and lockdowns," explains Professor Nanako Tamiya, senior author. "But an important question is to what degree reluctancy to use medical services during the pandemic played a part, and whether this contributed to the observed increase in case severity."

Early detection is critical for treating COVID-19, and many other diseases as well. When this study was conducted, however, Tokyo's hospitals were dangerously strained, operating at 80% capacity. Given the risk of delays in seeking medical care, AHHC services may play a critical role in helping national healthcare systems handle these emergencies if health authorities and governments can develop policies and encourage social behaviors promoting their use.

More information: Ryota Inokuchi et al, Changes in the proportion and severity of patients with fever or common cold symptoms utilizing an after-hours house call medical service during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo, Japan: a retrospective cohort study, BMC Emergency Medicine (2021). Ryota Inokuchi et al, Changes in the proportion and severity of patients with fever or common cold symptoms utilizing an after-hours house call medical service during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tokyo, Japan: a retrospective cohort study,(2021). DOI: 10.1186/s12873-021-00458-8
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

People with dementia receiving home health care visits are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital when there is consistency in nursing staff, according to a new study by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. The findings are published in the journal Medical Care, a journal of the American Public Health Association.

Home health carein which health providers, primarily nurses, visit patients' homes to deliver carehas become a leading source of home- and community-based services caring for people living with dementia. These individuals often have multiple chronic conditions, take several medications, and need assistance with activities of daily living. In 2018, more than 5 million Medicare beneficiaries received home health care, including 1.2 million with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

"Nurses play a pivotal role in providing home health care," said Chenjuan Ma, Ph.D., MSN, assistant professor at NYU Meyers and the study's lead author. "As the population ages and older adults choose to 'age in place' as long as possible, the demand for home health care for people with dementia is expected to grow rapidly."

For most patients, their home health care often begins after being discharged from the hospital. Given that hospital readmissions are a significant quality, safety, and financial issue in healthcare, Ma and her colleagues wanted to understand if having continuity of care, or the same nurse coming to each home visit, could help prevent patients from being readmitted.

Using multiple years of data from a large, not-for-profit home health agency, the researchers studied 23,886 older adults with dementia who received home health care following a hospitalization. They measured continuity of care based on the number of nurses and visits during home health care, with a higher score indicating better continuity of care.

Approximately one in four (24 percent) of the older adults with dementia in the study were rehospitalized from home health care. Infections, respiratory problems, and heart disease were the three most common reasons for being readmitted to the hospital.

The researchers found wide variations in continuity of nursing care in home health visits for people with dementia. Eight percent had no continuity of care, with a different nurse visiting each time, while 26 percent received all visits from one nurse. They also found that the higher the visit intensity, or more hours of care provided each week, the lower the continuity of care.

"This may suggest that it is hard to achieve continuity of care when a patient requires more care, though we cannot exclude the possibility that high continuity of care results in more efficient care delivery and thus fewer hours of care," explained Ma.

Notably, increased continuity of home health care led to a lower risk for rehospitalization, even after the researchers controlled for other clinical risk factors and the intensity of home health care (the average hours of care per week). Compared to those with a high continuity of nursing care, people with dementia receiving low or moderate continuity of nursing care were 30 to 33 percent more likely to be rehospitalized.

"Continuity of nursing care is valuable for home health care because of its decentralized and intermittent care model," said Ma. "While continuity of nursing care may benefit every home health care patient, it may be particularly critical for people with dementia. Having the same person delivering care can increase familiarity, instill trust, and reduce confusion for patients and their families."

To improve continuity of nursing care, the researchers recommend addressing the shortage of home health care nurses, improving care coordination, and embracing telehealth in home health care.

"Multiple structural factors present challenges for continuity of care for home health nurses and other staff. These can include long commute times, few full- or part-time staff, agencies relying mostly on per diem staff, and organizational cultures that do not foster retention of home health care staff," said Allison Squires, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, associate professor at NYU Meyers and the study's senior author. "Proposed legislation in Congress that seeks to increase nursing and home health care frontline staff salaries will pay for itself because agencies can improve continuity of care, and therefore reduce penalties associated with hospital readmissions."

A hybrid care model of in-person visits and telehealth visits could also help achieve more continuity of care, the researchers note. They encourage policymakers to consider expanding coverage for telehealth visits in home health care.

Explore further Home health care improves COVID-19 outcomes

More information: Chenjuan Ma et al, Continuity of Nursing Care in Home Health, Medical Care (2021). Journal information: Medical Care Chenjuan Ma et al, Continuity of Nursing Care in Home Health,(2021). DOI: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001599
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Quick, accurate and easy-to-use, CRISPR-Cas9 has made genomic editing more efficientbut at the same time has made human germline editing much more feasible, erasing many of the ethical barriers erected to prevent scientists from editing the genes of heredity.

"The ethical debate about what is now called human gene editing has gone on for more than 50 years," writes Dr. John H. Evans, co-director of the Institute for Practical Ethics at the University of California, San Diego. "For nearly that entire time, there has been consensus that a moral divide exists between somatic and human germline editing."

In an essay published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Evans contends that many of the potent bioethical arguments that once made germline editing a verboten concept, have begun to dissolve in the era of CRISPR.

Evansand a growing number of other ethicistscontend that the moral divide that long separated scientific thinking about germline versus somatic-cell editing is perceptibly weakening.

The 2018 announcement in China by He Jianqui who genetically altered human embryos via CRISPRproducing twins known as Lulu and Nanahelped strengthen policies about germline gene editing. Despite the worldwide scorn leveled against him for conducting a brazen act of human experimentation, his research also helped usher in a more moderate point of view regarding the manipulation of germline genes. Policy makers followed with a softer tone in guidelines on the feasibility of research involving the genes of heredity. As it turned out, a bourgeoning number of scientists were expressing interest in developing potential cures by manipulating genetic sequences in germline DNA.

"Currently, despite appearances, in the mainstream US and UK bioethical debate that has the greatest influence over what actually happens with science policy, the somatic/germline distinction has lost its power. For example, despite the uproar over He Jianqui's facilitation of the gestation and birth of germline modified children in China, the leadership of the Second International Summit on Human Germline Editing implicitly agreed with him that it is in principle acceptable to engage in germline intervention, as long as it is safe and human subjects protections are followed," Evans wrote in PNAS.

"Indeed, a commission of the National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Science, and the Royal Society recently developed a "translational pathway" for the "responsible use" of germline applications," Evans argued.

Genomic editing actually refers to several technologies that allow scientists to "rewrite" segments of an organism's genetic code. Sequences of DNA can be deleted, or receive additions or altered at virtually any genomic location. Unlike other genomic editing technologies, CRISPR-Cas9 is faster, more efficient and easier to use. And CRISPR, biologists increasingly say, has opened a new frontier of possibilities in what can be achieved with a powerful biological tool.

But as high-tech as CRISPR may seem, it wasn't invented in a laboratory. The editing technique actually is an adaptation of a naturally occurring genome editing system found in bacteria and archaea. These organisms literally grab infinitesimal sequences of genetic material from the viruses that invade them, and then use these captured sequences to create DNA segments called CRISPR arrays.

The arrays allow bacteria and archaea to recall the viral infiltrators should they invade in the future. When the virusesbacteriophagesattack again, the bacteria or archaea produce RNA from the CRISPR arrays to zero in on the viral genes. Bacteria and archaea then rely on Cas9 to chop up the viral genes, which effectively destroys the virus. In many ways, this ability to remember infectious viruses amounts to a crude immune system, acting similarly to memory B and T cells of the far more sophisticated mammalian immune system.

Jennifer Doudna of the University of California at Berkeley and Emmanuelle Charpentier of the Pasteur Institute in Paris won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their collaborative work involving CRISPR-Cas9. The technology was originally developedand namedby Spanish biologist Francis Mojica, a professor at the University of Alicante in Spain. He was not included as a recipient of the prize.

Evans, meanwhile, underscores that by the time CRISPR emerged as a potent laboratory tool in the early 2010s, it still appeared that "germline modification was always going to be impossible."

"After it became clear that some scientists were trying to use CRISPR to modify human embryos in the laboratory," Evans wrote, "many scientific groups released position papers on human germline editing, mostly defending the somatic/germline barrier using the value of nonmaleficence (safety)."

For example, in August 2015, according to Evans, the American Society for Gene and Cell Therapy and the Japan Society of Gene Therapy released a statement noting that the "safety and ethical concerns" about human germline editing are "sufficiently serious to support a strong stance against gene editing in, or gene modification of, human cells to generate viable human zygotes with heritable germ-line modifications."

He concluded his arguments by calling on the molecular biology community to take heed of the speed advances in gene editing have arrived in recent years. "The CRISPR revolution is making all sorts of intervention into the natural world possible, and these interventions all have their surrounding ethical debates.

"With genetic tools becoming more and more powerful, we must focus on why we are using the toolson our valuesor risk sliding into 'what can be done should be done.' "

Explore further New gene editing tools force renewed debate over therapeutic germline alteration

More information: John H. Evans. Setting ethical limits on human gene editing after the fall of the somatic/germline barrier, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2021). doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004837117 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences John H. Evans. Setting ethical limits on human gene editing after the fall of the somatic/germline barrier,(2021). doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004837117

 2021 Science X Network
People, most of them without face masks, walk at Red Square during sunset in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, June 24, 2021. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. Credit: AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

They tried grocery giveaways and lotteries for new cars and apartments. But an ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June still has fallen short by a third.

So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants.

As many Western countries lift coronavirus restrictions and plan a return to normal life after mass vaccinations, Russia is battling a surge of infectionseven though it was the first in the world to authorize a vaccine and among the first to start administering it in December.

Daily new cases have grown from about 9,000 in early June to about 17,000 on June 18 and over 20,000 on Thursday, with Moscow, its outlying region and St. Petersburg combining for about half of all new infections.

Officials have blamed Russians' lax attitude toward taking necessary precautions and the growing prevalence of more infectious variants. But perhaps the biggest factor is the lack of vaccinations.

Only 20.7 million people, or 14% of its population of 146 million, have received at least one shot as of Wednesday, and only 16.7 million, or about 11%, have been fully vaccinated.

In this June 21, 2021, file photo, medical workers carry a patient suspected of having coronavirus on a stretcher at a hospital in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, Russia. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants. Credit: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin, File

Experts say those numbers are due to several factors, including the public's wariness of the rushed approval and rollout of the Sputnik V vaccine; an official narrative that Russia had tamed its outbreak; criticism on state TV of other vaccines as dangerous; and a weak promotional campaign that included incentives such as consumer giveaways.

In light of the surge, at least 14 Russian regionsfrom Moscow and St. Petersburg to the remote far-eastern region of Sakhalinmade vaccinations mandatory this month for employees in certain sectors, such as government offices, retail, health care, education, restaurants, fitness centers, beauty parlors and other service industries.

Moscow authorities said companies should suspend without pay employees unwilling to get vaccinated, and they threatened to temporarily halt operations of businesses that don't meet the goal of having 60% of staff get at least one shot by July 15 and both shots by Aug. 15.

As of Monday, all Moscow restaurants, cafes and bars will admit only customers who have been vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, or can provide a negative coronavirus test from the previous 72 hours. City officials also limited most elective hospital care to those who are fully vaccinated or can provide tests showing they have antibodies to fight the infection.

People stand in line to get a coronavirus vaccine at a center in the GUM, State Department store, in Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. Credit: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

The moves seem to be an act of desperation by authorities.

"They backed themselves into a corner, they have no choice now," said Judy Twigg, a political science professor specializing in global health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

"They overhyped this vaccine so that people didn't trust it. Then they took a series of measures that were clearly attempted to make it seem as though the government had everything under control, the pandemic was no big deal.  And now they're in this situation, not surprisingly, where low vaccination rates have left an opening for the delta variant to come in," she said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Thursday the vaccinations in Moscow were "voluntary," because those refusing to get the shot can still seek a different job.

The governor of the southern region of Krasnodar, home to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, said hotels and sanitariums will only accommodate vacationers with a negative coronavirus test or a vaccination certificate starting July 1. As of Aug. 1, only vaccinated individuals will be admitted.

A vaccination certificate sits on a computer screen with the website Gosuslugi (public services portal) in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 21, 2021. Police quickly cracked down, launching 24 criminal cases last week against sellers of fake vaccination certificates. Still, several accounts offering the bogus documents could be found easily on the Telegram messaging app this week. Credit: AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

The mandates have drawn mixed responses, with some saying they are welcome if they prevent closures of businesses, while other say it's unclear how employers can persuade those who don't want the shots.

"Most restaurateurs believe that vaccination is necessary," said Sergei Mironov, founder of a restaurant chain and vice president of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers. "But it is necessary to create (the right) conditions for the vaccination (drive)."

"There are too many rumors, and even doctors say different things," and convincing younger employees to get vaccinated is especially difficult, he said.

Tatyana Moskalkova, the government's human rights commissioner, said the unvaccinated have cited discrimination by employers, with threats of dismissal or withholding bonuses.

At a TV awards ceremony Tuesday, popular actor Yegor Beroyev wore a yellow star akin to those worn by Jews under the Nazis in World War II, and he spoke of "waking up in a world where (COVID-19 vaccination) became an identification mark of whether you are a citizen,  will you be able to visit institutions and events, will you enjoy all the benefits and rights."

A visitor shows a COVID-19 vaccination QR code at the entrance of a restaurant in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner. Credit: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner.

Restaurant owners won concessions Thursday when Moscow agreed the QR codes aren't needed for the next two weeks at establishments with outdoor terraces, and underage customers won't have to provide documentation if accompanied by their parents.

Still, the situation for many restaurants "is hard and will be harder by the day," Mironov said.

In Moscow, online searches for fake inoculation documents increased shortly after the mayor announced mandatory vaccinations, social anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova told an online lecture on vaccine hesitancy.

Police quickly cracked down, launching 24 criminal cases last week against sellers of fake vaccination certificates. Still, several accounts offering the bogus documents could be found easily on the Telegram messaging app this week.

In this Friday, June 18, 2021, file photo, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, center, and Moscow's Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, left, visit the hospital for coronavirus patients in Kommunarka, outside Moscow, Russia. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants. Credit: Alexander Astafyev, Sputnik/Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File

The number of such offers has grown about 19% every month since March, said Evgeny Egorov, digital risk protection analyst at Group-IB, a Singapore-based cybersecurity company. In mid-June, Group-IB found at least 90 active offers, he said.

The independent pollster Levada Center said polls show about 60% of Russians are unwilling to get vaccinated.

Levada director and sociologist Denis Volkov said the vaccination mandates could change the minds of many because it's a clear signal from the government that the shots are necessary.

"I often hear (from respondents) that they wouldn't do it, are afraid and so on, but if there are restrictions, and it is required for travel, state services, or at work, then yes," Volkov said.

It could be starting to change attitudes. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said the average vaccination rate across Russia has almost doubled in the past week, and long lines have been seen at pop-up vaccination clinics in Moscow shopping malls.

A restaurant employee, right, checks a visitor's COVID-19 vaccination QR code at the entrance of a restaurant in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner. Credit: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

People sit in an open veranda of a restaurant in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, June 24, 2021. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants. Credit: AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

A woman is seen through a glass window with the words reading "Keep fit! Mask and gloves are compulsory equipment of passengers" inside a bus in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants. Credit: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin

People sit in a street side cafe near Red Square in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, June 24, 2021. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants. Credit: AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko

A demand for vaccines could also lead to shortages. As of mid-May, just over 33 million doses were produced in Russia, and a significant amount was exported.

Several regions have reported supply problems this week, but Peskov said those were "temporary logistical difficulties."

Explore further Russian regions make vaccines mandatory for many workers

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Diagram showing CAR T-cell therapy

Cancer Research UK is collaborating with Aleta Biotherapeutics (Aleta) to trial a new therapy that 'reboots' a treatment for some people with blood cancer whose cancer starts to come back.

The new therapy, called ALETA-001, aims to boost a treatment called CAR T-cell therapy, which takes some of a patient's immune cells and alters them to attack cancer.

Cancer Research UK's Center for Drug Development will fund, sponsor and conduct the clinical trial of ALETA-001, which will involve people with B cell lymphoma and leukemia.

Nigel Blackburn, Cancer Research UK's director of drug development, said this is a landmark collaboration for Cancer Research UK.

"It's the first-in-human trial for a new drug that reboots CAR T-cell therapy, and we look forward to progress its early clinical development with Aleta."

Rebooting CAR T-cell therapy

"CAR T-cell therapy has been transformative in treating patients with hard-to-treat blood cancers, but many will see their cancer return and treatment options begin to run out," said Blackburn.

Around half of the patients treated with CAR T-cell therapy relapse, mostly because their cancer cells stop producing the CD19 protein that CAR T-cells are looking for.

When this happens, patients have few other options.

There are different types of CAR T-cell therapy made by different companies. Examples include: tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus)

ALETA-001 acts as a 'reboot' for CAR T-cell therapy, attaching to a different protein called CD20 and 'recoating' the cancer cell with CD19. The CAR T cells can then recognize and attack the cancer cells again.

"ALETA-001 uses a simple yet elegant method to redirect a patient's circulating CD19 CAR T cells against cancer cells expressing CD20, and we hope this could be a new treatment avenue for blood cancer," said Blackburn.

Taking ALETA-001 to the clinic

The first trial will enroll patients with B cell lymphoma or leukemia who have received CD19 CAR T-cell therapy but did not achieve a complete response or whose cancer has come back.

Led by a team at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, it will be the first time that this type of therapy has ever been tested in humans.

A key aim of the trial is to find out the right dosage of ALETA-001. After this, it will be move into a much bigger trial in the US involving people with diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

This second trial will be designed to support potential accelerated approval of ALETA-001 for cancer patients.

Paul Rennert, President, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Aleta Biotherapeutics, said: "There is an urgent need to develop new therapies that can help people with B cell cancers, such as lymphoma and leukemia, whose cancer has progressed after treatment with CD19 CAR T-cell therapy."

"We look forward to working with Cancer Research UK's exceptional network of experienced clinical trial investigators and researchers to conduct the trial."

Explore further Another promising approach for hard-to-treat blood cancers
Ambassador of Belarus S.Chepurnoy meets the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia

On June 24, 2020, on the occasion of the diplomatic mission completion Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to Mongolia Stanislav Chepurnoy met with the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia, Chairman of the Mongolian part of the Joint Belarusian-Mongolian Commission for trade and economic cooperation Zagdjav Mendsaihkhan.

The sides discussed a number of actual issues of the Belarusian-Mongolian trade and economic cooperation, including the practical implementation of bilateral projects in the framework of the General Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of Mongolia on extending Export Loan as well as plans to hold the next meeting of the Joint Commission for trade and economic cooperation in the second half of this year in Minsk.

S.Chepurnoy was awarded by the badge of honor of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry of Mongolia for his contribution to the development of Belarusian-Mongolian cooperation.

print version
AT LEAST seven Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights between Manila and Hong Kong and the Middle East scheduled for June 6-8 were canceled, the ...
TRENTON, N.J. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in New Jersey:
"The question in this case is straightforward: Does this provision limit EPA to prolonging exemptions currently in place, or does it enable EPA to provide exemptions to refineries that lack them? The statutes text and structure direct a clear answer: EPA cannot 'extend' an exemption that a refinery no longer has," Barrett wrote.

The case involved amendments to the Clean Air Act made in 2005 and 2007 that require transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain specified amounts of certain renewable fuels. Small refineries were exempt from that requirement until 2011.

The law also allowed the EPA to extend the exemption for individual small refineries if complying would subject them to disproportionate economic hardship.

Another section of the law says that a small refinery can ask the EPA for an extension of the exemption at any time.

President Joe Biden's administration had argued that to get an extension a refinery had to have maintained a continuous exemption since 2011. The administration said that followed from the word extension.
Only after senators tuned in later to Bidens second news conference, where he outlined the path ahead, did frustrations mount and frantic phone calls begin.

At the press conference, Biden was asked what he meant by having the two packages move through Congress to his desk in tandem.

If they dont come, Im not signing. Real simple, Biden said.

Senators from the group were never told of such an explicit linking of the two packages, the two people familiar with the discussions said.

It never came up in their talks with the White House advisers or with Biden himself during Thursday's meeting of the group of 10 key negotiators, they said.

Theres a lot of conversations taking place right now as to what the president meant," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in an interview with a Fox affiliate in New Orleans shared by his office.

Cassidy noted that the president may have misspoken and said he hoped "it wont be as if we crafted something just to give the president a point of leverage to get something that Republicans disagree with.

Ten Republican senators would be needed to pass the bipartisan accord in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most bills.
The increasing reservoir elevations, beginning in 2008 and continuing past 2011, are one of the main reasons the walleye fishery is very healthy today, Headley said.

As we get into the boating season with lower water levels, anglers and water recreationists are encouraged to be on the lookout for new islands and shallow bays.

In addition, more shoreline is exposed and boat ramps are longer (all ramps are currently usable). Besides making boating on the reservoir a little more challenging, how do these lower water levels affect the Fort Peck fishery?

FWP fisheries sampling has shown that declining reservoir elevations beginning in the late 1990s and persisting into the early 2000s led to reduced habitat and forage fish production. This loss of habitat led to poor survival and growth of walleye and other game fish species.

Decreasing reservoir levels influence walleye, pike and other game fish primarily through the food chain. If shoreline prey fish like yellow perch, crappie and shiner species are in low abundance, top predators will go deep.
My job is to train leaders, he said. I see myself doing what Paul used to do, training leaders and sending them out to plant churches.

Since the church began meeting in March, Abdala has been engaging its future leaders in an intensive discipleship program to give them a deep understanding of the Bible and teach them skills they will need to disciple others.

Once a week, I meet with them and work with them to read through the whole Bible, he said. There are many people who do not read the whole Bible. The Bible and the Holy Spirit are the ones to guide them.

After Abdala leaves to start another church, Abner Mendoza, originally from El Salvador, will take over as the churchs pastor. The church will continue to meet at Summit Community Church, and the two churches will stay connected with the new congregation becoming Summits Spanish-language ministry.

Our vision is to have the Latino church and the American church be together, Abdala said. Because I think we always need to be pastored, so the Latino pastor will work with the Latino people and will stay very close to the American pastors, so their work is together. Its not two, but one church.
The court rejected those arguments, noting that in Pennsylvania, Giuliani failed to "provide a scintilla of evidence for any of the varying and wildly inconsistent numbers of dead people he factually represented voted in Philadelphia during the 2020 presidential election."

Giuliani was the primary mouthpiece for Trump's lies after the 2020 election, standing at a press conference in front of Four Seasons Total Landscaping outside Philadelphia on the day the race was called for Biden and saying they would challenge what he claimed was a vast conspiracy by Democrats.

The lies around the 2020 election helped push an angry mob of pro-Trump rioters to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a shocking effort to stop the certification of President Biden's victory. And since that time, Republicans have used that lie to push stricter voting laws nationwide.

The suspension comes as Giuliani is under scrutiny by federal prosecutors over his interactions with figures in Ukraine while he was trying to get that country to launch an investigation of Biden's son.

Federal agents raided Giuliani's home and office in April, taking electronic devices including phones and computers.
Both owners are concerned that their businesses' accessibility to multiperson bathrooms will require them to post the signs, which they worry will offend people and drive some away from their businesses, the lawsuit says.

Sanctuary was founded specifically to create a safe space for transgender and intersex people and their families in a state that can be unwelcoming to LGBTQ people, Sayers said in a news release. I am against posting offensive signs that stigmatize and deny the existence of transgender and intersex people at our center."

The law's sponsor, Republican Rep. Tim Rudd, has said the law isn't discriminatory, noting it doesnt limit businesses on which facilities they can let people use and includes a 30-day window to post signs after an entity is informed it's not complying.

Its very shocking and a danger to people if they walk into a restroom thats marked men or women, and the opposite sex is standing there, it could scare them, it could provoke violence, Rudd said while lawmakers debated the requirement.

Samantha Fisher, spokesperson for Attorney General Herbert Slatery, said the office will defend state law but cannot comment further on pending litigation.
Butte-Silver Bow's parks and recreation, health department and archives will host a Hike through History series for adults at 9 a.m. every Thursday July 8-Aug. 26. The Aug. 5 tour will begin at 6 p.m. The walks will feature guest speakers who will highlight snippets of Buttes history. This is an opportunity for the community and its visitors to experience Butte-Silver Bows vast trail system. Each walk is free, but a $5 donation is appreciated with proceeds going to the Friends of the Archives and the Local Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Fund.

The dates and trails, including trail ability ratings, are as follows:

July 8  Montana Tech to Anselmo Mine with Louie Loushin, Joe Griffin, and more  Visit Butte's most intact underground mine yard with the men who worked in the mines. Meet at the Montana Tech dorms on Broadway and Western Streets. Beginner skill level

July 15  St. Mary's Neighborhood with Dan Kelly and Danette Harrington  Discover St. Mary's neighborhood's early mining and Irish history from third-generation descendants. Meet at Wyoming and Copper Streets. Moderate skill level
Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, also in the group, said the package would contain money for addressing wildfires but was unclear whether raises were included. If not, Tester said raises would be addressed in next year's federal budget.

This is dangerous work, folks need to be paid for it. Were going to need to hire people to do this work, he said.

Still, officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise said they face a potential shortage of firefighters this year because the $13 starting wage isnt enough.

Theres not technically a shortage of firefighters because we always overprepare, said Jessica Gardetto, a fire center spokeswoman with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and a former wildland firefighter. But its a concern right now. We're seeing people taking jobs at local businesses that pay the same or more than starting fire positions.

She also said the length of time firefighters spend in the field has been increasing. That can be a problem for seasonal firefighters who are college students and need to get back to class.

In the past we had fire seasons, now we have fire years, she said.
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, one of 10 lawmakers negotiating a compromise $973 billion infrastructure bill, said the investment will have a significant impact on Montana.

The Montana Democrat said the package announced would complete funding for multiple rural water projects, constrained by spending limitations over the past 20 years. Internet, airports, road and bridge projects would all benefit.

It will provide significant investments in Montana's roads, bridges, airports, and water infrastructure. It will also make badly needed investments in broadband, which is particularly important for folks in rural Montana, who lag far behind the rest of the country when it comes to internet connectivity, Tester said. Most importantly, it will help create good paying jobs across the entire state.

President Joe Biden announced the agreement at the White House flanked by the lawmakers credited for the negotiating the compromise over the past several weeks. The proposal is $1 trillion less than what the president preferred, but is more likely to secure the 10 Republican votes needed to pass.
Every day, 30 babies are born in Montana. That is an entire classroom of future fourth graders born per day. By fourth grade, only 11 of these kids will read proficiently and be on track for future academic success. The other 19 will struggle to read at grade level and may fall behind in school. How these children spend their early years matters.

Supportive early learning environments help children develop the social, emotional, and literacy skills they need to succeed in school and life. Children experience rapid brain development when they are young. They learn an entire language and can recognize 10,000 words by age 5. By playing with other children, they learn social and emotional skills. Early learning has more than just short-term benefits though. Research shows that children who attend early education programs are less likely to need special education and more likely to graduate from high school.

This week KIDS COUNT released its 32nd annual data book comparing all 50 states in child well-being. The latest rankings show that Montana is 26th in education. Unfortunately, two-thirds of Montana fourth graders do not read proficiently, and this number has not changed in a decade, showing that reading progress stalled.
FWP has been wrestling with recreation management on the river since 2011, with concerns about overcrowding dating back to 1979. A previous coalition designed to come to a consensus on the problem was dissolved amid bitter divisions. In 2018, a different Fish and Wildlife Commission denied FWPs river management environmental assessment that would have established an outfitter cap.

Commissioner Pat Tabor, a Whitefish outfitter, disagreed with Byorth, saying the delay would enable the commission and working group to come to an integrated solution considering all aspects and all use other than a piecemeal implementation.

This is a sensible way to go about regulating it, and it gives the committee the opportunity to look at it holistically, instead of one thing at a time, he added.

Commissioner K.C. Walsh, who is executive chairman of a Gallatin Valley fishing products manufacturer, said he sees the delay as a way to involve outfitters and guides in the process when they are not busy during the peak of their summer angling season.

The commissions decision didnt sit well with Nick Gevock, conservation director for the Montana Wildlife Federation.
In this year alone, 27 states are currently pushing for right-to-repair laws at the state level. Iowa, however, is not among these states. People may already be making the choice to use available third party repair shops. For Jim Sichterman, owner of Muscatine Computer Store Inc., repairing electronics is just business as usual for him, no matter what brand they are.

I have a lot of resources that I can use to help me figure out how to repair stuff, Sichterman said, Plus Ive been doing it for 25+ years.

As such, if the right-to-repair act were to pass, Sichterman said that he believed it wouldnt make too much of a difference for his business, other than giving him another resource for his repair work.

It would probably make it a little bit easier if I had one spot per manufacturer to go to for that type of resource as oppose to having to search for it or check old files that we have or trying to figure it out ourselves, Sichterman explained, Obviously it was designed and put together at some point in time, so there has to be some way to take it apart. It may not be easy to do, but its possible. Its just a question of whether its worth doing or not.
DES MOINES  Danny Homan, the leader of Iowas largest public employee union who has been an outspoken critic of the state restricting collective bargaining rights and leaving his unions prison employees in jeopardy from understaffing, announced Wednesday he plans to end his 16-year run as president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61 next month.

In a statement, Homan, 68, an AFSCME employee for over 33 years and president since 2005, said he plans to retire at the end of his term and a new president will be elected at the unions upcoming convention July 24.

I am proud to have had the trust and support of the members of this council for the last 16 years, Homan said in his announcement. Working here has been the honor of my life. Every day I knew thousands of people were counting on me and this council to have their back, and I am proud to say that we did.

AFSCME Council 61 represents more than 55,000 members in over 230 bargaining units across Iowa, Missouri, and Kansas.
It is anticipated that approximately 25 to 30 sworn members of the Department will travel to Texas in support of this request, said a statement from the Iowa Department of Public Safety. The deployment is expected to last approximately two weeks.

Currently, the Iowa State Patrol has 360 sworn staff with 267 solely assigned to road duty, according to the department.

Neither the department not the governors office responded to questions after the announcement Thursday of whether the border duties would require any special training or what powers Iowa troopers have outside the state.

For officer safety purposes, the Iowa State Patrol does not provide specific operational details of missions, said Debbie McClung, a spokeswoman for the Public Safety Department.

A department email obtained by WHO-TV said that the state will be soliciting officers to travel to Texas to support this request. We anticipate the travel dates will be July 8-23, 2021.

Under the interstate pact, the states requesting the aid must reimburse other states that provide it for the cost.
DES MOINES  The Waterloo and Council Bluffs school districts will conduct separate early education pilot programs in partnership with the state education department and funded by federal pandemic relief dollars, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday.

Council Bluffs will receive $7 million that will enable the district to offer an early childhood program that provides childcare and early learning activities that will prepare young children for preschool and kindergarten.

Waterloo will receive $3 million for a program that will aim to close the achievement gap in literacy and math among young students, particularly minorities.

Both districts will be working with national experts and evaluating ways that we can expand their programs potentially again across the entire state, Reynolds said Wednesday during a news conference at the Iowa Capitol.

The Council Bluffs early childhood program will expand childcare access and preschool programming for nearly 200 children ages 0 to 3, said Council Bluffs superintendent Vickie Murillo. A portion of the $7 million will go toward the construction of an early learning center on the district campus, which should be open by the fall of 2023, Murillo said. The district also will work to raise private funds for the project.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  A blaze that badly damaged a former City Hall building in Iowa and destroyed a makeshift Black children's memorial was being investigated as suspicious, according to fire officials.

The fire early Wednesday in Des Moines destroyed a memorial created last summer by the Des Moines Black Liberation Movement. It honored Black Iowa youth who have died in recent years.

Lt. Rick Thomas of the Des Moines Fire Department told the Des Moines Register that the fire is still under investigation and its cause has not yet been determined, but investigators believe the cause is suspicious. Investigators were reviewing video of the fire, which was reported around 5 a.m. Wednesday.

The memorial was at the entrance to the 132-year-old former North Des Moines City Hall, which has been unoccupied for many years. North Des Moines was once its own city, but now is part of Des Moines.
Microsoft Corp.s Windows 11, the latest iteration of its 35-year-old personal computer operating system, boasts loads of new features meant to position the software giant as the polite child in a classroom full of big bad technology bullies. The update also has at least one change that hearkens back to the days of Microsofts own anticompetitive behavior.

At the softwares Thursday debut, Microsoft touted developers choices to avoid app commissions, emphasized the ability to use outside app stores to download rival programs, and said its offering promotions and financial rewards to small and local news creators. All these points served to let Microsoft shine a light on how its different than some of its rivals  Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc.s Google and Facebook Inc.

IPhone maker Apple is fighting off a lawsuit over commissions charged in its App Store, with Microsoft backing plaintiff Epic Games Inc., and Google and Facebook have fought against Australian rules requiring them to compensate creators for news articles appearing on their ubiquitous search and social-media platforms. All three, along with Amazon.com Inc., are under intensifying scrutiny from global regulators over their gargantuan market power.

In criticizing competitors in these cases, Microsoft has held up its own behavior as a contrast  and the new Windows ups the ante. The companys new Windows Store will let app developers use their own commerce platform, meaning theyll pay Microsoft no fee, where Apple requires use of its tools and levies a 30% commission on any app that made more than $1 million in the past year. The new PC operating system also builds in graphical widgets that pull news from the web, with an initial focus on local news providers, and will give readers the option to tip the publication or author for their content.

Windows isnt just an operating system  its a platform for platform creators. It allows for the brightest of design spaces enabling people to build their own businesses and communities, said Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella at the Windows virtual event. Today the world needs a more open platform, one that allows apps to become platforms in their own right.

But one key addition to Windows 11 seems to undermine the companys image of openness. Microsoft said it will bundle its Slack-killer, the Teams conferencing and communications software, directly into Windows, accessible with one button on the bottom of a users screen. Teams, introduced in 2017, started out years behind popular office-chat upstart Slack Technologies Inc., and has been catching up in recent years partly because the program is already included in Microsofts top-selling Office suite of productivity programs like Word and Excel. The move to integrate a burgeoning product into an established one looks like a throwback to the 1990s, when the software maker built its dominance  and hobbled rivals  by bundling other products into Windows, which came free and pre-installed on almost every PC shipped.

Even as they announced Teams would be built into the new Windows  creating a captive audience of millions of PC users that might otherwise have skipped the product  Microsoft executives on Thursday mentioned their desire to make Windows an open platform multiple times. The framing of Windows 11 is set against the backdrop of increased antitrust activity in the U.S., including a series of proposed bills introduced in Congress that aim to regulate Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon  but are murky on whether Microsoft would be covered, too. In the current regulatory climate, the release of a product as significant as Windows, and with as much market share, has to be viewed through the lens of potential antitrust implications.

While Slack acknowledged that Windows will continue to give users options, it also noted that the bundling of Team means that the playing field may not be even. Choice is better than lock-in, open is better than closed, and fair competition is best of all, the company said in a statement. Unfortunately, Microsoft has never seen it that way.

Microsoft said Windows 11 users may remove the button linking to Teams should they wish to, and the version in Windows 11 will be a consumer-grade Teams, rather than the corporate one included as part of Office.

The bundling is especially notable because Microsofts past efforts to integrate its own apps into Windows as a way to compete with rival products formed the basis of a landmark U.S. government antitrust lawsuit against the software maker in the late 1990s. It was a period when Bill Gatess Microsoft was seen as an evil empire that crushed rivals by relying on Windows near-complete control of the PC market.

When Microsoft missed the internet boom and felt behind the Netscape Navigator browser, the company clawed its way back by creating Internet Explorer and tying it to Windows, while signing licenses with computer makers that restricted competition. Ultimately, the courts found Microsoft guilty of a related antitrust charge stemming from the browser issue  illegally defending its Windows monopoly  and didnt settle the question of whether it was acceptable to bundle Internet Explorer into Windows. European regulators did find the tying behavior to be a violation of its laws.

Some Microsoft executives have said the case and the resulting distraction set the software maker back, causing it to fall behind in emerging markets like mobile computing and search. In recent years, the company has roared back with its cloud-computing businesses and successfully shifted sales of its dominant Office software toward internet-based versions while expanding into new categories of productivity apps. At the same time, Nadella, who took over as CEO in 2014, has cleaned up the companys reputation, boosting the interoperability of its products and striking partnerships with former rivals. Partly because of its rehabbed image, and partly because it lacks strong businesses in some of the areas most in the spotlight like social media, e-commerce and internet advertising, Microsoft has so far evaded the level of scrutiny given to Apple, Amazon, Google and Facebook.

There are signs that some lawmakers are taking notice of Microsofts absence from the list of Techs Most Wanted. Less than 24 hours before Microsoft took the wraps off Windows 11, which goes into test next week and will be released later this year, Republican members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee raised questions about why the software maker appears to be largely exempt from the antitrust bills proposed by their Democratic colleagues. It isnt clear that Microsoft is exempt  the company has said it expects to be covered by aspects of the legislation, and some of the bills authors have provided differing interpretations.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky challenged his colleagues on the committee to explain why Microsoft wouldnt fall under the measures.

Im trying to figure out why one of the biggest offenders, of Big Tech, has mysteriously avoided the scrutiny of this committee and this broad swath of bills that seek to radically rewrite our antitrust law, Massie said, waving a draft of the bill that he said was shared with Microsoft before it was public. Im talking about Microsoft.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft, for its part, said Windows 11 will showcase rival products like those from Slack and Zoom Video Communications Inc., particularly in new features like one that lets users snap multiple apps into a single-screen layout to see several tools at once.

Any of those apps  Zoom, Slack  theyre going to run great and they can take advantage of all of the new features in Windows 11, Yusuf Mehdi, a Microsoft vice president, said in an interview. Our success is predicated on them being able to have success on our platform. If we limit those things, we believe that hurts the opportunity for Windows 11.

Slack, which is being acquired by Microsoft cloud-computing rival Salesforce.com Inc., already complained to European regulators in July 2020 about Microsofts integration of Teams into Office. That prime positioning and Microsofts focus on teleconferencing, an area where Slack lagged, put Teams in a strong place when the pandemic forced employees and schoolchildren to connect from home. Teams has more than 145 million daily active users, Microsoft said in April.
The effect of a hard lockdown in South Africa will be too severe and it is too late in the current Covid-19 pandemic trajectory for the harsh restrictions of a level 5 lockdown to be effective.

This was the feedback from Doctor Mary Kawonga to the Gauteng Command Council on Thursday.

We need to balance the health, with the economic considerations, Kawonga stated.

Livelihoods are always affected when we have hard lockdown measures such as lockdown level 5, even lockdown level 4.

Kawonga said that the recommendations they have been making to the provincial coronavirus command council and the Gauteng Premier David Makhura is that a level 5 lockdown is way too stringent.

It will have a disastrous effect on the economy and peoples livelihoods. Its also quite late in the pandemic trajectory to expect to see a big impact, stated Kawonga.

Instead, Kawonga said that they have proposed a hybrid of existing alert level 3 measures together with some level 4 lockdown restrictions.

This would include stricter restrictions on alcohol sales, potentially without banning it outright, and strict limitations on gatherings and mobility to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The advice to the Gauteng Command Council comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa is meeting with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) today to discuss the governments response to the third Covid-19 wave in South Africa.

Yesterday, South Africa recorded its highest number of new daily Covid-19 infections since the third wave started.

The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) announced that South Africas daily Covid-19 infections rose to 17,493.

Gauteng was particularly hard hit, with 10,806 confirmed Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours. This is the highest number of new daily cases ever in the province.

Professor Bruce Mellado, who also addressed the provincial command council, said that current data for Gauteng tracking the models of the worst-case scenario predicted for the third wave.

However, he explained that the spike in cases reported in Gauteng yesterday is alarming as it indicates that the situation in Gauteng is not under control and could end up deviating from the worst-case model.

This is a big concern, as it means the pandemic peak could get much worse than even the worst-case scenario predicted.

The pandemic peak is currently predicted to occur in the first week of July, and if the pandemic in Gauteng is not brought under control, this could also deviate from the model.

News24 reported that hospitals are so overwhelmed that medical personnel now have to choose who they will try to save and who must die.

It is because of a shortage of hospital beds, a lack of oxygen, and not enough medical professionals to care for patients.

As a result of the situation in Gauteng, several experts called for harder lockdown restrictions and a ban on alcohol sales to help hospitals to cope, with some even calling for a hard lockdown.

Others have argued that it is too late for a hard lockdown now, and moving to alert level 5 would only cause further devastation to South Africas already shattered economy for no discernable benefit over less restrictive lockdown measures.

President Ramaphosa has also expressed concern about the rise in Covid-19 cases in Gauteng and alluded to stricter lockdown rules.

Ramaphosa said it might be necessary for the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) to review the lockdown level in the country.

Indications are that the government will have to increase the measures that it puts in place to prevent Covid-19, particularly in Gauteng.

The charts below illustrate why medical experts and politicians are so concerned about the situation in Gauteng.

This first chart shows the currently infectious people in Gauteng based on the reported new cases in the province. There is a rapid rise over the last few weeks without any signs of dissipating.

The second graph shows the reported new cases in the province, which also continue to increase.
When the four Ortiz brothers were growing up in Calistoga, their house was a popular after-school destination for a very specific reason: their mothers tamales.

These werent just any tamales. Their mother Divina made them with her special mole sauce wrapped in banana leaves with a recipe, passed down to her from family in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The family moved to Calistoga when Christopher, Ivan, Omar, and Noel were young, and they attended schools here. The family often brought their homemade tamales to special events and celebrations, and all four brothers cut their teeth in the restaurant business; among them, they have spent time as chefs at Solbar, Meadowood, the Calistoga Inn, and Sams Social Club.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: $3 for your first 3 months!

Over the years, the Ortiz brothers batted around the idea of selling their popular tamales, using their mothers recipe, in Calistoga. They approached the Calistoga Chamber of Commerce and Karen Verzosa, manager of the Calistoga Farmers' Market, and in 2019 they started offering their Oaxacan tamales at the market. They were an instant hit.
Closure decisions have triggered vocal resistance by parents who warned of overcrowding at remaining campuses and predicted the loss of smaller classrooms with closer staff attention would drive more families to private schools and accelerate the districts student drain.

Only two people called into Thursdays virtual meeting during the public comment period for Mucettis contract, which took place after 10 p.m. two-thirds of the way through a five-hour session. But one of the speakers blasted the superintendent and the cutbacks during her tenure.

Reading the highlights of her term is devastating; its cuts, cuts, and more cuts, Matt Clancy said by Zoom videoconference to trustees at NVUSD headquarters. Its baffling that you guys have any idea of what youre thinking. I cant wait for the next election.

Youre closing two middle schools and two elementary schools; I understand it brings in money, but youre going to cut more in the future  And yet you want to give her a raise? If this were a business and she were the head, she would be removed immediately.

Afterward, trustees were quick to support Mucettis record against what they called misunderstandings about how school districts are funded, and how school-age populations rise and fall.
More than 20% of Virginias rental households have people with extremely low incomes  and a majority of them spend half their money on housing costs and utilities, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Plus, Virginia has a shortage of nearly 150,000 rental properties for people with extremely low incomes. Concerns about affordable housing are most acute in northern Virginia, outside the nation's capital, but housing advocates say Richmond and Hampton Roads have very tight rental markets as well.

A recent U.S. Census survey of more than 180,000 Virginians found that nearly 40,000 feared they were very likely to leave their home in the next two months due to eviction. Housing advocates worry that evictions will surge, and homelessness could eventually follow, if landlords fail to tell tenants about the relief money. Some will still utilize Virginia's relief fund, said Holly Yates, a managing attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia. But she said others won't want to jump through any more hoops, especially in a tight rental market where folks who are a little bit more financially stable are lined up at the door. But Patrick McCloud, CEO of the Virginia Apartment Management Association, said the eviction process is far more arduous than working with a tenant applying for relief. Plus, McCloud said, If I evict the resident, Im never going to see that money.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  When California Gov. Gavin Newsom was searching for a new attorney general earlier this year, state Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan looked up the job requirements and made a surprising discovery: In many instances, the law assumed the attorney general is a man.

Sprinkled throughout the state code were references to he and him and his when referring to the attorney general and other statewide elected officials, even though Vice President Kamala Harris had been the state's first female attorney general and Eleni Kounalakis is the first woman to be elected lieutenant governor.

That will likely change after the state Legislature passed Bauer-Kahan's bill Thursday to update laws governing statewide elected officials with gender-neutral terms. The bill now heads to Newsom for his review.

We have women serving in our highest offices, and the (sections) of the code referring to them only in the male pronoun was pretty shocking to me, said Bauer-Kahan, a Democrat from Orinda. It doesn't represent where California is and where California is going.
BIG SUR, Calif. (AP)  Good weather continued to help firefighters Thursday as they worked to suppress a forest fire in rugged and almost inaccessible California coastal mountains near a remote Buddhist monastery south of Big Sur.

Below-average temperatures and increased relative humidity significantly reduced the activity of the nearly 4.5-square-mile (11.6-square-kilometer) fire in Los Padres National Forest, but it still posed a threat to about 125 homes and other buildings, including the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.

Seven firefighting monks have been clearing brush and running a sprinkler system dubbed Dharma rain, which helps keep moisture around the buildings, said Sozan Miglioli, president of San Francisco Zen Center, which operates the monastery.

Containment increased to 26%, but authorities noted the forecast called for a transition back to warmer and drier conditions on Friday and into the weekend, raising the possibility of increased fire activity.

If the fire becomes more active, it could reposition on the steep slopes and begin to burn aggressively, the firefighting command's daily summary said.
Violent anti-Semitism like this revives one of the worlds oldest plagues. The Los Angeles beatings occurred in a far more publicly visible place than the deadly synagogue shootings in Pittsburgh and Poway.

The anti-Semitism evidenced in the Stanford complaint and the creation of the ethnic studies curriculum has not been so open. While creating the curriculum, for example, advocates of Critical Ethnic Studies quietly included Jews in stating that pale-skinned immigrant groups gave up all or most of their prior identities after arrival in America, eagerly accepting white privilege. Thats obviously false.

This pattern repeated at Stanford, the complaint charges, when a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program in the student counseling service advanced anti-Semitic tropes concerning Jewish power, conspiracy, and control and endorsed the narrative that Jews support white supremacy 

In fact, Jews were leading supporters of civil rights in America long before the Freedom Riders of the 1960s, where they made up about half of all white participants.

The EEOC complaint says the DEI program refused to address (increasing on campus) incidents of anti-Semitism including  drawing of Nazi-style swastikas in prominent locations, including within Memorial Church, a Stanford landmark.
I was very grateful to see the full-page ad featuring Father Ismael Mora of Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church encouraging our community to get vaccinated.

He is quoted as saying, I am getting vaccinated for the sake of the greater good. The greater good, or common good, is one of the key elements of Catholic social teaching. And it is of our entire society as well. It is a way of saying that the right thing to do isnt just about what is best for me, its about what is best for our community as a whole. It can be applied to many issues in our daily life. Right now, it applies to the issue of being vaccinated.

When I get vaccinated, it not only protects me from infection, it protects the members of my family, my neighbors, the people I talk to at the hardware store, grocery store, school, etc. It keeps me from spreading the disease to others. And it gives COVID one less host to live in, mutate and spread from.

Yes, the vaccine causes side effects. Generally, these are mild, but some people have more discomfort than others, and a very, very tiny percentage have serious side effects. But these are all well worth it, compared to getting the disease.
Israel has been trying to influence the Biden administration's approach to the Iran nuclear deal in a series of high-level meetings with U.S. officials, Axios reported citing Israeli officials.

Under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel didn't engage with the Biden administration over the deal except to vehemently oppose it and stress that Israel wouldn't be constrained by it. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his new government also oppose the deal, but are trying to engage with the U.S. on the issue.

Bennett and Lapid dont agree with the Biden administration on the nuclear deal. But unlike Netanyahu, who just rejected it out of hand and refused to engage, the new government wants to try and influence the result and argue in private with the Biden administration about the details," a senior Israeli official told Axios.

Netanyahu ordered all Israeli officials to decline to discuss the details of the deal and the negotiations around it with their U.S. counterparts.

Many Israeli officials have argued that policy and Netanyahu's public criticism of the Obama and Biden administrations over the deal only isolated Israel and left it with no influence on the negotiations.

The new Israeli approach comes at a critical time. After six rounds of indirect talks with Iran, the Biden administration hopes a return to the deal is just weeks away.

The Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Aviv Kohavi, met Wednesday at the White House with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan. Both sides said the meeting centered on Iran, and an IDF spokesman said Kohavi focused on the flaws of the deal and what could be done to mitigate them.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid is expected to hold his first meeting with US Secretary of State Tony Blinken in Rome on Sunday.

Israeli officials say Lapid is expected to stress Israel's reservations about a U.S. return to the deal and to highlight several conditions Israel thinks the U.S. must demand from Iran as part of a return to the deal.

On Monday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin will meet President Biden at the White House. Rivlin met on Wednesday with Bennett and Lapid to coordinate the message to the U.S. on Iran.

It is worth noting that Bennett is every bit as hawkish as Netanyahu on Iran, but Netanyahu has repeatedly claimed that Bennett is not strong enough to stand up to Biden over the nuclear deal.
Zas: Situation in southern Armenia does not comply with CSTO charter provisions

125 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia

Biden announces several key nominations

UK teen allegedly kills 2 sisters in deal with the devil

Armenia high-tech industry acting minister meets with Catalonia parliament speaker

Newspaper: Armenia outgoing legislature majority faction MPs are dissatisfied

EU to allocate over 1.5bn to Armenia for five programs

Newspaper: It is known who will head Armenia "I Have Honor" bloc parliament faction

Global food prices soaring at their fastest rate

Hikmet Hajiyev's slip of the tongue - "Zangezur corridor" in exchange of a land route for Armenia towards Russia

Bloomberg: US asks Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan to accept refugees from Afghanistan

Armenian bailiffs killed in Sochi posthumously awarded Order of Courage by Putin

Armenian court to continue examination of appeal against arrest of doctor Armen Charchyan on July 6

Turkey reaches no agreement on Kabul airport issue

French military neutralizes several ISIS leaders in Sahel

Putin, Macron discuss Nagorno-Karabakh

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

Attorney: The two grounds for keeping Armenian doctor Armen Charchyan under arrest no longer exist

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?
YEREVAN.  As of Friday morning, 102 new cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Armenia, and the total number of these cases has reached 224,635 in the country, the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

But no deaths from COVID-19 were registered the previous day.

The number of people who have recovered over the past one day is 111, the total respective number so far is 216,423, and the number of people currently being treated is 2,611a drop by nine from the previous day.

And 3,724 COVID-19 tests were conducted in Armenia over the past one day, while 1,167,466 such tests have been performed to date.
UK Ambassador to OSCE Neil Bush has congratulated the Armenian people on the successful conduct of their early parliamentary elections, and thanked ODIHR's election observation mission, the British Embassy in Yerevan reported on Facebook.

The UK congratulates the Armenian people on the successful conduct of these elections.

We are very grateful to ODIHR for all the work of the Election Observation Mission for these elections and for their reports, including their statement of preliminary findings and conclusions.

We were pleased to read in the statement that the elections were competitive and generally well managed within the short time-frame. Voters were provided with a broad range of options, and fundamental rights and freedoms were generally respected, with contestants being able to campaign freely.

We share concerns that the campaign period was characterised by intense polarisation and marred by increasingly inflammatory rhetoric, and that women were side-lined throughout the campaign.

We look forward to the Election Observation Missions final report which will contain valuable recommendations on how to make further improvements to the electoral process and address issues identified. These objective observations and recommendations from ODIHR are invaluable tools and we encourage the Government of Armenia to make full use of them, including by implementing these and previous OSCE/ODIHR recommendations.

The UK will continue our close partnership with Armenia, including through cooperation on democratic and economic reforms, Bush stated, in particular.
Today, President Armen Sarkissian hosted Diaspora Armenian actress, director, and producer Nora Armani.

President Sarkissian congratulated the famous actress on receiving the citizenship of the Republic of Armenia and a passport of the citizen of the Republic of Armenia, expressing confidence that she will continue contributing to the development and popularization of Armenian culture.

"The wealth of our country is our people, no matter where they live. We must be able to fully use that wealth, that huge potential for the benefit of our country's development," said President Sarkissian. He noted that our talented compatriots in the Diaspora should have the opportunity to use their experience and knowledge to serve the homeland.

Mrs. Armani considered it a great honour to become a citizen of the Republic of Armenia. "Being a citizen of the Republic of Armenia is a responsibility to me. This means that now I must serve my homeland much more seriously, and more deeply," she said.
The Azerbaijanis have completed engineering works along the border in Tegh community. From the day they came, they have intensively started the construction of protective trenches, installed concrete barriers. No work is being done now; they have probably finished [it]. Nerses Shadunts, the head of Tegh enlarged community of Armenias Syunik province, told Tert.am about this.

"They have done everything they need in our visible part, at the moment no serious technical work is being done. The border distance starts from 200 m to 1-2 km. No new incidents have been registered yet. You know what problems there were beforewith stealing animals. It is haying season, the villagers will start the harvest soon; if problems arise in this respect, we will turn to the border guards and [Russian] peacekeepers. The parts left under the control of the Azerbaijanis are not cultivated; so it has remained deserted," Shadunts added.

Speaking about whether there is any tension and anxiety among the population, he noted that there is no fear, as such. "There is tension, there are people whose field is closer to the Azerbaijanis; they are more concerned that the security of that part is ensured. The village youth is also helpful in such issues, and the first army corps also responds promptly, said the head of Tegh.

He stated that the Azerbaijanis are in a dominant positionson the mountains, and therefore have no problems with monitoring. "Such modern equipment works that at any moment they can see, for example, what the head of Tegh community is doing in his office," Nerses Shadunts added.
In 2020, there was a widespread increase in pensions, and the average amount of pensions increased by more than 7% in Armenia. Acting Deputy Prime Minister Tigran Avinyan informed about this on Facebook.

"Before that, the pensions had not been increased for 5 years. As of 2020, pensions are about 9% higher compared to 2018, and more than 2 times compared 2008," wrote Avinyan, who also shared a respective video.

The video states that the pensions of 34 thousand military pensioners and 470 thousand work pensioners and the benefits of 71 thousand beneficiaries have increased in 2020.

In 2020, the average monthly pension of Armenias pensioners was 43,590 drams (approx. US$87).
Today leader of Armenia bloc (the bloc won seats in parliament following the snap parliamentary elections on June 20), second President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan today had a meeting with the heads of the blocs supportive communities.

The blocs representatives reported that the post-election situation and the future activities were discussed during the meeting. President Kocharyan expressed confidence that the bloc must not give in to the authorities unlawful repressions and must continue to work for the welfare of the communities.

Kocharyan also assured that there will be a legal-political evaluation of the elections and reached an agreement to hold regular meetings with the communities.
Armen Charchyan has a very serious health problem and is currently in bed with an oxygen mask. This is what one of the doctors participating in the protest in defense of member of Armenia bloc Armen Charchyan told reporters today.

His soul is not with him, no matter how strong he stays. We wont be able to do anything either, no matter how strong we stay and no matter how much we unconditionally do what the doctor tells us to do. He should be fine, but his blood pressure is still fluctuating, his diabetes still isnt regulated, he has a kidney problem, and there is still pressure in the heart area. We saw new signs, and if this process doesnt end, stenting will be difficult due to the underlying diseases, he said.
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has declared that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is settled, Interfax reported.

We are currently in the stage of post-conflict development. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is resolved, and there is no need to negotiate over this issue, Aliyev said on Friday during a meeting with the Foreign Ministers of Romania, Austria and Lithuania in Baku.

Aliyev stated that the statement signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia on November 10, 2020 is not just about the ceasefire, as international politicians trying to present. If you read the statement, you will see that it addresses several other issues. We need to think about the post-conflict situation. We have turned the page over and are ready to move forward and make contributions to regional stability. The Government of Armenia overlooks Azerbaijans statements on launching negotiations over a peace treaty, but the election campaign might have been the reason why Armenia didnt support the statements, Aliyev said and emphasized that Baku has declared that it wishes to make the transition from the post-conflict situation to peaceful development in the South Caucasus, but has never received any response from the Armenian government.

The Azerbaijani president also voiced hope that the foreign ministers of EU member states will discuss the issue with Armenias leadership during their succeeding visit to Yerevan.

The Romanian foreign minister said the aim of their visit is to send a resolute message about support to the ensuring of stability and security in the region and think about what support can be provided for comprehensive solutions to all the issues that emerged in the post-war period. He also declared that the EU is interested in establishing much closer cooperation with the region, participating in the settlement of conflicts and, in the case of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, intensifying efforts to become involved in the process of development in the post-war period.
Armenias acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today received Foreign Ministers of Romania and Lithuania Bogdan Aurescu and Gabrielius Landsbergis, Federal Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria Alexander Schallenberg, as well as Managing Director of the European External Action Service for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional Cooperation and OSCE Michael Zibert and EU Special Representative for South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia Toivo Klaar. The visit is authorized by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

As reported the Prime Ministers press office, Pashinyan welcomed the representative visit to Armenia and reminded that it was scheduled at a time when there were more crises than solutions in Armenia. Im glad that you visited at a time when elections were held in Armenia, after which our peoples dedication to democratic values was affirmed, Pashinyan nsaid, adding that now the government can get back to implementing the major agenda, including effective implementation of the provisions stated in the Armenia-EU Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

Romanias foreign minister stated that this is the first time such a delegation is visiting the region with the primary goal of promoting the Armenia-EU relations, congratulated Nikol Pashinyan on holding the elections at a high level and Civil Contract Partys victory, as well as the entry into force of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement on March 1 of this year.

Lithuanias Foreign Minister Landsbergis stated the importance of strengthening of security and stability in the South Caucasus and mentioned the need for the formation and strengthening of an atmosphere for confidence between the sides to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, adding that the EU is ready to provide assistance. In this regard, he attached importance to humanitarian issues, including the solution to the issue related to the return of Armenian prisoners of war being kept in Azerbaijan.

Alexander Schallenberg also touched upon the results of the elections held in Armenia, noting that democracy won, not just the Civil Contract Party.

Expressing gratitude for the opinions, Pashinyan emphasized that the crisis created after the war, as well as the elections showed the viability of democracy in Armenia.

During the meeting, the interlocutors discussed the agenda of the Armenia-EU relations, as well as the current situation in the region and the solution to the situation. Pashinyan highly appreciated the role that the EU, particularly President of the European Council Charles Michel played in ensuring the return of 15 Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan and noted that Armenia is ready to respond to the humanitarian act with an appropriate act. The acting premier underscored the need for full implementation by Azerbaijan of the trilateral agreement signed on November 9, 2020, the return of all prisoners of war, as well as the peaceful solution to the situation created on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. He also stressed that the issue needs to be solved only with the exit of representatives of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia. Touching upon the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Pashinyan stated that the comprehensive settlement of the conflict must be achieved within the scope of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Discovery of Delta variant in Tai Po a 'red alert'

Discovery of Delta variant in Tai Po a 'red alert'
Meng Wengzhou publication ban request denied

Huwaei's chief financial officer had requested a publication ban on new evidence her legal team received from HSBC. Photo: AFP

Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's request for a publication ban on new evidence her legal team received from HSBC has been denied by a Canadian court in her US extradition case, a lawyer involved in the case said on Friday.



Meng, 49, was arrested in December 2018 for allegedly misleading HSBC about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break US sanctions.



She faces a Canadian government extradition attempt on charges of bank fraud in the United States.



Canadian prosecutors had fought her request for a publication ban on documents relevant to her case received from HSBC via a court in Hong Kong. The documents were provided on the condition that Meng make a reasonable effort to keep them private.



The British Columbia Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the request, said Daniel Coles, the legal counsel representing a consortium of media outlets - including Reuters - who argued against the publication ban.



The reasons for the denial were not made public, pending issues relating to a previous publication ban, Coles said.



Prosecutors representing the Canadian government had argued that "to be consistent with the open court principle, a ban must be tailored" and details should be selectively redacted from the public, rather than the whole documents.



Meng has been under house arrest in Vancouver for more than two years and fighting her extradition. Meng has said she is innocent.



The Canadian government, Huawei and HSBC were not immediately available for comment.



The open court principle requires that court proceedings be open and accessible to the public and to the media.



It is unclear what documents Huawei obtained from HSBC, but defence lawyers argue they are relevant to Meng's case. Hearings in the extradition case are scheduled to finish in late August. (Reuters)
Abbas Hussain will take over as CEO of the Vifor Pharma Group on 16 August 2021

Succeeding Stefan Schulze, who has decided to step down and leave the company for personal reasons

ST. GALLEN, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Abbas Hussain (56, British citizen) has a successful and international career of more than 30 years as an executive in the healthcare sector. From 2008 to 2017, Abbas Hussain held various leadership positions for the British pharmaceutical group GlaxoSmithKline, most recently as Global President Pharmaceuticals and Vaccines for five years. Prior to that, he worked for 20 years for the U.S. pharmaceutical group Eli Lilly, holding management positions at sites in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia.

In recent years, he has contributed his experience as an independent member of the boards of directors of major pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies, such as Teva Pharmaceuticals, CSL and Cochlear. He has also acted as an advisor to private equity and venture capital firms focused on the healthcare sector. Abbas Hussain holds a Bachelor of Science in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Loughborough Institute of Technology (UK), graduated from Duke University Fuqua Executive Business School (North Carolina, USA) and is a graduate of the Stanford Executive Program at Stanford University (California, USA).

Until Abbas Hussain joins the company on 16 August 2021, Stefan Schulze will continue to have overall executive responsibility for the Vifor Pharma Group. Stefan Schulze, who has been with Vifor Pharma for seven years, took over as CEO in March 2020. From 2017 to 2020, he was President of the Executive Committee and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Vifor Pharma Group. He joined the Vifor Pharma Group in 2014 as CEO of Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma Ltd. Prior to that, he worked for the German Fresenius Group for more than 20 years in various positions.

Jacques Theurillat, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vifor Pharma, commented: We are delighted that Abbas Hussain, an experienced and entrepreneurial leader, will take over the helm of Vifor Pharma. Abbas Hussain brings over 30 years of track record at an international level in the healthcare sector, and also an impressive experience across the pharmaceutical value chain in both mature and emerging markets. His professional background makes him ideally suited to further drive Vifor Pharma's growth. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Stefan Schulze for his commitment to Vifor Pharma over the past seven years. He has made a significant contribution to the strong market position of the Vifor Pharma Group. We wish him all the best for the future.

Vifor Pharma Group is a global pharmaceuticals company. It aims to become the global leader in iron deficiency, nephrology and cardio-renal therapies. The company is a partner of choice for pharmaceuticals and innovative patient-focused solutions. Vifor Pharma Group strives to help patients around the world with severe and chronic diseases lead better, healthier lives. The company develops, manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products for precision patient care. Vifor Pharma Group holds a leading position in all its core business activities and consists of the following companies: Vifor Pharma and Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma (a joint company with Fresenius Medical Care). Vifor Pharma Group is headquartered in Switzerland, and listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange (SIX Swiss Exchange, VIFN, ISIN: CH0364749348).

For more information, please visit viforpharma.com.
(Adds details, context, quotes)

By John Irish and Humeyra Pamuk

PARIS, June 25 (Reuters) - Any failure by Tehran to extend a monitoring agreement with the U.N. nuclear watchdog that expired this week would be a "serious concern" in talks to revive its nuclear deal with world powers, the U.S. Secretary of State said on Friday.

Antony Blinken made the comments hours before the head of the IAEA was expected to update its board of governors on whether it had reached a deal to extend the monitoring agreement, which lapsed on June 24.

Iran has been in talks with world powers since April about reviving the 2015 deal under which it agreed to curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of sanctions. The Vienna talks are now in a pause expected to last until next week.

The United States abandoned the deal under then-President Donald Trump in 2018 and Iran responded by violating some of its restrictions. The new administration of President Joe Biden wants to revive the accord, but Tehran and Washington have yet to agree which side should take what steps, and when.

One of Iran's moves to reduce compliance was a decision to end extra monitoring of its nuclear sites by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in February. The inspections were extended twice by temporary deals, the last of which ended this week.

"This remains a serious concern," Blinken told reporters at a news conference in Paris alongside his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian. "The concern has been communicated to Iran and needs to be resolved."

A spokesman for the IAEA said that Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi would inform the IAEA Board of Governors on the matter during the course of Friday.

On Thursday, a senior State Department official told reporters it would be "extremely complicated" if Tehran were to fail to extend the inspections agreement with the IAEA.

Officials on all sides have said there are major issues still to be resolved before the nuclear deal can be revived.

Story continues

"We still have significant differences with Iran," Blinken said, adding that he hoped a resumption of talks in the coming days could resolve them.

"We are only going to reach an agreement with Iran if it honours its obligations under the JCPoA, and we are just not there yet," he said, referring to the nuclear deal by an acronym.

Le Drian echoed those comments: "We're waiting for Iranian authorities to take the final difficult decisions to allow for the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal," he said. (Additional reporting by Francois Murphy in Vienna Editing by Richard Lough, Toby Chopra, Peter Graff)
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Elon Musk, the outspoken CEO and co-founder of Tesla, is nothing if not newsworthy. Musk is fond of making grand and oftentimes cryptic statements both in the financial press and particularly on Twitter. He has such a large and devoted following that even one-word tweets are often enough to trigger big moves in certain stocks or cryptocurrencies.

Find Out: Just How Rich Are Elon Musk, Donald Trump and These Other Big Names?

Learn: 20 Genius Things Mark Cuban Says To Do With Your Money

Sometimes, its hard to know whether Musk is just stirring up controversy or actually endorsing certain investments when he makes his comments. However, heres a list of stocks and cryptocurrencies that Musk has helped put on the map, either by utilizing their products or by making pronouncements about them on Twitter.

Last updated: June 21, 2021

Tesla (TSLA)

Stock price as of June 15: $599.36

Any list of stocks that Elon Musk has put in the spotlight has to start with the company he is most associated with, electric vehicle maker Tesla. One of Musks most noteworthy tweets was that Tesla had funding secured to take the company private at $420 per share, back when the stock was trading in the mid-$330s. That triggered a $20 million fine both for Tesla the company and for Musk personally from the SEC. Equally controversial was Musks May 1, 2020, tweet in which he stated that Teslas shares were priced too high. Yet, just a few months later, in September 2020, Musk acknowledged that the stock price was high but still felt it would be higher five years down the road.News: Elon Musk Asks: Should Tesla Accept Dogecoin?

Read: This Is When Tesla Will Resume Accepting Bitcoin

San Jose, USA - October 15, 2015: PayPal headquarters located at 2221 N.

PayPal (PYPL)

Stock price as of June 15: $271.89

PayPal is a well-known payments processing company with a market cap of over $319 billion, but it can trace its roots back to X.com, an FDIC-insured online bank co-founded in the late 1990s by none other than Elon Musk. When eBay acquired PayPal in October 2002 for $1.5 billion, Musk himself netted about $180 million. Although Musk no longer has formal ties to PayPal, hes certainly still nostalgic about his early days with the company. In July 2017, Musk bought back his original X.com website domain from PayPal.Check Out: Elon Musks Essential Tips for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Story continues

Tesla store

Altimeter Growth Corp. (AGC)

Stock price as of June 15: $11.55

Theres no better sign of support for a company than where someone puts their money. AGC is a glass manufacturer that Musk uses to supply Teslas vehicle fleet with windshields. With no shortage of windshield manufacturers in the world, Teslas selection of AGC as its provider is a clear endorsement of the companys products. Of course, Tesla isnt alone. AGC is the leading automotive glass supplier in the world, with 1 in 4 cars having AGC glass. Discover: Elon Musks Biggest Bets That Paid Off

electric car battery

Modine Manufacturing (MOD)

Stock price as of June 15: $16.83

Modine Manufacturing has been producing thermal management and heat transfer products since 1916. Elon Musk and Tesla have been using Modine as the supplier of battery cooling units for the Model S for years. Radio host and provider of advisory services Hilary Kramer noted that companies like Modine are critical to lithium battery users like Tesla because they provide refrigeration systems that keep all that lithium from exploding.Read: 10 Major Companies That Accept Bitcoin

See: What Is the Next Big Cryptocurrency To Explode in 2021?

Businessman checking the mobile phone sitting on his desk, colleagues working in the background.

Signal (Privately Held)

Stock price as of June 15: N/A

Signal is a privately held messaging app company that made news when Elon Musk tweeted to Use Signal on Jan. 7, 2021. Speculative investors, eager to immediately capitalize on any of Musks tweets, began to pile into the publicly traded shares of a company known as Signal Advance. That stampede sent shares of Signal Advance up an astonishing 5,100% in just three trading days. Things got so out of hand that the companys CEO, Dr. Chris Hymel, had to issue a public statement, stating, "We strongly recommend people do their due diligence and always invest with care." Hymel also added that "Signal Advance doesn't have an association with Musk or the Signal app."Check Out: How To Make Money Off the YOLO Market Boom

Etsy marketplace sign

Etsy (ETSY)

Stock price as of June 15: $166.06

Elon Musk doesnt use Etsy to supply Tesla, but hes clearly a fan of the company. On Jan. 26, 2021, Musk moved markets once again when he tweeted, I kinda love Etsy. That simple tweet was enough to push shares up 8% almost instantaneously, although it later reversed course and fell 2.1% on the day. And what was it about Etsy that Musk loved so much that he issued his market-moving tweet? As he later clarified, Bought a hand knit wool Marvin the Martian helm for my dog. The sharp moves higher and lower on the day reflect the amount of speculative trading that surrounds Musks Twitter account.More: 5 Brands to Invest In, According to TikTok

Starlink (Privately Held)

Stock price as of June 15: N/A

Starlink isnt yet a publicly traded company, and theres a chance it never becomes one. However, its one of the hottest properties in the Elon Musk portfolio, and its certain to continue generating headlines for years to come. Starlink is the constellation of satellites that Musks SpaceX has been launching into low-Earth orbit to provide broadband internet service to the world. Musk has indicated that it is his intention to bring Starlink public someday, but only after its revenue stream becomes smoother and more predictable. Theres little doubt that there will be plenty of hype before that day actually becomes a reality.See: Why Its Never a Bad Idea To Invest In Apple and These Other Companies

professional video gamer

CD Projekt (OTGLY)

Stock price as of June 15: $13.88

Shares of software developer CD Projekt surged in early January 2021 after Musk tweeted out support for one of the companys games. When talking about the new Tesla Plaid Model S sedan, Musk tweeted that It can play CyberPunk, one of CD Projekts games. Musk went on to say, The esthetics of Cyberpunk are incredible btw. With these simple tweets, shares of CD Projekt took off, climbing over 12% in a single afternoon.Learn: Reasons These 10 Hot Stocks Might Not Survive 2021

Manhattan, New York.

GameStop Corp. (GME)

Stock price as of June 15: $222.50

GameStop has been one of the famous meme or YOLO stocks of 2020-21, with a 52-week high of $483 vs. a 52-week low of just over $3. While the so-called Reddit mob of message board users has been directly responsible for driving the stock to stratospheric levels, Musk himself has been able to spike the stock with just a single word. On Jan. 26, 2021, Musk tweeted out Gamestonk!! along with a link to the Reddit message board Wallstreetbets. After that tweet, which was sent out after the market closed, the stock tacked on more than 60% in after-hours trading, on top of its 92% gains earlier in the day.More: 13 Toxic Investments You Should Avoid

Cryptocurrency bitcoin business.

Bitcoin

Cryptocurrency price as of June 15: $39,962.83

In 2020 and 2021, much of the attention surrounding Musks Twitter account has surrounded cryptocurrency Bitcoin. In late January 2021, Bitcoin spiked over 20% when Musk added #bitcoin to his Twitter profile. In early February, Tesla bought $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and announced it would accept it as payment. This pushed Bitcoin up to what was a new all-time high at the time, of $44,200. However, on June 4, Musk tweeted a broken heart emoji and suggested that his love affair with Bitcoin was over. In response, the cryptocurrency fell a few percentage points. Tesla also reversed its plan to accept Bitcoin as payment in May 2021, sending the price of the cryptocurrency back down by a few thousand dollars. Musk made headlines once again in June 2021 when he tweeted that Tesla would resume accepting Bitcoin as payment once miners use more clean energy, pushing the cryptocurrency up by more than 7%. All of these seemingly contradictory tweets only add to the volatility of the already wildly fluctuating Bitcoin price.More From GOBankingRatesFrom New York to California: A Spotlight on Beloved Small Businesses Across All 50 States

Read About the Best Small Businesses in Your State

Small Businesses That Celebrities Love

27 Things You Should Never Do With Your Money

Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only.

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Stocks Elon Musk Has Put in the Spotlight  Are They Worth Your Investment?
US President Joe Biden promised Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani strong support during a White House meeting Friday but made clear he was not planning to slow the US withdrawal after nearly two decades of fighting.

Less than three months before his deadline for the removal of all troops, Biden told Ghani that Afghans had to determine their own fate even as they face a mounting offensive by Taliban insurgents.

"The partnership between the United States and Afghanistan is not ending," Biden said in the Oval Office.

"Our troops may be leaving, but support for Afghanistan is not ending."

Even so, Biden told the Afghan president, "Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they want."

"The senseless violence, it has to stop. It's going to be very difficult."

- Deal with Taliban pushed -

Ghani was in Washington along with Abdullah Abdullah, who oversees Kabul's peace negotiations with the Taliban, amid rising uncertainty over the group's recent gains and the possibility of their return to power.

The extremists subjected the population to a brutal version of Islam when they ruled from 1996-2001.

Sitting next to Biden, Ghani acknowledged that Biden was not going to change course from his April announcement ordering the end to America's longest war.

"President Biden's decision has been historic, it has made everybody recalculate and reconsider," Ghani said.

"We are here to respect it and support it."

But he also said not to count his government out, amid reports that an internal US intelligence assessment says the Taliban could possibly take over Kabul within six months of the US departure.

Ghani said Afghan government forces retook six districts, in the north and south, on Friday, reversing recent Taliban gains.

"You will see that with determination, with unity and with the partnership, we will overcome all odds."

Ghani met with top members of Congress, the CIA, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on his two-day visit to Washington.

Story continues

With the US military's on-the-ground support for Afghan security forces about to disappear completely, Washington is expecting him to reach a negotiated settlement on power sharing with the Taliban before it is too late.

"The Department of Defense is deeply invested in the security and stability of Afghanistan and in the pursuit of a negotiated settlement that ends the war," Austin told Ghani and Abdullah at the Pentagon.

The top Democrat in Congress, Nancy Pelosi, also indicated that there was no turning back. Meeting Ghani, she stressed future humanitarian assistance to the country "as we enter a new phase of that relationship."

- No abandonment -

The US pullout, of some 2,500 troops and 16,000 civilian contractors in the country earlier this year, could be mostly completed next month.

The situation was being compared to the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973, which saw the South Vietnamese government that Washington had backed fall to North Vietnamese troops within two years.

"The false narrative of abandonment is just false," Ghani said before his meeting with Austin.

He added that predictions like that of the intelligence report on a possible Taliban takeover "have all turned out false."

Biden is expected to reaffirm billions of dollars in US aid for the country, and make arrangements for US civilian contractors -- essential to keep the Afghan air force flying -- to remain there.

The administration is also working on a plan to evacuate some 18,000 Afghan interpreters and others who worked for US forces and who are under personal threat from the Taliban.

Another key issue was how to guarantee the security of US diplomats who remain in the country. A large contingent of US Marines is expected to remain to protect the embassy.

Meanwhile, Washington is in talks with Turkey to secure the capital city's airport.

The United States will also provide three million doses of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to Afghanistan to be shipped as soon as next week, according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.

But a key goal of Ghani in Washington was to demonstrate that Biden still supports him, said Andrew Watkins, an Afghanistan expert at the International Crisis Group.

"Ghani doesn't have a lot of domestic legitimacy. His legitimacy comes, maybe more than from any other source or any other factor, from international recognition and support," Watkins said.

pmh/acb
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday rejected the notion reportedly concluded by American intelligence agencies that Kabul could fall within six months.

His comment came during a meeting at the Pentagon with top defense leaders as American troops are being withdrawn from his country and the Taliban take more positions in the north.

Ghani met with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after the United States pulled more than 50% of its manpower and capabilities from the country and with little clarity regarding how military support can be continued from over the horizon, if at all. President Joe Biden called for all U.S. troops and contractors to exit the country by Sept. 11, but the U.S. is on pace to complete the drawdown in July. The meeting with Ghani and High Council for National Reconciliation Chairman Abdullah Abdullah comes ahead of a White House meeting with Biden Friday afternoon.

There have been many such predictions, and they have all proven  turned out false, Ghani responded to a question about the intelligence assessment before the meeting with Austin, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. John Hyten, and others commenced.

In his prepared remarks, Austin underscored Americas deep investment in the security and stability of Afghanistan and in the peace process between the Kabul government and the Taliban.

AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL NEARS 50% COMPLETION AS QUESTIONS ON INTERPRETERS REMAIN UNANSWERED

The United States remains committed to continuing to provide critical security assistance to the Afghan national defense and security forces, Austin said. We will remain partners with the Afghan government and the Afghan military. And we will continue to work toward our common goal in a new and different way.

That way increasingly is said to be via financial assistance to Kabul. The mission ending in Afghanistan is a counterterrorism one that has also included air support to the Afghan Armed Forces when under attack.

Story continues

As the U.S. has shifted its focus to safely withdrawing in concert with NATO allies, that support has waned, and the Taliban has gained ground.

In congressional testimony before the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley detailed the losses known to the Defense Department.

There's 81 district centers that have, that are currently, we think, are underneath Taliban control. That's of 419 District Centers, he said. It is true that the Taliban are sniping at and picking off outposts.

With the president and many people ready to move on from the 20-year conflict in Afghanistan that took the lives of more than 2,000 Americans, military leaders, too, have shifted the burden to the 300,000-strong Afghan Armed Forces.

It is their job to defend their country, Milley added.

Nonetheless, the U.S. has invested billions in securing the rights of women and girls and building up the Afghan Armed Forces. The Afghan Air Force still depends on American contractors for maintenance, one of the many unresolved issues as the U.S. frantically negotiates with countries in the region seeking a basing agreement.

Without a regional basing agreement, intelligence and reconnaissance missions must fly some four hours from bases in the Gulf countries.

Commanders and politicians are also concerned about the tens of thousands of Afghans who have helped coalition forces over the decades. The number, including families, could be as high as 70,000 people.

Biden has said he would ensure the Afghans applying for special immigrant visas would not be left behind to face possible retaliation by the Taliban. While the DOD has insisted it is planning for their evacuation, no orders have been handed down yet.

In his remarks ahead of the Pentagon meeting, which followed several drone strikes by American aircraft in his country, Ghani said he did not feel his country was being abandoned by the U.S.

The false narrative of abandonment is just false. We have a lot together and love together, and together, we will accomplish, he said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Ghani and Abdullah struck an optimistic note, highlighting bipartisan congressional support, with Ghani saying that lawmakers should not be over worried.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged, The situation of course presents challenges.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, National Security, Department of Defense, Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, Afghanistan, Joe Biden

Original Author: Abraham Mahshie

Original Location: Afghan president rejects intelligence reports that Kabul will fall
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  A small group of Afghans who worked as interpreters for the U.S. military rallied on Friday near the American Embassy in Kabul, protesting the red tape that stands in the way of their leaving Afghanistan.

The protest comes amid a push to get Afghan interpreters and others who helped the U.S. out of the country as American and NATO troops complete their pullout. The protesters in Kabul said they are victims of a bureaucratic nightmare as they try to escape abroad.

Many  even those who have not been directly threatened  say they fear for their lives, despite assurances from the Taliban they would not be targeted.

The former interpreters said the situation is increasingly urgent. Many had their special immigration visas approved, only to see them later denied, allegedly because of minor discrepancies in their statements from one interview to another. Others had been denied outright or were approved but were still waiting for the visas.

One of the men, Omid Mahmoodi, said he was not moved by President Joe Biden's promise on Thursday that Afghans who had helped the U.S. military during the last nearly 20 years would not be left behind.

We think he is lying, said Mahmoodi, who worked as a translator in 2018 . Time is running out.

Lately, it's become evident that the deadline for the last of the 2,500-3,5000 U.S. troops and 7,000 allied NATO soldiers to leave Afghanistan has been accelerated. Biden had said the last of the troops would be home no later than Sept. 11 but it has become increasingly clear that th e last soldiers would be gone from Afghanistan as early as next month.

Hezat Shah, who said he worked as an interpreter in southern Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold, said he risked his life each time he stepped into an armored vehicle with the Americans.

He said he does not trust a Taliban statement from last month that they would not seek revenge against those who worked with the Americans or helped Western interests.

Story continues

They are not to be trusted ... they are lying, said Shah.

Biden faces strong criticism from some Republicans for pulling out of Afghanistan, even though President Donald Trump made the 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw all U.S. forces by May 2021.

The Taliban are today stronger than they have ever been since the 2001 invasion to topple their regime for harboring Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida chief, and have control over roughly half of Afghanistan, mostly rural areas. There is deep insecurity and fear of violence from the Taliban and the many heavily armed U.S.-allied warlords once the U.S. withdraws. Increasing lawlessness and a recent move to resurrect militias to fight a Taliban surge has further fired fears of a violent future for Afghanistan

Later on Friday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, are meeting with Biden at the White House.

As past experience not just from Afghanistan but also Iraq has shown, the vetting process to qualify for a special immigration visa could sometimes takes years, with multiple interviews  and the smallest contradiction from one interview to the next would be enough to disqualify an applicant.

Steve Miska, author of Baghdad Underground Railroad, which tells of the challenges faced by interpreters and their struggles to find a new life in America, said the bureaucracy is a mess.

I dont think the process was intentionally designed to be self-defeating. However, 9/11 created a hypervigilant U.S. response to terrorism, Miska said in an email to The Associated Press. The good intentions of the disparate intelligence community has created an extremely challenging process."

Mohammad Shoaib Walizada, who applied for his visa in 2012, was at first accepted but then rejected, said that in one interview he mentioned having three cousins, and later erroneously changed the figure. Mahmoodi, the other interpreter, said he mentioned an uncle and claimed he forgot to mention the uncle's death in a subsequent interview, and was disqualified.

Then they say you are lying, but I just didn't remember, said Mahmoodi.
Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Friday wrote her first dissent in a case involving exemptions given to smaller oil refineries from a federal law that requires increased amounts of ethanol and renewable fuels to be blended into their gas.

The court's majority, led by Justice Neil Gorsuch, found that a lower court had erred in ruling against the Environmental Protection Agency. The case arose after the EPA gave two smaller gas companies, HollyFrontier and CVR Energy, an extended exemption from the renewable fuel standard requirements of the Clean Air Act, even after their original exemptions had expired. The decision is a major setback for biofuel companies.

BIDEN CLAIMS CLIMATE BREAKTHROUGH IN BIPARTISAN DEAL

Gorsuch in his opinion wrote the court ruled for the gas companies in the same way a teacher might give a student more time for an assignment, even though a deadline has already passed.

"It is entirely natural  and consistent with ordinary usage  to seek an 'extension' of time even after some time lapse," Gorsuch wrote.

Barrett disagreed, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, writing that it is impossible to give an extension when a deadline has already passed.

The "EPA cannot 'extend' an exemption that a refinery no longer has," she wrote, referring back to the Clean Air Act.

Updates to the Clean Air Act late in President George W. Bush's administration required oil companies to blend ethanol and other biofuels into their products. That update started a war between companies that rely more heavily on gas production and ones that rely more on corn production.

The battle has also played out at the state level. In the case decided Friday, Wyoming threw its support before the two gas companies. Iowa, a more agricultural state, opposed their arguments.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Small refineries were exempted from the updates until 2011 to offset any "disproportionate economic hardship" they might endure by immediately incorporating biofuels into their products. The EPA during former President Donald Trump's administration gave another extension to HollyFrontier and CVR Energy.

Story continues

At the time, an appeals court ruled against that extension roughly along the same lines as Barrett, writing that "there was nothing for the agency to 'extend.'"

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Biofuels, Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Donald Trump, EPA, Ethanol, Oil

Original Author: Nicholas Rowan

Original Location: Amy Coney Barrett issues first dissent in biofuel exemption case
Andrew Neil is taking a break from his GB News show after just two weeks. (PA)

GB News chairman Andrew Neil has announced he is going on holiday - just two weeks after the channel launched.

The 72-year-old journalist - who lives in France - told viewers of his 8pm slot on the new current affairs channel that he would be taking a "few weeks" off and would be replaced on his primetime show by former Sky News presenter Colin Brazier.

Neil closed his show on Thursday 24 June saying: "Thats it for tonight and from me for the next few weeks. But I leave you in the safe and professional hands of Colin Brazier.

Read more: Andrew Neil hits out at advertising boycott of GB News

The former BBC political reporter promised viewers: "Ill be back before the summer is out and when you least expect it so stay tuned."

Andrew Neil in the GB News studio earlier this month. (PA)

And he also took the opportunity to defend GB News over criticism it has received since it launched on 13 June.

Neil said: "Before I take this break, let me say this. Yes, we had a bit of a rocky start with the launch of GB News.

"Were a start-up, theyre always a bit rocky these start-ups. But we are up and running as you can see, we get better every day and theres clearly an appetite for what were doing.

"And in two short weeks, weve already built a loyal audience which has beaten all of our expectations, its often bigger than the other news channels and its growing.

Colin Brazier will fill in for Andrew Neil on his GB News show. (Getty Images)

"Thats the real story about GB News to date and you wont often read that in the papers.

"So on behalf of GB News, I say to all of our viewers, thank you. We wont let you down and you ain't seen nothing yet."

Since its launch GB News has hit several hurdles, including viewers complaining about poor sound quality, presenters falling victim to reading out prank names on air and companies suspending their advertising in reaction to a social media campaign against the channel's "anti-woke" ethos.

GB News presenter Michelle Dewberry was duped into reading prank names out on air. (PA)

But the channel has also celebrated success in the viewing figures - scoring higher ratings than rival channels BBC and Sky News.

Story continues

Neil bragged on Twitter: "Great figures on @GBNEWS Andrew Neil show last night. Number one in time slot (again). Three times audience of Sky News. 26% more than BBC News Channel. And weve only just begun."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

GB News bills itself as being "anti-woke" and an antidote to the left-wing bias that Channel 4 and BBC News have been accused of. But Neil has denied it is a direct copy of America's Fox News.

He said previously: "That is an easy, inaccurate shorthand for what we are trying to do. In terms of format we are like Fox but we wont be like Fox in that they come from a hard right disinformation fake news conspiracy agenda.

Read more: Simon McCoy urges viewers to wait six months before judging GB News

"I have worked too long and hard to build up a journalistic reputation to consider going down that route."

The Scottish journalist lives in France, but has homes in London and Scotland. He returned to the UK for the launch of GB News after spending lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic at his French residence.

Watch: Who said it - GB News or Fox News?
Late this weekend, Fort Worth officials plan to open the new North Main Street bridge that leads to the eventual Panther Island  marking another step forward in a project that has been more than a decade in the making and is still years from completion.

But local officials say the many moving pieces of the project are beginning to align. With a new presidential administration, an impending federal infrastructure bill and the return of appropriations earmarks, officials say that federal funding could soon flow into the project and kick off the next big phase of construction.

The upcoming North Main Street bridge opening  scheduled for Sunday afternoon or Monday morning  will be the second of three. It comes after the White Settlement Road bridge opened in April and before the anticipated Henderson Street bridge opens later this summer.

Tarrant County administrator G.K. Maenius pointed to the bridges as evidence that were finally seeing some results  and he said hes pleased with the aesthetics of those results, too.

I dont know if anyone realized just how beautiful those bridges are going to be, he said. Im not a bridge guy, but even to me, they look pretty darn good.

The North Main Street bridge opening is a sign of progress in a project that has frustrated some Fort Worth residents with its delays. Visioning for Panther Island began more than 15 years ago, with city and water district officials outlining a plan for a bustling urban island that was then called Trinity Uptown.

The North Main Street bridge to the eventual Panther Island is scheduled to open to traffic by June 28.

The creation of an island necessitates the digging of a new channel north of downtown Fort Worth, which would connect the Clear and West forks of the Trinity River and then connect the ends of a U-shaped bend in the Trinity River. The new channel would effectively create two islands, together called Panther Island.

And for access over the eventual channel, the Texas Department of Construction in 2014 began building the three bridges, which currently span dry land. At the time, officials said the bridges would be completed by 2018.

Story continues

But even once the final bridge opens to traffic later this year, the Panther Island project is far from complete. Most notably  and noticeably  digging has not begun on the river channel that would run under the new bridges.

While the project has seen some federal money, officials have waited years for the federal funds to dig the channel. But some, including Maenius and the Tarrant Regional Water Districts incoming general manager Dan Buhman, say theyre hopeful the funding might actually pull through soon.

I have all the confidence in the world that well be able to get federal funds, Buhman said.

This map shows the route of the bypass channel that would create Panther Island, just north of downtown Fort Worth.

Federal funding hurdles

Officially, the $1.17 billion project is broken into two pieces: the flood control portion, which is known as the Central City project and primarily involves digging the 1.5-mile channel, and the economic development portion, which is known as the Panther Island project and primarily involves the development of the industrial land in the area.

The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, with the Tarrant Regional Water District as a local partner, oversees the flood control portion of the project, while the city of Fort Worth heads up the economic development piece.

An appointed board, the Trinity River Vision Authority, brings together representatives from the city, county and water district to help coordinate the various aspects of the project.

But the coordinated vision of a hopping mixed-use island neighborhood is still far from reality. With the bridges nearly complete, the next step of the project is to dig the channel.

In this 2019 file photo, Republican Congresswoman Kay Granger speaks at Fort Worths Texas Wesleyan University, which named a green space after her.

Officials have long said that it was cheaper and easier to build the bridges over dry land, and that the federal government would pay for the channel construction because its a flood control project.

And while U.S. Congress in 2016 authorized the funds  which could be up to about half of the total $1.17 billion project cost  it has not yet appropriated the money and actually sent it to Fort Worth.

U.S. Rep. Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth), who has led the push for federal funding, initially planned to funnel funds to the project through earmarks in congressional appropriations bills, the Star-Telegram previously reported.

Then, appropriations earmarks were banned, which meant that projects had to be vetted and OKd by the White House. The Trump administration never gave the green light to the Panther Island/Central City project, pointing to the projects lack of a comprehensive cost-benefit study and labeling it not policy compliant.

This 2018 file photo shows an artist rendering of Panther Island, looking south from Fort Worths North Side.

This might be one of the best opportunities we have

But now, a couple of key changes are giving hope to Panther Island/Central City officials.

Maenius, the Tarrant County administrator, said it comes down to three primary shifts: the new Biden administration (which he hopes will look more favorably on the Fort Worth project), the resurrection of appropriations earmarks and the bipartisan push for a large federal infrastructure bill.

The project has never really had all three of those elements at one time, and now were having that, Maenius said. And I believe  and its my personal belief, but Ive been around for a while  is that this might be one of the best opportunities we have to actually begin receiving money from government funding, from the feds.

One thing that hasnt changed is that the project still does not have a comprehensive cost-benefit study. The Star-Telegram previously reported that this type of study is typically done before U.S. Congress authorizes funding for a project  which is a step that the Panther Island/Central City project has already moved past, with the aid of a 2014 University of North Texas study.

Maenius said he believes that the projects lack of a comprehensive cost-benefit study was nothing more than a blocker that the Trump administration would throw up so that we would not secure federal dollars.

And although the project was not included in the Army Corps of Engineers 2021 Work Plan, Maenius hopes to see federal funding start making its way to Fort Worth in the next federal budget, in 2022.

Mark Mazzanti, a consultant on the flood control portion of the project and a 35-year veteran of the Army Corps of Engineers, said the federal governments finite funding allocation means difficult decisions about which projects to fund. But he also said that the Panther Island/Central City project has a number of strengths, including support from locals, from Congress and from the Corps itself.

Some of the factors that go into where to put limited funds  [lead] us to, I think, the perception that this project is considered favorably in ultimately receiving federal funding for completing the construction project, Mazzanti said.

Federal funding would mean that workers could begin on the new channel  first with final planning and then actual digging and construction.

Even after federal funding comes through, it would likely be another eight to 10 years until the channel was actually completed, according to Buhman, the soon-to-be general manager of the water district.

That means that the channel would be finished  and Panther Island would actually become a full island  by 2030 at the earliest.

In the meantime, Buhman said, officials are focused on getting the land as ready as it can be for the channel. The water district is working on environmental cleanup of the Panther Island properties, he said, while the city moves and sets up utilities.

We are shovel-ready for that channel and were still doing that prep work but I would say it is well on its way, Buhman said. And we are at the place that we are ready for that federal investment and for that construction.
Associated Press

Immediately after the bombshell announcement that Justin Marks had purchased Chip Ganassi's NASCAR team, the outgoing owner took the soon-to-be new boss back to the shop to address a room full of anxious employees. The work begins next week for the co-owner of Trackhouse Racing, who struggled to find a charter for the team's first year of competition and balked at paying the escalating costs of NASCAR's equivalent of a franchise. Kaulig Racing last month bought a pair of charters for what the industry believes to be at least $10 million apiece, and after crunching the numbers, Marks just couldn't justify the spend.
The Peabody Board of Jurors recently named the five-part documentary series Asian Americans as the recipient of the Peabody Award for the documentary category.



Prestigious award: Asian Americans received the award in a unanimous vote on June 21, according to Rafu Shimpo.









Sandra Oh thanked the team behind the documentary series at her presentation as part of the virtual awards ceremony.

It is so important this was made, Oh said. I know it took a long time, but to be able to watch and learn about my own history and to learn about those who fought before us, creating the pathway which we are on now, really fills me with such pride and motivation.

Renee Tajima-Pena, a producer of the series, told Rafu Shimpo they were surprised by how much people dont know about the Asian American experience.

She explained that some Asian and non-Asian members of their crew had never heard of Japanese American concentration camps or Vincent Chin's story.

Tajima-Pena was the producer of the 1987 documentary Who Killed Vincent Chin?



The documentary: Asian Americans tells the intimate stories of prominent and forgotten pioneers who made an impact on representation and what it means to be Asian American today.



The documentary series casts a new lens on U.S. history and extends beyond the first wave of Asian immigrants in the 1850s to the social and cultural turmoil of the twentieth century to modern refugee crises in a globally connected world.

The series is narrated by Daniel Dae Kim and Tamlyn Tomita.

Asian Americans, a production of WETA Washington, DC, Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), in association with ITVS, Flash Cuts, and Tajima-Pena Productions, was released on PBS in May 2020.



Featured Image via ITVS

Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark!

Oregon Man Allegedly Threatens to Kill Asian Father and Sexually Assault Son in Grocery Store

Taiwanese Military to Highlight Same-Sex Marriages at Annual Mass Wedding

Go Back to Communist China, B*TCH: Woman Goes on Racist Tirade, Pays Taxi Double to Flee Scene

21-Year-Old Woman Becomes the Youngest Mayor in Indias History
Vice President Kamala Harris defended the timing of her trip to El Paso, Texas, on Friday amid accusations from Republicans that the Biden administration is ignoring what some view as a crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Fridays visit to the border was Harriss first since she was put in charge of the Biden administrations efforts to stem the rising tide of migration in late March. Former President Donald Trump and a number of Republicans will visit the border next week.

It was always the plan to come here, Harris told reporters upon arriving in El Paso. She also clarified that while it was her first official visit to the border as vice president, this was not my first trip. Ive been to the border many times.

Earlier this month, Harris received backlash for taking her first foreign trip to Guatemala and Mexico, where she discussed new initiatives to stem the flow of migrants, before visiting the southern border.

Vice President Kamala Harris at a press conference in El Paso, Texas, on Friday. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Harris explained that the decision to meet with leaders in Guatemala and Mexico before a border visit was an effort to first address the factors leading to migration  such as corruption and lack of economic opportunities  before engaging with its impact.

Coming to the border ... is about looking at the effects of what we have seen happening in Central America, she said.

The White House has framed Harriss role as a largely diplomatic one, focused on tackling the root causes of migration from Mexico and the so-called Northern Triangle countries (Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador), whose citizens make up a large portion of asylum seekers arriving at the southern border.

Since taking on this assignment, Harris has faced criticism from Republicans and some Democrats, who feel she should be focused more on the immediate challenges at the border. Already this spring, officials there encountered a record number of migrants, including unaccompanied children, attempting to cross the border.

When previously asked about the vice presidents absence at the border, aides explained that she is juggling a stuffed portfolio, tasked not only with curbing migration but also with expanding national access to voting, advocating on behalf of labor unions and chairing the National Space Council, among other assignments. When pressed by NBCs Lester Holt on her lack of travel to the U.S.-Mexico border, Harris responded, now infamously, and I havent been to Europe.

Story continues

Harris tours the Customs and Border Protection Central Processing Center in El Paso, Texas, on Friday. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Early last week, over 50 House Republicans wrote a letter to Biden urging him to remove Harris from her role heading the migration crisis due to her lack of public engagement.

This country cannot afford another minute of inaction from Vice President Harris, they wrote. While you have publicly defended the Vice President, even you must be discouraged with her inaction.

Without addressing her Republican critics directly, Harris called for a stop to the rhetoric and finger-pointing during a press conference in El Paso, and insisted that the situation at the border cannot be reduced to a political issue.

Were talking about children, were talking about families, were talking about suffering, and our approach has to be thoughtful and effective, Harris said. She said Fridays visit, which included a meeting with five young girls whod recently crossed the border at a CBP processing center, reaffirmed what shed learned during her visits to Mexico and Guatemala about why people are fleeing their homes in the first place.

You cant just react to a problem without solving it at its roots, she said.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
One gun store had hundreds of firearms missing from its inventory. Another transferred a weapon to a convicted felon in a parking lot. Many more sold guns to prohibited buyers or without properly conducting background checks.

The sweeping analysis that uncovered these law-breaking gun dealers was possible only because the gun control organization Brady waged a years-long legal fight to compel the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to produce records that by law should be public.

The nearly 2,000 gun dealer inspection reports analyzed by The Trace and USA TODAY provide an unprecedented look inside the ATFs regulation of the firearms industry. They also represent less than 2% of the inspections conducted in the past decade. The full extent of gun dealers noncompliance, and of the ATFs failure to regulate them, remains unknown.

Off Target: After repeated ATF warnings, gun dealers can count on the agency to back off

The ATFs production of documents related to Bradys Freedom of Information Act request is still ongoing. On June 3, the agency acknowledged in a filing that even the core set of inspection reports analyzed by The Trace and USA TODAY was incomplete, adding that determining which reports are missing will take more time than originally anticipated.

The slow and inconsistent production of documents is consistent with what activists, lawyers, and former employees say are widespread problems with the ATF's FOIA program. A law enforcement and regulatory agency, the ATF frequently breaks or ignores public information law, making it harder for citizens, journalists, and researchers to monitor its effectiveness.

On Wednesday, as part of a sweeping new effort to combat gun violence, the Biden administration directed the ATF to release more detailed information about the inspection process. The new data will contain inspection counts and outcomes broken down by the agencys field divisions. The White House said the measure was intended to promote transparency and accountability for the enforcement of our existing gun laws.

Story continues

The reforms will bolster access at an agency with one of the worst track records when it comes to producing public information, federal data shows. The ATF routinely takes months or years to fulfill even basic FOIA requests and sometimes ignores them altogether. Many of the more complicated requests only receive a response when filers take the ATF to court, as Brady did  a costly process out of the reach of most people.

An ATF agent on August 8, 2013, in DeSoto, Texas.

Josh Scharff, legal counsel for Brady, said the ATFs poor recordkeeping systems limit its ability to respond to FOIA requests in a complete and timely manner.

I would start by putting a lot of the blame on Congress for passing laws that restrict the ATFs ability to manage its own data, while also under-resourcing the ATF, he said. At the same time, its incumbent on the ATF to do better, and it can do better with what it has, to manage its own data and information.

During the course of The Trace and USA TODAYs reporting, ATF spokesperson Andre Miller dismissed the notion that the agencys inspections process is secretive, saying that the information is available to the public via FOIA. However, FOIA logs show that attempts to get information from the agency often fall short. In 2020, the agency received about 1,200 requests and failed to respond to more than 250 of them. The ATF failed to fulfill nearly 20 requests filed by The Trace and USA TODAY over the course of their investigation.

In a statement, the ATF acknowledged problems but said the situation had improved in recent years. ATF spokesperson Erik Longnecker said the agencys disclosure division had reduced its backlog to the lowest level since 2013, and that the division slashed the average processing time by 41 days last year.

We continue to improve our information-sharing capabilities, Longnecker said. We acknowledge that there is still room for improvement. ATF, in direct coordination with the Department of Justice, has made considerable investments.

Access to public records sheds light on the ATFs failings and its achievements, yielding valuable information for elected officials, voters, and victims of gun violence. ATF employees also use public information requests to prove evidence of internal mistreatment, misconduct, retaliation, or wrongful termination. Reporters, activists, and lawyers use FOIA routinely to probe the agencys inner-workings and spotlight problems in need of fixing.

Gunita Singh, a legal fellow for the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, said the slow trickle of information provides a significant obstacle to the publics understanding of gun violence, a topic of increasing concern among Americans.

The sheer pervasiveness of [gun violence] requires robust dialogue and action, and can only take root when the public is as informed as possible, Singh said. If a federal agency takes months to years to respond to a records request or cites a baseless exemption to withhold records, thats a major problem.

More: Gun used in Odessa shooting shows risk when illegal sale starts with home-based dealer

In a declaration filed in the Brady lawsuit, Adam Siple, chief of the ATFs information and privacy governance division, detailed the agencys haphazard efforts to speed up FOIA processing. After the House Committee on Oversight and Reform asked for similar records to those requested by Brady, the agency reassigned some of its inspectors normally charged with visiting gun stores to help work on the request.

Siple believed the extra hands would allow the ATF to stay on schedule to produce the reports. But the idea backfired, he wrote, with inspectors work so inconsistent that senior records staff had to redo it, negating any benefit associated with the detailees and further slowing down the process.

Some current and former ATF employees said the agency obfuscates to avoid embarrassment. The agency has often drawn criticism from both sides of the aisle related to failed enforcement operations and its regulation of firearms.

In 1993, the ATF came under fire for its assault on the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas, setting off a firefight and a weeks-long siege that resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. More recently, the agency faced scrutiny for a botched effort  known as Operation Fast and Furious  to track guns flowing from the U.S. to Mexican drug cartels.

Four people demonstrate in favor of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents near the Branch Davidian compound outside Waco, Texas, March 27, 1993. The ATF has been criticized for its failed attempt to serve a search warrant on the cult compound on Feb. 28. Four agents were killed and the standoff enters its fifth week Sunday.

The ATF has also become an easy target for pro-gun lobbyists, whose Republican allies have effectively stopped the agency from updating its record keeping systems and left it with consistent staffing shortfalls. Since 2003, a budget provision known as the Tiahrt Amendment has blocked the ATF from using federal funding to release information about traces of crime guns, a restriction that Scharff says the agency has embraced.

The ATF absolutely does take an unnecessarily expansive view of Tiarhts restrictions on releasing data that it collects and maintains, he said. And as a result of that, the ATF fails to release data and information on firearms trafficking and gun industry behavior that the public has a right to know.

The ATF currently faces 16 pending FOIA lawsuits, according to The FOIA Project, a FOIA accountability database maintained by Syracuse University.

In 2017, Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting filed a lawsuit after the ATF stopped responding to a FOIA request seeking statistics on guns used in crimes. The ATF argued that querying the database containing the requested information would violate federal law.

If the ATFs argument had been upheld in court, it wouldve given legal standing for all federal agencies to withhold any information held in an electronic database. Instead, in 2020, a 9th Circuit Appellate Court ruled against the agency.

Were we to agree with ATF...we may well render FOIA a nullity in the digital age, Judge Kim Wardlaw wrote in the majority opinion.

The case alarmed advocates and attorneys focused on freedom of information.

We saw extreme pushback by the agency that risked thwarting transparency in drastic ways and well beyond just withholding ATF data, said D. Victoria Baranetsky, Reveals general counsel who litigated the case. This opacity handicaps constituents as well as legislators from having knowledge that is relevant to legislative decisions on public safety.

In fiscal year 2020, the ATF processed about 1,600 FOIA requests, according to federal data. Federal agencies are required to respond to requests within 20 business days, though few meet this deadline.

Among the 76 agencies that completed 500 or more FOIAs in 2020, the ATF had the fifth-longest processing time for requests designated as complex  about 16 months. Across the federal government, the number of FOIA requests backlogged was less than one-fifth the number of requests processed. For the ATF, it was nearly half.

Agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement all outperform the ATF when it comes to completing public records requests.

The ATFs lethargic response time has become so problematic that even ATF staff struggle to receive information from their own agency.

They follow the policy of give nothing, and make the requester fight for it, said Vincent Cefalu, a former ATF agent who was fired after his role in exposing the Fast and Furious gun-running scandal. Cefalu, who filed multiple FOIA requests as part of a lawsuit alleging retaliation by the ATF, said the lack of transparency drives a wedge between the agency and the public.

Its been a longstanding rule in law enforcement: We dont work in the shadows, we work in the daylight, Cefalu said. It begs the question, What are you hiding?

Other former ATF staff echoed Cefalu, saying that the agencys secrecy breeds a poor workplace culture while simultaneously doing a disservice to the public.

"If the people who were the shady part of the ATF were exposed to a FOIA, and FOIA was actually doing its job, the shady part wouldnt exist," said Norm Bergeron, a former ATF agent who retired in 2017. Bergeron successfully sued the agency for information after he requested documents regarding why he was passed over for a promotion.

In his retirement, Bergeron assists current and former agents attempting to obtain public information from the agency, often related to issues of retaliation and equal opportunity.

We don't need any new gun laws, he said. We need an agency thats going to enforce them, and is transparent about their enforcement.

Contributing: Nick Penzenstadler, USA TODAY and Brian Freskos, The Trace, a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to improving public understanding of gun violence, increasing accountability and identifying solutions.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ATF fails to produce gun records, keeping industry in shadows
Gareth Bale is blocking out Denmark's new status as neutrals' favourites ahead of Saturday's Euro 2020 last 16 clash in Amsterdam as he attempts to recreate Wales' magnificent run to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

Denmark overcame the emotional trauma of seeing Christian Eriksen suffer a cardiac arrest on the field during their first match of the tournament against Finland to reach the knockout stages thanks to a 4-1 thrashing of Russia on Monday.

The Danish players' reaction to surround Eriksen as he received medical treatment at the Parken Stadium and shield him from cameras drew widespread plaudits.

Bale is among them, but insisted that cannot get in the way of the job facing Wales.

"We understand the situation that happened with them, we've sent all our best wishes to Christian and what a great job the Denmark team did with that," said the Welsh captain, who added he was unaware of the support now for Denmark from around the world.

"I didn't know that until someone said just now, I'm not on social media.

"We've been in situations where teams are favourites or have more support, against Turkey (in Baku) they had 18,000 in the stadium so it makes no difference. When it comes to kick-off it is just us players on the pitch."

Bale's one-season loan spell at Tottenham from Real Madrid has come to an end.

When asked before the tournament, the 31-year-old said he would only reveal his future plans after the European Championship as it would cause "chaos".

That led to rumours Bale could retire, but he rejected the idea that he will play Saturday's clash as if it is his final match for his country.

"I'm not going to play it as if it is my last (match) because I want to get through to the next round," he added. "The focus is on this game and not looking further forward."

Welsh fans have been frustrated by coronavirus restrictions that prevent them from getting to the Dutch capital for the game.

Story continues

Robert Page's men have also had to cover the third highest number of miles in the tournament so far after starting off with two games in Baku before facing Italy in Rome for the final Group A game.

"It is frustrating for the fans and players they can't be here with us," said Page.

"We can't grumble about it, it is how it is. How it's unfolded we've gone from Baku to Rome and now Amsterdam. It's not been easy with Covid (protocols) on top of that, but we're fully prepared now and we're ready for a battle."

kca/mw
Gareth Bale and Wales may have been the neutrals' favourites during their rousing run to the semi-finals of the last European Championship, but as they prepare to face Denmark in the last 16 at Euro 2020 in Amsterdam on Saturday the goodwill is likely to all be for their opponents.

The Danes managed to qualify for the knockout phase in second place in their group despite the enormous emotional impact of Christian Eriksen's cardiac arrest during their opening game against Finland in Copenhagen.

After the trauma of seeing their star player require CPR on the pitch, Kasper Hjulmand's team lost 1-0 to their Nordic neighbours and then went down 2-1 to Belgium, but a thrilling 4-1 win over Russia was enough for them to advance.

And so they come to the Netherlands with the aim of winning a knockout tie at the European Championship for the first time since they stunned the continent to win the trophy itself in 1992, defeating Germany in the final in Gothenburg having famously only qualified because war-torn Yugoslavia disintegrated.

Saturday marks exactly 29 years since that game, and this time the Danes, now ranked as the 10th-best side in the world, should be favourites against Wales as they look to go as far as possible for Eriksen, who spent six days in hospital after his collapse, undergoing surgery to have a defibrillator implanted.

"It's hard to describe what this team has been through the past four weeks. We're thinking about Christian all the way," said Hjulmand after the victory over Russia.

When the teams met twice in the Nations League in late 2018 Denmark won on each occasion, including a 2-0 home victory in which Eriksen scored twice.

Locals going to the game in Amsterdam will certainly have Eriksen on their minds - the playmaker made his name at Ajax after joining them as a fresh-faced teenager.

He made his first-team debut for the Dutch giants prior to turning 18 and won three Eredivisie titles before being sold to Tottenham Hotspur in 2013.

Story continues

Eriksen, who left London for Inter Milan in January last year, arrived as part of the wave of signings made by Spurs in the same summer they sold Bale to Real Madrid.

- Welsh fans to miss out -

Bale went on to experience the highest of highs at club level in Madrid and has helped propel his country back to the forefront of the international game.

Scorer of three goals on their run to the semi-finals in France five years ago, this time Bale has skippered Wales through Group A, although he missed a penalty in their crucial win over Turkey in Baku.

"Watching him for years and being lucky enough to play with him now, I know Gareth can do whatever he wants on the pitch," said Joe Rodon, his teammate at Spurs as well as with Wales.

There will be club teammates in each goal on Saturday: Denmark's Kasper Schmeichel will come up against Danny Ward, who is very much his understudy at Leicester City but the number one for Wales.

It hints at the challenges facing Robert Page's side, who will also be denied a proper travelling support in Amsterdam with fans barred from entering the Netherlands from the United Kingdom.

Welsh media reports have picked up on fans making it to Amsterdam having come from watching the team play in Azerbaijan in the group stage -- without returning to Britain -- only to be turned away at Schiphol airport.

The travel ban does not apply to supporters coming from Denmark, which like the Netherlands is in the European Union.

"I think 99 percent of the world are going to be supporting Denmark," Wales defender Connor Roberts told the BBC as his side target a return to Baku and a tie against the Netherlands or the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals.

as/dj
Jailed journalist Roman Protasevich was taken to a press conference in Minsk last week to say he was well treated and that he repents his crimes - Ramil Nasibulin/Belta

A dissident Belarusian journalist who was grabbed off a Ryanair flight forced to land in Minsk has been released under house arrest a few weeks after he publicly repented for his crimes on state TV and in front of reporters.

The forced landing of the Athens-Vilnius flight has triggered harsh Western sanctions against the regime of Alexander Lukashenko who was re-elected president last year amid unprecedented anti-government protests.

Roman Protasevich, former editor-in-chief of the opposition mouthpiece Nexta living in exile in Lithuania, was arrested alongside his girlfriend last month after Belarusian authorities forced the plane to land, citing a bomb threat.

Nexta, the channel on the messaging app Telegram that Mr Protasevich co-founded and edited until last September, emerged as a crucial tool helping opposition activists to coordinate last years nationwide protests in Belarus following Mr Lukashenkos dubious win and staggering police violence.

The Belarusian authorities wanted Mr Protasevich, whom they described as a terrorist, on charges of organising riots.

Mr Protasevich has since appeared in a video and an interview with state television, confessing to having orchestrated riots in Minsk. His parents and rights activists believe that he had been tortured and forced to make those media appearances.

Mr Protasevich and Sofia Sapega, his partner, have now been placed under house arrest, investigators said on Friday.

The couple have agreed to a plea deal, promising to expose their accomplices and do their best to compensate for the damage they caused, the investigators said in a statement.

Sergei Dudich, Ms Sapega's stepfather, told the Telegraph the 23-year-old was taken to a rental flat on Thursday and that he saw her there for the first time since she was arrested.

The family of the law student, who is a Russian national, has appealed to President Vladimir Putin to secure her release.

The Russian leader raised the issue during talks with Mr Lukashenko last month but seemingly to no avail.

Story continues

Mr Dudich told the Telegraph that Ms Sapega is in good health and that she needs time to "recover emotionally from her ordeal."

Asked about his first impression of seeing his stepdaughter, Mr Dudich said: "She's become an adult. You can see it now. She was just a child before all of this."

Mr Dudich refused to comment on the conditions of her release and would not confirm reports that Ms Sapega and Mr Protasevich are being monitored by intelligence agents.

The couples transfer to house arrest appears to be Mr Lukashenkos reward for Mr Protasevichs repentance.

In an hour-long interview on state TV earlier this month, Mr Protasevich confessed to his crimes and voiced praise for Mr Lukashenko who won a rigged vote last August.

The 26-year-old man broke down in tears at the end of the interview, burying his face in his hands, saying that he wanted to live a normal life and stop involving himself in politics.

He was also paraded in front of reporters last week at a government-organised press conference where he insisted that he was cooperating with the authorities of his own free will.

Forced public confessions are part of Mr Lukashenkos playbook aimed at intimidating the opposition and asserting his ability to break the resolve of his staunchest opponents.

Mr Protasevichs repentance was largely seen as a survival tactic to protect himself and his girlfriend who was never political or involved in any activism.

Officials paraded Ms Sapega in a short video released two days after her arrest in which she confesses to having moderated a channel on a messaging app that published personal information about Belarusian law enforcement.

In a letter to her parents from jail, she asked them not to blame Roman for the way things have turned out: He defended me and took care of me the way that he could.

Belarusian media on Thursday released what appeared to be pictures of the couple taken in a Minsk park. One of them showed the young people doing an interview on camera.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled opposition leader, said on Friday that the couple are not yet free, they still face charges and minders follow their every step.

We are convinced that the regime is playing games with the lives of Roman and Sofya, she said, adding that Mr Protasevichs parents, who live in exile in Poland, have not been able to speak to their son.

Ms Tsikhanouskayas adviser described the couples release from the infamous prison in Minsk as a result of EU sanctions that earlier this week blacklisted dozens of officials and restricted imports of key Belarusian products to the EU such as petroleum.

We should insist that all political prisoners (500 to 800 people) be released unconditionally and fully rehabilitated, Franak Viacorka said.

The Lukashenko regime unleashed a staggering wave of repressions last year, putting hundreds in jail and bringing criminal charges against at least 2,300 people for peaceful protests.

Read more: How Alexander Lukashenko rose to become Europes last dictator




President Biden announced on Friday that he would appoint Jessica Stern, executive director of OutRight Action International, as U.S. special envoy for LGBTQ rights at the State Department.

Why it matters: Stern currently serves as head of an organization that specializes on addressing human rights violations against the LGBTQ community. As U.S. envoy, she will focus on promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTQ people around the world.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Stern is the second person to be named to the role. The first, Randy Berry, served from 2015 until 2017, after which the position was left vacant by former President Trump, CNN reports.

The big picture: This is the Biden administration's latest effort to address LGBTQ rights, and comes in the final days of Pride Month.

Biden became the first president to issue a proclamation to formally celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility, and also appointed Pete Buttigieg as Transportation secretary, the first openly-gay person to be confirmed to a Cabinet position.

Biden promised during his campaign that he would appoint someone for the special envoy role, along with an official responsible for LGBTQ+ rights on the National Security Council and a special coordinator in charge of international LGBTQ+ programming at USAID. The latter two have yet to be named.

What they're saying: "At a time when the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons are increasingly threatened in all regions of the world, the Special Envoy will bring together like-minded governments, civil society organizations, corporations and international organizations to uphold dignity and equality for all," the White House said in a statement.

Her background: While at OutRight, Stern supported the legal registration of LGBTQ organizations around the world. She also helped secure the mandate of the United Nations Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, and helped expand the UN General Assembly resolution to include gender identity, according to the White House.

What to watch: Stern will join Biden when he delivers remarks later on Friday to commemorate Pride Month.

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
Getty

The Justice Department announced on Friday that it is suing the state of Georgia over its new voting restrictions, marking the first step in the Biden administrations plan to aggressively fight a wave of voter suppression bills passed in the wake of Trumps election loss.

Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgias election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of Black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a press conference.

He said the lawsuit, U.S.A. v. The State of Georgia, is the first of many efforts to ensure every voter has access to the ballot box.

Inside Team Trumps New Plot to Suppress the Vote Under Biden

The Civil Rights Division did not arrive at this decision lightly, Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, said on Friday, adding that several provisions of Georgias new legislation were made with a discriminatory purpose in violation of the Voting Rights Act.

Clarke said the legislation demonstrated what she called intent to deny or abridge Black citizens access to voting, and came as Georgia had made massive strides in voter turnout during the 2020 elections.

The Georgia bill, signed into law in March, hands greater control over election administration to the GOP-controlled state legislature and includes a bundle of provisions that create obstacles, particularly for absentee voting, like strict ID requirements, less time to request ballots and fewer drop boxes.

Clarke on Friday called the stricter ID requirements unnecessarily stringent. Among other changes, the law also makes it a crime for outside groups to provide food and water to voters waiting at polling stations.

In their complaint, the Justice Department alleges that the rushed legislation was passed against the backdrop of a long-standing, well-documented, and judicially recognized history of voting-related discrimination against Black voters.

Story continues

It argues that the restrictive new legislation emerged amid demographic shifts in the state that led to rising numbers of Black voters and voters of color.

Black Georgians had made unprecedented recent successes in electing candidates of choice, and that followed a dramatic increase in Black Georgians making use of absentee voting last year, the complaint says.

According to the suit, Georgia signed its voting overhaul bill into law, knowing that it would impact Black voters disproportionately.

Georgia enacted SB 202 with knowledge of the disproportionate effect that numerous provisions, both singly and together, would have on Black voters ability to participate in the political process on an equal basis with white voters, the complaint says.

The lawsuit also mentions the Supreme Courts 2013 decision to invalidate a key provision that allowed the Justice Department to stop states from passing laws that would potentially contribute to voter discrimination, like the one Georgia passed this year.

The White Men of Georgia Return to Cull the Wrong Voters

Biden has called Georgias new legislation Jim Crow in the 21st Century, a characterization disputed by Gov. Brian Kemp.

Kemp responded to the lawsuit Friday by accusing the Biden administration of weaponizing the Justice Department.

This lawsuit is born out of the lies and misinformation the Biden administration has pushed against Georgias Election Integrity Act from the start, he wrote on Twitter.

Joe Biden, Stacey Abrams, and their allies tried to force an unconstitutional elections power grab through Congress - and failed. As Secretary of State, I fought the Obama Justice Department twice to protect the security of our elections - and won. I look forward to going three for three to ensure its easy to vote and hard to cheat in Georgia.

The Georgia lawsuit is the first major voting rights case filed under the Biden administration. It comes as Republicans angle to impose voting restrictions after former President Donald Trump waged a months-long campaign falsely alleging widespread voter fraud.

The Justice Department also announced its plans on Friday to launch a task force to address growing threats against elections officials, after attacks on local officials and Trumps efforts to pressure Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find enough votes to toss him a win in the state.

In a memo Friday, Garlands deputy, Lisa Monaco, wrote that the department would work tirelessly to protect all election workerswhether they be elected officials, appointed officials, or those who volunteer their timeagainst the threats they face.

The task force is expected to include assistance from members of the Criminal Division, Civil Rights Division, the National Security Division and the FBI, according to the memo.

On Tuesday, Biden said he would speak out more aggressively on voting rights after Republicans filibustered a debate on S.1, the Democrats sweeping reform bill known as the For the People Act.

Earlier this month, Garland said his department would double the number of attorneys working on voter suppression issues, and would not wait to act as he urged Congress to pass Democrats elections legislation.

We have not been blind to the dramatic increase in menacing and violent threats against all manner of state and local election workers, ranging from the highest administrators to volunteer poll workers, he said during a June 11 policy speech at the departments D.C. headquarters. Such threats undermine our electoral process, and violate a myriad of federal laws.

Florida and Iowa have also passed laws imposing new voting restrictions. Voting law overhauls are also under consideration in Texas, New Hampshire, Arizona, and Michigan, among other states.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
President Joe Biden campaigned as a bipartisan deal-maker who had decisively beaten the socialists and police defunders in his own party  and then promptly unveiled a series of proposals more to liberals liking that were designed to be passed exclusively with Democratic votes.

Now, as Biden returns to a more bipartisan posture to notch a few wins that dont require reconciliation in the Senate, it remains to be seen how much goodwill this bought him on the Left. If progressives prove to be more recalcitrant than centrist Sen. Joe Manchin, it could deny Biden additional legislative accomplishments before the summer recess.

When it came to passing another stimulus bill at the start of his presidency, Biden held perfunctory talks with Senate Republicans on a possible bipartisan compromise. But the two sides were too far apart on the amount of total spending. The negotiations were quickly scuttled, and Congress proceeded to pass the nearly $2 trillion American Rescue Plan without a single Republican vote.

Infrastructure appeared likely to follow a similar path. The White House and Senate Republicans were far apart on total package size. When new spending was factored in, the gulf only grew larger. Press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the administration would be a little more patient on this issue  then Biden signaled not much more.

We welcome ideas. But the rest of the world isnt waiting for us. Doing nothing is not an option, Biden said during a joint session of Congress. We cant be so busy competing with each other that we forget the competition is with the rest of the world to win the 21st century.

Much as they derided the American Rescue Plan as mainly containing spending unrelated to the pandemic, unimpressed GOP lawmakers questioned Bidens definition of infrastructure. Words have meaning, tweeted Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican. We cant have a productive conversation if they keep redefining terms.

Story continues

But it became clear there were infrastructure projects Republicans were willing to fund and that Senate Democrats had limited bites at the reconciliation apple. The two sides kept talking, even after White House negotiations with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, a West Virginia Republican, failed. The end result was a $1.2 trillion plan.

We made serious compromises on both ends, Biden said outside the West Wing as he thanked each of the senators. They have my word. Ill stick with what weve proposed, and theyve given me their word as well. He later told reporters, Mitt Romneys never broken his word with me.

That doesnt mean "Infrastructure Week" has finally come to a close, however. For many liberals, Bidens more than $2 trillion opening salvo was the compromise. Some were floating infrastructure and climate legislation totaling $10 trillion. To pass some of the liberal policy priorities that were part of their original infrastructure plans, Democrats are working on a separate bill they hope to also pass through reconciliation.

What liberals wish to avoid is the bipartisan bill passing and their preferred package getting killed in the Senate. To that end, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has made a commitment. There aint going to be no bipartisan bill unless we have the reconciliation bill, the California Democrat told reporters the same day Biden announced that his talks with Republicans and centrists in his own party had been fruitful.

Now liberals will have their chance to blow up infrastructure. The same could be true for the bipartisan police reform negotiations between Sen. Tim Scott, a South Carolina Republican, and Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat. The pair had previously described the deadline for a compromise as June or bust, but qualified immunity for police officers remains a major sticking point.

The two-step approach Biden is taking with infrastructure mirrors the strategy of his campaign. Biden promised bipartisanship to the suburban voters who turned sharply against former President Donald Trump, which proved decisive in the battleground states that delivered him the presidency. But he also needed the supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to turn out for him at a higher rate than they did for Hillary Clinton in 2016. So Biden left the door open to working with Sanders to achieve the most progressive administration since Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Democrats are hoping to pass as much as possible this year because attention will then turn to defending their slender majorities in the midterm elections. Whether this two-step will prove as effective a dance in governing as it was in campaigning remains to be seen.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, White House, Infrastructure, Joe Biden, Congress, Kamala Harris, Democratic Party, Democrats, Joe Manchin, Nancy Pelosi

Original Author: W. James Antle III

Original Location: Biden's two-step dance with liberals and centrists
A bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress working on police reform said they are making good progress.

Sens. Cory Booker and Tim Scott, as well as Rep. Karen Bass, released a joint statement Thursday that could serve as a significant checkpoint in their bid to pass legislation, part of an effort spurred by high-profile law enforcement encounters in the summer of 2020  including one that led to the death of George Floyd, stirring a national reckoning on race and police use of force.

GEORGE FLOYD ANNIVERSARY: HOW HIS DEATH TURNED POLICING INTO A POLITICAL BATTLE

"After months of working in good faith, we have reached an agreement on a framework addressing the major issues for bipartisan police reform," the lawmakers said in a statement. "There is still more work to be done on the final bill, and nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to. Over the next few weeks, we look forward to continuing our work toward getting a finalized proposal across the finish line."

Among the most significant areas of disagreements between Republicans and Democrats was whether to limit qualified immunity, a legal protection for government officials that makes it difficult for the public to sue law enforcement over misconduct claims.

Republicans want to preserve it over concerns about hurting police recruitment. This comes at a time when police across the country are quitting forces in droves, according to a report by the New York Times.

In a survey conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum of nearly 200 police departments, retirements were up 45% and resignations by 18% from April 2020 to April 2021.

Scott, who has been vocal about keeping qualified immunity in place, said he was open to reforms such as holding police departments, rather than individual officers, accountable for misconduct.

"The more you dig into the bill, the more there is to talk about. Ultimately, there are so many of the devil being in the details. We're closing that gap," the South Carolina Republican said on Monday, according to NBC News.

Story continues

Critics of qualified immunity say it deters officers from being held accountable and could incentivize bad practices.

Bass, a California Democrat, said she's "not prepared" to ask her colleagues to support a bill that does not eliminate the legal protections.

"I think qualified immunity is essential because one of the most important things for us to do in reforming policing in the United States is to hold police departments and police officers accountable," Bass told the Washington Post in May.

The White House praised the efforts of the negotiators, who have spearheaded the efforts since the Democratic-controlled House passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act mostly along party lines in March, sending it to the Senate where it faces an uphill battle.

"The President is grateful to Rep. Bass, Sen. Booker, and Sen. Scott for all of their hard work on police reform, and he looks forward to collaborating with them on the path ahead," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.

The members previously missed an initial deadline proposed by President Joe Biden to reach an agreement by May 25, the anniversary of Floyd's death.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Floyd bill would limit qualified immunity, as well as create a national police misconduct registry, ban federal law enforcement from using chokeholds, and bar federal funding from states that do not ban chokeholds and other use-of-force measures.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Congress, George Floyd, Police

Original Author: Mica Soellner

Original Location: Bipartisan group in Congress reach 'framework' agreement on police reform
By Nelson Renteria

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) -El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele said in a national address on Thursday that a recently passed law making bitcoin legal tender will take effect on Sept. 7, noting that its use will be optional.

El Salvador's Congress already approved Bukele's proposal to embrace the cryptocurrency, making El Salvador the first country in the world to adopt bitcoin as legal tender.

"The use of bitcoin will be optional, nobody will receive bitcoin if they don't want it... If someone receives a payment in bitcoin they can choose to automatically receive it in dollars," said Bukele.

Salaries and pensions will continue to be paid in U.S. dollars, said Bukele, without specifying if that included salaries paid to state workers and private sector employees.

Earlier in the day Athena Bitcoin said it plans to invest over $1 million to install some 1,500 cryptocurrency ATMs in El Salvador, especially where residents receive remittances from abroad.

According to Athena Bitcoin's website, the ATMs can be used to buy bitcoins or sell them for cash.

"One of the reasons we passed the bitcoin law is precisely to help people who send remittances," said Bukele, adding the high costs of commissions traditionally associated with sending money home would be eliminated by using the cryptocurrency.

El Salvador relies heavily on money sent back from workers abroad. World Bank data showed remittances to the country made up nearly $6 billion or around a fifth of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, one of the highest ratios in the world.

Less than 1% of the volume of global cross-border remittances are currently in cryptocurrency, according to Kenneth Suchoski, U.S payments and fintech analyst at Autonomous Research. But in the future crypto is expected to account for a larger slice of the more than $500 billion in global annual remittances.

(Reporting by Nelson Renteria in San Salvador; Writing by Anthony Esposito; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Ana Nicolaci da Costa)
A business executive told members of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce on Friday that Dallas-Fort Worth needs a Black-owned bank to serve the needs of the African-American community.

Kase Lawal, the chairman of the board of Unity National Bank, addressed nearly 160 attendees and many others online during the chambers 40th annual luncheon at the Hilton in downtown Fort Worth.

Unity National Bank is the only nationally licensed and federally insured African-American owned bank in Texas and Georgia.

The chamber has spent much of the past year meeting with area bankers to discuss how they can be more involved in the Black community and with African-American businesses, Devoyd Jennings, president and CEO of the chamber, said in a press release.

For the future I honestly believe Black banking is needed, Lawal said. Not just in Black communities, in every community because it gives us a pathway not only to get to know each other better but to make the best of each other.

Black-owned banks can help support Black-owned businesses, Lawal said.

When we talk about closing the gap in equality, were talking about our economy, Lawal said.

The Black Chamber of Commerce also focuses on education. Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker spoke on the importance of investing in students.

Right now in Tarrant County you have amazing students that are sitting in classrooms that we need to invest in, Parker said, later adding: Your businesses, your future, will not be successful if we dont invest in the students and classrooms right now.

Laurie Vignaud, president and CEO of Unity National Bank, attended the event as did civil rights activist Opal Lee.

I hope we listen and get together and do things that need to be done, Lee said. I tell you what, Im going to keep on walking and Im going to keep on talking.

The Spirit of Entrepreneurship Award was presented to Gideon Toal Management Services.

State Sen. Beverly Powell honored Glenn Lewis for being the first African-American to be elected as the chair of the Board of Trustees at Texas Wesleyan University.
The Daily Beast

FBIA former cop accused of taking part in the Capitol riot was granted a pre-trial release in the weeks after his arrest, on the condition that he not own any guns.But in the months since, he has secretly bought at least 34 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunitionincluding armor-penetrating roundsand tried to disguise some of the payments as being for wedding photos, according to an FBI search warrant affidavit filed Friday.Now prosecutors are asking a judge to revoke Thomas Robertson
Former Vice President Mike Pence on June 3. AP Photo/Elise Amendola

Mike Pence said Thursday he was "proud" to do his constitutional duty and certify the election.

Almost no idea is "more un-American than the idea that one person" can pick the president, he said.

It was a break from Trump, who continues to express discontent with Pence over the certification.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

In a speech Thursday, former Vice President Mike Pence broke from President Donald Trump by saying he did his constitutional duty when he led the certification of the election results.

At the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, Pence defended his actions on January 6, the day a pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol and forced lawmakers to evacuate. Some members of the mob believed the vice president could stop the certification, as Trump had claimed, and were chanting: "Hang Mike Pence."

"Now there are those in our party who believe that in my position as presiding officer over the joint session that I possessed the authority to reject or return electoral votes certified by the states," Pence said. "But the Constitution provides the vice president with no such authority before the joint session of Congress."

Read more: Trump's role as GOP kingmaker has left Republican loyalists in a lurch as the ex-president's legal jeopardy grows

He added: "And the truth is there is almost no idea more un-American than the idea that one person could choose the president. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone.

"And I will always be proud that we did our part on that tragic day to reconvene the Congress and fulfilled our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Pence, who is seen as a prospective GOP candidate for the 2024 presidential election, has largely avoided hitting back at the former president, despite Trump continuing to express disappointment in Pence, Insider's Tom LoBianco reported.

Story continues

Some Trump supporters still criticize Pence for certifying the election for President Joe Biden. He was greeted with boos and calls of "traitor" when he spoke at a conservative conference in Florida last week. One Republican close to Pence told LoBianco Pence was "stung" by the incident.

Days later, Trump reiterated his feelings, saying he was "disappointed" that Pence certified the election and that he believed Pence had a choice in the certification.

Pence also said in his speech Thursday that while he felt he did his constitutional duty, he was disappointed with the results of the election. Neither Pence nor Trump have announced plans to run in 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider
OUAGADOUGOU (Reuters) - Opposition groups will hold silent protests across Burkina Faso next month against a surge of mostly Islamist militant violence they say the government is incapable of curbing, one of their leaders said on Friday.

On June 4, more than 130 people were killed in an attack allegedly carried out mostly by children between the ages of 12 and 14, shocking a nation plagued by jihadists linked to Islamic State and al Qaeda.

The massacre in the northeastern village of Solhan "represents the climax of the slaughter," Eddie Komboigo, the leader of the largest opposition party, said at a news conference to announce nationwide protests on July 3-4.

"This tragic situation ... marks the government's inability to find solutions for the security of the Burkinabe."

Burkina Faso's government has acknowledged the rising violence but has defended its handling of security matters.

Attacks by Islamist extremists continue unabated across West Africa's Sahel region, including neighbouring Mali and Niger, despite interventions by international armed forces.

The violence has, in just over two years, displaced more than 1 million people within Burkina Faso, which also hosts about 20,000 refugees from Mali.

(Reporting by Thiam Ndiaga; Writing by Alessandra Prentice; Editing by Aaron Ross and David Gregorio)
The Biden administration has gone all-in to promote the updated Progress Pride flag, the pro-LGBT banner that includes stripes to include black people, Hispanics, and other minorities.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken ordered it flown in Foggy Bottom, and top diplomats are wearing the flag pin. Curtis Ried, a State Department official at the White House National Security Council, pointed to his when addressing a Wilson Center Pride Month conference.

My friends tease me that Im becoming Madeleine Albright with my broaches at work, he said, referencing the famous pin-wearing Clinton-era secretary of state.

Other departments have also flown the Progress Pride flag, notably the Energy Department. ... 

Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House deputy press secretary, also addressed the event and told of her mothers initial rejection of her coming out. I am a black, immigrant, queer woman, and I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and Queens, New York. And when I came out to my parents at 16, my mom, my immigrant mother who grew up in Haiti, who I loved dearly, she didnt accept it, and I ended up going back in the closet, she said. It was a little bit of a different time. She added that it went horribly wrong, and you fast-forward decades later, and I have a partner. I have a 7-year-old daughter. My mom could not be more proud of me. She could not be more proud of her daughter, and she could not, you know, love her grandchild and my partner more. ... 

You might have been forced to stay home for vacation last year during the coronavirus crisis, but Congress didnt.  far from it. A new State Department inspector general report said the department handled 600 overseas congressional trips last year, a 50% jump since 2012. ... 

Sparked by the debates over transgender issues and critical race theory, a new conservative group has formed to pull politics out of classrooms. The Free to Learn Coalition debuted with an ad calling students to be taught the basics instead.

Washington Examiner Videos

Story continues

Tags: Washington Secrets, LGBT, Antony Blinken, Madeleine Albright, Biden Administration

Original Author: Paul Bedard

Original Location: Buzz: Progress Pride flag raised in DC, virus didn't stop congressional junkets, 'Freedom to Learn' fight
Plus: Songwriter Diane Warren saves escaped cow, and female mountain lion is set free.

I'm Winston Gieseke, philanthropy and special sections editor for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, coming to you from beautiful Rancho Mirage, where the sun is shining outside and the A/C is cranking inside. Here are some of the latest headlines from this great state of ours.

Have a friend who wants California news delivered to their inbox for free? Let them know they can sign up via this link.

Pelosi announces House select committee to investigate Jan. 6 attack

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, May 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Calling the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 "a day of darkness," California-based House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Wednesday she will create a select committee to investigate the riot.

It is imperative we seek the truth about what happened," Pelosi said. She decided to create the select committee with great solemnity and sadness because she would have preferred a bipartisan committee, she said.

The House passed a bill creating such a committee but it was blocked by Senate Republicans last month in a move Pelosi described Thursday as "cowardly."

"Its clear Republicans are afraid of the truth," she said.

Pelosi said she would have preferred an outside commission, "but I had no (intention) of walking away from our responsibility.

The select committee will investigate and report on the facts and the causes of the attack and report recommendations for the prevention of another attack, Pelosi said.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, on Thursday called the move to create a select committee "raw gut politics."

The House impeached Trump on Jan. 13 on charges of inciting the insurrection; the Senate, led by Republicans, voted to acquit him.

Songwriter Diane Warren saves escaped cow from slaughter

Diane Warren

Heroes come in all forms.

Yesterday, this newsletter reported on 40 cows that escaped a slaughterhouse and ended up in a Los Angeles suburb. Today comes the news that Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning songwriter Diane Warren has stepped in to save one of them.

Story continues

The Associated Press reports that the fugitive cow, who disappeared in the nation's most populous county, had become somewhat of a celebrity by the time it was located before dawn Thursday in the Whittier Narrows recreation area in South El Monte, about 10 miles from downtown L.A.

Upon news of its apprehension, Warren, who penned such hits as Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time" contacted officials, offering to personally adopt the animal and arranging to have it sent to the Farm Sanctuary north of Los Angeles, City Manager Steve Carmona announced via press conference.

I had to do something, the songwriter tweeted.

Yahoo! News reports that prior to the capture of the elusive cow, Warren tweeted: This breaks my (expletive) heart. These poor babies escaping for their lives. They know their fate. How cruel human beings are.

Young mountain lion released in California

A young female mountain lion goes free for the first time.

In other animal news, wildlife officials released a young female mountain lion into the mountains of Orange County this week after it was rehabilitated at the San Diego Humane Society.

"This is the first time we've released a younger female lion, so it's significant for us," said Dr. Deanna Clifford of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "She's basically a teenager going out on her own for the first time, and we've tried to help her get to the teenage stage so she's old enough, so that is really significant. And we're hoping that she can contribute to the Orange County population in the Santa Ana mountains... If we get lucky and she breeds and has kittens, then we've done our job."

Head on over to USA Today to see a video of the release.

California considering purchasing beachfront houses threatened by sea level rise

More than a dozen people were on a beachfront balcony in Malibu, California, when it collapsed nearly 15 feet onto rocks and sand below.

We've all read about the devastating condo collapse in Miami, but what about the beachfront homes along the California coast that are threatened by rising seas?

A report from Scientific American says the state is considering purchasing the doomed properties and renting them out until the time comes for them to be demolished.

The article states: "The goal is finding a less explosive way to implement the volatile idea of managed retreat or removing homes threatened by waves. Many Golden State lawmakers and regulators back that idea over armoring California's iconic coastline with sea walls that experts say accelerate beach erosion."

But not all politicians are on board with the idea. "You have areas that are already experiencing flooding, that the sea is starting to rise," state Sen. Ben Allen (D) said. "We're finding, of course, that buying out local residents, relocating them, it's been very controversial and, in some instances, cost prohibitive."

As an example, the report states that recouping the investment of one $4 million beachfront house would require approximately $550 per day in rent, every day for 20 years.

As an alternative, Allen is considering legislation that would tell the state's Ocean Protection Council to consider which properties could generate enough revenue to repay the loan.

Good weather and moist ocean air aid firefighters in California's coastal mountain range

Members of the Little Tujunga Hot Shots take a break after fighting the Willow Fire near the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley, Calif., Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

An influx of moist and cool ocean air helped more than 500 firefighters who were working to suppress a forest fire burning in California coastal mountains near a remote Buddhist monastery south of Big Sur.

The fire was just under 4.5 square miles. Firefighters took advantage of the weather to continue improving fire control lines, Los Padres National Forest officials said.

The improved conditions were expected to continue through Thursday. But the fire remains a threat to about 125 homes and other buildings, including the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.

Seven firefighting monks have been clearing brush and running a sprinkler system dubbed Dharma rain, which helps keep moisture around the buildings, said Sozan Miglioli, president of San Francisco Zen Center, which operates the monastery.

In the Sierra Nevada, a separate wildfire in the Whitney Portal area was calm overnight after growing to nearly 500 acres, and clouds and increased humidity helped to slow the fire's growth, officials with the Inyo National Forest said.

In California is a roundup of news from across USA Today network newsrooms. Also contributing: Associated Press, Scientific American, Yahoo! News. We'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with the latest headlines.

As the philanthropy and special sections editor at The Desert Sun, Winston Gieseke writes about nonprofits, fundraising and people who give back in the Coachella Valley. Reach him at winston.gieseke@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Should state buy coastal homes threatened by sea level rise?
By Moira Warburton

VANCOUVER (Reuters) -Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou's request for a publication ban on new evidence her legal team received from HSBC has been denied by a Canadian court in her U.S. extradition case, a lawyer involved in the case said on Friday.

Meng, 49, was arrested in December 2018 for allegedly misleading HSBC about Huawei Technologies Co Ltd's business dealings in Iran, causing the bank to break U.S. sanctions.

She faces a Canadian government extradition attempt on charges of bank fraud in the United States.

Canadian prosecutors had fought her request for a publication ban on documents relevant to her case received from HSBC via a court in Hong Kong. The documents were provided on the condition that Meng make a reasonable effort to keep them private.

The British Columbia Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the request, said Daniel Coles, the legal counsel representing a consortium of media outlets - including Reuters - who argued against the publication ban.

The reasons for the denial were not made public, pending issues relating to a previous publication ban, Coles said.

Prosecutors representing the Canadian government had argued that "to be consistent with the open court principle, a ban must be tailored" and details should be selectively redacted from the public, rather than the whole documents.

Meng has been under house arrest in Vancouver for more than two years and fighting her extradition. Meng has said she is innocent.

Alykhan Velshi, vice president of corporate affairs at Huawei Canada, said in an emailed statement the company accepts the court's decision, adding that "the truth in these documents can now come out."

The Canadian government and HSBC were not immediately available for comment.

The open court principle requires that court proceedings be open and accessible to the public and to the media.

It is unclear what documents Huawei obtained from HSBC, but defense lawyers argue they are relevant to Meng's case. Hearings in the extradition case are scheduled to finish in late August.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton in Toronto; Editing by Howard Goller)
Thousands of students attend kung fu training centres in Henan province, the birthplace of Chinese martial arts

At least 18 were killed and 16 injured after a fire tore through a martial arts school in China - many of them young children, local media said.

Most of the victims were reportedly pupils aged between seven and 16 who lived and studied at the Zhenxing Martial Arts Centre in Henan province.

The blaze broke out early on Friday and has been put out, local authorities said, but it is unclear how it started.

Fatal fires are not uncommon in China, which has patchy safety regulations.

The person in charge of the martial arts centre has been arrested, according to a brief statement from Zhecheng county government posted on its official WeChat channel.

Government officials told Beiing Toutiao News that there were 34 boarding students at the centre when the fire broke out at 03:00 local time on Friday (19:00 GMT Thursday).

Injured students were quickly rushed to a local hospital. Parents interviewed by news agency Reuters said they were not given any information nor were they allowed to see their children yet.

"At Zhenxing, the kids would study and practice martial arts in the day and live there every night. I don't know what caused the fire," said the father of a nine-year-old boy who survived.

Another parent told Reuters that "all information is being blocked".

Home of the famous Shaolin Temple, Henan province is known to be the birthplace of Chinese martial arts, where thousands of students study in kung fu training camps.

You might also be interested in:

A fire at an underwear factory in southern China in 2014 killed at least 11 people and injured 15 more.
Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast

Matt Gaetz is currently stuck somewhere between a Greek tragedy and one of Shirley Jacksons dark short stories.

Every day Congress is in session, he walks the marbled halls like any other lawmaker. He votes. He attends committee hearings. Questions witnesses. Even pops up on the Senate side with his fiance from time to time.

But all the while, the sword of Damocles hangs over Gaetz: Any day could be his last as a free man for a very long time.

The Florida Republican has not been charged with a crime, but theres plenty of reason to believe Gaetz is in serious trouble.

His self-described wingman, Joel Greenberg, has already pleaded guilty to six felonies, including sex trafficking a minora minor who Greenberg says Gaetz also paid to have sex withand prosecutors dropped 27 charges in exchange for Greenbergs cooperation.

And while we dont know if investigators will ever bring forward charges against Gaetz, we do know that certain facts dont look good for him. We know that Gaetz paid Greenberg on Venmo, with the caption Hit up ___, using a nickname for this teenager. We know that Greenberg then turned around hours later and paid this same girl on Venmo. And we know that Greenberg, while seeking a presidential pardon, wrote a confession letter that implicated Gaetz in some of the same crimes to which Greenberg has pleaded guilty.

And yet, all around Gaetz, members of CongressDemocrats and Republicansare pretending nothing is wrong, that their colleague isnt credibly accused of paying for sex with a minor.

Gaetz himself almost seems to be getting a laugh out of the situation. Besides the jokes hes made on the campaign trail, when The Daily Beast ran into Gaetz on Wednesday outside an elevator, we asked him whether it was really appropriate for him to be questioning the FBI director during Judiciary Committee hearings when hes under FBI investigation.

I thought I asked good questions, Gaetz playfully responded, as the elevator doors closed.

Story continues

More broadly on the GOP side, the affected ignorance is stunning. When The Daily Beast asked Republicans about Gaetz staying on his committees, the usually talkative Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) sharply said he didnt have any comment to make about Gaetz one way or the other.

Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) repeatedly said he couldnt talk about Gaetz because he hadnt thought about it. Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ) said the same thing. And Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) said he didnt want to judge other people.

That's something that every member of Congress has to deal with on an individual level, so I prefer really not to comment, he said. I have not followed that situation.

Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Matt Gaetz speak at an America First Rally on May 27. Megan Varner/Getty

When The Daily Beast asked Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY) about keeping Gaetz on committees, she repeatedly refused to answer and instead asked her own question.

Wheres Ilhan Omar? Wheres the vote to take Ilhan Omar off the Foreign Affairs Committee? she said.

(Omar recently appeared to equate the actions of the United States and Israel with the Taliban and Hamas, though she has since clarified that wasnt her intention.)

But not every Republican is avoiding the Gaetz situation. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is so taken with Gaetz thats shes proudly hit the road with him, holding rallies where Gaetz complains about cancel culture. The ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), is also loudly sticking by Gaetzs side.

Jordan told The Daily Beast on Wednesday that there was no controversy over whether Gaetz should stay on the Judiciary Committee.

He should stay on the committees, Jordan said. Definitely stay on the committees.

And Jordan noted this was probably the fourth or fifth time that hes said Gaetz should keep his committee assignments.

Thanks for asking, he said.

Gen. Milley Fires Back at Gaetzs Offensive Question, Leaving Him Shaking His Head

One GOP memberwho would only talk anonymouslysaid the Gaetz situation was an embarrassment for Republicans, adding that we would be hard-pressed to find any sane member of the conference who would defend Gaetz.

Still, its not just Greene or Jordan. The silent Republicans are complicit. And GOP leadership has been explicit.

A spokesperson for Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) declined comment Wednesday, but McCarthy said back in March that he wouldnt strip Gaetz of his committee assignments unless the allegations turned out to be true.

But right now, Matt Gaetz says that its not true and we dont have any information, McCarthy said. So lets get all the information.

In the meantime, Gaetz has carried on in his normal, troll-y capacity as a member of Congress.

On Wednesday afternoon, he sat in the House Armed Services Committee room and asked the Secretary of Defense about critical race theory. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who is Black, could barely contain the eye rolls as Gaetz questioned him about whether his subordinates were just telling Austin what he wants to hear when it comes to conversations about race.

Maybe theyre telling you what you want to hear, Austin shot back.

Just 13 days earlier, Gaetz sat in the Judiciary Committees hearing room and questioned the FBI director.

On that day, Gaetz asked director Christopher Wray about investigations into the origin of coronavirus, to which Wray replied that he had to be careful not to discuss specific investigations.

Youd think Democrats would be quick to call out the impropriety of a Republican under FBI investigation questioning the FBI director. And Democrats are, predictably, disgusted by the sight. But again, no one is really doing anything about it.

Its embarrassing, Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA) told The Daily Beast. It just degrades the entire institution and confirms the worst perceptions people have of Congress and politicians, when a schmuck like that continues to hold the office and sit in a committee room.

Huffman, who also called Gaetz a world-class sleazeball, said everyone knew how this would end. I have no doubt that he will not be in Congress for long, he said.

But for all of Huffmans bluster, he was unwilling to question Speaker Nancy Pelosis decision not to remove Gaetz from his committees.

We did it with Marjorie traitor Greene, Huffman said, referring to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, whom Democrats stripped of committee assignments in February. And, you know, I would support it, of course. I think many of us would. But Im not gonna second guess her judgment on how sparingly you gotta use an extreme authority like that.

And that was the standard position among most Democrats: in favor of removing Gaetz from his committees, but also supportive of Pelosis position to defer to McCarthy.

That was exactly how Rules Chairman Jim McGovern (D-MA) saw it.

Ultimately, this is McCarthys responsibility, and hes choosing to just continue with business as usual, McGovern said. So, I mean, well see how it all unfolds.

McGovern did say he was concerned McCarthy may never act, that he was surprised by the lack of respect McCarthy has for Congress as an institution, and that he was happy to call out McCarthy for not being fit to ever serve as Speaker of the House.

Reps. Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz speak to reporters during a break in a closed door meeting with former White House counsel Don McGahn on June 4. Drew Angerer/Getty

But as willing as McGovern was to call out RepublicansWhat Im finding is that my tolerance for bullshit no longer exists, McGovern saidhe was unwilling to call on Pelosi to do anything about it.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, Pelosi spokesperson Robyn Patterson placed the blame squarely on McCarthy.

This Congress, House Republicans have spread conspiracy theories about September 11, spewed racist invective, and attacked the police officers who protected the Capitol from a violent insurrection, she said. Previous Republican leaders have taken their responsibilities seriously and held their members accountable for inexcusable behavior. Minority Leader McCarthy recruited these lawmakers and encouraged their lawlessness. Its well past time for him to clean up his own house.

A senior Democratic aide noted that, historically, party leaders have made the call about repercussions for members of their caucus or conference. When former Rep. Steve King (R-IA) was stripped of his committees in Jan. 2019 over his history of racist remarks, it was McCarthy who made that decision.

But McCarthy himself doesnt seem to be abiding by that standard. He has repeatedly called on Democrats to remove Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) from his perch on the Intelligence Committee over Swalwells repeated and unintentional contact with a Chinese spy. When Swalwell became aware that the woman was a spy, he cut off all contact. And though Republicans suggest Swalwell had a sexual relationship with the woman, he denies it.

Still, McCarthy isnt waiting for criminal chargeswhich almost certainly wont comeor all the facts. Hes already introduced a resolution to remove Swalwell from the Intelligence Committee.

For many Democrats, an indictment did seem to be the red line. As Veterans Affairs Chairman Mark Takano (D-CA) said, an indictment would be an inflection point.

In the meantime, though, everyone is just keeping quiet and waitingwaiting for charges and waiting for Gaetz to behave like he realizes the true gravity of his situation, and of the fate that may await him.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday vetoed a measure barring women from getting an abortion specifically because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in a fetus. The proposal advanced by Republicans also sought to prohibit abortions on the basis of race or sex.

Under the measure, physicians would be required to report, with a signed confirmation, that an abortion was not desired for those three reasons. Republicans backing the measure say it would prevent a "modern-day eugenics" by ensuring disabled people wouldn't need to pass a genetic test in order to be born.

In a veto message, the states Democratic governor cited privacy concerns, arguing the bill would have made it difficult for patients to get medical information and have honest conversations with their doctors.

This bill gives the government control over what happens and what is said in the exam room between a woman and her doctor at a time she faces one of the most difficult decisions of her life," Cooper said in a statement. "This bill is unconstitutional and it damages the doctor-patient relationship with an unprecedented government intrusion.

Republican sponsors face a difficult challenge in overriding Cooper's veto. They'd need support from multiple Democrats in each chamber to complete the override. While six House Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, the Senate vote was split along party lines.

Gender, race, and disability are protected classes in most other contexts. Why should we allow the unborn to be discriminated against for these same traits?" a statement from House Speaker Tim Moore said. The message sent by this veto is that some human life is more valuable than others based on immutable characteristics.

Abortions on the basis of sex selection are already outlawed in North Carolina. The bill would have strengthened the existing law by adding a mandate that physicians complete a form with signed confirmation that an abortion was not wanted because of a fetus's race, sex or Down syndrome diagnosis.

Story continues

Several states have already enacted similar plans. South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem signed a bill in March barring women from seeking abortions based on the detection of Down syndrome. Arizona GOP Gov. Dough Ducey approved a bill in April to outlaw the procedure if a woman is seeking an abortion solely because a fetus has a genetic abnormality such as Down syndrome. A divided federal appeals court ruled earlier that month that Ohio could enforce a similar 2017 anti-abortion law the state passed but had on hold as it worked its way through the courts.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers and abortion rights groups in North Carolina have said House Bill 453 would force women to give birth, even if a Down syndrome diagnosis was just one of many factors that contributed to their decision.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and the American Civil Liberties Union praised Cooper for rejecting the proposal.

We have a lot of work to do to end discrimination against marginalized groups, but unconstitutionally limiting access to medical care based on the governments moral judgment does not contribute in any way to those efforts, said Liz Barber, policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina.

The conservative NC Values Coalition is calling on state lawmakers to override Cooper's veto.

North Carolina should be a state where differences are celebrated and all babies are welcome, said a statement from Julie Scott Emmons, the organization's vice president. "We encourage members of the North Carolina General Assembly to embrace life and ensure that this legislation becomes law.

___

Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

___

Anderson 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.
Each week, we offer you a round-up of our noteworthy coronavirus coverage.

More than 33.5 million people in the United States have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Friday morning, June 25, according to Johns Hopkins University. That includes more than 603,000 people who have died nationwide.

Globally, there have been more than 180 million confirmed cases of the highly infectious virus, with more than 3.9 million reported deaths.

More than 151.2 million Americans are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of June 24  about 46% of the total population, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracker shows. About 56% of adults and 53% of people aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S.

Heres what happened between June 18 and June 24.

White House extends COVID-19 vaccine target past July 4

The White House COVID-19 team said the nation is close to achieving but likely wont make President Joe Bidens goal set in early May for 70% of all adults to have at least one coronavirus shot, with 160 million fully vaccinated by July 4th.

And young adults are partly to blame.

The U.S. has met Bidens goal of having 70% of adults get at least one shot before Independence Day only for those aged 30 and older, but it will take a few extra weeks beyond July 4 to get 18- to 26-year-olds to the 70% threshold.

White House extends COVID vaccine target past July 4 as those under 27 derail efforts

CDC extends pandemic eviction ban in the U.S. for last time

Federal health officials extended the national moratorium on evictions that was set to expire on June 30. Now, tenants who are unable to make rental payments are protected from eviction until July 31.

The extension, signed by CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky, is intended to be the final one of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement.

Heres everything to know about the extension.

When does the eviction ban expire in the US? CDC signs its intended final extension

Story continues

Pfizer and Modernas COVID-19 vaccines do not affect male fertility

Pfizer and Modernas COVID-19 vaccines do not affect male fertility and should not impact mens ability to have a family in the future, according to a new University of Miami Miller School of Medicine study.

The original clinical trials by Pfizer and Moderna did not evaluate the vaccines for reproductive toxicity. Instead, those trials focused on whether the vaccines would be effective against COVID-19. Previous research found that the COVID-19 virus can affect male fertility and possibly cause erectile dysfunction.

What to know.

Pfizer and Modernas COVID vaccines do not affect male fertility, new UM study says

US life expectancy drops most since WWII COVID-19 not the only reason

Life expectancy at birth in the U.S. has decreased by 1.87 years or 2.4% from 2018 to 2020  the largest drop the nation has seen since World War II, according to a new multi-institution study. The decrease for those aged 25 and 65 were even greater at 3.4% and 5.7%, respectively.

And building on evidence collected throughout the pandemic, communities of color were affected the most.

Among white people, life expectancy declined by 1.36 years in 2020. But it dropped by 3.88 years in Hispanic people and 3.25 years in Black people, nearly erasing improvements made over the years in race-related mortality gaps.

Continue reading to learn how life expectancy in the U.S. compares to other high income countries.

US life expectancy drops most since WWII, study says  COVID deaths arent only reason

More than 50 infected with COVID-19 in outbreak from Illinois summer camp

A COVID-19 outbreak at an Illinois summer camp has infected dozens of people. The outbreak stemming from The Crossing Camp in Rushville has led to over 50 people being infected with the virus, the Pike County Health Department said.

On Tuesday, the health department in nearby Schuyler County said the coronavirus exposure happened during a camp from June 13 to 17. The church camp was designated for students from 8th to 12th grade.

More than 50 infected with COVID in outbreak from summer camp, Illinois officials say

Poll: Are Americans worried about COVID-19 spreading to family?

An all-time low percentage of people said theyre very concerned about COVID spreading to them or their family, according to a recent poll.

The survey, done by the Associated Press and the National Opinion Research Center for Public Affairs Research, found 21% of respondents said theyre very worried or extremely worried about the virus reaching them or their family  a record low since the pandemic began. A quarter of respondents said theyre very concerned or extremely worried that lifted coronavirus restrictions will lead to more infections.

Are Americans worried about COVID spreading to their family? What new poll finds

Fewer people say religion is gaining influence after pandemic

After doubling in May 2020, the share of people saying religion is gaining influence in the U.S. has fallen to pre-pandemic levels in the latest poll.

A Gallup poll found that 16% of Americans said religion is growing more influential compared with 27% who said the same in December 2020 and 38% who said it in April 2020. Meanwhile, 82% of respondents said religion is losing influence compared with 58% who said that in April 2020.

Heres what else the poll found.

After spike during pandemic, fewer people say religion is gaining influence, poll says

Woman used inmates names to help steal $700K in COVID-19 unemployment

Farren Ricketts started a company charging clients thousands of dollars to file falsified applications for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic.

She even hired a small staff when business picked up, the government said.

Now the 30-year-old from Virginia faces prison time. Ricketts waived her right to an indictment and pleaded guilty on Monday to charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and identity theft, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia.

Virginia woman used inmates names to help steal $700K in COVID unemployment, feds say
In the end, enough of them listened.

Ten Urban County Council members listened and heard. For three and a half hours, they sat in silence as 36 people begged, implored and demanded the council to bring an end to a year of painful discussions and ban no knock warrants.

Jamila Green described the trauma she felt as a 12-year-old watching Eric Garner die at the hands of police, and how much fear she still has that her door will be broken down. Activists DeBraun Thomas and Russell Allen described their pain and trauma after their work to move the Confederate Statues out of Tandy Park. It was a triumph that would become a hollow moment, Allen said, if the kind of no-knock warrant that killed Breonna Taylor was allowed to continue in Lexington.

Several speakers had come to council for other reasons, but felt compelled to address council. You can make a stand for something better, said Jessie Bollinger.

The 10-5 final vote almost, but not quite, smoothed over the shenanigans that went on beforehand. The nasty social media blast by the police union, the Fraternal Order of Police, which continued on even after the vote Thursday night. Earlier in the week, FOP attorney Scott Crosbie got the Fayette GOP to pass its support of no-knock warrants, another pressure point on whats supposed to be a nonpartisan council. And then there was council members Preston Worleys eleventh-hour bait and switch, as speaker Reva Russell English, incandescent with rage, described it. The amendment was actually a replacement ordinance to keep no-knock warrants with one or two more layers of approval attached. Other descriptors of the amendment included disrespectful, shameful, disappointing, insincere, spineless, well, you get the idea. That the amendment only lost by one vote, 8-7, reminds us as Clark Williams of the Black Faith Leaders said last night, We still have a lot of work to do.

Speaker Emily Moseley noted: I dont know how you can stand there listening to all these people telling these stories and then vote for this amendment.

Story continues

But while Preston Worley listened, he did not hear. He persisted in calling his replacement a compromise. Preston Worley, who learned politics at the feet of his daddy, former state Sen. Ed Worley, can continue his political rise with the backing of the FOP, but his maneuvering at this moment wont be forgotten.

Council member Susan Lamb heard. Many were shocked when the normally progressive Lamb voted against the ban in the first reading. But her constituents convinced her otherwise. Many of them told her to follow my heart. and she did.

As Mayor Linda Gorton said after the 10-5 final vote, This is democracy in action. Im very proud of our city because we have all taken the time to listen, now its time for our community to come together. 

This should have been easy. That it took this much time and passion to get rid of one small policing tool shows just how quickly we move to our corners these days, ready for a fight to the death. Its not a good sign for much larger reforms  police, hiring, gentrification  requested by the Commission on Racial Justice and Equality. We all need to do a lot more listening. And then prove we heard.
A Texas Democrat referred to El Paso, Texas, as the new Ellis Island as she accompanied Vice President Kamala Harris to the southern border on Friday.

Welcome to El Paso, welcome to my community, to the new Ellis Island, to the capital of the border, said Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents Texass 16th Congressional District, which encompasses El Paso.

Escobar went on to express a heart full of gratitude to Harris and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for their approach to Central American migration at the border.

HARRIS BRISTLES AT BORDER QUESTION, INSISTS IT'S NOT HER 'FIRST TRIP'

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.



We finally have an administration willing to tackle the big challenges, challenges that our country has dealt with for decades  willing to tackle challenges in a meaningful, thoughtful, strategic, compassionate way, Escobar said, and that means starting with root causes and understanding whats driving people from their home, whats making them arrive at our nations front door.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Harris returned from a trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month, in which she said she discussed with leaders the root causes of migration of people from those countries to the United States.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Border, Kamala Harris, Mexico, Texas

Original Author: Jeremy Beaman

Original Location: Democratic representative calls El Paso 'the new Ellis Island'
President Biden declared victory in announcing the bipartisan infrastructure package. Now comes the hard part: negotiating with his own party on the separate reconciliation bill.

Why it matters: By trying to simultaneously pass two massive spending bills, Biden and congressional leaders are attempting a legislative feat that will likely require Congress to work through its August recess  and potentially well into the fall, according to lawmakers and senior staffers.

Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free.

Even then, the prospects for success are long.

What they're saying: We have to be prepared to be here for as long as it takes," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told Axios' Sarah Mucha.

Were not doing one step unless weve done the other. We need to be willing to put in the time to get that done.

Driving the news: Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) all indicated Thursday that the bipartisan agreement wont become law unless a separate reconciliation bill is assured.

If this is the only thing that comes to me, Im not signing it, Biden said. Its in tandem.

There aint no infrastructure bill without the reconciliation bill, Pelosi told reporters.

Everyone in our caucus knows you cant do one without the other. We dont have the votes for one, unless you have the votes for the other one, Schumer said.

The big picture: White House officials have been working the phones to ensure the bipartisan agreement  which would spend an additional $579 billion in a package priced at $1.2 trillion over eight years  will survive challenges from progressives in the House and Senate.

While key House transportation leaders havent agreed to the bipartisan deal, administration officials are confident they have the votes, according to people familiar with the process.

But all sides are bracing for a brutal battle about what will be included in the reconciliation package, its total price tag and how much money it will raise with new revenue from corporations and individuals.

Congress also will have to increase the debt ceiling, which is set to reach its limit on July 31.

Go deeper: While progressives are talking about a potential $6 trillion budget resolution, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) will likely set the cap below $2 trillion.

Story continues

That will put pressure on progressives to winnow and agree on their priorities.

That's not the only challenge.

Moderate House Democrats are threatening to vote against any tax bill that doesnt eliminate the $10,000 limit for an exemption on state and local tax payments, which costs $70 billion to $80 billion per year.

By the numbers: The White House is privately pleased it convinced Republican senators to accept a more expansive definition of infrastructure, with $266 billion for projects that arent traditional roads, bridges and airports.

Broadband is set to receive $65 billion.

Waterways are allotted $55 billion.

The power grid is slated for $73 billion.

And for environmental remediation, theres $21 billion.

Between the lines: The White House also is claiming victory because Biden reached a deal without violating his two redlines.

No tax increases on families making less than $400,000.

Inaction was not an option, Biden frequently said.

Be smart: The pending legislative battle will serve as a full-employment act for Democratic lobbyists on K Street.

They'll be in play for debates about everything from the corporate tax rate to Medicare expansion to billion-dollar issues that won't make headlines.

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas Democratic lawmakers who blocked one of America's most restrictive voting measures with a dramatic walkout sued Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, after he vetoed funds that cover thousands of Capitol paychecks that he said shouldn't be given to those who quit their job early."

The lawsuit reflects the tensions that remain in Texas more than a month after Democrats' last-ditch revolt over the Memorial Day weekend, and more battles are ahead. Abbott has ordered lawmakers back on the job for a special session starting July 8, when Republicans are expected to embark on a second try at passing new voting laws.

Going straight to the Texas Supreme Court, Democrats called the veto an unconstitutional power grab. Abbott has indicated he will give lawmakers the chance to reinstate the money once they return for the special session.

The veto of more than $400 million in funds didn't just punish Democrats: paychecks for the offices of Republican legislators are also impacted, as well as nonpartisan support staff around the Capitol. Democratic state Rep. Chris Turner put the number of affected jobs in the legislative branch at more than 2,000.

Governor Abbotts position  that he is able to defund a co-equal branch unless or until it bends to his will  contains no limiting principle," the lawsuit reads.

Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze responded to the lawsuit with a statement defending the governor's veto power and called Democrats' claims misleading. This is not the first time, and undoubtedly will not be the last time, that a governor vetoes funding for government positions and salaries," she said.

In his veto proclamation, Abbott wrote: Funding should not be provided for those who quit their job early, leaving the state with unfinished business and exposing taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislative session."

The vetoed funding only applies to the next budget cycle that begins in September, meaning paychecks for Capitol staffers will continue at least until then. Lawmakers make just $600 a month in Texas  where the Legislature only meets for five months every other year  and many have well-paying careers back home. But Democrats say the veto puts at risk legislative staff whose jobs are their main source of income.

Story continues

It was unclear when the court might take up the lawsuit.

Democrats are girding for another fight over voting this summer. Abbott and Republican leaders have promised to deliver new election laws in Texas, which already has some of the nation's toughest voting restrictions, but have given little indication of what the next proposals might include.

The walkout by Democrats in May unfolded after nightfall as Republicans raced to pass a sweeping voting measure, known as Senate Bill 7, before a midnight deadline. Democrats say they were especially galled at last-minute changes to the bill that included a prohibition on Sunday morning voting  a time widely used by Black churchgoers  and provisions that could make it easier for a judge to overturn an election.

Republicans commanding majority in the Texas Capitol means an elections bill will probably eventually pass, but Democrats have vowed to continue fighting GOP efforts to reduce polling hours and ballot access. Nationwide this year, Republicans have rushed to enact a wave of strict voting laws in response to former President Donald Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

In Washington, D.C., a sweeping attempt by Democrats to rewrite U.S. election and voting laws was blocked this week by Senate Republicans, leaving Democrats with no clear path forward.
Two deputies were injured Wednesday in an accidental shooting at a North Carolina gun range, according to the sheriffs office.

The incident involved two deputies with the Surry County Sheriffs Office at a firing range in Mount Airy, The Mount Airy News reported.

Surry County is on the Virginia border, about 100 miles north of Charlotte.

Surry County Sheriff Steve C. Hiatt did not immediately respond to McClatchy News request for information on Friday. WGHP reported the deputies were injured by an accidental discharge of a firearm during training.

According to The Mount Airy News, they were treated at Northern Regional Hospital for minor injuries and released.

The incident was reported to police and the sheriffs office is conducting an internal review, according to WXII.

Man warned Biden would get his head blown off unless Congress paid him, feds say

Toddlers accidental shooting connects dad to separate Easter killing, Texas cops say

Husband reported missing found dead on a tractor  shot in the back, SC coroner says
Derek Chauvin Court TV via AP, Pool, File

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd.

Chauvin received his sentence on Friday about two months after he was convicted on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in April. Prosecutors asked for Chauvin to receive 30 years in prison. According to The Associated Press, Chauvin "could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years."

The sentence was read after Floyd's daughter and brothers delivered emotional victim impact statements during a hearing. Philonise Floyd asked for Chauvin to receive the maximum sentence, saying, "My family and I have been given a life sentence." Chauvin also delivered brief remarks before the sentence was announced.

"I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family," Chauvin said. "There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest, and I hope things will give you some peace of mind."

Judge Peter Cahill said in court that the sentence would not be swayed by "public opinion," but he acknowledged the "deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family." Earlier on Friday, Cahill rejected Chauvin's request for a new trial.

You may also like

7 scathingly funny cartoons about Democrats' Joe Manchin problem

Bernie Sanders wants to know if cannabis reporter is 'stoned' right now

Trump advisers reportedly hoped he'd be 'a changed man' after his COVID-19 battle. They were quickly disappointed.
Derek Chauvin

Derek Chauvin faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on Friday for the killing of George Floyd, the African American man whose death sparked a global protest movement.

Chauvin, a white former officer, was convicted of murder and manslaughter in April after he was filmed last year kneeling on the neck of Mr Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes as he gasped "I can't breathe".

The vital footage of the killing led to intense scrutiny of racism in policing in the US, and across the globe, and Chauvin's case has come to be seen as a watershed moment for police accountability.

The 45-year-old will face the Floyd family in court in Minneapolis once more on Friday, when Judge Peter Cahill hands down his sentence for the most serious of his three convictions, second-degree murder.

Chauvin may offer his own account of his actions in court for the first time, if he chooses to address the judge before the sentence is delivered.

Some legal experts have suggested it is unlikely he will do so given his ongoing legal battles, which include further federal charges.

But Professor Richard Frase, from the University of Minnesota's Law School, said he expected Chauvin to use his opportunity to offer mitigating circumstances.

"At sentencing there's nothing equivalent to cross examination, it's just a chance to tell your story, throw yourself on the mercy of the court, do something to express remorse," he told The Telegraph.

Prof Frase said Chauvin could discuss the dangers other prisoners pose to a former police officer, as well as the impact of being kept in solitary confinement.

Prosecutors have demanded a 30-year prison term, a significant departure from the 12.5 to 15 years set out in sentencing guidelines, while defence lawyer Eric Nelson has suggested probation.

Last month Judge Cahill indicated that he would impose a higher sentence than the guidelines when he found that the former officer abused his position of authority, treated Mr Floyd with particular cruelty, and committed the crime in front of several children.

Story continues

"I don't think the judge is going to give 30 years, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gives 25 years," Prof Frase said, adding that the chances the defence's request for probation as well as an appeal of the conviction were "very low".

Members of the Floyd family are expected to deliver victim impact statements during the proceedings.

Anti-police activists have planned to gather outside Hennepin County courthouse in downtown Minneapolis while the sentence is delivered.

The city has been rocked by mostly peaceful, but sometimes violent, protests demanding police reform since Mr Floyd's fatal arrest by Chauvin and three other officers on May 25 2020.

Those other former officers, J Alexander Keung, Thomas Lane and Tou Tao, will face trial on separate charges in March 2022.

Derek Chauvin, listens to verdicts at his trial - Pool Court TV

All four men also face federal charges of violating Floyd's constitutional rights. No date has yet been set for that trial.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators announced on Thursday night that it had reached a tentative agreement on a policing reform bill.

President Joe Biden had promised to pass legislation in the wake of Mr Floyd's death, but talks between Republicans and Democrats on a potential bill broke down earlier this year.

Announcing the progress on Thursday, Republican senator Tim Scott, Democratic senator Cory Booker and Democratic congresswoman Karen Bass said: "Over the next few weeks we look forward to continuing our work toward getting a finalised proposal across the finish line.
The Biden Justice Department announced a lawsuit against Georgia over its new election laws, with Attorney General Merrick Garland alleging the voter laws could restrict the rights of black Georgians.

Georgia officials have defended the measures as commonsense protections against fraud and have condemned claims they are Jim Crow 2.0.

GEORGIA SENATORS INTRODUCE COUNTERPROPOSAL TO STATE'S VOTING LAW

"Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia's election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color, in violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, Garland said in a Friday speech, adding, "The rights of all eligible citizens to vote are the central pillars of our democracy. They are the rights from which all other rights ultimately flow."

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp condemned DOJ's actions on Friday.

This lawsuit is born out of the lies and misinformation the Biden administration has pushed against Georgias Election Integrity Act from the start," Kemp said. Joe Biden, Stacey Abrams, and their allies tried to force an unconstitutional elections power grab through Congress - and failed. Now, they are weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to carry out their far-left agenda that undermines election integrity and empowers federal government overreach in our democracy. As Secretary of State, I fought the Obama Justice Department twice to protect the security of our elections - and won. I look forward to going three for three to ensure its easy to vote and hard to cheat in Georgia.

Garland had given a speech earlier this month in which he announced he would soon double the Civil Rights Divisions enforcement staff for protecting voting rights, saying, We are scrutinizing new laws that seek to curb voter access, and where we see violations, we will not hesitate to act.

Brad Raffensperger, a Republican and Georgia's secretary of state, has repeatedly defended the election law signed by Kemp in March.

Story continues

Democrats and national media outlets asserting that Georgias election reform will restrict access to voting are just partisan talking points, not facts. The cries of 'voter suppression' from those on the left ring hollow, Raffensperger said in March. Im a straight shooter. I call it like I see it. I did that to the chagrin of many in my own party when I spoke out against the false claim that Georgia has systematic voter fraud. And Im doing it now.

Raffensperger criticized the idea that Georgias new election laws were akin to Jim Crow 2.0 as some Democrats have alleged, saying, These narratives are as lazy, biased and political as they are demonstrably wrong.

Theres no rational argument against requiring state ID  provided for free to those who dont have a drivers license  for absentee ballots. I implemented our first version of that last year  every absentee ballot request that came in through the state website was cross-referenced with the drivers license database and other records, Raffensperger added. This also requires counties to offer more weekend voting and puts drop boxes into law for the first time  the State Board of Elections adopted them as an emergency measure last year in response to the pandemic and would have gone away without direct action by the General Assembly.

The new Georgia law, dubbed S.B. 202, requires absentee voters to provide a voter ID instead of the current signature matching verification process, standardized early voting hours to a minimum of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. while giving individual counties the option to expand that to a maximum of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and limited drop boxes to either one per county or one for every 100,000 voters. The new law also bans outside groups from passing out water or food to those in line at polling places, which Democrats have decried as voter suppression while Republicans have contended it is necessary to prevent the improper or illegal influence of voters in line.

Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general for civil rights, appeared alongside Garland on Friday.

The Civil Rights Division did not arrive at this decision lightly. Its our job to follow the facts and the law, and, in this case, our careful assessment of the facts and the law demonstrates that Georgias recent voting rights law violates Section Two of the Voting Rights Act, Clarke said, adding, Our complaint today alleges that several provisions of SB 202 were passed with a discriminatory purpose in violation of the Voting Rights Act. The Georgia legislature passed SB 202 through a rushed process that departed from normal practice and procedure.

Clarke added: These legislative actions occurred at a time when the black population in Georgia continues to steadily increase. After a historic election that saw record voter turnout across the state, particularly for absentee voting, which black voters are now more likely to use than white voters, our complaint challenges several provisions of SB 202 on the grounds that they were adopted with the intent to deny or abridge black citizens equal access to the political process.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Raffensperger said in March, The Left said that photo ID for in-person voting would suppress votes. It didnt. Registration and turnout soared, hitting new records with each election cycle. Their cataclysmic predictions about the effects of this law are simply baseless. The next election will prove that, but I wont hold my breath waiting for the Left and the media to admit they were wrong.  Im a conservative Republican, but Ive proven Ill take a political hit to treat everyone equally under the law and stand up for the rights of all Georgians.

The Georgia secretary of state was even more pointed in April during an interview with Fox News, in which he said, Unfortunately, that Jim Crow lie is dangerous for election confidence.  Going back and using pejorative terms like Jim Crow  there is nothing in this bill like Jim Crow at all. He contended: It is not a racist bill  having a drivers license number is supported by two-thirds of all Georgians  African Americans support it, Caucasians support it, Democrats support it, and Republicans.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Georgia, Justice Department, Merrick Garland, Voting, Voting rights, 2020 Elections

Original Author: Jerry Dunleavy

Original Location: DOJ sues Georgia over election laws
Jun. 24A Southern California-based real estate development partnership has paid about $7.2 million for the former East Hills Mall, reviving hopes that the dilapidated property in northeast Bakersfield can be be put to good use after years of disuse.

The new owners, led by developer-investors Stephen Zimmerman and Michael Heslov, on Thursday announced plans to demolish the entire 350,500-square-foot mall and possibly replace it with a mixed-use project. Details of their proposed redevelopment were not disclosed.

The transaction represents the first sign of investment at the 36-acre site since 2017, when a group of local investors agreed to pay $8.75 million for the property. Their plans ultimately fell through, and in December 2019 ownership of the 33-year-old mall reverted to owners led by Modesto-based Save Mart Supermarkets.

Zimmerman said in a news release Thursday the new owners were impressed by Bakersfield's diverse economy and quality of growth and development.

"This property is extremely well located and is ideally suited for new commercial and perhaps mixed-used development," he stated.

Added Heslov, "The city of Bakersfield has demonstrated support for the redevelopment of this property and we look forward to working with them and the community to bring about a quality project."

City government said by email it is hopeful about the project and what it can offer the surrounding community.

"We also look forward to working with the developers," he said. "The city stands ready to facilitate the development process and have productive discussion when a project proposal comes forward."

Observers in the local real estate industry have long speculated what might make the best reuse of the property, which has deteriorated in recent years as people have repeatedly broken into the vacant mall and caused extensive damage.

Some real estate people have said housing might make sense there, or entertainment, or some combination of the two. Retail might also work there but there's a worry that e-commerce has limited consumers' appetite for a large grouping of conventional department stores and shops.

Story continues

State records show Zimmerman is president of Arizona-based ZDI Inc., which has offices in Santa Monica and Van Nuys. They show Heslov is active in Southern California as well.

Kern County property records indicate the sale was recorded Wednesday. They show the property's ownership was divided among five limited liability companies.

The largest share went to 1240 Palmetto LLC, with 47.7 percent of the property. Palmetto Group LLC took 26 percent and Valley Oaks Investments LLC got 15.3 percent. Terrace Properties LLC obtained 6.2 percent and Hope Shields LLC (misspelled on the deed as Hope Sheilds LLC) secured 4.8 percent.

Among the ownership entities, only one  Nevada's 1240 Palmetto  is based outside California.

The seller was represented by Orbell Ovaness, Ara Rostamian and Aren Ohanian of Marcus & Millichap. Cushman & Wakefield/Pacific principal Vincent Roche consulted on the transaction.
One night after a Rock Hill demonstration against excessive police force resulted in no arrests, 11 people protesting for the same cause were arrested.

A bulk of the Thursday night arrests occurred around 10 p.m. near the intersection of Dave Lyle Boulevard and Black Street in Rock Hill. The arrests were the result of demonstrations spawned by a Facebook Live video that documented the forceful Wednesday arrests of two Black men.

Danasha Cloud of Rock Hill speaks to a crowd from a loud speaker Thursday in downtown Rock Hill.

Per Rock Hill police spokesman Lt. Michael Chavis Thursday night:

 Five individuals were charged with public disorderly conduct;

 One charged with disorderly conduct;

 Two charged with pedestrian in the roadway;

 One charged with hindering police;

 One was charged with reckless driving

 One charged with DUI and failure to stop for blue lights.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

A crowd began to form around 6 p.m., on the sidewalks outside the citys police department. The crowd of about 100 then marched onto Main Street and eventually circled around to Fountain Park before heading back to the aforementioned intersection.

The gathering featured several face-offs with police, including one around 8:30 p.m., when at least two protesters were forcefully arrested.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

At 10 p.m., about two dozen police officers with shields blocked the entrance to the Rock Hill Police Department parking lot. Many protesters stood on the opposite side of Black Street, listening to speeches and recording the moment on their iPhones.

Then, a firecracker was thrown to an area behind the officers. That led to an arrest. A few minutes later, a protester punched the side mirror on a police car off its hinges.

A protester yells at members of the Sheriffs violent crimes unit Thursday during a protest in downtown Rock Hill.

Meet some protesters in Rock Hill

Earlier in the night, Maegan McBride, of Columbia, paced in front of the line of Rock Hill police in riot gear.

She chanted into a megaphone.

No justice! she yelled.

No peace! the crowd yelled back.

McBride, who wore a gold necklace with the letters BLM, said she saw the video and felt an urge to come protest.

Enough is enough, McBride told The Herald. When are people going to hold police accountable? You would think that the George Floyd situation  you would think that would shed light on brutality, but apparently you still have officers out here pushing the limits.

Story continues

A protester holds a Black Lives Matter flag Thursday during a protest at the Rock Hill Police Department.

McBride said she came out to protest for her 13-year-old son.

Hes afraid of the police, she said. What am I supposed to tell my son? I stand out here for such a bigger cause thats happening throughout America  not even just right here in Rock Hill.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

S.C. Rep. John King, who represents Rock Hill, said he came in support of the protesters Thursday night.

I believe that it is time out for Black people to be assaulted by a gang of white police officers because thats what I call them, King told The Herald. Im here to support my people who have elected me.

At one point in the night, King, the only Black member from York County in the state House or Senate, tried to talk peacefully to officers.

I dont see these officers walking in my community that I represent, which is heavily African American, King said. I dont see them out there building relationships. When we see them, theyre coming out to beat one of us, to lock us up. And that is not what we are hoping for out of police officers.

Check back for updates on this developing story.
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images/Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk are vocal crypto enthusiasts and have been friendly to each other online.

Dorsey has called Musk one of his favorite tweeters, and Musk has said Dorsey "has a good" heart.

Their friendship stands out against other tech execs' feuds, like Mark Zuckerberg and Tim Cook's.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Both Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk have emerged as quasi-bitcoin ambassadors, using their Twitter platforms to spout their devotion to the virtual currency.

And their mutual love for the digital asset has brought them together in a way that has become somewhat rare among big tech executives.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook famously have beef stretching back years, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates had a long feud with the late Apple visionary Steve Jobs.

Musk himself has gotten into tiffs with Gates over Tesla's electric vehicles and COVID-19 vaccines.

But what Musk and Dorsey have shared online is different. And it looks like their correspondence might culminate in their first public appearance together at a July bitcoin conference.

Here's how their bromance was born and blossomed.

One of Dorsey's first public bouts of praise for Musk was in 2016

Dorsey. Francois Mori/AP

The Twitter CEO said Musk's account on the social platform was one of his favorites.

"He's constantly on Twitter, constantly talking about what [Tesla is] doing  and how he's feeling about it as well," Dorsey said at a trade show in 2016. "He's very open and using it to correct press and if people aren't focused on the right things. I think he's a really good model of how to use it well."

Musk gave Dorsey some tips on how Twitter could be improved in January 2020

Musk. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Dorsey asked Musk for "direct feedback" in a video call in front of thousands of Twitter employees.

The Tesla CEO said it would be helpful to tell fake and real users apart.

"Is this a real person, or is this a bot net, or a sort of troll army, or something like that?" Musk said.

Story continues

Musk came to Dorsey's defense in March 2020 amid an attempted ousting

An activist hedge fund that had amassed about a 5% stake in Twitter pushed an initiative to drive Dorsey out of his role as CEO. The hedge fund, Elliot Management, reasoned that since Dorsey led two companies, Twitter and Square, he wasn't focused enough on the former.

Musk  who also helms two companies  tweeted, "Just want say that I support @Jack as Twitter CEO. He has a "good" heart, using the heart emoji.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Musk said he called Dorsey right after his account was compromised in the great Twitter hack of July 2020

Musk. Britta Pedersen / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Hackers staged a coordinated attack on dozens of celebrity accounts last summer, and Musk's was one of them. He told The New York Times that he personally called Dorsey after realizing he was hacked.

"Within a few minutes of the post coming up, I immediately got texts from a bunch of people I know, then I immediately called Jack so probably within less than five minutes my account was locked," Musk told the Times.

Both Musk and Dorsey have become accidental crypto influencers

David Becker/Getty Images

Dorsey especially has thrown his support behind the digital currency, which has seen booming popularity and growth recently, although it's grappling with a sizable dip at the moment.

The Twitter CEO has simply "#bitcoin" in his account bio and said at Miami's bitcoin bonanza earlier this month that "Bitcoin changes absolutely everything. I don't think there's anything more important in my lifetime to work on."

His payment processing company Square held 8,027 bitcoins in mid-May.

And he said in a series of tweets in early June that Square was toying with building out a hardware wallet for bitcoin.

And Musk has proven he can move markets with crypto-related tweets

Musk. Hannibal Hanschke-Pool/Getty Images

Musk has said he strongly believes in crypto, and Tesla said at one point it would accept vehicle purchases in the form of bitcoin. The CEO also included the #bitcoin hashtag in his Twitter bio at one point.

But in mid-May, Musk announced the company was suspending bitcoin payments over concerns around the use of fossil fuels for bitcoin mining and transactions. He said Tesla would start accepting it when at least half of bitcoin mining is powered by clean energy.

Musk has kicked off market rallies for the tweets he posts about cryptocurrencies, much to the anger of regulators and investors.

The most recent was when he tweeted "my Shiba Inu will be named Floki," a reference to the Shiba Inu that represents dogecoin. The altcoin shot up 16% just minutes after Musk published his tweet.

It appears that Musk and Dorsey will finally publicly dish on their mutual enthusiasm for crypto

Musk and Dorsey. Joe Skipper/Reuters; Philippe Wojazer/Reuters

Dorsey posted about an upcoming bitcoin event called "The B Word" on Twitter, and after Musk responded to it, the Twitter CEO invited him to attend for a conversation.

Musk responded, "For the Bitcurious? Very well then, let's do it," and added a wink face emoji. Dorsey said he would set it up.

The conference will kick off on July 21, though it's unclear if it will be virtual or in-person.

But either way, it'll be what appears to be the first public appearance starring the two friendly executives.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Alex Wroblewski/Getty

Eric Adams, whos waiting for the votes to be counted as he appears to be on the verge of becoming New York Citys next mayor, has had a lot to say about anti-Black racism in politics latelyat least where his own campaign is concerned.

In the weeks leading to election day, Adams equated questions about whether he resides in a Bed-Stuy basement unit or commutes from New Jersey to birther claims that Obama was not born in America; called a New York magazine profile detailing his connections to an assortment of corrupt sleazeballs and power brokers a despicable racist portrayal, and on Juneteenth portrayed the alliance between primary rivals Andrew Yang and Kathryn Garcia as an attack upon the ancestors undertaken while we were celebrating liberation and freedom from enslavement. Just 48 hours out from election day, Adams started using phrases like poll tax and voter suppressionwhile ominously alluding to Americas dark past and current GOP stop the vote efforts across the countryas his campaign circulated statements from surrogates outright stating that the Yang-Garcia partnership was an attempt to steal the election.

All this was a redefinition of anti-Black racism at a moment when it was politically advantageous for Adams. The former police captain was labeling perfectly valid questions and critiques as discrimination, exploiting Black New Yorkers justified fears and weariness of racism for his own political advancement in a page right out of the racist Republican playbook rewritten for his advantage.

The Left Had Been Rising in NYCIs Eric Adams About To Knock It Down?

At a time when this country is seeing real voter suppression laws being enacted, using racism charges to undermine confidence in ranked-choice voting is cynical, self-interested and dangerous, Maya Wiley, the Black woman who is second to Adams at this point in the count, said just before Election Day, later adding, I will never play the race card lightly unless I see racism, and Im not calling this racism.

Story continues

Adams use of charges of racism to inoculate himself from criticism stands in stark contrast to his disregard for the structural racism that daily threatens the lives and well-being of Black folks in the town he wants to govern. While it is true that throughout his 20-year tenure as a police officer, Adams became well-known for tussling with NYPD higher-ups and speaking out against the racist DNA inside the department, he continues to push a policy of so-called reform that, over recent decades, has proven ineffective in rehabbing an institution rife with anti-Black racism, corruption and criminality. (Adams has said that calls for defunding the police mostly come from young white affluent people.) He trumpets criminal justice policies that we have already seen have devastating consequences for Black folks and, as prison abolitionist Jada Shannon has written, deploys his history as a police officer to call for the expansion of a carceral system that is killing Black communities  a fault that many may ignore because of his identity as a Black man.

Adams is an advocate of broken-windows policing, claiming minor crimes like graffiti cause lawlessness to spread, despite a 2016 report from the NYPDs own Office of the Inspector General that found aggressive policing was both useless in deterring crime and was almost always enforced in neighborhoods with higher proportions of black and Hispanic residents. He has called for the return of stop-and-frisk, which for decades amounted to a sustained campaign of harassment of humiliation against Black and Brown New Yorkers, who made up 87 percent of those searched by law enforcement even as they were less likely to be found with a weapon. The former cop has objected to limits on the barbaric practice of placing folks in solitary confinement in New York City jails, and pledged to bring back the NYPDs infamous Anti-Crime teamthe unit whose officers killed Eric Garner, Sean Bell, Saheed Vessell and numerous others, Shannon notes, and which employed just 6 percent of the citys cops but was responsible for 31 percent of fatal NYPD shootings. Adams also wants an increased presence of armed police officers in schoolswhich criminalizes Black and brown children, suspending and arresting them at the highest ratesand on the subways.

Its no wonder that the Police Benevolent Association, the Trump-supporting police union whose members 30 years ago publicly mocked the citys only Black mayor as a washroom attendant, reportedly pushed members to back Adams and other moderates instead of what it labeled anti-police candidates, including Wiley, campaigning for a city that reinvests policing funds in communities. Obviously, none of this bodes well for Black New Yorkers, who are already over-policed in the name of white public safety.

NYC Mayors Race Could Pit Ex-Cop Against Pretend Cop

Its hard to put a finger on which is more cynical: Adams pointing to nonexistent anti-Black racism against his campaign to benefit himself, or his use of pro-Black language to distract from the anti-Black consequences of policies he supports. Like when Adams tried to pretend that raising rents on New Yorkers who live in rent-stabilized apartments was actually in the best interests of the citys Black denizens.

The greatest wealth of Black and Brown people in this city is in their property, Adams said earlier this month, when asked if he would support a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants. So when we start making these decisions on small property owners we need to factor that in because if were not going to freeze mortgage payments for those small property owners. If were not going to roll back their mortgage payments, then we need to be careful. Those who are idealistic about this issue, they must be realistic because Ms. Jones at 80 years old trying to pay her mortgage, if you start talking about freezing her rent, you start talking about rolling back, you start talking about no rent, shes going to lose her home. And youre going to see the greatest loss of wealth for Black, Brown, immigrant people in this city and that is a problem for me.

The image of a Black grandmother losing her nest egg because of a rent break plucks at the heartstrings, but a 2020 study found that most of the landlords in New York City, including those who own rent-subsidized buildings, are real estate titanslike those who contributed heavily to Adamss campaignwhite billionaires and faceless corporate entities with a large number of holdings who are in no real danger of losing the many properties theyve collected because rents arent hiked for a year. Black New Yorkers make up 22 percent of those living in rent-stabilized apartments, while non-white Latinx renters comprise another 42 percent. The biggest benefit to those tenants isnt policies that are more friendly to the real estate interests who have already made the city prohibitively expensive for so manyand who support Adams, the landlord of at least one property who once announced, I am real estate also. (It should probably be added here that Adams allegedly neglected to pay various taxes on a property he did not previously disclose.) He has protested that reporting on the properties he owns and where he lives, as he spent much of the campaign sleeping in his government office, is itself somehow racist.

In the run-up to the election, where Adams claimed to see racism aimed at keeping him out of office, it seems more likely he was actually looking at opportunities to elevate himself. Should he end up winning this thing now that its all over but the counting, Black voters will be a big reason why Adams becomes the citys next mayor. Heres hoping his real estate ties and tough-on-crime posture wont translate into an even less hospitable New York City for Black and Brown folks.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Compared to the standard, two-row Grand Cherokee  which doesnt see its next-gen updates until the 2022 model year  the new L expands in multiple ways to accommodate the extra row of seating and all-around more space. Its 15 inches longer overall than the current two-row Grand Cherokee, with an additional 6.9 inches of wheelbase. Maximum cargo volume is 84.6 cubic feet, up from 68.3 cubic feet in the current two-row Grand Cherokee. Weight, however, hasnt increased by as much as youd think. The Grand Cherokee Ls curb weight starts at 4,524 pounds in the Laredo 4x2, and reaches 5,279 pounds in the V8-powered Summit 4x4. That compares to the 2021 Grand Cherokee Laredos 4,513 pounds and the V8 Summits 5,258 pounds, which is about the difference of one well-fed house cat.

Video Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING]

CHRISTIAN MEUNIER: We're extremely proud to introduce the new Grand Cherokee L. It's a very big deal, and it's a big adventure for design engineering and the brand to reinvent an icon and lever the heritage of the car but make it more modern, more up to date, more exciting product ever. Bringing the new technology, but also refreshing the design, bringing something that doesn't lose the past but, you know, look at the future.

I think the Grand Cherokee L, as it's presented today, delivers on pretty much everything. It's an overachiever in every category. It's an overachiever in performance. It's an overachiever in design. It's really beautiful.

I think it's-- the lines are very, very sophisticated, but it's a very simple design at the same time. Beautiful contradiction in the Grand Cherokee, the contradiction of being a rugged product, but at the same time being as sophisticated and premium as it is. Being at the same time capable off-road and truly capable with water fording, and at the same time the outstanding on-road with outstanding on road manner makes it really an interesting product. So that dual personality makes it the success what it is. And the customers never get disappointed because they always have that overachiever providing them what they need, when they want it.

Story continues

JIM MORRISON: Every time we do a change in a Jeep, we have to make it better off-road and better on-road with its four-wheel drive capability so that our customers are never let down. They want to know that they have the best four-wheel drive that they can buy. And they get that in a Jeep.

Couple of things you'll notice as soon as you get in the vehicle is-- I talked about authentic materials, you open the door, the Summit model behind me has got more real wood and real leather and real metal than any other SUV in the marketplace, and it really makes you feel like a million bucks. And then you start, you know, driving it and feel the tech. Whether, you know, you're massaging your back with the seat or whether you're, you know, playing with the technology and using the technology to make your day a little bit easier. You have a new Uconnect 5 system that's got a 10-inch screen and the radio, another 10-inch screen in front of you. So there's lots of tech there to help you through your day, and it's just a fantastic environment to be in.

CHRISTIAN MEUNIER: There's something that I've learned when I joined Jeep is the customer is the center of everything we do and we listen to them. The customers were asking for a three-row, so we brought them a three-row, and 75% of the segment is three-row. We're able to be number one in the segment with a two-row, which was quite remarkable.

Now we're going to have the opportunity to really break through in the segment because we're gonna have that three-row and that two-row, which is going to also come this year. And on top of that, we will have a version plug-in hybrid that will come later this year.

[MUSIC PLAYING]
The partial collapse of a multi-story residential building in the beachfront Florida town of Surfside has hit the area's Jewish community especially hard, but it is united in the face of tragedy, even as frustrations mount over the slow search for survivors.

"We are a very tight community," Zalmi Duchman, a 41-year-old who lives a few blocks away from the disaster scene at the Champlain Towers complex, told AFP. "We know many of the family members who live in the building, or relatives."

Duchman, who has lived in Surfside for 20 years after growing up in nearby Miami Beach, lent a helping hand Friday at a local community center, now a gathering point for those seeking information about the 159 people still unaccounted for.

"Something like this is just impossible to expect -- you go to sleep at night and then..." Duchman said.

"Obviously, it has hit us very hard, but there is still hope. As Jews, we believe heavily in miracles and never giving up, resilience, trying to stay positive in dark times."

In Surfside, there are about 2,500 Jews -- about half the town's population -- and many of them are members of the Hasidic Chabad-Lubavitch movement, according to the Israeli media.

But Duchman says that number has surely grown since the eruption of the coronavirus pandemic, with many residents having children.

In many homes in the area, US and Israeli flags hang in windows or on doors.

- 'Not enough is being done' -

On one balcony, a resident has put up a homemade banner reading "Surfside Strong" -- a phrase often adopted after tragedies in the United States.

Since the partial collapse of the building early Thursday, people have donated food, clothes, other supplies and toys at the community center or at the Shul, the local Jewish center.

The Shul is "really a pillar of the community," Duchman said.

But faced with the possibility that the death toll could rise much higher, and the painstakingly slow search and rescue operation, some are getting anxious and frustrated.

Story continues

"Not enough is being done," said Mike Salberg, who came from New York after the accident. Five of his family members, including his parents, are unaccounted for.

"I want answers," he told AFP. "The families are sidelined. We're being told that they have the best crews but they don't have the ability and the capacity... 40 hours later, four dead."

He said he hoped engineers sent to the site by Israel would be able to take part in the search.

"The heat is rough -- they're trapped. Hopefully there is still hope. There is no question about it -- there are survivors," Salberg said.

cyj/sst/st
Staring into space or sobbing, family members of those missing in the Florida apartment building collapse waited in anguish for news of loved ones, while others scrambled for a place to live after their home was destroyed.

The disaster in Surfside, near Miami Beach, left one person dead and 99 unaccounted for after the collapse early Thursday, with fears the toll may rise much higher.

"Everything is gone," said Erick de Moura, 40, who was at the town's community center trying to find temporary accommodation.

The Brazilian had lived for three years on the 10th floor of the oceanfront Champlain Towers South, part of which pancaked in the middle of the night for reasons yet unknown.

He survived because he had decided to stay at his girlfriend's house last night.

"I am homeless now. I lost my papers, documents, everything. My green card, my money," de Moura said.

"I just came back and the scene is shocking," he added. "There is a lot of pain. I'm blessed that I am alive."

As for his neighbors, "I think they're gone."

These residents had had the best view, overlooking the beach and ocean, until their part of the tower collapsed like a house of cards in the night.

Firefighters, police and search dogs spent the day trying to locate survivors in the rubble. A crane cleared away pieces of debris, while a helicopter patrolled from above.

The rest of the 12-story building was still standing, but all residents were evacuated and several surrounding streets cordoned off.

The survivors and families of those missing gathered a few blocks away at the community center, where volunteers were providing water, coffee, lunches, and clothes, as well as emotional support.

Displaced residents were trying to figure out where they can now live, whether it's with relatives or in hotels which have offered rooms. Others waited grimly for news of their loved ones.

People come and go. Some are seated and motionless, while others are sobbing.

Story continues

More than a thousand people have passed through the community center, said Ron Ben Hayoun, a 22-year-old volunteer and north Miami resident who had returned to his childhood neighborhood to help.

In this city with a large Jewish community, "we try to help everyone, we are not exclusive."

"It's pretty shocking. people are very emotional," said the young man, who had recently returned from Israel where he did his military service.

cyj/iba/acb/jh
Fiji health chiefs have admitted for the first time that Covid-19 transmission is widespread in the community after the Pacific nation recorded more than 300 new daily cases.

But authorities continue to reject calls for a nationwide lockdown, saying the 930,000-strong population's failure to obey health rules designed to contain the virus would render it ineffective.

Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong announced late Thursday that Fiji had recorded 308 new daily virus cases, taking the total number in a second wave of infections that began in April to almost 2,800.

Fong acknowledged calls for a lockdown but said Fiji's public compliance was low and authorities had no ability to enforce it, particularly in the densely populated shantytown settlements that were at most risk.

"The tragic reality is that Fijians living in communities most vulnerable to the virus  including those in informal settlements  are also those most vulnerable to the socioeconomic catastrophe that a 24-hour lockdown for 28 days would bring about," he said.

"Even under such a strict lockdown, we believe the virus would continue to circulate within many of these communities."

Fiji went a full year without recording any community cases up until April, when it was hit by a second wave of the quick-spreading Delta variant first identified in India.

As numbers continue to spike, doubling every nine days, the government's head of health protection, Aalisha Sahukhan, said "all the evidence is that there is widespread community transmission".

"With increasing cases, we expect increasing severe disease and deaths," she said.

"While our hospitals right now are not overwhelmed with severe cases, from what we have seen in other countries with widespread community transmission during this pandemic, this is a very real possibility that we are preparing for."

Fiji's two largest hospitals have already been converted into dedicated Covid-19 facilities, with field hospitals set up to care for non-coronavirus patients.

Story continues

The government's strategy is to use localised lockdowns to limit the virus while vaccinating the general population.

Only about one percent of Fijians have been fully vaccinated, with the Red Cross blaming misinformation spread online for the slow rollout.

President Joiji Konrote has urged his compatriots to get their jabs.

"Please think of our beloved nation and our people, take the vaccination," he said in an address posted online Friday.

"It is one of our main hopes of controlling the spread of the virus."

ns/dm/ssy/jah
First Solar (FSLR) shares ended the last trading session 5.4% higher at $84.51. The jump came on an impressive volume with a higher-than-average number of shares changing hands in the session. This compares to the stock's 3.4% gain over the past four weeks.

The latest uptick in First Solars share price can be attributed to President Bidens recent ban on import of certain solar products from China. Notably, the products on which Biden has imposed ban are used to manufacture solar panels. This must have boosted investors confidence in First Solar, with the company being a prominent U.S.-based solar panel manufacturer and should thus benefit from this ban, which got reflected in the form of share price appreciation.

This largest U.S. solar company is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +111.4%. Revenues are expected to be $643.02 million, up 0.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Earnings and revenue growth expectations certainly give a good sense of the potential strength in a stock, but empirical research shows that trends in earnings estimate revisions are strongly correlated with near-term stock price movements.

For First Solar, the consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. And a stock's price usually doesn't keep moving higher in the absence of any trend in earnings estimate revisions. So, make sure to keep an eye on FSLR going forward to see if this recent jump can turn into more strength down the road.

The stock currently carries a Zacks Rank 3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



First Solar, Inc. (FSLR) : Free Stock Analysis Report



To read this article on Zacks.com click here.



Zacks Investment Research
Flight attendants they have gotten sick less due to pandemic-era cleaning protocols. Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The Transportation Security Administration will restart self-defense classes for flight crews from July, it said Thursday.

The training, paused during the pandemic, would "deter assaults against officers and flight crew," it said.

Flight attendants told Insider earlier in June that they felt burnt out from dealing with aggressive passengers.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Flight attendants will get self-defense training from July to stop violent passengers assaulting staff, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced in a Thursday press release.

The voluntary training, led by federal air marshals, was paused during the pandemic, but the TSA said it was bringing the classes back to "deter assaults against officers and flight crew."

Flight attendants told Insider earlier in June that they felt burnt out from dealing with aggressive passengers as travel bounced back.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has so far reported more than 3,000 incidents of unruly passenger behavior in 2021, most involving travelers refusing to comply with the federal mask mandate.

The FAA has opened 487 investigations into passenger incidents - more than triple the number from 2019, before the pandemic started, and the highest number since the agency started listing its investigations in 1995.

The TSA said passengers had also assaulted security staff, noting two separate cases this month where it said TSA airport officers were attacked. In one incident, a traveller bit two officers and faces a $13,910 civil fine, the TSA said.

The TSA said in the press release that it may "pursue criminal charges and a civil penalty up to the maximum allowable by law" for unruly passengers.

Airports welcomed 2.1 million air passengers on June 20, up from 590,456 for the same day in 2020, and the highest number since March 7 last year, according to TSA data.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jun. 25Alaska's political campaign regulators have fined former state Rep. Lance Pruitt, an Anchorage Republican, almost $20,000 for multiple violations of state law in his 2016 and 2018 campaigns for the Legislature, and for failing to file proper financial disclosures while in office.

Staff at the Alaska Public Offices Commission had recommended a smaller fine, but in a final report released Monday, commissioners concluded the violations were "widespread and serious," and doubled the staff recommendation.

The final report said Pruitt didn't report campaign expenses on time in 2016 and 2018, improperly waited months before repaying himself out of campaign accounts and took an overly large campaign contribution.

Once in office, Pruitt failed to list the clients of an advertising firm operated by his wife, Mary Ann Pruitt, the commission said. Lance Pruitt said he was unable to obtain the list.

At the time, Mary Ann Pruitt was employed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy as his communications director and disclosing that list on a separate form she filed. The separate form, unlike Pruitt's disclosure, wasn't generally public.

The commission concluded that Pruitt's failure to disclose was a particular problem "because some of Ms. Pruitt's clients may have advocated before the Legislature," and the intent of the disclosure law is to assure the public that legislators do not have conflicts of interest.

Pruitt defended himself in a public hearing earlier this year, but commissioners said his testimony "was unconvincing and appeared to be self-serving  at best, his reporting and attempted compliance with the law was haphazard, at worst, he engaged in deliberate non-reporting."

On Thursday morning, Pruitt said he hasn't decided whether he will appeal the fine to a state court. He has 30 days to do so.

"Any errors were unintentional and strictly administrative," he said by text message. "In hindsight, I wish I would've hired someone to do my reports instead of trying to balance that and a campaign by myself."

Story continues

Democrat Liz Snyder defeated Pruitt by 11 votes in the 2020 election for an East Anchorage House seat. During that campaign, political consultant Paula DeLaiarro filed the complaint that led to Thursday's fine.

DeLaiarro normally works with Democratic and moderate Republican political campaigns, helping them with their campaign finance reporting. She didn't work on either side of the Pruitt-Snyder race, but she lives in the district.

She said she's satisfied with the result of her complaint.

"I don't file frivolous complaints, and this one was far from frivolous," she said.
The Rev. Jim Gigliotti of St. Andrew Catholic Church in Fort Worth cares enough about people to confront them in their sin.

Thats arguably what he was doing in November, when he used his pulpit to admonish faculty at the parishs affiliated school for celebrating President Joe Bidens victory on the school Facebook page, in violation of diocesan policy.

Bidens unwavering support for the grave sin of abortion, Gigliotti explained at the time, means hes not a good Catholic at all.

The state of Bidens immortal soul garnered attention from the secular world recently after an overwhelming majority of the U.S. Catholic Bishops voted to draft guidelines for receiving the Eucharist. If adopted, they could deny Biden and other Catholic politicians Communion over their support for abortion.

According to Catholic teaching, Catholics should not receive the Eucharist (which for Catholics is the body and blood of Christ) in a state of grave or mortal sin. And publicly, enthusiastically and consistently supporting abortion would certainly qualify.

There is a special obligation of those who are in leadership because of their public visibility, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, who heads the diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend in Indiana, said after the vote.

Social media reliably erupted in a fury. Non-Catholic critics railed at the thought that Biden should be refused something they otherwise know and care nothing about.

Plenty of Catholics were upset, too, including Rep. Ted Lieu, a California Democrat who vocally supports a litany of other issues, like contraception and same-sex marriage, that run counter to the Churchs teachings. Still, he insists he is a Catholic.

You are hypocrites and nakedly partisan, he unironically declared in a series of viral tweets.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

He chastised the bishops for not withholding Communion from former Attorney General Barr for his support of the federal death penalty and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich for being divorced and remarried, and then challenged the bishops to deny him Communion the next time he attends church.

Story continues

Gigliotti, according to The New York Times, informed Lieu in a letter that his very soul is in jeopardy and that he would refuse the lawmaker Communion if he happened to attend Mass at Gigliottis parish.

Confrontation is a ministry of caring, Gigliotti added.

When it comes to the issue of abortion, Gigliotti cares  a lot. Confronting sin is not for the faint of heart.

Despite the public perception that the potential denial of Holy Communion is an act of partisan retribution by conservative clergy, the bishops actions demonstrate that they care, too.

As Fort Worth Bishop Michael Olson explained in the Catholic Current podcast, while any number of sins can endanger a persons soul, abortion is a unique category of moral issue that differentiates it from other serious sins.

Abortion is gravely evil [because] it lays the ax to the root, Olson said. It affects how we treat human life at every point of development.

Archbishop of San Francisco Salvatore J. Cordileone, writing in First Things magazine, put it this way: Catholic principles build systematically on one another. The protection of innocent, defenseless life is first and foundational.

So while any number of other serious sins  supporting the death penalty, separating migrant children from their parents, and limiting assistance for the hungry and food insecure  require our attention, action and penitence, they are of a different nature than the sustained, intentional killing of innocent human life.

Catholics who claim the bishops are weaponizing the Eucharist misunderstand (perhaps intentionally) the purpose of the bishops action.

The bishops motivation is pastoral: the salvation of souls and reparation of scandal. There is nothing punitive in stating and restating the truth of Catholic belief, Cordileone said.

With the proposal approved, a committee will draft the document for a vote at the next meeting in November.

That should give the bishops time to clarify their message, and it should give political leaders who feel they might be affected plenty of time to seek penance.

Whatever the outcome, Gigliotti will be ready for a confrontation.
Fox News

Fox News host Mark Levin on Thursday railed against his colleague Tucker Carlsonwithout specifically naming the Fox starfor being a frequent unnamed source to mainstream journalists.

Earlier this week, New York Times columnist Ben Smith published a bombshell report that revealed that Carlson has long been a reliable anonymous source to prominent Beltway reporters. Despite Carlson portraying himself as the bitter enemy of the media and political elite, at least 16 journalists confirmed to Smith that the conservative pundit loves to dish about Trump and Fox News. And, unsurprisingly, much of the time he does it to present himself in a positive light.

While fellow Fox News star Sean Hannity has seemingly taken it upon himself to retaliate against the Times to defend Carlsons honoreven though Carlson reportedly slams Hannity regularly in his media gossip sessionsLevin took the opposite approach on Thursday.

During an extended rant on his daily radio showwhich is notably broadcast by Westwood One, not Fox NewsLevin referenced a piece by conservative writer Thomas Lifson that criticized Smith for outing Carlson as a source.

I would tell my friend Thomas Lifson, and he is my friend over at the American Thinker and otherswe know journalists, so many of them, are unethical, Levin seethed. That's the point.

Levin, who also hosts a weekend Fox News show, went on to say journalists will only keep confidences that they want to keep, claiming that he has never leaked anything to a newspaper or media outlet and particularly not to The New York Times.

Certainly not about the people around me, the conservative host continued. Now, I could go further into this, Im not going to. That is a serious misunderstanding of ones role, of loyalty, and character. Let me leave it at that.

Levin also noted that he had been approached by CNNs Brian Stelter in the past but never leaked anything to the media analyst. In his column, Smith quoted Stelter saying Carlsons fingerprints were all over his recent book on Fox News, essentially naming him as a source.

Story continues

I rejected all of it, Levin exclaimed. How could I look myself in the mirror? I had good parents, they taught me to be a stand-up guy. You see, this isnt a game to me. Im not positioning myself. This is deadly serious, this is the real world matters here. The real world matters here!

The talk radio veteran concluded by seemingly chastising Carlson one more time, saying its hard enough being in conservative media without people leaking against you.

Just remember that, and I think many of you already know that, Levin fumed.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
By Gabriela Baczynska, Sabine Siebold and Robin Emmott

BRUSSELS (Reuters) -European Union leaders on Friday rejected a Franco-German proposal to hold a summit with Russia after Poland and Baltic countries said it would send the wrong message as East-West ties deteriorate.

After U.S. President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva on June 16, French President Emmanuel Macron said a first EU summit with Putin since January 2014 would be "a dialogue to defend our interests". He said the EU must be proactive in its diplomacy with Russia.

Italy, a big exporter to Russia with investments in Russian energy, also backed a summit with Putin, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said. "Russia is an important player on the economic and political front ... We must have an active dialogue," Draghi told reporters at the Brussels summit.

But late-night talks between the EU's 27 leaders failed to secure an agreement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

France and Germany want to be able to work with Russia on combating climate change and to find ways to stabilise relations. Merkel said that, even without a summit, "formats will be explored ... under which dialogues can be started".

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he had supported the summit proposal, but many other leaders were opposed, and Russia's direct neighbours were the most vocal.

Macron said he had concluded that EU unity was more important and the summit was not a top priority.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters that Putin must stop "aggressive" policies against its neighbours, and that there could be no summit while Moscow held Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and sided with separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the idea was like "trying to engage the bear to keep a pot of honey safe", and Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said Russia might see a summit as a reward when diplomacy had failed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Story continues

MORE SANCTIONS?

The Kremlin said it was committed to improving ties with the EU, Russia's biggest foreign investor and a big oil and gas customer, and Russia's foreign ministry said the EU was being thwarted by an aggressive minority.

"In general, President Putin was and remains interested in improving working relations between Moscow and Brussels," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "The European position is fragmented, not always consistent and sometimes unclear."

The failure of the initiative underscores the contradictory pressures faced by the EU, which says it will never recognise Crimea as Russian territory and has accused Moscow of covert operations to try to undermine its democracies.

Moscow rejects what it says is Western interference.

In the event, the EU leaders fell back to a familiar position. In a statement, they called on the European Commission and the EU's top diplomat Josep Borrell "to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions".

The EU already has sanctions in place on the Russian energy, financial and arms sectors, and personal sanctions on Russians accused of human rights abuses or of using banned chemical weapons.

Diplomats say further sanctions could target Russian money laundering or powerful oligarchs suspected of serious corruption abroad, as non-EU member Britain did for the first time in April.

On Thursday, the EU imposed economic sanctions on Belarus, an ally of Moscow that the Kremlin sees as a buffer state between Russia and NATO.

Many EU countries are concerned that the Kremlin does not take the bloc seriously, after Borrell was publicly humiliated in February when Russia expelled EU diplomats without warning during his visit to Moscow.

"We should be extremely cautious," Lithuania's Nauseda said. "This is not like the relationship of Russia with the United States."

(Reporting by Robin Emmott, Gabriela Baczynska, Francesco Guarascio and Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels, additional reporting by Crispian Balmer and Agelo Amante in Rome, Thomas Escritt and Caroline Copley in Berlin and Ekaterina Golubkova and Maxim Rodionov in Moscow, and Sudip Kar-Gupta in Paris; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Andrew Heavens)
BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's parliament approved changes on Friday that will make it easier for descendants of people who fled Nazi persecution to obtain citizenship, a move Jewish groups described as an important signal in the country responsible for the Holocaust.

The amendments approved by the Bundestag lower house of parliament ensrhine in law decrees from 2019 already in force, which followed a campaign by relatives of Nazi-era refugees.

"The ruling coalition has taken important legal steps to ensure that Germany lives up to its historical responsibility," President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, said.

Relatives of refugees have been angered that their applications for citizenship were rejected despite constitutional guarantees.

Germanys Basic Law states that former German citizens who between 1933 and 1945 were deprived of their citizenship on political, racial or religious grounds and their descendents can have their citizenship restored.

However, some had applications rejected or were told they are not eligible to apply, often on the grounds that they were born to a German mother and non-German father. Until 1953, German citizenship could only be passed on through the paternal line.

Under the new law, these loopholes have been closed.

At a time when politicians are warning about a rise in anti-Semitism in Germany, Schuster said law sent an important signal.

"Political education and enlightenment in general must be strengthened in order to push back anti-democratic tendencies," he said.

(Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
Matt Hancock, left, has been accused of engaging in a 'steamy clinch' with old friend and Department of Health and Social Care employee Gina Coladangelo, centre. (Getty Images)

Matt Hancock has said he is "very sorry" for breaching social distancing rules after pictures were published of him appearing to kiss a close friend who is also a taxpayer-funded adviser to his department.

The health secretary was caught on camera kissing Gina Coladangelo, in pictures obtained by The Sun newspaper, which published photographs appearing to have been taken from security cameras inside Whitehall on 6 May.

Hancock, 42, has been married for 15 years to wife Martha and the pair have three children. Coladangelo, 43, is also married with three children.

Hancock said: I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances.

I have let people down and am very sorry.

I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.

Hancock has been friends with aide Gina Coladangelo since they met at Oxford University (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Who is Gina Coladangelo and what is her job?

Coladangelo was given her role as non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHCS) last September, with a salary believed to be of at least 15,000 a year and having scrutiny over its running.

She is also communications director at fashion and homeware shop Oliver Bonas, which was founded by her husband Oliver Tress.

Coladangelo worked at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon until 2014 and was a director at the company until 2017.

Watch: Matt Hancock accused of 'having affair with close aide' Gina Coladangelo

Read more: What you can and can't do under current lockdown rules

How did Gina Coladangelo meet Matt Hancock meet?

The pair met while studying at Oxford University and have remained "close friends" ever since. Two unnamed sources told The Sunday Times in November said that Hancock turned to his PR expert friend regularly for advice.

One source said: Before Matt does anything big, hell speak to Gina. She knows everything. Another added: She has access to lots of confidential information.

Story continues

How close are the pair?

The Sunday Times claims they spend Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations with each other when their families meet.

Matt Hancock and wife Martha have been married for 15 years. (Getty)

The pair appear to have been close since their university days.

During his time as a student journalist at Oxford, Hancock overslept on the day he was supposed to cover a rugby match at Twickenham. Instead of making it to the stadium, he got off the train early, found a nearby pub and watched the match on television, before writing the match report as planned.

In an interview on the BBC last April, in which she did not disclose her role, Coladangelo, a colleague of his at Oxygen FM, recalled: He told a white lie, pretended he was at Twickenham watching the rugby, when in fact he was in a pub in Reading. She added: Successfully. Nobody ever found out.

What has been said about her role?

In spring 2020, just as the country went into lockdown, Coladangelo was appointed as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Then last September Hancock gave her a job as a non-executive director at DHSC, making her a member of the departments oversight board.

The move hit the headlines as there was no public record of the appointment, which was set to see Coladangelo earn at least 15,000 of taxpayers money, potentially rising by a further 5,000.

Read more: COVID-19: Matt Hancock committed 'minor breach' of ministerial code when NHS contract awarded to sister's company

The role makes her responsible for overseeing and monitoring performance scrutinising matters of concern to Hancock.

A DHSC spokesman said the appointment was made in the usual way and followed correct procedure.

Since April, Coladangelo has had a parliamentary pass  which was sponsored by a junior health minister Lord Bethell  giving her unregulated access to the Palace of Westminster.

Gina Coladangelo with husband Oliver Tress. (Getty Images for Tabitha Webb)

What has been the reaction to the allegations?

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said on Friday morning that he would not be commenting on the entirely personal matter following the reports about his cabinet colleague.

Asked about the rules around appointing friends to government positions, Shapps told Sky News: First of all, I think the actual issue is entirely personal for Matt Hancock.

In terms of rules, anyone who has been appointed has to go through an incredibly rigorous process in government, so whatever the rules are, the rules will have to be followed.

There are no shortcuts to that, as anyone who has had anything to do with the appointments system in the civil service knows.

There are very strict rules in place.

Hancock was not at his north London home on Friday morning.

Yahoo News UK has contacted the DHSC for comment but had received no response at the time of publishing.

Watch: Queen calls Matt Hancock 'poor man' in audience with PM
Google (GOOG, GOOGL) has opened its first ever physical store to show off its hardware offerings, and its located on the first floor of its New York City headquarters. The store, in the citys popular meatpacking district, also happens to be about a block away from one of Apples (AAPL) own stores.

Naturally, the two being so close invites some comparisons, and theres no getting around it: Google  like Microsoft (MSFT), which opened its own retail stores in 2009  took more than a bit of inspiration from Apples retail aesthetic. But its not an exact copy of the Apple Store.

Heres what its like inside Googles first retail store.

Its like Apple, but more playful

Compared to the three-story Apple Store down the block, the Google Store is modest. Its a single floor with a straightforward layout. The store has wooden display tables that show off the companys Pixel phones, Pixel Buds, and Fitbits.

A wall in the back of the store carries various pieces of Google hardware ranging from Nest speakers to Chromecasts, while a faux kitchen serves as a play area for kids whose parents want to check out Googles latest and greatest. The store has clearly gone out of its way to add some of the color and playfulness associated with the Google brand.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 24: People exit the Google Store on June 24, 2021 in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Google's first brick and mortar store opened earlier this month in NYCs Chelsea neighborhood. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

There are rooms for you to try out products like the Chromecast and Googles Stadia cloud gaming platform, the Nest Audio speaker, or the Pixels low-light capabilities.

Naturally, theres a help desk where you can bring in your Chromebook or Pixel for repairs, and a waiting area for you to relax while everything gets put back together. Then theres the learning area where Google will host how-to sessions for users getting the hang of their new gadgets.

If that all sounds familiar its because Apple also has special rooms in its own stores to let people try out products like the HomePod speaker. Naturally, Apple also has its own how-to areas for group classes, as well as its help desk area for fixing up your cracked iPhone screen.

Story continues

The Google Stores future

This is Googles first stab at a long-term retail presence, so its hard to understand how well it will work out. Its not as though the storefront will put Google in the poorhouse if it doesnt pull in enough customers  after all, its on the first floor of the companys headquarters.

On the other hand, Apples retail stores are an integral part of its business  letting customers check out and buy products without having to wait days for delivery orders. It doesnt hurt that Apples hardware, the iPhone in particular, is some of the most coveted in the world. And as an aspirational brand, its stores are an extension of the kind of luxurious image Apple cultivates.

Google is known more for its software than its hardware. Whats more, its not an aspirational brand, but more of a utilitarian offering. Its products also dont carry the same kind of panache as Apples. While Chromebooks may be flying off of store shelves due to the pandemic, its less because theyre incredibly attractive products and more because theyre relatively inexpensive.

Microsoft, like Google, tried its hand at its own retail experiment, opening stores in shopping malls and standalone locations. But despite having demo areas for everything from virtual reality headsets and Xbox games to laptops and desktops, the stores simply couldnt match what Apple managed to pull off, and Microsoft closed all of its locations in 2020.

Google would be smart to learn from Microsofts experience, before attempting to launch a national chain. For now, well just have to wait and see how this first location pans out.

Sign up for Yahoo Finance Tech newsletter

Got a tip? Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com over via encrypted mail at danielphowley@protonmail.com, and follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley.

More from Dan:

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit.
Google logo

Google has delayed its plan to block third-party cookies from its Chrome internet browser.

Cookies track users' internet activity and allow digital publishers to target advertising.

They are already blocked by a number of Google's rivals, including Apple, Microsoft and Mozilla.

But critics say Google's ban forces ad sellers to go direct to the tech giant for this information instead - giving it an unfair advantage.

This is because it plans to replace the system with another one of Google's own design, which it claims is better for privacy but still allows marketing. Its proposals are already under investigation by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The ban had been planned for 2022, and has now been put back until 2023.

In a blog, Vinay Goel, privacy engineering director for Google's Chrome browser said: "It's become clear that time is needed across the ecosystem" in order to "get this right".

According to GlobalStats, Chrome has a 65% market share worldwide.

Farhad Divecha, founder of digital marketing agency AccuraCast, said the delay was good news for his industry.

"We welcome this delay and only hope that Google uses this time to consult with the CMA as well as different parties that will be affected by the changes, including advertisers, agencies, publishers, and ad-tech and tracking solutions providers," he said.

Google's new privacy proposals are known as the Privacy Sandbox .

One of its ideas is the introduction of something called The Federated Learning of Cohorts, or "Floc".

The idea is that a browser enabled with Floc would collect information about browsing habits and assign users to a group, or "flock", with similar browsing histories. Each would share an ID which would indicate their interests to advertisers.

This too has faced a lot of criticism, including from the Electronic Frontiers Foundation (EFF) which described it as "[Internet] users begin[ning] every interaction with a confession: 'Here's what I've been up to this week, please treat me accordingly'."
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Three suspects have been arrested in Greece on migrant smuggling charges after a speedboat bound for Italy was intercepted by the coast guard, authorities said on Friday.

The coast guard said the boat transporting seven migrants was stopped Thursday in the Ionian Sea, west of the island of Corfu. Forged identity documents were found in their luggage.

A 69-year-old Greek man was arrested on smuggling charges along with a Greek woman aged 35. A third suspect, described as a 37-year-old foreign national, was later arrested and accused of transporting the migrants from Athens to Corfu.

Smuggling networks remain active in the southern Balkans and Ionian Sea despite a sharp drop in arrivals in Greece during the pandemic.
Haitian ex-president Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who is battling Covid-19 at the age of 68, has arrived in Cuba for medical treatment, Haiti's President Jovenel Moise has announced.

On Twitter late Thursday, Moise wished Aristide "a prompt recovery" and said the Haitian embassy in Cuba would provide him with "all the necessary assistance."

The Haitian embassy in Cuba would not confirm Aristide's arrival to AFP, and the Cuban government generally does not comment on these types of visits.

Haitian media has reported that Moise had sought a diplomatic passport for the former head of state for humanitarian reasons.

Aristide became Haiti's first democratically elected president in 1991.

But just months later, that same year, he was ousted in a bloody military coup led by General Raoul Cedras. He returned to power in 1994 when the United States sent in troops to drive Cedras out.

But Aristide was again forced out in 2004 under threat of another armed insurrection, popular demonstrations and pressure from the United States and France, going into exile in South Africa.

He returned to Haiti in 2011.

rd/lp/rsr/jb/mlr/acb
Vice President Kamala Harris made an unannounced stop at the Paso del Norte port of entry during her trip to El Paso and the southern border on Friday.

According to an official in Harris's office, the stop during her trip to Texas will consist of a "tour [of] an area for screening of asylum applicants as they enter from Mexico." Harris will also "view a secondary processing area for migrants, and inspect an outdoor vehicle inspection area used to screen vehicles crossing the border for illegal goods or activities."

TEXAS DEMOCRAT URGES HARRIS TO VISIT BORDER 'HOT SPOTS,' NOT JUST EL PASO

"The Paso del Norte port of entry is one of the countrys busiest pedestrian border crossings," the official added. "It is located on the Paso Del Norte International Bridge. Thousands of people cross the border through the port each day."

The stop occurred immediately after the vice president and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas met with Customs and Border Protection officials at a CBP facility in El Paso. The White House told reporters that Harris also met with "five young girls ages 9-16, from Central America," at the CBP facility.

Harris, who President Joe Biden tasked with overseeing both the migrant influx and roots causes of northern migration in the spring, drew some criticism for deciding to pick El Paso as the location for her first trip to the border.

Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar told the Washington Examiner that the decision to go to El Paso was "politically safer" than other regions of the Southern Border and urged Harris to visit major problem areas.

"If you want to get a real idea of what's happening at the border, youve got to go where the hot spot is, and that is the lower Rio Grande," he said. "I hope that she'll go down 800-900 miles down the border sometime in the future, to the lower Rio Grande Valley. That's where the Donna Border Patrol facilities are, the [Health and Human Services] facilities are for kids, that's where they're doing prosecutorial discretion releases. That's where the majority of the numbers are."

Story continues

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Cuellar added that, following the announcement of Harris's trip, he spoke with several border patrol agents who questioned El Paso's selection.

"I got several texts, and one phone call also, from people in my district, Why is she going over there? She should be coming here. She should, ought to be here,'" the congressman claimed. "Even Border Patrol yesterday, people that I know, said, Why not down to the Valley? And I don't know how to answer them. I don't know the rationale why."

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, El Paso, Immigration, Kamala Harris, White House, Texas, Joe Biden

Original Author: Christian Datoc

Original Location: Harris makes unannounced stop at port of entry during El Paso border trip
By Nandita Bose and Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the El Paso, Texas, central processing center, which is a U.S. Customs & Border Protection Facility, and meet migrants during her visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday, spokesperson Symone Sanders said.

This will be the first time Harris will visit the border since becoming the vice president and taking a lead role in immigration issues.

The administration inherited "a broken and inhumane immigration system," Sanders said during a call with reporters on Thursday. "The previous administration's policies led to chaos at the border, family separation, inhumane conditions, dismal diplomacy towards and with Central America."

Sanders said the vice president's trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this year was about addressing the root causes, and "the border visit tomorrow is about the effects."

Harris, who visited the U.S.-Mexico border many times as a senator and attorney general from California, was assailed by Republicans when she visited Mexico and Guatemala this month.

The trip to El Paso, which was announced a day earlier, appeared to be a result of increasing pressure on her to make the high-profile trip.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose and Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Aurora Ellis)
Unidentified flying object Department of Defense via AP

The United States government has released a highly-anticipated report on unidentified flying objects, but it wasn't able to come to a definitive conclusion.

In the U.S. intelligence report released Friday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, 144 reports of unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) were examined, but investigators were not able to explain 143 of them, CNN reports. In one case, an object was identified as a "large, deflating balloon," but the report said the "others remain unexplained."

"Of the 144 reports we are dealing with here, we have no clear indications that there is any non-terrestrial explanation for them  but we will go wherever the data takes us," a senior U.S. official told CNN.

The official also told CNN that investigators believe most of the sightings were of "physical objects," as opposed to them being "simply sensor artifacts." But the report states that the "limited amount of high-quality reporting" on the unidentified objects "hampers our ability to draw firm conclusions about the nature or intent" of them. The New York Times writes that "there is no evidence that any of the episodes involve secret American weapons programs, unknown technology from Russia or China or extraterrestrial visitations. But the government report did not rule out those explanations."

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told The Washington Post that while the report is "rather inconclusive," it "only marks the beginning of efforts to understand and illuminate what is causing these risks to aviation in many areas around the country and the world."

You may also like

7 scathingly funny cartoons about Democrats' Joe Manchin problem

Bernie Sanders wants to know if cannabis reporter is 'stoned' right now

Trump advisers reportedly hoped he'd be 'a changed man' after his COVID-19 battle. They were quickly disappointed.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong's Secretary of Security John Lee and police chief Chris Tang, key figures behind the city's authoritarian turn over the past year, are expected to be promoted "very soon," the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Friday.

Lee will replace retiring Matthew Cheung as chief secretary, leader Carrie Lam's No. 2, while Tang will replace Lee, SCMP said, citing unnamed sources. Tang will be replaced by one of his deputies, Raymond Siu.

The chief secretary's office and the Security Bureau did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Beijing's imposition of a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong in June 2020 was China's first major step to set the global financial hub onto an authoritarian path, impacting most aspects of life in the city.

Lee, Tang and Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng have been key local players in Beijing's push to reassert its control over the former British colony.

Lam and about 60 senior public figures are set to travel to Beijing on Monday for the Communist Party's centenary celebrations, the first time the chief executive will be out of town for the official anniversary of Hong Kong's 1997 handover, SCMP said.

(Reporting by Donny Kwok; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
A court in Indiana is temporarily blocking Governor Eric Holcomb's order to end federal unemployment benefits programs until a final ruling is made in a case brought by jobless workers in the state.

"Indiana should notify the U.S. Department of Labor immediately of its continued participation in the CARES Act programs pending further action by this Court," Marion Superior Court Judge John Hanley wrote on Friday.

The order comes after the state cut off benefits on June 19, affecting 236,000 unemployed workers and costing the state $1.3 billion in federal money that was allocated for the benefits.

Indiana is one of 26 states that eliminated or plan to eliminate certain expanded unemployment programs this month and early next month. The federal expiration is September 6.

Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb wearing a face mask speaks during a round table discussion at Catalent Biologics, where COVID vaccine vials are being filled. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

The suit against the state was filed by Indiana Legal Services (ILS) and MaceySwanson Hicks & Sauer law firm earlier this month, claiming that canceling the benefits early would "cause irreparable harm to individual clients."

"These benefits have provided life-sustaining and crucial assistance to many Hoosiers during the pandemic," Jon Laramore, executive director of ILS, said in a statement this month. "The legislature passed a law creating a right to these benefits, and were asking Governor Holcomb to follow the law."

The challenge to Governor Eric Holcomb's decision was based on Indiana law 22-4-37-1 that requires the state to "procure all available federal insurance benefits to citizens," the organizations said in a statement.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The cut-off in benefits includes the extra $300 in weekly benefits, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program for workers who dont normally qualify for unemployment, and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program that provides extra weeks of benefits.

"Indiana Indiana law recognizes the importance of these benefits," the court decision read. "Indiana law requires the acceptance of these benefits."

Story continues

In May, lawmakers, including Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), urged the labor secretary to find a way to pay benefits to PUA recipients, with Sanders noting in a letter that it's a congressionally-mandated requirement."

Read more: Top 10 tax mistakes  and how to avoid them

In the 26 states opting out early from the programs, more than 4 million workers will see their benefits slashed by at least $1,200 a month, losing a total of $22.1 billion in potential benefits, according to estimates by the Century Foundation. Nearly 3 in 5 workers affected by the early expiration will be left with no benefits at all.

"Kudos to Judge Hanley for standing up for unemployed workers and the states legal mandate to keep the jobless out of severe hardship," Andrew Stettner, an unemployment insurance expert and senior fellow at the Century Foundation, told Yahoo Money.

Yahoo Money sister site Cashay has a weekly newsletter.

Denitsa is a writer for Yahoo Finance and Cashay, a new personal finance website. Follow her on Twitter @denitsa_tsekova

Read more:

Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, SmartNews, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Reddit.
Lufthansa will once again begin flying between Munich, Germany, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport next month, the airline announced Thursday.

The route, stopped during the coronavirus pandemic, will fly out of CLT three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, starting on July 3.

The flight will leave the Charlotte airport at 6:30 p.m. and arrive in Munich at 9:05 a.m. the following day local times, according to the airline.

The route will fly on the A350-900, which seats 293 passengers.

The resumed flight comes days after the German government lifted travel restrictions for U.S. residents. Still, proof of vaccination, proof of recovery from COVID-19 or a negative coronavirus test result is required for air travel to Germany.

Lufthansa requires face masks on board flights, and offers flexible rebooking free-of-charge until July 31.

Lufthansa plans to resume flying between Munich, Germany, and Charlotte, the airline announced Thursday. Flights will resume in July.

And passengers who want to postpone their original trip without a new date and destination in mind can cancel their ticket to receive a credit. The new booking should be made by Aug. 31, according to the airline.

As travel restrictions in Europe ease, we are excited to resume transatlantic service for our Charlotte area customers, many of whom have strong ties to the Bavarian region of Germany, Frank Naeve, a Lufthansa vice president, said in a statement.

The airline made its Charlotte airport debut, with much fanfare, in 1990.

CLT airport, an American Airlines hub, is served by eight major carriers, 15 regional carriers and three foreign air carriers: Lufthansa, Air Canada and Viva Aerobus.

Passengers return to CLT

As vaccinations rates rise in North Carolina, crowds have returned to Charlottes airport.

In April, the most recent month of passenger data available, 1.9 million people boarded planes at CLT, according to the airport. Thats a huge increase from April 2020, which saw just under 170,000 people board planes in CLT.

And this years April number is just below the airports total number of departing passengers for April 2019, which topped 2 million, before the COVID-19 pandemic hit North Carolina.
Cristiana Chamorro, a potential challenger to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, has accused the government of fabricating evidence against her. (Diana Ulloa / Associated Press)

Nicaraguan National Police officers showed up at Dora Maria Tellez's door moments after the former health minister had talked of seeking international help to push for a fair presidential election in the fall.

Officers grabbed Tellez by the hair, her relatives said, punched her in the stomach, handcuffed her and loaded her into a car at her ranch on the outskirts of Managua, the nation's capital.

Ana Margarita Vijil, a lawyer and human rights activist whos also a staunch opponent of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, accompanied Tellez when police arrived after a media interview June 13 and was taken away as well.

This is part of the process to get out from under Daniel Ortega, Vijil said in a video she recorded in anticipation of being taken into custody. Around here, no ones giving up.

The women are among 20 people in Nicaragua  including politicians, activists, journalists and a banking executive  swept up in what government critics describe as a recent crackdown on Ortega opponents. Many observers view the detainments as human rights violations driven by the ruling government's goal of removing obstacles to the president's ability to capture a fourth term as ruler.

To clear the path, critics say, the Ortega government in some cases is taking advantage of a law that became effective late last year that criminalizes acts that undermine Nicaraguas independence, sovereignty, and self-determination." The law allows the government to classify people as "traitors to the nation."

The president, meanwhile, counters such accusations by saying those who've been detained are "criminals who've conspired against the safety of the country."

But rights activists and critics insist that the government has used different ways to keep challengers from gaining an advantage.

Cristiana Chamorro , the daughter of a former president and one of Ortega's top rivals, in early June was accused of money laundering, placed under house arrest and barred from running for office just hours after announcing her plans to compete in the general election slated for Nov. 7. Until recently, Chamorro was head of a local freedom of expression organization that received U.S. funding.

Story continues

The U.S. State Department has referred to the government crackdown as a campaign of terror. Human rights activists say conditions in the country of about 6 million people are deteriorating and that the government's behavior appeared designed to prevent dissent.

Ortega, 75, rose to power after he and other Sandinista revolutionaries, including the recently detained Dora Maria Tellez, toppled the U.S.-backed dictator Anastasio Somoza in 1979. His wife, Rosario Murillo, serves as vice president. Other family members hold key posts in business and law enforcement. In 2014, Ortega's party successfully pushed for a constitutional amendment to end presidential term limits.

In 2018, protests over social security cuts erupted across the country, then morphed into pro-democracy demonstrations. The nationwide conflict between Ortegas opponents and supporters was marked by a violent government response to social protest.

According to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the conflict led to the deaths of 328 people. Since then, some 108,000 Nicaraguans have fled the country and more than 90 journalists and media workers have gone into exile. Most of those compelled to leave went to neighboring Costa Rica, where at least 87,000 Nicaraguans remain in exile .

On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch issued a report on Nicaragua saying that the Ortega administrations intensifying campaign of violence and repression  requires escalating involvement by the United Nations.

The recent high-profile arrests, according to the report, appear to be part of a broader strategy to eliminate political competition, stifle dissent, and pave the way for President Daniel Ortegas re-election. The report also adds that "Police officers  and, at times, members of the military  frequently station themselves outside the houses of government critics, preventing them from leaving their homes."

That same day, Michelle Bachelet, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, called for Nicaraguas government to take concrete steps toward ameliorating what she described as a climate of terror.

We continue to document cases of arbitrary detention, aggression and harassment on the part of the National Police, Bachelet said during the Human Rights Council session.

For the country to have a credible election, she said, its citizens' rights and liberties must be restored. She particularly took issue with a recent change to Nicaraguas penal code, which allows for those under investigation to be detained for up to 90 days, instead of 48 hours, a move some legal experts maintain is unconstitutional.

Denis Moncada, Nicaraguas minister of foreign affairs, responded to Bachelet by denouncing the U.S. and its European accomplices.

Were nobodys colony, he said at the session, calling for the organizations that are supposed to serve to defend human rights to stop reproducing the imperial and interventionist discourse.

Our laws are the same or similar to those of any other country, said Moncada. Those who say otherwise, he said, are participating in a defamation strategy meant to undermine Nicaraguas sovereignty.

Meanwhile, international condemnation of Nicaragua continues to mount. At a press conference during a trip to Costa Rica this month, Spain's President Pedro Sanchez urged Ortega to play fair and free his opponents.

In response to the recent arrests and Nicaraguas failure to implement electoral reforms demanded by the Organization of American States, the U.S. froze the assets of four members of the Ortega administration, including his daughter and a top army official. Canada, Switzerland and the European Union have imposed similar measures, along with travel bans, against personal advisors to Ortega, high-ranking representatives of Nicaraguas judicial system and police officers accused of violating human rights.

As those sanctions demonstrate, there are costs for those who carry out repressive acts on behalf of President Ortega and Vice President Murillo, said U. S. Department of State spokesman Ned Price in a telephone briefing with reporters in Washington on Tuesday.

We continue to call on President Ortega and the Nicaraguan Government to immediately release presidential contenders Cristiana Chamorro, Arturo Cruz, Felix Maradiaga, Juan Sebastian Chamorro and Miguel Mora, and other journalists, civil society, and opposition leaders arrested in the current wave of repression, he said. We condemn this ongoing campaign of terror in the most unequivocal terms, and consider President Ortega, Vice President Murillo, and those complicit in these actions responsible for their safety and for their well-being.

This week, 59 countries signed on to a joint statement calling on Nicaragua to cease harassment of journalists and human rights defenders" and allow civil society organizations to operate "without fear of reprisal. They also reiterated calls for the immediate release of presidential contenders.

Even countries that were reluctant to interfere seem to be weighing the best course of action.

Argentina and Mexico, which did not sign onto the missive and abstained from voting in favor of an Organization of American States resolution condemning the recent arrests of opposition figures, recalled their ambassadors to Nicaragua for consultations on Monday after Ortegas government detained yet another presidential contender.

Many of those who have left Nicaragua keep a close watch on such developments.

Gonzalo Carrion, 60, was a legal director at the Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights in Managua before he became an exile in Costa Rica in December 2018.

Carrion said he left Nicaragua with nothing but a backpack, not knowing when he'd return. He has not seen his wife and one of his daughters in 18 months. He believes he'll go back.

The time will come, he said in a phone interview. The Nicaraguan people figured out how to free themselves of other dictatorships, and this one wont be the exception.

Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa  Nikki Haley received an attentive reception from a sold-out ballroom of Republican activists, a positive sign for her 2024 aspirations after a falling out with former President Donald Trump imperiled her standing with grassroots conservatives.

Speaking Thursday evening to about 500 people gathered for an Iowa Republican Party fundraising dinner, Haley, in prepared and extemporaneous remarks, dished out red meat about the dangers that President Joe Biden, socialism, and China pose to the United States and told stories about her tenure in Trumps Cabinet. Over the course of about 30 minutes, the former ambassador to the United Nations was interrupted with approving applause about 20 times.

Afterward, this crowd of likely 2024 caucusgoers gave Haleys speech a thumbs-up  particularly her hawkish comments on the national security imperative of confronting a rising Beijing. They said friction with Trump stemming from her criticism of his handling of the post-election period and the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol will not preclude Iowa Republicans from considering her if she runs for president.

I was impressed, said Mark Maxwell, 64, of Des Moines. She didnt say anything I didnt like or I didnt agree with.

I was very surprised, added Cheri Richards, 75, of Ottumwa. I feel like I heard her heart and got to see the knowledge that shes acquired. Richards is a strong Trump supporter but does not view Haleys recent feud with the former president as disqualifying. If anything, I think it shows that she has her own opinions, her own thoughts, and has the guts to present them and let it fall as it may.

BIDEN'S GUN CONTROL PUSH LIKELY TO PRODUCE 2022 HEADACHES FOR DEMOCRATS

In her keynote to the annual Iowa GOP Lincoln Dinner, Haley mentioned Trump three times and made no mention of their disagreement over his refusal to concede defeat to Biden and culpability in the Jan. 6 ransacking of the U.S. Capitol by his grassroots supporters. She did not even make subtle allusions to the spat.

Story continues

Rather, Haley credited Trump for Vice President Kamala Harriss future visit to the Mexican border and said he put America first and garnered the respect of America's adversaries  the polar opposite of Biden. Compare that accommodating approach to the former president on this thorny subject matter to the route taken by some of the other Republican 2024 contenders.

Former Vice President Mike Pence gushed over Trump during an early June speech at a county GOP fundraiser in New Hampshire. But he also raised the issue of their differences of opinion over Jan. 6 unprompted, signaling that he intends to stand his ground against attacks from Trump that have put his 2024 prospects at risk. I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on that day, Pence said.

Meanwhile, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who ran for president in 2016 and is also mulling a White House bid, regularly chastises Trump for his post-election behavior.

Haley, accused by critics and some loyal Trump supporters of flip-flopping on her support for the 45th president, has attempted to put the row behind her, focusing on plans to boost Republicans running for office in 2022 and building her political operation. The strategy might be working. During a multiday swing through Iowa in late June, Haley was in-demand, headlining fundraisers for Gov. Kim Reynolds, state House Speaker Pat Grassley, and other prominent Iowa Republicans.

But perhaps the best gauge of her current standing was the response from the Republican activists (county party officials, members of grassroots Republican groups) and legislators who attended the dinner. They vote in Iowas caucuses, traditionally the first nominating contest on the GOP calendar, and are in close touch with rank-and-file primary voters. They were pleased with Haley, a positive reaction affirmed by observant GOP operatives in the room who regularly attend events such as these.

People were engaged. People were laughing when she told stories, Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said. Its very obvious that we still appreciate the president and his policies here. Its also very obvious that we appreciate all the people that were a part of the American First movement, and Nikki Haley, obviously with her stories and her anecdotes and what she did as U.N. ambassador, was a major part of that.

Haley certainly did not hurt her cause by sticking around afterward to shake hands with members of the audience and pose for pictures and selfies.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Campaigns, 2022 Elections, 2024 Elections, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Iowa

Original Author: David M. Drucker

Original Location: Iowa Republicans say Nikki Haley's row with Trump not a deal-breaker
(Reuters) - Iran criticised as "highly politicised" on Friday a report by a special Canadian forensic team that accused the country of incompetence and recklessness over the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane last year.

The report, published on Thursday, found that while the shooting down of Ukrainian International Airlines flight 752 was not premeditated, it did not absolve Iranian officials of responsibility for the incident.

Iran has admitted it shot down the airliner shortly after takeoff from Tehran in January 2020, killing 176 people, and blamed a "disastrous mistake" by forces on high alert during a confrontation with the United States.

The dead included 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.

"From a legal standpoint, they (Canada) lack any authority to conduct a unilateral or arbitrary report or comment on an air crash outside their jurisdiction," Mohsen Baharvand, Iran's deputy foreign minister for international and legal affairs, was quoted as saying by Iranian media.

"If this highly politicised and illegal behaviour by Canada became the norm, all countries, even the civil aviation industry, would be the main victims."

"Iran has fulfilled its obligations under international law and continues to pursue and implement them," Baharvand said, adding that his country possessed sufficient documents and expertise to be able to provide any required clarifications.

Ottawa has repeatedly complained that Iran's official explanation did not answer many important questions about the downing of the Ukrainian plane.

Canada and other countries are seeking reparations for victims' families. Canada does not have formal diplomatic relations with Iran, making the process lengthy and complex.

In March, Iran's civil aviation body blamed the crash on a misaligned radar and an error by an air defence operator. Iran has indicted 10 officials over the incident.

(dubai.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com; Editing by Gareth Jones)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Italy backed a Franco-German proposal to hold a summit with Russia, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Friday, adding it was important to maintain dialogue with such an important economic power.

The proposal was rejected at an EU summit, after Poland and Baltic countries said it would send the wrong message as East-West ties deteriorate.

Speaking at the end of the summit, Draghi said many people only found out about the idea on Thursday, giving its supporters little time to rally support.

"Russia is an important player on the economic and political front, it cannot not be involved, we must have an active dialogue," Draghi told reporters.

(Reporting by Crispian Balmer and Agelo Amante; Editing by Gavin Jones)
A health and behavioral services manager who worked for the Jackson County Detention Center is accused in federal court of smuggling cellphones to two inmates and then deleting her own phone to thwart the investigation.

Amanda J. Davis, 36, was indicted Monday by a federal grand jury in the Western District of Missouri on a single count of obstruction of justice, according to court records. The charge alleges she knowingly deleted evidence relevant to a federal investigation.

According to court records, Davis used her position as a jail employee to bring two inmates cellphones in July 2020. She allegedly discussed amounts and accounts to make financial transactions with one inmates wife and another inmate directly.

A correctional officer later caught the inmates with the phones. Davis was taken by police to the Jackson County Sheriffs Office headquarters and her cellphone was seized.

After meeting with her attorney at the sheriffs office, she allegedly had her lawyer ask police if she could have her phone back to retrieve a telephone number. They gave her the phone back.

Thats when she restored her phone to its factory settings and wiped all of the call logs and text messages on it, authorities allege. It was later examined by a digital forensic expert and rendered of no investigative value because of the reset, court records said.

The felony with which Davis was charged this week carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 and a half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, more than one year after Floyds death sparked an international movement against police brutality.

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, who presided over Chauvins murder trial, handed down a sentence of 270 months for charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyds May 25, 2020, death. Chauvin received a credit of 199 days served in prison. A jury convicted him of the charges on April 20.

What the sentence is not based on is emotion or sympathy, Cahill said. But at the same time, I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family. Im not going to attempt to be profound or clever because its not the appropriate time. Im not basing my sentence on public opinion. Im not basing it on any attempt to send any messages.

Derek Chauvin awaits sentencing at his hearing on Friday. (Court TV via Reuters)

Chauvin faced significant prison time for Floyds death. The most serious offense, second-degree murder, carries a penalty of up to 40 years in prison, according to Minnesota law. The other charges, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, can result in imprisonment of up to 25 and 10 years, respectively. Prosecutors wanted 30 years, while Chauvins attorney, Eric Nelson, asked for probation and time served. Floyds family wanted the maximum sentence.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the prosecution of Chauvin, said the sentence is one of the longest a former police officer has ever received for an unlawful use of deadly force."

Its difficult to see anybody lose their freedom, Ellison said after the sentencing. But seeing someone lose their life through torture [for] over nine and a half minutes is incomparably worse."

In a statement issued after the sentencing, civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents Floyd's family, called the sentence "historic" and said it "brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability."

Story continues

"For once, a police officer who wrongly took the life of a Black man was held to account. While this shouldnt be exceptional, tragically it is. Day after day, year after year, police kill Black people without consequence. But today, with Chauvins sentence, we take a significant step forward  something that was unimaginable a very short time ago."

Chauvin chose not to read a statement at the hearing, opting to simply offer his condolences to the Floyd family. (Court TV via Reuters)

The Rev. Al Sharpton acknowledged that the sentence "is the longest we've seen," but said it doesn't quite amount to justice.

"Because George Floyd is in a grave tonight, even though Chauvin will be in jail," he said during a news conference. "So let us not feel that we're here to celebrate, because justice would have been George Floyd never having been killed. Justice would have been the maximum. We got more than we thought only because we had been disappointed so many times before. Twenty-two and a half years is longer than we've ever gotten but shorter than what we should have gotten."

Brandon Williams, Floyd's nephew, said at the news conference that the sentence is too light. I feel that he should have received a life sentence, Williams said.

Chauvin now has 60 days to appeal his sentence with the Minnesota Court of Appeals. He can also appeal Cahills Friday ruling that denied his bid for a new trial.

Chauvin was found guilty of murdering Floyd during an arrest outside the Cup Foods convenience store in Minneapolis. Video taken by a bystander, showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck  depriving him of oxygen  played a key role in helping the jury decide to convict the former officer.

The sentence came after members of Floyds family read aloud victim impact statements at Friday's hearing. They included Floyds 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, and his brother Terrence.

Terrence Floyd spoke at the sentencing. (Court TV via Reuters)

I wanted to know from the man himself, why, Terrence Floyd, who paused at times to gather himself, told the court. What were you thinking? What was going through your head when you had your knee on my brothers neck?

Gianna Floyd said she loves and misses her father and hoped to play with him again.

We used to have dinner meals every single night before we went to bed, she said. My daddy used to help me brush my teeth.

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, spoke in support of her son, telling the court that he is not the person hes been portrayed as since Floyds death.

My sons identity has been reduced to that [of a] racist, she said. I want the court to know that none of these things are true. And that my son is a good man.

Derek Chauvin listens to the verdict at his trial in April; George Floyd. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photos: Court TV via Reuters Video, via Facebook)

Speaking on behalf of his client, Nelson told the court that Chauvin's "brain is littered with what-ifs."

"What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if, what if what if," Nelson said.

Chauvin declined to give a statement at the hearing, but he did offer his condolences to the Floyd family. There's going to be some other information in the future that will be of interest, and I hope it will give you some peace of mind, he said.

His sentencing may mark the end of the states case against him, but his three co-defendants are set to stand trial next March on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder. Additionally, all four former officers were indicted in May by a federal grand jury on charges that they deprived Floyd of his rights under the law during his arrest.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
In response to a racist text message Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett sent to Independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Bennett was right to apologize but he "[knows] her heart."

"What Minister Bennett did was wrong, it was hurtful and of course Im deeply disappointed," Trudeau said. "She did the right thing by apologizing because it was the wrong thing to do."

"As a government, as ministers, as Canadians we need to be focused on the work that needs to happen for Indigenous people across this country who have been going through extremely difficult times, not just these past weeks but over years and generations."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

On Thursday, Wilson-Raybould posted a screenshot of a text message she received from Bennett that read "Pension?" in response to a tweet calling on the prime minister to stop "selfish jockeying for an election" and take more action on his promised reconciliation with Indigenous people.

"I spoke with [Bennett] this morning," Trudeau said. "I know how hard she has worked and continued to work on this important file...and we both understand that there is now even more work for her to do, and I know we will do it together."

"Mistakes like this are hurtful and nudge us in the wrong direction instead of steadily moving in the right direction."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

"I let interpersonal dynamics get the better of me and sent an insensitive and inappropriate comment, which I deeply regret and shouldnt have done," the statement Bennett posted on Twitter reads.

In an open letter the The Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC) is calling for the immediate resignation of Bennett as Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations.

"With a single word  'pension'  you not only decided to perpetuate a damaging racial stereotype, that Indigenous peoples are lazy and only financially motivated- but dismissed the pressing, overarching issue of residential schools, missing and murdered children, and Indigenous rights," the letter reads.

Story continues

"Your implying that MP Wilson-Rayboulds fight for equality and justice is only motivated by a pension is categorically untrue, misogynistic, and condemnable... UBCIC is especially disturbed that you, the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations who has a mandate of the highest order to protect and advance Indigenous Title, Rights, and welfare, would resort to a low-handed attempt to shame and insult an Indigenous woman and fellow Member of Parliament."

Several Canadians commented on the text message and the minister's apology, including many who believe it does not go far enough.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited the southern U.S. border in El Paso, Texas, on Friday, where she once again emphasized that her main goal as immigration czar is to resolve whats causing Central American migrants to seek refuge to the U.S. in the first place.

Her trip included a tour of an El Paso migrant processing center, a visit to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, and a conversation with five young girls from Central America.

We are here today to address and to talk about what has brought people to the U.S. border and again to continue to address the root causes that cause people to leave and often flee their home country, Harris told reporters.

This is her first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border since President Joe Biden tapped her to handle the administrations immigration policies in March. Though shes visited Guatemala and Mexico on immigration-focused trips since then, Republican critics have been dogging her to visit the border and accused her of being unfit for the role.

Harris responded to some of that criticism on Friday.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a press conference at El Paso International Airport on Friday. (Photo: PATRICK T. FALLON via Getty Images)

An important aspect of this visit is leading this visit after the work that we did in Guatemala and Mexico, because as Ive long said  I said back in March I was going to come to the border, so this is not a new plan, she said when a reporter asked why she was making the visit now.

The reality of it is that we have to deal with causes, and we have to deal with the effects, she continued. So being in Guatemala, being in Mexico, talking with Mexico as a partner, frankly, on the issue was about addressing the causes. And then coming to the border ... is about looking at the effects of what we have seen happening in Central America.

Harris visit comes as the Biden administration grapples with soaring numbers of migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras  all places where the U.S. has played an integral role in exacerbating inequality and corruption  showing up at the border seeking asylum. More than 180,000 migrants arrived in May, according to Customs and Border Protection, and more than 112,000 were immediately expelled.

Story continues

As you all have heard me say many times, I strongly believe that most people dont want to leave home, Harris said at a press conference wrapping up her visit, adding that migrants do so because they cant provide basic necessities for their families in their home countries.

That belief has been reinforced throughout our day today, she said. The stories that I heard, the interactions that we had today, reinforced the nature of those lack of economic opportunities  very often violence, corruption and food insecurity, and basic needs not being met, including the fear of cartels and gangs.

As more migrants have come to the souther border, the Biden administration has continued a policy instituted under former President Donald Trump that denies asylum on the basis of protecting public health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, Harris urged migrants not to try to enter the U.S. right now.

The vice president said Friday that much work still needs to be done to build a fair and functional and humane immigration system, adding that Bidens administration inherited a tough situation, thanks to Trumps policy of separating migrant children from their parents.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Lawyers for the most famous proponents of former President Donald Trumps baseless election-fraud claims  Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Mike Lindell  argued to a federal judge on Thursday that their clients could not have defamed the voting machine firm Dominion Voting Systems because Dominion could not be defamed.

Dominion, in this context, is the government, Lindell attorney Doug Daniels contended, saying that election activities are so essential to democracy that any private company engaging in them should be treated as an extension of the government  which cant be sued for libel.

During a four-hour argument session in federal court in Washington, the attorneys for Giuliani, Powell and Lindell squared off with lawyers for Dominion, which filed a series of lawsuits earlier this year accusing its prominent critics of defamation.

While Lindell and Powell were on hand, Giuliani did not appear in court on Thursday as his lawyer argued for dismissal of the suit against the Trump attorney and former New York mayor. Earlier in the day, Giulianis New York law license was suspended after an appellate court said he made false and misleading statements about the 2020 election.

Although Trump has repeatedly decried the Supreme Courts New York Times v. Sullivan actual malice standard for making it too hard for public figures to sue for libel, the attorneys for Trumps allies enthusiastically embraced that rubric on Thursday to argue that Dominions suits should be thrown out before any fact-finding.

Andrew Parker, a lawyer for Lindell and his MyPillow company, said Dominion cannot prove actual malice  that is, knowing that statements were false and sharing them anyway or recklessly sharing them without regard for how true they are  because there's no evidence of that sort. He noted that concerns about election security and Dominions hackability have been publicly aired in the past by senators such as Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).

Story continues

Lawyers for the defendants argued that the court must dismiss the suit so as not to chill any criticism of the government, asserting that this is a First Amendment case.

It is that kind of hurly-burly in the marketplace of ideas that this country is grounded on, Daniels said. If such suits are allowed to proceed, he added, were going to become a society where opinions will be shut down.

Thomas Clare, a lawyer for Dominion, said painting Dominion as a government actor was a nonsensical argument. He also said scuttling the suits based on Times v. Sullivan would be unwarranted and a misapplication of the actual malice standard, as the allegations in the suit about the defendants intentionally distributing false statements overwhelmingly satisfy the standard.

The Dominion lawyer said their suits stand apart from others because Dominion put the election-fraud proponents on notice that their claims were false, there was specific evidence that the claims were false and the defendants falsified evidence to make their points.

Parker called the accusation about falsifying evidence a bald-faced allegation, maintaining that Lindell stands by the accuracy of his election claims.

Mr. Lindell not only believes those statements are true. He intends to prove they are, Parker said.

In addition to Giuliani, Powell and Lindell, the suits also name as defendants Lindells My Pillow firm and Powells organization Defending the Republic.

Another attorney for Dominion, Megan Meier, cited the Capitol riot earlier this year as she pleaded with U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols to reject arguments from several of the defendants that their ties to Washington are too weak to let the suits proceed here.

The events of Jan. 6 and the fact that those people were fooled by the defendants lies show that this court is the one that should resolve these cases, Meier said.

Nichols, a Trump appointee whom the former president nominated in 2018, issued no immediate ruling following the lengthy argument session. He said he planned to issue a written decision or perhaps multiple rulings on whether the cases could proceed to fact-finding and potential jury trials.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock leaves 10 Downing Street with aide Gina Coladangelo after the daily press briefing on May 01, 2020 in London, England Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock had an affair with an aide he hired on a 15,000 contract, The Sun reported.

Hancock was pictured embracing Gina Coladangelo, a close friend from university who he hired.

A Labour spokesperson said when "jobs are being offered to close friends who are in a personal relationship with a minister, then that needs to be looked into."

See more stories on Insider's business page.

The UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has apologized after he was photographed appearing to kiss a close personal friend who he hired as an advisor, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest after he appointed her to a 15,000-a-year role at the health department.

The Sun on Friday published photos that appeared to capture Hancock locked in an embrace with Gina Coladangelo in his office at the Department for Health.

Hancock, who is married, secretly hired former lobbyist Coladangelo as an adviser last year, The Sunday Times previously reported.

The pair met at Oxford University and remained close friends before he appointed her as an adviser in March and later gave her a 15,000-a-year role as a non-executive director at the Department of Health.

The photographs were taken less than two weeks before Hancock urged people to minimise indoor contact with others, and he on Friday apologised for breaching social distancing guidelines.

"I accept I breached social distancing guidance in these circumstances," he said in a statement cited by ITV News.

"I have let people down and am very sorry. I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter."

Coladangelo's LinkedIn profile states that she has served in as a non-executive director at the health department since September 2020, but there was no public record of her appointment, the Sunday Times reported.

The UK's ministerial code does not prevent ministers from engaging in sexual relationships with aides, said Catherine Haddon, a senior fellow at the Institute for Government.

Story continues

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

But the opposition Labour party said the report raised concerns over a potential conflict of interest.

A Labour spokesperson said: "Ministers, like everyone, are entitled to private life. However, when taxpayers' money is involved or jobs are being offered to close friends who are in a personal relationship with a minister, then that needs to be looked into

"The Government needs to be open and transparent about whether there are any conflicts of interests or rules that have been broken."

The photographs were stills taken from closed-circuit television cameras at the health department on May 6.

Less than two weeks later, Hancock urged British people to minimise indoor contact with others to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson on Friday said: "The prime minister has accepted the health secretary's apology and considers the matter closed."

Read the original article on Business Insider
VILNIUS (Reuters) - European Union sanctions imposed on Belarus potash have put limits on about 20% of exports of the product transported via Lithuania, its main export route, the head of Lithuanian Railways said on Friday.

About 11 million tonnes of Belarus potash crossed the Lithuanian border last year, with about 2.5 million tonnes falling under EU sanctions, Mantas Bartuska told reporters.

Lithuania's Klaipeda port shipped almost 10.7 million tonnes of Belarus potash last year via a terminal 30% owned by Belaruskali.

(Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Edmund Blair)
AMERICAS MESSY EXIT: President Joe Biden meets with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghanistans High Commission for National Reconciliation to, in the words of the White House, highlight the enduring partnership between the U.S. and Afghanistan as the military drawdown continues.

The meeting is set for 3:30 p.m., and there is no press availability scheduled other than whats known as a pool spray, in which cameras are allowed into the Oval Office for a brief photo-op, before the talks begin. Afterward, Biden helicopters off to Camp David for the weekend.

"I dont expect this visit to feature long shopping lists or in-depth negotiations. Its going to come down to a series of conversations, many of them quite glum, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, who said the Afghan leaders are looking for one thing: reassurance.

President Ghani will be looking for reassurance from President Biden that the U.S. remains committed to providing diplomatic support for the peace process and financial assistance for the Afghan military, Kugelman said. Both are critical, and if either is withdrawn, Afghanistan stands to suffer in a big way.

One thing Ghani and Abdullah want is for the United States to slow down the withdrawal, which will be mostly complete by next month, to buy them more time.

Assurances from President Biden that the final withdrawal wont be complete until September will give Kabul and Afghan security forces some breathing room, and it will help strengthen morale, at least for a short period, said Kugelman. In reality, theres little the Americans can do. Theyre on their way out, and an agreement with the Taliban limits their options for targeting the insurgents on the battlefield.

IMPENDING DOOM: A new U.S. intelligence assessment says that the Afghan government could fall within six months of the American military departing, reported the Washington Post, this morning.

Story continues

The assessment, distributed among U.S. officials within the past week, highlights an increasingly stark picture, the report said. The Taliban continues to take control of districts across the country, and Afghan military units are either laying down their arms or are being routed in bloody clashes.

ANOTHER GRIM ASSESSMENT: An analysis published yesterday by the respected military analyst Anthony Cordesman concludes that, as a practical matter, the U.S. has little choice at this point but to cut its losses.

The time has come to write off Afghanistan. There are no signs that a strong, unified, and effective Afghan government is emerging, he writes on the Center for Strategic and International Studies website.

Brutal as it may be to say so, it is simply too late to reverse the departure of U.S. and allied forces that the Trump Administration planned as part of its original peace initiative. The U.S. has already withdrawn and closed too much. Too many forces and bases are gone, too many capabilities are lost, and the Taliban has already made too many gains, writes Cordesman, who in the past has served as a consultant on Afghanistan to the Pentagon.

Measures like keeping small numbers of U.S. military advisors in or near Afghanistan, finding some way to keep military contractors in the country, providing limited advisory and maintenance support from the outside, boosting intelligence cadres in Kabul and near Afghanistan  and all the other forlorn hope approaches to provide support after September 1, 2021, are token measures that at best provide a political cloak for withdrawal.

EVACUATION PLANNED FOR AFGHAN HELPERS: The Biden administration is in the final stages of planning to evacuate tens of thousands of Afghans who worked for or with Americans during the 20 years of combat and who now face retribution from the Taliban.

The group is often referred to by the shorthand interpreters, but it includes everyone from security, drivers, embassy workers, and their families  more than 50,000 people altogether and perhaps as many as 70,000.

Members of Congress who have been pressing the administration to act more expeditiously to grant special immigrant visas to those who qualify have been told the plan is to move the refugees to a third country for processing.

I'm confident that the president wants to get them out. But I won't be confident as a Marine veteran until I see the operational plan, said Rep. Seth Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, on CNN. I want to see a detailed operational plan. I want there to be a clear person in charge of this effort responsible for making it happen. And I want the administration to reiterate its commitment to getting it done, to completing this mission no matter how long it takes.

Moulton and other members of Congress who have served in the military, including former Green Beret Rep. Michael Waltz and former Army Ranger Rep. Jason Crow, have suggested Guam as the logical place to process the evacuees safely.

We did the groundwork to make sure Guam was onboard with this, which took some effort here in Congress, said Moulton. We've laid out Guam. It's what we think as the best option. But frankly, if the administration has a better option, that's good by us.

After the fall of Saigon in 1975, some 130,000 Vietnamese refugees passed through Guam.

US PLANS TO EVACUATE AFGHANS WHO HELPED DEPARTING TROOPS

Good Friday morning, and welcome to Jamie McIntyres Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesnt work, shoot us an email and well add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE

Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue!

NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will not publish on July 5 as we observe the long Independence Day holiday weekend. Back on July 6.

HAPPENING TODAY: Before heading over to the White House, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani is scheduled to visit the Pentagon for a meeting with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at 11:30 a.m.

ABOUT THAT EVACUATION: At yesterdays Pentagon briefing, spokesman John Kirby hinted that the evacuation of Afghans would likely be conducted by chartered commercial airliners, not U.S. military aircraft.

I would just remind  and you know this  that not all such evacuation operations require the military aircraft to conduct, Kirby said. I don't want to get ahead of things, but as you well know, it's not like we haven't done this before using chartered aircraft, commercially leased aircraft, or contracted aircraft.

The idea here is to be able to facilitate their departure from Afghanistan to another location so that they can complete the SIV process, Kirby said. Whether that leads to all of them coming to the United States or some, I mean, we just don't know.

NO IRAN DEAL: State Department officials poured cold water yesterday on reports that the U.S. was close to a deal with Iran about reentering the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aka the Iran nuclear deal.

We still have serious differences that have not been bridged, serious differences with Iran over the host of issues, whether its the nuclear steps that Iran needs to take to come back into compliance, the sanctions relief that the U.S. will be offering, or the sequence of steps that both sides would be taking, said a senior State Department official at a background briefing for reporters yesterday.

Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. And since everything is not agreed, we still dont have anything nailed down, the official said. Let me make it absolutely clear: We just concluded round six. We will be resuming or coming back for round seven sometime in the not-too-distant future, and we wouldnt be doing that if the deal were already done.

IRAN POISED TO RETURN TO GLOBAL OIL MARKETS IF BIDEN REVIVES NUCLEAR DEAL

DEFUND THE MILITARY? Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milleys spirited defense of teaching cadets at West Point about the tenets of critical race theory has sparked a backlash from conservative Republicans who argue Milley doesnt seem to grasp the divisiveness of the theory.

I've read Mao Zedong. I've read Karl Marx. I've read Lenin. That doesn't make me a communist, Milley said during testimony at Wednesdays Senate Armed Services Committee. So, what is wrong with understanding, having some situational understanding about the country for which we are here to defend?

Milleys argument  that members of the U.S. military need to be open-minded and be widely read  set off a rant last night on Fox News by host Laura Ingraham.

We are sending our tax dollars to this military in an attempt to weed out so-called extremists, which just means conservative evangelicals as far as I can tell. ... Were paying for that? Why is Congress not saying, Were not going to give you a penny until all of this is eradicated from the military budget. Nothing. This is my offer to you: nothing. That's what I would say. I am totally outraged by him and his ridiculous response.

No, youre right, Laura, said Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, a Republican who was a guest on Ingrahams show. I understand your anger because Im upset about it as well. Youre 100% correct. Congress should not be sending money to the military in order to teach critical race theory.

Go after their budget, Ingraham said as she wrapped up the segment. The only thing they understand is their budget, their money. Thats it. Thats all they understand.

REPUBLICANS DRAG 'RIDICULOUS' MARK MILLEY 'WHITE RAGE' DEFENSE OF CRITICAL RACE THEORY

GIVE APPLE DAILY THE GOLD: Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska has introduced a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to staff and the editors of the Apple Daily for courage and determination in the face of the Chinese Communist Partys tyranny.

Beijing closed down Hong Kong's pro-democracy paper by freezing its assets, saying it was in violation of a draconian national security law imposed last year in response to mass pro-democracy protests

The men and women who ran Apple Daily are heroes. Lets be clear about why they just ran their last issue: Their defense of free thought and speech made them scary to the Chinese Communist Party. They courageously stood up to kangaroo courts and told the truth. The Apple Daily journalists exposed Chairman Xi as a man afraid of the people he seeks to hold down, said Sasse. The free world owes them our gratitude, and the least we can do is award them the Congressional Gold Medal.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: US plans to evacuate Afghans who helped departing troops

Washington Examiner: Russia warns of 'a real conflict' with NATO over Black Sea naval exercises

Washington Examiner: Allies irritated as Germany and France try to follow Biden with Putin summit

Washington Examiner: Republicans drag 'ridiculous' Mark Milley 'white rage' defense of critical race theory

Washington Examiner: Iran poised to return to global oil markets if Biden revives nuclear deal

Washington Examiner: US says 'all countries should be concerned' about arms sales to Myanmar junta

Washington Examiner: WWII Medal of Honor recipient welcomes great-grandson into Marines

Washington Post: Afghan government could fall within six months of U.S. military withdrawal, new intelligence assessment says

AP: US to keep about 650 troops in Afghanistan after withdrawal

AP: Taliban gains drive Afghan government to recruit militias

Reuters: China Says After Massed Drills That Taiwans Future Lies In Reunification

The Drive: Guam's New Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System Could Go Underground And Mobile

ISNI News: Panel: All Services Need Long-Range Strike Capabilities

Defense One: Black Sea Incident Shows Russia's Determination to Claim Waters Illegally

New York Times: British Warship Deliberately Sailed Close to Crimea, U.K. Officials Say

Reuters: Russia Warns Britain It Will Bomb Ships Next Time

USNI News: Harker: Navy Planning New Multi-Year Destroyer Buy

Stars and Stripes: Infantry Training More Intense As Marines Corps Makes Major Changes, Commandant Tells Senators

Bloomberg: Russia and China Make War-Gaming Fashionable Again in the West

Washington Examiner: Opinion: Rep Chris Stewart: We can still send Putin a message

Washington Examiner: Opinion: China goes through the looking glass with new human rights paper

Washington Examiner: Opinion: Gen. Milley is clueless on critical race theory

Washington Post: Defund the military? GOPs anti-woke crusade dips into dicey territory.

Calendar

FRIDAY | JUNE 25

9 a.m.  Middle East Institute virtual discussion: Iran, Russia and China in the Post U.S. Withdrawal Afghan Landscape, with Mustafa Sarwar, senior editor of Radio Azadi; Reid Standish, correspondent at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; Marvin Weinbaum, MEI Afghanistan and Pakistan studies director; and Fatemeh Aman, MEI non-resident senior fellow https://www.mei.edu/events

12 p.m.  Heritage Foundation virtual discussion: Preview of the Heritage Foundation's 2021 China Transparency Report, with Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio; former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Feith, adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security; Chad Wolf, visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation's Davis Institute; and Walter Lohman, director of the Heritage Asian Studies Center https://www.heritage.org/asia/event/virtual-preview

1 p.m.  Defense One Tech Summit, with Tim Grayson, director, Strategic Technology Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency; Rob Joyce, director, Cybersecurity, National Security Agency; and Lisa Sanders, director of science and technology for special operations forces, acquisition, technology and logistics, U.S. Special Operations Command. https://d1techsummit.com

MONDAY | JUNE 28

2 p.m.  Hudson Institute virtual event: The U.S. Maritime Industrial Base and Competition with China, with Rep. Rob Wittman R-Va.; Rep. Mike Gallagher R-Wisc; and Bryan Clark, Hudson Institute senior fellow. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-event

TUESDAY | JUNE 29

2 p.m.  Association of the U.S. Armys Thought Leaders webinar, with retired Col. Tom Vossler and retired Col. Jeff McCausland to discuss their book, Battle Tested! Gettysburg Leadership Lessons for 21st Century Leaders. Register at: https://info.ausa.org/e/784783/s-Webinar-Series-Battle-Tested

11 a.m. 2118 Rayburn  House Armed Services Committee hearing: The Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for the Department of the Army, with Christine Wormuth, secretary of the Army; and Gen. James McConville. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

4 p.m. 2118 Rayburn  House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems hearing, Department of Defense Information Technology, Cybersecurity, and Information Assurance for Fiscal Year 2022, with John Sherman, acting Pentagon chief information officer. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 30

3 p.m. 2118 Rayburn  House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces Hearing: Fiscal Year 2022 Rotary Wing Aviation Budget Request, with Douglas Bush, acting assistant secretary of the army for acquisition, logistics and technology; Maj. Gen. Walter Rugen, director, Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team, Army Futures Command; Frederick Jay Stefany, acting assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition; Lt. Gen. Mark Wise, deputy Marine Corps commandant for aviation; Rear Adm. Andrew Loiselle, director, Air Warfare Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations; Darlene Costello, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics; Brig Gen. Mark August, director, Air Force Global Reach Programs. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings



QUOTE OF THE DAY

Young Americans who, in some future conflict, will need partners and allies on the ground, they'll make that same promise. They'll say, Come work with us, and we'll have your backs.' If they look back at Afghanistan and see we abandoned our allies, then that's going to impact our national security, our ability to find allies in the future for decades to come.



Former Marine Rep. Seth Moulton, on the moral imperative to evacuate Afghans who have helped the U.S. over the past two decades.



Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: National Security, Daily on Defense

Original Author: Jamie McIntyre

Original Location: Low expectations as Biden meets with Afghan leaders at the White House
Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/Getty

For the last seven weeks, health officials in Mesa County, Colorado, have been scrambling to contain the highly transmissible Delta variant of the novel coronavirus. But now, as a huge music festival kicks off, time may be up.

As the first location in Colorado to positively identify the presence of the variant deemed potentially more deadly and at least 50 percent more contagious on May 5, the county, nestled at the states border with Utah, only had five cases. Within a month, with the vaccination rate in the area low, the variant positivity rate soared 2,500 percent.

And health-care officials believe that number will only go higherespecially with the start of Country Jam, the states largest three-day music festival that has already sold 50,000 tickets. The potential disaster site pitted vaccine holdouts against an extra-contagious variant of COVID-19one that may make people sicker, fasterin a local encapsulation of a phenomenon experts fear will play out in anti-vaxxer bastions nationwide.

Ive never seen anything like this in my 20 years in health care, Dr. Thomas Tobin, the chief medical examiner in Community Hospital in Grand Junction, told The Daily Beast, adding that his hospital is almost at capacity. Pretty much everyone thats coming into the hospital is unvaccinated. Some of those people swear they dont believe in COVID all the way up to when theyre in their hospital room, strapped to machines.

And now with Country Jam? From a medical standpoint, the question is how much worse is it going to get for us here in Mesa.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

A spokesperson for the Mesa County Health Department told The Daily Beast that as of Thursday, the county was approaching 300 cases of the Delta variantmaking it the dominant strain in the county and resulting in an uptick in hospitalization and deaths. And state officials believe that caseload, which accounts for about 54 percent of all Delta cases in Colorado, is only expected to worsen given the abundance of residents who have refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Story continues

We are seeing the variant spreads more easily between people, and we know that because of this we dont know about every case. So we suspect the actual number is greater, and growing at a more alarming pace than we have data for, Mesa County Health Department spokesperson Amanda Mayle said.

Right now, we are seeing more Delta variant [cases] in our community instead of the Alpha variant first identified in the U.K., the spokesperson added. So as of right now, the Delta variant is our dominant strain.

The variant, first detected in India, has since made its way to at least 60 countries, and it currently comprises at least 10 percent of all COVID-19 cases in the United States. The highly transmissible variant can cause more severe illness, and may even carry double the risk of hospitalization compared to the Alpha variant. It can also cause several alarming symptoms, including hearing loss and gastric distress.

Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and a specialist in infectious diseases, stressed to The Daily Beast that the only reason we are even talking about the Delta variant in the United States is because of the unvaccinated population.

Vaccine hesitancy is making the Delta variant a bigger problem than it needed to be so we will see the variant spread rapidly in an unvaccinated population, Adalja said, adding that while the surge will be different than what the country saw last year, we will continue to see an increase in hospitalization in areas where people still refuse to get the jab.

Adalja added that this variant is 50 to 60 times more contagious than the Alpha variant, so why roll the dice.

In Grand Junction, Mesas county seat, there are only two hospitals trying to contain the influx of hospital patients. Tobin said that both were nearing capacity, a reality that the chief medical examiner said was frustrating his staff because at this point this is all preventable.

Our COVID-19 numbers are getting close to what we saw in November and Decemberwhen we had hit our apex. And the primary reason is people not getting vaccinated, Tobin said. We are frustrated, were tired, and its upsetting to look around our state and the country and see other places having to drop COVID-19 numbers while we are surging.

Every time we think were getting out head above water, were back in the trenches, back to where we were months ago. Were treading water, hoping that a life vest will be thrown and it doesnt come.

Mayle said that despite the alarming rise in infections, the countys vaccination rate is lagging behind other parts of Colorado. To date, only about 40 percent of the countys 154,210 population is fully inoculated, and 44 percent has gotten at least one vaccine shot.

We are steadily increasing our vaccination rate because we want more people to be vaccinated. But there are parts of Colorado that are doing better, she said.

The Mesa County Health Department added that there are several reasons for vaccine hesitancy in the county, including concerns about missing work from vaccination side effects, the long-term effects of the jab, and its overall effectiveness.

Nicole Inman, a 45-year-old archaeologist and historian who lives in Mesa County, can easily list the litany of excuses for why those close to her wont get vaccinated despite the extremely concerning Delta variant.

Her Mother Died of COVIDbut That Wont Convince Her to Get Vaccinated

It is just the flu. The vaccine is experimental. Just let your immune system do its job. The government is trying to control us. It is insanity, Marie, who is vaccinated, told The Daily Beast, adding that strong opposition is also primarily anti-government sentiment.

One of her biggest concerns is what she describes as a perfect storm of low vaccination ratesplus the upcoming holiday weekend and Country Jam.

The festival, which in 2017 boasted 92,000 attendees, has returned to Mesa County for the first time since 2019 and has garnered impressive headline artistsincluding Luke Comes, Toby Eith, and Carrie Underwood. On its official website, Country Jam has urged concert-goers to get vaccines or tested for COVID-19 prior to the event.

Noting Mesa Countys current COVID-19 surge, the festival also has asked that masks be worn at all times and for three feet of social distancing to be maintained.

Mayle added that the state mobile vaccine bus will also be at the three-day festival and that they are working with festival organizers to ensure concert-goers know the risks associated with large events and there has been direct messaging to participants about the spread of the Delta variant in our community.

Safety messages will be broadcast throughout the venue. Residents who are not feeling well are advised to stay home, and all concert-goers will be urged on-site to exercise caution and take prevention measures; especially in non-ventilated areas where large crowds gatherplaces like food and beverage lines and restrooms, Mayle said. The festival did not immediately respond to The Daily Beasts request for comment.

I am not a health professional, but it seems as if [the concert] is a great opportunity for the Delta variant to spread across the country, which is certain to begin another wave of illness, Inman said.

She added that while the concert is held in a large open agricultural field, those attending the event will need lodging and food.

I just hope that those who hesitated before the variant will feel more motivated to be vaccinated, she said. All of the people traveling here, picking up the variant, will, I assume, then expose their family/friends at a July 4 celebration.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
Jackson County prosecutors on Friday charged a 37-year-old man in the shooting death of a woman whose body was dropped off at a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Ryan A. Gillispie of Independence faces second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges in the killing of Ales L. Carr, 30, of Kansas City. Prosecutors allege after shooting Carr, Gillispie wrapped the womans head in a Kansas City Chiefs towel.

Police said the shooting took place at a residence in the 3200 block of S. Englewood Terrace in Independence. Officers responded to Centerpoint Medical Center at about 12:30 a.m. Monday after a woman with a gunshot wound to the head was dropped off near the ambulance entrance.

According to court records, investigators obtained video surveillance from a residence on North Agnes Avenue that allegedly showed Gillispie with a Kansas City Chiefs towel wrapped around his neck.

Prosecutors allege the same towel was found with Carr when she was dropped off at Centerpoint Medical Center. They also allege that Carr was shot in the back of the head and the bullet passed through her mouth, knocking out several teeth.

Surveillance video from the hospital showed a white Ford Econoline van pull up to the ambulance patient drop off area. A man was then seen carrying a woman toward the doors of the hospital. The woman was placed on the ground and the man drove away in the van, according to court documents.

Hospital workers found the woman, who was later identified as Carr and rendered first aid, but she was soon pronounced dead.

Carr was initially found to have a Kansas City Chiefs towel wrapped around her head that was held in place by a piece of electrical wire.

Authorities later located a van that matched the description of the vehicle captured earlier on surveillance video from the hospital. Detectives noticed blood on the drivers door and the side passenger doors.

Witnesses told investigators that Carr was with Gillispie on the day of the shooting, according to court records.
A man was stopped by Colorado police after they said he was stabbed in the head and tried to drive to the emergency room.

The Pueblo Police Department said on Facebook that officers responded to a stabbing report Thursday night and found a man with a knife sticking out of his head who was driving to the ER.

Investigators said the stabbing is believed to have happened during a road rage incident and a knife was thrown at the mans head, KKTV reported.

The man was taken to the hospital and is expected to survive, according to authorities.

Police said the woman in the passenger seat gave a description of the man who stabbed the victim and Operational Firearms Commander Greg Golden found Matthew Sanchez, 20, and arrested him for attempted first-degree murder.

The investigation is ongoing, according to police.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Manhattan district attorneys office has told lawyers for former U.S. President Donald Trump it is considering filing criminal charges against his family business in connection with fringe benefits it awarded a top executive, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The district attorney, Cyrus Vance, could announce charges against the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg, as soon as next week, the newspaper said, citing several people with knowledge of the matter.

"It looks like they are going to come down with charges against the company and that is completely outrageous," Ron Fischetti, a lawyer for the Trump Organization, told NBC News. "The corporate office will plead not guilty and we will make an immediate motion to dismiss the case against the corporation."

Lawyers for the company could not immediately be reached for comment. A lawyer for Weisselberg declined to comment. Vance's office also declined to comment.

Any criminal charges would be the first in Vance's probe into Trump and his business dealings.

Vance's office had said it was investigating "possibly extensive and protracted criminal conduct" at the Trump Organization, including tax and insurance fraud and falsification of business records.

Company lawyers met on Thursday with top prosecutors in Vance's office to try to persuade them not to go forward, Fischetti told NBC News.

Such meetings are common in white-collar criminal probes. The Times has said developments in the probe could increase pressure on Weisselberg to cooperate with prosecutors and testify against the former president.

Trump has not been charged and it is unclear whether charges will be brought.

Vance's probe nevertheless could complicate any return to politics by Trump, who has lost some of his ability to communicate publicly by being permanently banned from Twitter and suspended for two years by Facebook.

Story continues

Court filings and records subpoenaed in the investigation show that Weisselberg and his son Barry have received corporate perks and gifts worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in their years associated with the Trump Organization.

If they failed to account properly for that money on tax returns and other financial filings, they could be in legal jeopardy, legal experts have said.

New York state's attorney general, Letitia James, has also opened a criminal probe into Trump's company.

She has been investigating whether the Trump Organization inflated the values of some properties to obtain better terms on loans, and lowered their values to obtain property tax breaks.

Vance's probe began after Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen paid hush money to silence two women before the 2016 presidential election about sexual encounters with Trump that they claimed to have had.

Trump has denied the women's claims.

Court records show there is some overlap between Vance's and James' separate probes, including their focus on Seven Springs, a 212-acre (86-hectare) estate outside Manhattan that Trump bought in 1995.

James is examining the propriety of a $21.1 million tax deduction taken when Trump agreed not to develop the property, after local opposition derailed his goal of building a golf course, and a separate plan to build luxury homes was shelved.

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert and Paul Grant in Washington and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller)
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that Nicaragua should not use repression or jail opponents, and that the people of the Central American country should be able to make choices freely in elections.

Lopez Obrador said his country would comment on human rights, whether in Nicaragua, where opponents have been jailed, or in Colombia, where police have been accused of excessive force against protesters.

"Rights should be guaranteed, there should be no repression, not in Nicaragua, not in Colombia, nor in any other country in the world," Lopez Obrador said in response to a question from a reporter at a regular morning news conference.

Mexico, along with Argentina, abstained from a vote criticizing Nicaragua last week at the Organization of American States (OAS), reflecting a mistrust by left-leaning governments of the diplomatic body they see as a tool of Washington to interfere in their affairs.

However, both governments have shown concern about the situation and recalled their ambassadors for consultations.

"A respectful recommendation: if you act in this way, guaranteeing full freedom, those who are used to intervening in other countries' affairs will have no pretext or excuse to interfere," Lopez Obrador said.

The government of Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega has arrested at least 15 political opponents in recent weeks, including five presidential hopefuls.

The crackdown comes ahead of the presidential vote in which the long-ruling leader will run for a fourth consecutive term. A journalist and at least two others have also been detained.

Lopez Obrador reiterated that governments should be built democratically, regardless of their ideological leaning, also singling out Peru where conservatives are trying to overrule the apparent victory of a left-wing candidate.

The Andean country has yet to formally declare a winner of the run-off presidential elections held on June 11 after Keiko Fujimori made allegations of fraud with little evidence and sought to disqualify votes in favor of Pedro Castillo.

(Reporting by Adriana Barrera and Raul CortesWriting by Stefanie EschenbacherEditing by Frank Jack Daniel)
The number of people listed as missing after the collapse of a 12-storey building in the US city of Miami has risen to 159, officials say.

Four people are known to have died.

The mayor of Miami-Dade says they "still have hope" of finding survivors. Search teams working around the clock have reported hearing people banging beneath the debris.

What caused the 40-year-old building to collapse early on Thursday morning remains unclear.

At least 102 people have now been accounted for, but it is uncertain how many were in the building when it came down. Dozens of people have been evacuated from what is left of the structure.

President Joe Biden has approved an emergency declaration for Florida, meaning the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) will help state agencies with the relief effort.

Overnight hundreds of rescuers used sonar cameras and specially trained dogs as they scoured the rubble for survivors. Teams were tunnelling from an underground car park below the building in an effort to reach victims.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The mayor of Surfside, where the disaster happened, Charles Burkett, said at an early-morning news conference that some 15 families had walked out of the building.

Most residents would have been asleep when the collapse happened at about 01:00 (05:00 GMT).

"It's heartbreaking because it doesn't seem to me... that we will find people alive," Mr Burkett said.

However, on Friday Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said they would do "everything possible" to locate survivors.

"We will continue search and rescue because we still have hope that we will find people alive," she said.

A large section of the 12-storey apartment block crumbled early on Thursday

Overnight, search teams detected sounds of banging and other noises, but no voices coming from the tonnes of debris. Officials say the efforts are dangerous as further rubble could collapse on them.

Story continues

Constant rain and storms are further complicating an already difficult task for the search-and-rescue teams.

Authorities have begun taking DNA samples from relatives of those missing in case only remains of their family members are found in the rubble.

Families and friends are desperate for information about the missing

Relatives of the missing have been huddled around a community centre a few blocks away, waiting for information and fearing the worst. They have been putting out appeals on social media for information that could help them find their loved ones.

Nicolas Fernandez said his calls to missing loved ones had gone unanswered.

"I think they're gone," he told CBS. "I don't want to be pessimistic, but we've been calling them non-stop with no reply."

Jenny Urgelles woke up to the news that her parents' building had collapsed. She called them, but both their phones went straight to voicemail.

"I am holding on to hope. I'm very desperate to know what's happening," she told a local TV channel.

Miami map

A large section of the oceanfront Champlain Towers in Surfside crumbled to the ground in the early hours of Thursday.

The BBC's Will Grant at the scene says the collapse has left children's bedrooms visible - "It's a very disturbing sight."

Eyewitnesses described hearing what sounded like thunder before seeing a huge cloud of dust in the aftermath of the collapse. One compared the scene to the 11 September 2001 attacks on the Twin Towers in New York.

Resident Barry Cohen was in bed when the building started to collapse. "It sounded like thunder, and my wife and I, we went out on the balcony; it looked like a bomb had exploded," he told the BBC.

"When we opened the door, there was no building there, it was just a pile of rubble," he said.

What caused the collapse?

It remains unknown. A full investigation will begin after the rescue mission.

As the building has stood since 1980, it was due its standard 40-year review. The building was undergoing its "recertification" process and required repairs, officials said.

Graphic showing images of the building before and after it collapsed

A study from researchers at Florida International University published last year found that the building had been sinking at a rate of two millimetres per year in the 1990s, which may have affected the building structurally.

But the author has cautioned that the study was just a snapshot in time. The building was constructed on reclaimed wetland, which experts say is always of concern as the land underneath can compact over time, leading to shifts.

On the sinking, the author of the study, Prof Shimon Wdowinski, told the Miami Herald newspaper: "We've seen much higher than that, but it stood out because most of the area was stable and showed no subsidence."

Prof Wdowinski said the research is not meant to suggest certainty about the latest incident.

Banner saying 'Get in touch'

Are you in the area? Did you witness the building collapse? If it is safe to do so please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.
(AFP via Getty Images)

Rescuers searching for survivors in the twisted wreckage of an apartment building that collapsed just outside of Miami have started using dogs and heavy machinery in their bid to save lives.

Nearly 160 people are unaccounted for, and another four have died as a result of the collapse in Surfside, Florida.

One woman, Stacie Fang, has been confirmed dead. Her teenage son, Jonah Handler, was rescued from the rubble.

The 12-storey Champlain Tower South collapsed at 1.30am on Thursday, with more than half the building crumbling into a smoldering pile of rubble.

On Thursday, rescue crews brought dogs and heavy machinery in to assist with the effort. Authorities on site say they still have hope they will find survivors amidst the rubble.

In addition to the heavy machinery, rescue crews are also using technology that allows them to detect sounds beneath the rubble to help them pinpoint where survivors might be trapped.

Rescuers have reported hearing noises beneath the rubble, though those sounds may be the result of twisting metal and shifting rubble.

Torrential rainfall has added to the difficulty of the rescue mission, though officials have insisted that the rain will not stop them.

However, the storms in the area may bring lightning, which could bring the rescue efforts to a halt due to the metal in the rubble and the potential for fuel and other accelerants in the rubble to be ignited by a lightning strike.

Rescue crews have already had to put the search on hold twice due to lightning.

Joe Biden authorized FEMA to assist with the rescue operation, joining state and local rescue crews in the effort.

One resident, who spoke with The Associated Press, said he heard a crack that sounded like lightning around 1.15am. When he went to his balcony, the resident saw dust in the air. After looking out his apartment's front door, he saw that half the building had collapsed.

The resident was eventually rescued by firefighters using a cherry picker.

Story continues

More than 130 firefighters are involved in the rescue effort, many of whom are removing rubble by hand or using light equipment like shovels and handsaws.

Surfside's mayor, Charles Burkett, told The Associated Press that the city did not have a resource problem, but a "luck problem.

Daniella Levine Cava, the mayor of Miami-Dade, said despite the risks associated with the rescue operation, responders are continuing through the night and the inclement weather to try to find survivors.

"Debris is falling on them as they do their work. We have structural engineers on site to ensure that they will not be injured, but they are proceeding because they are so motivated and they are taking extraordinary risk on the site every day," she said.

Ms Cava said she, and the rescuers, are still hopeful that they will find survivors.

Two survivors, one of them a young boy, have already been pulled from the rubble.

A pregnant British mother, her husband and their daughter are believed to be among those still missing.

People with loved ones in the building have been waiting at a nearby reunification site, providing on-site officials with DNA swabs which could be used to help identify individuals who were killed in the collapse.

Senator Marco Rubio's office has been working to obtain emergency visas for individuals from more than a dozen countries who have family living in the building.

"Many are starting to or have already arrived in South Florida," the senator said in a tweet.

Images of the collapse were shared on news outlets and across social media on Thursday and Friday. One video, from a security camera over a set of nearby pools, shows half the building sliding off and crumbling into a cloud of dust.

Other images, captured by photographers at the scene, showed personal items hanging from the debris, including children's bunk beds, sheets, and other household items.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that the images could not properly capture the devastation at the site.

The TV doesnt do it justice, Mr DeSantis said. It is really, really traumatic to see the collapse of a massive structure like that.

He thanked Mr Biden for "stepping up the plate" and providing federal aid for the rescue effort.

While the initial focus is rightly on the rescue of survivors in the rubble and, later, on the recovery of those who died, officials are already demanding an investigation into how the building could have collapsed.

Mr DeSantis said the families of the victims and survivors "have a right to know" what went wrong.

"We need a definitive explanation for how this happened," the governor said.

The structure was built in 1981 and recently passed a 40-year inspection, according to an attorney representing the company that owns the building.

A researcher at the Florida International University told USA Today that the building has been sinking into the surrounding wetlands at a shocking rate since the 1990s.

Barry Cohen, one of the building's resident and a former vice mayor of Surfside, said he raised concerns years ago about cracks in the pavement by the condo's pool, suggesting that nearby construction was undermining the structural integrity of the building.

There is no indication currently that those factors played into the collapse, and the attorney representing the owners of the building has vehemently condemned those positing potential reasons for the collapse prior to an investigation.

Read More

Munich massacre: the Olympics darkest day revisited

Derek Chauvin breaks silence to claim he has information to give peace of mind at sentencing for George Floyd murder

Derek Chauvins sentencing brings US one step closer to healing, Floyd family attorney says as world reacts
Microsoft said Friday it has seen new attacks from the Russia-based "threat actor" responsible for the attacks on SolarWinds customers.

Driving the news: The company indicated the activity was targeted at specific customers including IT companies, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and think tanks, and financial services.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

Microsoft refers to the attackers as Nobelium, and said the activity involved password spray and brute-force attacks.

It added that it's aware of three "compromised entities," but the majority of targets were not successfully compromised. All customers that were targeted were notified.

The company also detected information-stealing malware on a machine that belonged one of its workers with access to basic account information for a "small number" of its customers, and the attacker used the information to launch "highly targeted attacks" as part of a broader campaign.

Microsoft says it has secured the device.

Flashback: Nobelium recently targeted human rights and international aid groups.

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
Reuters

WINNIPEG, Canada (Reuters) -Protesters have toppled statues of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II in the Canadian city of Winnipeg as anger grows over the discovery of the remains of hundreds of children in unmarked graves at former indigenous schools. The action took place on Canada Day on Thursday, when traditionally celebrations take place across the country. However, many cities scrapped events this year as the scandal over the indigenous children made Canadians confront their colonial history.
Southwest Airlines has canceled more than 500 weekend flights and delayed more than 2,500 others, the continuation of a rough month for the nation's largest domestic carrier and its passengers.

The operational woes come amid a spike in flight attendant sick calls, but the airline says bad weather across the country is to blame.

Southwest canceled 287 Saturday flights, or 8% of its flights, as of 5:30 p.m. ET, after canceling 254 Friday flights, or 6% percent of its flights, according to flight tracker FlightAware. It had the most cancellations of any U.S. carrier, in total and as a percentage of flights, each day.

Tardy flights are a big issue, too: Southwest delayed nearly 1,600 Friday flights, or 43% of its flights, more than any U.S. airline, and so far Saturday has delayed 960 flights, or 28% of its flights, according to FlightAware.

The cancellations and delays come a week after Southwest canceled or delayed hundreds of flights due to two separate technology issues and a week after American Airlines struggled with operational woes during the busy Father's Day travel weekend and said it would proactively cancel nearly 1,000 July flights to give it more breathing room when weather and other issues crop up.

Why are Southwest flights canceled today



Southwest spokeswoman Alyssa Foster told USA TODAY on Saturday that the airline proactively canceled 150 flights "due to widespread thunderstorms expect across parts of the nation.'' She cited cities including Denver, Orlando, Chicago and St. Louis.

"These proactive cancellations will allow us to minimize delays and diversions due to the storms and probable ATC (air traffic control) initiatives,'' she said in a statement.

On Friday, Southwest spokesman Dan Landson attributed Friday's cancellations to summer storms.

"To proactively manage our operation, we implemented a scheduled reduction ahead of expected storms and probable air traffic control initiatives,'' he said in a statement.

Story continues

"Excessive'' flight attendant sick calls a factor?

On Friday, Southwest implemented its emergency sick call procedures for the second time in a week due to a spike in flight attendants calling in sick, a level the airline deems "excessive.''

"We simply cannot manage the operation with the number of sick calls we are taking and quickly using reserves,'' Sonya Lacore, Southwest's vice president of inflight operations, said in a memo to flight attendants viewed by USA TODAY.

Lacore apologized to employees for the extra steps the emergency call in procedure require for those who are ill but said it is required to "keep the operation running.''

"I also recognize many of you are tired and our intent in moving in this direction is not to make this a punishment,'' Lacore said. "We are simply doing what is required to keep our planes flying and protect both our operation and flight attendants already at work.''

Asked about the implementation of the emergency sick call procedures, Southwest's Foster attributed it to the airline's "irregular operations'' caused by "large, summer thunderstorms.''

"It is not uncommon for Southwest to proactively implement this policy in peak travel and/or holiday timeframes to protect the operation and our working crews to ensure appropriate staffing,'' Foster said via email.

What happens if Southwest cancels my flight?

Travelers whose flights are canceled are being rebooked on other flights. But some travelers are finding the next flight isn't always the same day given the busy summer travel season.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

And plenty of travelers are finding it hard to reach the airline, a universal problem for passengers this summer.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Can I get a refund if an airline cancels my flight?

Passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly delayed are eligible for a refund per U.S. Department of Transportation rules, even if the airline has already rebooked them.

The problem with opting for a refund during peak travel times if your trip is a must and you're on a budget: Finding a last-minute flight on another airline won't be easy or cheap.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Southwest canceling flights: Airline cancels 500+ weekend flights
Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi vowed Friday to root out Islamic State-linked militants in the north of the country with the help of regional allies that are set to contribute ground forces.

The 16 southern African countries in the SADC bloc on Wednesday approved the deployment of forces to help quash the deadly insurgency that has ravaged the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province since late 2017.

The insurgency has claimed more than 2,900 lives, according to conflict data tracker ACLED, and displaced around 800,000 people, according to the United Nations.

SADC did not say how many troops would be sent or when, but Nyusi, in a speech marking the country's 46th anniversary of independence from Portugal, said the militants would be crushed with foreign assistance.

"We will do everything to ensure that the coming times are of despair and agony for the terrorists operating in Mozambique," said Nyusi in a televised address.

Mozambique's "brave defence and security forces will intensify their operations to hunt down these criminals, getting the necessary support from SADC and friendly countries but without compromising our sovereignty as a nation," he said.

Portugal and the United States have provided training for Mozambican troops, but this is the first time Nyusi's government has been open to foreign boots on the ground to fight the jihadists.

Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva on Wednesday said he expected a European Union military training mission for Mozambique to be approved on July 12.

str-sn/gd
Back in April, NASAs Ingenuity rover captured the imagination of the world when it sent back an epic selfie it took with Ingenuity on the surface of Mars. It turns out, capturing that photo wasnt so easy as Perseverance posing, taking a single photo and calling it a day. According to a new video NASA released on Friday, what we got to see here on Earth was the result of 62 separate images the agency stitched together.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The way NASA tells it, the process was complicated and time-consuming. It involved about a dozen experts, including a variety of engineers, to pull everything off, and about a week to plot all the commands they had to send to Perseverance to make the final shot happen. The reason it took 62 images to produce the final photo was because NASA used Perseverances WATSON camera for the composition. The instrument was primarily designed to take close-up images of rocks, not expansive wide-angle shots. Since WATSON is mounted to Perseverances robotic arm, NASA also had to take care the appendage didnt bump into the rover while positioning the camera.

To that end, NASA engineers developed software that allowed them to simulate each arm movement so that they could get it as close to the rover as possible without damaging it. They also ran simulations to figure out how to position Ingenuity in the composition. The thing that took the most attention was getting Ingenuity into the right place in the selfie, said Mike Ravine of Malin Space Science System (MSSS), which built the camera NASA used to capture the selfie. Given how small it is, I thought we did a pretty good job.

Once NASA had all the images it needed for the selfie, MSSS engineers went about cleaning up each individual one to remove any blemishes left by dust that had settled on WATSONs light detector. They then stitched them together into a mosaic before cropping and warping that image into the one we all know and love today.
Jun. 24Neches Independent School District has filed a lawsuit agains Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to overturn a records request pertaining to NISD Elementary Principal Kimberlyn Snider.

According to Kaitlin Scroggins, the school district refused to release information to her with regard to Snider after she requested it under the Freedom of Information Act.

Scroggins then challenged the school's refusal through the AG's office. Scroggins said that the AG's office told the school they were allowed to redact or withhold all information that could possibly identify a victim in another case and personal information about Snider, i.e. driver's license number, but had to release the information otherwise.

Neches ISD refused and is now challenging the AG's ruling on the open records through the judicial system. The lawsuit was filed in Travis County.

Scoggins is a parent and a representative for the community group Change for Neches. She is also a local radio personality known as Kat Powers.

No court hearings have been scheduled with regard to this case.

Snider was indicted by a grand jury in January on charges of tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair, a third degree felony and five counts of official oppression.

Snider turned herself into the Anderson County Sheriff's Office Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Despite the indictment and subsequent arrest, the Neches Board of Trustees voted Monday, Feb. 22 to extend Snider's contract, after her husband, Superintendent Randy Snider decided to retain his wife as elementary principal.

Snider is currently under review by the Texas Education Agency.

The TEA reported there were 33 complaints against Snider since Jan. 1 and that she's under review by the agency's Educator Investigation Division.

A pre-trial hearing in the case against Neches Elementary Principal Kimberlyn Snider for tampering/fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair and official oppression was held Friday, May 28 at the Anderson County Courthouse.

Story continues

During the hearing, Snider's attorney filed a motion to throw out the indictment based on incorrect language. This is a common pre-trial procedure. A hearing with regard to this procedural motion will be 9 a.m. Friday, June 25.

If the judge throws out the indictment, District Attorney Allyson Mitchell will be required to take the case back to the grand jury.

The Neches Independent School District accepted the retirement letter of Randy as superintendent on Monday, May 17. Snider's retirement will be effective June 30.
A Cicero man once dubbed the No Boundaries Bandit for a prolific string of bank robberies in 2014 is under arrest again after federal prosecutors alleged he went on another bank robbery spree within months of being released from prison.

Rodrigo Medellin, 38, was charged in a criminal complaint this week with robbing a U.S. Bank branch in Berwyn on April 28. The complaint also stated hes suspected in at least six other heists between Feb. 9 and June 14 in Chicago, and Lyons.

In each robbery, Medellin, a reputed associate of the Maniac Latin Disciples street gang, allegedly passed a note to a teller saying he had a gun and threatening to shoot if his demands were not met, according to the charges.

Medellin was arrested Tuesday after FBI agents conducting surveillance saw him walk into a Central Federal Savings and Loan bank in LaGrange Park, then exit at a full sprint a minute later after a suspicious manager triggered an alarm.

As Medellin approached his white SUV, which hed parked in a nearby alley, law enforcement officers announced their presence and he immediately placed his hands in the air and threw crumpled paper to the ground, according to the complaint. Inside his car, police found a handwritten demand note similar to notes used in the other robberies under investigation.

Try to remain calm and nobody gets hurt, the note read, according to a photo included in the complaint. Give me all $100s, 50s, 20, 10s. No die packs. I will check. Hurry.

Medellin told FBI agents that hed stopped by the bank on his way to visit his mother and was weighing whether to rob it because he was out of money and his daughter was always asking him for toys.

In the back of my mind I gotta do something, because if not, Im going to have to ask my sisters for some gas money to come back, Medellin told agents, according to the complaint.

He claimed that he tried to pump himself up for the crime, but as he opened the door he got a feeling to not do it and left, according to the complaint. When agents confronted him with surveillance evidence from some of the other robberies, Medellin said the photographs were not of him and denied involvement.

Story continues

Medellin was ordered held without bond at a detention hearing on Friday, where prosecutors told a magistrate judge hes both a danger to the community and a flight risk.

In addition to a history of bank robberies, Medellin has previously been convicted in state court of aggravated assault with a vehicle and battery of a police officer, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Katherine McClelland said.

He has an extreme history of violence and is a danger to everyone around him, McClelland said.

Medellins court-appointed attorney, Lawrence Wolf Levin, argued for bond, saying the evidence in the complaint allegedly identifying Medellin as the robber in several of the heists was questionable.

According to court records, Medellin was previously sentenced to seven years in federal prison for a string of 18 bank robberies he and several accomplices committed in just a few weeks in 2014, netting more than $40,000 in cash.

At the time, the FBI had labeled Medellin the No Boundaries Bandit because hed robbed banks in so many different locations, including Chicago, River Forest, Melrose Park and Berwyn, records show.

In one of those heists, the robber walked into the Southwest Side PNC Bank branch and handed a teller a note saying, I have a fully loaded weapon. Want all cash from drawer. Dont put in any dye-packs. I know what they look like, according to the criminal complaint against Medellin filed in 2014. The teller gave the robber $4,160 in cash, according to the FBI.

Medellin pleaded guilty in 2016 but his sentencing was delayed for several years by attorney changes and then the COVID-19 pandemic, records show. By the time he was sentenced last July, hed spent almost the entire term in custody awaiting trial, and he was placed on supervised release in October, records show.

Prosecutors accused Medellin of violating the terms of his parole in May after he was arrested by Cicero police on a domestic battery charge alleging he punched a girlfriend multiple times in the head, took her phone, and locked her inside the apartment with him.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Myrtle Beach police have one person in custody in connection to an assault in which a gun was fired.

Donovan Parker, 23, was taken into police custody Thursday in connection to an assault that happened about 11:30 a.m. Thursday near Ocean Boulevard, on 2402 N Kings Highway. That address is the site of an Exxon gas station.

Police say Parker, who is from Raleigh, North Carolina, was involved in a fight with another person. When a bystander attempted to intervene, Parker took out a handgun and used it to hit the other person in the head, the Myrtle Beach Police Department stated in a Facebook post Friday afternoon.

At some point during the assault, Parker fired the gun in the air, police said. No one was shot.

The victim was left with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Myrtle Beach police Facebook post.

Parker is charged with aggravated assault, domestic violence of a high and aggravated nature, possession of a weapon during a violent crime and unlawful carrying of a pistol. He is in custody at the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
Jun. 25North Dakota Farmers Union celebrated its new camp facility Thursday, holding an open house for the public and recognizing businesses that worked on the project and donors for their contributions to the project.

Mark Watne, president of NDFU, said Farmers Union set a goal about nine years ago to grow the number of youth attending its camps, which combine cooperative education and leadership skills development with traditional camp activities.

The new James River Farmers Union Camp, previously reported to cost an estimated $4 million, is located on 19 acres at Jamestown Reservoir. The camp has a lodge with an indoor gymnasium, STEM classroom, game room and co-op store, as well as a dormitory, boathouse, outdoor volleyball court, softball field and other features. Farmers Union also operates a camp near Elgin on Lake Tschida, Heart Butte Reservoir.

Watne said the site for the new camp was a natural fit.

"I don't know how we lucked out," he said.

NDFU worked with the Bureau of Reclamation and Stutsman County to lease the land where the camp is located.

"It's just like it was built for a camp," Watne said.

Watne recognized a number of organizations and businesses that contributed to the project and some of the organizations' representatives gave brief remarks congratulating NDFU.

Part of the grand opening celebration was a ribbon-cutting ceremony conducted by the Jamestown Area Chamber of Commerce, Jamestown Ambassadors and Young Professionals of Jamestown.

"It wasn't even a full year ago we were here with you breaking ground on this project and I remember that ceremony being filled with hope and excitement," said Emily Bivens, executive director of the chamber. "Well, today those hopes have come to fruition and this project has become a reality. Today's ceremony is a tangible reminder of the vision and the commitment that North Dakota Farmers Union has for our community."

The first camp for the new facility will be in early July. More than 1,200 kids in grades 3-12 attend Farmers Union camp every summer, NDFU says.
Wang Ying is young, educated and an unquestioning believer in the Communist Party's sole right to rule China - exactly what the increasingly conformist institution seeks as it enters a new century.

As the ruling body celebrates its 100th birthday on July 1, current members describe an increasingly cult-like atmosphere under leader Xi Jinping, propagandising successes such as its control of the coronavirus, and viewed as the only viable saviour for China.

"Belief in the Party is steadfast. Perhaps not as deep as a religion like Buddhism or Christianity, but something that fosters self-discipline," said Wang, a partial pseudonym to protect the Party member's identity.

The membership focus of the Chinese Communist Party has continually evolved, from intellectuals, to the proletariat, and welcoming entrepreneurs from the 1990s.

Despite outward appearances, analysts say, it has always entertained a wide range of views on China's direction, but that resulted in factionalism, inefficiency and corruption.

Members interviewed by AFP across China say Xi has tightened criteria to weed out potential troublemakers, running it more like a private corporation.

Today's multi-layered, more than two-year application process seeks the best and brightest regardless of "class" background, they said, with a premium on youth, college educations, and spotless personal histories as the Party looks to its future.

In 2019, 50.7 percent of members held academic degrees, up from 41.6 percent in 2013, when Xi took over. Those from farming or labour backgrounds declined from 38.1 percent to 34.8 percent.

- Mandate of Heaven -

Above all, the CCP seeks young acolytes raised on China's recent strengths -- not past mistakes - and who possess unwavering belief in the Party.

"(Today's) young Party members are more confident, ambitious and positive," said a 46-year-old member surnamed Song, an official at a university in eastern China.

Story continues

China's past emperors ruled via the "Mandate of Heaven", the idea that peace and prosperity bestowed divine endorsement on a particular dynasty.

The Party is effectively claiming that mandate today, members say, with plenty of justification.

China emerged relatively unscathed from the pandemic due to aggressive early lockdowns, Xi has aggressively cracked down on corruption and pollution and declared this year that extreme poverty had been eliminated. Chinese prosperity and global influence have soared.

These victories are being trumpeted nationwide by the Party and its members in a pre-anniversary propaganda blitz.

But analysts warns of instability if Xi, now 68, were to pass away, as there is no clear successor, or if China's already slowing economy were to dip precipitously.

Xi's rapid centralisation of power and emphasis on Party-led conformity -- aided by a fast-growing and intrusive high-tech state security apparatus -- also could kill the flexibility and spirit of economic experimentation that made China's newfound strength possible.

Chinese youth disillusionment is already rising with the feeling that the low-hanging economic fruits have already been plucked, and that getting ahead is becoming more difficult.

The Mercator Institute for China Studies said in a recent report that many Chinese are resigned to submit to a "party state whose digital surveillance is increasingly encroaching on people's privacy."

"It's a potential problem," said Tony Saich, a Harvard University professor and author of the forthcoming "From Rebel to Ruler: One Hundred Years of the Chinese Communist Party."

"If you're just bringing in 'yes' people, does that lead to atrophy over time?"

Dissension exists, but increasingly only in flickers.

Last year, business tycoon and former party heavyweight Ren Zhiqiang penned an essay criticising the country's leader, without naming Xi directly, as a "clown" and "monarch" interested only in aggrandising his own power.

He was later jailed for 18 years on corruption charges.

- 'Centralised democracy' -

Wang, a 29-year-old grassroots cadre in a rural eastern province who has an agriculture degree, admits that open criticism is taboo, and that Chinese have no choice other than the party.

But he and others insist China is building what they call a "centralised democracy" that better suits a country which has never known the real thing.

They describe instead an internal appraisal system in which cadres and officials are judged annually by peers and subordinates, ensuring rectitude.

In comments to foreign journalists, ordinary citizens routinely express strong support for the party, eagerly pointing to its recent successes.

"Chinese democracy is totally different from that in foreign countries. China is a vast land, plagued with disasters, and you need a strong centralised power to manage that," said Song.

"The natural environment decides the political system."

"We had doubts (about the party) before," Song adds.

But the current trajectory "is the path most suitable for China."

Many members, however, admit that joining the party is also a stepping stone to a better life with the potential to open doors in a hyper-competitive country.

"I don't deny that joining the Party helps you to find a job, helps you in your professional life," said Xu Jia, a historian and party member.

"But this help, in the end, is only possible if you are a competent member of the Party, who is up to the task."

llc-dma/apj/gle
As the sun sets on two days of chaos after a 12-story oceanfront condo tower partially collapsed in Surfside, the small towns tight-knit Jewish community is welcoming in Shabbat, a time of week when observant Jews traditionally refrain from work and technology.

Some are taking the time to pray for a sliver of good news, a sigh of relief or simply a bit of closure.

Others are working as volunteers or first responders to bring relief to those affected.

The catastrophic collapse early Thursday morning, which has killed four and left 159 more missing, has left the community reeling. On Friday, friends and family were bracing for bad news but praying for peace.

Shabbat sort of divides and separates the rest of the week; the mundane to the holy, said Mark Baranek, the director of Congregational Engagement at Temple Beth Shalom in Miami Beach. Baranek said two families from the congregation escaped the collapsed Champlain Towers South Condo, but that he was still waiting to hear from a former student and his family.

This Shabbat in particular, people are looking for some type of tranquility, he said. Man plans and God laughs. Who could have ever known.

Like a mini 9/11

While Shabbat  which is observed sundown Friday through sundown Saturday  is a day of rest and therefore restricts Jews from working, the laws are set aside in the case of a life-threatening emergency.

There is an overarching principle though that kind of exceeds in its rigor all the other commandments and thats the commandment to preserve life, said Jacob Solomon, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.

If there were an observant Jew among the search-and-rescue teams, you could be sure that they will continue to work, because they would be involved in potentially saving a life, he said.

Yankie Andrusier, the son-in-law of Rabbi Sholom Lipskar of the Shul of Bal Harbour, stressed that Jewish law mandates exceptions to its own rules in times of crisis.

Story continues

When it comes to saving a life, there is no such thing as Judaism or religion, he said. You have to break the Shabbat if you need to save someone. In other words, if I saw someone on the street choking, Im allowed to pick up the phone on Shabbat and dial 911.

Andrusier said that he and other Orthodox volunteers, including those with Jewish-led volunteer emergency medical services group Hatzalah, will continue their services round the clock to the community through the traditional day of rest, while trying not to use electronics, if they dont need to.

This is like a mini 9/11 for us, except for the fact that it wasnt an act of terrorists, it was an act of God, he said.

Considered a Jewish neighborhood

Solomon, of the Federation, said it still wasnt clear Friday what percent of the residents in the building are Jewish, but called the neighborhood a pretty densely populated Jewish area.

It is true that a very large, disproportionate percent of the people who are impacted by this tragedy may be Jewish, he said. So its kind of natural that there would be a very strong and clear Jewish presence, with a lot of humility in terms of knowing the limits of what we can do.

While there is a mix of traditional Jews, young professionals and those who are secular, Solomon said it is considered a Jewish neighborhood, and I think there is a sense of community that runs through Jewish blood.

Everything about the Jewish religion is based on operating as a community, he said. And there is a sense of mutual responsibility, there is a sense of accountability to each other, and there are behavioral imperatives about helping each other and helping the strangers, who are not Jewish as well.

A community responds

Locally the community sprang into action, coordinating donations for displaced families and bringing in spiritual leaders to help those in mourning or those waiting to hear from the missing. The Chabad of South Broward circulated its own list of the missing, and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation partnered with other organizations to collect donations.

Richard Silverstein, a longtime member of the Shul of Bal Harbour, said when he arrived at the family reunification center early Thursday he immediately noticed the lack of available kosher food.

Although the American Red Cross had provided snacks, and food from chains like Pizza Hut and Burger King was plentiful throughout the community center, observant Jewish families of collapse victims were lacking.

Silverstein, 58, knew what to do. Calling friends in the neighborhood, there was soon kosher pizza from local shops filling the center, and on Friday, boxes of challah, kosher chicken lunches, muffins and grape juice were stacked in piles.

The first responders need to eat, said Silverstein, relieved that Hatzalah volunteers got sustenance.

Later Friday, Shabbat plans were put into place to give out-of-town visitors and affected families a warm meal and a place to pray.

Isack Merenfeld, a member of Skylake Synagogue, an Orthodox shul in North Miami Beach, said Thursday that he quickly rented a U-Haul and brought his two sons along to help unload the donations.

With the Sabbath approaching on Friday night, the observant Jewish community has collected separate boxes of challah, wine and other necessities for the weekly ritual day of rest.

At the Shul of Bal Harbour, Kayla Schochet, 36, and her husband, 40-year-old Dov Schochet, were preparing to welcome a large group to their shul for Shabbat, including Schochets brother Eli, a Hatzalah emergency volunteer who traveled to Surfside from Hallandale Beach to be closer in case he is needed.

I hope by the time we light our candles tonight, we have good news, Kayla Schochet said.

A steady flow of donations poured into the shul Thursday, where around 20 volunteers unloaded crates of food, blankets, and more to be distributed to community members who were displaced. A verified GoFundMe fundraiser hosted by the shul had raised more than $100,000 Thursday night. The Federation, which set up its own campaign, had received more than 2,500 donations by Friday afternoon.

Mendels Backyard BBQ, a Kosher barbecue restaurant one block from the shul, is offering free-of-charge Shabbat dinner to anyone  Jewish or not  impacted by the condo collapse.

Maria Raquel, the restaurants event coordinator, said 90 people responded that they plan to attend. Forty others have ordered Mendels food, Raquel said in a phone interview while delivering those free dinners directly to the Grand Beach Hotel, where displaced families were relocated to Friday.

Those families who choose to dine at Mendels will be treated to tables overflowing with Jewish-American staples like brisket, roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, salmon, chicken soup, gefilte fish  and of course, challah and grape juice, to mark the Shabbat meal.

Young Israel of Bal Harbour, another Orthodox synagogue in the neighborhood, also hosted an open-invitation Shabbat dinner for those impacted by the tragedy.

Steve Eisenberg, a member of the congregation who has close friends among those missing, said 50 to 60 people are expected to attend.

Now is not the time to ask why, Eisenberg, said. Now is the time to say, What can I do to make a difference in peoples lives? 

Rabbi Gidon Moskovitz, the newly hired spiritual leader of Young Israel of Bal Harbour, wasnt supposed to start until September, but when he heard about the tragedy in his future community, he got on a plane.

A congregant came up to me in Houston after prayer and showed me what was going on, Moskovitz said. I thought, thats where I need to be.

A bleak responsibility

Beyond comforting the community and keeping one another fed and cared for, the Jewish tradition also requires a more serious responsibility: to arrange for funerals and burials as soon as possible with little to no waiting period.

Religious leaders say plans will likely begin on Sunday.

Andrusier is a member of Chevra Kadisha of South Florida, a Jewish burial society. He said in addition to praying for the missing, he is standing by in case he and others will be called to aid in burials as bodies are pulled from the rubble.

Jewish law, Andrusier said, dictates an obligation for someone to constantly attend to the body, reciting certain prayers, until the person has been buried.

In Jewish law, when you die you have to go back to your maker. Its important, he said. Its not good for the body to be lingering.

Support from near and far

Around the country and even the globe, the response has been swift.

Even one Jewish person is the world to us, Kayla Schochet said, noting the amount of outreach from friends and family around the world. Even if one family is affected, it affects all of us.

Israels consul general in Miami, Maor Elbaz Starinsky, said he offered immediate aid to Surfside after the collapse and said he received phone calls from Israels Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora instructing him to offer any possible help to the communities impacted by the collapse.

We bought medications, a couple thousand dollars worth of medications for Hatzalah, Starinsky said, referring to the South Florida branch of the Jewish-led volunteer emergency services group that has aided first responders.

Starinsky also said he extended offers to Florida and Miami officials to fly in a team of forensics and search-and-rescue experts from Israel to Miami.
(Bloomberg) -- New York Stock Exchange President Stacey Cunningham said special purpose acquisition companies can expect increased regulation and calls for transparency amid heightened scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

It makes a lot of sense for the SEC to look at whether or not there are additional protections and additional disclosures that might be appropriate in this market, Cunningham said in a Bloomberg Television interview. Its going to be really important that SPACs are providing information and transparency into how theyre structured so investors have that visibility.

Her comments follow remarks this week by SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who raised questions about SPACs and their levels of disclosure. Gensler said he wants to make sure mom and pop investors dont lose out to larger, more sophisticated players when theyre putting their money in SPACs. In May, he said he was concerned about whether retail investors are protected and getting the appropriate and accurate information they need.

Markets in the U.S. are strong because they tend to have disclosures that protect investors, Cunningham said. Thats where were going to see some advancement in this SPAC space as they become such a popular way to go public, she said.

SPACs, also known as blank-check companies, are corporate shells that raise money from investors with the aim of merging with private businesses to take them public. SPACs became popular in 2020, and the trend has continued. This year, more than 560 SPACs seeking to raise a combined $157 billion have filed for initial public offerings, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

Were continuing to see companies tap into the public markets, Cunningham said.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
(Bloomberg) -- The EPA has wide latitude to exempt refineries from federal mandates that they mix renewable fuels into gasoline and diesel, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday, a victory for oil companies seeking a break from the requirements.

In a 6-3 decision, the justices rejected arguments that the Environmental Protection Agencys exemption power is limited to only a handful of refineries that have received uninterrupted annual waivers from the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said that nothing in the Renewable Fuel Standard law itself commands a continuity requirement.

Under President Joe Biden, the EPA is expected to issue fewer waivers and force more refineries to satisfy annual biofuel quotas by either blending plant-based alternatives into their products or buying compliance credits from other companies that have. However, the Supreme Court precedent will give future administrations wide clearance to exempt oil refineries from annual blending quotas.

It also provides the Biden administration with more options for addressing concerns by some lawmakers and industry officials that climbing compliance costs imperil some independent refiners, particularly in the Northeast U.S. Several governors and non-integrated refineries, including PBF Energy Inc., and Delta Air Lines Inc.s Monroe Energy LLC, have urged EPA to lower quotas.

Several refiners rose on the ruling, while biofuel makers sank. The S&P Oil & Gas Exploration and Production Select Industry Index was up 1.6% after rising as much as 1.8%. Among the top movers on the index was PBF Energy Inc., which jumped as much as 9.9% and was up 2.2% to $16.49 at 11:08 a.m. in New York trading. HollyFrontier Corp. climbed as much as 3.4% and was up 1.3% to $34.11. CVR Energy Inc. rose as much as 5.4% and was up 4% to $19.81.

Biofuel maker Darling Ingredients Inc. dropped as much as 9.9% before recovering some of its losses. It was down 3.1% to $63.15, while Renewable Energy Group Inc. was down 6.7% to $60.03 after dropping as much as 7.7%. Soybean oil, the commodity used to make biomass-based diesel dropped almost 6% in Chicago while corn used in U.S. ethanol fell as much as 3%.

Story continues

Under the Renewable Fuel Standard law, Congress authorized EPA exemptions for small refineries that face an economic hardship in complying. Refineries that win exemptions can save tens to hundreds of millions dollars annually that they might otherwise spend buying biofuel compliance credits.

The waivers had surged under former President Donald Trump, provoking a backlash from biofuel advocates who argued Congress only intended the exemptions to be short-term relief, helping funnel refiners into compliance with the blending requirements over time. Refiners, by contrast, have argued Congress intended the waivers to serve as an essential safety valve, helping insulate a critical domestic industry from spiking compliance costs.

In his opinion for the court, Gorsuch noted the lack of clarity from the Renewable Fuel Standard law on the matter. Neither the statutes text, structure, nor history afford us sufficient guidance to be able to choose with confidence between the parties competing narratives and metaphors, he wrote.

The case turned on the justices interpretation of just a few words in the Renewable Fuel Standard law -- specifically its provision allowing a small refinery to petition the EPA at any time for an extension of its initial, automatic exemption. Biofuel producers unsuccessfully argued the laws use of the word extension inherently meant refineries can only qualify if they have an existing exemption to prolong.

In a dissent, Justice Amy Coney Barrett argued the most natural reading of extension is as a continuation -- whether the matter is a tourist extending a hotel stay, a newspaper reader extending a subscription or a refinery seeking an extension of a biofuel waiver.

But Gorsuch wrote it was entirely natural -- and consistent with ordinary usage -- to seek an extension of time even after some lapse, much as a forgetful student might seek an extension for a term paper after the deadline has passed.

Gorsuch was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh in ruling for refiners. Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined Barrett in dissent.

Biofuel makers blasted the decision and called on the EPA to limit exemptions anyway.

Todays decision allows refiners to request an RFS exemption extension, but it does not make it easier for refiners to actually receive one, said Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association. We fully expect the Biden EPA to keep their commitment to the RFS and deny the vast majority of RFS exemption extension requests that are pending or that will be submitted in the future.

The coalition of biofuel allies that challenged the EPA waivers said they hoped the EPAs new leadership would take a far more judicious and responsible approach to the refinery exemption program than their predecessors did.

Refiners celebrated the ruling, asserting the EPA should liberally use its validated waiver power to exempt refineries.

As refiners both large and small face all time high renewable identification number costs and are recovering from the economic impacts of Covid-19, we urge EPA to immediately take action to make the RFS a workable program for U.S. refiners and consumers, HollyFrontier said in an emailed statement.

Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association, said he hoped the EPA would now move swiftly to provide critical relief to those small refineries that have demonstrated disproportionate economic harm resulting from the RFS.

The EPA, which is now drafting a proposed slate of biofuel-blending quotas for 2021 and 2022, said it was analyzing the opinion.

We understand this decision has implications for our current ongoing Renewable Fuel Standard rulemaking activities and petitions from small refineries currently pending before the agency, EPA spokesman Nick Conger said by email. The agency will follow the law and base our decisions on sound science while ensuring transparency.

The dispute at the Supreme Court arose after the Renewable Fuels Association and other biofuel supporters challenged three waivers the EPA issued to refineries owned by HollyFrontier and CVR Energys Wynnewood Refining Co. In January 2020, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the challengers, saying the EPA had exceeded its authority. The refineries appealed to the Supreme Court, and the federal government, under Biden, switched sides to favor the biofuel supporters.

The high court heard oral arguments in April.

The case is HollyFrontier Cheyenne Refining, LLC v. Renewable Fuels Association, 20-472.

(Updates with reaction and ruling details, from 11th paragraph.)

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com

Subscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
By Yosri Al Jamal

HEBRON, West Bank (Reuters) -Palestinian mourners called on Friday for a change of government as they marched through Hebron for the funeral of one of President Mahmoud Abbas's most prominent critics, who died after being arrested by security forces.

Thousands of people accompanied Nizar Banat's coffin through the streets of the occupied West Bank city, many of them chanting "The people want the fall of the regime" and "Leave, leave Abbas".

Some waved Palestinian flags and others the flag of Hamas, Abbas's Islamist rivals in Gaza. Protesters also gathered in Ramallah and outside East Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Banat's family said Palestinian Authority (PA) forces broke into his house in the city in the early hours of Thursday and hit him repeatedly with a metal rod before arresting him.

He suffered blows to the head, the PA's Independent Commission for Human Rights said after conducting an autopsy.

Abbas' Palestinian Authority said it would hold an inquiry, but has not commented on the accusations. Its governor for Hebron, Jibrin Al-Bakri, said Banat died when his health "deteriorated" during his arrest.

Abbas' popularity has plummeted since the 85-year-old was elected president in 2005, with many Palestinians facing economic hardship and complaining of widespread corruption. He has ruled the PA by decree for over a decade.

Making its first statement since Banat's death, the umbrella Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which Abbas chairs, said the PA inquiry would be impartial and that it would announce its findings at the earliest opportunity.

But the PLO called on Palestinians "and especially the family of the martyr, Nizar, to assume national responsibility ... and not allow anyone to politicise this issue and divert it from its national, humanitarian and legal track."

Banat, 43, was a social activist who had accused Abbas's PA of corruption, including over a short-lived COVID-19 vaccine exchange with Israel this month and Abbas's postponement of a long-delayed election in May.

Story continues

Banat had registered as a parliamentary candidate for that contest.

Human rights groups say Abbas regularly arrests critics. A Human Rights Watch official said Banat's arrest was "no anomaly". Abbas denies the accusations.

The United States, the United Nations and the European Union called on the PA to conduct a "transparent" inquiry into Banat's death.

Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, urged Palestinians to rise up and "put a final end to the widespread violation by the (PA) against the freedoms and rights of our people".

Abbas and the PA, which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank, reject accusations they are corrupt and that they arrest people for their political views. They also deny torture.

(Additional reporting by Ali Sawafta in Ramallah and Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza, Writing by Rami Ayyub,Editing by Andrew Heavens and Timothy Heritage)
JERUSALEM (AP)  Hundreds of Palestinians protested against President Mahmoud Abbas after Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem a day after an outspoken critic died in the custody of Palestinian security forces.

Nizar Banat had harshly criticized the Palestinian Authority over its corruption and misrule in a series of Facebook videos. His family says security forces raided the home where he was staying early Thursday and beat him with batons before dragging him away.

Palestinians also chanted against the PA at his funeral in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and masked gunmen fired shots into the air.

Calls had circulated for protests across the territory. Late Thursday, demonstrators burned tires, blocked roads and clashed with riot police in the West Bank city of Ramallah, where the PA is headquartered.

The Palestinian Authority, which administers parts of the West Bank under agreements reached with Israel in the 1990s, faces a major crisis of legitimacy after Abbas called off the first elections in 15 years in April. Abbas was sidelined during last month's Gaza war and his popularity has plummeted as support for Gaza's militant Hamas rulers has grown.

His forces coordinate security with Israeli troops, targeting Hamas and other armed groups that threaten both. The policy is deeply unpopular with Palestinians, many of whom view it as collaboration with an occupying power.

From the police to the president, the whole authority are collaborators, a crowd of around 250 protesters chanted at Al-Aqsa after Friday prayers, as thousands of worshippers looked on. The hilltop compound is the third holiest site in Islam and a potent symbol of the Palestinian cause.

It is also the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount because it was the location of the biblical temples. It has long been the scene of Israeli-Palestinian violence, including in the runup to the Gaza war.

The U.S. State Department and the European Union's representative to the Palestinians each called for an investigation into Banat's death and expressed concerns about the PA's restrictions on freedom of expression and harassment of activists.

The PA said it has formed a high-level committee to investigate Banat's death.

The EU has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the Palestinian Authority over the years, and the U.S. and other nations have trained and equipped its security forces. The PA is seen internationally as a key partner in efforts to revive the Middle East peace process, which ground to a halt more than a decade ago.
By Sam Nussey and Shinji Kitamura

TOKYO (Reuters) - Panasonic Corp sold its stake in electric car maker Tesla Inc for about 400 billion yen ($3.61 billion) in the year ended March, a spokesperson for the Japanese company said on Friday.

The sale comes as the bicycles-to-hair dryers conglomerate is seeking to reduce its dependence on Tesla and raise cash for growth investment.

Panasonic's battery business is dominated by Elon Musk's Tesla, but the two firms have had a tense relationship at times.

Panasonic bought 1.4 million Tesla shares at $21.15 each in 2010 for about $30 million. That stake was worth $730 million at the end of March 2020. The shares have gained almost seven fold since then and closed up 3.5% at $679.82 apiece on Thursday.

"The impact of crypto assets may have pushed Tesla's share price above its intrinsic value, making it a good time to sell," said Hideki Yasuda, an analyst at Ace Research Institute.

Musk said in February his firm bought bitcoin and would take payment in the cryptocurrency, a decision he later reversed, and his comments on Twitter drive swings in the price of such assets.

While Panasonic gave financial backing to Tesla when it was smaller, the automaker's expansion means there's no need for capital ties, Yasuda added. Panasonic's shares closed up 4.9% on Friday in the biggest such move since January.

The stake sale will not affect the partnership with Tesla, the Panasonic spokesperson said, and was made as part of a review of shareholdings in line with corporate governance guidelines.

The sale comes as the automaker is diversifying its own battery supply chain.

Tesla has struck deals with South Korea's LG Energy Solution, a unit of LG Chem, and China's CATL, with Reuters reporting the latter is planning a plant in Shanghai near the automaker's production base.

Panasonic said earlier this year it would buy the shares https://www.reuters.com/business/panasonic-says-it-will-buy-us-supply-chain-software-firm-blue-yonder-2021-04-23 of U.S. supply-chain software company Blue Yonder that it does not already own, in a $7.1 billion deal. Its biggest such deal in a decade, the price raised the eyebrows of analysts who pointed to the firm's spotty M&A track record.

($1 = 110.8700 yen)

(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim, Tim Kelly, Sam Nussey and Shinji Kitamura; Editing by Himani Sarkar, Kim Coghill and Louise Heavens)
As our neighbor Virginia joins 35 other states, allowing the rental housing market to return to normal, its time for NC Gov. Cooper to follow suit.

There is no question that the sudden onset of last years pandemic caused ripple effects threatening not only the health and well-being of citizens across the world, but also had economic ramifications that reached jobs and industries far and wide. The housing industry was at the center of the pandemic  as safe and affordable housing became essential to the nations ability to weather the storm  during lockdowns and as the economy, schools and social activities shifted to remote operations.

As elected leaders, officials, business leaders and others worked together to create viable solutions to keep people safe, working and housed, numerous options emerged to help provide targeted and timely aid, including the massive federal PPP loan program and ultimately a nation-wide moratorium on evictions during the peak of the crisis. North Carolina joined the moratorium on evictions, which is still in place through June 30.

While many of these actions were timely and helped keep the state and many families afloat during uncertain and difficult times, the urgency has since abated as effective vaccines are broadly available and jobs are plentiful with a rebounding economy. In addition, historic economic relief packages from the federal government have helped provide significant funding for rental assistance programs, including a billion dollars in rental support in North Carolina, so that property owners, especially small business landlords, can also join the economic recovery.

But unfortunately, their recovery has not yet begun. In North Carolina, rental housing providers continue to work under some of the most severe operating restrictions in the country. During the pandemic, renters who were economically impacted by COVID have been allowed to completely stop paying their monthly rent.

Story continues

But owners of rental property have not had the same exemptions. They have had to continue paying mortgages, insurance, property taxes, maintenance, and other business expenses. As a result, many have become financially distressed, some having to sell their properties. In this high demand/low supply real estate market, many of those homes become owner occupied or are purchased by corporate interests, which raise rents to recoup their significant investment. This has put a strain on the states already overburdened rental housing market, especially for affordable rental options.

In response to the significantly improving pandemic conditions, the governor has lifted most restrictions on most businesses in the state, including mask mandates. But the restrictions on housing providers continue. Its time for the housing economy to get back to normal as well.

Some are worried that renters who continue to have problems paying rent will be at risk of losing their housing. Fortunately, the fund providing over a billion dollars of federal money is available to North Carolina renters struggling to pay rent as a result of COVID in the relaunched HOPE program. This program is intended as a safety net which promises to quickly get funds to needy individuals  and has been touted by the governor.

Housing providers have sacrificed greatly during the pandemic even as they provided an essential service to North Carolinians. They deserve to get back to business as usual like almost every other business in the state. The housing providers deserve to feel secure in their income and our communities and economy need them to be healthy as well.

The NC REALTORS is calling on Gov. Roy Cooper to join his colleagues in almost 40 other states and allow his executive order restricting rental housing to expire on June 30.

Kelly Marks is the president of NC REALTORS
Separatist rebels were holding four civilians hostage in the jungles of Indonesia's breakaway Papua region after they killed several construction workers in an ambush, authorities said Friday.

Tensions have been mounting between Indonesian security forces and guerrillas fighting a decades-long insurgency to win independence from the Southeast Asian nation.

Authorities said some 30 rebels opened fire Thursday on a group of Indonesian construction workers building new homes in the province's central Yahukimo regency, killing at least four people.

Rescue operations to find another four people being held hostage by the rebels are underway, according to the military and Papua police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal.

"Our team is on their way to the site," Kamal told AFP on Friday.

It was not clear if all of the hostages were construction workers.

A rebel spokesman could not be reached for comment and AFP was unable to independently verify the account.

Tensions in the conflict-wracked region have soared in recent months, punctuated by deadly clashes after rebels killed Indonesia's top intelligence chief in Papua in April.

Jakarta responded by formally designating Papuan separatists as "terrorists", sparking fears it could open the door to more violence and rights abuses.

Indonesia's counter-terrorism laws give authorities enhanced powers, including holding suspects for several weeks without formal charges.

The latest incident comes more than two years after Papuan rebels killed 17 construction workers at a remote jungle camp.

The massacre marked an escalation in decades of mostly sporadic skirmishes between poorly armed and disorganised guerrillas and an Indonesian military long accused of gross human rights abuses against civilians.

A former Dutch colony, mineral-rich Papua declared itself independent in 1961, but neighbouring Jakarta took control two years later promising an independence referendum.

Story continues

The subsequent vote in favour of staying part of Indonesia was widely considered a sham.

Papua's Melanesian population shares few cultural connections with the rest of Indonesia.

hrl-pb/ssy/oho
Former vice president Mike Pence said he would remain proud that he and members of Congress completed the certification of the Electoral College results, in remarks at the Reagan Library on Thursday evening.

In a wide-ranging speech, Pence urged Republicans to continue the policies of former president Donald Trump alongside more traditional conservative priorities. Pence said that under President Trumps leadership we were able to achieve things Republicans have been talking about since the days of Barry Goldwater.

Pence praised Trumps focus on border security, calling for the country to continue building a wall on the southern border, and said that the TrumpPence administration was the first to see Communist China for what it was  not a partner engaged in good-faith competition, but a strategic competitor.

The former vice president also touched on the Electoral College certification on January 6, when a mob of Trump supporters overpowered police and breached the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to evacuate. Rioters were recorded running through the Capitol chanting Hang Mike Pence, hours after Trump urged Pence to prevent the certification.

The Constitution affords the vice president no authority to reject or return electoral votes submitted to the Congress by the states, Pence said. Truth is, there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president. 

Pence added, I will always be proud to have played a small part on that tragic day when we reconvened the Congress and fulfilled our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States. He warned that if we lose faith in the Constitution, we wont just lose elections  well lose our country.

Now more than ever, America needs the Republican Party to be the party of the Constitution, Pence said.

Trump, who alleged that Democrats stole the election via widespread voter fraud, slammed Pence for allowing the certification to move forward in a tweet at 2:44 p.m., while rioters were entering the Capitol.

Story continues

Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify, Trump wrote.

Pence said earlier this month that he and Trump may never see eye to eye regarding the riot, in a speech to the Lincoln-Reagan Dinner for the Hillsborough County Republican Committee in New Hampshire.

As I said that night, January 6 was a dark day in the history of the United States of America, Pence said during the speech June 3.

You know, President Trump and I have spoken many times since he left office, and I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on that day, Pence said. But I will always be proud of what we accomplished for the American people of the last four years.

More from National Review
Kim Kardashian West on "The Late Late Show" during a "Spill your Guts" segment. CBS Photo Archive/Contributor/Getty Images

"The Late Late Show" has been getting backlash for its "Spill Your Guts" segment.

In it, James Corden asks guests to answer a personal question or eat something the two cringe over.

Corden told Howard Stern that he'd keep the segment but adjust the foods used in it.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Since June 7, people on social media have been called into a conversation about the "Spill Your Guts" segment on "The Late Late Show with James Corden."

A TikTok user named Kim Saira posted videos and graphics on TikTok and Instagram calling out the show and its host for being insensitive toward Asian cultures by implying that certain foods like cow tongue and fish eyes are "gross."

Her original TikTok had 2.8 million views as of Friday. A Change.org petition she started that calls for an end to the segment has more than 42,000 signatures.

@kimssaira ok but this is actual Asian food & youre going on live tv telling people how gross it is. thats cringe  original sound - Kim Saira

Change.org said it became a top signed petition on the site when it reached 35,000 signatures. The site later added a label indicating that the petition would be the top signed if it reached 50,000 signatures.

Corden addressed the controversy on an episode of "The Howard Stern Show" on June 16, saying his show would keep the segment but adjust the foods used.

"We heard that story, and the next time we do that bit we absolutely won't involve or use any of those foods," Corden said. "As you said at the start, our show is a show about joy and light and love, we don't want to make a show to upset anybody."

The petition says: "Many of the foods that he presents to his guests are actually from different Asian cultures. He's presented foods such as balut, century old eggs, and chicken feet, and which are often regularly eaten by Asian people."

Story continues

Corden loosely described how the show would adjust the foods used in the segment, referring to an old episode featuring Anna Wintour, the global chief content officer for Conde Nast.

"You know, look," he said, "in the same way that when we played it with Anna Wintour, we gave her a pizza covered in cheeseburgers. Do you know what I mean?"

Representatives for "The Late Late Show" didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

"I feel that since we're at 30,000 signatures, it goes to show that firstly, I'm not the only person who feels strongly about this issue," Kim Saira previously told Insider after the petition reached the milestone. "But more importantly, it goes to show that Asian Americans & allies are tired of our cultures being mocked, or being at the butt ends of jokes."

She said the petition's success indicated to her that Asian Americans and allies would no longer stand for aspects of their cultures being used as a punchline.

Read the original article on Insider
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Late Philippine President Benigno Aquino III was hailed Friday for his integrity in a Southeast Asian nation long plagued by corruption and for standing up to China over long-raging territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Hundreds of people lined up at a Catholic church in Manila despite coronavirus restrictions to pray before a silver urn with the cremated remains of Aquino, who died Thursday at age 61 of kidney disease arising from diabetes.

I just want to show my support and big thanks to Pnoy, Ivy Roque, a 41-year-old call center employee said, using Aquinos nickname. In his time, we were given hope that the Philippines can rise from poverty.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared 10 days of national mourning and ordered Philippine flags to be flown at half-staff across the country to honor Aquino, who led the country from 2010 to 2016.

Aquino's remains are to be interred Saturday in a private cemetery beside the tombs of his parents, the pro-democracy icons who helped topple dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1980s.

Ordinary Filipinos took to Facebook and other social media platforms to mourn Aquino and hail him as an honest leader who reminded the country that nobody was above the law.

Condolences also poured in from around the globe.

He was a valued friend and partner to the United States, and he will long be remembered for serving his country with integrity and selfless dedication, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Aquinos steadfast commitment to advancing peace, upholding the rule of law, and driving economic growth for all Filipinos, while taking bold steps to promote the rules-based international order, leaves a remarkable legacy at home and abroad that will endure for years to come, Biden said.

Duterte, who has publicly ridiculed the political opposition to which Aquino was associated, called for the outpouring of sympathy for his predecessor to be turned into an opportunity to unite in prayer and set aside our differences.

Story continues

His memory and his familys legacy of offering their lives for the cause of democracy will forever remain etched in our hearts, Duterte said.

Aquinos late parents, including former President Corazon Aquino, are revered for helping lead the resistance against dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was ousted in a 1986 army-backed revolt that helped spark similar peaceful uprisings in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Philippine TV networks ran tributes to Aquino and his advocacy for good governance. DZMM radio network broadcast messages from listeners, including one who praised Aquino as the president with the biggest guts against China.

Aquino authorized the filing in 2013 of a complaint that questioned the validity of Chinas sweeping claims in the South China Sea before an international arbitration tribunal. The Philippines largely won. But China refused to join in the arbitration and dismissed the tribunals 2016 ruling, which invalidated Beijings claims.

Aquinos legal challenge and the eventual ruling was praised by Western and Asian governments but plunged relations between Beijing and Manila to an all-time low.

One of Aquinos major successes was the signing of a 2014 peace deal with the largest Muslim separatist rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, that eased decades of fighting in the country's south.

But while Aquino moved against corruption  detaining his predecessor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and three powerful senators  and initiated anti-poverty programs, the deep-seated inequalities and weak institutions in the Philippines remained too daunting.

Opponents pounded on missteps, but Aquino retained high approval ratings when his six-year term ended in 2016. Philippine presidents are limited to a single term.

Aquino campaigned against Duterte, warning he could be a looming dictator and could set back the democratic and economic momentum achieved in his own term. Duterte, however, won with a large margin on a vow to eradicate illegal drugs and government corruption in his first three to six months in office.

Duterte failed to fulfill his bold promise, acknowledging that he underestimated the magnitude of the problems. Aside from his brash rhetoric, he has been condemned for an anti-drug crackdown that has killed thousands of mostly petty suspects and alarmed Western governments and human rights groups.

Antonio Trillanes IV, a former senator and leading Duterte critic who went to Aquinos wake, said the former presidents death rekindled memories of his integrity and leadership style that starkly contrast with the culture of hate, killing and deaths under Duterte.

Were now fondly recalling the pleasant conditions in our country before compared to what we're seeing now, Trillanes said.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed to this report.
A drug dealers brazen attempt to fly a plane full of weed across the country went up in smoke when cops searched the aircraft and found the illegal shipment, Louisiana authorities said Friday.

The search turned up six large duffel bags and six large suitcases containing marijuana, marijuana vape cartridges and pre-rolled marijuana cigars, according to police. The street value of the items is believed to be about $750,000, police said.

The two pilots of the small plane were questioned and released, but their passenger was arrested and charged. The suspect was identified as Leonard Lopez, a 40-year-old Florida man who was hoping to take the drugs from California to Miami, authorities said.

Detectives with the Hammond Police Department in southeast Louisiana learned about Lopezs plan shortly before the plane was set to land Wednesday evening at Hammond Northshore Regional Airport to get fuel.

When the LearJet 55 arrived, cops were given permission to search the aircraft and found the massive amount of weed, according to police.

The 21st Judicial District Attorneys Office later seized the plane itself pending an investigation. The total amount of seized items, including the aircraft, is estimated to be over $1.6 million, authorities said.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Authorities in Texas have arrested a 19-year-old man on a murder warrant for the killing of a tourist during a mass shooting in downtown Austin that also wounded more than a dozen people, prosecutors in the city said Thursday.

Officers with a fugitive task force took Deondre White into custody Thursday afternoon on a warrant for the killing of 25-year-old Douglas John Kantor during the shooting on Austins 6th Street, the Travis County District Attorney's office said in a statement. Prosecutors said they also intend to seek multiple aggravated assault charges against White.

White was arrested without incident in Killeen, a community about 70 miles (112 kilometer) north of Austin, and was being held in the local jail ahead of an initial court appearance, the city police department said in a statement. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

White's arrest comes two days a, fter prosecutors dropped criminal charges against two juveniles who police initially arrested in the June 12 shooting. Authorities have said the shooting stemmed from and argument between two groups of teenagers from Killeen.

The two juveniles who were arrested were involved in the dispute and had guns, Austin Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon said Tuesday, but ballistics evidence showed that Kantor was killed by a shot from Whites weapon.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza on Thursday thanked the Austin residents for their patience and offered assurances that authorities now have the right person.

Based on both forensic and eyewitness testimony, we have full confidence that the person responsible for the shooting has been arrested and is no longer a danger to our community, Garza said. "At this time, we believe that Mr. White was the only shooter.
WARSAW (Reuters) -The United States on Friday piled pressure onto the Polish government to scrap a bill that critics say will make it harder for Jews to recover property seized by Poland's Nazi occupiers during World War Two and then kept by postwar communist rulers.

Poland's lower house of parliament on Thursday passed a draft bill introducing a statute of limitations on claims for the restitution of property, drawing a furious response from Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who labelled it a "disgrace".

"The decision of Polands parliament yesterday was a step in the wrong direction. We urge Poland not to move this legislation forward," the U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a tweet on Friday.

Poland was home to one of the world's biggest Jewish communities until it was almost entirely wiped out by Nazi Germany during the wartime occupation. Jewish former property owners and their descendants have been campaigning for compensation from Poland since the fall of communism in 1989.

The bill would implement a 2015 Constitutional Tribunal ruling that there should be a deadline after which faulty administrative decisions can no longer be challenged. The law sets this deadline at 30 years.

Earlier on Friday, a Polish government minister accused Israel's foreign minister of a "profound lack of knowledge" after he criticised the bill.

"Yesterday's @israelMFA @yairlapid statement must be unequivocally denounced," Poland's Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski responded, in comments posted in English on Twitter. "It features ill-will and  most of all  profound lack of knowledge."

Jablonski did not immediately respond to Reuters request for additional comment on the U.S. statement.

The Israeli foreign ministry declined to comment on Jablonski's Tweet.

Critics say the bill would prevent some claims for restitution or compensation for property unlawfully taken by Nazi Germany and subsequently seized by communist Poland.

Story continues

In a statement posted on its website, the Polish foreign ministry said the provisions did not limit the possibility of launching civil lawsuits for compensation.

Some Poles argue that "reprivatisation" of property has led to tenants being unfairly treated. The nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) government has said that as a victim in World War Two, Poland should not be saddled with any financial obligations.

Thousands of Poles risked their lives to protect Jewish neighbours during the war. But research published since 1989 showed that thousands also killed Jews or denounced those who hid them to the German occupiers.

The legacy of World War Two has previously strained ties between Poland and Israel.

In 2018 the government was forced to back down and remove parts of a Holocaust law that imposed jail terms on people who suggested the nation was complicit in Nazi crimes, which had angered the United States and Israel.

(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Pawel Florkiewicz, Joanna Plucinska and Alicja Ptak in Warsaw, Rami Ayyub and Stephen Farrel in Jerusalem; Editing by Alex Richardson and Raissa Kasolowsky)
Jackson County prosecutors on Friday charged a 32-year-old man in a fatal shooting that took place earlier this month.

Kevin Randolph faces two charges, second-degree murder and armed criminal action, in the June 15 shooting of 45-year-old Derrick Williams, according to the Jackson County Prosecutors Office.

Kansas City police responded about 2:45 p.m. to the 3600 block of Olive Street where they found Williams inside a home suffering from gunshot wounds. He died at the scene. His death marked the 70th killing in Kansas City this year, according to data maintained by The Star.

Witnesses told police the suspect went to the home asking about drugs, according to charging documents, and that the house was a known location where PCP is sold. When someone told Randolph they didnt have anything, he gave a thumbs up and left. Shortly after, Randolph returned, yelling wheres the money at? and pointing a black gun.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Williams told Randolph that he didnt have to do this, according to court documents, and to put the gun away. Witnesses said three to four gunshots were fired before Randolph left the house.

Later, while police were still investigating the first scene, officers were dispatched to East 45th and Olive streets on a reported armed man  later identified as Randolph  who was waving a gun and trying to open front doors of nearby homes.

Randolph, who is homeless, was arrested without incident, according to court documents. Randolph told police he had a gun in his pants. They removed a loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with the same head stamp and caliber as the shell casings found at the shooting scene.

The court documents also cite a a video posted to Facebook the next day, in which a man told someone else that he was going to kill someone and then killed someone. The dealer tag of the vehicle seen in the video also matched the one cameras detected near the homicide scene before it happened.

Randolph was previously found guilty in Jackson County Circuit Court for possession of a controlled substance, and in Clay County convicted of third-degree assault, according to court documents.

Story continues

Prosecutors asked for a $250,000 cash bond.

Gun violence is the subject of a statewide journalism project The Star is undertaking in Missouri this year in partnership with the national service program Report for America and sponsored in part by Missouri Foundation for Health. As part of this project, The Star will seek the communitys help.

To contribute, visit Report for America online at reportforamerica.org.

KC Blotter newsletter: Crime, courts, more

Stay up-to-date on crime, courts and other stories from around the Kansas City region. Delivered to your inbox every morning, Monday-Saturday.

SIGN UP
A field near the former Marieval Indian Residential School, where the Cowessess First Nation say they found the unmarked graves of hundreds of people - Reuters

The remains of 751 people, mainly indigenous children, have been found in unmarked graves on the site of a former Catholic residential school in Canada.

They were discovered on the grounds of the Marieval Indian Residential school in Saskatchewan less than a month after the bodies of 215 children were uncovered on the site of another defunct Catholic school at Kamloops in British Columbia

The grim discovery sent renewed shockwaves through a country which is still coming to terms with evidence of widespread abuse of the countrys indigenous population revealed by the Kamloops mass grave.

Canadas 1.7 million indigenous citizens represent 4.9 per cent of the total population and their historic treatment is seen as a scar on the countrys history.

Canadian prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said he was deeply saddened by the discovery of the unmarked graves.

He told the countrys indigenous population that "the hurt and the trauma that you feel is Canadas responsibility to bear."

Justin Trudeau said the discovery was "Canada's responsibility to bear" - Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP

It is unclear how many of the bodies found in Saskatchewan belonged to children, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said.

The Cowessess First Nation commissioned a ground-penetrating search of the site within days of the Kamloops discovery.

Identifying the remains have been made more difficult by the removal of headstones by the church which ran the school.

"We didn't remove the headstones. Removing headstones is a crime in this country. We are treating this like a crime scene," he added.

Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme - Reuters

Chief Delorme said he had been in touch with the Catholic church and was optimistic it would provide the records needed to identify the remains.

More graves are expected to be found in Saskatchewan, following the decision by the federal government to allocate 4.9 million Canadian dollars 2.9 million for further searches.

The Marieval and Kamloops schools were part of a network of establishments set up by the Canadian federal government designed to forcibly assimilate native children.

Story continues

A crew performs a ground-penetrating radar search of a field where remains were found. - Reuters

More than 150,000 children are estimated to have been sent to these schools where they were banned from following their cultural traditions or even speaking their own language.

In all, there were approximately 150 such schools which opened in the early 1880s. The last shut its doors in 1996.

Canada, which was set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2008 to investigate the schools, described the practices as cultural genocide.

An undated map on the Cowessess Reserve near Grayson, Saskatchewan, Canada - Reuters

Families were threatened with jail if they did not surrender their children to the schools where conditions were grim.

There were also allegations of malnutrition, physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

Thousands of children went missing from the schools. Some died, others just ran away.

Initially, it was estimated that 4,100 children disappeared from the schools.

Murray Sinclair, an indigenous former judge who led the commission, estimated that the true number could exceed 10,000.

Canada will be known as a nation who tried to exterminate the First Nations, said Bobby Cameron, Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan.

Now we have the evidence, this is just the beginning."
House Republicans are demanding an apology after a Democrat yelled, "Racist," at a colleague who was quizzing Education Secretary Miguel Cardona about critical race theory during a committee hearing Thursday.

The accusation was hurled at Virginia Rep. Bob Good, a freshman Republican on the Education and Labor Committee, who was asking Cardona about a proposed department rule that referred to the 1619 Project and How to Be an Antiracist author Ibram X. Kendi. Then Good mentioned a Loudoun County, Virginia, school board meeting that erupted over objections to critical race theory on Tuesday.

As Good was speaking, a man could be heard shouting, Racist." The source of the comment appeared to come from New Jersey Democratic Rep. Donald Norcross, as his screen on the virtual committee meeting popped up during the remark. His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

REPUBLICANS DRAG RIDICULOUS MARK MILLEY WHITE RAGE COMMENTS

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

"I hope that you will not nationalize the culture war that started in Virginia," Good concluded.

Democratic Virginia Rep. Bobby Scott, chairman of the committee, later reminded members to "respect each other." While Good was talking, Scott said, "I couldn't quite hear what it was, but there was an inappropriate comment. It was out of order."

That was not stern enough for Republicans. All 23 Republican members of the Education and Labor Committee, led by ranking member Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, signed a letter to Scott asking for an apology.

We are extremely concerned that there was no apology made during the hearing for the comment and that it was not withdrawn as is customary when Members engage in unparliamentary personalities and behavior beneath the dignity of this Committee, they wrote.

While they said it was not possible to conclusively determine during the hearing who uttered the smear, the evidence strongly suggests it was Norcross.

Story continues

We expect that Rep. Norcross will abide by the rules of the Committee and House of Representatives, along with his good conscience, and apologize to Rep. Good publicly, they said, adding they hope to see an end to the pandemic-era remote committee structure that made the situation murky.

Republicans are increasingly confronting Biden administration officials about whether they accept or support teachings and activities rooted in or related to critical race theory.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

On Wednesday, Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Michael Waltz, both from Florida, grilled Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on critical race theory in the military. The line of questioning prompted Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley to defend the ideology.

I want to understand white rage, and I'm white, Milley said.

Indiana Rep. Jim Banks last week confronted chief of naval operations, Adm. Michael Gilday, for including Kendis How to Be an Antiracist on a professional reading program reading list.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Congress, Critical Race Theory, House GOP, Mark Milley, Miguel Cardona

Original Author: Emily Brooks

Original Location: Republicans seek apology for yell of racist during critical race theory questioning
Robert Buckland has intervened after receiving legal advice that the board's decision could be deemed 'irrational' - Dominic Lipinski/ PA

Robert Buckland, the Justice Secretary, is to challenge the parole board's decision to release child killer Colin Pitchfork.

On Monday, Mr Buckland will ask the board to reconsider its decision to release Pitchfork, 61, after 33 years behind bars for raping and murdering two 15-year-old girls during the Eighties.

Pitchfork raped and strangled Lynda Mann in November 1983 and Dawn Ashworth in July 1986. He remained free until 1987 when he became the first killer in Britain to be convicted on the strength of DNA evidence.

He was jailed for life with a minimum of 30 years in 1988, 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".

Mr Buckland has intervened after receiving legal advice that the board's decision could be deemed "irrational".

Colin Pitchfork was jailed for life in 1988 - Neville Chadwick Photography

Ministry of Justice (MoJ) lawyers will argue that the decision makes no sense based on the evidence of risk that was considered and that no other rational panel could come to the same conclusion. It is a similar legal test used in judicial reviews in high courts.

Mr Buckland has decided to cite "irrational grounds" as there was no evidence of the decision being "procedurally unfair"  the only other basis on which he could challenge the decision.

The Justice Secretary gained powers to challenge decisions after the controversy over the board's proposed release of the black cab rapist John Worboys. Previously, they could only be appealed through a judicial review.

Now victims can ask the Justice Secretary to intervene while the MoJ reviews parole decisions to determine whether it should independently challenge any. There have been 32 interventions by the Justice Secretary since the challenge mechanism was set up two years ago, of which only one has been successful.

Pitchfork would have received a whole life term  meaning he would never be released  under government plans to introduce such sentences for child killers.

Story continues

Dawn's mother, Barbara Ashworth, 75, said she "absolutely" supported Mr Buckland's intervention in the Pitchfork case, calling the killer a "psychopath who should be kept in prison where he belongs".

She suffered a stroke on Jan 6, weeks before finding out that Pitchfork's parole hearing was coming up, and added: "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."

A wider "root and branch" review of the parole board will see greater public accountability through opening its hearings to the public and media, while the grounds to appeal its decisions could be widened.

Alberto Costa, the MP who campaigned against his release, welcomed Mr Buckland's decision to challenge the board's "appalling and flawed" decision.

"Since that dreadful announcement was made a few weeks ago by the Parole Board, I have been straining every sinew to oppose Pitchforks release and have been pleading with the Justice Secretary and his team at the Ministry of Justice for their intervention.

"I cannot emphasise enough how grateful I am that the Justice Secretary has acknowledged my constituents concerns and noted the widespread anger across the country with the Parole Boards disgraceful decision.
Florida deployed dozens of law enforcement officials to defend the U.S.-Mexico border, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Friday.

Heeding calls for assistance from his fellow governors in Texas and Arizona, DeSantis dispatched more than 50 members of the state's Department of Law Enforcement, Highway Patrol, and Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to Texas to "provide additional support in response to the security crisis at the southern border," according to a press release. Mission-critical equipment was also deployed.

"When the Governors of Texas and Arizona reached out for help, Florida answered the call," DeSantis said. "We are witnessing a catastrophe at the southern border under the Biden Administration. In recent months, we have seen people from the terrorist watch list, known sex offenders, and a flood of fentanyl cross over the border. This is a national security crisis, and we must get it under control."

DESANTIS SENDING FLORIDA OFFICERS TO RESPOND TO BORDER CRISIS IN TEXAS AND ARIZONA

Col. Roger Young, director of the FWCs Division of Law Enforcement, said his team's training and equipment will let them"provide assistance in challenging remote locations" along the southern border.

Personnel are expected to be deployed for 16-day shifts, and more than 20 county sheriff departments have pledged to help cover duties typically filled by the deployed officers, the press release said.

DeSantis vowed on June 16 to send law enforcement to Texas and Arizona, states along the border where there has been a surge of migrants in recent months.

"We are the first state to commit support for this effort in response to the request that was submitted by the governors of Texas and Arizona, and we're proud to lead, yet again, on issues that matter to Floridians," DeSantis said at the time.

Republican Govs. Greg Abbott of Texas and Doug Ducey of Arizona had called on governors from the other 48 states to patrol the border or else risk seeing the effects of continued high illegal migration spill over into inland states.

Story continues

"Given the staggering number of violations now occurring in Texas and Arizona, additional manpower is needed from any state that can spare it. With your help, we can apprehend more of these perpetrators of state and federal crimes, before they can cause problems in your state," the governors wrote in a letter released on June 11, noting the threats posed by drug smugglers and illegal immigrants with criminal histories.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The United States is facing a large number of migrants, particularly unaccompanied minors, crossing the southern border. More than 180,000 migrants were encountered at the border in May, according to data collected by Customs and Border Protection. Reports indicate an unprecedented 117,000 migrant children could enter the U.S. by the end of the year.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Ron DeSantis, Florida, Border Security, Border, Border Crisis

Original Author: Carly Roman

Original Location: Ron DeSantis deploys Florida law enforcement officers to southern border
A smaller version of the world's biggest mobile fair opens Monday in Spain under tight virus controls, with top firms avoiding an in-person presence after the pandemic derailed last year's edition.

The four-day Mobile World Congress (MWC), one of the first big technology conferences staged in Europe since the start of the pandemic, comes as global smartphone sales are rebounding after slumping in 2020 due to the economic havoc caused by the health crisis.

It will take place both in-person at Barcelona's main conference centre as well as in digital form, with a live performance by US rock legend Jon Bon Jovi and an online appearance by tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Many major firms like Samsung, the world's top smartphone maker, Nokia, Google and Facebook have pulled out of the in-person event, citing virus concerns although some will take part virtually.

China's beleaguered Huawei, whose smartphone business has been battered by US sanctions, will be the biggest firm with a physical presence at the show.

"It is quite evident that the show will be vastly different from previous years," Mats Granryd, director general of the industry association that stages the congress, the GSMA, told AFP. "It won't have the same buzz as before."

Unlike in other years, no major phonemaker is scheduled to present a new flagship device at the event, although some small Chinese and European firms are expected to unveil new phones.

The event -- which is usually held in February -- will occupy just three halls of the congress centre this year, compared to eight in the past.

The GSMA has limited attendance to 50,000 compared with a normal attendance of around 100,000.

It expects 30,000-35,000 people to actually attend, although Granryd warned it was "very difficult" to make forecasts this year.

While participating firms were sending far fewer people to the congress those who are coming tend to be top executives, he added.

Story continues

- 'Zombie show' -

Organisers are offering Spanish residents working in 11 "key" industries such as finance a pass for the event for just 21 euros ($25), compared to several hundred euros normally.

Participants will only be allowed into the congress if they have a negative Covid-19 test result which is less than 72 hours old.

Once inside they must wear medical-grade FFP2 face masks at all times and follow a one-way walking system.

New York-based Sascha Segan, the lead mobile analyst at US tech magazine PCMag, has called this year's congress a "Zombie show".

He will skip the event for the first time since 2006, predicting it will be "a lot emptier".

A big chunk of the attendees will be from Spain since "they are basically giving tickets away to local people", he told AFP by telephone.

- Musk and Bon Jovi -

This year's keynote speaker will be Musk who will address the gathering on Tuesday by video link from California.

He will discuss his planned Starlink satellite internet service which will provide wireless connections to places where access has been unreliable or not possible.

The other key themes at the event include the global rollout of blazing fast 5G wireless networks and the surge in demand for wearables and telehealth due to the pandemic.

One of the non-tech highlights will be a live show by Jon Bon Jovi, one of three artists set to perform at the event.

Global smartphone sales fell by 5.9 percent in 2020 to a total of 1.29 billion units, its fourth straight year of declines, according to research firm IDC.

But IDC forecasts they will increase by 7.7 percent this, and continue to rise until 2025 due to pent-up demand for a new device in rich nations and a "faster recovery than we thought" in key emerging markets, said senior IDC researcher Ryan Reith.

"We still believe the smartphone market has a lot of room to grow," he told AFP.

ds/lth
A sign reading, 'masks required in this area,' is seen as travelers prepare to check-in for their Delta airlines flight at the Miami International Airport on February 01, 2021 in Miami, Florida (Getty Images)

Senator Tom Cotton has blamed Joe Biden for badly behaved airline passengers because of the stupid mask mandate.

Airlines have seen an unprecedented amount of unruly behaviour by passengers in 2021, with more than 2,900 incidents already this year.

And the Federal Aviation Administration says that two-thirds of those incidents have been caused by face mask issues.

Now the Republican lawmaker from Arkansas has criticised the Biden administration and accused the White House of exacerbating the issue.

Ive personally seen so many flight attendants set up for failure by the Biden administration, he claimed.

They usually dont want to boss around their passengers or kick them off an airplane and cause a scene that will go viral on social media ... but theyre also told they have to enforce the stupid mask mandate.

And he claimed that there was no scientific evidence behind the mask mandate.

It is all for no good reason  it would be one thing if there was certificated evidence that suggested that masks in airports or on airplanes or buses or trains actually slowed down the spread of the virus among the unvaccinated but that is not the case.

Event the Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, cannot defend the mandate on its merits, he doesnt even try.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

However, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA International President, Sara Nelson, has previously told The Independent that much of the violence her 50,000 members have faced was stoked by the Trump administration.

Masks were politicised, and violence was stoked. We are bearing the brunt of this every day at work, including serious injury. Its dangerous, unacceptable, and its got to stop, she said.

Flight attendants are charged with the safety, health, and security of everyone in the cabin.

Our instructions to the traveling public keep everyone safe. Everyone wants to have the freedom of flight. Listen up and do your part. Were truly all in this together.

The agency says that between 2010 and 2020 it dealt with reports of just 1,548 misbehaving passengers.

Story continues

Read More

Racism in the US military did not exist before Biden took power, GOP senator Tom Cotton claims

Congress repeals Trump-era regulations on payday lenders

Biden campaign staff sue Trump train convoy who almost forced them off road in Texas
By David Brunnstrom

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Two leading U.S. senators have called on President Joe Biden to use powers under a bill they authored to impose sanctions on those responsible for forcing the closure of Hong Kong's Apple Daily newspaper, suggesting foreign banks were among those implicated.

The letter from Senator Pat Toomey, Republican ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, and Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, a committee member, referred to a Reuters report last month that Hong Kong Security Secretary John Lee sent letters to Apple Daily owner Jimmy Lai and branches of HSBC and Citibank threatening up to seven years' jail for any dealings with the billionaire's accounts in the city.

Lee had ordered the branches to freeze Lai's accounts, "which they appear to have done," said a text of the senators' letter made available to Reuters.

It said some 500 police officers earlier this week raided the Apple Dailys offices and arrested its executives and Hong Kongs Security Bureau then ordered Apple Daily's banks to freeze the newspapers assets, "directly resulting in its closure."

The senators said their Hong Kong Autonomy Act passed last year required the U.S. secretary of state to identify to congress any foreign person, including foreign businesses "materially contributing" to the "inability of the people of Hong Kong to enjoy the freedom of assembly, speech, press, or independent rule of law."

"It seems very likely that the breathtaking crackdown on Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily involves numerous foreign persons to whom Section 5 of the Hong Kong Autonomy Act applies," the letter said.

"We urge your administration to comprehensively enforce the Hong Kong Autonomy Act in the immediate wake of the injustice imposed upon Jimmy Lai and the forced closure of Apple Daily," it said.

The senators legislation requires mandatory sanctions on persons and entities that directly undermine Hong Kongs autonomy and secondary sanctions on banks that do business with those entities and persons.

Story continues

In their letter, the senators added that it was their understanding that the orders to the foreign banks were issued in an extrajudicial manner, by a single official outside of the court system, and without any criminal charges or subpoenas.

"These orders solidify the impression of many that the rule of law is no more in Hong Kong," they said.

Last month, a Citi spokesperson said in response to the Reuters story that the bank was required to comply with all laws and regulations in the countries in which it operates. HSBC declined to comment, but CEO Noel Quinn said previously that the bank has to comply with police requests in any country in the world.

On Thursday, Biden called the closure of the Apple Daily a "sad day for media freedom" and said it signaled "intensifying repression" by China, while vowing to maintain support for the people of the Chinese-ruled territory.

He made no mention of any plans to impose further sanctions over the crackdown.

The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the senators' letter.

A State Department report to Congress issued under the previous Trump administration in October put financial institutions on notice that they could be subject to secondary sanctions, including restrictions on U.S. loans, foreign exchange, property transactions, exports and transfers, in addition to measures against their executives.

In March, the Biden administration identified 24 Chinese officials previously sanctioned by the Trump administration as responsible for reducing Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy.

It said foreign financial institutions that knowingly conduct significant transactions with them were now subject to sanctions.

However, in its latest report to Congress required under the bill in May, the Treasury Department did not identify any foreign financial institutions doing business with those persons.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Additional reporting by Alun John in Hong Kong; Editing by Matthew Lewis, David Gregorio and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
A senior aide to Gov. Andrew Cuomo met with investigators from Attorney General Letitia James's office as part of an inquiry into claims of sexual harassment, according to a new report.

Richard Azzopardi, a senior Cuomo adviser, is the highest-ranking member of the governor's administration to meet with investigators from James's office, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The governor's senior aides, including Azzopardi, are expected to be among the last interviewed as part of the investigation, the report added.

"I cannot comment on whether or not we've interviewed the governor of the state of New York, but we have engaged in a number of interviews already," James said during an unrelated press conference on Thursday, adding she "cannot speak to whether or not we've communicated with members of the governor's administration."

ANDREW CUOMO SIGNS BILL FUNDING HIS IMPEACHMENT INVESTIGATION

Representatives for Cuomo did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner's request for comment. A representative for James declined to comment.

In December, former Cuomo aide Lindsey Boylan accused the governor of having sexually harassed her "for years." At least nine other women followed suit. Cuomo denies he ever engaged in inappropriate touching.

The allegations have led to two investigations. In addition to James's query, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie directed the opening of an "impeachment investigation" in the state Legislature.

Some of Cuomo's accusers expressed dissatisfaction with Heastie's selection of Davis Polk & Wardwell as the firm tasked with investigating the allegations on behalf of the Assembly.

"We were alarmed to learn that Speaker Heastie has hired Davis Polk to assist with the investigation, given the connection between Dennis Glazer, who spent more than 30 years as a partner at Davis Polk, and the governor," Debra Katz, the attorney for accuser Charlotte Bennett, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "This is an unacceptable conflict of interest."

Story continues

Katz said the alleged connection between Dennis Glazer, who spent 31 years as a partner at Davis Polk, and the 63-year-old governor gave Bennett "pause" and called into question the legitimacy of the entire investigation.

"We already know the extent to which Gov. Cuomo has surrounded himself with people in the Executive Chamber who enabled his behavior and swept evidence of sexual harassment under the rug," she continued. "If there is even a hint of political influence in the impeachment investigation, it will taint the entire proceedings."

Katz noted that Glazer received appointments from Cuomo, including to the board of the State University of New York at Purchase and New York's casino siting board, and Glazer's wife, state Court of Appeals Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, would serve in a state Senate trial if Cuomo were impeached.

Heastie praised the law firm when announcing the Assembly's selection.

"Hiring Davis Polk will give the Committee the experience, independence, and resources needed to handle this important investigation in a thorough and expeditious manner," he said.

James also applauded Heastie's investigation during Thursday's press conference, saying she has "full faith and credit with the Assembly" while noting there has been "no communication [and] no cooperation" between the two investigations.

Boylan and Bennett have both reportedly met with investigators from James's office.

Cuomo denied all allegations of inappropriate touching, but he did apologize for making women feel uncomfortable. The governor signed a bill authorizing funds for Heastie's impeachment investigation, and his administration authorized James's investigation via a referral letter from Beth Garvey, Cuomos counsel.

James's investigation into claims of sexual harassment expanded last month to look into claims that a top adviser tied counties' COVID-19 vaccine access to support for the governor, which Garvey said "malign[ed] a decadeslong public servant."

The New York Democrat faces other scandals threatening his governorship.

The governor has been accused of directing state health officials to give special COVID-19 testing access to members of his inner circle. Azzopardi denied those claims as "insincere efforts to rewrite the past" in an email to the Washington Examiner.

The alleged use of state resources in the promotion of Cuomo's book, American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from COVID-19 Pandemic, has also attracted scrutiny from elected officials. In April, James received a referral to conduct a criminal investigation into Cuomo's use of state resources to promote the book after a March 31 ethics complaint from a liberal watchdog group sought an inquiry into whether he violated a law prohibiting "the use of campaign funds for personal use." Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli authorized James to examine "any indictable offense or offenses," including "the drafting, editing, sale, and promotion of the governors book and any related financial or business transactions."

Cuomo insisted that members of his staff volunteered to help with the book, though his office acknowledged there might be some "incidental" use of state resources, according to the New York Times.

In addition, the Democratic governor is under federal investigation for his handling of nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic after Melissa DeRosa, a top Cuomo aide, acknowledged that the governor's office hid the state's nursing home coronavirus death toll out of fear of political retribution from then-President Donald Trump.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Facing mounting pressure from within his party to resign, Cuomo, who is eligible to seek a fourth term in office in 2022, has vowed not to step down, saying all allegations of impropriety against him are false.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Andrew Cuomo, New York, Governor, Sexual Harassment, Scandal

Original Author: Carly Roman

Original Location: Senior Cuomo aide interviewed in sexual harassment investigation: Report
A group of Republicans, led by Utah Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), introduced a new Republican-only Conservative Climate Caucus, aimed at educating fellow House lawmakers on climate policies that align with the GOP and reduce carbon emissions.

"Republicans have conservative solutions to lower emissions while enhancing economic prosperity," Curtis said in a statement Wednesday. "We do care about climate  and we already have solutions and plan to find more."

The newly announced Conservative Climate Caucus reflects a changing wave in the GOP  and a break from former President Donald Trump, who had previously called climate change "mythical" and an "expensive hoax" on his now-suspended Twitter account.

In contrast, the new caucus explicitly acknowledges climate change. "The climate is changing, and decades of a global industrial era that has brought prosperity to the world has also contributed to that change," according to a statement announcing the new caucus.

Continued fossil fuel reliance

Nevertheless, the solutions outlined by the caucus include continued reliance on fossil fuels and more private sector innovation. "Reducing emissions is the goal, not reducing energy choices," the statement reads. And while they acknowledge climate change is a global issue, the group says China is "the greatest immediate obstacle to reducing world emissions."

"Proposals to reduce emissions and be good stewards of the earth do not have to hurt the American economy. In fact, they do the opposite," Curtis said in the statement. "There is a way to lower global emissions without sacrificing American jobs and principles  and I believe Republicans are the ones that can and should be leading the charge."

More: Fact check: Viral video doctored to change Greta Thunberg's remarks on climate crisis

Learn: UN says Great Barrier Reef is 'in danger,' but Australia disagrees

Story continues

In 2019, Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) joined forces with Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) to launch the Climate Solutions Caucus, the first-ever bipartisan Senate caucus dedicated to the issue. It now has 14 members. When forming their caucus, Braun and Coons had said climate change had become "too polarized, toxic and unproductive."

2019: Sen. Braun says climate change conversation is 'polarized,' forms bipartisan climate caucus

It's unclear if the new GOP-only group in the House will fuel or fight further gridlock, but Braun says he supports more members of his party getting involved in the issue.

I support Republicans getting engaged in the climate discussion to oppose radical job-killers like the Green New Deal and instead craft realistic, common-sense, pro-jobs solutions," Braun told IndyStar in a statement.

'In the closet on climate'

President Biden has made tackling climate change a key part of his administration. He's signed several executive orders on the topic and included it in various plans and budget proposals, adding that it goes hand-in-hand with creating jobs.

I think there have been a lot of Republicans in the closet on climate, Braun told the Washington Post last year, also noting the importance of engaging young voters with meaningful climate legislation.

The senator also previously expressed admiration for climate activist Greta Thunberg, during a time when the former president antagonized the teen and while the Trump administration was actively trying to diminish efforts to fight climate change.

On Thursday, the Senate overwhelmingly voted to pass the Growing Climate Solutions Act, introduced by Braun and other senators. The bill provides incentives to farmers and foresters to implement sustainable practices that are believed to help capture carbon.

Now, the bill heads to the House floor for vote.

Groups such as the Independent Petroleum Association of America and the American Conservation Coalition have expressed support for the Conservative Climate Caucus.

The executive director for nonprofit Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions has also supported the group, saying U.S. climate policy "must foster innovation and commercialization pathways that work for Indiana as well as for India."

As of Thursday afternoon, the group has grown to more than 60 GOP members.

Contact IndyStar reporter Rashika Jaipuriar at rjaipuriar@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @rashikajpr.

Call IndyStar reporter Sarah Bowman at 317-444-6129 or email at sarah.bowman@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @IndyStarSarah.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: New GOP caucus acknowledges climate change, still wants fossil fuels
After months of waiting for the coronavirus pandemic to wane and for the social scene to return, Tony and Maria Prifitera are opening Sicily Coal-Fired Pizza in Middletown on Monday. The restaurant at 412 Main St., is in the 1860 building that once housed the R.W. Camp Co. department store.

Sicily is about the size of a department store, with a roomy dining room and bar, an upstairs piano bar, a second upstairs lounge with music space and a downstairs function room. The menu encompasses New Haven-style pizza, pasta, steaks, veal, chicken seafood and appetizers including a charcuterie board, octopus, eggplant fries, seasonal soups and items made with Liuzzi cheeses of New Haven.

This is the Tony and Marias dream restaurant. Theyve been working toward it their whole lives, General Manager Dan Licitra said. We dont want people to just eat and then go home. We want them to stay, dance maybe, listen to music, have a drink, turn coming here into a whole night out.

The team running Sicily has lifetimes of experience with Italian cuisine. Tony Prifiteras family owned Naples pizza in New Haven, and he owned places in Florida. He lived in Sicily as a child. I went to school there in fifth, sixth and seventh grade, said Prifitera, who lives in Durham. I got to know the culture.

Dan Licitra has worked in restaurants since he was a child, starting at age 8 washing dishes at his dads eatery, Espresso Pizza in Meriden. Licitra also worked at Rustic Grotto in Fairfield and Septembers in New Haven. Executive chef Joe Lucci most recently worked at Viron Rondo Osteria, the mammoth Italian restaurant in Cheshire, where he served hundreds of people each night as an executive chef.

Rounding out the team are pastry chef Rebecca Dandeneau, formerly of Artisan in West Hartford; and bar manager Hana Kin. Kin assembled a varied cocktail and wine list, and 50 taps with many local brews including City Steam and Hanging Hills of Hartford, Relic of Plainville, Armada of East Haven, Two Roads of Stratford, Bad Sons of Derby and Thimble Island of Branford. Sicily also has a house lager, and one beer tap serves up Prosecco.

Story continues

Licitra said the restaurant has been two years in the making, with the COVID-19 health crisis stalling the opening. We didnt want masks, plastic dividers, limited capacity. We wanted it be full energy or not at all, he said. We wanted to give the big wow to people in the Middletown community.

The 7,000 square feet of indoor space, and a patio fronting Main Street, is room for a good portion of the Middletown community. Sicily has the staff to feed a big crowd. At a time when many restaurants struggle to find staff to open to full capacity, Sicily has been able to fill about 100 positions, Licitra said.

Two of those positions are held by the Prifiteras themselves, who report to the kitchen daily. I work. I dont shake hands or kiss babies. Im not that kind of an owner, Tony Prifitera said. I make the sauce and the meatballs and the pizza prep and the coal-fired wings. Me and my wife make all of the pasta. Their four children will help out in the restaurant, at least for the summer.

Adding to the community feel is the stairwells, whose steps feature the names of many Middletown restaurants and businesses: Amici, Hachi, Typhoon, Mondo, Fujiya Ramen, Tavern at the Armory.

Starting June 28, Sicily is open seven days a week, 11:30 a.m. to midnight, with the bars open longer. Sicily also has a deli that sells pasta, sauces and breads. sicilycoalfiredpizza.com.

Susan Dunne can be reached at sdunne@courant.com.
Scottish Labour MSP Jackie Baillie - Fraser Bremner/Scottish Daily Mail/PA

SNP ministers have been accused of a "cynical abuse of power" after keeping secret for three months a catastrophic error that meant hundreds of women were wrongly excluded from a cancer screening programme.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman, said Nicola Sturgeon's Government had "deliberately hidden from the public" the cervical cancer screening blunder after finding out about it in March.

Maree Todd, the Women's Health Minister, finally went public with the scandal in a parliamentary statement on Thursday only hours before the start of Holyrood's two-month summer break.

Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman, said the affected women deserved to be told immediately and noted that cancer screening was raised repeatedly during the recent Holyrood election campaign, but Ms Sturgeon "did not say a word".

She said the SNP's decision to "keep the public in the dark on such a serious mistake beggars belief" and concluded: "It is hard to see this as anything other than playing politics with peoples health."

434 women wrongly told there was no need to be screened

Ms Todd admitted that 434 women who had undergone partial hysterectomies were wrongly told there was no need for them to be checked. A small number went on to develop cervical cancer and one died, with mistakes dating back to 1997.

However, she admitted that the tally of women who developed cancer may increase, telling BBC Scotland: "I'm afraid we may well be looking at higher numbers."

She vigorously denied any cover-up, saying that there was a "laborious process of going through their records" to identify the women before the scandal was made public.

The minister said all the women affected were contacted by letter on Tuesday and that "we did not want to cause undue anxiety and stress" by revealing the error earlier.

It was initially identified by an audit in December last year after an unidentified NHS board discovered women who had developed cervical cancer after being wrongly excluded from screening.

Story continues

An urgent case review going back 24 years was launched that discovered hundreds of other cases. While most patients undergoing a hysterectomy have their cervix removed completely, some have a "sub-total hysterectomy".

At least 500 older cases still need to be investigated

Part of the cervix can be left behind, meaning they still require to be screened for cancer. The 434 cases so far identified of women wrongly excluded from screening occurred after 1997, but the records of at least 500 older cases still need to be checked.

A further 170,000 women who had hysterectomies are having their case notes reviewed as a "precaution" to see if they were also wrongly excluded from screening but the "vast majority" are not expected to be affected.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "SNP ministers had knowledge of these fatal errors before the elections. I was shocked when the minister said they had known about this since March.

"It is a cynical abuse of power to only disclose this serious adverse event months later and on the afternoon when Parliament breaks up for the summer. It is an insult to the women who were failed by the errors in this screening programme."

Pressed why the Scottish Government had not disclosed the scandal earlier, Ms Todd said: "We had a number of issues that we had to follow and I didn't want to put it in the public domain before we had notified the women.

"So on Tuesday this week we sent letters to all of the women affected, and to their GPs to ensure that they could have access to good information once they became aware that they were affected."

She insisted it was not a "fair criticism at all" to say SNP ministers had "sat on" the information as going through the women's records was a "laborious process".

Ms Todd said records from before 1997 were more difficult to access, but that the work should be completed in July and the women contacted in August.

She said she had offered to meet her opposition shadows during the summer recess so they can "ask more questions" and receive briefings from clinicians.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  A rapid resurgence of COVID-19 is slamming South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, and threatens to overwhelm its hospitals.

Johannesburg, a city of 5 million, and the surrounding Gauteng province account for about 60% of the countrys new daily infections. South Africas 7-day rolling average of daily new cases has doubled over the past two weeks from 10 new cases per 100,000 people on June 10 to 22 per 100,000 people on June 24, according to Johns Hopkins University.

South Africa's rising cases are part of a rampant resurgence across Africa whose peak is expected to exceed that of earlier waves as the continent's 54 countries struggle to vaccinate even a small percentage of their populations.

The steep rise of cases in Gauteng has not yet reached its peak, bringing authorities to consider increased restrictions on public gatherings and liquor sales. South Africa's vaccination drive has had a slow start and to date about 2.5 million people of the country's population of 60 million have received at least one jab.

The military has sent medical personnel to help treat the growing number of patients. Hospitals in Gauteng province are so full that many patients are being sent to medical facilities hours away in Mpumalanga and North West provinces, Lucky Mpeko, a director at QRS ambulance services, told The Associated Press.

The normal practice is that a patient must be taken to the closest hospital to their home, but that has not been possible because hospitals are full, they do not have beds," said Mpeko.

Even when you are allowed to bring a patient to a hospital, you will have queue (wait in line) for two or three hours while they try to find space for your patient, said Mpeko.

He said under normal circumstances, taxis take 30 to 45 minutes to transport a patient to a hospital, but now the time is often hours because they must drive such long distances.

The beta variant, first identified in South Africa, continues to dominate here. The alpha and delta variants are also here, but they are responsible for a minority of cases, according to health experts.

Story continues

This week health faculty at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg demonstrated against the government's management of the crisis and called on authorities to urgently reopen Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, a designated COVID-19 center. Some parts of the hospital were gutted by a fire in April and more than 700 patients were evacuated. Initially, officials said the hospital would be reopened within two weeks, but two months later it's still closed.

It is having a huge impact. We are talking about a 1,000-bed hospital being closed in the middle of a pandemic, with a wave that is not comparable to the ones we previously had," said Professor Johnny Mahlangu, head of Wits university's pathology school and who participated in the protests.

This hospital has been declared as a COVID-19 treating facility and it is missing in action and that is negatively affecting us," he said. The province is currently under siege from the pandemic and opening this facility will help us manage it.

On Friday, the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, protested in the capital, Pretoria, against the slow pace of vaccinations.

South Africa's sluggish rate of vaccinations is blamed for contributing to the new surge. It has now vaccinated just over 2.4 million people of its population of 60 million. The country has had a shortage of vaccines, among other delays.

On Thursday acting health minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced South Africa will soon include people aged 50 years and older as eligible to get vaccinated as the country seeks to expand its inoculations. So far vaccinations have been limited to health care workers, people aged 60 and over, and schoolteachers.

This week, 300 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were allocated to start vaccinating teachers and other workers in the education sector.
Chinese student Horror Zoo has been speaking out against the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from Australia but, like many activists there, she has discovered that criticising the state can lead to intimidation and threats.

"People say they want to kill me. I can't tell what is true and what is not true," Ms Zoo (who goes by a pseudonym) told the BBC.

Relations between Australia and China are at their worst in years. Tensions have risen over trade, the treatment of the Muslim majority Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region, and the origins of the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Zoo decided to organise a protest against the CCP in Melbourne last year, following reports that Chinese bloggers and doctors who tried to warn people about Covid had been censored by the state. She said the protest was also attended by Chinese nationalists.

"Some came to my protest secretly and took pictures. I found my pictures on some Chinese nationalist websites," she said.

There have been protests across Australia over alleged interference and also in support of Hong Kong protesters

Ms Zoo also ran a Twitter account parodying the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, which was suspended by the social media company. She believes her online activism is what led police in China to call her parents, who are supportive of the CCP.

"The police contacted my parents in China and told them I do a lot of sensitive things on Twitter and that I do some activism," she said.

"My parents think I betrayed China and they think I should go back and surrender myself. I think the police still connect with them. My mum is very afraid of them. She doesn't talk with me about any politics."

She said articles had been published about her on the Chinese app WeChat, and that online threats had caused her mental health to decline.

"I am also afraid they will collect my sensitive information because many friends have said something privately on very secure email but the police in China know what they are doing," she said.

There is rising concern about Chinese government influence in Australia and its effect on freedom of expression. Over the past few years, there have been claims of Chinese interference in Australia's government and also its universities.

Story continues

Clive Hamilton, professor of public ethics at Charles Sturt University, said fears of Chinese government interference had been an "enormous and continuing issue in Australia for some three or four years now".

"It represents a deep anxiety within the Australian community about Beijing's attempts to influence Australia's democratic institutions," he said. "And there is grave concern at senior levels of government about the same question. It's been one of the top two or three political issues in Australia in recent times."

Relations between the two countries deteriorated recently when Australia called for an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. Australia has also raised concerns over China's alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Rights groups estimate that China has detained more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in the region over the past few years, and the Chinese state is accused of forced labour, sterilisation and other abuses. China denies those allegations, saying its network of camps in Xinjiang is part of a crackdown on separatism and Islamist militancy.

Along with other members of her community, Uyghur-Australian student Adila Yarmuhammad has been protesting every Friday outside the Chinese consulate in Adelaide, which is home to one of the largest overseas Uyghur communities outside Turkey.

"Everyone there has a family member missing," she said.

For Ms Yarmuhammad, raising awareness of the plight of the Uyghurs in China has also brought the fear of being watched.

"A couple of years ago, a lot of us were receiving phone calls at least once a day," she said. "If we didn't pick up, there would be a voice message left in Chinese that would tell us we needed to renew our visas. I was born in Australia, my parents are Australian citizens and most of the community are Australian citizens. It's things like that that shake the community."

Ms Yarmuhammad, along with many other activists, said online abuse has increased in recent years.

"I never had a problem with people attacking me and I'm quite feisty in that sort of sense where I give it back at them, but it does take a huge toll," she said.

"No matter what we say, we will always either have someone being controlled by China, defending China or anyone who just believes that China is a godsend and everything China does is right."

"So we get attacked from both ends."

In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Chinese consulate in Adelaide said there had "never been any intimidation to any local communities when our Consulate-General performs our due duties".

The spokesperson said the protesters had "caused serious disturbance to our office and neighbouring residents".

"What they have done fully exposes their malicious intention and nature of violence and separatism," they said.

An earlier statement from the consulate urged media in Australia to "look at China in an objective and rational manner, rather than stir up trouble or smear China intentionally".

Drew Pavlou has had death threats since protesting in support of Hong Kongers and Uyghurs

Drew Pavlou, a student at the University of Queensland, knows what it's like to be targeted online for speaking out against the CCP.

In 2019, he was attacked by CCP supporters while holding a protest at his university in support of the Hong Kong independence movement.

Since then, he has spoken out about alleged Chinese interference at the university, claims it rejects.

However, incidents like this have prompted Australia to launch a parliamentary hearing on alleged interference on the country's campuses and Mr Pavlou was invited to testify.

In 2019 a taskforce brought together government agencies and universities to counter foreign interference in Australia's universities, but critics say much more needs be done to protect academic freedom and students.

In 2020, about 127,000 Chinese students enrolled in Australian universities, making up 39% of international students in the country. They provide a key source of revenue - and Prof Hamilton said the CCP keeps a close note of what is being said on campus.

"One essential ambition of the Chinese government is to control the global discourse around China and its role in the world. And that means influencing the narrative of discussions about China - Chinese history and the CCP."

Mr Pavlou has faced backlash both on social media and in Chinese state media.

"I've had so many abusive messages and death threats and stuff like that," he told the BBC.

"I'm not too fussed about it these days because I've got so many of them, but when they do come, it's just really hard on the family," he added.

In April, Mr Pavlou's emails were hacked from a Hong Kong IP address. A cybersecurity expert confirmed to the BBC that the hack was a standard email compromise.

Mr Pavlou said his emails contained sensitive interviews with Uyghurs and some of them were threatened.

He said he was concerned that "the Chinese government was possibly using information from that to further harass the families of Uyghurs in Australia".

But despite all this, he remains focused on campaigning.

"I've always opposed anti-Chinese racism and anti-Asian racism in Australia," he said. "For me it's always been about the fact that this government is not elected - it's a dictatorship that violates the rights of the Chinese people on a massive scale."

You may also be interested in
BERLIN (AP)  German police said four students walking home from their high school graduation ceremony in the early hours Friday helped rescue two police officers from a burning patrol car.

Police in the western city of Bochum said that the 24 and 30-year-old officers were on their way to a reported burglary when their vehicle crashed into a tree and burst into flames.

The students and a passing motorist pulled the injured officers from the wreck, police said.

German news agency dpa quoted a Bochum police spokesman saying that it was unclear whether the officers, who suffered serious injuries including fractures, would have been able to free themselves from the burning car.

The two officers were being treated in hospital and their lives were not in danger, the spokesman said.
By Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland's highest court on Friday rejected foreign sex workers' access to compensation for pay lost due to the coronavirus pandemic, saying temporary workers were ineligible for short-time work payouts due to their short stay.

The court denied a request by an unidentified sex club operator in the northeastern canton of Thurgau, whose 30 workers were put out of work from March 17 until June 5 last year when the club closed due to government measures to contain COVID-19.

Because the workers were permitted to work in Switzerland for only four months under rules allowing people from the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to work in Switzerland for a short time, the court determined they were ineligible for compensation.

"For foreign sex workers who work as employees in a club and are registered in Switzerland under the (European short-term work scheme), there is no entitlement to short-time work compensation in connection with the coronavirus," the Federal Court said in a statement.

Switzerland last year extended its short-time working scheme that helps cover lost wages for staff at companies that manage lean economic times by temporarily reducing workers' hours and pay.

However, such compensation required a minimum six months' employment, the court said, adding the relationship between the club and the sex workers did not fit the criteria of employment.

"There is no real employment contract between the club operator and the sex workers, as the latter decide themselves on where, what type and to what extent they provide sexual services," the top court said in its ruling. "Regarding the employment relationship, it is rather to be assumed that the work is performed quasi on demand of the client."

Their temporary stay excluded them from pandemic-related jobless insurance, the court said.

(Reporting by Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi; Editing by Alex Richardson)
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan and the United States will hold trade talks next week, the de facto U.S. embassy in Taipei said on Friday, resuming long-stalled discussions as Washington seeks to deepen its support for the Chinese-claimed island.

The Trade and Investment Framework Agreement talks, or TIFA, stalled after former U.S. President Barack Obama left office in 2016 and his successor Donald Trump's trade representative, Robert Lighthizer, focused his attention on China, the world's second-largest economy.

The TIFA Council meeting would be held virtually on Wednesday, opened by the top U.S. diplomat in Taiwan, Brent Christensen, and Taiwan's top diplomat in Washington, Hsiao Bi-Khim, the U.S. diplomatic mission on the island, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), said.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and Taiwan's Office of Trade Negotiations will serve as the "chief consultants" for the talks, it added.

"AIT looks forward to using the TIFA process to strengthen the strategic trade and investment partnership that exists between our two economies," it said in a statement.

Taiwan had been cautiously optimistic about resuming the high level trade talks with Washington this year after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken signalled a possible resumption this month.

The Biden administration has moved to reaffirm its strong commitment to the democratically governed island in the face of pressure from Beijing to try and assert its sovereignty.

Taiwan has long angled for a free trade deal with the United States, though any such agreement with Taiwan would likely irritate Beijing, which says the island is Chinese territory and does not have the right to state-to-state relations.

While Taiwan is a member of the World Trade Organization, many countries are wary of signing trade deals with the tech powerhouse fearing objections from China, though Taiwan does have free trade deals with Singapore and New Zealand.

Last year, Taiwan's government lifted a ban on the import of pork containing a leanness-enhancing additive, ractopamine, removing a major stumbling block to a deal with Washington.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Robert Birsel)
As the pandemic redefined all aspects of life, changes to how people work continue to evolve as priorities shift and companies sort out what the future of work looks like.

As businesses were forced to close offices, remote work and work from home became the norm. Now, as businesses reopen, theres a demand from employees to have remote work options. During the recent Fairchild Media Group Tech Forum, Christina Janzer, senior director of research and analytics at Slack, discussed this trend with Adrianna Lee, technology reporter for WWD.

More from WWD

I think as people started to adapt [to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic] and figure it out, they started to realize that theres actually a lot of benefits to remote work, Janzer said. In our research we looked across a lot of dimensions such as work life-balance, stress and anxiety and productivity as well as a sense of belonging; and for the most part, people were happier working remotely than they were when they were in the office.

This resulted in a shift of priorities with people wanting greater flexibility in their jobs, and the ability to work remotely. Janzer said there are companies exploring various models  from complete remote work to a hybrid model. But whichever model is deployed, Janzer said companies need to rethink what supports productivity and work.

Companies need to consider the tools and infrastructure that are going to support this new way of working because it doesnt just come for free, she said. You cant just let people work from home or let people work whenever they want and expect that things are just going to be productive. And one key shift that companies need to think about is headquarters, and how it can shift to virtual.

Janzer said reframing traditional offices into digital headquarters requires uniting all employees by creating an inclusive and equitable work environment  so that no matter where you work you can be effective, and can get promoted.

Story continues

One area of concern for employees, though, centers around having a sense of belonging to a company, which includes water cooler talk and other social aspects of work life. When asked about a lack of organic conversations, connections and collaborations, Janzer said people are concerned that remote work fails on that front. But she said solutions such as Slack and its Slack channels are tools that can be used for social purposes at work.

People will use Slack channels to come together around topics that are work related for sure but also that are more social by nature, she said, adding that channels on the platform were used to vent about parenting issues, homeschooling and managing the chaos of family life under lockdown. So the water cooler chat can be replicated in digital tools, and I think thats been a really effective way for people to build that connection and that camaraderie.

Janzer offered a case study in Wayfair.com, the online merchant, which had to shift everyone to remote work. They used Slack for organizing work topics, but they also created a bunch of social channels, too, to come together around topics that were really relevant at the time such as social unrest subtopics, and the pandemic. It gave people space as an outlet, which helped build connections.
Tara Moore/Getty Images

Rates of young patients hospitalized with eating disorders have tripled in one Boston hospital.

Outpatient settings are seeing a spike in eating disorders, too.

Excessively working out or obsessing over food are some of the signs of an eating disorder.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Across the country, there's been a spike in adolescents seeking treatment for eating disorders during the pandemic, new data suggest.

"We sort of look at it like a second pandemic, the mental-health needs in adolescents," Dr. Tracy Richmond, director of the eating-disorder program at Boston Children's Hospital, told The Wall Street Journal, "and eating disorders is part of that."

Rates of patients hospitalized with eating disorders more than tripled at Boston Children's Hospital, according to Richmond, with some patients having lost up to 50% of their body weight. This spike in treatment occurred in the outpatient setting, too, as some weeks had 23 case reviews, up from a weekly average of six.

Young, white women have typically been diagnosed with eating disorders pre-pandemic, but Richardson said she's seen a rise in young men and minorities, too.

The trend isn't just limited to Boston's Children's Hospital: according to Richmond's early data, hospitalizations for eating disorders doubled at 14 eating disorder treatment centers.

Eating Recovery Center, which consists of 30 centers, also said there were 2,000 new patient calls in January and February of 2021 - a 90% increase from the same time period in 2020 - and one eating disorder treatment center in Kansas City, Missouri, has a six-month wait list for new patients, the Journal reported.

Experts say isolation may play a role in the rise of eating disorders

Experts say the most common eating disorder they've seen is anorexia nervosa, but they've also seen bulimia nervosa and binge-eating disorder.

Families and experts believe that isolation, social media, and lack of extracurricular activities gave adolescents time to obsess about their body image and food intake.

Story continues

"The COVID pandemic has presented society and in particular adolescents with very, very significant psychological challenges. This has been a big event that has disrupted a lot of people's lives in many ways and it may be months or years before we see all of the true impacts," Dr. Dave Little told the Associated Press about the same trend.

Little told the AP that parents need to communicate with their kids to stem any potential unhealthy eating patterns from getting worse.

"Talk to your kids, talk to your patients. Ensure that eating behaviors remain healthy and the sooner you get an indication that there may be an issue ... the sooner you respond the better," Little said.

Read the original article on Insider
Televangelist Jim Bakker advertised the "Silver Solution," falsely claiming that it could be used to cure COVID. Screengrab/Twitter

Televangelist Jim Bakker and his church were ordered to pay $156,000 in restitution for selling a fake COVID cure.

Bakker advertised a supplement called "Silver Solution" last year that he falsely claimed could prevent COVID.

It contains colloidal silver, which health authorities say is dangerous to one's health.

Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Missouri televangelist Jim Bakker was ordered to pay $156,000 in restitution to the viewers of his religious talk show. This was for touting a fake COVID cure called the "Silver Solution" that contained colloidal silver, an ingredient which health authorities warn can be toxic and cause permanent skin discoloration.

The TV preacher and his guest Sherill Sellman claimed last February on the Jim Bakker Show that the "Silver Solution," which comes in liquid bottles and gel tubes, could "kill" and "deactivate" the COVID virus within 12 hours.

During the show, Bakker advertised the solution in a $125 starter kit. Per local Missouri news outlet Riverfront Times, Bakker's website also listed a case of 12 bottles for "$300 or more."

Per the settlement judgment seen by Insider, TV preacher Jim Bakker and his church, the Jim Bakker Show Ministry, were also barred from selling the Silver Solution to "diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure any disease or illness."

The $156,000 in restitution includes $90,000 in refunds that Bakker and his church have already coughed up. The sum of money will go towards refunding viewers who bought the "Silver Solution" between February 12 and March 10 last year, per a news release from the office of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.

The Missouri government filed their lawsuit against Bakker last March for his misrepresentations on the "Silver Solution." The state government also requested a permanent injunction to stop Bakker from selling the fake cure.

Story continues

Additionally, the US Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission named the Jim Bakker Show in a March 9 statement last year, warning it to stop selling fraudulent products and unapproved drugs that falsely claim to treat or prevent COVID.

Bakker is known for being a famous televangelist in the 1980s, along with his then-wife, Tammy Faye Bakker. According to the New York Times, Bakker was convicted in 1989 of 24 counts of fraud and conspiracy, for defrauding his followers of $158 million. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison and fined $500,000, but was paroled in 1994 after serving just over five years.

Read the original article on Insider
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will close hundreds of construction sites and prevent workers from leaving their camps for a month, its prime minister said on Friday, in an effort to tackle the country's worst coronavirus outbreak so far.

The order followed the emergence of more clusters in construction camps in the capital, which has 575 such sites in total housing about 81,000 workers. Since May, 37 clusters have been found in Bangkok camps.

Sites in some provinces near Bangkok and four in the south near Malaysia will also be closed from next week.

"Let's implement this for a month. Things should improve then," Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters.

The labour ministry will compensate for the costs of halting construction projects, he said.

Labour minister Suchart Chomklin said police will inspect camps for safety and make sure no one leaves, while authorities aim to test everyone inside. Many camp residents are migrant workers.

Details of measures targeting specific businesses and areas are expected to be announced before Monday, Prayuth said, adding that he wanted to avoid a blanket lockdown.

He urged people in outbreaks areas to limit their movements.

(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Martin Petty)
There are many reasons to doubt that Congress will actually pass the bipartisan infrastructure plan President Biden announced on June 24. A big one: the funding mechanisms known as payfors.

The bipartisan framework calls for $1.2 trillion in spending on transportation, broadband access, power-grid upgrades and other types of infrastructure. Congressional rules require payfors for most legislation, to limit the swelling of the national debt. Congress can waive those rules, but Biden says he wants a responsible bill with built-in funding. Republicans agree. Ish.

Biden, of course, wants to fund many of his plans by raising taxes on businesses and the wealthy. Republicans will never agree to that. They wanted a hike in the gas tax, but that would violate Bidens pledge not to raise taxes on anybody earning less than $400,000. So the infrastructure dealmakers devised ways to raise money with none of the taxes either side objects to. Heres how:

Provide more money to the IRS for better enforcement of tax evaders

Form public-private partnerships

Sell 5G spectrum

Tap unused jobless aid from the March relief bill

Tap other unused money from 2020 relief bills

Reinstate Superfund fees on certain chemicals

Let states sell unused toll credits

Sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Dynamic scoring

Require mandatory cuts in other programs

Theres more. Or less, maybe. Theres no legislative text, just a framework, so any of these ideas could end up in or out of an actual bill. Whether they do or dont, however, they are very unlikely to raise enough money to fund the spending, and they might not even satisfy Congresss budgeting rules.

Workers with East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) fill a trench after installing new water pipe on April 22, 2021 in Oakland, California. Biden said on June 24 he would sign a bipartisan infrastructure package into law only if a separate large-scale budget bill Democrats are planning to fund other parts of his agenda reaches his desk as well. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

Policy analyst Jon Lieber of the Eurasia Group called the payfors an all-star list of budget gimmicks. Heres one example: public-private partnerships usually involve some government money coupled with private funds able to earn compelling returns for investors. But investment returns require cash flow, which normally means the infrastructure being financed must generate revenue from tolls or user fees. While the financing method is sound, consumer fees going to private investors is politically unpopular, unless the fees are buried out of sight, like airline user fees that help fund airports. This type of funding could also trip up Biden if applied to anybody under the $400,000 income threshold. Fee? Tax? Not really much of a difference.

Story continues

Another example: Dynamic scoring means that economists forecast a change in economic activity due to some new law, and factor that into revenue gained or lost. The idea here is that better infrastructure would somehow boost GDP and along with it incomes and federal tax receipts. That extra tax revenue could be counted as a source of financing, since it would offset the cost of the program, like an investment that partly pays for itself. But the revenue would come years after the spendingif it materialized at alland it's tough to impossible to establish this type of cause and effect in the real world.

This all matters because the Congressional Budget Office scores legislation that affects the federal budget, as this one obviously would. CBO cost and revenue estimates affect legislation in at least two ways. If normal budgeting rules are in effect, new revenue needs to finance at least some of the new spending. And CBO will call foul if the numbers don't add up, forcing changes to the law. CBO scores also provide ammunition for critics when the numbers come in light, making a bill look sloppy and its congressional sponsors unserious.

WASHINGTON, DC June 24, 2021: President Joe Biden and United States Senators following a meeting regarding infrastructure negations at the White House on June 24, 2021. Biden invited Republican and Democratic senators to discuss the infrastructure plan. The meeting included: Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA). (Photo by Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

The bipartisan infrastructure bill certainly has criticsincluding some legislators who previous supported it. Biden said on June 24 that hed only sign the bill if Congress passed another, probably much bigger, bill with all the Democratic priorities Republicans wont agree to. So passage of a bipartisan bill depends on the passage of a Democrat-only bill Republicans will do anything they can to kill.

Lindsey Graham of South Carolina was one of 11 Republican senators who initially supported the bipartisan framework. But after Biden linked it to the Democratic bill, Graham tweeted, that would be the ultimate deal breaker for me. No deal by extortion! Other Republicans have indicated a similar shift of intent.

If the bipartisan bill fails, the fishy payfors wont matter. That may be what Biden and his Capitol Hill allies want, in the end. Biden had his moment at the White House podium, announcing his bipartisan deal. In political terms, that may be good enough to establish his bona fides as a moderate. What Biden wants even more, however, is enactment of his sweeping economic and social welfare agenda. Bipartisanship budget tricks wont get him there.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including "Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidential tips, and click here to get Ricks stories by email.

Read more:

Get the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Armed officers run across the street - REUTERS/Thomas Obermeier

Three people were killed and others injured on Friday in a knife attack in the southern German city of Wuerzburg.

Police arrested the man, identified as a 24-year-old Somali resident of the city, after shooting him in the leg.

German news outlets reported that the suspect had attacked people in the city centre with a knife at around 5pm.

Video footage circulating online showed passersby trying to stop the suspect using folded chairs.

A crowd of people gave chase, before a police car arrived on the scene, one video showed.

In a still from a video posted on social media, purportedly showing the attack taking place, a man is seen running across the street holding something in hid hand

The police said in a statement that "The attacker was overpowered after the police used firearms" and that there was no further danger to the public.

They did not provide details on the suspect's motives. However, the man was in psychiatric treatment before the attack and had been known to police, Bavarias top security official Joachim Herrmann said.

A huge police deployment was ongoing in the city of some 130,000 inhabitants located about 120 kilometres (75 miles) west of Frankfurt.

While the motive has not yet been established, Germany has been on high alert after several attacks by Islamist extremists in recent years. The deadliest was a truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in December 2016 that killed 12 people.

A street is cordoned off and lined with police cars - Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa

Since 2009, German authorities have foiled 17 suspected jihadist attacks - the majority in 2016, according to the interior ministry.

But there have been other attacks, too.

In October 2017, a knife-wielding man randomly attacked passersby in central Munich, lightly injuring eight people. Police excluded terrorism as a motive after detaining the suspected perpetrator.
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) -Three employees working for the Spanish branch of Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) were killed by unknown assailants in Ethiopia's Tigray region, the medical charity said on Friday.

MSF-Spain lost contact with a vehicle carrying the team on Thursday afternoon, it said in a statement. "This morning the vehicle was found empty and a few metres away, their lifeless bodies."

"We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding what happened," the statement said.

It identified the victims as emergency co-ordinator Maria Hernandez, 35, from Madrid, assistant co-ordinator Yohannes Halefom Reda, 31, from Ethiopia, and their Ethiopian driver Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, also 31.

They are among at least 12 aid workers reported killed since fighting broke out in November between Ethiopia's military and forces loyal to the region's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced more than 2 million.

Ethiopia's foreign ministry sent condolences via Twitter, but said it had been urging aid agencies to secure military escorts in the area. The ministry said TPLF forces were active in the town of Abiy Addi where the attack occurred. MSF did not confirm the location.

A TPLF spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Spain's foreign ministry said it was engaging with the aid agency and the Ethiopian government on the attack.

"A heartfelt hug to the family and colleagues of Maria ... who has been murdered in Ethiopia where she was helping the population," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on Twitter, also sending condolences to the families of Yohannes and Tedros.

The U.S. State Department called for an independent investigation of the killings and said the Ethiopian government "ultimately bears full responsibility for ensuring the safety of humanitarian workers."

(Reporting by Dawit Endeshaw in Addis Ababa and Graham Keely in Madrid; Writing by Duncan Miriri; Editing by Grant McCool and Daniel Wallis)
Every storm with lightning is dangerous, but it can be especially hazardous in a busy airport environment. Amid all the movement and technology, both staff and passengers are at risk.

"Lightning heats up the atmosphere to hotter than the surface of the sun and it packs thousands of times more electricity than the wall outlets that you would plug your phone or computer into," Chris Vagasky, a meteorologist with Vaisala, told AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell.

Vaisala, a weather data measurement firm, has developed an Airport Lightning Risk Index that computes how much each airport in the United States is impacted by lightning. The index takes the number of takeoffs and landings at an airport and multiplies that by the lightning density in that location.

The top five airports on the index are all located in just two states, one of which has long been known as "the lightning capital of America."

Lightning density per county between 2015 and 2019 is plotted out on a U.S. map above. (Vaisala)

According to Vaisala, the following five U.S. airports have both a lot of lightning and a lot of flight activity.

5. Dallas Love Field

4. Miami International Airport

3. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston)

2. Orlando International Airport

1. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport is the most likely airport in America to experience lightning strikes, according to Vaisala's list.

Of the top 10 airports at risk of lightning, seven are located in Texas and Florida, which isn't surprising, again, considering Florida has long been considered the lightning capital of America, although a new report shows Oklahoma is edging out the Sunshine State when it comes to lightning density per square kilometer. However, Vagasky told AccuWeather not to expect a clear lightning capital to be named any time soon.

"Whether one is going to overtake the other and just be the lightning king for the rest of time, you can't really say that. I think there's going to be a lot of fluctuation between the two. They're going to be battling it out," Vagasky said.

Story continues

On the other end of the list, most of the airports least likely to experience lightning activity are in California. It's also worth noting America is not the top lightning capital around the globe, as that distinction goes to Singapore.

Click here for a complete list of rankings on the Airport Lightning Risk Index.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Rudy Giuliani and President Donald Trump on September 27. Joshua Roberts/Getty Images

Trump regularly insulted Rudy Giuliani, according to the reporter Michael Bender's new book.

He told Giuliani he "sucked" and was "weak" and also called him "pathetic," the book says.

Giuliani still craved Trump's attention and often competed with aides to sit near him, it adds.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Former President Donald Trump regularly insulted one of his most loyal confidants, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to the Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender's new book, an excerpt of which was obtained by the Daily Mail.

Trump mocked Giuliani for falling asleep during meetings and delivered harsh feedback on his TV interviews, Bender writes in his forthcoming book on the 2020 election, "Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost."

According to the book, Trump told Giuliani he "sucked" and was "weak" after Giuliani defended him on TV amid fallout over the publication of the "Access Hollywood" tape in which Trump brags about sexually assaulting women.

Despite Trump's mockery, Giuliani was determined to remain close to the president, the book says.

"Rudy never wanted to be left out," one aide told Bender, according to the Mail. "If you were ever between Rudy and the president, look out. You were going to get trampled."

Still, there were times when Trump defended Giuliani, the book says. At one point, the president's aides started complaining about how Giuliani's frequent television appearances were creating a public-relations headache for the White House press shop, but "Trump barked that at least Giuliani was out there fighting for him," Bender's book says, according to the Mail. "Everyone shut up after that," he added.

Giuliani has been a hard-line Trump supporter since his presidential campaign in 2016. But the former New York mayor was catapulted into the spotlight in 2018 when he took over as Trump's main defense attorney. He took the role amid allegations that the president coordinated an illegal hush-money payment to the adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign in exchange for her silence about an affair she said they had.

Story continues

He also defended Trump during the special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the 2016 election and whether the Trump campaign conspired with Moscow to tilt the race in his favor. Most recently, he was a fixture on national television while crusading to overturn the results of the 2020 election based on baseless allegations of rampant voter and election fraud.

On Thursday, a New York court suspended Giuliani from practicing law in the state after finding "uncontroverted evidence" that he "communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large" about the 2020 election results. Nonpartisan election experts and cybersecurity professionals found that contrary to Giuliani's and Trump's claims of malfeasance, the 2020 election was the safest and most secure in US history.

The former New York mayor appeared on the conservative network Newsmax hours after the ruling came down and said he was "not very happy" about the suspension.

"All I can say is, America is not America any longer," Giuliani added. "We do not live in a free state. We live in a state that's controlled by the Democrat Party."

Read the original article on Business Insider
A lawyer for the Trump Organization said Friday that Manhattan prosecutors expect to bring criminal charges against the company as soon as next week, NBC News reports.

Why it matters: The charges are part of the Manhattan district attorney's office investigation into former President Trump's business dealings, such as benefits provided to the company's top executives.

Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free

State of play: Prosecutors have focused on the tens of thousands of dollars handed to executives like Allen Weisselberg, including rents on apartments and car leases, per the New York Times. At issue is whether the company properly recorded the benefits and paid taxes on them.

Attorneys for the company met with prosecutors on Thursday to discuss the case, according to Trump Organization attorney Ron Fischetti.

Fischetti told NBC News the corporate office will plead not guilty and move to dismiss the case, calling the charges "completely outrageous."

"Any indictment would be the first to emerge from the long-running investigation and would raise the startling prospect of a former president having to defend the company he founded, and has run for decades, against accusations of criminal behavior," the Times writes.

Of note: A grand jury was recently convened to consider evidence and New York Attorney General Letitia James said she assigned lawyers to work with Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance on the criminal probe while she continues a civil investigation of Trump.

Like this article? Get more from Axios and subscribe to Axios Markets for free.
Criminal charges in the Manhattan district attorney's investigation into the Trump Organization appear to be imminent, according to a lawyer for former President Donald Trump's family business.

Lawyers for the company participated in a virtual meeting with prosecutors on Thursday to discuss the inquiry looking into fringe benefits provided to top executives, after which one of the lawyers said the Trump Organization would fight to get the case dismissed.

"It looks like they are going to come down with charges against the company, and that is completely outrageous," Trump Organization lawyer Ron Fischetti told NBC News.

"The corporate office will plead not guilty, and we will make an immediate motion to dismiss the case against the corporation," Fischetti added.

NEW YORK CITY PRIVATE SCHOOL SUBPOENAED IN CONNECTION WITH TRUMP ORGANIZATION INVESTIGATION

If the case moves ahead, the New York Times cited sources who said District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. could announce charges as soon as next week.

Vance's team of prosecutors has been investigating Trump's financial dealings and his business empire since 2018, along with lawyers from New York Attorney General Letitia James's office.

The Manhattan prosecutor convened a grand jury last month to consider evidence in the criminal investigation into Trump's business dealings, which Trump has dismissed as "a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American history."

Jeffrey McConney, a longtime controller of the Trump Organization, was the first employee from the company to testify before the grand jury on June 4, following a subpoena. Former Justice Department official and FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann previously said McConney's testimony could be "really bad news potentially" for the Trump Organization and some members involved.

Additionally, the long-serving chief financial officer of Trump's business, Allen Weisselberg, is a central figure in the criminal tax investigation. Prosecutors may be looking into whether Weisselberg or the former president signed off on hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of tuition checks for a preparatory school that the Weisselberg's grandchildren attended and whether any taxes were paid on those benefits.

Story continues

Vance fought in court to gain access to the former president's personal and business tax returns through a grand jury subpoena filed in 2019 and gained access to them in February of this year via a Supreme Court ruling. In June, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office also gained access to Weisselberg's tax returns in order to give investigators a clearer view into whether any malfeasance was committed by the executive.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Organizations, such as Trump's business, can face fines and other penalties if they are found guilty of charges related to unscrupulous tax handlings, and criminal charges can also threaten an organizations relationship with banks and business partners and cause lasting damage to a reputation, according to the New York Times.

The Washington Examiner contacted the Trump Organization and a representative for Fischetti's office did not immediately receive a response. The district attorney's office declined to comment.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Donald Trump, New York, Investigation, Manhattan, District Attorney

Original Author: Kaelan Deese

Original Location: Trump Organization lawyer expects criminal charges in Manhattan DA case
By James Davey and Yadarisa Shabong

(Reuters) -Britain's competition regulator started a formal investigation on Friday into whether Amazon and Google may not have done enough to prevent or remove fake reviews.

Along with regulators in the United Sates and the European Union, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has stepped up its scrutiny of big tech firms in recent years.

The British regulator said it will gather more information to decide if the firms may have broken consumer law by taking insufficient action to protect shoppers. Both Google and Amazon said they were continuing to assist the CMA.

CMA action last year over the trading of fake reviews resulted in Facebook, Instagram and eBay removing groups and banning individuals for buying and selling fake reviews on their sites.

Google said on Thursday it would delay blocking tracking cookies on its Chrome browser following intervention by the CMA.

The CMA started its investigation into reviews in May 2020, focusing on the internal systems and processes of several platforms for identifying and dealing with fake reviews.

The regulator said it was also concerned that Amazon's systems had failed adequately to prevent and deter some sellers from manipulating product listings, through for example co-opting positive reviews from other products.

"Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations," the CMA's Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli said in a statement.

"Equally, it's simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out."

ENFORCEMENT ACTION

The CMA said it has not reached a view on whether Amazon and Alphabet's Google have broken the law.

However, if it concludes they have broken consumer protection law, it can take enforcement action ranging from securing formal commitments to change the way they deal with fake reviews or escalating to court action.

Story continues

Amazon said it would continue to assist the CMA with its enquiries.

"We are relentless in protecting our store and will take action to stop fake reviews regardless of the size or location of those who attempt this abuse," said a spokesperson.

Google too said it would continue to work with the regulator.

"Our strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take action  from removing abusive content to disabling user accounts," a spokesperson for the company said.

(Reporting by James Davey and Paul Sandle in London and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni and Alexander Smith)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  With no progress toward ending the 10-year Syrian conflict, the U.N. special envoy for Syria called Friday for new international talks on concrete steps like exchanging prisoners and a nationwide cease-fire that the government and opposition could agree on as initial steps to give impetus to a political solution.

Geir Pedersen told the U.N. Security Council he believes these and other areas of vital concern for average Syrians have the potential to achieve common ground among Syrias warring parties. Progress would also promote internal and regional stability and build trust and confidence, he said.

This will not be easy, Pedersen said,

But he said he he senses that all key players are interested in deepening talks on a way ahead, which is why we need a new constructive international dialogue on Syria.

Pedersen said he has been in regular contact with senior officials from Russia, a close Syria ally, and the United States, which supports the opposition, before and since this months meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden,. He said he has also been in regular contact with many countries on the 15-member Security Council and key states in the region.

Pedersen said he will go to Rome to talk with foreign ministers at a meeting on Syria convened by Italy and the United States and soon after that he will head to Moscow. He also plans to consult Turkey and Iran -- the guarantor states along with Russia in the so-called Astana process aimed at ending fighting in Syria -- ahead of an Astana group meeting in Kazakhstans capital in early July.

After this round of meetings, Pedersen said, he hopes to provide more details. In response to a question afterward on when he might launch a new international dialogue, he said, I hope we are not talking about too many weeks.

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, there have been many high-level gatherings designed to stop the fighting and guide the country to a political transition. Locations included Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Geneva and included assemblies with names such as Friends of Syria and the London 11. In 2016, it was the International Syria Support Group. None has made a lasting impact.

Story continues

Pedersen told reporters he thinks this might be the right time to try to launch international talks because there are a few very important developments.

He pointed most importantly to the 15 months of relative calm on the ground in Syria, but stressed that it is a very fragile calm, and we need to discuss how we can make sure that this does not break down.

He also cited the collapse of Syrias economy, the lack of movement on releasing detainees and abductees and accounting for missing persons, and the millions of Syrians forced to flee their homes.

Warning that the relative calm remains fragile, Pedersen told the council there were alarming signs of escalation in the June 12 rocket attack and shelling of the al-Shifaa Hospital in the northern Syrian town of Afrin controlled by Turkey-backed fighters that killed at least 13 people, including medical personnel, and destroyed parts of the hospital. He also cited airstrikes and shelling in the south of rebel-held Idlib resulting in casualties and more displacement.

Elsewhere, this month has seen more airstrikes attributed to Israel, more turbulence in the southwest and more attacks by terrorist groups including operations claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, he said.

Pedersen said there are worrying signs the Islamic State extremist group may be getting stronger, given the increased frequency and reach of its latest attacks. He urged key international players to cooperate on countering IS and other terrorist groups.

Recovering from the economic impact that most Syrians face after a decade of war and devastation is another area of potential common focus, Pedersen said.

He said all sides -- Syrian and international -- say action is needed on detainees, abductees and the missing, adding that the U.N. has recently engaged the Syrian government on this issue. I believe a step-for-steps discussion could help unlock more serious progress, he said.

Pedersen also urged the international community to focus on the 13 million Syrians forced to flee their homes within Syria and abroad -- half the countrys pre-war population.

This is a profound humanitarian and national tragedy and also a ticking time-bomb for regional stability, he warned.

These are the kinds of issues -- and there may be others, too -- that I believe could be seriously discussed," Pedersen said, and where mutual and reciprocal actions could begin to make a positive difference for Syrians, and give impetus to a political process.
A group of professors and employees from the University of Oklahoma held a workshop in which they discussed  among other things  ways to promote "anti-racism" in the classroom and root out, what they deemed, "problematic" ideas.

The "Anti-Racist Rhetoric and Pedagogies" workshop featured speakers from OUs "First-Year Composition" program, which helps students develop their writing and speaking skills.

The talks centered around the idea of making students more critically aware of how their arguments affect others  particularly those of a different race. Kasey Woody, assistant director of FYC, said it was important to call out students who might be "entertaining the idea of listening to a problematic argument."

"Then I say, well, 'we don't have to listen to that.' Like, that's not an argument that you have to listen to," she said, suggesting that students should be steered towards something different "if they're getting into some problematic territory."

DAVID MARCUS: CRITICAL RACE THEORY  HERE'S THE RIGHT WAY TO TEACH IT IN OUR SCHOOLS

She assured her colleagues that they would not be "reprimanded" if they are "doing things to address racism in the classroom."

"In fact, we want you to make sure that you have an anti-racist classroom and every one of your students feel safe," she said.

Woody said there may be instances where it is appropriate to kick students out of the classroom for espousing racist ideas, but told her colleagues they need not worry about that negatively affecting their evaluations.

"If youre worried about calling out racism, or if it comes up in your evaluations, we know when it was not political, and you were just looking out for your students," she said. "You do not need to worry about repercussions at any degree in the university if you are responding to a student who is using problematic language in the classroom."

Story continues

A video of the workshop was posted online on Tuesday by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), a group that advocates for free speech rights on campus.

ANTI-CRITICAL RACE THEORY ORG LAUNCHING WITH OVER $1M AD BUY

Fox News has reached out to FYC and Woody seeking clarification on what exactly constitutes "problematic" ideas but did not hear back.

In a statement provided to Fox News, a university spokesperson said OU "values free expression and diverse viewpoints."

"In no way does OU endorse or condone censorship of its students. OU is a place where students are taught how to learn, not what to learn. Every effort is made to ensure students feel that they belong," Dr. Belinda Higgs Hyppolite, the school's Chief Diversity Officer, said in a statement.

She said the "Anti-Racist Rhetoric and Pedagogies" workshop is one of many professional development workshops put on by the English Departments Composition Program and is voluntary.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

FIRE, which received the same statement, blasted the justification, noting that instructors are required to attend "any one out of the nine professional development workshops offered by the university."

"Our concern is that the instructors who did take this workshop have now been trained to prevent students from expressing dissenting viewpoints or even listening to disfavored arguments, and even to report or punish students who express problematic ideas," the group wrote in a blog post.
The United States and France on Friday warned Iran that time is running out to return to a nuclear deal, voicing fear that Tehran's sensitive atomic activities could advance if talks drag on.

On the first high-level visit to Paris by President Joe Biden's administration, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his French hosts saluted a new spirit of cooperation after four years of turbulence under Donald Trump.

But the two sides said that one key Biden promise -- to return to the 2015 Iran accord that was trashed by Trump -- is at risk if the clerical regime does not make concessions during talks that have been going on for more than two months in Vienna.

Blinken warned that the United States still has "serious differences" with Iran, which has kept negotiating since last week's presidential election won by hardliner Ebrahim Raisi.

"There will come a point, yes, where it will be very hard to return back to the standards set by the JCPOA," Blinken told reporters, using the acronym for the accord's formal name.

"We haven't reached that point -- I can't put a date on it -- but it's something that we're conscious of."

Blinken warned that if Iran "continues to spin ever more sophisticated centrifuges" and steps up uranium enrichment, it will bring nearer the "breakout" time at which it will be dangerously close to the ability to develop a nuclear bomb.

But Blinken said that Biden still supports a return to the accord, under which Iran had drastically scaled back its nuclear work until Trump withdrew in 2018 and imposed crippling sanctions.

"We have a national interest in trying to put the nuclear problem back in the box that it was in the JCPOA," Blinken said.

- Stalling as strategy? -

France -- which like Britain, Germany, Russia and China had stayed in the 2015 accord despite pressure from Trump -- also ramped up pressure on Iran to move ahead.

Story continues

"We expect the Iranian authorities to take the final decisions -- no doubt difficult ones -- which will allow the negotiations to be concluded," Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at the joint news conference with Blinken.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a statement in response: "The opposing sides are the ones who must take the decisions."

The UN nuclear watchdog said Friday it had received no reply from Tehran over the possible extension of a temporary agreement covering inspections at Iranian nuclear facilities which expired on Thursday.

Under that deal, which had allowed for some IAEA inspections to continue after Iran limited access to sites in February, Tehran pledged to keep recordings "of some activities and monitoring equipment" and hand them over to the IAEA as and when US sanctions are lifted.

But Iran's envoy to the IAEA said on Twitter that the data recording was "a political decision" to facilitate the political talks and "shouldn't be considered as obligation".

Talks have stalled in part over Iran's insistence on the lifting of all sanctions, pointing to the promises of economic relief under the accord.

The Biden administration says it is ready to lift economic measures related to nuclear work as laid out by the JCPOA -- but that it will keep other sanctions, including over human rights and Iran's support to militant movements in the Arab world.

Some experts believe that Iran had been waiting for the election of Raisi, whose hardline approach is backed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate arbiter of the Islamic republic's foreign policy.

Analysts have said Iran could strike a deal before Raisi takes office in August -- letting him take the credit for the expected economic boost but blame outgoing president Hassan Rouhani, a moderate who championed a better relationship with the West, if the situation deteriorates.

- 'Welcome home' -

Blinken, who was raised in Paris, hailed the alliance with France and sprinkled his remarks with fluent French, in a sharp change of tone after the sometimes abrasive "America First" approach of the Trump administration.

"I would even be tempted to say, welcome home!" Le Drian said as he welcomed Blinken in an ornate room of the Quai d'Orsay, the French foreign ministry.

Blinken later met French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace. The State Department said they looked for common ground on the challenges of Russia and China, crises in Lebanon and Ethiopia and the fight against Islamic State extremists in the Sahel.

Blinken is on a European tour that also took him to Germany and will continue in Italy, just after Biden visited the continent.

The Biden administration has looked to show unity with Europe as it looks to the rise of an increasingly assertive China as its primary global challenge.

vl-sct/pvh/je
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen Mark Milley testifies on the Defense Departments budget request during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on 17 June, 2021 in Washington, DC. Mr Milley repeatedly rebuffed calls from former President Donald Trump and associates for violent military intervention in protests last year, a new book claims. (Getty Images)

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen Mark Milley repeatedly pushed back against former President Donald Trump and other White House officials calls for the US military to violently intervene in widespread protests that unfolded last year in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd, a new book has claimed.

In excerpts obtained by CNN ofWall Street Journal reporter Michael Benders new book, Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost, the top US general is described as having been the sole voice of opposition to demands for the military to intervene amid civil unrest.

According to Mr Bender, Mr Trump told top law enforcement and military officials: Thats how youre supposed to handle these people... Crack their skulls!

Mr Trump also reportedly told his team he wanted the military to beat the f*** out of protesters and just shoot them.

When Mr Milley and then-Attorney General William Barr would push back on the calls for violence, Mr Bender said Mr Trump would tone it down  but only slightly.

In one case, Mr Bender claimed Mr Milley told senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller to shut the f*** up as the adviser proclaimed that cities were burning as he equated the scenes unfolding on his television screen to those in third-countries and to war zones.

According to the WSJ reporter, Mr Milley, who had commanded troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, spun around in his seat and pointed a finger at Mr Miller, exclaiming: Shut the f***, Stephen.

Mr Milley made headlines earlier this week for defending the military academys teaching critical race theory, asserting that a lot of us have to get much smarter on whatever the theory is.

The top US general made the comments while testifying publicly before the House armed Services Committee on Wednesday, saying: I want to understand White rage. And Im White. And I want to understand it.

Invoking the 6 January insurrection that saw rioters, including many Trump supporters, storm the US Capitol Building, Mr Milley said: What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America? What caused that? I want to find that out.

Story continues

I want to maintain an open mind here, he said.

He said it was offensive that service members were being called quote, woke or something else, because were studying some theories that are out there.

Read More

US to keep about 650 troops in Afghanistan after withdrawal

Pentagon leaders testily defend efforts on racism, extremism

US military chief links Capitol riot to white rage and defends study of critical race theory
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Uzbekistan will limit entry into the capital city of Tashkent and curtail the activity of hospitality venues after a surge in COVID-19 cases, the health ministry said on Friday.

The country of 34 million people was registering around 100-150 cases a day last month but as of June 24 the number had reached 476, the highest this year.

The government said this week it believed the more contagious Delta variant of the virus was already present.

According to the decision of the state coronavirus task force, restrictions will be imposed on entry to Tashkent from neighbouring regions by cars and buses "in the absence of an urgent need."

All entertainment facilities throughout the country, including restaurants, nightclubs, karaoke bars, billiard and computer rooms, and catering facilities will only be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be allowed to work at no more than half of their capacity.

The new restrictions will run from June 28 to July 12.

Health authorities also said they would start vaccinating all people over the age of 18; previously only people aged over 50 and those belonging to at-risk groups were vaccinated.

The former Soviet republic has so far received 4.5 million doses of a vaccine produced by China's Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical - which requires three shots - as well as 660,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine and 240,000 doses of Sputnik V.

Uzbekistan has registered a total of 108,184 COVID-19 cases and 725 deaths since pandemic began.

(Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Toby Chopra)
A ventilator "bank" where hospitals can rent critical care machines for Covid-19 patients has given Nepal's cash-strapped healthcare system a much-needed lifeline.

The Himalayan nation, like its South Asian neighbours, experienced a spike in infections in April and May with hospitals overwhelmed and medical supplies running low.

As the infectious disease started to spread across the impoverished nation a year ago, Nepal only had 840 ventilators for a population of nearly 30 million, according to government data.

Most of the ventilators -- needed to help severely ill Covid-19 patients breathe -- were in the capital Kathmandu, leaving regional and rural hospitals vulnerable.

While daily infections have since declined from a peak of more than 9,000 cases in mid-May, authorities say hospitals remain under pressure.

But Nepal Ventilator Services, a non-profit that has bought 85 of the machines through donations since the start of the pandemic last year, has helped to meet the surge in demand.

"Nepal is chronically, insufficiently equipped with machines like ventilators," the group's co-founder, 42-year-old doctor Bishal Dhakal, told AFP.

"It does not have even required numbers, which is about 2,000 to 3,000 machines for a 30-million population of Nepal."

The heart surgeon turned general practitioner reached out to donors for funding in April last year and money poured in, allowing the organisation to buy 20 ventilators to rent out to hospitals at cost.

Bhim Hospital in the country's south, which had one ventilator, loaned two from Dhakal's group in August for three months.

"Our patients needed ventilators but we did not have enough budget to immediately buy any," the government hospital's medical superintendent, Shakuntala Gupta, told AFP.

"The bureaucratic process for an approval is also long."

- 'Rescued us' -

Since then, the ventilators have been used for nearly 1,500 patients across the country.

Story continues

Hospitals are charged 3,000 rupees ($25) per day to cover maintenance and transportation costs.

Karuna Hospital in Kathmandu, which has been renting eight ventilators since April this year, said the "bank" was life-saving.

"At the peak, almost every patient who was admitted in the ICU required ventilator support," the private hospital's chief executive, Ram Kumar Shrestha, told AFP.

"If the ventilator 'bank' did not exist, the death rate would perhaps be beyond our imagination, not just here but in many places of Nepal."

Laxmi Rokaya, 29, was struggling to breathe a week after she was infected in May.

Her brother, Kunsang Magar, was unable to find a spare ventilator in Kathmandu until they reached Karuna.

"They (Nepal Ventilator Services) rescued us. I don't know if we would have found a ventilator without them," Magar told AFP, adding that Rokaya was placed on a ventilator for two days and released from hospital just over a week later.

Dhakal said all the organisation's 85 ventilators were loaned out during the peak.

The country has reported nearly 630,000 infections and over 8,900 deaths so far. Even as the second wave wanes, officials are concerned the third is around the corner.

Dhakal is working on increasing his ventilator stock and is training more people to operate the specialised equipment.

"Hospitals can come to us for critical equipment that they might not need long-term," he added.

"We (want)... to make sure the public has access to healthcare when in need."

pm/grk/oho/gle
By Emma Farge

GENEVA (Reuters) -Failure to renew a cross-border aid operation into Syria before it expires next month could trigger a new "humanitarian catastrophe" in rebel-held areas in the northwest, the World Health Organization said on Friday.

Millions of people depend on the aid currently funnelled from Turkey straight into northwest Syria in an arrangement authorised by the U.N. Security Council.

The WHO made its statement ahead of what is expected to be showdown next month between Western members of the Security Council who support renewing the crossing, and Russia which has blocked other cross-border operations before.

Moscow, which has veto power on the Security Council and has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's fight against the rebels, has argued that aid can be delivered to northern Syria from the capital Damascus.

"A large-scale U.N. cross-border response for an additional 12 months remains essential to save lives," WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told journalists in Geneva.

"Failure to renew U.N. cross border authorisation would greatly diminish central humanitarian operations and plunge northwest Syria into yet another humanitarian catastrophe," he added.

Around 1,000 trucks use the Bab al-Hawa crossing every month to deliver aid and medicines, including COVID-19 vaccines, to some 2.4 million people hemmed in along the Turkish border, according to U.N. agencies.

"Cessation of these supplies can only lead to increases of illnesses and deaths," Lindmeier said.

He said U.N. efforts to create a supply route from Damascus had not been successful and no such convoys had got through in the past 11 months.

A resolution needs nine votes in favour and no veto from any of the five permanent members Russia, China, the United States, France and Britain. In the past decade, the council has been divided on Syria - Russia has vetoed several resolutions related to Syria, often backed by China.

(Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Stephanie Nebehay, Alison Williams and Andrew Heavens)
Vice President Kamala Harris is taking questions in El Paso, Texas, amid her visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, the first of her White House tenure.

Republicans and some Democrats have been urging Harris, whom President Joe Biden charged with leading the administration's work on stemming the flow of migrants to the United States, to visit the border for several weeks.

Washington Examiner Videos

Tags: News, Kamala Harris, Border, Immigration, Texas, Biden Administration, El Paso, Joe Biden, White House

Original Author: Washington Examiner Staff

Original Location: WATCH LIVE: Harris visits US-Mexico border
She was a teacher for many years in the community and, during the depression, she would pay her students a nickel for any point they brought to her, he said. They would find a point, bring it to her, and she would give the class a lesson on the point ... and then she would add it to her collection. All of the points were kept on the property for decades, sitting in the outhouse where the kitchen was.

ParaMounts, an artifact and exhibit specialist company out of Charles Town, West Virginia, assisted the museum in preparing the points for display.

Hudson is hoping to show the many incredible ways the Native Americans fought for their food, fought enemy tribes and used these points as tools to build their habitats.

I think that the subject matter is so fascinating, Hudson said. Think about people that were deprived of modern technology, and a lot of the resources we have access to today, yet they found a way ... to bend nature to their will.

Since the Native Americans didnt have modern technology, they used the points to hunt for their food. Further back in time, the size of the points was related to the size of the large prey they hunted. But the modern points are much smaller, as the tribe started hunting smaller animals, such as beaver, deer and even the tribes personal favorite: skunk.
This is not supposed to be a contest, according to the American Radio Relay League, but its a contest, Howell said. We finished first in Virginia in our class last year and fourth in our region from Virginia to Florida.

Field day has been going on since the 1950s, and outside of being a contest  or not  it serves as valuable training for the operators of the ham radios.

Ham radio is mainly used for emergency communication now and is most valuable in situations where cellular service isnt available, including during natural disasters such as hurricanes. It was the preferred line of communication for first responders when the remnants of Hurricane Camille battered central Virginia in 1969.

But those are just the extreme circumstances in which the radios are used. More commonly, hams support community events such as Ironman races and mountain races, where cell service might be lacking. The radios are used to assist runners who have been injured or even might have passed out.

On Saturday, the operators will show how efficient they can work without many resources because thats how things are when there are natural disasters, or when they are out in nature for events.
Rethinking the war on drugs

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.
With the creation of June 19th (Juneteenth) as a federal holiday, Democrats have one more claim to be the party of civil rights and equal opportunity for African Americans, though most Republicans also voted for the holiday. That claim has been promoted for decades by a compliant media, academia and high-profile politicians, but the facts say otherwise.

From Abraham Lincolns Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 to the mid-20th century, members of the Democratic Party, dominant in the South due to its opposition to civil and political rights for African Americans, were on the wrong side of civil rights.
Timothy Lutheran Church, 3112 W Broadway, will have traditional worship services with Communion at 8 and 10:30 a.m. The 8 a.m. service is live streamed on Timothys Facebook page. If you dont have Facebook, you can connect with Timothy on its web page after 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon at timothylutheran.net . Adult Bible class are at 9:15 a.m. There will be no Sunday school until the fall. Midweek Bible study will meet on Thursday in the library from 9 to 11 a.m. Timothy has an elevator for easy access to worship services and other activities.

Epworth United Methodist Church, 2447 Ave. B, would like to invite the public to Sunday worship at 9:25 a.m. and social distancing will be in place. The church is handicap accessible and membership is not necessary to participate. Masks are not required but are available for those who need or want one, and we have plenty of hand sanitizer. We will meet in the church sanctuary. If you are sick, please do not join us. The scripture for this coming Sunday is 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 and Mark 5:21-43. If you decide not to attend at this time, you can join us in worship at home through Facebook Live. There is Bible study on Thursdays at 9 a.m. We are in prayer for all those affected by this virus. Prayer requests can be made at epworthumccb.org/about-us/our-values/. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office phone number is 712-323-3124. You can check us out at Facebook.com/pages/Epworth.
There have been reverses, we acknowledge it  but the key now is stabilization, he added.

Abdullah, who took part in the meeting with Biden, later emphasized the importance of continued U.S. support.

We tend to forget that al-Qaida had reached a certain level of capacity in Afghanistan that was an actual danger and homeland security threat, Abdullah told the AP in an interview. If Afghanistan is abandoned completely, without support, without engagement, theres a danger that Afghanistan can turn once again into a haven for terrorist groups.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking Friday in Paris, noted the increased violence and cited a real danger" that if the Taliban tries to take the country by force, "well see a renewal of a war or possibly worse.

But, Blinken said, the Biden administration came to the conclusion that not removing U.S. troops, as the Trump administration had promised the Taliban in February 2020, would have been a bad choice. The administration believes the Taliban would have resumed attacks on U.S. forces, prompting an escalation of the war.
Three of the allegations involved currently active Catholic priests, and according to the report 29 complaints named a priest or priests who are included on one of the Diocese lists of credibly accused priests. Overall, 17 of the complainants said they had never reported the allegations previously to any authorities.

The cover-up was extensive, according to the report. The image and reputation of the church were put ahead of the enormous harm to young people.

Documents released Wednesday verify that one of the allegations reviewed was a complaint last year from a man who alleged he was forced to have sex by a priest at the Boys State Training School in Eldora in the early 1990s.

The name of the priest and the complainant were withheld, but the allegations match those made by Rick Harrison, a Wisconsin prison inmate, in a November article in The Gazette.

Harrison, 45, told the newspaper he was forced by a chaplain to have sex in dark corners and private rooms of the state school in Eldora in the 1990 or 1991, when Harrison was a teenager.

He said he filed a complaint with the Eldora Police Department, which the agency verified, and with the Iowa Attorney Generals Office, which declined to comment at the time.
NORFOLK  There needs to be further discussions about the major changes proposed for Johnson Park. At the open house that was held June 15, at the Norfolk library, it was stated that stakeholders (who are they?) are making the changes, but I dont believe they understand the impact they ar
We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.
Kentucky is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The measure was extended by Gov. Andy Beshear earlier this year to match the original expiration date of the CDC moratorium, June 30. The state is not extending its moratorium through July 31, but the governor's office stressed that the federal moratorium will still be in effect.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Kentucky has received federal funding of about $297 million to help tenants with outstanding rent and utility payments. The money can go toward 15 months of rent and other expenses. So far, the state has issued about 5,500 payments totaling about $20 million, though those numbers don't include the state's two largest metro areas, Lexington and Louisville.

In June, Gov. Beshear added nearly $39 million in rental relief from the states federal funds for those two cities. A federal funding formula left the two metro areas with less funding than expected. Beshear said the payouts are picking up as the state approaches the end of the moratorium. About $2 million in payments went out the second week of June, Beshear said.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?
After a brief upsurge of disgust with Donald Trump when his challenge to the election results turned violent, the Republican partys more sober minds decided to let the matter drop. It was not in their interest to directly challenge the former presidents claims to have won the election  and alienate their own base  when they could instead be focusing on messages that unified their supporters. When asked if Joe Biden had fairly and legitimately won the election, they would deflect with the talking point that Biden is the president, and change the subject without answering the question.

The idea, or at least the rationale, is that the Republican Party Establishment would starve Trump of oxygen. Their leaders would be focusing on exciting new material, like the temporary spike in gasoline prices, while Trump would be stuck with boring talking points about Joe Bidens sinister plot to rig the election and the brave cadre of loyalists who were working to uncover the scheme and restore him to power. No need for direct confrontation. He would just fade away.

Hows that plan working? Well, in the past 24 hours:

 Trump has blasted out a message attacking the Michigan election audit, which looked into his spurious claims of election fraud and found them wanting, as a part of the cover-up, urging his supporters to keep up the pressure on the states elected Republican leaders;

 The Washington Post reports that Trump loyalists are spending millions of dollars to disseminate propaganda, from rallies to a coming film, supporting Trumps claim to have won the election.

 A new survey finds that 68 percent of Republicans believe Trump really won the election, and 46 percent support state legislatures tossing out the election results and handing their electoral votes to Trump.

 A commentator on OAN rather casually urged that the thousands of officials who are in on the plot to steal the election be executed as traitors:

There's a real fascist vibe to this One America News personality calming calling for the execution of potentially tens of thousands of Americans over fake voter fraud claims. pic.twitter.com/wm4E0qVJaf  Will Sommer (@willsommer) June 24, 2021

All in all, its not going well. This discouraging outcome is the predictable result of an asymmetry of willpower between Trump, whose goal is to maintain his power at all costs, and his party, whose goal is to hold together their coalition. And Trump may not be a strategic genius, but he has a real knack for sniffing out human weakness and understanding how to exploit it. He has figured out that nobody in his party is willing to bear the political cost of standing up to his campaign to delegitimize the American political system. He will not stop. And the evidence to date bears out his belief that, in his struggle for the Republican heart, he is winning.
Eric Adams daps up a cop. Photo: Peter Foley/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Ever since it entered the popular lexicon last year, the motto defund the police has been given an almost mystical power.

For Representative Jim Clyburn, it crushed U.S. Senate hopeful Jaime Harrisons 2020 bid to unseat Lindsey Graham in South Carolina, even though the Democrat never endorsed it and was already trailing in most preelection polls in a state that Donald Trump won by 12 points. For William Bratton, the former Los Angeles and New York City police chief, it had dire consequences when it was put into action. They got what they wanted, Bratton told the New York Times last month. They defunded the police. What do they get? Rising crime, cops leaving in droves, difficulty recruiting. Never mind that defunded doesnt accurately describe what happened to the cops in New York  it was more like short-term budget reshuffling with creative marketing  and that rising violence was as bad or worse in large cities across the country, regardless of whether police got less money than the year before.

For Barack Obama, using the phrase undermines reform because its alienating. (Its originators  police abolitionists  are, in fact, openly uninterested in reform.) And for many pundits and political reporters, this months Democratic mayoral primary in New York City was a de facto referendum on the issue.

The results are in. Eric Adams, the former police officer turned Brooklyn borough president, has a commanding lead  though not an insurmountable one  after the first tally of ranked-choice votes on Tuesday, winning a 32 percent plurality. His closest challengers, Maya Wiley and Kathryn Garcia, trail him by ten and 13 points, respectively, and the longtime front-runner in preelection polling, Andrew Yang, has already conceded, with 100,000 absentee ballots yet to be counted. Its not over, but it looks like Adams has the biggest coalition  a sad but not unexpected development for the citys insurgent left, which produced Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018 but has yet to achieve anything like a governing mandate locally, despite making inroads in the offices of comptroller, public advocate, and on the City Council.

Early on, Adams made it clear that he was against defunding the police. The takeaway, as far as this supposedly determinative issue is concerned, looks self-evident: Defund the police is a campaign killer in New York City, where very few actual people want it to happen, just like it ruined Harrisons chances in South Carolina, stalled reasonable reform efforts in other cities, and plunged the Big Apple under a rising tide of blood.

One problem with interpreting the race as a referendum on defund the police is that only one of the candidates, Dianne Morales, actually committed to doing so as mayor, and her campaign has been dead in the water for weeks because of her union-busting and general mismanagement. Even those who have supported the idea in the past, like Scott Stringer and Wiley, have softened their rhetoric since declaring their candidacies and avoided mentioning it in their campaign platforms and materials. Much as defund did during the 2020 election, when it was used by Republicans as a smear against Democrats, the proposal has functioned here more as insinuation than actual menu item.

A related problem is that the phrase has been deployed as a catchall for a range of often conflicting ideas and policies. Some activists mean its original usage as a step toward police and prison abolition. Others have freighted it with their own idiosyncratic definitions, like Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel Bowser, who has claimed it really means good policing. Combine these muddled conceptions with the expected caricaturing and fearmongering by its detractors, and its not shocking that defund has framed so much election punditry: Its flexibility makes it a convenient vehicle for all kinds of questionable ideological claims.

Adamss success probably has less to do with his stance on defunding the police, which almost none of his opponents supported either, than with being a skilled and opportunistic politician who performed well for the same reasons that most opportunistic politicians do. As for what this race reveals about the viability of defunding as a political proposal, its hard to say when its primary feature was its absence. Were left with what weve known all along: Politicians tend to avoid unpopular stances, and activists tend to embrace them despite their unpopularity.

This may very well be a revelation to some aspiring progressive champion seeking higher office and will cause them to rethink putting defund the police at the center of their future vote-getting strategies. But the more practical lesson of Adamss triumph is that its still useful to be the guy willing to say whatever it takes to accrue power and influence.

Adamss history with his former employer, the New York Police Department, was fraught from the outset. He joined in the early 1980s and promptly advertised his ambivalence toward the whole endeavor, earning a reputation as an outspoken critic of police racism, both toward civilians and the departments own Black officers. His feelings derived, in part, from his own experiences as a child, when cops assaulted him and his brother inside a Queens police station. He joined the force to just aggravate people, he said, and spoke out against stop and frisk in the 1990s, putting him at odds with then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani. (Giuliani, now Trumps personal lawyer, currently wants Adams to win the primary. Theres no question that Adams gives us some hope, he said earlier this week.)

Tensions were high enough between Adams and his superiors during the 1980s and 90s that several of his contemporaries say it probably impeded his career advancement within the NYPD and motivated periodic investigations into his conduct. Colleagues have also said this wasnt a major concern for him, and in fact might have been the point: Adams ran unsuccessfully for Congress at age 33, just ten years after becoming a cop, and was widely seen as treating the department and his crusade against its abuses as stepping-stones to a life in politics.

His tune has shifted. With rising rates of gun violence and homicides topping New Yorkers priorities ahead of the election, Adams has represented himself as a more traditional tough-on-crime candidate, trumpeting his law-enforcement bona fides and expressing qualified support for stop and frisk. A policing career once marked by antagonism and clashes with higher-ups has, paradoxically, seeded within him a love for the profession, he says. I dont hate police departments  I hate abusive policing, and thats what people mix up, Adams told the New York Times. When you love something, youre going to critique it and make it what it ought to be.

This incongruity isnt proof per se that hes insincere, but from his time as a cop through his tenure in the state legislature, Adamss colleagues have regularly attributed to him a penchant for self-promotion, blunt-force ambition, and a tendency to look out for himself and his career above all else, according to the Times. He just wasnt a team player, a senior State Senate aide told New Yorks David Freedlander. In a way, thats true for everybody in politics, but you always got the sense that the thing Eric Adams cared most about was what was in it for Eric Adams.

The implications of this accusation are evident in some of his recent behavior. In an interview with Mishpacha, Adams proclaimed his love of Israel by saying he wanted to retire to the Golan Heights, a contested region of Israeli-occupied Syria. As New Yorks Eric Levitz writes, he has also continued his long-standing habit of using baseless allegations of racism to deflect criticism and remove impediments to amassing power, comparing Yangs last-ditch decision to campaign with Garcia to Jim Crowera poll taxes and saying it sent a message that we cant trust a person of color to be the mayor of the City of New York.

Adamss attitude toward policing has been a roller coaster of dissonant sentiments, but his knack for advancing his own political ambitions, and willingness to say whatever was required to do so, have been consistent. Along with his ability to build a demographically fortuitous coalition of voters  a mix of labor unions, Black homeowners, real-estate interests, and other Democratic Party politicians that could make him one of the most powerful mayors New York has had in a generation, according to Yale law professor and New York elections expert David Schleicher  hes on the verge of his most successful application of this formula yet.

It may indeed be politically perilous to support defunding the police. Most of the candidates are operating from this belief. The irony of casting Adamss success as a death knell for defund, however, aside from being dubious, is that theres still an appetite for police reform among New Yorkers, and his election is poised to be one of the most impervious obstacles to shaking up status quo law enforcement, inviting much of the same violence that got people into the streets last summer. Adams has benefited from the same craven political principles that have built winning campaigns for generations. The people of New York will be rewarded with more of what those principles have always gotten them.
After trying to find out more about the events and talk to the employee who allegedly saw Hughes and Stokes that night, Ventiere testified that the employee texted her about the events of that night and was worried about retaliation.

When Ventiere called Hughes to set up a meeting about his relationship with Stokes in person, Ventiere testified that Hughes asked her, Am I going to jail?

Ventiere testified that, after she and Williams confronted Hughes about the alleged inappropriate event with Stokes on Feb.16, 2018, Hughes first denied the behavior and said that Williams was there with him and Stokes.

I talked to him about the fact that I knew that they had been up at the office drinking really late one night alone, Ventiere said. [Hughes] said, Well, Kyle was with us the whole time, or something along those lines, and he looked at Kyle and said, Isnt that right? We were all together, drinking.  Kyle said no, he wasnt, and I said no, he wasnt; I know he had left.

Hughes then asked Williams and Ventiere for their advice on how to handle the situation, to which Ventiere suggested they terminate Stokes, according to Ventieres testimony.
In my biography for my application I even mentioned in my second year working I was asked to do an at-risk reading class, and it scared me because the kids would say, Why are we in here, why do we have this class? and kids want to feel important, special and they dont want you to tell them that they are below a level. It was then when I figured out relationships were the most important because students will not listen or respond to you unless they get you or know you care.

After that, I started reading a lot of professional development, and student-centered learning was a buzzword. Students need options; students need choices. They should have ownership over what they do. And that drove my teaching philosophy. I found that its easier when you listen to kids and what they want and what they need  thats when you can let them have the ownership and thats when they start trusting you because youre letting them know that they can lead their learning.

... Conversations are really important when youre trying to figure out what people need. I always gravitated to the at-risk kids because I feel like some kids come in and theyre so smart, so ready to go, and it doesnt matter  not to talk about other teachers  but it doesnt matter whos in the front of the room, theyre going to get it and learn because they have that inner drive to do it.
Grill added that the plateau in vaccinations, coupled with a drop in natural immunity, declining coronavirus protocols and new COVID-19 strains could all trigger another local surge. Of the 71 new COVID-19 admissions at EAMC and EAMC-Lanier since April 1, 48 of them have been under the age of 60  while 29 of them have been less than age 50, and 12 have been less than age 30.

Smiths Station Mayor Bubba Copeland and Auburn Mayor Ron Anders also voiced their support.

I would encourage each citizen, both in Smiths Station and Lee County, who can receive their COVID shots to do so, Copeland stated in the EAMC press release. Out of an abundance of caution and respect to the elderly and medically vulnerable populations, my family and I chose to be vaccinated.

Uncertainty

While the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had some uncertainty in April due to a temporary pause by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the future of the virus and its variants hold the most uncertainty.

The dominant strain in the U.S. right now is the UK variantalso known as the Alpha variant, stated Grill. The India variantalso known as the Delta variantcurrently accounts for about 10 percent of new cases in the U.S., but has been detected in 46 states and is expected to become the dominant strain in a matter of weeks. Its more contagious and causes more severe infections.

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
Columnist

Beth Dolinar has been writing her column about life, both hers and the rest of ours, for over 20 years. When not on the page, she produces Emmy-winning documentaries, teaches writing to university students, and enjoys her two growing children.


Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.
Washington, PA (15301)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

Lauren Bradford will carry the crown of Miss Alabama for a year. However, her academic foundation earned at Auburn Universitys Harbert College of Business will last a lifetime.

Bradford, who graduated in May with a degree in finance and was crowned Miss Alabama the night of June 12, hopes to parlay her education into a career in investment banking, strategy and management consulting.

The Harbert College of Business has equipped me for the future by fulfilling a culture of hard work and engagement with professors and faculty, said the Gulf Shores, Alabama, native who will compete in the Miss America Pageant in December.

The finance program at the Harbert College is filled with professors and individuals who truly care about the outcome of their students and work to ensure they have the resources needed to obtain internships, networking opportunities and their desired careers.

Bradford, who will begin pursuit of a Master of Science in finance at Vanderbilt University in 2022, made the most of her three years as a student as an active member of the Auburn University Financial Management Association, or FMA, and Harbert Colleges Executive Society.

FMA works to prepare students interested in competitive careers in finance for Fortune 500 and Wall Street jobs in fields such as investment banking, wealth management and strategy consulting, she said.

I have learned so much from this competitive environment and hope to carry these skills gained into my next season.

Tracy Richard, director of Harbert Colleges Integrated Financial Leadership Program and FMA faculty advisor, said Bradfords skills reach far beyond the classroom.

Shes a remarkable young woman who has the capacity to look at the big picture first and then drill down on meaningful ways to achieve desired outcomes, Richard said. FMA is so proud of all of Laurens achievements. We look forward to cheering on her successes as Miss Alabama, a Vanderbilt graduate student and a successful career woman, and wish her the best at the Miss America pageant.

Tracy Richard pours so much into ensuring her students obtain their dream internships and offers, Bradford said. I appreciate her level of dedication and intentionality to myself, the students of FMA and the finance program at Auburn Universityshe has truly impacted so many of us and charted a path for her students success. In the words of Tracy, Finance rocks.

Though Bradford was deeply entrenched as a Harbert College student for three years, she remained active in the pageant scene, winning Miss Auburn University as a freshman in 2019 and Miss Jefferson County in 2020.

After stepping into a role that I never expected to hold at the age of 18, I was emboldened by professors, faculty and members of the Auburn Family, she said. I learned so much about what it means to be an Auburn woman and stand for something bigger than myself.

Bradford will spend the next 12 months traveling the state to engage in philanthropic efforts, attend events, give presentations, pitch her ideas, grow her social impact initiatives and meet people. Her exploits as Miss Alabama can be followed at missalabama.com.

Representing the culture of belonging and community found at Auburn is humbling, she added. It is an honor I do not hold lightly, but with great reverence. As a 2021 graduate of Auburn University, I am so proud to now carry the spirit of the Auburn Family as Miss Alabama and as I compete for the job of Miss America this December.

(Written by Joe McAdory)
good riddance

Reply

Thread

Link

I wonder if Fox News will offer him a job

Reply

Thread

Link

GB News will take him.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

is quitting the band so he can be racist/homophobic/insert whatever the fuck he wants to be openly.



Off to gb news you go

Reply

Thread

Link

trash

Reply

Thread

Link





Imagine claiming to hate the "repugnant far right" and still choosing to die on the fuckface hill that is Andy Ngo.

Reply

Thread

Link

I added the laughing reaction but I also gotta reply to say lmao because lmao

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

As a banjo player Ive experienced discrimination is objectively the funniest thing thats ever been said. https://t.co/GEfWvLAIdv  John-Michael Bond (@BondJohnBond) June 24, 2021

Reply

Thread

Link

lmao no wonder dianna argon bounced, imagine listening to that guy every day

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i side eye her for being with him in the first place tbh.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

She married him. She imagined listening to him everyday for the rest of her life and she was okay with that.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I once lived with some people who were in a crust punk band and I felt personally attacked by their music. Im white but that shit makes my skin crawl thinking of all the fake hippies I met at that place and the never ending band practices hearing the same horrid banjos and the try hard old timey clothes. Good riddance to whoever this guy is

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Whitest problem ever

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

what does he even mean by this omg, are banjo players mocked or smth? to my knowlede most banjo players in modern music can play other instruments too, it's actually cool if you can play banjo aside from just a guitar or w/e

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I hate Mumford and sons but good news for them!!! First his wife dumped him, now hes leaving his band.



Is he really leaving though or did they kick him out? 

Reply

Thread

Link

In the article from the tweet, he said they asked him to continue to play with them, and they also posted a social media response of we love you, sooooooo

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Right, so theyre all garbage. Noted.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link



Ok

Reply

Thread

Link

Look at your life, look at your choices.

Reply

Thread

Link

i cackled out loud

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I quit my job when the company president wrote a thinly veiled pro-Tr*mp post that included a version of the history of communism on the company intranet the morning after the last presidential debate in 2020.



life has been so much better because that workplace was toxic as fuck and I wasn't paid enough.

Reply

Thread

Link

good for you!! I'll never understand business owners trying to force their political views on their employees. and lbr its usually pompous republicans.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I worked at Bass Pro for two years (honestly only stayed for the paycheck and dogs) but when I heard them practically celebrating the Pulse shooting 36 hours later at a morning meeting cause it drove gun sales, I knew I had to leave. within a month I had a new job.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
More behind the cutShort version, the whole panel is in Britney's corner >>Me-again feels its human trafficking, thinks FBI should be involved. She excitedly talks on and on and on, but shes on Britneys side. Sara talks about the documentary, is concerned that mental illness has been weaponized against her, the docu noted that people rarely get out of a conservatorship. Sunny talks about the legal aspect, 1-over person and 2-over estate, but she has both types. Having one over estate is more common if they arent financially savvy enough to manage professional affairs, but the one over her person is at egregious levels and normally for someone with dementia etc. Has to question if we know everything, since a judge agreed for the personal conservatorship back in 2008, but that was 13 years ago and do those same conditions still exist. Ana echos what Sunny brought up and hopes CA Attorney General takes up case, feels its very sad for her.@NYT Senior Story Editor Liz Day and co-creator of the documentarytalks about >> the most notable revelation was that Britney didnt know she could ask to end it, the misconceptions that she discovered while researching the documentary, the laws-rules with conservators that can play out differently behind closed doors, whether her father started out with good intentions but now has a conflict of interest because he receives moneys for his role, it was revealed after break in testimony that future proceedings will be sealed to the public, other records that remain sealed that might shed light on background, history, and future of the conservatorship. Documentary is still on Hulu.Plays clip. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Milley speaks out in support of studying Critical Race Theory. Meanwhile sex pest Matt Gaetz rolled his eyes and shook his head, and other GQP have called into question Milleys patriotism and competence. Sunny hates how this is a manufactured issue, because its not even taught in public schools. Then calls out the creator of this false narrative. Shes livid. Ana is mad at the hypocrisy of GQP supporting Juneteenth but weaponizing Critical Race Theory, then goes off on Gaetz. Sara feels its important to have knowledge of these issues. Skipped Me-again.Leslie Odom Jr is promoting his new songwhich was inspired by his father in law. He talks about Broadway re-opening, his new baby, being a part of iHeartRadio benefit for Pulse victims, being in Sopranos pre-quel and the plot summary, goes back to new song -working with Bayer to support heart attack survivors, advice his FIL gave him that he cherishes.+++++++++++++++Due to MAGA loons, the Black community wants to exercise their 2nd amendment rights to protect themselves. Sunny points out when the Black Planthers started open carry, white politicians decided gun control was warranted. Me-again talks about MyFamily. Joy says defunding police hasnt actually happened. Ana thinks the pandemic lockdown has given both a false sense of calm plus a lot of pent up rage now that society is getting back to normal. Joy says murder rate and hate crimes spiked during T45, partially as a result of his inciting fear and anger, and also his criminal enterprise admin showed it was ok to be a criminal. Sara quotes some more statistics.Biden goals for July 4th will fall short but individual components by age group and demographic continue to improve. Ana says its driven mainly by T45 followers still holding out and wanting Biden to fail at the goal. Philippines is mandating all citizens be vaxx. Sara feels federal government should stay out of it but private businesses will have their own requirements. She thinks more people will get vaxx once its been fully approved (not just emergency approved). Sunny thinks there is some limited legal precedence at state and municipal level. Goes back to employer requirements. States with lowest vaxx rate are super red states. Skipped Meghan.Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) talks about >> voting rights and the bill being struck down by GQP, the filibuster, $6T infrastructure bill (talking points, compromise, and price tag), the Israel-Palestine conflictThen he talks about >> sensible gun safety legislation, Me-again calls him the Godfather of The Squad rme, lol he schools herBut how would you know unless youre ALSO on the same dating app? Sunny the jealous one goes IN! Panel is also asked if they'd tell their friends if they saw the friend's s/o on app. Sunny would tell friend. Me-again talks about fake work acquaintance. Joy says they might be in a throuple. Sara wouldnt for an acquaintance but she would throw hands for a close friend. Ana is on fire, and offers witness protection for Sunnys husband.Source links are below each video or section
What a great idea for a post op. I'm still reeling about the recent news that 715 unmarked graves were found at a former residential school in Saskatchewan. When the mass grave at Kamloops was discovered I knew there'd be more and it'd be horrifying but still ugh good LORD it's fucked up. These poor kids and their families.



Fuck this country man.



Edited at 2021-06-25 06:33 pm (UTC)

Reply

Thread

Link

There will be a lot more. :/

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

There will be so so many more, it'll be excruciating for these poor families and the Indigenous community to have to endure and watch everyone be horrified with something they knew was always happening. I just hope they find justice. I don't know how, but all I know is I'm so fucking infuriated and disgusted with all of it, the government better find a way to make this right for that community, I swear to God...

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

thank you so much for this post!! i feel sick knowing that they're definitely going to uncover more bodies in canada. i just wish our gov't would actually do more than talk about how sad all of this is.



also if anyone in canada needs it there is a 24-hour hotline for survivors of residential schools and their families 1-866-925-4419

Reply

Thread

Link

My schools did an.... ok job teaching us about the atrocities committed against Native Americans, but I still didn't know about the Indian boarding schools until I read a Dear America book about it.

Reply

Thread

Link

Im glad you actually learned. I (Texan) dont remember ever being taught and I vividly remember reading my USHist textbook on my own and being l i v i d that it said the Indians were happy to relocate and willingly took the trip with regards to the Trail of Tears. Then for HS my teacher was absolutely obsessed and in literal love with Andrew Jackson and it was a lot for me to deal with. I felt uncomfortable a lot.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

being l i v i d that it said the Indians were happy to relocate and willingly took the trip with regards to the Trail of Tears.



??? omg



did it explain why it was called the Trail of Tears?

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

i think we had like.. a footnote in my hs textbooks. not that teachers should be like seeking to actively traumatize kids but school curriculums do such a disservice by not really explaining the consequences of forcibly removing someone from their family and putting them in a boarding school on some level, not just putting a sepia picture of a native american man in a school uniform and nothing else

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I went to a Catholic school in Ontario. We didn't cover this at all when I was there. I'm older so I hope that's changed.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

Im 40 years old and this is my first time hearing about this ever. So much is skipped over in history in schools in the states its disgusting. I went to an art school for college so we didnt have real history classes.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

They did not teach it when I was in school. They just mentioned things like the smallpox blankets, Trail of Tears, etc...



I took an American Indian history class in college & do not remember it coming up then either.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

In true Qc fashion, our history classes are super biased and still just say "the Iroquois/Algonquins and the french traded and they taught us how to use snowshoes and survive winter :) we were friends and the the english came and they were bad"



And then you never hear about the first nations again until you maybe, if you have time right before the ministry exams and it's super rushed because you gotta talk about the referendum!!!! you might hear about the oka crisis the end

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Thank you for making this post, OP.

Reply

Thread

Link

Thank you for this post, OP.

Reply

Thread

Link

thank you for this post OP! learning about this has been so horrifying and i really need to educate myself further. i rly appreciate you sharing these first hand accounts.



i'm dismayed to see my library doesn't carry any of these. i just submitted a buy request for a few of them so hopefully they decide to purchase and more ppl can benefit from reading these too.

Reply

Thread

Link

Oh I should do the same! I didnt find any at my library either.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





Kiss of the Fur Queen by Tomson Highway



Edited at 2021-06-25 06:52 pm (UTC) Another really good book is Tomson Highway's account of his and his brothers time at a residential school in Manitoba. I read it about 15 years ago in high school and it's never left me. It also led me to research more into these atrocities. Good list OP

Reply

Thread

Link

Seconding this recommendation. We were assigned this book in my first year English class in undergrad and it not only powerful but so beautifully written.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Reading about St. Anne's...I hope each and every one of the people involved with assault, harassment, and abuse of those children meets a painful end.

Reply

Thread

Link

this is a great post, op, thank you for putting it together

Reply

Thread

Link

ty for post!



anyone in the comments have recommendations for books regarding aboriginal/aus experiences would appreciate it.

Reply

Thread

Link

Great post, OP!

Reply

Thread

Link

I really recommend reading Wenjack

Reply

Thread

Link

ty for this post OP. appreciate your effort to highlight these stories - will definitely check them out

Reply

Thread

Link

There really is no hate like christian love, uh?



Why hasn't the Catholic Church apologized yet?

Reply

Thread

Link
Not sure how i think it should be split but i do think it should be split in some way.

Reply

Thread

Link

I think it's very kind of the server to split it (and that way they aren't heavily taxed). It's hard to be in the service industry.

Reply

Thread

Link

it says the owner decided to split, not the server

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

ONTD can't read!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the server didnt choose to split it tho, the owner did

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Ive never been a server so Im not sure how this works, does the owner usually get to decide how tips are split?

Reply

Thread

Link

That's what I'm wondering. I think the intention is good and if they have a policy of splitting up big tips like this usually then that's fine. But if big tip splitting isn't the norm, there's something that doesn't sit right with me about the owner deviating from the normal tip policy. Although I guess it's probably to keep workplace resentment from becoming an issue...unless, I guess, if you're the person who served this guy, lol. I hope that person is cool with it in case the tables are turned some day!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Even if big tip splitting isn't the norm, though, this is not your standard "big tip". Not splitting it would really would cause so much animosity.



Having said that, I come from a non-tipping country and just wish people had enough to live on where getting a tip wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Some establishments will 100% tip share among the serving/bar staff but that's known to them when they're hired.



If it's not a tip share situation, I have to say that the owner/manager has no business splitting that tip. It shouldn't be their call, even if it causes animosity among other staff. Sorry, but tough shit. That server got the lottery tip and only they should make that call. I, as a manager, would not have done this.





Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

it depends on the restaurant tbh. i've worked at places where everything is tip-pooled and split but ive also worked at places where your tips are YOUR tips. each system has its own pros or cons

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

at the Stumble? not usually. but with something like this, I suppose they treat it like going in on a lotto ticket.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

in all the places i and my mother have worked at, no. but the waitresses will take their individual tips and give a certain percentage to the busboys bc they don't get tipped but they're still only paid like 3 bucks an hour.



i haven't waited tables in over a decade tho

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

the owner decides how the tips are split in the restaurant as a policy. they can't just change it once a server gets a tip of this size. unless it's a pooled house, the server gets to keep it all (after tipping out to bussers, runners, bartenders, and sometimes hosts).

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

During times like this with the pandemic going a lot of places, including the bar/restaurant I run have gone to a tip pool system since a lot of bartenders cant have guests at the bar and everyones disadvantage by capacity restrictions. Normally we dont do full house splits, but we did up until last week when we had mandated lifted. So Im guessing this is why.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Unless the restaurant staff 'tip shares', then no. The owner has no business splitting that person's tip. If the tip was meant for that server alone, then it should be their decision to split it or not.



My last restaurant, the entire serving staff were equal tip share for the servers/bar for the shift, and then the back servers and hostesses got a smaller cut.





Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Im all for being generous but not gonna lie if I had been the only one serving the table Id be pissed to have to share it with everyone else lol if you want to share with the cook who made their food? Sure makes sense but it should really be up to the waiter who served this customer on if they want to share it with everyone else IMO. Of course if restaurant workers got paid fair wages we wouldnt even need to have this conversation!

Reply

Thread

Link

Same, like a huge chunk to the busser, runner and to the cooks only if theyre not salaried and making shit money like I was at the time.





Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Agreed, not to mention any work environment is bound to have assholes and I for one would not want to share my money with assholes. Only the people directly involved in the process of cooking/serving/cleaning for those clients should be getting the tip, no one else.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Imagine finding out the coworker whose tables you had to bring refills all night was getting a chunk of your tip.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

shared tips is garbage.

Reply

Thread

Link

It has it's pros/cons. I managed a high end restaurant and it was tip pooling, but my staff made damn good money. Better than my salary. We also did a ton of banquet work too and that's the only way to do it.



It does suck when you get a big ass tip like that and have to split it. I will say when you have a good staff and everyone does their part, it's not so bad. We've had slackers in the past and the staff have no problem getting on their ass. Our policy too, was that if you weren't pulling your weight for any reason, we'd knock you down to 75% cut until you did better...and if you couldn't do it, we'd let you go. My staff has been at this restaurant for years because they make really good money.



I have to say, if this owner doesn't have a tip pooling policy and split that servers tip, that is so fucking wrong. I don't care if everyone is jealous af, it's not their call.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

where i work it gets split between whoever is on that shift...which is fine if everyone has pulled their weight lol but in general i think it's fair. i don't work somewhere where we allocated sections/tables to one member of staff so everyone pitches in.

Reply

Thread

Link

fuck that shit. you absolutely should not EVER have to share your tips with other waitstaff

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

it's a very small, independent business, it gets split between max 6 people on shift, including kitchen staff who aren't salaried. plus i'm in england where we get at least minimum (if not a living) wage so we're not exactly relying on tips to live, they're just a nice bonus i use for boosting savings or putting petrol in my car lol.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

but sometimes it's necessary. i've worked in places with pooled house, and some nights you may get a shitty section that everyone requests to move out of, but i end up walking with my fair share because it was pooled. you may not be pulling weight with your tables, but you should be doing more than your share of sidework during the shift to make up for it so that the people that do have tables don't have to do anything but wait on the tables.

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

It does have its pros/cons. I've managed both tip situations. Granted, I've only managed high end restaurants.



There are server sections that don't really make much money (considering my old restaurant layout) and alternating sections didn't work that well either (some nights are busier than others). My staff is killer and everyone pulls their weight. If you don't, the staff will get on your ass. If I see someone under performing, I move them to a lower percentage tip share until they get better or we choose to let them go. Hostess, bussers make a higher wage but get a smaller tip cut.



Basically, you had to pull your weight (we also did a LOT of training and continuing ed for all the staff on how to sell, etc to make more money) or you wouldn't work here long.



I think our management was very fair. But it DOES suck when it's a huge tip like that (which is super rare). We had one similar and gave that server a bigger cut (due to the client's request) of that particular tip and shared the rest. So, I think there's room for making allowances for change in some circumstances. However, extra cash tips were common 'under the table' that we did not bother the servers about. Keep it.



Edited at 2021-06-26 04:02 am (UTC)

Reply

Parent

Thread

Expand

Link

I know laws may vary, but can an owner decide how to split a waitresses tips?

Reply

Thread

Link

It depends on the the tip policy for the establishment. Tip pooling or individual tips.



I've managed tip pooling for a high end restaurant and all my staff made killer money and they (and management) made damn sure everyone pulled their weight (in duties and also sales ability)... if you were a straggler or hoping to bank on other people making more money every night to take a cut... you didn't work here long. You would be weeded out real quick.



Granted, in a rare situation like this, I would make a change so that server got a bigger cut.



If it's individual tips, this owner had no business splitting it. End of story. I don't care if everyone else was jealous.





Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i don't know, man. i know that if i got the tip, i'd be tempted to keep it all, and if i worked with someone who got it, i'd resent them for not sharing lol.





Reply

Thread

Link

definitely lol

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

i love the idea of tipping 16k for a hot dog. goals!

Reply

Thread

Link

If I had the money, I'd definitely do it

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Thats absolutely what I would be doing with extra funds!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I'm not in the US and servers get paid at least minimum wage here. Asides from automatically added gratuity in some cases, even when we pay with a card, we tip in cash and just assume the tip is not legally showing up anywhere lol. But a lot of not-high-scale places also pay waiters under the table or cook the books and probably wouldn't be able to stay afloat otherwise.

Reply

Thread

Link

This is a hard one because it could have been this person wouldve left this tip anyway and the server was just lucky it was them serving the table, but it also couldve been amazing service from them. Id be a little mad to think Im getting 16K and then end up with 1K

Reply

Thread

Link

Also, it could have nothing to do with the service and the server had a conversation with them about life, school, health, bills, etc. I've seen people drop big bucks to pay for somebody's school. Would be fucked if that's the case and they then have to split it.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

If it wasn't a 'tip pool', I would never split a servers tip like that. Even in a pooling situation, I would take this into major consideration of giving that server a huge cut considering a special circumstance.



Usually, massive tips like this would be called to confirm with the client too in some cases. That's when you can ask about the service/situation resulting in the tip and that would make my decision if it were a tip pooling situation and what to do.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I've never worked as a server so not sure how it works in general, but imo it would be fair if the server decided to split with everyone or if it was split among those who worked for that table (server, cook, idk who else)

Reply

Thread

Link

Dont most places already pool tips and share them at the end of the day anyway? No?

Reply

Thread

Link

Ive worked in three restaurants/bars and nope, never. So not the norm for Tennessee at least!

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I've never heard of pooling all tips and splitting between all staff. Servers do usually "tip out" for kitchen staff and such, but its just a percentage of the overall tips for each server that night.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link





CLARIFICATION: I spoke with an employee @Stumbleinnnh after our story ran. They say

it was not one persons decision how the $ was split

they have a morning shift/evening shift & they all put in hours & split tips evenly (all work as bartenders & servers) (cont.) #7news  Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) June 25, 2021 i just went back to the tweet and apparently they do pool tips there. i guess that changes my opinion, when i first saw the tweet i was mad for the server. but if the policy has been to pool and share tips, it wouldn't really be fair to not do it this time.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

OK, so they always split it, then it's what it is, for everyone, I would have been shitty if they never split it and today they decided to do it

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Imagine being the person who called in sick that day

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Why the hell would a reporter not ask that from the beginning?

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

no. and honestly, why should they? that's very unfair.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

Not all. It really depends on the restaurant.



Tip pooling only really works if the management/staff are working together, people are pulling their weight and it's relatively fair. There should always be exceptions when you get a rare 'lottery' tip like this on how to handle it.



Plus, I think this only really works decently in high end restaurants where clients are spending a general amount of money, etc...plus the caliber in service, sales, etc are much higher. You are expected to be able to sell, have product knowledge and top notch service standards and pull in high tips than your average franchise, local place.



I've seen it work really well and go horribly wrong with bad management and staff.

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link

I worked at a place that pooled tips and everyone split it, which honestly was great because everyone helped out and you never felt in the weeds or anything. So if thats what this place is like then great but if it was just one server at the table Id be salty my boss is snatching away my 16k lol.

Reply

Thread

Link

If the policy is to pool tips, thats one thing, but if not- its not of the managers gd businesss

Reply

Parent

Thread



Link
Electricity prices for Californians are spiking, but so is the danger of blackoutsboth planned and unplanned.

Exceptional drought forecasts for this summer prompted PG&E to warn earlier this month that it might need to implement more rolling blackouts. The utility added, however, that they would likely last less than last years.

Then, last week, the California Independent System Operator issued a so-called flex alert, which effectively means it asked people to use less electricity between 5 pm and 10 pm because of heightened energy consumption during that time of day.

Last year, RealClear Energys Robert Bryce wrote this week, electricity prices in California jumped by 7.5 percent. This was the highest price hike for electricity across the States and seven times the average for the country. This means that as of end-2020, Californians were paying 70 percent more for electricity than people living in other states. At the same time, the security of their energy supply is increasingly questionable.

A more severe than usual drought in the state this year has depleted reservoirs and lakes, including the ones feeding some of the largest hydropower facilities. This means lower output from hydropower stations. This may well force the state with ambitious emission-reduction targets to rely more on its remaining natural gas-powered plants for baseload electricity supply.

These problems, which are set to deepen with time, have their roots far in the past, according to a recent New York Times interview with Ed Hirs, an energy fellow at the University of Houston.

According to Hirs, decades ago, California swam in excess generation capacity that sat idle for most of the year because of the mild climate. To reduce this capacity overhang, the state began closing these power plants and replacing them with wind and solar farmsand with imports.

To date, the expert noted, California imports some 35 percent of its electricity.

Thats a big problem, because now its not just Californias grid reliability you have to worry about, its your neighbors, Hirs said. Thats what happened last August: The heat wave got everybody.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The U.S. could sell $6 billion worth of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) as one of the financing sources for new investment in the infrastructure deal, Reuters reports, quoting a document being circulated by Republican lawmakers.

U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that he had agreed to a bipartisan infrastructure framework after meeting a bipartisan group of Senators.

We have a deal, President Biden said on a compromise proposal for an infrastructure plan aimed at repairing roads and bridges, increasing the resilience of the electricity grid, and building new, resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewable energy.

Strategic petroleum reserve sale is one of the proposed financing sources for new investment, the White House said in a factsheet on Thursday.

According to Reuters estimates, a sale from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, at the current WTI Crude price at just above $73 per barrel, would mean a sale of a total of 82 million barrels of crude oil from the SPR, or 13 percent of the crude currently held in the reserve.

The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve was set up in the 1970s when the Arab oil embargo created a fuel crisis in the United States. As of June 18, 2021, the SPR held 623.9 million barrels of crude oil.

The document of the SPR sale proposal doesnt include any timeline about when such sale would take place, Reuters reports.

The discussions about the infrastructure plan are far from over, and it could be another few months until a bill is passed in Congress and sent to President Biden to sign.

In the most recent sale from the SPR, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded contracts in March to sell 10.1 million barrels of crude oil as part of a recent Congressionally-directed SPR crude oil sale.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Tight natural gas supply and a rebound in electricity consumption have combined to push thermal coal prices to the highest in a decade, the Wall Street Journal reports, adding that insufficient rainfall in China has contributed to the trend.

Citing data compiled by Argus, the WSJs Joe Wallace wrote that the price of export coal from Newscastle, Australiamost of which goes to Asiahas gained 56 percent over the last year. European prices have also risen, adding 64 percent since the start of the year.

Coal supply is also experiencing a growing tightness because of low investment in new production, partially the result of a drive towards lower use of the dirtiest fossil fuel and a boost in renewable electricity generation capacity additions.

However, the latest price trends suggest that this capacity still falls short of meeting the demand for electricity in most key markets.

According to the WSJ report, coal prices are likely to remain higher over the next few months due to the situation with fundamentals.

Supply is shrinking and its probably shrinking faster than demand, Tom Price, head of commodities strategy at Liberum, told the WSJs Wallace. Everyone had turned their backs on these [thermal-coal mining] assets. Those companies that have clung on to them have made a small fortune on them in just the past few months.

In China, the situation is quite critical. A shortage of coal last month prompted the introduction of power rationing in parts of the country, Argus reported earlier this month, adding that more rationing is likely as supply continues to be tight, not least because of a ban on Australian imports amid a political row between the two countries.

Meanwhile, other suppliers are reaping the benefits of the unofficial ban, free to raise prices for delivery of the fuel to the worlds largest consumer.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
America and Europe are leading a slow but steady recovery in global airline seat capacity and travel, which is driving up demand for jet fuel.

Aviation fuel demand will not return to normal until at least 2023, analysts have said. But as the summer begins in the northern hemisphere, major destinations are re-opening, and tourists are eager to board a plane to a sunny destination this summer.

Globally, capacity improved by nearly 1 percentage point to reach 62 percent of 2019 levels, according to OAG data used in Bloombergs weekly flight tracker.

Global flight tracking service Flightradar24 tracked last Friday, June 18, as many as 92,095 commercial flights around the worldthe highest number since the middle of March 2020.

In the United States, the aviation market has recovered to more than 80 percent of the levels before the pandemic, Bloombergs weekly estimates show.

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration screened 2,030,577 people at airport security checkpoints on June 21, which was the sixth time in the last 11 days that checkpoint volume has topped 2 million, TSA Public Affairs spokesperson Lisa Farbstein said this week. On June 21 in 2019, in pre-pandemic times, 2,716,428 people were screened, Farbstein added.

In Europe, the European Union white-listed the U.S. for non-essential travel into the bloc, while the UK this week added some very popular summer destinations to its green list that doesnt require people to quarantine on their return to the UK. Britain added Ibiza, Mallorca, Malta, and Barbados, among others, to its so-called green list.

I think Europe is probably going to open up a bit faster than we had expected, Willie Walsh, Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), told Bloomberg in an interview this week.

While the prospects for the aviation industry look rosier this year than at this time in 2020, a return of jet fuel demand to pre-COVID levels is still years, not months, away. In Europe, for example, refiners continue to blend jet fuel into diesel and still cap crude runs, consultancy FGE Energy told Reuters.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) has been able to meet record peak demand so far in June despite tight grid conditions last week. Yet, analysts and residents question whether the power grid reliability will stay the same during the hotter heat waves in August, after the disastrous events during the Texas Freeze in February.

Last week, ERCOT asked Texans to reduce power consumption for a week, citing potential record power consumption for June and forced generation outages as the reason for the request.

Two days after the appeal for power conservation, ERCOT said that reliability of grid remains strong during record demand and said its request to conserve energy during peak hours, between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., continued through June 18.

This week, peak demand in Texas broke the June record on Thursday, with peak demand up to 69,957 MW yesterday, higher than the previous June record of 69,943 MW from June 14 last week. Peak demand was expected to reach 71,086 MW on Friday, according to ERCOT.

The all-time high peak demand in Texas was recorded in August 2019, when it was 74,820 MW.

If there are no forced generation outages for the rest of the summer, ERCOT is expected to have enough margin on the power grid to meet expected peak demand of 77,144 MW, Reuters notes.

However, residents and analysts are concerned what would happen with the grid reliability during the August heatwaves in the state if ERCOT had to issue an appeal for electricity conservation as early as in the middle of June.

The fact that the grid was barely able to eke by and satisfy what we had a week ago doesnt bode well for how well its going to hold up if we get 10-degrees-hotter temperatures and correspondingly higher demand in August, Dan Cohan, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rice University, told Houston Public Medias environmental reporter Katie Watkins.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Two clinics in Omaha offering first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will close after this weekend, officials said Friday.

But the Douglas County Health Department will continue to offer a handful of pop-up clinics.

"Some of the options for clinics will be changing, with more private care providers offering the vaccine in the near future," health department officials said in a press release.

The Miracle Hills Plaza Clinic, at 720 N. 114th St., which is operated by Methodist Health System, will have its final first-dose clinic from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The Testing and Vaccine Center, operated by Nebraska Medicine, will host its final first-dose clinic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. It's in the former Super Saver store at 5710 S. 144th St. in the Millard area.

The Douglas County Health Department's clinic at 3505 L St. will continue to operate Tuesdays through Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. until July 8. Walk-ins are welcome at all clinics, officials said.
The University of Nebraska Board of Regents approved a $1 billion annual budget on Friday that will freeze tuition rates for two years.

Meeting at Varner Hall for the first time since early in 2020, regents unanimously hailed the budgets focus on making investments in student success, faculty compensation and facility improvements.

President Ted Carter said the plan was the result of a thoughtful, strategic and disciplined approach taken by campus and system leaders in the midst of a pandemic.

We had to make some tough decisions, but weve done it for the long-term growth and success of the university, Carter said. I feel very good about this budget.

The 2021-22 budget includes a 2.5% increase in state appropriations, raising taxpayer support for NU to $628.5 million next year, and accounts for anticipated increases in tuition revenue as enrollment numbers grow.

Along with keeping tuition rates flat for the next two years, NU will continue the Nebraska Promise, which covers the full tuition costs for 1,000 in-state students from families with household incomes of $60,000 or less.
Charles Starkweather died in the electric chair at the Nebraska State Penitentiary 62 years ago today, showing as little emotion as he had displayed when questioned about the 11 victims he was convicted of killing.

Starkweather's killing spree began Jan. 21, 1958, when he murdered the mother, stepfather and baby sister of his girlfriend, 14-year-old Caril Ann Fugate. It ended with Starkweather's arrest eight days later near Douglas, Wyoming.

By that time, seven more people were dead. Starkweather later confessed to murdering a gas station attendant during a robbery on Dec. 1, 1957.

Shortly before midnight on June 24, Starkweather was walked into a small whitewashed room, where he sat down and was strapped into the electric chair.

Once Starkweather was strapped in the chair, Deputy Warden John Greenholtz said, "Charlie, do you have any last words you would like to say?" Starkweather shook his head.

Although Starkweather had no last words just before execution, Greenholtz said that, when prison officials went to fetch Starkweather from his cell, his words were: "What's your hurry?"

The first of the 2,200-volt shocks were administered at 12:03 a.m. June 25.
Constructing the Star Destroyer kept them busy through the long months of the coronavirus pandemic.

They used Lego bricks Feldmann inherited from his older brothers Nathan and Michael and the 150 to 200 sets of his own. He estimates theres more than a million at his house, stored in his room, his brothers now-vacated bedroom and a closet. He works in a Hy-Vee deli department and mows neighborhood lawns to raise the money to buy them.

He and Josh Bodine focused on the structural support of the ship, which tested their patience when the whole frame collapsed and had to be started over. Matthew Bodine excelled at all the details that adorn the outside.

Were all Star Wars fans, so we all knew what needed to be done, Matthew Bodine said. There were a few times where I didnt believe we would actually be able to finish, but for about the last month, we realized that we werent too far off, and that helped us finish it out.

Because its so massive, and because it will need to be transported to the local Lego show and another later in Chicago, they built it in pieces that fit together.

That gave them each room to maneuver as they were putting it together.
NEW YORK (AP)  All 23 of the nation's biggest banks are healthy enough to withstand a sudden economic catastrophe, the Federal Reserve said Thursday as it released the results from its latest stress tests," giving the banks the green light to resume paying out dividends to investors and buying back stock.

The Fed also said it would remove all of the coronavirus pandemic restrictions they put on the industry last year, following the results of the tests.

The Dodd-Frank Act passed after the 2008 financial crisis requires the nation's biggest, most complicated banks to undergo a set of tests to see how well their balance sheets would hold up against a severe economic meltdown like that seen in the Great Recession. The tests vary from year to year, but generally involve the Fed testing to see how much in losses the banking industry would take if unemployment were to skyrocket and economic activity were to severely contract.

Due to the economic damage caused by the pandemic, the Fed did two stress tests of the banking system last year, trying to simulate the impact a long-lasting economic downturn and pandemic would have on the nation's banking system. The Feds worst case scenario last year, a double-dip recession, would have caused roughly a quarter of all the biggest banks to breach their minimum capital requirements.
In 2020, just two states had ID requirements for voters requesting a mailed ballot. Along with Georgia, lawmakers in Florida have also passed a law requiring additional identification for mail voting. Clarke described the Georgia law as adding new and unnecessarily stringent identification requirements to mail voting.

In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the states most populous communities.

For the entire metro Atlanta area, Democrats estimate the number of drop boxes will fall from 94 last year to no more than 23 for future elections based on the new formula of one drop box per 100,000 registered voters.

Clarke noted that metro Atlanta is home to the largest Black voting-age population in the state.

The NAACP and civil rights leaders such as Stacey Abrams applauded the administration's step. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Georgias law was a blatant assault on the American peoples most fundamental and sacred right, the right to vote.
One year ago: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state would pause its aggressive reopening as it dealt with a surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. A government watchdog found that nearly 1.1 million relief payments totaling some $1.4 billion in the governments coronavirus aid program went to dead people. Two U.S. warships, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS San Jacinto, notched their 161st consecutive day at sea, breaking the previous Navy record, as ships were ordered to avoid port visits because of the coronavirus. Restaurant chain Chuck E. Cheese filed for bankruptcy protection. Disney said it would recast its Splash Mountain theme park ride to remove its ties to Song of the South, a 1946 movie that many viewed as racist. The Grammy-winning country group The Dixie Chicks dropped the word Dixie from its name. Census Bureau figures showed that for the first time, nonwhites and Hispanics were a majority of people under age 16 in 2019.
A beef-processing plant planned for Mills County, Iowa, would bring up to 750 jobs to the area and have an estimated annual economic impact of $1.1 billion, officials announced during a press conference Friday in Glenwood.

Cattlemens Heritage plans to build a $325 million, 1,500-head-per-day facility in Mills County along Interstate 29 near the Mills-Pottawattamie County line, according to a press release from the new corporation. Construction would begin in spring 2022 and wrap up in late 2023.

Cattlemens Heritage will fill a critical gap between the conglomerates and the outdated, undersized lockers and plants that arent equipped to meet the needs of consumers, producers or retailers, said project developer Chad Tentinger, founder and owner of TenCorp. Inc., a cattle industry construction firm.

Jobs at the plant will have an average annual wage of $55,000 plus benefits, Tentinger said.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, who participated in the announcement, said the facility will be a welcome addition to the states agribusiness infrastructure.
Two men will spend the rest of their lives in prison for their roles in the 2018 slaying of a Lincoln woman during a drug-related home invasion.

Tawhyne M. Patterson, a Vice Lord gang member from Chicago, and Damon D. Williams of Omaha were sentenced to life in prison for the home invasion that resulted in the death of Jessica Brandon in July 2018, according to a press release from acting U.S. Attorney Jan Sharp. There is no parole in the federal system.

On July 31, 2018, three men forced their way into the home that Brandon, 36, shared with her boyfriend. She was shot, and police later concluded that her boyfriend was dealing drugs. He pleaded guilty to drug charges in May 2019.

In addition to Brandon and her boyfriend, four children and a 61-year-old woman were in the home at the time of the shooting.

Patterson, 28, and Williams, 29, were part of a crew that targeted the Lincoln marijuana dealer for robbery. They went to the home on two consecutive days in late July, planning to steal drug money. Brandon was killed during the second attempt.
The delay prompted Nebraska Appleseed, which supported the bill, to issue a statement Thursday calling for the agency to find ways to process applications while the updates are in progress.

This law was intended to help Nebraskans, especially as they recover from the economic fallout of the pandemic, Eric Savaiano, Nebraska Appleseeds Economic Justice Program manager for food and nutrition access, said in a statement.

By delaying implementation, those trying to reenter the workforce are at risk of immediately losing SNAP eligibility, the statement continues. Holding back essential food benefits for nearly two months can feel like a lifetime for many struggling to feed themselves and their loved ones, especially as pandemic assistance like extended unemployment insurance benefits end.McCollister doesnt believe the delay so far has been unreasonable or intentional.

He assumes HHS will follow the intent of the law, he said. A memo he received from HHS staff, shared with The World-Herald, included the July 11 date.
Its not needed; its not helpful, Hansen said. And its a serious disservice to agriculture to undermine the confidence that Nebraska landowners have in federal conservation cost-share programs that our state is a huge user of.

Biden signed an executive order in January that included the goal of protecting 30% of land and water by 2030 as part of a broader effort to elevate attention to climate issues. About 12% of the nations land and 26% of its water are currently protected, according to the Center for American Progress.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the intent is to use and expand existing voluntary programs to aid conservation, as well as expand hunting and fishing opportunities and add parks in underserved, low-income areas.

Opponents have raised concerns about how the country can more than double the amount of land being protected. Ricketts criticized the administration for not defining what counts as conservation and not providing more detail about how it will increase the amount of land and water being protected.

In his executive order, Ricketts directed agencies under his control to take any necessary step to resist and prevent the federal governments attempt to usurp state authority as they implement the 30 x 30 goal.
Torrential rains caused flash flooding, and strong winds downed trees and power lines in parts of southeast Nebraska on Thursday night as storms moved through the area.

More than 6 inches of rain fell northwest of Murdock, Nebraska, and at one point, the rainfall was so heavy in Falls City that it measured 0.75 of an inch in 10 minutes, according to the National Weather Service. The rain caused flash flooding in the area, with water over some roads. Another report by the weather service indicated that 3.5 inches had fallen in about 15 minutes in Otoe County.

A campground in Weeping Water, in Cass County, was evacuated before midnight, said Van DeWald, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Valley.

In Omaha, the stormy weather prompted a delay of the College World Series. Officially, Omaha recorded just .70 of an inch of rain Thursday.

In Omaha, emergency dispatchers received a report about a vehicle fire blamed on lightning.

In southwest Iowa, strong winds knocked over railcars near Interstate 29. And in Nebraska, winds knocked down large trees and power lines in the village of Nemaha, blocking some roads, according to reports to the weather service.
Firefighters from several rural departments, aided by the Nebraska National Guard, had mostly contained a series of wildfires in north-central Nebraska by early Friday afternoon.

A dry lightning storm Wednesday evening sparked at least 20 wildfires that scorched nearly 7,000 acres in northern Holt and southern Boyd Counties, said Earl Imler, operations chief for the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.

Imler said a barn and a hunting cabin were destroyed by the fires, but firefighters saved three rural homes in the sparsely populated area.

The first of the fires ignited during thunderstorms about 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Holt County Independent. The fires burned in hard-to-reach land in the Niobrara River Valley. The largest fire burned 6,000 acres near the Brush Creek Bridge on Nebraska Highway 11, north of Atkinson.

The fires blanketed both counties in dense smoke, the newspaper said. The state activated its Wildfire Incident Response Assistance Team, which brought out mutual aid that included firefighters from Atkinson, ONeill, Spencer, Butte and Naper in Nebraska, and Lake Andes and Wagner in South Dakota.
Why avoid giving the money to governments? Aren't they best equipped to spend it efficiently?

That might be true theoretically, but the Northern Triangle governments have proven themselves inefficient or corrupt, or, as in the case of El Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, have engaged in undemocratic behavior that the Biden administration does not want to reward.

Bukele has taken steps to take over the judiciary and consolidate his hold on power. In Honduras, President Juan Orlando Hernandez has been implicated in a major drug-trafficking case in which his brother was sentenced to life in prison by a New York court. Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei has attempted to squash independent courts and corruption investigations and is thought to be beholden to the country's powerful oligarchs.

Isn't the history of U.S. involvement in Central America long and controversial? Does the U.S. bear responsibility for the troubles besetting the Northern Triangle?

Yes, and yes.

For much of the last two centuries, the United States regarded parts of Central America as its private plantation for the growing of bananas and other fruit, or a landscape for wild adventures and colonization, or a proxy battleground in fights against communism.
Filipinos pondered if they should move to shelters. Some lived along riverbeds where deadly pyroclastic flows and thick mud streams called lahars would roll down from the mountainside at high speeds, burying or incinerating anything in their path.

Pinatubo blew at the same time Typhoon Yunya came ashore, spreading ash beyond Clark to Subic, then pushing it back as thick murk that darkened the bases.

I was reporting outside Clark. As I started to head toward Manila to file my story, my driver Virgilio got out of the car. His family remained in their home by a riverbed. We both turned around. With roads buried in ash, he navigated by instinct and fear to reach his barrio outside Clark.

The dark streets were eerily empty except for the murky shape of two men near my car. I felt sudden panic of being buried in ash and mud like people of Pompeii. Virgilio disappeared into the darkness, finally returning with his wife, children and pregnant sister. As we ploughed slowly through the streets, we squeezed in young and elderly trying to escape.
Streetwise - Sweet Memories

by Frank Dunnigan

July 2014

One of my favorite activities from childhood was walking past the Baronial Bakery on Taraval Street between 20th and 21st Avenue with one of my parents and inhaling all the great aromas coming out onto the street.

In addition to Sunday morning doughnuts and Danish pastries, Baronial supplied virtually every birthday, confirmation, graduation, and dinner for company cake consumed by our family from the 1950s until the early 1970sin fact, I still have and use the plastic cake cutter/server with the Baronial name on the handle that came with my Confirmation cake back in March of 1965.

Then, like so many people, places, and things that we once took for granted, in the blink of an eye, Baronial was gone. Thanks to the miracle of the Internet, however, I recently made contact with the adult daughter of owners Willie and Wilma Nabbefeld. Cathy and her older brother Rick were unclear on some of the detailsafter all, their parents sold the bakery and retired well over forty years agoall the way back in 1971but with a little thinking and some online sleuthing, we now have a story as warm and fragrant as Baronials cinnamon-almond coffeecake on a foggy morning.

Willie Nabbefeld was born in San Francisco in the closing days of World War I, in 1918. His German-born father, John, was a baker who owned a shop on Mission Street near 22nd Street for many yearssomething I remembered my father frequently referring to as Willies fathers bakery only two blocks from where Dad was born and spent his early childhood, and just a block from where Moms family lived from the 1930s until after World War II.

Willie married Wilma in 1942, and they eventually lived with his widowed mother on 17th Avenue near Irving Street in the Sunset District. In 1946, Willie and his wife opened their own Taraval Bake Shop at 830 Taraval, between 18th and 19th Avenue, on the north side of the street, and my Dad became a regular customer when he was still living at home with his family at 21st and Rivera Street before he and Mom were married. I have only vague recollections of that tiny spot, but I do remember going there with my parents on Sunday mornings after Mass at the old 17th Avenue St. Cecilia Church (pre-1956) to pick up powdered sugar doughnuts.

According to Willie and Wilmas daughter, there was a serious fire in that first Taraval location, which prompted her parents to re-open elsewhere. Baronial Bakery was nearby at 1033 Taraval, and the owners there (who also owned another Baronial Bakery on Irving Street as well as Priscilla Cake Box, the original Stonestown bakery), were living in Marin County, and ready for retirement. The Nabbefelds took over Baronial on Taraval about 1953-54, and quickly filled up the space. The glass cases were always sparkling clean, they kept fresh ruffled curtains in the windows, and their wide variety of baked goodsbreads, cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts, and Danish pastrieswere all displayed to perfection.

Willie and Wilma moved with their young son to a new home on 24th Avenue near Vicente Street, with Willies mother buying a similar house on the very same block. A few years later, daughter Cathy arrived to round out the family.

By definition, baking is a tough businessin order to be open and ready for early-bird customers who started descending at 6:00 a.m., Willie had to be in the store and working sometime between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m. every day of the week. Walking from home on 24th Avenue up the hill to Taraval, rain or shine, he seldom encountered anyone else on the quiet streets.

There were a handful of employeesa baker to assist with some of the kitchen work and a few older ladies to wait on the customers, but this was very much a family business. Willies mother occasionally helped out behind the counter, Wilma handled the books and the ordering of supplies, and both of the children worked there in their teensCathy folding thousands of pink cake boxes, and her brother Rick performing kitchen clean-up duties and setting up the proof box for the next days dough to rise. Cathy recalled that the only time the place would be closed was two weeks every August when the entire family took off for a Russian River vacation.

Weekend mornings were particularly busy, and the Nabbefelds knew the Sunday Mass schedule at St. Cecilias by heart, even though they belonged to another church. Within five minutes after the end of each Mass (in those days, scheduled for 6:30, 8:00, 9:00, 10:00 11:00, and 12:15with the last four services packing worshippers into both the upper and the lower church spaces), Baronial was inundated with customers.

It was not just a Sunday morning stop for our family; it was also an essential part of Moms regular grocery shopping, especially in the days before she had a drivers license. She would generally visit Baronial twice a week after purchasing groceries at the adjacent Rite Spot Market, and buy half a cake for dessertthis way, leftovers were consumed quickly, and a new flavor could be enjoyed later in the week. Without a doubt, Willies chocolate layer cake with mocha filling and glossy dark chocolate frosting was spectacularand a traditional dessert on virtually every occasion that we had company for dinner. Whenever someone in the neighborhood had a death in the family, Mom would send a homemade casserole or a nice box of Danishremember raisin snails, butter horns, and bear claws?from Baronial.

One memory that Cathy and her brother share is how their father used to wait until the childrens matinee at the Parkside Theatre was about to let out, and then he would stand on the sidewalk outside the bakery, with a huge squeeze bag of freshly whipped cream, and then dispense the perfect dollop directly into the mouth of each child who eagerly lined upa long-gone bakery treat for neighborhood youngsters.

After more than twenty-five years of a demanding seven-day-a-week schedule, the Nabbefelds were ready for retirement. Stand-alone bakeries, while still popular, were beginning to feel strong competition from in-store baking operations by the big grocery store chainsand the large Safeway store on Taraval was then in the planning stages. In 1971, Willie and Wilma sold their beloved Baronial to another baker, who ran the place for just a few years before removing the equipment and closing up shop for good. Mom always complained that things were just not the same after Willie and Wilma retired.

Sadly, the wonderful old recipes that Willie had learned from his parents and then perfected over his long career went with the store, and are now gone. In any event, he always told his children that it was far too difficult to convert those huge measurements to the smaller amounts necessary for home baking, though he and Wilma were able to produce their sons wedding cake in the 1970s in their home kitchen on 24th Avenue.

Willie and Wilma enjoyed a long retirement of more than twenty-five years, and engaged in their love of travelsomething that was only possible for two weeks each summer during their working yearsbefore passing away just eighteen months apart near the end of the millennium.

Even today whenever I walk down Taraval, I can still smell those long-ago aromas of fresh baking as I pass by Baronials old location. I remember the excited kids lining up for a dollop of whipped cream, the friendly Sunday morning crowds spilling out onto the sidewalk, and recall the Nabbefeldsthe wonderful people who made possible so many great memories that were shared with the relatives and friends who used to be seated around our familys dining room table.

Contribute your own stories about western neighborhoods places!
The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has received commendations for employing innovative measures in managing the countrys finances and steering the economy back to its pre-COVID-19 levels.



John McDermott, who is the Chief Africa Correspondent for the Economist commended the Minister for playing a critical role in rejuvenating the economy, restoring macroeconomic stability and renewing investor confidence in an economy that suffered a setback from the coronavirus pandemic.



Tweeting via the handle @johnpmcdermott, he described the Minister as Africa's most innovative Finance Minister as Ghana prepares to raise $1 billion through the sale of sustainable bonds, including Africas first social debt.



The proceeds of the bonds will help refinance domestic debt used for social, environmental and educational projects.



The sale, likely to be a mix of social and green bonds comes months after Ghana sold the four-year zero-coupon debt to international investors as part of a $3.025 billion Eurobond deal that also included 20-year, 12-year and seven-year securities.



This will help reduce the government budget gap which is expected to be 9.5% of gross domestic product this year, down from an 11.7% shortfall in 2020.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
An Information Technology (IT) technician accused of stealing an ATM card of a pastor he worked for and using it to withdraw money has been put before the La Magistrate Court.

The accused, Ranford Anthony Arthur, is standing trial for using the ATM card which he stole with its default PIN to withdraw a total of GH12,000.



The money was withdrawn in batches of GH2000. Arthur is also accused of taking a picture of the voter's identification card of the pastor and using it to acquire a vodafone SIM card, registering a mobile money account in the name of the pastor and using it to solicit for funds from the followers of the pastor online.



He has been charged with eight counts including stealing, defrauding by false pretence and forgery of documents at a hearing, presided over by Mrs Juliet Osei Deudo.



He pleaded not guilty and has been granted bail in the sum of Gh 18,000 with two sureties.



The case has been adjourned to July 15, 2021.



Facts of case



Presenting the facts of the case, Chief Inspector Kenneth Niyennu told the court that the pastor of the Restore Prayer Partners, an online and radio prayer group, went to his bank together with Arthur to take delivery of an ATM Visa card with the default PIN.



The pastor kept the Visa card and the default PIN in his car and it is suspected Arthur took it, activated the PIN and started using it to withdraw money on the blind side of the pastor.



Investigations by the police and the Financial Crime Management Department of Fidelity Bank, showed that Arthur used the Visa card to make six separate withdrawals of GH 2000 each. The withdrawals were done on March 16, 22 and 26, 2021.



He is also accused of taking a photograph of the voter's ID card of the pastor and using it to register a mobile money account on a Vodafone SIM.



Restore Prayer Partners



Arthur published the mobile number registered in the name of the pastor on social media platforms and started soliciting for money from followers of the Restore Prayer Partners claiming the proceeds would be used for evangelism.



When the pastor was alerted about the use of his name to solicit for money from his followers he used a radio announcement to warn his followers to ignore the person behind that act.



On March 26, 2021, the pastor received an alert from his bankers on the withdrawal of Gh2000 from the account and he reported to the bank leading to the arrest of the accused, who was captured in the banks closed circuit camera (CCTV) installed at all ATM outlets.



Upon his arrest, Arthur told the police he used the money he withdrew with the ATM card to support his siblings' education, buy a sofa for his room and also buy some food items.



When the police searched Arthur's room, the ATM card was found hidden under a carpet while the vodafone sim card was also found hidden under the sofa.



Two days after he had been charged with the offence and granted police enquiry bail, Arthur went to the police and submitted another statement in which he denied knowledge of the offence.









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
Former Nhyiaeso Member of Parliament Kennedy Kwasi Kankam has no case to answer neither has he done any wrong according to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei Mensah.



Speaking to reporters in Kumasi over allegations that Kennedy Kankam had misapplied his Member of Parliament (MP) common fund, the Regional Minister said that no audit report had indicted the former Nhyiaeso MP.



Kankam served as MP for Nhyiaeso in Kumasi from January 7, 2017 to January 6, 2021. He replaced Dr Richard Anane who had been representing the people of the area since 1997.



Some media reports had suggested Mr Kennedy Kankam during his tenure as Nhyiaeso MP had misapplied his common fund by giving it out as loans to some constituents.



The reports said an audit report had allegedly indicted him and recommended that he refunds GH500,000.



However, Mr Kennedy Kankam has debunked the allegation and said due process was followed and all the disbursements to the loan beneficiaries were above board. He presented a series of letters and documents to prove his case.



"I have personally served as an MP for 12 years and as such I am very conversant with the guidelines and processes of utilizing the common fund," the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Osei Mensah jumping to the defence of Mr Kankam told reporters.



"If an MP wants to use his common fund for an activity, he will first apply to the Chief Executive indicating the activity he wants to apply his fund to. The Chief Executive will then examine the request against the guidelines and if they are satisfied, give approval before disbursement or otherwise. No MP can access his common fund without the approval of the Chief Executive of the particular assembly. It is simply not possible," he added.



The current acting Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly Chief Executive, Mr Osei Assibey Antwi on his part has said the former MP has not been involved in anything illegal.



"There is nothing illegal in the disbursement of the funds. What the auditors brought to us was the management letter. It only raises concerns and we had a month to reply. It is not an audit report and cannot be referred to as such. I dont even know how this management letter got out. There is no ambiguity about the MP's spending. Nobody gave him money in his hands to go and spend it. He made a request for repayable loans. So the money was paid to the bank and the bank administered the disbursement. There is no malfeasance involved and all the queries they raised, the assembly has answers for them. Kennedy has not committed any crime," Mr Osei Assibey Antwi said.



Mr Kennedy Kankams name has come up as one of the nominees likely to be appointed as the next mayor of Kumasi.



He was the Convenor of the group, Aspirants Unite For Victory, which was made up of parliamentary aspirants who could not win the mandate of NPP delegates to contest the 2020 parliamentary elections on the ticket of the NPP but mobilised themselves to campaign in support various NPP candidates for the 2020 elections.





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
Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC, Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic(NPP), has encouraged the public to get involved in the ongoing population census.



According to him, census is the heartbeat of every country because knowing our population information is needed to guide all planning decisions.



Speaking on UTVs Adekye Nsroma programme, Abronye DC indicated that the population census will give the country the total number of persons, housing types and their geographic characteristics.



To him, this census provides help in planning educational, health, housing and other social services for the citizens.



He also made a case on how census attracts investors saying, census helps draw more investors into the country since the investors can attest to how fast that county is growing.



This exercise is very important, hence those in charge should try and work on the publicity for every Ghanaian to know and understand what is really going on, if not their employers lives will continue to be at risk. Authorities should also make sure their workers are well equipped and have enough resources before going out . . . workers should be neatly dressed with their tag and ID cards for easy identification. We should all get involved for the betterment of this country.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Tanzanias President Samia Suluhu Hassan has said the East African nation is being hit by a third wave of coronavirus.



Prevention is better than cure; lets not stop using anything that may protect us from the pandemic to avoid mass death, she said after a meeting with Catholic bishops in the main city of Dar es Salaam.



Since taking office in March this year, following the death of her predecessor John Magufuli  one of Africa's most prominent coronavirus sceptics  President Samia has been at the forefront of addressing the pandemic.



In April she formed a committee of experts to advise her government on the measures they needed to take deal with coronavirus.



Early this month, she also allowed the importation of vaccines for international organisations and embassies in the country.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A private secondary school in the northern Nigeria city of Kano has adopted cryptocurrency as a means of payment for school fees.



There has been controversy over the use of cryptocurrencies in the West African nation, as in February the countrys banks were banned from dealing in them.



But the head of the Oxford Science Academy, Sabiu Musa Haruna, told the BBC that the school had decided to collect school fees using cryptocurrencies because of their growing acceptance around the world.



He said the parents of students had been consulted and many had welcomed the decision.



However, he said paying school fees with digital money was not compulsory.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi has tightened coronavirus restrictions and extended the night-time curfew by an hour.



From Saturday it will start at 22:00, instead of 23:00, and last until 04:00 in metropolitan areas.



President Nyusi said he was responding to a spike in coronavirus cases and added that he was concerned people were not complying with Covid-19 prevention measures.



Under the new measures, which will last for 30 days from 26 June, he said services to the public would be offered on a pre-booking basis only and about 30% of the workforce in the private and public sectors should work remotely.



Those attending religious events, conferences and meetings should not exceed 40 indoors and 80 in open places.



Restaurants, take-aways and home delivery services could open from 06:00 to 20:00 local time while off-licences could open from 09:00 to 15:00, he said.



Shopping centres could open from 09:00 until 18:00 on all days except Sunday and holidays when they would have to close by 15:00, he stipulated.



Visits to the beach for leisure, games or parties were also banned, the president said, urging the public to follow all guidelines as vaccines are scarce.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Executive Director for the Institute of Energy Security, Nana Amoasi VII, has taken a swipe at the Attorney General, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, describing him as negligent for his failure to defend Ghana on the $170 million judgment debt awarded to power company, Ghana Power Generation Company (GCGP).



In a radio interview with Accra based Starr FM on Thursday, Nana Amoasi VII called on the Attorney General to account to Ghanaians why he failed to appeal the $170 million judgment debt in time.



We had an opportunity to go and appeal against the decision and we chose to use Covid-19 and election as excuses. The Attorney General was negligent as well. He didnt act well. He could have defended us better so we should look into it.



His comments come after the Commercial Court in London rejected a late appeal from Ghana against a judgement debt award of US$170 million in favour of power contractor, The Ghana Power Generation Company (GCGP).



According to the London Court, the government of Ghana failed to apply and set aside the January 26, 2021 decision of the London-based United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Tribunal.



The court in a ruling on Wednesday, June 8, refused to grant the government of Ghana an extension to apply to set aside the award  adding that the states grounds for challenging it were intrinsically weak.



The government through its lawyer Godfred Dame had attempted to hide behind the 2020 general election and the COVID-19 pandemic as excuses for the delay, but their excuses were dismissed by the London court.



GPGC was represented before the court by Charles Kimmins QC and Mark Tushingham, where Ghana was said to have been too late to challenge the decision against it.



Ghana had used Khawar Qureshi QC of Serle Court and Volterra Fietta, having initially retained Omnia Strategy. In the arbitration, GPGC, used Three Crowns and Ghanaian firm, Kimathi & Partners, along with damages experts from FTI Consulting.



Ghana also had representation from the attorney generals office and Amofa & Partners in Accra.



The three-member arbitration tribunal chaired by John Beechey, a former President of the International Criminal Courts Court of Arbitration, and co-chaired by Prof Albert Fiadjoe, a Ghanaian academic, sided with the power producer and awarded almost US$170 million, including interest.



Out of the total, U$134.35 million represents the early termination payment claim, which itself is made up of US $69.36 million as an early termination fee, US$58.49 million for mobilisation costs, US$6.46 million as demobilisation cost and US$32,448 as preservation and maintenance cost.



The tribunal also awarded US$614,353.86 against the country as the cost of the tribunal, and costs of US$3 million against Ghana, being the legal fees expended by the GPGC during the arbitration.



Major highlights of the tribunals decision included the fact that the Ahenkora Committee which recommended the termination of the contract did not have sufficient ground in coming to the conclusion that the GPGC was entitled to only $US18 million in early termination fees.



The tribunal, in dismissing Ghanas case, delved into the basis for terminating the contract, stating that the evidence before it indicated that GPGC did have a building permit for the Blue Ocean Site issued by the Kpone-Katamanso District Assembly on August 15, 2017.



GoG [The government] has not been able to adduce any statute or regulation, including the Energy Commission Act, which addresses the requirement for any such additional construction permit, the Tribunal ruled.



On the basis of the record as it now stands, it is apparent that even as Dr. Ahenkorah [Energy Commission Executive Secretary at the time] was putting up further hurdles over which he required GPGC to jump in pursuit of its provisional generation license in November 2017, the Minister of Energy was about to seek the approval of the Ghanaian Parliament of a decision to terminate the EPA along with a number of other PPAs, based upon the Report of the PPA Committee chaired by Dr. Ahenkorah, it said.



Under British law, the government had 28 days to challenge the tribunals decision. However, it went to sleep only to appear in court three days to the expiry of the deadline to ask for an extension.



Omnia Strategy, a British law firm, made the case for extension and asked for 56 daystwice the allowed grace period.



However, the court set March 8, 2021, for the Government to file the processes to challenge the Tribunals decision in January. But again, the government took a long nap until April 1, 2021, before filing. This time, another British law firm, Volterra Fietta, had instructions from the government to begin the process.



The law firm, which tagged itself as the only dedicated public international law firm in the world, explained that the new Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, had only been sworn in on March 5, and the firm received the directive to represent Ghana 10 days later.



But ruling on the matter on June 8, 2021, the court had no sympathies. It said the excuses were unreasonable and intrinsically weak.



The presiding judge, Justice Butcher did not hold back.



The judge said the governments delay was significant and substantial as its request for a second extension had come 38 days after the statutory deadline and 27 days after the first extension expired, the Global Arbitration Review (GAR) reported.



He noted that the large sum of money involved in the arbitration was not enough grounds for the appeal to take as long as it did.



The fact that the Attorney General had not been sworn until March 5 did not mean the government was unable to act in the meantime, the judge said.



Background to the arbitration



The International Court of Arbitration in January 2021 awarded a cost of $134 million and an interest of $30 million against the Government of Ghana over the cancellation of an Emergency Power Agreement with GCGP limited.



The Contract was cancelled under the former Energy Minister Boakye Agyarko as part of several other energy contracts cancelled by the NPP on the basis that the country did not need those power agreements.



The ruling by the International Court of Arbitration ordered the government to Ghana to pay to GPGC the full value of the Early Termination Payment, together with Mobilization, Demobilization and preservation and maintenance costs in the amount of US$ 134,348,661, together also with interest thereon from 12 November 2018 until the date of payment, accruing daily and compounded monthly, at the rate of LIBOR for six-month US dollar deposits plus six per cent(6%).



The Government of Ghana was also to pay GPGC an amount of US$ 309,877.74 in respect of the Costs of the Arbitration, together with US$ 3,000,000 in respect of GPGCs legal representation and the fees and expenses of its expert witness, together with interest on the aggregate amount of US$ 3,309,877.74 at the rate of LIBOR for three-month US dollar deposits, compounded quarterly.









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
Statistics from the Ghana Health Service (GHS) indicate that the Upper East Region recorded a total of 6,533 cases of teenage pregnancies in 2020.



The figures further showed that the region in the first quarter of this year has so far recorded 1,639 cases.



The Upper East Region is among the areas with the highest incidence of child marriage, teenage pregnancy and more worrying the menace of transactional sex among minors as evidenced by the multiple indicator cluster survey 2018.



Transactional sex



Transactional sex relationships are non-commercial, non-marital sexual relationships motivated by the implicit assumption that sex is exchanged for material goods or other benefits.



Speaking on the trend of events, a non-governmental organisation based in the region, RISE-Ghana, which focuses on health, environment and governance, identified transactional sex as one of the leading causes of the high spate of teenage pregnancy in the region.



Similarly, the NGO noted that many teenage girls were compelled to sleep with men in their desire to own mobile phones while others were lured with noodles, popularly called Indomie.



The Executive Director of RISE-Ghana, Alhaji Awal Ahmed Kariama, in an interview with the Daily Graphic last Thursday, observed that transactional sex was among the high causative factors of teenage pregnancies among adolescent girls.



He noted with concern that teenagers with access to smart phones with adult content were also fueling the menace of teenage pregnancies in the region.



Sex education



For him, since many teenagers in the region were having unprotected sex, it was about time parents educated their teenage children/adolescent children on safe sex practices, noting that having unprotected sex would not only lead to pregnancies but to sexually transmitted infections.



Touching on how to prevent the situation where adolescent girls are lured into sex with noodles, Alhaji Kariama encouraged parents to add noodles to the local household menu occasionally to satisfy the appetite of the curious young ones.



Alhaji Kariama also enjoined chiefs, families and community leaders to call out perpetrators and stop adjudicating and settling criminal cases such as rape and defilement.



He has, therefore, called on the society to act in line with the spirit and letter of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and Ghanas Childrens Act which enjoins all to promote the best interest of the child in all matters involving children.



For him, there was the need to intensify sex education and the associated risk of sexually transmitted diseases which tended to increase the burden of care on mothers and soiling of the reputation of parents and families due to the attendant stigma.



He also encouraged parents, particularly mothers, to desist from the practice of getting angry and refusing to talk to their daughters or ignoring them, noting that when parents refused to talk to their children, such situations gave the teenagers the licence to misbehave, which often leads to teenage pregnancy.



ENOUGH project



RISE-Ghana is one of the NGOs in the country implementing the ENOUGH project, which is aimed at ending sexual and gender-based violence in Ghana, Liberia and Mali.



The ENOUGH project is a three-year [2020-2023] multi-country project funded by the European Union through Oxfam in Ghana and WILDAF Ghana.

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
Former Minister of Energy, Mr Boakye Agyarko under whose tenure Ghana terminated a power purchase agreement with Ghana Power Generation Company (GCGP) which has resulted in a $170 million judgment debt has disagreed with suggestions that he should be held liable.



A Commercial Court in London slapped Ghana with the $170 million judgment debt for unlawful termination of the power purchase agreement with GCGP.



The agreement was cancelled by the Akufo-Addo government based on a recommendation from a committee set up by the Ministry of Energy on orders of the Office of the President to review all power agreements.



Some persons, including the Ranking Member on Parliaments Energy Committee, Mr John Jinapor, have suggested that the former Minister in the person of Mr Agyarko should be held responsible for causing the $170 million judgement debt to the state.



But Mr. Agyarko reacting in a radio interview with Accra based Citi FM on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 said he cannot be held responsible for the cancellation, given that he was only acting on the orders of the Cabinet at the time.



It is an act of ignorance and stupidity [to make such suggestions]. When a Cabinet decides on a matter, how does it become the personal decision of the individual who has to do the representation of Cabinet? To think like that means you are not even fit to participate in governance an obviously exasperated Boakye Agyarko said.



A Cabinet takes a decision based on a report produced by a technical committee and the sector Minister is asked to go and implement the report then you say that it is the sector Ministers personal liability?



There are suggestions that the then Energy Minister failed to engage extensively on exploring other options instead of a cancellation of the agreement, but Mr. Agyarko dismissed this claim, insisting that his hands were tied at the time because he had no power to alter Cabinets decision.



I know that when I was in office, some people tried to get me to vary the report as approved by Cabinet and my position was clear that if you are a sector Minister and Cabinet approves, it does not lie within your remit to alter the decision by Cabinet. You cannot do that  so it amazes me that some people can stick their mouth and say that because I was Minister, I should be personally charged with the responsibility of that liability. It is ludic.



Ghana better off with $170m judgement debt, couldve been worse  Agyarko



Meanwhile, the former Energy Minister, has justified the governments decision to terminate the power agreement with independent contractor.



We have paid almost over $1 billion for excess capacity. The review committee estimated that the contract as they were if they were allowed to stand, the country will be paying at the end of the 13th year $7.2 billion in excess capacity charges. Now if the country is going to be saddled with $7.2 billion for excess capacity, we needed to rethink. In the PPA review, what it said was that if we could get the termination and the management of all the excess capacity, the liability that we will be faced with is about $600 million out of pocket.



Now $600 million in year one compared to $7.2 billion, now even if you do the next present value calculation and bring the $7.2 billion into a one-year payment, we are still better off. I dont understand why the people whose time these excess capacity contracts were signed now have the guts and the audacity to accuse people who are trying to manage the mess they created.

The Case



The GPCC dragged the government of Ghana to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) after an official termination in 2018, demanding compensation from the government for a breach of the contract.



The court subsequently awarded the company an amount of $170 million to be paid by Ghana.



Ghana challenged the arbitration award in a UK court, but could not meet the deadlines to file its case citing the COVID-19 pandemic among others as reasons for the delay.



The Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has stated that processes are underway to thoroughly probe circumstances that led to Ghana being slapped with the $170 million judgement debt, although he noted that the cancellation saved Ghana a lot more.

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
Chairman of the Health Committee of Parliament, Dr Ayew Afriyie, has accused the minority NDC in Parliament of undermining the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin following their sudden posture on the procurement of Sputnik-V vaccines.



According to him, the minority should acknowledge that if for nothing at all the Speaker of Parliament is one of their own and it will be an exercise in bad faith if they lose confidence in him.



It has been exactly two weeks that the minority made these allegations about the procurement of Sputnik-V vaccines and they are now running to the public and playing to the gallery.



He was reacting to the Minoritys press conference on Thursday in an exclusive interview with Peacefmonline.



Dr Ayew continued this is surprising because they have everything available to them. We have channels in Parliament where questions, motions, and statements can get to the Speaker for him to give room for their inquiries. It is sad that the minority have ignored simple procedures to resolving queries in Parliament, Dr Ayew Afriyie lamented.



Dr Ayew added If you want Parliamentary Inquiry, where do you go to? You say it to Parliament for the Speaker to move a motion, you dont run to the public through the media. It was the NDC that proposed the Speaker for the House to elect, so why are they trying to undermine the confidence in the Speaker? The NDC Minority undermining the Speakers authority is becoming more of a trend.



He further explained that you can only run to the public at a time when your motion or submissions have been ignored by the Speaker on the Floor of Parliament.



Under this circumstance, you can court support from the public to checkmate the Speaker and also where the Speaker does not come from your party. You have a Speaker who is always there for you and you can have everything you want and you are not using it, he said.



The minority on Thursday called for an urgent bi-partisan parliamentary probe into Ghanas procurement of Sputnik-V vaccines.



According to the minority, the probe should be undertaken by a third party to further investigate the propriety of the agreement between Ghana and Frontiers Healthcare for COVID-19 testing at the Kotoko Airport International Airport.











Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A Youth Organizer aspirant of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Prince-Kamal has paid a courtesy call on former President Kufuor at his residence.



The visit was to formally introduce himself to the astute statesman and inform him of his intentions to lead the youth group of his party.



The former president in receiving him, recalled the immense contribution of both his father and grandfather in the fight to win political power for the NPP in the Northern part of Ghana.



He added that during that time the struggle was not easy giving the unfavourable political atmosphere at the time.



He was happy to meet the grandson of the longest-serving constituency chairman of the NPP in the Upper East Region who was offering himself for service of the NPP party.



He lauded his intention to follow the footsteps of his fathers to help build the party, especially at the youth level thus gave him his blessings and best wishes.



Prince Kamal Gumah was grateful for the warm reception given him by the former president and assured him of a clean and decent campaign. He further assured him of his unflinching dedication to the party just Iike his fathers.



Imoro Salifu, the grandfather of Prince Kamal Gumah was the regional Commissioner/minister for the upper regions in the Busia government in 1969



In the UGCC 1948 pre-independence, he was responsible for propagating the ideas and policies in the Protectorate of the British colonies in the North.



Mr Adam Amandi who is also one of the grandfathers of the aspiring National Youth Organiser was a key appointee in the Busia government. He was appointed Deputy Minister of Health and later move to Ministry for Trade.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Here are the free vaccines at the health center that are given to babies and young children as their protection against diseases.

What you can read in this article:

Free vaccines for babies at the Philippines Health Centers

Free vaccines for babies in the Philippines: Health center vs. Private Clinics

Free vaccines for babies at the Philippines Health Centers

As a parent, we want to make sure our children are always safe. Especially with diseases that could endanger his life. Except for providing nutritious food, according to experts. One of the best ways to do this is to vaccinate our children against diseases. It must have begun at the time he was born into the world.

But when it comes to calculating the cost to complete the vaccine a baby needs from birth to adulthood. Not all Filipino families can afford it. That is why the government launched the National Immunization Program in the Philippines which aims to provide free vaccinations to all Filipino children.

free vaccines for babies in the philippines

Image from iStock

Under this program, there are free vaccinations at the health center given to infants and young children. They are as follows:

1. BCG (Bacille-Calmette-Guerin)

BCG or Bacille-Calmette-Guerin was one of the first vaccines given to infants after birth. It is a vaccine made as a babys defense against the diseases tuberculosis meningitis and leprosy or better known as leprosy.

2. Hepatitis B

Another vaccine that is given at the birth of a baby is the Hepatitis B vaccine. It is given to the baby as protection against Hepatitis B disease and to prevent him from becoming a carrier of it as well.

This vaccine is important because hepatitis can damage a persons liver and can cause cancer which is a deadly disease.

3. Pentavalent vaccine

The pentavalent vaccine is a combination vaccine consisting of vaccines against the major diseases Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, and Haemophilus Influenza.

Three doses of this vaccine should be given to the baby for stronger protection.

Story continues

The pentavalent vaccine is first given to an infant when he or she is 6 weeks or 1  months of life. The second dose is given when the baby is 2  months old. While the third dose is given after one month or when the baby is 3  old.

It is made as protection against diphtheria disease which causes an infection in the upper respiratory tract and can obstruct breathing when it worsens. The same goes for pertussis, or chronic cough is also known as whooping cough which is dangerous for babies.

The pentavalent vaccine also protects a baby from tetanus which causes stiffness and excessive muscle soreness. The same goes for Haemophilus influenzae type B disease which is very dangerous in young children.

The pentavalent vaccine also contains the hepa B vaccine that completes the dose a baby needs.

free vaccines for babies in the philippines

Image from iStock

4. Polio (Oral Polio Vaccine o OPV)

Like the pentavalent vaccine, the oral polio vaccine is given to the baby three times or twelve times. It begins to be given when he is 1  months old. Then followed by the second and third twelve when he is 2  and 3  months old.

OPV is given to the baby to protect him against polio disease which can cause disability or handicap in his bones that can make it him difficult to walk.

5. Inactivated polio vaccine

Apart from OPV, the baby is also given a vaccine called the inactivated polio vaccine. This is an extra protection for the baby from polio that is given when he is 3  months old. Unlike OPV or oral polio vaccine, IPV is given by injection into an infants arm or leg.

6. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine o PCV

To protect the baby from the dangerous diseases of pneumonia and meningitis, he is given the pneumococoal conjugate vaccine or PCV. It has three doses given since he steps 1  month old. The next dose will be given one month later and will be completed when the baby is 3  months old.

READ MORE:

7. Measles, Mumps, Rubella o MMR vaccine

The MMR vaccine is given to the baby as protection against measles, rubella, or german measles and mumps. These diseases if left untreated can cause malnutrition and poor mental health in the baby. It can also cause deafness or blindness.

It is given when a baby is one year and one month old. Currently under the DOHs supplemental vaccination program called Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR OPV SIA). Children aged 9 months to under five years of age will be vaccinated against measles, rubella, and polio.

This is as additional protection against the aforementioned diseases that have been recorded with outbreaks in some parts of the country.

The above is the free vaccines given to babies one year of age and younger.

Free vaccines for babies in the Philippines: Health center vs. Private Clinics

free vaccines for babies in the philippines

Image from iStock

Because of the immunization issues that have caused fear and anxiety for some parents. Many question the safety of free vaccines provided by the government. Some prefer to buy and pay for vaccinations from private clinics and hospitals to be sure.

But according to the pediatrician and executive director of the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination, Dr. Lulu Bravo, the vaccines provided by the government are safe.

It is no different from vaccines purchased from private clinics. Statement by Dr. Bravo to theAsianparents interview with him on Vaccine Talk: Ask me Anything! health webinar on Facebook:

As long as vaccines are approved by our FDA and used in our national vaccination program, we can trust them. Our government will not give a bad vaccine. Because think of us as smart FDA experts. Or what we call vaccine experts. Once the vaccine is approved, it is safe. We say why the private is expensive and the government is free. Because our government buys by volume and will not sell it. They are getting a vaccine that can be shared with us. Those in private clinics because they buy little by little so its more expensive.

Why does your child need to be vaccinated?

free vaccines for babies in the philippines

Image from iStock

Dr. Bravo added that we should take advantage of the free vaccines at the health center given to our children. Because it will save them from diseases that can threaten their lives.

We need to tell our compatriots to go to the health center because the vaccine is free. To save the lives of our children.  Did you know that all over the world, 3 million lives of babies are saved by the vaccine every year. So we really have to trust. Now if the child is not vaccinated, he is in danger. Or we put him in a position with a high chance of getting a contagious disease. 

Source:

CDC, DOH, PIA, The Asianparent PH

Read the Filipino version HERE!

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, its important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesnt serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. TheAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.

The post 7 vaccines for your child you can get for free in your local health center appeared first on theAsianparent Philippines: Your Guide to Pregnancy, Baby & Raising Kids.
WASHINGTON  Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was visiting a coronavirus vaccine clinic in Atlanta, where the agency she has led since January is based. While there, she asked a couple of patients, as she put it, whether they knew anyone who had gotten their shots.

And they said no, Walensky told Yahoo News. Which is striking, right?

Disparities in vaccination mean that the nations defenses are strong in some places but full of gaps in others. Massachusetts, where Walensky lived and practiced medicine before coming to head the CDC, has a 60 percent vaccination rate. Thats one of the highest rates in the nation. Atlanta is in Georgia, which has one of the lowest, with only 35.4 percent of its population having been inoculated against the coronavirus.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky testifies at a Senate hearing in May. (Greg Nash/Pool via AP)

That could spell trouble in the months ahead, especially as the new Delta strain of the coronavirus proliferates.

I make no promises about the return of restrictions, Walensky says. She doesnt think lockdowns will be necessary, but her experience at the clinic last week was a reminder of the challenges that remain. Even as people pack into Yankee Stadium again, hospitals are filling in Missouri. An outbreak in Florida killed two municipal employees. Oklahoma is seeing a surge.

This is hard stuff, Walensky says. The public health system has been crippled by persistently low funding, she notes, and community health centers that had once served as beacons of care and trust are not nearly as ubiquitous as they should be. So she says again what she has said already: I think we knew this was going to be hard.

After 18 hard months, the question is how much longer Americans will have to live with the persistent threat of the coronavirus. Will the new Delta variant prolong the pandemic? Will travel be possible this summer? Will schools open this fall?

Like most scientists, Walensky doesnt like to speak in certainties. But she is firm when it comes to schools. I am leaning in heavily on full in-person safe learning for all schools, she says of the 2021-22 school year, which many parents are desperately hoping is free of isolating and unsatisfying Zoom classes.

Story continues

Austin Beutner, superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, visits a kindergarten class at Maurice Sendak Elementary. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Conservatives have accused the CDC of allowing teachers unions to influence reopening guidelines; Walensky has three sons, and she has spoken movingly about their own difficulties with remote learning. Schools should be the first place to open and the last place to close, she says, repeating a common refrain that much of the country declined to fully heed during the now-concluding school year.

A renowned AIDS doctor, Walensky had not served as a full-time administrator before being appointed in December by then-President-elect Joe Biden to lead the CDC. In the months since, she has had to navigate complex crosscurrents of science, politics and culture. Removed from the somewhat more mannered precincts of academe (she is a professor at Harvard Medical School, from which she also graduated), she has found every statement scrutinized, such as when she spoke of a feeling of impending doom in March, as a fourth coronavirus wave seemed to loom.

That wave never materialized. Since those more fraught days of early spring, Walensky has become more accustomed to the brutal nexus of politics and media that can make public health messaging so challenging in 2021. Now her task is to manage the pandemics endgame  and to bring that end closer. The end is indeed close, but not everywhere, and perhaps not as close as some may think.

Even now, she notes, some 300 people are dying from COVID-19 daily  many fewer than were dying in January, to be sure, but still far too many to declare victory. Almost every single one of those is preventable, she says. And those hurt, right? Because this vaccine works.

At the same time, she says that the federal government is not going to be involved in mandating or verifying vaccination. This spring, conservatives like Trump ally Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, sought to turn vaccine passports into a culture war issue, and the Biden administration beat a quick retreat.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at a press conference on Thursday. (Eva Marie Uzcategui Trinkl/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Instead, states, municipalities and corporations offered a bevy of incentives  guns, beer, cash  to entice the hesitant to get their inoculations. Such efforts may have helped, but the Biden administration conceded earlier this week that it will not meet its goal of having 70 percent of American adults vaccinated by the Fourth of July.

The differing rates of vaccination could become especially relevant as the Delta variant becomes ever more dominant. It is thought to be about 60 percent more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 pathogen. The new strain also seems to be sickening younger people, though that could be simply because they are less likely to have been vaccinated than those who are older.

Vaccines are highly effective against the Delta variant, though a person needs to be fully vaccinated for that protection to take hold (partial vaccination seems to work better against other variants than against this one).

In some ways, the situation today is reminiscent of last Junes, when infection rates dropped in states like New Jersey and New York. Some thought the pandemic was over. They were wrong.

Last week, Biden suggested that there would be no new lockdowns, even if infection rates rise, as they did in the United Kingdom after the Delta variant took root there this spring. On the whole, the vaccination effort has been an astonishing success.

President Biden delivers remarks alongside Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Im pretty humble when it comes to this pandemic at this point, Walensky told Yahoo News. Neither she nor the president could readily impose nationwide restrictions in any case, as those decisions are made on state and local levels. But either a presidential decree or CDC guidance would have a huge impact on shaping policy.

Im really hopeful from a public health standpoint that wont be necessary, Walensky says. If there is another wave this summer, it will almost certainly be confined to low-vaccination communities, making for what Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, has called two COVID nations.

There is also the so-called Delta Plus variant, now emerging in India. Were not that convinced that that other mutation is clinically meaningful at all, Walensky says. We dont have a huge level of concern.

Time and again, she returns to a single, simple argument: That vaccines work. They work really well, they work against variants and they work with only minuscule incidence of adverse reactions. Despite continuing concerns, she says that Americans whove had their shots can safely reemerge.

Vacation is a good idea, perhaps even a necessary one. I really believe in recharging. And so many people need it so badly right now, Walensky told Yahoo News. If youre vaccinated, that should be fine.

____

Read more from Yahoo News:
As supply chains become more complex and stretch across the globe, companies may be able to effectively manage their relationships with suppliers to not just minimize risk, but realize strategic opportunities. Credit: ThisisEngineering RAEng on Unsplash

Many modern industries rely on a network of suppliers to independently develop and provide parts that are later combined into a finished product by the buyer, a process often referred to as modularization. For example, computer parts makers may sell parts to a firm that assembles them into a finished computer.

As supply chains grow more complicated and technology more complex, managing these supplier relationships is becoming more challenging and, if mismanaged, could lead to hazards on how knowledge is sharedor not sharedwith the buyer.

However, in a study, a Penn State Smeal College of Business-led team of researchers found that companies that effectively manage these relationships might be able to not just minimize risks, but even uncover strategic opportunities in these relationships.

In order to turn supply chain hazards into opportunities, the researchers suggest that buyers need to be aware of the pros and cons of different governance mechanisms to manage their relationships with suppliers, said Stefan Wuyts, professor of marketing, Smeal College of Business and director of the Institute for the Study of Business Markets. Governance encompasses formal processes such as monitoring and contracts, as well as less formal socialization approaches, such as meetings and discussions with suppliers.

"We found that the effectiveness of these formal and informal mechanisms depends on the modularity of the system," said Wuyts. "System modularity actually substitutes for monitoring. Monitoring is formal control, but so is the threat if a supplier doesn't stay in line with the agreements, then the buyer will replace the supplier. We find that good relationship performance is achieved if you assume one of them, but there's no point investing in intensive monitoring when your system is already highly modular. They're basically a substitute for one another."

On the other hand, modularity complements socialization, according to the researchers, who report their findings in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.

"Socialization is a collaborative approach to control, one where the parties hold regular conversations to identify common goals and develop collaborative relationships that may build trust and develop relational norms over time. And that can also serve as a way to keep both parties in line," said Wuyts, who worked with Nukhet Harmancioglu, assistant professor of marketing, Koc University, Turkey; and Peren Ozturan, assistant professor of marketing, Ozyegin University.

The researchers found that managers do not consider modularity when selecting governance mechanisms. In addition, past research has not adequately examined the governance implications of modularity for innovation sourcing relationships.

Threats and opportunities

Modularization obviously has advantages, particularly in cost and efficiency, but Wuyts added that the supply relationships present some risks for firms.

"It goes to the whole idea that companies operate independently of one another, they pursue their own self-interest and, in some cases, that conflicts," said Wuyts. "The question then becomes how do you manage those relationships to avoid opportunistic behavior, which refers to the supplier exploiting the buyer firm?"

Broadly, three strategic problems may arise in how knowledge is managed among buyers and suppliers, said Wuyts.

First, he said that problems may arise in knowledge specificity, which means buyers might become too dependent on suppliers for knowledge and know-how.

"For the buyer, it's a case of 'I invest in youand all my investments are specific to you,'" said Wuyts. "But, that could give the supplier the opportunity to say, 'OK, now that you've made all these investments, let's change the terms of trade.'"

Another concern for buying firms is knowledge asymmetry, which means knowledge may be unevenly distributed across the partners, leaving the buyer vulnerable.

"In a case of knowledge asymmetry, let's say I'm a buyer and my suppliers are claiming to be following the latest technological breakthroughs, but in fact are choosing to use techniques because they make the most sense for their firms, not mine. If I don't have the technological knowledge, I can't call out these suppliers," said Wuyts.

Finally, buyers are concerned with knowledge spillover, which is when a buyer's knowledge may spill over to the supplier and they could share innovations with other parties, including competitors.

"It's in these situations that companies have to very carefully think what they are going to do about these relationships," said Wuyts.

Establishing contracts between the parties, while necessary, probably cannot serve as a complete solution to these problems, said the researchers.

"Sometimes drafting the contracts works to manage these relationships," said Wuyts. "But, in innovative industries, where the future is so unpredictable, what are you going to put in that contract? You can hardly put all of the contingencies in a contract. So, you need to think of alternative ways to hedge against risk."

According to the researchers, socialization offers another approach to managing relationships with buyers.

While knowledge specificity, asymmetry, and spillover are generally considered negative for the buyer, Wuyts said the research team found that they can also benefit the buyer as long as the right governance mechanisms are used to control the suppliers.

Making specific investments in the supplier may benefit the buyer when the supplier reciprocates; knowledge asymmetry may benefit the buyer as it gains access to novel knowledge; and while knowledge leakage may be a risk, suppliers may be a source of other pieces of knowledge that they are gaining from other relationships in the market.

Wuyts said that as the business environment becomes more complex, better management of supplier relationships is becoming increasingly important.

"As these relationships are becoming more complex, it is important to recognize potential hazards, and then make appropriate governance decisions to turn them into strategic opportunities. As systems become more modular, appropriate governance means less emphasis on monitoring and more emphasis on socialization," said Wuyts.

The researchers interviewed about 663 officials at North American buyer firms. They selected only firms that were active in technology-intensive industries, such as biotechnology, computer hardware, pharmaceuticals and automotive. These industries often rely on external sourcing and modular systems. The researchers only contacted officials at the business if they were ranked as managers or above.

After the initial interviews, about 663 firms met those criteria and were sent a questionnaire. A total of 194 usable questionnaires provided data for the study.

Among other future research ideas, the researchers said they may expand the scope beyond relationship performance and examine system-level outcome variables.

Explore further Differences in levels of trust and power can affect buyer-supplier performance

More information: Nukhet Harmancioglu et al, Governance implications of modularity in sourcing relationships, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (2020). Journal information: Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science Nukhet Harmancioglu et al, Governance implications of modularity in sourcing relationships,(2020). DOI: 10.1007/s11747-020-00748-w
Whooping cranes were hunted extensively through the early 1900s, and by 1941, only 22 remained. They breed in Wood Buffalo National Park, in Alberta. Credit: Shutterstock

Caribou, whooping crane, Gibson's big sand tiger beetle and dwarf western trillium are among the estimated 80,000 known species (not including viruses and bacteria) in Canada. Of these, scientists have enough information on almost 30,000 species to know that about 20 percent are imperiled to some degree.

When Canada developed its first national Biodiversity Strategy in 1995, it did so under the assumption that a strong foundation of laws and policies was already in place. Twenty-five years later, however, prevailing biodiversity trends indicate otherwise.

For example, prairie grasslands have lost at least 70 percent of their historical extent, and grassland birds have declined by 57 percent since 1970. Only 24 percent of 125 Canadian marine fish and invertebrate stocks are currently considered healthy, with 18 in critical state.

Our new research demonstrates how the management of biodiversity in Canada is undertaken through a bewildering array of laws, regulations and other tools administered by different federal, provincial and territorial departments. Collectively, these provide fragmented and inadequate protection to species and ecosystems.

More must be done immediately to overcome the inherent weaknesses of a federal system that prioritizes regional natural resource development over national goals to protect biodiversity.

Canada's biodiversity legal protection system

With rich biodiversity across its huge landmass and coastal marine areas, Canada has a major role to play in addressing global biodiversity loss. Canada was the first industrialized country to sign the United Nation's Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992. The CBD seeks to compel the development of national strategies for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Canada has been an active player in negotiations to renew and strengthen the treaty ever since.

Yet, in our research, we identified 201 laws in Canada with some bearing on biodiversity protection, and the vast majority provide few direct safeguards for species and ecosystems.

Many of these laws govern the extraction of natural resources, and focus on mitigating negative effects rather than avoiding them in the first place, or manage the harvest of wildlife or fish populations. A variety of other statutes, ranging from pollution control to climate change, may incidentally benefit biodiversity.

Of those laws with biodiversity protection as the paramount purpose, most are devoted to protected areas and species at risk, containing provisions that vary in strength and are unevenly distributed across the country. No Canadian jurisdiction has any statute in force specifically devoted to biodiversity conservation.

Nova Scotia did, however, pass a Biodiversity Act in early April. It's the first legislation in Canada ostensibly devoted to the protection of biodiversity in the full meaning of the word, but it faced so much opposition that the act was stripped of its prohibitions and enforcement measures.

The act remains a purely enabling statute that merely grants the provincial environment ministry the power to take certain actions, like setting up a "biodiversity management zone." This means the ministry has no authority to forbid or issue permits for activities that cause harm to species or ecosystems, as was originally envisioned.

Wood Buffalo National Park contains the worlds second-largest freshwater delta. The UN World Heritage Committee has been concerned about the park since 2017, as ecological benchmarks, including water flow, worsened. Credit: Shutterstock

Taking responsibility

A big challenge to biodiversity protection is the fragmented division of responsibilities. In Canada, provinces and territories exert control over natural resources. The laws that encourage the development of those resources operate under the assumption that public land can meet the needs of multiple users, and adverse effects from its development can be successfully minimized.

Just this week, however, the United Nations World Heritage Committee reported that Wood Buffalo National Park, the largest in Canada, "likely meets the criteria for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger." This is largely due to the cumulative effects of industrial developments outside the park stemming from unco-ordinated and piecemeal decisions by Alberta and British Columbia governments.

To add to this challenge, environment ministries responsible for biodiversity protection have little financial bargaining power at the cabinet table relative to revenue-generating ministries responsible for the natural resource development. Yet the bulk of responsibility for co-ordinating action on biodiversity rests with these small and under-funded agencies.

Making biodiversity conservation a priority or guiding principle in the bones of decision making, as the CDB envisions, is nowhere in sight. Similarly, efforts recognizing the need to break out of policy silos and address the combined crisis of biodiversity loss and climate change in a synergistic way are nowhere to be found outside of occasional pieces of government rhetoric.

A call to action

Our research provides an important look at why it is urgent that Canadian jurisdictions work together to confront the striking mismatch between stated national goals and the ability or willingness to achieve them. For example, Canada's commitments to protect 30 percent of its land and oceans by 2030 is an important expression of federal leadership that will rely in large part on provinces and territories to implement.

The principal drivers of biodiversity loss within Canadaland conversion, overfishing, climate change, pollution and invasive alien speciesmirror those around the world. Right now, the 196 countries that are parties to the CBD are working together on virtual platforms to complete the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, which will set new targets to achieve by 2030, as the nature counterpart to the 2015 Paris Agreement for climate change.

Once this is in place by the end of 2021, attention should immediately turn to domestic implementation. Canada must replace the aged and incomplete Canadian Biodiversity Strategy so that jurisdictions can co-operate to actively reduce pressures on biodiversity outside of protected areas.

The development of a new Canadian strategy and associated action plan could play a key role in defining how to achieve transformative change to address biodiversity loss. It should include actions like mainstreaming biodiversity considerations into policy making across jurisdictions, proper valuation of nature as an asset while halting harmful financial subsidies, and leading co-operative implementation across Canada, with an important emphasis on Indigenous-led conservation.

Together, these steps would provide an opportunity to identify the regulatory, legislative, enforcement, financing and accountability measures required to address the ongoing loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in this second largest country of the world.

Explore further Two biodiversity refugia identified in the Eastern Bering Sea

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
An illustration showing the approach for assembling biologically functional proteins into ordered 2-D and 3-D arrays through programmable octahedral-shaped DNA frameworks. These frameworks can host and control the placement of the proteins internallyfor example, at the center (1) or off-center (2)and be encoded with specific sequences externally (color coding scheme) to create desired 2-D and 3-D lattices. For example, red only connects to red, blue to blue, and so on. The team demonstrated the preserved biological activity of ferritin lattices by adding a compound (ascorbate) that induced the release of iron irons forming the ferritin core. Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory

Scientists have organized proteinsnature's most versatile building blocksin desired 2D and 3D ordered arrays while maintaining their structural stability and biological activity. They built these designer functional protein arrays by using DNA as a programmable construction material. The teamrepresenting the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and City University of New York (CUNY)described their approach in the June 17 issue of Nature Communications.

"For decades, scientists have dreamed about rationally assembling proteins into specific organizations with preserved protein function," said corresponding author Oleg Gang, leader of the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) Soft and Bio Nanomaterials Group at Brookhaven Lab and a professor of chemical engineering and of applied physics and materials science at Columbia Engineering. "Our DNA-based platform has enormous potential not only for structural biology but also for various bioengineering, biomedical, and bionanomaterial applications."

The primary motivation of this work was to establish a rational way to organize proteins into designed 2D and 3D architectures while preserving their function. The importance of organizing proteins is well known in the field of protein crystallography. For this technique, proteins are taken from their native solution-based environments and condensed to form an orderly arrangement of atoms (crystalline structure), which can then be structurally characterized. However, because of their flexibility and aggregation properties, many proteins are difficult to crystallize, requiring trial and error. The structure and function of proteins may change during the crystallization process, and they may become nonfunctional when crystallized by traditional methods. This new approach opens many possibilities for creating engineered biomaterials, beyond the goals of structural biology.

"The ability to make biologically active protein lattices is relevant to many applications, including tissue engineering, multi-enzyme systems for biochemical reactions, large-scale profiling of proteins for precision medicine, and synthetic biology," added first author Shih-Ting (Christine) Wang, a postdoc in the CFN Soft and Bio Nanomaterials Group.

Though DNA is best known for its role in storing our genetic information, the very same base-pairing processes used for this storage can be leveraged to construct desired nanostructures. A single strand of DNA is made of subunits, or nucleotides, of which there are four kinds (known by the letters A, C, T, and G). Each nucleotide has a complementary nucleotide it attracts and binds to (A with T and C with G) when two DNA strands are near each other. Using this concept in the technique of DNA origami, scientists mix multiple short strands of synthetic DNA with a single long strand of DNA. The short strands bind to and "fold" the long strand into a particular shape based on the sequence of bases, which scientists can specify.

In this case, the scientists created octahedral-shaped DNA origami. Inside these cage-like frameworks, they placed DNA strands with a particular "color," or coding sequence, at targeted locations (center and off center). To the surface of proteinsspecifically, ferritin, which stores and releases iron, and apoferritin, its iron-free counterpartthey attached complementary DNA strands. By mixing the DNA cages and conjugated proteins and heating up the mixture to promote the reaction, the proteins went to the internal designated locations. They also created empty cages, without any protein inside.

To connect these nanoscale building blocks, or protein "voxels" (DNA cages with encapsulated proteins), in desired 2D and 3D arrays, second author and Columbia Ph.D. student Brian Minevich designed different colors for the external bonds of the voxels. With this color scheme, the voxels would recognize each other in programmable, controllable ways leading to the formation of specifically prescribed types of protein lattices. To demonstrate the versatility of the platform, the team constructed single- and double-layered 2D arrays, as well as 3D arrays.

To visualize the assembled arrays in 3-D, the team applied nanoscale tomography based on the images obtained by cryo-electron microscopy. The top figure is a selected lattice area and the bottom a representative view. The color bars indicate different heights of the lattice (in angstroms). Credit: Brookhaven National Laboratory

"By arranging the colors in a particular way, we can program the formation of different lattices," explained Gang. "We have full control to design and build the protein lattice architectures we want."

To confirm that the proteins had been encapsulated inside the cages and the lattices had been constructed as designed, the team turned to various electron- and X-ray-based imaging and scattering techniques. These techniques included electron microscopy (EM) imaging at the CFN; small-angle X-ray scattering at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) Complex Materials Scattering (CMS) and Life Science X-ray Scattering (LiX) beamlines at Brookhaven; and cryogenic-EM imaging at the Molecular Foundry (MF) of Lawrence Berkeley and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center. The CFN, NSLS-II, and MF are all DOE Office of Science User Facilities; CFN and MF are two of five DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers.

"The science was enabled by advanced synthesis and characterization capabilities at three user facilities within the national lab system and one university-based facility," said Gang. "Without these facilities and the expertise of scientists from each of them, this study wouldn't have been possible."

Following these assembly studies, they investigated the biological activity of ferritin. By adding a reducing reagent to the ferritin lattice, they induced the release of iron ions from the center of the ferritin proteins.

"By monitoring the evolution of SAXS patterns during iron release, we could quantify how much iron was released and how quickly it was released, as well as confirm that the integrity of the lattice was maintained during this protein operation," said Minevich. "According to our TEM studies, the proteins remained inside the frames."

"We showed that the proteins can perform the same function as they do in a biological environment while keeping the spatial organization we created," explained Wang.

Next, the team will apply their DNA-based platform to other types of proteins, with the goal of building more complex, operational protein systems.

"This research represents an important step in bringing together different components from real biological machinery and organizing them into desired 2D and 3D architectures to create engineered and bioactive materials," said Gang. "It's exciting because we see the rational path for fabricating desired functional bio-nano systems never-before produced by nature."

More information: Shih-Ting Wang et al, Designed and biologically active protein lattices, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Shih-Ting Wang et al, Designed and biologically active protein lattices,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23966-4
Megaconstellations threaten to affect the quality of stargazing. Credit: Shutterstock

In early 2021, just after the Perseverance Rover landed on Mars, a purported image of the Martian night sky went viral. In that image, above the sleek metal of a Mars rover, the clearly defined Milky Way cuts from horizon to horizon, crossing a sky filled with so many stars that there is no darkness.

Millions of people were excited to see the unblemished night sky from another planet, with no light pollution from cities, no flashing aircraft and no significant satellite presence.

The photo is not real; rather, it is a clever juxtaposition of NASA images and long-exposure astrophotography. So why did it go viral?

The threatened night sky

Urban light pollution has vastly changed our relationship with the night sky: 80 percent of North Americans cannot see the Milky Way from where they live today. Electricity is so cheap and plentiful that we use it to shine lights into the sky for no reason other than laziness and poor planning.

The lack of darkness that many people now experience due to urban light pollution has been linked to many physical and mental health issues, both in humans and wildlife.

But we are now faced with a new source of light pollution: systems of tens of thousands of communications satellites. The construction of these so-called megaconstellations is already changing the night sky.

Indeed, observations by professional astronomers have shown that many of the current Starlink megaconstellation satellites are visible to the naked eye when sunlit.

The Losing the Sky event hosted by the University of Edinburgh brought together astronomers, industry representatives and space law experts to discuss the future of the night sky.

Megaconstellations have the potential to significantly benefit society by increasing connectivity of isolated communities, a significant challenge in many parts of Canada. At the same time, the negative effects of megaconstellations must be understood by decision makers and properly regulated.

While urban residents might not notice this change, many people around the world willespecially those from cultures that have strong ties to stargazing and traditional knowledge of the sky.

Canada has an obligation to consult with First Nations so that each may independently make a decision before allowing development of a resource that Indigenous Canadians have traditionally had access to for cultural practices.

The damage to science

Astronomy organizations worldwide are concerned about the damage to science that will be caused by megaconstellations and other forms of light and radio pollution, and have responded through efforts such as the "Dark and Quiet Skies Report" and the "SATCON1 Report."

Astronomers will require more telescope time to carry out the same taxpayer-funded science goals, and will need to spend time and money studying the brightness of these satellites and developing new software for mitigation efforts.

Radio astronomers expect to lose even more of the radio spectrum to megaconstellation communication noise, requiring additional investments in research and development.

At the request of the Canadian Astronomical Society, we wrote a report that contains a list of recommendations for what Canada can do to address the many negative impacts of megaconstellations at the national and international levels.

The number of satellites that are sunlit and above the horizon from different latitudes on Earth at different times of night, on the June Solstice. Yellow is the highest density: more than 3,000 sunlit satellites at that time. Credit: Samantha Lawler/Aaron Boley

A satellite-filled sky

We ran a simulation with 65,000 satellites on their proposed orbits (this includes Starlink, OneWeb, Kuiper and StarNet/GW). We found that there will be more than 1,500 sunlit satellites at any given moment all night, every night in the summertime from Canada. Not all of these will be visible, as their brightness depends on the shape, reflective properties and orbit of each satellite. But there are currently no regulations that limit their brightness.

There are currently about 20,000 tracked objects in orbit, including active satellites, defunct satellites, rocket bodies and pieces of space junk. There are 10 to 100 times more pieces of untracked space junk that are small but still dangerous: tiny bits of debris from rocket launches, satellite deployment, fragmentations (explosions) and even tools dropped by astronauts.

These small objects seem innocuous, but in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), they travel at speeds over seven kilometers per second, many times faster than a bullet, on randomly crossing orbits.

Companies are making substantial progress toward placing at least 65,000 satellites into LEO. Current leader SpaceX has over 1,600 Starlink satellites already in orbit, in a region inhabited by a troubling density of untracked debris.

When two satellites collide (as happened for the first time in 2009), they produce a spray of fast-moving debris. One destroyed satellite makes hundreds to thousands of pieces of trackable space junk, each of which could destroy other satellites, producing still more space junk. Any major fragmentation event will place limitations on space use, endanger crewed space habitation of LEO, and could cause widespread disruptions to services that we rely on every day.

Space junk re-entries

As highlighted by the recent uncontrolled re-entries of the Long March 5B rocket booster over the Indian Ocean in May 2021 and the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stage over the Pacific Northwest in March 2021, re-entries are not without risks. A portion of the March 2021 Falcon 9 rocket even survived to impact with the ground in a farmer's field in Washington State.

Collisions between satellites create space junk, which can cause damage when it falls to Earth. Credit: Shutterstock

The current rules date to the Space Race era. There is a framework for liability, but the only time this was tested was when a U.S.S.R. satellite spread nuclear waste across the Northwest Territories in 1978.

There are also environmental impacts, both from rocket launches and disposal of satellites. SpaceX plans for 42,000 Starlink satellites which will be replaced every five years. This means on average six tons of satellites will be destroyed every day. That material will be deposited in the upper atmosphere upon re-entry. While this is less than the 54 tons of meteoroids that hit Earth's atmosphere every day, the composition is very different: Starlink satellites are mainly aluminum by weight; meteoroids are one percent.

We do not know what could happen when several tons of aluminum are deposited in the upper atmosphere every single day. SpaceX is going to run this experiment without any environmental oversight.

Because of the orientation of the proposed satellite orbits, much of Canada's population will sit under some of the highest densities of satellites, so we can expect to see a disproportionate share of de-orbiting space junk.

Regulation of satellites is key

We need to recognize that LEO is intimately connected to our atmosphere, oceans, and land. We need regulation of satellites now, before there is irreparable damage to our sky. We hope the Government of Canada will act on these recommendations with an urgency that matches the frenetic speed of space development.

While several megaconstellation companies are already in dialog with astronomers, the improvements they make to their satellites for the benefit of astronomy are entirely voluntary. We shouldn't have to make a choice between the night sky and global internet. With proper regulation of satellites in LEO, we can have both.

Explore further Starlink and OneWeb have their first avoidance maneuver with each other's constellations

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Invasive quagga mussels stranded below Glen Canyon Dam by the low-flow event. Photo copyright to Freshwaters Illustrated/U.S. Geological Survey. Oregon State University

Researchers from Oregon State University say ecological data gathered during a recent low-flow experiment in the Grand Canyon is a key step toward understanding Colorado River ecosystems as the amount of water in the river continues to decline.

Dave Lytle, professor of integrative biology, and Ph.D. students Angelika Kurthen and Jared Freedman teamed with scientists from the United States Geological Survey during the March 2021 project to examine the quantity and diversity of invertebrates in the river. Monitoring aquatic invertebrates is an important tool for keeping track of stream health.

"The Colorado River and its dams are important to cities throughout the Southwest, and as a result of that management the river experiences some pretty unusual flows," Lytle said. "During the day in the Grand Canyon, river levels can rise several feet, then they can drop down several feet, stranding your boat if you're not careful. That's because there's high electricity demand during the day and lower demand at night."

The high flow during times of heavy demand for power is known as hydropeaking.

"Hydropeaking can cause trouble for ecosystems downstream, and with our collaborators we're experimenting with ways to change river flows to make them more compatible with productive ecosystems," Lytle said. "Invertebrates are food for fish, birds and bats, and we want to enhance that food base by testing out different flow regimes that mesh with management ideas."

During the low-flow event, releases from Lake Powell through the Glen Canyon Dam were restricted so that the Colorado ran at 4,000 cubic feet per second compared to its usual flow of 8,000 to 15,000 CFS. Lytle's team took samples to measure the quantity of invertebrates stranded by the low flows and environmental DNA samples to analyze the diversity of invertebrates in the water.

"During this spring's low flow, gravel bars and parts of channels that had been submerged were exposed for the first time in decades," Lytle said. "We saw really large areas of vegetation and invasive species like New Zealand mud snails and quagga mussels, which are there in high numbers at the expense of native invertebrates such as black flies, mayflies and midges that are better food sources for native fish."

The Colorado River follows a 1,450-mile route generally southwest from north central Colorado to just east of Las Vegas. From there it turns south to form Arizona's western border with Nevada and California, and then the border between Mexican states Sonora and Baja California before emptying into the Gulf of California.

Between the U.S. and Mexico, 40 million people depend on water from the Colorado. The snowmelt-fed river has seen its flows drop by 20% over the last 100 years as runoff efficiencythe percentage of precipitation that ends up in the riverhas declined as summers have become hotter and drier, cooking the soil.

This year, for example, snowpack is 80% of average but sending just 30% of the average amount of water into the Colorado. Lake Mead, the reservoir behind Hoover Dam, is at an all-time low, and between them Lake Mead and Lake Powell, behind Glen Canyon Dam, are projected to be just 29% full within two years.

Completed in 1966, Glen Canyon Dam is 710 feet high and 1,560 feet long and named for the series of deep sandstone gorges flooded by Lake Powell. The lake draws its name from John Wesley Powell, the leader of the first boat expedition to traverse the Grand Canyon.

"Typically the Colorado River is coming out of Lake Powell fast and cold, which is a hostile environment for desert adapted organisms," Lytle said.

For the recent experiment, low flow was maintained from March 15 through March 20, and immediately after that there was a big release of water, known as a high-pulse flow event, intended to scour out areas and possibly create new habitat for native fish and their food sources.

"During the first part of the low flow, we were in the far upper reaches of the canyon, and as soon as we finished sampling, we packed up the truck and raced across the desert 200 river miles away to Diamond Creek, where you can access the Grand Canyon from a road, just in time to capture the low-flow event moving its way down a long, sinuous canyon," Lytle said. "And a USGS team was taking samples by boat throughout the entire canyon, complementary to what our group was doing. It was a real team effort, with people measuring riparian vegetation, taking drift samples of invertebrates in water, checking respiration of aquatic plants, and also noting the effect on fish and fisheries."

As the climate continues to warm and the amount of water available for humans continues to drop, low flows such as the one during this year's experiment may become the new normal, he added.

"That presents challenges but also opportunities for research," Lytle said. "Prior to there being any dams on the river, low-flow events were part of the normal annual cycle of flows. In the spring, the river could flood quite spectacularly in some years, and by late summer or early fall into winter, flows could get to 4,000 CFS or even lower than that."

Lytle says that kind of variation amounts to "exercise" for the river, which needs it for health just like a person needs both activity and rest.

"One question we're asking is whether there could be ecological benefits, at least at certain important times of year, to low flows," he said. "Low flows allow the water temperature to increase and let more light to reach the benthic zone, where the productivity of algae and invertebrates occurs. It also might favor greater production of those important native black flies, mayflies and midges."

Explore further Changing water flow leads to more bugs in Grand Canyon

More information: John Fleck et al, Managing Colorado River risk, Science (2021). Journal information: Science John Fleck et al, Managing Colorado River risk,(2021). DOI: 10.1126/science.abj5498
The bright white region of this image shows the icy cap that covers Mars south pole, composed of frozen water and frozen carbon dioxide. Credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/Bill Dunford

A new paper finds more radar signals suggesting the presence of subsurface 'lakes," but many are in areas too cold for water to remain liquid.

In 2018, scientists working with data from ESA's (the European Space Agency's) Mars Express orbiter announced a surprising discovery: Signals from a radar instrument reflected off the red planet's south pole appeared to reveal a liquid subsurface lake. Several more such reflections have been announced since then.

In a new paper published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, two scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California describe finding dozens of similar radar reflections around the south pole after analyzing a broader set of Mars Express data, but many are in areas that should be too cold for water to remain liquid.

"We're not certain whether these signals are liquid water or not, but they appear to be much more widespread than what the original paper found," said Jeffrey Plaut of JPL, co-principal investigator of the orbiter's MARSIS (Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionospheric Sounding) instrument, which was built jointly by the Italian Space Agency and JPL. "Either liquid water is common beneath Mars' south pole or these signals are indicative of something else."

The European Space Agencys Mars Express flies over the red planet in this illustration. Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech

Frozen Time Capsule

The radar signals originally interpreted as liquid water were found in a region of Mars known as the South Polar Layered Deposits, named for the alternating layers of water ice, dry ice (frozen carbon dioxide), and dust that have settled there over millions of years. These layers are believed to provide a record of how the tilt in Mars' axis has shifted over time, just as changes in Earth's tilt have created ice ages and warmer periods throughout our planet's history. When Mars had a lower axial tilt, snowfall and layers of dust accumulated in the region and eventually formed the thick layered ice sheet found there today.

By beaming radio waves at the surface, scientists can peer below these icy layers, mapping them in detail. Radio waves lose energy when they pass through material in the subsurface; as they reflect back to the spacecraft, they usually have a weaker signal. But in some cases, signals returning from this region's subsurface were brighter than those at the surface. Some scientists have interpreted these signals to imply the presence of liquid water, which strongly reflects radio waves.

Plaut and Aditya Khuller, a doctoral student at Arizona State University who worked on the paper while interning at JPL, aren't sure what the signals indicate. The areas hypothesized to contain liquid water span about 6 to 12 miles (10 to 20 kilometers) in a relatively small region of the Martian south pole. Khuller and Plaut expanded the search for similar strong radio signals to 44,000 measurements spread across 15 years of MARSIS data over the entirety of the Martian south polar region.

The colored dots represent sites where bright radar reflections have been spotted by ESAs Mars Express orbiter at Mars south polar cap. Credit: ESA/NASA/JPL-Caltech

Unexpected "Lakes'

The analysis revealed dozens of additional bright radar reflections over a far greater range of area and depth than ever before. In some places, they were less than a mile from the surface, where temperatures are estimated to be minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 63 degrees Celsius)  so cold that water would be frozen, even if it contained salty minerals known as perchlorates, which can lower the freezing point of water.

Khuller noted a 2019 paper in which researchers calculated the heat needed to melt subsurface ice in this region, finding that only recent volcanism under the surface could explain the potential presence of liquid water under the south pole.

"They found that it would take double the estimated Martian geothermal heat flow to keep this water liquid," Khuller said. "One possible way to get this amount of heat is through volcanism. However, we haven't really seen any strong evidence for recent volcanism at the south pole, so it seems unlikely that volcanic activity would allow subsurface liquid water to be present throughout this region."

What explains the bright reflections if they're not liquid water? The authors can't say for sure. But their paper does offer scientists a detailed map of the region that contains clues to the climate history of Mars, including the role of water in its various forms.

"Our mapping gets us a few steps closer to understanding both the extent and the cause of these puzzling radar reflections," said Plaut.

Explore further Image: Radar footprints over buried Mars lake

More information: Aditya R. Khuller et al, Characteristics of the Basal Interface of the Martian South Polar Layered Deposits, Geophysical Research Letters (2021). Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters Aditya R. Khuller et al, Characteristics of the Basal Interface of the Martian South Polar Layered Deposits,(2021). DOI: 10.1029/2021GL093631
Illustration of the lab setup for m-Widar, with transmitters and receiver at left and person behind wallboard at right. Inset at lower right shows the corresponding image produced by the instrument. Credit: NIST

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Wavsens LLC have developed a method for using radio signals to create real-time images and videos of hidden and moving objects, which could help firefighters find escape routes or victims inside buildings filled with fire and smoke. The technique could also help track hypersonic objects such as missiles and space debris.

The new method, described in Nature Communications, could provide critical information to help reduce deaths and injuries. Locating and tracking first responders indoors is a prime goal for the public safety community. Hundreds of thousands of pieces of orbiting space junk are considered dangerous to humans and spacecraft.

"Our system allows real-time imaging around corners and through walls and tracking of fast-moving objects such as millimeter-sized space debris flying at 10 kilometers per second, more than 20,000 miles per hour, all from standoff distances," said physicist Fabio da Silva, who led the development of the system while working at NIST.

"Because we use radio signals, they go through almost everything, like concrete, drywall, wood and glass," da Silva added. "It's pretty cool because not only can we look behind walls, but it takes only a few microseconds of data to make an image frame. The sampling happens at the speed of light, as fast as physically possible."

The NIST imaging method is a variation on radar, which sends an electromagnetic pulse, waits for the reflections, and measures the round-trip time to determine distance to a target. Multisite radar usually has one transmitter and several receivers that receive echoes and triangulate them to locate an object.

"We exploited the multisite radar concept but in our case use lots of transmitters and one receiver," da Silva said. "That way, anything that reflects anywhere in space, we are able to locate and image."

Da Silva explains the imaging process like this: "To image a building, the actual volume of interest is much smaller than the volume of the building itself because it's mostly empty space with sparse stuff in it. To locate a person, you would divide the building into a matrix of cubes. Ordinarily, you would transmit radio signals to each cube individually and analyze the reflections, which is very time consuming. By contrast, the NIST method probes all cubes at the same time and uses the return echo from, say, 10 out of 100 cubes to calculate where the person is. All transmissions will return an image, with the signals forming a pattern and the empty cubes dropping out."

Da Silva has applied for a patent, and he recently left NIST to commercialize the system under the name m-Widar (microwave image detection, analysis and ranging) through a startup company, Wavsens LLC (Westminster, Colorado).

This demonstration of the m-Widar (micro-Wave image detection, analysis and ranging) system shows, in the video on the left, a person walking and later crouching and lying down in an anechoic chamber. The transmitters and receiver are in a vertical line on the right side of the chamber. The second video on the right shows the instrument's view of the same scene. About 21 seconds into the video, a wallboard is inserted between the person and the instrument in the anechoic chamber, to show that m-Widar can "see" through walls. Credit: NIST

The NIST team demonstrated the technique in an anechoic (non-echoing) chamber, making images of a 3-D scene involving a person moving behind drywall. The transmitter power was equivalent to 12 cellphones sending signals simultaneously to create images of the target from a distance of about 10 meters (30 feet) through the wallboard.

Da Silva said the current system has a potential range of up to several kilometers. With some improvements the range could be much farther, limited only by transmitter power and receiver sensitivity, he said.

The basic technique is a form of computational imaging known as transient rendering, which has been around as an image reconstruction tool since 2008. The idea is to use a small sample of signal measurements to reconstruct images based on random patterns and correlations. The technique has previously been used in communications coding and network management, machine learning and some advanced forms of imaging.

Da Silva combined signal processing and modeling techniques from other fields to create a new mathematical formula to reconstruct images. Each transmitter emits different pulse patterns simultaneously, in a specific type of random sequence, which interfere in space and time with the pulses from the other transmitters and produce enough information to build an image.

The transmitting antennas operated at frequencies from 200 megahertz to 10 gigahertz, roughly the upper half of the radio spectrum, which includes microwaves. The receiver consisted of two antennas connected to a signal digitizer. The digitized data were transferred to a laptop computer and uploaded to the graphics processing unit to reconstruct the images.

The NIST team used the method to reconstruct a scene with 1.5 billion samples per second, a corresponding image frame rate of 366 kilohertz (frames per second). By comparison, this is about 100 to 1,000 times more frames per second than a cellphone video camera.

With 12 antennas, the NIST system generated 4096-pixel images, with a resolution of about 10 centimeters across a 10-meter scene. This image resolution can be useful when sensitivity or privacy is a concern. However, the resolution could be improved by upgrading the system using existing technology, including more transmitting antennas and faster random signal generators and digitizers.

In the future, the images could be improved by using quantum entanglement, in which the properties of individual radio signals would become interlinked. Entanglement can improve sensitivity. Radio-frequency quantum illumination schemes could increase reception sensitivity.

The new imaging technique could also be adapted to transmit visible light instead of radio signalsultrafast lasers could boost image resolution but would lose the capability to penetrate wallsor sound waves used for sonar and ultrasound imaging applications.

In addition to imaging of emergency conditions and space debris, the new method might also be used to measure the velocity of shock waves, a key metric for evaluating explosives, and to monitor vital signs such as heart rate and respiration, da Silva said.

More information: F.C.S. da Silva, A.B. Kos, G.E. Antonucci, J.B. Coder, C.W. Nelson and A. Hati. 2020. Continuous Capture Microwave Imaging. Nature Communications. June 25. Journal information: Nature Communications F.C.S. da Silva, A.B. Kos, G.E. Antonucci, J.B. Coder, C.W. Nelson and A. Hati. 2020. Continuous Capture Microwave Imaging.. June 25.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Although the United States is the only wealthy nation that doesn't guarantee paid leave to mothers or fathers after the arrival of a new child, Americans endorse providing paid time off for parents nearly as much as people from other countries.

About 82% of Americans support paid maternity leave, just slightly less than the 86% who support it in 26 wealthy nations, a new study shows.

Where Americans differ from the rest of the world is that they are less supportive of government funding for paid leaves, prefer shorter leave times and are less supportive of paid leave for fathers.

"We find marked differences in how Americans want paid leave administered compared to the rest of the worldbut very similar desires to have leave available," said Chris Knoester, co-author of the study and associate professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.

Knoester conducted the study with Richard Petts, professor of sociology at Ball State University, and Amelia Li, a doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State. Their findings were published this week in the International Journal of Comparative Sociology.

The researchers analyzed data from 35,488 people who participated in the International Social Survey Program 2012. The participants come from 26 wealthy countries, including the United States, that belong to the OECD, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development.

Overall, the study found high levels of support for paid leave across the developed world, as well as support for relatively long paid leave periods and government funding for the time off, Knoester said.

Worldwide, about 75% of people wanted government support for paid maternity leave. In a previous study the authors published in Social Science Research, they found that about half wanted it for paternity leave.

Support for government funding was much lower in the United Statesabout half endorsed it for maternity leave, and only a third wanted it for paternity leave. And very few Americans wanted government funding leave by itself, Knoester said. Most wanted the government and private employers to share the costs.

"This may be a major reason why we don't have more widespread and generous leave offered in the United States, even though most people support it," he said.

"If we don't have leave provided through the federal government, we get what we have now, which is a patchwork of states and employers offering different leave policies."

Americans also didn't want as much paid leave as did those from other countries in the survey. People in the United States wanted about four months of leave allocated to new parents. Worldwide, people supported close to 13 months.

Support for paid leave for fathers is lower than for maternity leave, both in the United States and in the rest of the countries surveyed.

Overall, about 60% of people surveyed wanted paid paternity leave, compared to just over half of Americans.

While a lack of support for government funding may be one reason why the U.S. is the only major country without paid maternity leave, there are other reasons, the researchers said.

In another new study by the researchers, forthcoming in Sociological Focus, findings showed that older white people with more conservative political views in the United States were least supportive of paid parental leave.

"These tend to be the people in the elite positions in our society who make those policy decisions about paid leave," Li said. "That makes it difficult to enact leave policies."

Petts noted another reason why political elites in the United States may be less supportive of government-supported leave.

"These are the people who already largely have access to paid leave through their employers. They would not directly benefit from it, because they already have it," Petts said.

"It is a story of the haves and the have-nots."

The international study also showed other factors that affect people's support of paid leave.

As expected, women were generally more likely to support paid leave and wanted longer time off.

Also, people who were strong supporters of traditional gender roles, in which men focus on paid work and women focus on the home and family, were less supportive of paid leave than people who advocated more egalitarian gender roles.

"Relatedly, when people endorse both members of a couple working, they are more supportive of paid leave and this shows up particularly for support of paid leave for fathers in the U.S.," Knoester said.

In addition, individuals who felt more conflict between their home and job responsibilities were more likely to endorse paid leave.

While the survey that this study was based on was done 10 years ago, the researchers said more recent surveys suggest people's views have not changed much. If anything, people may have become slightly more supportive of paid leave, particularly in the United States.

"We are still seeing very high support of paid maternity leave, and there are some indications that support for paternity leave has increased since 2012," Knoester said.

In addition, signs point toward more Americans being in favor of government support of parental leave. Nine states and Washington, D.C., have enacted paid parental leave programs. Last November, Colorado voters passed a ballot measure that allows for up to 12 weeks of leave.

"I would never have guessed that the kind of measure enacted in Colorado would pass in the U.S. It suggests Americans are becoming more open to government support," Petts said.

More information: Chris Knoester et al, Attitudes about paid parental leave: Cross-national comparisons and the significance of gendered expectations, family strains, and extant leave offerings, International Journal of Comparative Sociology (2021). Chris Knoester et al, Attitudes about paid parental leave: Cross-national comparisons and the significance of gendered expectations, family strains, and extant leave offerings,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/00207152211026705 Qi Li et al, Cross-national attitudes about paid parental leave offerings for fathers, Social Science Research (2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2021.102540 Journal information: Social Science Research
Alison Gabriele (left) and Robert Fiorentino in the Neurolinguistics and Language Processing Lab where they conducted their experiment. Credit: Rick Hellman, KU News Service

In a finding that runs contrary to one of the most-cited studies in the field, a new research paper from University of Kansas linguists shows that even as beginners, adults can quickly begin mentally processing sentence structures in a second language like a native speaker.

And even if their results cannot, just yet, be translated into new teaching methods, the co-authors say this type of scientific study points to optimism for classroom second-language learning.

KU linguistics professors Alison Gabriele and Robert Fiorentino and four co-authors will publish "Examining Variability in the Processing of Agreement in Novice Learners: Evidence From Event-Related Potentials" in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition. The co-authors are Amy Rossomondo, associate professor in the Department of Spanish & Portuguese, who consulted on the experiment, as well as Lesa Hoffman of the University of Iowa and Lauren Covey and Jose Aleman Banon, who were both graduate student research assistants at KU while the project was being conducted, and who are now both professors, Covey at Montclair State University and Aleman Banon at Stockholm University. The study was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

"We were inspired by a study that is cited in our article as Osterhout, et al., 2006," Gabriele said. "They were looking to see whether novice learners could show any kind of sensitivity to grammatical rules, even after very little classroom exposure to French. In their study, they started to test these learners after just one month of university French classes, and then they tested them again at four months and seven months.

"Their findings were interesting because they show that, even for linguistic properties that are similar between English and French ... the novice learners' brain responses were different from what native speakers of French showed."

The results are well-known in the field, Gabriele said, noting it was one of the best-cited studies in the cognitive neuroscience of second-language-acquisition literature.

"We thought it would be interesting to try to do a similar kind of study with a larger sample size, a comprehensive statistical modeling approach, a wider range of linguistic structures and an array of individual difference measures," she said.

They also chose to work with Spanish students, rather than French language learners.

Over a four-year period, the organizers tested two cohorts totaling nearly 50 students, mainly to compare how their brains worked when processing a linguistic structure that is the same in the two languagesrequiring agreement of number between the subject and verb, such as "the girl cries (la chica llora)" vs. "the girls cry (las chicas lloran)"and when processing something that differs between the two languages, such as number and gender agreement between a noun and an adjective. To illustrate the difference, in English, one can say "the girl is beautiful" or "the girls are beautiful," and the adjective is unchanged. In Spanish, however, "la chica es hermosa" becomes "las chicas son hermosas," and the adjective has to be marked for both number and gender. For the sentences testing agreement between a noun and an adjective, they were interested in comparing brain responses to number and gender because number is a feature that is similar between English and Spanish, but gender is unique to Spanish.

"In our study, the second-language learners showed a native-like response for both kinds of number-agreement errorssubject-verb agreement and noun-adjective number agreement," Gabriele said. "This suggests a strong facilitation for features like number that are part of both the inventory of the first and second language, and we think this means that second-language learners can build on the inventory of features in the native language when learning the second."

Fiorentino, whose expertise is neurolinguistics, explained how the electroencephalography, or EEG, experiment was conducted. The subjects agreed to wear a cap containing electrodes to detect brainwaves associated with certain language functions while they read sentences in Spanish. Novice learners who had no previous exposure to Spanish were tested three times in their first year of studyat two, six and eight months of classroom exposure. Then a more advanced group of learners was tested twiceafter two and six months of classroom instruction.

The goal of the experiment was to see how students' brains responded when presented with sentences that violated the grammatical rules of their second language, Spanish. The expected EEG response is called P600, a positive-going waveform that occurs about 600 milliseconds after encountering the critical word in the sentence.

"EEG allows us to measure changes on the order of one 1,000th of a second that happen in our brain as we do any kind of cognitive processing, including language processing," Fiorentino said. "There are different kind of deflections or changes in those EEG waveforms that are linked to different aspects of language processing that we can record by just resting an electrode cap on somebody's scalp noninvasively. So, for example, this P600 waveform is a change that reflects the processing of new linguistic information using grammatical rules. There's a different brain response called N400 that's linked to encountering semantically unexpected words.

"Crucially we know what these different aspects of language processing look like in a native speaker's brain, and the exciting result is that we found the P600 grammar-related response emerging in novice learners from the very first testing session," Fiorentino said.

Gabriele agreed.

"Probably the most exciting finding for classroom second-language acquisition is that it shows, even with very limited exposure to a second language, that learners can at least begin to show these brain responses related to grammatical processing just like native speakersat least for properties that are similar between their first and second languages. So I think it's cause for optimism for university foreign-language instruction. It shows that, even with limited exposure in the college classroom, learning can happen quite quickly and efficiently."

Explore further Brain imaging proves second language learners can process language to nativelike levels

More information: Alison Gabriele et al, Examining variability in the processing of agreement in novice learners: Evidence from event-related potentials., Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition (2021). Alison Gabriele et al, Examining variability in the processing of agreement in novice learners: Evidence from event-related potentials.,(2021). DOI: 10.1037/xlm0000983 Lee Osterhout et al, Novice Learners, Longitudinal Designs, and Event-Related Potentials: A Means for Exploring the Neurocognition of Second Language Processing, Language Learning (2006). DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9922.2006.00361.x
Monte Pascoal National Park, Brazil. Credit: Conservation International/Flavio Forner

Around the world, nature conservation is not always easy for local governments.

When a national government establishes a protected area, for example, local governments in that area shoulder many of the costs of conservationnot least the costs of not being able to develop (and tax) protected land.

But a growing phenomenon called "ecological fiscal transfers" is helping ease the burden on local governmentsand is proving a simple and powerful way to channel funding to conservation.

A study published today in the journal Nature Sustainability represents the first global review of ecological fiscal transfers, and their potential to promote the protection of nature. Conservation News spoke with Jonah Busch, an economist with Conservation International and the study's lead author, who calls these transfers "the right idea at the right time," with significant implications for the financing of conservation worldwide.

Question: "Ecological fiscal transfers": In a few words, what are they?

Answer: Ecological fiscal transfers are money that governments within a country send to one another to protect nature. Most often it refers to funds transferred by national governments to local governments.

Q: Why?

A: The benefits of protecting nature go to everyone, but the costs of conservation are localized. Restrictions on what you can do with your land have real implications on local governments' ability to raise revenues through the tax base. So ecological fiscal transfers (EFTs for short) are a way to compensate a local government for the opportunity cost of not developing that landwhether through agriculture or otherwiseand reward them for protecting the benefits that nature provides to everyone.

Q: How common are EFTs?

A: Annually we found that there about US$ 23 billion a year in EFTsand growing. It's happening in five countriesthe programs began in Brazil and expanded to Portugal, France, China and India. Other countries are exploring this concept as well.

Q: How is it that EFTs started in Brazil?

A: EFTs started there as a way to ameliorate a backlash from Brazilian municipalities to the national government, which established protected areas. The idea was picked up later in Portugal, where there was a backlash against the European Union starting a protected area network there. A similar situation arose in India with the passage of a national forest law. In each case, there was a restriction on the use of land, and EFTs were a way to soften the impacts by sending money to the affected municipalities.

What's interesting is that while EFTs started as a way to compensate for conservation that was already taking place, they've grown to also become a way to incentivize additional conservation.

Q: So what was significant about this study?

A: A couple of things: It was the first global review of all ecological fiscal transfer programs, in every country that has them or is thinking about implementing them. And it was the first global review of all academic literature written about it.

Q: What about your findings surprised you?

A: I was surprised to see how large and rapidly growing EFTs are. The more we looked, the more countries we found where they are becoming part of the conversation. And even after the paper was submitted, we started to hear more countries expressing interest in this concept.

Q: Why do you think that is?

A: I think EFTs are an attractive way for national governments to provide finance for environmental goals without having to raise new tax revenue or ask legislatures to approve new funding from scarce pots of resources. With EFTs, all a country has to do is take money that national governments are sending to state governments anyway and send it for a different reason.

Q: Who wins and loses?

A: The way that EFTs change which governments receive transfers is often quite aligned with poverty reduction goals. The states within a country that receive more in transfers have more forests, or more protected areas, and those tend to be more remote and poorer states. The states that receive less in transfers are more urban and tend to be richer. In those urban areas, transfers from national governments are a less important part of their revenue base as they tend to have more sources of income.

Q: Is it only national governments that can implement EFTs?

A: In Brazil, the state governments have EFTs with local municipalities. And there are other kinds of transfers, too. In China, there are what we call horizontal transfers, where one province will pay another province to protect nature. There are cases where two provinces share a river, and the downstream province pays the upstream province based on how clean the water isand this is subsidized by the national government. If the water gets cleaner, the downstream province pays the upstream province; if the water gets dirtier, the upstream province has to pay the downstream province. It creates a pretty strong incentive to keep the river clean.

Q: That seems so sensible. Why are EFTs only starting to catch on?

A: There's a timeliness to this. It's a big year for the climate and biodiversity, with countries set to pledge new goals to protect nature and tackle global warming later this year. At the same time, budgets are tightespecially with COVIDand EFTs are a way to do something green with big dollars without raising taxes or taking money away from something else. It's the right idea at the right time.

Q: What do you see in the future for EFTs?

A: I see more countries trying this out, and increasing the size of the transfers. In countries where it is already happening, I see EFTs being refined and improved. The research agenda would be to look at their effectsare they serving their intended purpose? Are states creating more protected areas or protecting more forests as a result? Are there unintended consequences? Those are some of the questions we're asking.

Explore further Effective Field Theories and the nature of the universe

More information: Jonah Busch et al, A global review of ecological fiscal transfers, Nature Sustainability (2021). Journal information: Nature Sustainability Jonah Busch et al, A global review of ecological fiscal transfers,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41893-021-00728-0
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

"Fit for 55": under this heading, the EU Commission will specify the implementation of the European Green Deal on 14 July. This refers to the more ambitious climate policy announced, with 55 instead of 40 percent emission reduction by 2030 (relative to 1990), and net-zero emissions in 2050. Coordination between the 27 EU states is expected to be difficult since unanimity is usually required here for sweeping changes. An economic model study by the Berlin-based climate research institute MCC (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) examines how to achieve good results under such conditions. The study has just been published in the renowned Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

In a model based on so-called game theory, the researchers mathematically depict the main features of such negotiations. This includes a coexistence of climate policy at the federal and state levels, the need for coordination between rich and poor as well as large and small countries and, as an anchor point, the assumption that there is zero idealism involved in the tug-of-war over climate protection. Focusing on maximizing national welfare, governments veto any action they perceive as excessive at the federal level, generating more costs than benefits.

"We expand the economic theory on fiscal federalism to include climate policy and consensus-building," explains Christina Roolfs, researcher in the joint MCC-PIK Future Lab on Public Economics and Climate Finance and lead author of the study. "We were interested in how we could achieve as much climate protection as possible under such circumstances. It is about smart policy design that should set the right incentives, so that common plus national policy together render climate emissions as costly as appropriately, and accordingly cause them to decline."

The decisive factor is how the revenues from joint emissions pricing are being distributed within the states. Up to a certain point, rich countries accept the role of net donor, making transfers to poorer countries to support climate policy. Given their prosperity, the effect of climate damage on their economy is likely to be large, and countermeasures are therefore particularly worthwhile. Only when the transfers become too high will they switch from being the driver to putting on the brakes. The researchers model the behavior of individual governments under different forms of revenue distribution, and for different decision processes: if the countries anticipate that they will benefit from the revenues generated from federal emissions pricing, they will agree to a higher common price. The key finding of the study is that the revenues from emissions pricing should be distributed between countries not according to population, and not according to current emissions, but according to historical emissions before the start of the pricing system. This principal will provide the greatest leeway for a consensual ambitious climate policy.

"This is of practical importance for the European Green Deal," emphasizes Ottmar Edenhofer, Director of MCC and PIK and one of the study's co-authors." Money from the EU Emissions Trading System in the energy and industry sectors is already distributed primarily according to historical emissions. But the revenue base is currently riddled with holes because about half of the emission rights are allocated for free. There is a need for a harmonized and consistent design. This also applies to the intended expansion of pricing to the transport and heat sectors." According to Edenhofer, the study is relevant to international cooperation in general: "The theoretical analysis shows that large differences in size and wealth are obstacles. That is why, for example, linking carbon pricing systems might initially be a sensible thing to undertake between similarly strong partners, for example between the EU and the USA."

Explore further Progressive climate policy can reduce extreme poverty: study

More information: Christina Roolfs et al, Make or brakeRich states in voluntary federal emission pricing, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (2021). Christina Roolfs et al, Make or brakeRich states in voluntary federal emission pricing,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.jeem.2021.102463
Credit: Wisiel/Shutterstock

A Global Pandemic Radar is to be created to detect new COVID variants and other emerging diseases. Led by the WHO, the project aims to build an international network of surveillance hubs, set up to share data that'll help us monitor vaccine resistance, track diseases and identify new ones as they emerge.

This is undeniably a good thing. Perhaps more than any event in recent memory, the COVID pandemic has brought home the importance of pooling society's collective intelligence and finding new ways to share that combined knowledge as quickly as possible.

At its simplest, collective intelligence is the enhanced capacity that's created when diverse groups of people work together, often with the help of technology, to mobilize more information, ideas and knowledge to solve a problem. Digital technologies have transformed what can be achieved through collective intelligence in recent yearsconnecting more of us, augmenting human intelligence with machine intelligence, and helping us to generate new insights from novel sources of data.

So what have we learned over the last 18 months of collective intelligence pooling that can inform the Global Pandemic Radar? Building from the COVID crisis, what lessons will help us perfect disease surveillance and respond better to future crises?

People want to help scientists

Responding to new and emerging threats requires new methods for filling data and evidence gaps fast. Collective intelligence methods like citizen science have been widely used in the environmental sector for years, but savvy scientists quickly saw the opportunity to deploy these and other approaches to tap into the public's appetite to contribute to the COVID-19 response.

Before doctors had access to mass community testing or accurate forecasting, for instance, data provided by the public was a valuable early source of information. For example, researchers at King's College London quickly developed the COVID Zoe symptom tracker app, to which over 4.6 million people have contributed their symptoms since March 2020. This data played a critical role in helping us understand how the virus affects different groups of people, exposing the variety of COVID-19 symptoms people have experienced.

Even gamers have played their part behind the scenes. Project Discovery is described as a citizen science "mini-game," in which gamers explore outer space while drawing polygons around clusters of cells. The cell populations they trace around are from flow cytometry data that would ordinarily be painstakingly pored over by scientists to see how a COVID infection affects different types of cell. Over 327,000 gamers have taken part since June 2020, saving scientists an estimated 330 years of research.

Perhaps more visibly, vaccine development efforts have also been fuelled by volunteers. Over 500,000 people signed up to the UK's COVID vaccine studies volunteer service.

Scientific training and research funding is not usually geared towards public participation and collaboration. That means, despite the potential, the public is typically excluded from participation in scientific research. Changing this might help us shift the dial on preventing the next pandemic and tackling a whole host of our other complex challenges, such as climate change.

Making sense of too much data

Alongside this rise in citizen science, 2020 was also a bumper year for scientific research, seeing a 15% increase in paper submissions. Over 475,000 COVID-related papers and pre-prints have been shared online as of June 2021.

This feverish scientific reporting, especially intense in the field of health and medicine, has raised concerns about quality control. Traditional processes of peer review have come under strain, with papers increasingly released as pre-prints, before they've been peer reviewed. Meanwhile, decision-makers face the challenge of finding the most relevant resources in the face of information overload.

The collaborative health evidence database, Epistemonikos, offers some relief to these challenges. It uses a combination of machine learning algorithms and crowd validation to identify all of the clinical systematic reviews related to the search query entered by the user.

In the past, it was used by policymakers in Chile to accelerate the process of public health legislation. Since 2020, the team behind Epistemonikos has identified more than 6,000 systematic reviews related to COVID-19 within their database. Highlighting these has helped health professionals and decision-makers find what they're looking for amid the noise.

It isn't just scientific research that has proved difficult to make sense of. The flood of data about the pandemic has also required careful collation, seeing as it often comes from multiple sources and is scattered across different websites and open databases, many of which follow different standards and formats. Data about a crisis is only useful if it's synthesized and presented in ways that decision makers can understand.

One retrospective study showed how Google searches involving pandemic-related keywords, like "pneumonia," could have been used to spot the early warning signs of COVID-19 spreading in Europe. The same finding was reached using Twitter data, and could in the future be reached with data from wearable technology. For now, these novel sources of data aren't integrated into wider surveillance efforts, but doing so could help governments get better at anticipating crises in the future.

In the US, the absence of a publicly available system for aggregating COVID-related data led to the creation of the COVID Tracking Project. A community of over 300 volunteers collected, curated and analyzed data sources to produce the most comprehensive public source of information about COVID in the US. Their efforts helped process under-reported data on those in long-term care and the incidence of COVID organized by race and ethnicity.

However, another promising pandemic initiative, the Collective and Augmented Intelligence Against COVID-19 (CAIAC) project, failed to get off the ground, despite the support of UNESCO and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. The lesson: productively combining human and machine intelligence could help us deal with overwhelming amounts of data, but it isn't easy. Creating and maintaining new global data infrastructures takes time, effort and significant investment.

Diversity enhances collective intelligence

There's more we can do to properly harness collective intelligence when facing future crises. More data certainly helps, and those who organize that data can help thrust it before key decision makers as quickly as possible. But who makes the decisions matters too.

With the world taken by surprise, it seems that COVID-19 decision making followed the usual modus operandi of excluding the voices of women and minorities. An analysis of 115 COVID-19 decision-making and expert task forces from 87 countries, including the UK and the US, found that just 3.5% had gender parity in their membership, while 85.2% were majority men. Would the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on black and ethnic minority communities and women have been as severe if these expert groups had been more diverse?

The collective intelligence literature has long pointed to the potential of diversity in problem solving, but these positive effects can only be realized if institutions actively seek out a variety of voices. Without finding better ways to bring diverse perspectives into decision making, we're not going to get too excited about how equally the benefits of the Global Pandemic Radar, and other future efforts to pool data and intelligence, will be felt.

While COVID has elevated AI-enabled modeling to the heart of government decisions, there is still a long way to go before these models are accessible to ordinary peoplesomething which could help diversify decision making. This is where more creative participatory methods, aimed at helping members of the public explore the consequences of policy decisions and collective behaviors, may have a part to play.

The Corona Minister game allows people to explore the consequences of different policy interventions as they navigate trade-offs between public health, the economy and civil rights. Elsewhere, researchers in Denmark have created a VR gaming experience where citizens navigate through crowded scenes and try to avoid infection. The aim of the experience is to help participants engage with the complexity of disease spread and the role played by vaccination.

Making progress in how we can effectively think, decide and act together is an area that receives almost no research investment. We think using AI to make the most of the distributed collective intelligence of large, diverse groups is a major frontier for innovation, and a huge opportunity to prepare the population for a future crisis.

Invest in bottom-up initiatives

From Ebola to COVID, we've learned time and again that crises require both top-down and bottom-up responses. So while the Global Pandemic Radar is a great step forward, governments who are serious about crisis prevention and response need to start supporting the digital and social infrastructures that enable communities to act intelligently themselves.

In 2020, we saw how existing systems of community action were able to pivot quickly to focus on COVID-19. One of them was MetaSUB, a global project to build microbial portraits of urban transit systems that's been around since 2015. With a network of volunteers and scientists in over 100 cities, they take regular swabs from trains and escalators, testing the pathogens they find for any markers of antibiotic resistance.

The pandemic saw them quickly set up the MetaCOV project, applying their previous methodology to see how microbial samples changed during the pandemic. Their data helped show that the longer COVID-19 was on a surface, the less likely it was to make someone sick.

Then there's the FluCast forecasting system, which has been tapping into the "wisdom of crowds" to predict seasonal flu trends for the US Centers for Disease Control since 2015. The system was swiftly repurposed into COVIDCast in 2020, which relies on open data sources and the participation of volunteers. COVIDCast now offers real-time data across a range of indicatorsincluding mask wearing and COVID-related visits to doctorsto forecast regional spikes in COVID infections and hospitalisations.

That these systems were already present and connected meant they could rapidly be deployed to serve pressing new requirements. Many community-led responses have, of course, emerged to play a vital role without any existing institutional support, such as groups creating PPE for struggling hospitals, and communities in India and Nepal tracking oxygen supplies and hospital bed availability. Many of these new groups should be supported so that they can mobilize swiftly in future emergencies.

On top of that, greater proactive investment, following the lead of organizations like the Omidyar Network, should now be directed towards community infrastructure. And government institutions should acknowledge that it's currently too difficult for community projects to connect into institutions. If they're excluded from formal planning, such groups can't offer their collective intelligence for the collective good.

Harnessing collective intelligence

At its best, collective intelligence can help us respond to crises with greater confidence, clarity and cooperation. But we need to start building and reinforcing these schemes and systems nowbefore the next crisis.

The pandemic has been tough. But it has also thrust our collective intelligence under the spotlight, whether through neighborhood WhatsApp groups or international scientific research. As we move towards COVID recovery, placing our bets on new initiatives like the Global Pandemic Radar, we must ensure these lessons aren't forgotten. We must now invest in the combined power of data, technology and people, which will help us avoid the next outbreak and counter society's next big crisis.

Explore further Comprehensive report on pandemic response solutions developed by 180 leading experts

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Tourists board Venetian gondolas for a tour, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Away from the once-maddening crowds of St. Mark's Square, tiny Certosa island could be a template for building a sustainable future in Venice as it tries to relaunch its tourism industry without boomeranging back to pre-pandemic day-tripping hordes.

Private investment has converted the forgotten public island just a 15-minute waterbus ride from St. Mark's Square into a multi-faceted urban park where Venetians and Venice conoscenti can mix, free from the tensions inherent to the lagoon city's perennial plague of mass tourism.

"This is the B-side of the Venetian LP," said Alberto Sonino, who heads the development project that includes a hotel, marina, restaurant and woodland. "Everyone knows the first song of the A-side of our long-play, almost nobody, not even the most expert or locals, know the lagoon as an interesting natural and cultural environment.''

It may be now or never for Venice, whose fragile city and lagoon environment alike are protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Citing overtourism, UNESCO took the rare step this week of recommending Venice be placed on its list of World Heritage in Danger sites. A decision is expected next month.

After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to its picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the past indignities of crowds clogging narrow alleyways, day-trippers picnicking on stoops and selfie-takers crowding the Rialto Bridge.

People are backdropped by St. Mark's bell tower, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

The recommendation by UNESCO's World Heritage Center took into account mass tourism, in particular the passage of cruise ships through the historic center, a steady decline in permanent residents as well as governance and management problems.

"This is not something we propose lightly,'' Mechtild Roessler, director of the World Heritage Center, told AP. "It is to alert the international community to do more to address these matters together."

Veneto regional officials have submitted a plan for relaunching the tourism-dependent city to Rome that calls for controlling arrivals of day-trippers, boosting permanent residents, encouraging startups, limiting the stock of private apartment rentals and gaining control over commercial zoning to protect Venetian artisans.

The proposal, submitted in March, aims to make Venice a "world sustainability capital," and hopes to tap some of the 222 million euros ($265 million) in EU recovery funds to help hard-hit Italy relaunch from the pandemic.

Tourists enjoy a Venetian gondola tour, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

"Venice is in danger of disappearing. If we don't stop and reverse this, Venice in 10 years will be a desert, where you turn the lights on in the morning, and turn them off in the evening,'' said Nicola Pianon, a Venice native and managing director of the Boston Consulting Group whose strategic plan for Venice informed the region's proposal.

The proposal responds to Venetians' urgency to reclaim their city from the mass tourism that peaked at some 25 million individual visitors in 2019, and stanch the exodus of 1,000 Venetians each year. It envisions investments of up to 4 billion euros to attract 12,000 new residents and create 20,000 new jobs.

As much as Venetians groan at the huge tourist flows, the pandemic also revealed the extent to which the relationship is symbiotic.

Along with lost tourist revenue, Venetians suffered a drastic reduction in public transport, heavily subsidized by tourist traffic. Even city museums could not afford to reopen to residents when lockdowns eased.

Pedestrians walk in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

"Venice without tourists became a city that could not serve its own citizens,'' said Anna Moretti, an expert in destination management at Venice's Ca' Foscari University.

The pandemic paused the city's plans to introduce a day-tripper tax last year on visitors who sleep elsewhere80% of the total tourist footfall.

Some 19 million day-trippers visited in 2019 , spending just 5 euros ($6) to 20 euros each, according to Boston Consulting. On the other side of that equation, the 20% of tourists who spend at least one night in Venice contribute more than two-thirds of all tourist revenue.

A reservation system with an access fee is expected to launch sometime in 2022 to manage day visitors.

With an eye on monitoring daily tourist arrivals, the city set up a state-of-the-art Smart Control Room near the main railroad bridge last year that identifies how many visitors are in Venice at any moment using cell-phone data that also reveals their country of origin and location in the city.

Gondoliers take tourists by the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

The technology means that future reservations can be monitored with QR codes downloaded on phones, without the need to set up check points. Pianon said the plan is feasible in a city like Venice, which has a limited number of access points and is just 5 square kilometers (2 square miles) in area.

Relaunching more sustainable tourism in Venice would require diverting tourists to new destinations, encouraging more over-night stays, discouraging day trips and enabling the repopulation of the city with new residents.

Much could go wrong. Tourist operators are desperate for business to return, and there is a pent-up global desire to travel. In addition, many changes being sought by regional and city officials must be decided in Rome, including any limits on commercial zoning or Airbnb rental properties.

Tourists walk with luggage across St. Mark's square, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Tourists relax in the shade in St. Mark's square, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

A street vendor sells roses as visitors stand on the Rialto bridge, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Public transport boats carrying tourists and citizens navigate along the Grand Canal, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Police and traffic warden employees monitor screens showing the flow of people and web cameras at a police station, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

A couple admires the Ponte dei Sospiri (Bridge of Sighs), in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

A police officer monitors screens showing the flow of people and web cameras at a police station, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Customers sit at a cafe, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

Tourists walks on a bridge in front of Palazzo Ducale, in Venice, Italy, Thursday, June 17, 2021. After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to the picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the indignities of crowds clogging its narrow alleyways, day-trippers perched on stoops to imbibe a panino and hordes of selfie-takers straining for a spot on the Rialto Bridge or in front of St. Mark's Basilica. Credit: AP Photo/Luca Bruno

"I think the level of dystopia that we had reached was of such a scale that there has to be a reaction,'' said Carlo Bagnoli, head of an innovation lab, VeniSia, at Ca Foscari University. "There are many projects emerging from many places."

Certosa island, after more than a decade, is still a work in progress, but its success is in the numbers: 3,000 visitors each weekend.

Sonino sees another 10 public sites in the lagoon with redevelopment potential, including former hospitals, abandoned islands and military bases.

He blames Venetians themselves for the city's predicament, being long on talk, short on action. But he feels the pandemiccoupled with the world's abiding interest in Venice's futuremight just be the push the city needs to change.

"I prefer to hope that we catch the opportunity. Carpe diem is not only a slogan but an opportunity,'' Sonino said. "We need a lot of ideas and a lot of passion to take Venice from the past to the future."

Explore further Cruise ships restart in Venice, bring environmental protests

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
WARRENSBURG  Former Warren County Sheriff Bud York said Friday he is staying in the race for town supervisor.

York lost Tuesdays Republican primary to incumbent Supervisor Kevin Geraghty. Geraghtys margin of victory over York expanded after absentee ballots were counted on Friday.

Geraghty picked up 20 votes to finish with 171, and York got 12 more to finish with 145, according to the unofficial results.

York has an independent line called Working for You. He said he believes it should not be up to just the Republicans to decide who will be the next supervisor.

Ive got some people who contacted me who said they want to vote for me, so they want (me) to continue, he said.

That means it will be a three-way contest this fall as Town Board member Rich Larkin, a Democrat, is also in the race for supervisor.

York said he is a firm believer that anyone who wants to run for office should be able to run, instead of having to go through the party system.

We need more independent thinking in this country, he said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A federal judge on Thursday appeared skeptical of arguments to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems over baseless 2020 election claims made by Trump allies Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani and the MyPillow Guy.

The voting system company sued the trio for $1.3 billion each after they claimed the company rigged the election for Democrat Joe Biden. Those claims, along with falsehoods from former President Donald Trump and others, helped spur a violent mob into storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, in a failed effort to stop the certification of Biden's victory.

The three persisted making the accusations even after government officials, both Republican and Democrat, and Trump's own attorney general said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Dominion's voting equipment was used in several key battleground states.
This is happening to shut me up," he added. "They want Giuliani quiet.

The court held that Giuliani, as a lawyer for Trump, communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large.

Giuliani, a former New York City mayor and U.S. attorney in Manhattan, claimed the investigation violated his First Amendment right to free speech and that he did not knowingly make false statements.

The court rejected those arguments, noting that in Pennsylvania, Giuliani failed to provide a scintilla of evidence for any of the varying and wildly inconsistent numbers of dead people he factually represented voted in Philadelphia during the 2020 presidential election.

False statements intended to foment a loss of confidence in our elections and resulting loss of confidence in government generally damage the proper functioning of a free society," the court wrote.

Interim suspensions are often a precursor to disbarment but are typically reserved for lawyers convicted of a crime, said Bruce Green, a former federal prosecutor who directs the Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics at the Fordham University School of Law. Its rarely done in cases involving lying lawyers.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)  Atlantic City will remain under state control for another four years now that New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bill extending the takeover of most of the city's major decision-making power.

The Democratic governor, who campaigned against the state takeover only to reverse course after being elected, signed the bill late Thursday night without comment.

The state will have been in charge of most of Atlantic City's decisions for nine years at the end of the current measure.

Mayor Marty Small did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The extended takeover comes as the city faces consequential decisions including what to do with the 150-acre former airport property known as Bader Field.

Small has said he soon will unveil a multi-billion-dollar project for the site. Any plan for Bader Field requires state approval.

The government takeover was proposed by former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, and enacted in the Democrat-controlled state Legislature in 2016.
Montanez shared graduation with her younger sister, Deja Cruz, 20, of Vineland.

At 15, I dropped out of high school to raise my niece, Cruz said. She now has her own daughter, 2-month-old Cattleya, along with her GED and a supportive partner to help her raise her daughter. For now, she is staying at home with her daughter, she said.

Ideal co-founder Ren Parikh, of Old Bridge in Middlesex County, said there are 33,000 people without high school diplomas living in Atlantic County, out of a population of about 265,000.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Willie Davis, 17, of Atlantic City, was at the graduation ceremony with four siblings, his mom and grandmother  all clearly proud of him. He said aspects of his life interfered with his high school career, but Ideal co-founder Rodrick Green encouraged him to not give up and to get his GED.

Albert Khomba, 25, is an immigrant from Sierra Leone in West Africa. He came to the United States at 20 without a high school diploma, but he was too old to enter traditional school.

I joined to get my GED, Khomba said. They have been really good to me.

He works at Forever 21 at Tanger Outlets The Walk.
Longtime New Jersey Pinelands Commission Executive Director Nancy Wittenberg died Thursday, the agency announced Friday.

No cause of death or age was given, but the commission said she had been out on a leave of absence since June 11.

Wittenberg led the agency through several years of contentious hearings on the proposed South Jersey Gas pipeline that was approved but never built along roadsides through protected forest area from Maurice River Township to the B.L. England Generating Station in Upper Township. She also headed it through a well-publicized but unsuccessful fight to stop a Hammonton sod farm from holding large soccer tournaments at its site.

Nancy will be missed by everyone she worked with at the Commission, commission Chairman Rick Prickett said in a statement. Nancy was a tenacious professional who was very much a presence at public meetings. She thoroughly addressed the concerns of the public and Commissioners on matters before them.

Wittenberg had designated Susan R. Grogan, the commissions planning director, as acting executive director. On Thursday night, Prickett designated Grogan to continue in the role until the 15-member commission acts further.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}
Colorados agricultural workers have been exploited for far too long in this state, and its well beyond time for us to provide them with the dignity and respect they deserve," said Democratic Sen. Jessie Danielson, a driving force behind the new law who was raised on a family farm in northern Colorado.

Under pressure from agricultural interests, sponsors of the legislation dropped language mandating that farmworkers immediately get the state minimum wage, currently $12.32 an hour, and overtime for those working more than 40 hours a week. But the law removes longstanding regulations exempting farm labor from minimum wage laws and directs the state labor department to devise pay, overtime and maximum working hour rules. Range workers will get a minimum of $1,500 a week.

It also bans the use of a short-handled hoe known in Spanish as el brazo del diablo, or the devils arm. The hoe has long been the bane of sugar beet, lettuce and other crop workers. It forces backbreaking work by laborers who must stoop day after day, often resulting in permanent injury. California banned its use in the 1970s, and Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have followed suit.
Lipskar said the Jewish Sabbath would provide his congregation with a moment of respite to take a deep breath and gather strength as bodies begin to be recovered and identified.

This is going to be a very tough week," he said. "They just started to pull out bodies. Unfortunately, the first bodies that they took out, they were unable to identify."

According to Jewish custom, true virtue, or Chesed Shel Emes, means the entire body and all its parts, including limbs, blood and tissue, must be collected for burial.

Bodies are also not allowed to be left overnight or exposed in the open because the body is considered to be made in the image of God, so if you disrespect the body, in a way youre showing disrespect to God, said David Rose, international director of Zaka, an Israeli-based rescue and recovery organization.

His volunteer organization specializes in this painstaking work of collecting the entire body, a seemingly impossible task in disasters with mass casualties.

Usually when a person is killed, unless its an explosion, the body is complete, Rose said.
CAPE MAY  Hundreds gathered in front of Convention Hall on Thursday evening for an LGBTQ equality and pride march.

Stepping off to the sounds of the Indigo Girls, marchers waved rainbow flags, danced and embraced in the late-day sunshine.

They were warmly welcomed, with passersby cheering from cars and many strollers joining the procession down to the beach at The Cove, the end of the Promenade a little less than a mile away.

Happy Pride, yelled one driver from an open car window, while many others honked their car horns.

At the beach, participants gathered in a wide circle to hear a few speakers and participate in a trivia game. Members of the Cape May County Chapter of the NAACP set up a voter registration table in the pavilion at the end of the Promenade.

The progressive organization Cape May County Indivisible organized the event, almost a year after marchers took the same route for a Black Lives Matter march in July 2020. The march Thursday marked Pride month, commemorating the anniversary of demonstrations in New York in 1969 after a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, which many see as the beginning of the movement for LGBTQ rights in the United States.
The towns council approved it, and after a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, unveiled the new sign Thursday on Isley Brothers Day in front of a crowd numbering in the hundreds.

Ive lived in Teaneck since 1976 and I thought, Ive never really done anything to improve the town until making the connection that some of the Isley Brothers had lived there, Buckman joked Thursday.

Former bandmates and neighbors offered reminiscences of befriending the brothers in the 1960s and 70s. Neighbors recalled swimming in Ron Isleys familys backyard pool all summer long and never being turned away, or hearing the groups new songs before they were released to the general public. They painted a picture of a close-knit neighborhood that just happened to have a world-famous band hanging out down the block.

Ron Isley was overcome with emotion after hearing all the tributes.

Its beyond words for me to express my level of appreciation and gratitude, he told the crowd. I love you people, and I thank you for loving me, for loving us and for loving the Isley Brothers.
From a formerly suicidal, formerly anorexic queer ... believe me that one persons belief can save a life, an emotional Dershem said while listing the classmates who helped him along the way. I am a fighter, and today I am a survivor.

Dershem called Cloutiers statement about not asking students to remove personal identity from their speeches disingenuous, noting they specifically asked him to remove references to being gay and seeking treatment  certainly aspects of his own personal identity he chose to include in his message to classmates.

+6 245 seniors march at 2021 Oakcrest High School graduation ceremony HAMILTON TOWNSHIP  After a year of virtual, hybrid and in-person learning that left 245 Oak

If that were true, would they have tried to censor me and play it off as a mic change? Dershem asked rhetorically. If that were true, (Tull) wouldnt have crumpled a speech I worked months on ... in front of my face in front of an audience of 2,000 people.

Cloutier did not respond when asked why Dershems microphone was cut off during his speech.

The incident echoes a similar moment that happened in Texas earlier this month, when Lake Highlands High School valedictorian Paxton Smith ignored her preapproved graduation speech to deliver an emotional commentary on abortion in the wake of new restrictions signed into law by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.

I am terrified that if my contraceptives fail, I am terrified that if I am raped, then my hopes and aspirations and dreams and efforts for my future will no longer matter, Smith said. I hope that you can feel how gut-wrenching that is. I hope you can feel how dehumanizing it is to have the autonomy over your own body taken away from you.
Tsikhanouskaya's adviser Franak Viacorka, who spoke to the parents, added that they don't believe authorities plan to free their son. Instead, Viacorka said, the move might be aimed at holding off additional sanctions.

We urge the European and the global community not to give in  everyone needs to be free and not under house arrest, he said, adding that Lukashenkos goal is to create an illusion of softening and concessions. But this is just one prison replaced with another.

Viacorka said Pratasevich's sister has been able to pass on some belongings to him and talk to him. The house arrest is not freedom, he lives there with operatives of the KGB, agents who watch him round the clock, he said.

Sapega's lawyer, Anton Gashinsky, also confirmed that his client was transferred to house arrest recently, without specifying when. She is now staying in an apartment in Minsk, and her parents met her on Thursday at a restaurant.

Gashinsky wouldn't say whether Pratasevich was also there  but said Sapega didn't go alone.

Pratasevich's lawyer, Inessa Olenskaya, refused to comment on her client's whereabouts and status, citing a nondisclosure agreement.
Now today as chief executive, I am responsible not only to Hong Kong but also to the central government, performing national duties, particularly in safeguarding national security," Lam told reporters. So for people with commitment, integrity, leadership and spirit to serve the nation and Hong Kong ... we will put in our best."

China has dismissed foreign sanctions and criticism as interference in its internal affairs, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday defended the national security law as focused on cracking down on a small group of anti-China elements in Hong Kong who have seriously endangered national security, and which protects the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, including freedom of the press."

Since the enforcement of the Hong Kong national security law, Hong Kong society has returned to stability, the rule of law and justice has been upheld, and the legal rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents and foreign citizens have been better protected in a safer environment," Zhao said at a daily briefing.

Accusing China of suppressing press freedom just because the organization involved in the case is a news outlet and the individuals punished are working in the field of journalism is an attempt to confuse the public out of ulterior motives," Zhao said.

The U.S. should respect the facts, stop using excuses of any form to obstruct law enforcement in (Hong Kong), stop shielding suspects and interfering in Hong Kong affairs and Chinas internal affairs in any way," he said.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
'Mockery of Justice': RFE/RL Demands Losiks Release As Show Trial Gets Under Way In Belarus

RFE/RL President Jamie Fly termed the trial of RFE/RL Belarus Service social media consultant Ihar Losik, which started today , a mockery of justice, and repeated his calls for Belarusian authorities to release Losik immediately and without condition. The trial of Losik, Syarhey Tsikhanouski, and four other defendants, which is being held behind closed doors inside a detention center in the Belarusian city of Homel, began one day before Losik marks a full year since authorities searched his apartment in Baranavichy and arrested him. ALSO - Trial Of Belarusian Vlogger Syarhey Tsikhanouski Starts In Homel

INCIDENTS AND THREATS

Trial Date Scheduled For RFE/RLs Crimea Realii Contributor Vladyslav Yesypenko

The Simferopol District Court in Russia-annexed Crimea will begin hearing the case of RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service Crimea.Realities project contributor Vladyslav Yesypenko on July 6. Yesypenko is currently being held by the FSB in pre-trial detention. International organizations including Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists and others, as well as officials from EU and the U.S. have called for Yesypenkos release. Yesypenko was detained on March 10 after covering an event marking the 207th anniversary of the death of Ukrainian poet and thinker Taras Shevchenko in the Crimean city of Simferopol. (Ukrainian Service/Krym.Realii)

RFE/RL Correspondent's Acquittal In Russia's Chuvashia Reversed

The Supreme Court of Russia's Chuvashia region has reversed the acquittal of RFE/RL correspondent Darya Komarova, in a case regarding her coverage of a protest rally. Judge Andrei Golubev on June 22 ruled that the decision of the Lenin district court to acquit Komarova must be nullified and the case sent for retrial. It is not clear why the acquittal was reversed. Komarova said after the hearing that the judge had questions regarding the absence of the date and registration number on her assignment papers to cover the rally.

RFE/RLs Tatar Bashkir Service Correspondent Harassed By Russian Federal Penitentiary Service Official

Yekaterina Lushnikova, a correspondent for the Idel.Realities reporting project of RFE/RLs Tatar-Bashkir Service was threatened by a former Russian Federal Penitentiary Service official over her allegedly libelous reporting about VyatLag, one of the biggest concentrations of forced labor camps in the Soviet-era Gulag system. Some of the camps continue to operate to this day in the area north of the city of Kirov, and hold modern-day convicts and political prisoners such as ex-governor of Kirov oblast Nikita Belykha and Ukrainian prisoner Valentin Vygivsky. (Tatar-Bashkir Service/Idel.Realii)

EU Leaders Call For 'End To Repression' In Belarus, Agree On Economic Sanctions

The European Union has imposed sanctions on key sectors of the Belarusian economy and major revenue sources for the regime of authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka, including potash fertilizer exports, the tobacco industry, petroleum, and petrochemical products, following the forced diversion of a passenger flight to Minsk last month that allowed for the arrest of a dissident journalist and his girlfriend. The new restrictive measures were introduced on June 24 "to respond to the escalation of serious human rights violations in Belarus and the violent repression of civil society, democratic opposition and journalists, as well as to the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk on 23 May 2021 and the related detention of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega," the Council of the EU said in a statement on June 24.

FSB Investigator Offered Ivan Safronov To Cooperate In Exchange For A Call To His Mother

Citing the lawyer for jailed former Kommersant and Vedomosti journalist Ivan Safronov, Russian media report that an FSB colonel offered Safronov, who is accused of treason, the chance to call his mother in exchange for his cooperation with the investigation - which Safronov declined. The 30-year-old Safronov, who has worked since May 2020 as an adviser to Dmitry Rogozin, the head of Russia's space agency Roskosmos, was arrested on July 7, 2020 amid allegations that he had passed secret information to the Czech Republic in 2017 about Russian arms sales in the Middle East. (in Russian, Current Time TV)

Head Of Chechen State Television Threatens To Kill Kadyrov's Critics

The director of Chechnyas state television has issued death threats against the enemies of Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov. Chingiz Akhmadov, head of the Grozny State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, said in an Instagram video on June 21 that he stands with Ramzan Kadyrov. If someone needs to be killed, someone who deserves death, then we will kill. If it is necessary to say a word, then we will say the word, he said. Akhmadov said any "enemy of Ramzan Kadyrov is the enemy of the Chechen people," and his personal enemy.

Uzbekistans State Institutions And Banks Asked To Promote Mirzioyevs Reforms

Billions of Uzbek soums of state funds are spent on funding a campaign to promote reform efforts by incumbent Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev ahead of the upcoming October 2021 Presidential elections that he is expected to win. Documents obtained by RFE/RLs Uzbek Service show that Uzbek government agencies and commercial banks were obliged to transfer billions of soums to the account of the National Association of Electronic Mass Media of Uzbekistan, to prepare news articles about ongoing reforms. (Uzbek Service)

Andijan Show -- People Forced To Appear As Factory Workers In Front Of Journalists And The President

During his visit to the Andijan region, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoev toured a new factory in Izbaskan region, built by the And gold sewing and knitwear enterprise. RFE/RLs Uzbek Service learned later that the factory wasnt operational, and that women and girls were brought to the enterprise and instructed to play the role of seamstress for journalists and the President. In a video prepared by the presidential press service, one can see hundreds of women and girls working in the same uniforms. (Uzbek Service)

How Kyrgyzstans War With Fake News Might Harm Freedom Of Speech

A number of MPs in Kyrgyzstans Supreme Council are trying to rush through the adoption of a law on information manipulation, claiming that the need to battle fake news justifies the expedited procedures. Some observers fear, however, that this is an attempt by authorities to "curb" freedom of speech in the country. MP Omurbek Bakirov is convinced that the Constitution must be amended to change an article which says that a citizen cannot be held criminally liable for expressing his opinion. At the same time, media experts, journalists, lawyers and a number of government officials believe that the draft law contradicts the Constitution and restricts freedom of speech, as well as the expression of personal opinions. (Kyrgyz Service)

ussian Journalist Fined For A Post About Vladimir Putin

A RusNews correspondent based in the Siberian city of Barnaul, Maria Ponomarenko, was fined $1,038 for an Instagram post on her account titled "Against Eternal Putin." She was detained last week after a rally against the general plan of the city and taken to the local police department. Initially the police tried to charge Ponomarenko with a criminal case for a repeat violation of public assembly rules, but later, the journalist was charged under an administrative article on a repeat violation of the rules for holding public events, citing as evidence two temporary publications (stories) on her Instagram: one said April 21 in all squares of the country, the second - No to eternal Putin. (Russian Service)

YOU KNOW US: Journalists Often Have To Deal With Tough Topics

Current Time TV journalists share (in Russian, w/ English subtitles) how they handle the emotional aspect of reporting difficult news.
6/24 COMBAT FIGHTS UNLIMITED 'SHOOT TO THRILL' IN WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ REPORT

By Shannon Walsh, JoshiSunTimes.com on 2021-06-25 07:14:00

Combat Fights Unlimited debut event Shoot To Thrill results from Williamstown, New Jersey, USA at the H2O Wrestling Center on 6/24/21 on IWTV:

Blake Chadwick and Dustin Wilson are the broadcast team.

This show is female pro wrestlers doing MMA style bouts inside a steel cage with no ropes. It was taped several weeks ago. No pinfalls. Submissions, Knock Out, TKO, disqualifications, referee stoppage,and judge decision is the way to win. Three rounds at three minutes each for the tournament.The finals of the tournament, and the one Super Fight bout, will be five rounds at three minutes each. The winner of the tournament wins a trophy cup.

Jessie Brooks beat Vita Von Starr by using her legs for a choke submission in the first few seconds of Round 2. This is an Alternates Bout where Brooks has a chance to enter the tournament as a substitute if someone in it gets injured.

Kennedi Copeland beat Zoey Skye by arm submission in Round 2 of tournament match.

Masha Slamovich beat Notorious Mimi by choke submission in Round 1 of a tournament match.

Jordan Blade beat Lady Frost by Kimura submission in Round 2 of a tournament match.

Janai Kai heat Ray Lyn by TKO after a kick to the head in Round 2 of a tournament match.

Masha Slamovich beat Kennedi Copeland by Stretch Muffler submission in Round 2 of a tournament semifinals match.

Janai Kai beat Jordan Blade by referee stoppage Knock Out in Round 3 after the round house kick to the head in a tournament semifinals match.

Allysin Kay vs. Edith Surreal in the Super Fight went to the time limit of all 5 Rounds and Kay won by judges Split Decision. Kay did an interview in the cage after. She said the winner of the tournament needs to go on to face her.

Kay joined Chadwick on commentary for the main event. She was insulted that she wasnt invited to be in the tournament.

Janai Kai beat Masha Slamovich in the finals of the tournament in 44 seconds of Round 5 by Knock Out with the round house kick. Slamovich stormed out of the cage before the official decision was announced. Allysin Kay entered the cage to both congratulate and intimidate Kai on the win to set up a future contest between the two.

The next show is 9/12/21.

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Figge Director of Collections and Exhibitions Andrew Wallace said "POP Power" was curated by the Taubman Museum in Roanoke, Va. The exhibition has something for everyone, with its fun and lively atmosphere.

"We hope that our visitors gain an appreciation for how contemporary artists have used popular culture to express new artistic ideas in interesting and provocative ways," Wallace said in an email. "As with Warhols soup cans, one can also appreciate the work of the designers who created the labels for these iconic grocery items which in turn inspired Warhol."

Schnitzer darted through the fourth floor gallery, explaining the history of different pieces and his thoughts on their themes. Much of Pop Art and Neo-Pop reflect the times they come from and shake them up.

Damien Herst's "Methamphetamine" is a series of dots of different colors set against a white background, evenly placed apart. Schnitzer said it reminds him of computer technology.
The CDC also recommends providers consider co-administering COVID-19 vaccines with other routinely recommended vaccines, especially when patients are behind or might fall behind on routine recommended vaccines.

Children 12 and over are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and some experts are hopeful a vaccine for younger children might be available in the fall.

While Illinois was not one of the 10 states that participated in the CDC childhood vaccination study, officials with Cook County Health said Wednesday that the county and state have seen similar troubling trends locally during the pandemic.

I think fear was the main reason families were not bringing their children in to the pediatrician for their vaccines during the pandemic, and we saw a lot of parents cancel visits because they were worried about taking public transportation, and other ways of possibly being exposed to the virus, Dr. Rosibell Arcia-Diaz, a pediatrician with Cook County Health, said.

But right now, the concern is if families dont start meeting the vaccine schedules, we could see possible outbreaks, Arcia-Diaz said.
The national media has had most of a week now to analyze a much-anticipated political spasm by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and while the headlines have magnetized a wide audience, the narrative itself remains incomprehensible.

Presented as an effort to deny Holy Communion to President Joe Biden for his pro-choice stand on abortion, the vote last week by the bishops was 168-55 in favor, but in favor of what?

The bishops had apparently voted to "move forward" with a "draft" of "a formal statement on the meaning of the Eucharist in the life of the Church," which "could" include "guidelines," that "might call into question" the eligibility of politicians to receive Communion.

So ... what?

Catholics who immediately looked to Rome for an interpretation found only the bemused countenance of Pope Francis wagging his head in the international gesture that means literally, "how dumb can these guys be?"

It was in May the Vatican warned against any such initiative on the basis that it risks further fracturing a divided church, but Francis is leaving it to the faithful to flesh out arguments that the very notion of targeting politicians with the sacraments is as preposterous as it is religiously flawed.
Residents wondered where water drainage would be, commented that the proposed dense development didnt meet a provision in city code because it didnt match the density of the surrounding neighborhood, and worried more cars and heavy construction equipment could wear out the roads and be more hazardous for current residents.

The proposed development would change the grade of a wooded ravine, requiring areas to be filled in and leveled out.

The 38 homes, as of the plan submitted and sent back to the developer for revisions last week, are densely packed villas that would be geared toward seniors wanting to downsize or live in a one-level home, Dolan said.

Entrances to the cul-de-sac are currently planned to be an extension of Crestline Drive and an outlet of Lincoln Road near Kimberly, roads which are in Davenports jurisdiction. But 28 of the 38 lots would be in Bettendorf city limits.

Davenport resident Sean Liddell, 44, thinks the city of Davenport will foot the costs of the wear and tear of the streets without much benefit to the city. Construction equipment will travel in and out of narrow Davenport streets during the building process, wearing on residential roads, although most of the houses will be on Bettendorfs tax rolls.
East Moline and Moline are being sued by a woman who claims the city of East Moline denied her a job because she had filed a sexual harassment complaint against the city of Moline while working there.

Here's what the lawsuit alleges:

Andrea Awbrey of Orion interviewed for a job as an executive assistant with East Moline in February 2019. An East Moline employee told Awbrey via text message that East Moline Fire Chief Robert DeFrance had confirmed Awbrey would be hired, with a $53,000 salary and health insurance.

From 2010 to 2018, Awbrey had worked as an administrative assistant for Moline. In May 2017, she filed a complaint with Illinois Department of Human Rights alleging sexually harassment on the job. Moline settled with her. The settlement contained a non-disparagement clause, with the city and Awbrey agreeing not to speak poorly of each other.

But after her interview in East Moline, Awbrey contends Moline Fire Chief Jeff Snyder made disparaging comments about her to DeFrance. So while DeFrance had written a very positive letter of recommendation for Awbrey, and a city employee had told her the job offer was in the offing, in February 2019, the East Moline human resources director told her she was not getting the job.
A Rock Falls man is facing child pornography charges after an investigation by the Illinois State Police.

Noah R. Diehl, 21, is charged with three counts of dissemination of child pornography in Whiteside County Circuit Court. Each of the charges is a Class X felony under Illinois law that carries a prison sentence of six to 30 years.

Diehl was arrested Thursday. He was scheduled to make a first appearance in circuit court Friday for a bond hearing.

According to a news release issued Thursday by the Illinois State Police, officers from several law enforcement county and city law enforcement agencies searched Diehls home in the 300 block of East 2nd Street, on Thursday.

Investigators seized evidence supporting the arrest of Diehl on child pornography charges.

State Troopers were assisted by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Digital Crimes Unit, officers from the Dixon and Rock Falls police departments, and deputies from the Whiteside County Sheriffs Department.

The investigation into Diehl is continuing.

Diehls arrest is one of two Illinois State Police have made in as many days in connection with a child pornography investigation.
Rock Island police have arrested a parolee from the Illinois Department of Corrections in connection with the May 30 shooting of a man in the 1600 block of 37th Street.

Jaylin Lee Walls, 28, of 408 Wilcox Ave., Peoria, is charged with one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, a Class X felony under Illinois law that carries a prison sentence of six to 30 years.

Walls also is charged with one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony that carries a prison sentence of four to 15 years, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, a Class 3 felony that carries a prison sentence of two to five years.

Walls was taken into custody Monday.

During a first appearance Tuesday in Rock Island County Circuit Court, his bond was set at $150,000, cash only. He remained in the Rock Island County Jail Thursday night. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for July 6 in Circuit Court.

At 9:54 a.m. Sunday, May 30, Rock Island police were sent to the 1600 block of 37th Street to investigate a report of shots fired. Officers located a shooting scene. As Rock Island police were investigating, a 29-year-old man showed up at Genesis Medical Center, Davenport. The victim recovered from his wounds.
He insisted that the two items would be done in tandem and that he would not sign the bipartisan deal without the other, bigger piece. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and progressive members of Congress declared they would hold to the same approach.

There aint going to be a bipartisan bill without a reconciliation bill, Pelosi said.

Claiming a major victory five months into his presidency, Biden said, This reminds me of the days when we used to get an awful lot done up in the United States Congress." Biden, a former Delaware senator, said that as he put his hand on the shoulder of a stoic-looking Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio as the president made a surprise appearance with a bipartisan group of senators to announce the deal outside the White House.

But the next steps are not likely to be nearly so smooth.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell complained that Biden was caving to Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers plan to hold the bipartisan agreement hostage for the presidents bigger package of what he called wasteful spending.

Thats not the way to show youre serious about getting a bipartisan outcome, McConnell said.
When you get to this level, the little things are the big things, he said. We want to make sure that we clear them up.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki released a brief statement offering President Joe Bidens thanks to the bargainers, adding, He looks forward to collaborating with them on the path ahead.

Scott, the chief GOP negotiator, had set a June or bust" goal for producing results last month. But by Thursday morning, senators of both parties said it was unlikely a deal would be reached by day's end because some details would have to be resolved when lawmakers return to Washington next month.

According to people familiar with the talks, the two most divisive issues have been Democrats efforts to make individual police officers accused of abuses liable for civil penalties and whether to make it easier to bring criminal cases against officers for excessive use of force. The legislation is to be aimed at curbing the use of force by police and making them more accountable for abuses.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  The revenge of the cows heated up Thursday with yet another instance of a herd getting loose in a U.S. community.

This time a cattle-hauling truck rolled over along Interstate 64 in West Virginia, and an emergency dispatcher in Cabell County said a bridge connecting Huntington to Lawrence County, Ohio, also had to be shut down temporarily.

The dispatcher, who cited policy in declining to give his name, said authorities were trying to determine how many cattle were on the truck. However, they took off in several directions, including onto the nearby bridge.

The dispatcher said police in Ohio told him that theyre running up and down the highway there, too.

Firefighters were dispatched to assist the westbound truck, which ended up in the highway's median. The driver was trapped for nearly two hours before being removed from the truck with minor injuries, Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader told The Herald-Dispatch. The accident forced the interstate to be shut down in both directions for several hours.
In their petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, Lusbys lawyers argued that the court should clarify the procedures for reconsidering actual and de facto life sentences for juvenile offenders who were sentenced before the protections in the Miller and Montgomery cases were established.

Since those decisions were issued, state courts have varied widely in their application of the precedents on sentences imposed before 2012, the petition states.

For example, in 30 states and Washington, D.C., all juveniles sentenced to life in prison without parole prior to Miller are now either automatically entitled to a new sentencing hearing or have become eligible for parole or judicial modification of their sentence.

In other states, juvenile homicide offenders are not eligible for parole and are not afforded automatic review of their sentences. Those states also have differing approaches for handling juvenile resentencing in cases decided before 2012.

Two years ago, the Illinois General Assembly changed the law to allow certain offenders under age 21 to be eligible for parole after 10 years, and certain individuals convicted of murder to be eligible for parole after 20 years.

However, the law does not apply retroactively.
A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest for Thursday:

FLOOD MITIGATION FUNDING: Cedar Rapids, which pushed for a state sales tax diversion program to finance long-term flood mitigation projects, has had projects totaling $269.4 million approved by the Flood Mitigation Board, which oversees the program created by the Iowa Legislature in 2012.

Thats 45 percent of the $595.9 million approved by the board for projects in 10 Iowa cities, according to a report from the Legislative Services Agency. That includes $111.1 million for Des Moines and its Metropolitan Wastewater Reclamation Authority, $98.5 million for Dubuque, $9.8 million in Coralville and $8.5 in Iowa City.

The program diverts sales tax revenue to fund to local projects. Local governments are permitted to issue bonds that will be repaid with the sales tax revenue made available under the program. The bonds can be repaid with the sales tax revenue, which local governments are allowed to receive for flood mitigation for up to 20 years after the local governments project has been approved by the board.

The diversion of sales tax revenue from the growth in retail sales in the participating cities has a dollar-for-dollar negative effect on the state general fund.
Katie Wilson and her family are exceedingly close, a tight-knit family in constant contact, Vanek said.

Once word spread about Katie Wilsons injuries, a friend she played softball with years ago began collecting donations. The outpouring of support and donations overwhelmed the friend, said Vanek, and by Wednesday a GoFundMe page had been created by Katie Wilsons aunt, Gina Gordey.

As of Thursday afternoon, the page had raised more than $80,000 and has more than 1,000 donations.

Donations will go to the familys mounting medical bills and toward a funeral for their unborn son, according to the GoFundMe page.

A native of the Woodridge area, Katie Wilson is a special education teacher for the School Association for Special Education in DuPage County. Her husband works in facilities at a public school.

Theyre a great family, Bryan is an amazing father, and Katie is a wonderful mother, Vanek said. Theyre also parents to two yellow Labs as well ... Theyre just great role models for anyone.

Katie Wilsons parents and family are with her at the hospital and are hopeful for her recovery, Vanek said.
Carson, who used to be an in-home care provider, said she personally knows at least three in-home workers who had to close their business because of the pandemic.

The childcare industry has lost hundreds of thousands of workers nationwide. About 166,800 fewer people were working in child care in December 2020 than had been in those jobs at the same time in 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

In 2020, child care workers in South Dakota had a median hourly wage of $10.39, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or the equivalent to making about $21,600 per year if working full-time.

Bethesda of Aberdeen, a daycare facility in northeastern South Dakota, chose to limit its capacity to the children of employees for the long-term care facility but was able to keep all of its daycare workers, said April Wirth, operations director of the daycare.

The daycare is almost back to its pre-pandemic capacity, and Wirth said she expects to need additional workers soon.

The decision to close care to the community was tough, she said, and the facility still hasnt regained all of the children who were formerly enrolled.
Signastadt said theyre going to try to meet people where they are.

They might not be ready right now, they might not be ready three months from now to seek additional services, she said, but were trying to be that constant mentor for them and to guide them through those things. When a persons ready, they dont know where to start.

Jenny said shes been sober for about a year, hasnt self-harmed in about two years, and just started a new job. She said after she saves enough money, shes going to start cosmetology school. She said shes been doing her own hair since she was 8 years old, and its one of the things she truly enjoys.

She said she tries to be there for her friends and let them know that if they feel like they cant talk to anyone, they can always talk to her because she didnt have anyone to talk to.

(I want people to know not to) let your past experiences define your future, dont let it tear you down, Jenny said. If you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go is up.
Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Allender is also looking to secure additional funding to hire employees that specialize in crime intervention and prevention, taking some of the burden off of police.

"Our police officers need to be police officers. There's never been a time in my lifetime where I can remember police officers being so overburdened by things that are clearly no one else's job," he said. "That everyone has backed off and said 'this is not for us, it must be for police.'"

Allender said Rapid City is not alone in this crisis.

"Police officers are burned out. The support in the community is waning because of the people who don't care to be in a conflict today are being quiet," he said. "This is a very controversial time. If you say something in support of police, if you say something about homelessness, or race, or politics, or religion  you're not going to just get people who are disagreeing with you, you are going to get personal attacks.

"Those things are very distasteful to most people."

Community crime intervention programs will help the vulnerable population of Rapid City get to better places, Hedrick said.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky's second-largest city has joined Breonna Taylor's hometown in banning the use of no-knock warrants.

The Lexington council voted 10-5 to ban no-knock warrants after more than three hours of debate Thursday night, news outlets reported.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton signed the ordinance into law on Friday, making it effective immediately, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Last year, the Metro Council in Louisville, Kentucky, voted to ban the controversial warrants, which permit officers to enter a home or residence without knocking. Taylor  a Louisville emergency medical technician studying to become a nurse  was fatally shot by police as officers burst into her home while conducting a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found at her home.

In Lexington, the new ordinance also sets out requirements for how knock-and-announce warrants are executed.
The DOT, in collaboration with the South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks, the United States Forest Service, the United States National Park Service, and the Federal Highway Administration will hold a virtual public meeting from June 23 through July 28. Meeting material will be available online for the following roadway corridors:

The purpose for the open house is to inform the public of the improvement options being proposed by the consultant, to record any concerns the public may have with those ideas, and to gather other ideas to help determine the future look of the interchange and crossroad corridor. The study will address a full range of transportation options and issues, including pedestrian, bicycle, transit, freight and automobile.
Schoenbeck, who is the treasurer of the ballot committee, said he moved the amendment to the primary ballot so that, if it passes, it will be in effect before the general election. He said the measure is good public policy.

Several West River Republicans who were in support of the original 5003 bill voted against the amended version. Assistant Majority Leader Sen. Mike Diedrich, R-Rapid City, said on the Senate floor the amendment was in bad faith, however, he would have been in favor if the amendment were placed on the general election ballot.

"Elections should represent the will of the voters, and the general election has a larger percentage of voter turnout; almost 50% more voters than primaries. This is possibly disenfranchising a majority of voters," Diedrich told the Journal Friday. "For a vote as important as this, we should be providing the opportunity for as many voters as possible to vote on this."

Rapid City Republican Sens. Julie Frye-Mueller and David Johnson also voted in opposition. The amended HJR 5003 narrowly passed the Senate 18-17. The House concurred in the amendments 51-17.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}
This freshman year pigeon-holing practice was preceded by changes in the methods and principles of teaching in the lower grades that weakened basic academic structures. Promoted as flexibility, very young children can now decide the focus of their studies for themselves based on their current (changeable) interests.

More flexibility in what children must learn in the early grade disciplines leads to less flexibility and fewer options in higher education, potential job opportunities, and career pursuits. Education should be narrow at the bottom for a firm foundation and be adaptable at the top to accommodate emerging talents and interests.

Even the vocabulary used in common education parlance has devolved. A child in school is rarely called a student, meaning one who studies, or a scholar, meaning one who pursues scholarship. The more common term is learner, meaning simply one who learns what is offered. Children are called future workers; not future citizens, public servants, or entrepreneurs. This difference may seem insignificant, but Plutarch would certainly understand how nuance can lower expectations.
As a legislator, Ive been concerned for quite a while about what our children are being taught and that they are not being taught history as it actually occurred, but a rewritten fabrication of our history that reflects a political/social economic agenda that is not factually true nor accurate. Because of the pandemic lockdowns, parents have taken the opportunity to look at what their children are being taught.

As a result, parents of all social economic backgrounds and races are standing up against Critical Race Theory. I decided to take a look for myself and got a hold of a new revised history book and read the account of the Battle of the Bulge during WWII. My Uncle Paul was one of the only surviving servicemen from that battle. We spent many hours at family gatherings recalling war stories from uncles, relatives and family friends who fought in WWII in both the European and Pacific Theatres. Their stories transported us to the battle. We were like sponges soaking up the challenges, hardships and the victories. Unfortunately, after reading the new version of our history, my greatest fears were realized. The recount of the Battle of the Bulge was nothing like I learned from my uncle.
I am an Indigenous woman, a wife, a mother, and a daughter of an Indian boarding school survivor. Since the discovery of the 215 young relatives in a mass grave at Kamloops Residential School in Canada, I have been tortured by the fact that I am an Indigenous person working at a former Indian boarding school.

At four years old, my father, Dennis James Banks from the Leech Lake Band of the Ojibwe in Minnesota, and his brother and sister were taken from their mother Bertha in Federal Dam, Minnesota. They were placed into an agency school bus and driven some 300 miles to Pipestone Indian Boarding School. Their experience at Pipestone was horrific.

I get emotional and angry when I imagine them taken from the safety of their home and relocated to a dormitory where they lived in fear for the next ten years. Their only fault was being born Indian, which meant, via federal policy, being assimilated into the very society that separated them from their family, home, culture, and identity. This is the personal pain that surfaces for me when I think of boarding school history. When I imagine the 215 Indigenous children at Kamloops who were secretly buried so that no one would find them, I am sickened at how much fear they must have experienced during their short lives.
McLean said doing film production in Montana is good for the economy.

I know people have some negative things to say but for the most part they come in, theyre nice people, they behave, they bring lots of money with them, he said. Its not an issue.

Myers said becoming a film studio is a good, positive move and that companies will come in, film and return to their production company. He said they will use the local tech-savvy workforce.

Were bringing people home in this industry more than weve moving people in, Myers said. I moved here because my folks lived here. Were moving a lot of people home.

McLean agreed.

In the past, anyone wanting to be involved in filming had to leave the valley, he said. Those kids are coming back now, especially as people can remote work and live anywhere.

He praised the film industry as being clean.

None of it pollutes or disrupts the environment, he said. Its just good-paying jobs.

When the remodeling is complete the Pharoahplex plans to invite the community to tour the facilities.
Chuck Denowh, of the United Property Owners of Montana, said the extended season dates should be implemented in all hunting districts where elk are over population objectives. Likewise, Rep. Paul Fielder, R-Thompson Falls, advocated for the increase in late shoulder seasons, saying the recent legislative session heard testimony from many landowners concerned about elk overrunning their property.

In the past, some hunters and conservation groups have expressed concern that landowners with large elk populations dont allow cow elk hunting during the regular season because they are leased to outfitters who make money from clients pursuing bull elk, not females that are worth less money.

We still have not seen the information from last season on how close they came in any of those units to meeting the 50% harvest during the general season, he said. So youre asking people to make comments without any information on how were doing. And its clear youre just throwing out the rules with the shoulder seasons. This has nothing to do with performance criteria, and it has nothing to do with the definition of a shoulder season. The data is simply not there to make an informed decision, and its clear the guidelines for these have been shelved.
How can we use this information to inform and hopefully make change in our city? We see this as one small step in doing that, Moon said of the street names. To have these honorary street designations juxtapose the current green street signs ... opens an opportunity for dialogue and tell the full story of Jackson Ward  how it came to be, who sustained it and who are the real heroes and icons of the city.

Katherine Jordan, one of three council members whose districts overlap Jackson Ward, praised the sisters for elevating the neighborhoods history.

As part of the Richmond 300 master plan, we are really focused on celebrating more of the history of Richmond, especially in neighborhoods that have not had their own histories told, Jordan said. This is meant to help further explore and celebrate the history within Jackson Ward, which is one of Richmonds most cherished neighborhoods.

Councilwoman Ellen Robertson, one of the patrons for the ordinances, also praised the sisters, and asked whether they could make a presentation to the council soon so that they can highlight their work.

We continue to build on our history, Robertson said. This is great work.
What we have here, really, is a new investigative technique, Judish said. He said the officer acted properly in obtaining the warrant from the magistrate. There is no case law to look at  what is an agent supposed to do? he asked.

Judish said, There is probable cause here: We had a robbery; we had a cellphone.

Albert Fox Cahn, executive director of the Surveillance Technology Oversight Project, STOP, in New York, said this case and perhaps one other are going to be setting the parameters for a lot of the national debate going forward on the constitutionality of geofence warrants. At stake, Cahn contends, is the Fourth Amendment as we know it.

The courts dont know how many persons data they are impacting when these requests are made, Cahn said. That means they cannot do the exact job they were entrusted with under the Constitution.

He said there has been at least one well-documented case of a wrongful arrest that resulted from a geofence search and that it may take years to learn how often it happens. The numbers are growing so quickly that its only going to get worse, he said.

Google is just one of the companies getting served with these, Cahn said. Weve seen ride-share companies, banking apps and any other number of companies getting the exact same demand, and so it means that the total number of these across the country could be exponentially higher.
Authorities in Richmond and Chesterfield County are seeking out people who may have been assaulted by a North Chesterfield chiropractor who is facing sexual assault charges in the city and has a history of similar complaints.

Michael Dennis Pollock, 66, has been charged with three counts of aggravated sexual battery and object sexual penetration stemming from interactions he had with two women while working at a Richmond office in May. He was arraigned on Monday.

Richmond police said the facility where the alleged assaults occurred isnt where Pollock usually sees patients. His practice, Bon Air Chiropractic Clinic, is off Forest Hill Avenue in North Chesterfield. Messages left at the office were not returned Thursday, nor were messages for James Maloney, a defense attorney whom Pollock told the court he had retained.

On May 17, Pollock treated patients at Advanced Wellness Centre on Grove Avenue in Richmond, according to a court affidavit. Two women told police they were inappropriately touched during his examination.

This was not a recognized form of treatment, a Richmond detective swore in an affidavit, adding that neither woman consented to what court documents describe as sexual abuse and sexual assault.
The initial piece of support was the establishment of the countys call center, which fielded calls from 20,000 residents who needed help making vaccination appointments and wanted information about vaccinations and the process to get them.

You have done what we have needed to do for our residents in their time of need, Budesky said. Ive been so humbled by the work of so many to make a difference in our community.

Franck, Chickahominys health director, said many of the volunteers were members of the Henrico & Chickahominy Medical Reserve Corps and the Richmond City Medical Reserve Corps.

Franck added that in his 30-plus years of practicing medicine, the last 18 months have been surreal. He and his colleagues knew their lives were changed forever on that day in early March 2020 when he received the alert that Virginia had its first confirmed COVID-19 case, Franck said.

But the weight of the pandemic and the heaviness of working around the clock for months at a time dissipated with the vaccinations and, more importantly, the efforts of these clinics, he said.
How the Monuments Came Down features longtime Richmond residents and descendants of prominent African American figures, as it delves into the history of post-Civil War Richmond through the lens of the monuments, with the help of story advisers.

The film starts with the 2020 summer protests in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. But it digs into Richmonds rich history, from the 1880s  covering the rise of Black political power in the state legislature and along the way, the suppression of it, through the installation of the monuments, Jim Crow laws and segregation  to the historic 1977 election of the first majority-Black Richmond City Council.

Lance Warren, one of the filmmakers, speaking at the event about the documentary, said the full history of the monuments has not been the dominant narrative and hopes the film in its small way can change that.

The stories that we tell are what make us who we are, he said. They tell our children how to understand the world.  Weve got to tell truer stories if we want to move forward in a way thats rooted in honesty.
Today, those mutual aid efforts in Richmonds communities of color unfold in myriad ways. With Nguyen, it all starts in her car.

She spends 16 to 25 hours a week driving to the various fridges with nonperishable food items in her trunk and a box of cleaning supplies nestled in the front seat.

Nguyen has her process for cleaning the fridge. First, she takes out the food in the pantry box  each site has pantry space in addition to a fridge  to wipe things down. She looks to see if anything is expired and makes a mental note of whats needed. She smiled and laughed on a recent day as she restocked the pantry and talked about her experience.

Theres other people with different life stories that exist in the same area as me, Nguyen said. Thats really been my favorite part is getting to know each of the neighborhoods, getting to know the neighbors.

Scott didnt expect her efforts to amount to more than the first fridge. Now, she has a whole team working with her.

I really started talking to people, and they told me how much they appreciated it and ... people were asking me if there were going to be more and I kind of just felt like, wow, people are really seeing the need for ... food justice, Scott said. So I just continued.
Mason got in her car and drove to Richmond anyway.

She talked her way into an interview with editors at The News Leader, let them know she knew they were looking for reporters and shared clippings of her work at UNC  she had scored some impressive interviews with the likes of Robert Frost and Billy Graham when they came through Chapel Hill. By some combination of her talent, self-assurance and chutzpah, she received a job offer a few days later as an editorial assistant at $56 per week with the prospect of it leading to a full reporting job.

It is, frankly, something of an experiment, but we have reason to think it will work out well for all concerned, Managing Editor Charles Henry Hamilton wrote in the offer letter.

She started out taking dictation from reporters calling in their stories and soon enough graduated to becoming the religion editor, which at first consisted mainly of taking down details about church services, but she tried to make it something more, seeking out interesting stories to write. She was declared a full reporter and moved on to covering stories involving military news, police, health and education  the full range of city desk coverage. When President John Kennedy was assassinated in November 1963, she was sent to Fauquier County, where the Kennedys maintained a home, to interview people in the community who knew the family.
A North Carolina man was unloading groceries when a growl warned him something was near his car.

As he heard the noise and saw his chickens scatter, Scott Jackson told news outlets he spotted a bobcat in his Moore County driveway. That's when the animal reportedly climbed onto his back and took him down.

"He had me face down in the carport," Jackson said about the encounter earlier this month, according to the Sandhills Sentinel.

While fighting off the bobcat, Jackson told ABC11 he twisted the animal's paw until it released him.

"I couldn't tell you how long it all lasted. I'd say five seconds, at the most, but it was a scary five seconds," Jackson said, according to ABC11, The News & Observer's media partner.

Jackson raced into his home to safety. He was bitten and had about a dozen wounds when he went to a medical center for rabies shots, given as a precaution, news outlets reported this week.

"Even the doctor in the ER said, 'If he had been up closer to your jugular, you would've been done for,'" Jackson told The Pilot. "He just clamped down on my shoulder and wouldn't let go."
Cerullo said questions remain about how the new guidelines will work in practice.

The new guidelines say they basically zero out the guidelines if the maximum [sentence] is three years or less, if the offender shows remorse or takes responsibility for his crimes, the prosecutor said. However, so far we have been given no information on what that means. If an offender is looking at one year and comes in and says, Judge, Im sorry, that one year goes to zero.

Thats crazy. How is a judge supposed to know if an offender is truly remorseful and what does remorseful mean in the first place? Offender A cries like a baby and offender B merely says Im sorry. Is that the same? Do they both get zeroed out? Also, what about the offender who is not remorseful at all? He comes to court and tells the judge he is not sorry. How come the guidelines dont increase for lack of remorse?

Farrar-Owens said the commission has received both positive and negative feedback about the new guidelines, and thats to be expected with any change. Certainly if theres concerns we would want to hear from those folks. We want this to work as smoothly as possible.

For the most part, though, Virginias judges have been providing favorable feedback, she said.

This is really something a judge has to determine at sentencing, Farrar-Owens said. A prosecutor can make recommendations and communicate that to the judge. But its really up to the judge.
Most new laws approved earlier this year by the Virginia General Assembly go into effect on July 1.

This years session was the second year Democrats had full control of the General Assembly since flipping the House of Delegates in 2019. While marijuana was one of the top issues, heres a recap of some other new laws that will affect people:

State employee raises

The budget includes money for a 5% raise for teachers, state employees, college and university faculty and employees, and state-supported local employees like sheriffs deputies. State troopers will get an additional 3% raise, plus money for each year of service.

Death penalty

After punting on the issue in 2020, the General Assembly passed measures to make Virginia the first state in the South to end capital punishment.

Voting rights
One could only imagine who John Warner would support for governor this year.

That he shuffled off this mortal coil estranged from a GOP that bears no resemblance to one in which he first was active in the 1950s for Dwight Eisenhower can only mean he would think long and hard before lending his name to those even faintly allied with Trump, among them, Youngkin, whos selective about when and how he invokes The Donald.

Youngkins bio might intrigue Warner: ambitious suburban kid with a Harvard M.B.A. who made a fortune flipping companies. Warner, who made his money the old-fashioned way  through marriage  would also appreciate Youngkins pledge to keep defense-rich Virginia friendly to veterans. Few could match Warner as an advocate for the military.

And how could John Warner begrudge Youngkin spending, so far, $12 million of his own money on his candidacy? Warner saw that big money made a big difference in the Senate race with Mark Warner, a telecom multimillionaire who cut more than $10 million in checks to his campaign.

Mark Warner was far less generous when he stood for governor in 2001, instead building a network of donors that showed broad support for his candidacy. Still, Warner didnt exactly scrimp that year.
One of the most iconic images of the Fredericksburg regionthe billowing smokestack at the Birchwood Power Plant in King George Countycrashed to the ground Thursday morning with such controlled precision that somebody should have yelled timber.

The 402-foot stack, as its called by employees there, was brought down by a demolition company as part of plans to repurpose the former coal-fired plant into a solar facility. Crews eventually will dismantle and haul away components of the entire 14-story operation, which cost $250 million to build when it opened in 1996.

But at 7 on the dot Thursday morning, the focus was on the smokestack. It didnt implode and crumble to the ground the way demolitions of old buildings are sometimes shown on TV. Instead, there was a gigantic boom and smoke rolled out of the base of the tower as if it were a rocket being launched.

Instead of going up, the smokestack fell down, all in one piece, and hit the ground with a thud. One image of the falling stack showed the top of the tower, aimed toward State Route 3. At that split second, it looked more like one of the old cannons from the nearby Navy base at Dahlgren than industrial equipment.

Jennifer and Tony Gallahan of Stafford County found a spot off the highway to watch the demolition.
With an eye on monitoring daily tourist arrivals, the city set up a state-of-the-art Smart Control Room near the main railroad bridge last year that identifies how many visitors are in Venice at any moment using cell-phone data that also reveals their country of origin and location in the city.

The technology means that future reservations can be monitored with QR codes downloaded on phones, without the need to set up check points. Pianon said the plan is feasible in a city like Venice, which has a limited number of access points and is just 5 square kilometers (2 square miles) in area.

Relaunching more sustainable tourism in Venice would require diverting tourists to new destinations, encouraging more over-night stays, discouraging day trips and enabling the repopulation of the city with new residents.

Much could go wrong. Tourist operators are desperate for business to return, and there is a pent-up global desire to travel. In addition, many changes being sought by regional and city officials must be decided in Rome, including any limits on commercial zoning or Airbnb rental properties.
All this makes Jimmy Lais words even more important to Americans, especially those who have forgotten what democracy (with a small d) means.

Obviously beyond the [U.S.] trade war with China will be a long-term conflict with China, a rivalry of opposing values, he told me. Hong Kong is fighting the first battle in this Cold War because we share the same values.

He urged that Americans stand up for those values, as an exemplar for others who espoused them for their own people. America should not be ashamed of its moral authority, of its values. Express them.

And he described how he had visited the beaches at Normandy, saying those beaches symbolized the America we look up to, that fought for freedom.

As Lai sits in prison, his newspaper silenced, facing a possible life term, his example should remind us of pro-democrats in Hong Kong who still hope for America to set a democratic example, even if it cant rescue them from despots in the short run.

In recent years, we have failed miserably to set that example. The stain of the GOP big lie and covering up of Jan. 6 still overshadows any U.S. effort to pose as a democratic model. But if Jimmy Lai could continue fight for democratic values against odds that dwarf ours, how can we do any less?
There are 12,000 reasons to visit the Virginia War Memorial in the coming weeks. In advance of July 4, more than 100 volunteers placed 12,000 American flags on the grounds of the memorial to honor and remember the nearly 12,000 Virginia men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation from World War II to the present. The Hill of Heroes will remain on display through July 9. This is the third year the war memorial has offered this tribute. With the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the memorial  located on South Belvidere Street in downtown Richmond  is open seven days a week. With its sweeping view of the James River, it offers a serene spot to reflect upon the contributions of those who have served gallantly. The mission of the war memorial is to honor veterans, preserve history, educate youth and inspire patriotism in all. It does that well.

U.S. life expectancy fell by nearly two years between 2018 and 2020  a drop not seen since World War II. Thats according to new research from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), the University of Colorado Boulder and the Urban Institute that was released this week in The BMJ, a journal published by the British Medical Association. Alarmingly, the numbers are even worse for people of color. While life expectancy among white Americans decreased by 1.36 years in 2020, the research said, it decreased by 3.25 years in Blacks and by almost four years in Hispanics. The racial disparities seen in the U.S. were 15 to 18 times larger than other countries. Steven Woolf, M.D., the studys lead author and director emeritus of VCUs Center on Society and Health, called the data on life expectancy for Blacks and Hispanics jolting, saying in a statement, Its a big setback because, for many years, the U.S. had been making progress in closing the Black-white mortality gap. And for many years, Hispanics enjoyed higher life expectancies than whites, but that advantage was almost completely erased by COVID-19. Life expectancy trends in the U.S. were already very worrying, Woolf said. When the pandemic came, my naive assumption was that it would not have a big impact on the pre-existing gap between the U.S. and peer countries. It was a global pandemic, and I assumed that every country would take a hit. What I did not anticipate was how badly the U.S. would fare in the pandemic and the enormous death toll that the U.S. would experience. More than 602,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, and globally the death toll exceeds 3.9 million. So if you havent, get vaccinated. To find where you can obtain a shot in Virginia, visit: vaccinate.virginia.gov or call 1-877-829-4682. The shot is free. Your life is priceless.
Case in point: In January, the board intentionally decided to enact a permanent version of the standard that made no allowances for vaccinated employees. At the time, vaccinations were just starting to become available. Since then, more than half of Virginians have been fully vaccinated, and the CDC lifted masking and social distancing requirements for them.

The VOSH standard enables workers to follow CDC guidance, but only when it provides equal or greater protection. And the standard still requires face coverings for employees who are not distanced from others, regardless of vaccination status. Sounds like a mask mandate to me.

VOSH tried to fix discrepancies between the science and the law in its online Q&A. But website guidance isnt law. The standard is. And now the standard has forced employers to make the impossible choice between following the science and following the law.

Northam also tried to undo the damage by declaring in an executive order that face coverings between vaccinated persons no longer are required. But a federal court ruled this past year that OSHA has primary jurisdiction over workplace safety.

The wishes of governors are pre-empted by federal laws like the Occupational Safety and Health Act, no matter how many orders governors declare.
Clintons loved ones plan to honor his life July 31 at Waid Park in Rocky Mount. The outdoor venue was picked as a COVID precaution. Friends and family will gather around a potluck picnic lunch to share favorite dishes and favorite memories.

Clintons family did get to visit him in the hospital, with precautions, during his final days. Visitation for end-of-life patients is one of the compassionate care exceptions sanctioned by the CDCs COVID guidance.

His wife was able to go to his bedside, and both his sisters made it up in time to see him. Carma said she felt he was holding on until everyone could get there. His younger sister was with him on the night he passed.

When the final hour came, Carma said she put her faith in God and told Clinton it was OK to go if he was ready. He would be with his parents, who both died when he was young, and others in heaven.

I know hes in a better place. Hes not in pain, she said later.

In the weeks since Clinton first fell ill, Carma said she has kept steadfastly praying, not just for her own family but for the others also suffering.
Perhaps most importantly, ONeill said, the new facility will allow Angels of Assisi to host more programs that help more pets and people.

A bark to action

While animal welfare groups await the opening of more cage space through the Angels of Assisi, there is a need now, ahead of the July 4 holidays, to save surrendered cats and dogs from fates ended at the pound.

We know that the Roanoke Valley has many animal-loving people, and were really confident that those folks will step in and help, ONeill said, noting there was a time not very long ago when RCACP did not offer adoptions. Im thankful for the changes at regional over the years, where they have become more and more proactive.

Since putting word out to the public earlier this week, Warner said Wednesday was a great day for adoptions at RCACP, with more scheduled for Thursday.

I think it was really important that they did put the word out that they were getting to the point where they were going to be in trouble, and animal lives were going to be endangered, ONeill said. So they dont have to make those hard decisions.
I have a sensitivity to painkillers, an opioid sensitivity, and it was having a lot of bad effects on my body, she said. Although they helped her sleep, she said, she would inevitably wake up within one or two hours, her skin itching from a reaction to those harder drugs. She could only take them for a day or two, she said, and after later surgeries she did not take them at all.

Eventually she tried marijuana as a post-operative treatment, using higher-quality strains she obtained from a friend: Ive never looked back.

Its hard to describe, but it keeps you from focusing on the pain, she said. Theres a relaxation factor. Its a calming thing and I can still function during the day. You cant do that on opioids. I consider it a fairly harmless drug compared to the benefits.

She was struck by the fact that she had to resort to what was essentially a black market to get what she found to be a safer remedy.

I cant take OxyContin, which they would legally give me, but I could get arrested for smoking pot.  Thats so glaringly wrong, Mesko said. This was a choice I made because all the medical options I had, legally  painkillers  seemed more detrimental, felt more harmful.
Those who filed the lawsuit have already appealed the judge's dismissal to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Keep scrolling for the latest vaccinations numbers

The hospital system had required employees to complete their immunization by June 7. The next day, 178 employees were suspended for two weeks without pay for not complying.

Jennifer Bridges, a registered nurse who is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit against Houston Methodist, said her director called her Tuesday to ask if she'd gotten the vaccine yet or made any effort to do so. She said that when she replied "absolutely not," she was told that she was terminated.

"We all knew we were getting fired today," said Bridges, 39. "We knew unless we took that shot to come back, we were getting fired today. There was no ifs, ands or buts."

She had worked for 6 years at the medical-surgical in-patient unit at Houston Methodist's hospital in the suburb of Baytown.

Bridges said Tuesday was also her first day at her new job at a company that sends nurses into people's homes.
On June 18, ODU English Department Chair Sheri Reynolds emailed her faculty, claiming professors were not contacted by Bredehoft or his law firm.

There were just individuals from English who were contacted by ODU Counsel (not the attorney who wrote the statement) and asked a series of questions. Those people would have had little, if any, context and would have almost certainly been caught off-guard by the questions, Reynolds wrote. After speaking with some who were interviewed, I know that there are people who feel that they were misquoted or that the context was stripped from their comments.

None of the 15 people who were interviewed by The Pilot for the story were contacted by the law firm or the university as a part of their investigation.

In his email late Thursday, Broderick said the inquiry will also look at whether there were adequate ways for the women who say they were abused by Bailey to report his conduct.

The scope of work will be more thoroughly defined once a firm or individual is selected, Broderick wrote. We will ask the firm to conduct the review with diligence and urgency.

Broderick said he also wants to continue with plans to create a task force to strengthen the universitys sexual misconduct reporting policies and procedures.
BERLIN (AP)  The German government on Friday hinted at possible tweaks to an agreement between the European Union and Britain on how to set border controls with Northern Ireland. The move could help resolve a long-running dispute between Brussels and London.

Angela Merkel's spokeswoman said the chancellor plans to travel to Britain next week for talks with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer avoided replying directly to a question on what Germany thinks of the EU executive arm's implied willingness to impose punitive tariffs if Britain doesn't comply with the Brexit deal.

But she cited Merkel's comments at the recent Group of Seven meeting in Cornwall, at which the German leader had called for pragmatic solutions" within the framework of the accord, especially on border checks between Britain and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the U.K. that borders the 27-nation bloc. The debate over exactly where to conduct customs controls has raised political tensions in the territory where some people identify as British and some as Irish.

Demmer said that Merkel had spoken out in favor of considering where one can improve matters if it better serves the citizens in Northern Ireland.
It should come as no surprise that McAuliffe and Youngkin dont need to be in the same room, on the same stage to trade jabs.

The Youngkin campaign poked first: Only weak incumbents like McAuliffe need to debate five times in hopes of making up lost ground.

To which the McAuliffe replied, If Glenn cant take the debate stage heat, he surely cant handle the pressure of being governor.

Welcome to the debate on debates.

It is a quadrennial rite, one quickly forgotten, unless it leads to a moment in the debates, themselves, that shapes or reshapes the campaign  particularly to the disadvantage of a candidate.

Thats foremost to McAuliffe, the veteran, and Youngkin, the neophyte.

To Tucker Martin, a communications adviser to three Republican gubernatorial candidates, two of whom were hurt by debates and one whom thrived because of them, said the bottom line on debates this year might be the bottom line  specifically, Youngkins.

He obviously will have the resources available to get his message out on all platforms, said Martin.
Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.
U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that about 650 U.S. troops are expected to be kept in Afghanistan to provide security for the American diplomatic presence after the Pentagon completes its military withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks
 Terrific CCRC review of new RAND report on presidential pardons | Main | "Prosecution in Public, Prosecution in Private" 

June 24, 2021

Will Derek Chauvin get more or less than 20 years for killing George Floyd?

The question in the title of this post reflects my view that 20 years seems like a reasonable "over/under" estimate for the sentence to be imposed by Minnesota Judge Peter Cahill on Derek Chauvin for murdering George Floyd. I set this estimate influenced by some of the analysis and punditry from various sources in these preview pieces:

From the AP, "Derek Chauvin faces sentencing tomorrow in George Floyds murder  heres what you need to know"

From CBS News, "Derek Chauvin will be sentenced Friday for the murder of George Floyd. Here's what to expect."

From NBC News, "Police who kill often receive lenient or no punishments. Derek Chauvin could be the exception."

From USA Today, "Derek Chauvin faces up to 30 years in prison in Friday sentencing for murder of George Floyd"

I believe that the sentencing is scheduled for Friday afternoon. And I sincerely hope that there is general respect for the sentence imposed, whatever it proves to be.

Prior related posts:

June 24, 2021 at 11:09 PM | Permalink

Comments

Less. I am seeing something in the upper teens.

Posted by: tmm | Jun 25, 2021 11:01:54 AM

tmm has it right I think.

Posted by: hardreaders | Jun 25, 2021 2:13:34 PM

I'm thinking more. Just a guess.

Posted by: Joe | Jun 26, 2021 2:00:58 PM

Joe :p

tmm and I werent that far off though.

Now the betting has to focus on what happens on appeal. I predict both conviction and sentence are upheld. Hope I can get my average up to .500!

Posted by: hardreaders | Jun 26, 2021 8:04:59 PM

The over-under line ended up being very close to what he got. He got thirty months more, and I was thinking like 24 months less.

Posted by: tmm | Jun 28, 2021 11:20:32 AM

Post a comment
The alarm in the Bolivian hospital pierced through the din of beeping life support machines and hissing ventilators -- a patient lay unconscious, oblivious to the warning that his life hung by a thread.

The monitor was flashing red. "Low oxygen pressure" it alerted, showing a reading of 25.

"It should be 75!" doctor Daniel Quispia said as he jumps to the patient's aid, adjusting the controls in a bid to get the oxygen flowing again.

The alarm stops and, relieved, Quispia takes a deep breath. His patient, battling a severe coronavirus infection, does too.

The Covid-19 virus has killed some 15,500 people in Bolivia, population 11.8 million.

The country is in the midst of a third wave of infections: on June 9 officials reported a daily record of 3,839 new virus cases.

Cochabamba, a central Bolivian city in the Andes some 2,600 meters above the sea level, has been averaging about 850 cases per day for several months.

Quispia is the only critical care doctor at the Hospital del Sur in Cochabamba, Bolivia's fourth most populous city.

Six of the hospital's 18 intensive care beds are available to any of the two million people living in the department of Cochabamba.

But only three of the six beds can hold patients due to a severe lack of medical oxygen.

"This is out of control," Quispia, 36, told AFP. He had to raise his voice to be heard over the noise of a small oxygen plant hastily erected outside the ICU -- a helpful but insufficient stopgap measure.

Daily consumption of medical oxygen in Cochabamba has skyrocketed from one ton before the third wave of virus infections to as much as four tons today.

- Waiting days to breathe for hours -

Police had to rush to Arbieto, an hour's drive from Cochabamba, to break up a crowd that had surrounded a Valle Alto oxygen plant employee sent to take down information from people waiting -- some of them for days -- to buy a refill of the life-giving gas.

Patience was running thin.

Story continues

"It's an emergency!" a woman insisted as she tried to jump the queue. "We are all here for the same reason!" someone shouted in reply.

"I'm sure you're here for business," another woman yelled at a man. She was referring to people who buy oxygen to sell illegally, and at a premium, to desperate people caring for loved ones at home or in hospitals that does not have enough.

Many have arrived early in the morning to line up, only to leave empty-handed after the long wait.

"You need a heart of stone," said plant manager Amilcar Huanca Mamani.

Others have taken to camping out at the site, sleeping in their cars or in tents -- such as Pedro Huaichu and his daughter Maria.

"My turn is at 1500," said the pensioner, in line to collect oxygen for his ailing wife. It was noon, and appointments were already running two hours behind schedule.

Julio Cesar Padilla had been there for three days. With bleary eyes he stared vacantly into the distance, clinging to an empty oxygen cylinder.

"My father is in intermediate care and my mother is in intensive care. They have been there for a week. And I go from one place to the other to try and find an oxygen cylinder. One cylinder barely lasts my mother between six to seven hours," said Padilla.

- 'Red alert' -

The telephone belonging to Anibal Cruz, Cochabamba's health secretary, rings incessantly.

"Doctor, it is an emergency, we have no more oxygen!" -- not the first time he has heard the appeal that day.

Cruz drove through the city streets, empty due to a dusk to dawn curfew, to the Hospital del Norte.

Along the way he pondered aloud whether the time has come to declare a red alert, which warns hospital officials that it may be hours before oxygen supplies arrive.

This alerts doctors and nurses to be ready to manually ventilate patients to keep them alive.

"Respect for the disease has been lost," Cruz lamented as he contemplated extreme measure.

After the first wave of infections and a strict lockdown, Bolivians went back to their lives almost as if nothing had happened.

As a result, today "the curve continues to rise."

And immunizations are not keeping up: less than 15 percent of the target population have received at least one vaccine dose.

- Cremation is mandatory -

"Here ends the prison that was life," read a sign outside Cochabamba's cemetery, its two crematoria recently so busy that there was a wait of up to four days.

In a bid to prevent contamination, cremation is mandatory for coronavirus victims, even suspected cases.

Only the owners of private crypts and mausoleums are exempt.

"For them, we recommend that the niche never be opened again," said cemetery administrator Lilian Scott.

msr/ltl/ll/mlr/ch
WASHINGTON  The Supreme Court on Friday said an expanded number of small oil refineries can seek an exemption from certain renewable fuel requirements.

The high court ruled 6-3 that a small refinery that had previously received a hardship exemption from complying with Clean Air Act requirements may obtain an extension of that exemption. That's even if the refinery let a previous exemption lapse.

The case involved amendments to the Clean Air Act made in 2005 and 2007 that require transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain specified amounts of ethanol and other biofuels, which are produced by farmers. Small refineries were exempt from that requirement until 2011.

The program is called RFS, for Renewable Fuel Standard.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts said the decision "is disappointing and hurts farm families across the state.

Regardless of the courts decision, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can still take steps to enforce a robust Renewable Fuel Standard,'' he said in a statement.

He urged the Biden administration to "stop the broad use of waivers by refineries.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Hundreds of child care providers in California marched and chanted Thursday outside the state Capitol demanding higher wages, a topic that appears to be the final sticking point in budget negotiations between lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

We are essential workers and it's about time that we're treated like it," Miren Algorri, a child care provider in San Diego, declared to the crowd. She said Newsom is treating such workers like they are disposable."

Millions of California children are eligible for state-subsidized child care programs, but the workers who take care of them them say they are often paid less than minimum wage after expenses.

The state sets provider rates through the budget, and the workers haven't seen an increase in their pay in four years. This year, providers are also negotiating their first contract after Newsom signed legislation in 2019 allowing them to unionize.

How much to raise the rates is the last unresolved budget issue between Newsom and lawmakers, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon said. They have only a few days left to reach an agreement, because the budget must be signed by Newsom by June 30. Rendon, a Democrat who worked in the child care industry before entering politics, said raising provider rates is the chamber's No. 1 priority."
Kidney failure often manifests itself as a noticeable fluid buildup, called edema. For many kidney disease sufferers, the fluid builds up in the lower extremities -- typically the legs and feet -- giving them a very puffy appearance.

"For me, the fluid buildup is in my face, of course," Haefs said with a laugh last Saturday afternoon as he prepared to go fishing.

His dialysis treatment on that particular Saturday encountered a technical difficulty, and the treatment had to be aborted before it even began. His daughter, Cora Haefs, said they've had problems getting his dialysis to work properly, a frequent cause of distress.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

"It's just been a real struggle," she said.

On New Year's Eve, Cora managed to get her father to agree to something he'd been resisting for months: a transplant of one of her own kidneys. Waiting (and hoping) for a kidney to come available on the donor list can take years, and the process sometimes ends when the patient dies awaiting a transplant.

Phil's initial impression of the idea of receiving one of Cora's kidneys was not unlike other older parents who need a kidney -- he was completely opposed.

"He said he wasn't going to take a kidney from his kid," said Cora Haefs, 37, of Sioux City.
SIOUX CITY  Participants in the Transition Alliance Program (TAP) got the opportunity to learn about firefighters and paramedics on Thursday.

Individuals from the Sioux City Fire Rescue and EMS spoke to the young adults about what being a firefighter or paramedic involves.

Alyzabeth Lamoureux, a junior, said it was fun to learn about the different departments. She wanted to hear more about EMS because she likes to help people.

Lamoureux wants to be a teacher and she hopes that if anything were to happen in her classroom, she would be able to help.

TAP is a partnership between community school districts like Sioux City Community School District and the Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services to assist young adults with disabilities as they transition into post-secondary education, receive vocational training and learn to live independently.

Brian Trometer, the TAP coordinator at North High School, said the activities are a way to learn independent living skills - such as who to call in an emergency - and teach them about different careers.
As individuals began building in Highland Park and the city started installing the street network, Hanson said the original plat was "essentially ignored." Hanson said more than 76 acres of ground, 75 parcels and between 50 and 55 individual property owners have been affected.

"Anytime a property owner wishes to sell their property or refinance their property or to obtain a construction loan to improve their property, there's an issue with a title opinion, because, a lot of times, the house is not sitting on the property that the abstract belongs with the homeowner," Hanson explained. "There's a lot of discrepancies out there, so banks and new home buyers get very leery when you try to buy a house and legally it's not even on the property where it should be."

A few weeks ago, Ed Olson saw a surveyor working on W. 19th and Burton streets. Olson asked the man for a copy of his map, but he said the man didn't have an extra one that he could share with him.

"I have no idea how it's going to affect me," said Olson, who lives on W. 19th Street. "Is it going to put me out in the middle of the street or are they going to move my sidewalk this way or something like that? I have no idea."
GENEVA (AP)  China pressured Ukraine into withdrawing its support for a call for more scrutiny of human rights in China's western region of Xinjiang by threatening to withhold Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines destined for Ukraine unless it did so, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.

Ukraine briefly joined a statement by over 40 countries, presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, urging China to allow immediate access for independent observers to Xinjiang. Some human rights groups have alleged Chinese mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs and others in the region.

On Thursday, Ukraine pulled its name off the list of supporting states after Chinese authorities warned Kyiv that they would block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Ukraine unless it did so, said diplomats from two Western countries. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Ukraine has agreed to purchase 1.9 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from Chinas Sinovac Biotech. As of early May, Ukraine had received 1.2 million doses, according to Health Minister Maxim Stepanov.
NRA not formed to defend African Americans against KKK

The false claims circulated after President Biden signed into law the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making June 19 a federal holiday. The holiday marks the date Union soldiers brought the news of freedom to enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas. Although the Emancipation Proclamation freed slaves in the South in 1863, it could not be enforced in many places until after the end of the Civil War in 1865. The passage of the act created extensive conversation on social media, which included historical misinformation. A post falsely claiming a relationship between the formation of the NRA and enslaved Black people circulated on Facebook and Twitter following the June 17 signing of the bill. According to reporting by the AP, the KKK was created by Confederate veterans, not the Democratic Party. "The KKK was a guerrilla terrorist organization. So to talk about the KKK in terms of open party affiliation doesn't make a lot of sense because we're talking about a different kind of entity all together," said Joseph Lowndes, professor of political science at the University of Oregon. "There were Democrats in the South who were supportive of the KKK. And there are Democrats who weren't. The NRA was also not formed to help defend Black people against the KKK. "The National Rifle Association was formed in New York City in 1871, by a group of former Union Army officers and veterans. They formed the NRA in order to improve marksmanship skills among the New York National Guard in anticipation of future wars," said Frank Smyth, author of "The NRA: The Unauthorized History." "They had nothing to do with the KKK or freed slaves." Smyth added that NRA co-founder William Conan Church, in his book "Ulysses S. Grant and the Period of National Preservation and Reconstruction," never mentioned the NRA helping or arming freed slaves who were being abused and killed during Reconstruction. It also isn't historically accurate to claim that Republicans "freed slaves from Democrat slave owners." "It was the Union Army, not the Republican Party, that freed slaves from the Confederate States of America. It was not a Republican versus Democrat thing," Lowndes said. "The Republican and Democratic parties ceased to function within the rebelling states. And there were plenty of Democrats who fought in their Union Army to end slavery as well." Furthermore, the Republican Party of today bears little resemblance to the one that originated in the North in 1854. "The idea of Republicans being the party of Black equality is only true if you get in a time capsule and go back 100 years or more," says Lowndes. "After the Civil War, the Democratic Party was the dominant party in the South and represented the maintenance of the Jim Crow segregationist political order. But after 1964, white Southern Democrats switched parties."
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators have reached an agreement to significantly boost infrastructure spending, though considerable hurdles remain before the blueprint unveiled Thursday becomes reality.

The White House says the agreement calls for about $579 billion in new spending over the next five years for roads, bridges, public transit and other public works. Add on what the federal government is currently projected to spend on those items, and the total comes to about $973 billion over five years.

Heres a look at where those dollars would go and what changes lawmakers would make to pay for the new spending.

THE BIGGEST EXPENSES:

The agreement calls for a $109 billion boost for roads and bridges. Its the biggest line item in the plan, but to put that in perspective, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the country has a $786 billion backlog of road and bridge capital needs.
This is a historic win for education, said Rep. Regina Weiss, an Oak Park Democrat and former teacher.

The budget bills won approval on 105-3 or 104-4 votes.

The next fiscal year does not start until Oct. 1. But a 2019 law, enacted after a budget impasse, requires lawmakers to send Whitmer a plan by July 1. It could be delayed like it was in 2020 if a deal is not struck.

The fiscal year for school districts begins July 1, however, and superintendents are pressing legislators for clarity as they finalize spending following a tumultuous academic year and lost learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Stamas, a Midland Republican, told reporters he was anxious to see the House's general and K-12 budget bills and said he has always been supportive of payments to help districts that stand to get less federal pandemic funding because they have fewer low-income students.

We want to work with the House and the governors office on getting this done by July 1, Stamas said in a later statement, adding that if a deal is not reached next week, schools got substantial dollars in previous federal relief laws.
Settle ordered that Rufai, who is in detention in New York, be transported by federal marshals to Washington for trial, which is set for Aug. 31. Tacoma attorney Lance Hester, one of Rufais lawyers, said Rufai could ask the court to reconsider Fridays ruling if there were changes in his circumstances.

Federal officials have called Rufai the first significant arrest related to Washingtons fraud. Washington state was severely victimized by fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits. It likely paid out more than $647 million in such fraudulent claims, though $370 million was recovered, according to state officials.

Another lawyer for Rufai, Michael C. Barrows, has said his client denies any involvement in these transactions.

The case has shed light on how criminals were able to file bogus unemployment claims in dozens of states.

Rufai allegedly employed a feature of Gmail, Googles free email service, that let him use a single email account to file multiple unemployment claims in Washington and elsewhere using stolen Social Security numbers and other personal data.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP)  Planned Parenthood and Missouri Right to Life on Thursday told a state Senate panel that legislation seeking to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood would in effect be useless.

Both groups testified against the legislation in an odd moment of unity during a special session over a critical Medicaid funding tax.

Angie Postal, the vice president of education policy and community engagement for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, said its clinics already don't get any funding through the state's family planning services program for uninsured women, which is what the pending bills seek to ban.

You just heard from Planned Parenthood that language... that would prevent our public tax dollars from going to pay for abortion, is useless," Missouri Right to Life Executive Director Susan Klein said.

Klein said lawmakers need to find another way to ban state funding for Planned Parenthood.

Anti-abortion lawmakers this year tried to end funding for Planned Parenthood by adding the ban to a must-pass tax that brings in a critical chunk of Medicaid funding. Disagreement over doing so derailed efforts to renew the tax during lawmakers' regular session, which ended last month.
Roger Clark recalled one of the first conversations he had with Tilousi, who asked Clark why he should trust him as a conservationist. Clark acknowledged that Tilousi had no reason to trust him as an outsider but said he cared about the Grand Canyon and could learn a lot from Tilousis connection to the land.

He smiled and said, OK, Roger Ramjet, Clark said, referencing a classic cartoon character who was out to save the world.

That really started our relationship in a humorous, compassionate and respectful way, and it got richer, from my point of view, from then on, Clark said.

On the Havasupai reservation, Tilousi hunted, rode horses and shared Havasupai stories and culture that he had to learn later in life. Hirst said many tribal stories were passed down during the winter when children, including Tilousi, were away at boarding school.

It was hard for him, Hirst said. So he became determined to do that  he learned old songs.

Tilousi graduated from Phoenix Indian School in 1967. He later attended Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence, Kansas.

Tilousi and his wife, Rosella Sinyella Tilousi, had two daughters and four grandchildren. Tilousi and his wife, who died last year, will be buried alongside each other and near other Havasupai tribal members at the cemetery within Grand Canyon National Park.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
Pences appearance Thursday in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 800 at the hilltop library was his latest in recent months as Pence considers a White House bid. He took a brief pause from the public stage after leaving office in January, but he kicked off a series of appearances in April in early-voting states, looking to sharpen his conservative profile for voters more familiar with him standing in Trumps shadow.

Earlier this month in New Hampshire, Pence defended the Trump administration record but also appeared to put some distance between himself and the former president, saying, I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Last week, Pence was booed and jeered during a speech at the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalitions annual Road To Majority conference in Florida  a reflection of lingering resentments in some wings of the party over what they see as a lack of loyalty from the former vice president.

Pence entered Thursday to a standing ovation, but there were mixed views about whether he would be a good choice on the presidential ticket in 2024.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in South Dakota:
WATERLOO, Iowa  A lawsuit brought by relatives of two Tyson workers in Waterloo and Independence who died days apart of COVID-19 has been transferred to federal court.

Its a move that hasnt worked for other coronavirus lawsuits against the meatpacking giant.

Family members of Jeffrey Orvis and Arthur Scott, both of Waterloo, filed suit against Tyson Fresh Meats, Tyson Pet Products and a list of plant officials and supervisors in Black Hawk County District Court in April 2021, alleging the company ignored warnings about the coronavirus pandemic and didnt take the necessary steps to protect its workers.

On Monday, the suit was transferred to U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids at the request of the defense claiming the allegations involve actions the company took at the direction of federal officers -- former President Donald Trump, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Agriculture.

Orivs, 65, had worked at the Waterloo plant and died April 19, 2020. Scott, 51, was employed at the Independence facility and died on April 23, 2020.
MOSCOW (AP)  The Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea.
Long story short, Iowa Democrats are going to need four or five strong candidates --- and most of them will be challengers facing incumbents --- including in two statewide races if they are next year 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 all 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 well-spoken and passionate legislator, particularly on issues of racial and social justice, and education.

It is extremely likely the Democratic primary for governor will be competitive. Axne, for example, is considering a run for governor, and would be a formidable candidate. She has won twice in the very competitive and politically balanced 3rd District.
When I saw Thursday morning that a condominium building had partially collapsed near Miami Beach, the first question I had wasnt if anyone had died (that was second), but to wonder why the building had collapsed in the first place. Really, it was to wonder if a building collapsing in Miami would be investigated as a potentially climate changerelated disaster.

The on-the-ground details have only become more horrific as time has passed. At least four people are dead and as many as 159 are still not accounted for. First responders continue to search the rubble of the Champlain Towers South. Charles W. Burkett, the mayor of Surfside, the community where the 12-story building is located, told CNN on Thursday morning, This is a horrific catastrophe. In the United States, buildings just dont fall down. That had certainly been my impression as well.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

There was construction happening on top of the building when it began crashing down, and it had just begun being inspected as part of an every-40-years certification process. Officials say they dont know yet if either factor had something to do with it. But I cant help but return to the maps of the buildings location: While the Champlain Towers South wasnt immediately on the coast, it sat on a thin barrier island flanked by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Biscayne Bay on the other.

While authorities are understandably trying to frame Thursdays collapse as a unique and freak accident, a few options have been raised about what possibly went wrong. Peter Dyga, president and CEO of a Florida chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, told the Miami Herald that investigators would be looking into numerous factors, including the buildings architectural plans, construction materials, and maintenance records. This is going to be probably multiple years in trying to figure out what happened here. There are so many variables, he told the Herald. Its probably more than likely going to be a combination of bad things. Burkett told a local TV news station that he couldnt imagine any reason for the tragedy other than if a sinkhole occurred or someone pulled the supports out of the building. The vice president of a construction company explained to another local news station why Florida is a particularly difficult place to buildif steel gets exposed to salt or chlorides, it can corrode; if soil subsides, it can affect the foundation and overall structure of a building.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Pretty soon, however, news stories started to assess possible connections between climate change and the collapse. The Washington Post reports that experts on sea level rise and climate change caution that it is too soon to speculate if rising seas helped destabilize the oceanfront condo, and then goes on to explain all of the things we already do know that feel quite relevant: Miami is particularly vulnerable to sea-level risesome estimates in Miami suggest its seen a foot of rise in the past century, half of that coming since the 1990sand sea-level rise in limestone is a particularly worrisome combination (because the water goes through instead of being held back, which can exacerbate corrosion). The Palm Beach Post sorts through the same issues, with various experts weighing in from various directions about the most likely culprits. Some think sea level rise and its corrosive effects might have played a role, others are more inclined to suggest it was the crane on the roof that might have been a bigger factor. The experts largely dismiss sinkholes as a possible cause because theyre less prevalent in the immediate area, though for what its worth, a paper published in the Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences in 2018 looked specifically at climate changes effect on sinkholes in Florida and concluded that for every 0.1C rise in global temperature, the number of sinkholes increases by 1%3%.

Advertisement

Advertisement

I certainly dont have any special information that investigators on the ground in Surfside dont have about why the Champlain Towers South collapsed. Maybe it had something to do with a sinkhole or corrosion and maybe that sinkhole or corrosion had something to do with climate change, or maybe it didnt. Maybe its decisive cause was some as-yet-unidentified flaw in the building. But reading about how climate change might exacerbate some of the very factors we might otherwise chalk up to structural integrity made me think that in the same way extreme weather has caused us to rethink our ideas about 100-year floods, it may be time to rethink the timelines for building reinspections when those buildings sit on particularly climate-sensitive land. It brought to mind a passage from Sarah Millers disturbing and precise piece in Popula about the future of Miamis inevitably doomed real estate, Heaven or High Water:

Advertisement

Since Miami is built on limestone, which soaks up water like a sponge, walls are not very useful. In Miami, sea water will just go under a wall, like a salty ghost. It will come up through the pipes and seep up around the manholes. It will soak into the sand and find its way into caves and get under the water table and push the ground water up. So while walls might keep the clogs of Holland dry, they cannot offer similar protection to the stilettos of Miami Beach.

Advertisement

All of this feels related to another conversation that is going on right now, but which has also plagued us for years and years: How much do we really need to know about precise lines of cause and effect to be able to say that the way that we are living on this planet is having catastrophic effects? This question is relevant at the moment because much of the American West is experiencing extreme high temperatures and drought, both of which are exacerbated and made worse by climate change. Wildfires this year are already extreme and expected to get worse, also because of climate change.

Advertisement

Yet many journalists are still reluctant to point out the connection between these extreme events and climate change, maybe not so much to downplay the crisis but more out of a desire to respect expertise and to make sure theyre really getting things right. Emily Atkin, who writes the fantastic climate crisisfocused newsletter Heated, wrote about this phenomenon earlier this week, citing a conversation shed had in 2018 with an NPR editor who emphasized the importance of talking to climate scientists before making a connection to climate change in their reporting. In the case of, say, heat waves, this is a pretty cautious approach, but the thing that gets me the most about it is just how much we get hung up on nailing these exact lines of causation in the first place. If the point is that heat waves and hurricanes and wildfires and flooding will be made worse by climate changeand any climate scientist will tell you that, any day of the weekdoes it really matter if it affected this one? A major issue here is the way that science and journalism move at profoundly opposing paces, a lesson we all should have learned during this pandemic if nothing else. When I wrote about Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma back in 2017, a scientist I interviewed told me that it would likely take a year before research could say if Irmaa hurricane primarily distinguished by its strength as opposed to its precipitationwas exacerbated by climate change. Thats the same range of timeline were looking at with the building collapse.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

What has happened this week in Florida is horrifying, and in reading much of the coverage about it, there is a sense from local officials that they are doing their absolute best to make sure that people dont feel panickedthat residents dont feel they have to abandon their homes right now. And ultimately, thats why journalists are so cautious about cause and effecttelling people what to worry about and to what degree is an enormous responsibility. No one wants to get it wrong. We dont want to scare people for no reason. And maybe well find out that there was something else dramatically wrong with the building, and it didnt collapse because of climate change after all. But I think we know enough right now to say that there is a material and physical crisis facing buildings in Miami. We know that we should feel more urgency to do something about the problem facing the people who live there.

Advertisement

Ultimately, what upsets me most about the collapse is the immediate death, the count of which is sure to grow. But I also am disturbed that my brain wrapped around this horrific event by jumping a few steps further into the future, into a world where building collapses are just another thing that journalists cautiously acknowledge as catastrophes that might be exacerbated by climate change, but we end up just dealing with them, just like we have learned to deal with the heat waves and the fires and the droughts and the hurricanes. The water is already boiling. Were just getting more accustomed to treating the burns.
Britney Spears, who has lived under a conservatorship that controls her finances and personal affairs for more than a decade, spoke out publicly on Wednesday for the first time about the daily humiliations and abuses she said she experienced under the arrangement. At a court appearance, Spears, who has continued to produce music and perform, spoke bitterly of a life that she did not feel was hers: one in which she could not see friends without permission and was forced to perform against her will. She spoke of living on a limited stipend, despite being worth some $60 million, and of being unable to stain her kitchen cabinets. She claimed that she had been forced to undergo psychiatric evaluations, as well as rehab and drug tests. Most disturbingly, she said she was not allowed to have her IUD removed in order to have children. I want to be able to get married and have a baby, she said. I was told right now in the conservatorship I am not able to get married and have a baby.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Spears father, who serves as her conservatorknown as a guardian in other stateshas maintained that the arrangement is in her best interest, based on her occasional drug use and other alleged factors that have not been disclosed. But Spears, who has said she did not know until recently that she could petition to end the conservatorship, has accused her father of being abusive and overly controlling. Spears obvious distress launched the #FreeBritney movement, which drew wider attention to her situation and led fans from all over to gather at the courthouse to express their support.

To get a sense of just how typical Spears case really is, Slate spoke with David English, a professor of law at the University of Missouri who specializes in guardianship law. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Advertisement

Slate: Could you describe a typical conservatorship case?

David English: What is unusual about this case is that Britney Spears is in no way the typical individual. The typical individual for a guardian or conservator is an elderly person with dementia who is declining and is no longer mentally capable of making decisions for themselves. Or the second common category is an individual with a severe developmental or intellectual disability. A third category where we sometimes see conservatorships are individuals with schizophrenia, which is disabling. So she is not the typical person at all.

Advertisement

How does the court typically establish that someone is a good fit for a conservatorship?

The court is not supposed to appoint a conservator unless she lacks capacity to make her own decisions and unless there are no alternatives. Obviously, I dont know her. But I dont see how she lacks capacity, based, at least, on informal observation. In a typical case, the patient no longer has capacity to direct their funds to be used to pay the nursing home bill. For developmentally disabled adults, its often the school district: The child reaches age 18, and the school district is concerned that the child cannot make decisions for themselves. And so they request the appointment of a guardian, who is typically a parent, to act.

Advertisement

Spears has made it clear she is miserable and that she doesnt trust her father. What do you think will happen from here?

There are two avenues. One is to petition to terminate the conservatorship, and the other is to request a different conservator. My understanding is the judge suggested that she file a petition to terminate a conservatorship. And that could be by her [court-appointed] attorney, but shes in a position, I think, to hire her own attorney. With terminating, it really comes down to: Does she still need a conservator? If this appointment was made in a crisis situation, there may have been a need for intervention at the time the crisis occurred. If that crisis has passed, does she still lack capacity? Thats ultimately the question.

Advertisement

Advertisement

How does she establish that she has decision-making capacity?

You get a doctors report. I would recommend in this case that there be a psychological assessment. Thats not a psychological assessment of mental illnessits just the ability to function on a daily basis. And you present that to the court. I dont have the legal standard in California in front of me, but there is a standard test of capacity. And I have a question in my mind whether she met that test. Or, if she may have met that test then, that doesnt mean shes incapacitated currently.

Is there more or less a universal standard of what being capable is?

It varies a little bit state to state, but essentially what it comes down to is your ability to make decisions with respect to daily activities of living.

Advertisement

Her lawyer did not advise her to speak publicly. She insisted on that herself. Do you think it was a good idea for her to speak out like she did?

I think that allows the court to see the individual, and the court to make its own assessment of capacity. There may be reasons here it wasnt a good idea, but as a general matter, I think its a good idea.

Advertisement

There are a few really startling details in this, but the most upsetting one is that she wasnt allowed to have her IUD taken out. Is it normal for such an arrangement to extend to reproductive issues?

Thats certainly not a normal thing for an adult who appears to have capacity. Someone who might have a severe developmental disability, whos vulnerablethat might be a different issue. And we only think about that if there is a specific court order authorizing it. But yes, we were surprised, and we are trying to track down if theres a Missouri law on that subject. Its beyond the normal conservators decisions. Theres a constitutional dimension to this, in controlling someones reproductive freedom.

Advertisement

She also talked of very small things that she had no control over, such as whether she could hang out with a friend. Is that normal?

For some conservators, yes. For many, no. But based on what she said, thats not a usual case.

Are there other ways the conservatorship varies, other than by the individual guardian?

She has a full conservator, meaning the conservator has all power. Theres also a limited conservatorship, where the conservator would only have some powers. When youre dealing with wealthy individuals, sometimes the way that breaks down is that the individual retains the ability to make certain decisions, but other decisions, such as managing her bookings or licenses and so on, would be held by the conservator. So thats another issue: Even if conservatorship is appropriate, why was it a full conservator and not a limited conservator?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Shes been working all through this conservatorship. Is that common?

Usually theyre not working. They might have inherited family money. And so the conservator is managing the family inheritance.

Is it correct to assume, then, that if you are working, thats an indication that you are capable enough?

Yes. Youre able to engage in the activities of daily living. We all have the right to make foolish decisions now and then. Otherwise, we should all have conservators. So I dont know if shes mismanaged money or what, but shes got the money, so it doesnt matter. Its her money.

At court, she did say that she wanted to sue her family. Is that something she could actually do?

Advertisement

Shed have to demonstrate some kind of intentional harm against her, or negligence. And, of course, the court-appointed conservators actions up to now were approved, so I think that would be difficult for her to do.

When it comes to people who have significant wealth, are there any specific provisions in place? What happens when the person is wealthy?

Usually theyre older, and they plan in advance for possible incapacity. So they have their assets in a trust, and they sign a power of attorney for someone to step in if they cant make decisions. One of the things a court is supposed to consider is if there are any alternatives before appointing a conservator. And so among the very wealthy, conservatorships are not all that common, because usually the person has planned in advance. So shes unusual. I mean, she was in her late 20s when this happened.

Advertisement

Advertisement

What could she have done to avoid this situation?

Its hard to get people to do estate planning when theyre 75, much less 25. But probably the best thing for her to have done would be to put her assets in a trust and have signed power of attorney in advance to somebody you can trust. For some individuals, family members are the worst choice. But in a conservatorship, it ends up being the court that decides.

Is it common to have cases like these where the person claims the arrangement is abused?

It happens. If you were to speak to protection and advocacy agencies, they could give you stories about individuals with developmental disabilities. If you speak to an ombudsman at a nursing home, they could give you stories about nursing home patients whose lives are controlled in great respect by the guardian or conservator.

Advertisement

What are advocates pushing for to protect against abuse?

Their major issue is the courts need to pay more attention to the issue. And probably better funding at the court level. We can modernize the law and improve protections, but then theres often a gap between the law and reality. And conservatorships are often appointed when they really arent necessary. Or maybe they didnt look closely enough at alternatives, or didnt take the position that conservatorship should be a last resort. And thats one of the concerns I have here. Was this the only option? Was it a temporary crisis for which a permanent solution was used?

Advertisement

You would think that someone famous and well-connected could avoid abuse. Is it harder for people who dont have her kind of resources?

Advertisement

Weve had discussions in Missouri about this. You do have cases where perhaps the original conservatorship appointment was appropriate, but the person recoveredpeople with brain injuries, for example. Yes, the law gives the individual the right to petition to terminate the conservatorship. But unless the conservator agrees to go along, its a real challenge. They dont have control over their own buying. They dont have funds to hire an attorney. Say youre in a facility, or in rural Missouri. Where do you find an attorney? It does require an attorney. So, as a practical matter, its almost impossible for some people to file a petition.

Do you have any final thoughts on Spears situation?

This case goes back almost 10 years. I was surprised by the original appointment. I couldnt understand why it was made. That was 10 years ago. And Im surprised today why its still in force.
How can we understand the ease with which Juneteenth became a federal holiday, without much resistance from the ever-obstructing GOP? In a recent essay in Harpers, Matt Karp, a historian of slavery, diagnoses a few critical recent shifts in the political uses of history. Among these shifts Karp sees a withdrawal, on the right, from the Lost Cause. American conservatives, traditionally attracted to history as an exercise in patrimonial devotion, have in the time of Trump abandoned many of their older pieties, instead oscillating between incoherence and outright nihilism, Karp writes.

Advertisement

Good news, right? Not really. Karp argues that even as they pull back from using pro-Confederate rhetoric, Republican politicians are claiming the 19th century history of emancipation, seeing it as a good way to beef up their politics of nationalism. This is a move he argues liberals are ill-equipped to counter with their own vision of history.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Karp and I spoke recently about the fights over critical race theory and the 1619 Project and why he thinks the left should reclaim abolition and emancipation as a specifically progressive historical legacy. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Rebecca Onion: What are your strongest points of argument for this idea that the Lost Cause is losing its political force on the right?

Advertisement

Matt Karp: In the essay, I make a simple comparison between how these politics have played out in 2020 or 2021 as opposed to 20 years ago, when, in the Bush administration, you had a number of Cabinet appointees who had controversies floating over their heads about their outright unambiguous statements of praise for the Confederacy. John Ashcroft, Gale NortonBush himself had essentially defended flying the Confederate flag at the South Carolina Capitol, on states rights grounds. These were not seen as radical outsiders seizing the mantle of the state. This was part of the natural order of things for the conservative wing of the Republican Party, to have these kinds of associations. Of course it made people mad, it wasnt uncontested. Liberals tried to use it to paint John Ashcroft as beyond the pale. But Confederate iconography and historical memory of the war was something that was present in elite media and national politicsthere was nothing like a unanimous need to condemn it.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Whereas now, if you look at the spasmodic invocations of the Confederacy that have popped up in Trump-land, they received enormous and rightly critical hostile coverage. But the amount of weight they seemed to carry in policy or politics has radically diminished. In fact, the Trump administration saw a massive retreat: In the last military bill, which Trump vetoed, but the Republican Party passed anyway, there was a provision to remove all the Confederate names from every military base. There was another bill to remove all the Confederate statues from Congress that garnered a huge chunk of Republican support!

Look at the history wars over teaching. The previous big kerfuffle about this was in the 1990s, in the Clinton administration, when you had Lynne Cheney leading the fight on the right against Clintons new national history standards, which had been compiled by a bunch of left-leaning professors. She was openly saying, We need to teach Robert E. Lee in the schools, we need to treat Robert E. Lee fairly, put him alongside the other great white men, and so on. And the whole context of the debate admitted the Confederacy as a thing we need to hold onto, part of our heritage.

Advertisement

Advertisement

And if you look at todays debate on critical race theory, none of these state legislators seem to be demanding that we teach the Civil War as a tragic tale of accidental conflict between brothers. If anything, the Texas Republican Party was tweeting about Juneteenth! Sharing links about how the Republican Party freed the slaves. This is huge. A huge difference from how they would have treated any of these issues 30 years ago.

Its ahistorical to pretend like there hasnt been a massive movement in the discourse, at least among elected officials, at the media level, and in legislation. I dont have a clear sense of popular spirit around the issueIm not talking about polls and Im not saying there arent deep and broad pockets of pro-Confederate sympathy that exist. But institutionallyto me, the support is weaker.

Advertisement

Funny you should say thatI just listened to an episode of the podcast Time to Say Goodbye where they discuss your essay, and one of the hosts was saying that she read it, then drove on a highway in Oregon past a monument to Jefferson Davis. I think she was implying that she wasnt so sure this part of your argument held. But it strikes me that if Republican legislators are voting for Juneteenth as a federal holiday, they might see something has changed among their voters, that we dont see.

Advertisement

Exactly. I would trust a member of Congress to understand the pulse of his or her base in their districts. Theyre like, Where is our bread buttered? Right now the live front here is with this critical race theory stuff. Theyre going to the wall with this, clearly. But theyre not including Lost Cause politics, not insisting on memorialization, not doing the old the South will rise again! Strom Thurmond stuff.

Advertisement

I want to make it clear that Im not feeling triumphalist about this. David Blight writes about the reconciliation trope becoming sort of the dominant mode of remembering the Civil War through the 20th century. This was the kind of Civil War memory that you see in Ken Burns famous documentarythe aged men in gray and men in blue, shaking hands at Gettysburg over the stone wall, in 1915.

This vote for Juneteenth is a real victory for another category of memory Blight identified, which is the emancipationist kind. Juneteenth is really our first Civil War holiday. We have Memorial Day for all the wars, but this is the first specific historical holiday for the Civil War. And it commemorates emancipation! Its long overdue, of coursethough it cant address the real roots of inequality today, and I agree with all the left critiques on that. But if youre just talking about the symbolism of it, the federal holiday is a defeat for reconciliation as mode of memory, and a triumph for emancipation.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

The rights support for Juneteenth signifies that they are investing more energy in claiming credit for emancipation. Rather than downplaying or diminishing or cynically undermining, decentering the importance of slavery altogether, theyre saying, Yes, it was terribleand we fixed it.

It gave me a chill to read your piece and realize how this connects to Dinesh DSouzas ridiculous argument that the Democratic Party of today is the same party that enslaved people and created the KKK, while the Republican Party is the party of liberation. This idea is so ahistorical and preposterousobviously, Democrats and Republicans are not the same as they were in the 19th centurythat I always perceived it as so marginal as to be not even worthy of contention. But here we are, with not the specifics of it but the general idea seeping out into the mainstream.

Advertisement

Its fascinating the extent to which DSouza and Dennis Prager and these other people that push this do accept the story of emancipation. The substance of the story thats being taught, that liberals want to teach, thats being taught in most places nowthey accept the story, and they just switch the white hat, switch out the labels on the uniforms.

Advertisement

This fuses with a nationalistic politics. I think the retreat from the Lost Cause has also meant a kind of raising of new citadels around the idea of the nation. People on the right seem to be sort of sacrificing the Confederacy, to some extent, because it doesnt do the work they want it to do. What does work is laying claim to the nation at the heart of the idea of America. Not in the old-school the founders were geniuses and set aside universal freedom from everyone Lynne Cheney kind of a way, but in a new school way that just says, America, fuck yes!

Advertisement

This is a different thing from the regionalism of the Lost Cause. I think its interesting that this nationalism has in many cases not even taken the point of view of reconciliation, but is deeply invested in unionist symbols. Tucker Carlson had a whole segment defending Ulysses S. Grant. Its a rally point for them right nowthe idea theyre going after Grant and Lincoln. Its like how, in previous years, they kind of laid claim to a certain version of Martin Luther King. Theyre not interested in tying themselves to the mast of the Confederacy. Theyre claiming everything else for themselves.

Advertisement

I think youre onto something here. The conversations around anti-CRT bills emphasize the rights desire to have kids coming out of class feeling positive emotions about the United States. The Lost Cause and the Civil War dont really fit. Theres defeat and tragedy there.

Advertisement

Right! The MAGA energy is about winning and feeling good. And in that sense, the Union victory is something to feel good about.

I honestly think Donald Trump sometimes talked about the war because hes just an older guy who watched Ken Burns once, or Gettysburg or Gods and Generals, one of the 1990s reconciliation-themed moviesand as you remember, he used to love to tell us about things he watched on TV. So he would sprinkle some of these things into his speeches where he would talk about how Lee was a great general, and it got picked up by the press like he was setting up a Lost Cause shrine in the White House. But if you look at some of these younger guys, Stephen Miller, Tucker Carlson, Christopher Rufo, whoever these ideologists are, as far as I can tell theyre not really interested in this sentimentalism over the Confederacy. They would much rather play the strong card: Americas great because we destroyed slavery.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Right! This reminds me of the memes right-wingers will make to denigrate millennials and zoomers, where they juxtapose pictures of soldiers leaving the landing craft at D-Day with images of young Americans doing something they think of as soft, like watching Netflix or whatever. They want to remember the part where we did a big, gigantic thing, not the failure of the Confederacy.

Right! Like: We beat them. We beat Nazism, we beat communism, we beat slavery.

Previous generations of people involved in left-wing politicsEugene Debs, the American Communist Party in the 1930s, which used Lincoln on its posterslaid claim to the legacy of emancipation and the Civil War as a progressive or left-wing triumph. And I think a retreat from that has opened up space, in a sense, for the right to take it and make it a national triumph rather than a victory for social justice.

Advertisement

In my essay, I wrote about the 1619 Project and argued that the emphasis in that project isnt really on change and transformation and progress, but rather on the continuity of oppression. The way the history spins and spins, but doesnt move. I dont want to homogenize or oversimplify things, because I think within centrist liberalism there are many currents, and its not the case exactly that the Obama-ish vision of the arc of the moral universe bending toward justice is completely gone, the way it feels when reading the 1619 Project. Im sure Joe Biden hits those notes. I think with a lot of liberal voters over 50, that idea that we are doing two steps forward, one step back toward progress still resonates. But for younger people, the 1619 Projects vision of history as continuity has gotten stronger. History as a weight, rather than a place to witness progress, to draw on to use to aspire to future progress.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

I dont think you need to draw on the image of the past as an uninterrupted series of progressive victories to inspire future politics. I dont think you need to believe in the teleological movement of history. But I think the alternative thats on offer right nowthe biblical and biological metaphors of original sin and Americas DNA to be found in the 1619 Projectdoesnt really present any sort of political roads forward, or a way to contest what the right is doing.

I dont want to say the right has completely laid claim to Lincoln. I dont think were there yetI hope were not there! But its not impossible to imagine getting to a place like that, given where things are moving now. And so, I think its part of our job in this moment to imagine what a progressive view of history would look like thats not dependent on teleology, but also isnt totally captive to continuity and origins. And its not easy. But we have to believe we can.
Earlier this week, Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at the University of Saskatchewan, got a booster shot of the coronavirus vaccine. Previously, shed received a dose of the single-shot vaccine produced by Johnson & Johnson. But she was watching the delta variant spread in the U.K.and knew a single-dose vaccine wasnt as effective against the coronavirus as it could be. So she topped up her protection with a dose from Pfizer.

I just decided that it was a good idea for me to get a boost, she explained. We know that at least two doses of an adenovirus vector vaccine and an mRNA vaccine provide protection equivalent to having two mRNA vaccines. So, it was really just to be safe, [and] protect the community around me.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

On Tuesday, White House Chief Medical Adviser Anthony Fauci said the delta variant of COVID-19 is the greatest threat to national attempts to control the pandemic. A week prior, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the variant as being one of concern due to heightened transmissibility and more severe disease should someone contract that mutation of the virus.

Boosters for the COVID-19 vaccines may be necessary for everyone within the next year, according to the Food and Drug Administrations director of biologics, Peter Marks. But some experts are arguing that recipients of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson should receive a booster in the form of a dose of Pfizer or Modernasooner rather than later.* While theres no such guidance in the U.S., Canada already recommends it for recipients of the AstraZeneca vaccine. (Though Rasmussen originally got the J&J, she figured getting the mRNA was a fair extrapolation since J&J is also a viral vector vaccine.)

Advertisement

To be clear, all of the three vaccines approved in the States, including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, offer valuable protection against the coronavirus variants, including delta. Michael Lin, a professor of bioengineering and neurobiology at Stanford University, estimates that the efficacy of J&J against the delta variant is in the ballpark of 64 percent against symptomatic disease and 82 percent against severe disease. The effectiveness has not been studied directly; Lin points to the similarity of another variantbetathat has. The J&J vaccine can also be compared to the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is based on the same adenovirus technology.*

Advertisement

With the delta variant, studies out of Britain show that one shot of either the [AstraZeneca] or an mRNA vaccine offers relatively low protection, and the second shot is critical, explained Paul Sax, an infectious disease doctor, over email. There are good data that an mRNA vaccine after the AZ vaccine boosts measurable responsesso boosting does appear to work, he added.

Advertisement

Some experts emphasize that the most important thing to do to protect against the delta variant is simply to get vaccinated. As infectious disease researcher Monica Gandhi explained on Slates What Next, if we could get everyone the vaccine, we wouldnt be in any situation where anyone had to diethat is, from the delta variant or any variant of the coronavirus.* How well a vaccine is able to protect you is based not just on which vaccine you got, but also the overall vaccination rates in your area. If you were in a community that has high overall vaccination and you have J&J, you really dont have much to worry about because in that community, you will not only be protected by your J&J vaccine, youll be protected by the high level of vaccination in your entire community around you, said Rasmussen. And thats what people really should think about before they start getting too worried about whether or not J&J protects against delta.

Advertisement

Advertisement

But a significant portion of Americans is not vaccinated. In this context, getting a booster to make yourself as safe as possible might just make sense. If we can do better than 60 percent [efficacy] and we can do it at essentially zero cost, we should, says Lin, noting that 60 percent protection would still mean that a large chunk of folks who are vaccinated with J&J would experience symptomatic COVID. And itll give you a really good bang for buck if you could give a boost to those people who are 60 percent protected and bring them to 90 percent. Thats easily done with the RNA boosters since we have all these spare RNA doses sitting around.

Advertisement

Lin also stressed that any projections as to protection offered by J&J against the delta variant are, currently, just educated guesses. We dont know yet. And it seems thats not an assumption you really want to rely on in terms of protecting against the worst-case scenariothat is, a surge in cases driven by the delta variant.

The CDC and the FDA have yet to issue advice on using an mRNA vaccine as a second shot for those who received J&J as their first dose. All the researchers and physicians who spoke with Slate emphasized the importance of speaking with a doctor before steering away from the recommended guidelineseven though they think a second shot would be beneficial themselves.

Advertisement

Its very reasonable for people to worry about the effectiveness of the J&J vaccine with delta [becoming] the dominant variant, and to consider boosting, wrote Sax via email. It may not be at a sufficient level of evidence to change national guidelines, but its a conversation those who have received this vaccine can appropriately have with their doctors.

On Twitter, Lin urged the CDC to go ahead and provide formal guidance on second doses for those who received the J&J vaccine to help prevent a surge from happening:

The 40% expected breakthrough in J&J recipients exposed to Delta is a big contrast to the 12% expected for RNA recipients. And recall J&J recipients can and should be going about their daily business the same as RNA recipients, e.g. dining in restaurantshttps://t.co/ns2kdXLzTn  Michael Lin, PhD-MD (@michaelzlin) June 21, 2021

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Why not bump the protection against illness from (and tranmission of) Delta from 60% for J&J recipients to ~90% like the RNA recipients have? This can be easily accomplished with a RNA booster for existing J&J recipients.  Michael Lin, PhD-MD (@michaelzlin) June 21, 2021

National agencies only suggest a medical intervention once it has gone through clinical trials and have data proving its efficacy and safety, says Lin. But in medicine we actually have more leeway beyond the prescribed indicationsthat is, what a drug or shot is approved by regulators to do. Your doctor can prescribe a drug to you for something thats not on the label. Its an off-label use. And its up to the medical judgment of the doctor to do this. We can do this with vaccines as well.
Rescue workers continued through the night scouring the rubble of the collapsed Miami-area condo looking for survivors from the nearly 160 people still unaccounted-for. A portion of the 12-story Champlain Towers came crashing down in the early morning hours Thursday, around 1:30 a.m., shearing off half of the Surfside community complex and pancaking the structure into the ground below. As of Friday morning, four people were confirmed dead. In the immediate aftermath of the collapse, emergency workers were able to rescue at least 35 people from the rubble by midmorning, but as the day wore on, and the extent of the damage became clear, fears grew about the potential death toll.

Advertisement

The building is literally pancaked, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said. That is heartbreaking because it doesnt mean, to me, that we are going to be as successful as we wanted to be in finding people alive.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Video from inside the basement parking garage at the Champlain Towers condo shows firefighters working to find other victims trapped inside the rubble.



LATEST: https://t.co/4qaRzgBCPF

(Video Courtesy: @MiamiDadeFire) pic.twitter.com/lou5MyPPnu  WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) June 24, 2021

Advertisement

Officials said 55 of the 40-year-old buildings units went crashing to the ground in the middle of the night and roughly half of the seaside condo developments 136 units were impacted by the collapse. The collapse, which appeared to affect one leg of the L-shaped tower, tore away walls and ripped open some homes in the still-standing part of the building, the Associated Press reported. Television footage showed beds, tables and chairs inside. Air conditioners hung from some parts of the building, where wires dangled.

JUST IN: 7News has obtained surveillance video of the moment the Champlain Towers South Condo collapsed in Surfside early this morning.



According to a fire official, 35 people were pulled from the collapsed building. Search and rescue efforts ongoing. https://t.co/Ac7KgnJOSO pic.twitter.com/oeczbumRG9  WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) June 24, 2021

Advertisement

Early on, rescuers saved one boy whose fingers wiggled from atop the jumble of concrete and steel as he cried for help and passers-by tried to climb up to get him, the New York Times reports. Specialized equipment was brought in to stabilize the building and assist rescue workers in finding missing persons while friends and family frantically tried to contact unaccounted-for loved ones. The complex was home to a mix of retirees and affluent professionals with young families, including many residents from Latin America and Surfsides Jewish community. As many as 22 South Americans were counted as missing from the collapsenine from Argentina, six from Paraguay, four from Venezuela, and three from Uruguay. The sister and family of the first lady of Paraguay were among the missing.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to the Slatest newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

Structural engineers who observed video of the collapse speculated that the failure of a single column of the structure would have been sufficient to bring the building down. The exact cause of the collapse is not yet known. An attorney for the condo residents association said the building had thorough engineering inspections over the last several months in anticipation of the structures required 40-year recertification. A handful of the complexs two-bedroom condos were on the market at the time of the collapse with asking prices between $600,000 and $700,000. Some roof repairs had been made to the building, but experts said it was unlikely that the repairs would be the cause of the structural failure.

This post has been updated with new information as it became available.
Derek Chauvin, the 45-year-old Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd, has been sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison.

In making the sentence, Judge Peter Cahill gave Chauvin a longer sentence than the 10 to 15 years suggested in the Minnesota sentencing guidelines for defendants with no criminal history. This is based on your abuse of a position of trust and authority, and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd, Cahill said in his short statement.

Advertisement

A jury convicted Chauvin of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter in April. Floyds death in May 2020 sparked a summer of protests that spread across the globe and reshaped the nations discussions about race and law enforcement.

On May 25, 2020, Floyd stopped to buy cigarettes at the convenience store CUP Foods. An employee who believed the $20 bill Floyd used was counterfeit called the police, and Chauvin arrived with three other Minneapolis Police Department officers. The officers forcefully marched Floyd to their police car, and after Floyd objected to the aggressive way he was being treated, he tried to exit the car, claiming he wanted to lie on the ground. Chauvin reacted by pressing his knee on Floyds neck and keeping it there for over nine minutes, even as Floyd pleaded that he could not breathe, even as bystanders shouted at him, and even after Floyd lost consciousness. Floyd was pronounced dead that evening.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Before Chauvins sentencing, several family members testified to the pain the killing left them with. I havent had a real nights sleep because of the nightmares I have watching my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again, Floyds brother Philonise said. My family and I have been given a life sentence. We will never be able to get George back.

The statements opened with a video from Floyds 7-year-old daughter, Gianna. She told the court that she did not think her father was gone in spirit but that she missed him helping her brush her teeth every night. She was asked what she would say to her father today. I miss you and I love you, she said.

Advertisement

Before the hearing, some had wondered whether Chauvin would speak. But after his mother got up to speak to her grief and belief in her sons innocence, Chauvin offered only his condolences to the Floyd family and his hope that they would find peace, but no apology or sign of remorse. Instead, he alluded to the federal charges against him, which he said prevented him from speaking more.

Prosecutors had asked that Chauvin receive 30 years in prison. Chauvins defense had asked for just probation. The maximum permitted by law is 40 years.

Advertisement

Cahill had ruled that there were aggravating factors that allowed him to exceed the standard sentencing guidelines. In particular, he agreed with the prosecution that the cruelty of Chauvins actions and the abuse of his power elevated the case above a typical one. He also noted that Chauvin had committed the crime in front of children.

Advertisement

In a statement before the court, Floyds other brother, Terrence, asked that Chauvin get the same kind of punishment that a Black man would have gotten for such a violent and callous crime. And he asked that Chauvin not become yet another officer to get off easily after killing a Black man. We dont want to see another smack on the wrist, he said. Weve been through that already, my community.

For the last two months, Chauvin, who is being held in a maximum-security prison in Minnesota, has been placed in solitary confinement out of fears for his safety. Shortly before the sentencing on Friday, the judge denied Chauvins motion for a new trial. Chauvin had failed to prove that there had been any misconduct in the trial or any violation of his constitutional rights, the judge said.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The other three officers, who pinned Floyd to the ground as Chauvin knelt on his neck, are also facing criminal charges. Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Their trial will begin in August.

Chauvin and the three other former officers are also still facing federal charges of violating Floyds civil rights. Chauvin was also indicted on charges he had deprived a teenager of his civil rights in a separate incident in 2017. According to the New York Times, Chauvin grabbed the teenager by the throat, hit him in the head with a flashlight, and knelt on his neck.

To understand more about the creative response to the George Floyds murder and the protests that followed, listen to this episode of A Word.
Joe Biden set Kamala Harris up for failure before he even chose her as his running mate. In March 2020, in a presidential debate with Bernie Sandersthen his last opponent standingBiden promised to name a woman as his vice president. (Sanders replied that in all likelihood, hed do the same.) It was a tactless, tokenizing way to make Democratic voters, the vast majority of whom are not white men, feel less icky that their choices had come down to two white men after the most diverse presidential primary in history.

Advertisement

Biden was always going to have to choose a woman; the era of all-male and all-white presidential tickets feels decidedly over for Democrats. Thats for good reasondiverse political teams tend to make better, more inclusive policy. But instead of asking a woman to join his ticket on the basis of her political skills or legislative accomplishmentsand leaving the gender mandate to speculationBiden made sure everyone knew that his selection wouldnt have to beat out the entire field of potential competitors, just the other ladies. He got to look like an ally who valued women, while ensuring his vice president would end up looking like a diversity hire who got a possibly unwarranted leg up because of her gender.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

She was the payoff to a Biden campaign gimmick that relished in her communal identities more than her particular skills.

The likelihood of that narrative taking hold grew during the racial justice uprisings of summer 2020, when Bidens team reportedly scrambled to add more Black women to its vice presidential shortlist. The campaign saw the protest movement as a watershed moment that has made the issue of a black running mate a top consideration, Politico reported, which constrained the choice further. The pool of Black women with national political profiles was small enough that the shortlist ended up elevating the prospects of several candidates once viewed as long shots, according to Politico. Now, Bidens eventual pick would come from an even narrower demographic category, in part because George Floyds murder happened to fall in the window between Bidens nomination and his vice presidential pick.

Advertisement

We all know how this story turned outBiden selected Harris for the job. Now that shes a few months into her historic tenure, Harris has drawn criticism from the left for her alarming rhetoric on immigrationdo not come, she advised potential asylum-seekers in Guatemalaand continuous attacks from the right on just about everything. As Ive read assessments of her first months in office, Ive thought a lot about the unfortunate way she came into the role of vice president. She was the payoff to a Biden campaign gimmick that relished in her communal identities more than her particular skills. As the first woman of color in the role, she was bound to face extra scrutiny. Biden didnt just give her bad-faith critics a head starthe seems to have left his own administration and Harris herself in doubt about what exactly shes there to do now that the campaign is over.

Advertisement

Advertisement

The funny thing is there is no most qualified person for the job when the job is vice president, because there is no standard for what the job should be. The veep has barely any codified responsibilities beyond being a body on the bench in case of presidential incapacitation and a tiebreaker for the Senatea job at which Harris has proved more than proficient. Biden believed, during his running-mate selection process, that he needed Harris more to help him win the White House than to help him govern, reported Edward-Isaac Dovere in the Atlantic. Thats no surprise after all the noise his team made about choosing a Black woman for optics reasons, nor is it an anomaly: Vice presidents are often chosen more for campaign strategy reasons, filling in perceived demographic or geographic gaps on the ticket, than for any sort of policy expertise. (Mike Pence, for instance, was picked in part to soothe any misgivings people of faith had about Donald Trump, though it turned out evangelicals ended up liking Trump himself just fine.)

Advertisement

Harris clearly meets the main requirement for vice presidentshe appears ready to take over the presidency if need be. But the expectations set for Harris exceed those of any previous vice president. Aware that Biden himself was an unexciting settle-for candidate and president, his team centered Harris during his campaign, transition, and inauguration events. That made sensea certain segment of voters passionately adored her, and even more were moved by her history-making ascension to the vice presidency. When I spoke to some of the few people who came to D.C. for Bidens pandemic-limited inauguration, most said they were there to celebrate Trumps defeat and Harris win. Now that the pair is in office, the right has chosen to overemphasize Harris role in the administration, toobecause nothing strikes frothing fear into the heart of the Republican base like a liberal Black woman who likes to laugh. In right-wing media, commentators are slamming Harris for neglecting to hold press conferences, which vice presidents typically do not do. Dovere reported that Harris detractors (including the more genuine ones) interpret her tenure so far as a collection of unconnected set pieces: She visits places, makes an unnewsworthy speech, listens to people on the ground, then disappears, presumably back to Washington, where she has promised to bring their stories. But isnt that exactly what the vice presidency is, and the reason why many politicians dont want the job? Members of both parties want much more from Harris than her job description allows.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Harris herself has sought a higher level of responsibility and influence in her role, in part because she rightly sees it as an opportunity to correct for some of the shortcomings that tanked her presidential campaign. As a relative newcomer to the national stage with explicit aspirations to the office above hers, Harris has to prove herself in a way that Biden never did when he was VP, all while taking greater care to avoid the impression of treading on the presidents toes. Though Biden had run for president before, having served in the Senate for four decades, he wasnt seen as an overambitious striver bent on making his own name at the expense of Barack Obamas. Biden has no personal political ambitions to dilute his loyalty to President Obamas agenda, Republican political adviser Mary Matalin told the Washington Post in June 2009. (This reading suited Republicans, who felt more threatened by Obama than they did Biden.) Harris, by contrast, already has a reputation as a Biden antagonist. She cant afford to be seen stepping out of line.

Advertisement

Which may be why, when questioned about her ideological differences with the president, Harris tends to avoid policy and instead falls back on the main reason she was picked for the job: her personal biography. It doesnt always go smoothly: In a painful interview with 60 Minutes in October, Norah ODonnell asked Harris if shed try to push Biden to the left on policies such as marijuana legalization and Medicare for All. Harris hedged, saying shed simply share with [Biden] my lived experience as it relates to any issue that we confront and give him that perspective. ODonnell pressed her with an accusation from the right: Is that a socialist or progressive perspective? Harris became indignant. No, she said, it is the perspective of a woman who grew up a Black child in America, who was also a prosecutor, who also has a mother who arrived here at the age of 19 from India, who also, you know, likes hip-hop. Like, what do you want to know?

Advertisement

Advertisement

In pre-election interviews like this one, Harris risked selling herself short just by repeating what Bidens team had already told voters: that her value to the ticket was limited to her lived experience. Now that shes in office, Biden risks overcompensating by giving her an overly full plate that happens to include one of the most intractable foreign and domestic policy problems facing the White House: addressing the tide of migrants at the Southern border, in part by resolving the root causes of migration from Latin America. This mission would be arduous for any Democrat, requiring a strong vision, the ability to answer hard questions, and diplomatic aplomb. Biden has made it particularly tricky for a Democrat committed to a humane immigration policy, as the White House continues to detain immigrants, militarize the border, and insist the U.S. cannot handle all the migrants seeking asylum. For Harris, a politician with little to no foreign policy experience who never even completed her first Senate term, and who has a history of wishy-washiness and a defensive posture toward the press, its been a nightmare.

Advertisement

By all measures, Harris centrality to the pomp and circumstance of Bidens electionthe proliferation of exclusive Harris merchandise, the Vogue cover, the viral We did it, Joe phone call, her prominent spot in their victory celebration, her equal footing at transition eventshas not been borne out by her actual influence. Harris has previously suggested that she would support a policy of broad acceptance for asylees and refugees. During her presidential campaign, she told NPR, I disagree with any policy that would turn Americas back on people who are fleeing harm.  And so I would not enforce a law that would reject people and turn them away without giving them a fair and due process to determine if we should give them asylum and refuge.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Yet Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal told Dovere that, when the Biden administration first opted to keep Trumps record-low cap on refugee admissions, then raise it after many criticized the move, it didnt even occur to her to bring her concerns to Harris.

Harris no-win situation evinces the thanklessness of the vice presidency. Veeps often get picked for political reasons, then judged on policy. They must show leadership within the confines of their fealty to a president who is, in some cases, a recent political rival. They get little credit for whatever good they do within their portfolio of responsibilities and are easy scapegoats for whatever goes wrong. The job is famously frustrating. Those who rejoiced at Harris win probably hoped that her tenure would somehow be different, maybe even better, because of the glass ceiling she broke. Instead, because of those elevated expectations and her relative inexperience on a national stage, its looking like it will be worse.

Advertisement

In addition to the general pitfalls of the vice presidency, Harris will have to overcome her own particular weaknesses to get what she wants from the role shes secured. She failed up to the veep slot after a presidential campaign that fell far short of early expectations, and the challenges that hampered her candidacy back thenher tendency to falter when pressed on tough issues, her difficulty reconciling her prosecutor past with her platform on criminal justice reform, her inability to communicate a legible, cohesive political messagewill continue to dog her. She was smart to take over the administrations efforts on voting rights, a high-profile issue that befits her strengths as a civil rights advocate and already has a series of proposals around which her party is almost entirely unified. But Harris cant avoid a familiar conundrum for leaders of color in historically white workplaces: How do you share your knowledge and advocate for the communities you represent without being pigeonholed or reduced to one lone facet of your expertiseespecially when that facet is exactly why you were tapped for the job?

Advertisement

Advertisement

The importance of representation is often understood in aesthetic terms rather than substantive ones. Harris has prompted a few prime examples of this misconception: I think that Vice President Harris herself personifies the need for voting rights to be extended, the Rev. Al Sharpton told the New York Times of Harris leadership on the issue. When shes on the phone or walks into an office, were looking at the reason we need voting rights. But surely, Harris is equipped to make the case for voting rights legislation for reasons other than her mere existence as a Black person. Harris may not be as preternaturally gifted a politician as her rapid rise would suggest, but she has skills that extend far beyond her lived experience. One can imagine the pointed argumentation on view in her grilling of hapless Trump acolytes in Senate hearings (which made her a star) deployed against those seeking to restrict the franchise. While her lived experience may have given her particular expertise on the issue, its what she does with it that will determine her success.

Advertisement

In the first several months of Bidens own vice presidency, reporters marveled at how much hed done in such little time. He visited four countries in the Middle East just before taking office, logged trips to four more in Europe and Latin America in the spring of 2009, and flew to Kosovo, Ukraine, and Georgia soon after. Hed also met privately with the then-presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan to discuss the Taliban. It was immediately clear that Obama was leaning on Biden for his proficiency in foreign policy, which far outpaced Obamas own. Biden was also credited with getting the votes to pass the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Harris could never mirror this performance. Biden doesnt need her foreign policy know-how, and she doesnt have it; nor does she have his long-standing connections in the Senate, which also has 10 more Republicans in it today than it did then. If Biden is expecting Harris to be the same kind of vice president he washe reportedly put Harris on migration diplomacy duty as a show of respect, since Obama had given him the same taskhes going about it all wrong. Harris will bring a different utility to the role, though both she and Biden still seem unsure about what exactly that will be. Harris should figure it out for herself before someone else, possibly one of her critics, establishes it for her. Otherwise, her tenure as vice president will follow the same track as her presidential candidacy: sky-high expectations, mediocre follow-through.
On Thursday, a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators reached a bipartisan infrastructure deal, and President Joe Biden, flanked with grinning senators from both parties, blessed it at a White House ceremony. The celebration over this consummation of a long-sought, rarely realized infrastructure deal lasted all of a few hours. Starting Thursday afternoon, and escalating ever since, Senate Republicans have been complaining that Democrats screwed them.

The casus belli in this case is a pair of lines that Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew in the sand. Pelosi on Thursday said that the House would not vote on the bipartisan infrastructure deal until the Senate had also sent over its legislative twin, a partisan reconciliation bill covering the rest of Democrats tax and spending agenda. That way, progressives could be sure that moderate Democrats in the Senate didnt just quit legislating once they secured their bipartisan deal. Biden offered a second backstop, saying of the bipartisan bill that if this is the only one that comes to me, Im not signing it. Its in tandem with the reconciliation bill.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Republicans lost it.

Less than two hours after publicly commending our colleagues and endorsing the bipartisan agreement, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday, the president took the extraordinary step of threatening to veto it. McConnell accused Biden of caving to the left, and added thats not the way to show youre serious about getting a bipartisan outcome. McConnells deputy in leadership, Minority Whip John Thune, tweeted that Democrat leaders were holding bipartisanship hostage for partisanship. Theres time for them to get this back on track, but the ball is in their court. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the former whip, tweeted that Bidens strategy meant no deal.

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

The feeling is spreading. An angry South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who had been one of the 11 Senate Republicans whod pledged to support the bipartisan infrastructure framework, appeared to withdraw his support. If [Bidens] gonna tie them together, he can forget it! Graham told Politico. Im not doing that. Thats extortion! Im not going to do that. The Dems are being told you cant get your bipartisan work product passed unless you sign on to what the left wants, and Im not playing that game.

Advertisement

Advertisement

To be clear: No one is asking Graham to sign on to a reconciliation bill. That will be a bill that is designed to be hated by people like Graham. But, sure, it would be an awkward position to be in: If a bill Graham wants to kill is killed, he wouldnt get his own bill signed either.

Most Republicans could not have known that, Graham said of Democrats strategy. Theres no way. You look like a fucking idiot now.

For months, Democrats have openly considered the idea of cutting a bipartisan deal with Republicans on traditional hard infrastructure and then pursuing everything else they wantsoft infrastructure, but also their climate agenda, tax increases, and whatever else they try to toss inthrough a party-line reconciliation bill. And for months, Ive been on the lookout for an objection to that strategy from Republicans, on the grounds that it might make them look like chumps: They would be giving Democrats a bipartisan win, only to see Democrats still get whatever else they want in the next phase.

Advertisement

Nonetheless, this objection had been eerily missing.

I think theyre separate, Indiana Sen. Todd Young told reporters on June 14. I of course dont like the fact that what they fail to pass in a bipartisan infrastructure package they can end up ramming through regardless. But at least for those categories in which we can reach agreement, I feel, as a trustee of the taxpayers dollars, a responsibility to try and ensure those investments are made as responsibly and effectively as possible.

Advertisement

They can do that anyway, we cant stop that, South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds said the same day.

So what is it about this Biden-Pelosi announcement that finally turned them? They had known Democrats would pursue a partisan bill in addition to a bipartisan bill all along. Why does the sequencing of votes in the House of Representatives, or Joe Bidens schedule for signing bills, now make them fear looking like, in the parlance of Lindsey Graham, fucking idiots?

Advertisement

Because it wiped out Republicans own strategy to maim the partisan bill.

Agreeing to a bipartisan bill wasnt just Republicans means of securing improved infrastructure for their constituents. It was also their best way of trying to throw a wrench in Democrats partisan plans. Agreeing to some of the most broadly popular items on a bipartisan basisimproved roads, bridges, broadband, and so forthwould make it harder for Democrats to get 50 out of 50 votes for the more polarizing elements that remained.

You can make the argument, I think, that Democrats, if theres a bipartisan deal on the infrastructure pieces, and all thats left is voting for the tax increases and all the social spending, Thune told reporters on June 14, that it would be awful hard to get some of those moderate Democrats to be for that. A bipartisan infrastructure deal would give Biden a bipartisan win he craved, sure. But it would also be Republicans best chance to block the elements of the Democratic agenda that they truly loathe.

Advertisement

Progressives caught onto this, of course, and have been insisting for the last couple of weeks on an ironclad commitment that their priorities wouldnt be left behind. Pelosi, who rarely draws lines shes not prepared to defend, delivered that commitment yesterdaythe bipartisan bill doesnt go through her chamber until the partisan one is also in her handsand Biden backed her up. Republicans are now worried about looking like chumps because this Democratic maneuvering means they now, kinda-sorta, look like chumps.

So where does this go now?

Maybe negotiators can smooth things over, and keep just enough Republicans on board to pass the bipartisan deal. The optics for Republicans of filibustering their own deal because of concerns about vote sequencing arent ideal. And not all Republican negotiators are as mad as Graham. Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, for example, said Thursday that he cannot control what Democrats do and that if I could, they wouldnt be Democrats.

Advertisement

Then, however, there are negotiators like Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran, who is reportedly threatening to jump ship unless Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin pledge to oppose a reconciliation bill entirely.

The bipartisan negotiators are scheduled to talk Friday afternoon.

Despite these frenzied efforts to save the deal, an instance of death-by-McConnell is coming into view. He can claim betrayal and keep the deal from reaching 60 votes. Democratic moderates, who wanted to give bipartisanship a chance, can say that they tried, and agree to pursue the whole deal, including hard infrastructure, through reconciliation. McConnell and Republicans can run against the Biden agenda cleanly in the midterms, having kept their fingerprints entirely off of it. The legend of the elusive bipartisan infrastructure deal can earn another chapter.
On Friday, the Supreme Court pulled off a heist decades in the making. In TransUnion v. Ramirez, five conservative justices seized Congress power to create new individual rights and protect victims by authorizing lawsuits when those rights are violated. Instead, the court awarded itself the power to decide which rights may be vindicated in federal court, overturning Congress own decisions about which harms deserve redress. Justice Brett Kavanaughs opinion for the court was so extreme it prompted Justice Clarence Thomas to write a furious dissent, joined by the liberals, that accused the majority of infidelity to the Constitution. But because of the courts 63 conservative supermajority, Thomas defection from the conservative bloc did not change the outcome. And now, thanks to Fridays decision, a huge number of Americans harmed by a flagrant violation of the law will be locked out of the federal judiciary altogether.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

TransUnion revolves around standing, or an individuals ability to file suit in federal court. The Constitution allows federal courts to hear only cases or controversies, and the Supreme Court has interpreted this language to limit the kinds of disputes that these courts can entertain. Specifically, SCOTUS has held that a person may only sue in federal court if they suffered an injury in fact, also called a concrete harm.

Some concrete harms are obvious: An abridgment of constitutional liberties, for instance, plainly qualifies; so does a physical or financial injury. But what about less traditional harms? Fridays case provides a good example. TransUnion, a credit reporting agency, incorrectly flagged thousands of people as potential terrorists and drug traffickers using an incredibly sloppy and inaccurate system. Some victims were denied credit because TransUnion told businesses they were serious criminals. Others were never actually denied credit, but they still suffered: TransUnion did not tell these individuals that the company had flagged them as serious criminals and declined to provide them with a summary of rights required by law.

Advertisement

Did this second class of victims suffer a concrete harm? Congress certainly thought so. When it passed the Fair Credit Reporting Act in 1970, Congress required credit reporting agencies to follow procedures that would ensure accuracy, send consumers their entire credit report upon request, and inform consumers of their legal rights. Cognizant that the FCRA would not enforce itself, Congress also gave consumers the ability to sue credit reporting agencies that violate the statute, and to collect damages from lawbreakers. In other words, lawmakers declared that a violation of FCRA, in and of itself, was an infringement of rights that could be vindicated in federal court.

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

For many years, conservative justices complained about Congress ability to create new, enforceable rights like these. And for just as long, more moderate justices like Anthony Kennedy rejected their view, preserving lawmakers authority to establish new rights by statute.

Advertisement

On Friday, however, Kavanaugh blew past those precedents, rejecting Kennedys moderation and announcing a new rule: Federal judges, not the peoples representatives, get to decide which rights may be vindicated in the federal judiciary. By extension, only federal judges get to decide what counts as a concrete harm sufficient to create standing. It is not enough for Congress to determine that certain rights deserve remedies in federal court. Instead, according to Kavanaugh, federal judges must second-guess Congress work by deciding which harms are truly concrete. And here, Kavanaugh wrote, this rule requires courts to toss out the claims of 6,332 people who were falsely flagged as criminals, then lied to by TransUnion but never explicitly denied credit because of the companys error.

Advertisement

As Thomas noted in dissent, this conclusion clashes with precedent reaching back to the founding. From the start, federal courts acknowledged that an injury-in-lawthat is, a violation of private rights enshrined in lawestablished standing. And courts did not require plaintiffs who suffered a violation of their private rights to show some other, more concrete injury. This understanding, Thomas wrote, accords proper respect for the power of Congress and other legislatures to define legal rights. In TransUnion, by contrast, the Supreme Court abandoned that respect, stripping Congress of the power to create legal rights enforceable in federal court. Put simply, Kavanaugh shattered the separation of powers in the name of safeguarding them. Or, as Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her own dissent: The court here transforms standing law from a doctrine of judicial modesty into a tool of judicial aggrandizement.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Kavanaughs conclusion clashes with precedent reaching back to the founding.

The consequences of this radical break from precedent will be severe. As Lindsey Barrett, Fritz Family Fellow and adjunct professor of law at Georgetown, told me on Friday, TransUnion may be particularly damaging to victims of privacy and environmental harms, whose injuries can be harder to quantify. (There are plenty of privacy laws like the FCRA that rely on individual victims to enforce their guarantees, including the Wiretap Act.)

Judicial skepticism of privacy rightsand judges using standing to keep those claims outhas been a problem for a long time, Barrett pointed out, and TransUnion will make it worse. The decision will have an especially outsize impact on class action lawsuits, which allow multiple victims to band together and pursue violations of federal law collectively. It could also undermine civil rights enforcement. Many groups hire testers who (for example) apply to rent a home to test compliance with fair housing laws; if they experience discrimination, is that still concrete harm even if they didnt intend to rent the property? And what about civil rights lawsuits that dont involve concrete physical or economic damages, like an illegal search? As UCLA Law professor Andrew Selbst noted, victims of such abuse may no longer have standing to get into federal court.

Advertisement

Advertisement

If there is any silver lining to TransUnion, it is the fact that the Supreme Court did notindeed, cannotprevent state courts from enforcing federal laws like the FCRA. As Thomas wrote, this option renders the courts decision something of a pyrrhic victory for TransUnion and other corporations. It might sound counterintuitive, but state courts have the power to enforce federal laws. And about half the states have adopted a looser view of standing that does recognize violations of the law as redressable harms, without the extra requirement that Kavanaugh imposed on Friday. Victims of corporate malfeasance who get kicked out of federal court under TransUnion can therefore sue in one of these states courts, instead. It will be much less efficient, and may spawn duplicative litigation in different states. And no one should have to run to a random states judiciary to vindicate rights guaranteed to them by Congress. But it should suffice as a workaround.

Advertisement

While Kavanaugh deserves the bulk of the criticism for his disingenuous TransUnion opinion, the decision would not have been possible without Amy Coney Barretts vote. Thomas, to his great credit, adheres to originalism and textualism in many cases that involve class actions (which conservative jurists tend to despise). Unlike his conservative colleagues, he is often willing to adhere to the original meaning of the Constitution in this context, even when his methodology leads to a liberal result. Thomas consistency on standing is especially helpful to class action plaintiffs who can prove that a corporation ran afoul of a federal law that shields their private rights.

Advertisement

Advertisement

If TransUnion had been decided last year, the plaintiffs would have won by a 54 vote. But because Barrett replaced Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, it came down 54 against the plaintiffs. Thats the impact of a 63 conservative majority: One defection is no longer enough. Barrett, Kavanaugh, and their other conservative colleagues were all too happy to craft a freewheeling new rule rooted in the tradition of living constitutionalism. That rule will make big companies like TransUnion very happy, since they have won yet another tool to crush class actions. But it should not please anyone who thinks Congress ought to have a meaningful say in which rights our courts must protect.
U.S. policy in Afghanistan has, for some time now, been a seemingly endless series of lose-lose propositions, and this weeks news of a plan to relocate tens of thousands of Afghan citizens who worked for the American government out of the country in the coming months is no different. On the one hand, the plan is long overdue. Even in the best-case scenario, the U.S. departure will put Afghans who worked as interpreters or in other capacities for American troops in danger of Taliban reprisal. On the other hand, it would be hard to think of a move that shows less confidence in the ability of the Afghan government and its president, Ashraf Ghaniwho was in Washington to meet with President Joe Biden at the White House this weekto hold off the Taliban onslaught. The U.S. has a moral and strategic obligation to prepare for the worst-case scenario, but the preparations may also make it more likely.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to the Slatest Newsletter A daily email update of the stories you need to read right now. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again. Please enable javascript to use form. Email address: Send me updates about Slate special offers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Sign Up Thanks for signing up! You can manage your newsletter subscriptions at any time.

The plan, reported by several outlets Thursday, is to relocate between 20,000 and 100,000 Afghansemployees of the U.S. as well as their familiesout of the country later this summer, ahead of Bidens Sept. 11 deadline for the full withdrawal of U.S. troops. They would likely be brought to a safe third location for processing before coming to the U.S. mainlandthe U.S. territory of Guam is one possibility.

Those who helped us will not be left behind, Biden told reporters on Thursday, saying the process of relocation had already begun. The White House is responding to growing political pressure from Congress and human rights groups on this issue, because of the delays and red tape bogging down the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghans who worked as interpreters or in other capacities for U.S. forces and are in danger of Taliban reprisals as a result. Kemi Giwa, a spokesperson for Rep. Seth Moulton, who has been actively campaigning for the administration to prioritize the evacuations, told me by email that it was too soon to judge the plan, as details had not been released, but named the three things we need to make this commitment real: (1) A detailed operational plan, (2) someone needs to be in charge and (3) we need a guarantee that the mission will continue until its complete.

Advertisement

Advertisement

More than 18,000 individuals as well as their family members are currently working their way through a clearance process that takes a minimum of 600 days, with the U.S. departure less than 80 days away.

I still have optimism that this [new effort] can save some lives, but the haphazard way that this is being rolled out is putting people at risk, says Noah Coburn, an anthropologist at Bennington College who studies Afghanistan and authored a recent report on the SIV program. Its really created a massively chaotic situation because all of a sudden there are all these questions about whether the standards have changed or the numbers have changed.

Coburn notes that the announcement can also be interpreted as a signal that U.S. leaders dont have any faith in the Afghan government to protect its citizens and is not interested in applying the diplomatic pressure and financial pressure that could sustain the Afghan government.

Advertisement

If indeed the Afghans are temporarily relocated to Guam, it would have some historical resonance: Its where most of the roughly 125,000 Vietnamese refugees who came to the U.S. after the fall of Saigon were processed in 1975. Theres something fairly ghoulish about the way that Bidens Republican critics seem to be anticipating him facing a Saigon moment, but its hard to feel optimistic about the Afghan states chances against the Taliban at the moment.

Advertisement

While the government still holds the major cities, the Taliban now fully controls 144 of the countrys 398 districts, according to Long War Journal, up from 75 in April, just before Biden announced the withdrawal. Government forces are rapidly abandoning their positions; on Wednesday 134 Afghan soldiers fled a Taliban attack across the border into Tajikistan, where they have taken refuge. Many Afghan communities are reportedly now forming local militias as national security forces collapse. According to an NBC News report, Taliban commanders have actually been surprised at the pace of their gains and are now purposely slowing down their advance in some places to avoid unnecessarily antagonizing the Americans before they leave.

Advertisement

The Wall Street Journal reported this week that a recent U.S. intelligence community assessment concluded that the Afghan government could collapse as soon as six months after the withdrawal is completed, a revision from the previous estimate of two years.

None of this is likely to slow the pace of the withdrawal, which is already ahead of schedule and nearly half complete. The debate now is to what extent the U.S. will retain a presence in Afghanistan afterward. The AP reported on Friday that about 650 U.S. troops will remain after the withdrawal, but mainly just to provide diplomatic security. While the U.S. has made clear it may still launch over-the-horizon strikes against terrorist targets it deems a threat to the U.S., its a little unclear under what circumstances the U.S. would use airpower to halt a Taliban advance. The Biden administrations recent budget proposal does include $3.3 billion in funding for Afghan security forcesa $300 million increase from last fiscal yearas well as $266 million in humanitarian assistance.

Advertisement

A few months ago, the best hope for the country appeared to be ongoing talks aimed at forging a power-sharing deal between the Taliban and the government. Given the Talibans rapid advance in recent weeks, the group would appear to have little incentive to compromise. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that the U.S. is now looking very hard at whether the Taliban is, at all, serious about a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

While its hard to think of what would slow the Talibans momentum at this point, what the group will actually do if it attains power is less certain. Given its track record from when it ruled the country before 2001, theres good reason to fear reprisals against people who worked with international forces or the Afghan government, massacres against minority groups like the Hazaras, and a reversal of the gains in womens rights over the last 20 years. But some experts also suggest that Taliban leaders dont want to return to the global pariah status they endured during their time in power and will try to reach at least some sort of accommodation with their opponents. The fact that the best hope of forestalling an absolute humanitarian catastrophe in the coming weeks is the Talibans prudence and goodwill is a pretty good indication of where the situation currently stands.
Emily Oster is my C.D.C., reads a tweet last month from NPR White House correspondent and parent Scott Detrow. Its a joke, but its also not, as a recent New York Times profile of Oster observes, citing the tweet and describing her as a lodestar for a certain set of parents.

Oster, an economist at Brown University, is not a medical professional. But she has spent the pandemic doling out advice on her Substack, Parent Data (some issues of which have been reprinted on Slate) as well as writing occasionally for the Atlantic. As the author of books on pregnancy and raising kids, with a robust following on Instagram (at least for an academic), she was well-positioned to be a trusted source for parents in the pandemic. Her advice is data-based and nuanced, often acknowledging that choices come down to personal risk tolerance. Her analysis has been particularly useful in cases where the CDC offered up less-than-helpful black-and-white edicts. For example, in the run-up to Thanksgiving, Oster offered a thoughtful framework for thinking through the risks, suggesting readers look at their own local case counts and plan to quarantine before and after seeing people outside their home. Meanwhile, the CDC (just a week before the holiday!) advised no travel whatsoever (it didnt work). And she was an early proponent of reopening schools, which, though not a universally shared opinion, provided succor to parents driven to extremes by remote learning. But as the Times piece points out at length, Oster gave this advice without an epidemiological background or special insight into realities of public health infrastructure or the concerns of budget-strapped schoolteachers.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Pointing out the limits of Osters expertise is worthwhile, especially since her advice is widely shared and on occasion clashes with that of perhaps more qualified professionals. The Thanksgiving advice echoed how public health professionals were thinking through risks for themselves. But there was considerable backlash to an Atlantic headline, and to a similar headline on a Slate interview with Oster, urging parents to treat their unvaccinated kids like vaccinated grandparents. Indeed, as I have edited pieces about COVID and risk and kids, I have encountered advice that goes against hers. But reading the Times profile left me with another, larger feeling: Its such a perfect encapsulation of the past year that we are even having to joke that a single (very smart) economist is serving as our Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the first place.

Advertisement

Oster is not the only one in this position, and is more qualified than many. As Tim Reuqarth has observed in Slate, there has been an epidemic of armchair epidemiology, with everyone from data scientists to Silicon Valley folks offering their analysis. Weve spent the pandemic relying on people of varying levels of expertisecharismatic people with large followings and a willingness to dispense easy-ish, actionable advicefor help. Part of this is because that is how we always operate: America loves a TV doctor, or really, a TV-anyone who is ready to tell them what to eat and how to live and where to direct steam. Our tendency to follow celebrities (or microcelebrities, or newly minted microlebrities) for health advice would naturally grow all the stronger during a time when we are in desperate need of it, as a novel virus spread across the globe and suddenly basic hygiene felt like a matter of life and death.

Advertisement

Advertisement

It was under these conditions that the official scientific agency established to, among other things, distribute vetted fact sheets during a health emergency appeared to be a little out to lunch. It failed to detect the virus in a timely manner in February, was late to the punch on masks that spring, and took until May 2021 to full-throatedly warn that the virus spreads through the air. From the pandemics earliest days, the agency had been subject to extreme politicization and troubled by what looked, at least from the outside, like pathological clumsiness, wrote Jeneen Interlandi in a sweeping New York Times Magazine article last week on said clumsiness. Interlandi describes an organization of more than 11,000 people that is sprawling in its reach and extremely constrained in what it can do, tasked with issuing guidance on both ongoing and novel circumstances but with a budget that does not accommodate the unexpected. In short, as you have probably observed, it is not very nimble.

Advertisement

Oster is nimble. Her specialty is gazing into the data or lack thereof and explaining what it says. To be clear, she is qualified to do this: Her Harvard economics dissertation focused on an effect of hepatitis B on Chinas population; public health is a central focus of her peer-reviewed publications. She is an experienced researcher with something valuable to contribute who has, in the pandemic, been elevated to a position of some public prominence, along with many other individual academics and doctors (see most notably: Anthony Fauci). But what helps when there are novel circumstances and high stakes is collaborationcollaboration between people with experience dealing with similar-if-very-different problems, like past diseases. What helps is maybe a diverse group of these kinds of people, with the tools to gather more information quickly, housed under the same umbrella organization. What helps to have during the pandemic is  well, something like a well-organized, funded, and agile CDC.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Of course, Oster knows thiswants this, too. I figure there is an off chance that someone at the CDC reads this, she began a May 20 edition of her newsletter, just after the organization announced that vaccinated adults no longer have to mask up. She proceeded to launch into a series of questions about how this affected kids, and what the risk is to, say, a 1-year-old who cannot mask. She noted that she had data-based opinions on these questions, as do others. But she seemed to acknowledge that these were, well, just one womans informed opinions. The fact is that the CDC should have the ability to collate these opinions together, Oster wrote. So please please can we get something here?
Bratislava zoo director has resigned due to her citizenship. Purchase of American jet fighters unjustified. Also read about the annual city festival taking place in Bratislava and take a look at the unusual mammatus clouds above the city.

Font size: A - | A +

Good afternoon. Here is your Friday, June 25 edition of the Today in Slovakia news overview. Catch up on the main news of the day in less than five minutes.

Tornado damaged villages just across the Slovak borders

(Source: SITA)

Extreme weather claimed at least five lives while hundreds were injured in the Czech Republic's region of southern Moravia, just across the border from Slovakia.

Seven villages have suffered massive material damage.

The Czech authorities have mobilised all the available rescue forces to provide relief in the region. Help has also been provided by neighbouring countries, including Slovakia.

Several fundraising campaigns have been set up to help the people in the damaged areas. Donations can be sent, for example, to the account of the Diocesan Charity in Brno, through the Slovak branch of the ADRA non-governmental organisation which coordinates with ADRA CZ, through People in Peril or through the Association of Community Foundations of Slovakia.

Coronavirus and vaccination news

The May death statistics indicate an improvement . This month almost 4,500 people died, the lowest number within the last eight months. Covid-19 dropped to the third leading cause of death. (The Statistics Office)

indicate an . This month almost 4,500 people died, the lowest number within the last eight months. Covid-19 dropped to the third leading cause of death. (The Statistics Office) The number of people waiting for their anti-Covid vaccination in the virtual waiting room decreased. A total of 54,520 people are waiting for their first jab and 259,000 for the second one. (Dennik N)

Check out Spectacular Slovakia for weekend reading tips. This week, Peter Dlhopolec writes about a big weekend celebration of Hont region wine, the Doby Hory (Conquer the Mountains) challenge, an innovative campaign against homophobia, and the Bratislava City Days festival.

Gallery of the day

One of the storms filled the sky with photogenic clouds called mammatus clouds in Bratislava on Thursday, June 24.

Feature story for today

While Stupava is only just 20 kilometres away from the centre of Bratislava, it may take hours for its residents to get to the capital. The congestion is caused by the repairs of a bridge on the D2 highway between Lamac and the Sitina Tunel. This transport restriction, causing troubles not only to commuters but also the carmaker Volkswagen Slovakia, will last until the end of the summer holiday season.

Roads from Zahorie to Bratislava are congested. What are some alternative routes? Read more

In other news

Julia Hanuliakova , who became the new director of the Bratislava Zoo in November 2020, has resigned from her post due to the loss of her Slovak citizenship. Her foreign citizenship formally prevents her from holding her position.

, who became the new director of the in November 2020, has from her post due to the loss of her Slovak citizenship. Her foreign citizenship formally prevents her from holding her position. The prices of public transport tickets in Bratislava will change from July 1. While most of the tickets will increase in price, the year-long ticket will be 25 percent cheaper. At the same time, the 15-minute ticket will be scrapped as well as the 10-percent discount for holders of the Bratislava city card for Bratislava citizens.

will change from July 1. While most of the tickets will increase in price, the year-long ticket will be 25 percent cheaper. At the same time, the 15-minute ticket will be scrapped as well as the 10-percent discount for holders of the Bratislava city card for Bratislava citizens. Temperatures reaching 38 degrees Celsius were recorded for only the second time in history in Slovakia on Thursday, June 24, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Office (SHMU) reported on its website. The all-time high figure was measured at a station in the village of Muzla (Nitra Region). TASR

were for only the in history in Slovakia on Thursday, June 24, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Office (SHMU) reported on its website. The all-time high figure was measured at a station in the village of Muzla (Nitra Region). TASR The tornado that swept through South Moravia is an unprecedented natural disaster while the events in the Czech Republic are the result of the climate crisis . It is only a matter of time before a similar tragedy hits Slovakia, noted the Slovak Environment Ministry. (TASR)

that swept through South Moravia is an unprecedented natural disaster while the events in the Czech Republic are the result of the . It is only a matter of time before a similar tragedy hits Slovakia, noted the Slovak Environment Ministry. (TASR) The Defence Ministry has failed to prove that the purchase of 14 American F-16 jet fighters in 2018, the most expensive military acquisition in the history of Slovakia, was justified , while the procurement process itself and its approval were not in accordance with the rules, the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) said on Friday. (TASR)

has to prove that the in 2018, the most expensive military acquisition in the history of Slovakia, was , while the procurement process itself and its approval were not in accordance with the rules, the Supreme Audit Office (NKU) said on Friday. (TASR) The city transport company in Bratislava (DPB) wants to become the first carrier with a fleet of hydrogen-fuelled buses in Slovakia. In the first stage at the turn of 2022 and 2023, it plans to procure twenty 12-metre-long, hydrogen fuelled buses.

wants to become the first carrier with a fleet of in Slovakia. In the first stage at the turn of 2022 and 2023, it plans to procure twenty 12-metre-long, hydrogen fuelled buses. The public can choose the name for a new cycle bridge over the Morava River that is to be completed by next summer. The last such effort back in 2012 ended with a joke proposal to name the bridge after action film hero Chuck Norris.

Anniversary of the day

Bratislava recalls its famous coronation history with an annual re-enactment of coronation festivities. (Source: Sme/Gabriel Kuchta)

Maria Theresa was crowned the Hungarian king in St Martin Cathedral in the then Pressburg, todays Bratislava, exactly 280 years ago, on June 25, 1741.

Do not miss on Spectator.sk today

Related article

Related article How to change people's minds about vaccination? Experts hesitant that money is the answer Read more

Related article

Related article Which destinations do Slovaks buy trips to the most? Travel agencies relying on restart Read more

Related article

Related article Too many comments return the construction legislation to the review process Read more

Related article

Related article North Koreans and Russians. How did hackers target Slovakia? Read more

Today in Slovakia news digest is a free-of-charge service for our readers. If you want to support us, become a subscriber and get access to more detailed news and interesting feature stories from Slovakia.

If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk .

25. Jun 2021 at 14:23 | Jana Liptakova
The prognosis is good for driver Brendan Johnson, who remains hospitalized following a three-horse accident at the Putnam County Fair in Ottawa, Ohio, on Tuesday (June 22).

In a statement from his wife, Julie Fagan, Johnson suffered a broken C2 vertebra and multiple ribs, and suffered a severe concussion.

Fagan says surgery is not planned at this time:

The specialist has decided to try Brendan with a neck brace for eight weeks and see how his neck heals. If all goes well, he wont have to have neck surgery.

The family hopes that Johnson will be able to start therapy in the next few days and return home soon.

Johnson, Pierce Henry and Cameron McCown were involved in the incident during the 11th race. Henry was treated and released from the hospital the same evening. McCown was examined at the track and drove later in the evening.

(Ohio Harness Horsemen's Association)
Organizer of nationwide effort says: "At the very least, she was 14 years old, with the death penalty on the table. Even if you don't believe she was entirely innocent, you could go to a place of forgiveness for a child."
VATICAN CITY (AP)  While Pope Francis is usually the star at Vatican gatherings, Spider-Man, or at least an Italian who dresses up like the character, was the attention-grabber among the public lined up in rows during the pontiff's weekly Wednesday audience.

Matteo Villardita, 28, dons the comic-book and movie super-hero outfit to cheer up hospitalized children, like those at the Vatican's pediatric hospital which he planned to visit later on Wednesday.

Sweating under his costume in Rome's heat wave, Villardita said he asked Pope Francis to pray for the children and their families.

The man told AP TV that he gave Francis a spare mask, "as a sign, to tell him that through these eyes I daily see pain from sick children in hospitals."

Villardita, with a costumed arm, reached out and touched Francis, who wore no mask against COVID-19, on the back on an arm as he greeted the pontiff.

Said Villardita: "It was very exciting because Pope Francis immediately understood my mission."

Villardita took selfies with youngsters attending the audience in a Vatican courtyard.
You must be logged in to react.

Click any reaction to login.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the action on methane was part of an effort by Congress to reassert its own power. She called the Congressional Review Act "one of the Congresss most important tools ... to deliver for the people and to reclaim our authority under the Constitution, upholding the balance of powers that is the foundation of our American democracy.''

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, said the measure approved Friday "will restore common-sense safeguards to limit methane pollution from oil and gas production. Its a modest and straightforward step in the right direction, but its a very important one.''

Republicans disagreed, saying the measure took unfair aim at oil and gas companies that are already working to reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases.

Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., said the repeal measure advanced radical activist priorities while empowering foreign oil producers in the Middle East and Russia.

Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M, said the measure would "nickel and dime the most essential business in my district,'' oil and gas producers who she said could be forced out of business by excessive government regulations.
Winston-Salem police investigated and eventually learned that Johnson had been using crack cocaine. Johnson and his wife, the grandmother, had been caring for the child while the parents were away. The mother had to work and the father had gone out of town.

Johnson had been using cocaine that he had kept in his clothes, and it is believed that the child became exposed to the cocaine while she slept on top of his clothes, Chavious said. She said family members did not know Johnson was using cocaine.

Johnson told Winston-Salem police that he had a small gathering and one of the people who attended brought a water bottle containing tequila, Chavious said.

On Jan. 3, 2020, Johnson was making baby formula using two half-empty water bottles. Johnson used the water bottle that had tequila, Chavious said.

Doctors consulted with the hospital's child abuse team, which determined that the girl had an altered mental state, difficulty breathing and dehydration and had hypoglycemia. The team concluded that exposing the girl to alcohol and cocaine was consistent with medical neglect and that the girl consuming such high levels of those two things could have led to her death, Chavious said.

The girl, who is nearly 2 years old, is doing fine, she said.
Like many states, Tennessee never enacted a moratorium last year that would have halted eviction proceedings. Instead, the state is under the CDC moratorium.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Earlier this year, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency announced it received $384 million in federal funding to be used for rental assistance. The statewide program is estimated to help 25,000 to 30,000 families cover up to 12 months of rent or utility payments as long as the financial difficulties were sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program applies to 91 out of Tennessees 95 counties, with the states largest metro areas excluded because they have their own federally funded rent relief programs.

Attorneys representing tenants, however, note that some relief has been difficult to obtain due to qualification requirements or landlords refusing to participate in the rent relief process.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction cases where a judge determined the tenant was not protected by the CDC declaration have been allowed to proceed in Tennessee. According to Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and The Cumberlands, many landlords who pursued evictions during the moratorium did so to assert nonrenewal of a lease.
The most common variant in the state is still the B.1.1.7 variant from the UK, now referred to as the alpha variant, according to a state report.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

However, the P.1 variant, or gamma variant, first seen in Japan and Brazil, now makes up 24% of variants, up from about 14% last month.

The gamma variant has a higher hospitalization rate of any variant in the state, said Acting State Health Officer Scott Lindquist.

All evidence shows the vaccines are effective against the variants, Lindquist said. Masks also provide protection, he said.

Lindquist and Shah encouraged unvaccinated residents to get the shot to protect against the variants and further slow the spread of the virus.

As of Sunday, 68% of state residents 16 and older have initiated vaccination, including residents who had received vaccination through the Department of Defense or Veterans Affairs.

After reaching the states goal of 70%, the state wont have a magic number to hit next, Shah said.

Im not sure if its a true percentage as we get into this stage of the pandemic but its really trying to look at where were seeing particular gaps geographically or demographically, he said.
Some cars now include technology that can detect a child left inside, but many do not. The Hot Car Act to require it in all new vehicles was reintroduced in Congress earlier this month.

But you dont have to await legislation or buy a new car equipped with the technology: Parents can also buy car seats and clips that will alert them when a child is left in the car. Or simply stash a diaper bag or other visual reminder on your front seat to remind you that a child is in the back seat.

Oregon law gives immunity from civil or criminal liability to someone who forcibly enters a locked vehicle to rescue a child or animal if they have a good faith and reasonable belief  that the occupants are in imminent danger. They must contact law enforcement immediately and remain in a safe location nearby.

But Oregon is one of the few states with such a Good Samaritan law. Washington does not have one, although police and animal control officers are shielded from liability if they need to break into a vehicle to rescue a person or animal. A call about a child endangered in a hot car would be handled immediately, according to Longview Police Department spokesman Branden McNew.

It shouldnt come down to that. Plain use of common sense and awareness should suffice.
Bitmain, China's biggest maker of cryptocurrency mining machines, said it had suspended sales of its products in the spot market to help ease selling pressure following Beijing's ban on bitcoin mining. Bitmain also said it is looking for "quality" power supplies overseas along with its clients, in places including the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Indonesia. China's State Council, or cabinet, vowed to crack down on bitcoin trading and mining in late May, seeking to fend off financial risks.

Answering Beijing's call, China's main cryptocurrency mining hubs, including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Sichuan, have all published detailed measures to root out the business. Following the ban, many Chinese miners are selling machines and exiting the business, or shipping machines overseas.

"(Overseas) mining sites are not built overnight, and selling pressure is huge in the secondary market," Bitmain said in a statement.

"To help smooth transition of the industry," Bitmain has decided to suspend selling its Antminer machines globally.

Bitmain said overseas markets where it and Chinese miners are seeking cheap electricity also include Belarus, Sweden, Norway, Angola, and Congo.
In this April 17, 2019, file photo online customer reviews for a product are displayed on a computer in New York. U.K. regulators are investigating Google and Amazon over concerns the online giants aren't doing enough to stop fake reviews of products and services on their platforms. The Competition and Markets Authority said Friday, June 25, 2021 it opened a formal investigation into whether the two companies broke U.K. consumer law by failing to protect shoppers. Credit: AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File

U.K. regulators said on Friday that they're investigating Google and Amazon over concerns the online giants aren't doing enough to stop fake reviews of products and services on their platforms.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it opened a formal investigation into whether the two companies broke U.K. consumer law by failing to protect shoppers. The watchdog started looking into phony reviews on some big websites last year - without identifying any specific ones - amid the pandemic-fueled boom in online shopping.

"Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations," the watchdog's chief executive Andrea Coscelli said in a press statement.

"Equally, it's simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out."

The CMA said its investigation has yet to determine whether either company broke consumer protection law. If it does, the watchdog could require that they change how they deal with fake reviews or be taken court.

Google and Amazon said they will work with U.K. regulators on the investigation.

"To help earn the trust of customers, we devote significant resources to preventing fake or incentivized reviews from appearing in our store," Amazon said in statement. The company said it works hard to ensure reviews "accurately reflect the experience that customers have had with a product" and noted that it blocked 200 million fake reviews before they were ever seen by shoppers.

Google said its "strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take action - from removing abusive content to disabling user accounts."

The CMA said its initial probe that began last year raised specific concerns about whether the two companies had been doing enough to detect fake and misleading reviews and removing them quickly from their sites.

It's concerned in particular about "suspicious patterns of behaviour" involving reviews, for example when the same users review the same unrelated products or businesses at around the same time.

Another red flag is when a positive review suggests the reviewer was paid or received an incentive to write it, the CMA said.

The watchdog said it's questioning whether Google and Amazon are doing enough to hand out adequate penalties to reviewers or businesses caught posting false or misleading reviews, as a way to deter frequent offenders.

It's also looking specifically into whether Amazon's systems are failing to stop some sellers from manipulating product listings by combining positive reviews for one product with a listing for a different one.

Explore further Amazon fake reviews reach holiday season levels during pandemic

 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
As Glynn County tax commissioner, Jeff Chapman understands he has to deal with people who dont necessarily agree with some of the decisions made by his office.
Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place.

Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access.
According to library media specialist Michelle Doyel, the mobile library features computers, Wi-Fi internet access and about 2,000 books, including a section featuring authors with ties to the Brazos Valley such as Samuel E. Pittman II and Kathi Appelt. The schedule for the mobile library is posted online in Spanish and English, and the revamped bus is scheduled to make at least 18 stops this summer.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Construction instructor Donald Brown and manufacturing and welding instructor John McGee led the students through the process of converting the retired bus into a library. McGee said the students, fresh off successes at state competitions, came forward with ideas on how to implement various amenities for the revamped bus. He said the students also learned how to make the structures accessible and code-compliant.

This is a real-world project, McGee said, adding that the students showed a commitment to finding solutions to challenges as they arose.

Alvarez and Calderon described the process of converting the bus as hard work  the Rudder students gutted the bus and reconfigured it over several weeks  and as a learning experience that will have lasting impacts on their lives. Alvarez said he hopes to become a welder, and Calderon plans to own his own business in the future.
College Station City Council members are looking toward the future, considering on Thursday changes to the citys comprehensive plan, and discussing the proposed fiscal year 2022 action plan and community development budget.

The 20-year comprehensive plan is the citys long-term policy guide. It was adopted in 2009 and is in the process of being updated. The council indicated Thursday night that it would like to move forward with the proposed changes to the future land-use and character map, which is a major part of the comprehensive plan. There are still public input sessions to come before the council officially adopts any changes.

Alyssa Halle-Schramm, long-range planning administrator, said that the future land-use and character map is one of the items in the comprehensive plan that is most noticeable to the general public. It deals with land-use designations and what the future of the citys property could look like, which sets up the development process.

Some of the proposed changes on the future land-use and character map include increasing the flexibility of current land-use categories and adding new land-use categories that open the door for different types of development.
The material support statute, elements of which were in the Immigration and Nationality Act signed by Bill Clinton, were barely invoked until passage of the 2001 USA Patriot Act. It makes it illegal to provide assistance to any group the U.S. government considers a foreign terrorist organization. But the precedent-setting asylum denial came in 2018 under the Trump administration, after Trump had campaigned pledging to use it more broadly. In the Matter of A.C.M. involved a Salvadoran woman who was enslaved by a paramilitary group and escaped, says Herting:

The Department of Justice said while she was enslaved, she cooked and cleaned for the terrorists, concluding she provided them material support, he said. That concept has since been applied in a number of other cases, as documented by the New Yorker magazine.

His story is so overwhelmingly unimpeachable, said Herting of Zee, that I would hope there would be some decency or rationality. But I havent seen a ton of evidence to suggest that exists.

Herting challenges Grassleys contention that he can do nothing because its a law. The senator can push to change the law, he says.

Zee will appear June 28 before an immigration appeals court in Omaha to plead his case. A GoFundMe account has been set up for his legal fees.
The cybercrime ring that was apprehended last week in connection with Clop (aka Cl0p) ransomware attacks against dozens of companies in the last few months helped launder money totaling $500 million for several malicious actors through a plethora of illegal activities.

"The group  also known as FANCYCAT  has been running multiple criminal activities: distributing cyber attacks; operating a high-risk exchanger; and laundering money from dark web operations and high-profile cyber attacks such as Cl0p and Petya ransomware," popular cryptocurrency exchange Binance said Thursday.

On June 16, the Ukraine Cyber Police nabbed six individuals in the city of Kyiv, describing the arrests as resulting from an international operation involving law enforcement authorities from Korea, the U.S., and Interpol.

While the bust was seen as a major blow to the operations of the Clop gang, the hackers published earlier this week a fresh batch of confidential employee records stolen from a previously unknown victim on their dark web portal, raising the possibility that the arrested suspects may have been affiliates who play a lesser role in the operations.

Binance's insights into the investigation have now revealed that FANCYCAT was responsible for cashing out and laundering cryptocurrency illicitly obtained by the Clop ransomware cartel by breaching and extorting victims, confirming earlier reports from Intel 471.

Clop is one of several ransomware groups that hack into organizations, launch ransomware that encrypts files and servers, and then demand an extortion payment in return for a digital key needed to unlock access to the systems.

"In a majority of the cases associated with illicit blockchain flows coming onto exchanges, the exchange is not harboring the actual criminal group themselves, but rather being used as a middleman to launder stolen profits," security researchers from Binance said, adding the criminals take advantage of the exchanges' liquidity, diverse digital asset offerings, and well-developed APIs to facilitate cyber attacks.

To counter such nefarious activity from happening, the company said it's implementing custom detection mechanisms to identify and offboard suspicious accounts, adding it's working directly with law enforcement to take down cybercrime groups.

The development comes during a period of intense scrutiny of the risks posed by ransomware, which has ballooned from a lucrative financial crime to a national security threat, grounding critical infrastructure to a halt and causing severe disruptions, necessitating that bitcoin trails be tracked to "follow the money" and fight the spiraling problem.
Lawn Chair Theat-AH in St. Paul

Grace Baptist Church in St. Paul will show a free outdoor movie through its Lawn Chair Theat-AH series Friday, June 25.

People can come as early as 9 p.m. The movie will begin close to dusk on the churchs east lawn. The church is located at 123 Ninth St.

The film will be Soul Surfer. The family movie tells the story of a teen surfer who loses her arm in a shark attack and courageously overcomes all odds through determination and faith. Its based on a true story.

Families are asked to bring lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on while watching the movie. Popcorn and other concessions will be available, all at no charge.

Calvary Lutheran plans Fourth of July barbecue

Calvary Lutheran Church in Grand Island will host a Fourth of July Barbecue fundraiser from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 4. at 1304 N. Custer.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, salads, desserts and drinks will be served outside in the parking lot, and take-out orders will also be available.

Freewill offerings will be accepted. Funds raised will be used to continue the churchs outreach missions.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday vetoed a measure barring women from getting an abortion specifically because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in a fetus. The proposal advanced by Republicans also sought to prohibit abortions on the basis of race or sex.

Under the measure, physicians would be required to report, with a signed confirmation, that an abortion was not desired for those three reasons. Republicans backing the measure say it would prevent a "modern-day eugenics" by ensuring disabled people wouldn't need to pass a genetic test in order to be born.

In a veto message, the states Democratic governor cited privacy concerns, arguing the bill would have made it difficult for patients to get medical information and have honest conversations with their doctors.

This bill gives the government control over what happens and what is said in the exam room between a woman and her doctor at a time she faces one of the most difficult decisions of her life," Cooper said in a statement. "This bill is unconstitutional and it damages the doctor-patient relationship with an unprecedented government intrusion.
BEAVER CITY  More than 150 pieces of evidence prove William Billy J. Quinn sexually assaulted and trafficked a teenage girl, prosecutors say. But Quinns defense team says the alleged victim was old enough to consent to the acts, and there is plenty of reasonable doubt in the case.

Quinns case is in the hands of a 10-man, two-woman Furnas County jury after a 10-day trial in district court where Quinn, 57, of Oxford is charged with four counts of first-degree sexual assault of a child, two counts of human sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of manufacturing-visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, two counts of possession-visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct, two counts of enticement by electronic communication device and one count of child abuse in connection to the girl.

The jury received the case at 1:42 p.m. Friday.

If the jury doesnt reach a unanimous verdict by 8 p.m. Friday, they will return to deliberations at 8 a.m. Monday.

During a seven-month period in 2019-20, Corey OBrien with the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office, representing the prosecution, said Quinn wielded skills in manipulation, power and control over the girl and scorched a path of destruction across Furnas County.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, as it calls itself, is not a republic, but it is Islamic.

Here are two definitions to make the point before moving on to a larger point.

A Republic is defined by dictionary.com as a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them. Irans elections put supreme power in religious leaders, not the people. In previous elections when there were public demonstrations in opposition to the government, the people were jailed, or murdered by the regime.

Radical Islam is a system of beliefs founded on interpretations of the Koran made by political leadership that seeks to impose those beliefs on its citizens and the rest of the world, by force if necessary. At least thats my definition, based on sermons from hardline mullahs in Iran and elsewhere, along with personal observations about how those beliefs are put into practice.

Obviously not all Muslims agree on everything, especially when it comes to politics. Neither do Christians and Jews for that matter, but Christians and Jews are not known for wanting to eliminate nations they dont like or for forcibly imposing their will on others.
Whether or not to teach critical race theory in the classroom

Resume debate over the voting bill

H.B. 20, which would have made it harder to bail out on bond without cash

Fixing the state's electrical grid

Expanding healthcare

All of them

Other

Vote

View Results
At least I think he was joking.

If youre in charge of a team and have been forced to collaborate via video, the last thing you want to do is to burn out your workers. Zoom overload will zap their creativity and leave them little time in between meetings to get actual work done.

Here are a few tips to keep your workers engaged:

Make Them Efficient: A video meeting should never be longer than 15 minutes. Get to the point and send follow-up emails on any outstanding items.

Think Before You Meet: You owe it to your team to put some thought into a meeting before putting it on their calendar. What is the point of the meeting? What do you hope to achieve? Without clear direction, youre simply meeting to meet. And thats a recipe for frustration.

Consider Email or Chat: Is the topic of your meeting able to be hashed out through a company email or chat conversation? There are many collaboration tools like Slack or Google Chat that allow employees to have real-time conversations without having to hop on camera.

The Zoom Revolution
CARBONDALE  Dozens of people who love fresh produce are glad that Joe Brumleve listened to his mother. Otherwise, they might not be enjoying vegetables and fruits the Southern Illinois University pre-med student brings to their home each week.

It was Brumleves mom who suggested he consider produce delivery when he was searching for ideas to fulfill part of his coursework at Cobden High School two years ago. As a student in the Union County CEO program  an academic experience which introduces high school students to business leaders and the concepts of entrepreneurship  Brumleve was required to start his own venture. He just wasnt sure what that business should be.

He said he considered several ideas; ones that would build upon his familys own produce business which includes selling direct to consumers at area farmers markets, but still be unique.

Me and mom were discussing some ideas one day, he recalled. She said, Well, you know, you could just deliver produce. I wanted to think about something else to do, so I put that on the back burner. Then I woke up in the middle of the night and thought that, yes, I could deliver produce.
Prices sink as crops get a drink

Rain fell on some of the driest regions of the corn and soybean belts this week, which pushed our plants higher but prices lower. Virtually all corn, bean, and bean meal prices dropped sharply, possibly providing a little relief for livestock and poultry producers. The rain was especially welcome in southern Iowa, eastern Nebraska and Illinois. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of small oil refiners in a biofuel waiver dispute, triggering a massive soybean oil crash.

Oats and hard red spring wheat grown in the plains states jumped higher. Temps were red hot on the plains  exceeding 100 degrees  and the heat continued to threaten wheat grown primarily for rolls, bagels, and pizza crust. Hot, dry weather is expected to continue.

As of midday Friday, corn for December delivery was at $5.23, down 12 cents per bushel, while November beans traded at $12.73, down 19 cents. Chicago July wheat fell $6.39, and July Kansas City wheat dropped to $6.02 on the week. Soybean oil for July delivery hit limit down at 59.20 cents on Friday morning.

Is inflation just temporary?
CARBONDALE  Last year, when everything was shut down because of the pandemic, caravans and parades became the way to celebrate.

The group S.I. Pride sponsored a Pride month event called the Rainbow Cafe-Southern Illinois Pride Fest Drive-Thru Care-avan. This month, it returns.

The care-avan we did last year was a success. Thirty-three cars showed up. That showed how important it was for folks, said Tara Bell, vice president of the Rainbow Cafe board, adding that 1,200 people watched the livestream of the event.

This year, people will meet in towns across Southern Illinois, like Mount Vernon and Pinckneyville, and caravan to Carbondale. Individuals will be added to the group as they travel through small towns on their routes to Carbondale.

Bell said 72 people from the Mount Vernon area have expressed interest in joining the Care-avan.

The goal of the event is to express ourselves as regular people. We go to school. We raise kids. We have jobs, Bell said.

Those who wish to attend are encouraged to meet at the designated spot in the town closest to them to begin the Care-avan or meet us in Carbondale. Those include:

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}
Kee stressed that this is not a political event. It is simply about love and acceptance.

What pride is to me is just an awareness. Its a celebration, he said.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

On Sunday, the message from the priest at Kees church was about the mustard seed and how the tiny seed grows into much more. He said the priest talked about how one little idea can erupt into much more.

Kee says that is how this run has been. His run has blossomed into a bigger event.

Herrin Mayor Steve Frattini will meet Kee at the intersection of Illinois 13 and 148 to cheer him on. Carterville Mayor Brad Robinson will be out of town, but someone from the city will meet Kee at Illinois 13 and Division Street.

Kee hopes he will be joined by other runners and hopes people will gather along his route to encourage him toward his finish line in Carbondale. Wade will follow the runners in their truck with water and first aid supplies.

I hope people show up to cheer us on, he said. I would love to see a lot of people along the route.

He will focus on making the run safely.
Qin said participation in the summer program also has broadened his horizons.

Last year I was able to see all of these different perspectives from students all over the world who enjoyed the same things I do. I was able to talk with them and think about what I want to do in the future. I think it really opened my mind to whats out there in the world, he said.

Michelle Wang is already building her own drone from scratch. She will need it for her MIT program which will require her to virtually race it through a simulated course against other students from around the country. She said not only will the summer course giver her new experiences beyond Legos and the robots she has previously built, but also will afford her an opportunity to experience the Ivy League school in case she includes it in her college considerations.

I always thought MIT would be a bit far-reached for me, but well see. Ill probably apply there and just see, she said.

Following each students activities they are required to submit a reflection on their individual program and what they experienced and learned.

In addition to the summer program, the Garwin Family Foundation also underwrites other local education programs.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Senate was a different story. The chamber had a strictly enforced saliva testing requirement on top of its mask mandate, it allowed remote floor and committee voting and it shut off access to a large part of the Statehouse to anyone who didnt have an appointment. Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford knew immediately that she had COVID because of the tests, which were conducted in the Stratton Office Building near the Statehouse. No exceptions were made, no matter who you were.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Senate President Don Harmons spokesperson John Patterson labeled the session a resounding success. He noted that they started the session in January with an inauguration ceremony in essentially an empty chamber, and spent the first few weeks canceling session days.

That we were able to return to some semblance of normal shows how successful the protocols were, Patterson said. The University of Illinois Shield saliva test, which produced results in hours, detected the virus before it could be spread. We had no outbreaks or cancelations thanks to the protocols. And that, he said, created a work environment where people could be assured that everyone around them had tested negative. It allowed people to get back to normal and focus on the work.
Originally, about 1,250 nurses had been poised to strike, but the county received a court-ordered injunction Wednesday night to prevent nearly 330 nurses from striking. The order followed the Illinois Labor Relations Boards finding earlier this week that those nurses should not be allowed to strike because their absence would pose a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the public.

As of Thursday morning, a separate strike by members of Service Employees International Union Local 73 was planned to begin Friday.

Those employees work in offices under the Cook County president, in the county clerks office, in civilian positions in the sheriffs office, and for Cook County Health. About 1,473 of those workers are part of Cook County Health, working at Stroger and Provident hospitals, clinics, and in mental health services at Cermak. They include technicians, physician assistants and service and maintenance workers, among others.

Points of disagreement include pay equity, pandemic pay and retiree health benefits, among other issues, said Eric Bailey, a union spokesman. SEIU Local 73s last contract expired in November.
I reached out to DLeau to hear more. It seems like every two or three episodes theres an error message, and its not just one show, that happens for a lot of shows, he said. If you rewind by 10 seconds, it has a total meltdown. Sometimes thats when itll crash. Or itll jump all the way back to the beginning. Or if I want to turn off closed captions, I have to turn them on in order to turn them off. Its a new issue every week and its like, cmon. I used to think it was a problem with my internet, but when I use Netflix its fine. Has he ever called customer service to unravel the mystery behind these issues? You know, its funny: The day I tweeted about this, HBO Max tweeted back and said, DM us and tell us the problem, and I told them everything and nothing ever came of it.
Local

alert featured

Claflin puts community in student center plan; 3-story facility is to include movie theater

SPECIAL TO THE T&D Artist's rendering of the proposed student center at Claflin University to be situated along Magnolia between Goff Avenue and the presidential residence. LARRY HARDY/T&D Claflin's current student center is located inside Kleist Hall near the main entrance to the campus. The university has announced plans to construct a new center that will be open to students and the community in 2023.

In a few years, Claflin University will have a new facility to serve students and the community.

The corner of Magnolia Street and Goff Avenue currently consists of two homes and trees, but by 2023, Claflins Student/Community Center will call the area home.

Claflin Vice President for Fiscal Affairs Tijuana Hudson said it is an exciting time in Claflin's history.

When we see construction, that always means progress; when were building, that always means progress, Hudson said during a virtual meeting held to announce the new project.

She cited amenities that it will bring to the city, saying, "Claflin continues to be a good partner and a landmark in Orangeburg."

The estimated $23 million project will have three levels, each offering spaces for students and community. Hudson detailed the layout of the building.

First floor: Once you come through the doors of the covered drop-off, youll enter into the food court. And we are looking to have four different eateries there. Were not sure what theyre going to be yet, but the eateries will be available to students and the community to utilize if they would like, as well. This space would be for both students and community, Hudson said.

This facility is a student center/community center because some of the pieces in here are open to the community, as well. But it is a student center, so we are trying to house all of our student services under one roof, Hudson said.

Claflins program for educators accredited The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation announced that Claflin University is one of 60 providers from 26 states to receive accreditation for their educator preparation programs.

The student services include the campus bookstore, university pantry and a hair care center. Lounge areas, both indoor and outdoor, will be available on the first floor.

Hudson said the first floor also will feature an amenity that will be one-of-a-kind in Orangeburg.

As you know, Orangeburg does not have a movie theater, so this is something that I am very excited about, Hudson said.

That is what were calling our auditorium/movie theater. Not only will we be able to house different plays, but we can also show movies there, Hudson said.

We can have a community movie night. This can also be a location where a community could rent if they want to house something, Hudson said.

For example, a church could host movie night in the auditorium, Hudson said. The theater would be available to rent.

Claflin plans PAWS UP Golf Classic The Claflin University Athletic Department will host its inaugural PAWS UP Golf Classic on Friday, July 9, at Lake Marion Golf Course at 9069 Highway 6, Santee.

Second floor: The second floor will house many more student services, Hudson said.

Again, you hear me mention student services, so we have the Paw Print center, and again community will be able to come in. It will be a cost, but if they need to have some things printed, they will be able to use the Paw Print," she said.

"Next to that is a media room," Hudson said. It will be available to rent for meetings.

Offices for Career Services, Student Activities, Student Government and Residential Life will be on the second floor. Presidential dining space and an online student resource center also will be featured.

Third floor: A large ballroom will be on the third floor of the facility.

It will be able to seat 800 people. Thats with tables and chairs. Theres no other venue in Orangeburg that can seat that many people. So again, this event, this room will be open to the community if they want to hold events. This will fill a big void, I think, in the Orangeburg community, Hudson said.

Claflin expands AU offerings; masters in biotech expanding to Africa University Claflin University and Africa University have added a new component to their collaboration: Claflins planning to offer online classes to Africa University students who want to earn a master of science degree in biotechnology.

You wont have to go out of Orangeburg to hold an event that can hold that many people. And just think if you take the tables out, youre able to hold even more than the 800 people. So theres a lot of flexibility. We have dividers, so the room can be divided into three separate rooms, or it can be one large room. You can make it the size you need for it to be, as well, Hudson said.

An arcade and E-sports room will also be on the third floor.

These are amenities that will be available to the students, but also again, depending on the time of the day, the time of the year, we know that we have a lot of summer programs, summer camps in the community. This will be available for usage, Hudson said.

Were trying to create a facility that is not just for the Claflin students but it is also for the Orangeburg community.

Hudson noted that many of the rooms in the facility will serve as multipurpose spaces, and outside entities will have the option of renting the spaces.

Groundbreaking for the facility is to take place this year.

Youll start to notice activity surrounding it," she said. "The properties that we purchased where the building will sit, you will start to see those come down in the next month. And then as we do, what I call the work to get ready to break ground, you will see activity and people out on the property doing those things that we dont always know about, like the environmental surveys."

Right now, were still in the process of solidifying or finalizing the financing paperwork. Its so much paperwork to always do. But we think we should be breaking ground on this in late fall, and looking to have the building complete and ready for operations in early 2023. So itll be about an 18-month project, Hudson said.

Hudson said feedback regarding the project has been positive.

Orangeburg City Councilwoman Liz Keitt attended the virtual meeting. She expressed excitement for the new project.

Just would like to really commend Dr. Warmack, the trustees and all the officers who had a part in this, and the alumni. We really appreciate the vision of just knowing that we will have something so attractive here in Orangeburg. So we really appreciate that, Keitt said.
COLUMBIA  The Medical University of South Carolina will buy several hospitals and an emergency room in the state's Midlands region, the state's second-largest health system announced Friday.

The MUSC board voted to approve the purchase of two Providence Health hospitals in Columbia, the KershawHealth hospital in Camden and a freestanding emergency room in Fairfield County, according to a news release. All are currently owned by LifePoint Health, a for-profit company based in Tennessee.

The State Fiscal and Accountability Authority intends next week to vote on signing off on the deal by the state-owned health system, House budget chief Murrell Smith told The State newspaper.

Gov. Henry McMaster, one of four members on the state fiscal authority's board along with Smith, didn't commit to supporting the plan Friday. McMaster, who was briefed by MUSC several weeks ago on the possibility of the purchase, promised a full discussion next week.

"Our goal is to see the people of South Carolina have ample medical care and attention," McMaster told reporters. "MUSC is confident that this will do that. But I would like to see the details of the proposal as would, I'm sure, the four members of the Fiscal Affairs Authority."
Carter said, Its mighty funny all of a sudden now we want to follow the law when we set forth details in our own county employment and procedures and what not about salaries and what not, and we cant even follow them.

I think yall all know what Im talking about when we have employees thats got a minimum salary set and theyre not making the minimum. This is the problem. We paying people to be on top of everything and know what in the heck is going on, and it dont look like thats happening. They not working for Bamberg Countys best interest to save the citizens money, and this is why youre where youre at now.

He also called into question the ability for the council to adequately trace where money is going, an issue he said had been brought up by Orangburg-based McGregor & Company LLP, the countys former auditing company before the county procured the services of Laurens-based accounting firm Love Bailey & Associates CPAs.

Thats the problem we had with McGregor tracing money. They couldnt trace the money. Dawn (Strickland of McGregor & Company LLP) told us that. So we get rid of them and we go get us some auditors thatll tell us what our ears want to hear. But thats just my opinion. Well see how it turns out in the end," Carter said.
"The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum," Clarke said. "These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress."

In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the state's most populous communities.

For the entire metro Atlanta area, Democrats estimate the number of drop boxes will fall from 94 last year to no more than 23 for future elections based on the new formula of one drop box per 100,000 registered voters.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson applauded the administration's step and said Georgia's law was a "blatant assault on the American people's most fundamental and sacred right, the right to vote."

The law already is the subject of seven other federal suits filed by civil rights and election integrity groups that raise a number of claims under the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in voting.
I am more hopeful about revisions to this rule than I have been in 20 years, Kirtley said.

The chief justice elaborated on her order in her annual State of the Judiciary speech to the Minnesota State Bar Association on Thursday, remarking on what she called the unprecedented decision to provide non-stop remote public access to one of the highest profile trials in the states history.

I have seen it estimated that some 23 million people watched at least part of this livestreamed trial, she said, according to a text provided by the court. While the decision to allow camera coverage of this trial was based on the unprecedented public health restrictions in place during the pandemic, it would be a mistake for us not to reflect on the lessons learned and experiences gained through this process.

Minnesotas rules on audio and video coverage were last updated in 2018. They allow remote coverage of criminal proceedings until the verdict, but only with the consent of all parties, which rarely happens. Coverage of sentencings is allowed without consent, unless the judge finds cause to prohibit it. While federal courts generally bar cameras, many other states permit them.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP)  Executives with NBCUniversal celebrated the opening of a new production facility in New Mexico on Thursday, as state and local officials touted efforts by the film and television industry to find ways to work through the challenges that stemmed from the coronavirus pandemic.

The executives were joined at a ribbon-cutting ceremony by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller.

Despite the pandemic, weve had one of our best and most productive years  if not our very best year ever  with the film and television industry, the governor said in a statement. This industry has leapt back to life because they have put safety first  and they will help our state recover economically as we put the pandemic behind us.

NBCUniversal had announced in 2019 that it would build a state-of-the-art television and film studio in a warehouse district just north of downtown Albuquerque as part of a plan to expand its footprint in one of the fastest growing film production hubs in the country. The company also committed to $500 million in direct production spending over 10 years.

The media giant received more than $10 million in state and local economic development funds as incentives for locating the production facility in New Mexico.
WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  Gov. Henry McMaster again said South Carolina is recovering better from the COVID-19 pandemic than just about any other state as he held a ceremonial signing Thursday of a bill preventing people from suing companies over the virus

The new law protects businesses and other groups as long as they follow guidelines to protect people from the virus. Dozens of other states have passed similar measures.

McMaster headed less than 2 miles (3 kilometers) from his Statehouse office to Cafe Strudel in West Columbia, whose owner praised him and the Legislature for taking steps to reduce his risk from reopening after the worst of the pandemic.

The governor again said his decision to resist closing restaurants and other businesses and allow them to reopen more quickly meant South Carolina suffered less economic problems.

As a result a lot of other states are struggling to get out of the holes they were in. Were ready to blast off," McMaster said Thursday before signing the bill.
Was SARS-COV-2 -- the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic -- created (or at least weaponized by being made transmissible to and between humans) in a Chinese research lab? Was it then leaked, accidentally or intentionally, from that lab into the human population? It's impossible to overstate the explosive potential of a provable "yes" answer to those two questions.

Seventeen months into the news cycle surrounding those questions (they were first publicly hinted at in a tweet on Jan. 5, 2020), they're still putting off lots of heat and very little light. And that's likely to remain the case, because the "Wuhan Lab Leak Theory" is not a theory.

A theory has to be objectively testable such that if it's false it can be PROVEN false. Otherwise, it's just a hypothesis.

If my car keys go missing, I can hypothesize that little green faeries (who have the power to fool security cameras) took them in the middle of the night, then forgot to put them back after taking my car out for a joyride, filling the gas tank back up, parking it back where they found it, and rolling back the odometer.

My hypothesis "explains" the missing car keys. But it can't be falsified. If I find the keys in my jacket pocket, well, the faeries obviously put them there, dummy!
Job Title: Reproductive Health Mentor (Fresher Job Placements)

Organisation: International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Duty Station: Uganda

About US:

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the worlds worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home. The IRC has been working in Uganda since 1998 supporting nationals and refugees and various institutions in the country notably the government, community-based organizations, the civil society and the private sector. The current program portfolio in Uganda includes health, peace building, gender-based violence, economic recovery and agribusiness, and children & youth. IRC has a country office in Kampala, and field offices in Moroto, Kiryandongo, Kyaka II, Yumbe and Imvepi.

Job Summary: Working under the guidance and supervision of the Senior Project Officer  SRH, the RH mentor will be responsible for implementation of the three core aspects of Reproductive Health Safe Motherhood initiatives including: modern family planning methods, safe abortion care, emergency obstetric care including RH referral management system. He/she will be expected to monitor and ensure improvement and maintenance of RH performance indicators within Kiryandongo Refugee settlement.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Service provision

Mobilization of clients and family planning information sessions for clients in supported facilities.

High quality group and individual counselling sessions to clients interested in taking up Family Planning Services, including post-partum family planning (PPFP), in supported facilities.

Coordinate clinic days, outreaches, and other events at supported facilities.

Champion provider-initiated family planning approach (PIFP).

Provide short and long-acting FP Methods.

Effective referral of clients wishing to undertake permanent methods such as tubal ligation (TL) and vasectomy to pre-determined points.

Manage family planning complications or side effects that may occur in the supported facilities.

Ensure adverse events are reported as per the guidelines recommended by the donors.

Ensure follow up and retention of FP users.

Ensure appropriate and correct quantification of contraceptive commodities and effective use of facility LMIS to prevent stock outs .

Be a focal point for quality issues at the supported facilities through liaising closely with the Reproductive Health Officers (RHOs) to improve follow-up systems.

Data management and reporting

Report monthly on all services and issues arising.

Ensure that accurate data is captured within the HMIS and is reported to IRC.

Capacity building

Assess technical competency of the providers in FP/PAC and recommend for certification.

Record all training needs because of visits to the supported facilities and agree on support needs.

Plan and provide on-job training and mentorship for providers in the supported facilities.

Ensure SOPs and guidelines are strictly followed.

Observe providers regularly, record progress and provide support needs.

Set improvement targets.

Accountability & Confidentiality

Ensure clients information is documented and should be keep confidential after making choice on any family planning method.

Account for all funds and/or IRC assets in accordance with the IRC accounting procedures

Key Outputs

Increased uptake of FP services ( especially long-term methods)

Improved coordination of activities

Improved data quality

Increased contact time with providers

Increased number of completed referrals.

Enhanced facility capacity to deliver quality clinical services.

Improved retention in care for clients.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Reproductive Health Mentor job must hold a Diploma/ Certificate in Clinical Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery or any other related field.

An up-to-date registration certificate from a recognized institution is a MUST.

Computer literate with knowledge of basic programs MS Office.

The Job holder should have knowledge of medical procedures, terminology and equipment, excellent proven knowledge of all Family Planning Methods, Proven communication skills at counseling and Family Planning Level,

Excellent Verbal, and written communication skills and with at least two years experience in Family Planning Services delivery.

How to Apply:

All applicants who wish to join the International Rescue Committee (IRC) should apply online at the link below.

Click Here

Deadline: 8th July 2021.

For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community.

Let us know what's going on!

Submit Here
Fort Payne, AL (35967)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 83F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low 58F. Winds light and variable.
A year after the number of drilling rigs in Wyoming fell to zero for the first time in more than a century, the states rig count is inching back up.

Oil prices have rebounded from their below-zero pandemic lows to more than $70 per barrel, outperforming expectations for this year. But new drilling in Wyoming has recovered more slowly than prices might suggest.

The average monthly rig count varies widely by year: 54 in 2015, 27 in 2016, 11 in 2017, 22 in 2018, 33 in 2019  and eight in 2020. That count hit zero twice, first in June 2020 and again in August. It currently stands at 11.

Wyomings oil wells tend to be more highly concentrated on federal lands  where new drilling must undergo a more extensive regulatory process  and located farther from markets than wells in neighboring states. Wyoming also imposes higher taxes on oil and gas production compared with other states. Those factors all raise companies operating costs.

The fact that we just have such an abundance of oil and gas here makes it an attractive place to be, said Ryan McConnaughey, a spokesperson for the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. That being said, the prices for oil and gas have to be on the higher end globally for that to be a profitable venture for companies.
The Natrium nuclear power plant proposed for Wyoming could create 2,000 to 3,000 construction jobs and 300 to 400 permanent positions for workers in the community ultimately selected for development, a project official told state lawmakers Friday.

TerraPower intends to prioritize hiring local workers, particularly those currently employed by the closing coal plant where the project will eventually be sited, Jeff Navin, the companys director of external affairs, told the Wyoming Legislatures Minerals Committee.

We think a lot of those jobs are going to transfer. It takes a lot of skill to operate a 21st-century coal plant, Navin said.

While Navin did not give an estimate of the number of local jobs that will be created during construction or operation, he said that TerraPower will work with unions and workforce development agencies at the state and federal levels to ensure local workers have the skills needed to run the nuclear plant.

Our intention is to hire as many people as we can locally, he said.
Energy

alert top story

OIL AND GAS

A year in, Wyoming rig count slowly recovering from drop to zero

Cayla Nimmo, Star-Tribune An oil pumpjack operates in February 2020 outside Douglas. The state's rig count is rising, but not quite as quickly as prices might suggest.

A year after the number of drilling rigs in Wyoming fell to zero for the first time in more than a century, the states rig count is inching back up.

Oil prices have rebounded from their below-zero pandemic lows to more than $70 per barrel, outperforming expectations for this year. But new drilling in Wyoming has recovered more slowly than prices might suggest.

The average monthly rig count varies widely by year: 54 in 2015, 27 in 2016, 11 in 2017, 22 in 2018, 33 in 2019  and eight in 2020. That count hit zero twice, first in June 2020 and again in August. It currently stands at 11.

Wyomings oil wells tend to be more highly concentrated on federal lands  where new drilling must undergo a more extensive regulatory process  and located farther from markets than wells in neighboring states. Wyoming also imposes higher taxes on oil and gas production compared with other states. Those factors all raise companies operating costs.

The fact that we just have such an abundance of oil and gas here makes it an attractive place to be, said Ryan McConnaughey, a spokesperson for the Petroleum Association of Wyoming. That being said, the prices for oil and gas have to be on the higher end globally for that to be a profitable venture for companies.

One rig translates to about 100 jobs, according to the petroleum association, and last years mass layoffs are contributing to the slow increase in production as companies rehire and retrain rig crews. And as travel increases and global oil sales resume, decision-makers are still waiting to see whether prices hold. If they do stay high, the industry is likely to see a steady recovery.

As the global markets come back into balance and we start to see that demand really come back and peoples confidence in in the markets rebound, we expect to see the rig counts increase, McConnaughey said.

But another price drop as supply continues to shift could cut significantly into drillers profits  and into their willingness to invest in Wyoming oil.

Operators are going to risk investment capital if they feel like theyre going to make a good return, and so that all factors into whether they want to drill in the Permian Basin, or in North Dakota, or Oklahoma or Wyoming, said Steve Degenfelder, land manager for Kirkwood Oil and Gas.

While the oil and gas industry applauded a preliminary injunction in Louisiana last week that blocked President Joe Bidens freeze on lease sales for new drilling on public lands, its not yet clear whether the ruling will hold, how many leases will be sold if the next leasing sale does take place or how the Biden administration plans to modify the leasing program in the long term.

Uncertainty around new drilling on public lands is furthering oil and gas companies hesitancy to make investments in Wyoming.

It does not make Wyoming a predictable place to conduct business, and that that is not a positive when companies are considering where to deploy their capital, Degenfelder said.

The status of the oil industry will play a major role Wyomings ongoing recovery from the pandemic-driven collapse in energy demand last year. Increasing oil development will lead directly to more funding for the state government, said Mark Watson, director of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

Sixty-five percent of the states revenue comes from oil and gas and coal, Watson said. So when you had all three down  its a three-legged stool and you cut off all three legs.

That sudden loss of revenue was unwelcome even to conservation groups that would ordinarily support the removal of drilling rigs. A statewide crisis doesnt do much to help wildlife, said Alan Rogers, a spokesman for the Wyoming Outdoor Council.

When our state budget gets into crunch, and people are concerned about the future, thats when bad decisions are made, Rogers said. Thats not when people want to sit down and think about creating or updating the regulations, or things like that. Thats when people start saying, OK, what do we need to do to start producing more?
An invasive and harmful mussel species was detected on on a boat June 17 during a routine inspection at a checkpoint in Yellowstone National Park, officials announced Wednesday evening. The boat was prevented from launching after the quagga mussels were detected, according to a Yellowstone news release.

Detection of the mussels prevented a major potential release of this highly invasive species into Yellowstone waters. If released into park waters, AIS can cause catastrophic changes to the ecosystem, the press release reads.

The boat was arriving in Yellowstone from a lake known to have quagga mussels, which triggered a more thorough boat inspection, a Yellowstone spokesperson said. This instance was only the second time a boat with mussels has made it to Yellowstone, after the first one in 2017, the spokesperson added.

The park officials later determined that the mussels on the boat were not alive and therefore not able to proliferate. Because of the way the testing works, dead mussel matter can still result in a positive test. That being said, it is not advisable to launch a boat that even has dead mussels on it because there could still be microscopic ones that are alive. Additionally, quagga mussels can survive out of water for up to 30 days.
On June 21, 1788, New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the proposed Constitution. This was an act for the ages because it not only marked the technical implementation of the new law of the land but, in the words of James Madison, written on April 6, 1796, the instrument  the Constitution  was nothing more than a draught of a plan, nothing but a dead letter, until life and validity were breathed into it, by the voice of the people, speaking through the several state conventions.

Article VII of the proposed Constitution, written by delegates to the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, provided that the instrument would go into effect as soon as nine of the 13 specially held state ratifying conventions approved it. The ratification debate not only marked the opening sequence in the debate about national politics, representing as it did, the first national election, but introduced the most democratic, deliberative forum for choosing a form and style of government the world had ever seen.

Imagine in our time, an American citizenry, drawn from all stations and orders fully engaged in an exciting and intense debate, in alehouses and coffee houses, newspapers and pamphlets, about a simple, but crucial question of transcendent importance for the future of the nation: Shall the citizenry ratify, that is, approve, the proposed Constitution, or not?
About half the revenues into Wyomings general fund and budget reserve account come from mineral taxes. Those are paid by someone, just not us. And lets not forget that if 60 million years ago the peat bogs in Campbell County had formed 100 miles to the east, all that revenue would have gone to South Dakota. There is a difference between being fiscally conservative and being lucky.

Despite all that revenue, were still going broke. Wyoming is expected to overspend our revenue by about $300 million each year going forward, and the problem is going to get worse as mineral taxes continue to decline.

Meanwhile our expenses are going to rise. Our population is aging at a rate that exceeds every other state. We know as the population ages the economic burden increases due to rising healthcare costs. Then theres the deferred maintenance on our infrastructure, which includes a half-billion dollars for our drinking water; more than 3,000 bridges, estimated by American Society of Civil Engineers, are in need of repair; and just under 100 dams are now rated high hazard. We got lucky again this year when the Biden Administration sent us $1 billion in aid, but all that really did was allow the legislature to kick the can down the alley for another year.
This is adoration of the Second Amendment taken to nonsensical measures. Criminals get a pass and the community, along with police, are penalized.

Missouris version fines a police department $50,000 for every officer who tries to enforce a federal gun law.

So much for backing the Blue.

For now, Kansas City police vow to press forward, issuing this statement: We will comply with whatever changes occur and enforce the law accordingly. We cannot speak to what impact this might have for our department, as that remains to be seen. We can say that we have and will continue to work with our federal partners in regard to gun crimes.

Republican legislators cite a fear of the Biden administration as the impetus. They want to counter gun reform measures like expanded background checks and keeping weapons away from those convicted of domestic violence. Polling shows most Americans support those measures.

Unfortunately, lying about the need to protect the Second Amendment often supersedes factual, detailed information.
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.
We want to work now!

Hundreds of truck drivers throughout the country say they have been crippled by Covid-19 restrictions, which saw the closure of the construction sector in early May.

They are therefore pleading with the Government to reopen the sector for the sake of their survival.
Do you have a news tip?

Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you.

More here
Value for money should be the guiding principle for Government expenditure, given the countrys strained expenditure during this Covid pandemic.

The unanticipated but emergency spending arising out of the visitation of Covid-19 ought to speak for itself. In this regard, therefore, the request by the police administration for $22 million for the purchase of a fleet of 80 new SUVs deserved a more studied response than that provided by the Prime Minister.
PHOENIX  State senators did something Thursday they haven't done in four decades: voted to override a gubernatorial veto and set the stage for the House to do the same.

And now they're hoping that Republican Gov. Doug Ducey doesn't retaliate.

The 25-5 vote came on one of the 22 bills that Ducey vetoed a month ago because he was upset that the Republican-controlled Legislature had failed to send him a state budget. The Senate needed just 20 to get the required two-thirds vote for the override.

Senators also voted on Thursday to re-pass new versions of 21 of the measures and send them back to the governor. Some were minor changes while others had more controversial provisions, like banning the use of public dollars for "critical race theory training.''

That left only one to be overridden: a bill making technical corrections in previously enacted laws. And there clearly were the votes to reenact that as the original version was unanimously approved.

But Sen. Tyler Pace, R-Mesa, said it was important for lawmakers to send a message: The Legislature has a constitutional right to override a veto.

"That authority can be used when the Legislature feels that a policy or bill that was otherwise vetoed should become law,'' he said.
Bettina Bailey, co-owner and main proprietor of the Book Stop  a well-known used bookstore in Tucson  died suddenly of a massive cerebral hemorrhage at St. Marys Hospital on June 19. She was 74.

She was everything. She was my big sister and I admired her so much. I will miss her presence. I could always count on her. I just dont know what I am going to do without her, said her sister Anne Lane.

We grew up with books. We had books all over the house, and we would act out stories in books, Lane recalled of their childhood. Some of the characters were Captain Ahab from Moby Dick and Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

The younger sister also remembered when Bailey would play the librarian and collect books that Lane would check out. She would fine me if I did not return them on time, said Lane and let out a laugh.

She had a large impact on Lanes children, who spent much time in the bookstore while growing up, Lane said. Then there were the times each year after Christmas dinner when the family would go to the big box that held Christmas books that Bailey, known as Aunt Teeny, would bring for all to enjoy.
House Speaker Russell Bowers, R-Mesa, acknowledged that the change effectively was payback for Democrats refusing to show up for debate on Tuesday when the Republicans had finally corralled the votes among their own caucus to enact $1.3 billion  and possibly $1.8 billion  in permanent tax cuts and the $12.8 billion state spending plan. The House was left without a quorum that day as four Republicans were away from the Capitol.

It is clear, was clear then, by the absence of an entire caucus, and by actions prior and currently today, that procedural obstruction and delay have been instituted in lieu of civility, Bowers said. He said the time limits still allow for discussion but also allow us to get out in an expedited fashion.

Democrats said Republicans have no one but themselves to blame for the fact the Legislature is now up against a deadline to enact a new spending plan for the fiscal year that begins in less than a week.

Fernandez pointed out that Republican leaders brought lawmakers to the Capitol for 26 days where there was absolutely no legislative business done while they tried to line up the votes among their own caucus. She said thats because they chose not to involve Democrats in budget negotiations or include their priorities in the plan.
In Arivaca, she lived off the grid, in a home with dirt floors and marginal electricity, forcing her to read at night on a kerosene lamp, and to get water from a windmill-powered well.

Byrd Baylor was tough, just as Tucson and Arizona are tough. Her writing reflects a critical independence that was sometimes harsh but never mean, said David Laird, a former head University of Arizona librarian and a Southwest bookstore owner.

Laird got Baylors novel, Yes Is Better Than No, listed as one of 100 Essential Books for the Centennial in 2012 when Arizona observed 100 years of statehood.

She exposed our city and state as it was and is, and we are all better for it, Laird said last week in an email to the Star. She was plain-spoken and tough and that was only leavened by the fact that she was funny.

Despite that toughness, Baylor had the conscience of a saint and the heart of an angel, said Bill Broyles, a longtime Southwestern writer who said he knew her for 35 to 40 years.

She was not afraid to battle the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies when they were shooting at coyotes or sanctioning the shooting, Broyles recalled.
DeSantis has been vocal in his criticism of President Joe Biden's administration.

We are witnessing a catastrophe at the southern border under the Biden Administration," DeSantis said in a statement.

Large numbers of migrants have been showing up at the border, many turning themselves over to U.S. Border Patrol agents in hopes of staying to fight asylum cases. But the numbers of families and children traveling without their parents crossing into the U.S. have dropped sharply since March and April while the encounters with single adults have remained high.

DeSantis arrived in the state's Panhandle on Friday to see off some of the departing law enforcement personnel, who will be deployed for 16-day shifts.

They will get there and they will be ready to go on Monday, he said, adding that he, too, would soon be headed to the border. We look forward to being able to see them in action.

The personnel will be at the disposal of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who issued a call to their fellow governors earlier this month for help  charging that the Biden administration has proven unwilling or unable to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. GOP governors in Idaho, Iowa and Nebraska also have vowed to send personnel.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a vocal critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, announced plans Friday to hold a news conference bringing together people who claim to have had adverse reactions to the vaccine.

His plans drew renewed criticism from doctors who have been accusing Johnson for months of advancing conspiracy theories and putting people's health at risk.

Johnson, who has also advocated for alternative and unproven treatments for COVID-19, said the Monday event in Milwaukee will allow people from around the country to tell their stories and express concerns he said have been repeatedly ignored by the medical community.

The medical community has been consistent in stressing that the risk of side effects from COVID-19 vaccines is exceedingly low and that the benefits of getting vaccinated far outweigh the risks. Earlier this week, top U.S. health officials, medical organizations, laboratory and hospital associations and others issued a statement touting the overriding benefit of the vaccines.
Ducey hailed the passage of the tax cut bill and the provision shielding individuals earning over $250,000 or couples making more than $500,000 from the new Proposition 208 tax. The estimated $827 million a year in new money will still go to schools, but it will come out of the general fund, preventing the state from funding other programs.

Every Arizonan  no matter how much they make  wins with this legislation. They will get to keep more of the money they earn under this tax plan, Ducey said. It will protect small businesses from a devastating 77% tax increase, it ensures working families and all Arizona taxpayers get to spend their money how they choose, and it will help our state stay competitive so we can continue to attract good-paying jobs.

Changes negotiated by a pair of GOP holdouts protect city revenues by boosting the percentage of income tax shared with municipalities, and boost state debt payoffs to $1.9 billion.

The new rules eliminated most of the usual debate, questions and forced roll call votes on amendments that can eat up hours of time. Holding 29 of 60 seats, Democrats only power is to slow the movement of bills by extensive debate.
CHICAGO (AP)  A man has become at least the 11th Illinois resident to be charged in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol and the first of the approximately 500 arrested in the insurrection to be accused of assaulting a member of the media.

Forty-three-year-old Shane Jason Woods of Auburn, in central Illinois, was arrested Thursday and charged with assault on a law enforcement officer and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds, the Chicago Tribune reported.

According to the criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., video footage shows Woods deliberately tripping a U.S. Capitol police officer then pushing her to the ground as she tried to pursue someone else who had sprayed her with bear mace.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP)  A federal appeals court said Friday it would rehear a dispute over a Trump administration ban on bump stocks, a device that allows semiautomatic firearms to fire rapidly.

The decision comes three months after a three-judge panel at the court said a federal judge in Kalamazoo, Michigan, should have blocked the ban.

Cases at federal appellate courts are heard by three-judge panels, but a losing side can ask the full court to reconsider a decision. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Ohio, agreed to a request from the U.S. Justice Department.

The ban came in response to a 2017 shooting in Las Vegas in which a gunman attached bump stocks to assault-style rifles to attack outdoor concert spectators from his hotel room.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives used a regulation to outlaw the bump stocks. Critics insist only Congress can take that step.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A former Chicago businessman will remain in the United States as a federal judge in Los Angeles weighs whether he will be extradited to India for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed more than 160 people.

Tahawwur Rana (tuh-HOW-ur RAH-nah), a Pakistani-born Canadian, is wanted by Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks that are sometimes referred to as Indias 9/11. An Indian warrant for his arrest was issued in August 2018.

Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian on Thursday ordered the defense attorneys and prosecutors to file additional documents by July 15. Rana will remain in federal custody.

Indian authorities allege that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Good, in the orchestration of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, injured more than 200 and caused $1.5 billion in damage.

Headley and Rana attended military high school in Pakistan together. Ranas immigration law center in Chicago, as well as a satellite office in Mumbai, was allegedly used as a front for their terrorism activities between 2006 and 2008, prosecutors say.
It is essential to me that we obtain a truly independent report on the matter and that we be able to assure our campus community that sexual harassment and other misconduct will not be tolerated," Broderick wrote.

Baileys lawyer, Billy Gibbens, told The Virginian-Pilot earlier this month that the allegations are false and not worthy of publication.

Bailey faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse before the Pilot's reporting on ODU. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the AP among others featured extensive, on-the-record quotes from former students of Bailey while he was a New Orleans middle school teacher in the 1990s.

The former students alleged a pattern of inappropriate behavior while he was a teacher, and that he later pursued sexual relationships. Two former students and book publishing executive Valentina Rice have alleged he assaulted them. Rices account first appeared in The New York Times and was confirmed by Rice to the AP.

In late April, Gibbens, Bailey's attorney, described the allegations as false and unsubstantiated.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
HOUSTON (AP)  Investigators have recovered a weapon that may have been used to kill a 5-year-old Houston boy whose body was allegedly kept in a storage unit before being discovered in an East Texas motel.

The weapon was being tested to see if it was the one used to kill Samuel Olson, Andrea Beall, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, told reporters Thursday.

Were not going to stop until we get justice for little Samuel, said Beall, who declined to say what type of weapon was found or used to kill the boy.

The disclosure came the same day a third person was charged in the case. All three face evidence tampering counts and none have been charged with murder, though prosecutors said earlier this month that they expected to bring additional charges against one of them, Theresa Balboa, who was Samuels father's girlfriend.
Were one of the few tribes that have elected to develop our energy resources. Thats our right, tribal Chairman Mark Fox told AP at the opening of a Fort Berthold museum and cultural center built with oil revenue. We can develop those resources and do it responsibly so our children and grandchildren for the next 100 years have somewhere to live.

Smallpox nearly wiped out the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes in the mid-1800s. They lost most of their territory to broken treaties  and a century later, their best remaining lands along the Missouri River were flooded when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created Lake Sakakawea. With dozens of villages uprooted, many people moved to a replacement community above the lake  New Town.

Today, leaders of the three tribes view oil as their salvation and want to keep drilling before its depleted and the world moves past fossil fuels.

And they want the Biden administration to speed up drilling permits and fend off efforts to shut down a pipeline carrying most reservation oil to refineries.

Pipeline fight

Yet tribes left out of the drilling boom have become outspoken against fossil fuels as climate change worsens. One is the Standing Rock Sioux about 100 miles to the south.
From the very first telephone conversation we had after Tony took the office of secretary of state, at the end of the telephone call I couldnt help myself by saying Tony, I still have to get used to the fact that I can speak to the American foreign secretary and always be of the same view because that used to be different beforehand,' Maas said.

Maas hailed Biden's election as a genuine game-changer for international politics, the biggest for quite a while.

The United States are back on the international stage and that is really something that we missed, he said on Thursday.

A day later, Le Drian offered Blinken similarly warm remarks of relief and appreciation.

Welcome back," Le Drian said. It is excellent news for all of us that America is back. It is a comeback to the values that we share, it is a comeback to the multilateralism that we built together and it is our responsibility to continue with it intensively. This is what France and the Europeans had to fight for alone for four very long years.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
We have to deal with Russia, but being very cautious about the real intentions of Putins regime, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told reporters at an EU summit in Brussels. So far, we dont see any radical change in the pattern of behavior of Russia.

If, without any positive changes in the behavior of Russia, we start to engage, it will send very uncertain and bad signals, Nauseda said. It seems to me like we try to engage a bear to keep a pot of honey safe.

The other two Baltic states, Estonia and Latvia, are also deeply concerned about reaching out to Moscow when the Minsk agreements meant to bring peace to Ukraine, whose Crimean Peninsula Russia annexed in 2014, are still not being respected. Conflict still simmers in eastern Ukraine with Russia-backed separatists.

Right now, if it pans out the way its proposed, Russia annexes Crimea, Russia wages war in Donbass, and Europe shrugs its shoulders and continues to try to speak a dialogue. The Kremlin does not understand this kind of politics, said Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

His Estonian counterpart, Kaja Kallas, said that what our intelligence (service) tells us is that sanctions work and the European Union has to be more patient.
Bacot tried to get help from the police, she said in her book. Unable to escape from Polette's surveillance, she asked her son and her daughter's boyfriend to go to the police. But she said they were twice turned away by gendarmes who said the case did not fall within their jurisdiction, and that Bacot had to come in person.

"After that, we decided not to do anything, to give up the fight. Anyway, no one is ready to listen. For us, there is no exit -- all is lost," she wrote.

According to court documents, none of the staff present at the police stations had any recollection of seeing them and no records were found. During court hearings reported by Le Monde, both her son and her daughter's boyfriend at the time insisted they went to the police, according to Le Monde.

Activists have long pointed out the lack of support systems for victims of incest and domestic violence in France. Isabelle Aubry, President of Face a l'Inceste, a French support group that has been fighting for legislative changes to protect victims of incest and family violence and which provides support for victims, says the onus is on them to seek out help.
BRUSSELS (AP)  French president Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that the European Union needs to fight a cultural" and civilizational" battle to stop the rise of illiberal ideas across the 27-nation bloc that he believes are threatening European values at their core.

Macron spoke at the end of summit of EU leaders in Brussels where they strongly clashed with Hungarys prime minister over new legislation that bans the display of LGBT issues to children in that country.

Macron condemned the new law in the name of human dignity" and individual freedom," throwing his support behind the EU's executive commission's plan to start legal action against Hungary.

But the French president insisted it would be wrong to point the finger at Orban without reflecting on the reasons pushing some countries in eastern Europe to turn their back on democratic values.

How do people in Europe come to this?" Macron told journalists. We see in several member countries like Hungary, Poland and many others, an anti-liberal conservatism against our values. We have to respect it. But it is now undermining those values and what has built the core of our western liberal democracy for centuries."
Swansea, WALES (AP)  More than 15 months into the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of seafarers vital to the global shipping industry remain stranded at sea or in ports, unable to leave their ships or get to new assignments due to global travel restrictions.

Friday is International Seafarers Day, and ships around the world, from Los Angeles to Singapore to Antwerp, Belgium, planned to blare their horns in solidarity.

Theyve been the forgotten heroes of this pandemic and theyve really been collateral damage, because it was so easy for countries to say well take nobody into our country, except, of course, they wanted the ships to come in and just discharge their cargo," said Guy Platten, head of the International Chamber of Shipping.

It's been a problem since near the beginning of the pandemic, but Kasper Sgaard of the Global Maritime Forum said the situation has worsened recently, largely due to new travel restrictions countries have imposed in response the delta variant of the coronavirus, which was first identified in India.
The battle between Mariani and Muselier in one of the most picturesque swaths of France has been nasty, with both men - one-time French lawmakers - dredging up dubious moments from each other's past. At one point, Muselier called candidates on Mariani's list skinheads and dumbbells, and refused to shake Mariani's hand after a televised debate on Thursday.

But the PACA battle is crucial to Le Pen. Like other party leaders, she has put a national spin on the regional elections, looking toward the presidential race in 10 months. Le Pen is considered likely to reach the runoff next year against President Emmanuel Macron in a repeat scenario of his 2017 election. Le Pen wants regional roots for her party and the respect that brings.

Mariani faces challenges galore. Candidates from Macrons party are bolstering Muselier, running with him in the PACA region. Making matters worse was a decision this week by the leftist candidate, an ecologist, to drop out of Sunday's runoff in what the French call a republican front to block the far right from power. The same sacrificial maneuver by the left stopped Le Pens niece, Marion Marechal, from her march to victory in PACA in 2015 regional elections, despite a powerful first-round lead.
OPINION: The state of Arizona is on fire, some letter writers suggest cancelling fireworks and opting for other alternatives. What are your thoughts? Write a letter and submit it at tucson.com/opinion.
We hope you have enjoyed your complimentary access for the month.

To continue viewing content on tucson.com, please sign in with your existing account or subscribe.
The idea behind the Curious Poets Club was to provide public school students with opportunities to explore new means of expression and creativity and to help forestall what some educators call the summer brain drain, as youngsters tend to forget some of what they learned during the school year.

It is something, Jones said, that is particularly important these days, after a school year so thoroughly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coming out of the pandemic, I think youngsters really need time for mental and emotional restoration, Jones said. And people tend to meet their best self when they are engaged in self-expression from a place of ease.

Jones, a poet and visual artist, designed the curriculum for the Curious Poets Club with MUSED. founder Victoria McArtor. The program is being offered through August at two other Union Public Schools elementary schools, Rosa Parks and Grove, in addition to Ellen Ochoa.

Here were working with elementary school students, so were doing more visual arts, she said. We try to give them a new tool of self-expression, and then try to get them to go outside the normal head space, where they think that if you are making a piece of art, it has to be perfect.
I expect on average to be at their site once a week, and generally one thing leads to another, he said. If I look at one thing, I usually wind up with questions about another.

Lusnia told the board Thursday that while he is encouraged by some of the changes that have already taken place, he still has concerns from his review.

The Learning Fund is used to provide Epic One-on-One students $1,000 each. Once any curriculum and technology costs are covered, those funds can be spent on books and materials ordered directly through the school or paid to outside vendors for extracurricular activities.

However, in a review of 11 Learning Fund accounts, Lusnia noted that in-house fees and charges were not universally applied at the same rates.

With Epic One-on-Ones student count consistently declining through the course of the school year, Lusnia said Epic Youth Services could have received at least $4 million in extra funds after former students Learning Fund accounts were zeroed out upon withdrawal from the school.

The explanation he was given was that the zeroed-out accounts made it possible for late enrollees to have access to funds, as well, but was not able to see definitive confirmation to that end, he said.
A Broken Arrow man whose 2017 child sex abuse convictions and 175-year prison term were overturned on jurisdictional grounds was convicted again Wednesday of the same crimes, this time in Tulsa federal court.

A jury deliberated about two hours before finding Jeffery Arch Jones, 31, guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child in Indian Country and one count of abusive sexual contact with a child in Indian Country, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Tulsa.

Make no mistake, Jeffrey Jones is a child sexual predator, said Acting U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. Todays conviction ensures Jones will no longer be able to harm another child while he is in federal prison. I want to thank the two young victims who bravely testified at trial and confronted Jeffery Jones with his actions.

A federal grand jury indicted Jones in February after he challenged his state convictions on jurisdictional grounds.

His state convictions are among hundreds that have been overturned in light of a 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision that determined the state of Oklahoma did not have criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens when they were involved in crimes occurring within the Muscogee Nation.
PUA is available for gig and contract workers who normally are not entitled to receive regular unemployment benefits.

The number of continued PUA claims, those filed after one week of unemployment, declined slightly from 15,288 the week ending May 29 to 14,732 the following week.

Another temporary federal program for those who have exhausted all of their regular state unemployment benefits, Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, saw a slight decline in those receiving benefits, from 33,416 the week ending May 29 to 32,197 the following week.

Those receiving PUA, PEUC or the $300 weekly federal payment will see those benefits come to an end Sunday.

Thats the day Gov. Kevin Stitt chose for the state to opt out of the federal programs with the hope of luring more unemployed people to take jobs.

The Oklahoma Employment Security Commission has been hosting job fairs throughout the state in an effort to connect employers and employees.

The commission touted its unemployment rate in its weekly jobless report.
The People's Republic of China was accepted into the world body on June 25, 1971, with the backing of developing nations and the Soviet bloc, replacing the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek that had fled to the island of Taiwan amid civil war in 1949. Chiang's Republic of China, now better known simply as Taiwan, had been among the founders of the U.N. and a permanent member of the Security Council, but has since been excluded by it and related groups such as the World Health Organization.

Wang said China has participated in 29 former and ongoing peacekeeping operations, contributing more than 50,000 personnel, 24 of whom have died while in deployment.

China has the world's largest standing military, with more than 2 million members, and has 600,000 paramilitary police. The world's second-largest military budget after the U.S. allows it to expand its forces and add advanced fighter jets and a third aircraft carrier now nearing completion.

China denies being an expansionist power, despite its moves to shore up its claims to the South China Sea by building artificial islands, recent border skirmishes with India and vows to conquer Taiwan and take control of East China Sea islands held by Japan.
(Unlike Biden, Putin knows that in 2021 whoever has the oil and gas still calls the shots  and no one is going to take away that geopolitical weapon with windmills and Parisian climate treaties.)

For good measure, Biden  trying 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 America  and 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. When my father was negotiating with the Soviets in the 1980s, someone asked him to sum up his strategy on the Cold War. He answered, We win, they lose.
During the 2021 annual general meeting on Friday morning, Anova Corporation  a member of NovaGroup  decided to change its name and launch an official public offering, or IPO.

Steady development in difficult times

In 2020, the livestock industry went through many challenges brought about by the African swine fever epidemic, a surge in farming costs in the poultry and catfish sectors, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite such obstacles, Anova has managed to achieve positive results in its business operations, with revenue reaching VND3.1 trillion (US$134.7 million) in 2020, a representative said at the meeting.

The corporations after-tax profit was VND178 billion ($7.7 million), while the total consolidated assets stood at VND3.8 trillion ($165.1 million), including an equity of VND2 trillion ($86.9 million).

In the field of veterinary medicine, Anova is one of the leading enterprises in the industry with a market share of 35 percent in the country and has been honored with the High Quality Vietnamese Goods title for many consecutive years.

The corporation has also exported its products to more than 26 markets, including developed countries such as South Korea, the UAE, Malaysia, and Thailand, contributing to increasing the reputation of Vietnamese veterinary medicine products.

Anova is also a strategic shareholder of Navetco  a Vietnamese enterprise that has completed the research of a vaccine against African swine fever  and Vetvaco  another unit specializing in vaccine production in the agricultural sector.

Anovas annual general meeting is organized virtually on June 25, 2021.

Entering the consumer goods market

At the meeting, Anovas board of directors presented the 2021 business plan and changes to the content of its business registration.

Delegates agreed to change its name to Nova Consumer Group Joint Stock Company (Nova Consumer Group), whose orientation is to tap into additional consumer goods industries.

Nova Consumer Group (NCG) will seek investment opportunities in the food sector to complete the closed food supply chain from farm to fork, in order to improve the group's business efficiency and create value for investors.

NCG will still focus on core business activities in the agricultural sector, and strive to increasing sales volume by over 50 percent in the veterinary medicine segment.

Regarding the livestock industry, NCGs goal in 2021 is to add at least two large-scale pig farms and a system of chicken farms with nearly one million chickens in the southern region.

At the conference, shareholders of the company also approved the IPO scheme, expecting the firm to be listed on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange in the near future.

This is a strong and timely transformation of NCG to become one of the three main pillars of NovaGroup, aside from Novaland Group and Nova Service Group.

Anova Corp (currently Nova Consumer Group) was established in 1992, originating from Thanh Nhon Trading Company Limited. Together with nine member companies, Nova Consumer Group has gradually completed a closed agricultural production chain as well as provided seeds, vaccines, veterinary medicine, animal feed, and technical support for modern animal husbandry. From 2021, the group began participating in the production and trade of consumer goods.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Japan said on Friday it would send 2 million additional doses of AstraZeneca Plc's COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan and Vietnam and arrangements were being made to send 1 million doses each to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

The direct donations, which should help Japan to increase its diplomatic influence in Asia, come as wealthy nations are being pushed to provide more doses to the global vaccine sharing scheme COVAX to cover a 200-million dose shortfall.

While densely populated lower-income countries act as incubators for new and more dangerous strains of the coronavirus, some of the poorest countries have vaccinated fewer than 1% of their populations, according to estimates from Gavi, a global vaccine alliance that runs COVAX with the World Health Organization.

Japan has pledged $1 billion and 30 million doses to the COVAX facility and said this month its direct shipments to Asian neighbours are being made outside of COVAX to speed up delivery.

It donated 1.24 million doses to Taiwan and 1 million to Vietnam this month and plans to share an additional 1 million doses each with the two.

Japan is drawing on 120 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine it has reserved, as it has no immediate plans to use the shots at home amid lingering concern over international reports of blood clots.

Its foreign minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, said on Friday Japan would start to supply 11 million doses in total to regions including Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and the Pacific islands through the COVAX from mid-July.
Many delivery drivers in Ho Chi Minh City have been warned for gathering in large groups along local streets while waiting for orders.

A team of officers in Ward 25, Binh Thanh District patrolled local streets on Thursday to make sure COVID-10 prevention and control regulations were strictly followed in the locality.

They found 10 shippers gathered together near the intersection of Nguyen Gia Tri and Vo Oanh Streets.

Some members of the group managed to run away as the officers approached, while the others were booked for violating limits imposed on public gatherings.

Similar offenses have been recorded at several other locations in Ward 25.

A total of 16 delivery workers were summoned to the wards administration on Thursday after their violations were recorded.

We often park at various locations to take a break or wait for our next job. It has become such a habit of ours that we completely forgot it violated social distancing rules, said T.P.N., a Grab driver.

In accordance with current pandemic prevention and control regulations in Ho Chi Minh City, participating in gatherings of more than three people in public is punishable by a fine of VND10-20 million (US$434-869) for each offender.

However, the delivery workers were given only warning, considering this was their first time violation.

We understand they have been facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic, Pham Van Ton, chairman of the administration in Ward 25, stated.

If they continue to break this rule in the future, a stern penalty will be imposed.

Delivery workers are booked for violating limit on public gatherings in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, June 24, 2021. Photo: Dan Thuan / Tuoi Tre

Ton asked operators of transport and delivery service apps such as Grab, Gojek, and Beamin to remind their drivers to comply with COVID-19 response measures.

Vietnam had documented 14,323 COVID-19 cases as of Friday morning, with 5,759 recoveries and 74 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 11,014 local infections in 47 provinces and cities, including 2,293 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, since the latest outbreak began on April 27.

Due to the increasingly serious developments of the pandemic, the municipal Peoples Committee issued directive No. 10 on Saturday evening to enforce stricter virus prevention and control measures, namely shutting down unofficial markets, limiting public gatherings to three people, and suspending public transport.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
A man from Hanoi is likely to have his drivers license revoked for six months after a CCTV system captured him driving in the wrong direction on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway on June 18.

A surveillance camera system installed along the expressway caught Nguyen Manh D., a 26-year-old resident of Hanois Hoan Kiem District, driving in the wrong way at 2:41 pm on June 18, traffic police officers said on Thursday afternoon.

After being summoned to a local traffic police station, D. admitted his violation, saying that he had missed the exit to Tam Dao District in northern Vinh Phuc Province, but did not know an alternative route.

According to current Vietnamese law, motorists caught driving in the wrong direction are subject to a fine of VND17 million (US$738), could have their drivers license revoked for six months for driving, and potentially have their car impounded for seven days.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
The Ho Chi Minh City administration has proposed the expenditure of VND886 billion (US$38.5 million) on supporting residents who are badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The municipal Peoples Committee made the proposition during the meeting of the citys Peoples Council on Thursday.

The administration suggested that freelancers who lost their jobs or had their income drastically reduced due to social distancing measures be provided with VND50,000 ($2.1) per person per day.

The same financial assistance would also be given to legitimate workers who fail to earn any income or have a monthly income of less than VND4 million ($173).

These two groups include street vendors, garbage or scrap collectors, porters, goods transporters, lottery ticket sellers, those who run or work at household businesses in such fields as catering, accommodation, and tourism, and laborers at temporarily suspended businesses.

This support is applicable during the period when social distancing measures under the PMs Directive No.15 are implemented in the city.

Meanwhile, merchants at traditional markets would receive VND150,000-300,000 ($6.5-13) each month for six months, starting from July.

Household businesses that had to stop operating in areas where social distancing measures under the PMs Directive No.16 were applied would be given VND2 million ($87) each.

Employees who have to take unpaid leave would be provided with VND1.8 million ($78) per person.

Among them, those who are pregnant or raising children under six years old would receive an additional support of VND1 million ($43) each.

People whose labor contracts were terminated but are not eligible for unemployment benefits would also be supported with VND1.8 million ($78) per person.

However, they must meet some conditions when their contracts were ended.

The municipal Peoples Committee also planned on covering the cost of meals for people at quarantine facilities, which is expected to be VND80,000 ($3.4) per person per day.

Those who participate in epidemic prevention and control efforts would be given financial support worth VND120,000 ($5.2) per person per day.

The above mentioned assistance is expected to total VND886 billion ($38.5 million), which would be funded by the citys budget.

Vietnam had documented 14,435 COVID-19 cases as of Friday afternoon, with 5,759 recoveries and 74 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 11,111 local infections in 47 provinces and cities, including 2,343 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, since the latest outbreak began on April 27.

The southern metropolis entered a social distancing period on May 31, following regulations under the PMs Directive No.15.

The PMs Directive No.16, which promulgates stricter rules, was previously applied in Go Vap District and Thanh Loc Ward in District 12 from May 31 to June 14, and was replaced by the PMs Directive No.16 from June 15.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
As many as 667 suspected COVID-19 cases were discovered in Ho Chi Minh City from 6:00 am Thursday to 6:00 am Friday, the municipal chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said at a meeting on Friday afternoon.

The striking number, which marked a record amid the ongoing virus wave in the southern metropolis, included 637 cases in centralized quarantine facilities and locked-down areas and only about ten community-based cases with the sources of transmission remaining unknown, according to Phong.

Giving more details to Phongs announcement, Nguyen Tan Binh, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said that 99 cases were detected in the sealed-off areas and 538 cases in quarantine facilities.

Fourteen cases were tracked through screening at hospitals, one case of occupational exposure -- a paramedic working at the Medical Center of Binh Thanh District, one via expanded testing, two post-quarantine cases, two imported cases, and the remaining ten are still under investigation.

Speaking at the meeting, Nguyen Tri Dung, director of the Ho Chi Minh Center for Disease Control, said that 68 percent of COVID-19 patients being treated in the city are asymptomatic, while only 1.3 percent exhibit severe symptoms.

According to Dung, the virulence of COVID-19 will reduce after times of transmission.

After that, the spread of the disease persists, but an infected person sufferes no or very mild symptoms.

Dung thus suggested the municipal authorities consider the protection and treatment for only at-risk groups with underlying diseases, instead of every COVID-19 patients, in the next phase.

The at-risk groups will be vaccinated against COVID-19 and given other precautions, while those with no or mild symptoms can be treated as common patients with normal flu, according to Dungs suggestion.

Before that phase, Dung emphasized, the local medical authorities will continue tracing tasks and handle infections as quickly as possible.

Vietnam had documented 14,435 COVID-19 cases as of Friday afternoon, with 5,759 recoveries and 74 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health.

The country has recorded 11,111 local infections in 47 provinces and cities, including 2,343 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, since the latest outbreak began on April 27.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
A worker at Tan Son Nhat Cargo Services Joint Stock Company in Ho Chi Minh City received a second dose of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine just 30 minutes after the first due to a mix-up at the vaccination site.

The worker, Vu Huu Minh, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Wednesday that a nurse viewed his vaccination profile and injected him with the first AstraZeneca vaccine jab after a screening procedure proved he was eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination on Tuesday afternoon.

After the injection, Minh held his profile and moved to another table, where another nurse also looked over the profile and asked him to have a seat and turn his head away.

The nurse then jabbed him with another shot of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.

The two doses, totaling 1ml, occurred between 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm, according to Minh.

I was shocked because the nurse did not ask me in advance if I had received the injection, said Minh.

After receiving the second shot, I asked the nurse and my colleagues why they gave me two injections in a row.

"The nurse then quickly took me to the medical room.

Minh asserted that he did not intentionally get two shots of the vaccine consecutively.

The man said he also reported the issue to local authorities on Wednesday morning, underlining that it is necessary to clarify the coordination process of vaccination staff to ensure this situation does not happen to someone else.

He is currently at home and is in stable health.

Currently, AstraZeneca doses, developed by British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, are recommended to be given from four to 12 weeks apart.

According to a medical expert, researchers had mulled over administering 1ml of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine per injection in the study phase of the vaccine, before finding that just 0.5ml injection was enough.

According to this expert, receiving two doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in such a short time as Minhs case does not affect the receivers health. It is only a waste of the second dose.

However, this expert also commented that Minhs incident proved that the current vaccination procedure must be reviewed to avoid the repetition of such negligence.

Tuoi Tre has contacted the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control regarding the aforementioned incident, but has yet to receive a response from the center, while the municipal Department of Health said that it had not received a report on the case.

Vietnam had administered 2,920,248 COVID-19 vaccine doses, with 143,121 being given two full doses, as of 4:00 pm Thursday, according to the Ministry of Healths morning update on Friday.

Ho Chi Minh City authorities began carrying out its largest COVID-19 immunization drive on June 19, giving 836,000 total doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The campaign is slated to end before June 27.

So far, 247,327 people in the southern metropolis were vaccinated on June 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24, according to daily updates from the countrys health ministry.

Ninety-one new cases of COVID-19, including 12 imported cases and 57 local infections in Ho Chi Minh City, were confirmed on Friday morning, raising the national tally to 14,323 patients, with 5,759 recoveries and 72 deaths.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Vietnams Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has requested health authorities and other relevant agencies to speed up their coronavirus vaccine production to debut the first made in Vietnam COVID-19 vaccine by June 2022 at the latest.

The premier made the statement during his visit to the Company for Vaccine and Biological Production No. 1 (Vabiotech), under the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, in Hanoi on Thursday.

After touring the company, where one of the four local vaccines are being developed, PM Chinh had a meeting with high-ranking officials from many ministries to discuss measures to speed up the vaccine manufacturing processes.

The PM warned the meeting that the vaccine supply will be in short globally between now and September, while the transfer of vaccine technology cannot be done overnight.

Therefore, he said, the successful implementation of the national vaccine strategy is the number one tool to prevent and reverse the pandemic, since the risk of pathogen entering from the outside is inevitable while new strains of the coronavirus are more dangerous and spread faster.

For the time being, every effort should be put on technology transfer, research and production of COVID-19 vaccines, PM Chinh said.

There must be a domestically produced COVID-19 vaccine at the latest by June 2022, the premier directed.

He also asked the Ministry of Health and relevant ministries to set up effective and timely mechanisms and policies for COVID-19 vaccine technology transfer, research and production.

The PM also agreed to earmark a part of the state budget for efforts to produce coronavirus vaccines, beside mobilizing other financial resources, including the national COVID-19 vaccine fund that has been injected with around VND8 trillion (US$347 million).

The health ministry should create the most favorable conditions for domestic vaccine testing, and if the test results are satisfactory and in case of the vaccine scarcity, it can apply to competent authorities for licensing the vaccine for emergency use, the government leader said.

Currently, Vietnam has four potential domestic COVID-19 vaccines, each of which has been developed by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Vabiotech, the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals (IVAC), and the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals (Polyvac), respectively.

By Thursday, nearly three million doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered nationwide, equivalent to 4 percent of those with vaccination indications, and over 143,100 people had received two full doses of the vaccine, according to the health ministrys data.

The ministry on Friday noon confirmed 112 new COVID-19 cases, including 109 domestic and three imported cases, which have taken the countrys tally of patients to 14,435, including 5,759 recoveries and 74 deaths.

Of the new cases, 50 were detected in Ho Chi Minh City, which has recently topped the country in daily new COVID-19 infections.

Since April 27, when the pandemics fourth wave started in Vietnam, a total of 11,111 domestic COVID-19 cases have been documented.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Network 10 and Southern Cross Media Group have reached a new regional television affiliation agreement -but only for two years.

The new agreement from 1 July 2021 sees Network 10 extending its metropolitan free-to-air television content from channels 10, 10 Bold, 10 Peach and 10 Shake into regional Queensland, Southern New South Wales and Victoria commercial television licence areas.

Beverley McGarvey, Chief Content Officer and Executive Vice President, ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, said: We are delighted to announce our new agreement with SCA and that our premium content and live news and sport will reach more Australians through the SCA regional network.

Jarrod Villani, Chief Operating and Commercial Officer and Executive Vice President, ViacomCBS Australia and New Zealand, said: SCAs strength in regional Australia, combined with Network 10s growing audience will deliver a great experience for both viewers and advertisers.

Ongoing collaboration between us will continue to strengthen our services and we look forward to a strong and successful partnership for years to come.

Grant Blackley, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Southern Cross Austereo, said: We are thrilled to announce a new affiliation agreement with Network 10 for the next two years and look forward to promoting and monetising 10s expanding suite of premium content.

The 2 year deal with Southern Cross contrasts with 10s 5 year deal with WIN TV for Northern NSW and a 7 year deal announced by Nine with WIN Corporation.

No further details of the new agreement will be released.

Regional changes take place from next Thursday.

Amended.
His show may not have been on Australian television since about 2013, but many readers will doubtless still be interested to learn that Conan OBrien has bowed out of late night television in the US after 28 years.

OBrien ended his 11-year run on Conan, which screened on TBS, by opening with a special clip produced by The Simpsons with Homer Simpson conducting an exit interview.

That gave me goosebumps, OBrien said. That meant the world to me they went to all that trouble.

OBrien ended the episode with several thanks.

First of all, Im the beneficiary of literally hundreds and hundreds of really talented, amazing people. And then Im just the nose cone of the rocket. And theres so many people to thank. Eleven years ago, I made the decision to come to TBS. At the time, people really surprised that I did that. They didnt think that would be the move. I did it for one reason: a guy named Steve Koonin came to me, and hes one of the loveliest people Ive ever met in show business. Hes what the Irish call a mensch. (We take words that we like!) Anyway, he came to me and he said, I will protect you, I will let you and your people do whatever you want. Ill never interfere and well support you 100%. They did that. They did that in every single way. They never went back on their word. They were extraordinary. And lovely, he said.

Guests included Jack Black, Will Ferrell appeared over Zoom and a roundup of guests over the years Martin Short, Zack Galifianakis, Nicole Byer, Andy Samberg and Lea Delaria. A Conan Without Borders package featured his trips to Cuba, South Korea, Armenia, Israel, Australia, Mexico, Ghana, Germany, Japan, Greenland and Italy.

He also thanked TBS execs, executive producer Jeff Ross, and announcer Andy Richter.

He noted, I started as a comedy writer, so I always took it as a point of pride. I always wanted to have the very best comedy writers and I did. Starting in 1993 until now. I cannot express how brilliant these people are. And I dont often know that writers are appreciated as much as they should be. I know that there are awards for them, but theyre behind the scenes. You have no idea the courage of many of my writers. The ingenuity, the beauty of their minds, how they work, and theyre also really good people. Ive been blessed with the best writing in television, in my opinion for 28 years..

OBrien, who previously hosted Late Night with Conan OBrien and The Tonight Show with Conan OBrien, has a new weekly variety show lined up for HBO Max next year.

Source: Variety
Mondays Four Corners story will be Michael Brissendens final as he signs off from a stellar 35-year career at the ABC.

The report Post Mortem goes behind the turmoil thats engulfed Australia Post.

They got watches. Then-Australia Post CEO, Christine Holgate

It was a jaw dropping moment. The admission by the CEO of Australia Post that four executives had been given Cartier watches as a reward for a banking deal sparked a wave of indignation and damaging headlines. It came at a time when many Australians were reeling from the crippling impact of the pandemic. It reeked of an out of touch executive class in charge of one of Australias most cherished institutions.

This government is taking no action against the Liberal-appointed Australia Post board, which spent $12,000 of taxpayers money on Cartier watches? Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader

Politicians on both sides of the spectrum were quick to condemn the purchases and laid the blame at the feet of the beleaguered CEO, Christine Holgate.

This was not consistent with public expectations about how taxpayers money should be spent. Paul Fletcher, Communications Minister

Within hours, Christine Holgate was gone but the scandal was far from over. On Monday, Four Corners investigates the turmoil inside Australia Post and what brought down its high-profile CEO.

I think I was thrown under the bus, and the bus reversed back over me. Christine Holgate, former CEO

In the months that followed Ms Holgates departure there have been claims and counter claims as each side seeks to take the high moral ground.

Do I feel it was escalated, because I was a woman? Yes, I do. Christine Holgate, former CEO

I would reject strongly the proposition that in some way the expectations are different as between a male executive and a female executive. Paul Fletcher, Communications Minister

Four Corners investigates allegations of secret privatisation plans and proposed job cuts, and examines who was really standing up for whom.

Dont give me that rubbish that they wouldnt sell anything off. Theyd sell their bloody mother if they could. Senator Pauline Hanson, One Nation Party

In interviews with key players, the program asks the decision makers to explain their actions to the people of Australia.

Monday 28th June at 8.30pm on ABC.
Nine News has appointed Brett McLeod as as Europe Correspondent, replacing Ben Avery in coming months, who will be returning to Adelaide after two years in the role.

Hugh Nailon, Director of News Melbourne said, Brett is a senior network reporter, who will bring experience and gravitas to the role at a time when Covid is still dominating, Boris is in charge and the next chapter of the Monarchy will be compelling.

Over the last two decades, Bretts developed into an outstanding broadcaster of breaking news, as we saw recently with the George Pell Verdict, and when he expertly helmed the Network coverage of Prince Phillips death.

This will be a return to familiar territory for Brett, after his first posting to the bureau in the early 2000s.

McLeod will take up his role from September 1st.
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)
Georginio Wijnaldum will wear a OneLove captains armband in Budapest on Sunday (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Netherlands captain Georginio Wijnaldum has refused to rule out taking his players off the pitch if they are racially abused during Sundays last-16 clash with the Czech Republic.

The Dutch are taking on the Czechs at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, which is in the spotlight for incidents at Euro 2020.

Uefa has launched an investigation into potential discriminatory incidents during Hungarys Group F games against France and Portugal.

Homophobic banners were displayed by fans during the match with Portugal, while before the France game some fans marched to the ground with a banner telling players to stop taking a knee to protest against racism.

And Wijnaldum, who will wear a special OneLove captains armband on Sunday as a show of support to the LGBTQ+ community, said: I think I will I go to the referee but, to be honest, Im not sure what my reaction is going to be in the heat of the moment.

I am not ruling out walking off the field if something like that happens on Sunday. Uefa must protect the players.

Read More

Germany vs Hungary pitch invader holds rainbow flag during Hungarian national anthem
Chloe Lula, a Berlin-based writer and audio producer, writes for PinkNews and openDemocracy about the unique challenges trans folk face in ultra-conservative Georgia

Bart Nikolo, a transgender man living in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, spends his winter nights gathering kindling for the sex workers who wait for clients near Heroes Square.

Its something hes done for years. After driving around for hours picking up fallen branches, he stacks them in neat piles, creating small fires that radiate a feeble heat.

When police officers try to fine him for littering, he explains what he says should be obvious: that hes only trying to help ensure that these women, many of whom are also transgender, do not die from the cold.

In the absence of government support for queer people, Nikolo feels that the burden of care has fallen on the LGBT+ communitys shoulders.

During the pandemic, in particular, government aid has failed to reach its most vulnerable citizens, including those facing socioeconomic problems and gender and identity-based discrimination.

Success, the only openly queer bar in Tbilsi. (George Nebieridze)

Many trans people who arent able to pass as cisgendered are pushed into dangerous, unstable and often illegal work, such as prostitution. This makes it difficult for them to access healthcare, housing, mental health services and unemployment assistance.

I met Nikolo in October 2020 on the upper floor of Success in downtown Tbilisi, the citys only queer bar.

I started by fighting for my own rights, he told me. Horrified by the bigotry he faced when he first came out as trans in 2006, he set up Equality Movement, an NGO for queer advocacy, in 2011.

Word of my desire to help [other LGBT+ people] spread fast. I discovered that there were hundreds of people who needed it  more than you would think, he said.

Since then, Nikolo has helped many LGBT+ people navigate the challenges of a system that has for decades vehemently oppressed the voices of sexual minorities.

Church and State

Story continues

Georgias hostility towards LGBT+ rights, Nikolo told me, stems from the contradictions between the two pillars of Georgian national identity, the Church and the State.

When the United National Movement (UNM) party rose to power following the Rose Revolution in 2003, it promised to overturn the stagnant Soviet political economy and culture by introducing widespread neoliberal reforms, government-led modernisation projects and closer ties to NATO and the EU.

But UNMs desired shift towards a Western-aligned national identity was at odds with Orthodox traditionalism.

An overwhelming 87 per cent of the population identifies as Georgian Orthodox, and the Church  which considers homosexuality immoral, inappropriate and an affront to Gods design for humanity  is trusted far more than the government.

UNMs rise to power led to a period of polarisation  along with a rise in poverty and inequality that has left the countrys most socioeconomically marginalised people, including queer people, at greater risk of exploitation and discrimination.

While homophobic stigma has inhibited above-ground queer organising, more widespread internet access has enabled inclusive values to take hold in underground communities.

The internet is a major meeting point for Tbilisis queer people in the absence of physical safe spaces

It was only with the advent of the internet that new identity categories became available, wrote Georgian feminist studies scholar Anna Rekhviashvili.

This new form of connection helped mobilise clandestine gay networks, she explains, which eventually emerged in a small number of visible sanctuaries  such as Success  in the 2010s.

The internet continues to be a major meeting point for Tbilisis queer people in the absence of physical safe spaces and LGBT-affirming resources.

Homophobia vs solidarity

In May 2013, a small rally in central Tbilisi to mark International Day Against Homophobia was ambushed by thousands of angry protesters. Many of them, including Georgian Orthodox priests, violently attacked the gay rights demonstrators.

Russian millionaire and ultra-nationalist Levan Vasadze was a prominent participant in the 2013 ambush. Last month, he announced his plans to enter politics with a new movement Unity, Essence, Hope  abbreviated in Georgian as ERI, meaning nation.

Recently, Vasadze talked of destabilisation if Tbilisi Pride takes place in early July. We give the government time, he said, to cancel the events, otherwise people will react to the governments decision and will not allow the anti-Christian and anti-Georgian activities.

Vasadze is doing nothing to discourage extremist and nationalist bigoted views, and thats disturbing, said Ian Kelly, the US ambassador to Georgia 201518.

His power comes from uniting the opposition and creating a situation thats very much us-vs-them.

Such developments are alarming, but they highlight the importance of solidarity  and improved connections  within the queer community. Giorgi Kikonishvili, a gay rights activist in Tbilisi, was among those attacked in 2013 and remembers it as a turning point for the Georgian LGBT+ movement.

But, he said, we need to start working together very fiercely.

Giorgi Kikonishvili, an LGBT+ rights activist, has set up social media groups to support Georgians. (George Nebieridze)

In 2018, Kikonishvili and Nikolo set up a private Facebook group called LGBT News. It now has almost 4,000 members from Georgia, Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and offers advice on how to be queer safely in public.

Social media is increasingly important. I have around 5,000 friends on Facebook, Nikolo said.

This is how I find ways to help people. I can be available to anyone who needs me 24/7. Social workers arent always around  but I am.

For example, he remembers when a trans sex worker jumped from the window of an apartment building in the middle of the night to escape a threatening client (she survived).

I spent the night chatting with her friends, trying to figure out what happened, what was going on. It becomes a kind of therapy, he said.

Nikolo and Kikonishvili have used their Facebook platform to start the Transgender Solidarity Group, to raise money for trans sex workers forced out of work during the pandemic and excluded from emergency government aid.

Some of this money was spent on food, delivered to the sex workers by Natia Gvianishvili, a local lesbian feminist, and Nikolo.

I fought really hard with the state to get a sticker for my car that allowed me to be outside during the [pandemic] curfew, he said.

Tbilisi, a town of cobblestone streets, peaks out of the steep banks of the Mtkvari. (George Nebieridze)

At one point, Nikolo worked three days straight without sleep, as his initial list of 40 people in need quickly grew to more than 100.

The alternative public sphere that has blossomed around Nikolos online group helps its members through small, human gestures.

But it also works in wider ways  germinating ideas for petitions, engaging in outreach with other NGOs, and even generating court cases that could have the potential to change the law.

Nikolo is advocating for laws that would allow trans people in Eurasia to legally change their gender without undergoing prohibitively expensive sex reassignment surgeries. In 2019, he filed a (still ongoing) case at the European Court of Human Rights.

Nikolo and Kikonishvili describe this fight for recognition as a legacy of the 2013 attack on the queer rights rally.

In a video of that day, which they showed to openDemocracy, a car carrying activists inches through angry crowds under the escort of a lone police officer, who pushes the protesters away with his hands. Kikonishvili pointed to himself in the video, cowering from the stones, sticks and metal bars that almost shattered the cars windows.

But what he remembers even more than the violence, he said, were the barricades that had been erected by the police to keep back the crowd of anti-LGBT protestors.

That dividing line symbolised for Kikonishvili how, on his side, a small part of Georgian society is quietly demanding acceptance. The rest, on the other side, want to snuff them out.

This article was first published by openDemocracy.
On the eve of this year's first meeting with Randall, the student hazzan who will co-lead our high holiday services with me, I found myself humming the weekday evening liturgy...in the nusach, the melodic mode, of the Days of Awe. This is one of the ways in which my years in the ALEPH rabbinic ordination program rewired my brain! As soon as the high holidays are even a glimmer of future on the far horizon, their melodic waves lift me up.

I've been continuing to revise Days of Awe, the machzor which I released last year in pilot form. (More about that in another post.) One of my changes has been swapping out the poems which had previously appeared at the beginning of each section of the shofar service. I wrote those poems years ago, and one of my congregants suggested to me that we could use something new in that place.

I am indebted to my friend and teacher Rabbi Daniel Siegel for his writings on the three themes of the shofar service: sovereignty, remembrance, and the shofar itself. I commend to you his posts Malchuyot, Zichronot & Shofarot and especially Malchuyot, Zichronot, & Shofarot Take Two. Rereading those posts and marinating in those teachings (and also marinating in Reb Zalman z"l's teachings about the shofar and its spiritual meanings, as collected and cited in a variety of places, including the Jewish Renewal Hasidus blog) informed these poems greatly.

These poems will appear in the second edition of Days of Awe, though if they speak to you, you're welcome to use them even if you're not using the rest of the machzor.

MALCHUYOT



What does it mean

to proclaim Your sovereignty

when we don't understand kings?

Before the Big Bang, there was You.



In the old year

we allowed habits to rule us.

Help us throw off that yoke

so our best selves may serve You.



Help us surrender. The cosmos

is not under our control.

Help us fall to our knees

and find home in Your embrace.



Let Your power increase in the world.

Help us be unashamed of yearning.

Strengthen our awe and our love

so our prayers will soar.


The planet is drowning in plastic pollution. Plastic has been found on the world's tallest mountain peak and its deepest ocean trench. It's washed up on the shores of Antarctica and on the beaches of remote, uninhabited islands in the South Pacific. The problem is so far-reaching it's hard to know where to start cleaning it up. But UK-based startup Ellipsis Earth believes it can help, CNN reports.

Using drones fitted with cameras, Ellipsis maps the location of plastic pollution. Through computer software and image recognition, it's then able to identify the type of plastic, its size, and in some cases, even the brand or origin of the trash. This data can be used to inform solutions. "We would be able to find out that 'Beach X' has a ton of fishing nets and discarded lobster traps, whereas 'Beach Y' has a ton of hygiene and sanitation wet wipes," says Ellie Mackay, Ellipsis founder and CEO.

For the Beach X scenario, "we need to speak to the fishing industry and get some regulation around dumping of ghost nets," she tells CNN. Whereas for Beach Y, "it's about educating people not to flush things down the toilet and speaking to local sewage outlets." The technology allows Ellipsis to carry out a survey in a matter of minutes -- much faster than the typical method on foot.

Mapping the world

The startup, which was officially founded in 2019 following several years of research and development, has undertaken projects all over the world -- from the UK coastline to the banks of the Ganges river in India. The project that hit home most for Mackay was in the Galapagos Islands, roughly 620 miles off the coast of Ecuador. "There are coastlines there that have not changed since [Charles] Darwin set foot on those beaches, all those years ago," she says. "The only difference -- the only evidence that man exists -- is in the plastic all over the beaches."

Data gathered by Ellipsis in 2017 and 2018 found that on one of the most remote beaches in the area, you are never more than 43 centimeters (17 inches) away from a piece of trash, says Mackay. But such shocking data has led to action. Since the Ellipsis baseline survey, Mackay says that Galapagos authorities have introduced a ban on single-use plastics, including Styrofoam takeaway containers and plastic bags, across the archipelago. While the majority of plastic that washes up on the islands' shores comes from elsewhere (most of the islands are uninhabited and the population is only around 25,000), the ban extends to tourists and service providers.

Another Ellipsis project based in Sorrento, Italy, surveyed cigarette butt littering, leading to an education campaign and more strategic placement of bins and ashtrays across the town. According to Ellipsis, the campaign has resulted in a 70% reduction in cigarette littering. Meanwhile, the startup's ongoing project in Bournemouth, UK, will inform the local council of trash hotspots, so that it can provide extra bins or alter street cleaning schedules. Richard Thompson, professor of marine biology and director of the Marine Institute at the University of Plymouth in the UK, says that this solution-based approach to gathering data is vital. While there is plenty of evidence to prove that plastic pollution exists worldwide, there is still a lack of targeted data that can be used to inform effective solutions, he says.

Tech evolution

The use of aerial imagery to map plastic pollution is not new. Thompson recalls a time before drones, when scientists experimented with sending up balloons with cameras attached to take aerial photos of beaches. More recently, the European Space Agency used satellites to identify plastic pollution. "But what's happening here is that the technology for drones and also the image resolution has improved quite substantially over time, making it much more viable," says Thompson.

Mackay agrees. "Drones are a game changer for environmental monitoring. They allow us to survey an entire stretch of coastline ... in a few minutes," she says, adding that Ellipsis technology can automatically detect 47 categories of trash items with more than 95% accuracy.

However, there are limits to what the Ellipsis technology can detect. Microplastics -- plastic particles smaller than five millimeters, of which at least 14 million metric tons are estimated to be sitting on the ocean floor alone -- cannot be identified. But Mackay argues that by focusing on tracking and mapping larger plastic items they are helping to solve the problem at its root. "If you collect one plastic bottle, that's 25,000 potential microplastic pieces in the future," she says.

Thompson believes this is the right approach. He says the majority of plastic entering the ocean is in the form of bigger waste items that later break down. "That's really the place where you want to intervene and the place where you want the data. It's far simpler to count and identify the microplastics of the future," he says, adding that different techniques will be required to quantify plastic particles -- such as microbeads from cosmetics -- that are already small when they enter the environment.

Ultimately, Mackay's goal is not to stop the use of plastic altogether -- she recognizes what an "amazing" and useful material it is -- but rather to improve management of it. "By mapping trash around the world, we'll be able to target our solutions effectively," she says, creating a "lasting impact through behavior change and education, (so) that we'll be able to minimize the amount of mismanaged waste."
Pyongyang and Washington have shown different interpretations of Kim Jong Uns latest remarks about possible talks with the Biden administration. Since Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, urged his country to be prepared for both dialogue and confrontation with the new U.S. administration during the ruling Workers Partys meeting last week, Washington and Pyongyang have traded different interpretations of his remarks. His remarks were first direct reaction from Kim toward the Biden administrations new policy on North Korea, The Diplomat writes.

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on June 21 that Kims comments were an interesting signal, while reiterating Washingtons willingness to resume negotiations with Pyongyang on its nuclear programs. The next day, according to the Korean Central News Agency, Kim Yo Jong, the sister of the North Korean leader, said in a statement that Washington appears to have the wrong expectation about her brothers remarks. The North Korean foreign minister also made comments in a separate statement, saying that Pyongyang is not even considering a resumption of negotiations with Washington.

To persuade North Korea to come back to the negotiating table, U.S. President Joe Biden appointed a new special envoy for North Korea during the bilateral summit with the South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month. Biden tapped Sung Kim, who was in charge of setting the agenda in working-level talks with the North for the summit between then-U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Sung Kim arrived in Seoul this week to have a meeting with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts. According to local news reports, Sung Kim, an American of Korean descent, is fluent in Korean, which will make it easier to communicate with his North Korean counterparts without interpreters in meetings.

During his visit to Seoul, Special Envoy Kim said in the meeting with his counterparts that Washington supports inter-Korean cooperation and he is ready to meet with his North Korean counterparts anywhere, anytime, without preconditions.

At the same time, Washington and Seoul also agreed to discontinue an alliance working group as a conciliatory gesture. The working group, which had been excoriated by the North, was seen as an obstruction to inter-Korean exchanges by the progressives in South Korea.

Since the U.S. and North Korea failed to reach an agreement at the Hanoi summit two years ago, the two countries have been playing hardball, which each side asking the other to meet their unachievable goals first. The United States wants concrete steps on denuclearization before any sanctions relief, while North Korea demands sanctions relief before any moves to dismantle its nuclear arsenal. Even now, with a new U.S. administration in office, North Korea has not been active in seeking channels to resume the stalled talks between the two countries. Meanwhile, the South Korean government has expressed its consistent stance that it is willing to support and mediate the talks between the U.S. and North Korea, but the North seems uninterested in the Souths efforts, as Moon has only months left before the end of his term.

Kim Yo Jong rejected notions that her brother had expressed a willingness for talks anytime soon, essentially pushing back against U.S. efforts to put the diplomatic ball in Pyongyangs court, Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, told The Diplomat.

Easley also added that her statement was meant to pour cold water on hopes for re-engagement. Instead, North Korea appears determined to maintain its self-imposed isolation out of fear of COVID-19. The South Korean government has sought to resume dialogue with the North by proposing inter-Korean cooperation and raising the possibility of vaccine distribution to the North. Even after North Korea blew up the joint liaison office n Kaesong, which had been a symbol of communication between the two Koreas, the Moon administration has consistently pursued a dialogue, saying it is the only way to build a peaceful Korean Peninsula.

According to local news reports, Washington has agreed with Seouls position to engage in inter-Korea cooperation, but Pyongyang has rebuffed to Seouls proposals without providing specific measures and demands for proceeding with cooperation.

The Kim regime also wants to see larger incentives from Washington before returning to negotiations. In the meantime, it is attempting to sow discord in South Korean domestic politics over Seouls upcoming defense exercises with the United States. Easley said.

South Korea and the U.S. have conducted downsized joint military exercises for the past few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Norths peevish response to the exercises as a hostile act against the North. After having summits with Kim, the U.S. also agreed to downsize the joint military exercises to mollify North Korea, but Pyongyang wants the complete termination of the exercises and, ultimately, the withdrawal of all 28,500 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea.

North Korea can judge that if it cooperates well with China, it does not have to talk with the United States, which demands nuclear abandonment, Cheong Seong-chang, a senior fellow at the Sejong Institute think tank in South Korea, told The Diplomat. Cheong added South Korea and the U.S. are following in the footsteps of the Trump administration and clinging to hope of another bilateral talk between Washington and Pyongyang, even though that approach has already failed.

The U.S. needs to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table by pushing for the four-party talks on North Koreas nuclear program by involving China and South Korea in the talks, Cheong said. It is very unfortunate that the South Korean government is only focusing on impossible dialogue with North Korea.
Nikol Pashinyan has won an unexpected victory in the snap election he called a few months ago to see off the developing extra-parliamentary opposition in Armenia in the aftermath of the second Karabakh war. His Civil Contract Party secured 54% of the total vote and is likely to gain around 70 seats in the 105 seat Armenian Parliament. Leaders who provoke wars and then suffer catastrophic defeat do not usually win elections held only seven months after such disasters.

Some do not even escape with their lives after bringing about events like that, let alone win elections. However, Pashinyan has survived to tell the tale and emerged triumphant in the polls with a solid majority over a divided opposition. His opponents obviously underestimated Pashinyans continued solid support among Armenians, as did most of the pre-election pollsters, Pat Walsh reports in his article for Azerbaijan In Focus.

The Armenian people have clearly rejected the representatives of the former regime who shared out the offices of the Armenian state along with those of the occupation regime between 1997 and 2018. Robert Kocharyans Armenia Alliance came a distant second in the polls, securing a mere 21% of the ballots cast. Former Armenian Prime Minister (2007-2008 and 2018) and President (2008-18) Serzh Sargsyan and his supporters received a derisory 5% of the vote and may not gain any representation in parliament due to the threshold rule.

The Armenian electorate also rejected the narrative of the opposition who had advanced the view that Pashinyan was not only incompetent but a traitor. He was accused of failing to wage war to the fullest extent possible in Karabakh and then conceding to Azerbaijan unnecessarily. Pashinyan countered with the argument that his timely concession had saved Armenia from total defeat and, if he had fought on until the bitter end, an even worse fate. Pashinyan was certainly right in this view and the electorate endorsed his version of events.

Former Armenian President (1998-2008) and Prime Minister (1997-1998) Robert Kocharyan put forward a policy that would have involved the building up of another Armenian army to replace the one destroyed by Azerbaijan, for another future war for Karabakh. That would be presumably be done by working as closely as possible with Russia, making Armenia a virtual dependency of Moscow, in return for military aid and expertise needed for a revival. This might take a generation, but could be achieved, he inferred, if Azerbaijan weakened, whether through a large drop in the oil price on world markets and/or through the hoped for departure of the Aliyevs. That was, in effect, the platform on which Kocharyan stood. Only a minority of the electorate showed any enthusiasm for such a project. The rest dismissed it as fantasy, taking into account Armenias current dire position.

The Armenian electorate did not buy the oppositions story and apparently has not the heart for the new war for old territory project advocated by Kocharyan and the Karabakh Clan. A new wave of realism has washed over Armenia as a result of the war. The people preferred to support the possibility of making a functional state out of the existing Armenia rather than attempting another aggrandisement of it through further war.

The election defeat of Kocharyan and Sargsyan suggests that Armenians agreed with Pashinyan that the 2020 defeat was primarily the responsibility of those who had misruled Armenia for the decades before him, and who left Pashinyan with a bad hand in 2018. That Pashinyan then decided to play a dangerous game of bluff at the table and was subsequently cleaned out was seen as the lesser of two evils by the electorate. Although it should be noted that only around half the electorate turned up to vote in this crossroads election, presumably as a result of general despondency over the state of the country.

Armenias first President, Levine Ter Petrosyan, warned about the possibility of civil war over the last 6 months. However, Pashinyans decision to put his policy to the test, at the ballot box, removed that possibility. His supporters now control the streets and Pashinyan has a new mandate to move forward with reform, freed of the Karabakh problem. That can now be dealt with, in conjunction with a host of regional issues in the course of the peace process.

Ironically, it was the Azerbaijani Armys victory that has facilitated Pashinyan and potential reform in Armenia. For one thing, Azerbaijan set down a marker for the Armenians: political independence, economic development and social stability are prerequisites for a successful state. The Karabakh Clan, which bathed in the glory of its 1990s victory, and plundered not only the occupied territory but the Armenian people themselves, have been disgraced. The Armenians of Armenia have taken the opportunity to shrug them and their malign influence off. Their time is surely done.

Perhaps we should now see the conflict for Karabakh as one war, not two. It could be described as a 30-year war, interrupted by a 26-year ceasefire. During that ceasefire Azerbaijan, under the astute leadership of the Aliyevs, built a state, economy and military capable of winning the war and reincorporating the national territory. The early battles of the 1990s were lost but the war was won over a generation. That is the understanding that has begun to permeate Armenia and it has already begun to have political consequences.

Pashinyan now has a second chance. The first time he attempted to out manoeuvre the opposition by out-Karabakhing them. That proved a disastrous policy by bringing on the war. Pashinyan should have no necessity of repeating his error. He has scattered the opposition in an election after losing Karabakh in war, so what purpose would be served by doing anything but reaching a functional settlement that allows for an Armenian rejuvenation in the economic and social spheres to take place without the Karabakh diversion?

Pashinyan has declared the political crisis over, called for reconciliation and for the country to move forward together. His biggest problem, however, has to do with achieving the enhancement of Armenian independence. The relentless pursuit of territory so that everything else was relegated to unimportance has placed Armenia in a situation of great dependency on Russia. Economic meltdown, demographic disaster and, finally, defeat in war has not helped a situation that Armenia could only have got out of by making a settlement with Azerbaijan prior to defeat. The prospects for Armenian independence are very dependent upon developing better relations with its regional neighbours, particularly Azerbaijan and Turkey. Certainly its neighbours would be more than willing to facilitate such a thing. Pashinyans ultimate success may depend very much on his willingness to grasp this difficult nettle. Without doing so he will surely only get so far.

At the crossroads Armenia has chosen the road it wants to take. The question now is how successful Pashinyan is in taking his people down that road to a better future, not only for Armenia, but for the entire region.
Journalist and politician Maxim Shevchenko, in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza, explained why Nikol Pashinyan won the elections in Armenia: the citizens of the republic want peace and strive for the observance of civil rights, which are unthinkable under the rule of nationalist Robert Kocharian. Shevchenko also assessed the results of the presidential elections in Iran and analyzed the possible role of Georgia in the peace process between Baku and Yerevan.

- Why did Pashinyan manage to stay in power, despite the fact that the ratings did not say so unambiguously about his advantage over Kocharyan? How did Pashinyan win?

- These ratings were false, this is the propaganda conducted by the Armenian diaspora in favor of Kocharyan, in Russia it promoted the idea that Kocharian was "Putin's protege." Everywhere they falsified the real sentiments of the Armenian population, which was allegedly suppressed by the defeat in the Second Karabakh War. Why did they make young children sing "Kill the Turk"? It turned out that the diaspora misunderstood the real moods of the Armenian population. The votes of Armenians living in Krasnodar, on Zubovsky Boulevard or on NTV were presented as the votes of Armenian citizens. In reality, the people of Armenia hate the Karabakh clan, which for almost 30 years in power led to the fact that the country lost Azerbaijan and acted as an occupier, justifying this by Tigran the Great and Herodotus. Leaders, smugglers, who plundered Zangilan gold, profited from this, and at that time the people of Armenia lived in poverty, and they still told him "go die for the sacred Armenian lands." They were told this by well-fed rich people who are sitting in Moscow, Barvikha and Peredelkino. Finally, we heard the voices of the inhabitants of Armenia itself: "we do not want war, we are for the observance of civil rights."

- Does Pashinyan guarantee the observance of these rights?

- It is important to understand what Kocharyan guarantees. Kocharian guarantees war. He said: "We will fight." People voted against Kocharyan, chauvinism and the Middle Ages. Armenian citizens will decide for themselves how to live. A peace treaty with Azerbaijan and mutual recognition of borders will lead to the fact that Armenians will be able to live peacefully in Karabakh, Ganja and Baku. I am sure that Azerbaijanis will also be able to return to their homeland in Yerevan. The younger generation does not understand why confrontation is needed? Those who fueled the war earned billions, and the children of poor families died in battles. For Azerbaijan it was a patriotic war, and Armenian citizens were dying because of the greed of the rich.

- Despite his defeat, Kocharyan's bloc managed to enter parliament with 27 deputies. Do you think his presence in the National Assembly and constant criticism from him will put pressure on the peace process?

- I think no. Pashinyan will form a responsible government that will continue his course. Pashinyan's course is largely shaped by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, whose statement, in my opinion, is quite reasonable. Ter-Petrosyan says reasonable things that peace is needed. I am sure that the Armenian people will find themselves as a subject (and not as a representative of the vast Armenian world), as a civil society of a unique state, living not in Marseilles, not in San Francisco, not in Rostov, but in Yerevan, Dilijan and so on. If the Armenians start serving their interests, then the borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey will open, and Armenia will become as beautiful as Switzerland. But for this, Armenia must abandon its territorial claims to Azerbaijan.

- In one of his last interviews, Pashinyan stated that after the war, Nagorno-Karabakh will never become a part of Azerbaijan. After that, can Pashinyan be considered a supporter of the peace process?

- Of course, Pashinyan should not be called a man in white clothes. Unlike Ter-Petrosyan, Pashinyan works in real politics and must speak in such a way that he is not accused of treason. He has the same phenomenon as Zelensky. Zelenskiy won because peace was expected of him. Poroshenko meant war. But unlike Zelensky, Pashinyan was able to become independent. Pashinyan is a symbol of peace, the Karabakh clan is an eternal war. Hope is pinned on him for signing, albeit paid for with the blood of both peoples, a peace agreement, for opening borders and trade with Turkey and Azerbaijan. This will change the life of Armenians for the better.

- They say in Azerbaijan that the issue of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is closed, in Armenia they assert the opposite. How can this contradiction be resolved?

- I think that the settlement is possible through the platform of six (Russia, Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia - editor's note). It can also solve problems between Georgia and Russia. Platform of Six is a strategic goal that will turn the South Caucasus into a territory of the world. Now there is no need to pedalize the issue of the status of Nagorno Karabakh. Aliyev understands that all issues cannot be resolved at once, now it is necessary to move on to the peace process. Soon Aliyev and Erdogan will fly to Putin, and I think these issues will also be discussed there. I am sure that in Geneva, Biden gave Putin an ultimatum to sever strategic relations with Turkey and China, but it is in Russia's interests otherwise, namely, rapprochement with Turkey and Azerbaijan. In this alliance lies the golden key of our country's sovereignty from the West.
The Biden administration plans to evacuate at least some of the Afghans who worked with the U.S. military and who face the threat of retribution from the Taliban before the U.S. withdrawal's official completion date of Sept. 11, senior administration officials said Thursday.

The White House had previously declined to endorse the idea but President Joe Biden gave the green light to evacuation plans on Thursday, telling reporters, "Those who helped us are not going to be left behind."

The decision follows an internal debate and urgent appeals in recent weeks from lawmakers from both parties, veterans of the war in Afghanistan, the Afghans who risked their lives to support U.S. soldiers, and from diplomats in America's longest war.

Asked about the fate of Afghans who worked as interpreters or in other jobs, Biden said: "We've already begun the process" of helping the Afghan partners.

Asked which country they would be relocated to, the president said he didn't know and mentioned he would be meeting Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the White House on Friday.

An unspecified number of Afghans who worked as interpreters for the U.S. government and who applied for a visa will be moved to a third country, where their paperwork will be reviewed, senior administration officials said.

It remained unclear how many Afghans would be evacuated, which third country would accept them and when the operation would begin, NBC News reporeted.

The U.S. withdrawal is likely to be effectively complete next month, according to officials.
U.S. President Joe Biden said that COVID-19 killed more Americans than all wars of the past century combined - including the U.S. war in Iran, which never happened.

The apparent gaffe during a speech in North Carolina followed a bizarre presidential performance at the White House, where Biden loudly whispered several replies to reporters while discussing a bipartisan infrastructure deal.

"We lost 600,000 dead in America in about a year," Biden said in North Carolina. "Thats more than every life lost in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, Iraq, Iran, across the board  Afghanistan. More lives lost in a year than every major war in the 20th century and the 21st century."

The U.S. has not fought a major conflict in Iran, though tensions have been high for decades since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, The New York Post writes.

"Somebody ask Biden when we had a war with Iran. I mustve missed it," wrote one Twitter user.

Another asked, "Did Joe Biden just declare war on Iran/!? He just listed that among the wars the U.S. has gotten involved."
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has met with Managing Director at Rothschild & Co Arielle Malard de Rothschild today.

During the meeting held at the Government Administration, Irakli Garibashvili and Arielle Malard de Rothschild talked about Georgias favourable investment environment and investment opportunities in specific fields in the country.

The officials also highlighted ongoing and past reforms implemented in Georgia.

Vazil Hudak, special advisor to Prime Minister Garibashvili, was present at the meeting.

Rothschild & Co is one of the worlds largest independent financial advisory groups, which provides M & A, strategy and financing advice, as well as investment and wealth management solutions to large institutions, individuals and governments worldwide.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said that the Azerbaijani-Armenian peace agreement is a prerequisite to peace in the South Caucasus region.

He made the remarks in Baku on June 25 at a meeting with the Romanian, Austrian, Lithuanian foreign ministers and an EU delegation, who are on a visit to Azerbaijan mandated by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and European Commission Vice-President Josep Borrel, AzerTAc reported

If we do not have a peace agreement with Armenia, it means that there is no peace. There is no peace not only between the two countries but also in the South Caucasus. We need peace and sustainable development, forecasting, zero war risk, we do not need war. We did not need a war before, Aliyev said.

Touching on the fact that the visit is dedicated to the current post-conflict situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the head of state noted that the main fundamental approaches to the post-conflict situation will be developed and that the countrys position is very clear in this context.

I have repeatedly said that we want to move from a post-conflict situation to peaceful development and cooperation in the South Caucasus. Unfortunately, we have never heard anything like this from the Armenian government. The Armenian government is ignoring any of our statements about starting negotiations on a peace agreement with Armenia, he added.

Aliyev underlined that the pre-election situation in Armenia could possibly be unsuitable for making statements about the aforesaid.

But now, after the elections in Armenia, we hope for a positive response. Of course, I think that this issue will be discussed during your contacts in Armenia, he added.

The president noted that Azerbaijan and the EU could actively cooperate in ensuring peace and reconciliation in the region.

I am glad that the EU is demonstrating its involvement in regional issues, and your visit is a clear indication of this. We appreciate any participation in the South Caucasus that serves the cause of peace, reconciliation, development, and cooperation, Aliyev said.

The head of state stressed that Azerbaijan has always been committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict with Armenia, and the fact that Baku has been in the negotiation process for 28 years since the establishment of the Minsk Group is a clear sign of this.

He underlined that he had been taking part in talks since 2003 with three Armenian leaders and said that after these meaningless negotiations which lasted for many years, Azerbaijan clearly realized that Armenia does not want peace.

They wanted to keep the status quo unchanged. They wanted to keep our lands under occupation forever, and their participation in the talks was a kind of imitation of the negotiation process, Aliyev said.

The president said that Armenia tried to confuse the international community and European organizations claiming that they want a solution, but Azerbaijan is not constructive.

Aliyev said that the Armenian government, which had taken many provocative steps to incite the war, was responsible for the escalation in the region and that there is a lot of evidence supporting his position.

We are currently in a state of post-conflict development. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been resolved. There is nothing to negotiate in this regard. The trilateral declaration, signed on November 10, is not just a ceasefire agreement, as some international politicians have tried to present. Anyone looking at this document will see that it is not only about the ceasefire, but also about many other issues. We need to think about the post-conflict situation, he said.

Aliyev reiterated that Azerbaijan is ready to move forward and contribute to regional stability. Aliyev thanked for the visit and added that after the delegations regional visit, Azerbaijan will definitely contact them through its embassy in Brussels and the Foreign Ministry to discuss future plans.
Moscow regrets the EUs refusal to hold a summit with Russia, as well as its decision to develop new sanctions, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"We regret it [this decision]," he said, when asked to provide a reaction to the refusal of EU leaders to hold a summit with Russia and their decision to task the European Commission with developing additional sanctions against Moscow.

"As you know, [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin generally remains interested in establishing working relations between Moscow and Brussels," TASS cited Peskov as saying.

The EU leaders at the summit in Brussels have instructed the EU foreign policy agency headed by Josep Borrell to explore possible options for dialogue with Russia on certain topics of interest for the EU as well as more sanctions, including economic ones, to counter future activities of Russia deemed harmful by the union, the leaders said in a statement adopted on the first day of the EU summit on Friday.

The EU heads did not manage to reach an agreement on the initiative proposed by Berlin and Paris to hold a highest-level meeting with Russia, and it is not mentioned in the document.
Russia and Egypt are negotiating on security issues for the resumption of charter flights between the countries, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov told reporters on Thursday.

He added that the preparation of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the abolition of restrictions is underway.

Manturov also expressed hope that negotiations between the parties on the supply of SSJ and MC-21 aircraft will intensify after the resumption of charter flights to Egyptian resorts.

"Today, there is a process of completing technical issues, preparing the approval of the decree, which is required so as directly the President can adopt this document. So, I think that our colleagues from the Ministry of Transport, from the relevant services that deal with aviation security issues, will soon finalize it with the Egyptian colleagues and we will be able to start resumption of these flights directly to the resorts of Egypt," he said.

In April the official representative of the office of the head of the Egyptian state, Bassam Rada announced that the presidents of Russia and Egypt, Vladimir Putin and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, agreed on the full resumption of flights between the two countries.

Air traffic between Russia and Egypt was completely interrupted in November 2015. In January 2018, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on the resumption of regular air traffic to Cairo. The first flight from Moscow took place four months later, in April.
German Chancellor Angel Merkel will visit the UK next Friday, just a few weeks after she called for the EU to quarantine holidaying Britons.

Merkel and Boris Johnson last met at the G7 summit in Cornwall earlier this month.

Downing Street says the global response to the coronavirus pandemic will be on the agenda at their talks.

The two leaders will also discuss post-Brexit relations between the UK and Germany, BBC reported.

Merkel - who is due to leave office in the autumn - is embarking on a series of visits before standing down. It is understood she will also visit the US President, Jo Biden later in the same month.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed bilateral relations, tourism, the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the Nagorno-Karabakh region and Syria in a phone call Thursday., Kremlin press service said Thursday.

"The sides continued to exchange opinions on the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh," the press service said. "They expressed their positive assessment of the work of the joint Russian-Turkish center for monitoring of ceasefire and cessation of hostilities."

"The President of Turkey voiced his support for Russian efforts to ensure the full implementation of the agreements, cemented in the November 9, 2020, trilateral statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan," the Kremlin added.

Putin and Erdogan also confirmed the "mutual readiness for further coordination, including in the interests of the economic development and restoration of the transport infrastructure of the region."

Erdogan voiced appreciation for Moscows decision to resume air traffic with his country, as well as for the start of deliveries of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine.

For his part, Putin shared his impressions on his meeting last week with United States President Joe Biden in Geneva, it added.

It also noted that Putin and Erdogan confirmed their mutual readiness to continue coordination, including in the interest of economic development and restoration of the region's transport infrastructure.

Addressing the situation in Syria, both presidents stressed the importance of the joint work of the Russian and Turkish armed forces in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib to prevent escalation, as well as their efforts in the northeast of the country and in the fight against the terrorist groups in these areas, it added.

They also agreed to continue personal contacts and joint work at other levels.
The HMS Defender incident near the Crimean coast was a provocation, which was possibly aimed to worsen the relations between Russia and the West, Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin told journalists Thursday.

"We are talking about a deliberate and intentional provocation, carried out by the British. It is also clear what was its goal. I would like to point out that similar incidents took place before, exactly at a moment when some, even the slightest, improvement of relations between Russia and the West was on the horizon," the diplomat said.

Kelin mentioned a similar incident with HMS Dragon, a Royal Navy destroyer that "committed similar actions, approaching Sevastopol at a certain distance" in October last year.

"That time, the [British] Defense Attache was summoned. He was told that this was a violation of the Russian and international law regarding innocent passage. The Defense Attache was warned that such things must not happen again. And, if they do, our reactions would be much harder," the envoy pointed out.

The envoy noted that both the UK Ministry of Defense and the British media emphasized the position of non-recognition of Crimea as a Russian territory.

"As for disagreements, the British uphold their version. It is mainly based on their non-recognition of Crimea. But one must understand that there is the political position, and then there is the real one. Such things can result only in a major military incident," he said, answering a question why conflicting information was coming from London regarding the incident.

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Black Sea Fleet and the Federal Security Service border control service thwarted a violation of the Russian border by HMS Defender near Crimeas Cape Fiolent. The destroyer reportedly traveled 3 kilometers into Russias territorial waters. A guard ship fired warning shots, followed by several bombs, dropped from a Su-24M plane ahead of the Defender, after which the destroyer left Russian waters. The Russian Defense Ministry viewed the destroyers actions as a blatant violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and called on London to investigate the actions of the crew.

London claims that the destroyer was conducting an "innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters." According to London, the Russian military did not fire any shots at the destroyer, but conducted "practice firing.".
All responsibility will rest entirely with the UK, should events, similar to the recent HMS Defender incident, happen again, Russian Foreign Ministry told UK Ambassador Deborah Bronnert, who was previously summoned to the Russian ministry.

"The Ambassador was presented with a decisive protest regarding the violation of the Russian border and the provocative and dangerous actions of the Royal Navy ship in the Russian territorial waters, which Russia views as a blatant violation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. A special attention was drawn to the fact that, should similar provocations happen again, the responsibility for their potential consequences with rest entirely with the UK," Russian Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Black Sea Fleet and the Federal Security Service border control service thwarted a violation of the Russian border by HMS Defender near Crimeas Cape Fiolent. The destroyer reportedly traveled 3 kilometers into Russias territorial waters. A guard ship fired warning shots, followed by several bombs, dropped from a Su-24M plane ahead of the Defender, after which the destroyer left Russian waters. The Russian Defense Ministry viewed the destroyers actions as a blatant violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and called on London to investigate the actions of the crew.
To survive in the Covid-19 pandemic, the Vietnam Railways Corporation (VNR) has applied for a non-interest loan package worth VND800 billion (nearly $35 million), according to Vu Anh Minh, VNR Chairman.

Minh said the proposal had been submitted to the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises. The VNR will pay the debt when the market recovers and when VNR has enough money.

According to Minh, VNR has had a loss of more than VND2,200 billion since the pandemic occurred last year. However, the company only asked for a VND800 billion loan, the minimum capital for the corporation to maintain its operations.

In these difficult circumstances, VNR has tightened governance, reduced costs, and cut employees' salaries.

According to VNRs report recently sent to the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises, its output and revenue dropped sharply in 2020, at 81% of 2019, and it had a loss of VND 1,300 billion.

Over the past five months, VNRs revenue plunged. During the Lunar New Year, Reunification Day and International Labor Day holidays, passengers returned more than 11,000 train tickets worth nearly VND4 billion.

In May, 393 trains were suspended. During some periods, only two trains on the Hanoi-HCMC route were operational, while all trains to localities were suspended.

It is estimated that the corporation will have a loss of VND942 billion in 2021. If the epidemic continues and lasts until 2022, VNR will lose all its equity and may have to cease operations.

Along with the proposal for a non-interest VND800 billion loan, VNR also asked for policies to support its 13,000 workers. Moreover, it expects that over 6,000 employees of the railway sector at high risk of being infected with the coronavirus will be vaccinated against Covid-19.

At present, nearly 1,200 employees of VNR have had their employment contracts suspended and 136 others have taken unpaid leave.

The corporation also proposed reducing railway infrastructure use fees this year and in the following years, and reducing or exempting the land use fees for railway transportation firms this year and extending the fee payment deadlines.

Vu Diep
With a passion for floriculture and dream of getting rich from agriculture, Le Quang Khanh has developed a giant lotus pond which yields 1 million flowers each season.

One afternoon in June, under the scorching sun, some men were seen rowing boats in the middle of a large lotus pond in Me Linh suburban district to pick flowers. Just after a short while, all the boats were full of white and pink lotus flowers and they went ashore. The flowers were then quickly bundled before being delivered to merchants at the night market.

Khanh, the owner of the 60 hectare lotus pond, said: Its not easy to develop a large lotus pond. Growing lotus is a hard job. We have to get up very early at 3-4 am and only finish at 9-10 pm."

The place in the past was just an uncultivated field, often flooded and capable of only one low-yield rice crop.

Khanh said his home village was famous for floriculture. In the past, he cultivated 7 sao (1 sao = 360 square meters) of roses. However, lotus cultivation requires more thorough care and higher techniques. Moreover, a large land area is needed.

At the time, people were no longer interested in farming because crops could not grow well, so he came up with the idea of leasing land from some people to grow lotus.

With land rent of 25 kilograms of unhusked rice per sao per annum, only half of the households leased their land to him, with a total area of 20 hectares.

Other households rejected his proposal as they feared they may not get financial compensation from the Government if the land was used for future investment projects.

It took him one year to clear the overgrown water hyacinth and grass, and improve the land. He started to grow lotus on part of the cleared land.

At first, he grew the lotus variety for seed, but the yield was low because of insects and mice, which caused a loss of VND100 million. The land plots were fragmented, which was difficult to cultivate.

But he did not give up. In 2018, he once again persuaded local people to lease their fields with more attractive commitments.

He has been expanding his lotus pond step by step, several hectares a year, and now has 60 hectares. Instead of growing lotus for seed, he now grows sen bach diep (Lotos Momo Botan) for flowers. This lotus is also used for tea. And he also grows sen bach lien, or white lotus.

Lotus has strong vitality and there are almost no pests so it is not too difficult to grow. He searched for documents on lotus cultivation on the internet and learned from his friends. This, plus his experience, helped his lotus pond develop well.

Khanh said the months from May to July are the busiest time. Pink lotus used for tea needs to be plucked at 4-5 a.m. when lotus buds bloom so as to preserve the fragrance.

White lotus can be plucked in the afternoon for sale at the night market.

I collect 10,000 lotus flowers a day on average, he said, adding that all of the flowers are delivered immediately to merchants who wait ashore.

Because of the pandemic, lotus prices are lower, just VND2,000-2,500 per flower. However, the lotus for tea is still expensive, VND20,000 per flower.

Khanh estimates that he can harvest 1 million lotus flowers each crop, worth VND2.5 billion. So, he can make a profit of VND300-500 million after deducting cultivation costs.

He hires 20 workers to handle the work in high season. A person specializing in tea brewing is paid VND300,000 a day, while a worker rowing a boat to pluck lotus can get VND500 for every flower.

Nhat Thanh

Lotus flower season arrives on Hanoi streets Vendors selling lotus flowers travel the streets in Hanoi as the flower season comes in late May.
Vietnam needs to have a law on the state of emergency, which would pave the way for the State to make necessary intervention during the pandemic and protect peoples freedom and lives.

Associate Professor Dr Pham Duy Nghia - Director of the Public Policy Program at Fulbright University

An online seminar on expanding vaccine access sources and the responsibility of the State was organized by Fulbright University on June 19.

The speaker panel included Associate Professor Dr Pham Duy Nghia - Director of the Public Policy Program at Fulbright University; Dr. Nguyen Thu Anh - Country Director, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Vietnam; and Nguyen Xuan Thanh - Senior Lecturer, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management.

VietNamNet introduces the legal aspects of the issues mentioned by the speakers at the seminar.

Vaccine and immunization law

Nghia said the Covid-19 pandemic with complicated developments is considered an emergency and Vietnam should appreciate any type of vaccine. Vietnam has been carrying out large-scale vaccination for 75 million people later than other countries.

In many countries, vaccination centers have been set up and medical workers have been trained so that people can be vaccinated even at drugstores or mobile stations on highways.

The Ministry of Health has just announced a plan to organize a large-scale vaccination program for the entire population. Around 15,000 vaccination points, both fixed and mobile, will be set up. The immunization process has also been fixed. However, if implementing the plan, tens of thousands of people will need to be trained to serve the campaign.

Regarding the legal aspects of the vaccinations, Nghia pointed out that Vietnam still doesnt have a law on vaccine and immunization. Meanwhile, China has a law with hundreds of provisions about this issue. Its 2019 law stipulates that citizens have the right and obligation to receive a vaccination.

This means that vaccinations not only aim to protect individuals, but the community as well. If individuals refuse vaccinations, they will have to accept the risks, such as restrictions in job access.

Meanwhile, in some other countries, such as Germany and the US, immunization is a citizens right and citizens must not be forced to have a vaccination. This explains why the proportion of vaccinated people in Russia is relatively low.

Vietnam needs to master the technology on researching and developing vaccines. It is necessary to make methodical and sustainable investment in the labor force, infrastructure and associated supply chains, which can ensure fast vaccine production.

Nghia said that in Vietnam, the government apparatus will have to do some things  explaining to people the benefits of immunization, buying vaccines, and organizing vaccinations. It also has to protect peoples benefits.

The State needs to do its best to prevent counterfeit and expired vaccines. If the medical procedure is wrong and unsafe, causing adverse consequences to people, they can claim compensation.

Long-term vaccine strategy

According to Anh, Covid-19 is not the only pandemic that humanity has had to face. There will be more pandemics and infection diseases in the future. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in a long-term vaccine strategy.

Vietnam needs to master the technology on researching and developing vaccines. It is necessary to make methodical and sustainable investment in the labor force, infrastructure and associated supply chains, which can ensure fast vaccine production.

Second, Vietnam needs to choose new technologies when deciding to invest in making vaccines. It should research and develop vaccines that prevent many diseases with just one dose.

And finally, Vietnam needs to have a system in charge of detecting newly emerging epidemics. The system not only needs to supervise infection cases, but also have the ability to sequence the genes of bacteria and viruses that cause diseases.

Public investment is needed in this case. Since the vaccine development faces high risks, it needs huge investments. It would be better to encourage private enterprises to join vaccine development and give them the right to access public investment programs to develop vaccines, she said.

We also need to expand and improve the capacity of the vaccination system on a large scale with different epidemic scenarios, she said.

Resources

Thanh emphasized the role of the central and local governments in funding, budgeting and forming an encouragement mechanism in order to have vaccine sources.

The basic principle is that the state budget funds the research and development of vaccine, vaccine purchases and immunization. This means that when a pandemic or epidemic breaks out, organizing vaccinations with low fee or fee exemption, is the responsibility of the State.

The establishment of a vaccine fund aims to show the consensus of the whole society. However, it is the State which must take the major responsibility.

To deal with a crisis, a contingency budget is needed. The central as well as local administration need to have financial resources ready to deal with crises, not only the Covid-19 epidemic, but also natural disasters or other problems.

At present, vaccine production is implemented by enterprises. The role of public investment here is funding private enterprises production efforts and accepting risks.

Laws and state governance need to change

Nghia stressed that Vietnam has a high population, and thus must not absolutely rely on foreign vaccines. Ensuring national autonomy and medical safety for people is a challenge. In that context, the legal system, as well as state governance, needs changes.

Regarding the encouragement of vaccine development, it is necessary to set up research centers managed and run by private investors. They can compete with each other in ideas and receive state support for the ideas. It is necessary to accept risks and failures when making public investments.

This means that laws need to change in a way so as to increase the freedom and accountability of business units. On the other hand, they need to promote state creativity in using new tools.

Vaccinations will be implemented not only to prevent Covid-19, but other diseases as well. Therefore, this is the permanent work and mission of the State. It is necessary to redefine the role of the State in supporting private innovations under strict commitments.

Dieu Thuy

Vietnam wants RoK to assist in COVID-19 recovery: foreign minister Vietnamese foreign minister Bui Thanh Son has asked for the Republic of Korea (RoK)s assistance in the COVID-19 fight to promote socio-economic recovery and restore normalcy for people-to-people exchanges.
Technology utilization and market development are the keys to development of Vietnams agriculture.

According to the Central Institute for Economic Management (CIEM), agriculture plays a very important role in the development of the economy. However, the problem is that agriculture is still primarily based on traditional input factors, outdated technology, low yield and low quality, which has made farm produce uncompetitive.

But if Vietnam uses the great achievements of the 4.0 industrial era in agricultural production, high technology will improve the efficiency of resource use, and reduce labor costs and losses due to natural disasters and epidemics. It will also save costs in each stage and in the whole process of production, processing, and consumption.

Many large corporations have jumped into agriculture, including Hoang Anh Gia Lai, Vingroup, Hoa Phat (steel manufacturer), Thaco (automobile manufacturer) and the Vietnam Post and Telecommunications Group (VNPT).

Truong Gia Binh, Chair of FPT Corporation, the Vietnamese largest information and technology (IT) group, and Chair of the Vietnam Digital Agriculture Association (VDAA), said that digital agriculture in the 4.0 era is the most sophisticated of all fields. Agriculture touches the most important secrets of life  biotechnology and genetic engineering.

According to Binh, thanks to digital technology, farmers can work via smartphones, production households can receive necessary information, and farmers can raise questions and get answers from robots.

To prevent insects, farmers often spray plant protection chemicals, which make produce 'unclean' and, therefore, cheap.

We need to think of using drones flying over rice fields. Dedicated devices will take pictures of the fields, while AI (artificial intelligence) will read the images and discover the areas where there are insects. Computers will tell farmers which kind of plant protection chemicals to use and how much to use. The volume of plant protection chemicals needed will then fall by hundreds of times, Binh said.

We will farm in ways which did not exist before. We will be a country with modern agriculture, not a country that goes behind others, he said, adding that Vietnam can become rich thanks to digital agriculture.

Technology utilization and market development are the keys to development of Vietnams agriculture.

VNPT is following a model similar to that drawn up by FPT. Pham Duc Long, President of VNPT, said the corporation decided to cooperate with OPTiM, the leading Japanese manufacturer of IoT (internet of Things) and AI devices and provider of solutions in smart agriculture.

Drones fly over large fields, take pictures of the fields, and send images to servers for analysis. AI technology will help discover the insect hit areas. After that, the drones will spray pesticides on the specific areas.

The solution saves up to 99 percent of pesticide volume. When harvesting, the field areas sprayed with pesticide will be marked, so farmers can get 100 percent clean farm produce with no pesticides.

Drones can also take pictures that can help analyze soil and create a database about plants. The database allows farmers to assess their harvesting capability.

According to Long, the model is being applied to large-scale rice fields in Japan. With the model, Japanese farmers dont have to cultivate rice in glass houses, which is costly, and they can avoid insects. The model is suited to Vietnams conditions.

Developing markets for farm produce

Technology firms have jumped into the smart agriculture sector. Many smart agriculture development orientations have been suggested, but the key to robust agriculture development still has not been found.

Analysts point out that developing markets for farm produce needs to be done first. If market development can be implemented well, this will accelerate the application of technology, because farmers will see the benefits clearly, not the pain of seeing prices fall dramatically in bountiful crops.

Chair of Vecom (the Vietnam E-commerce Association) Nguyen Thanh Hung said when selling farm produce via e-commerce platforms, farmers not only have one more distribution channel, but also can better advertise their products.

In Japan, previously, farm produce after harvesting was gathered at cooperatives, and then sold to merchants and retailers before reaching consumers. With Tabe Choku, an e-commerce website, farmers now can sell produce directly to consumers, not via intermediaries.

Buyers choose farm produce from farms and communicate with farmers before buying. They can know the origin and the safety level of produce.

Tabe Choku has about 10,000 agricultural products on display. The development of the website received support from the Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

In Vietnam, the Ministry of Information and Communication (MIC) is helping farmers distribute their products nationwide on two e-commerce platforms  Postmart (https://postmart.vn/) and Voso (https://voso.vn/).

The ministry hopes that this method will help farmers have larger markets and sell produce at high prices, and help customers buy produce with clear origin and quality.

2021 has been defined as the year of stronger action towards national digital transformation. Under the national digital transformation program, agriculture is one of the eight priority fields for transformation.

Thai Khang

Agricultural ventures stack up despite lack of profit guarantee The agricultural sector continues to see an influx of investment from domestic giants such as TH Group, Vinamilk, Masan, Vingroup, and Truong Hai Auto Corporation  but some are struggling to get profitable, with few enjoying significant development.
After an emergency meeting, the National Ethics Council agreed to test the locally-made Covid-19 vaccine Nanocovax on 13,000 volunteers. This third phase trial will be completed in mid-August.

The Ministry of Health held an urgent meeting with relevant agencies on June 25 to evaluate the trial progress and discuss the expansion of test of Nanocovax vaccine of Nanogen JSC.

At the meeting, the National Ethics Council said that Nanocovax vaccine is safe and effective, but it needs more time to evaluate the protective effects and the number of samples, especially the evaluation results in the laboratory.

The Ministry of Health asked the HCM City Pasteur Institute and the Military Medical Academy to speed up the testing of the vaccine on 13,000 volunteers, with the first dose to be injected before July 15 and the second dose before August 15. Data of the test must be submitted to the Ministry of Health in August.

The 13,000 volunteers are now ready for the test, including 4,000 people in the northern province of Hung Yen, 2,000 people in the southern province of Long An and 6,000 people in the southern province of Tien Giang. The Military Medical Academy will be in charge of the test in the northern area, and the HCM City Pasteur Institute will cover the southern area.

According to the original plan, the third phase of trial of Nanocovax vaccine would be carried out in two sub-phases, with 1,000 volunteers participating in the 3a phase and 12,000 people in the 3b phase, which is scheduled to be completed in September. After that, the National Ethics Committee will assess and consider granting an emergency licence for Nanocovax vaccine.

However, on June 15, the vaccine developer - Nanogen  asked the Prime Ministers permission to grant an urgent conditional license for the Nanocovax vaccine similar to the vaccines of Russia, China and India.

Nanogen said that based on clinical trial results, the immunogenicity of Nanocovax vaccine reached 99.4%, equivalent to other vaccines in the world and somewhat higher. The estimated selling price of Nanocovax is only about 120,000 VND/dose.

Thuy Hanh
Five days after Vietnams biggest city launched the largest-ever vaccination campaign, more than 400,000 people have been vaccinated, said Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health Nguyen Tan Binh at a press conference yesterday.

People queue for vaccination in HCM City.

On June 17, the Ministry of Health decided to transfer 836,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Ho Chi Minh City, which is now Vietnams largest pandemic hotspot.

According to regulations, 10 groups of people are being prioritized for vaccination, including workers in industrial parks, export processing zones, frontline forces in epidemic prevention, people working in essential fields, people living in high-risk areas...

The city plans to vaccinate 2,000 people per day per vaccination site, and the campaign will be completed in seven days.

According to Mr. Binh, the city began vaccinations on the afternoon of June 21. "Because it was the first day, there were still many shortcomings, so the number of people vaccinated was not high," said Binh.

On June 23, more than 122,000 people were vaccinated and the number rose to more than 172,000 people the next day. By June 24, over 400,000 people in the city were vaccinated.

After screening examinations, over 40,000 people were not eligible for vaccination. "These people will be screened again and will be vaccinated," Binh said. Binh said that on June 24, the Ministry of Health sent 200 doctors to HCM City to assist with screening examinations.

The city set up 290 vaccination teams, consisting of two doctors, and three medical staff on each team. Each vaccination site has the support of local security forces and civil defense and local medical staff, plus four volunteers.

Ho Van - Tu Anh
A Waco attorney who authorities say was the intended victim of a murder-for-hire scheme was indicted Thursday on an attempted indecency with a child charge.

A McLennan County grand jury indicted Marcus Daniel Beaudin, 38, on the third-degree felony count that charges him with attempting to expose the breast of a teenage girl and fondle her in May 2016.

Beaudin was arrested in February 2020 on an indecency with a child by contact charge and was alleged to have had improper sexual contact with a 10-year-old female family member in December 2019.

Beaudin, who remains free on bond, has not been indicted in that case, but the charge remains pending. Beaudins indictment Thursday stems from an alleged separate incident with another girl.

Beaudins attorney, Josh Tetens, said he and Beaudin are very disappointed to learn of the indictment.

Mr. Beaudin has always maintained his innocence, cooperated with the authorities, and he continues to do so today, Tetens said.
Rodriguez testified Rios went to work about 6:30 a.m. on Good Friday, and he woke Luis up about 8:30 a.m. They went to Rios grandmothers house to see if someone there could watch Luis so he could help a friend move his automotive garage to another location. He said no one answered the door, and he went in search of another friend to watch the boy before they drove over to his friends shop about 10 a.m.

They got back to their house on Flint Avenue about 11 a.m., Rodriguez said, and he bathed his son, gave him a bottle and put him down for a nap. He said Rios got home about 4 p.m. and he left to go back over to help his friend. He said Luis was not hurt when he left, although doctors and nurses who treated the boy later noted he had bruises on his back, head and buttocks and two skull fractures.

Rodriguez suggested the boy could have been injured when Rios took him to her grandmothers house later that evening. He said Rios called him to come to the hospital but only told him that she took him because her grandmother said he had a fever.

He said no one, including Rios, asked him what happened to Luis, adding, Rios was just crying.

Under cross-examination from Tuggle, Rodriguez again denied he injured his son.
COVID-19 vaccination clinic

The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, Ascension Providence, Midway ISD and Waco ISD will hold a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic with the Pfizer vaccine for anyone 12 and older, from 2 to 7 p.m. Friday at the University High School Gym, 3201 S. New Road.

Parents or a consenting adult must accompany their minor children for them to receive the vaccine.

Registration at covidwaco.com is encouraged but not required. Walk-ins are welcome.

Blood drive at H-E-B

The H-E-B on Valley Mills Drive a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Both drives will be located at 1821 S. Valley Mills Drive in the parking lot on the Carter BloodCare bus.

For more information or an appointment time, call 710-9400.

Ice cream social Saturday

Bosqueville United Methodist Church is hosting an ice cream social and bingo event Saturday in the activity center of the church, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
I am concerned that, even if DCNR gave initial consent for the FBI to excavate the cache of gold secreted at the Dent's Run Site, that consent could be revoked before the FBI recovered the United States property, with the result of DCNR unlawfully claiming that that cache of gold is abandoned property and, thus, belongs to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the affidavit said.

Archer also revealed allegations against a legislative staffer who, he wrote, tried to get some of the loot for himself.

In 2013, the affidavit said, the legislative staffer contacted a pair of treasure hunters who had identified the likely site of the gold. The staffer corruptly offered to get the treasure hunters a state permit to dig in return for three bars of gold or ten percent of whatever they recovered. The staffer said he was acting on behalf of others in state government, according to Archer, including someone who controlled money going to DCNR and someone working in the Pennsylvania governor's office.

No one has been charged in connection with the case, and federal prosecutors say they consider the matter closed. A spokesperson for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources declined comment.
President Joe Biden vowed on Thursday that Afghans who helped the U.S. military are not going to be left behind" as his administration stepped up planning to evacuate thousands of Afghan interpreters while their applications for U.S. entry are processed.

A senior administration official said planning has accelerated in recent days to relocate the Afghans and their families to other countries or U.S. territories while their visa applications are sorted. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the unannounced plans.

The administration intends to carry out the evacuation later this summer, likely in August, before its September deadline to withdraw U.S. forces, according to a second official familiar with the deliberations but not authorized to discuss them publicly.

Both officials added that the administration has not settled on a country or countries for the planned temporary relocation. Evacuating Afghans to a U.S. territory is seen as complicated because it could lead to the visa applicants having greater legal rights as they are vetted. Asked if he had determined where Afghans would be relocated as they await U.S. visas, Biden said he did not know.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Minnesota:
Notice that the G-7 countries arent taking their ally India to task for a manufacturing labor cost of $1.72 an hour. Nor do they have unkind words for one of their regional allies against China, Vietnam, with its manufacturing labor cost of $1.96 an hour. It seems as if this ultra-low-cost exploitative labor would undermine markets even more than China does. Apparently were not going to talk about it because U.S. industry has already pivoted to these countries in a global race to pay people as little as possible for their work. Instead, were going to hear a lot of selective outrage against the big economic adversary that Western nations helped to create. There wont be any of the deep soul-searching that would lead to an admission of how Western policies contributed to this result.
TOP 100

Top 100 newcomer no stranger to fed market

V3Gate debuts at No. 56 thanks to strong ties to VA, DHS

A newcomer to the Washington Technology Top 100 list, V3Gate is no stranger to the federal marketplace. The IT solutions provider has been supporting the departments of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security throughout its 14 years in business, and has spots on two major contract vehicles: NASAs Solution for Enterprise-Wide Procurement (SEWP) V and DHSs FirstSource II.

The VA is half of our business today, and Homeland Security is about a quarter of our business, said Guy Nielsen, an executive vice president and principal. The rest of it is other agencies that are very important to us and growing rapidly, including the Justice, Defense, Energy, and Health and Human Services departments, and the Internal Revenue Service.

A service-disabled veteran-owned small business, V3Gate brought in more than $481 million in prime contracts in government fiscal 2020, earning it the No. 56 spot on the 2021 Washington Technology Top 100. It is one of only about a dozen small businesses to earn a spot.

Among the most meaningful work in 2020 was V3Gates support of VAs COVID-19 emergency response, Nielsen said. As of early June, the department had spent $1.5 billion on contracts related to the pandemic, with $113 million going to V3Gate, mainly for laptops, desktops and monitors to support VAs remote workers and temporary hospitals.

We were pleased to be the prime to lead that effort, Nielsen said. That was pretty much an all-hands-on-deck operation that started in March of last year and concluded about four or five months ago.

In September 2019, VA awarded the company a $680 million contract under SEWP V as part of a Salesforce enterprise license agreement, and just last month, it awarded V3Gate a $268 million Splunk enterprise license agreement. Last September, it awarded V3Gate a contract potentially worth $4.3 million for a radiology reporting and dictation system.

DHSs Transportation Security Administration awarded V3Gate last August a five-year, $14 million contract under SEWP V for SAP NS2 software-as-a-service licenses.

The SEWP contract has been fantastic for us, Nielsen said. Weve done over $1 billion (in task orders) to date on SEWP V and of the 140 or so contract holders, I think were ranked in the top 10 from a revenue-generation standpoint.

In February, the General Services Administration announced that V3Gate was one of 79 vendors to win the Second Generation IT blanket purchase agreement, which was built for the Air Force to replace its Network-Centric Solutions 2 contract.

Although most of what V3Gate does today is software and management of enterprisewide license agreements, the company is looking to build on its success by shifting its focus to other agencies and core competencies.

We built our business around infrastructure solutions, where wed resell and provide services around infrastructure, Nielsen said. Were pivoting more now towards a services model where were going to get more into addressing the governments complex services needs. To do that, we are currently doubling our engineering team.

To that end, V3Gate is investing in identity and data management. For example, it has helped the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services modernize its identity management architecture, and led VAs rollout of eTokens to enhance security at VA hospitals through two-factor authentication.

Examples of V3Gates work in data management include helping U.S. Customs and Border Protection convert and reconstitute container data into a readable format and move that data to a disk storage area, and helping the Transportation Security Administration build a modern, integrated enterprise application to support its complaint case management systems.

In support of its effort to grow in the defense space and other areas, the company bid on the Navys SeaPort-e, the services electronic platform for acquiring support services, and hired two executives, plus four more in the past 18 months with the goal of extending its reach.

Nielsen also called out a March 18 announcement that the company was appraised at Level 2 of the CMMI Institutes Capability Maturity Model Integration. Because that recognizes V3Gates quality controls, the certification will be a boon to its effort to pivot toward services, Nielsen said.

Although the biggest challenge of 2020  the COVID-19 pandemic  affected V3Gate, it was well-positioned to continue operations when work-from-home orders came down. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., the companys office-based workers there were already equipped for remote work, and the companys Northern Virginia-based workers are always remote, so transition was no issue, Nielsen said. Thats in line with our taking care of our employees culture.

But its the company culture that truly sets V3Gate apart, he added. We treat each other like family, and we put the well-being of our employees above everything else, he said. We create an environment that is very productive, constructive and positive. When you have a workforce thats happy and accountable, it really translates with our clients.
ManTech prevails in protest of $4B classified Air Force contract

ManTech International has prevailed in a protest of a highly-classified security contract with the Air Force worth at least $4 billion.

Details are sketchy with ManTech and the Government Accountability Office declining to comment given the nature of the contract. But there are some apparent twists and turns involving the Air Force Special Access Program Security Support Services program known as SAP SSS.

Twist number one: ManTech was actually one of three companies selected in February for the $4.5 billion contract alongside General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman. The Air Force will use the contract to implement security protocols, conduct information security operations, counterintelligence training, analysis and investigations. Awardees will also compete for task orders for logistics and communications security support.

The three companies were the only three bidders.

But there had to be something in the award that bothered ManTech sufficiently enough to protest. Deltek lists ManTech as the incumbent on a predecessor contract. That was a single award, though much smaller. Perhaps ManTech didnt want to share the award?

Whatever the complaint was, it resonated with GAO and they ruled ManTechs favor on June 17. GAO recommends the Air Force re-evaluate proposals and pay ManTechs costs.

GAO is still working on a public version of its decision but that process may take longer than normal because the contract is classified. GAO has to reach an agreement with the Air Force, ManTech and the other companies if they filed as so-called interveners because the decision could impact their business.

Because it is classified, the Air Force has the final say what can be released.

So we wont know much more about this one for a while. Some classified protests have taken a year of haggling before anything is released.

Well keep an eye on this one because its big and its odd. It will be while before we know much more.
WATERLOO  The loss of two young lives was joined by a third Friday as Raymond Birden Jr. was sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars for murder.

Birden was 19 when authorities allege he shot and killed 22-year-old Shavondes Martin months after Martin was acquitted of killing Birdens brother, 21-year-old Otavious Brown, in 2016.

Birden was convicted of first-degree murder in Martins slaying, and Friday Judge Linda Fangman imposed the only sentence allowed by law for the crime  life in prison without parole and $150,000 in restitution to Martins estate.

Nobody is winning today.  Mr. Martin died too young. Mr. Brown died too young. Mr. Birden is going to prison far too young, said Black Hawk County Attorney Brian Williams, who prosecuted the case.

Birden, now 22, declined to comment in court.

Fangman told Birden she understood the reason behind Martins death.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Think there a bunch of people who, deep down, would have the same visceral reaction that you have. The only difference is you acted on it, Fangman said.

She asked Birden to use his experience to convince others to stop the cycle of violence.
The 20-year-old Gallagher Bluedorn is slated to undergo a $14.9 million renovation and expansion to modernize the space. Originally built to host 140 events and serve up to 14,000 guests annually, the center currently has nearly 600 events and more than 115,000 guests each year  operating at 10 times its expected capacity.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

In recognition of the Barrett foundations gift, the newly constructed marquee lounge will be named the Pauline R. Barrett Charitable Foundation Marquee Lounge.

The marquee lounge is the heart of the entire renovation project. The marquee lounge will be a world class gathering place to match world class performances that take place on our stage, Steve Carignan, executive director of the Gallagher Bluedorn, said in the news release.

The proposed space will provide guests with a place to gather with friends for drinks or a light dinner before the show and a place to linger over coffee after the show. The marquee lounge will also serve as a private classroom for the centers Kaleidoscope participants to meet and interact with authors and actors. Each year, the Gallagher Bluedorn provides opportunities for upwards of 40,000 preschool through 12th grade students to experience a wide range of performing arts at a $1 per child cost.
Dan Perry, UNI instructor and coordinator of the public art incubator, worked on raising the $20,000 for the sculpture and installation.

Jon was such a strong supporter of the arts, and the Public Art Committee really flourished under his administration to where it is now, so this seems very fitting. Gillians sculpture is a representation of building a community and growing ideas. Its not a straightforward memorial pieces; its open to interpretation, Perry said.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Originally, the sculpture was planned for installation last summer, but the coronavirus pandemic delayed the event.

Christy, a Davenport native, graduated from the UNI in 2002.

I enjoy making artwork that serves as a celebration of something, designing and creating work that is positive and uplifting, Christy said. I was in the beginning stage of making this piece, and the fact that it was honoring the mayor and his community spirit, it seemed to work. Im glad the committee liked it and thought it would be fitting.

Christy typically works within the notion that connectors  those things in our built environment like roads and fences  connect us to each other. Ive always liked the cobblestone, follow the yellow brick road theme, wrapping it into a dynamic sculpture.
IOWA CITY  Roman Catholic priests sexually abused minors across Iowa for decades while church leaders covered it up, but reforms implemented in the last two decades have largely ended the problem, a three-year review by Iowas attorney general concluded.

A report issued by Attorney General Tom Miller said the number of complaints, victims and the duration of the abuse was overwhelming and the cover-up was extensive, similar to what has been found elsewhere in the U.S.

The image and reputation of the church were put ahead of the enormous harm to young people, the 30-page report found.

The review found that only five Iowa priests have been the subject of allegations since 2002, and that bishops who participated in concealing past problems are no longer in charge in Iowa.
Moises and Daniel Monterrubio and their crew spent nearly a week installing a 2,800-foot highline across Yosemite National Park, California's longest highline ever at a cool three times longer than the former record-holder'sand then they walked across it. The photos are truly incredible.

Plus, a sweet marriage proposal at San Francisco Sutro Baths goes crazy viral, Green Day played a surprise show at an Oakland dive bar, and more local headlines to drop your jaw and give you all the feels.

A marriage proposal at SF's Sutro Baths goes super-viral after Twitter hunts the couple down, SFGate



Cue the happy tears. Photographer Valerie Contreras happened to be at Sutro Baths with a camera on hand when Ricky Johnson, Jr. proposed to his now-fiancee. After snapping pics from afar, she tracked down the couple via Twitter, with the help of 600,000 plus likes and nearly 100,000 retweets. Read more.



Stunning Photos Capture 2 Brothers' Walk 1,600 Feet Above Yosemite, NPR

The San Francisco brothers claim to have set a record for the longest California highline walk in historya 2,800-foot trip departing from Taft Point. Read more.

Members of Green Day play surprise gig to celebrate reopened Oakland dive bar, SFGate



After months of closure, the Golden Bull reopened with a banga surprise show featuring Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt, who also make up part of the Coverups. Where was our invite?? Read more.





SF Is the First City in the Country to Pass a Permanent Cap on Delivery App Fees, Eater SF

The SF Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to make the temporary pandemic policy permanent, which will help local restaurants continue recovering. Read more.





Bay Area Comic Kabir Singh Slays on America's Got Talent, Funcheap

Chances are, he's already made you crack up at Cobb's. Following a standing ovationworthy audition, he'll be moving on to the next round. Read more.
But the low staff vaccination rates cast doubt on the nursing home industry reaching its goal of vaccinating 75 percent of its almost 1.5 million workers by the end of June and show the challenge of keeping COVID out of nursing homes over the long term.

Why exactly do workers need to be vaccinated?

Nursing home staff, who come and go from their workplaces while often interacting with the wider community between shifts, are a main vessel for COVID-19 to enter and spread through facilities, studies show.

Many nursing home workers earn just $13 per hour, don't receive sick leave or benefits, and work in multiple facilities to make ends meet. When at work, they're often in close contact with residents while feeding, bathing and dressing them. And due to widespread staffing shortfalls  at least a fifth of all nursing homes nationwide have reported a shortage of nurses or aides every month for the past year  they're often tending to more residents than recommended during their shifts.

While rare, breakthrough infections  which occur when a vaccinated person contracts the virus  can present another danger to nursing home residents. These older and often immunocompromised people are less likely to mount an immune response when vaccinated, says Justin Lessler, an associate professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

"They may be getting less protection than a slightly healthier, younger person, he says.

An unvaccinated health care worker is believed to be at the center of a March COVID-19 outbreak in a Kentucky nursing home, where 75 of the 83 residents were fully vaccinated, while just 61 of 116 staffers were. Nearly 50 people became infected, including 18 fully vaccinated residents. Three residents  including one who was vaccinated  died, according to a review by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Breakthrough infections have also been identified in nursing homes in Chicago, according to another CDC report.

Vulnerable residents aside, vaccinated workers also protect themselves. More than 585,000 workers have tested positive for the virus so far; almost 2,000 have died from it. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) in nursing homes had one of the deadliest jobs of 2020.

The federal government began requiring individual nursing homes to report vaccination rates beginning in mid-May. This week, the CMS released its most robust set of results, which includes the vaccination rates from around 90 percent of the nation's nursing homes as of June 13. The information is vital for consumers, says Megan O'Reilly, vice president of health and family government affairs at AARP. Transparency is key, she says. This information is needed in order for people to make the best, safest decisions for their loved ones who may need long-term care.

Missing the mark

In February, two of the largest nursing home trade groups, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and LeadingAge, set a target to get 75 percent of nursing home workers in every facility nationwide vaccinated by the end of June as part of their #GetVaccinated campaign.

The CMS's COVID-19 Nursing Home Data page includes a list of fewer than 2,200 facilities  from the 15,000-plus it regulates  that have achieved that goal as of June 6.

In a recent survey of COVID-19 vaccine uptake among frontline health care workers, including those in nursing homes, 82 percent who had not received a COVID-19 vaccine as of early March said they are worried about the potential side effects. Eighty-one percent also said they think the vaccine is too new and want to wait to see how it works for others, while 65 percent said they distrust the government to ensure safety and effectiveness.

It will be hard to overcome that distrust, says Lori Porter, cofounder and CEO of the National Association of Health Care Assistants. Starting late last year, nursing home workers were prioritized alongside residents and other health care workers as the nation's first vaccine recipients. But that followed months of nursing home workers being forgotten or villainized for unknowingly causing a COVID-19 outbreak in their facilities, she says.

"CNAs went from nobodies to everybodies for the first time ever when everybody wanted them to take the vaccines, Porter says.

"CNAs are asking: Why now? Why this? Why haven't you fought for us to get raises? Why haven't you fought so we can make a living wage and pay our bills? Why didn't you fight to get us [personal protective equipment]? Why didn't you fight to get us hero hazard pay?  she says.

Vaccine access is also hindering uptake. Since a federal program tasked with vaccinating the nation's nursing homes concluded in March, facilities have reported logistical hurdles in securing vaccines for new residents and previously reluctant staff. Some homes say their pharmacy partners are waiting to deliver vaccines until the facility has a certain number of people ready to vaccinate.

"Part of this data is a structural problem, says Ruth Katz, senior vice president of policy at LeadingAge, which represents 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers, not necessarily a hesitancy or refusal problem.

AARP's O'Reilly says there's still work to do to address both issues.

"We need to be continuing to do everything we can to make sure that vaccines are accessible, available to all resident and staff, O'Reilly says. And that people have the information they need to make their decision."
For them, that vulnerability could undercut the promise that the vaccines now being injected into the arms of millions nationally will bring immunity and liberation from COVID-19 for everyone.

In general, doctors treating patients with these conditions recommend they get a COVID vaccine because some protection is better than none. But experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that people with these conditions consult with their health care providers before getting vaccinated.

The CDC also recommends that even after getting vaccinated, those with compromised immune systems should consider still taking precautions against COVID-19, including wearing a mask and staying six feet apart from people who don't live with them. Doctors also recommend that people with these conditions ask their relatives and friends to get vaccinated.

1. Transplants

Doctors performed 39,000 organ transplants in 2020, with kidney transplants leading the way.

Those receiving new organs typically take medications that prevent the immune system from going to war against the donated organ. If the immune system is too active, it attacks the new organ, says Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco who directs its immunocompromised host infectious diseases program.

Those same drugs appear to undercut the vaccine's antibodies. In fact, a May 2021 study of 658 transplant recipients found that 46 percent had no antibodies after they received two COVID-19 vaccine shots.

The study, from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, has received widespread attention among transplant recipients, experts said. They said they were not surprised by the results.

That's why transplant doctors often try to plan ahead and have patients get vaccinated before surgery, said Joseph G. Timpone, M.D., section leader for transplant and immunocompromised services at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.

Organ recipients should be vaccinated, and so should their household members and caregivers, says a June 2 letter from 24 groups representing professionals in transplant medicine.

A new Johns Hopkins study signals that transplant patients may benefit from so-called booster dosing, getting an extra dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The study of 30 transplant recipients with low antibody levels found that a third dose boosted antibody responses in 14 of the recipients.

2. Cancer

People with cancer can be more susceptible to infections.

"Both the underlying medical condition and immunosuppressive regimens may affect the immune response", says Meghan Baker, M.D., a hospital epidemiologist who works with immunocompromised patients at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

Those with blood cancers may be more at risk of long-term infection and death than those with solid tumors. That's because they frequently have lower levels of immune cells that produce antibodies, says the National Cancer Institute.

Certain cancer treatments can suppress the immune system, including chemotherapy or stem cell or bone marrow transplants.

Most immunocompromised cancer patients will get some protection from the COVID-19 vaccines, but they should take precautions to minimize their exposure to the novel coronavirus, Baker says. Meanwhile, she adds, There are active studies to determine if and when a booster vaccine may be appropriate."

3. HIV/AIDS

An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States have HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. If untreated, HIV can advance to AIDS, known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. But new infections are down more than two-thirds since the epidemic's harshest years in the mid-1980s. New drugs are stabilizing existing cases.

"Between 50 percent and 70 percent of people with HIV/AIDS are on medications that have made their immune systems intact, says Carole Treston, executive director of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, in Uniontown, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.

Treston supports federal guidelines that all people 12 and older  except those with previous vaccine allergy reactions  be vaccinated. She points to federal guidance that says people with HIV should receive COVID-19 vaccines, regardless of their CD4 or viral load, because the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks.

4. Lupus

Lupus is an autoimmune disease, meaning that the body's immune system attacks its own organs and tissue. It affects 1.5 million people in the United States, mostly women of child-bearing age.

It is characterized by mild or no symptoms interrupted by flares or flare-ups, periods when symptoms worsen. Lupus can also lead to serious problems such as kidney failure, blood clotting and heart attacks.

The lupus immune system is less capable of fighting infections, says Ashira D. Blazer, M.D., a rheumatologist at NYU Langone Health in New York City. And when a lupus patient has an active flare, the immune system is less effective in combatting such infections, she said.

The medical center recommends that lupus patients get the COVID-19 vaccines, and those who have are not getting more flares than those who have not. But those experiencing moderate to severe flares should confer with their rheumatologists about the vaccines risks and benefits, she said.

"Some medications that are required to treat more serious lupus features may decrease the vaccine's efficacy, Blazer adds.

5. Multiple Sclerosis

Like lupus, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease. A patient's immune system attacks the protective coating on nerve fibers, which can be damaged or even destroyed. Symptoms include muscle spasms, loss of balance and the inability to walk.

Nearly 1 million people in the United States age 18 and over have MS. Some treatments can rein in the immune system's ability to fight infection, says Julie Fiol, associate vice president of health care access for the National MS Society.


Substantial 39% Increase to Youanmi Gold Resource to 1.7Moz Au

Ballarat, June 23, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australian gold and nickel company, Rox Resources Limited ( ASX:RXL ), in conjunction with its joint venture partner Venus Metals Corporation Limited ( ASX:VMC ) is pleased to report a significant increase to the mineral resource estimate for the Youanmi Gold Project near Mt Magnet, WA.Drilling and exploration work at the Youanmi Gold Project predominantly in the OYG JV area (Rox 70% and Manager, VMC 30%) has yielded substantial increases in known and defined tonnages and ounces since acquisition and commencement of drilling in Mid-2019.Rox has used independent consultants for both the Youanmi Near Surface and Deeps areas. Widenbar Associates completed the Near Surface Resource (Youanmi Near Surface Deposits Resource Estimate June 2021 - refer Table 1*) while CSA Global completed the Youanmi Deeps Resource Estimate (Report Youanmi Deeps Youanmi Deeps Mineral Resource Estimate June 2021 - refer Table 1*). The previous resource for Youanmi was published in 2018 (Widenbar).Managing Director Alex Passmore commented: "The release of the updated Youanmi Resource is a milestone for the Company (and the OYG JV) and demonstrates the strong potential to continue to grow high-grade gold resources at the Youanmi deposit. The Company is very pleased with both the expansion of the Deeps Resource as well as achieving a considerable increase in inventory to the Near Surface Resource areas including some spectacular results at Grace which contains 109,000 ounces at an average gold grade of 7 g/t Au at shallow depths. An overall increase in gold resources of 39% is a great result, as is the $16 /oz discovery cost realised to achieve these results.This resource update also highlights Rox's low enterprise value per attributable resource ounce which based on the Company's last reported cash balance (March 2021) and current market capitalisation is calculated to be only $45 per ounce. On the back of the resource upgrade, we will be commencing the Youanmi Mine Feasibility Study. Drilling will continue at Youanmi with a focus on the ongoing conversion of inferred material into indicated categories for both the Deeps and Near Surface Resources and extension of the Youanmi Deeps along strike and down dip. In addition, regional grass roots exploration drilling will continue on our extensive tenement interests with the intent of making new discoveries in the area."Comparison to 2018 Resource Estimates (Widenbar 2018):An overall increase of 39% in contained gold has been achieved, with a 52% increase in metal in the Indicated category, and a 31% increase in the Inferred category (Figure 1 below*). Cut-off grades remained the same as those used in the 2018 estimate (i.e. 4g/t Au for Deeps and 0.5g/t Au for Near Surface) and 1.5 g/t Au was used for Grace.Youanmi Deeps Resource Discussion:Twenty-three mineralised lodes were modelled using Leapfrog software for wireframe interpretations, along an approximately 2.2 km of strike length, comprising the Main Lode and associated footwall and hanging wall lodes along the main trend corridor.The estimation process estimated both the grade-thickness and the intersection thickness using ordinary kriging. The block grades were calculated by dividing the grade-thickness by the estimated thickness (which is not the same as the actual physical thickness of the wireframe interpretation).The hanging wall and footwall lodes are predominantly 0.5 m to 2.0 m thick, while the Main Lode is generally on the order of 1.0 m to 3.0 m thick, but locally exceeds 10.0 m.The lode intersections were interpreted based on several characteristics, such as grade, shearing, degree of mylonitisation, veining, sulphide content, or alteration and bleaching. Intervals were generally selected using the assay tables, verified using core photographs and logging, except where historic core was unsampled, in which case lithology tables were used.Pinch-outs were applied manually around the peripheries and at roughly half of the average data-spacing, up to 40 m.To subset the lode interpretations into the higher-grade shoots, a statistical approach was adopted, using Leapfrog to model the grade-thickness variable. The grade-thickness composite dataset was then constrained to those points inside the high-grade shoot models.As is illustrated in Figure 3, progression from the previously quoted resource (2018) shows significant depth extension below the -340 mRL as well as tightening up the model above this reflecting the different modelling technique applied and demonstrating a more conservative approach along strike. Increased resource tonnage and metal was also due in part to more lodes being identified and interpreted east and west of the main lode.Resources ounces per vertical metre (OVM) increased significantly in localised areas including in the upper levels (above 210 mRL), and intermediate levels (below 70mRL to -150mRL). In the area between -170 mRL and -290 mRL the updated resource was more conservative in the Inferred category, hence the reduction shown through this area in Figure 6 which shows total OVM, however the Indicated portion through this area increased from 170 OVM to around 940 OVM, which is an impressive result.For the purpose of block modelling a total of 21 areas were defined with each having their own variogram modelling parameters assigned. The block model grade estimation methodology used ordinary kriging interpolation within Micromine 2021 software. Search distances and orientations were unique to each of the individual areas. The Currans Find deposits used Inverse Distance Cubed estimation methodology as there was too little data for robust variogram calculation.Block model validation was carried out in several ways, including visual inspection on sections, long sections and plans, and in 3D, model vs composite statistics, swathe plot validation with all validation methods producing reasonable results.The Grace deposit which is high grade and has a relatively high nugget has a higher cut-off grade of 1.5 g/t Au applied to it resulting in a total resource of 490,000 tonnes at 6.95 g/t Au for 109,000 ounces.This mineral resource estimate includes maiden resources for Grace and Currans Find deposits.Next StepsOn the back of this resource upgrade the Company has commenced studies into the optimal production scenarios at Youanmi. These studies will feed into a detailed feasibility study which is due for completion in the second half of next year. The various studies include metallurgical test work, development of a geo-metallurgical model, processing plant design, pit optimisation, underground mining optimisation, dewatering and geotechnical studies, waste rock characterisation and environmental baseline testing.In parallel to the study outlined above the Company is undertaking an extensive regional exploration program and a drilling program in the near-mine area. Ongoing exploration results will be released to the market as they come to hand.The Company is highly confident that the resource inventory at Youanmi will continue to grow rapidly as results from this program are incorporated into further resource estimates.*To view tables and figures, please visit:About Venus Metals Corporation Limited

Venus Metals Corporation Limited (ASX:VMC) is a West Australian based Company with a focus on gold and base metals exploration. The Company aims to increase shareholder value through targeted exploration success on its projects.

The Company's major gold project is the Youanmi Gold Mine, located 500km north east of Perth. The Youanmi Gold Mine is now jointly owned by Venus Metals (30%) and Rox Resources Limited (70%) (OYG JV); Indicated and Inferred Resources of the mine exceed 1.2 million ounces of gold.

Exciting new discoveries at the Youanmi Gold Mine have been made at the Grace prospect in footwall granites where very high grades of free milling gold have been intersected, including 25m @34.7g/t Au from 143m (RXRC 287) and 13m @60.49 g/t from 181m (RXRC 239). The Grace Prospect may substantially add to the Youanmi Gold Mine resources.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

When Michelle Tomlinson learned that a language can die, she was dismayed.

It was also the impetus into her journey to make the documentary film Edge.

I was raised in Los Alamos and they dont teach us that in school, she says. These Indigenous languages need to be preserved somehow.

Tomlinson says that, without language, cultures and traditions cant be passed on  which makes for an uncertain future.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

She says the aim of the documentary is to educate and inspire people of all backgrounds about the importance of preserving the language and traditions of Indigenous cultures.

The idea for the project was born in 2017 and principal photography started a year later.

Tomlinson says she traveled to San Ildefonso Pueblo, where only about a dozen elders still live. They were taught the Tewa language as their first tongue and know the pure version of it.

If their knowledge and wisdom isnt preserved, the pueblo will suffer an unimaginable loss as they pass away, Tomlinson says. Stories, histories (and) wisdom, all of it will be scattered to the winds, never to be retrieved.

Tomlinson says this has a ripple effect that can be felt in large and small ways around the world.

Native communities suffer from extraordinarily high rates of addiction and suicide as they grapple to belong in a world that doesnt see them.

Even within some Native communities themselves, there are factions that advocate letting their ways die, even at the expense of their spirits.

I want to engage the youth to learn their language and have the elders be able to pass it along, she says. I also want non-Natives to see this and realize what it means when a people lose their entire language. I cant fathom what that would be like.

Tomlinson and her team are working on a new cut of the film and she will be filming more footage in the coming weeks.

Shes been enjoying the interview process because additional stories continue to pop up.

The challenge is making sure you are telling things accurately and with integrity, she says. This is an important issue and I want to help bring awareness to it.

Tomlinson has been working with James Mountain who is from San Ildefonso.

James opened the door to us getting with the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, she says. They allowed us to shoot over there. We filmed dancers from Ohkay Owingeh. Weve been able to shoot in Zuni Pueblo. Each person that Ive met is beautiful and has something to add to this story.

The production also teamed up with the New Mexico Film Foundation at nmfilmfoundation.org, which is helping to raise money to finish the project.

Were hoping to have this wrapped up in time for film festival season this fall, Tomlinson says.

Online

Filmmaker Michelle Tomlinson is working on the documentary, Edge, which sheds light on the loss of Indigenous language. To find out more about the project visit nmfilm foundation.org

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQJournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

What a ride its been for the The Fast and the Furious franchise. Now spanning 20 years and nine films, this soap opera of motor fuel and melodrama has defied logic, physics and death again and again, while weaving an intricate tapestry of a cinematic text thats filled with callbacks, cameos and a deep-rooted lore that always returns to the intertwining values of family and vintage American muscle cars.

Director Justin Lin, who also helmed the third, fourth, fifth and sixth films in the series, and evolved the franchise from minor street racing thrillers into outlandish displays of car ballet, is back behind the camera for F9: The Fast Saga (he also co-wrote the screenplay with Daniel Casey). Lin ups his own ante with the outrageous vehicular stunts in F9 and its hard to imagine any future installments exceeding the automobile acrobatics Lin and Casey have concocted. To describe the stunts and set pieces would be to ruin the fun of discovery for audiences; suffice to say there will be moments where youll say, they wont  but rest assured: they will, and how.

Narratively, F9 does something no other Fast film has done before: it looks to the past. In a flashback storyline that takes place in 1989, we finally meet young Dominic Toretto (Vinnie Bennett and, of course, later, Vin Diesel) and learn more about the infamous vengeful wrench attack that landed him in prison, a crime thats been mentioned often throughout the series. The flashback is a way of exploring some of the darker secrets of the Toretto family, specifically regarding prodigal brother Jakob (Finn Cole and John Cena), who resurfaces in Doms life. Turns out hes another freelance precision driver/special agent, who frequently works with Doms (many) enemies. What are the odds?

With Jakobs return, Dom has to reckon with his past and the dissolution of his blood family, which he replaced with his chosen family. This motley crew of gearheads weve come to know and love over the years includes the fast-talking Roman (Tyrese Gibson), techy Tej (Chris Ludacris Bridges), Doms love Letty (Michelle Rodriguez), his sister Mia (Jordana Brewster) and, amazingly, against all odds, fan favorite Han (Sung Kang) is back, returned from the dead, in an especially spine-tingling resurrection.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Thats not to say that the gangs all here, as Paul Walkers tragic 2013 death means Brian is absent, but within the earnest optimism of the Fast franchise, Brian is immortal, unseen, but alive and well in this universe. This question of immortality and the familys seemingly invincible nature is explored in a meta way in F9, especially by Roman, who has always served as a bit of an audience surrogate. He gapes at and complains about the ridiculous stunts, offering sly commentary on the inexplicable occurrences as a way of getting out in front of the inevitable disbelief. In this film, he questions why they always come out of brawls, crashes and explosions unscathed, an apt question to pose after eight spine-crunching installments.

While it is the ridiculous set-pieces in F9 that take the franchise soaring to new heights, its the meta moments and the willingness to dive into the past in a real way that make this movie innovative within its own formula. In fact, the flashbacks are so enjoyable, it makes the argument for any stand-alone period-set prequel.

In F9: The Fast Saga, all of the Fast franchises soapy narrative peccadilloes come to fruition, from secret siblings, to death-defying characters, to the stable of Scooby Doo villains out to get Doms family (Charlize Theron returns as evil hacker Cipher). The absolutely bonkers storyline is the foundation for the absolutely bonkers action, which is what we look to the Fast franchise for. In F9: The Fast Saga, bonkers on top of bonkers results in a truly delightful and vividly sensorial time at the movies.

F9: THE FAST SAGA

3 stars

RATED: PG-13 (for sequences of violence, action and language)

WHEN: Now showing

WHERE: AMC 12, Century 14 Downtown, Century Rio 24, Cottonwood, High Ridge, Icon Cinema, Winrock 16, Premiere (Rio Rancho)
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Two former employees filed a lawsuit Thursday alleging they were both fired by New Mexicos child welfare agency after raising concerns about improper hiring and competitive bidding practices, and the use of a phone app for internal communications.

The lawsuit was filed under New Mexicos Whistleblower Protection Act by Cliff and Debra Gilmore, a married couple, in Santa Fe-based First Judicial District Court.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

In the lawsuit, the Gilmores said they both raised concerns that a directive from top Children, Youth and Families Department officials to use the Signal app for internal communications could violate state open records laws.

But they said they were told by CYFD Secretary Brian Blalock that the agencys use of the secure text messaging app  with messages set to be automatically deleted after 24 hours  had been carefully vetted by department attorneys and leaders.

The agency suspended the use of the app in April after Attorney General Hector Balderas office launched an investigation into the practice.

An investigation by Searchlight New Mexico found CYFD used the Signal app to discuss a wide range of official business, including the states COVID-19 pandemic response, the care of children in state custody and concerns about private contractors.

Meanwhile, the Gilmores also alleged in their whistleblower lawsuit that both of them had expressed concern over whether CYFD had properly followed state procurement laws in awarding a $4.5 million computer system contract to an outside vendor.

And Cliff Gilmore said he was pressured by top CYFD officials to advance a certain candidate for a vacant job post, even though the candidate was not the best qualified for the position.

Both Gilmores were fired on the same day last month after raising their concerns, according to the lawsuit, which described the action as retaliation.

In response to questions about the lawsuit, a CYFD spokesman said Thursday he could not talk about specific allegations.

While CYFD appreciates the opportunity to clarify misinformation, CYFD cannot discuss personal personnel matters or threatened litigation, said agency spokesman Charlie Moore-Pabst.

Both Cliff and Debra Gilmore began working for CYFD in late 2020, after being recruited by the agency and moving from Washington to New Mexico.

During their brief stints with the agency, Cliff Gilmore worked as CYFDs public information officer in Santa Fe, while Debra Gilmore was director of the agencys Office of Childrens Rights.

The Children Youth and Families Department has faced chronic problems in recent years, with staff shortages and high employee turnover rates.

It has also faced scrutiny for its handling of several high-profile cases of child abuse that resulted in death.

The lawsuit, which names CYFD, Blalock and agency deputy secretary Terry Locke as defendants, seeks double back pay, compensatory damages and damages to cover emotional distress, among other relief.

The case has been assigned to District Judge Francis Mathew.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Authorities have identified two Espanola police officers who fatally shot a man earlier this month.

State Police spokesman Dusty Francisco said officers Derrick Valdez and Anthony Martinez opened fire on Louis Leyba, 38, killing him on June 8.

Both officers have been with the department around two and a half years.

He said Espanola police were called around 9:30 p.m. to do a welfare check on a vehicle in the parking lot of Ranchitos Park.

Francisco said police found Leyba and a woman standing outside a vehicle. He said both ignored officers and got into the vehicle before Leyba began to drive in reverse.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Francisco said Valdez grabbed onto the vehicle door but was then dragged as he told Leyba to stop the vehicle. He said Valdez drew his gun and shot Leyba as Martinez did the same.

After both officers discharged their firearms, the vehicle came to an abrupt stop which threw Officer Valdez onto the pavement, Francisco said.

Leyba died at a hospital soon after.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

My entire professional career has been dedicated to teaching linguistically and culturally different students and supporting other educators to provide New Mexico students the best and most equitable education possible. This goal, however, can never be achieved without some fundamental changes.

New Mexico needs to stabilize and increase funding for education. Educators are keenly aware of the boom-and-bust funding ride our schools take as the oil and gas industry goes up and down, very much like the pumping jack used to extract the oil. Institutional investors are divesting from oil and gas stocks because they know these industries are in a lasting decline now as the world shifts consumption from their products. New Mexico must do the same, and with so many in our state personally dependent on these industries, it is important we grow other jobs here.

Thankfully, our state is making significant progress toward equity both in terms of updating our curricula to better serve our diverse students, and also for providing greater funding targeted to where it is needed most. These efforts are the same as President Bidens effort to build back better, and it is the struggle of our lifetimes. These changes are great news, and yet we are still far from equity in our system of public education, nor are we sufficiently funding it. Even as recent successes are celebrated, no one should think the job is done.

Advocates for equity and sufficient state funding of our schools must sound the alarm now. Our state must get off the oil and gas roller-coaster by diversifying our economy and revenue sources, and we must keep equity in mind while doing so. To continue to make educational progress in New Mexico, recent funding increases, and the opportunity for more must be secured well into the future.

All who care about education, be it higher education, K-12 local schools, early childhood or career or adult education, please join so many others in our communities to call upon policy makers to equitably diversify state revenues now to secure a stable, fiscally responsible resource stream for our students.

Together we can prevent major cutbacks in education, as painfully happened even just last year  a raise was completely cut. We must work together and on behalf of each other in order to build a tomorrow for us all. Just as with our COVID challenge, our children are watching. They are eager to learn, share and contribute to the solutions for their tomorrow. Providing them the tools and opportunity to do so requires us to demand revenue increases from sources other than a declining industry.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

LAS CRUCES  A lawsuit brought by two former county detention center officers and other unnamed plaintiffs is pending, but a recent federal court ruling in Texas casts a shadow over one of its central arguments.

Isaac Legaretta and Anthony Zoccoli, plus unnamed plaintiffs, are suing Dona Ana County over its January mandate that first responders and certain other employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.

Both men are former officers at the detention center who declined to take the vaccine, despite orders from County Manager Fernando Macias. Legaretta later resigned and Zoccoli was discharged, but the county has said the latter was for reasons unrelated to vaccinations.

Other than those two men, the county maintains that all personnel in the departments initially required to be vaccinated have received either their shots or an accommodation. In May, Macias told employees that 90% of the countys total workforce had been vaccinated and that new employees would be required to receive the shots.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Also in May, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued guidance that employers may require employees to be vaccinated provided they grant reasonable accommodations for disabilities or sincere religious beliefs.

Texas judge dismisses similar arguments

At the center of the former employees complaint is the fact that all three vaccines used in the United States to protect against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and its variants are still undergoing the clinical trial process, and are currently authorized only for emergency use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The complaint argues that the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act requires disclosures to individuals about medical products, including vaccines, that are not fully approved, including the option to accept or refuse administration of the product, of the consequences, if any, of refusing administration of the product, and of the alternatives to the product that are available and of their benefits and risks.

Additionally, the complaint cites guidance last summer from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that under an Emergency Use Authorization  an EUA  vaccines are not allowed to be mandatory.

While the case has not been heard in court, a similar lawsuit in Texas was dismissed earlier this month by U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes, who rejected claims similar to those made in the Las Cruces case about the Act.

It was the first federal ruling on vaccine mandates and might foreshadow trouble for the Dona Ana County plaintiffs.

The Houston Methodist hospital system ordered its workforce of 25,000 to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by June 7. Over 170 workers who did not do so were put on unpaid suspension and warned they would be fired if they did not get vaccinated.

Nurse Jennifer Bridges and 116 other employees challenged the mandate in court on a number of grounds, claiming the vaccines are experimental and that employees were being forced to participate in a human trial, an argument Hughes rejected, along with a claim that firing employees who refuse would be wrongful termination under Texas law.

The judge also said the plaintiffs misconstrued the federal law cited by Legaretta and Zoccoli.

The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Hughes wrote, confers certain powers and responsibilities to the Secretary of Health and Human Services in an emergency. It neither expands nor restricts the responsibilities of private employers.

Hughes concluded that a hospital network asking employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination or lose their job is not coercion. Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus. It is a choice made to keep staff, patients and their families safer. Bridges can freely choose to accept or refuse a COVID-19 vaccine; however, if she refuses, she will simply need to work somewhere else.

WWII comparison reprehensible

Another similarity between the two lawsuits is their claim that requiring the vaccinations violates the Nuremberg Code of 1947, a set of ethical principles governing medical experiments that emerged from the post-World War II Nuremberg trials, which tried officials from Germanys Nazi regime for war crimes.

The Dona Ana County employees lawsuit also cites the Nuremberg Code, claiming the county manager and supervisors violated basic principles of free will, choice, bodily integrity, and human dignity and thus constitute crimes against humanity.

In court filings, the county responded, It is misguided and potentially offensive to liken a vaccine policy designed to protect vulnerable populations to human experimentation prohibited by international law and treaty.

Hughes rejected a similar argument in the Houston Methodist lawsuit with scorn, writing: Equating the injection requirement to medical experimentation in concentration camps is reprehensible.

Dona Ana County is seeking dismissal of the Legaretta/Zoccoli lawsuit, and cited Hughes dismissal of the Houston lawsuit in its most recent filing.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

PERALTA  A pharmacy in Valencia County can no longer fill prescriptions after inspections found more than 20,000 doses of opioids unaccounted for.

The state Board of Pharmacy reached an agreement with Joes Pharmacy, owner Michael Leon Otero and pharmacist-in-charge Shirley Jojola on May 26. The settlement comes after federal Drug Enforcement Agency inspections in 2018 and 2019 found substantial deficiencies in the pharmacys operations, including the unaccounted for doses of various opioids.

The state pharmacy licensing board accepted the surrender of Oteros board-issued licenses last month.

The settlement agreement required Otero to surrender his licenses after the completion of the proper disposition of all dangerous drugs and prescription products at the pharmacy. Oteros licensure as a pharmacy technician was used for the 30 days the board gave the pharmacy for disposal of prescription products in its possession.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

The pharmacy has 45 days to complete a full audit of dangerous drugs and prescription products from the date of acceptance of the settlement to two years prior, and within 60 days of the boards approval of the agreement, Joes Pharmacy shall surrender its board-issued license.

The settlement terms conclude that Otero shall never again engage in activity requiring licensure from the board or apply for approval to do so.

Otero, who is also a Peralta town councilor, declined to comment on last months Board of Pharmacy settlement, or the events leading to the settlement.

According to state law, Whenever an applicable law, rule or regulation requires or prohibits action by a pharmacy, responsibility for the violation shall be that of the owner and the pharmacist in charge.

As part of the settlement, Jojola agreed to transfer her PIC duties to another licensed and qualified pharmacist when the board accepted the agreement last month.

She is never again allowed to work as pharmacist-in-charge or consulting pharmacist in the state, and will serve a five-year probationary period on her pharmacists license. Both Otero and Jojola signed the settlement May 25.

The settlement with the board came after a state drug inspector investigated two DEA audits in August 2018 and February 2019 found substantial deficiencies after looking at 10 different medications dispensed by Oteros pharmacy.

According to an investigative report completed by Board of Pharmacy investigators in March 2019, the DEA audit found a shortage of approximately 4,000 tablets  for oxycodone 15mg, a shortage of approximately 1,000 tablets of clonazepam 1mg and an approximate shortage of 450 films of Suboxone 8/2mg sublingual, all of which are highly regulated opioids.

Otero voluntarily surrendered his DEA registration, which is required to operate a retail pharmacy in the United States, on March 12, 2019. He surrendered his New Mexico Board of Pharmacy controlled substances registration two days later.

An inspection conducted by an investigator working for the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy beginning in April 2019 found Joes Pharmacy had a shortage of eight of the 10 controlled substances previously audited by the DEA  carisoprodol, clonazepam, diazepam, hydrocodone, oxycodone 15mg, oxycodone 30mg, suboxone and zolpidem. The shortage amounts to about 22,000 doses from May 1, 2017, to March 12, 2019.

The audit also reported an overage of both alprazolam and morphine.

In addition to shortages and overages of controlled substances, the 2019 on-site inspection by the Board of Pharmacy reported that a pharmacy technician was using another technicians credentials to log in to the reporting system.

Otero indicated that non-licensed/non-staff family members had access to the front area of the store after hours, but the pharmacy is not secured separately from the front area, the inspection report indicated.

Several of the inspectors findings carried over from the last NMBOP state inspection in August 2017, which reported food, some growing mold, stored in the same fridge as medications, expired medications stored alongside in-date medications, negative amounts of medication entered into the pharmacy operating system and improper disposal of personal health information.

This was presumably occurring because prescriptions were processed as dispensed prior to having the medication in-stock, the investigator wrote in the report to NMBOP.

According to the Joes Pharmacy Facebook page, although the pharmacy is closed, the front of the store will remain open for the time being.

Joes Pharmacy was established in 1967 by Jose Otero, Leon Oteros father. Jose Otero sold the business in the 1980s.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES, Spain  The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, on Friday demanded a thorough investigation of his death, saying her husband did not appear suicidal when they last spoke.

Authorities in Spain are conducting an autopsy on McAfees body but have said that everything at the scene in his cell indicated that the 75-year-old killed himself.

An official source familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that a suicide note had been found in McAfees pocket. The source, who was not authorized to speak about an ongoing judicial inquiry, refused to comment on the content of the note.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

McAfees Spanish lawyer, Javier Villalba, said that the family had not been informed by authorities about the note.

In her first public remarks since the software entrepreneurs death on Wednesday, McAfees widow Janice McAfee said she wanted a thorough investigation to provide answers about this was able to happen.

His last words to me were I love you and I will call you in the evening,' the 38-year-old told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona where she recovered her late husbands belongings. She said they spoke earlier on the day he was found dead.

Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal, she added.

John McAfee was arrested at the Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee who were seeking up to three decades of imprisonment for allegedly evading more than $4 million in taxes.

The day before he was found dead, Spains National Court had announced that it was agreeing to his extradition to the U.S. but the decision was not final.

We had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision, Janice McAfee told reporters. I blame the U.S. authorities for this tragedy: Because of these politically motivated charges against him my husband is now dead.

The National Court judge said John McAfee had provided no evidence to back his allegations that he was being politically persecuted. On the contrary, according to his own testimony, he took part in primaries of a certain party to defend his convictions with a result little favorable to him, the judge wrote in the ruling seen by AP.

In an e-mailed statement, the U.S. State Department confirmed for the first time the tycoons death, offering the family condolences. It said: We are closely monitoring local authorities investigation into the cause of death. We stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance to the family. Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.

Results of McAfees autopsy could take days or weeks, authorities have said.

The couple reportedly met in 2012 in Miami and married the following year. John McAfee had several children from previous relationships, Janice McAfee said.

The entrepreneur had not been connected with the companies that took over the antivirus software he built after he sold his shares in the 1990s. That early success had made McAfee rich and followed him in his troubled biography.

In 2012, he was sought for questioning in connection with the murder of his neighbor in Belize, but was never charged with a crime. The controversy didnt stop him from making long-shot runs for the U.S. presidency starting in 2016.

But it was his more recent tax problems that kept him away from the U.S., the country where the British-born entrepreneur was raised and had built his early success.

The Tennessee prosecutors indictments from 2020 showed that the tycoon allegedly failed to declare income made by promoting cryptocurrencies, attending speaking engagements and selling the rights for a documentary on his eventful life.

Even though he was born in England, America was his home, Janice McAfee said. He came there when he was a child. He had his first girlfriend there, his first case, you know, his first job. He made his first millions there and he wanted to be there. But, you know, politics just wouldnt allow for that to happen.

John McAfees social media postings indicated that he had chosen a northeastern Spanish coastal resort town as his base in Europe at least since late 2019.

All John wanted to do was spend his remaining years fishing and drinking, his widow said on Friday. He had hope that things would work out. We knew that there would be an uphill battle to continue to fight this situation. But hes a fighter  And anybody that knows John, that knows him even a little bit, knows that about him.

He was just so loving. He had a big heart and he just loved people and he just wanted to have peace in his life, Janice McAfee added. My prayers are that his soul has found the peace in death that he could not find in life.

__

Parra reported from Madrid.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

PARIS  The best chance of victory for Marine Le Pens far-right party in this weekends French regional election runoff is a European lawmaker who meets regularly with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and celebrated Russias annexation of Crimea.

Thierry Mariani is in a tight race with a mainstream conservative incumbent to run the prized region  a contest that epitomizes his partys challenges after it stumbled in the first-round vote.

If Mariani wins Sunday, it would be a first-time victory in regional elections for the anti-immigration National Rally party and an important step in Le Pens push for the presidency next year.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

To the polls, patriots, Le Pen said in a tweeted video, after scolding National Rally supporters for a civic disaster  a reference to the unusually low turnout of 33% in last Sundays first round that hit her party hardest.

The 62-year-old Mariani finished slightly ahead of conservative incumbent Renaud Muselier in the sprawling region of southeast France known as PACA, which covers the Cote dAzur, Provence and a corner of the Alps.

Polls had predicted a much stronger showing by the National Rally in PACA and five other regions. Without an enthusiastic rebound by voters, Marianis chances could be dimmed. The left currently heads five of Frances 12 mainland regions while the mainstream right runs seven.

The battle between Mariani and Muselier in one of the most picturesque swaths of France has been nasty, with both men  one-time French lawmakers  dredging up dubious moments from each others past. At one point, Muselier called candidates on Marianis list skinheads and dumbbells, and refused to shake Marianis hand after a televised debate on Thursday.

But the PACA battle is crucial to Le Pen. Like other party leaders, she has put a national spin on the regional elections, looking toward the presidential race in 10 months. Le Pen is considered likely to reach the runoff next year against President Emmanuel Macron in a repeat scenario of his 2017 election. Le Pen wants regional roots for her party and the respect that brings.

Mariani faces challenges galore. Candidates from Macrons party are bolstering Muselier, running with him in the PACA region. Making matters worse was a decision this week by the leftist candidate, an ecologist, to drop out of Sundays runoff in what the French call a republican front to block the far right from power. The same sacrificial maneuver by the left stopped Le Pens niece, Marion Marechal, from her march to victory in PACA in 2015 regional elections, despite a powerful first-round lead.

This time Le Pens party enters Sundays runoff on weaker ground. In Frances north, conservative incumbent Xavier Bertrand crowed that he broke the jaws of the far right after taking 40% of the first-round vote, leaving National Rally candidate Sebastien Chenu in the dust. Other regions where far-right hopes ran high also failed to deliver.

That leaves Mariani to kindle flames of hope for Le Pen. Now a European lawmaker, he was a transport minister under former President Nicolas Sarkozy, with a host of eyebrow-raising acquaintances in his long political career. A conservative for four decades, Mariani with his far-right bent, was something of a misfit. But he is at home in Le Pens circle.

Like Mariani, the entire Le Pen clan has a history of rubbing shoulders with Russian officialdom, starting decades ago with its patriarch and Marines father Jean-Marie Le Pen. Some have also visited Syrias Assad  despite Marine Le Pens decade-long effort to rebrand her party and shed the antisemitism and racism associated with her fathers National Front.

A year ago, Mariani was part of a French delegation to Crimea which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. Though the annexation was condemned by the international community  and not recognized by France or the EU  Mariani has made several visits to Crimea, including in 2019 for celebrations marking the fifth anniversary of reunification with Russia, Russias TASS news agency reported at the time.

Le Pen herself met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in 2017  just weeks before the French presidential election. She pledged to recognize Crimea if elected, and promised to work to repeal European Union sanctions levied over the annexation.

Meanwhile, Mariani met with Assad in 2017, along with two other French lawmakers, and again in 2019 with three European lawmakers from the National Rally in his sixth such trip. He has told French media that each time he visits Syria he meets with Assad.

Hes buddies with all the dictators in the East, starting with Mr. Putin, Muselier said.

Shooting back, Mariani said his opponent once received with great fanfare the ambassador of Qatar, the international sponsor of terrorism.

He defended Assad for having fought terrorists. Perhaps Muselier would have preferred that the Islamic State group run Syria, Mariani said in an interview this week on RTL radio. He said he far prefers Assad, with all his faults, running Syria.

Marine Le Pen tweeted angrily that Museliers deal to include Macron party candidates on his lists and while boosting his changes at victory with the withdrawal of the left make him the candidate of an entire system, with all its nuances of betrayal, denial and hypocrisy.

If his opponent wins, Mariani said on LCI television, PACA will be the only region that Mr. Macron can take home as a trophy.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

KYIV, Ukraine  The dissident Belarusian journalist and his Russian girlfriend who were arrested after being pulled off a flight that was diverted to Minsk have been transferred from jail to house arrest  a move the countrys exiled opposition leader said Friday was positive but still left them hostages.

Raman Pratasevich, whose messaging app channel was widely used in last years massive protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, and girlfriend Sofia Sapega were seized on May 23 when their Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in Minsk because of a reported bomb threat.

Several world leaders denounced the dramatic gambit as a hijacking, and it prompted another round of Western sanctions on Belarus, where Lukashenko responded to the months of mass protests with a brutal crackdown.

Pratasevich, who faces a potential 15 years in prison, has been seen since his arrest in videos on state television and at a government press briefing expressing regret for his activities. The opposition said he spoke under duress.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Belarus Investigative Committee said in a statement that Pratasevich and Sapega have been moved to house arrest after they had cooperated with investigators and accepted a pre-trial deal. It said they agreed to help investigators probe the crimes, expose their accomplices and do everything possible to compensate for the damage that was inflicted and made consistent confessional testimony.

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called their move to house arrest good news but stressed that their situation remains precarious.

House arrest is not freedom, theyre still facing charges, their every step is still being watched. It means theyre still hostages, said Tsikhanouskaya, who left Belarus for Lithuania last year under pressure from the authorities.

She added that her team is in touch with Pratasevichs parents, who arent given any information about their son, arent allowed to talk to him and are convinced that the regime is playing a game, using Ramans and Sofias lives.

She urged the West not to ease its pressure on Lukashenko and keep pushing for the release of all political prisoners and early elections, noting that Western sanctions have been quite powerful.

We are really glad that conditions have changed  but still they are prisoners, Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press. This so-called release after imposing sanctions is a political game.

Pratasevichs mother Natalia Pratasevich told Polands TVN by phone that she has gotten no official word regarding her son or if conditions of his detention have changed. She said a move to house arrest is likely an improvement in their living conditions. But Ill repeat, none of the charges against them have been dropped. They remain hostages and captives just like before.

Tsikhanouskayas adviser Franak Viacorka, who spoke to the parents, added that they dont believe authorities plan to free their son. Instead, Viacorka said, the move might be aimed at holding off additional sanctions.

We urge the European and the global community not to give in  everyone needs to be free and not under house arrest, he said, adding that Lukashenkos goal is to create an illusion of softening and concessions. But this is just one prison replaced with another.

Viacorka said Pratasevichs sister has been able to pass on some belongings to him and talk to him. The house arrest is not freedom, he lives there with operatives of the KGB, agents who watch him round the clock, he said.

Sapegas lawyer, Anton Gashinsky, also confirmed that his client was transferred to house arrest recently, without specifying when. She is now staying in an apartment in Minsk, and her parents met her on Thursday at a restaurant.

Gashinsky wouldnt say whether Pratasevich was also there  but said Sapega didnt go alone.

Pratasevichs lawyer, Inessa Olenskaya, refused to comment on her clients whereabouts and status, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Marie Struthers, Amnesty Internationals Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said putting the pair under house arrest looks like a cynical ploy by the Belarusian authorities to secure the lifting of international sanctions.

The months of mass protests were fueled by Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term in an August 2020 vote that was widely seen as rigged. The subsequent crackdown saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police. Most opposition leaders have been jailed or forced to leave the country.

In the wake of these violations and the flight diversion, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada joined forces on Monday to impose sanctions on several top Belarusian officials. The EU also imposed a series of bruising economic sanctions that target key Belarus exports, including potash  a common fertilizer ingredient  and petroleum products.

Belarus Foreign Ministry says the sanctions will hurt ordinary people and border on the declaration of an economic war. On Friday, the ministry again condemned the sanctions and promised retaliatory measures in the coming weeks. Its about time European politicians realized that pressure and sanctions are not a language one should use with Belarus, the statement read.

___

Associated Press writer Harriet Morris in Moscow contributed.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

BERLIN  A man armed with a long knife killed three people and injured five others, some seriously, in Germanys southern city of Wuerzburg on Friday before being shot by police and arrested, authorities said.

Police identified the suspect as a 24-year-old Somali man living in Wuerzburg. His life was not in danger from his gunshot wound, they said.

Bavarias top security official Joachim Herrmann said the injured include a young boy, whose father was probably among the dead.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

The suspect was in psychiatric treatment before the attack and had been known to police, Herrmann said. There was no immediate word on a possible motive.

Videos posted on social media showed pedestrians surrounding the attacker and trying to hold him at bay with chairs and sticks.

A woman who said she had witnessed the incident told German RTL television that the police then stepped in.

He had a really big knife with him and was attacking people, Julia Runze said. And then many people tried to throw chairs or umbrellas or cellphones at him and stop him.

The police then approached him and I think a shot was fired, you could hear that clearly.

Police spokeswoman Kerstin Kunick said officers were alerted around 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) to a knife attack on Barbarossa Square in the center of the city. Wurzburg is a city of about 130,000 people located between Munich and Frankfurt.

Bavarias governor Markus Soeder expressed shock at the news of the attack. We grieve with the victims and their families, he wrote on Twitter.

A big thank you and respect for the spirited intervention by many citizens, who confronted the suspected attacker in a determined way, Soeder added. And also to all first responders for their work at the scene.

Almost five years ago a 17-year-old refugee from Afghanistan wounded four people with an ax on a train near Wuerzburg. He then fled and attacked a woman passer-by before police shot him dead.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

WASHINGTON  The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the states new election law, alleging Republican state lawmakers rushed through a sweeping overhaul with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot.

Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday in announcing the lawsuit.

Republican lawmakers in the state pushed back immediately, pledging a forceful defense of Georgias law.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

The Biden administrations move comes two weeks after Garland said his department would scrutinize new laws in Republican-controlled states that tighten voting rules. He said the federal government would take action if prosecutors found unlawful activity.

The suit also comes as pressure grows on the Biden administration to respond to GOP-backed laws being pushed in the states this year. A Democratic effort to overhaul election laws was blocked this week by Republican senators.

As of mid-May, 22 restrictive laws had passed in at least 14 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which researches voting and supports expanded access. Justice Department officials hinted that prosecutors were looking at other voting laws across the United States and warned that the government would not stand by if there were illegal attempts to restrict voter access.

The increased enforcement of voting rights laws also signals that President Joe Biden and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke are making good on a promise to refocus the department around civil rights after a tumultuous four years during the Trump administration. Clarke was one of the nations leading civil rights attorneys before her nomination to lead the departments civil rights division.

Georgias secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, said he would contest the suit. The Republican official was harshly criticized by then-President Donald Trump and his allies for rebuffing efforts to challenge the outcome of the states vote in the 2020 election. Raffensperger largely supported the new law and faces a primary challenge from a congressman backed by Trump.

The Biden Administration has been spreading lies about Georgias election law for months, Raffensperger said in a statement. It is no surprise that they would operationalize their lies with the full force of the federal government. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court.

Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Ga., called the Justice Departments lawsuit legally and constitutionally dead wrong and said the accusations made by prosecutors were baseless and quite honestly, disgusting.

Today, the Biden Justice Department launched a politically motivated assault on the rule of law and our democracy, he said at a news conference.

While much of the more controversial aspects of Georgias new voting law were dropped before it was passed, it is notable in its scope and for newly expansive powers granted to the state over local election offices.

The bill, known as SB 202, also adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots, shortens the time period for requesting a mailed ballot and results in fewer ballot drop boxes available in metro Atlanta  provisions that drew the challenge from the federal government.

The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum, Clarke said. These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress.

The lawsuit also takes aim at another controversial measure  a ban on the distribution of food and water by various groups and organizations to voters standing in line to cast a ballot. Democrats say the support is needed to encourage voters who find themselves in long lines. Republicans argue the measure is needed to prevent unlawful electioneering from happening at polling places.

In 2020, just two states had ID requirements for voters requesting a mailed ballot. Along with Georgia, lawmakers in Florida have also passed a law requiring additional identification for mail voting. Clarke described the Georgia law as adding new and unnecessarily stringent identification requirements to mail voting.

In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the states most populous communities.

For the entire metro Atlanta area, Democrats estimate the number of drop boxes will fall from 94 last year to no more than 23 for future elections based on the new formula of one drop box per 100,000 registered voters.

Clarke noted that metro Atlanta is home to the largest Black voting-age population in the state.

The NAACP and civil rights leaders such as Stacey Abrams applauded the administrations step. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Georgias law was a blatant assault on the American peoples most fundamental and sacred right, the right to vote.

The law already is the subject of seven other federal suits filed by civil rights and election integrity groups that raise a number of claims under the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in voting.

The Supreme Court also is weighing a voting rights dispute from Arizona that predates last years election in which the court could again significantly cut back on the use of the voting rights law.

Eight years ago Friday, the high court removed the Justice Departments most effective tool in combating discriminatory voting laws: the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination, mostly in the South, obtain advance approval of any voting changes from the government or a court.

The department also announced Friday that it was creating a task force and advising FBI and U.S. attorneys to prioritize investigations of threats against election officials.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Mark Sherman in Washington and Kate Brumback and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

GENEVA  China pressured Ukraine into withdrawing its support for a call for more scrutiny of human rights in Chinas western region of Xinjiang by threatening to withhold Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines destined for Ukraine unless it did so, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.

Ukraine briefly joined a statement by over 40 countries, presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, urging China to allow immediate access for independent observers to Xinjiang. Some human rights groups have alleged Chinese mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs and others in the region.

On Thursday, Ukraine pulled its name off the list of supporting states after Chinese authorities warned Kyiv that they would block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Ukraine unless it did so, said diplomats from two Western countries. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Ukraine has agreed to purchase 1.9 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from Chinas Sinovac Biotech. As of early May, Ukraine had received 1.2 million doses, according to Health Minister Maxim Stepanov.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

In the past, Chinas government has been no stranger to pressuring other countries in Geneva diplomatic circles or in national capitals either to line up behind its statements or avoid backing statements that criticize, question or seek scrutiny of human rights in the country.

But the alleged pressure would mark an escalation of intense recent efforts by Beijing to push back against criticism of its rights record, this time by potentially jeopardizing health  even lives  as a way to minimize international attention to it, the diplomats said.

One of the Western diplomats called it sign of bare-knuckles diplomacy by China. The other diplomat cited reports of significant pressure in Kyiv, adding, last night the delegation told us they needed to pull out.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing and a spokesman for the Chinese diplomatic mission in Geneva in did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

The situation could still change. Under the practice of the 47-member council, countries can add their names to statements or resolutions up to two weeks after the end of a session. The current 3 1/2-week session that began Monday runs until July 13.

Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton said in a statement Tuesday that credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang. Nortons statement was initially backed by 41 countries and is now supported by 44. Ukraine was briefly country No. 45.

Norton also pointed to reports of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children from their parents by authorities in China.

Also Tuesday, a Chinese diplomat decried shortcomings in Canadas own rights record, pointing notably to abuses against Indigenous peoples. Belarus read a joint statement  allegedly by 64 countries  speaking out in defense of Chinas right to manage its own internal affairs such as with Hong Kong or Xinjiang.

A spokesman for the councils secretariat said Belarus had not provided a list of those 64 countries. Belarus diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking a list of those countries.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

TORONTO  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday he has urged Pope Francis to come to Canada to apologize for church-run boarding schools where hundreds of unmarked graves have been found, and he said Canadians are horrified and ashamed by their governments longtime policy of forcing Indigenous children to attend such schools.

Indigenous leaders said this week that 600 or more remains were discovered at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997 in the province of Saskatchewan. Last month, some 215 remains were reported at a similar school in British Columbia.

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools, most run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, in a campaign to assimilate them into Canadian society.

Indigenous leaders have called for Pope Francis to apologize  a demand echoed again Friday by Trudeau, who said the pope should visit Canada to do it.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness, Pope Francis, to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on Canadian soil Trudeau said.

I know that the Catholic church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken.

Following that discovery of the British Colombia remains, Francis expressed his pain and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on this sad affair. But he stopped short of a formal apology.

Don Bolen, archbishop of Regina, Saskatchewan, posted a letter to the Cowessess First Nation on the archdioceses website this week in which he repeated an apology he said he made two years ago.

Nearly three-quarters of the 130 residential schools were run by Catholic missionary congregations, with others operated by the United, Presbyterian and Anglican churches, which earlier apologized for their roles in the abuse.

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology in Parliament in 2008 and Canada offered billions of dollars in compensation as part of a lawsuit settlement between the government, churches and the approximately 90,000 surviving students.

The government has admitted that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages. Thousands of children died there of disease and other causes, many never returned to their families.

This was an incredibly harmful government policy that was Canadas reality for many, many decades and Canadians today are horrified and ashamed of how our country behaved, Trudeau said. It was a policy that ripped kids from their homes, from their communities, from their culture and their language and forced assimilation upon them.

Trudeau said many Canadians wont be able to celebrate as the country marks its birthday on July 1.

Canadians across the country are waking up to something that quite frankly that Indigenous communities have long known, Trudeau said.

The trauma of the past echoes very much today.

Indigenous leaders have called the residential schools a system of cultural genocide.

A search with ground-penetrating radar at the Marieval school resulted in 751 hits, indicating that at least 600 bodies were buried in the area after accounting for a margin of error in the search technique, said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess First Nation, whose lands today include the school.

Delorme said the search continues and the numbers will be verified in coming weeks.

He said the gravesite is believed to hold both children and adults, and perhaps people from outside the community who attended church there.

Delorme said that the individual graves had once been marked, but that the church at some point removed the markers.

Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3, were found buried on the site of what was once Canadas largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

On Friday, the MIssionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, which operated 48 residential schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, including those where the bodies were recently found, said it will disclose all historical documents it has.

It said in a statement that it already has worked to make the documents available through universities, archives and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but that the work is not complete because of provincial and national privacy laws.

A National Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued a report in 2015 that identified about 3,200 confirmed deaths at schools, but noted the schools did not record the cause of death in almost half of them. Many died of tuberculosis, an illness symptomatic of the deplorable living conditions.

In the United States, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced this week that the federal government is launching an investigation into its past oversight of Native American boarding schools there. She said it will review records to identify past schools, locate burial sites and uncover the names and tribal affiliations of students.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  The Albuquerque School of Healing Arts is scheduled to open July 1 at 4600 Copper NE and is accepting students for its first cohort, a release from the company said.

The independent school, founded by Laura Freed and Sarah Ferrell, offers a massage therapy program that is grounded in natural therapeutics curriculum, the release said. The schools fall semester will begin Sept. 8, and its continuing education classes begin in July and August.

The school will offer training in several massage therapy modalities, including Swedish, deep-tissue, sports, pregnancy and others. Students will also study other practices including cranial sacral therapy, Thai massage, yoga, nutrition and other subjects.

The program is accredited by State of New Mexicos Massage Therapy Board. More information is available at ashanm.com.

Editors note: An earlier version of this story said the schools continuing education classes will begin Sept. 8, when in fact the schools fall semester begins Sept. 8. The schools continuing education classes begin in July and August. The story has been updated.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  Just one state had an incrementally higher unemployment rate than New Mexico in May, according to new federal data.

New Mexico posted a seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 8% last month, according to data published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

That figure represents a slight decline from Aprils rate, but was higher than every states in May other than Hawaii, which posted a rate of 8.1% in May, according to the data. The national average stood at 5.8% in May.

Rob Black, CEO of the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, said he believe the state high unemployment rate is due to a combination of New Mexicos relatively stringent business restrictions and structural factors, including the states consistently low labor force participation rate.

What were seeing is an exacerbation of that, for a variety of reasons, Black said.

Earlier in June, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that New Mexico will retire all restrictions on commercial activity related to COVID-19 on July 1.

The simple fact is: We are beating this pandemic. The best is yet to come, Lujan Grisham said in a prepared statement.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

Black said he expects the loosened restrictions to help lower the states unemployment rate by allowing bars, nightclubs and other establishments that have struggled to reopen at reduced capacity to operate more freely.

However, he said its natural for some workers to be nervous about returning to work after more than a year of caution. He encouraged the state to follow the lead of Oklahoma, which is offering 60 days of subsidized child care to residents who are looking for work due to the pandemic.

Now, its time to re-engage and do it safely, Black said.

Unemployment rate in metro Albuquerque and metro Santa Fe were each lower than the overall state rate in May, coming in at 7% in both communities, according to data from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.

The states unemployment rate stood at 10% in May 2020, according to the state data. Overall, the state recovered 43,000 private-sector jobs during that period, according to the state workforce department. The mining, logging and construction sector, which includes the states oil and gas industry, continued to employ fewer people than it did the year prior, having shed 3,300 jobs year over year, according to state data.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

BOISE, Idaho  U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting to more full-time firefighting crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and making the jobs more attractive by increasing pay and benefits.

Theres a push in Congress to increase firefighter pay and convert at least 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to year-round workers, furthering a shift in their ranks over the past decade as fires have grown more severe.

It comes as fires raging in Western states parched by severe drought and record heat have burned more than 2,000 square miles (5,300 square kilometers) this year.

Thats ahead of the pace in 2020, which ultimately saw a near-record 15,000 square miles (40,000 square kilometers) burned as well as more than 17,000 homes and other structures destroyed.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Christopher French testified Thursday before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that firefighters need more pay in recognition of the growing workload.

The year-round firefighters could also remove brush and other hazardous fuels when not battling wildfires. French said the Forest Service treats 3 million acres (4,700 square miles) annually, but to make progress would need to treat two to four times that much in the 193 million acres (301,500 square miles) it manages.

He called for a paradigm shift in forest management to address the impacts of climate change.

We have a crisis, French said while testifying on a infrastructure bill sponsored by West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. We must address it at the scale of the problem, and bring long term relief to our firefighters, our communities and our forests.

The challenge has increased in recent decades as more homes were built outside cities and towns, forcing wildland firefighters to protect the structures.

President Joe Biden this week called for an increase in firefighter pay from $13 an hour.

Thats a ridiculously low salary to pay federal firefighters, he said.

Firefighters can often boost pay by working overtime, a regular occurrence on bad fire years.

The Forest Service and Department of Interior combined employ about 15,000 firefighters. Roughly 70% are full-time and 30% are seasonal. Those figures used to be reversed, said Forest Service spokesman Stanton Florea.

Increased pay and more full-time firefighters were included in infrastructure legislation sponsored by Manchin, the chair of the energy and natural resources committee and a key swing vote in the evenly divided Senate. He was among a bipartisan group of 10 lawmakers who announced a deal Thursday with Biden on a pared-down version of the administrations plan.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, also in the group, said the package would contain money for addressing wildfires but was unclear whether raises were included. If not, Tester said raises would be addressed in next years federal budget.

This is dangerous work, folks need to be paid for it. Were going to need to hire people to do this work, he said.

Still, officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise said they face a potential shortage of firefighters this year because the $13 starting wage isnt enough.

Theres not technically a shortage of firefighters because we always overprepare, said Jessica Gardetto, a fire center spokeswoman with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and a former wildland firefighter. But its a concern right now. Were seeing people taking jobs at local businesses that pay the same or more than starting fire positions.

She also said the length of time firefighters spend in the field has been increasing. That can be a problem for seasonal firefighters who are college students and need to get back to class.

In the past we had fire seasons, now we have fire years, she said.

Officials at the center on Tuesday raised the national preparedness level to 4 on a 1-5 scale, the second earliest dating back to 1990. The primary reason is the drought will likely make it harder to put out fires and strain firefighting resources.

We dont know what kind of support were going to be able to get from other agencies, said Sharla Arledge, spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Lands, which is responsible for protecting state and some federal land. Its a tinderbox out there.

More than 90% of the U.S. West is in drought. Forecasters expect the drought will persist at least through September across most of the region.

The nations wildland firefighting system is a network of local, state and federal agencies, and in Idaho includes a unique program where ranchers are trained and given equipment to keep wildfires small until help arrives. The vast majority of wildfires are put out within days, but some grow to thousands of acres and draw hundreds firefighters.

Major blazes that raged in Oregon, California, Washington and other states in 2020 revealed how stretched thin the ranks of firefighters have become. By September, with more than 30,000 firefighters deployed, there were so many fires burning that hundreds of requests for help went unfulfilled as agencies scrambled to get enough firefighters, aircraft, engines and support personnel.

Firefighters from across the U.S. and other countries including Canada and Israel were summoned to help fill the personnel shortage.

Idaho officials have struggled to retain state wildland firefighters who are sometimes poached by federal agencies after gaining on-the-ground experience. Starting pay for an Idaho wildland firefighter is $12.55 an hour.

As of Friday, the National Interagency Fire Center said almost 9,000 firefighters were battling wild fires across the U.S. About 80% of wildfires annually are started by people, often while enjoying outdoor activities or using fireworks.

___

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Copyright  2021 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The percentage of eligible New Mexicans who have completed their COVID-19 vaccine shots ticked up to 60.7% on Friday  even as global concerns swelled over the spread of the contagious Delta variant of the virus.

The Delta variant, first detected in India, has been blamed for several recent outbreaks and was recently described by Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health as the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip



................................................................

But researchers have said that approved COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the variant, leaving those who are unvaccinated at higher risk. Of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths nationwide in May, only about 150 were in fully vaccinated people, according to the Associated Press.

In New Mexico, just 17 cases of the Delta variant had been detected as of this week, primarily in Cibola and Guadalupe counties, according to a state Department of Health report this week on different COVID-19 strains.

Most of the cases have involved such symptoms as headache, fever and fatigue, though the report said only one of the individuals who tested positive for the variant has died.

Overall, the number of New Mexico cases matched to the Delta variant were far fewer than the 745 cases attributable to Alpha variant, which started to surge in the United Kingdom late last year.

Several other virus variants have also been confirmed in New Mexico, including the Gamma variant that originated in Brazil, according to the DOH report.

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last week announced New Mexico would retire pandemic-related capacity limits and other restrictions starting July 1, with the number of fully vaccinated state residents within striking distance of the 60% target set by the governor.

The state hit the goal on Wednesday, though the vaccine administration rate has declined in recent days, according to state data.

Meanwhile, New Mexicos rate of new COVID-19 infections has dropped to its lowest level since April 2020.

State health officials reported 76 new cases Friday, including four new cases among federal detainees at the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan and one new case involving an inmate at Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas.

One additional death  a woman in her 60s from Eddy County  related to COVID-19 was also reported, bringing the states death toll to 4,335 since the start of the pandemic.
WENN/John Rainford Celebrity

The birth certificate of Lilibet lists 'The Duke of Sussex' as the father's first name and 'HRH' as his last name, while Meghan Markle uses her full unmarried name.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - Prince Harry may be leaving the royal family, but he is still prince in his heart. The 36-year-old royal is uncovered to still use his HRH title on the birth certificate of his newly-born daughter Lillibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

A copy of Lillibet's birth certificate, which is obtained by TMZ, lists "The Duke of Sussex" as the father's first name and "His Royal Highness" as his last name. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex uses her full unmarried name, Rachel Meghan Markle, in her daughter's birth certificate.

While Harry is still entitled to both titles which were given as his birthrights, the decision to use his royal titles was somehow unexpected given their Megxit. As he and Megan stepped down as senior members of the royal family, on 18 January 2020, Buckingham Palace announced that from 31 March 2020 Harry and his wife would not use their Royal Highness styles, though as a British prince, he will not be stripped of his style and titles.

Harry and Meghan welcomed their second child and first daughter, Lilibet, on June 4. The baby's name honors Harry's late mother, Princess Diana, and his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. Lilibet is the Queen's family nickname.

The couple informed the Queen before naming their daughter after her and was given approval by the Queen. "The Duke spoke with his family in advance of the announcement, in fact, his grandmother was the first family member he called. During that conversation, he shared their hope of naming their daughter Lilibet in her honor," a representative for Harry and Meghan previously revealed to PEOPLE. "Had she not been supportive, they would not have used the name."

Harry and Meghan reportedly have also introduced their newborn daughter to the Queen, though they are still not able to meet the royal family in person due to COVID-19 restrictions. The meeting reportedly happened via video call, as the proud parents "were very excited and couldn't wait to share that their daughter arrived" as soon as they returned from Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, where Meghan gave birth to their second child.
Instagram Celebrity

When speaking out about the accident that nearly took his life, the 'Say It' spitter admits that he suspiciously feels 'like someone knew to crash' into his vehicle.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - Tory Lanez has been left questioning about his "strange" car crash. After being involved in a tragic accident that nearly took his life, the "Say It" rapper openly shared his belief that he was actually being targeted.

Taking to his Twitter account on Thursday, June 24, the musician, whose real name is Daystar Peterson, suggested that he might have been a target. "Strange," he wrote about the accident. In a following tweet, he continued expressing his suspicion. "It almost felt like someone knew to crash into us," he tweeted, adding three thinking face emojis.

Tory Lanez expressed his suspicion of the car crash via Twitter.

Prior to the tweets, Tory revealed that he was involved in an accident on his Instagram Story. In a clip that displayed the extent of the damage on his black SUV, the 28-year-old rapper could be heard saying, "We almost just died. We got into a car accident in a f***ing Uber." He also showed off the other car that appeared to have crashed into a gas station sign. "Oh my gosh, bro," he added.

Tory Lanez shared a glimpse at the car accident.

The car crash happened amid Tory's felony assault charges in connection with the shooting incident involving Megan Thee Stallion back in July 2020. He had pleaded not guilty, and faces up to 22 years in prison if convicted.

About the incident, Megan claimed to have gotten shot in both feet. "I was shot in both of my feet and I had to get surgery to get the s**t taken out, to get the bullets taken out," she said in tears during an Instagram Live. "I had to get surgery. It was super scary. It was just the worst experience of my life and it's not funny."

As words came out that Tory was likely to be the one who shot Megan, many quickly slammed the Canadian rapper. Others went as far as creating a petition urging the government to deport the Juno Award-winning artist to his native country of Canada and ban him from entering the U.S.

"He literally shot her twice, deport that leprechaun back to where he came from," someone who supported the petition said. Another cried, "Get him deported and prosecuted. We will no longer accept thiz violent abuse towards Black women. When will our lives matter?" A third one stated, "Oh let me sign this. I want his peanut sized a** banned!!!"

Despite the backlash, Tory maintained his innocence. Firing back at a claim that suggested he should be jailed, he tweeted, "Lol it's like y'all don't understand..... if I was supposed to be in jail .... I would be in jail .... please leave me alone .... I'm TIDE BLEACH BIHHH." He went on to add, "And dats on 'innocence' bihhh."
Movie

Picking up right where 2018's 'Halloween' left off, the upcoming twelfth installment in the slasher film franchise sees the Haddonfield community uniting to hunt down Michael Myers.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - The terror of serial killer Michael Myers is revived in "Halloween Kills". After being delayed from its 2020 release, the new movie is finally coming this year and is previewed in the first official full trailer.

Courtesy of Universal Pictures, the trailer as well as the movie pick up where the last film, "Halloween (2018)", left off, with the house of Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) being engulfed in flame with Michael Myers inside. Much to their horror, a group of firemen comes to the rescue and saves Michael, who in turns massacres the entire squad.

Initially relieved that "it's over," Laurie won't stay still after learning that Michael is still alive. Against her daughter Karen's (Judy Greer) advice, she leaves the hospital bed to stop the masked figure from killing more innocent people.

The trailer sees Michael already going on a killing spree. While it seems that he chooses his victims randomly, the video hints that he is heading to his childhood home. With the Haddonfield community uniting to hunt down the serial killer, Laurie declares, "Evil dies tonight."

The video also vaguely addresses how Michael somehow becomes more dangerous after surviving the fire. "Michael Myers is flesh and blood. But a man could've not survived that fire," Laurie says. She warns in another part of the trailer, "The more he kills, the more he transcends."

Andi Matichak returns as Laurie's granddaughter Allyson, with Will Patton starring as Deputy Frank Hawkins, and Anthony Michael Hall portraying Tommy Doyle (who was previously portrayed by Brian Andrews in the original 1978 film.) Additionally, Nancy Stephens returns to reprise her role as Marion Chambers.

"Halloween Kills", due out in the U.S. on October 15, is directed by David Gordon Green and written by Green alongside Danny McBride and Scott Teems. The three are also writing the direct sequel, "Halloween Ends", which is scheduled to be release on October 14, 2022.
WENN/Dimitri Halkidis Celebrity

The actor famous for his portrayal of Eugene Felsnic in 'Grease' has been slammed online by Kara Lashbaugh after he criticized her on Facebook for failing to wear makeup.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - "Grease" actor Eddie Deezen has been left concerned for his safety after becoming the target of cyberbullies for allegedly harassing a waitress at his local Maryland restaurant.

The star, famed for playing nerdy Eugene Felsnic in the 1978 movie musical, took to Facebook earlier this week (beginning June 21) to criticise the server in his Cumberland hometown, insisting he hates it when she fails to wear makeup, especially her fake eyelashes.

Deezen admitted he became a regular at the eatery just to look at the waitress and enjoy some "eye candy" with his meal, but whenever she turned up to work without looking all dolled up, he would walk out.

The employee in question, Kara Lashbaugh, felt uncomfortable with the post and took to Twitter to slam Deezen for his actions.

"Eddie Deezen is a f**king CREEP who comes into my work at least once a week, calls and asks other servers for my schedule, and if he comes in and i'm not wearing makeup HE LEAVES," she vented. "And this grown a** old man has the balls to post this on facebook about me im losing my mind [sic]."

A waitress at a Maryland restaurant slammed Eddie Deezen for complaining about her not wearing makeup.

The tweet apparently prompted a number of Lashbaugh's friends to put him on blast in private messages, and now Deezen has accused her of making a big fuss just because he's "a fairly well-known person."

The waitress, who has not filed a police report, is now planning to seek out an attorney to determine if there's anything she can do about the situation, but Deezen argues he is the victim, and has become scared for his wellbeing, according to his lawyer, Adam Hirshfield.

He's even reached out to police for help, but was advised to take the matter to court and file a restraining order if he's seriously concerned, reports TMZ.
Instagram Celebrity

Detailing the gnarly incident in 'Unashamed' podcast, Phil Robertson says he rushed his wife to the hospital after she was bitten by their dog Bobo, which caused her to lose 'a chuck' of her top lip.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - "Duck Dynasty" star Kay Robertson has learnt first-hand that one should not wake a sleeping dog. The reality TV star has had her lip ripped and a part of it gone after she was attacked by the family's dog Bobo.

Taking to his "Unashamed" podcast with his son Jase Robertson, Kay's husband Phil Robertson detailed what went down on the night of the incident, which happened on Tuesday, June 22. The entrepreneur said he was awoken in the middle of the night by a bleeding Kay, who had a rag on her mouth as she told him that she needed to get to a hospital immediately.

"I said, 'Move that rag a minute,' " he recalled. "She takes the rag off her face. And I'm looking at her top lip, was split in two, about a quarter of an inch." Further describing the injury, the Robertson patriarch added, "Her bottom lip, over on the right side, there was just a chuck gone. Bleeding profusely is an understatement."

Phil rushed his wife to the hospital where she got stitches to stop the bleeding. She is currently recovering at home and will be re-masking up for the foreseeable future due to the injury.

Sharing some advice from the situation, the 75-year-old revealed what he told his wife after the dog attack, "I said the old saying, 'Miss Kay, let a sleeping dog lie. You need to remember that.' "

As for the future of the dog, which has developed cataracts in his eyes due to past snake bites, the family hinted that Bobo will likely be sticking around for a while as Kay believed the dog has apologized. "First thing she told Dad when she came in - she said, 'I just want you to know that Bobo met me at the truck and he apologized,' " Kay and Phil's son Alan Robertson recalled what his mother said.
Instagram Celebrity

Opening up about her first pregnancy, the former catwalk beauty reveals that she is the one who transferred the embryo to her Birmingham attorney wife's uterus.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - Deidre Downs is going to be a first-time mom. The first gay Miss America, who came out in 2018, opened up in a new interview that she is expecting her first child with her wife Abbott Jones after going through a successful in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The 40-year-old mom stopped by the "Pregnantish" podcast on Wednesday, June 23 to reflect back on her IVF journey with her spouse. The couple took a reciprocal IVF, which means both of them go through egg retrieval. However, testing showed that the former catwalk beauty's eggs weren't in great shape. "Fortunately, Abbott's were, so I have been on the sidelines," she said.

"It becomes overwhelming, but it is entertaining. Some of the banks will give you a [donor who's a] celebrity look-alike, which was amusing," Deidre said about choosing a sperm donor. Abbott then chimed in, "I will say when we were looking at donors, my goal was to find someone as close to Deidre as possible." The Birmingham attorney continued, "But when you marry Miss America who is a doctor, there's not really anyone like her. So it was tough."

After finding the right person, Deidre, who is an obstetrician and reproductive endocrinologist, had the embryo transferred on December 18, 2020. "She did the embryo transfer part," Abbott confirmed. The rest of the treatments was done by the model's medical team partner Dr. Sukhkamal Campbell.

"We got our first, very faint, pink line on the at-home pregnancy test on December 23," Abbott recalled. The happy couple told their families the exciting news on Christmas morning via Zoom. "Everyone was just jumping up and down and excited," the attorney added.

Deidre continued, "I feel very fortunate. [Abbott] was fully prepared that it might take several tries." The pageant winner also added that it was "strange" to be on the patient side of IVF treatment. Of her pregnancy journey, she said, "I hope people see there are many ways to build a family. If you are gay, straight, in a relationship or not in one, there are many ways to make that happen."
WENN/Instar Celebrity

A new book reveals the former president was 'gravely ill' when he had the virus last October as his condition went on 'a rapid spiral downward' hours after it was announced that he tested positive.

Jun 25, 2021

AceShowbiz - Donald Trump's battle with COVID-19 in October 2020 was much more severe than he or his advisors indicated, a new book uncovers. According to "Nightmare Scenario: Inside the Trump Administration's Response to the Pandemic That Changed History" written by Washington Post reporters Damian Paletta and Yasmeen Abutaleb, the then-president was "gravely ill" at the time and his advisors feared that he would die from the virus.

In an excerpt of the book obtained by The Washington Post, the authors write, "Hours after his tweet announcing he and first lady Melania Trump had coronavirus infections, the president began a rapid spiral downward." Detailing his serious condition at the time, they claim, "His fever spiked, and his blood oxygen level fell below 94 percent, at one point dipping into the 80s."

As for the treatment, Paletta and Abutaleb write, "Sean Conley, the White House physician, attended the president at his bedside. Trump was given oxygen to stabilize him." They add that "doctors gave Trump an eight-gram dose of two monoclonal antibodies through an intravenous tube."

"That experimental treatment was what had required the FDA's sign-off," the book further discloses. "He was also given a first dose of the antiviral drug remdesivir, also by IV. That drug was authorized for use but still hard to get for many patients because it was in short supply."

As Trump debated whether to go to the hospital or not, his aides presented him with two options: Go to the hospital now, while he could still walk under his own volition, or wait until later, when the press could spot him in a wheelchair.

Trump indeed was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but his condition worsened. The book's authors write, "At least two of those who were briefed on Trump's medical condition that weekend said he was gravely ill and feared that he wouldn't make it out of Walter Reed."

Trump was released from the hospital three days later against medical advice, as he was still struggling with COVID. As he returned to the White House, he played down the disease and told Americans, "Don't be afraid of COVID."
CONCOW, Calif. - The Community Action Agency of Butte County will host a free food distribution event on Friday.

The food distribution will be held at the Pines Hardware at 11300 Miller Flat Road from 10 a.m. to noon., or until supplies run out.

Weve organized a drive-through event using pre-boxed food to help protect those in need of food and our volunteers to the maximum extent Tom Dearmore, CAA Community Services Manager for the North State Food Bank said.

The food boxes will include healthy, shelf-stable, and perishable food depending on seasonal availability. Attendees should stay in their vehicles and volunteers place the boxes into each car.
GreyOrange, a global provider of solutions that modernize fulfilment operations through AI-driven software and robots, has awarded its communications mandate to Archetype (formerly Text100).

Archetype has been entrusted with the crucial task of reinforcing GreyOranges employer brand globally  with an added focus on driving the tech and corporate brand positioning in India. This will be an integrated remit spanning social, digital, creative, PR and employee advocacy.

We are thrilled to partner Archetype to drive our brand reputation in India as well as our global employer proposition. Their integrated consulting and execution capabilities, as well as the ability to appreciate the nuances of what our brand needs now and in the short term without losing sight of the big picture or the long term, will prove crucial to driving our positioning in these dynamic times. said, Gopal Krishna, Director, Marketing and Communications, GreyOrange.

Sunayna Malik, Managing Director, India and Senior Vice President, APAC at Archetype, said, We are delighted to work with GreyOrange and partner them as they redefine whats next in ecommerce fulfilment, robotics and AI. We are excited to deliver an effective employer brand as well as an overall communications program to support their mission to solve some of the worlds most complex business problems.

Archetype (erstwhile Text100) have been operating in India for close on 25 years now. Our technology credentials continue to be strong, but over the last decade we have consciously diversified our portfolio and today service a host of verticals - notably those that leverage technology for their competitive advantage.
Colors Tamil, the youngest GEC of Tamil Nadu, is all set to entertain its audiences with yet another action packed film this weekend. As a part of its Movie of the Month, the channel brings to screen, the World Television Premiere of Aryas hit action adventure film, Kadamban. Powered by Gillette Guard 3 and with Nippon Paint as Special Partner, Kadamban will air on 27th June, 2021, Sunday, at 1 PM and 4 PM as part of its special Sunday Cine Jumbo.

Directed by renowned director Ragavan, the film with its intriguing plot line and gleaming star cast features gorgeous Catherine Tresa along with celebrated actors Deepraj Rana, Aadukalam Murugadoss, Madhusudhan Rao and Y. Gee. Mahendra.

Set in the enchanting backdrop of a dense forest in Tamil Nadu, the story revolves around the difficulties, an isolated tribe of Kadamban (played by Arya) faces after the owners of a large cement factory lay their interest upon the enormous quantity of limestone in the area. The movie then journeys into how Kadamban battles to shield the jungle from the corporate intruders. Besides the exciting encounter to save the habitat, the movie also showcases the complex love saga between Kadamban and Radhi (played by Catherine Tresa), making it a flawless entertainer, packaged with intense action, love and conflict.

Get ready to wander off into the exciting world of Kadamban this Sunday, 27th June, 2021 at 1 PM and repeat at 4 PM only on Colors Tamil.
Following the phenomenal success of the premiere of Marvel Studios Loki in English and Hindi, Disney+ Hotstar is setting the bar high with its incredible cast and scintillating storyline and is ready to unravel its mysterious adventures for fans across the country in Tamil and Telugu. Directed by Kate Herron and written by Michael Waldron, the highly anticipated Marvel Cinematic Universe series features the International heartthrob Tom Hiddleston as he returns as the mischievous, often stubborn and most loved title character Loki, who is also joined by Owen Wilson, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sophia Di Martino, Wunmi Mosaku and Richard E. Grant. Telugu and Tamil fans can soon begin their countdown to the Glorious arrival of Marvel Studios Loki, starting 30th June on Disney+ Hotstar VIP & Disney+ Hotstar Premium, in addition to the previously available versions.

Marvel Studios Loki features the God of Mischief as he steps out of his brothers shadow in a new series that takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Lokithe imperious God of Mischiefwho, after absconding with the Tesseract, is a fish-out-of-water when he lands in a world of trouble with the bureaucratic TVA (Time Variance Authority) in the brand-new series. With Tom recently sharing his love for all things India - Chennai and Shah Rukh Khan, Indian fans are surely in for a treat with the latest language offerings to this high octane series.

In a recent interview in India, the lead actor, Tom Hiddleston shares his love for Chennai, My Akka lives there, she used to live there and Ive been there a few times. Chennai is great!

Also, speaking about how the character Loki is one of an extraordinary range and how the tone of the series will excite fans everywhere, lead actor Tom Hiddleston said, We all really wanted the tone of the show to represent the best of Lokis character. Lokis character has this extraordinary range. Loki can be fun, light-hearted and witty. Hes always got a good line: hes the God of Mischief, after all. So, we wanted the show to be imbued with mischief, a sense of fun and a sense of momentum. But we also know that Loki has this very sensitive, damaged, broken heart with an enormous capacity to feel emotion on the biggest scale. And to go to some quite profound places that explore some of the deepest experiences of being alive that are about loneliness and sadness and anger and grief and loss. We wanted the tone of the whole show to have all of it, to have that sense of fun, to have that sense of mischief. And to have that sense of emotional depth and emotional breadth that hopefully could be contained in this epic story, which starts from the things that people are familiar with.

Loki releases in Tamil and Telugu every Wednesday for subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar VIP & Disney+ Hotstar Premium from June 30th!
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy airs Sunday 27th June at 4.30pm IST on CNN International

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, the critically-acclaimed six-part CNN Original Series that follows Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci as he travels across Italy to discover the secrets and delights of the countrys regional cuisines, continues on CNN International this weekend.

The second episode, airing on Sunday 27th June, features Tucci traveling to the Italian capital of Rome in search of the famous Four Pastas. Situated in Lazio, Tucci hears that the ancient city is often overlooked in the gastronomic department.

IMAGEXX Awards 2021 to attend - REGISTER NOW

Episode Synopsis:

Stanley Tucci meets up with an old friend Claudia della Frattina and head to a little restaurant called Armando al Pantheon. Stanley and Claudia order rigatoni allamatriciana, one of the famous four Roman pastas. Made from tomatoes, pecorino, and guanciale - the fatty cheek of a pig.

Stanley hears that out of the Four Pastas, carbonara is currently popular, so thats what he wants next. His guide is chef, DJ and food historian, Daniele De Michele, whose stage name is Don Pasta. They head to Pommidoro, in the working-class neighbourhood of San Lorenzo. Owned by Aldo Bravi, he samples the carbonara cooked with guanciale, pecorino, black pepper and eggs.

Next, Stanley meets Massimiliano Tonelli, the editor of a food magazine. They head to a neighbourhood deli owned and run by Vincenzo Mancino. Stanley tries a selection of beautiful cheeses and pork sausages made from the sheep and pigs farmed in the region.

Stanley meets food critic Katie Parla who takes Stanley to Santo Palato, an offal restaurant run by chef Sarah Cicolini. Sarah cooks a frittata with mashed chicken offal followed by classic Roman tripe cooked in tomatoes. They also try wagyu heart tartare followed by oxtail meatball with peanut, wild celery and cocoa powder sauce.

GAMEXX Awards 2021 Early Bird Discount Extended Last Date - Wednesday, June 30, 2021 - ENTER NOW

Stanley meets Italia Tagliacozzo, child of the Roman ghetto who miraculously survived the Nazi occupation of the city. Despite being in her 80s, she bristles with energy and runs a restaurant in the ghetto making Jewish Roman food. She shows Stanley the art of making the best fried artichokes.

Finally, Stanley visits Bistrot64 where an out-of-towner, Japanese chef Kotaro Noda cooks extraordinary cacio e pepe. It looks simple but its extremely hard to get right.

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy will air at the following times on CNN International starting June 27th:

Sundays at 4.30 pm and 8.30 pm IST

Mondays at 6.30 am IST

Wednesdays at 4.30 pm IST

Thursdays at 6.30 am IST
Tata Motors announced that Mr Guenter Butschek who had informed his desire to relocate to Germany at the end of the contract for personal reasons, will therefore be stepping down from his role as CEO & MD from June 30, 2021. He will continue as a consultant to the company till the end of this fiscal year.

Mr Chandrasekaran said: I would like to thank Guenter for leading Tata Motors successfully over the last 5 years and creating a strong foundation for the future. I look forward to his continued inputs as a consultant to the Company.

IMAGEXX Awards 2021 to attend - REGISTER NOW

Mr Guenter Butschek said: Leading Tata Motors over the last 5 years was an exciting experience. The business fundamentals are stronger, and we are well positioned to leverage the opportunities in both Commercial and Passenger Vehicles. I look forward to my continued association with the company as a consultant in the coming months.

Pursuant to this, Mr Girish Wagh is being appointed as the Executive Director to the Board of Tata Motors Ltd from July 1, 2021.

Tata Motors domestic business has successfully transitioned to a Business Unit structure with the Commercial Vehicles Division headed by Mr Girish Wagh and the Passenger Vehicle Division headed by Mr Shailesh Chandra. The Executive Committee is an experienced leadership team that has been successfully scripting the turnaround of the company and will continue to drive the business.

GAMEXX Awards 2021 Early Bird Discount Extended Last Date - Wednesday, June 30, 2021 - ENTER NOW

Mr Girish Wagh, President - Commercial Vehicles, Mr Shailesh Chandra, President  Passenger Vehicles and Mr Thierry Bollore, CEO  Jaguar Land Rover will continue to work closely with the Chairman, Mr N Chandrasekaran.
Amid the first wave of the pandemic, it was the Tier 2, 3 and rural market that led the revival as India unlocked. For some time now, regional markets have been the focal point for brands and marketers. The huge base of aspirational consumers is what every marketer wants to target. While the metros and bigger cities have a well-oiled public relations and media network to keep consumers informed, the smaller regional markets pose several challenges for the public relations industry.

IMAGEXX Awards 2021 to attend - REGISTER NOW

So far, PR and brands in small towns have been depending on pushing press releases in the local media to gain mileage. Beyond that, there have hardly been any innovative coverage initiatives undertaken. However, time has now come for PR consultants and brand custodians to think beyond the traditional press releases to explore the smaller markets and engage closely with the audience there.

Social media, which is making great inroads into these markets, is proving to be a great a leveller, can be tapped further in vernacular languages. Studies have show how there is a growing usage of ones mother tongue when it comes to content consumption and also communicating within ones own circle. Rather than trying to replicate the strategies for the bigger markets, PR and brand custodians need to delve deeper into the local markets and customise the communication for these markets.

Thus, it is important to stay connected with the local historian or the local ombudsman to get a good mileage for ones brands. The stories need to be woven around the region one is reaching out to. Storytelling can prove to be an important way to deliver messages and engage with the local target audience. Digital transformation is facilitating this in a major way.

Moreover, regional PR outfits should seriously look at collaborating with Public Relations bodies to understand the drawback and pain points in smaller towns and draw up a structured training program for the smaller towns which can bring in improvements in managing PR in smaller towns. Brands are seriously looking at PR in smaller towns in a big way, provided there is value addition and accountability by the regional PR consultants that will benefit the brand.

GAMEXX Awards 2021 Early Bird Discount Extended Last Date - Wednesday, June 30, 2021 - ENTER NOW

Speaking about the challenges in smaller towns, Shailesh Goyal, Director, Simulations Public Affairs Management Services, pointed out, The key challenge for PR agencies and brands in smaller towns is the language and story of the message. Its relevance to the regional market is the other challenge. Most of the messaging is focused on audiences in the metros or other big cities. Lack of awareness about what exactly PR does to a firm or brand is another challenge. PR is either seen as an extension of advertising or as something that businesses do not need as a disciplined, structured support to organisations or individuals. In smaller towns, where the market is growing, it is essential for brands to suitably modify their messaging.

"Lack of awareness about what exactly PR does to a firm or brand is another challenge. PR is either seen as an extension of advertising or as something that businesses do not need as a disciplined, structured support to organisations or individuals"

Goyal further said, Digital transformation has changed the way we consume media, do shopping, or eat out. This is the case even in smaller towns and villages, but in my opinion, there has been little change in the perception of PR as an industry or business in smaller markets. However, it has taken a long time for PR to be adequately understood even in large markets outside the metros, so I feel it will take some more time before a perceptible change in the way PR is viewed in smaller towns. Many people in smaller towns think posting highlights on social media is doing good PR.

According to Atul Malikram, Founder, PR 24x7, Most players in small towns need to have a better and in-depth understanding of PR and how it is a job of patience and perseverance. Only if the brand image management is done correctly with intact messaging will brands get a better platform to present themselves and grow. Quality messaging and precise representation is the key to brand yourself best through PR.

"But with these changing dynamics, there is one more truth that the traditional media is neither dying nor fading totally. It may have taken a backseat, but it will still remain the most trusted mode of communication"

Adding further, he said agreed that digital transformation has changed the way how brands perceive themselves to be in the eyes of the audience. But with these changing dynamics, there is one more truth that the traditional media is neither dying nor fading totally. It may have taken a backseat, but it will still remain the most trusted mode of communication. So, for businesses in smaller towns, it is not important to change the way PR is looked at, but a reconsideration towards traditional media is extremely crucial, Malikram opined.

Shishir Somani, CEO and Entrepreneur, Archer Public Relations, Indore, noted that PR is ever evolving and hence, the profession has varying challenges. In my opinion, the regional agencies and regional media, both are undermined. There is a lot of potential that can be explored and good work can be done in smaller towns. No investments are being made to impart training to people by the regional agencies. There is enough bandwidth and intent to develop regional PR to greater heights, but the pressure to chase targets in numbers has partially hampered in bringing quality work in smaller towns. Besides that, no effort is being made to identify the need gaps in the regional media. Moreover, the low levels of engagement with the media is the other reason that affect the final outcome, he added.

"In my opinion, the regional agencies and regional media, both are undermined. There is a lot of potential that can be explored and good work can be done in smaller towns. No investments are being made to impart training to people by the regional agencies"

On the digital front, Somani said that it is a work in progress. Technology is on the top, automation to reorganise progression is happening, AI is evolving and getting closer to augmenting decisions in the smaller towns as well, but the required agility is missing because of many factors particularly the internal barriers. There are skills gaps, upskilling is inexpensive, less rewarding and the sum of all this discourage entrepreneurial mindsets.

Last but not the least, risk taking in smaller towns is still difficult and most of the people want security. All the processes are risk assessed and security is a priority, he added.

Swati Jalan, Founder and owner, Communications 2.0, commented, Companies globally face challenges when trying to get customers to discover their brands in small towns, while they think global, they need to act local to deliver the right message. Every geography, especially the smaller markets, has its own way of functioning and with the local nuances, so the messaging needs to be local in nature.

Jalan further said, If you need to win over your customers, then vernacular content is the mantra for success. Educating customers and thinking about their well-being (whats in it for them) will only make brands move up the ladder and go that extra mile. Today, brands are aggressively focusing on Tier 2 and 3 markets. Every other brand  be it FMCG or consumer durables  is tapping the smaller markets and are using brand ambassadors to give a positive appeal and catch the consumers attention.

"If you need to win over your customers, then vernacular content is the mantra for success. Educating customers and thinking about their well-being (whats in it for them) will only make brands move up the ladder and go that extra mile"

While digital has made some progress, it is yet to seep in deep in small towns. Its still on the surface level as of now. The practice of PR, like most aspects of modern society, has been deeply impacted and irrevocably transformed by the digital revolution. Social media is a great leveller across age, category, and location, and people from Tier 2 are seen to be spending hours on these platforms, so the learning curve is pretty much moving up the graph.

(Edited and additional inputs by Shanta Saikia.)
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

Bern, 25.06.2021 - The European Commission has launched the calls for project proposals under Horizon Europe. Switzerland and the EU have not yet held negotiations on Switzerland's association to the programme. Researchers in Switzerland can nonetheless participate in the calls for proposals, albeit to a limited extent. If there is a delay or no association, Swiss researchers will have the possibility of receiving direct funding from the Confederation.

The Federal Council would like Switzerland to have association to the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe. However, negotiations between Switzerland and the EU in this regard have not yet been held. Switzerland is therefore not on the list of countries negotiating or about to negotiate association to Horizon Europe in the 2021 calls for project proposals, although this list can be updated at any time.

Even under these conditions, researchers from Switzerland can still participate in Horizon Europe and related programmes and initiatives and apply for the programme components and funding instruments open to them. However, with third-country status they generally do not receive funding for their project costs from the European Commission. In this case, funding is provided by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI, wherever participation as a third country is possible. Parliament has already approved CHF 6.15 billion in funding for Swiss participation in the Horizon package, as well as the possibility of direct funding for Swiss researchers.

No non-EU member states are currently associated to Horizon Europe. As a temporary solution, countries which are in negotiations or about to become associated can benefit from transitional measures. This does not currently apply to Switzerland. Switzerland expects to hear shortly from the European Commission on how it intends to proceed with negotiations.

Horizon Europe

The EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, Horizon Europe, runs from 2021 to 2027. With an overall budget of EUR 95 billion, it is the largest research and innovation funding programme in the world. Together with the temporary economic stimulus package NextGenerationEU, it aims to promote the green and digital transformation across Europe. Switzerland was fully associated to the predecessor programme Horizon 2020 and is seeking the same status for Horizon Europe and its related programmes and activities (Euratom programme, ITER and Digital Europe Programme).

Address for enquiries

Communication

State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation SERI

medien@sbfi.admin.ch

Publisher

State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation

http://www.sbfi.admin.ch




Armasuisse

Bern, 25.06.2021 - The Cyber-Defence Campus of the DDPS starts a new Cyber Startup Challenge. With this years slogan Strengthen your Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC), innovative solutions in the area of cyber threat intelligence to protect critical infrastructures are being sought. The winning company can demonstrate its solution in a real environment of the DDPS. The registration deadline is 31 July 2021.

The Cyber-Defence (CYD) Campus of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport DDPS reacts to the growing number of cyber risks and is increasingly committed to protecting critical infrastructures. For this reason, another Cyber Startup Challenge will take place this year, following the success of the 2020 Challenge.

Innovative solutions to protect critical infrastructures

The goal of the Cyber Startup Challenge 2021 is to discover the startup technology landscape on the subject Strengthen your Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) and to submit concrete solutions to the DDPS. We are looking for startup companies with innovative technological solutions in cyber threat intelligence, focusing on protecting critical infrastructures.

Call for Cyber Startup Challenge 2021

Startups that want to respond to the call of this Cyber Startup Challenge 2021 can submit their proposed solutions by 31 July 2021. The three startups with the most innovative technological solutions will present their proposals in September at the 16th International Conference on Critical Information Infrastructures Security, the CRITIS 2021. A jury of experts from the DDPS will select the best solution at the conference. This startup company will receive an order for the integration of a proof of concept, in which the company can demonstrate its technological solution in a real environment of the DDPS.

Startup companies can find all necessary information on this years challenge at the link Call for the Cyber Startup Challenge 2021.

The Cyber-Defence Campus

The CYD Campus forms the link between the DDPS, industry and science in research, development and training for cyber defence. Its tasks include the early detection of rapid developments in the cyber area, the development and testing of cyber technologies as well as the training of cyber specialists.

It was founded at armasuisse Science and Technology in 2019 as part of the DDPSs cyber defence action plan and contributes to the national strategy for the protection of Switzerland against cyber risks (NCS).



Address for enquiries

Kaj-Gunnar Sievert

Head of Communications armasuisse

+41 58 464 62 47

Publisher

Armasuisse

http://www.ar.admin.ch/



General Secretariat DDPS

https://www.vbs.admin.ch/



Defence

http://www.vtg.admin.ch




General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC

Bern, 25.06.2021 - Federal Councillor and DETEC head Simonetta Sommaruga went on a virtual trip to California from 21 to 24 June 2021. This trip was made possible thanks to modern communication technologies. Climate, energy and transportation were the main focal points of this visit, which included all of typical features of a conventional trip. Ms Sommaruga visited a train assembly plant and observed the effects of climate change on nature in California. By and large, she was very satisfied with the virtual experience: the test run was successful. In the future, this climate-friendly means of travelling could become a viable option for certain destinations.

The idea behind this novel approach germinated during the corona period, when many conversations were held online instead of face-to-face. Federal Councillor Sommaruga wanted to deepen the experience gained and explore the extent to which virtual trips can complement or even replace conventional ones. Visiting a city or a country in this way saves time and protects the environment, the head of DETEC explained. The flight time alone from Switzerland to San Francisco and back would have been nearly 24 hours. Thanks to modern means of communication, she was able to gain realistic insights into the local situation, visit companies, take part in discussions and take a virtual walk through nature, just as she would have done on a conventional trip: So many things are possible, even from a distance, she said. Admittedly, there were also certain limitations: Private discussions were not possible. Also, when conflicts arise, people need to be able to look each other directly in the eye.

California: overcoming the climate crisis through ingenuity and private-sector commitment

The working visit was mainly focused on climate change, which has affected California to a larger extent than Switzerland. As a case in point, the US state is suffering from increasingly prolonged periods of drought, which leads to water shortages and crop losses in agriculture. Recurring forest and wildfires are also devastating ecosystems and endangering the population. Federal Councillor Sommaruga learned about these consequences of climate change during a virtual tour of Napa Valley, which is known for the quality of its wines. Swiss winegrower Christina Luscher, who emigrated to California, described on video the extent of last year's fires. Luscher's winery narrowly escaped the flames. Drone footage provided a bird's eye view of the area. Federal Councillor Sommaruga then took part in a discussion with winegrowers and climate experts on ways to ensure the future of winegrowing despite the intense heat, fire and water shortages.

California is taking decisive action to tackle climate change. The government is investing several billion US dollars in fossil-free energy supply and aims to become climate-neutral by 2045. Federal Councillor Sommaruga discussed implementation with Eleni Kounalakis, the Deputy Governor of California, with David Hochschild, the Chair of the California Energy Commission, and with David S. Kim, the Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency. California's political system is based on very similar direct democracy principles as those found in Switzerland, including referendums on important issues. The head of DETEC also took part in a discussion of the private sectors role in protecting the climate. The participants included investors, the founders of Swiss start-ups and climate experts. Not only the state, but also private individuals and businesses are committed to fighting climate change; they provide seed capital for start-ups seeking to develop innovative products and services for a climate-friendly future.

Swiss companies are also leading the way in decarbonising California's transportation and logistics sector. Federal Councillor Sommaruga was given a first-hand look at an assembly plant opened by Swiss train manufacturer Stadler Rail in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2019. Stadler Rail is helping to convert the US rail transport sector away from diesel to fossil-free energy sources. The Thurgau-based company is currently developing a hydrogen-powered passenger train that will be put into service in California in 2024. Stadler Rail managers presented this project in a video link to its headquarters in Bussnang in the canton of Thurgau. During a video presentation, representatives of Swiss logistics companies Galliker AG and Kuehne + Nagel AG also explained how they are reducing CO2 emissions with electric and hydrogen-powered trucks. Both companies also do business in the US. Ms Sommarugas virtual tour included a visit to electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla where she gained insight into this company's technological achievements.

The worlds tallest trees

The final highlight of Federal Councillor Sommaruga's working visit was a virtual e-bike tour through San Francisco, which took her to a public library. The library workers feel a strong social commitment to their community and during the corona period were out distributing food to the homeless.

For members of the press: The highlights of Federal Councillor Sommarugas virtual working visit can be found online in the dossier.

Address for enquiries

Harald Hammel, GS DETEC Communication, Tel. 058 463 12 74

Publisher

General Secretariat of the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications; General Secretariat DETEC

https://www.uvek.admin.ch/uvek/en/home.html



Federal Office for the Environment FOEN

http://www.bafu.admin.ch/en



Federal Office of Transport

https://www.bav.admin.ch/bav/en/home.html



Swiss Federal Office of Energy

http://www.bfe.admin.ch




Federal Department of Finance

Bern, 25.06.2021 - On 25 June 2021 in Budapest, Federal Councillor Ueli Maurer met the Hungarian Minister for Finance, Varga Mihaly, for an exchange on bilateral and multilateral tax issues.

The talks between the two finance ministers focused on international tax policy. On the one hand, they discussed the OECD project on taxing the digital economy. Both Switzerland and Hungary are members of the OECD Inclusive Framework, which is currently developing the new rules for international corporate taxation. On the other hand, Ueli Maurer and Varga Mihaly discussed the EU's latest plans for a corporate tax system fit for the 21st century, which includes digital and environmental taxes.

In addition, the two finance ministers exchanged views on the economic outlook and measures to be taken in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Address for enquiries

Communications

Federal Department of Finance FDF

Tel. +41 58 462 60 33, info@gs-efd.admin.ch

Publisher

Federal Department of Finance

https://www.efd.admin.ch/efd/en/home.html



State Secretariat for International Financial Matters

http://www.sif.admin.ch




Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Bern/Geneva, 25.06.2021 - Finding new ways to respond to challenges exacerbated by COVID-19. This was one of the key issues discussed at the humanitarian affairs segment (HAS) of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which was held in Geneva from 23 to 25 June 2021 and was chaired by Switzerland. A resolution to strengthen coordination of humanitarian aid was adopted, sending an important political signal.

In concrete terms, the HAS addressed issues of protection  in particular for healthcare workers  and respect for international humanitarian law. It also examined the opportunities and risks associated with new technologies for humanitarian action, and the impact of climate change on crisis-affected populations. Representatives from the private sector and NGOs were involved in its work.

A resolution to strengthen coordination in all these areas was adopted unanimously. The HAS is a key platform for assessing the appropriateness of improvements aimed at making the UN's humanitarian aid more effective. It provides an opportunity to discuss both current and future challenges, and to exchange experiences and lessons learnt. The 2021 session of the HAS is chaired by Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl, permanent representative of Switzerland to the UN in New York.

The pandemic and humanitarian action

The pandemic has had a particularly profound impact on people already affected by crises. Humanitarian action has had to adapt quickly and radically change its working methods.

In the humanitarian context too, COVID-19 has highlighted the essential work of health personnel, as well as the crucial nature of access to care and protection of personnel and medical facilities. Meanwhile, access to vaccines and the fight against inequalities in this area remains a major challenge.

Opportunities and risks

In this rapidly changing humanitarian landscape, new technologies are creating various opportunities to make humanitarian action more rapid, accessible and effective. The HAS is committed to improving the sharing of expertise in order to make better use of innovative crisis management tools. This must however take into account the risks associated with data protection and the dangers of disinformation.

Climate change

Climate change acts as a risk multiplier, creating even greater inequalities. Increasingly severe tropical cyclones and floods, as well as recurrent droughts, are destroying livelihoods and triggering the displacement of entire population groups.

Humanitarian action needs to focus more on prevention, reducing the risk of displacement and promoting sustainable solutions. In particular, it must support the affected populations in their efforts to adapt to new conditions imposed by climate change.

Switzerland, in chairing the HAS's work this year, has committed itself to ensuring that discussions on improving humanitarian action take into account the key role played by women and local partners in crisis management.

Address for enquiries

FDFA Communication

Federal Palace West Wing

CH-3003 Bern, Switzerland

Tel. Communication service: +41 58 462 31 53

Tel. Press service: +41 58 460 55 55

E-mail: kommunikation@eda.admin.ch

Twitter: @SwissMFA

Publisher

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




Editors note: This article is the first in a series featuring women who are serving as conservation coaches for Wisconsin Women in Conservati
The dairy markets were awash in red ink this past week. June Class III milk gained a little ground but all other Class III and Class IV contra
Sue Lienau says if you have good beef, youre going to have a great burger, and a panel of judges and her customers could not agree more.

Sue and her husband Ron own and operate Bambinos in Ossian, a small town in northeast Iowa. They were recently named the winner of Iowas Best Burger contest sponsored by the Iowa Cattlemens Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council.

Sue says the Winneshiek County establishment has been known in the past for its home-cooked lunch specials. Burgers, she says, were saved for evenings.

Farmers have a half hour for lunch, and they know our specials are excellent, so we provide them with a home-cooked meal, Sue says. If people wanted something to eat in the evening, they got a burger. But since we won this contest, we serve burgers all day, every day.

Ron purchased the bar in 1983. A year later, the couple married and started a family that included four boys in five and a half years.

We were hoping to sell when our youngest was in kindergarten, Sue says. Thirty-nine years later, were still here.

Bambinos was the definition of a bar when the Lienaus first owned it, but they started adding food due to customer demand. Sue cooked breakfast items at home because Bambinos did not have a service kitchen at that time. Eventually, a new restaurant was opened, bringing a halt to breakfast but continuing with a lunch-time special.

All four boys worked at the restaurant, and Sue says she is now teaching her grandsons how to wash glasses and help their customers.
Lake Charles, Louisiana (70615)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. High 84F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

An isolated thunderstorm possible during the evening, then occasional showers overnight. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter and six of the seven City Council members were sworn in for their new terms in office Thursday. Hunter, who is starting his second term as mayor, called on the community and local elected leaders to work together so that the city can rebound from a string of nat
ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP)  Students looking to fly the friendly skies wont have to travel far with the addition of a new aviation program at LSU of Alexandria. The program will allow them to earn a degree and become professional pilots.
See also: In defense of the police hold used on George Floyd

George Floyds death one year ago caused a national level of rioting and vandalism and even deaths. It also put something called excited delirium in the spotlight. George Parry at The American Spectator, Andrea Widburg at American Thinker, and Jack Cashill (at both venues) all have written insightfully about the political, scientific, and legal issues related to the death of Mr. Floyd and the prosecution of Officer Chauvin. The bottom line, if one seriously considers the medical evidence, is that Derek Chauvin did not murder George Floyd.

I have done a video demonstration with two male subjects that shows that there is no way that Officer Chauvin killed Mr. Floyd with the same prone restraint seen in the video of Mr. Floyds restraint and death. My analysis of the events is that the combination of drugs, excitement, exertion, and a bad heart caused Mr. Floyd to die from cardiac arrest -- just like a man who dies shoveling snow.

Recently, the American Medical Association (AMA) house of delegates and the American Psychiatric Association publicly condemned using the diagnosis Excited Delirium in cases like that of George Floyd, and also condemned using sedation and psych drugs on agitated and delirious individuals in emergency situations. These pronouncements were cheap shots that played to a woke racialist mob and ignored both medical science and the truth. Thats no surprise, though, because the AMA Board of Trustees, in June 2020, declared their support for critical race theory, equity, and anti-police campaigns.

Delirium has been around a long time as a phenomenon with many names. Delirium is a severe loss of normal ordered thinking and emotions, i.e., psychotic break. The excited or agitated form is more noticeable and harmful because sufferers are violent, dangerous, and self-injuring to the point of suicide. Theyre also more likely to have medical complications, including death, from muscle and kidney injury, dehydration, hyperthermia, blood pressure, and heart problems.

I saw my first delirious patients early in my junior year in medical school, 52 years ago, as a student assigned to the locked psych ward at Douglas County Hospital in Omaha. Since then, I have seen and treated hundreds of cases of delirium caused by alcohol, PCP, LSD, and cocaine, of course, as well as medical or mental health disorders that affected brain function. Delirium is real and often violent. The proper response is to treat to remove the cause and to control the agitation and wild behavior of agitated (excited) delirium using sedation to calm and antipsychotic medications to restore mental functions. Its routine and effective.

In 2008 the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) commissioned a panel of experts to research and write a monograph on Excited Delirium -- yes the same thing that the AMA and APA say doesnt exist. The experts on the panel were accomplished and experienced. Their research was outstanding, tracing the history and medical management of excited delirium over the many decades it has been reported.

In his article at The American Spectator, Jack Cashill focused on Dr. Martin Tobin, a lung specialist with no apparent expertise about cause of death, particularly traumatic causes of death. Nevertheless, Dr. Tobin, when shown the infamous video of Mr. Floyds last minutes, declared, Youre seeing here fatal injury to the brain from a lack of oxygen.

In fact, what the video shows is that Mr. Floyd was active, noisy, and calling out while essentially being held down on his stomach. Tobin testified that Chauvin and the other officers restricted Mr. Floyds breathing by flattening his rib cage against the pavement and pushing his cuffed hands into his torso, and by the placement of Mr. Chauvins knees on his neck and back.

Mr. Cashill points out that Dr. Andrew Bakers detailed autopsy showed no neck or chest injury damage.

Layer by layer dissection of the anterior strap muscles of the neck discloses no areas of contusion or hemorrhage within the musculature. The thyroid cartilage and hyoid bone are intact. The larynx is lined by intact mucosa.

Dr. Baker further mentioned prominently that Mr. Floyds face and eyes had no petechial hemorrhages (small bleeding spots), which are an important sign of asphyxiation or strangulation.

The autopsy showed that Mr. Floyds brain had no injuries from lack of oxygen. Moreover, Dr. Tobin, who is a lung specialist, presumably knows that the main muscle for breathing is the diaphragm, which is inside the chest wall and abdominal cavities. Chest expansion is an accessory to breathing, not a necessity, which is why paralyzed people who cannot move their chests can nevertheless continue to breathe using their diaphragm.

The autopsy did not show excess fluid in the chest cavity or microscopic abnormality in the lung tissue. Mr. Floyds lungs weighed in at normal for a man his size. Microscopy of lungs, adrenals, kidneys, and liver showed only normal post mortem congestion. The autopsy did not suggest opiate-associated pulmonary edema (wet lungs) in the autopsy.

Finally, nothing in the autopsy showed that Mr. Floyd died from an overdose. His levels of marijuana, fentanyl, and methamphetamine were intoxicating but not lethal, as described in Dr. Bakers excellent explanatory materials included in the autopsy. Thus, Mr. Floyds levels were 11 and 19 nanograms respectively for fentanyl and methamphetamine. Lethal fentanyl levels range from 3 to more than 100 nanograms per milliliter and vary because of the extreme potency of fentanyl and the fentanyl tolerance of frequent users. Lethal levels of methamphetamine are in the hundreds of nanograms per milliliter.

What killed Mr. Floyd? Look to his heart.

Most importantly, the autopsy showed that Mr. Floyd had severe multi-vessel arteriosclerotic/atherosclerotic coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease (thick muscled big heart). These create the risk of a rapidly fatal heart arrhythmia, especially under stress, exertion, or excitement.

Dr. Baker, of course, has seen what is a perfect storm of bad heart disease, exertion, excitement, cardiac arrest. Why, then, didnt he speak the truth and give his medically reasonable opinion about the cause of death?

After all, the proper conclusion on the cause of death was right there in the autopsys findings. Still, Dr. Baker caved under pressure from the mob, the political situation, and prosecutors. George Parry also reported, on pleadings from Officer Thao (another defendant) that politically motivated physicians threatened Bakers reputation.

Experts in trials should be guided by the evidence and the science. As Albert Einstein said. No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong. Likewise, Richard Feynman, the brilliant physicist and Nobel Laureate said It doesnt matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesnt matter how smart you are. If it doesnt agree with experiment, its wrong.

Prosecutors are supposed to be officers of the court and representatives of the government with justice as their highest obligation. The last thing they should be is scalp hunters or enablers of a lynch mob.

IMAGE: Derek Chauvin hears the verdict. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Allow me to state three personal beliefs:

1. I see no truth in the political left's insistence that history marches inexorably toward some Marxist utopia. Those who most often resort to ludicrous claims that their opponents are "on the wrong side of history" usually have little to no understanding of anything that has taken place before their adolescence. I do believe there is an uncanny repetition throughout human history in which many of the same ideas and conflicts emerge, burn brightly, and rudely disappear until they are made new again. The fight for human freedom is a fundamental part of this cycle, and the political left continues to be on the wrong side of liberty.

2. I believe that freedom and personal liberty are natural rights that come from God, yet unscrupulous people use deception and force to keep others in bondage. I believe that history is dotted with hard-fought struggles for freedom achieved by people who slowly take for granted freedom's existence and forget the dear price once paid before languishing and allowing themselves to be enslaved yet again. I also believe, however, that every population exposed to freedom, when finally awakened to its disappearance, will struggle for its return and pass that fight from one generation to the next over the course of decades, centuries, and even millennia. There is a powerful drive within the human soul to be free.

3. I believe that good ultimately triumphs over evil, but man is not in charge of that timeline. I do not pretend to understand God's will. I do not know whether God's gift of freedom will triumph over evil in this lifetime, or whether the events of today will only be referenced in the future, long after we are gone, as inspiration for final victories we'll never see. I believe that part of the moral legitimacy behind any fight for freedom comes from acknowledging this uncertainty  that the fruits of our labor might be enjoyed only by future generations not yet with us.

That said, I cannot help but get a little giddy when I see Americans standing up for their God-given rights and against growing government abuses. Consider these five interrelated events part of a growing trend that should give even the most cynical a shot of optimism:

1. More and more counties across the country are passing resolutions as first steps to secede from home state governments that have become too oppressive. A proposed bill by a state senator from Roswell is pushing for several New Mexico counties to become part of Texas. Seven counties in Oregon have voted to secede and become part of Idaho. Citizens of Weld County, Colorado are thinking of joining Wyoming, and counties in western Minnesota have proposed leaving for South Dakota. What was once merely a dream of northern Californians to break away from Democrats by forming the new state of Jefferson has turned into a national movement. And after years of actively trying to secede from dark blue cities, even neighborhoods are redoubling their efforts. In the face of skyrocketing murders, rising violent crimes, and a fading police presence, the Buckhead community of northwest Atlanta is doing everything it can to escape the dangerous policies of Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms by declaring its independence and hiring its own law enforcement. The only way for communities and counties to survive in the face of crime waves and political tyranny unleashed by Democrats is to divorce from those who cause them harm and fight for freedom on their own terms.

2. Because the federal government has failed in its duty to protect American lives and property and seems intent on creating the worst border crisis since the Mexican-American War, Arizona and Texas bypassed the feds on June 10 and sent a distress call seeking help from any state willing to engage hostile forces waging war against American citizens. Florida governor Ron DeSantis and Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts both answered the call because only a coalition of free American states can pick up the slack when the federal government aids drug cartels, human traffickers, and criminal gangs across the country. Texas governor Greg Abbott has announced that Texas will build its own border wall and finish the job that President Trump started. When the federal government abandons its post, a coalition of the willing must fill the gap and seal the breach.

3. After a controversial national election in which the dubious use of mail-in ballots and suspicious voting irregularities in Democrat-controlled counties of battleground states combined to produce a Biden victory with a margin of roughly 40,000 votes spread across three states, a majority of Americans believe that vote fraud occurred in the 2020 presidential election and support a full forensic audit of the election results. Arizona has answered those concerns by initiating a secure and transparent audit of its ballots in Maricopa County. How has the federal government responded? Attorney General Merrick Garland has threatened states and auditing teams that scrutinize election results with the possibility of civil rights charges.

The Department of Justice has made it clear that it is more interested in punishing Americans for uncovering vote fraud than in punishing Americans for committing vote fraud. Intimidating Americans to cover up past crimes sounds a lot like aiding and abetting criminal activity, and Arizona wasted no time making that plain to the feds. State senator (and former fighter pilot) Wendy Rogers fired back: "You will not touch Arizona ballots or machines unless you want to spend time in an Arizona prison." Then, just to make sure she had hit the target, she added, "Maybe you should focus on stopping terrorism. The Justice Department is one of the most corrupt institutions in the USA." If Senator Rogers's response to federal interference in state election issues was not sufficiently robust, Arizona attorney general Mark Brnovich addressed A.G. Garland directly in a letter warning, "My office is not amused by the DOJ's posturing and will not tolerate any effort to undermine or interfere with our State Senate's audit to reassure Arizonans of the accuracy of our elections." State sovereignty has never been more important.

4. Likewise, both Missouri and Texas have responded to Democrats' national gun control push by building a "barrier around gun rights." Governor Mike Parson and Attorney General Eric Schmitt of Missouri have vowed to "fight tooth and nail" against "federal overreach and encroachment on Missourians' Second Amendment rights" and have succeeded in passing legislation that "draws a line in the sand." While the DOJ plans to nullify both states' gun rights protections, Missouri and Texas have been resolute: molon labe.

5. And in my favorite act of defiance against illegitimate government overreach, two counties in Nevada  Lander and Elko  have declared that the Bill of Rights will be "upheld in their jurisdictions, even if it means standing against unconstitutional acts by state and federal authorities." In their counties, no federal officer or agent will be permitted to exercise powers not specifically enumerated by the U.S. Constitution, and all other powers not retained by the state of Nevada will be presumed to belong to the citizens as specifically protected by the Ninth Amendment.

As I've said, there are no certainties as regards how history unfolds, but I have an awful lot of faith that good always triumphs in the end.

Image via Max Pixel.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
If God is dead, praying to machines is permittedperhaps even necessary. And if God is not dead? Well, you can pray to machines, anyway. That appears to be the technocratic plan as we move into the future. As with many such dreams, it overlooks our need for other human beings, with all the drama and messiness that entails. That need is innate, as is our yearning for transcendence.

As progress marches on, people are being severed from their organic communities and the traditional rites that hold them together. Dont worry, though. Theres an app for that.

Last April, as Covid restrictions were being lifted, Robert Jones at PRRI discovered Facebook had quietly rolled out a prayer posting feature for its religious users. As Gizmodo reported on June 3, the platform now provides a pray button to click whenever a prayer request is posted to a faith-based group. Its analogous to the vapid like icon, except the pray button is supposedly directed heavenward.

The Gizmodo writer, Shoshana Wodinsky, correctly notes that prayer posts allow this data-hungry corporation to dig deeper into human soulsthe grieving mother, the repentant adulterer, the doubting Thomas. One obvious reason is to bombard the faithful with targeted ads. The spiritual data is also being harvested to add to detailed dossiers on millions of people. Along with many other tech platforms, Facebook uses these abstract digital doubles to predict and direct future behavior.

Once you know exactly what the faithful are after, its possible to create the perfect artificial god, like a carefully carved puzzle piece sliding into place.

A Facebook spokesperson explained, During the COVID-19 pandemic weve seen many faith and spirituality communities using our services to connect, so were starting to explore new tools to support them. A more accurate statement would be Were exploring new tools to probe and manipulate our users.

However one interprets the Covid lockdowns, their effect has been to separate us from each other, as well as from our communal traditions. The unbroken continuity of the ancient ritesChristian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikhwas severed in an instant. Across the planet, communion with the divine was forced online, digitized, and sifted for content.

The spiritual effects of this policy are unclear, but the psychological impact is well known. Its a grim amplification of cultural trends already underway. For decades, tech companies have positioned themselves between human beings and the objects of our deepest longing. As were peeled apart and isolated, digital devices are provided to fill that void.

A recent Associated Press poll found that nearly a fifth of adults in Americatotaling 46 millionsay they have just one person or nobody they can trust for help in their personal lives. Looking at young people, a recently published longitudinal study conducted on 217 students at Dartmouth College found that over the past year their depression and anxiety rates have shot through the roof.

Since last fall, two Dartmouth students have committed suicide. Two others perished from unknown causes. Of course, none have died from Covid.

The methodology of the Dartmouth study is of particular interest. Each student installed a StudentLife app on his or her smartphone to collect sensing data lifted from GPS trackers, accelerometers, and lock/unlock status. This data was used to analyze the students stress levels and sleep patterns, and to infer mood.

To no ones surprise, the researchers concluded the Covid crisis wreaked havoc on the kids mental health. You could ask any of their mothers and shed probably tell you the same, but who needs maternal intuition when scientists have smartphone sensing data? The fact that the initial lockdown policies were largely informed by the flawed Imperial College computer simulation only increases the irony.

As we survey the resulting antisocial environment, an important question remains: how can anyone help unstable souls through troubled waters when theyre forced into isolationor worse, when they choose to remain isolated?

In the Old Normal, a caring friend or concerned adult might sit down and talk a person through it. Primitive techniques such as eye contact, empathy, and hugging might be employed. No need for that now, though. There are plenty of apps to simulate interpersonal connection.

The Woebot is the most successful to date, having been recently approved by the FDA and boosted by the New York Times. The way it works is that patients cuddle up with their smartphones and text their innermost troubles to this touchscreen therapist. Over time, its AI algorithms come to know that person inside out. According to corporate promotional materials, Woebots breakthrough is its ability to form a therapeutic bond with users...were defining what it means to connect positively with technology in the modern world.

According to a recent studypublished in the same journal as the Dartmouth paperresearchers determined that Woebot can achieve a human-level bond within 3-5 days. They claim this is on par with a human therapist. Apparently, this relational agent...could mark a foundational step toward purely digital solutions ability [sic] to meet surging demand for mental health care.

A number of therapeutic apps are already available. As atomization persists alongside ad-driven normalization, the demand will only grow. Its just a matter of time before similar machine learning programs are incorporated into robotic humanoids who listen to existential crises and dispense automated gems of wisdom. In fact, that precedent is already established.

Over the past few years, robotic priests have popped up in various parts of the world. One of them stands in a 400-year-old Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. This million-dollar monstrosity, named Mindar, is a silicone incarnation of the enlightened goddess Kannon. The temples human priest defends its existence by correctly noting that secularized Buddhists have abandoned the eight-fold path for more worldly endeavors.

This robot will never die, the monk told an enthusiastic Vox reporter, it will just keep updating itself and evolving. With AI, we hope it will grow in wisdom to help people overcome even the most difficult troubles. Its changing Buddhism.

This bizarre shift extends across many faiths, including the Protestant retro-bot BlessU-2; the talking Catholic icon SanTO (Sanctified Theomorphic Operator); a mechanical Ganesh performing aarti in India; and Xianer in Chinaa cartoonish Buddhist monk holding a touchscreen. Its stated purpose is to reach out to people who are more connected to their smartphones than their inner being.

Call me old-fashioned, but these digital demi-gods strike me as utterly profane. Theyre the product of cynical minds with no sense of the sacred. And yet, their technophilic boosters pose a serious question: if divinity transcends the physical realm, whats the difference between the corporeal human form and an articulate machine?

As a free-thinking Christian, immersed in various spiritual communities, the answer seems obvious to me. These creatures have no soul. Look into their plastic eyes, and a yawning abyss gazes back. Its like a smartphone incarnate with nobody on the line. Or maybe its just me.

A new generation is being conditioned to see robots as sentient, and organic beings as mere bio-machines. As they come to accept the profane as sacred, the spiritualization of social media interaction, therapeutic apps, and holy androids will be the norm. In a literal sense, the iconic arrow may become the object of worship.

Like it or not, the future is coming on fast. But if this dystopian landscape leaves you feeling depressed, dont despair. You can always find comfort in a Woebot.

Joe Allen covers technology for the War Room: Pandemic. His work has appeared in The Federalist, ColdType, This View of Life, The American Spectator, IBCSR: Science on Religion, Disinformation, and elsewhere. Follow him @JOEBOTxyz and www.joebot.xyz

IMAGE: Mindar, the Buddhist teacher in Kyoto. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Vice President Kamala Harris had a disastrous trip to Guatemala. She has received a great deal of criticism from all over the political spectrum. Fox News host Sandra Smith made a revealing comment on the June 2, 2021 episode of The Five. She stated that her contacts inside the White House stated that Harris went into panic mode when President Biden announced that he had put her in charge of dealing with the crisis at the border.

Upon hearing that I said, "No surprise."

The president made that announcement as far back as March. It's now near the end of June. Harris has still not visited the border and shows no interest in doing so. Lester Holt of NBC quizzed Harris about why she hasn't visited the border, and she gave her usual evasive answer: "I haven't been to Europe, either," followed by her signature cackle.

Because Harris has a habit of laughing at inappropriate times, it has been suggested that she suffers from Pseudobulbar Affect, a condition that causes uncontrollable laughing or crying at inappropriate times. I disagree. I believe that what causes her giggling like an adolescent teenage girl is insecurity, a lack of confidence, and incompetence.

Word has leaked that the White House is having buyer's remorse about having picked her for the V.P. spot. My question is, why is everyone surprised?

Let's look at the facts. What criteria does a presidential candidate use to pick a running mate?

1. The candidate should foremost be someone who has the presidential candidate's, the party's, and hopefully the country's confidence as to whether he can step into the president's position should it be necessary.

2. A candidate should have most of the same values and political positions as the president.

3. A V.P. pick should bring voters to the ticket.

4. Often the state the candidate for V.P. is from is a great consideration as well.

Did Harris meet any of these usual requirements? The action, or inaction, that Harris took with the only assignment President Biden had delegated to her seems to answer whether she can accept responsibility. Her inaction speaks for itself  as does her avoidance when questioned about it.

Whether she shares Biden's values is questionable. During the debates, she accused Joe of being a racist. She also said she believed the woman who accused him of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Whereas Joe Biden was campaigning as a moderate, which is questionable, it is no secret that Senator Harris has the Senate's most liberal voting record  even to the left of Bernie Sanders. It can be checked at hotair.com.

Could Harris have brought any voters to the ticket? Unlikely. She pulled out of the presidential primaries before there was even a vote because she was polling so low. And there was no need to put a candidate from California, the bluest of states, on the national ticket. The state has gone to the Democrat candidate every election since 1984. The entire state is controlled by the Democrat party.

Why was Harris picked for the V.P. spot, then? That would be because Joe Biden had one and only one criterion for his number two  a person "of color." He repeatedly stated that while campaigning. In fact, he stated that as early as the summer of 2019. Here is the August 30, 2019 announcement at CNN Politics.

Why the surprise that Harris is incompetent? Why all the questions about why she won't go to the border? Why the surprise that she panicked? Why isn't anyone just stating the obvious? Is it like the Hans Christian Andersen story "The Emperor's New Clothes"?

Some have referred to the crowd's silence in that story regarding the truth as pluralistic ignorance. That is, "no one believes, but everyone believes that everyone else believes, so everyone remains silent. This is also known as a symptom of groupthink, a suppression of personal doubts.

This "pluralistic ignorance" or groupthink phenomenon is what perpetuates the myth that affirmative action doesn't lower standards everywhere it alights. After all, we wouldn't hire an accountant based on such a requirement, would we? What do you think you get when you lower the admission standards for doctors, lawyers, and engineers? We are witnessing it at the second most important job in the free world, yet we pretend this isn't happening everywhere. Unfortunately, "diversity" is now considered the most important criterion for hiring and admissions.

The part of the "Emperor's New Clothes" story that seems to be forgotten is why the emperor was parading down the street naked. He was self-centered, and two con men used his arrogance to swindle the kingdom out of riches they pretended were being spent on the emperor's clothes.  much like the con men and race-baiters perpetrating the myth of diversity on the country. Look at the race-hustlers who take a fee, take a salary, or run for office, promoting something that has as much tangible substance as the emperor's new clothes.

David Ennocenti, is a retired accountant and graduate of the State University of N.Y. at Buffalo, School of Management with a degree in accounting and finance. He passed the CPA examination in 1983. His writing has appeared in the American Thinker, USA Today, the New York Times, and several other publications. His screenplay, Sniper Queen, was an official selection of The Artemis Women in Action Films Festival. He is a past winner of the Writer's Digest Annual Competition.

Image: CNN via YouTube.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
While Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez represents part of the Bronx and Queens, she's not really a New Yorker. Although born in the Bronx, the socialist congresswoman was brought up in non-diverse, chi-chi Yorktown Heights (median household income: $137,580) and attended pricy Boston University (annual tuition: $58,560). Her policies have been disastrous for her constituents, whether on a local or national scale.

Now she has a challenger. Tina Forte, a Bronx native, an athlete, a passionate MAGA-supporter and patriot, and a social influencer with a sizable following has announced her candidacy and has a knock-yer-socks-off introductory campaign video.

What Forte has is grit, guts, fortitude, cojones...whatever you want to call it. When she's not positioning herself for Congress, she has language that would make a sailor blush, but that comes along with absolute raw courage. Take, for example, this video, which she made at the height of both lockdown and George Floyd madness. Of course, if you dislike obscenities, skip the video, and take my word for it that she is utterly fearless and passionately devoted to the Constitution, America, and MAGA:

For that fearlessness, Forte's gained over 210,000 followers on Twitter. She also has a companion website selling pro-American, anti-Democrat clothes and accessories. As with her Twitter rant, the online store is not for the faint of heart because it's rude, crude, and obnoxious. Forte won't be having high tea with the Daughters of the American Revolution any time soon. On the other hand, I'm willing to bet that many of the soldiers who slogged after George Washington for eight long years were every bit as raw, and as passionate, as Forte is.

We have to accept that the old ways of politics are gone. The "well bred" candidates like Mittens or George Bush, Sr. and Jr. never fought for America or for us. They fought for the system. Their idea of standing up for Americans was to accept all of the Democrats' explicit and implicit demands, all while whining about the cost as a sop to their voters.

Of late, the "well mannered" Republicans have entered into deals with Biden and tut-tutted at the notion of election fraud, thrown in their weight with China, refused to push back against the tech tyrants, applauded the open border, and been conspicuously silent about the Americans whose lives have been destroyed for getting near or politely walking through the Capitol on January 6. They're not patriots. They're Democrat-lites.

And then there's Tina Forte. Her video speaks for itself:

If I were AOC, unless I'd already gotten all the fraudulent votes lined up well in advance, I'd be very afraid right about now.

Here's a thought about Forte's in-your-face candidacy. On the one hand, it feels as if America in 2021 is falling apart. On the other hand, this has been a tremendously clarifying year. For decades, Americans have been gently swept along on leftist platitudes about standing up against racism, treating gays and lesbians with simple human decency, and fighting poverty. Because they controlled the media, it all looked good and pure. Even if some of it seemed a little extreme, people were able to overlook their discomfort and get on with their lives.

That is no longer possible. Americans are seeing in the starkest terms what the Democrat party  which has yielded entirely to its Marxist wing  has to offer. In Democrat America, racism is being enshrined, private property destroyed, borders erased, the criminal justice system neutralized, the nuclear family ripped apart, election integrity systematically undermined, and our allies weakened even as we build up our enemies. It no longer appears accidental that every Democrat policy weakens America and strengthens China. As Ian Fleming wrote in Goldfinger, "[o]nce is happenstance, twice is coincidence, the third time it's enemy action." When it's gotten to the forty-third or seventy-third time, it's a revolution you didn't even notice was happening.

So, if loud, proud, feisty, and raw Tina Forte is what it takes to lead a constitutional counter-revolution through the ballot box, I say, "Hurrah!" And if you're in the Bronx or Queens, for God's sake, when election day rolls around, get off your duff and vote for her.

UPDATE: People have contacted me asking how to donate to Tina Forte. Her donation page is here.

Image: Tina Forte. YouTube screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
President Biden does not have a clue about the crime wave in the U.S. Or maybe he does but can't admit that it was his party that led crime to get out of control from Seattle to Minneapolis to Chicago to Baltimore to New York City.

For months, we saw looters walk out of stores with TVs, computers, nightgowns, and even liquor to make it a real party. Not one of these looters was prosecuted to my knowledge. For too long, our Monday morning news has included the Chicago weekend killing spree. Over and over, we hear of judges putting criminals back on the streets.

The numbers are appalling, as Joe Concha wrote:

New York City: Despite having the country's largest police force, the city's murder rate is up 48 percent over 2019 (pre-pandemic), while shootings have increased by 107 percent in two years. Two weekends ago, 22 people were shot, leaving five dead. Record numbers of residents are leaving the city as a result[.] ... Atlanta: Murders are up 58 percent compared to 2020 at this time. The city's mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms (D), blames Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) for reopening the state before others. "Remember in Georgia we were opened up before the rest of the country, even before the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 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 to party in our city," she said with a straight face in an MSNBC interview. Portland, Ore.: Murders are up, not 8 percent or 80 percent, but 800 percent over the past year. "Roving gangs of black-clad rioters do not speak for the hundreds of thousands of residents and business owners of Portland who want a safe and clean city. Yet local politicians supported them," said Portland Police Association Executive Director Daryl Turner in a recent statement. Seattle: In the city that allowed the infamous CHOP  the "Capitol Hill Occupied Protest"  autonomous zone, which included the takeover of several city blocks by protesters and the closing of a police precinct station during what the mayor in 2020 described as "a summer of love," homicides are at their highest rates in 26 years. San Francisco: 17 Walgreens in the city have closed  all due to rampant shoplifting  while burglaries are up 62 percent this year in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's district. Overall, across all major American cities, homicide rates are up 24 percent since the beginning of the year.

My guess is that President Biden is starting to feel the heat  i.e., a political albatross. Maybe it was a coincidence that the speech came hours after Eric Adams apparently won a New York City primary focused on crime and lawlessness. Adams is an African-American Democrat who wants to stop the crime wave and has a lot of support from minorities.

No matter what, more Americans will buy guns for self-protection, and more police officers will leave the force. The lawlessness will continue until Biden calls out the Democrats who let the criminals run their cities in the name of social justice.

PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk).

Image: PxHere.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The race-based assault against Vermonters began in earnest well before the spark of George Floyd. The toxic ideology of "Critical Race Theory" (CRT) has been embraced for years by Vermont progressives, joined enthusiastically by RINO Governor Phil Scott. Race is weaponized to promote every conceivable progressive policy. America must inoculate itself from this CRT virus. Vermont's unfolding experimentation is the Petri dish that proves why.

Vermont's mostly deaf Legislature has embraced a panoply of race-based bills in 2021:

Concurrently, Vermont's academic and executive circles have fueled the race focus:

Most disturbingly, the indoctrination of Vermont's public-school children with CRT is in full swing. Segregating citizens by race in safe spaces has become commonplace in Vermont. Now public schools will allow "students of color" to move to separate rooms during race discussions, and violent, white-hating poetry is being endorsed in school curricula. ("Discrimination" is necessary, per the "theory" of CRT, to redress and cure discrimination.)

CRT seeks to eliminate First Amendment and other constitutional protections, in order to craft a novel society based on race and other identity attributes. It posits no foreseeable end to this cycle of recrimination, offering not even the pretense of a world in which the MLK standard of "judge by character, not skin color" might be achievable. This was exhibited in Vermont when a high school student who criticized CRT at a school board meeting was fired from his lifeguard position as punishment for his speech.

Vermont has offered the perfect "climate" to implement this nonsensical push toward "white wokeness." Vermont's ultra-progressives are able to systematically substitute ideological conclusions in place of good policy. Fabricating a race narrative cobbled together with manipulated facts and anecdotal arguments, these cultish zealots attract well-heeled but naive white liberals who have no hesitation fomenting racial hatred by telling black people the "system" is rigged and that all white people (except them) subconsciously have it in for dark-skinned humans and must be brought to heel.

Thomas Sowell warns that no society in human history has achieved "equity" in the form of universally equal outcome  it is impossible. But this does not dampen the allure of what Sowell dubs the "seemingly invincible fallacy" of CRT  that all racial disparities are necessarily the product of discrimination by white people.

Vermont is the ideal Petri dish to prove the fallacy of Critical Race Theory. It is inequitable in distribution of resources, contemptuous of Vermont's rural culture and abolitionist history, and divisive. CRT is offensive to both moderate (MLK) Democrats and traditional conservatives.

Once dragged into the light of discussion and analysis, CRT will fail in Vermont, as it is failing across America. It is racist opportunism dressed up as enlightened Utopia. Vermont's poor, white, rural inhabitants have witnessed equally pernicious liberal elite efforts previously  in the eugenics and lobotomy movements.

They won't be fooled again!

Image: Pixabay.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The big headline Thursday was that Biden and the Senate reached a deal on infrastructure. Apparently, it will involve less money than Biden demanded and actually fix some of America's decaying hard infrastructure (roads, bridges, etc.). Of course, once that's done, the Democrats will push through all the other items using reconciliation. America will lose...again. But something else happened today, which is that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris proved that their biggest campaign lie might have been their promise to return the White House to "normal."

I never accepted the premise that Donald Trump was not a normal president. If you know even a little bit about presidential history, Donald Trump was a whole lot better than many of them. Franklin Roosevelt had affairs, John F. Kennedy had orgies, Bill Clinton had...well, I don't even want to go there. If Obama had peccadilloes, the media covered for him, but what's certain is that even the media couldn't cover for how corrupt his administration was, culminating in the Russia Hoax.

What was really abnormal about Donald Trump's presidency was the Democrat party's behavior, especially in the form of its media coverage. Everything Trump did or said was presented as "abnormal," whether it was his preference for two scoops of ice cream (I applaud the man for that), his Queens accent, his long tie, or his overt and heartfelt patriotism. Had the media reported about him as they did about Roosevelt, Kennedy, Clinton, or Obama, nothing about Trump would have stood out. He would, instead, have been hailed as a man of the people who cleaned up the government.

When Biden was sold as "normal," that was the real con. Biden was a known quantity. He was the man who palled around with segregationists, constantly made racist remarks, suffered from chronic foot-in-mouth, used his debauched son and other family members to funnel millions in dirty money to himself, and constantly pawed and sniffed little girls in public. Biden is not normal.

And now that Biden is almost certainly suffering from dementia, his tenuous grasp on normalcy is diminishing even more. Having reached an agreement with the Senate about the infrastructure, Biden gave a brief press conference. That led to a viral video of superBiden weirdness.

The video making the rounds cuts off the question asked of Biden, which was apparently an ordinary one regarding how much money went to COVID relief. What matters is Biden's response: with his eyes bugging out, Biden leaned into the microphone and, in the voice of an obscene phone caller gloating about his organ size, announced that he had gotten $1.9 trillion in COVID relief.

As an aside, this is disastrous, because COVID, which had a less than 1.8% mortality rate to begin with, is over. To continue to print money in order to pay Americans not to work is a short trip to socialism, bankruptcy, and Venezuela.

Honestly, after watching the video I (a) wanted to take a shower and (b) was extraordinarily worried that election fraud led to this man helming America:

This isn't the first time Biden's creeped people out. Here's a tape showing other Biden obscene-caller moments:

While Biden was boasting, he totally forgot about the dreadful building collapse in a Miami community. One is confirmed dead, but there are worries that 99 others will be counted among the dead. When Kamala, in her perpetual role of the Grim Reaper hiding behind Biden, whispered a reminder into the ear of her "boss," he giggled:

Joe Biden laughs about needing to be reminded to address the tragedy in Florida pic.twitter.com/fZr0fqzDnC  RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 24, 2021

Since I'm on the subject of Kamala as the Grim Reaper, get a load of this photo op right after Biden and the senators reached an agreement:

President Biden joins a bipartisan group of senators outside the White House to announce a deal on infrastructure pic.twitter.com/umkp1lxGMW  Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) June 24, 2021

Yes, that's Kamala hiding in the background on the far right, behind a column:

(VP Harris is standing in the background under the portico.)  Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) June 24, 2021

People noticed:

This is an entire Veep episode right here https://t.co/TyFJYWkBvt pic.twitter.com/JCgiOV9oVU  Joe Colangelo (@Itsjoeco) June 24, 2021

At this point, it's unclear whether Biden ordered poor little Kamala-ella to stay home from the ball, if Kamala's former senatorial "friends" wanted nothing to do with her, or if it's easier to plot a takeover when nobody's watching you. All that I can say is that the whole vibe is off.

If you're looking for normal, you are not going to find it in the Joe Biden White House, and that's true no matter what the hacks, shills, operatives, and propagandists in the media say.

Image: Googly-eyed Biden whispers into the mic. Twitter screen grab.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Kamala Harris has been in politics for eighteen years yet still can't quite figure out how to keep staff.

The departure of two top travel advance women, just as she's heading for the border in a hastily announced trip to get there before President Trump does, suggests that things are getting very bad indeed.

According to a softly cushioned report in the New York Times:

Two top aides who oversee travel for Vice President Kamala Harris are departing, leaving the vice president with her critical support staff in flux as she seeks to ramp up travel ahead of big vaccine and voting rights pushes she is planning through July. Karly Satkowiak, the director of advance, and Gabrielle DeFranceschi, the deputy director of advance, have both told the vice president's office they plan to leave in the coming weeks, according to three sources familiar with their plans. A spokeswoman for Ms. Harris said the departures were long planned and that both women are currently engaged with finding their replacements.

The Times tries to convey that the whole thing was pre-planned and just a changing of the guard. It's similar in style to former State Department biggie Roberta Jacobson's hasty exit from her border coordinator job, shortly after Harris was named Biden's border czar on March 24. Just a temporary job, they claimed, nothing special. Amazing how they recycle their spin and excuses from one quick staff exit to the next. Nothing to see here, move along.

The details of the Times report, though, suggest a very different story.

One, the staff depart at a very bad time, just ahead of a politically critical trip for Harris, as well as a slew of others, including Harris's bid to persuade Americans to get vaccinated, and some new plan to rig elections through what the press calls a voter rights initiative.

Perhaps the two women are staying on to get those travel-advance jobs done, but you can bet they've got their eyes on the door and won't be too upset if all the details don't come together and the whole thing does not go well. They're busy training their replacements, the Times reports. Great time to train the newbies, suffice to say.

Two, the Biden administration apparently can't find anyone to take the fleeing staffers' places. They're calling for volunteers now and pleading with previous staff to step up because it appears they can't get people. Worse still, they're demanding that these people work for free, despite the fact that Harris, to put it delicately, is challenging as a boss. She is well known for flying off the handle at reporters and blaming others for her own shortcomings. That's her history with pretty much everyone, and her staff turnover shows it. Just read stories like this.

Crazier still, Harris already has at least 100 paid vice presidential staff members with a $1.6-million budget. The Wikipedia entry, which is noted as in need of updating, doesn't list these two "top" staffers who are exiting at all on the roster, nor does it list anyone in charge of travel. That means it may be more, or else she's got another staff somewhere not listed. That's a lot of people, and this Legistorm entry shows 185 past and present staffers. What do these people do, given that none of them has a job managing Harris's high-visibility trips, and Harris can't find anyone to do it?

Maybe Harris's last trip, to Guatemala, was an indicator, given that it suggests she doesn't travel well.

She started out with airplane trouble, which delayed her trip, which is never a good sign. Then she showed up with the president of Guatemala, looking haggard with dirty, greasy hair. The president of Guatemala complained about the Biden administration's mixed messages, and Harris could only prove it to him with her wan "do not come, do not come" admonition to illegals after offering them a host of benefits if they do, and later meeting with DACA activists to discuss ways to reward their illegal entry. The culmination was her insane giggling at softball interviewer Lester Holt of NBC, who asked her when she was going to the border. It was a question she should have anticipated and had an answer for, but she didn't.

All of that suggests that staff work was lacking, not necessarily because staff were bad, but because Harris is impossible to work with. The Times report from two gushing female reporters attempts to smooth over the obvious signs of trouble by taking Harris's word for it on those exits.

But in light of previous reporting by other Times staffers, ones who don't have "girls, girls" on the banner of their Twitter feed and girl-power statements galore in their tweets, there's reason to think there's a problem.

According to the New York Times, in a report dated Nov. 29, 2019, on the collapse of Harris's presidential campaign:

"This is my third presidential campaign and I have never seen an organization treat its staff so poorly," Ms. Mehlenbacher wrote, assailing Mr. Rodriguez and Ms. Harris's sister, Maya, the campaign chairwoman, for laying off aides with no notice. "With less than 90 days until Iowa we still do not have a real plan to win." The 2020 Democratic field has been defined by its turbulence, with some contenders rising, others dropping out and two more jumping in just this month. Yet there is only one candidate who rocketed to the top tier and then plummeted in early state polls to the low single digits: Ms. Harris.

Here's a whiff of her management style from the report:

Yet, even to some Harris allies, her decline is more predictable than surprising. In one instance after another, Ms. Harris and her closest advisers made flawed decisions about which states to focus on, issues to emphasize and opponents to target, all the while refusing to make difficult personnel choices to impose order on an unwieldy campaign, according to more than 50 current and former campaign staff members and allies, most of whom spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose private conversations and assessments involving the candidate. Many of her own advisers are now pointing a finger directly at Ms. Harris. In interviews several of them criticized her for going on the offensive against rivals, only to retreat, and for not firmly choosing a side in the party's ideological feud between liberals and moderates. She also created an organization with a campaign chairwoman, Maya Harris, who goes unchallenged in part because she is Ms. Harris's sister, and a manager, Mr. Rodriguez, who could not be replaced without likely triggering the resignations of the candidate's consulting team. Even at this late date, aides said it's unclear who's in charge of the campaign.

As I noted in my May 19 blog post on why Kamala Harris can't keep staff, she has a record of hiring lousy top people who make things miserable for the lower-level ones (such as a sex-harasser back when she was in Sacramento that she claimed to know nothing about). She also treats staff badly, with sudden pay cuts and layoffs and demands for volunteers, which has got to be bad for morale. Worst of all, she has a chaotic management style, blaming staffers for her own shortcomings, and not allowing staff to do their jobs because the only staffer who matters is apparently her sister Maya, who appears nowhere in the hierarchy. Who'd want a boss like that?

Obviously, her problem is a failure of leadership even at the staff level, a bad thing in a supposed leader of the U.S. She's created her career by sucking up to powerful men, such as Willie Brown, her former "boyfriend," and campaigning on her looks  her Instagrams, her selfies, her Vogue photoshoots, as well as some suspicious flattery from President Obama. None of those things is useful at this point for keeping staff on board and running a well-maintained Office of the Vice President. Can you imagine these things happening when Mike Pence had that position? We never heard about problems like that with his staff.

Even Joe Biden is able to keep staff, however strange it may seem. As the Times euphemistically concludes:

Unlike President Biden, who has been surrounded by the same top aides for the majority of his political career, Ms. Harris entered the administration with many new employees. Many of those officials came in with an understanding that they would stay only on a short-term basis.

So as Harris plans a slew of travel, seems to her staff like a good time to leave. Heckuvajob, Kammie. It's almost as if the staff planned their exit this way as if to send Harris a message.

Image: Pexels / Pixabay, Pixabay License.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
The flight from socialist hellhole Venezuela has turned into a monster with even the Guardian noticing:

The continuing exodus of millions of Venezuelans is reaching a tipping point as the response to the crisis remains critically underfunded. More than 5.6 million have left the country since 2015, when it had a population of 30 million, escaping political, economic and social hardships. It has become the largest external displacement crisis in the regions history, and the most underfunded. Never in our history in Latin America have we faced such movement of people out of a country that was one of the richest in the region and a country that is not at war, said Eduardo Stein, special representative of the UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Whatever fails in one of the largest and richest countries in the subcontinent is going to affect the rest of the region. Latin America will never be the same.

Oh, and they're coming to the U.S., too, in ever-expanding numbers.

What a coincidence: Kamala Harris is going to the border -- right to the area where most of them are pouring in. Later this week, Harris travels to the El Paso corridor, where most Venezuelans in flight from socialism are making their unauthorized entrance. I wrote about that here.

Unlike the Central Americans, many of these Venezuelan border surgers do have valid asylum claims.

Yet the Guardian story only quotes United Nations officials and their pals as calling for the West to aid the refugees.

Last years UN response plan received less than half the $1.41bn requested. The Red Cross has said it needs to raise $264m to support Venezuelans and 17 host countries over the next three years. Border closures due to the pandemic stalled migration. But by the end of 2020, 3.9 million Venezuelans were designated as being displaced abroad without formal refugee status  but still judged in need of international protection  up from 3.6 million in 2019, according to the latest UN figures. Stein said 1,800 to 2,000 people had been leaving Venezuela daily in the past three months, many taking dangerous paths out, including using people traffickers.

Translation for Harris: They're coming.

To hear these UN officials tell it, it's as if the entire world is obligated to bail the Maduro regime out by shelling out billions for refugee upkeep. And education. And medical care. And living costs. And much more...for as long as it takes, and as long as any Venezuelan can't stand living in Venezuela anymore and wants the hell out. For the West, it's 'pay.' And pay. And pay and pay again as the refugee flow snowballs. What happens when the full 30 million Venezuelans want out, which they probably do and could just come?

Kamala Harris isn't going to have much of an answer in her "global warming" claims.

Yet there is a root cause to this one, and it's not a simple quest for higher incomes and a "better life" as migrants from Central America are telling the press. It's not a sophisticated coyote network of migrant smugglers selling their services on Facebook, using Joe Biden's words as selling points and handing out Biden T-shirts for the march in.

It's the fact that Venezuela is under the iron grip of a socialist-communist dictator who can't be dislodged by democratic means. Venezuelans spent 20 years protesting, organizing, working for fair elections, running for office to try this, and it's all come to naught based on electoral rigging, a reign of terror, and grotesque economic warfare against all productive people, and against the very poor. too.

The alternatives to Venezuelans in that hellhole are now armed revolution or flight. Most choose flight, but flight is no treat for them. It's costly and disruptive, dangerous, and alienating -- the uprooting of a whole population, large numbers of whom are educated, English-speaking, productive citizens, and forcing them all to start anew.

Armed revolution is not spoken of much by polite society here, but it's obviously a solution that will take care of the "root cause" of this monster flight of people reshaping the face of Latin America and the U.S. pretty quickly.

Yet the socialist monster regime continues serenely, with nobody talking about targeting them for their crimes against their own people, let alone moving to get rid of them. If war is out of the question, maybe sanctions, and other pariah-making measures are the answer. The idea that refugee flows are unconnected to this socialist regime and its socialist policies is nonsense. That's a truth too hot to handle for Harris as she keeps searching for root causes in chimerical idiocies like global warming. The Venezuelans are still coming and all the measures to end global warming in the West won't stop them from coming. Maybe she can look at some real root causes as Venezuelans continue to flee.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
In 2020, it's estimated that the riots following George Floyd's death while in police custody caused $1 billion to $2 billion in damages. That number doesn't even include the people killed and the long-lasting fallout from destroyed businesses and communities. The FBI made almost no effort to investigate that portion of the damage that took place on or against federal property. However, when a few hundred people walked through the United States Capitol on January 6 (apparently after Capitol police waved them in), the FBI went into hyperdrive. Writing at the New York Post, Miranda Devine has the heartrending tale of how the FBI went all-out to destroy the life of a man who never entered the Capitol.

Devine explains that, before the FBI went full Stasi on 69-year-old Joseph Bolanos, a resident of New York's Upper West Side, he was "a pillar of his community":

President of his Upper West Side block association for the past 23 years, he looked out for his neighbors during the pandemic. He dropped off masks and kept extra heaters in his rent-controlled apartment for seniors. He raised morale with a weekly street dance to show his support for essential workers. A Red Cross volunteer after the 9/11 attacks, the 69-year-old security consultant once received a police commendation for heroism after saving a woman from being mugged. Unmarried, and caring for his 94-year-old mother, he was a well-loved character in the quiet residential area.

However, in a very Democrat-heavy region of New York City, Bolanos, who is also a registered Democrat, was that rare thing  someone who liked Trump's policies. On January 6, he was in Washington, D.C. to hear Trump's rally. He never entered the Capitol, though. Instead, he had video proving that he was some ways away from the events that unfolded there. That didn't stop the FBI, though:

Nonetheless, he was raided in February by the FBI anti-terrorism task force, handcuffed, paraded and detained for three hours while his apartment was ransacked and all his devices confiscated. Four months later, he hasn't been charged and doesn't have his devices back, but his neighbors are shunning him, and he's had two strokes from the stress. "It's destroyed my reputation," he says. "I'm not a violent invader  I do not condone the criminality and violence on [Jan. 6] whatsoever."

Although Bolanos was low-key about his political preferences in the election, one of his neighbors called into the FBI tip-line (something never set up for the George Floyd riots) to say Bolanos had boasted about entering the Capitol. That's all the FBI needed. Despite Bolanos's telling the FBI about his day in D.C. and giving them video proof that he never went inside the Capitol, that didn't stop the Feebs:

The next Thursday at 6 a.m., he was awakened in his mother's apartment by loud banging. "I opened the door and there's about 10 tactical police soldiers and one is pointing a rifle at my head. [They had] a battering ram and a crowbar." They also had a search warrant, issued by District Judge Gabriel Gorenstein, which named Bolanos as the "target subject." The front door of his empty apartment was being broken down in a simultaneous raid. The warrant authorized the federal agents to seize his property as evidence relating to crimes including "obstruction of Congress," "civil disorders," "conspiracy to impede/assault federal agents," "interstate travel to participate in riot," and "unlawful entry on restricted buildings or grounds." The FBI ransacked both apartments, upending drawers, trashing his mother's bedroom. He was handcuffed and taken outside to an FBI car to be interrogated for four hours. An NBC camera crew had been tipped off and was there to film his shame. NBC quoted "sources" saying charges against him were imminent. The story would be repeated in two local publications.

The stress from the experience was so terrible that, on that very day, Bolanos suffered a stroke. Since then, his Progressive neighbors (remember "love trumps hate"?) have shunned or attacked him, with one person who had been a friend the year before writing to say, "I hope Antifa gets you."

Please read Devine's article to get the full feel for the FBI's Stasi-like conduct (bolstered by leftists who cheerfully turn on people they once befriended). This is a law enforcement agency that is way too big for its britches and that badly needs to be reined in. If it's not, there will be nothing to distinguish a once-constitutional America from a true police state.

Image: FBI logo (with the word "integrity" in it, which ought to inspire some serious reflection at the agency). Public domain.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
American states require attorneys to receive licenses from the states in which they practice, ostensibly to protect the public. Nowadays, state Bars are mostly leftist activist groups, but they've usually played it straight when suspending or disbarring attorneys. Attorneys must have committed some seriously criminal, corrupt, or negligent acts to justify destroying their livelihoods. In New York, though, the Supreme Court (which is the trial-level court) suspended former mayor Rudy Giuliani's license for daring to challenge the November 3, 2020 election. In other words, he lost his livelihood on ideological grounds. That ought to worry every American attorney.

The Epoch Times sums up what happened:

The New York Supreme Court suspended former Mayor Rudy Giuliani's law license for making what it described as false statements following the Nov. 3 election. The court on Thursday ruled (pdf) that Giuliani made "false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign." "We conclude that respondent's conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law, pending further proceedings before the Attorney Grievance Committee," according to the filing.

Rudy Giuliani has been practicing law in New York since 1969. In the 1980s, while he was a federal prosecutor, he showed courage, tenacity, and legal brilliance and succeeded in bringing down multiple Mafia bosses. When he was elected mayor of New York City in 1993, Giuliani cleaned up the city by fighting crime, both large and small, bringing a true renaissance to one of America's great metropolises. (De Blasio has brought New York City down to something worse than what it was in the 1970s, which was previously New York City's lowest ebb). After the 9/11 attacks, Giuliani became America's mayor.

Giuliani showed the same courage in November 2020. On the one hand, you had the leftist media and a lot of Republican cowards insisting that the November 2020 election was the cleanest in American history. They said, with straight faces, that Biden, a man renowned for stupidity and corruption, had garnered 81 million votes from his basement, while Trump, who was appearing at rallies with tens of thousands of voters, came a distant second. On the other hand, you had millions of people pointing to massive irregularities, many resulting from states' illegal transitions from in-person to mail-in voting. Giuliani sided with Trump and the dissenters.

In New York City, dissenting from the official Democrat narrative will now get you disbarred. I'm not guessing here. That's what the trial court said:

For the reasons that follow, we conclude that there is uncontroverted evidence that respondent communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020. These false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent's narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client.

If accepting that Creepy Joe Biden won a fraud-free election is the new standard for holding a job in America, there are a lot of people who are going to be out of work. According to a recent poll, one-third of Americans (presumably that means adult Americans, so roughly 85,600,000 Americans) think there was fraud in the 2020 election. It's entirely possible that, after the Arizona election audit is completed and once all the dirty stuff is revealed about Georgia, many more will think that.

That's a whole lot of people whom the Democrats are going to have to punish for thoughtcrimes. Of course, Democrats aren't going to punish everyone. Instead, they'll have a few high-profile professional lynchings  people deprived of their ability to work  like Giuliani, along with the persecution of anyone who dared get near the Capitol on January 6 (and re-education for those who went into the Capitol). Those totalitarian tactics will warn Americans that 2+2=5, and Biden won a fraud-free election.

I've noticed that, no matter how many posts I write in an evening, and how ostensibly different the subject matter, my posts always seem to have a theme. Today's theme is clarity. The Democrats are no longer hiding behind platitudes ("love trumps hate"  remember that one?). Instead, they are coming out as full-fledged Marxists, red of tooth and claw.

Democrats will destroy the economy, open the border, create racial tribalism, weaken the nuclear family, and generally do everything they can to end the American experiment. Moreover, to speed their ability to achieve this goal, they will copy the Chinese practice of silencing dissent. For them, the First Amendment isn't worth the parchment it's written on. In 2022, yelling at our TV sets won't cut it. If we don't vote, we'll deserve our new status as a Chinese colony.

Image: Rudy Giuliani by Gage Skidmore. CC BY-SA 2.0.

NOTE: Specifically, Giuliani was expelled by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
After fifteen months of medical and media propaganda, every family in the nation has a sense of either trust and confidence in the government's information on the subject of COVID or, among those who are naturally suspicious of government dictates, a thorough distrust of what the government and media spew 24/7.

The dos and don'ts of COVID, like politics, have proven destructive to family and friendships. To quarantine or not. To mask or not. To socially distance or not. To vaccinate or not. Should one submit to the government mandates or resist? The lockdowns and quarantines made sense, or they did not.

Why are there experimental vaccinations for a disease that is easily treatable with proven existing and inexpensive drugs? Why are the media and government pushing the vaccines so aggressively? Why are the media and Big Tech conspiring and uniting to suppress any and all scientific and medical commentary that has opposed the lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccines?

Was the entire COVID nightmare a planned conspiracy to defeat President Trump? That, ladies and gentlemen, is the key, awful question. That Wuhan lab run by the military wing of the Chinese Communist Party was and most likely remains ground zero for the weaponization of viruses. Hillary Clinton knew that in 2009. Has she spoken out over the last year? No, she has not.

The same forces censoring any articles that are in direct contrast to the government party line have been doing everything in their power to punish those doctors and scientists who have, for over a year, called foul on much if not all the propaganda that is clearly meant to use fear as a motivating force. The powers that be are attempting to have their medical licenses revoked. If they wrote about and prescribed therapeutics that undeniably work, prophylactically and as treatments, HCQ and ivermectin, their articles and videos are censored.

What explains this maniacal drive to criminalize doctors with more impressive credentials than Fauci's? That man has not seen a patient in over thirty years. He has done none of the actual scientific work those critical of his daily pontifications have. His work is getting grants to fund biological research, even gain-of-function, which may have actually created this pandemic. Fauci has lied to the Senate and the public since January 2020. He suppressed the millions of doses of HCQ that Peter Navarro had acquired and would have possibly saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

Fauci did the same when he meddled so destructively in the AIDS crisis and refused medication to about 20K afflicted gay men that might have saved their lives. The man has the blood of hundreds of thousands of lives on his hands. He should be in prison.

Bill Whittle has a powerful and commonsensical video at his site, Afterburner: "Coerced Cowardice." Along with showing that young people are barely at risk of getting, let alone dying of COVID, it is the young who are the most fearful of it. He carefully explains why this might be. There is a neurological explanation: LTP, long-term potentiation. Watch the video. But the bottom line is that our gradual descent into what has now become full-blown cancel culture, the abject intolerance of anything and everything that might be taken out of context, has so severely damaged perhaps two generations of young people that they suffer from the irrational fear of an illness they are at very little risk of contracting, let alone from which they could die.

While the easily frightened rushed to be vaccinated with an emergency-authorized bit of gene therapy without doing any research beyond what the media presented, millions of others were not so anxious to be injected with what appeared to be a highly experimental, never before tried chem/bio human trial.

Some doctors believe that thousands have died as a direct result of the vaccines. Dr. McCullough is only one of them. There are hundreds of them from all around the world. The man who invented mRNA, Dr. Robert Malone, is on record warning about the potential dangers of the vaccines, especially for the young. He's been censored by all of the mainstream media except Fox News and several alternate sites that have yet to be silenced. So if your friends and family members confine their vaccine information gathering to CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, and MSNBC, they know only what the government and the media want them to know: that they must, must, must submit to one of the three vaccines available in order to survive a flu for which there are numerous treatments. One has to ask: what the hell is in those jabs that the global elites are so determined to mandate our submission to them? Never in U.S. history has the federal government pushed an experimental medical procedure so relentlessly.

Sadly, there have been many thousands of deaths due to COVID, most of them among the very elderly who suffered from one or several co-morbidities. N.Y.'s Gov. Cuomo seemed to almost relish the thousands of deaths in his state rather than take advantage of the field hospitals and hospital ship Trump provided. The same is true of Govs. Murphy of N.J. and Newsom of California. These are horrific men without a shred of character; the preservation of their own political power governs every move they make. They care nothing at all for their actual constituents. The people are just bits of data to be moved about on carefully constructed charts of their own making. Like any pollster, they can make the numbers "show" whatever they want them to show.

All of this demonstrates to millions of us that there must be something so treacherous, so unscrupulous, so potentially lethal about these vaccines that we will never submit to them. Jill Biden was booed in Tennessee when she complained that only three in ten Tennesseans had been vaxxed. She stupidly responded that "you're only booing yourselves." She may be the dumbest first lady ever and the most grasping for undeserved power.

The globalist left that engineered the COVID crisis (which was never a real crisis at all) are likely thrilled with the results of their chicanery. President Trump is not in the White House. The thriving economy he effected is no more. Millions of small businesses have folded. Millions of people remain unemployed and dependent on government largess, which the hapless Biden is only too happy to print.

Saddest of all is that multi-millions of Americans revealed that they are sheep at heart and will comply with whatever nonsense the Biden administration demands. We Boomers have enjoyed an America the WWII generation fought for, died for, and saved for us  but we've pampered our children to the point at which they require "safe spaces"; trigger warnings; and, ridiculously, fifty-plus gender designations. And now we are all paying the price for the radicalization of education we tolerated that has given us two generations of historically ignorant, easily manipulated young people. Their parents are to blame. If they only realize where all this will lead if they do not wake up fight back...

Graphic credit: Pixabay license.

To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here.
Chinas Baowu Steel Group has signed an agreement to jointly invest in a nickel pig iron (NPI) project in Indonesia with Brazilian miner Vale and Chinas Xinhai Technology, the company announced on Thursday June 24.

Baowu, the parent company of Chinas second biggest stainless steelmaker, Tisco, will first establish a Chinese joint venture with Chinese NPI maker Xinhai, and then set up a joint venture with Vale Indonesia, with the latter holding 49% of the shares, while the Chinese companies split the remaining 51%.



The joint venture will be in Morowali on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and has a target production capacity of 73,000 tonnes of NPI per year on a nickel-content basis via eight rotary kiln electric furnaces, Baowu said.



The project will use natural gas-fired power stations to provide energy for the smelter, to reduce carbon emissions by 60%, the company added.



Vale and Xinhai Technology are outstanding enterprizes with important influence in their respective industries, Baowus chairman Derong Cheng said, and said he hoped the joint venture would help to build a low-carbon, high-tech, and high-efficiency steel ecosystem.



Chinas domestic stainless steel prices recently rose to their highest in four-and-a-half years, while NPI prices have increased for the past three weeks due to strong demand from high production levels at stainless steel mills.



Fastmarkets' price assessment for nickel pig iron, high-grade NPI content 10-15%, spot, ddp China was 1,200-1,210 yuan ($185.87-187.42) per nickel unit on June 25, up by 15-25 yuan per nickel unit (1.69%) from 1,175-1,195 yuan yuan per nickel unit a week earlier.



Fastmarkets' price assessment for the stainless steel cold-rolled coil 2mm grade 304 domestic (Wuxi) stood at 16,900-17,500 yuan per tonne, up by 300 yuan per tonne (1.78%) from 16,600-17,200 yuan per tonne on June 16.
Steel scrap buyers in Vietnam sought out deep-sea bulk cargoes from the United States and Australia in the week to Friday June 25 amid high offers for Japanese material, sources told Fastmarkets.

US bulk cargoes of an 80:20 mix of No1 and No2 heavy melting scrap for August shipment were offered to Vietnam at $520 per tonne cfr this past week, down by $10 per tonne from the previous week.



Shredded scrap from the US was offered to Vietnam at $525-530 per tonne cfr, while bonus scrap from the country was offered at $530-535 per tonne cfr.



Australia-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) was offered to Vietnam at $510 per tonne cfr during the week.



These offers are in line with spot market prices, sources said, considering bulk cargoes from the US West Coast were offered to Taiwan at $515 per tonne cfr.



A southern Vietnamese steel mill was in the spot market for a bulk cargo of HMS 1&2 (80:20) and floated a tender to buy 15,000 tonnes of the material on Wednesday. Sources said it was bidding at $500-510 per tonne cfr Vietnam.



Market participants could not confirm the final purchase price that the mill had paid at the time of writing.



Market sources indicated spot prices at around $510 per tonne cfr Vietnam, based on offers for Japanese H2 scrap of $500 per tonne cfr Vietnam at the start of the week.



Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for deep-sea bulk cargoes of steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), cfr Vietnam was $510 per tonne on Friday, down by $10 per tonne from $520 per tonne a week earlier.



A bulk cargo of Japanese H2 scrap was said to have been sold to Vietnam at $495 per tonne cfr either on Monday or late last Friday.



Market participants indicated spot prices of $490-495 per tonne cfr for bulk cargoes of Japanese H2 scrap this week. Bids were made at $485 per tonne cfr Vietnam, but sources said these were unlikely to result in any transactions.



But this week has been extremely quiet for Japanese scrap. It seems like there was little interest for such material, a Vietnamese trader told Fastmarkets on Friday June 25.



Hong Kong-origin H1&H2 scrap (50:50) was offered at $485 per tonne this week, sources said.



Domestic scrap prices in Vietnam also experienced some adjustments on Wednesday.



Type 1 domestic scrap (largely similar to Japanese H1 scrap) was being sold at 9,800 Vietnamese Dong per kg - about $424 per tonne - since the middle of the week; Type 2 domestic scrap (similar to Japanese H2 scrap), at 9,700 Dong per kg; and Type 3 domestic scrap, at 9,200 Dong per kg. Special scrap (similar to Japanese HS or plate and structural) was being sold at 10,000 Dong per kg.



With domestic scrap prices at about $440 per tonne, the gap with imported scrap is quite big, so there is no need for me to purchase imports, a buyer source in southern Vietnam told Fastmarkets.



Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for steel scrap H2, Japan-origin import, cfr Vietnam was $490-495 per tonne on Friday, down by $5-10 per tonne from $500 per tonne a week earlier.



Join our industry experts for an exciting forward look into Asias evolving steel market at the Singapore Steel Forum on July 14. Register today.


Animals Asia rescues the last three bile bears in Lang Son province 25 June 2021

Animals Asias campaign to end the bear bile industry in Vietnam came one step closer today as we rescued the last three remaining bile bears in Lang Son province.

Its another historic rescue that marks the ending of the bear bile farming industry in Vietnam which Animals Asia has been working tirelessly towards for decades.

Our team is alerted

Earlier this week, our Vietnam sanctuary team was alerted to the plight of three bears who were being farmed for their bile in the Lang Son province in north-east Vietnam.

We received footage that showed the clearly traumatised bears caged in a small, dark, concrete room. These bears had been hidden away from the world for over 16 years, suffering the pain of regular bile extraction.

We jump into action

The farmer was willing to give the bears up but we had only a few days to prepare and go get them.

Our rescue team left our Vietnam sanctuary at 4am local time today and arrived at Lang Son at 11am.

At the time of writing the team is heading back to our sanctuary with the bears and our sanctuary team is excitedly preparing for their imminent arrival.



The last bile bears in Lang Son are free

These three bears lives are about to change forever. They now have a future full of joy and hope, so we have named them Hy vong (meaning Hope), Tuong lai (meaning Future), and Vui (meaning Joy).



The bears will join hundreds of other rescued bears at our sanctuary, including another bear we rescued from Lang Son in 2019, the beautiful Phoenix.

Phoenix had been kept in extreme captivity since 2005 and was eventually abandoned on a construction site with deafening building work taking place all around her. Since arriving at our sanctuary she has learned to trust in the humans that care for her and is starting to rebuild her life.

Like Phoenix, our three bears will experience the kind of life that theyve been denied all these years. They will finally be able to climb and forage and play, and they will be looked after, cared for and loved for the rest of their lives.

One step closer to ending bear bile farming in Vietnam



Not only does this rescue signal a turning point in these bears' lives, it also marks an end to bear bile farming in Lang Son province, taking us another step closer to ending bear bile farming in Vietnam for good.

Tuan Bendixsen, Animals Asias Vietnam Director said, for years Animals Asia has been working side by side with the government under our exclusive agreement to end bear bile farming in Vietnam. We will continue to work with tenacity, kindness, empathy and respect to clear the remaining bile farms across the country.

Until every last bear is home

As part of that agreement, were about to enter the final stages of our mission, by building a second Vietnam sanctuary to house the hundreds of moon bears that remain trapped on bile farms in ever-shrinking pockets across the country.

But for now, this is the beginning of a new life for Hy vong, Tuong lai and Vui. They can now look forward to a future filled with the hope and joy they so desperately deserve.



Read more:

BEAR RESCUE: Young moon bear rescued from Vietnam bile farming hotspot with just 12 hours notice

Moon bear Uno soaks up the sun for the first time in 18 years
Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM



For a limited time, for NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials!



After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel*


(ANSA) - ROME, JUN 25 - A draft of the weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS) has sounded the alarm about clusters of the Delta variant of COVID-19 in Italy, sources said Friday.

It warned that this variant was more contagious and had the potential to partially elude the response of immunization.

It said this and other variants had led to an unexpected increase in cases in other European countries with a high level of vaccination coverage.

So, the report called for widespread sequencing and tracing of cases and renewed efforts to complete the vaccination campaign to prevent the pandemic from flaring up again. (ANSA).


ROME - Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said Friday he would go to Israel and the Palestinian Territories to boost the peace process with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gozalez Laya at the end of July. The visit will take place "with an eye to reactivating and revitalising the role of the Quarter (EU, US, UN and Russia) and trying to raise the EU's profile" to bring the parties back to the peace process talks, he said during an online event titled "Great International Changes and the Conflict Between Israel and Palestine".



Di Maio praised the US for its activism in the Middle East but said EU activism is also needed in the region.



"We are very happy about the new activism by the US administration in foreign policy and the Middle East," Di Maio said.



"Just look at how many times Antony Blinken has come to Europe since he was appointed. Surely there is a will to call upon the democracies of the world and to work to try to resolve some issues with a new Washington leadership. But we have to regenerate the activism of the European Union, which at this time is at a historic low in terms of this issue," Di Maio said "The EU has become the most difficult in summarising a position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It says a lot about everything that, on a conflict that has been going on for decades, Europe didn't manage to make a united statement by all its 27 countries during the days of the greatest escalation in the May crisis," Di Maio said.



Di Maio then recalled the stops in Blinken's upcoming visit to Italy: Sunday in Rome, Monday at a meeting of the Anti-Daesh Coalition, and Tuesday at the G20 meeting of foreign ministers in Matera.


MADRID - Spain's new law on euthanasia, which in March made Spain the 7th country in the world to decriminalise assisted suicide for people affected by certain types of serious and incurable illnesses, went into effect Friday.



The law provided a three-month period to allow the country's regional governments a chance to create the entities responsible for evaluating requests to access this right - the guarantee commissions - but not all regions have created them.



Spanish media reported that experts in this area said there are still various doubts about how the new law will be applied.



One of the most talked-about points currently is that of conscientious objectors.



In some regions, lists were created of health professionals who are against euthanasia, but there are those who criticise this strategy, claiming that in so doing, some could be pushed to sign themselves up a priori when it would be better for reflection on objection to take place on a case-by-case basis.



The People's Party, a leader of the opposition to the centre-left government, and the ultraright party Vox presented a complaint against the new law in the country's constitutional court.



It is still unclear when the court will take up the case.



The law, approved after years of a civil battle by family members of people affected by incurable illnesses and associations that support them, establishes that euthanasia (death induced directly by a health professional) or assisted suicide (self-induced death through medicine prescribed by a doctor) can be requested by people affected by a "serious and incurable" illness or a "serious, chronic and debilitating" disease that causes "unbearable suffering".



The country's national health system will offer the service, which will be open to anyone who has lived in Spain for at least 12 months.



The procedure to approve the assisted death will take about five weeks.



The patient will have to express his or her consent on four different occasions and at least two doctors not involved with the case will have to authorise the request.
Matt Hancock has been accused of engaging in a "steamy clinch" with old friend and DHSC employee Gina Coladangelo (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Matt Hancock has been accused of cheating on his wife with a close friend who is a taxpayer-funded adviser to his department.

The health secretary was caught on camera kissing Gina Coladangelo, according to The Sun newspaper, which published photographs of what it called a steamy clinch.

The security camera pictures were reportedly taken on 6 May but the pair have been seen together on other occasions, the newspaper said.

Hancock, 42, has been married for 15 years to wife Martha and the pair have three children. Coladangelo, 43, is also married with three children.

Hancock has been friends with aide Gina Coladangelo since they met at Oxford University (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Who is Gina Coladangelo and what is her job?

Coladangelo was given her role as non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care last September, with a salary believed to be of at least 15,000 a year and having scrutiny over its running.

She is also communications director at fashion and homeware shop Oliver Bonas, which was founded by her husband Oliver Tress.

Coladangelo worked at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon until 2014 and was a director at the company until 2017.

Watch: Matt Hancock accused of 'having affair with close aide' Gina Coladangelo

Read more: What you can and can't do under current lockdown rules

How did Gina Coladangelo meet Matt Hancock meet?

The pair met while studying at Oxford University and have remained "close friends" ever since. Two unnamed sources told The Sunday Times in November said that Hancock turned to his PR expert friend regularly for advice.

One source said: Before Matt does anything big, hell speak to Gina. She knows everything. Another added: She has access to lots of confidential information.

How close are the pair?

The Sunday Times claims they spend Christmas, birthdays and other celebrations with each other when their families meet.

Matt Hancock and wife Martha have been marrid for 15 years (Getty)

The pair appear to have been close since their university days.

During his time as a student journalist at Oxford, Hancock overslept on the day he was supposed to cover a rugby match at Twickenham. Instead of making it to the stadium, he got off the train early, found a nearby pub and watched the match on television, before writing the match report as planned.

In an interview on the BBC last April, in which she did not disclose her role, Coladangelo, a colleague of his at Oxygen FM, recalled: He told a white lie, pretended he was at Twickenham watching the rugby, when in fact he was in a pub in Reading. She added: Successfully. Nobody ever found out.

What has been said about her role?

In spring 2020, just as the country went into lockdown, Coladangelo was appointed as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Then last September Hancock gave her a job as a non-executive director at DHSC, making her a member of the departments oversight board.

The move hit the headlines as there was no public record of the appointment, which was set to see Coladangelo earn at least 15,000 of taxpayers money, potentially rising by a further 5,000.

The role makes her responsible for overseeing and monitoring performance scrutinising matters of concern to Hancock.

A DHSC spokesman said the appointment was made in the usual way and followed correct procedure.

Since April, Coladangelo has had a parliamentary pass - which was sponsored by a junior health minister Lord Bethell - giving her unregulated access to the Palace of Westminster.

Gina Coladangelo with husband Oliver Tress (David M. Benett/Getty Images for Tabitha Webb)

What has been the reaction to the allegations?

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Friday morning that he would not be commenting on the entirely personal matter following the reports about his Cabinet colleague.

Asked about the rules around appointing friends to Government positions, Shapps told Sky News: First of all, I think the actual issue is entirely personal for Matt Hancock.

In terms of rules, anyone who has been appointed has to go through an incredibly rigorous process in Government, so whatever the rules are, the rules will have to be followed.

There are no short cuts to that, as anyone who has had anything to do with the appointments system in the Civil Service knows.

There are very strict rules in place.

Hancock was not at his north London home on Friday morning.

Yahoo News UK has contacted the DHSC for comment but had received no response at the time of publishing.

Watch: Queen calls Matt Hancock 'poor man' in audience with PM
Holidaymakers are rushing to book trips to destinations added to the Governments quarantine-free list.

Firms are experiencing a surge in demand for locations such as Spains Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira and several Caribbean nations.

They are among 14 countries and territories moved to the green list on Thursday.

People arriving in the UK from those locations after 4am on Wednesday June 30 will no longer be required to self-isolate.

Andrew Flintham, managing director of tour operator Tui, said it saw an immediate uptick in searches and bookings following the announcement, particular to the Balearic Islands which include Ibiza, Menorca and Mallorca.

British Airways has added flights to its schedules and plans to use larger aircraft on routes serving the new green list locations to meet the demand for travel.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

Another airline, Jet2.com, saw its highest volume of bookings to the Balearic Islands in nearly a year on Thursday.

The firm has also put more than 70 additional flights on sale to Malta and Madeira for July and August.

Chief executive Steve Heapy said: We knew there was a lot of pent-up demand out there but the response from our customers has been truly incredible.

Bookings to Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Malta and Madeira have gone through the roof, which shows just how much UK holidaymakers want to get away.

Price comparison website TravelSupermarket said Barbados went from being its 12th most-searched-for country by package holiday customers to number two, following the Governments announcement.

Malta rose from 17th spot to number five.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News that the changes to the green list provide a little bit of relief for the travel industry and for people who wish to get away.

He added: It wont be quite like it was in 2019 and the old days, but we are moving in a positive direction.

(PA Graphics)

However, all of the additions except Malta were also put on a watchlist, which means they are at risk of returning to the amber list.

A number of popular hotspots such as France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain in the amber tier.

Travellers returning to the UK from those locations must self-isolate at home for 10 days, making holidays unviable for many people.

Mr Shapps held out the prospect that people visiting amber countries who had received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine would no longer need to quarantine later this summer.

(PA Graphics)

Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said the announcement was a constructive step, but fails to go far enough.

The Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the Governments overly cautious approach would continue to have major financial impacts on the sector.

There are fears of potential new EU-wide restrictions on travellers from the UK over concerns about the spread of the Delta variant just as cases on the continent are coming down.

(PA Graphics)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been pressing EU leaders meeting in Brussels to impose stringent quarantine requirements on arrivals to the bloc from Britain.

Mr Shapps told BBC Breakfast: I think it is understandable if you are in Germany  I heard what the chancellor said yesterday  and you have yet to reach the level of vaccination that we have seen here or in Malta, that youre going to be more concerned.

That may be just a question of waiting for their vaccination programme.

(PA Graphics)

The Times Of Malta reported that the Maltese government will require UK visitors who are not fully vaccinated to quarantine on arrival from June 30.

Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told Sky News that the UK poses more of a risk to some other countries at the moment than the other way round.

He said the destinations added to the green list pose very limited risk to the UK, but tourists from the UK may take the virus with them and infect other people there.
Northern Irelands deputy First Minister has warned that a new process by the two governments on legacy must not rewrite the Stormont House Agreement.

Secretary of State Brandon Lewis and Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney announced on Thursday a new process to reach out to families of victims, political parties and other stakeholders to talk about the way forward.

Speaking following a meeting of the British-Irish intergovernmental conference in Dublin, Mr Coveney described the Stormont House Agreement as the starting point for those discussions.

Mr Lewis said the process will build on and develop on the principle of the Stormont House Agreement.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis, right, and Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney (Julien Behal Photography/PA)

In 2014, the Stormont House Agreement proposed a Historical Investigations Unit to examine unsolved murders during the Troubles and an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval for families to learn more about the fate of their loved ones.

Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill warned the governments against going around that agreement.

I think unfortunately the British Government are hell-bent on ripping up the Stormont House Agreement and they are progressing another conversation around how to deal with the past whenever that was dealt with sufficiently back with the Stormont House Agreement which all parties and the two governments signed up to, she said.

What we need now is delivery upon what was agreed previously.

There cannot be any rewriting of the Stormont House Agreement without the full support of all the parties and the support of both governments, so I very much will be looking towards the Irish Government to hold the British Governments feet to the fire around the fact that they cant unilaterally take action and go right around the Stormont House Agreement.

First Minister Paul Givan said: We look forward to that engagement with the Secretary of State around these issues.

They have been well documented now for many years and the party will be up for that continued engagement.

First Minister Paul Givan (Liam McBurney/PA

Victims groups have said the process must deliver.

The WAVE Trauma Centre said it welcomes the announcement as long as they are true to their word.

The group said in a statement: We have been promised engagement before. This time they need to honour their commitment. Victims and survivors cannot continue to be sidelined.

Kenny Donaldson, spokesman for Innocent Victims United (IVU), urged against amnesties and said both the UK and Ireland must commit to disclose the maximum information supported by resourcing packages.

He also called for a formal acknowledgement process to be front and centre.

He added: The UK and the Republic of Ireland plus terrorist organisations and their political annexes must collectively state that in the context of the Troubles there was no legitimacy for the use of criminal violence in the pursuance of or defence of a political objective.

Kenny Donaldson is spokesman for Innocent Victims United (Liam McBurney/PA)

Mr Donaldson also called for the strengthening of laws around the glorification of terrorism.

Any solution on legacy which fails to secure the support of the IVU constituency has no credibility, he said.

As the largest constituency of victims/survivors, IVU must not be ignored.

The IVU family of groups will continue to campaign robustly on these matters, we have not put out the white flag, we will not allow those in positions of authority to be absolved from meeting their responsibilities, from doing what is right and just.
Olly Alexander has celebrated Pride with a virtual party celebrating the LGBT community.

The Years & Years musician and Its A Sin actor performed with comedian Mawaan Rizwan from an east London pub in a livestreamed event on YouTube.

The fundraising event is raising money for LGBT charities The Trevor Project, akt, and The Elton John Aids Foundation.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

Activist and model Munroe Bergdorf and musician MNEK also featured in the event.

Bergdorf discussed her first experience of attending a Pride event.

It was a big party in Brighton, but it was the first time that I really realised how big our community is and I really felt part of something, she said.

Bergdorf added: I just felt really isolated when I came to Brighton and then I went to Pride and I was like, God, its not just me. Theres so many of us.

Alexander discussed his experience of coming out to his mother during the livestreamed event.

She didnt really bat an eyelid, she was just kind of like, Oh, that makes sense, he said.

To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here to do so.

But it took me so long after that to feel like Id come out to myself and to feel actually comfortable being gay.

Rizwan described the experience of coming out to his parents as brutal.

It was really tough to begin with and we have grown, he said.

I thought, Oh, thats my relationship done with my parents.

Musician MNEK and actor Max Harwood also appeared in the event.

Pride Month is celebrated in June.
"Shark Tank" investor Kevin OLeary has a message for corporate America: hiring dyslexics can pay dividends for your business. He should know. The hard charging, say-it-like-it-is business mogul has struggled with the learning disability since he was a child.

In an emotional interview, OLeary opened up to Yahoo Finance about overcoming his Dyslexia and why he views it as a super power that has helped him succeed in business. It's the out of the box thinkers that make companies competitive, the crazy ones, the dyslexic ones, he said.

OLeary considers Dyslexia a competitive weapon for companies. I would hire lots of dyslexics, because I know they can excel in certain things in a remarkable way above the average, he said. What [employers] want are functional employees, and my attitude about people that have Dyslexia is, they are super functional. They're myopically focused on it, because that's what gives them their own identity. And that's the thing that many employers have figured out.

Kevin O'Leary as a child in Montreal, Canada says he missed out on extra-curricular activities like playing soccer because he spent hours at an experimental clinic for dyslexics at McGill Unviersity.

Growing up in Montreal in the 1960s, OLeary said his learning disability shattered his confidence. One of the things that happened to me, I'd be walking down the street, and all of a sudden, the universe would shift 90 degrees. And I was lost. I didn't know where I was," he said.

OLeary, aka, Mr Wonderful, said he is grateful to his mother for enrolling him in an experimental class taught by child psychologists Dr. Marjorie Golic and Dr. Sam Rabinovich at McGill University.

Professor Rabinovich used to say to me, Look, you're the only person in your class that can read a book upside down in the mirror, you have superpowers, no one else can do that, he said. O'Leary credits the educational therapists with making him a ferocious reader who also learned to excel in math.

Kevin O'Leary thanks his mother, Georgette Bukalam O'Leary, for getting him the help he needed as a child to overcome dyslexia.

OLearys personal experience with Dyslexia is what inspired him to launch the educational software company Softkey Software Products in 1983.

I was fascinated by what I went through, he said. Starting the company was me working on trying to solve this for parents, so they could do remedial work at home, just like I did in the clinic.

OLeary went on to rename the business The Learning Company and sold it to Mattel (MAT) in 1999 for a staggering $3.7 billion.

Life is not just about math and reading. It's actually cognitive skills that matter in the workplace, he said.

Shark Tank stars Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, and Kevin O'Leary have all be diagnosed with dyslexia.

OLearys not the only Shark on the ABC show with Dyslexia. Both Barbara Corcoran and Daymond John have also been diagnosed with the learning disability.

He also pointed to David Neeleman, the founder and former CEO of JetBlue airlines (JBLU) as an example of someone with Dyslexia who turned what many view as an obstacle into an opportunity.

What worked for me was the never ending support my mother gave me," said O'Leary "but also that Sam Rabinovich would tell me every day, oh, the Superman's back, the guy that carried a book upside down in a mirror.'"

His advice to parents with dyslexic children is to "work with them at a young age to make them understand that they're gifted. That's what they have, they have a super power."

Alexis Christoforous is an anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @AlexisTVNews.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Promises to build a wall. Descriptions of American homes invaded by immigrants and a trail of carnage." Plans to arrest border crossers and haul them to jail.

It's not Donald Trump in 2016. It's Texas Gov. Greg Abbott 2021.

The ambitious Republican is first among a group of GOP governors who have picked up where the former president left off when it comes to hard-line immigration measures.

In recent weeks, Abbott has rolled out get-tough plans and rhetoric not seen before even in Texas, where Republicans have spent a decade making border security the centerpiece of their agenda. Abbott, who is viewed as a potential presidential contender in 2024, even promised to continue building Trump's border wall and has adopted a questionable method of helping paying for it: crowdsourcing and solicitations.

Abbott's new push has been called political theater, which he has rejected as the number of border crossers remains high. But it has gained Trump's attention. The former president is due to travel to the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time since leaving the White House in January. He will appear with Abbott on Wednesday and is expected to be joined in Texas by other GOP lawmakers.

The moves from Abbott and other Republican governors, including some with possible 2024 aspirations, are one sign of how Trump's anti-immigration policies are outliving his presidency.

Republican leaders who want a future in the party continue to see support for aggressive border measures as a political winner, buoyed by 2020 results that suggest that Trump's tact did not drive away drive away Latino voters as some Democrats predicted.

There are signs the Republican pressure is working. After weeks of criticism for not visiting the border, Vice President Kamala Harris is set to go to El Paso on Friday.

From a Republican audience perspective, it's a rock-solid issue for the governor, said Matt Langston, a Republican strategist in Texas. It is an issue that is going to pay dividends for Gov. Abbott."

Abbott is not alone in that pursuit.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another potential presidential candidate, last week became the first governor to announce that he would deploy law enforcement from his own state to the nation's 2,000-mile border with Mexico, although he gave scant details that left the extent of that commitment unclear.

Since Democratic Joe Biden took office as president, Abbott has tried position America's biggest Republican-led state as the foremost antagonist to the federal government's border policies. He suggested without evidence in the spring that migrants with COVID-19 were putting Texans at risk as a result of Biden easing Trump-era immigration measures. Abbot began June by moving to shutter more than 50 shelters that house thousands of migrant children.

FILE - In this March 21, 2021 file photo, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent looks on near a gate on the U.S.-Mexico border wall as agents take migrants into custody, in Abram-Perezville, Texas. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has has offered scarce details on his plans to construct new barrier along the border with Mexico. It remained unclear Friday, June 11 on how much barrier Texas would erect or where or when it would be installed on the state's 1,200-mile border with Mexico. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)

His intentions to resume one of Trump's best-known and incomplete promises  building more of the wall  is a step Texas has not previously taken amid a decade of escalating spending and deployments to the border with Mexico. Abbott said Texas will start by shifting $250 million in state dollars toward new barrier and finance more through crowdsourcing, setting up a webpage and post office box so supporters of the project can donate their own money. The project has so far raised more than $459,000, according to his office, although it did not provide the number of donors.

The last high-profile attempt to build a wall with crowdsourcing was led by Trump supporters and Steve Bannon, the president's former chief strategist, who was later charged with duping thousands of donors to the project. Trump pardoned Bannon on his last day in office.

The promises of the new barrier come on top of plans for Texas state troopers to begin arresting border crossers and jailing them for state crimes, such as trespassing. Abbott said homes are being invaded" along the border. Landowners are losing livestock and crops, Abbott said, because of the carnage that is being caused by the people who are coming across the border."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000. But the numbers were boosted by a pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum that encouraged repeat attempts to cross because getting caught carried no legal consequences.

Nearly 19,000 unaccompanied children were picked up along the border in March, by far the highest month on record. April was second-highest and May was third-highest.

Abbott has rejected criticism that his measures are just for show.

Anyone who thinks this is politics doesnt have a clue whats going on at the border," Abbott said last week in the Texas Capitol. Anyone who thinks this is politics doesnt care about American citizens or Texas residents."
Former vice president Mike Pence speaks during the Road to Majority convention at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Fla., on Friday, June 18, 2021. (Stephen M. Dowell /Orlando Sentinel via AP)

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP)  Former Vice President Mike Pence has defended his role in certifying the results of the 2020 election, saying he's proud of what he did on Jan. 6 and declaring there's almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president.

Pence, a potential 2024 presidential contender, delivered his strongest rebuttal to date of former President Donald Trumps continued insistence that he could unilaterally overturn the results of the last election, even though the Constitution granted him no such power. A mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to halt the certification process and transition of power, with some chanting, Hang Mike Pence!

Pence, in remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Thursday, directly addressed those who continue to blame him for Trumps defeat to now-President Joe Biden, who won the Electoral College on a 306-232 vote.

Now there are those in our party who believe that, in my position as presiding officer over the joint session, that I possessed the authority to reject or return electoral votes certified by the states, Pence said. But the Constitution provides the vice president with no such authority before the joint session of Congress.

And the truth is, he continued, theres almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president. The presidency belongs to the American people and the American people alone.

Pence said he will always be proud that we did our part, on that tragic day, to reconvene the Congress and fulfill our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States.

It was Pences most overt attempt to date to distance himself from Trumps rhetoric about the election while painting himself as an heir to Trumps mantle and key to his accomplishments in office. Trump has continued to insist that he won the November election, even though his administrations own election experts, his attorney general, state election officials and numerous judges, including some he appointed, have repeatedly and forcefully rejected his allegations of mass voter fraud.

Pence, speaking as part of a series organized by the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, repeatedly praised Trump  as he has in other speeches since leaving office  and compared him to Reagan, whom Pence has long hailed as a hero.

But he also argued that the American public needs to trust that Republicans will always keep our oath to the Constitution, even when it could be politically expedient to do otherwise.

Now I understand the disappointment many feel about the last election. I can relate. I was on the ballot, he added. But you know, theres more at stake than our party and our political fortunes in this moment.

Former vice president Mike Pence speaks during the Road to Majority convention at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Fla., on Friday, June 18, 2021. (Stephen M. Dowell /Orlando Sentinel via AP)

Trump was impeached after Jan. 6 on a charge of inciting an insurrection, and he was acquitted by the Senate the next month, after leaving office. More than 500 people face federal charges in the insurrection, including a member of the Oath Keepers extremist group who pleaded guilty this week.

Pences appearance Thursday in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 800 at the hilltop library was his latest in recent months as Pence considers a White House bid. He took a brief pause from the public stage after leaving office in January, but he kicked off a series of appearances in April in early-voting states, looking to sharpen his conservative profile for voters more familiar with him standing in Trumps shadow.

Earlier this month in New Hampshire, Pence defended the Trump administration record but also appeared to put some distance between himself and the former president, saying, I dont know if well ever see eye to eye on the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Last week, Pence was booed and jeered during a speech at the conservative Faith and Freedom Coalitions annual Road To Majority conference in Florida  a reflection of lingering resentments in some wings of the party over what they see as a lack of loyalty from the former vice president.

Pence entered Thursday to a standing ovation, but there were mixed views about whether he would be a good choice on the presidential ticket in 2024.

Joseph Quiroz, 45, an accountant from Pasadena, said he would like to see Pence run and considered him his top choice at this juncture, largely because of his experience in Washington and as a former governor.

Quiroz, a Republican, said he voted for Trump in 2016 but believed the best thing would be a new face.

Bob Refer, 72, a Republican and a retired policeman from San Diego, said he liked Pence. But, he said, I think hes too nice a guy. Hes not forceful enough.

While Refer liked Trump and his readiness to take on a fight, he was dubious about another run for the billionaire businessman in 2024.

But he quickly added: Id like someone like him (Trump).
Take shorter showers.

Only use the sprinklers in the cooler parts of the day.

Run the dishwasher less often.

Recycle sink and shower water for plants.

Turn off the water while your brushing teeth.

I don't.

Other.

Vote

View Results
MILTON, Ga.  The Milton City Council moved June 21 to allow residents a vote on extending a .75-cent local sales tax that could bring in about $36 million for transportation improvements to the city over the next five years.

The council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the 13 Fulton County cities outside of Atlanta to distribute revenues if the referendum is approved by voters. While the councils move effectively shows its support for letting voters decide on extending the tax, it did not finalize the referendums addition to the November ballot.

All 13 cities have until July 2 to sign the agreement. After that, the Fulton County Commission will consider formally adding the TSPLOST referendum to the November ballot.

TSPLOST II would continue the transportation sales tax voters approved in 2016. Milton would be in line for about $36 million over five years for use on local transportation projects, such as intersections improvements or sidewalk construction.

Milton has completed several projects with funds from the first TSPLOST, which ends in March. The tax has provided funding for the Charlotte Drive extension and its roundabout at Mayfield Road. Several projects currently in the works are also funded by the transportation sales tax, including the Morris Road widening, the Hopewell/Thompson Road roundabout and intersection improvements at Bethany Bend, Bethany Way and Hopewell Road.

If the tax is extended, estimates peg total revenues for the Fulton County cities at about $546 million, with each citys allocation determined by population. According to city documents, Milton is home to about 6.6 percent of the countys population outside of Atlanta.

In May, Milton approved a list of projects it will pursue with its potential TSPLOST revenues.

While neighboring cities such as Alpharetta and Roswell have identified specific projects, Milton is keeping its cards close to its chest.

The only specific project on Miltons list are improvements along Cox Road which comes with a cost estimate of $5 million. Milton Transportation Engineer Sara Leaders previously said improvements could be slated for several roadway intersections.

The citys remaining projects will likely be influenced by its local road safety plan, which is being drafted, and its upcoming 2022 comprehensive transportation plan.

Along with its neighbors, Milton has broken its project list down into three tiers. Tier I, or top-priority projects will account for about 85 percent of Miltons projected revenues. Any remaining funds will be used for cost overruns on Tier I projects or for additional initiatives.

The citys list of Tier I projects includes, with few specifics:

$6 million for intersection efficiency and safety improvements

$5 million for Cox Road intersection improvements

$5 million for road repaving

$3 million for bike/pedestrian accommodations

$3 million to implement Miltons trails plan

$3 million to implement Miltons local road safety plan

$1 million for quick response projects

Fulton County is expected to adopt a resolution placing the TSPLOST referendum on the November ballot Aug. 2. Election Day is set for Nov. 2.
Owosso, MI (48867)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 86F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 64F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Google said its strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take action

Google and Amazon said they will work with UK regulators in their investigation. (AFP Photo)

London: UK regulators said on Friday that they're investigating Google and Amazon over concerns the online giants aren't doing enough to stop fake reviews of products and services on their platforms.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it opened a formal investigation into whether the two companies broke UK consumer law by failing to protect shoppers. The watchdog started looking into fake reviews on some big websites last year - without identifying any specific ones - amid the pandemic-fuelled boom in online shopping.

Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations, the watchdog's chief executive Andrea Coscelli said in a press statement.

Equally, it's simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.

Google and Amazon said they will work with UK regulators in their investigation.

To help earn the trust of customers, we devote significant resources to preventing fake or incentivized reviews from appearing in our store," Amazon said in statement.

Google said its strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take action - from removing abusive content to disabling user accounts."

The CMA said its initial probe that begun last year raised specific concerns about whether the two companies had been doing enough to detect fake and misleading reviews and removing them quickly from their sites.
The study showed that the Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination or Immunization (ESAVI) were mostly mild

Buenos Aires: A study by the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health to monitor the safety of the Sputnik V vaccine against COVID-19 confirmed on Thursday that it is the safest among the vaccines.

"SputnikV shows the safest profile among #COVID vaccines used in the Buenos Aires province in Argentina, no deaths related to vaccination recorded - the province Health Ministry," tweeted Sputnik V.

There were no deaths related to the Russian vaccine, and most post-vaccination events were mild, such as fever, headaches, and pain at the site of application.

The study showed that the Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination or Immunization (ESAVI) were mostly mild. Among the most frequent are fever (47 per cent), headaches (45 per cent), myalgias and arthralgias (39.5 per cent) and pain (46.5 per cent) and swelling (7.4 per cent) in the area where the injection, said the Buenos Aires province Health Ministry, in a statement.

The objective of the Buenos Aires investigation was to describe the occurrence of ESAVI notified to the Integrated Argentine Health Information System (SIISA) after the application of the Russian vaccine against COVID-19 in the province of Buenos Aires since December 29, 2020, campaign start day was June 3, 2021.

In that period, 2.8 million doses of Sputnik V vaccine were applied; 1.3 million from Sinopharm and 0.9 million from Covishield/AstraZeneca with a severe ESAVI rate (product-related) per million applied doses of 0.7; 0.8 and 3.2 respectively, said the statement.

The investigation of each ESAVI involves classifying it according to a series of categories established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO).

Meanwhile, on WHO concern over Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine issues with the filling of vials at one plant, the Pharmastanfar - UfaVITA said that the issues did not relate to the safety or efficacy of the vaccine itself, the plant is responsible only for pouring into vials doses of Sputnik V vaccine produced elsewhere.

WHO did not raise any questions about the safety and efficacy of the produced and finished vaccine as the "Sputnik V" vaccine undergoes strictest double quality output control of the Gamaleya Institute and the Russian health regulator (Federal Healthcare Service - Roszdravnadzor), said OJSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA statement.

Moreover, WHO interim inspection did not identify any critical issues with the actual vaccine's production, quality, clinical studies, possible side effects, nor with the double quality output control by both the Gamaleya Institute and the Russian health regulator. Instead, WHO inspectors' attention was focused on only 4 technical issues mostly related to one of the filling lines that have all been subsequently fully addressed, said the statement.

Further, OJSC Pharmstandard-UfaVITA invited WHO for another inspection.
Local municipalities discover funds from American Rescue Plan could be about half of estimates
ICE

Come 2022 for the 2023 model year, the corner-loving machine will soldier on with the K20 engine, albeit with a little more oomph. The newcomer will be offered exclusively with five doors, but on this occasion, production will be handled by the Greensburg, Indiana plant instead of Swindon in the UK.Recently spied in Germany on public roads, the all-new Civic Type R shows a beefy radiator behind the lower grille of the front bumper, two intakes at the extremities of the bumper for cooling the brakes, and full-LED headlamps. Equipped with double-spoke alloy wheels shod in Michelin rubber, this prototype also features Brembo stoppers on every corner, although cross-drilled brake rotors would look and perform better than solid discs.Out back, the most important details come in the form of an exhaust pipe that exits from underneath the center of the rear bumper, a shark-fin antenna for the radio and satellite navigation, and a wing that hinders rear visibility. We also notice pumped-up fenders for the wider tires, and chances are that Honda will add protective plastic parts given how much the tires stick out.Contrary to previous rumors, the Civic Type R wont be available as a four-door sedan. The Japanese manufacturer has also ruled out all-wheel drive, and hybridization isnt going to happen either, at least for the time being.However, the next generation after the 2023 Honda Civic Type R will have to go hybrid because upcoming emission regulations are draconian by all accounts. In Europe, for example, the Euro 7 emission standard has been recently described as a de-facto ban on brand-newvehicles by industry experts.
SUV

Other Bavarian novelties coming to Britain include the iX fully electricand the i4 (first time in the UK), while a special edition M4 Competition x KITH will be on display for the whole world to see at the so-called BMW M Townmore on that later.BMW believes that its all-new 2 Series Coupe will be a unique car thanks to a combination of compact dimensions, excellent driving dynamics, available six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive, to go with its extrovert design. The car will be unveiled bright and early in the morning at 9:00 am sharp, before rocketing up the hill at 9:40 am together with other First Glance category cars.Production for the new 2-Series Coupe is scheduled to begin later this summer, meaning the vehicle is still in its late stages of development. It has already been calibrated on the Nurburgring, which means its suspension setup, braking, and steering should be pretty darn good.All models feature stroke-dependent dampers, while the static torsional stiffness has been increased by roughly 12% compared to its predecessor. Youll also be able to specify an adaptive M setup with electronically controlled damping, but that will be an optional extra.Until the M2 breaks cover , the fastest model in the range will be the M240i xDrive Coupe, with its turbocharged straight-six engine delivering 374 hp.Now back to the BMW M Town. It will be BMWs home during the festival and home to the previously mentioned M4 Competition. Only 150 units will ever be sold worldwide, all featuring unique exterior and interior details created in collaboration with New York lifestyle brand KITH.
HP

Throw the Hellcat game into the mix, however, and the balance will tilt in its favor. Or will it? Are 717and 656 lb-ft (890 Nm) of torque in the Challenger SRT Hellcat enough to help it beat the cop car? What about the 797 HP and 707 lb-ft (959 Nm) in the Redeye model?These questions were recently answered in a legal manner, as a police cruiser lineup up at the start line at the Bandimere Speedway in Colorado, near Denver, part of a campaign that provides a positive alternative to illegal street racing. The Colorado State Patrol vehicle was challenged (pun intended) by two Detroit muscle cars: the Challenger SRT Hellcat and its more potent sibling, the Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye, which were looking to show what they're made of.When the lights turned green, the drivers, one of who wore a uniform and used the emergency lights and siren to intimidate his rival  and it worked, as youre about to see (guess old habits die hard)  pushed down the throttle and held on to the wheel. A quarter mile later, one of them went across the finish line, a couple of seconds quicker than the other one.No records were broken on that day, which was all about pure driving fun and letting it all out in a legal environment, next to a ride that sends shivers down the spines of illegal street racers. Now, care to place a little bet?
AMG

The Demon is like the perfect storm, happening when the crackdown on emissions stopped just enough to let something completely nuts happen. There's no question that Dodge will continue to make amazing cars that we will love, but they probably won't be this crazy out of the box.The supercharged Challenger is like a really good parody of classic muscle cars. Can you imagine buying a phone based on 1960s designs? It would be inconvenient to use and pointless. But when you're talking about muscle cars, Americans go crazy for the stuff.Despite what Jeremy Clarkson told you, Europeans (like Richard Hammond ) do go crazy for the American dream as well. But by the time import taxes and VAT are added, the Demon costs Porsche 911 Turbo money, and it may not be worth it.This rendering by Hycade doesn't come with a particular theme. The artist just did what he usually does. However, we feel that it ended up looking European, like one of those rare tuning projects from Russia or Germany.Ever thought 315-section tires are kind of skinny? Well, this widebody makeover has got you covered, adding so much rubber to the design you'll think it's an erotic fashion show. And to cover it all up, we've got fender flares for days.Squint a little at that front end and you might think it's a European car. The quad headlights pull off the retro look, but they've been paired with a large intake which wouldn't look out of place on a newmodel. It's even got those winglets on the side of the spoiler. Anybody care for a Demon F1 race car?If you can look past the giant nostrils perched on top of the hood, you'll find that the muscle car has vents in its fender flares to channel air down the sides. And at the rear, the usual mix of diffuser and bolt-on wing creates the downforce which you'd actually need in the RWD car with that much power.
It may not be as famous as the aircraft carriers and frigates, but HMS Protector has already broken an impressive record, even though its currently going through an intensive training period. The Royal Navys only icebreaker has made its way 8041.5 North in the Greenland Sea, which is closer to the North Pole than any other UK military ship has ever gotten.The only ones who can reach even further than this are submarines, like HMS Trenchant, who made an impressive trip in 2018.Its a great achievement for HMS Protector, considering that its been on a break, far away from ice, for more than 2 years. But now its getting ready for its deployment to Antarctica, which will begin towards the end of this year. In order to be fully prepared for that, the ship is currently going through a series of trials, including testing the strength of it engine and trials at various depths and types of ice.And its not any easier for the on board crew either. Theyve had to adapt to the sudden temperature change, after departing from Devonport, and prove that they can perform their duties even in extreme weather conditions.As a survey and research ship , the Protector didnt just conduct tests, but also collected data regarding North Atlantic currents and marine mammals. The survey was done 2,000 to 3,000 meters (6,560 to 9,840 feet) deep in the Fram Strait, and will provide important information for scientists at the British Antarctic Survey.After this historical trip to the North Pole, Royal Navys icebreaker is heading to Iceland, after which it will return to Plymouth, with only a few months left before its official deployment to the southern polar region
EV

The Norwegian fire happened in Oslo and was reported by Avisa Oslo . Stig Kolstad was in the local and covered everything. He was kind enough to allow Autoevolution to publish one of the pictures he has taken. Make sure you visit the Norwegian site to check more images and a video of the fire.Kolstad reported that the vehicle caught fire at about 10:30 AM local time on June 23. After trying to extinguish the blaze with only water, the Oslo fire department completely covered the Kona Electric with a fire blanket until they could drown it in a water tank. The Norwegian journalist could get the contacts of the Hyundai owner, and he is planning to get in touch with him soon. Kolstad promised to let us know about the conversation.The South Korean fire took place precisely on the same day, but at 9:39 AM, near a beach in Boryeong, 181 km south of Seoul. Thanks to a picture of the Boryeong Fire Department and to Segye.com , we can see the damages to thewere much more severe than those inflicted on the Kona Electric that burned in Norway. InsideEVs first wrote an article mentioning these two situations.In March 2021, Kona Electric owners in South Korea complained that Hyundai was not transparent enough about the recall. If the cars that caught fire are among the ones produced from November 2017 up to March 2020, they may also accuse the company of not being fast enough to address the situation.With the two new blazes, the number of know cases raised to 17: 12 in South Korea and 5 in other countries. If you know any of the owners and could help Autoevolution talk to them, please send us a message so that we can clarify what happened and if these EVs are included in the recall or not.
SLA

Thats how hot the landers heat shield got on the outside, while inside, the readings showed 1,830 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). Thats extreme, but something NASA is used to dealing with.Every single spacecraft descending into the atmosphere of a planet needs to survive such heat. So will the Mars Sample Return lander, scheduled for launch at a yet undetermined time.The survival of the technology sent to Mars is critical, as this mission will be the first one to make the trip back to Earth, carrying with it samples of the Red Planet for our scientists to study.Although the mission is still in the proposed state, NASA is moving ahead with the project. This week, it awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for the development of the so-called aeroshell, the piece of hardware that will protect the lander during Martian atmospheric entry.Lockheed is not at its first such project, as the company helped NASA with all other aeroshells for its Mars missions, including Perseverance.For the Sample Return mission, the aeroshell will comprise a cone-shaped backshell and a disc-like heat shield placed around the spacecraft. The heat shield material is called Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) and can protect the ship against double the temperatures experienced by Perseverance.On the other hand, the backshell will be made of a material called-561v, a silicone and cork-derived ablator also designed to mitigate heat.There is no estimate on when the aeroshell will be ready, but it will play a pivotal role in the success of a mission to another world like no other in the history of the world.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The Japanese automaker has recently informed thethat 138,736 units of the compact sedan are called back over potentially bent tie rods. These elements connect the steering gear to the steering knuckle, which makes them prone to wear and tear with the passing of time. Failing tie rods may lead to uneven tire wear, play in the steering wheel, and sharp noises or thuds as you turn the wheels.The question is, how does Nissan know the 2020 and 2021 Sentra are equipped with potentially bent tie rods? Nissan received a report about a tie rod separated into two pieces on July 31st, 2020, and immediately after that, a sensor was added to the assembly transfer arm to prevent movement when the front suspension assembly was transferred from one process to another. The supplier investigated the matter as well, and the material properties met design specifications. No microstructural defects were identified.December 2020 is when Nissan received four more reports related to the subject condition, but for some reason or another, the automaker dragged its feet for almost half a year before deciding to recall these cars.Potential material handling and assembly process issues are to blame for the condition. According to documents filed with the safety watchdog, other sedans manufactured in Aguascalientes do not use this process.Owners of all vehicles will be notified from August 5th onward, and U.S. dealerships have been instructed to inspect both tie rods and replace them if bent. As for the affected population of vehicles, the faulty Sentras were produced from November 25th, 2019 through March 24th, 2021.
As you browse through the firms portfolio, youll be greeted by an abundance of awe-inspiring masterpieces that received the BMC treatment, many of which weve featured on autoevolution in the past.Most recently, we visited their range to admire the stupefying transformation theyve applied to a 1994 variant of Hondas CB750 lineup. Given that its been a while since we brought this gem to your attention, well be diving in for a quick inspection of Bolt Motors accomplishments on a heavily modified 1981 BMW R100RT.The donor for this project comes to life thanks to an air-cooled 980cc boxer-twin fiend, with two valves per cylinder and a compression ratio of 9.5:1. This bad boy will go about supplying up to 70 ponies at 7,250 rpm and a peak torque output of 56 pound-feet (76 Nm) at 5,500 revs. A five-speed transmission puts the rear wheel in motion by means of a shaft final drive, leading to a top speed of 118 mph (190 kph).BMCs moto surgeons kicked things off in the powertrain department, where they installed high-compression pistons and a hydraulic clutch, as well as a twin-spark setup and a state-of-the-art Siebenrock Deep Sump Conversion Kit. The mill no longer inhales via Bing carbs, as theyve been deleted in favor of higher-spec Mikuni alternatives.On the other end of the combustion cycle, the crew fitted a custom two-into-one exhaust system, topped with a premium muffler from Spark. At the rear, the original swingarm was removed to make room for a BMW R1200S single-sided item, which is mated to a Hagon monoshock. Above these modules, you will find a one-off subframe that wears a carbon fiber tail, along with a neat saddle upholstered by a local craftsman.Up front, suspension duties are handled by a pair of top-grade Ohlins forks that hail from a Ducati Panigale 1299, while ample stopping power is provided by dual 330 mm (13 inches) discs and Brembo calipers. The beast 's rear wheel is brought to a stop by an R1200s single brake rotor. After equipping a retro-style front fairing, Spains artists topped things off with an array of aftermarket goodies, including a Motogadget speedometer, RebelMoto switches and Tarozzi foot pegs.
ACC

kWh

EV

Not by chance, Douai is included in Renaults ElectriCity plans , which put three factories in the north of the country under the same administration to help the company transition to electric vehicles. With that, Douai, Maubeuge, and Ruitz will be dedicated to EVs, and now we know who will supply them with batteries.Apart from Envision AESC, Renault would also be discussing cell supply with a French battery startup called Verkor and with, a joint venture between Stellantis and TotalEnergies. Although it may seem weird for Renault to buy cells from a competitor, the French government is involved with TotalEnergies, which explains the discussions with ACC. Concerning Verkor, Renault may buy a stake in the startup, according to Bloomberg.The deal with Envision AESC would help Renault have a 43 GWh cell factory very close to its primary electric car plants. The contract would ensure more than half of that production will be for the French carmaker. Depending on demand, it may need way more than that for its cars, hence the discussions with other suppliers.Renault plans to produce more than 400,000 electric vehicles per year there. Considering the Megane E-Tech Electric will have a 60battery pack, the French company would need 24 GWh in cells to produce 400,000 of them annually. The Nissan Ariya  built over the same CMF-platform, will also offer a 90 kWh battery pack, which implies the Megane E-Tech will also have one. In other words, 24 GWh is the lowest demand scenario.The Envision AESC plant in Douai could cost as much as $2.9 billion, according to James Frith, an analyst at BloombergNEF.
At first, it may seem unfair that Kevin Shenkman decided to sue Tesla for its Supercharging for life promises. The company established a fee for people that leave their cars charging for more time than they should, which may sound entirely reasonable. The problem is that people who theoretically had that right are losing it due to these congestion fees.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

More often than wed like to count, crashes happen to remind us why these two bodies, one federally funded (the) and the other a non-profit (the), find Tesla vehicles so safe . This is one of those cases.A Tesla Model 3 drove off a 100-foot (30.5-meter) cliff and crashed through the trees, landing vertically on its nose with considerable damage to both rear and front, and all occupants walked away. The Mountain Reporter is the first to report the news, saying that all four people inside the car were able to extract themselves from the wreck after what must have been a highly terrifying crash.Both the original post and Teslarati note that the accident was caused by speeding. In light of a spat of recent Autopilot-related crashes , the California Highway Patrol sets the record straight: neither Autopilot nor Full Self-Driving was enabled at the moment of the crash. The driver was traveling at an unsafe speed and lost control on a stretch of State Route 18 between Snow Valley and Big Bear Dam.Consequently, the Model 3 went off the road and down onto the embankment. Damage to the car was impressive, but the passenger cabin was left mostly intact. The four people inside the Model 3 were taken to the hospital afterward for a checkup, but they sustained only mild injuries.The Model 3 is a write-off, but thats nothing in the larger scheme of things: four people walked away from an accident that could have ended badly had it not been for Tesla.
The operation was unprecedented in scale. At the end of it all, on June 11, the landings saw over 320,000 soldiers being deployed by sea or air on the beaches of Normandy and the surrounding towns, alongside tens of thousands of vehicles and hundreds of thousands of tons of supplies.Bringing such large numbers of people and hardware into enemy territory required the massive mobilization of supporting machines from all the countries taking part in the fight. Over 11,000 airplanes were involved in covering or otherwise supporting the landings from the air, while on the water, close to 7,000 ships were deployed in support of the military objectives.The rest, as they say, is history, and Normandy became a symbol of freedom overcoming oppression. Needless to say, the Normandy landings themselves are still celebrated to this day by the side that ended up winning the war.The U.S. Air Force ( USAF ), which was one of the pillars for the operations success, regularly performs flyovers of the Normandy beaches as a means to honors those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Europe during World War II. This June, on the 77th anniversary of D-Day, the task of performing the ritual fell upon several aircraft, including F-15C Eagles and KC-135 Stratotankers.You can see some of the machines that took part on June 6 in the aerial procession in the main pic of this piece (click photo to enlarge), as captured by Senior Airman Madeline Herzog and released last week by the Air Force.
Copyright  2020 by Mountain Times Publications. Digital or printed dissemination of this content without prior written consent is a violation of federal law and may be subject to legal action.
As Afghan President Ashraf Ghani was making his way to Washington to meet with President Biden, the Wall Street Journal revealed that the U.S. intelligence community believes his government may be toppled within six months of America's withdrawal.

Why it matters: As the Taliban gains territory and the U.S. pulls its remaining forces out, hopes of a potential peace deal in Afghanistan are giving way to fears of a rapid Taliban capture of Kabul.

Driving the news: Ghani will arrive at the White House Friday seeking assurances that the U.S. will keep up its diplomatic push for a peace deal and financial support for the beleaguered Afghan military, says Michael Kugelman of the Wilson Center.

The atmosphere leading up to his trip could hardly be more foreboding, with a stream of reports describing checkpoints, towns and U.S.-provided military equipment falling into Taliban hands.

"The combination of large amounts of territory seized, the capture of a border post with Tajikistan and all of these surrenders coming in  it's sort of like a perfect storm of successes for the Taliban" that has the makings of an "unprecedented assault," Kugelman says, though he notes that Afghan security forces have recaptured some ground.

"It's just a matter of how far the Taliban is willing to go and to what degree certain mitigating factors  like continued financial assistance to the Afghan military  prevent it from doing what many fear it'll be able to do in just a matter of months," he adds.

The big picture: When Biden announced that all U.S. forces would depart by Sept. 11, he never claimed to be leaving behind a stable Afghanistan. But now he has to contemplate a scenario akin to the fall of Saigon in 1975.

It emerged Thursday that the administration is planning to evacuate thousands of Afghans who worked with the U.S. military and could now be targeted by the Taliban, but no detailed plan has been released.

The administration has warned that the Taliban won't receive international aid or recognition if it attempts to take Kabul by force, and argued that the group should thus seek a power-sharing deal.

But the Taliban says it won't talk until all foreign troops are out, and offered little indication that international legitimacy is a primary concern. In the meantime, it's strengthening its position by the day.

What to watch: Ghani arrived in Washington along with Abdullah Abdullah, his top political rival and also the government's representative for intra-Afghan peace talks.
According to its financial report submitted to the Central Election Commission (CEC), Civil Contract attracted at least 453 million drams ($910,000) in donations in the run-up to the June 20 elections.

The ruling party, which won the snap elections with almost 54 percent of the vote, claimed to have spent 369 million drams on its election campaign. It said most of that money was used for TV and radio ads as well as billboards, booklets and other campaign materials.

Former President Robert Kocharians opposition Hayastan alliance, the official runner-up in the polls, reported a total of 308 million drams in donations to its election fund and put its campaign expenditures at 244 million drams.

The opposition Pativ Unem bloc, the third political force that won seats in Armenias new parliament, claimed to have raised 217 million drams and spent 199 million drams. The bloc is led by another ex-president, Serzh Sarkisian.

All three political groups relied heavily on television stations owned by individuals linked to their leaders. Even so, they channeled a large part of their campaign spending into ads aired by two other, more popular private TV networks, according to the CEC.

The 22 other parties and blocs that participated in the elections declared smaller amounts of campaign spending. None of them will be represented in the new National Assembly.

During the campaign Pashinian portrayed Kocharian, Sarkisian and their associates as corrupt individuals who had enriched themselves while in power. He claimed that they are spending money stolen from the people.

For their part, the two opposition forces accused Pashinians party of illegally using public funds and other resources for electoral purposes. They also pointed to the presence of several wealthy businessmen among Civil Contracts election candidates. One of those businessmen led a small pro-government party in the 2000s when Armenia was ruled by Kocharian.

Armenian law stipulates that a party or bloc cannot spend more than 500 million drams on its election campaign. It also bans political donations from private firms and other legal entities.

While campaign finance regulation is detailed, a number of shortcomings allow for the circumvention of legal provisions, an election observation mission mostly deployed in Armenia by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a report released on Monday.

The report argued that the legal definition of campaign expenditures does not cover organizational expenses, such as costs for office space, transportation, communications, and campaign staff, leaving the opportunity for contestants to use these expenses as a means to circumvent spending limits.
The ministers arrived in Yerevan after holding talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku. They were due to proceed to Georgia later in the day.

The EU said earlier this week that the visit mandated by its foreign and security policy chief, Josep Borrell, will highlight the importance that the European Union attaches to its bilateral relations with these countries.

The visit signals the EUs readiness to support broader cooperation both with and between the South Caucasus countries, including through the opportunities available under the Eastern Partnership, it said in a statement announcing the trip.

The top diplomats of the three EU member states will also underscore the EUs determination to promote and actively support sustainable and comprehensive conflict settlement efforts, added the statement.

Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg made the same point in written comments to RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

We have seen how quickly seemingly frozen conflicts can erupt again, he said in a clear reference to last years war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The EU is determined to promote a durable and comprehensive settlement of the conflict, in close cooperation with all our partners, including the OSCE.

In that regard, Schallenberg welcomed the recent release of 15 Armenian soldiers who were taken prisoner during the war. Baku freed them after receiving more information from Armenia about minefields around Nagorno-Karabakh.

Schallenberg praised the Armenian authorities for successfully conducting parliamentary elections described by European observers as largely democratic. I think this is an opportunity to move forward, he said.

Commenting on the EUs relations with Armenia, the Austrian minister pointed to their Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) which entered into force in March.

The 350-page agreement commits the Armenian authorities to carrying out political reforms that will democratize the countrys political system and boost human rights protection. They must also gradually approximate Armenian economic laws and regulations to those of the EU.

It will take some time to adopt all necessary legislative measures and even more to fully implement them, said Schallenberg. But the first step has been taken.

Schallenberg also described Austrias bilateral relations with Armenia as excellent. We are gradually strengthening our presence in the country, he said.
The Armenian Ministry of Health said that only 102 people tested positive for COVID-19 in the past day, sharply down from over 1,000 cases a day repeatedly recorded in the country of about 3 million in the first half of April.

The downward trend began in late April despite a continuing lax enforcement of social distancing and sanitary rules imposed by the Armenian government a year ago. It continued even after the government formally allowed people not to wear masks outdoors. Most of them stopped doing that early this year.

The daily number of new cases reported by the Ministry of Health in the course of this month was usually below 100.

Gayane Sahakian, the deputy head of the ministrys Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said it is now on course to rise again.

While the rate of virus reproduction in the county varied from 0.3 to 0.5 three or four weeks ago we can say now that its above 1, Sahakian told a news conference. She said Armenia should record at least 600 cases a day within weeks.

The country held on Sunday parliamentary elections after two weeks of intense campaigning. Very few people wore masks or observed physical distancing during campaign gatherings organized by numerous political groups. Some pre-election rallies attracted tens of thousands of people.

Sahakian acknowledged that the more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 will also contribute to a fresh wave of infections.

The Delta variant is already prevalent in Russia, the number one source of foreign tourists visiting Armenia.

Sahakian said the continuing lack of a popular interest in COVID-19 vaccination also bodes ill for the epidemiological situation in the country. Only 2 percent of its population has received a first dose of a vaccine so far, she said.

The Armenian health authorities have recorded just over 5,600 coronavirus-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
TOLLESON, AZ (3TV/CBS5) - A plea for your help is coming all the way from a mother and father in Lithuania. Their daughter, 28-year-old Viktorija Defrees, was killed by a hit and run driver last weekend. Now, theyre hoping someone will recognize a newly released picture of the vehicle suspected to be involved.

Though thousands of miles away, Viktorija and Danguole Daniene say they have never felt closer to their daughter, an Air Force Reservist living here in the Valley. The couple live in Lithuania, but would stay in contact with their daughter regularly.

MCSO looks for SUV involved in deadly Tolleson hit-and-run The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says the damage to the SUV might not be noticeable, but they released a photo in the hope that somebody might recognize it.

Every day, almost every day, we talk, said Danguole, Viktorja's mother. Her parents say Viktorija was an avid jogger and would wake up early in the morning to exercise before it got too hot out.

Our daughter was very lovely, she loved people and people loved her, said Daniene. She liked to run, she almost all the time, every day, go to the gym, she like to run miles and miles and miles, said Daniene. And thats what she was doing on Saturday around 3 a.m. when she was hit by a vehicle.

Maricopa County Sheriffs officials said Viktorja was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver along Buckeye Road west of 103rd Avenue. Somebody was driving car and hit her and left her to die in the street, said Daniene.

MCSO said this is the SUV involved, it appears to be a dark colored Hummer H3, possibly a 2006-2009 year model. What also stands out about the vehicle is it's distinctive wide tires. Also the location of its license plate, which is on the lower-left side of the car. It also has a light-colored tow hook.

Defrees parents say the hardest part about all of this is learning about their daughters death from so far away.  Its very difficult to talk about it but they took everything from us. What we have, our love, our life, I cant describe, I cant even think, said Daniene.

If you think you recognize the vehicle, or you have information about the investigation contact MCSO.

they family is hopeful the driver will learn about their daughter and do the right thing by turning themselves in.
Now is not the time to ask why: Surfsides Jewish community ushers in somber Shabbat
Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.
NEW YORK (AP)  During the pandemic, Steven Soderbergh has shot two feature films, released a pair of movies, written a sequel to his first film (1989's Sex, Lies and Videotape), re-edited some of his older movies (mostly for fun) and co-produced the Academy Awards.

It's an amount of accomplishment that really puts to shame the 1,000-piece puzzle some of us are still proud of assembling last May.

Yet at a time when much of Hollywood is going through profound change, Soderbergh has, like few others, seized an uncertain moment.

I think its fair to say that Im the cockroach of this industry, he said smiling on a recent interview by Zoom. "I can find a way to survive in any version that Im confronted with."

Soderbergh has averaged a film every one of his 35 years in movies, amassing a nimble, frenetic body of work spanning experimental iPhone indies ("High Flying Bird," Unsane) to commercial crowd-pleasers ("Ocean's Eleven," Erin Brockovich," Magic Mike). His latest, "No Sudden Move," nearly didn't happen. It was initially scheduled to begin shooting in April 2020. The pandemic scuttled those plans but by early fall, after he helped create return-to-set safety protocols, Soderbergh remounted it  albeit without one star, George Clooney, who withdrew out of health concerns for his asthmatic son.

Still, No Sudden Move, which debuts July 1 on HBO Max, doesn't lack for stars. And while Clooney's presence would have reinforced a spirit of get-the-band-back-together, No Sudden Move remains a cousin to one of Soderbergh's most celebrated movies: 1998's Out of Sight, the slinky, sublime caper adapted from Elmore Leonard.

That film opened in Miami sunshine but descended into wintery Detroit. Twenty-three years later, No Sudden Move returns Soderbergh to the Motor City with Don Cheadle, who memorably played Maurice Snoop Miller in Out of Sight." Since then, Cheadle has co-starred in four more films with Soderbergh ("Traffic," the Ocean's movies). But he's front-and-center this time.

This was designed as vehicle for Don, whether he wanted it or not, Soderbergh says. Literally: I wanted to see this guy walking, walking, walking  and we parachute into this story.

No Sudden Move opens with Cheadle, as Curt Goynes, strolling through 1950s Detroit. Soderbergh and screenwriter Ed Solomon conceived of the film from the start as a heist movie with a trio of thieves brought together not unlike those in Robert Wise's electric 1959 noir Odds Against Tomorrow. (That was one inspiration. The classic 70s crime film The Friends of Eddie Coyle was another.)

But while working on the script, Solomon came upon the history of the automotive industrys efforts to avoid emissions controls. No Sudden Move" begins with three hired guns (Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, Kieran Culkin), but in a multiplying series of double-crosses, expands in scope to encapsulate some of Detroit's original sins, a little like how Chinatown does for Los Angeles. The rest of the cast includes Bill Duke, Jon Hamm, David Harbour, Julia Fox, Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon and Ray Liotta.

We were able to talk about redlining and community and the devastation of Detroit and the greed of the car manufacturers without proselytizing or hitting it on the head, says Cheadle. It was all part of the narrative intrigue. It felt in a lot of ways like Out of Sight 2.0 or 1.0, 30 years beforehand  revisiting that kind of energy.

Cheadle wasn't necessarily eager to return to a film set at the time. But he also realized that if he didn't, a-stuck-at-home Soderbergh would probably keep writing and sending him scripts. The director managed the shoot without incident by frequent testing in two mobile COVID-19 testing units that were personally paid for. The central cast and crew members were kept in a quarantine bubble.

I know that I put Steven through some version of hell in my uncertainty about coming back, Cheadle says. I lost family members to COVID. I was really gun shy about even leaving my house."

Cheadle smiles. I also blame him for Contagion,'" referring to Soderbergh's prophetic pandemic drama from 2011. I think hes Patient Zero.

In April, Soderbergh led an effort to mount an in-person Oscars despite COVID-19 protocols. The telecast was handsomely shot, opening with a fluid tracking shot of Regina King, and it made an often impersonal ceremony warmly intimate. But it was also talky, with lengthy introductions and speeches, and one gambit to rearrange the final awards ended awkwardly.

Overall, Soderbergh is pleased with the show. The broadcast did what it set out to do: pull off an in-person Oscars safely while experimenting with an often inflexible format.

As far as I know, were the first show in a long time where nobody ever got played off, and Im proud of that. This is what happens when you hire the director of a movie called Let Them All Talk," he jokes, referring to his 2020 film for HBO Max, with Meryl Streep, shot largely on an ocean liner crossing.

But Soderbergh did walk away from the experience  a satisfying and unique one, he says  with a gnawing sense of a larger existential crisis for movies. Ratings, like they have for most pandemic award shows, plummeted.

I just look at it as a larger issue than the specifics of what our show looked like, and that is: How do we make people care about the movies the way they used to?" Soderbergh says. To me, this is the real question that needs to be confronted.

But the conditions, and the opportunities of streaming, are also ripe for a protean, fast-working filmmaker like Soderbergh. He recently shot his third film for HBO Max, KIMI," a pandemic-set thriller with Zoe Kravitz. No Sudden Move, a period crime film for adults, is very much the kind of movie that before the streaming flood gates opened would have been unlikely to get made.

Its a really good time for somebody who makes things. I honestly would not like to be running these companies. Nobody knows whats coming. Nobody knows whats a cyclical thing as opposed to a real secular change, says Soderbergh. I have a long history with Warner. We both seem to be in sync with the purpose of my deal which is for me to be really busy."

Other things never change. No Sudden Move is Soderbergh's sixth heist film, a cycle begun with Out of Sight" that includes the three Ocean's films and Logan Lucky, a self-financed meta-heist movie in that it sought to pull one over on Hollywood, too. The genre, the director says, encourages a filmmaker to bring something to the table  to style it up. It's just made for the movies, he says.

As time wound down before Soderbergh and Cheadle had to leave for the Tribeca Festival premiere of No Sudden Move," he wondered if returning to the scene of his first crime movie was pushing his luck.

Ive had two really good experiences in Detroit and gotten out of there with two movies Im really happy with, said Soderbergh. The question is: Should I just let that go?

Cheadle didn't hesitate. Tee it up! Go to the well! he encouraged. Spin the wheel!

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

___

This story has been updated to correct spelling of Brendan Frasers last name.
Lisa Krantz /San Antonio Express-News

Locals who live for the spookiest time of year have something extra creepy to look forward to this fall.

The San Antonio Paranormal Fest is set to return in 2021 to the historic, 154-year-old Victorias Black Swan Inn on Saturday, September 18. The unique festival combines history and mystery as well as ghost stories and otherworldly fun.
The city of Beaumont is set to invest more than $11 million in its aging sewer system.

The money comes from $16.5 million awarded to the city by the American Rescue Plan, all of which the council allocated at a meeting earlier this month.

The largest portion of funding will go to the sewer system, where $11.3 million will be spread across five projects. The projects in part are necessary after damage from Tropical Storm Harvey, Beaumont City Manager Kyle Hayes said at the meeting.

During the meeting, Hayes said he hasnt seen this amount of money spent at one time on sewer rehab in more than three decades.

Two projects outlined tackle lift station rehabilitation  the Harriott Lift Station for an estimated cost of $2 million and the Wall and Avenue C Lift Station for an estimated cost of $1.9 million. The lift stations, which move raw sewage from lower elevations to higher elevations, are in south and central Beaumont, respectively.

Related: Discolored water, sewer system woes get citys attention

The remaining $7.4 million will be spent on sewer main rehabilitation, which includes pipe bursting contracts.

According to a Facebook post from the city, pipe bursting is the intentional breaking of damaged sewer pipe with trenchless techniques to then pull in a new pipe.

The city has implemented pipe bursting techniques and is monitoring the rates of success, city engineer Molly Villarreal said.

During the meeting, Ward II Council member Mike Getz asked Villarreal if the sewer main rehabilitation, including the pipe bursting, will enable residents to flush their toilets when it rains.

That is our goal, Villarreal said.

With the councils approval, the city now can move forward with consulting engineers and going out for bids. The council also will have to approve the bids at a later date.

Hayes said it takes time to engineer the projects, but he expects they will be underway within the next year.

Top hits: Get Beaumont Enterprise stories sent directly to your inbox

The city also will use money from the American Rescue Plan for two projects at the Pine Street Water Production Plant.

One will spend about $1.25 million to increase the plants chemical capacity, and the other will address the plants south basin sludge drain for an estimated cost of $750,000.

During (Tropical Storm) Harvey, Beaumont was an island. So there were some supply chain issues with getting chemicals to Beaumont, Villarreal said. Freese and Nichols (an engineering consultant company) was hired to evaluate the water treatment plant on Pine Street and identify any areas where we could become more resilient.

Villarreal said the company recommended the city increase the plants chemical storage capacity for chemicals such as alum and caustic, which are used to treat the citys water.

We plan to include additional areas for future tanks in case we need to expand further, remove and dispose of the older caustic tanks and then improve our chemical pumps and level management equipment Villarreal said.

Related: Progress expected on Beaumont water-system upgrades

The south basin sludge drain project will rehab the drain, she said.

There are six sludge drain valves and the piping at our three older clarifier basins at the Pine Street Plant that are scheduled to be replaced, Villarreal said. With the improvements, we plan to move the valves to a location where it is easier and safer to dig if we have to access those valves for any reason and secure them with a manhole so that you dont have to excavate it.

Villarreal said that this project also will improve the citys ability to respond to blockages.

Should the sewer or Pine Street Plant projects cost more than their allocated amounts, Hayes said the city can use recently-authorized water revenue bonds or money from the water systems rainy day fund to cover the difference.

The remaining $3 million from the American Rescue Plan will be put in the general fund to make up lost revenues, Hayes said.

Hayes said the city is set in 2022 to receive an additional $16.5 million from the American Rescue Plan.

oliviasmalick@gmail.com

twitter.com/oliviamalick
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
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.

LOVE ABOUNDS: THESE 11 LGBTQ-OWNED HOUSTON BUSINESSES DESERVE YOUR SUPPORT

"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 Beaumont physician has been sentenced to prison for federal health care fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Nicholas J. Ganjei in a news release earlier this week.

Grigoriy Rodonaia, 45 of Port Neches, Texas, on Nov. 17, 2020 was convicted by a jury of 12 counts of health care fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false statement.

Earlier this week, the former Rodonaia Family Medicine and Aesthetics physician was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Rodonaia also was ordered to pay nearly $200,000 in restitution.

Rodonaia had been participating in the health care fraud scheme since 2015. For his part, he issued prescriptions for specially compounded scar creams using the names, dates of birth and health insurance numbers of patients of. Those prescriptions were sent directly to Memorial Compounding Pharmacy in Houston, according to information from the court shared in the release.

These prescriptions were issued without consultation with the patient and without the patients knowledge, the release said. The pharmacy billed the prescriptions to the military health care program, TRICARE, at approximately $9,000 to $13,000 per prescription, with multiple refills authorized per prescription.

Rodonaia did not have an ownership interest in the pharmacy. But his friend, Christopher Quintana, was a marketer for the pharmacy, Public Affairs Officer and Law Enforcement Coordinator Davilyn Walston with the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Eastern District told The Enterprise.

Rodonaia would write prescriptions based on TRICARE beneficiary personal identifier information provided to him by Quintana, who paid Rodonaia, according to information from court testimony and records provided to The Enterprise by Walston.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said Rodonaia issued more than 600 prescriptions in the names of approximately 140 patients.

Before the scheme could be detected, TRICARE paid approximately $6.7 million in TRICARE funds to Memorial Compounding Pharmacy, the release said. Further, to conceal his criminal activity, Rodonaia forged patient records to create the false appearance that he had examined those patients, and he submitted the fraudulent records to the Defense Health Agency in response to an audit.

This case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John B. Ross and Robert A. Wells prosecuted this case, the release said.

No further information was immediately available due to press time.

Mr. Rodonaias sentence is well deserved, Ganjei stated. His criminal acts inflicted significant financial harm on the TRICARE system and involved identity theft from military service members and their families. Targeting health care fraud in all its forms remains a top priority for the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Texas.

meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com

twitter.com/megzmagpie
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  Numerous members of an Orthodox synagogue are among those missing after the collapse of a seaside condominium tower in Surfside, Florida. The town is home to a large Jewish community, where the families often crowd the sidewalks before sunset as they walk to services for the Sabbath.

Rabbi Sholom D. Lipskar, the founder of the Shul of Bal Harbour, said that his community is praying for miracles as rescue teams on Friday continued to search for survivors among the rubble of the 12-story Champlain Towers South.

It definitely needs miracles ... because the circumstances are very, very grim, said Lipskar, who is a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to the area.

Lipskar could not say exactly how many members of his congregation were missing. But he said that many members of Surfsides Jewish community were unaccounted for.

Its a very large group of people, unfortunately, he said. From the synagogue, everybody knows somebody. Its like one big community, so (there were) a lot of people that lived in that building.

The Shul is located about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) north of the building that collapsed early Thursday morning, killing at least four people. Officials said Friday that 159 people are still unaccounted for.

Lipskar said the Jewish Sabbath would provide his congregation with a moment of respite to take a deep breath and gather strength as bodies begin to be recovered and identified.

This is going to be a very tough week," he said. "They just started to pull out bodies. Unfortunately, the first bodies that they took out, they were unable to identify."

According to Jewish custom, true virtue, or Chesed Shel Emes, means the entire body and all its parts, including limbs, blood and tissue, must be collected for burial.

Bodies are also not allowed to be left overnight or exposed in the open because the body is considered to be made in the image of God, so if you disrespect the body, in a way youre showing disrespect to God, said David Rose, international director of Zaka, an Israeli-based rescue and recovery organization.

His volunteer organization specializes in this painstaking work of collecting the entire body, a seemingly impossible task in disasters with mass casualties.

Usually when a person is killed, unless its an explosion, the body is complete, Rose said.

With mass casualty disasters like Thursday's collapse, they will make every effort to piece together the entire body, using DNA samples for blood and tissue, carefully collecting it from the concrete and other surfaces. In some cases, however, certain parts may not be matched to the deceased.

Everything gets collected and everything gets buried. It might not be with the person it belongs to, but thats the most important thing  that it gets buried, said Rose, whose organization has trained teams across the world on the process.

He said there are likely teams in South Florida that that are experienced in the process due to the areas large Jewish population.

The Shuls 8777 Collins Avenue Relief Fund has raised more than $500,000 for families of the victims. Lipskar said his synagogue aims to raise $1 million for housing and other expenses.

Lipskar also said that he had an excellent meeting with Gov. Ron DeSantis, who visited the Shul of Bal Harbour on Friday afternoon, and that DeSantis contributed $5,000 to the synagogues relief effort. Reporters were not allowed to attend the meeting.

Lipskar said he plans to tell his congregation during Friday evenings service to continue to be kind and to awaken their spirituality.

Thats the only thing that works during these times, he said. The brain doesnt work; the heart doesnt work. Its only the spirit that continues to have existence and continuity.

___

Henao reported from New York City. Associated Press writer Kelli Kennedy contributed to this story from Fort Lauderdale.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support from the Lilly Endowment through The Conversation U.S. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
A teen is in stable condition after being shot Wednesday in Port Arthur, but questions surround the source of his wound.

The Port Arthur Police Department said they received a report just after 10 p.m. that a 16-year-old boy had arrived at the Southeast Texas Medical Center. But they didnt give any further details about where the boy came from or any potential suspects.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  A teenage girl and her boyfriend have pleaded not guilty in Las Vegas to charges they stabbed her father to death after he forbid them from dating.

The teens entered their pleas during an arraignment in Clark County District Court on Friday morning. They face multiple charges including murder, arson and robbery.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Beverly Moran, Vanderbilt University

(THE CONVERSATION) Close your eyes and imagine a tax haven. Does a Caribbean island come to mind? Sand, surf and thousands of post office boxes housing shell corporations?

Some tax havens, like the Cayman Islands or Bermuda, fit that description. Many others do not.

The key to a tax haven is the taxes, not the tan. Any place that allows a taxpayer  whether an individual or a company  to get a lower tax bill overseas than at home is a tax haven. Thus, depending on the taxpayers jurisdiction and business, many places turn out to be tax havens, even the United States.

A recent agreement by the Group of Seven wealthy nations seeks to eliminate corporate tax havens by imposing a global 15% minimum corporate tax rate. However, as a tax expert, I find the effort hard to take seriously.

3 things that make a tax haven a tax heaven

Put simply, tax havens are jurisdictions that offer low or even no taxes in a bid to attract foreign investment.

From a taxpayers perspective, the first sign of a good tax haven is that its completely legal. While there may be a perception that people who use tax havens to lower their tax bills are breaking the law, thats rarely the case.

A taxpayer who is comfortable doing that does not need a tax haven. Instead, a dishonest accountant and a less honest banker are all thats required.

The second sign of a good tax haven is transparency, political stability and rule of law. If it costs more in lawyers, accountants and bribes to avoid taxes overseas than it costs to pay the tax at home, there is no point to a tax haven.

The third sign is privacy. For many years, Swiss banks provided the gold standard in that regard by refusing to reveal anything about their depositors to anyone. That changed in 2008, when Swiss banks agreed to report on their depositors to 43 European countries.

The loss of the complete secrecy that Switzerland once provided has made shell companies  and the countries that make them easy to set up  much more attractive. Shell companies are basically companies without active business operations or significant assets that are stacked one on top of the other to make it harder to trace ownership.

In the eye of the beholder

Identifying a tax haven isnt as simple for the governments intent on controlling them as it is for the taxpayers who seek them out. This is mainly because governments and international organizations tend to think a tax haven is somewhere other than where they live.

For example, the European Union produces an annual list of tax havens that contains no EU member countries, even though manyotherlists identify Ireland, Luxembourg and a host of other European countries as tax havens.

And while several groups have described the United States as a tax haven  Forbes even calls it the best in the world  the U.S. government would never do so, even though it fits all the key criteria, such as providing legal ways to avoid virtually all taxation and strong taxpayer privacy.

The race to the bottom

This is why the G-7 global corporate minimum 15% tax agreement is unlikely to work.

Of course, I applaud the effort. Without a minimum tax, countries are stuck in a never-ending race to the bottom, whereby every time one government cuts its corporate tax rates, another soon follows with even lower rates.

The problem is the G-7 has to get more than 130 other countries to go along with its minimum tax rate. Many countries, including Ireland and China, seem unlikely to give up something that has brought them so much economic advantage.

[Over 106,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.]

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/what-are-tax-havens-the-answer-explains-why-the-g-7-effort-to-end-them-is-unlikely-to-succeed-163125.
Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed 20 bills that were passed during this years legislative session, including two criminal justice priorities of the House speaker, legislation that would have banned tethering dogs outside with heavy chains, and a bill that would have required students to be taught about the perils of domestic violence.

The 20 bills in total that were vetoed mark the fewest made by Abbott since 2005. There were 1,073 bills passed by the Texas Legislature in total.

Abbott vetoed 13 bills authored by Democrats and seven by Republicans. Twelve of the vetoes targeted bills that originated in the House, and eight were from the Senate.

His most explosive veto came Friday when he signed the state budget but used his line-item veto to reject funding for the Texas Legislature, its staffers and legislative agencies. The move was retribution after Democrats broke quorum in the final days of the session to block the passage of Senate Bill 7, a GOP elections bill that would have overhauled voting rights in the state.

Abbotts office declined comment for this story.

Criminal justice priorities

Among the bills Abbott vetoed over the weekend was House Bill 686  which would have allowed for earlier parole eligibility for inmates convicted of certain crimes if they were younger than 18 years old when the crime was committed. The bill would have required parole panels to consider the inmates age and mental state at the time of the crime, among other factors, when determining parole eligibility.

House Bill 686 was authored by Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, and included in Republican House Speaker Dade Phelans bipartisan criminal justice priority package called Smarter Justice, Safer Texas.

In his veto statement, Abbott said that while he commends the bills author for encouraging and recognizing rehabilitation among young inmates, he felt the bill conflicted with the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, which would result in confusion and needless, disruptive litigation.

Moody and Phelan declined comment for this story.

Another House criminal justice priority bill vetoed was Senate Bill 281 by state Sen. Juan Chuy Hinojosa, D-McAllen, which called for the ban on using statements obtained through hypnosis in a criminal court. If passed, the bill would have helped bring an end to a controversial practice that law enforcement in Texas used close to 1,800 times over the course of 40 years, according to a Dallas Morning News Investigation.

Abbott said he objected to a late amendment to the bill that would have barred statements that a person makes long after the hypnosis from being used as evidence in a criminal trial. He said that change would dramatically expand its scope in an unacceptable way.

Hinojosa could not be reached for comment.

Protection for Dogs

Another bill that fell victim to Abbotts veto was Senate Bill 474, known as the Safe Outdoor Dogs Act. The bill would have made it illegal to chain up dogs and leave them without drinkable water, adequate shade or shelter. It also called for a ban on tethering dogs with heavy chains.

Im disappointed in the governor, said Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville. I don't agree with everything he does, but I respect him when it comes to quality of life and protecting life. I want to include dogs in that issue.

Abbott said Texas already has the statutes in place to protect dogs from animal cruelty, and the penalties proposed in Lucios bill seemed excessive.

Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization, he said in the veto statement.

Shelby Bobosky, executive director of Texas Humane Legislation Network, a nonprofit that lobbies in support of animal rights, said the organizations members are devastated by the veto, and the bill would have clarified the vague language that makes the statute completely unenforceable.

All the elements Governor Abbott cited as micromanagement were carefully negotiated compromises that addressed concerns from lawmakers in both parties to strike the right balance for our diverse state, she said in a statement. The passage of the bill in both chambers with overwhelming bipartisan support from rural, urban, and suburban members was the result of six years of tireless effort by THLN and all stakeholders who care for dogs inhumanely restrained outdoors.

Animal-loving Texans created the hashtag #AbbottHatesDogs on Twitter to express their disdain for the veto.

It's not a political issue with me  it's a humane issue, Lucio said. We need to do our best to take care of them.

Rural Broadband

A key issue of the legislative session was protecting and expanding broadband access particularly in rural Texas. House Bill 2667 would have provided universal service fund assistance for Texans.

Abbott named broadband access as one of his priority items for the legislative session, but he shot down the bill saying it wouldve imposed more taxes on Texans everywhere.

The bill proposed that those receiving assistance through the Texas Universal Service Fund  which helps those in the states receive basic telecommunications services  be charged a universal fee for services. An analysis of the bill stated that recent decisions from the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which funds the TUSF, has placed customers in rural areas at risk of losing telephone services or paying high costs for services.

What a lot of people dont understand is that there are still parts of Texas, including parts of the rural district that I represent, where you dont have access to internet, some areas dont have access to cell service and even some areas don't have access to landline phones, said Rep. John E. Smithee, a Republican representing the Dallas area.

He also said broadband expansion was also signed into law through other measures, such as Senate Bill 5. This established the creation of the State Broadband Development Office, designed to expand broadband internet access, through The University of Texas System.

Other bills

Abbott also vetoed Senate Bill 1109, which would have required middle school and high school students to learn about child abuse preventation, family violence and dating violence. He said in his veto explanation that he opposed the legislation because it doesnt give parents the option to opt out of instruction.

Abbott also vetoed Senate Bill 237 that would have reduced penalties for criminal trespassing by allowing police to cite and release individuals instead of arresting them. Abbott said this change would have a troubling impact on businesses and homeowners in Austin that count on criminal trespass arrests from homeless people who refuse to leave their properties. He said it would also go against making arrests in border communities.

It would allow (and tempt) agencies to categorically mandate cite-and-release for this crime, taking away an important tool for officers to keep Texans safe, Abbott wrote.

All of Abbott's veto statements that were released Monday are available here.

Disclosure: University of Texas System has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
Kim Brent / The Enterprise

The special session of the Legislature that Gov. Greg Abbott has called for July 8 is planned for other issues, but it does present an opportunity for a do-over on a few bills that the governor has already vetoed. One of them should be the Christine Blubaugh Act that would require schools to teach children about family and dating violence and child abuse.

The bill had bipartisan support, and apparently Abbott only vetoed it because it didnt allow parents to have their children opt out of the classes. We dont know why any parent would find this instruction to be offensive or controversial, and we believe that relatively few parents would choose this option. But that would be a small price to pay for getting the bill approved, so the sponsors should add that provision.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott can't catch a break. But then again, does he deserve one?

Everyone's not-so-favorite leader of the not-so-best state (depending on who you ask, of course) has vetoed 20 bills over the course of this year's legislative session, including Senate Bill 474, or the Safe Outdoor Dogs Acta bill that would make it illegal to tether dogs with heavy chains and leave them without access to drinking water, shade or shelter, among other safeguards.

TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL: Texas artist creates a festive sign, gives the bird to Texas Governor

"Texans love their dogs, so it is no surprise that our statutes already protect them by outlawing true animal cruelty," Gov. Abbott said in his veto statetment. "Yet Senate Bill 474 would compel every dog owner, on pain of criminal penalties, to monitor things like the tailoring of the dogs collar, the time the dog spends in the bed of a truck, and the ratio of tether-to-dog length, as measured from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail."

The governor added that, "Texas is no place for this kind of micro-managing and over-criminalization." I guess his disdain for micro-management doesn't extend to legislating women's bodies though, huh?

Abbott was right about one thing though: Texans love their dogs. And animal lovers everywhere wasted no time sharing their thoughts on his latest unjust action.

Similar to the #AbbottFailedTexasAgain frenzy that took over social media last week after ERCOT asked Texans to "conserve energy," "#AbbottHatesDogs" began trending on Twitter after the governor's veto.

TEXAS ON TWITTER: 'I hate it here' trends on social media as Texans react to lifted mask mandate

The @TexasDemocrats Twitter account took a moment to also take a jab at Senator Ted Cruz, who found himself in scorching hot water when he abandoned his post  and rescue poodle Snowflake  for sunny skies in Cancun while millions of Texans were left suffering in the dark and frigid cold during February's freeze.

"Greg Abbott vetoed a bill that would've ensured protection for dogs left in extreme weather conditions," the Texas Democrats account tweeted Tuesday. "In wake of this news, we're sending our best wishes to Snowflake, Ted Cruz's dog, who was left in the cold while the Senator fled for Cancun. #AbbottHatesDogs." (Yikes!)

It's safe to say: reelection is looking pretty "ruff" for the governor of Texas right about now. But at least he has air conditioning.
Protesters shout slogans during a rally calling for their right to self-determination in Papua, in Jakarta, Dec. 1, 2016.

Suspected separatist rebels killed four construction workers and were holding four people hostage in the latest burst of violence in Indonesias Papua region, police and reports said Friday, as the insurgents warned non-ethnic Papuan workers to leave conflict areas.

The incident unfolded amid a government crackdown on armed Papuan rebels and after Jakarta classified them as terrorists in the wake of the killings by insurgents of an army general, a policeman and four civilians in April.

On Thursday, around 30 suspected members of the Free Papua Movement ambushed a truck carrying construction materials for the Trans Papua Highway megaproject in Yahukimo regency, and attacked workers with arrows, axes, machetes and rifles, provincial police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said, citing witnesses.

At 3:50 [p.m.], the Yahukimo police received information from eyewitnesses that there had been shootings of people in Bingky village, Kamal said in a statement.

The four people killed were workers at a bridge project, which is part of the 4,300-km- (2,672- mile-) long highway. They were identified as Suardi, Sudarto, Idin, and Saiful, Kamal said.

Our team is on the way to the scene. It is far from the main town [of Dekai] in Yahukimo and can take four hours by road, he said.

Indonesian-language reports published on Friday by local news outlets the Voice of Indonesia and Detik quoted Kamal as saying the rebels had also taken four hostages.

A spokesman for the military in Papua  a region at the far-eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago where a separatist insurgency has simmered since the 1960s  said the attack was a deliberate attempt to sabotage the construction of the megaproject initiated by the government of President Joko Jokowi Widodo.

This latest attack was reminiscent of a December 2018 strike when insurgents shot dead at least 20 workers who were building a bridge for the same highway project in Nduga regency. Violence has bubbled over in the region ever since.

These are terrorists who dont want Papua to be developed and prosperous and make civilians victims of their acts of terror, military spokesman Col. I Gusti Nyoman Suriastawa said, adding that security forces were hunting the attackers.

The National Liberation Army of West Papua, the armed wing of the Free Papua Movement, did not claim responsibility for Thursdays attack, but urged migrants from other parts of Indonesia to exit conflict areas of Papua at once.

Whether you are construction workers, motorcycle taxi drivers, any profession, leave the war zones immediately, especially Puncak, Intan Jaya, Ndugama, Yahukimo and Pegunungan Bintang Mountains, Sebby Sambom, the armed wings spokesman, said in a statement when the media asked about Thursdays violence.

Dont listen to the TNI and police who said that civilians will not be victimized. Theres no guarantee. The TNI and Polri are deceiving you. If you die, its your familys loss, he said, using the Indonesian acronym for the military.

Military spokesman Suriastawa had urged the public to ignore a similar call from Sambom earlier this month, saying security forces would protect all Papuans from the insurgents.

Have identified armed terrorists in Papua

Meanwhile, a spokesman for a joint police and military operation codenamed Nemangkawi, said that security forces had arrested 11 rebels and killed four others between May and June 12.

We have identified armed terrorists in Papua, their network and the location of their camps. Its just a matter of time, the operations spokesman M. Iqbal Alqudussy said in a statement on Friday.

President Jokowi had ordered security forces to intensify operations against the rebels after a spate of violence in April.

Cahyo Pamungkas, a researcher on Papua at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences, said crackdowns and the use of force were not the best way to deal with separatist groups.

What the government is dealing with are groups who want independence. From the outset it should have sent negotiators, not security forces, Cahyo told BenarNews.

Besides, the increase in violence in Papua has seriously affected the people in the province, he said.

The government should initiate a humanitarian pause and then start dialogue with [armed] groups, Cahyo said.

In 1963, Indonesian forces invaded the Papua region  which makes up the western half of New Guinea Island  and annexed it.

Many Papuans and rights groups said the 1969 vote, known as the Act of Free Choice, was a sham because it involved only about 1,000 people. However, the United Nations accepted the result, which essentially endorsed Indonesias rule.
A man walks between solar panels at a solar power plant under construction in Aksu, in Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, April 5, 2012.

A solar power company from China has agreed to invest $10 billion in Malaysia over 15 years, as Chinese firms look to Southeast Asia to expand production and avoid obstacles put in by Western countries, a business leader said Friday.

Chinese firms favor doing business in Southeast Asia over countries in other corners of the globe because of synergy with Beijings One Belt, One Road (OBOR) projects in the region, said Tan Yew Sing, president of the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce.

China is keen to work in Malaysia because the United States and Western countries are putting more obstacles for China to invest there. They are looking into ASEAN countries, the Middle East, and Africa, Tan told BenarNews, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Of the three regions, ASEAN is still their favorite, especially because of the One Belt One Road policy, he added.

On Thursday, the Malaysian government announced that solar power giant Risen Energy Co. Ltd, a private Chinese company, would invest 42.2 billion ringgit (U.S. $10.1 billion) from 2021 until 2035 in its first major plant in Southeast Asia. It will be located in northern Kedah state.

The Chinese firms investment was timely for Malaysia, which has been struggling to attract foreign direct investment, said Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, director of the Malaysia office of political consultancy firm Bower Group Asia.

The federal government has been previously criticized for its failure to bring in FDI, Asrul told BenarNews. FDI in Malaysia fell 56 percent in 2020, according to government data.

The Chinese companys solar project investment, coming on top of Beijings donation of 500,000 doses of the Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine, will further strengthen the Sino-Malaysian relationship, he said.

Also on Thursday, the United States announced that it was halting imports from a major Chinese producer of polysilicon, Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. Ltd, over the alleged use of Uyghurs as forced laborers in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Washington also blacklisted units of three other Chinese companies, some of which are major producers of monocrystalline silicon and polysilicon used in solar-panel production.

More than 90 percent of all solar panels producing electricity need polysilicon  the purified variant of the grey silicon metal made of quartz  and four of the worlds five largest producers of polysilicon are based in China, according to Bernreuter Research, a German research firm.

Statements by Malaysias prime minister and the minister of International Trade and Industry did not say from where Risen Energys Malaysian factory would get polysilicon. But they said the Chinese company would manufacture solar  or photovoltaic  cells and solar panels under its Malaysian subsidiary, Risen Solar Technology Sdn Bhd.

BenarNews contacted the Prime Ministers Office for details but it did not immediately respond, while the Ministry of International Trade referred the news service to a public statement on the investment.

Six other solar power companies are operational in Malaysia, three of which are Chinese.

Malaysia has abundant raw materials

Meanwhile, a trade ministry source, who asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to talk to reporters, told BenarNews that construction on Risen Energys Malaysian facility had begun.

Construction of the new facility is scheduled to be completed by years end and become operational by the first quarter of 2022, said a statement from Mohamed Azmin Ali, the minister of International Trade and Industry.

The facility is expected to have an annual production capacity of three gigawatts (3GW) of high-efficiency photovoltaic (solar) modules for the first five years to meet growing global demand, Azmin said. It is also expected to create 3,000 jobs over 15 years.

Azmins office told BenarNews that technical experts from China would be brought into Malaysia for training purposes, once the facility is ready.

Xie Jian, chairman and president of Risen Energy Co. Ltd., said the firm chose Malaysia because of its strategic location in Southeast Asia.

Further, Malaysia has abundant raw materials, [a] high quality of human resources, and harmonious ethnic relations whereby people get along well, the statement from the trade ministry quoted him as saying.

Noah Lee in Kuala Lumpur also contributed to this report.
One of the three officers convicted of killing Kian Lloyd delos Santos, 17, is escorted by police outside the Regional Trial Court in suburban Caloocan City, Philippines, Nov. 29, 2018.

The new Philippine National Police chief said Friday that officers could not be forced to wear body cameras, despite mounting calls from human rights groups for accountability involving thousands of extrajudicial killings linked to the governments war on drugs.

Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, who took command of the police in May, acknowledged that the cameras could help promote transparency amid questionable deaths in officer-involved shootings.

Still, there is no law that requires us to wear bodycams, he told journalists during an online news conference with members of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Earlier this month, Eleazar said he intended to distribute about 2,000 cameras to 171 police units after citizens anti-crime groups and rights organizations had complained about suspects or civilians dying in alleged shootouts with the police.

Units in major cities had received the first batch of cameras and these units are not allowed to share them with other officers, he said at the time, adding that about 600 officers had been trained to use them.

Officers often cite nanlaban  a Tagalog term meaning the suspect put up a fight, forcing police to draw their firearms.

Eleazars statement came shortly after the International Criminal Courts outgoing chief prosecutor asked for an investigation into President Rodrigo Dutertes drug war, which rights groups said has led to about 30,000 deaths while the government places the figure at nearly 8,000.

The prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, said there was a reasonable basis to believe that the crime against humanity of murder was committed in the Philippines between July 2016, when Duterte took office, and March 2019. She released a report asking for a full investigation into the presidents drug war on the day before she finished her nine-year term.

Information obtained by the prosecution suggests that state actors, primarily members of the Philippine security forces, killed thousands of suspected drug users and other civilians during official law enforcement operations, Bensouda said at the time.

Duterte has said he would never submit to the court. On Monday, he insisted that those killed in the drug war were suspects who fought back.

The ICC is bullshit, he said Monday.

Following Bensoudas request, an ex-mayor suspected of being a drug lord was shot and killed on June 17 while being transported to Manila a day after he was arrested. Police alleged that Montasser Sabal, the former mayor of Talitay, grabbed an officers gun, leading to the shooting.

On June 16, a teenage boy was among two killed near Manila after police alleged that the pair pulled a gun on officers.

Speaking to the reporters organization on Friday, Eleazar clarified that special police units such as the anti-narcotics office are not covered by an initial Supreme Court resolution requiring the use of body cameras when serving warrants. That resolution was tabled in March but a final formal order has not been issued.

The use was recommended by lawmakers after Kian Lloyd delos Santos, 17, was killed by Caloocan police officers in a bogus anti-drug operation in 2017.

Despite that recommendation, former national police Drug Enforcement Group chief Joseph Adnol said officers do not need cameras because they have God watching over them.

Calls for body cameras renewed after off-duty policeman Hensie Zinampan was captured on mobile phone video allegedly fatally shooting Lilybeth Valdez, 52, at close range in suburban Quezon City on May 31.

He has since been arrested and fired from the police department.

Carlos Conde, the Philippines researcher for Human Rights Watch, told BenarNews that this highlighted the need for police body cameras.

While cameras alone wont stop police abuses, they bring a measure of transparency during police operations, Conde said.
Officials from across the political aisle joined thousands of ordinary Filipinos in paying their last respects Friday to former President Benigno Noynoy Aquino III, a son of democracy icons who followed his parents into politics in the post-Marcos Philippines.

Aquino, who as president led his country to victory in 2016 in a landmark international arbitration case against Beijings expansive claims to the South China Sea, and whose administration negotiated a peace deal with separatist Muslim rebels in the south, died in his sleep on Thursday of complications from a lingering illness. He was 61.

Rodrigo Duterte, the current president who had harshly criticized his predecessor, said Aquino gave his best to serve the Filipino people, as he declared 10 days of national mourning. Aquino died of renal disease secondary to diabetes, his family said.

Tributes have poured in from abroad.

United States President Joe Biden said Aquino was a valued friend who would be remembered for serving with integrity and selfless dedication.

President Aquinos steadfast commitment to advancing peace, upholding the rule of law, and driving economic growth for all Filipinos, while taking bold steps to promote rules-based international order, leaves a remarkable legacy at home and abroad that will endure for years to come, Biden said in a statement from the White House.

On Friday in Metro Manila, thousands of people lined up to pay their respects to Aquino during a wake for the Philippines 15th president at a Catholic Church in Quezon City.

Among those attending the wake of the former leader nicknamed PNoy or Nonoy was Delfin Lorenzana, the defense chief in Dutertes government.

He credited Aquino for working hard to modernize the countrys military.

As Commander-in-Chief, he recognized the importance of equipping our military to better respond to the evolving domestic and regional security challenges, Lorenzana said.

At intervals throughout the day, the armed forces fired cannons at all military camps in honor of Aquino.

Many of the mourners wore yellow, the Aquino familys symbolic color.

On Saturday, an urn with Aquino's ashes will be brought to the Manila Memorial Park in suburban Paranaque city, where it will be laid next to his parents resting places.

His mother, Corazon Aquino, who died in 2009, led the 1986 Peoples Power Revolution that brought down longtime dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, and served as the country's first president in the post-Marcos era.

Aquinos father, former Sen. Beningo Aquino Jr., a leading critics of the Marcoses, was assassinated at Manilas international airport upon his return from exile abroad in 1983. The airport is now named in his memory.


This effort will raise donations to help Central Oregons creative artists  musicians, visual artists, performers and creative workers  by offering grants and a platform to bring attention to the talent that needs help to continue thriving in this community throughout the pandemic and beyond.

More Info
If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us

We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom.
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.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
This Oct. 1, 2020 photo shows wind turbines at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority plant in Atlantic City, N.J. On Tuesday, June 15, 2021, New Jersey lawmakers advanced a proposed law that would fast track offshore wind energy projects by pre-empting local controls over power lines and other onshore infrastructure associated with them.
Three major Massachusetts hospital systems say they will require all employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, even those who do not have direct contact with patients
If you watch the new four-episode Netflix docuseries, "This is a Robbery: The World's Biggest Art Heist," which being released on the streaming service April 7, you may recognize some of the scenes and actors in the series' reenactments.
Tony Dobrowolski's main focus is on business reporting. He came to The Eagle in 1992 after previously working for newspapers in Connecticut and Montreal. He can be reached at tdobrowolski@berkshireeagle.com or 413-2810-2755.
Amanda Burke can be reached at aburke@berkshireeagle.com, on Twitter @amandaburkec and 413-496-6296.
You are the owner of this article.
ADAMS  Before a large crowd Thursday morning, descendants of Susan B. Anthony and members of the Adams Suffrage Centennial Celebration Committee hoisted black sheets off an 8-foot-tall statue commemorating the pioneer in the womens suffrage movement.

Local and state lawmakers and county residents gathered on the newly renovated Adams Town Common to reflect on Anthonys impact and celebrate her memory, in a celebration delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Anthony was born in Adams on Feb. 15, 1820, and lived with her family in town for six years.

Those [years], in this community, gave her the foundation to rise up and be the strong woman that we know and will always remember, said Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, the keynote speaker for the celebration.

[They] were critical to her future and to our future.

The statue was commissioned by the Suffrage Centennial Celebration Committee and installed last year to mark Anthonys 200th birthday. It depicts Anthony delivering the Declaration of the Rights of the Women of the United States outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 4, 1876. A 6-year-old version of the activist sits below her, reading a book.

The idea for me was that, as a child, you read books that enable you as an adult to speak meaningfully, said sculptor Brian Hanlon. Thats the message I really want to transcend in this piece.

Leaders celebrated efforts to raise money for the statue and the park renovation, including $300,000 in donations raised from the community, a Parkland Acquisitions and Renovations for Communities grant, and $50,000 procured by the state delegation.

Were very grateful for our partnership that we have with the commonwealth to assist towns like Adams being able to achieve projects that are frankly beyond our capabilities, Town Administrator Jay Green said as he introduced the towns new green space, including renovated walkways, benches and year-round Christmas tree.

State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, recalled going to the chair of the states Ways and Means committee to push for funding.

I said, I really need $50,000 for a statute back in Adams,  Barrett told the crowd. Recognizing what it meant and what it was all about, not just to the town of Adams but the entire state of Massachusetts.

State Sen. Adam Hinds, who also worked to secure money for the project, asked the audience to consider how they would regard Susan B. Anthony in the present day.

Shes basically an activist, said the Pittsfield Democrat. Shes out there saying, Hey, this is unequal, there are flaws in our democracy, and there are flaws in our society. Would we be revering her today?

The lesson, Hinds added, is to listen when you have folks who are saying, Wait a second, we have a problem, we need to do something about it. 

He also pointed to Anthonys work as an abolitionist, in light of bills moving through statehouses across the country that would have a disproportionate impact on people of colors ability to vote.

Were watching a lot of states going backward on voting rights, he said. So, thats another reminder in my head that heres someone who stood up for voting rights and racial equity.

In line with Anthonys work, women were at the heart of Thursdays celebration. When she spoke, Adams Select Board member Christine Hoyt asked local female leaders to rise, including Town Clerk Haley Meczywor, Town Moderator Myra Wilk and North Adams City Councilor Lisa Blackmer, among others, to celebrate their contributions.

The last two national election cycles, it was not lost on me that I was able to stand in the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony and see the names of women on the ballot for the highest offices in this country, she said.

When Im in the voters booth, I think of Susans work, and the many women who came after who paved the way for myself, and other women, who serve in an elected position.

In her remarks, Polito applauded the work that the town did to put up the statue.

At some point, there were a few of you that got together and said, how important would it be to make sure that Susan B. Anthony was forever remembered, honored and celebrated here in this town? Polito said. You got it done, and its a huge credit to you.

Almost 101 years after the U.S. adopted the 19th Amendment, Polito pointed to the massive turnout of women in the previous election as proof of how far the country has come: More than half of nearly 160 million voters in the 2020 presidential election were women.

The reason this matters is because womens voices matter, she said. They matter on your local board. They matter in elected positions.  Our voices and perspectives make a difference.
San Francisco will mandate that city workers must be vaccinated once a vaccine receives full federal approval. In Massachusetts, some hospitals have also said they will lay down the same requirement, though in the Berkshires, Berkshire Health Systems has yet to make a decision about a mandate.
Francesca Paris is The Eagle's data and public records reporter. She was previously the North Adams reporter. A California native and Williams College alumna, she has worked at NPR in Washington, D.C. and WBUR in Boston. Find her on Twitter at @fparises.
Dalton Delan can be followed on Twitter @UnspinRoom. He has won Emmy, Peabody and duPont-Columbia awards for his work as a television producer.
A dispute that has embroiled West Stockbridge was created when the town closed the Harris Street bridge to traffic and converted it to a footbridge, essentially landlocking Truc Orient Express with private property. The parties have reached an agreement to settle the problem until a permanent solution is found.
@facebook.com/northeastberksnews/

Lisa Mitchell is an editor for Berks-Mont Newspapers, covering news and events in the Northeast Berks County area.
"As always, I denounce racism and I would ask us, as a board, to make a stand against it."

 Melody McWherter, Boyertown School Board Vice President

Pull Quote
Rapper and actor Ludacris is becoming a dad once again!

The Fast and Furious star is expecting his fourth child and the second with his wife, Eudoxie Bridges. During an appearance on TODAY on Wednesday (June 23), he shared that the couple has decided to wait until the delivery to find out the gender of their youngest child.

When asked by Al Roker if he was hoping for the baby to be a boy, Luda gave a heartfelt response.

RELATED: Ludacris and Eudoxie Expecting Second Child

I will be happy with whatever the Most High wants to give me, he shared. We don't know the sex of the child. We're gonna wait until the day. It's like one of the only things that's left to just be unpredictable these days, and it's exciting.

He also spoke about being the father to all girls; he shares his daughter Candace, 5, with Bridges and has daughters Cai, 6, and Karma, 13, from previous relationships.

There's so many great things that have happened from me being a girl dad, he said. One in particular, I have a Netflix series called 'Karma's World' that comes out at the end of this fall, and it's literally to enrich and empower young girls.
Former Bad Boy rapper Shyne is now one of Belizes most powerful politicians.

Shyne was appointed leader of Belizes conservative opposition party last week, less than a year after being elected to the countrys House of Representatives, Slate reports.

The former Diddy protege was officially sworn in Thursday (June 24).

Shyne (legal name Moses Barrow) was born in Belize City in 1978. His father became leader of the countrys United Democratic Party in 1998, the same year that Shyne was signed to Bad Boy in Brooklyn, and later became the countrys first Black prime minister in 2008. After his imprisonment, Shyne was deported back to Belize, and was appointed the countrys musical goodwill ambassador.

RELATED: Rapper Shyne Elected To Belize House Of Representatives

Shyne posted on Instagram announcing his new position.

Officially Sworn in as Leader of the Opposition for Belize! Thank God for the perseverance and iron will to continue on to this point despite all challenges and difficulties. Thanks to my family, my Mesopotamia Constituents and my Opposition colleagues in the House of Representatives whose trust and confidence in me has put me in this position to receive this responsibility and privilege of a lifetime to serve as Leader of the Opposition.

He also said, This moment in history will forever serve as an inspiration to all people from all backgrounds especially the youth, the disadvantaged the impoverished, that there is nothing beyond their reach.
Five police officers at the University of Washington in Seattle have filed a lawsuit alleging a racist work environment. The Black officers say the University of Washington Police Department encouraged a racist work environment that was unbearable, The New York Times reports. Their claims of damage total $8 million.

Officer Russell Ellis told the Times he has had difficulty sleeping at night, and was filled with anxiety about going to work because of the egregious racial bullying and humiliation he faced. One example Ellis shared is that when he declined a watermelon flavored energy drink his supervisor offered, the supervisor laughed and mocked him saying, I thought all you guys like watermelon and Popeye's chicken.

According to local station KOMO, other officers allege similar, unacceptable treatment. In the damage claim, one officer, Damien Taylor said a white supervisor referred to him as (his) own negro during a call and said he was laughed at when he confronted him over it. Another officer, Karinn Young said in the claim, "a banana was put in front of my locker with a note reading, 'Here's your lunch, you ******* monkey.' "

The officers say University of Washington Police Chief John Vinson, a Black man, faced continual criticism by the white officers on staff claiming that he hired too many Black people.

Racism in every form must be addressed and eliminated, both in policing and from our community, so all of us can live without fear of discrimination, says a statement on the University of Washington Police Departments website. We will not just be by-standers. It starts with internal discussions, community meetings, further educating ourselves and making active and open stands against racism.

Officials with the university said that administrators were unaware of the allegations in the lawsuits claims and that an investigation would be moving forward.



Any one of the incidents described here would prompt an immediate investigation and appropriate disciplinary action based on the investigations findings, Victor Balta, a U-W spokesperson said in a statement.



The officers involved were required to file their claims as a legal step before an actual lawsuit was filed.
Nearly a year ago, the city of Newark, New Jersey removed a statue of Christopher Columbus and now a design has been revealed for the new structure, a monument to Harriet Tubman.

On June 17, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement, It is only fitting that we memorialize Tubmans heroic efforts leading enslaved Africans to freedom via the Underground Railroad at this time of year when we celebrate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

He also told CBS News Tubman replacing Columbus was "poetic.

The new monument was designed by Nina Cooke John and will be installed next summer in Newarks Washington Park, which is to be renamed Tubman Square.

RELATED: Harriet Tubman Will Reportedly Not Be On The $20 Bill By 2020 And People Are Furious

John also said in a statement, "As a woman, a Black woman, and mother of three girls, I am delighted to bring my memorial for Harriet Tubman to life in Newark. My design creates a welcoming space for people to connect with Tubman as well as interact and reflect on their own liberation from whatever weight they might be carrying. This is a monument for the community and by the community."

Below is an image of the design:
A former Houston megachurch pastor who pleaded guilty to defrauding the vulnerable and elderly last year has begun his prison sentence.

ABC13 Houston reports that Kirbyjon H. Caldwell is serving his sentence at a low-security federal prison in Beaumont, TX, where he was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday (June 22). The 67-year-old was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud and defrauding investors.

Caldwell is the former senior pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, a 14,000-member megachurch. He once served as a spiritual advisor to presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

RELATED: Houston Megachurch Pastor Kirbyjon H. Caldwell Pleads Guilty to Selling Over $1M In Phony Chinese Bonds

In March 2020, Caldwell and financial planner Gregory Alan Smith were federally indicted of wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to sell over $1 million of phony Chinese bonds. According to ABC13, Houston, Caldwell, and Smith sold nearly $3.5 million in worthless pre-revolutionary Chinese bonds to the elderly and other vulnerable investors.

In a January statement, Acting U.S. Attorney Van Hook said, This defendant used his status as the pastor of a megachurch to help convince the many victim investors that they were making a legitimate investment but instead he took their hard-earned money from them and used it for his own personal gain.

Religion News Service reports Caldwell was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $3,588,500, along with a fine of $125,000.
A white man in Indiana has been sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after he plead guilty to racist harassment and intimidation toward his Black neighbor last summer.

On Friday (June 18), Shepherd Hoehn was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson to 46 months in prison for making racially-motivated threats to intimidate and interfere with his neighbor and unlawfully possessing firearms. The former crime violates the criminal provision of the Fair Housing Act.

According to WRTV, the 51-year-old Indianapolis man was charged last year after burning a cross, displaying a swastika and a sign with numerous racial slurs toward his neighbors property. He also threw eggs at the neighbors house and repeatedly played the song Dixie.

RELATED: Woman Charged With Hate Crime For Calling 911 On Black Amazon Driver

The harassment stemmed from his neighbors removing a tree on their property, court documents reveal.

Hoehn admitted to the FBI he was enraged over the tree removal and wanted to make his neighbors miserable, WRTV reports.

In February, Hoehn pled guilty to all acts of harassment.

Every person in the United States has the right to live in their home free from the threat of violence based on race, Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general for the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, stated, according to WRTV. The federal government will not tolerate, and will prosecute to the fullest extent the law allows, the sort of race-based threat that this defendant engaged in. We will continue fighting against racially motivated conduct, too often used to drive people from their homes and their communities.

Mr. Hoehn was held responsible for his vile conduct, Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress, of the Southern District of Indiana, said. We are a diverse nation, bound together by shared values and beliefs. We are also a nation of laws. Those like Mr. Hoehn who would betray our shared values and beliefs through behavior such as this rightly suffer the penalties our laws prescribe.

In addition to prison time, Hoehn will have three years of supervised release.
HarperCollins Publishers released Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s first book more than 60 years ago. Now, Dr. Kings literary archive has reached an international agreement for HarperCollins Publishers for further access to his work.

According to the Associated Press, the manager of King's estate, Eric Tidwell, said in a statement, The King Estate is pleased to return the publishing rights to Dr. Kings literary archive to his original publisher. Dr. Kings prophetic message of peace, hope, love and equality continue to impact the world today. That message is needed now more than ever. We look forward to utilizing HarperCollins global footprint to continue the perpetuation of Dr. Kings wonderful legacy through new creative literary projects.

RELATED: 8 Things About Martin Luther King Jr. That May Surprise You

HarperCollins HarperOne Group division is planning an annual reissue of Dr. Kings I Have a Dream speech with a new introduction each year from a contemporary writer.

In 1958, HarperCollins, which was then known as Harper & Brothers, released Kings first book Stride Toward Freedom.
On Thursday (July 24), renewed promises were made by officials in Haiti that the country of more than 11 million people would receive its first coronavirus vaccine as it reels from a spike in the disease.

According to Yahoo News, Pan American Health Organizations Margherita Ghiselli said vaccinations would start very soon,'' but did not specify exactly when doses would arrive.

Originally, Haiti was slated to receive around 756,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine last month as part of the United Nations COVAX program, however government officials were concerned about the vaccines potential side effects and waste of them due to the lack of infrastructure to keep them refrigerated.

Robert Barrais, with Haitis Ministry of Public Health, said during the meeting hospitalizations have almost doubled and that the country is still in the pandemics critical phase.

RELATED: COVID-19 In 2021: The Latest Updates, Facts And News Impacting The Global Black Community

The fact that we dont have vaccines yet, that explains the current situation we have in the country, Barrais said, according to Yahoo News.

The announcement of potential new doses arriving comes after officials announced that some 130,000 doses were supposed to arrive in mid-June. That shipment was delayed for unknown reasons.

Even if doses do arrive, however, its unclear whether the majority of Haitians will get inoculated. During the Thursday meeting, Ronald Jean-Jacques, a professor at Haitis State University, presented a survey of over 5,300 Haitians in which more than 60 percent said they would not get the vaccine, and an additional 10 percent said they had not even heard of a COVID-19 vaccine.

We're always going to have people who don't want the vaccine, said David Fitter, an official with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Vice President Kamala Harris has used her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border since taking office to call for an end to political rhetoric and infighting over immigration, an issue that Republicans have been eager to weaponize against her
Call ahead to confirm events. Due to COVID-19, many events have been canceled but hosting organizations might not have updated their entries.

Email Blast Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Daily News Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a digest of each day's headlines & events from The Daily News by email? Signup today! The Amplifier Headlines & Events Email Blast Would you like to receive a weekly digest of headlines & events from The Amplifier by email? Signup today! Daily News Hosted Events The Daily News is a proud host of community enrichment events. Join our Daily News Events mailing list to learn about the next event we are planning. Sign up now. Manage your lists
Spearfish, SD (57783)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High around 95F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Of all the ominous characters described in the book of Revelation, Abaddonalso known as Apollyonis one of the most menacing. This demonic being lives up to his name, which means destruction. He arrives on the scene in the Final Days and is introduced as one of Satans high-ranking officials, a fallen angel who rules over the Abyss. Abaddons subjects, a horde of demonic creatures who are equipped to torment humans, usher in the fifth wave of trumpet judgments described in the apostle Johns apocalyptic vision.

This is the beginning of the end in which Satan and his demonic forces will be unleashed. He will be permitted to take those who reject Christ as King during the cleansing of the whole earth to make way for a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1), says Candace Lucey in What Is the Apollyon?

What Is the Meaning of Abaddon in the Old Testament?

In the Old Testament, we catch a glimpse of the word Abaddon in five placesthree times in the book of Job (Job: 26:6; 28:22; 31:12), once in the Psalms (Psalms 88:11), and once in Proverbs (Proverbs 15:11). Each of these brief occurrences describes Abaddon as a unique place of destruction associated with the realm of the dead.

Some biblical researchers believe there are indirect New Testament passages that refer to the locale of Abaddon, without specifically naming that place. Unlike Sheol, which Scripture characterizes as an intermediate site for unregenerate humanity after death, these researchers believe that Abaddon is a separate realm where fallen angels are incarcerated until Gods appointed time of judgment.

And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwellingthese he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day (Jude 1:6).

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; (2 Peter 2:4).

Whether or not these researchers have correctly interpreted the fallen angels prison as Abaddon, one thing is certain according to the Old Testament; Abaddon is a supernatural realm set apart for destruction and those who cause destruction.

Who is Abaddon (Apollyon) in the New Testament?

The New Testament helps us identify the ruler over the realm of Abaddon in Revelation 9. This fallen angel, with the same name as his realm, is introduced after the fifth trumpet of judgment is blown. Those on earth during the Tribulation period witness the horrific events that follow. A star falls from heaven and releases a horde of demonic locust-like creatures from the smoke-filled Abyss. These creatures are then commissioned to torture everyone on earth who has received the mark of the Beast (Revelation 9:1-10).

Abaddon, whose Greek name is Apollyon, is revealed as the angel of the Abyss and the king of the tormenting locusts (Revelation 9:11). Its debated as to whether Abaddons identity is that of Satan himself, but we know the fallen angel cannot be Satan because our enemy has not yet been sentenced to Hell or any such confined space. Instead, the Bible tells us that Satan currently roams the earth, seeking whom he may devour (John 14:30, 1 Peter 5:8, Ephesians 2:2).

However, according to Revelation 20:1-7, it seems that Satan will eventually be locked and sealed in the realm of Abaddon for a thousand years prior to His final sentence, where he will be cast into the lake of fire once and for all.

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended.

What Is the Role of Abaddon (Apollyon) during End Time Events?

At Gods appointed time and at His command, Abaddon is the one who fulfills the fifth wave of trumpet judgment that will overtake the earth during the Tribulation. He uses his locust subjects as a tool of mass destruction to accomplish this purpose.

These locusts under Abaddons rule are not the same crop-destroying insects that live in infamy on Earth. In fact, they are instructed not to bother with the grass or trees [when they are released] but to, instead, swarm against humans. They are given five months in which to torment people with pain like that of a scorpion bite. The Bible says it will be such agony that people will long for death but not be able to find it, explains Lori Stanley Roeleveld in What Do Locusts Symbolize in the Bible?

Scripture gives detailed information about the demon-locusts horrific appearance and their destructive powers. The apostle Johnwho received the End Times revelation from God, then recorded it for Believers throughout the ages to readdescribed the supernatural creatures using vivid language and his own limited comparisons when translating the vision. But these demons were likely beyond anything humans can comprehend this side of Heaven.

John describes the tormenting creatures as locusts with human faces, long flowing hair, and sharp teeth. They were dressed in breastplates of iron and looked like horses prepped for battle. They wore crowns of gold on their heads, and the sound of their wings in flight was a thunderous noise that resembled a team of horses rushing into battle. The locusts had the power to torment people for five months, using their scorpion-like tails to sting anyone who bore the mark of the Antichrist. Once stung, a victim would suffer to the point of longing for death but would be unable to receive the comfort of the grave (Revelation 9:7-10).

Although Abaddon and his minions inflict unspeakable pain upon unsaved humanity during this period, God is still in control. Abaddon will not be permitted to completely destroy humanity. The role of this fallen angel is defined and ordained by God along with all the other powers of Hell subject to Gods sovereign will.

Why Should Christians Know about This?

If those who have not received the mark of the Beast are exempt from the torture involved in the fifth trumpet judgment, why should Believers be concerned with knowing the gory details outlined in Revelation nine?

First, we should keep in mind that even if we know Jesus as our personal Savior, many of our friends and family do not  We want to help as many souls as possible to come and know our Savior prior to these events, explains Hope Bolinger in Who Is Abaddon in the Bible?

Now more than ever it is important that Believers waste no time in presenting the Good News to those around usespecially those we love. As time draws to an end, the clock is an ever-present reminder of our duty and honor to lead others to Christ. Their eternal security depends upon it, and Christians have been given this great commission as a way to honor Jesus and reveal His glory to the world at large.

The tragic events revealed in Johns end-times visions prove to be a sobering reminder to believers that destruction lies ahead for anyone who has not placed their hope in Jesus. This should motivate us to shout from the rooftops the Way of salvation.

Another important thing to consider when wondering whether the End Times study is important is the fact that the Bible tells us that all Scripture is given by God for a purpose. God wants to teach, rebuke, correct, and train believers in righteousness through His Word, so that we can be complete and fully equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16,17).

God included the details of the fifth trumpet judgment, and every other prophecy, in Scripture to give His children insight into the future events and to shine the light of truth on who He is. In fact, Scripture tells us that those who read the prophesies contained in the book of Revelation are blessed. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near (Revelation 1:3).

As long as we dont become fixated in and hyper-concerned with setting dates, and over-conceptualizing the End Times according to our own limited understanding, a healthy study of the book of Revelation will enrich every believers faith.

When we take the time to weed through, study and consider all the complexities of the strange and terrifying last book of the Bible, we see that it points back to the redemptive thread woven through the entire fabric of Scripture. Gods redemptive work comes into full view in the book of Revelation and completes the circle of mercy and grace that began in Genesis at the fall of man.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Luke Dray/Stringer

Annette Marie Griffin is an award-winning author and speaker who has managed and directed childrens and youth programs for more than 20 years. Her debut childrens book, What Is A Family? released through Familius Publishing in 2020. Annette has also written curriculum for character growth and development of elementary-age children and has developed parent training seminars to benefit the community. Her passion is to help wanderers find home. She and her husband have five childrenthree who have already flown the coop and two adopted teens still roosting at homeplus two adorable grands who add immeasurable joy and laughter to the whole flock.
Witchcraft has had an influence in cultures of old and in our culture now. It is very easy to look past it because it is not always evident, and many times it gets dressed up to be something that its not. Yet we need to be on guard and sound the alarm concerning what the Bible says about witchcraft.

If you are not familiar with this topic, then use this as an introduction into what witchcraft is and why you must guard against it. You will discover that you can be infected by this in ways you may not think about.

What Exactly Is Witchcraft?

While this word may have different meanings in different cultures, at its core witchcraft is the attempt to manipulate the environment, circumstances, or situations through mystical or spiritual means. In Bible times this was done using what were often called mediums or spiritists. Within this definition there are two words I want you to focus on regarding witchcraft.

Manipulation  This is all about influence, usually in an unfair manner.

Spiritual means  When you call on assistance that steps outside of your realm of ability. In the case of spiritists and mediums, this is demonic assistance.

When you put it all together, witchcraft is trying to insert influence with demonic assistance into a situation. This is the danger of witchcraft.

Are There Harmless Forms of Witchcraft?

The answer is flat out no. Anything that has demonic influence is not harmless. Unfortunately, the way witchcraft is often presented to the world, it can mistakenly be seen as harmless. Think of the many childrens cartoons that incorporate magic and witchcraft into them, making it seem perfectly innocent and normal.

There is no such thing as a harmless form of witchcraft. This includes tarot cards, horoscopes, Ouija boards, or anything else that aligns with witchcraft, regardless of how unassuming it may seem. There is no harmless form of witchcraft. It is a deception that Satan uses to draw the unsuspecting in. Remember Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).

What Does the Bible Say about Witchcraft?

Witchcraft is nothing new; it has been around for centuries. The Bible is clear about its position on witchcraft, and you will find many warnings in the scriptures against it. Here are two.

Do not practice divination or seek omens (Leviticus 19:26).

When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices their son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord; because of these same detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

Gods opinion about these things is quite evident  they are detestable to him. In case you were wondering, this word detestable can also mean abomination, which is something that God loathes or hates.





Photo credit: Unsplash/Dan Farrell

Is Practicing Witchcraft a Sin?

I am sure you know that the answer to this question is yes, but I want you to understand why. Look at what God told the people of Israel.

Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:31).

The reason God wants you to stay away from these things is because they will defile you. If you practice witchcraft, it will taint you, pollute you and if you allow it to continue in your life it will ultimately destroy you. God took this very seriously and so should you. Consider how God dealt with those who practiced witchcraft.

I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people (Leviticus 20:6).

A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads (Leviticus 20:27).

God understands the danger of witchcraft, and He also knows the threat it poses to you and his strong warning is to stay far away for your own good.

Is This Still Relevant for Us Today?

People may wonder if this is still a concern for today, leading them to ask should we be worried about witchcraft now? While there are blatant forms of witchcraft still being practiced today, many times it can be more subtle. This causes many not to recognize the danger or pay attention to the forms that witchcraft takes in our modern society such as horoscopes, tarot cards, etc.

There are two things about witchcraft that we dont think about that can potentially affect us.

1. Rebellion is witchcraft

For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23).

The greatest example of witchcraft we see currently comes through rebellion. Remember witchcraft is when you seek to manipulate through spiritual means. Rebellion is like witchcraft because in essence you are following another spirit to do or get what you want. When you are engaged in rebellion, you are following after your own spirit to pursue your own desires. The Bible says this is witchcraft.

2. Witchcraft dwells in your sinful nature

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21, emphasis added).

According to Scripture, witchcraft can potentially live within your sinful nature. This means that there is a part of us that could potentially be drawn to this because  even though we are Christians  our sinful nature still lives inside of us.

Remember witchcraft is seeking assistance through spiritual means that dont include God. Often those who want to bypass seeking assistance from God do so because they dont want to live up to his standard. To receive Gods help, you must do things Gods way. When you dont want to do that, then you seek help from another source, which is a form of rebellion and is also witchcraft. If this is an act of the sinful nature, then we must guard our hearts because we can all be susceptible to following these things.

We Dont Need to Pursue Witchcraft

There is one more Scripture I want you to consider as we talk about this topic. Many people have a desire to know about spiritual things, which makes sense because we are spiritual beings. What we must understand is as Christians, we dont have to seek spiritual assistance from anyone other than God himself. Look at this verse in Isaiah.

When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult Gods instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn (Isaiah 8:19-20).

The reason you should never seek after spiritists, medium, sorcerers or witches is because you have the Spirit of God living inside of you. When you need any type of assistance or answers you can go directly to him. You dont have to run after these things which are destructive, you can consult your heavenly Father who has your best interests at heart.

Witchcraft is deceptive, dangerous, and deadly. God has warned us throughout the Bible to stay away from it. Lets heed his warning and dive into being filled with more and more of the Holy Spirit. This is not only the best help you will ever receive, it is the only spiritual assistance you will ever need.

Related articles

What Does the Bible Say about Mediums and Astrology?

Who Was the Witch of Endor?

Should the Reality of Demons Scare Us?



Photo credit: Getty Image/abtop

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a speaker, teacher, author, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club. He has spent more than 30 years serving the body of Christ in various capacities and is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose. If you have ever struggled to try to find Gods will, this book will help you discover the different ways God leads you into his perfect will. To learn more about his ministry please visit clarencehaynes.com.
Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Thursday, June 24, 2021. Stand Up for Your Country.

Tonights rundown:

Bill reviews Joe Bidens speech on crime and as predicted, he offered no solutions and came across completely clueless!

Its official, California Gov. Gavin Newsom will face a recall vote! Out of the nearly 2 million signatures gathered, only 43 people withdrew their names!

Media corporations are crumbling across the nation and after so much false reporting during the Trump era, theres no wonder!

No Jail Time - the first person involved in the Capitol riots is sentenced

The Supreme Court sided with a former high school student who sued the school over violating her first amendment rights

This Week in History, 1950: The Korean War begins

Final Thought: Killing the Mob is #1 again!

In Case You Missed it:
Joe Bidens speech yesterday on controlling crime in this country was a straight embarrassment. Did Joe Biden even read the speech he was given before he went out there? It didnt seem like it. If Joe Biden really believes that cracking down on gun dealers is going to stop murders in Chicago and New York, hes just straight-up irresponsible.

Sign up for our Premium Membership and get Killing the Mob free.
Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly As predicted here a few days ago Mitt Romney is getting a bounce in the polls. Rasmussen today has the Governor up 48-44 over the President among likely voters. And a brand new Fox News poll has Romney defeating Obama 46-44. But that's really a tie when a margin of error is considered. Also in the Fox poll, a whopping 67 percent of Americans say they're unhappy about the direction of the country. Just 32 percent are satisfied. Finally, Mr. Obama's job performance has fallen five points in a month; 42 percent of Americans now approve; 51 percent disapprove according to the FNC poll. These numbers are obviously bad news for the President and it's pretty much impossible for an incumbent to be re-elected when more than two-thirds of the nation believes the country is on the wrong track. As Harry Truman once said, the buck stops here in the Oval Office. However, 2012 is different than most other presidential election years and that's because class warfare is now on the table. Democrats believe voters who want government benefits will make the difference for Mr. Obama no matter what the performance. The election will come down a philosophy, the nanny state versus self-reliance. Traditionally, the USA has been built by private enterprise and has embraced what the President calls social Darwinism. The strong prosper. But in the past 20 years, America has undergone a great change. We now have millions of citizens who are not very well educated, not very motivated to work all that hard and who have a strong sense of entitlement. Their philosophy seems to be, where's mine? I want stuff. And I'll vote for whoever gives it to me. But of course, somebody has to pay for that. In Greece, they're bankrupt because of entitlement spending and in Spain, pretty much the same thing and here in the good old USA, we're heading in that direction. President Obama's solution is not to call for spending discipline or personal discipline or shared sacrifice. No. The president is primarily blaming wealthy Americans for what the Democrats call income inequality. Mr. Obama saying the system is rigged. That the wealthy get all the breaks and everybody else gets hosed. And millions of Americans believe that. There are actually entire television networks, cable networks that embrace that point of view. Most American newspapers believe that. And certainly Hollywood continues to be thrilled with Mr. Obama's overall philosophy. So, this election is going to be very intense. Right now, Mitt Romney is in pretty good shape according to the polls. But as Talking Points said yesterday, he better bring his A Game when he goes up against President Obama. And that's The Memo. Pinheads & Patriots Here's Ashley Judd in a new ABC drama called "Missing." Some believe she's had plastic surgery on her face and are mocking her. Miss Judd is angry. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ASHLEY JUDD, ACTRESS: There was an incredibly nasty, vitriolic and gloating tone about it. I think it's the objectification of girls and women and this hyper-sexualization of our society that invites the criticism. We are anaesthetized to it. We're taught not to admit how much it hurts. Just, you know, go buy more hair spray, get back to the gym or buy another, you know, butt clencher exercise DVD. You know, that's how to undo the hurt, when in fact, that's just contributing to the pain. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: Now, Ms. Judd said she did not have plastic surgery. She was taking drugs for a sinus infection, and that puffed up her face. For showing honest emotion and making her point very articulately, Ashley Judd is a "Patriot."  You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor
Thanks to Center petitions, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced last Wednesday that two scaly species are now on the path toward Endangered Species Act protection.

First, a fish: the Santa Ana speckled dace, a small Southern California minnow thats been pushed out of three quarters of its former stream habitats by dams, water diversions and urbanization. Even more threats, from drought to wildfires to invasive species, have made life tough for the surviving populations.

Next, a reptile: the Temblor legless lizard, a slinky, sand-swimming lizard that lives in just one small area of habitat near Southern Californias Temblor Range  surrounded by oil and gas drilling, the most imminent threat to its survival.

Now things are looking up for the swimmer and the sand-swimmer as the Service moves on to study their status and plight.
Dr Harsh Vardhan mentioned that media personalities can become TB crusaders

Dr Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health & Family Welfare, chaired Tuberculosis (TB) Mukt Bharat meeting with various development partners of the Health Ministry through video conferencing. It was the 4th meeting chaired by the Union Health Minister for reviewing the progress in the fight against TB.



Speaking at the meeting, Dr Vardhan said that the media, especially Doordarshan, had played a crucial role in the eradication of polio in the country. On similar lines, journalists and media personalities should be made TB crusaders to create awareness amongst the people. He expressed the need to develop an institutionalised mechanism to share the best practices, experiences and ideas used in the fight against TB. He emphasised the importance of leadership and community involvement, proposing that religious leaders, leaders of auto unions etc. can be roped in to create awareness against TB. He said that there is a need to develop prototypes and clear strategies for five states having high TB caseload. These states are Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana.



Dr Vardhan expressed satisfaction over the efforts being made by various developmental partners and said that together we are proceeding in the right direction. He said that the fight against COVID and TB have to go hand in hand. He expressed hope that India will be able to eradicate TB by 2025 as envisaged by the Prime Minister if we put our mind, heart and soul together to eliminate TB.



Expressing satisfaction over the progress made by the country in the fight against TB, Minister of State, MoH&FW, Ashwini Kumar Choubey said that a Jan Andolan is required to eradicate TB. He underlined the need to have a grass root level visits in villages and slums, fully equipped with testing machines and other services to help people.



Rajesh Bhushan, Secretary, MoH&FW expressed the need to involve the Corporate sector and Community in the fight against TB. He suggested micro-planning, on the lines of COVID vaccination strategy for TB in states with high TB caseload. He further emphasised the need for active collaboration between Government and Developmental partners.



Senior Officials of the Ministry, WHO representative to India, representatives of various Development Partners, NGOs and State representatives also attended the meeting.
The South African Revenue Service (Sars) has announced the temporary closure of tax branches from physical visits as from 1 July, owing to the soaring Covid-19 infections currently sweeping the country.

Digital platforms

Booking an appointment

The countrys seven-day moving average of positive Covid-19 infections surpassed 12,000 cases. On Wednesday alone, 17,493 infections and 166 deaths were recorded.In terms of the Disaster Management Act, the South African Revenue Service (Sars) remains an essential service.We have always stressed the importance of balancing the continuity of this service with the risk of transmission. With the rising case numbers and the onset of the third wave peak of the pandemic, we have decided to close our tax branches temporarily for physical visits as from 1 July," Sars said in a statement.The revenue collector said it was able to embark on this measure as its digital platforms had demonstrated the ability to meet obligations efficiently online.The temporary closure of the tax branches is not anticipated to affect the start of the filing season for individuals who traditionally file via eFiling or the Sars MobiApp. These taxpayers are encouraged to continue doing so digitally, starting from 1 July 2021.Sars reiterated that branch filing would not commence on 1 July. At this stage, we plan to commence physical branch visits on 16 August, but will review this continuously. Taxpayers are advised not to come to a SARS branch. The branches will be closed until an announcement is made confirming the reopening date.During the branch closures, taxpayers who require assistance to file online will be assisted telephonically with the support of dedicated Sars staff, said Sars.All customs ports of entry will be open for frontline customs operations, but not for face-to-face client engagement other than for clearance and inspection purposes.In line with its commitment to modernise systems and make it easy for taxpayers to meet their tax obligations, Sars said it would continue to use technology to ensure continued service to taxpayers in a manner that ensures both the safety of employees as well as taxpayers.Members of the public can make bookings for virtual appointments via the Sars website or sending an SMS to 47277 with the word Booking and passport/ID number/asylum permit number and a Sars agent will contact them to arrange a booking on their behalf.During this period, the Sars contact centre (0800 00 7277) will continue to service any queries from members of the public.
Linda Baqwa is the account manager for Streamline Retail Hub. An animated young professional, she hopes to make strides in the digital and advertising industry to pave the way for young, black women to succeed

Linda Baqwa, account manager for Streamline

Tell us more about you - what is your role, and what does your day-to-day look like?

What do you love most about your work?

Could you tell us a bit more about your career path prior to your current role?

What are your long-term career goals?

Tell us a bit more about your career highlights.

What is your process when doing work for and with clients - what is most important to you?

What part do you play in supporting youth empowerment in your industry?

What kind of impact would you like to make in the digital and advertising industry?

What do you like to do in your spare time?

With a lot on her daily plate, Baqwa is determined to present her clients with creative and interesting solutions to their problems.Here, she tells me more about herself, her future in the industry and how she hopes to make a change...My role is to serve as the lead point of contact for all customer account management matters and build and maintain long-lasting client relationships. I negotiate contacts and develop trusted advisor relationships with key accounts, customer stakeholders and executive sponsors.I also deal with negotiations of various contracts, developing new business, tracking key account metrics and collaborating with new business teams to identify new growth opportunities.What I love most is how much it has challenged me over the years. Our agency is unconventional and our roles are fluid - being an account manager isnt limited to campaign or client relationship management.We are account managers, production managers, traffic controllers, researchers and media planners all in one. These internal flexibility practices have had a positive outcome on me and my colleagues.Before joining Streamline, I worked as an account executive for one of the biggest activation companies in the country. This tied in with my background as a promoter at the beginning of my career. I wanted to understand the ins and outs of the activation business. Prior to that, I was appointed as a strategic value creator for an advertising consultancy, which allowed me to go to Zimbabwe and Zambia to conduct market research for various brands.A key goal is to stay informed on industry developments, innovative strategies and develop my professional brand in the industry I am pursuing.To achieve this, I plan to increase my contribution to industry journals, manage my online presence and take on leading roles in professional events and organisations. Building my network will also be crucial for the development and improvement of my skill set, staying on top of the latest industry trends and finding prospective clients.My greatest achievement was receiving a General Manager's Award and I-care Award for being the pioneer of excellence and leadership. I received these from Alcon Laboratories while I was working in the client service department.Our clientele is predominantly made up of retail clients. When I receive briefs from a client, I unpack them, ensure I understand what they require and how best to meet their expectations. I will also formulate questions (when some clarity is needed) and then put together a list of recommendations should I consider additional avenues to be explored. Whats most important to me is being on the same page as the client and finding ways to add value.I have taken it upon myself to mentor a young lady from Soweto, Lesego Mahibila, who stays near our family home. She is not in the advertising industry; she is in teaching. I set aside time to see her on weekends to chat to her about her aspirations, challenges and goals.Many of our youth, particularly in townships, do not get adequate guidance from their parents and peers. Youth unemployment is also at a staggering 74.7%. Many young South Africans feel demoralised about their future - mainly young, black women. I mentor her to see the hope inside herself, upskill herself, and guide her in the right direction. This has been an incredibly fulfilling journey for me and I hope to be in a position to mentor many more young girls in the future.My biggest drive is continuing to add value to the organisation I am in and the clients in my portfolio. There are not enough black women in positions of influence and power in the advertising and marketing spaces in terms of the industry. Many of us remain in operational roles. I would like to be a pioneer of transformation and start discussions that address diversity in advertising. The largest constituency in South Africa comprises black women, so its important to have black women at the helm of advertising and marketing, particularly in spaces that seek to speak to black women.I enjoy playing the piano during my spare time. I find it quite therapeutic and a way to add colour to my life, which reminds me of one of my favourite quotes: The piano keys are black and white, but they sound like a million colours in your mind. This quote also ties in with my role as an account manager. No matter how black and white a clients brief or industry may be, I strive to add colour to it with creativity.
Shivad Singh, founder and CEO of Head Start Education

Can you tell us more about Head Start Education and what your role entails?

When, how and why did you get started?

What is the core function of Head Start Technologies?

What sparked your interest in getting into this arena?

Can you tell us about your journey so far?

Since being in this industry. What has your biggest achievement been?

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give yourself?

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

As we celebrate Youth Month, do you have any words of encouragement for the youth?

Head Start Education serves as the gateway to Africa for the leading education technology companies in the world, in order to lead the advancement of education across the continent. Head Start is a full-blown edtech provider, having exclusive licenses of over 20 of the leading educational apps worldwide and in South Africa.We have been described as the Netflix for Education with a catalogue that has over 50,000 activities, games, videos and PDF content. Our current offerings cater for early childhood development to high school. Our offerings are award-winning, internationally recognised and research-tested and provided at prices more economical than the market rate.I am a 26-year-old founder and CEO. I drive the vision, strategy, help build a world-class team and oversee strategic partnerships.My best friend and I noticed a lot of our friends were struggling to make the jump from high school to university. I was fortunate to receive a scholarship from Investec for my entire university studies at UCT and this showed me the power of how education can positively change someones life. The struggles of my friends, combined with the positive support from Investec is what inspired me to start my first company called Presto, which is now part of my main company, Head Start Education.When we started Presto, the aim was to create study guides to make learning simpler and easier. I wrote the accounting study guide and my best friend wrote a guide on Economics. Those sold out at the UCT bookstore and we then knew we were onto something. We researched and contacted the leading students who received a high 90% or 100% in that subject for Matric. We sent them the A-Team and we created Grade 12 guides for Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Accounting, as those were the subjects with the lowest pass rates. Presto, my first company then paved the way for the holding company that is now Head Start Education.Head Start aims to equip learners and teachers with the 21st century and digital skills that can make them a success in this globalised world and lead to an improvement in learner's marks, mental well-being and development. We provide a ready-made, E-school solution for organisations such as schools, corporate and consumers.From a young age, I loved reading. As I moved into the beginning years of high school, I started reading many business and personal growth books. I learned so much from these books that have helped me in my journey now. My love of learning ignited my passion for educating others. I would say that I was heavily influenced by my family members. My paternal grandfather, Hirdaw Singh, was a school teacher and principal while my maternal grandfather, Benny Singh, was an entrepreneur who has an amazing rags-to-riches story of his own. I see myself as a combination of them, which has led me to become a social entrepreneur with a focus on education.I was also captivated by some of the greatest entrepreneurs of our generation and would watch countless interviews, read their biographies and watch documentaries on them. I learned about all of them from a young age such as Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, Sir Richard Branson and Oprah Winfrey to name a few.It has been an incredible journey with many highs and lows. Now that we are in the growth phase, there are much more highs and I now have the experience in creating the right mental tools, I dont really get affected by the lows.In terms of the lows, I have faced rejection more than 1000 times, faced a chemical imbalance and experienced low moods and anxiety, felt like quitting, had to get a job that I disliked to help earn an income to support the business.However, the highs have made this difficult journey worth it, and I am so grateful. We have received various forms of grant funding from the likes of the SAB Foundation, won pitching competitions, built amazing friendships and relationships with business partners and customers.For my work in education, I was recognised as a News24 Young Mandela of the Future, a Queens Young Leader and received the Leading South Africa award by the prestigious, One Young World. I was chosen as a delegate speaker for Education at their event in Colombia in 2017 where I shared the stage with Professor Thuli Madonsela. At that event I made amazing connections with some of the worlds greatest leaders like Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Muhammed Yunnus and met people who I now see as best friends.I have met amazing mentors and advisors who have guided me on my life journey.We have been able to provide our education content to impact over 100,000 learners, selling thousands of books to learners, providing our content for free to learners in need, partnering with multiple corporations to offer services to benefit their stakeholders. I am now in the position to do what I love every single day, and I feel immensely blessed.To celebrate Youth Month, my company, Head Start Education has partnered with SplashLearn, the leading game based learning program in the world, to provide free access to SplashLearns maths program to all teachers in South Africa. This digital educational offering is valued at over R5,000 per teacher.We are already working with the Western Cape Education Department to sign up as many schools as possible, with an initial target of 160 schools imminently, then the rest of the province and then hopefully nationally!It is great to be excited by your idea, but know that this can be a difficult and challenging journey. To solve this, create a powerful vision and mission for your life and business that will energize you and enable you to not give up and keep on going when you may be in a low space.Test your idea as quickly as possible and get feedback from prospective customers. You should continually iterate and get version one up and running as soon as possible. Think how you can save as much money as possible when you are starting out.Move fast and get things quickly! This allows you to do in one day what some large companies may only be able to do in a week, month or even year!Find a mentor - If you don't have a mentor now, you can find mentors in the authors of your favourite books or videos on Youtube. You need to show value first and let the relationship develop naturally.Always do your best in any project, and whatever happens thereafter is beyond your control - be unattached to the outcome.If you are disappointed in your current situation, never blame yourself. However, it is up to you to make opportunities for yourself. You can contact and reach out to people, send your CV to 100 employers for example.Never stop learning, Google, Youtube, books and courses are your best friends when it comes to learning new skills to do with your field of interest.I would tell myself that I should keep pushing and never give up, because it's all going to work out in the end. I would say that even if it seems like I have failed, those failures are actually pointing me into the right direction for success.I believe that the best way to predict the future is to create it!I hope to be running one of the leading and biggest education companies in Africa and globally, that impacts tens of millions of learners. I see myself as a serial entrepreneur, so I am sure that I will start and build many other businesses that may not be education related. I see myself travelling between our offices in Cape Town, Netherlands, London, LA, Mumbai, Sydney and in more countries.I'm confident that my team and I would have launched many shows that aim to inspire and fuel young people to take action on their dreams and give off their best self to the world. I hope to have invested in some leading startups in Africa and globally.I hope to have published a few books that were on the New York Times Bestseller lists.The Head Start Foundation that I started would help millions with its focus on education, healthcare and climate change.I hope to be happier, healthier and get to live life more in the present moment.I have so many words of encouragement - You, the youth, have the capacity to be a genius and to give off your best self to the world. You are smarter than you think!Be curious and explore as many hobbies and interests as possible. This will help you find what you are passionate about.You may have limiting beliefs that were created due to your experiences and environment that can be removed. Your mind created them and you can remove them as well. It can help if you can find examples of how you actually did the opposite of what you think you are. For example, if you think you are not confident, think of times when you showed confidence.Use your God-given talents to discover and follow your dreams. It can be a difficult journey, but it's all about enjoying the journey and not the destination.Be kind and always think how you can help others directly or indirectly, without expecting anything in return.
Yoco, an African technology company that builds tools and services to help small businesses get paid, run their business better, and grow, has undergone a rebrand.

Elton Dick, senior brand designer at Yoco

How would you define your brand and what consumer sector does your brand predominantly play in?

Tell us a little about how the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted your business?

Yoco recently underwent a rebranding. Can you share the reasoning behind this?

The end product of the refresh is a brand that truly represents us: our personality, our tone of voice, our charisma, our warmth and our pride as a South African startup. We are no longer absorbed in a sea of sameness.

What is the design message of the rebranding?

Yoco's aim is to get closer to its customers. What influence did this have on the rebrand?

The new Yoco colour palette takes strides away from the blue world of financial services, and its distinct African aesthetic helps our look match our mission.

Tell us about some of the research behind the rebrand and the successful channels you have utilized?

With the brand refresh, will Yoco also be refreshing its products?

We find out more from Yocos senior brand designer, Elton Dick.At its inception, Yocos mission was first and foremost to allow entrepreneurs to get paid. Nearly six years later, Yoco has become a popular payments' provider for 140,000 small businesses and our community continues to grow rapidly.Yoco exists to enable people to thrive. The businesses in the Yoco community are vibrant, passionate and move things forward. As we keep building for the future, we want to make sure that we look and feel like a part of this community. Yocos core customer is a self-directed entrepreneur running a small business, previously ignored and underserved by traditional financial institutions. These are daily and weekly traders operating in industries such as retail, food and drink, health and beauty services.Yoco has become the payments provider for 140,000 small businesses - and our community continues to grow rapidly. Small business owners have found innovative and brilliant solutions to enable them to trade during various levels of lockdown. For some businesses, this required digital transformation in essence overnight and for others, it meant a shift in their operating model to allow for contactless payment and delivery. But for some, the ones whom the lockdown has been the hardest on, it has meant a complete shift in not only how they do business, but what they do; a pivot to the unknown.One such story is that of Mpumelelo Mtintsi who is the founder of a Soweto-based bicycle touring company called Book Ibhoni . Mtintsi is a Yoco merchant like many other tourism-based businesses, was forced to close with a distant promise of re-opening only once the country reached Level 1 in lockdown procedures.Rapidly within the first week of lockdown, Mtintsi pivoted his business from bicycle tours to bicycle deliveries. An easier said than done solution; and watching this story, as well as many others like this, unfold is what led the Yoco team to produce a Small Business Pivot Guide Just over a year ago, we stepped back and looked at all the work Yoco has done so far. We decided that our brand didnt match our personality, or our mission. We strive to be brave, bold, and authentic. Furthermore, we like to keep it simple. But our look and feel didnt match the Yoco experience. So we started the process of change, and were finally ready to share it with you.Part of the creative process was answering the all-important question of why a refresh was necessary. As Yoco crests over its next major growth point, it was a good opportunity to reset the dials and go back to the basics of the mission: to enable people to thrive.At the heart of everything Yoco does is the customer and what better way to make that principle meaningful than to involve them in guiding creative decision-making.The new brand broaches the boundary of eclectic South African-inspired design. The changes are symbolic of Yocos re-commitment to their manifesto: to boldly challenge the status quo of banking and payments, and to democratise commerce.Everything! Through extensive customer research, we learnt what our customers loved and didnt. From logos to fonts, photography and colours, we look completely different.We wanted a logo that felt more bold and classic. A logo that could scale as we did, and a logo that would be more flexible. Our new colour palette was led by our design principles: we strive to be bold, human and African. To complement our electric Yoco blue, we chose a palette that felt more natural and earthy.The refresh is my biggest project to date, and it was a privilege to be able to impact the Yoco brand in such a meaningful way. We wanted the refresh to be an opportunity for us to get closer to our customers, and for this reason, we felt that it was important that the internal team tackle the refresh. What we've built is a foundation on which to grow the brand significantly into the future.The new packaging design was led by user experience. The goal was to create an Instagrammable moment of delight when customers received and opened their box. We wanted to avoid marketing repetition and tap into the emotional experience of seeing your card machine for the first time  it is the start of a new way of doing business.Through our research, we also learnt that many customers kept their card machine boxes in display or for storage. So, the new designs also improve functionality making them easier to open, close and keep.The brand refresh extends into Yocos website and product experience. From the moment users begin their journey with us, on the Yoco website, to when they become customers, we want their connection with the Yoco brand to intensify. The Yoco product experience mirrors our brand design principles.The biggest change for the website was usability. We wanted it to be more than a facelift. As a brand that is human-centred, our website needed to deliver the same promise. The new website strikes the balance between accessible and aspirational. And now we really represent the 140,000 businesses that rely on us to grow their businesses and get paid.What hasn't changed is our products or experience; inside it is still the same, maybe even a little better. But we encourage you to continue to watch this space!
After acquiring a Diploma in Public Relations in 2018, Keowin Knowlden immediately started working as an intern at Atmosphere Communications. This opportunity launched his PR career and after a mere two years in the industry he became an account manager at just 24-years-old. Knowlden has been part of a team who has won several awards, including a Loeries in 2018 and Prisms in 2019 and 2021...
A UK nonprofit with ties to global corruption throughout the COVID-19 crisis as well as historical and current ties to the UK eugenics movement launched a global health-focused DARPA equivalent last year. The move went largely unnoticed by both mainstream and independent media.

The Wellcome Trust, which has arguably been second only to Bill Gates in its ability to influence events during the COVID-19 crisis and vaccination campaign, launched its own global equivalent of the Pentagons secretive research agency last year, officially to combat the most pressing health challenges of our time. Though first conceived of in 2018, this particular Wellcome Trust initiative was spun off from the Trust last May with $300 million in initial funding. It quickly attracted two former DARPA executives, who had previously served in the upper echelons of Silicon Valley, to manage and plan its portfolio of projects.

This global health DARPA, known as Wellcome Leap, seeks to achieve breakthrough scientific and technological solutions by or before 2030, with a focus on complex global health challenges. The Wellcome Trust is open about how Wellcome Leap will apply the approaches of Silicon Valley and venture capital firms to the health and life science sector. Unsurprisingly, their three current programs are poised to develop incredibly invasive tech-focused, and in some cases overtly transhumanist, medical technologies, including a program exclusively focused on using artificial intelligence (AI), mobile sensors, and wearable brain-mapping tech for children three years old and younger.

This Unlimited Hangout investigation explores not only the four current programs of Wellcome Leap but also the people behind it. The resulting picture is of an incredibly sinister project that poses not only a great threat to current society but to the future of humanity itself. An upcoming Unlimited Hangout investigation will examine the history of the Wellcome Trust along with its role in recent and current events.

Leaps Leadership: Merging Man and Machine for the Military and Silicon Valley

The ambitions of the Wellcome Leap are made clear by the woman chosen to lead it, former director of the Pentagons DARPA, Regina Dugan. Dugan began her career at DARPA in 1996; she led a counterterrorism task force in 1999 before leaving DARPA about a year later. After departing DARPA, she cofounded her own venture capital firm, Dugan Ventures, and then became special adviser to the US Armys vice chief of staff from 2001 to 2003, which coincided with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2005, she created a defense-focused tech firm called RedXDefense, which contracts with the military and specifically for DARPA.

In 2009, under the Obama administration, Dugan was appointed director of DARPA by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Much was made over her being the first female director of the agency, but she is best remembered at the agency for her so-called Special Forces approach to innovation. During her tenure, she created DARPAs now defunct Transformational Convergence Technology Office, which focused on social networks, synthetic biology, and machine intelligence. Many of the themes previously managed by that office are now overseen by DARPAs Biological Technologies Office, which was created in 2014 and focuses on everything from programmable microbes to human-machine symbiosis. The Biological Technologies Office, like Wellcome Leap, pursues a mix of health-focused biotechnology programs and transhumanist endeavors.

Right before leaving the top role at DARPA, Dugan greenlighted the agencys initial investments in mRNA vaccine technology, which led to DARPAs investments in Pfizer and Moderna shortly thereafter. The DARPA scientist who lobbied Dugan to back the program, Dan Wattendorf, now works as the director of Innovative Technology Solutions at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

While Dugans efforts at DARPA are remembered fondly by those in the national-security state, and also by those in Silicon Valley, Dugan was investigated for conflicts of interest during her time as DARPAs director, as her firm RedXDefense acquired millions in Department of Defense contracts during her tenure. Though she had recused herself from any formal role at the company while leading DARPA, she continued to hold a significant financial stake in the company, and a military investigation later found she had violated ethics rules to a significant degree.

Instead of being held accountable in any way, Dugan went on to become a top executive at Google, where she was brought on to manage Googles Advanced Technology and Products Group (ATAP), which it had spun out of Motorola Mobility after Googles acquisition of that company in 2012. Googles ATAP was modeled after DARPA and employed other ex-DARPA officials besides Dugan.

At Google, Dugan oversaw several projects, including what is now the basis of Googles augmented reality business, then known as Project Tango, as well as smart clothing in which multitouch sensors were woven into textiles. Another project that Dugan led involved the use of a digital tattoo to unlock smartphones. Perhaps most controversially, Dugan was also behind the creation of a digital authentication pill. According to Dugan, when the pill is swallowed, your entire body becomes your authentication token. Dugan framed the pill and many of her other efforts at Google as working to fix the mechanical mismatch between humans and electronics by producing technology that merges the human body with machines to varying degrees. While serving in this capacity at Google, Dugan chaired a panel at the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative called Game-Changers in Technology and attended the 2015 Bilderberg meeting where AI was a main topic of discussion.

In 2016, Dugan left Google for Facebook where she was chosen to be the first head of Facebooks own DARPA-equivalent research agency, then known as Building 8. DARPAs ties to the origins of Facebook were discussed in a recent Unlimited Hangout report. Under Dugan, Building 8 invested heavily in brain-machine interface technology, which has since produced the companys neural wearable wristbands that claim to be able to anticipate movements of the hand and fingers from brain signals alone. Facebook showcased prototypes of the project earlier this year.

Dugan left Facebook just eighteen months after joining Building 8, announcing her plans to focus on building and leading a new endeavor, which was apparently a reference to Wellcome Leap. Dugan later said it was as if she had been training for her role at Wellcome Leap ever since entering the workforce, framing it as the pinnacle of her career. When asked in an interview earlier this year who the clients of Wellcome Leap are, Dugan gave a long-winded answer but essentially responded that the project serves the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, international organizations such as the UN, and public-private partnerships.

In addition to her role at Wellcome, Dugan is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations-sponsored taskforce on US Technology and Innovation policy, which was formed in 2019. Other members include LinkedIns Reid Hoffman, McKinsey Institute Global Chairman James Manyika, former head of Google Eric Schmidt and President Bidens controversial top science adviser Eric Lander.

The other executive at Wellcome Leap, chief operating officer Ken Gabriel, has a background closely tied to Dugans. Gabriel, like Dugan, is a former program manager at DARPA, where he led the agencys microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) research from 1992 to 1996. He served as deputy director of DARPA from 1995 to 1996 and became director of the Electronics Technology Office from 1996 to 1997, where he was reportedly responsible for about half of all federal electronics-technology investments. At DARPA, Gabriel worked closely with the FBI and the CIA.

Ken Gabriel  COO of Wellcome Leap. Source: Wellcome Leap

Gabriel left DARPA for Carnegie Mellon University, where he was in charge of the Office for Security Technologies in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. That office was created after 9/11 specifically to help meet the national-security needs of the federal government, according to Carnegie Mellons announcement of the program. Around that same time, Gabriel became regarded as the architect of the MEMS industry due to his past work at DARPA and his founding of the MEMS-focused semiconductor company Akustica in 2002. He served as Akusticas chairman and chief technology officer until 2009, at which time he returned to work at DARPA where he served as the agencys deputy director, working directly under Regina Dugan.

In 2012, Gabriel followed Dugan to Googles Advanced Technology and Products Group, which he was actually responsible for creating. According to Gabriel, Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin tasked Gabriel with creating a private sector ground-up model of DARPA out of Motorola Mobility. Regina Dugan was placed in charge, and Gabriel again served as her deputy. In 2013, Dugan and Gabriel co-wrote a piece for the Harvard Business Review about how DARPAs Special Forces innovation approach could revolutionize both the public and private sectors if more widely applied. Gabriel left Google in 2014, well before Dugan, to serve as the president and CEO of Charles Stark Draper Laboratories, better known as Draper Labs, which develops innovative technology solutions for the national-security community, with a focus on biomedical systems, energy, and space technology. Gabriel held that position until he abruptly resigned in 2020 to co-lead Wellcome Leap with Dugan.

In addition to his role at Wellcome, Gabriel is also a World Economic Forum technology pioneer and on the board of directors of Galvani Bioelectronics, a joint venture of GlaxoSmithKline, which is intimately linked to the Wellcome Trust, and the Google subsidiary Verily. Galvani focuses on the development of bioelectronic medicines that involve implant-based modulation of neural signals in an overt push by the pharmaceutical industry and Silicon Valley to normalize transhumanist medicines. The longtime chairman of the board of Galvani, on which Gabriel serves, was Moncef Slaoui, who led the US COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution program Operation Warp Speed. Slaoui was relieved of his position at Galvani this past March over well-substantiated claims of sexual harassment.

Jeremy Farrar, Pandemic Narrative Manager

While Dugan and Gabriel ostensibly lead the outfit, Wellcome Leap is the brainchild of Jeremy Farrar and Mike Ferguson, who serve as its directors. Farrar is the director of the Wellcome Trust itself, and Ferguson is deputy chair of the Trusts board of governors. Farrar has been director of the Wellcome Trust since 2013 and has been actively involved in critical decision making at the highest level globally since the beginning of the COVID crisis. He is also an agenda contributor to the World Economic Forum and cochaired the WEFs Africa meeting in 2019.

Farrars Wellcome Trust is also a WEF strategic partner and cofounded the COVID Action Platform with the WEF. Farrar was more recently behind the creation of Wellcomes COVID-Zero initiative, which is also tied to the WEF. Farrar has framed that initiative as an opportunity for companies to advance the science which will eventually reduce business disruption. Thus far it has convinced titans of finance, including Mastercard and Citadel, to invest millions in research and development at organizations favored by the Wellcome Trust.

Wellcome Trust Director Jeremy Farrar with NTI Co-Chairman Sam Nunn, who led the 2001 Dark Winter exercise.

Source: NTI.com

Some of Wellcomes controversial medical-research projects in Africa, as well as its ties to the UK eugenics movement, were explored in a December article published at Unlimited Hangout. That report also explores the intimate connections of Wellcome to the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, the use of which has now been restricted or banned in several countries. As mentioned in the introduction, the Wellcome Trust itself is the subject of an upcoming Unlimited Hangout investigation (Part 2).

Jeremy Farrar, who was born in Singapore in 1961, had previously been director of the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, beginning in 1998. During that time, he authored numerous epidemiological research papers. He claimed in a 2014 Financial Times article that his decision to move to Vietnam was due to his disdain for conference halls full of white men. Southeast Asia was obviously a much less regulated environment for someone in the medical-research industry wishing to indulge in groundbreaking research. Although based in Vietnam, Farrar was sent by Oxford to various locations around the globe to study epidemics happening in real time. In 2009, when swine flu was wreaking havoc in Mexico, Farrar jumped on a plane to dive right into the action, something he also did for subsequent global outbreaks of Ebola, MERS, and avian flu.

Over the past year, many questions have arisen regarding exactly how much power Farrar wields over global public health policy. Recently, the US presidents chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, was forced to release his emails and correspondence from March and April 2020 at the request of the Washington Post. The released emails reveal what appears to be a high-level conspiracy by some of the top medical authorities in the US to falsely claim that COVID-19 could only have been of zoonotic origin, despite indications to the contrary. The emails were heavily redacted as such emails usually are, supposedly to protect the information of the people involved, but the (b)(6) redactions also protect much of Jeremy Farrars input into these discussions. Chris Martenson, economic researcher and post-doctorate student of neurotoxicology and founder of Peak Prosperity, has had some insightful comments on the matter, including asking why such protection has been offered to Farrar given that he is the director of a charitable trust. Martenson went on to question why the Wellcome Trust was involved at all in these high-level discussions.

One Fauci email, dated February 25, 2020, and sent by Amelie Rioux of the WHO, stated that Jeremy Farrars official role at that time was to act as the boards focal point on the COVID-19 outbreak, to represent and advise the board on the science of the outbreak and the financing of the response. Farrar had previously chaired the WHOs Scientific Advisory Council. The emails also show the preparation, within a ten-day period, of the SARS-CoV-2 origins paper, which was entitled The Proximal Origin of SARS-CoV-2 and was accepted for publication by Nature Medicine on March 17, 2020. The paper claimed that the SARS-CoV-2 virus could only have come from natural origins as opposed to gain-of-function research, a claim once held as gospel in the mainstream but which has come under considerable scrutiny in recent weeks.

Shaping the presentation of an origin story for a virus of global significance is something Farrar has been involved with before. In 20045, it was reported that Farrar and his Vietnamese colleague Tran Tinh Hien, the vice director at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, were the first to identify the re-emergence of the avian flu (H5N1) in humans. Farrar has recounted the origin story on many occasions, stating: It was a little girl. She caught it from a pet duck that had died and shed dug up and reburied. She survived. According to Farrar, this experience prompted him to found a global network in conjunction with the World Health Organization to improve local responses to disease outbreaks.

An article published by Rockefeller University Presss Journal of Experimental Medicine in 2009 is dramatically titled, Jeremy Farrar: When Disaster Strikes. Farrar, when referring to the H5N1 origin story stated: The WHO peopleand this is not a criticismdecided it was unlikely that the child had SARS or avian influenza. They left, but Professor Hien stayed behind to talk with the child and her mum. The girl admitted that she had been quite sad in the previous days with the death of her pet duck. The girl and her brother had fought over burying the duck and, because of this argument, she had gone back, dug up the duck, and reburied itprobably so her brother wouldnt know where it was buried. With that history, Professor Hien phoned me at home and said he was worried about the child. He took some swabs from the childs nose and throat and brought them back to the hospital. That night the laboratory ran tests on the samples, and they were positive for Influenza A.

With Farrar now having been revealed as an instrumental part of the team that crafted the official story regarding the origins of SARS-CoV-2, his previous assertions about the origin of past epidemics should be scrutinized.

As the director of a charitable trust, Jeremy Farrar is almost completely unaccountable for his involvement in crafting controversial narratives related to the COVID crisis. He continues to be at the forefront of the global response to COVID, in part by launching the Wellcome Leap Fund for unconventional projects, funded at scale as an overt attempt to create a global and charitable version of DARPA. Indeed, Farrar, in conceiving Wellcome Leap, has positioned himself to be just as, if not more, instrumental in building the foundation for the post-COVID era as he was in building the foundation for the COVID crisis itself. This is significant as Wellcome Leap CEO Regina Dugan has labeled COVID-19 this generations Sputnik moment that will launch a new age of health innovation, much like the launching of Sputnik started a global technological space age. Wellcome Leap fully intends to lead the pack.

Rulers of the Gene-Sequencing Industry

In contrast to the overt DARPA, Silicon Valley, and Wellcome connections of the others, the chairman of the board of directors of Wellcome Leap, Jay Flatley, has a different background. Flatley is the long-time head of Illumina, a California-based gene-sequencing hardware and software giant that is believed to currently dominate the field of genomics. Though he stepped down from the board of Illumina in 2016, he has continued to serve as the executive chairman of its board of directors. Flatley was the first to be chosen for a leadership position at Wellcome Leap, and he was responsible for suggesting Regina Dugan for the organizations chief executive officer, according to a recent interview given by Dugan.

Illumina Campus. Source: Glassdoor

As a profile on Illumina in the business magazine Fast Company notes, Illumina operates behind the scenes, selling hardware and services to companies and research institutions, among them 23andMe. 23andMes CEO, Anne Wojcicki, the sister of YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki and the wife of Google cofounder Sergey Brin, told Fast Company, Its crazy. Illumina is like the ruler of this whole universe and no one knows that. The report notes that 23andMe, like most companies that offer DNA sequencing and analysis to consumers, uses machines produced by Illumina.

In 2016, Illumina launched an aggressive five-year plan to bring genomics out of research labs and into doctors offices. Given the current state of things, particularly the global push toward gene-focused vaccines and therapies, that plan, which concludes this year, could not have been any better timed. Illuminas current CEO, Francis DeSouza, previously held key posts at Microsoft and Symantec. Also in 2016, Illuminas executive teams forecast a future in which humans are gene tested from birth to grave for both health and commercial purposes.

Whereas most companies have struggled financially during the coronavirus pandemic, some have seen a massive increase in profits. Illumina has witnessed its share price double since the start of the COVID crisis. The companys $1 billion plus in profits during the last tax year was obviously helped by the quick approval of the NovaSEQ 6000 machines, which can test a large number of COVID samples more quickly than other devices. An individual machine has a hefty price tag of almost $1 million, and thus they are mostly found at elite facilities, private labs, and top-tier universities.

Jay Flatley, Executive Chairman, Illumina, speaking at World Economic Forum in Davos 2018. Source: WEF

In addition to his long-standing leadership role at Illumina, Jay Flatley is also a digital member of the World Economic Forum as well as the lead independent director of Zymergen, a WEF tech pioneer company that is rethinking biology and reimagining the world. Flatley, who has also attended several Davos meetings, has addressed the WEF on the promise of precision [i.e., gene-specific] medicine. At another WEF panel meeting, Flatley, alongside UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, promoted the idea of making genomic sequencing of babies at birth the norm, claiming it had the potential to shift the healthcare system from reactive to preventative. Some at the panel called for the genomic sequencing of infants to eventually become mandatory.

Aside from Flatley as an individual, Illumina as a company is a WEF partner and plays a key role in its platform regarding the future of health care. A top Illumina executive also serves on the WEFs Global Future Council on Biotechnology.

A New HOPE

Wellcome Leap currently has four programs: Multi-Stage Psych, Delta Tissue, 1KD, and HOPE. HOPE was the first program to be announced by Wellcome Leap and stands for Human Organs, Physiology and Engineering. According to the full program description, HOPE aims to leverage the power of bioengineering to advance stem cells, organoids, and whole organ systems and connections that recapitulate human physiology in vitro and restore vital functions in vivo.

HOPE consists of two main program goals. First, it seeks to bioengineer a multiorgan platform that recreates human immunological responses with sufficient fidelity to double the predictive value of a preclinical trial with respect to efficacy, toxicity and immunogenicity for therapeutic interventions. In other words, this bioengineered platform mimicking human organs would be used to test the effects of pharmaceutical products, including vaccines, which could create a situation in which animal trials are replaced with trials on gene-edited and farmed organs. Though such an advance would certainly be helpful in the sense of reducing often unethical animal experimentation, trusting such a novel system to allow medical treatments to go straight to the human-testing phase would also require trusting the institutions developing that system and its funders.

As it stands now, the Wellcome Trust has too many ties to corrupt actors in the pharmaceutical industry, having originally begun as the philanthropic arm of UK drug giant GlaxoSmithKline, for anyone to trust what they are producing without actual independent confirmation, given the histories of some of their partners in fudging both animal and human clinical trial data for vaccines and other products.

The second goal of HOPE is to open up the use of machine-human hybrid organs for transplantation into human beings. That goal focuses on restoring organ functions using cultivated organs or biological/synthetic hybrid systems with the later goal of bioengineering a fully transplantable human organ after several years.

Later on in the program description, however, the interest in merging the synthetic and biological becomes clearer when it states: The time is right to foster synergies between organoids, bioengineering and immunoengineering technologies, and advance the state-of-the-art of in vitro human biology . . . by building controllable, accessible and scalable systems. The program description document also notes the interest of Wellcome in genetic-engineering approaches for the enhancement of desired properties and insertion of traceable markers and Wellcomes ambition to reproduce the building blocks of the human immune system and human organ systems through technological means.

Transhumanist Toddlers?

The second program to be pursued by Wellcome Leap is called The First 1000 Days: Promoting Healthy Brain Networks, which is abbreviated as 1KD by the organization. It is arguably the most unsettling program because it seeks to use young children, specifically infants from three months to three-year-old toddlers, as its test subjects. The program is being overseen by Holly Baines, who previously served as strategy development lead for the Wellcome Trust before joining Wellcome Leap as the 1KD program leader.

1KD is focused on developing objective, scalable ways to assess a childs cognitive health by monitoring the brain development and function of infants and toddlers, allowing practitioners to risk-stratify children and predict responses to interventions in developing brains.

The program description document notes that, up to this point in history, our primary window into the developing brain has been neuroimaging techniques and animal models, which can help identify quantitative biomarkers of [neural] network health and characterise network differences underlying behaviours. It then states that advances in technology are opening additional possibilities in young infants.

The program description goes on to say that artificial neural networks, a form of AI, have demonstrated the viability of modelling network pruning process and the acquisition of complex behaviours in much the same way as a developing brain, while improvements in machine learning, another subset of AI, can now be used to extract meaningful signals from the brains of infants and young children. These algorithms can then be used to develop interventions for young children deemed by other algorithms to be in danger of having underdeveloped brain function.

The document goes on to note the promise of low-cost mobile sensors, wearables and home-based systems in providing a new opportunity to assess the influence and dependency of brain development on natural physical and social interactions. In other words, this program seeks to use continuous visual and audio recordings in the home as well as wearable devices on children to collect millions upon millions of data points. Wellcome Leap describes these wearables as relatively unobtrusive, scalable electronic badges that collect visual, auditory and motion data as well as interactive features (such as turn-taking, pacing and reaction times). Elsewhere in the document there is a call to develop wearable sensors that assess physiological measures predictive of brain health (e.g., electrodermal activity, respiratory rate, and heart rate) and wireless wearable EEG or eye-tracking technology for use in infants and children three and under.

Like other Wellcome Leap programs, this technology is being developed with the intention of making it mainstream in medical science within the next five to ten years, meaning that this systemalthough framed as a way to monitor childrens brain functioning to improve cognitive outcomesis a recipe for total surveillance of babies and very young children as well as a means for altering their brain functioning as algorithms and Leaps programmers see fit.

1DK has two main program goals. The first is to develop a fully integrated model and quantitive measurement tools of network development in the first 1000 days [of life], sufficient to predict EF [executive function] formation before a childs first birthday. Such a model, the description reads, should predict contributions of nutrition, the microbiome and the genome on brain formation as well as the effects of sensimotor and social interactions [or lack thereof] on network pruning processes and EF outcomes. The second goal makes it clear that widespread adoption of such neurological-monitoring technologies in young children and infants is the endgame for 1DK. It states that the program plans to create scalable methods for optimising promotion, prevention, screening and therapeutic interventions to improve EF by at least 20% in 80% of children before age 3.

True to the eugenicist ties of the Wellcome Trust (to be explored more in-depth in Part 2), Wellcome Leaps 1DK notes that of interest are improvements from underdeveloped EF to normative or from normative to well-developed EF across the population to deliver the broadest impact. One of the goals of 1DK is thus not treating disease or addressing a global health public challenge but instead experimenting on the cognitive augmentation of children using means developed by AI algorithms and invasive surveillance-based technology.

Another unsettling aspect of the program is its plan to develop an in vitro 3D brain assembloid that replicates the time formation of a developing brain that is akin to the models developed by monitoring the brain development of infants and children. Later on, the program description calls this an in-silico model of a childs brain, something of obvious interest to transhumanists who see such a development as a harbinger of the so-called singularity. Beyond that, it appears that this in-silico and thus synthetic model of the brain is planned to be used as the model to which infant and children brains are shaped by the therapeutic interventions mentioned elsewhere in the program description.

It should be clear how sinister it is that an organization that brings together the worst mad scientist impulses of both the NGO and military-research worlds is openly planning to conduct such experiments on the brains of babies and toddlers, viewing them as datasets and their brains as something to be pruned by machine intelligence. Allowing such a program to advance unimpeded without pushback from the public would mean permitting a dangerous agenda targeting societys youngest and most vulnerable members to potentially advance to a point where it is difficult to stop.

A Tissue Time Machine

The third and second-most recent program to join the Wellcome Leap lineup is called Delta Tissue, abbreviated by the organization as T. Delta Tissue aims to create a platform that monitors changes in human-tissue function and interactions in real time, ostensibly to explain the status of a disease in each person and better predict how that disease would progress. Referring to this platform as a tissue time machine, Wellcome Leap sees Delta Tissue as being able to predict the onset of disease before it occurs while also allowing for medical interventions that are targeted to the individual.

Well before the COVID era, precision medicine or medicine targeted or tailored to the individual has been a code phrase for treatments based on patients genetic data and/or for treatments that alter nucleic acid (e.g., DNA and RNA) function itself. For instance, the US government defines precision medicine as an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person. Similarly, a 2018 paper published in Technology notes that, in oncology, precision and personalized medicine . . . fosters the development of specialized treatments for each specific subtype of cancer, based on the measurement and manipulation of key patient genetic and omic data (transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, etc.).

Prior to COVID-19 and the vaccine roll outs, the mRNA vaccine technology used by the DARPA-funded companies Moderna and Pfizer were marketed as being precision medicine treatments and were largely referred to as gene therapies in media reports. They were also promoted heavily as a revolutionary method of treating cancer, making it unsurprising that the Delta Tissue program at Wellcome Leap would use a similar justification to develop a program that aims to offer tailored gene therapies to people before the onset of a disease.

This Delta Tissue platform works to combine the latest cell and tissue profiling technologies with recent advances in machine learning, that is, AI. Given Wellcome Leaps connections to the US military, it is worth noting that the Pentagon and Google, both former employers of Wellcome Leap CEO Regina Dugan and COO Ken Gabriel, have been working together since last September on using AI to predict disease in humans, first focusing on cancer before expanding to COVID-19 and every disease in between. The Delta Tissue program appears to have related ambitions, as its program description makes clear that the program ultimately aims to use its platform for a host of cancers and infectious diseases.

The ultimate goal of this Wellcome Leap program is to eradicate the stubbornly challenging diseases that cause so much suffering around the world. It plans to do this through AI algorithms, however, which are never 100 percent accurate in their predictive ability, and with gene-editing treatments, nearly all of which are novel and have not been well tested. That latter point is important given that one of the main methods for gene-editing in humans, CRISPR, has been found in numerous studies to cause considerable damage to the DNA, damage that is largely irreparable (see here, here and here). It seems plausible that a person placed on such a hi-tech medical treatment path will continue to need a never-ending series of gene-editing treatments and perhaps other invasive hi-tech treatments to mitigate and manage the effects of clumsy gene splicing.

Total Surveillance to Treat Depression

Wellcome Leaps most recent program, launched just this week, is called Multi-Channel Psych: Revealing Mechanisms of Anhedonia and is officially focused on creating complex, biological treatments for depression.


Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute.

Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno.

Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi.
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.
Help Our Community

Please help local businesses by taking an online survey to help us navigate through these unprecedented times. None of the responses will be shared or used for any other purpose except to better serve our community. The survey is at: www.pulsepoll.com $1,000 is being awarded. Everyone completing the survey will be able to enter a contest to Win as our way of saying, "Thank You" for your time. Thank You!

Take The Survey
School support staff at the Brandon School Division have voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.

Advertisement Advertise With Us

School support staff at the Brandon School Division have voted 99 per cent in favour of a strike mandate.

That announcement comes from CUPE, which represents approximately 600 education assistants, bus drivers, custodians, maintenance, library techs, secretaries and more at the division.

"School support staff have been critical throughout the pandemic in helping our kids succeed," CUPE 737 president Jamie rose was quoted as saying in a media release. "This has been an incredibly challenging year for staff, yet the Division is still hanging on to the Pallister governments unconstitutional wage mandate."

A strike committee has been established but times for potential strike actions have not yet been announced.

The Sun has reached out to the Brandon School Division for comment.

 The Brandon Sun
Indigenous advocates in Canada are calling for more cultural and mental-health supports for residential school survivors as communities discover unmarked graves at former sites.

People gather outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School to honour what are believed to be the remains of 215 children discovered buried at the site in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, May 31, 2021. Indigenous advocates in Canada are calling for more cultural and mental-health supports for residential school survivors as communities continue to discover graves. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Indigenous advocates in Canada are calling for more cultural and mental-health supports for residential school survivors as communities discover unmarked graves at former sites.

Front-line organizations working with Indigenous people say the need for in-person help has intensified in the past month since the Tkemlups te Secwepemc First Nation in Kamloops, B.C., announced ground-penetrating radar had found what are believed to be the remains of 215 children buried on the grounds of a one-time residential school in Kamloops.

Cowessness First Nation in Saskatchewan announced Thursday that the same technology had indicated 751 unmarked graves at the former Marieval Indian Residential School.

Jason Mercredi, executive director of Prairie Harm Reduction in Saskatoon, said the disclosures are triggering troublesome memories for survivors. He said there has been an increase in visits to the safe consumption site from individuals looking for mental-health support.

We cant really keep up, and its tough because some of these folks have been successfully coping for a number of years, said Mercredi, who is Denesuline and Metis.

Pandemic restrictions have limited the number of places offering face-to-face support, so workers have had to refer people to an outside support line, he said.

A national crisis line is available through the Indian Residential School Survivors Society and some groups are offering regional helplines.

Mercredi said the federal government should be funding First Nations, Inuit and Metis-led organizations and communities to ensure appropriate support is provided.

Each community needs to have the ability to design its own response model and support model, he said. All these cultures are very different ... (and) they need to have the funding to be able to respond where they need to.

The federal government recently promised $27 million to help locate graves across the country. Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta have also committed funding.

An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools. There were 150 schools and they operated for about 100 years.

A report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission details mistreatment at the schools, including emotional, physical and sexual abuse of children.

Since the close of the commission, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has confirmed the identities of at least 4,100 children who died at the schools. This number is expected to rise as communities begin searching sites.

Tracy Wilson, who manages the Indian Residential School program at Boyle Street Community Services in Edmonton, echoes Mercredi's call for more help.

Wilson, who is Nakota, Cree and Saulteaux, has taken calls from non-Indigenous agencies in the city as well as from the police force asking for guidance on how to support survivors who are retraumatized.

Some who returned home from residential schools are living with survivors guilt, she said.

This is not a shock to most of us. It's just a deeper grief, she said.

A lot of survivors think they could have stopped what happened. You know, that's not the case, but they live with that every day.

Wilson also believes there is a need for more culturally appropriate forms of support such as beading or sewing circles.

We need more people to understand how our hands can help us more so than traditional western talk-through therapy.

The National Association of Friendship Centres, which represents more than 100 such gathering places across the country, would like to see intergenerational support as well.

Our youth are in this sea of information about crimes, violence, murders against their ancestors. They need help walking through that and figuring out what does that mean, said Kelly Benning, a Metis woman and the association's vice-president.

The Indian Residential Schools Resolution Health Support Program has a hotline to help residential school survivors and their relatives suffering from trauma invoked by the recall of past abuse. The number is 1-866-925-4419.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Facebook and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times eastern):

The latest news on COVID-19 developments in Canada (all times eastern):

9:23 p.m.

Yukon is reporting another 22 cases of COVID-19, bringing its total case count to 264.

Dr. Brendan Hanley, chief medical officer of health, is telling residents it's time to take a pause and slow down on social gatherings, regardless of vaccination status.

Hanley says while the outbreak is mostly in unvaccinated adults, children and youth, even vaccinated people are at some risk.

He says most of the recent cases are in Whitehorse and have been spread through large, unorganized social gatherings.

6:40 p.m.

British Columbia is reporting 72 new cases of COVID-19.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Health Minister Adrian Dix say in a joint statement that those coming for vaccinations should be prepared for the weekend heat wave and bring plenty of water.

The province is also reporting two new deaths.

Henry and Dix say more than 4.7 million vaccine doses have been given, of which 1.16 million are second doses.

3:40 p.m.

Saskatchewan is reporting 56 new cases of COVID-19.

The province says there are 78 people in hospital with the virus, and 12 are in intensive care.

So far, 69 per cent of those 12 and older have received a first dose of vaccine.

1:50 p.m.

There are 85 new cases of COVID-19 and one more death as Manitobas five-day test positivity rate drops to 5.9 per cent, the lowest in weeks.

A delayed third wave brought surging infections and hospitalization rates last month.

The numbers have been steadily dropping and Manitoba will be loosening some restrictions Saturday, a week earlier than expected in its reopening plan.

Manitoba is also expanding second-dose COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to everyone over the age of 12 today.

1:20 p.m.

Nova Scotia is reporting 16 new cases of COVID-19 today.

Health officials say 15 of the cases are in the Halifax area, while the remaining case has been identified in the eastern health zone, which includes Cape Breton.

There are 60 active cases of novel coronavirus, with two people in hospital as a result of the infection.

As of Thursday, 847,830 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, with 147,001 people having received a booster shot.

12:55 p.m.

New Brunswick is reporting one new case of COVID-19 today.

Health officials say the case involves a person in their 30s in the Bathurst region and is related to travel.

There are 38 active cases with four people in hospital, including one in intensive care as a result of the infection.

Officials say 25.2 per cent of New Brunswickers 12 and older are fully vaccinated.

12:45 p.m.

Newfoundland and Labrador is reporting no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today.

There have been no new recoveries in the province and an overall total of 1,366 people have recovered from the infection.

The province has seven active cases.

Health officials say one person is in hospital due to novel coronavirus.

11:50 a.m.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says more than 76 per cent of Canadians eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19 had had one dose, and 26 per cent have had two.

Trudeau also confirmed the government will meet its commitment for July to provide provinces with 9.1 million doses of the shot from Pfizer-BioNtech.

11:30 a.m.

Quebec is reporting 88 new COVID-19 cases today and no new deaths attributed to the novel coronavirus.

Health authorities say hospitalizations dropped by eight, to 135, and 40 patients were in intensive care, a rise of two.

The province says 65,578 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered Thursday, one day after setting a record with more than 116,000 doses administered.

About 80 per cent of Quebecers aged 12 and older have received a first dose of vaccine, with just over 23 per cent now fully vaccinated.

10:30 a.m.

Ontario reports there are 256 new cases of COVID-19 in the province and two deaths linked to the virus.

Health Minister Christine Elliott says there are 39 new cases in the Region of Waterloo, 38 in Peel Region, and 36 in Toronto.

The Ministry of Health says 284 people are in intensive care because of the virus and 202 are on a ventilator.

Ontario says it administered a record high 246,393 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine since Thursday's report, for a total of more than 13.5 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.
The Branson Board of Aldermen on Thursday (now postponed to July 28) will consider an ordinance that would require face coverings in public spaces. The aldermen might approve it, disapprove it, or approve an amended version. Would you be in favor of some form of mandatory face covering ordinance in the city of Branson?

You voted:
Australias warehouses are powering commercial property values across the ASX, flexing an industrial muscle that is leaving office towers flat footed and big shopping centres in a cloud of dust.

Real estate investment trusts that were hammered in the pandemic downturn are bouncing back as investors find value across a variety of bricks-and-mortar property players, making them among the best performers on the ASX in recent weeks.

The ASX 200 REIT sector has risen 5.9 per cent already this month, putting it on a four-month winning streak. June has been the best month for ASX 200 REITs since March, when the sector rose 6.5 per cent.

Dexus will develop a $90 million last-mile logistics facility in Glendenning in western Sydney. Credit:

Individually, Dexus is up 5.5 per cent for the month and trading at a post-COVID-19 high; industrial giant Goodman is up 7.8 per cent for the month and at its best in more than 12 years; while retail landlord Vicinity is up 6.4 per cent for the month.
The Australian sharemarket ended a see-sawing week with a win, but portfolio gyrations around the evolving interest rate outlook meant the index still slipped to its first weekly loss since mid-May.

The ASX 200 snapped a two-session slide on Friday to finish the week at 7308.0, assisted by the major banks and miners, and a strong lead from Wall Street.

The S&P500 and Nasdaq hit record highs on the back of bipartisan support for a landmark infrastructure deal, as well as positive jobs numbers.

The ASX 200 fell by 0.8 per cent this week. Credit:Louie Douvis

It seems that where the US goes, so goes the world, particularly when Wall Street rises, said Oanda senior analyst Jeffrey Halley.

The big four lenders and iron ore giants improved on Friday but losses for the ASX in three of the five sessions meant it finished 0.8 per cent lower for the week, the markets worst performance in six weeks.

An increasingly concerning COVID situation in Sydney did little to improve confidence.

Four councils across the citys eastern suburbs have been placed in lockdown for a week after 22 new cases of the virus were announced on Friday morning.

The list of potential exposure sites continued to grow and calls for a wider lockdown of the city were gaining volume.

Investors had already started the week on the back foot, with AMP Capital senior economist Shane Oliver noting Mondays sharp losses were perhaps a partial delay to the US Feds surprisingly hawkish turn on the economy and interest rates.

Investors appeared to shuffle their portfolios in anticipation of the sooner-than-expected rate rise, which is expected to materialise as central banks catch up to the booming economic rebound.

On the local market health stocks were the laggards, with biotech CSL having its worst week since the COVID crash in March 2020.

The blood giant fell 6.7 per cent - or $20.39 - for the week to $285.13 amid a string of broker downgrades and further revisions to Australias coronavirus vaccine plan.

Conversely, technology stocks were strong.

Afterpay fell 1.2 per cent on Friday but still ended the week with a 12.7 per cent gain to close at $129.

The buy now, pay later firm rose strongly on Thursday after announcing a digital card strategy, opening itself up to a wider range of US retailers.

The beleaguered tech player Nuix was the worst performer on Friday as it slumped another 3.9 per cent to $2.46, a new record low as its spectacular fall from grace continues.

Construction materials firm Boral led the pack on Friday with a 6.4 per cent gain to $7.34 after major shareholder Seven Group returned to the bargaining table with an improved all-cash takeover offer.

Supermarket Woolworths declined 2.6 per cent to $36.78 while the Endeavour Group rose 1.3 per cent to $6.10 at the end of their second session as separately listed entities.
Chinas campaign to cut leverage and instil corporate discipline is reshaping the nations $US12 trillion ($15.8 trillion) credit market.

One of Chinas most prolific debt issuers hasnt sold a single dollar bond in 17 months, the longest dry spell since 2013. An investment grade-rated conglomerate mostly owned by the government is facing a cash crunch in a test of state support. Analysts at UBS and Goldman Sachs now say the notion of too big to fail no longer applies in China as defaults this year exceed $US23 billion, a record pace.

The danger for Chinese President Xi Jinping is that smashing investor faith in government guarantees triggers precisely the kind of crisis hes trying to avoid. Credit:AP

Beijing is taking advantage of a strengthening economy and stable financial markets to toughen up its corporate sector. The result is a repricing of risk that should discourage the kind of reckless debt-fuelled expansion that inflated some companies to a dangerous size. The spawning of such bloated empires created a threat to the financial system as well as a challenge to President Xi Jinpings grip on power.

The danger for Xi is that smashing investor faith in government guarantees triggers precisely the kind of crisis hes trying to avoid. Its a dilemma that has frustrated Chinese leaders for decades: Ending moral hazard for indebted giants like China Huarong Asset Management and China Evergrande Group would make the financial system more resilient over the long run, but a major default would cause significant short-term pain.
Australians are more seduced than ever by French Impressionism, with the famous, high-grossing art movement recently taking up residence in several cities around the country. The National Gallery of Victorias own summoning charm is French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, an exhibition that runs until October 3.

With over 100 works loaned from the MFA in Boston, the show features Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro and Mary Cassatt, among others. Visitors traverse low-lit, moody corridors before arriving in brilliant white rooms dotted with the artworks. Were greeted with a woman and child, by Renoir, and a Monet meadow before starting the exhibition proper in a pre-Impressionist period, showing how painting en plein air  outdoors  was a central innovation (as were paint tubes and small canvases).

Guests at the opening of French Impressionism from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, at the NGV on Friday. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Soon follows Eugene Boudins unifying of skies and seas. The true subject is clouds: dappled light pushes through blues and greys. More water-related works follow, including the rhythmic strokes of Paul Cezanne and Monets Grand Canal, euphoric in its pinkened haze. Experience is central, everyone knows the feeling of photographing a transcendental landscape and being dismayed by the pithy image produced  technically correct, but the feeling is wrong. The Impressionists overcame this gap between the eye and experience; they painted the world as it is felt.

It was from 1874 to 1886 in Paris that a small group of artists staged eight exhibitions that altered Western art, freeing painting from depicting gods and mythologies, turning instead to the everyday. Their liberated brushstrokes reflected landscapes and modernity, eschewed logical perspectives, and captured life at the speed of light. Yet in its time Impressionism was ill-received: the term was an insult. Eventually these artists shifted from reviled to revered. While French Impressionism cannot muster any shock of the new, it can tell us about beauty, nature and seeing.
What lessons have you learned, Barnaby? I think Im remarkably less reckless, he tells me. No one is denying its been a wild ride. I suppose with age Im mellowing. Im now more concentrated on the outcomes of the job more than the hype of the job, which is probably what you do when you first get in. Loading What are the outcomes he wants? The actual negotiations with Morrison are under way and Joyce is holding the talks tight  he doesnt deny that its just himself and his understudy, Senator Matt Canavan, running the process for the Nationals, while their other colleagues are in the dark. The once and once again Deputy Prime Minister says he has two rules for his relationship with Morrison and the Liberals. Rule one: Try to have as few punch-ups as possible. Rule two: If punch-ups are coming, dont telegraph them. Yet hes prepared to outline some of his priorities in broad terms. On water, on religious freedom, on coal, on nuclear power, on carbon emissions, on government debt.

And on human liberty and human rights. Confounding easy pigeon-holing, Joyce has championed the rights of a number of prominent victims of state power, even when its made him unpopular in his own party. Like the Biloela family who made Australia their home but whom the government insists must ultimately leave. They now have the deputy prime minister on their side. Barnaby, wrote Malcolm Turnbull in his memoir, is a complex, intense, furious personality. Red-faced, in full flight he gives the impression hes about to explode. Hes highly intelligent, often good-humoured but also has a dark and almost menacing side  not unlike [Tony] Abbott  that seems to indicate he wrestles with inner troubles and torments. Joyce isnt as crazed as the former US president. He respects the outcome of democratic elections, he doesnt collude with foreign powers against his own country, and hes no racist. But he is a barnstorming populist who gleefully offends city elites, skilfully plays his own brand of identity politics, cheerfully disrupts his own side of politics to get his way. Because he embraces unfashion and says the unsayable, he is hailed as authentic. He makes no effort to fix his imperfect teeth, flaunts his broad-brimmed hat and sometimes brandishes a common-man incoherence in speech when it suits him.

Loading He is divisive and hes worked hard at it. In an era when celebrity is the ultimate currency and animal rights an unimpeachable cause, Barnaby won the attention of a shocked world by threatening to shoot Johnny Depps dogs for quarantine violation. Like Trump, his whole political persona represents a calculated insult to political correctness. The people who love him for it are prepared to overlook everything else. Trump memorably boasted: I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldnt lose any voters. I would never say that, Joyce avers. I would say this  I dont deny that Im a polarising figure. There are women who dont like me. There are men who dont like me. But the likes and dislikes generally run along lines of political thought.

When I walk around, people call me Barney, people Ive never met. Gday Barney, like theyve known me all my life. I get a sense that they might have some empathy for what they know about my political and personal history. I dont think they mark me down for it. His aspirations for his party begin with the right of the Nationals to speak out even when its inconvenient for the government. The National party is its own entity and has its own views, distinct from the Liberal Party, Joyce points out. Loading That was plain on the floor of the House this week. A Nationals backbencher, Damian Drum, proposed amendments to the Water Act to change a government bill, but the Liberals shut down debate to prevent a vote. Barnaby sat in the leaders chair at the table as the procedural arguments raged around him, his Nationals colleague demanding the right to put the amendments and his cabinet colleague Peter Dutton standing at the despatch box to veto them, the senior Coalition partner overriding the junior in the very act of making law. Joyce, as a member of the cabinet now, is bound by decisions of the cabinet and didnt speak. But he advocated the right of his backbench colleagues to challenge the government: The Nationals have very strong views about defending the right of the farmers along the river [Murray-Darling]. They want their fears allayed about losing farming water to environmental purposes.

That avenue, that bill, is now sealed, opportunity lost, but Joyce says we will continue to represent the rights and reflect the concerns of people who live in the [Murray-Darling] Basin. He says he wants from the government more substantive water infrastructure, too, including a longer-term aim of channelling water from Queenslands Burdekin Dam south. On energy and emissions, Joyce has three key points. We are unambiguous in support of coal fired power, and we are quite favourable to nuclear power. Its not the power sources that are an end in themselves  its the rights of the people who work in the industry that Joyce insists are non-negotiable. Loading As for the intense international pressure on Morrison to commit Australia to an emissions goal of net zero by 2050 in time for the Glasgow meeting in November, Joyce is agnostic: Net zero by 2050 is like a new commandment, but the implications can go for chapters. What matters, he says, is the detail of how it will be delivered: Youve got to spell out honestly the consequences  what does it mean for emissions-intensive jobs  before accepting any limits. Its easy to say youre a Buddhist, its hard to live as a Buddhist.

Joyce raises religious freedom as an important issue for the Nationals. The government is to make another attempt at legislating a religious freedom law, and Joyce says he has not seen the draft and wont comment directly except to say that it was an area requiring extreme caution to avoid unintended consequences. He famously defended Israel Folaus right to be dopey in damning homosexuals and fornicators and various others. He says now that while Folaus remarks were kinda crazy and a bit offensive, you need to be aware that you might applaud shutting down someone elses views but what happens when they shut down yours? Loading Joyce is unhappy with the governments deep plunge into debt. Josh Frydenbergs budget foresaw deficits stretching out for at least a decade. Youve got to have a path out of debt, Joyce tells me, and Ill be happy to assist the government finding a path out and there are only two ways  you either earn more or spend less. Its not a new Coalition agreement under discussion. You dont need a Coalition agreement when the Prime Minister is already elected and appointed, Joyce points out. You are probably finalising what is your relationship between the Joyce and Morrison.
New recordings confirm a species of critically endangered and vastly mysterious night parrot lives on in Western Australia after only a handful of confirmed sightings in the past century.

Fortescue Metals Group monitoring using acoustic recording devices has confirmed one definitive and several possible calls of the bird next to the companys Cloudbreak iron ore mine, about five hours drive south of Port Hedland.

The 2017 image of the night parrot. Credit:Bruce Greatwich.

The calls were subsequently confirmed by night parrot experts Nick Leseberg, Steve Murphy and Nigel Jackett of Adaptive NRM.

The nocturnal bird, which has a distinctive call, has been described by researchers as like a larger and dumpy or stout budgie.
Former Supreme Court judge David Kirby QC calls it the deep green, the unique sliver of inner-Sydney bushland he played a decisive role in saving from becoming a freeway decades before.

As a young barrister, he was picked by then premier Neville Wran to preside as commissioner over the 1979 Kyeemagh-Chullora Road Inquiry  the route of the present-day M5  in a role that would steer the government away from the partial destruction of the Wolli Creek Valley.

David Kirby QC has a special connection to the bushland at Wolli Creek. Credit:Jessic Hromas

I had an aerial photograph and it showed a stretch of Sydney from Parramatta to the coast, and I looked at it every day, Mr Kirby said. The green in the Wolli Creek Valley was a deep, lush green ... unlike anything near it, such as the light green turf of the land that been developed.

It stood out as a unique remnant of the bush that had once inhabited the area.
Former Channel Seven star Andrew OKeefe has had two domestic violence charges dismissed and a third withdrawn by police after a magistrate found he was in a hypomanic bipolar state when he spat at his partner, slapped her and kicked her in Sydneys east earlier this year.

Mr OKeefe, 49, the former host of Weekend Sunrise and The Chase Australia, had been at a party in Surry Hills with his partner Orly Lavee on the evening of January 30 when they got into a disagreement and left because she accused him of having an ice pipe in his pocket, which he denied.

Andrew OKeefe leaves Waverley Local Court. Credit:Georgina Mitchell

According to facts read out in court on Friday, the pair left the event and returned to their home at Randwick, where they started arguing and Dr Lavee told him to leave the home and never come back.

After Mr OKeefe packed his belongings, he asked Dr Lavee to call him an Uber because he did not have enough money, but she told him to walk. The pair then exchanged heated comments, including Mr OKeefe shouting you are cruel and heartless and Dr Lavee yelling back get out, I hate you.
The gaps in the system have resulted in states slamming borders shut to NSW and forcing many people into isolation. And from midnight on Friday, Sydney is locked down, with anyone who lives or works in the council areas of Woollahra, Randwick, City of Sydney or Waverley not allowed to leave home. Way back in January, it was a patient transport worker who was the source of the Berala cluster in Sydneys west that would eventually swell to 28 cases. Both outbreaks underline the fallibility of human systems expected to defend the population against the virus while most of us remain unvaccinated. Loading Loopholes in public health rules for drivers would within a week circle back to the Berejiklian government, with Health Minister Brad Hazzard and the Premier forced to briefly isolate while awaiting COVID-19 test results, and more than 100 people  including Barilaro, most Nationals ministers and backbenchers as well as staffers and even three Herald journalists  in strict isolation. An annual National Party post-budget fundraiser on Tuesday night left Macquarie Street in chaos after one of the MPs who attended, Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall, later tested positive to the virus. He had been at a venue of concern, Christos Pizzeria in Paddington, on Monday night and crossed paths with an infectious person. By Thursday, once Marshalls positive result was confirmed, Parliament was a ghost town, with all MPs undergoing rapid testing in order to finalise urgent business of the house, and others being told to isolate in their offices.

But this outbreak is different to Januarys Berala cluster. The virus has changed. Its mutated and new more transmissible variants have emerged, and the Delta variants rise has meant spread has been swifter. The second difference is vaccination. Despite only 43 per cent of people aged over-50 and 61 per cent of over-70s in NSW having received at least one dose, more than 2 million vaccines have been administered. Epidemiologists say each vaccination is a point on the board and a reminder that we will never know how many invisible cases could have shown up but didnt because of effective vaccines Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video We will need widespread vaccination, about 70 or 80 per cent of the adult population, to see large drops in transmission and decrease mortality by 90 per cent, says infectious disease expert Professor Peter Collignon. Vaccines are highly effective in preventing against serious disease and death, including for the Delta variant. Back in January, a week after the Berala cluster stabilised, the state introduced daily COVID-19 saliva tests and weekly nasopharyngeal swabs for patient transport workers as health authorities ramped up surveillance protocols across NSWs massive quarantine operations.

On Friday, Hazzard acknowledged there may be a small number of people who dont comply with the expectations, and that guidelines would step up for mask-wearing for those drivers of people coming in from international flights  whether theyre passenger flights or whether theyre cargo flights, as part of new public health order directions. There are crews involved with the transportation of passengers in some cases. It would appear that there may be a small number of people who dont comply with the expectations, Hazzard said. Late on Friday, public health orders for drivers and people working quarantine changed: a first dose of vaccine and mask-wearing is now mandatory. Last week, Professor Collignon warned that drivers who come into contact with aircrew or quarantine systems were at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 than those who staff hotel quarantine, largely because of the nature of confined space with little ventilation in close proximity to high-risk people. Aircrew who arrive at Sydney Airport quarantine at nearby police-managed hotels are driven there by private transport companies. NSW has quarantined 37,000 aircrew and pilots since the start of the pandemic. More than 3000 people a week are processed through NSWs hotel quarantine scheme.

The NSW Deputy Police Commissioner, Gary Worboys, has confirmed the scope of the investigation into whether the driver adhered to conditions of employment had broadened to include the company that hired the driver and broader transport, work, health and safety offences. Its not as simple as issuing a ticket to this gentleman, thinking that the whole system is repaired or one person is responsible for where we are at today. Police will continue that investigation, we seek any input that people have in relation to it, and I hope by early next week we may have some result out of that, he said. How did we get here? It was mid-afternoon on Wednesday, June 16 when state health authorities notified the public of a case of COVID-19 in a limousine driver. The Bondi man in his 60s, and his wife, became the states first two local COVID-19 cases in 40 days. They tested positive for the Delta variant.

The variant is known to have a higher secondary attack rate than previous variants, meaning there is a higher risk contacts become cases. Within a week Sydney clocked up 65 cases connected to the Bondi cluster. Another five are under investigation. Authorities hypothesise that the driver, who transports international aircrew to quarantine hotels, caught the virus from three crew members of a FedEx US aircrew sometime before June 11. Chant has said the viral sequence for the aircrew may be difficult to retrieve if it has been collected overseas. The next day, a woman from the inner west in her 70s who visited Belle Cafe in Vaucluse at the same time as the driver tested positive. From there, it spread to Westfield Bondi Junction, a thoroughfare for thousands of people each day, when the driver had fleeting contact with a man in his 50s in the Myer store. It appears from CCTV cameras that it could have been a very fleeting contact between the infectious person and this gentleman, said Berejiklian said of the Myer case last Friday. Masks became mandatory. People in the eastern suburbs were put on high alert.

The weekend was a turning point: five new cases emerged, all linked to Westfield, triggering authorities to ask tens of thousands of people to get tested. One of those cases, a man in his 30s, went to Wollongong on Friday, June 18. There were two new cases reported on Monday, both close contacts of known cases in the Bondi cluster and by Tuesday, a nine-year-old child at an eastern suburbs school became the first mystery case among 10 new local cases. The Bondi cluster grew to 21. By Wednesday, 16 new cases included eight from a birthday party at West Hoxton in Sydneys south-west. The party was attended by a woman in her 20s who worked at a Westfield Bondi Junction nail salon. In the following days, a person connected to Westfield visited the Tempe Salvos leading to further transmission. More than 2500 people were in isolation by Friday and venue alerts were listed for Christos Pizzeria at Paddington, Joh Baileys Double Bay Salon and Double Bays Matteo restaurant. Public transport alerts went out, household guests were capped at five people, and large parts of the city were declared hotspots. That was just the beginning, though.

Berejiklian and her government have made much of restrictions and lockdowns being a thing of the past for NSW. Indeed, her brand has been built around a steadfast resistance to closing down the economy. This time last year, the Premier said: We cannot shut down every time we have a cluster of cases. We cannot keep shutting down, reopening, shutting down and reopening. That is not a good way for us to manage the pandemic because it creates chaos for people. However, just as most of this pandemic has repeatedly proven, the unexpected must be expected. The Berejiklian government has been dealt a set of circumstances that has forced it to change tack. Loading The propensity of the Delta variant to spread at a rate not seen before has forced NSW to go down a path it has desperately tried to avoid. The next seven days will prove whether the government acted in time.
From 11.59pm on Friday, people who live or work in the four Sydney councils will be only allowed to leave the house to shop for essential items, seek medical care, exercise outdoors in groups of 10 or fewer or perform work or attend education if they cannot do so from home. The public health orders were yet to be finalised by Friday afternoon, prompting some confusion over how the restrictions would impact businesses and other parts of the community. However, the restrictions will be similar to those imposed on the northern beaches during the Christmas outbreak. The governments crisis cabinet, including the Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Mr Perrottet and Deputy Premier John Barilaro , accepted the advice of Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant, to lock down.

A senior government source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the decision to confine the lockdown to the most affected suburbs was to lessen the economic impact on Greater Sydney. The source said: There was no justification in shutting down a coffee shop in Campbelltown or a Westfield in Penrith when we know the cases are largely confined to these [four] areas. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video People who live and work outside the four council areas can only enter for essential purposes and a restriction on travel outside metropolitan Sydney remains in place for people from the affected areas as well as Canada Bay, Inner West and Bayside councils. Ms Berejiklian avoided the term lockdown to describe the new rules, and said the public could use whatever word they want.

What is important for me is to explain to the citizens who [are] directly impacted and what our citizens can and cant do, she said, noting the restrictions were not citywide. She insisted the localised restrictions were proportionate to the risk facing Sydney, and said the stay-at-home orders would ensure much of Sydneys businesses could remain open. Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced new restrictions for four LGA areas. Credit:Nick Moir I appreciate this is a blow for business in those communities, but weve been able to limit it to those four local government areas, and that is our intention, Ms Berejiklian said. We are not ever going to pretend what we have in place is enough or what we have in place is perfect, far from it. But what is really important is that if we do find a situation we need to fix, we find a set of circumstances we need to deal with, were not afraid to do that.

The Australian Medical Association called for the whole of Sydney to be placed in a lockdown, with president Omar Khorshid describing the new rules as confusing. The economic consequences of lockdown are significant, but the economic consequences of getting this wrong are catastrophic, he said. Asked why the lockdown did not include south-west Sydney, after 17 people who attended a West Hoxton birthday party last weekend tested positive, Dr Chant said there had been little further transmission beyond the party group but the situation was being closely monitored. The number of cases linked to the Bondi cluster is now 65. There have been 70 local cases recorded over the past nine days but only one case has no known source: a nine-year-old whose infection prompted the closure of St Charles Primary School at Waverley on Tuesday.

However, health authorities expressed concern about 900 people who attended Joh Baileys Double Bay salon over the past week after three staff members and two clients tested positive. Bondi Beach was quieter than usual on Friday. Credit:Kate Geraghty Dr Chant said she expected many more cases to arise in the coming days but hoped most would be in isolation. There are now more than 2500 people in Sydney and surrounds undertaking 14 days isolation as a result of the outbreak. Movement around the city was already declining through the week, with 300,000 fewer trips taken on the citys public transport system on Thursday compared to the previous day, as more Sydneysiders opted to stay at home. While patronage had slowly crept up close to 70 per cent of pre-COVID levels through the first half of the year, by Thursday it had fallen away to less than 40 per cent. Fewer than 1 million trips on the system were recorded in total.
According to public health orders published on Friday night, venues including cafes, pubs, clubs and restaurants must close except for the purposes of selling food or beverages to people away from the premises, and except for those holding permitted wedding or funeral gatherings. Swimming pools must also close. Retail stores are not prohibited from opening under the orders. The orders also state that weddings held up to the end of June 27 in the locked-down LGAs are still able to go ahead. People in the affected LGAs will also be able to leave the area to attend a wedding in other parts of the city which are not subject to stay at home orders up until the end of Sunday. Funerals of up to 100 people, including the people conducting the service, are able to proceed. People in affected LGAs are allowed to attend funerals regardless of what area they are located in.

Those who live outside the four LGAs can only enter them for essential purposes, including a funeral or a wedding held up to the end of June 27. People will also be permitted to leave home to visit a potential new home, move house, visit their partner or get vaccinated. Ms Berejiklian said gyms in the four local LGAs would likely need to close. Mr Hazzard tweeted about 3.30pm on Friday that community sport could continue in Waverley, Woollahra, the City of Sydney and Randwick LGAs despite COVID-related travel restrictions.

Other non-essential businesses & other services in houses of worship will cease, Mr Hazzard said. In Randwick, libraries and community centres will close but outdoor facilities including playgrounds and beaches will remain open. Meanwhile, people who live or work in Canada Bay, Inner West or Bayside councils remain unable to leave metropolitan Sydney, and masks remain mandatory in public indoor areas and on public transport across Greater Sydney. Those restrictions already in place have been extended for another week, due to end at the same time as the lockdown.

We understand this is a difficult time for everyone. However, we need to take these steps now to get on top of this outbreak, Mr Hazzard and Ms Berejiklian said in a statement. As previously stated, if you live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra LGAs, you cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential reasons, the Premier and Health Minister said. Residents across Greater Sydney should also limit unnecessary activity and avoid large gatherings in coming days and comply with the current restrictions. Existing restrictions extended Existing restrictions for Greater Sydney, applied earlier this week, have been extended. These restrictions will now stay in place until at least midnight on Friday, July 2. Restrictions announced on Friday for the four LGAs affected by harsher restrictions override them.

Socialising Households will be limited to five guests, including children;

People must be seated at hospitality venues or events; drinking while standing is not permitted;

The four square metre rule will be reintroduced at all indoor and outdoor settings, including weddings and funerals; and

No dancing or singing at venues except for wedding dance floors, which are now restricted to 20 people. Masks Masks will be mandatory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events;

People attending outdoor events must wear a mask except while eating and drinking; and

Masks must be worn on public transport. Public transport

Social distancing via green dots on public transport will be reintroduced; and

Masks must be worn on public transport. Physical recreation and sport Dance and gym classes will be limited to 20 people per class and participants must wear a mask. Travel limit Travel will be restricted to the metropolitan area for residents who live or work in seven Sydney LGAs. These include Randwick, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West, City of Sydney, Waverley and Woollahra.

Interstate travel Victoria Earlier this week, Victoria said it would expand its classification of NSW red zones to include all Greater Sydney and Wollongong from 1am Friday. It means non-Victorian residents are banned from entering the state while residents will have to obtain a permit and quarantine at home for 14 days. They will also have to get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of entering the state, and receive a negative test result on day 13 before they are cleared to leave self-quarantine. The police presence along the border between Victoria and NSW will be significantly increased. Queensland Anyone who has been in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour will not be able to enter Queensland without an exemption from 1am Thursday, June 24.

The hotspot declaration will not be backdated. It will apply to anyone that has been in the hotspot locations on or after 1am. Those who can enter Queensland will need to complete 14 days quarantine in government arranged accommodation. Western Australia Western Australia has reintroduced its hard border with NSW, effective from 1pm AEST on Wednesday, Premier Mark McGowan has announced. Travel is no longer permitted without an exemption for residents of NSW. The change extends to those whove recently been in NSW. Anyone arriving in WA from Wednesday will have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Loading South Australia Effective immediately, South Australia on Wednesday afternoon announced it would close its border to NSW. People who have been in NSW in the past 14 days will not be allowed to enter South Australia unless granted an exemption. Tasmania

Tasmania has labelled City of Sydney, Randwick, Inner West, Woollahra, Waverley, Canada Bay, and Bayside as high risk areas. Anyone who has been in these LGAs will not be allowed to enter the state unless granted an exemption. Tasmanians returning home who have been in any of these LGAs will be required to quarantine for 14 days at a suitable premises. Northern Territory Greater Metropolitan Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Wollongong have been considered COVID-19 hotspots, which means you must undertake 14 days of quarantine in supervised accommodation at the Alice Springs or Howard Springs quarantine facilities. Australian Capital Territory Anyone in the ACT who left Greater Sydney after 4pm on Friday is now subject to stay-at-home orders. They will only be allowed to leave their home to undertake essential activities until 11.59pm, July 2. Permitted reasons to leave the house include shopping for essential supplies, essential work that cannot be completed at home, medical care, care for the vulnerable, exercise for up to one hour a day and feeding animals. Sydney residents will not be allowed to travel to the ACT unless they gain an exemption.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The manager and one of the bouncers at Brisbanes Whiskey Au Go Go knew the venue was going to be firebombed and warned some people to stay away on the night of the attack. The coronial inquest into the 1973 tragedy that claimed 15 lives at the Fortitude Valley nightclub wrapped up on Friday after two weeks of evidence. A further two to three weeks of hearings will be held at a later date. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video The latest inquest was ordered in 2017 by then attorney-general Yvette DAth. It is focusing on whether anyone else was involved and if the police investigation was adequate. James Richard Finch and John Andrew Stuart were convicted and sentenced to life in prison over the fatal attack. They were each charged with only one count of murder. On Friday, Martin Turpin gave evidence about his former roommate Greg Doolan being warned to stay away from the venue on the night of the fire. He [Mr Doolan] said: Marty, Ill never forget it.  Mr Turpin told the court.

Advertisement

He said Mr Doolan told him he had been standing on the footpath outside the club when this big, black limousine pulled up outside and the back window came down and there was [Whiskey Au Go Go manager] John Bell sitting in the back seat. Martin Turpin after giving evidence at the Whiskey Au Go Go inquest in Brisbane on Friday. Credit:Toby Crockford He said: Greg, whatever you do, do not go in there tonight. Greg took that warning very serious and he didnt go into the club. Loading Willem Morcus also testified to a conversation between his brothers Peter and Alphonsus before the fire. Peter was a barman at Whiskey Au Go Go, while Alphonsus was a bouncer at the venue. Willem said Alphonsus warned Peter not to go to work on the night of the fire. He [Peter] was warned not to go in because something was going to happen. But he [Peter] went to work that night and the place got burnt down.

Advertisement

Peter died with a chair in his hand trying to break a window  but it was a plastic chair. Earlier this week, the inquest heard a convicted murderer had told his girlfriend he planned to break out of prison and kill two crime journalists digging into his potential involvement in other killings. The criminal involved was Vincent ODempsey and the claims came from retired crime journalist Robert Dutton. Mr Dutton said ODempseys girlfriend, Kerri-Anne Scully, warned him that ODempsey had made a death threat against him and colleague Dennis Watt for their investigative articles into whether ODempsey had any involvement in the Whiskey Au Go Go firebombing. There were also revelations this week that a current senior police detective told one of his investigators to delete any claim that officers had fabricated the confession of an arsonist convicted over the 1973 firebombing in her report to the Queensland coroner. The revelations were subject to a non-publication order from the legal counsel for the Queensland Police Commissioner.

Advertisement

However, that order was revoked on Wednesday after a legal challenge by media outlets. During her evidence last week, Detective Sergeant Virginia Gray said her superior, Detective Inspector Damien Hansen, had told her to remove an estimated 27 pages of criticisms of the 1973 police investigation from the report she prepared for the inquest. Loading Sergeant Gray said the reason Inspector Hansen gave was: That sort of material should not be included in a report from the police ... and that we would leave that to the journalists and police haters. A confession tape was also played to the court showing convicted Whiskey Au Go Go killer James Finch telling Mr Watt, a journalist, how he and two other men set the nightclub alight on that night in 1973. Finch said he had two accomplices on the night  Billy McCulkin was the driver and Thomas Hamilton lit the match to ignite the fuel. We made one sweep straight into the place, pulled the car up right next to the place  The car doors were open as the car stopped, Finch told Mr Watt during the 1988 interview.

Advertisement
Today is a very tough day for everyone. Commissioner Carroll said Senior Constable Masters was a highly regarded police officer who had spent 10 years with the service, including working with horses in the mounted police unit. I spoke to his colleagues and spent time with them at Deception Bay and theyve got nothing but kind words to say about Dave  hardworking, capable, a beacon at the station and much loved by everyone, she said. Detective Superintendent Craig Morrow said an investigation centre was set up a the Caboolture police station. He urged anyone who saw the Hyundai Kona or any dashcam footage to contact police.

The car was originally hired from Ipswich I believe about June 22 but since then the car wasnt returned and reported stolen, he said. 53-year-old David Masters was a dedicated police officer based at Deception Bay. That car was identified shortly before that incident in north Brisbane district and was followed up the highway as it went north. Superintendent Morrow said it was unknown who was in the vehicle. When asked about the dangers of using road spikes, Commissioner Carroll said all equipment use on jobs including spikes, tasers or weapons were highly scrutinised and they learnt from past incidents.

The last incident with spikes involved Constable Peter McAulay, who almost died after being run over in Ipswich while placing down spikes in 2018. Queensland Police Union general secretary Mick Barnes, who was on the scene assisting colleagues of Senior Constable Masters, said the officers death left police in shock. Daves tragic, needless and senseless passing has already been felt deeply across Queensland, he said. The events of last night remind us that our job as police is always dangerous. Detective Superintendent Craig Morrow, with Commissioner Katarina Carroll, speaks at a press conference after the death of Senior Constable Masters. Credit:QPS

It never stops, and it comes at a heavy cost to us all. It is also a stark reminder of what we risk every day. We know that when we leave home to go to work each day, there are never any guarantees we will come home at the end of the day. Daves life has been cut tragically short for one reason and one reason alone, for simply doing his job, and we Queensland police remember and honour him. The Queensland Ambulance Service passed on their deepest sympathy. Our thoughts also go out to our officers and all emergency service personnel who attended the scene, a statement read.

Police officers on social media have posted an image in a show of respect and honour for Senior Constable Masters. Queensland police have paid tribute to Senior Constable David Masters and his family on social media by sharing this image. In a joint statement, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Police Minister Mark Ryan expressed condolences. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible tragedy, they said. Police put themselves in the line of danger every day to protect us and keep us safe, and today, tragically, they lost one of their own.

Health Minister Yvette DAth said it was a sad time for Queensland. Its a tragic incident and our thoughts and prayers go to this police officers family, work colleagues and friends during this really difficult time, she said. Opposition Leader David Crisafulli and opposition police spokesman Dale Last also paid respect to Senior Constable Masters. I am shocked and saddened to hear of the events that occurred on the Bruce Highway at Burpengary that led to the death of a Queensland police officer this morning, Mr Crisafulli said. The tragedy is a stark reminder of the critical work our policemen and women do across the state each and every day, Mr Last said.
Queensland reported two new local cases of COVID-19 overnight as restrictions wound back in the face of continuing concerns about the spread of cases from NSW and tougher border measures sparked by new stay-at-home orders for parts of Sydney.

The two cases were close contacts of previously reported infections linked to a small cluster at the Portuguese Family Centre in Brisbane, sparked by a hotel quarantine leak.

But state Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the fact both people had already been in isolation meant there was little cause for alarm.

Seven cases are now linked to the cluster that broke out of the Four Points by Sheraton quarantine hotel in Brisbanes CBD after a woman was unknowingly infected during her stay in what authorities believe was a case of surface or object transmission through a staff member.
When handweaver Mary Burgess moved in to a studio in the Nicholas Building seven years ago, it felt like a gift.

Yes, from her fifth floor window there is a stunning view of Flinders Street station, but it was the feeling of being in an artists village that won her over.

Creative village: handweaver Mary Burgess in her Nicholas Building studio. Credit:Chris Hopkins

Under the brand Woven Memories, Ms Burgess weaves thread from the clothes of clients deceased loved ones into items such as bedspreads.

Unusual, yes, but it fits in with the many bespoke practitioners  she terms it people who follow a unique passion  in the heritage-listed Nicholas Building, built in 1926, where 110 studios sprawl over 10 floors.
Angela Lehmann, a researcher with international education consultancy firm Lygon Group, has surveyed overseas students about Australian universities. She said that for Indian students in particular, an onshore education is valued for the opportunities it brings. [Indian students] are actively looking at countries where borders are open, so we are right now losing huge amounts of students to the UK and Canada, Ms Lehmann said. Thats pure and simply because borders are open, and they want to get out and they want face-to-face learning. Indian Students Association of Victoria general secretary Amo Chakravarthy said a qualification from an Australian university was much less attractive to many Indian students if they could not live and work here while studying. The crucial experience of living in Australia, gaining an understanding of Australian society and making contacts, could not be replicated online, he said.

There is a big difference between studying online and having a few years here to set themselves up before they enter the workforce, as opposed to having absolutely no idea what the country is like but then be expected to get a job. Canada announced this week that it would open borders to fully vaccinated international students in July. Ms Lehmann said the resilience of Chinese enrolment figures was good news for Victorian universities, but she predicted those figures would also fall this year. What we are seeing is people biding their time and I dont think those numbers are going to hold steady forever, she said. I think we are at the precipice and I think that we will see declines in those numbers in coming months. Ms Shen began a two-year masters degree in teaching English to speakers of other languages at the University of Melbourne in October 2020, but deferred her studies in March.

She hungers for a face-to-face university experience where she can soak up a different culture and improve her English skills to a standard she says she cant reach studying remotely from her home city of Shenzhen. Experiencing the local lifestyle is the key reason why I want to study abroad, but remote learning cannot achieve this, she said in an interview via Zoom. If I just want to get a diploma, why not choose a university in China where the tuition is much lower? Ms Shen is prepared to wait it out for the rest of the year, but says she will turn her back on Australia if she cannot travel here early next year. Former Chinese student Zhan Huang recently graduated from RMIT University and is working in IT in Melbourne, where he also runs a volunteer group called Study Local Support Local. RMIT University graduate Zhan Huang has set up a support group for Chinese students blocked from entering Australia. Credit:Joe Armao

His group is in contact with hundreds of students and their families in China, communicating via Chinese social media sites such as Weibo and WeChat. Mr Huang said correspondence in the chat groups had dropped off as current and prospective students grew discouraged about their prospects of travelling to Australia. Only those who feel desperate are still checking in, he said. Chinese student Diana, who declined to give her surname, is in the first year of her masters of education at University of Melbourne, and said she was also frustrated by the void of information. For the citizens in Australia I can really understand [the international travel ban], but I think they need to give accurate information to international students so they can plan their time, she said. We are just waiting for government information.
A decorated senior police officer faces being struck off the force after being found guilty of leaking sensitive information about a secret corruption probe.

Magistrate Simon Zebrowski described Commander Stuart Batesons denials as unconvincing and clunky after Melbourne Magistrates Court heard he gave a junior policewoman advance warning of a secret Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission investigation.

Stuart Bateson arrives at the Magistrates Court. Credit:Joe Armao

For her version to be a lie itd have to be amongst the most extraordinary falsehoods, Mr Zebrowski said.

In my view Mr Bateson tied himself in knots.
The new lockdown will be imposed from 6pm Saturday until 11.59pm on Friday, July 9. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian had earlier revealed the state had recorded 29 new cases of COVID-19 in the community overnight. Ms Berejiklian said 17 of those cases were spoken about on Friday. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video These additional cases have been to exposure sites outside the four Sydney local government areas which have already been locked down. Meanwhile, a miner in the Northern Territory has tested positive for COVID-19 and authorities believe he might have contracted the virus during his stay at a quarantine hotel in Queensland.

NT chief minister Michael Gunner said on Saturday that more than 900 people had left the mine site during the time the man was potentially infectious and 754 people are currently in quarantine at the mine. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Dont come to Victoria from hotspots: Foley Mr Foley warned people from NSW hotspots they would face a $5000 fine if they attempted to enter Victoria. Greater Sydney and Wollongong were classified as red zones by Victorian authorities on Thursday, with the new rules coming into effect on Friday.

Loading The classification means non-residents of Victoria who have visited red zones will be barred from entering the state unless they qualify for an exemption. Victorian residents can apply for permits to return home, but will have to self-quarantine for 14 days from arrival. They are also required to get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of entering Victoria and then return a negative day-13 result before exiting isolation. However, Victorian residents wont be eligible for a permit if theyve been to a very high-risk exposure site in a red zone in the past 14 days. Mr Foley said police were patrolling border areas and using mobile and automated technology to scan licence plates of people entering the state from NSW.

We also know that this is a very important time to protect Victorias border with NSW, and we will continue to strengthen that border based on public health advice, he said. The message is simple. Dont come from a NSW red zone to Victoria, and for Victorians, do not visit those red zones in NSW. Victoria Police has continued to ramp up its Operation Signal on our borders with NSW, with highly visible, mobile and increased numbers of Victoria Police operating 24/7. About 260 police officers are operating roving patrols and working at pop-up check points.

If you enter Victoria through the land borders from those red zones, you run the risk of substantial fines and being turned around, if not worse. Mr Foley said 19 flights arrived from Sydney on Friday, with most of the 13,135 passengers who arrived before a 3pm reporting deadline found to be returning residents. However, 15 people were sent back to their home states for not having the right travel permits. Police monitor cars entering Victoria at Wodonga on Friday. Traces of virus found in wastewater Health officials also flagged the detection of traces of COVID-19 in a wastewater catchment in Melbournes north-east.

Loading The catchment takes in the north and north-eastern Melbourne suburbs of Lower Plenty, Briar Hill, Bundoora, Diamond Creek, Greensborough, Plenty, Macleod, Mill Park, South Morang, St Helena, Viewbank, Watsonia, Watsonia North, Yallambie and Yarrambat. Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton urged anyone in those suburbs to get a COVID-19 test if they have any symptoms. This could be a historical case continuing to shed virus, but we are asking anyone who lives in or who has visited the suburbs to please watch out for the slightest of symptoms and come forward and get tested at one of the many local testing sites, Professor Sutton said. Victoria could double vaccination numbers: Foley

Mr Foley said Victoria could be administering double the number of vaccines if it was receiving more shots from the federal government. We have our hands tied behind our back on the vaccination rollout program because of constraints from supply from the way in which the Commonwealth has mismanaged the process of distribution, he said. As the Chief Health Officer has indicated, weve built a collaborative process here in Victoria with our GPs, where weve built, in terms of the restrictions that we are operating under and supply, a pretty good system, but we could do much more, we could do double the system that we have. Instead, what were facing over coming weeks is an actual reduction in both, in particularly Pfizer, before we have a ramp-up in the third and fourth quarters of the year. Two new Delta cases unvaccinated

The new cases in Melbourne and Sydney come as The Age can reveal the two men who tested positive to COVID-19 in Melbourne after one of them attended a Sydney super-spreader event were both unvaccinated despite being aged over 60. The two men  who work at a Sandringham dry cleaning store and are aged 61 and 63  are both yet to be vaccinated. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video A government source confirmed the pair had not received a jab. A COVID-19 vaccination significantly decreases the likelihood of being infected by and transmitting the virus. Victorian health officials on Friday said they were unaware why NSWs Health Department had not contacted the man who attended his daughters social event in Sydney over the weekend.

It is unclear whether the daughter included the man on her list of people who attended the event.

The first dry cleaner worker to test positive attended work on Wednesday morning after feeling symptoms on Tuesday night. Genomic testing has shown the two men have been infected with the highly contagious Delta variant of coronavirus. The Oakleigh man unknowingly carried the virus back to Victoria and passed it onto his boss at the dry-cleaning business. Victorian contact tracers are now chasing down 126 passengers and additional crew from the Sydney-Melbourne flight, as well as about 100 customers who visited the dry-cleaning business.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The unions that ought to have lashed out as a higher education sector crisis cost tens of thousands of university jobs have instead sat eerily silent in Western Australia while Labors stronghold over the state tightened. And this is at a time when a federal election looms. But a once-in-a-decade stoush is brewing at the WA chapter of the National Tertiary Education Union, which represents academics, over the conservative Labor leanings that have potentially silenced statewide action. It has left a lone student guild at Perths biggest university, Curtin, as the sole dissenting voice to take recent action on behalf of staff. Even Perths almost Labor prime minister and once student activist, Kim Beazley, has noted the lack of student demonstration in recent years. Murdoch Universitys largest lecture hall, named after the states biggest political figurehead, no longer hosts course lectures. Credit:Aja Styles Mr Beazleys fathers name is etched on a local lecture hall which no longer services course lectures and has become a symbol in WA of a conflict between university executives on one side, and academics and students on the other.

Advertisement

Advertisement

NTEU branch vice president at Curtin University, Thor Kerr, says the unions WA branch has failed to take direct action over universities being dismantled in a perfect storm of reduced government funding, dissolving foreign student income and rising campus costs. [The NTEU is] much more interested in overseeing the kind of slow decline in a reasonably peaceful way ... and I think they see their job is, maybe, more about managing that decline rather than heading it off, he said. It is really sad because Australian education was in a very strong position ... and now it just looks terrible. And so its been a very rapid decline and a very destructive decline. NTEU WA scretary Catherine Moore will have her seat challenged by NTEUs Curtin Uni representative Thor Kerr over differing ideologies for action. Dr Kerr believes things need to change radically and is contesting WAs secretary seat for the first time in the unions history. Incumbent state secretary Catherine Moore disputes the idea the union has made job cuts easy for university management. NTEU continues to fight for every single job, she said.

Advertisement

Its not glamorous or cool, and it doesnt end up on the front page of the paper, but we sit in dispute meetings day after day making the argument on behalf of each and every one of our members. If a job can be saved, we save it. She said the NTEU successfully fought back attacks by Curtin and Murdoch senior executives to strip staff of pay and conditions through unilateral changes to enterprise agreements last year. Murdoch sued a previous division secretary (twice) and an NTEU staff member during the last round of bargaining, including for organising protests against their disgraceful decision to apply to have the Murdoch enterprise agreement terminated, she said. She called Murdoch one of the most litigious universities in Australia. Dr Moores vision is for a sector where teaching, learning and research can be carried out without fear or favour and vital work is achieved in a sustainable way, without exploitation. Universities are the natural ideological enemy of conservative governments because they encourage freedom of inquiry and challenge traditional norms, Dr Moore said.

Advertisement

So it was no surprise that the federal government changed the JobKeeper rules three times to keep universities out. And thousands of job cuts resulted. But WA labour historian and industrial relations academic Alexis Vassiley also questioned the NTEU leadership response in negotiating a jobs protection framework that cut pay up to 15 per cent in return for more job security that didnt eventuate. This is an approach whereby rather than organising and mobilising workers, its one of essentially being being co-partners with management in managing revenue reductions, he said. Labor leanings As a unionist and former student activist himself, Mr Vassiley questioned the politics behind the lack of mobilisation from multiple unions representing those in higher education. In the National Union of Students, you have Labor students in the key leadership positions that dont want to rock the boat, particularly when Labors in government, he said.

Advertisement
Polling consistently finds a majority of all Australians want climate action, and new data gathered for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age shows that Australians living in rural and regional areas are just as concerned about climate change as those in cities. According to research by Resolve, 56 per cent of metropolitan respondents support the adoption of a net zero emissions by 2050 target compared with 55 per cent in rural and regional areas. In fact, the research suggests opposition to action is, if anything, higher in cities, where 13 per cent oppose, compared with 10 per cent in the regions. Resolve Strategics founder Jim Reed sees little significance in the latter figures but says the findings show that climate concern is basically as high in the regions as it is in our cities.

Out with the old, in with the renewable By far the most significant climate change action Australia is taking today is the staged replacement of ageing coal-fired power stations with renewables. It is a process driven by state governments, particularly in NSW, Queensland and Victoria. NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean champions so-called Renewable Energy Zones, five of which have been named across the state. In them, the government supports the fast-tracking of renewable energy projects and links them to the grid with new high-capacity power lines. Ageing coal-fired plants are in the firing line. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer This policy will see the zone around Joyces seat of New England attract $10.7 billion in investment, including $1.5 billion in lease payments to landholders, over the next two decades, according to NSW government estimates.

The state government estimates the renewable energy boom will create around 830 permanent operational jobs and 1250 construction jobs each year as construction continues. Loading By all indications, Joyce remains unimpressed. He has commissioned but not published research into whether people in his electorate want renewables at all. Last year in a Facebook post he wrote after a meeting with the independent member for Tony Abbotts former seat, Zali Steggall - an inner-city conservative MP concerned about climate - he suggested that if she liked wind turbines she should lobby for them in her electorate. Climate righteousness comes at a price and should not be booked up on someone elses account, wrote Joyce, who did not respond to questions for this story. He suggested that if city people wanted more turbines in New England for environmental reasons they should be open to returning Sydney Harbour to its natural state, with the removal of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

On Thursday, Liberal senator Warren Entsch lamented this sort of low-rent discourse concerning climate in comments to The Age and the Herald. Charlie Prell, who grazes sheep and cattle under 28 wind turbines on his farm at Crookwell, three hours south-west of Sydney, is similarly frustrated. Coal is heavy, you have to burn it close to where you find it. Bruce Mountain Prell, a fourth-generation farmer and chairman of Farmers for Climate Action, believes that the replacement of Australias coal energy system with renewables represents an unprecedented potential windfall to regional Australia. It is going to be like the postwar wool boom on steroids, he says.

As he sees it, Joyce and his pro-coal allies - such as Matt Canavan and Pitt - are opposing reforms that would see the decentralisation of the energy sector, which so far has been concentrated in a handful of locations and dominated by a small group of big companies. The director of Victoria Universitys energy policy centre, Professor Bruce Mountain, agrees, saying the nation is on the cusp of transferring energy wealth to the regions. Coal is heavy, you have to burn it close to where you find it, he says of our traditional power system. You can make electricity where you need it now. Prell concedes that the renewable energy boom has already pitted some farmers against their neighbours, but says the Nationals should be shaping the transition rather than opposing it. The fights about wind turbines come down to jealousy between those who dont profit from them and those who do, he says. Everyone in the community should benefit.

Prell says the steady income he receives from hosting turbines on his property has not only allowed him to upgrade his fences and equipment to the benefit of local suppliers but to take on two full-time employees. Further, his farm is now more climate-efficient. No longer battling debt, Prell is better able to adjust his stock levels and rest his land in drier periods. Healthy soil is rich with fungi and bacteria that deliver better plant growth, which in turn fixes more carbon from the atmosphere into the soil. Charlie Prell says everyone in the community should benefit from renewables. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer You can see it in the land, Prell says. It is greener. It is lusher. Many see the change Prell detects on his land as another potential income stream. Technology to measure carbon abatement through farming practices is rapidly improving.

Given the comparative economic size of Australias agriculture sector and its landmass, the nation has a huge advantage over its peers in agricultural carbon sequestration. Measured, this could be monetised in a carbon trading scheme established to meet a net-zero target. Agricultural groups such as the National Farmers Federation and the livestock and grains industries have already embraced net zero in order to keep pace with international norms. Playing catch-up when the rest of the world is demanding evidence of decarbonisation will be too hard, says Richard Heath, managing director of the Australian Farm Institute, the nations leading agricultural policy institute. Instead, the sector should already be focused on demonstrating that it is both emitting less carbon in some processes and sequestering more in others. He says that globally there is a staggering $100 trillion in investment funds ready to be channelled into sustainability.

Agriculture Minister David Littleproud is already pursuing this treasure, funding a trial of a scheme to build a market for farmers to trade carbon sequestration in soil and vegetation and biodiversity credits. Loading It would build upon existing and so far unpopular mechanisms to pay landholders for soil carbon sequestration. Farmers could be paid for planting trees and shrubs on unproductive land on gullies and ridges, supporting endangered flora and fauna. Challenging the Liberal Party Given these potential benefits to the Nationals traditional constituency, what shapes the partys climate stance under Joyce?

During a breakfast TV interview before the coup, Joyce made his political pragmatism clear. The next election would be won in the Hunter Valley in NSW, around Gladstone in Queensland and around Darwin, he said. In other words, in coal and gas country. Marian Wilkinson, the author of The Carbon Club, a book investigating the political and corporate forces opposed to climate action in Australia, describes Joyce as a cunning political operator. Failure to act on climate might hurt Australias reputation, it might cruel trade negotiations and it might even slow some new investment into the regions, but it is to the benefit of some in the resources sector and to the partys campaign in marginal seats, she says. In places like the Hunter and around Gladstone it will help attract blue-collar Labor voters and fend off advances made by One Nation and the Shooters.

If it weakens Liberals in the cities, that just adds to the Nationals comparative strength within the Coalition. Loading But in the end, says Wilkinson, it is a negotiating position. Once the tribute is extracted, Joyce and his hardliners may still allow Morrison to announce a net-zero target before crucial United Nations climate talks in Glasgow in November. At the heart of the negotiations lies the carbon credit scheme Littleproud has already raised this week. Resolve Strategic pollster Jim Reed, reflecting on the events of the week, says sometimes politicians lead, sometimes they follow. Sometimes they see political advantage not in speaking to the nation but in directing their voice to their own voters, party members or colleagues.

What the voters think Ciaran Fallon raised a glass to Joyces return to the leadership. Credit:Peter Davis On Wednesday afternoon Ciaran Fallon, a 29-year-old electrician at a Gladstone gas plant, raised a glass to Joyces return. Fallon and his mates - a dozen or so welders, fitters and sparkies - were alternating knock-off beers and sambucas at the Central Lane Hotel. Money talks, bulls--t walks, said one of them at the mention of net-zero emissions. Ive got three kids at home. Gladstone is a hub of Queensland coal and gas exports and for power generation. Energy has been good to Fallon, who owns a home and an investment property and hopes his one-year-old son, Elliot, will follow him into a trade that grants him similar opportunity.

Fallon has a side-project installing solar panels and like many of his friends supports what they see as practical and realistic climate action. Not unreasonably, the meaning and purpose of a net-zero target was unclear to some. I think its a very vague picture, says another local, Glo Juice cafe owner Amanda McGrath. Glo Juice cafe owner Amanda McGrath. Credit:Peter Davis Tell me what [net zero] looks like? Is it only planting more trees to counter something, or are we producing less emissions? You hear a very vague statement and the average person without a science degree or whatever doesnt know how to interpret that. I dont know how to interpret that. Jenny Wilson. Credit:Peter Davis
His prognostications about the use of water in the Murray-Darling prompted a royal commission to accuse him of ignoring the law. His confessions in a book he wrote concerning his personal behaviour - so outrageous he said hed visit a sacred rock and fall to his knees in remorse and pray - remain compelling. Rich pickings for an Opposition, you might think. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during Question Time on Wednesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen But now, the things Joyce said he believed as recently as last week are out of bounds to those whod like to inquire about them in parliament. What a fortunate fellow. Given this state of affairs is surely beyond the understanding of all those of us who do not have the privilege of placing our posteriors on a House of Representatives bench, the following imponderable, from the first day of Joyces latest ascension, might assist.

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese referred Joyce during Question Time to his recently-declared view that the Murugappan asylum-seeking family should be allowed to return to the town of Biloela. Albanese reminded the House that Joyce had said the Murugappan children, Tharnicaa and Kopika, were born in Australia, and maybe if their names were Jane and Sally wed think twice about sending them back to another country which theyre not from. Nades and Priya Murugappan with their daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa. Albanese wanted to know whether in his capacity as Minister for Regional Development, does he [Joyce] still support the government letting Tharnicaa and Kopika and their family ... go back to Biloela in Queensland? Oh dear. Would the new Deputy Prime Minister give his own government an embarrassing spray over its stance against a little family whod made a happy home in a Queensland country town before being locked up on Christmas Island?

Or would he, in his new exalted position as the second most important figure in the government, reverse his view and reveal himself as a hypocrite? Peter Dutton, Minister for Defence and Leader of the House - which makes him responsible for arguing the governments business - lumbered to his feet to prevent Joyce from answering at all. Mr Speaker, on a point of order. The purpose of Question Time is to hold ministers to account for their portfolio responsibilities, Dutton began. This is not within the ministerial responsibilities of the Deputy Prime Minister, and that is very clear. As such, the question should be ruled out of order. The Oppositions Tony Burke, unsurprisingly, countered that this was ridiculous. There were days, on this basis, where almost all questions to the government would be ruled out.

In the case of Albaneses question to Joyce on the Biloela family, this goes immediately to the impact on regional Australia, and whether the minister will be advocating in that way or not, Burke said. The ball, in short, was dropped for judgment into the court of Tony Smith, a Speaker considered even-handed compared with many of his predecessors, notably Bronwyn Bishop. Defence Minister and Leader of the House Peter Dutton talks to Speaker Tony Smith during Question Time in May. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen It wasnt long ago that Smith shut down no less than Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Question Time, and said he couldnt care less if the PM was happy with his ruling or not. Smith opted for a very black-letter law approach to the Joyce question.

The new Deputy Prime Minister, the Speaker said, was being asked about a quote from before he was the Deputy Prime Minister. The practice makes it clear that ministers cannot be asked about their statements before becoming a minister, said Smith, referring to the arcane rules compiled within a text called House of Representatives Practice. Smith quoted from the Practice: Ministers can only be questioned on matters for which he or she is responsible or officially connected. A Minister may not be asked a question about his or her actions in a former ministerial role. He [Joyce] is being asked about a statement he made - lets be clear for everybody watching - he made when he was a backbencher, not the Deputy Prime Minister, and this is made very clear, those questions are out of order, said Smith. So are we all clear on that?
London: Britains Health Minister has apologised for breaching national coronavirus restrictions after a newspaper ran pictures of him embracing a woman with whom he allegedly had an affair.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has led the countrys response to the pandemic, is the latest in a string of British officials to be accused of breaching restrictions they imposed on the rest of the population to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Matt Hancock was pictured leaving Downing Street with Gina Coladangelo on May 1. Credit:Getty Images

The tabloid Sun newspaper ran images appearing to show the married Hancock and a senior aide, Gina Coladangelo, kissing in an office at the Department of Health. It said the CCTV images were taken on May 6  11 days before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and other physical contact with people outside ones own household.

Hancock said in a statement on Friday, local time, that I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances.
New York: Researchers have found evidence that a coronavirus epidemic swept east Asia some 20,000 years ago and was devastating enough to leave an evolutionary imprint on the DNA of people alive today.

The new study suggests that an ancient coronavirus plagued the region for many years, researchers say. The finding could have dire implications for the current COVID-19 pandemic if it is not brought under control soon through vaccination.

It should make us worry, said David Enard, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona who led the study, which was published on Thursday in the journal Current Biology. What is going on right now might be going on for generations and generations.

A magnified coronavirus seen during sample detection tests in Belgium. Credit:Bloomberg

Until now, researchers could not look back very far into the history of this family of pathogens. Over the past 20 years, three coronaviruses have adapted to infect humans and cause severe respiratory disease: COVID-19, SARS and MERS. Studies on each of these coronaviruses indicate that they most likely jumped into our species from bats or other mammals.
Mr Waks told Nine News the couple were from Sydney but had lived in Melbourne and split their time between Australia and Miami. NPR local reporter Danny Rivero tweeted in the aftermath: Weve been told many Argentinians and Australians were in the building as well, and that all are unaccounted for. This is an international disaster. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Friday the Australian Embassy in Washington was closely monitoring developments and was making urgent enquiries to determine if any Australians were in the building when it collapsed. The Champlain Towers South had attracted people from around the globe to enjoy life on South Floridas Atlantic Coast, some for a night, some to live.

Among the missing are a couple from Argentina and their young daughter. A beloved retired Miami-area teacher and his wife. Orthodox Jews from Russia. Israelis. The sister of Paraguays first lady. Loading A day after the building collapsed into rubble, pancaking into a pile of concrete and metal more than 10 metres high, officials fear the death toll could skyrocket. These are very difficult times, and things are going to get more difficult as we move forward, Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez said. Firefighters and others worked through the night in hopes of finding survivors. Officials said no cause for the collapse has been determined.

Video of the collapse showed the centre of the building appearing to tumble down first and a section nearest to the ocean teetering and coming down seconds later, as a huge dust cloud swallowed the neighbourhood. About half the buildings roughly 130 units were affected, and rescuers pulled at least 35 people from the wreckage in the first hours after the collapse. Raide Jadallah, an assistant Miami-Dade County fire chief, said that while listening devices placed on and in the wreckage had picked up no voices, they had detected possible banging noises, giving rescuers hope some are alive. Rescuers were tunnelling into the wreckage from below, going through the buildings underground parking garage. Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett told reporters he was as stunned as anyone.

Its less likely than a lightning strike, he said. It just doesnt happen. You dont see buildings falling down in America. Several engineering experts, speaking from experience and reviewing chilling surveillance footage that showed the north-east, beachfront portion of the building collapsing around 1.20 am on Thursday, suggested a number of factors could have played a role, including saltwater corroding the concrete and potentially weakening beams that hold up the structure. Loading But while a critical, compulsory assessment designed to catch any serious structural damage was underway at the Champlain Towers South, it was not yet complete. The 12-storey, 136-unit building was erected in 1981 and was still early in its recertification process, which is required for most non-single-family structures county wide once they turn 40 years old. The bottom line is thats not an old building, and 40-year inspection or not, that kind of thing should not be happening, said Burkett, the mayor.

Its not clear what stage the review process had reached and whether anything had been flagged at Champlain towers, which consist of three adjacent buildings near 88th Street and Collins Avenue. Some have speculated that the problems could have started in the ground, but the author of a paper showing that the Champlain Tower building sunk at a slightly faster rate than its neighbouring buildings, a process known as subsidence, cautioned that his research was a mere snapshot in time. In the April 2020 research paper, Florida International University professor Shimon Wdowinski and his co-author found Champlain Tower sunk into the ground at a rate of about two millimetres a year from 1993 to 1999. Wdowinski said land subsidence alone would not cause a building to collapse. A rescue worker walks through the rubble of the 12-storey beachfront condo building. Credit:AP Photo

Federal authorities said there was no evidence of terrorism at the site. Personal belongings were evidence of shattered lives amid the wreckage of the Champlain. A childrens bunk bed perched precariously on a top floor, bent but intact and apparently inches from falling into the rubble. Argentines Dr Andres Galfrascoli, his husband, Fabian Nunez and their 6-year-old daughter, Sofia, had spent Wednesday night there at an apartment belonging to a friend, Nicolas Fernandez. Galfrascoli, a Buenos Aires plastic surgeon, and Nunez, a theatre producer and accountant, had come to Florida to get away from a COVID-19 resurgence in Argentina and its strict lockdowns. They had worked hard to adopt Sofia, Fernandez said. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video

Of all days, they chose the worst to stay there, Fernandez said. I hope its not the case, but if they die like this, that would be so unfair. They werent the only South Americans missing. Foreign ministries and consulates of four countries said 22 nationals were missing in the collapse: nine from Argentina, six from Paraguay, four from Venezuela and three from Uruguay. The Paraguayans included Sophia Lopez Moreira  the sister of first lady Silvana Abdo and sister-in-law of President Mario Abdo Benitez  and her family. Israeli media said the countrys consul general in Miami, Maor Elbaz, believes that 20 citizens of that country are missing. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is aware of reports that Australians could have been in the building, saying the embassy in Washington was making urgent inquiries.
January 5, 2020, was the last time the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had a full time president. Since then there have been five acting presidents - four of them in the last month alone - as the post had to be filled by the most senior person in line.

One of them had only one-day tenure left while another some three days at the time of their top posting. While the government is concerned that both NCLT and appellate tribunal - NCLAT - are without president and chairman for more than a year, over 20,000 cases have piled up at the adjudicating authority. Of these, more than half - ...
Leading web aggregator on Friday said it has embarked its broking journey with 15 outlets and aims to expand it to 100 locations.

Recently, regulator IRDAI approved broking licence proposal of the company and will undertake business including insurance aggregation under the broking umbrella.

With this development, the company surrendered its web aggregator licence to Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).

The company is rolling out comprehensive plans for various segment including fast-growing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to serve customers better by having an offline presence, com said in a statement.

As a first step, the company is launching offline retail stores across India, it said, adding, the brand has set up 15 stores and will eventually expand to 100 locations.

The brick-and-mortar stores will serve as experience centres for customers and provide them with the comfort of a local physical presence to help resolve any queries or service requests, it said.

Through the stores, customers will have access to Policybazaar's proprietary comparison engines that will help them choose the right insurance product, enhance their ability to compare multiple products, all underpinned by a seamless end-to-end technology in the insurance journey, it added.

To drive the business, the company has roped in former executive director of SBI Life Insurance Rajiv Gupta to lead its expansion plans in the offline space.

Commenting on the expansion, com CEO Yashish Dahiya said "we could not have done justice to our objective of increasing India's insurance penetration levels with online channels alone. We are glad to be able to offer more products and our services with diversified insurance solutions to those more comfortable with physical meetings and offline stores."



Policybazaar as a broker will now also be able to provide its existing and new customers on-ground claims support, he said, adding, the company through its offline presence aims to cater to this market by offering customers affordable, reliable, and sustainable insurance products.

The parent company PB Fintech also promotes Paisabazaar.com, which is an online credit comparison portal.

(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.)
Laurus Labs has been one of the big outperformers within the pharma space gaining 90 per cent over the past three months; a third of these gains came in the last month. Investor demand for the stock is due to robust growth prospects for each of its three segments, incremental capacities and expansion of product portfolio.

Near term trigger has been the growth in the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) segment, which accounts for over half of its revenue. Even as overall sales were up 68 per cent y-o-y in the March quarter, the API segment grew 88 per cent. Within this segment, ...
A group of Indian youngsters from across America, facing imminent prospects of deportation, has met senior Biden administration officials at the and influential lawmakers, appealing them to "let us stay in the US".

There are 200,000 such young Americans, who have spent their entire childhood and teenage in the US, who are facing the prospects of imminent deportation to the country of their origin as they have either attained the age of 21 or about to reach that age, after which they can no longer be dependent on their parent's visas.

A significantly large number of these parents are in a decades-long wait for a Green Card.

A Green Card, known officially as a Permanent Resident Card, is a document issued to immigrants to the US as evidence that the bearer has been granted the privilege of residing permanently in the US.

The young Indians, led by Dip Patel, a clinical pharmacist in Illinois, surprised many of the congressmen and senators, who greeted them at the Capitol last week, as they were probably the first batch of lobbyists at the US Congress, after the recent lifting of social distancing restrictions by the Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC).

Patel, 25, is founder of Improve The Dream, a youth-led organisation bringing awareness for children who face ageing out and self-deportation, was joined by Pareen Mhatre, 21, a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in Biomedical Engineering and minoring in Business Administration; Naga Raghav Sreeram, 21, a senior at the University of California, Davis majoring in Computer Science.

Lakshmi Parvathinathan, 18, a sophomore at Drexel University majoring in Biological Sciences; Sarvani Kunapareddy, 18, a rising freshman at the University of Illinois at Chicago majoring in Computer Science and French Ashley Pardo, 17, a rising freshman at the University of California, Berkeley studying Political Science and Human Rights also joined them.

These six youngsters spent an entire week here in the US capital last week.

They had just one plea: Please let us stay in the US, our home. Don't deport us.

Both the members of Congress and Senators, more than a dozen of whom they met personally were moved by their courage and lobbying efforts.

Everyone from the US Congress to the officials in the Biden administration, including those in the and the Department of Homeland Security, these young advocates said they were given assurances. At the same time, they were asked to have patience as things move slowly in Washington DC and legislative changes take time.

Improve The Dream is an advocacy organisation led by young immigrants who have grown up in the United States as child dependents of long-term visa holders without a clear path to citizenship. We represent over 200,000 Documented Dreamers and are collectively raising awareness about the various issues that cause us to age out of the system when we turn 21, said Dip.

He was born in India and brought to the US at age nine as an E2 visa dependent from Canada in 2005. He is currently on TN status.

The TN nonimmigrant classification permits qualified Canadian and Mexican citizens to seek temporary entry into the United States to engage in business activities at a professional level.

Members of our community were brought to the United States at an average age of five and have resided here for an average of 12 years. We are advocating for change that permanently ends "ageing-out" and provides a path to citizenship for every child who grows up in the United States, regardless of status, Dip said.

Dip said one specific change that they hope the administration would make is to allow Documented Dreamers to qualify for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) after the upcoming rulemaking in August, by removing the requirement to be undocumented.

Documented Dreamers are children whose parents immigrated legally to the US.

The DACA programme, created by former president Barack Obama in 2012, prevents the deportation of people who arrived in the US as minors. The policy was rescinded by his successor Donald Trump in September. DACA recipients are often referred to as Dreamers.

We will soon have a Congressional letter sent to the administration, signed by many members of Congress, to urge the administration for this change. Additionally, a bill to permanently end ageing out, America's CHILDREN Act, will be introduced by Congresswoman Deborah Ross, he said.

For Raghav Sreeram, spending a week in Washington DC and advocating for Documented Dreamers through Improve The Dream has been nothing short of incredible.

From the people we met and discussions we had to explore the amazing city that left me in awe, it was a life-changing experience and one that I will never forget, he told PTI.

From our meetings... I have gained a newfound hope that we will be protected and given the chance at the American Dream our parents came looking for 15 years ago. I am also leaving with a new perspective on politics and legislators who I have naively labelled as uncompassionate, he said.

After years of advocating and hoping to change the policies that affect documented dreamers I finally felt heard this week, said Sarvani Kunapareddy.

Last week I felt that same level of support from legislators and those that could make real changes. While in meetings with various individuals they asked me specific questions about my story. They were always intently listening and never broke eye contact. After a week's worth of meetings I have felt like I have finally been heard, she said.

The voices of Documented Dreamers like myself have gone unheard for far too long now but I am now certain that our voices are being heard, said Lakshmi Parvathinathan.

As I reflect on the past 14 years and the past week, I now feel more American than ever. Speaking up on unjust issues and advocating for the voiceless has reminded me that I am an American and that this country is my home, she said.

Documented Dreamers like myself are American in every way except on paper, and we will continue to fight to ensure that Dreamers of all statuses are protected by the system, said Lakshmi.

Describing the past week as absolutely surreal, Pareen Mhatre said growing up in Iowa City, she was raised as an advocate. However, due to my immigration status, I've always felt unsafe while speaking up. Even a simple social media post advocating for a certain issue could send me back to the country I've lived in for four months when I was a baby, she added.

However, ever since I was given the opportunity to testify in front of Congress, I finally felt like my voice was being heard. I FELT like an American, Pareen told PTI.

Their advocacy has had its own impact on lawmakers. Great to hear from some young advocates with @ImproveTheDream last week outside of the Capitol! It's past time for the Senate to pass the Dream & Promise Act, tweeted Senator Michael Bennet.

It was such a pleasure running into these Dreamers outside the Capitol today including a constituent from my district! They were on the Hill advocating for themselves and other young immigrants. We need the Senate to pass the Dream and Promise Act, said Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon.

Among others, they met Indian American Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, Congresswomen Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and Deborah Ross; Senators Joe Manchin, Lisa Murkowski, Rev Raphael Warnock and Michael Bennet.

(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.)
President on Thursday said never paid for or received any doses of a developed by Indian company Bharat Biotech, in response to allegations of irregularities in a deal that is under investigation.

Federal prosecutors and a special Senate committee are investigating the deal for Bharat Biotech's Covaxin shot, citing the fact that the government struck a speedy agreement when offers from Pfizer in 2020 at a lower price were ignored at the time.

"We didn't spend one cent on Covaxin. We didn't receive one dose of Covaxin. What sort of corruption is this?" Bolsonaro said.

The president pledged to take action if any corruption was discovered in his government. Bolsonaro said the price for the Bharat vaccines was broadly in line with other countries.

He said the government's position has always been to only carry out purchases of vaccines after they are approved for use by federal health authority Anvisa.

Covaxin has yet to receive approval for public use, although it has received permission to conduct a phase 3 clinical trial via a Brazilian partner company.

On Wednesday, said in a statement that it had yet to provide vaccine supplies to and that it has been consistent and transparent in its pricing with all governments.

(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.)
demands at home skyrocketed during the pandemic, but men and did not split the burden equally.

Globally, took on 173 additional hours of unpaid last year, compared to 59 additional hours for men, a study released Friday by the Center for Global Development, a poverty non-profit, found. The gap widened in low- and middle-income countries, where cared for children for more than three times as many hours as men did.

Women have felt many of the pandemic's worst economic effects, including an estimated $800 billion in lost income, in large part due to increased demands on their time at home. The Covid-19 recession unraveled gains in pay equality, female labor force participation and unemployment, particularly among Black and Latina women in the U.S. Global job loss rates among women were roughly 1.8 times larger than those among men, according to a McKinsey & Co. estimate. And as U.S. workers return to the office, mothers are more likely than fathers and women without kids to stay out of work.

Charles Kenny, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and one of the studys authors, said the pandemic merely exposed existing gender disparities.

Every year, year in year out, there are trillions of hours of unpaid care work being done, the considerable majority by women, he said. We are not going to get to a world that sees gender equality until that burden is more evenly shared.

The study used figures from Unesco and the to measure the number of children home from school and the average time men and women in various countries spent on unpaid childcare before the pandemic. In India, where school closures added 176 billion hours of child care, the study estimated women took on more than 10 times the burden men did.

Some governments tried to help families with needs. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau proposed a measure aiming to lower the cost of daycare to C$10 a day. Australian lawmakers are considering a budget that would pour A$1.7 billion into childcare subsidies, removing annual caps on support for many families and increasing payments to families with multiple children. The U.S. government, for its part, allocated $53 billion to keep day care centers from closing during the pandemic.

In many places, those measures havent been enough to keep women from leaving the workplace or to get many of them back. And as economies reopen and emergency budgets expire, Kenny warned that these disparities wont disappear either.

The exhaustion, the stresses on familiesthey dont just go away when kids go back to school, he said. This could be something that has a fairly long shadow.
Complaint against Michael Polak, lawyer of Indian fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, has been registered to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) in England and Wales for having no evidence for his claim regarding the case of his client.

According to Writeups 24, the complaint asserted that Polak had no evidence on what he told to the media or registered a complaint to the Scotland Yard and War Crimes Unit regarding the suspected abduction of Choksi.

The complainant suggested that doing a KYC (know your customer) on a client is extremely important in the United Kingdom. At the same time, it appears that Polak failed at conducting KYC and AML (anti-money laundering) checks on his client Choki, who is a wanted fraudster by India.

Writeups 24 further said that the SRA might initiate an inquiry against Polak and his company seeking KYC, AML, source of funds and payment gateway in which he has been paid by billion-dollar fraudster Choksi currently arrested in Dominica.

Along with that, an inquiry is also expected to take strict actions against his statements and publications by Justice Abroad Limited defaming several people without furnishing appropriate proof fabricating the evidence.

Choksi, who is currently in Dominica facing trial, went missing from Antigua on May 23 and was caught in Dominica. He was charged with illegal entry into Dominica by police after he allegedly fled Antigua and Barbuda in a possible attempt to avoid extradition to India.

The images and videos released by Choksi's legal team purportedly show individuals including Indian-origin men involved in an elaborate operation to take Choksi from Antigua to Dominica on May 23, Antigua News Room reported.

Justice Abroad, the law firm has claimed Choksi was kidnapped with the help of a female acquaintance and men who gagged and tied him to a wheelchair and used at least one unmarked boat to transport him from Antigua to Dominica.

Polak had said the intention behind the entire episode was to "whisk away" Choksi to India by shortening the legal process. "The evidence, in this case, shows that Choksi was kidnapped from Antigua, where he had outstanding cases before the courts, and unlawfully renditioned to Dominica."

"We believe that the aim was for him to be whisked away to India bypassing the proper legal processes in Antigua and Dominica," Antigua News Room quoted Polak as saying.

Citing the media reports, the Caribbean news portal further reported that in documents and photographs, the legal team fighting the case in Dominica shows a few men who appeared to be of Indian origin on the deck of a boat that was allegedly used to transport Choksi from Antigua.

Two videos shared by the legal team show an unnamed boat allegedly carrying Choksi moving faster than the permissible limit of 8 kmph.

The legal team of Choksi claims that he came to the beachfront villa in Antigua of his recent acquaintance Barbara Jarabik in the evening of May 23 and soon was overpowered by a group of men who "rushed out and beat him". He was "gagged and tied to a wheelchair" at knifepoint and placed on the unmarked boat.

Choksi's team has been claiming that he belongs to Antigua as he acquired citizenship of that island in 2018. Meanwhile, Indian authorities told the Dominica High Court in their affidavit that Choksi is an Indian citizen and noted that he is erroneously claiming renunciation of citizenship under the Citizenship Act, 1955.

The 62-year-old fugitive is wanted in India in connection with the Rs 13,500 crore fraud in Punjab Bank.

(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.)
Information, pertaining to more than 3.4 million customers, stands compromised following a serious in a leading online trading platform in India, according to and big data startup Technisanct.

The customers' data has been put up for sale on a data sharing platform on June 15 and the incident has been reported to Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) by Technisanct.

Nandakishore Harikumar, founder and CEO of Technisanct said that such incidents raise the possibilities of financial frauds among Indians.

He said that the details in the database could be used by Cyber Criminals to target the victims of breach through various scams via online and phone.

"The lack of data security authority in India has resulted in a massive increase in the number of such cases. Even while breaches are identified, non-existence of a regulatory body paves way to repeated breaches with the same brand", he added.

The leaked data include Personal Identifiable Information (PII) such as name, customer ID, contact number, email ID, trade login ID, branch ID, city and country.

The security breach was identified by Technisanct's digital risk monitoring tool 'Integrite'.

--IANS

pvn/sdr/

(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 Friday reported a net reduction of 14,189 in active cases to take its count to 612,868. Indias share of global active cases now stands at 5.36 per cent (one in 18). The country is third among the most affected countries by active cases. On Thursday, it added 51,667 cases to take its total caseload to 30,134,445 from 30,082,778  an increase of 0.2%. And, with 1,329 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 393,310, or 1.31 per cent of total confirmed infections.

With 6,073,912 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Thursday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 307,948,744. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 29,128,267  or 96.66 per cent of total caseload  with 64,527 new cured cases being reported on Friday.

Now the third-most-affected country by active cases and deaths, second by total cases, and first by recoveries, India has added 371,652 cases in the past 7 days.

India now accounts for 5.36% of all active cases globally (one in every 18 active cases), and 10.01% of all deaths (one in every 10 deaths).

India has so far administered 307,948,744 vaccine doses. That is 1021.91 per cent of its total caseload, and 22.1 per cent of its population.

Among Indian states, the top 5 in terms of number of vaccine shots administered are Maharashtra (34418648), Uttar Pradesh (33776265), Gujarat (27872477), Rajasthan (27442277), and West Bengal (24448190).

Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Kerala (437791), Gujarat (436377), Delhi (426978), Uttarakhand (408131), and J&K (354164).

Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 16 days.

The count of active cases across India on Thursday saw a net reduction of 14,189, compared with 16,137 on Wednesday. States and UTs hat have seen the biggest daily net increase in active cases are Kerala (473), Odisha (120), Meghalaya (112), Puducherry (19), and Mizoram (13).

With 64,527 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 96.66%, while fatality rate increased to 1.31%.

The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.68%), Uttarakhand (2.09%), and Maharashtra (2%). The rate in as many as 18 is higher than the national average.

Indias new daily closed cases stand at 65,856  1,329 deaths and 64,527 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 2.01%.

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 403.9 days, and for deaths at 204.8 days.

Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (12078), Maharashtra (9844), Tamil Nadu (6162), Andhra Pradesh (4981), and Karnataka (3979').

Among states with more than 100,000 cases, the five with worst recovery rates at present are Karnataka (94.87%), Maharashtra (95.93%), and Kerala (96.04%).

India on Thursday conducted 1,735,781 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 399,568,448. The test positivity rate recorded was 3%.

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 (18.34%), Maharashtra (14.88%), Dadra & Nagar Haveli-Daman & Diu (14.54%), Kerala (12.74%), and Sikkim (12.09%).

Five states with the highest TPR by daily numbers for tests and cases added  are, Sikkim (14.11%), Manipur (12.85%), Kerala (10.37%), Meghalaya (9.45%), and Nagaland (8.93%).

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 (1124874), J&K (711415), Kerala (627398), Karnataka (493619), and Uttarakhand (478907).

The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (6007431), Kerala (2854325), Karnataka (2823444), Tamil Nadu (2449577), and Andhra Pradesh (1867017).

Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 9844 new cases to take its tally to 6007431.

Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 12078 cases to take its tally to 2854325.

Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 3979 cases to take its tally to 2823444.

Tamil Nadu has added 6162 cases to take its tally to 2449577.

Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 4981 to 1867017.

Uttar Pradesh has added 224 cases to take its tally to 1705014.

Delhi has added 109 cases to take its tally to 1433475.
The (ED) on Friday questioned the personal secretary of former home minister Anil Deshmukh in a case registered against the latter, sources said.

Deshmukh's personal secretary, Sanjeev Palande, was brought to the ED's office in the afternoon for inquiry in connection with the case, they said.

Earlier in the day, the ED conducted searches at the premises of Deshmukh in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of the probe against him.

In Mumbai, searches were carried out at Deshmukh's flat in Worli and at the 'Dnyaneshwari' bungalow in south Mumbai's Malabar Hill, which was allotted to Deshmukh when he was a minister.

The ED officials also conducted searches at Palande's premises in Mumbai, the sources said.

In the afternoon, Palande was brought to the ED office for questioning. The agency had recorded the statement Mumbai DCP Raju Bhujbal on Thursday," they said, adding that the statements of a few bar owners have also been recorded.

The central probe agency had registered a criminal case under the anti- law against Deshmukh and others last month after studying a CBI FIR.

The ED case came about after the CBI first carried out a preliminary inquiry, followed by filing a regular case on the orders of the Bombay High Court that asked it to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Deshmukh, a politician of the NCP, was the home minister in the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. He had resigned in April after these allegations were made against him.

In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was removed from the police commissioner's post, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked police officer Sachin Waze to extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai.

(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 BJP on Friday said investigation against former home minister Anil Deshmukh was going on as per a Bombay High Court order and rejected suggestions that (ED) searches at his premises were politically motivated.

The opposition party in the state also hit out at its former ally Shiv Sena, heading the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, for linking the ED action against the NCP leader with the BJP.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said investigation against Deshmukh was underway on direction of the high court and it was wrong to attribute political motive to the ED action against the former home minister. The ED on Friday conducted searches at the premises of Deshmukh in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of a money laundering probe against him, officials said.



The central probe agency had registered a criminal case under an anti-money laundering law against Deshmukh and others last month after studying a CBI FIR.



Fadnavis, speaking to the media at the Nagpur airport, said, "All these inquiries are going on as per direction of the high court. There is no reason to find any political motive in them. We feel that agencies are working as directed by the HC."Asked about NCP MP Supriya Sule's comments linking the ED searches to Emergency, Fadnavis said she has no experience of the 1975-77 era characterised by press censorship and suspension of civil liberties. "Supriya Sule has not seen Emergency as she was a child at that time...even I was a child. She has not experienced Emergency...but we have experienced Emergency. "My father was in jail for 21 months without any charge, there were several others like him, lakhs of people. George Fernandes (socialist leader and former Union minister) had to sleep on ice slab. What do you know about Emergency? It is wrong to link a HC-directed investigation with Emergency," the former CM said. To a query on Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut's demand for a CBI inquiry into the Ram temple land purchase deal, Fadnavis said, "he (Raut) does NCP's bidding. Does he have any right to speak about Ayodhya? Have you made any contribution towards Ayodhya?" "It is we who fought for Ayodhya... and now after an SC order, the Ram temple is being constructed in Ayodhya," the Leader of Opposition in the assembly said.Meanwhile, in Mumbai another BJP leader, Pravin Darekar, hit out at Raut for linking ED raids on Deshmukh with the BJP. The Leader of Opposition in the council said if Deshmukh has not done anything wrong, he should not be afraid.

In a statement issued to the media, Darekar said, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut is wrongly suggesting that the ED searches were carried out on orders of the BJP. If Anil Deshmukh has done nothing (wrong), he should not be afraid.

CBI officials carried out a raid on April 21 at the house of Anil Deshmukh in Nagpur. As he is under investigation, the ED also carried out raids at his residence in Mumbai. The more you try to politicise such routine procedures, the more Deshmukh and the MVA government would come under suspicion, he said. The ED and other investigating agencies have carried out raids in the past as well, but nobody then linked those raids with the then government, he said. "Is it appropriate to link such raids now with the BJP-led government at the Centre?" Darekar said. The ED raids were carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the locations include Deshmukh's residence in Nagpur, officials said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The International Court of Justice (Review and Reconsideration) Bill, meant to provide the right of appeal to Indian Kulbhushan Jadhav, was presented in the Senate on Thursday, after being passed by the Assembly on June 10.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan introduced the bill in the House, after which the Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani referred the bill to the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, reported Geo News.

The bill seeks to provide further right of review and reconsideration in giving effect to the judgment of the International Court of Justice. It was adopted by the Assembly on June 10 after approval from the 21-member standing committee.

According to the bill, the High Court has the power to review and reconsider where the ICJ in relation to a foreign national passes an order in respect of rights under the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations or a foreign national is aggrieved in respect of the rights available under the same.

However, India recently expressed that it is not convinced with National Assembly passing a bill to give the right of appeal to Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistani high courts.

India says the bill is full of shortcomings and is a breach of the ICJ judgment.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a weekly media briefing that the bill does not create machinery to facilitate effective review and reconsideration of the case as mandated by the judgment of the ICJ

"We have seen the news reports relating to the Review and Reconsideration Bill 2020 that has been passed by the National Assembly of The Bill codifies into law the earlier Ordinance- with all its shortcomings. It does not create a machinery to facilitate effective review and reconsideration of Shri Jadhav's case, as mandated by the judgement of the International Court of Justice," Bagchi said.

The ICJ has ruled that was in breach of its international obligations because of the failure to provide consular access to Jadhav.

Bagchi said the ordinance, now the Bill, invites the municipal courts in Pakistan to decide whether or not any prejudice has been caused to Jadhav on account of the failure to provide consular access.

"We call upon Pakistan to take appropriate steps to address shortcomings of the bill and to comply with the judgement of ICJ in letter and spirit," he added.

India has slammed Pakistan for adopting a "farcical" approach in denying available legal remedies to Kulbhushan Jadhav against his death sentence in contravention of the ICJ order.

(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 International Financial Services Centre Authority (IFSCA) has constituted a committee to examine global best practices in financing and leasing of ships, identify opportunities and devise a roadmap to enable such activities from GIFT

Gujarat International Finance Tec (GIFT) City is a business district near Ahmedabad in Gujarat. It is country's first operational greenfield smart city and international financial services centre.

This committee, to be chaired by Vandana Aggarwal, former Senior Economic Advisor, Government of India will include representatives from the Government of India, Gujarat Maritime Board and industry experts possessing domain knowledge.

India is strategically located on the worlds shipping routes and has a large coastline of approximately 7500 kms.

India also has 12 major and over 200 minor ports. Ministry of Shipping suggests that 95 percent of Indias trading by volume and 70 percent by value is done via maritime transport.

In spite of significant exposure to shipping, India is yet to develop as an international shipping hub.

IFSCA aims to provide an enabling regulatory framework and facilitative environment so that GIFT can become an international hub for Ship Financing & Leasing activities thereby benefitting shipowners, lessors, carriers, ship operators, ship management companies and other stakeholders in the maritime ecosystem.

The committee is mandated to examine the existing legal, regulatory, tax and other applicable frameworks, identify the bottlenecks pertaining to ship financing and leasing and recommend specific measures required which shall enable ship financing and leasing from at par with best international practices. The committee would submit its recommendations to IFSCA in three months.
Over 51,500 fresh cases reported

India reported 51,667 fresh infections on Friday, taking the cumulative caseload to 30.1 million, according to central health ministry data. The country saw 1,329 deaths due to the pandemic, taking the death toll to 393,310. The active caseload is at 612,868, while the total recoveries have surged to 29.1 million. As many as 307.9 million vaccine shots have been administered since the nationwide inoculation programme kicked off on January 16. Of these, nearly 6.1 million were given on Thursday. Read more

Only 14% of Covid deaths had life insurance cover

While India has reported over 391,000 fatalities due to the pandemic, only 14 per cent of those have made insurance claims so far, indicating the poor life insurance penetration in the country, a report in The Indian Express said. Out of 55,276 claims made to the insurance firms, nearly 88 per cent amounting to Rs 3,593 crore have already been settled. However, with Covid cases and deaths having risen in recent months, insurance companies have turned cautious with some of them demanding vaccination certificates and a stricter medical check-up, the report said. Read more

Covid infection is mostly mild or asymptomatic in children: Study

New research has found that a number of children who contract Covid will likely be asymptomatic or the extent of the illness will be mild, a report in ThePrint said. The exception is those with comorbidities. The study was conducted by the Indian Paediatric Covid Study Group, which includes leading doctors from medical institutions across the country. Between March and November last year, the researchers observed 402 children that had contracted Covid  from those infected at birth, to patients aged 12 years, the report said. Read more

What is the 'Delta Plus' variant?

Delta Plus (B.1.617.2.1/(AY.1) is a new mutant strain of the Delta variant of the coronavirus, an explainer in The Indian Express said. It is technically the next generation of the virus and has emerged as a new threat, especially in India. "The Delta Plus variant, at present, is limited to smaller areas in the country. This mutant of Delta was first detected in Europe in March 2021, but it came to light on June 13. Although it is still under investigation, experts believe that the Delta Plus variant has increased transmissibility, a medical expert told the paper. Read more

More people register wills during second wave of cases

Amid a devastating second wave of the pandemic that saw scores of people succumb, there has been a rise in the number of people drafting and registering a will for their wealth, a report in The Hindu said. A will is a declaration of how a person wishes his or her property to be distributed after death. The rise was noticeable in the months of April and May, which saw a jump in case fatality rate and a near-collapse of the healthcare system as Covid cases soared, the report said. Read more
A former Chicago businessman will remain in the United States as a federal judge in weighs whether he will be extradited to India for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed more than 160 people.

Tahawwur Rana (tuh-HOW'-ur RAH'-nah), a Pakistani-born Canadian, is wanted by Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks that are sometimes referred to as India's 9/11. An Indian warrant for his arrest was issued in August 2018.

Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian on Thursday ordered the defense attorneys and prosecutors to file additional documents by July 15. Rana will remain in federal custody.

Indian authorities allege that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Good, in the orchestration of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, injured more than 200 and caused USD 1.5 billion in damage.

Headley and Rana attended military high school in Pakistan together. Rana's immigration law center in Chicago, as well as a satellite office in Mumbai, was allegedly used as a front for their activities between 2006 and 2008, prosecutors say.

Rana's attorneys said their client was not aware of Headley's plot and was merely trying to help his childhood friend and set up a Mumbai business office.

They also said Headley is a serial liar who has deceived the US government multiple times in several criminal cases, and his testimony should not be viewed as credible. The attorneys alleged that Headley had used Rana to further his efforts without Rana's knowledge.

Rana's two daughters attended the hearing. They declined to comment, as did his lawyers.

Rana wore a white jumpsuit and black glasses, as well as a mask at the hearing. His ankles were shackled.

Only one of the 10 Mumbai terrorists survived the four-day rampage and went on trial. He was convicted, sentenced to death in India and hanged.

In 2011, Rana was convicted in federal court in Illinois of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark for a thwarted plot to attack a Danish newspaper to retaliate for its publication of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohamed in 2005. The cartoons angered many Muslims because pictures of the prophet are prohibited in Islam.

US prosecutors, however, failed to prove that Rana had directly supported the Mumbai attacks. Rana's defense attorneys, in court papers, say because he has been acquitted of the Mumbai-related charges in the US, extraditing him to India would be tantamount to double jeopardy.

Rana was sentenced to a 14-year prison term in Denmark-related case, but his punishment was reduced to time served in June 2020 after he claimed he had contracted the coronavirus in a federal California prison, court documents show.

He was ordered released but was held on an immigration detainer so he could not return to Canada to avoid the Indian extradition request.

Headley ultimately testified against Rana in the Illinois case after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder. As part of his plea deal, he can't be extradited to India.

(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 on Friday granted anticipatory bail to filmmaker Ayesha Sulthana in a sedition case registered against her by the Kavaratti police.

A case was registered on June 9 under section 124-A (sedition) and 153 B (hate speech) of IPC on the basis of a petition lodged by a political leader hailing from Kavaratti.

Granting bail, Justice Ashok Menon said there was no apparent indication in her statement, which amounts to imputations or assertions prejudicial to the national interest, nor does it propagate any class of persons against another group of persons.

The court said in the event of her arrest, she shall be released on bail on execution of bond for Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties each for like amount to the satisfaction of the officer arresting her.

Following the registration of the FIR in Lakshadweep, Sulthana had approached the seeking anticipatory bail.

Last week, the high court had granted her interim anticipatory bail for a week, while reserving orders on her anticipatory bail application.

The court had directed her to comply with the notice given by Kavaratti police to appear before them for interrogation on June 20 in connection with the case.

The court had ordered that she be granted interim anticipatory bail if she is arrested.

The allegation is that the filmmaker, while participating in a debate telecast by a Malayalam news channel on June 7, had said the Centre used biological weapons against the people of

When the anticipatory bail plea came up, her counsel had submitted that Sulthana had clarified her remarks later and tendered an apology for making the statement.

Sulthana submitted that she never realised that usage of the word bio-weapon is an offence and the remark was made not intending to create hatred in the minds of the people.

She said she was ready to appear before police for questioning but sought protection from arrest.

Opposing her anticipatory bail plea, administration had said Sulthana promoted separatism and communalism even in the minds of school children by making such a statement.

Sulthana was interrogated by the Kavaratti police on Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday in connection with the case.

Emerging from the police station at Kavaratti, after nearly a three-hour long interrogation on Thursday, Sulthana had claimed, "Everything is over.I am told that I can go back to Kochi.I will reach Kochi tomorrow or a day after.

(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.)
Malls and multiplexes in will again have to down shutters and shop timings will get restricted as the state government tightened its Covid-19 curbs on Friday.

For Mumbai, however, it will make little difference because malls and multiplexes are anyway shut in the city.

Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte issued the new order amid the spread of the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19 and fears of a third wave of the pandemic in the next four-six weeks.

The new restrictions were issued even as the state crossed the 30-million vaccination mark, the first in the country to achieve it.

The government had earlier in June introduced a graded policy on unlocking, linking the level of restrictions in each district to the Covid-19 case positivity rate and the occupancy of oxygenated beds. Districts were classified in level 1-5, based on this criterion. Modifying that policy, the government has now tightened the curbs in what is being seen as preventive action to forestall the third wave of the pandemic.

The order will affect cities like Thane, Pune, and Nagpur, which had seen far more relaxation than Mumbai, including extended timings for shops and restaurants, besides the opening of malls.

Currently level 3 restrictions are in place in Mumbai. Shops, restaurants, gyms, and salons are open till 4 pm in the city with a cap on their capacity.





ALSO READ: Covid-19: 48 cases of Delta plus variant in India; Maharashtra tops

Districts under levels 4 and 5 face greater restriction. The local municipal corporation will issue specific orders for Mumbai.

The state on Thursday recorded 9,844 fresh cases of Covid-19. While they have declined from over 50,000 in April and May, these have continued to trend between 8,000 and 10,000 range now.

The presence of the Delta Plus variant of Covid-19, which is characterised by increased transmissibility and potential reduction in monoclonal antibody responses, has caused concern.

So far over 20 cases of the new variant have been detected in seven districts in the state.

In his order, Kunte said a state-level trigger, mandating all cities and districts to remain at level 3 or above, will be in place till the next revision in view of the mutations of the virus in various areas.

Weekly positivity rates will be determined only on the basis of RT-PCR tests. Districts administrations have also been instructed to take various steps including increased testing, vaccination, and enforcement to check the spread of the pandemic. This includes compelling organisations to enforce safe work spaces with proper air ventilation norms by using hepa filters or proper exhaust fans due to the airborne droplet nature of the virus.

We have still not come out of the second wave and we have to avoid the third wave. This can be achieved if we follow proper precautions and increase the pace of vaccination, said Rahul Pandit, a member of the states Covid-19 task force.

On Friday, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray held a review meeting to assess the requirements of oxygen, ICU beds, and field hospitals. The seven districts that have reported the Delta plus variant have been asked to take extra precautions and increase testing and vaccination.
Defence Minister will visit Southern Naval Command to review the construction work of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) in today.

He will be accompanied by Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of the Naval Staff.

Defence Minister will be visiting IAC today from 9:45 am to 10:45 am. Additionally, he will also visit other training units in Southern Naval Command.

Earlier on Thursday, expressed confidence that the Indian Navy will become one of the top three Navies in the world in the coming years and continue to play a crucial role in protecting the nation.

His remarks came during his visit to the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka today to review the progress of ongoing infrastructure development under 'Project Seabird'.

Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) has been designed by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design (DND) & is being built at Cochin Shpyard Limited (CSL).

IAC is the most complex warship building project to have been indigenously designed & built.

IAC is at an advanced stage of construction and is scheduled to commence the Sea Trials in the forthcoming months. The ship had completed Basin Trial in November 2020 - proving the propulsion and power generation systems of the ship in harbour.

Once commissioned it would offer an incomparable military instrument with its ability to project Air Power over long distances, including Air Interdiction, Anti-Surface Warfare, offensive and defensive Counter-Air, Airborne Anti- Submarine Warfare and Airborne Early Warning.

(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.)
Officials in New Delhi rejoiced earlier this week when India hit a single-day record by administering more than 8 million Covid-19 vaccinations.



But even this unprecedented pace may not be fast enough for a country just emerging from a devastating second wave to head off a third one, experts say. They also question whether this weeks push averaging about 4.6 million doses a day, up from about 3 million for most of the past month, can be sustained.

Despite halting all exports in April and benefiting from a huge vaccine producing industry, India has covered only 4% of its vast population, putting it far behind most of the West and China, which is deploying about 20 million doses a day. At this rate, some scientists say a third wave could arrive within months, driving fears the country may see a repeat of the recent nightmare of oxygen shortages and overwhelmed hospitals.

I dont think the recent spurt can be maintained, given what we know of the supply situation, said Gautam Menon, a professor of physics and biology at Ashoka University, who also works on modeling outbreaks. The single-day spike seems to have been the result of a concerted effort by some states, who may have stockpiled doses for this purpose. We would need to get to about 10 million doses per day to ensure that a future wave is less potent.

Fresh Jolt



Indias challenges in accelerating its inoculation drive are considerable. The fewer than 100 million doses per month being currently pumped out of two local manufacturers are struggling to cover its nearly 1.4 billion people. There is also considerable hesitancy to overcome and logistical hurdles to reaching much of the countryside, where more than two-thirds of Indians live.

Nevertheless, Prime Minister must hope that the record jump will be the jolt the immunization campaign needs. This week, N.K. Arora, the chair of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization in India, said as many as 220 million shots will become available starting next month. India aims to vaccinate 10 million people a day, he said, pointing to the countrys history with large childhood inoculation drives for diseases such as polio.

Still some researchers are skeptical and took to social media to criticize the sudden spurt. Chandrakant Lahariya, a New Delhi-based epidemiologist and co-author of a book on Indias battle against Covid, called it an overzealous attempt to hit a record that would drain limited stocks.

Rijo M. John, a health economist and adjunct professor at the Rajagiri College of Social Sciences in Kochi, said on Twitter that the chest-thumping must officially end now, because India doesnt have enough doses in the short term to continue hitting those same levels.

Worlds Pharmacy



The jubilation among government officials has parallels to the launch of Indias vaccine campaign in January. Hopes were so high that Modi shipped out millions of shots in a short-lived bout of vaccine diplomacy and called his country the worlds pharmacy.

Modis generosity belied a stuttering rollout at home as lower-than-anticipated batches came off the production lines at the Serum Institute of India Ltd., the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer, and Bharat Biotech International Ltd., Indias other main provider. Both companies have promised to bolster output starting in July. However, Serums chief executive officer, Adar Poonawalla, said last month that exports arent expected to resume until the end of the year, a blow for many poorer nations depending on Indian supplies.

Read More: India easing lockdowns on cases and not vaccines risky strategy: UK study



The Indian launch of Russias Sputnik V has also been slow. Despite receiving shipments from Russia last month, Dr Reddys Laboratories Ltd., the local distributer, is still going through a small-scale pilot launch of the vaccine, a spokesperson told Bloomberg.

Wishful Thinking



If an average pace of about 3.2 million daily doses is maintained, India will be able to vaccinate 45% of its adult population by year-end and 60% by the end of March 2022, Anubhuti Sahay and Saurav Anand, South Asia economists at Standard Chartered Plc, wrote in a report on Wednesday. They said that if more vaccines become available and the pace increases by 30%, India could fully immunize 55% by the end of 2021.

Were a big country, weve got a lot of people to vaccinate, Aparna Mukherjee, a senior scientist at the Indian Council of Medical Research -- the countrys main research agency -- said in an interview on Wednesday. She said getting everyone vaccinated before the onset of a third wave would be wishful thinking, but efforts are on to inoculate the most vulnerable.

The South Asian nation also expects to add six more vaccines to its armory in the coming months, including Sputnik V, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Indias foreign minister, said in an interview with Bloomberg on Tuesday. He blamed Europe and the U.S. for raw vaccine material bottlenecks and said the key to boosting global coverage is to help India scale up.

The U.S. and Europe need to step forward if India has to ramp up its own production, he said.

Even with the uptick, coverage across the country has been patchy. Inoculation rates in Indias top five states contributing almost 50% of the countrys gross domestic product are lower than the national average, according to Standard Chartered. The pace in Indias vast countryside is even slower.

Vaccine hesitancy remains high in rural India, said Sahay and Anand.
logged 20,182 new infections over the past 24 hours, the highest daily increase since January 24, taking the nationwide tally to 5,388,695, the official monitoring and response center said on Thursday.

The national death toll rose by 568 to 131,463 in the past day, while the number of recoveries grew by 13,505 to 4,915,615, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Moscow, Russia's worst-hit region, reported 8,598 new cases, taking the city's total to 1,315,841.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said on Wednesday that the vaccination rate in the country was rising as more than 16 million people had been fully vaccinated and around 20 million others had received one dose.

According to Golikova, there were no cases of the "Delta plus" variant in

--IANS

int/rs

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Top headlines this hour: to invest in green energy, plans to get into solar power generation. Air travel numbers soar from May as states unlock.

RIL to invest in clean energy, build 4 giga factories

is planning to get into solar power generation and manufacturing, hydrogen production, e-fuels, and energy storage under its New Energy and New Materials division.

It will also set up a platform for renewable energy project finance to source long-term global capital for investment in these sectors. The three-pronged plan will cumulatively involve an investment of Rs 75,000 crore over three years announced Mukesh Ambani, chairman, RIL, during its annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday. Read more

NCLT awaits reforms to speed up resolution of pending cases

The Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) had a full time president last on January 5, 2020. Since then there have been five acting presidents - four of them in the last month alone - as the post had to be filled by the most senior person in line.

Both NCLT and appellate tribunal - NCLAT - are without president and chairman for more than a year, over 20,000 cases have piled up at the adjudicating authority. Of these, more than half - 13,000 cases are insolvency and bankruptcy cases. Read more

Air travel numbers soar from May as states go into unlock mode

With more states lifting lockdowns this month, the average number of passengers travelling per day has tripled from a low of 42,000 in May to 125,000, from the third week of June onwards.

The figures, based on feedback from leading airlines as well as airport companies who expect the trend to continue for the rest of this month. But the grim reality is that the average daily passengers for June from the second week is still around 40 per cent of the levels reached in March when it rose to 313,000 passengers a day. Read more

PNB Housing followed all due process: Finance Ministry

The board of PNB Housing Finance (PNB HFL) has followed all due processes while striking the fundraising deal with investors led by the Carlyle Group, and Punjab Bank (PNB) would ensure the interests of its associate company are protected, said two finance ministry officials.

No controversy or wrongdoing has been found by the management of PNB Housing Finance in its fundraising plan, one of the two officials said. The government is looking at the issue and is awaiting Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) order due on July 5, he said. Read more

tightens dividend payout norms for NBFCs

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday tied down a non-banking financial companys (NBFCs) ability to pay dividends to certain factors, including how much bad debt it has in its books and whether it has declared it correctly.

The dividend ratio, which is the ratio between the amount of the dividend payable in a year and net profit, is now capped at 50 to 60 per cent, depending upon the nature of the business. Read more
Depositors stuck in Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank, which went under in 2019, might have to wait till next year to be able to decide on their money because the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended its restrictions on the bank till December end, subject to review.

There was considerable buzz among depositors after the gave in principle approval to Centrum Financial Services, a step-down arm of Centrum Group, and to digital payments provider BharatPe, run by Resilient Innovations, to set up a small finance bank (SFB).

The approval was in lieu of a restoration scheme of

The on November 3 last year had called for proposals for reconstructing

Centrum, along with Resilient Innovation, submitted their expressions of interest on February 1, which received the RBIs in principle approval on June 18.

The firms were given 120 days to set up the SFB, which was granted under an on-tap licence route. According to the plan, will have to be merged with this SFB subsequently.





ALSO READ: RBI holds back selling 10-yr bond indicating advent of new benchmark paper

Taking into account the time required for completion of various activities involved in the process, the said in its notification on Friday it was considered necessary to extend the restrictions in place. They were to end this month. The new restrictions will run from July 1 to December 31, subject to review, the RBI said.

The firms have jointly planned to infuse Rs 1,800 crore in stages as equity in the new SFB, Jaspal Bindra, executive chairman of Centrum Group, had said, but in the absence of a blueprint for a merger notified by the government or the RBI, it is not clear yet how the PMC Banks liabilities will be taken care of.

However, it is clear that the depositors wont be able to withdraw their money as soon as the SFB comes into existence.

The RBI had put the restrictions for the first time on September 23, 2019, when it was found about two-thirds of the banks loan book of Rs 8,000 crore had turned into bad debt due to a fraud perpetrated by the banks management and real estate firm HDIL.

Coupled with other bad loans, the non-performing assets (NPAs) of the bank stood at nearly Rs 6,500 crore.

Subsequently, the RBI put PMC under an administrator and restricted withdrawing deposits, which ran into more than Rs 11,000 crore.

The RBI allowed depositors in June 2020 to withdraw up to Rs 1 lakh, which, the central bank said, would take care of 84 per cent of the depositors in the bank.

The deposits stuck are now about Rs 10,700 crore, including bulk deposits by some medium-sized firms. Even a part of the RBIs own pension fund is stuck in PMC Bank.

However, the idea of putting restrictions on the bank has been to avoid a run on it.

Deposits of up to Rs 5 lakh are protected under a Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) scheme.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) did not sell any of its planned Rs 14,000 crore worth of the benchmark 10-year bond in Fridays auction as market appetite for the paper is on the wane and bidders may have asked for higher yields.

This may also indicate RBIs discomfort in breaching the limit outstanding in the bond, and that a new 10-year bond could be coming any time soon, may be in the next auction itself, say bond dealers.

The government has raised more than Rs 1.19 trillion against the existing bond, a limit after which a new paper is issued to ease the redemption pressure. The RBI, however, had paid underwriting fees for the existing 10-year paper, indicating its willingness to sell the bond.

Therefore, there is no certainty about the fate of the benchmark 10-year paper. It is now the sixth most traded paper in the market, which is a departure from the norm, where the 10-year paper was always the most traded and most liquid.

This is because the central bank now holds most of the outstanding stock in its book with a possible aim to keep the yields anchored at around 6 per cent. picked up the available stock actively in various secondary market operations, and may be even anonymously from the market, say bond dealers. As a result, the available security for free trading in the market is limited, considering the actively intervenes in the segment.

However, yields in other bonds have risen as let them be largely. The 5-year bond has increased nearly 20 bps in the past 15 days, and longer-term yields have seen similar increase. In fact, the blended 10-year yield, which is a hypothetical number derived by the market plotting pricing on different maturities, may have increased by 17-20 bps for the 10-year bond as well. The closing yield of the 10-year bond, though, was 6.02 per cent, just about the same it was during this period.

The market may have wanted more than 6 per cent yield, which the RBI was not prepared to give, said Debendra Dash, senior vice-president at AU SFB.

The market may not also be prepared to take positions in an illiquid bond when a new 10-year could be around the corner. The aggregate bid against the bond was Rs 18,782 crore, against the offered Rs 14,000 crore. Generally, the bid ratio on the 10-year bond is on the higher side in primary auctions.

The RBI will introduce a new 10-year for sure in due time. Now, it remains to be seen if they have the appetite to breach the conventional limit of a stock, which is so far Rs 1.2 trillion. Whatever the RBI makes of the stock becomes the new limit for other bonds, which may cause trouble for the government honouring lumped up redemption later, said a senior banker, who did not want to be named.

In Fridays auction, RBI sold a little more than Rs 12,000 crore, less than half of the Rs 26,000 crore planned through three bonds. Even here, the bond maturing in 2023, against which Rs 3,000 crore was planned, the primary dealers were forced to buy almost the entire stock, indicating the central banks displeasure towards market demand. It, however, sold the entire Rs 9,000 crore and borrowed Rs 48 crore extra against a bond maturing in 2061, RBIs cut-off statement showed.
Union Minister Nishank will interact with students across the country on Friday to discuss their concerns related to the evaluation of the CBSE board exams.

A tweet by the Union Minister read, "I will be interacting with dear students tomorrow at 4 PM to discuss their concerns and queries related to the evaluation of CBSE board exams. If you have any doubts or suggestions, you may share them through Twitter or Facebook by the afternoon of June 25th."

The Supreme Court on Thursday made it clear that there cannot be a uniform scheme for assessment of class XII marks for all state boards across India and refused to pass such order saying each board is independent and autonomous.

"We are not going to direct uniform scheme. Each board is different. We cannot direct a uniform scheme across India. Each board will have to evolve their schemes. They are best persons to know and they have experts to advise them correctly," said a bench of Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheshwari.

On June 22, the Supreme Court in its order has dismissed the number of petitions challenging the Central Board of Secondary (CBSE) and Indian Certificate of Secondary (ICSE) decision to cancel Class 12 examinations and also gave a go-ahead to the assessment scheme brought out by the Boards to evaluate the students' examination pattern.

On June 17, Nishank welcomed the Supreme Court's in principle approval of the assessment the final marks of Class 12 students whose Board exams were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Thanks to the Supreme Court of India for recommending the policy and procedure of CBSE to prepare the results of class XII students! This policy has been adopted by CBSE after extensive consultation with all the stakeholders, which is in the interest of the students," Pokhriyal said.

The minister said that students who are not satisfied with their results under this process will be given an opportunity to appear in the examination to be conducted by Boards, when the situation becomes conducive.

"Our government is committed to the interests and bright future of all the stakeholders related to education in every situation", the Union Minister had tweeted.

Detailing the process of evaluating the final marks, the minister had said "While computing the final result, the average of the three best theory marks of Class-10, 30 per cent weightage for Class-11 theory and 40 per cent weightage for Class-12 theory will be taken. Full marks of practical given to students", Pokhriyal said

Earlier, Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) submitted its evaluation criteria for awarding grades/marks for Class 12 exams before Supreme Court. The Board said it will evaluate class 12 students for theory based on 30 per cent marks from class 10 board, 30 pre cent from class 11 and 40 per cent from marks based on the performance in the unit, the mid term, and pre-board tests.CBSE said that marks obtained by class 12 students in practical and internal assessment on an actual basis as uploaded by schools on CBSE Portal will be also considered in deciding final results.

(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.)
Punjab National Bank (PNB) has informed its board members that all regulatory guidelines were followed by its associate company  Housing ( HFL)  while finalising the fundraising deal with the and other investors.

According to an official present in the meeting, there was no change in the opinion of the management towards the proposed investment of Rs 4,000 crore by the and others in PNB Housing

Although the capital raising plan by PNB Housing was not a part of the listed agenda of the board meeting, the issue was discussed at the lenders board meeting. No doubts were raised on PNB Housings deal with Carlyle and other investors falling through, the official said. PNB and its associate PNB HFL cant escape any regulations or mandated norms, the official said, adding that there has been misleading information about the mortgage lenders deal. All processes have been followed transparently to ensure nothing goes wrong, board members were told by PNB officials.

The PNB board includes its managing director Mallikarjuna Rao, three executive directors  Sanjay Kumar, Vijay Dube and Swarup Kumar Saha  government nominee Pankaj Jain, Reserve Bank of India nominee Vivek Aggarwal, and two shareholder directors  Asha Bhandarker and Gautam Guha.

Business Standard on Friday reported that the ministry has not found any wrongdoing by the management of PNB Housing in its fundraising plan, and all due processes have been followed while striking the deal with investors led by the

The government is looking at the issue and is awaiting Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) order due on July 5.

PNB Housing had announced the preferential allotment of shares worth Rs 3,200 crore and Rs 800 crore worth of warrants to the Carlyle Group, Aditya Puris family investment vehicle Salisbury Investments, General Atlantic and Alpha Investments at Rs 390 apiece. Proxy advisory firm Stakeholders Empowerment Services (SES) had called the deal unfair to public shareholders of the company and shareholders of PNB.

The mortgage lender had defended the deal stating that the process followed in determining the issue price for its securities was in line with the market practice and complied with the applicable law.

However, two days before the planned extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to vote on the fundraising plan, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) directed the company to halt preferential allotment of shares unless the valuation is done by an independent valuer.

The mortgage lender then moved SAT, challenging the regulators directive. The tribunal allowed the company to conduct the scheduled EGM with the caveat that the outcome of the vote will not be disclosed.






The facility for Genome Sequencing has been started in the SMS Medical College here, thus making the first state to have its own Genome Sequencing lab.

This has been done on the directions of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, said Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma Friday.

Sharma said that the facility of genome sequencing has been made available in the state to prevent the Covid-19 spread. Information about the new variants of the virus could be known with the technique of genome sequencing.

He said that the system of genome sequencing has been started at the SMS Medical College by spending Rs one crore.

Dr Sharma also said till now the samples from the state were being sent to the IGIB lab in Delhi set up for by Central Government's Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). As per the fixed limit, 10 samples per day, that is 300 samples in a month were sent, but their reports were not being received on time.

He said that the machine installed at the SMS Medical College has started functioning from June 15. The capacity of the machine is to check 20 samples per day and soon its capacity will be increased to check 80 samples per day. The report of the sample is received in 3-4 days.

Sharma said that till now genome sequencing of around 100 samples of Covid-19 has been done. As per the test report, Delta variant was found in around 90 per cent of the samples and covid-19 B 1.1 variant was found in the remaining 10 per cent of the samples.

He expressed confidence that effective monitoring on the changing variants of Covid-19 can be done with the availability of genome sequencing facility in the state.

--IANS

arc/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At first glance, the forays Inc., and other technology giants are making into the world of dont appear to be particularly lucrative.

Building automobiles requires factories, equipment and an army of people to design and assemble large hunks of steel, plastic and glass. That all but guarantees slimmer profits. The worlds top 10 carmakers had an operating margin of just 5.2% in 2020, a fraction of the 34% enjoyed by the tech industrys leaders, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

But for and other behemoths that are diving into self-driving tech or have grand plans for their own cars, that push isnt just about breaking into a new market  its about defending valuable turf.

Why are tech pushing into autonomous driving? Because they can, and because they have to, said Chris Gerdes, co-director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University. There are business models that people arent aware of.

A market projected to top $2 trillion by 2030 is hard to ignore. By then, more than 58 million vehicles globally are expected to be driving themselves. And Big Tech has the means  from artificial intelligence and massive data, to chipmaking and engineering  to disrupt this century-old industry.

Whats at stake, essentially, is something even more valuable than profitability: the last unclaimed corner of consumers attention during their waking hours.

The amount of time people spend in cars, especially in the U.S., is significant. Americans were behind the wheel for 307.8 hours in 2016, or around six hours a week, according to the latest available data by the American Automobile Association.

Thats a fair chunk of someones life not spent using apps on an iPhone, searching on or scrolling mindlessly through Instagram. Any company thats able to free up that time in a meaningful way will also have a good chance of capturing it.

The worlds inexorable shift toward intelligent that are better for the environment is impossible to miss. If governments havent already declared plans to be carbon neutral by, in some cases, the end of this decade, theres plenty of research that shows combustion-engine are going the way of the dinosaurs.

BloombergNEFs annual Electric Vehicle Outlook, published earlier this month, sees global oil demand from all road transport peaking in just six years, assuming no new policy measures are introduced. By 2025, EVs hit 10% of global passenger vehicle sales, rising to 28% in 2030 and 58% in 2040. Eventually, autonomous vehicles will reshape automotive and freight markets entirely.





Against that backdrop, its unsurprising that after years of chipping away at self-driving cars, tech have been stepping up their activities and investments in earnest.

Autonomous cars are only as good as the human drivers they learn from  so the people who teach these systems need to be excellent drivers themselves.

Over the past several months, has prioritized plans for the Apple Car after previously focusing on making an autonomous driving system, Bloomberg has reported. Thats fueled intense speculation over which automakers and suppliers the company behind the iPhone may partner with to realize its vision. While Apple has recently lost multiple top managers on the project, it still has hundreds of engineers in its larger car group.

Theres also Waymo, which is in talks to raise as much as $4 billion to accelerate its efforts. Founded in 2009, the business that was formerly Googles self-driving car project was the first to have a fully autonomous ride on public roads. It became an independent company in 2017 under parent Alphabet Inc., launched an autonomous ride-hailing service in Phoenix in 2018 and last year began testing self-driving trucks in New Mexico and Texas.

Microsoft Corp., too, is backing several autonomous initiatives, partnering with Volkswagen AG on self-driving car software, possibly with a view to creating offices-on-the-go.



A Zoox self-driving car at the company's headquarters in California. (Photo: Bloomberg)

Amazon.com Inc., meanwhile, has thrown its weight behind Rivian Automotive Inc., which is making electric trucks, and last year bought driverless startup Zoox Inc. It may look to include autonomous rides as part of its Prime membership program.

Each of these companies, including Facebook, want to be a part of or even control and dominate, every part of citizens lives, said Professor Raj Rajkumar, who leads the robotics institute at Carnegie Mellon University. From their business point of view, if you dont, somebody else can and probably will, and eventually your current domain of influence fades away.

Although Apple has dominated phones, tablets and smartwatches and put up a decent fight over computers for the past few decades, its been a laggard in the artificial intelligence, voice and smart-speaker spaces, areas now led by Google and Amazon.

The company would benefit from the release of a breakthrough new product. While its had successes with the watch, released in 2015, and services, such as Apple TV, Apple Arcade and Apple Music, which are now a major new source of revenue, nothing has come close to the success of the iPhone, which has redefined entire industries and become Apples most lucrative product since its 2007 release.

At Google, executives have long framed investments in autonomous cars, along with moonshots in biotech and drones, as risks that venture capital and less deep-pocketed firms dont, or wont, take. Waymo has discussed potential business models around taxi services and long-haul logistics.

The onslaught has automotive incumbents girding for battle. Industry titans such as Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. have stepped up their own rival efforts in self-driving. The Japanese automaker is building an entire city around autonomous driving at the base of Mount Fuji while South Koreas Hyundai Motor Co. is committing $7.4 billion to make EVs in the U.S. and develop unmanned flying taxis.

In China, its the biggest tech throwing their hats in the ring. Giants from Huawei Technologies Co. to Baidu Inc. have pledged to plow almost $19 billion into electric and self-driving vehicle ventures this year alone. Smartphone giant Xiaomi Corp. and even Apples Taiwanese manufacturing partner Foxconn have joined the fray, forging tie-ups and unveiling their own carmaking plans.

Automakers defending their turf is understandable but Takehito Sumikawa, a partner at McKinsey & Co.s Tokyo office who advises on future mobility, says its a natural extension for tech providers to enter the autonomous driving space. Theyre betting they can do a better job at disrupting the industry.

The existing businesses of Amazon, Apple and Google already require them to become proficient at AI, handling massive amounts of data and designing complex systems. Essentially, theyve made the upfront investment in core technologies needed to design and build driverless cars, and they now have legions of engineers eager to solve more complex problems, not to mention an appetite for disruption.

But perhaps one of the clearest examples of a tech company with the ability to change up its own stomping ground is Amazon. The web retailer would benefit hugely from the lower costs of delivering packages to homes using cars that drive themselves.

Amazon also has a habit of transforming its own tools into businesses that can be sold to a wider swath of customers, much like it did with cloud computing, which was originally created to support the companys online retail operations. Having morphed it into a computing and data-storage platform used by Netflix Inc., the U.S. government and others, Amazon Web Services is now a $45.4 billion enterprise.

While the coronavirus pandemic put a temporary damper on consumers appetite for new cars, demand has roared back. A semiconductor shortage means many traditional players cant keep production lines moving fast enough. This year alone, the global automotive market is projected to rebound by 9.7% to $2.7 trillion, according to IBIS World.

Even for companies like Apple and Google, this is a massive market, Rajkumar said. CFOs and CEOs literally drool, since first movers are likely to have a major edge. Each of these companies wants to be the predator, and not become the prey.
Israel  a world leader in vaccinations which has inoculated about 85 per cent of its adult population  is again asking people to wear masks in indoor public spaces amid a outbreak driven by the arrival of the highly contagious delta variant.

The variant of concern also forced downtown Sydney and the citys eastern suburbs, which include Bondi Beach, to go into a one week lockdown from midnight Friday as authorities struggled to contain a spike in the delta variant in the city.

In Thailand, the national Covid-19 panel announced a one-month clampdown on movements from all residential camps for construction and factory workers in metropolitan Bangkok and four other provinces, as infections continued to climb. The contagious delta variant is now fast spreading in Thailand.

Fiji, too, recorded a surge of 300 new daily infections on Thursday, after going a full year without recording a single community case until April  when the Delta variant arrived.

The variant is also threatening Africa with a brutal third wave. It has been reported in 14 African countries.

Covid claims 2 Seychellois inoculated by Covishield

Seychelles, which has vaccinated a greater proportion of its people than any other nation, said genetic sequencing of samples shows that the so-called beta variant, first discovered in South Africa last year, is behind a surge in cases. The Indian Ocean island nation has mainly offered Sinopharm and AstraZeneca vaccines, the latter made under license in India and known as Covishield, to its 98,000 people. The health ministry has reported at least two people fully vaccinated with Covishield have recently died of the

Iran leader gets home-made vaccine shot

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei received his first dose of a homegrown Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, state television reported, amid an effort to speed up its rollout. Iranian pharmaceutical company Shifafarmed made the COVIran Barekat vaccine based on deactivated virus, and the first study of the safety and effectiveness began in late December. Iran has not published data about efficacy of the vaccine, but claims that people who get the home made jab have about 85% immunity to the deadly virus.
countries bordering rejected a Franco-German plan to resume official meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with one leader likening the move to an attempt to talk a bear out of stealing honey.

In a statement in the early hours of Friday morning, EU leaders said only that they will explore formats and conditionalities of dialogue with There was no mention of any high-level meetings or plans for a summit with Putin.

The is deeply divided in its approach to Moscow. is the EU's biggest natural gas supplier, and plays a key role in a series of conflicts and issues linked to Europe's strategic interests, including the Iran nuclear deal, and conflicts in Syria and Libya.

European heavyweight Germany has strong economic interests there, notably the NordStream 2 undersea pipeline project, and a number of countries, including France, are reluctant to continue waging a sanctions battle with Russia, including over the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The EU is concerned that Putin is turning increasingly authoritarian and wants to distance himself from the West. Both the 27-nation trading bloc and the NATO military alliance are struggling to bring Russia to the table. U.S. President Joe Biden's meeting with Putin this month was a rare exception.

We have to deal with Russia, but being very cautious about the real intentions of Putin's regime, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told reporters at an EU summit in Brussels. So far, we don't see any radical change in the pattern of behavior of Russia.

If, without any positive changes in the behavior of Russia, we start to engage, it will send very uncertain and bad signals, Nauseda said. It seems to me like we try to engage a bear to keep a pot of honey safe.

The other two Baltic states, Estonia and Latvia, are also deeply concerned about reaching out to Moscow when the Minsk agreements meant to bring peace to Ukraine, whose Crimean Peninsula Russia annexed in 2014, are still not being respected. Conflict still simmers in eastern Ukraine with Russia-backed separatists.

Right now, if it pans out the way it's proposed, Russia annexes Crimea, Russia wages war in Donbass, and Europe shrugs its shoulders and continues to try to speak a dialogue. The Kremlin does not understand this kind of politics, said Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

His Estonian counterpart, Kaja Kallas, said that what our intelligence (service) tells us is that sanctions work and the has to be more patient.

But French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe cannot simply tackle its problems with Russia on a case-by-case basis, by continually imposing sanctions or other measures.

We cannot continue without dialogue. We have to talk, including about our disagreements. It's the only way to resolve them, Macron said. It's a dialogue that's necessary for the stability of the European continent, but demanding because we will not give up our interests and values.

In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers that the events of recent months not just in Germany have clearly shown that it's not enough if we react to the multitude of Russian provocations in an uncoordinated way.

Instead, we have to create mechanisms to respond in a common and unified way to provocations to what she described as hybrid attacks by Russia. That includes outreach to countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and the western Balkans, but also engaging Russia and Putin directly.

The plan was welcomed in Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin supports the idea to restore the mechanism of direct contacts between Brussels and Moscow.

Putin has spoken about it many times, Peskov said. Both Brussels and Moscow really need this dialogue.

Ukraine, in contrast, was not so keen about the EU outreach.

Initiatives to resume EU summits with Russia without seeing any progress from the Russian side will be a dangerous deviation from EU sanctions policy, Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in Brussels.

In the end, the leaders agreed to underline the need for a firm and coordinated response by the EU and its member states to any further malign, illegal and disruptive activity by Russia, making full use of all instruments at the EU's disposal.

Despite the Franco-German push for talks, they invited the EU's executive branch and top diplomat to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
on Friday ratified the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade agreement between China, Australia, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Tokyo becomes the third member to ratify the agreement, which was signed by 15 countries in November last year. Among the signatories, Singapore and have completed ratification procedures.

It deposited its ratification instrument with the ASEAN Secretariat, Kyodo News reported.

The Cabinet approved the accord Friday, completing Tokyo's necessary domestic procedures for the ratification.

It will be Japan's first trade deal involving both and South Korea -- its largest and third-biggest trade partners.

"The deal will strengthen the link between and the (Asia-Pacific) region, which is the world's growth center, and will contribute to Japan's economic growth when it comes into force," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Hiroshi Kajiyama said at a press conference.

The Japanese government estimated earlier this year that the trade treaty could lift the gross domestic product of the world's third-largest by about 2.7 per cent.

The pact, signed by 15 countries last November, will enter into effect 60 days after it is ratified by at least six ASEAN members and three other signatory countries.

The groups the 10 ASEAN states -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam -- as well as Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand, and South Korea. It is described as the "largest" regional trading agreement to this day.

The was originally being negotiated between 16 countries including India.

In November last year, India decided not to join the agreement as its key concerns were not addressed.

The key reasons behind New Delhi's decision to remain out of the world's biggest trade agreement include inadequate protection against import surge, insufficient differential with China, possible circumvention of rules of origin, keeping the base year as 2014 and no credible assurances on market access and non-tariff barriers.

(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.)
British-born U.S. technology entrepreneur John McAfee died on Wednesday by suicide in a Barcelona prison after the Spanish high court authorised his extradition to the United States on tax evasion charges, his lawyer told Reuters.

McAfee's lawyer, Javier Villalba, said the anti-virus pioneer died by hanging as his nine months in prison brought him to despair.

During a court hearing last month, McAfee, 75, said that given his age, he would spend the rest of his life in jail if convicted in the United States. "I am hoping that the Spanish court will see the injustice of this," he said, adding "the United States wants to use me as an example."

McAfee had lived for years on the run from U.S. authorities, some of that time aboard a megayacht. He was indicted in Tennessee on tax evasion charges and was charged in a cryptocurrency fraud case in New York.

The colourful tech founder was detained on Oct. 3 at the Barcelona airport as he was about to board a flight to Istanbul with a British passport, a Spanish police source said at the time.

McAfee worked for NASA, Xerox and Lockheed Martin before launching the world's first commercial anti-virus in 1987. Intel bought the business in 2011, when McAfee himself no longer had any involvement. The program still carries his name and has 500 million users worldwide.

Spain's high court said on Wednesday it agreed to extradite McAfee to the United States. The regional justice department confirmed that a U.S. man aged 75 awaiting extradition was found dead in his cell on Wednesday. Prison authorities were investigating the cause of death.

McAfee still had opportunities to appeal his conviction but could not stand more time in jail, Villalba said.

"This is the result of a cruel system that had no reason to keep this man in jail for so long," Villalba said. U.S. prosecutors will likely ask the judge overseeing the tax evasion case to dismiss charges because of McAfee's death.

McAfee said in 2019 that he had not paid U.S. income taxes for eight years for ideological reasons. That year, he left the United States to avoid trial, largely living on a megayacht with his wife, four large dogs, two security guards and seven staff.

He offered to help Cuba avoid a U.S. trade embargo using cryptocurrency and sought to run for U.S. president for the Libertarian Party.

McAfee, who said in 2018 that he had fathered at least 47 children, lived in Belize for several years. He fled after police sought him for questioning in the 2012 murder of a neighbour. They ultimately said he was not a suspect.

He met his wife, Janice McAfee, when she solicited him as a prostitute while he was on the run, he said.

Janice McAfee said in a post on Twitter on Sunday, "Now the U.S. authorities are determined to have John die in prison to make an example of him for speaking out against the corruption within their government agencies... There is no hope of him ever having a fair trial in America."

McAfee was a prolific user of Twitter, where he had 1 million followers, and other social media.

He posted a profanity-laced video on YouTube in 2013 that mocked the difficulty of removing the that bore his name from computers.

A number of cryptocurrency backers around the world on Wednesday posted tweets of condolence. In his last public tweet on June 18, McAfee wrote: "All power corrupts. Take care which powers you allow a democracy to wield."

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Joan Faus, Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Howard Goller)

(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.)
US House Speaker has confirmed that she spoke with CEO about a recent slate of antitrust bills, adding that she told him to let the process play out, the media reported

On Thursday, the House Speaker detailed her conversation with Cook, but maintained her stance that American privacy and data are at the ends of giant technology

Pelosi said she told Cook to let the legislative process continue, citing CNBC, AppleInsider reported.

"If you have substantive concerns -- and they have members who have voted with them on this -- they can put forth what they want to put forth," said House Speaker Pelosi.

"But we are not going to ignore the consolidation that has happened and the concern that exists on both sides of the aisle," Pelosi added.

Pelosi also said that the primary concerns of lawmakers are consumers and competition. While technology is an asset to the US, the speaker said she's concerned about fairness, privacy and data exploitation.

Just a day earlier, reports indicated that Cook had personally called Pelosi and other lawmakers in an attempt to sway opinion against a recent slate of antitrust bills that could have major changes on the technology industry.

Cook reportedly said that the bills were rushed and would stifle innovation and hurt consumers.

The antitrust package was introduced in the US House earlier in June. There are a total of five bills that could have significant ramifications for and other technology giants, including new restrictions on the preinstallation of first-party iOS apps.

Along with Apple, other groups have voiced their opposition to the bills.

On Tuesday, a group of think tanks and nonprofits -- some of which are backed by -- penned a letter to the House Judiciary Committee urging lawmakers to reject the bills.

--IANS

vc/in

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Makiko Yamazaki

TOKYO (Reuters) - Corp kicked off its annual general meeting on Friday, with set to decide on whether to keep Osamu Nagayama as board chairman. The vote - expected to be very close - is seen by many as a referendum on corporate governance in Japan.

Nagayama has been under immense pressure to resign after an independent investigation this month accused the industrial conglomerate of colluding with Japan's trade ministry to block foreign from gaining influence on the board at last year's AGM.

Nagayama's critics say he should take responsibility for the board's resistance to a shareholder's call for an independent probe.

3D Investment Partners, Toshiba's No. 2 shareholder with a 7.2% stake, has called for his immediate resignation, while shareholder advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services Inc and Glass Lewis have recommended not reappoint him.

If he is voted out, it would mark another watershed moment for Japan's corporate governance after foreign activist investors prevailed at a March extraordinary general meeting in their efforts to secure the probe into the allegations.

But Nagayama's supporters argue he only joined Toshiba's board after the alleged pressuring of foreign shareholders took place and that Toshiba, which has lurched from crisis to crisis since 2015, needs his experience.

Nagayama, a former Chugai Pharmaceutical CEO and Sony Group Corp board director, is expected to win the backing of many domestic investors.

They now make up a greater proportion of Toshiba's shareholder base after the conglomerate's reinstatement in the Tokyo Stock Exchange's TOPIX index this year brought in more index-linked funds. Since then, the proportion of foreign investors in has fallen to around half from 63% a year ago, according to the company.

will nominate 11 directors at the AGM, including Nagayama. Two members of the board's audit committee, which has been blamed for failing to properly address the allegations levelled at management, are not standing for re-election.

Voting records disclosed so far show that Norges Bank Investment Management, the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, and the State Board of Administration of Florida have voted against Nagayama.

But the California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has voted for Nagayama. BlackRock Inc, which has a large stake of more than 5%, also voted for him, a person familiar with the matter has said.

(Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki; Writing by Tim Kelly; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

(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.)
U.S. software mogul John was not suicidal, his widow Janice told reporters on Friday, adding that she blamed U.S. authorities for his death in a Spanish prison where he was awaiting extradition to the

She said she wanted a thorough investigation on the circumstances of the death of her husband, which happened in his prison cell in Barcelona on Wednesday in what the authorities said was an apparent suicide.

McAfee's lawyer Javier Villalba said he would request a second autopsy at the request of the family.

(Reporting by Horaci Garcia, Albert Gea and Catherine Macdonald, writing by Joan Faus and Inti Landauro, editing by Andrei Khalip)

(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.)
Rudy Giuliani, ex-US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, was suspended from practising law in New York state on Thursday by an appellate court that found that he had made "demonstrably false and misleading statements" about the 2020 presidential election.

In a ruling released following disciplinary proceedings, the court concluded that "there is uncontroverted evidence" that Giuliani "communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020", reported CNN.

Giuliani's "conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law," the court wrote.

Later, Giuliani's lawyers, John Leventhal and Barry Kamins, said that they were disappointed with the Appellate Division, First Department's decision suspending Giuliani prior to being afforded a hearing on the alleged issues.

"This is unprecedented as we believe that our client does not pose a present danger to the public interest. We believe that once the issues are fully explored at a hearing Giuliani will be reinstated as a valued member of the legal profession that he has served so well in his many capacities for so many years," they said.

According to CNN, the suspension of his law license marks a precipitous fall for the former New York City mayor, once considered an accomplished and formidable force in legal circles.

In its ruling, the New York appellate court wrote of Giuliani that his "false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent's narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client."

In certain cases, according to the court's ruling, Giuliani acknowledged that the statements he made were untrue, but claimed he didn't knowingly make a false statement.

The court concluded, however: "There is simply no proof to support this explanation."

In other cases, the court said Giuliani failed to provide any source at all for statements he made, such as assertions concerning the number of dead people he alleged voted in Georgia in the 2020 election, which he said at various times ranged from 800 to 6,000, CNN reported.

"The seriousness of respondent's uncontroverted misconduct cannot be overstated...This country is being torn apart by continued attacks on the legitimacy of the 2020 election and of our current president, Joseph R Biden. The hallmark of our democracy is predicated on free and fair elections. False statements intended to foment a loss of confidence in our elections and resulting loss of confidence in government generally damage the proper functioning of a free society," it said,

Though Giuliani told the court that he would "exercise personal discipline" and refrain from making further statements about the election in his capacity as a lawyer, according to the ruling, the court found that he had continued to make false statements since the submission of the application for suspension of his license.

Joe Biden was confirmed the winner of the November presidential election by the Electoral College on December 14 last year after all 50 states officially certified the voting results. According to official results, Biden collected 306 electoral votes as opposed to 232 votes cast for the incumbent Trump.

However, Trump had refused to concede, alleging voter fraud, despite his campaign losing nearly all of some 60 legal challenges filed within the past month. This eventually culminated in a deadly attack on the US Capitol on January 6.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
UK regulators said on Friday that they're investigating and over concerns the online giants aren't doing enough to stop fake reviews of products and services on their platforms.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it opened a formal investigation into whether the two broke UK consumer law by failing to protect shoppers. The watchdog started looking into fake reviews on some big websites last year - without identifying any specific ones - amid the pandemic-fuelled boom in online shopping.

Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations, the watchdog's chief executive Andrea Coscelli said in a press statement.

Equally, it's simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.

and said they will work with UK regulators in their investigation.

To help earn the trust of customers, we devote significant resources to preventing fake or incentivized reviews from appearing in our store," said in statement.

said its strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take action - from removing abusive content to disabling user accounts."



The CMA said its initial probe that begun last year raised specific concerns about whether the two had been doing enough to detect fake and misleading reviews and removing them quickly from their sites.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's sweeping ban on mining has paralysed an industry that accounts for over half of global production, as miners dump machines in despair or seek refuge in places such as Texas or Kazakhstan.

"Many miners are exiting the business to comply with government policies," said Mike Huang, operator of a cryptomining farm in the southwest province of Sichuan.

"Mining machines are selling like scrap metal."

The local government of Sichuan, China's No.2 mining centre after Xinjiang, issued a ban on cryptomining a week ago.

China's State Council, or cabinet, vowed to crack down on trading and mining in late May, seeking to fend off financial risks after the global bitcoin mania revived Chinese speculative trading in cryptocurrencies. The clampdown comes as China's central bank is testing its own digital currency.

Chinese authorities say cryptocurrencies disrupt economic order, and facilitate illegal asset transfers and money laundering. Analysts say Beijing is also worried about potential competition for the digital yuan and that the power-hungry business of bitcoin mining could damage the environment.

Following Beijing's call, China's main mining hubs, including Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Yunnan and Sichuan, have unveiled detailed measures to root out the business.

Bitcoin prices plunged below $30,000 this week, less than half their peak levels hit in April, as global investors worried about disruptions in a hitherto large market.

"If the government doesn't allow it (cryptomining), I just have to quit," said Liu Hongfei, a mining project operator in China's southwestern Yunnan province.

"You don't fight the Communist Party in China, do you?"

China's ban on bitcoin mining may see up to 90% of all mining in the country go offline, according to an estimate by Adam James, a senior editor at OKEx Insights.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are created or "mined" by high-powered computers, or rigs, competing to solve complex mathematical puzzles in a process that makes intensive use of electricity.

Most miners in are "shutting down their machines, and selling them," said Nishant Sharma, founder of BlocksBridge Consulting, a consultancy focused on the cryptomining industry.

As a result of China's shutdown, "every mining operation outside benefits straight away," because their mining reward, which is proportional to their share of the global hash rate of the bitcoin network - a measure of miners' processing power - automatically goes up, Sharma said.

"This is the end of an era for cryptomining in China," said Winston Ma, NYU Law School adjunct professor.

RELOCATING

Prices of mining rigs have slumped on the mainland after the ban.

One machine which sold around 4,000 yuan ($620) in April and May, could now be bought for as low as 700-800 yuan, said a miner in Sichuan.

Bitmain, China's biggest maker of mining machines, said on Friday it had suspended sales of its products and was looking for "quality" power supplies overseas alongside its clients, in places including the United States, Canada, Australia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Indonesia.

Some big Chinese miners are already venturing overseas.

BIT Mining said on Monday that it had successfully delivered its first batch of 320 mining machines to Kazakhstan. A second and third batch, totalling 2,600 machines, will be delivered to the central Asian country by July 1.

"We are accelerating our overseas development for alternative high-quality mining resources," CEO Xianfeng Yang said in a statement. BIT Mining has also invested in cryptomining data centres in Texas.

Huang Dezhi, who operates a mining farm in Sichuan, said his team is also exploring possible overseas destinations such as Kazakhstan.

"If the government doesn't reverse the policy, we will have no other choice. You cannot defy central government decisions," Huang said.

A project manager who identified himself only as Mr. Sun said he has been offering to help local miners move to Russia, but demand for his services had been lukewarm so far.

"Big risks if you move machines offshore, because you're in effect giving up control over your assets," said Sun, who is also securing fresh electricity supplies in China's southern Guangdong province, where restrictions are less tough.

Some miners meanwhile hope the ban will be eventually relaxed.

"Power supply has been cut, but we were not ordered to demolish the project," said Wang Weifeng, a miner in Sichuan.

"So we're taking a wait-and-see attitude. There remains a sliver of hope."

($1 = 6.4663 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Samuel Shen and Andrew Galbraith; Editing by Vidya Ranganathan and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

(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.)
Nifty futures on SGX traded up 4 points at 15,841 around 8.30 am, indicating a flat start for the benchmark indices on Friday.

Here are the top in today's session:

Earnings Today: A total of 192 companies, including Antony Waste Handling Cell, Finolex Industries, Indraprastha Gas, JSW Energy, and RailTel Corporation of India, are scheduled to release quarterly earnings today.

ONGC: The company reported a standalone profit at Rs 6,734 crore for the quarter ended June 2021, driven by realisation. The company had posted a loss of Rs 3,214 crore in the year-ago quarter. On a quarterly basis, the net profit rose 435%.

New stock in F&O segment: Derivative contracts of Coromandel International, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, Metropolis Healthcare and The Indian Hotels will be available to traders for trading from today onwards.

LIC Housing Finance: LIC will infuse equity capital worth about Rs 2,334.70 crore in its subsidiary by picking up an additional stake in the company.

Indian Bank: The lender on Thursday said it has raised Rs 1,650 crore through the QIP launched earlier this week. The The committee of directors of capital raising determined and approved the issue price of Rs 142.15 per equity share to be allotted to the eligible QIBs in the issue.

IT stocks: Shift towards digital transformation drive as business embrace cloud, digital and security services made IT services major Accenture report better than expected third-quarter numbers. The company also raised its fiscal 2021 growth guidance to 10-11 per cent.

Future Retail: The company sought extension of time till July 31, 2021 to file its results for the quarter and year ended March 31, 2021.

PTC India: The company posted a nearly 4 per cent YoY increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 49.77 crore for the March quarter, helped by higher revenues. The Board approved the acquisition of the energy consulting business of IL&FS Energy Development Company.

Bank of Maharashtra: The company on Thursday received shareholders' approval to raise up to Rs 5,000 crore equity capital through various modes, including rights issue and preference issue.

Union Bank: State-owned Union Bank of India has raised Rs 850 crore by issuing Basel-III-compliant bonds on a private placement basis.

RailTel Corporation: The company has received a work order amounting to Rs 89.09 crore from Indian Air Force.

Bodal Chemicals: The company reported a consolidated profit at Rs 21.73 crore in Q4FY21 as against Rs 25.84 crore in Q4FY20.

Ashok Leyland: The leading commercial vehicle maker reported a standalone loss of Rs 57 crore for the quarter, while revenue declined by 57 per cent YoY to Rs 3,838 crore from Rs 8,846 crore a year ago.

Aarti Industries: The company Board authorised the opening of QIP on June 24. The floor price of Rs 899.77 per share is at a premium of 3.21 per cent to Thursdays closing price. Board to meet on June 30 to approve the issue price for equity shares to be allotted to the qualified institutional buyers.

Asian Granito India: Crystal Ceramics Industries, a material subsidiary of the company, has invested Rs 25 crore for capacity expansion at its Mehsana Plant in Gujarat. This capacity addition will increase total capacity of Crystal Ceramics to 36,000 SQMTS/day.

BHEL: CARE has downgraded the rating on the long-term bank facilities of the company from CARE AA to CARE AA- while reaffirming the outlook to Stable.
Ashok Leyland jumped 5.2% to Rs 124.35 after the commercial vehicles maker recorded net profit of Rs 241.77 crore in Q4 FY21 compared with net loss of Rs 57.32 crore in Q4 FY20.

The flagship of Hinduja Group posted an 83% rise in net sales to Rs 6,972 crore in Q4 FY21 from Rs 3,814.16 crore in Q4 FY20. The company posted a profit before tax of Rs 313.94 crore in Q4 FY21 as against a pre tax loss of Rs 72.1 crore in Q4 FY20.

During Q4 FY21, the company's medium and heavy commercial vehicles (MHCV) truck volumes surged 111% year on year which is better than the rate of growth of the industry. The company said its MHCV truck market share for Q4 FY21 has therefore improved to 28.9% vis-a-vis 27.6% in Q4 FY20. Sequentially, over Q3 FY21, MHCV truck volumes for the company have grown by 57% in Q4 FY21 which was higher than the industry growth of 53%, thereby resulting in market share improvement of 0.8% (28.9% in Q4 Vs 28.1% in Q3). Q4 EBITDA improved to 7.6% as against 4.8% last year.

LCV volume for Q4 FY21 stood at 17,042 units which is 112% higher than last year volume of 8,057 units. The Bada Dost launched in September 2020 has clocked good volumes with more than 4,550 vehicles been sold in Q4 FY21. Despite the pandemic situation, Q4 MHCV & LCV exports stood at 3,164 units rising by 40% over Q4 FY20. On a full year basis, export volumes stood at 8,001 units, lower than last year (8,920 nos.) by 10%.

Revenue for the year ended March 2021 (FY21) stood at Rs 15,301 crore, declining 12.4% from Rs 17,467 crore posted in the year ended March 2020 (FY20). Loss before tax came at Rs 412 crore in FY21 as against a profit before tax of Rs 362 crore in FY20. Ashok Leyland registered a standalone net loss of Rs 314 crore in FY21 as against a profit after tax of Rs 240 crore in FY20.

Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO of Ashok Leyland said, "We have seen recovery in Q4 FY'21 and the overall performance has been better. However, with the sudden onset of the second wave, the challenges for the industry continues. We are better prepared this time. With India's GDP poised to grow at 9.5% in FY'22, it augurs well for the CV industry. At Ashok Leyland, we remain rock solid and resilient, driven by our Newgen products and a talented team we are confident that we will come out stronger once demand picks up. This will help us deliver profitable growth."

Going forward Ashok Leyland sees good opportunities to continue to grow the exports, defence, power solutions, LCV and parts business even as it expands the reach and products of the core MHCV business. The focus on digital will help leverage the benefits of efficiency and cost. Customer requirements will be at the core of all the digital initiatives. The emerging businesses such as Electric Vehicle (EV) and Customer Solutions (CSB) will assist in complementing the core business. Ashok Leyland has created a dedicated EV-only entity called SWITCH Mobility headquartered in UK.

Meanwhile, the board has recommended a dividend of Rs 0.60 per equity share.

Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja group, is among the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India and also among the biggest manufacturers of buses and trucks globally.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dear Reader,

Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.

We, however, have a request.



As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.



Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.



Digital Editor
Hindalco Industries Ltd is quoting at Rs 376.95, up 2.14% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 149.55% in last one year as compared to a 52.5% spurt in NIFTY and a 155.72% spurt in the Nifty Metal index.

Hindalco Industries Ltd is up for a third straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 376.95, up 2.14% on the day as on 12:49 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.28% on the day, quoting at 15834.4. The Sensex is at 52828.04, up 0.24%. Hindalco Industries Ltd has dropped around 1.06% in last one month.

Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Hindalco Industries Ltd is a constituent, has dropped around 4.41% in last one month and is currently quoting at 5090.9, up 2.64% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 89.77 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 125.62 lakh shares in last one month.

The benchmark July futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 379.4, up 2.26% on the day. Hindalco Industries Ltd is up 149.55% in last one year as compared to a 52.5% spurt in NIFTY and a 155.72% spurt in the Nifty Metal index.

The PE of the stock is 83.86 based on TTM earnings ending March 21.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mishra Dhatu Nigam (MIDHANI) rose 1.35% to Rs 213.20 after the company reported 86.1% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 74.71 crore on 67.4% rise in net sales to Rs 340.01 crore in Q4 FY21 over Q4 FY20.

Profit before tax in Q4 FY21 stood at Rs 101.53 crore, up 82.3% from Rs 55.70 crore in Q4 FY20. Current tax outgo increased by 75.6% YoY to Rs 26.90 crore during the quarter.

The company's consolidated net profit rose 5.3% to Rs 166.42 crore on 13.5% increase in net sales to Rs 804.35 crore in FY21 over FY20.

The company's financial results for the year ended 31 March 2021, have been impacted by the lockdown on account on COVID-19 more particularly during Q1. The company was not operational for 45 days due to lockdown during the first quarter of the financial year 2020-21 due to which the value of production (VoP) has been impacted. However, the company has achieved best ever results in terms revenue and PBT during the financial year.

The order book position as on 1 April 2021 stood at Rs 1353 crore.

During the FY 2020-21, the company proposes to pay Rs 1.58 per equity share as final dividend for 2020-21.

MIDHANI is one of the leading manufacturers of super alloys, titanium & titanium alloys, special purpose steels and other special alloys. The Government of India held 74% stake in the company as of 31 March 2021.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Utilties stocks were trading in the negative zone, with the S&P BSE Utilities index falling 21.87 points or 0.87% at 2487.16 at 13:49 IST.

Among the components of the S&P BSE Utilities index, Adani Transmission Ltd (down 5%), Reliance Power Ltd (down 4.99%),Reliance Infrastructure Ltd (down 4.96%),Jaiprakash Power Ventures Ltd (down 4.92%),Adani Power Ltd (down 3.2%), were the top losers. Among the other losers were BF Utilities Ltd (down 1.79%), NTPC Ltd (down 1.44%), Gujarat State Petronet Ltd (down 1.35%), Mahanagar Gas Ltd (down 0.85%), and Va Tech Wabag Ltd (down 0.23%).

On the other hand, Rattanindia Power Ltd (up 4.96%), Nava Bharat Ventures Ltd (up 3.75%), and NLC India Ltd (up 3.12%) moved up.

At 13:49 IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 194.81 or 0.37% at 52893.81.

The Nifty 50 index was up 58.15 points or 0.37% at 15848.6.

The S&P BSE Small-Cap index was up 134.21 points or 0.54% at 25031.07.

The S&P BSE 150 Midcap Index index was up 96.79 points or 1.26% at 7800.49.

On BSE,1774 shares were trading in green, 1313 were trading in red and 167 were unchanged.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
It starts out as a 30-odd-minute chat, but goes on for over an hour. My tea has turned into thick tannin. His coffee must have gone cold, too.

I see his grimace as he sips it from a porcelain cup printed lavishly with what look like large purple iris motifs (no brass dawra tumbler here). Candid and frank, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan, or PTR as hes called, is an easy guy to talk to. That his coffees gone cold or whether its with or without milk or sugar doesnt particularly bother him. What Im particular about is getting things ...
(Photo: Bloomberg)

Working Committee (CWC) member Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday backed the Shiv Sena's pitch for his party leader joining hands with NCP chief to align all opposition parties together to take on the ruling BJP at the Centre, and said it's necessary.

Rao, who is All India Committee (AICC) incharge of Goa, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, said he is sure that Gandhi and Pawar would be in touch to take the matter forward.

"The and NCP have been in alliance in Maharashtra for more than 20 years. So, there is a good bond between us, and I am sure they (Gandhi and Pawar) will work it out", Rao, a former Karnataka Minister, told P T I here.

"It is necessary and I am sure there is a conversation happening already.

I welcome whatever has said. It's a good suggestion," added Rao, a former Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President and son of former Chief Minister late R Gundu Rao.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said on Thursday: " should join hands with (Sharad) Pawar to align all opposition parties.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Shareholders at crisis-ridden Toshiba Corp voted out its board chairman and one other director on Friday, a forceful rebuke of the company after it was found to have colluded with the government in suppressing foreign investor interests. For many, the result at the annual general meeting marks a new watershed moment for corporate governance in Japan after activist Toshiba shareholders prevailed earlier this year in securing a probe into the allegations of pressure on overseas investors.

"This result is a sign of a paradigm shift in Japan and will only embolden activist investors whether foreign or domestic," said Justin Tang, head of Asian research at United First Partners in Singapore. But supporters of now former board chairman Osamu Nagayama say his failure to win re-election will only set Toshiba further back, depriving the industrial conglomerate, which has lurched from crisis to crisis since 2015, of experienced leadership.

A breakdown of the vote was not immediately disclosed. The newly elected board will meet later on Friday to discuss who will head the new board. According to one Toshiba source, foreign investors had voted in greater numbers than in the company's previous shareholder meetings as they saw it as an important test case of corporate governance in Japan.

The source was not authorised to speak to media and declined to be identified. Nagayama only joined Toshiba's board in mid-2020 after the alleged pressuring of foreign shareholders to vote in line with management's board nominees took place.

A former Chugai Pharmaceutical CEO and Sony Group Corp board director, he is well respected and both the electronics giant and former U.S. ambassador to Japan John Roos had expressed their support for him. But his critics argued he should step down to take responsibility for the board's resistance to address the allegations.

Shareholder advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services Inc and Glass Lewis had recommended shareholders not reappoint him, while 3D Investment Partners, Toshiba's Singapore-based No. 2 shareholder with a 7.2% stake, had called for his resignation. 3D Investment said in a statement after the result that it hoped the AGM marked the beginning of a new era at Toshiba and it looked forward to constructive, ongoing dialogue with Toshiba's board and management team.

Toshiba nominated 11 directors at the AGM, including Nagayama. Nobuyuki Kobayashi, a member of the audit committee, was also voted out.

Shares in Toshiba recouped earlier losses to be be flat after the result. The stock has increased more than two-thirds in value this year, bolstered by a $20 billion bid for the company by private equity company CVC Capital. Although Toshiba has dimissed that bid, it has promised a strategic review.

Also read: Reliance producing over 11% of India's medical-grade liquid oxygen: Nita Ambani
IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has said Twitter denied access to his account for almost an hour today on the alleged ground of "violation of Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA", and subsequently unblocked his account.

Ravi Shankar Prasadgi@ravishankarprasad Friends! Something highly peculiar happened today. Twitter denied access to my account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA and subsequently they allowed me to access the account.(1/7)

The minister has said Twitter's actions were in gross violation of "Rule 4 (8) of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021," where they failed to provide him prior notice before denying access to his account.

The minister reiterated that there won't be any compromise when it comes to abiding by the new IT Rules. He said it's apparent that his statements "calling out the high handedness and arbitrary actions of Twitter, particularly sharing the clips of my interviews to TV channels and its powerful impact", clearly ruffled Twitter's feathers.

Also read: 'Law of the land supreme': Parliamentary panel grills Twitter over violation of new IT rules

In a series of remarks on Indian social media platform Koo and Twitter, the minister slammed the US-based platform. "It's apparent as to why Twitter is refusing to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines because if Twitter does comply, it would be unable to arbitrarily deny access to an individual's account which does not suit their agenda," he added.

While blocking Prasad's account, Twitter said his actions (content posted on his handle) were a violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA). "Under the DMCA, copyright owners can notify Twitter claiming that a user has infringed their copyrighted works. Upon receipt of a valid DMCA notice, Twitter will remove the identified material," the notice said.

The company said it maintains a "repeat copyright" infringer policy under which repeat infringer accounts will be suspended. The company also warned the minister that "accruing multiple DMCA strikes may lead to suspension of your account".

Defending his actions, the minister said in the past several years, no television channel or any anchor has made any complaints about copyright infringements with regard to these news clips of my interviews shared on social media.

Also Read: Twitter reveals what's holding it back from complying with new IT rules

The minister said Twitter's actions indicated that "they are not the harbinger of free speech that they claim to be but are only interested in running their own agenda, with the threat that if you do not tow the line they draw, they will arbitrarily remove you from their platform".

The central government has slammed Twitter for deliberate defiance and failure to comply with the IT rules, which has led to the US giant losing its "intermediary status" in India and becoming liable for users posting any unlawful content.

Twitter has not fully complied with the new rules, called Intermediary Guidelines, that mandate setting up a grievance redressal mechanism and appointing officers to coordinate with law enforcement.

Earlier this month, the Centre had issued a notice to Twitter giving it one last chance to "immediately" comply with the new IT rules and warned that failure to adhere to the norms will lead to the platform losing exemption from liability under the IT Act. The rules became effective from May 26 and Twitter, even after the expiry of the additional time, did not appoint the requisite officers, leading to it losing the ''safe harbour'' immunity.

Also Read: 'Will comply with new IT rules, need more time': Twitter tells Centre

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT, chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, last week slammed the company saying the "law of the land is supreme" and not the company's policies. The committee told Twitter India's officials that the company will have to abide by the government's rules.

In response, the officials told the panel that "we follow our own policies," which was strongly objected to by the committee members, who categorically told the Twitter India officials that the company is not above the law of the land.

"We appreciate the opportunity to share our views before the Standing Committee on Information Technology. Twitter stands prepared to work with the Committee on the important work of safeguarding citizens' rights online, in line with our principles of transparency, freedom of expression, and privacy," a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement. The company will also continue to work alongside the Indian government as part of its shared commitment to serve and protect the public conversation, it said.
The Philippines' food and drug agency said on Friday it has approved the emergency use of the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Indian company Bharat Biotech.

Bharat Biotech has received "full emergency use authorisation" for its Covaxin brand after the company completed documentary requirements," Food and Drug Administration chief Rolando Enrique Domingo told a news briefing.

Also read: Bharat Biotech, WHO hold 'pre-submission' meeting for Emergency Use Listing of Covaxin
Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V is among the safest COVID-19 vaccines out there, as per a Buenos Aires' Ministry of Health study conducted to monitor the safety of the jab stated. The study found that there were no vaccination-related deaths.

"LATEST NEWS: A #SputnikV shows the safest profile among vaccines against #COVID used in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. No recorded vaccination-related deaths- the province's Ministry of Health," Sputnik V tweeted.



LTIMAS NOTCIAS: A #SputnikV mostra o perfil mais seguro entre as vacinas contra a #COVID usadas na provncia de Buenos Aires, na Argentina. Nenhuma morte relacionada vacinao registrada - o Ministrio da Sade da provncia. pic.twitter.com/dgKkmpp2aa Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) June 24, 2021

"Of the 125 serious ESAVIs reported, none were due to programmatic errors, that is related to the vaccine handling process (such as, for example, incorrect administration or inappropriate use of supplies) and only 6- derived from the application of the three vaccines applied so far in Buenos Aires territory were directly related to the product, generating allergic reactions from which the vaccinated recovered completely. It should be noted that there were no deaths related to the Sputnik V vaccine," Buenos Aires' Health Ministry statement read.

This study was conducted to describe the ESAVI reported to the Integrated Argentine Health Information System (SIISA) since December 29. The campaign date was June 3, 2021. 2.8 million Sputnik V doses were applied, 1.3 million from Sinopharm and 0.9 million Covishield/AstraZeneca doses with a several ESAVI rate per million doses of 0.7, 0.8 and 3.2 respectively.

It demonstrated the Events Supposedly Attributable to Vaccination or Immunisation (ESAVI) was mostly mild. Most commonly reported side effects were fever (47%), headaches (45%), muscle pain and joint pain (39.5%) and pain (46.5%) and swelling (7.4%) in the area where the injection was given. Investigation of ESAVI includes classification as per a series of categories established by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), Buenos Aires health ministry said in a statement.

Edited by Mehak Agarwal

Also read: WHO forecasts need for annual COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for most vulnerable

Also read: Now, swab samples from phone screens can detect COVID-19
Thriving cryptocurrency companies say they are scrambling to find the right candidates to fill in hundreds of positions as the hysteria and interest in digital currencies as well as other assets pits them against some of the world's largest financial institutions.

Regardless of drubbing in the month of May, cryptocurrencies' overall market value is up 400 per cent over the past year to around $1.4 trillion, and established financial firms of the likes of DBS Group Holdings Ltd, Goldman Sachs Group Inc, and Bank of New York Mellon Corp. have started offering services and trading in them.

Also Read: Bitcoin tumble continues; nears $30,000

Meanwhile, companies such as CME Group Inc are expanding crypto derivatives offerings, which is helping the asset class mature.

That leaves fewer candidates for crypto companies, who need hundreds of new employees to expand their business.

According to the LinkedIn recruitment portal of Binance, which is the world's largest crypto exchange, around 370 positions are open to be filled globally.

US-based Gemini also plans to boost its Singapore headcount to 50 from 30 by December this year. Hong Kong-based Crypto.com has put out over 200 openings, with more than half of them based in Asia.

"We are hiring aggressively," Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng "CZ" Zhao told Bloomberg.

"We see the industry growing exponentially on a year-to-year basis, and we need to scale our team to cope with it," he added. "We are a geo-equal-opportunity employer. We don't mind where people are, as long as they produce results," Zhao added.

Also Read: In a first, Bitcoin to become legal tender in this country from Sept; how will it work?

Interest in crypto jobs has suddenly boomed for potential candidates, rising by around five to 10 times in the past nine months, Neil Dundon, founder of recruitment agency Crypto Recruit, told the agency.

He added that a single job posting can draw hundreds of applicants. Despite the boom, finding the right candidates with relevant experience can be difficult, prompting several companies to lower their expectations or change job criteria, the report added.

"In terms of length of experience, one or two years is good enough these days," said Dundon, adding that "the skills shortage is so bad at the moment that companies are casting a wider net."
The Employees' Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976 (EDLI Scheme) is an insurance scheme which provides life insurance benefits to all employees who are members of the government-backed Employees' Provident Funds (EPF) Scheme, 1952. The EDLI Scheme is supported by a nominal contribution at 0.5% of monthly wages, upto the maximum wage limit of Rs 15,000 by the employers. Employees do not make any contribution for availing insurance cover under this Scheme. How big is the claim, who can claim the benefit under EDLI Scheme and how.

Here's all you need to know about the government-backed EDLI Scheme:

There is no need for employees to enroll separately for EDLI. Any employee who is a member of EPF scheme, automatically gets subscribed to the EDLI Scheme. EPF has three parts to it, apart from provident fund, part of employer's contributions go towards Employee Pension Scheme (EPS) and part of it towards EDLI.

The maximum benefit as per the EDLI cover is Rs 7 lakh. Minimum benefit, irrespective of the salary, is Rs 2.50 lakh.

The employer makes the contribution towards the scheme.

Insurance benefit under the EDLI Scheme is available to the eligible family members of the deceased member who has been in employment for a continuous period of over twelve months, irrespective of whether the member served the same employer or switched jobs during the twelve months preceding his or her death.

The EDLI scheme benefits can be availed by a nominee, family member or legal heir.

Insurance benefit under EDLI

Nominees or heirs of the deceased member can get a maximum benefit of Rs 7 lakh under the EDLI Scheme. Irrespective of the salary, the minimum insurance benefit under the scheme is Rs 2.50 lakh, if the employee has continuously worked for 12 months.

As per the recent amendment, the insurance benefit is calculated using the following formula:

Average monthly wages drawn during the preceding 12 months x 35 plus 50 per cent of the average PF balance during the last 12 months, subject to a cap of Rs 1,75,000; where, average wages means basic salary plus dearness allowance and monthly wages are capped at Rs 15,000.

Irrespective of the formula, the minimum benefit will not be less than Rs 2,50,000.

Let's understand with an example. Suppose Raghu was earning an average monthly wage worth Rs 18,000 in the 12 months preceding his death and the average PF balance in this period is Rs 2 lakh, the benefit in this case will be Rs 7 lakh (Rs 15,000 x 35 + Rs 1,75,000).

Who can claim insurance benefit?

The benefits under the scheme will be payable to the nominee mentioned by the employee. The nomination under the EPF scheme will be applicable for the EDLI scheme also. If no nomination is made, his spouse, unmarried daughters and minor sons will be beneficiaries.

The following family members are not eligible to claim the benefit:

Sons who have attained majority

Sons of a deceased son who have attained majority

Married daughters whose husbands are alive

Married daughters of a deceased son whose husbands are alive

How to claim insurance benefit?

In order to claim the insurance benefit by the nominee or beneficiary in case of the member's death, he or she has to fill the form 5 IF. The claim form should be attested by the employer. Attested copy of application form along with all supporting documents need to be submitted to commissioner. After verification of application form and supporting documents, the Commissioner will sanction the EDLI claim amount. The benefit amount will be directly credited to the beneficiary's account.

The claimant has to submit the given documents along with Form 51F:

Death certificate of the employee

Guardianship Certificate -- If the EDLI claim is being made on behalf of a minor family member or nominee, the legal guardian has to submit the guardianship certificate

Succession certificate -- In case a claim is being made by a legal heir of the employee

Bank account details in which the claim funds are to be deposited

Also read: Bond funds move 50% portfolio to cash as inflation breaches 6%

Also read: Ask Money Today: How much should a 28-year-old invest for retirement, child education?
State Bank of India customers may notice a bunch of changes in certain charges involved in cash withdrawals from next month onwards. The State Bank of India (SBI), which is the largest commercial bank in the country, is set to introduce changes to charges for ATM cash withdrawal, cash withdrawal from the branch and chequebook from July 1, 2021.

Basic Bank Deposit (BSBD) account holders will now only get four free cash withdrawal transactions. This would include both withdrawals from ATM as well as from SBI branches. Beyond four withdrawals, BSBD account holders will be charged. Account-holders will also be charged beyond the use of the first 10 cheque leaves for cash withdrawals from July 1 onwards.

SBI cash withdrawal from ATM and Branch

As mentioned SBI has now limited the number of free cash withdrawal transactions from ATM and branches. Account-holders will now only get four free cash withdrawals transactions at ATMs and SBI branches. Beyond this number, they will be charged Rs 15 plus GST (Goods and Services Tax) for each cash withdrawal at an SBI branch or ATM. The same chargers will also apply if SBI customers withdraw cash from ATMs of banks other than the State Bank of India. These rates will come into effect from July 1, 2021, onwards.

SBI Cheque Book Charges

State Bank of India has decided to limit free cheque leaf usages for its BSBD account holders. According to the changes listed out by SBI, from July 1 onwards, BSBD account holders are only allowed to use the first 10 cheque leaves without any charges being levied for the withdrawal transactions. Beyond this number, they will be charged as per the following matrix:

Rs 40 plus GST for withdrawals using next 10 cheque leaves Rs 75 plus GST for the next 25 Rs 50 plus GST will be levied for using Emergency Cheque Book for the first 10 cheque leaves and beyond

Senior citizens should note that they are exempted from the cheque book use limit.

Also Read: SBI Customers Alert! Internet banking services will be affected today; check out timings, other details
Former NSA advisor and data privacy advocate Edward Snowden tweeted on Wednesday that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange "could be next," after antivirus maker John McAfee was found dead in a prison in Spain on Wednesday. McAfee, who was 75, died by apparent suicide on Wednesday shortly after the hearing which allowed his extradition to the US on criminal tax evasion charges. Mc Afee's lawyer Javier Villalba confirmed that he died by hanging.

Snowden, who lives in Russian exile, tweeted, "Europe should not extradite those accused of non-violent crimes to a court system so unfair - and prison system so cruel - that native-born defendants would rather die than become subject to it. Julian Assange could be next." He further added, "Until the system is reformed, a moratorium should remain."

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, an Australian, was arrested in April 2019 in the United Kingdom on charges of obtaining and sharing classified information. According to reports, a UK court temporarily blocked his extradition to the US in January 2021 on 18 charges, most through the Espionage Act. Assange, 49, remains in HMP Belmarsh, Britain's harshest jail. He won his extradition battle in January but has not been bailed ahead of an appeal hearing because he is considered a flight risk.

During one of his last hearings, McAfee had expressed that he would remain in jail for the rest of his life if he were to be convicted in the United States."I am hoping that the Spanish court will see the injustice of this." He further added that the United States wants to use him as an example. His lawyer has claimed that he could not stand more time in jail. "This is the result of a cruel system that had no reason to keep this man in jail for so long," Villalba was quoted saying by Reuters.

McAfee was arrested last year in October on charges of tax evasion. It was found that he failed to pay taxes despite making a lot of money during the years 2014 and 2018. McAfee avoided paying the taxes by not taking his income in his bank account. He allegedly got his money paid in the other bank account and cryptocurrency accounts. In 2012, McAfee was accused of murder when he was living in Belize. He was charged for murdering one of his neighbours and American expatriate Gregory Viant Faull.
Union Minister for Information Technology, Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said Twitter locked his account briefly for violating copyright laws. Although his account was restored after a while, the minister posted a series of tweets to challenge Twitter's authority over the content that goes on its social media platform.

Prasad said Twitter violated India's new IT rules.

Twitter, however, apparently locked Prasad's account because it violated the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA that the company adheres to for its own copyright policy. So, what is DMCA? We take a look at the controversial law that Twitter and a horde of online platforms cite to suspend and ban accounts.

What is DMCA?

The DMCA is one of the old laws protecting intellectual property and copyright belonging to a person or an organisation. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act "criminalizes production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures that control access to copyrighted works (commonly known as digital rights management or DRM)."

In a way DMCA is sort of go to law for almost all of the internet because over two decades ago when the WWW started to take over the world, there was no one framework that could be used to manage copyright on it. The problem was even more acute because of the global and borderless nature of the internet.

However, because most internet companies, at least in the late 1990s and early 2000s were based in the US, this US law became a de facto standard for copyright related issues.

How Twitter uses DMCA?

Twitter explains this well enough on its website. Let us quote from there: "Twitter responds to copyright complaints submitted under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"). Section 512 of the DMCA outlines the statutory requirements necessary for formally reporting copyright infringement, as well as providing instructions on how an affected party can appeal a removal by submitting a compliant counter-notice

Twitter will respond to reports of alleged copyright infringement, such as allegations concerning the unauthorized use of a copyrighted image as a profile or header photo, allegations concerning the unauthorized use of a copyrighted video or image uploaded through our media hosting services, or Tweets containing links to allegedly infringing materials. Note that not all unauthorized uses of copyrighted materials are infringements (see our fair use article for more information)."

What does this mean?

It means that when Twitter gets a DMCA notice about a tweet or account, it will take action on it. This action can be in favour of the account reported, or in favour of the person or entity that has sent the DMCA notice. In case Twitter acts against a user for DMCA violation, according to the company, it will also inform the user about it and the action it is taking. Option is also given to the user whose tweet or account has been affected to appeal against the DMCA notice.

Here is an example. User A is a musician. She sees on Twitter that User B has posted a video clip with one of her clips as background music. She sends a DMCA notice to Twitter highlighting the tweet made by User B. Twitter finds that it is a copyright violation and takes action against User B. The funny part is that not all violations are intentional. In many cases users are not even aware that they are infringing on someone's copyright by forwarding or retweeting a viral clip that has a kid dancing on a popular song.

What happened in the case of Twitter account of the IT minister?

We don't have the full details yet. But people making DMCA appeals and tech companies taking actions on them are routine in the world of tech and social media. For example, just hours after the minister tweeted about what happened with his account, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor also said that one of his tweets was deleted by Twitter to comply with a DMCA notice. The tweet in question had a soundtrack Rasputin from Boney M.

Daily Twitter, Facebook and YouTube take actions on thousands of accounts on the basis of DMCA reports they receive from others (read aggrieved party).

Although, it is safe to say accounts belonging to ministers, celebrities or senior government officials are rarely part of the list of suspended or banned accounts. The reasons for that are two. One, ministers and prominent people are often very careful in what they tweet. They know the rules better than normal users, and they also know their tweets carry more authority. So they are rarely flippant about the content they are tweeting. And two, tech companies like Twitter often value these high-profile accounts and treat them with some leeway. For example, when Twitter decided to remove some of the tweets made by former US president Donald Trump after receiving DMCA appeals against them, it did so after some deliberations.

However, it seems there is something clearly amiss in the case of the Twitter account belonging to IT and Law Minister RS Prasad. Either the DMCA appeal was so stark that Twitter decided to simply act on it, or someone somewhere in the Twitter's DMCA enforcement team made an error.

Is it possible that RS Prasad's Twitter account was locked by algorithms?

It is a possibility but chances of it happening are slim. Most of the time, the content moderation and related activities on websites like Twitter and Facebook happen automatically, with AI driven algorithms. This is the reason why many Twitter accounts are suspended in India on a daily basis, after a large number of people often in a coordinated attempt in troll-like behaviour report a tweet or an account as "violation of rules". It is possible that the Twitter account of the law minister was targeted in the same way by some users. However, the problem with this theory is that the minister's account is a verified account, and also the one that can be called high-profile. In such accounts, usually Twitter limits automated actions.

What is next?

The Twitter account of the IT Minister has been restored. It was apparently inaccessible for over an hour, probably while Twitter figured out the content of the DMCA notice. However, the minister has said that "Twitter's actions were in gross violation of Rule 4(8) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 where they failed to provide me any prior notice before denying me access to my own account." So it is possible that he may file a case against Twitter or order some action against the company.

At the same time, Tharoor has also promised to look into it. He has tweeted, "As Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, I can state that we will be seeking an explanation from @TwitterIndia for the locking of @rsprasad's & my accounts & the rules & procedures they follow while operating in India."
Reliance at 44th annual general meeting (AGM) on Thursday announced that the low-cost Jio-Google low-cost smartphone -- JioPhone Next will launch on September 10. JioPhone Next is powered by an optimised version of Android, which has been jointly developed by Reliance Jio and Google. Reliance chairman Mukesh Ambani said the launch of the "ultra-affordable" smartphone will help users who have not experienced faster internet speeds. He also reiterated his stance on a 2G-mukt Bharat (2G-free India).

Shortly after the event, Sunil Mittal-led telecom company Airtel in a statement noted that the launch of the new smartphone will not affect the revenue from its 2G users, as people looking to upgrade go for a smartphone priced above Rs 7000. Airtel further noted that it would continue to work with device manufacturers to make quality smartphones accessible for customers through innovative financing and bundling offers. And in doing so, it would strengthen the efforts of all its partners in the ecosystem.



"Our experience has shown that as customers with entry-level devices upgrade to quality smartphones (priced over Rs 7000), they demonstrate a strong preference for Airtel's brand and network," Airtel said in an emailed statement to ET.Airtel and Vodafone Idea reportedly have nearly 300 million 2G users among them who are critical to their revenue streams. Airtel and Vi have been refarming their 2G and 3G airwaves for 4G services.

Airtel CEO Sunil Mittal recently at an event said that it would be tragic if India's telecom market were to reduce to a market of two private telecom providers from earlier when India had twelve operators. Mittal's comments come at a time when telecom company Vodafone Idea or Vi is trying to find investors and looks at improving its financial position in the market.

Coming to the upcoming "ultra-affordable," JioPhone Next whose launch is slated for September 10, it is a full-featured smartphone, complete with the Google Play store. JioPhone Next comes after JioPhone and JioPhone 2. While the JioPhone 1 and the JioPhone 2 were essentially feature phones with some smart features. Some of the features teased on the JioPhone Next include voice assistant support, which means it may support Google Assistant, will be able to read screen text aloud automatically, can handle language translation, and will pack a camera with augmented reality filters.

Some camera features announced include Night mode support, HDR mode, and Snapchat lenses bringing Indian-specific effects to your selfies. The Jio Phone Next has also been confirmed to support the latest Android releases and security updates. The smartphone will offer users access to the Google Play Store.




An NFT is a unique digital asset, whose ownership and authenticity are tracked on a blockchain. Photo: VCG

Ant Group Co. Ltd. has released a statement explaining the differences between cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) after a successful sale of digital artwork on its Alipay platform sparked questions about whether the company was violating Chinas cryptocurrency rules.

NFTs are not interchangeable, nor divisible, making them fundamentally different from cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, according to a statement (link in Chinese) posted Thursday by AntChain, an Ant Group unit focused on blockchain-based technology.

An NFT is a unique digital asset, whose ownership and authenticity are tracked on a blockchain. For example, Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey created an NFT of his first-ever tweet and sold it for $2.9 million earlier this year. While anyone can grab a screenshot of that tweet online, the idea is that making it into an NFT transforms it into a unique item, like a book signed by its author, but with ownership and transaction history verified and recorded on a blockchain.

NFTs became an issue for Ant Group when two NFT payment barcode skins, each limited to 8,000 copies, were put up for sale on Alipay. Both sold out within minutes on Wednesday, an Ant Group spokesperson told Caixin. The skins were designed by the Dunhuang Art Institute (link in Chinese), with technology provided by AntChain.

Because NFTs are usually created, bought, and traded on public blockchains, the sale prompted some on social media to question whether Ant Group had contradicted Chinas increasingly strict cryptocurrency regulations.

Didnt [Alipay] just issue a statement that it was cracking down on crypto trading? Doesnt this move contradict that? one social media user asked (link in Chinese).

In its statement, Ant Group pointed out that fungibility is the key difference between NFTs and cryptocurrencies. While any one Bitcoin is interchangeable with any other, the same is not true for NFTs. Even copies of the same NFT are unique digital items on the blockchain.

Because the technology can turn just about anything that can be digitized into a collectors item, NFTs allow artists to monetize, market and protect their digital creations, though its uses can go well beyond artwork. NFTs can be associated to different types of digital assets, such as concert tickets, licenses and music, AntChain said.

And because ownership can be tracked and verified, NFTs provide creators with a way to protect their intellectual property, an AntChain spokesperson told Caixin.

Read more

Walls Close In on Cryptocurrency Miners in Inner Mongolia

Alipays adoption of NFTs could signify a new channel for Chinese users to buy digital artwork with the yuan  and possibly in the future, the digital yuan, industry insiders said.

Given that blockchain initiatives and proof of concepts have been supported at the government level and that NFTs are not cryptocurrencies, we are not surprised that companies with a large digital presence and customer base are experimenting with NFT-like technology, said Matthew Graham, CEO of Sino Global Capital, a Beijing-based venture capital firm that invests in blockchain technology.

Alipay, with more than 1 billion annual active users globally, is an attractive platform for bringing blockchain-based products to the masses, he said, adding that the move could prompt other competitors and stakeholders to enter the space as well.

Still, Ant Groups response indicates that it wants to show it is strictly complying with Chinas protocol for supporting blockchain technology while staying away from virtual currencies.

Citing risks of criminal activities such as illegal cross-border asset transfers and money laundering, China has been ramping up efforts against cryptocurrencies in recent years.

Authorities have ordered the closure of Bitcoin mining operations in major hubs including the provinces of Sichuan and Qinghai, as well as the Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions.

Contact reporter Kelsey Cheng (kelseycheng@caixin.com) and editor Michael Bellart (michaelbellart@caixin.com)

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
Here is todays ranking of the 10 most-read international stories in China. While these headlines can help give you a sense of whats trending in the Chinese language sphere, the veracity and accuracy of the headlines hasnt been independently verified by Caixin.

Social media users are following how Vietnam will not go through with a plan to distribute Chinese-donated Covid-19 vaccines because of a requirement to vaccinate Chinese nationals first. They also took a fancy to a new study that shows more than 1,700 nearby solar systems offered the appropriate vantage point over the last 5,000 years to monitor Earth.

1.Vietnam will not go through with a plan to distribute Chinese-donated Covid-19 vaccines because of a requirement to vaccinate Chinese nationals first

2.More than 1,700 nearby solar systems offered the appropriate vantage point over the last 5,000 years to monitor Earth, new study published in Nature shows

3.Chinese delegation rebuts five other countries allegations at U.N. Human Rights Council

4.Foreign Ministry urges Chinese nationals in Afghanistan to leave the country amid a growing insurgency and violence

5.China sues Australia at the WTO over the countrys retaliatory trade measures against Chinese exports

6.Indian experts say a third wave of Covid-19 infections is likely on the way

7.High-rise apartment building collapses in the U.S.

8.99% of Covid-19 patients in the U.K. confirmed with the delta variant from June 11 to June 18

9.German carmaker Audi decides to stop making fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2033, its CEO says, except in China

10. Delta variant is the greatest threat to containing the Covid-19 pandemic in the U.S., White House Chief Medical Advisor Anthony Fauci warns

Read the top 10 domestic news on the same day.

Translated by reporter Wang Xintong.

The daily ranking of the most-read news stories among Chinese people, about China and global affairs, is jointly provided to you by Caixin Insight and HANA Data, an artificial intelligence technology team.

The key indicators calculated on the list are based on mass data sourced from Chinas mainstream social media platforms and online news websites. Click here for a detailed introduction of our methodology.
(Nikkei Asia)  The global battle to offer affordable electric vehicles (EV) will soon grow more intense as automakers in Japan and Europe prepare to offer cheaper models that can compete with Chinese rivals.

Mitsubishi Motors will offer an electric mini-vehicle for under 2 million yen ($18,100) in Japan by fiscal 2023, joining the growing ranks of automakers pursuing lower prices to catch up with cheaper Chinese EV rivals.

Electric vehicles still tend to carry higher sticker prices than gasoline-fueled autos. But subsidies and the savings from skipping the gas pump make more smaller EV models just as affordable as comparable conventional cars, and automakers are eager to appeal to an even wider swath of customers.

Mitsubishis price cut would make its Minicab-MiEV, used mainly for commercial purposes, one of the cheapest EVs available in Japan. The automaker plans to swap out the models battery for a newer, less expensive version, while still ensuring a range of 150 kilometers on a single charge.

Mitsubishi also looks to release an electric minicar priced around $18,000 in Southeast Asia in 2023. The company will invest about 19 billion yen to build a new production facility in Thailand, including for hybrid vehicles.

The Japanese automaker aims to produce about 10,000 of the new EVs in Thailand yearly. Mitsubishis cheapest gas-powered model in the country goes for around $15,000.

Meanwhile, Mitsubishi alliance partner Renault, through its Dacia brand, has unveiled the new Spring sport utility vehicle, dubbed the most affordable electric car in Europe. With a range of 230 kilometers and a top speed of 125 kilometers per hour, the SUV starts at 16,990 euros ($20,300) in France, a price tag made possible by assembling it in China.

Volkswagen also plans to debut an EV model priced around 20,000 euros in 2025.

The flurry of inexpensive new models stems from advancements in battery production. The expense of producing a battery, which accounts for 30% to 50% of an EVs total cost, has dropped by 80% between 2012 and 2020, largely thanks to increased mass production in China and Europe.

Cheaper batteries let Mitsubishi price the updated Minicab-MiEV at roughly 900,000 yen above a comparable gasoline vehicle, narrowing the current gap of 1.3 million yen.

Subsidies from Japans government, which can total 420,000 yen depending on the model, as well as municipal subsidies like those offered in Tokyo reduce the price gap further for consumers.

Savings on gas enhance the appeal of electrics. It costs 690,000 yen worth of gasoline to drive a conventional car 100,000 kilometers in Japan, according to the Next Generation Vehicle Promotion Center. It takes just 310,000 yen of electricity to power an EV across the same distance.

Many major countries are expanding subsidies to promote EV purchases. A Chinese automaker rolled out a $4,500 EV made possible by sticking to basic functions, and unit sales of the model are growing.

In Japan, package transporter Sagawa Express decided to purchase 7,200 Chinese-made EVs. In Southeast Asia, where Japanese cars occupy an 80% market share, Chinese electrics are starting to make an appearance.

The Chinese will be rivals going forward, Mitsubishi Motors President Takao Kato said.

About 2.14 million electrics were sold worldwide last year, British analytics firm LMC Automotive says, just 3% of all new vehicles. EV sales volume is expected to reach 23.3 million units at the end of the decade, or 24% of all vehicles. Beyond that, the U.K. and other countries in Europe will phase out sales of gas-engine autos between 2030 and 2040.

EV buyers have mainly been businesses and affluent individuals. But more affordable price tags likely will alter the attitudes of consumers.

When the costs of on-board batteries decline by 50% or more by 2030, the prices of EVs will approach the same level as gasoline vehicles, said Masayuki Aou, manager at Arthur D. Little Japan.

This story was first published in Nikkei Asia.

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
In todays Caixin energy news wrap: The Yantian container terminal in Shenzhen resumes full operation after weeks of Covid disruption; China moves to include steel industry in the national carbon trading market; national energy regulator calls for more rooftop solar power

Mining city in Shaanxi tightens oversight of coal trading

Resources-rich Yulin city in northwest Chinas Shaanxi province ordered all local coal mining companies to trade on a centralized online platform in a move to tighten supervision and stabilize prices. In a meeting with industry representative, the city government urged Yulins coal enterprises to strengthen self-regulation and vowed to punish companies that refuse to trade on the Yulin Power Chemical Trading Center platform. The move followed a recent surge in coal prices amid mine closures and rising demand. Some coal mining companies illegally increased prices through offline transactions that fell outside regulatory oversight, the Yulin government said in a statement.

NEA launches pilot project for rooftop solar power

The National Energy Administration (NEA) launched a pilot program to promote rooftop solar power. According to a notice issued by the administration, government buildings should equip at least 50% of rooftops with solar panels. Public buildings such as schools, hospitals and village committees should install solar panels on at least 40% of rooftops. At least 30% of industrial and commercial premises and 20% of rural residences should have solar panels, according to the notice.

China prepares steel industry for carbon trading

Chinas Ministry of Ecology and Environment told the China Iron and Steel Association to prepare for inclusion of the steel industry in the national carbon market, the ministry said. The association will work on plans to set carbon trading quotas for the industry, test supportive mechanisms and set up infrastructure.

NDRC collects information about local carbon-related projects

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) asked local authorities to report information on local projects related to carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). According to NDRC, the purpose of the request is to facilitate reaching emission reduction goals and assess current CCUS technologies.

Yunnan Energy Investment to fund Tongquan wind farm project

Yunnan Energy Investment Co., Ltd. (002053.SZ) approved a plan for its wholly owned subsidiary Malong Cloud Energy Investment New Energy Development Co. Ltd. to invest in construction of the Tongquan wind farm project in Qujing, Yunnan province. The investment will total 2.2 billion yuan ($346.4 million,), Yunnan Energy said Wednesday. The installed capacity of the wind farm is projected at 350 megawatts.

China joins with IRENA to address climate change

Chinas Ministry of Ecology and Environment signed an agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to enhance cooperation in renewable energy development and climate change response. IRENA is an intergovernmental organization with 180 member countries, according to its website.

Shenzhen container port resumes operation after Covid shutdown

Yantian International Container Terminals, which handles cargo at one of the worlds busiest container ports, will restore normal operations after a Covid-19 outbreak caused a month of disruptions that snarled global supply chains and led to a surge in shipping rates. All berths at the port of Yantian, part the Port of Shenzhen in southern China, were to be fully operational Thursday as the virus situation is now under control, Yantian International said in a statement. The company closed three berths May 21 to address the outbreak, which infected some of its workers.

Contact editors Han Wei (weihan@caixin.com) and Bob Simison (bobsimison@caixin.com)

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Follow the Chinese markets in real time with Caixin Globals new stock database.
Here is todays ranking of the 10 most-read domestic stories in China, in economics, finance and current affairs. While these headlines can help give you a sense of whats trending in the Chinese language sphere, the veracity and accuracy of the headlines hasnt been independently verified by Caixin.

Internet users have been focused on a nearly sixfold increase in the price of Chinese traditional medicine pill mainly used for treating viral hepatitis. They are also continuing to pay attention to Hainans assertion it wont turn into a tax haven.

1.Price of a traditional Chinese medicine hiked nearly sixfold

According to the China Economic Weekly, the price of Pien Tze Huang, a traditional Chinese medicine formula used for treating inflammation, that is often used in cases of viral hepatitis, has been raised (external source, in Chinese) from 590 yuan ($91) per pill to up to 3,000 yuan on online trading platforms.

2.185 million men follow beauty bloggers

About 185 million Chinese men follow beauty influencers on social media, with those aged from 25 to 30 making up around a quarter of that figure, according to a report (external source, in Chinese) from QuestMobile.

3.Guangzhous super-fast Covid-19 infection

A Covid-19 patient in Guangzhou was infected (external source, in Chinese) after just 14 seconds spent near an infected person.





4.Hainan wont turn into an offshore tax haven, governor says

Chinas southern province of Hainan has pledged to step up scrutiny to prevent companies from using incentives to evade taxes after the central government unveiled plans to transform the tropical island into a free trade port. "We will not let the Hainan free trade port become a tax haven," Governor Feng Fei said Monday.

5.Travelers from Taiwan with Covid-19 arriving in mainland

Four travelers from Taiwan tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival in Xiamen, Fujian province, last week. Ma Xiaoguang, a spokesperson for the central governments Taiwan Affairs Office, urged the Taiwan authorities to plug loopholes in their Covid-19 controls.

6.Phone fraud caused 35.37 billion yuan losses in 2020

Phone fraud in China caused an estimated 35.37 billion yuan (external source, in Chinese) in financial losses last year.

7.Ministry of Education requires schools to ensure after-school services are available for half an hour after closing time

The Ministry of Education plans (external source, in Chinese) to require primary and secondary schools to guarantee that after-school services, like those for students with special needs, will remain available for at least half an hour after their normal opening hours.

8.Shanghai raises minimum wage

According to state broadcaster CCTV, Shanghai will raise (external source, in Chinese) the monthly minimum wage by 110 yuan to 2,590 yuan and the hourly minimum wage to 23 yuan, starting from July 1.

9.Xinjiangs first solar thermal power plant goes into operation

In mid-June, the first solar thermal power plant in Northwest Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region begun to stably generate power (external source, in Chinese) in Yiwu county, Hami. According to the state-run Peoples Daily, the plant has 14,500 heliostat mirrors and can generate electricity equivalent to 61,900 tons of standard coal per year.

10.Taiwans Covid-19 death rate exceeds global average

According to reports citing the China Times News Network, the Covid-19 case fatality rate on the island has reached (external source, in Chinese) 4.2%, almost double the world average.

Read the top 10 global news on the same day.

Translated by intern reporter Chen Bingyi

The daily ranking of most read news stories among Chinese people, about China and global affairs, is jointly provided to you by Caixin Insight and HANA Data, an artificial intelligence technology team.

The key indicators calculated on the list are based on mass data sourced from Chinas mainstream social media platforms and online news websites. Click here for a detailed introduction of our methodology.
In todays Caixin energy news wrap: China Baowu and Brazils Vale to launch Indonesia nickel project; Chinese SOE profits up 170% in first five months; Tibets hydropower capacity may exceed 15 million kilowatts by 2025; Henan signs hydrogen energy agreement with U.K. company

China Baowu and Brazils Vale to launch Indonesia nickel project

China Baowu Steel Group Corp. (600019.SH) signed a project cooperation framework agreement Thursday for construction and operation of the Indonesia Bahodopi FeNi project. Baowu, PT Vale Indonesia (PTVI), and Shandong Xinhai Technology Co. Ltd. will jointly construct and operate the FeNi project in Morowali, which lies on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. According to the agreement, China Baowu and Xinhai will first establish a domestic joint venture, which will then establish a joint venture with PTVI. PTVI will hold 49% of the joint venture. The project is expected to produce 73,000 tons of nickel a year. Smelting will be powered with electricity from natural gas-fired power stations, which will cut carbon emissions by 60%.

Chinese SOE profits up 170% in first five months

Chinas state-owned and state-controlled enterprises maintained high growth in the first five months of the year. Total operating revenue of SOEs came to 28 trillion yuan ($4.32 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 30.5% and an average increase of 8.9% over the previous two years, data from the Ministry of Finance shows. In the same period, SOEs total profits reached 1.79 trillion yuan ($280 billion), a year-on-year increase of 170% and an average increase of 13.5% over the previous two years.

Sinopec and Trina Solar sign strategic agreement

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. (Sinopec) and Trina Solar Co. Ltd. signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement Wednesday, aiming to deepen cooperation on the zero-carbon energy transformation of gas stations, the production of hydrogen via green electricity and the supply and R&D of photovoltaic materials. The two companies plan to leverage their advantages to deepen integration, address technical bottlenecks and institutional obstacles, push for the implementation of new photovoltaic materials and reduce the costs of solar power generation, the companies said.

Lhasa-Nyingchi railway starts operation

China Railway said the Lhasa-Nyingchi railway would go into operation Friday, the government-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Fuxing-class bullet trains, powered by internal combustion and electricity, will commence operations across the plateau. The fastest trains will be able to take passengers from Lhasa to Shannan in 70 minutes and from Lhasa to Nyingchi in 3 hours and 29 minutes. Shannan and Nyingchi are both located in the Tibetan autonomous region. The railway lies in a southeastern valley between the Gangdise Mountains and the Himalayan Mountains on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. More than 90% of the track lies more than 3,000 meters above sea level.

Hengli Petrochemical to invest $1.72 billion in new project

Hengli Petrochemical (600346.SH) said Thursday that its subsidiary Kanghui New Material Technology Co. Ltd. plans to invest 11.1 billion yuan ($1.72 billion) in a production project with an annual output of 800,000 tons of functional polyester films and functional plastics. The project will contribute to the companys market adaptation, meeting customers demand for high-end polyester films and functional plastics, the company said.

Henan signs hydrogen energy agreement with U.K.s Logan Energy

Henan province co-hosted a U.K.-China Cooperation Forum on Hydrogen with the British consulate-general in Wuhan and the Department for International Trade. At the forum, Henan Lanxing Power Equipment Co. Ltd. and Logan Energy Ltd., a leading hydrogen energy technology company in Europe, signed a cooperation agreement for the construction of a hydrogen energy industrial park in Jiaozuo, Henan. Preliminary investment in the project will be 100 million yuan ($15.5 million).

Tibets hydropower capacity may exceed 15 million kilowatts by 2025

A clean energy expert workstation and clean energy innovation and development center were officially established in Tibet, CCTV News reported. Tibets installed hydropower capacity will exceed 15 million kilowatts, and solar panel capacity will top 1,000 kilowatts by 2025, according to the report. In the meantime, the State Grid plans to invest 46.6 billion yuan ($7.2 billion) in the region to further strengthen the Tibet-southwest China power grid interconnection, to supply higher-caliber power to Sichuan-Tibet Railway projects and to actively promote preliminary work for projects such as Qinghai-Tibet DC Networking Phase II.

Xiangtan debuts first electric mining dump truck

The worlds first 120-ton pure electric-drive mining dump truck was initiated Wednesday in Xiangtan, Hunan province. The vehicle was developed by state-owned Xiangtan Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd. and shipped to a mine in Inner Mongolia. Equipped with electric power, an energy management system and alternating current drive, the truck uses a battery instead of a traditional diesel engine to supply power. It can operate continuously for eight hours on one hours charge. Compared with traditional 100-ton fossil fuel-powered vehicles, the electric truck consumes half as much energy, cuts operating and maintenance costs by 20% and achieves zero emissions. A single truck can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1,500 tons per year.

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
On June 25 every year, celebrations are organized by governments, shipping organizations and ship companies to acknowledge seafarers contributions to the world. Its the annual international Day of the Seafarer.

More than 1.6 million seafarers globally have worked tirelessly through the Covid-19 pandemic, undergoing the stress and pressure of a series of uncertainties including entering and leaving ports, supplies, crew changes and repatriation. Their dedication and sacrifice underpin the global economy and keep the world running smoothly during the crisis.

The massive wave of Covid-19 infections in India, the third-largest supplier of seafarers with a global share of 15%, has driven the worldwide shortage of seafarers from bad to worse.

Many ports have banned ships from changing crew members who come from India, and some have prohibited the entry of vessels that have recently visited the country. Some international shipping companies are even refusing to allow Indian crew members to embark.

The pandemic has triggered several global shortages of shipping containers, vessels and now seafarers. However, these shortages can also be seen as opportunities for China.

Seafarers are central to future shipping

The oceans are natural ties that connect trade and cultural interaction among countries. More than 90% of traded goods are carried over the waves, giving seafarers a critical role.

In the 19th century, merchant sailing ships with a capacity of only a few thousand tons had more than 200 crew members. In contrast, the Ever Given cargo vessel that blocked the Suez Canal in March has a capacity of 200,000 tons and carries $3.5 billion of goods but requires only about 20 crew members. Despite freight rates being pushed up due to reduced crew sizes, fewer people operating a ship means more responsibilities for each crew member.

Crews stuck in crisis

Compensation has not yet been finalized with the Suez Canal Authority regarding the blockage by the Ever Given. Loaded with 18,300 containers, the Ever Given is still anchored in the canals Great Bitter Lake with its crew stuck on board.

The Ever Given container ship was pulled free after it ran aground in the Suez Canal and blocked traffic for more than six days.

The experience of the Ever Given crew is only a mirror of the dire situation facing the industry. Data from the Baltic and International Maritime Council shipping association reveals that 135 seafarers were kidnapped in 2020. The pandemic lockdowns and quarantine policies have provoked a crisis in crew changes and repatriation. It is estimated that more than 400,000 seafarers were stranded at sea due amid pandemic in September 2020.

For thousands of years, diseases spread through person-to-person contact. The diseases transmitted through seafarers voyaging between Europe and America profoundly changed the worlds political economy. In the 14th century, people realized the importance of quarantining outsiders during pandemics. Mandatory quarantine measures first emerged in Ragusa, a port city on the Adriatic Sea, currently known as Dubrovnik. It was the worlds first legislation requiring the mandatory quarantine or isolation of trade vessels and caravans to screen for infections.

The old rules determined that crew quarantine or isolation was necessary for a crew change. However, the associated skyrocketing costs including quarantine fees, inspection fees and repatriation costs overburdened ship owners.

There have been increasing calls for seafarers to be prioritized for vaccinations. On Jan. 25, companies and organizations around the world signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change at the World Economic Forum to call for actions to facilitate crew changes by forming more elastic supply chains. The fundamental action in the declaration is to recognize seafarers as key workers and give them priority access to vaccinations.

However, excepting China, four of the top five suppliers of seafarers (the Philippines, India, Greece and Eastern Europe) all rely on vaccines provided by European and American companies. While Europe and the United States continue to hoard vaccines, low-income countries have been priced out of acquiring doses. In the shipping industry, ship owners at the top of the industrial chain care only about how to lower operating costs, so seafarers must depend on their home countries for vaccinations. The vaccine shortage is making conditions even worse for seafarers.

Market status of international seafarers

The proportion of Chinese seafarers in the global market is not low because heavyweight Chinese shipping companies such as China COSCO Shipping, China Merchants, Shandong Shipping and Seacon Shipping employ a large number of seafarers. But when it comes to the deployment market, Chinese seafarers have not been a very popular choice.

The Philippines, famous for its tradition of exporting workers  usually men as seafarers and women as housemaids  was the largest supplier of seafarers in the world before the pandemic. According to statistics of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, the country deployed 360,000 seafarers internationally in 2015, generating about $5.6 billion in foreign exchange earnings.

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic nation. Filipino seafarers are proficient in English, obedient to their managers and passionate about working at sea. In addition, the Philippines has a highly developed professional education system in which most teachers are captains and chief pilots from top international companies. The Philippines exports a large number of professionals such as ordinary seamen and mechanics. The International Maritime Organization favors the Philippines and considers Manila the best choice for hosting Euro-American shipping forums and personnel training sessions.

Seafarers aboard a container ship.

India has rapidly grown to become the third-largest supplier of seafarers behind China and the Philippines. The number of Indian seafarers surged by 42.3% from 2013 to 2017.

Besides its natural advantages of being an English-speaking Commonwealth country, Indias surge in seafarer workforce was fueled by its national strategy. In the wave of globalization, many Indian senior officers became senior executives in shipping companies and international trade businesses, while many served as pilots and senior maritime officials for countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

The rise of seafarers from the Philippines and India is an inevitable result of the evolution of a profession dominated by Europeans and Americans in the early days. With the continuous advancement of navigation technology and the narrowing of the income gap between jobs at sea and those on land, more and more seafarers from low-income countries have emerged. In recent years, seafarers from low-cost countries such as Bangladesh, Myanmar and North Korea flocked to the maritime labor market, continuing an upward trend.

However, the pandemic has changed this trend.

The difficulties surrounding crew changes during the pandemic negatively affected seafarer deployment of the Philippines in 2020. Data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration shows that the employment of Filipino seafarers in 2020 dwindled by 58.1% compared with 2019.

There are many reasons why the world market for Filipino mariners is declining. First, the Philippine government made substantial efforts to protect the rights of Filipino seafarers at home, thereby increasing the cost of hiring them. Second, the Philippines issued strict regulations on crew changes, making it cease to be a popular destination for such operations.

The gap caused by the decline of Filipino sailors was mostly filled by seafarers from India and Eastern Europe (mostly Ukraine and Russia) in 2020.

But, after the reemergence of the pandemic in India, the global seafarer market has gradually lost its confidence in Indian seafarers. Most importantly, seafarers with recent travel history to India were prohibited from undergoing crew changes, delivering a fatal blow to the replacement of Filipino seafarers by Indian seafarers. Singapore and Fujairah (a constituent emirate of the United Arab Emirates), two crucial hubs in the international shipping industry, banned the entry of ships or crew that visited India. Other ports soon followed and adopted even more restrictive measures.

Chinese seafarers shoulder the burden

As seafarers from India and the Philippines decline, the global seafarer market is left with Chinese and Eastern European seafarers. Although Eastern Europeans still enjoy a solid competitive edge, they cannot keep up with the market demand due to their limited population size. More than 50% of trade goods in China and 90% of the global market are carried over the sea. In terms of number of seafarers, China ranked first in 2019 with 377,000 active seafarers, despite a large proportion working on the coastline or for local shipping companies.

China has demonstrated strong capabilities in Covid-19 prevention and control as well as nationwide vaccination. With efficient measures fighting the pandemic in China, Chinese seafarers have gained popularity in the global market. The shipbuilding industry has been thriving since the end of 2020, mainly driven by the prosperity within many segments of the shipping industry. New ships are expected to hit the water in 2023. Given the uncertainty of repeatable risks inherent in an infectious disease pandemic, Chinese seafarers will be the leading force in operating those new ships.

Furthermore, the regulatory restrictions surrounding crew change have also made China the preferred destination for such operations, giving Chinese seafarers a competitive edge. With China already recognizing seafarers as key workers and the availability of Covid-19 vaccinations, vaccinated Chinese seafarers are becoming increasingly popular in the worlds seafarer labor market, leading to rapid growth in their salaries.

However, as China grows, there has been a substantial shortfall in the supply of Chinese seafarers in recent years. Several factors are considered to be responsible for this shortfall, such as the decline in the wage gap between seafarers and on-shore workers, lack of social identity, insufficient medical facilities and coverage and limited internet access. As a result, six Chinese government ministries including the Ministry of Transport jointly published guidelines recently to build a sufficient, competent and well-structured marine workforce.

The lesson we have learned from the resurgence of the pandemic in India is that allowing the virus to continue to spread in any country will make the pandemic stretch on for years. Many years of courage, patience and dedication may be needed.

Against that backdrop, the international deployment of Chinese seafarers faces a window of opportunity. With favorable policies, this sector is expected to grow and thrive, continuously enhancing its influence and power.

The author is the Director of the Petroleum Business Division of the Shanghai Petroleum and Natural Gas Exchange.

Download our app to receive breaking news alerts and read the news on the go.

Get our weekly free Must-Read newsletter.
Become A Subscriber

A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content.
Here you'll find our latest collection of Caledonian-Record reports on the coronavirus outbreak and local response, from the beginning of April. Our January, February and March stories are here: https://www.caledonianrecord.com/news/local/our-coronavirus-coverage/collection_5885178c-692e-11e
article

$100.00 / for 365 days

Sponsored Content Articles  Policy & Procedure

Only content submissions which satisfy our conditions for publication will be published.

The fee for publication via this portal is $100. This fee is non-refundable.

To accomplish your publication purchase, you must be logged-in as a website user: https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/users/signup

This purchase is for online publication only. If print publication is also desired, please proceed with the purchase of online publication and contact Advertise@cmcHerald.com regarding print publication.

By default, approved/paid submissions will be published to the "Lifestyle" section of the website. Requests for other urls/sections deemed relevant to the submission will be honored.

Submissions may contain links  including do-follow links.

Published submissions will remain published for as long as the website remains active, presumably at least one year.

Submissions must conform to our comment standards (https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/site/comment_standards.html) and must constitute appropriate use of the English language.

Publisher reserves the right to refuse publication for any reason.

Submissions will not be processed for publication without advance payment.

Submissions requiring additional support services  e.g., to amend content or to effect payment  will not be published. By mutual agreement, editorial services may be provided for an additional charge; otherwise, advance payment rendered will be deemed a non-refundable service charge.

Upon request to Advertise@cmcHerald.com a link to the published article will be transmitted via email.

Our website is directed to a U.S.-based audience; our content may not be accessible to some international audiences due to technology restrictions.

By initiating this transaction, the submitter assumes any and all liability associated with publication of the submitted content (e.g., infringement, licensing) and agrees to defend and hold the Publisher harmless.


remaining of

Thank you for reading! This is your last free article before you will be asked to subscribe.

Already have a paid subscription? Sign in
* Username This is the name that will be used to identify you within the system. Choose wisely!

* First name

* Last name Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more!

* Email Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. We won't share it with anyone else.

* Password Create a password that only you will remember. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address.
Do you have an athlete in mind that contributes to the team or sport, holds sportsmanship and team spirit, has epic playmaker moments and/or in general makes the the sports fun? If yes, please make your nominations for our edition of Athlete Spotlight.

CLICK TO NOMINATE
Among carmakers, it made the most sense for Subaru to come out with a big 7-seater SUV. Their image, aside from winning World Rally Champion...
In this photo released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Friday, June 25, 2021, a Russian MiG-31 fighter jet carrying a Kinzhal missile takes off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria. The Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)
FILE - This March 20, 2020 file photo shows HMS Defender in Portsmouth, England. The Russian military says its warship has fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs to force the British destroyer from Russia's waters near Crimea in the Black Sea. The incident on Wednesday June 23, 2021, marks the first time since the Cold War era when Moscow used live ammunition to deter a NATO warship, reflecting soaring Russia-West tensions. (Ben Mitchell/PA via AP, File)
Senate gives OK to NC budget with billions in federal aid
Photo: The Canadian Press Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Huawei, leaves her home to attend a hearing at B.C. Supreme Court, in Vancouver, on Monday, March 29, 2021. The Supreme Court of British Columbia has dismissed an application for a publication ban from Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on new evidence that her legal team wants to introduce in her fight against extradition to the United States. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Supreme Court of British Columbia has dismissed an application for a publication ban from Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on new evidence that her legal team wants to introduce in her fight against extradition to the United States.

Legal counsel for a media consortium including The Canadian Press that opposed the ban advises that the application has been dismissed, but the reasons for the decision have not been provided to CP or reviewed by it and they have not been publicly released.

Meng's lawyers obtained the new material from HSBC through an agreement in a Hong Kong court that they have said includes a stipulation that they protect confidential information.

Lawyers for Canada's attorney general opposed the application, arguing it goes too far by seeking a ban on all of the documents when redacting private information would do.

Meng is wanted by the United States on bank fraud charges that both she and Huawei deny.

She is accused of lying to HSBC about Huawei's control over another company, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Meng has been living in one of her Vancouver homes on bail since her arrest at the city's airport in December 2018.
Photo: FSIN Ground-penetrating radar being used at the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan.

The Catholic religious order that operated residential schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia where hundreds of unmarked graves have been found says it will disclose all historical documents in its possession.

The Missionary of Oblates of Mary Immaculate operated 48 schools, including the Marieval Indian Residential School at Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan and the Kamloops Indian Residential School in B.C.

We remain deeply sorry for our involvement in residential schools and the harms they brought to Indigenous peoples and communities, said a statement.

Indigenous leaders and others have been calling for the release of all documents related to residential schools.

Cowessess First Nation announced Thursday that ground-penetrating radar indicated 751 unmarked graves at its school site. Last month, the Tkemlups te Secwepemc First Nation said the same technology had detected what are believed to be the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops school.

In the statement, the Oblates said they have worked to make historical documents available through universities, archives and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

They said the work is not complete because of complications with provincial and national privacy laws. They asked for guidance from organizations familiar with those laws.

We further acknowledge that delays can cause ongoing distrust, distress, and trauma to Indigenous peoples across British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and the rest of the country, the statement said.

The Oblates said they won't block access to historical documents they have. They also committed to seeking guidance from First Nations and governments.

We will work with bishops and other leaders in the Catholic Church to support full truth in these matters.
Photo: YVR

Vancouver International Airport says it has suspended its cull of feral rabbits after hearing from the community on different options.

A Richmond rabbit group was among those upset about the rabbits being shot.

CTV News reported on Tuesday it learned of a man with an active firearm shooting the rabbits in the middle of the night at the airport.

The culling was reportedly taking place near an airport hotel for the last few weeks.

YVR didnt comment on how exactly the rabbits were being culled, saying only that it had suspended its wildlife management program on Wednesday.

According to the airports statement posted to its website, the rabbits  which are an invasive species and carry disease  attract predators, posing a significant and immediate risk to airfield safety.

As traffic at the airport has slowed, we have seen a considerable increase in this feral rabbit population. As such, we undertook culling activities to manage population and associated risks, YVR said in its statement, adding this was considered humane, safe and efficient, and was used as a last resort at the time.

Safety protocols were followed and posed no risk to operations, employees or passersby.

News of the culling alarmed Richmond-based Rabbitats Rescue Society, which has been in contact with YVR about the feral domestic rabbit population on Sea Island for the past few years.

This was entirely unnecessary and beyond cruel, said Rabbitats founder, Sorelle Saidman.

The rescue received reports of rabbits near YVR in 2019, and since then, it has been trying to work with the airport to help them manage the rabbit population humanely, to no avail.

In its statement posted online, YVR said it will be working with independent scientists, wildlife experts and community partners to re-evaluate methods and determine alternative solutions.
Photo: The Canadian Press Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, June 25, 2021. As calls mount for the federal Liberals to do more to support Indigenous communities calling for independent investigations into deaths of Indigenous children at residential schools, Justin Trudeau pledged Friday Ottawa would do "do what is necessary." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

As calls mount for the federal Liberals to do more to support Indigenous communities calling for independent investigations into deaths of children at residential schools, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Friday Ottawa would do "do what is necessary."

But he would not say exactly what that would look like, nor would he give a dollar figure beyond the previously announced $27 million allocated in 2019 to help identify and investigate burial grounds near residential schools.

Trudeau's comments come as the country continues to react in horror and grief over the discovery of two unmarked sites adjacent to former residential institutions in Saskatchewan and British Columbia where the remains of hundreds of children are believed to have been buried.

Trudeau says the federal government will put Indigenous Peoples and their wishes at the core of what Ottawa will do next when it comes to supporting efforts to identify the buried children and search other former school sites for hidden burial grounds.

But when asked about direct calls from Indigenous leaders for an independent probe  including from Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as well as Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron  Trudeau remained vague.

He said the federal government will be alongside these and other Indigenous leaders "every step of the way, as needed" and pointed to investments his government has made in a number of areas on Indigenous reconciliation efforts.
Photo: The Canadian Press The flag flies in front of the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa, on Thursday, June 17, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The Supreme Court of Canada says Parliament was entitled to abolish a long-standing jury selection procedure that some critics had denounced as discriminatory.

The newly released reasons shed light on the high court's decision from the bench last October upholding the constitutionality of legislation scrapping so-called peremptory challenges.

Peremptory challenges allowed lawyers for either side to dismiss a certain number of prospective jurors without an explanation.

They were abolished as part of changes to the jury selection process ushered in by the federal Liberal government to make juries more representative following the controversial acquittal of Gerald Stanley in 2018.

Stanley was charged with second-degree murder in the killing of Colten Boushie, a 22-year-old Indigenous man, and there were no Indigenous jurors on the panel that heard his case.

The new rules were contested by Pardeep Singh Chouhan, who faced a first-degree murder charge. His lawyers argued that eliminating peremptory challenges would result in less representative juries, infringing their client's right to be tried by an independent and impartial panel.

Though a majority of the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutionality of the legislative change, the justices provided several sets of reasons.

In writing for three members in the majority, justices Michael Moldaver and Russell Brown said the selection regime continues to provide the independent and impartial jury that each accused is owed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Moldaver and Brown said peremptory challenges heightened the perception of the accused that he or she had the benefit of a fairly selected tribunal.

"Accused persons routinely used peremptory challenges based on the way prospective jurors looked at them during the selection process, and there was some evidence that racialized accused used them to make room for jurors with diverse backgrounds."

However, the true value of the procedure was doubtful, Moldaver and Brown wrote.

"It is not possible to trace the impact of peremptory challenges on the verdict. More critically, peremptory challenges sat uneasily with other aspects of jury selection. They undermined the randomness of jury selection, a significant guarantor of jury independence and impartiality," Moldaver and Brown wrote.

"They also had a darker side which allowed for practices born of prejudice and stereotypes, which had palpable and well-documented effects on the composition of juries. Indigenous communities, in particular, have witnessed their disturbing effects."

Further, the charter right to be heard by an impartial tribunal does not entitle the accused to any particular procedure, they said. "The constitutionality of the jury selection process must be considered as a whole."

The abolition of peremptory challenges comes at a time of heightened public awareness of the role of racial prejudice in the criminal justice system, the justices noted.

But they cautioned: "Fair trial rights do not depend on the subjective perceptions of the accused, and absolute diversity on a jury is unattainable, as no group of 12 could ever represent the innumerable characteristics existing within our diverse and multicultural society."

Other opportunities remain for the parties in criminal trials to raise and address concerns about juror partiality and bias, Moldaver and Brown added.

The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association intervened in the high court case, contending that peremptory challenges protect jury diversity.

"We argued that jury diversity is critical because it limits racial bias and promotes jury impartiality," the association said Friday.

"But Canadian juries are not diverse. White, wealthy property owners are consistently overrepresented on our juries. Abolishing peremptory challenges will make our juries even less diverse and will violate the charter right to be tried by an impartial tribunal."
Photo: The Canadian Press Supporters gather outside court as Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church appears in court after he was arrested for holding Sunday services in violation of COVID-19 rules, in Stony Plain, Alta., on Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021. A U.S. senator wants Canada investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Coates and another Alberta pastor accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

A U.S. senator has asked that Canada be investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Alberta pastors accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions.

In a letter released Thursday, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley asked his country's Commission on International Religious Freedom to consider putting Canada on its special watch list.

"I am troubled that our Canadian neighbours are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship," Hawley wrote.

"Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent western nation like Canada."

Hawley refers in his letter to the arrests of Alberta pastors James Coates and Tim Stephens.

Coates spent a month in the Edmonton Remand Centre after he violated a bail condition not to hold church services that officials said were ignoring COVID-19 measures on capacity limits, physical distancing and masking. He was released March 22 after pleading guilty and was fined $1,500.

Coates, who is a pastor at GraceLife Church in Spruce Grove, has argued provincial regulations meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 infringed on his and his congregants' constitutional right to freedom of religion and peaceful assembly.

Earlier this month, a judge ruled his religious freedoms under the Charter were not violated.

Stephens remains in remand after being arrested last week following repeated public complaints over an outdoor service that officials say broke public health orders. Calgary police and Alberta Health Services allege that Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church chose to keep holding services without respecting orders on physical distancing and capacity limits, even after his church had been twice ordered closed.

Litigation director Jay Cameron of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is representing Stephens, has accused Alberta Health Services in a statement of being "engaged in an intentional act of public deception and abuse of authority in arresting pastor Stephens and others."

The U.S. commission lists three requirements to declare that a country oppresses religious freedom. It says the oppression must be systematic, ongoing and egregious. Any two of those is enough to be placed on the special watch list. Countries already on the list include Afghanistan, Egypt, Cuba and Turkey.

A commission spokesperson said the agency is aware of Hawley's letter and is "looking into it."

A spokesman for Alberta Justice said the department couldn't comment on Hawley's accusations because the matters are still before the courts.

Hawley is a longtime supporter of former U.S. president Donald Trump. He gave a clenched-fist salute to the hordes outside the Capitol as he arrived on the day of the Jan. 6 riots to press his challenge of the presidential election results.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading.
Cemex sets aggressive new 2030 carbon emission targets

25 June 2021

Cemex has set a more aggressive carbon reduction target of below 475kg of CO 2 per tonne of clinker produced, approximately a 40 per cent reduction in CO 2 emissions by 2030. The new target is below the two degree global warming scenario of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

Cemex is also planning to set a new target of 520kg of CO 2 /t of clinker produced by 2025, equivalent of a 35 per cent emission reduction. The company is also reducing CO 2 emissions from its concrete business by 35 per cent to reach 165kg of CO 2 per cubic metre of concrete produced by 2030.

The company expects to invest US$60m to achieve its new 2030 target. Climate action is the biggest challenge of our times, and Cemex is taking a decisive action to address it, said Fernando A Gonzalez, Cemex CEO.

Published under
Argos reaches 25 years of operation in the Dominican Republic

25 June 2021

Argos is celebrating 25 years of operation in the Dominican Republic.

"Throughout this time, the company has had the chance to contribute to positively transforming the lives of millions of people by being an ally of its clients in the construction of housing, infrastructure and commerce works, creating quality employment, hiring local labour and executing projects for the benefit of the communities and taking part in multiple alliances with different institutions", the company said in a statement.

"25 years ago, at Cementos Argos, we took our first steps outside of Colombia to grow, and one of those countries was the Dominican Republic, a territory that we keep on learning about every day," said Camilo Restrepo Vice President for the Caribbean and Central America Region. "Since then, we have been shaping our great dream of having Colombias name stand tall all around the world, and of bringing the principles of integrity, honest work and the empathy and warmth culture of Colombians for service to millions of people. We are happy to celebrate this quarter of a century in the Dominican Republic and we are full of optimism and motivation to continue advancing in our purpose of contributing to the construction of dreams in the 16 countries where we are present."



In this territory, the company operates a 0.5Mta cement grinding plant at near San Cristobal and two concrete plants. Argos Dominican Republic is one of the most efficient operations of the 16 countries where the company operates. Currently, it has about 130 direct employees and generates more than 100 indirect jobs.

Published under
New Guyana cement plant breaks ground

25 June 2021

Guyanese-owned energy company, Vas Energy Inc and its subsidiary, Georgetown Cement Co broke ground on a US$100m state-of-the-art cement plant at La Resource, Essequibo Coast, in Region Two.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Go-Invest, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, said Guyana's economy is currently booming and there are countless investment opportunities that are available. According to Dr Ramsaroop, the anticipated infrastructural boom in Guyana will create a high demand for cement. He told the gathering that the plant is being constructed at an opportune time.

The plant will have a combination of French and German technologies that will produce top-grade grey and white cement. Additionally, the plant, which is expected to be completed in 28 months, will manufacture hydraulic cement that is suitable for sea defence projects.

"Within 13 months, the grinding of cement will be produced on site. We will continue to import raw materials for the next 12 months. We, as Guyanese, will like to contribute towards Guyana's growing economy. The plant will be able to supply the entire Guyana and neighbouring countries if we have excess. Our priority is to supply local Guyanese so the cost will cut," said Vijay Sukhdeo, Vas Energy's Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The new cement plant is expected to cut the cost of imported cement by 30 per cent. The company, he said, intends to employ 180-200 employees on a full-time basis and an additional 100 persons indirectly to support businesses in the restaurant and transportation sectors.

Published under
Buena Vista, CO (81211)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 82F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 53F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Crews abandoned their search for the fifth victim in a Dan River accident; Martinsville Police file charges in a shooting death; Poor maintenance on a dryer sparks a house fire in Danville; Traffic guidelines if you're headed to the river.
The East Ridge City Council on Thursday night approved a budget amendment $1.1 million over expected revenue.

Mayor Brian Williams said, "As mayor, and on behalf of the members of East Ridge City Council, I would like to share the reasoning for the Budget Amendment.

"Every year the head of each city department submits a list of their needs to the City Council. We assess the need of each item requested, carefully evaluating it for its significance to the citys operations. This year the original list of the departments needs totaled over $4 million. However, we trimmed down the list to include only the most essential items at a cost of approximately $1.1 million above the balanced budget.

"Citys crucial needs totaling $1.1 million below:

New Parks & Recreation Part Time Employee Need for additional part time employee for weekends and rotate between full time employees New Traffic Control Employee Traffic employee for help with painting, signs, signal inspections, etc. 2 New Police Officers 2 additional Officers Hamilton County Ambulance Service (Buy-in) Transfer to Hamilton County EMS from private providers. 1-time payment spread over 4 years. Salary Pool Stabilization To help stabilize the eroding salary structure within the City. Pool will be used to stabilize salaries to be comparable with other area cities and aid in job retention and recruitment. Paving Combine with $500,000 in State Street Aid Funds to workon the worstsections of roadwayin the City.

"To be able to provide some of the crucial needs of our various departments, the Council voted at our June 24th Council Meeting to amend our 2021-2022 Fiscal Year Budget. Until we receive the certified tax rate from the Hamilton County Assessor of Property, we are unsure of any impact to the tax rate for the approved Budget Amendment.

"Your City Council works diligently to be fiscally responsible with your tax dollars and we do not take the decision of implementing any possible tax increase lightly. The budget with the approved amendment items can be found on the citys website at www.eastridgetn.gov. You may contact us at Mayor@EastRidgeTN.Gov with any comments and questions."
GNTC student Brett Whittemore practices for the SkillsUSA national competition in the Automotive Technology lab on the Walker County Campus. Whittemore placed in the top nine of the Automotive Service Technology competition at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

GNTC student Emmanuel Cornejo practices for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference Plumbing competition. Cornejo received a silver medal at the competition, which took place earlier this month.

GNTC student Trey Posey (left) works alongside teammate Finn White during the TeamWorks competition for the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference earlier this month. The event challenged the teams carpentry, masonry, plumbing and electrical abilities.

GNTC student Jonathan Pearson (left) makes cuts to a board while Brandon Najera holds the plank steady. The two students made up half of GNTCs TeamWorks team that earned a gold medal at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference.

Four Georgia Northwestern Technical College students earned first in the nation at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference this month in the TeamWorks category. This is the second year GNTCs TeamWorks team has won gold at the national competition.

After spending the month of June preparing, all six of the GNTC students that took part in the national competition placed in their respective events.

GNTC students Brandon Najera, Finn White, Trey Posey and Johnathon Pearson of the Gordon County Campus comprised the top TeamWorks team in the nation this year. Emmanuel Cornejo, GCC, earned the silver medal in the Plumbing category and Brett Whittemore of the Walker County Campus, placed in the top nine in the Automotive Service Technology competition. Donny Holmes, program director and instructor of GNTCs Construction Management program, served as GNTCs SkillsUSA advisor to the TeamWorks and Plumbing competitions and Troy Peco, assistant dean of Industrial Technologies and program director and instructor of Automotive Technology, served as GNTCs SkillsUSA advisor to the Automotive Service Technology competition.

With the changes that have occurred in the last year, I am so proud of the accomplishments of our students and their instructors, said Missy McLain, GNTCs SkillsUSA coordinator. Being a national medal winner as well as a top nine finalist in the nation is incredible and shows how hard our students have worked along with the excellent guidance from their instructors. Their success is truly a testament to the great education they are being provided here at Georgia Northwestern, and I am honored to be able to celebrate these successes with them.

The event was held virtually this year. Competitors were filmed during their event and the videos were submitted to the judges.

This team had to overcome some different obstacles with the virtual competitions, but persevered and came out on top, said Mr. Holmes. We put in several practices to sharpen their timing and skills. This group worked well together and that is half the battle.

In the TeamWorks competition, GNTC students worked together to master carpentry, masonry, plumbing and electrical components. The team was handed a blue print the day of the competition and went to work on a small structure that had to be completed within a specified amount of time. According to Holmes, each GNTC TeamWorks competitor specialized in a specific construction component to fulfill their role on the team.

This year was the first time a GNTC student competed in the Plumbing competition. As a high school student, Mr. Cornejo won gold in the Carpentry competition at the SkillsUSA regional and state level. He currently works for a plumbing company in Cedartown, and used the knowledge he acquired in the field to interpret the plans and build the project as specified to win the silver medal.

He just has that winning drive in him, Mr. Holmes said. I told him what he had to do, and he made it happen.

For the Automotive Service Technology competition, GNTCs Mr. Whittemore had to demonstrate his ability to perform jobs and skills based on a task list outlined by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation. His competition consisted of various skill stations and a written test.

Brett has been a pleasure to teach and is a motivated young man, said Mr. Peco. I am sure I will call on him in the future when I need questions answered on new vehicle technology. Brett represented both GNTC and the State of Georgia very well and I am so proud of him.

GNTC also received Quality Chapter recognition in the 2021 Chapter of Excellence Program earlier this year. The CEP recognizes achievement as it relates to the integration of the SkillsUSA Framework in chapter program of work activities. GNTC was recognized for achieving essential standards of excellence as a Quality Chapter.
The U.S. Justice Department announced Friday that it filed a lawsuit against the State of Georgia, the Georgia Secretary of State, and the Georgia State Election Board over recent voting procedures adopted by Georgia Senate Bill 202, which was signed into law in March. The United States complaint challenges provisions of Senate Bill 202 under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

The right of all eligible citizens to vote is the central pillar of our democracy, the right from which all other rights ultimately flow, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. This lawsuit is the first step of many we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote; that all lawful votes are counted; and that every voter has access to accurate information.

The right to vote is one of the most central rights in our democracy and protecting the right to vote for all Americans is at the core of the Civil Rights Divisions mission, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke for Justice Departments Civil Rights Division. The Department of Justice will use all the tools it has available to ensure that each eligible citizen can register, cast a ballot, and have that ballot counted free from racial discrimination. Laws adopted with a racially motivated purpose, like Georgia Senate Bill 202, simply have no place in democracy today.

One of the fundamental rights of our democracy is the right to vote. That right should be protected for every citizen of our district, regardless of race, said Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine for the Northern District of Georgia. The United States Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia is committed to protecting the rights of all Americans to vote.

The United States complaint contends that several provisions of Senate Bill 202 were adopted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race. The Justice Departments lawsuit alleges that the cumulative and discriminatory effect of these lawsparticularly on black voterswas known to lawmakers and that lawmakers adopted the law despite this.

The United States complaint challenges several provisions of Senate Bill 202, including a provision banning government entities from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot applications; the imposition of costly and onerous fines on civic organizations, churches and advocacy groups that distribute follow-up absentee ballot applications; the shortening of the deadline to request absentee ballots to 11 days before Election Day; the requirement that voters who do not have identification issued by the Georgia Department of Driver Services photocopy another form of identification in order to request an absentee ballot without allowing for use of the last four digits of a social security number for such applications; significant limitations on counties use of absentee ballot drop boxes; the prohibition on efforts by churches and civic groups to provide food or water to persons waiting in long lines to vote; and the prohibition on counting out-of-precinct provisional ballots cast before 5 p.m. on Election Day. The complaint asks the court to prohibit Georgia from enforcing these requirements, said officials.

Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco also issued a memo to United States Attorneys and FBI Field Offices Friday on investigating and prosecuting threats to election officials. To assist with this effort the department will also establish an intra-Departmental task force to address the rising threats.



Fridays announcements follow Attorney General Garlands recent commitment to expand the Justice Departments efforts to safeguard voting rights.

More information about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws is available on the Department of Justices website at www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot. Complaints about discriminatory voting practices may be reported to the Voting Section of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.
In a plea agreement entered Friday before Judge Don Poole in Hamilton County Criminal Court, Desmond Trammell pleaded guilty to second degree murder in the shooting death of Desmond Clay.

Assistant District Attorney AnCharlene Davis said the homicide occurred on July 26, 2017. At 10:18 p.m. that day, the Chattanooga Police Department responded to a person shot call. The victim, Desmond Clay, was located in a vehicle that had crashed into a business at 3399 Wilcox Blvd. and was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.

A subsequent investigation by CPD led to the arrest of Desmond Trammell.

Judge Poole approved the plea agreement, which includes a 25-year prison term for Trammell.
Collegedale police officers and city leaders came together Thursday night for an awards banquet that honored the hard work and dedication of many officers in the department.

Hosted by the Chattanooga Elks Lodge #91, the program consisted of a recognition of the banquets special guests, remarks from Mayor Katie Lamb, a catered dinner, the awards presentation, and a cake presentation.



The night ended with the promotion of agency leader Jack Sapp to chief of police by City Manager Wayon Hines. Chief Sapp has served as the departments interim chief since January.

Officers were presented with longevity awards for their years of service to the city of Collegedale. Numerous officers received awards representing five, 10, 15, 20, and 25 years of service.

Sergeant Jamie Heath was recognized by receiving the J. Edgar Hoover Memorial Award from the American Police Hall of Fame. The award is given to law enforcement officers who have successfully completed additional training to garner new skills in the field of criminal justice. It also recognizes officers who continually seek a lifetime of education and advancement. Sergeant Heath is only the fifth officer to have earned this award in the State of Tennessee.

Other awards were also presented from the American Police Hall of Fame.

Life Saving Awards were given to Cpl. Sheila Strange, Officers Chase Janow and Julia Arrowood, and retired Reserve Sgt. Joe Greenleaf for their actions while in the line of duty.

The Criminal Investigation Award was given to Asst. Chief Jeff Young, Lt. Burlon Hayworth, Sgt. Jamie Heath, Detective Robert ODaniel, Cpl. Cory McNeal, and Officers Julia Arrowood, Chase Janow, and Sammy Previlus. Among some of the cases solved by these officers were a multi-state fraud ring, a series of auto burglaries, and an armed robbery.



The Merit Award for Excellent Arrest was given to Lt. Burlon Hayworth and Officer Robert Hirko for their work in capturing a violent felon.

Detective Robert ODaniel was recognized again with a General Commendation Award for his efforts in reaching out to the youth in the community with a successful Junior Police Academy program.

After receiving his permanent appointment as Collegedales Chief of Police, Chief Sapp encouraged his officers in his closing speech while also acknowledging the challenges that his agency has endured over the past year or so. Despite all that, you leaned into the wind and challenged the storm. You persevered. You did exactly what I expected you to do. You stood tall, suited up, and came to work with pride and professionalism. So thank you. Thank you for being the best.
Captain Glenn Shephard from Below Deck Sailing Yacht recently revealed (maybe) that he is dating deckhand Sydney Zaruba after she shared she had a special captain in her life during the reunion. But shortly after he posted the news he added, And the news is: Syd and I are great friends. And shes dating a captain. A different Captain.

Shephard stirred the pot about whether or not he and Zaruba were a couple. A photo Zaruba shared on Instagram and her remarks during the reunion heightened fans suspicions. Shephard also said he wasnt married, but wasnt celibate either. Zaruba talked about having a partner and only revealed he was a captain. But Shephard replied to a previous comment about Zaruba, I love Sydney, just like a little sister. He also replied no to a question asking if they were dating. While Shephard may have stirred the pot, a Below Deck source insists they truly are dating.

Below Deck Sailing Yachts Captain Glenn Shephard on Parsifal III shooting WWHL | Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank

Captain Glenn and Sydney Zaruba from Below Deck Sailing Yacht are dating?

Shephard shared the same photo Zaruba posted and added, I guess the news is out. Zaruba didnt comment but added hearts to the post.

Chief engineer Colin Macrae replied, Dont screw the crew Glenn come onnnn, along with laughing, crying emojis. Below Decks Adrienne Gang confirmed that the couple is dating. It was obvious during the reunion they were referring to each and its very clear they kept it a secret until after the reunion so they wouldnt catch sh-t for it, she said after talking to someone close to the couple.

Certified Captain, 7 days a week Which Captain Glenn are you? Catch him on the #BelowDeckSailing FINALE tonight! pic.twitter.com/LLIW8RBHkf  Bravo (@BravoTV) June 14, 2021

RELATED: Below Deck Mediterraneans Colin Macy-OToole Reveals Below Deck Sailing Yacht Boat Malfunctions Are Common (Exclusive)

Other crew members liked the post, which included Daisy Kelliher, who had recently spent time with Zaruba before the reunion. After he shared the April Fools part of the post, fans laughed, omggggggg Glenn you trickster!!

Captain Glenn was a mentor to Sydney Zaruba on Below Deck Sailing Yacht

The post that got fans talking was Zarubas farewell to Below Deck post and her photo with Shephard. In the post, she referred to Shephard as a mentor. I want to say thank you for giving me the opportunity to join superyachting, Zaruba posted along with a photo. I stayed on P3 post season because of you & have continued my career in yachting because you believed in me.

RELATED: Below Deck Sailing Yachts Captain Glenn Dishes His Guilty Pleasure and Sharing a Cabin With Jean-Luc Cerza-Lanaux

You gave me a home away from home on Parsifal  and for that I will ever be grateful for, she continued. On top of teaching deck skills You reintroduced me to karting  which I will ONE DAY Kick your ass at  and reminded me that fun isnt always what the norms think it is. I have no words but thanks and gratitude  Ive learned so much from you & I hope I will always have I home in your crew. Thinking of the opportunity I was given brings a little tear to my eyeball  its not every day you get to be deckie on a perini. Cheers Glenn. Thanks for having faith in me.

She also responded with a laughing emoji to a fan who asked if she and Shephard were dating.
Eternals will be introducing a whole new cast of characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Chloe Zhao-directed film will also feature something else fans have not yet seen in the MCU  the very first love triangle.

According to star Gemma Chan (Sersi), Kit Haringtons Black Knight and Richard Maddens Ikaris will be fighting for her characters affections.

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington will make his debut in the MCU in Eternals | Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Fans got a glimpse of Sersi and Ikaris romance in the Eternals teaser trailer

In May, Marvel released a two-minute teaser trailer for Eternals that gave fans a glimpse of the romance between Sersi and Ikaris. The numerous shots of them throughout the course of history made it clear that the film is setting up a relationship that has lasted centuries.

But there was also a brief shot from the present day that really caught fans attention. It lasted just a split second, but it featured Sersi standing beside Haringtons Dane Whitman  the human character in the story who will eventually become the Black Knight.

How will Marvel create the love triangle?

As Marvel comics fans know, Dane and Sersi do have a romantic relationship in the books. And its been confirmed that they are bringing that romance to the MCU. What remains unclear is how exactly theyre going to do it.

Before all of the fan speculation about a love triangle in Eternals, Chan actually confirmed that its happening. Combine her comments with the images shown in the teaser, and its clear that Dane Whitman, Ikaris, and Sersi are all part of it.

Eternals star Gemma Chan confirmed that Black Knight will be at the center of the love triangle

During a March 2020 interview with Vanity Fair Italy, Chan revealed the love triangle when she described what attracted her to the Marvel film. She also hinted that Black Knight is at the center because he is the only human in the story.

RELATED: Eternals Star Is Proud of How Marvel Approached the First Gay Romance in the MCU

Specifically, it is the story of a group of immortal aliens, who arrived on Earth seven thousand years ago, so the plot takes place in a very long period of time, Chan explained. Sersi is the one that has the most affinity with humans, indeed it is even involved in two love stories, an absolute novelty for Marvel events and one of the reasons that attracted me to this project.

Did Thanos snap cause the first MCU love triangle?

According to a fan theory reported by CBR, there could be one obvious way to explain how a centuries-long romance can evolve into a love triangle. It could have been caused by Thanos snap.

As the theory goes, Sersi and Ikaris were together for centuries until Thanos snap dusted Ikaris. Without his body, Sersi couldnt revive him. As a result, Sersi was looking for comfort and trying to move on during those five years without the love of her life. That would set up Dane as her new love interest.

Of course, after the Avengers reversed the Snap, everyone who was dusted came back. Hence, the love triangle.

What caused Sersi and Ikaris to break up in Eternals?

Thanos snap is a good theory about why Sersi and Ikaris split, giving Dane Whitman a chance to swoop in. But, its not a guarantee. Its also possible that Sersi and Ikaris take opposite sides in some kind of in-fighting among the Eternals.

RELATED: Eternals Director Chloe Zhao Wants Her Marvel Debut to Be Bigger Than Avengers: Endgame

The expectation is that fans wont see Dane Whitman become the Black Knight until the end of the film. Theres a strong possibility that his romance with Sersi wont work out. But, hes being briefly brought into the Eternals story to establish his character before moving onto other Marvel properties.

Fans will find out when Eternals finally hits theaters on November 5, 2021.
Ever since Kim Kardashian West filed for divorce from Kanye West in February 2021, a lot has happened in their lives. From the reality star rumored to be dating CNN correspondent, Van Jones, to the rapper recently striking up a relationship with Bradley Coopers ex Irina Shayk, there has yet to be a dull moment in the former couples daily happenings post-breakup.

Need a little refresher on everything thats happened so far? Read on to find out.

Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West posing at an event in New York City | James Devaney/GC Images

Kanye West changed all of his phone numbers

In case you havent been following Kardashian West and Wests impending divorce, the reality star filed documents to legally separate from her husband of six years on February 19, 2021.

According to Page Six, the SKIMS founder filed for joint legal and physical custody of the couples four children: daughters North, 8, and Chicago, 3, and sons Saint, 5, and Psalm, 2. The outlet also reported that the rapper had accepted the custody arrangement and that the pair were committed to co-parenting their kids.

Happy Birthday

Love U for Life! pic.twitter.com/YK5mbZyAqD  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 8, 2021

RELATED: Kim Kardashian West Says She Still Has Love for Kanye West Amidst Their Impending Divorce

But despite their plans to still raise their children together, West officially cut himself off from Kardashian West before she filed for divorce.

According to insiders, the Flashing Lights rapper changed all his phone numbers and told the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star that she could only contact him through his security.

However, the pair continue to communicate when it comes to their kids.

[Kim] trusts him around the kids. He loves them and is seeing a lot of them, a source told Page Six in March 2021. She leaves the house and he arrives and hangs out with the kids. They have an army of nannies so the transition is easy.

Kanye West responded to Kim Kardashian Wests divorce filing

In April 2021, two months after Kardashian Wests initial divorce filing, West responded to her petition with one of his own.

According to documents obtained by Us Weekly, the rapper filed paperwork seeking joint legal and physical custody of his and Kardashians four kids. He cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split, which Kardashian West mentioned in her paperwork.

As for finances, both Kardashian West and West requested that the judge terminate the courts ability to award spousal support to one another. The outlet also reports that the reality star asked the court to enforce their prenup.

The final episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians aired on E!

Three months after Kardashian West split from West, Keeping Up With the Kardashians fans finally got to hear her side of the story when she opened up about their breakup on the show.

During part one of the two-part series finale, the SKIMS founder cried to her sisters about the state of her marriage.

RELATED: KUWTK: Kim Kardashian West Says She Felt Stuck in Her Marriage To Kanye West

He deserves someone that can go support his every move and go follow him all over the place and move to Wyoming, the mother of four said. I cant do that. I feel like a f failure that its, like, a third fmarriage. I feel like a f loser. But I cant even think about that. I want to be happy.

In the second part of the finale, Kardashian West opened up to her mom, Kris Jenner, about how she has no one to share her life with anymore.

I never thought I was lonely. I thought I could just have my kids and my husband moves state to state and Im on this ride with him and I was OK with that, she explained to Jenner. But turning 40 this year, I was like, No, I dont want a husband that lives in a completely different state.

Kardashian West continued, I used to think that [living apart] was when we were getting along the best, but to me thats sad and thats not what I want. I want someone where we have the same shows in common. I want someone that wants to work out with me.

Kanye West unfollowed the Kardashians on social media

Around the same time the KUWTK series finale aired, West signaled on social media that things between him and Kardashian West havent gotten any better.

On June 11, the Famous rapper made headlines after he quietly unfollowed his ex-wife and her famous family on Twitter, per Buzzfeed.

Though he has officially cut ties with the Kardashian-Jenners on Twitter, Kardashian West is still the only person West continues to follow on Instagram. Although, that could change in the future.

So, there you have it. Everything that has happened since Kardashian West and West called it quits.

Nothing more has taken place as of this writing, but were sure we will hear more about the former couples impending divorce moving forward.
Actor Reese Witherspoon has a great range, playing dramatic, comedy-filled, and romantic roles.

The 45-year-old mother of three keeps her fans engaged through an active social media feed, brand-focused website, and Southern-inspired home decor line. All of this, of course, is in addition to her stellar acting abilities.

When Witherspoon speaks, the world takes notice. In a recent interview, the Little Fires Everywhereactor talked about her favorite cocktails, and mixologists around the country instantly started talking about how to replicate her unique drinks.

Reese Witherspoons favorite cocktails

Reese Witherspoon | Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

The star of Big Little Liesrecently sat down with fellow actor Tracee Ellis Ross for Interview magazine. The women talked about life, chasing dreams, and finding success in Hollywood.

Witherspoon also revealed her favorite cocktail.She said, I like a vodka soda with lime. I drink champagne and ginger ale and whiskey and ginger ale. She admitted, I drink a lot of ginger ale.

When Ross asked if whiskey and ginger ale is a Southern thing, Witherspoon replied, I only drink it when Im in the south, so maybe it is.

How to make Reeses favorite drink

The Wildactor does not have complicated tastes when it comes to her cocktails.

A whiskey and ginger ale is easy to make, consisting of one part whiskey and four parts ginger ale. Simply pour it over ice cubes and top with your favorite garnish.

A champagne cocktail has a few more ingredients but is just as simple to make, according to Drizly. Combine champagne or Prosecco sparkling wine with ginger ale, an orange liqueur like triple sec, basil leaves, and frozen cranberries. The result is a refreshing bubbly drink that is just as sensational as Witherspoon.

A bartender at Polo Bar for Ralph Lauren admitted to Insider that he doesnt regularly serve champagne and ginger ale to guests. But, he did say, Itll work pretty well-being that most champagnes have a citrus and bright flavor profile, the ginger ale will just enhance it and add a sensational spice on the finish. He suggested, turning up the flavor by adding a splash of St-Germain liqueur for a summery floral twist.

The Dinners, Dishes & Desserts blog suggests mixing club soda, vodka, and a slice of lime to make the Home Again actors favorite vodka soda cocktail.

Even though Witherspoon likes to keep it simple, she does have a few favorite Southern cocktail recipes worth checking out.

Whiskey in a Teacup

Excuse me, is there whiskey in this teacup?  #whiskeyinateacup pic.twitter.com/JitRzkqI0a  Reese Witherspoon (@ReeseW) November 2, 2019

In 2018, the Sweet Home Alabama actor released a cookbook of sorts titled Whiskey in a Teacup. The Southern lifestyle guide is her first book, chock-full of recipes, traditions, personal stories, and tips for being the perfect hostess.

Bookbub said the book title comes from advice given to the well-known actor from her grandmother, Dorothea. Witherspoon explains, My grandmother Dorothea always said that it was a combination of beauty and strength that made Southern women whiskey in a teacup.' She continued, We may be delicate and ornamental on the outside, she said, but inside were strong and fiery.

The Legally Blonde sensation also started her own brand titled Hello Sunshine. On the website, she shares how to make some of her favorite drinks.

Dorotheas Tea Punch is a wonderfully blended concoction of sun tea, lemonade, orange juice, and vodka. Throw in a little cinnamon and a sprig of mint for a refreshing summer cocktail inspired by Witherspoons grandmother.

If you prefer tequila, try the Highball Refresher that combines limeade, mint bitters, ginger ale, mint, and lime wedges. This drink is ideal in a pretty cocktail glass with a fizzy top that leaves your tongue tingling.

No collection of Southern cocktail recipes is complete without a Mint Julep. Combine bourbon, fresh spearmint, powdered sugar, and simple syrup for a drink made famous by the Kentucky Derby.

RELATED: Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon Love Intermittent Fasting, But It May Not Be For Everyone
If you have an appetite for more original episodes of Somebody Feed Phil, youre in luck. The Phil Rosenthal-fronted series is moving on to a fifth season.

Here are some of the countries and cuisines Rosenthal hopes to explore in the upcoming season of the food and travel program.

Somebody Feed Phil star Phil Rosenthal discusses the Netfix food and travel show | Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Somebody Feed Phil is getting a new season

Where earlier seasons of Somebody Feed Phil churned out just a handful of episodes, the upcoming fifth season will feature ten, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Rosenthal jested in a statement, Im thrilled. The world is opening up again and so is my mouth.

The Emmy-nominated programs host recently snagged a 2021 Critics Choice Award. Wow, I just told my wife that I won male star of the year, Rosenthal tweeted in a video. And she said, Male? I want to thank everybody at the Critics Choice and Netflix.

Where Phil Rosenthal is hoping to globe-trot

Rosenthal opened up to The Wrap last year about the sites he hoped to visit in the shows fifth season.

Life is only worth it if you have stuff to look forward to, right?, he said. So Im looking forward to traveling some more, hopefully doing more episodes of this show, which is my passion and my love in life. And Im so grateful that the people like it, and hopefully I get to do more. I havent been to India yet, thats huge. Ive got to go there. I havent been to Australia yet or New Zealand. In Asia, I havent been to mainland China or Shanghai. I havent been to Moscow on the show, that would be interesting. Theres a lot. In America, I havent done Philadelphia or Boston or Portland. All of these great food cities in America.

He added that the show would need to address the coronavirus (covid-19) pandemic in the new season: I think the show might have to now be called, Somebody Feed Phil al Fresco, to take the safety into consideration. But you can still explore many different cultures and meet people and stay safe at the same time. And if thats the world were in, thats what we should address. People should not be afraid and sit in their houses, theres ways to do it safely.

A premiere date for Somebody Feed Phils fifth season has not yet been announced.

Somebody Feed Phil was an offshoot of Everybody Loves Raymond

In a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, Rosenthal cited the Italy Raymond episode for inspiring his travel series. First on PBS in 2015 as Ill Have What Phils Having, Rosenthal went on to perfect his food and travel show concept on Netflix in 2018 as Somebody Feed Phil, now with four seasons available on the streaming giant.

This is what inspired me to make Somebody Feed Phil, he said of the sitcoms Italy episode. Its part food and travel but also part sitcom and  to my surprise  today, part political statement. How did that happen? Since when did embracing other people and other cultures become a liberal cause?

Rosenthal added that his method of selling the show was, Im exactly like Anthony Bourdain, if he was afraid of everything. But I do love people, and I think I have a normal curiosity.
George Harrison anticipated something bad might happen when The Beatles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Specifically, he felt one of his fellow classic rock stars might say something bad about him during the ceremony. Heres a look at what the rock star said about George.

The Beatles George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Paul McCartney | Express/Express/Getty Images

What George Harrison asked a rock star at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

The Beatles were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, making them one of the earlier acts to receive that honor. The Rolling Stones Mick Jagger inducted them into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with a brief speech. During the speech, he revealed that George asked him a question beforehand.

When I got here tonight, I saw George [Harrison] and he said, You arent going to say anything bad about me are you? Jagger recalled. I couldnt think of anything, really  on the spur of the moment  bad to say about  because in England during those very early days, just while The Beatles were recording their first songs, it was a real wasteland. England had nothing really to offer as far as pop music was concerned.

Mick Jagger inducting The Beatles into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

RELATED: How George Harrison Reacted to the Beatles Parody The Rutles

The pre-Bealtes music that Mick Jagger criticized at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Jagger went on to call out specific songs as being part of that wasteland. The big hits here that came from England were things like Acker Bilk, Stranger on the Shore  this is what they thought of in England, he said. A Midnight in Moscow by Kenny Ball  now we all remember that one.

For context, Stranger on the Shore is a smooth jazz instrumental. According to The Official Charts Company, it reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom, remaining on the chart for 55 weeks. Meanwhile, Midnight in Moscow is another jazz instrumental. The Official Charts Company reports it reached No. 2 in the United Kingdom as well, remaining on the chart for 21 weeks. It appears Jagger was not a huge fan of jazz instrumentals.

Stranger on the Shore

RELATED: Why the Beatles Got Called Out at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

What The Rolling Stones Mick Jagger thought about The Beatles in general and George Harrison in particular

Jagger concluded his speech by praising The Beatles. He thanked them for helping The Rolling Stones break through with I Wanna Be Your Man, a Lennon-McCartney tune The Rolling Stones recorded. He also said The Rolling Stones were friends with The Beatles even if there was friction occasionally between the two groups.

Jaggers speech at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame wasnt the only time he paid tribute to George. According to Billboard, Jagger released a statement following Georges death in 2001. I am very saddened by Georges death and will miss him enormously, he said. He was the first musician I knew who developed a truly spiritual side and he was generous with his time to both charity and to friends. Keith Richards also mourned George in a statement. Jagger didnt have anything bad to say about George at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame  or following his death years later.

RELATED: George Harrison Dissed 2 Beatles in a Song Right After Quitting the Band
Rapper Kanye West began dating reality star Kim Kardashian in April 2012. The pair quickly fell in love and married in May 2014. They have four young children together  North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm. Many fans and friends thought that the couple would be together forever, including Kardashian Wests celebrity friend Chrissy Teigen who described their marriage as a forever relationship.

Kanye West | Angela Weiss/Getty Images

Although the two stars have been through many good times and bad times throughout their marriage, 2020 proved challenging for the couple.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced their impending divorce earlier this year

Kardashian West officially filed for divorce on February 19th, 2021. The divorce proceedings come after a turbulent year in which he went on a Twitter rant seemingly aimed at his soon-to-be-ex-wife and her mother.

Kardashian West recently opened up about her separation from West in a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians:

I just think he deserves someone who will support his every move and go follow him all over the place and move to Wyoming. I cant do that. He should have a wife that supports his every move and travels with him and does everything, and I cant. I feel like a f failure. Its my third f marriage. Yeah, I feel like a f loser. But I cant even think about that. I want to be happy.

The reality star stated that they lead very different lives:

 After turning 40 this year, I realized like, No, I dont want a husband that lives in a completely different state. To me, I thought, Oh, my God, thats when were getting along the best, but then that is sad to me, and thats not what I want. I want someone that we have the same shows in common. I want someone who wants to work out with me.

On season 20, episode 11 of KUWTK, Kardashian West explains that although their marriage is ending, Theres no fighting. Like now, its all calm. So I just, I just roll with it. You know?

How many times has Kanye West been engaged and married?

Kardashian West isnt the first woman West proposed to. The Yeezy star has been engaged twice and married once. Before falling in love with Kardashian West, the Jesus Walks rapper had an on-again-off-again relationship with fashion designer Alexis Phifer.

The rapper and fashion designer began dating in 2002, two years before releasing his first album, The College Dropout. West proposed to Phifer in August 2006 while on vacation in Capri.

Happy Fathers Day to all the amazing dads in our lives! Love you unconditionally!!! pic.twitter.com/dJfqefhZVf  Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) June 20, 2021

Following the death of his mother in November 2007, he began to focus on his career. More specifically, West immersed himself in his 2008 Glow In the Dark tour. West and Phifer officially called off their engagement in April 2008.

Kanye Wests other well-known relationships

A few months after West and Phifer amicably ended their relationship, the Heartless rapper began dating model and TV personality Amber Rose. Their relationship came to a rough ending in 2010.

According to BuzzFeed, Rose blamed Kardashian West for the split and called Kardashian West a homewrecker and accused West of cheating on her with the reality star.

The Ye rapper is reportedly dating Russian model Irina Shayk. Shayk has a daughter whom she shares with her ex-fiance, Oscar-nominated actor and director Bradley Cooper. The rapper and model first met back in 2012 while filming his Power music video. West reached out to Shayk earlier this year, and they appear to be happy together.

RELATED: Fans Think Kanye Wests Different Girlfriends Comment Implies He Was Not Monogamous When Kim Kardashian West Was Pregnant
A month ago, the remains of 215 indigenous children, some as young as 3 years old, were uncovered in British Columbia, Canadas westernmost province. The discovery came through the persistent prayers and consorted effort of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc First Nation who wanted to know why so many of their children never returned home from the Kamloops Indian Residential School that operated there from 1890 to 1978.

The people of Tkemlups te Secwepemc have known for generations that their children had likely died at the hands of those who ran the schools, Christian people charged with their care and education. Chief Rosanne Casimir called it an unthinkable loss that was spoken about, but never documented. In most cases, these children died without family members being informed.

These children were among the estimated 150,000 First Nation, Metis, and Inuit children in Canada who were separated from their families and forced to attend residential schools. From their inception in the mid 1800s to their final closure in the late 1990s, these 139 schools were created for the purpose of separating Aboriginal [First Nation, Metis, and Inuit] children from their families in order to minimize and weaken family ties and cultural linkages, and to indoctrinate children into a new culturethe culture of the legally dominant Euro-Christian Canadian society, according to the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, a 2015 document on the horrific legacy of residential schools.

Kamloops was a jarring reminder to many of my friends of the deep pain they have experienced.

The report gave voice to myriad forms of abuse, torture, and trauma endured by the children in these schools. To date, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has identified the names of, or information about, 4,100 children who died, and the report outlines specific calls to action related to finding and repatriating the remains of these missing children.

In the weeks since the discovery in Kamloops, I have listened to the stories of my indigenous friends, many of them residential school survivors or family members of survivors. They also belong to the church where Ive served for the past two years on a First Nation in southern Alberta. All were grieved but none were shocked by the discovery. Many of them said, Finally or, Its about time.

As the country expresses its communal grief through memorials marked by childrens shoes and teddy bears, vigils, walks, ceremonial fires, and prayers, my First Nation friends are opening up in new ways about the trauma that has endured in their families for generations. Their stories are a call to all to listen to the voices of those, both past and present, who have lived through and continue to be impacted by the horror of residential schools.

It is absolutely incumbent on every follower of Christ to know the stories of injustice and pain that their closest neighbors continue to endure. And beyond just Christians, there is a responsibility for every person to know the story of the land they are privileged to call home.

Like the people of the Tkemlups te Secwepemc First Nation, my friends have been praying for years for lost children to be found. Our 100-plus-year-old church building is located close to where the former St. Barnabas Residential School operated, and people on our Nation often say that they hear children laughing and crying when no one else is around. The community believes that these are the souls of the children who died while attending the school and were never laid to rest.

Members also experience survivors guilt. One elder at the church told me, When I heard the news, I was shocked that there was so many [bodies found] and that they were so young.  I was only four years old when I went in, but I came home  and they didnt. I feel very sad for the parents who died without ever knowing what happened to their children.

Article continues below

Some have been painfully reminded of the abuse that their parents went through in residential school. One friend recounted stories of her father being forced to kneel on an iron rod for hours, staring at a picture of Jesus, as punishment. After years of being disciplined in this way, her fathers knees become deformed and were a source of deep shame to him. He never wore shorts.

Her mother was also subjected to horrific practices, including white powderDDTbeing ground into her skull. Even after the pesticide was banned, it was still used in residential schools. Her prolonged exposure resulted in osteoarthritis, and the harmful impacts of that were passed to her children.

Most of my friends speak of the emotional impacts of these schools not only on survivors, but also on subsequent generations. This friend recalls that it was not until her parents completed a trauma program that they were able to show emotion at all. She remembers thinking as a child, What is wrong with me? Why cant I hug my dad and mom properly?

Another friend described her parents as lost and similarly noticed that they wouldnt hug their children or say, I love you.

She remembers the day that her grinding hunger was enough for her to succumb to the plea of the nuns: Come to the House of the Lord, and we will take care of you. She had always been afraid of the church because of her parents and grandparents stories, but she believed the nuns would help her and her siblings. As soon as they arrived, the nuns called Children and Family Services and split up her and her siblings for the rest of their childhood. She grew up in a system where she experienced horrific amounts of abuse and violence.

But that is not the end of her story. She now has several children and constantly says to her daughter , I love you, my girl. Her husband is her biggest cheerleader. Together, they are raising their children to understand, experience, and express love and affection. I have been a happy recipient of their effortsone of their children gives me a bear hug every time he sees me.

Kamloops was a jarring reminder to many of my friends of the deep pain they have experienced. But it has also brought about a sense of vindication and hope: vindication that what many First Nations, Metis, and Inuit people have been saying for generations is now known to the wider public, and hope that many more of the children lost to residential schools will be found and finally laid to rest.

The bones of these 215 children are bearing witness to the reality of Canadas dark secret. The secret is now out and cannot be hidden ever again. In the past few weeks, more graves have been discovered, including 104 childrens bodies on the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation in southern Manitoba and 751 unmarked graves near the former Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan. We know more will be uncovered.

These atrocities were committed by Christians, people who represented the church and claimed the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many Christian politicians defended and rationalized the existence of these schools. And many non-indigenous people in the church today, out of ignorance or stubbornness, have yet to learn about this history. As people who profess to believe in the in-breaking kingdom of God, we must actively seek out the voices of those most marginalized if we want to be a part of Gods kingdom-bringing work on earth as it is in heaven.

Article continues below

For an indigenous person in Canada, the Christian church is contested space. Many of my congregants grapple with what it means to belong to a church that has perpetuated cultural genocide. And yet, many are still committed to it. One woman in my congregation said, I always used to ask my granny how she could go to church after hearing some of her residential school stories. She said, It wasnt God who ran residential schools, it was people.

Our elder was also recently questioned on her decadeslong commitment to the church. She answered, I dont pray to church, I dont pray to religion, I pray to God the Creator, and I need my church so that I can pray.

The discovery in Kamloops has tested the faith of many in our small community. But several have shared that they need God, prayers, the Bible, and the church more than ever. Another elder said, Even after going through residential school, my mother read this big Bible and taught us to always say the Lords Prayer, whenever we were hungry, cold, lonely, or afraid  she always told us to say that prayer.

For an indigenous person in Canada, the Christian church is contested space.

How can the devastating consequences of residential schools be overcome? The people in my congregation suggest three things: First, end the silence around residential schools among the wider Canadian public; pay attention and really listen to the stories of survivors. Second, since people are not born racist, they say, Stop teaching people how to be racist. In other words, work to resist and reverse the sense of inferiority and cultural genocide the First Nation people have been subjected to. Third, since 94 Calls to Action came out of the Truth and Reconciliation Report, take these actions, some of which pertain to finding the remains of missing children and advocating for equal treatment.

I do not believe it is an accident that our church right now is preaching through the Book of Acts. I have been drawn to the story in Acts 9 of Sauls conversion. We rarely highlight the character of Ananias in this story, but this is the character my congregants identify with. And they see Saul as a representative of how the church has treated them. Though God could have healed Sauls blindness without human help, God chose Ananias, one of Sauls potential victims, to come near to him, to touch him, and to complete his healing.

The victim heals the perpetrator.

For too long, non-indigenous people in Canada thought First Nations peoples needed us to heal them. Maybe now, we will discover the truth that it is the other way around.

Paying attention and wholeheartedly listening, allowing these stories to really touch the hearts and lives of non-indigenous people (just as Ananias had to touch Saul), is where true healing for the victims of residential schools and healing for the church (as perpetrators) will start to happen.

Being touched requires getting close, really close, through the bonds that are formed in friendship. My prayer is that more churches across Canada will long for and appropriately pursue true and lasting friendship with First Nation, Metis, and Inuit communities where they can be touched by the heartbreak, resilience, and beauty of people who have endured unspeakable harm in the name of creating this country we all call home, and that these missing children will never, ever be forgotten.

Jennifer Singh is a professor at Ambrose University and lay minister of a church on a First Nation in southern Alberta.
Image: Canva

The following article is based on a Zoom conversation hosted by Lausanne North America with Dr. Ed Stetzer and church missions pastors from across America.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every part of life, including global missions in the local church. The lockdowns, closing of borders, and the inability to travel around the world had a tremendous impact on local church missions in the past year. No longer were missions pastors free to travel to visit partners and workers around the globe. Global workers could not travel back to the U.S for furlough or back overseas after time in the U.S. Short-term teams, a staple among many churches, were canceled for the entire year. Some projects and ministries were shut down and new needs arose due to the impact of the pandemic. Many around the world found themselves in crises unlike anything experienced before.

New Patterns of Communication

These changes led to a variety of shifts for churches, pastors, global workers, and congregations. In-person visits and trips moved online, and everyone became an expert at Zoom. Some missions pastors reported that the pandemic resulted in more communication on a regular basis and, as a result, better relationships. Rather than waiting for in-person visits to connect, churches and partners connected virtually on a more regular basis which led to deeper relationships. In so doing, even congregation members had the opportunity to connect and engage with global missions in a new and heightened manner. Matthew Philip from Trinity Church in Lansing, Michigan reported how they held a three-way conversation with a partner pastor in Zimbabwe and another in Budapest during a weekend service where they each shared how they were doing during covid and how they could pray for one another.

New Kinds of Engagement

Lay leaders were able to engage more directly and more often with partners and found creative ways to continue working together under new and different circumstances. Rick Eimers of Cuyahoga Valley Church in Broadview Heights, Ohio describes how his church developed new methods for education and awareness about missions in the absence of trips during the pandemic. Their global partners and workers created virtual prayer walks where congregation members could see ministry settings around the world, engage with global workers from their church, learn about missions and culture, and engage in specific, guided prayer for global missions.

New Methods of Funding

The pandemic shifted financial commitments and priorities. Many churches have partners and workers in the global south where no social safety net exists for people in crisis and poverty. The lockdown in many countries led to immediate and acute needs among the poor and marginalized. Loren Hildebrant of 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia said that they increased the grants that they gave to organizations, initially focusing on food insecurity with a partner in Kenya. Additionally, they listened to partners in other locations around the world to understand their needs so that they could respond appropriately. Similarly, Chris Watkins from Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina said that typically they are very careful with how they use and distribute funds to partners in order to give in a way that does not create unhealthy dependency. However, during the pandemic, their giving has been similar to triage as they have tried to help partners simply survive the global crisis.

New Ways to Partner

At the same time, many from the global south are much more experienced in dealing with crises. Dr. Paul Robinson noted how Uganda dealt with the pandemic with relative ease after weathering various other crises before, including Ebola. As a result, churches have had an opportunity to engage in meaningful, mutual, and reciprocal relationships during the pandemic where each side has value to offer. Churches in North America can learn how to thrive during adversity from partners in the global south.

New Importance of Cross-cultural Skills

Churches in America also encountered issues of racial injustice during the pandemic with the death of George Floyd and protests around the nation. Churches had a unique opportunity to engage these issues with new focus and fervor. Global missions pastors and leaders played a unique role in this. Many global missions leaders are experienced and trained in cross-cultural ministry with people of varying languages, cultures, and socioeconomic status. As a result, global missions pastors have played a unique role in guiding their churches in engaging racial and cultural issues in their own communities and nations this year.

It is clear that our world has changed. Global missions were impacted during the pandemic like every other area of life. Missions pastors and leaders have been creative during COVID-19 and developed new ways of engaging in global missions that will add value even as the world is opening up again for travel. While each season has its strengths, the gift of this era is that through communication and transportation the world has become small so that even in years of a global pandemic, the church can still continue the Great Commission mandate, the gospel can advance, and we can learn from and love our neighbors on the other side of the world well.

Wheaton College has a long history of preparing leaders for engagement in global missions.

Wheaton College Graduate School is now taking applications for a specialized M.A. cohort for missions leaders which will develop spiritually formed, biblically grounded, and culturally intelligent leaders to serve the world in missions.
Florida pastor, son and congregant arrested in connection with Capitol riot

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A Florida pastor, his son and a churchgoer have been charged in connection with the riot at the U.S. Capitol after authorities received tips and saw the men on security footage inside the building on Jan. 6.

Seventy-two-year-old Pastor James Cusick of Global Outreach Ministries in Melbourne, Florida, and his son, Casey, who is also a leader at the church, were arrested on Thursday, according to the Department of Justice.

David Lesperance, the director of an air conditioning contracting business who authorities say is a congregant of the church, was also arrested.

All three men have been charged with knowingly entering or remaining in a restricted building without lawful authority, disorderly or disruptive conduct and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol Grounds.

The riot occurred on the day in which then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress were set to count the electoral votes in the 2020 presidential election.

While the men were charged with trespassing, numerous videos have shown that many protesters were allowed to enter the building, and once inside were permitted to remain there by Capitol police.

Investigators say that they received a telephonic tip that the 69-year-old Lesperance was inside the Capitol's rotunda on Jan. 6, according to a criminal complaint. The FBI interviewed another witness who confirmed the claim.

On Jan. 19, task force investigators in the Tampa Bay area conducted a voluntary interview with Lesperance at his Indian Harbour Beach home. During the discussion, Lesperance allegedly admitted he and his pastor were present at President Donald Trumps speech near the White House earlier in the day and at the U.S. Capitol later.

Lesperance also told investigators that he saw law enforcement officers arriving and hitting their shields with their batons when he was in front of the Capitol. He also allegedly admitted that while he was heading to the Capitol door, he saw law enforcement officers deploy flashbang devices. Lesperance said that he took photos and videos on his cellphone while at the Capitol and later deleted the media files out of fear of negative repercussions, according to the Justice Department.

Authorities received a warrant to search Lesperances iCloud and found that the location history of his phone showed it was present at the Capitol on the afternoon of Jan. 6.

Although authorities say Lesperance refused to provide his pastors name, a public records search revealed that James Cusick is the pastor of a church about 7 miles from Lesperances home. Another charging document states that investigators had received a tip about James Cusicks alleged presence at the Capitol on Jan. 6 as early as Jan. 22. A search on Instagram revealed a picture on the churchs Instagram page of church members, including the Cusicks and Lesperance.

Authorities also found photos of Lesperance with the Cusicks before and after the riot appearing to wear the same clothes they were wearing when spotted on Capitol surveillance footage. Additionally, police body camera footage shows the Cusicks inside the Capitol.

On March 26, the FBI received a tip suggesting that Casey Cusick, his father and another individual entered the Capitol on Jan. 6.

The churchs website reveals that James Cusick holds ministerial credentials with the Association of Faith Churches and Ministers and actively works with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. He graduated from Rhema Bible Training College in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1979.

The pastors online profile page states that he has spent the past 20 years traveling all over Europe helping Jews make Aliyah back to Israel.

Meanwhile, Casey Cusick, the vice president of Global Outreach Ministries, graduated from Rhema Bible Training College in 2014 and spent three years in Israel.

According to Google Maps, the address listed for the Global Outreach Ministries is located in a residential neighborhood. It doesn't have the appearance of a big church but rather a home. The ministry's website states that Cusick teaches the "uncompromised truths of God's Word with passion and purpose at weekly Bible Studies."

The ministry had over 200 followers on its Facebook page, which was taken down on Friday.

The Christian Post reached out to Global Outreach Ministries for comment on the Cusicks arrest. A response is pending.

According to Florida Today, all three men made their initial appearance Thursday afternoon at the U.S. District Court in Orlando and were released on $25,000 bonds. The conditions of their release include submitting to DNA collection, surrendering passports, no possession of firearms and restricted travel.

The newspaper reports that Brevard County court records show that Casey Cusick has had past run-ins with the law, including an arrest in 2018 for disorderly conduct. The arrest report alleges that Cusick struck his wife and caused her to bleed, but adjudication was withheld.

On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that it has arrested more than 500 people connected with the Capitol riot, including 100 charged with assaulting federal law enforcement officers. Over half of the people who entered the Capitol that day have faced misdemeanor trespassing charges.

While media reports have said that five people were killed during the Capitol riot, the lone person killed by lethal force on Jan. 6 was Ashli Babbit, an unarmed U.S. Air Force veteran who attempted to climb through a smashed door pane into the House chamber. She was shot in the neck by a plainclothes officer from inside the chamber.

Three others who reportedly died at the Capitol that day include a woman who sustained injuries after being trampled on by the crowd, an individual who suffered a heart attack, and another individual who had a stroke.

For months the media reported that Capitol police officer Brian Sicknick died as a result of injuries he suffered when responding to the riot, specifically alleging that he was hit in the head by a fire extinguisher, which was also cited by Democrats at former President Trump's second impeachment. Reports now say medical examiners "did not find signs that the officer sustained any blunt force trauma."

Sicknick, who died from a stroke on Jan. 7, reportedly told his family that he had been sprayed by an irritant, possibly bear spray. It's speculated that it might've contributed to his death, along with any other preexisting conditions.
Jim Jordan blasts Microsoft over censorship of posts critical of China, Hunter Biden

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio has accused Microsoft of censoring posts critical of China and Hunter Biden on its search engine Bing and on LinkedIn and urging users of Microsoft Word to use "gender-neutral" language.

In a letter addressed to Microsoft President Brad Smith, Jordan said major technology companies, including Microsoft, were out to get conservatives, adding that its exertion of "editorial control over user-generated content" was "Orwellian."

He pointed to its control over the content in its platforms, including Linkedin and the search engine Bing, as examples.

Regarding Bing, Jordan said the search engine censored results about Tank Man, the famous civilian dissident from the Tiananmen Square protests.

"On behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, Microsoft has censored Bing search

engine results of Tank Man on the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests  including

results for users in the United States  and has muzzled the voices of China critics on LinkedIn."

Also on Linkedin, Jordan pointed to instances in which the site censored negative news reports about President Joe Biden's son, Hunter, and a post about an "official U.S. Senate committee report" on his dealings in Ukraine, as well as posts about COVID-19's origins at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Jordan said Linkedin also "removed a post that linked to a study challenging prevailing liberal views on climate change."

The congressman also criticized House Democrats, who he argued had failed to properly examine Microsofts conduct during their investigation of competition in digital markets.

It is unclear why Microsoft has avoided significant attention from House Democrats. The Democrats investigation excluded Microsoft from significant oversight and the Democrats recently introduced bills include a definition of a covered platform that could be read to exclude Microsoft, continued Jordan.

Jordan called on Congress to, among other things, look into why Microsoft was censoring user content about Hunter Bidens alleged scandals, the possible origins of COVID-19, and other issues.

Jordan is the top-ranking Republican member of the House Judiciary Committee, with his letter coming as legislation is being considered to look into modifying antitrust laws in ways that would impact tech giants Facebook, Amazon, Google and Apple, according to CNBC.

His letter, however, is not without its critics, as the libertarian-leaning publication Reason magazine critiqued the congressman's claims, labeling them a flimsy crusade.

In a column published Tuesday, Reason's senior editor Elizabeth Nolan Brown wrote that Jordans accusations against Microsoft largely rests on a few anecdotes about Microsoft-owned LinkedIn suppressing posts about Joe Biden's son Hunter, recent executive orders, or COVID-19.

She added that while one or two posts criticizing Hunter Biden were taken down, many others were never censored, opening the possibility for other explanations for their removal.

Jordan's argument is simply that Microsoft may have made a handful of content moderation decisions he doesn't like, so federal meddling is warranted, she wrote.

Brown did agree with Jordan that it is strange that Microsoft has been so absent from today's overreaching antitrust revival.

Though Microsoft was the bete noire of antitrust zealots in the 1990s and early '00s  it has largely escaped the wrath of today's crusaders against tech companies, continued Brown.

Back then, the company had cultural cache and rising power. Today, it's still a powerhouse but it doesn't stir culture war sentiment the same way, say, Facebook and Google do.
Kamala Harris hits back at criticism over El Paso check the box trip, skipping epicenter of border crisis

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday visited a Border Patrol station in El Paso, Texas, for the first time since she was tapped months ago by President Joe Biden to be the administration's border czar to solve the immigration crisis.

Harris faced criticism this week for going to El Paso instead of the Rio Grande Valley where communities are most affected by the migrant surge.

For her part, Harris defended her decision to go to El Paso, telling reporters at a news conference at the airport that her trip wasn't a check the box visit to the border, as some Democratic lawmakers have suggested.

"What is happening here in El Paso ... in many ways highlights many of the facets on the issue of immigration," the vice president asserted.

She also implored people to recognize the humanity of those fleeing their home countries to immigrate to the U.S., even if they are doing so illegally.

"We have to address ... the root causes, otherwise we'll continue to see the effect [of] what is happening at the border," said Harris in her address to reporters, adding that it will take a comprehensive approach. ... "Not only do we have a reason to concern ourselves with the root cause issues, because of what we see at the border, but also because we live in that neighborhood  the Western Hemisphere."

Harris, who didn't address border security, said migrants are often fleeing violence, corruption, food insecurity, gang violence and cartels.

"Let's not lose sight of the fact that we are talking about human beings. Let's not lose sight of the fact that we're talking about stories ... that involve horrendous tales of abuse and fear and harm. Not only for folks ... in their home country experiencing that, but along the part of their migration," she added.

Other officials who traveled with Harris included Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, condemned Harris for visiting El Paso, which is approximately 790 miles from regions in Texas where the crisis is most severe, such as in McAllen, Texas.

Chicago, Illinois, is closer to Washington, D.C., than El Paso is to McAllen. And so shes going to where the height of the problem isnt, Cruz said on Fox News America Reports Thursday.

... Kamala, you need to go to McAllen , Cruz implored. You need to look at the children in cages that you and Joe Biden put there in a way that is endangering their safety.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, said Harris trip to the border is a first step, but the Rio Grande area needs her attention more and is a true picture of the border crisis.

Im glad that shes going down to the border because that is part of her job portfolio, and No. 2, yes, the epicenter is down there in the lower Rio Grande in the lower part of the district down there. If you look at the numbers down there compared to El Paso, youre not going to get a true picture of whats happening, Cuellar told Fox News.

Cuellar suggested that Harris needed to meet with local residents, city and county officials, and the brave men and women in green and in blue, our border control agents, so they dont just get a pat on the back, but they get reinforcements and support down there.

Cuellar said he has extended an invitation to Harris to visit the border with him but has yet to receive a response.

He described Harris visit to El Paso as a check the box visit and a politically safer option since it will not show the true nature of the border crisis in the Rio Grande Valley area, where conditions are most severe.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement that Harris is "ignoring the real problem areas" of the border not protected by the border wall and "are being overrun by the federal government's ill-thought-out open border policies."

"She will fail in her mission if she refuses to speak to residents of the Del Rio sector whose homes and ranches are being overrun by gangs and smugglers," the Republican governor said.

"The Vice President was named Border Czar over 90 days ago, and in that time Texans have had their homes broken into, property damaged, and guns pointed at their heads as cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers profit off the Biden Administrations reckless open-border policies," he continued. "I launched Operation Lone Star in March to combat this record-high influx of people and crime, and since then DPS has arrested over 1,700 criminals, apprehended over 41,000 migrants, and seized enough fentanyl to kill over 21 million people."

"Texas has been and continues to step up to protect Texans and Americans," Abbott said.

When Fox News Peter Doocy asked Harris why this was her first trip to the border, she snapped back, saying, "Its not my first trip, Ive been to the border many times," referring to visits she made to the border as a senator.

Congressional Republicans claim former President Donald Trumps upcoming trip to the border is what prompted Harris to visit, but the vice presidents office claims Republican pressure was not what led her to take the trip, Fox News reported.

Harris was greeted by dozens of protestors with signs proclaiming, Kamala, you know Trump won, How many little girls need to be raped for this to become a crisis, Que Mala Hates Mexicans, Kamala do you hear their screams, and Latinos for Trump.

Protestors outside Border Patrol station awaiting VP Kamala Harris. @ArmendarizDis16@ElAmerican_pic.twitter.com/mTLLRhTL4V  Informed with Anthony (@InformedAnthony) June 25, 2021

Earlier this month, former ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley slammed Harris for not visiting the border, suggesting it was a sign that clearly the vice president is fearful of visiting the southern border.

And any leader knows you cant fix what you cant see, Haley said on June 9. She hasnt been on the ground. She hasnt talked to Border Patrol. She doesnt know what is happening there.

In efforts to help solve some of the root problems of the border crisis, Harris recently visited Mexico and Guatemala, where she urged immigrants, do not come, do not come.

Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei told "Face The Nation" that the increased border crossings have been caused partly by the Biden administration's policies.

"The message changed to, 'We are going to reunite families, and we are going to reunite children," Giammattei said. "The very next day, the coyotes were here organizing groups of children to take them to the United States. We asked the United States government to send more of a clear message to prevent people from leaving."

Harris has previously dodged questions regarding her plans to visit the southern border as pressure for her visit has built over the past three months.

On June 8, she quipped, and I havent been to Europe, when NBCs Lester Holt asked if she had plans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border.
Mike Pompeo reflects on efforts to further religious liberty, vows to stay in 'important fight' for 'soul' of US

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

GRAPEVINE, Texas  Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo reflected on his efforts to further religious freedom and promote peace during his time serving under the Trump administration and vowed to stay in this important fight that we are all in for the soul of our country.

One of the things that I'm most proud of that we did is that we addressed the world that we saw, not the one we wished existed. We were very realistic about the things we could have an impact on, Pompeo told Jewish-evangelical author Joel C. Rosenberg during a Thursday morning interview at the annual National Religious Broadcasters convention.

From addressing the Middle East to condemning the true evil of the Chinese Communist Party, the former CIA director said the Trump administration sought to identify and condemn human rights abuses around the world and promote religious liberty.

When a nation wont protect its own, when it puts a million Muslims in camps and forces abortions, forces sterilizations, imprisons them, separates [them] from their family, when it knocks down Christian churches inside of its own country and abuses Catholic leaders  what we did as a foreign policy matter was recognize that evil [and] call it out. So I declared that genocide was taking place and is ongoing inside of China, he said.

We did the same thing with the Iranians: We recognized that you should listen to the things they say, observe the actions that they take, and that we should have an understanding of the dignity of every human being because they're created in the image of God. Those nations that refuse to acknowledge that, we should watch them.

We should be prepared to make sure we not only defend ourselves but make sure that problems don't occur someplace else, he added, stressing the importance of putting America first.

Pompeo, who served under Trump for four years, also reflected on the administrations crushing defeat of the Islamic State in the Middle East.

Among the first things that we did was to take down this threat to the United States that came from radical Islamic terrorism. They had a territory roughly the size of Delaware, and we eliminated it, he said. So we worked diligently, we began to build out to religious freedom efforts, protection of Christians in Iraq, and then we turned to the larger set of issues.

But the Biden administration, he said, has a different take on how to address conflicts in the Middle East.

They are sitting in Vienna, if not today, [then] next week, working with the Iranian regime to create a pathway for Iran to have a nuclear weapon, Pompeo said.  That is absolutely staggering. Its bad for our friend and ally, Israel, its bad for the Gulf states, and its really bad for the United States as well.

Irans regime is not going to change their ways with carrots, he emphasized, noting that the Trump administration left the country more isolated when we left office than they had ever been in their history.

The Iranian people are a glorious, wonderful [people]. If you studied Persia at all, you know these are really good people. And theyre being ruled over by an elite revolutionary class that has destroyed not only them but puts real risks in the region as well, he said.

Pompeo, who is the first American to have served as both secretary of state and director of the CIA, revealed he was regularly asked how he remained in the Trump administration for all four years when the national security area continually changed.

It was easy for me; I knew my place, he said. I knew I worked for him. My mission was unambiguously clear: Go out and make the world safer for the United States of America.

Resigning, he said, never occurred to him because I knew two things. One, as a Christian believer, I believe that the Lord had given me this incredible opportunity. And I was going to do my best every day not to screw it up.  The second [was] I knew I was on this important mission.

During the interview, Pompeo drew rounds of applause and standing ovations from the crowd gathered at the NRB. The groups CEO, Troy Miller, presented the Kansas native with the NRBs Presidents Award for efforts to promote religious freedom worldwide.

An evangelical Christian and former Sunday school teacher, Pompeo assured the NRB audience he will stay in this important fight that we are all in for the soul of our country.

He asked supporters to pray that he stays in the right place for me to be able to listen to the Lord, to surrender myself to the Lord, so that I can listen well.

Pompeo also urged attendees to pray to for leaders  who are prepared to lay down their animosity, their historic grievances, and build out peace and permit their people to worship in the way they want.

If we can get a little bit more of that then my time on Earth will have been useful, he concluded.

The NRB 2021 Christian Media Convention was held June 21-24 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine.
Pastor urges President Biden to sign executive order declaring violence a public health crisis

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Calling it the No. 1 problem of the 21st century, an Illinois pastor who lost his son to gun violence in 2018, urged President Joe Biden Wednesday to sign an executive order declaring violence a national public health crisis.

We continue to call President Joseph Biden to acknowledge American violence for what it is. American violence is a national public health crisis. Violence is the No. 1 problem of the 21st century, declared Pastor Anthony Williams, who founded King International Ministry.

Williams and a team of anti-violence activists have embarked on an 11-day march for their cause from Chicago to Washington, D.C., wearing T-shirts bearing the slogan We Want to Live. He's also hoping to arrive at the nations seat of government by July 4 to promote his message.

President Biden has said that America is back, I beg to differ with President Biden. Until we address the issue of violence, then none of us are safe. So we are walking to D.C. because we wear these T-shirts, We Want to Live. We want to live safe, everyone in America. We want to live healthy, everyone in America, and we want to live without  fear, Williams said Wednesday.

His activism has already resulted in legislation in Illinois with HB 158 that was signed into law by Gov. JB Pritzker, which created the Underlying Causes of Crime and Violence Study Act that will study how to identify high-violence communities and prioritize state dollars to address issues related to violence, The State Journal-Register reported.

Violence has plagued communities, predominantly poor and distressed communities in urban settings, which have always treated violence as a criminal justice issue, instead of a public health issue, the Illinois legislation notes.

Once the study is done, the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Department of Human Services will have to submit their findings to the State General Assembly by Dec. 31, 2021.

Williams message aligns with that of the American Medical Associations Journal of Ethics which argued in 2018 that violence is indeed a public health crisis and some medical experts think it should be treated as a disease.

Violence, overall, has become a public health crisis. The three leading causes of death in the United States for people ages 15-34 are unintentional injury, suicide and homicide. These violent deaths are, more often than not, directly associated with firearms. The U.S. has a homicide rate seven times higher than other high-income countries, with homicides committed by firearms being 25 times higher than in other high-income countries, then editor Lilliana Freire-Vargas wrote.

To continue to accept violence as a normal behavior, something is wrong with the psyche of us as American citizens, Williams said.

This is not a black problem, a white problem, red problem, yellow problem. This is an American problem, he continued before suggesting that he voted for Biden because he expects him to take a stand on the issue.

President Biden, we appeal to you as American citizens, President Biden, I voted for you, sign the executive order on American violence as a public health crisis. Follow the lead of the state of Illinois, he added.
Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

There were more shootings in Chicago over the weekend. The irony is that all of these shootings, in which 52 were shot and 5 died, took place during Fathers Day weekend.

Some sociologists note that what were seeing in large part are quite often the results of fatherlessness in America.

Mark J. Perry, a scholar with American Enterprise Institute, put out a chart on March 30, 2021 on fatherlessness in America. He compiled the statistics from the National Center for Health Statistics. The chart compares the percentage of U.S. births to unmarried women by race for the year 2019.

The chart notes that:

11.7% of Asian births in America were to unwed mothers.

28.2% to white mothers.

40% for all races.

52% for Hispanics.

69% for Americans Indians.

70% for Blacks.

That explains a lot. The breakdown of the family in America is one of the leading causes of societal breakdown. The cliche is correct: As the family goes, so goes society.

Fathers can make a huge difference in the life of their children, and their absence can lead to all manner of problems.

African American leaders are expressing concern. John Diggs, M.D. of Massachusetts once talked to me about the devastation wrought by the breakdown of the family.

About 15 years ago, Dr. Diggs told me in an interview for Christian television that the seeds of fatherlessness were sown in the sexual revolution: Social science has borne out that all the bad effects associated with sex outside of marriage have increased under this paradigm. For example, you can look in the Black community. If you look at 1960, it was on the order of 5 out of 100 children were born out-of-wedlock. Now that number is something on the order of 60 out of 100. And once you get that kind of number, the whole society tends to break down.

Tragically, that 60% has now increased to 70% as noted in the chart cited above.

Diggs continued, Marriage has a very important function. It gets people to commit to each other even when they dont want to, even when they dont like each other for some short period of time. Its financially better to have a mother and father in the house where you have two different personalities, two different orientations in terms of maleness and femaleness affecting both the child, both the girl and the boy. And I think, clearly, the crisis of fatherlessness can be laid at the feet of the sexual revolution.

He said one of the biggest problems with all this is viewing the father as expendable.

And who fills in the gap? Uncle Sam? The gang leaders? Of course, many young men get involved with gangs because the gang leader becomes surrogate fathers for them. The Bible warns: Bad company corrupts good morals. And the whole thing becomes a vicious cycle.

Moreover, welfare transfer payments reward those who bear children out of wedlock and punish those households where the father remains. We get what the government subsidizes. What a tragic nightmare. Fatherlessness can indeed be fatal.

To compound all this are those on the left who are saying we need to defund the police.

Civil Rights leader Robert Woodson thinks that is a terrible idea. Woodson created the Woodson Center in Washington, D.C., which has had many years of providing effective help for inner-city communities. A Gallup Poll backs up Woodson. The pollsters found that 81% of Blacks do not favor defunding the police.

Noted Woodson: The people who are advocating hostile actions against police do not have to suffer the consequences of their advocacy. They live in gated communities; they live where they are protected.

Woodson added, This battle is critical to our future. I dont think we have been this close to just anarchy that you see this assault on police. It is resulting in withdrawal from some of the most high crime areas. As a result, murder is soaring in some of these cities, and its directly related to the nullification of policing.

Woodson remembered when Black families used to be a model for the rest of the nation. He said, From 1930-1940, during Americas 10 years of depression, when racism was enshrined in law, elderly people could walk safely in their community without fear of assault because of our faith in Christ and also our marriagewe had the highest marriage rate of any groupthat has been our history.

Ultimately, a spiritual renewal is what is needed to turn things around. Woodson told me, As a country, we must seek redemption and understand that we need to be all that we can be as a nation. If we were to mimic Christ and understand the importance of our future, it depends upon redemption and restoration.
Course review: free daily dose of Greek and Hebrew

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

When drawn into an argument with ignorant and elitist clergymen, Christian scholar and leader in the Protestant Reformation William Tyndale declared, "If God spare my life, ere many years pass, I will cause a boy that driveth the plow shall know more of the Scripture than thou dost." I question whether the clergymen knew Tyndale was referencing the preface famous scholar Erasmus put on the Greek New Testament: "I would to God that the plowman would sing a text of the Scripture at his plow and that the weaver would hum them to the tune of his shuttle."

500 years later, Dr. Robert Plummer of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary continues Tyndale's cause, and he's doing it by teaching the original languages in which the Bible was written. I was fortunate enough to sit down and have a conversation with Dr. Plummer to discuss the areas in which he's advancing that cause, including co-authoring his book, "Beginning with New Testament Greek: An Introductory Study of the Grammar and Syntax of the New Testament." Dr. Plummer also founded Daily Dose of Greek and Daily Dose of Hebrew, and the banner on both websites sums up their mission clearly: "God inspired words. We're here to help you read them."

This work is even more revolutionary than it seems at first blush because both Daily Dose of Greek and Daily Dose of Hebrew are free services. We're blessed to live in a time when technology has made getting an education in almost any part of the world easier and cheaper than Tyndale or Martin Luther or anyone involved in the Reformation could have dreamed of. You don't have to go to seminary or a graduate school to get a world-class education in these languages. You don't even need to have stepped foot in a college or even necessarily speak English: Daily Dose of Greek lessons are also offered in Spanish and Korean.

During our conversation, Dr. Plummer said, "Through [Daily Dose of Greek], I hear from hundreds of people around the world, and I hear from construction workers, from medical doctors, from retired engineers, and I tell you there are hundreds if not thousands of people, ordinary faithful Christians, sometimes alone, sometimes gathering with a small group, reading the bible together in the original Hebrew and Greek. It's just a wonderful thing that's going on."

Do you feel drawn to the original writing of the apostles? Does the idea of reading well-worn passages with fresh eyes appeal to you? Do you have 3 minutes a day? Dr. Plummer has given us the tools for free. If you're convinced to pick those tools up and unearth new treasures in the Bible, you can start right now by visiting dailydoseofgreek.com.

Click here to listen to the conversation I had with Dr. Plummer on my podcast Meeting of Minds on Edifi. Click here to get the Edifi podcast app. Here's an outline of our chat:

Daily Dose of Greek/Hebrew is for the average Christian, not just seminary students

Learning Koine Greek can bring you closer to the apostles' original writing; what languages were used around Jesus and what did he actually speak?

3 minutes a day is enough to learn Greek or Hebrew; the tools you need to learn effectively, many of which are totally free

Get a study buddy; the modern miracle of educated laypeople around the world

What happened when the message of the bible stopped being mediated through institutions

Why Greek should be like underwear; the importance of graciousness and respecting English translations; the snowball effect of mistranslating a single phrase

You can be reading Greek in 1 year; the different approaches to learning Greek

The pitfalls of over-reading some words; why contextual awareness is important

The treasures unlocked by reading the Gospels in Greek; reading in Koine Greek is a way to read passages again for the first time

Going Deeper with New Testament Greek is great for complete beginners, but it also contains state-of-the-art linguistic analysis

How ancient authors structured their writing without spacing or punctuation; the power of reading the original papyri

How to start your journey into Koine Greek; you don't have to be a genius or have a lot of education to learn
Lutheran World Federation elects first female general secretary

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Lutheran World Federation has elected its first female general secretary, who will also become the first person from Central Eastern Europe to lead the global communion body.

The Rev. Anne Burghardt of Estonia, a theologian who presently heads the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Churchs Institute of Theology, was elected Saturday.

According to an announcement, the LWF Council elected Burghardt with 28 votes, or 58% support, while the Rev. Kenneth Mtata of Zimbabwe received 20 votes, or 42% support.

Founded in 1947 and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the LWF comprises 148 member churches representing nearly 100 countries and approximately 77 million people.

Burghardt will take office in November, replacing current General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge, who has led the international church body for 11 years.

In a statement, Burghardt said she is humbled by this great honor and deeply grateful for the confidence that the Council members have shown in me.

In accepting this very special responsibility in the communion, I pray for the guidance of Gods Spirit, she continued. I rejoice in having the possibility to work with the Council, with member churches, and with different partners, as the LWF continues to participate in Gods holistic mission.

Born in 1975, when Estonia was part of the Soviet Union, Burghardt studied theology at the University of Tartu and Humboldt University, both in Germany.

The Lutheran denomination she serves, the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church, comprises a little over 10% of Estonias 1.3 million population, according to Estonian World.

In 2013, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, an LWF member church and the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States, elected its first female leader when they made Rev. Elizabeth Eaton the Presiding Bishop of the mainline denomination.

The Rev. Dr. Anne Burghardt grew up in a secular culture, was only baptized as a teenager and sees the churchs role as being a translator and interpreter of the faith to 21st-century society, stated Eaton, as quoted by Living Lutheran.

I believe this historic election will help more people to know Jesus and to make the gospel more clear and relevant for communities around the world.

The Rev. Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary for the World Council of Churches, also congratulated Burghardt on her election.

Through your election, the LWF Council has recognized your proven skills as a pastor, an advocate for witness and service and a champion of lively partnerships in the quest for Christian unity and the building of human community despite borders and boundaries, stated Sauca.

We, who have worked with you in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva have long been grateful, too, for the spirituality and talent that you bring to the fellowship.
Critical race theory: Kryptonite to foil Dr. Kings dream? (pt 2)

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Every day more Americans are being made aware of critical race theory (CRT) and its potential lethal impact on the cohesiveness and harmony of Americas increasingly multi-ethnic society.

CRT has been simmering and percolating through the halls of academia and think tanks for several decades. Now, CRT has filtered down to permeate the education departments of the teacher colleges and is appearing in curriculum designs from public and private elementary schools, corporate America and the military-industrial complex.

Once again, it helps to define what CRT is and is not. CRT is not simply telling the whole history of America, warts and all, which requires remembering and recounting some very ugly chapters concerning slavery and racism. Most Americans are fine with telling the whole story. However, they are not all right with their country being depicted as evil from the beginning (The 1619 Project) and the assertion that all whites are racist and that the entire American societal structure is corrupted by racism and white privilege.

Americas parents of white and mixed-race children are not okay with their children being taught that they are oppressors and evil and guilty, or that all non-white children are the persecuted ones who must be granted special favor now to make up for past discrimination. In fact, some CRT enthusiasts argue that the cure for past racial discrimination is current discrimination (against whites), and the cure for current discrimination is future discrimination against whites (the oppressors). Hundreds of thousands of Americans upon hearing these theories articulated by teachers in their childrens classrooms are demanding that it stop and stop immediately.

Many of the curriculum plans formulated to implement CRT in public schools and in the corporate workspaces include the whites and/or white males (the real double-dipping oppressors  race and sex) being coerced to meet separately and confess their white sin or white privilege, etc. Similarly, black affinity groups meet to share the manifold ways they have been, or are being, oppressed by systemic white racism and micro-aggressors.

A few weeks ago in response to President Biden, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) pointed out that when he was a boy, blacks were told in school they were inferior to whites, and now whites are being taught they are morally inferior because they are oppressors, even if only unconsciously. Such division of America into separate and definably conflicting existences is a formula predestined to ever more rend asunder the political and social fabric of the nation.

The end result, much to be desired by the supporters of this Marxist theory, is the delegitimizing of Americas founders and her institutions and her history in order to create a new Marxist order on the rubble of the old America.

In a nation as multi-ethnic as America is now, the question must be asked, why abandon Dr. Kings dream of a nation where we are judged not by the color of our skin but on the content of our character?

Forgive me for saying so, but I often hear an undercurrent of a thirst for revenge against whites on the part of CRT advocates. Several months ago, during the riots in Minneapolis, a white reporter asked a Black Lives Matter activist and CRT supporter, If we defund the police, what is someone to do in the middle of the night when someone is breaking into your home? Who do you call for help? The black activist replied, Assuming you can call the police and that they will come and that they will be on your side are products of white privilege.

My response to that remarkable exchange then is the same as it is now. Shouldnt we be seeking to extend that sense of safety to all ethnicities instead of depriving whites so they can suffer the same danger and anxiety as racial minorities have in the past or present?

I fear that some Americans have so marinated themselves in a world defined by the falsehoods of CRT that they developed a perverse set of priorities.

Allow me to employ a Russian anecdote to illustrate my point. When the evil empire of the Soviet Union was crumbing on the ash heap of history in 1991, I happened to be in Moscow (Dec. 1, 1991). An elderly Russian Christian told me that he feared the Russian people had suffered so long under communism (since 1917) that it had perverted their thinking and priorities, and he feared how they would handle Western style freedom. I said, What do you mean? He replied by telling me a story that at the time was enjoying immense popularity in Moscow. This Russian peasant is trying to eek out minimal existence on the windswept Russian steppes. One day as he was plowing his infertile land, he hit a magic vase, and a genie popped out. Master, the genie said, your wish is my command. The peasant said, You know how my land is infertile and my neighbors land is extremely fertile? The genie said, Yes. You know how my neighbor has a loving, caring, supportive wife, and my wife is a witch? The genie replied, Yes? And you know how my neighbors children are well behaved, respectful and industrious, and my children are lazy louts? The genie by now is getting impatient, and he interrupts, You want to be like your neighbor, right? The peasant replies, No, I want my neighbor to be like me! I sometimes hear echoes of that twisted desire for shared misery in CRT advocates.

As I was listening to and reading some of the debates on CRT this past week, it really hit me that CRTs supporters do want to re-segregate America. They really want to divide us into our separate and mutually exclusive affinity groups. I cannot think of anything that would act more like Kryptonite to Dr. Kings dream of people of multiple ethnic groups living harmoniously in an American society that is living up to the ideals of its founding documents.

We have made so much progress together since 1954. Are we to now repudiate that progress and go back to our separate ethnic ghettos, engaging in the group judgments of identity politics and repudiate that society where we are never judged on the color of our skin but rather on the content of our character?

We have massive racial integration in housing, schooling, public accommodations, and the workplace. We have elected a Black President (Obama) with 53% of whites voting for him. Ever increasingly, skin color is fading as a barometer of success or significance in American society.

The late great Congressman John Lewis stands as a monument to the success of Dr. Kings dream. In spite of all the privations Reverend Lewis experienced marching and protesting to implement the dream, he never jettisoned the redemptive power of Christian forgiveness for both the perpetrator and the victim.

John Lewis never gave up on Dr. Kings dream for America and neither will I. When Lewis was once criticized as a congressman for not being black enough, by those seeking more radical legislation, Mr. Lewis replied, I follow my conscience, not my complexion. May all Americans whatever their ethnic identity, aspire to a similar moral standard for our beliefs, for our behavior, for our country.

Instead of falling for the siren song of the fatally flawed CRT, may each of us resolve, as long as we breathe, to fight for an America that stands for justice, truth, and the unique value of every single human being who deserves to be judged on his or her own merits, not their ethnicity or complexion.
mRNA vaccine inventor concerned over adolescents receiving vaccine; YouTube removes video

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Dr. Robert Malone, who helped create some of the mRNA technology used in the COVID-19 vaccine, cautioned adolescents about being vaccinated as many public and private universities are mandating vaccines for the next school year and reports have emerged linking the vaccine to mild heart inflammation.

Malone appeared on Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight on Wednesday to discuss his concerns about the vaccine for people who are not high risk for COVID-19, like children and young adults.

"[O]ne of my concerns are that the government is not being transparent with us about what those risks are. And so, I am of the opinion that people have the right to decide whether to accept vaccines or not, especially since these are experimental vaccines," Malone said on the show.

He emphasized that the vaccines are not officially approved by the FDA but are administered under emergency use authorization.

"This is a fundamental right having to do with clinical research ethics," he continued. "And so, my concern is that I know that there are risks. But we don't have access to the data and the data haven't been captured rigorously enough so that we can accurately assess those risks. And therefore  we don't really have the information that we need to make a reasonable decision."

Google-owned YouTube recently deleted a video showing a podcast where Malone and others discussed concerns with the COVID-19 vaccines, Fox News reported.

Malone said he has a bias that the benefits probably don't outweigh the risks for younger Americans receiving the vaccine, but said the risk-benefit analysis is not being done.

But unfortunately, the risk-benefit analysis is not being done, so that is one of my other objections, that we talk about these words 'risk-benefit analysis' casually as if it is very deep science, he continued. "It's not. Normally at this stage, the CDC would have performed those risk-benefit analyses and they would be database and science-based. They are not right now. Its kind of a little bit the seat of the pants, and that I really object to.

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com

Malone said there is a "pretty good chance" that the risk-benefit ratio for those 18 years old and under doesn't justify vaccination in these very young adults.

Malone said his understanding is that the CDC is overwhelmed and waiting on data from other countries to come in before they make decisions.

I think that what we have is a structural problem in how the databases were built and how they are being analyzed, he continued.

Not too surprising, but here we go.

CDC panel says heart inflammation cases likely linked to mRNA COVID-19 vaccineshttps://t.co/mk2cA7lHiX  Robert W Malone, MD (@RWMaloneMD) June 23, 2021

Data shows that children who have COVID-19 are very unlikely to suffer heavily or require hospitalization though the CDC recommends everyone who is eligible and over 12 years old should receive the vaccine because "widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic."

The Food and Drug Administration first authorized 12 to 15-year-olds to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on May 10.

One week after the vaccine was greenlighted for this age group, at least 600,000 children ages 12 to15 received their first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the CDC reported.

As of June 17, over 4 million children had tested positive for COVID-19, which represents 14% of all cases, according to The American Academy of Pediatrics.

Reporting from 23 states and New York City showed that children were 1.4% to 3.3% of total reported hospitalizations and 0.1% to 1.9% of all child COVID-19 cases resulted in hospitalization. The age range defining child varies in some states in the report.

Data from 42 states, New York City, Puerto Rico and Guam shows that children made up 0.00% to 0.22% of the COVID-19 mortality rate in states that reported child COVID-19 deaths, according to the June report. Seven states reported zero child deaths.

Only about 0.4% of children under 12 years old have received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared to 29.2% of 12 to 15-year-olds and 42.1% of 16 to 17-year-olds, according to CDC data updated on Thursday.

A CDC safety panel reported on Wednesday that there is a likely a likely association of receiving the vaccine and heart inflammation in adolescents and young adults.

The reported cases of myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, or inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart, are generally mild and typically come with fatigue, chest pain and disturbances in heart rhythm.

Of the 1,200 initial reports CDC officials are tracking of the rare heart inflammation following mRNA coronavirus vaccine doses, most of the reports have come from those in their teens and early 20s and are most common in males. It is not confirmed these cases are linked to receiving the vaccine.

"Clinical presentation of myocarditis cases following vaccination has been distinct, occurring most often within one week after dose two, with chest pain as the most common presentation, Dr. Grace Lee, chairwoman of the CDC's vaccine safety committee, said.

Dr. Meryl Nass, an internal medicine physician, said the highest rates of myocarditis after receiving the vaccine are in the youngest kids," according to LifeSiteNews.

However, the CDC maintains the benefits of receiving the mRNA vaccine outweigh the risks.

Isaiah Harris, a healthy 18-year-old male from Arkansas, is one case of a teen who developed myocarditis after receiving the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine in April, according to Childrens Health Defense.

In exclusive The Defender interview, 18-year-old Isaiah Harris + his father described how Isaiah had to be hospitalized within 48 hours of second dose of Pfizer vaccine + subsequently had a heart attack.



SUBSCRIBE to #TheDefender: https://t.co/zL66Edfiw5https://t.co/3UR2mjV5LL  Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) June 22, 2021

Harris felt sick and feverish at first after his second dose, but when he began to have trouble breathing, he was rushed to the hospital to find what his parents say was a heart attack.

Harris is now recovering, but will likely deal with a possible life-long heart issue.

I believe President Biden said in a recent statement that if you arent vaccinated, youll end up paying the price or youll have to wear a mask. But Id rather have COVID than a heart attack, Harris said in an interview.

The CDC reports over 178 million Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which is over 53% of the population.
Greatest threat to free speech in America: Ted Cruz grills Twitter CEO over alleged anti-conservative bias

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas grilled Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey during a hearing, accusing him of trying to control information that the American people have access to.

During a virtual hearing held on Wednesday, Cruz expressed concern about the ability of Facebook, Google, and Twitter to influence elections, dubbing them the single greatest threat to free speech in America.

Facebook is at the minimum at least trying to make some efforts in the direction of defending free speech. I appreciate their doing so, noted Cruz. Of the three players before us, I think Twitters conduct has by far been the most egregious.

Last week, Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee announced that they were subpoenaing Dorsey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. At issue was the decision of Facebook and Twitter to censor two New York Post articles alleging corruption involving the son of Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden.

Through a virtual chat on Wednesday, Cruz began his line of questioning toward Dorsey, asking if Twitter has the power to influence, which Dorsey claimed it did not.

We are one part of a spectrum of communication channels that people have, responded Dorsey. People have a choice of other communication channels.

Cruz was unconvinced, asking the Twitter CEO why the popular social media blocks anything if they do not believe that they can influence an election.

Well, we have policies that are focused on making sure that more voices on the platform are possible. We see a lot of abuse and harassment which ends up silencing people, replied Dorsey.

Cruz called Dorseys comments absurd on their face, then talked about how Twitter had censored the New York Post stories about Hunter Biden and alleged corruption.

As part of their efforts, Twitter blocked accounts from linking to the Post stories and from posting pictures of the reported Biden emails mentioned in the stories.

Dorsey attributed the censorship to a hacked materials policy created in 2018 by the website so that they could limit the spread of hacked materials on the site.

He went on to explain that because the New York Post story showed screenshots of materials that might have been the result of a hack, they limited the spread of the story posts.

Dorsey acknowledged that Twitter made a fast decision and conceded that they were incorrect, adding that the New York Post could now promote the story if they wanted to.

Cruz accused Twitter of hypocrisy, noting that they did not censor the New York Times when they posted a story about President Donald Trumps tax returns, even though it also involved displaying materials without his knowing consent.

Mr. Dorsey, who the hell elected you and put you in charge of what the media are allowed to report and what the American people are allowed to hear? the senator critically asked.

And why do you persist in behaving as a Democratic super PAC silencing views to the contrary of your political beliefs?

Dorsey insisted that they were not censoring conservative voices, but agreed that there should be more transparency and that they need to earn trust more.

Recently, major social media outlets like Twitter and Facebook have faced repeated accusations that they have engaged in censorship of conservative and Republican views.

Earlier this month, Media Research Center released a report finding that Twitter and Facebook had censored Trump 65 times, while never censoring Biden.

Twitter composes the bulk of the problem, with 98 percent of all the instances of censorship, reported the conservative media watchdog group.

Twitter has been by far and away the biggest offender, labeling, fact-checking and removing Trumps tweets and the tweets from his campaign accounts 64 times since the presidents election.

Censored material included three Trump tweets touting hydroxychloroquine as an effective treatment for COVID-19 and four videos from the presidents campaign account.

Tweets about the presidents concern over mail-in voting, COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement have been given public interest notices, continued the report.

Videos retweeted by the president depicting a satirical version of Biden walking on stage to the song F*** tha Police have been deleted as well, after a fact-check from Poynter Institutes PolitiFact.

Other instances of censorship include Twitter's refusal in 2017 to allow pro-life group Live Action to buy ads that promote the dignity of unborn life due to its "hate and sensitive policy." More recently, Facebook has removed posts on Restored Hope Network's page, saying they violate "community standards." The posts were of former LGBT-identified persons who now follow Jesus.

In some instances, the social media networks have argued that the various incidents can be explained as mishaps regarding other policies and that leftwing outlets have also fallen victim to them.

For example, in a 2019 hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committees Subcommittee on the Constitution, Carlos Monje, director of public policy at Twitter, denied that there was an anti-conservative bias.

Monje noted that an impersonation policy that had been wrongly used to block a few conservative accounts had also impacted multiple elected officials who were Democrats.

We honored the ideas that were part of the Honest Ads Act and agree with the idea that political advertising should be more transparent, said Monje regarding another allegation of bias.

In the process of setting that up, a number of accounts got caught up in that. It included three current Democratic candidates for president and a major national pro-choice group.
Judge rules Trump officials can't be sued for clearing of DC park before Bible photo-op

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A judge has denied most of the constitutional claims of multiple lawsuits leveled against former President Donald Trump, former Attorney General William Barr and other government officials over the forced clearing of protesters from a park near the White House last June.

The litigation stems from the June 1, 2020 incident where officers from the U.S. Park Police and National Guard stormed Lafayette Square near the White House in Washington, D.C. Officers in riot gear used chemical irritants to disperse protesters who had gathered following the death of George Floyd days earlier.

After officers cleared the park, Trump was later seen walking through the park on his way to do a controversial photo-op with a Bible outside of St. Johns Episcopal Church, which had been damaged by demonstrators the day before. However, a federal watchdog report earlier this month stated that the clearing of the park was not related to the president's photoshoot.

In an opinion released Monday, U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich, a Trump appointee, tossed out the plaintiffs' claims that their constitutional rights were violated.

The plaintiffs have not adequately pleaded either an ongoing injury or an immediate threat of future injury based on the defendants June 1 clearing of Lafayette Square, wrote Friedrich.

Because the plaintiffs lack standing, the Court lacks jurisdiction to issue an injunction ordering the defendants to change their practices of using physical force against protestors.

Friedrich also rejected the claims of plaintiffs that the clearing of the square presented ongoing chilling effects, ruling that they are insufficient to confer standing.

  the plaintiffs claims of impending future harm are too speculative to confer standing to seek an injunction, the judge continued.

Such harm would require that plaintiffs again demonstrate in Lafayette Square; that agencies headed by the official-capacity defendants again respond to the demonstration; that federal officers again use that law enforcement response as cover to deliberately target non-violent peaceful demonstrators; and that one or more of the plaintiffs again be targeted.

Friedrich did conclude that the plaintiffs have standing to challenge the continued restrictions on access to Lafayette Square because they have plausibly alleged an ongoing injury.

To this day, over a year after the events of June 1, Lafayette Square remains subject to heightened restrictions that periodically limit protestors access to the Square, read the ruling.

Despite the change in Administrations, the federal defendants have not met the high bar of showing that this claim has been mooted by subsequent events.

The District of Columbia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, which helped bring the litigation against Trump and other officials, denounced the decision.

Todays ruling essentially gives the federal government a green light to use violence, including lethal force against demonstrators, as long as federal officials claim to be protecting national security, stated Scott Michelman, legal director for the ACLU of D.C.

Not only is this decision a stunning rejection of our constitutional values and protestors First Amendment rights, but it effectively places federal officials above the law.

Earlier this month, the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of the Interior released a report concluding the clearing operation was carried out so that antiscale fencing could be erected "in response to destruction of property and injury to officers occurring on May 30 and 31.

The evidence we obtained did not support a finding that the USPP cleared the park to allow the President to survey the damage and walk to St. Johns Church, stated the report.

Further, the evidence showed that the USPP did not know about the Presidents potential movement until mid-to late afternoon on June 1hours after it had begun developing its operational plan and the fencing contractor had arrived in the park.

Last month, Justice Department attorney David Cutler asked Friedrich to dismiss the legal claims, arguing that the police acted lawfully. The department called the president's security a "paramount" government interest, The Washington Post reports.
11 children injured in church bus crash, 2 critical as church asks for privacy

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

The Union City First United Pentecostal Church in Tennessee thanked members of the public for an outpouring of love and support Tuesday, days after 11 children were injured in a crash during a trip in the ministry's van on Saturday.

Right now the only thing that we are releasing is that we are thanking everyone for their thoughts and prayers concerning the accident. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support but we do ask that they respect the privacy and rights of the families involved as they heal and recover, a representative of the church told The Christian Post on Tuesday.

Sheriff Terry Miller of Clay County, Arkansas, told KAIT8 that the churchs van, in which the children were traveling to Doniphan, Missouri, for a float trip on the Current River, collided with a commercial vehicle carrying fish at about 1 p.m. on Highway 67 near Highway 328.

The children were all hospitalized while the driver of the church van was uninjured, KAIT8 said. As of Monday, all of the children except three, who remain in critical but stable condition, were released to their families.

The Union City Church crash happened about 90 minutes before nine children and one adult connected to the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a Christian group home in Alabama perished in a fiery crash on Interstate 65 in Butler County. The children were returning from a weeklong trip to the Gulf Shores when the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch van caught fire, setting off a massive multi-vehicle crash which is being investigated by authorities.

Desiree Bishop of Mobile, Alabama, who is related to four of the children who died on Saturday, told FOX 10 News, They were just all sweet loving children.

Bishop identified the victims as: Nicholas Dunnavant, 8, and his 12-year-old brother, Josiah Dunnavant. She also lost 16-year-old Isabella Gulley and her brother, 3-year-old Benjamin Gulley, who are the late children of her niece, Candace Gulley, the sole survivor of the crash who was driving the van at the time of the accident.

You never would have expected and you never dreamed and you never want it to [happen to] anybody else or yourself, Bishop said. Its a high price to pay. It just comes in waves of grief, just waves of grief.

Brotherhood Mutual, which has been insuring churches in the U.S. and related ministries for more than 100 years, advises ministries to take several precautions to avoid tragedy when going on ministry road trips, including ensuring vehicles are properly inspected, drivers are safe, and promoting distraction-free driving.

Data from the CDC show that distracted drivers kill more than 3,000 people a year in the U.S. and injure more than 400,000.

Your ministry can help prevent crashes on church trips by educating drivers about traffic safety issues and enacting policies that promote distraction-free driving, the ministry insurer notes.

Brotherhood mutual also encourages the selection of drivers who are trained and experienced in transporting people.

Choose drivers that are specially trained to handle a larger van or bus. The most severe accidents usually are caused by drivers lack of understanding of the handling dynamics of longer vehicles, which are more prone to rollover than cars, the company adds.
Reality star couple scammed black investors out of millions with Blessings in No Time scheme: lawsuit

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

Thousands of African Americans who pumped an estimated $40 million into what some saw as a Godly, ALL-Black, socially conscious gifting community known as Blessings in No Time, might have placed their faith in an illegal pyramid scheme started by reality star couple Marlon Moore, also known as D.J. ASAP, and his wife, LaShonda, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

In a lawsuit filed on June 10 in federal court, Paxton alleged that the Texas couple, who appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Networks reality show Family or Fiance, which brings together disapproving families of engaged couples, used deceptive trade practices to fleece their victims. He is seeking an injunction against the couple to stop their business, known as BINT (Blessings in No Time) Operations LLC. The company was formed in August 2020 when COVID-19 had already killed thousands of black people nationwide.

Since January 2021, state authorities have received nearly 200 consumer complaints against the couple, alleging over $700,000 in lost BINT investments. Many complainants said they only joined the community because they were promised the right to a full refund at any time.

"Marlon & Lashonda Moore & staff of B.I.N.T, LLC, used deceit, celebrity connections, name dropping & the collective fear, grief & trauma that Americans were experiencing during & after the 2020 Spring/summer riots to scam over 8k Black people out of over $40 million dollars. Blessings In No Time (BINT, LLC), was presented as a Godly, ALL-Black, socially conscious gifting community that came about on the tail-end of a lot of this past summer protest. They claimed that BINT was completely legal, they repeatedly said that they were not a sou sou or pyramid scheme, they said there is no way to lose money because guarantee, one complainant noted in the lawsuit.

This was my first encounter with gifting circles, I am ashamed I believed them. I brought in 6 of my family members. BINT used all 6 people & said they would return my fires when I needed them to ensure that I was blessed out. That never happened.  Total family loss = $32K, of that, I lost $15,650 between my own spots & family I sponsored . . . Why would I believe they would give a refund? I believed we'd get a refund due to the heavily documented refund guarantees from BINT founders & staff, the complainant wrote.

The Prosper, Texas, couple promised to "bless" and assist needy members of the African American community with an eight-fold, $11,200, return if they placed an initial investment in BINT of $1,400 to $1,425 and recruited other people to join who they called "fires."

In an effort to cover the "illegal scheme," the Moores imposed a formal condition of membership on all participants, prohibiting them from posting reviews on social media and sharing negative comments about BINT in any forum under penalty of termination of their membership and all of their rights, the lawsuit said.

By stifling existing members' ability to speak the truth about Defendants' practices. Defendants were able to continue deceiving more victims to buy into their illegal pyramid scheme, it continued.

Fearing they would never be able to get a refund of their initial investment, many of the victims kept quiet about the scheme until the couple revealed in a January Zoom meeting that they didnt have enough funds to make refunds and BINT investors didnt have a right to refunds.

Previously, Defendants might have provided some refunds, but they appear to be making no refunds at all as victims are filing consumer complaints with the State and seeking the State's help with redress. As it became clear Defendants will not provide refunds, the threats of losing their refund rights was no longer enough to stop victims from speaking out, the lawsuit said.

Many of the investors who said they've been swindled have also banded together to create a website called bintscam.com in an effort to expose the Moores and their scheme.
Kansas City pastor dies from COVID-19 at 39 after doctor allegedly said 'hes going to be fine'

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

For months, Pastor Michael Grizzy Griswold of Kansas City, Missouri, fought to survive a COVID-19 infection that doctors initially told his wife he would beat. Two weeks ago, the Macedonia Baptist Church teen pastor died at the age of 39.

The pastors wife, Venus Griswold, told The Kansas City Star that when her husband began his battle with the virus about five months ago, a doctor told her, hes gonna be fine. That outlook, she said, did not last very long as his condition quickly worsened.

I had just had a conversation with his doctor. He was like, hes gonna be fine, hes young, hes going to be fine, Venus Griswold told the publication. The next day, I walk in and his oxygen levels are just tanking, and so at that point, it was the decision. Do you put him on life support? Or do you let him go? And so I put him on life support.

The disease ravaged her husbands lungs as she fought to keep him alive with a lung transplant. She said her husband was able to get on the list for a transplant, but he died on June 6 before doctors could get him the help he needed.

His family and friends remembered his life in a touching memorial service on Sunday.

Grizzys impact was so magnanimous that Im telling you 20 years from now, this church will remember Grizzy, Macedonia Baptist Churchs Senior Pastor John L. Brooks told the Kansas City Star. Im telling you, older people and younger people.

He recalled Griswold as an inspiring figure who enjoyed making people feel better in life.

Malcolm Griswold, the late pastors young brother, recalled how he started taking care of his siblings at the age of 12, and how the pressure of that responsibility caused him to become a drug dealer until he found faith in his 20s and turned his life around.

When I think of Mike and his whole transformation story, I witness the power of God saving Michael from his life from his own lifestyle, Malcolm Griswold recalled. Michael would come to parenting conferences with my mother, he would come and eat lunch at my middle school with me and my brother  When I think of Michael, I think of a father.

Brooks said Griswold treated the teenagers in his ministry with similar care.

He spent time with them, corrected them, loved them, he invested in them, Brooks said. He helped the parents, went to schools, went to their events. He was there with them to keep them off the street, and hundreds upon hundreds of teenagers' lives have changed because Michael Grizzy Griswold invested his life in their life.

Along with his wife, siblings and extended family, Griswold leaves behind four children, MiKeycia Griswold, Myaun Boyd, Tristan Chandler and Michael Andre Griswold Jr., according to his obituary.
Supreme Court asked to rule if Boston can legally refuse to fly Christian flag at city hall

Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment

A conservative Christian legal nonprofit has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh whether the city of Boston violated the rights of a Christian organization by refusing to allow a Christian flag to fly on public property.

In 2017, an association called Camp Constitution sought to fly the Christian flag during a Constitution Day and Citizenship Day event at Bostons City Hall. But the city denied the request.

This rejection came even though numerous other private groups had successfully applied to wave flags representing sovereigns countries and nonreligious causes.

The Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based organization that engages in litigation related to evangelical values, filed the petition with the nation's high court on Monday after a federal appeals court ruled against Camp Constitution in January. The legal group argues that other forms of religious imagery have been allowed at city hall in the past.

There are three 83-foot-tall flagpoles outside Boston City Hall, two of which always fly the U.S. flag and the state flag. The third usually flies the city flag, but citizens can petition to raise other flags temporarily. The appeal claims that between 2005 and 2007, the city has approved hundreds of requests to fly other flags with "no record of denial."

One example the petition cites is the City of Boston's flag, which is usually raised on one of the Flag Poles and depicts the City Seal. The seal contains the inscription "SICUT PATRIBUS, SIT DEUS NOBIS," which means "God be with us as he was with our fathers."

The Turkish flag, which the City has approved at least thirteen times, in 2005, 2006, and 20092019, depicts the star and crescent of the Islamic Ottoman Empire," the filing explains.

The petition contends that Bostons denial of Camp Constitutions flag-raising request violated Camp Constitutions right to free speech under the First Amendment, as well as the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said in a statement that he hopes that the Supreme Court will acknowledge the citys obvious and unconstitutional discrimination against Camp Constitutions Christian viewpoint.

There is a crucial difference between government endorsement of religion and private speech, which government is bound to respect, Staver said.

Censoring religious viewpoints in a public forum where secular viewpoints are permitted is unconstitutional and this must stop.

In February 2020, U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper, an Obama nominee, issued an order against Camp Constitution and its leader, Harold Shurtleff. The judge reasoned that the city hall flagpoles constituted government speech and not private expression, thus making a Christian flag an unlawful government endorsement of religion.

There are no additional facts in the record that would suggest any improper preference for non-religion over religion or selective treatment of any person or group based on religion, concluded Casper.

The City did not alter its procedures for review of flag applications because of Camp Constitutions request, instead, Camp Constitutions request presented a novel issue for the Citys consideration, which the City considered consistent with its practice and policy.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld the lower court ruling in January. Judge Bruce Selya, a Reagan nominee, authored the unanimous opinion.

Selya argued that the flag display would constitute government speech since it would be flown alongside two other flags representing the United States and Massachusetts.

In deciding which flags could be on the third flag pole of the city hall display, the court found that the city is not bound to treat the third flagpole as private speech protected by the First Amendment.

Here, the three flags are meant to be  and in fact are  viewed together. The sky-high City Hall display of three flags flying in close proximity communicates the symbolic unity of the three flags, wrote Selya.

It therefore strains credulity to believe that an observer would partition such a coordinated three flag display  into a series of separate yet simultaneous messages (two that the government endorses and another as to which the government disclaims any relation).
A radical response to what sculpture can be: 10 things to know about Lynn Chadwick

An introduction to the life and work of the artist whose strikingly original, geometric bronze figures made him one of the leading lights of international post-war sculpture. Illustrated with lots offered at Christies

1

Chadwick abandoned a plan to train as an architect Lynn Chadwick was born in 1914 in the London suburb of Barnes. His father was an engineer who designed industrial furnaces, and his mother had been a teacher. It was a conventional upbringing, with a conservative scepticism about new ideas. The artist recalled being taken to see Jacob Epsteins Rima in Hyde Park as an example of the horrors of modern art. At the age of 18, Chadwick met the British Revivalist sculptor Wilfred Dudeney (1911-1989), a friend of his sister Margery. I was very impressed that a young man could have a studio to work in and make things all by himself there, recalled Chadwick. It sounded like a wonderful life. His parents, however, were less enthusiastic about his chosen career. A compromise was struck, and he agreed to train as an architect  but he quickly realised he wasnt cut out for the profession. I was just no good as a businessman, he said.

2

Chadwick was a pilot in the Second World War The artist joined the Fleet Air Arm and flew Swordfish biplanes across the Atlantic. These anti-submarine torpedo bombers were a key weapon in protecting merchant shipping from U-boats. The biplanes were launched from makeshift aircraft carriers. The balance and timing needed to land his plane on such tiny boats came naturally to him, says Chadwicks son Daniel  and it was this fine balance and poise that became integral to his sculpture later on. Of his time as a pilot Chadwick recalled the monotony rather than the danger: The sky over the Atlantic is always a bit grey, and the sea is grey. It is as boring as you can possibly imagine.

Lynn Chadwick (1914-2003), Sitting Figures, 1979-1980. Bronze. Executed in 1979-1980. Female: 71 x 33 x 48 in (180.3 x 83.8 x 121.9 cm). Male: 76 x 37 x 56 in (193 x 94 x 142.2 cm). Sold for $601,000 on 14 November 2007 at Christies in New York.  Lynn Chadwick / Bridgeman Images

3

He left London for Gloucestershire, where he met other artists and writers After the war, Chadwick moved to a remote cottage in Gloucestershire with his first wife Ann and their son Simon. It had no electricity or running water and cost almost nothing a week, enabling him to start making things. He first tried mobiles; then, as he later recalled, gradually I made things that were a bit more static and gradually it came into sculpture. He would come to describe his approach in these years of experimentation as his desert-island technique. It was in Gloucestershire that Chadwick became acquainted with a bohemian group of artists and writers, including the muralist Clifford Wight, the painter Julian Trevelyan, the photographer Lee Miller and the writer Elizabeth Smart.

4

Chadwicks skill as a welder transformed his art In the late 1940s Chadwick learned how to weld, and this transformed his approach to sculpture. His technique was to weld iron rods quickly into a stiff, balanced cage, which formed the outline of the work.

Lynn Chadwick, R.A. (1914-2003), Maquette IV Inner Eye. Iron and glass. 15 in (39.4 cm) high. Sold for 322,400 on 8 June 2007 at Christies in London.  Lynn Chadwick / Bridgeman Images

He was able to visualise the piece as he worked, and rarely had to cut and alter the lines, says Daniel. The result was a rigid exoskeleton, visible on the outside rather than being buried within. It meant he was able to convey energy or attitude, poise and movement, effortlessly and intuitively, says his son. This unique technique became his signature style.

5

Chadwick rejected the association of his work with Cold War politics Chadwicks first exhibition was at the Gimpel Fils gallery in London, which also represented the sculptors Kenneth Armitage and Reg Butler. Their metal sculptures were angular and spiky, thought to embody a brooding existential angst. Together with William Turnbull and Geoffrey Clarke, they were seen as the successors to Naum Gabo and his 1930s geometric idealism. In 1952 these post-war artists participated in the exhibition New Aspects of British Sculpture at the Venice Biennale. In the catalogue, the poet and critic Herbert Read wrote, These new images belong to the iconography of despair, or of defiance; and the more innocent the artist, the more effectively he transmits the collective guilt. Here are images of flight of excoriated flesh, frustrated sex, the geometry of fear. That haunting phrase, the geometry of fear, was picked up by the media and came to stand for the younger generation who had taken the language of French Modernism and abstracted it, creating raw visions of post-war survival. Yet Reads portrayal was at odds with Chadwicks own interpretation of his work. He considered his sculptures to be autonomous, organic forms, more closely associated with nature than with Cold War politics.

Lynn Chadwick, R.A. (1914-2003), Three Watchers. Bronze with a black patina. 8 in (24.8 cm) high (3). Sold for 34,850 on 24 May 2012 at Christies in London.  Lynn Chadwick / Bridgeman Images

6

Chadwick was the youngest artist ever to win an award at the Venice Biennale In 1956, aged 42, Chadwick returned to the British Pavilion at Venice with an exhibition of 19 sculptures and 24 drawings, and was awarded the International Sculpture Prize. He remains the youngest sculptor ever to win the accolade. The works were playful and spiky, suggesting a game that had got out of hand. Chadwick took his titles  such as Teddy Boy and Girl  from contemporary culture. He recalled that these early works were about balancing two opposing shapes and capturing that friction and energy that happens by putting two forms together. In the following decades, Chadwick continued his explorations of balance and poise with a variety of figures, including tense, crouching beasts and armless men and women with geometric, pyramidal heads. One of his most powerful series was The Watchers, loosely inspired by the Easter Island sculptures. Half figurative, half abstract, these hefty rectangular bronzes, balanced on spindly legs, dig like a fish hook into the unconscious.

7

Chadwick did not use sketches to create his sculptures Although Chadwick trained as a draughtsman, he rarely drew. I cant bear it, he once said. While there is a strong relationship between drawing and his linear, jagged forms, his sculptures were made without any sketches or preconception of how they would develop. Essentially he sketched the work out out into three dimensions, feeling his way as he did so, says Daniel.

Lynn Chadwick, R.A. (1914-2003), Study for 'Two Watchers', 1960. Ink and wash on paper. 18 x 13 in (47.3 x 33.1 cm). Sold for 7,500 on 23 November 2018 at Christies Online.  Lynn Chadwick / Bridgeman Images

Chadwick would subsequently make observational sketches of the finished works. His drawing had the same accuracy and lightness of touch as his construction, notes Daniel.

8

He bought a near-derelict Elizabethan mansion to live and work in In 1958, Chadwick bought the medieval manor house Lypiatt Park and painted the interior white. The space enabled him to start creating larger works and establish his own foundry. Daniel, who is the youngest of Chadwicks four children, remembers watching his father from the doorway of his studio: The smell of the hot metal and gas. The texture of the plaster he used. The colourful fuse boxes and gas bottles. In the late 1980s a whimsical play of forms began to appear in the artists work, as he developed sculptures showing bodies in motion. Such works conveyed a lighter, gentler mood than his earlier works.

High Wind II, 1988, is a good example, with a windswept figure that looks as if it has been blown out of shape. Christies specialist Andre Zlattinger says that it is the first time one of these monumental sculptures from this edition has come to auction. Unusually, it is of a single female form, and it is a wonderful frozen image of a gust of wind.

9

Chadwick entrusted the Pangolin Foundry with his editions and late casts Chadwick worked with iron and plaster and although his armatures were very well considered from a structural point of view, they were extremely fragile and susceptible to damp. He decided to stop selling the originals and make editioned casts instead.



In 1972 he started his own foundry in the outbuildings at Lypiatt Park. He had a succession of foundry managers until a young couple, Claude and Rungwe Kingdon, came to help him, with Claude becoming his lifelong studio assistant. In 1985 Chadwick helped Claude and Rungwe establish the foundry Pangolin Editions in a nearby valley. Together they agreed on a recipe for casting and patinating every sculpture Chadwick had made, and the artist authorised them to cast out his entire body of work. His wish is still being carried out faithfully by Pangolin today. The foundry also casts and fabricates sculpture for many modern and contemporary artists, among them Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas and the late Eduardo Paolozzi.

10

The market for Chadwicks work has grown in recent years People are still responsive to the questions Chadwick was asking in the 1950s and later, says Zlattinger. Namely, how do you reflect the human condition in sculpture? Chadwick showed that the big themes of the day could be addressed by his work. To date, more than 200 of Chadwicks works reside in 123 museums around the world. According to the specialist, the market for artists from Britains post-war generation has risen over the past 15 years, with Chadwick being particularly sought after. He has international appeal. People from all over the world respond to his aesthetic sensibility and the depth of his body of work.

Sign up today Christies Online Magazine delivers our best features, videos, and auction news to your inbox every week Subscribe
A few days ago, it was revealed that the short-term rental platform Airbnb kept a terrible crime committed in one of its accommodations a secret . However, the case is far from the only or the worst that the company has had to handle.

Thanks to an investigation by Bloomberg , it is now known that Airbnb has an 'elite secret team' that reacts immediately to hide the crimes that occur in the properties offered by the platform. His way of operating includes shelling out millions of dollars to compensate victims and avoid a reputational crisis .

It may interest you: The Internet attacks Airbnb for high prices and hidden fees: 'These prices are ridiculous'

For years, the San Francisco, California-based company has had a special security department that handles incidents. The objective is that these do not reach the ears of the public and ensure that the victims release Airbnb from any responsibility for the events.

According to the media, the company spends an average of 50 million dollars a year in compensation to clients who are victims of crimes.

How does Airbnb's elite security team work?

In its early days, Airbnb founders Brian Chesky , Joe Gebbia and Nate Blecharczyk were personally charged with handling crises. However, with the growth of the company, the number of incidents also increased and they decided to hire specialized personnel to handle claims.

The elite security department , known internally as the "black box" for its secrecy, is made up of about 100 agents distributed in various cities around the world. Many of them have military and emergency services training, or are former members of high-level security forces.

The investigation reveals that, as soon as a criminal incident occurs in an accommodation, the closest agent (s) mobilize to contact the victim immediately. They are responsible for providing moral support to those affected , as well as all the facilities for their care and comfort .

This includes lodging them in luxury hotels, covering medical expenses, paying for transportation back to their hometown and offering juicy financial or in-kind compensation, for example, paid trips around the world.

#AmericanAirlines The airline will reportedly cancel between 50 and 80 daily flights until well into the summer. https://t.co/IOtwADsjQB - Entrepreneur in Spanish (@SoyEntrepreneur) June 21, 2021

The crisis department is also in charge of hiring specialized teams to clean the blood on walls, carpets and furniture, or contractors to repair damage to the property such as bullet holes, as well as services to dispose of human remains.

According to informants, who requested anonymity, the work is very stressful because they must reconcile the interests of the company, the hosts and the guests. Therefore, they have special rooms with a relaxing atmosphere to answer the most disturbing calls. "I had situations where I had to hang up the phone and go cry," recalls a former agent. "That's all you can do."

The ex-gamers interviewed say that most of them end up suffering from a kind of indirect trauma or post-traumatic stress.

How are the agreements between Airbnb and victims of crime in their properties?

The agents are authorized to spend whatever is necessary and their watchword is to reach an agreement with the victim as soon as possible.

Until 2017, sources say, each agreement included a nondisclosure clause that prevented the victim from speaking about the case, requesting more money or suing the company. However, pressure from movements like #MeeToo forced Airbnb to change these terms.

Now, the agreements stipulate that both tenants and hosts must give up discussing the terms of the agreement and taking legal action against the company arguing that the deal is an admission of wrongdoing.

It also includes a confidentiality clause in case the incident reaches legal authorities. That is, although they can (and should) report the crime, they should not blame or involve the platform, but directly the person who committed the crime.

What kinds of crimes have happened in Airbnb accommodations?

Eight former members of the damage control team and 45 other employees (current and former) of Airbnb , revealed all kinds of chilling cases to Bloomberg. The stories range from physical assaults , robberies and vandalism , to sexual assaults , rapes and the discovery of dismembered bodies .

In 2011, Airbnb faced its first major serious security crisis . A San Francisco hostess blogged about how her home was ransacked and vandalized by tenants. The owner denounced that the company did not give her any kind of help and only asked her to erase the story because it could harm a next round of financing. When the case went viral on social media, Airbnb founder and CEO Brian Chesky publicly apologized and promised to compensate her with a million dollars .

The stories tell of hosts who threw suitcases out of windows, hidden cameras in rooms, and people who had to hide in closets or flee secluded cabins after being attacked by hosts.

#Airbnb On New Year's Eve 2015, a young woman stayed at an Airbnb in New York, unaware that she would be the victim of a crime and that the company would try to keep it a secret. https://t.co/58wzbffCmd - Entrepreneur in Spanish (@SoyEntrepreneur) June 18, 2021

In October 2011, an Airbnb landlord in Barcelona alcoholized two American visitors and raped them. The next morning, when the girls went to the police, the attacker threatened to upload videos of the attack to the internet. Local authorities searched the apartment and found hundreds of photos that gave account of other attacks. The man was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while the young women received financial compensation, the amount of which is still unknown.

There is also the unfortunate case of a guest who was found naked in bed with the host's 7-year-old daughter.

So far, only one case against Airbnb has reached the United States court. It is about a tenant who accused the host of locking her in a bathroom and masturbating in front of her. His lawyer took the company to court for failing to fulfill its commitment to safeguard its users. In the end, the victim accepted a financial settlement in exchange for dropping the lawsuit.

They already saw it coming

Founded in 2008, Airbnb quickly established itself in the tourist accommodation sector, but its security policies have since been questioned.

One of the first investors they were able to reach was Chris Sacca , a Silicon Valley venture investor who injected capital into giants like Instagram , Twitter and Uber . After the founders' pitch, he gave them a warning that now sounds like a premonition.

Guys, this is super dangerous. Someone is going to be raped or killed, and their hands will be stained with blood , Sacca said bluntly and did not invest in the platform.

After that first crisis in 2011, the company created a 24-hour customer service line and formed the elite security team.

Airbnb noted that less than 0.1% of their rental homes have reported security problems . But, taking into account that each year more than 200 million reservations are made through the platform, this percentage actually represents a high number of cases. Only the most serious are transferred to the internal security team.

Many of the crimes that occur in Airbnb rentals could have happened elsewhere. In that sense, the platform is clear that, just as nightclubs cannot eradicate sexual attacks and hotels cannot stop human trafficking, the company cannot prevent some people from using Airbnb to commit crimes.

"You're dealing with real people in real people's homes ," Tara Bunch , Airbnb's director of global operations , told Bloomberg . "People are naturally unpredictable and, try as we might, occasionally really bad things happen ."

The executive adds that "we know that everything cannot be stopped" , but in the end what is important is the company's response to the unexpected.

"We go the extra mile to ensure that anyone affected on our platform is served," says Bunch. "We don't really care about the branding and image component ."

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
A representative for the owners and insurers of the massive cargo ship, Ever Given, says an agreement in principle has been reached with the Suez Canal Authority (SCA), CNN reports.

In a statement, director Faz Peermohamed of Stann Marine, says the two sides are securing the last details of the pact following weeks of discussions.

"We are now working with the SCA to finalize a signed settlement agreement as soon as possible. Once the formalities have been dealt with, arrangements for the release of the vessel will be made.

Acting lawyer for the SCA and head of the negotiating committee, Khaled Abu Bakr, confirmed the status.

In March, the quarter-mile-long vessel made headlines when it blocked the Suez Canal for six days.

Related: Large Container Ship Finally Freed From Suez Canal

After the ship was dislodged, the Suez Canal Authority filed a $900 million compensation claim against the ships owner, Japans Shoei Kisen Kaisha or Evergreen, seeking compensation for damages. Egypts government then impounded the ship along with its 18,300 containers of cargo, worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Even after Ever Given is released, the ship may not sail right away.

Related: What Can Warehouses Now Do to Minimize Suez Canal Damage

Clyde & Co. partner Jai Sharma says It might need some repairs or it may be permitted to sail slowly."

Sharma says the ship will most likely head to Rotterdam, its next scheduled destination --- a voyage that could take up to three weeks.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
DALLAS (AP)  Southwest Airlines plans to raise minimum pay to $15 an hour for about 7,000 employees, citing the need to attract and keep workers as the airline industry continues to recover from the pandemic.

Southwest said Friday that it intends for the raises to take effect on Aug. 1.

The airline said the raises will work out to 7% to 11% for new hires and cover call center operators, customer service agents, skycaps and others. For some, the company will have to negotiate with labor unions.

Southwest continually works to attract and retain the best candidates for open positions, said spokesman Brad Hawkins. As part of this ongoing effort, Southwest is increasing minimum pay rates so that all hourly employees will make at least $15 per hour.

Southwest's announcement comes as air travel picks up at the beginning of the summer vacation season after the pandemic turned last year's peak season into a disaster. The number of people going through security checkpoints at U.S. airports has topped 2 million seven times in the past two weeks, hitting levels not seen since early March 2020.

However, domestic travel this month is still running 27% below June 2019, according to figures from the Transportation Security Administration.

Dallas-based Southwest carries more passengers within the United States than any other airline and is less dependent than rivals American, Delta and United on business travel, which is still in a deep slump. Those factors have helped Southwest fare better than other airlines this year  it turned a small profit in the first quarter, thanks to federal pandemic relief, after losing $3 billion in 2020.

Southwest has about 56,000 employees, down from about 61,000 a year earlier, according to a regulatory filing. The company announced Wednesday that longtime CEO Gary Kelly will step down next February and be succeeded by Robert Jordan, the airline's executive vice president of corporate services.

News of the pay raises was reported earlier by Bloomberg.
Catchlight Photography, Owner/Photographer / Catchlight Photography

Houston knows what chef Chris Shepherd has done for the city through his Southern Smoke Foundation. Now, the charity getting some national recognition.

Luxury lifestyle magazine Robb Report honored Southern Smoke in a remix of its "Best of the Best" in dining ranking, honoring those who stepped in to help restaurants through an incredibly challenging year. Robb Report previously named Shepherd as its top chef in the world in 2019.
Late-night nerds, rejoice.

The nighttime dance party Mixers and Elixirs will return to the Houston Museum of Natural Science on July 17, with more planned for later in the year. The event offers the unique chance to have cocktails while roaming through the museum.

BULK WEDDING: This former Texas anchor celebrated her nuptials at Costco

Oh, and a dance party among dinosaurs.

This year will be like every other, except the museum will limit capacity of 1,500 partygoers. There will also be a pair of DJs and several food trucks.

"Because our museum is super large, for us we can still fit a bunch of people," Director of Promotions Ashley Zalta said. "Were not really changing much of anything. Our goal is to have the same exact experience we had pre-pandemic."

The summer series of events was put on pause in 2020 and comes back after much anticipation.

Those who are not vaccinated are asked to wear masks. Zalta also suggested buying tickets online to ensure a spot since there is limited capacity this year.

Mixers and Elixirs runs from 7 to 10 p.m. on July 17 and Aug. 13. Tickets are $25, although museum members will receive a discount.

There will also be a special Spirits and Skeletons party at the museum Oct 30. Details on that event have not been announced.
Laredo, Texas  The City of Laredo has completed its investigation into the photographs that circulated on social media channels Monday evening regarding the Laredo Animal Care Services (LACS) shelter.

As information was obtained during the investigation, City officials found that some of these images were not taken at the LACS shelter, some were taken last year during a previous administration, and some of the pets were surrendered to the shelter in an ailing state due to animal cruelty they endured with their owner.
Update: On June 24, Austin Police announced that 19-year-old Deondre Jermirris White has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting in Austin earlier this month that left one dead. White, who was arrested in Killeen, about 70 miles northwest of Austin, has been charged with Murder  1st Degree Felony, and is being held on $1 million bond.

Charges have been dropped against two teenagers as authorities zero in on third suspect in Austin's deadly mass shooting earlier this month.

During a somewhat uncomfortable news conference on June 22, Austin interim police chief Joseph Chacon and Travis County District Attorney Jose Garcia announced charges against De'Ondre Jermirris White in the June 12 shooting that left one dead and 13 injured on Sixth Street.

White, who is from Killeen, Texas, is not in custody. Chacon would not give additional details about his location, citing the ongoing investigation.

RELATED: 2nd arrest made in deadly downtown Austin mass shooting

Scott W. Coleman/Scott W. Coleman for Express-News

Charges against 17-year-old Jeremiah Tabb and another juvenile, who has remained unnamed because of his age, have been dropped.

Though Chacon noted the boys "were not innocent bystanders ... in the end they had weapons," Garza called the decision to drop the charges "necessary" and "in the best interest of the investigation."

As reporters pressed as to why the two would be released despite being allegedly armed and underage, Chacon said "it doesn't make sense to refile [charges] and have them dismissed."

"The paperwork has been processed, the decision to charge lies with the DA's office," Chacon later added as DA Garza stood next to the podium.

Garza, who like Chacon has only been in his new position for a few months, then countered, saying: "What I will say, what we are focused on, what our responsibility is, is to hold the person who committed murder and injured 13 people on our streets ... accountable."
The federal governments pandemic-related eviction moratorium, which was scheduled to expire June 30, has been extended to July 31, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention order released Thursday.

The CDC order says the purpose of the temporary halt is to slow the spread of COVID-19. Although millions of Americans are beginning to return to a sense of normalcy following their vaccinations, health officials warn that the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant across the United States  including in Texas  could be dangerous, especially among unvaccinated populations.

RELATED: CDC extends eviction moratorium a month, says it's last time

The order also extends a confusing period for Texas judges, tenants and property owners. Four months ago, on Feb 25, a federal judge in Texas ruled that the CDC moratorium is unconstitutional. As a result, the Texas Justice Court Training Center changed its eviction guidelines to allow individual judges to decide whether to uphold the moratorium, which first went into effect last September.

Its definitely a free-for-all, Sandy Rollins, executive director of the Texas Tenants' Union, told the Texas Tribune.

In recent weeks, Rollins said, she visited five courts across Dallas County, and only one judge even made mention of the CDC moratorium in eviction cases. Another judge, she said, discussed the impact of the City of Dallas local COVID-19 eviction moratorium but not the federal measure.

Rollins said she intends to visit five more courts throughout July before the moratorium expires.

My hope is that it is still protecting some people and that there might be cases not being filed as a result of tenants having filed the CDC declaration or judges who  when it gets to a courtroom  are saying Yeah, we're gonna acknowledge that you have signed this and that this is still in effect, she added.

READ ALSO: As Texas returns to normal, many are still struggling to pay rent

David Mintz, vice president of government affairs for the Texas Apartment Association, said rumors are flying around that the moratorium is unlikely to be extended after July, but, Who knows?

Mintz said tenants at risk of eviction should turn to the Texas Rent Relief Program for help rather than the federal moratorium. However, help from that program is often slow in coming or arrives too late, as the Texas Tribune reported in April.

Overall, the situation remains grim, as Rollins explained, particularly for the 800,000-plus extremely low-income renter households in the state. A 2020 report from The National Low Income Housing Coalition found that Texas only had 29 affordable and available rental homes per 100 extremely low-income renter households. Once the pandemic comes to a close, Rollins said, she expects a flood of evictions that will occur once everything ends.

And it's not going to be pretty.

The Texas Apartment Association has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
WORCESTER, Mass. (AP)  Two Massachusetts defense attorneys have been cleared of charges that they took part in a plot to make a key witness in a human trafficking trial unavailable to testify.

Blake Rubin, who ran for Worcester district attorney in 2018, was found not guilty by a judge Thursday of witness intimidation and conspiracy to commit witness intimidation.
HONOLULU (AP)  Three Honolulu police officers appeared in court on Friday to face charges in connection with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old Micronesian boy, the first cases of their kind against law enforcement in the city in more than 40 years.

The officers were not asked to enter pleas during the hearing, when they were officially informed of the charges that they face.

The April 5 shooting killed Iremamber Sykap, who police and prosecutors have said was driving a stolen car linked to an armed robbery, burglary, purse-snatching and car theft. Sykap led officers on a chase immediately before the shooting, authorities have said.

Officer Geoffrey H.L. Thom fired 10 rounds at Sykap through the rear window of the Honda using a 9 mm Glock semi-automatic firearm, prosecutors said. The five-year police department veteran fired the shots without provocation after the car came to a stop at an intersection, according to court documents.

Thom was charged with one count of second-degree murder. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of 20 years because of the kind of gun used in the shooting.

Fellow officers Zackary Ah Nee and Christopher Fredeluces, who also opened fire, are charged with second-degree attempted murder.

Prosecutors filed the charges after a grand jury declined to indict the three officers.

Attorneys for the three officers said in a statement that "it is clear that most in our community believe that filing these charges after an independent Grand Jury rejected them is concerning, to say the very least."

The statement added: While we recognize the tragedy of this situation, we as their attorneys will do all that we can to prevent wrongful convictions in this case.

The officers, who each wore blue aloha shirts, didn't speak in court. A judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for July 20.

Interim Police Chief Rade Vanic said in a statment: We continue to trust the judicial system, and we ask for everyones patience as this case makes its way through the courts.

Hundreds gathered outside the plaza in front of the downtown courthouse to show their support for the officers.

Many wore T-shirts saying Support our Officers and chanted free the three!

Brandon Wolff joined along with about 80 fellow members of the Longshoremen Brotherhood community service group.

Theyre not murderers, and they are heroes because what they did was they stopped these criminals who were on an active crime spree, he said.

Wolff said he was troubled that the officers were being made into the bad guys and rejected the notion that they are racist.

We know, because we live in these communities, how much of an asset they are to us. We know what they do. They protect us. They serve us daily," he said.

Wolff said police won't be able to adequately respond to threats and do their jobs if they are prosecuted like this. The good guys are going to die, he said.

Sykap was born in Guam, a U.S. territory, to a family from Chuuk in the Pacific island nation of Micronesia.

Some in the Micronesian community said the shooting highlighted the racism they face in Hawaii, belying the states reputation as a tolerant and diverse melting pot of ethnicities and cultures. Micronesians comprise a small minority in Hawaii, numbering about 15,000 to 20,000 out of a state of nearly 1.5 million.

Prosecutors say Thom hit Sykap with eight of the 10 shots he fired, striking the teenager in the back of the head, neck, back and left arm. The bullet that hit Sykap in the back of his head fractured his skull and entered his brain.

Court documents say the Honda was apparently in drive mode at the time. It started moving forward and struck an empty patrol car after the shots were fired.

Ah Nee fired four shots as the Honda climbed a sidewalk and went through a fence before landing in a canal, prosecutors said. Two of these rounds hit Sykaps brother, Mark Sykap, in the front passenger seat.

Fredeluces allegedly fired one shot at Iremamber Sykap but didn't hit him.

One passenger ran from the car before the shooting carrying a bag that police later found contained a starter pistol, prosecutors said in court documents. The police departments firearms expert concluded the pistol did not constitute a firearm, the documents said.

Prosecutors said they brought the charges after reviewing 1,300 pages of police reports, 70 body camera videos and more than 40 videos from cameras in the area. They also reviewed the use of force histories of the accused and other evidence.

Sykaps family has sued the city and police, alleging negligence, assault and battery.
Alex Brandon/AP

WASHINGTON (AP)  Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Friday that his government would do what it can to help secure the release of an American contractor abducted more than a year ago, though he said President Joe Biden didn't press him on the matter during a White House meeting.

Mark Frerichs, a contractor from Lombard, Illinois, was kidnapped in January 2020 from Kabul and is believed to be in the custody of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. U.S. officials have said Frerichs' captivity has been raised during negotiations with the Taliban, but they have not revealed anything about his suspected whereabouts or disclosed details of those discussions.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  Discontent over how Black students, faculty and staff have been treated for years at North Carolina's flagship public university is reemerging after the school refused to offer tenure to a prominent investigative journalist who's won awards for her work on systemic racism.

On Friday, several hundred students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill gathered on a quad near the chancellors office to demand that trustees reconsider tenure for Nikole Hannah-Jones, who won a Pulitzer Prize for her work on the 1619 Project examining the bitter legacy of slavery.

Demonstrators speaking through a bullhorn described years of frustrations over Black students' treatment on campus and held signs with messages including 1619  2021. Same Struggle, and I can give you 1,619 reasons why Hannah-Jones should be tenured.

A decision by trustees earlier this year to halt Hannah-Jones tenure submission, despite her predecessors receiving the distinction, sparked a torrent of criticism from within the community and ultimately revealed the depth of the frustration over the schools failure to answer longstanding concerns. Hannah-Jones' lawyers informed the school this week that she won't join the faculty without tenure.

The Carolina Black Caucus, a faculty group, reported after a meeting last week that a growing number of its members are considering leaving the school, prompting Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz to call for a meeting with caucus leaders.

The morale is low, said Patricia Harris, vice chairman of the caucus and director of recruitment for the school of education.

This is not an isolated incident. It's exacerbated what we've been seeing across campus, and even across the country when it comes to Black faculty, staff and students, she said. This is a systemic issue where the goal posts are constantly being moved for people of color.

The caucus was founded in 1974, when Black students were demanding the creation of a center for an African American studies program. The Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History opened in 2004. That three-decade delay is part of a history of problems experienced by Black people who either worked at or attended UNC.

A dissertation submitted to UNC in 2006 by then-Ph.D. candidate John K. Chapman pointed to struggles by the school's Black staff members in the 1960s, in the early years after the school officially desegregated. In 1991, the UNC Housekeepers Association initiated a sustained struggle to address the persistence of Jim Crow employment practices at the university, leading to a legal victory in 1996 that provided raises, increased training and a formal acknowledgment of the contributions of Black workers to the university, Chapman wrote.

While Chapel Hill is known far and wide as the Southern Part of Heaven, black campus workers and community residents commonly see the university as the Southern Part of Hell or the plantation," Chapman wrote. "This has to do with the universitys long history of white supremacy and its role as the dominant institution and main employer in Chapel Hill."

In 2019, the campus was roiled by a Confederate statue that had stood for years. Protesters toppled Silent Sam, but disputes over what to do with it led the chancellor at the time to resign and the campus police chief to retire. Under a legal settlement, the statue was turned over to a group of Confederate descendants.

In the current controversy, Hannah-Jones accepted a five-year contract to join the journalism schools faculty as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism after her tenure application stalled. The trustee who vets tenure applications chose in January to postpone review of Hannah-Jones submission because of questions about her nonacademic background, said Richard Stevens, the chairman of the board of trustees for the Chapel Hill campus. It was never brought before the full board for approval.

Student body President Lamar Richards, who's also a trustee, formally requested this week that the board convene a special meeting no later than Wednesday to vote on tenure for Hannah-Jones.

This is so much deeper than tenure," Richards said in an interview. "People of color have been disrespected at this university for so long that are academics. Even if she came here, she'd still be disrespected. Tenure does not guarantee respect. But what it does, it protects her work and that she's able to teach it the way she wants to teach it at Carolina.

In an interview before Friday's demonstration, Black Student Movement President and rising junior Taliajah Vann said its difficult for Black students to feel valued when there are few Black professors.

Ive had two Black professors in my entire time at Carolina so far, she said. So (university leaders) think that Im a great student and I deserve to be here, but you dont think that professors who look like me should be in the classroom teaching me? Its incredibly inappropriate.

Jasme Kelly, a 1995 UNC graduate whos Black, said recruiting and keeping talented Black faculty has been a problem since she was a student, and she cant blame faculty or students who dont want to stay.

Why would someone go where theyre not wanted? she said. Were losing talent. Were losing opportunities, and the state doesnt care.

___

Associated Press writer Jonathan Drew in Chapel Hill contributed to this report.
NEW YORK (AP)  Day after day, as the partisan battle lines hardened on Capitol Hill over President Joe Bidens domestic agenda, his calls for bipartisanship seemed increasingly out of step.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said his goal was to focus 100% on stopping Biden's agenda. Progressive Democrats, meanwhile, pushed Biden to use the brute force power of a majority, even the most slender one, to pass legislation without any GOP support.

But on Thursday, it was Biden, the Washington careerist schooled in the ways of compromise, standing in front of the White House, flanked by Democrats and Republicans alike, claiming a bipartisan deal had been struck on a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package.

And, like a dream sequence from another era, senators from both parties dutifully spoke about the virtues of not getting all you want and trying to reach something that has been highly elusive in Washington for more than a decade: consensus.

Its been a very long time since the last time our country was able to strike a major bipartisan deal on American infrastructure, which is so badly needed, I might add, Biden said. Weve devoted far too much energy to competing with one another and not nearly enough energy in competing with the rest of the world to win the 21st century.

Biden had campaigned on his ability to get deals done across the aisle, and Thursdays announcement was an undeniable victory, one that may give nervous moderate Democrats cover as they likely will be asked to support the rest of the presidents agenda on a party-line basis.

But the accomplishment itself was fragile, one that faces opposition on the liberal flank of his own party and one that is far smaller than Biden first proposed. And the presidents promise that he would sign the bipartisan deal only if a far larger, $4 trillion reconciliation bill  which would contain his other priorities  also came to his desk made very real the possibility that Thursdays celebration of bipartisanship may end up being fleeting.

A new era of good feeling it is not.

Still, Biden proved that all his stated intentions about working with Republicans were not simply to burnish his image as a moderate with swing voters.

From the moment he announced his 2020 campaign, his third try at the White House, he insisted that he could restore a sense of bipartisan comity to Washington. He seemed oblivious to hyperpartisanship that had gripped the capital, one building since the 1990s and dramatically accelerated under the divisive presidency of Donald Trump.

The quest to successfully reach across the aisle remained quixotic after he took office.

Although the nation was in the grips of the pandemic, not a single Republican lawmaker on Capitol Hill voted for the presidents $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill even though it enjoyed widespread support among GOP voters. Goaded by Trump, who had incited an insurrection at the Capitol to prevent the certification of Bidens very election, an increasing number of Republicans propagated the lie that the 2020 campaign was fraudulent and doubted the presidents legitimacy.

And McConnell, whom Biden frequently referred to as a friend with whom he could do business, had built a solid wall of defiance among Republicans bent on thwarting the president's agenda.

The Republicans vocal intransigence only fueled Democrats worries about Bidens approach, which many felt was a pointless waste of time. They asked why a president who promised to act with such urgency and who outlined a far-reaching liberal agenda to rival those authored by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson, would fritter away time courting obstructionist Republicans.

Historically, however, bipartisanship is not unusual for infrastructure packages  the last big infrastructure bill in 2015, costing over $300 billion, passed Congress overwhelmingly.

But the Democrats current margins are small: Only a handful of seats in the House while the Senate is 50-50, with ties broken by Vice President Kamala Harris. And with the clock ticking toward the midterms, many on the partys left flank urged Biden to ditch the effort at bipartisanship and go it alone.

But Biden had bet his political capital that he could work with Republicans and showcase that that American democracy can deliver and be a counterexample to rising global autocracies, and namely China.

This agreement signals to the world that we can function, deliver, and do significant things, the president said. These investments represent the kind of national effort that throughout our history has literally -- not figuratively  literally transformed America and propelled us into the future.

Biden and his aides also believed that they needed a bipartisan deal on infrastructure to create a permission structure for more moderate Democrats  including Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia  to then be willing to go for a party-line vote for the rest of the presidents agenda.

And some liberals, meanwhile, like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, have been floating the theory that giving the moderates in his party a win on this will help others on the left keep the pressure on to pass the bigger bill.

But there were limits to what was achieved.

Congress had to do an annual infrastructure bill by the end of September, which required 10 Republican votes, so the bill agreed to on Thursday, in essence, was simply expanding and accelerating a package that was already on the horizon.

Moreover, the new bill was for far less than the approximately $2 trillion he originally sought, which continued to raise some ire on the left. And while it focused on hard infrastructure  things like highways and subways and broadband  it left unaddressed so much of what Biden had proposed earlier this year, including sweeping reforms to housing, child care and efforts to combat climate change.

Those White House priorities, the administration said, would now be tackled separately in a congressional budget process known as reconciliation, which requires only a simple majority to pass. And Biden made clear that the two items would be done in tandem and that he would not sign the bipartisan deal without the other, bigger piece.

Both Manchin and Sinema signaled Thursday that they supported the approach, but some doubts remained about whether all the Democrats would stay in line to pass the massive piece of legislation.

But McConnell said that Bidens insistence on pairing the two bills  one of which would almost surely not receive GOP support  undermined his bipartisan outreach and almost makes your head spin.

An expression of bipartisanship, and then an ultimatum on behalf of your left-wing base, the Republican leader proclaimed.

But Biden was only reveling Thursday in achieving GOP support for the deal, an agreement that he said evoked his political North Star: the bipartisan spirit of yore. As if to symbolize his effort, the former Delaware senator even put his hand on the shoulder of a stoic-looking Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio as the president made a surprise appearance with a bipartisan group of senators to announce the basis for an accord outside the White House.

This reminds me of the days when we used to get an awful lot done up in the United States Congress, Biden said.

___

Jonathan Lemire has covered the White House and politics for The Associated Press since 2013.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP)  Kentucky's second-largest city has joined Breonna Taylor's hometown in banning the use of no-knock warrants.

The Lexington council voted 10-5 to ban no-knock warrants after more than three hours of debate Thursday night, news outlets reported.

Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton signed the ordinance into law on Friday, making it effective immediately, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Last year, the Metro Council in Louisville, Kentucky, voted to ban the controversial warrants, which permit officers to enter a home or residence without knocking. Taylor  a Louisville emergency medical technician studying to become a nurse  was fatally shot by police as officers burst into her home while conducting a narcotics investigation. No drugs were found at her home.

In Lexington, the new ordinance also sets out requirements for how knock-and-announce warrants are executed.

The Rev. Clark Williams, one of several Black faith leaders who pushed for more than a year for Lexington to ban no-knock warrants, said after the council vote: Im relieved that first of all, we got to vote on what weve been talking about all year. Its very sobering it was this hard to get a vote. Were happy with the outcomes, but it shows us we have a lot more work to do.

The final vote on the ban came after a substitute amendment  which would have added more restrictions on how no-knock warrants can be used  was narrowly defeated.

Gorton previously voiced opposition to totally banning no-knock warrants in Lexington. But she signed the ordinance into law after hearing from residents who supported the proposal during the councils public comment section Thursday, the Lexington newspaper reported.

It was democracy in action, and sometimes its messy, she said. Thats just how it goes ... Sometimes it got divisive. And its OK for people to disagree, but then we need to move on.

Kentucky lawmakers this year passed a partial ban on no-knock warrants. The measure, signed by Gov. Andy Beshear, only permits no-knock warrants if there is clear and convincing evidence that the crime being investigated would qualify a person, if convicted, as a violent offender.
GENEVA (AP)  China pressured Ukraine into withdrawing its support for a call for more scrutiny of human rights in China's western region of Xinjiang by threatening to withhold Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines destined for Ukraine unless it did so, diplomats told The Associated Press on Friday.

Ukraine briefly joined a statement by over 40 countries, presented by Canada at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, urging China to allow immediate access for independent observers to Xinjiang. Some human rights groups have alleged Chinese mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs and others in the region.

On Thursday, Ukraine pulled its name off the list of supporting states after Chinese authorities warned Kyiv that they would block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Ukraine unless it did so, said diplomats from two Western countries. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Ukraine has agreed to purchase 1.9 million doses of CoronaVac vaccine from Chinas Sinovac Biotech. As of early May, Ukraine had received 1.2 million doses, according to Health Minister Maxim Stepanov.

In the past, China's government has been no stranger to pressuring other countries in Geneva diplomatic circles or in national capitals either to line up behind its statements or avoid backing statements that criticize, question or seek scrutiny of human rights in the country.

But the alleged pressure would mark an escalation of intense recent efforts by Beijing to push back against criticism of its rights record, this time by potentially jeopardizing health - even lives - as a way to minimize international attention to it, the diplomats said.

One of the Western diplomats called it sign of bare-knuckles" diplomacy by China. The other diplomat cited reports of significant pressure in Kyiv, adding, last night the delegation told us they needed to pull out.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing and a spokesman for the Chinese diplomatic mission in Geneva in did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately respond to requests seeking comment.

The situation could still change. Under the practice of the 47-member council, countries can add their names to statements or resolutions up to two weeks after the end of a session. The current 3 1/2-week session that began Monday runs until July 13.

Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton said in a statement Tuesday that credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang. Norton's statement was initially backed by 41 countries and is now supported by 44. Ukraine was briefly country No. 45.

Norton also pointed to reports of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children from their parents by authorities in China.

Also Tuesday, a Chinese diplomat decried shortcomings in Canadas own rights record, pointing notably to abuses against Indigenous peoples. Belarus read a joint statement -- allegedly by 64 countries -- speaking out in defense of Chinas right to manage its own internal affairs such as with Hong Kong or Xinjiang.

A spokesman for the councils secretariat said Belarus had not provided a list of those 64 countries. Belarus' diplomatic mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking a list of those countries.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP)  Two South Bend brothers face charges in connection with a shooting that injured a man last month at a northern Indiana shopping mall, prosecutors said Friday.

Luke Murphy, 24, was charged with attempted murder and battery for allegedly firing more than a dozen shots at Shaqkil Cotton, 27, outside the University Park Mall in Mishawaka after the two men had argued.
A prosecutor told the judge at Derek Chauvin's sentencing Friday that the former Minneapolis police officer should face a maximum sentence because he violated an officer's most important job by failing to provide for George Floyd's care while trying to take him into custody.

Chauvin was being sentenced on a second-degree murder charge in the May 25, 2020 death of the Black man under the officer's knee.
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Students in the Clark County School District will receive notifications about gun safety in their registration packets when they start in the fall.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports the nation's fifth-largest school district on Thursday approved incorporating flyers on the importance of safely storing firearms in the home in materials for students.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  Senate lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to a spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 that adds hundreds of millions of dollars to the budget that Democratic Gov. John Carney proposed in January.

The Senate voted 20-to-1 for a $4.77 billion general fund operating budget for fiscal 2022. That represents an increase of almost 5% over the current years budget and roughly $65 million more than what Carney had recommended.

Senators voted unanimously for a supplemental budget bill of one-time expenditures that brings the increase over the current years $4.5 billion operating budget to more than 10%.

House members had signed off on the plan on Wednesday.

This is a responsible, sustainable financial plan that protects taxpayer dollars and invests in the future of our state, Carney said in a prepared statement.

With state revenue estimates having skyrocketed since last year's overly pessimistic forecasts, lawmakers included more than $221 million in one-time funds for a variety of expenditures next year. Carney had recommended only $35.7 million for one-time expenditures.

We would have liked to built some more things into the budget, said Sen. Trey Paradee, a Dover Democrat who co-chairs the budget-writing committee, noting that analysts expect a decline in revenues next year.

The budget bill includes $22.7 million for across-the-board pay raises of $500 or 1%, whichever is higher, for state employees. Lawmakers used the supplemental bill to pad those pay raises, allocating $54.6 million for one-time bonuses of $1,000 for government workers. They also approved almost $15.3 million for $500 bonuses to government retirees.

The spending plan also includes:

 $22 million in additional funding for disadvantaged students, a term that encompasses low-income students, students whose first language is not English, and students with disabilities

 $17.2 million to increase reimbursement rates for support professionals who work with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

 $16 million for student mental health services, including the placement of a mental health professional in every public elementary school

 $10.2 million for efforts to improve academic performance of students in public schools in Wilmington and northern New Castle County.

 $5.2 million to implement a statewide body-worn camera program for police officers.

The additional funding for disadvantaged students is part of Delawares obligations under the settlement of a school funding lawsuit brought by the ACLU and Community Legal Aid Society. The settlement required Carney to seek significantly higher funding from the legislature for disadvantaged students over the next several years. He also was required to propose legislation to make funding for disadvantaged students a permanent fixture in the state budget. A bill doing so is awaiting Carneys signature.

Looking ahead, lawmakers also set aside $72.7 million for an extra paycheck that state employees are slated to receive in fiscal 2023 because of a once-every-decade 27th pay cycle.

Even with the substantial additions to Carneys recommended budget, lawmakers were still left with hundreds of million dollars to spend next year. A significant chunk of that money will likely be added to the record-high $894 million capital budget that Carney requested in January.

Despite the spending increases, lawmakers added $223 million to a reserve fund that Carney created for budget planning purposes in 2018, bringing the current balance to $286 million. The reserve fund is separate from Delawares $252 million rainy day fund, which has never been tapped.

That gives us a lot cushion, Paradee said.
A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation Vermont:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Vermont is one of several states that enacted its own moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The law, passed in May 2020, paused all evictions in Vermont until 30 days after the state of emergency was lifted. It was declared by Gov. Phil Scott in March 2020 to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The state of emergency was allowed to expire on June 15, after the state reached its goal of vaccinating 80% of its eligible population. For cases of a breach of a rental agreement, the evictions could proceed immediately. For all other evictions, including nonpayment of rent and no-cause evictions, landlords would have been able to proceed after July 15. It's unclear how the federal extension will affect Vermont.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

On April 5, 2021, The Vermont Emergency Rental Assistance Program began administering $110 million for the Vermont State Housing Authority. It is accepting applications from tenants and landlords. Tenants can pay back rent to April 1, 2020, and utility bills that include electric, gas, fuel oil, wood and pellets. To qualify, a household must have an income at or below 80% of the median income for the area where they live. Landlords can be paid directly for both back and in some cases future rent.

While there are funds available, Vermont Public Radio reports that only 16% of the just over 3,000 applications submitted to the state have received funds.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

After the moratorium ends, there is going to be a backlog of eviction cases in the court system.

The courts were already understaffed, but Vermont State Rep. Tom Stevens, a Democrat who is the chair of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs, said he hoped the rental assistance programs will ease the strain on the courts and the evictions.

Considering that upward of 75% of eviction cases pre-COVID were about back rent, one would hope that the landlords and tenants would be able to work out a solution so they could both access this program, which is very, very generous, Stevens said.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

The pandemic made Vermonts already tight housing market even tighter, with owners in some places converting their apartments into short-term rentals.

According to the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition, in 2018 the state had a 4.1% rental vacancy rate  the fifth-lowest in the country. Almost half of Vermont renters are cost burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of their income for housing. The average Vermonter needs to earn $22.78 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment, but the average Vermont renter earns $13.40 an hour.

We are not approaching a housing crisis, we have a housing crisis, said Stevens.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Vermont. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data from early June showing more than 9,500 state residents are concerned that they could face eviction over the next two months.

____

This story has been updated to correct that state Rep. Tom Stevens is the chair of the House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs, not the vice chair.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Louisiana:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Louisiana is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The measure expired on June 5, 2020, leaving only the CDC moratorium. Housing advocacy groups have urged Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, to implement another Louisiana-based freeze on evictions, so far to no avail.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Louisiana received a $308 million share of federal rental assistance passed by Congress in December to help tenants and landlords affected by the pandemic. More money is expected from the federal coronavirus relief package passed earlier this year.

Edwards announced in March that the state would divvy up $161 million of the December allocation through a program run by the Louisiana Housing Corporation covering rental assistance in 57 of Louisiana's parishes. The remaining money would go to the seven largest parishes  Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Orleans and St. Tammany  directly from the U.S. Treasury to run their own programs.

Through the state program, the rental assistance can go toward past-due rent and utility fees dating back to April 2020, along with up to three months of future rent payments for those deemed eligible. Priority is given to households where one person has been unemployed for more than 90 days and to households earning less than 50% of the area median income. But others are eligible.

Assistance is moving slowly.

By mid-June, $8.8 million in rental and utility assistance had been paid through the program, with another $1.1 million approved for tenants, according to the Louisiana Housing Corporation. Nearly 20,000 tenants have started applications for the aid, but only about 1,700 have been approved.

Meanwhile, frustrated tenants seeking aid from the parish-run programs also have complained about the sluggish pace of help.

I think it is a dereliction of government's duty to let landlords put people on the street when there is money on the table to help them, said Cashauna Hill, executive director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center. We need to adjust the timelines to end the moratorium until theres been enough time to distribute the money.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction hearings have continued in Louisiana throughout the pandemic.

Laura Tuggle, the New Orleans-based executive director of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, said landlords have found ways to avoid the federal freeze on evictions by using other reasons to oust people from their housing, such as noise levels or property damage.

Our attorneys, they would say, What eviction moratorium?" Tuggle said. In Louisiana, our staff are busier than they have ever been because evictions have never stopped.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Louisiana is ranked among the middle of states for apartment affordability, according to a 2020 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Vacancy rates across the state were about 8% before the pandemic, above the 7% national average. But that doesn't necessarily hold true in the New Orleans area, which struggled with affordable housing shortages even before the pandemic.

As of May, the median monthly rent in the New Orleans and Metairie area had risen 8% over the last year to $1,350, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment rose 11% in the area to $1,550. One factor prompting the increase is pandemic-related delays in building more multi-family homes.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Louisiana. One indication of the scope of the problem is U.S. Census data showing nearly 69,000 state residents expressing concern that they could be evicted over the next two months.

But the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center and dozens of other advocacy groups warned Edwards in a letter that more than 101,000 households in Louisiana have reported being behind on their rent payments  nearly half of them households with children.

Tuggle worried the end of the federal eviction moratorium, combined with Edwards announcement that hell turn off federal pandemic unemployment assistance at the end of July, will cause an explosion in homelessness.

Once landlords can file for nonpayment of rent, the defenses are extremely limited in the state of Louisiana, she said.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Indiana:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Indiana is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The measure expired in August, though. The CDC's moratorium has been in place since September.

Andrew Bradley, policy director for Prosperity Indiana, said more than 45,000 eviction filings have been made in Indiana during the pandemic, including nearly 16,000 in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Housing officials said theyre reaching out to landlords in an attempt to reduce the number of impending evictions and are encouraging anyone who may be at risk of eviction to apply for rental assistance through their areas housing authority.

Andrew Merkley, a housing specialist for the Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety, said more funding from the federal American Rescue Plan can be budgeted toward rental assistance if state and local governments choose to do so, noting that Indianapolis has already granted more than $10 million to nearly 4,000 households within the past two months.

Jacob Sipe, executive director of the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, said the state's emergency program required only $10 million of the $371 million Indiana received from the federal government to administer rental assistance programs, however. Although that funding has assisted more than 7,000 renters by providing up to four monthly payments of up to $500, or a years worth of utility bills, Sipe said program applications have slowed in recent weeks.

By September, 60%, or $222.6 million, of the money needs to be spent or earmarked. All of the money must be spent or assigned to renters by the end of the year.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Anticipating spikes in eviction petitions filed after the statewide moratorium lifted last summer, the Indiana Supreme Court's Landlord Tenant Task Force encouraged landlords and tenants to talk to each other, explore options, discuss payment plans and put all agreements in writing. Procedures and practices have varied across the state, though many courts have launched mediation programs to provide an alternative to evictions.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Indiana has a gap of 127,000 affordable units statewide, with only 37 affordable and available units per 100 families, Bradley said. He added that although Indiana is a low cost-of-living state, small towns and rural communities have reported higher eviction rate surges than in larger municipal areas.

People who (are low income), theyre spending a lot of their income on housing, Bradley said. So if they lost any income during COVID, that really quickly puts them under water.

As of May, the median monthly rent in the Indianapolis metropolitan area had risen by 9.7 % over the last year, to $1,093, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a one-bedroom apartment rose by 8.7%, while two-bedroom units jumped by 14.1%.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

A spike in evictions is expected once the CDC moratorium expires, which is what happened when the state's moratorium expired last year, said Amy Nelson, executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.

Although no statewide data exists, Indiana housing experts estimated that roughly 13% of tenants  about 106,000 Indiana households  are at risk of eviction. Recent census data showed that 56,000 state residents were concerned they could be evicted within two months.

___

Casey Smith 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.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Maine:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Maine never had a moratorium on evictions at the state level. However, courts were closed early in the pandemic and that delayed most evictions except during emergency situations. Court rules banned most evictions in mid-March and those rules stayed in effect until Aug. 1, 2020. People can now be evicted for reasons other than back rent.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

There were several iterations of rent relief in Maine. Gov. Janet Mills and MaineHousing created a $5 million rent-relief program in April 2020, offering a direct payment of up to $500 paid directly to landlords for tenants meeting certain criteria. On July 30, 2020, Mills extended that program through the end of the year, providing up to $1,000 per month for tenants who meet certain income-based eligibility requirements. On Dec. 31, the rent assistance all came to an end. But it restarted on March 1 with the benefit of $200 million provided by Congress. The state is awaiting an additional $150 million in federal relief.

In Maine, the rental assistance is distributed by MaineHousing through community action programs. There have been some notable delays processing applications in some places.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Evictions in Maine continue to be held remotely and the state appears to have had fewer evictions than some other states. There has been no pandemic spike in evictions even though evictions are now proceeding, said Greg Payne, director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition. There's no firm count on the total number of evictions during the pandemic. But Maine court data indicates there were 28% fewer eviction filings in the 2020 fiscal year compared to the previous year.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Maine's urban centers are facing a housing crunch, and some places, including Portland, have extremely tight real estate markets. The Maine Association of Realtors reports that median home values grew by double digits every month starting in July 2020. Statewide, the increase was 28% per the latest data available in May. The median value of a home in the state's most populous county, Cumberland, was $330,00 in March 2020 and grew to $433,750 by May 2021.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Maine. But that's a worry and shelters have been busy during the pandemic. A bill that was just approved in the Maine Legislature requires MaineHousing to partner with Pine Tree Legal Assistance to ensure every tenant understands their rights and the eviction process and, if eligible, receives rental assistance. It also requires landlords to provide a form to tenants explaining their rights. The governor signed the bill into law.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in North Carolina:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

North Carolina is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The directive from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is set to expire on June 30. Cooper extended other COVID-19 restrictions earlier this month, but he has not yet announced whether hell extend the eviction moratorium.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

North Carolinas Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) program offers rent and utility assistance to low-income renters in 88 of the smallest counties in the state. Twelve larger counties are managing their own programs.

North Carolina has set aside roughly $1.3 billion to help tenants cover their housing and utility costs, with nearly $1 billion going to the HOPE program and $300 million to the 12 larger counties.

The state estimates it has awarded a total of about $171 million to 47,462 households that qualify for the HOPE program but does not have data on households served and money spent thus far from the 12 county programs.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction hearings are expected to be increasingly handled in person as more of the state reopens. Tenants rights advocates and realtors groups anticipate an uptick in hearings once the moratorium expires. North Carolinians can still be evicted now for reasons unrelated to nonpayment of rent, such as property destruction.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Demand greatly outpaces supply in many of North Carolinas rental markets, stemming from a shortage in affordable housing. Cathy Robertson, chair of the property management division for the North Carolina Association of Realtors and vice president of a Winston-Salem-based property management company overseeing 800 housing units, said she sees somewhere between eight and 12 applicants for every one property T.E. Johnson & Sons posts online.

We have the lowest inventory in history, and thats a long history of our company, Robertson said of the company that has served the Winston-Salem area since 1928.

U.S. Census data shows the median monthly gross residential rent in the state was $931 in 2019, up by 6% from 2015. Over that same five-year stretch, rent rose in urban areas by 12% in Wake County, 13% in Mecklenburg County and 14% in Durham County.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its difficult to say how much homelessness is likely to increase, though there are some data points that suggest a substantial rise may soon be on the horizon.

According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, nearly 1 in 10 North Carolina tenants have no confidence theyll be able to make next months rent. Survey data shows 30% of respondents believe it is either somewhat likely or very likely that they will be evicted from their home by early August.

Legal Aid of North Carolina, a nonprofit law firm that helps low-income renters facing the threat of eviction, has 12 workers who now take more than 2,000 calls a day, a four-fold increase in typical call volume before the pandemic. About 70% of the calls they receive are coming from tenants seeking help on housing matters. The organization expects legal assistance needs to only increase as the eviction moratorium deadline approaches and more people get sent to court for eviction hearings.

___

Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

___

Anderson 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.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in New Hampshire:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

New Hampshire is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The measure expired last summer, leaving only the CDC moratorium. The state also has a measure requiring landlords to give tenants 30 days to pay back rent, up from the previous seven days. But that measure applies only to unpaid rent during a short stretch of 2020  form March 17 to June 11.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

New Hampshire will get $352 million in federal money to help tenants with outstanding rent, utility payments and other expenses. Last year, it dedicated $20 million from the federal CARES Act and ended up providing $15.6 million to 4,611 tenants. It reallocated the remaining money to other programs. This year, the state has begun allocating $180 million in federal emergency rental assistance. Rockingham County was allocated an additional $20 million. The money can go toward 15 months of rent and other expenses, including internet access. Renters who pay 30% of their income toward rent and have 80% of the area median income qualify. So far, the state estimates it has distributed about $18 million to 3,000 tenants, acknowledging the process has been slowed by federal requirements for a range of documents.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction hearings in New Hampshire continue to be held remotely, and the CDC moratorium has meant that most eviction lawsuits have been stayed. But Stephen Tower, a staff attorney with New Hampshire Legal Assistance, said some district courts have been allowing eviction lawsuits to proceed while staying a ruling until after the moratorium ends. As a result, evictions dropped dramatically in 2020 and so far in 2021. According to the New Hampshire Finance Authority, evictions were down in 2020 by about half  to just over 2,000 statewide. They dropped to several hundred so far in 2021.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

New Hampshire has long had one of the countrys tightest rental housing markets, driven in part by a strong economy, rising demand for housing and a shortage of affordable housing. From 2015 to 2020, rent for a two-bedroom apartment increased 22%, according to the state finance authority. Vacancy rates were less than 2% before the pandemic, far below the national average. One factor for is pandemic-related delays in building more multi-family homes.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

It's hard to say how much homelessness will increase in New Hampshire. Tower, of New Hampshire Legal Assistance, expects both evictions and eviction lawsuits to spike after the moratorium lifts. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data from early June showing 11,882 state residents concerned that they could face eviction over the next two months.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Alaska:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

The Alaska Legislature last year put in place moratoriums on the disconnection of utility service or evictions because of nonpayment of rent, both of which expired last year. There is, however, still the CDC moratorium related to evictions.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

The Alaska Housing Finance Corp., a public corporation, is administering a program using about $240 million in federal recovery aid money to provide up to a year of rental or utility payment assistance for those affected by the pandemic who meet eligibility requirements. Under the program, past-due rent and utilities back to March 13, 2020, are to be paid first, with remaining funds going toward future assistance. Funding is expected to be available at least through September, the corporation states. The program allowed renters who did not owe back rent to also apply.

The application period closed in March, and the first payments were approved at the end of that month, said Stacy Barnes, a corporation spokesperson. The corporation has reported paying about $51.8 million to landlords and utilities through June 18.

About 25,450 applications met income eligibility requirements, which represents about 28% of Alaska's rental units, according to the corporation.

The municipality of Anchorage and 15 regional housing authorities partnered with the corporation as part of the program, Barnes said.

Barnes said the program provides "an important bridge for renting families who have and may still be struggling through the pandemic as our economy recovers.

She said it also gives peace of mind to the landlords who are dependent on the income and keep the overall housing market healthy. More than 8,000 landlords, many who own multifamily dwellings like duplexes, are participating, Barnes said.

About 3,600 program applicants had reported receiving eviction notices, she said by email.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

During a four-month span starting in February, 360 eviction cases were filed in Alaska courts, according to information provided by the state court system. Most of those were in Anchorage, Alaska's largest city.

The court system provided numbers only and not the reasons for the eviction proceedings.

The court system, on a frequently asked questions page, provides a link to the form tenants seeking temporary eviction protection under the soon-to-expire CDC order could use. The site notes tenants are still responsible for rent due under their lease agreements.

If an eviction case began before a tenant provided their landlord a declaration form and a form subsequently was submitted to the landlord or court, judges have been required to stop the case until the CDC order ends, the court system says.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

That is not immediately clear.

Brian Wilson, executive director of the Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness, by email said there is concern surrounding the issue because it is already a struggle to meet the needs of individuals "who are currently at risk of or literally experiencing homeless. If theres a wave of evictions, there is no feasible way we will have the resources" to prevent families and individuals from falling into homelessness.

A U.S. Census survey of about 10,175 Alaskans, released earlier this month, showed about 3,820 respondents were concerned they could be evicted in the next two months.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Utah:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Utah was one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings during the strictest pandemic-related lockdowns in spring 2020, but it has long since expired, leaving only the CDC moratorium. The U.S. Census estimates that 16,000 people in Utah are now at risk of eviction and foreclosure.

The CDC moratorium applies only to people who can't pay rent, and evictions for other reasons have continued in Utah, said Aro Han, a program attorney at Peoples Legal Aid.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Utah has about $180 million in federal funding to help tenants with outstanding rent, utility payments and other expenses. The state had paid out $23.5 million in rental assistance by the end of May, after receiving about 7,600 applications, according to the state Department of Workforce Services.

The money can go toward rent and other expenses, like utilities and past-due rent. Renters who make 80% of the area's median income and have financial hardship or instability because of COVID qualify. There is some assistance available not related to COVID. Still, there are some landlords who are reluctant to accept emergency rental assistance, said Francisca Blanc, advocacy and outreach coordinator with the Utah Housing Coalition.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction filings dropped significantly in April 2020 with the moratorium in place, and for most of rest of the year were at about half of their 2019 totals, with the exception of August, according to the Housing Coalition.

Still, their records show that hundreds of people were still evicted every month in 2020.

People who need help paying rent can apply for emergency assistance at rentrelief.utah.gov.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Utahs housing market has grown increasingly tight in recent years, and that trend only ramped up during the pandemic, with purchase prices jumping about 31% in a year, according to the Salt Lake Board of Realtors, leaving more people in the rental market.

Rent prices, meanwhile, have also kept climbing, growing 9.4% over the past year, according to a June report from the site apartmentlist.com. Thats markedly sharper than prices in the nation as a whole, which grew 5.3% over the last year, that report found.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

The end of the moratorium is absolutely expected to increase homelessness, Blanc said. The first quarter of 2021 has already seen an increase in homelessness because of evictions, she said.

Han doesn't expect a precipitous increase in evictions, but she worries about another provision of Utah law that allows landlords to collect triple the daily rent if a tenant overstays the 3-day window they have to vacate a property.

So if a tenant fell on hard times during the pandemic and vacated one month after an eviction notice expired, he or she will actually be liable for the equivalent of three months of rent, Han wrote in an email. I expect to see a significant spike in debt collection cases and bankruptcy filings, directly linked to housing debt.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes in many states. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in New Hampshire:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

New Mexico is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. It covers evictions for tenants who are unable to pay rent. Evictions continue for other reasons. The state Supreme Court will decide when to lift the state moratorium and has not set an expiration date yet.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

New Mexico and two major counties have set aside $171 million to help tenants with outstanding rent, utility payments and other expenses. Last year, the state dedicated $13 million from the federal CARES Act to mortgage and rental assistance. This year, the state has access to $157 million in federal emergency rental assistance. The money can go toward 15 months of rent and other expenses, including internet access. So far, the state estimates it has distributed about $3 million, acknowledging that many eligible tenants have not applied.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

State and municipal judges are under orders to halt the final step in the eviction process for an inability to pay rent. Tenants must provide courts with evidence of their current inability to pay rent.

Statistics from the New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts say evictions fell by 40%, or 1,977 annual evictions, for the 12-month period ending in February from the same period immediately before the pandemic struck.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Housing affordability is in line with the national average across much of New Mexico. Prior to the pandemic, New Mexico was just below the national average in its share of cost-burdened housing renters who devote at least 30% of income to housing costs.

New Mexico's current vacancy rate is similar to the roughly 7% national average, though the housing market is much tighter in the state capital city of Santa Fe.

State housing authorities say that overcrowding and poor housing conditions have contributed to the high rates of COVID-19 cases and deaths among New Mexicos Native American population.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in New Mexico. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 12,560 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.

Maria Griego, an attorney with the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, fears that some landlords may be reluctant to pursue emergency rental assistance as property and rental prices surge and current lease agreements expire.
HONOLULU (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Hawaii:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Hawaii has its own moratorium imposed by an emergency declaration from Gov. David Ige. It's due to last through Aug. 6, giving local renters an extra week to get ready.

Ige said he hopes measures to encourage landlord-tenant mediation, efforts to get people back to work and rent-relief programs will help the situation.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Hawaiis counties are providing federal relief money to those needing help covering their rent and utility bills. On Oahu, Catholic Charities Hawaii and the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement are processing $114 million for those behind on rent and utility bills going back to March 13, 2020. It will be in effect through December 2021.

On Monday, Ige signed legislation encouraging landlords and tenants to mediate disputes as a means to prevent evictions. The new law also aims to stop an avalanche of cases overwhelming the courts when the moratorium expires.

It requires landlords to notify a mediation center if they are terminating a rental agreement to prevent landlords from going directly to court. It also delays when a landlord may take possession of a unit if a tenant schedules mediation, potentially giving tenants time to work things out. The measure allocates funds to mediators who may negotiate rent reductions and payment plans and help landlords and tenants obtain rental assistance money.

Aloha United Way has been training staff who answer its 211 helpline on the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. They are ready to refer people to mediators and places where they can apply for rental assistance.

Lisa Kimura, who oversees Aloha United Ways COVID-19 response programs, said mediation programs have successfully kept people housed in the past. She hopes that will be the case under the new law.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

The existing moratorium currently prohibits evictions because a tenant has fallen behind on their rent.

Ray Kong, director of litigation at Lawyers for Equal Justice, said he has heard of landlords attempting to get around the moratorium by filing broad cases to evict people for damaging property or otherwise violating lease terms. If tenants dont show up in court to answer these cases, a default judgement may be issued against them. Kong said its vital that tenants show up in court so a judge can determine whether a case should go to mediation.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Hawaii is a notoriously expensive place to live. Theres a limited supply of housing given population growth has outpaced housing development for decades. Many of the states jobs are in hospitality businesses like hotels and restaurants that dont pay well, making it a challenge for many to afford housing even when there is no pandemic or economic crisis.

As of June 1, the median monthly rent for Oahu units advertised on Craiglist was $1,800, slightly below $1,825 in March 2020, according to data compiled by Justin Tyndall, assistant professor of economics at the University of Hawaiis Economic Research Organization. Rents dipped as far as $1,600 in December during the pandemic but bounced back.

Ricky Cassiday, an independent real estate market analyst, said rental prices on other islands like Maui have gone up more given tourism has rebounded faster there than on Oahu. Thats because the robust pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S. has fueled a surge in tourists from the mainland, who dominate travel to those islands. Oahu, meanwhile, is normally also heavily visited by travelers from Japan, South Korea and Australia, where vaccinations have lagged.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Nicky Winter, the executive director of Achieve Zero, which is contracted by the state to provide services to homeless from Aiea to Kapolei and Mililani to Oahus North Shore, said she is concerned the expiration will lead to a spike in homelessness.

I dont know that anybody can fully prepare for the onslaught of those that will be in trouble come August when the moratorium ends, she said.

During the pandemic, her agency received 15 to 20 calls a day from people seeking help paying rent compared with four to five calls a week before COVID-19. One caller was behind $24,000, or 10 months worth.

Even if Achieve Zero is able to help an evicted family find new housing, she noted the tenants will still be responsible for back rent they owe and will have to figure out how to pay it off.

Nonprofits like hers are doubly challenged by limited funding and difficulties they are encountering hiring staff while demand for their services grows.

I would really wish that everybody retain their sense of aloha and know that we have to work together. But well get through it, Winter said.
A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year has been extended from June 30 until July 31. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without more time, advocates foresee a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Rhode Island:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

The only protection against eviction currently in place in Rhode Island is the federal governments moratorium. The state never imposed its own ban, though the legal proceedings were effectively halted while state courts were shuttered during the early months of the pandemic, said Brenda Clement, director of Housing Works RI, an advocacy and research group based at Roger Williams University. The Legislature is considering bills that would enact a statewide moratorium, but so far no action has been taken.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Democratic Gov. Daniel McKee launched RentReliefRI this spring using $200 million in federal money. Rhode Island Housing, the state agency overseeing the effort, said it has provided more than 100 families with more than $1 million in assistance to date. More than 2,500 others are in the process of being certified, according to U.S. Sen. Jack Reed's office. The program helps cover rent and utilities owed back to last April as well as up to three months of upcoming rent. Applicants can receive up to 18 months of assistance. The state also provided a combined $13.5 million to roughly 3,000 households through two other rent-relief programs launched during the pandemic that have since wound down: HousingHelpRI and Safe Harbor.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Hearings are proceeding in person by appointment, but executing court orders for non-payment of rent have been put on hold until the lifting of the federal moratorium, said Craig Berke, spokesperson for the state court system. Decisions in residential eviction cases in which there are safety concerns, such as property damage or change in ownership, however, are being enforced, he said. Through June 15, there were roughly 1,300 eviction filings for non-payment of rent, compared with more than 1,500 through the same period last year and more than 3,000 in 2019, according to court data.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

As of May, the median monthly rent in the Providence metro area had risen 9% over the last year to $1,750, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment rose 12% to $1,975. The vacancy rate in Providence is about 5.8%, down from about 6.1% last year, according to Rhode Island housing. Statewide its around 3.3%, down from 4.24% this time last year.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Lifting the eviction moratorium will be devastating to Rhode Island, which already had the highest eviction rate in New England, even before the pandemic, said Kristina Contreras Fox, a policy analyst at the Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness. We have virtually no housing stock, she said. So when Rhode Islanders get evicted, they and their families have literally nowhere to go. Brenda Clement, of Housing Works RI, added theres already a waiting list for homeless shelters and more than 100 people have been temporarily placed in hotels across the state as a result. Another indication of the looming problem is census data showing nearly 6,000 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.
The first wallpaper designed to spruce up the 19 empty storefronts in the village area has been placed on the most recently vacated business, the former New Balance shoe store located at 128 Main Street.

The number of storefronts without businesses has decreased from 11 to 9 percent, or from 23 to 19 total, according to a count conducted by Hearst Connecticut Media on June 25, in comparison to its last count on May 3.

There is some optimism at the recent Tourism and Economic and Advisory Committee. Seems like spaces are starting to become active again, and there is a lot of looking around, TEDAC Chairman Tucker Murphy said at the June 24 meeting. The good news is we many not need as many (murals) as we thought,

The murals feature pictures of cultural and town buildings in New Canaan. The wallpaper on the windows of New Balance store includes hand-drawn pictures of the Playhouse, Waveny House, the firehouse, the police department building, New Canaan Town Hall and the train station.

I think it really looks great, Murphy added.

There are 207 street-level storefronts and an additional three will be added soon as a mixed-use building is completed at 240 Locust Ave.

There has been some hopeful changes, with certain locations coming off of the vacant list, including one on South Avenue, where Life Aquatic was and a Groove pop-up store has gone in; at 1 Morse Court, where a notice of a license application for a liquor store is on the door where the Azzul shoe store had been and The Marvelous Marylyn Malkin has moved in at 139 Elm St. where a Verizon store was.

A popo up store has moved into 137 Elm St. called Vintage College Memorabilia, where Irresistibles was. Owner Steven Melillo believes there are plans for another business to go in after he leaves.

A sign hinting the arrival of Luscious & Co. Beauty is currently at 107 Main St., where Wave had been. This location was not on the original vacant list, since a nonprofit inhabited it temporarily.

Two additional stores, New Balance and a small beauty salon at 2 Cross Street, became vacant in the last six weeks

(The) next effort is to get (wallpaper) in other places, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce Laura Budd said. I think they look great, they are very clean, they are nice.

Budd spoke with realtors, partially to help build enthusiasm for the murals, including one for Main Street properties between Connecticut Muffin and Blue Mercury, which receives the most criticism for appearance in the village.

Those locations are owned by an out-of-town landlord, who does not seem interested, which is a shame, Budd said. Budd also spoke with the realtors about ways the town could help new businesses.

The banners span from 45, 75 or 115 inches tall, which leaves room for people to see inside the facility. The banners have information on the bottom including rental information on one side and a description of the local building featured in the picture on the other side.

The group is hoping to include a QR, or quick response code, a type of bar code that can be linked to information about the rental or the subject of the drawing.

The $300 per panel price for wallpaper will be split between TEDAC and the building owners, Murphy said.

At a previous meeting, TEDAC members voted in favor of recommending First Selectman Kevin Moynihan spend up to $2,500 on the project from the economic development budget.

The vacancy count focused on typical street level storefronts, which meant closed businesses, such as Thali restaurant on Main Street were not counted, since it does not have a typical storefront.

In keeping with that criteria, Citi Bank on the corner of Park and Elm Streets was counted in the total number of storefronts.

Each business counted as one, no matter the size of the location, and unoccupied store fronts were counted by street-facing doors.

Positive changes since May:

1. 9 South Ave.: Groove pop-up store has moved in, after Life Aquatic had moved out.

2. 1 Morse Court:,Formerly Azzul shoe store, has a notice of license application for a liquor store on the door.

3. 107 Main St.: Has a sign saying Coming Soon: Luscious & Co. Beauty, where Wave had once been.

4. 137 Elm St.: Has a pop up store, called Vintage College Memorabilia, where Irresistibles was.

5. 139 Elm St: The Marvelous Marylyn Malkin has moved in where Verizon had once been.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  A contingent of 50 law enforcement officers from Florida began deploying to the Mexican border Friday, as Gov. Ron DeSantis made true on his vow to heed calls from his fellow Republican governors in Arizona and Texas to help bolster patrols along the country's southern border.

DeSantis, who is up for reelection next year and is widely considered a potential Republican frontrunner for the White House in 2024, is among a group of GOP governors who have followed former President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration measures, seeking to revive a potent political weapon against Democrats for the 2022 midterm elections. Critics have slammed the move as political theater.

Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in El Paso, Texas, on Friday after being criticized for not having been to the border despite being tasked by President Joe Biden to address the root causes of migration that has brought thousands to the U.S. border.

Im glad to be here. It was always the plan to come here, and I think were gonna have a good productive day, the vice president said after arriving in El Paso.

DeSantis has been vocal in his criticism of President Joe Biden's administration.

We are witnessing a catastrophe at the southern border under the Biden Administration," DeSantis said in a statement.

Large numbers of migrants have been showing up at the border, many turning themselves over to U.S. Border Patrol agents in hopes of staying to fight asylum cases. But the numbers of families and children traveling without their parents crossing into the U.S. have dropped sharply since March and April while the encounters with single adults have remained high.

DeSantis arrived in the state's Panhandle on Friday to see off some of the departing law enforcement personnel, who will be deployed for 16-day shifts.

They will get there and they will be ready to go on Monday, he said, adding that he, too, would soon be headed to the border. We look forward to being able to see them in action.

The personnel will be at the disposal of Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who issued a call to their fellow governors earlier this month for help  charging that the Biden administration has proven unwilling or unable to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. GOP governors in Idaho, Iowa and Nebraska also have vowed to send personnel.

DeSantis did not say where exactly the Florida personnel would be deployed and what duties they would be performing.

The governor tried to blunt criticism that deploying officers elsewhere would leave their communities with fewer law enforcement personnel to patrol the streets at home. DeSantis argued that tightening security at the border would help keep Floridians safer by helping stop the flow of contraband, including drugs, from flowing into his state.

This has an impact all over the United States, DeSantis said at his press conference.

Legal experts say the U.S. Supreme Court has made clear that the power to enforce immigration law is in the hands of the federal government.

I understand wanting to cooperate with other states, but it seems to me that addressing whats happening right here in Florida ought to be a priority, said U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a former Republican governor, though now a Democrat, who has launched a bid to take on DeSantis in next years election. It seems as though the governor wants to call everything a crisis.

Overall, there were 180,034 encounters on the Mexican border in May compared with 178,854 a month earlier. Although the numbers are historically high, they are not comparable to previous years because speedy expulsions under pandemic-related powers have translated into people making repeated attempts at crossing.
George Floyd's brothers asked a judge Friday to impose a harsh sentence against the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder and manslaughter in his death.

On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty, Terrence Floyd said in delivering one of four victim impact statements during Derek Chauvin's sentencing hearing. "We dont want to see no more slaps on the wrist. Weve been through that already.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP)  A federal appeals court said Friday it would rehear a dispute over a Trump administration ban on bump stocks, a device that allows semiautomatic firearms to fire rapidly.

The decision comes three months after a three-judge panel at the court said a federal judge in Kalamazoo, Michigan, should have blocked the ban.
GOSHEN, Ind. (AP)  A man has been sentenced to 127 years in prison for his role in the 2019 torture-slaying of a northern Indiana woman whose body was found inside a trash bin dumped in southern Michigan.

An Elkhart County judge sentenced Mario Angulo Jr., 20, on Thursday. Angulo was convicted in April along with Donald Owen Jr., 22, of murder in Kimberly Dyers October 2019 killing.
TOKYO (AP)  Battered Japanese nuclear and electronics giant Toshiba Corp. faced off with shareholders Friday, seeking to shake off serious questions about governance at the once revered brand.

After a meeting lasting nearly three hours, Tokyo-based Toshiba failed to win shareholder approval for the reappointment of Chairman Osamu Nagayama and one other member of the board of directors. The other nine candidates were approved.

The company had removed two nominations in a last-minute attempt to placate disgruntled stockholders.

Nagayama had come under pressure to resign after an independent investigation that said Toshiba officials colluded with the Japanese government to curb foreign investors influence at last year's shareholder meeting.

Major shareholders and investment fund Effissimo instigated that investigation, alleging that last years meeting, in which Effissimo had nominated dissident directors, wasnt carried out fairly. They demanded Nagayama's ouster at Fridays meeting.

He bears the greatest responsibility in nominating candidates and has ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the board, Effissimo said in a report earlier this month.

Besides Effissimo, which owns about 10% of Toshiba shares, other foreign investors include 3D Investment Partners and Harvard Universitys endowment fund.

The investigation included hearings with Toshiba employees, and going over 800,000 emails, to see whether the vote tally had been dubious and Trade Ministry bureaucrats had pressured investors on how to vote.

We take this very seriously, Nagayama, former chief executive at Japanese drug company Chugai Pharmaceutical, told investors ahead of the vote. We will restore transparency, get to the bottom of what happened and prevent a recurrence.

The roiling at Toshiba highlights the bigger presence of foreign shareholders at Japanese companies.

Toshiba has promised to scrutinize the allegations and take necessary measures.

In a June 18 open letter to shareholders, Nagayama, who also previously served on the Sony Corp. board, sought backing for his reappointment.

My priority is to provide Toshiba with the governance and leadership that you deserve. I pledge to you that I will continue to be an agent of positive change, not a protector of the status quo, he said.

Satoshi Tsunakawa, who presided over Fridays meeting, returned as chief executive in April.

His predecessor Nobuaki Kurumatani abruptly resigned over a controversial acquisition proposal for Toshiba from the global fund where Kurumatani previously worked, CVC Capital Partners.

The CVC offer was suspended. Kurumatani took over from Tsunakawa as CEO in 2018. Tsunakawas reappointment was not being opposed by activist shareholders.

The fortunes of Toshiba began to crumble over its heavy investment in nuclear power, although that move had been initially heralded. After the March 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, safety costs ballooned. Toshiba is still burdened with the task of decommissioning nuclear plants in Japan, including the one in Fukushima.

Toshiba also had massive losses from the nuclear power operations of U.S. manufacturer Westinghouse, which Toshiba acquired in 2006. Westinghouse filed for bankruptcy protection in 2017.

Founded in 1875, Toshiba was long one of Japans prized brands, developing the nations first radar and microwaves, electric rice cookers and laptop computers.

It also invented flash memory, the chips ubiquitous in gadgets from digital cameras to cell phones. Toshiba sold its chips division in 2018, a move that accelerated the presence of more vocal stakeholders.

Toshiba, tarnished with accounting scandals in the past, has repeatedly promised to strengthen corporate governance.

___

This story has been corrected throughout to show that Osamu Nagayama and one other member of the board of directors failed to win shareholder approval. A previous story stated all were approved.

___

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Judge Peter Cahill told George Floyd's family members that I acknowledge and hear the pain that youre feeling before sentencing a former Minneapolis police officer to 22 1/2 years in prison for murder.

Cahill didnt speak at length during Derek Chauvins sentencing hearing Friday, but instead issued a 22-page memorandum explaining his rationale for the sentence. He said it was not the appropriate time to be profound or clever.

His sentence was 10 years above the presumptive penalty under state sentencing guidelines. Cahill told Chauvin that his penalty was based on your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd.

Cahill said his ruling wasn't based on emotion or sympathy, but he acknowledged the widespread pain that Floyd's death has caused for the community.

I acknowledge the pain not only of those in this courtroom, but the Floyd family who are outside this courtroom and other members of the community, Cahill said. "It has been painful throughout Hennepin County, throughout the state of Minnesota, and even the country.

In his written legal analysis, Cahill noted he had previously found aggravating factors in the case that allowed him to sentence Chauvin above the guidelines. He wrote that two of those aggravating factors  Chauvins abuse of his position of trust or authority as a police officer and the fact that he treated Floyd with particular cruelty  were substantial and compelling reasons for a higher sentence.

Part of the mission of the Minneapolis Police Department is to give citizens voice and respect, Cahill wrote. Here, Mr. Chauvin, rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr. Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbor.

Cahill said defense attorney Eric Nelsons requests for probation, or alternatively for a sentence below what guidelines recommend, were not appropriate.

Cahill took issue with Nelsons claim that no case law shows that a peace officers position has been used to trigger the aggravating factor or abuse of authority. Cahill said thats not surprising, since prosecutions of officers are rare and research hasnt revealed any prior Minnesota cases in which a police officer was convicted of murder and prosecutors sought an upward sentencing departure.

If anything the case for an enhancement is heightened, not reduced, when a defendant commits crimes while imbued with the authority of the State, as Mr. Chauvin did here, Cahill wrote.

Cahill said the position Floyd was in and the drawn-out length of time Chauvin pinned him was particularly egregious, as Floyd begged for his life. He said these factors show Chauvin inflicted gratuitous pain and his prolonged restraint of Mr. Floyd was also much longer and more painful than the typical scenario of murder or manslaughter.

__

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A former Chicago businessman will remain in the United States as a federal judge in Los Angeles weighs whether he will be extradited to India for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed more than 160 people.

Tahawwur Rana (tuh-HOW-ur RAH-nah), a Pakistani-born Canadian, is wanted by Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks that are sometimes referred to as Indias 9/11. An Indian warrant for his arrest was issued in August 2018.

Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian on Thursday ordered the defense attorneys and prosecutors to file additional documents by July 15. Rana will remain in federal custody.

Indian authorities allege that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Good, in the orchestration of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, injured more than 200 and caused $1.5 billion in damage.

Headley and Rana attended military high school in Pakistan together. Ranas immigration law center in Chicago, as well as a satellite office in Mumbai, was allegedly used as a front for their terrorism activities between 2006 and 2008, prosecutors say.

Ranas attorneys said their client was not aware of Headleys terrorism plot and was merely trying to help his childhood friend and set up a Mumbai business office. They also said Headley is a serial liar who has deceived the U.S. government multiple times in several criminal cases, and his testimony should not be viewed as credible. The attorneys alleged that Headley had used Rana to further his terrorism efforts without Ranas knowledge.

Ranas two daughters attended the hearing. They declined to comment, as did his lawyers.

Rana wore a white jumpsuit and black glasses, as well as a mask at the hearing. His ankles were shackled.

Only one of the 10 Mumbai terrorists survived the four-day rampage and went on trial. He was convicted, sentenced to death in India and hanged.

In 2011, Rana was convicted in federal court in Illinois of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark for a thwarted plot to attack a Danish newspaper to retaliate for its publication of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohamed in 2005. The cartoons angered many Muslims because pictures of the prophet are prohibited in Islam.

U.S. prosecutors, however, failed to prove that Rana had directly supported the Mumbai attacks. Ranas defense attorneys, in court papers, say because he has been acquitted of the Mumbai-related charges in the U.S., extraditing him to India would be tantamount to double jeopardy.

Rana was sentenced to a 14-year prison term in Denmark-related case, but his punishment was reduced to time served in June 2020 after he claimed he had contracted the coronavirus in a federal California prison, court documents show. He was ordered released but was held on an immigration detainer so he could not return to Canada to avoid the Indian extradition request.

Headley ultimately testified against Rana in the Illinois case after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder. As part of his plea deal, he cant be extradited to India.
CHICAGO (AP)  The private company that operates Chicagos parking meters is being sued in federal court by three local residents who allege Chicago Parking Meters exclusive contract with the city is an illegal monopoly.

The lawsuit against Chicago Parking Meters seeks class-action status on behalf of drivers who have fed the machines lining the citys streets. The lawsuit alleges the 75-year-old agreement has led to higher parking rates and too many meters and restrictions on alternative transportation such as bicycles and ride-sharing.

The city of Chicago granted CPM, a private party, monopoly control over the citys parking meter system for an astonishing 75-year-long period, without regard for the changes in technology and innovations in transportation taking place now and for the rest of the century, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit notes before the deal with Chicago Parking Meters brokered in 2009 by then-Mayor Richard M. Daley for a cash payment of $1.16 billion, the city was collecting about $24 million a year from parking meters. Since then, the company has received more than $138.7 million in annual parking meter revenue. By the end of 2019, Chicago Parking Meters had already earned $500 million more than it paid the city

A Chicago Parking Meters spokesman declined to comment Thursday on the lawsuit as did city officials. The city is not named in the lawsuit.

Chicago Parking Meters operates 36,000 metered parking spaces, according to the company. Among the private company investors are Morgan Stanley, Allianz Capital Partners and the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

The lawsuit filed by Micah Uetricht, Marianela DAprile and John Kaderbek alleges the agreement bars both active regulation by the city over the rates charged by Chicago Parking Meters, as well as competitive bidding for other vendors to provide the service more efficiently. The lawsuit contends that is a violation of federal antitrust laws.

In addition, the lawsuit alleges the agreement imposed special restrictions on competing forms of transportation such as bicycles, ride-sharing, public transit.

Because the city could not intelligently foresee the consequences of a 75-year agreement that it could not actively regulate, CPM has already made a windfall profit, and an even greater profit than any other utility in Illinois, or any utility which the government is free to regulate, the plaintiffs contend.
A major milestone for the future of healthcare in Laredo was celebrated on Friday, June 18 as the first resident physicians of the Laredo Medical Center Family Medicine and Internal Medicine Residency Programs participated in a commencement ceremony.

The ceremony, which was held at the Laredo Country Club, recognized 16 graduating resident physicians, including seven in the Family Medicine program and nine in the Internal Medicine program.

Jorge Leal, FACHE, CEO of Laredo Medical Center, expressed his enthusiasm and pride for this monumental achievement.

We are very excited and proud to present the first graduating class from the citys only Graduate Medical Education programs at Laredo Medical Center. We cannot overemphasize the residents sincere desire to improve themselves to better serve and care for their patients. As resident physicians, they not only offered quality and compassionate healthcare, but they provided humanistic care to the community, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sincerely thank our educational and training partners, as well as all those who made this possible, including the residents families for trusting us to teach the next generation of physicians.

Elmo Lopez Jr., CEO of Gateway Community Health Center, which serves as an outpatient residency clinic, echoed similar sentiments.

Gateway Community Health Center is honored to be the outpatient Family and Internal Medicine clinic for this historic program. For the first time ever, Laredo is making its own doctors. Partnering with Laredo Medical Center and the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine allows us to provide quality healthcare for everyone.

In 2018, Laredo Medical Center became the first clinical campus for the University of the Incarnate Word School of Osteopathic Medicine (UIWSOM) and the Texas Institute for Graduate Medical Education and Research. The first cohort of residents in Family and Internal Medicine specialties began their three-year residencies at LMC and its outpatient residency clinic, Gateway Community Health Center

Residencies are where medical school graduates hone their skills to be independent physicians in a hospital or outpatient office setting. In order to practice, medical school graduates must complete residency training in a specific specialty.

Residency programs have a direct impact on a communitys number of doctors and citizens access to healthcare. As well as learning from the doctors here, the resident physicians have also been providing additional care to the community, said Leal.

Laredo Medical Center has welcomed subsequent cohorts of resident physicians annually since then, with its fourth cohort of 18 residents set to come aboard on July 1. The new residents will join the current residents for the 2021-2022 year with a total of 48 residents being enrolled in the graduate medical education programs.

Dr. David Garza, founding Family Medicine Program Director of the LMC Residency Program and currently an Assistant Professor at UIWSOM, said that in 2013, administrators at San Antonio's University of the Incarnate Word shared a vision to build what would become the 13th medical school in Texas. Four years later, UIWSOM opened its doors and accepted its first class of osteopathic medical students.

As only the third medical school south of Austin, one of this school's goals is to increase the number of excellent primary care physicians for the South Texas region. To that end, UIWSOM also established five new residency programs, including both Family Medicine and Internal Medicine in Laredo. It was rewarding to witness the recognition of the 16 members of the (Laredo Medical Center) inaugural class of Family Medicine and Internal Medicine Residents for completing their training. This historic milestone was made possible following years of collaboration between UIW, Laredo Medical Center, Gateway Community Health Center, and dozens of local physicians who volunteer their time to teach these young physicians, said Dr. Garza

Another critical component of this support for medical education in Laredo, though, was the generosity of Mr. Dennis Nixon and the International Bank of Commerce. Following a significant donation that helped build the headquarters for these programs, many other Laredoans followed suit, helping to ensure the success of these programs, Dr. Garza added. From these first 16 graduates, Laredo will keep four new physicians, which is very common where communities host medical residencies.

Adding yet one more component of medical education, though, is a cohort of seven third-year UIWSOM medical students who complete an entire year of intensive clinical training in Laredo. The third such group of medical students will begin July 1, with the intention of not just providing the opportunity for these students to obtain this experience, but also increasing the likelihood of them eventually returning to the community once they complete their training, Dr. Garza said.

Graduating from the 2021 Family Medicine residency program are Mohammed S. Ahmed, DO; Sabrina S. Chen, DO; Cory J. Fernandes, DO; Greg Maler, DO; Rachael D. Murphy, DO; Christopher B. Tchou, DO; and Jiang Wang, DO. The Program Director is Melissa Martin, MD.

Graduating from the 2021 Internal Medicine residency program are Armando Cardenas, MD; Joseph W. Caravella, DO; Vivian Ekechukwu, DO; Tiffany Prachachalerm, DO; Grzegorz S. Puchala, DO; Eric G. Spicuzza, DO; Nathaniel O. Staley, DO; John R. Williams, DO; and Syed M. Zaidi, DO. The Program Director is Hector Santos, MD.

Some of the programs residents and faculty were also recognized with special awards during the commencement ceremony and dinner, which was hosted by Laredo Medical Center, Gateway Community Health Center, and the University of the Incarnate Word.

The awards were given as follows:

Family Medicine Resident Leadership Award  Rachael Murphy, DO, and Christopher Tchou, DO.

Internal Medicine Resident Leadership Award Armando Cardenas, MD, and Syed Zaidi, DO.

Teacher of the Year for Family Medicine  Enrique Garcia, MD.

Teacher of the Year for Internal Medicine  Mery Cortes-Bergoderi, MD.

For more information about LMCs residencies, visit tigmer.com/lmc-main or call 956-796-3223.
BRUSSELS (AP)  French president Emmanuel Macron said on Friday that the European Union needs to fight a cultural" and civilizational" battle to stop the rise of illiberal ideas across the 27-nation bloc that he believes are threatening European values at their core.

Macron spoke at the end of summit of EU leaders in Brussels where they strongly clashed with Hungarys prime minister over new legislation that bans the display of LGBT issues to children in that country.

Macron condemned the new law in the name of human dignity" and individual freedom," throwing his support behind the EU's executive commission's plan to start legal action against Hungary.

But the French president insisted it would be wrong to point the finger at Orban without reflecting on the reasons pushing some countries in eastern Europe to turn their back on democratic values.

How do people in Europe come to this?" Macron told journalists. We see in several member countries like Hungary, Poland and many others, an anti-liberal conservatism against our values. We have to respect it. But it is now undermining those values and what has built the core of our western liberal democracy for centuries."

The Hungarian law has also turned the spotlight on the EUs inability to rein in the illiberal democracies among its ranks like Hungary and Poland. Critics charge that the two countries' deeply conservative, nationalist and anti-migrant governments have flouted the blocs democratic standards and values for years.

The EU has repeatedly warned that democratic standards are being challenged in some countries, particularly in Hungary and Poland. Earlier this year, the European Unions executive arm also condemned Slovenias right-wing prime minister Janez Jansa for a series of aggressive comments about journalists.

We must give content, perspectives and meaning to our liberal values, in the political sense of the term, in the philosophical sense of the term, and show the strength of our democracies," Macron said. It is not so much the backsliding of the laws  which we must obviously and intransigently fight  that concerns me. It is the backsliding in the minds and mentalities. And as such it is a cultural, civilizational battle that we must fight."

Macron admitted he does not hold a magic recipe to fix what he sees as a deep trend" in Europe but suggested that bringing intellectuals and civil society into the debate could help revive democratic values in countries where their appeal has been eroded.

He also said the just-launched Conference of the Future of Europe could serve as a springboard for deep change" in Europe.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said the debate over the Hungarian law raises broader questions about the direction the EU is heading in, whether it should strive for ever closer union" and what should be done when clashes arise over fundamental values.

This is something that isnt just called into question by Hungary, but which we certainly have to discuss at greater depth and length, she said.

The Hungarian law was signed Wednesday by Hungarian president Janos Ader after Hungarys parliament passed the bill last week. It prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films or advertisements.

The government says the law aims to protect children, but critics say it links homosexuality with pedophilia. Orban has ruled out rescinding the law, insisting it does not target homosexuals.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she detailed the commissions legal concerns during the summit and that its now up to the Hungarian government to respond.

There was an overwhelming support in the room that we will defend our values, because Europe is first of all a Union of values," she said. It is first of all a Union of values, of protection of minorities, of non-discrimination, and a culture of tolerance and acceptance is a bed rock against discrimination.

___

Lorne Cook in Brussels and Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed.
CHICAGO (AP)  A jury has convicted a man in the fatal 2013 beating of a stranger on a Chicago Transit Authority train platform, his second conviction in the gruesome killing.

A Cook County jury deliberated for about two hours Thursday before convicting Anthony Jackson, 53, of first-degree murder in the March 2013 slaying of Sanchez Mixon, 37.

During Jackson's trial, the jury repeatedly viewed CTA surveillance footage of Jackson punching and kicking Mixon, a complete stranger, on a Green Line platform.

Jackson stopped the attack after other commuters shouted and cried at Jackson to end the attack, But after Mixon made a slight movement while sprawled on the ground, Jackson stomped on Mixoms head so hard it left a foot-shaped mark.

Mixon's death was ruled a homicide due to blunt force injuries to the head.

Jackson was represented by his brother, formal federal prosecutor George Jackson III, who argued that Mixon was staring down his brother on the platform and had walked up next to him in a threatening way, leaving Anthony Jackson with little choice but to defend himself.

Prosecutors countered that even if Mixon was staring him down, that doesnt justify a fatal beating.

Jackson was convicted of Mixon's murder at his first trial in 2015. But he won a new trial in 2016 when a judge threw out that verdict on the grounds that one of his previous attorneys was ineffective.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  The Michigan House overwhelmingly approved a $65 billion state spending plan and the release of billions in federal COVID-19 relief aid for K-12 schools, seeking to pressure the Senate to get on board so it could be signed into law soon.

There is an agreement between the Republican-led House and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but not with the GOP-controlled Senate. The plan that was passed late Thursday would, as the governor recently proposed, eliminate a funding gap among school districts  a milestone 27 years after Michigan overhauled the financing of public education.

Districts and charter schools would receive $8,700 in base per-student state aid, not including at least $1,093 more per pupil in federal funding from a rescue package signed by President Joe Biden in March. The state grant would rise by $589, or 7%, for the vast majority of traditional districts and charter schools. Districts at the higher end would get an additional $171, a 2% increase.

This is the budget Michigan families have been asking us to deliver. ... We're finally eliminating the inequality in our funding system that treated students from different districts as though they had different values, said Rep. Mary Whiteford, a Republican from Allegan Countys Casco Township.

This is a historic win for education, said Rep. Regina Weiss, an Oak Park Democrat and former teacher.

The budget bills won approval on 105-3 or 104-4 votes.

The next fiscal year does not start until Oct. 1. But a 2019 law, enacted after a budget impasse, requires lawmakers to send Whitmer a plan by July 1. It could be delayed like it was in 2020 if a deal is not struck.

The fiscal year for school districts begins July 1, however, and superintendents are pressing legislators for clarity as they finalize spending following a tumultuous academic year and lost learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Stamas, a Midland Republican, told reporters he was anxious to see the House's general and K-12 budget bills and said he has always been supportive of payments to help districts that stand to get less federal pandemic funding because they have fewer low-income students.

We want to work with the House and the governors office on getting this done by July 1, Stamas said in a later statement, adding that if a deal is not reached next week, schools got substantial dollars in previous federal relief laws.

The House-passed bills would fund everything normally in the budget except public universities and community colleges. Decisions on their aid were put off.

The House embraced the governor's revised proposal to expand government-funded preschool to 22,000 eligible but unenrolled 4-year-olds. Whitmer said the three bills represent bipartisan progress and are a strong start.

However, we still have a lot of work to do to get this across the finish line, and I look forward to action from the Senate by July 1st so we can deliver for Michigans families, small businesses and communities," she said in a statement.

School districts that split $3.3 billion from the most recent U.S. rescue law would have to use at least 20% to address learning loss with interventions such as summer learning and afterschool programs. An additional $180 million in federal funds would go to private schools, as designated under law.

Talks on spending $6.5 billion in discretionary federal pandemic funding will continue over the summer.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
SEATTLE (AP)  A Nigerian government official arrested in connection with Washington states $650 million unemployment fraud will remain in jail until his trial, a federal judge ruled Friday.

U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle of Tacoma agreed with federal prosecutors that Abidemi Rufai, 42, represented a flight risk and reversed an previous order granting him pretrial release, The Seattle Times reported.

Rufai, of Lekki, Nigeria, was arrested May 14 at New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport as he prepared to fly to Nigeria by way of Amsterdam, federal authorities said.

Rufai was charged after allegedly stealing over $350,000 in jobless benefits from the Washington state Employment Security Department in 2020 and trying to defraud the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $1.6 million, authorities said.

Before his arrest, Rufai served as a senior special assistant on housing in the Nigerian state of Ogun, but hes since been suspended.

A federal judge in New York in May ruled that Rufai could be released before trial on a $300,000 surety bond, but delayed the release to let federal prosecutors appeal.

In his decision Friday, Settle found that the defendant poses a serious risk of nonappearance.

Settle ordered that Rufai, who is in detention in New York, be transported by federal marshals to Washington for trial, which is set for Aug. 31. Tacoma attorney Lance Hester, one of Rufais lawyers, said Rufai could ask the court to reconsider Fridays ruling if there were changes in his circumstances.

Federal officials have called Rufai the first significant arrest related to Washingtons fraud. Washington state was severely victimized by fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits. It likely paid out more than $647 million in such fraudulent claims, though $370 million was recovered, according to state officials.

Another lawyer for Rufai, Michael C. Barrows, has said his client denies any involvement in these transactions.

The case has shed light on how criminals were able to file bogus unemployment claims in dozens of states.

Rufai allegedly employed a feature of Gmail, Googles free email service, that let him use a single email account to file multiple unemployment claims in Washington and elsewhere using stolen Social Security numbers and other personal data.

That same technique was allegedly used by Chukwuemeka Onyegbula, a 38-year-old IT engineer at a Nigerian oil company, to steal roughly $290,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from Washington and other states, and around $50,000 in federal disaster loans, according to an indictment returned Wednesday in federal district court in Tacoma.

Prosecutors have not suggested a link between the two men. Court documents have not listed an attorney who might comment on Onyegbula's behalf.
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. (AP)  Police in coastal Alabama say a group of teenagers were arrested after pouring alcohol on a nesting sea turtle.

News outlets report that Orange Beach police said the incident occurred Thursday night. Officers responded to a call that juveniles were harassing a sea turtle on the beach.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP)  William & Mary is launching a research initiative that's focused on a school that educated enslaved and free Black children in the 18th century.

The university in Williamsburg said in a news release last week that the Bray School is likely the nation's oldest surviving schoolhouse for African Americans.
FAIRFIELD, Maine (AP)  A Maine driver clocked at 110 mph in a 45 mph zone told police his passenger had to go. As in, find a restroom.

An officer gave pursuit after the motorist traveled at a whopping 65 mph above the posted speed limit on Tuesday in Fairfield, according to Police Chief Thomas Gould.
To keep tabs on every D.C. restaurant and bar opening is folly. But to keep tabs on the most worthy? Yeomans work, and were proud to do it. Thus we present Table Stakes, a monthly rundown of the five (or so) must-know spots that have swung wide their doors in the past thirty (or so). Lets eat.

As we slide into summer, the dining scene in D.C. is abuzz with new openings, many of which bring much yearned-for foreign lands right to your doorstep. From Spanish comfort food fare to must-see Mexican culinary spectacles, from the arrival of a high-end seafood chain to the rebirth of an old Italian standby, heres where were most excited to eat this month.

Oyster Oyster

Shaw



Youre here because  Youre an oyster-tarian (read: a vegetarian or vegan who eats oysters  and yes, its a thing), or youre just excited to see this fine-dining plant-forward restaurant from Estadio owner Max Killer and ex-Hazel chef Rob Rubba finally come to fruition after three years in the making. And who could blame you? Last year, the pair rolled out a takeaway menu boasting many of the house-made ferments and ultra-local ingredients they always planned to use at this 35-seat restaurant. Now, its finally time to see the full extent of what this team can do.

Youre dining on  The $70 micro-seasonal tasting menu of local, sustainable produce culled from some of DCs best (no greenwashing, guaranteed). Root and Marrow, Karma Farms and Moon Valley Farms are all on speed-dial, here; even the cooking oil comes from non-GMO Pennsylvania sunflowers. The menu understandably changes all the time, but it might include a carrot steak with grains, eggplant schnitzel or poached kohlrabi with summer squash and chanterelles (mushrooms  both oyster and otherwise  are frequent fliers here). The menu can be tweaked to be vegetarian, vegan or oyster-tarian, the latter including environmentally beneficial oysters from the Chesapeake. An optional wine pairing ($55) combines sustainable wines or local cider.

1440 Eighth St., NW

Spanish Diner

Bethesda



Youre here because  You dont want to have to go to New York to experience Jose Andress Spanish comfort food fare, and now that Spanish Diner  a spinoff of the chefs spot in NYCs Little Spain food hall  can be found in downtown Bethesda, you dont have to. Within this vibrant, colorful space from Spanish architect Juli Capella, youll find a 48-seat patio and an assortment of both high and low tables that not only provide excellent opportunities for continued social distancing but also give the space an upscale food court feel.

Youre dining on  An assortment of Spanish snacky bites like olives, boquerones, and cured meats and cheeses, as well as fare Andres himself grew up with, like arroz a la Cubana with eggs and tomatoes. Heartier options include the stewed lentils the chef fed his family during lockdown as well as Madrid-style callos with tripe or smoky fabana beans with morcilla (read: blood sausage) and spicy chorizo. For the offal-averse, the deceptively simple olive oil-fried broken eggs over crispy potatoes are the perfect choice. Pair with an upscale play on the Coke-and-red-wine kalimotxo (yup, its a thing) that here gets a grownup makeover with orange and artichoke liqueurs.

7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda

dLena

dLena

Vernon Triangle



Youre here because  Youre ready to lean back and let someone else do the grilling  and youre ready for a spectacle! This grill-focused Mexican dining room has a dramatic appeal, with its wraparound bar and a rustic, wood-burning hearth. Its the ideal stage upon which to witness the tableside tequila flambage of the tomahawk ribeye for two.

Youre dining on  Chef Carlos Camachos modern Mexican fare, with shareable starters like a tuna tartare tostada or grilled oysters with smoky chipotle and bacon relish. Tacos run the gamut from crispy shrimp with pickled onion to short rib with chile de arbol peanut sauce, while the house iteration of fajitas dresses up the classic with wagyu beef. Pair with a tequila flight or one of four different house margaritas.

476 K Street NW

Ristorante Tosca

Downtown D.C.



Youre here because  Youre ready to see how Paolo Sacco made lemonade and, during a years closure, revamped this 20-year-old D.C. dining staple, formerly a stalwart of lobbyist business lunches. The new Tosca is far more relaxed than its former iteration, with a new chef  second-generation Italian-American Phil Marzelli, formerly of Casa Luca  and a new vibe.

Youre dining on  A brand-new, seasonally-driven dinner menu that toys with the more classic offerings this spot was once known for. Now, a dish of pappardelle with morels and ramps sits side-by-side with Hamachi crudo or whole grilled Dover sole. If youre feeling adventurous, sidle up to the new chefs tasting counter, with its $135 six-course menu. And fans of the old Tosca need not worry  a few stalwarts, like short rib agnolotti, remain.

1112 F Street NW

Trulucks

Mt. Vernon Triangle



Youre here because  Maybe youve visited one of this upscale seafood chains other outposts in Houston or Chicago or La Jolla. Or maybe youre just drawn to the appeal of cocktails, crab, and clams in the stone crab lounge. Either way, youre pumped to grab one of the 400 seats at this splashy restaurant and dig into some spectacular seafood.

Youre dining on  a blend of classic seafood apps like jumbo shrimp cocktail or lump crab cakes, as well as a few innovative choices like salt and pepper calamari with Vietnamese chili sauce or crab tarama salata. Mains include New England pan-seared scallops with olive oil and lemon or miso-glazed seabass. And of course, as at the restaurants 11 other outposts nationwide, when Florida crabs come back into season, theyre sure to be a house specialty.

700 K St., NW, Suite 70

This article was featured in the InsideHook DC newsletter. Sign up now for more from the Beltway.

The post The Five Best Restaurants That Opened in DC This June appeared first on InsideHook.
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP)  Tens of thousands of people attended a Pride parade in Tel Aviv on Friday in one of the largest public gatherings in Israel since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.

The vibrant parade and beach party are held on the seafront promenade in the Israeli city, a rare hub of gay culture in the conservative Middle East. Elsewhere in the region homosexuality is widely considered taboo and is outlawed in many countries.

Some 250,000 people attended the Tel Aviv parade honoring the LGBTQ community in 2019, before it was called off last year because of the pandemic.

Organizers estimated the turnout at Friday's event at 100,000, saying it's one of the largest worldwide since the pandemic struck.

Pride events in Tel Aviv-Yafo are a long-standing tradition, centered on a message of equality, acceptance, and human and civil rights," Mayor Ron Huldai said. "This year, more than ever, we will celebrate together, march together, and fight together for equality.

Israel fully reopened this spring after carrying out one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns, but a recent outbreak driven by the more contagious delta variant has raised concerns.

Authorities are once again requiring people to wear masks in indoor public places starting Friday, and are advising mask-wearing at large outdoor events like the Pride celebrations.

Several marchers said they were sad to have missed the parade last year.

It is not just a celebration, it is also a demonstration for our rights, for our existence, so it feels really good to be here again to march with everyone, said Noam Klar.

Nina Korolev said it was the first time she attended a Pride parade.

It is so delicious, it is amazing," she said. "Im very proud that I can be here in a free country with free people together. All humans must have the same rights.

Thousands of people marched through Jerusalem earlier this month in a much smaller Pride parade, celebrating LGBTQ rights in the conservative city amid heavy police security.

Pride events in Jerusalem, home to a large ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, tend to be more subdued. A radical ultra-Orthodox Jew stabbed a 16-year-old girl to death at a Pride event in Jerusalem in 2015, an attack that was condemned across the political spectrum.

Police said they arrested a suspected attacker in Tel Aviv after tracking him ahead of the parade. The man in his 30s was found carrying nunchaku, an Asian martial arts weapon, as well as an electric shocker, chains and other means of assault, the police said.

The police later also said they arrested a husband and wife who assaulted police officers while trying to enter the parade area so they could heckle the event.

Support for gay rights is increasingly widespread in Israel, where gay people serve openly in the military and parliament. Yet they havent attained full equality.

Jewish ultra-Orthodox parties, which wield significant influence over matters of religion and state, oppose homosexuality as a violation of religious law.

___

Associated Press reporter Shlomo Mor contributed to this report.
ROME (AP)  Prosecutors in Genoa on Friday formally requested a trial for defendants charged with multiple manslaughter over the 2018 collapse of a highway bridge in the city that killed 43 people.

State TV and other Italian media said the prosecutors want 59 people to be tried. The defendants include some former top executives of Austrade per lItalia, the company managing many of Italys highways and bridges.

The northwestern port city's Morandi Bridge broke apart during a rainstorm, sending cars and trucks plunging into a dry riverbed on the eve of Italy's biggest summer holiday, when roads are packed with travelers.

Former executives of the maintenance company which did work on the bridge as well as officials from Italy's transport ministry are also among those who prosecutors want to be tried, state TV's RaiNews24 said.

A judge will conduct hearings to decide whether to order a trial. Those hearings are expected to start sometime after this summer.

In their indictment request, prosecutors argued that some of the defendants were aware that the bridge which was built in the 1960s was at risk of collapse. They said that corners were cut on maintenance to save money.

The bridge's designer had recommended continual upkeep to remove rust, especially due to the corrosive effect of sea air as well as pollution's toll on concrete.

Italy's president has insisted that a demand for justice by the victims' families be honored.

Genoa daily Il Secolo XIX said prosecutors are also want defendants to reimburse the investigation's costs, including 2 million euros ($2.4 million) to develop software capable of handling information gleaned from thousands of files sequestered by investigators.

In 2020, the then-government of Italy forged a deal in which the Benetton fashion family agreed to exit Autostrade per l'Italia.

Genoa last summer inaugurated a replacement bridge which connects key highways. The span, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, a Genoa native, features 43 lamps in memory of the victims.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  With no progress toward ending the 10-year Syrian conflict, the U.N. special envoy for Syria called Friday for new international talks on concrete steps like exchanging prisoners and a nationwide cease-fire that the government and opposition could agree on as initial steps to give impetus to a political solution.

Geir Pedersen told the U.N. Security Council he believes these and other areas of vital concern for average Syrians have the potential to achieve common ground among Syrias warring parties. Progress would also promote internal and regional stability and build trust and confidence, he said.

This will not be easy, Pedersen said,

But he said he senses that all key players are interested in deepening talks on a way ahead, which is why we need a new constructive international dialogue on Syria.

Pedersen said he has been in regular contact with senior officials from Russia, a close Syria ally, and the United States, which supports the opposition, before and since this months meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. He said he has also been in regular contact with many countries on the 15-member Security Council and key states in the region.

Pedersen said he will go to Rome to talk with foreign ministers at a meeting on Syria convened by Italy and the United States and soon after that he will head to Moscow. He also plans to consult Turkey and Iran -- the guarantor states along with Russia in the so-called Astana process aimed at ending fighting in Syria -- ahead of an Astana group meeting in early July.

Asked after the council briefing about when he might launch a new international dialogue, he said, I hope we are not talking about too many weeks.

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, there have been many high-level gatherings designed to stop the fighting and guide the country to a political transition. Locations included Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Geneva and included assemblies with names such as Friends of Syria and the London 11. In 2016, it was the International Syria Support Group. None has made a lasting impact.

Pedersen told reporters he thinks this might be the right time to try to launch international talks because there are a few very important developments.

He pointed most importantly to the 15 months of relative calm on the ground in Syria, but stressed that it is a very fragile calm, and we need to discuss how we can make sure that this does not break down. He also cited the collapse of Syrias economy, the lack of movement on releasing detainees and abductees and accounting for missing persons, and the millions of Syrians forced to flee their homes.

Warning that the relative calm remains fragile, Pedersen told the council there were alarming signs of escalation in the June 12 rocket attack and shelling of the al-Shifaa Hospital in the northern Syrian town of Afrin controlled by Turkey-backed fighters that killed at least 13 people, including medical personnel, and destroyed parts of the hospital. He also cited airstrikes and shelling in the south of rebel-held Idlib resulting in casualties and more displacement.

Elsewhere, this month has seen more airstrikes attributed to Israel, more turbulence in the southwest and more attacks by terrorist groups including operations claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, he said.

Pedersen said there are worrying signs the Islamic State group may be getting stronger, given the increased frequency and reach of its latest attacks. He urged key international players to cooperate on countering IS and other terrorist groups.

Recovering from the economic impact that most Syrians face after a decade of war and devastation is another area of potential common focus, Pedersen said.

He urged the international community to focus on the 13 million Syrians forced to flee their homes within Syria and abroad -- half the countrys pre-war population.

This is a profound humanitarian and national tragedy and also a ticking time-bomb for regional stability, he warned.

The U.N., U.S., Russia and many other countries support a December 2015 Security Council resolution endorsing a road map to peace in Syria approved in Geneva in June 2012 by major global powers and Arab nations that calls for a new constitution followed by U.N.-supervised elections.

Pedersen has tried unsuccessfully to get the Syrian government and the opposition to start negotiating a new constitution.

Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, stressed the importance of convening the constitutional drafting committee. He called on all sides to engage in constructive interaction" and urged support in every way possible" for the inter-Syrian dialogue.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield criticized Syrias so-called election in May that kept President Bashar Assad in power, saying that it wasn't free or fair and that it violated the 2015 Security Council resolution that declared U.N.-supervised elections should follow the drafting of a new constitution.

The Syrian people deserve elections, she told the council. And these elections should feature a diverse range of candidates, a safe voting environment, and a meaningful way for displaced people to participate.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The United Nations on Thursday accused Israel of flagrantly violating international law by expanding settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, saying settlements are illegal and urging the countrys new government to halt their enlargement immediately.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and U.N. Mideast envoy Tor Wennesland reported on implementation of a 2016 Security Council resolution that declared settlements have no legal validity. It demanded a halt to their expansion in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, lands the Palestinians want to include in a future state.

Wennesland said in a briefing to the council on Guterres 12-page report that he was deeply troubled by Israels approval of a plan to add 540 housing units to the Har Homa settlement in east Jerusalem as well as the establishment of settlement outposts. He said that is illegal also under Israeli law.

I again underscore, in no uncertain terms, that Israeli settlements constitute a flagrant violation of United Nations resolutions and international law, the U.N. envoy said. They are a major obstacle to the achievement of a two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace.

The advancement of all settlement activity must cease immediately, Wennesland said.

Israel disputes its settlements are illegal.

Both Guterres and Wennesland also called on Israeli authorities to end the demolition of Palestinian homes and other property and the displacement of Palestinians  another flashpoint  and to approve plans that would enable these communities to build legally and address their development needs.

The December 2016 resolution, which the United States abstained on in the final weeks of the Obama administration, also called for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians and urged Israel and the Palestinians to exercise restraint and refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric.

It also called on all parties to launch negotiations on final status issues and urged intensified international and regional diplomatic efforts to help end the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and achieve a two-state solution where Israelis and Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace.

Guterres and Wennesland made clear that 4 years after the resolutions adoption, none of these appeals have been met.

Wennesland said the period between March and June covered in the report witnessed an alarming increase in the level of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, including hostilities between Israel and factions in Gaza at a scale and intensity not seen in years.

He said the cessation of hostilities after last months 11-day Gaza war remains very fragile, adding that the United Nations is working closely with Israel, the Palestinians and partners including Egypt to solidify a cease-fire, allow the entry of urgent humanitarian assistance and stabilize the situation in Gaza.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has demanded significant easing of the Israeli blockade. Israel has said it wont tolerate even relatively minor attacks from Gaza, including the launch of incendiary balloons, which triggered Israeli airstrikes last week.

I urge all sides to refrain from unilateral steps and provocations, take steps to reduce tensions, and allow these efforts to succeed, Wennesland told the council. Everyone must do their part to facilitate ongoing discussions to stabilize the situation on the ground and avoid another devastating escalation in Gaza.

He called on all Palestinian factions to make serious efforts to ensure the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under a single, legitimate, democratic, national government, saying that Gaza must remain part of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution.

During the March to June reporting period, Guterres said 295 Palestinians, including 42 women and 73 children, were killed by Israeli security forces and 10,149 were injured during demonstrations, clashes, search-and-arrest operations, air strikes, shelling and other incidents in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

The U.N. chief said 90 members of the Israeli security forces and 857 Israeli civilians were injured by Palestinians during the same period in clashes, incidents in which stones and firebombs were thrown, the indiscriminate firing of rockets and mortars and other incidents.

The Gaza war was the worst escalation of hostilities since 2014, with Palestinian armed groups firing over 4,000 rockets and projectiles toward Israel and Israeli forces carrying out over 1,500 strikes from air, land and sea across the Gaza Strip, Guterres said, quoting Israeli sources. During the conflict, 259 Palestinians were killed, including 66 children and 41 women, while nine Israelis, including two children, were killed along with three foreigners. Hundreds of Israelis were wounded.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A West Virginia man convicted of killing a 77-year-old woman and injuring a police officer has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Joshua Drennen, 28, of Clendenin, was sentenced Thursday in Kanawha County Circuit Court to life in prison on a first-degree murder charge, news outlets reported.
A group of Texas House Democrats and legislative staffers is asking the Texas Supreme Court to override Gov. Greg Abbotts recent veto of a portion of the state budget that funds the Legislature, staffers there and legislative agencies.

More than 50 Democrats, a number of state employees and the Texas AFL-CIO have signed on to a petition for a writ of mandamus, which was filed Friday morning.

TEXAS ELECTION: New poll shows Matthew McConaughey with high favorability for governor among Texans

The state is in a constitutional crisis at this moment, said Chad Dunn, an attorney involved with the petition, during a briefing with reporters Thursday.

The governor had vowed to veto the Legislatures funding in the final hours of the regular legislative session in May after House Democrats broke quorum and left the chamber to prevent passage of a controversial elections bill. That legislation, an Abbott priority, would have created new limitations to early voting hours, increased voting-by-mail restrictions and curbed local voting options.

The petition argues that Abbott exceeded his executive authority and violated the states separation of powers doctrine. The parties involved with the petition are asking the all-Republican court to find Abbotts veto unconstitutional, which would allow Article X of the state budget, the section at issue, to become law later this year.

State Rep. Chris Turner, a Grand Prairie Democrat who chairs his partys caucus in the lower chamber, told reporters Thursday there are roughly 2,000 employees in the state's legislative branch that would be affected by Abbotts veto if it stands.

Lawmakers receive $600 a month in addition to a per diem of $221 every day the Legislature is in session for both regular and session sessions.

BORDER WALL: Texas border wall project receives over $450K in donations, a week after Gov. Abbott announced plans

This isnt about [lawmakers] paychecks, Turner said during the briefing. What hes doing is hurting our staff and hurting our constituents.

Abbotts veto pertains to the upcoming two-year state budget that doesnt take effect until Sept. 1. The issue could get resolved next month when state lawmakers return to Austin for a special legislative session starting July 8. If Abbott includes legislative funding on the agenda, lawmakers could pass a supplemental budget to restore funding and prevent employees potentially going without a paycheck. That document, if the Legislature passed it, would first need a sign off from Abbott before it could go into effect.

In the meantime, the petition is asking the court to proceed on an expedited schedule to help resolve the issue by Sept. 1.

Thats what happens when one branch gets in a conflict with another  the third leg of the stool steps in and resolves it, Dunn, the plaintiffs attorney, said. Thats what were doing here.

The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
(Bloomberg) -- Vice President Kamala Harris said she had long planned to visit the U.S. border with Mexico as part of her assignment to curb a surge in migration, as she arrived Friday to tour a U.S. Customs and Border Protection station in El Paso, Texas.

I said in March I was going to come to the border. This is not a new plan, Harris said at the citys airport after her plane touched down.

RELATED: Harris heads to border after facing criticism for absence

The trip comes after Harris has faced months of denunciations from Republicans -- as well as frustration from some Democrats -- for not having gone to the border sooner.

Earlier this month, Harris traveled to Guatemala and Mexico to discuss joint strategies with their leaders to slow the pace of migration from Central America. She has said that the success of her assignment depends primarily on addressing the economic and social causes of migration, not a visit to the southwest border that she dismissed in one interview as a grand gesture.

The reality of it is we have to deal with causes and we have to deal with the effects, Harris said Friday. She said she came to El Paso at the invitation of Representative Veronica Escobar, who called the city the new Ellis Island.

Coming to the border at the advice, and actually at the invitation of the congresswoman, its about looking at the effects of what we have seen happening in Central America, she said. It was always the plan to come here.

Record numbers of apprehensions of migrants from Central America have presented the Biden administration with a humanitarian and political dilemma. Republicans have called the surge a crisis and have blamed President Joe Bidens more lenient posture toward migrants for drawing people to the country.

Harriss visit comes days before former President Donald Trump is scheduled to tour a different part of the Texas border with the states Republican governor, Greg Abbott, who has vowed to take up construction of the border wall that was discontinued after Biden took office.

Harris will receive a briefing and speak with migrants at El Pasos Central Processing Center, her spokeswoman Symone Sanders said Thursday night.

So far, Harris has focused on diplomacy to improve conditions in the region.

This administration does not take their cues from Republican criticism nor from the former president of the United States of America, Sanders said during a briefing with reporters, adding that the timing of the trip made sense for Harris and those she will meet there.

Yet Harriss planned trip to El Paso has done little to quell her critics, who say she is avoiding other border areas such as the lower Rio Grande Valley, which in the last fiscal year has seen the biggest spike in migration by single adults, families and children and teenagers traveling alone, according to CBP data.

Earlier: Harris to Travel to U.S.-Mexico Border After GOP Criticism

Representative Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat from Laredo, praised Harris for making the trip to El Paso but also said it wont give her the true picture of the situation because she will be far from areas where migrant apprehensions have been highest.

You just cant just go to one place. But she does do the check the box and go down to the border by going to El Paso, Cuellar said Thursday on Fox News, adding that her schedule is politically safer than a visit to a high-activity area.

Harris on Friday was accompanied by two Democratic lawmakers who have been supportive of the administrations immigration policies, Escobar and Illinois Senator Dick Durbin. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose department is responsible for border security, also is traveling with the vice president.

Abbott assailed the Harris trip and the Biden administrations approach to migration.

THE WALL: Texas border wall project receives over $450K in donations, a week after Gov. Abbott announced plans

Vice President Harris is ignoring the real problem areas along our southern border that are not protected by the border wall and are being overrun by the federal governments ill-thought-out, open border policies, he said in a statement ahead of her trip.

Sanders indicated El Paso was chosen in part because it would allow Harris to contrast Bidens approach with Trumps hard-line approach to immigration. She pointed out that the Trump administration policy of separating migrant children and teenagers from their families was piloted in the city before being expanded in 2018.

El Paso has an important story to tell, Sanders said.

Border agents in May had more than 180,000 encounters with migrants on the U.S.-Mexico border, the highest monthly total in more than two decades according to CBP. Those numbers were fueled in large part by a pandemic-related order that allows most asylum seekers to be immediately expelled without legal proceedings, a move that resulted in many migrants making repeated attempts to enter the U.S.

That dynamic has led some Democrats from border areas to criticize the administrations approach and join Republicans in urging Harris to visit to witness the problem first hand.

The issue also cast a cloud over Harriss recent trip to Mexico and Guatemala, where she attempted to focus on ways to create economic opportunity in Central America. Her aides have maintained that her efforts to address the causes of migration are separate from the border crisis. Yet critics nonetheless used that visit to accuse her of ignoring a crisis at home.

The Biden administration is forging ahead with its effort to make the immigration system more welcoming. This week, officials forced out Rodney Scott as head of the U.S. Border Patrol. Scott took over the agency in the final year of the Trump administration and openly supported the former presidents policies.

2021 Bloomberg L.P.
A. Lower speeds need to be approved for human and manatee safety.

B. The current boating speeds are fine. They don't need to be changed.

C. Boaters should be able to go faster, above 25 mph, between Marker 2 and Marker 7.

Vote

View Results
All valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) holders can now complete their landings and become Canadian immigrants.

How to travel to Canada with a COPR during COVID All valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) holders can now complete their landings and become Canadian immigrants.

How to travel to Canada with a COPR during COVID All valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) holders can now complete their landings and become Canadian immigrants.

How to travel to Canada with a COPR during COVID All valid Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR) holders can now complete their landings and become Canadian immigrants. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

Sans Font Size A

A

After 15 months, Canadas border has reopened to approved permanent residents. These newcomers can now officially immigrate to Canada when they arrive at the border. Granted, they will be subject to the same public health measures that affect all incoming travellers.

Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino opened up Canadas border to approved permanent residents on June 21, 2021. Before then, these individuals who had received their Confirmation of Permanent Residency (COPR) document after March 18, 2020, were not exempt from travel restrictions. In order to complete the landing process, they needed to meet another exemption. As a result, they were stuck waiting in immigration limbo  not officially permanent residents even though they had passed every other stage of the immigration process.

Canadian officials said there are about 23,000 COPR holders outside Canada. Those whose documents are still valid are now exempt from travel restrictions. Whats more, fully vaccinated travellers can skip the mandatory quarantine.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

Of course, the final decision on who gets to enter Canada rests with the border official. Preparing in advance can prevent unwanted surprises. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) webpages have official information, and they offer resources like the online travel restrictions tool. Also, travellers can contact Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to ask specific questions.

With that said, here is some general information about travelling to Canada as a COPR holder.

What to do before travelling to Canada during COVID?

It goes without saying, travellers should not attempt to cross the border if they have symptoms of COVID-19. Also, it is good to keep in mind that each province will have its own public health measures that are posted on their respective government websites.

Incoming travellers can use the ArriveCAN app to upload documents such as the quarantine plan, proof of negative COVID tests, and other required documents. Border officers have been accepting travel documents in this way throughout the pandemic.

All travellers, even if they are fully vaccinated, must still plan their mandatory quarantine. The government offers a tool for travellers to assess whether their quarantine plan is suitable. At the border, officers will generally want to see that travellers have a place to stay for 14 days. Also, they will want to see the plan for accessing food and other essential supplies. Moreover, travellers will have to show that they are not putting any vulnerable people at risk at their place of quarantine.

Travellers over the age of five need to provide a negative test, taken 72 hours before arriving at the border. Then, they must take another test on arrival.

There are different border measures depending on whether you are travelling by land or by plane. The big difference is air travellers will have to wait for the results of their on-arrival COVID test at a government-approved hotel.

Upon arrival, the travellers journey will depend on whether or not they are fully vaccinated with a vaccine that has been approved in Canada. So far, there are four: Astra Zeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

Non-vaccinated travellers who flew in will have to wait for their on-arrival test result in a hotel. Also, they will have to take another COVID test on day eight of their quarantine. Fully vaccinated travellers can skip this step.

Fully vaccinated COPRs can skip quarantine

Starting July 5 at 11:59 p.m. EDT, all exempt travellers to Canada are subject to the new measure for people who are fully vaccinated. These travellers will just have to quarantine at home while they wait for the results of their COVID-19 test at the border.

Children who are not old enough to receive the shot will still have to quarantine at home for the full 14-day period, even though their fully vaccinated parents do not have to. Although, they will not have to do the hotel quarantine requirement, where new arrivals must wait for the results of a test in a government-approved hotel. Agan, non-vaccinated travellers must still meet this requirement.

IRCC recommends that all family members included on the permanent residency application should travel to Canada at the same time, if possible.

What if my COPR expired?

Since even before the pandemic, border officials do not accept expired documents. Given the COPRs validity is tied to the holders medical exam, a number of them issued after March 18 have already expired. Currently, there are no instructions for COPR holders with expired documents, but the government webpage says more information is coming soon.

IRCC has said that no one whose COPR expired amid the travel restrictions will have to reapply for Canadian immigration.

Instead, the government is promising there will be a process for reissuing documents. The IRCC website says expired COPRs should not contact them via the web form or the processing office email. If you already have, someone from IRCC will look into your request and provide you with instructions.

Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Support local journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701)

Today

Rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms in the evening, with mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Strawberry season only lasts a few short weeks each June/July, but for berry aficionados everywhere, there is no finer time of the year, or no finer sight to behold that fields of fragrant strawberries ripening under the blazing summer sun.

CV photographer Sean McKeag visited Pumpkin Hill Produce Farm in Nescopeck recently where the U-pick fields of berries welcomed visitors of all ages from across Northeast Pennsylvania.

This year's warm temperatures and sun made it a banner year for berries and a wonderful way to spend a summer afternoon, basking in the sun and picking pails of bountiful berries at home on the farm.

Close

Sean McKeag Sean McKeag is a staff photographer and videographer at The Citizens' Voice. Read More... Follow Sean McKeag 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
Depending on who you ask, the death of a deal between business and labor groups to allow many gig workers to unionize can be tracked to a few different points in the final days of the 2021 state legislative session. A state lawmaker who opposed the deal said that a May 17 Bloomberg News story quoting the head of the Transport Workers Union celebrating the agreement, which would have given ride-hailing and delivery workers collective bargaining rights but stopped short of reclassifying them as employees, botched its rollout. Some proponents of the plan said that there just wasnt enough time left in session to address objections to the controversial proposal, especially after state Sen. Jessica Ramos, chair of the labor committee, spoke out against it. Others pointed to the second to last week of session, when one of the major unions reversed its support. But many of the proposals harshest critics simply put its time of death at on arrival.

The proposal in question never really arrived, at least not in the form of an introduced bill. When news broke in Bloomberg in mid-May that tech companies and labor unions were nearing a deal  before many workers groups had even heard about it  the broad strokes of the proposal were roughly agreed upon by the companies and unions. But even those groups expected it to undergo changes before making it to the Senate floor.

While state Sen. Diane Savino, who planned to sponsor the proposal, said in the final weeks of session that a bill would be introduced, it never was. This is like the most contested piece of non-legislation ever, said John Samuelsen, the international president of the TWU. Samuelsen was the one quoted praising the agreement in the Bloomberg story, even though he had only been brought into the fold weeks before. At the time Samuelsen spoke to Bloomberg, his lawyers were still working their way through the draft legislation the other groups at the negotiating table had given to him. Days later, after the bill draft leaked to the press and began to draw backlash from progressive lawmakers and workers advocacy groups, Samuelsen reversed course and said he wouldnt support the plan.

The negative response was partially based on what critics said amounted to a rollback in gig workers rights: While the proposal would have granted collective bargaining rights, unemployment insurance and workers compensation to ride-hail drivers and delivery workers, those rights all came with asterisks. One provision restricted workers ability to strike or demonstrate against their employer. Opponents also said the proposal would have rolled back the limited wins gig workers already achieved at the local level, including a New York City rule establishing a minimum pay formula for drivers that takes into account how long they spend waiting for a ride, among other things. The draft bill would pay drivers only for engaged time  from when they accept a ride request to when they complete it.

But while many of the deals opponents  such as the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, the National Employment Law Project and progressive lawmakers including Ramos  saw the proposal as a failure in its substance, the larger failure may have been the fact that it came as such a surprise to those who would be affected by it. Youre going to get a poor product when you have a poor process, Ramos told City & State a week after news of it broke.

Both its proponents and critics say that the proposal failed because increasingly influential workers groups like Los Deliveristas Unidos, a group of mostly immigrant food delivery workers backed by the immigrant worker advocacy group Workers Justice Project, were not brought to the negotiating table. Despite leading grassroots organizing efforts among food delivery workers, organizing thousands in an April rally in Manhattan for better labor protections, Los Deliveristas Unidos  and groups including the New York Taxi Workers Alliance  first learned about the deal in that May 17 news story.

In the final days of session and those following, City & State spoke to the people who were involved in hashing out this compromise, and those who were left out, leading to another year of stalled action on granting gig workers more rights in Albany. Heres what we know about what happened.

Breaking news in Bloomberg

Tech companies and labor unions, overseen by the state AFL-CIO, have been working together on a compromise for months. Savino, who previously introduced failed legislation to allow gig workers to collectively bargain, said that she gave a directive in late 2020 to tech companies and labor, including the state AFL-CIO, to negotiate an agreement to grant gig workers more rights. The instruction echoed the idea of having these often-opposing groups negotiate a solution in a gig worker task force proposed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in January 2020.

While some in labor had pushed for gig workers to be reclassified as employees, the gig platform companies have waged a fierce battle against that. Following a successful effort by gig companies in California last November to overturn legislation that would have reclassified workers, the message from Savino was to find an alternative approach in New York that would secure three things for gig workers: the right to organize, unemployment insurance and workers compensation insurance for workers injured on the job. As those negotiations began in earnest earlier this year, they have included Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and Instacart, and on the labor side, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, overseen by the state AFL-CIO. RWDSU said they stepped away from the table to focus on other issues, and Samuelsen at TWU stepped in this May. The Machinists would presumably be in line to represent drivers, while the TWU would likely try to organize delivery workers.

But progress from those groups was slow this year, causing Savino to get impatient. They were talking and talking and talking and talking and talking, Savino, a Democrat who represents Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn, recalled. January, February: Well we cant do anything now, were working on the budget. Well get to you after the budget. And then the break comes and I say, Hello? Tick tock people. Were getting close to the end of session. On Thursday, May 20, Savino was given a draft of the legislation.

But before Savino had even seen that draft, news of it broke in Bloomberg. Samuelsen said in that story that despite typically being critical of striking compromises with companies, he would fully support this one. I had every intention of staying away from it, and now after seeing how much itll advance gig workers, Im fully supporting it, he said.

The draft legislation wouldnt start to make the rounds publicly until a few days later, but the concept as reported in Bloomberg was quickly condemned. Some unscrupulous leaders of the labor movement  are trying to cut a deal with gig bosses to lock New York State gig workers out of employee rights and protections and possibly preempt cities from passing stronger labor laws, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, a labor group representing taxi and ride-hail drivers, tweeted on May 18.

The draft legislation started circulating a few days later. Though Savino herself had only seen the draft that week and hadnt introduced a legislation, some of the critics appeared to perceive it as a finalized agreement that had to be stopped in its tracks. I got people on Twitter asking me to withdraw the bill, Savino recalled. Im like, Withdraw a bill that doesnt exist?

While Savino said that the leak of the draft bill was detrimental and pushed people to their respective corners, other proponents of the deal said that a leaked draft was actually a positive in terms of transparency in the legislative process. The problem was not the leak, but the fact that some worker groups were caught unawares.

One guy and a bunch of companies in a room

Those worker groups, in a depiction contested by the agreements proponents, characterized it as a backroom deal. For a long time, Albany, theyd say it was three men in the room. Now it feels like one guy and a bunch of companies, the Taxi Workers Alliance Executive Director Bhairavi Desai said.

Los Deliveristas Unidos complained that they and other workers were left out of the negotiating process. LDU is opposed to any legislative proposal that is pre-negotiated without delivery workers input, and that directly impacts our industry, work conditions, and the well-being of our families, the May 25 statement read, with just eight days left of session.

Some proponents of the compromise between labor and tech companies dispute the notion that no workers were consulted, pointing to the involvement of the Independent Drivers Guild, an affiliate of the Machinists Union, which gave input, according to Brendan Sexton, the groups executive director. The IDG functions as an advocacy group but also as a quasi-union for Uber, Lyft and other for-hire vehicle drivers. The guild, for example, offers help in securing drivers due process and remediation when they have been kicked off certain apps. On a June 2 call with Sexton and Tina Raveneau, a driver-organizer at IDG, Raveneau spoke in favor of the proposal. All of us drivers knew about it, so we had a chance to give our opinions, she told City & State. This bill, I know many think its not perfect, but its a stepping stone. The IDG, however, has faced criticisms for being aligned with Uber and receives funding from the ride-hail giant.

Other gig workers were not involved. Delivery workers who organize with the Deliveristas told outlets including The City and Mother Jones that the proposal was snuck behind their backs and that it was unjust that they werent informed of it.

So how did a deal that amounted to a major shift in gig workers rights get hammered out without consulting key workers organizations? Several people familiar with the talks said that those who were negotiating on behalf of the companies believed that the unions were engaging organizations like Los Deliveristas Unidos. Samuelsen and Savino said they were also under the impression that the Deliveristas had been involved.

Instead, the delivery workers organization learned of the proposal when the Bloomberg story broke. And they freaked the fuck out, which honestly, you cant blame them, said one Albany insider who asked not to be named because of their work with one of the parties involved. The Deliveristas said they were not even aware that there had been negotiations happening between tech companies and labor over the last year.

RWDSU declined to comment on whether they had any conversations with the Deliveristas about this proposal in the months before stepping away from the negotiations. The Machinists, who were involved in negotiating the deal from the start, did not respond to a request for comment. I think there was a belief that the labor unions spoke for the workers, and honestly, there were plenty of workers the labor unions werent speaking for, that insider said.

Losing the support of labor

On May 25, the same day that the Deliveristas released their statement, one of the deals key labor backers dropped out when Samuelsen announced that because of what he learned about the lack of worker input, particularly from the Deliveristas, the Transport Workers Union could no longer support the deal. If the workers don't want the bill, then we will continue to collaborate with them and perhaps advance a piece of legislation that they have direct input in, Samuelsen told City & State at the time.

Losing the TWU meant that, within organized labor, only the Machinists (and the IDG as their affiliate) were left supporting the deal. It became clear then that it wouldnt have enough backing from labor to move forward in the final days of session.

Even before the Deliveristas came out against the bill, one of the more powerful legislators on labor issues announced her opposition. On May 21, state Sen. Jessica Ramos, who chairs her chambers Committee on Labor, released a statement saying that she could not support legislation crafted without uncompromised worker voices at the table.

While Savino said that shed had conversations with Ramos as recently as late last year about gig workers rights generally, she said she didnt talk to Ramos about the fact that there were negotiations happening between tech companies and labor unions.

That may have been a key error. For a labor bill to have legitimacy in the state Legislature, I think it would need the backing of the (Senate) Labor chair, Desai said.

A scramble to save the deal

Savino tried to rescue the effort, meeting with the Deliveristas, Samuelsen and more in the last week of May to hear their concerns. An amended version of the draft bill leaked and circulated on Tuesday, June 1. A copy of that draft shared with City & State removed the provision explicitly prohibiting striking, picketing and boycotting by workers, but included language that would keep them from coercing others from ceasing to do business with gig companies. Critics said that that effectively kept the no-strike restriction in place, and called other changes to the draft tweaks of no substance.

Savino made a last ditch effort to get everyone together in a room on June 5, the Saturday before the last week of session, but failed to rally everyone. It was clear that by the last weekend before session ended, that we just werent going to be able to put together a piece of legislation to address all their concerns in time. Savino said that she did not work on any of the draft bills that circulated. By the end of session on June 10, a bill was never introduced.

Theres a fundamental break between lawmakers and labor groups who believe that securing gig workers more rights in increments  even if imperfect  should be done immediately, and those who believe that gig companies will use any compromise to undermine efforts to treat those workers as actual employees. In the days following the end of session, the proposals opponents celebrated its death, saying that no progress in this session was better than a deal that would have rolled back their rights, including by preempting existing minimum-wage rules for drivers. Those who hoped to pass it are frustrated by their victory dances. There are hundreds of thousands of workers out there who are at risk every day, Savino said last week. So people can be smug and self satisfied about what they think they did to derail what could have been a serious discussion about helping workers. And Id just like to remind them all that its a long way down from that high horse they climbed up on. Savino declined to be more specific about who she was talking about.
A Trump, Vito Fossella and Nicole Malliotakis saga

After spending more than a decade out of politics, former Staten Island Rep. Vito Fossella made what could be a decisive comeback Tuesday in Staten Island politics. His narrow lead in the Republican primary for borough president proves, politicos said, the strength of not just Fossellas name, but the strength of his last-minute backer on Staten Island: former President Donald Trump. By the end of Tuesday night, Fossella led New York City Council Minority Leader Steven Matteo, who was backed by the Staten Island Republican Party, by 211 votes, or about 1.2 percentage points, in a race that is still too close to call.

Republican sources say the party is fine if either Fossella or Matteo win but are unified in their anger against one Republican politician: first-term Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who didnt endorse Matteo, nor any candidate in what is arguably Staten Islands most coveted local political seat. (She also did not attend the partys watch party on election night). If Fossella wins or loses, they say that Malliotakis inaction paves the way for Fossella to mount a Staten Island Republican Party-backed primary challenge against her next year, given his name recognition and ability to secure a Trump endorsement.

One party source who helped organize for Malliotakis during her congressional race last year said they havent heard from her since early this year and wont help her again since she didnt help the party. We did for her, she doesnt want to return it, its basically a fuck you,the source said. I do think there are a lot of Republicans who feel a little bit burned by Nicole because of how missing she was this cycle, the source continued. Next year, it would be hard to find people willing to come out and help her to organize the same way.

Read more here.

By the Numbers

About 930,000

The number of estimated votes cast in the Democratic mayoral primary, once everything is counted. That would be the highest number of votes in a mayoral primary since 1.1 million Democrats came out in 1989 to help the citys first Black mayor, David Dinkins, unseat the incumbent Ed Koch. And if anything, this years total is an underestimate, since more mail-in ballots are expected to trickle into the Board of Elections in the coming days, adding to the 111,119 received as of Thursday night. About 180,000 Democrats voted early, and about 641,000 did so on Tuesday. But while the raw number of votes exceeded expectations, the percentage of Democrats that turned out wasnt all that high, historically, given how much the partys enrollment has grown over time.

cc-by-the-numbers-table-062421.png Alt Text: Voter turnout in NYC Democratic Mayoral Primaries Title Text: Voter turnout in NYC Democratic Mayoral Primaries Caption: Voter turnout in NYC Democratic Mayoral Primaries Image Credit: Alex Law/ City & State

Could they have just handed out cash instead?

Is your vote worth $1,300? The numbers arent official yet, but as it stands right now, Nabaraj KC, running in City Council District 19 in northeastern Queens, seemed to have the worst dollar-to-vote ratio in the city, raising $197,732 and earning just 153 votes  $1,292 per vote. KC, an entrepreneur and realtor who says hes the first Nepali American to run for the council, got just 1.46% in the six-way Democratic primary. He maxed out on public funds, bringing in $168,888, once again raising the hackles of critics like consultant Patrick Jenkins who think the system is too generous. But fully privately funded candidates can underperform too. Susan Damplo, an administrative law judge who didnt take public funds, raised $197,274 and got 282 votes  so $700 per vote. And its not just the little guys. Ray McGuire raised nearly $12 million and got just 18,503 votes. Thats $646 per vote. And if you include the $5.7 million a super PAC spent to support him, then its $956 per vote. And Shaun Donovan raised $279 per vote on his own, but if you include the super PAC his dad funded, its $654 per vote. In comparison, even when you include the $7.6 million super PACs spent for him, Eric Adams was at $75 per vote.

What to expect when youre expecting

After a day off in his pajamas  and maybe a bath with rose petals  Eric Adams acted like a presumptive mayor on Thursday, making pronouncements before the media and riding a bike to a street renaming. Its easy to make Adams case as the mayor-in-waiting, with a 9-point lead on Maya Wiley. And while recent polls suggest that either Wiley or Kathryn Garcia could slightly close the gap between themselves and Adams when voters ranked choices are factored in, Adams relative popularity in second- and third-choice votes should be enough to leave him on top. But victory is possible for both Wiley and Garcia and neither is about to give up  especially to a man who has never seemed all that jazzed about ranked-choice voting. But this period of three mayors may not last long. The full, official results, including the absentee ballots, which make up about 12% of the total votes, arent expected until July 12. But the Board of Elections will release the full in-person voting results on June 29  likely at the commissioners weekly 1:30 p.m. meeting  which should give a clearer sense of whether Adams picked up enough other ranked votes to win.

Returners prevail, mostly

Easiest way to win a City Council seat? Be a former City Council member. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, who served on the City Council for 12 years until she was term-limited in 2013, won handily on Tuesday night, securing 54% of the first-place votes in District 6 on the Upper West Side. Darlene Mealy emerged in the District 41 race in Central Brooklyn with 57% of first-place votesagainst incumbent Alicka Ampry-Samuel. Months after winning his former seat in a special election, three-term veteran James Gennaro finished the night with 60% of the vote, leading Moumita Ahmed in the District 24 race in eastern Queens. In East New York, Assembly Member Charles Barron is vying to replace his term-limited wife, City Council Member Inez Barron. Hes leading Brooklyn Democratic machine candidate Nikki Lucas with 47% of the vote. And Tony Avella, who also served in the state Senate, is on a likely path to victory, holding 37% of the vote in northeastern Queens. The one loser? Ruben Wills, currently down 32 percentage points to incumbent Adrienne Adams in Southeast Queens, but hes really a winner after a court reversed his felony conviction earlier this year. And another veteran will have to wait. Democrat Sal Albanese was uncontested in Staten Islands Council District 50, but its historically been held by Republicans and he may face a tough contest in November.

District Data

cc-district-map-41-062421.png Alt Text: District Map 41 Title Text: District Map 41 Caption: District Map 41 Image Credit: Alex Law/ City & State

City Council District 41 in central Brooklyn, covering neighborhoods including Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brownsville and East Flatbush

Current council member: Alicka Ampry-Samuel, since 2018, who ran for reelection

2010 census demographics: 81.1% Black, 14% Hispanic, 2.1% white, 0.7% Asian and Pacific Islander

Housing: 82.9% renter-occupied, 17.1% owner-occupied

2017 primary election results: Alicka Ampry-Samuel: 31.2%, Henry Butler: 22%, Cory Provost: 11.2%, Moreen King: 8.5%, Deidre Olivera: 8.5%, Royston Antoine: 5.7%, Victor Jordan: 5.3%, David Miller: 4.9%, Leopold Cox: 2.9%

2021 preliminary primary election results: Darlene Mealy: 57.3%, Alicka Ampry-Samuel: 42.1%

Whos running: Even though Darlene Mealy had held the seat for three terms, from 2006 through 2017, Ampry-Samuel  the incumbent, an attorney and political ally of Rep. Yvette Clarke  was expected to cruise to victory. After all, she had just won a crowded primary four years before and had been eyeing a run for speaker of the City Council in 2022. But Mealy  who is a district leader and an ally of former party leader Frank Seddio  didnt want that to happen, and her years of elected experience may have given her the edge over Ampry-Samuel, even if City & State did rate Mealy as the worst member on the City Council in 2017. With just two weeks to go until the primary, Mealy had only reported spending an almost impossibly little $1,260  while Ampry-Samuel had spent 97 times that amount  $122,451. But Mealy got an influx of $82,062 in public funds just five days before the primary, and must have put it to good use. Ampry-Samuel feels shocked and disappointed, she told Campaign Confidential in a text message. The community deserves more and weve gained real momentum. With just two years in office before the pandemic, its hard to compete with someone in elected office for the last 16 years. Will she challenge Mealy in the general? If given the chance  I would. But I am uncertain of the possibilities at the moment.

Twitter Posting

You slid into my mailbox so I figured Id slide into your DMs.

Hope they sent that to every candidate that sent them mail during the election

 Rebecca Lamorte @RebeccaLamorte
The power of an attorney

Preliminary results from the packed primary race for Manhattan district attorney have indicated that former state Chief Deputy Attorney General Alvin Bragg is the likely winner.

Throughout the course of his campaign, Bragg was able to win over progressives and moderates with his past work experience and plans to reduce incarceration, along with his promise to not prosecute a number of minor offenses. Bragg has also been vocal about how his own experience of being stopped and frisked by police has shaped how he thinks about the criminal justice system. However, Braggs stances are not as far left as candidates such as civil rights attorney Tahanie Aboushi, the favorite of the activist left, who hoped to dramatically reduce prosecutions. Trailing close behind Bragg in second place is Tali Farhadian Weinstein, his biggest competition in the race, who spent millions of her own fortune on advertising that some thought could significantly sway voters.

While this was one of the few races, aside from the judicial primaries, to not use ranked-choice voting, as the position is technically a state elected office, voters are still going to have to wait for results from absentee ballots to be counted before we know the official winner.

As we wait for the official announcement to come in, lets take a moment to talk about what it is that a district attorney does and is supposed to do in New York City.

Simply put, a district attorney acts as the top prosecutor of whatever county district theyre in. Because each of the citys boroughs is its own district, each borough has its own district attorney, who is expected to conduct all criminal prosecutions within the county. Each term lasts for a total of four years, and the position is not term-limited, which means district attorneys can continue to run for the office as long as they like.



The Manhattan district attorney, more so than the citys other district attorneys, is considered especially powerful. Consider the high-profile cases that often end up being tackled by the district attorney, such as former President Donald Trumps dubious finances. The office also has over two dozen units and bureaus, dedicated to everything from cyber crime and identity theft to violent criminal enterprises, and hundreds of attorneys on staff to assist with cases.

The DAs discretion

Decisions, decisions

Like most elected offices, the way any given district attorneys office operates is heavily dependent on who the district attorney is. They can choose how they would like to prosecute a case, how to make plea bargains and whether or not to seek bail  and they can also confiscate property.

Additionally, district attorneys have the power to opt out of prosecuting certain charges or cases, which in recent years has become much more important. For example, in April, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance announced that his office would no longer be prosecuting prostitution and unlicensed massage, explaining that the practice of doing so did nothing to make the borough safer and ends up further marginalizing vulnerable New Yorkers. Vances move represents the shift in perspective on the criminalization of sex work and the enforcement of certain anti-prostitution laws.

While decisions like these have made waves in recent years, district attorneys have long acted in a way they view to be just, regardless of what the state law says or allows for. In 1997, then-Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, who was the longest serving district attorney in the office, announced that he would not seek the death penalty for a stockbroker who had murdered a police officer, despite ongoing calls from the public and prominent elected officials to do so. The death penalty was still legal in New York until 2004, when the states court of appeals deemed it unconstitutional.



While Morgenthau said in a statement at the time that his decision not to seek capital punishment ''would not be the product of any personal philosophy attributed to me,'' he was known for being a fierce opponent of the death penalty, never once pursuing it during his tenure. The death penalty exacts a terrible price in dollars, lives and human decency, Morgenthau once said.

How NYC district attorneys came to be

Mini history lesson

In 1796, New York was split into seven counties, each with their own assistant attorney general, or what is now known as a district attorney. While the other boroughs fell under the first district of New York and had their own district attorney, Manhattan has not always had its own DA as it does now. Before 1801, when New York County became a part of the first district of New York, all criminal cases in New York County (Manhattan) were prosecuted by the New York state attorney general.

Until 1822, district attorneys in New York were appointed by the since-obsolete Council of Appointment. In this period, the DA served during the councils pleasure (creepy), so there was no defined term of office. The position then had three-year terms, and in case of vacancy, the governor was able to make an interim appointment.



In 1846 the position became an elected office following a constitutional convention. Since the 1930s the Manhattan district attorneys office has only had four elected DAs: Thomas E. Dewey, Frank H. Hogan, Robert M. Morgenthau, and current Manhattan DA Cy Vance. All Manhattan DAs so far have been *surprise surprise* white men.

Get to know NYCs DAs

Power Players

Cy Vance: Cyrus Vance Jr., son of Jimmy Carters secretary of state Cyrus Vance Sr., was first elected Manhattan DA 2009 and reelected in 2017. Vance ran on the idea of community-based justice. However, his offices record on sexual assault cases has repeatedly drawn attention throughout the years. This includes a 2011 decision by a prosecutor from Vances office to ask for notorious abuser Jeffrey Epsteins sex-offender status to be lowered. The hearing, which Vance claimed to be unaware of, drew much scrutiny in 2019 when Epstein was arrested and charged for sex trafficking. Critics have also questioned Vances handling of charges against Harvey Weinstein and the Trump family after contributions to Vances reelection campaign from Weinsteins lawyer and a Trump lawyer. In 2019, Vance filed indictment charges against Paul Manafort, former chair of Donald Trumps 2016 campaign, which were later dismissed by a judge. Later in the year, Vances subpoena for Trumps personal and business tax returns would be upheld after several appeals, and Vances office is currently investigating the returns.

Darcel Clark: Darcel Clark was elected Bronx DA in 2016, and is the first woman to hold the position, as well as the first woman of color to be a New York state district attorney. Clarks platform centered on targeting Rikers Island cases and lowering backlog. However, Clarks office has been the subject of multiple accusations of corruption and cronyism, including accusations of requesting the resignation of a disabled prosecutor, retaliation against a police officer for ticketing a City Council member and encouraging prosecutors to slow down cases.

Eric Gonzalez: Kings County District Attorney Eric Gonzalez became acting district attorney in 2016 after his predecessor Kenneth P. Thompson died, and was elected to office in 2017. Gonzalez has become known as a progressive prosecutor, focused on reforms and internal investigations, such as a report detailing wrongful convictions in Brooklyn. Still, Gonzalez has come under fire from activists as a reformist, and has also been critiqued by police union leaders for actions like releasing a list of police officers with questionable credibility.

Melinda Katz: Melinda Katz, a lifelong politician, narrowly defeated public defender Tiffany Caban to be elected to the office of Queens County district attorney in 2019. Katz, like Gonzalez, has promised to be a progressive prosecutor. While she seemed to follow through in her first year by stopping the prosecution of most low-level marijuana arrests and forming a unit to investigate claims of innocence, it remains to be seen how Katz will handle prosecutorial misconduct. Katz, Vance and Gonzalez have all pushed for the dismissal of prostitution cases.

Michael McMahon: Michael McMahon, Richmond County district attorney, was elected to office in 2015 after previously serving in Congress. McMahon has focused on Staten Islands opioid crisis, spearheading initiatives to offer outreach programs as an alternative to incarceration. McMahon has also stated that he will not prosecute police officers who accidentally violate the citys recent diaphragm law, which prevents cops from sitting or kneeling on peoples necks, backs and chests while making arrests.

Can DAs impact policy?

Somewhat.

Even though district attorneys are mostly concerned with prosecuting cases in their county, their rulings and stances on particular issues can often help shift lawmakers' perceptions on laws and policies.

A prime example of this would be Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalezs decision in 2019, to no longer prosecute a loitering law that activists called the walking while trans ban, which disproportionately affected trans women of color, prior to the laws repeal in February. This led other district attorneys, such as Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas, to follow suit and signaled to state lawmakers that it was time to overturn the outdated law. Gonzalezs against the law is credited with helping change peoples view of it.

 With reporting from Isabel Beebe and Maryam Rahaman.
Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo practically declared mission accomplished with regards to the COVID-19 pandemic. And this week, he made it more official  he ended the state of emergency he declared over a year ago, bringing to an end the expanded powers hes had throughout the crisis. While nearly all restrictions had already been lifted, it did bring an abrupt end to the popular allowance of to-go cocktails. The state permitted the boozy takeout only through emergency powers, and restaurants are now lamenting the sudden loss of one of their best sources of revenue keeping them afloat during the pandemic. Plenty more happened this week, so keep reading for the rest of the news.

Adams is NYCs first choice for mayor

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams has been waiting to become mayor of New York City for at least 16 years, when, as a newly minted captain in the New York City Police Department, he started telling friends that one day hed lead the city where he had lived his whole life. But even though Adams leads the Democratic primary for New York City mayor with 31% of the first-place, in-person votes, he will have to wait a little longer before he can officially declare victory.

We know theres going to be twos and threes and fours, Adams said at his election night party Tuesday, referring to ranked-choice voting. Theres something else we know  that New York City said, Our first choice is Eric Adams.

This is the first citywide election with ranked-choice voting, and since Adams didnt earn at least 50% of first-ranked votes, Democrats lower-ranked votes will be counted and allocated toward the total in the coming weeks, after absentee ballots are also received. That instant runoff may close the gap between Adams and either Maya Wiley, the former counsel to Mayor Bill de Blasio, who is in second with 22% of first-place votes, or Kathryn Garcia, the former New York City sanitation commissioner, who is in third place with 19.5%. Garcia aggressively promoted ranked-choice voting by campaigning with another opponent, Andrew Yang, and polling suggested that Garcia was among the least polarizing candidates in the field, which should help her pick up lower-ranked votes from New Yorkers who gave other candidates their No. 1 selection. However Adams lead was large enough that its unlikely for any other candidate to overtake him.

In a celebratory, though measured tone, Adams came close to declaring victory Tuesday. What a moment. The little guy won today, Adams said, emphasizing his humble upbringing in South Jamaica, Queens, and presenting his success as a triumph for blue-collar New Yorkers. Adams would be the first mayor to have attended New York City public schools since Abe Beame, who left office in 1977. Adams later added: We have been chosen by our neighbors to lead this city. Read more here.

Lander rides progressive wave

For weeks, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson was the presumed front-runner in the race to become New York Citys next comptroller, judging by most polls in the Democratic primary. He came under fire for being absent from the campaign trail at forums and from his job, fending off tough criticism in the first New York City Campaign Finance Board sanctioned debate.

However, at the end of election night, New York City Council Member Brad Lander was ahead of Johnson in first-place votes, leading the field with more than 31% of first-place votes to Johnsons 22.5%.

Lander had initially been considered a strong candidate before Johnson, who enjoyed greater name recognition, entered the race in March. But the progressive left coalesced behind Lander, who was endorsed by U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Jamaal Bowman, the Working Families Party and The New York Times. In a recent poll by left-leaning think tank Data for Progress, Lander led Johnson by 8 points, which was close to his lead on election night.

Im feeling great, Lander told City & State, speaking from the Threes Brewing bar in Gowanus, which is in his Brooklyn council district. Its too soon to make declarations, we have more results to come in tonight. Im a supporter of ranked-choice voting, so we need to see the ranked-choice tabulations, but we are feeling great. This is a meaningful lead, weve built a broad coalition across the city and were thrilled with what were seeing. Lander, who had not yet spoken to any of the other comptroller candidates when reached, credited the broad and energetic coalition he built in recent weeks with other elected officials, unions and community groups for his boost in the polls and said he believed he was always doing better than the polls predicted. Read more here.

Queens borough president surprise

Former New York City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley has become better known for losing high-profile races than winning them, after losing a congressional race in 2012, her own reelection bid in 2017 and a special election for Queens borough president in 2020. But the cousin of former Rep. Joe Crowley seemed to be close to pulling off an upset in the Democratic primary for Queens borough president, as the unofficial returns showed her trailing incumbent Donovan Richards by just 1 percentage point.

Four of New York Citys five borough presidents are term-limited at the end of this year, but Queens had already chosen a borough president last year, when Richards comfortably defeated Crowley in a special election 35.8% to 28.8%.

So many political observers were shocked when the election night results showed Crowley trailing by only 2,076 votes. A political consultant who works in Queens, but wasnt involved in the race and asked for anonymity so as to not speak for his clients, may have captured the sentiment best in a phone interview: What the fuck happened there? That is insane! Insane! God bless Liz Crowley.

Its extremely rare for candidates who lose special elections to come back the next time and win. All five City Council members elected in special elections in the past six months have comfortable leads, if not outright victories based on first-place votes on election night. And as New York City political savant Louis Cholden-Brown noted on Twitter, a Queens borough president hasnt lost reelection since 1957.

As Queens-based political consultant Sam Goldsmith put it, Ive been speaking with political insiders for weeks and months. And months ago, the thought was Donovans a sure thing, and weeks ago the thought was Donovans a sure thing.  The incumbent was always supposed to win this election, and Liz Crowley was never on anybodys mind. Read more here.

Money doesnt buy Manhattan DA

The election night results from the packed primary race for Manhattan district attorney showed former state Chief Deputy Attorney General Alvin Bragg with a 3-point lead.

Throughout the course of his campaign, Bragg was able to win over progressives and moderates with his work experience and plans to reduce incarceration, along with his promise to not prosecute a number of minor offenses. Bragg has been vocal about how his own experience of being stopped and frisked by the police shaped how he thinks about the criminal justice system. Trailing close behind Bragg in second place is Tali Farhadian Weinstein, who spent millions of her own money on advertising.

While this was one of the few races, aside from the judicial primaries, to not use ranked-choice voting, as the position is technically a state elected office, voters are still going to have to wait for results from absentee ballots to be counted before we know the official winner. The winner of the race will likely inherit an ongoing high-profile investigation into former President Donald Trumps finances after the November general election.

Two upstate mayoral shake-ups

The upstate primary mayoral elections were a test of the strength between established political party interests and partisan insurgents, with incumbent mayors in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse battling challengers who wanted to deny them another term in office.

Four-term Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown ignored his socialist opponent India Walton, who now has a significant 7-point lead over him. Two-term Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan actually debated her opponent and cruised to victory. Two-term Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren had to deal with an array of scandals and lost in a landslide to Malik Evans, an upstart member of the City Council with no such political baggage. First-term Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh is a political independent who got to rest easy as Democrats and Republicans faced off for the right to run against him in November. The final results in the races will depend on absentee votes that have yet to be counted. Read more here.

City Council sea change

The vast majority of New York City Council seats were open this year, and over 300 candidates were filed to run across the city. After election night, much remained uncertain, but Council Members Carlina Rivera, Rafael Salamanca Jr. and Farah Louis were a few of the incumbents that won easy victories. Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer appears to have a very good chance of heading back to her old council stomping grounds. However, Council Member Darma Diaz was far behind challenger Sandy Nurse. And Erik Bottcher could very well end up winning former boss Corey Johnsons old seat.

Election Day had somewhat mixed results for progressives, many of whom were focused more on the council races than the mayoral in hopes of having an even more left-wing legislature to counterbalance a potentially moderate mayor. Only two of the six Democratic Socialist of America-backed candidates led on election night, and roughly half of the candidates endorsed by the Working Families Party had the most first-choice votes so far. A handful of the races were close, with the DSA or WFP candidate finishing in a close second that could flip thanks to ranked-choice voting  but the reverse was true as well, with some progressives holding tenuous leads as well.

Rudys up and down week

After weeks and months of perpetuating false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election, a New York judge revoked former Trump lawyer Rudy Guilianis license to practice law in the state. According to the judge, an interim suspension like he imposed on Guiliani is unusual and reserved for the most serious of misconduct. But the former Big Apple mayor was still feeling the love in his hometown, appearing on stage Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa on election night as he gave his victory speech. He was greeted by cheers and chants of Rudy! from an enthusiastic crowd of conservatives.

Very high turnout

There will be an estimated 930,000 votes cast in the Democratic mayoral primary, once everything is counted. That would be the highest number of votes in a mayoral primary since 1.1 million Democrats came out in 1989 to help the citys first Black mayor, David Dinkins, unseat the incumbent Ed Koch. And if anything, this years total is an underestimate, since more mail-in ballots are expected to trickle into the Board of Elections in the coming days, adding to the 111,119 received as of last Thursday. About 180,000 Democrats voted early, and about 641,000 did so on Election Day. But while the raw number of votes exceeded expectations, the percentage of Democrats that turned out wasnt all that high, historically, given how much the partys enrollment has grown over time.
In April, the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, part of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, announced a marquee hire: Nikole Hannah-Jones, a journalist for the New York Times Magazine, would arrive in the summer as the Knight Chair in Race and Investigative Journalism. The university has given me a lot, Hannah-Jones, a UNC alumna, said, and Im grateful for the opportunity to give back by helping students pursue their dreams and learn how to practice the type of journalism that is truly reflective of our multiracial nation. The journalism faculty recommended her for tenure. But last month, the process hit a snag, when members of the universitys board of trustees failed to approveor even formally considerher tenure position. The chair of the board described that as routine, since Hannah-Jones lacks a traditional academic-type background, yet her predecessors in the post received tenure after having spent their careers as media professionals. In her case, the universitys effective denial was widely interpreted as a political snub: Hannah-Jones is persona non grata among many conservatives, thanks to her direction of the 1619 Project, a Times initiative that centers slavery in the American story.

Hannah-Jones agreed to sign a five-year contract, with tenure to be reviewed. This week, however, NC Policy Watch reported that she wont join UNC unless she is offered tenure up front; her lawyers told the university that since signing on, she has come to learn that political interference and influence from a powerful donor contributed to the Board of Trustees failure to consider her tenure application, and thus cannot trust that the University would consider her tenure application in good faith at a future date. The donor in question is Walter Hussman, Jr., another UNC alum who is now the publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and who has pledged so much money to UNCs journalism school that it took his name and agreed literally to etch his journalistic values into the building. (For now, theyre printed on wallpaper because of an etching delay.) In late May, The Assembly reported that, after Hussman learned of the plan to appoint Hannah-Jones, he privately informed university leaders of his concern about tying the school to the 1619 Project; in emails, he referred to reputational controversy, but also revealed his personal disagreement with the projects denigration of courageous white southerners in the civil-rights era. My hope and vision was that the journalism school would be the champion of objective, impartial reporting and separating news and opinion, Hussman wrote. When The Assembly approached Hussman, he declined to elaborate much, citing his duty to journalistic impartiality. (Taking sides privatelyas a major donor, no lessis, apparently, fine.)

New from CJR: Richard J. Tofel on the Nonprofit News Revolution

Hussman v. Hannah-Jones thus became an episode in the endless media-industry debate over the meaning of objectivity and its practical application. Individually, the pair appear to stand at opposite poles, but, as Sid Bedingfield, a journalism academic at the University of Minnesota, wrote for the Washington Post yesterday, situating their positions in historical context reveals an irony: far from enshrining objectivity, white-owned Southern newspaperslike the Arkansas titles that the Hussman family would later acquireworked closely with business and political allies to eliminate what they viewed as the threat of Black suffrage and to build the Jim Crow political economy that came to dominate Southern society, forcing Black journalists to fight back in the name of democracy. The success of those papers explains why Hannah-Jones has an agenda today, Bedingfield writes.

Present-day context is important, too. The centrality of UNC makes this situation about more than journalistic philosophyits also a matter of academic freedom, now the subject of national uproar. Concocted right-wing panic about critical race theorywhich is actually a (mostly college-level) field concerned with systemic and institutional racismhas been weaponized by conservative activists as an amorphous, wont-someone-think-of-the-children? boogeyman for Americans who are being asked to think seriously about racism and dont like it. As with all right-wing panics, this one has come to assume the form of a media feedback loop: right-wing outlets have blown up outrageous-sounding anecdotes, driving attention as conservatives kick up a fuss at school-board meetings. According to the Post, critical race theory has been mentioned on Fox News nearly two thousand times this year, with nearly fifty mentions on Tuesday alone. Liberal outlets have covered the subject far less, but, as is always the case with right-wing panics, the story has started to spill out of its silo, inspiring a parade of rebuttals, debunkings, and semantic arguments. These have often been worthy, but the fact were talking about critical race theory at all is a victory for the agitators. All the while, state-level Republican politicians are pushing restrictive education lawsjust as they used Trumps lies about the election as cover to push restrictive voting laws. As Hannah-Jones noted on MSNBC last week, the two types of legislation go hand in hand.

The 1619 Project is not critical race theory, but its a flashpoint in the same fightand was one of the earliest things to be targeted in the recent education wars. Like critical race theory, 1619 threatens conservatives because it challenges their shibboleths; it also challenges their control of the national conversation, and thus their power over the political agenda. Expanding the discourse is what good journalism does, as the dean of UNCs journalism school noted after hiring Hannah-Jones. Etch that into the wall. And grant Hannah-Jones tenure, while youre at it.

Sign up for CJR 's daily email

Below, more on NHJ, UNC, and CRT:



Other notable stories:

ICYMI: Britney Spears fills a hole in her narrative

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop.
HRUSKY, Czech Republic  Emergency workers and residents combed through wreckage in southern Czech Republic on Friday after a tornado ripped roofs off buildings and sent cars flying through the air, killing at least five people and injuring hundreds.

The tornado, which hit towns and villages around Hodonin along the Slovak and Austrian borders on Thursday evening, may have reached windspeeds above 332 kph (206 mph), a Czech Television meteorologist said.

It was terrible what we went through, said Lenka Petrasova in Hrusky who recounted taking shelter with her 11-year old-son after spotting the tornado minutes before it hit. It was unbelievable. I saw a car fly, and dogs flying.

Firefighters searched the rubble on Friday while the army sent in a team with heavy engineering equipment to deal with the aftermath of the strongest storm in the central European nations modern history and its first tornado since 2018.

In the village of Hrusky with a population of 1,600, a deputy mayor estimated that a third of the houses were destroyed and many needed inspections before people could safely return.

Part of the village is leveled, only the perimeter walls without roofs, without windows remain, Marek Babisz told news site iDNES.

The church has no roof, it has no tower, cars were hurled at family houses, people had nowhere to hide. The village from the church down practically ceased to exist, he said.

South Moravia regional administration chief Jan Grolich said that five people had died in the storm, and regional hospitals treated some 150 injured while others were sent elsewhere.

Emergency crews from neighboring Poland, Austria and Slovakia fanned out across the region, 270 km (167 miles) southeast of Prague, to assist.

Officials said thousands of homes had been destroyed and appealed to people not to drive to the affected areas so rescue services could work, urging them to send donations instead.

More than 100 residents of a home for the elderly in Hodonin had to be evacuated.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis cut short his attendance at the European Council summit in Brussels to visit the area where electricity and water remained shut off in a number of villages.

Speaking on his return, Babis said the governments priority was to tap the European Unions solidarity fund in which around 1.3 billion euros are put aside for such situations in member countries.

The footage I saw is absolutely catastrophic, said Babis, who also toured damaged homes in Hrusky. We have offers of help from across Europe and many prime ministers have approached me to offer assistance.

Czech TV reported as many as seven small towns were massively damaged, citing an emergency services spokesperson.

Residents on Friday surveyed the damage.

There used to be two rooms above this, Mikulcice resident Pavel Netopilik said pointing to the rubble surrounding his house where the upstairs floors collapsed. Now they are not here. The ceiling collapsed.
A company whose northern Illinois chemical plant was heavily damaged in a fire last week defended its use of firefighting foam containing toxic chemicals Wednesday, saying crews had taken steps to contain the material.

An industrial team hired by Lubrizol Inc., parent company of Chemtool, used foam containing PFAS compounds June 15 before switching to another foam without them on orders of the fire chief in Rockton, a town near the Wisconsin border.

State and federal regulators had raised concerns with the company about the PFAS-containing foam. It is legal in most of the U.S. but generally used only for highly flammable or combustible fires involving gas tankers and oil refineries, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The foam was used in the early stages of firefighting efforts for a limited time given the heightened risk of letting the fire burn and spread, Lubrizol said in a statement Wednesday. Fluorinated foam is twice as effective as non-fluorinated foam in suppressing a fire like the one we experienced and offered the best chance to control the fire in the shortest amount of time. 

The company said the foam was sprayed on one portion of the site. Before it was applied, Lubrizol and the contractor, U.S. Fire Pumps, dug trenches around the property. The foam and water in which it was diluted were vacuumed up and stored in tanks for appropriate disposal, the statement said.

We continue to run tests of the soil and water to further validate the effectiveness of the containment measures, Lubrizol said.

PFAS chemicals belong to a group known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are used in a wide variety of industrial and household products. They have been linked to numerous health problems including cancer and damage to organs including the liver, kidneys and thyroid gland.

They are described as forever chemicals because they dont degrade in the environment or the human body.

Louisiana-based U.S. Fire Pump used about 3,200 gallons of the PFAS-containing foam mixed with 71,000 gallons of water, according to the Illinois EPA.

State officials did not respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday. The U.S. EPA said it stood by its earlier statement of concern about use of the foam.

The fire sent thick black smoke thousands of feet in the air and caused debris to rain onto nearby yards. About 1,000 residents were evacuated for four days.

Lubrizol said experts were continuing to monitor air quality in the area of the plant, which manufactured lubricants, grease products and other fluids. No negative effects have been detected aside from the short-term irritation one would normally experience in the presence of smoke, the company said.

Debris is being removed and properties cleaned, Lubrizol said. The debris will be sent to an EPA- approved facility for disposal.

About the photo: Firefighters from Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin battle an industrial fire at Chemtool Inc. on June 14, 2021 in Rockton, Illinois. The chemical fire at the plant which produces lubricants, grease products and other fluids has prompted local evacuations. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CAMP HILL, Ala. (AP)  Claudette regained tropical storm status and headed out to sea from the North Carolina coast Monday, less than two days after the system killed 14 people in Alabama, including nine children who died in a highway crash.

Eight of the children who died Saturday were in a van for a home for abused or neglected children when it erupted in flames in the wreck along a wet Interstate 65 about 35 miles (55 kilometers) south of Montgomery. Butler County Coroner Wayne Garlock said multiple vehicles probably hydroplaned.

The crash also claimed the lives of two people in another vehicle  a 29-year-old Tennessee man and his 9-month-old daughter. Other people were injured.

Elsewhere, a 24-year-old man and a 3-year-old boy were killed Saturday when a tree fell on their house just outside Tuscaloosa, and a 23-year-old Fort Payne woman died after her car ran off the road into a swollen creek, authorities said.

News outlets reported that search dogs located the body of a man believed to have fallen into the water during flash flooding in Birmingham.

By Monday morning, Claudette had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph). The storm was about 90 miles (145 kilometers) south of Ocean City, Maryland, and moving east-northeast at 28 mph (45 kph), the National Hurricane Center said.

The system was expected to pass near or south of Nova Scotia before dissipating late Tuesday.

About 1 to 2 inches (3 to 5 centimeters) of rain was expected in the Carolinas before Claudette moved out to sea.

The van in Saturdays crash was carrying children ages 4 to 17 who were being cared for at the Tallapoosa County Girls Ranch, a youth home operated by the Alabama Sheriffs Association that takes in abused and neglected children, including foster children.

The van was heading back to the ranch near Camp Hill, northeast of Montgomery, after a week at the beach in Gulf Shores. Ranch Director Candice Gulley was the vans only survivor _ pulled from the flames by a bystander.

Words cannot explain what I saw, Michael Smith, the youth ranchs CEO, said of the accident site, which he visited Saturday. He returned from Gulf Shores in a separate van and did not see the crash when it happened.

Gulley remained hospitalized Sunday in Montgomery in serious but stable condition. Two of the dead in the van were her children, ages 4 and 16. Four others were ranch residents and two were guests, Smith said.

The annual trip to the beach is the highlight of the year at the ranch. Its a new experience for many of the girls, a worker said. Writing on social media ahead of the trip, the employee said the organization wanted our girls to be able to enjoy all of the things that regular families get to do on vacation and later posted a photo of girls standing on the beach under a blue sky looking out at the waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Volunteers delivered food Monday at the ranch, on a section of a two-lane county highway lined with wooden fences painted white. Sheriffs cars and orange traffic barrels blocked the road leading to the area where girls live in homes with their house parents.

Students and community members gathered for a prayer service Sunday at Reeltown High School, the school the girls attended. One of the surviving girls, who was traveling in a separate vehicle, wept as she spoke about her little sisters, al.com reported.

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, said the teen, who was not identified because she is in state custody.

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, she said.

She encouraged mourners to look at somebody and tell them you love them and hold them and squeeze them tight.

I will never, ever in my life take life for granted because it is so precious. Love is the biggest thing, she said.

The coroner 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.

The National Transportation Safety Board tweeted that it was sending 10 investigators to the area Sunday.

Chandler reported from Montgomery. Jeff Amy in Atlanta, Amy Forliti in Minneapolis, Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, and Julie Walker in New York contributed to this report.

About the photo: This photo provided by Alicia Jossey shows debris covering the street in East Brewton, Ala., on Saturday, June 19, 2021. Authorities in Alabama say a suspected tornado spurred by Tropical Storm Claudette demolished or badly damaged at least 50 homes in the small town just north of the Florida border. (Alicia Jossey via AP)

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Monica,

How is it legal for companies to require employees get the COVID-19 vaccine when it hasnt been fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration? What happens if the employee suffers an adverse reaction? Can they sue the business?

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, employers can require employees receive the COVID-19 vaccine, but there are exceptions.

The availability of COVID-19 vaccinations raises questions under the federal equal employment opportunity laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Rehabilitation Act, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as amended, by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

According to the Ohio State Bar Association, one exception would be the employees religion. If the employee has a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance that equates to that of traditional religious views, they may request that the employer provide reasonable accommodation for their beliefs.

Another exception would be for those who have a medical condition or disability that would put them at risk for getting the vaccine. The employer can request a doctors note for this requested exemption.

Employees seeking exemption can request reasonable accommodation to not have to get the COVID-19 vaccine. That could include masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment. If possible, they could allow the employee to work remotely or be reassigned to a less populated work site. If the employee refuses these options, the business can terminate their employment.

The employer can request documentation relating to the exemption status.

If the worker gets the vaccine and then has an adverse reaction, they may be able to file a workers compensation claim. But there are several steps they must take to get that claim approved.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says workers compensation was established to provide partial medical care and income protection to employees who are injured or become ill from their job.

The first step is that the vaccine must have been mandated by the employer to have the claim approved and there must be documentation backing up the mandate.

If the vaccine was encouraged by the employer and the employer even partnered with a third-party vendor to offer the vaccine, its less likely a workers compensation claim would be approved in this situation.

Another key to filing a successful workers compensation claim is documentation. The worker must have medical records and/or a medical professional document the adverse effect as soon as possible  meaning a causal connection must be proven.

Keep in mind, many of the known adverse reactions go away after a few days. Without documentation, a claim would likely be denied.

An individual who was administered or used a covered countermeasure, such as a COVID-19 vaccine, and is injured may file for compensation for their out-of-pocket, unreimbursed medical expenses and lost employment income benefits with the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program. Instructions for filing a request for benefits are available at hrsa.gov/cicp/filing-benefits. A request for benefits must be filed within one year after the individual was administered or used the covered countermeasure.

The CICP is the payer of last resort and can only reimburse or pay for medical services or items or lost employment income that are not covered by other third-party payers, such as health insurance, Veterans Affairs benefits or workers compensation.

Filing a workers compensation claim is not the same as a lawsuit. The primary goal is to get the worker back to work so what would be covered would be medical benefits and indemnity benefits. The latter being compensation for lost work time.

Most claims would generally be small in compensation for those who have adverse effects lasting only a few days. Those who have longstanding adverse reactions would likely get more.

As for filing a lawsuit over being required to get the vaccine, thats still uncharted territory. Because the vaccines do not yet have full FDA approval it would not be surprising if someone tries to sue an employer for mandating it if they experienced adverse reactions. However, theres no guarantee the case would be won.

The federal government has placed liability protections for the pharmaceutical companies. So, theres no chance of suing the company that made the vaccine.

Once the vaccines are FDA approved, we can expect to see more businesses and agencies mandating the vaccines with health care systems and the military likely being among the first.

Monica Robins is the Senior Health Correspondent at 3News. The information provided in this column is for educational and informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this column or on our website.

Watch Monica Robins nightly on 3News
Masks off.

Gatherings on.

Were moving full speed ahead back into life.

Maybe too fast.

As much as Ive wanted things to return to normal, whatever that is, I do want to pump the brakes a little. Or at least hit the pause button now and then.

I liked the slowness of COVID time, being able to say no to things I didnt want to do. Having a calendar that was empty became a secret joy. The world seemed to move at a slower, more graceful pace.

Wouldnt it be great to preserve one full day like that to rest and be?

Oh wait, we have that. Its called the Sabbath. Shabbat.

But what do most of us do? Fill it up with chores. Clean the garage out. Weed the flower beds. Do laundry. Get lost down the rabbit hole of Facebook.

I saved an article that ran in The Wall Street Journal in May by Sohrab Ahmari called What Weve Lost in Rejecting the Sabbath.

As we all learned, Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest that starts on Friday at sundown and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Most Christians honor the Sabbath on Sunday. Just a different interpretation of the commandment, Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

The article shared how Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel was in Berlin back in the early 1930s and had this moment clarity: Suddenly, I noticed the sun had gone down, evening had arrived. I had forgotten God  I had forgotten Sinai  I had forgotten that sunset is my business.

Sunset is my business.

I need to make it mine.

I grew up Catholic. We honored the Sabbath by going to Mass, then sitting down to a big dinner with the family and not leaving the table until everyone finished eating.

It was the only day my dad didnt work. And when you have 11 kids to feed and youre a blue collar guy struggling to make ends meet, thats hard to honor.

Sabbath was the only day my dad didnt wear a blue-collared Dickies shirt. The only day all the tar was off his hands. The only day he wore comfortable shoes instead of work boots. The only day we would pile in the car to visit his brother, Joe or John, or his sister, Francie, Rita, Chris, Kate or Veronica.

The Sabbath was the closest we ever got to a vacation. We never took one. During spring breaks, we washed the dining room chairs or the living room paneling or cleaned out the giant coffin freezer in the basement.

We loved the Sabbath because it gave us a break. You could be lazy without getting yelled at. You could sit in the apple tree reading a Nancy Drew book without someone hollering for you to sweep the dining room.

Gas stations were closed. Stores were closed. There was no mail delivery.

Even God took a day to rest, so why dont we? I love the idea that part of creation was to create an entire day to rest.

The importance of that day became clear to me over two decades ago when we went to Israel for our honeymoon. One of the most powerful moments was watching the city of Jerusalem shut down for Shabbat. People rushed about finishing errands, then suddenly, its as if someone pulled the plug on the city itself and everything stopped.

A blanket of silence fell over the city. There was no bus to catch. No taxi to hail. No shopping to finish. Everything closed.

The stillness felt so holy.

The only other time something that grand felt that quiet was when I stood at that holy temple we call the Grand Canyon.

So how do we recapture the Sabbath?

Unplug. Turn off the phone and computer for a day. Give yourself a digital detox.

Pray. For peace or for whoever needs a prayer most.

Play. Board games. Cards. Tag. Hide and seek. Be a kid for a day.

Rest. Nap. Sleep. Be a blob. My grandkids love when they dont have to do anything but relax and play. They call it Blob Day.

Savor nature. Greet the sunrise. Soak up the sun or rain. Watch the sunset. Thank the stars.

Enjoy family and friends. Share a meal. Light candles. Listen. Laugh. Love.

Be. Just sit and, Be still and know that I am God and that you arent. What a relief.

Taking a day off isnt wasted time.

Its holy time.

Connect with Regina Brett on Facebook at ReginaBrettFans. Listen to Little Detours with Regina Brett at reginabrett.com or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
Beck Center for the Arts annual Spotlight Gala will be held live and in-person from 6 to 11 p.m. June 17 at the Gordon Green event space, 5400 Detroit Ave. in Cleveland. The gala will honor major donors Wally and Joyce Senney and artistic director Scott Spence as well as celebrate 88 years 
Celebrate the Class of 2020

Submit a profile of your favorite graduate to have them featured in our Virtual Graduation 2020 special section. Tout their accomplishments, share their photos, and wish them well!

Submit profile
Randy Griffith is a multimedia reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5057. Follow him on Twitter @PhotoGriffer57.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 24) As the opposition Liberal Party scrambles to forge coalitions against the administration in the 2022 elections, an official of the ruling PDP-Laban party said the fight is as good as over if President Rodrigo Duterte seeks the vice presidency.

"We in PDP believe 'pag si Presidente (if the President) will decide to run for vice president, that's it... That's game over," Melvin Matibag, PDP-Laban secretary general, told CNN Philippines on Thursday.

"'Pag tumakbo siyang (If he runs for) vice president and he chooses his running mate, I'm sure everybody will gravitate to PDP-Laban," he added. "And I think that's the reason the opposition is trying to forge a strong lineup kasi (because) they know that it can happen."

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, president of LP, earlier said while Vice President Leni Robredo remains their top choice for standard bearer, the party is working with like-minded groups to reach out to Senators Panfilo "Ping" Lacson, Joel Villanueva, Nancy Binay, and Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso, to increase their fighting chance.

In a separate interview on Thursday, minority Senator Risa Hontiveros called it a "good strategy" and that her party, the Akbayan party-list, supports these efforts to unite for the May 2022 polls.

Meanwhile, members of PDP-Laban are still waiting for the decision of Duterte, their party chairman, on their call for him to run for vice president. The party's national council passed a resolution formalizing this request on May 31.

It is set to convene again on July 16 to craft the agenda for the national assembly the following day. Matibag said members can discuss the possible lineup for next year's polls.

"Lahat ng mga interested na magtakbong presidente (Everyone interested to run for president) then, throw your hat to, doon sa (the) table and you'll be one of the personalities na pagpipilian ng presidente (that the President will choose from)," he said.

He stressed that the President can also choose a standard bearer from outside the party, amid speculations it would eventually be presidential daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio. She has her own regional party, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, which recently secured the continued support of another major political party, the Lakas-CMD.

A group within PDP-Laban led by Senator Manny Pacquiao hopes the party's presidential bet would come from its roster of members. Pacquiao, the party president, contests the national council meeting in May and the gatherings scheduled for July.

Matibag said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, the party vice chairman, has invited Pacquiao to the upcoming national assembly and is willing to hold a dialogue prior to that to unite the party. CNN Philippines requested comment from PDP-Laban Executive Director Ron Munsayac, who usually speaks for Pacquiao, but he has yet to respond.

Matibag said the Cusi wing hopes issues would be settled soon to avoid a repeat of what happened in the 2019 midterm elections. Two factions led by then party president Senator Koko Pimentel and lawyer Rogelio Garcia submitted two lists of officers to the Commission on Elections, with the poll body declaring Pimentel's as the "legitimate officers authorized to act for and in behalf of PDP-Laban."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  The arrival of the first batch of Moderna vaccines has again been delayed to Sunday, June 27, a government official said Friday.

"Sa Linggo, darating na ang unang-unang shipment natin ng bakunang Moderna," National Task Force Against COVID-19 Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon said during a virtual briefing.

[Translation: The very first shipment of Moderna vaccines will arrive on Sunday.]

Dizon did not disclose why the delivery has been pushed back.

Last week, Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said the first batch - composed of 250,000 doses - was expected to be delivered on June 25, a few days late from the initial target of June 21, due to logistical issues.

RELATED: Arrival of first batch of Moderna vaccines moved to June 25 Galvez

"Ito'y ibabahagi natin pati sa private sector," Dizon said.

[Translation: We will share this with the private sector as well.]

The national government said 100,000 doses from this batch will be distributed to the private sector, which has also been exhausting efforts to ramp up the country's COVID-19 immunization program.

Last March, the Philippines secured a tripartite agreement with the US firm for 20 million doses of its coronavirus vaccines - seven million of which were ordered by the private sector.

In a separate forum, Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman and Senator Richard Gordon said the organization expects to receive its order "tomorrow."

Sought for clarification on the date, the PRC has yet to reply.

Gordon also insisted on letting people pay for the vaccines even though Moderna has yet to secure market authorization.

He stressed it should not be considered as "selling," but as a "cost recovery" method.

"Our objective is to vaccinate as fast as we can and if people can afford to pay, we can recover our cost, we do that. We don't charge extra, we just make sure that we are able to vaccinate a lot more people," he said.

"When you take a vaccine... You must provide for one less fortunate person," Gordon added.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  Cases of the African Swine Fever (ASF) in the country continue to go down - lessening its impact on the local hog industry, according to Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

"Bumababa po 'yung outbreak na ng African Swine Fever (African Swine Fever cases are declining)," Dar told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon on Friday.

The Agriculture chief said a total of 440 towns in the country are now ASF-free. The latest to declare free from the hog outbreak are five municipalities and one city in Batangas province, he added.

Dar said based on their count for the year's second quarter, around 881 positive samples were recorded. The number is lower than the 1,406 listed after the first quarter of 2021, he added.

Dar explained how to determine if an area is free from ASF. "After 90 days, merong sentineling approach yung ipa-pain mo yung mga piglets. Kung wala ng sakit na dadapo sa kanila, ito na yung sinasabi na pwedeng ideklara na free from African Swine Fever," he said.

[Translation: After 90 days since infection, there is a sentineling approach where piglets are used as bait. If they do not contract any illness, we can declare an area free from African Swine Fever.]

Dar mentioned that around 24 towns in the country still have active ASF cases.

Provinces with active infections are Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Quezon, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Davao Occidental, Agusan del Sur, and Agusan del Norte.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier declared a year-long nationwide state of calamity due to the ASF's impact on the country's hog industry.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  United States President Joe Biden on Friday offered his condolences to Filipinos and the family of late former President Benigno Aquino III.

He underscored the late chief executive's commitment to peace and rule of law. He also highlighted Aquino's success in his economic reforms during his term from 2010 to 2016.

"President Aquinos steadfast commitment to advancing peace, upholding the rule of law, and driving economic growth for all Filipinos, while taking bold steps to promote the rules-based international order, leaves a remarkable legacy at home and abroad that will endure for years to come," he said in a statement.

He added, "I greatly valued our time working together."

Biden served as the vice president of Barack Obama during Aquino's six-year term.

Aquino died on Thursday at age 61 from renal disease, secondary to diabetes.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting an additional 1.1 million metric tons of palay production amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the additional palay production will increase the country's rice sufficiency level to around 93-95%.

Dar emphasized that boosting the country's overall palay production will help meet the department's target of 2.5% growth in agriculture this year.

"This will be a big boost to having enough rice in the country," Dar told CNN Philippines' Newsroom Ngayon on Friday.

The DA reported that the Philippines posted its highest rice production level in 2020 at 19.4 million metric tons.

To meet the goal of a higher rice sufficiency level in the country this year, Dar said they will continue to distribute rice seeds and fertilizers to farmers under the agency's Rice Competitive Enhancement Program.

Dar added the department will also provide 5,000 financial assistance to each of the at least 1.5 million rice farmers in the country who till two hectares and below.

He said the funds for the "social protection support" of the rice farmers came from the 2.3-billion excess rice tariffs in 2019 and the 5.4-billion surplus rice tariffs in 2020.

"We hope to give this before Christmas," Dar said, adding the cash aid will be given to the farmers through their ATM cards.

The expanded palay production target and the assistance to Filipino rice farmers are some of the Agriculture Department's initiatives under its One DA Reform Agenda, which Dar said aims to transform Philippine agriculture under the new normal.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  The delay in the delivery of 50,000 doses of the Russian-made COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V means some people will receive a late second shot, but that should not be a cause for worry, an expert said Friday.

"Kung ang (if the) delay is four weeks or two months, I think it is still good. It can still be a good vaccine. There will still be partial protection, based on initial data. We don't need to worry [about] that," Dr. Rontgene Solante of the vaccine expert panel said in an online media forum.

He said a longer gap between doses may boost the vaccine's efficacy, as seen with AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot. A study published in The Lancet showed AstraZeneca vaccine's efficacy rate rose to over 80% when the two doses were given 12 weeks apart. It was found to be around 55% efficacious when there were less than six weeks of interval before the second shot.

An analysis of Phase 3 clinical trials also published in The Lancet showed the Sputnik V vaccine had a 91.6% efficacy rate when the second dose is given 21 days after the first one.

Solante noted there is a need to reassure those scheduled to get their second doses of the vaccine that the delay is "not significant enough" to render the shots ineffective.

It is unclear when the additional Sputnik V doses will arrive.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez earlier said the late delivery stems from Russian vaccine manufacturer Gamaleya's plan to improve its vaccine's efficacy against new coronavirus variants.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  Former President Benigno Aquino III was not a lawyer, but he always made sure to adhere to the rule of law, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said Friday.

Drilon, who served as Senate President halfway through the Aquino administration, expressed his admiration for his late friend and former colleague.

"When I see him, when he calls for me when I was Senate President and a senator, you know what was in his desk? In his desk always was the Constitution of the Philippines," Drilon told CNN Philippines' The Source.

Drilon said Aquino's adherence to the rule of law is considered the hallmark of his presidency.

"Sometimes I feel uneasy because I'm a lawyer for 50 years and yet, he would know the Constitution as much as any lawyer would do, maybe even better than some lawyers I know," the senator added.

Drilon enumerated landmark pieces of legislation under the Aquino administration such as the Sin Tax Reform Act, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act, and the GOCC Governance Act, among others.

Drilon, who also serves as member of the Liberal Party which Aquino previously led, recounted how he learned about the news of his friend's death on Thursday.

"It was shocking to me. I reviewed the text exchanges I had with him. The last was a couple of months ago saying he was looking for a donor of a transplant because there was a kidney failure and his kidney had to be replaced," Drilon shared.

"He said he was waiting for a donor. He was scheduled for kidney replacement although he had other ailments, his heart was not functioning as it should," the senator added, noting that the last time he personally saw Aquino was before the pandemic.

Aquino's family announced that he "died peacefully in his sleep" at 6:30 a.m. on Thursday from renal disease, secondary to diabetes.

READ: Former President Aquino dies at 61

Vice President Leni Robredo was among the public officials and other members of the opposition who mourned Aquino's passing. She described him as a good friend and a loyal president who "tried to do what was right, even when it was not popular."

READ: VP Robredo remembers ex-President Aquino

President Rodrigo Duterte declared a 10-day period of national mourning over Aquino's death from June 24 to July 3. He also described his predecessor as "a leader who has given his best to serve the Filipino people."

Public viewing for Aquino's urn is ongoing at the Church of Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University. His burial is set on Saturday.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25) Malacanang on Friday clarified the claim that President Rodrigo Duterte has already been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, saying Presidential Security Group chief Jesus Durante was "mistakenly informed" by his medical staff.

"Gen. Durante was mistakenly informed by his medical staff that a second dose was already administered to the President," Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Roque added that Durante has already rectified his remarks and apologized.

Durante earlier told state media PTV that the chief executive received his second vaccine dose "14 days" after his first coronavirus shot.

Duterte got inoculated on May 3 with the vaccine developed by China-state owned Sinopharm  a brand Malacanang previously said the President preferred.

The World Health Organization recommends an interval of three to four weeks between the first and second doses for this particular vaccine.

Duterte was earlier criticized for taking Sinopharm's vaccine, which at that time, was not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA only cleared Sinopharm for emergency use in the country on June 7.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25) Hundreds of Filipinos lined up Friday to pay their final respects to the late former President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III.

They trooped to Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City for the public viewing of Aquino's urn, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Supporters wanted to say their farewell and offer their prayers to the former chief executive who passed away on Thursday at age 61 due to health problems.

His wake was held at the Church of the Gesu, where COVID-19 health protocols were strictly observed  with only a maximum of 140 people allowed to stay inside.

Aquino was a product of Ateneo Grade School 1973, Ateneo High School 1977, and Ateneo College 1981.

Aside from family members, a number of personalities including Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula, and Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown attended the wake.

A prayer vigil was held in the afternoon, followed by masses at 5 and 8 p.m.

Singers Jaya and Moira Dela Torre also graced the church service and offered song tributes for the former leader.

Meanwhile, the military fired gun salutes across the country throughout the day to mark the former commander-in-chief's death.

Remebering 'Kuya Noy'

Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Final Word, former Senator Bam Aquino shared his memories with his late cousin. He described the late president as someone with very simple tastes, as someone who really loves to talk, and loves music.

"He's always very generous with advice... Kapag nagsimula na iyang magkwento buong araw na iyan (One he starts talking that will be for a whole day). He'd talk about history, geopolitics, he'd talk about so many things," Bam said.

As a leader, Bam said the former chief executive was the best example for all of them who worked under his administration. He also highlighted how Noynoy was committed to his social contract with the people that covered many sectors like fighting poverty and corruption, infrastructure, and education.

"He was an example for all of us...every time he said these things, we took it to heart, and we felt that he was the best example," Bam said.

As the day the former president is laid to rest nears, Bam said he hopes people will remember his "Kuya Noy" as someone who was an honest leader, as someone who gave everything to serve the country.

"I hope these following days would be days that people get to know him a little better and get to appreciate the kind of leader that he was," Bam said.

Another mass also at the Church of the Gesu is scheduled Saturday morning. The nation's 15th president will then be laid to rest at Manila Memorial Park beside his parents, former president Corazon Aquino and assassinated opposition senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., both hailed globally as democracy icons. A 21-gun or -cannon salute will also be carried out during the funeral.

CNN Philippines correspondents Melissa Lopez and David Santos contributed to this report.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25) Two former commissioners of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and a retired policeman were sentenced to reclusion perpetua, or up to 40 years in prison, after they were convicted of plunder by the Sandiganbayan over a 50-million bribery case.

Former BI deputy commissioners Al Argosino and Michael Robles were accused of receiving 50 million from Macau-based gambling tycoon Jack Lam. The amount was supposedly for the release of over 1,300 undocumented Chinese workers arrested in Lam's casino in Clark, Pampanga in 2016.

Retired police officer Wenceslao Sombero acted as the middleman.

"The ill-gotten wealth accumulated, amassed, or acquired by accused, now under the custody of the concerned government agencies, is hereby forfeited in favor of the state," the anti-graft court's resolution read.

Argosino, Robles, and Sombero were also found guilty of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act  with penalties of imprisonment of six to 10 years and perpetual disqualification from public office.

Senator Richard Gordon, who chairs the Blue Ribbon Committee which investigated the case, called the conviction a "tremendous victory."

"This is a victory for the people and our justice system," Gordon said in a statement.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25)  The country's seafarer deployment is slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration said Friday.

In a virtual briefing, POEA Administrator Bernard Olalia said about 15,000 seafarers were deployed in January, and the figure further increased to 30,000 last month.

"Last year, nung nagsimula ang pandemic, bumagsak ang deployment, kasama ang mga seafarers... Pero dahil sa mga polisiya, lumago ang deployment," he said.

"Unti-unting bumabalik ang datos sa pre-pandemic data," the official added.

[Translation: Last year, when the pandemic started, the deployment of workers overseas really declined, seafarers included. But because of government policies, the deployment has grown. The data is slowly returning to the pre-pandemic level.]

Olalia noted the Philippines had been deploying about 40,000 seafarers monthly before the global health crisis.

POEA official said policies such as the "green lane" targeted for smooth seafarers and crew change in Asia, the opening of more local ports, and the decision of the Philippine pandemic response task force to consider them as global essential workers have boosted the deployment.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month also granted the request of Filipino seafarers to be inoculated with Western-made vaccine brands as this has been the requirement of most international shipping firms before embarkation.

Olalia said the government will ensure that all Filipino seafarers will receive their coronavirus shots.
He told us that he wanted corners that played with a dog mentality. He just want dogs out there on the island," junior Alexander Smith said of his new position coach.
The Coastal Point is a local newspaper published each Friday and distributed in the Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Fenwick Island, Ocean View, Millville, Dagsboro, Frankford, Selbyville, Millsboro, Long Neck and Georgetown, Delaware areas.
Musician Elley Duhe will headline Penn State's Summer Welcome Fest at 8:30 p.m. on June 26 at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.

The performance, open to students for free, is a part of the Welcome Week activities for the university's Summer Session II, according to a release.

Duhe, from Alabama, is known for her songs "immortal" and "Kids of the Night." She started playing music in local coffee shops and restaurants before gaining attention from songwriters in Nashville, according to the release.

The event is funded by the Student Fee Board and open to all Penn State students.

MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE

Penn State to revise summer event-planning, large gathering procedures Penn State announced Thursday its updated procedures for holding on-campus events for the pe
I was watching because it was the last award ceremony that I would go to anyway, Danielle Oriol said. They said my name, and I kind of just immediately started crying because I didnt believe it.

Oriols proposal To Dwell: Moratorium on homeless won The Paul M. Kossman Senior Design Award in Architecture, which has been given out annually by Penn States Stuckeman School since 1985.

The award is named for the now late Paul Kossman, a Penn State alumnus and prolific architect who was based in and around Pittsburgh until his death in 2016. This years Kossman Award included a $5,000 prize for its winner.

Oriol, who graduated from Penn States five-year architecture program this year, created a vast work in To Dwell. Functionally, the design serves as a homeless shelter, but it also includes aspects that make the building more akin to a community center with amenities like a public shower, a clothing store, a beauty salon and a library. When designing the work, Oriol used a location in the heart of New York City near the United Nations Secretariat Building.

To Dwell was really a deep dive into what homelessness is and why what we have now isnt working, Oriol said.

According to Oriol, she had three types of residents  transient, single and family residents  in mind when creating the six-story building. When considering these types of residents, Oriol used the stories of real people and families experiencing homelessness as examples, she said.

Transient residents are those who may not be looking for permanent residence but simply need a place to stay or shower. Single residents include those who need residence and amenities while they search for a new home or job. Families include entire groups who may require childcare while looking for residence or employment, according to Oriol.

Oriol, a native of Long Island, New York, said she had the idea of designing a homeless shelter after seeing the poverty and inequities among the people experiencing homelessness in New York City. But she said she ultimately decided to design To Dwell as her senior thesis after viewing San Franciscos homelessness problem on a family trip.

When designing the building, Oriol said she focused on offering residents a sense of privacy, safety and the ability to make the shelter feel more like a home.

Thats what I really wanted to bring into this  getting rid of that sort of sterile shelter feeling, Oriol said.

The various floors of the shelter try to reflect those goals, Oriol said. The first floor, which Oriol described as opening into the streets, is meant for transient residents. The second floor includes a public shower area as well as a community kitchen. The third and fourth floors include living space for families, a childcare area, a beauty salon and a clothing store. And the top two floors contain space for single residents.

Some details of the shelter offer amenities not often thought of when considering issues relating to homelessness, Oriol said. For example, To Dwell gives residents the ability to adjust their own blinds, helping to restore a basic sense of privacy. The building would also allow residents to have an address, something frequently required for participation in government programs or simply for shipping.

That attention to detail and willingness to think of individuals was one of the reasons Oriols piece ultimately claimed the Kossman Award, Bradford Watson said.

Watson is a Penn State alumnus who currently serves as an associate professor of architecture at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. He served as one of three jurors on the committee that picked this years winner.

Thats where I think [Oriol] did a really great job, starting with this large-scale level, Watson said. How do I address this systematic issue? all the way down to, How do I meet the needs of an individual?

The presentation process involved each senior thesis designer giving a brief description and keynote on their designs, followed by a critique and Q&A portion with the Kossman jurors.

Although there are multiple project options for fifth year architecture students at Penn State, Watson said there were several noteworthy presentations, many of which took on pressing social or environmental issues  though Oriol ultimately claimed the prize.

Both her verbal and visual communication were really clear and articulate in both the issues and her approach, Watson said.

In 2020 and again this year, the Kossman Award presentations were relegated to a virtual format. Though this took away from some more personal or colloquial connections, Watson said the Zoom format was helpful in other ways.

It being on Zoom allowed others [to participate] who might not be able to travel, Watson said.

But Darla Lindberg was present and working with Oriol from the start. A professor of architecture at Penn State and an advisor for students seeking to design a senior thesis, Lindberg said she held frequent calls with Oriol to tweak and fully realize the design.

Lindberg also noticed the small details that made Oriols project shine and said she left no stone unturned.

It can be super subtle like that, but that is the architecture saying, This belongs to someone, Lindberg said.

Ultimately, Lindberg said much of the project stands for basic human dignity, something she said everyone should have. This fact, she said, can be seen in the design and goals of To Dwell.

We build what we value  architecture is a cultural story, Lindberg said.

Lindberg and Oriol continue to work toward perfecting and realizing the project even now, staying in contact and discussing future work, Lindberg said.

I think [Oriols work] was brave, Lindberg said.

Oriol said she hopes to relocate to Pittsburgh, Paul Kossmans native city, in the near future. There, she plans to look for jobs in her field and complete her architecture license requirements. She said she hopes to fully realize To Dwell in a concrete location one day.

Its a part of life, unfortunately, that things happen. Sometimes you lose your job or something goes on in your life, and you cant stay in the situation where you were anymore, Oriol said. And it only makes it harder when youre stigmatized for it.

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

Penn State students gain multicultural education through everyday social media usage Walking through the HUB-Robeson Center on a typical weekday, visitors are bound to see stude
Walking through the HUB-Robeson Center on a typical weekday, visitors are bound to see students scrolling through their social media pages and looking at the assortment of posts appearing on their timelines.

Penn State students said social media holds many benefits that improve everyday life. Out of those benefits, some said social media especially allows them to discover and engage with people who celebrate other world cultures.

With more than 11,000 international students and faculty calling Penn State home  according to Global Penn State  various cultures and backgrounds intermingle within the universitys community.

Vimarsha Sital, a member of Penn States South Asian Student Association, said education about world cultures, heritages and identities is crucial to expanding ones knowledge and in helping people avoid ignorance about the world around them.

Sital (sophomore-psychology) said social media is a huge part of peoples lives and the method most people use to discover news. Consequently, she said social media is one of the best ways to distribute pivotal cultural news and educate others.

The information [I learn through social media] definitely sticks with me longer than if I were to learn it in school or the classroom setting, Sital said.

Besides educating other social media users, Sital said sharing cultural posts also allows people to carry a sense of pride about where they come from with their followers.

I am very proud to carry the culture that I have and the background that I come from, and I think its just a nice thing for everyone to come to a table and share their culture, Sital said.

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

Penn State Health to hire artists for Lancaster Medical Center art installation Penn State Health is looking to hire artists for future commissions and purchase samples of 

Since social media sites use algorithms to generate and organize online content  typically based on users interests and engagement  Sital said she pays special attention to the content she views.

I try to look for educational sources  not only that  but also people and influencers [to follow] who take pride in their culture because I feel like the best way to learn about it is through the persons own perspective of that culture, Sital said.

Sital said its important for people to continue seeking out new knowledge within online settings and real life. More so, she said she recommends people continue striving for improvement and to not be complacent with their current understanding of the world.

I sometimes stumble upon posts [containing information] I had no idea about, Sital said. I dont mind having that on my page because I feel like the more you know, the better it is.

For instance, Sital said shes learned the meaning behind cultural celebrations and holidays  including Cinco de Mayo and Juneteenth  via social media.

In terms of Cinco de Mayo, Sital said shes learned how cultural celebrations have changed from their initial purposes and intentions, becoming more  quote unquote  whitewashed over time as people take the opportunity to sell products instead of remembering the past.

Social media really keeps me up to date with the truth behind these holidays and why we celebrate them, Sital said. Nowadays, they are so commercialized, which is such a shame, because then people dont really know the actual meanings of these holidays and how they came to be.

Sital said she believes there are positives and negatives to multicultural education via social media. While Sital said social media positively provides free cultural education to users, she also said drawbacks exist within the online apps.

In fact, she said fake news is a primary source of her concern because she said people can easily be misled into believing false and misconstrued information.

Social media can have its perks, but it can also be a challenging place because theres so much information, Sital said. It can sometimes be hard to decide what to believe [due to information overload].

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

Besides social media, which Sital said is a sufficient educational resource amid the pandemic, she also said travel is a crucial factor for personal improvements and discovery.

Traveling  just experiencing other cultures and regions yourself  is one of the best ways to learn about the people, the food, the music, Sital said. I love to travel. So, I hope when all of [the] COVID restrictions are lifted again, I can travel to places Ive never even thought of before  just to experience it.

However, Sital said social media is the most optimal way to learn about other cultural practices amid the pandemic  as long as people take extra caution and consideration about the informations validity and accuracy.

Domino Geddes, an international student from the United Kingdom, said the methods used by different countries news organizations and influencers impact the publics opinions about covered events and topics.

When Geddes (senior-telecommunications management and media industries) quarantined overseas last March, she said she noticed how reporters from the U.K. and America covered U.S. news and current events from drastically different perspectives.

According to Geddes, cultural practices are perceived differently depending on the news distributor, formatting of the information and whether the reporter is native to the cultural phenomena.

Geddes said she believes photographs, videos and words people see through social media posts can psychologically impact them and influence their thoughts about other cultures.

I had never really understood the power of social media on influencing people and how they understand cultures until this past year with everything going on  between COVID and Black Lives Matter, Geddes said.

However, she said it opened her eyes to the impact media has on peoples perceptions about the world and other cultures.

The thing about social media is that its just headlines. Its a headline-oriented medium thats literally all about buzz words, Geddes said. So, I think its very easy for people to misinterpret whats going on in other countries if they solely use social media as their main news platform.

Social media accounts primarily focus on sharing striking photographs and headlines  without ever going in depth about the current events  which leads to inaccurate perceptions and beliefs about the world, Geddes said.

Anyone can go on social media and follow whoever they want, Geddes said.  I think people need to take the initiative to follow those accounts that are going to increase their multicultural awareness.

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

She said she believes people have the personal responsibility to seek out information about other cultures, which shes been doing more frequently throughout college.

Its important for people to use social media for what its actually for, which is to connect with people everywhere and learn more about cultures, Geddes said. Whereas, I think people our age may not be using it for that [purpose], and they might not understand the power social media has for influencing our views of other cultures and how other people think.

Geddes said she accredits much of her current knowledge about the LGBTQ community and Black Lives Matter movement to social media  like Twitter and Instagram  and the people who were passionate enough to share the information on their platforms.

Unless something has gone wrong or happened [during activist displays and social movements], it wont be on the news, Geddes said.

According to Geddes, social media sites have become the spreading grounds for news stories that are typically missed or given limited coverage by traditional news organizations.

Geddes said social movements are one such topic receiving extensive social media attention.

The whole element of social media is that we can share what we want to share, as its a free public space dedicated to personal expression, Geddes said. But there is something to be said for social media companies having a responsibility to promote awareness about these cultural shifts and things that are going on in the world.

Geddes said uncertainty exists regarding whose responsibility it is to strengthen multicultural education through social media  companies or consumers.

Although Geddes said social media companies should improve their distribution of cultural news, she also said she acknowledges how social media sites are businesses whose primary motivations are to succeed financially, not to please the public.

To improve peoples understanding of other cultures, Geddes said companies should improve fact-checking systems and change algorithms to make educational accounts more accessible.

At the end of the day, Geddes said people need to be independently responsible for educating themselves about other cultures.

In fact, Geddes said the Penn State community should seek to elevate international students voices to make the campus more educated and accepting. She said she believes increased cultural awareness in online settings could improve relations on Penn State campuses.

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

+3 Penn State alumnus European art exhibition offers artistic flair, cultural depth From the mountains of State College to the north of Munich, one Penn State alumnus took his 

Additionally, Geddes said improving these voices would help combat the whiteness of Penn State and allow for a more welcoming place to celebrate the beauty of other cultures.

Sharing different cultural perspectives and stories from the international community  which is a lot bigger than people realize  would hugely benefit that community, Penn State and the domestic students, Geddes said.

She also said multicultural education would stem further personal growth in social media consumers  especially Penn State students.

If students are more encouraged to learn about these different cultures, then theyre going to also learn about themselves, Geddes said. Theres always more to be done, and just because we dont know what that is yet, that doesnt mean we shouldnt keep seeking it out.

Stephanie Libertucci said social medias accessibility allows for it to succeed as a spreading ground for cultural topics.

On social media, there are billions and billions of people giving it the [necessary] magnitude to cause change, Libertucci (senior-public relations) said. So, if you want to share awareness about an issue, you can spread it like wildfire and things go viral.

Within her own friend group, Libertucci said shes witnessed increased vocalization and advocacy to educate each other about issues occurring in their different cultures.

People get really comfortable with whats on their For You pages or their Instagram feeds or their Twitter timelines, Libertucci said. It really comes back to being willing to take the risk. Maybe just click on that post your friend has been sharing discussing a big issue in another country, or just be active in your pursuit of knowledge on different countries and cultures.

According to Libertucci, various social media accounts are dedicated to publishing infographics on local and foreign issues.

She said these infographics are super helpful in simplifying complex topics into basic terms that are easily understood by the common person.

MORE NEWS COVERAGE

Traditional news or cultural articles can be challenging to understand sometimes, especially if they contain subject-specific terminology that the common person lacks experience with, Libertucci said.

People are so busy. They dont want to have to spend 15 minutes trying to just understand what two words in your article mean, Libertucci said. They just want to put things in super simple terms.

Ultimately, Libertucci said social media provides people with a quick way to retrieve cultural news and amplify issues that matter to them to a larger audience.

Living in the area that we do at Penn State, the environment can feel homogenous at some points, Libertucci said. By learning about other cultures, we are really able to broaden our horizons and perspectives  to expand our worldview and [to] understand that not everybody lives the same way we do and that theres so much more out there [than in our backyard].
A-a-a-a-and, they're off!

Or at least they're a step closer to the starting line.

On the morning of June 24, more than a dozen Colorado politicians woke up, looked in the mirror and saw the next member of Congress from Colorado.

Just like that, congressional wannabes in the private sector and hard-working public servants who have been toiling away in local and state offices  their ambitions hampered by long-serving incumbents or home addresses in out-of-reach districts  saw an opening.

A few even sprung into action, if sending tweets that weren't exactly subtle and making some calls to potential donors count as action.

The occasion was the long-anticipated unveiling of the state's Independent Congressional Redistricting Commission's preliminary district map.

For the first time, following voter approval of independent commissions to draw boundaries for congressional and legislative districts every decade, following the census, Colorado's congressional lines will be decided by a panel of volunteers, rather than state lawmakers and judges, though the state Supreme Court has to sign off on the plan later this year before it takes effect.

While the decennial debut of every set of congressional boundaries sparks optimism in some and dashes the hopes of others, this week's drawings are especially freighted with possibility because, for the first time in 20 years, Colorado gains a congressional seat.

Based on recommendations made by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and others who have provided early input to the commission, the maps carve a new district on the north side of Denver, including much of Adams County and points stretching up the Front Range.

Like magic, residents of Arvada, Westminster, Thornton and Broomfield, plus a big slice of Weld County heading up toward just outside Greeley, found themselves in what could be the state's new 8th Congressional District.

It's crucial to keep the subjunctive part of that sentence in mind  the maps released this week, drawn by the commission's staff, are preliminary and could change plenty by the time they're adopted. The commission is still awaiting final census numbers and is about to embark on a statewide tour to hear from residents about their ideas for congressional districts.

If initial reactions to the preliminary maps are any indication, commissioners will get an earful about at least some of the maps' choices.

But the highly theoretical nature of the new district didn't stop politicians who found themselves within its boundaries from humbly announcing their intention to work hard for the hard-working people of the Great 8th.

The district as it's drawn currently leans comfortably toward Democrats  Joe Biden won its voters by 15 points last year, a point and a half better than his performance carrying Colorado  but that hasn't stopped several Republicans from floating their names, or at least hearing their names among those floated.

With a moderate voting record and success winning in Democratic-leaning districts, state Sen. Kevin Priola, R-Henderson, could be the early frontrunner for the GOP nomination if he decides he wants to run.

Other Republicans who might make a bid in the new district include former state Rep. Lori Saine, R-Firestone, and former Jefferson County Commissioner Libby Szabo, who also rose to leadership in the state House.

Democrats who might run include state Sen. Faith Winter of Westminster, who let reporters know that the new district undoubtedly has the same concerns as the house and senate districts she's been representing in the General Assembly. State Rep. Brianna Titone from neighboring Arvada tweeted an observation that a competitive district like the proposed 8th CD requires a candidate with a "demonstrated ability to win over unaffiliated voters."

Joe Salazar, the former state representative from Thornton who ran for attorney general in 2018, could also see an opening.

State Sen. Dominick Moreno, who lives just outside the new 8th CD in Commerce City, was one of four Democrats running in the 7th CD four years ago when it looked like it would be an open seat, so clearly has congressional ambitions.

Of course, congressional candidates don't have to live in the district they're running to represent, which was demonstrated by two of Colorado's members of Congress over the last 20 years. Republican Bob Beauprez and Democrat Jason Crow, both lived outside the districts they would represent before running.

The appearance of the 8th CD isn't the only change to the map. Every district is different, though a couple, like the Denver-based 1st CD, aren't appreciably different.

The Western Slope-based 3rd CD loses a big chunk of Southern Colorado that's been in the district for decades, as the map moves Pueblo County and the San Luis Valley to the 4th CD, which covers the Eastern Plains and also includes Greeley.

In the Denver metro area, the 7th CD keeps Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Golden in Jefferson County but then heads east, gobbling up large swaths of Douglas County including Highlands Ranch and Lone Tree, all the way to Castle Rock.

Overall, the proposed 3rd CD, represented by Republican Lauren Boebert, is similar to its current political makeup, though it loses a big share of Latino voters. Donald Trump won the new district by seven points last year, just a smidgeon better than how he performed in the current 3rd CD.

The 7th CD, represented by Democrat Ed Perlmutter, retains its suburban character but shifts markedly to the right politically, taking it from a reliably Democratic seat to a slightly Republican-leaning seat. Even though it's a toss-up on paper, Biden won its voters by nine points last year.

Boebert has had as many as eight Democrats running to take her on, though it looks like the proposed maps leave just one of the major contenders in the 3rd CD  state Sen. Kerry Donovan of Vail.

Two other two major candidates, state Rep. Don Valdez of La Jara and Sol Sandoval, the Pueblo activist and community organizer from the Bernie Sanders wing of the Democratic Party, both landed in the 4th CD. That heavily Republican district is represented by U.S. Rep. Ken Buck, who lives in Windsor, just outside Greeley.

Sandoval came out swinging in a statement calling the preliminary map racist and pledging she's going to charge full steam ahead.

"My commitment to my community stands, she said. Our schools are still neglected, our veterans are still lining up at food distribution centers, we still cant afford to get sick.

Noting that more than 45% of the states Latinos were drawn into districts that lean Republican, Sandoval slammed the commission for making the proposed CD4 the most Latino and the most Republican in the state, as well as drawing the only Latino congressional candidates into it.

"These early maps will not hold up to scrutiny, she said.

She's drawing attention to a factor that could heavily influence the map the commission ultimately selects, since it's illegal to dilute minority influence and could lead to a federal lawsuit that could hold up a final plan.

Valdez has said he plans to run for the nomination in whatever district he lives in, and so could be a more formidable challenger to Buck than the four-term incumbent has faced previously but is keeping his focus on Boebert at this point.

Perlmutter, whose house in Arvada in the proposed 7th CD is just a stone's throw from the new 8th CD, could face a wide field of Republicans wanting his job. Already, Douglas County Commissioner Lora Thomas has begun assembling a congressional campaign, and as soon as the maps hit, state Rep. Colin Larson, R-Littleton, started reaching out to supporters.

Other potential candidates from the GOP stronghold of Douglas County include state Reps. Kevin Van Winkle and Patrick Neville, from Highlands Ranch and Castle Rock, respectively.

Former attorney general nominee and district attorney George Brauchler could make a run for it, though he's also looking at the prospect of running for DA in the new judicial district that will be created in 2024, since the term limits that drove him from office last year will reset.

The final maps won't be known for months, so this week's stirrings could be just the beginning, but for now, Colorado is facing a political gold rush in a state that has some experience with gold rushes.
Gov. Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 85, the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, into law in May 2019, and its provisions took effect on Jan. 1 of this year. The legislature pointed to findings that women working full-time and year-round in Colorado earned 86 cents for every dollar earned by a man working full-time and year-round. As such, the purpose of SB 85 was to help narrow that gap.

There are a couple of primary features the legislature enacted to accomplish this. First, there is a blanket prohibition on paying employees of one sex a different wage from their counterparts of a different sex for very similar work. There are exceptions for pay based on a seniority or merit system, quantity-based output, geographic location, education, training or experience.

The act also prohibits employers from asking a job candidate about their current pay, or using their pay history to determine their salary if hired. Employers may also not retaliate against a worker for comparing or discussing their pay with other employees.

Who is an employer? It is anyone who employs at least one person in Colorado.

The more controversial part of the law is Part 2, which governs pay transparency and opportunities for promotion. Part 2 requires employers to make an effort to announce promotion opportunities to current employees at the same time, and before making a decision on whom to promote. When posting a job opening, they must also disclose the pay rate, or a range of pay, plus a general description of the position's benefits. Those could include health insurance, bonuses or commissions.

But there is more: the act empowered the Division of Labor Standards and Statistics at the state's labor department to make rules for implementing the law. Under the regulations adopted on Nov. 10, the division reiterated the legislature's goal of providing transparency for the total compensation that a job applicant may expect or negotiate for, but clarified that "minor perks" are not necessary to disclose.

Although employers who provide a pay range must estimate the lowest and highest salary they expect to give, they may actually pay the person who gets the job an amount outside of that range, as long as the estimate was made in good faith.

The division noted that there are legitimate reasons to advertise promotions to all employees, regardless of whether managers think certain people are qualified for the job. As such, Part 2 applies to all current employees and all promotional opportunities.

Finally, there is a geographic limitation for salary disclosure and promotion announcements. Job postings outside of Colorado and positions that are to be performed entirely outside of the state are not subject to Part 2. Also, employers do not need to make employees outside of Colorado aware of promotion announcements.

But what about remote jobs? The division has concluded that the exception to posting salaries for entirely out-of-state jobs does not apply to remote work, because those positions could, in fact, be performed in Colorado. Because employers might not determine whether a new employee will be in Colorado until after hiring them  and people may move to Colorado to work after being hired  an "internet posting accessible in Colorado" is subject to the pay disclosure rule.

RELATED STORIES:
Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday.
One of the best parts of using a Pixel is the way tasty little specks of Google intelligence get sprinkled all throughout the experience. Those small but significant morsels show off the value of having Google's greatest ingredients integrated right into your phone's operating system, without any competing forces or awkwardly conflicting priorities at play.

And Goog almighty, does that make a world of difference. The features in question may not always be the most eye-catching or marketing-friendly advantages, but they're incredibly practical touches that can make your life easier in some pretty powerful ways.

Today, we're gonna zoom into an especially possibility-packed area of the Pixel's software setup, and that's the Android Overview area. The simple-seeming interface for switching between recently used apps is overflowing with advanced actions on a Pixel phone, and once you discover (or maybe just remind yourself) what's there, you'll be saving time and flyin' around your phone like nobody's business.

So as a supplement to my popular Pixel Academy e-course  a totally free seven-day email adventure that helps you uncover tons of next-level Pixel treasures  join me for this tour of outstanding and out-of-the-way Pixel Overview gems. Check 'em out, try 'em out, and then come sign up for the course for even more super-practical Pixel awesomeness.

(Note that most of the possibilities on this page require Android 11 or higher to work. That means if you're still hangin' onto a first-gen Pixel phone, they won't be available for you, unfortunately. But don't despair. You can still find lots of other worthwhile goodies in my Pixel Academy!)

Pixel superpower No. 1: The quick text copy

We'll start with a simple but supremely helpful feature for copying text from practically anywhere in a snap. You can use it to snag words from something like a web page or a document, sure, but you can also use it to highlight and copy anything from within an image, a screenshot you'd previously saved, or even an area of Android that wouldn't typically let you select and copy text  like a specific screen within the system settings, for instance.

Whatever the case may be, all you've gotta do is open up your Pixel's Overview interface  by swiping up an inch or so from the bottom of the screen and then stopping, if you're using Android's current gesture system, or by tapping the square-shaped button at the bottom of the screen, if you're still holding onto the old legacy three-button nav setup  and then press and hold your finger onto the words you want within the view of your most recently used app (or any other app in your current history).

As long as your phone is running Android 11 or higher, you should see the text in question get selected. And you can then slide your finger around as needed to expand or refocus the selection. If you want to select all of the visible text on the screen, you can also use the relatively new "Select" command at the bottom of the Pixel Overview interface. Either way, once your text is selected, all that's left is to hit the "Copy" command in the menu that comes up and then do a spritely little jig of celebration.*

At that point, you can head into any other app or process you want  an in-progress email draft, a messaging app, or perhaps a note-taking tool of some sort  and press your finger down in any text editing field to pull up the "Paste" command and send your freshly copied contents wherever they need to be.

* Spritely jig optional but highly recommended.

Pixel superpower No. 2: The speedy text share

In addition to copying and pasting text from anywhere, the Pixel's Overview interface allows you to share text and send it directly into other apps and processes on your phone. It's an even easier way to beam the info you need directly to the place where you want it, especially if the final destination is a new email, note, or message (as sharing will typically place the info in question into a new item instead of a draft you were already working on).

Performing this feat is quite similar to pulling off our first bit of Pixel sorcery: Once more, you'll open up the Overview interface and then press and hold your finger onto whatever text you want to copy within the preview of any recently used app. The only difference is that this time, you'll select "Share" from the menu that comes up, and then select whatever app you want to send the text to from there.

If what you require is context, you can also select "Search" instead of "Share," and your Pixel will send the text into a new Google Search instance faster than you can say "Aw, shucks, Siri sucks."

Doesn't get much easier than that.

Pixel superpower No. 3: The language-translating genie

Here's a Pixel power you'd probably never know existed: If you highlight some text within your Pixel phone's Overview interface that isn't in your native tongue, your phone will automatically offer to translate the text on the spot for you.

See?

Fantastico, no?

Pixel superpower No. 4: The smooth text operator

This is probably my favorite tucked-away Pixel possibility  'cause once you get in the habit of using it, it can really be a major step- and time-saver. So here it is: Anytime you've got a bit of text that's associated with an action on your phone, you can highlight it in your Pixel's Overview interface (using the same process we've used in our first few superpowers) and then find a specific option for acting on it in whatever way makes the most sense.

Let's think through some concrete examples, shall we?

If you highlight a phone number within Overview  in a web page, an email, even a screenshot you captured of something six months ago and just pulled up in the Photos app  your Pixel phone's Overview spirit will summon up the option to call that number with a single fast tap.

Highlighting an address in Overview will give you the option to beam it over directly into a Google Maps navigation  no copying, pasting, or fussing required.

If you have any ride-sharing apps like Lyft on your phone, you should also see the option to send any addresses directly into them for easy and immediate processing. Those sorts of options are often tucked away within a three-dot menu icon that shows up alongside "Copy," "Share," and the other more standard choices, so be sure to look closely to see if they're available.

When you select a word within the Overview area that your Pixel phone thinks you might not know, you'll see an option to get a definition for it on the spot.

Hey, Google: Give a guy a little credit, would ya?!

Pixel superpower No. 5: The instant image extractor

This next one's cool: When you've been looking at anything involving an image in an app  a web page, a social media feed, even a screenshot that had photos within it  you can press and hold the image inside your Pixel's Overview area and then pull it out of the preview for simple sharing or saving.

It's a spectacular way to save anything you encounter anywhere  even in places where you can't usually extract images easily  and then zap it over into a note, email, message, or anywhere else you might need it.

Pixel superpower No. 6: The intelligent image searcher

You know how much I love Google Lens, right? Well, you'd be forgiven for forgetting (or maybe failing to notice in the first place!), but Google's excellent image intelligence technology is built right into your Pixel phone's Overview area for super-easy searching within images in any apps you've been using.

This one's pretty wild: Just pull up your Pixel's Overview interface and press and hold any image you see within an app's preview. That should make "Lens" pop up as an option. And if you tap it, Google's almost eerily smart system will do a number of different things, depending on the context:

It'll identify a landmark, a painting, or even a plant or an animal, if one is pictured, and then offer up additional info about that object.

It'll show you images similar to the one on your screen within Google Image Search along with information and links related to what's pictured  including even shopping-related links so you can compare prices and purchase the item in the picture, when relevant.

It'll scan a barcode or QR code for you  no futzing around with third-party software required.

It'll offer to read text within an image out loud to you.

It'll offer to send text within image over to a computer where you're also signed in (in Chrome) for hassle-free cross-platform copying.

And all of that's just the start of what Lens is capable of doing. Remembering that it's always standing by and available in your Pixel phone's Overview area is one of the most efficient ways to tap into its magic.

Pixel superpower No. 7: The simple screenshot machine

Android's always allowed you to capture screenshots with a quick press of a phone's power and volume-down buttons, but that key combo isn't always convenient to activate  at least, not without some serious hand yoga involved.

So make yourself a mental note of this: You can always capture a screenshot of anything by sliding your way over to your Pixel's Overview area. Ergonomics aside, that gives you the advantage of getting a completely clean and neat image of whatever's on your screen, without all the usual system interface elements (the status bar, the navigation bar or buttons, and so on) around it.

Just march your way back into that Pixel Overview area and look for the "Screenshot" command at the bottom of the screen.

Tap that bad boy and tap it good, and you'll be staring at a static image of whatever you last had open by itself, without any extra gobbledygook above or below it.

(If you don't see that command, by the way, you're probably still using one of the older Android navigation setups  either the legacy three-button nav model or the Android-9-era two-button gesture system. Go into the System section of your phone's settings and select "Gestures" followed by "System navigation." Change the setting there to "Gesture navigation," and everything should work flawlessly from here on out!)

Pixel superpower No. 8: The app info shortcut

Ever find yourself needing to head into an app's information screen  maybe to adjust its notification behavior or permissions or even to open up its Play Store page so you can search for an update or revisit some introductory info?

The swiftest way to get there while you're using an app is to open up the Overview area on your Pixel, tap the app's icon at the top, and then select "App info" from the menu that comes up.

Fast, easy, and fuss-free. Yes, please.

Pixel superpower No. 9: The speedy screen-splitter

One of Android's most overlooked features is the system-level option for splitting your screen in half and viewing two apps at the same time. It isn't something you're likely to need all that often, but when the right occasion comes along  working on a document while simultaneously referencing a web page or email, for instance, or maybe peeking in at a spreadsheet whilst also staring at photos of Gary Busey (as one does)  good golly, it sure can be handy.

And guess what? That same sweet Pixel Overview area of ours is the key to tapping into that magic.

Just glide your fancy person-feet back into Overview, tap the icon of the first app you want to use in your split-screen setup, and then tap "Split screen" in the menu that appears. That app will move up into the upper area of your screen, and you can then select the second app you want to complete the picture.

Whee!

Pixel superpower No. 10: The app-pinning possibility

A handy but hidden Android feature I always forget to use is the software's app-pinning system. Once activated, it lets you lock one specific app or process to your screen and then require a pin or passcode before anything else can be accessed.

The idea is that you could pass your phone off to a friend, a co-worker, or some manner of rabid jungle bird  maybe so they can see a document, look at something on a website, or peck out a quick call while their own tiny bird-phone isn't handy. And since you proactively pinned whatever app was relevant to that purpose to your screen, you can rest easy knowing the rest of your stuff will remain secure and inaccessible until the phone's back in your hands.

To get this one going, you first need to fire up the feature within your Pixel phone's settings:

Swipe down twice from the top of the screen, then tap the gear-shaped icon to open up the system-level settings.

Tap the Security section.

Tap the "Advanced" line at the very bottom of the screen, then tap "App pinning."

Make sure the toggle at the top of that screen is in the active and on position, and make sure the secondary toggle ("Lock device when unpinning" or "Ask for unlock pattern before unpinning," depending on your Android version) is also active.

Got it? Good. Now, with that option active, hop back into your Pixel Overview area, tap the icon of any app you want to pin, and look for the aptly named "Pin" option in that adorable little menu.

Tap that, say "Ooga, booga, gherkin, workin'!" for good measure (and for my own personal amusement), and ta-da: That app will be locked in place. To get past it and into anything else, you'll first have to swipe your finger up from the bottom of the screen and hold it in place for a few seconds, then provide whatever manner of unlocking authentication (PIN, pattern, password, appendage, 14 drops of blood from your pinky toe, etc) is appropriate to continue.

If you're still using Android's old three-button nav system, you'll instead press the square-shaped Overview button to get to the Overview interface, and you'll press and hold the Back and Overview buttons together from there when you're ready to unpin.

Pixel superpower No. 11: The pausing power

This next item is another oft-overlooked Android option. It lets you temporarily pause an individual app, which means the app's icon will get grayed out and the app won't be able to send you any notifications until either you unpause it or the day ends  whichever comes first. It's a fine way to give yourself a reprieve from the horrors of social media, the humans of your workplace Slack channel, or whatever other force is demanding too much of your attention during your (allegedly) off-work hours.

The app-pausing power is always just two taps away in your Pixel's Overview area: Get to that Overview interface, touch your favorite phalange to the icon of whatever app you want to pause, and then press the "Pause app" option. If you decide you want to unpause the app before the day's done, just find and tap its icon within your home screen or app drawer, and your phone will prompt you to undo the deed.

Pixel superpower No. 12: The fresh start flick

Last but not least in our Pixel Overview superpower collection is an option that's widely misunderstood and probably used more often than it oughta be. But it's certainly worth being aware of for the right sorts of situations.

So here 'tis: Whilst viewing any app within your phone's Overview area, you can flick its card upward to dismiss it from the list. That'll also dismiss the app out of your phone's active memory and cause it to start up fresh the next time you open it instead of picking up where you left off, as it normally would.

Despite what some folks believe, there's really no need to do this as a matter of habit. Android automatically manages its active memory and removes stuff as needed. Because of that, constantly closing everything out as a form of compulsive "cleaning" is both unnecessary and often even counterproductive (since the system will automatically restart anything that needs to be running, which then leads to even less efficient use of resources). But when an app is acting funky or for some other reason requires a reset, this one-two flickeroo is a fine Overview tool to remember.

And remember, too: There's lots more where this came from. Come join my completely free Pixel Academy e-course for seven full days of delightful Pixel knowledge  starting with some camera-centric smarts and moving from there to advanced image magic, next-level nuisance reducers, and oodles of other opportunities for advanced Pixel intelligence.

If there's one thing I've learned over time, it's that here in the land o' Googley matters, there's always something new just waiting to be discovered.
So much for that promise.

You know, the one Microsoft made six years ago when it told customers that Windows 10 was "the last version of Windows" they'd see.

Instead, Windows 10 will end  also as promised by Microsoft, hence our confusion over the contradictory claims  in late 2025, its 10-year lifecycle the same as its OS antecedents, replaced by the next-in-line numeral and numeric label. Hail Windows 11.

Windows is dead. Long live Windows. Or put another way, same as it ever was.

Though, not quite. Although details remain somewhat sketchy, Windows 11 won't be an exact copy of Windows 10, renamed. Or renumbered.

We've collected some of the salient points about Windows 11, the ones enterprise IT admins will most need to know. Later, we'll be back with more about Windows 11, Windows 10 and their commercial customers.

Peaceful coexistence?

Microsoft may have implied it previously, but it's now confirmed: For a time, both Windows 10 and Windows 11 will be in play. "As you make the move to Windows 11, we will continue to support you as you use Windows 10," wrote Wangui McKelvey, general manager with the Microsoft 365 team, in a June 24 post to a company blog.

In other words, as Windows 7 was to Windows 10, so will Windows 10 be to Windows 11. Both will receive monthly security updates, the hallmark of Microsoft's support policies.

Need more proof? "Windows 10 and Windows 11 are designed to coexist," Microsoft said Thursday in its opening documentation on Windows 11.

Windows 10, here until 2025

As Microsoft said before, Windows 10 will exit support Oct. 14, 2025, or in four years, three months and change.

There will be a feature upgrade later in the year, Microsoft said, labeling it 21H2. It will come with the standard 30 months of support on devices running Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows 10 Education (but only 18 months for all others). Windows 10 21H2, then, will retire in the spring of 2024 on Enterprise/Education but a year earlier on Home/Pro.

To this point, Microsoft has not altered the Windows 10 support lifecycle, so the 18- and 30-month periods remain in place. Microsoft's changed the support timeline for individual feature upgrades before  it lengthened several during the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance  and could do so again.

However, Microsoft did not say whether additional Windows 10 feature upgrades will be offered after 21H2. As Computerworld explained earlier this month, Microsoft will probably have to issue additional refreshes after the one this fall. Depending on how Microsoft tweaks support for these final feature upgrades, or whether it monkeys with the lifecycles at all, the firm may need to issue several upgrades to 10, perhaps up to and including 24H1 for Home and Pro, and up to 22H2 for Enterprise and Education.

The alternative? Stretching Enterprise/Education support on, say, 21H2 by an extra 18 months so that its end date matches the Oct. 14, 2025, demise of Windows 10 overall.

More of what counts ... support

Over the last six years, Windows 10 changed support more often than a toddler changed its mind. So it was no surprise when Microsoft messed with support as it introduced Windows 11.

But it did so in a good way.

Windows 11 Home and Windows 11 Pro will be supported for 24 months, up from 18.

Windows 11 Enterprise and Windows 11 Education will receive support for 36 months, up from 30.

This change will do several things. First, the demise of year-and-a-half (18 months) and two-and-a-half-years (30 months) of support will make it easier to figure out when that support ends. Secondly, the added support should let more customers run a given upgrade longer, meaning fewer disruptive upgrades overall.

Finally, Windows is annual

At the same time, Microsoft will drop Windows 10's twice-a-year upgrade cadence and replace it with a once-yearly tempo for Windows 11. The sole feature upgrade will launch in each year's second half. Figure somewhere between mid-October and early November, the general release window for 10's second-half upgrade.

"We've also heard from many of you that an annual update works best for you, and a simplified servicing plan makes it easier to deploy," contended McKelvey.

Absolutely. Too bad it took years of complaining before Microsoft woke up and smelled that coffee.

64-bit only

Windows 11 will come only in a 64-bit edition, unlike Windows 10, which has been available in both 32- and 64-bit versions.

32-bit applications will continue to run and work on Windows 11, but devices with a 32-bit processor will not be able to install the operating system. That shouldn't be much of a burden, seeing that those CPUs fell by the wayside a decade and more ago.

Free

Customers running Windows 10 under a legal license can move to Windows 11 free of charge. As far as Microsoft's concerned, Windows 11 is simply another feature upgrade for Windows 10.

"Microsoft 365 licenses that include Windows 10 licenses will permit you to run Windows 11 on supported devices," Microsoft said on its support site. "If you have a volume license, it will equally cover Windows 11 and Windows 10 devices before and after upgrade."

Unlike the free Windows 7-to-10 upgrade offer Microsoft extended in 2015, there is no time limit on the 10-to-11 deal, at least at the outset. (These qualifiers are tiresome, but necessary; Microsoft seems to change the tune more often than most large software developers.)

Same servicing tools

"Upgrading to Windows 11 is similar to taking a Windows 10 feature update," asserted Microsoft's McKelvey. "The familiar management experiences you have in place today  like Microsoft Endpoint Manager, cloud configuration, Windows Update for Business ...  will support your environment of tomorrow as you integrate Windows 11 into your estate."

Current servicing tools will work with 11 just as they do 10, the company pledged. Windows 10 Home and unmanaged Windows 10 Pro devices will draw monthly updates through Windows Update. Enterprise IT administrators can call on Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), Windows Update for Business (WUfB), Endpoint Manager's Configuration Manager, Microsoft's Intune and other deployment and maintenance software and services. (Exceptions and caveats have already been posted here.)

Similarly, Windows Insider will be the source of early access to Windows 11, with the first release slated for next week from the program's Dev channel. A Beta channel release will follow, Microsoft said, "later this summer."
06/25/2021

Photo (c) Brasil2 - Getty Images Coronavirus (COVID-19) tally as compiled by Johns Hopkins University. (Previous numbers in parentheses.)

Total U.S. confirmed cases: 33,592,712 (33,580,588)

Total U.S. deaths: 603,211 (602,900)

Total global cases:  180,101,870 (179,702,837)

Total global deaths: 3,902,501 (3,894,122)

FDA authorizes new COVID-19 treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the drug Actemra (tocilizumab) for the treatment of seriously ill COVID-19 patients. The drug, cleared for both adults and children, is administered in a hospital setting.

In clinical trials of hospitalized patients with COVID-19, Actemra was shown to reduce the risk of death through 28 days of follow-up. It also decreased the amount of time patients remained hospitalized and reduced the risk of patients being placed on ventilators.

Although vaccines have been successful in decreasing the number of patients with COVID-19 who require hospitalization, providing additional therapies for those who do become hospitalized is an important step in combating this pandemic, said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDAs Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Study: Antibody drug mix cured long-hauler

Theres new hope for so-called long-haulers, patients who get COVID-19 but suffer symptoms long after they should have fully recovered. Researchers from the University of Bristol and North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) have successfully treated the longest known case of COVID-19 -- nearly 300 days -- with two investigational monoclonal antibodies.

The team used a mixture of two monoclonal antibodies, casirivimab and imdevimab, supplied by Regeneron. They say the virus evolved during the infection, acquiring mutations that are present in SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.

While the researchers report success, they note that the treatment is not yet clinically approved for general use. However, they say their findings suggest that there may be potential treatments for immunocompromised individuals with persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection and urged more investigation.

Hotel chain offers a year of free stays

With things starting to get back to normal again, at least among those who are fully vaccinated, IHG Hotels & Resorts hopes to entice more travelers to its properties. The company announced a contest that will give one U.S. traveler the chance to win back a year of missed adventures with 365 days worth of hotel stays at various IHG locations.

The company says the contest is aimed at giving guests back the time, memories, and travel experiences lost in 2020. To enter, consumers simply make a post on Instagram or Twitter and make their case for deserving the prize.

The winner will be announced on August 2 and will get to stay at any IHG Property, including Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts, Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, and the Holiday Inn Express. The prize is valued at $60,000.

Around the nation
06/25/2021

Photo (c) Matthew Micah Wright - Getty Images Hawaii Governor David Ige announced Thursday that COVID-19 testing and quarantine rules for fully vaccinated tourists will be relaxed on July 8. Previously, tourists were required to receive a negative COVID-19 test and quarantine for 10 days upon arrival. Now, those who have been vaccinated can skip those requirements.

Travelers who want to use the quarantine exemption will have to upload their vaccination cards to its Safe Travels website, as well as bring a physical copy of their vaccination card. Those who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks will be eligible for the exemption.

"I know that this change has been widely anticipated, and it will make it easier for residents to return home, and for visitors to come and enjoy our islands," Ige told reporters at a news conference.

In two weeks time, Hawaii will also increase indoor gathering limits from 10 to 25 people and increase outdoor gathering limits from 25 to 75 people. The governor said restaurants will also soon be allowed to operate at 75% capacity. A maximum of 24 guests will be allowed indoors and 75 will be allowed outdoors.

Masks still required indoors

For now, the states indoor mask mandate will remain in place. But Ige said he expects the loosened restrictions to help somewhat in boosting visitor numbers.

"We believe that it'll make it easier for those who have been vaccinated to travel to Hawaii, and we do believe that it will help somewhat in bringing more visitors here. We know that they can also help us internationally as well," he said.

The governor added that Hawaii will lift all COVID-19 restrictions when the state reaches a 70% vaccination rate -- a milestone that he believes will be achieved in two months.

The case counts are coming down. People are getting vaccinated. And there are fewer and fewer people who are at risk of becoming infected, Ige said.
06/25/2021

Photo (c) shaunl - Getty Images If you own a model year 2020 or 2021 Nissan Sentra and have had trouble steering your vehicle, then it may have a potentially dangerous defect.

The automaker issued a recall for 138,736 Sentras that may have bent tie rods because of a manufacturing issue. The company said bent tie rods could eventually break and lead to a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash. Drivers who notice that their steering wheel vibrates or is oriented off-center may have a higher chance of having this issue.

Nissan said owners of affected vehicles will be directly notified of the recall on August 5. The company is working with dealers so that the cars can be inspected and have the tie rods replaced if necessary.

Essential oils with insufficient packaging recalled

Plant Guru -- a New Jersey-based maker of essential oil products -- is recalling over 25,000 containers of various essential oils because they do not meet child-resistant packaging standards.

The essential oils contain a substance called methyl salicylate, and that means their packaging must meet higher standards so that children cannot be accidentally exposed to it. They were sold on Plant Gurus website and on third-party platforms like Amazon.com and eBay.com from March 2018, through February 2021.

Consumers are being advised to stop using the recalled products immediately and to store them safely away from children. Plant Guru said it will be contacting all known customers to offer a full refund and supply a free child-resistant replacement cap for any products that were already purchased.

Hand sanitizer recalled for looking too much like water bottles

An Oklahoma-based company that produces hand sanitizer is recalling all of its 16.9-ounce and 20-ounce products because the containers look too similar to water bottles.

In an announcement on the FDAs website, Prairie Wolf Spirits Inc. said its products are only meant to be applied topically. Consumers who accidentally ingest the products could experience potentially fatal alcohol toxicity.

The company will be notifying customers about the recall by mail, and it advises anyone who has already purchased its products to stop using them. Customers can return the hand sanitizers to its Prairie Wolf Spirits distillery in Guthrie, Oklahoma, or throw them away.

More enoki mushrooms recalled over listeria concerns

Earlier this month, Guans Mushroom Company recalled all of its products that were imported from China because they may have been tainted by listeria. Now, Concord Farms is doing the same thing for its own products that came from Korea.

Listeria could potentially be deadly to young children or those with weakened immune systems, and it could cause miscarriages or stillbirths in pregnant women. Concord Farms says no infections have been reported or confirmed at this point.

The recalled products were sold in California, and customers who bought them are being urged not to consume them and to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
McDuck had first struck in 1986, when a bomb went off in one of Germany's swankiest department stores. It detonated at night and nobody was hurt, but the bomber swore to strike again during the day unless the store paid a huge ransom. The police arranged for the store to pay up, planning to arrest whoever picked up the ransom. But they were taken by surprise when Scrooge ordered the bagman to board a long-distance train and throw the bag from the window when ordered via radio. It was impossible to police the whole route and McDuck managed to snag the money and escape despite helicopters hovering overhead. In 1992, he struck again, demanding an even larger ransom. But this time, the police were determined not to be embarrassed. Unfortunately, they were about to be disappointed.

Mack Sennett Studios They tried to put a tap on this call, but their ears kept getting wet.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

The bomber turned out to be a master gadgeteer, with an endless supply of gizmos designed to get away with the cash. At the first handover, the cops found a complex set of electromagnets, which were used to clamp the cash to a passenger train. At a random point on the route, McDuck remotely deactivated the magnets and grabbed the package. Another time, the drop team was directed to an abandoned railway track, where they found a tiny train built by the bomber. The train sped off into the night with the ransom as a SWAT team sprinted after it, only to duck for cover when the train automatically detonated fireworks along the tracks. At yet another drop, a cop actually managed to grab McDuck, only to slip on dog poop and let him get away again. A police officer was subsequently pictured on the front pages kicking a lamppost in frustration.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

McDuck never killed anyone, so repeatedly outwitting the cops made him a national hero. People even made a fortune selling bomber-themed merchandise. Ironically, one person definitely not making any money from the crimes was Scrooge McDuck. After that first successful crime back in the 80s, the police had decided not to allow any more ransoms to be paid. Every single package after that was basically filled with torn up newspaper. And yet the frustrated Scrooge kept trying and trying to collect a real ransom, coming up with more and more creative ways to get away with the money, only to discover it was fake every time. He was finally caught when Germany's first criminal profiler kept him on the phone long enough to trace. The police discovered a homemade submarine in his hidden workshop, ready for use in the next ransom handover. Yeah, we're sure that one would have done it man.
Like any American megacorporation, Disney tolerates unions about as much as it tolerates park visitors dumping their loved ones' ashes into the bushes next to the Magic Tea Party ride. But one department within Disney has enjoyed relatively smooth labor practices for over 75 years now. And all it took them was to show Walt Disney they were willing to start a violent workers' revolt if he didn't start paying for their overtime.

Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Archives Seize the Minnies of production.

Despite lowball contracts, 12-hour day/seven days a week level crunches, and the constant fear of getting fired by Walt for having the wrong opinion or not letting him win at the company softball game, early Disney animators would have never dreamed of forming a union. This was in large part thanks to Disney's generous bonuses and profit-sharing schemes which made his animators the best paid commercial artists in Hollywood. This changed in 1937 when a near-bankrupt Disney ceased all bonus payouts expecting Snow White and the Seven Dwarves to be a box office bomb. But when the movie turned out to be a smash hit, the magnanimous, meritocratic Disney immediately took those profits and  pumped them into the construction of a glamorous new studio in Burbank.

Continue Reading Below Advertisement

Over the next years, the financially struggling Disney continued dropping wages and workers. Until, in 1941, a majority of the Disney animators led by legendary animator Art "Bones" Babbitt decided to join the fledgling Screen Cartoonists Guild and threaten to strike if fair labor demands weren't met. Shocked by this betrayal, Daddy Disney tried to reason with the upstarts like any good family man capitalist would: he fired several pro-union animators, created a dummy union controlled by his fixer, hired a union expert/violent New York mobster to handle the negotiations, ... He even jumped atop an apple box and gave a speech, calling people who want fair wages lazy and threatening that any employee who joined a union would no longer be allowed to use his pool during company cookouts.
An FBI agent applied for a federal warrant in 2018 to seize a cache of gold that he said had been stolen during the Civil War while en route to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia, and was now concealed in an underground cave in northwestern Pennsylvania
Anna Mae Wilson-Welborn, 86, of Crossville, passed away at her home surrounded by her family on Monday, June 28, 2021. She was born July 11, 1934, in Spencer, TN, daughter of the late Floyd Stanton Dodson and Annie (Lawson) Dodson. Anna worked as a seamstress and was of the Baptist faith. Sh
Yes, I'm concerned we're going to end up back where we were last fall and winter.

I'm not concerned for the vaccinated but cases could surge among the unvaccinated, shutting things down.

I'm not concerned about a surge or shutdowns this fall.

Vote

View Results
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure deal was thrown in doubt Friday as Republican senators felt blindsided by his insistence that it must move in tandem with his bigger package, while the White House doubled down on the strategy and said it should have come as no surprise.

The rare accord over some $1 trillion in investments faced new uncertainty barely 24 hours after Biden strode to the White House driveway, flanked by 10 senators from a bipartisan group, with all sides beaming over the compromise.

Senators were described as stunned, floored and frustrated after Biden publicly put the conditions on accepting their deal, according to two people familiar with the private conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the reactions.

Ive been on the phone with the White House, my Democratic colleagues, my Republican colleagues, all darn day, said Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator, in an interview Friday.

My hope is that well still get this done. Its really good for America. Our infrastructure is in bad shape," he said. "Its about time to get it done.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who was asked at her briefing about the GOP dismay, said senators should not have been surprised by the two-track strategy that Biden has publicly discussed on many occasions.

That hasnt been a secret. He hasnt said it quietly. He hasnt even whispered it, she said.

Psaki said the president plans to stand by the commitment he made to the senators. And he expects theyll do the same, she said.

The path ahead is now uncertain.

Senators launched into calls Friday seeking answers from the White House after a tumultuous past month of on-again, off-again negotiations over Bidens $4 trillion infrastructure proposals, his top legislative priority.

The Democrats two-track strategy has been to consider both the bipartisan deal and their own more sweeping priorities side by side, a way to assure liberal lawmakers the smaller deal won't be the only one.

But Bidens vow to essentially veto or refuse to sign the bipartisan accord without the companion package being negotiated by Democrats, which is now eyed at nearly $6 trillion in child care, Medicare and other investments, was an additional step that throws the process into doubt.

No deal by extortion! tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Friday.

Biden reached out Friday to the lead Democratic negotiator, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and reiterated his strong support for the compromise agreement, according to a readout from the White House.

Tensions appeared to calm later in the day, after senators from the group of negotiators convened a conference call, according to another person who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

A bipartisan accord has been important for the White House as it tries to show centrist Democrats including Sinema, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and others that it is working across the aisle before Biden tries to muscle the broader package through Congress under special budget rules that allow majority passage without the need for GOP votes.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky set the tone for the sudden turn of events, signaling late Thursday where the party was headed.

He framed the argument in a floor speech and a subsequent Fox News interview, declaring that Bidens messaging from his two news conferences Thursday makes your head spin.

McConnell has been highly skeptical of Biden's agenda, vowing his 100% focus to defeat it. He is not part of the negotiating team of five Republican and five Democratic senators who have been laboring for months on a potential deal.

Senators who were part of the bipartisan group were initially thrilled at striking the compromise. Many of them spoke about how it would be good not just for rebuilding the nation's roads and bridges, but also for showing the world that the United States government was functioning well.

Only after senators tuned in later to Bidens second news conference, where he outlined the path ahead, did frustrations mount and frantic phone calls begin.

At the press conference, Biden was asked what he meant by having the two packages move through Congress to his desk in tandem.

If they dont come, Im not signing. Real simple, Biden said.

Senators from the group were never told of such an explicit linking of the two packages, the two people familiar with the discussions said.

It never came up in their talks with the White House advisers or with Biden himself during Thursday's meeting of the group of 10 key negotiators, they said.

Theres a lot of conversations taking place right now as to what the president meant," said Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., in an interview with a Fox affiliate in New Orleans shared by his office.

Cassidy noted that the president may have misspoken and said he hoped "it wont be as if we crafted something just to give the president a point of leverage to get something that Republicans disagree with.

Ten Republican senators would be needed to pass the bipartisan accord in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most bills.

While the senators in the bipartisan group are among some of the more independent-minded lawmakers, known for bucking their partys leadership, it appears McConnells criticism of Bidens approach could peel away Republican support.

The White House insisted that senators have been well aware of the two-bill strategy, which has been openly discussed for months. They all but dared the Republicans to argue their way out of supporting what appeared to be a popular compromise of shared priorities.

Thats a pretty absurd argument for them to make, Psaki said. Good luck.

Democrats plan to push the broader package through using a special budget process that would allow passage of their own priorities on a simple majority vote of 51 senators, with Vice President Kamala Harris a tiebreaker.

Progressive lawmakers have pushed for the more robust investments and could withhold their votes, as well, on any bipartisan package unless they have guarantees the $1 trillion effort won't be the end of the road.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Friday that the bipartisan infrastructure bill simply isnt enough."

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Josh Boak, Kevin Freking and Dan Sewell contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment  which came after Chauvin broke his yearlong silence to offer condolences to the Floyd family and express hope that they eventually have some peace of mind  is one of the longest prison terms ever imposed on a U.S. police officer in the killing of a Black person.

Now Playing: Legal expert expects the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd to receive a sentence of 30 years (June 24) Video: Associated Press

Still, Floyd family members and others were disappointed. The sentence fell short of the 30 years prosecutors had requested. And with good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could get out on parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

Just because its the most time doesnt mean its enough time," said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis protest leader.

Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing Chauvin's abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump said the family had gotten some measure of accountability but is hoping Chauvin gets the maximum at his upcoming federal civil rights trial. Crump said this was the longest sentence a police officer has ever received in Minnesota.

But he added: "Real justice in America will be Black men and Black women and people of color who will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice.

Outside the courthouse, a crowd of about 50 people clasped hands or placed them on each others shoulders. The reaction was subdued as people debated whether the sentence was long enough. Some cursed in disgust.

Now Playing: George Floyd's older sister La Tonya watched Derek Chauvin's sentencing from Houston and said the 22 year sentence wasn't enough. (June 25) Video: Associated Press

At George Floyd Square, as the intersection where Floyd was pinned to the pavement is now known, members of the crowd broke into applause, and several said, Well take it.

Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. He showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond, as well as demands for overhauling police departments.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial, where his words could be used against him.

I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind, he said without further explanation.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson had asked that Chauvin be let off on probation, saying the former officer's brain is littered with what-ifs from that day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if? What if? What if?

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, pleaded for mercy for her son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man, she told the judge, adding: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank, in asking the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines, said tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life," Frank said.

Floyd family members had tearfully asked the judge to impose the maximum, which was 40 years. Several spoke before the sentence, and his 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, was seen in a recorded video.

I miss you and I love you, Gianna Floyd said in the video when asked what she would say to her daddy. She had a list of things she would have liked to do with him: I want to play with him, have fun, go on a plane ride.

Afterward, Floyds nephew Brandon Williams said the sentence was insufficient, when you think about George being murdered, in cold blood with a knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds execution-style in broad daylight. LaTonya Floyd, George Floyds sister, said of the punishment: Thats nothing. Thats nothing. He should have got the max, period.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvin's three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. The defense had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America witnessed something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the state's maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Chauvin on the federal charges. No date has been set for that trial.

__

Associated Press writers Aaron Morrison, Stephen Groves, Tammy Webber, and Angie Wang and Associated Press/Report for America reporter Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this report.

__

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Ohio:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

The state of Ohio never enacted its own eviction moratorium and is following the federal moratorium. At the county and city level, some courts have taken the moratorium seriously, essentially following the letter of the order, said Marcus Roth, development director for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. Others are basically ignoring it, and theres everything in between, he said.

During a normal year, Ohio landlords file between 105,000 and 110,000 evictions, according to Ohio Supreme Court data. In 2020 they filed 69,000 evictions  only 36% fewer than 2019.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

In the fall of 2020, the state invested more than $111 million in CARES Act funding for emergency rental assistance, and created the Home Relief Grant program administered by local Community Action Agencies. Ohio received an additional $1.5 billion in emergency rental assistance dollars from the December federal relief bill and the American Rescue Plan in March, and in May the Legislature appropriated $465 million of that funding for rent relief and utility assistance, with more appropriations to come.

The extent of need has overwhelmed the agencies distributing the aid and theres a concern that applicants might not receive rent assistance before the moratorium expires. "If thats the case, then many renters could face housing insecurity, said Alison Goebel, executive director of the Greater Ohio Policy Center.

Some communities, including Dayton and Lakewood in suburban Cleveland, passed local pay to stay laws which require landlords to accept rent if tenants come up with it before an eviction hearing.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Lawsuits challenging the federal moratorium have led to uncertainty about whether and where it needs to be enforced. Some Ohio judges still require renters to prove they made every effort to cover rent after pandemic-related job losses. Other judges grant the moratorium protection, while still others have taken to delaying cases to allow renters time to access the backed-up rental assistance money. Where the latter is concerned, the result is judges just using their administrative decision-making processes to slow the process down to avoid unnecessary evictions, said Graham Bowman, staff attorney with the Ohio Poverty Law Center.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio has determined that only 42 rental units are affordable and available for every 100 extremely low-income households in Ohio. The group also found that the hourly rate that renters must earn to afford a basic, two-bedroom apartment is $15.99, while only three out of the 10 most common jobs in Ohio actually paid employees more than that. The affordability ranges from city to city but is acute in state capital Columbus, where renters need to earn $19.02 an hour for a two-bedroom apartment. The average renters household wage statewide is $14.42 an hour.

Census data show that about 248,000 Ohioans are concerned they wont be able to pay next months rent and about 112,000 Ohioans are concerned they will be evicted within the next two months.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

A post-moratorium surge in homelessness is a big concern but not an immediate one for housing advocates. Thats because evicted renters typically move in with friends or family first as opposed to heading immediately for a shelter. But that could change down the road.

If there is a real spike in evictions, eventually well see a spike in homelessness as well, Roth said.

Exacerbating the problem, renters with an eviction in their record have a much harder time finding an apartment for the same price  if at all  in the future.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in South Carolina:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

The South Carolina Supreme Court suspended most evictions and foreclosures last March, but that moratorium expired in May of last year. Since then, tenants trying to stay in their homes have had to rely upon the CDC moratorium.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Last year, the state's housing authority ran a $25 million rental and mortgage assistance program with federal CARES Act money. As of mid-June, it had only disbursed $1.9 million to 400 people, though 5,000 people met the initial criteria. The agency says federal requirements have slowed the program down.

This year, South Carolina received $272 million in federal emergency rental assistance for 39 counties. The money can be used for up to 12 months of rent and utility payments dating back to March 2020; some applicants may also qualify for up to three months of future rent aid. Renters with demonstrated risk of homelessness or housing instability and household incomes of up to 80% of their county's median income qualify.

As of mid-June, the state had distributed none of the money to the 6,000 tenants who applied, with just 39 applications approved by June 17.

Seven of the state's largest county governments also received a total of $74 million in federal emergency rental assistance to distribute in their own programs.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

How South Carolina is handling eviction hearings varies across the state's magistrate courts, which are organized on the county level. Some courts have adopted virtual hearings, while others have chosen not to or don't have the technology needed to implement online proceedings, said Adam Protheroe, an attorney with SC Appleseed. Courts have also implemented the CDC moratorium differently, Protheroe added. Some are not allowing any eviction filings, while others are allowing initial filings or even approving cases to go forward until the last step of processing the eviction and removing the tenant.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Though the state comprises mostly small and midsize cities and rural areas, affordable housing advocates say costs are growing faster than earnings for many renters and homeowners, and leisure and hospitality workers in places such as Charleston and Myrtle Beach are being priced out of living near where they work. The state's housing authority reports that 24% of all renters in the state, or more than 140,000 households, spend more than half their income on rent or have no income at all.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

In Charleston County, one of the state's most populous, housing attorneys aren't expecting an extraordinary wave of evictions leading to homelessness as the moratorium expires, said Nicole Paluzzi of Charleston Pro Bono Legal Services. That's because many smaller landlords have already ejected tenants with month-to-month leases who could no longer afford to pay. Still, Paluzzi said she does expect people to be removed from their homes as corporate landlords that may have had more flexibility during the moratorium begin filing eviction cases.

One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 100,337 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.
99 cent introductory offer

Includes everything we offer online for 24-7 news. This option allows you to read unlimited stories at ctnewsonline.com, and access our e-Edition (digital replicate of the daily newspaper). $7.99 per month after the introductory offer.

This service comes with a complimentary CT Select Card allowing for local discounts.

Rates are subject to change.
A few years after the town of Easton bucked for the third time a big residential development, the owner of the underlying land has put it up for sale  with a broker saying developers are hot to trot to get a new project going amid the pandemic real estate market.

At 110 acres, the property running along Sport Hill Road becomes the largest tract of land listed publicly for sale in Fairfield County, edging the Star Meadow Ranch property in north Stamford which has been listed since early May for $20 million.

Registered to a limited partnership controlled by the owner of the adjacent Gold Rush Horse Farm, the Easton property carries a $4.5 million asking price.

File graphic

The Merritt Parkway is within a 10-minute drive to the south, along a stretch of Sport Hill Road with several farms and stables. Silvermans Farm is the towns biggest tourist attraction, drawing throngs in the late summer and autumn for apple picking, pumpkins and its animal farm.

Coldwell Banker Realty posted the listing this week, with a broker saying the listing has gotten immediate attention.

Alexander Soule/Hearst Connecticut Media

There is interest from developers, said Paul Richter who works out of Coldwell Bankers Fairfield office. The towns interest  I dont know yet.

Dr. David Bindelglass, an orthopedic surgeon who is first selectman of Easton, said Friday he remains against any development of the property on the scale that had been proposed previously, saying that section of town is zoned to ensure minimal runoff into waterways that feed into nearby reservoirs that supply lower Fairfield County.

Bucky Stone and Bob Carlson had led efforts to build dozens of homes and duplex apartments at Easton Crossing through an entity called Saddle Ridge Developers, prior to Stones death in December 2018. Stones wife Kyle MacGillivray is trustee of the legal entity with title to the property.

In their final effort to win approval of the project, Stone and Carlson proposed the town create a new planned housing opportunity district zoning designation that would free it from open-space requirements among other changes.

The developers subsequently sued the Easton Planning and Zoning Commission to strike a series of conditions the commission wanted fulfilled, claiming the requests would add costs to jeopardize the financial viability of the project. They argued as well that Easton Crossing would help fill a void in the towns stock of affordable housing, which the state listed at just 15 units of more than 2,700 as of 2015.

The proposal nevertheless hit a dead end in 2017, after a judge sided with the nonprofit Citizens for Easton that it could strain water supplies in nearby Aquarion reservoirs. Demand has only grown since then amid a continuing boom of new apartment buildings in Stamford and Norwalk.

A new surge in real estate has spurred a wave of fresh listings the past 13 months, including expanses of land for development whether single lots along Long Island Sound or larger parcels inland.

In the back half of May, a 620-acre farm site in Goshen near the Torrington Country Club was purchased for nearly $2.5 million, the largest lot sold to date this year in Connecticut.

Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman
NEWTOWN - A distributor of automotive, electrical and chemical supplies wants to establish its northeast headquarters off Route 25 in the factory that Hubbell closed two years ago, if the town agrees to a tax break package.

Kimball Midwest, a family-owned company based in Ohio that serves the private and public sector, has already bought the 40-acre former Hubbell property for $4.4 million. The company plans to spend another $2 million on repairs and improvements if Newtown agrees to a three-year abatement on its real estate taxes.

Kimballs interest in the 140,000-square-foot industrial facility is the first good news Newtown has had about the site since 2019, when Hubbell relocated its electrical components factory and its 140 jobs to Puerto Rico. Newtown was Hubbells largest factory in Connecticut, which has been shedding manufacturing jobs.

A Kimball executive on Thursday said it was too soon to say whether the distributor and town leaders would strike a deal to bring 30 jobs to Newtown.

5 1 of 5 H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Newtown GIS Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 H John Voorhees III / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5









I dont think we will bring 140 jobs but we are going to bring some of those jobs back, said Brendan McCurdy, associate director of purchasing for Kimball. Were excited.

Newtowns Economic Development Commission signed off on the three-year tax break package last week, clearing the way for town leaders to review the business incentive deal during a joint session of the Board of Selectmen and the Legislative Council on July 7.

Wes Thompson, chair of the nine-member Economic Development Commission, called Kimball the Amazon of the industrial business sector and added this continues to be a competitive situation as they are looking at other locations in Connecticut.

The short version of the business incentive package proposed for Kimball is a 30 percent break on real estate taxes for three years once property investments are made. Kimball would save an estimated total of $16,000 in real taxes over three years, in return for its investment to clean up the property, repair the roof and improve the buildings interior, according to town documents.

First Selectman Dan Rosenthal in informal talks with a company executive signaled his interest in recruiting Kimball in March, shortly before the company bought the factory from Hubbell on a deeply discounted price.

I believe we conveyed  our interest in recruiting (this) business to Newtown, Rosenthal wrote in a March 24 letter to the EDCs Thompson. [I]ncluding my offer to pursue the use of the business incentive program for any resulting improvements to the property.

If town leaders agree to the business incentive in July, it would mark the second time this year that Newtown has courted an out-of-state business to invest in a vacant industrial property.

In May, Newtown approved a seven-year tax break package for a Vermont-based RV dealer that plans to convert the former Georgia-Pacific distribution center on South Main Street into a $7 million showroom and service center.

If leaders can strike a deal with Kimball, Newtown would become the companys fifth warehouse location. The hope is to complete renovations in time to open the distribution center by early 2022, McCurdy said.

Kimball likes the Newtown location because of its proximity to New York City, where the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is an important customer, and to New England, which allows for next day service to customers in the northern point of Maine, McCurdy said.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
PRAGUE (AP)  A rare tornado believed to be the most devastating in the Czech Republics modern history has torn through the country's southeast, killing at least five people and injuring hundreds, rescue services and police said on Friday.

The tornado touched down late Thursday as strong thunderstorms hit the entire country. Seven towns and villages sustained heavy damage that included buildings turned to rubble and overturned cars. The storms were accompanied by hail which in some cases was as big as tennis balls.

Hrusky Deputy Mayor Marek Babisz told Czech public radio that half of his town was almost completely wiped out.

The church is without the tower, the elementary school has no roof and insulation any more, only walls remain from what were houses ... Its really terrible.

Some 360 extra police officers were dispatched to the area, along with army personnel. Rescue crews from across the country, joined by counterparts from nearby Austria and Slovakia, were using drones, helicopters and sniffer dogs to search through the rubble.

Police said at least five people were found dead, but regional government chief Jan Grolich said the death toll was likely to rise.

Its a huge tragedy, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said. Babis was in Brussels to attend an EU summit and was planning to visit the afflicted region later Friday. He said he has asked the EU for help.

I'd like to offer my condolences to the families of the victims, Babis said. We ... will do all we can to help the people because it's a real apocalypse. He said some 2,000 buildings have been damaged.

Over 40,000 households remain without electricity in the southeast.

Meteorologist Martin Setvak said it was the most damaging tornado in the country's modern history.

It certainly was at least the strongest F3 intensity but very likely it was F4 in the six-notch Fujita scale, Setvak said.

F4 causes devastating damage, with winds of up to 260 miles an hour.

Setvak said it's still unclear whether it was a single twister or several independent ones.

According to Setvak, the country experienced anywhere between one and seven tornadoes annually up until 2020, but all were relatively weak.

Tornados like this are very rare in Central Europe, climatologist Pavel Fasko said.
BRIDGEPORT  A months-long effort to pass a local ban on flavored tobacco products is on the cusp of going up in smoke.

With state legislators having failed in the just-ended session to pass their own Connecticut-wide prohibition, Bridgeport City Council members have decided they do not want to risk going it alone and being the first municipality to enact such rules.

I for one think the state should handle this, Councilman Ernie Newton, a member of the ordinance committee, told his colleagues Tuesday night before the group voted to recommend the full council at its next meeting reject outlawing the local sale of menthol cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes.

Lets say Bridgeport passes something like this, Newton said. They (smokers) could go to Stratford, Trumbull, Fairfield, they could go anywhere in the state and purchase these items.

The committee was also swayed by a legal opinion issued this week by Mark Anastasi, a veteran municipal attorney. Anastasi wrote that although more than 300 localities nationwide have enacted restrictions on the sale of flavored tobacco, we are aware of no Connecticut municipality that has imposed a ban.

Hartford similarly considered a prohibition that never went forward.

Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media

And, Anastasi continued, while perhaps Bridgeport could legally make such a move given Connecticut has granted municipalities certain public health regulatory and police powers the city may not want to given costly and high-exposure  but obviously avoidable  civil litigation should reasonably be anticipated. He posed the question whether the council wants Bridgeport to serve as the test case.

The proposal, introduced in January by some Bridgeport council members, legislators, health advocates and the citys NAACP, was aimed specifically at reducing smoking among youth and people of color. It faced stiff opposition from local smoke shops and convenience stores who argued they would be put out of business just as Connecticut emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.

The ordinance committee held a public hearing in early March and then the matter was in limbo for the last few months as the council awaited Anastasis opinion and also to see whether Connecticut lawmakers would act.

Council President Aidee Nieves, one of the more vocal proponents of the local prohibition when it was unveiled last winter, on Wednesday said she agreed with the ordinance committees decision not to proceed. Nieves said without a statewide ban or at least other towns moving ahead, Bridgeport would be on its own and smokers could simply patronize stores in other municipalities.

Im not saying smoking is good, Nieves emphasized. (But) we already have enough of that happening in our city with people going out to eat, leaving our city to shop and spend their dollars.

She said she hopes a conversation can be had in the next state legislative session about the impact of smoking on urban centers and the health disparity that comes with smoking flavored tobacco (and) how it impacts communities of color.

Kevin OFlaherty, a Connecticut resident, is director of advocacy for the northeast region for the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. OFlaherty on Wednesday expressed frustration with Bridgeports reluctance to be a trailblazer.

We very much think Bridgeport and other cities like it across the state should enact comprehensive bans on the sale of all flavored tobacco products, OFlaherty said. In tobacco control, oftentimes it is local policies that lead the states to enact the statewide law.

He noted how Bridgeport in January 2019 voted to raise the smoking age from 18 years old to 21  about half-a-year before the state did. Ultimately, though, Bridgeport never enforced that local law in the interim, waiting instead for statewide implementation.

OFlaherty said while local and state leaders debate who should act first kids continue to get addicted to menthol cigarettes and this insane array of flavored cigarettes that are out there.

There was a last minute effort by some in the legislature to pass a more limited ban  in fact Anastasi initially mistakenly told the ordinance committee Tuesday it had passed and would go into effect next January. OFlaherty said his organization had opposed that language in favor of resuming the fight next year because of excessive exemptions for products we think would still hook kids.

It would look like it would be doing good for kids but in the end be a gift to the (tobacco) industry, OFlaherty said.

Greater Bridgeport NAACP President Rev. Stanley Lord was disappointed but not surprised that council members got cold feet about a local ban after the legislature failed to act.

I pretty much knew this was the direction they were gonna go, Lord said Wednesday, calling it their fail safe position to defer to the state.

Ahnaf Zaman owns Spark City Smoke & Vape downtown. He listened in on Tuesdays ordinance committee teleconference. He agreed with those who argued Bridgeport should not be the first.

If Bridgeport bans smoking products, theres five minutes everywhere you go  to Stratford, Trumbull, Fairfield, he said. If the state stops it, its a different story.

And, Zaman said, he works hard to keep his products out of the hands of young people.

A lot of stores including myself we got scanners that scan IDs, he said. The machine tells you if theyre 21 or not, if its a fake ID.

As for the likelihood the full Bridgeport City Council will abandon the local ban, Zaman said, The thing is, Im happy and not happy at the same time. ... The state is going to come up with the bill again next year.

The fight didnt end yet, Zaman said. It is becoming harder and harder to have a smoke shop.
BRIDGEPORT  State elections watchdogs are interviewing witnesses in an investigation of alleged absentee ballot abuses during 2019s mayoral primary between incumbent Joe Ganim and state Sen. Marilyn Moore.

The State Elections Enforcement Commission confirmed Thursday that, following delays due to the coronavirus pandemic, the probe is active again, with some area politicians and Democratic Party operatives recently notified by mail they are respondents in the investigation and will be contacted to answer questions.

One of those people  City Councilman Jorge Cruz  said this week he and others in late May received letters from the SEEC because they were either running at the time on Ganims slate of candidates or assisting the mayors re-election bid.

Brian Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media

I (subsequently) spoke with a gentlemen and basically the questions ... focused on absentee ballots, Cruz said of the SEECs inquiries. More specifically, he said, whether he circulated absentee  also known as mail-in ballot  applications and if he ever handled completed ballots.

Cruz said he obtained applications but did not pick-up filled ballots. Cruz said he has not heard further from SEEC.

The states investigation stems from the bitter September 2019 primary battle between Ganim and Moore. The latter received more in-person votes at polling places  4,721 to 4,337  but Ganim won the mail-in ballots 967 to 313 and, subsequently, the primary.

Moore and her allies accused Ganim and his supporters of winning through absentee ballot irregularities and potential fraud. The SEEC  based in part on an investigation published at the time by Hearst Connecticut Media  decided to open its pending case following a referral from the Secretary of the State.

The Hearst Connecticut investigation found alleged issues with the absentee voting process, including absentee voters who were pressured into voting for the incumbent or who received absentee ballots they did not request, and residents saying strangers swarmed elderly housing complexes seeking  and sometimes allegedly helping cast  votes.

5 1 of 5 Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Brian Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Brian Pounds / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 5 of 5









The SEEC immediately following the 2019 primary subpoenaed election documents from Bridgeport Town Clerk Charles Clemons as well as surveillance video and visitor logs of two apartment complexes run by Bridgeports public housing authority, Park City Communities  the P.T. Barnum Apartments in Black Rock and Harborview Towers on the East Side.

Some Moore supporters also filed a lawsuit attempting to have a Superior Court judge order a 2019 primary do-over, but lost. Ganim subsequently easily won that Novembers general election in which Moore participated as a write-in candidate.

Councilwoman M. Evette Brantley was also contacted recently by state investigators.

I forgot all about it, she said of the 2019 SEEC case. I thought that was investigated  that they went to court. ... I dont know what theyre looking for.

Brantley said she is still waiting to be asked questions by the SEEC but has nothing to hide.

Ive been doing absentee balloting ever since Ive been involved politically. Since I was a kid helping (local campaigns), Brantley said. An AB vote is the most legitimate vote you can find. ... That vote is just as legitimate as going out to the polls. I dont know what these people are fishing for.

Brantley recalled how she was one of only two candidates in 2019s general election who showed up for a voluntary mail-in ballot class hosted in City Hall by the Secretary of the States office in light of the controversy surrounding the mayoral primary results.

In fact absentee voting became even more widely understood and popular nationwide during the COVID-19 crisis when Connecticut and other states loosened their traditional restrictions so residents who wished to participate in the hotly contested U.S. presidential election could vote from home without having to potentially expose themselves to the virus.

But Bridgeport has over the years experienced several absentee ballot and elections-related controversies, to the point where the just-passed state budget includes $150,000 to hire an elections monitor for this and next years races.

Ganim declined comment for this story and Moore did not return a request for comment.

While the probe into the 2019 primary had, at least publicly, appeared dormant, the SEEC earlier this year wrapped up two other cases related to that election.

Moore and her 2019 primary campaign were the targets of a pair of complaints to the SEEC that were concluded earlier this year. Both were filed by Ganim supporter Joel Gonzalez.

In January the SEEC dismissed Gonzalez allegations accusing Moore of improperly gathering petition signatures to force a primary against Ganim.

Gonzalezs second allegation focused on Moores campaigns effort to also gather signatures to ensure her a spot on the November 2019 general election ballot. She was seeking a spot as the Working Families third partys mayoral contender  an effort that ultimately failed, resulting in her write-in candidacy.

In late January Moore agreed to pay the state a $300 fine as part of a consent agreement with the SEEC after its investigators concluded Moore falsely signed a campaign petition that she did not personally circulate.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Submit Here
Weather Alert

...The Flood Advisory continues for the following rivers in Illinois... Kankakee River near Wilmington affecting Will, Kankakee and Grundy Counties. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Flood Advisory means water levels near flood stage are imminent or may already be occurring. Water may overtop low stream banks in some areas. Persons in the advisory area should use caution and avoid flood waters. Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at www.weather.gov/Chicago and water.weather.gov The next statement is expected around 1100 AM CDT Saturday morning. && ...The Flood Advisory remains in effect... The Flood Advisory continues for the Kankakee River near Wilmington. * Until Saturday afternoon. * At 6:45 PM CDT Friday the stage was 5.0 feet. * Action stage is 5.0 feet. * Flood stage is 6.5 feet. * Forecast...The river is expected to fall below 5.0 feet by midday Saturday. * Impact...At 5.0 feet, Minor lowland flooding begins in areas immediately adjacent to the river. &&
Local

featured

Adkins, Spence to push property tax hike to increase city employee pay

jeure / Paul Nielsen/The Daily Advance Elizabeth City public utilities worker Jeff Davis was one of several speakers who asked city officials to boost city employees pay during a meeting at the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Senior Center, Wednesday evening. Approximately 75 city employees attended the meeting called by Mayor Bettie Parker and Councilor Johnnie Walton, city councils mayor pro tem, to let city workers sound off about next years city budget. jeure / By Julian Eure adkins

Spence

Two Elizabeth City councilors voiced support Wednesday night for increasing the city property tax rate by 10 cents and spending most of the additional revenue it would generate on pay raises for all city employees.

Councilors Gabriel Adkins and Kem Spence said they would support a 10-cent hike after hearing concerns from around 75 employees at a meeting that the citys pay scale is too low.

No official action was taken because the special City Council meeting lacked a quorum. Only Adkins, Spence, Councilwoman Jeannie Young and Mayor Bettie Parker attended the meeting, which was called by Parker and Mayor Pro Tem Johnnie Walton on Tuesday.

Parker said Walton was absent because he was awaiting medical test results in Virginia. She also said Councilor Chris Ruffieux called her before the meeting to say he was also in Virginia.

Councilors Michael Brooks, Billy Caudle and Darius Horton also missed Wednesdays meeting.

I did not hear from them, Parker said of the three.

City Council voted on June 14 to include a 5-cent property tax rate increase when it called for a June 28 public hearing on the citys almost $70 million budget.

Parker broke a 4-4 tie in favor of the 5-cent increase, siding with Adkins, Walton, Horton and Spence for the tax hike.

Voting against the 5-cent increase were Young, Ruffieux, Caudle and Brooks.

Parker said at the time she favored a 7-cent increase in the tax rate but described the 5-cent boost as a compromise.

But after being told by nine employees representing different city departments that some employees are working second jobs to make ends meet while others are leaving for better paying jobs, Spence and Adkins said they would seek a 10-cent increase in the tax rate at Mondays City Council meeting.

Fire Department acting Captain Tyler Liebno was one of several speakers who noted they have second jobs.

Imagine being away from home working 24 hours for the fire department and then leaving for a second job and working eight to 12 hours, Liebno said. Its tough.

Liebno said having a second job means that he has less time to spend with his family.

I would like nothing more than to spend my two days off with my family. However, I am forced to work a second job in order to support them, Liebno said. Its not just me.

The meeting fell dead silent after Troy Selsy, a public utilities employee for the past two years, addressed councilors.

Im homeless, thank you, said Selsy in his only comments.

Selsys remarks spurred Adkins and Spence to later advocate giving all city employees a pay raise.

Im going to make the motion for it Monday night, Adkins said of the 10-cent hike. To keep good people, you have to compensate them. We have to show our employees that we do care.

Spence said he would push to include the property tax increase in the budget to help better compensate city employees.

If you dont take care of the staff, the staff wont take care of you, Spence said.

Young described the employees as the backbone of the city and said City Council needs to address the pay issue.

You deserve everything we can possibly give you, Young said. You have worked a lot of years without the amount of pay that you should have gotten.

Council was told last month by an outside consultant that what the city pays its employees is dreadful and a disservice and that $1.1 million is needed in the next fiscal budget to make its pay structure competitive.

City Manager Montre Freeman told employees that a 10-cent hike would accomplish that goal because it would raise an additional $1,133,970 in revenue.

The city must have a fiscal year 2021-22 budget in place by July 1.
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
SAUGERTIES, N.Y.  The village water superintendent says the state has not given a straight 
New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks in the Dutchess County town of Wappinger on Thursday, June 24, 2021.
USD/CAD PRICE OUTLOOK: CANADIAN DOLLAR MIRED BY FED, OIL PRICES

USD/CAD has pulled back 200-pips with the Canadian Dollar reversing recent weakness

Canadian Dollar appears to be benefiting from higher oil prices and a broadly softer USD

USD/CAD price action might resume its advance as Federal Reserve taper risk still lingers

USD/CAD price action has pulled back over the last couple of trading sessions as volatility normalizes in the wake of the Feds hawkish pivot last week. Recent crude oil price gains have likely helped the Canadian Dollar strengthen and regain lost ground against its USD peer too.

USD/CAD PRICE CHART: DAILY TIME FRAME (25 JAN TO 24 JUN 2021)

USD/CAD now trades about 200-pips below its month-to-date swing high around the 1.2475-price level. Selling pressure seems to be subsiding now, however, as USD/CAD bulls look wrestle back control. This appears to align with a defense of technical support around the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level of USD/CADs monthly trading range. That said, the Canadian Dollar could weaken once again and send USD/CAD price action toward the descending trendline highlighted on the chart above.

Invalidating this technical obstacle has potential to bring April highs into focus. Reclaiming the short-term 8-day simple moving average could warrant more credence for this scenario. On the other hand, closing out this week near the lows might increase the odds of a deeper pullback toward the 1.2200-handle. This could correspond with a bearish MACD crossover.

-- Written by Rich Dvorak, Analyst for DailyFX.com

Connect with @RichDvorakFX on Twitter for real-time market insight
Sunbury, PA (17801)

Today

Light rain this morning with thunderstorms developing for the afternoon. High 72F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
CTC of Greater Downingtown Staff and Board Members with the CPA 'Coalition of the Year' award.
He was the man who kept families from hugging each other; who banned first dances at weddings; who warned teenagers the slightest taste of human contact could 'kill your gran'.

Nobody piously shamed others for breaking Covid-19 regulations more than Matt Hancock.

The slightest breach was letting down a great national effort, the Health Secretary would warn.

It was 'just not possible in these circumstances' for the bonking professor Neil Ferguson to do anything other than resign, he scolded during an interview with fellow Covid hypocrite Kay Burley.

Well, that Matt Hancock is a fake, a phoney and a fraud.

Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo in a passionate snog inside the Department of Health

Or, to use the words of his boss the Prime Minister, 'totally f***ing hopeless'.

As Hancock was enforcing the most inhumane and draconian limits on our interactions by law, he was flagrantly ignoring the social distancing rules to engage in a tawdry extramarital affair.

Normally I wouldn't give a damn who he was sleeping with. In fact, I wish I'd never had to consider Matt Hancock being intimate at all.

But given Hancock has set himself as the nation's moral arbiter for these miserable past 15 months, his behaviour is very much in the public interest.

At a time when you would hope his mind was on getting the UK out of a catastrophic pandemic and brutal lockdowns, Hancock was thinking of the latter half of his last name.

In March last year  as tens of thousands died and he botched PPE procurement and establishing a testing programme  Hancock, 42, secretly hired his old university 'pal' Gina Coladangelo, 43, as an unpaid adviser for an initial six-month period.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock during a Downing Street press conference last November

It was an odd decision, given the mum-of-three remained the communications director at Oliver Bonas, the lifestyle brand owned by her successful husband.

By September, she was a non-executive director of the Department of Health and Social Care, which saw her paid at least 15,000 of money from the public purse.

A source told the Sunday Times that month: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina. She knows everything. She has access to lots of confidential information.'

Now we know why.

The Sun's jaw dropping front page this morning revealed the pair are bumping uglies.

Matt Hancock secretly hired his old university 'pal' Gina Coladangelo as an unpaid adviser

It comes complete with the most shocking celebrity CCTV pictures since Solange Knowles attacked Jay Z in a lift showing Hancock and Coladangelo in a passionate snog inside the Department of Health.

No masks. No one metre plus rule. No Hands Face Space, which Hancock bangs on about ad nauseam.

In fact, his rules with Coladangelo appear to be: Handsy, Eating Each Other's Face, No Space.

The footage is from May 6 at 3pm and a whistleblower who used to work at the department told the newspaper: 'I'm just amazed he was so brazen about it as he was the Secretary of State.

'It has also shocked people because he put her in such an important, publicly funded role and this is what they get up to in office hours when everyone else is working hard.'

Matt Hancock scolded the bonking professor Neil Ferguson during an interview with fellow Covid hypocrite Kay Burley

Hancock's apology this afternoon is pitiful.

In a statement, he said: 'I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances. I have let people down and am very sorry.

'I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.'

I've got a better idea Mr Hancock. You go and focus on trying to piece together your personal life and leave the business getting the nation out from under Covid to someone else.

Your authority is shot. The next time you attempt to issue an instruction to the British public, the vast majority will laugh in your face.

Unless Boris Johnson tells Matt Hancock to immediately resign, it will be obvious that there is one rule for the elite when it comes to Covid and another for the rest of us

Of course, I feel compassion for Hancock's wife of 15 years Martha.

The humiliation she feels will be overwhelming and I imagine she's currently questioning what this means for the future of her marriage and attempting to protect the couple's three children.

But I don't have a scintilla of sympathy for Hancock whose attempts to control our behaviour over the past year have bordered on being sadistic.

Unless Boris Johnson takes immediate action and tells Hancock to immediately resign, it will be obvious that there is one rule for the elite when it comes to Covid and another for the rest of us.

What else can explain the fact that even behind-the-scenes at Downing Street there are no social distancing rules or mask mandates followed? Or the fact the G7 leaders were allowed to party together without a care in the world when the official cameras stopped rolling?

Of course, I feel compassion for Hancock's wife of 15 years Martha. The humiliation she feels will be overwhelming

Or that 2,500 Uefa VIPs will be exempt from the quarantine rules forced on ordinary Brits when they fly in for the Euros finals?

This is the problem with trying to control the behaviour of the public, rather than allowing us to rely on our strong sense of common sense and ability to balance sensible risks.

Hancock's arrogance is breathtaking.

The one person we should have been able to trust to follow every nonsensical rule to a tee was him because he's the one who insisted upon them.

Unless he goes today, trust in this government when it comes to Covid regulations will be smashed once and for all.
From his love bunker deep in the Department of Health, Matt Hancock has been laying down the Covid social-distancing laws since the pandemic began.

For millions of us, there has been no escape from his strictures. Listen to him go on!

Rules are so important, he said in September last year. The whole country needs to follow social distancing. We can only do this as a whole society. Everybody has a role to play.

Indeed we do.

A few months later he was still urging people to stay Covid-compliant. We cant stop now, just because the vaccine is here, he said.

Rules are so important, he said in September last year. The whole country needs to follow social distancing. We can only do this as a whole society. Everybody has a role to play'

In January, he noted sternly that people shouldnt take the mickey out of the rules.

The next month, when asked if people could hug their loved ones, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Well I hope that will happen from May 17 . . . that is some time off.

Even a few months ago, he was still hammering home this message to the BBCs Andrew Marr that the most important thing is that people stay at home and follow the rules. Except me, he might have added. I can do what I want.

For now we know that, behind the closed doors of his office and God knows where else, Mr Hancock was breaking every rule in the Covid book by having a steamy affair with his aide, Gina Coladangelo.

Both are married to other people, but that is their concern.

For now we know that, behind the closed doors of his office and God knows where else, Mr Hancock was breaking every rule in the Covid book by having a steamy affair with his aide, Gina Coladangelo

What is very much our business is that while millions of us were keeping our distance, as instructed by him, Love Rat Matt was peeling off his jaunty-coloured socks and thrashing around in a close encounter of the illicit kind with someone he works with.

His behaviour was totally against the spirit of the rules he imposed on the rest of us, and quite possibly against the law.

This leaves Hancocks personal morality in doubt, his judgment open to question and his levels of common sense pitched  well, where? Somewhere between a bluebottle and a blueberry?

It is hard to say, but surely top-tier Cabinet ministers know there are security cameras in their offices and close monitoring in the corridors of power? What was he thinking?

Still, it is not his stupidity but his hypocrisy that galls the most. For back on May 6, when the damning images of the steamy clinch were captured, it was Hancock himself who was personally decreeing it illegal to hug a person from another household indoors.

Casual sex and any physical manifestation of a secret love, if I can put it that way, were basically outlawed.

You werent even supposed to have face-to-face business meetings unless they were reasonably necessary.

But this is necessary, growled Matt, pressing his lips upon hers and grabbing himself a handful of prime aide buttock as if she were a human squeegee.

Unless he was demonstrating to Ms Coladangelo exactly how to administer the vaccine should there be a global shortage of syringes and trained medical staff, there is no excuse for his actions.

Remember that otherwise law-abiding citizens have been fined for having a cup of tea with a friend at Matts behest. Others have been rounded up in city parks like livestock.

We have been forbidden from hugging at funerals or holding large wedding parties. Yet Mr Lovepants saw fit to break the social-distancing strictures himself.

We have been forbidden from hugging at funerals or holding large wedding parties. Yet Mr Lovepants saw fit to break the social-distancing strictures himself

Even his grudging apology yesterday was riddled with hypocrisy.

I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances. I have let people down and am very sorry.

I remain focused on working to get country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter, he said in a statement. It sounded rushed.

A few careless words dashed off between the careless whispers of his next tryst.

Matt, a word. Its a bit late to start thinking about the welfare of your family now. You should have thought about that when you were marinating yourself in a cauldron of lust behind closed doors.

Matt, a word. Its a bit late to start thinking about the welfare of your family now. You should have thought about that when you were marinating yourself in a cauldron of lust behind closed doors (pictured, Hancock and wife Martha in 2018)

A Health Secretary in the middle of a national health emergency breaking the rules that he himself imposed on the nation: if that is not a matter of urgent public interest, then what is?

At the beginning of this crisis, Hancock asked a lot of this country  and the majority of people responded heroically. We were all in it together, he insisted. Got it, we said, nodding in agreement.

On this fraught journey, we were his fellow travellers. In matters of community and responsibility, we sacrificed and did our best  in fact, we are still doing our best. Hour upon hour, day after day, month after long month.

We socially distanced, we wore our masks, most of us somehow managed not to have spontaneous encounters with people who worked for us, no matter how attractive they were, or how neatly they filed important correspondence.

Yet Matt Hancock did not. It was one rule for us, but another for him.

What a hypocrite he has proved himself to be  leading the clap for the NHS, pretending to cry when the first vaccines arrived, scuttling back to the office to administer a double-dose love potion of his own. And it is not as if he didnt have enough going on.

Hancock has been repeatedly accused of being totally f*****g hopeless and useless at his job.

At a time when he should have been focused on saving lives, he was distracted by the charms of his comely aide and old university friend  and paying her thousands from the public purse.

That is hardly giving 100 per cent to the job and to your country.

What makes it even worse is that Hancock the Hypocrite wasted no time in condemning Professor Neil Ferguson, the government scientist who broke lockdown rules to meet his married lover last year.

I think that he took the right decision to resign, harrumphed the Health Secretary back then.

On whether or not the academic should be prosecuted, he added: Its a matter for the police.

What makes it even worse is that Hancock the Hypocrite wasted no time in condemning Professor Neil Ferguson, the government scientist who broke lockdown rules to meet his married lover last year

Hark at him. The police! If there were any justice in the world, the Hypocrisy Cops would be around at his office now, arresting him on charges of duplicity, double standards and hanky-panky in a public office.

On one level, he is just another deluded, middle-aged man who believes that illicit liaisons somehow make him important. But on another, he is a cringing cad who has not just lied and cheated on his wife, but on the whole country, too.

Whatever was left of Matt Hancocks shattered bond of trust with the British public, it has now broken beyond repair. And if we have lost faith in him at this time of national duress, how can we possibly go on together?

The Prime Minister says it is not a resigning matter, but surely the Health Secretarys position  no pun intended  is now untenable.
Advertisement

Australians in search of escape from the doom and gloom of the pandemic can spend the night in a one-of-a-kind apartment inspired by heaven and fantasy forests.

The unique accommodation close to the heart of Melbourne CBD boasts quirky fixtures such as a log seat and a swinging chair, as well as a dreamy bedroom complete with cloud-painted walls and twinkling fairy lights.

The perfect romantic getaway, which also includes a kitchen and an enormous bathtub big enough for two, comes at a reasonable price, with nightly rates of just $228 or $114 per person.

Australians in search of escape from the doom and gloom of the pandemic can spend the night in a one-of-a-kind apartment inspired by fantasy forests and heaven

The unique accommodation in Melbourne CBD boasts a bedroom complete with cloud-painted walls and twinkling fairy lights

There's also quirky fixtures such as a log seat and a swinging chair

The peppermint-hued living room is the perfect place to relax and unwind from the stress of the uncertainty plaguing Australia as Covid surges across New South Wales once again.

Psychologists have long linked shades of green to feelings of calmness, safety and security, while doctors often paint their waiting rooms green to put patients at ease.

To the rear of the living room is a fully functional kitchen fitted with a gas oven, dishwasher, mini-fridge and espresso machine, everything you need for rustling up a romantic dinner on a cosy night in.

The peppermint-hued living room is the perfect place to relax and unwind from the stress of the uncertainty plaguing Australia as Covid surges across New South Wales once again

To the rear of the living room is a fully functional kitchen fitted with a gas oven, dishwasher, mini-fridge and espresso machine, everything you need for rustling up a romantic dinner on a cosy night in

The bedroom has an enormous king-sized bed covered with plush throws, black-out blinds and kitsch cloud-shaped lamps

The bedroom has an enormous king-sized bed covered with plush throws, black-out blinds and kitsch cloud-shaped lamps, while the adjoining bathroom boasts a large soaking tub.

Guests have left hundreds of five-star reviews, with many describing it as 'the most fun place to stay' in Australia.

'An incredibly fun and beautifully thought out space! Had a wonderful time staying here, a brilliant location and full of any amenities you could need!' one woman wrote.

Guests have left hundreds of five-star reviews, with many describing it as 'the most fun place to stay' in Australia

The apartment was one of 10 'Instagrammable' destinations chosen by car manufacturer Toyota as Australia's best places to capture photos for social media

'Nights on the couch were magical thanks to the gorgeous setting in the rooms,' said another.

A third called it a 'true haven' and added: 'From opening the door you can see the difference. I slept like a baby in the wonderful bed and could imagine not being in the city for a while.'

The apartment, which is available to book online through Airbnb, was one of 10 'Instagrammable' destinations chosen by car manufacturer Toyota as Australia's best places to capture photos for social media.
Irish author Marian Keyes has revealed she lived in a Hackney squat when she first came to London and said it was 'fabulous'.

The 57-year-old writer said she relished 'getting into the lifts and seeing men with knives' after her 'dull safe life' in Ireland.

Speaking on Out To Lunch podcast with Jay Rayner she said she lived in the squat for 'less than a year' after she moved to London in 1986, aged 23.

Marian Keyes, 57, (pictured) revealed on food critic Jay Rayner's Out To Lunch podcast that she lived in a Hackney squat when she first came to London in the 1980s

Marian said: 'It was in Hackney, it was fabulous! It was on the 21st floor of a tower blockm it was the top floor - the lifts never worked.

'I got stuck in it twice and the fire brigade had to come and lift me out.

'I lived this kind of very dull, safe life in Ireland, I was just delighted - I'd get into the lift and there'd be two men with a knife and an Alsation [dog], and I'd be like, "This is living"'

She said she didn't mind having to walk up 21 floors to get to the squat, saying: 'It was grand, I was young. Every single thing of it, it was just delicious.'

The bestselling Irish author said it was 'fabulous' and she relished the experience where she would meet 'two men with a knife' in the lift after her 'dull safe life' growing up in Ireland

Speaking about her childhood in Ireland, she reveals she was 'miserable' as a child .

She said: 'I was really miserable, I never felt right in the world. I was always afraid. And my parents were lovely, but I just never trusted anyone to take care of me.'

The writer, who began writing short stories while suffering from alcoholism during her twenties in London, said she stopped drinking and got sober when she was 30.

Marian has sold more than 30million books since she first made her name with Watermelon in 1995, and has since returned to live in Ireland with her husband Tony in 1997.
An American bikini designer living in Sydney has offered her honest opinion on Australia's supermarkets - describing Woolworths 'basic' while Harris Farm offers a 'nicer' shopping experience.

Sophia Kim, who moved Down Under from California, Los Angeles in February 2020, shared a TikTok video comparing some of the nation's supermarket chains to the grocery stores in her home country.

'Obviously, the produce in Australia is a lot better in general. The fruits and vegetables are much better and fresher,' the 29-year-old expat explained.

She said Woolworths reminded her of Ralphs, an American supermarket chain in Southern California.

'Here's my opinion... It has the staples, it has the basic groceries that is nothing fancy but you just go there to get what you need... It's like mediocre,' Sophia said.

Scroll down for video

American expat Sophia Kim (pictured) has shared her verdict on Australia's supermarkets - describing Woolworths 'basic' while Harris Farm offers a 'nicer' shopping experience

Her favourite grocery store is Harris Farm, which offers fresh fruits, vegetables, and gourmet ingredients.

'I love Harris Farm, it's amazing. I would say Harris Farm is fantastic and it's a lot like Trader Joe's,' Sophia said.

'You go there to get some extra special things. It's just a lot nicer to shop in. The experience is just clean and fresh - it's fun.'

Her video has been viewed more than 40,000 times, with many asking her opinion on other supermarket chains such as Aldi, IGA and Coles.

Despite her honest review in the video, Sophia said she actually preferred Woolworths over Coles.

'I'm a Woolies gal... Woolies all the way,' she said, joking: 'Coles suck.'

The 29-year-old bikini designer shared a TikTok video comparing some of the nation's supermarket chains to the grocery stores in her home country

While she said she personally thought Aldi was 'terrible'.

'I'll never forget the one time I went to Aldi and kept pulling on the chained up shopping carts, not understanding why I couldn't get a cart... They require $2 coins,' she said, laughing.

Sophia added: 'IGA is cool. The IGA Locali in Sydney's CBD is by far the best grocery store in Sydney.'

Many Australians responded to her video, saying they never heard of Harris Farm, which only has 25 stores in New South Wales and one in Brisbane.

'As an Australian, what is Harris Farm?', one woman wrote, while another said: 'What is Harris Farm? I've lived in Australia for all my life and never heard of it.'

While one person added: 'I can't believe all these Aussies who are missing out on Harris Farm... It's the best place.'
The experts from Australian lifestyle company Bed Threads have revealed how often you should be cleaning your mattress.

In order to eliminate dirt, dead skin cells and prevent dust mites, your mattress should be cleaned every six months or once every season.

Mattress can become infested with between 100,000 to 10 million dust times, which can badly impact your health and sleep.

Those with allergies should opt to clean their mattress more often to avoid triggering health problems.

Scroll down for video

In order to eliminate dirt, dead skin cells and prevent dust mites, your mattress should be cleaned every six months or once every season

Side effects from an unclean mattress can include runny nose, itchy eyes, coughing and sinus issues.

Cleaning your mattress isn't a difficult chore to complete and requires a vacuum, dish soap, white vinegar in a spray bottle, baking soda, cleaning cloths and cold water.

First start by stripping the bed by removing the sheets then vacuum the entire surface of the mattress thoroughly - including the sides.

Spot-clean any stains by dabbing enzyme cleaner or dish soap and water onto a clean cloth, then blot the stained area with the rag.

Cleaning your mattress isn't a difficult chore to complete and requires a vacuum, dish soap, white vinegar in a spray bottle, baking soda, cleaning cloths and cold water

Next, sprinkle baking soda over the entire mattress and leave for several hours to eliminate odours, remove dirt and moisture.

After a few hours, vacuum the baking soda up and dress the bed with new sheets.

Last year Australian mum Mila demonstrated the cleaning method in a TikTok video, which has currently been viewed more than 279,500 times.

'Treat yourself to a good nights sleep,' the woman said in the caption of the video.

As mattresses can become stale over time, the handy tip will deeply clean the bedding and remove dirt, dust, sweat and bodily fluids lurking beneath the surface.
Princess Charlene has shared a slick video documenting her relationship with Prince Albert ahead of their 10th wedding anniversary next week - hours after she announced she will not return to Monaco for the occasion.

The royal, 43, who is currently in her native South Africa, posted a minute long clip on Instagram showcasing prominent moments from their relationship including their 2011 wedding and welcoming their twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques in 2014.

Alongside the video, Princess Charlene wrote: 'Happy anniversary Albert. Thank you for the blessing of our beautiful children.'

The post came hours after it was announced Charlene wouldn't return to Monaco for the anniversary next week, with her spokesperson saying she is unable to travel, having undergone multiple, complicated procedures after contracting a severe ear, nose, and throat infection in May.

The mother-of-two hasn't been seen in Monaco since January, but her husband Prince Albert and Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques visited her in South Africa earlier this month.

Princess Charlene, 43, has shared a romantic video documenting her relationship with Prince Albert ahead of their 10th wedding anniversary next week - hours after she announced she will not return to Monaco for the occasion

Posting the minute-long video on Instagram last night, the mother-of-two thanked her husband for their 'beautiful children'

Princess Charlene is undergoing multiple, complicated procedures after contracting a severe ear, nose, and throat infection in May, meaning she will not be able to travel back to Monaco for her 10th wedding anniversary next week. She is pictured in South Africa

Clips shared in the video included moments from the early days of their relationship, including Princess Charlene swimming while Prince Albert cheered her on from the stands.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene's 2011 wedding also featured prominently in the video. The mother-of-two was famously seen in floods of tears at the altar while her husband looked on impassively.

Other moments showed the couple kissing, introducing their twins in 2014 and spending time together at royal events during their 10 years of marriage.

It was posted hours after a statement was released to say Princess Charlene had been advised by her medical team to stay in her native South Africa, having undergone a medical procedure.

Clips shared in the video included moments from the early days of their relationship, including Princess Charlene swimming while Prince Albert cheered her on from the stands

The couple could be seen holding hands while enjoying a dinner together in another brief clip in the video

Prince Albert's and Princess Charlene's wedding also featured prominently in the video (pictured left and right). The mother-of-two was famously seen in floods of tears at the altar during the event in 2011

Another moment showed the couple introducing their twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques to the world for the first time in 2014

Princess Charlene's life in the Monaco royal family 1987 - Bea Fiedler, a German topless model, claims her son Daniel was the prince's son. 1992 - An American national files a paternity lawsuit against the Prince, claiming that he was the father of her daughter, Jazmin Grace. 2000 - Princess Charlene meets Prince Albert at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo 2005 - In May, a former flight attendant claims that her youngest son, whom she named Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, was Prince Albert's child. She states that his parentage had been proven by DNA tests requested by the Monegasque government. On 6 July, a few days before he was enthroned on 12 July, the Prince officially confirms via his lawyer Lacoste that Alexandre was his biological son. 2006 - After a DNA test confirmed the child's parentage, Albert admitted, via statement from his lawyer, that he is Jazmin Grace's father. 2010 - Princess Charlene and Prince Albert announce their engagement 2011 - Princess Charlene was said to have bolted two days before the royal wedding after hearing Prince Albert had a third love child during their relationship. It was alleged that Charlene tried to flee home to South Africa three times before her 'arranged marriage', at one point taking refuge inside her country's embassy in Paris. Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride that she provide him with a legitimate heir. After that she would be free to leave of her own free will. During the wedding, Charlene was in floods of tears, while her husband looked on impassively. Later in the year, Princess Charlene confessed she felt 'very lonely' in Monaco 2012 - Princess Charlene was reported to be 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir. 2014 - Pregnancy was announced in May. In December Charlene gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques. 2017 - Princess Charlene visits Africa, tells media: 'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. Its in my heart and in my veins.' 2019 - In a rare interview, Princess Charlene confessed it is 'sometimes hard to smile' and said the year had been 'very painful' In another interview, she said she found motherhood 'exhausting' 2020 - Charlene debuts a shocking half-shaved hairstyle. It is announced Prince Albert of Monaco will appear in court in the new year to fight explosive claims he fathered a third love child with a secret girlfriend before marrying his now wife Princess Charlene. 2021 - January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. March 18 - Charlene is pictured at the memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa April 2 - Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter. It is unknown where the image was taken. May and June - Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend several events in Monaco without Charlene, while she shares snaps from her trip in South Africa. June 24 - Charlene's foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection Advertisement

'This year will be the first time that I'm not with my husband on our anniversary in July, which is difficult, and it saddens me,' Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said in a statement.

'However, Albert and I had no choice but to follow the medical team's instructions even though it is extremely difficult. He has been the most incredible support to me.

'My daily conversations with Albert and my children help immensely to keep my spirits up, but I miss being with them.

'It was special to have my family visit me in South Africa, and it was truly wonderful seeing them. I can't wait to be reunited with them'.

Princess Charlene came to South Africa to do conservation and anti-poaching work, earlier this year.

She was last seen in Monaco in January.

Her foundation say she was driving the causes close to her heart, pouring herself into her Foundation work in South Africa when she fell ill.

Before contracting the infection and undergoing the procedures, Princess Charlene worked with various ambassadors and partners to raise awareness and funds for the Foundation's initiatives.

Prince Albert and their children will visit Princess Charlene in South Africa again soon to be with her and support her.

The former Olympian, who debuted a radical new hairstyle while on the trip, had been due to return to Monaco for the principality's Grand Prix in May, where she was guest of honour.

Charlene and Albert's marriage has been plagued with rumours from the start.

The couple met at the Mare Nostrum swimming competition in Monte Carlo in 2000, announced their engagement in 2010.

Former Olympic swimmer Charlene reportedly tried to flee Monaco for her native South Africa on three separate occasions before the royal wedding after discovering Albert had fathered a love child - his third - while they were together.

Monaco officials were said to have coaxed her back by brokering a deal between the Prince and his reluctant bride, saying she could leave once she had provided him with a legitimate heir.

One source said at the time: 'Charlene will provide an heir, then if things don't go well, she will receive a generous divorce settlement once she's served a decent amount of time.'

Charlene was seen in floods of tears on her wedding day in 2011.

Just one year after their wedding, it was reported that Charlene was 'depressed' at her failure to provide her husband with a legitimate heir.

Her pregnancy was announced in May 2014, and in December that year she gave birth to twins Princess Gabriella and heir to the throne Prince Jacques.

In the almost 10 years since, Charlene, who shares six-year-old twins with Albert, has rarely spoken publicly of her experience.

In 2017, the Princess made an emotional return to Africa, where she spoke about how much the continent means to her.

'I am African and this is my heritage. It will always be. Its in my heart and in my veins,' she told Eyewitness News.

Last year she admitted life was 'very painful', saying: 'I have the privilege of having this life, but I miss my family and my friends in South Africa and I'm often sad because I cannot always be there for them.'

It's been a tumultuous start to the year for the royal, after news emerged that her husband is facing a paternity suit over a love child born in the early years of their relationship.

The 63-year-old prince, who already supports two illegitimate children, is alleged to have had a relationship with a Brazilian woman which resulted in a daughter in 2005.

The claim, which his lawyers dismissed as a 'hoax', is particularly painful as he was dating Charlene at the time, having met the former Olympic swimmer in 2000.

The 34-year-old claimant  who cannot be named for legal reasons  says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter  whose name is also classified  on July 4, 2005.

The royal shared this photo of her husband Albert, her twins, her brother and nieces and nephews on safari in South Africa earlier this month

Prince Albert was joined by the couple's six-year-old twins Princess Gabriella and Hereditary Prince Jacques to watch the World Rugby Sevens in Monaco earlier this month

Albert received a handwritten letter from the child, who is now 15, in September last year reading: I don't understand why I grew up without a father, and now that I have found you, you don't want to see me.

Legal papers were also filed, as lawyers for the claimant called on Albert to undergo a DNA test  just as he did before finally being identified as the father of two illegitimate children born in the 1990s and early 2000s.

In January, Charlene spoke publicly for the first time since the allegations, telling Point de Vue: 'When my husband has problems, he tells me about it.

'I often tell him, "No matter what, no matter what, I'm a thousand percent behind you. I'll stand by you whatever you do, in good times or in bad."

Passionate: Charlene, who was raised in South Africa and represented the country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, travelled to Thanda Safari in KwaZulu-Natal to learn more about being done by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa to help save rhinos

Last public outing together: Charlene and Albert were last pictured together in public in January at the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. On April 2, she shared a photograph alongside her husband Prince Albert and their children Jacques and Gabriella to mark Easter, although it is not clear where it was taken

The mother-of-two went on to say she also often tells her husband she will 'protect him' and will 'always be by his side.'

Charlene, who was raised in South Africa and represented the country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, travelled to Thanda Safari in KwaZulu-Natal to learn more about being done by the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa to help save rhinos from poachers.

The princess took part in conservation operations including rhino monitoring and tracking, deployment with the Anti-Poaching Unit, educational wildlife photography sessions, and a White Rhino dart and dehorning exercise.
Three young siblings have received a message from the Queen after sending her a heartwarming handwritten note following the death of Prince Philip.

Henry, five, Leo, seven, and their nine-year-old step-sister Lola, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, were so moved by the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral that they penned a beautiful letter to the 95-year-old monarch.

The note said how the Queen, currently based at Windsor Castle, made the 'world a lovely place to live' and reminded her that she is 'the best'.

Her Majesty replied with a card featuring a photo of the late Prince Philip, who died on April 9, aged 99, alongside the caption: 'I send my sincere thanks for your kind words on the death of my husband.'

The three siblings were 'over the moon' when they received the reply, according to proud father Chris Furminger, 35.

Three young siblings (pictured) have received a message from the Queen after sending her a heartwarming handwritten note following the death of Prince Philip

Henry, five, Leo, seven, and their nine-year-old step-sister Lola, from Wallsend, North Tyneside, were so moved by the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral that they penned a beautiful letter (pictured) to the 95-year-old monarch

Their letter read: 'Dear Queen Elizabeth, sorry that Prince Philip died. I love you as our Queen. Everyone knows that you are the best.

'You make our world a lovely place to live in. Prince Philip was amazing! I love you. Love from Leo, Henry and Lola.'

Leo was so chuffed with the reply from the Queen, he begged his father to send a copy into school.

The trio decided to pen the sweet note to Her Majesty after finding the image of the Queen alone due to Covid restrictions at Prince Philip's funeral 'upsetting'.

They sat down to watch the ceremony in April with their father Chris and his partner Gemma, 38.

Her Majesty replied with a card (pictured) featuring a photo of the late Prince Philip, who died on April 9, aged 99, alongside the caption: 'I send my sincere thanks for your kind words on the death of my husband'

Chris, who works as an asbestos consultant, said: 'They sat down and watched the funeral with me and my partner Gemma. And then at the end - totally out of the blue - my eldest Leo asked if they could write a letter to the Queen.

'Then Lola jumped on and Henry, who had just turned five, wrote "I love you" on the end' It wasn't us who put it in their mind, they wanted to write a letter to The Queen. It was their idea.

'They had just watched the funeral and saw the Queen sitting on her own and just thought "That would be horrible wouldn't it, sitting there on your own?"'

The siblings decided to divvy it up and wrote a paragraph each, with Henry also adding lots of kisses at the end.

Chris, who is ex-military, said he tries to instil a strong sense of pride for the Royals in his brood and educates them about their English heritage.

The three siblings were 'over the moon' when they received the reply, according to proud father Chris Furminger (pictured with his partner Gemma)

The note said how the Queen, currently based at Windsor Castle, made the 'world a lovely place to live' and reminded her that she is 'the best'. Pictured, the three siblings

He said: 'They were excited to write to the Queen because obviously the Queen is a big part of England's heritage.

'I like the Royal Family because most of them do get their military uniforms on and have done tours in Afghanistan and Iraq and Northern Ireland.

'They actually do fight for their country and do their bit and they don't just sit around. I talk about the military all the time, and the boys know all about my time there,' he added.

Chris explained that his own granddad died a few years ago and the two young boys still ask about it.

He added that they're a 'crazy' family and seeing him and Gemma sitting down and quietly watching the Prince being laid to rest must have had a profound effect on the little ones.

Leo was so chuffed with the reply from the Queen, he begged his father to send a copy into school. Pictured left to right, Henry, five, Isla, 13, mother Gemma, 38, Lola, nine, Ava, 16, Leo, seven, and father Chris

He said: 'They saw the Queen dressed in black, mask on and sat on her own with nobody around her at all as she buried her husband and that was obviously really sad for them.

'It's a sad time in general and the fact that she's sat on her own due to Covid restrictions that's even worse. They were really intrigued watching it.

'We're normally quite a crazy family so for me and my partner to sit down and quietly watch the funeral and it was so quiet in the house all these questions were going through their little heads.

'I think the Covid restrictions made it feel a bit more sad and a bit more personal for the Royal Family because they were sat there without any crowds and all dressed in black.

'We told them they probably gave each other a hug and stuff behind the scenes,' the father added.
James Corden and his team have revealed how they stole a march on Oprah by airing his antics with Prince Harry days before the prime-time interview that enraged Buckingham Palace.

In a wide-ranging chat released in February, the Duke of Sussex, 36, - or 'Haz,' as Corden called him - revealed he went from 'zero to sixty' with Meghan and how the pressures of living in London were 'destroying my mental health.'

Corden elicited bombshells from the Duke, including the insistence that he 'never walked away' from the royal family and he did 'what any husband or father would do' by emigrating to Los Angeles.

Now his team have spoken on a video panel during a FYC event about how Prince Harry offered for years to 'do something' for the show.

The Hollywood Reporter told how producer Ben Winston said: '[Harry] said, "We're coming out of lockdown, I'm in L.A., do you think we should plan something fun to almost cheer everybody up in a way".'

James Corden and his team have revealed how they stole a march on Oprah by airing his antics with Prince Harry days before the prime-time interview that enraged Buckingham Palace

Speaking on a panel with Ru Paul about his CBS show, presenter James explained: 'There was a certain time in London if you went out long enough and ended up drinking long enough, you'd probably bump into Prince Harry once in a while.'

He said he had 'always been very, very fond of him' and performed a 10 minute 'bit' at the royal wedding to Meghan in 2018.

The team continued to explain that Harry had since continually offered to 'do something' on the Late, Late Show.

After the Duke got in contact with the team in spring 2020, Winston said: 'Obviously, as soon as you say something like that to us and our team, our brains go crazy.'

The Late, Late show team said Prince Harry offered for years to 'do something' for the programme

During the wide-ranging chat mostly carried out on an open-top bus, an off the leash Prince Harry decided open up to James about his relationship with Meghan, his son Archie and their decision to quit as frontline royals, saying the pressure of being in London was 'destroying my mental health', branding Britain's media 'toxic'.

Describing the couple's decision he said: 'It was never walking away. It was stepping back rather than stepping down. It was a really difficult environment, which I think a lot of people saw. So I did what any father or husband would do and thought: 'How do I get my family out of there'. But we never walked away'.

And while the interview was carried out before the Queen stripped the Sussexes of their royal patronages, Harry appeared to know what was coming and said: 'My life is public service, so wherever I am in the world it's going to be the same thing.

'As far as I'm concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side [in Britain], I will never walk away'.

During the highly personal interview, the Duke revealed he went from 'zero to sixty' with Meghan and how the pressures of living in London were 'destroying my mental health'

He also revealed he has had Zoom calls with Prince Philip and Queen, who sent Archie a waffle maker for Christmas.

He described his son as 'hysterical', claiming his first word was 'crocodile'. He also said he knew Meghan was 'the one' after two dates, describing their relationship as '0-60 in two months'.

At the time, critics questioned the timing of his TV appearance, released as the Queen gave a rare public statement encouraging all Britons to have the Covid-19 jab.

Others watching the film, where Harry complains about the media attention he received in the UK, urged him to 'stop bl**dy whining' and accused him of 're-writing history' and 'ignoring' the multi-million dollar deals he has signed with Netflix and Spotify.

At the time, Royal expert Robert Jobson told BBC Breakfast: 'Well he seems in a very chirpy mood, very happy...He's talking candidly and James Corden's asking the right questions.

Prince Harry also decided open up to James about his relationship with Meghan, his son Archie and their decision to quit as frontline royals, saying the pressure of being in London was 'destroying my mental health', branding Britain's media 'toxic'

'But unfortunately, everything's in timing, isn't it? Just on the day that the queen has issued a very, very important message about the whole of the nation getting the jab, and her, and she feels it's people's duty to go and get it, that message has sort of been blurred a little bit again by Harry, the man who wants a private life, talking about his private life again.'

He added that the Duke appeared 'hell bent talking about his private life.'

The interview became the first of many that the Duke of Sussex has given to US media about his and Meghan's choice to step back from royal duty.

He went on to speak candidly about their life in the royal family in the Oprah Winfrey interview, before appearing on a podcast with Dax Shepherd.

He then launched a five-part mental health series in which he spoke extensively about royal life.

Many critics have questioned why he has continued to publicly air his grievances, while also insisting that he and Meghan be left to live their life in private.
Queen Letizia of Spain showcased her trendsetting sense of style as she visited Residencia de Estudiantes 'Students Residence' in Madrid today.

The mother-of-two, 48, presided over the meeting of the highest governing body of the institution, whose Honorary Presidency is held by her husband King Felipe.

She cut an elegant figure in a floral blouse with statement frill sleeves which she paired with white trousers during the outing.

Meanwhile she recycled her espadrille heels from Macarena, which cost 65 euro, to complete the sophisticated summer's outfit.

Queen Letizia of Spain (pictured), beamed as she presided over a meeting at Students Residence in Madrid today

The mother-of-two, 48, (pictured) donned a floral blouse with white trousers and matching espadrille heels for a summery outfit

Queen Letizia, who wore a face mask throughout the visit, gave the illusion of being almost natural as she opted for very minimal makeup.

She completed the look by styling her glossy brunette hair with a centre-parting, while sweeping it behind her ears for a regal appearance.

Accessories were kept to a minimum, with the royal wearing an oversize ring on one finger along with small gold hoop earrings.

The mother-of-two appeared in good spirits throughout the visit as she stood in the centre for a group photograph.

Queen Letizia accessorized her look with the addition of a brown belt for a feminine silhouette and small gold jewellery

Queen Letizia was joined by figures from the board of trustees, which includes the Minister of Education and Vocational Training as well as the Minister of Science and Innovation.

Since its foundation in 1910, the Students Residence has provided a suitable environment for students at university to support their education.

In 1915, director Alberto Jimenez Fraud, made it an open house for creation, thought and interdisciplinary dialogue.

Prominent figures have emerged from the institution including poet Federico Garcia Lorca, the painter Salvador Dali, the filmmaker Luis Bunuel and the scientist Severo Ochoa.

Queen Letizia (pictured) took centre stage as she posed for a group photo with trustees of the board at the institution, which hosts conferences and exhibitions

Queen Letizia, who wore a face mask throughout the visit, gave the illusion of being almost natural as she opted for very minimal makeup Pictured: Queen Letizia during today's visit

The unique centre is key to Spain's cultural life and organises events throughout the year including conferences, exhibitions and workshops.

Leading experts in the Arts and Sciences as well as scholars and artists are often involved in the events in the hopes of sparking creativity and debate.

The Students Residence also hosts a collection of significant books and documents that are important to Spain's history.

It comes amid a busy week for Queen Letizia, who presided over the act of commemoration of the festivity of San Juan yesterday as well as joining her husband at the delivery of the Gold Medals of Merit in Fine Arts and at a gala for the new ABC headquarters.
Prince Charles 'was upset' at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's suggestion he 'cut them off' during the Oprah Winfrey interview, sources have claimed today.

Royal accounts made public for the first time yesterday showed the future king continued to fund Prince Harry and Meghan Markle until summer 2020 from a 4.4million Clarence House pot used to support his two sons and their families.

This contradicted what Harry told Oprah Winfrey in March when he said he stopped getting financial support from his family in the 'first quarter' of last year. He even claimed he and his wife were reduced to living off what 'my mother had left me'.

Insiders told Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl that the Prince of Wales was frustrated by his youngest son's claims, saying: 'Initially he didn't [cut them off] and he went on to provide for some time, but there was a point when Charles decided enough was enough. The bank of dad couldn't keep handing out indefinitely.'

Prince Charles 'was upset' at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's suggestion he 'cut them off' during the Oprah Winfrey interview, sources have claimed today

Harry told Oprah Winfrey in March he stopped getting financial support from his family in the 'first quarter' of last year

It comes as the Duke and Duchess of sensationally hit back at claims that Prince Charles bankrolled them with a 'substantial sum' in the months following Megxit.

Harry and Meghan's friend and trusted journalist Omid Scobie tweeted a clip of the Oprah interview this afternoon along with an attempt at a clarification.

Mr Scobie said: 'Despite some confusing reports, Prince Charles and Prince Harry's timelines for the period the Sussexes' financial support ended are the same.

'Clarence House says funding continued until last summer (Q1 of the UK's fiscal year is April to June) and Harry told Oprah the same.'

Prince Charles with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Buckingham Palace in June 2018

Harry and Meghan's friend and trusted journalist Omid Scobie tweeted a clip of the Oprah interview this afternoon along with an attempt at a clarification on Twitter (above)

In the Oprah clip, Harry says: 'Also the Netflix and the Spotify of it all, that was never part of the plan.' Meghan then adds: 'No.' Oprah says: 'Because you didn't have a plan.' And Meghan adds: 'We didn't have a plan.'

Harry then continues: 'We didn't have a plan. That was suggested at the point at where my family literally cut me off financially and I had to afford security for us.'

Oprah interjects: 'Wait, hold up, wait a minute? Your family cut you off?' And Harry replies: Yeah, in the first half, the first quarter of 2021. But I've got what my mum left me, and without that we would not have been able to do this.

Details of Charles's continued financial support for his estranged son came as both Clarence House and Buckingham Palace opened up their yearly financial accounts.

Prince Charles attends a Prince's Trust discussion at St James's Palace in London yesterday

How pandemic helped cost of travel plunge The cost of royal travel to the taxpayer plummeted over the past year as, along with the rest of us, the family's wings were clipped. Spending on official trips fell from to 5.3million to 3.2million, a reduction of almost 40 per cent. The most expensive single trip was a 58,993 overnight visit by the Prince of Wales who flew by private jet to pay the nation's condolences following the death of the Emir of Kuwait last October. Second was the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's 47,965 Christmas UK tour on the Royal Train to thank frontline staff and those who had gone above and beyond for their communities during the pandemic. Charles and Camilla's official visit to Germany amounted to 42,486, while the Queen ran up a bill of 32,791 flying to and from Balmoral, her Scottish home, by private jet last summer. Royal aides point out that foreign tours are conducted at the request of the British Government, which sees the Royal Family as an important tool in its use of 'soft diplomacy'. Officials warned yesterday that, while the bill would rise again when travel restrictions eased, there would be more of an emphasis on having a 'blend' of in-person and virtual engagements in the future. One senior royal aide said building relationships in person still very much mattered, but, in terms of both costs and the environment, it made sense to adapt to a more digital way of working where possible. Advertisement

Clarence House's annual review revealed that Charles's bill for the activities of both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex  plus other expenditure including the prince's capital expenditure and transfer to reserves in 2020/2021  was 4.4million.

This was a fall of 1.15million  around 21 per cent  from 5.6million in 2019/2020  the last year the Sussexes were working royals.

The report provided no detailed breakdown of the figures and royal aides declined to elucidate further.

But what is clear from the independently audited accounts is that Harry and Meghan were still listed as receiving money from Charles's Duchy of Cornwall income, despite quitting the monarchy at the end of March last year.

A senior Clarence House spokesman said: 'As we'll all remember, in January 2020 when the duke and duchess announced that they were going to move away from the working Royal Family, the duke said that they would work towards becoming financially independent.

'The Prince of Wales allocated a substantial sum to support them with this transition. That funding ceased in the summer of last year. The couple are now financially independent.'

The spokesman added: 'I betray no confidence when I say they've been very successful in becoming financially independent.'

And when quizzed on the discrepancy in Harry's remarks, the spokesman said: 'I wouldn't acknowledge that they are dramatically different. All I can tell you are the facts.'

Harry and Meghan have signed multi-million-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify, with the duke telling Miss Winfrey he secured these to pay for his family's 'security'.

Yet he claimed that when the couple moved to North America, he only had what Princess Diana had left him  7million at the time.

The couple emigrated first to Canada and then to California, where  despite their apparent penury  they bought an 11million family home in Montecito.

They have also set up their own film and audio company, as well as their Archewell Foundation.

Journalist Omid Scobie (pictured) said: 'Despite some confusing reports, Prince Charles and Prince Harry's timelines for the period the Sussexes' financial support ended are the same'

Buckingham Palace also confirmed yesterday that the probe into allegations of bullying against Meghan was still being investigated. Meghan denies the claims.

The Palace stressed that no money from the public purse was being used to finance the review but refused to confirm where that money was coming from.

The Clarence House accounts also showed that Charles's annual income from the Duchy of Cornwall profits fell this year to 20.4million  a drop of 1.8million or 8 per cent  as a result of the pandemic.

The prince also voluntarily paid more tax, an increase of 3 per cent from 4.86million to 5.02million.
The Duchess of Cambridge would prefer to be dubbed 'Wait Katie' again, the nickname she was given before marrying Prince William in 2011, than put a foot wrong in public, royal experts have claimed.

Speaking in the Channel 5 Documentary Kate: Our Queen in Waiting, airing this Saturday at 9pm, several royal watchers have commented on how Kate Middleton, now 39 and a pillar of the royal family, has taken the time to grow into her role.

They reflected on how she went from being the shy, hesitant girlfriend of Prince William who waited eight years for a marriage proposal, to being a royal confident enough to take on more responsibility.

They also noted how by 2017, Kate had become secure enough in her place as the future Queen to welcome and advise Meghan Markle, then Prince Harry's fiancee, on how to act as a royal - although the two women have certainly had their issues.

Kate: Our Queen in Waiting, airing tomorrow on Channel 5 at 9pm, reflect on how Kate Middleton has grown from a shy new member of the royal family to a pillar of The Firm. Pictured on Tuesday at the Natural History Museum

Royal commentators said Kate Middleton was a 'shy' and 'hesitant' young woman when she got engaged to Prince William in November 2010

Several royal watchers said Kate Middleton had welcomed Meghan Markle in the royal family with open arms, because she was another outsider.

'Kate did try as much as possible as she entered the royal fray,' royal commentator Emily Andrews said.

'She said, "If you want me to put you in touch with any fashion designers that I know of course I can",' she added.

'Kate of course then invited Meghan to Winbledon with her, they went to the polo together,' royal journalist Katie Nicholl said.

'By all account during those early months, she did reach out to Meghan, said filmmaker and royal watcher Bidisha.

'Apparently, Kate also schooled Meghan in some of those English conventions which you may not think about as an arriving American, all those unspoken rules that you need to follow if you're a royal.

Filmmaker and broadcaster Bidisha said Kate's efforts to teach Meghan Markle, right, about the British conventions and invited her to Wimbledon, although the relationship between them is said to have been strained

'And that makes me think that when it's her time to be Queen, she herself is going to kind and warm and open to successive generations.'

It was reported this week, however, that Kate was 'wary' of Meghan from the start, while her sister-in-law claimed the future Queen made her cry during a row over bridesmaids dresses.

It took years for the Duchess of Cambridge to carve her own royal role, and with the support of her husband, she spent years studying what was expected of a Queen-in-waiting before stepping up to the plate with confidence.

'Kate has taken a very long time to concretise her role within the royal family,' Bidisha said.

'I think perhaps in the past, there had not been much to say about what the Duchess of Cambridge stood for,' Emily Andrews added.

'The flip side of her being very cautious, not wanting to kind of rush into anything, has meant that some people have questioned "Well, who is she, what does she stand for, what is she doing?",' she added.

'When Kate married into the royal family, she made a point of really doing her research. She wasn't at all afraid to go across Buckingham Palace and speak to courtiers and advisors and to get their advice,' Katie Nicholl said.

Kate Middleton had been criticised for her steadfast approach to royal life in the past, and during her eight-year relationship with Prince William before their engagement, she was dubbed 'Waity Katie' by the press.

At the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh on April 17, Kate shone as a steadfast, strong member of the royal family, established as a Queen-in-waiting

'She didn't want to make mistakes and if that meant being accused of being "Waity Katie" again, all over again, she very much wouldn't mind,' she added.

Royal journalist Victoria Murphy agreed that both the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge wanted to make sure Kate was comfortable in her royal role before launching her further into the public eye.

'It would have been easy to jump in from the beginning when the interest was sky high and to take on lots of things, and put her out there in many different ways,' she said.

'But actually, what William and Kate did was that they wanted to build up very gradually for her to take time to grow in confidence, to grow in understanding, and for her to really build gradually a profile on the world's stage,' she added.

The documentary also showed how Kate Middleton had become confident enough to do things her own, while always respecting the old royal traditions, in what Emily Andrews called the 'don't frighten the horses' way.

'In 2019, early 2020, just before Britain went into a lockdown, we were really seeing and hearing much more of the Duchess that he had ever before, and in many ways, I think she's been a slow burner,' Katie Nicholl said.

At the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral on April 17, Kate established herself as a Queen in waiting by showing support to her father-in-law Prince Charles, as well as working to bring estranged brother William, 39 and Harry, 36, together after months of tensions.

'Here was a woman at the top of her game, perfectly turned out, but also quite rightly taking her place as one of the most senior members of the royal family,' Emily Andrews said.

'You really saw Queen Catherine in Waiting,' she added.

Kate: Our Queen in Waiting, airs tomorrow at 9pm on Channel 5.
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has paid tribute to his late stepfather for 'always believing in him and teaching him honesty, laughter, hard work and empathy'.

Princess Beatrice's husband, 38, said he wished his stepfather Christopher Shale had met his 'soon-to-be four grandchildren' when sharing a collection of sweet photographs on Instagram.

Christopher, who was the second husband of Edo's mother Nikki and a senior Conservative, died from heart disease at Glastonbury Festival in 2011.

Beatrice and her Italian property developer husband, who tied the knot on 17 July last year, recently announced they were expecting their first baby together. Edo has a young son, Christopher, whose nickname is Wolfie, with his former partner Dara Huang.

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has paid tribute to his late stepfather (pictured) for 'always believing in him and teaching him honesty, laughter, hard work and empathy'

Princess Beatrice's husband (thought to be pictured with his stepfather), 38, said he wished his stepfather Christopher Shale had met his 'soon-to-be four grandchildren' when sharing a collection of sweet photographs on Instagram

Taking to Instagram on the 10th anniversary of his stepfather's passing, Edo shared a collection of images - including one of his mother, Nikki, and Christopher on their wedding day, with Beatrice's mother Sarah Ferguson pictured alongside them

Princess Beatrice and Edo, pictured right, and left, Edo's tribute to his stepfather which he posted on Instagram today

Taking to Instagram on the 10th anniversary of his stepfather's passing, Edo shared a collection of images - including one of his mother, Nikki, and Christopher on their wedding day, with Beatrice's mother Sarah Ferguson pictured alongside them.

Edo wrote in the emotional post: 'Chrisdog, Pups, I cant believe it has been 10 years. Not a day goes by without me thinking of you and leaning on all the lessons you taught me.

'You once said on my 18th birthday that being my stepfather was the greatest honour and privilege of your life. I echo this, being your stepson is the greatest honour of my life and I would never be standing here today without you.

Christopher, who was the second husband of Edo's mother Nikki and a senior Conservative, died from heart disease at Glastonbury Festival in 2011

Beatrice and her Italian property developer husband, who tied the knot on 17 July last year, recently announced they were expecting their first baby together. Pictured, one of the photos shared by Edo

Edo has a young son, Christopher, whose nickname is Wolfie, with his former partner Dara Huang. Pictured, some of the images shared by Edo today

'I know how proud you would be of us all today and so wish you had got to meet your three and soon-to-be four grandchildren. What joy they would have brought you.

'I was just Wolfies age when you came into my world and changed everything. You always believed in me, with unconditional love. You taught me honestly, laughter, hard work and empathy. I love you today and always,' he concluded.

Property developer Edoardo is the son of Alessandro Mapelli, a count and a former alpine skier, who competed for Team GB, and three-times-married Nikki.

The couple divorced when their son and his sister Natalie were young, with Nikki now on her third marriage to sculptor David William-Ellis, following the tragic death of her second husband Christopher Shale in 2011 at the age of 56.

Property developer Edoardo (pictured with his stepfather) is the son of Alessandro Mapelli, a count and a former alpine skier, who competed for Team GB, and three-times-married Nikki

Christopher, a senior Tory and a close friend of former prime minister David Cameron, collapsed and died at Glasonbury Festival, after going missing for about 18 hours before he was found in a cubicle in the VIP area

Christopher, a senior Tory and a close friend of former prime minister David Cameron, collapsed and died at Glasonbury Festival, after going missing for about 18 hours before he was found in a cubicle in the VIP area.

An inquest subsequently found he had been suffering from undiagnosed heart disease resulting from high blood pressure.

So devoted was Edo to his stepfather that he named his son Christopher, with ex partner Dara Huang, after him.

Beatrice and the rest of her family attended the funeral, with Nikki eventually marrying for a third time, to sculptor David Williams-Ellis.
Advertisement

Royal watchers have spent the week reacting to the bombshell new revelations emerging in the updated book Battle of Brothers by Robert Lacey.

Among them the suggestion that Prince Charles declared that Harry and Meghans son Archie would never be a prince.

Historian and broadcaster Dr Tessa Dunlop says on the Mails Palace Confidential that clumsy Charles dropped the ball on the issue arguing that he should have said to his daughter-in-law: Hey Meghan, I wanted to slim down the monarchy, but instead Im so going to make your Archie the biggest and best prince on the planet.

Royal watchers have reacted to bombshell new revelations emerging in the updated book Battle of Brothers by Robert Lacey, including suggestions that Prince Charles declared Harry and Meghans son Archie would never be a prince. Pictured: Prince Harry and Meghan with their son during their royal tour of South Africa in 2019

But the Daily Mails Diary Editor Richard Eden believes that the Prince of Wales Charles isnt to blame, as Harry and Meghan didnt want to find a compromise.

More and more people have said to me that it was evident that Harry and Meghan didnt want to make it work, particularly Meghan, he argues.

So it wasnt Charles fault for not making her welcome it was that she very much didnt want to make it work, she wanted to return to California to pursue her career.

Royal writer Victoria Murphy casts her expert eye over new reports of what was really said between Princes William and Harry after the funeral of their grandfather Prince Philip and claims over whether the Duke of Cambridge held back because of concerns that those conversations would make their way into the public domain.

Daily Mails Diary Editor Richard Eden claims it wasn't Prince Charles's (pictured) fault that Meghan didn't feel welcome, as an increasing number of people have revealed the couple didn't want to compromise

There has been claims that the Duke of Cambridge held back during discussions at Prince Philip's funeral because of concerns that those conversations would make their way into the public domain. Pictured: Prince William, Peter Phillips and Prince Harry at the funeral

The news comes as the familys accounts are under scrutiny with the release of the annual Sovereign Grant Report. Royal finance expert David McClure looks at claims that Charles did pay for Harrys security, despite Harry telling an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he was cut off financially.

He says: we now know that Charles paid for his security up until last summer, when Harry signed all those lucrative commercial contracts and was able to buy a very expensive house.

McClure also points out that report reveals that the royal train has only been used once this year  at a cost of 49k  and three times last year: its not really financially viable, and in the future its days must be numbered.
Ellie Ellison met the father of her unborn child for the first time just ten minutes before they climbed into bed together, her wearing a full-length dress and with a rolling pin within easy reach, just in case he turned out to be violent.

This was no romantic encounter  a classic understatement if ever there was one. Its sole purpose was to procreate in what is becoming an increasingly popular method of donating sperm  arrangements made not through regulated clinics but between willing strangers who find one another in the wild west of the internet via natural insemination, otherwise known as no-strings-attached sex.

And while eyebrows, at this point, will undoubtedly be shooting skywards in horror and disbelief, these arrangements, as sordid and dangerous as they might be, actually do exist.

Hundreds of donor babies are conceived this way in the UK every year, with men offering their wares on dozens of websites, going by names such as spermdonorhub.com or co-parentmatch.com.

Its certainly not what I was looking for when I decided to use a sperm donor, but Ive found my happy ever after with Joe, says Ellie, 29, a mental health carer from Norwich. It feels like weve been together for years

Not only do they cut out the hefty fees of an official fertility clinic  normally around 1,200 per attempt compared to the 200 of the average freelance operative  natural insemination is said to be three times more effective than artificial insemination when it comes to conceiving a baby.

As Ellie can readily confirm.

For, although the first attempt at conception was unsuccessful, Ellie invited her donor back the following month for another try. Her baby is due in October.

Not only that, but she has something else to celebrate. Ever since discovering she was pregnant in February, she has found herself growing ever closer to her donor, who goes by the name of Joe Donor, a 50-year-old entrepreneur who has online businesses, including one providing copywriting.

The pair say they are now deeply in love and plan to get married and raise their child the old-fashioned way  as husband and wife.

Its certainly not what I was looking for when I decided to use a sperm donor, but Ive found my happy ever after with Joe, says Ellie, 29, a mental health carer from Norwich. It feels like weve been together for years.

We are each others best friend and are content doing the simple things: pub lunches, evening walks in the countryside near our home, seeing the sunset, and chilling out watching films on Netflix in the evenings.

Were planning on getting married once lockdown restrictions ease. I dont need a big party  I just want to wear a simple white dress and have a simple wedding. The important thing is the two of us making a commitment to one another to be together and raise our family.

Then were going to look for a bigger house in Wales, where property is cheaper, maybe five bedrooms so we can have more children and enough outside space for a vegetable patch and a chicken coop.

Yet, there is one very big question that needs answering here. Will Joe, who has allegedly fathered a staggering 150 children in various parts of the world over the past decade, have to break off from hoeing the potato patch and feeding the hens every time he gets a phone call to nip off and have sex with strangers, for the cost of his petrol (50p a mile)?

Ever since discovering she was pregnant in February, she has found herself growing ever closer to her donor, who goes by the name of Joe Donor, a 50-year-old entrepreneur who has online businesses, including one providing copywriting

Most definitely not, insists Ellie. His natural insemination days are now over.

I didnt ask him to stop but he decided he would and that makes me feel better because Im quite insecure, says Ellie. It would really affect my mental health if I knew he was going off to help a woman have a baby naturally, even though I know, from experience, the point is to conceive, not enjoy sex with someone.

Like Joe, I viewed it as a sperm deposit when we conceived, but Id be worried that another woman might see it differently and he might end up falling for her.

But, with Ellies full consent, the couple have agreed that his artificial insemination duties, in which he delivers fresh semen in syringes to clients, can carry on  even if it means their unborn child could have numerous more half-siblings around the UK, to add to the 150 who already exist.

This is a brave new world indeed, and one most will struggle to comprehend. But, astonishingly, Ellie and Joe Donor  not his real name for the last thing he wants is 100-plus child maintenance requests, many years down the line  the couple insist theyre just ordinary people, who met in extraordinary circumstances.

Ellie already had a three-year-old daughter with a previous partner, and was living with a new boyfriend and planning a child of their own, when they discovered he had a very low sperm count.

They looked into sperm donor clinics when they chanced upon a Facebook group, matching donors with recipients, which had 30,000 members, among them Joe Donor.

The couple talked it through, did their research and decided the most cost-effective way, with the best odds for a successful result, was Joe.

Jealousy didnt come into it, Ellie insists. This was not making love, it didnt even feel like sex, it was going to be an emotion-free clinical procedure, akin to going to the dentist.

But what about the potential threat to her sexual health? With Joe having regular, unprotected sex with countless strangers, surely this was something Ellie was worried about?

Apparently not. Why? Because Joe was full of reassurances. He told her he has regular STD tests, and his clients are monogamous women. This was enough for Ellie to go ahead with the plan, albeit with some trepidation. On the day of Joes first visit, her partner took Ellies daughter to the local park ten minutes before Joe Donor arrived to find her nervously pacing up and down her living room.

When I opened the door to Joe I was so flustered I couldnt even look at him, recalls Ellie.

I just didnt know how it would go and what would be expected of me and said: I cant do this right away, so we sat on the end of my bed and he spoke to me calmly. I dont remember what he said, other than that if I didnt want to do it, that was OK.

After ten minutes, we laid on the bed, in the missionary position, and it was all very clinical  no emotions, no kissing or foreplay  which was just as I wanted it. Afterwards, Joe told me to lay on my side for 20 minutes and then he left, letting himself out.

That evening, as agreed, Ellie and her boyfriend chose not to speak about it. When, two weeks later, Ellie found out she wasnt pregnant, they agreed to repeat the procedure. And this time it worked.

My partner and I were so happy to get a positive pregnancy result two weeks later, recalls Ellie. We were excited about having a new baby in the house  and that my daughter would have a sibling  and began thinking of names.

However, three weeks after that, Ellie started bleeding and, fearing she was miscarrying, tearfully took to her bed.

Her partner struggled to cope with this turn of events and, feeling unable to support Ellie, moved out. Ellie was at a desperately low ebb when Joe sent a message asking how the pregnancy was going and poured out her heart to this virtual stranger, who also happened to be the father of her unborn child.

Joe said he was sorry and would come and help. He did some shopping, ordered food and looked after Olivia, which took a huge weight off my shoulders.

The bleeding stopped and an early scan revealed the pregnancy was progressing normally  but her partner chose not to return. The damage had been done.

Ellie insists the insemination with a stranger had nothing to do with their split and that her partner had his own private reasons for wanting out of their relationship.

Meanwhile, Joe continued to visit Ellie and the two grew closer, exchanging their first kiss in March, three months after they had first had sex.

I was curious about his life and asked: Would you like to settle down with someone? And he said: Id like to settle down with you, if youd like to, remembers Ellie, a shy, self-conscious young woman, smiling at the memory.

Ive always wanted to be married and hes really caring and supportive, someone I can imagine spending the rest of my life with. I really trust him. Theres a bit of an age difference. Im 21 years younger, though he doesnt seem 50.

But, given their inauspicious, and relatively recent, start, is this really a true love story, I wonder?

Yes, I would say so, says Ellie matter-of-factly. He tells me he loves me and I tell him I love him. Im attracted to him and like the fact he is strong and decisive.

For his part, Joe feels lucky to have this attractive young woman in his life and is determined to marry Ellie.

There remain, however, very many elephants in the room in this growing family. Joe says there are currently ten other women in the UK who are also pregnant with his progeny.

That is in addition to the 150 or so children Joe, an American now happily settled in Norfolk after moving to the UK last year, has sired around the world.

And he sees absolutely nothing wrong with what he has done  and continues to do.

As well as the expenses he receives in exchange for his sperm  he charges mileage to travel to clients homes and shipping costs to those who opt to receive his semen through the mail  Joe describes himself as an entrepreneur who runs other online businesses, including providing copywriting services, which enable him to settle, and work, from wherever he chooses.

Natural insemination is more effective so, if I do it that way, it means Im travelling less and the woman will get pregnant sooner, says Joe, with striking nonchalance. Its the most expedient method, though lockdown has made meeting people harder, so artificial insemination has been more popular recently.

I love seeing photos of the babies when theyre born as a lot of them do look like me.

I dont financially gain from providing my sperm to women  and my name doesnt appear on the babies birth certificates  I just enjoy helping people. I feel like the luckiest man in the world.

If hes the luckiest man, then surely Ellie is the most easy-going woman.

Its easy to understand why neither Joes family, nor Ellies grandparents, who raised her, are supportive of their life choices. Joe and his identical twin were adopted as toddlers by a couple who were unable to have children of their own and, tragically, his brother died aged 20 in a motorbike accident.

Joe was living in the UK  in Ilford, Essex  when Ellie got in touch. He has lived all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Argentina, China and Italy over the past decade, where he has donated sperm through private arrangements via Facebook.

Joe has children in their 20s and teens from previous relationships, and it was the ease with which they were conceived that provided an early sign of his high fertility.

He now rarely sees, or speaks to, his parents. When my parents saw I could have all the children I wanted I think there were some very intense feelings of resentment, because of their own fertility struggles, he says.

I remember once showing my mum a photograph of her grandchild and her saying: Thats not your child, and I said: It is because I did a DNA test, and she said: But youre not married to the mother. Joe has not yet told his parents about Ellie.

Ellie, too, had a difficult start in life. Her mother gave birth to Ellie when she was just 15 and has played only a minor role in her life since.

My grandparents became my legal guardians, says Ellie. I love them, but they cant accept my relationship with Joe.

They knew my ex-partner and that I had used a sperm donor, but not that wed opted for natural insemination. They couldnt understand why Id want a relationship with a man who has fathered so many children.

Theyve met Joe and Id hoped we could go out to dinner so they could get to know him, but they didnt want a conversation with him. I hope they will come around eventually.

Yet far from considering their family complete, Joe, whose name will appear on the birth certificate of this particular offspring, hopes it will be the first of many.

I was struck by how pretty Ellie was when she opened the door that first time, although attraction isnt important to me as a donor, I thought: Hey, Ive hit the jackpot, says Joe.

And Im very happy to have the opportunity to spend my life with someone I care about and raise some children  not many women would be happy to settle down with someone who donates as much sperm as I do.

Who knows, we could have ten kids, Ellie is young enough and Id be very happy to have a family of biblical proportions.

Meanwhile, despite his own advancing years, Joe has no intention of quitting his donor role, nor does he believe theres any need to put an upper limit on the number of children he sires.

I have no intention of stopping, I really enjoy helping people who might otherwise never be parents, and Ellie is happy with it, he says.

I operate a no returns, or financial support policy, which has worked well so far, but Ive no problem with all of these children staying in touch, or tracking me down when they grow up.

There is, of course, a lot more to raising children than being a sperm donor and one can only hope that they are both entering into their new life with their eyes wide open.
Members of Congress took aim at flavored e-cigarettes on Wednesday, pressuring the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban vapes.

Democrats - led by Rep Katie Porter of California - called on the federal health agency to ban the devices that they believe serve as a gateway to children forming anicotine addiction.

However, Acting FDA Commissioner Dr Janet Woodcock was non-committal about banning or allowing vapes as she addressed House Oversight and Reform Committee.

The FDA already announced earlier this year that they will move to get menthol cigarettes off of the market after being pushed to do so by President Joe Biden.

'If the FDA banned all flavored e-cigarettes, would less kids continue to vape, among those who have started, in your opinion?' asked Porter, according to CNN.

Dr Janet Woodcock deflected pressure from congressional Democrats to put an e-cigarette ban in place, not committing to doing it or not

Dr Woodcock replied: 'While I can't predict the future, I think that might be likely.

'We also would have to, regardless, limit advertising and sales in targeting children and other practices.'

Flavored tobacco products have often been the blame for an increase in youth nicotine abuse with a slate of bills passed across the country to ban them.

A 2020 survey found that more than 80 percent of youths who consumed nicotine did so through flavored vaped or e-cigarettes.

The survey also showed that many were transitioning from the flavored nicotine to menthol cigarettes, which also have a mint flavor.

The FDA hopes to close that bridge with the menthol ban, but some states and cities are taking it even further.

Last year, sale of all electronic cigarettes was banned in San Francisco and Chicago banned the sale of flavored nicotine.

The entire state of New York became the first to do so when it banned the sale of flavored tobacco products last year.

A bill in Florida that would have done the same passed through the state legislature in 2020, but was vetoed by Gov Ron DeSantis.

The flavored products are often marketed to kids, almost like different flavors of candy, and brands like JUUL are often blamed for causing a recent uptick in teen nicotine usage.

'If kids have the choices of any tasty flavor, they're going to go for it, and I'm speaking to you from experience here as a mom of three school-aged kids,' Porter said.

'If there were no watermelon snow cones, my kids are happy with blue raspberry. No blue raspberry? They'll take mango. No mango? They'll take strawberry.

'But if their only choice was a brown, tobacco-flavored snow cone, they are going to walk away.'

Smoking cigarettes is seen more dangerous than vaping, because someone who smokes cigarettes is also inhaling tobacco and other more dangerous chemicals, unlike vaping where a person is only inhaling heated nicotine.

Nicotine is addictive on its own, though, and can also cause health problems for smokers.

Rep Katie Porter (pictured) pressured FDA leadership to commit to banning the sale of e-cigarettes during a hearing on Wednesday, saying the devices help get children addicted to tobacco

Woodcock refused to commit to her agency banning the usage of flavored e-cigarettes, despite repeated pressure from multiple Democrats during the hearing.

'Dr Woodcock, you may not be willing to do it, but I just want to make sure America understands, you have the authority to commit today to preventing millions of kids from becoming addicted to vaping by making the decision and the commitment today to us,' Porter said.

While the push to ban these devices by some lobbying groups and Democrats may be in the interest of public health, they could have a reverse effect.

A study published in May found that an e-cigarette ban in San Francisco actually led to an increase in teen tobacco usage, as many teens went straight to cigarettes instead of just using nicotine first.

'These findings suggest a need for caution,' study author Dr Abigail Friedman, an assistant professor of health policy at the Yale School of Public Health, who conducted the study, said in a statement.

'While neither smoking cigarettes nor vaping nicotine are safe per se, the bulk of current evidence indicates substantially greater harms from smoking, which is responsible for nearly one in five adult deaths annually.

'Even if it is well-intentioned, a law that increases youth smoking could pose a threat to public health.'
More than 10 percent of Americans have not returned to get their second COVID-19 vaccine shot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that only 88 percent of people who received initial shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine completed their series as of June 16, per CNN.

It is recommended that people get their second shot 21 days later for Pfizer and 28 days later for Moderna.

Of the remaining 12 percent, 11 have missed getting their second dose and 1.5 percent are within the 'allowable interval' to receive it - up to 42 days after their first dose.

While studies have found that people are safer with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine instead of just one, recent research shows that many with only one shot still do have protection against the virus.

However, some experts worry that those who are not returning for their second shot will be left vulnerable to variants of the virus, especially with the Delta variant - a more contagious strain that originated in India - which is suspected to take over as the dominant strain in the U.S. in the coming weeks.

More than 10 percent of Americans are not returning to get their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, leaving them potentially vulnerable to the virus and its variants

'As this virus has mutated, there are versions of it which are better able to escape some of the immune protection that we get from the vaccine,' US Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy told CNN.

'The key is, get vaccinated. Get both doses.'

According to CNN, Americans aged 30 to 39 were most likely to miss their second dose, an age group which is also the most likely to skip out on the shots all together.

Hispanic people (11.4 percent missed second dose), Indigenous Americans (12.6 percent) and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (12.4 percent) were the most likely ethnic groups to miss their second shot.

Studies have shown that there is still a level of immunity provided to people with only one shot.

A study published earlier this week found that COVID-19 survivors may only need one dose, and that there may be little benefit to them receiving the second dose.

Hospital workers in Boston were also found to have 95 percent immunity from the virus after receiving only one dose, per a study published earlier this month.

Getting the second dose is always preferable, though, as cases of COVID in fully vaccinated Americans are extremely rare, occurring in less than one percent of people.

Antibody levels, whether natural or acquired through a vaccine, also reduce over time.

This means that someone who has received both shots will likely be immune to the virus for longer than someone with only one shot.

The news comes as demand for the COVID-19 vaccines has plummeted.

Vaccine distribution was at its peak in April, but has since slowed down as remaining unvaccinated Americans seem disinterested or untrusting of the shots.

As of now, about 65 percent of American adults have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.

While that does mean the nation is getting close to herd immunity - the falling case rates across the nation point to that - it is unlikely the country will be able to reach President Joe Biden's goal of getting 70 percent of Americans at least partially vaccinated by July 4.

Americans may also need a third booster shot of the vaccine soon as well.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said last month that a vaccine booster shot, which his company is currently undergoing clinical trials of, may be needed as early as September for some.

With so many Americans not even returning for a second shot, it may be tough to convince many to get a third.

The reopening of the United States, falling case and death counts and the symbolic end to the pandemic across the country may also do more to reduce vaccine demand over time, as the 'return to normal' is already underway across the country.
The U.S. Surgeon General is warning that misinformation is the greatest obstacle to vaccinating the country against COVID-19 as a dangerous variant continues to spread.

Dr Vivek Murthy told CNN on Thursday that many Americans believe the myths they hear about the shots such as them not being safe or that they alter DNA.

'There is so much misinformation out there about the vaccine, coming through so many channels - a lot of it being spread on social media,' he said.

'It's inducing a lot of fear among people. Two-thirds of those who are unvaccinated in polls say that they either believe the myths about Covid-19 or think that they might be true.'

It's a big reason behind why vaccinations in Missouri have dropped by more than 80 percent since April.

However, at the same time, cases have skyrocketed, increasing by nearly 30 percent as the the Indian 'Delta' variant takes hold and turning the state into a hotspot.

U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned vaccine misinformation is the biggest threat to vaccinating the country against COVID-19. Pictured: Murthy speaks during a news conference in Delaware, December 2020

Health officials said this is part of the reason why vaccinations in Missouri have dropped 85% since April as the Indian 'Delta' variant takes hold of the state

Missouri currently has the largest share of Delta variant case in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, it also has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the nation.

While 53.7 percent of the U.S. population has received at least one dose, the percentage goes down to 43.9 percent in Missouri.

This is especially concerning considering studies have found that two doses of the vaccines are much more effective against the Delta variant than one dose.

Murthy said he is worried for unvaccinated people the variant spreads.

Meanwhile, in the Missouri city of Springfield - 150 miles south of Kansas City - only 37 percent of people have gotten at least an initial shot.

However, hospitalizations are up 225 percent since early June and officials say Delta is to blame.

'Both hospitals here in town are stretched,' Dr Erik Frederick, chief administrative officer at Mercy Hospital Springfield, told CNN.

Cases in Missouri have risen nearly 30 percent over the last two weeks, due to the Delta variant overwhelming the state

Hospitalizations are rising across Missouri, including in one city to as high as 225% since early June. Doctors say all of their patients who are severely ill have not been vaccinated against the virus

'We saw a very rapid escalation in our in-patient census starting June 1, we went from 26 to 90 in about three weeks.

'To go back to last year when our peak started, it took us six to seven weeks to escalate that quickly. Today to hit 97, it really took us almost two months to hit that level which we've done in under a month.'

Louie Michael and his wife, Pattie, were two of the COVID-19 patients admitted to Mercy Hospital in June.

Neither of them were vaccinated and said they weren't against vaccines, but wanted to wait see how they worked in the real world before getting the shots.

However, in the hospital, Michael had a tough battle with COVID-19 and shared update about his health status daily, reported the Springfield News-Leader.

'The breathing is labored, it's tough. This stuff is real,' read one update.

Both husband and wife recovered and were discharged from the hospital, but say they regret not getting vaccinated.

'I hope people do think about getting the vaccination. It's your prerogative, but I wish I had done it just to just avoid this,' Michael told the News-Leader.

'This new Delta variant, which they do think that I might have had, is just dive bombing everybody who didn't get the other before.'

Dr Robin Trotman, an infectious diseases expert at CoxHealth, the other hospital in Springfield, says similar patients are being admitted to her hospital.

'It's nearly 100 percent of the people hospitalized with Covid pneumonia are unvaccinated,' she told CNN.

'Now we do have vaccinated people who test positive, but they don't get severely ill.

'When the staff's putting themselves at risk in these situations, and they feel like other people aren't willing to take the vaccine, despite their risk, that's, that's a hard one for some people to swallow.'
Skoda is the latest car maker to offer electric vehicles to emergency services after the Czech brand this week revealed images of its Enyaq iV in police, ambulance and fire response liveries.

The battery-electric SUV will be able to give chase to criminals or respond to life-threatening situations with a 0-to-60mph acceleration time of 8.5 seconds - though its limited top speed of 99mph means getaway drivers will be able to outrun officers in most petrol and diesel cars.

The Skoda plug-in police car has been unveiled just a week after Tesla UK confirmed it was loaning Model 3 saloons to forces up and down the country to trial.

'Are you going to come quietly?' Skoda has revealed images of its electric Enyaq iV converted for emergency services, including the police

Skoda is one of the auto suppliers to the police and other emergency services in the UK.

But instead of petrol-powered Octavias and Kodiaq SUVs, the latest model to be made available is the Enyaq iV with blues and twos.

The manufacturer says it has been added to its existing blue-light fleet in two power variants offering a choice of 60 (62kWh) and 80 (82kWh) variants respectively.

Two-wheel drive versions are currently all that's available, though all-wheel drive options will be added to the range at a later date - ideal for when pursuits go off-road.

Packing a fully-charged-battery range of 333 miles and the capacity to fast-charge up to 80 per cent in approximately 38 minutes, it should be a fairly suitable mode of transport for all three emergency services.

'While such impressive figures will no-doubt appeal to blue-light services looking to ensure that their vehicles are always ready to perform, emergency service customers should be further enticed by the relative simplicity of the Enyaq iVs platform and powertrain,' Skoda explains.

'The vast reduction in moving and perishable parts  for example, the single speed transmission  will allow for less frequent maintenance and servicing, increasing available operational time and improving fleet efficiency.'

 Slide me  The ambulance and fire service will be offered the electric Skoda SUVs. They will have functions, such as the radio and blues-and-twos, controlled via the touchscreen in the vehicle

The full emergency services conversion includes 360-degree lighting and a full integration of the necessary communication platforms within the car's existing infotainment touchscreen.

This means all functionality - such as the lighting and sounding sirens - can be activated through one central accessible platform.

The Enyaq also offers luggage capacity of 585 litres  or up to 1,710 litres with the rear seats down.

That's more than enough space to transport up to three perps in the back seats, store and transport vital life-saving emergency equipment such as oxygen tanks, ventilators and other essential equipment and even fit a cage system for a dog unit.

Metropolitan Police has been using electric cars in recent years, including the zero-emission BMW i3 pictured

Enyaq iV won't be the first electric police car on UK roads...

The electric Skoda SUVs won't be the first electric vehicles to be used by the police.

Gloucester Constabulary added no fewer than 75 battery-electric cars to its fleet a year ago, the majority of them being the UK-made Nissan Leaf.

Metropolitan Police also has a number of BMW i3s it uses in the capital along with 11 hydrogen fuel-cell Toyota Mirais.

And Teslas could soon be added to the growing list of electric emergency services vehicles.

Tesla UK confirmed to This is Money last week that it is supplying police liveried Model 3 to forces up and down the country as part of a new trial.

'You have the right to remain silent': This is Tesla's new Model 3 police car that is being trialled by forces up and down the UK

And it won't be just the police putting the plug-in vehicle to the test.

Rapid response emergency services, such as the fire brigade, will also have the opportunity to use the zero-emission car during the review.

'Tesla is making this test car available for those forces, brigades and other agencies wanting to trial Model 3 as an emergency response vehicle,' the auto maker told us.

'Model 3s performance allows for quick response in both urban and rural environments,' Tesla said.

The Model 3 Performance can hit 60mph in 3.1 seconds, has a top speed of 162mph and a full-battery [claimed] range of 352 miles

The version on offer looks to be the 'Performance' variant of the country's most-bought electric car.

For members of the public, this iteration of the Model 3 would cost 59,990 (the 'Standard Range Plus' Model 3 starts from 40,990).

In this guise it will be able to accelerate from 0-to-60mph in 3.1 seconds and a limited top speed of 162mph - far outperforming the Skoda option.

The performance version also gets all-wheel-drive - just in case a pursuit goes off-road - and a WLTP-cycle range of up to 352 miles, which is again better than the Enyaq.

As with all Model S cars, it has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating, meaning it should be able to protect officers in a high-speed shunt.

Tesla adds: 'Model 3 can present savings over internal combustion engine vehicles with low maintenance requirements and industry leading efficiency.

'The car will be trialled by fire brigades, medical rapid response and police forces in a variety of roles. The adaptations and livery were completed by industry supplier, Halls Electrical Ltd.'
The National Infrastructure Bank launched last week as part of the Government's 'levelling up' agenda.

The pandemic has undoubtedly had an impact on the infrastructure sector, which has also faced other turbulence such as Brexit.

The Treasury-backed bank will partner with the private sector and local authorities which as a result will have a knock-on effect on infrastructure funds.

Below, we take a look at what it aims to do, how it will be run and what it means for infrastructure funds.

The Treasury-backed infrastructure bank will partner with the private sector and local authority to deliver infrastructure projects

What will the National Infrastructure Bank do?

The Leeds-based bank is paying specific attention to tackling climate change and supporting regional economic growth.

Dissatisfaction with infrastructure in the UK has been widespread for a number of years.

A 2017 CBI/Aecom survey found that nearly three quarters of businesses were unhappy with facilities in their region.

The Prime Minister has already given the go ahead to some rail and road schemes, including a tunnel under Stonehenge, as part of his so-called 'new deal'. He has separately committed 5billion investment for infrastructure projects.

The National Infrastructure Bank will prioritise projects where there has tended to be an under supply of private sector financing.

This will include those deemed too risky for private investment, such as those involving small startups or new technologies.

'Through the bank, we are investing billions of pounds in world class infrastructure that will support people, businesses and communities in every corner of the UK,' Chancellor Rishi Sunak said.

It will issue loans, equity or guarantees to these projects with 12billion set aside for lending and investment and 7billion for a credit facility.

Proposals show the bank plans to increase lending over time and local authorities will be able to borrow money later in the summer.

'This should create more opportunities for pension funds like ours to invest directly into UK infrastructure, which will lead to more stable, long-term returns for millions of private and public sector pensions,' said Ted Frith, chief operating officer of GLIL Infrastructure.

'It could also see public money being used ever more efficiently and smartly - to the benefit of the taxpayer.'

Others remain unconvinced the sum of money set aside will be enough.

'The amounts earmarked appear to be a drop in the ocean in respect of the investment needed to reach net zero ambitions or truly benefit the environment,' Peter Bachmann, managing director of Sustainable Infrastructure at Gresham House said.

'The previous Chancellor estimated that decarbonising the UK economy would require up to 1 trillion of investment, 450billion of which would be needed to decarbonise heat.

'The UK urgently requires further investment to reverse the course of biodiversity loss and unfortunately, the amount set-aside will not yet be enough to tackle this.'

How will it be run?

The Treasury has brought in industry leaders to head up the 'operationally independent' bank.

Chris Grigg, former boss of FTSE 100 property company British Land, will chair the infrastructure bank, while former investment banker John Mahon will become interim chief executive.

But which projects will actually be eligible for investment?

The National Infrastructure Bank has emphasised the need for projects to drive regional and local economic growth as well as tackle climate change.

As such investment will be focused solely on infrastructure assets or networks, or in new technology. While the bank will operate across a range of sectors it will prioritise investment in clean energy, transport, digital, water and waste.

The bank has explicitly said it will not invest in projects involved with crude oil, natural gas or thermal coal with some limited exemptions.

While the bank may be focused on its environmental footprint it has also said its investments are intended to deliver a positive financial return. It has said it will not bail out companies in distress.

What does this mean for infrastructure investment?

Privately held capital has a growing role to play in the infrastructure projects lined up for the next few years, particularly as the UK emerges from the pandemic.

Infrastructure funds have enjoyed a bounce in the past few months off the back of increased spending commitments from central governments.

3i Infrastructure Fund is up 4.35 per cent in the past year, although it has slipped more than 5 per cent in the last six months.

Similarly Sequoia Economic Infrastructure Fund is up 7 per cent in the past year and 3.5 per cent in the year-to-date.

While past performance is no guarantee for the future, further commitments from both the private and public sector could boost share prices.

Indeed a handful of investors are looking to take advantage of political promises to boost infra spending. US private equity giant KKR recently swooped for John Laing in a 2billion takeover bid.

UK infrastructure deals rose from 136 to 157 between 2019 and 2020, with the value jumping from $19.9billion to $35billion, according to figures from Preqin. There have already been 63 deals this year alone, worth $26.9billion.

So will the National Infrastructure Bank specifically boost these funds even more?

Government support on what can be risky infrastructure projects has been broadly met with approval.

'The UK Infrastructure Bank has an important role to play in leveraging much needed private investment to UK infrastructure,' said Lawrence Slade, chief executive of GIIA which promotes private investment in infrastructure.

'There are perceived risks with new technologies, Government can apply products such as guarantees to de-risk the projects and free-up/incentivise private capital investment,' added Matthew Hardwick, partner at Norton Rose.

However a common concern when creating national banks is the risk of 'crowding out' private investment.

'If government just seek to provide capital instead of optimising the investment environment, they will crowd out private sector investors which will undermine the development of a stream or pipeline of capital coming into the projects,' Hardwick said.

The bank has already said it expects to crowd in 'significant' private capital over time.

Moreover, the bank is unlikely to support as many projects as the European Investment Bank which means private investors will play a greater role.

Since leaving Europe, the UK no longer has access to funds made available via the European Investment Bank, which provides support to infrastructure projects and SMEs.

'If the UKIB provides development capital, derisking net zero programmes that transform communities, private investment will be crowded in, not out,' UK100 chief executive Polly Billington said.
Everyone loves a bargain, particularly private equity firms. But disappointment may yet await Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R), the group which this week launched a 5.5billion 230p-a-share bid for Morrisons, the UK's fourth largest supermarket.

Not only has the approach fuelled the controversy over private equity takeovers of British businesses  a scandal exposed in a campaign by this newspaper  it has also caused a reappraisal of the value of Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury's and Tesco.

In past months, their share prices have not reflected their pandemic reinvention: the rapid expansion of their online arms was commendably rapid. But this week, their shares have jumped.

Private equity bid for Morrisons has caused a reappraisal of the value of supermarket shares

At last, if you are an investor  either directly or through such funds as Threadneedle UK Equity Income or UK Equity Opportunities, or Schroder Global Equity Income  you can dare to hope that your forbearance may be rewarded.

Until this week, supermarket shares had been among the most shorted stocks.

The reassessment may not end, even if the Competition and Markets Authority becomes involved in the bid.

Chris Beckett of Quilter Cheviot says: 'Supermarkets may be seen as low margin, low growth businesses, but the bid for Morrisons has reminded people of the supermarkets' other positive attributes, like their good cash flow.'

So lacklustre has been the sector's share performance that Clive Black of Shore Capitol told Investment Extra last December that these companies could be bid targets in 2021.

In February Asda was bought out by EG Group and TDR, a private equity firm. Now the approach for Morrisons appears to have put the whole sector in play. The view is that CD&R must pay more, or be outbid by Apollo or another private equity group, or by Amazon, which has a tie-up with Morrisons.

As a private investor, you should now be watching how the institutional shareholders react.

Silchester, an asset management group and the largest Morrisons shareholder with a 15 per cent stake, is not saying anything publicly.

Legal & General, another major investor, contends that the CD&R offer 'significantly undervalues the company'.

Beckett says there is speculation that these investors may be looking for a price 'north of 250p'. Note, however, that some analysts argue that Morrisons is worth 295p a share, based on its property portfolio.

The company  the UK's second largest food producer  owns its 19 manufacturing sites, plus 85 per cent of its 497 stores.

If CD&R succeeds, Morrisons chairman Andy Higginson and chief executive David Potts would be reunited with their old Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy who is a CD&R partner.

If CD&R succeeds, Morrisons chairman Andy Higginson and chief executive David Potts (pictured) would be reunited with their old Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy who is a CD&R partner

While Morrisons executives and its big investors deliberate and negotiate ahead of the July 17 deadline, when CD&R must make its intentions clear, you have time to decide on your stance.

Many will be opposed to a private equity takeover of Morrisons which threatens jobs, Britain's food supply and higher prices for shoppers.

Nevertheless, the spotlight that has now been turned onto the supermarket sector means that existing shareholders should sit tight.

Those who have previously seen these shares as boring could now consider a flutter because of the changes set to reverberate through the grocery trade  from Amazon and the new rapid-delivery companies like Getir.

Analyst Natalie Berg says: 'Amazon has deep pockets and a hunger to disrupt bricks and mortar. The company knows that it will never have a meaningful impact on the UK grocery industry without a major acquisition.'

Morrisons seems not to be an object of desire for Ocado whose shares jumped this week thanks to its joint venture with M&S.

But the payback from a bet on Ocado also hangs on the success of the roll-out of the technology that it sells to other supermarkets in North America. There is a question mark as to whether this technology, developed for Britain's suburban streets, will work as well in the downtown areas of US cities, or in sparsely populated states.

The Morrisons bid should provide some overdue excitement for shareholders in the short-term. But in the longer term, the outlook for these stocks will increasingly depend on the higher expectations of British consumers.

People now want same-day delivery. Some want delivery within the hour.

The business that can achieve such service and make a profit could be the next grocery stars, despite the Deliveroo IPO debacle.

Morrisons, a business that began in Bradford in 1899, has a 5.6billion market capitalisation. This is about the same as the 5.4billion price tag put on Getir.

This Turkish-owned rapid-delivery app, founded in 2014, is set to launch in London and other cities this year and may soon float on the stock market.

Getir says it wants 'to democratise the right to laziness', an objective that venture capitalists are eager to back, pouring money into this instant delivery service and into its European rivals like Flink and Gorillas.

Although CD&R may be a pandemic predator, it has shown us that the food retailing sector is anything but boring.
Antonio Horta-Osorio is plotting an overhaul of scandal-hit Credit Suisse that could see it merge with arch-rival UBS.

The 57-year-old Portuguese took over as chairman at the Swiss giant in April after a decade as chief executive of British High Street lender Lloyds.

He is under huge pressure to turn the Zurich-based bank around following a string of crises including the heavy losses it suffered in the collapse of hedge fund Archegos this year.

Under pressure: Antonio Horta-Osorio took over as chairman at the Swiss giant in April after a decade as chief executive of British High Street lender Lloyds

Credit Suisse also faces a barrage of legal action for helping clients invest 7billion in bonds issued by collapsed supply chain finance firm Greensill Capital.

Horta-Osorio announced a strategic review in April when he said he would take time in reaching hard decisions that lay ahead  which could include a merger with Swiss rival UBS.

A tie up would mean a workforce of more than 110,000 employees  including a large presence in London  and a market value of more than 60billion.

'Credit Suisse needs a merger deal right away,' a source with knowledge of the bank's thinking told Reuters. Credit Suisse and UBS declined to comment.
Gladys Berejiklian resisted calls to lock down the whole of Sydney and New South Wales on Friday and instead shut down four local government areas, preserving freedom for at least seven million Australians.

Throughout the pandemic the NSW premier has tried to keep businesses open and the economy functioning while her counterparts in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia have repeatedly shut down their entire states over just a handful of localised cases.

And after 22 new cases of the India Delta variant were recorded on Friday, the head of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Omar Khorshid, again demanded the whole of Sydney be locked down - even though there was only one person in ICU.

His call was duly picked up and given prominence by several of Australia's biggest news websites, many of which have consistently run a pro-lockdown agenda throughout the entire pandemic.

But Ms Berejiklian showed a determination to stare down the hysterical pro-lockdown advocates, earning her comparisons to former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who was known as the Iron Lady for her uncompromising leadership in the face of pressure.

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs (pictured) in the past two weeks

Aaron Henderson-Smith, Emergency Nurse, conducts a COVID-19 swab test at the Rushcutters Bay mobile covid testing clinic on June 25

Poll Was Gladys right not to lock down the whole of NSW? Yes No Undecided Was Gladys right not to lock down the whole of NSW? Yes 512 votes

No 645 votes

Undecided 161 votes Now share your opinion





The premier steadfastly stuck to her proportionate approach, imposing stay-at-home orders only on the worst-affected areas: Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney.

The lockdown still takes in almost a million people - including about 500,000 who work in the CBD - but millions more have been spared, for now.

The premier's approach is in stark contrast to the Victorian government.

In a move that cost Victoria $125million a day, Acting Premier James Merlino locked down the whole state on May 27 over just 26 cases, all of which were in Melbourne.

Victorians were ordered to stay within five kilometres of their home and were banned from exercising with more than one person and for more than two hours.

Even those in lockdown in New South Wales can exercise for as long as they like with up to ten people - and, unlike in Victoria, residents don't have to wear a mask outside where this is much less chance of transmission.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant encouraged people to gather outside to preserve their mental and physical health.

Two ladies not for turning: Gladys Berejiklian's strong defence of personal freedom during the pandemic has earned her comparisons to uncompromising former UK PM Margaret Thatcher

Melbourne's shut down was aggressively enforced by police who even tackled and handcuffed unmasked citizens. Pictured: Victoria Police in August 2020

'We are allowing them to be outdoors in groups of up to 10 and we encourage that because we are understanding of the impact this is going to have,' Dr Chant said.

Her calm demeanour and rational approach offers a strong contrast to Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton who was slammed by fearmongering by describing the virus as a 'beast'.

Following the one-week lockdown of Victoria, Melbourne was shut down for a further seven days, pushing businesses to the brink almost a year after they were was shut for three months as the state Labor government used draconian restrictions to drive cases down to zero.

Victorians can see the contrast between New South Wales and our State Government Victorian MP James Newbury

The shut-down was aggressively enforced by police who even tackled and handcuffed unmasked citizens in the street in scenes reminiscent of a dystopian fiction that shocked the rest of the nation.

The Victorian Liberal-National Opposition has admired Ms Berejiklian's approach and watched on jealously as she keeps her state largely open and citizens free.

Victorian Liberal MP James Newbury told Daily Mail Australia: 'Victorians can see the contrast between New South Wales and our State Government.

'Our neighbour knows the best way to manage the virus is to do so appropriately and proportionately.

'By contrast, Victoria has a lockdown Labor Government whose knee-jerk response to cases is to lock up almost seven million Victorians, ignoring the catastrophic social or economic costs of statewide lockdowns.

'Labor is inept and Victorians have woken up to it.'

Four politicians who checked in to a pizza restaurant (left) using the QR code system were told just 24 hours later that they were close contacts of a positive case. Right: This is the text received by Upper House member Ben Franlin at 11.51pm on Tuesday

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also said Ms Berejiklian was 'taking the right approach' by not favouring lockdown.

'I think the approach that she is taking is the right one. There are sensible restrictions that are being put in place and they are affecting people right across Sydney,' he said on Thursday.

The premier has previously described locking down as 'easy' and made it her mission to stay open while containing the spread.

What are the lockdown rules? From 11:59 tonight, people who live or have worked part-time or full time in the past two weeks in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney will only be able to leave home for: Work if you can't work from home

Exercise in groups of 10 or less outdoors

Education if it can't be done from home

To buy essential goods or services

To provide essential care to someone Non-essential businesses in those areas will be shut down for the next week. Restaurants can supply take-away food. Full list of exposure sites is here Advertisement

She has mandated masks and limited household visitors but kept gyms, bars and restaurants open with stricter capacity constraints.

Her strategy of keeping the economy running while largely containing the virus has been made possible by what she calls 'the best contact tracers on the planet'.

As soon as a case is identified, officials order the patient to isolate and conduct an interview to find out where they have been to identify any close contacts.

The crack team is helped by the state's mandatory uniform QR code check-in system, which has been in place since January, allowing tracers to immediately identify and text patrons who visited a venue at the same time as a patient.

The system worked perfectly when four state politicians who dined in a pizza restaurant on Monday were texted just 24 hours later to be told a positive case was in the venue at the time.

One of them, Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall, tested positive but had only been in the community for a day before isolating, thereby reducing the potential spread.

'We have the best contact tracers, I believe, on the planet,' Ms Berejiklian said on Thursday.

'Yes I am biased, I am the premier, but I know what they have uncovered in the past few days and the rapidity of how quickly they have identified cases.'

In March Queensland Labor premier Annastacia Palaszczuk locked down Brisbane for three days over seven cases and in April Western Australian leader Mark McGowan shut down Perth and the Peel region over just one case.

In a savage swipe at the other premiers, New South Wales chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said her state has not needed to do this because it has not fallen 'behind' on its contact tracing.

WHICH SUBURBS ARE LOCKED DOWN? CITY OF SYDNEY Alexandria Annandale Barangaroo Beaconsfield Camperdown Darlinghurst Darlington Dawes Point Elizabeth Bay Erskineville Eveleigh Forest Lodge Glebe Haymarket Millers Point Moore Park Newtown Paddington Potts Point Pyrmont Redfern Roseberry Rushcutters Bay St Peters Surry Hills Sydney The Rocks Ultimo Waterloo Woolloomooloo Zetland WAVERLEY Bondi Bondi Beach Bondi Junction Bronte Dover Heights North Bondi Queens Park Rose Bay (Part) Tamarama Vaucluse (Part) Waverley WOLLAHRA Bellevue Hill Darling Point Double Bay Edgecliff Paddington (Parts) Rose Bay Vaucluse ( Parts) Watsons Bay Woollahra RANDWICK Chifley Clovelly Coogee Kensington Kingsford La Perouse-Phillip Bay Little Bay Malabar Maroubra Matraville Randwick South Coogee Advertisement

Explaining why she did not consider imposing a three-day lockdown, she said: 'If you have a look at the reasons for the three days, it is to pause where you are.

'You have a sudden surge of cases and you want everybody to stay in the same place, and that allows you to get through any backlog of any contact tracing,' Dr Chant explained.

'We are not that situation where we are not getting to people in terms of the contact tracing.'

Sydney residents who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney have been locked down from 11.59pm tonight for a week until Saturday July 3.

Gladys Berejiklian imposed the draconian stay-at-home orders on Friday morning after the state recorded 11 new local Covid-19 cases with a further 17 to be included in tomorrow's numbers.

Six of the eleven cases recorded on Friday were mentioned on Thursday, meaning there are 22 cases that have not been revealed before.

The so-called 'Bondi cluster' now numbers 65 cases of the Indian Delta variant but only one person in the whole country is in intensive care with Covid-19.

All of the new cases are linked to others except for three including a nine-year-old school student.

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs in the past two weeks.

Residents and visitors to the Eastern suburbs continue to get tested for COVID-19 at St Vincent's Hospital pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Friday

They are only allowed outside for work, education, essential shopping, care-giving and exercise in groups of ten or less.

'If you live or work in those Local Government Areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Non-essential businesses in those areas will be shut down for the next week. Restaurants can supply take-away food.

Other residents in Greater Sydney will have to wear masks indoors and limit household visitors to five until Saturday July 3.

Residents who live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential reasons.

Ms Berejiklian warned that further measures may be required but said she did not want to lock down more suburbs.

'There will be things that come up in the next little while that none of us had anticipated and we will have to react and respond.

'We are not ever going to pretend that what we have in place is enough, or what we have in place is perfect,' she said.
A 24-year-old teacher's sexual abuse of her 14-year-old male student has been laid bare by her messages to the boy - begging him for sex in classrooms, her car and even the school's staircase as a 'farewell' present.

Monica Elizabeth Young, 24, is facing 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a minor.

Young initiated contact with the boy on Snapchat, sending him a message which asked him to 'send pics' in exchange for provocative photos of herself, the NSW District Court's agreed set of facts reveal.

She would also FaceTime the year nine student as she performed sex acts on herself.

Her lawyer, former prosecutor Margaret Cunneen SC, told Downing Centre District Court on Thursday it was 'unusual' for women in the position of trust of a school teacher to be charged with such offences.

Young struck up a relationship with a boy who she taught six times a fortnight in geography, PDHPE and science when they began communicating closely because of the Covid lockdown which shut the school.

Young sported a slimmed down figure and wore all black when she appeared in court on Thursday, tearfully begging her victim's family for forgiveness

They pair first began communicating on Instagram, but the conversations quickly moved to Snapchat, where most of the correspondence during the relationship took place.

When school returned six weeks later, it was mid-May. The physical relationship between the pair started in June and only ended when the boy's aunt and cousin saw him get into Young's car on July 7.

The victim's cousin even filmed the moment he dragged the boy from the car and reported the pair to the school the next day.

But before they were caught, they had sex on multiple occasions between June 24 and July 6 2020, including at least twice on the school's grounds and once in her car at a local park.

The agreed facts also reveal the manipulative behaviour she used to encourage the boy to have sex with.

On one occasion, she messaged him asking him to hug her at school the next day, and when he didn't, she sent a follow up accusing him of 'not having the balls'.

The dare became a frequent tactic Young used to convince the boy to lure the boy into sexual liaisons.

On another occasion, she sent a message which read: 'It's dangerous if we get caught, but if you do it it'll be worth it'.

The duo exchanged messages about the sex acts they wanted to perform on each other, with Young initiated the 'sexting' on several occasions.

The most brazen of her offending occurred inside the school's classrooms, once where she messaged her victim to meet him in an English room to perform a sex act on him, and a second time where she groped the boy at the back of the classroom while the rest of the year nine class watched Disney movie, WALL-E.

During the movie, a friend of the boy even sat on the other side of him as the sex act took place.

The victim was also encouraged to lie about his whereabouts, telling his mother on one occasion he stayed back late at school to get help on an assignment, and even skipped afternoon classes to spend time with Young.

On the last day of school, the duo met on the staircase at 3.20pm to kiss goodbye, and Young performed oral sex on the 14-year-old.

The sexting began on Instagram, but quickly moved to SnapChat (above)

She then returned to the staff room, the statement of facts read.

The court heard that while they couldn't find any comparable cases involving a young female teacher, a borderline personality disorder or post-traumatic stress (PTSD) often contributed to such offending.

The court on Thursday heard Young was sexually abused as a child by a student the same age as her victim.

Her defence indicated there could be a subconscious link between her own trauma and the offending.

'This is by means of explanation and certainly not an excuse... These are the most serious breaches of trust that a teacher could ever be involved in.'

Young moved in with her grandmother when she was granted bail, where she has no access to internet or a mobile phone

Young expected to be sentenced on Thursday but the magistrate delayed proceedings to consider the outcome

On Thursday, she tearfully told the court she 'regretted letting the relationship progress' and begged his family for forgiveness.

After Young's emotional plea, Ms Cunneen asked the court to consider 'how difficult it would be for a young lady of 23, in her first year of teaching, to maintain proper barriers, distance and authority over boys of this age... without being sexist at all'.

'It cannot be forgotten that she was nine years older than the boy... It was an early time in this woman's career, one gets a picture of a woman who could not cope with what she was given.'

But prosecutor Alexander Terracini dismissed the defence, arguing that gender should not play any role in court proceedings.

He said that despite Young's intentions in becoming a teacher, the 'fact of the matter is that within months of accepting her first job she was abusing one of her students.

'That simply cannot be ignored,' he said.

Monica Elizabeth Young, 24, admitted to aggravated sexual intercourse with the boy in Homebush in June and July, 2020

Mr Terracini argued it shouldn't make any difference if she were a male or a female, and that the only thing that should be considered in sentencing is that a 23-year-old adult abused a teenager.

'Abuse is the key, not gender,' he said. 'It may be unusual... Perhaps I'm displaying more of a modern flavour but how on earth does gender play into it? How on earth is that relevant?

'She chose to work at that school and she chose to abuse one of those students.'

The court heard Young started teaching at the all-boys school in southwest Sydney on March 20th, 2020, and was given 23 classes between year seven and 10.

She'd spent four-and-a-half years at university studying to teach PDHPE, and was 'so proud' of herself when she landed her first full-time role.

Of the 23 classes she was assigned, 12 were in geography - a subject which she had no formal training in and was always just 'one page ahead' of her students as she tried to teach herself the curriculum.

By April, the Covid pandemic had forced the closure of schools and Young was required to teach her classes remotely via online learning channels.

It was at this point that 'the lines were criminally blurred' as Young became 'more accessible' to her students, many of whom contacted her all hours of the night and day.

Of the 23 classes she was assigned, 12 were in geography - a subject which she had no formal training in and was always just 'one page ahead' of her students as she tried to teach herself the curriculum

Young moved in with her grandmother when she was granted bail, where she has no access to internet or a mobile phone

On Thursday, Young took to the stand in front of the victim's mother and cried as she apologised for 'letting the relationship progress' over the period of offending.

Young told the court that she was sexually abused when she was in Year 7 and could therefore understand the 'trauma' she had subjected the boy to.

'I just never imagined I'd be one of those people I've never been in trouble with the law. I hope he and his family can forgive me,' she said through tears.

'I was foolish.'

Young had been in a relationship for several years at the time of offending, but her defence counsel, former top prosecutor Margaret Cunneen SC, told the court it was 'going very badly by this stage'.

Monica Elizabeth Young (pictured) originally pleaded not guilty but admitted to three counts of aggravated sexual intercourse with a minor. Pictured with her former fiance

'There was a background of physical abuse, infidelity and drug taking In addition she had an experience herself as a child.'

Ms Cunneen implored the Magistrate Kate Traill to consider 'how often this terrible crime rears its' head again in people who have been victims themselves'.

'She can hardly believe that what happened, happened.'

There was confusion about Young's relationship status in the courtroom, as Magistrate Traill asked whether she and her former fiance had ever officially tied the knot.

'She did not marry him according to the laws of Australia, but there was a particular religious ceremony,' Ms Cunneen said.

Young told the court in her tearful letter to the family that she regrets the relationship and understands that both her victim and his family will carry the trauma of the offence 'for the rest of their lives'.

'I knew it was wrong, I knew my actions were inappropriate but I couldn't let myself believe it,' she said. 'He trusted me and I abused that trust.'
Advertisement

George Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna gave a heartbreaking victim impact statement at Derek Chauvin's sentencing on Friday.

'I ask about him all the time,' Gianna Floyd said via video. 'I was asking how did my dad get hurt. I want to play with him, have fun, go to the playground'

When asked what she would tell her father if she could see him again, Gianna responded, 'It would be, I miss you and I love you.'

The emotional statement came before Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 and a half years in prison, going 10 years beyond what was called for in sentencing guidelines, but well below the 40 years maximum possible under the law.

Three other members of Floyd's family, including his nephew Brandon Williams and brothers Terrence Floyd and Philonise Floyd, gave poignant victim impact statements in the courtroom Friday.

'Immediately my life changed forever,' Philonise said while wiping away tears. 'I've been lifting my voice so that George's life is not in vain. George's life mattered.

'I haven't had a real night's sleep because of the nightmares I constantly have, hearing my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again. Even saying, 'They're going to kill me, please, officer,' screaming for our mom,' he added in court today.

George Floyd's 7-year-old daughter Gianna testifies via a cell phone video before the sentencing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of her father

'Immediately my life changed forever,' George's Philonise Floyd said while wiping away tears. 'For an entire year I had to relive George being murdered'

Floyd's brother Terrence (left) tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why? What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?' His nephew Brandon Williams (right) said in his statement, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so'

'I have had to sit through each day of officer Derek Chauvin's trial and watch the video of George dying for hours, over and over again. For an entire year, I had to relive George being tortured to death every hour of the day.'

Floyd's brother Terrence tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why. What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?'

'On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty,' he said, 'We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We've been through that already...no, no, no, no.'

'If it was us, if the roles was reversed, there wouldn't be no case,' Terrence said. 'It would have been open and shut. We'd have been under the jail for murdering somebody. So, we ask for that same penalty for Derek Chauvin.'

Floyd's nephew Brandon Williams said in court, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so. You saw it. I saw it. And millions of people across the country and the globe witnessed the act of hate.

'The sudden murder of George has forever traumatized us. You may see us cry, but the full extent of our pain and trauma will never be seen with the naked eye.' Williams added. 'The heartbreak and hurt goes far beyond any number of tears we could ever cry. Words simply cannot express the pain, anguish, and suffering that our family and friends have endured since George's murder. It has been truly unimaginable.'

'Our family is forever broken,' Williams said.

His family asked the judge to deliver the maximum sentence to Chauvin, without the possibility of parole.

Derek Chauvin also spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer the Floyd family his condolences.

Chauvin said he could not give a full statement because of additional legal matters, but said, 'There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind. Thank you.'

The former Minneapolis police officer, dressed in a gray suit and tie, with a buzz cut, was found guilty in April on all three counts - second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter - for kneeling on 46-year-old Floyd's neck for nine minutes in May 2020.

Floyd's death sparked months of national protests over mistreatment of black Americans by police and a cultural reckoning by many. At the time of his conviction, cheers rose from the crowds that had gathered outside the courthouse and down at the intersection of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis, now known as George Floyd Square.

Derek Chauvin spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer the Floyd family his condolences. Derek Chauvin, 45, is pictured at his sentencing dressed in a gray suit with a matching tie and buzz cut

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd (pictured) - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help

Chauvin's mother Carolyn Pawlenty made a surprise appearance at Friday's sentencing.

'The public will never know the loving and caring man he is but his family does,' Pawlenty told the court through tears. 'Though I haven't spoken publicly I have always supported him 100% and always will.'

Pawlenty said Chauvin is her 'favorite son' and spoke of his innocence.

'Derek has played over and over in his head the events of that day. I've seen the toll it has taken on him. I believe a lengthy sentence will not do him well. When you sentence my son you'll also be sentencing me.

She then directed her statement to her son.

'My happiest moment is when I gave birth to you and my second is when I was honored to pin your police badge on you. I remember you whispering to me, ''don't stick me with it.'' Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence.

'I will be here for you when you come home.'

Chauvin's mother Carolyn Pawlenty made a surprise appearance at Friday's sentencing

Just hours before the sentencing, Judge Cahill denied the defense's motion for a new trial and said he will not hold a hearing into jury misconduct.

The defense had asked for probation and sought a retrial ahead of an expected appeal. Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial.

Chauvin's legal team is likely to take their arguments to the Court of Appeals.

Dozens of witnesses were heard and hundreds of items of evidence were submitted during the weeks of testimony.

The April verdict, in a relatively swift, across-the-board victory for Floyd's supporters - set off jubilation mixed with sorrow across the city and around the nation. Hundreds of people poured into the streets of Minneapolis, some running through traffic with banners. Drivers blared their horns in celebration.

Chauvin had been captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help.

'Today, we are able to breathe again,' Floyd's younger brother Philonise said at a joyous family news conference in April where tears streamed down his face as he likened Floyd to the 1955 Mississippi lynching victim Emmett Till, except that this time there were cameras around to show the world what happened.

The jury of six whites and six black or multiracial people came back with its verdict after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days.

'The public will never know the loving and caring man he is but his family does,' Pawlenty told the court through tears. 'Though I haven't spoken publicly I have always supported him 100% and always will'

Rev. Al Sharpton, right, with hand on coat, along with family members of George Floyd leads a prayer before entering the Hennepin County Government Center for the sentencing

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing. The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence

This photo shows a cell in the Administrative Control Unit at the Oak Park Heights facility. This cell is similar to the one that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been in since he was found guilty in April

Prosecutors earlier this month asked Judge Cahill to sentence Chauvin to 30 years in prison, submitting court documents which called the actions of the cop an 'egregious abuse' of his position.

'Defendant's conduct was also particularly cruel,' prosecutors said.

They recalled that the judge had ruled there were four aggravating factors in the case, allowing him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison on that count under the guidelines, but the aggravating factors mean Cahill can opt for a longer jail term.

Attorneys for Chauvin countered with a far different request - a sentence of time served and probation, claiming that their client was guilty of 'an error made in good faith.'

Last week prosecutors insisted Chauvin should not get a new trial for murdering Floyd after claiming his original hearing was fair and impartial.

They set out their arguments for keeping the April verdict intact in a court document filed Wednesday, claiming Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson's calls for a second trial were without merit.

George Floyd was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck

The court was shown these photos of the injuries Floyd sustained as he was pinned to the ground on May 25

Prosecutors repeatedly referenced this timeline of Floyd's fatal arrest during the trial and showed it during the trial

The document continued: 'This Court has rejected many of these arguments before, and there is no reason for a different result now. Defendants scattershot and unavailing attempts to overturn his conviction should be denied.

It continued: 'Defendant was unanimously convicted on all three counts based on evidence of his overwhelming guilt. He now seeks to escape his lawful conviction by any means.' The argument was presented to Judge Peter Cahill - who presided over Chauvin's original trial at Hennepin Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It is unclear when he will rule on whether or not Chauvin should get a new trial.

The state's document came in response to defense requests to grant Chauvin a new trial and to hold a hearing to question jurors about alleged misconduct. Among other things, defense attorney Eric Nelson said intense pretrial publicity, alleged prosecutorial misconduct and some decisions by the court made it impossible for Chauvin to get a fair trial.

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing.

The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence.

It is generally considered well run and comparatively secure, with only one murder within the walls in its almost 40 year history, and no one ever escaping.

Jordan and Royal Pacheco take a picture of their grandmother Evelyn at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, ahead of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing

Ahead of the sentencing, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told 60 Minutes that despite his feelings of 'gratitude' and 'satisfaction' at seeing Chauvin convicted, he also felt sympathy for the cop.

'I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer. So, I will admit, I felt a little bad for the defendant. I think he deserved to be convicted. But he's a human being,' Ellison told Scott Pelley.

'I'm not in any way wavering from my responsibility. But I hope we never forget that people who are defendants in our criminal justice system, that they're human beings. They're people. I mean, George Floyd was a human being. And so I'm not going to ever forget that everybody in this process is a person,' the AG added.

Asked whether the judge should give the maximum sentence and send a 'message,' AG Ellison told CBS: 'I think it is important for the Court to not go light or heavy. I don't know if it's right for a judge to send a message through a sentence because the sentence should be tailored to the offense, tailored to the circumstances of the case.

'Look, the State never wanted revenge against Derek Chauvin. We just wanted accountability.'

The lawyer added that, despite the shocking video which was beamed around the world, he was never certain that Chauvin would be found guilty.

'I was never convinced we were going to win this case until we heard the verdict of guilty. I remember what happened in the Rodney King case when I was a pretty young man, young lawyer,' Ellison said.

Chauvin addresses Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis on April 15

Chauvin was led out of the court in handcuffs after the verdict came down on April 20

The centerpiece of the case was the excruciating bystander video of Floyd gasping repeatedly, 'I cant breathe' and onlookers yelling at Chauvin to stop as the officer pressed his knee on or close to Floyds neck for what authorities say was 9 1/2 minutes, including several minutes after Floyd's breathing had stopped and he had no pulse.

Prosecutors played the footage at the earliest opportunity, during opening statements, and told the jury: 'Believe your eyes.' From there it was shown over and over, analyzed one frame at a time by witnesses on both sides.

In the wake of Floyds death, demonstrations and scattered violence broke out in Minneapolis, around the country and beyond. The furor also led to the removal of Confederate statues and other offensive symbols such as Aunt Jemima.

In the months that followed, numerous states and cities restricted the use of force by police, revamped disciplinary systems or subjected police departments to closer oversight.

The 'Blue Wall of Silence' that often protects police accused of wrongdoing crumbled after Floyds death. The Minneapolis police chief quickly called it 'murder' and fired all four officers, and the city reached a staggering $27 million settlement with Floyds family as jury selection was underway.

Police-procedure experts and law enforcement veterans inside and outside the Minneapolis department, including the chief, testified for the prosecution that Chauvin used excessive force and went against his training.

Medical experts for the prosecution said Floyd died of asphyxia, or lack of oxygen, because his breathing was constricted by the way he was held down on his stomach, his hands cuffed behind him, a knee on his neck and his face jammed against the ground.

Chauvin's attorney called a police use-of-force expert and a forensic pathologist to try to make the case that Chauvin acted reasonably against a struggling suspect and that Floyd died because of a heart condition and his illegal drug use. Floyd had high blood pressure and narrowed arteries, and fentanyl and methamphetamine were found in his system.

Under the law, police have certain leeway to use force and are judged according to whether their actions were 'reasonable' under the circumstances.

People cheer outside the Cup Foods where Floyd died after Chauvin was found guilty in April

The defense also tried to make the case that Chauvin and the other officers were hindered in their duties by what they perceived as a growing, hostile crowd.

Chauvin did not testify, and all that the jury or the public ever heard by way of an explanation from him came from a police body-camera video after an ambulance had taken the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Floyd away. Chauvin told a bystander: 'We gotta control this guy cause hes a sizable guy ... and it looks like hes probably on something.'

The prosecutions case also included tearful testimony from onlookers who said the police kept them back when they protested what was happening.

Eighteen-year-old Darnella Frazier, who shot the crucial video, said Chauvin gave the bystanders a 'cold' and 'heartless' stare. She and others said they felt a sense of helplessness and lingering guilt from witnessing Floyds slow-motion death.

'Its been nights I stayed up, apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more, and not physically interacting and not saving his life,' she testified.
The former police officer who fell seriously ill after being poisoned in the Salisbury Novichok attack has revealed how he now wants to meet Sergei and Yulia Skripal.

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, 41, was treated in an intensive care unit in hospital next door to the Skripals following the extraordinary attack in March 2018.

He had been the first person to enter the home of Mr Skripal after the 70-year-old Russian double agent and his daughter were found poisoned in the Wiltshire city.

It was there that Mr Bailey touched a front door handle which had been smeared with the nerve agent, but he never met the Skripals despite their shared ordeal.

The incident later claimed the life of Dawn Sturgess, 44, after she came into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack and then discarded.

Her partner Charlie Rowley was left seriously ill but recovered  and while Mr Bailey is also now better, he left Wiltshire Police last October after 18 years in the job.

Speaking on Andy Coulson's 'Crisis What Crisis?' podcast, Mr Bailey told how he has never spoken to either of the Skripals - and was asked if he would like to meet them.

Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, 41, was treated in an intensive care unit in hospital in 2018

Mr Bailey and his wife Sarah, with whom he has spoken about potentially meeting the Skripals

He said: 'I would, I think I would. (My wife) Sarah and I talked about this a lot as to whether we'd want to speak to them and to meet them. For a long time I was like 'no, I don't', not for any other reason, I just couldn't cope with that.

'I look back now, obviously it's been three years and I've had enough time, and I think it'd be very interesting to speak to them and to get their take on everything and see how they're doing as well, because obviously nobody knows how they are.'

The Skripals spent more than a year living in an MI6 safe house after being released from hospital and have since begun a new life in New Zealand under new identities.

And Mr Bailey added: 'I do wish them well and I hope that they can come out of it as unscathed as you possibly can.'

The officer spent two and a half weeks in hospital in the room next door to Ms Skripal, telling the podcast: 'One of them was in the next room.

Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a bench in Salisbury in 2018

Dawn Sturgess (left), 44, died after coming into contact with a perfume bottle believed to have been used in the attack. Her partner Charlie Rowley (right) was left seriously ill but recovered

'I think they were in our own rooms, I was next to, I think it was Yulia, and there was a window between our private rooms. The blind was always shut from their side so I could never see through, but I was literally that close to them as well.

'But obviously they were I think unconscious, they were in comas for the majority of the time, certainly the amount of time that I was there for, they remained in that induced state.

'And yeah, but albeit we were that close, we were very separate as well, if that makes sense - we were separated in our own kind of little bubbles of stress and trauma.'

Mr Bailey, who left Wiltshire Police last October after 18 years in the job, is now suing his former force in a personal injury claim, filed under 'accidents at work'.

Two Russian nationals have been accused of travelling to the UK to try to murder Mr Skripal with Novichok, smearing the highly toxic substance on his door handle.

Evidence gathered by intelligence agencies led the Government to conclude the men were officers from the Russian military intelligence service, the GRU.

Personnel in hazmat suits secure a tent over a bench in Salisbury where the Skripals sat in 2018

A police officer stands outside the covered Salisbury home of Sergei Skripal in March 2019

The suspects  known by the aliases Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov  were caught on CCTV in Salisbury the day before the attack.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement, with President Vladimir Putin claiming the two suspects were civilians, and the pair stating in an interview that they were tourists visiting Salisbury Cathedral.

Mr Bailey's story was retold in BBC drama The Salisbury Poisonings which aired in June 2020, with Rafe Spall playing him in the three-part series.

Mr Bailey, who had been fighting for his life in hospital after the poisoning, left Wiltshire Police last October after making three attempts to go back to work.

He described how he 'couldn't deal with being in a police environment' after efforts to return in September 2018 and in January 2019.

Last month, lawyers acting for Mr Bailey lodged a legal case for him against Kier Pritchard, the chief constable of Wiltshire Police, at the High Court.

Nick Bailey was played by Rafe Spall in BBC drama The Salisbury Poisonings in June 2020

Spall portrayed DS Bailey in The Salisbury Poisonings, which was a three-part BBC One drama

The personal injury claim, filed under 'accidents at work', came after Mr Bailey's wife Sarah tweeted last December that he was still 'fighting for part of his pension'.

Patrick Maguire, partner at national law firm Horwich Cohen Coghlan, said: 'It has been a challenging three years for everyone affected by the events of March 2018.

'Our client experienced a trauma which had a devastating effect on his family and forced him to leave the job he loved after more than 18 years of loyal service.

'We hope to come to a resolution very soon with Wiltshire Police so that Mr Bailey and his family can continue the process of healing and move forwards with their lives.'

Ex-Downing Street director of communications Mr Coulson described Mr Bailey in the podcast as a 'man whose life changed forever with the simple opening of a door'.

The former News of the World editor was jailed on phone hacking charges in 2014, but has been working as a strategic adviser to business leaders since his release.

Listen to Andy Coulson's 'Crisis What Crisis?' podcast by clicking here
The FBI pursued a fabled cache of stolen Civil War-era gold buried in Pennsylvania worth an estimated $400 million, but came up empty handed, according to newly unsealed court documents.

The court files reveal that an FBI agent applied for a federal warrant in 2018 to seize U.S. government gold he said was 'stolen during the civil war' and hidden in an Elk County cave.

The agent applied for the warrant out of fear the state might claim the gold if the feds sought permission, rather than the warrant. The Associated Press reported the government had been looking for the gold at the site, but federal authorities had long refused to confirm the search.

An FBI tent is seen behind police tape at the base of a hill where investigators conducted an excavation for Civil War-era gold in 2018. The FBI says the dig came up empty

FBI Agent Jacob Archer said he believed a significant cache of gold is secreted in the underground cave' in Dents Run, holding 'one or more tons' belonging to the U.S. government'

'I have probable cause to believe that a significant cache of gold is secreted in the underground cave' in Dents Run, holding 'one or more tons' belonging to the U.S. government,' Jacob Archer, a member of the FBI's art crime team in Philadelphia, wrote in his seizure warrant application.

Archer wrote that he feared that if the federal government sought permission from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to excavate the site, the state would claim the gold for itself, setting up a costly legal battle.

'I am concerned that, even if DCNR gave initial consent for the FBI to excavate the cache of gold secreted at the Dent's Run Site, that consent could be revoked before the FBI recovered the United States property, with the result of DCNR unlawfully claiming that that cache of gold is abandoned property and, thus, belongs to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,' the affidavit said.

The FBI based its request for a seizure warrant partly on work done by Dennis and Kem Parada, a father-son pair of treasure hunters who had made hundreds of trips to the area

According to legend, the gold was either lost or stolen on its way to the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia in 1863.

The gold was sent by President Abraham Lincoln to pay Union soldiers and was last spotted in St Marys, Pennsylvania, travelling northeast toward the capital.

When the wagon train didn't arrive at the Mint, searchers were sent out and discovered only empty wagons and the bodies of dead soldiers.

Various accounts said the lieutenant charged with leading the wagon got sick and feverish and divulged the secret of their cargo to lower ranking soldiers. Rogues within the squadron then killed the rest and made off with the treasure.

Legend says the gold was buried at Dents Run.

After meeting with the treasure hunters in early 2018, the FBI brought in a contractor with more sophisticated instruments. The contractor detected an underground mass that weighed up to nine tons and had the density of gold, the affidavit said.

That amount would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars now.

The AP and The Philadelphia Inquirer petitioned a federal judge to unseal the case, a petition federal prosecutors did not oppose, leading to the release of the documents.

Archer wrote in the request for the warrant that in 2013, a legislative staffer acting on behalf of others in state government met with treasure hunters who had identified the likely site, then 'corruptly' offered to get them a state permit to dig 'in return for three bars of gold or ten percent' of whatever the treasure hunters recovered.

No one has been charged in connection with the case, and federal prosecutors said they consider the matter closed, AP reported.

The FBI had long refused to explain exactly why it went digging with the contractor on state-owned land in Elk County in March 2018, saying only in written statements over the years that agents were there for a court-authorized excavation of 'what evidence suggested may have been a cultural heritage site.'

The FBI request for seizure was partly based on work done by Dennis and Kem Parada, a father-son pair of treasure hunters who made hundreds of trips to the area, the affidavit said.

The duo told authorities they believed they found the location of the fabled Union gold.

Archer wrote that he also spoke with Warren Getler, a journalist who had done extensive research on a Civil War-era group called the Knights of the Golden Circle, which Archer said was a secret society of Confederate sympathizers that had purportedly buried secret caches of weapons, coins and gold in Southern, Western and Northern states.

The FBI apparently did not indicate to the judge, in writing, what it found at the site, but a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office in Philadelphia told the AP that no such document was filed with the court because the dig came up empty.

The Paradas, who are co-owners of the treasure-hunting outfit Finders Keepers, have said they believe the FBI found gold at the site and the two have pursued legal action to get more information.

The unsealed court documents simply raise more questions, their attorney Bill Cluck told AP.

Cluck said the warrant granted by U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Lloret gave FBI agents permission to dig from 6 a.m to 10 p.m. but residents reported hearing a backhoe and jackhammer overnight - when the excavation was supposed to have been paused - and seeing a convoy of FBI vehicles, including large armored trucks.

Getler told the AP that it is telling that the FBI never checked back with the contractor whose sensitive instruments had indicated the possible presence of gold.

'Did the science really go wrong? I am not so sure about that,' Getler said. 'Why did they send four or five armored cars after the fact? Why did they work under cover of darkness? Why did they kick us off the mountain at 3 p.m. that day when we were supposed to be working as partners?'

The FBI assertion of an empty hole is 'insulting all the credible people who did this kind of work,' Dennis Parada previously told the AP.

'It was a slap in the face, really, to think all these people could make that kind of mistake,' he said.
Police investigating a teen's suspicious death probed witnesses over any relationship the dead boy may have had with the heir to a powerful South Carolina legal dynasty, DailyMail.com can reveal.

Stephen Smith, 19, was found dead in the middle of a country road 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's Islandton hunting lodge on July 8, 2015.

Now, police investigating the shooting deaths of mother and son, Maggie, 52, and Paul Murdaugh, 22, have re-opened the investigation into Smith's death.

Smith's death was ruled a hit-and-run, but his mother Sandy has always maintained that her son, who was gay, was the victim of a hate crime and the murder covered-up.

Now, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal that initial investigators found no evidence of any vehicle accident, were convinced that the victim had a gunshot wound above his right eye, and received tips questioning whether Smith had a relationship with Paul's older brother, Richard 'Buster' Murdaugh, 26.

Stephen Smith, 19, (pictured with his mother Sandy) was found dead in the middle of a country road 15 miles from the Murdaugh family's Islandton hunting lodge on July 8, 2015

The Murdaughs are one of South Carolina's most prominent legal families, with family members heading up the 14th Circuit solicitor's office dating back almost a century. Pictured from left to right: Paul, Margaret, Alec and Buster.

Paul (right) 22, and mom Maggie (left) 52, were found shot dead near the family's hunting estate on June 7. Paul is thought to have been the intended target of the shooting

The original incident report written by South Carolina Highway Patrol investigators on the scene and contained in the Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation (MAIT) case file obtained by DailyMail.com states: 'The victim was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road deceased from some sort of blunt force trauma to the head. Responded to the scene. I saw no vehicle debris, skid marks, or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle.'

The report continues: 'The shoes were loosely tied, and both were still on. After consulting with MAIT we see no evidence to suggest the victim was struck by a vehicle.'

A second incident report signed by two deputies from Hampton County Sheriff's office who responded to the first reports of a body stated: 'I spotted a person laying in the middle of Sandy RunThe person was a white young male with a severe head wound.'

It continues: 'After inspecting the body, it appears the victim had been shot.'

A third narrative written by a MAIT officer who is not named and was called at 5:35am on the morning of July 8, 2015, states that after initially being advised of a 'possible Hit & Run fatality' he arrived on the scene to be told by Hampton County Coroner Ernie Washington that it was a homicide.

The report reads: 'He pointed out the wound to be a gunshot wound and showed me the entry point. Assistant Coroner Kelly Greene then began to show me photographs they took, again pointing to the entry point to the head and also a defensive wound to the hand.'

It states: 'I asked for clarity if they were sure, it was a homicide, and their response was yes.'

Earlier this week, police announced they have gathered information in the Murdaugh double-murder investigation that has led them to reopen the case into Smith's death

Files from the 2015 investigation stated Smith was found in the middle of Sandy Run Road with some sort of blunt force trauma to the head and that there was 'no vehicle debris, skid marks, or injuries consistent with someone being struck by a vehicle'

The original incident report by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety dated July 8, 2015 found that there was 'no evidence to suggest the victim was struck by a vehicle'

In a narrative in the MAIT case file obtained by DailyMail.com, an officer recounts how he was told Stephen Smith's death was a homicide, was shown the victim's gunshot wound by people on the scene, and also describes his confrontation with the doctor who performed the autopsy that converted it into a hit-and-run investigation

Later the officer notes, 'MAIT also inspected the bodyfor any evidence and injuries. There were no visible injuries to the deceased, other than his head and a small amount of road rash on both arms. He had no broken bones and no injuries whatsoever on his torso or lower extremities.'

Crime Scene Notes from the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Crime Scene Department are similarly clear.

Written by a James B. Tallon III the notes state: 'Originally HCSO had notified the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) in reference to this being a possible hit and run. After further investigation it was believed that the victim had been shot in the head.'

And EMS worker is noted as having, 'stated that a projectile wound was located on the victim's head.'

And the notes state: 'A hole in the skull was located above the victim's right eye.'

But when the autopsy was conducted at MUSC Health University Medical Center, the manner of death was listed not as homicide but 'undetermined,' and it was ruled a hit and run.

Clearly perplexed, the MAIT officer, who had attended the scene and spoken with Hampton County Coroner Dr. Washington, took the step of calling the doctor who conducted the autopsy and recorded being told: 'It was not a gunshot wound and no bullet or fragments were found during the x-ray and that in her opinion that since the body was found in the roadway, she could only theorize that it had to be a motor vehicle that caused the death.'

When investigators followed up with the person who called in the tip about Buster (left) and Stephen's (right) possible relationship, he said he was just repeating 'rumors,' according to the report

An investigation log note from August 2015 shows one investigator informing another of a tip questioning whether Stephen and Buster Murdaugh 'ever had any type of relationship'

Another note shows investigators received an anonymous tip months later stating 'Dontereo Aiken along with another black male and a white male (Murdaugh) are the ones involved in the death'

Police later quizzed Aiken about his ties to Buster Murdaugh to which he stated he 'never hung out with him or went to any parties hosted' by the family

In another curious inclusion, an officer noted a tip called in on December 18 by a man claiming that his stepson had named a local guy as the one who 'struck and killed Stephen Smith'

The officer asked the doctor why she was ruling it as a motor vehicle accident and wrote: 'She told me it was not her job to figure that out, it was mine.'

The case was investigated as a hit and run with cops pursuing a variety of lines of investigation and numerous tips.

Among those tips, and reported by FITSNews, was an anonymous one naming Paul and his brother 'Buster.'

In records seen by DailyMail.com it is noted that a tipster raised the question of whether, 'Stephen and Buster Murdaugh ever had any type of relationship.'

But when investigators followed up with the person who had called in, he said he was just repeating 'rumors.'

At the time of his death, Paul Murdaugh was awaiting trial on charges relating to a fatal boating accident in 2019. He had been indicted and released on a $50,000 bond

Investigative notes also show that officers quizzed one subject about whom they had received a tip-off.

The tip-off which came via anonymous email stated that, 'Dontereo Aiken along with another black male and a white male (Murdaugh) are the ones involved in the death.'

Investigators followed up on this and spoke with Aiken about his knowledge of, 'anyone with the last name Murdaugh.'

Aiken said that 'he knew one that graduated with the victim.' But when questioned, he himself denied being friends with any Murdaughs on Facebook and then appeared to indicate he was unsure.

Officers subsequently found that Aiken was Facebook friends with Buster Murdaugh.

When pressed, he 'stated he never hang (sic) out with him or went to any parties hosted by the Murdaugh subjects.'

In another curious inclusion, an officer noted a tip called in on December 18 by a man claiming that his stepson had named a local guy as the one who 'struck and killed Stephen Smith.'

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 tipster then failed to return any calls and when finally reached, 'stated that the reason that he was passing this information on was because Randy Murdaugh told him to call.'

Randy is Paul and Buster's uncle, patriarch Alex Murdaugh's brother.

He and the third Murdaugh brother, John, appeared on GMA last week appealing for any information regarding Maggie and Paul's brutal deaths.

Their bodies were found near dog kennels on the family's vast hunting estate on June 7.

DailyMail.com revealed that the family had moved out there following a fatal boating accident in 2019 for which Paul was awaiting trial when he died.

He had been charged on three felony counts  two of boating under the influence and one of causing bodily harm and death.

He was allegedly 'highly intoxicated' when he plowed his boat into a piling in Archers Creek on a misty February night. He and five friends had been returning from a crab roast on Paulie Island.

Randy and John - the brothers of Alec - told Good Morning America Paul was receiving threats before his death

Paul and Maggie's bodies were said to be found near a dog kennel on the family's property above. Cops said Tuesday that information gathered during the investigation into their double murders has led them to reopen the case into Smith's death

All were thrown from the vessel and all but 19-year-old Mallory Beach made it to shore.

Her body was found several days later, and her family is pursuing a wrongful death suit against the store that sold Paul alcohol as well as his father and brother whose ID he used to purchase the alcohol that night.

Earlier this month DailyMail.com reported that all four of the boat crash survivors and Beach's family had voluntarily provided DNA samples and spoken to officers investigating the Murdaugh murders.

SLED spokesman Tommy Crosby confirmed on Tuesday that the agency had reopened the case into Stephen Smith's death but would not say why or give any reason as to how it might be pertinent to their investigation into Maggie and Paul Murdaugh's deaths.

Speaking to FITSNews, Smith's mother Sandy told how SLED had contacted her and said that they were looking into any possible family involvement in the recent murders.

She described it as 'a slap in the face,' after years of demanding justice for her son.
Teacher who showed cartoon of Prophet Muhammad to pupils remains in hiding

Kirklees Council earlier told Mr Fox the free-speech event could not take place

Actor said education policy cannot be 'dictated by bullying and death threats'

Laurence Fox has defied a local Labour council's ban to speak out in defence of a teacher caught in the Prophet Muhammad row ahead of the Batley and Spen by-election on July 1.

The Reclaim Party leader, 43, said education policy cannot be 'dictated by intimidation, bullying and death threats' while addressing a rally outside Batley Town Hall in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, yesterday.

Kirklees Council earlier told Mr Fox the free-speech event could not take place due to public safety issues and potential disruption, adding that organisers had not attempted to secure permission to use the area.

The actor's comments follow a teacher who was suspended after showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad to pupils during an RE lesson refusing to return to work over fears for his life - despite being cleared of causing deliberate offence and told that he could have his job back.

Laurence Fox, 43, said education policy cannot be 'dictated by intimidation, bullying and death threats' while addressing a rally outside Batley Town Hall in West Yorkshire yesterday

The rally went ahead without interference from the council with some police officers observing from the sidelines, reported Yorkshire Live.

Mr Fox said: 'We can't have education policy dictated by intimidation, bullying and death threats.

'Freedom of speech doesn't mean that we condone the opinions of those we disagree with. I stand with the teacher.'

The Batley Grammar School teacher remains in hiding with his family and has permanently left the housing association property they shared near the town.

They have been rehoused at a secret location with not even close relatives being informed about where it is.

Two other members of staff who were also suspended by officials at the school have refused to return to the classroom after being reinstated, citing similar concerns that they could be attacked.

It has resulted in the entire RE department, which was made up of the three teachers, being replaced by supply staff.

Referring to the local council's efforts to prevent the rally from taking place, Mr Fox added: 'Trying to ban a meeting on free speech, peak Kirklees Council don't you think?'

George Galloway (pictured next to Mr Fox) attended the rally and also spoke to condemn the treatment of the Batley Grammar School teacher

A crowd pictured at the rally outside Batley Town Hall yesterday. Following the loss of the former stronghold seat of Hartlepool, concerns have grown over Labour's prospects in the Batley and Spen by-election, which was Jo Cox's seat

Mr Fox said: 'Freedom of speech doesn't mean that we condone the opinions of those we disagree with. I stand with the teacher'

The council earlier said that it 'welcomes healthy debate and respects freedom of speech', but 'has a responsibility to make sure all events [that it permits on council-owned land] are safe, well organised and take into account potential disruption'.

A spokesman added: 'In this case, the event organisers have not requested permission for the use of the council's land.

'In the absence of assurances on public safety and legal compliance with Covid requirements or the impact on residents and businesses, council staff had no choice but to notify the organiser that they did not have permission to use the council's assets.'

Invitations had been extended to candidates Kim Leadbeater (Labour), Ryan Stephenson (Conservative) and George Galloway.

Of the three, Mr Galloway attended and also spoke to condemn the treatment of the teacher.

The actor's comments follow a teacher who was suspended after showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad to pupils during an RE lesson refusing to return to work over fears for his life. Pictured: Protesters outside the school in March

The teacher's family has been rehoused at a secret location with not even close relatives being informed about where it is. Pictured: Protests outside Batley Grammar School in March

The teacher remains in hiding with his family and has permanently left the housing association property they shared near Batley. Pictured: Batley Grammar School

In a statement, Labour candidate Ms Leadbeater, who was not present, said the 'right to free speech comes with responsibilities'.

Following the loss of the former stronghold seat of Hartlepool, concerns have grown over Labour's prospects in the Batley and Spen by-election, which was Jo Cox's seat.

A new poll put the murdered MP's sister, Ms Leadbeater, on course to lose the heartlands constituency in Yorkshire to the Conservatives.

The Tories were on 47 per cent - up 11 per cent from the 2019 general election - while Labour was on 43 per cent, according to Survation's phone poll of adults earlier this month.

Scrutiny of Sir Keir Starmer's leadership will intensify if he loses Batley and Spen, having overseen the crushing defeat to the Tories in the former heartland town of Hartlepool last month.

The Batley and Spen by-election was triggered after Tracy Brabin, who won the seat for Labour in 2019 with a 3,525 majority over the Conservatives, was elected as the mayor of West Yorkshire in May.
A new bayside suburb near Brisbane will help deal with the influx of people moving north to Queensland from Sydney and Melbourne due to overpriced houses and Covid-19 lockdowns.

'Shoreline' at Southern Redland Bay, 43km south-east of Brisbane, will see 3000 homes housing more than 10,000 people built by Lendlease.

The new suburb is also a 45-minute drive to the Gold Coast and close to the ferry for the Moreton Bay islands.

'Shoreline' at Southern Redland Bay, 43km south-east of Brisbane, will see 3000 homes housing more than 10,000 people

The development is 43km south-east of Brisbane and a 45-minute drive to the Gold Coast

The Queensland government is co-investing in a $30million wastewater treatment plant with the company in order to accelerate the development.

The plant will also allow 2000 more lots to be developed in the area outside of the Lendlease project.

A net gain of more than 30,000 people by Queensland in 2020 had sparked a housing development boom in the state, including the planning of whole townships such as Yarrabilba near Logan, south of Brisbane, and Skyridge on the Gold Coast.

The development at Southern Redland Bay will cover 262 hectares, with 25 percent of the space given over to parks and open space.

New housing developments in south-east Queensland had accelerated since the state made a net gain of more than 30,000 people in 2020

The Shoreline development will cover 262 hectares, with 25 percent of the space given over to parks and open space

Drainage, footpaths, kerb and asphalting of the roads had already started on stages 1-3

A town centre with a planned primary school, community centre and 14 hectares of sporting fields are part of the development's masterplan.

A 2.8km foreshore park with a waterfront boardwalk along Moreton Bay and hiking and biking trails linking the various areas of the new suburb are also planned.

Shoreline is expected to take 20 years to complete. Lendlease said it will generate up to 13,250 construction jobs and 1,260 ongoing jobs.

Demographer Mark McCrindle told Daily Mail Australia that affordability of housing in southern capitals combined with the Covid-19 pandemic had made 'brand Queensland' exceptionally strong.

"Queensland went from the third fastest growing state to the fastest in just a year,' McCrindle said.

'NSW and Victoria are losing people to other states while Queensland powers on.

'What's driving that is the affordability, lifestyle and liveability factors, but also in a post-Covid, working-from-home environment, people can now keep their Melbourne or Sydney jobs when they relocate to Queensland.'

A town centre with a planned primary school, community centre and 14 hectares of sporting fields are part of the Shoreline development's masterplan

Melbourne and Sydney had lost people who moved to Queensland to escape unaffordable housing and Covid-19 lockdowns

The need for new housing in the state was reinforced by Real Estate Institute of Queensland figures which showed that the availability of rental properties was under 1 per cent in 70.2 per cent of the states rental markets.

'Buying in one of these masterplanned communities is a very aspirational purchase,' Mr McCrindle said.

'There's affordability, because it's usually cheaper than buying in established suburbs, plus the lifestyle it offers and the employment factor if you can work from home or commute to employment nearby.'
China has made a complaint to the World Trade Organisation over Australia's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on its railway wheels, wind towers and stainless-steel sinks.

Chinese commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng announced on Thursday that Beijing would appeal against Australia's duties on the three imports.

'(China) hopes that the Australian side will take concrete action to correct the wrong practices and avoid distortions to the trade of related products, so that trade will return to a normal track as soon as possible,' Gao said.

Trade minister Dan Tehan said the federal government had been taken by surprise by China's appeal.

China has made a complaint to the World Trade Organisation over Australia's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on its railway wheels, wind towers and stainless-steel sinks (pictured, Chinese president Xi Jinping)

Chinese commerce ministry spokesman Gao Feng announced on Thursday that Beijing would appeal against Australia's duties on the three imports, which included railway wheels (stock image)

'The normal course of events would be that you would get some notification of their concerns about the measures we put in place through the relevant WTO committee or through officials raising it through bilateral channels,' he said.

'We haven't seen any of that.'

Australia imposed 10.8 per cent tariffs on Chinese wind towers in 2014, 60.2 per cent duties on stainless steel sinks in 2015 and 17.4 per cent tariffs on railway wheels in 2019.

Mr Tehan said the federal government would 'robustly' defend the case and questioned why China had waited so long to take action.

'Why they have taken this action now is a question you would have to ask China,' he said.

Mr Tehan would not comment on whether the move was a diplomatic retaliation.

Australia earlier in the week launched WTO action against China over wine tariffs that have hit exporters hard, while Canberra also has a complaint about barley before the global body.

China launched punitive trade strikes against a range of Australian imports after the government called for an independent investigation into the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

Relationships between the two countries were already strained when Australia banned Huawei from its 5G broadband networking in 2018.

Mr Tehan reiterated his desire to build a 'constructive' relationship with China following the latest development with the WTO.

Trade minister Dan Tehan said the federal government had been taken by surprise by China's appeal

'Obviously China has the right to take this action, but we will vigorously defend the duties that we have put in place,' he said.

'What we would like to be able to do is not only be able to sit down at the official level and resolve these disputes, but also at the ministerial level.'

'But that is not an avenue which is available to us at this time.'

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham is confident Australia's anti-dumping regime will stand up in the case.

'I'd call it more petty than provocative, to be honest,' he told ABC radio on Friday.

'We don't think China will find it has any sort of strong case in the action it is taking.'

WTO cases usually take two to four years meaning there isn't immediate impacts for Australians.
A nurse and father-of-five convicted of a terrorist-related offence has been released from jail early under an 'outrageous' Victorian government policy that grants leniency to prisoners who served time during the coronavirus.

Adam Brookman, 45, from Melbourne had already served 2,161 days in custody after being arrested for supporting Chechen fighters in the Middle East.

Brookman had plead guilty to one charge of foreign incursion.

Justice Jane Dixon sentenced him to six years and eight months with a non-parole period set for five years in Victoria's Supreme Court on Wednesday.

Brookman was not due to be released until March 2022.

Father of five Adam Brookman (pictured with his children) has sparked outrage after being granted release because of time spent in jail during Covid-19

But in a decision that has shocked the community, he walked free from court after receiving a get-out-of-jail-free 'discount' due to time served during Melbourne's COVID-19 lock down.

The Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety said early release exemptions were awarded to prisoners who demonstrated good behaviour while suffering disruption or deprivation.

Melbourne radio presenter Neil Mitchell from 3AW Melbourne said the release was hypocritical

Radio presenter Neil Mitchell from Melbourne's 3AW told Sunrise on Friday the decision was hypocritical and the system is broken.

'Terrific isn't it, everybody else in Victoria gets locked down and they get let out, that is the way it works,' he said.

'This is a problem, this is a stuff up. It is a slip it and it is a nasty one.'

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews also slammed the decision to let Brookman loose early.

'Here we have an individual who was convicted of terrorist-related offences, who should have been serving an additional nine months, but they were - he was released within nine hours of the sentence being handed down, simply because he was locked up during COVID. I mean, it's outrageous.' she said.

Ms Andrews said the Victorian Government needs to urgently reassess its policy to 'rectify this situation'.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews slammed the decision calling it 'outrageous'

Justice Dixon said Mr Brookmans' prospects of rehabilitation were 'only fair', that he had shown no signs of remorse and that his extremist attitudes and beliefs were 'concerning'.

The Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety refused to make comment on Mr Brookman's release saying they did not comment on 'individual prisoners, former prisoners or placements'.

Mr Brookman, a former nurse, served 2,161 days in custody after being arrested for supporting Chechen fighters in the Middle East

Mr Brookman, a trained nurse who once worked as a paramedic for Ambulance Victoria, went to Syria in 2014 to aid foreign fighters.

He was on the frontline with ISIS against the Assad regimis and spent 10-weeks in the Middle East taking reconnaissance and weapons training.
A grieving Australian father has slammed the refusal to appeal the sentence given the drug-affected driver who killed his daughter and her new boyfriend in a head-on car crash.

Lauren Quabba, 16, and Evan Fielder, 19, died after a teenage driver in possession of MDMA crashed his Toyota Hilux into them after falling asleep on the Bruce Highway at Babinda on October 27, 2019.

After the Queensland Attorney-General confirmed the driver's suspended sentence would not be appealed, father Rodney Quabba called the decision 'horses***' and 'totally out of touch'.

Lauren Quabba's (pictured) father Rodney called the decision not to appeal the suspended sentence given to the drug-affected driver who killed her 'horses***'

Both Lauren Quabba and Evan Fielder, who confirmed they were dating only days before the crash, died at the scene

Mr Quabba had called the original sentence 'atrocious' and called for an overhaul of the juvenile justice system, the Cairns Post reported.

His daughter updated her Facebook profile just days before the fatal head-on accident to confirm she and Mr Fielder were in a relationship.

The driver, who could not be named as he was 17 at the time of the accident, pleaded guilty to several charges including dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death, possessing dangerous drugs - but he dodged jail.

Instead the man, now 18, who was believed to have fallen asleep at the wheel after taking MDMA at a music festival, was given a three-month conditional release order in the Townsville District Court.

The P-Plate driver was also found to have MDMA in his system when tested.

He was sentenced to 12 months' detention, to be suspended and served by a three-month release order, and disqualified from driving for two years.

No conviction was recorded.

A dangerous driving charge can carry a sentence of 10 years prison for adults, and up to 14 years if found to be affected by an intoxicating substance.

Those penalties are halved for juvenile offenders.

The victims' families and Hill MP Shane Knuth pressured Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman to begin the process of seeking an appeal.

Lauren Quabba, 16, died on October 30 last year when the car she was in collided with another vehicle

Boyfriend Evan Fielder, 19, also died on October 30, after they smashed into another vehicle

But Ms Fentiman wrote a letter to Mr Knuth saying after a review of 'comparable cases' there would be no appeal because there was 'no reasonable prospect' the sentence would be found inadequate on appeal.

'Accordingly, and with the utmost sensitivity to the effect of this decision upon the families, an appeal against the sentence will not be lodged,' Ms Fentiman wrote in a letter penned to Mr Knuth, obtained by the Cairns Post.

Mr Knuth, who had earlier said the driver's sentence failed to meet 'community expectations also criticized the lack of an appeal.

'Under the circumstances of this case, it's a disgrace that our justice system can allow someone to basically walk free from court after causing the deaths of two people,' he said.

Last May Ms Quabba's parents, Rodney and Rhonda, and her five siblings delivered a heartwarming letter in honour of their daughter and sister.

'Each day we struggle to come to turns with our family life which has been changed forever,' they said.
Hugo the 70-year-old Galapagos tortoise will soon meet his true love after his long-distance girlfriend arrived in Australia from Germany this week.

Estrella the 21-year-old tortoise touched down in Sydney late on Wednesday night to start her new life at the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast.

After undergoing three months of quarantine, Estrella will then be able to meet Hugo for the first time with reptile keepers hopeful the pair will eventually mate.

The couple were supposed to be united in 2019 but due to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic their plans for romance were put on pause.

HUGO'S GIRLFRIEND HAS FINALLY ARRIVED! ESTRELLA IS FINALLY HERE!  Estrella the Galapagos tortoise has finally arrived from all the way in Zoo Rostock in Germany. She will be in quarantine at the Australian Reptile Park for a short stay before she gets to meet Hugo for the first time. Hugo, our male Galapagos tortoise, is waiting excitedly for their first meeting and has scheduled in a shell shine ahead of their first date in a few months  Please join us in welcoming Estrella to Australia! Posted by Australian Reptile Park on Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Estrella the 21-year-old tortoise touched down in Sydney late on Wednesday night to start her new life at the Australian Reptile Park on the Central Coast

Teams from the Australian Reptile Park in NSW's Central Coast are seen unloading Estrella into a van to bring her back to the park

Estrella's arrival makes her the first Galapagos tortoise to land in Australia in more than 40 years with zookeeper Daniel Rumsey saying her arrival had him 'lost for words'.

'Two years in the making and it's finally happened. This is right up there with one of the best moments I've ever had as a zookeeper and in my life,' he said.

'It won't be long before she's introduced to our superstar Hugo.'

Reptile keeper Jake Meeney said despite the age gap, the team were hopeful the pair would have babies together down the track.

Zookeepers are hopeful Estrella will mate with 70-year-old tortoise Hugo (pictured)

Estrella's arrival makes her the first Galapagos tortoise to land in Australia in more than 40 years with zookeeper Daniel Rumsey (pictured with Estrella) saying her arrival had him 'lost for words'

Reptile keepers are very excited Hugo (pictured) and his new mate will get along

'Hugo has only ever been on his own or with our other male and those two don't get along too well,' he told Nine News.

'These animals can live for over 180 years so hopefully they fall in love and are together for a very long time.'

Hugo has lived at the park since 1963 and weighs a whopping 181kg.

The need for Estrella's arrival came when numbers of the species reached a crisis point.

It comes after it was revealed a giant tortoise found in the Galapagos Islands in 2019 belongs to an extinct species.

The animal was found on Fernandina Island during an expedition.

Researchers from Yale University have identified it as the Chelonoidis phantasticus - a species which was thought to be extinct 100 years ago.

Estrella (pictured) flew from Germany and will now undergo three months of quarantine before she can meet Hugo
A man has finally touched down on the Gold Coast after being granted an exemption by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to travel into the state and say goodbye to his dying father.

Ms Palaszczuk sparked national outrage for barring Mark Kilian and his wife Anneli Gericke from saying their final goodbyes to 80-year-old Frans, who weighs just 44kg and is dying of pancreatic cancer in a hospital on the Gold Coast.

The couple flew from Los Angeles to Sydney on June 15 after the federal government and NSW Health granted them a travel exemption, but when they tried to fly to the Sunshine State on a $15,000 private charter plane, they were refused a quarantine exemption by Queensland Health officials.

Queensland Health rejected the couple's quarantine exemption application four times even though they are both fully vaccinated, have tested negative to Covid three times and even offered to wear hazmat suits and tracking devices during their visit.

But late on Wednesday Ms Palaszczuk finally caved and granted the couple a travel exemption following intense pressure from the media and a scathing letter from Scott Morrison.

Mr Kilian and Mrs Gericke were pictured exiting a small charter plane after touching down on at Gold Coast Airport on Thursday.

Mr Kilian and Mrs Gericke were pictured exiting a small charter plane after touching down on the Gold Coast on Thursday

The pair - who were wearing plastic ponchos, masks and gloves - shared an embrace on the tarmac before making their way to the terminal

Ms Palaszczuk finally caved and granted Mark Kilian (pictured) a travel exemption following intense pressure from the media. Pictured: Mr Kilian touching down on the Gold Coast on Thursday

Anneli Gericke (left) reacts with husband Mark Kilian after arriving on a charter plane at the Gold Coast Airport

Prior to the exemption being granted, Mr Kilian said all he wanted is to say 'I love you' to his father one last time

The pair - who were wearing plastic ponchos, masks and gloves - shared an embrace on the tarmac before making their way to the terminal.

The couple on Wednesday filmed a heartbreaking video from their Sydney quarantine hotel on Wednesday begging the under-fire Queensland premier to let them in into the state.

The exemption is 'subject to NSW finalising arrangement of safe transfer of the couple to Queensland,' Queensland Health said in a statement.

'All quarantine exemption requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, in line with current national guidelines.

'It has been a nationally agreed position that all international arrivals must complete 14 days of quarantine in their port of arrival.

'Queensland's approach has been in accordance with this national position.'

Prior to the exemption being granted, Mr Kilian told Karl Stefanovic on the Today show that all he wanted is to say 'I love you' to his father one last time.

'We just want to be there for those last days, moments... That's all we want. That's all that all of this is about,' he said.

Mr and Mrs Kilian filmed a heartbreaking video from their Sydney quarantine hotel on Wednesday begging the under-fire Queensland premier to let them in into the state

Late on Wednesday the Palaszczuk Government finally granted the couple a travel exemption following intense pressure from the media and a scathing letter from Scott Morrison

Mr Kilian's 80-year-old father Frans weighs just 44kg and is dying of pancreatic cancer at hospital on the Gold Coast

Mr Kilian said his father's condition deteriorated rapidly 'where we knew we needed to get on the next plane we could'

'I don't think we have ever experienced anything like this in our lives. It has been on a personal level absolutely tragic for our family.

'To be locked in a room in Sydney when all it would take is just the show of compassion by [The Premier and the Health Minister of Queensland] that could change the entire trajectory of a family's experience of the last days of their family, it is inconceivable that they would not allow that.'

In an emotional video taken from his hospital bed, Frans made a tearful plea with Palaszczuk to let his family into the state to say their goodbyes.

'Every day that they are in that hotel, is a day less that I have with my son and daughter-in-law in my last days,' he said.

'Please Queensland Health. Show some compassion. And help an old man see someone before it is too late.

Mr Kilian said being banned from entering Queensland to say his goodbyes to his father is one of the most tragic situations his family has ever been in

Mark Kilian and his wife Anneli flew from LA to Sydney last week and were granted a travel exemption by Border Force and NSW Health

'By all accounts, there is no danger to the Queensland community. I'm asking you, begging you actually, to let my son and his wife leave their quarantine to come here to be with me. It is my dying wish. Please.'

In a moving letter sent on Tuesday, the prime minister apologised to Mr Kilian for the 'challenge' his family faced and admitted he is disappointed in the Queensland Government.

'I recognise that you and Anna have done everything you possibly can to see your father,' the letter started.

'I know what an important time this is for you and you can never get these days back. I am disappointed the Queensland Government has not found a workable and compassionate solution.

'However, the Australian Government does not have the authority to step in and provide exemptions from hotel quarantine for travel into Queensland. Under our federation, these decisions are made by the Queensland Government.'
The IRS is now investigating how confidential tax return data was leaked that divulged how billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have paid zero federal income tax in some years.

The confidential IRS records from the wealthiest people in the United States were obtained by ProPublica and published on Tuesday.

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig revealed during an already scheduled Senate Finance Committee hearing just hours later that authorities are investigating the leak of the tax data.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos paid no income tax in 2007 and 2011, while Tesla founder Elon Musk's income tax bill came to zero in 2018, according to IRS records obtained by ProPublica and published on Tuesday

In reviewing the tax data, the site calculated what it called a 'true tax rate' for the billionaires by comparing how much tax they paid annually from 2014 to 2018 to how much Forbes estimated their wealth had grown in that same period.

The report found that, overall, the richest 25 Americans pay less in tax than the average worker does.

The median American household, in recent years, earned an average salary of about $70,000 and paid 14 percent in federal taxes per year.

Based on data from the 25 richest Americans, they collectively paid a true tax rate of 3.4 percent between 2014 to 2018 on wealth growth of $401 billion.

Warren Buffett, the CEO and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has avoided the most tax in recent years, according to the records.

Between 2014 and 2018, Buffet's wealth grew by about $24.3 billion but he reported paying $23.7 million in taxes.

It showed a so-called true tax rate of 0.1 percent, which equates to less than 10 cents for every $100 Buffet added to his wealth in that period.

For Bezos, his wealth grew an estimated $99 billion and his total reported income was $4.22 billion between 2014 and 2018.

In that period, Bezos paid $973 million in tax, which equates to a 0.98 percent true tax rate.

In 2007 when Bezos paid no income tax, the Amazon founder - in a joint tax return with then-wife MacKenzie Bezos - reported $46 million in income, which was mostly from interest and dividend payments from investments.

He was able to offset his earnings with losses from other investments and deductions.

In 2011, his tax return showed he had lost money and he claimed a tax credit worth $4,000 for his children.

Warren Buffett, the CEO and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, has avoided the most tax, according to the records. Between 2014 and 2018, Buffet's wealth grew by about $24.3 billion but he reported paying $23.7 million in taxes. It showed a so-called true tax rate of 0.1 percent

Investor Carl Icahn, who is ranked the 40th wealthiest American with an estimated fortune of $14.9 billion, didn't pay federal income tax in 2016 and 2017. He is pictured with wife Gail Golden

Elon Musk's wealth grew an estimated $13.9 billion between 2014 and 2018. He reported $1.52 billion in total income and paid $455 million in taxes. It equates to a 3.27 percent true tax rate.

In 2018, Musk paid no federal income tax. The records show he paid $68,000 in 2015 and $65,000 in 2017.

Investor Carl Icahn, who is ranked the 40th wealthiest American with an estimated fortune of $14.9 billion, didn't pay federal income tax in 2016 and 2017.

Records show he reported, at the time, an adjusted gross income of $544 million. According to the IRS records, he had an outstanding Bank of America loan of $1.2 billion.

Icahn told ProPublica that his adjusted gross income is misleading because his interest on his loans is higher.

'I didn't make money because, unfortunately for me, my interest was higher than my whole adjusted income,' he said.

Icahn hit back at questions over whether he thought it was inappropriate he hadn't paid federal income tax some years.

'There's a reason it's called income tax,' he said. 'The reason is if, if you're a poor person, a rich person, if you are Apple - if you have no income, you don't pay taxes.

'Do you think a rich person should pay taxes no matter what? I don't think it's germane. How can you ask me that question?'

George Soros, the founder of Soros Fund Management, has an estimated wealth of $8.6 billion. He paid no federal income tax between 2016 and 2018, according to the records. He is pictured with wife Tamiko Bolton

ProPublica reported that Mike Bloomberg, who is the 13th richest American with an estimated wealth of $48 billion, hasn't paid federal taxes in recent years but did not specify when. His spokesman noted that when he was running as a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate he had advocated for tax hikes

Michael Bloomberg's wealth grew $22.5 billion between 2014 and 2018 - a period where he reported a total income of $10 billion.

Bloomberg paid $292 million in taxes during that time, which is a 1.30 percent true tax rate.

ProPublica reported that Bloomberg, who is the 13th richest American with an estimated wealth of $48 billion, hasn't paid federal taxes in recent years but did not specify when.

His spokesman said in a statement that when Bloomberg was running as a 2020 Democratic presidential candidate he had advocated for tax hikes.

'Mike Bloomberg pays the maximum tax rate on all federal, state, local and international taxable income as prescribed by law,' a statement read.

'Taken together, what Mike gives to charity and pays in taxes amounts to approximately 75 percent of his annual income.

'The release of a private citizen's tax returns should raise real privacy concerns regardless of political affiliation or views on tax policy. In the United States no private citizen should fear the illegal release of their taxes. We intend to use all legal means at our disposal to determine which individual or government entity leaked these and ensure that they are held responsible.'

George Soros, the founder of Soros Fund Management, has an estimated wealth of $8.6 billion.

He paid no federal income tax between 2016 and 2018, according to the records.

'Between 2016 and 2018 George Soros lost money on his investments, therefore he did not owe federal income taxes in those years. Mr Soros has long supported higher taxes for wealthy Americans,' his spokesman said.

After examining the IRS records, ProPublica found that Americans earning between $2 million and $5 million per year paid an average of 27.5 percent in tax.

Meanwhile, the top .001 percent of taxpayers - the 1,400 people whose reported income came in at more than $69 million - paid 23 percent in tax.

Many billionaires are able to drastically reduce their federal tax bills using legal tax strategies.

Among the ways they can reduce tax bills is via charitable donations or by avoiding wage income, which can be taxed at up to 37 percent. Instead, they can benefit from investment income, which is taxed roughly at 20 percent.

The release of the confidential IRS records comes as President Joe Biden is proposing tax hikes on the wealthy to finance his spending plans.

Biden wants to hike the top tax rate to 39.6 percent for people earning $400,000 a year or more in taxable income, which is less than 2 percent of US households. The current top tax rate workers pay on wages is 37 percent.

He has also proposed nearly doubling the tax rate high-earners pay on earnings from stocks and investments.
The Church of England is to consider dropping the title Reverend for its clergy as part of efforts to stop child abuse.

The form of address, used for more than 500 years, must go because it encourages deference to clergy and helps abusers cover up their crimes, the Churchs parliament is to be told.

A decision to abandon Reverend, together with variants such as Right Reverend for a bishop and Venerable for an archdeacon, would be the latest radical move in culture wars that have seized the CofE in recent months.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, has said some statues and memorials linked to slavery will have to come down.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, has said some statues and memorials linked to slavery will have to come down

The Churchs financial wing, the Church Commissioners, has started an inquiry into how much of the CofEs 9billion in historic assets was earned through slavery.

The General Synod is to hear a motion tabled in the name of a Somerset rector which says old forms of address should be dropped to meet the demands of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.

Last year, the inquiry savaged the Church over its long-term harbouring of abusers and its reluctance to harm its reputation by exposing or punishing them.

The Churchs financial wing, the Church Commissioners, has started an inquiry into how much of the CofEs 9billion in historic assets was earned through slavery. Pictured: St Margaret's Church in Rottingdean covered up racist slurs on two historic gravestones

The inquiry lay some of the blame on Church culture, pointing to clericalism, which meant that the moral authority of clergy was widely perceived as beyond reproach.

The Synod motion, tabled in advance of an online meeting next month, says: Issues of clericalism and deference have allowed abuse to be covered up and the voices of the vulnerable to be silenced.

It asks that steps be taken to abolish, and discourage the use of, deferential titles such as Reverend, Right Reverend, Very Reverend, Most Reverend, Venerable, and that clergy be instead referred to and addressed using the names of the roles they hold, for example Vicar, Rector, Bishop, Dean, Archbishop, Archdeacon.

The change would mean the Archbishop of Canterbury would become simply Archbishop Welby (stock image)

The change would mean that the Yeovil cleric who put forward the move, the Reverend James Dudley-Smith, would become Rector Dudley-Smith, and the Archbishop of Canterbury would become simply Archbishop Welby.

Mr Dudley-Smith is a cleric in the Bath and Wells constituency, where the recently retired Right Reverend Peter Hancock was in charge of CofE action against child abuse.

The title Reverend is Latin in origin, referring to a person who should be held in reverence. It was first recorded in use in the late 1400s as political struggles began over whether the Church should use medieval Latin or hold services in English.
The New South Wales government was reportedly warned about the dangers of drivers transporting flight crew from Sydney Airport four months ago but did not tighten health regulations.

According to The Australian, Transport for NSW raised concerns with the state Department of Health in February that drivers could catch Covid-19 and quickly spread it around the city.

Under a state public health order, international arrivals are not allowed to take ride share vehicles, public transport or taxis - but the order does not apply to flight crew.

Rules changed in April to state that taxi drivers cannot transport flight crew members who live in New South Wales, who are instead obliged to get Transport for NSW vehicles or alternative third parties hired by the government.

This is the limo driver who caught the virus from international air crew and spread it around Sydney without realising

A New South Wales Transport Workers Union official raised the issue with NSW Health but was told 'the airlines are in charge', a source told The Australian.

The rules state that airlines must organise 'appropriate transportation' to take foreign crew to government quarantine and crew who live locally to their homes.

Sydney's latest outbreak, which has caused 42 infections and led to mandated mask-wearing, was sparked by a limo driver who was unvaccinated and not wearing an N95 mask when he collected flight crew.

The driver, who is in his 60s, said he was scared of blood clots, an extremely rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is only recommended in Australia for people over the age of 60.

He told A Current Affair that he had a family history of blood clots and was not an anti-vaxxer.

It is not clear why he was not encouraged to get the Pfizer vaccine instead because of his front-line role.

Reporter Lauren Golman, who interviewed him, said: 'He has not received any kind of pressure or encouragement to have the vaccine. I'm not sure if he has had conversations with his employer.'

Jon Bailey's hair salon in Double Bay is deep cleaned on Thursday due to the outbreak

On Thursday, Ms Berejiklian dodged questions about why the driver was unvaccinated, saying: 'Obviously we will have more to say about that once police have completed their investigations.

'Everybody in New South Wales who works in our systems know their obligations, and we certainly look forward to providing certainty around what occurred in this situation.'

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said vaccines were available and said it was the state government's responsibility to require them.

'The doses were available and on this case that worker was not vaccinated and the NSW Premier has made it very clear that they're investigating into how that occurred,' he said in Parliament on Thursday.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said police believe they cannot take any action against the man because there was no requirement for him to be vaccinated.

But he told 2GB radio host Ben Fordham that officers are seeking 'legal advice' to see if there is any way to punish him.

'We have sent the case for urgent outside legal advice and have done that due to the significance of this outbreak and the community concern.

'We need to tick every box in terms of making sure whether he has or hasn't definitively breached the Public Health Orders,' he said.

It comes as thousands more Sydneysiders risk being plunged into isolation after patients visited dozens of busy venues spanning 17 suburbs, from the east to the North Shore and a busy shopping centre in the city's west.

Limo driver in his 60s reveals why he was not vaccinated 'He is very scared and concerned,' revealed A Current Affair reporter, Lauren Golman, who interviewed the driver on Thursday night. 'He's been receiving a lot of criticism and he is worried about his safety and his family safety.' The unnamed driver is in isolation as he fights his Covid infection and was too ill and too scared of the public backlash to show his face onscreen to defend himself. But Golman told host Tracy Grimshaw he admitted he had avoided getting the AstraZeneca vaccination for fear of the possible side effects. 'He is over the age of 60 which means he is eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine,' Golman said. 'He tells me he has a family history of blood clots and he didn't feel comfortable getting the vaccine. 'He says he has been working with his doctor, they talk regularly, they tried to come up with a plan but at this stage he is too afraid to have the AstraZeneca vaccine.' Although the driver was in an apparently high-risk occupation on the frontline with international workers, vaccination was not mandatory, but strongly recommended. There was no explanation why he hadn't been vaccinated with the Pfizer jab instead, but Golman stressed the driver was not an anti-vaxxer. Golman added: 'He has not received any kind of pressure or encouragement to have the vaccine. I'm not sure if he has had conversations with his employer.' Advertisement

In a late night drop of new exposure sites on Thursday, NSW Health put alerts out for a host of new venues including a Kmart, Domino's Pizza and several popular coffee shops.

Another shock came as coronavirus fragments were found in a Bourke sewage treatment plant, 750km away from Sydney in the far north-west of NSW, where there has never been a single known case.

The wastewater finding indicates the virus may have already escaped the NSW capital and has somehow reached vulnerable outback areas.

Meanwhile, in scenes reminiscent of the first wave of Covid in March 2020, Coles and Woolworths' shelves across Sydney have once again been stripped bare of loo roll.

Neither of the supermarkets have re-introduced buying limits on toilet paper, but frustrated shoppers have called out others for stockpiling.

A total of 181 exposure sites have been announced in Greater Sydney since the latest outbreak began, bringing in a raft of new restrictions (pictured, commuters in masks on Thursday)

This terrifying map shows the 17 suburbs announced as having Covid exposure sites in a worrying late night drop on Thursday

Officials announced 11 new cases of the highly-infectious Indian Delta strain on Thursday, bringing the total number of infections linked to the Bondi cluster up to 36 - with several more lingering mystery cases.

Since the outbreak began last week, 181 exposure sites have been added to the burgeoning list - 33 of which were added on Thursday night alone in suburbs sprawling right across Australia's largest city.

Covid-infected residents have been on 23 public transport routes, and anyone who visited one of 53 venues across Sydney over the past few days has been told to get a test and isolate immediately, regardless of the result.

In the surprise late night announcement just after 11pm, authorities demanded anyone who has visited a series of cafes, restaurants and gyms across Bondi, Potts Point, Darlinghurst and Alexandria contact NSW Health immediately, get tested and isolate for 14 days even if the test is negative.

Anyone who dined at Coffee, Tea & Me in Potts Point or who visited the pool or the change rooms at the Elixr Health Club in Bondi Junction on Sunday has been told to do the same.

Likewise, diners in the inner west who went to Cantine Verte Cafe or The Pommery Cafe in Alexandra on Monday has been given the same advice.

In Bondi, people who went to Elixr Health Club but did not go to the change rooms or the pool have been told to isolate until a negative test is returned.

Anyone who visited in Westfield Paramatta (pictured) on Wednesday has been told to isolate until they test negative after the shop was visited by an infected person

Commuters are seen wearing face masks as they arrive at Circular Quay by ferry on Thursday, as the number of Covid cases grew by 11 in Sydney

SUBURBS ON ALERT: Alexandria Bankstown Bondi Bondi Junction Casula Darlinghurst Double Bay East Sydney Gregory Hill Kensington Merrylands North Sydney Parramatta Potts Point Randwick Rouse Hill Vaucluse Advertisement

The same advice goes for anyone who went to Harry's Bondi, Bondi Relish, La Piadina, Lyfe Cafe, Royal Hotel, Fitness First Platinum or Fitness First on Spring Street in the beachside suburb on Sunday or Monday.

In the west, anyone who went to Amart Furniture in Bankstown on Sunday, Domino's Pizza or Big Bun in Merrylands on Monday, or Kmart in Westfield Paramatta on Wednesday has been told to isolate until they test negative.

Further south, shoppers who went to Crossroads Homemaker Centre in Casula on Sunday has been told to stay at home for 14 days until they get a negative test, or if they went to Gregory Hills Town Centre, in the city's south-west.

An exposure site was also added in North Sydney, with anyone who visited Priceline Pharmacy on Walker Street on Monday told to isolate until testing negative.

Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.

It was initially revealed that the hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.

But in a another worrying development on Thursday night, NSW Health announced that the salon had been exposed to coronavirus for nine full days - from the moment it opened to the second it closed - between June 15 and June 23.

Skin Medi Spa and Wellness, in the same complex is under a similar order with anyone who visited from Wednesday June 16 to 23 Wednesday - at all times - urged to isolate and get tested immediately.

Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser (pictured, former WAG Phoebe Burgess at the salon earlier this week)

In the west, anyone who went to Amart Furniture in Bankstown on Sunday, Domino's Pizza (pictured) or Big Bun in Merrylands on Monday has also been told to get tested
A bitter war of words erupted yesterday between Sir Keir Starmer and a former Labour MP bidding to destroy him in a crucial Northern by-election next week.

George Galloway said Sir Keir will be brought down as Labour leader 'in a puff of wokery' in the Batley and Spen contest in Yorkshire.

Mr Galloway, who is standing in the by-election, said Labour will lose because of its 'trans-mania infatuation' contempt for the 'white English working class', its opposition to Brexit, and Sir Keir's failings.

The Labour leader had 'no personality' and was 'so wooden the birds are trying to nest in him', Mr Galloway told the Daily Mail.

But Sir Keir hit back by accusing Mr Galloway of turning the by-election into a 'circus'.

George Galloway (pictured) said Sir Keir will be brought down as Labour leader 'in a puff of wokery' in the Batley and Spen contest in Yorkshire

Asked about Mr Galloway's remarks, he said: 'If Galloway has got something to say, he should talk about the people of Batley and Spen instead of talking about himself or me.'

According to the polls, the Tories are poised to win the 'Red Wall' seat from Labour next Thursday.

Mr Galloway is standing for the Workers' Party on a pro-Palestine and 'anti-woke' ticket in Batley and Spen, where nearly one in five voters are Muslim. He is tipped to win enough votes from disaffected Labour voters to inflict another shattering defeat on the party in its heartland and increase the risk of Sir Keir being forced to resign.

Mr Galloway, 66, has been a controversial political figure for many years. After becoming a Labour MP in 1987, he was thrown out of the party in 2003 largely because of his fervent opposition to the war in Iraq. He sparked controversy when he told Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein: 'I salute your courage, strength and indefatigability.'

Embattled Sir Keir yesterday recruited Tony Blair's former adviser Matthew Doyle as his interim head of communications in his latest attempt to stop the Labour rot. But Mr Galloway said Sir Keir could not replicate Mr Blair's electoral success.

'Starmer is a block of wood, so wooden the birds are trying to nest in him. He is Blair without any of the polish. In the 24-hour TV media age you cannot prosper when you have no personality or colourful character. Starmer is a desiccated calculating machine that has gone haywire.'

The Labour leader had 'no personality' and was 'so wooden the birds are trying to nest in him', Mr Galloway told the Daily Mail

Tellingly, when this newspaper asked Sir Keir yesterday whether he considered Batley to be a 'must-win seat,' he declined to say so.

Instead, he turned his fire on Mr Galloway: 'It tells you everything you need to know about the other candidates that they want to turn the by-election into a story about themselves or a story about me when it ought to be about the people of Batley and Spen.'

Sir Keir said Mr Galloway was no match for 'outstanding' Labour candidate Kim Leadbeater, the sister of the area's former Labour MP Jo Cox, who was murdered by a Right-wing extremist in 2016.

Sir Keir's Left-wing deputy Angela Rayner and Blairite ex-Cabinet minister Andy Burnham, currently Mayor of Greater Manchester, are seen as possible successors if he is forced to stand down.

Mr Galloway said: 'At least Burnham and Rayner speak human.'

He added: 'Labour is going out in a puff of wokery. Its trans-mania infatuation has turned off millions. The visceral dislike of Labour on white English working-class estates is palpable. People have concluded Labour doesn't like them  and they heartily reciprocate.'

He said former Speaker and ex-Tory Remainer John Bercow joining Labour had enraged pro-Brexit Labour voters. 'Bercow twisted every parliamentary rule to try to cheat the British people out of Brexit.

'Now Labour has got Little Napoleon Bercow in its breast pocket.'
It is a highly acclaimed biography of Britain's greatest living playwright that was written with his full co-operation.

But the subject of the book  Sir Tom Stoppard  yesterday said he has not read it properly because he considers it 'radioactive'.

The 83-year-old has only dipped into Dame Hermione Lee's work  Tom Stoppard: A Life, published last year  as a memory aid for himself.

During a conversation with Dame Hermione in front of an audience at the Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival, he said: 'On a few occasions since the book was published, I had to turn to Hermione's book to find out something about myself.

Sir Tom Stoppard  yesterday said he has not read Dame Hermione Lee's biography of him properly because he considers it 'radioactive'. Pictured: Sir Tom with his wife Sabrina Guinness

'I would be filling in a form and if it said "grandmother's maiden name" I'd think, "Oh God, I don't know, what did Hermione write?" So in that sort of rather trivial way it has been useful.

'I would say to [Dame Hermione], "I'm sorry, but your book is still radioactive as far as I'm concerned" so I haven't really got into the book in a way a normal reader would open it and read it and so forth.

'I have read many books since Hermione's book was published  but not hers.'

Sir Tom also spoke of how his latest  and possibly last  play Leopoldstadt, which is set among the Jewish community of Vienna in the first half of the 20th century and follows the lives of a family who had fled the pogroms, relates to his own life.

The 83-year-old has only dipped into Dame Hermione Lee's work  Tom Stoppard: A Life, published last year  as a memory aid for himself

Czech-born to Jewish parents, Sir Tom spent his early years in Singapore until the Japanese invasion.

His father stayed on and drowned trying to escape in 1942, while Sir Tom went to India with his mother and brother, then to England when he was eight. He found out in later life that close relatives died in the Holocaust.

Yesterday Sir Tom told the festival audience in Wiltshire he did not know why he had waited so long to add an autobiographical element to one of his plays but added: 'I'm rather glad I did because once I'd written this play I wasn't sure that there was anything I'd want to write about after this.'
As famed Sydney salon Joh Bailey slammed its doors shut after becoming an exposure site, Brian Zammitt and his deep cleaning business swooped in to clean up the mess.

BAMS Hygiene Management completed a deep clean of the Double Bay hair salon on Thursday, despite a venue not being required to do so after exposure to Covid-19.

Mr Zammitt said venues are only required to call in professional cleaners if they receive direct contact from NSW Health with instructions to do so.

A BAMS Hygiene Management worker disinfects famed Sydney Hair Salon Joh Bailey as it shuts its door after being labelled an exposure site

'It depends on the degree of exposure, if it's a close contact or passing contact who could have infected parts of the building,' he said.

'It's essentially up to the business.'

Some businesses may be exposed to a positive case for days due to an infected employee, or have multiple cases which spread the virus through air ventilation, or simply a single case who visited the venue.

Cleaners prepare to dress head to toe in PPE and hazmat suits with cleaning crews involving up to 40 people

A professional clean can cost an average sized venue up to several thousand dollars and for some businesses, the impact of shutting up shop and leaving it empty may not be worth the cost.

Mr Zammitt revealed the intricate process involved with deep cleaning which at times can require a crew of up to 40 people, dressed head to toe in PPE and hazmat suits.

At the top of the priority list is containing the building's air-ventilation while a sign is displayed to warn people of exposure risk.

The first crew enter carrying back-packs filled with deep cleaning spray to blast the virus affected area.

Workers enter Joh Bailey Salon carrying back-packs filled with deep cleaning spray to blast the virus affected area

A second crew arrive to hand-wipe any hard surfaces before the third team enters to go through infection control with industrial strength chemicals.

An external microbiology lab is then called in to swab the venue and ensure there's no remaining trace of the virus.

Once a swab result is returned the lab issues a 'cleaning clearance certificate'.

Mr Zammitt said businesses can still reopen its doors without receiving the clearance certificate.

'They can request a clearance certificate after swabbing but it's up to the clients,' he said.

Sydney's latest Covid outbreak has resulted in a business boom for Mr Zammitt who revealed he'd been working since 4.30am and is unsure of when he will head home.

'I've just missed six or seven calls while speaking to you' he said.

The surge in clients comes as Sydney records 22 new Covid-19 cases on Friday morning. All of the new cases are linked to others except for three including a nine-year-old school student.

Residents in Sydney's eastern suburbs continue to get tested for Covid-19 at St Vincent's Hospital pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Friday

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs in the past two weeks.

They are only allowed outside for work, education, essential shopping, care-giving and exercise in groups of ten or less.

The order will be in place from 11.59pm Friday June 25 until 11.59pm Friday July 3.
Queensland has recorded two new locally transmitted Covid cases following revelations a flight attendant spread the virus after becoming infected in hotel quarantine.

The state's chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said she isn't concerned about the cases as both Covid-positive Queenslanders were already in isolation while infectious.

Dr Young said the two new infections are likely linked to the Portuguese Family Centre or crossed paths with the flight attendant on the weekend at retail stores.

Officials fear a fully vaccinated hotel worker may have spread Covid between two guests on different floors of Four Points, used exclusively for airline staff

Queensland recorded two new locally transmitted Covid cases on Friday

The flight attendant, who flew into Brisbane from Portugal, tested positive on Saturday after catching Covid from another airline worker who arrived on a different flight and was quarantining on a different floor of Four Points Hotel.

Queensland Health officials believe a fully vaccinated quarantine hotel worker unknowingly carried the virus between the two people.

Preliminary investigations show the worker at the hotel escorted an infected man, who had arrived from Mongolia, to an ambulance.

The same worker then went to a higher floor and swabbed the flight attendant.

Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded no new locally acquired coronavirus cases beyond the two infections already announced by authorities.

The Health Department has confirmed the state recorded two local cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to Friday morning.

An Oakleigh man in his 60s tested positive on Thursday after returning from Sydney at the weekend and his co-worker at the Sandringham Dry Cleaners has also tested positive.

The Oakleigh man is believed to contracted the virus during a party at his daughter's house in West Hoxton in Sydney.

That Saturday night party has since been declared a super-spreader event.

The man returned to Melbourne on Jetstar flight JQ523, which left Sydney at 5.30pm on Sunday.

A number of restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria also eased on Friday

Meanwhile, Victoria has recorded no new locally acquired coronavirus cases beyond the two infections already announced by authorities

The flight has been listed as a tier-one exposure site, meaning anyone on board must get tested and isolate for 14 days.

The man took a bus from the airport to Broadmeadows and boarded a train from Broadmeadows to Flinders Street, then Flinders Street to Oakleigh to get home.

The bus and two trains are tier-two sites, meaning any other commuters will need to isolate until they get a negative test result.

The three train stations and a number of shops including a Woolworths in Burwood East and a shopping centre, fruit shop and Asian grocery in Forest Hill have also been listed as exposure sites.

The Sandringham dry-cleaning business has been listed as a tier-one exposure site and QR code data from the business is being analysed.

The man's only workplace close contact tested positive late on Thursday afternoon.

The second man's family has been isolated and members are being tested, with contact tracing underway.

The family of the dry cleaner owner have all tested negative but will still be required to isolate for 14 days.

A number of restrictions in metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria also eased on Friday.

People across the state can have up to 15 visitors to their home, up from two in Melbourne and five in regional Victoria.

Funerals and weddings are now capped at 300 people. Hospitality venues can serve up to 300 in Melbourne but density limits still apply.
An Ofcom boss said he has seen nothing problematic on GB News after brands pulled advertising from the new channel.

Group director of content and media policy Kevin Bakhurst said there was nothing that would worry me as a regulator about its content.

Brands including Ikea, Vodafone and the Open University withdrew after pressure from hard-left campaign groups.

Mr Bakhurst, a former BBC news executive, said he was not part of Ofcoms formal monitoring but had been tuning in.

Ofcom group director of content and media policy Kevin Bakhurst said there was nothing that would worry me as a regulator about the channel's content

He told a media industry event everything he had seen was accurate and looked like it achieved due impartiality.

From what Ive seen so far, and I was watching it through my news background but also through my regulators eye now, overall theres nothing that leaps out at me as thinking thats problematic.

The channel, whose chairman is ex BBC veteran Andrew Neil, aims to be an alternative to left-leaning rivals like the BBC.

The channel, whose chairman is ex BBC veteran Andrew Neil, aims to be an alternative to left-leaning rivals like the BBC

GB News presenter and former ITN veteran Alastair Stewart said indications were that viewers thought it had been an own goal by those companies.

Mr Stewart said it was pathetic, inaccurate, ridiculous and misleading and that some middle-ranking people in advertising agencies got caught up in it and decided that perhaps there was some upmarket publicity for them.

The former ITV newsreader also spoke out about left-wing woke culture, which GB News regularly targets, saying it led to intellectual walking on eggshells and that I cannot bear it, I cannot abide it. He added: I just think its a nonsense.

Mr Neil, a presenter on GB News, had accused big brands of being in thrall to far left agitators and cranks.
Searchers have found a body in the hunt for a missing canoeist who is feared drowned after he 'fell out of his boat' in the fast-flowing River Thames.

The elderly man, who has not been identified, slipped from his canoe on Wednesday and disappeared beneath the surface of the river in the exclusive neighbourhood of Caversham, Reading. His boat was later found floating downstream.

On Thursday night, a Thames Valley Police spokesman said: 'A body has been located in the search for a missing man in the River Thames.

'Yesterday, Thames Valley Police were called to a fear for welfare incident at the River Thames near Caversham Bridge. A man had entered the water but wasn't seen to leave.'

According to witnesses, the canoeist had set off from the nearby Reading Canoe Club at 11am yesterday before making his way to Caversham Bridge.

Passers-by then heard a 'loud splash' and reportedly spotted the empty boat, with nearby fishermen and members of the club later joining a search.

Police are today searching for a missing canoeist who is feared drowned after he 'fell out of his boat' in the fast-flowing River Thames more than 24 hours ago. Pictured: The search today

On Thursday night, a Thames Valley Police spokesman said: 'A body has been located in the search for a missing man in the River Thames

Police on Thursday said the body of a man had been recovered and his next of kin has been informed. It has not been made public whether the body has been identified as that of the missing canoeist.

The man's death is being treated as 'unexplained and not suspicious,' police said, adding that a file will be prepared for the Berkshire coroner.

The body was taken to the mortuary at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading where a pathologist will conduct a post mortem examination later to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Thames Valley Police thanked 'emergency services, local residents and Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue who assisted our officers' in the search.

Earlier on Thursday, specialist divers were seen aiding Thames Valley Police in their efforts today, alongside Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue.

Witnesses in the upmarket neighbourhood reported spotting the canoe floating down the water moments after the alarm was sounded on Wednesday.

Houses close to the river in Caversham sell for up to 1.2million.

Earlier on Thursday, specialist divers were seen aiding Thames Valley Police in their efforts today, alongside Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue

According to witnesses, the canoeist had set off from the nearby Reading Canoe Club (above) at 11am yesterday before making his way to Caversham Bridge

Fisherman Peter Godfrey said: 'There was a man in a canoe who fell into the river. I found out when a man cycled down and asked if I had seen the man who had fallen in.

'They were searching for him but it was not long before the emergency services got here. They were searching for him up and down the river for a long time. They were just going backwards and forwards for hours.

'I never saw the man but I spotted the canoe drifting downriver.'

Those on the banks of the nearby Warren reported seeing an air ambulance and police helicopter hovering about the water amid the frantic search yesterday.

George Scott said: 'It was just before 1pm that I saw the police boat was out on the water.

'Apparently a member of the public had heard a loud splash and they had spotted the empty canoe and raised the alarm.

'There were three fire engines and an incident commander from the fire service as well as police, ambulance, the air ambulance and then police helicopters.

'They found the canoe but they could not find the man. The helicopter was hovering 50ft above the water looking for him. They were looking for a good while.

'There were even three paramedics in the water as well as a boat from the fire service and police.'

It is understood the missing man is a member of the Reading Canoe Club.

The club yesterday closed and flew a flag at half mast.

A note on the gates said: 'Due to an incident, activities from the club are cancelled today. We are thinking of all those affected by today's events.'
A couple's wedding dreams were shattered after their venue was turned into a red list quarantine hotel just weeks before their big day.

Jon Shaw and Wendy Thornton were due to get married at the Bromsgrove Holiday Inn on July 17 after 18 months spent planning the wedding.

The bride-to-be was enjoying a hair and make-up trial for the big day when she received a devastating call from the hotel to say the venue would no longer be available.

The couple, from Redditch, Worcestershire, said the news came completely out of the blue, having had a food tasting session with the hotel's chef, at which they chose their wedding meal, on June 8.

The hotel, on Kidderminster Road, closed to the public on Thursday as it prepares for use as a quarantine base.

Jon, 55, said the new development was just the latest difficulty he and Wendy had had with their venue.

Jon Shaw and Wendy Thornton wedding dreams were shattered after their venue was turned into a red list quarantine hotel just weeks before their big day

Tieran Bhuhi, spokeswoman for IHG, which runs Holiday Inn, said she could not comment on the approach to quarantine or hotel selection. Pictured: The Bromsgrove Holiday Inn, where the couple were due to wed

'The Holiday Inn has been messing us about and none of this has been pleasant at what should be a happy time,' he said.

'The hotel hadn't been replying to our messages for ages and then, with 28 days to go, they suddenly phone to say we can't get married at the hotel.'

Jon said the venue did offer alternative dates or locations, like the Holiday Inn in Perry Berry but it was too short notice for the couple to register the wedding in a new area for the same date.

'A poor events co-ordinator was tasked with phoning up all the couples who had weddings cancelled and she sounded really embarrassed,' Jon said.

'She was reluctant to tell us why, but eventually said that it was because the Holiday Inn was becoming a quarantine hotel,' he added.

Jon said that the venue situation had led to arguments between him and his fiancee at what should be the most exciting time of their lives.

Thankfully, friends and Worcestershire registrars rallied to save the day, and Jon and Wendy can still tie the knot on July 17 at another venue after it had a last-minute cancellation.

The couple, who met while working together at Wilkos in Redditch nine years ago, will say 'I do' at Westmead Hotel in Alvechurch after the local registrar organised a waiver for the venue change, costing them an extra 120.

They have demanded that Holiday Inn pay the extra costs but have had no reply.

'Just two weeks ago, the chef and his team led us through a food tasting session for our wedding breakfast and obviously didn't have a clue about what was going to happen,' Jon said.

Thankfully, friends and Worcestershire registrars rallied to save the day, and Jon and Wendy can still tie the knot on July 17 at another venue after it had a last-minute cancellation

'Wendy didn't cry as she's not that kind of person, but it has been stressful and all we wanted was to sit back, relax and have a special time in the lead up to the big day.

'It's no way to treat people. I wouldn't recommend the Holiday Inn to anyone as they ruined our wedding day.'

Tieran Bhuhi, spokeswoman for IHG, which runs Holiday Inn, said she could not comment on the approach to quarantine or hotel selection.

'During the pandemic, IHG and our hotels have been proud to support Government-led programmes around the world, which has seen a small number of our hotels being used as vaccination centres, while others are providing accommodation for isolation and quarantine - including as Managed Quarantine Hotels Facilities for guests that are required to quarantine on arrival to the UK, which is being managed by the Government's Department of Health and Social Care,' Ms Bhuhi said.

The Department of Health and Social Care has said it is expanding the Managed Quarantine Service to provide enough hotel capacity to ensure British citizens and residents were able to exercise their right to return from a red list country.
Camera-happy shoppers have been slammed for bombarding a lost koala at a shopping centre and completely disregarding its wellbeing by taking photographs.

The native Australian marsupial, named Tej, was spotted wandering the car park outside of Westfield Coomera in the Gold Coast, Queensland, on Sunday.

Nearby shoppers immediately surrounded the animal to take photographs despite signs it was lost and extremely distressed.

The koala tried to escape the attention and ran up a small tree to hide.

Camera-happy shoppers have been slammed for bombarding a lost koala at a shopping centre and completely disregarding its wellbeing by taking photographs

The native Australian marsupial, named Tej, was spotted wandering the carpark outside of Westfield Coomera in the Gold Coast, Queensland, on Sunday

Wildlife services only became aware of the situation after a post was made to social media that encouraged people to come down and see the 'cute koala'.

Wildcare Australia's Amy Wregg immediately went down to the shopping centre and recruited the help of the centre's security guard to control the crowd.

It then took over an hour for her to coax the stressed animal down from the tree.

'We had a bit of an entourage filming us at some point, because they thought it was quite entertaining that there was a koala at a shopping centre,' Ms Wregg told Yahoo.

'He was very stressed and very vocal which isn't the most pleasant sounding noise.'

The koala has been sent to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital to be treated for chlamydia.

Ms Wregg said that it will be released back into the wildlife once it has been treated.

She added it would be difficult to find a suitable place for it to live as its habitats are slowly destroyed by nearby development projects.

'I'm just worried that wherever I release him he's going to get pushed out again.'

The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment have released a draft consultation revealing the koala population has plummeted 60 per cent across New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory in the last 20 years.

Wildcare Australia's Amy Wregg immediately went down to the shopping centre (pictured, Westfield Coomera) and recruited the help of the centre's security guard to control the crowd

Koala habitats have also been destroyed and cleared to make way for large development projects.

This has raised fears the marsupial could become extinct in parts of the country as soon as 2050.

Ms Wregg said the ongoing development of the Coomera Connector had destroyed many local habitats and forced koalas into suburbia.

'Personally, it is pretty soul destroying, watching them decline so rapidly and feeling like we are hitting our heads against a wall,' she said.
Advertisement

Boris Johnson today refused to sack Matt Hancock having accepted an apology that neglected to mention the wife he cheated on after he was caught on CCTV passionately kissing his most senior aide against the door of his Whitehall office.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Mr Johnson now 'considered the matter closed' and refused to answer questions on whether Mr Hancock broke the law or ministerial code as the Health Secretary admitted he had 'let people down' and said sorry for flouting social distancing rules.

Married Mr Hancock, 42, failed to deny claims of a secret long-term affair after extraordinary images revealed his passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, where he was filmed rubbing her back and bottom during their workplace embrace.

In an extraordinary statement he did not mention his wife of 15 years Martha, the mother of his three children, who was pictured looking heartbroken while walking the family dog near their north London home today, only saying he had 'let people down' and wanted 'privacy for my family on this personal matter'.

As Mr Hancock fights for his political life, Labour and the Liberal Democrats branded him a 'hypocrite' who should be fired for kissing a lover and ignoring his own 'hands, face and space' mantra while telling the UK not to hug their loved-ones and not to have casual sex and stick to 'established relationships' to stop coronavirus spreading.

But despite the sleaze scandal Mr Hancock still hopes to survive and said: 'I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances. I have let people down and am very sorry. I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter'.

And backing him Boris Johnson's spokesman told reporters: 'You have seen the Health Secretary's statement and so I would point you to that, I don't really have anything further to add. He accepts that he has broken the social distancing guidelines. The Prime Minister has accepted the Health Secretary's apology and considers the matter closed.' He added 'all the correct procedures were followed' in hiring Gina Coladangelo, who is paid 15,000 for around 15 days work per year.

It came as a YouGov poll found that 49 per cent of people believe he should resign as Health Secretary. 25 per cent say he should remain and the final 26 per cent weren't sure.

As Downing Street made its first comments it confirmed suspicions that Boris Johnson would not sack his Health Secretary given his own chequered love life, especially after his own alleged four-year affair with American pole-dancing businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, who he employed as an advisor while Mayor of London.

Mr Hancock's kiss with Ms Coladangelo, a mother-of-three whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas, is alleged to have taken place at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.

Newly emerged footage appears to show Mr Hancock checking the corridor is clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace. The Sun claims they have been having an affair that has been the talk of the department - but it is not known if they remain in a relationship that was a secret until today.

He married Martha, 44, in 2006 and the couple have three children together. Mrs Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's home but didn't speak to reporters about her husband's alleged infidelity. Her husband was nowhere to be seen, however, she was still wearing her wedding ring.

The shutters were closed at the 4.5million South London home Mrs Coladangelo shares with Oliver Tress and their three children today. They are also believed to have a country home near the West Sussex coast. She has been working as an advisor for Mr Hancock since last year, with one source saying: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina'.

But they first met at Oxford University 25 years ago at their college's radio station and Mrs Coladangelo is friends with Matt Hancock's wife on Facebook and they have spent time together socially.

This is the image that has left Matt Hancock fighting for his job today that appears to show him kissing his millionaire aide - who is on the public payroll - in May this year

Mr Hancock said sorry for breaking social distancing and asked for 'privacy' for his family, but refused to resign as Health Secretary

A heartbroken Martha Hancock walks the couple's dog near their north London home today as he husband admitted he had 'let people down' but refused

The Health Secretary, 42, has been seen having a passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo (pictured here with Matt Hancock outside Downing Street in May), according to The Sun

Martha Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's north London home this morning after claims that her husband has been having a secret affair. She didn't comment

The Hancocks - who met while they were both students at Oxford University - split their time between London and West Suffolk, the constituency he represents. While his farmhouse (pictured) was closed up today, locals hit out at the hypocrisy of married Mr Hancock being caught in a steamy clinch with Mrs Coladangelo

Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, with whom he has three children

Mrs Coladangelo (pictured here with husband Oliver Tress - the founder of the Oliver Bonas clothing chain), who is a director and shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon

Matt Hancock smiles and laughs at his alleged lover as they leave the BBC after appearing on the Marr show in June

Matt Hancock's glamorous mother-of-three 'lover' Gina Coladangelo, 43, is married to the millionaire behind Oliver Bonas and boasts a string of celebrity friends Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together several years ago) founded - while also being Mr Hancock's closest aid The woman Matt Hancock has been allegedly having an affair with is a millionaire communications director of fashion firm Oliver Bonas, which was the brainchild of her husband. Gina Coladangelo works for the company her spouse Oliver Tress founded - while also being Mr Hancock's closest aide. The mother of three, 43, is a major shareholder - as well as director - of the lobbying firm Luther Pendragon. Gina Coladangelo leaves the BBC with Mr Hancock on June 6 Mrs Coladangelo, who lives with her husband and their three children in South West London, appointment to the Department of Health in March 2020 by Mr Hancock sparked uproar due to her outside interests. Mr Hancock and Mrs Coladangelo, who it was revealed last night have allegedly been having an affair, first met at Oxford University while working on student radio together. She studied politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) at Oxford between 1995 and 1998, the same as Mr Hancock. Despite them knowing each other and apparently maintaining their friendship, Mr Hancock married Martha Millar in 2006, with whom he now has three children. Mrs Coladangelo has been spotted leaving Downing Street with the Health Secretary on a number of occasions. A source told the Sunday Times last year: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina. She knows everything.' But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer. She was an unpaid adviser for Mr Hancock but claims of 'chumocracy' emerged in November when it was revealed she was attending confidential meetings. Mrs Coladangelo was made a non-executive director at the Department for Health in September. She shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'. Away from work, Mrs Coladangelo has three children - Talia, Bruno and Layla. In 2012 she told the Daily Mail how she had returned to work while being a mother. She paid for a live-in nanny at their home in south-west London and worked flexible hours. Mrs Coladangelo said: 'I don't worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them. 'I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice. 'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted. I want to work to give something back.' Her husband Oliver gave an interview to the Financial Times in November 2015 and spoke about their house. He said: 'Our indulgence was moving to a bigger home in Wandsworth in September. We barely had a garden in Clapham, but the new house has a bigger garden and more space downstairs. 'We might be able to build an extension. The mortgage will still be pretty considerable, as retail businesses are not necessarily throwing up a lot of cash. I am not a tycoon.' Advertisement

Downing Street said the Prime Minister has accepted Health Secretary Matt Hancock's apology for breaching social distancing guidelines and 'considers the matter closed'.

'You've seen the Health Secretary's statement, so I would point you to that,' a spokesman for the Prime Minister said after being asked by reporters why Mr Hancock remained in post.

'I don't really have anything further to add.

'The Health Secretary set out that he accepted he had breached the social distancing guidelines and he has apologised for that.

'The Prime Minister has accepted the Health Secretary's apology and considers the matter closed.'

Asked whether Boris Johnson had 'full confidence' in Mr Hancock, the spokesman replied: 'Yes.'

Downing Street repeatedly refused to comment on whether Health Secretary Matt Hancock had broken the law after he was pictured kissing a close aide in his Whitehall department.

A Downing Street spokesman told a Westminster briefing: 'I would point you to his statement. He says 'I accept I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances'.

'He sets out that he apologises for that and as I say, the Prime Minister has accepted that apology.'

Responding to the PM's spox claiming the Matt Hancock affair is 'closed', a Labour Party spokeswoman said: 'This matter is definitely not closed, despite the Government's attempts to cover it up.

'Matt Hancock appears to have been caught breaking the laws he created while having a secret relationship with an aide he appointed to a taxpayer-funded job. The Prime Minister recently described him as 'useless' - the fact that even now he still can't sack him shows how spineless he is'.

England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty has declined to comment on Matt Hancock's actions.

Asked outside the Department of Health, in central London, on Friday afternoon if he had anything to say about the Health Secretary's apology, Prof Whitty replied: 'Nothing.'

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has said there are 'legitimate public interest questions to be answered' after images were published appearing to show Health Secretary Matt Hancock in an embrace with his aide.

When asked about the matter during a press conference, Mr Drakeford said: 'I think there is a legitimate distinction to be drawn between what people do in their private lives and what they do in their public lives.

'I'm not trying to make points about what people do as entirely private matters, but in the case of Mr Hancock it does seem to me that there are some issues that are of genuine public interest.

'I do think there are questions that need to be answered about whether those rules were broken, the social distancing rules.

'Mr Hancock himself was very quick to condemn a senior academic from Imperial College when he was found breaching those rules, so I think there are questions, legitimate public interest questions, to answer there.

'I think there are legitimate public interest questions to be answered about how individuals are appointed if they turn out to be in a different sort of relationship with the minister who was responsible for their appointment.

'Certainly here in Wales, I always expect the whole of our ministerial team to observe the rules that we expect other people to observe.

'You can't make laws for other people and then not be willing to abide by them yourself.'

Mr Hancock was meant to be at Newmarket Racecourse to visit the vaccination centre but a spokesman revealed he cancelled at the last minute 'early this morning'.

A Department of Health probe into how the footage from outside Mr Hancock's office was leaked is expected, with the whistleblower described as a former civil servant who was angry about his 'brazen' affair, adding: 'They have tried to keep it a secret but everyone knows what goes on inside a building like that'.

The kiss was also 11 days before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission for the public to hug at a time where Mr Hancock told people: 'Always stay two metres away from people you don't live with' and using the mantra: 'Hands, face and space'.

Labour Party chair, Anneliese Dodds, commenting on revelations about Matt Hancock, said: 'If Matt Hancock has been secretly having a relationship with an adviser in his office - who he personally appointed to a taxpayer-funded role - it is a blatant abuse of power and a clear conflict of interest.

'The charge sheet against Matt Hancock includes wasting taxpayers' money, leaving care homes exposed and now being accused of breaking his own Covid rules.

'His position is hopelessly untenable. Boris Johnson should sack him.'

Will serial adulterer Boris Johnson sack Matt Hancock despite his affair with Jennifer Arcuri and the PM's own chequered love life? Boris Johnson is said to have had a four-year affair with Jennifer Arcuri  a pole-dancing American businesswoman. Matt Hancock is clinging to his job today as he waits to hear if serial adulterer Boris Johnson will sack him. But some have suggested that the PM's own chequered love life, including a series of affairs might prevent him giving the Health Secretary the push. When he was Mayor of London he made Jennifer Arcuri his lover, and the Prime Minister even sent his former mistress a text message saying 'I miss you and I need you' while courting current fiancee Carrie Symonds, it is alleged. When he was at City Hall, Boris Johnson is said to have had a four-year affair with Ms Arcuri  a pole-dancing American businesswoman. In a new biography about the Prime Minister called The Gambler, by Tom Bower, it is claimed Miss Arcuri ended their relationship as his second term as mayor came to an end in May 2016. The biography claims his last text message to her was sent on December 29, 2018. He allegedly wrote: 'I miss you and I need you.' She deleted the text. By then, Mr Johnson was divorcing his wife Marina Wheeler and had already been courting Miss Symonds since February of that year. No 10 declined to comment. Advertisement

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care Munira Wilson MP said: 'Matt Hancock is a terrible Health Secretary and should have been sacked a long time ago for his failures.

'This latest episode of hypocrisy will break the trust with the British public. He was telling families not to hug loved ones, while doing whatever he liked in the workplace.

'It's clear that he does not share the public's values. Rules for them and rules for us is no way to run a country.

'From the PPE scandal, the crisis in our care service and the unbelievably poor test and trace system, he has utterly failed. It is time for the Health Secretary to go.'

A Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage and reportedly no longer works for the department, told The Sun it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic with an adviser and friend he used public money to hire'.

The alleged affair piles even more pressure on Mr Hancock, who was already reportedly battling for his job over his handling of the pandemic Dominic Cummings released WhatsApp messages from the PM that showed Mr Johnson branded him 'f***ing useless'.

Aside from the serious allegations of an affair, there will also be questions to answer about kissing someone outside his bubble during the pandemic and whether this breaches any of the Covid rules he has helped create.

Mr Hancock, who is yet to comment, has cancelled an event in his West Suffolk constituency this morning where he would have faced questions over the affair and whether he can keep his job. He also deleted an Instagram post from last night where he said he 'works with some brilliant women'.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said today it was an 'entirely personal' matter for his cabinet colleague. He told LBC radio: 'I have seen the photo but, as ever with private matters, I always try to avoid commenting on other people's personal lives and I think I'll stick with that tradition here.'

Asked whether the Health Secretary should have been 'ignoring social distancing', Mr Shapps replied: 'I'm quite sure that whatever the rules were at the time were followed. You'll recall that there was a point at which social distancing rules were changed but, as I say, I don't want to comment on somebody else's private life - that is for them.'

The Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said he would not be commenting on an 'entirely personal' matter after pictures were published allegedly depicting his married Cabinet colleague Matt Hancock in an embrace with his closest aide.

Mr Shapps told Sky News that former lobbyist Gina Coladangelo  who the Health Secretary met at university  would have gone through an 'incredibly rigorous' process to get the job.

Hancock had cosy clinch with millionaire aide the day before he was blasted for 'sexist' remarks in the Commons before vanishing for ten days before BBC appearance with his 'lover' The Health Secretary (right) disagreed when Dr Rosena Allin-Khan (left) and was accused of sexism in the exchange on the day before the kiss with Gina Coladangelo Matt Hancock's CCTV snog with Gina Coladangelo on May 6 came on the day after he was accused of sexism. On May 5 Health Secretary was castigated for telling a female Labour MP to 'watch her tone' after she grilled him on the government's coronavirus testing strategy in the House of Commons. Dr Rosena Allin-Khan, a former Labour deputy leader candidate who also works as an A&E doctor in the fight against the pandemic, said the government's policy had 'cost lives' and called on Hancock to commit to a minimum of 100,000 tests per day going forward. In response, an indignant Health Secretary told the Labour MP that she should 'take a leaf out of the shadow secretary of state's book in terms of tone'. Dr Allin-Khan, who attends shadow cabinet meetings, shared the exchange on social media and later tweeted she would not 'watch her tone' when challenging the government. The Health Secretary's comment sparked uproar among MPs, with former acting Labour Party leader Harriet Harman branding it 'creepy'. Mr Hancock kept a fairly low profile at the time of the kiss. His last public appearance before the May 6 clinch was on April 30, while on the local election trail for the Tories. He went for a pint in a pub garden (right) as he campaigned inside the 'Red Wall'. And then his next appearance in public was ten days after this kiss, on May 16, and was seen with his alleged lover at the BBC. Mr Hancock and Gina Coladange looked serious as they left Broadcasting House together (below) The Health Secretary had just appeared on the Andrew Marr show where he discussed the loosening of lockdown rules the following day. Advertisement

Asked about the rules around appointing friends to Government positions, Mr Shapps said: 'First of all, I think the actual issue is entirely personal for Matt Hancock.

'In terms of rules, anyone who has been appointed has to go through an incredibly rigorous process in Government, so whatever the rules are, the rules will have to be followed.

'There are no short cuts to that, as anyone who has had anything to do with the appointments system in the Civil Service knows.

'There are very strict rules in place.'

Labour said the Government needs to answer whether the Health Secretary had broken any rules or there had been 'conflicts of interest' in the appointment of his closest adviser.

It follows reports that Matt Hancock has been having a relationship with a senior aide whom he first met when they were at Oxford University.

An Opposition party spokesman said: 'Ministers, like everyone, are entitled to a private life.

'However, when taxpayers' money is involved or jobs are being offered to close friends who are in a personal relationship with a minister, then that needs to be looked into.

'The Government needs to be open and transparent about whether there are any conflicts of interests or rules that have been broken'.

Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said he has 'every confidence' in the Health Secretary.

Speaking after a vaccine summit in London, Mr Zahawi told reporters: 'I have every confidence in Matt Hancock.'

Asked if he was disappointed in Mr Hancock's behaviour, he said: 'I've said everything I'm going to say on it. He's apologised. He's focusing on making sure that we get this (vaccine) sprint, this big sprint up to the 19th of July.'

Asked if it makes it harder for the public to follow the rules: 'The Secretary of State has apologised and has said everything he needs to say and the Prime Minister has full confidence in his Secretary of State and considers the matter closed.'

But Tim Montgomerie, a former Tory spad and ex-editor of the Conservative Home website, told Channel 4 News that Mr Hancock 'definitely should resign'.

He also tweeted earlier: 'For goodness sake will any Conservative minister resign after theyve done the wrong thing? Ever? Will anyone set an example?'

It comes after photographs appearing to show Mr Hancock kissing Mrs Coladangelo were published in the paper.

In the pictures, which appear to be from CCTV footage, Mr Hancock also appears to have his hand on the woman's backside.

Meanwhile, a source told the Sun that it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic'.

According to paper, the incident took place around 3pm on May 6, on the day of the local elections.

But the whistleblower told the Sun that they have been caught having 'regular clinches together'.

The source told the paper: 'It has also shocked people because he put her in such an important, publicly-funded role and this is what they get up to in office hours when everyone else is working hard.'

Mrs Coladangelo, who is a director and shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, was appointed to the Department of Health as an unpaid adviser in March last year.

Mrs Coladangelo was appointed as a non-executive director at the department in September, meaning she is a member of the board.

She can claim up to 15,000 in taxpayers' money in the role, though there is no public record of her appointment.

Mrs Coladangelo has had a parliamentary pass, which gives her access to Westminster, since April. Some claimed she started work in March 2020, but her LinkedIn says it was in September last year.

Mr Hancock was due to visit a vaccination centre today in his constituency but pulled out at the last minute because of the sleaze scandal engulfing him.

He cancelled plans to visit the Pharmacy2U centre at Newmarket Racecourse in Suffolk after a photograph emerged of the married politician kissing and embracing aide Gina Coladangelo.

A photographer employed by Pharmacy2U turned up to the racecourse this morning to take photos of the event but said he had been informed that Hancock would not be turning up.

The Hancocks, Gina Coladangelo and Oliver Tress: Timeline reveals how all four link together 1993 : Oliver Tress opens the first Oliver Bonas store on London's Fulham Road

: Oliver Tress opens the first Oliver Bonas store on London's Fulham Road 1995 : Matt Hancock starts studying PPE at the same time as Gina Coladangelo at Oxford University, where he also meets his future wife Martha Millar

: Matt Hancock starts studying PPE at the same time as Gina Coladangelo at Oxford University, where he also meets his future wife Martha Millar 1998 : Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo graduate from Oxford, where they also worked on studio radio

: Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo graduate from Oxford, where they also worked on studio radio 2006 : Matt Hancock marries Martha Millar

: Matt Hancock marries Martha Millar 2002 : Gina Coladangelo starts working at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, where she stays until 2014

: Gina Coladangelo starts working at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, where she stays until 2014 2011 : Oliver Tress and Gina Coladangelo are believed to have married around this year

: Oliver Tress and Gina Coladangelo are believed to have married around this year 2 0 14 : Gina Coladangelo starts working as marketing and communications director at Oliver Bonas

: Gina Coladangelo starts working as marketing and communications director at Oliver Bonas 2018 : Matt Hancock becomes Health Secretary

: Matt Hancock becomes Health Secretary 2020 : Gina Coladangelo is hired by Matt Hancock as a non-executive director at the Department of Health Advertisement

And asked if his no-show was a disappointment, one vaccination worker said: 'Nope, it's not the first time he has cancelled on us.'

However, when pressed a manger for Pharmacy2U refused to comment but denied that the Health Secretary had pulled out on previous visits.

The reports of the alleged affair come just weeks after Hancock was pictured enjoying lunch out with wife Martha - the granddaughter of Frederick Millar, 1st Baron Inchyra - in London.

The pair were seen waiting for a taxi after eating at Exmouth market in the capital.

They were last seen together in public at the England vs Scotland Euro 2020 match at Wembley a week ago.

Earlier this year, the father-of-three, who has two son and a daughter, was seen playing rugby in the park with his boys.

Matt Hancock met Gina when they worked on the Oxford University student radio station together in the 1990s.

Hancock was a minority sports reporter on Oxygen FM while studying for a philosophy, politics and economics degree.

Gina who was on the same course and also worked at the radio station where they became close friends.

They would have studied together, volunteered together on the radio station and socialised together while at Exeter College, Oxford.

She was described as Hancock's 'closest friend' from university when he appointed her as an unpaid adviser last year.

Hancock has spoken fondly of his days working alongside Coladangelo on the now defunct radio station.

As newly appointed Minister for Digital and Culture in 2016 he said: 'I think I somehow knew, when as a student I worked as minority sports correspondent for Oxygen 107.9 FM, that one day I'd become Minister for radio.'

The Sky Sports presenter David Garrido worked at the student radio station at about the same time as the couple.

The affair claims come just a day after the Queen expressed her sympathy for the under fire Health Secretary, referring to him as 'poor man'.

Gina Coladangelo and her husband Oliver Tress live in this property in South West London

Mrs Hancock wore sunglasses as she left home for work this morning hours after her husband's alleged affair emerged

Gina Coladangelo (Left) with Health secretary Matt Hancock at BBC Broadcasting House in central London where the Health Secretary appeared on The Andrew Marr show in early June

Last night, Mr Hancock, prior to the publication the alleged affair, posted an Instagram story appealing for more women to 'get involved in politics'. It was deleted this morning

Then-London Mayor Boris Johnson meets Oliver Tress while visiting an Oliver Bonas store in November 2015

Matt Hancock and wife Martha spotted out in London earlier this month. The couple had lunch in Exmouth market in the city of London

'I'm just busy saving lives!': What Matt Hancock said in month where he was kissing his millionaire aide Matt Hancock outside his home in north west London following Dominic Cummings' bombshell evidence to MPs Matt Hancock's tryst with his top aide last month came at a time when he said he was too busy fighting the pandemic to watch the news. The Health Secretary was in the firing line after Dominic Cummings' allegations to MPs that Mr Hancock is a serial liar who should have been sacked for his 'criminal, disgraceful behaviour' during the pandemic. After Mr Cummings' appearance in Parliament the Health Secretary was arriving at his north London home when he was asked to respond to the former No10 chief aide's claims that his dishonesty directly hindered the Government's handling of the crisis and led to thousands of deaths. Mr Hancock told reporters: 'I haven't seen this performance today in full, and instead I've been dealing with getting the vaccination rollout going, especially to over-30s, and saving lives. 'I'll be giving a statement to the House of Commons tomorrow and I'll have more to say then.' Advertisement

The Monarch, 96, made the comment as she welcomed Boris Johnson back to Buckingham Palace for her first in-person weekly audience with the Prime Minister since March last year.

The monarch told Mr Johnson it was 'very nice to see you again' and the premier replied: 'Lovely to see you again. It has been 15 months'

The Queen then said: 'Has it really? It is most extraordinary, isn't it? I have just been talking to your Secretary of State for Health, poor man, he came to the privy council. He is full of'

Mr Johnson interrupted and suggested 'full of beans' as the Queen then continued: 'He thinks that things are getting better.'

Mr Johnson replied: 'Well, they are'

The expression of sympathy from the monarch comes after Mr Hancock found himself at the centre of a political firestorm after Dominic Cummings published text messages from the PM in which Mr Johnson referred to the Cabinet minister as 'totally f****** hopeless'.

The Health Secretary dismissed the significance of the bombshell messages from Mr Johnson.

Mr Hancock said the communications, sent during the height of the coronavirus crisis last year, represented 'ancient history'.

He said that 'at times of stress people say all sorts of things in private' but 'what matters most is how well you work together'.

The Cabinet Minister also said he is not embarrassed by Mr Johnson's apparent assessment of his performance.

Mr Cummings, the PM's former chief aide, stepped up his war with Number 10 last week when he published a number of messages sent to him by Mr Johnson.

In one exchange from March 27 last year, Mr Cummings criticised the Health Secretary over the failure to ramp up testing, with Mr Johnson replying: 'Totally f****** hopeless.'

Another from the same day saw Mr Cummings complain that the Department of Health had been turning down ventilators because 'the price has been marked up'. Mr Johnson said: 'It's Hancock. He has been hopeless.'

On April 27, Mr Johnson apparently messaged Mr Cummings to say that PPE procurement was a 'disaster', suggesting that responsibility should be taken away from the Health Secretary.

'I can't think of anything except taking Hancock off and putting Gove on,' the PM said.

Was Health Secretary's office snog illegal? The Health Secretary was pictured embracing his aide Gina Coladangelo on May 6 in what appears to be CCTV footage from inside the Department for Health and Social Care. Legislation in place at the time stated that 'no person may participate in a gathering' that 'consists of two or more people... and takes place indoors.' The only exception to this rule was for 'work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services'. It is unclear whether Mr Hancock believes his embrace was part of a work meeting. Guidance in place until May 17 also said people should continue to keep their distance from anyone not in their household or support bubble. Specifically regarding workplaces, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had guidance in place at the time saying they must be kept Covid-secure. It said social distancing 'means keeping people apart to help reduce the spread of coronavirus', adding: 'Where possible, you should keep people 2m apart. If this is not possible, consider additional control measures.' The additional measures that could be used if social distancing was not possible included deciding 'if the activity can be stopped' and keeping 'the activity time as short as possible'. The workplace should also be organised 'so that people are side-by-side or facing away from each other rather than face-to-face'. Efforts should also be made to 'reduce the number of people in close proximity in the work area' and 'consider if workers can stay in one place or at one workstation when working'. Advertisement

Mr Hancock was asked last week, during an interview with the BBC Breakfast programme, how he felt about the PM describing him as 'hopeless'.

He said: 'Honestly? It feels like ancient history, right? The vaccine programme is a huge success.

'At times of stress people say all sorts of things in private. What matters is how well you work together.

'You are referring to comments apparently from the Prime Minister. I work with the Prime Minister every single day.

'We work very strongly together, firstly to protect life and secondly to get the country out of this. That is what matters.'

Told that it must be embarrassing for him to know Mr Johnson had said such things, Mr Hancock replied: 'No, it isn't really because of all the things we have delivered together.'

'We are here talking about the success of the vaccine programme, right? That is something that I very much led from the department, working with the Prime Minister.

'He has been a massive supporter of it throughout. Of course we have had obstacles and we have had people that we have had to deal with on the way.

'But what I can tell you is that the delivery of that programme has been absolutely fantastic.'

Mr Johnson said last week that he has 'complete confidence' in Mr Hancock and 'all of the Government who have been dealing with Covid-19 during the pandemic'.

Meanwhile, last night, Mr Hancock, prior to the publication of the Sun exclusive, posted an Instagram story appealing for more women to 'get involved in politics'.

In the post, Mr Hancock says he works 'alongside some brilliant women'.

The post adds: 'If you're a woman who wants to get involved in politics swipe up.'

Swiping up takes a person to a link to the Conservative Party page, calling for 'more Conservative women at every level of the Party and Government'.

Oxford-educated Hancock first became involved in politics working as a Tory campaigner in Guildford, before becoming an economic advisor to then shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne.

He was elected as an MP for West Suffolk in 2010 and has held several ministerial jobs, including his most recent and high profile role as Health Secretary, a position he was given in 2018 under then Prime Minister Theresa May.

Meet the Hancocks: Privately-educated health secretary who finds 'work-life balance a challenge' and his osteopath wife who descends from a Baron and a newspaper tycoon Mr Hancock has posted pictures of him and his wife on Instagram, including this one in 2017 as they attended the Brit Awards Matt Hancock was born in Chester where he went to the exclusive private school the King's School. He did his A-levels in maths, physics, computing and economics before doing computing at West Cheshire College. Like numerous Conservative MPs before him, he studied PPE at Exeter College, Oxford - where he graduated with a first. It was at the elite university that he realised he had dyslexia, which he only opened up about in recent years. He later did an MPhil in economics at Christ's College, Cambridge, before turning to politics in 1999 when he joined the Tories. But before becoming an MP, Mr Hancock trained as a jockey. He won a race in his constituency town of Newmarket in 2012. Mr Hancock married Martha (maiden name Miller) in 2006. The osteopath is the granddaughter of Frederick Millar, 1st Baron Inchyra - a British diplomat and Ambassador to West Germany. She is also the great granddaughter of the 1st Viscount Camrose, a Welsh newspaper publisher. The couple have three children - a daughter and two sons - and they live in Little Thurlow, west Suffolk, in the constituency the MP represents. They do not let their children have social media, but Mr Hancock has been seen playing rugby with the boys in London parks during the pandemic. When their third child was born in 2013, Mr Hancock was not about to get two weeks of paternity leave immediately. But he later took a two-month break, including the MPs' extended summer recess. He said at the time: 'I am taking paternity leave myself. It's important to form a strong bond with your children.' The Hancocks have kept their family life private, with Mrs Hancock rarely pictured by her husband's side. In an interview with the FT, Mr Hancock revealed he spends the week in London and weekend in Newmarket. He told the newspaper his 'work-life balance is a challenge', adding: 'I pay a lot of attention to timetabling. 'Both my professional and social and family time gets booked up a long way in advance and then you have to be strict about it.' Advertisement

Matt Hancock's farmhouse in sleepy Suffolk was closed up today as the Health Secretary became mired in a sleaze scandal.

There was no answer this afternoon at the property in the West Suffolk village, where locals hit out at the hypocrisy of married Hancock being caught in a steamy clinch with aide Gina Coladangelo.

One woman said: 'He was quick to criticise Professor Neil Ferguson when it emerged that he had been seeing a mistress during lockdown.

'More than anything, though, I feel sorry for his wife.

'This is going to lose him a lot of trust and it couldn't have come at a worse time - so soon after details emerged of him being branded 'hopeless' by Boris Johnson.

'I really think his job is now very much under threat.'

Another villager added: 'He has acted hypocritically, there is no social distancing going on in that photo of him with his aide and he's been quick to warn everyone else to keep apart.

'Everyone can get themselves in a pickle at one time or other but I can't believe someone as high-profile as Matt Hancock wasn't aware that he could be found out.

'He's been very much in the limelight over the last year and a half and so how was he expecting this not to come out at some stage?

'I've seen very little with him in the village. He's mainly in London and his children don't go to school in the area.

Matt Hancock's glamorous mother-of-three 'lover' Gina Coladangelo, 43, is married to the millionaire behind Oliver Bonas and boasts a string of celebrity friends

The woman Matt Hancock has been allegedly having an affair with is married to the millionaire founder of fashion firm Oliver Bonas and has worked as its communications director for the past seven years.

Gina Coladangelo, 43, knows the Health Secretary from Oxford University, where they both worked on the student radio station and studied politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) - and where he also met his wife Martha, 44.

Ms Coladangelo remains Facebook friends with Mr Hancock's osteopath wife - with whom the Conservative politician has two sons and a daughter - after they both graduated from the university at around the same time.

And they all reside in London, with Ms Coladangelo living with her multi-millionaire fashion tycoon husband Oliver Tress and their three children in Wandsworth, while the Hancocks live in Queen's Park with their children.

Mr Hancock, 42, hired Ms Coladangelo as a non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care last September, and the CCTV images of them kissing in the departmental building were allegedly taken on May 6.

The mother of three is a major shareholder - as well as director - of the lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, where she worked from October 2002 to June 2014. She studied PPE at Oxford between 1995 and 1998, like Mr Hancock.

Mr Hancock met Ms Coladangelo when they worked on Oxford student radio together in the 1990s. Mr Hancock was a minority sports reporter on Oxygen FM and they would have socialised together at Exeter College, Oxford.

She was described as Mr Hancock's 'closest friend' from university when he appointed her as an unpaid adviser last year. Mr Hancock has spoken fondly of his days working alongside her on the now-defunct radio station.

As newly appointed Minister for Digital and Culture in 2016, he said: 'I think I somehow knew, when as a student I worked as minority sports correspondent for Oxygen 107.9 FM, that one day I'd become Minister for radio.'

But Ms Coladangelo went on to marry Mr Tress, 53, who is founder of fashion chain Oliver Bonas, named after his ex-girlfriend Anna who is cousin of Prince Harry's former partner Cressida Bonas.

It is not known exactly when Ms Coladangelo and Mr Tress wed, although they were listed on the electoral roll together with her maiden name as recently as 2008, and then her married name of Gina Tress by 2011.

Mr Tress founded Oliver Bonas in London in 1993 with handbags and jewellery he had brought from Hong Kong where his parents lived, and his wife began working there in June 2014 after 11 years at Luther Pendragon.

They live together in a five-bedroom detached property believed to be worth around 4million in Wandsworth, South West London, on a quiet tree-lined street with residents-only parking bays that is popular with families.

Many of the cars parked in the street  which is a 20-minute drive away from Central London - are top-of-the range BMW 4x4s and Volvos. Neighbours of Ms Coladangelo remained tight lipped today and refused to comment.

But one visiting workman who left a neighbouring home was unimpressed by Mr Hancock. He said: 'The guy had been caught bang to rights on film. He will have to do some smart talking to get out of that one with the wife.'

Ms Coladangelo has been spotted leaving Downing Street with the Health Secretary on a number of occasions. A source told the Sunday Times last year: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina. She knows everything.'

But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer.

Gina Coladangelo works as communications director for Oliver Bonas which was founded by her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together in London's Belgravia in 2014) - while also being Health Secretary Matt Hancock's closest aide

Gina Coladangelo and illustrator Aysha Awwad at the V&A Summer Party at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2019

(From left) Jules Somerset Webb, Oliver Tress, Tabitha Webb and Gina Coladangelo at Ms Webb's store in Belgravia in 2014

Ms Coladangelo is pictured (left) with Scottish radio and television presenter Jenni Falconer (right) in September 2019

She was an unpaid adviser for Mr Hancock but claims of 'chumocracy' emerged in November when it was revealed she was attending confidential meetings.

Ms Coladangelo was made a non-executive director at the Department for Health in September. She shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'.

She says: 'I have over twenty years' experience in business management and marketing and communications, with a focus on retail, healthcare, the third sector and energy.

'Marketing expertise across media relations, consumer campaigns, social media, digital strategy, strategic collaborations, internal communications, issues management and public affairs.'

But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer.

While working as Head of Marketing at Oliver Bonas, Ms Coladangelo contributed to a post on International Women's Day.

She wrote: 'You don't have to do what everyone else is doing. Decide what you want and don't want  and stick to it. It is up to you to live a life you love.'

Ms Coladangelo has access to the Houses of Parliament due to gaining a pass in April and is also said to be bound by the Official Secrets Act.

The pass reportedly has her husband's surname on it, but she does not use it for her work. House of Lords peer Lord Bethell sponsored her for the pass.

Away from work, Ms Coladangelo has three children. In 2012 she told the Daily Mail how she had returned to work while being a mother.

She paid for a live-in nanny at their home in south-west London and worked flexible hours.

Ms Coladangelo said: 'I don't worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them.

'I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice.

'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted. I want to work to give something back.'

Gina Coladangelo and her husband Oliver Tress live in this property in Wandsworth, South West London

Ms Coladangelo shows off her Oliver Bonas role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'

Matt Hancock arrives at the BBC studios in London with his senior aide Gina Coladangelo in July last year

Her husband Oliver gave an interview to the Financial Times in November 2015 and spoke about their house. He said: 'Our indulgence was moving to a bigger home in Wandsworth in September (2015).

Ms Coladangelo is pictured in her LinkedIn profile photo

'We barely had a garden in Clapham, but the new house has a bigger garden and more space downstairs.

'We might be able to build an extension. The mortgage will still be pretty considerable, as retail businesses are not necessarily throwing up a lot of cash. I am not a tycoon.'

Mr Bonas opened his first store on London's Fulham Road in 1993 with handbags and jewellery he had brought from Hong Kong where his parents lived.

Speaking to the Independent in September 2015, he said: 'I'd been bringing presents back for friends and they were really popular so I thought, 'I wonder if I can make a go of this?' And to my amazement it just worked.'

Bonas was the surname of his then girlfriend Anna Bonas, who is the cousin of Prince Harry's former girlfriend Cressida Bonas, and he told how 'she very kindly hasn't demanded that I changed it'.

Oliver Bonas is an independent chain of lifestyle stores that started out with one shop on Fulham Road in 1993. Initially, Mr Tress mainly stocked products that he had found in trade shows.

Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together several years ago) founded

Matt Hancock with Ms Coladangelo leaving the BBC studios after appearing on The Andrew Marr Show earlier this month

The retailer now has 80 stores across the UK, offering products from contemporary jewellery, gifts, homeware and furniture.

Away from work, Ms Coladangelo has three children. In 2012 she told how she had returned to work while being a mother

Top sellers include items like candles, washbags and delicate jewellery. Celebrities such as Holly Willoughby and Christine Lampard have also been spotted in colourful outfits by the brand.

It's renowned for its vibrant pieces, which often come in bold prints. Based in Chessington, Surrey, the company employs more than 500 people and turnover was 70 in 2017.

Last year the retailer secured 3.5million in funding from HSBC to help support the company post-lockdown.

The funding is part of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and aims to ease the financial strain on the store after the pandemic.

Mr Tress attended Marlborough College in Wiltshire - where other alumni include Kate Middleton - while Mr Hancock went to the King's School Chester.

Ms Coladangelo's father Rino Coladangelo, 70, is a millionaire businessman and chief executive of an international pharmaceutical company.

Then-London Mayor Boris Johnson meets Oliver Tress while visiting an Oliver Bonas store in November 2015

Her mother Heather, 69, a former florist, has held the position of secretary in her husband's business which has interests in China, India and the US.

Ms Coladangelo's father Rino Coladangelo, 70, is chief executive of an international pharmaceutical company

The couple lives in a 16th century listed former farmhouse in the village of Steeple Morden, on the Hertfordshire-Cambridgeshire border.

Mr Coladangelo is listed in Companies House as Italian but he was educated at University College London and has lived and worked in the UK most of his life.

He is currently chief executive of Rephine Ltd, a Stevenage-based pharmaceutical company which specialises in compliance and regulatory affairs.

According to Linkedin he was a member of the Royal College of Physicians in London and a managing director of an NHS hospital. He speaks English, Italian and French.

Her mother was a director of the Willow Foundation which her daughter was also a director until she resigned in 2018.

The charity, whose life president is former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV presenter Bob Wilson, aims to give 'uplifting and special days' to seriously-ill young adults.

Calls for MI5 probe into leak of Matt Hancock footage: Henry Jackson Society leads demands for urgent inquiry amid fears for security in Whitehall MI5 has been urged to probe where the footage of Matt Hancock in an apparent embrace with his adviser came from amid fears of a Whitehall security breach. The Health Secretary has been accused of having an affair after The Sun published pictures of the married Cabinet minister appearing to kiss Gina Coladangelo, who the newspaper said was hired by Mr Hancock last year. The images, which appear to be captured from CCTV footage, were taken on May 6 from the headquarters of the Department of Health and Social Care. The publication of the images has led to calls for a leak inquiry, with the Henry Jackson Society think tank saying this morning that 'MI5 must investigate' because it 'suggests a security-breach' may have taken place. MI5 has been urged to probe where the footage of Matt Hancock in an apparent embrace with his adviser came from amid fears of a Whitehall security breach Alan Mendoza, the executive director of the think tank, called for a probe to ascertain the origin of the images as he suggested they could have come from a 'bug'. He said: 'For reasons of national security, it should be impossible for a bug to be placed anywhere near such a facility. 'The Government must urgently explain how such a glaring security-breach occurred & MI5 must immediately probe the circumstances. 'All other Ministerial offices will now need sweeping to see what other listening & recording devices are snooping on Ministers. 'Steps should also be taken to determine if this incident was conducted by a disgruntled civil servant or  given its sophistication & seriousness  agents of a hostile state.' The Sun reported that Mr Hancock hired Ms Coladangelo as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract in March last year, before appointing her as a non-executive director at the department. Mr Hancock, who is said to have met Ms Coladangelo at university, has been married to his wife Martha for 15 years and they have three children together. Ms Coladangelo is the marketing and communications director at Oliver Bonas, a British retailer founded by her husband Oliver Tress. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Friday morning that he would not be commenting on the 'entirely personal' matter following the reports about his Cabinet colleague. Advertisement

Matt Hancock's humiliated wife of 15 years breaks cover wearing her wedding ring: Notting Hill osteopath, 44, is mother to their three children after meeting the future Health Secretary at Oxford

Matt Hancock's osteopath wife Martha was photographed leaving home this morning while wearing her wedding ring as her husband was at the centre of a cheating scandal.

Mrs Hancock, 44, got into a car outside their house in North London as claims emerged of an alleged affair between the Health Secretary and his closest aide.

Pictures appeared to show Mr Hancock and lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March, kissing outside his office.

Mr Hancock met his future wife Martha Hoyer Millar while they were both students at Oxford University in the early 2000s, and they now have three children together.

Now Martha Hancock, they married in 2006 and live with their daughter and two sons in London and West Suffolk, the constituency he represents.

Matt Hancock's wife Martha Hancock is photographed leaving home in London this morning

Mrs Hancock, an osteopath, got into a car outside their property in North London this morning

They are rarely seen in public together, but were photographed at Wembley Stadium in a corporate area for the England v Scotland match at Euro 2020 last Friday.

Mrs Hancock works as an osteopath and is believed to practice at a clinic in Notting Hill, West London.

Mrs Hancock married Mr Hancock in 2006

She is the granddaughter of Frederick Millar, 1st Baron Inchyra - a British diplomat and Ambassador to West Germany.

Mrs Hancock is also the great granddaughter of the 1st Viscount Camrose, a Welsh newspaper publisher.

Her father, Alastair Millar, was Secretary of The Pilgrim Trust between 1980 and 1996.

The trust is responsible for supplying grants, predominately to preservation projects for historically significant buildings or artifacts.

Nowadays, around 2million is divvied out by the trust each year.

The Hancocks do not let their children have social media, but Mr Hancock has been seen playing rugby with the boys in London parks during the pandemic.

When their third child was born in 2013, Mr Hancock did not get two weeks of paternity leave immediately.

But he later took a two-month break, including the MPs' extended summer recess.

He said at the time: 'I am taking paternity leave myself. It's important to form a strong bond with your children.'

Mr and Mrs Hancock are rarely seen in public together, but were photographed at Wembley Stadium in a corporate area for the England v Scotland match at Euro 2020 last Friday

The Hancocks have kept their family life private, with Mrs Hancock pictured by her husband's side on only a few occasions such as music awards events.

These included the NME Awards at Brixton Academy in South London in 2018 and the Brit Awards at The O2 one year earlier.

In an interview with the Financial Times in 2014, Mr Hancock revealed he spends the week in London and weekend in Newmarket.

He told the newspaper his 'work-life balance is a challenge', adding: 'I pay a lot of attention to timetabling.

Mr Hancock and his wife Martha attend the NME Awards at Brixton Academy, London, in 2018

'Both my professional and social and family time gets booked up a long way in advance and then you have to be strict about it.'

Mr Hancock was born in Chester where he went to the exclusive private school the King's School.

He did his A-levels in maths, physics, computing and economics before doing computing at West Cheshire College.

Like numerous Conservative MPs before him, he studied PPE at Exeter College, Oxford - where he graduated with a first.

Mr and Mrs Hancock attend a summer drinks reception at Milbank Tower in June 2019

It was at the elite university that he realised he had dyslexia, which he only opened up about in recent years.

He later did an MPhil in economics at Christ's College, Cambridge, before turning to politics in 1999 when he joined the Tories.

But before becoming an MP, Mr Hancock trained as a jockey. He won a race in his constituency town of Newmarket in 2012.

It comes as Mr Hancock is today at the centre of a cheating scandal after claims emerged of an alleged affair with his closest aide after pictures appeared to show them kissing passionately outside his office.

Mr and Mrs Hancock are seen in 2010 when he was Conservative candidate for West Suffolk

The Health Secretary, 42, was caught on camera in a passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo.

The incident is alleged to have taken place at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6.

Communications director and lobbyist Mrs Coladangelo is a mother-of-three, whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Health Secretary.

Mr Hancock and his wife at the Brit Awards in London in 2017, in a picture posed on Instagram

A friend of Mr Hancock's reportedly told The Sun they had 'no comment' on the matter, but that 'no rules' had been breached.

But a Whitehall whistleblower told the newspaper it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic with an adviser and friend he used public money to hire'.

The alleged affair piles even more pressure on Mr Hancock, who was already reportedly battling for his job over his handling of the pandemic Dominic Cummings released WhatsApp messages from the PM that showed Mr Johnson branded him 'f***ing useless'.

Remember this, Matt? How Health Secretary condemned 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson and said it 'would not be possible' for him to keep his job after breaking Covid rules to see lover... a year before HIS affair was exposed

Matt Hancock has been accused of double standards over an interview in which he condemned 'Professor Lockdown' for breaking Covid rules to meet his mistress - as the Health Secretary faces questions over his own alleged affair a year on.

The video, which has popped up across social media today in light of Mr Hancock's alleged infidelity with millionaire communications director Gina Coladangelo, 43, was broadcast on Sky News on May 6, 2020.

In the clip, the Health Secretary condemns the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, who broke Covid restrictions to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats, 38 last summer.

He admits Ferguson's actions are 'extraordinary' as he struggles to comprehend the hypocritical message the ex-SAGE scientist sent to the public before his resignation in May 2020.

Today it emerged that Hancock had been allegedly caught on CCTV kissing his aide Mrs Coldagangelo on May 6 - less than a fortnight before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug.

And he goes further to say it 'would not be possible' for Mr Ferguson, 53, to have kept his job in the wake of flouting the strict coronavirus social distancing rules he helped draw up to have secret trysts with his married lover.

Ferguson was brandished an 'arrogant hypocrite' in the wake of his actions, but in a controversial twist, stunning CCTV pictures today showed Mr Hancock and his closest aide in a passionate embrace outside his Whitehall office last month.

While the Health Secretary praised Ferguson's decision to resign, he himself has been caught on camera kissing millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor was clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace at around 3pm on May 6 this year - less than a fortnight before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug.

In the interview, Matt Hancock, 42, condemns the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, who broke Covid rules to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats, 38 last summer

The video has re-emerged today in light of Mr Hancock's alleged affair with millionaire communications director Gina Coladangelo, 43 (left)

Professor Ferguson (above) asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London to his home at least twice despite lecturing Brits on the need to stay apart

Antonia Staats, 38, is believed to have visited the scientist shortly after he finished self-isolating for two weeks last summer

In a live interview with Sky presenter Kay Burley last summer, the Health Secretary referenced the 'extraordinary' circumstances surrounding Professor Ferguson's resignation.

He said: 'It's extraordinary. I don't understand... Prof Ferguson is a very, very eminent and impressive scientist.

'The science he has done has been an important part of what we have listened to.

'I think he did the right decision, to resign that is.'

Kay Burley asks: 'You wouldn't have thought to keep him?'

Mr Hancock replied: 'That's just not possible in these circumstances.'

Professor Ferguson, 53, asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London to his home at least twice last summer - despite lecturing 66million in Britain on the need to stay apart to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Lockdown restrictions were at their peak at the time Mr Ferguson broke the rules, with no social contact allowed between separate households.

In a resignation statement, the academic, who is married with a son but is believed to be separated from his wife, admitted he had 'made an error of judgement' but claimed he thought he was 'immune' to the illness.

Several outspoken critics slammed 'Professor Lockdown' as an 'arrogant hypocrite' and accused him of 'undermining' the Government's message on lockdown.

The Health Secretary, 42, has been seen having a passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo (pictured here with Matt Hancock outside Downing Street in May), according to The Sun

Martha Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's north London home this morning after claims that her husband has been having a secret affair. She didn't comment

Today, Mr Hancock is facing a barrage of questions as his job hangs in the balance in the wake of his alleged affair.

The Health Secretary, 42, has been caught on camera in a passionate clinch with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, 44, and the couple have three children together.

Mrs Hancock reportedly looked sad and upset as she left the couple's home in north London this morning, but didn't speak to reporters about her husband's alleged infidelity.

'We went MONTHS without hugging our families!': Furious Britons rage at Matt Hancock as CCTV exposes him kissing his 'lover' aide... while telling to UK to stick to social distancing rules

Furious Britons took to social media this morning to rage at Matt Hancock after CCTV exposed him kissing an aide - while telling the UK to stick to social distancing rules.

The Health Secretary, 42, was caught on camera in a passionate clinch with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

The incident is alleged to have taken place at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.

The kiss was also 13 days before the Government relaxed safety regulations including giving permission to hug.

In response, hundreds of people took to Twitter to give their views on the scandal, with many accusing the minister of hypocrisy, while others revealed the heartbreaking sacrifices they've made in order to stick to the rules.

One wrote: 'There are people that genuinely went months and months without hugging their families after following the advice of Matt Hancock... quite sad really!'

Another added: 'To be crystal clear, this picture was taken with 2m social distancing rules still in place at workplaces. The issue here is not Matt Hancock's infidelity - it's his world-beating hypocrisy. Write the rules. Tell the little people to obey. Then break them with impunity.'

A third tweeted: 'On 8th May, I didn't hug my aunt when I found out my dad had terminal cancer. Meanwhile on 6th May, Matt Hancock (the man who told me it was unsafe to hug) was all over his mistress in a Government building. So many times the COVID story has jumped the shark, but now enough.'

Piers Morgan also highlighted the fact it was 'at the time he was ordering the British people not to hug anyone from other households'.

Meanwhile, Nigel Farage wrote: 'I had wanted to go to my daughter's school prize-giving next week but can only do so online. Yet thousands of Football Officials can come to the UK without quarantine and Matt Hancock can completely ignore social distancing rules.'

As Downing Street begins to deal with the fallout, the Health Secretary ran for cover and cancelled a public appearance today as he fought for his job.

In a statement, Mr Hancock said: 'I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances.

'I have let people down and am very sorry.

'I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.'

At the time the image was captured, Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor is clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace.

The Sun claims they have been having an affair that has been the talk of the department - but it is not known if they remain in a relationship that was a secret until today.

Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, 44, and the couple have three children together.

Mrs Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's home in north London this morning but didn't speak to reporters about her husband's alleged infidelity.

Her husband was nowhere to be seen, however, she was still wearing her wedding ring.

They were last seen together in public at the England vs Scotland Euro 2020 match at Wembley a week ago.

Communications director and lobbyist Mrs Coladangelo is a mother-of-three, whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas.

The shutters were closed at their 4.5million South London home this morning. She has been working as an advisor for Mr Hancock with one source saying: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina'.

Martha Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's north London home this morning after claims that her husband has been having a secret affair. She didn't comment

Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, with whom he has three children

Mrs Coladangelo (pictured here with husband Oliver Tress - the founder of the Oliver Bonas clothing chain), who is a director and shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon

Matt Hancock smiles and laughs at his alleged lover as they leave the BBC after appearing on the Marr show in June

Mrs Coladangelo is friends with Matt Hancock's wife on Facebook and they have spent time together socially.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Health Secretary. A friend of Mr Hancock's reportedly told The Sun they had 'no comment' on the matter, but that 'no rules' had been breached.

Other sources claimed that Mr Hancock hopes to survive - but No 10 is yet to comment.

But a Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage and reportedly no longer works for the department, told the newspaper it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic with an adviser and friend he used public money to hire'.

The alleged affair piles even more pressure on Mr Hancock, who was already reportedly battling for his job over his handling of the pandemic Dominic Cummings released WhatsApp messages from the PM that showed Mr Johnson branded him 'f***ing useless'.

Aside from the serious allegations of an affair, there will also be questions to answer about kissing someone outside his bubble during the pandemic and whether this breaches any of the Covid rules he has helped create.

Mr Hancock, who is yet to comment, has cancelled an event in his West Suffolk constituency this morning where he would have faced questions over the affair and whether he can keep his job.

He also deleted an Instagram post from last night where he said he 'works with some brilliant women'.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said today it was an 'entirely personal' matter for his cabinet colleague.

He told LBC radio: 'I have seen the photo but, as ever with private matters, I always try to avoid commenting on other people's personal lives and I think I'll stick with that tradition here.'

Asked whether the Health Secretary should have been 'ignoring social distancing', Mr Shapps replied: 'I'm quite sure that whatever the rules were at the time were followed.

'You'll recall that there was a point at which social distancing rules were changed but, as I say, I don't want to comment on somebody else's private life - that is for them.'

Matt Hancock for Love Island! Health Secretary is mocked on social media in string of memes after he was caught in clinch with his closest aide

Matt Hancock has been mocked on Twitter today after a leaked CCTV image showed him in a passionate clinch with his closest aide.

Hilarious memes shared online today include Mr Hancock's face pasted over Little Britain's seedy politician character Sir Norman Fry and as a contestant in the dating show Love Island.

Another shows the Health Secretary, 43, jumping over railings during a run with the caption: 'Hancock when his wife saw the CCTV.'

Mr Hancock was caught on camera with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

The incident is alleged to have taken place at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.

Another meme showed an edited picture of former Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings at the helm of a CCTV systems base, with the caption: 'CCTV of Matt Hancock having an affair? No prizes for guessing who leaked that then.'

The identity of the Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage remains unknown.

Hilarious memes shared online today include Mr Hancock a contestant in the dating show Love Island (pictured)

As news broke this morning, Twitter was flooded with memes mocking the Health Secretary for his extra-marital affair

Another meme featured an image of Mr Hancock rubbing his eyes during a television interview. The caption reads: 'Matt Hancock when his wife leaves him'

Other memes featured pictures of meerkats and Phoebe from Friends shouting 'my eyes'

x
Sydney residents who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney have been locked down from 11.59pm tonight for a week until Saturday July 3.

Gladys Berejiklian imposed the draconian stay-at-home orders on Friday morning after the state recorded 11 new local Covid-19 cases with a further 17 to be included in tomorrow's numbers.

Six of the eleven cases recorded on Friday were mentioned on Thursday, meaning there are 22 cases that have not been revealed before.

The so-called 'Bondi cluster' now numbers 65 cases of the Indian Delta variant but only one person in the whole country is in intensive care with Covid-19.

Residents and visitors to the Eastern suburbs continue to get tested for COVID-19 at St Vincent's Hospital pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Friday

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs (pictured) in the past two weeks

What are the lockdown rules? From 11:59 tonight, people who live or have worked part-time or full time in the past two weeks in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney will only be able to leave home for: Work if you can't work from home

Exercise in groups of 10 or less outdoors

Education if it can't be done from home

To buy essential goods or services

To provide essential care to someone Non-essential businesses in those areas will be shut down for the next week. Restaurants can supply take-away food. Full list of exposure sites is here Advertisement

All of the new cases are linked to others except for three including a nine-year-old school student.

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs in the past two weeks.

They are only allowed outside for work, education, essential shopping, care-giving and exercise in groups of ten or less.

'If you live or work in those Local Government Areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Non-essential businesses in those areas will be shut down for the next week. Restaurants can supply take-away food.

Other residents in Greater Sydney will have to wear masks indoors and limit household visitors to five until Saturday July 3.

Residents who live or work in the City of Sydney, Waverley, Randwick, Canada Bay, Inner West, Bayside, and Woollahra local government areas cannot travel outside metropolitan Sydney for non-essential reasons.

Ms Berejiklian warned the lockdown could be extended to more suburbs if required.

'There will be things that come up in the next little while that none of us had anticipated and we will have to react and respond.

'We are not ever going to pretend that what we have in place is enough, or what we have in place is perfect,' she said.

Australian Medical Association boss Dr Omar Khorshid called for the whole of Sydney to be locked down, saying the rules 'are not quite enough'.

'We need everyone in Sydney to do the right thing and stay at home,' he said.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant explained why millions of residents who work in the CBD but do not live in hotspot suburbs have been locked down.

'The rationale for including the stay-at-home order to follow the workers is because we know that many of the workers do live outside those geographical LGAs.

Sydneysiders queue outside a vaccination centre on June 24 as they wait to get their jabs

'We want them to follow those stay-at-home orders so we don't establish seeding in Western Sydney and southwestern Sydney,' she said.

Dr Chant described the lockdown as a 'circuit-breaker'.

She warned that 'case numbers are going to increase' but expected them to be among people already in isolation who pose 'no ongoing risk'.

The five new cases reported on Friday are a man in his 30s, a woman in her 30s, and their child who are household contacts of each other from Sydney's eastern suburbs; a woman in her 80s from Sydney's eastern suburbs; and a man in his 20s from the Sutherland Shire who is a close contact of a previously reported case and has been isolating while infectious.

Sydney's latest outbreak, which has led to mandated mask-wearing indoors, is believed to have been sparked by a limo driver who was unvaccinated and not wearing an N95 mask when he collected flight crew two weeks ago.

Where have new cases emerged? Of the 11 locally acquired cases reported to 8pm Thursday night, six cases were already announced on Thursday. They are:  A man in his 30s who attended the Christo's Pizzeria in Paddington at the same time as a previously reported case.  Three women who are close contacts of a previously reported case who works as a hairdresser at a Double Bay hair salon. All have been in isolation while infectious.  A man in his 40s who is linked to the West Hoxton birthday party, attended by previously reported cases linked to the Bondi cluster. As of 8pm last night, a total of 17 people who attended the party have now tested positive for COVID-19.  A man in his 40s from Sydney's eastern suburbs who is linked to the Bondi cluster. Five further locally acquired cases were notified to 8pm Thursday night. They are:  A man in his 30s, a woman in her 30s, and their child who are household contacts of each other from Sydney's eastern suburbs.  A woman in her 80s from Sydney's eastern suburbs.  A man in his 20s from the Sutherland Shire who is a close contact of a previously reported case and has been isolating while infectious. 17 locally acquired cases were notified overnight. These cases will be included in tomorrow's numbers. 14 of these cases are linked to known cases, and 3 cases are under investigation Advertisement

Aaron Henderson-Smith, Emergency Nurse, conducts a COVID-19 swab test at the Rushcutters Bay mobile covid testing clinic on June 25

The New South Wales government was reportedly warned about the dangers of taxi drivers transporting flight crew from Sydney Airport four months ago but did not tighten health regulations.

Under a state public health order, international arrivals are not allowed to take ride share vehicles, public transport or taxis - but the order does not apply to flight crew.

A New South Wales Transport Workers Union official raised the issue with NSW Health but was told 'the airlines are in charge', a source told The Australian.

The rules state that airlines must organise 'appropriate transportation' to take foreign crew to government quarantine and crew who live locally to their homes.

Jon Bailey's hair salon in Double Bay is deep cleaned on Thursday due to the outbreak

The driver, who is in his 60s, said he was scared of blood clots - an extremely rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is only recommended in Australia for people over the age of 60.

He told A Current Affair that he had a family history of blood clots and was not an anti-vaxxer.

But Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there was 'no excuse' because he could have got the Pfizer vaccine due to his front-line role.

The minister has upgraded health orders which kick in at 4pm on Friday to force workers relating to quarantine and transport at Sydney international airport to wear masks or face six months in prison.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said vaccines were available and it was the state government's responsibility to require them.

'The doses were available and on this case that worker was not vaccinated and the NSW Premier has made it very clear that they're investigating into how that occurred,' he said in Parliament on Thursday.

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said police believe they cannot take any action against the man because there was no requirement for him to be vaccinated.

But he told 2GB radio host Ben Fordham that officers are seeking 'legal advice' to see if there is any way to punish him.

'We have sent the case for urgent outside legal advice and have done that due to the significance of this outbreak and the community concern.

'We need to tick every box in terms of making sure whether he has or hasn't definitively breached the Public Health Orders,' he said.

It comes as thousands more Sydneysiders risk being plunged into isolation after patients visited dozens of busy venues spanning 17 suburbs, from the east to the North Shore and a busy shopping centre in the city's west.

Limo driver in his 60s claims he was not vaccinated as he was scared This is the limo driver who caught the virus from international air crew and spread it around Sydney without realising 'He is very scared and concerned,' revealed A Current Affair reporter, Lauren Golman, who interviewed the driver on Thursday night. 'He's been receiving a lot of criticism and he is worried about his safety and his family safety.' The unnamed driver is in isolation as he fights his Covid infection and was too ill and too scared of the public backlash to show his face onscreen to defend himself. But Golman told host Tracy Grimshaw he admitted he had avoided getting the AstraZeneca vaccination for fear of the possible side effects. 'He is over the age of 60 which means he is eligible for the AstraZeneca vaccine,' Golman said. 'He tells me he has a family history of blood clots and he didn't feel comfortable getting the vaccine. 'He says he has been working with his doctor, they talk regularly, they tried to come up with a plan but at this stage he is too afraid to have the AstraZeneca vaccine.' But Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there was 'no excuse' because he could have got the Pfizer vaccine due to his front-line role. Although the driver was in an apparently high-risk occupation on the frontline with international workers, vaccination was not mandatory, but strongly recommended. There was no explanation why he hadn't been vaccinated with the Pfizer jab instead, but Golman stressed the driver was not an anti-vaxxer. Golman added: 'He has not received any kind of pressure or encouragement to have the vaccine. I'm not sure if he has had conversations with his employer.' Advertisement

In a late night drop of new exposure sites on Thursday, NSW Health put alerts out for a host of new venues including a Kmart, Domino's Pizza and several popular coffee shops.

Another shock came as coronavirus fragments were found in a Bourke sewage treatment plant, 750km away from Sydney in the far north-west of NSW, where there has never been a single known case.

The wastewater finding indicates the virus may have already escaped the NSW capital and has somehow reached vulnerable outback areas.

Meanwhile, in scenes reminiscent of the first wave of Covid in March 2020, Coles and Woolworths' shelves across Sydney have once again been stripped bare of loo roll.

Neither of the supermarkets have re-introduced buying limits on toilet paper, but frustrated shoppers have called out others for stockpiling.

A total of 181 exposure sites have been announced in Greater Sydney since the latest outbreak began, bringing in a raft of new restrictions (pictured, commuters in masks on Thursday)

This terrifying map shows the 17 suburbs announced as having Covid exposure sites in a worrying late night drop on Thursday

Officials announced 11 new cases of the highly-infectious Indian Delta strain on Thursday.

Since the outbreak began last week, more than 180 exposure sites have been added to the burgeoning list - 33 of which were added on Thursday night alone in suburbs sprawling right across Australia's largest city.

Covid-infected residents have been on 23 public transport routes, and anyone who visited one of 53 venues across Sydney over the past few days has been told to get a test and isolate immediately, regardless of the result.

In the late night announcement just after 11pm, authorities demanded anyone who has visited a series of cafes, restaurants and gyms across Bondi, Potts Point, Darlinghurst and Alexandria contact NSW Health immediately, get tested and isolate for 14 days even if the test is negative.

Anyone who dined at Coffee, Tea & Me in Potts Point or who visited the pool or the change rooms at the Elixr Health Club in Bondi Junction on Sunday has been told to do the same.

Likewise, diners in the inner west who went to Cantine Verte Cafe or The Pommery Cafe in Alexandra on Monday has been given the same advice.

In Bondi, people who went to Elixr Health Club but did not go to the change rooms or the pool have been told to isolate until a negative test is returned.

Anyone who visited in Westfield Paramatta (pictured) on Wednesday has been told to isolate until they test negative after the shop was visited by an infected person

Commuters are seen wearing face masks as they arrive at Circular Quay by ferry on Thursday, as the number of Covid cases grew by 11 in Sydney

The same advice goes for anyone who went to Harry's Bondi, Bondi Relish, La Piadina, Lyfe Cafe, Royal Hotel, Fitness First Platinum or Fitness First on Spring Street in the beachside suburb on Sunday or Monday.

In the west, anyone who went to Amart Furniture in Bankstown on Sunday, Domino's Pizza or Big Bun in Merrylands on Monday, or Kmart in Westfield Paramatta on Wednesday has been told to isolate until they test negative.

Further south, shoppers who went to Crossroads Homemaker Centre in Casula on Sunday has been told to stay at home for 14 days until they get a negative test, or if they went to Gregory Hills Town Centre, in the city's south-west.

An exposure site was also added in North Sydney, with anyone who visited Priceline Pharmacy on Walker Street on Monday told to isolate until testing negative.

Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.

It was initially revealed that the hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.

But in a another worrying development on Thursday night, NSW Health announced that the salon had been exposed to coronavirus for nine full days - from the moment it opened to the second it closed - between June 15 and June 23.

Skin Medi Spa and Wellness, in the same complex is under a similar order with anyone who visited from Wednesday June 16 to 23 Wednesday - at all times - urged to isolate and get tested immediately.

Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser (pictured, former WAG Phoebe Burgess at the salon earlier this week)

In the west, anyone who went to Amart Furniture in Bankstown on Sunday, Domino's Pizza (pictured) or Big Bun in Merrylands on Monday has also been told to get tested
The top US general rejected then-President Donald Trump's push for the military to 'crack skulls' at civil rights protests across the nation in 2020.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley seemed to be at odds and - at times - the lone dissenting voice against the former president wanting to respond with force to protests over the murder of George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Passionate exchanges between Milley and Trump were included in Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender's new book 'Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost,' of which CNN obtained excerpts.

It comes as Milley yesterday said recruits should be 'open-minded and be widely read' amid growing claims that the US military is becoming more 'woke'.

The military officer spoke out against growing criticism over teaching critical race theory in the military as he was grilled by Republican Congressmen.

While watching protests unfold in places like Seattle and Portland, Trump highlighted cops' physical exchanges with protestors and told his administration that's what he wanted to see, CNN reported.

'That's how you're supposed to handle these people,' Trump told his top law enforcement and military officials, Bender wrote, according to CNN. 'Crack their skulls!'

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, at the June 17 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, was reportedly at odds with Donald Trump when Trump was president

While watching protests unfold in several cities last year, then-President Donald Trump, pictured here returning to NYC, wanted the military to 'crack skulls'

A protestor flies an American flag while walking through tear gas fired by federal officers during a protest in front of the Mark O. Hatfield U.S. Courthouse on July 21, 2020 in Portland. Trump reportedly suggested violent crackdowns of protestors

Trump also told his team that he wanted the military to go in and 'beat the f--k out' of civil rights protestors, Bender wrote, according to CNN.

CNN reported other examples of Trump telling the military to shoot protestors. At one point, a Trump senior advisor Stephen Miller compared the protests to third-world countries, which angered Milley, Bender wrote.

Milley, who commanded troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, said, 'Shut the f--k up, Stephen,' CNN reported from one of the excerpts.

Bender's book showed Milley was concerned that Trump was going to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy the military in cases of rebellion or terrorist attack.

Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender's book highlighted tense exchanges between Donald Trump and top General Mark Milley

Milley reportedly saw the protests and unrest as a political issue - not a military one - and was strongly against implementing the Insurrection Act.

CNN reported that Milley made a 'concerted effort' to stay in Washington as much as possible during Trump's final months in office.

In one excerpt, Milley reportedly pointed to a picture of former President Abraham Lincoln's portrait hanging just to the right of Trump.

'That guy had an insurrection,' Milley said. 'What we have, Mr. President, is a protest.'

In June 2020 - a week after Floyd was killed by white former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin - activists who gathered in Lafayette Square, which faces the White House, were cleared away using force.

Protestors were pushed back with pepper balls and smoke bombs before Trump walked, with Milley and then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper, to the St. John's Episcopal Church, directly across the street from Lafayette Park, for a photo op.

He posed with a Bible outside the building. Trump did so just minutes after vowing to dispatch thousands of heavily armed soldiers to stop demonstrations.

Milley considered the civil unrest, like here in Portland, a political issue; not a military one

On Wednesday, Milley also hit back against claims that the US military is becoming more 'woke' as he was grilled by Republican Congressmen.

The military officer slammed criticism over teaching critical race theory in the military and said recruits should be 'open-minded and be widely read'.

He did not endorse critical race theory but strongly condemned those who say it shouldn't be taught.

'What is wrong with understanding - having some situational understanding - about the country for which we are here to defend?' Milley asked before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

'And I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our commissioned and noncommissioned officers, of being, 'woke' or something else, because we're studying some theories that are out there.'

The general stressed the need for greater understanding of the driving forces behind the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by former President Donald Trump's supporters, including white supremacists, who tried to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's election win.

'I want to understand white rage, and I'm white and I want to understand it,' Milley said.

'What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America? What caused that? I want to find that out. I want to maintain an open mind here.'

He was responding after a Republican, U.S. Representative Michael Waltz, a former Army Green Beret, produced a letter from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point acknowledging teaching about critical race theory.

The theory maintains that racism is ingrained in U.S. law and institutions and that legacies of slavery and segregation have created an uneven playing field for black Americans.

Pepper balls were used to clear protestors - although a judge cleared Trump of any lawbreaking after saying there was no proof he had conspired to violate the Constitution

After arriving at St John's Church, Trump denounced protestors, and help up a Bible for photos - but did not say any prayers

Meanwhile, a federal judge recently cleared Trump of violating Black Lives Matter protestors' First Amendment right to demonstrate.

The judge tossed claims filed against the ex-president after saying there was no proof that Trump and his top officials had deliberately conspired to shift the protestors so he could walk to the church.

Milley, who continues to serves as the Joint Chiefs Chairman under President Joe Biden, has been front and center since Wednesday's testimony before the House Armed Services Committee.

Republican lawmakers peppered him with questions about the military being too 'woke' and why the military was teaching critical race theory.

While not endorsing critical race theory, Milley strongly condemned those who say it shouldn't be taught.

'What is wrong with understanding - having some situational understanding - about the country for which we are here to defend?' Milley said before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

'And I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our commissioned and noncommissioned officers, of being, "woke" or something else, because we're studying some theories that are out there.'

The general also stressed the need for greater understanding of the driving forces behind the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by Trump's supporters, including white supremacists, who tried to stop Congress from certifying Biden's election win.

'I want to understand white rage, and I'm white and I want to understand it,' Milley said.

'What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America? What caused that? I want to find that out. I want to maintain an open mind here.'
Residents and workers in four Sydney local government areas have been warned not to leave their homes unless 'absolutely necessary'.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed the stay-at-home orders on Friday morning after the state recorded 11 new local Covid-19 cases with a further 17 to be included in tomorrow's numbers.

From 11.59pm Friday, people in the Woollahra, Randwick, Waverley and City of Sydney local government areas are only allowed to leave home for work, education, essential shopping, care-giving and exercise outside in groups of ten or less.

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs in the past two weeks.

'If you live or work in those Local Government Areas you are not to leave your home unless you absolutely have to, we would prefer you work at home or stay at home for education,' Ms Berejiklian said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed the stay-at-home orders on Friday morning after the state recorded 11 new local Covid-19 cases with a further 17 to be included in tomorrow's numbers

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs (pictured) in the past two weeks

Shopping

Residents or workers of the four LGAs are allowed to leave home for essential shopping or picking up takeaway.

Ms Berejiklian warned against panic buying, saying people are free to leave their homes to go shopping whenever they like.

'Please don't panic buy. No need for that. You can go out and buy anything you need any time of the day. We don't have curfew, we don't have anything like that,' she said.

Residents or workers of the four LGAs are allowed to leave home for essential shopping or picking up takeaway

Residents of the four LGAs are still allowed to leave the house for exercise, with groups of no more than ten people

Exercise and gyms

Residents of the four LGAs are still allowed to leave the house for exercise, with groups of no more than ten people as long as they remain outside.

'We do allow outdoor exercise and we encourage people to actually get outdoors and take advantage of that,' NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant said.

'We really encourage [outdoor exercise] because we understand the impact that this is going to have.'

Ms Berejiklian said gyms and nightclubs will also have to close.

Residents of the four LGAs are still allowed to leave the house for exercise, with groups of no more than ten people

Cafes and restaurants

Ms Berejiklian said businesses in the four LGAs will close unless providing essential food or takeaway services.

'Unfortunately, unless you're providing essential food and services - that is take away food and services or grocery services of that nature, we don't expect those businesses to remain open in the next week,' she said.

Visitors in homes

Households will not be allowed to have any visitors, although there are exceptions for intimate partners that don't live with each other who are permitted to visit each other's homes.

There are now 65 cases linked to the Bondi cluster that erupted in the city's east last week.

Sydney's latest outbreak, which has led to mandated mask-wearing indoors, is believed to have been sparked by a limo driver who was unvaccinated and not wearing an N95 mask when he collected flight crew two weeks ago

Ms Berejiklian said businesses in the four LGAs will close unless providing essential food or takeaway services

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said several infringement notices for people not wearing masks had already been handed out

Schools and work

Ms Berejiklian said workers and students can only leave the house if they are unable to get educated or work from home.

The government had previously held off declaring a lockdown, instead preferring to restrict the movements of residents, increase mask wearing and limit social and other gatherings.

The outbreak was sparked by a limo driver who was unvaccinated and not wearing an N95 mask when he collected flight crew.

Restrictions for other LGAs of Greater Sydney will remain the same but have been extended until next Friday.

Penalties

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said several infringement notices for people not wearing masks had already been handed out.

'The majority of those infringements last night were on the transport system and, of course, that is one of our most vulnerable places where people come together, and it doesn't matter whether it's on a train or a bus, it's around the platform, it's at those bus stops or shared areas where people wait for public transport,' he said.

UPDATED RESTRICTIONS ACROSS GREATER SYDNEY FOR THOSE WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THE CITY OF SYDNEY, RANDWICK, WAVERLEY OR WOOLLAHRA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS: - Stay at home unless absolutely necessary. - Four reasons to leave home: If you can't work from home or be educated at home, to exercise outside in groups of less than 10, if you must provide care to a relative, or to buy essential goods or services. - Stay-at-home order will remain in place until at least next Friday. FOR THOSE WHO LIVE OR WORK IN THE CITY OF SYDNEY, RANDWICK, WAVERLEY OR WOOLLAHRA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS, AS WELL AS INNER WEST, CANADA BAY AND BAYSIDE: - Do not travel outside metropolitan Sydney unless essential. FOR ALL OTHER GREATER SYDNEY, CENTRAL COAST, BLUE MOUNTAINS, WOLLONGONG AND SHELLHARBOUR RESIDENTS: - One person per four square metre rule applies indoors and outdoors, including at weddings and funerals. - Masks compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including workplaces, and at organised outdoor events. - Visitors to households limited to five, including children. - Dancing banned at indoor hospitality venues or nightclubs. - Dancing allowed at weddings for the bridal party, which must be no more than 20 people. - Singing by audiences at indoor shows or by congregants at indoor places of worship banned. - Dance and gym classes limited to 20, masks required. - Outdoor seated events limited to 50 per cent seated capacity. - Public transport capacity limits, and green dots on seats, are back. - Drinking while standing at indoor venues banned. Advertisement

While road blocks would not be set up, police will be ensuring people aren't travelling when they're not supposed to.

'But as police go about their normal duties, they will be stopping cars and they will be asking and people will produce licences and where there's a need to take action, police will,' Mr Worboys said.

'The mask-wearing  $200 on-the-spot fines for breaching public health orders is $1,000.'

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant explained why millions of residents who work in the CBD but do not live in hotspot suburbs have been locked down.

'The rationale for including the stay-at-home order to follow the workers is because we know that many of the workers do live outside those geographical LGAs.

'We want them to follow those stay-at-home orders so we don't establish seeding in Western Sydney and southwestern Sydney,' she said.

Dr Chant described the lockdown as a 'circuit-breaker'.

She warned that 'case numbers are going to increase' but expected them to be among people already in isolation who pose 'no ongoing risk'.
The New South Wales chief health officer has warned more Covid-19 cases are likely to be connected to a Sydney hairdresser after three workers tested positive.

Dr Kerry Chant announced on Friday at least three staff members were working while infectious at Joh Bailey, in Double Bay.

She added two clients had also tested positive with more cases expected to emerge over the coming days.

'I expect more cases to be detected over the coming days and I'm urging all clients and staff of Joh Bailey between June 15 and 23 to be tested and maintain quarantine as directed by NSW Health,' she said.

The New South Wales chief health officer has warned more Covid-19 cases are likely to be connected to a Sydney hairdresser after three workers tested positive (pictured, Joh Bailey at Double Bay)

Dr Kerry Chant announced on Friday at least three staff members were working while infectious at Joh Bailey, in Double Bay

Joh Bailey warned earlier in the week more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.

It was initially revealed that the hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.

But in another worrying development on Thursday night, NSW Health announced that the salon had been exposed to coronavirus for nine full days - from the moment it opened to the second it closed - between June 15 and June 23.

The salon underwent a deep clean and Mr Bailey said the focus was on staff and customer health.

'We are allowed to re-open, of course, but because all or most of our staff have to isolate - that's the problem we have right now.'

Mr Bailey is one of Australia's most sought-after hairdressers who has been at the top of his game for three decades.

His client list that reads like a who's-who of TV stars, socialites, politicians, business elite - and once even gave Princess Diana a makeover on her seminal 1983 Australian tour.

They including former WAG Phoebe Burgess and former Studio 10 host Kerri-Anne Kennerley, and actresses Elle Macpherson, Linda Evangelista, Olivia Newton-John, Kylie Minogue, and Judy Davis.

Mr Bailey said the ramifications of one staff member testing positive to Covid 19 was 'unbelievable'.

Famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser

The hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19

'We have over 1,000 customers and staff this has affected who have to isolate,' he said.

Dr Chant said health authorities were concerned about the number of people who had been potentially exposed.

'What we're concerned is the over 900 clients that attended, or potentially are contacts may acquire the infection,' she said.

'Now, we have reached out to those individuals and what I'm hoping is that when we see the cases over coming days, they're all in isolation.'

The warning comes after New South Wales recorded 22 new Covid-19 cases.

Eleven of the cases were detected in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday night, six of which were already reported. There were 17 further infections which will be recorded in Saturday's tally.

The figures prompted state premier Gladys Berejiklian to announce lockdown for four Sydney council areas.

Mr Bailey said the ramifications of one staff member testing positive to Covid 19 was 'unbelievable' (pictured, the Double Bay venue is deep-cleaned on Thursday)

Sydneysiders queue outside a vaccination centre in Sydney on June 24

People who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney will not be able to leave home for a week except for essential purposes.

These include work or education, shopping, providing care or outside exercise.

'If you live or work in those local government areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,' Ms Berejiklian said.

There are now 65 cases linked to the Bondi cluster that erupted in the city's east last week.

The government had previously held off declaring a lockdown, instead preferring to restrict the movements of residents, increase mask wearing and limit social and other gatherings.

Ms Berejiklian on Thursday warned the state was facing its "scariest" period since the pandemic began.

NSW Health has added several exposure sites including two cafes in Potts Point, two cafes in Alexandria and a health club in Bondi Junction to its list of venues of concern on Thursday evening and Friday morning.

Residents and visitors to the Eastern suburbs continue to get tested for COVID-19 at St Vincent's Hospital pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Friday
Advertisement

Scientists had warned that the 12-story Miami condo building was sinking and in a potentially dangerous condition one year before it collapsed Thursday, killing at least one person and leaving 99 missing.

A 2020 study from Florida International University found the Champlain Towers South sea-view condo development was sinking at a rate of about 2 millimeters a year in the 1990s because it sits on reclaimed wetlands.

The oceanfront building was also due to have its safety recertified for the first time in 40 years this year which included the need for 'extensive repairs for rusted steel and damaged concrete' on parts of the structure.

It has also been revealed that the tower had recently undergone construction work on its roof, sparking fears this may have piled on additional weight to the sinking structure.

Authorities have not yet determined what caused the collapse and Miami-Dade police have opened an investigation - though Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said 'there has been no evidence found of foul play.'

As questions mount over the cause of the tragedy and whether it could have been avoided, the hunt for survivors and victims in the rubble continued into a second day Friday.

A total of 55 condos collapsed on Thursday - more than a third of the 136 within the building - with most belonging to first-time homeowners.

The tower has a mix of seasonal and year-round residents, meaning authorities are unsure exactly how many people were inside when it collapsed. However, officials believe the building was 'substantially full' at the time.

Scroll down for video

The contents of condominiums spilled out onto the street in a horrific scene in the aftermath of the building's collapse in Miami. Search and rescue workers were on the job on 7pm to 7am shifts - and weren't expected to stop anytime soon

Emergency crews respond to a partially collapsed residential building in Surfside, near Miami Beach in Florida

Search and rescue personnel have the grim task of pulling a covered body out of the rubble after the partial collapse

The tragic scene was likely to be repeated as rescuers pulled a covered body out of the wreckage with 99 people missing

A lightning strikes above the Champlain Towers South as Search and Rescue personnel work after the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, north of Miami Beach

A shot from a video posted by the Miami Dade fire department shows firefighters in the rubble trying to find people

A Google Street View image shows the tower before its horrific collapse on Thursday

An advertisement for the Champlain Towers is seen in the 1980s. The Champlain Towers South sea-view condo development was built in 1981 by the late developer Nathan Reiber's company Nattel Construction at 8777 Collins Avenue in the southeast corner of Surfside but hasn't been updated significantly since then

Shimon Wdowinski, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University, told USA Today he knew instantly which building had collapsed when he heard news reports because he had studied the building for the report published last year.

'I looked at it this morning and said "Oh my god." We did detect that,' he said.

Wdowinski said he found that Champlain Towers South was sinking at a rate of around 2 millimeters a year in the 1990s due to its position on wetlands but that rate could have slowed down or sped up since then.

However, the land's slow sinking alone would not have caused the building to collapse, he said.

'It was a byproduct of analyzing the data. We saw this building had some kind of unusual movement,' Wdowinski told USA Today.

The paper was published in April 2020 in the academic journal Ocean and Coastal Management and was part of a wider look at how buildings in Miami were sinking generally with rising sea levels caused by climate change.

'In some locations, as in the eastern part of the city, the detected subsidence [sinking] is of a 12-story high condominium building,' the paper ominously warns.

It's not immediately clear if the 12-story building referenced in the paper is the condo that collapsed. It's also not clear if any officials took note of the paper when it comes to shoring up any dangerous conditions in the area.

In a video posted by FIU, Wdowinski said hundreds of buildings can be sinking bit-by-bit - and hundreds of buildings can have cracks, not just in Miami.

What would cause one to collapse would be an engineering problem, he said.

Shimon Wdowinski, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University, told USA Today that he knew instantly which building had collapsed when he heard news reports because he had studied the building for the report published last year

Wdowinski, who has previously conducted a number of land subsidence studies including one in Mexico City, noted in the video on Thursday that the tragic Mexico City Metro overpass collapse on May 3 that killed 26 people and injured 79 others had happened in an area where he had previously detected land subsidence.

The Champlain Towers South development was built in 1981 by the late developer Nathan Reiber's company Nattel Construction at 8777 Collins Avenue in the southeast corner of Surfside, but the structure hasn't been updated significantly since then.

It had a few two-bedroom units currently on the market at the time of the collapse with asking prices of $600,000 to $700,000. Some have sold for more than $2 million.

The area is a mix of new and old apartments, houses, condominiums and hotels, with restaurants and stores serving an international combination of residents and tourists.

Local officials have said the condo block was right in the middle of going through a recertification process required by Miami Dade building code - which dictates that buildings have to be re-certified every 40 years. The building was due to be recertified for the first time since its construction this year.

Kenneth Direktor, a lawyer for the Champlain Towers South Association, told The Miami Herald on Thursday that to prepare for the recertification process an engineer had been hired to plan 'structural and electrical' updates but that work hadn't started yet.

He told The New York Times that the building had been about to undergo 'extensive repairs for rusted steel and damaged concrete' but that he had seen nothing to suggest the collapse was related to issues identified in the engineering review.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to the media about the 12-story Champlain Towers South condo building that partially collapsed on June 24, 2021 in Surfside, Florida

A huge emergency search and rescue operation is underway after the beachfront condo tower, Champlain Towers South, collapsed at about 1.30am this morning in the Miami neighborhood of Surfside. One woman has been confirmed dead and at least eight people were injured

Hundreds of firefighters were seen walking through the wreckage, picking up other survivors and carrying them away. Authorities fear many more people may be dead or remain trapped under the rubble

Direktor added that any waterfront building as old as the Champlain Towers would have some corrosion and concrete deterioration and insisted on Thursday that it was too early to speculate about what had happened.

The Miami Herald reported that Frank Morabito was the engineer retained by the Champlain towers but that he could not be reached for comment on Thursday.

Direktor told The Washington Post on Thursday that the building was 'thoroughly inspected' recently as part of the recertification process and that a report on the inspection was sent to town authorities.

He described the report's findings as 'fairly typical' for a building of its age and 'did not cast doubt on its structural integrity,' according to the outlet.

'There was nothing in the report that would have indicated a life-safety concern,' he told The Washington Post.

Rescue teams rescued 35 people from the damaged building and two people, including the young boy, were pulled from the rubble in the early stages of the search operation

The surveillance video, obtained by WSVN, shows portions of the 12-story Miami Beach apartment building crumbling and sending a huge cloud of debris into the air when it collapsed in the middle of the night

Surfside Mayor Charles W. Burkett said roof renovations were being done on the property but that they should not have contributed to the collapse.

'The building has literally pancaked. That is heartbreaking because it doesn't mean to me that we are going to be as successful as we wanted to be in finding people alive,' he said.

He instead described the collapse as a 'catastrophic failure' of the building.

'It's hard to imagine how this could have happened,' Burkett said. 'Buildings just don't fall down... There's no reason for this building to go down like that unless someone literally pulls the supports out from underneath.'

He suggested that potential causes could be the result of the foundations being washed out or a sinkhole.

JJI Supply, a general contracting company based in West Palm Beach, received a notice in April about the re-roofing of the building, The Real Deal reported. The outlet obtained records showing that Debra and Edward Campany of West Palm Beach lead the general contracting business.

Bruce Masia of KW Property Management & Consulting told Florida's Biz Journal that the ongoing roof renovation on the property could have added extra weight that the building couldn't withstand.

'Buildings don't fall down right away. They fall down because there are problems and those problems need attention,' he said.

However, Surfside Vice Mayor Tina Paul told The Washington Post on Thursday that Champlain Towers South passed a roof inspection on Wednesday - the day before the collapse.

Jeff Rose, a contractor whose parents live in the building, told the Miami Herald that he had done renovations for some of the condos and that work on the roof had started about six weeks ago.

He added that some concrete restoration work was also being done to fix old or damaged concrete but that the concrete work was not out of the ordinary.

'I didn't notice anything I haven't seen in many other buildings in South Florida,' Rose told the outlet.

However, an engineer who specializes in concrete repair projects told the Miami Herald that one potential structural flaw called 'concrete spalling' jumped out at him when he watched video of the collapse

The engineer, Greg Batista, described the flaw as 'concrete cancer' and said that it happens when salt water seeps into porous concrete causing steel rebar in the support beams to rust and expand - which can break the concrete and weaken the beams.

Rescuers pull a body out of the rubble of the collapsed condo in a harrowing sight as they work through the night

A front end loader shifts rubble mixed with furniture and household items, as rescue efforts continue where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed, late on Thursday, June 24, 2021, in the Surfside area of Miami

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team sprays water onto the rubble as rescue efforts continue where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed late on Thursday

Workers ride in a lift as smoke rises off the rubble where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed late on Thursday

A map shows the location of the Champlain Towers in the Miami Beach area

Surfside Commissioner Charles Kesl told Local 10 that there were also 'garage underground issues' found during various inspections recently relating to the recertification process.

'And, to my understanding, there were some cracks from that project - minor cracks - that were just patched up. Nothing, based on my understanding, to the magnitude that would indicate that there was a structural problem that could result in something so catastrophic,' Kesl said.

Kit Miyamoto, chair of the California Seismic Safety Commission also spoke to Anderson Cooper and said that Miami-Dade has actually good standards to examine buildings every year.

Miyamoto said it appears likely that corrosion was a culprit as the side of the building that collapsed was the side facing the ocean. Salt water could have gotten in and corroded the metal columns in the building.

If the soil is settling, that also could have affected the columns, as they get pulled in as the ground settles, Miyamoto said.

Miyamoto called rescue efforts 'extremely dangerous' but that 'there's definitely still hope' that survivors of the building collapse could be found.

Even with concrete floors sandwiched on top of each other, air pockets are likely. People have been found in similar wreckage 'days after,' he said.

Kobi Karp, an architect whose firm has worked on prominent Surfside and Miami Beach buildings, told The New York Times that the way the building had collapsed suggested a 'possible internal failure.'

He said the internal failure may have been caused by 'deterioration at the point where a horizontal slab of the building meets a vertical support wall' - which he explained to the outlet could lead one of the building's floors to suddenly fall and take the rest of the building down.

Karp said that such a deterioration could have happened either slowly over years or suddenly if the structure of the building was unintentionally damaged.

Some people in Surfside had previously raised concerns about the integrity of the aging building.

Barry Cohen, 63, the former vice mayor of Surfside, said he raised concerns years ago about whether nearby construction might be causing damage to the building after seeing cracked pavers on the pool deck.

In 2015, a resident also sued in 2015 claiming building management did nothing to repair cracks from water damage.

At least 34 Jews are feared dead in the Miami condo collapse as desperate friends and family post photos on social media as firefighters continue trawling the building where 99 people are missing Dozens of Jews are among 99 people still missing after a 12-storey apartment block collapsed in Miami in a disaster that is feared to have killed scores of sleeping residents. The Chabad of South Broward in Hallandale Beach reported at least 34 people unaccounted for were Jewish, with the number rising throughout the day as frantic rescue efforts continued. At least 27 people from the Latin American community - including the President of Paraguay's sister-in-law and her family - are also still unaccounted for after 55 condos were destroyed when the building collapsed at 1.30am on Thursday. Among the missing are orthopaedic surgeon Brad Cohen and his brother Gary. Brad's wife Soriya Cohen spoke to reporters and showed pictures of her loved ones on her phone while waiting at the Family Assistance Center set up for relatives. Bonnie and David Epstein were on the ninth floor when the building gave way at 1.30am on Thursday. Their son, Jonathan, who lives in New York City said he hasn't been able to contact them. 'I'm trying to be a little optimistic, but I just don't see it,' he told WJXT. 'It just doesn't seem real, you know? Why this building? It doesn't make sense. I don't know. I'm struggling to make sense of it.' The synagogue at Bal Harbour, about eight blocks from Champlain Towers, has opened it doors to help those affected with food supplies and other donations. Around a dozen members of the synagogue are unaccounted for. Chani Lipskar, the wife of the rabbi, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel that thousands around the world were praying for not just the missing Jews, but everyone else impacted by the tragedy. Families have started sharing images of their missing relatives online as firefighters continue trawling through the wreckage. Many of their photos have been compiled by CBS4 reporter Frances Wang. The University of Chicago chapter of the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish movement said one of its members Ilan Naibryf and his girlfriend Deborah Berezdivin (pictured) were still missing. Writing on Instagram, the group said: 'Please pray for Ilan Ben Ronit and Deborah Bat Talia Chaya. They are dear friends, gems whom we love dearly. Ilan is a student at UChicago and the President of our Chabad Student Board. They are both family.' Bonnie and David Epstein were on the ninth floor when the building gave way at 1.30am on Thursday. Their son, Jonathan, who lives in New York City said he hasn't been able to contact them. 'I'm trying to be a little optimistic, but I just don't see it,' he told WJXT . 'It just doesn't seem real, you know? Why this building? It doesn't make sense. I don't know. I'm struggling to make sense of it' Frankie Kleiman and his wife Annie Ortiz (left), along with Annie's son Luis, are believed to have been inside the building when it collapsed. Frankie's brother Jay (right) was visiting for a funeral. Frankie lives on the same floor as their mother Nancy Luis Andres Bermudez, 26, who has muscular dystrophy, is missing along with his mother Annie Ortiz, wife of Frankie Kleiman who was also inside the building Jay and Frankie Kleiman were believed to have been inside the building with their mother Nancy Kress Levin (pictured) when it collapsed Edgar Gonzalez (left), who lived on the ninth floor with his family, is still unaccounted, his relatives told NBC. Dr Brad Cohen (right), who is an orthopedic surgeon at a local hospital, hadn't been heard from since 3am. His wife, Soriya Cohen, said he lived on the 10th floor Among the missing are orthopaedic surgeon Brad Cohen and his brother Gary (Gary is pictured). Brad's wife Soriya Cohen spoke to reporters and showed pictures of her loved ones on her phone while waiting at the Family Assistance Center set up for relatives. Soriya Cohen holds up a picture of her husband, Brad Carlos Pou, who lives in Baco Raton, told The Miami Herald he knew at least six people who were living at or visiting the building at the time of the collapse. He identified brothers Jay and Frankie Kleiman, their mother Nancy Kress Levin, and Frankie's wife Annie Ortiz and her son Luis Bermudez. Frankie Kleiman lived on the same floor as his mother Nancy and his brother Jay had been visiting for a funeral, Pou said. He said he'd left several voicemails but had not been able to get hold of the Kleimans. A friend of the family told the Herald: 'They are young people with kids. Frankie's daughter is pregnant.' The University of Chicago chapter of the Chabad-Lubavitch Jewish movement said one of its members Ilan Naibryf and his girlfriend Deborah Berezdivin were still missing. Writing on Instagram, the group said: 'Please pray for Ilan Ben Ronit and Deborah Bat Talia Chaya. They are dear friends, gems whom we love dearly. Ilan is a student at UChicago and the President of our Chabad Student Board. They are both family.' Bhavna Patel, a 38-year-old British and US citizen, her husband Vishal Patel, 42, and their one-year-old daughter Aishani remain unaccounted for, a relative told Sky News. Bhavna had been expecting another baby. Their devastated friend Vishal Abash described Bhavna 'as an angel, a sweet kind loving woman ... very loving, very unconditional love, I never heard her say a bad word about anyone since the day I met her.' He said that the couple were heaven sent, adding that 'now maybe God has come to reclaim his angels.' The president of Paraguay's sister-in-law Sophia Lopez Moreira, her husband Luis Pettengill and their three young children are also still missing, Paraguay's foreign ministry confirmed. Bhavna Patel, a 38-year-old British and US citizen, her husband Vishal Patel, 42, and their one-year-old daughter Aishani remain unaccounted for. Her devastated family said that Ms Patel is 'an angel.' The mother is also expecting another child. Sophia Lopez Moreira, her husband Luis Pettengill and their three young children are among those unaccounted for in Miami after the 12-story apartment building collapsed overnight. Moreira is the sister of President Mario Abdo Benitez's wife Silvana Andres Galfrascoli (left) his partner Fabian Nunez, right, and their newly adopted daughter Sofia, who was six, died while visiting their apartment in Florida to get vaccinated The family of Luis Barth say the 51-year-old was visiting from Colombia and was staying in a friend's condo with his wife and daughter. The condo was on the collapsed side and no one has heard from any of them Moreira is the sister of President Mario Abdo Benitez's wife Silvana. The family are said to have received their COVID-19 vaccines hours before the collapse, which also happened on Luis's birthday. Another woman from Paraguay, Lady Luna Villalba, is also missing in the aftermath of the disaster. Police said Thursday afternoon that 99 people linked to the building remain accounted for, although 102 others have since been marked as safe. Also missing is a famed Argentinian plastic surgeon, his partner, and their newly-adopted six year-old daughter. That surgeon - Andres Galfrasconi, 45 - was visiting Miami with his partner Fabian Nunez, 55, and their daughter Sofia, six, to receive their COVID-19 vaccines. Argentinian singer Julia Zenko was one of Galfrasconi's clients, with Zyri.net reporting she was 'very distressed' by his disappearance following the collapse. The couple and their daughter were staying at an apartment owned by an unidentified friend, who says she has not been able to contact them. Judy Spiegel, 66, the wife of former Erlanger Health System Chief Executive Officer Kevin Spiegel is also missing. He confirmed in a text message to WRCBTV that she was still unaccounted for Thursday afternoon. The two lived together. 'I'm flying to Miami now,' he wrote. Please pray for her.' Edgar Gonzalez, who lived on the ninth floor with his family, is still unaccounted, his relatives told NBC. Gonzalez's wife and daughter are currently being treated in hospital, according to the family. The family of Luis Barth say the 51-year-old was visiting from Colombia and was staying in a friend's condo with his wife and daughter. Ricky and Maituca Rovirosa are also missing, family members told Local 10 Graciella Catarossi (left) and her daughter Estella (right) are also missing. They were staying with Graciella's elderly parents, who have not been identified, but are also unaccounted for Alfredo and his son Lorenzo Leone are also missing. A friend told CBS4 that their mother was out of town and is flying back Judy Spiegel, 66, (left) the wife of former Erlanger Health System Chief Executive Officer Kevin Spiegel, and Estelle Hedaya (right) are also missing. A friend told CBS 4 that she was on the phone with Hedaya for an hour and a half last night, but is currently unable to get hold of her Barth's brother Sergio, who lives in Miami, told the New York Times the condo they were staying in was on the collapsed side and that he has been unable to reach him. Theresa Valasquez, 36, was visiting her parents Julio, 67, and Angela, 60, when the towers collapsed. Her brother David Velasquez wrote on Facebook that his sister had arrived at their parents' condo on Wednesday, and have not been found. Also missing is Estelle Hedaya. A friend of Hedaya told CBS4 that the two had spoken on the phone for an hour and a half last night, but is currently unable to get hold of her. Graciella Catarossi, and her daughter Estella are also missing. A friend told Local 10 that the two were staying with Graciella's elderly parents, who are also unaccounted for. Luis Andres Bermudez, 26, is missing along with his mother Ana Ortiz. Bermudez reportedly has muscular dystrophy and cannot walk or call for help, a cousin told CBS4. Alfredo Leone and his young son Lorenzo are also unaccounted for. A friend told CBS4 that their mother was out of town and is flying back. Elaine Sabino was on the 12th floor and is also still missing. Linda March was living in penthouse 4 of the condo. Myriam and Arnie Notkin are among the missing. Arnie is a longtime peewee football coach in Flamingo Park, NBC reported Raymond and Mercedes Urgelles. Their daughter Jenny has been trying to reach them since 5.30am, according to NBC Theresa Velasquez (left) was missing along with her parents Julio and Angela Velasquez (right). Theresa was visiting them during the collapse and the three have not been heard from, her brother posted on Facebook March is an attorney who had recently moved back from Miami from New York, a friend told Local 10. Brothers Frankie and Jay Kleinman as well as their mother Nancy Kress Levin are also missing. They were with Annie Ortiz, her son Luis Bermudez as well as Deborah Berezdivin. A friend told the Miami Herald that all six are Puerto Rican. At least 27 people from Latin American nations are among the missing, the Herald also reported. More than 100 people gathered at a family reunification center by mid-morning on Thursday as they awaited news on their family and friends. Authorities say 53 people had been accounted for by Thursday afternoon but 99 who are believed to have lived in the building were still missing. It was unclear whether any, or all of them, were inside at the time of the collapse. Nicky Langesfeld and Luis Sadovnic were living on the eighth floor, CBS4 Miami reported Moises Rodan, 28, lived in unit 308, according to CBS4 Miami Marina Azen and Michael Altman are also missing. Azen has been living in the condo for about 20 years, family told CBS4 Miami The tower has a mix of seasonal and year-round residents. Officials say the building keeps a log of guests staying but does not keep track of when owners are in residence. Thirty-five people were rescued from the damaged building and 14 people, including a young boy, were pulled from the rubble in the early stages of the search operation. Two of those people, including the woman who has since died, were taken to hospital. Authorities fear many more people may be dead or remain trapped under the rubble and have already warned the recovery efforts could last an entire week. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said rescue teams had made contact with some survivors by mid-morning but did not elaborate on where they were located or if they had been rescued. 'Right now, we have the fire rescue. They are in search and rescue mode. They are trying to identify survivors, I know they have made contact with some, and I know they are doing everything they can to save lives,' he said. Advertisement
Advertisement

The report that detailed that the Champlain Towers South building was sinking before its horrific collapse on Thursday described other areas in Miami Beach where buildings could be at risk of collapse because of land sinking and coastal flooding.

The study revealed that in southwest South Beach, there is significant coastal flooding. It also identified other parts of northeast Miami Beach where the ground has sunk.

The report was done by Shimon Wdowinski, a professor in the Department of Earth and Environment at Florida International University. He studied Miami Beach last year and a coastal town in Virginia to see where coastal flooding might have impacted the ground and caused it to sink.

When Champlain Towers collapsed on Thursday, Wdowinski said it came as no surprise given his research last year.

It's unclear if he gave any kind of warning to the building operators last year after he carried out his research.

It found that the ground beneath the building has been sinking at a rate of 1.9mm every year since the 1990s.

Another site where the same thing was happening is in the area surrounding Park View Island, near where there is an elementary school.

That patch of land has been sinking faster than the land beneath Champlain Towers South - at 2.3mm a year.

Further south, there are two sites in the Flamingo/Lummus area of South Beach that Wdowinski's team identified as also sinking at rates of 2.2mm a year and 2mm a year. They are in a residential and commercial district, just to the east of Star Island, the celebrity enclave.

The research identified four sites along Miami Beach where the ground is sinking. Champlain Towers South, top right, was sinking at the slowest rate

The map shows Miami Beach, left, with locations were there high amounts of land subsidence (in red) and coastal flooding (in blue). It reveals that there are other areas where the ground has subsided at a faster rate than where the Champlain Tower South collapsed

The team analyzed four sites where the ground has been sinking. The top one shows the Champlain Towers site and the others are all parts of land where there are apartment buildings, stores and even one near an elementary school. They were all sinking at a faster rate than the Champlain Towers site. The researchers say this alone shouldn't cause buildings to collapse so there's no need for alarm

This is the patch where the first two sites were that the researchers identified sinking land. The first was the Champlain Towers South site and the second is near Park View Island, next to an elementary school, in North Beach, just south of Biscayne Point

The second two sites that were analyzed are in South Beach, towards the west side, next to Fisher Island and Star Island. They were sinking in the 1990s at a rate of 2.2mm and 2mm per year

The two sites are in a stretch of south Miami Beach, in an area called Flamingo or Lummus. It is urban and mostly commercial, with stores like Whole Foods and Target there

A map shows the location of the Champlain Towers in the Miami Beach area

The center portion of the tower was the first to fall with the east section of the building collapsing moments later

He also found that North Bay Village, an island in between Miami Beach and Miami, was sinking.

In an interview with USA Today on Thursday, Wdowinski said: 'I looked at it this morning and said 'Oh my god.' We did detect that.'

He maintains that land subsidence would not cause a building to collapse and that something else must have contributed to it.

The study analyzed data from satellites using the technology Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, known as InSAR, to compile datasets spanning from 19921999.

The study found that land sank in locations around Miami Beach at rates between 1 and 3 millimeters per year- mainly in parts of the city built on reclaimed wetlands.

In Norfolk, land subsidence was seen in areas along the shore and inland at similar rates  with some areas showing land sinking at rates up to 8 millimeters per year.

According to the United States Geological Survey, more than 80% of known land subsidence in the U.S. 'is a consequence of groundwater use and is an often-overlooked environmental consequence' of land and water-use practices.

'Land subsidence is a gradual settling or sudden sinking of the Earth's surface due to removal or displacement of subsurface earth materials,' according to the agency.

It can occur at different rates and has even been recorded at rates more than 200 millimeters per year in some places around the globe like Jakarta, Indonesia.

Norfolk and Miami Beach were chosen as the locations for the study because both communities have been subjected to repeated coastal flooding over the past decade, the researchers said in the study.

In Norfolk, flooding has occurred in multiple locations throughout the city characterized by low elevation.

A huge emergency search and rescue operation is underway after the beachfront condo tower, Champlain Towers South, collapsed at about 1.30am this morning in the Miami neighborhood of Surfside. One woman has been confirmed dead and at least eight people were injured

Rescue teams rescued 35 people from the damaged building and two people, including the young boy, were pulled from the rubble in the early stages of the search operation

The surveillance video, obtained by WSVN , shows portions of the 12-story Miami Beach apartment building crumbling and sending a huge cloud of debris into the air when it collapsed in the middle of the night

Trump and Biden respond to news of Florida building collapse President Joe Biden offered federal resources as former President Donald Trump reacted with his 'thoughts and prayers' to the news of the building collapse in Surfside, Florida on Thursday. 'My thoughts and prayers are with all of those impacted by the building collapse in Surfside, Florida. Thank you to the incredible First Responders and Law Enforcement for arriving so quickly on the job, as always,' Trump said in his statement obtained by 1010 Wins. 'We wish Governor Ron DeSantis, and all of those representing the Great State of Florida concerning this tragic event, Good Luck and God Speed. I am with you all the way!' Biden said during a press conference on Thursday that FEMA had been sent to Florida to 'look at what's needed' including 'if the rest of those buildings had to be evacuated as well.' Biden also confirmed he had spoken with the Miami Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava about the tragedy. 'I say to the people of Florida, whatever help you want that the federal government can provide, we're waiting. Just ask us, we'll be there,' Biden said. Cava had tweeted earlier: 'Just got off the phone with @POTUS. He offered the full support of the federal gov. to help our community during this difficult time. We continue to work with local, state, & federal agencies as we respond to this tragedy and do everything we can to support the impacted families.' Advertisement

The results indicate that about 97% of Miami Beach was stable during the observation period but several localized subsiding areas were detected mostly in the western part of the city.

The study noted that most of the subsidence happened at single-family houses that were built on reclaimed wetlands. However, the study also specifically called out the Champlain Towers South condominium.

'In some locations, as in the eastern part of the city, the detected subsidence is of a 12-story high condominium building,' the report reads.

However, the study determined that higher subsidence rates up to 3.8 millimeters per year were registered in the artificial islands located west of the city like the Venetian Islands as well as North Bay Village.

Portions of Miami Beach like Mid-Beach and Bayshore as well as La Gorce appeared to show lower levels of subsidence.

'The rest of the city remained stable,' the report reads.

Luckily, some of Miami Beach's tallest buildings, including the 44-floor Green Diamond and Blue Diamond towers, appear to sit in areas with low levels of land subsidence.

The report appears to conclude that the geology of the area, which is made up of a plateau of karst limestone, may contribute to localized subsidence even though no regional subsidence has been recorded in south Florida.

Wdowinski uploaded a video to the Vimeo platform on Thursday explaining the findings of his study and why it had been conducted.

'For this area of the Atlantic Coast, at the time, there weren't at the time many observations,' he said.

He said that the 1 to 3 millimeters per year subsidence is 'pretty small' but added 'when you think about the accumulation over time then it can be a few inches over decades and that was our concern.'

Wdowinski said that InSar has been used to monitor buildings and in many cases where buildings crack and move, they also show subsidence.

'We've seen that in another study that we studied detections of sinkholes in central western Florida, we saw that there were some buildings that moved and when we went to check we saw there were some cracks,' Wdowinski said.

The researcher said that the InSar technology is commonly used around the world to detect movement of buildings.

'In most cases, these buildings move and there's no catastrophic collapse like in the case here in Surfside - which was very unfortunate,' he said.

Wdowinski said that the western parts of the city where the researchers detected subsidence were in places where the researchers had expected to see the subsidence.

'There was unusual pocket we saw in surfside which was in the eastern side, known to be a stable part of the city,' he said.

'Over there, we didn't expect to see subsidence, so we didn't pay too much attention to that. We just recorded it because that's what the data shows.'

He added: 'We just reported that because the focus of the study was about land subsidence and not about trying to analyze building damage or anything like that. So it's a byproduct of our analysis that we saw movement and we didn't pay that much attention and just recorded it in the paper.'

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue team sprays water onto the rubble as rescue efforts continue where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed late on Thursday

Wdowinski, who has previously conducted a number of land subsidence studies including one in Mexico City, noted in the video on Thursday that the tragic Mexico City Metro overpass collapse on May 3 that killed 26 people and injured 79 others had happened in an area where he had previously detected land subsidence.

He said that the land subsidence seen in Miami Beach occurs in 'smaller pockets' about the size of a house than like that he had detected in Mexico City.

'In some cases, it can be just that the building is not built properly and it can have cracks because of the problem of the building itself and it still moves  and we can detect it with this technology.'

In Miami Beach, the city is built on a barrier island that has a rockier foundation on the eastern side. The western side was made of wetlands that were reclaimed before houses were built on the reclaimed wetlands  which tends to subside in a process called soil consolidation.

'In the eastern side of the city where the buildings are built on bedrock, it's less likely to have movement of the building and the ground beneath the building  which is why we didn't expect to see any movement,' he said.

'The building can move due to the land or can be due to cracks within the buildings and hundreds of buildings have cracks and they move  and it doesn't mean it will collapse.'

He said there was 'something from an engineering point of view that caused it to collapse' and that it could have been from the ground moving or cracks that had formed in the building in the 1990s.
A number of Australians are feared to be among 99 missing residents after a residential tower collapsed in Florida.

Rescue crews have been combing through the rubble looking for residents after an entire side of the 12-storey building gave way and fell to the ground in Surfside around 1.30am on Thursday

A fire official said 35 people were rescued from the building, including two who were pulled from the rubble as response teams used trained dogs and drones in the search for survivors.

Miami resident Joseph Waks said he was having difficulty contacting an elderly Australian couple who are residents in the tower.

A number of Australians are believed missing after the collapse of a Florida residential tower

An entire side of the 12-storey building gave way and fell to the ground around 1.30am on Thursday

The building was home to a mix of people including families and part-time 'snowbird' residents who spend the winter months in Florida

'I am originally from Australia  we have friends who live in that building from Australia and they are unable to be communicated with,' he said.

'We are hoping for the best. Only good news. They both became grandparents yet again a few hours before the tragedy. We still cannot believe it.'

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Daily Mail Australia in a statement it was working with local authorities to determine if any Australians were involved.

'The Australian Embassy in Washington is closely monitoring developments and making urgent enquiries to determine if any Australians were affected,' a spokesperson said.

The building was home to a mix of people including families and part-time 'snowbird' residents who spend the winter months in Florida.

Danny Rivero, a reporter from National Public Radio in South Florida, tweeted on Friday: 'We've been told many Argentinians and Australians were in the building as well, and that all are unaccounted for. This is an international disaster.'

Another NPR reporter, Veronica Soledad Zaragovia, said she had interviewed a Surfside resident, Joseph Waks.

The building was home to a mix of people including families and part-time 'snowbird' residents who spend the winter months in Florida

Another NPR reporter, Veronica Soledad Zaragovia, said she had interviewed a Surfside resident, Joseph Waks

'(He) has friends from Australia who were staying in the collapsed building,' she tweeted.

'Just saw him seven hours later at the Surfside Community Center. Asked if his friends from Australia appeared. They're still missing.'

Horrifying surveillance footage, obtained by WSVN, captured the moment the building collapsed, sending a huge cloud of debris into the air and officials said the level of destruction made it seem like a 'bomb went off'.

Some signs of life have been reported from inside the rubble, although officials have yet to share further information on the hopeful discovery.

Horrifying surveillance footage, obtained by WSVN , captured the moment the building collapsed, sending a huge cloud of debris into the air and officials said the level of destruction made it seem like a 'bomb went off'

They also face trying to free anyone who is still alive while avoiding making further rubble collapse on top of them.

Officials said the building, built in 1981, was going through a recertification process and that engineers had been hired to complete electrical and structural repairs.

Experts who had studied the building as recently as last year said the building was unstable and had been sinking since the 1990s.

Authorities say many more people may be dead or remain trapped under the rubble and warned the recovery efforts could last an entire week.
A Sydney court heard details of how Channel Seven's Andrew O'Keefe, 49, slapped, kicked and spat on his girlfriend Dr Orly Lavee on Friday - as he walked free on mental health grounds

Former Channel Seven game show host Andrew O'Keefe slapped, kicked and spat on his doctor girlfriend in a row over an ice pipe she claimed he was carrying at a party.

The ex-Deal or No Deal host, 49, appeared before Sydney's Waverley Local Court on Friday, charged with three counts of assaulting his ex-lover of two years, Dr Orly Lavee.

Two of the charges, which occurred at their home in Randwick, were dismissed on mental health grounds - although his lawyers indicated he would have otherwise pleaded guilty to them.

A third assault charge related to an alleged incident at Kangaroo Valley earlier this year was withdrawn by prosecutors.

The court heard O'Keefe, who suffers bipolar and substance abuse disorders, was in a 'hyper-manic' state when he assaulted Dr Lavee at their home on January 30 after the couple attended a birthday party in Surry Hills.

That evening Dr Lavee, a respected hospital blood expert, placed her hand in O'Keefe's pocket and accused him of carrying an ice pipe, which he denied.

Dr Lavee didn't believe him, sparking a row which only escalated further when they arrived home, according to a fact sheet read out by Magistrate Ross Hudson.

O'Keefe suggested he leave the house for the night and Dr Lavee replied 'he should go and never come back'.

The court heard that during an argument on January 30, Dr Orly Lavee told O'Keefe 'the relationship meant nothing to me'. He replied 'that's a real spit in the face', before spitting in her face. The former Deal or No Deal host is pictured above with a lawyer at court on Friday

O'Keefe then asked Dr Lavee to order him an Uber as he didn't have enough money.

She said he could walk home.

The TV personality replied: 'You are cruel and heartless.'

Dr Lavee yelled back: 'Get out, I hate you.'

O'Keefe then threw a small pillow at Dr Lavee and a scuffle began, with their heads clashing.

O'Keefe held his lover by the shoulders and said: 'I think it's over.'

She replied: 'The relationship meant nothing to me'.

'That's a real spit in the face,' he said, before actually spitting in her face, the court heaerd.

Dr Lavee then pushed O'Keefe in the face and ripped the buttons off his shirt.

O'Keefe put a new shirt on and left the house to have a cigarette.

Meanwhile, the court heard Dr Lavee went through The Chase host's phone, searching for evidence of extramarital affairs and drug abuse.

He later returned and the scuffle re-commenced - with O'Keefe pushing Dr Lavee into a bookcase and grabbing her by the breast, the court heard.

O'Keefe was in a relationship with mother-of-two Orly Lavee for two years. Asked whether he had a message for his ex-partner today, O'Keefe said: 'I have nothing to say to my former partner and I am not sure if she is my former partner'

Orly Lavee is seen earlier this year following the incident at her home in Randwick, in Sydney's eastern suburbs. She suffered a cut and swelling to her lip and an abrasion to her back as a result of the incident, the court heard

Dr Lavee warned him that she would tell the media about his extramarital affairs and drug use, the court heard.

O'Keefe called her a 'lying c*** and a stupid cow'.

He kicked her in the buttocks at one point and pushed her against the carpet floor, before finding she had hidden his phone in a cupboard.

O'Keefe then left the house for good, the court heard.

In a later interview with police, O'Keefe admitted to slapping, kicking and spitting on Dr Lavee.

Dr Lavee suffered a cut to her lip and an abrasion to her back. O'Keefe said the latter may have been caused by a slip at the party earlier.

The next day he was involuntarily committed to hospital as a psychiatric patient.

O'Keefe was swamped by a media pack on the footpath outside Waverley Local Court, after the decision on Friday

Magistrate Hudson found O'Keefe had been in a 'hyper-manic' bipolar state at the time of the offending, was remorseful and contrite.

He has had dozens of psychological and psychiatric appointments and weeks-long stays receiving mental health treatment since the incident.

The court heard O'Keefe's family had an extensive history of mood disorders.

His rock star uncle Johnny O'Keefe spent two months of almost every year at the Ryde Psychiatric hospital, the court heard.

An apprehended violence order was left in place between the former couple.

When Daily Mail Australia asked O'Keefe outside court if his television career was over, he said: 'I'm not sure if I'm over or if TV's over.'
Footage captured the moment a Long Island teenager stuck inside a bank vault-turned-dressing room was rescued by fire fighters after her younger brother closed the door and accidentally locked her inside for hours.

Giavanna Diesso, 14, was trying on clothes at Kate and Hale in Port Jefferson on Tuesday when she was accidentally locked in a dressing room area that once served as a bank vault for the First National Bank of Port Jefferson.

Her seven-year-old brother Vincent shut the door of the bank vault, trapping his older sister.

'I didn't think that it was actually going to close,' he told Newsday.

Scroll down for video.

Fire fighters from the Port Jefferson Fire Department rescue 14-year-old Giavanna Diesso from a bank vault turned dressing room after she was trapped for nearly two hours

Giavanna Diesso, 14, made it out of the bank vault turned dressing room after fire fighters drilled a hole into the foot-thick wall

Her mother, Danielle Diesso, was at the register at the time and heard the sound of the heavy door closing.

'It just, like, slammed and clicked so I was, like, just what happened?' Giavanna told Newsday.

The 14-year-old was trapped in the vault for nearly two hours and kept herself busy by talking to friends, CBS 2 reported.

'I was a little nervous that something was gonna go wrong, but then like, I also couldn't really tell what was going on on the outside,' Giavanna said. 'I was kind of just waiting for the drill to pop through the wall.'

'She didn't show an ounce of fear at all, which I'm amazed by,' her mom proudly told CBS 2.

The 14-year-old suffered no injuries and even posed for a picture with firefighters after she was rescued

The 14-year-old was trying clothes on at Kate and Hale (pictured) in Port Jefferson on Tuesday when she was accidentally locked in a bank vault turned dressing room

Giavanna Diesso, 14, was accidentally locked in a dressing room area that once served as a bank vault for the First National Bank of Port Jefferson

Giavanna was rescued by a crew from the Port Jefferson Fire Department, who used air chisels and hammer drills to breach the foot-thick wall

Giavanna was rescued by a crew from the Port Jefferson Fire Department, who used air chisels and hammer drills to breach the foot-thick wall.

Once the hole was large enough fire fighters pulled the Giavanna out.

The fire department posted a clip of her rescue on Facebook that shows two fire fighters carrying the girl out of a hole as she lays on her stomach and cheering her on after she is pulled out.

The fire department plans on using the video of the incident for future training, CBS 2 reported.

The 14-year-old suffered no injuries and even posed for a picture with firefighters after she was rescued.

There's now a sign just outside the door that says 'Do Not Touch,' according to Newsday.
Members of the Mongols bikie gang spent weeks spying on a defector and electronically tracking his BMW before executing him in a hail of bullets, Queensland police said.

Detectives have no doubt the gang is responsible for the hit on former member Shane Bowden, who was shot 21 times with a machine gun and a shotgun as he sat in his car outside his Pimpama home last October.

The 48-year-old, who had defected to rival bikie gang the Finks, had months earlier escaped an attempt on his life in Melbourne and fled to Queensland.

The two suspects are seen walking up the street in which bikie Shane Bowden lived, at Pimpama on the Gold Coast, three weeks before he was killed outside his house

One of the men stops and lays on the ground to place a GPS tracker under Bowden's black BMW, police claim

Police still don't know the identity of the two shooters who carried out the execution, but hope security camera footage of two men fitting a tracker to the underside of Mr Bowden's black BMW might finally crack the case.

They have also released footage of a number of vehicles of interest, cutting laps around Mr Bowden's residential complex and surveilling his movements in the three weeks before he was murdered.

'We believe this crime has been committed by members of the outlaw motorcycle gang, the Mongols,' Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith told reporters on Friday.

'This is the extent of their sophistication, that they are using tracking devices and personal surveillance on their victims.'

The suspects lapped Bowden's house a number of time before they approached on foot

Bowden was a Finks MC member before defecting to the Mongols, and then defecting back again shortly before his execution-style murder

Forensic officers at work after Bowden's shooting death at Pimpama on the Gold Coast, Monday, October 12, 2020

Det Supt Smith said a recent search at a related crime scene at Fernvale had uncovered important evidence, including electronic devices and a vehicle of interest.

Just last week police also released vision of a blue or silver coloured Holden Commodore and a maroon coloured Ford Falcon they believe were used as getaway cars after the execution. They were later found torched.

'We know there was a number of people involved right through from the actual shooters, to the planners, to the leaders, to those involved in providing those getaway vehicles that were burnt out,' Det Supt Smith said.

Investigators have offered protection from prosecution and a $250,000 reward to any accomplices to Bowden's shooting who could help solve the crime.

Bowden's Black BMW, under which the two suspects were believed to have placed the GPS tracker three weeks before his death

'This is their opportunity to come forward and seek this indemnity,' Det Supt Smith said.

'Don't be the last one on the bus - it might be too late and you'll find yourself sitting in the dock.'

Bowden was initially a member of the Finks and was part of its 'terror team' jailed over the Gold Coast's so-called 'ballroom blitz' brawl in which three people were shot and two stabbed in 2006.

After his release he defected to the Mongols but was booted out and rejoined the Finks just before he was killed.
A statue of George Floyd installed in Brooklyn was vandalized - spray painted with a white supremacist group's logo less than a week after it was unveiled.

The statue, which had been unveiled on Saturday in honor of Juneteenth, was defaced early on Thursday with black spray paint, and stenciled with the website and logo for Patriot Front, a white-supremacist group, police said.

It came a day before Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the killing of Floyd, is set to face sentencing.

Four men are suspected to have taken part in the vandalism, with surveillance footage showing the unidentified individuals approaching the statue at around 3.40am, and then walking away a short time later.

Police said they are treating it as a possible hate crime.

Spray paint could be seen on a George Floyd statue in Brooklyn on Thursday, after early that morning. Police suspect a white-supremacist group as the culprit, and are treating it as a possible hate crime

The Patriot Front formed in 2017, and its members are focused on preserving what they say is America's white, European identity, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

The NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force is investigating, as well as the department's Racial and Ethnically Motivated Extremism unit.

Surveillance footage showed four men walked toward and away from statue around the time the vandalism occurred

Police said they are sill looking for the four suspects

City Council Member Farah Louis, who represents the Flatbush condemned the graffiti on Twitter.

'Today my office learned that the George Floyd sculpture at Flatbush Junction has been vandalized,' she wrote. 'This is a hate crime and totally unacceptable to the memory of Mr. Floyd and to the Black community as well as our efforts to achieve #racialjustice and equality in America.'

She said she is working with artist Chris Carnabuci, who created the sculpture, to find out a way to repair the damage.

Workers could be seen trying to remove the spray paint on Thursday. The statue had been unveiled less than a week before on Juneteenth

Remnants of the paint could be seen on statue by nightfall

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced on Twitter he is directing the New York State Police Hate Crimes Task Force to help investigate the graffiti.

'And to the group of ne-Nazis who did this, I want to be absolutely clear: get the h**l out of our state,' he said in a statement.

'Im saddened by it,' said Carnabuci told the New York Times. 'Im not completely shocked.'

He said he expected the sculpture would be defaced, but not so shortly after its unveiling.

'It was so quickly afterward that it happened,' he said. 'Maybe that was a surprise.'

The statue, created by Chris Carnabuci, was unveiled over the weekend and will stand for around three weeks before being moved to Union Square in Manhattan.

Terrence Floyd grows emotional as he takes in the wooden six foot statue of his brother George Floyd who was murdered by a white cop last year

Terrence leaves a message on the base of the statue: 'Pay attention and continue to keep my big brother's name ringing in the ears of everyone'

Terrence Floyd addresses the crowd urging people not to forget or what happened to his brother will 'happen again'

Floyd's brother Terrence Floyd attended the unveiling, kneeling in front of the likeness of his brother and bowing his head as he grew emotional.

The crowd chanted 'We are Floyd' as Terrence urged people not to 'forget or it will happen again' and welcomed American rapper to write a message on the base of the statue.

'George Floyd was hunted, knees were used to prey... in life we should only use knees to pray,' Papoose was seen painting on the side of the statue's base.

Terrence also left a message on the base of the statue reading: 'Pay attention and continue to keep my big brother's name ringing in the ears of everyone.'

Floyd was murdered on Memorial Day 2020 when white cop Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for more than nine minutes during an arrest over a suspected $20 counterfeit bill.

His death sparked protests demanding an end to systematic racism and police brutality and renewed calls to sign Juneteenth into law as a federal holiday.

Mayor Bill de Blasio kicked off the Big Apple's weekend of Juneteenth events Friday night as he and First Lady Chirlane McCray attended a block party in St. Nicholas Park in the Harlem neighborhood, organized by the Mayor's Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity.
Hundreds of frenzied panic-buyers have descended on supermarkets across Sydney's eastern suburbs to stockpile toilet paper and food, despite no shops closing over the seven day lockdown.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed the stay-at-home order on Friday morning after the state recorded 11 new local Covid cases with a further 17 to be included in tomorrow's numbers.

The lockdown, which will come into force from midnight and last seven days, applies to people who live or work in the Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney council areas.

Photos of panic-buyers have already been plastered online, despite Ms Berejiklian calling for calm.

'Please don't panic buy. There is no need for that. You can go out and buy anything you need any time of the day. We don't have curfew, we don't have anything like that,' she on Friday after announcing the new stay at home order.

Hundreds of mask-wearing customers were packed tightly into Woolworths in Double Bay within just hours of the announcement.

Hundreds of mask-wearing customers were packed tightly into Woolworths in Double Bay within just hours of the stay at home announcement

No major supermarkets have re-introduced buying limits on toilet paper, but frustrated shoppers have called out others for stockpiling. Left: Bondi, right: Wollongong

Photos of panic-buyers have already been plastered online, despite Ms Berejiklian calling for calm. Pictured: Woolworths Double Bay

A shopper captured a photo of Coles in Bondi Junction where the toilet paper aisle had been already wiped clean.

The panic buying spread as far south as Wollongong, despite no lockdown being imposed in the Illawarra region.

No major supermarkets have re-introduced buying limits on toilet paper, but frustrated shoppers have called out others for stockpiling.

'Not panic buying toilet paper again Sydney,' one person wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of empty supermarket shelves.

'I am still wondering why do people think toilet paper needs to be completely collected off the shelf every time there is a lockdown?' another tweeted.

Eleven of the cases were detected in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday night, six of which were already reported. There were 17 further infections which will be recorded in Saturday's tally.

There are now 65 cases linked to the Bondi cluster that erupted in the city's east last week.

In scenes reminiscent of the first wave of Covid in March 2020, Coles and Woolworths shelves across Sydney have again been stripped bare of loo roll

Frustrated shoppers have called out others for once again stockpiling toilet paper

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs (pictured) in the past two weeks

Residents and visitors to the Eastern suburbs continue to get tested for COVID-19 at St Vincent's Hospital pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Friday

People who live or work in the four LGAs will not be able to leave home for a week except for essential purposes.

These include work or education, shopping, providing care or outside exercise.

'If you live or work in those Local Government Areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Ms Berejiklian warned the lockdown could be extended to more suburbs if required.

'There will be things that come up in the next little while that none of us had anticipated and we will have to react and respond.

'We are not ever going to pretend that what we have in place is enough, or what we have in place is perfect,' she said.

Australian Medical Association boss Dr Omar Khorshid called for the whole of Sydney to be locked down, saying the rules 'are not quite enough'.

'We need everyone in Sydney to do the right thing and stay at home,' he said.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant explained why millions of residents who work in the CBD but do not live in hotspot suburbs have been locked down.

'The rationale for including the stay-at-home order to follow the workers is because we know that many of the workers do live outside those geographical LGAs.

'We want them to follow those stay-at-home orders so we don't establish seeding in Western Sydney and southwestern Sydney,' she said.

Dr Chant described the lockdown as a 'circuit-breaker'.

The NSW government was reportedly warned about the dangers of taxi drivers transporting flight crew from Sydney Airport four months ago but did not tighten health regulations.

Under a state public health order, international arrivals are not allowed to take ride share vehicles, public transport or taxis - but the order does not apply to flight crew.

A New South Wales Transport Workers Union official raised the issue with NSW Health but was told 'the airlines are in charge', a source told The Australian.

Some supermarkets reported they still had plenty of toilet paper, while others said they only had a little stock left

There were 18 new cases recorded from 48,402 tests in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, 13 of which were announced previously

The rules state that airlines must organise 'appropriate transportation' to take foreign crew to government quarantine and crew who live locally to their homes.

The driver, who is in his 60s, said he was scared of blood clots - an extremely rare side effect of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is only recommended in Australia for people over the age of 60.

Jon Bailey's hair salon in Double Bay is deep cleaned on Thursday due to the outbreak

He told A Current Affair that he had a family history of blood clots and was not an anti-vaxxer.

But Health Minister Brad Hazzard said there was 'no excuse' because he could have got the Pfizer vaccine due to his front-line role.

Meanwhile, famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.

It was initially revealed that the hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.

But in a another worrying development on Thursday night, NSW Health announced that the salon had been exposed to coronavirus for nine full days - from the moment it opened to the second it closed - between June 15 and June 23.

Skin Medi Spa and Wellness, in the same complex is under a similar order with anyone who visited from Wednesday June 16 to 23 Wednesday - at all times - urged to isolate and get tested immediately.
The Attorney General's Office for the state of Quintana Roo did not release the names of the victims or provide a motive for the shooting

The wounded male attempted to seek refuge from the shooters and was shot in front of a hotel entrance

Gunmen executed two men and wounded another in a shooting on a beach in Tulum, Mexico, on Thursday

Assassins killed two men and wounded a third during an attack on a beach in the Mexican Caribbean coastal resort of Tulum.

The suspects opened fired on Playa Paraiso inside Tulum National Park on Thursday approximately at 12:30pm, local media outlets reported.

Authorities found one of the dead individuals lying on the sand while the other man was discovered lying over a beach chair with the fatal gunshot wound.

A third male attempted to seek refuge before the assailants shot him in front of a hotel entrance, although he was not fatally injured.

The Attorney General's Office in the coastal state of Quintana Roo did not provide immediate information on the identities of the victims or a possible motive.

Security forces and paramedics tend to one of the two men who were shot dead on a beach in Tulum, Mexico, on Thursday. The attackers also wounded a third male in front of a beachfront hotel entrance. Authorities have not released the names of the victims and did not have information behind the motive

Tulum has long been known as the most quiet, low-key and laid-back of Mexico's Caribbean coast resorts, without the high-rise development common in Cancun.

Tulum has long been known as the most quiet, low-key and laid-back of Mexico's Caribbean coast resorts, without the high-rise development common in Cancun.

Drug gangs do operate in the state but until recently there was little violence on beaches and tourists are rarely the targets of armed attacks.

Its popularity among American and British tourists has exploded in recent years, with some locals also complaining that crimes and violence have also rocketed.

Thursday's killings come two weeks after a pair of suspects arrived on the shore of a Cancun beach and shot two men dead. A 30-year-old U.S. tourist, identified as Kanya, was wounded in the June 11 attack at Playa Tortugas.

Security forces and paramedics provide aid to a man who died on the scene after he and another male were shot dead by armed individuals on a beach in Tulum on Thursday

A 30-year-old American woman, identified as Kanya, was wounded Friday at a beach in Cancun, Mexico, after two gunmen stepped off their jet skis and opened fire, killing two male workers outside a gift shop before escaping

Violence in Quintana Roo has declined somewhat from the high levels of 2018 and 2019, when there was an upsurge in killings. There were 278 killings in the state in the first five months of 2021, down from 321 in the same period of 2020.

In January 2017, a shooting at a music festival in Playa del Carmen left three foreigners and two Mexicans dead. Prosecutors have said that shooting was motivated by low-level drug sales.

The state, whose tourism-dependent economy has begun recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, has also been hit in recent weeks by an increase in seaweed-like sargasso hitting beaches and an upswing in coronavirus cases.
An outlaw bikie has avoided more time behind bars after footage emerged of him bashing a man in a vicious attack outside a suburban apartment block.

Mongols member Luke Owens, 32, was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in the NSW District Court on Wednesday - but his punishment was 20 months jail to be served as an intensive corrections order in the community.

Owens already served almost three months in custody following the unprovoked attack at Five Dock, in Sydney's inner-west, in December of 2019.

CCTV footage played in the District Court showed a man exit the apartment who knew Owens and fellow Mongols bikie Eddie Maiaua, 42.

CCTV played in the NSW District Court this week shows Mongols bike viciously bashing another man in a 2019 attack

The seemingly casual catch-up between the victim and Owens quickly took a sinister turn, with the imposing bikie repeatedly punching the man with a series of right hooks to his head.

As the man lay bleeding on the ground, Owens could then be seen ripping free the victim's bum bag before sampling a designer gold Seiko watch off the man's wrist and fleeing on foot.

Judge Penelope Hock labelled the terrifying assault 'sickening'.

'(After the first punch the man) was effectively defenceless, yet Owens continued to punch him to the head and body,' she said.

'It was cowardly conduct and quite sickening to watch on CCTV.'

Owens is no stranger to a courtroom to answer serious criminal charges.

He was recently sentenced for an affray attack against his own brother Shayden at Rydalmere Tavern in Sydney's west last October, according to the Daily Telegraph.

At the time, the siblings were arguing over $10 recently put through a poker machine.

Maiaua, who was Owens' co-offender at Five Dock, was also convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company by Judge Hock.

Said to be drunk at the time of the assault and acting as a street 'lookout', he was sentenced to 20 months jail, which will be served as an intensive corrections order.

Both Owens and Maiaua will also be forced to complete 200 hours and 170 hours of community service respectively.

Luke Owens (pictured left) hasn't always seen eye to eye with his brother and fellow Mongols bikie member Shayden (pictured right)
Former Vice President Mike Pence was proud to certify the presidential election results on Jan. 6 after a deadly riot at the US Capitol, he said in his most direct and pointed departure from former President Donald Trump.

Speaking to a crowd at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Thursday, Pence said it was his duty under the Constitution to certify the results, and while he made no direct mention of his former boss, he appeared to distance himself from Trump, who still disputes the results of the Electoral College tally.

'I will always be proud that we did our part on that tragic day to reconvene the Congress and fulfilled our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States,' Pence said.

He added in a sharp jab at the former president: 'The truth is, there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president.'

Pence appeared in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 800 at the hilltop library, as he considers a potential 2024 White House run.

Speaking to a crowd at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Thursday, former Vice President Mike Pence said that it was his duty under the Constitution to certify the results of the 2020 election, a departure from former President Donald Trump

He took a brief pause from the public stage after leaving Washington, but in late April kicked off a series of events to sharpen his conservative profile for voters more familiar with him standing in Trumps shadow.

Although he did not dispute the results of the 2020 election, Pence did express his upset with the outcome.

'Now, I understand the disappointment many feel about the last election,' he said. 'I can relate. I was on the ballot. But you know, there's more at stake than our party and our political fortunes in this moment. If we lose faith in the Constitution, we won't just lose elections - we'll lose our country.'

Pence also emphasized Republican values, saying that the party represented the last line of defense against Democrats who want to undercut the Second Amendment and redefine liberties guaranteed in the Bill of Rights.

Pence also touted his and Trump's record during their four years in office,

'We live in a time when the leaders in the Democratic Party routinely demean the American founding,' he said. 'We must make it clear the Republican Party will always defend the principles at the heart of our republic.'

He also touted his and Trump's record during their four years in office, and went so far as to compare him to Reagan.

'He too disrupted the status quo,' Pence said. 'He challenged the establishment. He invigorated our movement and set a bold new course for America.'

It was, however, not the first time Pence has appeared to contradict Trump on the events of Jan. 6.

Speaking at a Republican fundraiser on June 3, Pence said: 'You know, President Trump and I have spoken many times since we left office. And I don't know if we'll ever see eye-to-eye on that day.'

Pence said he does not think he will ever 'see eye-to-eye' with Donald Trump about the January 6 riot - at a June 3 fundraiser. They were his first comments on the insurrection that saw him evacuated from the Capitol

'As I said that day, Jan. 6 was a dark day in history of the United States Capitol. But thanks to the swift action of the Capitol Police and federal law enforcement, violence was quelled. The Capitol was secured.

'And that same day, we reconvened the Congress and did our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States.'

There too, he quickly pivoted to slamming Democrats' behavior, particularly in the aftermath of the riot.

Striking a defiant note, Pence said he would not let Democrats use the riot to discredit millions of Americans who backed Trump.

He said: 'I will not allow Democrats or their allies in the media to use one tragic day to discredit the aspirations of millions of Americans.

'Or allow Democrats or their allies in the media to distract our attention from a new administration intent on dividing our country to advance their radical agenda.

'My fellow Republicans, for our country, for our future, for our children and our grandchildren, we must move forward, united.'

Trump has been more open about his disagreements with Pence over the election results.

'Well, I've always liked Mike and I'm very disappointed that he didn't send it back to the Legislatures when you have more votes than you have voters in some cases, and when you have the kind of things that were known then,' he said Monday in an interview with Real America's Voice host David Brody.

Donald Trump railed against Mike Pence in an interview Monday where he claimed he was 'disappointed' in his former vice president for not 'sending back' the results of the 2020 presidential election

'I was disappointed that he didn't send it back,' he continued in reference to the Electoral College results. 'I felt that he had the right to send it back. He should have sent it back. That's my opinion.'

Trump also released a statement Tuesday condemning Georgia for waiting until now to remove 100,000 'obsolete and outdated' names from voter rolls.

'Doing this, they say, will ensure voting files are up to date, while at the same time ensuring voter integrity in future elections.

'BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LAST ELECTION? WHY WASNT THIS DONE PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER 3RD PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, where they had us losing by a very small number of votes, many times less than the 101,789 figure?

'This means we (you!) won the Presidential Election in Georgia. But dont fret, much other information will soon be revealed about Georgiaand other States as well. It is coming out FAST and FURIOUS. The 2020 Presidential Election was rigged!'

Pence also caught flak from Republicans for his role in certifying the election results. Last Friday he was booed and called a 'traitor' at a Faith & Freedom Coalition event in Orlando.

Former Vice President Mike Pence was booed and called a 'traitor' by audience members attending the Faith and Freedom coalition 'Road to Majority' event in Orlando, Florida

'It is great to be back with so many patriots. Dedicated to faith and freedom and the road to the majority,' Pence said at the 'Road to Majority'-themed event.

But he barely introduced himself before the audience rebeled.

'And I want to thank my friend Ralph Reed for those overly generous words, I'm deeply humbled by them,' Pence said, referring to the head of the Faith & Freedom Coalition.

In the lead-up to the January 6 MAGA riot, former President Donald Trump pushed Pence, who as vice president had a constitutional duty to preside over Congress' counting of the Electoral College votes, to throw out votes from key swing states - in an effort to overturn President Joe Biden's win.

Pence has said little about the Jan. 6 riot, and has rarely publicly disputed his former boss

Hundreds of Trump supporters swarmed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, ransacking the building and chanting 'Hang Mike Pence'. Pence was targeted because he refused to overthrow the results of the November election, and oversaw their certification that day

'I hope Mike is going to do the right thing. I hope so. I hope so,' Trump told the crowd at the Ellipse on the morning of January 6, before droves of them stormed the Capitol. 'Because if Mike Pence does the right thing, we win the election.'

Trump falsely claimed to the crowd that Pence had 'the absolute right' to toss out Electoral Votes at his choosing. Pence publicly said he didn't see it that way.

When rioters got to the Capitol later on January 6, some chanted 'hang Mike Pence' for his refusal to do Trump's bidding.

During Trump's second impeachment hearing, video footage showed Pence narrowly escaping from the crowd. Trump never called to check in on him.
An advisory group for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there is a 'likely link' between rare cases of heart inflammation in adolescents and young adults and the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

In a presentation released on Wednesday, the COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical (VaST) Work Group discussed nearly 500 reports of the heart inflammation, known as myocarditis, in vaccinated adults under age 30.

The group of doctors said he risk of myocarditis or pericarditis following vaccination with the mRNA-based shots in adolescents and young adults is notably higher after the second dose and in males

It comes as the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) is set to meet this week to assess the possibility of a link between the heart condition and the mRNA vaccines.

According to the presentation, there have been 484 preliminary reports of myocarditis or pericarditis in young people under age 30 as of June 11.

So far, 323 have been confirmed by CDC and 148 are still under review.

In total, 309 patients were hospitalized, of which 295 were discharged and 79 percent have since recovered.

Nine patients are still hospitalized with two in intensive care units. There was no data available for five patients.

Males were much more likely to report heart inflammation after receiving a second dose than women.

As of June 11, there were 9.1 per million reported cases of myocarditis/pericarditis in females ages 12-to-17 compared to 66.7 per million in males of that age group.

What's more, rates among females ages 18-to-24 and ages 25-to-29 were 5.5 per million and 2.6 per million respectively.

Ang males, rates were 56.3 per million for the 18-to-24 age group and 20.4 per million in the 25-to-29 group.

This type of heart inflammation can be caused by a variety of infections, including a bout of COVID-19, as well as certain medications.

With more than 90.6 million young Americans under age 30 who have received one or both doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, it means just 0.000534 percent of people who have been administered the shots have reported such an effect.

The ACIP will discuss the benefits of the mRNA vaccines versus the potential risk to adolescents and young adults from the heart condition, according to the agency's agenda.

The group is not expected to cast a vote on any issues regarding the vaccine rollout, but may issue an update on vaccine safety, the odds of myocarditis and a risk-benefit of analysis of vaccines in teens and young adults.

The CDC earlier this month said it was still evaluating the risk from the condition and did not confirm a causal relationship between the vaccines and the heart issue.

The agency, however, said a higher-than-expected number of young men have experienced heart inflammation after their second dose of the mRNA COVID-19 shots, with more than half the cases reported in people between the ages of 12 and 24.

Dr Tom Shimabukuro, deputy director of the CDC's Immunization Safety Office, said in a presentation that data from one of the agency's safety monitoring systems - Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD)  suggests a rate of 12.6 cases per million in the three weeks after the second shot in 12- to 39-year-olds.

Pfizer, whose vaccine has been authorized for use in Americans as young as 12, previously said it had not observed a higher rate of heart inflammation than would normally be expected in the general population.

Moderna had said it could not identify a causal association with the heart inflammation cases and its vaccine.

Although health officials in Israel have also determined that there is likely a link between vaccination and the heart inflammation, concerns about the more infectious Indian 'Delta' variant have prompted the country to urge 12-to 15-year olds get vaccinated.
President Biden has been branded a racist after claiming Latinx Americans are afraid of getting vaccinated out of fear of deportation.

Biden made his comments in a speech on Thursday in North Carolina where he toured a mobile vaccine unit in North Carolina.

Speaking to a crowd mainly made up of African Americans and Latinos, President Biden was greeted with shouts of 'Uncle Joe' and 'We love you' when he made his remarks on the pandemic at the Green Road Community Center.

Biden remarked on why black Americans historically have been reluctant get vaccinated, citing past racist medical treatment.

'There's a reason why it was harder to get African Americans-initially- to get vaccinated, because they're used to being experimented on,' he said. 'Tuskegee airmen and others, people have long memories.'

He then implied that all American Hispanic people were afraid of getting vaccinated because they would be deported.

'It's awful hard as well to get Latinx vaccinated, Why? They're worried they'll be vaccinated and deported,' he said.

Scroll down for video.

President Joe Biden told people 'just do it' when it comes to getting the COVID vaccine

President Biden poses for selfies with volunteers at a COVID vaccine clinic

Following his comments the term Latinx, the gender-neutral alternative to Latino or Latina, was trending on Twitter.

Biden's comments on the Latino community rubbed many the wrong way and some people on social media have even labeled him a racist.

'This is just an outrageous statement from President Biden,' one person tweeted. 'Latinos don't like to be called 'Latinx,' and you're racist to assume that they're all illegal immigrants.'

'Joe Biden claiming Latinos dont want to get vaccinated because theyre worried about getting deported is about as racist as it gets,' another person tweeted. 'Par for the course for old racist Joe Biden.'

Someone else tweeted: 'Biden literally said getting Latinx vaccinated is difficult because they think they will be deported if they go in for the vaccine Seems pretty racist to me to imply all "Latinx" are illegal immigrants. If Trump made that statement yall would be furious!'

'Now we know who the real racist president is Biden Goes Woke, Calls Latinos "LatinX" and Assumes They Are All Illegal Aliens.' someone tweeted.

Biden's blunder came during the White House's 'month of action'- a push to get more American's vaccinated.

The tour comes vaccination rates are declining in states in the South and Western parts of the country and the threat of the Delta variant is growing.

'It's the greatest threat against our fight to beat COVID-19,' Biden said of the Delta strain.

'The best way to protect yourself against the virus and its variants, is to be fully vaccinated,' the president said. 'The data couldn't be clear, if you're vaccinated, you're safe.'

'Just do it,' he said as the crowd cheered.

Biden also directed his remarks toward people of color where the vaccination rate is lower.

'The more we close the racial gap in the vaccination rates, the more lives we can save,' he said.

The White House is pushing hard to raise vaccination rates - particularly among younger adults who have a lower one compared to older members of the population.

Officials are emphasizing the new Delta strain of COVID, which is 60% more contagious, and causing an increased number of coronavirus cases in some Southern and Western states.

The Delta variant is responsible for about one in five COVID cases in the U.S., and its prevalence has doubled in the last two weeks. The variant was first identified in India, where officials are struggling to combat the disease.

The strain also is likely to cause a stronger case of COVID but the current vaccines are around 90% effective against it.

The push comes as the White House has said it will go ahead with its July 4th celebrations even as the administration failed to meet its goal of getting 70% of adults partially vaccinated by Independence Day.
It's the happening Sydney high street that's home to trendy bars, op shops and restaurants - and it has been cleaved in two by Gladys Berejiklian's latest lockdown.

One side of King St, Newtown, will fall under the NSW Government's new restrictions from midnight on Friday, as it's located in the City of Sydney council area.

But a bureaucratic quirk means the west side of the road will be free of the onerous rules because it falls under the authority of the unaffected Inner West Council.

Business owners on either side were united in their good humour at the unusual situation when Daily Mail Australia visited on lockdown eve.

'We'll be waving at over there, going "ha!",' joked Chris Gordon, owner of Tower Antiques and Collectibles, from the Good Side of the road.

'Here we are in this little island and over there all the pubs and cafes are being locked down.'

The western end of King St, Newtown is in both the City of Sydney and Inner West Council areas - meaning one side of the road will face NSW government restrictions while the other will not

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the stay-at-home orders and enhanced restrictions on Friday - which will disproportionately affect one side of King St but not the other

GOOD SIDE v BAD SIDE: Chris Gordon's antiques store is unaffected by the new Covid restrictions but fashion designer Natalija Rushidi's outlet is stuck on the 'bad side' of the road

Usually, the council boundary only causes one side to have better parking restrictions than the other.

But the Premier's week-long stay at home order, to go into affect at 11.59pm, will have a major impact.

Ms Berejiklian's order applies to four local government areas - Woollahra, Randwick, Waverley and crucially, the City of Sydney. People who live and work in those councils, including the east side of King St, must stay at home unless 'absolutely necessary'.

Ms Berejiklian said she expected businesses in the City of Sydney zone to close unless they provide 'essential food and services. That was later contradicted by Health Minister Brad Hazzard, who tweeted that retail could stay open, but other essential businesses must close.

Caught in Friday's confusion were businesses like that of record store owner Brett Young.

Mr Young has owned Newtown's Repressed Records store for five years, and has now found himself on the Bad Side of the road.

'I'm probably not going to open tomorrow,' Mr Young told Daily Mail Australia.

'It's madness - it's here, this side (there are rules) and no to that side.'

Record store owner Brett Young said he would close his doors. His Repressed Records business is on the Bad Side of the road

Goran Pucakoski expects his Europe Grill restaurant will go takeaway only from Saturday, with his outlet on the 'bad side'... But directly across the road Arabella Restaurant, on the Good Side, plans to open as normal, safe inside the borders of Inner West Council

Several restaurants on the Bad Side were bracing for pain.

Goran Pucakoski, the owner of Europe Grill, was expecting to go takeaway-only from tomorrow, as was the neighbouring Earth Thai restaurant.

But across the road on the Good Side, head chef and proprietor of Arabella Lebanese restaurant Mohamad Zouhour said: 'I'm going to open up as normal.'

Likewise, popular burger joint Mary's Newtown will still be cranking, as it it sits just outside the boundary.

Almost all businesses said trade was already flat thanks to the Bondi outbreak.

Several owners said they already owed outstanding rental debts from last year's Covid outbreak, which led them to shut their doors for weeks.

'You just have to suck it up', says Homewares Design Store owner Andrija Chapman

But some have learned how to adapt to pandemic conditions. Fashion designer Natalija Rushidi said she would be selling her wares online next week.

Some owners warned they would need rental assistance if the lockdown dragged on for too long, as well as JobKeeper.

But others said they would keep calm and carry on.

Andrija Chapman, of Homewares Design Store, also on the Bad Side, shook her head and smiled when asked about the bizarre boundary.

'It is what it is. You just have to suck it up, don't you?

'Arbitrary decisions happen. There's lots of people out there who are a lot worse off than us.'
A whopping 3,500km cloud band is set to sweep across Australia over the weekend, raining on the plans of millions across the country.

Heavy rainfall will move from north-western Western Australia all the way across to Queensland leaving most of the state soaked.

The Top End, despite being in the middle of its dry season, experienced record rainfall this week with Elliott, a suburb halfway between Darwin and Alice Springs receiving 55mm of rain on Thursday - the highest June rainfall since 1973.

Brisbane could see 20mm of rain on Saturday while a separate trough sweeping through Victoria and South Australia will see the southern states also hit with showers from Friday into the weekend.

A whopping 3,500km band of rain is set to sweep across Australia over the weekend, raining on the plans of millions across the country (pictured the coloured areas show the areas hit with rain)

Brisbane could see 20mm of rain on Saturday while a separate trough sweeping through Victoria and South Australia will see the southern states also hit with showers from Friday into the weekend

Craig McIntosh, a meteorologist from WeatherZone, told Daily Mail Australia that Queensland will see the brunt of the wet weather.

'The cloud band has crossed most of Australia already and is dumping most of the rain into Queensland,' he said.

'It's a north-west cloud band which is a big contributor of tropical moisture to south-eastern parts of Australia.'

The largest downpour is expected to hit Queensland on Saturday with Brisbane to see more than 20mm of rain.

'The heaviest rain will be between Rockhampton and Brisbane and inland areas of those districts, with around 15-25mm forecast,' Mr McIntosh said.

'We won't see the rain disappear until Monday.'

The largest downpour is expected to hit Queensland on Saturday with Brisbane to see up to 20mm of rain in one day alone

People are seen braving the wet weather in Melbourne last week. More rain is forecast for the city over the weekend

Some of that rain will also be seen in north-eastern New South Wales.

Meanwhile in the southern states, Melbourne is likely to see around 25mm of rain fall over the weekend by a different low pressure system.

Adelaide was soaked by rain on Friday but is forecast to have a relatively dry weekend.

The rain will be mostly felt in Queensland but Melbourne and Adelaide may also see showers while Sydney will be mainly dry

Sydney will miss the rain completely with a sunny weekend in store while millions of residents are stuck inside due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Canberra may have a shower or two and some frosty mornings are expected with Sunday having a minimum temperature of 0C.

Perth will be hit with heavy rainfall on Sunday which will continue into the next week as a cold front moves through the west.

Hobart will also see a chilly weekend but only 1-2mm of rain is expected over Saturday and Sunday.
The Victorian couple whose 1,900km road trip from Victoria through NSW to Queensland sparked fears of a Covid-19 outbreak have had another fine added to their tally.

NSW Police today announced it would issue the couple with Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for allegedly breaching a Public Health Order as they travelled through the state earlier this month.

The pair, who were moving to Queensland for work, went to the Reading Cinema on Macquarie Street, Dubbo, on Wednesday 2 June 2021.

The visit was considered non-essential activity and a breach of the Act, drawing a fine of $1000 each.

The couple created an uproar in three states when they fled Victoria during its most recent Covid-19 lockdown on June 1 and undertook a trip through regional NSW and Queensland towns before arriving on the Sunshine Coast on June 5.

A couple who fled Victoria during its strict Covid-19 lockdown and went on an interstate road trip into Queensland has now been fined by both Queensland and NSW police

The Victorian couple's visit to the Reading Cinema on Macquarie Street, Dubbo, on June 2, drew the fines of $1000 each from NSW Police.

Victorians were not permitted to travel more than five kilometres from home at the time the couple left for their trp.

The woman, 44, then tested positive to the virus on June 9. Her husband, 48, was confirmed to have contracted the virus the next day.

Queensland Police later revealed the couple deliberately provided false information to the state's authorities on their border declarations.

The couple have both been fined $4,003 for breaching the Queensland chief health officer's directions but avoided the maximum penalty of six months in jail.

More than 400 Queenslanders were forced into self-isolation as a result of the couple's visit to venues at Goondiwindi, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast.

One NSW hotelier in Forbes, NSW, said she lost $7000 in takings on State of Origin night when she had to shut the pub for deep cleaning after the couple's visit.

'A lot of people are furious,' Today show host Karl Stefanovic said of the couple when their trip was revealed.

'They have to throw the book at these people. They have to. I'm not averse to naming and shaming. We have to get this message through.'

The Queensland Police Service was expected to serve the PINs on the couple on behalf of NSW Police today.
Advertisement

The woman Matt Hancock has been allegedly having an affair with attended the University of Oxford in the 1990s at the same time as the Health Secretary and his wife Martha, it emerged today.

Gina Coladangelo, 43, knows the Health Secretary from Oxford, where they both worked on the student radio station and studied politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) - and where he also met his osteopath wife, 44.

Ms Coladangelo today remains Facebook friends with Mr Hancock's wife - with whom he has two sons and a daughter - after they both graduated from the university at around the same time. However, it is not known if Ms Coladangelo and Mrs Hancock knew each other there.

They all reside in London, with Ms Coladangelo living with her multi-millionaire fashion tycoon husband Oliver Tress, founder of fashion chain Oliver Bonas, and their three children in a 4million Wandsworth home; while the Hancocks live six miles away in Queen's Park.

Mr Hancock, 42, hired Ms Coladangelo as a non-executive director at the Department of Health last September, and the CCTV images of them kissing in the departmental building were allegedly taken on May 6.

The mother of three is a major shareholder - as well as director - of the lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, where she worked from 2002 until June 2014. She studied PPE at Oxford between 1995 and 1998, like Mr Hancock.

Mr Hancock met Ms Coladangelo when they worked on Oxford student radio together in the 1990s. He was a minority sports reporter on Oxygen FM and they would have socialised together at Exeter College, Oxford.

In April 2020, Ms Coladangelo recalled their student radio days at Oxford in a programme on BBC Radio 4, saying: 'I read the news and Matt read the sport. I've always joked with him that he did the sport because he wasn't good enough to do the news, but I think it gave him a bit of an early heads up into aggressive questioning from journalists and hacks.'

Ms Coladangelo was discussing his unorthodox approach to broadcasting when he was a sports correspondent in an interview with Mark Coles on 'Profile on Matt Hancock'. She said: 'He got one of these special tickets to go and sit in the press box with all these other serious journalists at Twickenham to watch a big match.

'I think it was Australia playing England, and he actually overslept in his flat and hotfooted it to the train station but didn't make it to Twickenham from Oxford in time. So he had to get off the train In Reading, find a pub, watch the first half in a pub and go to a phone box outside and report in. So he told a white lie, he pretended he was at Twickenham watching the rugby when he was in fact in a pub in Reading. Successfully, nobody ever found out.'

She was described as Mr Hancock's 'closest friend' from Oxford when he appointed her as an unpaid adviser last year. Mr Hancock has spoken fondly of his days working alongside her on the now-defunct radio station.

As newly appointed Minister for Digital and Culture in 2016, he said: 'I think I somehow knew, when as a student I worked as minority sports correspondent for Oxygen 107.9 FM, that one day I'd become Minister for radio.'

Mr Hancock was described as an 'obscure figure' at the radio station where he presented bulletins on rowing, fencing and other minority sports, and the pair also worked there with BBC tennis commentator Gigi Salmon.

A former colleague said today: 'He volunteered there but he didn't make much of a name for himself. Gina was the opposite, she was one of the stars of the show. She was quite glamorous and good looking - she had lots of attention from the boys. She also did a bit of sports presenting with Hancock, they would have worked together.'

The Hancocks, Gina Coladangelo and Oliver Tress: Timeline reveals how all four link together 1995 : Matt Hancock starts studying PPE at the same time as Gina Coladangelo at Oxford University, where he also meets his future wife Martha Millar

: Matt Hancock starts studying PPE at the same time as Gina Coladangelo at Oxford University, where he also meets his future wife Martha Millar 1998 : Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo graduate from Oxford, where they also worked on student radio

: Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo graduate from Oxford, where they also worked on student radio 2006 : Matt Hancock marries Martha Millar

: Matt Hancock marries Martha Millar 2002 : Gina Coladangelo starts working at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, where she stays until 2014

: Gina Coladangelo starts working at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, where she stays until 2014 2004 : Gina Coladangelo marries London property lawyer Glynn Gibb but their union is short-lived

: Gina Coladangelo marries London property lawyer Glynn Gibb but their union is short-lived 2009 : Oliver Tress and Gina Coladangelo are believed to have married at some point in this year

: Oliver Tress and Gina Coladangelo are believed to have married at some point in this year 2 0 14 : Gina Coladangelo starts working as marketing and communications director at Oliver Bonas

: Gina Coladangelo starts working as marketing and communications director at Oliver Bonas 2018 : Matt Hancock becomes Health Secretary

: Matt Hancock becomes Health Secretary September 2020 : Gina Coladangelo is hired by Matt Hancock as a non-executive director at the Department of Health

: Gina Coladangelo is hired by Matt Hancock as a non-executive director at the Department of Health May 6, 2021 : Matt Hancock is caught on CCTV kissing Gina Coladangelo Advertisement

Ms Coladangelo went on to marry Mr Tress, 53, who is founder of Oliver Bonas, named after his ex-girlfriend Anna who is cousin of Prince Harry's former partner Cressida Bonas. Ms Coladangelo has worked for her husband's company as its communications director for the past seven years.

It is not known exactly when Ms Coladangelo and Mr Tress wed, although Companies House documents show that she changed her surname to Tress in November 2009 - suggesting that they got married that year.

Mr Tress founded Oliver Bonas in London in 1993 with handbags and jewellery he had brought from Hong Kong where his parents lived, and his wife began working there in June 2014 after 11 years at Luther Pendragon.

They live together in a five-bedroom detached property believed to be worth around 4million in Wandsworth, South West London, on a quiet tree-lined street with residents-only parking bays that is popular with families.

Many of the cars parked in the street  which is a 20-minute drive away from Central London - are top-of-the range BMW 4x4s and Volvos. Neighbours of Ms Coladangelo remained tight lipped today and refused to comment.

But one visiting workman who left a neighbouring home was unimpressed by Mr Hancock. He said: 'The guy had been caught bang to rights on film. He will have to do some smart talking to get out of that one with the wife.'

Ms Coladangelo has been spotted leaving Downing Street with the Health Secretary on a number of occasions. A source told the Sunday Times last year: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina. She knows everything.'

But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer. Asked about her appointment, a Downing Street spokesman said today: 'The appointment followed all the correct procedures.'

Ms Coladangelo was previously married to London property lawyer Glynn Gibb, 46, who declined to comment today. Mr Gibb was working for one of London's top real estate firms when he met and married her in 2004.

But the marriage was short-lived and the pair divorced. Mr Gibb is described on LinkedIn as 'a senior property professional with over 23 years' sales, marketing and consultation experience'. The director of Fulham property firm Chestertons, who is now married to Samantha Gibb, told MailOnline today: 'I have no comment to make.'

Gina Coladangelo works as communications director for Oliver Bonas which was founded by her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together in London's Belgravia in 2014) - while also being Health Secretary Matt Hancock's closest aide

Mr Hancock's kiss with Ms Coladangelo is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year

Gina Coladangelo - left, with illustrator Aysha Awwad at the V&A Summer Party at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2019 and, right, pictured in a feature for the Mail in 2012 in which she talked about returning to work while being a mother

Matt Hancock and his wife Martha Hancock are seen in 2010 when he was Conservative candidate for West Suffolk

Matt Hancock arrives at the BBC studios in London with his senior aide Gina Coladangelo in July last year

Ms Coladangelo was previously married to London property lawyer Glynn Gibb (pictured with his new wife Samantha Gibb)

She was an unpaid adviser for Mr Hancock but claims of 'chumocracy' emerged in November when it was revealed she was attending confidential meetings.

Ms Coladangelo was made a non-executive director at the Department for Health in September. She shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'.

Ms Coladangelo is pictured in her LinkedIn profile photo

She says: 'I have over twenty years' experience in business management and marketing and communications, with a focus on retail, healthcare, the third sector and energy.

'Marketing expertise across media relations, consumer campaigns, social media, digital strategy, strategic collaborations, internal communications, issues management and public affairs.'

But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer.

While working as Head of Marketing at Oliver Bonas, Ms Coladangelo contributed to a post on International Women's Day.

She wrote: 'You don't have to do what everyone else is doing. Decide what you want and don't want  and stick to it. It is up to you to live a life you love.'

Ms Coladangelo has access to the Houses of Parliament due to gaining a pass in April and is also said to be bound by the Official Secrets Act.

The pass reportedly has her husband's surname on it, but she does not use it for her work. House of Lords peer Lord Bethell sponsored her for the pass.

Gina Coladangelo and her husband Oliver Tress live in this property in Wandsworth, South West London

Ms Coladangelo is pictured (left) with Scottish radio and television presenter Jenni Falconer (right) in September 2019

Health Secretary Matt Hancock is pictured in talks with Gina Coladangelo (right) and other aides in February this year

(From left) Jules Somerset Webb, Oliver Tress, Tabitha Webb and Gina Coladangelo at Ms Webb's store in Belgravia in 2014

Away from work, Ms Coladangelo has three children. In 2012 she told the Daily Mail how she had returned to work while being a mother.

Matt Hancock claims he broke social distancing 'guidance' in kissing aide Matt Hancock has apologised for breaking social distancing guidance when kissing his aide, even though the law at the time suggests such gatherings were not allowed. The Health Secretary was pictured embracing his aide Gina Coladangelo on May 6 in what appears to be CCTV footage from inside the Department for Health and Social Care. Legislation in place at the time stated that 'no person may participate in a gathering' that 'consists of two or more people... and takes place indoors.' The only exception to this rule was for 'work purposes or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services'. It is unclear whether Mr Hancock believes his embrace was part of a work meeting. Guidance in place until May 17 also said people should continue to keep their distance from anyone not in their household or support bubble. Advertisement

She paid for a live-in nanny at their home in south-west London and worked flexible hours.

Ms Coladangelo said: 'I don't worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them.

'I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice.

'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted. I want to work to give something back.'

Her husband Oliver gave an interview to the Financial Times in November 2015 and spoke about their house. He said: 'Our indulgence was moving to a bigger home in Wandsworth in September (2015).

'We barely had a garden in Clapham, but the new house has a bigger garden and more space downstairs.

'We might be able to build an extension. The mortgage will still be pretty considerable, as retail businesses are not necessarily throwing up a lot of cash. I am not a tycoon.'

Mr Bonas opened his first store on London's Fulham Road in 1993 with handbags and jewellery he had brought from Hong Kong where his parents lived.

Speaking to the Independent in September 2015, he said: 'I'd been bringing presents back for friends and they were really popular so I thought, 'I wonder if I can make a go of this?' And to my amazement it just worked.'

Bonas was the surname of his then girlfriend Anna Bonas, who is the cousin of Prince Harry's former girlfriend Cressida Bonas, and he told how 'she very kindly hasn't demanded that I changed it'.

Oliver Bonas is an independent chain of lifestyle stores that started out with one shop on Fulham Road in 1993. Initially, Mr Tress mainly stocked products that he had found in trade shows.

Matt Hancock looks at his aide Gina Coladangelo's phone as they leave the BBC studios in London on June 6

Ms Coladangelo shows off her Oliver Bonas role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'

Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together several years ago) founded

Matt Hancock with Ms Coladangelo leaving the BBC studios after appearing on The Andrew Marr Show earlier this month

The retailer now has 80 stores across the UK, offering products from contemporary jewellery, gifts, homeware and furniture.

Away from work, Ms Coladangelo has three children. In 2012 she told how she had returned to work while being a mother

Top sellers include items like candles, washbags and delicate jewellery. Celebrities such as Holly Willoughby and Christine Lampard have also been spotted in colourful outfits by the brand.

It's renowned for its vibrant pieces, which often come in bold prints. Based in Chessington, Surrey, the company employs more than 500 people and turnover was 70 in 2017.

Last year the retailer secured 3.5million in funding from HSBC to help support the company post-lockdown.

The funding is part of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and aims to ease the financial strain on the store after the pandemic.

Mr Tress attended Marlborough College in Wiltshire - where other alumni include Kate Middleton - while Mr Hancock went to the King's School Chester.

Ms Coladangelo's father Rino Coladangelo, 70, is a millionaire businessman and chief executive of an international pharmaceutical company.

Then-London Mayor Boris Johnson meets Oliver Tress while visiting an Oliver Bonas store in November 2015

Her mother Heather, 69, a former florist, has held the position of secretary in her husband's business which has interests in China, India and the US.

Ms Coladangelo's father Rino Coladangelo, 70, is chief executive of an international pharmaceutical company

The couple lives in a 16th century listed former farmhouse in the village of Steeple Morden, on the Hertfordshire-Cambridgeshire border.

Mr Coladangelo is listed in Companies House as Italian but he was educated at University College London and has lived and worked in the UK most of his life.

He is currently chief executive of Rephine Ltd, a Stevenage-based pharmaceutical company which specialises in compliance and regulatory affairs.

According to Linkedin he was a member of the Royal College of Physicians in London and a managing director of an NHS hospital. He speaks English, Italian and French.

Her mother was a director of the Willow Foundation which her daughter was also a director until she resigned in 2018.

The charity, whose life president is former Arsenal goalkeeper and TV presenter Bob Wilson, aims to give 'uplifting and special days' to seriously-ill young adults.
Advertisement

Matt Hancock has been blasted by his neighbours after his wife of 15 years emerged from their home in London amid his cheating scandal - with the Health Secretary still nowhere to be seen.

Martha Hancock, 44, got into a car outside the couple's house in North London as claims emerged of an alleged affair between the Health Secretary and his closest aide, taxpayer-funded advisor Gina Coladangelo, 43.

The cabinet minister's wife - who is still wearing her wedding ring - looked heartbroken and wore dark sunglasses to cover her eyes as she got into a car, but didn't speak to reporters about the accusations against her husband this morning. She returned home a few hours later walking the family dog along the pavement.

Mr and Mrs Hancock's most-recent outing was at the England vs Scotland Euro 2020 match at Wembley a week ago.

The Health Secretary, 42, failed to mention Martha in an extraordinary statement today, in which he did not deny claims of a secret long-term affair with Mrs Coladangelo. He only said he had 'let people down' and wanted 'privacy for my family on this personal matter'.

The kiss is purported to have happened 13 days before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug.

The Hancocks - who met while they were both students at Oxford University - split their time between London and West Suffolk, the constituency he represents.

While his farmhouse was closed up today, locals hit out at the hypocrisy of married Mr Hancock being caught in a steamy clinch with Mrs Coladangelo.

Matt Hancock 's osteopath wife Martha was photographed leaving home this morning as her husband was at the centre of a cheating scandal

Mrs Hancock was seen wearing her wedding ring as she left home this morning while clutching her phone and car key

This is the image that has left Matt Hancock fighting for his job today that appears to show him kissing his millionaire aide - who is on the public payroll - in the corridor outside his office in May this year

The Hancocks - who met while they were both students at Oxford University - split their time between London and West Suffolk, the constituency he represents. While his farmhouse (pictured) was closed up today, locals hit out at the hypocrisy of married Mr Hancock being caught in a steamy clinch with Mrs Coladangelo

One woman told MailOnline: 'He was quick to criticise Professor Neil Ferguson when it emerged that he had been seeing a mistress during lockdown.

'More than anything, though, I feel sorry for his wife. This is going to lose him a lot of trust and it couldn't have come at a worse time - so soon after details emerged of him being branded 'hopeless' by Boris Johnson.

'I really think his job is now very much under threat.'

Another villager added: 'He has acted hypocritically, there is no social distancing going on in that photo of him with his aide and he's been quick to warn everyone else to keep apart.

'Everyone can get themselves in a pickle at one time or other but I can't believe someone as high-profile as Matt Hancock wasn't aware that he could be found out.

'He's been very much in the limelight over the last year and a half and so how was he expecting this not to come out at some stage?

'I've seen very little with him in the village. He's mainly in London and his children don't go to school in the area.

'The last time I did see Matt was pre-Covid when he played in a local pub quiz after bringing George Osborne and a few others along with him. Annoyingly they won!'

Mrs Hancock, an osteopath, got into a car outside their property in North London this morning

She returned home a few hours later walking the family dog along the pavement while wearing dark sunglasses (pictured)

Matt Hancock and his wife Martha spotted out in London on June 1. The couple had lunch in Exmouth market in the city

The Health Secretary, 42, has been seen having a passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo (pictured here with Matt Hancock outside Downing Street on May 1), according to The Sun

Mr Hancock met his future wife Martha Hoyer Millar while they were both students at Oxford University in the late 1990s, and they now have three children together.

Now Martha Hancock, they married in 2006 and live with their daughter, 14, and two sons, 13 and eight, in London and West Suffolk.

Mrs Hancock is friends on Facebook with Mrs Coladangelo, with the latter liking pictures of the Hancock children shared by the osteopath.

Mrs Coladangelo attended university with the Health Secretary and his then-future wife, with the aide working on student radio with Mr Hancock. She also did the same degree as him.

Mrs Hancock works as an osteopath and is believed to practice at a clinic in Notting Hill, West London.

She is the granddaughter of Frederick Millar, 1st Baron Inchyra - a British diplomat and Ambassador to West Germany.

Mrs Hancock is also the great granddaughter of the 1st Viscount Camrose, a Welsh newspaper publisher.

Her father, Alastair Millar, was Secretary of The Pilgrim Trust between 1980 and 1996.

The trust is responsible for supplying grants, predominately to preservation projects for historically significant buildings or artifacts. Nowadays, around 2million is divvied out by the trust each year.

The Hancocks do not let their children have social media, but Mr Hancock has been seen playing rugby with the boys in London parks during the pandemic.

Mrs Hancock married Mr Hancock in 2006

When their third child was born in 2013, Mr Hancock did not get two weeks of paternity leave immediately.

But he later took a two-month break, including the MPs' extended summer recess.

He said at the time: 'I am taking paternity leave myself. It's important to form a strong bond with your children.'

The Hancocks have kept their family life private, with Mrs Hancock pictured by her husband's side on only a few occasions such as music awards events.

These included the NME Awards at Brixton Academy in South London in 2018 and the Brit Awards at The O2 one year earlier.

In an interview with the Financial Times in 2014, Mr Hancock revealed he spends the week in London and weekend in Newmarket.

He told the newspaper his 'work-life balance is a challenge', adding: 'I pay a lot of attention to timetabling.

'Both my professional and social and family time gets booked up a long way in advance and then you have to be strict about it.'

Mr Hancock was born in Chester where he went to the exclusive private school the King's School.

He did his A-levels in maths, physics, computing and economics before doing computing at West Cheshire College.

Like numerous Conservative MPs before him, he studied PPE at Exeter College, Oxford - where he graduated with a first.

It was at the elite university that he realised he had dyslexia, which he only opened up about in recent years.

He later did an MPhil in economics at Christ's College, Cambridge, before turning to politics in 1999 when he joined the Tories.

Mrs Hancock (pictured this morning) works as an osteopath and is believed to practice at a clinic in Notting Hill, West London

The Health Secretary today fights for his job after he was accused of having an affair with his closest aide when CCTV emerged showing them kissing intensely in the corridor outside his Whitehall office before he said it was safe for the public to hug. Pictured: Mr Hancock with his wife Martha

But before becoming an MP, Mr Hancock trained as a jockey. He won a race in his constituency town of Newmarket in 2012.

The Health Secretary was today accused of having an affair with his closest aide when CCTV emerged showing them kissing intensely in the corridor outside his Whitehall office before he said it was safe for the public to hug.

He today ran for cover and cancelled a public appearance at a vaccine centre as he fought for his job.

No 10 is said to be holding crisis talks about his future but one source claimed that Mr Hancock still hopes to survive.

Downing Street is yet to comment as some questioned whether Boris Johnson will sack his Health Secretary given his own chequered love life, especially his alleged four-year affair with American pole-dancing businesswoman Jennifer Arcuri, who he employed as an advisor while Mayor of London.

Mr and Mrs Hancock are seen in 2010 when he was Conservative candidate for West Suffolk

Mr and Mrs Hancock are rarely seen in public together, but were photographed at Wembley Stadium in a corporate area for the England v Scotland match at Euro 2020 last Friday

Mr Hancock and his wife Martha attend the NME Awards at Brixton Academy, London, in 2018

Mr and Mrs Hancock attend a summer drinks reception at Milbank Tower in June 2019

The Health Secretary was caught on camera in a passionate clinch with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Mrs Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

The incident is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.

Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor is clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace.

The Sun claims they have been having an affair that has been the talk of the department - but it is not known if they remain in a relationship that was a secret until today.

Communications director and lobbyist Mrs Coladangelo is a mother-of-three, whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas. The shutters were closed at their 4.5million South London home this morning.

She has been working as an advisor for Mr Hancock with one source saying: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina'.

MailOnline has contacted representatives for the Health Secretary. A friend of Mr Hancock's reportedly told The Sun they had 'no comment' on the matter, but that 'no rules' had been breached.

Mr Hancock and his wife at the Brit Awards in London in 2017, in a picture posed on Instagram

But a Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage and reportedly no longer works for the department, told the newspaper it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic with an adviser and friend he used public money to hire'.

The alleged affair piles even more pressure on Mr Hancock, who was already reportedly battling for his job over his handling of the pandemic Dominic Cummings released WhatsApp messages from the PM that showed Mr Johnson branded him 'f***ing useless'.

Aside from the serious allegations of an affair, there will also be questions to answer about kissing someone outside his bubble during the pandemic and whether this breaches any of the Covid rules he has helped create.

Mr Hancock, who is yet to comment, has cancelled an event in his West Suffolk constituency this morning where he would have faced questions over the affair and whether he can keep his job. He also deleted an Instagram post from last night where he said he 'works with some brilliant women'.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said today it was an 'entirely personal' matter for his cabinet colleague. He told LBC radio: 'I have seen the photo but, as ever with private matters, I always try to avoid commenting on other people's personal lives and I think I'll stick with that tradition here.'

Asked whether the Health Secretary should have been 'ignoring social distancing', Mr Shapps replied: 'I'm quite sure that whatever the rules were at the time were followed. You'll recall that there was a point at which social distancing rules were changed but, as I say, I don't want to comment on somebody else's private life - that is for them.'

The Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said he would not be commenting on an 'entirely personal' matter after pictures were published allegedly depicting his married Cabinet colleague Matt Hancock in an embrace with his closest aide.

Mr Shapps told Sky News that former lobbyist Gina Coladangelo  who the Health Secretary met at university  would have gone through an 'incredibly rigorous' process to get the job.

Mrs Coladangelo (pictured here with husband Oliver Tress - the founder of the Oliver Bonas clothing chain), who is a director and shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon

Matt Hancock smiles and laughs at his alleged lover as they leave the BBC after appearing on the Marr show in June

Asked about the rules around appointing friends to Government positions, Mr Shapps said: 'First of all, I think the actual issue is entirely personal for Matt Hancock.

'In terms of rules, anyone who has been appointed has to go through an incredibly rigorous process in Government, so whatever the rules are, the rules will have to be followed.

'There are no short cuts to that, as anyone who has had anything to do with the appointments system in the Civil Service knows.

'There are very strict rules in place.'

Labour said the Government needs to answer whether the Health Secretary had broken any rules or there had been 'conflicts of interest' in the appointment of his closest adviser.

It follows reports that Matt Hancock has been having a relationship with a senior aide whom he first met when they were at Oxford University.

An Opposition party spokesman said: 'Ministers, like everyone, are entitled to a private life.

'However, when taxpayers' money is involved or jobs are being offered to close friends who are in a personal relationship with a minister, then that needs to be looked into.

'The Government needs to be open and transparent about whether there are any conflicts of interests or rules that have been broken.'

It comes after photographs appearing to show Mr Hancock kissing Mrs Coladangelo were published in the paper.

In the pictures, which appear to be from CCTV footage, Mr Hancock also appears to have his hand on the woman's backside.

Meanwhile, a source told the Sun that it was 'shocking that Mr Hancock was having an affair in the middle of a pandemic'.

Gina Coladangelo (Left) with Health secretary Matt Hancock at BBC Broadcasting House in central London where the Health Secretary appeared on The Andrew Marr show in early June

According to paper, the incident took place around 3pm on May 6, on the day of the local elections.

But the whistleblower told the Sun that they have been caught having 'regular clinches together'.

The source told the paper: 'It has also shocked people because he put her in such an important, publicly-funded role and this is what they get up to in office hours when everyone else is working hard.'

Mrs Coladangelo, who is a director and shareholder at lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, was appointed to the Department of Health as an unpaid adviser in March last year.

Mrs Coladangelo was appointed as a non-executive director at the department in September, meaning she is a member of the board.

She can claim up to 15,000 in taxpayers' money in the role, though there is no public record of her appointment.

Mrs Coladangelo has had a parliamentary pass, which gives her access to Westminster, since April.

The reports of the alleged affair come just weeks after Hancock was pictured enjoying lunch out with wife Martha - the granddaughter of Frederick Millar, 1st Baron Inchyra - in London.

The pair were seen waiting for a taxi after eating at Exmouth market in the capital.

Earlier this year, the father-of-three, who has two son and a daughter, was seen playing rugby in the park with his boys.

The affair claims come just a day after the Queen expressed her sympathy for the under fire Health Secretary, referring to him as 'poor man'.

The Monarch, 96, made the comment as she welcomed Boris Johnson back to Buckingham Palace for her first in-person weekly audience with the Prime Minister since March last year.

The monarch told Mr Johnson it was 'very nice to see you again' and the premier replied: 'Lovely to see you again. It has been 15 months'

The Queen then said: 'Has it really? It is most extraordinary, isn't it? I have just been talking to your Secretary of State for Health, poor man, he came to the privy council. He is full of'

Last night, Mr Hancock, prior to the publication of the Sun exclusive, posted an Instagram story appealing for more women to 'get involved in politics'. It was deleted this morning

Mr Johnson interrupted and suggested 'full of beans' as the Queen then continued: 'He thinks that things are getting better.'

Mr Johnson replied: 'Well, they are'

The expression of sympathy from the monarch comes after Mr Hancock found himself at the centre of a political firestorm after Dominic Cummings published text messages from the PM in which Mr Johnson referred to the Cabinet minister as 'totally f****** hopeless'.

The Health Secretary dismissed the significance of the bombshell messages from Mr Johnson.

Mr Hancock said the communications, sent during the height of the coronavirus crisis last year, represented 'ancient history'.

He said that 'at times of stress people say all sorts of things in private' but 'what matters most is how well you work together'.

The Cabinet Minister also said he is not embarrassed by Mr Johnson's apparent assessment of his performance.

Mr Cummings, the PM's former chief aide, stepped up his war with Number 10 last week when he published a number of messages sent to him by Mr Johnson.

In one exchange from March 27 last year, Mr Cummings criticised the Health Secretary over the failure to ramp up testing, with Mr Johnson replying: 'Totally f****** hopeless.'

Another from the same day saw Mr Cummings complain that the Department of Health had been turning down ventilators because 'the price has been marked up'. Mr Johnson said: 'It's Hancock. He has been hopeless.'

On April 27, Mr Johnson apparently messaged Mr Cummings to say that PPE procurement was a 'disaster', suggesting that responsibility should be taken away from the Health Secretary.

'I can't think of anything except taking Hancock off and putting Gove on,' the PM said.

Mr Hancock was asked last week, during an interview with the BBC Breakfast programme, how he felt about the PM describing him as 'hopeless'.

He said: 'Honestly? It feels like ancient history, right? The vaccine programme is a huge success.

'At times of stress people say all sorts of things in private. What matters is how well you work together.

'You are referring to comments apparently from the Prime Minister. I work with the Prime Minister every single day.

'We work very strongly together, firstly to protect life and secondly to get the country out of this. That is what matters.'

Told that it must be embarrassing for him to know Mr Johnson had said such things, Mr Hancock replied: 'No, it isn't really because of all the things we have delivered together.'

'We are here talking about the success of the vaccine programme, right? That is something that I very much led from the department, working with the Prime Minister.

Matt Hancock's glamorous mother-of-three 'lover' Gina Coladangelo, 43, is married to the millionaire behind Oliver Bonas and boasts a string of celebrity friends

By Martin Robinson, Chief Reporter For Mailonline

The woman Matt Hancock has been allegedly having an affair with is a millionaire communications director of fashion firm Oliver Bonas, which was the brainchild of her husband.

Gina Coladangelo works for the company her spouse Oliver Tress founded - while also being Mr Hancock's closest aide. The mother of three, 43, is a major shareholder - as well as director - of the lobbying firm Luther Pendragon.

Mrs Coladangelo, who lives with her husband and their three children in South West London, appointment to the Department of Health in March 2020 by Mr Hancock sparked uproar due to her outside interests.

Mr Hancock and Mrs Coladangelo, who it was revealed last night have allegedly been having an affair, first met at Oxford University while working on student radio together.

She studied politics, philosophy and economics (PPE) at Oxford between 1995 and 1998, the same as Mr Hancock.

Despite them knowing each other and apparently maintaining their friendship, Mr Hancock married Martha Millar in 2006, with whom he now has three children.

MailOnline can also reveal today that Mrs Hancock and Mrs Coladangelo are friends on Facebook.

Mrs Coladangelo has been spotted leaving Downing Street with the Health Secretary on a number of occasions. A source told the Sunday Times last year: 'Before Matt does anything big, he'll speak to Gina. She knows everything.'

But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer.

Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together in 2014) founded - while also being Mr Hancock's closest aide

Gina Coladangelo and illustrator Aysha Awwad at the V&A Summer Party at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in 2019

While working as Head of Marketing at Oliver Bonas, Mrs Coladangelo (pictured right) contributed to a post on International Women's Day

Ms Coladangelo, left, with TV presenter Jenni Falconer, right

She was an unpaid adviser for Mr Hancock but claims of 'chumocracy' emerged in November when it was revealed she was attending confidential meetings.

Mrs Coladangelo was made a non-executive director at the Department for Health in September. She shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'.

Mrs Coladangelo is pictured in her LinkedIn profile photo

She says: 'I have over twenty years' experience in business management and marketing and communications, with a focus on retail, healthcare, the third sector and energy.

'Marketing expertise across media relations, consumer campaigns, social media, digital strategy, strategic collaborations, internal communications, issues management and public affairs.'

But her new role was not made public despite her getting access to 15,000 from the taxpayer.

While working as Head of Marketing at Oliver Bonas, Mrs Coladangelo contributed to a post on International Women's Day.

She wrote: 'You don't have to do what everyone else is doing. Decide what you want and don't want  and stick to it. It is up to you to live a life you love.'

Mrs Coladangelo has access to the Houses of Parliament due to gaining a pass in April and is also said to be bound by the Official Secrets Act.

Gina Coladangelo and her husband Oliver Tress live in this property in Wandsworth, South West London

Mrs Coladangelo shows off the role on her LinkedIn page and has to 'oversee and monitor performance'

Matt Hancock arrives at the BBC studios in London with his senior aide Gina Coladangelo in July last year

The pass reportedly has her husband's surname on it, but she does not use it for her work. House of Lords peer Lord Bethell sponsored her for the pass.

Away from work, Mrs Coladangelo has three children. In 2012 she told how she had returned to work while being a mother

Away from work, Mrs Coladangelo has three children. In 2012 she told the Daily Mail how she had returned to work while being a mother.

She paid for a live-in nanny at their home in south-west London and worked flexible hours.

Mrs Coladangelo said: 'I don't worry about my children being closer to their nanny, because I spend as much time as I can with them.

'I would never dream of telling other mothers what to do with their lives. Every woman has to make her own choice.

'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted. I want to work to give something back.'

Her husband Oliver gave an interview to the Financial Times in November 2015 and spoke about their house. He said: 'Our indulgence was moving to a bigger home in Wandsworth in September (2015).

'We barely had a garden in Clapham, but the new house has a bigger garden and more space downstairs.

Gina Coladangelo works for the company her husband Oliver Tress (pictured together several years ago) founded - while also being Mr Hancock's closest aid

Matt Hancock with his aide Gina Coladangelo leaving the BBC studios after appearing on The Andrew Marr Show earlier this month

Then-London Mayor Boris Johnson meets Oliver Tress while visiting an Oliver Bonas store in November 2015

'We might be able to build an extension. The mortgage will still be pretty considerable, as retail businesses are not necessarily throwing up a lot of cash. I am not a tycoon.'

Mr Bonas opened his first store on London's Fulham Road in 1993 with handbags and jewellery he had brought from Hong Kong where his parents lived.
An architecture graduate who failed with 200 job applications has found work after standing on one of Australia's busiest street corners with a 'hire me' sign.

Kushagra Jhurani, who has a Master of Architecture from the University of Melbourne, was offered work with Metro Trains after advertising his job search outside Flinders Street and Southern Cross train stations.

Mr Jhurani stood there for 'three to four weeks', before Metro Trains' digital engineering manager Scott Poll saw him, and offered him a job as a draftsperson.

Kushagra Jhurani, an architecture graduate who failed with 200 job applications has found work after standing on on of Melbourne's busiest street corners with a 'hire me' sign

Mr Jhurani recommends 'put yourself out there' and 'do not hesitate' to do what it takes to find a job

Mr Jhurani, who speaks three languages and is originally from Jaipur in India, submitted hundreds of applications and made cold calls without luck before he decided to promote himself with a whiteboard, the ABC reported.

'I looked at all the stations, how many people were coming through, and figured out where would be the best place to advertise myself,' he said.

His sign read: 'Looking for a graduate of architecture? Hire me. I can share my portfolio and connect with me on LinkedIn. Kushagra Jhurani.'

Mr Poll realised how much courage it would take to stand in such a visible spot.

'If he is willing to do that, I know he is going to be willing to be a hard worker,' Mr Poll said.

The job offer didn't happen immediately though.

Mr Poll spotted Mr Jhurani but walked past him at first - then when he returned to the same spot found he had gone.

He asked his staff to help track down the jobseeker - and he was eventually found on LinkedIn.

Mr Jhurani said he was 'in awe' and 'grateful' to be given the job.

He creates 3D models for Metro Trains and was happy to give advice to other job hunters who are stuck.

He recommends 'put yourself out there' and 'do not hesitate' to do what it takes to find employment.
Gibraltar voted by a large majority to ease its draconian abortion laws in a referendum delayed for over a year by the coronavirus pandemic, results showed early Friday.

Some 62 percent of voters cast their ballots in favour of an amended law allowing abortion where a woman's mental or physical health is at risk - such as in cases of rape or incest - or when foetuses have fatal physical defects.

Just over 36 percent voted against the move in a ballot that exposed sharply opposing views within this normally closely-knit British enclave at the southernmost tip of Spain that is home to some 32,000 people.

Some 62 percent of voters cast their ballots in favour of an amended law to ease abortion. Just over 36 percent voted against the move

Abortion is illegal in Gibraltar, unless it is needed to save the mother's life. Abortion is legally classified as "child destruction" and is punishable by up to life in prison

The issue related to abortion has exposed sharply opposing views within this tiny, normally closely-knit British enclave at the southernmost tip of Spain, which is home to some 32,000 people

At present, abortion is banned in Gibraltar on pain of life imprisonment, although such a penalty has not been applied in modern times.

The only exception is where it would save the mother's life.

The amended law will mean a woman will be able to undergo an abortion up to 12 weeks into her pregnancy if her mental or physical health is deemed at risk, or beyond if such damage would be grave and permanent.

Gibraltar began voting on plans to ease its draconian abortion law in a referendum delayed for over a year by the coronavirus pandemic

Gibraltar voted by a large majority to ease its draconian abortion laws, results showed early Friday

Until now, women wanting to have an abortion have had to travel to Spain or Britain to undergo the procedure.

Although the changes have already been approved by Gibraltar's parliament, the referendum asked voters whether or not the amended law should be brought into force.

Until now, women wanting to have an abortion have had to travel to Spain or Britain to undergo the procedure.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, who had campaigned for a "yes" vote, acknowledged that abortion was "an emotive subject" but hailed the outcome as a necessary step forward.

"Tonight is not a night to be pleased, because I don't think even those who wanted to see the 'yes' campaign succeed want to celebrate that women may have abortions," he told Gibraltar TV.

Chief Minister Fabian Picardo (centre), who had campaigned for a "yes" vote, acknowledged that abortion was "an emotive subject" but hailed the outcome as a necessary step forward. The minister and his wife Justine Olivero (left) leaving a polling station after casting their ballots

The amended legislation is expected to come into effect fairly quickly, although officials have not laid out a specific timeline

The proposed changes came after Britain's Supreme Court ruled in June 2018 that Northern Ireland's abortion laws, which at the time were almost identical to Gibraltar's, were incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights

"What we all wanted to do was to ensure that this mechanism was there... so that women can make choices," he said as emotional campaigners cheered and celebrated in the background.

The amended legislation is expected to come into effect fairly quickly, although officials have not laid out a specific timeline.

"This law is very extreme. It removes all protection from unborn children all the way up to the nine months," Karenza Morillo, a "No" campaigner told AFP during Thursday's vote.

"On paper it looks restrictive but in practice it will not be."

But Celina Victory, a 19-year-old campaigner for a "Yes" vote, said the opposite.

"It's not going to open the gates to abortion on demand at all," she said.

"There is a broad range of grounds before 12 weeks, which is fine and we don't have an issue with that. It is still stricter than most of the legislation in Europe."

The referendum was initially slated for March 19, 2020 but was postponed as virus cases began spiralling at the start of the pandemic.

Leader of the Opposition of Gibraltar and leader of the Gibraltar Social Democrats Keith Azopardi casts his ballot

The referendum was initially slated for March 19, 2020 but was postponed as virus cases began spiralling at the start of the pandemic

The proposed changes came after Britain's Supreme Court ruled in June 2018 that Northern Ireland's abortion laws, which at the time were almost identical to Gibraltar's, were incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

"It is therefore clear that if the equivalent law on abortion in Northern Ireland was in breach of the Convention, our identical, archaic law is too," wrote Picardo in Wednesday's Gibraltar Chronicle.

"It is our duty to vote to stop this ongoing breach."
The Home Secretary plans to curb police chiefs from speaking out about government policy, according to reports.

Priti Patel is considering ways to draw a 'brighter line' between policing and policymaking, the Times reported.

It is understood she is concerned about senior officers commenting on politics, and believes it is often unclear that the government, rather than the police, decides policy.

However, those close to Patel claim she does not want to stop police officers from voicing their own opinions.

It comes after the Home Secretary recently backed making it harder to convict police drivers of motoring offences linked to their work.

Priti Patel is considering ways to draw a 'brighter line' between policing and policymaking, according to reports

Patel's latest plans are expected to be included in a consultation about an upcoming overhaul of the Policing Protocol Order of 2011.

The protocol clarifies the role and responsibilities of police and crime commissioners, the mayor's office for policing and crime, chief constables, police and crime panels and the London assembly police and crime panel.

It outlines what these bodies are expected to do and how they should work together to fight crime and improve policing in the UK.

Patel reportedly wants to make clear that the Home Secretary has the right to ask questions about policing operations, following recent criticism of high-profile protests.

However, some senior officers have called on Patel to 'step back' from policing, with Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Gareth Morgan voicing concerns she has interfered on some operational issues.

It is understood she has become concerned about senior officers commenting on politics, and believes it is often unclear that the government, rather than the police, decides policy

Police disperse crowds in Hyde Park following an anti-lockdown protest in April

Another added: 'I'm not sure I could think of that many examples of chiefs being really outspoken about government policy. Lots of officers talked publicly about austerity and the impact of cuts, which was completely legitimate.

'But even if she redefines the rules, it won't mean I can't have a view on government policy and articulate it publicly  because I'm a free person.'

Earlier this month, Patel backed making it harder to convict police drivers of motoring offences linked to their work.

The Home Secretary announced a new test that will judge police driving skills against others who have had enhanced training, rather than against civilian drivers.

Police drivers sometimes face driving charges when high-speed pursuits end in accidents which leave bystanders killed of injured.

Ms Patel told the Police Federation conference: 'One of the many difficult parts of your job is driving in high-pressure situations  chasing suspects and responding urgently to incidents.

'The Police Federation said that it wasn't fair for officers involved in a collision to be judged in comparison with a regular member of the public.

'We listened. There will be a new test to assess the standard of driving of police officers.

'The courts will judge officers against a competent peer with the same training, so that the officer's skills and training can be taken into account when deciding whether their driving was careless or dangerous.'
Advertisement

Grant Shapps today repeatedly refused to say whether he would risk booking a family holiday to a country on the green watch list as the Government faced a furious backlash over the latest changes to its international travel rules.

Mr Shapps last night unveiled limited changes to the traffic light lists as he added 14 countries and territories to the green category from which travellers do not have to self-isolate on their return to the UK.

However, all but one  Malta  were also put on a watch list, which means they are at risk of quickly returning to the amber category.

While some popular hotspots  including Spain's Balearic islands and a number of Caribbean destinations  are on the list, France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain off limits to UK holidaymakers.

Travel bosses blasted the changes and said they do not go far enough while Tory MPs said the green list is still 'overly cautious'.

Mr Shapps insisted the changes will provide 'a little bit of relief' for the travel industry but he risked undermining consumer confidence as he repeatedly refused to say whether he would book.

The Transport Secretary said he is 'rather busy' dealing with the pandemic and therefore not thinking about going on a trip abroad.

Meanwhile, Mr Shapps also took aim at Angela Merkel who is calling for all EU countries to follow Germany's lead in requiring Britons entering the country to self-isolate to stop the spread of the 'Delta' coronavirus variant.

Mr Shapps said Mrs Merkel is only advocating the move because the bloc's vaccination rollout is lagging behind the UK's.

Malta was the only country added to the green list which was not also added to the green watch list. The Blue Lagoon beach in Malta is pictured

IN FULL: The UK's new travel green list All changes will come into effect from Wednesday, June 30 at 4am: Anguila

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

Balearic Islands

Barbados

Bermuda

British Antarctic Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Cayman Islands

Dominica

Falkland Islands

Faroe Islands

Gibraltar

Grenada

Iceland

Israel and Jerusalem - to be moved to the Green Watch List

Madeira

Malta

Montserrat

New Zealand

Pitcairn Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Singapore

Turks and Caicos Islands The UK Government will move the following countries to the red list from June 30: Dominican Republic

Eritrea

Haiti

Mongolia

Tunisia

Uganda Advertisement

The backlash over the travel announcement came as:

Mr Shapps warned international travel in the coronavirus world 'wont be quite like it was in 2019 and the old days' but insisted 'we are moving in a positive direction'.

The Transport Secretary defended plans to allow Uefa VIPs to attend the Euro 2020 final at Wembley without having to quarantine as he said the easing of rules is 'not a free for all'.

Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), expressed concerns about the return of large crowds at events as he said 'if there is a lot of virus around and larger numbers of cases, then putting a lot of people in one place will certainly result in others acquiring the infection'.

Labour's shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon called for the Government to simplify the traffic light system as he said 'either it is not safe to go or it is safe to go'.

Mr Shapps announced last night that the Balearic islands - Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - along with Madeira, Grenada, Barbados, and Bermuda have all been downgraded from amber to green.

It means holidaymakers will be able to return from these countries without being forced into quarantine for 10 days when arriving back in the UK.

Within minutes, flight prices to the popular holiday destinations had tripled, with tickets for a return flight to Ibiza on July 3 and July 10 leaped from 149 to 314 while journeys on the same days to Majorca leaped from 153 to 478.

The Transport Secretary also said the Government will allow those who are double-jabbed to holiday in amber list countries without having to quarantine on their return - but this is still weeks away, with the rule not likely to come in until July at the earliest.

But the announcements drew criticism from some airlines, with easyJet saying it 'simply isn't ambitious enough', while Virgin Atlantic chief Shai Weiss also criticised the decision to leave the US on the UK's amber list, saying: 'Today's announcement fails to go far enough.'

Mr Shapps was asked three times this morning during an interview on Sky News if he would book a holiday to a country on the green watch list but he refused to answer.

Asked for the first time, he said: 'I should just explain the green watchlist. It means they are on the green list, it means you can go, it is treated like a green list.

'But we are just being completely open with the data that the scientists have given us in saying there are one or two concerns, it might mean that we have to perhaps respond quickly on there so we have said it is the green watch list in order that people can see exactly what we are seeing about it.

'I have to say, whoever is booking to go anywhere this summer at all, you know, travel insurance, making sure your flights are changeable, making sure the accommodation is changeable, all those things are going to be very, very important this particular year.

'People will need to weigh up whether that is going to work for them or not.'

Asked for the second time, he said: 'Sadly I don't think I have got time at the moment to take a holiday but if people are in a situation where from next week, next Wednesday, Thursday they wanted to get away then these are the places where you can go for the purposes of holiday, of course being aware of all the caveats about the risk of things changing because this virus we know that happens with quite a lot of regularity.'

Asked for the third time, he said: 'Well, as I say, you are asking me if I was in someone else's shoes and I am not. I am not looking to go on holiday right this moment because I am rather busy dealing with this and a lot of other transport issues.

'Each individual will look at their own situation.'

There are fears that the UK's plans to allow double-jabbed Brits to travel from amber list countries without having to quarantine could be scuppered if Mrs Merkel wins support across the EU for her hardline border stance.

She said yesterday: 'With us you have to be in quarantine when you come from the UK. This is by no means the case in every European country. But I would like that.'

French President Emmanuel Macron has already signalled his support but Mr Shapps today hit back over the plans as he said such a move is the result of the bloc's slow vaccination programme.

He said: 'Germany doesn't have the same level of vaccinations as has happened in this country so they will be particularly concerned.

'Each country will have to come to their own decision. A country like Malta which has a very high level of vaccination hasn't said the same thing and other European countries will come to their own decisions and I respect that, that is for them to do.

'But it is different in each country and largely driven by levels of vaccination that they have managed to achieve in each country.'

The changes to the traffic light lists prompted anger among some Tory MPs who are calling for the Government to go further in reopening international travel.

Henry Smith, the Conservative chairman of the all-party Future of Aviation Group, said: 'What the travel and tourism sector needs is certainty, and putting them on an amber light or uncertain green won't provide that.

'I welcome the direction of travel that sees greater, safer reopening but the list of green countries is overly cautious and the cost and complexity of testing is still a discouraging factor for people being able to travel.'

Meanwhile, aviation bosses were once again left disappointed by the changes as they bemoaned the slow progress on bringing back non-essential foreign travel.

Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, told the BBC: 'We cannot afford another missed summer. There are jobs at stake, Britons separated from family members and we cannot afford to allow the success of our vaccine programme to be wasted.'

It came as others across the beleaguered travel sector voiced similar concerns. The Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the Government's 'overly cautious' approach would continue to have 'major financial impacts' on the sector.

'Any extension of the green list is welcome, however small, but we also have to be realistic: this is not yet the meaningful restart the aviation industry needs to be able to recover from the pandemic,' she said.

CBI chief UK policy director Matthew Fell added: 'While welcome, these limited movements on green list countries won't be enough to salvage the summer season for the international travel sector.

IBIZA BEFORE: Tickets for a return flight to Ibiza on July 3 and July 10 started at 149 earlier on Thursday

IBIZA AFTER: But journeys to the party island jumped after the announcement to 314

MAJORCA BEFORE: One journey on the same days to Majorca started at 153 earlier on Thursday

MAJORCA AFTER: But to get to the Balearic Island now you will have to fork out around 478

MENORCA BEFORE: A trip with the same firm to nearby Menorca rose from 132 to 312

MENORCA AFTER: Passengers wanting a trip to Menorca next month could have to pay premium prices for their flights

MALTA BEFORE: The price of the flight from Heathrow to Malta was just 201 ahead of the announcement

MALTA AFTER: But after Mr Shapps' revealed the new list it jumped up to 260

Jet2 announces 70 extra flights to Malta and Madeira after green list announcement British travel firm Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced plans to put on 70 additional flights to Malta and Madeira in anticipation for a huge spike in demand in the wake of the Government's latest travel announcement. The plans include adding a new route to Malta from London Stansted for Summer 21. Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: 'We have been urging the UK Government to stay true to their word and follow the scientific evidence when it comes to making decisions about international travel, so yesterday's announcement is an overdue but welcome step in the right direction. 'We believe other destinations should still be added to the Green List, however what this demonstrates is that the Government is firmly committed to reopening international travel and we commend that approach. 'This is fantastic news for our customers who want nothing more than to get away for a much-needed holiday. 'Now that we have some clarity about where we can fly to, our focus is on getting everything ready for the restart of our international flights and holidays from July 1.' Advertisement

'International connectivity extends far beyond tourism and underpins our whole economy. The UK's successful vaccine rollout means we should be in the vanguard of safely restarting international travel.'

Meanwhile, the holiday company On the Beach said it would not be taking new bookings for July and August while so much uncertainty remained about countries on the watchlist.

Chief executive Simon Cooper said: 'Booking a holiday to these destinations is not a guarantee that you won't have to self-isolate when you return home.

'While this uncertainty continues, we will continue to not sell holidays for July and August until we have greater confidence these holidays will go ahead with minimal disruptions.'

It comes as six countries including Tunisia and Haiti will be put on the UK's travel red list - meaning only UK citizens and those with residency status can travel from here and must stay in quarantine hotels for 10 days.

Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the UK's travel green list since its inception, will be added to the 'green watch list'.

Others in this category - which signals that a country might be moved to the amber list in the near future - include Antigua, the Balearic Islands, Barbados and Grenada.

Mr Shapps said this morning that international travel will not be as easy as it was before the pandemic but insisted the green list will give people options.

The Cabinet minister told Sky News: 'It does mean there is a little bit of relief for the travel industry and for people who wish to get away.

'It won't be quite like it was in 2019 and the old days, but we are moving in a positive direction.'

Yesterday it emerged how some Britons jumped the gun and revealed they had been booking flights and stays abroad before the Transport Secretary's announcement.

Hopeful tourists took to social media over the past few days to show their plans for some summer sun, bagging return flight prices as cheap as 21 for Malta and Ibiza and 26 to Mallorca over the next few months.

But within hours of Mr Shapps' announcement prices for flights to the new green list destinations surged by up to 200 per cent.

Jet2's plane from Stansted to Ibiza and back - at 6am on July 3 and 10.20am on July 10 - jumped from 149 to 314.

Ryanair's journey to Malta for the same dates - but at 4.55pm and 7.15am - also increased in cost from 201 to 260.

Meanwhile a Jet2 plane out of the Essex airport to Majorca on those days leaped from 153 to 478 within hours of the announcement.

A trip with the same firm to nearby Menorca rose from 132 to 312.

The welcome announcement of the new green list, which comes into effect from June 30, was made after both Scotland and Northern Ireland jumped the gun and revealed the additions before Mr Shapps.

Almost an hour after the Northern Ireland Assembly had revealed the updated green list, the Transport Secretary said in a Twitter post: 'We're adding Malta to the Government green list.

Britons have been given a major boost to their hopes of a foreign getaway this summer, with 16 locations - including several top holiday hotspots - being added to the UK's travel green list. Pictured: Pretty Bay at Birzebbuga, Malta - which has been added to the list

The hugely popular Balearic islands - Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - along with Madeira, Grenada, Barbados (pictured), and Bermuda have all been downgraded from amber to green, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps revealed tonight

Mallorca (pictured: Beach El Arenal) is one of the top holiday hotspots to be put on the UK's green travel list by Grant Shapps

Bermuda (pictured: Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda) is also being added to the list, with changes set to be made on June 30 at 4am

What is the UK's green 'watch list' for travel The green 'watch list' is the Government's new section of the travel traffic light system. Introduced earlier this month, the watch list is for countries that are on the green list for travel, but are seeing concerning Covid numbers. The Government says it can and will move countries between its red, amber and red lists if there are concerns about case figures. But it came under fire from holiday groups and passengers after dramatically dropping countries from its green list - leaving passengers facing a fight to get their money back or rearrange their holiday plans at short notice. The watch list, therefore, is meant to act as a warning to travellers that a country may soon be put on the amber list. However the quarantine rules remain the same on the green and green watch list - in that passengers who arrive in the UK from these countries do not have to quarantine on their return. Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the green list since its inception, are now heading for the watch list. And 15 out of the 16 additions to the green list will be placed on the watch list instead of straight on the green list. Malta will be the only country from the new green list nations not to be on the watch list. Advertisement

'We're also adding Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK Overseas Territories and Caribbean Islands (including Barbados) to the green list and green watchlist. Israel and Jerusalem are also added to the green watchlist.'

He added: 'Thanks to our successful vaccination programme, our intention is that later in the summer UK residents who are fully vaccinated will not have to isolate when travelling from amber list countries.'

Mr Shapps said more details about the double-vaccination holiday scheme will be unveiled by the government next month.

Six countries including Tunisia and Haiti will be put on the UK's travel red list - meaning only UK citizens and those with residency status can travel from here and must stay in quarantine hotels for 10 days.

Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the UK's travel green list since its inception, will be added to the green watch list - which signals that a country might be moved to the amber list in the near future.

The travel list changes are all due to come into place from June 30, at 4am.

Both Northern Ireland and Scotland had earlier jumped the gun on the announcement, revealing the 16 countries they were set to allow on their travel green list.

Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: From the outset we have said caution is required regarding international travel and people should think very carefully about travelling abroad as situations can suddenly change.

'We continue to work closely with the other home nations and are cautiously supportive of exploring options for the easing of restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers arriving from countries on the amber list - but only if the clinical advice supports it and if systems are in place to ensure the wider safety of the Scottish population.'

Travel chiefs welcomed the move, with Virgin Atlantic chief Shai Weiss describing the decision to allow Antigua, Barbados and Grenada as a 'constructive step' to allow 'much needed holidays'.

But she also criticised the decision to leave the US on the UK's amber list, saying: 'Today's announcement fails to go far enough.

The Government's own evidence shows the US is low risk and should be added to the Green list now. Whilst the transatlantic corridor is closed, 23million in economic value each day is restricted.

'We urge the UK Government to move the US to the UK's 'Green list' and for the Biden administration to repeal the 212F proclamation for UK travellers.'

Chief executive of trade group ABTA, Mark Tanzer, said while the green list additions were 'welcome' that the Government's latest update did 'not on its own deliver a meaningful restart of international travel'.

ABTA chief, Mr Tanzer, said: 'If the Government is going to continue to place such tight constraints on the industry's ability to trade, we need them to commit to a package of tailored financial support for the sector, which recognises that the travel industry's recovery will be slower than that in other sectors of the economy.

Merkel and Macron are accused of hypocrisy over push to keep Brits out of Europe this summer France and Germany were accused of hypocrisy after pushing to keep British holidaymakers out of Europe this summer, despite the Indian variant already being on the rise in both nations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged all EU states to follow their lead in making it mandatory for UK travellers to quarantine, regardless of whether they have been jabbed or not. The bid to tighten the bloc's defences comes amid fears about the ultra-infectious Indian 'Delta' variant which has taken off far quicker in Britain than the rest of the continent. But data shows prevalence of the mutant strain is growing exponentially in Germany and is accounting for up to 70 per cent of new cases in some regions in the South West of France. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline the Franco-German stance was 'an attempt to close the stable door after the horse has bolted'. He said previous waves had shown overly-strict border controls between European countries cannot keep out new variants because they are so closely tied in trade, business and travel. Nationally, the Indian variant only makes up 15 per cent of infections in Germany currently and cases are still trending downwards. But official data shows the proportion of infections made up of the Delta strain have doubled every seven days for the past three weeks. French Government figures show 10 per cent of all new Covid cases are the virulent variant, but seven in 10 of new cases in the southwestern region of Landes, on the Atlantic coast. Landes is recording more than 50 Covid cases per 100,000 population in total which is double the national rate. It is also the only area in France where infection rates are climbing. The situation in Landes has echoes of how the Indian variant was first seeded in the North West of England and spread around Britain from April. Currently, those travelling from Britain to Greece, Spain and Portugal are not required to quarantine. Spain is letting Britons in without having to produce a PCR test. The UK's hugely successful vaccination programme - which has seen more than 80 per cent of adults jabbed and 60 per cent fully vaccinated - means the majority of the population are protected from the Indian variant and less likely to spread it. Advertisement

'Travel companies are facing increased furlough and business rates costs next week and - with travel to the most popular holiday destinations still largely restricted  they will simply not have the money to do so.'

On the amber list double jab announcement, he added: 'We're glad to hear that the Government intends to remove quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers travelling to amber countries, and this needs to be introduced as quickly as possible.'

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: 'It is very positive news that ministers are following the science and that fully vaccinated people will be able to travel safely without quarantine later this summer. We will work with the Government to make this happen as soon as possible and let Britain fly!'

But travel expert Paul Charles of the PC Agency tweeted: 'Just to be clear - the 'green watchlist' enables #UKGov to switch green countries to Amber or Red without warning.

'Of the 15 destinations added today, only one, Malta, is pure green. Ministers have not re-instilled confidence in the traffic lights system.'

It comes as France and Germany launched a joint push to make Britons quarantine on arrival in the EU despite Boris Johnson hailing the 'real opportunity' of opening travel to double-jabbed holidaymakers.

The bid is to tighten the bloc's defences against the Indian - or Delta - variant, with countries alarmed at the spike in infections caused by the mutation.

Mrs Merkel urged all EU states to follow Germany's lead by requiring travellers from the UK to quarantine.

But Spain's Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya confirmed tonight the country would snub Angela Merkel by continuing to let British tourists into the country without forcing them to quarantine.

She said at a press conference with her Panamanian counterpart Erika Mouynes after their meeting in Madrid: 'At the moment we are maintaining the measures which enable British citizens to enter our territory.'

Spain's defiant stance comes after the German president said in summit at Brussels: 'I will lobby for a more co-ordinated approach, particularly with regard to entries from regions where virus variants abound.'

French president Emmanuel Macron echoed her hard line, saying: 'We must all be vigilant because the much-talked-about Delta variant is coming, which spreads much more rapidly than the other variants and affects people who are not vaccinated or who only have had one dose.

'For me, one of the issues of discussion is to be really taking co-ordinated decisions in terms of opening of borders to third countries and on recognising vaccines because at this stage we have to limit this to the vaccines that have been approved by the European medical authority.'

Environment Secretary George Eustice condemned the Franco-German stance. 'I'm not sure that such an approach would be justified given the highly advanced stage we are currently at now in terms of vaccination, with 80 per cent having had one jab and now 60 per cent having had the second jab,' he told LBC radio.

'I don't think such a move would be justified but obviously it's for individual countries to make these judgments.'

Spain indicated it will fight any Franco-German attempt to get the rest of Europe to introduce quarantine for British holidaymakers.

Meanwhile, on a visit to Aldershot, Mr Johnson dodged directly criticising Mrs Merkel's comments, saying: 'Let's see where we get to with all this.

'I think that the real opportunity we all have now is to open up travel through the double jab. We've got more than 60 per cent of our population have now had two jabs, 83 per cent have had one jab, we're really getting through it now.

'I'm not going to claim that this summer, for travel purposes, is going to be like any other summer. I don't want to cast a pall over things but, as I said the other day, it will be different.'

Angela Merkel (pictured with Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit) has called on other European countries to force UK travellers to quarantine on arrival

On a visit to Aldershot, Boris Johnson sidestepped on Angela Merkel's comments about making Britons quarantine but said the 'real opportunity' was to open up travel to people who have had two vaccination doses

Ministers say they will stop wearing masks as soon as they are not law Boris Johnson is struggling to contain an apparent Cabinet split as ministers openly said they will ditch face masks the moment they are not compulsory - and suggested that should happen on July 19. George Eustice dismissed the idea he would keep wearing face coverings when they are not required, saying: 'I want to get back to normal.' He also reiterated that the plan is for 'all legal restrictions' to lift in England on the so-called Covid 'Freedom Day' next month. Chancellor Rishi Sunak gave a similar message as he said it is his 'strong expectation' that the unlocking will go ahead on schedule. Asked at the Times CEO summit if he would stop wearing masks when they are not legally required, Mr Sunak said: 'Yes, as soon as possible.' Meanwhile, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg ramped up expectations of curbs being fully removed as he told MPs that the description of July 19 as a 'terminus point' is likely to mean Covid certificates and other rules are dropped completely. However, in signs of tensions at the heart of government, Downing Street said the PM is only aiming to 'get back as close to normal as is possible' and 'no final decisions have been taken'. Nicola Sturgeon suggested earlier this week that the Scottish government could keep advising people to wear masks beyond August even if they are not mandatory. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also warned that they should still be required on the Tube and buses as they give people 'confidence' they are safe. Advertisement

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa admitted earlier his country would bow down to whatever EU leaders decided ahead of a European Council meeting.

Asked by a Portuguese journalist if Lisbon would consider making Brits quarantine, he replied: 'If that was the wish of the Council, yes.

'The United Kingdom shouldn't have any different treatment.'

But Spain's Tourism Minister Maria Reyes Maroto appeared to put her country on a collision course with the likes of Merkel and Macron by insisting before the UK's new traffic light announcement: 'Hopefully we can begin to receive British tourists soon.'

Speaking at an event organised by leading Spanish newspaper El Pais, she said: 'We don't have any restrictions on tourists from the UK at the moment.

'They're the ones who are placing restrictions on people when they return.'

More than five million Brits visit Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca in a normal year.

Scientists had earlier signed off on declaring the Balearics safe enough for the green list, though there were fears that the Government could overrule the experts and keep them on the amber list.

Earlier, Tory MP Henry Smith, chairman of the Future of Aviation Group, said some of the countries should have already been on the green list.

He said: 'Frankly, these destinations should already be on the green list along with many others.

'It is a nonsense that people are not able to travel freely to countries that have lower rates of infection than we do.'

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: 'It's now or never if we are to have any sort of summer season and the data shows this can be done safely and proportionately with many more countries being added to the list.

'The future of our aviation industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports depends on it.'

Culture minister John Whittingdale hinted at positive news yesterday, saying: 'Hopefully it will be possible to increase that number' of countries on the green list.

Green list status is only allocated to destinations that can show they have low Covid rates and no significant problems with variants of concern.

They also have to show that they can monitor for new variants.

Government scientists advised last month that Malta could be added to the green list, only to be overruled by ministers led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Latest figures suggest infection rates on the island are less than half those in the UK.

Meanwhile, Berlin has banned travellers from Britain entering unless they are a German citizen, have residency rights or if there is an 'urgent humanitarian reason' like a family death.

But those allowed in still have to register to get permission to visit and quarantine for two weeks with no option for early release after a negative test.

It comes after Italy reintroduced quarantine and testing requirements for all UK arrivals amid growing concerns in Europe about the spread of the Indian, or Delta, variant, now dominant in the UK.

Health minister Roberto Speranza said on Friday that Italy will require all travellers from Britain to quarantine for five days upon arrival.

A negative test is required at the end of the five-day period. America currently still bans UK tourists amid the surge in Delta cases.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious diseases expert, last week suggested that UK-US travel would only reopen in September as a result.

Portugal, Spain and Greece are still allowing UK holidaymakers to visit with proof of a negative test and no quarantine.

France is also allowing in fully vaccinated Britons with a negative test.

But European health officials say further action is needed to curb the spread of the Delta variant as it gains a hold on the Continent.

This month it accounted for 70 per cent of sequenced cases in the greater Lisbon region of Portugal, more than 20 per cent in Italy and about 16 per cent in Belgium. It has also been detected in clusters in Germany, France and Spain.

Ahead of Mr Shapps' green list update, some Britons took to social media to announce they had decided to buy tickets abroad anyway.

Hopeful tourists over the past few days revealed their plans for some summer sun abroad, with return flight prices as cheap as 21 for Malta and Ibiza and 26 to Mallorca over the next few months.

Even last-minute holidays will not break the bank, with Saturday-Saturday returns from July 3 to July 10 available through price comparison website Skyscanner for 87 to Ibiza, 120 to Mallorca and 147 to Valletta.

And one British tourist from Manchester, @speckysi, tweeted: 'It's Russian roulette time again, I've now booked Malta for next week - there's next to nothing cases and zero deaths. All I want is one week in the sun.'

Another, Tristan Dawson from Essex, tweeted that he had 'just booked Mallorca' and was 'determined to have a holiday' - while a third, Adam Courtney, said he had 'gambled and booked' a trip to Malta on Tuesday.
A school has been fined more than 28,000 after a nine-year-old boy was killed when a 6ft tall wooden locker fell on top of him.

Leo Latifi, was injured at Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, Essex, on 23 May 2019, after falling from the lockers, becoming trapped underneath and hitting his head on a bench.

He was not a pupil there but had been attending after-school swimming lessons with his school, St Michael's Primary School, when the incident took place at around 6:30pm.

CPR was administered by emergency services at the scene and Leo was transferred to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford by air ambulance, where he later died.

A post-mortem examination into his death, carried out at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, confirmed Leo died as a result of a severe head injury.

A jury inquest into Leo's death in October 2020 concluded that he died as a result of an accident, that was 'significantly contributed to' by a lack of 'appropriate assessment' into the risks.

Leo Latifi (pictured), was injured at Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, Essex, on 23 May 2019, after falling from the lockers and becoming trapped underneath

The jury foreman, speaking on behalf of the 11 jurors, said: 'We agreed it was an accident.

'Leo Latifi's death was significantly contributed to by a lack of appropriate assessment to clear and obvious risks in relation to the locker unit not being secured to a solid wall.

'Adequate precautions and training measures were not taken to address this measure.'

They added that the site manager had 'never checked' the fittings on the locker.

Great Baddow High School faced a Health and Safety Executive prosecution hearing (HSE) at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court yesterday afternoon.

The court heard that Leo, from Galleywood, Chelmsford, was taking swimming lessons with an organisation that was renting the swimming pool while the school was closed.

Then, tragedy struck when he and a friend were climbing on the locker units that hadn't been attached to the wall.

His parents, Natalie, 32, and Eduart, 39, (pictured together with Leo) have described living through their 'worst nightmare' of losing their eldest son

The prosecution at the case hearing said it was an 'obvious' risk and, 'despite guidance, the school failed to ensure furniture was fixed.'

They added that it 'posed risk to students.'

Behind the lockers, there were holes and rawl plugs where the lockers should have been screwed in, which suggests that they were attached to the wall at some point, the court heard.

However, at the time of the incident in 2019, they were not attached to the wall as no screws were found at the scene.

The court heard that a refurbishment project took place in 2013/2014, which saw the changing of carpets in the changing rooms.

During the process, the lockers were temporarily removed, which the school claims they were unaware of.

The company which carried out the work, a single flooring contractor, couldn't be tracked down to find out what happened with the removal and refitting of lockers.

The court heard: 'But it seems evident that when they were refitted they were not fixed back to the wall.'

Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, Essex, has been fined more than 28,000 following the incident

Tributes to Leo Latifi outside Great Baddow High School after his death in May 2019

Additionally, the prosecution stated that out of the 15 lockers, five of them were missing doors. The prosecution stated that this was an 'invitation' to climb them.

Experts also carried out tests to identify the moment locker units began to fall, the court heard.

They said that 61kg to 71kg of weight would be required for the locker units to fall but dynamic forces like pulling away or jumping on could 'increase the moment being reached.'

The prosecution summarised that had lockers been fixed to the wall with materials the manufacturers provided and instructed, then the lockers 'could and will not come away from the wall'.

The school 'acknowledged their error' but pointed out that it had a previously 'exemplary' health and safety record, had no previous convictions and had 'put right' the issues within the case.

It said that it had 'sought to help the court as best we can'.

Police at Great Baddow High School in Chelmsford, Essex. The year-four pupil was at a swimming lesson when the tragic accident occurred

It added that when the new management took over from Essex County Council there was 'nothing that changed or made less effective than what was put in place by the local council'.

Judge John Wollard said that he was 'conscious in sentencing the school as 'any fine imposed will fall upon the children and effectively deprive children of their education'.

Judge Wollard said: 'I feel helpless in assessing the penalty in this case.

'I recognise whatever penalty I impose will not improve the pain Leo's parents suffered all I can do is mark the fact his death came as a result of health and safety failure.

'It emphasises how important it is that those who run organisations have the safety of employees, workers and visitors in their care must follow the advice given by health and safety executives. And if they fail to conduct that, they do it at their own peril.'

As a result, Judge Wollard imposed a fine of 28,870, taking into account the mitigating factors of a guilty plea and a previously good health and safety record.

After Thursday's hearing, Leo's parents, Eddie and Natalie Latifi said: 'Nothing can bring back our son, Leo, and the amount of money the school has been fined is just a number to us.

'The school will carry on, and the people there will carry on with their lives in just the same way.

'But we can't carry on with our lives in the same way. Our lives changed forever on the day Leo died and they will never be the same again. We carry the loss of him with us every day and it's an unbearable pain.

'We can only hope that the fine the school has to pay will make schools safer for other children.'
Matt Hancock has been mocked on Twitter today after a leaked CCTV image showed him in a passionate clinch with his closest aide.

Hilarious memes shared online today include Mr Hancock's face pasted over Little Britain's seedy politician character Sir Norman Fry and as a contestant in the dating show Love Island.

Another shows the Health Secretary, 43, jumping over railings during a run with the caption: 'Hancock when his wife saw the CCTV.'

Mr Hancock was caught on camera with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

The incident is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.

Another meme showed an edited picture of former Number 10 aide Dominic Cummings at the helm of a CCTV systems base, with the caption: 'CCTV of Matt Hancock having an affair? No prizes for guessing who leaked that then.'

The identity of the Whitehall whistleblower who leaked the footage remains unknown.

Hilarious memes shared online today include Matt Hancock a contestant in the dating show Love Island (pictured)

This is the image that appears to show Mr Hancock kissing his millionaire aide in the corridor outside his office in May this year

As news broke this morning, Twitter was flooded with memes mocking the Health Secretary for his extra-marital affair

Another meme featured an image of Mr Hancock rubbing his eyes during a television interview. The caption reads: 'Matt Hancock when his wife leaves him'
Advertisement

A woman has revealed the conditions she and her husband experienced at a quarantine hotel in London following their return from the United Arab Emirates - claiming the 'shocking' food caused her 'serious distress'.

Tracey Smith, from Grimsby, repatriated to Dubai, a 'red-list' country, in February of this year to join her husband, Jim, who has lived there for the past two years.

However she flew back to the UK on May 11 as her home was due to be sold and checked in at the Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport for 11 nights under imposed quarantine conditions, at the price of 1,750.

In addition to the 1,750 fee Mrs Smith had to pay an extra 650 for her husband Jim, to stay at the hotel with her - bringing the total cost to 2,400.

Now, Mrs Smith, who remained at the hotel until May 22, has claimed she and her husband were unable to open the windows in their room and the food they were given was 'often cold, wet and small in portion size', making it 'difficult to digest properly'.

Tracey Smith, from Grimsby, who checked in at the quarantine hotel with her husband Jim, said the food she was served at the quarantine hotel (left and right) was 'often cold, wet and small in portion size', making it 'difficult to digest properly'

The couple were only able to go outside of the hotel building for 15 minutes of fresh air at a time but this was not always possible if the hotel was busy. Pictured: View from the couple's hotel room

The couple, from Grimsby, checked in at the Courtyard by Marriott London City Airport for 11 nights under imposed quarantine conditions

She said: 'The room had windows but I couldn't open them so it felt as though we couldn't get any proper ventilation entering the room.

'The room was very clean, not exactly huge, but manageable to live in.'

Tracey Smith, from Grimsby, and her husband Jim (pictured together) checked in at the hotel for 11 nights under imposed quarantine conditions

Mrs Smith said the experience of the stay was made worse by the quality of the food.

She added: 'It was the lack of nutrients in the meals provided.

'The food on offer at the hotel was shocking and caused me serious distress.'

Under the imposed quarantine conditions, Mrs Smith and her husband could only go outside of the hotel building for 15 minutes of fresh air at a time and sometimes this was not even possible if the hotel was busy.

Mrs Smith said: 'It was impossible to do any exercise in our room and the best we could manage was walking around the building when we were allowed fresh air, and this was under close supervision from security guards.

'We must have looked ridiculous but we had no choice because we needed to let off steam somehow for being stuck in a room for almost 23 hours of the day, laying on a bed.'

Mrs Smith believes the Government has played a big role in complicating travel for thousands of people during lockdown.

She said she felt more exposed to Covid-19 as a result of being inclose proximity to other people from red, amber and green listed countries whilst she was transitioning at London City Airport.

She said: 'People only see the government doing good by placing people into quarantine, which I fundamentally believe in, but the system just does not work.

'The government made this mess possible and are painting a false picture to the public of what is happening to people like me and my husband.

She added: 'We held off coming back for as long as we could to see if hotel restrictions eased but it was evident from the government's announcements that it would never happen so we had no choice but to fly back and quarantine in a hotel.'

Following the claims, a spokesperson for Courtyard London City Airport said the couple sent a personal letter to the management team when they checked out, praising their experience and calling it 'faultless'.

The spokesperson said: 'We were very sorry to hear of our guests' concerns after their very positive comments to our team during their stay with us.

'We work hard to make our guests as comfortable as possible within the Government's quarantine process. We offer them at least three choices for every meal, designed to cater to a wide range of tastes and dietary requirements. And as we know guests like to eat at different times, we're also offering a range of times for room delivery. '

Mrs Smith , who paid 1,700 for the hotel plus an additional 650 for her husband, said she and her husband would be stuck in their room for almost 23 hours of the day. Pictured: The couple's bathroom

The couple said they would spend most of the day laying on a bed and it was impossible to do any exercise in the room

Mrs Smith believes the Government has played a big role in complicating travel for thousands of people during lockdown

The couple said they would walk around the building when they were allowed fresh air but this was under close supervision from security guards

Government guidelines state arrivals from 'red list' countries, including India, Brazil and South Africa, must quarantine for ten days inside a designated hotel.

What are the rules for entering Britain? You cannot enter the UK if you've been in or through a country on the banned travel list (known as the 'red list') in the last 10 days, unless you're British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK

You must either quarantine where you're staying or in a managed quarantine hotel for 10 days

What you need to do depends on where you travel in the 10 days before you arrive - if you travel in or through a country on the banned travel list within 10 days, you must stay managed quarantine hotel; if not, you can quarantine at home

You need to provide your journey and contact details in the 48 hours before you arrive in the UK. You must do this by completing the online passenger locator form

You'll need to show proof that you've completed the form when you arrive at the UK border as well as proof of a negative PCR or antigen test taken three days before departure

You could be fined 500 when you arrive at the border if you cannot provide proof that you have had a negative coronavirus test

You do not need a test if you're travelling within the UK, the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey; from Ireland; from Ascension, Falkland Islands or St Helena; and children under 11 do not need a test

After arriving at a quarantine hotel you will be tested on days two and eight of your stay using a PCR test self-administered in your room

In Scotland, arrivals from all international destinations have to quarantine, even if they are not on the red list. Advertisement

Those arriving in the country must take two Covid-19 tests during the duration of their stay in England.

The Department of Health and Social Care have said people could be fined up to 10,000, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both if they do not provide accurate details about the countries they have visited in the last 10 days of re-entry into the UK.

The DoHSC also say that people will be fined up to 10,000 if they break quarantine rules.

Yesterday, travellers shared images of the 'inedible' food being served at a 1,750 quarantine hotel in central London and told how they are being held in 'prison-like' conditions and deprived of exercise.

Some passengers staying at the President Hotel, in Guilford Road, London, after arriving from 'red list' countries, described their stay as a 'nightmare' and claimed they were staying in prison-like' conditions.

Garikayi Madzudzo made an official complaint regarding the quality of food to Imperial London Hotels, the company behind the three star President Hotel.

He said he had been forced to order food and drink from other outlets as what was offered to him did not meet 'acceptable food standards'.

His complaint read: 'As you can see from the pictures of the meals provided, the portions and the quality of food is way, way below standard.

'It neither provides the required nutrition nor is it balanced to promote healthy living, bearing in mind this is being served to an adult who is being deprived of regular exercise because the hotel is full and available security staff are struggling to cope with the demand to take people outside for their 15mins of exercise.

'The standards that this facility is operating on are unacceptable and do not equate to the 1750 that l was charged.

'This hotel has failed in meeting acceptable food standards.'

Mr Madzudzo, along with several other travellers, shared pictures of the food they were provided by the hotel - including a small muffin, baked beans, lunchbox-sized carton of apple juice and a single hash brown for breakfast.

Lunch was a pie with a small serving of beef gravy and potato, while dinner had two sausages, some mashed potato and peas.

Elsewhere, Puneet, 39, and his wife Priyanka, 37, from Edinburgh, who travelled to Chhattishgarh in India to attend Priyanka's mother's funeral after she died in April, shared their family's 'awful' experience in a hotel quarantine in London.

The family flew back to London on 4 June and made their way to the hotel Corporate Travel Management had booked for their 10-day quarantine, the Park Plaza in Waterloo, at the price of 2,400.

But the family claimed the experience was a nightmare from start to finish.

This week passengers staying at the President Hotel, in Guilford Road, London, described their stay as a 'nightmare' and complained about the quality of the food

Some guests staying at the hotel say they were concerned by the size of portions they received, as one person claimed they had a barely buttered baguette during their stay

Those quarantining in President Hotel, London shared their concerns over the 'prison-like' conditions and 'inedible' food on offer this week

Puneet, 39, and wife Priyanka, 37, from Edinburgh shared the nightmare tale of their quarantine hotel experience this month

Puneet exercises inside their room as the family say they were only allowed 15 minutes per day on the hotel terrace for fresh air

Upon arrival, the family were asked to pick food choices for the duration of their stay, and say they were not given meals 'appropriate' for young children

Claire Curtis (left), who was locked-up in the Sandman Signature Hotel at Gatwick Airport, in April said the breakfast options involved either Coco Pops, a fried egg sandwich (right) or a sausage roll, with a typical lunch being a sandwich

The dental nurse forked out the set price of 1,750 for the stay at the four-star Sandman Signature Hotel at Gatwick (pictured)

Priyanka and Puneet claimed families were only allowed 15 minutes of fresh air per day and were stuffed into a 'claustrophobic' room with their children and offered meals that gave their children a vomiting bug.

IN FULL: The UK's new travel green list All changes will come into effect from Wednesday, June 30 at 4am: Anguila

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

Balearic Islands

Barbados

Bermuda

British Antarctic Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Cayman Islands

Dominica

Falkland Islands

Faroe Islands

Gibraltar

Grenada

Iceland

Israel and Jerusalem - to be moved to the Green Watch List

Madeira

Malta

Montserrat

New Zealand

Pitcairn Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Singapore

Turks and Caicos Islands The UK Government will move the following countries to the red list from June 30: Dominican Republic

Eritrea

Haiti

Mongolia

Tunisia

Uganda Advertisement

The hotel denied their claims and says it has not been informed by 'the medical support team of any guests suffering from stomach bugs related to food served.'

Upon arrival, the couple were asked to select food choices for the duration of their stay, with options including Thai curry, vegetable biryani and moussaka.

Priyanka asked for choices more appropriate for the small children but was told none were available - despite paying 2,400 for the enforced hotel stay.

Priyanka said: 'My baby started vomiting and we were scared because it kept happening. We called the on-site medic who advised we call 111 and another doctor came.

'She asked if Parth had eaten the tomato soup for lunch, which he had. She said the food was too rich for his age - the soup was very concentrated - or the cut fruit cocktail which could be behind the bug.

'The sheets had gotten very mucky and nobody was allowed in to clean so we had to do it ourselves.

'Someone came to take them but the hotel said they didn't have in-house laundry and would have to send our clothes elsewhere.'

A Park Plaza spokesperson responded: 'We take our role in assisting the UK government with its hotel quarantine programme very seriously, to help provide a safe and comfortable experience for travellers.

'We understand that the quarantine process may be difficult for travellers and we do our utmost to make our guests feel welcome throughout their stay.

'We are working closely with the DHSC and the relevant authorities to ensure the service we provide meets the parameters set by the government.

'Furthermore, we endeavour to provide service levels above and beyond what is expected of a government-approved quarantine hotel.

'For privacy reasons, we cannot share information related to specific guests.

'However, as part of the arrangement with DHSC, there is a medic on site for guests 24/7 and the hotel team hasn't been informed by the medical support team of any guests suffering from stomach bugs related to food served.'

In April, dental nurse Claire Curtis, 31, from Market Weighton, Yorkshire, who was locked-up in the Sandman Signature Hotel at Gatwick Airport after being placed into a Government mandated 10-day quarantine on her return from Dubai, said one of her big concerns was the 'lack of fruit and vegetables' at the hotel.

The dental nurse, who forked out the set price of 1,750 said the breakfast options involve either Coco Pops, a fried egg sandwich or a sausage roll, with a typical lunch being a sandwich.

And she said dinner is either a small portion of lasagne, burger and chips, or chicken tikka.

She told the Hull Daily Mail: 'There's absolutely nothing healthy - I have no idea what would happen if you were diabetic or had a restricted diet.'

A spokesperson for the Sandman Signature Group told MailOnline: 'The food and drinks provided are of a high quality with care being taken to provide balanced meals, our current menu includes 19 meal options each day including halal, vegan and vegetarian options, many choices consisting of or including fruit and vegetables.

'Guests are given a choice of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, also a choice of desserts with their evening meal, this menu changes every four days to include new options.

'We provide various drinks options including fruit juices, fizzy drinks and water.

'The drinking water in the bedrooms of the property is also completely safe for consumption.

'We will always take guest comments on board and will continually endeavour to provide the best service possible.'

The latest hotel quarantine experiences come after furious travel bosses yesterday insisted the government's changes to the green list did not go far enough, and that dozens more countries with low infection rates should have been added.

Grant Shapps announced this week that the Balearic islands - Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - along with Madeira, Grenada, Barbados, and Bermuda had all been downgraded from amber to green.

It means holidaymakers will be able to return from these countries without being forced into quarantine for 10 days when arriving back in the UK.

This month, a family who did not wish to be identified, criticised a London hotel were being forced to quarantine inside due to the quality of the food. They detailed the substandard food on Facebook, which included chips dripping in grease

The family also suggested that a breakfast of two slices of bacon in a bap is not sufficient during their stay at the hotel

The Transport Secretary also said the Government would allow those who are double-jabbed to holiday in amber list countries without having to quarantine on their return - but this is still weeks away, with the rule not likely to come in until July at the earliest.

But the announcements drew criticism from some airlines, with easyJet saying it 'simply isn't ambitious enough', while Virgin Atlantic chief Shai Weiss also criticised the decision to leave the US on the UK's amber list, saying: 'Today's announcement fails to go far enough.'

Meanwhile, Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, told the BBC: 'We cannot afford another missed summer. There are jobs at stake, Britons separated from family members and we cannot afford to allow the success of our vaccine programme to be wasted.'

It came as others across the beleaguered travel sector voiced similar concerns. The Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the Government's 'overly cautious' approach would continue to have 'major financial impacts' on the sector.

'Any extension of the green list is welcome, however small, but we also have to be realistic: this is not yet the meaningful restart the aviation industry needs to be able to recover from the pandemic,' she said.

It comes as six countries including Tunisia and Haiti will be put on the UK's travel red list - meaning only UK citizens and those with residency status can travel from here and must stay in quarantine hotels for 10 days.

Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the UK's travel green list since its inception, will be added to the 'green watch list'.

Others in this category - which signals that a country might be moved to the amber list in the near future - include Antigua, the Balearic Islands, Barbados and Grenada.
Russia on Friday launched sweeping military manoeuvres in the Mediterranean Sea just hours after warning the UK it will defend its borders using 'all possible means' following an incident with British destroyer HMS Defender in the Black Sea.

The military drills, featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles and several warships, come as a British carrier strike group is in the area.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkob on Friday warned Britain and the US that Russia will defend its borders using 'all possible means' including military force and accused the two countries of trying to incite conflict in the Black Sea.

He was speaking a day after Moscow warned the UK it would bomb British naval ships in the Black Sea if what it called provocative actions by the British navy were repeated off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea.

Moscow claimed one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs in the path of HMS Defender on Wednesday to force her out of an area near Crimea, which Russia considers part of its territory despite it being an internationally recognised part of Ukraine.

But Britain denied that account and said its ship wasn't fired upon and said she was sailing in Ukrainian waters.

Russian news agency RIA quoted Ryabkov as saying Washington and London were sowing strife in the region by failing to accept Crimea as a part of Russia.

'Washington and London are denying reality... they are trying to provoke conflict,' he said. 'These are Russian territorial waters, this is our border. I can confirm that we will defend it with all possible means, including military.'

The Russian drills that began Friday in the eastern Mediterranean come as a British carrier strike group is in the area. Earlier this week, British and U.S. F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat sorties against the Islamic State group.

Russia has warned Britain and the United States it will defend its borders using 'all possible means' including military force. Pictured: The Royal Navy's HMS Defender destroyer in the Black Sea near Crimea as part of an exercise, in what Russia says is a violation of Russian territorial waters

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned Russia will defend its borders using all possible means

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, allowing Syrian President Bashar Assads government to reclaim control over most of the country after a devastating civil war.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that a pair of MiG-31 fighter jets capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived at the Russian airbase in Syria and flew missions practicing strikes on targets in the Mediterranean. The Hemeimeem airbase, in the coastal province of Latakia, serves as the main hub for Moscows operations in the country.

Its the first time the warplanes capable of carrying Kinzhal have been deployed outside Russias borders.

The military says the Kinzhal flies at 10 times the speed of sound and has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles).

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft.

The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernised the runway at Hemeimeem to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second one to expand the operations there.

Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia currently has outside the former Soviet Union.

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned any warships could be bombed the next time they sail too close to Crimea, after a tense stand-off in the Black Sea. A picture taken last Friday shows a ship from the Russian Black Sea Fleet (circled) shadowing USS Laboon, HMS Defender and the Dutch frigate HNLMS Evertsen

Moscow said a Su-24 dropped four bombs in Britain's HMS Defender path after warning shots were fired, but Britain said no shots were fired. Images released by the Russian defence ministry shows the SU-24s buzzing above the destroyer and lining the vessel up in its crosshairs

The Russian military has increased the number and scope of its drills amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Moscows 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula.

As part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to beef up Russias military, the Russian navy in recent years has revived the Soviet-era practice of constantly rotating its warships in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the eastern Mediterranean has become more 'congested and contested' with the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes. He noted that a Russian warship has come within 10 kilometers (16 miles) of the carrier.

Russia said on Wednesday it had fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of a British warship to chase it out of Black Sea waters off the coast of Crimea.

Video footage appears to show the dramatic moment a Russian patrol vessel opened fire near HMS Defender in the Black Sea.

The video, released by Russia's coastguard, seems to give a deck-eye view of the incident from one of the two patrol vessels which harassed HMS Defender.

The bursts of orange flame from the barrel of the Russian patrol vessel's 30mm cannon followed repeated warnings from the coastguard that he would fire if the Royal Navy destroyer entered what Russia considered its territorial waters off Crimea  which has been occupied by President Putin's forces since 2014.

In broken English, the crew of the UK warship were told: 'Please attention, keep away from me.'

In the video released by Putin's regime, three shots each with two shells are seen fired as warning shots, by which time HMS Defender is visible but at a long distance away

The drama took place on Wednesday as Russian jets and the border patrol vessels homed in on HMS Defender after she passed into the disputed waters.

In a tense encounter witnessed by the Mail, the cannon fired near the Royal Navy destroyer, forcing crew to pull on retardant suits and flak jackets.

Britain rejected Russia's account of the incident. It said it believed any shots fired were a pre-announced Russian 'gunnery exercise', and that no bombs had been dropped.

It confirmed a British destroyer, HMS Defender, had sailed through what it described as waters belonging to Ukraine.

But on Friday, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov criticised the UK for denying that the Russian military fired warning shots at the Defender and urged Britain and its allies not to 'tempt fate'.

He added that the Defender is 'just a juicy target for the Black Sea Fleet's missile systems'.

A furious diplomatic row between Moscow and London is still raging, and on Thursday the Russian foreign ministry even threatened to bomb any other British vessel venturing too close to Crimea.

In an attempted show of strength, the Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles.

The Russian drills that began Friday in the eastern Mediterranean come as a British carrier strike group is in the area. Earlier this week, British and U.S. F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat sorties against the Islamic State group.

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft. The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the eastern Mediterranean has become more 'congested and contested' with the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes. He noted that a Russian warship has come within 10 kilometers (16 miles) of the carrier.

It also emerged yesterday that Russian ships launched a 200-mile pursuit of the British warship in a dramatic continuation of hostilities.

The two border patrol craft were joined by a frigate as all three chased HMS Defender to within 20 miles of Georgia.

The Dmitriy Rogachev, a 94m-long Bykov-class corvette capable of carrying missiles, grenade launchers and torpedoes, closed to within 1.5 miles of the British.

With its range of 6,000 miles, it is feared she will shadow the UK warship for days to come.

The continued harassment came as the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a chilling threat to drop bombs on any Royal Navy warships entering Crimean territory.

Footage shows lengthy negotiations in English between the coast guard vessel and the large destroyer. In Russian there is a command to shoot - but also to miss

Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov said the 'inviolability' of its borders is an 'absolute imperative' and added that it will be protected 'by all means, diplomatic, political and military if needed'.

Asked what Russia would do if there was a repeat, Mr Ryabkov said: 'We may appeal to reason and demand respect for international law.

'If it doesn't help we may drop bombs and not just in the path but right on target.'

'In the path' related to Russia's claim on Wednesday that it dropped bombs in front of HMS Defender.

The claim is almost certainly propaganda as no such ordnance was detected by the UK warship.

But HMS Defender's captain hit back last night reminding the Kremlin of his 'inherent right to self-defence' and indicated he would respond to any genuine threat to the safety of the 240 people on board his ship.

As the diplomatic spat was stepped up yesterday, Deborah Bronnert, the UK's ambassador to Russia, was summoned to the Kremlin to explain the incident.

She was issued with a 'tough demarche'  diplomatic jargon for a telling off  as Russia accused London of 'barefaced lies'.

In the video taken from the patrol boat, a person can be heard saying in Russian: 'Fire warning shots! Fire warning shots! Over. Along the course of Defender. Along the course of Defender. No hitting it, no hitting Defender, did you get me? Over'

The warship is visible but at a long distance away. The clip's release follows Russia summoning the UK's ambassador in Moscow for a formal telling off today

Asked whether the UK was telling 'barefaced lies' over the incident, Boris Johnson said: 'Well, they're the bear.

'That's not my information and my understanding is that the Carrier Strike Group proceeded in the way you would expect through international waters and in accordance with the law.'

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the incident: 'We believe it was a deliberate and premeditated provocation.'

The footage shows lengthy negotiations in English between the coastguard vessel and the British destroyer.

Defender repeatedly insists it is on an established sea route in international waters.

Next, from the Russians, there is a command to shoot  but also to miss. 'Fire warning shots! Fire warning shots! Over. Along the course of Defender.

UK Ambassador to Russia, Deborah Bronnert, pictured above. She was summoned to Moscow for a 'tough demarche' - a diplomatic term for a firm rebuke

'Along the course of Defender. No hitting it, no hitting Defender, did you get me? Over.'

The Navy warship is clearly visible on the horizon. The video was released more than a day after Russia first made the claim that it had shot at the boat, and dropped four bombs from an Su-24 warplane as a warning.

Mr Johnson backed the Navy yesterday, saying it had been 'entirely right' to voyage through the disputed waters around Ukraine and that the service had been 'sticking up for our values'.

The Prime Minister, speaking to reporters at an army base in Aldershot, said: 'It was entirely right that we should vindicate the law and pursue freedom of navigation in the way that we did, take the shortest route between two points, and that's what we did.'

Mr Johnson sidestepped a question on whether he had personally authorised HMS Defender's voyage, saying that was a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace gave further details of Wednesday's incident in a written statement to MPs.

He said ten minutes after entering 'a traffic separation scheme' shipping lane, a Russian coastguard vessel warned that units would shortly commence a live fire gunnery exercise.

While accurate, it failed to mention the more aggressive language of 'I'll be fire' issued by the same coastguard in broken English.

Boris Johnson, pictured boarding a helicopter in London today to travel to an Army base in Aldershot, insisted Britain had every right to sail close to Crimea

Mr Johnson is seen behind the wheel of an armoured vehicle complete with a machine gun belonging to Britain's the new Ranger Regiment during a visit to mark Armed Forces Week at the Aldershot Garrison in Aldershot

As far as many crew aboard HMS Defender are concerned, Russia issued a threat to engage the UK warship, then opened fire when it failed to change course.

Mr Wallace said HMS Defender was overflown by Russian combat aircraft flying as low as 500 feet and that some of their manoeuvers were 'neither safe nor professional'.

The Defence Secretary added: 'The Royal Navy will always uphold international law and will not accept unlawful interference with innocent passage.'

HMS Defender is part of the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG) currently heading to the Indo-Pacific region. It broke away on Tuesday to conduct a Freedom of Navigation patrol through waters Russia regards as its own.

Last night, the Russian Embassy in London posted a message on Twitter jokingly referring to HMS Defender as 'HMS Provocative'.
Spain has rejected Angela Merkel's plans to force all Britons travelling to the EU to quarantine.

Mrs Merkel has advocated an EU-wide quarantine policy to protect against the spread of the 'Delta' coronavirus variant which has taken hold in the UK.

And while she has received backing from French President Emmanuel Macron, Madrid is adamant that it will set its own border policy as it tries to revive its crucial tourism industry.

Spain's tourism minister, Maria Reyes Maroto, appeared to hint at a split within the bloc on Mrs Merkel's proposals as she said: 'Hopefully we can begin to receive British tourists soon.

'We don't have any restrictions on tourists from the UK at the moment. They're placing restrictions on people when they return.'

Spain's Balearic Islands, which include Ibiza, Menorca and Mallorca, have all been added to the Government's travel green list, enabling Brits to return from those destinations without having to self-isolate.

Some 14 countries have been added to the green list in total, but all but one, Malta, have also been put on a watch list which means they are at risk of quickly returning to the amber category, causing uncertainty for would-be holidaymakers.

Spain has welcomed the islands being added to the safe travel list but officials in the Balearics are pushing for some controls like proof of vaccination to be put in place to guard against importing coronavirus cases, according to the Financial Times.

It came as Grant Shapps hit back at Mrs Merkel over her quarantine plans as he suggested the German Chancellor was only being pushed into the move because of the bloc's slow vaccine rollout.

Angela Merkel, pictured in Brussels today, has called for EU member states to adopt the same strict quarantine policy

But Spain has rejected the call as it tries to revive its crucial tourism industry. A beach in Ibiza is pictured

Grant Shapps REFUSES to say if he'd go on holiday to a green list country amid fears they could be axed at any moment Grant Shapps today repeatedly refused to say whether he would risk booking a family holiday to a country on the green watch list as the Government faced a furious backlash over the latest changes to its international travel rules. Mr Shapps last night unveiled limited changes to the traffic light lists as he added 14 countries and territories to the green category from which travellers do not have to self-isolate on their return to the UK. However, all but one  Malta  were also put on a watch list, which means they are at risk of quickly returning to the amber category. While some popular hotspots  including Spain's Balearic islands and a number of Caribbean destinations  are on the list, France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain off limits to UK holidaymakers. Travel bosses blasted the changes and said they do not go far enough while Tory MPs said the green list is still 'overly cautious'. Mr Shapps insisted the changes will provide 'a little bit of relief' for the travel industry but he risked undermining consumer confidence as he repeatedly refused to say whether he would book. The Transport Secretary said he is 'rather busy' dealing with the pandemic and therefore not thinking about going on a trip abroad. He told Sky News: 'You are asking me if I was in someone else's shoes and I am not. I am not looking to go on holiday right this moment because I am rather busy dealing with this and a lot of other transport issues.' Advertisement

Mr Shapps said he understood why Germany might be 'particularly concerned' about the 'Delta' variant because it 'doesn't have the same level of vaccinations as has happened in this country'.

Downing Street today announced that Mrs Merkel, who is due to step down later this year, will visit the UK for talks with Boris Johnson at Chequers on July 2.

A Number 10 spokesman said: 'This will be a chance to discuss a range of issues, including deepening the UK-Germany relationship and the global response to the coronavirus pandemic.'

Mrs Merkel's quarantine plans risk scuppering the Government's proposals to lift self-isolation requirements for double-jabbed Brits returning from amber list countries.

Much of Europe is on the amber list and would-be UK holidaymakers are unlikely to book a trip to the continent if they face a lengthy stay in self-isolation upon their arrival.

The exact date for the easing of the amber list rules for people who are fully vaccinated is yet to be set but August appears likely.

Told that Mrs Merkel wants all EU member states to impose quarantine rules on British travellers, Mr Shapps told Sky News: 'I understand that. Germany doesn't have the same level of vaccinations as has happened in this country so they will be particularly concerned.

'Each country will have to come to their own decision. A country like Malta which has a very high level of vaccination hasn't said the same thing and other European countries will come to their own decisions and I respect that, that is for them to do.

'But it is different in each country and largely driven by levels of vaccination that they have managed to achieve in each country.'

Mrs Merkel said yesterday: 'We have not yet managed to ensure that all 27 member states have the same entry requirements for people arriving from virus variant areas, in this case Great Britain, but in other countries also.

'With us you have to be in quarantine when you come from the UK. This is by no means the case in every European country. But I would like that.'

French President Emmanuel Macron has signalled his support for Mrs Merkel's proposals.

He said: 'We must all be vigilant because the much-talked-about Delta variant is coming, which spreads much more rapidly than the other variants and affects people who are not vaccinated or who only have had one dose.

'For me, one of the issues of discussion is to be really taking co-ordinated decisions in terms of opening of borders to third countries and on recognising vaccines because at this stage we have to limit this to the vaccines that have been approved by the European medical authority.'

Jose Ramon Bauza, the former president of the Balearic Islands, which are being added to the green list from next week, said decisions on border rules must be 'based on science' and should not be 'political'.

Asked if he believes Spain will have to agree to a harmonised approach to quarantine rules if that is what is decided by the EU, he said: 'We know that vaccination is working very well and in fact in (the) UK it's working so far.'

Mallorca (pictured: Beach El Arenal) is one of the top holiday hotspots to be put on the UK's green travel list by Grant Shapps

But French MEP Veronique Trillet-Lenoir said there should be a 'harmonised' approach to travel rules across the European Union and 'third countries' such as the UK.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'The European Union is concerned by the Delta variant and wants to act in a united and co-ordinated manner as much as possible.'

She said discussions are ongoing over decisions regarding 'third countries' such as the UK.

'Clearly Germany, France and Portugal have already said that they needed a quarantine; what I really would like is a harmonised and co-ordinated manner, although I understand that the vision is not the same for southern and northern countries in Europe,' she added.

Asked if she believed it might be necessary to have quarantine for UK travellers throughout all the EU nations, Ms Trillet-Lenoir said: 'It is necessary to have harmonised measure in order to prioritise the sanitary issues.

'I'm very well aware of the economical issues, but until now both the EU and the UK have prioritised the sanitary aspect of the crisis and that's the way to do it.'
Senior minister Dominic Raab raised concerns about a decision to send a Royal Navy warship through contested Crimean waters before a confrontation with Russian forces, it was revealed today.

The Foreign Secretary is said to have been in a 'dispute' with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace over the route taken through the Black Sea by HMS Defender earlier this week.

The Type-45 destroyer was involved in an international incident after using an international shipping lane that went close to the Ukrainian peninsula, which is illegally occupied and claimed by Russia.

On Wednesday, a Russian patrol vessel fired repetitive thudding bursts from its 30mm cannon near the British destroyer after it ignored their orders to steer away from Crimean waters.

Ministers have insisted that the route was pre-planned and followed an internationally recognised route between Ukraine and Georgia.

But a source told the Telegraph today that Mr Raab and Mr Wallace clashed at a meeting, before demanding Boris Johnson make the final decision.

'The whole dispute was between Raab and Wallace, then it went to the PM. The decision was sent to Defender on Monday that she was to take innocent passage through those waters,' they said.

Mr Raab is said to have warned that Moscow could seek to exploit the journey for propaganda purposes.

However sources told MailOnline that it was 'rubbish' to suggest there was a disagreement between him and Mr Wallace and that the passage route was 'long-planned'.

The Foreign Secretary is said to have been in a 'dispute' with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace over the route taken through the Black Sea by HMS Defender earlier this week.

The Type-45 destroyer was involved in an international incident after using an international shipping lane that went close to the Ukrainian peninsula, which is illegally occupied and claimed by Russia.

In the video released by Putin's regime, three shots each with two shells are seen fired as warning shots, by which time HMS Defender is visible but at a long distance away

Defender captain's Kremlin warning The captain of HMS Defender has warned the Kremlin he will do whatever is required to protect the 240 crew serving on his ship. Speaking exclusively to the Mail, Commander Vincent Owen (below) strongly criticised Russian forces for threatening him and the men and women under his command. On Wednesday, a Russian patrol vessel fired repetitive thudding bursts from its 30mm cannon near the British destroyer moments after Cdr Owen ignored their orders to steer away from Crimean waters. The dramatic incident witnessed first-hand by the Mail plunged UK-Russia relations to their lowest point since the Salisbury poisonings in 2018. Cdr Owen, 42, accelerated to overtake the Russian border vessels and continued his course through Crimean territorial waters. It was then the bursts of cannon fire were heard on her port side. It followed a series of radio messages that a gunnery exercise was occurring in the area. Cdr Owen said: 'I have always got the inherent right of self-defence, to defend the men and women aboard the ship. 'It is part of my orders delegated to me by the commanding officer of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG). 'Clearly, they [the Russians] threatened me [on Wednesday]. They said they'd fired if we did it [enter Crimean waters]. They said they were staging gun exercises. 'They then fired from one of their coastguard ships. On this occasion, I was comfortable I was acting within that delegated authority. I knew the range of their weapon systems aboard the border patrol vessels and maintained the necessary speed to remain at a safe distance. Advertisement

Russia summoned the UK's ambassador in Moscow for a formal telling off last night as relations between the two nations continued to deteriorate after the air and sea skirmish in the Black Sea.

Russia's foreign ministry hauled in Deborah Bronnert in order to deliver a 'tough demarche' - diplomatic jargon for a firm rebuke.

It came as Boris Johnson borrowed a page out of Vladimir Putin's playbook as he joined the British Army for land and air manoeuvres before declaring the Royal Navy will not be dictated to by Moscow following yesterday's incident.

As Russian officials promised to bomb any ship unlawfully in Crimean waters, the PM said it was 'entirely right' for HMS Defender to have been travelling close to the peninsula because the UK does not recognise Russia's 'illegal' claim to the territory.

Mr Johnson dodged the question of whether he had personally authorised the Royal Navy destroyer to use the route but insisted that British ships would make the same journey again if needed, despite Russian threats.

Mr Putin's deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov warned against 'provocative steps' and vowed that Russia will bomb any ships who 'violate the state borders of the Russian Federation'.

Moscow claimed it fired warning shots at the destroyer as it passed through the contested part of the Black Sea but that assertion was dismissed by the UK which said Russia was conducting a routine 'gunnery exercise'.

Russia subsequently accused the UK of telling 'barefaced lies' about what had happened but Mr Johnson struck a defiant tone as he hit back and said: 'Well, they're the bear.'

Earlier, the Environment Secretary George Eustice had hinted that he believed Russia's claim of British aggression was a stunt, with Moscow trying to paint a regular military exercise as something more significant.

Meanwhile, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace rubbished the claim of shots being directed at the ship, telling MPs: 'At no point were warning shots fired at HMS Defender, nor bombs dropped in her path as has been asserted by the Russian authorities.'

Mr Johnson said: 'I think it was wholly appropriate to use international waters. This is part of sovereign Ukrainian territory, it was entirely right that we should vindicate the law and pursue freedom of navigation in the way that we did, take the shortest route between two points, and that's what we did.'

He added: 'We don't recognise the Russian annexation of Crimea, it was illegal, these are Ukrainian waters and it was entirely right to use them to go from A to B.'

The PM spoke out on visit to New Normandy Barracks in Aldershot, where he addressed soldiers, drove an armoured vehicle complete with machine gun before jumping into a helicopter in aviation gear for the flight back to London.

UK Ambassador to Russia, Deborah Bronnert, pictured above. She was summoned to Moscow for a 'tough demarche' - a diplomatic term for a firm rebuke

Boris Johnson, pictured boarding a helicopter in London today to travel to an Army base in Aldershot, insisted Britain had every right to sail close to Crimea

The Royal Navy's HMS Defender destroyer, pictured above, was passing through the Black Sea around 12 miles from the Crimean city of Sevastopol as part of an exercise also involving a Dutch frigate having just left the southern Ukrainian port of Odessa

A Government spokesman said: 'HMS Defender's innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters was long planned and entirely in accordance with international law.'

'The route taken was the most direct, via an internationally recognised route between Ukraine and Georgia.'
Workers who have lost shifts as a result of Sydney's snap week-long lockdown will be eligible for payments of up to $500 weekly - if they meet certain criteria.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly confirmed Friday evening that workers from the seven-effected local government areas will be entitled to Commonwealth support.

People will only be able to receive the payments if they can't work from home and can't travel to work as a result of the latest restrictions.

The City of Sydney, Waverley, Woollahra, Bayside, Canada Bay, Inner West and Randwick have been declared Covid hotspots for the purposes of Commonwealth support until July 2 this year.

The payments will be the same as those offered to Melbourne residents in their most recent lockdown.

From 11.59pm on Friday new restrictions will be in effect for a number of Sydney local government areas (pictured: a restaurant in the Sydney CBD)

Under the rules those who lose less then 20 hours of work under lockdown are eligible to receive $325 per week.

While those who lose more than 20 hours of work can receive $500 for each week the restrictions continue.

The be eligible to claim the payout, workers must be unable to attend work and have lost income up to and including day eight of a Covid lockdown as a result of the restrictions.

The payment is not available if the lockdown or stay-at-home order lasts only seven days or less.

Employees also must not be able to already access appropriate paid leave or entitlements through their employer.

To be eligible for the cash you cannot already be getting a government income support payment, state small business payment, or Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment.

Lastly to apply for the grant you also need to be an Australian resident and have less than $10,000 in liquid assets.

The payment can be applied for using a Centrelink online account through the myGov website.

The City of Sydney (pictured on Friday) has been declared a Covid hotspot with anyone who has been to the area in the last two weeks required to follow stay-at-home orders

Professor Kelly on Wednesday announced that parts of Sydney would be recognised as a Covid hotspot for seven days - but on Friday extended this for another three days allowing the payments to kick in.

Sydney's latest lockdown could inflict losses of $750 million on businesses during one of the busiest times of the year, the retail peak body says, sparking calls for financial assistance.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian issued the localised stay-at-home orders on Friday morning after the state recorded another 22 new local cases of COVID-19.

The seven-day lockdown, which will come into force from midnight, applies to people who live or work in the Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney council areas.

Residents of the City of Sydney, Randwick, Woollahra and Waverley can go to restaurants to get takeaway food only (pictured: the Sydney CBD on Friday evening)

National Retail Association chief executive Dominique Lamb said that retailers accept the need for a lockdown but it will be 'carnage' for them.

It is the city's first lockdown without the JobKeeper program in place, and comes in the final week of end-of-financial-year sales.

'Rather than seeing consumers stampede into town to cash in on bargain sales, Sydney CBD shopping precincts will resemble a ghost town,' she said.

'Retailers understand that this is a last resort option, but it's certainly going to come at a cost.'

That cost could be as high as $750 million in lost retail sales, she said.
Matt Hancock has been accused of double standards over an interview in which he condemned 'Professor Lockdown' for breaking Covid rules to meet his mistress - as the Health Secretary faces questions over his own alleged affair a year on.

The video, which has been spread on social media again today in light of Mr Hancock's kiss with millionaire communications director Gina Coladangelo, 43, was broadcast on Sky News on May 6, 2020.

In the clip, the Health Secretary condemns the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, who broke Covid restrictions to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats, 38 last summer.

He admits Ferguson's actions are 'extraordinary' as he struggles to comprehend the hypocritical message the ex-SAGE scientist sent to the public before his resignation in May 2020.

Today it emerged that Hancock had been allegedly caught on CCTV kissing his aide Mrs Coldagangelo on May 6 - less than a fortnight before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug.

And he goes further to say it 'would not be possible' for Mr Ferguson, 53, to have kept his job in the wake of flouting the strict coronavirus social distancing rules he helped draw up to have secret trysts with his married lover.

Ferguson was brandished an arrogant hypocrite in the wake of his actions, but in a controversial twist, stunning CCTV pictures today showed Mr Hancock and his closest aide in a passionate embrace outside his Whitehall office last month.

While the Health Secretary praised Ferguson's decision to resign, he himself has been caught on camera kissing millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor was clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace at around 3pm on May 6 this year - less than a fortnight before the Government relaxed safety rules including giving permission to hug.

In the interview, Matt Hancock, 42, condemns the actions of 'Professor Lockdown' Neil Ferguson, who broke Covid rules to meet his married mistress Antonia Staats, 38 last summer

The video has re-emerged today in light of Mr Hancock's alleged affair with millionaire communications director Gina Coladangelo, 43 (left)

This is the image that has left Matt Hancock fighting for his job today that appears to show him kissing his millionaire aide - who is on the public payroll - in the corridor outside his office in May this year

Professor Ferguson (above) asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London to his home at least twice despite lecturing Brits on the need to stay apart

Antonia Staats, 38, is believed to have visited the scientist shortly after he finished self-isolating for two weeks last summer

In a live interview with Sky presenter Kay Burley last summer, the Health Secretary referenced the 'extraordinary' circumstances surrounding Professor Ferguson's resignation.

He said: 'It's extraordinary. I don't understand... Prof Ferguson is a very, very eminent and impressive scientist.

'The science he has done has been an important part of what we have listened to.

'I think he did the right decision, to resign that is.'

Kay Burley asks: 'You wouldn't have thought to keep him?'

Mr Hancock replied: 'That's just not possible in these circumstances.'

Professor Ferguson, 53, asked his mistress Antonia Staats, 38, to travel across London to his home at least twice last summer - despite lecturing 66million in Britain on the need to stay apart to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Lockdown restrictions were at their peak at the time Mr Ferguson broke the rules, with no social contact allowed between separate households.

In a resignation statement, the academic, who is married with a son but is believed to be separated from his wife, admitted he had 'made an error of judgement' but claimed he thought he was 'immune' to the illness.

Several outspoken critics slammed 'Professor Lockdown' as an arrogant hypocrite and accused him of 'undermining' the Government's message on lockdown.

The Health Secretary, 42, has been seen having a passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo (pictured here with Matt Hancock outside Downing Street in May), according to The Sun

Martha Hancock looked sad and upset as she left the couple's north London home this morning after claims that her husband has been having a secret affair. She didn't comment

Today, Mr Hancock is facing a barrage of questions as his job hangs in the balance in the wake of his alleged affair.

The Health Secretary, 42, has been caught on camera in a passionate clinch with his hand rubbing the back and bottom of millionaire lobbyist Gina Coladangelo, 43, who was brought in as a taxpayer-funded advisor in March last year.

Mr Hancock has been married for 15 years to wife Martha, 44, and the couple have three children together.

Mrs Hancock reportedly looked sad and upset as she left the couple's home in north London this morning, but didn't speak to reporters about her husband's alleged infidelity.
Advertisement

No-one under the age of 50 and fully vaccinated has died from the Indian Covid variant in England, promising Government data revealed today.

Public Health England's report also showed that just 3 per cent of people in that age group who caught the strain and were admitted to hospital by June 21 were double-jabbed.

Officials hailed the finding as 'hugely encouraging', but warned against complacency as the same data showed two people under 50 had died from Covid while waiting for their second dose.

Patients were also at a higher risk of being hospitalised with the mutant 'Delta' variant if they had only been given one dose, highlighting the importance of two.

England's original June 21 Freedom Day was pushed back by four weeks to July 19 to buy the country more time to dish out millions more second doses. Currently about 60 per cent of adults have been fully immunised.

PHE said cases of the Indian variant, which is around 80 per cent more transmissible than the previously dominant Kent strain, rose 46 per cent in a week across the UK with 35,204 more infections spotted.

Its report also showed, since the strain was first detected in April, the most cases have been discovered in Bolton (5,017), the city of Manchester (4,100), Blackburn (3,161), Leeds (3,079) and Birmingham (2,589). The variant is least common in rural areas, mainly in the South West.

Meanwhile, PHE warned it had spotted another new Covid variant that emerged in Peru and has infected at least six Britons. The 'Lambda' strain, as it's been named by the World Health Organization, has been designated a 'Variant Under Investigation' while PHE work out how infectious, deadly or vaccine-resistant it is.

The report today showed that, since the variant was the first discovered in April, the most cases have been found in Bolton in Greater Manchester, where 5,017 positive tests had been linked to the strain by June 21. Other hard-hit areas were in the North of England or Yorkshire, too, with Manchester (4,100), Blackburn (3,161), Leeds (3,079) and Birmingham (2,589) making up the five worst-affected areas

Graph left: A Public Health England report published today revealed the fast-spreading variant makes up 95 per cent of cases. Graph right: Lab testing shows that the Delta variant (pink) has accounted for thousands of cases (specimens) in recent weeks and case numbers are soaring. It has dwarfed all other variants, shown in different colours. The Kent variant is not shown in the graph because it looks at only 'S gene positive' cases which are ones that the swab test works perfectly on. The virus's S gene on the Kent variant cannot be detected by swab-testing so it is classed as an 'S gene negative' variant. 'Unclassified' tests are strains that were not categorised as a specific variant, likely because they came in such small numbers compared to the Kent variant in January

The Indian variant was also confirmed to have caused 1,320 hospitalisations as of June 21  902 of which were in under 50s. Of these, 77 per cent were unvaccinated, 9 per cent had been given a first dose and built up immunity and 3 per cent were double-jabbed. The remaining cases had received a jab but had not been given enough time to develop protection. In the over-50s, a third were unvaccinated, a quarter had received a first dose and gained some immunity and 39 per cent were fully jabbed. Some elderly and extremely vulnerable people - who were the first to be doubly vaccinated - are so frail that they cannot mount a strong enough immune response, regardless of the jabs

Officials hailed the finding as 'hugely encouraging', but warned against complacency as the same data showed two people under 50 had died from Covid while waiting for their second dose. In total, there have been 117 deaths in England caused by the Indian strain, and only eight were victims under the age of 50. In the under-50s group, six of the deaths were among vaccinated and two were in people who'd had a first dose. In the over-50 group there were 38 deaths in the unvaccinated group, 50 after two doses and 17 after one. One person died after getting their second jab - but before they had enough time to gain immunity

The six cases of Lambda have been linked to overseas travel. It has two concerning mutations on its spike protein - known as L452Q and F490S - which are feared to play a role in making it more infectious and able to dodge some immunity.

The report found the Delta Indian variant was accounting for the overwhelming majority of cases at 95 per cent by June 21.

PHE SPOTS NEW PERU VARIANT IN SIX BRITS PHE warned it had spotted another new Covid variant that emerged in Peru and has infected at least six Britons. The 'Lambda' strain, as it's been named by the World Health Organization, has been designated a 'Variant Under Investigation' while PHE work out how infectious, deadly or vaccine-resistant it is. The six cases of Lambda have been linked to overseas travel. They were detected between 23 February and 7 June. It has two concerning mutations on its spike protein - known as L452Q and F490S - which are feared play a role in making it more infectious and able to dodge some immunity. The World Health Organisation classified Lambda as a Variant of Interest on 14 June but has not yet upgraded it to Variant of Concern status. The earliest documented sample was reported in Peru and Lambda has been sequenced in 26 countries to date. PHE said: 'All appropriate public health interventions will be undertaken, including additional contact tracing and targeted testing. 'Where cases have been identified, additional follow-up of cases, testing of contacts and if required targeted case finding will be deployed to limit its spread.' Advertisement

In total, there have been 111,157 cases across the UK - with 102,019 of these in England, 7,738 in Scotland, 788 in Wales and 612 in Northern Ireland.

In total, there have been 117 deaths in England caused by the Indian strain, and only eight were victims under the age of 50. Six were among vaccinated patients and two were in people who'd had a first dose.

The Indian variant was also confirmed to have caused 1,320 hospitalisations as of June 21  902 of which were in under 50s.

Of these, 77 per cent were unvaccinated, 9 per cent had been given a first dose and built up immunity and 3 per cent were double-jabbed. The remaining cases had received a jab but had not been given enough time to develop protection.

In the over-50s, a third were unvaccinated, a quarter had received a first dose and gained some immunity and 39 per cent were fully jabbed.

Some elderly and extremely vulnerable people - who were the first to be doubly vaccinated - are so frail that they cannot mount a strong enough immune response, regardless of the jabs.

Commenting on the report, Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency said: 'Through the success of our vaccination programme, data suggest we have begun to break the link between cases and hospitalisations.

'This is hugely encouraging news, but we cannot become complacent. Two doses of vaccine are far more effective against Covid than a single dose, so please make sure that you come forward to get your second dose as soon as you are invited.

'Whilst vaccines provide excellent protection, they do not provide total protection, so it is still as important as ever that we continue to exercise caution.

'Protect yourself and the people around you by working from home where possible, and by practising 'hands, face, space, fresh air' at all times.'

Meanwhile, PHE found that 42 of the new weekly cases were caused by 'Delta plus' - sometimes known as the Nepal variant.

The agency said that strain, a more evolved version of the Indian variant, is more infectious than its predecessor. But it has been in the UK since April and has shown no signs of taking off.

Delta plus carries the K417N mutation  also seen in the South Africa 'Beta' variant  which can help the virus dodge immunity from vaccines and natural infection.

PHE said this week's figures for variants this week are likely to be an underestimate owing to an operational issue being investigated by the Wellcome Sanger Institute lab on potential cross-contamination of a number of positive Covid samples.

Growing evidence that the vaccines are extremely effective against the Indian variant - particularly after two doses - has led to increasing pressure for foreign travel rules to be loosened for the double-jabbed.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps all but confirmed fully vaccinated Britons will not have to quarantine when they return from countries on the green list, which was last night updated to include 14 countries and territories, including Spain's Balearic islands and a number of Caribbean destinations.

However, Mr Shapps today repeatedly refused to say whether he would risk booking a family holiday to a country on the green watch list.

All but one of the new additions to the green list  Malta  were also put on a watch list, which means they are at risk of quickly returning to the amber category.

While some popular hotspots - like - Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - are on the list, France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain off limits to UK holidaymakers.

Travel bosses blasted the changes and said they do not go far enough while Tory MPs said the green list is still 'overly cautious'.





Mr Shapps insisted the changes will provide 'a little bit of relief' for the travel industry but he risked undermining consumer confidence as he repeatedly refused to say whether he would book.

The Transport Secretary said he is 'rather busy' dealing with the pandemic and therefore not thinking about going on a trip abroad.

Meanwhile, Mr Shapps also took aim at Angela Merkel who is calling for all EU countries to follow Germany's lead in requiring Britons entering the country to self-isolate to stop the spread of the 'Delta' coronavirus variant.

Mr Shapps said Mrs Merkel is only advocating the move because the bloc's vaccination rollout is lagging behind the UK's.
Advertisement

From Afghanistan's southern badlands of Helmand and Kandahar to the country's northern border with Tajikistan, the Taliban are on the march.

In a lightning offensive which started in May as US and NATO forces withdraw from the country, the terror group and its jihadist fighters have captured vast swathes of rural hinterland - bringing them to the doorstep of major cities such as Herat and Kabul, with an offensive on them expected this summer.

If they emerge from the carnage victorious - and US intelligence warned earlier this week that they well might - then it would hand the terror group control of the country in what one observer said would be 'the greatest jihadist victory since the Soviets quit in 1989.'

Such a victory would undo almost two decades of work by American and NATO forces that has seen tens of thousands killed and trillions of dollars spent, and prove a damning indictment of Biden's decision to press ahead with Trump's withdrawal plan - surpassing even the worst-case scenarios generals warned of four months ago.

Biden is due to meet with Ghani in the White House today to try and head off that nightmare scenario - even as experts, observers and politicians lined up to slam his 'foolish' and 'short-sighted' plans to have all troops out of the country by September 11 this year.

A lighting offensive by the Taliban which began in May has seen the group take control of vast swathes of rural Afghanistan and battle their way to the doorstep of major cities such as Kandahar, Herat and Kabul - with attacks on them expected soon

Militiamen gather near Kabul to pledge their allegiance to the Afghan government in preparation for a Taliban assault that is threatening to overwhelm major cities

The fight has come to Afghan forces suddenly and on all fronts, with troops complaining they are outnumbered, outgunned, under-paid and exhausted after more than 20 years of fighting in what is often called 'the long war.'

Attacks were expected in the south and east - the Taliban's traditional strongholds - but worryingly the group has also mounted daunting offensives in the north, where their control has historically been weak.

In a lighting offensive that began in May, the group has taken control of some 50 of the country's 400 districts and is contesting dozens more according to monitoring group The Long War Journal.

By some estimates, the group is now in control of half the country. A recent US intelligence report warned they could retake Kabul, the capital, within six months.

In one recent battle in the district of Imam Sahib, 100 government troops faced off against 300 Taliban fighters in a two-day battle that ended with a decisive victory for the jihadists.

Locals reported bodies left lying in the streets alongside smouldering tanks, with homes and businesses destroyed.

It is just one of a series of victories that the Taliban have won in Afghanistan's north, leaving them in control of key strategic border crossings with Tajikistan - a valuable trading route.

In some cases, the fighting has been fierce.

America and Britain fuelled the flames of war with the Taliban... Now the foreigners are running away Saifullah, 25, a government fighter

Another recent battle in Dawlat Abad district saw Sohrab Azimi - a well-known and much-respected government fighter - killed alongside 22 of his commandos after being sent into the hotly-contested area without proper backup.

But in others, government troops have given up with barely a shot fired - abandoning their posts or else surrendering after becoming surrounded with no hope of reinforcement.

On the outskirts of Herat, Afghanistan's third-largest city, Times war correspondent Anthony Loyd saw the Taliban advance firsthand as he headed out on patrol with government troops disguised as Taliban fighters.

They found their enemies just 16 miles south of the city, along the main highway - passing by a patrol who waved at them, mistaking them for some of their own.

On either side of the road, government outposts stood abandoned or else overrun by Taliban fighters who had raised their flag in victory.

Only one outpost still held government troops - nine men out of 90 the commander had started the battle with, the rest having been killed or run off.

He described how, for 48 hours, he had battled the Taliban with little ammunition, no armoured vehicles, no air support, and no chance of reinforcement.

'Unless we get back-up and more ammunition I'm going to abandon the post too,' he added.

Another fighter who gave his name as Mohammed Nasim, 33, described a month-long fight against the Taliban after his post was encircled - reduced to eating berries and grass while digging shrapnel out of his side with a knife before being rescued.

He said: 'For 30 days I had thought I would die. When the commandos came for us, we stacked the dead and wounded on the fuselage floor of a helicopter, then ran over them to fit inside.

'I had lost so many of my friends I felt like screaming.'

Sohrab Azimi, a well-known and respected government commando who was recently killed in fierce fighting in Afghanistan's north after he was sent into a hotly-contested area without backup

Hundreds of militiamen shout 'death to the Taliban' as they join government forces in Kabul ahead of what is expected to be a major jihadist assault

In response, a worried government this week launched what it called National Mobilization, arming local volunteers.

Observers say the move only resurrects militias that will be loyal to local commanders or powerful Kabul-allied warlords, who wrecked the Afghan capital during the inter-factional fighting of the 1990s and killed thousands of civilians.

What has America's longest war cost? After 20 years of fighting in Afghanistan, US and NATO forces are on the verge of withdrawing from the country - a move that could hand control back to the Taliban. That would undo decades of work that has seen western governments pour trillions of dollars into the country and killed tens of thousands of troops and civilians. Here is what America's longest war has cost... US troops killed: 2,500 UK troops killed: 450 Other coalition troops killed: 650 Afghan gov. forces killed: At least 60,000 Taliban forces killed: At least 51,000, though no official records exist Cost of US mission: At least $2trillion, though some have estimated as much as $6trillion Cost of NATO mission: At least $825billion on combat operations, plus billions more annually on rebuilding Advertisement

'The fact that the government has put out the call for the militias is a clear admission of the failure of the security forces ... most certainly an act of desperation,' said Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Roggio tracks militant groups and is editor of the foundation's Long War Journal.

'The Afghan military and police have abandoned numerous outposts, bases, and district centers, and it is difficult to imagine that these hastily organized militias can perform better than organized security forces,' he said.

On Wednesday at Koh Daman on Kabul's northern edge, dozens of armed villagers in one of the first National Mobilization militias gathered at a rally.

'Death to criminals!' and 'Death to Taliban!' they shouted, waving automatic rifles. Some had rocket propelled grenade launchers resting casually on their shoulders.

A handful of uniformed Afghan National Police officers watched. 'We need them, we have no leadership, we have no help,' said Moman, one of the policemen.

He criticized the Defense and Interior Ministries, saying they were stuffed with overpaid officials while the front-line troops receive little pay.

'I'm the one standing here for 24 hours like this with all this equipment to defend my country,' he said, indicating his weapons and vest jammed with ammunition.

'But in the ministries, officials earn thousands' of dollars. He spoke on condition he be identified only by his first name for fear of reprisals.

The other police standing nearby joined in with the criticism, others nodding in agreement. New recruits in the security forces get 12,000 Afghanis a month, about $152, with higher ranks getting the equivalent of about $380.

The U.S. and NATO have committed to paying $4 billion annually until 2024 to support the Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces.

Still, even Washington's official watchdog auditing spending says Afghan troops are disillusioned and demoralized with corruption rife throughout the government.

As the districts fell, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani swept through his Defense and Interior Ministries, appointing new senior leadership, including reinstating Bismillah Khan as defense minister.

Khan was previously removed for corruption, and his militias have been criticized for summary killings. They were also deeply involved in the brutal civil war that led to the Taliban's takeover in 1996.

A man injured by a roadside bomb that blew up a passenger bus travelling from Kabul to Kandahar as Taliban fighters recapture territory near both cities

Afghan and international observers fear a similar conflict could erupt once more. During the 1990's war, multiple warlords battled for power, nearly destroying Kabul and killing at least 50,000 people - mostly civilians - in the process.

Those warlords returned to power after the Taliban's fall and have gained wealth and strength since.

They are jealous of their domains, deeply distrustful of each other, and their loyalties to Ghani are fluid.

Ethnic Uzbek warlord Rashid Dostum Uzbek, for example, violently ousted the president's choice for governor of his Uzbek-controlled province of Faryab earlier this year.

I have lost so many of my friends I feel like screaming Mohammed Nasim, 33

A former adviser to the Afghan government, Torek Farhadi, called the national mobilization 'a recipe for future generalized violence.'

He noted the government has promised to pay the militias, even as official security forces complain salaries are often delayed for months.

He predicted the same corruption would eat away at the funds meant for militias, and as a result 'local commanders and warlords will quickly turn against him (Ghani) and we will have fiefdoms and chaos.'

That has left the Taliban expectant of victory, so much so that the group has started making diplomatic overtures to regional powers in the hope of cooperation if - they believe when - they seize power.

Earlier this week, a senior official even confirmed the group were in talks with India - a country that has long been opposed to the Taliban because of its close links with hated rival Pakistan.

'The meeting was held on India's request,' a Taliban official said. 'The Indians have concerns . . . and requested that the Taliban should not support [militant] elements who are anti-India.

'We have our independent policy towards all countries. We respect our friends  but that doesn't mean we will not talk to the countries that have problematic relationships with our friends.'

Against that backdrop, Biden is due to meet with Ghani in Washington today to try and head off disaster.

Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan's president, meets with Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell at the White House today as he prepares for a summit with Joe Biden

A US soldier leaves his post in Afghanistan as American and NATO forces prepared for complete withdrawal on September 11 this year after two decades of conflict

The hope is that some kind of power-sharing deal can be brokered between the government and Taliban to avoid a backslide into fighting that could end in another bloody civil war.

But Rory Stewart, former British secretary for international development, told Radio 4 today that the Taliban have few reason to agree to such a pact.

'They feel they are winning,' he said. ' You can only really get there when both sides feel there is something to be gained from a deal, and at the moment there isn't that incentive.'

Speaking about the decision to withdraw US and NATO troops - an idea floated by Trump and solidified under Biden - Stewart called it 'foolish' and 'short-sighted.'

'Afghanistan is no longer the top terrorist threat to the West,' he said, '[But] the wider point is the credibility of the West.

'This is a project we've invested literally trillions in and the Taliban taking control of a country like Afghanistan is very, very worrying for American reputation, and very worrying for the stability of the region.

'[This] isn't going to be something on its own. It's going to be a thing into which Pakistan, Iran, central Asia, China and potentially even Russia will get involved.'

Stewart said he still hopes that Biden may make an 11th-hour decision to leave at least some US forces in the country, though there have not yet been any indications from Washington that he will do so.

In the meantime, Afghan government forces and their allies are left contemplating what seems almost certain to become a bloodbath.

'America and Britain came to our country and fuelled the flames of war with the Taliban,' Saifullah, a 25-year-old fighter on patrol near Herat, said.

'Now the foreigners are running away without quelling the fire, leaving us alone to a life-or-death struggle.'
A woman has tonight been found guilty of murdering her rapist husband who pimped her out to truck drivers  but she will not spend another night in prison.

French mother-of-four Valerie Bacot, 40, had faced life in a cell for killing Daniel Polette, who was 25 years her senior.

She had admitted killing him using a weapon he kept in the family people carrier, but said she only did it because he regularly beat and raped her, and forced her into prostitution.

I wanted to save me and my children,' Bacot had told the Saone-et-Loire Assizes Court in Chalons-sur-Saone, France.

In dramatic scenes on Friday evening, the fifth day of the murder trial, a jury handed down a guilty verdict, but only after Advocate General Eric Jallet had said the defendant 'should not return to prison'.

Valerie Bacot, 40, from France, pictured leaving Chalon-sur-Saone Courthouse at the end of her trial on charges of murdering her stepfather turned husband

On March 13, 2016, Bacot shot Polette (pictured) - then aged 61 - in the back of the neck with his gun after, she claims, he threatened to prostitute their 14-year-old daughter

He instead said that Bacot should be punished with five years in prison, with four suspended.

As it was, judges sentenced Bacot to four years in prison, with three years in prison.

She has already spent a year on remand, meaning she was free to go home on Friday night.

Mr Jallet had said: 'Premeditated murder is by no means self-defense. It is a willingness to kill, premeditated, in a context of domestic violence. This court must apply the law.

'But there are different things to take into account. The fact that she is beaten for so long, that she wanted to survive.'

On hearing the words from Mr Jallet, an overcome Bacot had collapsed in court, but she later returned to hear the verdict, and the judges agreeing to release her.

The case has fuelled a nationwide debate in France about conjugal violence, and whether victims should be allowed to take the law into their own hands.

Close to a million people had signed a petition demanding the charges against Bacot were dropped.

Polette, a lorry driver, was 61 at the time of his death on March 13 2016, when he succumbed to single bullet wound to the neck.

He was originally the lover of Bacot's mother, and first raped Bacot when she was just 12, the court heard.

Bacot leaves Chalon-Sur-Saone Courthouse, flanked by relatives and lawyers, as she is applauded and congratulated by passers-by in central-eastern France

A woman talks and thanks Bacot, left, as she leaves Chalon-sur-Saone Courthouse, flanked by relatives and lawyers, on June 25

Bacot pictured leaving the courthouse in France on Friday evening. Bacot had admitted killing Polette, but in self-defence as he forced her to prostitute herself in the Peugeot People Carrier, close to their home in Saone-et-Loire

Polette was jailed for sexually abusing Bacot when she was 14 but was released after less than three years in jail and moved back in with her and her mother, Joelle.

He then arranged for Bacot to start sleeping with other men for money.

Bacot had admitted killing Polette, but in self-defence as he forced her to prostitute herself in the Peugeot People Carrier, close to their home in Saone-et-Loire.

Bacot says she shot Polette in the heat of the moment after also being abused by a client.

Earlier in the trial her mother, Joelle Aubague, testified that the pair wanted to be together and she did not have to kill him to escape the marriage.

Asked whether Bacot could have escaped the relationship without killing her husband, she said: 'There were other solutions'.

The second day of the trial saw Valerie's three eldest children testify about their family life, saying their mother was 'not guilty' and had only killed Polette to 'protect us' after police refused to help.

Bacot says her children contacted police twice on her behalf but were brushed off, with officers telling them that their mother needed to come to the station herself.

Ms Bacot (pictured arriving in court today) has admitted to killing Daniel Polette, who was 25 years her senior and who had made her life hell

Medical staff arrive after Bacot felt unwell inside the courtroom at the Chalon-sur-Saone Courthouse today

Things came to a head in 2016 as Polette routinely questioned Bacot's 14-year-old daughter about her sexuality - leading her to fear that he would start prostituting the teenager out as well.

While he was sitting in the front seat, she drew the handgun and fired it once through the back of his neck, killing him instantly.

Bacot then buried the body in a forest with the help of her two eldest sons and her daughter's boyfriend, who she says offered to help so police wouldn't take her away.

But in 2017, police were alerted to the killing after the boyfriend confessed to his own mother - prompting her to call gendarmes.

They arrested Bacot who subsequently confessed to the killing, but was released on bail one year later pending trial.

Bacot's sons and the daughter's boyfriend were subsequently jailed for six months each for concealment of a corpse for the part they played in the cover-up.

The case also became a huge talking point when Bacot started a book about her ordeal in October 2018  while she was on bail and awaiting trial.

Bacot, now aged 40, says Polette began abusing her aged 12 when he was her stepfather - but later forced her into marriage and had four children with her

Journalists wait outside the courtroom in Chalon-sur-Saone, France, where Bacot is standing trial for Polette's murder

In it, she described the violence and humiliation she suffered during her 25 years with Polette.

The book, Everyone Knew (Tout le Monde Savait), was published last month, and immediately became a bestseller.

Promotion included a television interview of Bacot watched by some 4.5 million people.

She was compared to Jacqueline Sauvage, who was sentenced to ten years in 2012 for shooting dead her abusive husband, who she claimed had driven their son to suicide.

Francois Hollande, then the President of France, later gave Sauvage a full pardon.

Bacot is being defended by the same two lawyers who represented Sauvage, and they are using the case to highlight failings in social services.

Janine Bonaggiunta, one of the barristers, said: The justice system remains too slow, not reactive enough and is not tough enough against conjugal violence.It is this that can lead a desperate woman to kill in order to survive.

The trial verdict is expected to be handed down on Friday evening.
Matt Hancock is being investigated by the Commons sleaze watchdog over his links to a family firm that has won NHS contracts.

The Health Secretary declared in April this year that he owns more than 15 per cent of shares in Topwood Ltd, run by his sister Emily Gilruth and her husband.

But the document shredding company has been allowed to provide services to the NHS since 2019 and has won a contract in Wales.

Last month Mr Hancock was found to have broken the ministerial code by not declaring his interest two years ago when Wrexham-based Topwood was first awarded a framework contract by NHS Shared Business Services.

Matt Hancock is being investigated by the Commons sleaze watchdog over his links to a family firm that has won NHS contracts

The Health Secretary declared in April this year that he owns more than 15 per cent of shares in Topwood Ltd, run by his sister Emily Gilruth (pictured) and her husband

He was said to have committed a 'minor breach' of the rules by ministerial ethics adviser Lord Geidt, on the grounds that he had not known about the NHS deal.

However Mr Hancock was also referred to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone.

And her list of current investigations was updated this week to include Mr Hancock's case.

Her website stated that the 'matter under investigation' was 'Registration of interest under Category 7 of the Guide to the Rules [Shareholdings]'.

The Health Secretary declared in April this year that he owns more than 15 per cent of shares in Topwood Ltd, run by his sister and her husband

The relevant part of the MPs' code of conduct was the paragraph that states: 'Members shall fulfil conscientiously the requirements of the House in respect of the registration of interests in the Register of Members' Financial Interests.'

Sanctions for breaches of the code range from having to make an apology to being suspended from the Commons for a number of weeks in the most serious cases.

Last night Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner told the Mail: 'Matt Hancock is taking the public for fools by claiming that he didn't even know what his sister's company  which he owns a 20 per cent stake of  does.

Last night Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner (pictured) told the Mail: 'Matt Hancock is taking the public for fools by claiming that he didn't even know what his sister's company  which he owns a 20 per cent stake of  does'

'It is right that the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards investigates this flagrant and glaring breach of the rules.

'The Health Secretary is treating the rules that uphold standards and integrity in our democracy with complete contempt.'

It is the latest blow to the reputation of Mr Hancock, who was called 'poor man' by the Queen in her recent meeting with Boris Johnson.

The document shredding company has been allowed to provide services to the NHS since 2019 and has won a contract in Wales (file image)

Leaked messages revealed last week that the Prime Minister called him 'hopeless' at the height of the pandemic last year.

Former No 10 aide Dominic Cummings has said the Health Secretary should have been fired for 'at least 15 to 20 things' over his handling of the Covid crisis.

Last night sources close to the Health Secretary said: 'His team will work with the commissioner on this technical issue - all processes have been followed properly and diligently.'
Further mystery surrounds a high-ranking Chinese spy-chief who is rumoured to have defected to the United States and given Washington evidence on the Wuhan lab after Beijing released a photo claiming to show him in Shanghai.

Chinese officials have published an image purporting to show Dong Jingwei attending the 16th meeting of the Security Council Secretaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States on June 23.

But the photograph has prompted claims that China have photoshopped the image to make it look like Dong attended the meeting to dispel the rumours he defected to the US.

Chinese officials have published an image purporting to show Dong Jingwei (far right) attending the 16th meeting of the Security Council Secretaries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Member States in Shanghai on June 23

Dong Jingwei is purportedly shown in the image on the right at the meeting in Shanghai

Solomon Yue, an American-Chinese businessman and member of the Republican National Convention in the US, has claimed the picture was edited and even photoshopped his own face into the picture to show how it can be done.

Solomon, who fronts a group he says is called the RNC Republican National Conservative Caucus & Conservative Steering Committee, wrote on Twitter: 'DIA [US Defense Intelligence Agency] still has #DongJingwei in its protective custody & he is still singing to celebrate #CCP [Chinese Communist Party] 100th birthday. This photo is photoshopped.'

Referring to the image where he had photoshopped his own face to make it look like he attending to the meeting, Solomon added: 'Now I was told that I was there too.'

Solomon, the vice chair of US lobbying group Republican Overseas, added in another tweet: 'Now on each time there is a story on what #DongJingwei told DIA, we should expect him to attend an online meeting in Beijing.'

Solomon Yue, co-founder of RNC Republican National Conservative Caucus & Conservative Steering Committee, has claimed the picture was edited

Solomon Yue even photoshopped his own face (far right) into the picture to show how it can be done

The claims that the image released by Beijing have been edited have not been independently verified and it has still not been officially confirmed where Dong is.

Dong is believed to have fled to the US with his daughter Dong Yang on February 10, according to Spy Talk.

He made a name in China's secret service, known as Guoanbu, and was head of counter-intelligence, or spy-catching, after being promoted to the post of vice minister in April 2018.

If the reports are true, Dong is the highest-level defector in the history of the Peoples Republic of China.

Dong is believed to have fled to the US with his daughter Dong Yang on February 10 and revealed secrets about the Wuhan Institute of Virology (pictured)

It is claimed that he informed US officials about the Wuhan Institute of Virology, where Covid-19 may have emerged, causing President Joe Biden to look seriously at the lab leak theory - long-derided as an erroneous fascination of the Trump administration.

Dong has been pictured online, and though not all of the pictures match up, one that continues to crop up was posted by Dr Han Lianchao, a former Chinese foreign ministry official who defected after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

Han, described by US officials as a 'straight-shooter,' claims that Beijing dispatched envoys to meet with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken in March to discuss handing Dong back to them.

Various photos purporting to show Dong Jingwei have appeared online. One that continues to crop up was this one posted by Dr Han Lianchao, a former Chinese foreign ministry official who defected after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre

It is claimed that the Communist Party's top brass demanded Dong be returned to them at a highly-contentious meeting in Alaska

Han claims the Communist Party's top brass demanded Dong be returned to them at the highly-contentious meeting in Alaska.

Blinken refused, Han said.

'He worked closely with Zhang Yue, who's now serving 15 years imprisonment for corruption,' Han said.

'Zhang was a confidant of Ma Jian, former MSS executive vice minister, who is also in prison for corruption.'

Dong 'was last seen in public in September 2020,' Han claimed.

His photos have been deleted by the Chinese search engine Baidu, according to some Chinese language news reports abroad.

Han's claim was impossible to verify, but he was known as 'a straight shooter, not known to exaggerate in any way or form, trusted for his integrity,' according to Nicholas Eftimiades, a former Pentagon, State Department and CIA expert.

But Eftimiades, a Nonresident Senior Fellow with the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, warned that the report should be seen for 'exactly what it is, a rumor.'

He added that such rumors 'happen all the time'.

Mollie Saltskog, a senior intelligence analyst with The Soufan Group, agreed, saying that unconfirmed reports of defections surface regularly.

'While significant and certainly useful for our intelligence efforts, one high-level defection will not drastically change our understanding or approach to China,' she told Spy Talk.

'In short, if true, this is potentially significant but not a game-changer.'

The conservative website Red State reported that the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency had received information from him that Beijing is covering up biological warfare research at the Wuhan lab.

Dr Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical advisor and a current target of Republican fury, has defended investing U.S. funds in the Wuhan lab, insisting that their research into coronaviruses was essential and it would be 'a dereliction of duty' not to support their work.

Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State (center right) is seen meeting his Chinese counterpart in Alaska on March 18. At the meeting, Dong's defection was raised, a Chinese dissident has alleged. China asked for Dong to be sent back: Blinken reportedly refused

Blinken, pictured with a face mask, refused to hand over Dong, a Chinese dissident reported. The State Department has not confirmed Dong's defection

Chinese Communist Party foreign affairs chief Yang Jiech is pictured at the March 18 meeting in Alaska. He is said to have demanded the return of Dong, who reportedly defected on February 10

Red State reported that Dong's defection pushed U.S. officials to question Fauci's approach.

'Sources say the level of confidence in the defector's information is what has led to a sudden crisis of confidence in Dr. Anthony Fauci, adding that U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) personnel detailed to DIA have corroborated very technical details of information provided by the defector,' it said.

Spy Talk also quoted the Paris-based newsletter Intelligence Online as reporting that Dong is 'close to' Xi Jinping, the Chinese president.

'He previously headed the Guoanbu (security ministry) in the region of Hebei, which has produced many of Xi's securocrats,' the publication reported in 2018.

Dong's defection, if it happened, may never be confirmed.

But it does come as the Biden administration, following scientific consensus, makes a notable shift in its thinking about the 'lab leak' theory.

Last year scientists were downplaying the theory, insisting that it was far more likely that the COVID-19 virus passed from animals to humans.

Now scientists believe that it may indeed be true.

On January 15 the State Department published a fact sheet about COVID-19, which said that 'circumstantial' evidence suggested a lab leak theory was possible.

Biden on May 26 ordered intelligence agencies to investigate the two competing ideas about the origins of the pandemic - evolved naturally and passed from animals to humans, or released from a laboratory. He gave them 90 days to report back.

ORIGINS OF COVID-19: THE THEORIES US state officials have given momentum to the idea that COVID-19 either leaked from a lab or was man-made by China as some kind of weapon against humanity. A Wuhan wet market was first thought to be the breeding ground of the virus, where the selling of live, wild animals would have given the perfect opportunity for it to naturally spread between species. It is thought the virus first developed in bats before passing on to a creature such as a pangolin that then came into contact with humans and transmitted the virus. Once it entered humans, the coronavirus is likely to have mutated to survive and then escalated out of control as a result of an unprepared population. There are also theories that the virus was genetically engineered by scientists, or that it has actually been around for years and even killed people in the past. Two high security laboratories in the city  the Wuhan Centre for Disease Control and the Wuhan Institute of Virology  have been the subject of many conspiracy theories. President Donald Trump claims he has seen evidence the virus, which he solely blames China for, came from Wuhan Institute of Virology  but he is not allowed to reveal it. The Institute has denied the claims from the early days of the outbreak. In April, Trump said: 'We are doing a very thorough examination of this horrible situation that happened.' Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, claimed in May there is 'enormous evidence' the coronavirus outbreak originated in a Chinese laboratory  but failed to provide any of the alleged evidence. Advertisement

The Wuhan laboratory in Hubei province is now at the center of speculation about the origins of COVID-19. Dong is said to have claimed that the virus escaped from the lab

Blinken has urged China to be more transparent about what they knew, when.

'What the government didn't do in the early days and still hasn't done is given us the transparency we need,' Blinken said on June 7, in an interview with Axios.

The White House has also accused China of obstructing investigations into the source of the pandemic.

The World Health Organization (WHO) sent a team to the Wuhan lab in late January, but the investigators were only allowed in for three hours, and were not granted access to all the documentation they required.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the WHO, said their visit was inconclusive and upbraided China for being uncooperative.

Fauci, the nation's top public health expert, is now facing scrutiny over what he knew, when - and whether he was always straight with the public.

His critics, mainly Republicans, accuse him of downplaying the 'lab leak' theory because it was promoted heavily by Donald Trump.

The critics also argue that Fauci did not want to admit at the time that U.S. taxpayers' money was spent on the Wuhan lab.

He has since confirmed that $820,000 was given to the lab, over six years, to fund their research into coronaviruses.

Fauci justified the spending when quizzed on it before Congress last month, insisting that it was vital to understand coronaviruses coming from bats, and the bats were in China.

He said it would have been a dereliction of duty not to support the scientific research.

Fauci also insisted that the grants were not being used on 'gain of function' research, whereby viruses are made more transmissible or deadly, to understand their capabilities.

He said the scientific studies published thanks to U.S. funding bore no evidence of 'gain of function' research.

But he admitted that he had no way of knowing if the Wuhan lab was carrying out experiments in secret.

Scientists are seen working inside the Wuhan lab. The site is one of only three in the world - the others are in North Carolina and Texas - where 'gain of function' research is carried out on viruses, to make them more transmissible or deadly

Meanwhile, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, Scott Gottlieb, has said Fauci told world leaders in the spring of 2020 that the coronavirus may have escaped from a lab in Wuhan, China.

U.S. researchers around that time still were considering whether the virus came from a lab break, and Fauci told the health leaders gathered that the newly identified strain of the coronavirus 'looked unusual,' according to Gottlieb.

The disclosure from the former FDA chief comes as an increasing number of mainstream scientists and media figures no longer are parroting the line from the Chinese Communist Party that the virus came from a bat.

Now, Gottlieb says Fauci last year at least considered that COVID-19 could have come from a lab - before closing ranks around the idea that it occurred naturally.

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said he was told Dr. Fauci had briefed world leaders on the possibility that the novel coronavirus leaked from a lab

Gottlieb, who served under Trump, said a former senior member of the Trump administration told him at the time of Fauci's 2020 talk.

Gottlieb said he'd recently reconfirmed with that person that Fauci had given the talk.

'I think early on, when they looked at the strain, they had suspicions,' Gottlieb recalled on CBS Face the Nation, speaking of U.S. scientists.

'And it takes time to do that analysis, and that dispelled some of those suspicions,' he added.

Additionally, Gottlieb said it was a mistake to only look at the virus from a scientific perspective: It also needs to be examined from a national security lens, he said.

'A scientific mindset looks at the virus and the virus' behavior and draws a conclusion,' he said.

'A national security assessment looks at that and then looks at the behavior of the Chinese government, the behavior of the lab, other evidence around the lab - including the infections we now know took place - and that changes the overall assessment,' he said.

While China has tried to insist the virus originated elsewhere, academics, politicians and the media have begun to contemplate the possibility it escaped from the WIV - raising suspicions that Chinese officials simply hid evidence of the early spread
Advertisement

IN FULL: The UK's new travel green list All changes will come into effect from Wednesday, June 30 at 4am: Anguila

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

Balearic Islands

Barbados

Bermuda

British Antarctic Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Brunei

Cayman Islands

Dominica

Falkland Islands

Faroe Islands

Gibraltar

Grenada

Iceland

Israel and Jerusalem - to be moved to the Green Watch List

Madeira

Malta

Montserrat

New Zealand

Pitcairn Islands

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Singapore

Turks and Caicos Islands The UK Government will move the following countries to the red list from June 30: Dominican Republic

Eritrea

Haiti

Mongolia

Tunisia

Uganda Advertisement

The price of breaks to the Balearic islands have tripled in price less than 24 hours after the holiday destinations were added to the UK green list.

Grant Shapps announced last night that Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - along with Madeira, Grenada, Barbados, and Bermuda - have all been downgraded from amber to green.

It means holidaymakers will be able to return from these countries without being forced into quarantine for 10 days when arriving back in the UK.

Within minutes, flight prices to the popular holiday destinations had sky rocketed and again this morning fees have soared even more.

Those looking to book a trip to Ibiza will now have to pay 240, compared to just 87 yesterday morning, the price of flights to Menorca have almost doubled from 124 to 245 while a holiday to Malta will now set travellers back 186 as opposed to 147.

Mallorca is the anomaly, with flight prices actually down today, at 89, compared to 120.

Andrew Flintham, managing director of tour operator Tui, said it saw an 'immediate uptick in searches and bookings' following the announcement, particular to the Balearic Islands.

British Airways has added flights to its schedules and plans to use larger aircraft on routes serving the new green list locations to meet the demand for travel.

Another airline, Jet2.com, saw its highest volume of bookings to the Balearic Islands in nearly a year on Thursday.

The firm has also put more than 70 additional flights on sale to Malta and Madeira for July and August.

Chief executive Steve Heapy said: 'We knew there was a lot of pent-up demand out there but the response from our customers has been truly incredible.

'Bookings to Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Malta and Madeira have gone through the roof, which shows just how much UK holidaymakers want to get away.'

Price comparison website TravelSupermarket said Barbados went from being its 12th most-searched-for country by package holiday customers to number two, following the Government's announcement.

Malta rose from 17th spot to number five.

Despite the huge interest, however, travel bosses today insisted the government's changes to the green list don't go far enough, and that dozens more countries with low infection rates should have been added.

The Transport Secretary revealed the updated list last night, and also said the Government will allow those who are double-jabbed to holiday in amber list countries without having to quarantine on their return - but this is still weeks away, with the rule not likely to come in until July at the earliest.

But the announcements drew criticism from some airlines, with easyJet saying it 'simply isn't ambitious enough', while Virgin Atlantic chief Shai Weiss also criticised the decision to leave the US on the UK's amber list, saying: 'Today's announcement fails to go far enough.'

Meanwhile, Sean Doyle, CEO of British Airways, told the BBC: 'We cannot afford another missed summer. There are jobs at stake, Britons separated from family members and we cannot afford to allow the success of our vaccine programme to be wasted.'

It came as others across the beleaguered travel sector voiced similar concerns. The Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the Government's 'overly cautious' approach would continue to have 'major financial impacts' on the sector.

'Any extension of the green list is welcome, however small, but we also have to be realistic: this is not yet the meaningful restart the aviation industry needs to be able to recover from the pandemic,' she said.

CBI chief UK policy director Matthew Fell added: 'While welcome, these limited movements on green list countries won't be enough to salvage the summer season for the international travel sector.

'International connectivity extends far beyond tourism and underpins our whole economy. The UK's successful vaccine rollout means we should be in the vanguard of safely restarting international travel.'

Meanwhile, the holiday company On the Beach said it would not be taking new bookings for July and August while so much uncertainty remained about countries on the watchlist.

Chief executive Simon Cooper said: 'Booking a holiday to these destinations is not a guarantee that you won't have to self-isolate when you return home.

'While this uncertainty continues, we will continue to not sell holidays for July and August until we have greater confidence these holidays will go ahead with minimal disruptions.'

It comes as six countries including Tunisia and Haiti will be put on the UK's travel red list - meaning only UK citizens and those with residency status can travel from here and must stay in quarantine hotels for 10 days.

Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the UK's travel green list since its inception, will be added to the 'green watch list'.

Others in this category - which signals that a country might be moved to the amber list in the near future - include Antigua, the Balearic Islands, Barbados and Grenada.

And in another blow France and Germany launched a joint push to make Britons quarantine on arrival in the EU despite Boris Johnson hailing the 'real opportunity' of opening travel to double-jabbed holidaymakers.

A graphic shows how flight costs have risen in 24 hours to holiday destinations placed on Britain's green list yesterday

Expert insists easing restrictions for double-jabbed travellers is a 'sensible approach' Easing restrictions for fully-vaccinated travellers is a 'sensible approach', according to a leading expert. Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, whose modelling was instrumental to the first lockdown in March 2020, said people who have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine are less likely to become seriously ill or transmit the virus. The Government has announced it intends to lift the quarantine requirement for people in that category returning from a location on its amber travel list later this summer. Prof Ferguson said: 'The effectiveness of two doses of vaccine preventing infection is, depending on the vaccine, somewhere between, we think, 80-90%. 'Even if you do get infected, first of all you're much less likely to be severely ill. 'But you're also, and this is important for travel, much less likely to transmit - probably half as infectious as somebody who wasn't vaccinated. 'So overall that leads to double vaccinated people really only posing somewhere between five and 10% of the risk of importing a case than somebody who wasn't vaccinated. 'So, in the sense that we are balancing risks versus benefits here, I think it's a sensible approach to move to loosening restrictions if people have had two vaccine doses.' Advertisement

Mr Shapps said this morning that international travel would not be returning to like before coronavirus but that he hoped the announcement of a green watchlist would give people holiday options.

The Cabinet minister told Sky News: 'It does mean there is a little bit of relief for the travel industry and for people who wish to get away.

'It won't be quite like it was in 2019 and the old days, but we are moving in a positive direction.'

Pressed on whether he would book a holiday to Majorca, which is on the green watchlist, Mr Shapps said: 'I should just explain the green watchlist.

'It means they are on the green list, you can go and it is treated like a green list country, but we are just being completely open with the data that the scientists have given us in saying, there are one or two concerns, it might mean we have to perhaps respond quickly on there, so we've said it is the green watchlist in order that people can see exactly what we're seeing.

'I do have to say whoever is booking to go anywhere this summer at all, travel insurance, making sure your flights are changeable, making sure the accommodation is changeable - all those things are going to be very important in this particular year and I think people will need to weigh up whether that is going to work for them or not.'

Mr Shapps also said today that there are still issues to be worked out when it comes to allowing people who have had both vaccinations to travel to amber list countries without needing to quarantine.

He told LBC radio: 'I thought it was a good idea to let people see what we are seeing, which is that, increasingly, scientific data is showing that if you have had two jabs then you're pretty well protected and much less likely to carry the disease to other people as well, and therefore we might be able to have a situation where people who are jabbed going to an amber country as if they were going to a green country, meaning they would not have to quarantine.

'But there are quite a lot of things we need to sort out before we can do that.

'What would happen with children, for example? The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have yet to opine on whether children should be able to get vaccines or not.

'What happens because not everyone can get a vaccine? How do you treat people who didn't get their vaccine in the UK and therefore don't have evidence of it?

'So there are a lot of things we are working through still and so I'll come back next month and say more.'

Mr Shapps said he will not be making any further announcement before July 19 when domestic coronavirus restrictions are due to be lifted, and that any double-jab holiday exemptions are likely to take a 'phased approach'.

Meanwhile, shadow transport secretary Jim McMahon said the Government should provide a simpler approach to its international travel lists in order to avoid 'drama' this summer.

The Labour MP told BBC Breakfast: 'What the green watchlist doesn't say is whether they are on the watchlist currently because they have high rates of concern but overall is heading in the right direction, or is it that they previously had reasonable levels but is now heading in the wrong direction?

'So what we have been calling for is a more simplified list.

'Either it is not safe to go or it is safe to go, and then have a country-by-country assessment so passengers know, is that country heading in the right direction or the wrong direction, because if you're booking a holiday in two or three weeks' time, you are going to want to know if the country is heading in the right or the wrong direction.'

IBIZA BEFORE: Tickets for a return flight to Ibiza on July 3 and July 10 started at 149 earlier on Thursday

IBIZA AFTER: But journeys to the party island jumped after the announcement to 314

MAJORCA BEFORE: One journey on the same days to Majorca started at 153 earlier on Thursday

MAJORCA AFTER: But to get to the Balearic Island now you will have to fork out around 478

MENORCA BEFORE: A trip with the same firm to nearby Menorca rose from 132 to 312

MENORCA AFTER: Passengers wanting a trip to Menorca next month could have to pay premium prices for their flights

MALTA BEFORE: The price of the flight from Heathrow to Malta was just 201 ahead of the announcement

MALTA AFTER: But after Mr Shapps' revealed the new list it jumped up to 260

Jet2 announces 70 extra flights to Malta and Madeira after green list announcement British travel firm Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced plans to put on 70 additional flights to Malta and Madeira in anticipation for a huge spike in demand in the wake of the Government's latest travel announcement. The plans include adding a new route to Malta from London Stansted for Summer 21. Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays said: 'We have been urging the UK Government to stay true to their word and follow the scientific evidence when it comes to making decisions about international travel, so yesterday's announcement is an overdue but welcome step in the right direction. 'We believe other destinations should still be added to the Green List, however what this demonstrates is that the Government is firmly committed to reopening international travel and we commend that approach. 'This is fantastic news for our customers who want nothing more than to get away for a much-needed holiday. 'Now that we have some clarity about where we can fly to, our focus is on getting everything ready for the restart of our international flights and holidays from July 1.' Advertisement

Mr McMahon said the lack of information about the criteria the Government is using to move countries onto the different lists 'doesn't instill consumer confidence'.

'People need to know that, when they are making that booking, when they are taking that holiday that many have looked forward to, that the holiday will go ahead and without drama - and that's frankly not a lot to ask,' he added.

Professor Adam Finn, who is working from Portugal, where his partner lives, for some of the time, told Sky News that the UK poses more of a risk to some other countries at the moment than the other way round.

'But you're quite right that that can change and the virus has the capacity to evolve further, and we could once again import another virus at some point in time if a lot of us go travelling, so there is always a risk involved in this, until the pandemic is brought under control globally.'

French MEP Veronique Trillet-Lenoir said there should be a 'harmonised' approach to travel rules across the European Union and 'third countries' such as the UK.

'I'm very well aware of the economical issues, but until now both the EU and the UK have prioritised the sanitary aspect of the crisis and that's the way to do it.'

Meanwhile, a leading expert has described easing restrictions for fully-vaccinated travellers as a 'sensible approach'.

Professor Neil Ferguson, from Imperial College London, whose modelling was instrumental to the first lockdown in March 2020, said people who have had both doses of a coronavirus vaccine are less likely to become seriously ill or transmit the virus.

The Government has announced it intends to lift the quarantine requirement for people in that category returning from a location on its amber travel list later this summer.

Prof Ferguson said: 'The effectiveness of two doses of vaccine preventing infection is, depending on the vaccine, somewhere between, we think, 80-90%.

'Even if you do get infected, first of all you're much less likely to be severely ill.

'But you're also, and this is important for travel, much less likely to transmit - probably half as infectious as somebody who wasn't vaccinated.

'So overall that leads to double vaccinated people really only posing somewhere between five and 10% of the risk of importing a case than somebody who wasn't vaccinated.

'So, in the sense that we are balancing risks versus benefits here, I think it's a sensible approach to move to loosening restrictions if people have had two vaccine doses.'

Yesterday it emerged how some Britons jumped the gun and revealed they had been booking flights and stays abroad before the Transport Secretary's announcement.

Hopeful tourists took to social media over the past few days to show their plans for some summer sun, bagging return flight prices as cheap as 21 for Malta and Ibiza and 26 to Mallorca over the next few months.

But within hours of Mr Shapps' announcement prices for flights to the new green list destinations surged by up to 200 per cent.

The welcome announcement of the new green list, which comes into effect from June 30, was made after both Scotland and Northern Ireland jumped the gun and revealed the additions before Mr Shapps.

Almost an hour after the Northern Ireland Assembly had revealed the updated green list, the Transport Secretary said in a Twitter post: 'We're adding Malta to the Government green list.

'We're also adding Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK Overseas Territories and Caribbean Islands (including Barbados) to the green list and green watchlist. Israel and Jerusalem are also added to the green watchlist.'

He added: 'Thanks to our successful vaccination programme, our intention is that later in the summer UK residents who are fully vaccinated will not have to isolate when travelling from amber list countries.'

Mr Shapps said more details about the double-vaccination holiday scheme will be unveiled by the government next month.

Six countries including Tunisia and Haiti will be put on the UK's travel red list - meaning only UK citizens and those with residency status can travel from here and must stay in quarantine hotels for 10 days.

Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the UK's travel green list since its inception, will be added to the green watch list - which signals that a country might be moved to the amber list in the near future.

The travel list changes are all due to come into place from June 30, at 4am.

The cost of heading to Ibiza (pictured), Majorca, Menorca and Malta surged by up to 200 per cent after they were added to the quarantine free areas

Britons have been given a major boost to their hopes of a foreign getaway this summer, with 16 locations - including several top holiday hotspots - being added to the UK's travel green list. Pictured: Pretty Bay at Birzebbuga, Malta - which has been added to the list

The hugely popular Balearic islands - Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca - along with Madeira, Grenada, Barbados (pictured), and Bermuda have all been downgraded from amber to green, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps revealed tonight

Mallorca (pictured: Beach El Arenal) is one of the top holiday hotspots to be put on the UK's green travel list by Grant Shapps

Bermuda (pictured: Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda) is also being added to the list, with changes set to be made on June 30 at 4am

What is the UK's green 'watch list' for travel The green 'watch list' is the Government's new section of the travel traffic light system. Introduced earlier this month, the watch list is for countries that are on the green list for travel, but are seeing concerning Covid numbers. The Government says it can and will move countries between its red, amber and red lists if there are concerns about case figures. But it came under fire from holiday groups and passengers after dramatically dropping countries from its green list - leaving passengers facing a fight to get their money back or rearrange their holiday plans at short notice. The watch list, therefore, is meant to act as a warning to travellers that a country may soon be put on the amber list. However the quarantine rules remain the same on the green and green watch list - in that passengers who arrive in the UK from these countries do not have to quarantine on their return. Israel and Jerusalem, which have been on the green list since its inception, are now heading for the watch list. And 15 out of the 16 additions to the green list will be placed on the watch list instead of straight on the green list. Malta will be the only country from the new green list nations not to be on the watch list. Advertisement

Both Northern Ireland and Scotland had earlier jumped the gun on the announcement, revealing the 16 countries they were set to allow on their travel green list.

Scotland's Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: From the outset we have said caution is required regarding international travel and people should think very carefully about travelling abroad as situations can suddenly change.

'We continue to work closely with the other home nations and are cautiously supportive of exploring options for the easing of restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers arriving from countries on the amber list - but only if the clinical advice supports it and if systems are in place to ensure the wider safety of the Scottish population.'

Travel chiefs welcomed the move, with Virgin Atlantic chief Shai Weiss describing the decision to allow Antigua, Barbados and Grenada as a 'constructive step' to allow 'much needed holidays'.

But she also criticised the decision to leave the US on the UK's amber list, saying: 'Today's announcement fails to go far enough.

The Government's own evidence shows the US is low risk and should be added to the Green list now. Whilst the transatlantic corridor is closed, 23million in economic value each day is restricted.

'We urge the UK Government to move the US to the UK's 'Green list' and for the Biden administration to repeal the 212F proclamation for UK travellers.'

Sean Doyle, chief executive officer of British Airways said also urged the Government to move faster, saying: 'We cannot afford another missed summer.

'There are jobs at stake, Britons separated from family members and we cannot afford to allow the success of our vaccine programme to be wasted.'

Chief executive of trade group ABTA, Mark Tanzer, said while the green list additions were 'welcome' that the Government's latest update did 'not on its own deliver a meaningful restart of international travel'.

Merkel and Macron are accused of hypocrisy over push to keep Brits out of Europe this summer France and Germany were accused of hypocrisy after pushing to keep British holidaymakers out of Europe this summer, despite the Indian variant already being on the rise in both nations. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged all EU states to follow their lead in making it mandatory for UK travellers to quarantine, regardless of whether they have been jabbed or not. The bid to tighten the bloc's defences comes amid fears about the ultra-infectious Indian 'Delta' variant which has taken off far quicker in Britain than the rest of the continent. But data shows prevalence of the mutant strain is growing exponentially in Germany and is accounting for up to 70 per cent of new cases in some regions in the South West of France. Dr Simon Clarke, a microbiologist at the University of Reading, told MailOnline the Franco-German stance was 'an attempt to close the stable door after the horse has bolted'. He said previous waves had shown overly-strict border controls between European countries cannot keep out new variants because they are so closely tied in trade, business and travel. Nationally, the Indian variant only makes up 15 per cent of infections in Germany currently and cases are still trending downwards. But official data shows the proportion of infections made up of the Delta strain have doubled every seven days for the past three weeks. French Government figures show 10 per cent of all new Covid cases are the virulent variant, but seven in 10 of new cases in the southwestern region of Landes, on the Atlantic coast. Landes is recording more than 50 Covid cases per 100,000 population in total which is double the national rate. It is also the only area in France where infection rates are climbing. The situation in Landes has echoes of how the Indian variant was first seeded in the North West of England and spread around Britain from April. Currently, those travelling from Britain to Greece, Spain and Portugal are not required to quarantine. Spain is letting Britons in without having to produce a PCR test. The UK's hugely successful vaccination programme - which has seen more than 80 per cent of adults jabbed and 60 per cent fully vaccinated - means the majority of the population are protected from the Indian variant and less likely to spread it. Advertisement

ABTA chief, Mr Tanzer, said: 'If the Government is going to continue to place such tight constraints on the industry's ability to trade, we need them to commit to a package of tailored financial support for the sector, which recognises that the travel industry's recovery will be slower than that in other sectors of the economy.

'Travel companies are facing increased furlough and business rates costs next week and - with travel to the most popular holiday destinations still largely restricted  they will simply not have the money to do so.'

On the amber list double jab announcement, he added: 'We're glad to hear that the Government intends to remove quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travellers travelling to amber countries, and this needs to be introduced as quickly as possible.'

Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye said: 'It is very positive news that ministers are following the science and that fully vaccinated people will be able to travel safely without quarantine later this summer. We will work with the Government to make this happen as soon as possible and let Britain fly!'

But travel expert Paul Charles of the PC Agency tweeted: 'Just to be clear - the 'green watchlist' enables #UKGov to switch green countries to Amber or Red without warning.

'Of the 15 destinations added today, only one, Malta, is pure green. Ministers have not re-instilled confidence in the traffic lights system.'

It comes as France and Germany launched a joint push to make Britons quarantine on arrival in the EU despite Boris Johnson hailing the 'real opportunity' of opening travel to double-jabbed holidaymakers.

The bid is to tighten the bloc's defences against the Indian - or Delta - variant, with countries alarmed at the spike in infections caused by the mutation.

Angela Merkel urged all EU states to follow Germany's lead by requiring travellers from the UK to quarantine.

But Spain's Foreign Minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya confirmed tonight the country would snub Angela Merkel by continuing to let British tourists into the country without forcing them to quarantine.

She said at a press conference with her Panamanian counterpart Erika Mouynes after their meeting in Madrid: 'At the moment we are maintaining the measures which enable British citizens to enter our territory.'

Spain's defiant stance comes after the German president said in summit at Brussels: 'I will lobby for a more co-ordinated approach, particularly with regard to entries from regions where virus variants abound.'

French president Emmanuel Macron echoed her hard line, saying: 'We must all be vigilant because the much-talked-about Delta variant is coming, which spreads much more rapidly than the other variants and affects people who are not vaccinated or who only have had one dose.

'For me, one of the issues of discussion is to be really taking co-ordinated decisions in terms of opening of borders to third countries and on recognising vaccines because at this stage we have to limit this to the vaccines that have been approved by the European medical authority.'

Environment Secretary George Eustice condemned the Franco-German stance. 'I'm not sure that such an approach would be justified given the highly advanced stage we are currently at now in terms of vaccination, with 80 per cent having had one jab and now 60 per cent having had the second jab,' he told LBC radio.

'I don't think such a move would be justified but obviously it's for individual countries to make these judgments.'

Spain indicated it will fight any Franco-German attempt to get the rest of Europe to introduce quarantine for British holidaymakers.

Meanwhile, on a visit to Aldershot, Mr Johnson dodged directly criticising Mrs Merkel's comments, saying: 'Let's see where we get to with all this.

'I think that the real opportunity we all have now is to open up travel through the double jab. We've got more than 60 per cent of our population have now had two jabs, 83 per cent have had one jab, we're really getting through it now.

'I'm not going to claim that this summer, for travel purposes, is going to be like any other summer. I don't want to cast a pall over things but, as I said the other day, it will be different.'

Angela Merkel (pictured with Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit) has called on other European countries to force UK travellers to quarantine on arrival

On a visit to Aldershot, Boris Johnson sidestepped on Angela Merkel's comments about making Britons quarantine but said the 'real opportunity' was to open up travel to people who have had two vaccination doses

Ministers say they will stop wearing masks as soon as they are not law Boris Johnson is struggling to contain an apparent Cabinet split as ministers openly said they will ditch face masks the moment they are not compulsory - and suggested that should happen on July 19. George Eustice dismissed the idea he would keep wearing face coverings when they are not required, saying: 'I want to get back to normal.' He also reiterated that the plan is for 'all legal restrictions' to lift in England on the so-called Covid 'Freedom Day' next month. Chancellor Rishi Sunak gave a similar message as he said it is his 'strong expectation' that the unlocking will go ahead on schedule. Asked at the Times CEO summit if he would stop wearing masks when they are not legally required, Mr Sunak said: 'Yes, as soon as possible.' Meanwhile, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg ramped up expectations of curbs being fully removed as he told MPs that the description of July 19 as a 'terminus point' is likely to mean Covid certificates and other rules are dropped completely. However, in signs of tensions at the heart of government, Downing Street said the PM is only aiming to 'get back as close to normal as is possible' and 'no final decisions have been taken'. Nicola Sturgeon suggested earlier this week that the Scottish government could keep advising people to wear masks beyond August even if they are not mandatory. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has also warned that they should still be required on the Tube and buses as they give people 'confidence' they are safe. Advertisement

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa admitted earlier his country would bow down to whatever EU leaders decided ahead of a European Council meeting.

Asked by a Portuguese journalist if Lisbon would consider making Brits quarantine, he replied: 'If that was the wish of the Council, yes.

'The United Kingdom shouldn't have any different treatment.'

But Spain's Tourism Minister Maria Reyes Maroto appeared to put her country on a collision course with the likes of Merkel and Macron by insisting before the UK's new traffic light announcement: 'Hopefully we can begin to receive British tourists soon.'

Speaking at an event organised by leading Spanish newspaper El Pais, she said: 'We don't have any restrictions on tourists from the UK at the moment.

'They're the ones who are placing restrictions on people when they return.'

More than five million Brits visit Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca in a normal year.

Scientists had earlier signed off on declaring the Balearics safe enough for the green list, though there were fears that the Government could overrule the experts and keep them on the amber list.

Earlier, Tory MP Henry Smith, chairman of the Future of Aviation Group, said some of the countries should have already been on the green list.

He said: 'Frankly, these destinations should already be on the green list along with many others.

'It is a nonsense that people are not able to travel freely to countries that have lower rates of infection than we do.'

Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, said: 'It's now or never if we are to have any sort of summer season and the data shows this can be done safely and proportionately with many more countries being added to the list.

'The future of our aviation industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs it supports depends on it.'

Culture minister John Whittingdale hinted at positive news yesterday, saying: 'Hopefully it will be possible to increase that number' of countries on the green list.

Green list status is only allocated to destinations that can show they have low Covid rates and no significant problems with variants of concern.

They also have to show that they can monitor for new variants.

Government scientists advised last month that Malta could be added to the green list, only to be overruled by ministers led by Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

Latest figures suggest infection rates on the island are less than half those in the UK.

Meanwhile, Berlin has banned travellers from Britain entering unless they are a German citizen, have residency rights or if there is an 'urgent humanitarian reason' like a family death.

But those allowed in still have to register to get permission to visit and quarantine for two weeks with no option for early release after a negative test.

It comes after Italy reintroduced quarantine and testing requirements for all UK arrivals amid growing concerns in Europe about the spread of the Indian, or Delta, variant, now dominant in the UK.

Health minister Roberto Speranza said on Friday that Italy will require all travellers from Britain to quarantine for five days upon arrival.

A negative test is required at the end of the five-day period. America currently still bans UK tourists amid the surge in Delta cases.

Dr Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious diseases expert, last week suggested that UK-US travel would only reopen in September as a result.

Portugal, Spain and Greece are still allowing UK holidaymakers to visit with proof of a negative test and no quarantine.

France is also allowing in fully vaccinated Britons with a negative test.

But European health officials say further action is needed to curb the spread of the Delta variant as it gains a hold on the Continent.

This month it accounted for 70 per cent of sequenced cases in the greater Lisbon region of Portugal, more than 20 per cent in Italy and about 16 per cent in Belgium. It has also been detected in clusters in Germany, France and Spain.

Ahead of Mr Shapps' green list update, some Britons took to social media to announce they had decided to buy tickets abroad anyway.

Hopeful tourists over the past few days revealed their plans for some summer sun abroad, with return flight prices as cheap as 21 for Malta and Ibiza and 26 to Mallorca over the next few months.

Even last-minute holidays will not break the bank, with Saturday-Saturday returns from July 3 to July 10 available through price comparison website Skyscanner for 87 to Ibiza, 120 to Mallorca and 147 to Valletta.

And one British tourist from Manchester, @speckysi, tweeted: 'It's Russian roulette time again, I've now booked Malta for next week - there's next to nothing cases and zero deaths. All I want is one week in the sun.'

Another, Tristan Dawson from Essex, tweeted that he had 'just booked Mallorca' and was 'determined to have a holiday' - while a third, Adam Courtney, said he had 'gambled and booked' a trip to Malta on Tuesday.
Experts have predicted that Derek Chauvin could face at least 25 years in jail for murdering George Floyd as he is due to be sentenced today.

The former Minneapolis policeman, 45, was found guilty by a jury on April 20 of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter after a trial that was widely seen as a watershed moment in the history of US policing.

Legal experts have predicted that Chauvin will face a minimum sentence of 25 years behind bars, after prosecutors asked for double the upper limit in sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender.

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old Floyd - suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help.

Derek Chauvin (pictured) will be sentenced today for murdering George Floyd in May 2020 and experts have predicted that Chauvin will face a minimum jail sentence of 25 years

The video of Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked huge protests across the United States and around the world against racism and police violence.

'Between the incident, the video, the riots, the trial - this is the pinnacle of it,' Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who has closely followed Chauvin's case, said. 'The verdict was huge too, but this is where the justice comes down.'

Defense attorney Joe Tamburino, who is not affiliated with the case, said he expects the judge to hand down a sentence of between 25 and 30 years, according to CBS Minnesota.

'Basically, the issue's going to be how much greater than 150 months will the judge issue the sentence,' he added.

Prosecutors have asked to sentence Chauvin to 30 years in prison, asking for double the upper limit indicated in sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender.

Earlier this month, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill ruled that prosecutors have established grounds for giving Chauvin a harsher sentence.

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd (pictured) - suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died

Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked huge protests across the United States and around the world against racism and police violence. Pictured: Memorial at the site where Floyd was killed

The defense has asked for probation and has sought a retrial ahead of an expected appeal. Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial.

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors from the Minnesota attorney general's office wrote that Chauvin's crime 'shocked the conscience of the Nation'.

In a six-page ruling last month, Cahill found that prosecutors had shown there were four aggravating factors that would allow him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

The judge agreed that Chauvin abused his position of trust and authority; that he treated Floyd with particular cruelty; that he committed the crime as part of a group with three other officers; and that he committed the murder in front of children.

The most serious charge that Chauvin was convicted of - second-degree murder - carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison on that count under the guidelines, but the aggravating factors mean Cahill can opt for a longer jail term.

Attorneys for Chauvin countered with a far different request - a sentence of time served and probation, claiming that their client was guilty of 'an error made in good faith'.

Prosecutors are expected to call on Floyd's relatives to talk about the impact of his death during the Friday afternoon hearing in a Minneapolis courtroom.

Chauvin, who chose not to testify at his trial, has a right to address the judge before he is sentenced.

Experts say it could be tricky for Chauvin to talk without implicating himself in the pending federal case accusing him of violating Floyd's civil rights.

Prosecutors have asked to sentence Chauvin (pictured on April 20) to 30 years in prison, asking for double the upper limit indicated in sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender

Earlier this month, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill (pictured on April 15) ruled that prosecutors have established grounds for giving Chauvin a harsher sentence

The only explanation the public has heard from him came from body-camera footage in which he told a bystander at the scene: 'We got to control this guy cause he's a sizeable guy ... and it looks like he's probably on something.'

Several experts said they doubted Chauvin would take the risk and speak, but local defense attorney Mike Brandt, who is not affiliated with the case, thought he would.

He said Chauvin could say a few words without getting himself into legal trouble.

'I think it's his chance to tell the world, 'I didn't intend to kill him',' Brandt said. 'If I was him, I think I would want to try and let people know that I'm not a monster.'

But another attorney, Joe Tamburino, said: 'I think the odds are that he will, but it will be very brief.

'He will probably, if he decides to speak, he will say something like he is very sorry and he never meant to kill or harm Mr Floyd.'

Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County's former chief public defender, said the judge may take note that Chauvin did not express remorse in the sentencing memorandum submitted this month by his lawyer.

'I think what Cahill would have been looking for from Chauvin or through his defense counsel is some responsibility for his actions or some empathy for George Floyd,' she said.

Several people interviewed in Minneapolis in the days before Chauvin's sentencing said they want to see a tough sentence.

Thirty years 'doesn't seem like long enough to me,' said Andrew Harer, a retail worker who is white. 'I would be fine if he was in jail for the rest of his life.'

Several people interviewed in Minneapolis before Chauvin's sentencing said they want a tough sentence. Pictured: People gather to remember Floyd in Minneapolis a year after his death

Prosecutors may call on Floyd's relatives to talk about the impact of his death during the Friday afternoon. Pictured: Firefighters put out a blaze in Minneapolis during global protests

Joseph Allen, 31, who is black, said he thinks Chauvin should receive 'at least' 30 years, and said he'd prefer a life sentence. He cited nearly 20 complaints filed against the now-fired officer during his career.

Allen said he hopes other police officers can learn 'not to do what Derek Chauvin did'.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist, called for Chauvin to be sentenced 'to the fullest extent of the law.'

She called Floyd's death 'a modern day lynching' and predicted community outrage if Chauvin is sentenced lightly.

When asked if she would like to hear Chauvin speak, Levy Armstrong said: 'For me as a Black woman living in this community, there's really nothing that he could say that would alleviate the pain and trauma that he caused ... I think that if he spoke it would be disingenuous and could cause more trauma.'

But the Minnesota Attorney General said he hopes the judge won't go 'light or heavy' because Friday's sentencing isn't about 'revenge'.

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told 60 Minutes on Sunday that despite his feelings of 'gratitude' and 'satisfaction' at seeing Chauvin convicted, he also felt sympathy for the cop.

'I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer. So, I will admit, I felt a little bad for the defendant. I think he deserved to be convicted. But he's a human being,' Ellison told Scott Pelley.

'I'm not in any way wavering from my responsibility. But I hope we never forget that people who are defendants in our criminal justice system, that they're human beings.

He is expected to appeal his sentence after Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial

'They're people. I mean, George Floyd was a human being. And so I'm not going to ever forget that everybody in this process is a person,' the AG added.

Asked whether the judge should give the maximum sentence and send a 'message,' AG Ellison told CBS: 'I think it is important for the Court to not go light or heavy. I don't know if it's right for a judge to send a message through a sentence because the sentence should be tailored to the offense, tailored to the circumstances of the case.

'Look, the State never wanted revenge against Derek Chauvin. We just wanted accountability.'

No matter what sentence Chauvin gets, he's likely to serve only about two-thirds behind bars presuming good behavior. The rest would be on supervised release.

Chauvin has been held at the state's maximum security prison in Oak Park Heights since his conviction. It's not clear if Chauvin will remain there.

State prisons officials said that decision wouldn't be made until after Cahill's formal sentencing order.

The three other police officers involved in Floyd's arrest were, like Chauvin, fired the day after. They are due to face trial next year on charges of aiding and abetting Floyd's murder.
Missing racing pigeons that vanished in a suspected solar storm are slowly returning home days after the 'unprecedented' phenomenon, a pigeon racing chief says.

Thousands of birds failed to return home after races across Britain, and while some have still not emerged, others appeared hours or days after they were expected.

Many of the birds were taking part in a race from Peterborough to the North East on Saturday, and it is estimated 40 per cent of the 9,000 pigeons didn't return.

Ian Evans, Chief Executive of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association today told Radio 4 that he hopes all of the missing racing pigeons will have returned home 'by this time next week.'

He added that the birds would typically complete 'relatively short distances' in a matter of hours, but the pigeons were instead emerging 'a couple of days later.'

Richard Sayers (centre, with his family and birds), based in Skinningrove, North Yorkshire, 170 miles from the race, says 300 birds are missing from lofts in the fishing village

'I'd like to think the number missing today is a lot less and it should get a lot less over the next few days,' Mr Evans, 45, said.

'Pigeons are actually very clever if they do get tired and into difficulty they'll find another pigeon loft where they can rest up and the people there will take care of them.

'Then when they're fit enough and healthy enough, they will liberate them to return home.

'We would hope that by perhaps this time next week all of them should be home.'

Mr Evans said the 'unprecedented' incident was also reported in the Continent, adding he was speaking to Met Office experts in order to understand what happened.

'We're still struggling to find out and understand exactly what happened,' he said.

'We always take great care to ensure the weather conditions are good enough for the race to take place because if they're not they simply don't go ahead.

'The conditions were suitable, so the pigeons should have been able to navigate quite easily.'

He added the RPRA had asked experts to consider whether there was any interference from magnetic fields or solar storms, as it is believed birds use magnetic fields to migrate.

'But early indications are that there wasn't any detrimental impact on those magnetic fields so we're still struggling to understand what happened,' he said.

'It is important we find out because obviously we don't want anything like that happening again.'

Nicola Maxey, a Met Office spokeswoman, told The Times there has been 'nothing unusual' in the last few weeks which could have impacted the strange behaviour.

She said: 'Looking at space weather, there has been nothing unusual that has happened in the last few weeks. It has all been business as usual.

'There has been some low-level geomagnetic activity but just fairly regular occurrences, nothing strange or extreme that we haven't seen lots of times before.'

Pictured: Ian Evans, Chief Executive of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association

Mr Evans was unable to put a number on how many birds had not yet come home, but confirmed they were slowly returning.

Richard Sayers, based in Skinningrove, North Yorkshire, 170 miles from the race, says 300 birds are missing from lofts in the fishing village, where pigeon racing is a way of life to many.

He yesterday appealed to people to give shelter to the missing birds, reminding the public of the part pigeons played carrying vital messages during the world wars.

Mr Sayers said: 'We've seen one of the very worst ever racing days in our history. Around 300 birds are missing from this village alone and thousands across the North East.

'But it's the same story right across the country, the birds set out from Peterborough and didn't make it home, they have vanished.

'Most of the breeders I'm talking to are blaming the atmospheric conditions, possibly a solar storm above the clouds that created static in the atmosphere, but no one really knows.

'It's a worrying situation for breeders and we're asking people who come across the birds to do their best to look after them for us.

'We're asking anyone who comes across a racing pigeon to feed, water and let it rest and there's an 80% chance the birds will get on their way after a few days.

'Each pigeon has an identification ring on with a code and number.

'We needed our little birds' help in the major conflicts and they saved 1000s of lives by carrying messages, now we can do our little bit to help them.'

Mr Sayers flies his homing birds as Sayers Bros & son from Skinningrove in the East Cleveland Federation. The partnership has kept birds for around 50 years.

Pigeon racing sees the birds released at a start point to then make their way home.

The time it takes the pigeon to cover the specified distance is measured and the bird's rate of travel is calculated and compared with all of the other pigeons in the race to determine which one returned at the highest speed.

Mr Sayers flies his homing birds as Sayers Bros & son from Skinningrove in the East Cleveland Federation. The partnership has kept birds for around 50 years

Mr Evans said yesterday: 'We became aware quite quickly that something very unusual was happening on Saturday.

'I'm 45 and have kept pigeons since I was nine years of age and I have never heard of anything like this, it was extremely unusual and is a real mystery.

'On the face of it the weather conditions across the country were good, there was nothing to suggest that any birds would struggle to get home.

'In fact in many parts the conditions were favourable and you might have expected some good times.

'But in the events thousands of birds simply didn't return and as yet are still to return, which of course is a concern to the owners and breeders.

'Something happened that disrupted the navigational abilities of the birds. We believe it may have had something to do with solar wind activity which can distort the earth's magnetic field.'

There have also been heavy losses reported in Portugal and Belgium, he said.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has resurrected her long-running row with New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian with a cheeky 'goodwill' tweet.

Just minutes after Premier Berejiklian revealed details of the localised lockdown for parts of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, Premier Palaszczuk tweeted: 'We're with you, Sydney.'

But the message immediately had locals branding her a hypocrite for sending her support from behind a closed border.

Queensland shut out Sydneysiders on Thursday in the wake of the latest Covid outbreak hitting the city, a move which followed similar decisions to repeatedly close its borders to New South Wales residents since the pandemic began.

Just minutes after Premier Berejiklian revealed details of the localised lockdown for parts of Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, Premier Palaszczuk sent this tweet (pictured)

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (pictured right) has resurrected her long-running row with New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian (left) with a cheeky 'goodwill' Tweet

Earlier this week, the Queensland Premier was blasted as heartless for blocking a son the chance to see his dying father on the Gold Coast.

Mark Kilian and his wife Anneli Gericke were stuck in Sydney while his father's life ebbed away in a Robina hospital.

It was only after a public outcry that the Queensland Government finally gave the couple the green light to travel north to see Frans Kilian, 91, before he died of terminal pancreatic cancer.

Another Twitter user responded to the Premier's tweet on Friday, saying she would never forgive her for blocking her family from also seeing a dying relative.

'Youre joking right?' tweeted @fitfantastic1. 'You denied my brother in law his final chance to see his dying father despite exemptions  Ill never forgive that.'

The Queensland Premier has famously had a hair-trigger when it comes to shutting the border to New South Wales residents.

She reacted angrily when Premier Berejiklian called her out for it during the Northern Beaches lockdown last December.

Another Twitter user responded to the Premier, saying she would never forgive her for blocking her family from also seeing a dying relative (pictured)

The Queensland Premier has famously had a hair-trigger when it comes to shutting the border to New South Wales residents (as seen here in April 2020)

The Labor Queensland leader said it was 'a bit rich of NSW to start blaming Queensland'.

She added: 'This has happened in NSW, its happened in the Northern Beaches.

'We wish them all the very best but we do not want our lifestyle compromised at this point in time.

'As soon as they get on top of that, the sooner we can get back to semi-normal as possible.'

The Labor Queensland leader said it was 'a bit rich of NSW to start blaming Queensland'.

New South Wales has only closed its border with Victoria at the height for their outbreak, says Premier Berejiklian (seen here is Coogee Beach, closed during the lockdown in April 2020)

Despite the willingness to close the border, the Queensland Premier quickly grabbed the rights to State of Origin 1 this year when Victoria went into lockdown.

As soon as the government saw its chance, it opened secret negotiations with the NRL to move the opening Origin clash from Melbourne to Townsville for an $8million fee.

The June 9 match was originally deliberately scheduled to be at a neutral venue until Queensland swooped in to move it to home territory with the multimillion dollar bid.

Queensland Premier was quick to grab the chance to buy up the rights to State of Origin 1 this year (pictured) and host it in Townsville when Victoria went into lockdown

The move meant the Maroons had a double home-ground advantage for the series, playing back-to-back clashes on their own territory.

The move backfired though with NSW smashing the Queenslanders 50-6.

Following the latest NSW lockdown and border closure, the NRL has now begun reselling NSW fans' seats to Queenslanders for the June 27 match at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.

On the political playing field, Premier Berejiklian is keen to highlight her state has only ever shut its border with Victoria at the height of the Melbourne outbreak.

Premier Berejiklian is keen to highlight her state has only ever shut its border with Victoria at the height of the Melbourne outbreak

'At the end of the day, its the citizens that hurt both hers and mine and citizens across Australia,' the NSW Premier said last November.

'Im worried about jobs and people not seeing their families. The reality is that people are suffering because the border is there.'

She added in December: 'Various premiers have made various decisions about borders but I ask people to think about things compassionately and base it on the facts

'The only time that NSW has closed the border to anyone was Victoria. Their case numbers were more than 140 before we took that decision, and it was subsequently and then up to 180.

'I use that fact to put things into perspective. Yes, of course, Im concerned by whats happening in NSW. But every response has to be proportionate to the risk.'

Despite refusing entry to Australians south of her state border, Premier Palaszczuk was also quick to complain when the tourist industry faced hardship last summer.

But the irony was not lost on Premier Berejiklian.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian (pictured) insists that closing state borders costs jobs, creates hardship, and impacts on peoples mental health and wellbeing

'The whole point that NSW has been so strong in keeping borders open within Australia is to prevent exactly what the Queensland premier is now complaining about,' Premier Berejiklian said in January.

'She is now the victim of a policy that she put in place herself.

'When you unnecessarily close state borders you lose jobs, create hardship, you impact peoples mental health and wellbeing.

'There is no reason why certain premiers move too quickly in shutting out NSW.'
Advertisement

Vice President Kamala Harris snapped at a reporter on Friday after arriving in El Paso, Texas, amid intense criticism of the administration's handling of a spike in migration.

Republicans accused her of only visiting the border as a 'pit stop' en route to her California home and waiting until 93 days after President Biden tasked her with tackling the crisis.

After arriving at El Paso airport she was asked why she chose now to visit and said: 'Well, it's not my first trip. I've come to the border many times.

'I said back in March I was going to come to the border so this is not a new plan'.

Harris' trip to El Paso was announced on Wednesday and appeared to have been hastily put together days before a visit to the border by former President Donald Trump. Harris' office denied that was a consideration in their scheduling.

Even so, political wrangling cast a long shadow over the day.

Harris, 56, first blamed the Trump administration for the situation at the border an hour before saying that progress would mean removing the 'rhetoric and finger pointing' from debate.

The vice president left from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, at 6am for the trip.

Texas Democrat Rep. Veronica Escobar described El Paso as the 'new Ellis Island' as they arrived on the tarmac.

Her first stop was a processing center where she met migrant girls aged nine to 15, who drew pictures for her and described their hopes for the future.

She also spoke to border guards who have been dealing with a record-breaking surge in illegal crossings since the start of the Biden administration.

'We inherited a tough situation... We have looked at a system where people have been housed in inhumane conditions over the last many years... In five months, we've made progress,' she said after meeting Gloria Chavez, Chief Patrol Agent of the El Paso border sector.

Vice President Kamala Harris landed in El Paso, Texas, on Friday morning to visit a border facility, 93 days after the Biden administration put her in charge of the migrant crisis and amid criticism she has avoided the epicenter of the crisis

The VP told reporters that she had always been planning to visit the border and wanted to carry on the work she had done during her heavily-scrutinized trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month

When asked why she chose now to visit, she said: 'Well, it's not my first trip. I've come to the border many times. I said back in March I was going to come to the border so this is not a new plan'

Harris speaks to border officials inside the border processing center. Biden's first few months in office have seen record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border, with more than 180,000 encounters taking place on the Mexican border in May

Harris' trip has already faced criticism because she is going to El Paso and not the Rio Grande, which is where a large majority of the crossings take place. She is also avoiding the migrant processing center at Fort Bliss, where children have to be monitored for self-harm, panic attacks and escape attempts

Harris speaks with Gloria Chavez, Chief Patrol Agent of the El Paso Sector

Harris is visiting the El Paso processing center during her border trip. According to Border Patrol statistics, the Rio Grande Valley has seen nearly two-and-a-half times more illegal crossings than in El Paso

Agents in the Rio Grande Valley apprehended 271,927 people, compared to 113,824 in El Paso, in May, the data says

Then she made an unannounced visit to a border crossing before meeting faith groups and organizations that run shelters.

At the end of her visit, she reflected on her conversation with girls, saying they reminded her to take the politics out of the crisis.

'We're talking about the children, we're talking about families, we're talking about suffering, and our approach has to be thoughtful and effective,' she said.

'And we can take all of these perspectives into account and have meaningful good public policy if we just stop the rhetoric and the finger pointing and do what we need to do.'

The answer, she added, lay in Congress coming together to pass immigration reform.

Biden's first few months in office have seen record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border, with more than 180,000 encounters taking place on the Mexican border in May.

Even before she left Harris faced criticism for her destination. Republicans said she should have gone to the Rio Grande Valley, which is where a large majority of the crossings take place. She is also avoiding the migrant tent city at Fort Bliss, where children have to be monitored for self-harm, panic attacks and escape attempts.

Former Department of Homeland Secretary Chad Wolf said: 'While it's certainly positive that she is taking this step, I am disappointed that she is not going to the Rio Grande Valley  the very epicenter of this crisis.

'Instead, she is going to El Paso, a metropolitan area 800-1,000 miles away from the RGV. Hopefully, Harris' trip will be a working visit, not just border security tourism.'

According to Border Patrol statistics, the Rio Grande Valley has seen nearly two-and-a-half times more illegal crossings than in El Paso.

Agents in the Rio Grande Valley apprehended 271,927 people, compared to 113,824 in El Paso, in May, the data say.

Harris addressed reporters at the end of her trip, saying her meeting with the young girls reminded her that the issue could not be reduced to politics. 'And we can take all of these perspectives into account and have meaningful good public policy if we just stop the rhetoric and the finger pointing and do what we need to do.'

Harris was accompanied by US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas during her trip but said goodbye to him at El Paso airport before boarding Air Force Two to fly on to California

Harris spent about four and half hours on the ground in the Texas border city of El Paso, visiting border facilities and hearing from people on the front lines of the crisis before boarding Air Force Two and flying to Los Angeles

Lora Ries, former acting DHS deputy chief of staff and now senior research fellow for Homeland Security at the Heritage Foundation, accused Harris of making a 'convenient pitstop on her trip home to California.'

'As the administrations point person on the border crisis, she should be making a dedicated effort to visit the various border sectors and listening to agents on the ground about the challenges they face due to this administrations policies,' she said.

'Instead, shes just tacking on a photo-op tour to check a box. This is anything but leadership.'

Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar accused Harris of opting for a 'politically safe trip' some 800 miles from the crossings 'epicenter'.

'I'm sure her planners told her that if you're going to go down to the border, go to something that's safer to go to, that is, politically safer,' Cuellar told Fox News.

'The epicenter is down there in the Lower Rio Grande, the lower part of my district down there. If you look at the numbers that are down there compared to El Paso, you're not going to get a true picture of what's happening.'

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas defended Harris and said he recommended El Paso 'because it is one of the busiest sectors' across the border 'and it provides the vice president with an opportunity to see the full array' of challenges DHS deals with 'and the great work that we do at the border.'

Former President Trump has already claimed credit for her decision to go while Republicans have preemptively hammered Harris over her border visit.

During the trip, Harris will tour a Customs and Border Patrol processing center, hold a conversation with immigrant-rights advocates and deliver remarks.

Chavez and Harris embrace as they discuss the situation at the border and immigration

Harris chats with Border Patrol agents during one of the first meetings of her highly-anticipated trip

Harris asked the border staff to show her the work they were doing and asked her about different databases

A group of agents, who have been dealing with an uptick in crossings since the start of the Biden administration, share their experiences with Harris

Harris speaks to border guards alongside Department of Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (left next to her with her back turned)

People take part in a protest organized by Border Network For Human Rights (BNHR) in El Paso, Texas, as Vice President Kamala Harris visited the city. The group called for the closure of detention centers holding minors. It marked one of two dueling rallies as Republicans protested against her visit elsewhere.

Immigrant rights campaigners said the administration should do more to protect people arriving the country

Vice President Harris' motorcade passed pro-Trump protesters who said she had done too little, too late to address the crisis unfolding at the border with Mexico

Harris was greeted by protesters when she arrived in El Paso. One sign asked if she could 'hear the screams'

The group on the side of the street wave their flags as Harris' motorcade passes by

Another demonstrator's sign said that she made the 'wrong turn' and 'this isn't Europe', referencing her comments in an interview with Lester Holt while in Guatemala earlier this month

Demonstrators waving American and MAGA flags welcome Kamala Harris to El Paso

The protesters said her trip had come 'too late' and held signs saying 'Harris for Human Trafficking'

Harris watches as a border guard works on his computer in the El Paso processing center

A view from inside the processing center shows barbed wire and cameras lining the walls

Harris, 56, boarded Air Force Two at 6am on Friday morning to travel to El Paso, Texas, (pictured) in her first visit to the US-Mexico border since becoming Vice President five months ago

Harris walks with Lt. Col Richard Hulun, 89th Maintenance Group Deputy, after stepping off Marine One on the way to Air Force Two for her trip to El Pas

Harris was joined in El Paso by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee Dick Durbin and Democratic Representative from Texas Veronica Escobar.

Republicans have seized on the absence of both Harris and President Joe Biden from the border to paint the administration as weak on border security, seeking to revive a potent political weapon against Democrats in time for the 2022 midterm elections.

Theresa Cardinal Brown, managing director of immigration and cross-border policy for Washington-based think tank Bipartisan Policy Center, said many Republicans have embraced the hardline immigration policies of former President Donald Trump.

Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn tweeted on Friday morning: 'Vice President Harris is traveling 2000 miles today to El Paso, about 700 miles from the Rio Grande Valley, the epicenter of the crisis. Of the 2,000 mile US-Mexico border, the Texas-US border is about 1,200 miles'

'They believe that is something that can win them seats in 2022, so of course they're going to play it up,' she said. 'They're going to try to make it an issue.'

Campaigners have repeatedly called for the tented facility, at a U.S. Amy base just outside El Paso, to close.

Harris's team was twice asked during the run-up to the visit why she was not visiting.

'The administration is concerned by these reports and we do know that HHS has taken steps to address them,' said spokeswoman Symone Sanders a day ahead of the trip.

'This is serious for the president and the vice president, and we know it is serious and important for HHS  to ensure that the highest standards are being upheld.'

Flying in to El Paso, she told reporters aboard Air Force Two that the president and vice president had instructed Health and Human Services Secretary Javier Becerra to conduct an investigation.

He is due to visit the emergency intake site on Monday, his department announced as Harris toured a Customs and Border Protection post.

Just last month Fort Bliss held more than 4,000 children in conditions - although that has since decreased to about 2,300 - in conditions that Democratic Rep. Escobar described as 'unacceptable' after visiting.

This chart shows how 2021 border crossings - pictured in blue - rocketed on crossings made in 2020, represented by the brown line (2018 is pictured in gray, with 2019 in orange)

Members of the Border Patrol Tactical Team, keep watch on the border during Harris' visit

Her trip to El Paso (pictured today) was announced on Wednesday and appeared to have been hastily put together days before a visit to the border by former President Donald Trump

Harris will be accompanied to El Paso by Democratic Representative from Texas Veronica Escobar (both pictured) and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee Dick Durbin

As former President Trump, 75, is due to visit the same after in less than a week, Republicans will be watching Harris' visit closely for fodder for further attacks.

Harris, who previously visited the US-Mexico border as a senator and attorney general from California, was assailed by Republicans when she visited Mexico and Guatemala this month as part of efforts to lower migration from the region to the US.

During the trip, Harris said she would visit the US-Mexico border in the near future but was focused on 'tangible results' and 'opposed to grand gestures'.

On Thursday, White House officials said Harris' trip earlier this year was about 'root causes' of migration while her border trip is about the 'effects' of immigration.

Harris' spokesperson, Symone Sanders said: 'The Vice President's trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this year was about the root causes, and this border visit is about the effects.

'Both trips will inform the administration's root causes strategy.'

For months, officials have said Harris' efforts to stem immigration from Central America are focused on diplomacy and are distinct from the security issues at the border.

But a White House official, who did not wish to be named, told Reuters that there wasn't a change in strategy, despite the latest comments on Thursday.

'She has always said she will visit the border but it was more like 'when is it the right time',' the official said.

The official also said Harris's schedule is not dictated by what former President Donald Trump does, adding: 'I can assure you we don't take our cues from the former President.'

The visit (pictured boarding place) comes after months of criticism from Republicans that she has been too slow to visit the region as part of her role addressing the causes of immigration

Republicans seized on the absence of Harris and President Biden from the border to paint the administration as weak on border security. Pictured: Harris speaks to Lt. Col Richard Hulun as she boards plane

Harris greets Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the steps of Air Force Two ahead of her highly anticipated trip to Texas

Although various administration officials have visited to the border, the absence of Biden and Harris has left some Democrats worried that damage has already been done.

'The administration is making Democrats look weak,' said Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar.

'I've heard, from Democrats and Republicans in my area, what the heck is going on with this administration?'

Cuellar's district spans from south of San Antonio to the US-Mexico border, and last year he won re-election by the slimmest margin of his nearly two-decade-long career.

While he said he is not worried about his own upcoming re-election fight, he added: 'I worry about my colleagues.'

His comments reflect a broader concern among some Democrats and immigration activists that the Biden administration has ceded the border security debate to Republicans.

Biden's first few months in office have seen record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border.

US Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000.

Those numbers were boosted by a Covid pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum, which encouraged repeated attempts to cross the border because getting caught carried no legal consequences.

During the trip, Harris (pictured with Lt. Col Richard Hulun boarding plane) will tour a Customs and Border Patrol processing center and hold a conversation with immigrant-rights advocates

With former President Donald Trump visiting the area in less than a week, Republicans will be watching the vice president's (pictured) visit closely for fodder for further attacks

US Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters with migrants on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000. Pictured: Harris greets Alejandro Mayorkas, Veronica Escobar and Sen. Dick Durbin

Republicans have seized on those figures to attack Biden and Harris as weak on border security, a message the GOP used with success during the 2020 campaign.

Administration officials, including Harris, have sought to push back against that perception, with Harris repeatedly sending the message 'do not come' to migrants during her recent visit to Guatemala.

But those comments drew fire from some progressives, most notably New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, who called the message 'disappointing'.

It underscored the political no-win situation Harris finds herself in while tackling immigration, a problem that's bedeviled past administrations and been used by both parties to drive wedges and turnout during campaign season.

If Biden chooses not to run for a second term, Harris will be seen as the leading contender, and the immigration issue could become a chance for her to showcase her accomplishments or an albatross.

Harris advisers have been careful to emphasize that her main focus related to immigration is addressing the root causes of migration.

She has been seeking economic and humanitarian solutions to improve conditions for residents of Central and North American countries who flee to the US.

Her aides have framed her trip to the border as part of an effort to better understand how to solve the problem.

'What happens at the border matters, and is directly connected to what is happening in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras,' said Harris spokeswoman Symone Sanders. 'It is directly connected to the work of addressing the root causes of migration.'

Harris advisers have emphasized that her focus related to immigration is addressing the root causes of migration. Pictured: Harris greets (L-R) Alejandro Mayorkas, Veronica Escobar and Dick Durbin

Harris will be joined in El Paso by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (pictured) and Chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee Dick Durbin

Although various administration officials have made multiple visits to the border, the absence of Biden and Harris has left some Democrats worried that damage already has been done. Pictured: Harris boarding plane with Lt. Col Hulun

Harris had no plans to visit the migrant detention facility at the Fort Bliss military post, which has drawn criticism from advocates who have described unsafe conditions and allegations of abuse toward some of the thousands of children housed there.

Cuellar called her decision to visit El Paso 'politically safe,' because, he said, most of the activity at the border happens farther south.

Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, a Latino civil rights organization, expressed concerns that Harris's visit was 'a day late and a dollar short.'

'It almost feels like they're being kind of forced into it by the local communities, as well as the Republicans' political attacks from the right,' Garcia said.

But, Garcia said he was glad she was going, and expressed optimism that her visit could help the Biden administration correct its course on the immigration issue and show a contrast to the Trump administration's hardline stance on border security.

'They should own this, and they should solve it, because it does need a bipartisan solution,' he said.

Biden insists Kamala has done a 'GREAT JOB' at the border 'so far' ahead of her trip

Joe Biden praised Kamala Harris on Thursday for her work 'at the border' just two days ahead of her first trip there as criticism mounts over her failure to visit the U.S.-Mexico border in her first 90 days in charge of the crisis.

'Mr. President, what are you hoping the Vice President can do at the border tomorrow?' a reporter asked Biden at the end of short remarks on infrastructure followed by a press conference on Thursday.

'She's done a great job so far,' Biden said with Harris by his side as he walked halfway out of the room.

'And the reason why it's important that she go down, she's now set up the criteria  having spoken with the president of Mexico and Guatemala, visited the region  to know what we need to do,' he added.

Harris will take her first trip to survey the southern border between the U.S. and Mexico on Friday  even though she was named 'border czar' by the White House in March.

The vice president traveled to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month to address 'root causes', but received a slew of backlash from both parties for making a joke of not yet going to the border during her trip.

Harris announced her trip on Wednesday. She will visit El Paso, Texas with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

She will beat Donald Trump to the region by five days, even though the former president announced his trips eight days before Harris did her's.

Harris on Friday will make her first trip to the border since Biden put her in charge of the crisis in March
Students and staff at a primary school in Sydney's eastern suburbs have been plunged into isolation after two pupils tested positive to coronavirus.

South Coogee Public School sent a letter to parents on Friday to tell them that all staff and pupils need to self-isolate under further notice.

A seven-day lockdown - which applies from 11.59pm on Friday - has been announced as the city deals with a COVID-19 outbreak which emerged in the eastern suburbs in mid-June.

Those who live or work in the Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney council areas are required to stay-at-home after the state recorded another 22 new local cases of Covid on Friday.

South Coogee Public School (pictured) in Sydney's east has been plunged into lockdown as two people connected to the school tested positive for Covid on Friday

A health worker (pictured) registers people for Covid tests at a drive-through testing centre at nearby Bondi in Sydney's eastern suburbs on Friday

'All staff and students are asked to self-isolate until you receive further advice,' the school said in a letter to parents.

The school will be closed from Saturday to undergo deep cleaning, with contact tracers interviewing those who have been affected.

The school said they would work closely with NSW Health to ensure safety precautions are swiftly implemented.

NSW residents have been warned case numbers are expected to rise over the next week as the highly contagious Delta variant spreads in the community.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian expects tests of people currently in isolation will return positive results to the virus over the next few days.

Coogee Beach (pictured) is one of Sydney's most popular coastal spots catering to hundreds of visitors a day

Cars line up at St Vincent's drive-through Covid testing facility at nearby Bondi Beach (pictured) on Friday as the city deals with an outbreak in the eastern suburbs

'We expect household contacts to develop the virus,' Ms Berejiklian said on Friday.

'Our aim is to make sure that we get on top of any potential spread and that we also get on top of any chains of transmission'.

Eleven cases were detected in the 24 hours to 8pm on Thursday night, six of which were already reported. There were 17 further infections after 8pm which will be recorded in Saturday's tally.

There are now 65 cases linked to the Bondi cluster that erupted in the city's east last week.

The premier said the stay-at-home orders will come into force from midnight. People who live or work in Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney council areas will not be able to leave home for a week except for essential purposes.

These include work or education, shopping, providing care or outside exercise.

Those who have been identified as confirmed cases or close contacts of confirmed cases and are in self-isolation should not leave their house for even these reasons.

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs (pictured) in the past two weeks
This is the moment a sea lion opened a gate and crashed an interview while a Chile fisherman was giving a TV interview - about what he dubbed a 'plague' of the animals.

More than 3,000 sea lions had taken over a beach in the Bio Bio region, central Chile, to flee from the gale-force winds and predators such as killer whales.

Local residents were happy to see the animals but one fisherman complained 'no control has been taken' for the 'plague of sea lions'.

A naughty sea lion opened a gate and crashed an interview when a resident in Chile was talking about what he dubbed 'plague of sea lions' to the camera

The video shows the fisherman, from local town Tome, saying 'this is a plague'.

At the same time, a sea lion barged through a gate in the background and waddled over.

A man beside the interviewee waved his hand and tried to force the sea lion back to the beach - but the creature refused.

Residents from across Chile had travelled to see the animals, calling them 'wonderful'.

One lady said she felt sorry that the sea lions 'came here running away from killer whales'.

A sea lion opens the unlocked gate behind the interviewee and comes out

More than 3,000 sea lions took a beach in the Bio Bio region in the centre of Chile to flee from the gale-force winds and predators such as killer whales

Residents from across Chile travelled to see the animals, calling them 'wonderful'

The group of sea lions have been on the beach for about 28 days, according to the fisherman whose interview was interrupted.

The marine mammals were thought to have been fleeing predators such as orcas, although gale force winds in the area may also have been a factor.

The South American sea lion's technical name is the Patagonian sea lion. They were often seen resting on fishing boats, sometimes even causing the boats to sink.
MI5 has been urged to probe where the footage of Matt Hancock in an apparent embrace with his adviser came from amid fears of a Whitehall security breach.

The Health Secretary has been accused of having an affair after The Sun published pictures of the married Cabinet minister appearing to kiss Gina Coladangelo, who the newspaper said was hired by Mr Hancock last year.

The images, which appear to be captured from CCTV footage, were taken on May 6 from the headquarters of the Department of Health and Social Care.

The publication of the images has led to calls for a leak inquiry, with the Henry Jackson Society think tank saying this morning that 'MI5 must investigate' because it 'suggests a security-breach' may have taken place.

No10 this morning refused to comment on internal security matters.

MI5 has been urged to probe where the footage of Matt Hancock in an apparent embrace with his adviser came from amid fears of a Whitehall security breach

Alan Mendoza, the executive director of the think tank, called for a probe to ascertain the origin of the images as he suggested they could have come from a 'bug'.

He said: 'For reasons of national security, it should be impossible for a bug to be placed anywhere near such a facility.

'The Government must urgently explain how such a glaring security-breach occurred & MI5 must immediately probe the circumstances.

'All other Ministerial offices will now need sweeping to see what other listening & recording devices are snooping on Ministers.

'Steps should also be taken to determine if this incident was conducted by a disgruntled civil servant or  given its sophistication & seriousness  agents of a hostile state.'

The Sun reported that Mr Hancock hired Ms Coladangelo as an unpaid adviser on a six-month contract in March last year, before appointing her as a non-executive director at the department.

Mr Hancock, who is said to have met Ms Coladangelo at university, has been married to his wife Martha for 15 years and they have three children together.

Ms Coladangelo is the marketing and communications director at Oliver Bonas, a British retailer founded by her husband Oliver Tress.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said on Friday morning that he would not be commenting on the 'entirely personal' matter following the reports about his Cabinet colleague.
British health chiefs could soon issue a warning that Pfizer and Moderna's Covid jabs are linked to heart issues in extremely rare cases, experts believe.

Fears about the two jabs causing myocarditis have grown in recent weeks, following a string of cases in young adults and children in Israel and the US.

American regulators have already accepted there is a 'likely link' between the heart condition and the vaccines, and will add warnings about the potential complication on information sheets given to the public.

Israel's Health Ministry has said the Pfizer vaccine, the only jab it is using in its rollout, is the 'probable' cause in a tiny number of cases.

Last week the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which polices the safety of drugs in the UK, said rates of myocarditis among vaccinated adults were 'similar or below' expected levels.

But last night, MailOnline can reveal the watchdog dropped all mention of how often the complication was occurring. Instead, it just updated its weekly summary to say cases were 'very rare' and 'typically mild'.

One cardiologist said he believed it the change in tone may signal that the body was going to accept a link between the two vaccines and myocarditis.

Other experts warned it further complicated the debate about vaccinating children in Britain.

Scientists had expected the protection given by vaccines to begin to wear off over time but they don't yet know how long immunity from jabs lasts for. Pictured, a stock image of jabs made by Pfizer and Moderna

The Government wants to start vaccinating children in August before they return to school in September, Whitehall insiders have said.

With AstraZeneca's vaccine likely to be off the cards because of its rare links to blood clots in younger adults and similar fears about Johnson & Johnson's alternative jab, children could well be offered Pfizer and Moderna jabs.

When asked by MailOnline why the wording on the complication had changed, an MHRA spokesperson said: 'We are closely monitoring all reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following Covid vaccination in the UK and internationally.

'These reports are very rare, and most of the cases outlined in our weekly report have been mild, with those affected typically recovering quickly following simple treatment and rest.

'As stated in the text you have highlighted from the report, we are still encouraging people to come forward for their first and second vaccination when invited to do so, unless advised otherwise.'

MHRA's most up-to-date figures show 53 reports of myocarditis were spotted in Pfizer vaccine recipients by June 16.

The latest government figures show that 43.6million people have had their first dose of the vaccine while 31.9million have had their second

Booster shots may NOT be needed this autumn but the elderly and NHS will be first in line if they are, claims one of No10's top vaccine advisers Booster Covid vaccines may not be needed this autumn, one of the Government's top experts claimed today. Professor Adam Finn, from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) - which advises No10, insisted top-up jabs may well be required for the very elderly and NHS workers. But he admitted there was still a 'high level of uncertainty' over whether they would be necessary for millions of other Brits. Scientists had expected the protection given by vaccines to begin to wear off over time but they don't yet know how long immunity from Covid jabs lasts for. Influenza vaccines are needed every winter because the virus is constantly evolving to beat the human immune system. Coronaviruses tend to mutate slower and academics have claimed they've yet to see any proof of waning immunity in vaccinated Britons. Last month Matt Hancock announced at a Downing St press conference scientists were beginning trials of a third jab to check if it offers better protection. Millions more vaccine doses than necessary have been bought by the Government and a giant order of 60million more Pfizer doses in April was earmarked for a top-up campaign in the autumn. Advertisement

There has also been 33 instances of pericarditis  a similar condition that affects the protective layer around the heart.

Last week's vaccination surveillance report said there had been 39 cases of myocarditis and 27 of pericarditis in Britons given the US firm's jab.

The MHRA said at the time: 'The number of cases of myo- and peri-carditis reported with the vaccines in the UK remains similar or below the expected background rate in different age groups within the general population and does not currently indicate an increased risk following vaccination against Covid.'

The MHRA added: 'It is important that anyone who experiences new onset of symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart seeks medical attention.'

Dr Aseem Malhotra, an consultant cardiologist in Britain, said he believes there is most likely a causal link between the two vaccines and myocarditis.

The MHRA's change to the information on its website may suggest it thinks so too, he said.

Dr Malhotra told MailOnline: 'What is important is if the MHRA believe there is a causal link they give absolute number of what the risk is.

'The link will likely be small, but it's important that people are given full information before they decide whether to have the vaccine, in keeping with principles of ethical evidence-based medicine.'

'It is not something to be treated lightly. People should be fully informed so they have all the accurate information and are not scared off too much.'

Because all over-18s are now able to get vaccinated, experts say it is entirely possible the rare complication will crop up more often.

Professor Francois Balloux, a Covid expert and director of University College London's Genetics Institute, said vaccinating children 'feels like the mother of all ethical minefields'.

He tweeted: 'I expected those discussions wouldn't be easy, but the non-trivial rate of myocarditis in teenage boys following mRNA vaccines makes the situation worse than I had anticipated.

'It is now clear that the mRNA vaccines can cause myocarditis in children and young adults.

'Thus, for healthy teenage boys, the direct cost benefit balance might be neutral or even negative. This is unlikely to be the case for girls or boys with risk factors.'

More than 36.4million doses of Pfizer's vaccine has been dished out in Britain since it was at the start of December.

NHS doctors were reliant on Pfizer's jabs for the first month of the UK's roll-out. But the drive became centered around AstraZeneca's when that was approved in January.

However, data began to show the British-made jab was linked to serious blood clots in younger adults, who face a tiny risk of dying from the virus itself.

It prompted health chiefs to recommend under-40s get an alternative because the benefits of giving them the jab did not clearly outweigh the risks.

WHAT IS MYOCARDITIS? Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. There are no specific causes of the condition but it is usually triggered by a virus. Some of the most common infections which cause myocarditis, are those called adenovirus and Coxsackie B. It can be caused by the common cold, hepatitis B and C, and herpes simplex virus. The most common symptoms of the condition include chest pain, a fever, a fast heartbeat, tiredness and shortness of breath. If the inflammation damages the heart muscle or the fibres that conduct electrical pulses to the heart, complications can develop. They can develop quickly, and include sudden loss of consciousness, an abnormally fast, slow or irregular heartbeat. In very severe cases the condition is fatal, causing heart failure or sudden death. The inflammation enlarges the heart and creates scar tissue, forcing it to work harder and therefore making it weaker. In most cases of viral myocarditis, the illness goes away and there are no complications. But in rare cases when inflammation is severe, there can be damage to the heart which needs monitoring and possibly a heart transplant. Myocarditis can reoccur, but there is no known way to prevent this. The risk of recurrence is low, around 10 to 15 per cent, according to Myocarditis Foundation. It is difficult to gauge the prevalence of myocarditis because there is no widely available test for it. In 2010, approximately 400,000 people died of heart muscle disease - cardiomyopathy that includes myocarditis - worldwide. Expert consensus opinion estimates that up to 40 per cent of dilated cardiomyopathy results from myocarditis, according to the National Organisation for Rare Disorders. Advertisement

Johnson and Johnson's Covid jab  also linked to blood clots  has been approved in Britain but No10 won't get hold of any doses until later this summer.

If health chiefs make the same ruling for that vaccine, it means under-40s will still only be able to get Pfizer or Moderna until other candidates come on stream.

With hopes of vaccinating children this summer, it could also mean Pfizer and Moderna's jabs are given to youngsters. Pfizer's jab has already been given the green light for over-12s in the UK and Moderna is seeking approval.

Professor Dominic Wilkinson, a medical ethics expert at Oxford University, told MailOnline: 'At this point in time, there isn't enough safety data on Covid vaccinations in adolescents and children.

'And these reports about myocarditis are a concern. It sounds as if the rate of them is low, and overall their severity is also low which is reassuring.

'And it might be the case that the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks for young people. But I've been arguing that we should be delaying rollout to children and adolescents.

'First, because there isn't yet enough data on the safety in that population, relative to the benefits. So we know that Covid is less severe in that group.

'And secondly, I've been arguing that there are others in the world at much higher risk of serious illness from Covid who should be getting the vaccine first.'

He said reports of myocarditis 'ought to be paid attention to' and 'contribute to concern that there are risks as well as benefits at stake that need to be weighed up in decisions about vaccines for young people'.

Three cases of myocarditis from Moderna have also been spotted in the UK  but only 700,000 doses have been handed out, so it is hard to uncover the same link.

The MHRA has also detected 42 cases of myocarditis and 77 instances of pericarditis among AstraZeneca recipients  but it is understood that the complication is not occurring any more often than expected with that jab.

Pfizer and Moderna are mRNA vaccines, which deliver the body with instructions on how to fight off the coronavirus in the future.

The AstraZeneca vaccine works in a different way, and is made from a genetically modified virus.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention this week said there was a 'likely association' between the Pfizer and Moderna jabs and myocarditis and pericarditis in young adults.

Health officials found that the very rare side effect mostly occurs in men aged between 18 and 24, with 233 reports in that group after 3.6million second doses.

In that many people in the average population, two to 25 cases would be expected.

The US Food and Drug Administration, which is responsible for protecting public health, said it would add a warning about the risk of the condition to information sheets for mRNA Covid vaccines.
A desperate search is underway for 12-year-old Milina Wilks who was last seen at Plumpton Marketplace on Thursday afternoon.

Police are urging the public to come forward after a young girl went missing from a shopping centre in Sydney's west.

A desperate search is underway for 12-year-old Milina Wilks who was last seen at Plumpton Marketplace on Thursday afternoon.

She was last seen at the centre on Hyatts Road at 3:55pm. Police are concerned for the girl's safety given her young age.

Milina is about 155cm tall, with blonde hair, brown eyes and a thin build.

She is caucasian in appearance.

She was wearing her school uniform when she was last seen - a yellow and green outfit with a grey hooded jacket and black tracksuit pants.

She was wearing black and white shoes and carrying a black and white backpack.

Anyone with information about Milina is being urged to contact CrimeStoppers on 1300 333 000 or Nepean Police Station.

Milina also went missing on October 3, last year after disappearing with two friends.

She had been missing for several days before she was eventually found.
A furious farmer is on the hunt for the fly-tippers who dumped an entire kitchen on his land.

A fridge, a separate freezer, a toilet and ample building material believed to be from a Manchester takeaway refit were dumped on Andrew Sharpe's farm in Rixton, near Warrington, Cheshire.

Scores of flyers from a restaurant were included in the pile. The takeaway in question had recently been given a total overhaul in Stockport, Greater Manchester - around 18 miles away.

The re-branded premises, now called Chicklicious, denied any knowledge of what happened.

Mr Sharpe, 61, and his son Jack have so far been unable to track down exactly who discarded the kitchen.

It was dumped at Moss Side Farm about 500 yards off a busy road in the dead of night on Saturday.

A fridge, a separate freezer, a toilet and ample building material believed to be from a Manchester takeaway refit were dumped on Andrew Sharpe's (pictured) farm in Rixton, near Warrington, Cheshire

Scores of flyers from a takeaway (pictured) were included in the pile. The restaurant in question had recently been given a total overhaul in Stockport, Greater Manchester - around 18 miles away

Mr Sharpe claimed a contractor who carried out the work admitted to him that the discarded kitchen did come from the takeaway site.

The contractor, known only as 'Gareth', claimed he too was unaware of the flytipping and vowed to chase down the culprit.

Mr Sharpe has not been able to reach Gareth since that phone call. The farmer has reported the flytipped rubbish to Warrington Borough Council.

Mr Sharpe - whose family have been growing crops on the land since the Second World War - said: 'I've a good mind to load it on to the back of one of my trailers and deliver it back to them. But I'd probably get into trouble.

The re-branded premises, now called Chicklicious, denied any knowledge of what happened (a dumped fridge, pictured)

'We've tried to go down the route of getting whoever has dumped it to come back and clear it up, but they've vanished into thin air.

'So we'll let the appropriate authorities deal with it and hopefully they will face a hefty fine.'

Mr Sharpe, his wife Bettina and son Jack, farm more than 1,300 acres of arable land and employ four other people.

Mr Sharpe, 61, and his son Jack have so far been unable to track down exactly who discarded the kitchen (pictured)

Mr Sharpe added: 'Getting that cleared up will cost the best part of 800. It's an appalling thing to do. Whoever did it deserves what's coming to them.'

Chicklicious denied all knowledge of the incident and refused to comment.

There is no suggestion the current owner of the takeaway knew the rubbish would be dumped.
ug could sell for 400, with the other items likely to go for hundreds of pounds

A selection of rare items salvaged from Adolf Hitler's personal train by a British officer have emerged for sale 76 years on.

Corporal Horace Whitney, who was part of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's security staff, brought home a range of souvenirs including the Nazi dictator's cream jug at the end of World War Two.

He also got his hands on a small binder which listed the Fuhrer's musical choices to be played on a gramophone while on the train.

The music document reveals that Hitler was a fan of the classic composers Wagner, who shared his anti-Semitic views, and Beethoven.

Creamer Jug 'liberated' from Adolf Hitler's Personal Train by Corporal Horace Whitney

While searching through the cabins, Corporal Whitney spotted the small white cream jug with a Nazi eagle on it

Corporal Whitney had been asked by Montgomery to locate Hitler's train in Germany as he wanted to do a victory lap of it.

While searching through the cabins, Corporal Whitney spotted the small white cream jug with a Nazi eagle on it.

The letters next to it, D and R, stand for Deutsches Reichbahn - and on the base is the number 241, which is believed to correspond with Hitler's locomotive.

The mementos, which have since passed into the hands of a collector, are going under the hammer with C&T Auctions, of Ashford, Kent.

Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler on his personal train during his visit of Austria in March 1938

Corporal Whitney also got his hands on a small binder which listed the Fuhrer's musical choices (pictured) to be played on a gramophone while on the train

A tag reading: 'Gramophone record catalogue from Adolf Hitler's special train - 1945'

The jug could sell for 400, with the other items likely to go for hundreds of pounds.

Tim Harper, specialist at C&T Auctions, said: 'We are confident this is a cream jug from Hitler's train as the number on the base corresponds to it, and there is strong provenance.

'Cpl Whitney was a member of Montgomery's security staff and took various items as souvenirs.

The music document reveals that Hitler was a fan of the classic composers Wagner and Beethoven

The music booklet shows Hitler's love for Wagner (left), who shared his anti-Semitic views. It also features Beethoven (right)

'The music booklet is also fascinating as it shows Hitler's love for Wagner, who shared his anti-Semitic views.

'The mementos were acquired by the vendor, a Montgomery collector, directly from the family.'

The sale takes place on June 30.
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday received the first dose of a domestically produced coronavirus vaccine, his social media announced, as the country battles the Middle East's deadliest outbreak.

The 81-year-old cleric's Twitter feed published a video it said showed him 'receiving the first dose of the #IranianCovidVaccine that has been developed by young Iranian scientists'.

The footage shows him wearing a surgical mask and a black turban, sitting under a picture of the Islamic republic's founder Ayatollah Rouhollah Khomeini, as two male medics tend to him, injecting him in the left arm.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday received the first dose of a domestically produced coronavirus vaccine, his social media announced, as the country battles the Middle East's deadliest outbreak

State television broadcast the same scene, saying Khamenei had received a single dose of the COVIran Barekat jab, developed by a powerful state-owned foundation known as Setad.

Iran announced last week on June 14 that it had had given emergency approval for the domestically produced vaccine.

Iran has not published data about efficacy of the vaccine, but claims that people who get the home made jab have about 85 per cent immunity to the deadly virus.

The Islamic republic is attempting to make up for a lack of vaccines and providing second jabs to those who have already received a first, on a voluntary basis.

Strangled by US sanctions that have made it difficult to make money transfers to foreign firms, Tehran says it is struggling to import vaccines for its 83 million population.

The 81-year-old cleric's Twitter feed published a video it said showed him 'receiving the first dose of the #IranianCovidVaccine that has been developed by young Iranian scientists'

In early January, Khamenei banned imports of UK- and US-produced vaccines, saying they could 'contaminate' the country.

In another tweet on his English-language Twitter feed on Friday, he said he was 'truly grateful to all those who used their knowledge & experience & made scientific & practical efforts to provide the country with such a great, prestigious capability'.

Iran has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 83,500 people among 3.1 million infected, according to official figures widely seen as understating the toll.

Iranian officials said the death toll from Covid-19 rose by 115 over the day into Friday, putting the country's total at 83,588 since the pandemic broke out last year.

Iran announced on June 14 that it had given emergency approval for the COVIran Barekat jab to be developed

Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said 10,820 new confirmed cases were registered over the same period, bringing that total to 3,150,949.

At least 1,397 people remained hospitalized with the virus, she added.

Lari said that 3,219 of the patients are in serious condition, and that 2,809,595 have recovered so far. Iran remains among the hardest-hit countries in the world.

Iran has also said it is working on a vaccine with cooperation from a foreign country. Iranian authorities said that another vaccine, produced jointly by Iran and Cuba, will join the country's vaccine package in coming days.

Iran's local vaccine research has gained urgency as officials allege that heavy American sanctions will hamper the Islamic Republic's mass inoculation efforts.

Iran retains some access to vaccines, including through its participation in COVAX, an international initiative designed to distribute vaccines to countries regardless of their wealth.

But international banks and financial institutions are reluctant to deal with Iran for fear of American penalties. Under COVAX rules, Iran could order enough doses to vaccinate half of its 82 million people.

The health ministry says more than 4.4 million of Iran's 83 million people have received a first vaccine dose since an inoculation campaign began in February.

Just over a quarter of those - nearly 1.13 million - have received the two jabs necessary for the vaccine to be fully effective.

Iran is running clinical trials on four other vaccines against Covid-19.
European Union countries bordering Russia rejected a Franco-German plan to resume official meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It came after EU leaders said today that they wanted to 'explore formats and conditionalities of dialogue with Russia' - raising the prospect of high-level talks without actually committing to them.

But Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, whose country is close to the Russian border, warned the bloc should remain 'very cautious about the real intentions of Putin's regime', likening deals with Putin to 'entrusting a bear to look after honey'.

Macron and Merkel are thought to be pushing EU leaders to take a softer approach on Moscow due to economic interests both France and Germany have in Russia

Lithuania's Prime Minister Gitanas Nauseda (right) warned that dealing with an increasingly authoritarian Putin is 'like trusting a bear to take care of honey'

'We have to deal with Russia, but being very cautious about the real intentions of Putin's regime,' he said at an EU summit in Brussels today.

'So far, we don't see any radical change in the pattern of behavior of Russia.

'If, without any positive changes in the behavior of Russia, we start to engage, it will send very uncertain and bad signals.

'It seems to me like we try to engage a bear to keep a pot of honey safe.'

The European Union is deeply divided in its approach to Moscow.

Russia is the EU's biggest natural gas supplier, and plays a key role in a series of international conflicts and issues linked to Europe's strategic interests, including the Iran nuclear deal, and conflicts in Syria and Libya.

European heavyweight Germany has strong economic interests there, notably the NordStream 2 undersea pipeline project.

Other countries, including France, are reluctant to continue waging a sanctions battle with Moscow that hurts trade - such as recent penalties imposed for the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The EU is concerned that Putin is turning increasingly authoritarian and wants to distance himself from the West, with the EU and NATO struggling to bring Russia to the table amid a low-point in relations.

Biden's meeting in Geneva with Putin earlier this month was a rare exception to the icy silence of recent months, though the two men can hardly be said to have got along - breaking up talks early and giving separate press statements afterwards.

Estonia and Latvia, which directly border Russia, are also deeply concerned about reaching out to Moscow when the Minsk agreements meant to bring peace to Ukraine are still not being respected.

The agreements were signed in 2014, shortly after Russian annexed Crimea - a move that also prompted the west to impose sanctions.

Conflict still simmers in eastern Ukraine with Russia-backed separatists.

Putin's regime is currently under western sanctions over the annexation of Crimea, the poisoning of critic Alexei Navalny, and other human rights abuses

Amid a sign of rock-bottom relations with the west, a Russian gunboat fired warning shots at a British destroyer earlier this week after claiming it strayed in Russian waters near Crimea

'Right now, if it pans out the way it's proposed, Russia annexes Crimea, Russia wages war in Donbass, and Europe shrugs its shoulders and continues to try to speak a dialogue. The Kremlin does not understand this kind of politics,' said Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

His Estonian counterpart, Kaja Kallas, said that 'what our intelligence (service) tells us is that sanctions work and the European Union has to be more patient.'

But French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe cannot simply tackle its problems with Russia on a case-by-case basis, by continually imposing sanctions or other measures.

'We cannot continue without dialogue. We have to talk, including about our disagreements. It's the only way to resolve them,' Macron said. 'It's a dialogue that's necessary for the stability of the European continent, but demanding because we will not give up our interests and values.'

In Berlin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told lawmakers that 'the events of recent months - not just in Germany - have clearly shown that it's not enough if we react to the multitude of Russian provocations in an uncoordinated way.'

'Instead, we have to create mechanisms to respond in a common and unified way to provocations' to what she described as 'hybrid attacks by Russia.' That includes outreach to countries such as Ukraine, Belarus and the western Balkans, but also engaging Russia and Putin directly.

The plan was welcomed in Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin supports the idea to restore 'the mechanism of direct contacts between Brussels and Moscow.'

'Putin has spoken about it many times,' Peskov said. 'Both Brussels and Moscow really need this dialogue.'

Ukraine, in contrast, was not so keen about the EU outreach.

'Initiatives to resume EU summits with Russia without seeing any progress from the Russian side will be a dangerous deviation from EU sanctions policy,' Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in Brussels.

In the end, the leaders agreed to underline 'the need for a firm and coordinated response by the EU and its member states to any further malign, illegal and disruptive activity by Russia, making full use of all instruments at the EU's disposal.'

Despite the Franco-German push for talks, they invited the EU's executive branch and top diplomat 'to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions.'
The Department of Homeland Security is concerned by the theory Donald Trump will be reinstated as president in August and is monitoring extremist online communities for threats of violence, the agency's top counterrorism official said Thursday.

Assistant secretary for counterterrorism John Cohen told the House Committee on Homeland Security that he was worried the heightened claims of election rigging and beliefs Trump will be back in office will lead to violence, Politico reported.

He was responding to the conspiracy theories sparked by reports from the New York Times' Maggie Haberman and the National Review earlier this month that Trump is telling aides he could be back in the Oval Office by August.

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has also been spreading the theory publicly and claims he is the source of the claims.

The Department of Homeland Security is concerned by the theory Donald Trump will be reinstated as president in August and is monitoring extremist online communities for threats of violence, the agency's top counterrorism official said Thursday. Assistant secretary for counterterrorism John Cohen (right) told the House Committee on Homeland Security that he was worried the claims of election rigging would lead to a violent response

A Morning Consult/POLITICO poll from earlier this month showed 29 percent of Republican voters believe Trump would be returned to the Oval Office at some point this year.

Michigan Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin asked Cohen how his department was handling the spread of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and the way they can spark violence, according to Politico.

Cohen insisted that he was not aware of any specific threats based on the Trump theory, but his staff were still watching online activity.

The briefing on domestic terrorism also covered the surge in violent crime in 2020 and 2021, following President Biden's announcement of a crackdown on gun dealers on Wednesday.

He was responding to reports from the New York Times' Maggie Haberman and the National Review earlier this month that Trump is telling aides he could be back in office by August

Conservative commentator Charlie Sykes wrote for MSNBC that the conspiracy theory that Trump will be reinstated in August is based on 'guesswork'.

Sykes wrote that their is also a belief that an election audit in Arizona will uncover election fraud and there are 'delusional' hopes the Supreme Court will invalidate Biden's win.

Trump has railed against false claims of election fraud since his loss in November.

Earlier this week he slammed a Republican-run investigation that found no irregularities in Michigan.

He also celebrated Georgia taking 10,000 names of the state's electoral register, but questioned why it had taken them so long.

The Biden administration has also made the crackdown on domestic terrorism a priority in the aftermath of the Capitol riot.

On Thursday Nancy Pelosi announced a Democrat-led select committee would investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol, after Senate Republicans blocked the bid to set up a 9/11-style commission last month.

The Biden administration has also made the crackdown on domestic terrorism a priority in the aftermath of the Capitol riot. On Thursday Nancy Pelosi announced a Democrat-led select committee would investigate the January 6 attack on the Capitol, after Senate Republicans blocked the bid to set up a 9/11-style commission last month

'Crack their skulls!': Trump told military to shoot and 'beat the f**k' out of BLM protesters last summer - but Joint Chiefs Chair Milley refused, new book reveals

The top US general rejected then-President Donald Trump's push for the military to 'crack skulls' at civil rights protests across the nation in 2020.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley seemed to be at odds and - at times - the lone dissenting voice against the former president wanting to respond with force to protests over the murder of George Floyd, a black man who died while in police custody in Minneapolis.

Passionate exchanges between Milley and Trump were included in Wall Street Journal reporter Michael Bender's new book 'Frankly, We Did Win This Election: The Inside Story of How Trump Lost,' of which CNN obtained excerpts.

It comes as Milley yesterday said recruits should be 'open-minded and be widely read' amid growing claims that the US military is becoming more 'woke'.

The military officer spoke out against growing criticism over teaching critical race theory in the military as he was grilled by Republican Congressmen.

While watching protests unfold in places like Seattle and Portland, Trump highlighted cops' physical exchanges with protestors and told his administration that's what he wanted to see, CNN reported.

'That's how you're supposed to handle these people,' Trump told his top law enforcement and military officials, Bender wrote, according to CNN. 'Crack their skulls!'

Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, at the June 17 Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, was reportedly at odds with Donald Trump when Trump was president

Trump also told his team that he wanted the military to go in and 'beat the f--k out' of civil rights protestors, Bender wrote, according to CNN.

CNN reported other examples of Trump telling the military to shoot protestors. At one point, a Trump senior advisor Stephen Miller compared the protests to third-world countries, which angered Milley, Bender wrote.

Milley, who commanded troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, said, 'Shut the f--k up, Stephen,' CNN reported from one of the excerpts.

Bender's book showed Milley was concerned that Trump was going to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to deploy the military in cases of rebellion or terrorist attack.
President Joe Biden will mark Pride Month on Friday by designating the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting a national memorial and he'll name a special envoy for LGBTQ+ rights around the world.

Biden will appoint Jessica Stern to be the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons at the Department of State, the White House announced on Friday morning.

Stern will focus on making sure U.S. diplomacy promotes and protects the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world. She is the executive director of OutRight Action International, an organization aimed at ensuring human rights for LGBTQ people both domestically and abroad.

President Biden will appoint Jessica Stern to be the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons at the Department of State

Stern specializes in gender, sexuality and human rights globally. She will be at the White House on Friday for the formal announcement and Pride Month celebrations.

She's the second person to be named to the role. Her predecessor, Randy Berry, served in the then-new role from its inception in 2015 under former President Barack Obama until 2017. The position was left vacant by former President Donald Trump after Berry stepped down.

In remarks at the White House later on Friday, Biden will denounce state-level anti-LGBTQ+ bills, calling them 'un-American and legislation disguised as bullying,' according to a White House official.

Biden on Friday also signed into law a bill that designates the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting as the 'National Pulse Memorial.'

In June 2016, 49 people were killed and 53 were wounded during a mass shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando. It was the deadliest incident against LGBTQ people in the United States.

'May no president ever have to sign another monument like this,' Biden said at the signing, where he was joined by Jill Biden, survivors of the shooting, victims' family members, and members of the Florida Congressional Delegation.

And, for the first time on Friday, a hallway on the ground floor of the White House will be lit in rainbow colors when the Bidens welcome LGBTQ+ advocates.

Both President Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay Cabinet secretary confirmed by the Senate, will speak.

Dr. Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services who was the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate, will also be in attendance.

President Joe Biden at a signing of the National Pulse Memorial bill into law

President Biden, joined by first lady Jill Biden, passes out pens after the signed the legislation

President Biden designated the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting as the 'National Pulse Memorial'

For the first time on Friday, a hallway on the ground floor of the White House will be lit in rainbow colors as part of Pride Month celebrations - above a Pride Walk in Washington DC on June 12

In his remarks, Biden will push the Senate to pass the Equality Act, according to the White House official. The act provides 'overdue, explicit civil rights protections' to members of the LGBTQ community. It has already passed the House.

The White House is making LGBTQ rights a national issue at a time many state legislatures are passing laws that seek to limit rights.

This year is on track to be the worst year for anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent history, according to the Human Rights Campaign, as eight anti-LGBTQ bills have already been signed into law and another ten are already on governors' desks awaiting signature.

President Biden has contrasted his record on LGBTQ rights with President Trump's

Biden has championed LGBTQ rights from the start of his presidency - signing an executive order on his first day in office to combat discrimination and rescinding the ban on openly transgender servicemembers from serving in the military.

The White House has noted 14 percent of all presidential appointees in the Biden administration identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

Biden started off June, known as Pride Month, with a proclamation to mark the occasion while his State Department declared the rainbow-colored Pride Flag could fly on the same pole as the American Flag at US outposts around the world.

The moves signal Biden's attempt to contrast himself with Trump, who ignored the month and, under his presidency, embassies couldn't fly the Pride flag.
A devastated woman has revealed she was denied a final visit to her father by Queensland Health and was forced to watch him die over Skype from hotel quarantine.

Maria O'Dea flew from London to Brisbane in June to be with her 88-year-old father John when his health began to fail.

The elderly man died on Wednesday about an hour after she demanded to know why another family in a similar situation had been granted an exemption by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk - but she had been denied.

Maria O'Dea (pictured with her father John and mother) was denied a quarantine exemption for one last visit with her father

The nursing home where John was staying offered to arrange the visit that would follow strict COVIDsafe precautions including securing a private area outside for them to meet, providing full PPE gear for them both and enforcing the 1.5 metre social distancing rule.

Ms O'Dea is fully vaccinated and has had two recent Covid tests - both negative - and unsuccessfully applied to Queensland Health to get leave from hotel quarantine for the visit.

'If they'd have said yes, I may not have got to be with him when he died, but I would have got to see him last week to say goodbye and the most important thing - he would have known that I came,' Ms O'Dea told 9News.

'And it would have meant the world to my mother. Even just that one small visit would have made a difference to everybody.'

She was told that 'policy had changed' which allowed Mark Killian to see his dying father, a change that had come too late.

Ms O'Dea (pictured) said she was denied the chance to say goodbye in person because of red tape

Ms O'Dea had flown from London to Brisbane to see her father after his health worsened

She said she wants to speak up so others are not forced to go through the same trauma she did

On Wednesday, Mr Killian and his wife Anneli Gericke, who had flown to Australia from Los Angeles, were granted an exemption to see his dying father by the Queensland Premier.

After Queensland Health denied their quarantine exemption application four times, Ms Palaszczuk finally granted it under intense pressure from the media and a scathing letter from Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

When Ms O'Dea heard about the exemption she called Queensland Health and was told they had changed their policy, however, the rule change was too late for her with her dad passing away an hour later.

Ms O'Dea said she is speaking up to draw attention to bureaucratic red tape that seems to contradict common sense.

'My mother said, "your father would want you to say something if it could help make a difference or prevent this from happening to someone in the future",' she said.

The exemption granted to Mr Killian allowed him to sit by his father Franz's bed at Gold Coast University hospital on Friday and chat to the 80-year-old - a heartwarming moment that very nearly didn't happen.

Mr Killian said from his Gold Coast hotel on Friday night that seeing his father had been surreal.

'It feels completely surreal and completely wonderful on so many levels. It's beautiful even, but at the same time, it's all just very sad,' Mr Kilian told The Gold Coast Bulletin.

'It's not easy but it was huge for us and for him too I think. I don't even think we've had time to process it. There's a lot involved in the logistics'.

Mark Killian got to see his father Franz (pictured) on Friday after Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk granted an exemption after public pressure

Mr Kilian and Mrs Gericke were pictured exiting a small charter plane after touching down on the Gold Coast on Thursday

The couple had flown from L.A. to Sydney on June 15 after the federal government and NSW Health granted them a travel exemption, but when they tried to fly to the Sunshine State on a $15,000 private charter plane, they were refused a quarantine exemption by Queensland Health officials.

Queensland Health rejected the couple's quarantine exemption despite them both being fully vaccinated, and returning three negative to Covid tests - they offered to wear hazmat suits and tracking devices during their visit.

Mr Kilian and his wife were pictured exiting a small charter plane after touching down on at Gold Coast Airport on Thursday.

The pair - who were wearing plastic ponchos, masks and gloves - shared an embrace on the tarmac before making their way to the terminal

The pair - who were wearing plastic ponchos, masks and gloves - shared an embrace on the tarmac before making their way to the terminal.

The couple on Wednesday filmed a heartbreaking video from their Sydney quarantine hotel on Wednesday begging the under-fire Queensland premier to let them in into the state.

The exemption is 'subject to NSW finalising arrangement of safe transfer of the couple to Queensland,' Queensland Health said in a statement.

'All quarantine exemption requests are considered on a case-by-case basis, in line with current national guidelines.

Mr Morrison said he doesn't have the authority to step in and give an exemption prior to Ms Palaszczuk's change of heart

'It has been a nationally agreed position that all international arrivals must complete 14 days of quarantine in their port of arrival.

'Queensland's approach has been in accordance with this national position.'

Prior to the exemption being granted, Mr Kilian told Karl Stefanovic on the Today show that all he wanted is to say 'I love you' to his father one last time.

'We just want to be there for those last days, moments... That's all we want. That's all that all of this is about,' he said.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queensland Health and the Queensland Premier's office for comment.
A white man convicted of fatally shooting two black shoppers at a Kentucky grocery store has been sentenced to life in prison for a third time by a federal judge.

Gregory Bush, 53, shot and killed Maurice Stallard, 69, and Vickie Jones, 67, at the Jeffersontown, Kentucky, Kroger supermarket on October, 24, 2018.

He was given two life sentences in December after pleading guilty but mentally ill to state charges on two counts of murder, criminal attempted murder and wanton endangerment.

On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom added a federal sentence of life in prison along with 10 years of additional confinement for gun and hate crimes.

During the sentencing Thursday, Judge Boom told Gregory Bush that she hopes he learns to 'reject' the 'hate and bigotry' that led to the murders.

Stallard and Jones 'were targeted specifically because of the color of their skin,' Boom said.

Given the chance to speak, Bush said Thursday he was 'so sorry that this happened. I'm so sorry.'

Gregory Bush (pictured after his arrest in 2018) was given a third life sentence Thursday for the murders of two people outside a Kentucky grocery store

Bush, who has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, said he was off his medication and 'hearing voices' and 'demons' that told him to kill his biracial son.

Bush was initially found incompetent to stand trial in 2019 but was later deemed competent after undergoing weeks of treatment at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center.

Bush was facing a minimum punishment of 30 years in prison but not the death penalty after pleading guilty to two counts of a hate crime resulting in death, three counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and one count of a hate crime with attempt to murder.

Investigators said the two victims had never met Bush.

Maurice Stallard, 69, was shot and killed by Gregory Bush while shopping for school supplies for his grandson

Vickie Jones, 67, was shot multiple times by Gregory Bush in the Kroger parking lot

Police and prosecutors had previously confirmed that Bush also told an armed person outside the store to not 'shoot me (and) I wont shoot you. Whites dont shoot whites.'

Police said Bush first stopped at a historically Black church nearby before heading with his handgun to the busy grocery store.

Bush walked into the store, pulled a gun from his waist and shot Stallard in the back of the head, then kept shooting him multiple times.

Stallard had stopped off at the store to buy supplies for his grandson's science project.

The report said Bush reholstered his gun, walked outside and killed Jones in the parking lot.

Each victim died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Jones' sister, Samuella Gathright, spoke directly to Bush on Thursday and told him, 'I don't hate you,' she said, 'because hate will not bring my sister back.'

'Their lives mattered,' Maurice Stallard's daughter Kellie Stallard-Watson said to Bush in the courtroom reported WLKY.

'Their legacies can't be the way that they died. They were much more than that and so it was very important to communicate to the court today that they have family that care, that still love them and that they are more than what happened to them.'

Stallard Watson called on state legislators to pass hate-crime legislation similar to the federal laws.

'There really needs to be an appropriate standard, an appropriate level of justice to deter that level of fear, that level of intimidation, that level of hate they try to communicate to others,' she said.

Police said Bush first stopped at the historically black Jeffersontown Baptist Church nearby, but the door was locked and he left

Bush's attorney argued that on the day of the shooting, he was suffering from schizophrenia and was not medicated. Bush was initially found incompetent to stand trial but was later deemed competent after undergoing treatment

After Bush was sentenced to the state charges last year, relatives of the victims delivered emotional impact victim statements, speaking of their anger and loss, and demanding answers, according to WDRB.

'I just don't understand why you selected anyone ... It cant be just for the color of their skin,' said Charlotte Stallard, Maurice's wife. 'To me it has to be more than that. You cant hate someone that much for the color of their skin. You have ruined my life. Id like to just have an idea why?'

The man's daughter, Kellie Watson, described her father as a loving person who was there for everyone.

'I hope that while you are sitting in jail, you are able to reconcile your own life and think about what you did,' she said in court. 'And I'm grateful you will never be able to hurt anyone else.'

Sanuella Gathright, Jones's sister, broke down in tears as she addressed Bush directly: 'I pray for you, because I don't know how you look yourself in the mirror, how you live with yourself.'
Pupils have been using fruit juice to get false positive Covid-19 test results as schools warn parents to be 'vigilant'.

When droplets of orange juice or fizzy drinks like coca-cola are placed on a lateral flow test it can produce a positive result because the acidity of the drink destroys the antibody proteins in the test.

And although it does not work every time, viral videos on Tik Tok and Instagram have been encouraging children across the UK to try the trick to get out of going to school.

One video seen by MailOnline was captioned 'fed up of going to school? Want to get a positive covid test? Use orange juice'.

Gateacre School in Belle Vale, Liverpool, sent an email to parents yesterday warning them to watch over their children as they take lateral flow Covid tests.

Viral videos on Tik Tok and Instagram have been encouraging children across the UK to try the trick to get out of going to school

The school warned parents children around the country had discovered a trick for producing a false positive reading.

When droplets of fruit juice or coca-cola are dropped onto the test the acid destroys the antibody proteins inside it

When droplets of fruit juice or coca-cola are used on the test the high acid level destroys the antibody proteins inside it.

The email read: 'Nationally, some school students have discovered that placing droplets of orange juice or other fruit juice on an LFD test gets a false 'positive' result.

'In light of this, can you be extra vigilant when your child is doing their LFD tests. Also, remind them that a positive LFD test must be followed by a confirmatory PCR test.'

Headteacher Gareth Jones insisted the message was sent after they were made aware of students in 'other schools in the country' obtaining void or positive results by pouring orange juice onto Covid tests.

He said: 'This practice has been shared on social media channels including TikTok.

When droplets of orange juice or fizzy drinks like coca-cola are placed on a lateral flow test it produces a positive result. Pictured, a positive test

One video seen by MailOnline was captioned 'fed up of going to school? Want to get a positive covid test? Use orange juice'

'We have no evidence of this taking place in our community. However, we thought we would share this with our parents so that they were aware of the practice and to supervise the home testing of their child, wherever possible, when using LFD tests.

'We also advocate that any positive result obtained from an LFD test is confirmed by obtaining a PCR test using one of the many testing facilities across the city.'

A Government spokesman said it is 'imperative' lateral flow tests are used in the correct way.

They added: 'Around one in three people with Covid-19 experience no symptoms and rapid testing with lateral flow tests helps us track down positive cases that would otherwise go under the radar.'
When you think of the name Wolfgang Puck, images of Hollywood glamor and fine dining immediately spring to mind.

But in a new documentary, the acclaimed celebrity chef tells a different tale, opening up about his relationship with his abusive stepfather and the time he contemplated suicide as a teenager.

In the Disney + documentary Wolfgang, Puck recounts growing up in Austria with an abusive stepfather who constantly belittled him.

'My mother was a chef in Austria, and my stepfather was very, very nasty,' the 71-year-old told Yahoo Life in a preview for the film. 'He abused us mentally and physically, me and my sister, and I couldn't wait to leave.'

In an attempt to escape the abuse, Puck's mother secured him an apprenticeship at a hotel 50 miles away. Three weeks into the gig he was fired for not peeling enough potatoes.

'I walked on the bridge that was over the river and I thought, "I'm going to jump in and kill myself," Puck said.

He was just 14 years old.

Acclaimed celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck opened up about his relationship with his abusive stepfather and the time he contemplated suicide as a teenager in a new documentary

Puck was seven years old when his mother Maria (right), a pastry chef, married his stepfather Josef Puck (left), a boxer and coal miner, in 1956

'I always tell people my first 15 or 17 years were the most difficult in my life,' Puck told Page Six in another preview for the documentary. 'And then it started to get better.'

Puck said he stood on the bridge for an hour, contemplating his life before deciding not to go through with it. Instead, he returned to the kitchen the next day and begged for his job back.

'The apprentice who was there before me, he saw me coming and he was so excited,' Puck said. 'He says, "Oh, you're back. Thank God, so I don't think I have to peel potatoes and onions again."'

Puck said he decided to include his mental health struggles into the documentary in order to shed a positive outlook on overcoming adversity.

'I wanted younger people to know what adversity is  [that] you can overcome it and actually look at the positive and say the glass is half-full instead of half-empty,' he said.

Puck was seven years old when his mother Maria, a pastry chef, married his stepfather Josef Puck, a boxer and coal miner, in 1956.

The family moved to a small town and Josef adopted Puck, who inherited his last name in the process.

Puck previously described how his stepfather terrorized his family with his mood swings and temper in a 2019 Wall Street Journal article.

'If I did something wrong, he hit me with his belt or a thin stick,' Puck said. 'One day, I cracked the stick so it would break when it struck me. My mother saw the stick break into pieces and screamed at him to leave me alone.'

Puck is pictured in an undated childhood photo. He told Page Six: 'My first 15 or 17 years were the most difficult in my life'

Pictured: Puck at his restaurant Spago in 2014 (left) and at Ma Maison in the 1980s (right)

After working his way through fine dining restaurants in Paris, Puck eventually moved to the United States when he was 24, becoming the chef at West Hollywood's Ma Maison before opening Spago in 1982.

After working his way through fine dining restaurants in Paris, Puck (pictured) eventually found himself in the United States, becoming the chef at West Hollywood's Ma Maison before opening Spago in 1982

'When I opened Spago, I called Billy Wilder up and I said, "Billy, I have my new restaurant open. You have to come. He said, "OK, Ill come. Put me down on Friday night for eight or 10 people," Puck recalled.

When Wilder showed up, Puck said he brought Hollywood legends Gregory Peck, Sidney Poitier and Joan Collins along with him.

'All of a sudden, they were sitting in the middle of the restaurant, and everybody said, "Oh my God, Spago is THE restaurant. All the big stars are coming to Spago,"' Puck said.

When talent agent Swifty Lazar began hosting his Oscar parties there in 1985, Puck truly cemented a name for himself within the culinary industry.

Puck also opened up about balancing his work and home life, delving into his relationship with his children.

'To enjoy being with your family, it's really a thing I had to learn because I didn't grow up like that,' he said. 'I was happy when my stepfather left our house, not when he came home. And Gelila, my new wife, really helped me understand how important family is and how we have to raise the kids.'

Puck said he works to be an example for his children, spending more time with them now than he did before.

Puck's eldest son Byron (left) has followed his father into the business, serving as general manager at two of his newest restaurants, Merois and Ospero

Puck (left) opened up about balancing his work and home life, delving into his relationship with his children and his wife, Gelila (right)

His eldest son, Byron, 27, has even followed his father into the business, serving as general manager at two of Wolfgang's newest restaurants, Merois and Ospero.

'Its very exciting to see your son doing work and being good at it,' Puck said. 'I get so many great comments about how he runs the restaurant, so it's really a very good feeling.'

Wolfgang is now streaming on Disney+ today and is directed by David Gelb, the creator of Netflix's Chefs Table.
A Canadian priest has come under fire for saying there was 'good done' in government-funded residential schools where hundreds of indigenous children died in the care of the Catholic Church.

Monsignor Owen Keenan of Merciful Redeemer Parish in Mississauga, near Toronto, launched his defense of the institutions last week after the bodies of 215 children were discovered in unmarked graves at a school in Kamloops, British Columbia.

'I presume the same number would thank the Church for the good that was done in those schools, but of course that question was never asked,' Keenan said in videos posted online. 'And in fact, we are not allowed to even say that good was done in those schools.

'Many people had very positive experiences at residential schools. Many people received health care and education and joyous experiences. They weren't universally awful.'

There's more.



June 6, 2021



"Many people had VERY POSITIVE experiences at residential schools. Many people received health care and education and joyous experiences. They WEREN'T universally AWFUL" pic.twitter.com/deYdvuUYUt  JuStin FrEderic (@justinfrederic) June 24, 2021 Twitter Privacy Policy

He later added: 'We don't know how those children died. We don't and can't know if they would have died had they stayed at home.'

Keenan acknowledged that his comments were controversial adding: 'I await to see what comes to my inbox.'

Backlash over the comments prompted Keenan's church to sideline him from leading services in the coming days.

About a week after his remarks it was announced that the bodies of 715 more children were recovered from graves outside another Catholic-run residential school in the Cowessess First Nation on Thursday.

Monsignor Owen Keenan (pictured), a priest at Merciful Redeemer Parish in Mississauga, came under fire for saying there was 'good done' in government-funded residential schools where hundreds of indigenous children died in the care of the Catholic Church

Keenan launched his defense of the institutions last week after the bodies of 215 children were discovered in unmarked graves at a school in Kamloops, British Columbia. Pictured: Young students and their Catholic teachers in an undated photo

The Archdiocese of Toronto has since apologized for 'anyone who was offended by [Keenan's] remarks.'

'Msgr. Keenan has pledged to fully educate himself, with the appropriate support, to gain a more wholesome understanding of the full history of residential schools and their impact in our country,' read the statement.

Keenan also posted his own apology, saying, 'I apologize sincerely for any hurt I have caused and pledge to do better, especially at a time when there is a national conversation underway regarding residential schools.'

His comments came one month after 215 children were found at a residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

Msgr. Keenan has been sidelined and will not be leading any services this coming weekend and over the coming days at the Merciful Redeemer Parish (pictured)

The mayor of Mississauga Bonnie Crombie said she was disappointed to learn of the comments made by Msgr. Keenan

The Kamloops discovery was followed by an even larger one at Marieval Indian Residential School, where 715 bodies were found after the First Nation teamed up with an underground radar detection team from Saskatchewan Polytechnic just over three weeks ago.

Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said that the graves were marked at one time, but that the Roman Catholic Church that operated the school had removed the markers.

Msgr. Keenan will not be leading any services this coming weekend and over the coming days according to City News.

The mayor of Mississauga Bonnie Crombie said she was disappointed to learn of the comments made by Msgr. Keenan.

'His comments show a fundamental misunderstanding of one of the core tragedies of the residential school system in Canada, that children were forcibly removed from their parents.

Followers of the church appeared outraged in posts to Twitter

'Residential schools were instruments of cultural genocide used against Indigenous Peoples,' Crombie said.

Msgr. Keenan's comments appear even more ill-timed coming just days before an indigenous group in Canada's Saskatchewan province said it had found the unmarked graves of 751 people at a now-defunct Catholic residential school where tribal children were 'assimilated' into society.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was 'terribly saddened' by the new discovery at Marieval Indian Residential School, and told indigenous people that 'the hurt and the trauma that you feel is Canadas responsibility to bear.'

'Canada will be known as a nation who tried to exterminate the First Nations. Now we have evidence,' said Bobby Cameron, Chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, which represents 74 First Nations in Saskatchewan. 'This is just the beginning.'

The area of the Marieval Indian Residential School is seen in an undated map on the Cowessess Reserve near Grayson, Saskatchewan, Canada

 Slide me  NOW and THEN: The site of Marieval Indian Residential School, left today, and right in 1923

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 First Nations children were required to attend state-funded Christian schools as part of a program to assimilate them into Canadian society.

They were forced to convert to Christianity and not allowed to speak their native languages.

Many were beaten and verbally abused, and up to 6,000 are said to have died.

'This was a crime against humanity, an assault on First Nations,' said Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations in Saskatchewan. He said he expects more graves will be found on residential school grounds across Canada.

'We will not stop until we find all the bodies,' he said.

Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) report in 2015 said: 'Many students who went to residential school never returned. They were lost to their families.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was 'terribly saddened' by the new discovery at Marieval Indian Residential School, and told indigenous people that 'the hurt and the trauma that you feel is Canadas responsibility to bear.. Justin Trudeau visits the makeshift memorial erected in honor of the 215 indigenous children remains found at a boarding school in British Columbia, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 1

Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said that the graves were marked at one time, but that the Roman Catholic Church that operated the school had removed the markers. Marieval Residential School in Saskatchewan in an undated photo

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 First Nations children were required to attend state-funded Christian schools as part of a program to assimilate them into Canadian society. Indigenous boys of the Indian School of Marieval in 1934

'They died at rates that were far higher than those experienced by the general school-aged population. 

'Their parents were often uninformed of their sickness and death. They were buried away from their families in long-neglected graves.'

The Canadian government apologized in Parliament in 2008 and admitted that physical and sexual abuse in the schools was rampant.

Many students recall being beaten for speaking their native languages; they also lost touch with their parents and customs.

Indigenous leaders have cited that legacy of abuse and isolation as the root cause of epidemic rates of alcoholism and drug addiction on reservations.

Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, were found buried on the site of what was once Canada's largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

People from Mosakahiken Cree Nation hug in front of a makeshift memorial at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on June 4 to honor the 215 children whose remains have been discovered buried near the facility, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

People gather outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School on June 6 as they welcome a group of runners from the Syilx Okanagan Nation taking part in The Spirit of Syilx Unity Run, following the discovery of the remains of 215 children buried near the facility, in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

In this photo taken on June 6, a staked child's dress is seen on the side of Hwy 5, placed there to represent an ongoing genocide against First Nations people in Canada, near the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, where the remains of 215 children were discovered buried near the facility, in Kamloops

215 pairs of children's shoes are seen on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery as a memorial to the 215 children whose remains were found last month

The children whose remains were found last month were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia (pictured) that closed in 1978

The Kamloops school was established in 1890 and operated until 1969, its roll peaking at 500 during the 1950s when it was the largest in the country. Children were banned from speaking their own language or practicing any of their customs. This undated archival photo shows a group of young girls at the school

Those youngsters were students at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia that closed in 1978, according to the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Nation, which said the remains were found with the help of a ground penetrating radar specialist.

None of them have been identified, and it remains unclear how they died. Survivors fear more bodies will be found at the same site - as well as at the 80 other former residential school sites across Canada.

The Kamloops discovery reopened old wounds in Canada about the lack of information and accountability around the residential school system, which forcibly separated indigenous children from their families and subjected them to malnutrition and physical and sexual abuse.

'The Pope needs to apologize for what happened,' Delorme said. 'An apology is one stage in the way of a healing journey.'

Pope Francis said in early June that he was pained by the Kamloops revelation and called for respect for the rights and cultures of native peoples. But he stopped short of the direct apology some Canadians had demanded.

'It's a harsh reality and it's our truth, it's our history,' Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Chief Rosanne Casimir told a media conference Friday.

'And it's something that we've always had to fight to prove. To me, it's always been a horrible, horrible history.'
Fox News host Tucker Carlson has leveled harsh criticism at General Mark Milley, calling the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 'stupid' and 'a pig' after he staunchly defended teaching critical race theory to military officers.

In his opening monologue on Thursday night, Carlson responded to Milley's testimony in Congress this week, where Republican lawmakers grilled him over claims the US military is becoming too 'woke'.

'He got the job because he is obsequious,' Carlson said of Milley. 'He knows who to suck up to and he's more than happy to do it. Feed him a script and he will read it.'

Milley said in his testimony: 'I do think it's important for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read. I want to understand "white rage" and I am white. I want to understand it. What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America?'

Carlson raged in response: 'Hard to believe that man wears a uniform. He's that unimpressive. What is white rage? It's one of those diseases that only affects people with certain melanin levels.'

'It is a race-specific illness. That is what Mark Milley learned from reading about it, that's why he's making the soldiers read about it too. They need to know!' Carlson added.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has leveled harsh criticism at General Mark Milley, calling the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 'stupid' and 'a pig' over his defense of CRT

'I do think it's important for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read,' Milley said in his testimony. 'I want to understand "white rage" and I am white'

The conservative pundit went on to play an additional clip of Milley's testimony, in which he said: 'I've read Karl Marx, I've read Lenin, that doesn't make me me a communist. What is wrong with having some situational understanding of the country which we are here to defend? It's offensive that we are accusing our military, our general officers, our noncommissioned officers who are coming up, of being "Woke."'

'He's not just a pig, he's stupid,' said Carlson, laughing. 'He reads communists to understand communism, but it's interesting he doesn't read white supremacists to understand white supremacy. Why not go to the source?'

'Because Mark Milley would be fired instantly if he read those books. And getting fired is the one thing he doesn't want. So he reads about white rage as if it's totally real. It's a medical condition. And by the way, since it's a medical condition, at what age can you catch white rage?' added Carlson.

'Thanks Mark Milley, we appreciate your contribution to our generation's scientific racism. By the way, have you read anything recently about winning wars? Apparently not,' he continued.

Carlson's remarks drew strong backlash from Democrats and liberal pundits, with CNN host Brianna Keilar firing back: 'he pretends white rage doesnt exist. He is white rage!'

'Dear @TuckerCarlson: Why do you hate America so much?' tweeted Rep. Ted Lieu, the Democrat from California and Air Force veteran.

'General Mark Milley lead [sic] soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, including combat duties. Hes served in the 82nd Airborne & 5th Special Forces Group,' Lieu added, before mocking Carlson for his failed attempt to join the CIA after graduating college.

'Tucker Carlson, who never had the courage to serve in the military, calls Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Milley a pig and stupid,' tweeted Travis Akers, a Naval intelligence officer and progressive pundit.

'I believe an overwhelming majority of my brothers and sisters in arms would agree if I said @TuckerCarlson was a cowardly piece of s**t,' he added.

Others speculated that Carlson's line of attack was an attempt to deflect from reports that emerged on Thursday that Milley flatly rejected an order from former President Donald Trump to use the military against riots last summer.

'Best way to understand Tucker Carlson's abuse of General Mark Milley tonight is as confirmation of the accuracy of the stories Gen Milley told about rebuffing ex President Trump's order for a massacre in Portland, Oregon,' tweeted David Frum, a neoconservative pundit and former George W. Bush speechwriter.

On the right, other conservatives joined Carlson in criticizing Milley's testimony.

'Hard to believe that man wears a uniform. He's that unimpressive. What is white rage? It's one of those diseases that only affects people with certain melanin levels,' said Carlson

'Gen. Milley is a pathetic virtue signaler who bent a knee to identity politicking Marxists,' tweeted right-wing pundit John Cardillo. 'He should be ashamed of himself for CRT and drag shows on bases. Tucker was spot on calling him a coward.'

'I had such bad embarrassment for Mark Milley who obviously had no idea what he was talking about,' tweeted Rebeccah Heinrichs, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank.

'Truly painful. But it is endlessly stupid watching smart ppl praise him. He defended garbage lit[erature] and panels being fed to our mil[itary] schools at a time when we REALLY cant afford it,' added Heinrichs.

'In a sensible world Mark Milley would be fired for his racist remarks yesterday in front of congress where he asserted a rage condition exists that only affects white people,' tweeted Robby Starbuck, the music video director and outspoken conservative.

'That sort of discriminatory detachment from reality makes him unfit to hold power over the US military,' he added.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Mark Milley hit back against growing criticism over teaching critical race theory in the military on Wednesday

In Milley's testimony on Wednesday, he did not endorse critical race theory outright, but strongly condemned those who say it shouldn't be taught.

Critical race theory is a philosophy that posits that America and its system of laws and government are inherently white supremacist.

Critics say that it is divisive and discriminatory, dividing people into categories of 'privileged' and 'oppressed' based on their skin tone.

'What is wrong with understanding - having some situational understanding - about the country for which we are here to defend?' Milley asked before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

'And I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our commissioned and noncommissioned officers, of being, "woke" or something else, because we're studying some theories that are out there.'
Iceland will be the first country in Europe to lift all its Covid-19 restrictions as it is set to scrap face masks and social distancing, the country's health minister said today.

The North Atlantic country will lift all its domestic restrictions on Saturday in accordance with recommendations made by Chief Epidemiologist orolfur Gunason.

Iceland's current Covid restrictions, which include a 300-person gathering limit, mandatory mask use for selected activities and a one-metre distancing rule, will all be lifted from midnight.

'We are restoring the society we are used to living in and which we have longed for,' Minister of Health Svandis Svavarsdottir said on Friday morning.

All COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted in Iceland on Saturday, the country's health minister said. Pictured: Tourists with masks walk down Bankastraeti street in Reykjavik, on April 3, 2020

Iceland will likely be the first country in Europe to lift all of its coronavirus restrictions, Svavarsdottir said, according to news website Kjarninn.

The Nordic island nation has generally combated the Covid pandemic well with a rigorous testing and tracing system, but it has instituted lockdown measures several times in the last year to curb infection spikes.

Rules at the Icelandic borders on quarantine and isolation will still apply, while 'personal infection prevention measures', including disinfectant readily available near entrances, are 'encouraged'.

Information on the prevention measures on Iceland's Covid website read: 'Surfaces commonly touched by many people, such as door handles and handrails, should be properly cleaned and disinfected regularly.

'Offer access to disinfectant at entrances and near surfaces touched by large numbers of people, such as touch keypads, shopping trolleys and cash registers.'

Yesterday, Chief Epidemiologist orolfur Gunason expressed his hope that Iceland will never again have to impose strict Covid measures, according to Iceland Review.

Iceland's Covid restrictions, which include use of face masks and a one-metre distancing rule, will all be lifted from midnight. Pictured: Smaralind shopping center in Reykjavik in February

Just more than 15 months since the first restrictions were imposed in Iceland, he said: 'I hope that we've reached the point where we no longer need to tighten measures within the borders.

'We can expect the occasional infection, which shouldn't surprise us, for the reason that there are individuals who haven't been vaccinated, even though we've managed to vaccinate the lion's share of the country and most of those whom we intend to inoculate.

'Vaccines aren't 100% effective, but even though they won't stave off infections in everyone, they are extremely effective in preventing serious illness.'

From July 1, travellers with valid Covid vaccination certificates will no longer have to undergo testing at Iceland's borders, according to Iceland Review.

The same will apply to children born in 2005 or later, meaning they will no longer be required to present a negative PCR test when arriving in Iceland.

Travellers who cannot present a valid certificate of vaccination will still be required to present a negative PCR test, undergo testing and a five-day quarantine. The regulations will be reviewed, and revised if necessary, on August 15.

The government said 87 per cent of Icelanders have received their first dose of a Covid vaccine, which it claims is the highest rate recorded among comparable countries.

Iceland will likely be the first country in Europe to lift all of its Covid restrictions, Svavarsdottir said. Pictured: Genetics work on Covid-19 test samples in the laboratorium in Reykjavik

According to their website, 386,715 doses of the Covid-19 vaccine have been given in total, while 258,852 residents have received at least one dose and 177,540 individuals have been fully vaccinated.

Prioritisation of the vaccine was abolished earlier this week and Covid jabs will be given out following the same regulations as other infectious diseases, according to the country's Ministry of Health. It is offering Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen vaccines.

Iceland's testing process gave the Nordic island a unique insight into the behaviour of the virus and allowed them to generally resist a large-scale lockdown like those seen across the continent.

Early on in the pandemic in April last year, the country had the highest proportion of coronavirus cases in the world - simply due to their extensive screenings.

Iceland managed to get its first wave under control quickly using testing and contact-tracing and by May 2020, people had started to declare the country Covid-free, according to the BBC.

But by late summer, Iceland was hit by a more aggressive wave of the contagious virus after two tourists who had tested positive broke isolation rules.

Yesterday, Chief Epidemiologist orolfur Gunason expressed his hope that Iceland will never again have to impose strict Covid measures (stock image of Iceland's capital Reykjavik)

The Nordic country put strict measures in place on their borders following the outbreak, including mandatory testing at the airport and passenger quarantine on arrival.

A combination of factors are thought to have given Iceland the upper hand in battling Covid, including their remoteness, the public's respect for scientific expertise, and the volcanic island's emergency response capabilities.

Now, the country of 360,000 people has an infection rate of just 1.6 per 100,000 residents on a two-week average.

In total, only 30 people have died out of a total of 6,637 infections, according to official figures.

No new cases of Covid-19 have been detected in Iceland since June 15, according to the latest data from the Government's coronavirus website.
Holidaymakers are being asked to fork out almost 52,000 a week for an Airbnb sleeping four people in central Glasgow.

The unique let in the city's West End costs a whopping 6,300 per night for a couple and two children this August.

For a family of four to stay in the property for a week, it would cost 163 times more than a week in a hotel in the Maldives.

The host of the property, known only as John, offers guests a personal tour of the 'architectural gem', which is a part of a former church college.

A family of four wanting to stay there between August 7 - 14 will end up paying 51,618 once Airbnb service fees and a 40 cleaning charge is factored in.

The unique let in the city's West End costs a whopping 6,300 per night for a couple and two children this August

That works out at an eye-watering 1,843.50 per person per night for the address in the desirable Park Circus Lane, a stone's throw from beautiful Kelvingrove Park.

Features in the home include two bedrooms, three smart TVs, a fully stocked kitchen with all appliances as well as columns and stained glass windows.

The advert states: 'As one of Glasgow's most famous residential buildings, Trinity was designed by Charles Wilson and was constructed in 1857 as the Free Church of Scotland College.

Features in the home include two bedrooms, three smart TVs, a fully stocked kitchen with all appliances as well as columns and stained glass windows

The twin bedroom in the Glasgow home. A premium spa hotel in the Maldives costs just 316 for the same week in August

The plush Airbnb is located on on Park Circus Lane in Glasgow's West End

'Today, it still retains many original features and architectural grandeur, from impressive columns and stunning stained glass window formations, to ornate cornicing and tranquil atrium.'

Guests are promised: 'This stunning duplex is just steps away from Glasgow city centre and the ever vibrant West End, a multitude of cafes, bars, music and cultural venues.'

The owner adds: 'This is a truly unique property and I love living in it. If you appreciate great architecture, a fab location with everything on your doorstep and high quality accommodation, I'm sure you will love it too'.

John is described on Airbnb as 'identity verified' and who has been on the site since September 2016.

For a family of four to stay in the property for a week, it would cost 163 times more than a week in a hotel in the Maldives

The host of the property, known only as John, offers guests a personal tour of the 'architectural gem', which is a part of former church college (pictured)

The lofty structure of the former church college in central Glasgow, complete with statue

He vows: 'I will personally welcome you to my property, show you around and be available 24/7 to attend to any queries or issues, to make your stay as enjoyable as possible.

'I want you to return in future and I am fully committed to ensure absolutely everything is done to make you feel completely satisfied.'

But for a fraction of the cost, even allowing for air travel and quarantine, more exotic locations even than Scotland's biggest city are available.

The Beach Grand and Spa Premium in the Maldives costs just 316 for the same week in August for a family of four.

Alternatively guests can stay at Villa Machiavelli in Toscana, Italy, for 5,295 a night There luxury pad has ten bedrooms, sleeping 16

Families could stay at the prestigious Le Bristol hotel in Paris for a cheaper price

They could also choose to stay at The Baccarat Hotel and Residencies in New York for a cheaper price

Views of rooms at The Baccarat Hotel and Residencies in New York where visitors can stay for $1195 (858) a Night

A deluxe two bedroom suite at the iconic Burj Al Arab, Dubai, for the same dates costs 1,934 per night for two adults and two children - 'just' 13,538 a week.

The Savoy in London, meanwhile, is quoting 2,051 a night for a family room sleeping two adults and two children on the same dates, giving a bill for the week of 14,357.

John did not respond to several requests to comment.

Concern has been mounting this year about the rocketing cost of domestic breaks, caused by the uncertainty over foreign travel.

Center Parcs faced criticism for its summer pricing after it emerged they were charging more in some cases than a family break in the Caribbean.

And a holiday park in north Cornwall was reported to have quoted 3,700 for a family to stay for a week.
President Joe Biden met with Afghan leaders at the White House on Friday where he doubled down on the ongoing U.S. military withdrawal amid an uncertain future for that nation.

'The partnership between Afghanistan and the United States is not ending,' he assured. 'It's going to be sustained.'

'And, you know, our troops may be leaving but support for Afghanistan is not ending,' the president added.

Biden's meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, head of the country's High Council for National Reconciliation, comes as U.S.-backed peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have stalled.

'Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they want,' Biden said when the press gathered ahead of their meeting in the Oval Office.

He added that 'senseless violence has to stop.'

Ghani then said he respects Biden's decision to withdraw.

'We are determined to have unity, coherence,' he said.

President Joe Biden met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani at the White House on June 25

Ahead of the meeting at the White House, Ghani met with leaders on Capitol Hill on Friday and held talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (above)

The conversation will focus on 'our ongoing commitment to the Afghan people' and security forces, said White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday.

'The president will emphasize the need for unity, cohesion, and for the Afghan government to focus on key challenges Afghanistan faces,' she noted.

The Oval Office sit down comes as a US intelligence assessment found the Afghan government could fall within six months of the departure of remaining U.S. troops as the Taliban makes a resurgence.

The U.S. military has completed more than half its withdrawal from Afghanistan and is set to finish within weeks. Officials say between 600 and 700 U.S. troops are likely to remain to help provide security for diplomats.

Biden announced in April that all U.S. forces would be out of Afghanistan by the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

And US officials have been clear that Biden will not halt the American departure. He also is unlikely to approve any US military support to Kabul to halt the Taliban's advances beyond advice, intelligence, and aircraft maintenance.

Ghani and Abdullah spent Thursday and Friday morning discussing the situation in Afghanistan with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

The meeting also comes as Biden promised to move the 18,000 Afghans who helped the U.S. war effort and are awaiting visas to a safe location amid fears of Taliban revenge.

The president vowed on Thursday that Afghans who helped the U.S. military 'are not going to be left behind.'

More than 18,000 are stuck trying to apply for Special Immigrant Visas, with the U.S.'s involvement in Afghanistan ending in 80 days. If left in Afghanistan, those allied with the U.S. could be murdered by the Taliban.

The administration intends to carry out the evacuation later this summer, likely in August, before its September deadline to withdraw U.S. forces, a senior administration official told the Associated Press.

'They're going to come,' Biden said on Thursday. 'We've already begun the process. Those who helped us are not going to be left behind.'

Ghani delivered remarks at the start of a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (far right) at the Pentagon Thursday

Afghan Taliban fighters (above in March 2020); the Taliban is surging in Afghanistan; the Pentagon estimates the Taliban now control 81 of Afghanistan's 419 district centers

President Joe Biden will double down on the ongoing U.S. military withdrawal in his meeting with leaders of Aghanistan

Meanwhile, from Afghanistan's southern badlands of Helmand and Kandahar to the country's northern border with Tajikistan, the Taliban are on the march.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday that Washington was assessing whether the Taliban was serious about ending the conflict in Afghanistan, and that trying to take back the country by force was not consistent with peace efforts.

The peace process has stalled as Afghan security forces battle a Taliban spring offensive that threatens several provincial capitals. Ethnic militias has been mobilized to help government troops.

'We are looking very carefully at the security on the ground in Afghanistan and we're also looking very hard at whether the Taliban is, at all, serious about a peaceful resolution of the conflict,' Blinken told a joint news conference with France's foreign minister.

'But actions that would try take the country by force are, of course, totally inconsistent with finding a peaceful resolution.'

The Pentagon estimates the Taliban now control 81 of Afghanistan's 419 district centers.

In a lightning offensive which started in May as US and NATO forces withdrew, the terror group and its jihadist fighters have captured vast swathes of countryside which has brought them to the doorstep of major cities including Kandahar, Herat and Kabul.

A major offensive to capture them is expected this summer, with the Afghan government scrambling to ready its rag-tag forces while recruiting the help of tribal warlords in the hopes of holding them off.

That has raised the spectre of a vicious and bloody civil war similar to the one that engulfed the country in the 1990s, killing tens of thousands and bringing the Taliban to power in the first place.

If the group emerges victorious again, it will hand them back control of the country in what The Times says would be 'the greatest jihadist victory since the Soviets quit' - undoing two decades of western intervention along with it.

A lighting offensive by the Taliban which began in May has seen the group take control of vast swathes of rural Afghanistan and battle their way to the doorstep of major cities such as Kandahar, Herat and Kabul - with attacks on them expected soon

Militiamen gather near Kabul to pledge their allegiance to the Afghan government in preparation for a Taliban assault that is threatening to overwhelm major cities

The fight has come to Afghan forces suddenly and on all fronts, with troops complaining they are outnumbered, outgunned, under-paid and exhausted after more than 20 years of fighting in what is often called 'the long war.'

Attacks were expected in the south and east - the Taliban's traditional strongholds - but worryingly the group has also mounted daunting offensives in the north, where their control has historically been weak.

In a lighting offensive that began in May, the group has taken control of some 50 of the country's 400 districts and is contesting dozens more according to monitoring group The Long War Journal.

By some estimates, the group is now in control of half the country. A recent US intelligence report warned they could retake Kabul, the capital, within six months.

In one recent battle in the district of Imam Sahib, 100 government troops faced off against 300 Taliban fighters in a two-day battle that ended with a decisive victory for the jihadists.

Locals reported bodies left lying in the streets alongside smouldering tanks, with homes and businesses destroyed.

It is just one of a series of victories that the Taliban have won in Afghanistan's north, leaving them in control of key strategic border crossings with Tajikistan - a valuable trading route.

In some cases, the fighting has been fierce.

America and Britain fuelled the flames of war with the Taliban... Now the foreigners are running away Saifullah, 25, a government fighter

Another recent battle in Dawlat Abad district saw Sohrab Azimi - a well-known and much-respected government fighter - killed alongside 22 of his commandos after being sent into the hotly-contested area without proper backup.

But in others, government troops have given up with barely a shot fired - abandoning their posts or else surrendering after becoming surrounded with no hope of reinforcement.

On the outskirts of Herat, Afghanistan's third-largest city, Times journalist Anthony Loyd saw the Taliban advance firsthand as he headed out on patrol with government troops disguised as Taliban fighters.

They found their enemies just 16 miles south of the city, along the main highway - passing by a patrol who waved at them, mistaking them for some of their own.

On either side of the road, government outposts stood abandoned or else overrun by Taliban fighters who had raised their flag in victory.

Only one outpost still held government troops - nine men out of 90 the commander had started the battle with, the rest having been killed or run off.

He described how, for 48 hours, he had battled the Taliban with little ammunition, no armoured vehicles, no air support, and no chance of reinforcement.

'Unless we get back-up and more ammunition I'm going to abandon the post too,' he added.

Another fighter who gave his name as Mohammed Nasim, 33, described a month-long fight against the Taliban after his post was encircled - reduced to eating berries and grass while digging shrapnel out of his side with a knife before being rescued.

He said: 'For 30 days I had thought I would die. When the commandos came for us, we stacked the dead and wounded on the fuselage floor of a helicopter, then ran over them to fit inside.

'I had lost so many of my friends I felt like screaming.'

Sohrab Azimi, a well-known and respected government commando who was recently killed in fierce fighting in Afghanistan's north after he was sent into a hotly-contested area without backup

Hundreds of militiamen shout 'death to the Taliban' as they join government forces in Kabul ahead of what is expected to be a major jihadist assault

In response, a worried government this week launched what it called National Mobilization, arming local volunteers.

Observers say the move only resurrects militias that will be loyal to local commanders or powerful Kabul-allied warlords, who wrecked the Afghan capital during the inter-factional fighting of the 1990s and killed thousands of civilians.

'The fact that the government has put out the call for the militias is a clear admission of the failure of the security forces ... most certainly an act of desperation,' said Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

Roggio tracks militant groups and is editor of the foundation's Long War Journal.

'The Afghan military and police have abandoned numerous outposts, bases, and district centers, and it is difficult to imagine that these hastily organized militias can perform better than organized security forces,' he said.

On Wednesday at Koh Daman on Kabul's northern edge, dozens of armed villagers in one of the first National Mobilization militias gathered at a rally.

I have lost so many of my friends I feel like screaming Mohammed Nasim, 33

'Death to criminals!' and 'Death to Taliban!' they shouted, waving automatic rifles. Some had rocket propelled grenade launchers resting casually on their shoulders.

A handful of uniformed Afghan National Police officers watched. 'We need them, we have no leadership, we have no help,' said Moman, one of the policemen.

He criticized the Defense and Interior Ministries, saying they were stuffed with overpaid officials while the front-line troops receive little pay.

'I'm the one standing here for 24 hours like this with all this equipment to defend my country,' he said, indicating his weapons and vest jammed with ammunition.

'But in the ministries, officials earn thousands' of dollars. He spoke on condition he be identified only by his first name for fear of reprisals.

The other police standing nearby joined in with the criticism, others nodding in agreement. New recruits in the security forces get 12,000 Afghanis a month, about $152, with higher ranks getting the equivalent of about $380.

The U.S. and NATO have committed to paying $4 billion annually until 2024 to support the Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces.

Still, even Washington's official watchdog auditing spending says Afghan troops are disillusioned and demoralized with corruption rife throughout the government.

As the districts fell, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani swept through his Defense and Interior Ministries, appointing new senior leadership, including reinstating Bismillah Khan as defense minister.

Khan was previously removed for corruption, and his militias have been criticized for summary killings. They were also deeply involved in the brutal civil war that led to the Taliban's takeover in 1996.

A man injured by a roadside bomb that blew up a passenger bus travelling from Kabul to Kandahar as Taliban fighters recapture territory near both cities

Afghan and international observers fear a similar conflict could erupt once more. During the 1990's war, multiple warlords battled for power, nearly destroying Kabul and killing at least 50,000 people - mostly civilians - in the process.

Those warlords returned to power after the Taliban's fall and have gained wealth and strength since.

They are jealous of their domains, deeply distrustful of each other, and their loyalties to Ghani are fluid.

Ethnic Uzbek warlord Rashid Dostum Uzbek, for example, violently ousted the president's choice for governor of his Uzbek-controlled province of Faryab earlier this year.

A former adviser to the Afghan government, Torek Farhadi, called the national mobilization 'a recipe for future generalized violence.'

He noted the government has promised to pay the militias, even as official security forces complain salaries are often delayed for months.

He predicted the same corruption would eat away at the funds meant for militias, and as a result 'local commanders and warlords will quickly turn against him (Ghani) and we will have fiefdoms and chaos.'

That has left the Taliban expectant of victory, so much so that the group has started making diplomatic overtures to regional powers in the hope of cooperation if - they believe when - they seize power.

Earlier this week, a senior official even confirmed the group were in talks with India - a country that has long been opposed to the Taliban because of its close links with hated rival Pakistan.

'The meeting was held on India's request,' a Taliban official said. 'The Indians have concerns . . . and requested that the Taliban should not support [militant] elements who are anti-India.

'We have our independent policy towards all countries. We respect our friends  but that doesn't mean we will not talk to the countries that have problematic relationships with our friends.'

Ashraf Ghani, Afghanistan's president, meets with Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell at the US Capitol building
An exasperated trauma nurse in the border city being visited by Kamala Harris has revealed her hospital unit is now dangerously packed with migrants injured after leaping from the top of the US-Mexico wall.

Miriam Torres  who works at El Paso's University Medical Center - told DailyMail.com that half her 30 beds are regularly taken by the illegals, who are suffering broken legs, smashed spines and shattered hips.

And she said the medical facility is so desperate for space that it is now issuing contracts to care homes to take in the injured migrants during the latter part of their treatment because it is so overwhelmed.

Torres, 39, said: 'Doctors come in now and just label the patients' charts BWF, standing for border wall fall. It's that routine these days. But it is putting a great strain on the unit.

'These people can often stay with us for up to six weeks, requiring at least two surgeries and an incredible amount of medication.'

She added: 'When Joe Biden took office, almost immediately we started to see the numbers increasing. It has been overwhelming at times.

'Frequently we have at least 15 of them holding beds. I can discharge two one day and the next have to admit three more. It's constantly revolving.

'Some of them come in without getting caught and we have to render care.'

Miriam Torres  who works at El Paso's University Medical Center - told DailyMail.com that half her 30 beds are regularly taken by the illegals, who are suffering broken legs, smashed spines and shattered hips

Vice President Kamala Harris landed in El Paso to visit a border patrol facility on Friday following months of backlash

Women as well as men are brought in with shattered bodies after falling up to 34ft on the rock-hard ground in their bid to get into the United States. Their ages range from 17 to the mid-50s.

Just three months ago, horrifying video revealed girls aged three and five were dropped from the top of the border wall by people smugglers west of El Paso. Fortunately they were not badly hurt and were picked up by Border Patrol agents.

However many illegals suffer leg breaks and need initial surgery followed by the fitting of a metal exterior frame which screws into their affected bones to give them support. These must be removed after around six weeks.

Border Patrol used to keep the illegals in custody throughout the process of their treatment. But Torres told DailyMail.com that the agency now gives them release papers and a court date much earlier if they are eligible  effectively making them the hospital's responsibility.

She said: 'Before this year, Border Patrol maintained full custody and the cost of the care remained with them. That has changed. Now it's here's your paperwork, you're free to go anywhere in the United States. But if they still need treatment we are still responsible for them. We inherit that.

'It has got to the stage where the hospital is so desperate we have contracted with local care homes who do room, board and medical care for any ages.

'We will reach out to a home and say we have a 30-year-old male who is not going to have surgery for another five weeks and we will pay you to take him. We are going to give you all the medications he needs and we will bring him back for the surgery and then he will be on his way.

'So all this taxpayer money is now having to be used to send this person to this home, everything paid.'

Harris is visiting the U.S. southern border as part of her role leading the Biden administration's response to a steep increase in migration. When asked why she chose now to visit, she said: 'Well, it's not my first trip. I've come to the border many times. I said back in March I was going to come to the border so this is not a new plan'

El Paso is flanked by miles of border wall completed under former President Donald Trump

People believed to be migrants are unloaded from a bus at a Border Patrol facility next to the border in El Paso, Texas ahead of the visit of Harris' visit

Torres revealed some of the costs of the treatment. She said: 'Before we discharge then from the hospital, they go with their bags filled with medication.

'There is a particular medication that every one of them has to go on to prevent blood clots in the legs and this costs. It is an injection that averages between $150 to $200 each and they are prescribed twice a day and multiply that for several weeks.'

George Norris, facilities coordinator the El Paso County Republican Party said: 'Granted, this city has border issues right now, but down in the Rio Grande Valley that is the hotspot. About ten times worse than here

Vice President and 'border czar' Harris has come under savage fire for the amount of time it has taken her to visit the scene of the escalating crisis at the frontier.

Torres revealed many colleagues at her hospital voted for the Biden/Harris ticket.

But she added: 'Many of them are our case managers and social workers. But even they are now looking at the situation here with the responsibility and cost of the wall jumpers and thinking, is it worth it?

'One case manager said to me, this is very upsetting. My mom has to pay out of pocket , she won't get this treatment. It starts messing with you after a while.'

Some of those badly injured are women pushed off the top of the wall by heartless 'coyote' people smugglers, Torres revealed.

'The women are held in houses across the border until the coyotes say it's to get them across,' she said. 'They lead them to the wall, but they are clueless as to how high it really is. And so they will make them climb, and if they don't jump from the top, they push them over.

'Several women told me that's how they ended up with us in hospital.'

Torres revealed her medical facility's growing alarm after attending a meeting of El Paso Republicans to plan for a protest against Harris during her visit to their city.

One placard they produced for the demo had a picture of the vice president on a milk carton with the words 'Missing at the Border'.

Several local GoP members agreed with some leading Republicans that the VP should have visited the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas, widely regarded as the current epicenter of the surge in illegal crossings.

Irene Armendariz-Jackson, who fought an unsuccessful battle for a Texas seat in the US Senate, said, 'I want [Harris]to see that Americans matter. That this administration's relaxed policies, their open border policies are affecting real Americans. We need to enforce the laws. A wall is not the catch all solution'

She said: 'I believe that any place a politician can come and see for their own eyes what is really happening on the border, is the right place'

George Norris, facilities coordinator the El Paso County Republican Party said: 'Granted, this city has border issues right now, but down in the Rio Grande Valley that is the hotspot. About ten times worse than here.

The tragic and sometimes farcical nature of the border crisis was revealed to DailyMail.com by jogger Albert Hernandez, 43

'Kamala Harris has chosen to come here because she doesn't want to be seen with people crossing the river in the background.

'It wouldn't look good to be saying one thing and behind her something else entirely is going on.'

El Paso is flanked by miles of border wall completed under former President Donald Trump.

Norris said: 'Before the fence that we have now, I counted the crossings within a half a mile and there were 22 different paths. And they were being used constantly. We have issues, but it's not as bad as then.'

However Irene Armendariz-Jackson, who fought an unsuccessful battle for a Texas seat in the US Senate, disagreed that Harris picked the wrong place.

She said: 'I believe that any place a politician can come and see for their own eyes what is really happening on the border, is the right place.

'You can't tell people you are concerned about something and completely ignore it.'

Armendariz-Jackson added: 'I want her to see that Americans matter. That this administration's relaxed policies, their open border policies are affecting real Americans. We need to enforce the laws. A wall is not the catch all solution.'

General view of the border wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico, near El Paso, Texas, ahead of the visit of Vice President Kamala Harris to the area

Service members are seen during Kamala Harris' visit to the El Paso Border Patrol Station in Texas on Friday

The tragic and sometimes farcical nature of the border crisis was revealed to DailyMail.com by jogger Albert Hernandez, 43.

Standing 100 yards from a long stretch of wall in Sunland Park, New Mexico  only a few miles from El Paso  he revealed he was on his regular run in 100 degree heat last week when he spotted a young man.

'The guy looked across at me and I thought, is he going to run alongside me?' he said. 'He started running, but it wasn't with me. He'd spotted Border Patrol agents and they caught up with him. I genuinely thought he could be a jogger.'

The forklift truck driver, who also has a property the other side of the wall in Mexico, said he constantly sees illegals trying to make it across while he takes his early evening exercise.

Looking at the rust-colored wall disappearing into the distance, he added: 'I've seen a lot of people try to get across right here, and I mean a lot, while I am on my running route. It's crazy, totally crazy. They don't usually come alone, they're in a pack, like four at a time.

'Border Patrol are very good though and get most of them. I feel safe.'

He has also witnessed preparations for attempted wall crossings. Hernandez said: 'You can see through the wall here. Plenty of times I've seen young guys on other side hoist up homemade ladders. Others have put up harnesses to get people on top of the wall. They never stop.'
The widow of software pioneer John McAfee has insisted that he did not commit suicide as she demands a full investigation into his death at a Spanish prison while awaiting extradition to the US.

Janice McAfee broke her silence about her husband's death when she visited the Brians 2 penitentiary north-west of Barcelona to recover his belongings.

She said she last spoke to McAfee hours before he died on Wednesday and he made no indication that he wanted to take his own life.

'His last words to me were: "I love you and I will call you in the evening,"' Janice said.

'Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal.'

The widow of John McAfee, Janice, pictured, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead

'His last words to me were 'I love you and I will call you in the evening,' Janice McAfee told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona where she recovered her late husband's belongings

'Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal,' Janice McAfee said, while demanding a 'thorough investigation' in her first public remarks since the software entrepreneur's death on Wednesday

John McAfee is pictured together with his Janice Dyson

Authorities in Spain are conducting a post-mortem examination on McAfee's body but have indicated that everything at the scene indicated that the 75-year-old killed himself.

John McAfee was arrested at Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee for allegedly evading more than four million US dollars in taxes.

Hours before he was found dead, Spain's National Court agreed to his extradition to the US but the decision was not final.

'We were prepared for that decision and had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision,' Janice, 38, told reporters.

John McAfee's wife Janice speaks briefly with journalists on leaving the Brians 2 penitentiary center in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, near Barcelona, northeast Spain, on Friday

Lawyer Javier Villalba, left and John McAfee's wife Janice leave the Brians 2 penitentiary center in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, near Barcelona

McAfee's Spanish lawyer, Javier Villalba, left, said the entrepreneur's death had come as a surprise to his wife and other relatives, since McAfee 'had not said goodbye.'

John McAfee's wife Janice enters the Brians 2 penitentiary center in Sant Esteve Sesrovires

'I blame the US authorities for this tragedy. Because of these politically motivated charges against him my husband is now dead.

'I don't believe he did this, I will get answers,' she said.

Results of McAfee's post-mortem examination could take 'days or weeks', authorities have said.

The court ruling was published on Wednesday a few hours before the news of his death.

Soon after his arrest last year, McAfee's Twitter account posted a dark hint suggesting that if he died in an alleged suicide, a conspiracy would be to blame

Final Tweet: In one of his final tweets, presumably dictated to his wife from behind bars, McAfee said 'I have nothing. Yet, I regret nothing.'

McAfee's lawyer, Javier Villalba, said the family was awaiting the results of an official autopsy, but he would request a second, independent autopsy as instructed by the McAfee family, who he said could take legal action once the investigation into the death was concluded.

Spanish authorities insist that there was no evidence of foul play, but McAfee's previous tweets that he would never take his own life 'a la Epstein' have fueled conspiracy theories.

'I am content in here. I have friends. The food is good. All is well. Know that if I hang myself, a la Epstein, it will be no fault of mine,' McAfee tweeted on October 15.

Furthetmore, just minutes after his death was reported on Wednesday, his official Instagram account posted an image of the letter 'Q' - in an apparent reference to QAnon.

Just minutes after his death was reported, his official Instagram account posted a plain image of the letter 'Q' in an apparent reference to the QAnon conspiracy theory

McAfee got a tattoo in 2019 saying 'Whackd' - after he said the US government was after him and that he would never kill himself; his comments have now sparked conspiracy theories

John McAfee tweeted a shirtless photo in 2019 from the Spanish prison

The jailhouse photos from 2019 showed McAfee smiling

McAfee spent his final months of freedom in a mysterious 'ghost hotel' where he was tracked down by web sleuths.

While McAfee claimed to be jetting around to Belarus and hoaxed an arrest in Norway for wearing a thong as a mask, he was actually staying in the Daurada Park Hotel in Cambrils, Catalonia, according to the New York Post.

McAfee appears to have been hiding out in the hotel from March 2020 until his arrest in October, and was busted by amateur sleuths who spotted Spanish products and images of the Catalonian coast in his photos on Twitter.

At the hotel, no one answered the phones and it was impossible to make a reservation, according to El Confidencial, leading the Spanish newspaper to call the Daurada Park a 'ghost hotel.'

Last spring, McAfee claimed to be in 'lockdown' in Belarus, he posted photos that eagle-eyed followers noted contained Spanish products.

McAfee's photos showed beaches and balconies in the background that the sleuths were able to trace to Cambrils, and eventually the Daurada Park.

Confronted about the inconsistencies, McAfee lashed out on Twitter, claiming he had 'visited Spain for a few days.'

But it appears he used the mystery hotel as his base of operations for months before his arrest on U.S. tax and fraud charges.

McAfee was arrested at Barcelona airport in early October when he was about to board a flight to Istanbul with a British passport.

He languished in Spanish prison until a court this week approved his extradition to the U.S. to face the charges.

McAfee was found dead in his cell on Wednesday in what authorities say appears to be a suicide by hanging.
Sydneysiders descended on bars and restaurants to enjoy their the final hours of freedom before the city's seven-day lockdown.

Pubs and restaurants throughout Bondi, Coogee, Surry Hills and the CBD were packed with residents from the eastern suburbs who appeared largely unconcerned about the highly-infectious Delta variant outbreak.

Meanwhile NSW Health has turned its attention to one of the city's tallest apartment buildings, the 40-storey Elan complex in the heart of Kings Cross, with all 500 residents being tested and forced to isolate after a confirmed case.

A wedding at Doltone House in Sylvania Waters has also been pinpointed as another potential super-spreader event with many of the 200 guests present at the celebration in southern Sydney receiving texts from the government about contact with a positive case.

The last-ditch celebrations came as NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed the stay-at-home orders on Friday morning after the state recorded 11 new local Covid-19 cases with a further 17 to be included in today's numbers.

A further 15 exposure sites were added overnight to add to the 22 confirmed on Friday afternoon - including two bars in Manly, a chemist in Maroubra and a restaurant in Bankstown.

Sydneysiders have descended on bars and restaurants as the final hours of freedom before the latest lockdown ticked away

One man was seen stumbling out of a popular pub on the beach in Bondi before falling to the ground as friends helped him up

Establishments throughout Bondi, Coogee, Surry Hills and the CBD were packed with residents from the eastern suburbs ahead of the 11:59pm final call

People flooded to their favourite haunts - including the Kings Cross Hotel, Bondi Public Bar and Coogee Bay Hotel

From 11.59pm Friday, about 1 million people in the Woollahra, Randwick, Waverley and City of Sydney local government areas are only allowed to leave home for work, education, essential shopping, care-giving and exercise outside in groups of 10 or less.

As a result, thousands chose to celebrate their last hours of freedom in style with a night on the town.

People headed to their favourite haunts - including the Kings Cross Hotel and Coogee Bay Hotel.

Revellers in Bondi partied at venues along Campbell Parade and Beach Road, including Public Bar and Ravesis.

Crown and Oxford streets in Surry Hills were also packed with people enjoying a final drink before the impending restrictions.

Bondi saw revellers packing bars along Campbell Parade and Beach Road

Crown and Oxford Streets in Surry Hills were also packed with people enjoying a final drink before the impending restrictions

Kings Cross, once the centre of Sydney's nightlife before lockout laws saw its clubs die out, remained quiet with a few locals enjoying themselves at the popular Kings Cross Hotel

NSW Health has turned its attention to the 40-storey Elan building in the heart of Kings Cross with all 500 residents being tested and forced to isolate after a confirmed case within the complex

The Elan building in King's Cross is facing a massive quarantine order after a confirmed case was recorded inside the luxurious 40-storey apartment block.

All 500 residents are now being tested and will be forced to isolate until further notice as authorities work to contain a potential spread.

The entrance to the building, which has nearly 300 units, has been blocked with NSW Health locking down the entire area.

On Friday afternoon, urgent alerts were put out for 22 new Covid exposure sites across Sydney including several popular restaurants, shops and cafes before a further 15 were added overnight.

Popular Chinese restaurant Lotus Barangaroo, Woolworths in Randwick and David Jones in Burwood were among the venues added to the list.

Anyone who was at Lotus Barangaroo last Sunday between 12.30pm and 3pm is considered a close contact by NSW Health and must get tested and isolate immediately for 14 days regardless of the result.

The same applies to anyone who visited Lyfe Cafe in Bondi Beach at any point on Friday June 18 or Saturday June 19, as well as a Bondi mum's fitness class at Lean Bean Fitness on the Friday or Monday June 21.

Other hotspots revealed are considered casual contact sites and anyone affected must get tested and isolate until they get a negative result.

A wedding at Doltone House in Sylvania Waters has also been pinpointed as another potential supers-spreader event with many of the 200 guests present at the celebration receiving texts from the government about contact with a positive case

Among the latest drop of exposure sites were 11 busy trains in and around Sydney's CBD, with some travelling from Parramatta.

The infected trains run from Monday June 21 up until Wednesday June 23, with many trips on the T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line as well as the T2 Inner West and Leppington Line.

The series of train trips around the eastern suburbs and the city centre are also a cause for concern for NSW Health, with passengers on key journeys considered casual contacts, needing to be tested and isolate until they get a negative result.

Sewage alerts were also put out for catchment areas serving 375,000 Australians, from Auburn to Maroubra, St Marys and Lough Park, after virus fragments were detected in wastewater.

The lockdown applies to residents who live or have worked part-time or full-time in the hotspot suburbs (pictured) in the past two weeks

Urgent alerts have been put out for new Covid exposure sites across Sydney including several popular restaurants such as Lotus Bangaroo (pictured), shops and cafes, as the city prepares to enter its second lockdown

Woolworths in Randwick (left) and David Jones in Burwood (right) are among venues added to the list. Anyone here at the times stated is a casual contact and must get tested and isolate until they get a negative result

Meanwhile, students and staff at South Coogee Public School were plunged into isolation after two pupils tested positive to coronavirus.

The school sent a letter to parents on Friday to tell them that all staff and pupils needed to self-isolate under further notice.

The school will be closed from Saturday to undergo deep cleaning, with contact tracers interviewing those who have been affected.

The school said it would work closely with NSW Health to ensure safety precautions are swiftly implemented.

EXPOSURE SITES ANNOUNCED FRIDAY Anyone who attended the following venue at the time listed is a close contact and must get tested and isolate for 14 days, regardless of the result Barangaroo: Lotus Barangaroo (inside and outside) - Sunday June 20, 12.30pm - 3pm Bondi Beach: Lyfe Cafe - Friday June 18, all day, Saturday June 19, all day, Tuesday June 22, all day, Wednesday June 23, all day Bondi: Lean Bean Fitness (Baby Mumma Beans class) - Friday June 18, 10.30am - 11.15am and Monday June 21, 10.30am - 11.15am Bondi Junction: Fresh Nails - Tuesday June 15, 2:30pm to 5:00pm and Thursday June 17, all day Manly: Hugo's Manly - Saturday June 19, 5:30pm to 8:15pm Manly: The Boathouse - Sunday June 20, 8:35am to 11:40am Maroubra: Chemist Warehouse - Thursday June 24, 9:00am to 9:30am Waterloo: Moore Park View Hotel - Tuesday June 22, 3.30 - 6.30pm Kensington: Doncaster Hotel - Wednesday June 23 - 5.45pm - 8pm Lakemba - Haldon Street Medical Centre - Thursday June 24, 10:15am to 10:30am Bankstown - PappaRich Restaurant - Thursday June 24 - 1:30pm to 4pm Auburn - Reading Cinema  screening of 'Fast And Furious 9' - 6:30pm Anyone who attended the following venue at the time listed is a casual contact and must get tested until a negative result is received Bondi Beach - Chemist Warehouse - Monday 21 June, 9am  10am Casula - Oporto's - Tuesday 22 June, 12.50pm  1pm Casula - Pasta Italia Cucina - Tuesday 22 June, 1pm  1.10pm Ryde - Woolworths Top Ryde City - Tuesday 22 June, 5pm - 5.15pm Ryde - Coles Top Ryde City - Tuesday 22 June, 5pm - 5.15pm Barangaroo: Female Toilets beside Lotus Restaurant Building 8 - Sunday June 20, 1pm - 3pm Barangaroo: Rivareno Gelato - Sunday 20 June, 3:05pm to 3:45pm Double Bay: Indigo Cafe - Monday 21 June, 8.45m to 8.50am Double Bay: The Cosmopolitan - Thursday June 17, 5pm - 7pm Double Bay: Chemist Warehouse - Monday 21 June, 9.30am to 9.42am Cecil Hills: Woolworths - Monday 21 June, 12:00pm to 12:30pm Cecil Hill: BWS - Monday 21 June, 12:30pm to 12:35pm Chipping Norton: Urban Grind Cafe Shop - Monday 21 June, 12:40pm to 1:20pm Randwick: Woolworths - Monday 21 June, 2pm to 2.30pm and Thursday June 24, 10:30am to 10:45am Zetland: Coles  East Village - Monday 21 June, 6.10pm to 6.35pm and Wednesday June 23, 5:15pm to 5:30pm Zetland - Oliver Brown - Wednesday 23 June, 5.15pm  5.30pm Burwood: David Jones - Monday 21 June, 10am to 6.30pm Anyone who has been in the following venues at the times listed must monitor for symptoms and if they develop, seek testing and isolate Rouse Hill: Rouse Hill Town Centre - Monday June 21, 11am - 11.30an Randwick: Royal Randwick Shopping Centre - Monday June 21, 2pm - 3pm Advertisement

Since the latest outbreak gripping the city began last Wednesday, more than 200 exposure sites have been announced as the Bondi cluster swelled to 65.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant explained why millions of residents who work in the CBD but do not live in hotspot suburbs have been locked down.

'The rationale for including the stay-at-home order to follow the workers is because we know that many of the workers do live outside those geographical LGAs.

'We want them to follow those stay-at-home orders so we don't establish seeding in Western Sydney and southwestern Sydney,' she said.

Residents of the four LGAs are still allowed to leave the house for exercise, with groups of no more than ten people (pictured, a woman runs in an eerily quiet Circular Quay)

SYDNEY TRAIN LINES EXPOSED TO COVID T4 line from Bondi Junction to Martin Place - Monday June 21, 11.35am - 11.43am T4 line from Martin Place to Bondi Junction - Monday June 21, 1.23pm - 1.32pm T2 line from Merrylands to Townhall - Monday June 21, 7.06am - 7.44am T4 line from Town Hall to Martin Place - Monday June 21, 7.52am - 7.53am T4 line from Martin Place to Town Hall, Monday June 21, 5.26pm - 5.29pm T2 line from Town Hall to Merrylands, Monday June 21, 5.37pm - 6.18pm T2 line from Merrylands to Townhall, Tuesday June 22, 8.03am - 8.45am T4 line from Town Hall to Kings Cross, Tuesday June 22, 8.48am - 8.51am T4 line from Kings Cross to Town Hall, Tuesday June 22, 5.24pm - 5.29pm T2 line from Town Hall to Merrylands, Tuesday June 22, 5.31pm - 6.14pm T5 line from Parramatta to Merrylands, Wednesday June 23, 12.19pm - 12.23pm Advertisement

Dr Chant described the lockdown as a 'circuit-breaker'.

Ms Berejiklian expects tests of people currently in isolation will return positive results to the virus over the next few days.

'We expect household contacts to develop the virus,' Ms Berejiklian said on Friday.

'Our aim is to make sure that we get on top of any potential spread and that we also get on top of any chains of transmission'.

Ms Berejiklian warned against panic buying, saying people are free to leave their homes to go shopping whenever they like.

'If you live or work in those Local Government Areas you are not to leave your home unless you absolutely have to, we would prefer you work at home or stay at home for education,' Ms Berejiklian said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Ms Berejiklian was 'taking the right approach' by not favouring blanket lockdowns.

'I think the approach that she is taking is the right one. There are sensible restrictions that are being put in place and they are affecting people right across Sydney,' he said on Thursday.

However the premier warned on Friday that further measures may be required while emphasising her reluctance to lock down more suburbs.

'There will be things that come up in the next little while that none of us had anticipated and we will have to react and respond.

'We are not ever going to pretend that what we have in place is enough, or what we have in place is perfect,' she said.
A museum has launched legal action to secure the return of Donald Campbell's restored Bluebird, which sank to the depths of Coniston Water 54 years ago.

The wreckage of the hydroplane - the Bluebird K7 - spent decades underwater after Mr Campbell, 45, was killed when it flipped and broke in half on January 4, 1967.

It was given to the Ruskin Museum in Coniston, Cumbria, by his family, and later sent to engineer Bill Smith, who has worked to rebuild the vessel since it was located in 2000.

The museum has now asked for the boat to be returned after their relationship 'broke down', and a bitter legal dispute has emerged between the two parties.

Mr Smith, 54, whose restored Bluebird made its return to water on Loch Fad, Scotland, in 2018, has refused to return the boat in its entirety, instead saying it should be taken apart and divided.

He claims his team - the Bluebird Project - had restored around 'half a boat' while the other half was built 'from scratch' inside his workshop in North Shields.

The wreckage of the hydroplane (above in 2001) - the Bluebird K7 - spent decades underwater after Donald Campbell, 45, was killed when it flipped and broke in half on January 4, 1967

Donald Campbell with Bluebird in Coniston before the crash in which he died in January 1967

Under Mr Smith's proposal, Ruskin Museum would be given the original components - the wreckage - while his team would keep the remainder of the vessel.

'It's a tragedy, but it's their tragedy,' he said. 'We have achieved what we set out to achieve. All they can have is bits of metal.

'They can't have our memories, our experiences, the places we have been, the things we've done through the Bluebird Project.

'That's ours to keep. When you look at it on the scale of what you get from it, emotionally and experience-wise, some bits of tin-ware going down the road, it's nothing in comparison.

'The museum was given half a boat in 2006. We restored their half and we created what was missing from scratch. That part belongs to us.'

The wreckage was given to the Ruskin Museum in Coniston, Cumbria, by his family, and later sent to engineer Bill Smith, who has worked to rebuild the vessel since it was located in 2000

Mr Smith, 54, whose restored Bluebird made its return to water on Loch Fad, Scotland, in 2018, has refused to return the boat in its entirety, instead saying it should be taken apart and divided

Trustees of the Coniston Institute and Ruskin Museum say they were initially 'grateful to Mr Smith and relieved' when he offered to restore the vessel to her former glory.

They hope to see the boat displayed at their building near Coniston Water, under plans which would allow Mr Smith to take it out on the water for 90 days a year.

However, this proposal came with a caveat that would require the craftsman to seek permission from a committee before launching the vessel.

The result is a desperate legal wrangle, with the museum wanting the boat back in its entirety, while Mr Smith says it will be taken apart and divided.

This would see the original components, in essence the wreckage, returned to Ruskin Museum, while Mr Smith retains the rest of the vessel.

'The only deal we had initially was that they would display it and we would operate it and maintain it,' he said.

Under Mr Smith's proposal, Ruskin Museum would be given the original components - the wreckage - while his team would keep the remainder of the vessel

'They said that they would give us 90 days access to the boat, but only subject to the approval of the committee.

'What we wanted was 90 days unencumbered access. Taking a boat out on water is very weather dependent and decisions need to be made quickly.

'If we had been asked to build a museum piece we would not have agreed. We accepted an offer to build a fully operational boat and that's what we did.'

Mr Smith and his team took Bluebird to Loch Fad on the Isle of Bute in August 2018, where she launched for the first time since her demise half a century earlier.

Mr Campbell set a world water speed record of 276.33mph in Bluebird in at Lake Dumbleyung in Australia three years before his death. The current record is 318mph.

His daughter Gina Campbell has called for the Bluebird to be returned to the museum, where it was donated following her father's death.

Mr Campbell was killed whilst making a bid for his eighth water speed record in January 1967, attempting to raise it to over 300mph on Coniston Water.

Gina Campbell with the restored Bluebird K7 before it took to the water for the first time in more than 50 years off the Isle of Bute on the west coast of Scotland in 2018

The restored Bluebird K7, which crashed killing Donald Campbell in 1967, before it took to the water in Scotland in 2018

Pilot Ted Walsh sits in the cockpit of Donald Campbell's iconic Bluebird ahead of it being floated on the waters of Loch Fad

The museum insists the 'original aim' of the project was to rebuild the boat for permanent display in their purpose built Bluebird Wing, which cost 800,000.

A spokesperson for the museum said: 'It is with profound sadness that the Trustees of the Coniston Institute & Ruskin Museum can confirm they have started the process against Bill Smith and The Directors of The Bluebird Project to gain possession of their property namely the record breaking jet hydroplane K7 formerly owned by Donald Campbell CBE.

'This action is very much the last resort, with relationships having irretrievably broken down in late 2019, following efforts by The Museum and the Campbell Family Heritage Trust (CFHT) who gifted the boat to The Museum in 2006, to find an amicable solution to the claims made by Mr Smith regarding ownership and his intentions for the boat.

'It is not our intention to comment further on this dispute in public but rather allow matters to be addressed by the lawyers who represent each party.'

Jeff Carroll, Vice Chairman of the The Coniston Institute & Ruskin Museum, added: 'It is not my understanding that the boat will be broken up, and the wreckage returned to us.

'We are calling for Bluebird to be returned to the museum in one piece.

'Mr Smith talks about ownership but that can only be decided by a court.'
They allege staff at the resort did not help them and allowed couple to leave

The girls have described the incident as an 'unprovoked racial attack'

Rojeen and her friends Blessing Gundu and Rebecca Frisch claim they were attacked at Nikki Beach by a couple during a heated row over a sunbed

ojeen Imanzadeh, 20, had blood pouring down her face and chest after attack

A British student was left covered in blood after she was allegedly hit over the head with a champagne bottle during an argument over sunbeds at a Marbella resort.

Rojeen Imanzadeh, 20, had blood pouring down her face and chest after the attack left her with an open head wound which had to be stitched up in hospital.

Rojeen and her friends Blessing Gundu, 20, and Rebecca Frisch, 20, claim they were attacked at the popular Nikki Beach resort in Marbella by a couple during a heated row over a sunbed.

The trio have described the incident as an 'unprovoked racial attack', while they have branded the club's handling of the attack as 'f***ing disgusting' and 'racist'.

They allege the staff did not help them and allowed the couple, who were both white, to leave and even ended up calling the police on the girls.

Rojeen Imanzadeh, 20, had blood pouring down her face and chest after the attack left her with an open head wound which had to be stitched up in hospital

Rojeen was hit in the head by a champagne bottle after a row over a sunbed erupted in Marbella

The trio, who are University of Leicester students, had been lounging by the pool when a woman wearing a red bikini asked Blessing to move her hand off a sunbed, which Blessing says she did immediately according to a statement she posted on Instagram.

But ten minutes later, the woman and her partner had reportedly asked the staff at Nikki Beach to move the three friends away, 'despite us paying to be there', Blessing wrote.

As the friends asked why they had to move to an unreserved area, the man allegedly shouted 'just f*** off'.

'We didn't want to make a problem out of it. Obviously were on holiday, we don't want any issues,' Blessing, who is from Swansea, told The Sun Online.

The trio had been lounging by the pool when a woman wearing a red bikini (left) asked Blessing to move her hand off a sunbed. But a row erupted and the woman's boyfriend (right) allegedly threw a bottle at Rojeen

Blessing has claimed that the attack on she and her friends was an 'unprovoked racial attack'

'When we stood up, they started shouting at us. The girl then threw a pillow at me, so naturally, I grabbed the pillow and threw it back at her.

'Her boyfriend must have saw this and he grabbed a drink and threw it at Rojeen.

'Obviously, her first instinct was to throw one back at him and as she threw it. He grabbed an empty bottle of Moet champagne and threw it at Rojeen's head.'

She added: 'We were all looking the other way and turned around to see her covered in blood, all over her face and an open wound on her head.'

Blessing claims the couple were allowed to leave Nikki beach despite a number of witnesses seeing the 'unprovoked' attack.

The woman's boyfriend threw an empty bottle of Moet champagne and threw it at Rojeen's head (pictured), Blessing claimed

'There was a waiter standing by us the entire time this was going on, when they were shouting and swearing, and he didn't even think to call security,' Blessing said.

'I wanted them to be stopped before they left and then the manager of Nikki Beach grabbed my hand and said if I go anywhere he will call the police and that I was going to be in trouble.

'The people who just threw a bottle at my friend and cracked her head open were being allowed to leave.

'He said, "Why are you so angry? Just leave them be, I can't man handle them"  even though he had just manhandled me.

'It didn't make sense. They just left the beach club with no problems.'

Rebecca (pictured) was on holiday with her friends when they were involved in a row over sunbeds which left her friend Rojeen with a huge cut on her head

Blessing said she and Rebecca tried to complain to the Nikki Beach staff, but alleges they called the police on the two girls before kicking them out and leaving Rojeen alone.

She also claims the staff had told them not to record any thing or take pictures of Rojeen's injuries 'before they were wiped'. But they still managed to take pictures for evidence.

'When we asked the staff for the number of the police and an ambulance, they laughed in our face. They didn't want to tell us and just mocked us over the situation,' Blessing said.

'They gaslighted us the entire time. They weren't taking us seriously.

'Again if we had thrown the bottle, I know we would have been arrested

'I can say this with full confidence, that if we were a white group of girls the club would not have handled the situation like this.'

Rojeen and her friends Blessing Gundu, 20, and Rebecca Frisch, 20, claim they were attacked at the popular Nikki Beach club in Marbella (pictured: file) by a couple after a heated row over a sunbed broke out

Rojeen now has to have her wound cleaned and her dressing changed at hospital every two days.

Blessing said in a statement posted on Instagram: 'Nikki Beach Marbella allowed someone to throw a bottle at Rojeen's head and walk straight out of the pool club and called the police on us instead for complaining that nothing was done.

'Nikki Beach Marbella did nothing to help and kicked us out leaving our injured friend inside alone.

'She is in hospital having her head stitched back together while they are continuing their holiday.

'This was an unprovoked racial attack. We paid to be there, there is no reason we should've been treated the way we were today.

'Rojeen is the sweetest person in the world anyone who has met her will say the same, all she was doing is defending us while we were racially attacked, she did not deserve any of this. These people should not be able to get away with this.'

She added: '[The staff] did not call any medical help for our friend other than the doctor who works at the pool club who could only wipe the blood and dress the open wound.'

Friends and family of the three girls have called on Nikki Beach to apologise.

Nathalie Frisch, the older sister of Rebecca, posted images of Rojeen's injuries on Instagram and said the inaction of the staff 'is f***ing disgusting'.

She wrote: This happened at Nikki Beach Marbella yesterday. My younger sister Rebecca along with her friends Blessing and Rojeen were racially abused and assaulted with Rojeen ending up in hospital needing stitches.

'The two involved first verbally abused then threw pillows and drinks at them before the man threw a glass champagne bottle at them which resulted in the picture above.

'No members of staff at Nikki Beach Marbella helped them and instead called the police on the girls, letting the attackers leave inconspicuously.

'The consequent inaction of the club and their limiting of comments on their Instagram posts is f***ing disgusting.'

A spokesperson for Nikki Beach said in a statement: 'Nikki Beach ownership and staff are appalled that such an incident occurred on our property on June 23rd.

'Our deepest sympathy goes to the victims. We are a global family company with locations in 10 countries, where we interact with multiple languages, cultures and ethnicities peacefully and with respect to all individual rights. We do not condone violence or discrimination of any form.

'We commend our staff for the quick response that allowed for the prompt capture of the responsible party. The suspect was apprehended, arrested, booked and remains in jail at this time.

'What took place on June 23rd goes totally against our company values and mission statement to celebrate life with humility, gratitude and respect for all human life.'
An anonymous tip claiming missing backpacker Theo Hayez was buried in Byron Bay bushland has led investigators to a dilapidated squatter house where they found a chilling link to a dead woman named Thea.

A private investigator for the family of Hayez, a Belgian traveller who was 18 years old when he mysteriously vanished in the NSW coastal town two years ago, has probed the online tip for the past 12 months, according to The Australian.

The anonymous message was shared to the looking4theo.com website last year.

The tipster claimed to have overheard a conversation at a Byron pub in which two patrons quizzed a man about a missing Belgian backpacker.

'Quickly I realised that this conversation was in fact becoming an interrogation by two female patrons on another male patron,' they said, according to the tipster.

'All I could hear was the females ask him "where is he then? You lot are a bunch of dogs if you dont tell anyone where he is".'

An investigation by a celebrated Australian private detective has unearthed new clues in the hunt for missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez (left). Investigating the new clues led to an amazing discovery linking the case with the death of the similarly named Thea Liddle, 42 (right)

Pictured: The dilapidated squatter house where investigators probing the disappearance of Theo Hayez found links to a dead woman named Thea

A day later - at the same pub - the same man purportedly dropped a bombshell about the enduring mystery.

'They decided to hide the body in dense bushland in Byron  I hope this information is useful and no matter the circumstances hope that Theos family is given the closure they deserve,' he said, according to the tipster.

The tip led to another claim that Hayez's belongings had been dumped at a squatter house in Nimbin, a town famous for hippie culture and marijuana use about 65km from Byron.

Private investigator Ken Gamble, acting pro bono for the Hayez family, tracked down the home and discovered a mysterious link to a woman named Thea Liddle, 42.

Among the rubbish, broken floorboards and smashed glass, Mr Gamble found letters addressed to Ms Liddle, whose skeletal remains were found on Byron Bay's Tallow Beach Road last July.

According to his Google Maps data, Hayez had visited Tallow Beach shortly after he left Byron Bay nightclub Cheeky Monkeys where he was last seen on May 31, 2019.

Amongst the rubbish, broken floorboards and smashed glass, a private investigator for the Hayez family found letters addressed to Ms Liddle

Pings to his mobile phone revealed Mr Hayez may have gone on to Cape Byron lighthouse (pictured)

Ken Gamble was tipped off that some of Theo Hayez's possessions had been dumped in an abandoned cottage near the hippie town of Nimbin, close to Byron Bay (pictured here is Theo Hayes with his mother Vinciane Delforge)

Thea Liddle (left) disappeared five months later. Her skeletal remains were eventually found nearby at a secluded campsite in bushland off Tallow Beach Road last July. Google Maps data showed Theo Hayez (right) had also gone on to Cosy Corner at Tallow Beach

A few months after Hayez vanished, a cap similar to one he was wearing on the night he was last seen was found in bushland near Tallow Beach.

Ms Liddle, a former microbiologist who became homeless, went missing five months after Hayez's disappearance.

Mr Gamble's investigation found Tallow Beach was a reputed hangout for meth and heroin junkies, sparking speculation Hayez may have met his fate there.

The private detective told The Australian he had identified 20 people of interest.

'These are the kinds of people Theo could have run into if he met with foul play,' he said.

Mr Hayez, 18, was last seen on CCTV leaving a nightclub at 11pm on May 31, 2019 in the hipster New South Wales beachside hideaway town of Byron Bay (pictured) and was never seen again

A few months later a cap similar to one Mr Hayez was wearing on the night he vanished was found in bushland near Tallow Beach (shown in map above)

'Theyre people who have violent histories and mental health issues and that are homeless, or mix in those circles. They hang out at Tallow Beach and use drugs like ice and heroin.'

But police still believe Hayez most likely slipped on rocks at Cape Byron lighthouse and fell into the sea where he was swept away and drowned.

The Belgian's father, Laurent Hayez, still hopes to find out exactly what happened to his son when a coronial hearing into the disappearance begins in November.

On the second anniversary of his disappearance, he said: 'I will be glad to see my Australian family, the incredible community in Byron Bay and, above all, hope that answers will be found to our many remaining questions.'

THE TIMELINE OF THEO HAYEZ'S DISAPPEARANCE May 31st 7.45pm: Theo Hayez and an unnamed friend were caught on CCTV camera at a local bottle shop in Byron Bay. May 31st 11pm: The last confirmed sighting of Hayez. He was spotted leaving the Cheeky Monkey's bar. June 1st AM: The last confirmed WhatsApp message was sent from Theo's phone. June 1st 1:42pm: Theo's phone pinged for the last time. June 6th: Theo was reported missing to local police . June 9th: Police conducted a major land, sea and air search in the Byron Bay area with the assistance of rescue officers, the State Emergency Service, a lifesaver helicopter and lifesavers. June 10th: Locals and other backpackers joined in the search for Theo. June 10th-June 16th: SES crews, the dog squad, lifeguards, local volunteers and police are continuing to search the Byron Bay headlands, east and north of the town, as well as beaches and swamps. June 16th: Theo's mother Vinciane Delforge, told a French broadcaster in Belgium she is holding out hope her son is safe and well, but said his disappearance is entirely out of character. June 17th: Theo's father Laurent Hayez travels to Byron Bay to help search for his son Theo. He makes an emotional plea asking Australia to keep looking for his son and vows to stay in the country until he is found. He says he hopes WhatsApp will cooperate with police to decode the messages that Theo last sent - a feat, he says, which could change the course of the search. Police confess they are still 'baffled' by the case, and are keeping all lines of inquiry open. Homicide detectives join in on the search for Theo. July 3rd: NSW Police announce the full-scale search for the teenager had been called off, but investigations are ongoing. July 12th: Theo's heartbroken father flies home. July 17th: Top forensic psychologist Tim Watson-Munro says believes Theo could have been the victim of an unknown serial killer, along with two 20-year-old backpackers who went missing on the NSW north coast months prior. July 18th: Theo's parents reveal they believe he is still alive and are holding out hope he is in a commune. August: A dedicated group of Byron Bay locals have brought in cadaver dogs to search for missing Belgian tourist Theo Hayez. The dogs and their handlers scoured bushland in the Arakwal National Park including Tallow Beach. September: Theo's father Laurent Hayez arrives back in Australia to continue his search for his son. September 16th: Police call off the search for Theo and refer his case to the coroner. October 13th: Theo's family confirm a cap found in dense bushland near to where the missing backpacker's phone last 'pinged' belonged to him. Advertisement

'We will never stop looking for our boy': Broken family of missing Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez refuse to give up hope of finding him as they share an emotional post on his 20th birthday

Theo Hayez's family last September shared a touching post to mark the Belgium backpacker's 20th birthday after he vanished in Byron Bay.

Theo was 18 years old when he was last seen leaving the Cheeky Monkey's nightclub in the New South Wales tourist town at 11pm on May 31, 2019.

Despite launching a desperate search for the backpacker, Theo's family have been left without answers over his disappearance.

Theo's parents Vinciane Delforge and Laurent Hayez said the pain of reaching another milestone without their son was 'indescribable' but vowed to continue their search.

Theo Hayez's family have shared a touching post to mark the Belgium backpacker's 20th birthday (pictured, left, with his girlfriend)

'We will never stop looking for our boy and searching for answers,' they said in a statement reported by the ABC.

Theo's godfather Jean-Philippe Pector also paid tribute to the missing traveller on his birthday.

Mr Pector hosted the then-teenager at his 22-acre property in Victoria's Otways for about a month after he landed in Melbourne in November 2018.

'Today Theo you should be 20. I wish I could say Happy Birthday',' Mr Pector wrote on Facebook.

'It should be a day full of joy, as it has always been since you were born. But now, since you're not here and we don't know what happened to you, it's very difficult to celebrate this day.'

Mr Pector said it was a special day but 'not so happy'.

Pictured: Theo Hayez's family pay tribute to the backpacker on his 20th birthday

'We miss you so much,' he continued.

'Today, Theo, we won't be able to share good times with you, talk to you, hug you and make your wonderful smile shine.

'But we will nevertheless continue to celebrate you, remembering all the good, unique moments we shared together.

'You will never leave our hearts, you will always live in us.'

Mr Pector included a series of images with his birthday message, including a picture of him wearing a 'missing persons' t-shirt and 'Theo' built out of Lego.

Theo's godfather Jean-Philippe Pector (left) also paid tribute to the missing traveller on his birthday. Mr Pector hosted the then-teenager at his home in the Otways in November 2018

Mr Pector included a series of images with his birthday message, including a picture of him wearing a 'missing persons' t-shirt and 'Theo' built out of Lego (pictured)

Theo never returned to the hostel where he was staying and it was not until June 6 - a week after he was last seen - that his family in Europe raised the alarm.

His father Laurent flew out to Australia to join other family members, police and local volunteers in the search for his son.

'When I left Belgium I promised Hayez's little brother, Lucas, I would bring his brother home, please help me keep my promise to him', Laurent said on his arrival.

A grey Puma hat similar to the one Theo was wearing when he vanished was found in bushland last July.

Extensive land, air and sea searches failed to find a trace of the teenager and the NSW Police referred Theo's case to the Coroner a year ago.
Dominic Cummings warned that ministerial negligence was 'killing the most vulnerable' in care homes at the height of the pandemic last year, he revealed today, raising more questions about the conduct of Health Secretary Matt Hancock.

As Mr Hancock was facing calls to resign or be fired today over an affair with an aide, Mr Cummings, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, dropped yet more behind-the-scenes evidence from his time in No10.

Writing on the micro-publishing website Substack he released a screenshot of a WhatsApp message from May last year in which he voiced concerns about testing people moving from NHS hospitals to care homes.

He has already accused Mr Hancock of claiming that everyone was being tested before being sent to homes - when they were not - something that the Health Secretary has denied.

The failure to test everyone leaving NHS hospitals for care facilities has been blamed for the high rate of deaths there among mainly elderly and vulnerable residents.

In the shared Whatsapp message, Mr Cummings asks the PM to put the Department of Health's 'plan for using testing to suppress infections in hospitals and care homes' over the subsequent three to six months on the agenda for a meeting the next day.

He suggested 'these goddamn plans should already exist', adding: 'At the moment I think we are negligently killing the most vulnerable who we are supposed to be shielding and I am extremely worried about it.'

Unveiling the article on Twitter, Mr Cummings said it was 'further evidence on how Hancock/PM negligence killed people'.

As Mr Hancock was facing calls to resign or be fired today over an affair with an aide, Mr Cummings, a former adviser to Boris Johnson, dropped yet more behind-the-scenes evidence from his time in No10.

Writing on the micro-publishing website Substack he released a screenshot of a WhatsApp message from May last year in which he voiced concerns about testing people moving from NHS hospitals to care homes.

Mr Hancock was facing calls to resign or be fired today over an affair with an aide and close friend from university, Gina Coladangelo

He has already accused Mr Hancock of claiming that everyone was being tested before being sent to homes - when they were not - something that the Health Secretary has denied.

Mr Cummings also released messages from the PM in which he criticised NHS Test and Trace, which at the time was struggling to work.

Unveiling the article on Twitter, Mr Cummings said it was 'further evidence on how Hancock/PM negligence killed people'.

Mr Cummings used his latest newsletter to step up his sustained criticism of the way the Government has operated during the coronavirus crisis.

He said in the newsletter he wanted to highlight 'what an incredible mess testing was and why care homes were neglected' at the start of the pandemic.

'Many were screaming at me that Hancock was failing to act on care homes and spinning nonsense to the Cabinet table while thousands were dying in care homes,' he wrote.

Mr Cummings included a note he had written for the Prime Minister on April 26 last year, in which he called for a 'detailed plan' on the test and trace system and how this would involve an app.

At the time, the Government was under pressure to hit the target of carrying out 100,00 tests a day, which was being suggested as the amount needed for an effective system.

Mr Cummings said he sent the note to the Prime Minister with a message which said: 'All this should have been done weeks ago and should not need me to do it. We can't go on like this.'

He said that Mr Johnson responded: 'Thanks totally agree.

'The whole track and trace thing feels like whistling in the dark.

'Legions of imaginary clouseaus and no plan to hire them.

'Apps that don't yet work.

'And above all no idea how to get new cases down to a manageable level or how long it will take.

'By which time UK may have secured double distinction of being the European country w the most fatalities and the biggest economic hit (sic).'

Mr Cummings, who left his Downing Street post last year amid a power struggle in Number 10, said that he had repeatedly raised concerns about the Health Secretary with the Prime Minister.

He wrote: 'On 7 May I told the PM that Hancock was 'unfit for this job' and him staying in place was 'killing god knows how many'.

'The PM agreed that Hancock's failures were a catastrophe but refused to fire him.'

Appearing in front of MPs on the health and science committees last month, Mr Cummings made a series of bombshell accusations about Mr Hancock's time in charge at the Department of Health.

He accused him of being a serial liar, who misled the PM over testing in care homes, and who prioritised hitting a target of 100,000 tests per day rather than building a system that would work better in the long term.

Mr Hancock appeared in front of the MPs the followeing week and denied the claims.

Mr Cummings also released messages from the PM in which he criticised NHS Test and Trace, which at the time was struggling to work.

Tory peer Baroness Harding, who has been roundly criticised for her leadership of the scheme, has now applied to run the NHS.

But in a message from April 26 last year, Mr Johnson said it was 'like whistling in the dark ... legions of imaginary clouseaus (sic) and no plan to hire them.'

Labour's shadow health minister Justin Madders said: 'Matt Hancock's failures continue to stack up. This latest blog from Mr Cummings reveals the Prime Minister lacked confidence in Hancock's handling of the crisis, and yet astoundingly Boris Johnson kept the Health Secretary in post.

'He left care homes exposed, has admitted breaking his own Covid rules and failed to deliver Test and Trace when it was most needed. The charge sheet against Hancock continues to grow - so why hasn't the Prime Minister had the confidence to sack him?'
At least one person was shot dead and several more were injured following a botched robbery at Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian's home in Hollywood Hills.

The shooting unfolded just before 2am Friday on Blue Jay Way during a robbery attempt, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

TMZ reports the suspects were trailing behind a Rolls-Royce, which had Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian inside, along with two others.

After the vehicle parked, two suspects jumped out, which is when the shooting took place. Saghian, however, had already made it inside and reportedly was not hurt.

The suspects in the robbery were reportedly wearing ski masks to obscure their faces.

At least one person was shot dead and several more were injured following a botched robbery at a Hollywood Hills home reportedly owned by Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian

The attempted robbery happened at the home of Fashion Nova CEO Richard Saghian

Two of the victims of the attempted robbery were reportedly forced to the ground, where they had high-end jewelry items and watches lifted.

At that point, a security guard stationed in Saghian's home went outside, which is what directly led up to the shooting.

During the course of the apparent robbery, three victims were struck by gunfire. One of the victims - the security guard - returned fire, the LAPD said, which struck two of the suspects.

'It caused all three of these suspects to get in the vehicle and flee the scene,' Lee said, according to CNN.

A neighbor described the shooting to CBSLA hours after the shooting took place.

'Boom, boom, boom, it was a lot of gunshots going on,' Eric Fujier said.

Two of the victims of the attempted robbery were reportedly forced to the ground, where they had high-end jewelry items and watches lifted

A party may have been taking place at the home at the time of the robbery attempt, though that has not been confirmed. It's not clear if the robbery attempt was targeted or simply opportunistic.

The Los Angeles Times, however, reports that sources believe Saghian was targeted in the robbery.

A representative of Saghian told CBSLA that the Fashion Nova CEO wasn't hurt or robbed.

Witnesses reported hearing around 10 gunshots at the Hollywood Hills home, according to TMZ.

'He (the security guard) got out of the car, he intervened, he shot the bad guys, he got shot in the stomach, hes in critical condition,' Fujier added.

Following the shooting, the robbery suspects hopped into a car waiting nearby.

A shooting happened just before 2am on Blue Jay Way during a robbery attempt, according to the Los Angeles Police Department

None of the people in the shooting - victims or suspects - have been publicly identified

Two of the alleged suspects had gunshot wounds, while a third was uninjured. One ultimately died at the scene, while another was taken to a hospital - their condition is not known

When officers responded to the shooting reports, they came upon three victims at a home.

The security guard was listed in critical condition. The other two victims were men in their 40s and 50s, who were listed in stable condition.

A vehicle near the scene was found sprayed with bullet holes, though it's not clear if it was the suspects' vehicle.

The LAPD said they learned of a silver or light-colored Audi that was possibly involved in the shooting.

The suspects fled in a car that was stopped by police about 1.5 miles, Lee said. TMZ reports the car escaped the scene with a flat tire.

Upon locating the car in Beverly Hills, cops pulled the driver over and discovered three men inside the car, who they later claimed were part of the attempted robbery. The three suspects are all believed to be in their 20s.

'At that time, they did a traffic stop,' LAPD Det. Meghan Aguilar said of the cops.

'The three men were in the car. They requested the fire department because two of those men were suffering from gunshot wounds.'

A third man in the car was uninjured. One ultimately died at the scene, while another was taken to a hospital - their condition is not known.

CBSLA reports that the man taken to the hospital was handcuffed to his stretcher when he was placed in an ambulance. He reportedly had a wound to his leg.

Police say the third suspect who was not hurt - who was reportedly the driver of the vehicle - was taken into police custody, according to ABC 7.

Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner officials prepare to remove a body

Police officers hold a white sheet as the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner removes a body from the crime scene

People gather next to a crime scene as the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner arrives to remove a body

Police investigators work at a crime scene in Beverly Hills on Friday

Police say they suffered their wounds after the security guard shot at the three men as they left the scene of the robbery.

TMZ reports the security guard was found under a Range Rover near the shooting site with a wound in his chest. Police have confirmed that he is a retired member of law enforcement.

None of the people identified in the shooting - victims or suspects - have been publicly identified.

Detectives told the LA Times that one operating theory is that the suspects are serial robbers who have been plaguing the area for the last year.

A robbery early Friday in a wealthy Hollywood Hills neighborhood erupted in an exchange of gunfire that killed one suspect and wounded several victims and another suspect

Two unidentified women hug after running behind a departing Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner van carrying a body recovered from the crime scene

Police recovered a handgun from the Audi following the arrest, but it wasn't clear if there were other stolen items in the car.

According to NBC Los Angeles, property records show the shooting happened at a home owned by Saghian, the founder and CEO of Fashion Nova.

A representative from the company couldn't be reached for comment, according to NBC News.

He purchased the home several years ago for $17.5 million. The previous owner was the late DJ, Avicii.

When officers responded to the shooting reports, they came upon three victims

Blue Jay Way is part of The Bird Streets neighborhood in West Hollywood, known to be a home for many celebrities in Los Angeles

Violent crime, including gun violence and homicides, are on the rise in Los Angeles this year

Blue Jay Way is part of The Bird Streets neighborhood in West Hollywood, known to be a home for many celebrities in Los Angeles.

It was an inspiration for a George Harrison-penned track on The Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' album.

Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew Perry, Tobey Maguire and Jodie Foster are among the celebrities in the neighborhood, says Ernie Carswell & Associates.

Saghian's company, Fashion Nova, is known for their popularity on social media platforms such as Instagram.

The fashion brand counts Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and Kylie Jenner among its fans and collaborators.

It's not clear how much Saghian is worth, but according to Market Realist, some sites put his net worth around $50 million.

Los Angeles County Coroner checks the inside of a tent covering a body

Los Angeles Police investigators use a 3D scanner at crime scene in Beverly Hills on Friday

Violent crime, including gun violence and homicides, are on the rise in Los Angeles this year.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore told the Police Commission that there has been a 50 percent increase in shooting victims from a year ago.

At that time, 651 people had been shot this year, compared to 434 at the same time last year, with the city averaging 27 shooting victims per week.

Violent crime in the city is up 4.3 percent, though robberies are one of the major crimes that were seeing a decrease.

There have been 162 homicides in Los Angeles this year through Tuesday, according to ABC 7.
A Las Vegas father was stabbed 70 times before his body was cut up and burned in a grizzly murder allegedly carried out by his teenage daughter and her boyfriend.

The mutilated remains of Daniel Halseth, 45, were found stuffed in a sleeping bag in the garage of his home on April 9. His daughter, Sierra Halseth, 16, and her boyfriend, Aaron Guerrero, 18, were arrested in Utah four days later.

The pair have both been indicted on charges of murder, conspiracy, arson and robbery, and are being held behind bars.

On Wednesday, an autopsy report released by the Clark County Coroner shed new light on how Daniel met his violent end.

The coroner determined Daniel had been stabbed 70 times, including 42 times in the back. One of the stab wounds cut through a major artery in his neck, while both of his lungs had been punctured.

He additionally sustained wounds to his shoulders, hands, wrists and fingers. At least one wound appeared to have been made by a saw.

Daniel was 'subsequently mutilated' before being placed into a sleeping bag which was set on fire. He suffered burns to 40 percent of his body.

Prosecutors believe Sierra and Aaron carried out the gruesome murder after Daniel forbade them from seeing each other.

Sierra Halseth, 16, left, and Aaron Guerrero, 18, right, are pictured in their mugshots

Daniel Halseth, 45, was stabbed 70 times before his body was mutilated, stuffed into a sleeping bag and set on fire

Shockingly, the couple allegedly recorded a warped video where they joked about committing murder - three days after Daniel was killed.

'Welcome back to our YouTube Channel: Day 3 after murdering somebody,' Aaron can be heard saying in the recording, which was discovered after their arrest.

The video shows Sierra and Aaron lying together inside a tent outdoors as they nuzzle one another.

It has yet to be revealed when exactly the video was shot, or if it was posted to any public social media.

Aaron and Sierra recorded a warped video where they joked about committing murder - three days after they allegedly killed Daniel.

Officers discovered Daniel's body after his elderly mother phoned police saying she had not heard from him.

While searching Daniel's home, cops found a new chainsaw on the ground in the living room. In the kitchen, cops found a bloody circular saw with extra blades in packaging, as well as a handsaw and two folding knives.

Cops noted that the an 'extensive' clean-up effort had been attempted throughout the home - but they also found receipts from a Home Depot and an ATM.

According to KVVU-TV, Aaron's mother allegedly told cops her son and Sierra dated from June 2020 to December 2020 but their parents decided to keep them apart after they had previously planned on running away to Los Angeles.

The teens were arrested on April 13 after a warrant was issued for 18-year-old Aaron. They were found in Salt Lake City when police stopped them to ask for proof of paid fare on a train.

Officers discovered Daniel Halseth's body after his elderly mother phoned police saying she had not heard from him

A subsequent investigation uncovered surveillance footage of Aaron at a Home Depot buying the saws and gloves that were found in the home.

Surveillance footage from a grocery store shows Sierra buying two gallons of bleach and a gallon of orange juice, police told KVVU-TV. ATM surveillance video also shows her using her father's debit cards

Earlier this month, Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Hamner said his office is considering whether to seek the death penalty for Aaron. Sierra's age exempts her from the death penalty.

Sierra Halseth, 16, is seen with her father Daniel Halseth in pictures posted to social media
Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp slammed the Department of Justice's lawsuit against his state's new voting law on Friday, calling it 'born out of lies and misinformation.'

Kemp signed the controversial bill into law after the 2020 election saw the previously red state go for Democrat Joe Biden in the presidential race.

'This lawsuit is born out of the lies and misinformation the Biden administration has pushed against Georgia's Election Integrity Act from the start,' Kemp said. 'They are weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to carry out their far-left agenda that undermines election integrity and empowers federal government overreach in our democracy.'

And former President Donald Trump, who was furious last year after Biden won Georgia and pressured state officials to overturn the results, blasted the federal lawsuit.

'The PEOPLE of Georgia should SUE the State, and their elected officials, for running a CORRUPT AND RIGGED 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONand for trying to suppress the VOTE of the AMERICAN PEOPLE in Georgia. If we don't address these issues from the 2020 Election head on, and we allow the Radical Left Democrats to continue to politicize the DOJ and Law Enforcement, we will lose our Country. SAVE AMERICA!,' he said.

State officials also attacked Stacey Abrams, the failed gubernatorial candidate turned voting rights activist, whose work in Georgia helped Democrats win the state in the presidential contest and then two special Senate elections in January of this year.

Republican Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger slammed the Biden administration for doing 'the bidding of Stacey Abrams and spreads more lies about Georgia's election law.'

'Their lies already cost Georgia $100 million and got the President awarded with four Pinocchios. It is no surprise that they would operationalize their lies with the full force of the federal government. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court,' he said.

Other Republicans echoed Kemp and Trump's charge the Justice Department was being 'weaponized' - a charge Democrats made against Trump when he was in the White House and used the DoJ to pursue political enemies.

'Biden is now weaponizing the Justice Department to attack election integrity,' Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a statement. 'Democrats are seeking to undermine confidence in elections in the pursuit of political power. The Republican National Committee will use every tool and resource at its disposal to intervene and fight these left-wing power grabs.'

Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp slammed the Department of Justice's lawsuit against his state's new voting law, saying administration is 'weaponizing' DoJ

President Trump also blasted the suit and said 'we allow the Radical Left Democrats to continue to politicize the DOJ'

The Justice Department announced on Friday it is suing the state of Georgia over its new voting law that critics say make it harder for African Americans to vote.

'The rights of all eligible citizens to vote, are the central pillars of our democracy,' Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference announcing the suit.

'Our complaint alleges that recent changes to Georgia's election laws were enacted with the purpose of denying or abridging the right of black Georgians to vote on account of their race or color, in violation of Section two of the Voting Rights Act,' he said.

Georgia's Election Integrity Act was passed in March by the Republican-led state legislature and signed into law by Kemp. It put new limits on absentee voting and gave greater control over election administration to state lawmakers.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki shrugged off Republican criticism of the lawsuit.

'If you have such a fear of making it easier and more accessible for people to vote, then I would ask you what you're so afraid,' she said at her White House press briefing on Friday.

The lawsuit is being overseen by Kristen Clarke, the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and Vanita Gupta, the associate attorney general. Both are longtime civil rights lawyers with extensive records litigating against voting restrictions.

'After a historic election that saw record voter turnout across the state, particularly for absentee voting, which black voters are now more likely to use than white voters, our complaint challenges several provisions of [the Georgia law] on the grounds that they were adopted with the intent to deny or abridge black citizens equal access to the political process,' Clarke said.

Among its provisions, the Georgia law makes it illegal to give a bottle of water or a snack to people waiting in line to vote. That section of the statue, in particular, has come under attack from voting rights advocates.

Clarke noted the law pushes more black voters to in person voting, 'where they will be more likely than white voters to confront long lines.'

'Historically, minority voters in Georgia have been disproportionately more likely to wait in long lines to vote in person on Election Day,' she noted.

Mobile voting - which was used in Fulton County, which has the largest Black population in the state - is now illegal in Georgia under its new law. Ballot drop boxes must now be located inside early voting sites instead of other convenient locations. It also adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Justice Department is suing Georgia over its new voting law

Kristen Clarke, the head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, will oversee the federal lawsuit against Georgia's law

It is the first major voting rights case the Justice Department has filed under President Joe Biden.

Biden has been critical of Georgia's law, calling it the 'Jim Crow in the 21st Century.'

'Among the outrageous parts of this new state law, it ends voting hours early so working people can't cast their vote after their shift is over,' Biden said of the law in March. 'It adds rigid restrictions on casting absentee ballots that will effectively deny the right to vote to countless voters.'

Garland indicated more actions could come.

'This lawsuit is the first of many steps we are taking to ensure that all eligible voters can cast a vote that all lawful votes are counted. And then every voter has access to accurate information,' Garland said.

'Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act,' he noted.

The announcement comes after Senate Republicans filibustered a Democratic voting rights bill.

Psaki said the White House would continue to push for legislation on a national level.

'We are going to continue to fight for battle for work toward federal legislation. I know it does not seem easy at this time,' she said. 'We do hard things - that's what we do here.'

And it comes as Republican-led states have imposed new voting restrictions after Biden defeated President Trump last year.

As of June 21, 17 states enacted 28 new laws that restrict access to the vote this year alone, according to the Brenner Center for Justice.

'I expressed concern about the dramatic rise in state legislative actions that will make it harder for millions of citizens to cast a vote that counts,' Garland said.

Hundreds of people wait in line for early voting on Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, in Marietta, Georgia

People wait in line to vote in Decatur, Ga., as part of early voting in October 2020

Trump has falsely claimed he won the election and was the victim of fraud. There has been no evidence of massive voter fraud.

He also criticized state officials' decision to remove more than 100,000 voters from the voting rolls, a move upheld in federal court, citing their status as inactive voters.

'BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LAST ELECTION? WHY WASN'T THIS DONE PRIOR TO THE NOVEMBER 3RD PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, where they had us losing by a very small number of votes, many times less than the 101,789 figure? This means we (you!) won the Presidential Election in Georgia. But don't fret, much other information will soon be revealed about Georgiaand other States as well. It is coming out FAST and FURIOUS. The 2020 Presidential Election was rigged!,' Trump said in a statement earlier this week.

Biden won Georgia by less than 12,000 votes, a result that enraged Trump, who pressured state officials to change the result by finding evidence of fraud with absentee-by-mail ballots. No such evidence was found.

President Biden marked his first 100 days in office in the state and has met repeatedly with Stacey Abrams, the failed gubernatorial candidate turned voting rights activist, about voting rights.
Donald Trump on Friday blasted Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley as 'pathetic' for pushing back against criticism that the military is becoming 'woke'.

'General Milley  I watched his statements and it was pathetic,' Trump told Newsmax in an interview Friday morning. 'I watched the statements of some others  your head of the Navy. It was pathetic.'

'They didn't talk that way when I was around, I can tell you. They didn't talk that way or I would have gotten rid of them in two minutes. In particular Navy and Milley, just sad, pathetic statements,' the former president continued.

Milley, Navy Secretary Thomas Harker and Naval Operations Chief Admiral Michael Gilday testified this week regarding the fiscal year 2022 budget for the Department of Defense.

Trump announced he would nominate Milley to take the United States' top military office in December 2019, he was confirmed in July 2019 and sworn in September 30, 2019.

Joint Chiefs served for four years, meaning Milley will remain in his post until September 30, 2023, a few months before the end of Biden's third year as president.

Milley, during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on the budget Wednesday hit back against growing criticism over the military teaching critical race theory.

He said recruits should be 'open-minded and be widely read.'

During a Newsmax interview Friday Donald Trump called Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley 'sad' and 'pathetic' for defending criticism that the military is becoming 'woke' as he defended institutions adopting teaching critical race theory

Milley hit back against growing criticism over teaching critical race theory in the military and said recruits should be 'open-minded and be widely read' during a hearing on the Defense Department's 2022 budget

General Milley was grilled by Republican Congressmen who claim the U.S. military is becoming more 'woke' as military institutions like the U.S. Military Academy adopt the teaching of critical race theory.

Embattled Florida Representative Matt Gaetz asked Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, who is black, during the hearing Wednesday about his thoughts on the military teaching critical race theory, but Milley insisted that he also respond to the question.

Democratic Representative Chrissy Houlahan later yielded some of her time to allow Milley to respond.

He did not endorse critical race theory but strongly condemned those who say it shouldn't be taught.

'What is wrong with understanding - having some situational understanding - about the country for which we are here to defend?' Milley asked before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

'And I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our commissioned and noncommissioned officers, of being, 'woke' or something else, because we're studying some theories that are out there.'

GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz was one of the lawmakers who questioned the teaching of critical race theory in the military during an Armed Services Committee hearing Wednesday

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has leveled harsh criticism at General Milley, calling him 'stupid' and 'a pig' over his defense of critical race theory and the military's 'wokeness'

Tucker Carlson calls Mark Milley a 'stupid pig' who 'knows who to suck up to' for defending critical race theory Fox News host Tucker Carlson has leveled harsh criticism at General Mark Milley, calling the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 'stupid' and 'a pig' after he staunchly defended teaching critical race theory to military officers. In his opening monologue on Thursday night, Carlson responded to Milley's testimony in Congress this week, where Republican lawmakers grilled him over claims the US military is becoming too 'woke'. 'He got the job because he is obsequious,' Carlson said of Milley. 'He knows who to suck up to and he's more than happy to do it. Feed him a script and he will read it.' Milley said in his testimony: 'I do think it's important for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read. I want to understand "white rage" and I am white. I want to understand it. What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America?' Carlson raged in response: 'Hard to believe that man wears a uniform. He's that unimpressive. What is white rage? It's one of those diseases that only affects people with certain melanin levels.' 'It is a race-specific illness. That is what Mark Milley learned from reading about it, that's why he's making the soldiers read about it too. They need to know!' Carlson added. The conservative pundit went on to play an additional clip of Milley's testimony, in which he said: 'I've read Karl Marx, I've read Lenin, that doesn't make me me a communist. What is wrong with having some situational understanding of the country which we are here to defend? It's offensive that we are accusing our military, our general officers, our noncommissioned officers who are coming up, of being "Woke."' 'He's not just a pig, he's stupid,' said Carlson, laughing. 'He reads communists to understand communism, but it's interesting he doesn't read white supremacists to understand white supremacy. Why not go to the source?' 'Because Mark Milley would be fired instantly if he read those books. And getting fired is the one thing he doesn't want. So he reads about white rage as if it's totally real. It's a medical condition. And by the way, since it's a medical condition, at what age can you catch white rage?' added Carlson. 'Thanks Mark Milley, we appreciate your contribution to our generation's scientific racism. By the way, have you read anything recently about winning wars? Apparently not,' he continued. Carlson's remarks drew strong backlash from Democrats and liberal pundits, with CNN host Brianna Keilar firing back: 'he pretends white rage doesnt exist. He is white rage!' Advertisement

At this, Gaetz could be seen from his chair shaking his head and appearing to scoff in disapproval at Milley's defense.

'I want to understand white rage, and I'm white and I want to understand it,' Milley said.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson tore into Milley, calling the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is 'stupid' and 'a pig'.

In his opening monologue Thursday night, Carlson responded to Milley's testimony in Congress this week by saying: 'He got the job because he is obsequious. He knows who to suck up to and he's more than happy to do it. Feed him a script and he will read it.'

'Hard to believe that man wears a uniform. He's that unimpressive. What is white rage? It's one of those diseases that only affects people with certain melanin levels.,' Carlson continued in his angry rant.

'It is a race-specific illness,' he continued. 'That is what Mark Milley learned from reading about it, that's why he's making the soldiers read about it too. They need to know!'

The general stressed during the hearing Wednesday the need for greater understanding of the driving forces behind the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by Trump's supporters, which included white supremacists groups, who tried to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's election win.

'What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the Constitution of the United States of America? What caused that? I want to find that out. I want to maintain an open mind here,' Milley said.

Milley's response came after a Republican congressman, Michael Waltz  a former Army Green Beret  produced a letter from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point acknowledging teaching about critical race theory.

The theory maintains that racism is ingrained in U.S. law and institutions and that legacies of slavery and segregation have created an uneven playing field for black Americans.

Controversy surrounding the theory has mushroomed into a national debate over how - and which version of - U.S. history is taught in schools.

'This came to me from cadets, from families, from soldiers, with their alarm, with their concern, about how divisive this teaching is,' Waltz said, adding it was rooted in Marxism.

Milley tried to respond to Waltz directly but only got the opportunity later, when a Democratic lawmaker gave him a chance.

He noted that university graduates should be aware of all kinds of theories and that just because he read about Marxism didn't make him a Communist.

'I've read Mao Zedong. I've read Karl Marx. I've read Lenin. That doesn't make me a communist, he told the lawmakers.

'I do think it's important, actually, for those of us in uniform to be open-minded and be widely read,' Milley said.

Milley's comments came a week after Navy admiral faced tough grilling from Republican lawmakers on his inclusion of the controversial book How To Be An Antiracist on a recommended reading list for sailors.

Admiral Mike Gilday, the chief of Naval operations, stood his ground at Tuesday's House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, defending the book's inclusion on the list.

'What is wrong with understanding - having some situational understanding - about the country for which we are here to defend?' Milley asked before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee

The general stressed the need for greater understanding of the driving forces behind the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by former President Donald Trump's supporters, including white supremacists, who tried to stop Congress from certifying Democrat Joe Biden's election win. 'I want to understand white rage, and I'm white and I want to understand it,' Milley said

Gilday added the 2019 book by Ibram X. Kendi, which is popular with proponents of critical race theory, to the Navy's optional reading checklist in February, listing it as a 'foundational' work for sailors.

Kendi's book proposes that any system that produces different average outcomes for people of different skin colors is racist and should be destroyed, and argues that discrimination that 'creates equity' is antiracist and should be lauded.

At the hearing, which was ostensibly on the Navy's budget, questions from Rep. Doug Lamborn, a Colorado Republican, who cited passages in Kendi's book arguing that only 'present discrimination' can make up for 'past discrimination'.

'How does exposing our sailors to the idea that they are either oppressors or oppressed, and that we must actively discriminate in order to make up for past discrimination, improve our Navy's readiness and lethality?' Lamborn asked.

'You mentioned critical race theory -- I'm not a theorist, I'm the chief of Naval operations,' Gilday responded.

'There is racism in the Navy just like there's racism in our country, and the way we're going to get after it is to be honest about it, not to sweep it under the rug, and talk about it,' he said.

Admiral Mike Gilday, the chief of Naval operations, stood his ground last Tuesday's House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill when he was questioned on his inclusion of the controversial book How To Be An Antiracist on a recommended reading list for sailors

'It doesn't mean I have any expectation that everybody believe, or support, everything that Mr. Kendi states in his book. I don't support everything that Kendi says. The key thing is that sailors have to be able to think critically,' Gilday argued.

Rep. Jim Banks, an Indiana Republican, also lashed out at Gilday, contrasting his reading list choice with the Navy's recent vow to root out any 'extremism' in the ranks.

The 2019 book is popular with proponents of critical race theory

'Do you consider opposition to interracial adoption an extremist belief?' Banks asked, referring to Kendi's September 2020 tweet suggesting Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is a 'white colonizer' for adopting two Haitian children.

Gilday's mic was off, making his response unclear, but Banks pressed on.

'Do you personally consider advocating for the destruction of American capitalism to be extremist?' Banks asked, referring to Kendi's assertion that capitalism and racism are 'conjoined twins' that must be eliminated together to root out racism.

Gilday fired back: 'I'm not forcing anybody to read the book, it's on a recommended reading list.'

Pressed by Banks on whether he supported Kendi's controversial views, Gilday went on: 'I'd have to consider the context of the statement he made, I'm not going to sit here and defend cherry-picked quotes from somebody's book.'

'This is a bigger issue than Kendi's book, what this is really about is trying to to paint the United States military, and the United States Navy as weak, as woke,' Gilday said. 'We are not weak, we are strong.'

Last month, Republican Senator reignited the attack against the 'woke' military by sharing a U.S. Army recruiting video that told the story of how a 'little girl raised by two moms' grew up to become a soldier.

The Texas senator triggered online fury after questioning the role of what he called an 'emasculated military' and comparing it with a video that appeared to show a rugged, shaven-headed Russian recruit parachuting into combat.

'The job of the military is to kill the bad guys. And it is to strike fear in the enemies of America,' he told Fox News as he defended himself from accusations that he was unloading on serving U.S. troops.

'People sign up to join the military because they want to keep us safe, they don't want to sit around a circle, emoting and passing daisies back and forth.'

His comments highlight fears America's armed forces are being softened by 'woke' principles and follows similar criticism of a CIA advert.

The advertising campaign shows an animated Corporal Emma Malonelord (pictured) attending a gay rights parade in a video that sparked a row about the future of the American military. Sen. Ted Cruz said it showed how Democrats and the 'woke media' were turning soldiers into 'pansies' in comments that triggered accusations that he was trolling America's troops

The new Army ad shows Corporal Emma Malonelord's mothers getting married after one suffered serious injuries following a car accident

In contrast, the Russian video shows a bare chested recruit leaping from his bed, working out and then leaping from a plane with a parachute

The Russian soldier is shown taking up a prone firing position, staring down his rifle scope in wintry, arctic conditions

The latest controversy features an American video telling the story of Cpl. Emma Malonelord, a serving soldier who describes how she came to choose a life in the military.

The colorful, animated recruiting video describ es how she defended freedom by attending LGBTQ marches and grew up to join the U.S. Army.

It achieved notoriety when Cruz tweeted out a TikTok clip, that opened with the Russian soldier leaping out of a plane before cutting to the animated story of Malonelord.

'Holy crap,' he wrote in a tweet.

'Perhaps a woke, emasculated military is not the best idea....'

Cruz's words quickly went viral, unleashing an angry torrent of accusations that he was trolling his own country's American armed forces and had been suckered by an adversary's propaganda.

And veterans expressed fury that he could criticise the Army and target a real-life serving soldier.
A 52 year old man accused of murdering a Fathers for Justice campaigner and his young wife in their home today appeared in crown court for the first time.

Stanley Elliot is charged with killing Geoffrey Hibbert, 61, and 29-year-old wife Michelle in their semi-detached bungalow in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in the early hours of Father's Day - Sunday June 20.

The couple had a young son aged around two living with them, according to locals.

Stanley Elliot is charged with killing Geoffrey Hibbert, 61, and 29-year-old wife Michelle in their semi-detached bungalow in Basingstoke, Hampshire, in the early hours of Father's Day - Sunday June 20

Geoffrey Hibbert, 61, right, and his wife Michelle, 29, left, were found dead at their home on Sunday, June 20

Elliot, from the village of Sherborne St John near Basingstoke, Hampshire, today spoke again only to confirm his name and date of birth during the brief hearing.

He was unshaven and wore a grey tracksuit top and trousers and a hearing aid around his left ear.

Legal representatives attending the hearing at Winchester Crown Court were asked by defence solicitor Katie Quincey and barrister Lee Harris to 'shout', as Elliot is 'hard of hearing'.

Judge Susan Evans QC told Elliot she would schedule a plea and trial preparation hearing for August 27, when it is expected he will enter a plea to the two charges of murder.

Judge Evans said: 'Until then you are remanded in custody.'

A provisional trial date was set for January next year.

Police have said the victims and Elliot were known to each other.

Police arrested Elliot in the early hours of Sunday, June 20, and his flat was then searched and forensically examined by police.

A forensics team was also seen searching a garage around 20 metres from Elliot's flat on Monday afternoon, which contained his red motorcycle and another vehicle.

The couple had a young son aged around two living with them, according to locals in the area. Pictured: Forensic teams at the scene of the double murder

Mr Hibbert was a Fathers for Justice Activist, who scaled a gantry on the M25 dressed as Batman in 2008

He was eventually arrested by police on suspicion of causing danger to other road users

Those living near the Hibberts' address said they had heard 'loud bangs' in the early hours of Sunday morning.

In 2008, Mr Hibbert scaled a gantry on the M25 while dressed as Batman as part of a Fathers 4 Justice protest and unfurled a banner with pictures of his eight-year-old daughter, bringing thousands of cars to a halt.

He was eventually arrested on suspicion of causing danger to road users.

Speaking at the time he said: 'I cannot describe how not being able to see her makes me feel. If I had taken her away I would be in prison for kidnap but my ex-partner can do it and it's fine. Where is the justice?'
The builder accused of murdering a doctor and her teenage daughter has now claimed another person entered the house and took their lives rather than a ghost, a court heard.

Shahbaz Khan, 51, was arrested over the murders of Dr Saman Mir Sacharvi, 49, and her 14-year-old daughter Vian Mangrio near Burnley, Lancashire, last year.

The handyman previously told police he had seen a 620-year-old 'jinn', named Robert, and his 'ex-wife Rita' while working at the home of Dr Sacharvi.

He also wrote to various people from prison and said Rita and Dr Sacharvi had killed Vian before an 'angry' Robert then went upstairs and killed the psychiatrist, Preston Crown Court heard.

Today, Khan told prosecutor David McLachlan QC he now believes another person entered the house in Burnley and took their lives after he left the address at about 10pm on September 30 last year.

Dr Saman Mir Sacharvi, 49, and her 14-year-old daughter Vian Mangrio were found dead in their smoke and fire-damaged house near Burnley, Lancashire, on October

Investigation teams outside the property belonging to the mother and daughter following their deaths

In court Mr McLachlan asked: 'You accept now it is not the jinns?'

Khan replied: 'Now I am taking medication. I am taking eight to 10 tablets a day, so my brain feels slightly better.'

The defendant, who had previously carried out repairs at Dr Sacharvi's home, had arrived at her address near Burnley, Lancashire, shortly before 11.50am on September 30 where he was expected to continue more building work, the court was told.

But on October 1, Dr Sacharvi, a psychiatrist with the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, and her daughter were found dead in their smoke and fire-damaged house.

It is alleged that the defendant, a former computer network engineer in his native Pakistan, strangled Dr Sacharvi and then attacked her daughter when she returned from school.

He is then alleged to have set fires at the property in Reedley, including the severe burning of Vian in the lounge, an attempt to set Dr Sacharvi alight in the upstairs front bedroom, and another blaze in the kitchen.

Mr McLachlan said: 'You put something around Dr Sacharvi's neck and you pulled it as tight as you could until she stopped breathing.'

Khan said: 'That's not true.'

Mr McLachlan said: 'Did you kneel on her back and wait for her 14-year-old daughter to get in?'

'No,' replied the defendant.

Vian Mangrio was described as a 'loving, caring, intelligent and gifted child' by her father

Flowers left at the scene in Burnley following the deaths of the mother and daughter

The prosecutor went on: 'Did you use her school tie to kill her?'

Khan said: 'No.'

Khan, who also worked part-time as a customer assistant at Tesco in Burnley, said he was 'like a family friend' to the pair and that Vian was 'like a daughter'.

During his 10 hours at the address on September 30, the internet router became inactive just before 1.50pm and Dr Sacharvi and Vian's mobile phones - which are missing - were disconnected later in the afternoon.

Khan denied being responsible and said neither of them had complained to him about the problems while he was there.

The father-of-four was arrested three days after the two victims were discovered by police on the morning of October 1.

Police found jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds belonging to Dr Sacharvi in a loft at Khan's home - which he claims the doctor asked him to keep for 'security purposes' whenever she left the country.

Also recovered from his address was a purple Samsung phone which contained Google searches on the morning of September 30 for 'obsessed' and 'defined obsessed'.

Khan told the court the phone was accessible to all his family and he had not made the searches.

He said his English was 'not good' and he did not know the meaning of the word.

Last year, Vian's father Dr Shaukat Mangrio paid tribute to his daughter, explaining how his 'loving, caring, intelligent and gifted child' had a dream to attend Cambridge University.

'She had a bright future, which sadly has been cut short,' he said.

'She was a young lady with a beautiful smile; she was vibrant and lit up a room when she entered it; she had a zest for life, fashion, art and passion to pursue a career in law.

'It was her dream to gain admission to Cambridge University and I have no doubt she would have achieved this goal and much more.

'I am deeply saddened and heartbroken that she is no more amongst us and unable to pursue a life she deserved.

'I miss my Vian, whose company I adored and would never tire of; there was no joy beyond this. She was an innocent child, pure and full of hope, for whom I lived for; she was my friend, my life, my everything.'

Khan, of Burnley, denies two counts of murder and one count of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

His wife, Rabia Shahbaz, 45, also of Burnley, denies doing an act intended to pervert the course of public justice, namely giving a false alibi for Khan.

The trial continues on Monday.
Derek Chauvin has been denied his request for a new trial.

Just hours before the former Minnesota cop is to be sentenced for the killing of George Floyd, Judge Peter Cahill denied the defense's motion and will not hold a hearing into jury misconduct.

The defense had asked for probation and sought a retrial ahead of an expected appeal. Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial.

Chauvin's legal team is likely to take their arguments to the Court of Appeals, however the ex cop is still scheduled to be sentenced this afternoon.

Experts have predicted that Chauvin, 45, could face at least 25 years in jail for murdering Floyd, 46, in May 2020.

Derek Chauvin (pictured) will be sentenced today for murdering George Floyd in May 2020 and experts have predicted that Chauvin will face a minimum jail sentence of 25 years. Hours before sentencing, Judge Peter Cahill denied the defense's motion for a new trial

The former Minneapolis policeman, 45, was found guilty by a jury on April 20 of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter after a trial that was widely seen as a watershed moment in the history of US policing.

Legal experts have predicted that Chauvin will face a minimum sentence of 25 years behind bars, after prosecutors asked for double the upper limit in sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender.

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of 46-year-old Floyd - suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help

The video of Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked huge protests across the United States and around the world against racism and police violence.

'Between the incident, the video, the riots, the trial - this is the pinnacle of it,' Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who has closely followed Chauvin's case, said. 'The verdict was huge too, but this is where the justice comes down.'

Defense attorney Joe Tamburino, who is not affiliated with the case, said he expects the judge to hand down a sentence of between 25 and 30 years, according to CBS Minnesota.

'Basically, the issue's going to be how much greater than 150 months will the judge issue the sentence,' he added.

Prosecutors have asked to sentence Chauvin to 30 years in prison, asking for double the upper limit indicated in sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender.

Earlier this month, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill ruled that prosecutors have established grounds for giving Chauvin a harsher sentence.

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd (pictured) - suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died

Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked huge protests across the United States and around the world against racism and police violence. Pictured: Memorial at the site where Floyd was killed

In a sentencing memorandum, prosecutors from the Minnesota attorney general's office wrote that Chauvin's crime 'shocked the conscience of the Nation'.

In a six-page ruling last month, Cahill found that prosecutors had shown there were four aggravating factors that would allow him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

The judge agreed that Chauvin abused his position of trust and authority; that he treated Floyd with particular cruelty; that he committed the crime as part of a group with three other officers; and that he committed the murder in front of children.

The most serious charge that Chauvin was convicted of - second-degree murder - carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison on that count under the guidelines, but the aggravating factors mean Cahill can opt for a longer jail term.

Attorneys for Chauvin countered with a far different request - a sentence of time served and probation, claiming that their client was guilty of 'an error made in good faith'.

Prosecutors are expected to call on Floyd's relatives to talk about the impact of his death during the Friday afternoon hearing in a Minneapolis courtroom.

Chauvin, who chose not to testify at his trial, has a right to address the judge before he is sentenced.

Experts say it could be tricky for Chauvin to talk without implicating himself in the pending federal case accusing him of violating Floyd's civil rights.

Prosecutors have asked to sentence Chauvin (pictured on April 20) to 30 years in prison, asking for double the upper limit indicated in sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender

Earlier this month, Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill (pictured on April 15) ruled that prosecutors have established grounds for giving Chauvin a harsher sentence

The only explanation the public has heard from him came from body-camera footage in which he told a bystander at the scene: 'We got to control this guy cause he's a sizeable guy ... and it looks like he's probably on something.'

Several experts said they doubted Chauvin would take the risk and speak, but local defense attorney Mike Brandt, who is not affiliated with the case, thought he would.

He said Chauvin could say a few words without getting himself into legal trouble.

'I think it's his chance to tell the world, 'I didn't intend to kill him',' Brandt said. 'If I was him, I think I would want to try and let people know that I'm not a monster.'

But another attorney, Joe Tamburino, said: 'I think the odds are that he will, but it will be very brief.

'He will probably, if he decides to speak, he will say something like he is very sorry and he never meant to kill or harm Mr Floyd.'

Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County's former chief public defender, said the judge may take note that Chauvin did not express remorse in the sentencing memorandum submitted this month by his lawyer.

'I think what Cahill would have been looking for from Chauvin or through his defense counsel is some responsibility for his actions or some empathy for George Floyd,' she said.

Several people interviewed in Minneapolis in the days before Chauvin's sentencing said they want to see a tough sentence.

Thirty years 'doesn't seem like long enough to me,' said Andrew Harer, a retail worker who is white. 'I would be fine if he was in jail for the rest of his life.'

Several people interviewed in Minneapolis before Chauvin's sentencing said they want a tough sentence. Pictured: People gather to remember Floyd in Minneapolis a year after his death

Prosecutors may call on Floyd's relatives to talk about the impact of his death during the Friday afternoon. Pictured: Firefighters put out a blaze in Minneapolis during global protests

Joseph Allen, 31, who is black, said he thinks Chauvin should receive 'at least' 30 years, and said he'd prefer a life sentence. He cited nearly 20 complaints filed against the now-fired officer during his career.

Allen said he hopes other police officers can learn 'not to do what Derek Chauvin did'.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist, called for Chauvin to be sentenced 'to the fullest extent of the law.'

She called Floyd's death 'a modern day lynching' and predicted community outrage if Chauvin is sentenced lightly.

When asked if she would like to hear Chauvin speak, Levy Armstrong said: 'For me as a Black woman living in this community, there's really nothing that he could say that would alleviate the pain and trauma that he caused ... I think that if he spoke it would be disingenuous and could cause more trauma.'

But the Minnesota Attorney General said he hopes the judge won't go 'light or heavy' because Friday's sentencing isn't about 'revenge'.

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told 60 Minutes on Sunday that despite his feelings of 'gratitude' and 'satisfaction' at seeing Chauvin convicted, he also felt sympathy for the cop.

'I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer. So, I will admit, I felt a little bad for the defendant. I think he deserved to be convicted. But he's a human being,' Ellison told Scott Pelley.

'I'm not in any way wavering from my responsibility. But I hope we never forget that people who are defendants in our criminal justice system, that they're human beings.

He is expected to appeal his sentence after Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial

'They're people. I mean, George Floyd was a human being. And so I'm not going to ever forget that everybody in this process is a person,' the AG added.

Asked whether the judge should give the maximum sentence and send a 'message,' AG Ellison told CBS: 'I think it is important for the Court to not go light or heavy. I don't know if it's right for a judge to send a message through a sentence because the sentence should be tailored to the offense, tailored to the circumstances of the case.

'Look, the State never wanted revenge against Derek Chauvin. We just wanted accountability.'

No matter what sentence Chauvin gets, he's likely to serve only about two-thirds behind bars presuming good behavior. The rest would be on supervised release.

Chauvin has been held at the state's maximum security prison in Oak Park Heights since his conviction. It's not clear if Chauvin will remain there.

State prisons officials said that decision wouldn't be made until after Cahill's formal sentencing order.

The three other police officers involved in Floyd's arrest were, like Chauvin, fired the day after. They are due to face trial next year on charges of aiding and abetting Floyd's murder.
Pupils at a boarding school who were diagnosed with HIV were not told of their diagnoses in an organised manner, an inquiry has heard.

In the final day of evidence this week in the Infected Blood Inquiry relating to Lord Mayor Treloar College, a boarding school in Hampshire, lead counsel Jenni Richards QC outlined the evidence that has been heard and presented this week.

Several former pupils - and relatives of former pupils - have appeared at the inquiry detailing their experience of attending the specialist school for children with disabilities in the 1970s and 1980s.

From 1973, pupils with haemophilia began attending the school and were treated at an on-site NHS centre.

However, from the 1980s onwards, pupils started being diagnosed with having contracted HIV and hepatitis after receiving infected blood products which were given to them as a form of treatment for haemophilia.

Ms Richards told the inquiry today: 'In relation to how individual pupils were informed they had tested positive for HTLV-3, the evidence that the inquiry has received and heard suggests that there was not a single, uniform approach adopted.

'There are witnesses who recall being told in a group with other pupils, being told in a matter-of-fact way, being told "You have it, you don't, you have it, you don't."

'Others recall being told on their own by Dr Aronstam (a consultant haematologist at the centre), possibly with others.'

Lead counsel Jenni Richards QC outlined the evidence that has been heard and presented this week in the Infected Blood Inquiry

Out of 89 children who attended the school in the 1980s, fewer than a quarter of former pupils are still alive.

According to the survivors, a total of 72 haemophiliac pupils have died.

On Friday, Ms Richards recalled how some witnesses - who either gave evidence this week or in an earlier hearing in 2019 - told of their experiences of discovering they had tested positive for HTLV-3, the former name of HIV, or Aids.

For pupils who were not diagnosed, they highlighted scenarios such as room-mates not returning to school after a holiday break and being told not to worry as people were being looked after.

Others were told in a meeting not to worry as there were only two cases of haemophiliacs with Aids in the UK.

A total of 72 haemophiliac pupils who attended the school (pictured) in the 1970s and 1980s have since died after contracting HIV and hepatitis

Alec Macpherson (pictured during the infected blood inquiry) was the headmaster at Lord Mayor Treloar College, a boarding school in Hampshire, from 1974 to 1990

Ms Richards told the inquiry: 'We have heard evidence this week that communication appears over quite a long period of time in the sense that there are some [pupils] who may have been told in 1985, others may not have been told until 1986, which raises the question about there being delays given we know that Dr Aronstam certainly had a number of results by March of 1985.

'We've heard evidence this week which suggests that some pupils may not have been told at all. There's also evidence which paints a picture that, for the most part, parents do not appear to have been told directly by the haemophilia centre [at the school].

'There does not appear to have been any consideration given to having a person there, whether parent, house master, or someone in loco parentis, to provide emotional and pastoral support in what must have been a horrific time.'

Former pupil Nick Sainsbury (pictured) was among those chosen to take part and doctors wrote to his parents to inform them

In regards to the hepatitis diagnoses, she added there appeared to be no 'systematic approach' when informing parents their children were showing abnormal liver functions while pupils who were concerned about symptoms showing in their friends, such as going yellow, were told it 'was not something that they needed to be concerned about'.

'Evidence also suggests parents and pupils were not being told they were being tested for HTLV-3, and therefore, as not being told, were not in a positive to consent for that testing,' she said.

'Everything that you have heard and read so far paints a very clear and powerful picture of the effect that this has had on individuals' lives.'

The hearing continues this afternoon before taking a break for several weeks.

It will return in July where evidence will be heard from government witnesses.
A jealous BT executive battered his wife to death with a marble chopping board after she signed off a text to their handyman with a kiss, a court heard.

Leslie Winnister, 68, went to the pub for a pint and a packet of crisps after killing Suzanne Winnister, 66.

When he was arrested in his bloodstained clothes he told officers: 'I've just had a terrible day.'

Mr Winnister was today handed an indefinite hospital order at the Old Bailey after admitting his wife's manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. He had previously denied her murder.

His wife was found by family members with severe head and neck injuries at the couple's gated mock-Tudor 1.6m house in Becketts Close, Bexley, at around 9.15pm on September 8 last year.

Winnister was discovered among the graves in a nearby churchyard after leaving the King's Head pub in Bexley High Street.

Leslie Winnister (pictured with his wife), 68, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter by diminished responsibility of 66-year-old Suzanne Winnister in Bexley on the evening of September 8 last year. He was today handed an indefinite hospital order and has been sent to a secure facility

Mr Winnister served as BT's treasurer for 15 years and was registered as a director of the telecom giant's property and investment arms.

His wife was retired but had previously worked in banking.

Bill Emlyn-Jones, prosecuting, told the court that the couple had been married for nearly 40 years and seemed to have a happy and stable marriage.

'It appears there was a marked deterioration of their relationship from about 2019 onwards,' he said.

'It maybe this was triggered by a text message sent by Mrs Winnister to the defendant by mistake.

'It may have been meant for a Mr Alan Mainwaring, known as Alfie, who worked for the Winnisters as a handyman.

'It said are you coming today, followed by an x, indicating a kiss,' said Mr Emlyn-Jones.

When Winnister questioned his wife about it, she said this is how she signed off texts to all kinds of people, but he became convinced it meant she was having an affair.

The next time Mr Waiwaring visited their home in August last year, Winnister confronted him about the supposed affair and ranted about his wife trying to poison him.

He threatened the handyman with a crowbar and smashed some windows before running away.

Police arrested Winnister at a nearby pub but no charges were brought against him as the attack victim declined to give evidence.

'After that incident Mrs Winnister indicated to the police as well as her friends and family and she was no longer willing to have the defendant in the same house as her,' said the prosecutor.

The victim was discovered by family members at the couple's home in Becketts Close and was pronounced dead at the scene after police and paramedics arrived.

Winnister booked himself into a Holiday Inn and continued to have regular meetings with his wife, always in the presence of others, over several weeks.

'They turned to be inevitably unhappy and fractious occasions, in which the angered defendant would repeat his allegations of his wife of infidelity,' said the prosecutor.

Other outlandish accusations Winnister levelled at his wife included her interfering with his car and credit cards and poisoning him by pumping carbon monoxide into his hotel room.

As the weeks passed, Mrs Winnister became 'upset' at her husband's deteriorating condition, noticing he looked unkept and was losing weight.

She reluctantly allowed him to move back into the marital home, but told friends and family she installed a lock to her bedroom door.

Two days later, after family was unable to reach Mrs Winnister on the phone, her niece Kate Cox drove to her address along with her husband Simon.

Mr Cox jumped over the fence to get into the house and found Mrs Winnister lying in a pool of blood in her kitchen.

The chopping board used to batter her to death was lying next to her body.

He had also slashed her throat with a knife and post-mortem examination held the next day gave the cause of death as severe head and neck injuries.

The court heard that after killing his wife, Winnister went to the pub where he ordered a pint and packet of crisps.

Pictured: Police outside the couple's home in Bexley, south east London, last year

After his arrest, Winnister told officers in a prepared statement: 'I believe I was drugged through my food and drink and through the air.

'This was over the course of several months.

'In my view, my wife and Mr Mainwaring were responsible for this.

'As a result of the drugging I felt unwell and I was acting massively out of character.'

The court heard moving victim impact statements from several of Mrs Winnister's loved ones.

Mr Cox said that the memory of discovering her body remains 'imprinted on his mind' and is something he will have to live with for the rest of his life.

'I am angry with Les and the devastation he has done to his family.

'My children lost not only an auntie, they lost an uncle,' he said.

'I hope that Les will come to terms with the gravity if his actions on the people who knew and loved Suzanne.

'Not matter what, she didn't deserve what was done to her.'

Mrs Cox said that Mrs Winnister was her 'best friend' and her 'rock' and the closest family to her and her daughters.

'Leslie's actions have changed our lives forever, taking the life of someone who was loved so very much.

'We have experienced the worst possible loss that I can imagine,' she added.

Mrs Winnister's sister Jackie Higgins spoke of the moment she had to break the news of her death to their 92-year-old mother.

'I will never forget telling my mum her daughter has died in such circumstances, at the hands of someone loved by our family,' she said.

'I miss Suzanne, I miss our daily chats by phone and I am struggling to come to terms with the fact I have to sister to chat or talk on the phone and never will again.'

Judge Wendy Joseph, said the events leading up to Mrs Winnister's death an 'unmitigated tragedy' for the whole family.

'It is clear that the suffering caused by her death is profound.

'It has had a terrible effect on her mother, a lady in her 90s and in ill health.

'It has left her sister utterly bereft.

'It has also taken from those to whom she was and others who regarded her as an aunt, the love and support which she endlessly offered them, and from her friends it has taken someone they held in the highest regard.

'Most importantly, it has taken from Suzanne, her future,' said judge Joseph.

The judge noted that Winnister had been assessed by a mental health nurse on September 2 last year and told to come back in a week.

'Too late. Six days later he killed his wife,' the judge said.

'Not only was this man palpably ill, but everyone knew it.

'It was apparent before and during the time he killed,' she added.

White-haired Winnister remained expressionless throughout his sentencing and was flanked by hospital workers in the dock.

Psychiatrists found he was mentally ill at the time he killed his estranged wife and his responsibility.

He was sent to a secure mental hospital indefinitely.

It will be up to the doctors when and if he is ever fit to be released.

Judge Joseph said: 'A further review was planned for one week's time. Too late. Six days later he killed his wife.

'Not only was this man palpably ill, everyone knew it. It was apparent before and during the time he killed.'
The head of the UK's armed forces said he is suffering sleepless nights due to his fear of war with Russia following this week's clash in the Black Sea.

General Sir Nick Carter, Chief of Defence Staff, spoke of his concerns at the Chalke Valley History festival today after warning shots were fired at HMS Defender by Russian forces in contested waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday.

The military chief, 62, said the incident was an example of where a miscalculation could come from 'unwarranted escalation', according to The Times.

'The thing that keeps me awake in bed at night is a miscalculation that comes from unwarranted escalation.

'The sort of thing we saw in the Black Sea [earlier this week] is the sort of thing it could come from,' General Carter said.

The head of the UK's armed forces, General Sir Nick Carter (above), said he is suffering sleeping nights due to his fear of war with Russia following this week's clash in the Black Sea

General Carter spoke of his concerns at the Chalke Valley History festival today after warning shots were fired at HMS Defender by Russian forces in contested waters off the Crimea coast on Wednesday. Above, an image released by the Russian defence ministry shows the SU-24s buzzing above the destroyer and lining the vessel up in its crosshairs

'The thing that keeps me awake in bed at night is a miscalculation that comes from unwarranted escalation,' said General Carter. Above, Russia released footage filmed from one of its Su-24M attack jets which showed HMS Defender sailing off Crimea - but not the moment it alleges shots were fired and four bombs were dropped

Above, HMS Defender conducts close proximity sailing while on maritime operations in the Black Sea on June 17. The British Type 45 destroyer had sailed within the 12-mile limit of Crimea near Cape Fiolent in the Black Sea which Russia claims as its own territory but the West sees as international waters

'It wouldn't have done on that occasion but it's the type of thing one needs to think quite hard about,' he added.

The British Type 45 destroyer had sailed within the 12-mile limit of Crimea near Cape Fiolent in the Black Sea which Russia claims as its own territory but the West sees as international waters.

Russia claimed to have shot at HMS Defender, and to have dropped four bombs from an Su-24M warplane in waters ahead of the Royal Navy vessel.

Britain has denied the Russian version, and insists HMS Defender was either in Ukrainian or international waters at all times.

General Carter, who has spent four years leading the armed services, said the dispute between the two nations was a 'classic example of the battle of the narratives', adding: 'The jury is out as to who won that battle.'

After the flashpoint - which saw 20 Su-24s buzzing over the Royal Navy vessel - Russia's deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov warned: 'What can we do? We can appeal to common sense, demand respect for international law.

'If this does not help, we can bomb not only in the direction but also on target, if our colleagues do not understand.

'I warn everyone violating the state borders of the Russian Federation under the slogan of free navigation, from such provocative steps, because the security of our country comes first.'

General Carter, who has spent four years leading the armed services, said the dispute between the two nations was a 'classic example of the battle of the narratives', adding: 'The jury is out as to who won that battle.' Pictured, a crew member scans sea for Russian activity on board the vessel on Tuesday when the incident occurred

Backing up his comments, the Kremlin said Moscow that would respond harshly to any similar actions in the future and warned against any further 'provocations'.

Despite their warnings, British minister George Eustice said 'of course' Royal Navy ships will continue to sail through the disputed waters around Crimea, saying: 'We never accepted the annexation of Crimea, these were Ukrainian territorial waters.'

Meanwhile Britain's Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tobias Ellwood, admitted there is a prospect of an engagement flaring up with Britain's 'dangerous game' of sailing in disputed waters.

It was the first time since the Cold War that Moscow acknowledged using live ammunition to deter a NATO warship, reflecting the growing risk of military incidents amid soaring tensions between Russia and the West, as Ukraine's foreign minister appealed for further NATO help.

But Britain's Foreign Secretary said: 'No shots were fired at HMS Defender. The Royal Navy ship was conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters.

'We were doing so in accordance with international law and the Russian characterisation is predictably inaccurate.'
The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox was today heckled and chased by Muslim protesters over her support for LGBT rights as she campaigned to become the next MP in her sister's old Yorkshire seat.

Kim Leadbeater, 45, is standing as the Labour candidate in next Thursday's by-election in Batley & Spen.

The poll was triggered by incumbent Tracy Brabin's decision to stand down to become the new mayor of West Yorkshire.

Today, a video shared on Twitter showed Ms Leadbeater defending herself verbally as she was challenged in the street about 'LGBT indoctrination in schools'.

Before she walked away to her car and was repeatedly shouted at, she responded: 'This is my community. Don't come here and shout at me in the street. The Muslim community of Batley & Spen deserve better than this.'

The tweet showing the video, from online channel Byline TV, said Ms Leadbeater had been heckled by supporters of hard-Left former Labour MP George Galloway for 'supporting LGBT rights'.

However, Mr Galloway, who is standing against Ms Leadbeater in the by-election, called the claim a 'lie' and said he had 'never seen' the man who shouted.

The sister of murdered MP Jo Cox was today heckled and chased by Muslim protesters over her support for LGBT rights as she campaigned to become the next MP in her sister's old Yorkshire seat

He added that the individual had 'confronted her on Kashmir'. Mr Galloway is standing in the seat for the Workers Party of Britain, which was formed in 2019.

After Ms Leadbeater was heard defending herself in the video, she began to walk to her car and was repeatedly shouted at by at least two men.

One demanded for her not to 'walk away', whilst another said: 'Are you going to support Muslim parents who do not want their children to learn about LGBT indoctrination?

As she climbed into her car, the man added: 'Are you supporting those kids?'

Afterwards, Ms Leadbeater told Byline Media that Mr Galloway had been across the road laughing at her whilst she was being confronted.

In response to the claim that the two men were his supporters, Mr Galloway said on Twitter: 'This is a lie. The man is unknown to us. He apparently came from Birmingham.

Kim Leadbeater (pictured above with Labour leader Keir Starmer), 45, is standing as the Labour candidate in next Thursday's by-election in Batley & Spen. The poll was triggered by incumbent Tracy Brabin's decision to stand down to become the new mayor of West Yorkshire

'I have never seen him before. He confronted her on Kashmir, apparently. But keep getting your clicks.'

It comes after Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges revealed last week how he had been sent Whatsapp messages which listed '5 reasons why every citizen should NOT vote for Kim Leadbeater'.

One reason listed by individuals who were said to be part of Batley & Spen's Muslim community read: 'She is a lesbian and will push the LGBTQ agenda in our town.'

The tweet showing the video, from online channel Byline TV, said Ms Leadbeater had been heckled by supporters of hard-Left former Labour MP George Galloway for 'supporting LGBT rights'

However, Mr Galloway, who is standing against Ms Leadbeater in the by-election, called the claim a 'lie' and said he had 'never seen' the man who shouted

Polls have suggested Ms Leadbeater - whose sister was murdered in the run-up to the EU referendum in 2016 - is on track to lose next week's contest comfortably.

Ms Brabin had a majority of 3,500 in 2019.

One senior Labour MP told MailOnline earlier this week that Ms Brabin should never have been allowed to stand for West Yorkshire mayor.

'I don't know why they called the by-election, why they didn't leave it a few months,' the MP said.

'She shouldn't have been allowed to stand in the first place. She should have been told, ''you can't''.'

Another former Labour MP who knows the area well said they would not be surprised if the party came third but added: 'That would be a disaster.'

The Conservative candidate in the constituency is Ryan Stephenson.

After Ms Leadbeater was heard defending herself in the video, she began to walk to her car and was repeatedly shouted at by at least two men

A senior Tory source involved in the campaign said: 'We are worried about Galloway. The question mark is all about turnout.

'We have got to get our vote out, and we should win it. I think Galloway will hoover up the Muslim vote - almost all of it.

'He should get around 12,000 votes - although it depends on turnout. If we get 14,000 we should be alright. Labour look like getting 6,000.

'Galloway is the threat. Labour is f*****.'

They added: 'No doubt about it, I think Galloway has destroyed the Labour Party in this seat.'

The Tory campaigner said the PM had an 'unbelievable' response when he visited on Friday and was 'cheered to the rafters'. 'His popularity is very strong,' they said.

Defeat in the by-election - let alone coming third - would be almost certain to trigger a left-wing bid to oust Sir Keir.

Last week, Labour turned in its worst ever by-election performance receiving only 1.6 percent of the vote in Chesham & Amersham - as the Lib Dems stormed the previously safe Tory seat.
A Somali knifeman yelled 'Allahu Akbar' before killing three people and wounding six more in a street rampage before German police arrested him alive, according to local reports.

Police identified the suspect, who was wearing a face mask and is now being questioned in a hospital, as a 24-year-old Somali man living in Wurzburg, Germany. His life was not in danger from his gunshot wound, a spokeswoman said.

The force said multiple people had been killed and injured, but did not give details. There has been no word yet on the possible motive for the attack.

Bavaria's top security official Joachim Herrmann confirmed five people are in a serious condition and it is 'not certain' if they will live.

A witness reported that the knifeman shouted 'Allahu Akbar' before the attack, he added. But a police spokesperson said none of the suspect's previous offences were linked to terrorism.

Videos posted on social media showed pedestrians surrounding the attacker and holding him at bay with chairs and sticks at Barbarossaplatz in Wurzburg on Friday.

A knifeman has killed at least three people and wounded six in a street rampage at Barbarossaplatz in Wurzburg, Germany on Friday, local media reports

Armed police walk in the German city of Wurzburg on Friday during a 'major operation' in which a 24-year-old Somali man was arrested after reports of multiple stabbings

Police officers run in the centre of the German city of Wurzburg today. The force said multiple people had been killed and injured, but did not give details

Police had sealed off parts of the city centre (pictured) for a 'major operation' on Friday afternoon and asked residents to stay away

A woman who said she had witnessed the incident told German RTL television that the police then stepped in.

Julia Runze said: 'He had a really big knife with him and was attacking people. Then many people tried to throw chairs or umbrellas or cellphones at him and stop him.'

'The police then approached him and I think a shot was fired, you could hear that clearly.'

'The attacker was overpowered after police used a firearm,' Lower Franconia police said on Twitter. 'There are no indications of a second suspect. There is NO danger to the population.'

Police spokeswoman Kerstin Kunick said officers were alerted at around 5pm to a knife attack in Barbarossa Square in the centre of the city.

Bavaria's governor Markus Soeder expressed shock at the news of the attack. 'We grieve with the victims and their families,' he wrote on Twitter.

Police said on Twitter that there was no danger to the population.

Bavaria's top security official Joachim Herrmann was on his way to Wurzburg, a city of about 130,000 people located between Munich and Frankfurt.

One man, armed with a bag, attempts to scare off the knifeman and is shouting at him before he disappears off screen

Videos posted on social media showed a young man seemingly holding a knife being warded off by other men holding chairs until police arrived

The videos of members of the public chasing the knifeman matched the reported location of the attacks on and around Wurzburg's central Barbarossaplatz

Local media earlier reported multiple stabbings in Wurzburg, a city of some 130,000 people south-east of Frankfurt.

Police had sealed off parts of the city centre for a 'major operation' on Friday afternoon and asked residents to stay away.

Footage of the incident posted online showed barefoot attacker wielding a long knife in Barbarossaplatz.

A second man, armed with a bag, can be seen circling the knifeman and shouting at him.

Police secure the area in the German city of Wurzburg on June 25 during a 'major operation' in which a suspect was arrested after local media had earlier reported multiple stabbings

Armed police are pictured securing the cordoned-off area in the city centre in Germany

German police in action at the scene earlier on Friday. The knifeman was overwhelmed by police after being shot in the leg. He was taken into custody

Police securing the cordoned-off area in the city centre today. Several victims were treated by emergency services. No information on their condition was released

Armed police at the scene on Friday. Local media earlier reported multiple stabbings in Wurzburg, a city of some 130,000 people south-east of Frankfurt

He then disappears off screen as the suspect hurls the knifeman towards him. Several bystanders than intervene.

Another video posted on social media appeared to show blood on the ground.

The clips matched the reported location of the attacks on and around Wuerzburg's central Barbarossaplatz, though it was not immediately possible to confirm when they had been made.

The knifeman was overwhelmed by police after being shot in the leg. He was taken into custody.

Several victims were treated by emergency services. No information on their condition was released.

The knifeman was overwhelmed by police after being shot in the leg. He was taken into custody

Police had sealed off parts of the city centre for a 'major operation' on Friday afternoon and asked residents to stay away
A high school valedictorian in New Jersey had his microphone cut after he went off-script to talk about his queer identity and battle with anorexia during his graduation speech.

Bryce Dershem, 18, took to the podium in a rainbow flag robe to deliver his address at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees last week.

Dersham and high school administrators had purportedly agreed upon a set speech prior to the event, but the valedictorian decided to go off-message after making his way onto the stage.

'After I came out as queer in freshman year I felt so alone,' Dersham began. 'I didn't know who to turn to for support.'

Video recorded by Dersham's dad shows the school principal, Dr. Robert Tull, seemingly pull a cord from the sound system, effectively silencing the teen's microphone.

Tull can then be seen coming up onto the stage and taking a typed copy of Dersham's speech out of his hands.

However, the crowd can be heard cheering in support of the valedictorian, before a back-up microphone was handed to him by another staff member and he continued on with his speech.

Dersham is now bound for the prestigious Tufts University in Massachusetts, where he will major in French literature and Women's Gender and Sexuality Studies.

Bryce Dershem, 18, took to the podium in a rainbow flag robe to deliver his address at Eastern Regional High School in Voorhees last week - before his mic was suddenly cut off

Principal Dr. Robert Tull can be seen coming up onto the stage and taking a typed copy of Dersham's speech out of his hands

Speaking later with NBC10, Dersham said he had been censored by his school.

'I felt as though they were trying to regulate the message I was going to say and take away the parts of my identity that I'm really proud of,' he stated.

Robert Cloutier, Eastern Camden County Regional School District superintendent, told the news network that valedictorian's speeches are supposed to be 'about the future of all students in the graduating class'.

'Every year, all student speakers are assisted in shaping their speeches, and all student speeches - which are agreed upon and approved in advance --are kept in the binder on the podium for the principal to conduct the graduation ceremony,' Cloutier stated.

Dersham says that when he was crafting his speech with school administrators they told him to cut out reference to his mental health struggles and his queer identity.

He alleges they told him that his speech was 'not a therapy session'.

But Dersham decided to go rogue at the podium, and took out his own typed speech to read out to the crowd.

Dersham says that when he was crafting his speech with school administrators they told him to cut out reference to his mental health struggles and his queer identity

Eastern Regional High School Principal Dr. Robert Tull is pictured

After the principal took that speech away, Dersham decided to speak off the cuff when the second microphone was delivered to him.

'I needed to accept the unapologetic version of myself for myself,' Dersham said.

'As I struggled with my queer identity, I also struggled more and more with my mental health, which worsened with the coronavirus pandemic.

'Beginning in September of senior year, I spent six months in treatment for anorexia,' he confessed. 'For so long I tried to bend and break and shrink to society's expectations.'

'If you have struggled or will struggle, I believe you... From a formerly suicidal, formerly anorexic queer - believe me thtt one person's belief can save a life!'

'Believe in one another, believe in the reality of mental illness... Each and everyone of you is enough. Each and everyone of you can and change this world.'
The Manhattan district attorneys office has informed Donald Trumps lawyers that it is considering criminal charges against The Trump Organization, according to a new report.

The charges would be in connection with fringe benefits the company awarded its chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg, The New York Times reported, citing several people with knowledge of the matter.

The charges could come as soon as next week.

Trump Organization Ron Fischetti confirmed the reports to NBC News and said: 'It looks like they are going to come down with charges against the company and that is completely outrageous.

'The meeting was on Zoom for about 9 minutes and there were 8 or 9 prosecutors ... the corporate office will plead not guilty and we will make an immediate motion to dismiss the case against the corporation.'

It would be the first criminal charges to emerge from Cyrus Vance's long-running investigation into Trump's business work in New York.

Over the past few weeks, a grand jury has been hearing evidence about Weisselberg, with prosecutors obtaining the executive's personal tax returns.

It had been unclear if Trump's business would also face charges. Companies can be tried for crimes, and if they are convicted or plead guilty, they would face fines and other penalties.

Trumps lawyers met on Thursday with senior prosecutors in the district attorneys office in hopes of persuading them to abandon any plan to charge the company, The Times reported.

It's unclear whether the prosecutors have made a final decision on whether to charge the Trump Organization, which has long denied wrongdoing.

It also is unclear if Trump himself would face criminal charges. Still a probe into his business could affect any attempt by the former president to make a run for office.

The Manhattan district attorneys office has informed Donald Trump s lawyers that it is considering criminal charges against The Trump Organization in connection with benefits the company awarded its chief financial officer, Allen H. Weisselberg (seen between Trump and Donald Trump Jr)

It's unclear if Trump himself would face charges

Letitia James, the New York State Attorney General running a civil probe, has also reportedly acquired those tax returns. James' office had been investigating whether Trump's company falsely reported property values to secure loans and obtain economic and tax benefits.

Earlier, prosecutors were also able to obtain the personal bank records of Weisselberg.

Investigators are looking at whether or not Weisselberg failed to pay taxes on benefits over the years, including apartments, leased cars and private school tuition for one of Weisselberg's grandchildren.

To that end, prosecutors have subpoenaed records from an Upper West Side private school, the Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School.

Vance is reported to be seeking records into Mercedes-Benz vehicles leased for Weisselberg and other Trump Organization employees.

They are also looking at an apartment Trump may have gifted Weisselberg in Manhattan.

Meanwhile, Weisslberg's former daughter-in-law, Jennifer, has been interviewed in the probe six times and is cooperating with prosecutors.

She has been asked about the tuition payments, as well gifts her ex-husband, Barry Weisselberg, received from Trump, such as leased cars and an apartment on Central Park South.

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance has been conducting a long-running investigation into Donald Trump's businesses

It's not clear what charges Weisselberg may be facing, though experts suggest it could be grand larceny, scheme to defraud or tax fraud.

If Weisselberg is charged with tax fraud and failing to pay more than $10,000 in taxes for a single year, he could face up to seven years in prison.

If Weisselberg is charged with scheming to defraud, he could face a maximum of four years in prison.

Prosecutors are hoping Weisselberg will cooperate with the probe into Trump and will flip on the former president. The indictments could put additional pressure on him to cut a deal.

The issue took on a renewed sense of urgency when Vance said in April that he will retire at the end of 2021 and there is speculation his office will issue any indictments before that.

Weisselberg is still an employee of the Trump Organization, however, suggesting that he probably has not turned star witness against the former president at this point.

Weisselberg previously worked for Donald Trump's father and has been the chief financial officer at the Trump Organization for more than two decades.
Gina Coladangelo's brother is the director of a health company that has secured multi-million pound contracts from the NHS, it has emerged.

Roberto Coladangelo's firm was awarded a 28million contract last year to carry out work for the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who is accused of having an affair with Miss Coladangelo, has been embroiled in a series of conflict of interest scandals.

For example, in November last year it emerged the former landlord his local pub won a contract to supply tens of millions of Covid tests to the NHS.

Mr Coladangelo, 42, is an executive director at Partnering Health Ltd, a Hampshire-based outsourcing firm helping to run NHS 111, the non-emergency line.

Gina Coladangelo's brother (above) is the director of a health company that has secured multi-million pound contracts from the NHS, it emerged yesterday. Roberto Coladangelo's firm was awarded a 28million contract last year to carry out work for the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust

Matt Hancock, who is accused of having an affair with Miss Coladangelo, has been embroiled in a series of conflict of interest scandals. Above, Mr Hancock's kiss with Ms Coladangelo is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's HQ in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year

Ms Coladangelo's family has other links to the healthcare sector. Her Italian father Rino is chief executive of a specialist pharmaceutical consultancy. (Above, main left, Gina Coladangelo with husband Oliver Tress)

The 28million contract was for work including running a clinical assessment service and providing home visits in West Hampshire.

A spokesperson for PHL told Sky News: 'PHL has been operating for over 11 years and at all times has secured contracts through the robust tender and procurement processes put in place by local Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs).

'At no time have any contracts been awarded outside of these rigorous processes and no contracts have ever been awarded by the Department of Health and Social Care.'

The healthcare firm's website describes itself as 'an independent healthcare company providing services and quality solutions to the NHS and private healthcare partners'.

Ms Coladangelo's family has other links to the healthcare sector. Her Italian father Rino is chief executive of a specialist pharmaceutical consultancy.

The news comes as the Health Secretary, 42, today failed to deny claims of a secret long-term affair after images revealed his passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Ms Coladangelo, 43, where he was filmed rubbing her back and bottom during their workplace embrace.

The Health Secretary, 42, today failed to deny claims of a secret long-term affair after images revealed his passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Ms Coladangelo, 43, where he was filmed rubbing her back and bottom during their workplace embrace. (Above, Mr Hancock arrives at the BBC studios in London with his senior aide Gina Coladangelo in July last year)

Mr Hancock is currently facing a sleaze probe after failing fully to declare shares in a firm that has won contracts from the NHS.

The Health Secretary declared in March that he had acquired 15% of the shares in Topwood Ltd, which specialises in the secure storage, shredding and scanning of documents.

However, the entry on the MPs' register of interests did not mention that his sister Emily Gilruth also has shares and is a director of the firm, or that it has connections to the health service.

In February, the High Court ruled that Mr Hancock failed to publish details of billions of pounds' worth of coronavirus-related contracts.

The Good Law Project took legal action against the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for its 'wholesale failure' to disclose details of contracts agreed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Government is required by law to publish a 'contract award notice' within 30 days of the award of any contracts for public goods or services worth more than 120,000.
A 64-year-old woman missing in the Miami condo tower disaster had told her son she was woken by 'creaking noises' in the building the night before it collapsed.

Pablo Rodriguez told CNN Thursday that his mother had complained the noises had been loud enough to wake her up at around 3 or 4am.

Rodriguez said he had thought nothing of it at the time, thinking it was simply an 'offhand' comment. He has not heard from her since.

A day later, the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami Beach, collapsed, killing four and leaving at least 159 missing.

His 64-year-old mom and 88-year-old grandmother are among the people still unaccounted for, more than 36 hours on from the disaster.

Rodriguez did not name his family members in the interview with CNN.

A 64-year-old woman missing in the Miami condo tower disaster had told her son she was woken by 'creaking noises' in the building the day before it collapsed. Pablo Rodriguez's mother and grandmother (pictured) are missing

The death toll climbed to four Friday with 159 people still missing following the collapse of the condo tower

'She just told me she had woken up around 3 [or] 4 in the morning and had heard like some creaking noises,' he said.

'They were loud enough to wake her.

'It was like a comment that she made off-hand, like that's why she woke up and she wasn't able to go back to sleep afterwards.'

Rodriguez said he had been thinking about that conversation and whether the sound was a sign of the impending danger.

'Now, in hindsight, you always wonder,' he said.

Rodriguez said the family had been looking forward to spending time together with his six-year-old son and were making plans to celebrate his grandmother's 89th birthday next month.

He said his hopes for their safe return were fading as he was yet to hear any news about their whereabouts.

'You always hold out hope, until you definitively know. But after seeing the video of the collapse, it's increasingly difficult, because they were in that section that was pancaked in,' he said.

On Friday, Rodriguez told CNN he was going to the family reunification center to give his DNA along with other families desperately waiting to hear from their loved ones.

He said his son had seen the footage of the tower collapsing and was asking questions about when he would see his grandmother and great-grandmother.

Pablo Rodriguez told CNN Thursday that his mother had complained the noises had been loud enough to wake her up at around 3 or 4am. Rodriguez said he had thought nothing of it at the time, thinking it was simply an 'offhand' comment

'He's asking us, and right now we're not sure what to tell him. He may understand, I don't know if he's processed it completely,' Rodriguez said.

'We're trying to hold off until we officially know before we make it clear to him.'

Rodriguez questioned how the building could have suddenly collapsed 'without anybody, you know, knowing something or missing something.'

'To get to the point where it collapsed, somebody had to have seen something, somebody had to know something,' he told the network.

'Buildings don't just fall down like this. Especially when they're being inspected and rebuilt.

'So that is the hardest thing to process, how this happened without anybody, you know, knowing something or missing something.'

Four people have been confirmed dead in the tragedy, including 54-year-old Stacie Fang who was pulled from the rubble early Thursday and rushed to hospital, where she died.

Fang was the mother of Jonah Handler, 15, who was seen in dramatic footage being rescued from the rubble with the help of a passing dog walker.

Rescue teams continue to search the rubble of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Florida

Personal belongings and pieces of furniture can be seen inside the partially collapsed building Friday morning

Rescue workers walk among the rubble where part of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed Thursday

Jonah was taken to hospital where he is recovering from his injuries.

The identities of the other three victims have not been revealed.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said early Friday morning 159 people were still missing following the building's collapse.

Search teams have been working round the clock hunting for survivors, with rescue crews seen combing the rubble with heavy machinery, dogs, sonar and by hand all day Friday.

By late afternoon, no further victims or survivors were reported to have been found.

At least 37 people were rescued from the rubble or parts of the damaged building still standing, with 11 injured and four hospitalized.

Cava warned the number of people missing was 'very fluid.'

Officials had initially said 99 people were unaccounted for following the building's collapse. But, with the tower housing a mix of seasonal and year-round residents, authorities were unsure exactly how many people were inside at the time.

An aerial view of the disaster Friday as the search for survivors entered a second day

People hug as they wait for news about relatives at the community center in Surfside, with 159 people still missing

A total of 55 condos collapsed on Thursday - more than a third of the 136 within the building. Around 80 percent of the building was reportedly occupied.

Officials said Thursday they believed the building had been 'substantially full' and pleaded to the public for information about anyone who may have been inside.

Sources close to the investigation told DailyMail.com most of the people in the building were tourists from Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia and had traveled to the US to get COVID-19 vaccines which are difficult to get in their respective countries.

At least 31 Latin American citizens are currently unaccounted for - including nine Argentinians, six people each from Paraguay, Columbia and Venezuela, three from Uruguay and one Chilean - but, sources said many people are thought to have been renting the condos as Airbnbs, meaning it may be difficult to identify all the victims.

Among those known to be missing are the first cousin of the former president of Chile and current UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, the president of Paraguay's sister-in-law and her family, and a celebrity plastic surgeon.

Paraguay's First Lady Silvana Lopez Moreira arrived into Florida Thursday as her sister Sophia Lopez Moreira, her husband Luis Pettengill, and their three young children remained missing more than 24 hours on from the disaster.

Rescue teams have been working round the clock since the collapse of the 12-story condo building Thursday morning

Officials said the focus of the search had turned to combing through the rubble after the parts of the building still standing were fully cleared

The family were said to be celebrating Luis' birthday after they traveled to the US for their COVID-19 vaccines.

President Joe Biden said Friday he had spoken on the phone with Governor Ron DeSantis and had sent 'all the help they need' to Florida to assist in the rescue mission.

'The best people' from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were drafted in to the state, he said, after he issued an emergency declaration just after midnight.

While the focus now is on the hunt for survivors, questions are being asked about what caused the 1980s building to suddenly collapse. uestions continued to mount over the cause of the tragedy and whether it could have been avoided.

It emerged Thursday that scientists had warned that the condo building was sinking and in a potentially dangerous condition one year before it collapsed, while it was due a safety certification review for the first time in 40 years. It had also just undergone improvements to its roof.

Authorities have not yet determined what caused the collapse and Miami-Dade police have opened an investigation - though Mayor Cava said 'there has been no evidence found of foul play.'
The Bishop of Winchester is fighting to keep his job after an unprecedented rebellion in his diocese, the Daily Mail can reveal.

The Right Rev Tim Dakin holds one of only five senior roles in the Church of England automatically given a seat in the House of Lords.

Now he is the first bishop in the Church's history to be the subject of a no-confidence motion.

Although it is yet to be voted on, it was signed by 25 senior clergy and elected lay representatives  more than a quarter of the diocese's governing synod.

The calls for him to go have been sparked by a financial crisis and the sacking of more than 20 clergy and other staff.

Bishop of Winchester Right Rev Tim Dakin (pictured, file photo) holds one of only five senior roles in the Church of England automatically given a seat in the House of Lords. Now he is the first bishop in the Church's history to be the subject of a no-confidence motion

Before getting pay-offs they were first required to sign legally binding 'confidentiality clauses' banning them from making 'adverse or derogatory comments' about the bishop or the diocese.

Some were in senior posts but left after clashing with the 63-year-old bishop, according to their colleagues. The payouts amount to 800,000, diocese sources say.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, has previously said confidentiality agreements are 'unacceptable' and should 'never be used' by the Church.

One critic of the bishop, writing in The Church Times, jokingly dubbed Winchester the 'North Korean diocese' because of the allegedly autocratic style.

There is no official power to force the bishop to go, but Church sources say the hope is that he will choose to step down now, seven years before the retirement age of 70.

The no-confidence motion states the Church nationally is 'committed to fostering a culture that is open and transparent' but warns: 'We do not have confidence in the diocesan bishop to set this culture or to lead by example, due to allegations of poor behaviour and mistreatment on his part of a number of individuals.'

It alleges that since his appointment in 2011 the 'governance and financial management' of his diocese have become 'unfit for purpose'.

The diocese is about to lose 22 full-time vicars  more than a fifth of the total  through redundancies or vacant posts being left unfilled.

Although it is yet to be voted on, it was signed by 25 senior clergy and elected lay representatives  more than a quarter of the diocese's governing synod. The calls for him to go have been sparked by a financial crisis and the sacking of more than 20 clergy and other staff. Pictured: Winchester Cathedral (file photo)

Winchester covers one of the wealthiest parts of the country, and the income raised by parish collections barely fell last year, despite churches closing in the pandemic.

One cleric said: 'This is the last place in England where this should be happening.' The bishop's critics claim the cuts are deeper than necessary because he adopted forecasts that were too gloomy.

Hours before the motion was set to be tabled on the synod agenda on May 19, Bishop Tim, as he is usually known, 'stepped back' from his duties, initially for six weeks.

The next synod meeting, scheduled for last Thursday, was cancelled. The motion has been withdrawn for now. Bishop Dakin is due to resume duties on Wednesday, but his return is uncertain.

'I don't think there's any outcome possible other than that he'll step down permanently,' said one synod member. Lambeth Palace sources say Archbishop Welby is monitoring developments closely, although he is on three months' study leave.

The Bishop of London, the Right Rev Dame Sarah Mullally, is conducting an informal inquiry, interviewing clergy and lay members.

She appointed an 'external facilitator' to try to heal the rift between the bishop and his flock. They held talks for the second time last week.

A member of the clergy said: 'I just don't see how he can come back.

Lambeth Palace sources say Archbishop Welby (left) is monitoring developments closely, although he is on three months' study leave. The Bishop of London, the Right Rev Dame Sarah Mullally (right), is conducting an informal inquiry, interviewing clergy and lay members

'It is really remarkable that more than 20 people were prepared to sign the motion. This alone should be a signal the only way out is for Tim to step down permanently. He has huge self-belief. But if you are going to lead, you need to check: is anyone still following you?'

The diocese of Winchester was founded in 676. Its cathedral, consecrated in 1093, is one of the greatest in Europe. The bishop's magnificent residence, Wolvesey Palace, was built by Christopher Wren.

After being appointed, Bishop Dakin quickly imposed himself on the diocese. He scrapped his predecessor's plan to give more power to suffragan (lower ranking) bishops and dismissed his entire ministerial development team.

In 2015 he became chairman of the diocesan board of finance, taking on a role that is separate from that of the bishop in most dioceses.

The nine-strong board is less than half the average size  giving him unusual influence over finances, critics claim.

A spokesman for the diocese said it could not comment on the ongoing talks over the bishop's future. 'These are confidential, and seek to find a way forward in response to the issues raised,' he said.

The spokesman added that its lawyers considered the confidentiality clauses to be 'lawful and ethical', because they 'protect the employer, but also the employee'. They also 'comply with current guidance and best practice'.

The spokesman said the changes to finance governance had been approved by auditors, while 'deep cost savings' were 'justified and wholly necessary'.
Having kept it safe for nearly two decades, Pete Jones was looking forward to the day he would finally open his prized bottle of wine on a special occasion.

But the restaurateur expat's dream of savouring his 1999 vintage Petrus, worth 2,000, was shattered when his teenage daughter and her friends used it to make sangria.

The British father, 56, who has lived in Madrid for more than 20 years, had gone out for the evening to allow youngest daughter Lara, 19, to host a party for her friends.

When he woke last Saturday morning, his treasured bottle was nowhere to be seen.

The restaurateur expat's dream of savouring his 1999 vintage Petrus, worth 2,000, was shattered when his teenage daughter and her friends used it to make sangria. He is pictured above with daughters Lara (left) and Sele (right)

When he quizzed Lara in a text, she replied: 'I hope it wasn't expensive I think my friends drank it.' He informed her it was a '2,500 bottle'. Rather than hitting the roof, he blamed himself for leaving the bottle in plain view with a bunch of teenagers in the house.

'I am just gutted that after saving it for 17 years, I didn't even get to taste it,' he said.

'And the tragic thing is, neither did they, well not properly. It was used to make a tinto de verano', the typically Spanish summer drink of red wine mixed with soda and poured over ice. Usually the cheapest red wine is used, often from a carton.

When he quizzed Lara in a text, she replied: 'I hope it wasn't expensive I think my friends drank it.' He informed her it was a '2,500 bottle'

'I got home and the party was in full swing. I had a drink with them, did some embarrassing dancing in the kitchen, then headed up to bed to leave them to it,' Mr Jones said.

He also left the bottle from Bordeaux estate Chateau Petrus on display and it was opened around 5am. The famous wine maker only produces about 30,000 bottles a year, and its product is consistently ranked among the most expensive in the world.

'It used to be hidden away in the cellar. But I got it out recently to show a friend and I hadn't got round to putting it back,' the distraught dad admitted. The next day, he ran to the bottle bank near their home to check as Lara had disposed of the recyclables.

'There it was. A dusty old Petrus lying empty on top of all the beer bottles. My daughter didn't believe me when I told her how much it was actually worth. Then she cried a lot and asked if I could ever forgive her,' he said.

Mr Jones bought the wine by accident while in a rush on Christmas Eve in 2004, telling a shop owner to get him 'a bottle from the top shelf'. He added: 'My wife, Silv, was furious but I explained it away by insisting it was a vintage from the year of our eldest daughter's birth and we could keep it to drink with her on a special occasion.'

He has had to break the news to Sele, 21, that her birthday vintage had been opened without her.
The man whose tip off led police to discover the decomposing body of five-year-old Samuel Olson at an East Texas motel has been charged with evidence tampering in the case.

Police found Olson's body stuffed in a plastic tote at a Best Western motel room in Jasper, Texas. Police believe the boy had been dead since May 10.

Theresa Raye Balboa, 29, who was the girlfriend of Samuel's father Dalton, is the main suspect in Olson's death and was found in the motel with the body on June 1.

She and her roommate Benjamin Rivera have both been previously charged with tampering with evidence, a human corpse.

On Thursday, authorities charged the man who allegedly drove Balboa to the motel before tipping off police claiming he was horrified by the smell coming from the plastic tote.

A Jasper County grand jury indicted Dylan Walker, 27, on charges of tampering with physical evidence with an intent to impair a human corpse. He posted bond on $125,000 bail and was released.

Authorities allege that on June 1, Walker helped Balboa move Samuel's body from a suburban Houston storage unit to the motel about 135 miles to the northeast.

The new charges came as investigators said they have recovered an unspecified weapon that may have been used to kill Olson.

The weapon is being tested to see if it was the one used in the killing, Andrea Beall, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, told reporters Thursday.

Dylan Walker on Thursday became the third person charged in the murder of Samuel Olson

Theresa Balboa was the girlfriend of Dalton Olsen and it was her motel where she kept Samuel Olson's decomposed body in plastic bin

Balboa, Rivera and Walker are currently only facing evidence tampering counts and none have been charged with Olson's murder, though prosecutors said earlier this month that they expected to bring additional charges against Balboa.

Beall said this month that a murder or a capital murder investigation is pending in the case.

TIMELINE OF SAMUEL OLSON CASE: April 30: Samuel Olson, 5, seen for the last time by anyone outside his family May 8-9: Samuel's paternal grandmother, Tonya Olson, says she spent the weekend with her grandson May 10: Theresa Balboa, girlfriend of Samuel's father, Dalton Olson, allegedly calls a roommate to tell him that Samuel had died. The two allegedly place the body in their bathtub May 13: The roommate and Balboa allegedly wrap the body in duct tape and place it in a plastic bin before taking it to a storage unit in Webster May 27: Balboa reports Samuel missing in Houston June 1: Police in Jasper, Texas, receive anonymous tip that leads them to Best Western motel, where they find Balboa and later child's body in a plastic bin June 2: Police in Houston announce discovery of body, Balboa's arrest and evidence tampering charge, with ID of remains still pending. June 3: Details of Balboa's meeting with a man in Walmart emerge, as its claimed he helped transport child's body. Balboa is also revealed to have lost custody of her own young daughters in 2019. June 4: Balboa is transferred from Jasper County to Harris County jail and is ordered held on $500,000 bond Advertisement

Balboa, 29, remains jailed on bonds totaling $600,000. Rivera, 27, and Walker were freed after posting bond.

Samuel's cause of death was ruled a homicide, but authorities haven't said how he was killed.

The last time Olson was seen alive was by his paternal grandmother, Tonya Olson, on May 8, when she says she spent the weekend with him.

His last verified sighting by someone outside of his family was on April 30 at his school.

Balboa wouldn't report the boy missing until May 27.

After her arrest, Balboa's roommate Rivera told investigators she called him May 10 and said the boy was dead, according to court documents.

Rivera had reportedly rushed home from work to find the boy, bruised and unresponsive in bed, and the two allegedly moved the body into their bathtub where it remained for two days.

The next day, on May 13, Rivera told police he purchased duct tape and a plastic bin from Walmart, and he and Balboa allegedly wrapped the boy's body and placed it in the bin before transporting it to a nearby storage locker.

The net closed in on Balboa following a tip off from a friend - now revealed to be Walker.

Balboa had reportedly called a him on May 31, and asked him to pick her up at a Walmart parking lot in Cleveland.

They then drove nearly 70 miles south to the storage facility in Webster where she retrieved the bin.

They then allegedly drove another 160 miles northeast to the Best Western motel.

Once there, they carried the bin inside room 106, with the man so horrified by the smell coming from it that he made an anonymous call to CrimeStoppers tipline to report it.

Officers responding to the scene found her with the plastic tote with the boy's body.

Prosecutors said Balboa was on her way to Louisiana when she was arrested in Jasper.

Balboa's next-door neighbor Tiffany Schultz, 25, has told police she heard loud scratches from the apartment a day after the boy is believed to have died.

Schultz, 25, along with her fiance and newborn son had moved into their new apartment in Webster on May 11 - the day after next-door neighbor Balboa allegedly told her roommate that Samuel Olson, 5, had died, according to court documents.

'The second day we were here, it was probably about 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning, we heard loud scratching noises, really, really loud,' she told The Sun. 'It lasted for a good ten or fifteen minutes.'

Her fiance, she said, started banging on the wall to make the noises stop.

'I've heard loud scratching from animals before and it wasn't that, I don't believe they had animals,' Schultz recalled. 'We didn't hear any other noises, it was strange.'

The map above shows the four locations associated with the search for missing Samuel Olson

Samuel's father Dalton Olson was accused of keeping him away from his mother while the two were battling over his custody

Olson's body was found in a tote in a Texas motel on June 1, but police believe he died on May 10

Samuel's parents had been involved in a bitter custody battle over the boy after filing for divorce in January 2020.

His mother, Sarah Olson, had primary custody but she had not seen Samuel since summer 2020, her lawyer, Marco Gonzalez, told reporters this week.

Gonzalez accused Dalton Olson of keeping Samuel from his mother and avoiding being served court paperwork that would have ordered him to return the boy to her.

After reporting Samuel missing, Balboa initially accused Gonzalez and a man who presented himself as a police officer of taking the boy.

Police had not been able to verify Balboa's claim.

Samuel had been living with Balboa since April 30, which was the last day he was seen at school.

Authorities have not said why Samuel was staying with Balboa. Dalton lived at a different address.

It emerged earlier this month that Balboa previously lost custody over her two young daughters in 2019 over claims she was a bad mom.

Court records obtained by Click2Houston revealed that the girls - now aged six and eight - were removed from their mom's care after she failed to show up to court for a custody hearing.
Nicholas R. Mitchell (pictured in mugshot) was convicted of sticking razor blades into fresh pizza dough

A New Hampshire man has been convicted of stuffing razor blades into fresh pizza dough made by a company that fired him.

Nicholas Mitchell, 39, of Dover, pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product on Thursday, according to the Department of Justice.

After initially pleading not guilty to two separate charges, Mitchell changed his plea to guilty for one and saw the other dropped.

Mitchell was an employee with a company in Maine that manufactured pizza doughs for supermarkets in the region.

He was fired from his job in June 2020, although the reason for his termination hasn't been revealed.

The DOJ says he proceeded to enter a Saco supermarket on October 5, where the pizza doughs were distributed.

Mitchell went to a display case for the pizzas and put razor blades into several of the pizza doughs, three of which were purchased that day. The customers who bought the pizzas later discovered the razor blades.

Store personnel removed the other pizza doughs when learning of the tainted products, discovering one more dough with a razor blade in the process.

Security footage at the Saco Hannaford Supermarket allegedly showed the suspect, identified as Nicholas R. Mitchell, tampering with food products (pictured)

After Hannaford reported the alleged food tampering, authorities released Mitchell's physical description and a photo of his car to the public (pictured)

The Saco Police Department received a call from a local Hannaford Supermarket regarding suspected food tampering in a Portland Pie Pizza dough.

'The review of store security surveillance footage revealed a person tampered with the packaging of several Portland Pie Pizza doughs,' authorities said.

The security footage referenced by authorities has not been released to the public.

An investigation was launched, resulting in Mitchell's arrest. Mitchell was apprehended by the New Hampshire Police Department and taken into custody.

The police investigation widened in subsequent days to include other tampering cases in Sanford, Maine, and in Dover, New Hampshire.

And authorities discovered Mitchell had a connection to the tampered pizza dough.

'Nicholas Mitchell is a former associate of "It'll be Pizza company," who manufactures product for Portland Pie,' authorities said.

Mitchell (pictured) is a former associate of 'It'll be Pizza company,' which manufactures product for Portland Pie. He was fired from his job there in June 2020

A motive for the alleged food tampering has not been revealed. It's unclear if there was a specific target.

DailyMail.com has reached out to It'll Be Pizza for more information on Mitchell's firing.

Hannaford issued a recall for all Portland Pie dough and cheese products sold between August 1 and October 11 at its 184 stores in New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

'After what is believed to be further malicious tampering incidents involving metal objects inserted into Portland Pie products, Hannaford has removed all Portland Pie products from all store shelves and has paused replenishment of the products indefinitely,' a statement read.

Hannaford (pictured) issued a recall for all Portland Pie dough and cheese products

'Out of an abundance of caution, Hannaford has expanded its recall for Portland Pie pizza dough to include all Portland Pie branded products at all Hannaford stores,' said spokesperson Ericka Dodge.

That recall was later expanded to Shaw's and Star Markets. No injuries or illnesses related to the incident were reported.

Under a plea agreement, Mitchell will face four years and nine months in prison, according to NEWS CENTER Maine. Mitchell will also be required to pay restitution to victims for an undisclosed amount.

No date has been set for his sentencing yet.
The mastermind behind a planned attack on the Press by Extinction Rebellion this weekend is a privately-educated model and actress with a court record, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Gully Bujak, 28, has been convicted of criminal acts three times during XR climate protests  including for her part in blockading a major printing works in September.

A former junior head girl at Stover School in Devon  where her father used to be headmaster  she was one of six protesters found guilty of obstructing a highway in an action that stopped the distribution of millions of newspapers, including the Daily Mail.

The mastermind behind a planned attack on the Press by Extinction Rebellion this weekend is a privately-educated model and actress Gully Bujak, the Daily Mail can reveal.

Bujak, 28, has been convicted of criminal acts three times during XR climate protests  including for her part in blockading a major printing works in September

Despite it being a repeat offence, Bujak, whose real first name is Eleanor, escaped with only a 150 fine, which has left her free to plot a second attack on the media.

Many of those arrested with her went free as the prosecution was unable to prove whether they were on public or private land.

Following her conviction in May, she chaired a meeting in which she railed against the 'corrupt and racist and awful' media and appealed for XR activists willing to be arrested in the name of 'destabilising' the 'billionaire Press'.

Gully Bujak (third from right) was one of six protesters found guilty of obstructing a highway in an action that stopped the distribution of millions of newspapers

Police believe activists plan another blockade at printworks in Hertfordshire and Merseyside after XR claimed last year's stunt was 'extremely successful' and implored members to 'keep pushing'.

Last night officers arrested 12 people at three London locations and took them into custody in what the Met called 'proactive action'.

Bamboo structures, lock-on equipment and other items which could be used to cause criminal damage and obstructions were seized.

Police believe activists plan another blockade at printworks in Hertfordshire and Merseyside after XR claimed last year's stunt was 'extremely successful' and implored members to 'keep pushing'

Bujak said the media was a target because it was one of the four pillars of the Establishment and 'doesn't tell the truth on the climate crisis'

Police are expected to take a more 'robust' approach to any disruption this weekend after they were criticised for behaving like spectators during last year's protest.

Bujak's brushes with law Bujak has had several brushes with the law April 2019: Found guilty of obstructing the highway in Oxford Circus. Six-month conditional discharge, 105 costs December 2019: Admitted criminal damage at an air pollution protest in Leicester Sq. Nine-month conditional discharge, 388 in fines and compensation September 2020: Found guilty of obstructing the highway at entrance to News UK printworks in Hertfordshire. Fined 150 December 2020: Arrested for throwing paint at Supreme Court in protest at ruling on Heathrow third runway April 2021: Arrested after 19 windows were smashed at HSBC's Canary Wharf HQ. Advertisement

At the XR meeting over Zoom earlier this month, Bujak and fellow 'rebels' discussed plans for an 'uprising' against the 'corrupt billionaire' Press.

Bujak said the media was a target because it was one of the four pillars of the Establishment and 'doesn't tell the truth on the climate crisis'.

While she was coy about what action was planned, she said: 'There will be plenty of hijinks.'

XR, which is said to be joining forces with Black Lives Matter for the first time, has publicised 'entry-level' plans for demonstrations in London today and tomorrow, including a march from Parliament Square 'to one of the billionaire Press HQs', and said protesters will turn up at Rupert Murdoch's 'doorstep'.

The group has admitted it will 'be doing things that are breaking the law' and has committed to direct action 'spicy enough to grab the headlines'.

Protesters have been told that if they intend to cause criminal damage there is a 'benefit' to ensuring it is worth more than 5,000  so their case would go to Crown Court and be heard by a jury.

Bujak, of Finsbury Park, north London, has boasted she is prepared to go to jail for her actions because she is 'on the right side of history'.

The University of East Anglia graduate in film and English told one court: 'History will judge you for this.'

Politicians have called for tougher punishments for XR protesters, who often receive paltry fines.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'These people don't care that their aggressive protests damage other people's lives. When you repeatedly break the law, no matter the stated reasons, then you should face significant penalties.'

Former Labour home secretary Lord Blunkett said: 'Those who have already identified themselves as willing to flagrantly break the law, in order to create anarchy, should be clearly identifiable and dealt with swiftly.'
A Virginia man who was arrested after refusing to leave a school board meeting that was discussing a controversial 'critical race theory' curriculum alongside proposals for a new contentious transgender policy has said the meeting was being run by a 'tyrant'.

Loudoun County resident John Tigges was put in handcuffs by county police for refusing to leave the meeting on Tuesday after the Loudoun County School Board cut off public comment while the residents debated the issue.

He shared his reaction to the incident in an interview with Fox News on Friday and said there was no reason to arrest him.

'I was in a place where free speech has to happen,' Tigges said. 'If you want to redress your grievances about a school board, there's no other place you can do it than in a school board meeting.

'Every single person there, all 500 parents, had their First Amendment rights trampled on by the Loudoun County school board and its superintendent.'

County residents arrived early to pack the auditorium as 259 residents signed up to speak during the public comment session before the debates became so heated that at least two men were eventually arrested for refusing to leave the building. The men were protesting the policy.

John Tigges who was arrested after refusing to leave a school board meeting that was discussing a controversial 'critical race theory' curriculum alongside proposals for a new contentious transgender policy has spoken out about his experience

Jon Tigges is detained following a controversial Loudoun County School Board meeting which included discussion of Critical Race Theory

Tigges was assigned to give comments in front of parents and community members who were present.

Community members lined up to peacefully share their sentiments when the meeting was 'suddenly' declared an unlawful assembly and police officers came in, threatening arrest.

The parents were debating a draft of the proposed 8040 policy on restrooms that reads that 'students should be allowed to use the facility that corresponds to their gender identity,' as school district leaders say they are moving to make schools more inclusive for transgender students - something that is considered by some parents as challenging traditional religious beliefs.

The comments went smoothly through the first half-dozen speakers who supported the 8040 proposal until the seventh speaker was booed for insulting Christian parents in the district who oppose the policy.

Tigges was assigned to give comments in front of parents and community members who were present but was arrested after being told the meeting was an 'unlawful assembly'

Tigges was one of two men who were eventually arrested for refusing to leave the building

A Sheriff can be seen confronting John Tigges after he refused to leave the meeting

Tigges was placed in handcuffs after refusing to cooperate and marched out of the room

A man is detained after a fight broke out during a Loudoun County School Board meeting which included a discussion of Critical Race Theory and transgender students

A man is detained after a fight broke out during a Loudoun County School Board meeting which included a discussion of Critical Race Theory and transgender students

A man is detained after a fight broke out during a Loudoun County School Board meeting which included a discussion of Critical Race Theory and transgender students

'What stood out to me the most is just how easily we've given up our rights and how easily we've retreated over the last 50 years. As I was standing there in the front of the room and realizing that people felt like they had no options after the school board,' Tigges explained.

'That's what I felt. It's like we can't take another defeat if we walk out of here based on some tyrant declaring that a lawful assembling was, 'unlawful', we're going to lose again and that it was time to stand our ground and that we weren't going to leave there unless people had an opportunity to do what they'd come to do, which was to air their grievances to public officials and hope that they would listen.

'The reality is clear. They don't want to listen. They're not listening. And that our only option is that we, the people take back our country,' Tigges said to Fox News.

Shelley Slebrch and other angry parents and community members protest after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted by the school board because the crowd refused to quiet down, in Ashburn, Virginia

Angry community members and parents sing the Star Spangled Banner after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted by the school board because the crowd refused to quiet down, in Ashburn, Virginia

A woman, who identified herself as the mother of a transgender Loudoun student, had said that 'hate' was 'dripping from the followers of Jesus in this room' - which promoted the board to call a five-minute recess for parents to cool down.

Brenda Sheridan, the board chair, warned residents after the recess that members of the board had voted unanimously to end public comment if the room again became disruptive.

'The board is here to hear from everyone,' she said.

'We started our meeting early because we knew we would have a large crowd and we had a large agenda. We ask again that you respect each other, and everyone is allowed to speak.'

Parents in the audience were also protesting recent moves by the board to promote critical race theory, which they said was racist indoctrination.

Over the past year, numerous public and private schools across the US have opted to incorporate CRT into their teachings - sparking a nationwide debate in which Loudoun County has emerged as a flashpoint.

Critical race theory asserts US institutions are inherently racist The fight over critical race theory in schools has escalated in the United States over the last year. The theory has sparked a fierce nationwide debate in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests around the country over the last year and the introduction of the 1619 Project. The 1619 Project, which was published by the New York Times in 2019 to mark 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived on American shores, reframes American history by 'placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of black Americans at the center of the US narrative'. The debate surrounding critical race theory regards concerns that some children are being indoctrinated into thinking that white people are inherently racist or sexist. Those against critical race theory have argued it reduces people to the categories of 'privileged' or 'oppressed' based on their skin color. Supporters, however, say the theory is vital to eliminating racism because it examines the ways in which race influence American politics, culture and the law. Advertisement

The theory asserts that 'institutions are inherently racist and that race itself... is a socially constructed concept that is used by white people to further their economic and political interests at the expense of people of color', according to Texas A&M University professor Tommy Curry.

Meanwhile, during the public comments, some parents also brought up another topic of debate in the community - the suspension and reinstatement of Tanner Cross - and asked the board not to appeal the court order reinstating him.

A judge ordered the Leesburg Elementary gym teacher to be reinstated after he was suspended last month after giving a speech opposing the transgender policy claiming it went against his religion.

Earlier this month, an eighth grader slammed Loudoun County Public Schools for a policy she claimed allows boys use girls locker rooms, putting female students in danger.

Jolene Grover, 14, spoke at the school district's board meeting in early June to address the proposed policy 8040.

She was pulled from a LCPS school last year by her mother.

'Two years ago, I was told policy 1040 was just an umbrella philosophy and you weren't going to allow boys into the girls' locker rooms. But here you are doing just that,' Grover said while wearing a shirt that read 'Woman is female.'

Some on the board, which has sparked controversy with its embrace of CRT and the transgender policy, is now facing recall efforts.

One woman at Tuesday's meeting urged several board members, facing a recall effort, to resign and save taxpayers even more money.

Others blasted a district official who allegedly made threatening Internet searches on a district smartphone.

Dick Black, a former state senator, ripped the board for its treatment of Cross - which prompted the chamber to erupt into cheers, Fox News reported.

The board then unanimously voted to end public comment after only 51 parents were heard.

Parents then led loud chants of 'Shame on you!' directed at the board.

Some demanded that the board members resign while some parents in the room sang The Star-Spangled Banner.

Others parents who had not yet been able to speak attempted to remain in the room to give their opinions before the crowd.

Opponents of an academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory attend a packed Loudoun County School board meeting until the meeting erupted into chaos and two people were detained, in Ashburn, Virginia

Opponents of the academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory protest outside of the Loudoun County School Board headquarters, in Ashburn, Virginia

Opponents of the academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory enter a school board meeting at the Loudoun County School Board headquarters, in Ashburn, Virginia

Concerned community members and parents wait to enter a controversial school board meeting at the Loudoun County School Board headquarters, in Ashburn, Virginia

Opponents of the academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory protest outside of the Loudoun County School Board headquarters, in Ashburn, Virginia

Amy Jahr sings the Star Spangled Banner after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted by the school board because the crowd refused to quiet down, in Ashburn, Virginia

Angry parents and community members protest after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted by the school board because the crowd refused to quiet down, in Ashburn, Virginia

Supporters of the academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory and transgender students meet outside the Loudoun County School Board headquarters before a school board meeting, in Ashburn, Virginia

Amy Jahr sings the Star Spangled Banner after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted by the school board because the crowd refused to quiet down, in Ashburn, Virginia

Elicia Brand leads a crowd of angry parents and community members in the singing of the Star Spangled Banner after a Loudoun County School Board meeting was halted by the school board because the crowd refused to quiet down

Opponents of an academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory attend a packed Loudoun County School board meeting until the meeting erupted into chaos and two people were detained, in Ashburn, Virginia

Opponents of an academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory attend a packed Loudoun County School board meeting until the meeting erupted into chaos and two people were detained, in Ashburn, Virginia

Opponents of an academic doctrine known as Critical Race Theory attend a packed Loudoun County School board meeting until the meeting erupted into chaos and two people were detained, in Ashburn, Virginia

Deputies told one of the men who refused to leave he would be arrested for trespassing if did not exit the room. He was ultimately issued a trespassing summons and released.

A second man was also arrested for 'acting disorderly and displayed aggressive behavior towards another attendee', a spokesperson for the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office told Fox News.

'A second adult male was acting disorderly and displayed aggressive behavior towards another attendee,' the spokesperson said.

'A deputy intervened and the subject continued to be disorderly with the deputy. LCSO Deputies attempted to take him into custody and he physically resisted arrest. The subject was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.'
President Joe Biden declared on Friday that pride had returned to the White House as he marked the month that celebrates LGBTQ+ rights.

'Pride is back at the White House,' he said. 'Pride Month stands for love, you know, being able to love yourself, love whomever you love.'

Biden marked the occasion by designating the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting a national memorial and named a special envoy for LGBTQ+ rights around the world.

Biden was joined by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay Senate-confirmed Cabinet secretary. Jill Biden and Chasten Buttigieg also were on hand.

The president was introduced by Ashton Mota, an openly transgender teenager from Massachusetts.

'It takes courage to be true to your authentic self and face the face of the kinds of discrimination,' Biden said of transgender youth.

'We know more than half of transgender youth to seriously consider suicide,' he said, encouraging people to support them.

President Joe Biden and LGBTQ advocate Ashton Mota of the GenderCool Project walk into the rainbow-lit hallway of the White House

Ashton Mota, an openly transgender youth, hugs President Biden

President Biden and Jill Biden at the Pride Month celebration in East Room of White House

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg shared his story of coming out as a young man

First lady Jill Biden and Chasten Buttigieg sat together in the front row as the president spoke

Buttigieg shared his story of coming out as young man and issued a warning about the treatment of transgender teenagers, a particularly vulnerable group.

'There's an especially dangerous political strategy arising in some states right now, and some politicians try to gain advantage by picking on transgender kids, some of the most vulnerable people in this country,' he said.

'There are consequences when politicians and other leaders, respond to transgender people search for equality and belonging by basically denying that someone can be transgender at all,' he noted. 'Telling America that transgender people do not exist, amounts to telling very real transgender people that they should not exist.'

He warned them to be careful of the weight of their words.

'You need to understand that if you go around signaling to people that transgender youth shouldn't exist, transgender youth will hear you. And some of them will believe you. So this is a matter of life and death,' Buttigieg said.

On Friday, Biden appointed Jessica Stern to be the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons at the Department of State.

Stern will focus on making sure U.S. diplomacy promotes and protects the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons around the world. She is the executive director of OutRight Action International, an organization aimed at ensuring human rights for LGBTQ people both domestically and abroad.

President Biden will appoint Jessica Stern to be the U.S. Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons at the Department of State

Stern specializes in gender, sexuality and human rights globally. She will be at the White House on Friday for the formal announcement and Pride Month celebrations.

She's the second person to be named to the role. Her predecessor, Randy Berry, served in the then-new role from its inception in 2015 under former President Barack Obama until 2017. The position was left vacant by former President Donald Trump after Berry stepped down.

Biden on Friday also signed into law a bill that designates the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting as the 'National Pulse Memorial.'

In June 2016, 49 people were killed and 53 were wounded during a mass shooting at the gay nightclub in Orlando. It was the deadliest incident against LGBTQ people in the United States.

'May no president ever have to sign another monument like this,' Biden said at the signing, where he was joined by Jill Biden, survivors of the shooting, victims' family members, and members of the Florida Congressional Delegation.

And, for the first time on Friday, a hallway on the ground floor of the White House will be lit in rainbow colors when the Bidens welcome LGBTQ+ advocates.

Dr. Rachel Levine, the assistant secretary for health in the Department of Health and Human Services who was the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the Senate, was in attendance.

President Joe Biden at a signing of the National Pulse Memorial bill into law

President Biden, joined by first lady Jill Biden, passes out pens after the signed the legislation

President Biden designated the site of the Pulse Nightclub shooting as the 'National Pulse Memorial'

For the first time on Friday, a hallway on the ground floor of the White House will be lit in rainbow colors as part of Pride Month celebrations - above a Pride Walk in Washington DC on June 12

Biden, in his remarks, pushed the Senate to pass the Equality Act, according to the White House official. The act provides 'overdue, explicit civil rights protections' to members of the LGBTQ community. It has already passed the House.

'The Equality Act will also help protect against the disturbing proliferation of anti LGBTQ bills we're seeing the state legislatures,' he said.

This year is on track to be the worst year for anti-LGBTQ legislation in recent history, according to the Human Rights Campaign, as eight anti-LGBTQ bills have already been signed into law and another ten are already on governors' desks awaiting signature.

Biden has championed LGBTQ rights from the start of his presidency - signing an executive order on his first day in office to combat discrimination and rescinding the ban on openly transgender servicemembers from serving in the military.

The White House has noted 14 percent of all presidential appointees in the Biden administration identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.

Biden started off June, known as Pride Month, with a proclamation to mark the occasion while his State Department declared the rainbow-colored Pride Flag could fly on the same pole as the American Flag at US outposts around the world.

The moves signal Biden's attempt to contrast himself with Trump, who ignored the month and, under his presidency, embassies couldn't fly the Pride flag.
Conspiracy theorists are claiming the Miami building that collapsed Thursday housed a giant stash of data on 'government corruption' collected by the late antivirus tycoon John McAfee.

Fact-checkers pouring scorn on the theory have not dampened the enthusiasm of internet sleuths, who have been sharing online an alleged tweet by McAfee from June 8 claiming that he had '31 terabytes' of files in a condo in the collapsed building.

DailyMail.com has been unable to verify whether the tweet is real or a fabrication.

Screenshots shared online appear to show the message from McAfee's Twitter account, from June 8, 2021 at 10:03am on saying: 'If anything ever happens to me, please know that the 31TB of files I have are located on hard drives in my condo near 88th Street and Collins Avenue just north of Miami Beach.'

There is no such tweet currently on his twitter feed. It may have been tweeted and later deleted, or could be complete fabrication.

A cryptic tweet allegedly posted by John McAfee earlier this month has been circulating on Twitter claiming he was storing secret files at a Miami condo

DailyMail.com has identified two versions of the same tweet (above) have been shared in different formats, but both could have been photoshopped by hoaxsters

The antivirus software tycoon was found dead on Wednesday allegedly from suicide by hanging, one day before the Champlain Towers building collapsed

The collapsed building, from which four are dead and 159 unaccounted-for, was at 8777 Collins Avenue in Surfside, Florida, matching the location described in the purported McAfee tweet.

DailyMail.com was unable to find records for a condo owned under McAfee's name in the Champlain Towers collapsed building.

It is also unclear why McAfee would have publicly revealed the location of such allegedly sensitive data.

DailyMail.com has identified two versions of the same tweet have been shared in different formats, but both could have been photoshopped by hoaxsters.

The late virus software company founder and 2020 libertarian presidential candidate was already a firebrand and focus of conspiracy theories.

He had been languishing in a Spanish jail since his arrest on US tax evasion charges in October. Earlier this month a Spanish court authorized his extradition to the US.

Fact-checkers quickly poured scorn on the theory, however, one pointed to a tweet McAfee shared in 2019 in which he had claimed to have '31+ terrabytes [sic]' of government secrets'

A 12-story Miami apartment building on 8777 Collins Avenue collapsed on Thursday, killing four and leaving 159 unaccounted for. The cause of the disaster remains unknown

On Wednesday, the day before the Miami building collapse, the 75-year-old was found dead, allegedly from suicide by hanging.

His death sparked an explosion of conspiracy theorists and internet sleuths trying to link him to the widely ridiculed QAnon movement and to Hillary Clinton, a demonized target of many of the movement's crackpot theories.

McAfee has previously tweeted about holding '31+ terrabytes [sic]' of government secrets.

While in Cuba on June 9, 2019, he tweeted: 'I've collected files on corruption in governments. For the first time, I'm naming names and specifics. I'll begin with a corrupt CIA agent and two Bahamian officials. Coming today. If I'm arrested or disappear, 31+ terrabytes of incriminating data will be released to the press.'

In a February 2019 interview with Adult Swim presenter Jena Friedman, McAfee claimed to have hacked the computer system of the government of Belize in 2012 and collected vast amounts of data.

At the time, he was wanted for questioning by the country's law enforcement in their investigation of the murder of his neighbor, US expatriate Gregory Faull. He fled to the US in 2013.

The late virus software company founder was already a firebrand and focus of conspiracy theories. At the time of his death he had been languishing in a Spanish jail since his arrest on US tax evasion charges in October

Final Tweet: In one of his final tweets, presumably dictated to his wife from behind bars, McAfee said 'I have nothing. Yet, I regret nothing.'

'When I went on the run in Belize I had friends in the US embassy in Belize,' McAfee told Friedman in the interview.

'I knew I was coming down, I'm not stupid. I had arranged with the head of security I was going to come in.

'He says, 'Sir, we have it from the highest authority we are not to allow you into the US embassy.' Who was the highest authority in the state department? Hillary Clinton.

'I'm an American Citizen with a f***ing American passport. I'm sorry, I'm not wanted in America. I've got no crimes in America.

'For a month and a half I was on the run. The reason that the government wanted to collect me was that after they had raided my property in 2012 in the jungle, shot my dog, abused me, destroyed over a half million dollars of my property over a bogus charge, I was pissed off.

'And so I donated to many secretaries within the government laptop computers, really nice ones, that were preloaded with viral spyware. Within a week the entire government computer system was under my control. I was watching, monitoring this thing.

'I was looking for information that they set me up for this raid. I didn't find it. I did find out that the minister of national defense was the largest drug trafficker in all of Central America and the minister of immigration the largest human trafficker.'

The widow of John McAfee, Janice, pictured, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead

In a 2012 interview with Wired magazine, McAfee claimed he refused to answer police questions because he was afraid they would kill him.

That year, the prime minister of Belize called McAfee 'extremely paranoid, even bonkers'.

The 75-year-old's widow Janice released a statement today claiming he was not suicidal, and blaming the US government for his death.

'I blame the US authorities for this tragedy. Because of these politically motivated charges against him. My husband is now dead,' she said in a statement.

'His last words to me were: I love you and I will call you in the evening.

'He would have never quit this way, he would never take his life in this way, ever.'
Five days ago Hash and his family were in Afghanistan hiding from Taliban gunmen who had vowed to kill him because of his brave work with British forces.

Yesterday the 37-year-old translator and his wife Sagofa, 34, were a world away, playing with sons Zahid, two, and four-month-old Buhran in a small park on the edge of Manchester.

'We are safe now and I thank the Daily Mail for helping to make this happen,' said Sagofa. 'For many years it seemed an impossible dream but now it has come true  to know your husband and children are really safe is a wonderful gift.'

Five days ago Hash and his family were in Afghanistan hiding from Taliban gunmen who had vowed to kill him because of his brave work with British forces. Yesterday the 37-year-old translator and his wife Sagofa, 34, (pictured together) were a world away

The family were among three dozen who escaped this week and flew to the UK on the first 'Freedom Flight' of Afghans under threat from the Taliban because of their work for Britain.

The arrival of Hash and his colleagues was a major victory for this newspaper's award-winning Betrayal of the Brave campaign which has repeatedly called for men who stood shoulder to shoulder with UK troops to be given sanctuary.

'Without your hard work this would not have happened and we will always be grateful,' said Hash, who risked his life with the SAS and frontline troops for five years in Helmand province.

'Living in fear takes a dreadful toll but over the past few days we have gone from wondering if the knock at the door is the Taliban coming for us to knowing it is some kind person bringing us our breakfast.

'It is extraordinary to finally know the meaning of being able to relax. I have slept like a baby for the first time in nine years since I stopped working with UK forces.'

The couple, who were pictured in Wednesday's Mail before the historic flight from Afghanistan to the UK, are in quarantine with other interpreter families at a Manchester hotel.

Each day, they are allowed to exercise in a small park on the hotel's grounds.

Hash worked with British Special Forces in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. The family were among three dozen who escaped this week and flew to the UK on the first 'Freedom Flight' of Afghans under threat from the Taliban because of their work for Britain

Once quarantine and Covid testing are complete, the family will live in Glasgow. Others in their group will be in English cities.

Hash thanked the UK Government and Defence Secretary Ben Wallace for changing policy to allow more translators to relocate to the UK but said: 'Please be generous to my colleagues. Many still face danger in Afghanistan.'

With the final withdrawal of US and UK forces on September 11, it is hoped around 3,500 Afghans, including hundreds of interpreters and their families, will be rescued.
The engineer who studied Champlain Towers for six months before recommending changes for recertification did not study its foundation or look beneath the building, a lawyer for the condo board association told DailyMail.com.

Frank Morabito was hired by the condo association to review the building and give them a list of updates needed for its 40-year recertification. He was not asked to look at the building foundations or ground beneath it because it's not part of the general recertification requirements.

'It's not standard operating procedure to include excavating under the foundation,' Donna DiMaggio Berger, an attorney for the condo board told DailyMail.com on Friday.

Asked whether there was any mention of the foundation in the report, she replied: 'I don't believe so.'

Morabito presented his report to the board and at the top of the list of recommendations was fixing the roof before hurricane season.

He recommended concrete work and other structural and electrical changes but it's unclear what those were exactly. The ground beneath the building is what she says she had been told was likely the problem.

'I've reached out to a few engineers, and it would appear that this is a subsurface failure,' she said.

This is what remains of Champlain Towers after it collapsed in the early hours of Thursday morning. The cause of the collapse remains unclear. A lawyer for the condo board association told DailyMail.com it appears to have been an issue with 'sub surface' but it has not been confirmed. An engineer studied the building for six months earlier this year but he wasn't tasked with looking at the foundations, and instead focused on recertification process

The building partially collapsed in the early hours of Thursday morning, killing at least four people. 150 people remain missing and investigators are scrambling to figure out what caused the disaster.

Morabito, in his report, recommended that the building first replace the entire roof, partly because hurricane season is approaching and if it had blown off or been damaged, the building wouldn't have been able to file an insurance claim.

Donna DiMaggio Berger is a lawyer for the Champlain Towers Condominium Association. She told DailyMail.com on Friday that there was no mention of any issue with the building's foundation in the report produced because the engineer didn't study it

Morabito did not respond to inquiries on Friday afternoon and he has not spoken publicly but he is cooperating with the authorities.

The report has not been made public because there is ongoing litigation now against the condo board in the form of a $5million class action lawsuit filed by a resident on Thursday night, less than 24 hours after the building came down.

'Champlain Towers was working with them for the last six months.

'In terms of the roof, that was where the priority was outlined to this board to start with.

'It makes sense because we're in hurricane season, it's June. If the roof blows off and you have a report saying you need repairs and you haven't done it, you will not have a viable insurance claim.'

The roof work was the only work that was underway - the concreting job hadn't begun because it was still out for bid.

Berger added that it was not the board of volunteer residents should not be blamed for the collapse, saying they are grieving and displaced just like everyone else.

She said it was 'despicable' that Manuel Drezner, a resident in the building, has already filed a $5million lawsuit based on the fact the building was due for repairs.

'It's despicable. The fire chief hasn't decided what happened here. The mayor hasn't decided, FEMA hasn't, engineers haven't, but this individual and his attorney decided within 24 hours?

'It's shocking. Right now, the focus has to be on finding the 150 people who are still unaccounted for. And frankly, I think it's a profound lack of respect,' she said.

The center portion of the tower was the first to fall with the east section of the building collapsing moments later

The board was not aware of research by a Florida State University researcher who detected that the ground was sinking beneath the building but seemingly didn't warn anyone about it last year.

'There's too much murkiness here.

'It's easy to take a hands off approach but I don't think putting those kind of burdens on volunteer board members who are just living in the building like everybody else.

'When you're talking about something as alarming as a building sinking... you'd think it would have been run up the flag pole.

'It's despicable...right now, the focus has to be on finding the 150 people who are still unaccounted for. And frankly, I think it's a profound lack of respect,' Champlain Towers Condo Association lawyer Donna DiMaggio Berger on lawsuit filed by resident

'Did he ever present that research to the county, city, fire chief? Where else did he present it? My starting point would be giving it to the local officials and saying hey, this is alarming,' she said.

Berger said every engineer she has spoken to suggests that the issue had to have been subsurface.

'I think the coming weeks will bear out that this was a subsurface issue.

'We know what didn't bring it down - it wasn't a hurricane, the building didn't burn down, we have a pretty good idea it was not intentional... that leaves a structural issue.

'These buildings are built on something but in barrier islands we have so many high end condominiums throughout this country that are built along the coast because it's a beautiful place to life but building on a barrier island presents certain challenges.

'Everything is going to depend on what you lay down first,' she said.

The six surviving board members are now all holed up in a friend's home. One of them is missing.

'They are devastated. The tears have not stopped. There's shock, disbelief, grief... this was a close-knit community,' she said.

Search and rescue teams are still combing through the rubble to try to find survivors.
One of the many times Matt Hancock's name has lately gone 'viral' on the internet came when Kay Burley asked him in September whether a new round of Covid restrictions had made casual sex illegal.

'You are saying that no social distancing is needed in established relationships,' noted the Sky News host. 'But what about people who are not in an established relationship?'

There followed an awkward exchange in which the increasingly flustered Health Secretary confirmed that government rules did indeed ban romantic liaisons with someone who wasn't your normal partner.

He added that, fortunately, 'I'm in an established relationship'.

That was then. And those remarks, which seemed merely toe-curling at the time, now feel downright preposterous in light of what we learned yesterday.

One of the many times Matt Hancock's name has lately gone 'viral' on the internet came when Kay Burley asked him in September whether a new round of Covid restrictions had made casual sex illegal (pictured, Hancock dancing with a guest at a gala dinner in 2017)

In politics, flagrant hypocrisy can end careers.

And if you thought those comments were bad, what about the married father-of-three's tour of the television studios in May this year, when he told us all that, if we wanted to hug a member of our own family, we ought to 'do it carefully'.

That lofty instruction to the great unwashed was issued ten days after the embarrassingly enthusiastic smooch with dishy aide Gina Coladangelo, which emerged yesterday, had been caught on camera.

For Hancock, this latest scandal is particularly awkward, since unsavoury libidinous behaviour is not priced into his political stock.

That lofty instruction to the great unwashed was issued ten days after the embarrassingly enthusiastic smooch with dishy aide Gina Coladangelo, which emerged yesterday, had been caught on camera

For Hancock, this latest scandal is particularly awkward, since unsavoury libidinous behaviour is not priced into his political stock

Unlike Boris Johnson, for example, he has built his career and reputation on being squeaky-clean, hard-working and, above all, energetic  a sort of Duracell bunny of Westminster.

'Sometimes people say about Matt that he's too Tiggerish, too like Tigger in Winnie-The-Pooh,' is how his friend and great mentor George Osborne once put it.

'Frankly, that is all about his youth and his energy and his enthusiasm, and in a political system that is full of Eeyores we could do with a few more Tiggers.'

Piers Morgan dubbed him a 'pious . . . bossy school prefect'. Hancock's response? 'I can't deny it.'

Until now, the most serious charge levelled against the Health Secretary was probably one of sycophancy: that he had risen to one of the great offices of state by hanging on to the coat tails of whoever happened to be in charge of his party.

That is why, the theory goes, he is the only Cabinet minister to have survived two seismic Tory coups, having served under first David Cameron, then Theresa May, then Boris Johnson.

Fraser Nelson, the editor of The Spectator, once noted: 'Those who are not great Matt Hancock fans will say that . . . he can find his way to crawl up to whoever is in power.'

Again, this was later put to Hancock. 'Guilty as charged!' he replied. 'I'm a team player.'

That is why, the theory goes, he is the only Cabinet minister to have survived two seismic Tory coups, having served under first David Cameron, then Theresa May, then Boris Johnson

The problem, of course, is that being frothy and enthusiastic, and keeping your boss onside, only works for as long as you remain a safe pair of hands. Following yesterday's revelations, the opposite now seems true.

Though entirely self-inflicted, it is a tragic state of affairs for Hancock who, at 42, has devoted almost his entire working life to politics, aside from a brief stint at the Bank of England after leaving university.

He was brought up in Cheshire on a smallholding where his parents  who later set up a software firm for which he worked as a self-confessed 'nerd'  raised sheep and kept horses.

This sparked a lifelong interest in equestrian sports, which saw him compete in and win a 2012 charity horse race at Newmarket, having shed 2st and sought advice from Frankie Dettori.

His sister, Emily Gilruth, became a professional rider, and in 2017 was rushed to hospital where she spent four days in a coma after falling and hitting her head while competing in the Badminton Horse Trials.

Hancock has often cited the care she received as inspiration in his day job, saying: 'One of the reasons we all love the NHS is that at some of the lowest points in our life it's there for us.'

After leaving The King's School, Chester, a private day school, he went up to Oxford and took a first in PPE.

A contemporary recalls him being 'quite liked, as the butt of everyone's humour who could take a joke about himself', adding, 'he had a strong northern accent in those days'.

It was there, while working on the student radio station, that he met the aforementioned Coladangelo who was also a PPE student.

It was at Oxford University, while working on the student radio station, that Hancock met the aforementioned Coladangelo (pictured) who was also a PPE student

His first foray into electoral politics didn't go entirely according to plan.

A dyslexic (who was only diagnosed at university), he wrote a widely mocked election leaflet for the Tory Party's 2001 election candidate in Guildford, Nick St Aubyn, which said that the candidate wanted to 'untie' the local community, rather than 'unite' it. St Aubyn went on to lose by 538 votes.

But Hancock got his break after meeting George Osborne at a cocktail party in 2005, when he was promptly hired as the then Shadow Chancellor's chief-of-staff.

The following year he married Martha Millar, an osteopath who was also an Oxford contemporary and whose grandfather, Frederick Millar, the first Baron Inchyra, served as British Ambassador to West Germany in the 1950s. Martha's aunt, Dame Annabel Whitehead, was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret and later the Queen.

The following year he married Martha Millar, an osteopath who was also an Oxford contemporary and whose grandfather, Frederick Millar, the first Baron Inchyra, served as British Ambassador to West Germany in the 1950s

Martha and Hancock have a daughter and two sons (one of whom is Osborne's godchild) plus a dachshund called Hercules, who makes occasional appearances on Hancock's Instagram account.

By 2010, Hancock had become a vital member of Osborne's team, and his reward came with the safe parliamentary seat of West Suffolk, where the family is largely based in a comfortable village home.

Within two years he had been handed a government job, and by the next election had risen from junior skills minister to Paymaster General, thanks to the largesse of the PM and his Chancellor.

His popularity with the leadership did not go unnoticed: at an away day for Tory MPs in 2014, backbencher Philip Davies gave a comic speech noting: 'Anyone tempted to lick George Osborne's backside should be careful because if you go too far you will find the soles of Matt Hancock's shoes in the way.'

Despite campaigning against Brexit, Hancock performed a neat U-turn after the 2016 referendum, and was virtually the only Cameron-era minister to survive the arrival of Theresa May, after successfully inveigling his way into her good books.

As Culture Secretary, he made headlines as the first ever MP to launch his own smartphone app, which was received with ridicule.

'Hi I'm Matt Hancock and welcome to my app . . . So come on, let's get started!' it told users, who were updated with his various activities, including excruciating videos of him exercising in a 1970s-style tight tracksuit.

'One of Hancock's many useful characteristics is an ability to get people to laugh with him, rather than at him,' was how an interviewer explained his PR strategy, although that was before he was filmed performing a karaoke rendition of Queen's Don't Stop Me Now at a Tory conference.

Ever since the pandemic struck, he has become a minor celebrity, beamed into our homes on a daily basis. And he has relished it, even though leaked text messages showed Boris Johnson once labelled him 'totally f***ing hopeless'

In 2018, the health job came along and  despite standing unsuccessfully for the Tory leadership the following year  he managed to retain it under Boris Johnson, thanks to his decision to endorse the future PM's campaign after removing himself from the running.

Ever since the pandemic struck, he has become a minor celebrity, beamed into our homes on a daily basis.

And he has relished it, even though leaked text messages showed Boris Johnson once labelled him 'totally f***ing hopeless'.

This latest bout of publicity he will be less keen on, however.

Of one thing we can be certain: the master sycophant will now need all the skills he can muster to save not only his job but his marriage, too.
Advertisement

Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd.

Judge Peter Cahill handed down the sentence of 270 months - the longest an officer has ever received for unlawful use of deadly force - on Friday and granted Chauvin 199 days already served.

He will likely serve just 15 years and could be released on good behavior once he's eligible for parole, which many demonstrators chanting outside the Minneapolis courtroom say isn't enough.

'This is based on your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd,' Judge Cahill said to the disgraced former cop. 'I'm not basing my sentencing on public opinion, I'm not basing it on any attempt to send any messages.'

Cahill also addressed Floyd's family, who had spoken out in emotional victim impact statements, telling them, 'I acknowledge and hear the pain that you're feeling.'

In addition to jail time, Chauvin is also prohibited from possessing a gun, ammunition, or explosives for the remainder of his life and is required also register as a predatory offender. As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison, and the most serious charge that Chauvin was convicted of - second-degree murder - carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

The former Minneapolis officer, dressed today in a gray suit and tie with a buzz cut, was found guilty in April on all three counts - second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter - for kneeling on 46-year-old Floyd's neck for nine minutes in May 2020.

In his sentencing memo, Judge Cahill wrote: 'Mr. Chauvin, rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr. Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbor.'

The sentencing came after Chauvin spoke briefly to offer the Floyd family his condolences.

Chauvin said he could not give a full statement because of additional legal matters, but said, 'There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind. Thank you.'

There are still two federal indictments pending against Chauvin - one for violating Floyd's civil rights during the arrest that led to his death and one for assaulting a 14-year-old with a flashlight.

Chauvin spoke after four heartbreaking victim impact statements from George Floyd's family, including Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd, his nephew Brandon Williams, and brothers Terrence Floyd and Philonise Floyd.

Derek Chauvin, 45, was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison on Friday for the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer the Floyd family his condolences

'This is based on your abuse of your position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd,' Judge Cahill said as he handed down the sentencing

Chauvin, seen in a gray suit, gray tie and sporting a buzz cut walk out of the Minnesota court room moments after being sentenced to 22.5 years in prison

Chauvin will be eligible for parole after 15 years and could be released on good behavior, which many demonstrators chanting outside of the Minneapolis courtroom say isn't enough

Black Lives Matter activists and supporters rally outside Hennepin County District Court where a judge sentenced former police officer Chauvin

Just hours before the sentencing, Judge Cahill denied the defense's motion for a new trial and said he will not hold a hearing into jury misconduct.

The defense had asked for probation and sought a retrial ahead of an expected appeal, claiming that their client was guilty of 'an error made in good faith.' Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial.

The court document reads that Cahill had denied sentencing Chauvin to probation because 'there has been no persuasive showing that Mr. Chauvin is particularly amenable to probation' and because 'a probationary sentence would be disproportionate and understate the severity of Mr. Chauvin's offense.'

'Mr. Chauvin's continuing insistence that he believed 'he was simply performing his lawful duty in assisting other officers in the arrest of George Floyd' and was acting 'in good faith reliance [on] his own experience as a police officer and the training he had received'  was rejected by every supervisory and training officer in the Minneapolis Police Department who testified at trial as well as by the jury,' Cahill wrote.

He added: 'Mr. Chauvin's particularly cruel treatment of George Floyd is also a separate 'substantial and compelling' basis for an upward sentencing departure.'

The judge noted that Chauvin's 'prolonged restraint' of George Floyd was also 'much longer and more painful' than the typical second-degree or third-degree murder case.

'Mr. Chauvin, rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr. Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbor.'

Judge Cahill wrote in the sentencing documents that, for a defendant like Chauvin 'with zero criminal history points,' the guidelines presumptive range for unintentional second-degree murder  the most serious charge of which he was found guilty by the jury  is 128 to 180 months, with the presumptive sentence being 150 months.

According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections, the state uses determinate sentencing in which there is no parole board and no time off for good behavior. Individuals granted parole serve two-thirds of their prison sentence incarcerated and the remaining third on supervised release.

This means that Chauvin could be released from jail after just 15 years behind bars. He would be 60 years when released from prison if he only serves 15 years of his sentence in prison.

If granted parole, every person on supervised release 'follows conditions such as having an approved residence, submitting to regular drug and alcohol tests, restrictions against accessing the Internet, and in some cases electronic monitoring.'

Prosecutors earlier this month asked Judge Cahill to sentence Chauvin to 30 years in prison, submitting court documents which called the actions of the cop an 'egregious abuse' of his position.

'Defendant's conduct was also particularly cruel,' prosecutors said.

They recalled that the judge had ruled there were four aggravating factors in the case, allowing him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

At the time, prosecutors argued that aggravating factors meant Cahill could opt for a longer jail term. Judge Cahill outlined those aggregating factors in his sentencing decision.

Those aggregating factors allowing the longer sentence were: that Chauvin abused a position of trust and authority and that Chauvin treated George Floyd with particular cruelty.

The documents show that two other possible aggregating factors did not warrant an upward sentencing departure. Those were that children were present during the commission of the offense and that Chauvin committed the crime with other individuals 'who all actively participated with Mr. Chauvin in the crime in various ways,' naming the three other Minneapolis cops facing trial for Floyd's death.

Last week prosecutors insisted Chauvin should not get a new trial for murdering Floyd after claiming his original hearing was fair and impartial.

They set out their arguments for keeping the April verdict intact in a court document filed Wednesday, claiming Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson's calls for a second trial were without merit.

The document continued: 'This Court has rejected many of these arguments before, and there is no reason for a different result now. Defendants scattershot and unavailing attempts to overturn his conviction should be denied.

It continued: 'Defendant was unanimously convicted on all three counts based on evidence of his overwhelming guilt. He now seeks to escape his lawful conviction by any means.' The argument was presented to Judge Peter Cahill - who presided over Chauvin's original trial at Hennepin Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It is unclear when he will rule on whether or not Chauvin should get a new trial.

The state's document came in response to defense requests to grant Chauvin a new trial and to hold a hearing to question jurors about alleged misconduct.

Among other things, defense attorney Eric Nelson said intense pretrial publicity, alleged prosecutorial misconduct and some decisions by the court made it impossible for Chauvin to get a fair trial.

Chauvin was still being held at the Oak Park Heights correctional facility on Friday, according to the Minnesota Department of Corrections. It was unclear if that facility is where Chauvin will serve out his sentence.

The prison, where Chauvin has been held in solitary confinement for his safety during the last eight weeks while awaiting sentencing, is the state's only maximum-security facility.

It was built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, and is generally considered well run and comparatively secure, with only one murder within the walls in its almost 40 year history and no one ever escaping. Most people housed in the facility are designated at either maximum or close custody levels.

'I miss you and I love you.' George Floyd's seven-year-old daughter gives heartbreaking victim impact statement - as his brothers and nephew tearfully say 'Our family is forever broken'

Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna gave a heartbreaking victim impact statement.

'I ask about him all the time,' Gianna Floyd said via video. 'I was asking how did my dad get hurt. I want to play with him, have fun, go to the playground'

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd (pictured) - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help

When asked what she would tell her father if she could see him again, Gianna responded, 'It would be I miss you and I love you.'

Three other members of Floyd's family, including his nephew Brandon Williams and brothers Terrence Floyd and Philonise Floyd, gave poignant victim impact statements in the courtroom Friday.

'Immediately my life changed forever,' Philonise said while wiping away tears. 'I've been lifting my voice so that George's life is not in vain. George's life mattered.

'I haven't had a real night's sleep because of the nightmares I constantly have, hearing my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again. Even saying, 'They're going to kill me, please, officer,' screaming for our mom,' he added in court today.

'I have had to sit through each day of officer Derek Chauvin's trial and watch the video of George dying for hours, over and over again. For an entire year, I had to relive George being tortured to death every hour of the day.'

Floyd's brother Terrence tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why. What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?'

'On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty,' he said, 'We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We've been through that already...no, no, no, no.'

'If it was us, if the roles was reversed, there wouldn't be no case,' Terrence said. 'It would have been open and shut. We'd have been under the jail for murdering somebody. So, we ask for that same penalty for Derek Chauvin.'

Floyd's nephew Brandon Williams said in court, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so. You saw it. I saw it. And millions of people across the country and the globe witnessed the act of hate.

'The sudden murder of George has forever traumatized us. You may see us cry, but the full extent of our pain and trauma will never be seen with the naked eye.' Williams added. 'The heartbreak and hurt goes far beyond any number of tears we could ever cry. Words simply cannot express the pain, anguish, and suffering that our family and friends have endured since George's murder. It has been truly unimaginable.'

'Our family is forever broken,' Williams said.

His family asked the judge to deliver the maximum sentence to Chauvin, without the possibility of parole.

Floyd's death sparked months of national protests over mistreatment of black Americans by police and a cultural reckoning by many. At the time of his conviction, cheers rose from the crowds that had gathered outside the courthouse and down at the intersection of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis, now known as George Floyd Square.

Before sentencing, four victim impact statements were read, including from Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd, who appeared via video. 'I ask about him all the time,' Gianna Floyd said via video. 'I was asking how did my dad get hurt. I want to play with him, have fun, go to the playground'

'Immediately my life changed forever,' George's brother Philonise Floyd said while wiping away tears. 'For an entire year I had to relive George being murdered'

Floyd's brother Terrence (left) tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why? What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?' His nephew Brandon Williams (right) said in his statement, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so'

'My son is a good man': Derek Chauvin's mother, 73, says she'll 'always be there for him' as she begs judge for mercy at his sentencing hearing, pleading 'you'll be sentencing me too'

Chauvin's mother begged the judge for mercy at his sentencing hearing on Friday, saying she'd be sentenced too and telling him he was her 'favorite son' whose innocence she never doubted.

The public will never know the loving and caring man he is. But his family does.

Carolyn Pawlenty, 73, was emotional as she spoke at the courthouse in Minneapolis, looking at her 45-year-old son and telling him: 'My happiest moment was giving birth to you.'

Her full remarks are below.

'I am the mother of Derek Chauvin. I am here to speak on behalf of my entire family.

'Not only did Derek's life change forever but so did mine and my family's. Derek devoted 19 years of his life to the Minneapolis Police Department.

'It has been difficult for me to hear and read what the media, public and prosecution believe Derek to be an aggressively, heartless and uncaring person.

'That is far from the truth. My son' s identity has also been reduced to that of a racist. I want this court to know that none of these things are true. My son is a good man.

'Derek always dedicated his life and time to the police department. Even on his days off, he'd call in to see if they needed help.

'Derek is a quiet, thoughtful, honorable and selfless man. He has a big heart and has always put others before his own.

'The public will never know the loving and caring man he is. But his family does.

'Even though I have not spoken publicly, I have always supported him 100 percent and always will. Derek has played over and over in his head the events of that day.

'I've seen the toll it has taken on him. I believe a lengthy sentence will not serve Derek well. When you sentence my son, you will also be sentencing me.

'I will not be able to see Derek, talk to him on the phone or give him our special hug.

'When he is released, his father and I most likely will not be here.

Carolyn Pawlenty, 73, was emotional as she spoke at the courthouse in Minneapolis, looking at her 45-year-old son and telling him: 'My happiest moment was giving birth to you'

Pawlenty, 73, addressed the judge then turned to her 45-year-old son and told him to 'stay strong'

'Derek, my happiest moment is when I gave birth to you. My second is when I was honored to pin your police badge on you. I remember you whispering to me, don't stick me with it.

'I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence and I will never waiver from that. I have read numerous letters from people around the world that also believe in your innocence.

'No matter where you go, where you are I will always be there to visit you.

'I promise you I will stay strong as we talked about and I want you to do the same for me.

'I will do what you told me to do, take care of myself, so I will be here for you when you come home. Remember there is no stronger bond or love than a mother's love.

'One final thought I want you to remember - remember you are my favorite son. 'Thank you for your time.'

Chants of 'bulls**t and 'BLM' erupt outside Minneapolis court as Derek Chauvin is sentenced to 22.5 years for George Floyd's murder as Rev Al Sharpton tells crowd: 'Justice would have been the maximum'

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Friday afternoon as Chauvin was sentenced.

There was an intense reaction from the crowd who chanted 'Black Lives Matter' while holding signs and waving flags.

Others could be heard shouting 'Bulls***!', unhappy at the 22.5 year sentence, of which Chauvin is likely to serve two-thirds, or about 15 years.

There were a mixed feelings from those gathered outside with many hoping for a tougher 30-year sentence or even the maximum statutory penalty of 40 years.

Speaking outside the court, American civil rights leader Al Sharpton made a statement praising the sentencing, the longest ever for a police officer, while still acknowledging that a longer sentence would have also been appropriate.

'This verdict and this sentencing is the longest sentence we've seen, but it is not justice, because George Floyd is in a grave tonight, even though Chauvin will be in jail. So let us not feel that we're here to celebrate, because justice would have been George Floyd never have been killed. Justice would have been the maximum,' Sharpton began.

'We got more than we thought. Only because we have been disappointed so many times before. 22.5 years is longer than we've ever gotten, but shorter than what we should have gotten in the past. Let us remember, a man lost his life.

'This is not a prayer of celebration, it's a prayer to thank God for giving the strength of this family and those activists that stayed in the streets to make sure this court had to do what was right. Let me repeat, for those in the back, because those are the ones that marched, that this is the longest sentence they've ever given, but it is not justice. Justice is George Floyd would be alive.'

People react as they listen to the sentencing hearing of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Former policeman Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in jail Friday for murdering African American George Floyd

Reverend Al Sharpton, surrounded by relatives of George Floyd, talks to the media after the sentencing

People surround civil rights lawyer and lead attorney for the George Floyd family, Benjamin Crump (C-R), and Reverend Al Sharpton (C-L) as well as Floyd family members, after the sentencing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin

Attorney Ben Crump hugs Reverend Al Sharpton at the sentencing of former police officer Derek Chauvin

Sharpton then joined the Floyd family in prayer.

'We ask you to give this family strength and give them grace. And you have brought us now to the end of this particular proceeding. They will say it is more time than any time in history, but we will say that history has been long underserving its citizens. And we humbly thank you for giving this family the strength to stand where other families didn't even get a court date. We remember Erik garner today. We remember Michael Brown. We remember Jacob Blake, who is still with us. We remember Tamir Rice on his birthday. We remember Breonna Taylor.'

Also speaking outsider the court, Ben Crump, the Floyd Family Attorney also gave his thoughts on the sentencing.

'Today represents a opportunity to be a turning point in America. This is the longest sentence that a police officer has ever been sentenced to in the history of the state of Minnesota. But this should not be the exception when a black person is killed by brutality by police. It should be the norm.

'And so when we think about real justice, real justice would be that George Floyd would still be here with his family. So what we got today was some measure of accountability, and we understand that there are still federal charges pending. So as his brothers and his family asks for the maximum, we're still holding up for the maximum,' Crump continued.

'We have to remember, real justice in America will be black men and black women and people of color will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice. So we thank most of all the millions of Americans who raised their voice.

You all raised your voices, and because you raised your voices, that is why we got the guilty conviction, and that is why we got the longest sentence in the state of Minnesota history. So on behalf of the Floyd family, we want to say thank you to millions of Americans who all said, until we get justice for George Floyd, until we get accountability for George Floyd, none of us can breathe. We can breathe just a little easier today. And we thank you for that.'

People gather to watch court proceedings outside of the Hennepin County Government Center

Reverend Al Sharpton and Attorney Ben Crump hold a prayer with members of George Floyd's family

People gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center and watch a live stream of the sentencing hearing for Derek Chauvin

Justin Blake (L), uncle of Jacob Blake, stands outside the Hennepin County Government Center and listens to a live stream of the sentencing

Rev. Al Sharpton, right, with hand on coat, along with family members of George Floyd leads a prayer before entering the Hennepin County Government Center for the sentencing

Biden says Derek Chauvin's 22.5-year sentence for murdering George Floyd 'seems to be appropriate'

President Joe Biden said on Friday that Derek Chauvin's 22-and-a-half year sentence for murdering George Floyd 'seemed appropriate'.

The president was in the Oval Office with the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, when reporters told him the jail term the ex-cop had been given in Minneapolis.

'I don't know all the circumstances that were considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate,' he said.

He also said that was the first he had heard of the reports. Biden formed a close relationship with the Floyd family and invited them to the White House last month to discuss the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

The president also injected himself into the trial in the spring when he said he was 'praying the verdict is the right verdict.'

'It's overwhelming, in my view,' Biden said of the sentence in the trial at the time. 'I wouldn't say that unless the jury was sequestered.

He also said that was the first he had heard of the reports. Biden formed a close relationship with the Floyd family and invited them to the White House last month to discuss the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

Chauvin's legal team is likely to take their arguments to the Court of Appeals.

Dozens of witnesses were heard and hundreds of items of evidence were submitted during the weeks of testimony.

The April verdict, in a relatively swift, across-the-board victory for Floyd's supporters - set off jubilation mixed with sorrow across the city and around the nation. Hundreds of people poured into the streets of Minneapolis, some running through traffic with banners. Drivers blared their horns in celebration.

Chauvin had been captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help.

'Today, we are able to breathe again,' Floyd's younger brother Philonise said at a joyous family news conference in April where tears streamed down his face as he likened Floyd to the 1955 Mississippi lynching victim Emmett Till, except that this time there were cameras around to show the world what happened.

The jury of six whites and six black or multiracial people came back with its verdict after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days.

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing. The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence

This photo shows a cell in the Administrative Control Unit at the Oak Park Heights facility. This cell is similar to the one that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been in since he was found guilty in April

George Floyd was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck

The court was shown these photos of the injuries Floyd sustained as he was pinned to the ground on May 25

Prosecutors repeatedly referenced this timeline of Floyd's fatal arrest during the trial and showed it during the trial

Jordan and Royal Pacheco take a picture of their grandmother Evelyn at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, ahead of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing

Ahead of the sentencing, Ellison told 60 Minutes that despite his feelings of 'gratitude' and 'satisfaction' at seeing Chauvin convicted, he also felt sympathy for the cop.

'I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer. So, I will admit, I felt a little bad for the defendant. I think he deserved to be convicted. But he's a human being,' Ellison told Scott Pelley.

'I'm not in any way wavering from my responsibility. But I hope we never forget that people who are defendants in our criminal justice system, that they're human beings. They're people. I mean, George Floyd was a human being. And so I'm not going to ever forget that everybody in this process is a person,' the AG added.

Asked whether the judge should give the maximum sentence and send a 'message,' AG Ellison told CBS: 'I think it is important for the Court to not go light or heavy. I don't know if it's right for a judge to send a message through a sentence because the sentence should be tailored to the offense, tailored to the circumstances of the case.

'Look, the State never wanted revenge against Derek Chauvin. We just wanted accountability.'

The lawyer added that, despite the shocking video which was beamed around the world, he was never certain that Chauvin would be found guilty.

'I was never convinced we were going to win this case until we heard the verdict of guilty. I remember what happened in the Rodney King case when I was a pretty young man, young lawyer,' Ellison said.

Chauvin addresses Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis on April 15

Chauvin was led out of the court in handcuffs after the verdict came down on April 20

People react after learning of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing outside the Hennepin County Government Center

The centerpiece of the case was the excruciating bystander video of Floyd gasping repeatedly, 'I cant breathe' and onlookers yelling at Chauvin to stop as the officer pressed his knee on or close to Floyds neck for what authorities say was 9 1/2 minutes, including several minutes after Floyd's breathing had stopped and he had no pulse.

Prosecutors played the footage at the earliest opportunity, during opening statements, and told the jury: 'Believe your eyes.' From there it was shown over and over, analyzed one frame at a time by witnesses on both sides.

In the wake of Floyds death, demonstrations and scattered violence broke out in Minneapolis, around the country and beyond. The furor also led to the removal of Confederate statues and other offensive symbols such as Aunt Jemima.

In the months that followed, numerous states and cities restricted the use of force by police, revamped disciplinary systems or subjected police departments to closer oversight.

The 'Blue Wall of Silence' that often protects police accused of wrongdoing crumbled after Floyds death. The Minneapolis police chief quickly called it 'murder' and fired all four officers, and the city reached a staggering $27 million settlement with Floyds family as jury selection was underway.

Police-procedure experts and law enforcement veterans inside and outside the Minneapolis department, including the chief, testified for the prosecution that Chauvin used excessive force and went against his training.

Medical experts for the prosecution said Floyd died of asphyxia, or lack of oxygen, because his breathing was constricted by the way he was held down on his stomach, his hands cuffed behind him, a knee on his neck and his face jammed against the ground.

Chauvin's attorney called a police use-of-force expert and a forensic pathologist to try to make the case that Chauvin acted reasonably against a struggling suspect and that Floyd died because of a heart condition and his illegal drug use. Floyd had high blood pressure and narrowed arteries, and fentanyl and methamphetamine were found in his system.

Under the law, police have certain leeway to use force and are judged according to whether their actions were 'reasonable' under the circumstances.

People gather outside Hennepin County Government Center to hear the sentence pronounced on former police officer Derek Chauvin, as many call for maximum accountability

The defense also tried to make the case that Chauvin and the other officers were hindered in their duties by what they perceived as a growing, hostile crowd.

Chauvin did not testify, and all that the jury or the public ever heard by way of an explanation from him came from a police body-camera video after an ambulance had taken the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Floyd away. Chauvin told a bystander: 'We gotta control this guy cause hes a sizable guy ... and it looks like hes probably on something.'

The prosecutions case also included tearful testimony from onlookers who said the police kept them back when they protested what was happening.

Eighteen-year-old Darnella Frazier, who shot the crucial video, said Chauvin gave the bystanders a 'cold' and 'heartless' stare. She and others said they felt a sense of helplessness and lingering guilt from witnessing Floyds slow-motion death.

'Its been nights I stayed up, apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more, and not physically interacting and not saving his life,' she testified.
Advertisement

The Rev Al Sharpton has condemned Derek Chauvin's 22-and-a-half year sentence for the murder of George Floyd saying that he should have received the maximum.

Sharpton made the remarks in front of about one hundred people who gathered outside the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis on Friday afternoon to hear the sentence come down.

There was an intense reaction from the crowd who chanted 'Black Lives Matter' while holding placards and waving flags.

Some cursed in disgust and could be heard shouting 'Bulls***!', unhappy at the 22 year sentence, of which Chauvin is likely to serve about 15 years.

The punishment - which fell short of the 30 years prosecutors had requested - came after Chauvin broke his more than yearlong silence in court to offer condolences to the Floyd family. He also said more information will be coming out and he hopes the family will eventually have 'some peace of mind.'

With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could get out on parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence.

Speaking outside the court, Sharpton acknowledged that Chauvin's is the longest sentence ever handed to a police officer in Minnesota but said: 'Justice would have been the maximum.'

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Reverend Al Sharpton, surrounded by relatives of George Floyd, talks to the media after the sentencing

People react as they listen to the sentencing hearing of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Former policeman Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in jail Friday for murdering African American George Floyd

Lawyer Ben Crump, sorrounded by members of George Floyd's family, talks to the media after the sentencing

People surround civil rights lawyer and lead attorney for the George Floyd family, Benjamin Crump (C-R), and Reverend Al Sharpton (C-L) as well as Floyd family members, after the sentencing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin

Attorney Ben Crump hugs Reverend Al Sharpton at the sentencing of former police officer Derek Chauvin

'This verdict and this sentencing is the longest sentence we've seen, but it is not justice, because George Floyd is in a grave tonight, even though Chauvin will be in jail. So let us not feel that we're here to celebrate, because justice would have been George Floyd never have been killed. Justice would have been the maximum,' Sharpton began.

'We got more than we thought. Only because we have been disappointed so many times before. 22.5 years is longer than we've ever gotten, but shorter than what we should have gotten in the past. Let us remember, a man lost his life.

'This is not a prayer of celebration, it's a prayer to thank God for giving the strength of this family and those activists that stayed in the streets to make sure this court had to do what was right. Let me repeat, for those in the back, because those are the ones that marched, that this is the longest sentence they've ever given, but it is not justice. Justice is George Floyd would be alive.

Sharpton then joined the Floyd family in prayer.

'We ask you to give this family strength and give them grace. And you have brought us now to the end of this particular proceeding. They will say it is more time than any time in history, but we will say that history has been long underserving its citizens. And we humbly thank you for giving this family the strength to stand where other families didn't even get a court date.

'We remember Erik garner today. We remember Michael Brown. We remember Jacob Blake, who is still with us. We remember Tamir Rice on his birthday. We remember Breonna Taylor.'

Bishop Harding Smith reacts outside Hennepin County Government Center after the sentence on former police officer Derek Chauvin who was sentenced for murdering George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota

People gather to hear the Derek Chauvin sentencing in Minneapolis

A person reacts outside Hennepin County Government Center after the sentencing on former police officer Derek Chauvin

People gather to hear the Derek Chauvin sentencing and hug one another after the news broke

Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter on April 20 in the death of African-American George Floyd in a case that roiled the United States for almost a year, laying bare deep racial divisions

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin addresses his sentencing hearing and the judge as he awaits his sentenceon Friday

People gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center and watch a live stream of the sentencing hearing for Derek Chauvin

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump also gave his thoughts on the sentencing saying the family had gotten 'some measure of accountability' but is hoping Chauvin gets the maximum at his upcoming federal civil rights trial.

Crump noted that it was the longest sentence a police officer has ever received in Minnesota.

'Today represents a opportunity to be a turning point in America. This is the longest sentence that a police officer has ever been sentenced to in the history of the state of Minnesota. But this should not be the exception when a black person is killed by brutality by police. It should be the norm,' Crump said.

'And so when we think about real justice, real justice would be that George Floyd would still be here with his family. So what we got today was some measure of accountability, and we understand that there are still federal charges pending. So as his brothers and his family asks for the maximum, we're still holding up for the maximum.

'We have to remember, real justice in America will be black men and black women and people of color will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice. So we thank most of all the millions of Americans who raised their voice.

'You all raised your voices, and because you raised your voices, that is why we got the guilty conviction, and that is why we got the longest sentence in the state of Minnesota history. So on behalf of the Floyd family, we want to say thank you to millions of Americans who all said, until we get justice for George Floyd, until we get accountability for George Floyd, none of us can breathe. We can breathe just a little easier today. And we thank you for that.'

Crump later roused the crown with a chant: 'Maximum accountability for George Floyd! Maximum accountability for George Floyd!'

'Maximum accountability for George Floyd! Maximum accountability for George Floyd!' lawyer Ben Crump chanted

Relatives of George Floyd and other members of African American community talk to journalists during a rally outside Hennepin County District Court

'Today represents a opportunity to be a turning point in America. This is the longest sentence that a police officer has ever been sentenced to in the history of the state of Minnesota. But this should not be the exception when a black person is killed by brutality by police. It should be the norm,' said attorney Ben Crump

''We have to remember, real justice in America will be black men and black women and people of color will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice. So we thank most of all the millions of Americans who raised their voice,' added Crump

The Rev. Al Sharpton, center, leads George Floyd family members in prayer at a news conference after the sentencing

Justin Blake (L), uncle of Jacob Blake, stands outside the Hennepin County Government Center and listens to a live stream of the sentencing

Reverend Al Sharpton speaks outside of the Hennepin County Government Center for the sentencing of former police officer Derek Chauvin

Reverend Al Sharpton and Attorney Ben Crump hold a prayer with members of George Floyd's family

Jennifer Starr Dodd, 37, streamed the proceedings from her phone as a large group of people watched over her shoulder. Members of the crowd broke into applause, and several said, 'Well take it.'

Starr Dodd was grateful the sentence was not the 'slap on the wrist' she feared.

'Theres going to be more George Floyds, theres going to be more Trayvon Martins, theres going to be more Daunte Wrights, unfortunately,' she said, referring to other black people who died on the streets. 'But I have hope now that they can get the consequences that they deserve for doing their missteps in their actions.'

In imposing the punishment, Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing 'your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty' shown to Floyd.

Following Chauvin's sentencing, he was immediately led back to prison. As with the verdicts in April, he showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyd's neck for up to 9  minutes as the 46-year-old Black man gasped that he couldn't breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyd's arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond, as well as demands for overhauling policing and discipline.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of he called 'some additional legal matters at hand' - an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial, where his words could be used against him.

'I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some some peace of mind,' he said, without further explanation.

People gather to watch court proceedings outside of the Hennepin County Government Center

The former Minneapolis Police officer was sentenced on Friday after being convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd, pictured on the back of a jacket

Attorney Ben Crump is pictured walking into the Hennepin County Government Center before the sentencing began

gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center and listen to victim impact statements during the sentencing

People gather outside the Hennepin County Government Center and listen to victim impact statements

People wait outside Hennepin County Government Center ahead of a sentence being pronounced on Derek Chauvin

People wait outside Hennepin County Government Center ahead of the sentence being pronounced

A person listens to live stream outside Hennepin County Government Center ahead of the sentence being pronounced

People wait outside Hennepin County Government Center ahead of a sentence coming out

Emotions ran high outside the courthouse as those gathered waited for news

Hundreds of people gathered outside the courthouse in Minneapolis as they waited for news on Friday afternoon

People react after learning of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing outside the Hennepin County Government Center

People watch the sentencing hearing of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin with family members delivering impact statements

People react as they watch the sentencing hearing on their cellphones on the lawn outside the courthouse

People watch the sentencing hearing of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin outside the Hennepin County Government Center

A person holds a portrait of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Advertisement

Killer cop Derek Chauvin spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer George Floyd's family his condolences.

He spoke for less than a minute and said that due to other pending legal matters he was 'unable to give a full formal statement'.

'But briefly, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family,' Chauvin said.

'There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind. Thank you.'

It is unclear what other information could come out to impact the view of the court or the public in the case, and Chauvin's brief statement did not appear to sway the judge's sentencing decision.

Judge Peter Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 22 and a half years in prison, going 10 years beyond what was called for in sentencing guidelines, but well under the 40 years maximum possible under the law.

Chauvin's mother Carolyn Pawlenty also made a surprise appearance at Friday's sentencing.

'The public will never know the loving and caring man he is but his family does,' Pawlenty told the court through tears. 'Though I haven't spoken publicly I have always supported him 100% and always will.'

Derek Chauvin spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer the Floyd family his condolences. Derek Chauvin, 45, is pictured at his sentencing dressed in a gray suit with a matching tie and buzz cut

Chauvin spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer George Floyd's family his condolences, saying: 'I hope things will give you some peace of mind. Thank you'

'The public will never know the loving and caring man he is but his family does,' Chauvin's mother Carolyn Pawlenty told the court through tears. 'Though I haven't spoken publicly I have always supported him 100% and always will.'

Chauvin's brief statement did not appear to sway the Judge Cahill's decision to sentence him to 22.5 years in prison

Pawlenty said Chauvin is her 'favorite son' and spoke of his innocence.

'Derek has played over and over in his head the events of that day. I've seen the toll it has taken on him. I believe a lengthy sentence will not do him well. When you sentence my son you'll also be sentencing me.

She then directed her statement to her son.

Chauvin's mother Carolyn Pawlenty made a surprise appearance at Friday's sentencing

'My happiest moment is when I gave birth to you and my second is when I was honored to pin your police badge on you. I remember you whispering to me, ''don't stick me with it.'' Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence.

'I will be here for you when you come home.'

Just hours before the sentencing, Judge Cahill denied the defense's motion for a new trial and said he will not hold a hearing into jury misconduct.

The defense had asked for probation and sought a retrial ahead of an expected appeal. Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial.

Chauvin's legal team is likely to take their arguments to the Court of Appeals.

Judge Cahill also addressed Floyd's family, who had spoken out in emotional victim impact statements, telling them that 'I acknowledge and hear the pain that youre feeling.'

In a heartbreaking victim impact statement, Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna had said: 'I ask about him all the time,' Gianna Floyd said via video. 'I was asking how did my dad get hurt. I want to play with him, have fun, go to the playground.'

When asked what she would tell her father if she could see him again, Gianna responded, 'It would be I miss you and I love you.'

Chauvin speaks facing the Floyd family as he heard his sentence in the Hennepin County Government Center on Friday

Three other members of Floyd's family, including his nephew Brandon Williams and brothers Terrence Floyd and Philonise Floyd, gave poignant victim impact statements in the courtroom Friday.

'Immediately my life changed forever,' Philonise said while wiping away tears. 'For an entire year I had to relive George being murdered.'

'I've been lifting my voice so that George's life is not in vain. George's life mattered,' Philonise said.

Floyd's brother Terrence tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why. What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?'

His nephew Brandon Williams said in his statement, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so.'

'Our family is forever broken,' Williams said.

His family asked the judge to deliver the maximum sentence to Chauvin, without the possibility of parole.

The former Minneapolis police officer, dressed in a gray suit and tie, with a buzz cut, was found guilty in April on all three counts - second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter - for kneeling on 46-year-old Floyd's neck for nine minutes in May 2020.

Floyd's death sparked months of national protests over mistreatment of black Americans by police and a cultural reckoning by many. At the time of his conviction, cheers rose from the crowds that had gathered outside the courthouse and down at the intersection of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis, now known as George Floyd Square.

George Floyd's 7-year-old daughter Gianna testifies via a cell phone video before the sentencing of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of her father

'Immediately my life changed forever,' George's Philonise Floyd said while wiping away tears. 'For an entire year I had to relive George being murdered'

Floyd's brother Terrence (left) tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why? What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?' His nephew Brandon Williams (right) said in his statement, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so'

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd (pictured) - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help

Dozens of witnesses were heard and hundreds of items of evidence were submitted during the weeks of testimony.

The April verdict, in a relatively swift, across-the-board victory for Floyd's supporters - set off jubilation mixed with sorrow across the city and around the nation. Hundreds of people poured into the streets of Minneapolis, some running through traffic with banners. Drivers blared their horns in celebration.

Chauvin had been captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help.

'Today, we are able to breathe again,' Floyd's younger brother Philonise said at a joyous family news conference in April where tears streamed down his face as he likened Floyd to the 1955 Mississippi lynching victim Emmett Till, except that this time there were cameras around to show the world what happened.

The jury of six whites and six black or multiracial people came back with its verdict after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days.

Rev. Al Sharpton, right, with hand on coat, along with family members of George Floyd leads a prayer before entering the Hennepin County Government Center for the sentencing

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing. The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence

This photo shows a cell in the Administrative Control Unit at the Oak Park Heights facility. This cell is similar to the one that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been in since he was found guilty in April

Prosecutors earlier this month asked Judge Cahill to sentence Chauvin to 30 years in prison, submitting court documents which called the actions of the cop an 'egregious abuse' of his position.

'Defendant's conduct was also particularly cruel,' prosecutors said.

They recalled that the judge had ruled there were four aggravating factors in the case, allowing him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison on that count under the guidelines, but the aggravating factors mean Cahill can opt for a longer jail term.

Attorneys for Chauvin countered with a far different request - a sentence of time served and probation, claiming that their client was guilty of 'an error made in good faith.'

Last week prosecutors insisted Chauvin should not get a new trial for murdering Floyd after claiming his original hearing was fair and impartial.

They set out their arguments for keeping the April verdict intact in a court document filed Wednesday, claiming Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson's calls for a second trial were without merit.

George Floyd was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck

The court was shown these photos of the injuries Floyd sustained as he was pinned to the ground on May 25

Prosecutors repeatedly referenced this timeline of Floyd's fatal arrest during the trial and showed it during the trial

The document continued: 'This Court has rejected many of these arguments before, and there is no reason for a different result now. Defendants scattershot and unavailing attempts to overturn his conviction should be denied.

It continued: 'Defendant was unanimously convicted on all three counts based on evidence of his overwhelming guilt. He now seeks to escape his lawful conviction by any means.' The argument was presented to Judge Peter Cahill - who presided over Chauvin's original trial at Hennepin Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It is unclear when he will rule on whether or not Chauvin should get a new trial.

The state's document came in response to defense requests to grant Chauvin a new trial and to hold a hearing to question jurors about alleged misconduct. Among other things, defense attorney Eric Nelson said intense pretrial publicity, alleged prosecutorial misconduct and some decisions by the court made it impossible for Chauvin to get a fair trial.

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing.

The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence.

It is generally considered well run and comparatively secure, with only one murder within the walls in its almost 40 year history, and no one ever escaping.

Jordan and Royal Pacheco take a picture of their grandmother Evelyn at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, ahead of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing

Ahead of the sentencing, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told 60 Minutes that despite his feelings of 'gratitude' and 'satisfaction' at seeing Chauvin convicted, he also felt sympathy for the cop.

'I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer. So, I will admit, I felt a little bad for the defendant. I think he deserved to be convicted. But he's a human being,' Ellison told Scott Pelley.

'I'm not in any way wavering from my responsibility. But I hope we never forget that people who are defendants in our criminal justice system, that they're human beings. They're people. I mean, George Floyd was a human being. And so I'm not going to ever forget that everybody in this process is a person,' the AG added.

Asked whether the judge should give the maximum sentence and send a 'message,' AG Ellison told CBS: 'I think it is important for the Court to not go light or heavy. I don't know if it's right for a judge to send a message through a sentence because the sentence should be tailored to the offense, tailored to the circumstances of the case.

'Look, the State never wanted revenge against Derek Chauvin. We just wanted accountability.'

The lawyer added that, despite the shocking video which was beamed around the world, he was never certain that Chauvin would be found guilty.

'I was never convinced we were going to win this case until we heard the verdict of guilty. I remember what happened in the Rodney King case when I was a pretty young man, young lawyer,' Ellison said.

Chauvin was led out of the court in handcuffs after the verdict came down on April 20

The centerpiece of the case was the excruciating bystander video of Floyd gasping repeatedly, 'I cant breathe' and onlookers yelling at Chauvin to stop as the officer pressed his knee on or close to Floyds neck for what authorities say was 9 1/2 minutes, including several minutes after Floyd's breathing had stopped and he had no pulse.

Prosecutors played the footage at the earliest opportunity, during opening statements, and told the jury: 'Believe your eyes.' From there it was shown over and over, analyzed one frame at a time by witnesses on both sides.

In the wake of Floyds death, demonstrations and scattered violence broke out in Minneapolis, around the country and beyond. The furor also led to the removal of Confederate statues and other offensive symbols such as Aunt Jemima.

In the months that followed, numerous states and cities restricted the use of force by police, revamped disciplinary systems or subjected police departments to closer oversight.

The 'Blue Wall of Silence' that often protects police accused of wrongdoing crumbled after Floyds death. The Minneapolis police chief quickly called it 'murder' and fired all four officers, and the city reached a staggering $27 million settlement with Floyds family as jury selection was underway.

Police-procedure experts and law enforcement veterans inside and outside the Minneapolis department, including the chief, testified for the prosecution that Chauvin used excessive force and went against his training.

Medical experts for the prosecution said Floyd died of asphyxia, or lack of oxygen, because his breathing was constricted by the way he was held down on his stomach, his hands cuffed behind him, a knee on his neck and his face jammed against the ground.

Chauvin's attorney called a police use-of-force expert and a forensic pathologist to try to make the case that Chauvin acted reasonably against a struggling suspect and that Floyd died because of a heart condition and his illegal drug use. Floyd had high blood pressure and narrowed arteries, and fentanyl and methamphetamine were found in his system.

Under the law, police have certain leeway to use force and are judged according to whether their actions were 'reasonable' under the circumstances.

People cheer outside the Cup Foods where Floyd died after Chauvin was found guilty in April

The defense also tried to make the case that Chauvin and the other officers were hindered in their duties by what they perceived as a growing, hostile crowd.

Chauvin did not testify, and all that the jury or the public ever heard by way of an explanation from him came from a police body-camera video after an ambulance had taken the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Floyd away. Chauvin told a bystander: 'We gotta control this guy cause hes a sizable guy ... and it looks like hes probably on something.'

The prosecutions case also included tearful testimony from onlookers who said the police kept them back when they protested what was happening.

Eighteen-year-old Darnella Frazier, who shot the crucial video, said Chauvin gave the bystanders a 'cold' and 'heartless' stare. She and others said they felt a sense of helplessness and lingering guilt from witnessing Floyds slow-motion death.

'Its been nights I stayed up, apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more, and not physically interacting and not saving his life,' she testified.
Boris Johnson was under mounting pressure last night to launch a 'cronyism' investigation into Matt Hancock's hiring of his close aide for taxpayer-funded roles.

The Prime Minister yesterday accepted his Health Secretary's apology for breaching social distancing rules after he was pictured kissing Gina Coladangelo in his office.

But there are growing calls for Downing Street to order an ethics probe into the appointments Mr Hancock has handed to a woman he has been close to since they were at Oxford University together.

Mr Hancock made Miss Coladangelo a non-executive director at the Department of Health last September, on a salary of 15,000 for 15 to 20 days of work a year. Before that, she spent six months as an unpaid adviser in a role that was never publicly disclosed.

Between June 2019 and February 2020 Mr Hancock also arranged for Miss Coladangelo, then marketing director for her husband's clothes and homewares shop Oliver Bonas, to have a coveted Commons pass.

Boris Johnson was under mounting pressure last night to launch a 'cronyism' investigation into Matt Hancock's hiring of his close aide for taxpayer-funded roles

The Prime Minister yesterday accepted his Health Secretary's apology for breaching social distancing rules after he was pictured kissing Gina Coladangelo in his office (above). But there are growing calls for Downing St to order an ethics probe into the appointments Mr Hancock has handed to a woman he has been close to since they were at Oxford University together

By having an affair with a colleague or failing to disclose his long-standing friendship with her, Mr Hancock could have broken two clauses of the Ministerial Code. These require ministers to have 'proper and appropriate' working relationships and to ensure 'no conflict arises between their public duties and private interests'.

Only No 10 can trigger a probe by independent adviser on ministers' interests Lord Geidt.

Last night Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner wrote to the Prime Minister, copying in Lord Geidt, urging him to act.

She said Mr Hancock had failed to declare he was in a relationship with someone he had appointed to roles at taxpayers' expense.

'Such a failure would appear to be a further breach of the Ministerial Code, which in these circumstances should surely result in his removal from office,' she wrote.

Mr Hancock made Miss Coladangelo a non-executive director at the Department of Health last September, on a salary of 15,000 for 15 to 20 days of work a year. Before that, she spent six months as an unpaid adviser in a role that was never publicly disclosed

'If you are not prepared to act on your own initiative as Prime Minister, I would urge you to instruct your independent adviser to immediately investigate the Health Secretary's conduct and his apparent breach of the Ministerial Code.'

Mr Hancock has already been found to have committed a 'minor' breach of the Ministerial Code after he failed to declare immediately that his sister's document-shredding firm had been given permission to win NHS contracts.

And as the Mail revealed yesterday, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone has launched a probe into his late declaration of his shares in the family firm Topwood Ltd.

Only No 10 can trigger a probe by independent adviser on ministers' interests Lord Geidt. Last night Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner (above) wrote to the Prime Minister, copying in Lord Geidt, urging him to act

Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said: 'From the information publicly available, it's clear Lord Geidt should be asked to examine and see if the Health Secretary has breached the Ministerial Code.

'As a matter of urgency, Lord Geidt should be asked to investigate this matter.'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps insisted yesterday that Miss Coladangelo would have gone through an 'incredibly rigorous process' to get any government or advisory role.

Tory peer Baroness Warsi told Channel 4 she was concerned about 'whether or not Matt Hancock is acting in ways where his family and friend's private interests are being put above his job'.

Matt Hancock faces sleaze probe after failing to make full declarations over shares in firm that won NHS business

By JAMES TAPSFIELD, POLITICAL EDITOR for MailOnline

Matt Hancock is facing a sleaze probe after failing fully to declare shares in a firm that has won contracts from the NHS.

The Health Secretary declared in March that he had acquired 15 per cent of the shares in Topwood Ltd, which specialises in the secure storage, shredding and scanning of documents.

However, the entry on the MPs' register of interests did not mention that his sister Emily Gilruth also has shares and is a director of the firm, or that it has connections to the health service.

It was awarded 300,000 of business by NHS Wales this year.

The website of standards commissioner Kathryn Stone now says she is investigating whether Mr Hancock breached the code of conduct over registering shareholdings.

Matt Hancock is facing a fresh 'cronyism' row today after it emerged he and his sister have shares in a firm that has won contracts from the NHS

Mr Hancock declared in March that he had acquired 15 per cent of the shares in Topwood Ltd

The website of standards commissioner Kathryn Stone now says she is investigating whether Mr Hancock breached the code of conduct over registering shareholdings

Topwood received a place on the Shared Business Services framework as a potential supplier for local NHS trusts in 2019, the year after Mr Hancock took charge at the Department of Health.

A probe by Lord Geidt, the independent adviser on ministerial standards, found last month that Mr Hancock was guilty of a 'technical' breach of the rules after failing to declare that the company had become an approved NHS contractor.

But the ministerial sleaze watchdog ruled the contravention of the code was 'minor' and did not call for the Cabinet minister to resign  a recommendation the Prime Minister agreed with.

A government spokesman previously insisted that Mr Hancock - who said he had a 'delegated management arrangement' for the 'gifted' shares - had acted 'entirely properly'.

'Mr Hancock has acted entirely properly in these circumstances. All declarations of interest have been made in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Ministers have no involvement in the awarding of these contracts, and no conflict of interest arises.'

After the situation was highlighted by the Health Service Journal, sources insisted Mr Hancock had discussed the issue with the permanent secretary before accepting the shares, and was told that any conflicts could be handled if they arise.

The Health Secretary is said to have no 'active participation' in the running of the company, and was not involved in awarding contracts.

But shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said he was 'shocked' a company linked to Mr Hancock's family was given a place in the NHS framework as a potential supplier.
A newly-declassified Pentagon report on a spate of UFO sightings by members of the US military has offered no explanation for their origin - and failed to rule out the possibility of aliens.

The report, submitted to Congress and released to the public on Friday, said defense and intelligence analysts lack sufficient data to determine the nature of mysterious flying objects.

Those objects were observed by military pilots, with experts considering whether they are advanced earthly technologies, atmospherics or of an extraterrestrial nature.

Friday's report encompasses 144 observations of what the government officially refers to as 'unidentified aerial phenomenon,' or UAP, dating back to 2004. The report was issued by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in conjunction with a U.S. Navy-led UAP task force.

The report includes some UFO cases that previously came to light in the Pentagon's release of video from U.S. Naval aviators.

They showed mysterious aircraft off the U.S. East and West Coasts exhibiting speed and maneuverability exceeding known aviation technologies and lacking any visible means of propulsion or flight-control surfaces.

A senior U.S. official, asked about the possibility of extraterrestrial explanations for the observations, said: 'That's not the purpose of the task force, to evaluate any sort of search for extraterrestrial life. ... That's not what we were charged with doing.

'Of the 144 reports we are dealing with here, we have no clear indications that there is any non-terrestrial explanation for them - but we will go wherever the data takes us,' the official added.

Scroll down for full report.

The USS Omaha filmed a round object making a controlled flight above the water for an extended period of time before it finally entered the ocean

The Pentagon's report was released to Congress on Friday, but offered no information on what the UFOs might be

All but four of the sightings, which were attributed to 'airborne clutter,' remain unexplained, subject to further analysis, U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters during a briefing describing the report's findings.

For the remaining 140 cases, the government has yet to rule in or out whether the sightings might be of extraterrestrial origin, the officials said.

Likewise, the task force lacks enough evidence to conclude whether any of those incidents represented some exotic aerial system developed either by a U.S. government or commercial entity, or by a foreign power, according to the officials.

'Of data we have, we don't have any clear indications that any of these unidentified aerial phenomena are part of a foreign (intelligence) collection program, and we don't have any clear data that is indicative of a major technological advancement by a potential adversary,' the senior official said.

'We continue to put a lot of effort and energy into tracking those types of developments, and we watch that very carefully. Nothing in this data set clearly points us into that direction,' the official added.

The government in recent years has adopted UAP as its preferred term for what are otherwise known as 'unidentified flying objects,' or UFOs, long associated with the notion of alien spacecraft.

A second senior official said that 21 of the reports show UAPs 'that appear to have some sort of advanced propulsion or advanced technology,' and appear to lack any means of propulsion or acceleration and exhibit speeds beyond what the United States believes foreign adversaries possess.

The report was ordered by Congress as part of broader intelligence legislation signed by former President Donald Trump in December. Senator Marco Rubio was instrumental in commissioning it.

Friday's report marks a turning point for the U.S. government after the military spent decades deflecting, debunking and discrediting observations of unidentified flying objects and 'flying saucers' backing back to the 1940s.

Many of those sightings are actually believed to have been experimental, top-secret US government aircraft, with officials gladly going along with UFO stories to keep attention off their cutting-edge projects.

But the Pentagon has taken a far more sober approach to the latest spate of sightings - perhaps because so many were caught on camera by respected military personnel.

'Anytime there is a safety-of-flight or counterintelligence concern we take those things very seriously and we will continue to take those things seriously,' the first senior official said.

The second senior official added, 'Our approach has been driven by science and data.'

A number of naval aviators have come forward in recent years to discuss their observations of UAPs with documentary filmmakers and news organizations including Reuters.

'A lot of the work that the task force has done to date has been on the de-stigmatization issue, ensuring that those who observe unidentified things are comfortable reporting that and that it's clear how they should report that,' the first official said.

He was referring to the fears of servicemen and women who were reluctant to report what they'd seen over fears they'd be laughed off as crackpots.

'I think DoD (the Department of Defense) has made very significant strides in recent months in getting the message out on that,' the official continued.

It is not the first official U.S. government report on the subject. For example, the U.S. Air Force carried out a previous UFO investigation called Project Blue Book , ended in 1969, that compiled a list of 12,618 sightings, 701 of which involved objects that officially remained 'unidentified.'

In 1994, the Air Force announced that it had completed a study to locate records relating to the 1947 'Roswell incident' in New Mexico.

That saw a silvery object smash into the desert near the remote town. It was initially reported as a downed flying saucer, but officials have since insisted that the Roswell object was in fact a downed balloon.

Unidentified round object flies above Navy warships off the coast of California and then disappears into the Pacific Ocean in 2019 (leaked May 2021)

The USS Omaha filmed a round object making a controlled flight above the water for an extended period of time before it finally entered the ocean. Investigative filmmaker Jeremy Corbell shared the footage with Mystery Wire in May.

Still images from that video were first released in April as the Pentagon confirmed that a set of photos and videos showing unidentified flying objects buzzing over Navy warships off the coast of California in 2019 'were taken' by branch personnel.

Staff could be heard exclaiming excitedly as the object made a controlled, gradual descent into the Pacific Ocean, before disappearing with a splash.

No explanation for the spherical object has been given...

The Independence Class littoral combat ship USS Omaha (LCS 12) transits the Pacific Ocean

One of the images appears to be a pyramid-shaped object while others were thought to be drones or balloons; however, the Navy has listed them as unknowns.

In a statement, a Pentagon spokesperson told Mystery Wire: 'I can confirm that the referenced photos and videos were taken by Navy personnel. The UAPTF has included these incidents in their ongoing examinations.'

The confirmation came a week after Admiral Michael Gilday, the chief of naval operations, admitted that he has no idea where the swarm of mysterious Tic Tac-shaped drones that menaced four US destroyers in July 2019 originated.

Gilday led an investigation into the incident in which a group of what some have called unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) chased the destroyers for up to 100 nautical miles off the coast of California.

F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to the Tomcatters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 31 returned to their home base at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana in Virginia Beach

Flight logs revealed as many as six mystery aircraft swarmed the warships close to a sensitive training area at the Channel Islands at speeds of up to 40mph and with a greater maneuverability than US military drones.

When asked directly if the Navy had confirmed the identity of the drones at a media event, Gilday responded: 'No, we have not.'

The Drive revealed in February that US Navy warships stationed off the coast of Los Angeles had encountered swarms of mysterious drones, which pursued them at high speed in low visibility.

The outlet obtained ship logbooks and internal emails from the Navy under the Freedom of Information Act, and eyewitness descriptions from the staff on board, to establish the UAVs had a far greater aeronautical capability than any previously known drones.

Former US Navy Lieutenant Ryan Graves sees 'maneuverable' spherical objects flying in restricted airspace near Virginia Beach almost everyday from 2015 to 2017 (leaked May 2019)

Graves' F/A-18 fighter squadron spotted the 'maneuverable' spherical objects flying in restricted airspace near Virginia Beach almost every day from 2015 to 2017, he said.

'I am worried, frankly. You know, if these were tactical jets from another country that were hanging out up there, it would be a massive issue,' Graves told 60 Minutes.

'But because it looks slightly different, we're not willing to actually look at the problem in the face. We're happy to just ignore the fact that these are out there, watching us every day.'

He said pilots for the U.S. Navy saw UFOs off the coast of Virginia so frequently they got used to them despite them 'watching us' every day

Graves' F/A-18 fighter squadron spotted the 'maneuverable' objects flying in restricted airspace near Virginia Beach almost every day from 2015 to 2017

He said that pilots who have witnessed what the government calls 'unidentified aerial phenomena' have speculated that they might be anything from a secret U.S. technology to an enemy spy plane.

Graves also conceded the aircraft could be something else entirely.

'This is a difficult one to explain. You have rotation, you have high altitudes. You have propulsion, right? I don't know. I don't know what it is, frankly,' Graves told 60 Minutes while viewing one of the unclassified videos.

'I would say, you know, the highest probability is it's a threat observation program.'

A color image shows one of the unidentified aerial phenomena. Their technical capabilities far exceed that of any known aircraft, sparking fears for US national security

Pilots have speculated that they might be anything from a secret U.S. technology to an enemy spy plane

The outlet noted that Graves did not rule out the possibility they could be some sort of Russian or Chinese technology.

Luis Elizondo, a former official with the Defense Department, told 60 Minutes that the UAPs appear to have 'far superior' technology to anything the United States currently has in its known inventory.

'Imagine a technology that can do 600 to 700 G-forces, that can fly 13,000 miles an hour, that, that can evade radar and can fly through air and water and possibly space,' Elizondo said.

'And oh, by the way, has no obvious signs of propulsion, no wings, no control surfaces and yet still can defy the natural effects of Earth's gravity. That's precisely what we're seeing.'

Pyramid shaped objects hovering above the USS Russell, July 2019 (footage leaked April 2021)

Footage filmed around the same time as the spherical ball sighting - but released two months earlier - showed multiple pyramid-shaped objects hovering around 700 feet above the USS Russell Navy Destroyer.

It is also believed to have been filmed off the southern California coast, although it is unclear why Mystery Wire leaked this sighting before the sphere.

The April photos were leaked from a Pentagon investigation of UFOs by the UAP Task Force, which has been gathering evidence for a report for Congress that's due in June, according to Mystery Wire.

The image show unidentified objects flying above four US destroyers, including the USS Kidd Navy destroyer.

The outlet had also previously released video reportedly taken in July 2019 by naval officers using a night vision device, which showed pyramid shaped objects hovering 700 feet above a Navy destroyer

Mystery Wire says the triangular objects are part of the same incident as the spherical object diving into the sea

The video was taken in July 2019 by naval officers using a night vision device

Tic-tac shaped UFO mirrors movements made by Super Hornet pilots and then vanishes on November 14, 2004 (first leaked online in 2007, confirmed by The New York Times in 2019)

At least six Super Hornet pilots made visual or instrument contact with the tic-tac shaped UFO on November 14, 2004.

Two of the pilots - Cmdr. Dave Fravor and Lt. Cmdr. Alex Dietrich - approached the flying tic-tac.

Fravor told Dietrich to hang back and be his wingman while he flew closer in to check it out. The object began mirroring his movements and then just disappeared, The Washington Post reported.

'Some days your boss asks you to swab the deck. Some days he asks you to keep high cover while he spars with a UFO,' Dietrich tweeted on May 17.

The encounters, which are documented in numerous interviews with first-hand witnesses, remain a mystery, and the object's incredible speed and movements have led to speculation that it was extraterrestrial in origin.

The original FLIR video from the USS Nimitz encounters leaked online as early as 2007, and have been credited with sparking subsequent leaks about military sightings - as well as fevered interest from UFOlogists.

Witnesses say that clips of the video had been circulated widely on the Navy's intranet - used to communicate between ships in the carrier group - and an unknown sailor in the group likely first leaked it.

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea in formation during a Strait of Hormuz transit on September 18, 2020

Navy Commander David Fravor and Lieutenant Commander Jim Slaight had been flying about 100 miles off the coast of San Diego (pictured) in each of their F/A-18F Super Hornets (pictured) when they encountered an unidentified flying object described as a 'Tic Tac'

The USS Nimitz, a US Navy aircraft carrier, was at the center of a bizarre UFO sighting saga in 2004.

The clip became one of the most-touted pieces of evidence in the UFO community when the Pentagon confirmed its authenticity in 2017.

In January, Chad Underwood, the former Navy aviator who shot the famous leaked video clip, broke his silence in an interview with New York Magazine.

He said the oblong, wingless 'Tic Tac' shaped object was spotted off the coast of Mexico over the Pacific.

He also revealed that for about two weeks, the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton, part of Carrier Strike Group 11, had been tracking mysterious aircraft intermittently on an advanced AN/SPY-1B passive radar.

The radar contacts were so inexplicable that the system was even shut down and restarted to to check for bugs - but operators continued to track the unknown aircraft.

Then on November 14, Commander David Fravor says he was flying in an F/A-18F Super Hornet when he made visual contact with the object, which seemed to dive below the water, resurface, and speed out of sight when he tried to approach it.

As Fravor landed on the deck of the Nimitz, Underwood was just gearing up to take off on his own training run.

Fravor told Underwood about the bizarre encounter, and urged Underwood to keep his eyes open.

He recalls how he suddenly saw a blip on his radar before tracking it on his FLIR camera.

'The thing that stood out to me the most was how erratic it was behaving,' Underwood told the magazine.

'And what I mean by 'erratic' is that its changes in altitude, air speed, and aspect were just unlike things that I've ever encountered before flying against other air targets.'

Underwood said the object wasn't obeying the laws of physics and dropped from 50,000 feet altitude to 100 feet in seconds, which he says, 'isn't possible'. He added that he saw no signs of an engine heat plume or any sign of propulsion.

The pilot refuses to speculate as to whether the object is an alien spacecraft or not, however.

'That's not my job. But I saw something. And it was also seen, via eyeballs, by both my commanding officer, Dave Fravor, and the Marine Corps Hornet squadron commanding officer who was out there as well.'
For Father Yves, with my thank you's forever, for praying beside my beloved Diana,' reads the handwritten message inside the Christmas card.

It is decorated with a stained-glass depiction of the Adoration of the Magi and was bought at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. The inscription is signed: 'With Love, Frances.'

Confidential papers relating to the death of Princess Diana are held under the 30-year rule at the National Archives in Kew.

But a touching, and until now private, collection of letters, faxes, cards and cuttings connected to the tragedy lies in a battered blue box file held together by sticky tape in a Catholic presbytery in Paris.

For one night, almost a quarter of a century ago, Father Yves-Marie Clochard-Bossuet's (above) attention was devoted to the soul of the most famous, most glamorous woman in the world. And for that he won the lasting gratitude and friendship of Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd. The pair not only became regular correspondents, but dinner companions

These days, the welfare of the migrants and crack addicts who gather in the nearby Jardins d'Eole in the downtrodden 19th arrondissement are the most pressing concern of the man to whom the letters are addressed.

But for one night, almost a quarter of a century ago, Father Yves-Marie Clochard-Bossuet's attention was devoted to the soul of the most famous, most glamorous woman in the world.

And for that he won the lasting gratitude and friendship of Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd.

The pair not only became regular correspondents, but dinner companions.

And what an odd couple they must have presented to the world, alighting from the priest's small hatchback amid the playboy supercars pulled up outside Paris's hottest hotels and restaurants; he in full clerical garb, she in the quintessential evening wear of an elderly but stylish British aristocrat.

Their friendship is one of the few untold stories related to the death of Diana; an unlikely connection between two eccentric people from different backgrounds.

Above, Diana and Frances Shand Kydd in 1989. Shand Kydd asked Father Yves if he would hold a private memorial Mass at the hospital where Diana died, asking him to keep it a secret

It offers a new insight into the troubled and enigmatic Shand Kydd, who was in many ways so like her youngest daughter  with whom she had a complex relationship.

Frances Shand Kydd's life appeared gilded but was marred by tragedy and disappointment.

She was born in 1936 at Park House on the royal Sandringham estate. Her father was the 4th Baron Fermoy and a friend to the future King George VI: her mother became lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother.

Like her most famous child, Frances was strikingly beautiful and married, at just 18, one of the country's most eligible  and much older  bachelors, John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, 30, at Westminster Abbey. The Queen was among the guests.

They were to have five children. But the death of her firstborn son, John, when he was hours old caused her lasting distress.

Nor was her marriage a success. In 1967, she left her husband for Peter Shand Kydd. The split saw her vilified as a 'bolter' and prompted a bitter custody battle in which Frances's mother Ruth, Lady Fermoy, gave evidence against her. The conflict had a lasting impact on Diana.

The Shand Kydds eventually moved to a farm on the Scottish island of Seil. But this self-imposed exile did not bring happiness. In 1988, Peter left Frances for a younger woman. She remained on Seil and found solace in religion, converting to Catholicism at 58, devoting her life to the Church.

So did Yves-Marie Clochard-Bossuet. But he came to it by a very different path.

As a young man, he had worked on oil platforms in Africa, surfed in California and lived in a hippy commune in New York.

Then he 'got more serious', joining Air France as a commercial attache. He flew the world first class, staying in the best hotels and throwing parties for clients. He had fallen in love and even thought about marriage, but that was forgotten when he experienced a 'realisation', while sheltering from the weather in a church.

His last engagement for the airline was to host a roof-top party at the Cannes Film Festival, at which he recalls talking to the director of the porn film Emmanuelle. Three weeks later, he was living in a monastery off the Riviera. He took holy orders at the age of 42.

He was still new to the calling when, on the weekend of August 30-31, 1997, he was duty chaplain at the Pitie-Salpetriere University Hospital in central Paris.

A touching, and until now private, collection of letters, faxes, cards and cuttings connected to the tragedy lies in a battered blue box file held together by sticky tape in a Catholic presbytery in Paris

As the Mail has already described in this landmark series and podcast that re-examines Diana's last days, he was summoned from his bed when Diana was brought critically injured to the hospital after a car crash.

He kept vigil over her body for ten hours until Prince Charles and Diana's two sisters arrived. He then conducted prayers with the royal party where she lay.

He told the Mail he was 'astonished' by the global reaction to Diana's death. And so horrified by the spotlight he found himself in that he took several weeks' leave in a monastery in Bosnia. He also wrote to Frances Shand Kydd.

'I have an English cousin and it was he who told me that Diana's mother was a Catholic convert with a strong faith. He suggested I should write to her,' he recalls.

'And so I wrote to her a very formal letter giving all the details [of the day of Diana's death]. I wanted to tell her mother the nurses who had taken care of her had done things very well. There was nothing to complain about [even if] it was a hospital room and not in Buckingham Palace. And I told her that I had prayed and had stayed until the arrival of Prince Charles.'

He did not expect a reply, assuming it would be one of a multitude of letters she received: 'But only a few days later I received a touching letter from her. She thanked me, because I was the first to give information directly to her.

'No one else had communicated with her. Not the management of the hospital, not the doctors, not Buckingham Palace. She was also glad it was a Catholic priest who was there.'

Shand Kydd asked the priest if he would hold a private memorial Mass at the hospital where Diana died, asking him to keep it a secret. 'It was difficult to have a Mass in private without anyone finding out, but anyway, I managed it because I only invited people who were in the same situation as her, who had lost children in accidents . . . five or six households who had been through difficult things.'

Shand Kydd arrived in Paris 'three weeks after her daughter died. I picked her up at Charles de Gaulle airport in my little Peugeot 206'. He laughs at the idea. 'I recognised her right away. She looked a lot like her daughter. She was very tall, very blonde and she saw me approaching her. I was wearing a raincoat (to hide his clerical collar) as I was afraid the reporters would see us.

[Frances Shand Kydd] told me she often went for a walk at night in London [in the days after Diana's death] to where there were flowers for her. She also spoke to me a lot about [William and Harry]. She adored them. Father Yves-Marie Clochard-Bossuet

'She came up to me and opened my coat, laughing, to see my collar to confirm I was the priest. With her, that way, the ice was broken quickly.'

The secret Mass took place the following day. At the Mail's request Fr Clochard-Bossuet delved into his blue box to find the greeting he composed for Diana's mother, which he read at the start of the service.

'Madame, allow me to speak to you at the beginning of this Eucharist to tell you that despite the circumstances that have brought you here, you are welcome.

'At your request, this Mass is being celebrated for the Princess of Wales, your daughter, who died on August 31 last at the Salpetriere Hospital.

'The absurdity of the Princess's brutal death has aroused considerable emotion and I know how much the expressions of sympathy from all over the world have comforted you and your family.

'Here in Paris, for reasons you can imagine, the death of the Princess of Wales has been felt keenly and you can see, Madame, that my compatriots would have been numerous in wanting to come and express their sympathy to you.

'To respect your wish for discretion, they will be represented by those present this evening who are here to accompany you in prayer. Let us take a few moments of silence to place ourselves in the presence of the Lord.'

The original was written and spoken in French, although he delivered his homily in English.

As the pair gradually came to know each other they agreed a rather odd modus operandi. Both were bilingual and they would not only write to the other in their own native languages, but converse in them, too.

After the Mass, Shand Kydd invited him to dinner at her hotel's splendid restaurant: 'She was wearing a triple-strand pearl necklace and I was in my Roman collar and large cross [a gift from Shand Kydd]. Everyone was looking.'

The priest worried about his own etiquette, or lack of it, in the presence of such a grande dame.

'You know, in France, table manners are not the same as [in England] and we have things that we tolerate that you don't,' he says.

'Well, my main dish came with a very good sauce and I wondered how she would react if I dipped my bread in it. Not with the fingers, but with my fork. I saw her look at me when I did it. She said nothing, but later [in our friendship] she would probably have laughed with me about it.'

Shand Kydd returned to Paris to see him that November. And so, a pattern was set. Perhaps twice a year Shand Kydd would travel to Paris to meet the priest, 13 years her junior, and take him out to dinner. He would chauffeur her about in his Peugeot.

'I remember picking her up at Plaza Athenee, where I had once worked as a bellboy,' he laughs. After dinner 'she got out of my little car back at the hotel, very dignified, in the middle of all these Lamborghinis and Rolls-Royces'.

Sometimes she told him to leave the Peugeot at home, so they could both drink. He recalls her as a 'bonne-vivante' who liked fine wine. He didn't see  or is too discreet to mention  the heavy drinking which shadowed Shand Kydd's later years and saw her lose her driving licence.

Now listen to the podcast: mailplus.co.uk/diana

'She had completely withdrawn from worldly life to a little island. So when she came to Paris, obviously she wanted to enjoy herself a little,' he says.

Occasionally they talked about Diana and her death.

The priest was aware that the mother and daughter had stopped speaking to each other in the months before Diana died. 'No, they were not getting along well the last days,' he says. (Diana's butler Paul Burrell alleged that the pair had fallen out because Mrs Shand Kydd did not approve of Diana's lifestyle or boyfriends. Some thought mother and daughter simply too alike to get on.)

The crash in Paris prevented a reconciliation.

'She had been very touched by the sentimentality of the English people,' he recalls. 'I admit that I did not understand very well (the mass mourning). Of course I did not tell her I was astonished by it, because it would have been indelicate. But she saw it as a good thing. It consoled her.

'She told me she often went for a walk at night in London (in the days after Diana's death) to where there were flowers for her. She also spoke to me a lot about [William and Harry]. She adored them.'

The rest of the Royal Family, he says, 'were not her cup of tea. I can say no more'.

Fr Clochard-Bossuet came to admire Frances Shand Kydd very much. 'She was, of course, a beautiful woman,' he says. 'I may be a priest, but I am also a man. I appreciated her physically. But she was not content to be just beautiful. She seemed to have a huge heart. She did not at all behave in a haughty way. She would speak to a concierge as she would to a queen.'

But as the years passed it became apparent that something was wrong. Unknown to the priest, Mrs Shand Kydd had developed Parkinson's disease and brain cancer.

'One sign was that her letters were no longer handwritten, but typed,' he says. 'Once, she forgot to address the envelope.'

He was puzzled when, by fax, she asked him to appear as a witness in the 2002 trial of Paul Burrell, who had been accused of stealing more than 300 items from Diana's estate (Burrell was acquitted).

'It was then that I saw that she was a little confused in her mind.

'I could only give a rather favourable testimony about Paul Burrell. Of all the people I had met during the time I was with Diana, Burrell was one of those who touched me the most, because his grief seemed authentic. I told her that.'

He takes two letters. 'Here she announces she is going on a pilgrimage to Lourdes: 'Call me when I am there so we can make an appointment and when I am in Althorp (the Spencer seat) you will be welcome.' I went to Althorp, but she didn't come. Earl Spencer (her son) told me she was ill.

'After my stay in Althorp she sent me a note: 'I'm happy you visited Althorp. I believe my son did a great job [on the Diana museum], and the people will appreciate his efforts. For now I wish you well, may God bless you. I hope we'll meet again before too long.' And we never saw each other again.'

She stopped replying to his letters. Eventually, in June 2004, he was contacted by Earl Spencer, who told him that his mother had died. She was 68.

Now he has only memories  and the letters in his battered box  to remind him of his part in the night a princess died.

Special reporting: Rory Mulholland in Paris
Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in prison for the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota last Memorial Day.

But the three other officers who were on the scene at the time are yet to stand trial despite being charged with a number of offenses.

Former Minneapolis cops J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao - who were fired from the force after Floyd's death - have each been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The trio have additionally been charged with willfully violating Floyd's civil rights.

They will appear in a U.S. District Court in Minnesota on July 14 to be arraigned on the civil rights violation charges. However, they are not scheduled to face trial on the aiding and abetting charges until next March.

Kueng, Lane and Thao are each free on a $75,000 bond.

J. Alexander Kueng, from left, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are currently free on bond, but are facing a number of charges over the death of George Floyd.

Tou Thao stands, left, while Derek Chauvin, second left, presses his knee on Floyd's neck murdering him. Former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane are also pictured

Former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao is pictured in a video from the death of George Floyd

Former officers Kueng and Derek Chauvin are pictured on top of George Floyd in Thomas Lane's body camera footage

Derek Chauvin, left, Kueng and Lane, center and right, are pictured while bystanders watch the murder of George Floyd outside of Cup Foods



Lane, 38, and Kueng, 27, were the first officers to arrive outside the Cup Foods store where Floyd was accused of passing a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes on May 25 last year.

Kueng had graduated from the police academy in 2019 and started as an officer in December - just six months before Floyd's murder.

During the fatal encounter, prosecutors said Kueng was between Chauvin and Lane, kneeling on Floyd's back, with his hand on Floyd's handcuffed left wrist.

After Floyd became unresponsive, it was Kueng who checked the right wrist for a pulse and said, 'I couldn't find one,' prosecutors said in their complaint. None of the officers moved from their positions, the complaint said.

Lane, who arrived at the scene with Kueng, ordered Floyd out of his car and handcuffed him, prosecutors said. He had been on the police force for only a matter of days.

Chauvin, Kueng and Lane each used their weight to restrain Floyd on the ground after he balked at getting into the back of a squad car.

Lane was positioned on his legs, 'kneeling on them and pressing them down with his hands,' according to the complaint.

At one point, Lane asked, 'Should we roll him on his side?'

Chauvin responded: 'No, staying put where we got him.'

Lane then said, 'I am worried about excited delirium or whatever,' to which Chauvin said, 'That's why we have him on his stomach.'

Former Minneapolis Police officer Tou Thao, right, arrives for a court hearing at the Hennepin County Government Center on July 21, 2020. He is currently out on bond

Thao, who had rejoined the force in 2012 after losing his job to layoffs as a rookie in 2009, arrived on the scene with Chauvin after Floyd had already been handcuffed.

Although Thao was the only one of the four officers who was not in physical contact with Floyd, prosecutors said he had a direct look at how Chauvin and the others were restraining him.

Thao stood watch over the onlookers who were gathering at the scene, keeping himself positioned between them and the three other officers who were on Floyd's prone body.

When a bystander stepped off the curb, 'imploring Chauvin to get off of Mr. Floyd, (Thao) put his hands on the citizen to keep him back,' the complaint said.

Former police officer Thomas Lane arrives in court on charges related to the murder of George Floyd last year

Former police officer Alexander Kueng arrives into court on charges related to the murder of George Floyd last year

Back in April, Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts for which he was charged - second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter - after just 10 and a half hours of deliberation.

His quick conviction caused some people online to speculate about the upcoming trial for the other officers.

'We're not done, there are still three defendants to go: aiding and abetting,' @LauraAliaga2 tweeted.

Another Twitter user said: 'Wonder how Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane are feeling tonight.'

On Friday, Chauvin was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years behind bars. A judge also denied a motion for a new jury after Chauvin's lawyers alleged jury misconduct.
Advertisement

President Joe Biden said on Friday that Derek Chauvin's 22-and-a-half year sentence for murdering George Floyd 'seemed appropriate'

President Joe Biden said on Friday that Derek Chauvin's 22-and-a-half year sentence for murdering George Floyd 'seemed appropriate'.

The president was in the Oval Office with the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, when reporters told him the jail term the ex-cop had been given in Minneapolis.

'I don't know all the circumstances that were considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate,' he said.

He also said that was the first he had heard of the reports. Biden formed a close relationship with the Floyd family and invited them to the White House last month to discuss the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.

The president also injected himself into the trial in the spring when he said he was 'praying the verdict is the right verdict.'

'It's overwhelming, in my view,' Biden said of the sentence in the trial at the time. 'I wouldn't say that unless the jury was sequestered.

Judge Peter Cahill handed down the sentence of 270 months on Friday and granted Chauvin 199 days already served. He will be eligible for parole after 15 years and could be released on good behavior, which many demonstrators chanting outside the Minneapolis courtroom say isn't enough.

'This is based on your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd,' Judge Cahill said to the disgraced former cop. 'I'm not basing my sentencing on public opinion, I'm not basing it on any attempt to send any messages.'

Cahill also addressed Floyd's family, who had spoken out in emotional victim impact statements, telling them that 'I acknowledge and hear the pain that you're feeling.'

In addition to jail time, Chauvin is also prohibited from possessing a gun, ammunition, or explosives for the remainder of his life and must also register as a predatory offender. As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison, but most serious charge that Chauvin was convicted of - second-degree murder - carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

The president was in the Oval Office with the President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, when reporters told him the jail term the ex-cop had been given in Minneapolis. 'I don't know all the circumstances that were considered, but it seems to me, under the guidelines, that seems to be appropriate,' he said.

The former Minneapolis officer, dressed in a gray suit and tie with a buzz cut, was found guilty in April on all three counts - second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter - for kneeling on 46-year-old Floyd's neck for nine minutes in May 2020.

In his sentencing memo, Judge Cahill wrote, 'Mr. Chauvin, rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr. Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbor.'

The sentencing came after Chauvin spoke briefly to offer the Floyd family his condolences.

Chauvin said he could not give a full statement because of additional legal matters, but said, 'There's going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind. Thank you.'

There are still two federal indictments pending against Chauvin - one for violating Floyd's civil rights during the arrest that led to his death and one for assaulting a 14-year-old with a flashlight.

Chauvin spoke after four heartbreaking victim impact statements from George Floyd's family, including Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd, his nephew Brandon Williams, and brothers Terrence Floyd and Philonise Floyd.

Derek Chauvin, 45, was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison on Friday for the murder of George Floyd. Chauvin spoke briefly at his sentencing Friday to offer the Floyd family his condolences

He also said that was the first he had heard of the reports. Biden formed a close relationship with the Floyd family and invited them to the White House last month to discuss the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act

'This is based on your abuse of your position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to George Floyd,' Judge Cahill said as he handed down the sentencing

Chauvin, seen in a gray suit, gray tie and sporting a buzz cut walk out of the Minnesota court room moments after being sentenced to 22.5 years in prison

Chauvin will be eligible for parole after 15 years and could be released on good behavior, which many demonstrators chanting outside of the Minneapolis courtroom say isn't enough

Black Lives Matter activists and supporters rally outside Hennepin County District Court where a judge sentenced former police officer Chauvin

'I miss you and I love you.' George Floyd's seven-year-old daughter gives heartbreaking victim impact statement - as his brothers and nephew tearfully say 'Our family is forever broken'

Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna gave a heartbreaking victim impact statement.

'I ask about him all the time,' Gianna Floyd said via video. 'I was asking how did my dad get hurt. I want to play with him, have fun, go to the playground'

Chauvin was captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd (pictured) - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help

When asked what she would tell her father if she could see him again, Gianna responded, 'It would be I miss you and I love you.'

Three other members of Floyd's family, including his nephew Brandon Williams and brothers Terrence Floyd and Philonise Floyd, gave poignant victim impact statements in the courtroom Friday.

'Immediately my life changed forever,' Philonise said while wiping away tears. 'I've been lifting my voice so that George's life is not in vain. George's life mattered.

'I haven't had a real night's sleep because of the nightmares I constantly have, hearing my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again. Even saying, 'They're going to kill me, please, officer,' screaming for our mom,' he added in court today.

'I have had to sit through each day of officer Derek Chauvin's trial and watch the video of George dying for hours, over and over again. For an entire year, I had to relive George being tortured to death every hour of the day.'

Floyd's brother Terrence tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why. What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?'

'On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty,' he said, 'We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We've been through that already...no, no, no, no.'

'If it was us, if the roles was reversed, there wouldn't be no case,' Terrence said. 'It would have been open and shut. We'd have been under the jail for murdering somebody. So, we ask for that same penalty for Derek Chauvin.'

Floyd's nephew Brandon Williams said in court, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so. You saw it. I saw it. And millions of people across the country and the globe witnessed the act of hate.

'The sudden murder of George has forever traumatized us. You may see us cry, but the full extent of our pain and trauma will never be seen with the naked eye.' Williams added. 'The heartbreak and hurt goes far beyond any number of tears we could ever cry. Words simply cannot express the pain, anguish, and suffering that our family and friends have endured since George's murder. It has been truly unimaginable.'

'Our family is forever broken,' Williams said.

His family asked the judge to deliver the maximum sentence to Chauvin, without the possibility of parole.

Floyd's death sparked months of national protests over mistreatment of black Americans by police and a cultural reckoning by many. At the time of his conviction, cheers rose from the crowds that had gathered outside the courthouse and down at the intersection of 38th and Chicago in Minneapolis, now known as George Floyd Square.

Before sentencing, four victim impact statements were read, including from Floyd's seven-year-old daughter Gianna Floyd, who appeared via video. 'I ask about him all the time,' Gianna Floyd said via video. 'I was asking how did my dad get hurt. I want to play with him, have fun, go to the playground'

'Immediately my life changed forever,' George's brother Philonise Floyd said while wiping away tears. 'For an entire year I had to relive George being murdered'

Floyd's brother Terrence (left) tearfully gave his statement directed at Chauvin. 'I want to know why? What were you thinking? What was gong through your head when you held your knee on my brother's neck?' His nephew Brandon Williams (right) said in his statement, 'Chauvin killed George. Not only did he kill George but he also displayed a total lack of consideration for human life as he did so'

'My son is a good man': Derek Chauvin's mother, 73, says she'll 'always be there for him' as she begs judge for mercy at his sentencing hearing, pleading 'you'll be sentencing me too'

Chauvin's mother begged the judge for mercy at his sentencing hearing on Friday, saying she'd be sentenced too and telling him he was her 'favorite son' whose innocence she never doubted.

The public will never know the loving and caring man he is. But his family does.

Carolyn Pawlenty, 73, was emotional as she spoke at the courthouse in Minneapolis, looking at her 45-year-old son and telling him: 'My happiest moment was giving birth to you.'

Her full remarks are below.

'I am the mother of Derek Chauvin. I am here to speak on behalf of my entire family.

'Not only did Derek's life change forever but so did mine and my family's. Derek devoted 19 years of his life to the Minneapolis Police Department.

'It has been difficult for me to hear and read what the media, public and prosecution believe Derek to be an aggressively, heartless and uncaring person.

'That is far from the truth. My son' s identity has also been reduced to that of a racist. I want this court to know that none of these things are true. My son is a good man.

'Derek always dedicated his life and time to the police department. Even on his days off, he'd call in to see if they needed help.

'Derek is a quiet, thoughtful, honorable and selfless man. He has a big heart and has always put others before his own.

'The public will never know the loving and caring man he is. But his family does.

'Even though I have not spoken publicly, I have always supported him 100 percent and always will. Derek has played over and over in his head the events of that day.

'I've seen the toll it has taken on him. I believe a lengthy sentence will not serve Derek well. When you sentence my son, you will also be sentencing me.

'I will not be able to see Derek, talk to him on the phone or give him our special hug.

'When he is released, his father and I most likely will not be here.

Carolyn Pawlenty, 73, was emotional as she spoke at the courthouse in Minneapolis, looking at her 45-year-old son and telling him: 'My happiest moment was giving birth to you'

'Derek, my happiest moment is when I gave birth to you. My second is when I was honored to pin your police badge on you. I remember you whispering to me, don't stick me with it.

'I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence and I will never waiver from that. I have read numerous letters from people around the world that also believe in your innocence.

'No matter where you go, where you are I will always be there to visit you.

'I promise you I will stay strong as we talked about and I want you to do the same for me.

'I will do what you told me to do, take care of myself, so I will be here for you when you come home. Remember there is no stronger bond or love than a mother's love.

'One final thought I want you to remember - remember you are my favorite son. 'Thank you for your time.'

Pawlenty, 73, addressed the judge then turned to her 45-year-old son and told him to 'stay strong'

Just hours before the sentencing, Judge Cahill denied the defense's motion for a new trial and said he will not hold a hearing into jury misconduct.

The defense had asked for probation and sought a retrial ahead of an expected appeal. Chauvin's lawyer has argued that he was deprived of a fair trial because of prosecutorial and jury misconduct and errors of law at trial.

Chauvin's legal team is likely to take their arguments to the Court of Appeals.

Dozens of witnesses were heard and hundreds of items of evidence were submitted during the weeks of testimony.

The April verdict, in a relatively swift, across-the-board victory for Floyd's supporters - set off jubilation mixed with sorrow across the city and around the nation. Hundreds of people poured into the streets of Minneapolis, some running through traffic with banners. Drivers blared their horns in celebration.

Chauvin had been captured on video kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old Floyd - suspected of using a counterfeit bill - for more than nine minutes until he passed out and died on May 25, 2020, while ignoring the victim's pleas for air and help.

'Today, we are able to breathe again,' Floyd's younger brother Philonise said at a joyous family news conference in April where tears streamed down his face as he likened Floyd to the 1955 Mississippi lynching victim Emmett Till, except that this time there were cameras around to show the world what happened.

The jury of six whites and six black or multiracial people came back with its verdict after about 10 hours of deliberations over two days.

Rev. Al Sharpton, right, with hand on coat, along with family members of George Floyd leads a prayer before entering the Hennepin County Government Center for the sentencing

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing. The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence

This photo shows a cell in the Administrative Control Unit at the Oak Park Heights facility. This cell is similar to the one that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been in since he was found guilty in April

Prosecutors earlier this month asked Judge Cahill to sentence Chauvin to 30 years in prison, submitting court documents which called the actions of the cop an 'egregious abuse' of his position.

'Defendant's conduct was also particularly cruel,' prosecutors said.

They recalled that the judge had ruled there were four aggravating factors in the case, allowing him to depart from state sentencing guidelines and clearing the path for a tough sentence.

As a first-time offender, Chauvin had potentially faced 12 and a half years in prison on that count under the guidelines, but the aggravating factors mean Cahill can opt for a longer jail term.

Attorneys for Chauvin countered with a far different request - a sentence of time served and probation, claiming that their client was guilty of 'an error made in good faith.'

Last week prosecutors insisted Chauvin should not get a new trial for murdering Floyd after claiming his original hearing was fair and impartial.

They set out their arguments for keeping the April verdict intact in a court document filed Wednesday, claiming Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson's calls for a second trial were without merit.

George Floyd was seen in a video pleading that he couldn't breathe as white officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck

The court was shown these photos of the injuries Floyd sustained as he was pinned to the ground on May 25

Prosecutors repeatedly referenced this timeline of Floyd's fatal arrest during the trial and showed it during the trial

The document continued: 'This Court has rejected many of these arguments before, and there is no reason for a different result now. Defendants scattershot and unavailing attempts to overturn his conviction should be denied.

It continued: 'Defendant was unanimously convicted on all three counts based on evidence of his overwhelming guilt. He now seeks to escape his lawful conviction by any means.' The argument was presented to Judge Peter Cahill - who presided over Chauvin's original trial at Hennepin Government Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It is unclear when he will rule on whether or not Chauvin should get a new trial.

The state's document came in response to defense requests to grant Chauvin a new trial and to hold a hearing to question jurors about alleged misconduct. Among other things, defense attorney Eric Nelson said intense pretrial publicity, alleged prosecutorial misconduct and some decisions by the court made it impossible for Chauvin to get a fair trial.

Chauvin was being held at Oak Park Heights the last eight weeks as he awaited sentencing.

The prison, the state's only maximum-security facility, built in 1982 and with a capacity for 473 male inmates, could be where Chauvin serves his sentence.

It is generally considered well run and comparatively secure, with only one murder within the walls in its almost 40 year history, and no one ever escaping.

Jordan and Royal Pacheco take a picture of their grandmother Evelyn at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, ahead of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing

Ahead of the sentencing, Minnesota AG Keith Ellison told 60 Minutes that despite his feelings of 'gratitude' and 'satisfaction' at seeing Chauvin convicted, he also felt sympathy for the cop.

'I spent 16 years as a criminal defense lawyer. So, I will admit, I felt a little bad for the defendant. I think he deserved to be convicted. But he's a human being,' Ellison told Scott Pelley.

'I'm not in any way wavering from my responsibility. But I hope we never forget that people who are defendants in our criminal justice system, that they're human beings. They're people. I mean, George Floyd was a human being. And so I'm not going to ever forget that everybody in this process is a person,' the AG added.

Asked whether the judge should give the maximum sentence and send a 'message,' AG Ellison told CBS: 'I think it is important for the Court to not go light or heavy. I don't know if it's right for a judge to send a message through a sentence because the sentence should be tailored to the offense, tailored to the circumstances of the case.

'Look, the State never wanted revenge against Derek Chauvin. We just wanted accountability.'

The lawyer added that, despite the shocking video which was beamed around the world, he was never certain that Chauvin would be found guilty.

'I was never convinced we were going to win this case until we heard the verdict of guilty. I remember what happened in the Rodney King case when I was a pretty young man, young lawyer,' Ellison said.

Chauvin addresses Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis on April 15

Chauvin was led out of the court in handcuffs after the verdict came down on April 20

The centerpiece of the case was the excruciating bystander video of Floyd gasping repeatedly, 'I cant breathe' and onlookers yelling at Chauvin to stop as the officer pressed his knee on or close to Floyds neck for what authorities say was 9 1/2 minutes, including several minutes after Floyd's breathing had stopped and he had no pulse.

Prosecutors played the footage at the earliest opportunity, during opening statements, and told the jury: 'Believe your eyes.' From there it was shown over and over, analyzed one frame at a time by witnesses on both sides.

In the wake of Floyds death, demonstrations and scattered violence broke out in Minneapolis, around the country and beyond. The furor also led to the removal of Confederate statues and other offensive symbols such as Aunt Jemima.

In the months that followed, numerous states and cities restricted the use of force by police, revamped disciplinary systems or subjected police departments to closer oversight.

The 'Blue Wall of Silence' that often protects police accused of wrongdoing crumbled after Floyds death. The Minneapolis police chief quickly called it 'murder' and fired all four officers, and the city reached a staggering $27 million settlement with Floyds family as jury selection was underway.

Police-procedure experts and law enforcement veterans inside and outside the Minneapolis department, including the chief, testified for the prosecution that Chauvin used excessive force and went against his training.

Medical experts for the prosecution said Floyd died of asphyxia, or lack of oxygen, because his breathing was constricted by the way he was held down on his stomach, his hands cuffed behind him, a knee on his neck and his face jammed against the ground.

Chauvin's attorney called a police use-of-force expert and a forensic pathologist to try to make the case that Chauvin acted reasonably against a struggling suspect and that Floyd died because of a heart condition and his illegal drug use. Floyd had high blood pressure and narrowed arteries, and fentanyl and methamphetamine were found in his system.

Under the law, police have certain leeway to use force and are judged according to whether their actions were 'reasonable' under the circumstances.

People cheer outside the Cup Foods where Floyd died after Chauvin was found guilty in April

The defense also tried to make the case that Chauvin and the other officers were hindered in their duties by what they perceived as a growing, hostile crowd.

Chauvin did not testify, and all that the jury or the public ever heard by way of an explanation from him came from a police body-camera video after an ambulance had taken the 6-foot-4, 223-pound Floyd away. Chauvin told a bystander: 'We gotta control this guy cause hes a sizable guy ... and it looks like hes probably on something.'

The prosecutions case also included tearful testimony from onlookers who said the police kept them back when they protested what was happening.

Eighteen-year-old Darnella Frazier, who shot the crucial video, said Chauvin gave the bystanders a 'cold' and 'heartless' stare. She and others said they felt a sense of helplessness and lingering guilt from witnessing Floyds slow-motion death.

'Its been nights I stayed up, apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more, and not physically interacting and not saving his life,' she testified.
Anyone who heard Gina Coladangelo waxing lyrical about Matt Hancock on the radio in April last year can have had no illusions about just how warmly she felt towards the Health Secretary.

The pair had been friends since their days at Oxford University, she told the BBC Radio 4 Profile programme shortly after the start of the pandemic when his reputation was already on the line.

Introduced as a 'close friend for more than 20 years', she launched into a full-blooded defence of the man she called 'determined'.

'He likes setting himself difficult goals and meeting them', she gushed, a month after she is said to have been hired to give Hancock advice on his public image.

Did one of these 'goals' involve winning the heart of the 43-year-old married mother-of-three?

Anyone who heard Gina Coladangelo waxing lyrical about Matt Hancock on the radio in April last year can have had no illusions about just how warmly she felt towards the Health Secretary. Pictured: The pair together in September 2019

Photographs which emerged this week of married Hancock and Coladangelo in a passionate clinch inside the Department of Health certainly seem to suggest so.

The Mail understands that Whitehall's Propriety and Ethics team are examining whether Hancock's conduct has breached the Ministerial Code.

They will no doubt be interested in Coladangelo's roles as a former director and current shareholder of lobbying firm Luther Pendragon, which has worked with the NHS.

'It offers clients a 'deep understanding of the mechanics of government'.

Yesterday he deleted a post from his Instagram page in which he bragged about working 'alongside some brilliant women' (far right).

Hancock and Coladangelo's relationship is said to have been an open secret at the Department of Health, where a source who spoke to the Mail yesterday described the glamorous half-Italian brunette as Hancock's 'style guru'.

The pair had been friends since their days at Oxford University, she told the BBC Radio 4 Profile programme shortly after the start of the pandemic when his reputation was already on the line

Almost constantly by his side as he battled a barrage of hostile interviews about his performance as Health Secretary, she is said to have been giving him advice on how to present himself better.

'It's not normal,' the source told the Mail, 'but I think he needed the support during the pandemic.'

Their working relationship is said to stretch back to 2019 when Coladangelo was first hired by Hancock during his futile run for the Tory leadership.

She was then 'quietly' hired in March last year on an initially unpaid six-month contract as the UK was plunged into lockdown.

In September 2020, she was made a non-executive director at the Department of Health and can claim up to 15,000 of taxpayers' money in the role which involves advising ministers and the department on strategic issues.

Ms Coladangelo is married to dashing 54-year-old multi-millionaire entrepreneur Oliver Tress, who went to Kate Middleton's school Marlborough College and founded the High Street fashion and lifestyle chain Oliver Bonas

Mr Hancock's wife Martha leaves her home in north-west London on Friday

Her role only became public when it was revealed in a newspaper in November last year.

A profile was added to the government website, making clear her background in the healthcare sector.

Coladangelo used to be a senior account manager at health PR firm Munro & Forster.

Her 70-year-old Italian father, Rino, is chief executive of a specialist pharmaceutical consultancy based in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, while her brother, Roberto, is director of a private home-care business.

She is married to dashing 54-year-old multi-millionaire entrepreneur Oliver Tress, who went to Kate Middleton's school Marlborough College and founded the High Street fashion and lifestyle chain Oliver Bonas.

The marriage, thought to have taken place in 2009, is not her first. She was previously married to London property lawyer Glynn Gibb.

Mr Hancock's social media post urging women who want to get involved in politics to 'swipe up'

From the outside, the couple and their son and two daughters appeared to have an idyllic family life.

Both highly successful professionals, the couple set up home in an enclave of South-West London highly popular with wealthy families and live in a 4million, six-bedroom Edwardian home.

They also rent a beachside property in the Sussex village of West Wittering.

In an interview with this newspaper in 2012, Coladangelo told how she employed a live-in nanny and worked flexible hours to spend time with her children.

Under a headline she may now regret, 'Can a woman be too clever to be a stay-at-home mum?', she told readers she did not feel guilty about continuing to work.

This is the image that has left Matt Hancock fighting for his job. It appears to show him kissing his millionaire aide - who is on the public payroll - in the corridor outside his office in May this year

'Every woman has to make her own choice,' she said. 'But I feel very fortunate in my education and believe those years shouldn't be wasted.'

Tress was badly beaten during the London riots of 2011 and required hospital treatment for head injuries after confronting looters near one of his stores.

He and his wife have made a handsome pair at society events.

They were guests of honour at the launch of fashion designer Tabitha Webb's store in Belgravia in 2014 where attendees, including Pippa Middleton, were given goodie bags with Oliver Bonas products.

And in June 2017, Coladangelo and Tress  who dated Cressida Bonas's cousin Anna at university and mingled their names when they launched the business  held a summer party at Fulham Palace to celebrate her 40th birthday and his 50th.

But, as Coladangelo made clear on BBC Radio 4 last year, her friendship with Hancock had run deep since their days at Oxford where she studied economics while Hancock read politics, philosophy and economics.

She displayed an intimate knowledge of Hancock's family life: 'His parents separated when he was very young but they both happily remarried and his mother in particular was a very strong influence on him.'

They met after volunteering as presenters at the university radio station Oxygen FM, which launched in 1997.

Hancock read the sport while Coladangelo delivered the news, with her joking last year that he 'wasn't good enough' to do her job.

But even as a student, it seems, Hancock was blundering in  and out of  hot water.

Speaking last year, Coladangelo recalled how he had told a 'white lie' to avoid being 'found out' when he filed a bogus report claiming to be at a rugby match when in fact he was in a pub 35 miles away.

'He got a special ticket to go and sit in the Press box at Twickenham to watch Australia versus England,' she said.

'Matt overslept and hot-footed it to the train but didn't make it to Twickenham in time so had to get off the train at Reading, find a pub, watch the first half then go to a phone box and report it. Nobody even found out.'

His student antics may have left them with fond memories  but his latest shenanigans may not.
Scotland Yard detectives are assessing a complaint about the astonishing security breach which saw the Health Secretary being filmed inside his office.

Officers from the Specialist Crime Command will probe a complaint about how the compromising footage taken in Matt Hancock's office fell into the hands of a national newspaper.

MI5 is also set to be consulted by the Cabinet Office as part of a leak inquiry to see if the disclosure poses a threat to national security.

Officers may consider whether any criminal offences have been committed if security CCTV footage was illegally obtained, or whether any laws were broken in the capturing of the image showing the minister kissing his aide Gina Coladangelo.

A Whitehall investigation was under way last night into the major security breach, which has triggered concerns at the highest level of Government over who could be spying on ministers.

In Whitehall: Matt Hancock (standing up) in his office with Gina Coladangelo (right) and other staff

The Government Security Group, which is in charge of security at 800 buildings across Whitehall, has been asked to investigate, with Alex Chisholm, the Cabinet Office permanent secretary, expected to be in charge of an inquiry.

The leak has raised the worrying prospect that details of ministers' movements and perhaps even the documents they handle could be spied upon and fall into the hands of Britain's enemies.

Sources said the photo showed Mr Hancock and Miss Coladangelo inside his Whitehall office standing against the door. They are only 6ft away from the 'Spin Art' portrait of the Queen by Damien Hirst, which has featured as a backdrop to Mr Hancock's Covid TV broadcasts.

The incriminating pictures were last night believed to be photographs taken of footage shot by a security camera.

Officers may consider whether any criminal offences have been committed if security CCTV footage was illegally obtained, or whether any laws were broken in the capturing of the image showing the minister kissing his aide Gina Coladangelo (pictured)

But it was unclear exactly how the leaked image was obtained. A Whitehall security guard with access to CCTV could have leaked it. Mr Hancock has a palatial suite on the top floor of his department in Victoria Street  a few hundred yards from Parliament  including an outdoor balcony and enormous glass windows on two sides.

Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection and divisional commander in the Metropolitan Police, said: 'This is a serious national security issue.

'If someone can obtain a picture like that inside a ministerial office, what else can they see? Sensitive government documents? It is essential that Scotland Yard investigates.'

The Henry Jackson Society political think-tank, which has warned against the dangers of high tech spying by Russia and China, called for Scotland Yard and MI5 to launch an investigation, raising the prospect that the office may even have been bugged by a hostile state.

Scotland Yard detectives are assessing a complaint about the astonishing security breach which saw the Health Secretary being filmed inside his office (file photo)

Dr Alan Mendoza, executive director of the society, said: 'For reasons of national security, it should be impossible for a bug to be placed anywhere near such a facility.

'All other ministerial offices will now need immediately sweeping to see what other listening and recording devices are snooping on ministers.' Last night Scotland Yard was assessing a complaint from the think-tank which suggested that an offence had been committed under the Official Secrets Act.

Although responsibility for the security of ministerial offices lies with the Government Security Group, officials often rely on private contractors for the physical security arrangements in government buildings. Mr Hancock's office sits within a 144million building owned by a Singapore-based property firm.

Among the questions the Government will have to answer is whether proper vetting was carried out of staff who have access to CCTV footage. It is unlikely that private security guards would be asked to sign the Official Secrets Act.

Last night the Mail was told that Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command would not be carrying out the assessment, suggesting that the Official Secrets Act is unlikely to be an issue in any investigation.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman stressed that while the complaint was being assessed, no formal criminal investigation has been launched.

'At this time this remains a matter for the relevant government department,' he added.
They found Caroline Crouch's diary at the bottom of a cupboard, concealed under several shoe boxes, after she was murdered at her Athens home.

'The only person she could possibly have been hiding it from was her husband,' a police officer told the Mail this week.

She had every reason for keeping it away from Charalambos Anagnostopoulos, the helicopter pilot she had married two years ago who has now confessed to killing his wife in a case that has gripped the country.

In fact, detectives believe that some of Caroline's explosive journal entries, chronicling the brutal truth about their marriage, and written with different coloured ballpoint pens, was compiled in code  made up of Greek and English abbreviations  to prevent Anagnostopoulos reading the entire contents should he have found it.

They found Caroline Crouch's diary at the bottom of a cupboard, concealed under several shoe boxes, after she was murdered at her Athens home. 'The only person she could possibly have been hiding it from was her husband,' a police officer told the Mail this week

The officer who spoke to us explained, for the first time, the significance of what they had deciphered. Two letters that crop up again and again are 'DG', next to the Greek symbol for gamma, he said, which is an expletive in Greek, the equivalent of our F-word.

They believe this stands for 'F****** Dangerous Guy'.

There is frequent use of the initial 'M', which they are convinced is short for 'Malakas' or 'W*****' in English, as well as 'MAM', meaning 'Malakas Antras Mou ('My W***** Husband').

'XX' also crops up in various sections which, it is suspected, is Caroline's shorthand for 'Xylo' in Greek or 'beating' in English.

Caroline had every reason for keeping the diary away from Charalambos Anagnostopoulos, the helicopter pilot she had married (above) two years ago who has now confessed to killing his wife in a case that has gripped the country

Detectives believe that some of Caroline's explosive journal entries, chronicling the brutal truth about their marriage, and written with different coloured ballpoint pens, was compiled in code  made up of Greek and English abbreviations  to prevent Anagnostopoulos reading the entire contents should he have found it. (Above, with their daughter, Lydia)

Officers have also interpreted the letters 'PP' as 'Palio Poustis' ('Dirty Old Fa**ot'). Was this a reference to the fact that 33-year-old Anagnostopoulos and Caroline, his young British wife, who was only 19 when she died  not 20, as previously reported  was just a 16-year-old schoolgirl when they met in 2017?

We can reveal today that locals on the island of Alonissos, where Caroline grew up, remember him flying over the school in his helicopter to impress her and even following her in the air when she went on school trips.

Caroline was flattered at the time, as many impressionable teenage girls would have been, to have caught the eye of a dashing pilot.

But those diary entries suggest she had gradually come to realise that she was trapped in an abusive relationship that eventually culminated, everyone now knows, in the terrible events of May 11.

Anagnostopoulos staged a break-in at their villa in the affluent suburb of Glyka Nera in an elaborate plot to cover his tracks  accusing a gang of merciless foreign burglars of tying him up, killing Caroline in front of their baby daughter, Lydia, and stringing up their puppy, Roxy, from the stairwell.

Following his arrest last week, he finally admitted having smothered his wife with a pillow because, he told police, she had threatened to leave him and take one-year-old Lydia with her.

Caroline's murder has resulted in a custody battle for baby Lydia between the two sets of grandparents. She is currently being looked after by the parents of Charalambos Anagnostopoulos, and was pictured on Greek TV yesterday being cradled in the arms of his mother, Georgia Anagnostopoulos (above)

Data from Caroline's smartwatch has now shown that she was in an 'extreme state of mental or physical stress for six minutes', as well as showing that she did not die at the time Anagnostopoulos had originally claimed.

In other words, it could have taken six minutes for her to die.

Her murder has resulted in a custody battle for baby Lydia between the two sets of grandparents.

She is currently being looked after by the parents of Charalambos Anagnostopoulos, and was pictured on Greek TV yesterday being cradled in the arms of his mother, Georgia Anagnostopoulos.

The teacher, and her husband, who live in the Greek capital, are happy to share their granddaughter's upbringing.

But Caroline's parents, David and Susan, who live on the island of Alonissos, want sole custody of the baby. This is the sad legacy of Caroline's murder.

Few could have guessed the grim reality of her outwardly idyllic married life which was laid bare in her diary. Details of what Caroline wrote in 'code' have gone unreported until today.

Caroline described the rows she and her husband were having in an entry as early as November 15, 2019  just four months after they had married on a beach on the Algarve as the sun went down.

Pictures of their wedding day show the couple, with Caroline in a flowing white bridal gown, gazing into each other's eyes and strolling hand-in-hand along the water's edge near the Portuguese resort of Lagos, where they stayed in a rented apartment.

Surely this couldn't be the same two people who, not long after their honeymoon, were involved in an ugly domestic clash in which the bridegroom ended up breaking a door at their home in Athens?

'I love him so much that I can't leave him, even if this relationship is harming me,' is how Caroline summed up her predicament in her secret diary at the time.

Certainly, the only two people who were at their intimate wedding  photographers Maria Eero and Sandy Lunitz  find it almost impossible to believe the bride is now dead and the groom killed her.

The photographers spent the day with the couple and went back to their flat to cut the wedding cake. The following day they organised a photoshoot on a boat for Caroline and Anagnostopoulos.

'We remember them very well,' Miss Eero said. 'She was extremely excited, and he was very caring towards her.'

They sent an email to Anagnostopoulos, known as Babis, to express their condolences for his loss after reading about Caroline's murder in the papers.

'He replied very quickly to thank us for our kind words, and wished us happiness for the future,' Mr Lunitz recalled.

'Then he confessed. We were heartbroken. We still are. It's beyond our imagination. Something inside of me still doesn't want to believe it.'

There is a cruel irony to these terrible events which has aroused national anger in Greece in the same way as the Sarah Everard killing did here in Britain.

Friends of Caroline, who held a British passport, have portrayed Anagnostopoulos as a jealous and controlling husband.

But despite her growing resentment towards him  which is evident from the words in her diary  she resisted the temptation of painting herself as the perfect wife. Instead, she blamed her hormones for some of their violent rows, in which she admitted hitting her husband, and said that she felt 'embarrassed' that they affected her so strongly.

Friends of Caroline, who held a British passport, have portrayed Anagnostopoulos (outside court in Athens on June 22) as a jealous and controlling husband

Prosecutors fear his lawyers will use her honesty at his trial to argue that Anagnostopoulos, who trained as a helicopter pilot in the UK, was driven to kill Caroline in a fit of rage because her behaviour was 'challenging'; that it was a crime of passion committed in the heat of the moment, not premeditated cold-blooded murder, which carries a life sentence.

It is a defence that is already being played out with Anagnostopoulos claiming, when he appeared in court this week, that a miscarriage his wife suffered before having Lydia had changed her personality and made her aggressive, which led to the fatal row during which he lost his temper.

Given the 14-year age difference, some may say he and Caroline should never have got together  at least not when she was still at school. So how did they?

It was three years ago, at a candle-lit procession on Alonissos to celebrate Good Friday, that the then 30-year-old Anagnostopoulos, whose parents have a second home on the island, approached 16-year-old Caroline, residents recalled, and began talking to her.

They remember what happened next only too well.

Anagnostopoulos, a pilot with a helicopter charter service in Athens, would fly to Alonissos just to see Caroline, they said.

Sometimes when she had a break or was on a school excursion, his helicopter would appear in the sky, and he would watch her from the cockpit, which made 'other girls in her class very jealous'.

The relationship that ensued was legal  but barely. The age of consent in Greece is 15, but the minimum age for marriage is 18.

At 17, Caroline found herself pregnant with his child but she suffered a miscarriage.

The following year they wed on that beach in the Algarve, three days after Caroline celebrated her 18th birthday and the law allowed them to exchange marriage vows. Baby Lydia arrived in June 2020 after her parents had begun married life together at their new home in the Athens suburb of Glyka Nera, where they had moved shortly before the wedding.

In his testimony, Anagnostopoulos says that the change in Caroline after her miscarriage meant she presented a risk to their daughter. Neighbours have poured scorn on this.

'Caroline's child was everything to her,' said one woman who lived in the same street.

'It cannot even be imagined that she would hurt her, as her husband is claiming. She would never raise a hand to her baby. As a mother, she was flawless.'

The woman's husband added: 'Caroline used to spend all day at home with her baby. She avoided talking about her relationship with Babis. I cannot say anything more, but what I really want you to understand is that she was a perfect mother.'

Others remember her 'always cuddling her baby, little Lydia'.

Caroline's father, David Crouch, 78, a retired gas executive who was born in Liverpool, spoke movingly about 'my wonderful daughter' in an interview with the Mail this week.

He spoke to us again on Thursday, when he said the police had told him that the investigation was at an early stage and that they had 'a long way to go' before they found the 'true motive' for Caroline's murder.

'The only commitment they were prepared to make was they were looking at motives other than jealousy and possessiveness,' Mr Crouch said.

'They gave me no indication as to what direction their investigation was heading.'

But speculation and rumours about possible motives, other than the one Anagnostopoulos is sticking to, are rife in Greece.

Angeliki Nikolouli, a respected Greek crime journalist who has high-level connections within the police, claims sources told her 'something had shocked Caroline before she was killed'.

She said: 'Had she seen anything that she shouldn't have? My source is very significant, but I have to respect them and not tell more. However, something had shocked the girl.'

Some Greek helicopter pilots, who fly all over the archipelago, have been known in the past to make extra cash by transporting drugs for the cartels.

Asked about these rumours of drug-running or a suggestion that Anagnostopoulos was having an affair, his lawyer Alexandros Papaioannidis insisted: 'No one takes this seriously. He has not been charged with any of these possibilities at all. His defence is simply that this happened in the heat of the moment. There are no other reasons.'

Then again, his client is a man who made up a cock-and-bull story about being tied up by a gang of sociopathic foreign criminals who invaded his home, robbed him and killed his young wife.

Detectives are only half-way through Caroline's diary. If Charalambos Anagnostopoulos did have another motive, might it yet be found in there?
Ghislaine Maxwell believed her billionaire father, Robert, was murdered off the coast of Morocco back in 1991.

The extraordinary claim is made by Ghislaine's older brother, Ian Maxwell, in a new 20/20 documentary about Jeffrey Epstein's confidante, 59, who is currently behind bars awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Robert Maxwell was a prominent newspaper publisher whose body was found in the waters near his yacht, Lady Ghislaine, on November 5, 1991. Robert had once boasted a net worth of $1.4 billion, but after his death it was revealed he had plundered hundreds of millions of dollars from his own companies' pension funds.

His official cause of death was listed as heart attack combined with drowning. However, Ghislaine allegedly had her doubts about that claim, due to her dad's suspected links to spies in Israel and the British Intelligence Service (MI6).

Ghislaine was the youngest of Maxwell's nine children, but the only one who believes he met with foul play.

Brother Ian told 20/20: 'Ghislaine, uniquely in our family, has always thought he was murdered, and she's alone in that - but it's her profound conviction that that is what happened.'

Ghislaine first met Jeffrey Epstein the same year that her father died.

The New York-based businessman would become her on-off lover and confidante for more than two decades. During that time, Ghislaine allegedly procured underage girls for Epstein to have sex with.

Ghislaine Maxwell believed her billionaire father, Robert, was murdered off the coast of Morocco back in 1991. The extraordinary claim is made by Ghislaine's older brother, Ian Maxwell, in a new 20/20 documentary about the Jeffrey Epstein confidante. Jeffrey and Ghislaine are pictured together in 2005

Ghislaine was close to her father, Robert Maxwell, prior to his untimely death in 1991. The pair are pictured together in 1990

Ian Maxwell is speaking out in defense of his sister, Ghislaine, in a new 20/20 documentary

Perhaps the fact that she believed her beloved father had been murdered brought Ghislaine closer to Epstein, as she leaned heavily on him in the months and years afterward.

Meanwhile, Ghislaine still has the support of her living family members, whom she last visited back in 2019 - just weeks before Epstein was arrested and her world came crashing down.

Ian Maxwell is adamant his sister is innocent, and was never involved in Epstein's sordid crimes.

'Epstein is dead... The crimes he was then indicted with in 2019, he never faced. But Ghislaine is not Epstein,' he insisted to 20/20.

'The real problem [is] that the media frenzy about her It's the same old rubbish. So that's all that the public has ever heard. They've never heard the defense to all of this.'

'These are very serious charges. But at the same time, I also thought this is not my sister. She could not possibly have been involved in this kind of activity.'

Ghislaine was arrested in New Hampshire last July after reports that she was on the run or in hiding. Ian insisted that was not the case.

'She's arrested with hoopla, with helicopters and the FBI running about. It's pure prejudice,' Ian told 20/20.

'If she was gonna run away with her French passport, her English passport, she could have hoped on a plane any moment. Her lawyers knew exactly where she was at all times.'

Ghislaine met with six of her siblings - including Ian - in June 2019.

Robert Maxwell was a prominent newspaper publisher whose body was found in the waters near his yacht, Lady Ghislaine, on November 5, 1991. Crews are seen searching for the magnate after his disappearance

Ghislaine is seen on her father's yacht - which was named after her - on November 7, 1991, two days after Robert died

Ghislaine (back center) is seen with members of her family in the 1980s. Her father Ian is pictured back row second from left

Ghislaine Maxwell last met with her six living siblings in June 2019, just weeks before her confidante Jeffrey Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges

Despite meeting with her family, Ghislaine did not mention a partner, and Ian admitted to 20/20 that he was surprised when it was revealed after her arrest that she was married to Scott Borgeson.

'Ghislaine took the view that she's entitled to a private life and she's going to have it and it's going to be private including from her own family. That's okay. I'm alright with that. I don't see that's so wrong,' Ian stated.

Ghislaine has been behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, since her arrest on July 2 2020 on federal sex trafficking charges.

She is expected to stand trial in November accused of procuring girls as young as 14 for convicted pedophile Epstein to sexually abuse between 1994 and 2004.

The British-born socialite denies the allegations and has tried - and failed - five times to convince a judge to release her on bail, citing the allegedly squalid jail conditions.

Ghislaine Maxwell in a court sketch during her arraignment hearing on a new indictment at Manhattan Federal Court in April

Ghislaine has been behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, since her arrest on July 2 2020 on federal sex trafficking charges

She was charged with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and two counts of perjury.

The charges relate to the alleged grooming of three girls between 1994 and 1997 for Epstein across London, Florida, New York and New Mexico.

Prosecutors say Ghislaine also took part in some of the abuse herself.

In March, another indictment added a fourth teenage girl to the allegations and extended the years of the alleged conspiracy to 2004.

Two of the four women who say they were abused by Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein say they were just 14 when they were recruited for sex.

Ghislaine has pleaded not guilty to all charges and faces up to 80 years in prison if convicted.

Epstein was found hanging in his cell at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan August 2019 while awaiting trial.

He had pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing girls as young as 14 and young women in New York and Florida in the early 2000s.

His death was ruled a suicide but his attorneys and some family members claim he was murdered to stop him from sharing what he knows about other high profile, powerful people.
Sun-starved families rushed to book trips abroad yesterday following the expansion of the quarantine-free green list.

Travel firms reported an explosion in demand for destinations including the Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira and some Caribbean countries.

Airlines scrambled to lay on dozens of extra flights and larger planes to meet demand as bookings for Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca surged 3,000 per cent.

Demand for Malta and Madeira soared by almost 1,500 per cent, according to Jet2.

The package holiday giant has laid on an extra 70 flights to the two islands, including a new route between Stansted and Malta.

Sun-starved families rushed to book trips abroad yesterday following the expansion of the quarantine-free green list. Travel firms reported an explosion in demand for destinations including the Balearic Islands, Madeira, and Malta (pictured)

Demand for Malta and Madeira soared by almost 1,500 per cent, according to Jet2. The package holiday giant has laid on an extra 70 flights to the two islands, including a new route between Stansted and Malta

Jet2 chief Steve Heapy said: We knew there was a lot of pent-up demand out there but the response from our customers has been truly incredible.

Bookings to Majorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Malta and Madeira have gone through the roof, which shows just how much UK holidaymakers want to get away.

BA is scrambling larger Airbus A320 and A321 planes to replace smaller A319s to deal with demand on some of the busiest routes.

EasyJet said it was laying on 50,000 more seats on planes destined for green list destinations over the next few months.

Ryanair announced an extra 200,000 seats for flights to Malta, Ibiza and Majorca in July, August and September. It also triggered a price war by offering tickets from as little as 19.99.

Travel chiefs said however that more countries should have been put on the green list. And they criticised the creation of a watchlist which means destinations can return to amber at very short notice, as with Portugal earlier this month.

Of the 16 destinations added to the green list by ministers on Thursday night, all but one were placed on the watchlist.

Travel chiefs said however that more countries should have been put on the green list. And they criticised the creation of a watchlist which means destinations can return to amber at very short notice, as with Portugal earlier this month

Michael OLeary of Ryanair slammed Transport Minister Grant Shapps, claiming he 'is sowing more confusion by trying to do the right thing but making a mess'

Michael OLeary of Ryanair said: This announcement is a step in the right direction, adding the Balearics and adding Malta. But it creates more confusion.

Shapps ducks travel question Grant Shapps repeatedly refused to say whether he would risk booking a holiday to a country on the so-called green watchlist. The Transport Secretary risked confusing the public as he dodged the question  only insisting holidaymakers should weigh up the decision for themselves. The Government added 16 destinations to the quarantine-free travel list on Thursday, but 15 are on a so-called watchlist and therefore can move to the more restrictive amber list at short notice. Mr Shapps was asked three times by Sky News whether he would travel to a watchlist destination. He said things may change at short notice and holidaymakers should be aware of all the caveats about the risk of things changing [from green to amber], because with this virus we know that happens at quite a lot of regularity. Advertisement

This amendment to the traffic light system, which is no longer green, amber and red, its now green, green watch  whatever the hell that means  and amber and red. [Transport Secretary] Grant Shapps is sowing more confusion by trying to do the right thing but making a mess.

He said Cyprus, the Canaries and some Greek islands should also have been added to the green list given their Covid case rates are as low as they are in Malta and the Balearics.

Tim Alderslade of Airlines UK said: The next review must remedy this by putting data ahead of politics and substantially adding to the green list as a matter of urgency.

There was also fury over ministers failure to say when relaxed restrictions for fully vaccinated travellers would be introduced. Under the plans, the double jabbed will be able to dodge quarantine on their return from amber countries.

They would need to take only two tests, one pre-return and another on day two post-arrival, rather than the three required now. The change is expected to come into effect in August, but Mr Shapps will not announce anything concrete until next month.

Tory MP Huw Merriman, chairman of the Commons transport committee, said: If we delay into August that could be the end of summer and for an industry thats already on its knees and a workforce thats lost 5,000 workers per month since February 2020 that could be the end of their careers.

Wheres the vaccine dividend we were promised?

The architect of the UKs first lockdown, Neil Ferguson, backed the easing of travel restrictions for fully-vaccinated holidaymakers, saying it was a sensible approach when balancing risks versus benefits.

The Imperial College London professor said such people posed much less risk of importing cases of coronavirus than those who were not jabbed.
Malta has announced tighter restrictions for UK holidaymakers less than 24 hours after it was added to the green list.

The Mediterranean island said it will only allow fully vaccinated Britons to visit quarantine-free from next week.

Those who arrive in Malta on June 30 or after will have to quarantine for up to 14 days if they cannot prove they have had two doses.

It means those who booked holidays to the island who are not fully vaccinated face having to re-book or cancel.

The Mediterranean island said it will only allow fully vaccinated Britons to visit quarantine-free from next week (file photo)

It was unclear last night if the NHS app  which can be used to prove vaccination status  will be accepted.

The announcement was made just hours after Transport Secretary Grant Shapps added the holiday hotspot to the UK's green list on Thursday.

This means holidaymakers will not have to quarantine on return and can take two tests  one before returning and another on day two post-arrival.

Malta has the highest vaccination rate in Europe after Gibraltar, with around 80 per cent of the population having received at least one dose.
Ministers are on track to lift restrictions on July 19 as health officials say the data is 'very, very positive', the Daily Mail understands.

Although hopes of Freedom Day being brought forward to July 5 are set to be dashed on Monday, there is growing optimism about the figures and the fact there has been no measurable rise in hospital admissions, despite a sustained increase in infections.

It comes as six cases of a variant first discovered in Peru  the Lambda variant  have been identified in the UK, although health officials are not worried at this stage due to the low number of cases here and around the world.

Figures from Public Health England show that 111,157 cases of the Delta variant have now been identified in the UK, up by 46 per cent on the previous week.

This means that approximately 95 per cent of confirmed cases of coronavirus across the UK are the Delta variant, which is more transmissible and may carry a higher risk of hospitalisation than the previously dominant Kent strain.

But PHE also said the vaccines were continuing to have a 'crucial effect on hospitalisation and death', with one source saying the data was 'very, very positive'.

Their latest data shows that one dose of the jab reduces the risk of hospitalisation with the Delta variant by 80 per cent and two doses by 96 per cent.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: 'Through the success of our vaccination programme, data suggest we have begun to break the link between cases and hospitalisations.

'This is hugely encouraging news, but we cannot become complacent. Two doses of vaccine are far more effective against Covid-19 than a single dose, so please make sure that you come forward to get your second dose as soon as you are invited.'

The Lambda variant has been classified a 'variant under investigation' because it has certain mutations which can potentially increase its transmissibility and resistance to vaccines. All cases identified in the UK are linked to overseas travel.

The variant is most prevalent in South America and makes up 82 per cent of the cases in Peru, after first being identified in August.

It has also spread to Chile, where it comprises almost a third of cases, and clusters have been found in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico.

Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: 'Through the success of our vaccination programme, data suggest we have begun to break the link between cases and hospitalisations'

PHE SPOTS NEW PERU VARIANT IN SIX BRITS PHE warned it had spotted another new Covid variant that emerged in Peru and has infected at least six Britons. The 'Lambda' strain, as it's been named by the World Health Organization, has been designated a 'Variant Under Investigation' while PHE work out how infectious, deadly or vaccine-resistant it is. The six cases of Lambda have been linked to overseas travel. They were detected between 23 February and 7 June. It has two concerning mutations on its spike protein - known as L452Q and F490S - which are feared play a role in making it more infectious and able to dodge some immunity. The World Health Organisation classified Lambda as a Variant of Interest on 14 June but has not yet upgraded it to Variant of Concern status. The earliest documented sample was reported in Peru and Lambda has been sequenced in 26 countries to date. PHE said: 'All appropriate public health interventions will be undertaken, including additional contact tracing and targeted testing. 'Where cases have been identified, additional follow-up of cases, testing of contacts and if required targeted case finding will be deployed to limit its spread.' Advertisement

It comes as almost 2,500 people who entered Britain and tested positive for coronavirus could not be traced because they gave inaccurate contact details.

The passengers, who arrived between February 14 and May 10 and failed to correctly complete their details on passenger locator forms, include 52 people who tested positive for a variant of concern and three people who had travelled from red-list countries.

It is feared that the individuals, who have not been identified, may have gone on to spread the variants within their communities.

The Government says it is 'a criminal offence to provide false or deliberately misleading information on passenger locator forms'. Those who do so face fines of up to 10,000 or ten years in prison  or both. It was not clear whether any of those who provided inaccurate addresses have been prosecuted.

Yvette Cooper, chairman of the home affairs committee, said: 'This shows there are still real gaps in the Government's Covid border measures. For thousands of cases to effectively be lost after they have arrived in the country is a real problem  and even more troubling when those include new variants the Government is worried about.'

A Government spokesman said it has a 'robust' border and testing regime in place to minimise the risk of new variants entering the UK. They added: 'We have rigorous checks at the border and Border Force is working to ensure that it has the right staffing levels to check that passengers are compliant with border health measures.'

Separate data from the ONS's weekly infection survey showed that one in 440 people in England were estimated to have the virus, up from one in 520 the week before and one in 560 the week before that. Meanwhile the R value  the rate at which the outbreak is growing  was unchanged from last week at between 1.2 and 1.4, according to the latest figures.

Professor Adam Finn, a member of the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation, said people who have had two vaccinations should continue to be cautious.

He told Sky News: 'The safety of putting people together who have been vaccinated is greater than people who are unvaccinated, but if there's a lot of virus circulating there will still be infections taking place.'

He also said there was 'a high probability' that some booster jabs would be needed in autumn. In order to avoid the risk of a winter surge, we may well need to use booster doses, particularly I think in the first instance for the people who had the vaccine (the) longest time ago and who are at highest risk of getting seriously ill when they get infected.

'So I don't think this is a certainty yet, but I think there's a high probability that at least some boosting will need to go on this winter.'

Government figures yesterday showed 15,810 people had tested positive for the virus, with the average for the last seven days 48 per cent up on the previous week.

There were also 18 deaths and 224 patients were admitted to hospital. Both numbers are up on the week before.
A police officer was rushed to hospital with burn injuries after a blaze tore through a flat in south-east London following an explosion.

Scotland Yard said that officers were called at around 1.30pm on Friday in response to an incident at Batavia Mews, in New Cross, earlier that morning.

But as officers entered the building they heard an explosion.

A police officer was taken to hospital with burn injuries after a blaze tore through a flat in south-east London. Pictured: Smoke bellows from a top-floor flat on Friday

Firefighters and ambulances were called and a fire was discovered at a flat above a shop.

An officer was burned during the incident and was taken to a hospital, but her injuries are currently thought to be non-life-threatening, police said.

The force also said that a 40-year-old man had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and grievous bodily harm and taken to a south London police station.

The incident is not thought to be terror-related, it added.

A video shared on social media of what was reportedly the aftermath of the incident showed smoke coming from a top-floor window.

Further down the building, a clotheless man is shown sitting on another roof, with police seemingly waiting on ground-level to arrest him.

Pictures later showed what appeared to be the same man - now wearing shorts - being loaded into a police van by police officers.

A video shared on social media of what was reportedly the aftermath of the incident showed smoke coming from a top-floor window. Further down the building, a clotheless man is shown sitting on another roof, with police seemingly waiting on ground-level to arrest him. Pictures later showed what appeared to be the same man - now wearing shorts - being guided into a police van by police officers.

The London Fire Brigade said that four fire engines and around 25 firefighters battled the blaze, which destroyed most of a five-roomed flat on the third floor of the building

The man has not been identified, and it is unclear if he was involved in the explosion, although it appeared from the video that he could have climbed across the rooftops from the window where the smoke was coming from.

The London Fire Brigade said that four fire engines and around 25 firefighters battled the blaze, which destroyed most of a five-roomed flat on the third floor of the building.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Met Police and London Fire Brigade, it added.

The force also said that a 40-year-old man had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and grievous bodily harm and taken to a south London police station

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said they had been called at 1:36 pm on Friday to the scene in New Cross, according to My London.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Lewisham told the outlet that their officers were called at around 1:32 pm, and heard the explosion shortly after arriving.

The London Fire Brigade added: 'One officer has sustained burn injuries and has been taken to a hospital in south London. Her injuries are currently thought to be non-life-threatening.'
Advertisement

An astrophotographer has released a stunning set of shots of the International Space Station (ISS) passing in front of the Sun's fiery surface.

The images, captured by Portugal-based photographer Miguel Claro, 43, show a composite of the space station's path as it crosses the Sun's disc, forming what looks like a golden belt.

The spacecraft was captured more than 20 times as it passed over our star in only 0.55 seconds, at a distance of 271 miles (436.29km) from the Earth and at a incredible speed of 16,500 miles per hour (7.38km per second).

Claro snapped the spectacular transit using a special camera fitted with a hydrogen-alpha solar filter, which highlights the chromosphere  a layer in the Sun's atmosphere.

Scroll down for video

A belting image! Composite photo of the ISS passing in front of the Sun, taken from Redondo, Portugal by astrophotographer Miguel Claro. The spacecraft was captured more than 20 times as it passed over our star in just half a second

The ISS, which is 357.5 feet wide and 239.4 feet in length, completes an entire orbit around the Earth once every 90 minutes

The ISS appears to form a golden belt as it passes in front of our star. In real time, the whole transit happened in just over half a second

EXPLAINED: THE $100 BILLION INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION SITS 250 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH The International Space Station (ISS) is a $100 billion (80 billion) science and engineering laboratory that orbits 250 miles (400 km) above Earth. It has been permanently staffed by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000. Research conducted aboard the ISS often requires one or more of the unusual conditions present in low Earth orbit, such as low-gravity or oxygen. ISS studies have investigated human research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy and meteorology. The US space agency, Nasa, spends about $3 billion (2.4 billion) a year on the space station program, a level of funding that is endorsed by the Trump administration and Congress. A U.S. House of Representatives committee that oversees Nasa has begun looking at whether to extend the program beyond 2024. Alternatively the money could be used to speed up planned human space initiatives to the moon and Mars. Advertisement

Claro, who took the shots on June 6 at the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve, in Redondo, Portugal, said he felt 'immensely satisfied' to have captured the ISS passing in just the right place.

'I worked out the path of the ISS using the website Transit Finder, and then I started trying to find a nice field where I could position myself close to the central path of transit,' he said.

The ISS, which is 357.5 feet wide and 239.4 feet in length, completes an entire orbit around the Earth once every 90 minutes.

'The ISS was only visible for 0.55 seconds, so I set up my planetary video camera to capture an average frame rate speed of 47 frames per second,' Claro said.

'It's always great to get the feeling of immense satisfaction and inner happiness when you successfully turn your plans into action.

The ISS glows yellow in front of the surface of the Sun. This is due to the use of a hydrogen-alpha solar filter, which can distort colours

Pictured, astrophotographer Miguel Claro, who waited patiently to capture the fleeting, blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot

'I'm relieved that everything went well in the end, especially when there are so many things, like weather, that could have gone wrong and prevented me from getting the perfect shot.'

Even with a special telescope equipped with hydrogen-alpha filters, only a fast video camera shutter set to a high speed frame rate could have captured the rare moment, Claro said.

Hydrogen-alpha filters can produce distorted colours, which is why the ISS shows up as a yellow-tinted white rather than black. The image also shows fine granules on the photosphere  one of the Sun's outer layers.

'It's very interesting to recognise on the picture the ISS structure with the solar panels and main body elements well distinct,' Claro said on his website.

'Only the fast video camera shutter set to an high speed frame rate could capture this rare moment that happens in a blink of an eye.'

The ISS  which is in low earth orbit around 253 miles (408km) from Earth  has been continuously occupied since November 2000.

An international crew of six people live and work while travelling at five miles per second, orbiting Earth about every 90 minutes

NASA says anyone can sometimes see the ISS's distinctive solar panels if they look up at the sky at dawn or dusk, even if they live in a big city.

The space agency has a list of locations online where people can watch the ISS pass overhead.

'It is the third brightest object in the sky and easy to spot if you know when to look up,' NASA says.

'Visible to the naked eye, it looks like a fast-moving plane only much higher and travelling thousands of miles an hour faster.'
Our understanding of human evolution could be 'reshaped' by the identification of a new ancient human that may replace Neanderthals as our closest relative.

Experts led from China's Hebei GEO University came to this conclusion after re-analysing the so-called 'Harbin cranium', which was unearthed back in the 1930s.

First thought from Homo heidelbergensis, the team now think the near-perfectly preserved skull instead represents an example of Homo longi  the 'Dragon Man'.

Held in Hebei GEO's geoscience museum, the skull  the largest of all Homo species  was found in the Songhua River, near Harbin, in China's Heilongjiang province.

The fossil specimen was hidden for decades in a well, and was only handed over to researchers for study back in 2017.

H. longi had a brain comparable in size to that of modern humans, but sported big, almost square eye sockets, thick brow ridges, a wide mouth and larger teeth.

Scroll down for video

Our understanding of human evolution could be 'reshaped' by the identification of a new ancient human (Homo longi, depicted) that may replace Neanderthals as our closest relative

Experts led from China's Hebei GEO University re-analysed the 'Harbin cranium' (pictured) which was found in 1930 and hid down a well for decades before being turned over for study

First thought from Homo heidelbergensis , the team now think the near-perfectly preserved Harbin cranium (pictured here, far right, with five other examples of early human species) instead represents an example of Homo longi  the 'Dragon Man'

'The Harbin fossil is one of the most complete human cranial fossils in the world,' said paper author and palaeontologist Qiang Ji of the Hebei GEO University in Shijiazhuang, China.

'This fossil preserved many morphological details that are critical for understanding the evolution of the Homo genus and the origin of Homo sapiens.'

'While it shows typical archaic human features, the Harbin cranium presents a mosaic combination of primitive and derived characters setting itself apart from all the other previously-named Homo species.'

The researchers believe that the Harbin cranium belonged to a strong, robust, male individual who died at around the age of 50. He was likely part of a small community that resided in a forested, floodplain environment.

'Like Homo sapiens, they hunted mammals and birds, gathered fruits and vegetables  and perhaps even caught fish," said paper author and palaeoanthropologist Xijun Ni, also of the Hebei GEO University.

Given the fact that the Harbin individual was likely large in size  and considering the setting in which it was found  the team believe that Homo longi was probably well suited for living in harsh environments, allowing them to disperse across Asia.

Geochemical analysis has dated the Harbin cranium to some 146,000 years ago, during the Middle Pleistocene, a time of considerable human migrations. Homo longi and Homo sapiens likely encountered each other during this period.

Dragon Man (depicted) would have held a brain comparable in size to that of modern humans, but sported big, almost square eye sockets, thick brow ridges, a wide mouth and larger teeth

'We see multiple evolutionary lineages of Homo species and populations co-existing in Asia, Africa, and Europe during that time,' said paper author and paleoanthropologist Chris Stringer of the Natural History Museum in London.

'So, if Homo sapiens indeed got to East Asia that early, they could have a chance to interact with H. longi,' he added.

'Since we don't know when the Harbin group disappeared, there could have been later encounters as well.'

The researchers' analysis determined that Homo longi is one of our closest relatives on the hominin family tree  even closer to us that the Neanderthals.

'It is widely believed that the Neanderthal belongs to an extinct lineage that is the closest relative of our own species,' said Professor Ni.

'It is widely believed that the Neanderthal belongs to an extinct lineage that is the closest relative of our own species,' said Professor Ni. 'However, our discovery suggests that the new lineage we identified that includes Homo longi is the actual sister group of H. sapiens'

A close relative of modern humans, Neanderthals went extinct 40,000 years ago The Neanderthals were a close human ancestor that mysteriously died out around 40,000 years ago. The species lived in Africa with early humans for millennia before moving across to Europe around 300,000 years ago. They were later joined by humans, who entered Eurasia around 48,000 years ago. The Neanderthals were a cousin species of humans but not a direct ancestor - the two species split from a common ancestor - that perished around 50,000 years ago. Pictured is a Neanderthal museum exhibit These were the original 'cavemen', historically thought to be dim-witted and brutish compared to modern humans. In recent years though, and especially over the last decade, it has become increasingly apparent we've been selling Neanderthals short. A growing body of evidence points to a more sophisticated and multi-talented kind of 'caveman' than anyone thought possible. It now seems likely that Neanderthals had told, buried their dead, painted and even interbred with humans. They used body art such as pigments and beads, and they were the very first artists, with Neanderthal cave art (and symbolism) in Spain apparently predating the earliest modern human art by some 20,000 years. They are thought to have hunted on land and done some fishing. However, they went extinct around 40,000 years ago following the success of Homo sapiens in Europe. Advertisement

'However, our discovery suggests that the new lineage we identified that includes Homo longi is the actual sister group of H. sapiens.'

'The divergence time between H. sapiens and the Neanderthals may be even deeper in evolutionary history than generally believed  over one million years [ago],' said Professor Ni.

If this is indeed correct, the team explained, humans would likely have diverged from Neanderthals roughly 400,000 years earlier than scientists had thought.

'Altogether, the Harbin cranium provides more evidence for us to understand Homo diversity and evolutionary relationships among these diverse Homo species and populations,' said Professor Ni.

'We found our long-lost sister lineage,' he concluded.

The full findings of the three studies were published in the journal The Innovation.

Presently held in Hebei GEO's geoscience museum, the skull  the largest of all known Homo species  was found in Harbin City, in China's Heilongjiang province
A trio of British-built satellites due to launch on a SpaceX rocket tomorrow will have to wait a bit longer for their trip to orbit, after the firm delayed the launch.

'[The] team is taking additional time for pre-launch checkouts ahead of the Transporter-2 mission,' Elon Musk's company announced, without giving a new date for the trip.

Among the hundreds of satellites expected to go up with SpaceX on the Transport-2 mission were three UK Space Agency-backed payloads.

They included Internet of Things systems that would connect sensors aimed at monitoring climate change and tracking endangered wildlife around the world.

The satellites were due to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 19:56 BST (14:56 ET) on Friday on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

'Will announce new target launch date once confirmed,' the firm wrote when announcing the delay. There is speculation it could be tomorrow as they have a second 'backup' flight window, but that would depend on the scale of checks.

The UK Space Agency say it could be going up on Monday June 28, but couldn't say what the issues were with the payload and safety checks.

Scroll down for video

A trio of British-built satellites due to launch on a SpaceX rocket tomorrow will have to wait a bit longer for their trip to orbit, after the firm delayed the launch

UK companies have received nearly 15 million from the UK Space Agency, through the European Space Agency's Pioneer Partnership Programme to build the satellites.

The UK Space Agency said the initiative puts the UK at the forefront of climate change and wildlife monitoring in orbit through satellite development.

Among the devices going into space alongside the Internet of Things connector, is one tracking wildlife movements and a third 'ride-share' device.

Two of the satellites, built by Spire, in Glasgow, will develop optical intersatellite links (ISL) which will provide a step change in how we get large amounts of data from space down to Earth

TRIO OF BRITISH SATELLITES ON SPACEX RIDESHARE Three British satellites are going to space with the SpaceX Transporter-2 rideshare mission on Friday. Two of the satellites, built by Spire, in Glasgow, will develop optical intersatellite links (ISL) which will provide a step change in how we get large amounts of data from space down to Earth. This will enable constellations of satellites to become integrated networks in space, capable of delivering very high volumes of data at speed to anywhere in the world, including remote and rural areas, disaster areas and at sea. The third satellite is built by In-Space Missions, based in Hampshire. The Faraday Phoenix satellite incorporates payloads for six customers including Airbus, Lacuna, SatixFy and Aeternum. The In-Space satellite includes the demonstration payload for Lacuna Space, which is developing a ground-breaking satellite IoT service. This is the next step in Lacuna's space network, further improving the company's capability to service massive deployments for the IoT. Advertisement

The IoT is made up of connected 'things', such as machines, animals or people that have sensors connected to the internet that collect and share data.

The smart devices collect, send and act on data they acquire from their environments and can be used in a house, personally or from space.

One of the firms involved in the launch is Lacuna Space, based in Oxfordshire, which is connected to the ride-share In-Space Faraday Pheonix satellite.

The company is 'revolutionising the cost and simplicity of connecting sensors to the internet', by reaching every corner on Earth using small satellites to support the IoT.

Lacuna sensors, which fit in the palm of your hand and run for years off a single battery charge, can be used to monitor the environment.

The firm says they can also be used to track wildlife and help farmers by providing data on the health of cattle and crops and for water and soil management.

All three satellites are being managed by the ride-share partner firm Spaceflight, which will use its orbital transfer vehicles to move the satellites into their desired orbits after the launch.

Science Minister Amanda Solloway said the UK was leading the way in exploiting space to tackle climate change by developing satellites to monitor the environment and wildlife.

It comes as the UK is gearing up to host the COP26 conference in Glasgow that could see a new global agreement on tackling climate change.

This may go beyond the agreements made as part of the Paris agreement to take actions that limit global temperatures from rising by more than 2.7F over the next 50 years.

This is because a number of the worst case scenario climate change impacts are already becoming apparent and temperatures are expecting to begin reaching that maximum in the coming decade.

'As well as supporting our climate ambitions, these British-built satellites will provide exciting innovation in remote sensing and tracking, kickstarting industry to offer new services that will help to improve all our lives,' said Solloway.

Two of the satellites, built by Spire, in Glasgow, will develop optical intersatellite links (ISL) which will provide a step change in how we get large amounts of data from space down to Earth.

This will enable constellations of satellites to become integrated networks in space, capable of delivering very high volumes of data at speed to anywhere in the world, including remote and rural areas, disaster areas and at sea.

This enhanced data and better predictive analytics will improve our understanding of the environment and the impact we have on it.

Spire has been supported by the UK Space Agency, through the European Space Agency's Pioneer Partnership Programme with nearly 9 million of total funding.

They have used this to develop a range of innovative technologies and data platforms including the pair of satellites planned for tomorrow's launch.

Theresa Condor, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Spire Space Services, said it is a critical time for our planet.

One of the firms involved in the launch is Lacuna Space, based in Oxfordshire, which is connected to the ride-share In-Space Faraday Pheonix satellite

The firm is 'revolutionising the cost and simplicity of connecting sensors to the internet', by reaching every corner on Earth using small satellites to support the Internet of Things (IoT)

'With COP26 taking place later this year, we need to be able to map out and report on rapidly changing phenomena on Earth. That is the core purpose of Spire's constellation,' she said.

'Enhanced data and better predictive analytics help us to further understand our environment and the impact we have on it.

'Optical ISL allows us to deliver the most time sensitive data faster and at higher volumes for critical applications such as weather monitoring and forecasting.'

The third satellite is built by In-Space Missions, based in Hampshire, supported by 4.9 million of funding for this and future validation missions launching by 2023.

The Faraday Phoenix satellite incorporates payloads for six customers including Airbus, Lacuna, SatixFy and Aeternum within a single spacecraft.

Lacuna sensors, which fit in the palm of your hand and run for years off a single battery charge, can be used to monitor the environment

The third satellite is built by In-Space Missions, based in Hampshire, supported by 4.9 million of funding for this and future validation missions launching by 2023

Doug Liddle, CEO at In-Space Missions, said this is a highly capable and innovative satellite that has come to fruition in less than a year.

The In-Space satellite includes the demonstration payload for Lacuna Space, which is developing a ground-breaking satellite IoT service, thanks to 800,000 in funding.

This is the next step in Lacuna's space network, further improving the company's capability to service massive deployments for the IoT.

Rob Spurrett, Lacuna's CEO, said there is an 'endless world of possibilities' from the world of the internet of things - connecting physical objects together virtually.

'In cities there are many possible ways to do that, but our service ensures that rural parts of the UK and even the most remote locations in the world are part of this data revolution,' Spurrett explained.

Other payloads on the Faraday Phoenix mission include the Babel payload - a future digital, uploadable payload offering within the Faraday service

Among the uses for the Lacuna sensors is a project to monitor King Penguins (pictured) with data beamed to space and back to the researchers base

The SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket was due to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida as a 'taxi ride to space' for hundreds of small satellites.

It also included the launch of two new orbital transport vehicles - spaceships that can move satellites from their orbital insertion point, to where they should be.

One of the satellites going up is the Faraday Phoenix mission, designed to allow multiple firms and agencies access to space hardware - a ride-share system.

This includes the Babel payload - a future digital, uploadable payload offering within the Faraday service.

This will effectively allow customers to send a piece of software to the system from Earth for a new monitoring setup without sending a new satellite.

This first version is a high gain, wideband software defined radio enabling a number of different applications to be uploaded and exercised  from tracking ship radars to creating heat maps of 4G mobile usage.

This mission will also include two new orbital transfer vehicles including Sherpa by Spaceflight with multiple satellites inside the vehicles

This is a small rover in Greenland with a Lacuna Space sensor on board that can send data back to the base station from space via the new satellites

SatixFy Space Systems, based in Manchester, is using the mission to demonstrate their satcom technology in space for the first time.

SatixFy's cubesat computer will be the most capable product of its type on the market, supporting up to 4Gbps of data transmission, and allowing companies to process large amounts of data in orbit.

The Airbus Prometheus 1 payload, built in Portsmouth, with a Software Defined Radio will be able to survey radio spectrum usage across the world from orbit.

This can detect radar tracking of the Faraday Phoenix satellite, and potentially identify and locate search and rescue beacons.
Google is finally admitting it isn't all-knowing: the search-engine giant is testing a feature that will notify users if results are unreliable or 'changing quickly.'

It's part of Google's ongoing efforts to battle misinformation and conspiracy theories, especially in the wake of the contentious 2020 US presidential election and COVID-19 pandemic.

The company has used the Google News Initiative to strengthen reliable outlets and 'collaborate with journalists and entrepreneurs to help build the future of media.'

Now it's working to give users additional context about breaking topics although, according to Engadget, the notice is only showing up in a small percentage of searches.

'When anybody does a search on Google, we're trying to show you the most relevant, reliable information we can,' Danny Sullivan, public liaison for Google Search, told Recode. 'But we get a lot of things that are entirely new.'

Scroll down for video

If results on certain topics are unreliable or 'changing quickly,' Google will now notify users with a warning announcement

As an example, Sullivan referenced a search about a UFO supposedly caught on a police helicopter camera in 2016 doing 106 MPH.

'Someone had gotten this police report video released out in Wales, and it's had a little bit of press coverage,' he told Recode. 'But there's still not a lot about it.'

But it's getting buzz on social media, 'so we can tell it's starting to trend,' he added. 'And we can also tell that there's not a lot of necessarily great stuff that's out there. And we also think that maybe new stuff will come along.'

Google has introduced numerous features in recent years to stem the spread of misinformation, about everything from the 2020 US presidential election to alleged UFO sightings

Searching 'UFO 106 mph' on Google will bring up a brief that 'it looks like these results are changing quickly,' advising the user that if a topic is new 'it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources.'

Google still shared stories about the alleged sighting under the announcement from multiple news outlets.

In the larger picture, UFO sightings have become a major search topic as the US government is expected to release a declassified report on unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) any day now.

Other examples of popular searches that could trigger the warning, according to Engadget, include 'why is britney on lithium' and 'black triangle ufo ocean'

Google Search liaison Danny Sullivan confirmed frequently asked questions (FAQs) will be limited to two per snippet, at least in the US

In April 2020, Google started telling people if there weren't enough good matches for a topic for it to provide results.

In February, Google introduced an 'about' button that provided additional context to results, like a brief Wikipedia description or details on when a story was published.

Last week, Sullivan confirmed the company was limiting FAQ-heavy results to just two per search result snippet.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) tabs are often useful in predicting user's queries about a topic. They were rolled out in 2019 but can take up a lot of space, pushing other results further down the page.

The limiting of FAQs appears to be limited to the United States, according to Search Engine Journal.
Experts believe that a cosmic impact that hit Earth 13,000 years ago may have been so devastating it changed humans from nomads to settlers.

The research notes that the impact from the event - which likely triggered the Younger Dryas climate shift - was potentially the most 'devastating impact since the extinction of the dinosaurs' and resulted in a mini Ice Age that lasted more than 1,000 years.

The study adds that prior to the start of the Neolithic period - which ran from about 10,000 to 4,500 BC - humans in the Fertile Crescent (a region comprised of Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon) were starting to move away from nomadic, hunter-gather ways of life into permanent settlements.

It speculated that the impact from space may have dramatically sped this settling trend up, although scientists are unsure why, and say further research is needed.

'Future research into [Younger Dryas]-related phenomena should, where possible, relate archaeological finds (such as megafaunal remains and stone tools) and other evidence (such as volcanic tephra) to their position relative to the Younger Dryas Boundary in the same time-series,' the study's authors wrote.

However, these claims are difficult to assess and establish, the study's authors added.

'While it should be possible with currently available scientific resources to ascertain whether a major cosmic impact event occurred at this time, it will likely remain difficult to tease apart the longer-term consequences of such an event, and distinguish them from non-impact related causes,' the authors wrote in the study.

'This major cosmic catastrophe seems to have been memorialized on the giant stone pillars of Gobekli Tepe, possibly the 'World's first temple', which is linked with the origin of civilization in the Fertile Crescent of southwest Asia,' the study's author, Martin Sweatman, from the University of Edinburgh said in a statement.

'Did civilization, therefore, begin with a bang?'

Archaeological site in Arizona, US, with a distinctive black layer, indicating substantial environmental changes beginning about 10,800 BC, with impact debris at its base

There are 28 spots around the world (orange dots) that have platinum deposits similar to what was located in South Africa, suggesting that a plume of dust laden with platinum was sent into the air. The 24 red dots have impact craters but don't have heavy platinum measures

A study published in March 2020 suggests that the impact event may have wiped out an ancient civilization in what is now Abu Hureyra, Syria. Pictured above are examples of Abu Hureyra meltglass

Pictured above are microspherules taken from 18 Young Dryas sites on four continents around the world

WHAT IS THE YOUNGER DRYAS IMPACT HYPOTHESIS? The Younger Dryas impact hypothesis proposes that fragments of a disintegrating comet struck the Earth around 12,800 years ago. These fragments bombarded North and South America, Europe and western Asia. This generated a thin layer of detritus covering around 19.3 million square miles (50 million square kilometres). This layer contained concentrations of platinum, meltglass and nano-diamonds from the impactors. Experts argue that this episode saw large-scale biomass burning, an impact-induced winter, longer-time climatic shifts and the extinction of late Pleistocene megafauna. Advertisement

In the study, the researchers, led by Sweatman, looked at geological data of North America and Greenland from a previous study and found high 'excess platinum, quench-melted materials, and nanodiamonds,' according to the study's abstract, suggesting a major cosmic impact.

Although rare on Earth, asteroids often contain high levels of platinum.

In October 2019, scientists analyzed evidence in a South African site known a Wonderkrater, stumbling upon high levels of platinum, which they believed supported the fact that a disintegrating meteor hit Earth and caused a mini ice age.

The resulting ice age is believed by many scientists to have wiped out dozens of mammals species including the wooly mammoth and giant wildebeest and decimated the human population.

There are 28 other spots around the world that have platinum deposits similar to what was located in South Africa, suggesting that a plume of dust laden with platinum was sent into the air.

The experts say further research is needed to determine on how much of an impact the cosmic impact actually had on the climate at the time and what changes there were to human populations and animal extinctions.

The new study was recently published in Earth-Science Reviews.

First discovered in 2015, the meteorite strike was not officially acknowledged in Greenland until November 2018.

It left a 19-mile wide crater and is believed to have caused the disappearance of the mysterious Clovis people in North America, DailyMail.com previously reported.

NASA has described it as 'one of the 25 largest impact craters on Earth, measuring roughly 1,000 feet deep and more than 19 miles in diameter.'

In 2019, a separate group of researchers suggested that the event may have resulted in the extinction of more than 35 different types of large mammals, including woolly mammoths and mastodons due to 'extreme cooling.'

Another study published in March 2020 suggests that the impact event may have wiped out an ancient civilization in what is now Abu Hureyra, Syria.
A farmer in Egypt stumbled across a find of Biblical proportions: an Astone tablet, or 'stele', dating back 2,600 years to the reign of a pharaoh mentioned in the Old Testament who was later strangled to death by his own subjects.

Standing about 91 inches tall and 41 inches wide, the sandstone slab was found earlier this month by a farmer tilling his land in the Ismailia Governate, about 60 miles northeast of Cairo.

Mostafa Waziri, secretary general of the Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Ministry, said in a statement that the stele appears to be related to a military campaign east of Egypt led by Apries, a pharaoh who reigned between 589 and 570 BC.

At the top of the tablet is a carving of a winged sun disk, possibly associated with the Egyptian sun god Ra, with a representation of Apries and 15 lines of hieroglyphic writing below.

Archaeologists in Egypt are now working to translate the steles hieroglyphics.

Scroll down for video

A stone tablet associated with the 6th century BC Egyptian pharaoh Apries was accidentally uncovered by a farmer in northeast Egypt

Apries became pharaoh after the death of his father, Psamtik II, in 589 BC.

The fourth ruler in the 26th dynasty, he was also known as 'Wahibre Haaibre' and is identified in the Old Testament book of Jeremiah as 'Hophra.'

But his reign was marred by internal strife and military failureshis aid to King Zedekiah of Judah proved ineffective and, following a brutal 18-month siege, the Babylonians ransacked Jerusalem just a few years into Apries reign and destroyed the First Temple.

Its unclear if the military campaign Waziri referenced was the unsuccessful defense of Jerusalem or another battle.

Despite Apries' aid to King Zedekiah of Judah, the Babylonians sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the First Temple. His military failures prompted a coup by general Amasis II, who had himself declared pharaoh in 570 BC. Pictured: A bust of Amasis at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

The citys destruction was followed by a mutiny among the military and a disastrous military defeat by the Greeks in Libya, prompting a civil war.

Many Egyptians threw their support behind general Amasis II, who had himself declared pharaoh in 570 BC.

Some historians believe Apries was killed in battle trying to reclaim the throne from Amasis.

According to Herodotus, Apries (pictured) fought to reclaim his crown after the coup but, after making it back to Memphis, was strangled to death by his former subjects

But Greek writer Herodotus, often called the father of history, suggested an alternative fate for the failed king: in his text Inquiries, written nearly a century after the fact, Herodotus claimed Apries made it back to Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, whereupon his vengeful former subjects strangled him to death and buried him with his father.

Apries ruled during Egypts Late Period, which lasted from roughly 664 to 332 BC.

It saw the end of Egypt as an independent empire after the conquest of Alexander the Great and the installation of the Ptolemaic dynasty from Macedonian Greece, starting the age of Hellenistic Egypt.

Most of what historians know about Apries comes from references by Herodotus and the Old Testament, with only a few relics from his rule ever uncovered.

An obelisk which Apries erected at Sais was moved to Rome by Diocletian in the 3rd century and now sits outside the Santa Maria sopra Minerva basilica church.

A bust of Apries and a sphinx with his face on it are housed in the Louvre in Paris.
Nearly three years after scientists confirmed that Mars still has lakes filled with liquid water, a new study suggests there may be more water than previously thought, including 'dozens' of lakes less than a mile beneath the surface of the Red Planet.

Researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory analyzed data from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter and saw dozens of radar reflections around the Martian south pole similar to the discovery made in 2018.

The radar signals were found in a region of Mars known as the South Polar Layered Deposits, home to water ice, dry ice and dust that have lived there for millions of years.

However, many of these findings are in areas that are likely too cold for water to remain liquid, even with the presence of salty minerals known as perchlorates, a fact that's currently stumping the researchers.

'We're not certain whether these signals are liquid water or not, but they appear to be much more widespread than what the original paper found,' said study co-author and NASA JPL investigator Jeffrey Plaut, in a statement.

'Either liquid water is common beneath Mars' south pole or these signals are indicative of something else.'

A new study suggests that there may be more water on Mars than previously thought, including 'dozens' of lakes less than a mile beneath the surface

Researchers analyzed data from the European Space Agency's Mars Express orbiter and saw dozens of radar reflections around the Martian south pole similar to the discovery made in 2018

Many of these findings are in areas that are likely too cold for water to remain liquid, even with the presence of salty minerals known as perchlorates, a fact that's currently stumping the researchers

The Martian surface has an estimated temperature of roughly minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit, which would be too cold for water to stay liquid

Expanding the initial search to look at more than 15 years of data on the south polar region revealed that some of the lakes were less than a mile from the surface.

In March, a separate study said that between 33 and 99 percent of Mars' 'missing water' could be hiding under its crust, thanks to billion-year old rocks that can store the water.

The Martian surface has an estimated temperature of roughly minus 81 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 63 degrees Celsius), which would be too cold for the water to stay liquid.

The area that could contain the liquid water lakes is small - just 6 to 12 miles of the south pole, according to Aditya Khuller, a doctoral student at Arizona State University who worked on the paper.

In Mars' past, it had a lower axis tilt, allowing for snowfall and dust to settle in the South Polar Layered Deposits region as it currently lies.

If the water is indeed liquid, it's possible it could be from volcanic activity or something else, Khuller said.

'They [a 2019 paper] found that it would take double the estimated Martian geothermal heat flow to keep this water liquid,' Khuller said.

'One possible way to get this amount of heat is through volcanism. However, we haven't really seen any strong evidence for recent volcanism at the south pole, so it seems unlikely that volcanic activity would allow subsurface liquid water to be present throughout this region.'

In May, researchers discovered volcanic deposits in satellite images of Mars that showed eruptions that happened in the past 50,000 years.

If it's not volcanic activity and the water is indeed liquid, the researchers say further study is needed to find out the root cause of it.

'Our mapping gets us a few steps closer to understanding both the extent and the cause of these puzzling radar reflections,' said Plaut.

The findings have been published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

In February, scientists discovered water vapors rising from Mars after the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter made the discovery by measuring light as vapor passing through the atmosphere.

In April, a separate study suggested that microbes may be living underneath the Martian surface, thriving on chemical energy from nearby groundwater.
Sicily was under Islamic rule around 1,120 years ago, but some natives feasted on pork even though it was prohibited by religious laws, a new study reveals.

A team of international researchers analyzed food residue on 134 medieval cooking pots used between the 9th and 12 centuries, revealing the ancient Sicilian palette depended largely on where people lived and what food was available locally.

Approximately 83 fragments came from Palermo and 51 came from the site in of Casale San Pietro, located on the plain outside of the town of Castronovo di Sicilia in the center of Sicily within the province of Palermo.

Those living in Palermo, the center of the ancient Muslim world, ate foods that mirrored their Islamic conquers, such as beef, mutton and a variety of vegetables.

Meanwhile residents outside of the city ate not only the forbidden meat of pigs, but also dairy products and grapes.

'Analysis of residues preserved in pottery has, for the first time, revealed important insight into cuisine in medieval Islamic Sicily,' lead author Jasmine Lundy of the University of York and colleagues shared in a statement.

'We have identified a diverse range of products processed in cooking wares, as well as regional differences in the use of ceramics such as for the processing of dairy and grapevine products.'

An analysis on residue taken from 1,120-year-old cooking pots found in Sicily shows those living in rural areas ate the forbidden meat pork, along with dairy products and grapes

The Islamic Kingdom ruled the island of Sicily from 831 to 1091, with Palermo being a major cultural and political center of the Muslim world.

Now, a researchers of the study, published in PLOS One, has embarked on a quest to learn how ancient Sicilians' lives were impacted while under Islamic rule.

The Islamic Kingdom ruled the island of Sicily from 831 to 1091, with Palermo being a major cultural and political center of the Muslim world.

The ancient cooking pottery were found in the city of Palermo and the rural town of Casale San Pietro.

The cooking pottery was used between the 9th and 12th centuries and found in the city of Palermo and the rural town of Casale San Pietro. Those living in Palermo, the center of the ancient Muslim world, ate foods that mirrored their Islamic conquers, such as beef and sheep and a variety of vegetables

Despite the fact that residue from pork products was mostly found, there was no evidence that the ancient people included marine or freshwater products, which is a staple among modern Sicilians.

'The consumption of pork is forbidden as part of the Islamic religion, which is reflected by its absence from culinary literary sources. However, the complete absence of pork in Sicily during this time cannot be assumed,' reads the study.

'For all of the four sites investigated, faunal remains of caprine (both sheep and goats), cattle and domestic fowl have been identified.

The Islamic Kingdom ruled the island of Sicily from 831 to 1091, with Palermo being a major cultural and political center of the Muslim world

The mixture of a diverse assortment of food products is consistent with the colorful dishes noted in Arabic literature, and the differences observed between rural and urban sites suggests there is more to be learned about how cultures differed across Sicilian society.

'With the Islamic green revolution, certain vegetables, fruits and cereals gained new importance and written sources of Islamic and complex mixtures of herbs, spices and vegetables are well documented in Arabic literature,' researchers shared in the study.

'Alongside spinach, eggplant and artichoke, other vegetables mentioned in historical sources include turnip, cabbage, cauliflower, onion, garlic and leek.

'Furthermore, dishes often reflect a sweet and sour/ salty palate, where fruits and fruit juices were added to savory meat dishes, for example citrus fruits (oranges and lemons), apples, pomegranates and grape products.'
The internet has created a group of people who post inflammatory, irrelevant or offensive comments online, and now a study has revealed what motivates someone to become a troll.

Researchers from Brigham Young University found those who share such content have the dark triad personality traits, (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy) coupled with schadenfreude, a German word describing someone receiving pleasure from other people's misfortunes.

Those with schadenfreude, according to the team, consider trolling to be a form of communication that enriches, rather than obstructs, online discussion.

Pamela Brubaker, BYU public relations professor and co-author of the study, said in a statement: 'People who exhibit those traits known as the dark triad are more likely to demonstrate trolling behaviors if they derive enjoyment from passively observing others suffer.

'They engage in trolling at the expense of others.'

Scroll down for video

Researchers from Brigham Young University found those who share such content have the dark triad personality traits, (narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy)

Burbaker and her colleagues examined the psychological predictors that motivate trolling behaviors, as well as perceptions of trolling among 438 Reddit users.

'Online trolls have been described as self-aggrandizing, individualistic, and unremorseful in their behavior,' reads the study published in the journal of Social Media and Society.

'Research suggests that trolls possess dark personality traits, including psychopathy, narcissism, sadism, and Machiavellianism.'

Machiavellianism is a personality trait that denotes cunningness, the ability to be manipulative, and a drive to use whatever means necessary to gain power.

They also posses schadenfreude, a German word describing someone receiving pleasure from other people's misfortunes. Those with schadenfreude, according to the team, consider trolling to be a form of communication that enriches rather than obstructs online discussion

And signs of psychopathy is socially irresponsible behavior, along with disregarding or violating the rights of others.

The research found that people who get pleasure out of seeing other fail actually considering trolling an acceptable behavior.

Women who participated in the survey viewed trolling as dysfunctional while men were more likely to view it as functional - the study does not break down how many men and women were in the study.

Co-author of the study and BYU communications professor Dr. Scott Church said: 'This behavior may happen because it feels appropriate to the medium.

'So, heavy users of the platform may feel like any and all trolling is 'functional' simply because it's what people do when they go on Reddit.'

The team also notes that those who possess schadenfreude do not care about their words come across to others in the online community, and they do not see trolling as a destructive behavior, but as a way of communication.

The team also notes that those who possess schadenfreude are not concerned with how their words or actions affect those on the other side of the screen

'They are more concerned with enhancing their own online experience rather than creating a positive online experience for people who do not receive the same type of enjoyment or pleasure from such provocative discussions,' said Brubaker.

The study, however, did not find a link between being outspoken online and trolling.

'Remember who you are when you go online,' said Church. 'It helps when we think of others online as humans, people with families and friends like you and me, people who feel deeply and sometimes suffer. When we forget their identities as actual people, seeing them instead as merely usernames or avatars, it becomes easier to engage in trolling.'

Brubaker suggests approaching online discourses with an open mind in order to understand various perspectives.

'Digital media gives us the power to connect with people who have similar and different ideas, interests, and experiences from our own,' she added.

'As we connect with people online, we should strive to be more respectful of others and other points of view, even when another person's perspective may not align with our own.

'Each of us has the power to be an influence for good online. We can do this by exercising mutual respect. We can build others up and applaud the good online.'
Romeo & Juliet (Regent's Park)

Rating:

Verdict: Abridged eyesore

The good news is that the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park is back in business. The bad news is that although their opening show is mercifully short, it's also an eyesore rendition of Shakespeare's hot-blooded tale of star-crossed passion.

Set designer Naomi Dawson has turned the leafy bower into a wasteland with scaffolding and rubble that's supposed to represent a post-earthquake Verona.

It's a ruse concocted by director Kimberley Sykes, who spotted that Juliet's nurse mentions an earthquake in an early speech, and it's meant to chime with the way we feel now after Covid.

All this and more on 'the patriarchy' is set out by Sykes in a 5 programme, where she recounts her impeccable beliefs as a social crusader.

She even draws a seemingly serious connection between CAPitalism and Juliet's surname 'CAPulet'. Sadly her sincerity as a political prognosticator is not matched by her skills as a theatrical director.

The good news is that the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park is back in business. The bad news is that although their opening show is mercifully short, it's also an eyesore rendition of Shakespeare's hot-blooded tale of star-crossed passion. Pictured: Isabel Adomakoh Young as Juliet and Joel MacCormack as Romeo

She has stripped away inconvenient chunks of text, including the famous prologue, to ensure the promised 'two hours' traffic' of the play comes in at an even shorter 110 minutes (and there's no interval).

The result is highlights without momentum, atmosphere, danger, or even enmity, between Romeo and Juliet's warring families.

Multiple levels of grim scaffolding mean the actors' energy is dissipated across the stage, and if you blink you may miss the weepy climax.

On the upside, an exceptional young talent has arrived in the shape of Isabel Adomakoh Young as Juliet. She has a spellbinding ability to switch between conflicting thoughts and maintain a strong sense of purpose and passion in her character.

Director Kimberley Sykes has stripped away inconvenient chunks of text, including the famous prologue, to ensure the promised 'two hours' traffic' of the play comes in at an even shorter 110 minutes (and there's no interval). The result is highlights without momentum, atmosphere, danger, or even enmity, between Romeo and Juliet's warring families

Physically, she's quick, too  unlike Joel MacCormack's ponderous Romeo, who seems more interested in making another speech than going off in do-or-die pursuit of the love of his life.

Styles and standards of acting are extremely variable but Cavan Clarke invests Romeo's trickster buddy Mercutio with edgy personality.

And both Peter Hamilton Dyer as the Friar and Emma Cunniffe as the Nurse demonstrate how to make the Bard sing with simple, direct performances.

Otherwise, this is a Juliet to remember in a show to forget.

And Breathe... (Almeida)

Rating:

J'Ouvert (Harold Pinter Theatre)

Rating:

Verdict: Odysseys of grief and girl power

Two very different odysseys have opened in London. And Breathe is a beautiful, candid and inevitably very moving tale of bereavement told through poems by Yomi Sode, performed by David Jonsson.

The other is J'Ouvert, a raucous romp reclaiming the streets of Notting Hill, led by two loud, proud and gobby girls.

Sode's poems tell of being blindsided by the death of his mother, a nurse, from cancer, and of breathing as if 'giving birth to this grief'. But Sode also laughs at himself and the pizzas he guzzles to fill the void.

And Breathe is a beautiful, candid and inevitably very moving tale of bereavement told through poems by Yomi Sode, performed by David Jonsson (pictured)

Although a little muffled at first, with snatches of African desert blues played by Femi Temowo, it's a performance of remarkable tenderness, pathos and simplicity.

J'Ouvert, which can be caught in London until July 3 and Nottingham's Theatre Royal from July 21-24, is a rowdier, eye-popping affair, as two girls twerk their way through the Notting Hill Carnival.

It's part homage to Marxist-feminist Claudia Jones, who co-founded the carnival in 1959, but mostly it's a righteous, noisy, reclaim-the-streets musical romp.

The hip-grinding does get monotonous, and Yasmin Joseph's script tossing in arguments with oikish male predators is no substitute for drama.

But in the absence of a real carnival this year, loud calypso music gets the stalls rocking. Gabrielle Brooks and Sapphire Joy are good bawdy company as the two young women, and Annice Boparai adds a lighter touch as their posh Indian activist friend.

J'Ouvert, which can be caught in London until July 3 and Nottingham's Theatre Royal from July 21-24, is a rowdier, eye-popping affair, as two girls twerk their way through the Notting Hill Carnival

Happy Days (Riverside Studios, Hammersmith)

Rating:

Verdict: Handbags at Dwan

Samuel Beckett is extraordinarily lucky to have actor Lisa Dwan to keep his comfortless visions of futility alive.

Few performers come close to her spontaneous understanding of his work - including this one about a woman buried up to her waist in a mound, reminiscing, praying, rifling through a handbag and courting the attention of an estranged and near silent husband (whose bald head we occasionally glimpse).

Born near Athlone, the dead centre of Ireland, the pregnant star of TV's Bloodlands feasts on Beckett's dry, Dublin humour, adjusting her boobs, blessing herself in prayer and occasionally contemplating a pistol in this scathing portrait of human aspiration.

Samuel Beckett is extraordinarily lucky to have actor Lisa Dwan (pictured) to keep his comfortless visions of futility alive. Few performers come close to her spontaneous understanding of his work

After the interval she's rediscovered with a croakier voice, now buried to her neck and with white face paint that makes her teeth look rotten.

Trevor Nunn's vividly detailed production offers this bleak memento mori in a vast, cinema-screen format that sets Dwan in a gorsey wind-swept Irish bog that wins a startled gasp from the audience at the beginning.

And Dwan's blissfully unselfconscious performance helps sustain the cheerful illusion that Beckett isn't just for niche, ageing audiences, buried to the neck in troubles of their own.
Actors Samuel L. Jackson and Danny Glover are among those who will receive honorary Oscars ahead of the main 2022 gala.

That isn't all as they will also be joined by Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann and actress-director Elaine May the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday.

Jackson, May and Ullmann will be given honorary statuettes, while Glover will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2022 Governors Awards on January 15, the Academy said in a statement.

Dynamic duo: Actors Samuel L. Jackson (left) and Danny Glover are among those who will receive honorary Oscars ahead of the main 2022 gala

'We are thrilled to present this year's Governors Awards to four honorees who have had a profound impact on both film and society,' said Academy President David Rubin.

Glover, 74, first earned widespread recognition on the big screen in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of The Color Purple (1985) before starring opposite Mel Gibson in the popular Lethal Weapon cop buddy movies.

'Danny Glover's decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his dedication to recognizing our shared humanity on and off the screen,' Rubin said.

Quite the honor: That isn't all as they will also be joined by Norwegian actress Liv Ullmann (pictured left) and actress-director Elaine May the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Thursday

Jackson, 72, has appeared in dozens of films, earning an Oscar nomination for his indelible turn in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994).

He has appeared in multiple Marvel movies as the eyepatch-wearing onetime SHIELD boss Nick Fury, wielded a lightsaber in the Star Wars universe as Jedi master Mace Windu, and delivered an unforgettable line in Snakes on a Plane.

Ullmann, 82, was introduced to international audiences in Ingmar Bergman's Persona and would go on to make many films with the Swedish director. She earned two Oscar nominations for best actress in the 1970s.

Leading man: Glover, 74, first earned widespread recognition on the big screen in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of The Color Purple (1985) before starring opposite Mel Gibson in the popular Lethal Weapon cop buddy movies

Trailblazer: Jackson, 72, has appeared in dozens of films, earning an Oscar nomination for his indelible turn in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994)

Rubin said her 'bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals.'

May, 89, achieved great success through her comedy partnership with Mike Nichols before going on to earn Oscar nominations for writing the screenplays for Heaven Can Wait and Primary Colors.

She also directed several films including A New Leaf, The Heartbreak Kid and Ishtar.

'Elaine May's bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers,' Rubin said.

Veteran star: Ullmann, 82, was introduced to international audiences in Ingmar Bergman's Persona and would go on to make many films with the Swedish director. She earned two Oscar nominations for best actress in the 1970s
She is well known for flaunting her impeccable sense of dress on her various public outings.

And on Thursday afternoon, Shay Mitchell was spotted cutting a very stylish figure while stepping out on a coffee run in Hollywood.

The 34-year-old Pretty Little Liars series regular appeared to be enjoying the sunny summertime weather as she stepped out of her car to purchase a few pick-me-ups from a local cafe.

Turning heads: Shay Mitchell cut a very stylish figure while stepping out on a coffee run in Hollywood on Thursday afternoon

Mitchell was dressed in a slightly loose-fitting white sweater that featured cropped sleeves and a high-cut front that exposed a slight portion of her toned tummy.

She contrasted her top with a pair of brown-green cargo pants that remained tucked into a pair of similarly colored high-heeled shoes during her outing.

The You actress accessorized with a gold necklace and several other matching articles of jewelry, and she wore a pair of stylish black sunglasses.

The performer's typically free-flowing brunette hair was tied into a lengthy ponytail while she picked up her coffee for the day.

Impressive ensemble: The Pretty Little Liars actress wore a loose-fitting white sweater above a pair of brown-green cargo pants while stepping out

A bit of shine: The actress accessorized with several articles of jewelry to add a few elements of pop to her clothing ensemble. She was later seen wearing a white facial covering while making her way out of the cafe

At one point, she was seen wearing a white facial covering to keep herself protected from COVID-19 as she spent time in public.

In addition to her career as an actress, Mitchell is also a full-time mother to a baby girl named Atlas Noa, whom she welcomed in 2019.

The Dollface cast member initially announced that she would be adding a child to her life in June of that year and eventually gave birth that October.

The performer shares her child with her partner Matte Babel, to whom she was first romantically connected in 2017.

Happy parents: In 2019, Mitchell welcomed a daughter named Atlas Noa and shares her child with her partner Matte Babel; they are pictured in 2020

Mitchell spoke about how she was given her daughter's name during an interview with Vogue, where she recalled that one of her pals had considered Atlas for her own child before deciding against it.

She remarked: 'A close friend of ours was listing off names for her daughter that she had had a year and a half ago. Then she said Atlas and I looked at Matte, and he looked at me, and I was like, "Oh my gosh."'

The performer also expressed that her lifestyle and career-related habits have changed ever since the birth of her kid and that she holds her toddler's needs above all other things.

'When she's awake, we just kind of have a chill moment together. I've had to reprioritize my work time with her schedule, and thats been interesting for me. Before it was all about my schedule, now I work once she falls asleep,' she said.

New approach: During a sit-down with Vogue, Mitchell expressed that, after the birth of her daughter, she 'had to reprioritize my work time with her schedule'

Inspiration: The Dollface actress also noted that she first thought about naming her daughter Atlas after a close friend of hers read a list of names that she had previously considered for her own daughter

The actress went on to note that she did not expect the public eye to fall so heavily on her following the birth of her child, with which she was still coming to terms.

'It concerns me that people are so quick to pass judgment on others, especially without knowing any facts, and behind the protection of the screen,' she expressed.

Mitchell then told the media outlet that she and her partner have elected not to pay attention to outside opinions regarding their status as parents and that she was solely focused on the well-being of her child.

'Matte and I just choose to ignore it because we couldn't be happier right now...For me, I'm going to do exactly what I feel is right for my family,' the actress noted.
Dean Winters has joined the cast of the upcoming Peacock limited series, Joe Exotic, which is based on the Wondery podcast, Joe Exotic: Tiger King.

The 30 Rock star, 56, will play Jeff Lowe, Exotic's former partner-turned-enemy Jeff Lowe, who was one of the main characters in the successful Netflix docu-series, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (2020).

Hosted by journalist Robert Moor, the Tiger King podcast, which was released in March 2020, dug deeper into the popular documentary, while also exploring some of the storylines that weren't investigated.

Cast taking shape; : Dean Winters has joined the cast of the Peacock limited series, Joe Exotic

As previously announced John Cameron Mitchell, 58, will play the mullet-wearing Tiger King himself, Joe Exotic.

SNL star Kate McKinnon will portray Carole Baskin, a big cat enthusiast who becomes his rival when she tries to shut down his business after she learns he's breeding big cats for profit.

The cast also includes Dennis Quaid as Joe's reality show producer Rick Kirkham, Brian Van Holt as zoo manager John Reinke, Nat Wolff plays Joe's first husband Travis Maldonado, Sam Keeley as Joe's second husband John Finlay, and Lex Mayson portrays Joe's former employee Saff.

Supporting roles: The cast also ready includes John Cameron Mitchell as the mullet-wearing Tiger King himself, Joe Exotic and Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin, a big cat enthusiast who becomes his rival

Ethan Frankel has double duty serving as writer and executive producer under his overall deal with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, according to Deadline.

McKinnon, 37, also executive produces along with Wondery's Hernan Lopez, Marshall Lewy, and Aaron Hart.

Like Exotic (born Joseph Allen Schreibvogel), Baskin also has a checkered past that her new rival tries to expose, which proves to have a dangerous outcome.

The 58-year-old former zoo operator had owned and operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (1999-2018) in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, known for its big cats, before he became a convicted felon.

The real Exotic: Joe Exotic (born Joseph Allen Schreibvogel) is a former zoo operator who had owned and operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (1999-2018) in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, known for its big cats, before he became a convicted felon

In 2019, the Kansas native was found guilty on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire in a plot to kill Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue.

Exotic, who is currently serving a 22-year sentence, has been featured in a number of documentaries, most notable was the Netflix seven-part documentary focused on his career as a zookeeper and his feud with Baskin.

While in prison, Exotic revealed he was being treated for prostate cancer, and has since asked for a compassionate pardon from President Joe Biden so he can 'go home and get proper medical care and food,' he wrote on Twitter.

His previous attempt for clemency from former President Donald Trump was denied despite persistent lobbying efforts by his legal team.

Along with 30 Rock (2006-2012), Winters' extensive TV resume includes Oz (1997-2003), Law & Order: SVU (1999-2019), Rescue Me (2004-2007), Sex And The City and Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-2019).
The first film still from The Railway Children Return was released on Thursday as the much-anticipated sequel wrapped up production.

The joyous image sees Jenny Agutter's Bobbie Waterbury alongside co-star Sheridan Smith's Annie, bounding through the Yorkshire countryside, flanked by a brand new generation of railway children.

Beau Gadsdon (Lily), Eden Hamilton (Pattie), Austin Haynes (Thomas), Zac Cudby (Ted) and KJ Aikens (Abe) make up the new group of children, who were all dressed in 1940s attire in the new still.

First look: The first film still from The Railway Children Return was released on Thursday as the much-anticipated sequel wrapped up production (Sheridan Smith is pictured third left and Jenny Agutter, far right)

Strolling through sun-drenched countryside, the characters sported enormous smiles on their faces. Two children rode on each other's backs, with bright blue skies looming overhead.

Studiocanal shared the photograph on Twitter, alongside the caption: 'That's a wrap on The Railway Children Return!

'To celebrate  here's a first look image of @Sheridansmith1, Jenny Agutter and a new generation of railway children in the sequel to one of the most beloved British family films of all time.'

The Railway Children Return filming started taking place in Yorkshire in May  more than 50 years since the original movie was released in 1970.

Update: Studiocanal shared the photograph on Twitter, alongside the caption: 'That's a wrap on The Railway Children Return!'

The original film was based on the novel by E Nesbit, which tells the story of the three Waterbury children - Bobbie (Jenny Agutter), Phyllis (Sally Thomsett) and Peter (Gary Warren).

The children are set to be shipped off to live in the country at The Three Chimneys house beside a railway line, following their father's arrest on spying charges.

The new sequel will see a group of children evacuated to a Yorkshire village during World War II and there they come across a young soldier who similarly is far away from his home.

Return of The Railway Children! Filming for Return Of The Railway Children kicked off in Yorkshire in May  more than 50 years since the original movie was released in 1970 (pictured: the new cast)

Film: The original Waterbury children, played by Jenny Agutter, Sally Thomsett and Gary Warren. Pictured in a 1970 film still

The Railway Children Return will feature key locations as first seen in the original, including the iconic Oakworth Station, The Bronte Parsonage and Haworth.

The rolling green hills of the Yorkshire countryside provided the perfect backdrop for a film which was widely lauded by critics and is seen as an iconic part of British cinema.

Call The Midwife star Jenny will reprise her role in The Railway Children sequel.

The actress, 68, was just 16 when she played Bobbie Waterbury in the 1968 BBC series, before going on to star in the 1970 film version at 18-years-old.

Back again: Call The Midwife star Jenny, left, will reprise her role in The Railway Children sequel - over 50 years after starring in the original film, right in 1970

Original: Jenny (pictured right) played the eldest child Bobbie in a 1968 TV adaptation, reprising her role in the film version just two years later

Jenny will star in the rebooted version alongside Sheridan and Tom Courtenay.

The Railway Children Return is directed by BAFTA winner Morgan Matthews.

Matthews is known for films X+Y and Shooting Bigfoot, while Jemma Rodgers will produce the film for StudioCanal, which owns the rights to the original.

Meanwhile, Danny Brocklehurst, whose writing credits include Brassic and Shameless, has penned the screenplay.

The highly anticipated sequel is scheduled to hit UK cinemas on 1 April, 2022.

Cat: Sheridan (left) and Tom Courtenay, 84, will appear in the new version of The Railway Children
She revealed her boyfriend of four years Joe Parker had proposed in April.

And Alexandra Mardell has given fans a glimpse into her engagement celebrations with a lavish London getaway, lobster dinner and spa visit.

Taking to Instagram earlier this week, the Coronation Street star, 27, and her actor fiance joked it was the 'longest engagement celebrations ever' as they checked into K West Hotel & Spa.

Lovely: Alexandra Mardell has given fans a glimpse into her engagement celebrations with a lavish London getaway, lobster dinner and spa visit (pictured with fiance Joe Parker in April)

The couple were sweetly surprised with a bottle of Champagne in their room as well as tasty treats to mark the special milestone, which she captioned with: 'Longest engagement celebrations ever! And loving it!'

Alexandra also revealed that they enjoyed a lavish meal at Burger & Lobster as she shared a joyful picture captioned: 'Burger & Lobster & Me! Name a happier combo!'

As well as making the most of their time in London, the couple also enjoyed a relaxing spa session where she enjoyed an ice room visit.

Posting a stunning picture of herself in a lilac bikini, the soap star joked: 'June in England!'

Gorgeous: Taking to Instagram earlier this week, the Coronation Street star, 27, and her actor fiance joked it was the 'longest engagement celebrations ever' as they checked into K West Hotel & Spa

Sweet: The couple were sweetly surprised with a bottle of Champagne in their room as well as tasty treats to mark the special milestone, which she captioned with: 'Longest engagement celebrations ever! And loving it!'

Yum! Alexandra also revealed that they enjoyed a lavish meal at Burger & Lobster as she shared a joyful picture captioned: 'Burger & Lobster & Me! Name a happier combo!'

While on Thursday night the couple enjoyed a meal at Aubaine Mayfair where they posted a romantic loved-up snap.

As well as their romantic London getaway, Joe revealed they had also celebrated their engagement with family on Sunday in Manchester.

Sharing pictures from restaurant Fazenda, the actor penned: 'Night out with la famiglia to celebrate the engagement [ring emoji] and of course fathers day!'

Alexandra revealed she was engaged to boyfriend of four years Joe in April.

Smitten: While on Thursday night the couple enjoyed a meal at Aubaine Mayfair where they posted a romantic loved-up snap

Celebrations: As well as their romantic London getaway, Joe revealed they had also celebrated their engagement with family on Sunday in Manchester

The couple moved in together just before Britain was plunged into the first lockdown and their romance has continued to go from strength to strength.

Documenting the occasion on Instagram, Coronation Street star Alexandra showed off her dazzling new diamond as she admitted she was smiling so much that her face hurt.

Alongside a cute snap with her new fiance, Alexandra penned: 'Love locked down!! 1000000 times yes! You make me so happy, my face hurts! Love you ridiculously. Future Mrs Parker'.

Joe also shared a slew of snaps from the moment he popped the question as he penned: 'Went in to lockdown with a girlfriend, came out with a fiancee. What a lucky man I am. Can't wait to marry you @alexandramardell I love you '

Cute: She revealed her boyfriend of four years Joe Parker had proposed in April (pictured)

Sweet: The couple moved in together just before Britain was plunged into the first lockdown and their romance has continued to go from strength to strength

Alexandra - who plays Emma Brooker in the ITV soap - was congratulated by several of her Corrie co-stars, with the likes of Lucy Fallon posting, 'Congratulations guys! Super happy for you both xxx'

In the snaps, Alexandra looked radiant as she showed off her new ring while clad in a little black dress.

Alexandra announced she would be moving in with Joe back in January 2020 with a gushing Instagram tribute to her boyfriend.

She shared a selection of loved-up photos to her Instagram that documented the couple's romance since first meeting at The Guildford School of Acting aged 21.

Alongside a cute snap with her new fiancee, Alexandra penned: 'Love locked down!! 1000000 times yes! You make me so happy, my face hurts! Love you ridiculously. Future Mrs Parker'

The first adorable snap showed the pair back when they were 'just friends,' with Alexandra stunning in a glittering gold gown as Joe looked dapper in a tie and waistcoat.

She wrote: 'GSA Grad Ball 2015 - We were just friends, 2 years later we were a couple, now 2 years together, hes moving in! So many exciting events and adventures already and still so many more to come!'

'We have such a laugh! Love you massively! So excited for all the laughs, date nights, lazy days, long walks and chicken wings we want!

She ended the adorable caption: 'There were too many picis to choose from but here are some of the biggies! Jan 2020!'

Cute: Alexandra announced she would be moving in with Joe back in January 2020 with a gushing Instagram tribute to her boyfriend

In love: The actress shared ten photos to her Instagram that documented the couples romance since first meeting at Guildford School of Acting

Beach babe: One snap showed Alexandra in a very sexy plunging black swimming costume as she hit the beach alongside her beau

One snap showed Alexandra in a very sexy plunging black swimming costume as she hit the beach alongside her beau.

Another showed the pair looking glitzy and glamorous on a red carpet.

The university sweethearts are decked out in festival garb in one pic with Joe planting a kiss on his gorgeous girlfriend.

The Corrie star won the The British Soap Award for Best Newcomer in 2019.

Smooch: The university sweethearts are decked out in festival garms in one pic with Joe planting a kiss on his gorgeous girlfriend

Looking good: The Corrie star, who won the The British Soap Award for Best Newcomer in 2019, plays the lovable Emma Brooker on the show

Fun in the sun: She wrote in her caption 'we have such a laugh! Love you massively! So excited for all the laughs, date nights, lazy days, long walks and chicken wings we want!'

She spoke on Lorraine about joining the cobbles and admitted: 'It's a bit overwhelming because its so surreal.

'I've grown up with it so I was a bit starstruck with everyone, but I tried to play it cool and everyone was so welcoming.'

She also admitted her mum had some initial hesitations about her joining the soap.

She told Lorraine: 'She was worried I was going to ruin her favourite show for her. But after the first episode she watched it and she was like, "Oh actually no, I like it, you havent ruined it, youre good."'
Dancing With The Stars champ Luke Jacobz is finally back in the arms of his fiancee Raychel Stuart after they were separated for more than a year due to COVID travel restrictions.

And the couple looked happier than ever as they went for a romantic stroll in Bondi Beach on Thursday.

The smitten duo kissed and cuddled along the promenade as they took care of their friends' babies.

Feeling clucky? Luke Jacobz looked loved-up with his fiancee Raychel Stuart as they took care of their friends' babies in Bondi Beach this year

Smitten: The smitten duo kissed and cuddled along the promenade

Clucky Luke took the reins and pushed the double stroller along the pavement.

The former Home and Away star showed off his muscular arms in a singlet top paired with cargo pants.

Raychel was also dressed casually in ripped jeans and a low-cut white top.

The pair were reunited earlier this month after Raychel completed her 14 days in hotel quarantine after flying to Australia from the US.

Daddy duties: The Dancing With The Stars winner showed off his muscular arms in a singlet top paired with cargo pants

After the arrival, the TV presenter revealed on his Instagram page they had climbed the iconic bridge together twice.

The first thing Luke treated her to was a simple and romantic picnic at a park in Bondi Beach.

Luke, who prepared celebratory champagne and cheese, proudly wrote in the caption: 'She's finally here!!! After 499 days apart!'

'I am reunited with the love of my life!!,' he added with the hashtags: '#love #patience #worththewait #covidsucks #beachpicnic #champagne #cheese'.

Reunited and it feels so good! Luke and Rachel were reunited earlier this month after Raychel completed her 14 days in hotel quarantine after flying to Australia from the US

In April, he revealed to Woman's Day that a wedding is on the cards, sooner rather than later.

The couple were initially planning to marry in November last year, but were forced to postpone their nuptials until Raychel was able to fly to Sydney from Los Angeles.

Although Luke said they're yet to pencil in a wedding date, the talented dancer isn't prepared for wedding planning just yet.

'I hope she doesn't want me to choreograph any dances for our wedding because that won't be happening,' he said.

Luke and Raychel became engaged in November 2018, after dating for a few years prior.

Last year, Luke returned home from the US to reprise his role as Angelo Rosetta on Home and Away, almost a decade after leaving the long-running soap.
Iris Law dropped jaws on Thursday when she attended the Bvlgari Magnifica Gala dinner at Spencer House in St James' London wearing a stunning cut-out gown.

Embellished with green stones and falling just below the model's ankles, Iris, 21, teamed her backless dress with a breathtaking diamond Bvlgari snake necklace and matching earrings.

Wearing her hair loose and adorning her eyes with stick-on jewels, Iris - who added height to her frame in open-toe heels - was joined at the event by the likes of James Middleton, Bulgari UK Managing Director Joyce Weng and designer Sabine Getty.

Wow: Iris Law, 21, dropped jaws on Thursday when she attended the Bvlgari Magnifica Gala dinner at Spencer House in St James' London wearing a stunning cut-out gown

Ballet dancer Francesca Hayward also made an appearance, looking sensational in a figure-hugging black gown, as did actor Josh O'Connor, 31, who arrived wearing a smart black suit layered over a white shirt adorned with bow detailing.

James, 34, arrived at the event with his fiancee Alizee Thevenet and looked dapper in a deep blue velvet jacket with gold brass buttons.

Alizee stunned in a peach maxi dress with a trendy dragon print and plunging neckline.

Sabine, 36, looked beautiful in a one-shoulder pink gown, while Joyce opted for a high-neck, nude-hued dress.

Stunning: Embellished with green stones and falling just below the model's ankles, Iris teamed her backless dress with a breathtaking diamond Bvlgari snake necklace and matching earrings

Standing tall: Wearing her glossy hair loose and adorning her eyes with stick-on jewels, Iris added height to her frame in open-toe heels

Striking: Facing away from the camera while posing for photos, Iris revealed that her gown was backless

Pedicure: Iris stepped out on Thursday rocking a green pedicure in keeping with her brightly coloured gown

Guests: Iris was joined at the event by the likes of James Middleton, Bulgari UK Managing Director Joyce Weng (pictured with Iris) and jewellery designer Sabine Getty

Good night? She was seen beaming as she departed bash

Stunner! She was flashing her winning smile as she partied

It comes after Iris - who is the daughter of Sadie Frost and Jude Law - enjoyed an impressive breakfast spread at a luxury hotel with her boyfriend Jyrrel Roberts, 24.

Iris shared sweet snaps of their romantic morning on Instagram in May as the couple relaxed following an action-packed day at the F1 Monaco Grand Prix.

Their romance was first revealed in 2018, with sources saying: 'The family likes him, which is important to her. They're a sweet couple and she's really happy.'

Iris previously discussed growing up with famous parents and how she is managing with her newly found fame in an interview with ES Magazine last year.

Smart: Actor Josh O'Connor, 31, arrived wearing a smart black suit layered over a white shirt adorned with bow detailing

All in the details: The Crown star teamed his suit with polished black loafers and was also wearing a luxury watch on his right wrist

Dapper: James Middleton looked dapper when he stepped out on Thursday with his fiancee Alizee Thevenet wearing a deep blue velvet jacket with gold brass buttons

Bold: Alizee stunned in a peach maxi dress with a trendy dragon print and plunging neckline

High spirits: James and Alizee appeared in high spirits on Thursday and beamed while posing for photographers

Pretty in pink: Sabine, 36, looked beautiful in a one-shoulder pink gown and teamed the bright piece with black heels

High fashion: Sabine and Joyce offered a lesson in luxury dressing while posing together at the event in their gorgeous gowns

Beautiful: Ballet dancer Francesca Hayward also made an appearance, looking sensational in a figure-hugging black gown

She said her parents, who divorced following six years of marriage in 2003, had given her normality in her childhood despite their A-list status.

'My dad was really young,' she said. 'He'd had all his kids [with Frost] by 30. Mum, too. She also had a baby face. I can never tell [her age] in pictures, I'll say, ''What, you had three kids by that age?'' She looks 17.'

Recalling her own memories, she said: 'My parents weren't rock 'n' roll when I was growing up, they were just my parents.'

Cute couple: Iris and boyfriend Jyrrel Roberts gave fans a glimpse at some more intimate moments on their trip to watch the Monaco Grand Prix in May
Big Brother's breakout star Tilly Whitfield has revealed she gained 16kg on the show.

Speaking on The Real House Husbands podcast, the 21-year-old blonde said she gained the weight because of the abundance of 'really decent' food in the house.

When asked about her cravings during filming, she said: 'I honestly put on 16 kilograms going in. In the house I was just happy and at peace.'

Changes: Big Brother's breakout star Tilly Whitfield has revealed she gained 16kg on the show. Pictured left in January last year, and right on Big Brother

'There was a lot of food. Just not fast food. You can't order Uber Eats whenever you want,' she added.

Tilly also said she'd been body-shamed on Instagram since her exit from the show.

But she tries not to worry about her weight fluctuating these days because of her past experience with disordered eating linked to her depression.

Weight gain: When asked about her cravings during filming, she told The Real House Husbands podcast: 'I honestly put on 16 kilograms going in. In the house I was just happy and at peace'

She has become a breakout star since her debut on Big Brother, and is currently doing the post-eviction media rounds.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia earlier this week, Tilly refuted claims the show is 'fake' or 'rigged'.

'Big Brother is no way rigged, we knew what we were coming in to,' she said.

Abundance: 'There was a lot of food. Just not fast food. You can't order Uber Eats whenever you want,' she added

Tilly said viewers shouldn't be slamming the show for its twists, because Big Brother was always going to surprise the housemates when they least expected it.

'There was always going to be secret rooms and people going back into the show,' she said.

It comes after Tilly admitted it took her 'months' to get over her 'traumatic' eviction.

Tough: It comes after Tilly admitted it took her 'months' to get over her 'traumatic' eviction

She went on the show with the motto 'act dumb, play smart' - breaking a record with her number of challenge wins.

But despite her best efforts, Tilly was sent home during a game of Russian Roulette against housemate Ari Kimber.

'I don't know if you could see my face, I just went numb. I couldn't even cry,' she said.
Rosie O'Donnell dished on her 25-year friendship with Tom Cruise during a Thursday interview on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show.

The 59-year-old outspoken comedienne divulged a variety of details about their long standing personal relationship, which ranged from his yearly birthday messages and gifts (without fail) to the shrouded topic of Scientology.

Despite revealing that she will 'always love him' and that their friendship has never faltered since they became buddies in 1996, she did call Scientology a 'cult,' but said the pair 'don't' discuss it.

Best buds: Rosie O'Donnell dished on her 25-year friendship with Tom Cruise during a Thursday interview on SiriusXM's The Jess Cagle Show

Early days: The pair first became friends in 1996 and in the course of the chat the comedian revealed that he is the 'only person' who has never forgotten her birthday, but that Scientology is not something they talk about; pictured 1996

The chatter about the Mission Impossible actor began as Cagle asked if her friendly 'crush' on the actor had 'abated or become deeper and more profound over time,' prompting her to talk about his good nature.

'He is the only person who never misses my birthday. In knowing him for 25 years now, he has never missed my birthday or an event in my life,' she revealed.

Rosie quickly bridged into the topic of Scientology as he more than any other actor has become synonymous with the cult-like religion.

'Now I don't know him enough to go, "Hey, Tommy, it's Ro, the Scientology thing can we chat?" Like, that's not my relationship with Tom Cruise. I don't have his home phone number,' she said.

Off limits: 'I don't know him enough to go, "Hey, Tommy, it's Ro, the Scientology thing can we chat?" Like, that's not my relationship with Tom Cruise she told Cagle

Regular guest: Throughout the course of her daytime talk show, The Rosie O'Donnell show, the Mission Impossible actor frequented as a guest; pictured 1998

Inked: In one memorable moment she inked his name on her breast in black marker

But before talking about her views on the very controversial religion  which has incurred much negative press and boasts intensely scary inner-workings  she continued to re-harp on his thoughtful gestures towards her.

'Like I know people think in Hollywood and celebrity, everybody knows each other, but I know him in the way that I did in that time 25 years ago,' as she reflected on their origin.

'But every year, I think what a classy guy he is that he never has forgotten my birthday. A lot of people say to me, "it's just his secretary, but I don't believe that. I think he knows in early March, "Oh, it's Rosie's birthday coming up," and he sends me something every single year for 25 years.'

'I love Tom Cruise and I will always love Tom Cruise,' she maintained. But the personality continued to express her grievances with his religious practices and cited other Hollywood stars like Leah Remini for escaping its tight grasps.

'I do not understand, uh, you know, the Scientology religion. I think it's a, a cult and it's scary. And I think Leah [Remini] is a hero for doing what she's done.'

Unconditional love: 'I love Tom Cruise and I will always love Tom Cruise,' she maintained

Different views: Rosie continued to say 'I do not understand, uh, you know, the Scientology religion - I think its a, a cult and its scary'

Unpredictable: The actor has become synonymous with the cult-like religion which has prompted former members like Remini to create content about the inner-workings of the dangerous church; pictured October 2020

Rosie had lovingly vocalized her concern for 'Tommy' following a series of bizarre outbursts which were rooted in his adherence to the church.

During a 2008 special called Rosie's Variety Hour she spoke about him criticizing Brooke Shields for using Paxil to treat postpartum depression in a bit she did.

'He says there's no such thing as a chemical imbalance? He should come over on a Friday night, and I won't take my meds!' I'm very concerned that my Tommy went off the deep end. I saw him with Matt Lauer, and I had to take a Xanax right after. He looked like he was having a bipolar episode right there.'

During a 2019 interview with Andy Cohen on his SiriusXM radio show she had also expressed concern for 'him and his life,' after watching various documentaries that have come out in recent years.

'Since seeing all the documentaries, it does make me worry about him and his life. I've always has a little 'ick' factor with Scientology...he's never brought it up to me. We've never spoken about it. He keeps it very private. It's not like he tries to convert people,' she shared.
Actor and comedian Eddie Deezen is accused of harassing a waitress from a local restaurant in his hometown of Cumberland, Maryland.

And now, the dispute has turned into an escalating war of words on social media.

The waitress, Kara Lashbaugh, most recently took to Twitter on July 21, and blasted Deezen, referring to his since-deleted Facebook post where he described her as a 'sweet and innocent waitress' in the opening lines, and a 'wh**e' in the following sentence.

Heated dispute! Actor and comedian Eddie Deezen, 64, is accused of harassing a waitress from a local restaurant in his hometown of Cumberland, Maryland; he's pictured in Nov. 2004

The waitress did not hold back in calling out Deezen, who's best known for playing the nerd Eugene Felsnic in the original Grease (1978) film and Grease 2 (1982), for his action at the restaurant and the Facebook post, which she believes to be repulsive, at the very least.

'Eddie Deezen is a f***ing CREEP who comes into my work at least once a week, calls and asks other servers for my schedule,' she began in the tweet, before revealing why she thinks the actor became obsessive.

'And if he comes in and i'm not wearing makeup HE LEAVES. And this grown a** old man has the balls to post this on facebook about me im losing my mind.'

Classic musical film: Deezen, now 64, is best known for playing the nerdy Eugene Felsnic in the original Grease (1978) film

Call out! The waitress did not hold back in calling out Deezen, calling him a creep for being obsessive over her for not wearing makeup

In response to the accusations, Deezen refuted the claims, justified his behavior, and accused Lashbaugh and her friends of bullying him on social media.

'She has been spreading nasty, vile rumors about me here in my hometown of Cumberland, MD,' he wrote, claiming she just wants 15 minutes of fame because he's 'a fairly well-known person.'

He added, 'I have been called a "child molester" "a psycho nut job" and much worse by her cronies, adding, 'These people are harassing me, trying to intimidate me like bullies.'

His take: Deezen refuted the claims, justified his behavior, and accused Lashbaugh and her friends of bullying him on social media

But in a strange twist, the actor confessed he was wrong and admitted he 'required this girl to wear false eyelashes, I made her feel objectified, cheap, not human'

His take: Deezen said his account is true but has since deleted his lengthy Facebook post

But in a strange twist, he went on to admit he 'required this girl to wear false eyelashes, I made her feel objectified, cheap, not human.'

The actor also confessed he was '100% wrong' and that he deeply regrets his actions.

So far, Lashbaugh has not filed a police report, but she plans on meeting with a lawyer to see how she should proceed going forward, according to TMZ.

Along with his roles in Grease, Deezen has also starred in films like I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), Midnight Madness (1980), War Games (1983), Surf II: The End of Trilogy (1984), Beverly Hills Vamp (1988), and The Polar Express (2004), among others.
Lara Bingle's Hollywood star husband Sam Worthington has revealed more of his dramatic transformation for his new Stan Original film, Transfusion.

On Wednesday, the 44-year-old actor was spotted in character on-set of the new movie in Sydney, sporting long hair and fake tattooed arm sleeves.

Also joining him was his stunning co-star, Australian actress Phoebe Tonkin, 31.

In character: Sam Worthington looked worlds away from his former self with long hair and tattooed sleeves on set of his new Stan film Transfusion in Sydney on Wednesday

Sam was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a steel blue T-shirt.

He completed his look with a pair of black sunglasses and carried around what appeared to be a script.

Meanwhile, Phoebe appeared to be makeup free and wore a pair of jeans with a singlet and an open linen shirt with a crossbody bag over her shoulder.

Relaxed: Sam was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a steel blue T-shirt

In good spirits: Sam appeared in high spirits on-set, smiling and laughing in between takes

Casual: Sam's co-star Phoebe Tonkin was also spotted on-set. She appeared to be makeup free and wore a pair of jeans with a singlet and an open linen shirt with a crossbody bag over her shoulder

Sam appeared in high spirits on-set, smiling and laughing in between takes.

He and Phoebe, who is his wife Lara's best friend, have teamed up for the new Stan movie.

The flick is being directed by actor and director Matt Nable.

New work: He and Phoebe, who is his wife Lara's best friend, have teamed up for the new Stan original film

Tough new character: In Transfusion, Sam will star as Ryan Logan, a former special forces operative who is battling to cope with life after the loss of his wife

Transfusion is Nable's directorial debut. He was most recently seen in the latest season of the Aussie hit crime show, 'Mr Inbetween.'

In Transfusion, Sam will star as Ryan Logan, a former special forces operative, who is battling to cope with life after the loss of his wife.

Ryan is soon thrust into the criminal underworld to keep his only son from being taken from him.

Co-stars: Phoebe will portray Logan's wife Justine in the film

Success: Sam has had a successful film career and is known for films including the Avatar series and Clash of the Titans

Phoebe will portray Logan's wife Justine in the film, while Nable will play Johnny.

Sam has had a successful film career and is known for films including the Avatar series and Clash of the Titans.

He recently moved back to Australia with his family to star in the Sydney Theatre Company production of Appropriate.

Watch the Stan Original Film, Transfusion exclusively on Stan next year.
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne has found herself accused of refusing to submit bank records to an investigator combing through her estranged husband Tom Girardi's assets amid his bankruptcy case.

The allegations were levelled in a new motion filed Wednesday by petitioning credits who accused Jayne of declining to hand over documents including bank statements to the bankruptcy trustee investigating her estranged husband's assets, according to People.

The 82-year-old's law firm Girardi Keese filed for bankruptcy last year, and a recent motion also alleged Jayne's companies had received $20 million in loans from the firm in recent years.

The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne has been accused of refusing to submit bank records to an investigator combing through her estranged husband Tom Girardi's assets amid his bankruptcy case

The motion requests that Michael Ullman, Jayne's accountant, procure 'key financial documents' such as receipts, bank statements, and pay stubs. It has also requested all communications that have occurred between Jayne's divorce lawyer Larry Ginsburg and Ullman, according to People.

'Erika has refused to provide access to her management company, her CPA which also houses her management company, any books and records of EJ Global or any of her affiliated companies,' the motion reads.

'As each day goes by, Erika has been publicly dissipating community assets by selling her clothes on public websites, flaunting large jewels on social media and on television, and has done nothing to assist in return structured firm payments being made to her instead of the firm by the California lottery, notwithstanding she was contacted through counsel over twelve days ago.'

The motion also accused Jayne of preventing access to her accountant, according to People.

Claims: Girardi's law firm Girardi Keese filed for bankruptcy last year, and a recent motion also alleged Jayne's companies had received $20 million in loans from the firm in recent years

'At every turn, Erika has used the glam to continue to aid and abet this sham transactions that have been occurring with respect to large transfers of assets from the [Girardi Keese] to Erika,' the motion reads. 'Moreover, the Trustee has received zero cooperation from Erika which is constant [sic] with someone hiding assets.'

New developments involving Erika, such as news her attorneys had dropped her before returning as her counsel, also raised concerns the reality star would spend money allegedly transferred to her from 'the Debtor', aka Girardi Keese.

These events have intensified 'the necessity to trace her money and investigate the receipt of funds, her purchases including the bling and the glam, (diamonds and high expenditures of beauty maintenance, etc.).'

The motion also took aim at Jayne's recent social media response to photos taken of her at a gas station, dressed down, amid accusations she and her ex Girardi embezzled his clients.

Glammed up: Jayne has flaunted her wealthy lifestyle on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

'Goodnight Twitter, please be in full glam when pumping gas. Apparently it's a big deal,' Erika, 49, tweeted on Monday, along with a rolling eyes emoji after the photos emerged.

She also replied to several Twitter users earlier sticking up for her and the dressed down look.

The motion called the response 'callous' and speculated the wealth she was flaunting could have been money intended for those 'cheated out of their money.'

'As recently as yesterday, she callously sent out on social medial [sic] her bewilderment why people would continue to be upset at her displays of wealth (glam) while at a gas station, not-withstanding this money could be the Debtor's and clients of the Debtor's settlement proceeds, as well as other lenders and attorneys who have been cheated out of their money,' the motion read.

Concerns: Recent events involving Erika, such as news her attorneys had dropped her before returning as her counsel, also raised concerns the reality star would spend money allegedly transferred to her from 'the Debtor', aka Girardi Keese

Girardi's legal license in California was revoked in March, the same month he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Girardi faces a litany of legal problems, including a $2 million class action lawsuit claiming fraud and embezzlement from the firm Edelson PC in connection with the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash, in which all 189 people onboard died.

He and Jayne were sued for allegedly embezzling funds meant for families of victims, while Edelson PC, a firm for their ex clients, said in court docs their divorce last fall was orchestrated to 'fraudulently protect Tom and Erika's money' as they're 'on the verge of financial collapse.'

In the Hulu documentary The Housewife and the Hustler, attorney Sunny Hostin pointed out that Erika is seeking to have her high-dollar items classified as 'separate property' in their split, claiming they were 'gifts to her.'

Reporter Brandon Lowrey of Law360 said in the doc that the estranged couple is 'together in these bankruptcy proceedings' and that 'it's going to be hard for her to say she didn't know that anything was going on.'

In a preview for the show's 11th season, Jayne said of the accusations, 'No one knows the answer but him.'
She has been enjoying the company of friends since splitting from boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr. in May.

And Katie Holmes was spotted grabbing a smoothie with a pal in New York City on Thursday afternoon.

The 42-year-old actress looked effortlessly chic as she went braless in a formfitting orange tank top dress.

Smoothie run: Katie Holmes was spotted grabbing a smoothie with a pal in New York City on Thursday afternoon

She completed her ensemble with white sneakers and a stylish brown crossbody bag.

The Dawson's Creek star, who recently chopped off her brunette hair, styled her shoulder-length strands in loose waves.

Holmes appeared to be wearing little to no makeup and kept her eyes concealed behind a pair of sunglasses.

She accessorized her look with a single pendant chain and single bracelet.

Effortless: The 42-year-old actress looked effortlessly chic as she went braless in a formfitting orange tank top dress

New look: The Dawson's Creek star, who recently chopped off her brunette hair, styled her shoulder-length strands in loose waves

Although COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted, Katie donned a face mask while in close proximity to people during her outing.

Fully vaccinated people are now allowed to enter indoor businesses without wearing a mask, though unvaccinated people must continue wearing masks and businesses have the option of still requiring customers to cover their faces.

Masking requirements are still in force on public transportation and in healthcare settings, however.

Once she got her smoothie, the former wife of Tom Cruise lowered her face mask, eventually removing it fully.

Split: Katie has been re-familiarizing herself with the single life since splitting from boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr. in May; Katie and Emilio pictured in October 2020

Katie has been re-familiarizing herself with the single life since splitting from Emilio in May.

The former couple were first romantically linked in September 2020, having been spotted locking lips at a restaurant in NYC.

In the months leading up to their shocking split, Katie and Emilio were nearly inseparable, often seen strolling around the Big Apple together or hanging out at his father's popular ItalianAmerican restaurant Emilio's Ballato.

Passion: The former couple were first romantically linked in September 2020, having been spotted locking lips at a restaurant in NYC; Emilio and Katie pictured

Inseparable: In the months leading up to their shocking split, Katie and Emilio were nearly inseparable, often seen strolling around the Big Apple together or hanging out at his father's popular ItalianAmerican restaurant Emilio's Ballato; Katie and Emilio pictured in February

The spot is a favorite of high profile clientele including Bradley Cooper, Tom Hanks and Barack Obama.

Speaking on their breakup, a spokesperson for Holmes told Us Weekly that her and Emilio had parted 'amicably' and were 'still friends.'

Another insider who spoke to the publication added that their 'relationship fizzled.'

'They figured out theyre better off as friends. Theres no drama that went down with the breakup,' they added.

Focused: According to them, Katie is now focused on prioritizing her private and professional lives at the moment, including raising her 15-year-old daughter Suri; Suri and Katie pictured in May

According to them, Katie is now focused on prioritizing her private and professional lives at the moment, including raising her 15-year-old daughter Suri.

She shares the teenager with her former spouse Tom Cruise, whom she split from in 2012 after six years of marriage.

After divorcing Tom, Katie was later linked to Jamie Foxx, though the acting couple tried to keep their relationship a secret for years.
He has two high-profile movies in the can - The Eyes of Tammy Faye and tick, tick...Boom!

And now Andrew Garfield has signed up for the small screen crime drama Under The Banner Of Heaven.

Garfield, 37, will star with fellow Brit Daisy Edgar-Jones, 23, in the FX on Hulu limited series, Variety reported on Thursday.

New role: Andrew Garfield, 37, has signed on to star in the FX On Hulu crime drama Under The Banner Of Heaven. Fellow Brit Daisy Edgar-Jones, 23, will co-star in the limited series

Based on the 2003 book of the same name by Jon Krakauer, it's been adapted by Oscar-winning American screenwriter Lance Dustin Black and will be directed by British filmmaker David Mackenzie, whose credits include Hell Or High water.

The series set among the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints in Utah follows Garfield's devout detective as he investigates the brutal murder of a young Mormon woman, played by Edgar-Jones.

It leads him to encounter an esteemed Utah family who are characterized by their fundamentalist LDS faith and deep mistrust of the government.

The investigation causes Garfield's character to begin to doubt his own beliefs and his church's teachings as he learns more about the murderer.

Drama: The series set among the Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints in Utah follows Garfield's devout detective as he investigates the brutal murder of a young Mormon woman

Passion project: The script comes from Oscar-winning American screenwriter Dustin Lance Black who was born into a LDS family and came to prominence with the 2008 biopic Milk

The story is a passion project for Lance Black who won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for 2008 biopic Milk.

He and film producer and director Ron Howard previously tried to turn the book into a feature film at Warner Bros., according to Deadline.com.

Howard, along with producing partner Brian Grazer, is serving as an executive producer of the FX on Hulu project through Imagine Television.

In a statement, Howard and Grazer said: 'We at Imagine have been dedicated to telling this powerful story for nearly a decade. With FXs belief and support and Lance Blacks relentless commitment we are, at last, on our way.

'We couldnt be more excited to be collaborating with David Mackenzie, Andrew Garfield and Daisy Edgar-Jones to bring this project to life.'

For his part, Lance Black stated: 'After so many years of work, Im incredibly grateful to Imagine and FX for their patience with and commitment to bringing this story to screen.'

He went on: 'Raised in the LDS faith, my hope is that this true-crime thriller might shed light on the horrific brutalities perpetrated in the name of God in our own backyards.'
She's been a stalwart at Channel Nine for the last nine years, but now Samantha Heathwood is set to move to Channel Seven.

According to a report by TV Blackbox on Friday, the 36-year-old regional newsreader is leaving 9 News Queensland.

Samantha presented the 6pm Channel Nine news bulletins for both regional Queensland and Darwin, and will undertake a new role at Seven News.

Moving on: She's been a stalwart at Channel Nine for the last nine years, but now Samantha Heathwood is set to move to Channel Seven

Her departure comes after a shake-up at the network, which will see the end of program Nine News Local in Queensland, Victoria and Southern NSW.

The regional news broadcast will end on June 30, and Samantha has spoken about her departure on social media.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Samantha for comment.

Making the switch: According to a report by TV Blackbox on Friday, the 36-year-old regional newsreader is leaving 9 News Queensland

Channel Nine only launched their revived their regional news programs in August last year.

According to another report by TV Blackbox in August, Nine moved their localised news programs to 5.30pm after suspending their 6pm broadcast in March.

At the time, they blamed a need to focus their resources on the developing coronavirus pandemic for the suspension.

Claim to fame: Samantha presented the 6pm Channel Nine news bulletins for both regional Queensland and Darwin, and will undertake a new role at Seven News

They restored the program after the federal government assigned $20million in funding to rural TV broadcasters.

Despite reinstating the program, there was a reduction in the number of journalists working on the show.

Samantha remained in her role as Queensland's newsreader, with an additional two journalists and two camera operators on the ground.
It's a far cry from the fictional rural town of Kiewarra, but Jane Harper is now saddled up and selling her St Kilda apartment where she wrote her bestseller, The Dry, according to realestate.com.au.

The 41-year-old author and former journalist is renowned for the 2016 novel, which became immensely popular and spawned sequels and a movie in 2020.

Jane also wrote the sequels to The Dry in the 2/43-44 Marine Parade block, which she purchased with her husband Peter Strachan in 2014.

Saddling up: 'The Dry' author Jane Harper is selling her St Kilda apartment where she wrote the bestselling outback investigative drama

A part of literary history: The 41-year-old author and former journalist (pictured) is most renowned for the 2016 novel. She also wrote the sequel books to The Dry in the 2/43-44 Marine Parade block, which she purchased with her husband Peter Strachan in 2014

After her global success, Jane is now selling the comfy abode in St Kilda for $640,000 - 680,000.

The family moved to the suburb of Elwood in 2019 and have listed the apartment.

Jane admits she spent several nights writing from the unit's balcony, which overlooks the beach.

The home is also in the same suburb the main character of her books, Detective Aaron Falk, is suppose to reside.

Snug: After her global success, Jane is now selling the comfy abode in St Kilda for $640,000 - 680,000

Life imitating art: Jane spent several nights writing from the unit's balcony, which overlooks the beach. She also says it's in the same town the main character of her books, Detective Aaron Falk, is suppose to reside

'Its been a big few years really and its funny because when I write my books I can remember the process so well,' she told realestate.com.

'Whenever I revisit The Dry I can specifically remember sitting in that apartment and thinking up character names and writing scenes.'

'On nice days I used to sit out on the balcony with my laptop, over the water. That was my favourite writing spot,' the author added.

Fond memories: The author recalled that whenever she revisited The Dry she can specifically remember 'sitting in that apartment and thinking up character names and writing scenes'

Harper, who is working on her fifth novel set to be released in 2022, said she wrote The Dry in her spare time and on weekends with 'no expectations' for it.

The story follows Aaron Falk, a detective who returns to his rural home town to attend the funeral of a childhood friend and solve the death of a girl he knew.

The book was turned into a film starring Eric Bana as the title character. It soon became a huge success domestically, and won critical praise.

Belle Property St Kilda agent Will Johnson said fans of the book and househunters alike had a chance to buy a slice of 'literary history.'

The property will go to auction on July 17.

Background: The Dry follows Aaron Falk, a detective who returns to his rural home town to attend the funeral of a childhood friend and solve the death of a girl he knew. It has spawned sequel books and a film
Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac will broadcast live from Australia Zoo next week.

He made the announcement on Friday, and also revealed that Robert Irwin Jnr will join him as a special guest.

'This is a big one, we will be live from Australia Zoo,' he told Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and Matt Doran.

Surprise! Sunrise weatherman Sam Mac will broadcast live from Australia Zoo next week

'I've secured a Sam Mac-lusive. I will have Robert Irwin on the show joining us. It's gonna be fantastic,' he added.

The Sunrise appearance comes amid a bitter family feud involving 82-year-old conservationist Bob Irwin - the father of the late Steve Irwin - and his granddaughter Bindi, 22, who claims he has 'ignored' her since she was a child.

The rift dates back to early 2008 when Bob was pushed out of Australia Zoo - which he had founded as Beerwah Reptile Park in 1970 - over a disagreement with Steve's widow Terri about how the business should be run.

At the time, he received a $1million package plus a $100,000-per-year pension.

Exciting! Sam made the announcement on Friday, and also revealed that Robert Irwin Jnr will join him as a guest

An earlier financial arrangement had been reached in 1992 when Bob and his first wife, Lyn, handed over ownership of the zoo to son Steve and daughter-in-law Terri.

Because Steve and Terri were unable to afford the $300,000 required to purchase Australia Zoo, they instead agreed to a retirement package for Bob and Lyn whereby they would pay them a wage for the rest of their lives.

Lyn died in the year 2000 in a single-vehicle accident.

Making headlines: The Sunrise appearance comes amid a bitter family feud involving 82-year-old conservationist Bob Irwin (pictured) - the father of the late Steve Irwin - and his granddaughter Bindi, 22, who claims he has 'ignored' her since she was a child

An Australia Zoo spokesperson said in 2008: 'Australia Zoo, under instruction from Terri Irwin, will continue to provide financial assistance to Bob with a retirement package worth over $1million, plus an ongoing annual pension of $99,840 per year.

'The $1million package includes the purchase of Mr Irwin's 632-hectare property near Kingaroy, and the construction of a new home, a car each for him and his [second] wife [Judy] plus a bulldozer and other equipment.'

Australia Zoo was opened by Bob and Lyn Irwin in 1970 under the name Beerwah Reptile and Fauna Park.

Agreement: The rift dates back to 2008 when Bob was pushed out of Australia Zoo - which he had founded as Beerwah Reptile Park in 1970 - over a disagreement with Steve's widow Terri about how the business should be run. Pictured: Steve, Terri and Bindi Irwin in 2002

Their son Steve and his American wife, Terri, eventually transformed the wildlife park into the modern Australia Zoo.

Bolstered by Steve's television fame as 'The Crocodile Hunter', the park became an extremely popular tourist destination - but Bob Snr became disillusioned because he wanted it to remain focused on wildlife conservation.

Terri became the sole owner of the zoo in September 2006 after Steve died aged 44 in a freak accident while filming a wildlife documentary in Batt Reef, Queensland.

It comes after the Irwins' daughter, Bindi, addressed her relationship with her estranged grandfather Bob in a scathing Facebook comment on Sunday, and claimed her family had been supporting Bob financially since 1992.

Financial arrangement: At the time, Bob received a $1million package plus a $100,000-per-year pension. Pictured: Robert Jnr, Terri and Bindi Irwin

The mother of one wrote: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace [her baby daughter]. 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.

'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.

Feud: It comes after the Irwins' daughter, Bindi, addressed her relationship with her estranged grandfather Bob in a scathing Facebook comment on Sunday, and claimed her family had been supporting Bob financially since 1992. Pictured: Bindi and her husband, Chandler Powell

'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he retired 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.

'I have struggled with this relationship my entire life and it brings me enormous pain.'

Claims: The mother of one wrote: 'I really wish that my entire family could spend time with Grace [her baby daughter]. Unfortunately, my grandfather Bob has shown no interest in spending time with me or my family.'. Pictured from left: Bindi, Robert Jnr, Terri and Bob Snr in 2007, one year after Steve's death

Statement: 'We have also been his financial support since 1992 when he retired from Australia Zoo, sending him funds every week,' Bindi said in her Facebook post. 'We built him a house on a beautiful property and will always do our best to ensure his wellbeing'

Following her harsh post, members of Bob's inner circle fired back at Bindi.

Bethany Wheeler, another granddaughter of Bob's by marriage, declared on Facebook: 'The time has come to speak up.'

Ms Wheeler, whose stepmother Mandy is Bob's daughter, defended her grandfather's character, calling him 'one of the most genuinely beautiful humans on this planet' who has 'never spoken out or put down anybody'.

Amanda French, a family friend who co-wrote Bob's 2016 autobiography The Last Crocodile Hunter, also accused Bindi of assassinating her grandfather's character.

'To read the sad comments online today has sickened me, and people who are closest to him,' Ms French wrote on Facebook.

She described Bob as 'kind, gentle, generous and extremely f**king introverted'.
Television industry insiders were not impressed by Sam Armytage's snarky Twitter post about Natalie Barr being desperate for her job as Sunrise anchor.

Posts on Media Spy, a popular online forum for people who work in TV, reveal many disapproved of how Sam, 44, reacted after being asked a question about her relationship with Nat, 53, on The Kyle and Jackie O Show earlier this week.

The consensus was that she should have dropped the subject after offering a vague answer during the radio interview, rather than double down with a hurtful tweet.

Scroll down for video

Insiders speak out: Television industry professionals were not impressed by Sam Armytage's (right) snarky Twitter post about Natalie Barr (left) being desperate for her job as Sunrise host

'Is she insinuating that she was ousted for Nat? Regardless, not sure why her comments had to even go there. The way she answered it on the show was enough,' wrote Media Spy user BrekkyTV.

'It just looks like she is sniping at Nat. She is making it look like she was pushed out [rather than quit], so now people keep questioning the story she told when she left,' added another user.

A third forum commenter wrote: 'Nat never said anything directly about wanting the job... so Sam's clearly trolling.'

Backlash: Posts on Media Spy, a popular online forum for people who work in TV, reveal many disapproved of how Sam, 44, reacted after being asked a question about her relationship with Nat, 53, on The Kyle and Jackie O Show earlier this week

TV gossip: The consensus was that she should have dropped the subject after offering a vague answer during the radio interview, rather than double down with a hurtful tweet

A similar comment read: 'It's clear she misses the public attention.'

Another added: 'Sam... won't let us forget her! She needs to move on. Her tweet will obviously add more scrutiny to her departure.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Seven for comment.

The feud between the warring Sunrise presenters escalated on Monday when former anchor Sam fired off a brutal tweet describing Natalie as desperate for the top job.

Rivals: The feud between the warring Sunrise presenters escalated on Monday when former anchor Sam (centre left) fired off a brutal tweet describing Natalie (left) as desperate for the top job. Pictured with David 'Kochie' Kochie (centre right) and Mark Berretta (right)

After brushing off a question about their rivalry on KIIS FM that morning, Sam criticised Natalie on Twitter for continuing to speak about her in the press three months after taking over as host of Seven's breakfast show.

'Look, I'm out. Nat's wanted the job forever... and she's finally got it. She just needs to get on and enjoy it - and forget about me (even though I'm unforgettable),' she tweeted, adding the hashtag #PeaceOut.

Sam was co-anchor of Sunrise from June 2013 until March this year, when she stepped down to spend more time with her family. Natalie, the show's longtime newsreader, replaced her the week following her departure.

Saga: After brushing off a question about their rivalry on The Kyle and Jackie O Show that morning, Sam doubled down with a hurtful tweet

Ouch: 'Look, I'm out. Nat's wanted the job forever... and she's finally got it. She just needs to get on and enjoy it - and forget about me (even though I'm unforgettable),' she tweeted

Sam's post contradicted Natalie's own account of her promotion to co-anchor, as she has always said she didn't aspire to be host and was surprised when Seven offered her the job in March.

The tweet came hours after Sam offered a very telling response on Kyle and Jackie O when questioned about rumours she didn't get along with her successor.

She froze when asked about Natalie's recent interview with The Australian Women's Weekly in which she claimed they weren't friends outside the workplace, before saying: 'Yeah, well, look, I mean it's better to be talked about than not, isn't it in life?'

Sam then took a swipe at Natalie for bringing her up in an interview after she'd decided to take a step back from the TV industry.

New chapter: Sam stepped down as host of Sunrise in March to spend more time with her husband, equestrian businessman Richard Lavender (left)

'I thought everyone might forget about me when I was having my little sabbatical, but it seems they're not, you know?' she said.

'Look, there's nothing interesting going on there, honestly. I'm just doing my thing, out in the country,' she added.

It comes after Natalie revealed for the first time she didn't have a close relationship with Sam, whom she replaced as Sunrise anchor on March 15.

When asked about rumours the two women did not get along, Natalie told AWW last week they weren't friends outside the workplace.

Not friends: It comes after Nat revealed for the first time she didn't have a close relationship with her Sunrise predecessor. When asked about rumours the two women did not get along, Natalie told The Australian Women's Weekly last week they weren't friends outside the office

She said that while the pair 'got along well in the office', they rarely spoke after the cameras stopped rolling because they didn't have much in common.

'The truth is we didn't really see each other outside the office,' Natalie said.

'We had vastly different lives, I guess,' the mother of two added. 'We were in different places. She was hanging with her friends, and I was spending time with my family.

'So, yes, we were in different places.'

Controversy: Sam - who quit Sunrise in March, making way for Natalie to replace her - claimed in February she'd been assigned more work than her female colleagues in the past simply because she was unmarried and childless. Pictured with Sunrise co-host David 'Kochie' Koch

Natalie's interview came after she was reportedly rankled by comments Sam made in a newspaper column in February about working mothers in the TV industry.

Sam claimed she'd been assigned more work than her female colleagues in the past simply because she was unmarried and childless.

She said 'bosses don't ask as much of you if you're a wife or mother', adding: 'I've never shied away from hard work, but there was an expectation that Sam would do it because she's got nothing else going on.'

Nat vs Sam: a timeline of their feud July 2019: Nat jokingly calls Sam 'a b***h-faced moll' when asked if she's as 'nice' as she appears to be on Sunrise. March 2021: Sunrise co-host David Koch reveals he and Nat weren't told about Sam's star-studded farewell lunch at Catalina restaurant in Sydney's Rose Bay. March 2021: Nat is rankled by Sam's claims that married women with children aren't expected to work as hard in their careers. April 2021: Sam reveals she hasn't spoken to any of her former colleagues since leaving Sunrise a month earlier. May 2021: It's discovered that Sam doesn't follow Nat or Kochie on Instagram, despite following many other former Seven colleagues. June 17, 2021: Nat tells The Australian Women's Weekly she and Sam were never friends outside of Sunrise. June 21, 2021: Sam refuses to answer a question about their rumoured feud during an interview on The Kyle and Jackie O Show, and simply says: 'It's better to be talked about than not.' June 21, 2021: Sam later tweets that Nat has 'wanted her job forever' and urges her to 'just get on and enjoy it - and forget about me'. Advertisement

Working mum: At the time, TV insiders wondered how Natalie would have reacted to this bold statement, given that she regularly picks up international assignments and fills in for her colleagues, despite being married with kids. Pictured with her husband, Andrew Thompson

At the time, many TV insiders wondered how Natalie would have reacted to this bold statement, given that she regularly picks up international assignments and fills in for colleagues at short notice, despite being married with two teenage children.

For months before her departure, rumours had swirled that Sam didn't get along with Natalie, who was Sunrise's newsreader before stepping up to the main desk.

Sources also claimed she didn't see eye to eye with her co-anchor David 'Kochie' Koch either.

Feud? It emerged in May that Sam didn't follow Natalie or Kochie on Instagram, despite following many other Seven colleagues

These whispers were seemingly confirmed when Natalie and Kochie didn't attend Sam's leaving party at the Catalina restaurant in Sydney's Rose Bay on March 11.

Eyebrows were raised yet again in May when it emerged Sam didn't follow either of them on Instagram, despite following many other Seven colleagues.

Sam downplayed this snub on her News Corp podcast earlier this month, saying: 'I don't think I unfo... I don't think anyone's following anyone in there.'

'No users found': These screenshots from May show how Sam wasn't following Natalie or Kochie on Instagram. A search for their handles under her 'following' list yielded no results
Busy Philipps is sharing her thoughts on Seth Rogen alluding to his professional split with longtime friend and collaborator James Franco.

Just last month, Rogen revealed that he has 'no plans' on working with Franco again amid several sexual misconduct allegations dating back to 2014, admitting the accusations had 'changed many things' in their relationship.

In a new interview, Philipps said she 'guessed' she was surprised by his comments, before revealing she could only speak about the 'horrible behavior' she experienced with Franco more than 20 years ago.

Her take: Busy Philipps is speaking out about Seth Rogen hinting that he has ended his professional relationship with longtime friend James Franco, amid several sexual misconduct allegations against him dating back to 2014

'I have to say, I mean, its interesting. They were super close, and they had a very tight relationship. And so I don't have any information,' Philipps confessed during a recent appearance on The Daily Beast's The Last Laugh podcast.

Fans may recall, Philipps, Rogen and Franco all starred together in the cult favorite TV series Freaks And Geeks, which ran for one season back in 1999.

'I haven't spent my days doing deep dives into what it all was. I didn't work with James past age 20, so I can only speak to the horrible behavior I experienced.'

In her 2018 memoir, This Will Only Hurt a Little, shared about how Franco pushed her to the ground while on set of Freaks And Geeks, and that he was forced to apologize to her by the show's producer and director.

Philipps, Franco and Rogen starred together for the one season of the TV series Freaks And Geeks in 1999; Philipps is pictured on the set standing next to Franco along with Jason Segel, Rogen, Bill Haverchuck, Sam Weir, Neal Schweiber, Linda Cardellini

Her own horror story: 'I haven't spent my days doing deep dives into what it all was. I didn't work with James past age 20, so I can only speak to the horrible behavior I experienced,' Philipps said in interview

While the former Busy Tonight talk show host wouldn't 'speculate' about Rogen and Franco's friendship, the actress did add that she 'wouldnt want to work with someone who has multiple allegations of predatory behavior.'

The Illinois native also stopped short of saying whether the #MeToo movement had actually changed Hollywood.

'I think at this point, I'm not at risk. I'm an almost-42-year-old woman who wrote a book where I named names of the people who were f***ing d**ks to me,' she said.

'So I don't think that Im the person to ask about whether the industry has changed. Because I would assume that people are going to be smart enough to not f**k with me.'

'What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,' Rogen, 39, revealed in May

His own regrets: Rogen said he was filled with regret but acknowledged his situation was 'not as painful and difficult as it is for a lot of other people involved,' adding, 'I have no pity for myself in this situation'

Speaking with The Sunday Times in May, Rogen, distanced himself from Franco when he was asked about the validity of the charges.

'What I can say is that I despise abuse and harassment and I would never cover or conceal the actions of someone doing it, or knowingly put someone in a situation where they were around someone like that,' the 39-year-old actor said, adding that it was 'not a coincidence' he hasn't worked with Franco in recent years.

He proceeded to reference a regrettable scenario of his own, when he made a joke on Saturday Night Live in 2014 that he now calls, 'a terrible joke, honestly.'

Rogen said in the monologue: 'I decided to prank James Franco. I posed as a girl on Instagram, told him I was way young. He seemed unfazed. I have a date to meet him at the Ace Hotel.'

The punchline was in relation to a 17-year-old girl who accused Franco of reaching out to her on Instagram to meet up when he was 35.

Longtime friends and collaborators: Among the projects Rogen and Franco have worked on together include The Interview in 2014, as well as Pineapple Express, This Is The End and The Disaster Artist

That 17-year-old girl posted screenshots of alleged messages between her and Franco on Instagram, which he would later admit were from him when he was a guest on Live! With Kelly and Michael.

It turn out Franco's action did not break New York law because the age of consent in the state is 17.

In the interview with the newspaper, Rogen shared about some other insensitive comments he himself has made regarding his collaboration with Franco.

'I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James, and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now,' he said. 'I dont know if I can define that [our friendship] right now during this interview.

'I can say it, um, you know, it has changed many things in our relationship and our dynamic.'

His stance: Franco has previously called some allegations inaccurate and that he 'completely supports people coming out and being able to have a voice' in regards to misconduct

Rogen said that he was filled with regret but acknowledged his situation was 'not as painful and difficult as it is for a lot of other people involved,' adding, 'I have no pity for myself in this situation.'

Just this past February, Franco settled a 2019 suit with two women who were students of his former acting school Studio 4, who alleged the program 'was little more than a scheme to provide him and his male collaborators with a pool of young female performers that they could take advantage of.'

While appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2018, Franco said of the accusations, on Twitter, were not accurate, and that he 'completely support people coming out and being able to have a voice because they didn't have a voice for so long. So, I don't want to shut them down in any way. It's a good thing and I support it.'

Along with the NBC Cult classic Freaks And Geeks, Rogen and Franco worked together on such projects as Pineapple Express, This Is The End, The Disaster Artist, and The Interview.
Too Hot to Handle star Larissa Trownson has spoken candidly about her time on the racy Netflix show.

The 28-year-old Kiwi told Daily Mail Australia on Friday that part of the reason why she signed up for season two of the show was to help breakdown stereotypes.

The blonde bombshell, who is also a lawyer, said she wants people to know that she can 'look the way she does AND have a successful job.'

EXCLUSIVE: 'I'm beauty and brains!' Too Hot to Handle's Larissa Trownson reveals she went on the racy Netflix show to help breakdown stereotypes - after describing herself as the 'real life Elle Woods'

'That's part of the reason why I went on Too Hot to Handle, I want to show people, I can look the way I do and have a successful job,' Larissa said.

'Long term, I want to be able to break the stereotype that I can be a lawyer and look this way.'

When asked to describe herself in three words, Larissa said she's 'brains and beauty.'

'That's part of the reason why I went on Too Hot to Handle, I want to show people, I can look the way I do and have a successful job,' Larissa said

After previously describing herself as the 'real life Elle Woods' in a promo for the hit show, Larissa said people are often surprised to learn that she's a lawyer.

'I've had instances where I've turned up for a meeting and they say, "can you get Larissa Trownson," and I say, "I am Larissa Trownson," she said with a laugh.

'People judge me constantly.'

On the Netflix show, a bunch of sexy singles are thrown into a beachside mansion with a chance to win $100,000. But there's also a four-week sex ban for the duration of the show.

A racy show with a twist! On the Netflix show, a bunch of sexy singles are thrown into a beachside mansion with a chance to win $100,000. But there's also a four-week sex ban for the duration of the show

She's got it all! After previously describing herself as the 'real life Elle Woods' in a promo for the hit show, Larissa said people are often surprised to learn that she's a lawyer

Contestants knock money from the $100,000 prize every time they break the show's strict rules, which include no kissing or self-gratification.

Larissa said with co-star Melinda Berry's statement on the show that there was plenty of sexual tension in the house.

'When you say you can't do something you just want to do it more right so just the fact we couldn't have sex, sex was always on our minds,' Larissa said.

Looking back at her time on the show, Larissa said that she 'loved it.'

'It was definitely an unreal experience,' she said, despite cameras following your every move.

'Halfway during the show I had an emotional breakthrough - which is quite shocking I was able to do so with so many cameras around but you just completely loose your head in there,' she said, saying she pretty much forgot about the cameras being around.

Season two of Too Hot to Handle is currently available to watch on Netflix.
She's always wanted to be a Victoria's Secret model.

And the the daughter of wild tobacco tycoon Travers 'The Candyman' Beynon, Lucciana, proved she certainly has what it takes to strut the runway for the American lingerie brand.

The 19-year-old daughter flaunted her curves in a mismatched pink and black bikini.

Oh my! The Candyman's daughter Lucciana Beynon flaunted her sensational curves in a skimpy bikini as she transformed a hallway into a runway in Mexico

Lucciana steadied herself while wearing the swimwear before sashaying down the runway.

She later took a dip in the pool, shooting the camera a glance before getting out of the water.

The Australian model is currently in Cancun, Mexico.

Glamazon: The 19-year-old daughter flaunted her curves in a mismatched pink and black bikini

While she certainly looks sensational in skimpy swimwear, Lucciana revealed earlier this month that was as far as she was prepared to go.

During an Instagram Q&A on June 1, she shut down rumours she was about to join the subscription-based adult website OnlyFans.

She responded with a simple 'no' when asked about starting an OnlyFans account.

Not happening! During an Instagram Q&A on June 1, Lucciana shut down rumours she was about to join the subscription-based adult website OnlyFans

In April last year, Lucciana showed off her jaw-dropping bikini body while self-isolating at her family's Gold Coast mansion.

The teen model flaunted her curves in a yellow bikini in a sizzling Instagram selfie.

Lucciana is already an international model and often jets around the world for photo shoots and runway shows. She was most recently living in the UK.

Sizzling hot: In April last year, Lucciana showed off her jaw-dropping bikini body while self-isolating at her family's Gold Coast mansion

In October 2019, she shot a bikini campaign for British online retailer ASOS in London and shared several behind-the-scenes videos of herself on set.

Sharing a glimpse of her first outfit, she flaunted her curvy figure in a swimsuit featuring cut-out details on her waist and across her cleavage.

She then changed into a skimpy white bikini and another lilac-coloured two-piece.

Rising star: Lucciana is already an international model and often jets around the world for photo shoots and runway shows. She was most recently living in the UK

Lucciana, who looks like a long-lost Kardashian sister, previously spoke of her plans to permanently relocate to the U.S. after finishing high school.

She told the Gold Coast Bulletin back in 2017: 'When I finish school I'll still be 17, so as soon as I turn 18, I'm going to move to America forever.'

'I want to become a Victoria's Secret Angel and then ultimately become a supermodel,' she added.

First look: Lucciana modelled a lilac bikini during her busy day on set in October 2019

Lucciana, whose mother is Venezuelan former beauty queen Ninibeth Leal, has a contingency plan for when her modelling career eventually ends.

'Once my time is up, because you know modelling doesn't last forever, I'll get involved in the family business and invest in property,' she said.

Lucciana's father is Australian businessman Travers Beynon, who is known for his polyamorous lifestyle and wild parties at his Gold Coast mansion.
Amelia Gray Hamlin's highly-anticipated clothing collaboration with fast fashion brand Boohoo was released on Thursday.

And to celebrate the launch, the 20-year-old model hosted a Boohoo x Amelia Gray luncheon at the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel in Beverly Hills.

Hamlin put her taut tummy on display in a white cropped denim jacket and a pair of matching wide-legged jeans from the 'bold and boujee' collection.

It's here! Amelia Gray Hamlin's highly-anticipated clothing collaboration with fast fashion brand Boohoo was released on Thursday

Amelia's figure flattering pants retail for $50 on the official Boohoo website, while the cropped blazer remains unlisted.

She slipped her feet into a pair of bright white open-toed mules that showcased her fresh pedicure.

She took the entire ensemble up a notch by throwing on a dainty gold body chain and several gold bangles.

The daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin wore her lengthy brunette hair parted in the middle and styled into a sleek bun.

Celebrate: And to celebrate the launch, the 20-year-old model hosted a Boohoo x Amelia Gray luncheon at the famous Waldorf Astoria hotel in Beverly Hills

Double denim: Hamlin put her taut tummy on display in a white cropped denim jacket and a pair of matching wide-legged jeans from the 'bold and boujee' collection

Collection: After striking poses on the event's floral-filled step-and-repeat, Hamlin took a moment to look over her collection, which was displayed on clothing racks

As for makeup, Amelia's already gorgeous features were highlighted with a generous amount of facial bronzer and a contrasting nude lip gloss.

After striking poses on the event's floral-filled step-and-repeat, Hamlin took a moment to look over her collection, which was displayed on clothing racks.

Positioned next to the racks displaying the pieces from Amelia's line were some of the stunning promotional images featuring the model.

Support system: Some of the people closest to Amelia, including her older sister Delilah, showed up in support of her; Amelia pictured with (L-R) Fiona Barron, Alexa Kort, and Lexie Jayy

Sisterly love: Delilah, 22, wowed in a beige unbuttoned top and a pair of low-rise white trousers, while posing for shutterbugs with hairstylist Laura Rugetti (right)

Lunch time! Amelia and her guests made their way over to a lengthy dining table complete with floral arrangements to match the Boohoo x Amelia Gray theme

Some of the people closest to Amelia, including her older sister Delilah, showed up in support of her.

Delilah, 22, wowed in a beige unbuttoned top and a pair of low-rise white trousers, while posing for shutterbugs with hairstylist Laura Rugetti.

Amelia and her guests made their way over to a lengthy dining table complete with floral arrangements to match the Boohoo x Amelia Gray theme.

Special guests: Ayla Woodruff (left) and Kara Del Toro (right) put on fashionable displays as they donned pieces from Amelia's collection at the exclusive launch luncheon

A toast! Amelia and her pals sipped on a bubbly drink before digging into their gourmet meals

Social butterfly: Some of the launch was documented on Amelia's Instagram page

Amelia's collaboration with Boohoo was first teased on Tuesday, with the fast fashion brand sharing a snap of the brunette beauty to Instagram with the caption: 'COMING SOON.'

They noted in another post that Hamlin 'exclusively designed' the collection for Boohoo, marking the model's first step into the design world.

To announce that the Boohoo x Amelia Gray was live on the brand's website, Boohoo shared numerous promotional images that showed Amelia modeling the sexy pastel pieces.

Highly-anticipated: Amelia's collaboration with Boohoo was first teased on Tuesday, with the fast fashion brand sharing a snap of the brunette beauty to Instagram with the caption: 'COMING SOON'

Designed by Amelia: They noted in another post that Hamlin 'exclusively designed' the collection for Boohoo, marking the model's first step into the design world

'Say hello to our hottest new collab boohoo x Amelia Gray. The exclusively designed collection by muse of the moment Amelia Gray will having you feeling sexy all summer long,' reads the collection's official description on Boohoo.

With a blend of wearable neutrals and eye-catching pastels, the Boohoo x Amelia Gray collection allows fans of the star to 'choose from bold and boujee two pieces, attention demanding one pieces and so much more.'

'Whether youre hitting the bar or the beach, Amelia Gray has covered it all. Effortless summer pieces, this is the collection to fall in love with this summer,' the description concluded.

Own best advertisement: To announce that the Boohoo x Amelia Gray was live on the brand's website, Boohoo shared numerous promotional images that showed Amelia modeling the sexy pastel pieces

Designed by Amelia: They noted in another post that Hamlin 'exclusively designed' the collection for Boohoo, marking the model's first step into the design world

Hottest collaboration: 'Say hello to our hottest new collab boohoo x Amelia Gray. The exclusively designed collection by muse of the moment Amelia Gray will having you feeling sexy all summer long,' reads the collection's official description on Boohoo

Taking to her own Instagram, Amelia excitedly informed her following that her collaborative collection had 'finally dropped.'

'grab it while you can,' she wrote, followed by a palm tree emoji.

Along with her text, Hamlin shared her favorite promotional image which showed her modeling the 'Ombre' pieces, including the satin braelette, wide leg trousers, and oversized shirt.

Prior to her collection with the brand, Hamlin had been modeling and advertising Boohoo to her nearly 1million followers for months.

Versatile: 'Whether youre hitting the bar or the beach, Amelia Gray has covered it all. Effortless summer pieces, this is the collection to fall in love with this summer,' the description concluded

Dropped: Taking to her own Instagram, Amelia excitedly informed her following that her collaborative collection had 'finally dropped'

Hurry: 'grab it while you can,' she wrote, followed by a palm tree emoji

Back in April, she proudly slipped her fit physique into a tropical neon print Boohoo swimsuit cover-up.

When she is touting products or partaking in ultra glamorous photoshoots, Amelia is busy jet setting with her much older boyfriend Scott Disick.

She and the 38-year-old Talentless founder have been romantically linked since October 2020.

Over the past eight months, Amelia has vacationed in Miami and Mexico with Scott and has spent time with the three children he shares with ex Kourtney Kardashian, 42.
She found fame on Netflix's hugely successful series Orange Is The New Black.

And on Thursday night, Dascha Polanco was on the guest list for a special launch show in NYC for Russell Wilson's 3Brand kids clothing line.

The actress, 38, showed off her fabulous curves in a vibrant sleeveless top and matching pants.

Colorful: Dascha Polanco showed off her fabulous curves in a vibrant sleeveless top and matching pants at a special launch show in NYC for Russell Wilson's 3Brand kids clothing line

Polanco's outfit featured brown, yellow, orange and red horizontal lines across the the top.

The pants, with an elasticated waist, had swirly vertical lines in the same colors.

She added a pair of pointy toe red pumps and carried a decorative designer purse.

The Afro-Dominican beauty wore her long hair styled back from her face and completed her look with green earrings and scarlet red lip color.

Eye-catching: Polanco's outfit featured brown, yellow, orange and red horizontal lines across the the top. The pants, with an elasticated waist, had swirly vertical lines in the same colors

Coordinated look: The Afro-Dominican actress, who found fame on Netflix's Orange Is The New Black, added a pair of pointy toe red pumps and carried a decorative designer purse

Vibrant: The Afro-Dominican beauty wore her long hair styled back from her face and completed her look with green earrings and scarlet red lip color

Mom: Polanco brought along her 12-year-old son Aryam to the fashion show and posed for photos on the red carpet with him and a young family friend

Polanco brought along her 12-year-old son Aryam to the fashion show and posed for photos on the red carpet with him and a young family friend.

The actress was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Brooklyn and Miami.

Her big break came in 2012 when she was cast as 'Daya' Diaz in OITNB which ran for seven seasons and ended in 2019.

Polanco had recurring roles in 2018's The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story on FX and in 2019's Netflix series' Russian Doll and When They See Us.

Currently, she can be seen in the just released musical movie In The Heights.

Good time: Polanco was given a front row seat at the fashion show. She seemed to really enjoy it and took photos and video on her phone
She secretly tied-the-knot with multimillionaire Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell earlier this year.

And the former Home and Away beauty gave fans a glimpse of her wedding ring on Friday in a picture she shared of herself during a fitting.

Pia looked high glam as she posed in an off-the-shoulder top and skirt.

Sparkler: Pia Miller gives fans a glimpse of her wedding ring on Thursday after secretly marrying multimillionaire US talent agent Patrick Whitesell

Perhaps sending a message that she is deeply in love, the star put a love heart around her finger.

'Fittings,' people captioned the photo.

In a separate post, Pia let fans know she has been fully vaccinated.

Hint: Pia and Patrick were recently seen 'celebrating their newlywed status' with a takeaway dinner from the CicciaBella restaurant in Bondi

Pia and Patrick were recently seen 'celebrating their newlywed status' with a takeaway dinner from the CicciaBella restaurant in Bondi.

A friend of the couple, Sydney socialite Nina O'Brien, also let slip they'd tied the knot in a comment she posted on Instagram.

'Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. PPW,' Nina wrote, referencing the pair's initials.

Friends speak out: A friend of the couple, Sydney socialite Nina O'Brien (pictured), also let slip they'd tied the knot in a comment she posted on Instagram

Clue: 'Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. PPW,' Nina wrote, referencing the pair's initials

Nina also commented on another photo Pia shared to Instagram in April, which showed Patrick wearing what appeared to be a wedding ring.

She wrote underneath the image: 'Hello Mr and Mrs P' and added a love-heart emoji.

Pia, a Chilean-born model and actress, appears to have celebrated her honeymoon with Patrick in Cabo, Mexico, in March.
Marvel released a new trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Thursday, which included a surprise appearance by The Abomination.

The character had debuted in the second ever Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, 2008's The Incredible Hulk, played by Tim Roth.

While Roth had not previously been confirmed for Shang-Chi, it's possible this movie could lead into his confirmed role in the upcoming She-Hulk TV series.

Surprise: Marvel released a new trailer for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on Thursday, which included a surprise appearance by The Abomination

Not confirmed: While Roth had not previously been confirmed for Shang-Chi, it's possible this movie could lead into his confirmed role in the upcoming She-Hulk TV series

The brief appearance of The Abomination comes at the very end of the trailer, where Katy (Awkwafina) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) are seen watching a cage fight between The Abomination and another fighter.

'You got this!' Katy says confidently, though they turn to the action, where the fighter tries to use the Ten Rings to his advantage.

Unfortunately for him, The Abomination uses his sheer size and strength to his advantage, knocking the fighter into the cage.

Got this: The brief appearance of The Abomination comes at the very end of the trailer, where Katy (Awkwafina) and Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) are seen watching a cage fight between The Abomination and another fighter

Strength: Unfortunately for him, The Abomination uses his sheer size and strength to his advantage, knocking the fighter into the cage

Thanks: 'Thank you,' Shang-Chi says sarcastically while turning back to the fight

'Thank you,' Shang-Chi says sarcastically while turning back to the fight.

The Abomination is clearly secured behind this cage, though it's unclear how he got there, or what he's been doing in the 13 years since The Incredible Hulk.

Tim Roth played Emil Blonsky in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, who was a Russian-born British Royal Marine who volunteered to inject himself with a sample of a super soldier serum to try and counter the Hulk.

Cage fight: The Abomination is clearly secured behind this cage, though it's unclear how he got there, or what he's been doing in the 13 years since The Incredible Hulk

Early Abomination: Tim Roth played Emil Blonsky in 2008's The Incredible Hulk, who was a Russian-born British Royal Marine who volunteered to inject himself with a sample of a super soldier serum to try and counter the Hulk

He then found a doctor to inject him with Bruce Banner's blood, turning him into The Abomination.

The Incredible Hulk ultimately defeated The Abomination and turned him over to Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt).

The Abomination also appeared in the Marvel One-Shot short film The Consultant, where Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) and Jasper Sitwell (Maximiliano Hernandez) argue against the World Security Council's attempts to exonerate Blonsky and make The Abomination part of The Avengers.

Father: The trailer also showcases the tumultuous nature between Shang-Chi and his criminal father Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung), along with numerous demonstrations on how powerful the Ten Rings are

The trailer also showcases the tumultuous nature between Shang-Chi and his criminal father Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung), along with numerous demonstrations on how powerful the Ten Rings are.

'Throughout my life, the Ten Rings gave our family power. If you wanted them to be yours one day, you have to show me you are strong enough to carry them,' Wenwu says.

The trailer also shows Shang-Chi growing throughout the years, along with his training, with his mother Jiang Nan telling Shang-Chi, 'You are a product of all who came before you. The legacy of your family. You are your mother, and whether you like it or not, you are also your father.'

Power: 'Throughout my life, the Ten Rings gave our family power. If you wanted them to be yours one day, you have to show me you are strong enough to carry them,' Wenwu says

Mother: The trailer also shows Shang-Chi growing throughout the years, along with his training, with his mother Jiang Nan telling Shang-Chi, 'You are a product of all who came before you. The legacy of your family. You are your mother, and whether you like it or not, you are also your father'

Another scene shows Shang-Chi fighting off his father's henchmen, as Wenwu says, 'I told my men they wouldn't be able to kill you if they tried. Glad I was right.'

Shang-Chi tells his father he's just, 'a criminal who murders people,' though Wenwu responds, 'Be careful how you speak to me, boy.'

The trailer winds down with a number of dramatic shots as Shang-Chi says he thought he could change his name and start a new life, 'but I could never escape his shadow.'

The trailer also features a particularly ominous shot of what appears to be a large dragon underwater before father and son clash in a battle for the ages as the trailer comes to a close.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is slated to hit theaters nationwide on September 3.

Henchmen: Another scene shows Shang-Chi fighting off his father's henchmen, as Wenwu says, 'I told my men they wouldn't be able to kill you if they tried. Glad I was right'

New life: The trailer winds down with a number of dramatic shots as Shang-Chi says he thought he could change his name and start a new life, 'but I could never escape his shadow'

Battle: Clash: The trailer also features a particularly ominous shot of what appears to be a large dragon underwater before father and son clash in a battle for the ages as the trailer comes to a close
They have been inseparable since getting together in recent months.

And Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were out again as they lived it up with his step-daughter Atiana De La Hoya, 22, at a star-studded PrettyLittleThing and Galore Magazine bash at The Mondiran Hotel is LA.

The reality TV superstar, 43, looked phenomenal in a black cut-out corset and mini skirt with a perilously high asymmetric hemline while the Blink 182 star, 45, was in his rocker garb in a vest as they headed to Craig's after the party.

Woah mama: Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker were out again as they attended his step daughter Atiana De La Hoyas star-studded PrettyLittleThing-sponsored Galore Magazine bash at The Mondiran Hotel is LA

The party, which was sponsored by PrettyLittleThing and Galore Magazine, was attended by Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly as well as Travis' ex-wife Shanna Moakler's daughter Atiana.

Kourtney looked simply sensational as she showed off every inch of her hard-worked figure in the plunging corset for the party

She paired the boned top with the black mini which featured a slash nearly extending to her hip while she also sported perspex heels.

In a nod of the Kardashians' love of all things designer, she clutched an envy-inducing Christian Dior Saddle Bag.

Sizzling: The 42-year-old reality TV superstar looked phenomenal in a black cut-out corset and mini skirt with a perilously high asymmetric hemline while the Blink 182 star, 45, was in his trademark rocker garb in a vest and beanie

Chatting away: The group chatted inside the party with his step-daughter, who is the child of his ex-wife Shanna Moakler and boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya

Cheeky! The couple got hot and heavy inside the party

Racy: She paired the boned top with the black mini which featured a slash nearly extending to her hip while she also sported perspex heels

The happy couple: Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly put on a cosy display at the party

Chic: Atiana was sure she dressed to impress for her bash as she wore a sexy black top with black and white trousers from the collection

Atiana was sure she dressed to impress for her bash as she wore a sexy black top with black and white trousers from the collection.

Megan meanwhile was in a more casual look than her recent steamy red carpet styles as she sported ripped jeans and a mustard blazer.

Earlier, this week Kourtney posted a sweet Insta Stories picture of them holding hands and wrote above the image: 'Friends make better lovers... here's why.'

Former love: Travis was married to Atiana's mom Shanna from 2004 to 2008 (pictured in 2003)

Partying up a storm: They were no doubt catching up at the party

Stunner: Megan meanwhile was in a more casual look than her recent steamy red carpet styles as she sported ripped jeans and a mustard blazer

Sexy: Kourtney looked simply sensational for the date night as she showed off every inch of her hard-worked figure in the plunging corset

Stunner: The party was sponsored by PrettyLittleThing and was also attended by Megan Fox

Chic: In a nod of the Kardashians' love of all things designer, she clutched an envy-inducing Christian Dior Saddle Bag

Meanwhile Travis expressed support for his bandmate Mark Hoppus who recently revealed: 'For the past three months I've been undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.'

'"Mark is my brother and I love and support him,' Travis told E! News this week after Mark went public with his illness.

'I will be with him every step of the way on stage and off and can't wait for us to play together again soon,' added Kourtney's beau.

A vision: She showed off her figure to the fullest

Having a giggle: She looked joyous to be out with the hunk

Kourtney shares her children - Mason, 11, Penelope, eight, and Reign, six - with her on-off ex Scott Disick, 38, whom she last split from in 2015.

On the recent series finale of Keeping Up With The Kardashians he said he is 'coming to terms' with the idea that he and Kourtney may never get back together.

'The fact that we have what we have is amazing, and I am grateful for that,' Scott said, pointing out: 'Our kids are happy.'

Racy! They have made no secret of their steamy romance

Hello, gorgeous: Earlier in the day, Kourtney showed off her bejeweled teeth in a string of sizzling snaps she shared with fans

Looking fab: Kourtney flashed her megawatt smile for the camera in the photographs and playfully licked her teeth to throw the metal into relief

When you got it: At one point she let her luxurious dark hair fall across her face and emphasized her cleavage in black and green lace lingerie

Earlier in the day, Kourtney showed off her bejeweled teeth in a string of sizzling snaps she shared with fans.

At one point she let her dark hair fall across her face and emphasized her cleavage in black and green lace lingerie.

Kourtney flashed her megawatt smile for the camera in the photographs and playfully licked her teeth to throw the metal into relief.

Love life: She is romantically involved with Travis
Jake Wood showed his pride for his daughter Amber, 16, as she embarks on her modelling career.

The former EastEnders star, 48, took to Instagram on Thursday to share a black-and-white snap of his eldest child as she stared into the camera.

Delighting in her blossoming career, Jake wrote in the caption: 'My daughter @amberbowood latest photoshoot [clap emoji] [heart emoji]'.

Proud dad: Former EastEnders star Jake Wood shared his pride over daughter Amber, 16, embarking on a modelling career by sharing a black-and-white snap of her on Thursday

In the snap, Amber styled her blonde locks in a sleek, straight hairdo with her fringe framing her face, while she also wore a slick of red lipstick.

The headshots appeared to be for the Wilhelmina modelling agency, though it is unclear if Amber has signed with the company or not.

Jake shares his daughter Amber and son Buster, 11, with his wife Alison Murray, who he has been married to since 2011.

Headshot: In the snap, Amber styled her blonde locks in a sleek, straight hairdo with her fringe framing her face, while she also wore a slick of red lipstick

Championing her: Delighting in her blossoming career, Jake wrote in the caption: 'My daughter @amberbowood latest photoshoot [clap emoji] [heart emoji]'

In 2019, Jake first revealed Amber was interested in having a career in modelling, as he shared a pretty headshot of the teen onto Instagram and gushed that he was glad she resembled her mother instead of him.

Alongside the image, Jake wrote: 'My daughter Amber Bo wants to model. Thank goodness she takes after her mum.'

Proving she is at ease in front of the camera, the red head looked every inch the aspiring model in the close-up image.

The clothes horse hopeful's Instagram page is littered with quirky shots all in hopes of her getting noticed by a modelling agency - and Jake tagged world renowned model bookers Wilhelmina Models on the post in an attempt to grab their attention.

Star in the making: In 2019, Jake first revealed Amber (pictured in 2019) was interested in a career in modelling, and gushed that he was glad she resembled her mother instead of him

Jake played Max Branning on EastEnders for 15 years and he left the soap last December, with his last emotional scenes airing in February this year.

EastEnders fans bid a sad farewell to Max as the character left Walford for good.

He turned his back on Albert Square after realising there was nothing left for him there and in a heartbreaking moment, he left behind his granddaughter Abi after realising she'd be better off being raised by Rainie and Stuart.

Following his exit after 15 years on the soap, Jacqueline Jossa paid a touching tribute to her onscreen dad Jake Wood with a plethora of throwback snaps as she gushed: 'You are a legend.'

Family: Jake shares his daughter Amber and son Buster, 11, with his wife Alison Murray, who he has been married to since 2011 (pictured together in 2013)

The Walford bad boy decided to bid farewell after his one-time love Linda Carter once again rejected him and declared that she doesn't love him, despite him getting the Queen Vic back for her.

And in another blow, his brother Jack gave him some harsh home truths, with Max then deciding to disappear with beloved granddaughter Abi.

But after his car failed to start, he then made to walk to the Tube station with the little one in tow.

The duo then bumped into his former love Stacy Slater, with Max saying a cryptic goodbye.

However, he then noticed little Abi looking up at her great-aunt Rainie's window and in that moment he chose to leave the tot on her doorstep, deciding that Abi would have a better life with Rainie and husband Stuart.

After leaving Abi on Rainie's doorstep, a tearful Max then grabbed his bags and made his way to the tube station as EastEnders' heart wrenching Julia's theme played in the background.
She never fails to impress with her jaw-dropping style.

And Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 34, did not disappoint when she took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal that her GIAxRHW autumn and winter shoe range would be coming soon.

The model looked effortlessly stylish as she posed in a crouched position, opting for an all-black ensemble.

Wow: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looked simply stunning as she teased fans with upcoming GIAxRHW shoe range on Instagram on Thursday

Teasing: The model announced to fans that her GIAxRHW autumn and winter range would be coming soon

Her buttoned long-sleeved blazer was teamed perfectly with a pair of thin-heeled over-the-knee boots.

She had her hair coiffed and slicked into a low bun, with radiant makeup that complemented her outfit.

'#GIAxRHW Fall/Winter coming soon' she captioned her post, followed by a flame emoji.

Stylish: The 34-year-old recently showed off her shoe range with outfits that showcased her figure

The stunner announced back in March that she would be collaborating with Italian shoe brand, Gia Couture Firenze, for her new range.

'I've designed four exclusive styles, mixing modern silhouettes with natural-looking textures and materials, such as radica wood, suede, and braided leather.

Each pair is handcrafted in Italy and makes a beautiful addition to any spring-summer wardrobe' she wrote on Instagram.

Exciting: The stunner announced back in March that she would be collaborating with Italian shoe brand, Gia Couture Firenze, for her new range

Rosie has plenty to keep her busy, after it was revealed that her beau Jason Statham are thought to have purchased a plush 7.5m London pad after desiring to be 'closer to home' amid the pandemic.

She proved she's got a keen eye for interior design as she gave fans a glimpse into her very chic home renovations on Wednesday.

The blonde beauty could be seen standing in one light and airy room which boasted a sash large window and wooden flooring.

In progress: Rosie shared her home renovations with her social media followers earlier this month

Renovations were clearly underway, with a yellow ladder standing beside one wall and some of the flooring ripped up beneath an archway leading to another space.

Rosie also shared an image showing several printed pictures of a stunning bathroom design, which featured a statement tub against one wall, stuck on a white brick wall.

Pin boards sat under these, with multiple pieces of paper covered in plans and ideas for the mother-of-one's latest design project.

She did not include the location of her latest design project in her Instagram post, however her and Jason said to have splashed out on a 7.5m property in the Chelsea area of London, in recent weeks, The Sun reported.

A source told the publication: 'In the midst of a pandemic, both Jason and Rosie just want to be closer to home, closer to their families and UK friends.

'After months of house-hunting, they finally found their dream pad - and couldn't be happier.'
She's filming episodes for the fourth season of Amazon Prime's The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

And Rachel Brosnahan, 30, looked the picture of beauty as she appeared on set on Thursday wearing a beautiful mint green midi dress and an elegant cream overcoat.

The actress was spotted filming a scene outside Carnegie Hall in New York City in which she battled a snowstorm in the chic outfit, with only a red umbrella to shield her from the weather.

Chic: Rachel Brosnahan wore an elegant cream overcoat while filming season four of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel outside NYC's Carnegie Hall on Thursday

Wintery: The actress was spotted filming a scene outside Carnegie Hall in New York City in which she battles a snowstorm in the chic outfit

Swirls of fake snow fell beside her, shooting in all directions, to create the illusion of a wintery scene.

Her character Miriam 'Midge' Maisel looked somewhat prepared for the chillier weather, donning a pair of heeled cream boots with fur cuffs around the ankles.

Tying in with her dress, she wore matching gloves and carried a small mint green purse.

The leading lady also wore a matching beret style hat on top of her curled brunette tresses.

Brrrr: Her character Miriam 'Midge' Maisel looked somewhat prepared for the chillier weather, donning a pair of heeled cream boots with fur cuffs around the ankles

With some flakes of snow in her hair, she was seen treading carefully as if her character feared she may slip and at another point was spotted kicking around the snow.

Rachel is reprising her role as the titular fictional 1950s New York housewife in the series while co-star Luke Kirby plays legendary real-life comic Lenny Bruce.

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel made its debut on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service in 2017 and has been one of its most lauded programs.

The show follows housewife Midge Maisel, played by Rachel, who discovers that she has a talent for standup comedy and begins to pursue a career in the field, which affects her personal life in turn.

Beautiful: Tying in with her dress, she wore matching gloves and carried a small mint green purse and looked perfectly elegant

Playful: Rachel was seen treading carefully as if her character feared she may slip and at another point was spotted kicking around the snow

Series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino based the titular character on various female comedians, as well as her own father, who performed as a comedian in her youth.

The show also features the talents of performers such as Jane Lynch, Kevin Pollak and Alex Borstein, among several others.

After the premiere of its first season, various members of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's cast were nominated for several awards.

In 2018, Brosnahan won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award at that year's Primetime Emmys, with Borstein being given the distinction for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Elegant: The leading lady also wore a matching beret style hat on top of her curled brunette tresses

Chilly: Swirls of fake snow fell beside her, shooting in all directions, to create the illusion of a wintery scene

Sherman-Palladino, who also created hit series Gilmore Girls, also took home the awards for Outstanding Directing and Writing for a Comedy Series during the ceremony.

Following the positive reception of its first run of episodes, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel's production team went on to work on two more seasons, which were released in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The show's cast and crew were presented with several awards for their further efforts on the program over the next two years.

Back again: Rachel is reprising her role as the titular fictional 1950s New York housewife in the series

Brosnahan spoke about her real-life connection to her character during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where she noted that Maisel's feelings about various things had begun to affect her own.

'I think I tap into Midge when I get nervous! I can hear myself starting to fall into some rhythms and cadences and trying to will her confidence into my own life, and she's kind of become like a weird alter ego,' she expressed.

The award-winning actress also spoke about the audience's perception of Maisel as a parent and expressed that the show's writers fully intended for the character to run into complications with her children.

'It seems to make people uncomfortable, or they feel like it's a plot hole rather than something that was very carefully thought out,' she remarked.
Pia Miller revealed on Friday that she has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

The actress, 37, posted two Instagram Stories on the topic, posing in a surgical face mask.

She wrote in her caption: 'Full vax. A while ago now. Feel free to ask questions. But spare me the judgement! Because it is well with my soul. Thank you'.

All done! Pia Miller (pictured) revealed on Friday that she has been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. She wrote in an Instagram post on Friday: 'Full vax. A while ago now. Feel free to ask questions. But spare me the judgement! Because it is well with my soul. Thank you'

Pia then shared a message from a fan, who supported her and said they wanted to get 'spare me the judgement' tattooed.

The former Home and Away star explained that she had gotten the Pfizer vaccine.

'To answer your questions. I got the Pfizer vaccine. I was able to get my first dose in la and my second at RPA (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney).

Update: The former Home and Away star explained that she had gotten the Pfizer vaccine. 'To answer your questions. I got the Pfizer vaccine. I was able to get my first dose in la and my second at RPA (Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney)

'No side effects just a sore arm at the injection site,' she added.

The actress secretly tied the knot with multimillionaire Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell earlier this year.

The beauty gave fans a glimpse of her wedding ring earlier on Friday in a picture she shared of herself during a fitting.

Perhaps sending a message that she is deeply in love, the star put a love heart around her finger.

Happy: The actress secretly tied the knot with multimillionaire Hollywood talent agent Patrick Whitesell (left) earlier this year

Pia and Patrick were recently seen 'celebrating their newlywed status' with a takeaway dinner from the CicciaBella restaurant in Bondi.

A friend of the couple, Sydney socialite Nina O'Brien, also let slip they'd tied the knot in a comment she posted on Instagram.

Pia, a Chilean-born model and actress, appears to have celebrated her honeymoon with Patrick in Cabo, Mexico, in March.
Nick Cannon joked about his reluctance to use contraception in a 2017 interview, just four years before he was preparing to become a father-of-seven.

The star, 40, has welcomed three children in the space of six months - twin sons Zion and Zillion with Abby De La Rosa, earlier this month, and daughter Powerful, with Brittany Bell, in December, while Alyssa Scott is pregnant with his seventh child.

Speaking to Howard Stern in 2017, Nick discussed his battle with autoimmune disease Lupus and stated: 'I'm probably gonna die sooner than most people... so let's f**k all night! So why wear condoms? I might not be here tomorrow!'

'Why wear condoms?' Nick Cannon joked about his reluctance to use contraception in a 2017 interview, just four years before he was preparing to become a father-of-seven (pictured last year)

Nick is father to 10-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-wife Mariah Carey; son Golden, five, and daughter Powerful, five months, with model Brittany, 33, and newborn twin sons Zion and Zillion with DJ and influencer Abby, 30.

His current girlfriend, influencer Alyssa, 27, revealed earlier this year that she is expecting the star's seventh child and shared an image showing Nick cradling her burgeoning bump on Father's Day last week.

Following much interest surrounding his elaborate home life, the interview with Howard Stern resurfaced and appeared to show his attitude to contraception.

In the chat they were discussing Nick's battle with chronic illness Lupus, with which he was diagnosed in 2012, and was hospitalised with in 2016.

Preparing: Nick's current girlfriend Alyssa Scott is pregnant with his seventh child (The couple pictured earlier this month)

'Welcome to the world!' DJ Abby De La Rosa welcomed their twin sons, Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir, earlier this month

Speaking about his mortality, he said: 'When you experience near-death situations  life-threatening situations  it's honest, it's real...

'I feel like 'Yo, I'm running out of time.' Every time I think I'm doing good, then I got to go back to f***ing hospital. Almost died this time [due to] the blood clots and s**t.'

'I don't fear it, I welcome it! I got to a space now where [I can say] I'm probably gonna die sooner than most people. I mean, that's what the doctor said...

His loves: He welcomed daughter Powerful six months ago with Brittany Bell, with whom he also shares son Golden Sagon, four ( the trio pictured April 2)

Sweet: Nick is father to 10-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-wife Mariah Carey

'But I'm living life like 'F**k, I might die in the morning, so let's f**k all night! So why wear condoms? I might not be here tomorrow!'

Little is known of Nick's current relationship with Alyssa, yet they were seen at the celeb haunt Nobu in October 2020. Last month, she branded the host 'a player' in a social media exchange however things now look to be on the up.

In announcing the arrival of this twins, Abby took to social media with a message for her unborn sons, and a reference to Cannon.

Stunner: Little is known of Nick's current relationship with Alyssa, yet they were seen at the celeb haunt Nobu in October 2020

She penned: 'Our dearest sons: my miracle babies. Thank you for choosing me to be your Mommy. I know the Lord has destined me and prepared me for the gift of not one but two little angels...

'I pray that God give you both the strength to walk brave and boldly in your individual truth just like your Daddy. That God bless you and your brother and guide you into living out your full purpose.'

Dailymail.com has reached out to Cannon's reps for comment.
Emily Atack and her actress mother Kate Robbins enjoyed a night out together on Thursday to watch Ricky Gervais live on stage at the Forum in Kentish Town.

Comedienne Emily hit the streets of northwest London wearing a satin white blouse, paired with cherry and white polka dot trousers.

The 31-year-old completed her outfit with small-platformed bronze sandals and black sunglasses.

Mother-and-daughter time: Emily Atack, (left) and her actress mother Kate Robbins enjoyed a night in Kentish Town together to watch Ricky Gervais live on Thursday night

Hitting the streets: Comedienne Emily wore a satin white blouse, paired with cherry and white polka dot trousers whilst her mum kept things more laid-back

Kate kept things slightly more laid-back in black jeans and trainers, with a satin leopard print scarf.

After the show, Emily tweeted: 'Just seen @rickygervais at @O2ForumKTown.. what an absolute treat. My actual hero.'

Ricky Gervais' SuperNature tour had to be rescheduled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic and his shows at Kentish Town have been 'warm ups' for the upcoming tour that begins in August.

My hero: The Inbetweeners star described seeing Ricky Gervais as an 'absolute treat' after the show in London

Delighted: Kate shared this socially-distanced snap on Instagram to announce that she was joining Ricky Gervais in his hit series After Life

Back in April, it was announced that Kate would be joining the cast of Ricky Gervais' After Life for its third season.

The Netflix series was created, written, produced and directed by the comedian - and also stars him.

'Im so pleased to announce Ive joined the amazing cast of #AfterLife3. First day filming with @rickygervais and what a laugh it was!' Kate wrote on Instagram.

Inbetweeners star Emily is also going on to new ventures.

She has recently launched an original Spotify podcast called Emily Atack: Lie Detector.

'Chuffed to be working with @spotify @spotifyuk on my first podcast! Cat fishing, art forgery, double lives and deep fakes discover these unbelievable and absolutely mental stories of fakery and deceit' she wrote on Instagram.

Serious: The actress has launched her own podcast on Spotify that discusses fakery and deceit
Earlier this month, Married At First Sight alumni Jason Engler and KC Osborne were spotted getting cosy during a club appearance on the Gold Coast.

Shortly after that, the two appeared to confirm their romance as they shared photos from the event to Instagram, showing Jason cuddled up to the dancer.

It appears things are going so well with the pair, as they stepped out to enjoy a one-on-one date on Friday.

Romance? Earlier this month, Married At First Sight alumni Jason Engler and KC Osborne were spotted getting cosy during a club appearance on the Gold Coast. Both pictured

Posting to his Instagram Stories, Jason, shared footage of KC tucking into some food at a Japanese restaurant in Brisbane called The Boom Boom Room.

In the footage, the reality TV star goes from being concentrated on her meal to noticing she's being filmed by her new beau.

'You cannot... can you just go away,' she says to him in the clip, shooting the former reality star a coy look.

Date night! It appears things are going so well with the pair, as they stepped out to enjoy a one-on-one date on Friday. Posting to his Instagram Stories, Jason, shared footage of KC tucking into some food at a Japanese restaurant in Brisbane called The Boom Boom Room

Fun: In the footage, the star goes from being concentrated on her meal to noticing she's being filmed by her new beau. 'You cannot... can you just go away,' she says to him in the clip

Earlier this month, KC, 32, was seen getting cosy with Jason, 35, during their appearance at the SinCity Nightclub.

At one point KC and Jason were spotted sharing a moment together as she placed her hand on his cheek.

Jason rose to fame on the 2021 season of Married At First Sight.

Ex-files: Jason rose to fame on the 2021 season of Married At First Sight. He was paired with TV wife Alana Lister (right) but they split after final vows

He was paired with TV wife Alana Lister, but the two did not follow through on their relationship after final vows week.

Meanwhile KC appeared on MAFS in 2020, where she was paired with Drew Brauer - the couple ended up splitting after they realised their personal values didn't align.

She went on to date fellow MAFS groom Michael Goonan, but they confirmed their split in an amicable fashion after a dating for a short time last year.
Guy Ritchie was seen for the first time since his pub was left with a huge hole in the roof after a fire broke out on Wednesday.

The filmmaker, 52, seemed to be in good spirits despite the blaze as he enjoyed the night out with wife Jacqui Ainsley at the Chiltern Firehouse in London on Thursday.

The model, 39, looked remarkably like Guy's ex-wife Madonna in her younger years as she sported stylish blonde locks that cascaded over her shoulders.

Outing: Guy Ritchie went on night out with Madonna-lookalike wife Jacqui Ainsley on Thursday as he was seen for first time since his Fitzrovia pub was left with a hole after huge blaze

Wow! The model, 39, looked remarkably like Guy's ex-wife Madonna (right in 1999) in her younger years as she sported stylish blonde locks that cascaded over her shoulders

Jacqui put on a stylish display as she wore a yellow gingham-print two-piece that paired a peplum top and a matching maxi skirt.

Her ensemble also featured dramatic puffy sleeves and she complemented the outfit by keeping her personal items in a yellow handbag.

She boosted her statuesque figure with a pair of white block toe heels, and she kept her accessories to a minimum so all attention remained on her attire.

Guy, meanwhile, looked dapper in a black jacket that he donned over a white shirt and beige suit trousers.

Damage: Guy's Camden Pub was left with holes in the roof after a fire broke out on Wednesday and 70 firefighters battled the blaze, with a witness saying the 'smoke was so intense'

Stylish: Jacqui put on a stylish display as she wore a yellow gingham-print two-piece that paired a peplum top and a matching maxi skirt

Beaming: The filmmaker, 52, seemed to be in good spirits despite the blaze

Guy's pub was damaged following the blaze on Wednesday, with a witness saying the smoke was so intense that it caused first responders to vomit.

Around 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines attended the Lore of the Land pub in Conway Street, Fitzrovia, at 12.15pm, where the fire is said to have started in an extraction system from the first floor to the roof vent.

In pictures taken during the incident, smoke can be seen coming from the venue while firefighters continue working to make the brick pub safe.

Stylish: Jacqui boosted her statuesque figure with a pair of white block toe heels, and she kept her accessories to a minimum so all attention remained on her attire

Stunning: Jacqui's ensemble also featured dramatic puffy sleeves and she complemented the outfit by keeping her personal items in a yellow handbag

Sharp: Guy, meanwhile, looked dapper in a black jacket that he donned over a white shirt and beige suit trousers

A eyewitness whose property backs onto the pub saw the smoke billowing from their fifth floor balcony and described the moment firefighters battled the blaze.

The neighbour told MailOnline: 'At one stage the roof had smoke coming out of every tile, it was quite a scene.

'The chimneys, which I don't think are fully functioning, had smoke coming out too and firefighters had to pour water down them.

Rules: Despite getting into a taxi, Guy and Jacqui failed to wear face masks when they stepped inside the vehicle

Departure: The happy couple were seen bidding farewell to their friends with a hug outside the trendy eatery

Relaxed: Guy appeared to be at ease as they made their way home after the night out

'I saw one firefighter being sick because the smoke was so intense, which was why they all had breathing equipment.'

After getting the blaze under control, firefighters were then seen pulling off the tiles on the roof leaving the property with gaping holes.

The neighbour added: 'They were clipping them off one by one to let air through. So now you can see into the top floor through the roof.

'It's going to be quite a repair job. But thankfully it's seems like nobody was injured. It could have been a lot worse.'

Blaze: On Wednesday, pictures taken by an eyewitness showed white smoke coming out of the chimney and a door of Guy's pub

Saving the day: Firefighters poured water on the roof in an attempt to put out the blaze, which is said to have started in an extraction system from the first floor to the roof vent

Blaze: The witness described how they saw saw 'one firefighter being sick because the smoke was so intense'

Speaking on Wednesday, London Fire Brigade station commander Jason Fisby said: 'Access to the seat of the fire is challenging and very labour intensive.

'The number of fire engines at the scene is a reflection of the need for a high turn over of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus. Firefighters are carrying out salvage work and trying to prevent water damage on the floors below.'

No injuries have been reported since the blaze broke out. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Guy and London Fire Brigade for comment.

Location: The Camden pub is pictured the front of the venue

Team: The fire was tackled by over 70 firefighters who arrived at the scene in 10 engines

Helping out: Dozens of firefighters were seen close by to the pub and getting their uniforms on

The Lore Of The Land secretly opened its doors in 2019, marking Guy's return to pub ownership for the first time since he and Madonna owned the Punch Bowl in Mayfair.

The swanky menu features venison, which is brought in from Guy's Wiltshire estate, Ashcombe, where Cecil Beaton lived.

Beer served is from his Gritchie Brewing Company alongside bar snacks including Jerusalem artichoke pate with crispy chicken skin and a seed cracker.

When the pub opened, it was revealed that Guy took incredible care to make sure that every plate, glass and picture in the pub was handpicked by him.

Solution: While trying to stop the flames, firefighters ripped off dozens of roof tiles to let the smoke out, according to an eyewitness

Damage: One section of the roof seemed to be worse hit, missing dozens of tiles (right) by the time the firefighters were back on the ground after (left, pictured with smoke out the door)

Impressive: Firefighters rose above the building to pour water on the blaze, appearing to focus their efforts on the chimney area

Hard at work: 70 firefighters were needed due to them having to wear breathing apparatus and the seat of the fire being difficult to access

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Guy for comment.

The blaze comes after Guy's 10m home was targeted by burglars in December  in an echo of one of his crime films. Raiders rifled through rooms in the director's Georgian house in London but left empty-handed as police rushed to the scene.

It is not known if Madonna's ex-husband  whose films include Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch  was home at the time of the raid.

The burglars were 'seen by an occupant,' said a source, adding: 'Shortly afterwards the police turned up and the suspects legged it up the street and got away.'

Arrival: Firefighters descended on the blaze that raged on Wednesday afternoon (pictured)

Busy: Several firefighters were seen outside the pub with hoses while working at the building

Safe: Another snap from the scene showed a firefighter spraying water onto a burnt roof

Work: The fire, which broke out at around 12.15pm, is said to have started in an extraction system from the first floor to the roof vent

Tasks: The London fire brigade station commander said firefighters were doing 'salvage work and trying to prevent water damage on the floors below' (pictured: two men at the scene)

Also there: Police also attended the scene during the afternoon

Onlookers: Several members of the public stopped to have a look from a cordon while the firefighters worked at salvaging the building

Guy shares the eight-bedroom home in Fitzrovia with wife Jacqui Ainsley, 39. They split their time between the London home and their 18th-century estate in Wiltshire which was given to him as part of his divorce with Madonna in 2008.

A burglar broke into the country mansion in 2010. A neighbour said at the time: 'This is shocking and always a worry when you hear of an incident like that...

'We all hire private security companies to protect us. I pay 3,700 a month. That's for private security to do walks at night and keep an eye out. They monitor the area.'

Beverages: Beer served is from his Gritchie Brewing Company alongside bar snacks including Jerusalem artichoke pate with crispy chicken skin and a seed cracker

Family: Guy shares his eight-bedroom home in Fitzrovia with wife Jacqui

The neighbour told The Sun: 'We believe organised criminals operate in the area and target these homes. It's a very nice area. We know we're going to be a target. I hope the police can find the people responsible. We need to feel safe.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'Detectives are investigating following a report of a burglary at a residential address in Fitzrovia.

'It is not believed anything was taken.'
Jack Whitehall's girlfriend Roxy Horner revealed her underboob and sensational figure in a black two-piece on Friday as she adjusts to her 'new way of life' amid her autoimmune disease battle.

The model, 29, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease last month and she focused on her health on Friday morning as she headed to the steam room to unwind.

She wore a skimpy bikini from the sustainable swimwear brand, WE ARE KAII, as she captured a sizzling selfie.

'Morning steam': Jack Whitehall's girlfriend Roxy Horner revealed her sensational figure in a black bikini on Friday as she adjusts to her 'new way of life' amid autoimmune disease battle

Roxy swept her blonde locks up in a topknot and appeared to go make-up free for the photo.

It comes just weeks after Roxy candidly revealed she's feeling 'angry, frightened and sad' as she adjusts to her 'new way of life' after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease.

Sharing a glam selfie, Roxy penned: 'Tonight is my first night alone living with my new way of life.

'I can't stop researching my auto immune disease, every bit of pain or sickness I feel, I worry.

Update: The model, 29, was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease last month after undergoing a series of tests

'I feel like I can't quite get the hang go it, I'm angry, I'm frightened and I'm sad but I'm also so proud of myself for trying so hard.

'Covid please go away so I can be with my family.'

Roxy, who has been dating Jack, 32, since early 2020, added: 'Screw auto immune diseases though!'

Roxy has not disclosed what type of autoimmune disease she is battling, and MailOnline have contacted her representatives for further comment.

Autoimmune diseases can cause either low or over activity of the immune system. The immune system can mistake body parts, such as skin, joints or organs, as bacteria or viruses so attacks them and healthy cells.

Health scare: Roxy was taken to hospital in May after suffering with her health and has updated fans on her journey after her diagnosis

Roxy was discharged from hospital in May and gave her fans the update whilst sharing a selfie from her hospital bed.

Over a picture of her smiling while wearing a hospital gown, she wrote: 'I can leave tonight yay.'

Before revealing news of her discharge, Roxy shared a loved-up picture with Jack and gushed: 'I'm so lucky and grateful for my man, my biggest support through everything. I don't know what I would have done this past year without you.'

Since the first lockdown Roxy has been dating comedian Jack after the pair met during a trip to Australia.

The model moved into his London home after just a few weeks of dating.
Oh Thursday, the COVID-19 cluster located at a Joh Bailey hair salon in Sydney had customers in a frenzy.

And as Sydney goes into a seven-day lockdown, Sylvia Jeffreys has shared a controversial opinion about the hairdresser's premises.

Posting to her Instagram on Friday, the Channel Nine journalist shared a tweet which read: 'If Joh Bailey can push 900 clients through a salon in a few days then maybe he should be in charge of the clusterf**k of a vaccine rollout.'

Controversial opinion: As Sydney goes into a seven-day lockdown, Sylvia Jeffreys (pictured) has shared a controversial opinion about COVID-19 infected Joh Bailey hair salon

Putting the Tweet out to her 265,000 followers, Sylvia questioned: 'Tell me it hasn't crossed your mind.'

Sylvia's comment comes after famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser.

It was initially revealed that the hairdresser, who lives in western Sydney, worked three consecutive nine-hour shifts at the salon from Thursday June 17 to Saturday June 19.

Not funny? On Friday, the Channel Nine journalist shared a tweet which read: 'If Joh Bailey can push 900 clients through a salon in a few days then maybe he should be in charge of the clusterf**k of a vaccine rollout'

But in a worrying new development on Thursday night, NSW Health announced that the salon had been exposed to coronavirus for eight full days - from the moment it opened to the second it closed - between June 15 and June 23.

Mr Bailey told Daily Mail Australia the ramifications of one staff member testing positive to Covid 19 was 'unbelievable'.

'We have over 1,000 customers and staff this has affected who have to isolate,' he said.

New exposure site: Sylvia's comment comes after famed Sydney salon boss Joh Bailey warned more than 1,000 customers and staff at his flagship outlet in Double Bay have been exposed to coronavirus by an infected hairdresser

Tough: Mr Bailey told Daily Mail Australia the ramifications of one staff member testing positive to Covid 19 was 'unbelievable'

The infected hairdresser is one of two super-spreader events in Sydney sending thousands of residents into isolation after being exposed to the highly-infectious Indian Delta variant.

The Double Bay hair salon has been added to Sydney's growing list of Covid exposure sites, just days after former WAG-turned-influencer Phoebe Burgess visited for a blow-dry.

The venue was exposed from June 17 to June 19.

New alert: Joh Bailey hair salon in Double Bay was added to Sydney's list of Covid exposure sites just days after Phoebe Burgess (pictured) visited for a blow-dry

The 32-year-old ex wife of former NRL star Sam Burgess shared a series of photos from inside the salon on her Instagram page on Tuesday.

Phoebe visited Joh Bailey on June 22, days after the exposure.

Anyone who has been to the venues are considered a close contact and must get tested immediately.
Tom Hiddleston gave a heartwarming reading of a children's book in his turn as narrator on CBeebies Bedtime Stories on Friday.

The Loki star, 40, read Supertato, a story by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, as he followed on from A-listers including Tom Hardy and Chris Evans on the segment.

He concluded his reading: 'Wow that little pea caused a lot of mayhem. But luckily, Supertato was there to save the day! Now it's time for you to go to sleep. Perhaps you'll dream of mischievous villains of brave superheros. Goodnight little peas.'

Get cosy: Tom Hiddleston gave a heartwarming reading of a children's book in his turn as narrator on CBeebies Bedtime Stories on Friday

Clad in a purple cable knit jumper, the actor sat among teddy characters from the book as he told the story to his young audiences.

He said: 'The story is about a superhero potato and a supervillain pea. Tonight's bedtime story is all about a supervillain...

'This guy is really naughty, very cheeky and bright green. But never fear because where there's trouble, a superhero is sure to follow. The story is called Supertato and it's by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet...

'Wow that little pea caused a lot of mayhem. But luckily, Supertato was there to save the day! And now it's time for you to go to sleep. Perhaps you'll dream of mischievous villains of brave superheros tonight. Goodnight little peas.'

Opening: The Loki star, 40, read Supertato, a story by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet, as he followed on from A-listers including Tom Hardy and Chris Evans on the segment

Story time: Tom is currently starring in Disney Plus spin-off series Loki, reprising his role as Marvels God Of Mischief

Tom is currently starring in Disney Plus spin-off series Loki, reprising his role as Marvels God Of Mischief.

Fellow superhero actors Tom - Venom - and Chris - Captain America - have appeared on Bedtime Stories in recent years.

The likes of Eddie Redmayne and Robbie Williams have also appeared.

Cheeky: He said: 'The story is about a superhero potato and a supervillain pea. Tonight's bedtime story is all about a supervillain'

In good company: Tom Hardy has also appeared on Bedtime Stories

Tom appeared on MTV News to chat about Loki on Wednesday - touching upon his character's gender-fluid identity.

'Its been in the story of the character for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Loki is a trickster; boundaries and identity have always been fluid,' he said. 'And Ive really enjoyed that.

'I remember when I was first cast, reading about that stuff, and Im really pleased that we have a place to explore it.'

Fellow hunk: Fellow superhero actor Chris Evans - Captain America - has appeared on Bedtime Stories in recent years

Chat: Tom appeared on MTV News to discuss Loki on Wednesday - touching upon his character's gender-fluid identity

He went on: 'Im excited to explore his magical power. I think thats something that weve never really tapped into in a deep way in the MCU.

'I knew we were going to get into it, and apart from being self-important, hubristic, and puffed-up, he can be, in the comics, highly-skilled at magic.

'And we might get to see a bit more of that in the series.'
The upcoming Peacock limited series, Joe Exotic, is set to begin filming in Brisbane, Australia in two weeks time.

On Friday, the show's star - John Cameron Mitchell, who will portray the Tiger King himself - was in mandatory 14-day quarantine in Sydney after arriving Down Under.

Speaking to The Herald Sun, the actor and director, 58, said that he found the original docuseries a tad outrageous.

In town: The upcoming Peacock limited series, Joe Exotic, is set to begin filming in Brisbane, Australia in two weeks time. On Friday, the show's star - John Cameron Mitchell (pictured), who will portray the Tiger King himself - was in mandatory 14-day quarantine in Sydney

'I had to stop watching it I felt soiled,' he told the paper. ''Everyone was just behaving so badly'.

However he says he understands just how to play the 'brilliant' character of Joe Exotic.

'Here's this guy who is from where I am from. I used to live an hour away from his zoo when I was a kid, you know, in Oklahoma,' he said.

Feelings: Despite feeling 'soiled' by the show, John says he understands just how to play the 'brilliant' character of Joe Exotic. Pictured: Joe Exotic

Gets it: 'Here's this guy who is from where I am from... So I know the vibe and I know that certain kind of gay guy... They're tough and they're damaged and they're entertaining and they're admirable and they're repulsive' John said

'So I know the vibe and I know that certain kind of gay guy... They're tough and they're damaged and they're entertaining and they're admirable and they're repulsive,' he added.

John says that he sees Joe as having an 'aggressive victim mentality' and having 'built up this tough redneck exterior' to protect himself from the world.

The actor will play the mullet-wearing Tiger King alongside SNL star Kate McKinnon, 37, who will portray Carole Baskin, the big cat enthusiast who becomes his rival when she tries to shut down his business.

Insight: John says that he sees Joe as having an 'aggressive victim mentality' and having 'built up this tough redneck exterior' to protect himself from the world

Stars: The actor will play the mullet-wearing Tiger King alongside SNL star Kate McKinnon (left) who will portray Carole Baskin (right) the big cat enthusiast who becomes his rival when she tries to shut down his business

30 Rock star, Dean Winters, 56, will play Jeff Lowe, Exotic's former partner-turned-enemy Jeff Lowe, who was one of the main characters in the successful Netflix docu-series, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (2020).

The cast also includes Dennis Quaid as Joe's reality show producer Rick Kirkham, Brian Van Holt as zoo manager John Reinke, Nat Wolff plays Joe's first husband Travis Maldonado, and Sam Keeley as Joe's second husband John Finlay.

Joe, a 58-year-old former zoo operator, had owned and operated the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (1999-2018) in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, known for its big cats, before he became a convicted felon.

In 2019, the Kansas native was found guilty on 17 federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder for hire in a plot to kill Baskin, the CEO of Big Cat Rescue.
He was caught kissing his married Strictly dance partner Katya Jones while partenered with her during the 2018 series of the ballroom show.

And Seann Walsh made light of the situation on Friday, as he poked fun at the Health Secretary Matt Hancock after his affair with his most senior aide - Gina Coladangelo - was explosively revealed.

Married Mr Hancock, 42, has failed to deny claims of a secret affair after images revealed his passionate clinch with the millionaire lobbyist, 43, where he was filmed rubbing her back and bottom during their workplace embrace.

Weighing in: Seann Walsh made light of the situation on Friday, as he poked fun at the Health Secretary Matt Hancock after his affair with his most senior aide - Gina Coladangelo - was explosively revealed

Seann Walsh made light of the situation on Friday, as he poked fun at the Health Secretary Matt Hancock after his affair with his most senior aide - Gina Coladangelo - was explosively revealed (pictured doing the Charleston on Strictly in 2018)

Taking to Twitter to comment on the news, the comedian, 35, wrote: 'Having a bad day @matthanock? Just count yourself lucky you don't have to learn the Charleston!'

Seann was referencing his own fling with professional dancer Katya, when he was in a relationship with ex-girlriend Rebecca Humphries.

The TV funnyman was spotted in a passionate clinch on a night out with Katya, which took place on Rebecca's birthday.

After images and video of the kiss were released, an onlooker who witnessed Seann and Katya's kiss, told The Sun they were 'snogging like a pair of teenagers'.

Affair: Married Mr Hancock, 42, has failed to deny claims of a secret term affair after images revealed his passionate clinch with millionaire lobbyist Gina, 43, where he was filmed rubbing her back and bottom during their workplace embrace

The pair were at the Duke Of York pub in Marylebone in Central London in October 2018.

Their close relationship was noted by members of the crew but the kiss still came as a shock to everyone.

Images of the smooch emerged online in the week that Seann and Katya were due to perform the Charleston.

Taking to Twitter to comment on the news, the comedian, 35, wrote: 'Having a bad day @matthanock? Just count yourself lucky you don't have to learn the Charleston!'

Following the incident, Seann's actress girlfriend Rebecca Humphries released an impassioned statement in which she revealed he called her 'psycho' and 'nuts' for questioning his friendship with Katya, who he kissed on Rebecca's birthday.

While Katya was supported by her husband Neil Jones after the 'drunken mistake', their marriage did not last as they announced their split in August 2019.

The dancers confirmed they were splitting in joint Instagram statements, but despite writing they had mutual 'respect' and 'love', a source claimed Katya's infidelity was something her husband couldn't get over.

The pair have remained friends since the split and continue to be professional dancers together on Strictly.

Statement: On Friday Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to sack Mr Hancock having accepted an apology that neglected to mention the wife he cheated on (Hancock pictured with Ms Coladangelo)

Seann recently told how the scandal left him filled with anxiety and suffering from panic attacks as he believes the kiss affected his blossoming comedy career.

He said his mental health was greatly affected by the incident in 2018 and he is still on anti-depressants and sometimes suffers from panic attacks.

Speaking on the Take Flight podcast, Seann told how he had to 'lie down in the street' the other day after a panic attack.

Scandal: Seann recently told how his mental health was greatly affected by the incident in 2018 and he is still on anti-depressants and sometimes suffers from panic attacks

Recalling the moment the kiss became public, he said: 'From that point on my life changed for ever.

'The panic attacks came back  big, big panic attacks and I ended up having what I later found out were Vertigo Seizures.

'I had one the other day, I just lied down  I had to lie down in the street, it's quite humiliating. It's London so nobody gives a s***.

'I have to relive what happened. Still, I can be OK then suddenly the memories of it all come back.

Ex: Following the incident, Seann's actress girlfriend Rebecca Humphries released an impassioned statement in which she revealed he called her 'psycho' and 'nuts' for questioning his friendship with Katya

It defeats me and beats me until the plates start spinning and I lose balance and fall and start screaming, so I still get them.

'They're less frequent, I'd never had them before. I'm on anti-anxiety, anti-depression, it's called Sertraline. For me exercise is what helps me.'

Seann said that prior to the kiss he had big dreams for his comedy career but then felt like he was 'living without hope' when the scandal emerged.

He said: 'I was a very dream-like young man, I would dream of doing the Apollo, my sitcom, I was always living in this fantasy land.

'Then it was suddenly the first time I was living without hope.

'A kiss and a statement destroyed my dreams and who I was. What I could have been, what my life could have been, what I could have made myself was gone.'

Split: While Katya was supported by her husband Neil Jones after the 'drunken mistake', their marriage did not last as they announced their split in August 2019 (pictured in April 2019)

On Friday Prime Minister Boris Johnson refused to sack Mr Hancock having accepted an apology that neglected to mention the wife he cheated on - after he was caught on CCTV kissing his most senior aide against the door of his Whitehall office.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said Mr Johnson now 'considered the matter closed' and refused to answer questions on whether Mr Hancock broke the law or ministerial code as the Health Secretary admitted he had 'let people down' and said sorry for flouting social distancing rules.

In an extraordinary statement he did not mention his wife of 15 years Martha, the mother of his three children, who was pictured looking heartbroken while walking the family dog near their north London home, only saying he had 'let people down' and wanted 'privacy for my family on this personal matter'.

Mr Hancock's kiss with Ms Coladangelo, a mother-of-three whose husband Oliver Tress is the founder of clothing shop Oliver Bonas, is alleged to have taken place in the corridor outside his office at the Department for Health's headquarters in central London at around 3pm on May 6 this year - the day of the UK local elections and a week after his first coronavirus jab.

Mr Hancock is said to have checked the corridor is clear before closing the door, leaning on it to stop it opening before launching into their passionate embrace. The Sun claims they have been having an affair that has been the talk of the department - but it is not known if they remain in a relationship that was a secret until now
She gave birth to her second child Delilah in July last year.

And Cara De La Hoyde proudly showcased her post-baby figure in a floral bikini for a mirror selfie on Instagram on Friday.

The Love Island star, 30, jokingly credited her impressive weight loss to having two children and sleep deprivation in the latest snap from her trip abroad with husband Nathan Massey.

'Not bad for two kids': Cara De La Hoyde, 30,proudly showcased her post-baby figure in a floral bikini for a mirror selfie on Instagram on Friday

The mother-of-two posed for a picture wearing a purple floral two-piece, flashing her toned stomach.

Cara showcased her svelte figure in the high-waisted ensemble for the sizzling selfie.

Captioning the picture, she wrote: 'Not bad for 2 kids I recon. No tips just sleep deprivation & 2 children have sponsored this body.'

Several celebrities were quick to share their appreciation for the picture in the comments, including Gary Beadle's fiancee Emma McVey and Cara's husband Nathan Massey.

'No tips': The Love Island star credited her impressive weight loss to having two children and sleep deprivation (pictured with son Freddie, three, and pregnant with her daughter Delilah)

Nathan, 28, and Cara met on series 2 of Love Island, on which the coupled up and went on to win the show.

The pair now share two children together, Freddie, three, and 11-month-old Delilah, and tied the knot in June 2019.

Since having her children, Cara has been open with her 1.1million followers about transforming her body.

She has been sharing more bikini pictures in recent weeks after enjoying a family holiday to Portugal earlier this month with her husband and children.

Looking good: Cara and husband Nathan have been sharing various snaps of herself showing off her svelte body on social media after their family holiday in Portugal earlier this month

The mother-of-two flaunted her figure in a Burberry bikini while paddle boarding with Nathan on holiday.

The reality star looked to be having the best time as she sat on a paddle board while her fellow Love Island star beau Nathan snapped a selfie amid the family holiday at the Quinta do Lago resort.

It came just days before Portugal was removed from the UK's 'green' and quarantine-free travel list amid concerns over the new Nepal Covid variant.

Britons in Portugal were told to dash home before or face quarantine, with many claiming the sudden move to 'amber' list was 'unfair' and 'stressful'.

Water babe: Cara flashed a broad smile as she posed for the Instagram picture, while she held the paddleboard aloft

Cara flashed a broad smile as she posed for the Instagram picture, while she held the paddleboard aloft.

The dark-haired beauty shielded her eyes from the sun with dark sunglasses, while she allowed her raven tresses to fall loosely over her shoulders.

Cara recently claimed she's not 'pretty' enough to appear on Love Island now and warns future stars to expect more trolling than her generation.

The former Islander has given up watching the show after being made to feel inadequate by the stars of more recent series.

In an exclusive interview, Cara, who won the competition in 2016 with husband Nathan, admitted she only went in the TV villa to avoid paying rent for six weeks, while contestants today have preconceived ideas and face 'horrible trolling.

'It would stress me out too much': It comes after Cara recently claimed she's not 'pretty' enough to appear on Love Island now and warns future stars to expect more trolling

Cara told MailOnline: 'I'll be honest I don't really watch Love Island anymore because the people on there, they're just so pretty and everything and it just stresses me out watching these girls walk around and I think "I don't look like that anymore."

'I think it's a really difficult thing to go into now and I'll be honest I don't think I would want to go into Love Island now. It's too big of an industry now for me. It would stress me out too much.

'With Nathan and I and the earlier series it was all about love  we had no expectations of what Love Island was.

'I went in there because I didn't want to pay rent for six weeks! I thought I'll go in there, I'm a little bit of a weirdo and nobody is going to fancy me and I fell in love and met my husband!

'The people on there, they're just so pretty': The former Islander has given up watching the show after being made to feel inadequate by the stars of more recent series

'Nathan and I are really lucky, we have never really been trolled or had any horrible people comment stuff but the amount of stress these lot get now, it's crazy.

'I'm not saying some of them don't bring it on themselves because I reckon some of them do but the pressure now is crazy, especially for couples to stay together after the show.

'Camilla and Jamie, Jess and Dom, those early series, there was a lot less pressure on people to stay together so relationships were more nature.

'I really don't envy them. Back then it was all about love and now it's a bit more of a holiday'
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is celebrating a milestone in her marriage.

On Friday, the 60-year-old Seinfeld star posted a tribute to her husband, actor and writer Brad Hall, 63, after 34 years of wedded bliss.

'34 years in, keeping our head above water. Love and love to the love of my life,' the actress wrote in her caption, with two snaps of the pair in the ocean.

'To the love of my life': Julia Louis-Dreyfus celebrates 34 years of marriage to husband Brad Hall in sweet Instagram post on Friday

Julia, 60, met Brad, 63, while both studying at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, working in a comedy troupe together on campus.

They would go on to perform together on Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1984 and guest-starred alongside each other on two episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The former college sweethearts tied the knot on June 25, 1987, when the actress was 26, and Brad was 29.

Back in the day: The happy couple They performed together on Saturday Night Live from 1982 to 1984 (pictured above) and guest-starred together on two episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm

Five years into their marriage they began having children, and they share two sons together, Henry, 28, and Charles, 24.

Julia has been through an extremely tough time in her personal life more recently, having revealed that she was battling breast cancer in 2017.

In 2019, Brad told UsWeekly that his wife's breast cancer battle had been 'very challenging' but added: 'I think in the end she came out so well. We're blessed and grateful, she's got great health care that, for us, was a wakeup call.'

He said that the ordeal made the pair appreciate life more, saying: 'I think that's really true. Definitely you go, "This isnt a permanent condition, life." And so you do sort of take stock.'

Long-haul: The former college sweethearts tied the knot on June 25, 1987, when the actress was 26, and Brad was 29 (pictured together in February last year)

In a recent interview with Variety, Julia compared her cancer battle to facing lockdown life amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

'I had no sense of arrogance whatsoever about [the pandemic],' she said. 'When you're face-to-face with your mortality in the way that cancer takes you there  the pandemic I found to be strangely the same.'

She added experiencing cancer made her realise 'life is short thing' and made her want to travel more with husband Brad and their kids.

Brad - full name William Bradford Hall - is also a celebrated comedian, director and writer, best known for playing the news anchor on SNL's Weekend Update, and creating sitcoms The Single Guy and Watching Ellie.

He's also made appearances in shows Parks and Recreation and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Mackenzie Davis showed off her rugged survivalist look on Thursday in the first set images to emerge from her upcoming HBO Max miniseries Station Eleven.

The 34-year-old Canadian actress stars on the show as part of a traveling theater company traversing the US in the wake of a deadly pandemic that has wiped out most of the world's population.

She was spotted filming a scene in which her character Kirsten runs into another person in the woods while sporting a hefty tree pruning saw.

Roughing it: Mackenzie Davis, 34, showed off her rugged survivalist look and a tree pruning saw Thursday on the set of her HBO Max miniseries Station Eleven

Considering that her character is living in a post-apocalyptic society, it made sense for Mackenzie's wardrobe to be a hodgepodge of whatever her character could find.

She wore a blue-and-gray one-piece swimsuit as a top while also wearing a dirty gray floral skirt.

The Halt And Catch Fire star wrapped a coral striped shawl around her waist and wore her golden brown locks in a braided ponytail.

To add to the sense of realism, she also sported unshaved underarms for the role.

She could be seen walking through a campground and into the woods, where she met another person while holding the saw.

Mix and match: Her character had a hodgepodge look with a blue-and-gray one-piece swimsuit top, plus a gray floral skirt and a coral striped shawl wrapped around her midriff

Au naturel: She added some veracity to her post-apocalyptic style by showing off her unshaved underarms

There wasn't much in the campground set to distinguish it from a contemporary camping setup, though one pickup truck features a cover with 'Survival is Insufficient' written over one window.

Mackenzie's new series is based on the acclaimed novel Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, which takes place around North America's Great Lakes region and follows a traveling theater company.

Two decades earlier, a swine flu pandemic known as the Georgia Flu swept across the globe, killing most humans.

Mackenzie plays Kirsten, who was just a child when the pandemic devastated the world.

She's now part of the Travelling Symphony, a group that acts out the plays of Shakespeare and gives classical music performances in two-year tours.

When she's not busy performing, Mackenzie's character obsessively researches an actor who died of a heart attack before her eyes when she was eight, played in flashbacks by Gael Garcia Bernal.

Survivor: Mackenzie stars as one of the members of a traveling theater company two decades after a pandemic wiped out most of the world's population

On set: She was seen walking through the woods and a camp set before meeting another person while carrying the pruning saw. The show also stars Himesh Patel and Gael Garcia Bernal

Station Eleven was a finalist for the National Book Award and the Pen/Faulkner Award, and it earned the Arthur C. Clarke Award for science fiction and the Toronto Book Award.

Starring opposite Mackenzie in the series is Yesterday's Himesh Patel, who plays Jeevan, an unemployed man who takes on a leadership role as society collapses amid the Georgia Flu.

The series is being directed by Hiro Murai, best known for helming much of Donald Glover's acclaimed FX series Atlanta, as well as his This Is America video.

Production first began in January of 2020 in Chicago, before the coronavirus pandemic halted filming. It resumed in February of this year, and is expected to wrap up sometime in July.

Despite its timeliness with the ongoing pandemic, Station Eleven was originally envisioned as a film years earlier, and the series was ordered for HBO Max back in 2019.

Acclaimed performance: The Halt And Catch Fire star had a banner 2020, culminating in the hit romantic comedy Happiest Season, which she starred in with Kristen Stewart

Although the ongoing coronavirus pandemic kept many actors out of work for months, Mackenzie was lucky enough to have multiple films completed prior to film set shutdowns.

She starred in the Turn Of The Screw adaptation The Turning early last year, before appearing in Jon Stewart's political comedy Irresistible, which also starred Steve Carell and Topher Grace.

Her holiday comedy Happiest Season debuted on Hulu and earned the biggest debut to date for the streamer, according to Deadline.

She stars as a lesbian woman who forces her girlfriend (Kristen Stewart) to go back into the closet when they visit her seemingly conservative family, who still think she's straight.

The movie was also a hit with critics, who singled out the strong cast, which also featured Allison Brie, Aubrey Plaza, Dan Levy and Mary Steenburgen.
Soap opera legend Susan Lucci shared the sad news on Friday that her mother Jeanette Lucci had died at age 104 in recent weeks.

The 74-year-old All My Children star posted a sweet photo of herself and her mother sharing a meal while she announced her passing in the lengthy caption.

'I am so thankful to God that she was my mom,' gushed the beloved actress.

Saying goodbye: Susan Lucci, 74, bid farewell to her mother Jeanette Lucci on Friday after revealing she had died weeks earlier at age 104

Susan wore an elegant pink lacy outfit in the photo as she celebrated her mother's 100th birthday four years earlier with champagne flutes.

'There were toasts to her and stories' of her rural Pennsylvania childhood and 'lots of love and music and laughter,' she wrote, before the mood turned somber.

'Three weeks ago I received a call saying that my mother had suddenly taken a turn towards end of life  I only hoped and prayed I would get to her in time  I am eternally grateful to God and her wonderful hospice nurses, that I did,' she wrote.

'I was there with her, I was able to tell her all the good things about her, how much I love her, how proud I have always been of her  and hopefully bring her peace.'

The Daytime Emmy winner also repeated part of her previous 104th birthday tribute from March to sing her late mother's praises.

Nick of time: She got a call three weeks ago that her mother was nearing the end. 'I only hoped and prayed I would get to her in time  I am eternally grateful to God and her wonderful hospice nurses, that I did,' she wrote

'Ive always mentioned how spunky my mom was  Im sure that determination really helped her to reach 104!' she wrote.

Susan recounted how her mother was born in 1917 amid the Spanish Flu pandemic and experienced world-shaking changes from two world wars and the Great Depression, going up through 'the birth of the internet' and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

She added that her mother, 'an OR nurse,' was part of 'The Greatest Generation.'

'My mom was a survivor and thriver,' she concluded.

Back in March, the soap opera legend shared a photo of herself beaming with her mother Jeanette after presenting her with a multi-colored birthday cake.

'Celebrate Good Times!!!' she captioned the cute snap. 'Happy Birthday cake with my mom!!!'

Staying close: Susan's mother lived independently until 98. They kept in touch throughout the pandemic via video chats from her assisted living community

Earlier in March, Susan posted a solo photo of her mother, along with a caption reiterating her history.

'She's a survivor and a thriver  and, in addition to have the most beautiful skin  she's still spunky!!!!!' she wrote playfully.

Although the actress wasn't able to see her mother in person throughout much of the pandemic, she shared with AARP in May of 2020 that they were still able to have regular video chats.

She shared that her mother was able to live on her own and remain independent until the ripe age of 98, and she had had a good experience ever since entering an assisted living community.

It wasn't until February that it was safe enough for Susan to see her mother again, shortly before her 104th birthday.

Her secret: In a May 2020 Harper's Bazaar interview, Susan said her mother's longevity was due to her 'resilience and can-do attitude,' though drinking milk didn't hurt; seen in 2019

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar last year, Susan theorized about her mother's secret to longevity.

'My mother is part of the greatest generation, and so I think she has that strength and resilience and can-do attitude. But she's also an eccentric spirit, and I think that's a lot of it too  not taking things too, too seriously has allowed her to roll with the punches, and I admire that very much,' she said, while also suggesting that drinking milk might have helped.

Last spring, the soap star joined AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins for a virtual town hall on nursing homes following a rash of deaths among residents.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, more than 132,000 nursing home residents have died from Covid-19, while nearly 2,000 staff members have died.

That marks a significant chunk of the more than 600,000 people who have died of the virus in the US since the start of the pandemic.
She recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with endometriosis after her excruciating symptoms were repeatedly ignored by doctors.

And Molly-Mae Hague stepped out with her boyfriend Tommy Fury as they enjoyed lunch at JuniperHale in Cheshire on Friday.

The Love Island star, 22, cut a low-key figure in a black Nike tracksuit with a cropped jacket and matching jogging bottoms.

Lunch date: Molly-Mae Hague stepped out with beau Tommy Fury as they enjoyed lunch at JuniperHale in Cheshire on Friday after revealing she has been diagnosed with endometriosis

Adding a pop of colour, Molly-Mae opted for neon trainers and added a touch of glamour with a silver Dior handbag.

The influencer appeared to go makeup-free and she styled her blonde locks into a relaxed sweptback hairdo.

Tommy, 22, also cut a low-key look with black tracksuit bottoms and a loose-fitting white T-shirt.

The loved-up couple sweetly packed on the PDA as they walked hand-in-hand during their lunch date.

Low-key: The Love Island star, 22, cut a low-key figure in a black Nike tracksuit with a cropped jacket and matching jogging bottoms

Details: Adding a pop of colour, Molly-Mae opted for neon trainers and added a touch of glamour with a silver Dior handbag

It comes after Molly-Mae revealed she has been diagnosed with endometriosis after her excruciating symptoms were repeatedly ignored by doctors.

The Love Island star told fans in her latest YouTube video that she will undergo surgery for the condition after finally getting a diagnosis from a private specialist.

Admitting that having endometriosis 'wasn't a good thing,' Molly-Mae reassured fans that the procedure could help treat the condition, but there was still chance it could return in later life.

In her latest online post Molly-Mae documented 24 hours in her daily life, which included dashing around London to pose in glamorous shoots.

Candid: It comes after Molly-Mae told fans in her latest YouTube video that she will undergo surgery for endometriosis after finally getting a diagnosis from a private specialist

However at the end of the video she shared her diagnosis, after struggling with painful periods throughout her life.

She said: 'I actually have got to have an operation for something that I want to tell you guys about. It's kind of a good thing and it's kind of a bad thing.

'I've told you guys for so long now that I suffer with excruciating periods and so many of you guys were commenting on my videos telling me to check for endometriosis.'

Molly-Mae added that she was repeatedly told by doctors she couldn't have endometriosis, and finally decided to seek help from a private specialist.

Shock diagnosis! This isn't the first time Molly-Mae has shared her health fears with fans, as last year she learned a mole removed from her leg was cancerous

She explained: 'Straight away they said ''You absolutely do have endometriosis, it's clear as day''. So I guess that's kind of a good thing because at least I know now what it is.

'It's not a good thing that I have endometriosis, because obviously it can affect fertility and loads of other things, and you can never really cure it.'

Explaining there was still a 40 per cent chance the condition could return, Molly-Mae told fans she knew surgery was the next step.

Endometriosis occurs when cells in the lining of the womb are found elsewhere in the body.

WHAT IS ENDOMETRIOSIS? Endometriosis occurs when cells in the lining of the womb are found elsewhere in the body. Each month, these cells react in the same way as those in the womb; building up, breaking down and bleeding. Yet, the blood has no way to escape the body. Symptoms include pain, heavy periods and fatigue, as well as a higher risk of infertility, and bowel and bladder problems. Its cause is unknown but may be genetic, related to problems with the immune system or exposure to chemicals. Treatment focuses on pain relief and improving quality of life, which may include surgery or hormone treatment. Source: Endometriosis UK Advertisement





Each month, these cells react in the same way as those in the womb; building up, breaking down and bleeding. Yet, the blood has no way to escape the body.

Symptoms can include pain, heavy periods and fatigue, as well as a higher risk of infertility, and bowel and bladder problems.

This isn't the first time Molly-Mae has shared her health fears with fans, as last year she learned a mole removed from her leg was cancerous.

The star broke down in tears as her doctor told her via telephone that the mole was a malignant melanoma - a type of skin cancer - after she filmed herself being given the diagnosis for a YouTube video posted in November.
They have been happily dating for two years.

And AJ Pritchard and Abbie Quinnen looked more loved-up than ever on Friday as they enjoyed a date day in London.

The former I'm a Celebrity star, 26, and dancer, 24, shared sweet snaps with wooden elephant sculptures in Berkeley Square to Instagram.

Cute: AJ Pritchard and Abbie Quinnen looked more loved-up than ever on Friday as they enjoyed a date day in London, which they documented with a series of Instagram snaps

Abbie looked stylish in an oversized white shirt which she paired with mom jeans, and the star completed her look with black boots and a black quilted chain strap bag.

AJ looked casual in jeans, a black T-shirt and jacket which he paired with white and red trainers.

The couple posed for a series of snaps with the elephant structures and Abbie captioned the post: 'I've got a trunk full of love for you @aj11ace and the elephants 

Date: The former I'm a Celebrity star, 26, and dancer, 24, shared sweet snaps with wooden elephant sculptures in Berkeley Square to Instagram

Style: AJ looked casual in jeans, a black T-shirt and jacket which he paired with white and red trainers

While sharing the same shots on his own profile AJ wrote: 'Love this concept 

'A herd of 100 elephant sculptures have taken up space in London's Royal Parks for the rest of the month to provide families the opportunity to take part in one of the country's biggest outdoor exhibitions.

'The free six-week exhibition, set up by the Elephant Family and The Real Elephant Collective, aims to help educate the public on the elephants and the ways in which humans can better protect the planet's biodiversity.'

Abbie suffered horrific second and third-degree burns earlier this year in a freak fire accident when filming a YouTube video with AJ.

In a segment on Wednesday's Lorraine, Abbie stripped down to her swimwear and did a little dance as she showed off her body, after noting she hasn't shown her scars to anyone in person apart from AJ and her family.

Happy couple: The couple posed for a series of snaps with the elephant structures and Abbie captioned the post: 'I've got a trunk full of love for you @aj11ace and the elephants 

Empowered: Abbie bravely revealed her scars in a turquoise bikini after feeling empowered by other burns survivors, sharing that she feels 'free'

Abbie also revealed the true extent of her injuries and how she deals with them on a daily basis, six months on from the horrifying ordeal.

The beauty had joined Katie Piper (who herself suffered life-changing burns after an acid attack in 2008) on the show where they spoke to two women who told how they've learned to embrace their scars and their bodies.

And after learning about the ladies' (who were both dressed in swimwear) experiences, Abbie then revealed that she now felt 'confident' to don her own bikini for the segment which was shot at an outdoor swimming pool.

Addressing the women, Abbie said: 'You guys have given me the confidence to actually show off my scars. Let's be empowered together!'

Ordeal: The dancer suffered horrific second and third-degree burns earlier this year in a freak fire accident when filming a YouTube video with AJ

Katie, 37, then described it as a 'big moment' for Abbie as she was seen emerging from a changing room in a bright blue bikini before proceeding to dance about.

Explaining how she felt, Abbie said: 'I'm actually feeling like free a bit. This is such a weird moment, I've never shown my scars to anyone apart from AJ and my family.'

She added: 'I'm so pleased that I got out there and I am showing the word my scars. This is the first time ever and I'm feeling so positive!'

Meanwhile in the segment, Abbie shared how she needs to moisturise the burns four times a day.

Well done: In a segment on Wednesday's Lorraine, Abbie stripped down to her swimwear and did a little dance as she showed off her body

Chat: The beauty had joined Katie Piper on the show where they spoke to two women who told how they've learned to embrace their scars and their bodies

Free: Explaining how she felt, Abbie said: 'I'm actually feeling like free a bit. This is such a weird moment, I've never shown my scars to anyone apart from AJ and my family'

She said: 'I basically just have to use circular motions and keep all of my scars hydrated. And after I do that I use my silicone sheets.

'Then I put my compression vest on, which I wear for 23 hours a day.'

Her boyfriend AJ is also seen speaking in the clip, and he mentioned how hard it is sometimes to see what his girlfriend has to go through.

He said: 'There are very bad days and there are very, very bad lows. And it makes me feel very upset.'

Strong: Abbie and Katie posed with two other burns survivors who also rocked swimwear for the segment (L-R: Katie, Rochelle Barrett, Abbie and Sylvia Mac)

Incredible: Sharing the snaps to Instagram, Abbie said meeting the other women was 'such a special moment meeting these 3 incredible ladies! Definitely a moment I will never ever forget'

Aftermath: Abbie also revealed the true extent of her injuries and how she deals with them on a daily basis, six months on from the horrifying ordeal.

Abbie suffered horrific burns in a freak fire accident while she was filming a YouTube video with AJ in January where they attempted to turn a wine bottle into a vase.

She needed three skin grafts after a YouTube video she was filming with her boyfriend went horribly wrong and saw the bottle explode and set fire to her hair and clothing on January 19.

She has previously detailed the fears she felt for her life during the accident while her beau AJ spoke about how 'seconds felt like a lifetime' when he attempted to quell the flames consuming her during an appearance on Lorraine.

And despite the ordeal, Abbie remained positive about her recovery as she said: 'I'm doing OK a lot better than I was, that's for sure. My face has almost healed now.'

She continued: 'I think when it happened I was just thinking the worst, my face is never going to look the same again, I'm always going to have scars on my body.

Careful: Abbie says: 'I basically just have to use circular motions and keep all of my scars hydrated. And after I do that I use my silicone sheets'

Agony: The professional dancer needed three skin grafts after a video she was filming with her boyfriend went wrong and saw a wine bottle explode and set fire to her hair and clothing

'I'm never going to be able to dance or perform and do what I love doing, so I instantly thought that was it for me. Luckily my face is healing really well.'

Abbie revealed last month that she struggles to find clothes to wear because she has to wear a compression vest '23 hours a day' and keep her scars out of the sun.

Taking to Instagram, the dancer made the candid admission, revealing that she is always left 'panicking' before she leaves home.
Vin Diesel has revealed that he 'would love' to cast iconic British actor Michael Caine in the Fast And Furious franchise.

Revealing the one person he would love to star alongside in the high-octane film series, Diesel, 53, said: 'Who else would I want? Personally, I would just love to have my mate Michael Caine be a part.'

Mentioning The Last Witch Hunter - the 2015 film that he and Caine, 88, starred in together - Diesel added when speaking to Digital Spy: 'He's a part of Witch Hunter, grateful to have worked with him on The Last Witch Hunter.'

New role? Vin Diesel, 53, has revealed that he 'would love' to cast iconic British actor Michael Caine, 88, in the Fast And Furious franchise

The actor also made sure to name-drop all of the A-list actors who have appeared in the Fast And Furious franchise so far.

'We got Charlize, we've got Michael Rooker, we've got Cardi B, we've got Helen Mirren, we've got Statham, we've got Dwayne, we've got so many people that we've brought into the franchise,' Diesel gushed.

Teasing big names that may appear in the film's tenth instalment, he then joked that fans 'have to wait to see who's coming'.

It comes after Diesel stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday to promote the new film, in cinemas now, where he opened up about working with his 10-year-old son Vincent in the movie.

Sweet: Revealing the one person he would love to star alongside in the series, Diesel said: 'I would just love to have my mate Michael Caine be a part' (Pictured: The F9 film poster)

The xXx star got emotional when talking about working alongside his son, along with his co-star Jordana Brewster's son Jordan.

When Fallon mentioned his son Vincent, he leapt out of his seat, dabbing tears from his eyes, before saying that it actually wasn't his idea to put Vincent in the movie.

'First off, it wasn't my idea, it was Justin Lin, the director. We've been making these movies for so long that every time one of my children were born, I was usually working on a Fast & Furious movie.'

Co-stars: Diesel and Caine starred together in 2015's The Last Witch Hunter (pictured together in a still from the film)

'The thing I remember the most was coming home that day, because when you see the movie, it's kind of a deep scene so Dom is in a deep state of mind,' Diesel added.

'My son was watching me work the whole day and it wasn't until I got home that I saw a twinkle in his eye because he had finally seen his father come home, opposed to being with Dom Toretto the whole day.'

Tuesday also marked the exact 20th anniversary of the franchise's first film, 2001's The Fast and the Furious, hitting theaters, which was astonishing to Diesel.

'If you would have told me 20 years from now we'd be here, 20 years ago I would have thought you were crazy,' Diesel said.

Fallon: Diesel stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday to promote the new film, in theaters June 25, where he opened up about working with his 10-year-old son Vincent in the movie

Diesel has been dating Mexican model Paloma Jimenez since 2007, and the couple share three kids together, 13-year-old daughter Hania, 10-year-old Vincent and six-year-old Pauline.

The action star made headlines earlier today as well when he opened up about his feud with Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, which boiled over in The Fate of the Furious.

'It was a tough character to embody, the Hobbs character,' Diesel told Men's Health of The Rock's character, Luke Hobbs.

'My approach at the time was a lot of tough love to assist in getting that performance where it needed to be,' he added.

'As a producer to say, 'Okay, we're going to take Dwayne Johnson, who's associated with wrestling, and we're going to force this cinematic world, audience members, to regard his character as someone that they don't know' - Hobbs hits you like a ton of bricks,' he said.

'That's something that I'm proud of, that aesthetic. That took a lot of work. We had to get there and sometimes, at that time, I could give a lot of tough love. Not Felliniesque, but I would do anything I'd have to do in order to get performances in anything I'm producing,' he added.
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne is fighting to have a lawyer removed from her estranged husband's bankruptcy case after the attorney had filed documents which alleged she was not cooperating in the investigation earlier this week.

Now the 49-year-old reality star's lawyers have claimed that she 'has been and remains willing to cooperate fully' with the investigation and demand that attorney Ronald N. Richards be booted from the case according to new documents obtained by Page Six on Friday.

This comes just a day after it was reported that Jayne was being accused of refusing to submit bank records to an investigator who was combing through her 82-year-old estranged husband Tom Girardi's assets amid his bankruptcy case.

According to the publication, Jayne's lawyers want Richards removed for making 'false and inflammatory social media posts and public statements' about her.

Scroll down for video

Taking a stand: The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne (seen on the show in an episode which aired this week) is fighting to have a lawyer removed from her estranged husband's bankruptcy case after the attorney had filed documents which alleged she was not cooperating in the investigation earlier this week

The documents continue to say that the RHOBH star 'is not a media fiction. She is a real person with rights, including the right to be treated fairly in these proceedings based on actual evidence and the law.'

When it comes to Richards' social media posts, her lawyers claim they 'violate the ethical rules to which he is bound and that unfairly target [her] in an attempt to destroy her credibility before any claim is even brought against her in this proceeding.'

Jayne's lawyers also assert that Richards 'continued to harass' her 'publicly through extra-judicial statements, including social media' to his over 16K followers in addition to engaging in interviews on YouTube which they believe harm the case.

The reality star also included screenshots of his social media activity, which were specifically aimed at Jayne and Girardi, in her filing.

Interesting: Now the 49-year-old reality star's lawyers have claimed that she 'has been and remains willing to cooperate fully' with the investigation and demand that attorney Ronald N. Richards be booted from the case according to new documents obtained by Page Six on Friday

Former flame: This comes just a day after it was reported that Jayne was being accused of refusing to submit bank records to an investigator who was combing through her 82-year-old estranged husband Tom Girardi's assets amid his bankruptcy case

Richards did not take the allegations lightly as he released a statement to Page Six on Friday which read: 'Not a single professional of Erikas has cooperated with our office regarding the Girardi Keese estate.

'We have filed numerous motions seeking documents and communications. This motion is designed to slow down our work. The Thomas Girardi estate is moving for relief from stay to pursue her in state court. This does not look like cooperation.'

He then took aim at Jayne's legal team's assertions about his social media following and conduct.

Richards told the publication: 'It is laughable to suggest that our 16,000 followers compared to Erikas 417,000 followers in a City of 12,500,000 would somehow would have an impact on anything.

'The first amendment does not leave itself in the doorways of the courthouse and the motion is a transparent attempt to interfere with the Trustees choice of counsel. These first amendment arguments were previously raised by her other counsel and rejected. No gag order was issued.

'Simply submitting innocuous and inadmissible hearsay comments on publicly filed documents does not create any relevant or actionable information.'

Earlier this week, allegations that Jayne refused to submit bank records were levelled in a new motion filed Wednesday by petitioning credits who accused Jayne of declining to hand over documents including bank statements to the bankruptcy trustee investigating her estranged husband's assets

Earlier this week, allegations that Jayne refused to submit bank records were levelled in a new motion filed Wednesday by petitioning credits who accused Jayne of declining to hand over documents including bank statements to the bankruptcy trustee investigating her estranged husband's assets, according to People.

The 82-year-old's law firm Girardi Keese filed for bankruptcy last year, and a recent motion also alleged Jayne's companies had received $20 million in loans from the firm in recent years.

The motion requests that Michael Ullman, Jayne's accountant, procure 'key financial documents' such as receipts, bank statements, and pay stubs. It has also requested all communications that have occurred between Jayne's divorce lawyer Larry Ginsburg and Ullman, according to People.

'Erika has refused to provide access to her management company, her CPA which also houses her management company, any books and records of EJ Global or any of her affiliated companies,' the motion reads.

'As each day goes by, Erika has been publicly dissipating community assets by selling her clothes on public websites, flaunting large jewels on social media and on television, and has done nothing to assist in return structured firm payments being made to her instead of the firm by the California lottery, notwithstanding she was contacted through counsel over twelve days ago.'

The motion also accused Jayne of preventing access to her accountant, according to People.

Claims: Girardi's law firm Girardi Keese filed for bankruptcy last year, and a recent motion also alleged Jayne's companies had received $20 million in loans from the firm in recent years

'At every turn, Erika has used the glam to continue to aid and abet this sham transactions that have been occurring with respect to large transfers of assets from the [Girardi Keese] to Erika,' the motion reads. 'Moreover, the Trustee has received zero cooperation from Erika which is constant [sic] with someone hiding assets.'

New developments involving Erika, such as news her attorneys had dropped her before returning as her counsel, also raised concerns the reality star would spend money allegedly transferred to her from 'the Debtor', aka Girardi Keese.

These events have intensified 'the necessity to trace her money and investigate the receipt of funds, her purchases including the bling and the glam, (diamonds and high expenditures of beauty maintenance, etc.).'

The motion also took aim at Jayne's recent social media response to photos taken of her at a gas station, dressed down, amid accusations she and her ex Girardi embezzled his clients.

Glammed up: Jayne has flaunted her wealthy lifestyle on The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

'Goodnight Twitter, please be in full glam when pumping gas. Apparently it's a big deal,' Erika, 49, tweeted on Monday, along with a rolling eyes emoji after the photos emerged.

She also replied to several Twitter users earlier sticking up for her and the dressed down look.

The motion called the response 'callous' and speculated the wealth she was flaunting could have been money intended for those 'cheated out of their money.'

'As recently as yesterday, she callously sent out on social medial [sic] her bewilderment why people would continue to be upset at her displays of wealth (glam) while at a gas station, not-withstanding this money could be the Debtor's and clients of the Debtor's settlement proceeds, as well as other lenders and attorneys who have been cheated out of their money,' the motion read.

Concerns: Recent events involving Erika, such as news her attorneys had dropped her before returning as her counsel, also raised concerns the reality star would spend money allegedly transferred to her from 'the Debtor', aka Girardi Keese

Girardi's legal license in California was revoked in March, the same month he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Girardi faces a litany of legal problems, including a $2 million class action lawsuit claiming fraud and embezzlement from the firm Edelson PC in connection with the 2018 Lion Air Flight 610 crash, in which all 189 people onboard died.

He and Jayne were sued for allegedly embezzling funds meant for families of victims, while Edelson PC, a firm for their ex clients, said in court docs their divorce last fall was orchestrated to 'fraudulently protect Tom and Erika's money' as they're 'on the verge of financial collapse.'

In the Hulu documentary The Housewife and the Hustler, attorney Sunny Hostin pointed out that Erika is seeking to have her high-dollar items classified as 'separate property' in their split, claiming they were 'gifts to her.'

Reporter Brandon Lowrey of Law360 said in the doc that the estranged couple is 'together in these bankruptcy proceedings' and that 'it's going to be hard for her to say she didn't know that anything was going on.'

In a preview for the show's 11th season, Jayne said of the accusations, 'No one knows the answer but him.'
She was recently forced to hit back at troll after accusing them of 'skinny-shaming'.

But Laura Anderson put on a defiant display in a sexy coral swimsuit as she shared a short clip to her Instagram Stories on Friday.

The former Love Island star, 32, showcased her toned figure in the gorgeous one-piece as she sipped on cocktails at the beach with a friend.

Stunning: Laura Anderson put on a defiant display in a sexy coral swimsuit as she shared a short clip to her Instagram Stories on Friday after hitting back at a 'skinny-shaming' troll

The star completed her look with a cream visor to protect her face from the Dubai sun, and captioned her post: 'The visor is back'.

She was forced to hit back at a vile troll on Wednesday after she was 'skinny-shamed' for sharing pictures of herself performing yoga.

The influencer had posted a collection of stunning photos of herself holding a series of impressive poses at The View at The Palm in Dubai.

In the snaps, Laura displayed her toned figure in an olive green crop top and matching leggings.

Fun: The former Love Island star showcased her toned figure in the gorgeous one-piece as she sipped on cocktails at the beach with a friend

Hitting back: Laura was forced to hit back at a vile troll on Wednesday after she was 'skinny-shamed' for sharing pictures of herself performing yoga

And despite being praised for her impressive yoga moves by her 1.4m followers, one vile troll 'skinny-shamed' the star and even cruelly said: 'Get some curves on you love'.

They cruelly wrote: 'You look so skinny, and not in a healthy way. Almost bulimic or anorexic. I say this with love, but get some curves on you girl. Doesnt harm to have abit of wobble' followed by a heart emoji.

To which a shocked Laura replied back with: 'Wow.'

The Scottish reality star's 1.4m followers were also quick to hit back at the troll and support Laura.

Gorgeous: The star had posted a collection of stunning photos of herself holding a series of impressive poses at The View at The Palm in Dubai

Vile: And despite being praised for her impressive yoga moves by her 1.4m followers, one vile troll 'skinny-shamed' the star and even cruelly said: 'Get some curves on you love'

One person said: 'Your words are harmful. She is naturally skinny, and women come in all shapes and sizes. Stop commenting on other people's bodies it is not OK.'

While a different follower put: 'Why do you feel the need to pass judgment on another womens body.

'Honestly we as women are all different and all perfect in our own way and no one should ever feel the need to drag another women down, there are enough men out there doing that for us!

'#supportwomen #bekind #perfectthewayweare. You look fantastic Laura,fit, healthy and happy.'

While a different fan added: '@lauraanderson1x I personally think she looks absolutely stunning! But the most important thing, is HAPPY!!!! She look so Happy and that what matters most.'

Support: The Scottish reality star's 1.4m followers were also quick to hit back at the troll and support Laura with one person saying: 'Your words are harmful'

Earlier this year, Laura, who propelled to fame on the 2018 series of Love Island as a 29-year-old air hostess, spoke about the trolling she has received since the show.

The reality star, who was one of the oldest singletons on the series, said she has also been trolled relentlessly about her age.

In an interview with The Sun, the television personality revealed the fickle side of fame and detailed how she's lost out on jobs to her peers due to being 'past it'.

Speaking about the hate she gets regarding her age, Laura said: 'I get called a "wrinkly, washed-up has-been" or they'll say, "You dont look a day over 50", tell me I'm "past it" or ask, "Why are you in a club? Go home, Grandma".

Tough: Earlier this year, Laura, who propelled to fame on the 2018 series of Love Island as a 29-year-old air hostess, spoke about the trolling she has received since the show

'If I'm pictured with a guy, theyll say I look like I could be his mum. There is this obsession with age and so much judgment over a womans appearance, which men simply dont get.'

Laura continued: 'I just hadn't experienced ageism before. But on the island it became very apparent that I was the older girl.'

During her stint on the ITV2 show, the Scottish beauty said she was horrified when her father had to get her birth certificate to prove she wasn't lying about her age.

Hurtful: The reality star, who was one of the oldest singletons on the series, said she has also been trolled relentlessly about her age (pictured on the show in 2018)

And following her exit, Laura said she was constantly compared to her female co-stars who 'would definitely get jobs over me because they were younger'.

Laura said she was dropped from a high fashion brand campaign, which many Love Islanders go on to work with, because her 'age didn't fit the demographic' and because she 'wouldn't get any younger' the retailer couldn't commit to working with her.

The reality star admitted the feedback, delivered by her agent, made her feel 'ashamed of my appearance and years on this planet'.

Only recently, Laura moved into a new home with her boyfriend Dane Bowers in Dubai after the couple rekindled their romance.
Priyanka Chopra is permanently devoted to being a dog mom.

The 38-year-old wife of Nick Jonas showed off new tattoos on her ankle in the form of paw prints to honor their three dogs.

The 28-year-old Jonas Brothers member shared an Instagram Story featuring their feet which showcased the fresh ink dedicated to their three pooches while tagging them as they each have their own Instagram pages.

Scroll down for video

Dog mom: Priyanka Chopra showed off new tattoos on her ankle in the form of paw prints to honor their three dogs in an Instagram story posted by her husband Nick Jonas

Furry family: The A-list couple share three pets: Chihuahua Diana, German shepherd Gino, and Husky Australian Shepard mix rescue Panda (as they are seen in this post from August 2020)

The A-list couple share three pets: Chihuahua Diana, German shepherd Gino, and Husky Australian Shepard mix rescue Panda.

Priyanka reposted her husband's Instagram Story with the caption: 'My all [heart emoji] @nickjonas.'

Last August, the power couple revealed that they added Panda to the family in a cute snap with Priyanka petting Gino as Nick cradled the new addition.

Squad: The 38-year-old actress and 28-year-old Jonas Brothers member tagged their dogs as they each have their own Instagram pages

Priyanka reposted her husband's Instagram Story with the caption: 'My all [heart emoji] @nickjonas'

Diana - who Priyanka owned prior to her relationship with Nick - also made an appearance in the bottom of the frame via Photoshop.

'Welcome to the family Panda! Panda is a Husky Australian Shepard mix rescue and were already in love [heart emoji],' Nick wrote on his post.

Priyanka expanded a bit in her own caption.

'Welcome to the family Panda! Panda is a HuskyAustralian Shepard mix rescue and were already in love [heart emoji]': Last August, the power couple revealed that they added Panda to the family

'Our new family portrait! Welcome to the family, Panda! We adopted this little rescue (soon he wont be so little) just a few weeks ago. We cant be sure but he seems to be a Husky Australian Shepard mix.... and those eyes... and the ears!!!' she noted, before mentioning that Diana had to be added in after the fact.

'BTW @diariesofdiana wasnt around for our little photoshoot, but we couldnt leave our #1 girl out...so...we made it work!'

She tagged Hollywood Huskies, a nonprofit dog rescue for huskies and husky mixes that saves them from shelters that euthanize.

Before: Priyanka is seen previously without the ink on her foot

Though the puppy was mostly black and white, he had bits of tan fur on his chest and face and displayed heterochromia, with one eye blue and the other brown.

At the time, Nick's older German Shepherd was still a recent addition to the family after Priyanka gave him to the former Disney star as an anniversary gift last year.

In December 2019, Nick mentioned on The Late, Late Show with James Corden that the majestic dog had became more popular than Diana online.

'We put both our dogs on Instagram and Dianas been on Instagram for about a year and a half, and Gino, he doubled her followers in a day,' he joked. 'She was not happy about that.'
Mission: Impossible 7 filming has reportedly been paused again due to a positive Covid test with crew members speculating it could be Tom Cruise.

Despite there being 'no proof' to back up the idle talk, it has been claimed that people are gossiping it could be Tom, 58, due to his alleged absence on set.

A source told The Sun: 'Filming on Mission Impossible 7 is on hold again because of coronavirus. And this time, those working on the production have said they think Tom could be the possible cause of the postponement.

Claims: Mission: Impossible 7 filming has reportedly been paused again due to a positive Covid test with crew members speculating it could be Tom Cruise (pictured on set in April)

'Everyone on the set was told that filming was being stopped again because of a positive test. And since then, Tom hasn't been on set once.

'Now people are speculating that he could have come into contact with the person who tested positive. And in some cases, people are even gossiping and saying it could be him.'

The source added that there is 'no proof' to back up the allegations, however, it hasn't stopped crew members from 'gossiping about it'.

MailOnline has contacted both Tom's and Mission: Impossible film representatives for comment.

Gossip: Despite there being 'no proof' to back up the idle talk, it has been claimed that people are gossiping it could be Tom, 58, due to his alleged absence on set (pictured on set in November)

It is not known whether Tom has received the Covid vaccine or not, although despite being proven to dramatically cut the risk of coronavirus, none of the jabs approved in Britain are 100 per cent effective.

It means some vaccinated people will inevitably get infected without having any symptoms, leaving them unaware they are infected and contagious  unless they get tested.

In March, it was reported that Tom had surprised NHS staff to thank them for working though the coronavirus pandemic.

The movie star is thought to have secretly visited the ExCel Centre in East London to 'pay personal tribute to frontline health staff'.

A source told The Sun at the time: 'He told his team he wanted to pay his personal tribute to frontline health staff who have helped get movies back on track.

Source: A source told The Sun : 'Filming on Mission Impossible 7 is on hold again because of coronavirus. And this time, those working on the production have said they think Tom could be the possible cause of the postponement.' (pictured with co-star Hayley Atwell on set in April)

'They were really shocked to see such a huge movie star. Tom wanted to keep it a secret and ensure it was a nice surprise for them.

'The world had heard his rant at crew on set and that proved just how seriously he has taken the pandemic.'

MailOnline contacted representatives for Tom Cruise and the ExCel Centre for further comment at the time.

The ExCel Centre is a major vaccine centre with another part of the site being used for the NHS Nightingale Hospital's patient rehabilitation facility.

Sweet: In March, it was reported that Tom had surprised NHS staff to thank them for working though the coronavirus pandemic (pictured in 2018)

Elsewhere, earlier this month, it was claimed that Tom was reportedly in a rush to finish filming Mission: Impossible 7 in only three weeks.

Thanks to several delays to the shooting schedule brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, there was said to be only 21 days left to get the film completed.

A source told The Sun: 'Mission: Impossible has been hit by so many delays, there is now a huge pressure to finish on time.

'Tom and the team are tearing their hair out. Some of the crew are agency contractors and are already booked to move on to new projects.

Why can people still catch Covid after getting vaccinated? Despite being proven to dramatically cut the risk of Covid, none of the jabs approved in Britain are 100 per cent effective. Rigorous scientific studies on tens of thousands of volunteers showed how vaccines almost completely removed the risk of participants falling seriously ill or dying from the coronavirus. And the jabs were also highly effective at stopping people developing tell-tale symptoms of the disease. But no coronavirus vaccine will ever be able to completely wipe out the risk of getting infected. It means some vaccinated people will inevitably get infected without having any symptoms, leaving them unaware they are infected and contagious  unless they get tested. Government analysis of the vaccines currently used in Britain suggests 30 per cent of inoculated people may still go on to catch it without getting sick. Some inoculated adults will also fall ill if they get infected  but the risk of getting symptoms is much lower, as has been proven by trials from across the world. And the risk of becoming seriously ill, being hospitalised or dying from the virus is even smaller. It means deaths and hospitalisations from coronavirus will still occur in the coming months, but No10's scientific advisers hope  and believe  they will be at much lower levels than seen throughout the pandemic so far. Advertisement

'Without them, Tom will be left scratching around for replacements. And if that wasn't enough, he has his own scheduling conflicts.'

The source added that as Top Gun 2 is released in November, Tom will have to begin promotional work for the movie soon.

While the majority of the next Mission: Impossible is already filmed, there was said to be one final big scene to do that involved a speeding train being driven over the edge of a cliff.

MailOnline contacted a representative for Tom Cruise for comment at the time.

It comes after Tom was reportedly forced to self-isolate for two weeks after 14 people on the UK set of Mission: Impossible 7 tested positive for coronavirus.

Rush: Earlier this month, it was claimed that Tom was reportedly in a rush to finish filming Mission: Impossible 7 in only three weeks (pictured in 2018)

The actor was said to have spent a day filming with four female dancers as they shot scenes in a nightclub for the upcoming movie, who later tested positive.

Filming of the new instalment has been taking place at Longcross Studios in Chertsey, Surrey, and production was halted and the 60-member team self-isolated amid the positive tests.

Mission: Impossible 7 filming has been hit with several set backs and delays amid the Covid pandemic, with it shooting on location in Italy, the UK and Norway.

In December it was reported that five crew members had quit after Tom launched into two rants.

The actor was said to have given staff a dressing down after he caught them breaking UK Covid rules at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire.

Delays: Thanks to several delays to the shooting schedule brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, there was said to be only 21 days left to get the film completed (pictured in October)

A source claimed after news of the first outburst was made public, there was 'more anger' at the already 'tense' production.

An insider said: 'Tension has been building for months and this was the final straw. Since it became public there has been more anger and several staff have walked.

'But Tom just can't take any more after all the lengths they have gone to just to keep filming at all. He's upset others aren't taking it as seriously as him.'

They added that it was Tom who feels responsible for the production after putting so much time and money into ensuring precautions are in place so the team can film.

It was previously reported that the Hollywood star scolded workers who flouted social distancing rules while filming at Warner Bros. Studios.

MailOnline contacted Tom's representatives for further comment at the time.

Tom later addressed his outburst in an interview with Empire magazine, stating: 'I said what I said. There was a lot at stake at that point. But it wasn't my entire crew. I had the crew leave the set, and it was just select people.'

'And here we are, continuing to film. I do Zoom parties and kids' parties also, you know!' he joked.

It comes after Tom reportedly had to call security to deal with trespassers breaking into the huge Mission: Impossible 7 set in Yorkshire.

The movie had been filming in the village of Stoney Middleton in Derbyshire, with the movie using Darlton Quarry for some of the stunt scenes.

A source told The Sun that because the area was so large, it had been difficult to seal it off and stop daredevil's from trying to climb the production's equipment.

They explained: 'So trespassers have been getting in and attempting to scale the rigs and equipment set up for the stunts.

Filming: Crew first began shooting scenes in February in 2020, a few weeks prior to the first global lockdown, and production has been delayed multiple times due to the pandemic

'Police were called to one incident last week and then Tom was forced to take action when it happened again.

'Extra security might have to be drafted in Along with it being a safety nightmare, Tom and the team don't want any delays to filming.'

The second incident mentioned by the source reportedly involved two intruders 'clambering' all over the set, however security were on site to get them off.

MailOnline contacted Tom Cruise's representative for further comment at the time.

In February it was reported that plans to shoot MI7 in the Middle East had been abandoned after production staff 'demanded' to return to the UK before mandatory 10-day hotel quarantine rules are enforced.

The Sun reported that studio executives were forced to hire a private jet to ensure staff could return home.

A source said to the publication: 'The whole production has hit yet another issue and there have been revolts among the cast and crew.

'Morale is really down and many of the younger staff who aren't earning the big bucks just don't feel it's worth it any more.'

Crew first began shooting scenes in February in 2020, a few weeks prior to the first global lockdown, and production has been delayed multiple times due to the pandemic.

Mission: Impossible 7 is currently slated for release on May 27, 2022, with Mission: Impossible 8 expected to follow on July 7, 2023.
Emmerdale actor James Moore has marked his and his girlfriend Sophie Edwards' two-year anniversary with a gushing Instagram post.

Sharing five loved-up photos, James - who is best known for playing Ryan Stocks in the ITV soap - told his partner: 'We are stronger than ever.'

James, 28, made sure to let Sophie know 'I love you' and posted snaps of their adventures over the years, including one of the pair at Disneyland and another of himself cosied up to his girlfriend at her graduation ceremony.

Sweet: Emmerdale actor James Moore, 28, has marked his and his girlfriend Sophie Edwards' two-year anniversary with a gushing Instagram post

Best known: James is best known for playing Ryan Stocks on Emmerdale - the long-lost son of Charity Dingle

Posting a lengthy caption alongside his post, James wrote in full: '2 years. I can't believe it. We've had 2 amazing, happy, incredible years together.

'We've come so far from where we started. We live together, we have our own little fur baby, and we are stronger than ever.'

He sweetly added: 'I'm so thankful for your support and encouragement and just pure, absolute love that you give me each and every day, and I can't wait to make some new memories with you in the years to come. Happy anniversary, I love you.'

James made history in 2019 after becoming the first disabled winner of a National Television Award.

'Stronger than ever': Sharing five loved-up photos, James told his partner: 'We are stronger than ever'

Adventures: James made sure to let Sophie know 'I love you' and posted snaps of their adventures over the years

But, James, who has cerebral palsy, told the Daily Mirror days after his win that he was about to quit acting when he landed the role of Ryan.

During the candid, the actor admitted that two years prior to picking up the Best Newcomer gong he almost gave up on his acting dream as he was told there were no roles for him, but has since been branded an 'inspiration' by fans.

He said: 'You have to have belief and confidence in yourself and not rely on the acceptance of others. I'm loving what I am doing. I'm getting great feedback from people, I've won this wonderful award - and I am living my best life.'

Trips: James' photos included one of the pair at Disneyland and another of himself cosied up to his girlfriend at her graduation ceremony

New home: In his caption, James revealed that he and Sophie had moved in together and even had a 'fur baby'

Caption: James posted a lengthy caption alongside his post, writing: '2 years. I can't believe it. We've had 2 amazing, happy, incredible years together'

James went on to reveal he'd dreamed of becoming an actor since a young age and even studied drama at school, but was told repeatedly there would be no parts for him.

After giving up on his dream - and studying photography at university - it was an episode of Breaking Bad - which featured Walter White's son played RJ Mitte who also has cerebral palsy - that convinced him to give acting another try.

'I thought ''Oh my God there is hope,''' he added.

Just two weeks after signing an agent James landed the role of Ryan Stocks on Emmerdale - and immediately took centre stage as the long-lost son of Charity Dingle.
DARIEN  Over the years, it seemed as if no one would be able to dethrone Jayme Stevenson as first selectman in Darien.

Now it appears no one will.

The head of the towns Board of Selectmen announced she would not seek reelection this year, putting an end to a 10-year run as first selectman.

On Thursday, Stevenson said the feedback shes received since her announcement has been overwhelmingly positive.

Usually, politicians dont get a lot of feedback other than complaints, she said. Its heartwarming to hear how grateful people have been for my town service.

Not surprisingly, Stevenson said the past year was the most challenging of her time in office.

I think it wasnt the pandemic itself, she said. It was peoples reactions to the pandemic.

She added, I learned as a town leader that its nearly impossible to manage fear.

Perhaps the most notable example of that was when Stevenson attempted to set up a testing site at Darien Town Hall soon after the COVID-19 virus started to invade the region. Residents across the street from town hall, however, voiced their concerns about the proximity of a testing facility to their homes.

Stevenson made the quick, but difficult, decision to cancel the test site because of those concerns, she said.

I had angry people when I had to shut it down and move it, she said.

Eventually, a site was opened at Darien High School. Because Darien is not considered a town in need, officials had to do a lot of the heavy lifting on their own in terms of responding to COVID-19 without extra support from the state government, she said.

Im very proud of what we did, she said.

Stevenson will turn 60 this year, and with five children and a grandchild, plans on spending more time with them without the taxing demands of her current job, she said.

I plan to reconnect with my family, she said.

Stevenson unsuccessfully ran for lieutenant governor in 2018. She said she still plans on remaining involved politically but isnt sure in what capacity. She has also not ruled out a future political run.

My first order of business is really to leave it all on the field until the November election, she said.

Stevenson, who described herself as a fiscally conservative, socially libertarian Republican, was first elected to the Board of Selectmen in 2009. One of that boards accomplishments, which Stevenson played a hand in, was building a new senior center to replace the previous structure, a former school that was in deplorable condition.

The Darien Republican Town Committee put out a press release thanking Stevenson for her service to the town.

The statement described Stevensons tenure as a time of amazing progress and prosperity for Darien.

Through prudent fiscal stewardship, Stevenson has helped deliver historically low budget increases, further supporting Dariens all-important AAA credit rating, the letter read. With the help of an exceptional team, she accomplished this by strictly requiring justification of all town department operating and capital expenditures, negotiating meaningful changes to collective bargaining contracts and recruiting and retaining high-quality employees.

Republican Town Committee chairperson Alexander Davidson said Stevenson was the perfect person to have in charge when the region faced the challenges of the pandemic.

An unprecedented pandemic coupled with a global economic shutdown would have tested any municipal leader, but Jayme rose to the occasion and Darien is so much better off today because of that, Davidson wrote in the press release. She was a unifying force, a voice of calm reassurance and a beacon of strength when we all needed it most. Darien is forever in her debt.

The letter states that the RTC has been interviewing candidates for First Selectman for several months and already has an exciting pool of well-qualified and well-known Darien town leaders.

Ann Reed, vice chairperson of the Darien Democratic Town Committee, said Stevenson was a tough candidate to compete against.

She thanked Stevenson for her service and dedication to the town, but noted that the DTC butted heads with her numerous times during her reign.

Im hoping that this (vacancy) opens the window and we have a new era, Reed said.

She said the town has historically been dominated by Republicans, but the demographics have been shifting, with more unaffiliated voters in recent years. Democrats, who have also seen growth, represent about a fourth of registered voters.

Cheryl Williams, chairperson of the Darien Chamber of Commerce, said Stevenson was a champion of local businesses.

Shes supported our community for 10 years, said Williams, who has held the top post at the chamber for two and a half years.

Williams said Stevensons popularity can be attributed to her interpersonal skills.

She is very approachable, Williams said. She is always available to answer questions or be there for residents.

She described Stevenson as poised, graceful, kind and smart and a great listener.

Williams said Stevenson was supportive of helping local business, especially during the difficulties brought on by the pandemic.

We built a very strong relationship with her, Williams said. She was very supportive of our local businesses, especially during COVID.

She added, She will be missed and its going to be a challenge to find someone as great as Jayme.

ignacio.laguarda@hearstmediact.com
BETHEL  Despite commands not to drive, a state trooper charged with driving under the influence last weekend told an officer to watch this before driving away, a police report obtained Wednesday shows.

Andrew Murphy, a trooper assigned to the Troop A barracks in Southbury, is facing charges of operating under the influence of alcohol, disobeying the signal of an officer and interfering with an officer. He was released from custody after a friend posted $500 bond and is due to appear Monday in state Superior Court in Danbury.

Murphy, a state trooper since July 2019, has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, state police officials said.

In a police report obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media, Bethel police said Murphy repeatedly told them he was a state police officer, and claimed they were hurting one of their own in a expletive-laden interaction.

The report also said Murphy refused a urine test, and was uncooperative during questioning after his arrest, forcing officers to repeatedly ask him to stop yelling, according to the report.

The incident began around 2:10 a.m. Sunday when a patrol officer spotted Murphy standing by the open door of his Mazda sedan in the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on Stony Hill Road, according to the report.

As the officer approached, he reported that he saw Murphy was having difficulty keeping his balance, the report said. He shouted at Murphy to ask if he was all right, and was told in very slurred speech that he was fine, according to the report.

The officer told Murphy he looked like he needed a ride and did not want him to be driving, the report read.

When the state trooper got into his car, the officer wrote in the report that he yelled at him to stop and not to drive, but Murphy told him watch this, watch me!

Murphy then pulled out of the lot without wearing his seat belt and drove to his home about a mile away, the report said.

When the officer spotted a tire on Murphys car go off the road, he put on his lights and siren to pull Murphy over, but he did not stop, the report said. Along the way, the officer claims Murphy was drifting around turns and driving at around 10 mph, the report said.

When Murphy pulled into the driveway of his home, the officer requested backup.

As Murphy got out of his car, he had such poor balance  he needed to brace himself on his vehicle, the report said.

When the officer asked Murphy why he didnt stop, he told the officer he wanted to go home, and pointed to his Connecticut State Police cruiser in the driveway, according to the report.

The officer wrote in the report that he smelled a strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from Murphys breath, and that the trooper told him he had had four drinks that night, the report said.

The officer conducted a field sobriety test, during which Murphy told police he needed an ambulance because everything hurt, the officer wrote in the report.

When police questioned Murphy about whether his firearm was in the car, he became aggressive and began yelling, according to the report, claiming Bethel police were (expletive) one of your own.

He was transported to Danbury Hospital before being taken to the Bethel Police Department and processed, according to the report.

About two hours after arriving at the police station, the officer reported that Murphy began talking with me and appeared able to gather his words better than before. Murphy began asking me questions about the motor vehicle stop and how he ended up getting arrested.

The questions included how Murphy ended up at the 7-Eleven, the officer wrote in the report.

Murphy is not the only state police trooper to face a DUI charge in recent years. State police charged one of their own, Sgt. John McDonald, with driving under the influence in 2019. State police said McDonald was leaving a retirement party for another officer at a Brewery in Oxford when he drove through a stop sign and struck a car carrying a woman and her daughter.

McDonald pleaded nolo contendere to to two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment last month as part of a plea agreement that will allow him to complete a pretrial alcohol education program and have the DUI charge dismissed. State police said Wednesday McDonald remains on administrative suspension.
PARIS (AP)  The best chance of victory for Marine Le Pens far-right party in this weekends French regional election runoff is a European lawmaker who meets regularly with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and celebrated Russias annexation of Crimea.

Thierry Mariani is in a tight race with a mainstream conservative incumbent to run the prized region  a contest that epitomizes his partys challenges after it stumbled in the first-round vote.

If Mariani wins Sunday, it would be a first-time victory in regional elections for the anti-immigration National Rally party and an important step in Le Pen's push for the presidency next year.

To the polls, patriots, Le Pen said in a tweeted video, after scolding National Rally supporters for a civic disaster - a reference to the unusually low turnout of 33% in last Sunday's first round that hit her party hardest.

The 62-year-old Mariani finished slightly ahead of conservative incumbent Renaud Muselier in the sprawling region of southeast France known as PACA, which covers the Cote dAzur, Provence and a corner of the Alps.

Polls had predicted a much stronger showing by the National Rally in PACA and five other regions. Without an enthusiastic rebound by voters, Mariani's chances could be dimmed. The left currently heads five of France's 12 mainland regions while the mainstream right runs seven.

The battle between Mariani and Muselier in one of the most picturesque swaths of France has been nasty, with both men - one-time French lawmakers - dredging up dubious moments from each other's past. At one point, Muselier called candidates on Mariani's list skinheads and dumbbells, and refused to shake Mariani's hand after a televised debate on Thursday.

But the PACA battle is crucial to Le Pen. Like other party leaders, she has put a national spin on the regional elections, looking toward the presidential race in 10 months. Le Pen is considered likely to reach the runoff next year against President Emmanuel Macron in a repeat scenario of his 2017 election. Le Pen wants regional roots for her party and the respect that brings.

Mariani faces challenges galore. Candidates from Macrons party are bolstering Muselier, running with him in the PACA region. Making matters worse was a decision this week by the leftist candidate, an ecologist, to drop out of Sunday's runoff in what the French call a republican front to block the far right from power. The same sacrificial maneuver by the left stopped Le Pens niece, Marion Marechal, from her march to victory in PACA in 2015 regional elections, despite a powerful first-round lead.

This time Le Pen's party enters Sunday's runoff on weaker ground. In France's north, conservative incumbent Xavier Bertrand crowed that he broke the jaws of the far right after taking 40% of the first-round vote, leaving National Rally candidate Sebastien Chenu in the dust. Other regions where far-right hopes ran high also failed to deliver.

That leaves Mariani to kindle flames of hope for Le Pen. Now a European lawmaker, he was a transport minister under former President Nicolas Sarkozy, with a host of eyebrow-raising acquaintances in his long political career. A conservative for four decades, Mariani with his far-right bent, was something of a misfit. But he is at home in Le Pens circle.

Like Mariani, the entire Le Pen clan has a history of rubbing shoulders with Russian officialdom, starting decades ago with its patriarch and Marine's father Jean-Marie Le Pen. Some have also visited Syrias Assad  despite Marine Le Pens decade-long effort to rebrand her party and shed the antisemitism and racism associated with her father's National Front.

A year ago, Mariani was part of a French delegation to Crimea which was annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. Though the annexation was condemned by the international community  and not recognized by France or the EU  Mariani has made several visits to Crimea, including in 2019 for celebrations marking the fifth anniversary of reunification with Russia, Russias TASS news agency reported at the time.

Le Pen herself met with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in 2017  just weeks before the French presidential election. She pledged to recognize Crimea if elected, and promised to work to repeal European Union sanctions levied over the annexation.

Meanwhile, Mariani met with Assad in 2017, along with two other French lawmakers, and again in 2019 with three European lawmakers from the National Rally in his sixth such trip. He has told French media that each time he visits Syria he meets with Assad.

He's buddies with all the dictators in the East, starting with Mr. Putin, Muselier said.

Shooting back, Mariani said his opponent once received with great fanfare the ambassador of Qatar, the international sponsor of terrorism.

He defended Assad for having fought terrorists." Perhaps Muselier "would have preferred that the Islamic State group run Syria, Mariani said in an interview this week on RTL radio. He said he far prefers Assad, with all his faults, running Syria.

Marine Le Pen tweeted angrily that Muselier's deal to include Macron party candidates on his lists and while boosting his changes at victory with the withdrawal of the left make him the candidate of an entire system, with all its nuances of betrayal, denial and hypocrisy.

If his opponent wins, Mariani said on LCI television, PACA will be the only region that Mr. Macron can take home as a trophy.
PORTLAND, Maine  Maine is approaching getting 70% of its eligible residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says he sees that figure as more of a floor than a ceiling.

Dr. Nirav Shah says he considers it too early to tell how high the states final number could be, but he intends to push for more.

Maine has been one of the most successful states at getting vaccines to residents. State officials say about 65% of people age 12 and older are fully vaccinated, and the number is nearly 75% for people age 40 and older.

The state has recorded 858 deaths from COVID-19.

___

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Russia struggles to improve vaccine uptake as cases surge.

 Japan vaccinates 1 million a day, but will it be enough as the Olympics approach?

 What should I know about the delta variant?

 Scary cluster blamed on the delta variant grows in Sydney

___

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

___

HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

LANSING, Mich.  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed two bills that would let businesses seek refunds for taxes paid on personal protective equipment, disinfectants and plexiglass barriers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Whitmer said Friday that she instead favors creating a direct grant program with federal money. She says tax credits would be ineligible for reimbursement from Washington, a blow to the state budget.

The bills passed the Legislature with support from both parties.

The Detroit Regional Chamber, an influential business group, is disappointed. It says the bills responded to the needs of businesses that were doing everything that Gov. Whitmer asked of them to keep employees and patrons safe.

___

GENEVA  The head of the World Health Organization lamented the lack of coronavirus vaccines being immediately donated by rich countries to the developing world.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday that there was nothing to discuss during a recent meeting of an advisory group established to allocate vaccines.

In his words: There are no vaccines to allocate.

Tedros says concerns being raised by some donors that African countries dont have the infrastructure to deliver vaccines or that there are vaccine hesitancy problems are inconsequential. He criticized rich countries that may be using that as a pretext not to donate vaccines.

___

RALEIGH, N.C.  Less than half of North Carolinians eligible for a coronavirus shot are fully vaccinated, even though there are more than 2.1 million doses waiting on shelves for residents to take.

In the two weeks since the state announced four $1 million prizes would be given out to vaccinated adults, less than 118,000 residents, about 1% of the state population, came in for a first dose.

North Carolina ranks 12th worst in the nation in vaccines administered per capita, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

___

LONDON  British officials say there were only 28 reported coronavirus cases among tens of thousands of people who attended mass-audience test events including soccer games, a snooker championship, a nightclub event, an outdoor rock concert and the Brit Awards ceremony.

The government said 58,000 people attended indoor and outdoor events in the Events Research Program in April and May, and there were no substantial outbreaks as a result.

But scientists cautioned that the results did not provide direct evidence of the risk of coronavirus transmission at specific types of events. Thats because only 15% of attendees reported the results of coronavirus tests taken both before and after the event, as they were meant to, and because infection rates in the U.K. were low at the time of the events.

___

WASHINGTON  U.S. health officials have granted emergency use for another antibody-drug to help hospitalized patients with the most dangerous cases of COVID-19.

The Food and Drug Administration said late Thursday it authorized the drug Actemra from Roche for hospitalized patients who are already receiving steroid drugs, oxygen and other measures to fight COVID-19.

When added to those treatments, studies showed Roches drug reduced the risk of death and cut hospitalization time.

Actemra does not target the coronavirus directly but instead helps reduce inflammation, a driver of the disease. It is already approved for rheumatoid arthritis and several other diseases.

___

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lankas president says that the government will be vaccinating nearly all of its population of over 30 years of age for COVID-19 by the end of September.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a televised speech Friday that the government has laid out plans to import 17 million doses of vaccines from China and Russia over the next three months.

By September end 13 million out of the countrys nearly 22 million people would have been vaccinated, he said.

Sri Lanka is facing a spike in the number of COVID-19 patients and Rajapaksa is facing public criticism for allegedly mismanaging the pandemic.

Sri Lanka has reported 248,050 confirmed COVID-19 patients so far including 2,814 deaths.

___

GENEVA  The head of the World Health Organization said the COVID-19 variant first seen in India, also known as the delta variant, is the most transmissible of the variants identified so far and that it is now spreading in at least 85 countries.

At a press briefing on Friday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the U.N. agency was concerned about its the increasing reach of the delta variant, particularly among unvaccinated populations.

We are starting to see increases in transmission around the world, Tedros said, adding that more cases means more hospitalizations...which increases the risk of death. WHO has previously said that two doses of the licensed COVID-19 vaccines appear to provide strong protection against the variant first seen in India, but warned the lack of access to vaccines in poor countries  which have received fewer than 2% of the billion doses administered so far  makes them extremely vulnerable.

Tedros also said the unchecked circulation of the coronavirus could lead to the emergence of even more variants.

New variants are expected and will continue to be reported, Tedros said. Thats what viruses do. They evolve, he said. But we can prevent the emergence of variants by preventing transmission.

___

AMSTERDAM  The European Medicines Agency has approved a new manufacturing site for Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine, in a move that should boost production of the one-dose vaccine across the 27-nation EU.

In a statement Friday, the EU drug regulator said the new site in Anagni, Italy, will finish manufacturing of the J&J vaccine, which was licensed for use in adults across Europe in March. Production problems have stalled J&Js roll-out across the European Union in recent months and millions of doses made at a U.S. factory had to be thrown out after contamination issues.

The EU has ordered 200 million doses of the J&J vaccine and was expecting 55 million by the end of June; to date, fewer than 14 million doses have been distributed.

J&Js vaccine roll-out was also stalled after the EMA concluded there was a possible link between the coronavirus shot and very rare blood clots and recommended that a warning should be added to the label. Health officials say the vaccines benefits still far outweigh the risks.

___

JERUSALEM  Israel, a world leader in vaccinations, is once again requiring people to wear masks in indoor public spaces amid a coronavirus outbreak driven by the arrival of a new variant.

Israel rolled out one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, inoculating some 85% of its adult population. In recent months, nearly all restrictions were lifted as the number of active cases plummeted.

But there has been a spike in recent days after weeks in which the number of new daily cases was in the single or low double digits. Dr. Nachman Ash, who is leading the coronavirus response, said 227 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, according to Israeli media.

The Health Ministry said masks must be worn indoors in public places starting midday Friday.

The outbreak appears to be driven by the arrival of the highly contagious delta variant, which spreads rapidly among unvaccinated individuals, including children. Vaccinated Israelis have reportedly been infected, but generally appear to have only minor symptoms.

___

BERLIN  Germanys health minister has lamented that European Union countries havent been able to agree a single set of rules for travelers from regions with high rates of coronavirus variant cases.

Chancellor Angela Merkel had raised the issue at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday. Germany requires people arriving from so-called virus variant areas such as Britain to quarantine for 14 days, even if they are fully vaccinated; other EU countries have shorter or no quarantine periods for vaccinated people.

Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters in Berlin on Friday that he regretted better coordination among the blocs 27 members hadnt been possible.

It would have been better to find uniform rules for this, he said. If not, we will have to keep making our own to protect ourselves.

___

HONOLULU  Hawaii is dropping its testing and quarantine rules for vaccinated domestic travelers in two weeks.

Gov. David Ige says the state will drop the current travel restrictions for fully vaccinated U.S. mainland travelers on July 8.

The governor says he expects the state will reach a 60% vaccination rate among all residents by that time. Ige had previously set a 60% rate as a milestone for allowing more so-called vaccine passports.

Restaurants will also be able to seat up to 75% of their capacity.

People will still be required to wear a mask when gathering indoors. Masks are not required outdoors.

___

SEATTLE  A Nigerian information technology worker has been indicted on federal wire fraud and identity theft charges after authorities said he and his co-conspirators filed false claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in 17 states.

According to an indictment unsealed Thursday in Seattle, Chukwuemeka Onyegbula was linked to at least 253 fraudulent filings for unemployment benefits.

The states paid out nearly $290,000.

Onyegbula has been detained in Nigeria, but prospects for his extradition to the U.S. were unclear.

Court documents did not list an attorney who might comment on his behalf.

___

WASHINGTON  The White House says it will provide Afghanistan with 3 million doses of Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine to help with a coronavirus outbreak fueled by the delta variant.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre made the announcement aboard Air Force One on Thursday as President Joe Biden flew to Raleigh, North Carolina, to encourage Americans to get vaccinated. The announcement also came a day before Biden meets with Afghanistans leaders at the White House on Friday.

Jean-Pierre says the Johnson & Johnson vaccines  only one shot is required  could be shipped as soon as next week.

The U.S. is also providing oxygen and other supplies to Afghanistan.

The 3 million doses are part of an overall donation of 55 million doses to the world that the White House announced earlier this week.

___

COLUMBIA, S.C.  South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill Thursday preventing people from suing companies over COVID-19.

The new law protects businesses and other groups as long as they follow guidelines to protect people from the virus. Dozens of other states have passed similar measures.

McMaster again said his decision to resist closing restaurants and other businesses as long as he could and allow them to reopen more quickly meant South Carolina suffered fewer economic problems.

The May unemployment rate in the state was 4.6%, down from the pandemic high of 11.5% in May 2020 and well below the national rate of 5.8% in May 2021, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
Daytona Beach, FL (32114)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. High 82F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Low 74F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.
In addition to the production of calcium aluminate binders, the group produces specialty solutions for ceramics, plastics, polymers and refractory products. (Image credit: www.imreys.com)

Visakhapatnam: Imerys SA, a French multinational, on Thursday announced its launch of commercial sales out of its new calcium aluminate plant in Visakhapatnam. The 3.8 billion revenue company having 16,400 employees has invested Rs.350 crore in the Vizag plant.

A company release said the plant, which was commissioned remotely from Lyon, France, has recruited 100 people from the local communities. It will focus on specialty calcium aluminate binders, specifically designed for the Indian markets

This is a rare FDI into India since the onset of the pandemic and one which has been invested in Andhra Pradesh, a release from Imerys said.

The plant will also serve as a distribution centre of imported ready-to-use mortars and bentonite solutions to serve the infrastructure sector, for applications such as waste water, tunnelling and civil engineering in general. The choice of Vizag as a location was also to access the port of Visakhapatnam.

Imerys India so far employed 800 people in 16 industrial sites and eight sales offices. In addition to the production of calcium aluminate binders, the group produces specialty solutions for ceramics, plastics, polymers and refractory products.

The opening of this new plant is a major milestone for Imerys. It is another proof that the group continues to invest in growing markets and geographies. The fully remote commissioning, caused by the enduring pandemic, has been an incredible achievement. Our local teams have been simply great, commented Alessandro Dazza, Imerys Chief Executive Officer.
So far, we have seen Naga Chaitanya as a suave urban lad and in boy-next-door roles. But now, he is working towards a physical makeover, apparently to suit his role in his Hindi debut film Laal Singh Chaddha. A video in circulation shows Chay lifting heavy weights and doing squats at the gym.

Naga Chaitanya doing some squats in the gym

While there is no indication of the film the actor is prepping for, we know that Chay will be playing a middle-class youngster in Sekhar Kammulas Love Story, and an urban lad in Thank You, neither of which require him to flaunt his physique.

Chay will reportedly be seen as an Army officer in the Aamir Khan-starrer Laal Singh Chaddha, directed by Advait Chandan. Since the role demands a toned physique, we assume that he has started hitting the gym more rigorously.

The Shailaja Reddy Alludu star is expected to shoot for a lengthy schedule of intense battle episodes and action sequences with Aamir Khan in Ladakh. He is expected to join the sets once things settle down. Also starring Kareena Kapoor, the comic drama is a remake of Hollywood film Forrest Gump.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) boycotted outpatient duties while casualty, urgent and necessary surgeries, labour room, IP treatment, COVID-19 treatment were not affected. (Representational Image: PTI)

Thiruvananthapuram: Government doctors across Kerala boycotted outpatient services for an hour on Friday protesting against the failure to arrest a police official who had allegedly assaulted a doctor on Covid duty after a patient died.

The doctors, holding placards, raised slogans against the alleged indifference of authorities in arresting the police official, who had assaulted Dr Rahul over 40 days ago at Mavelikkara in Alappuzha district after the official's mother, a Covid patient, died.

The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) boycotted outpatient duties while casualty, urgent and necessary surgeries, labour room, IP treatment, COVID-19 treatment were not affected.

Such incidents of attack on doctors and other medical professionals for no fault of theirs would hurt the mental strength of the Covid warriors, a protesting doctor said. Meanwhile, the police officer, reportedly absconding, has been granted anticipatory bail by the Kerala High Court.
The apex court had on Thursday told Andhra Pradesh government that it was not convinced of the precautionary measures suggested by the state for holding Class 12 board exams. (PTI Photo)

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh government on Friday told the Supreme Court that it has cancelled Class 12 examination which was to be conducted by the state board and would declare result of internal assessment by July 31.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari was informed by senior advocate Dushyant Dave, appearing for Andhra Pradesh, that he had discussed the matter with the chief minister on Thursday and the state government has decided to cancel the exam.

The apex court had on Thursday told Andhra Pradesh government that it was not convinced of the precautionary measures suggested by the state for holding Class 12 board exams and had said unless satisfied that there will be no fatality due to COVID, it will not allow them.

The bench was hearing a plea seeking directions to state governments not to hold board exams in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Considering the matter and the way it has progressed, although we had made full preparations for the examination . looking at the sentiments expressed by the court, I had a discussion with the chief minister yesterday and I advised them. They have also decided to cancel the exam, Dave told the bench during the hearing conducted through video-conferencing on Friday.

Dave said in 10 days, a high-powered committee which will be constituted would devise the assessment scheme.

We will follow the timeline of July 31 and declare the results, he said, adding that if the examination was conducted then the declaration of results would have gone in August.

Dave said if the entire country is going in one direction, then state of Andhra Pradesh would also go the same way.

We appreciate the practical and very pragmatic stand taken by the state. We wish you could have appeared before us earlier, the bench said, adding that probably what was discussed yesterday was avoidable.

Dave said the bench was right and if something unforeseen would have happened, then it would weigh on our hearts.

This is very unpredictable and very harsh, the bench said.

Dave, while referring to election rallies and Kumbh mela in Uttarakhand, said that no one has taken the responsibility and common people have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We can end this proceeding on the note that all is well that ends well, the bench observed, adding that the state has taken a decision which is good for everybody as the entire humanity is facing it.

The bench was told that a notification regarding cancellation of state board examination in the state would be issued shortly.

The top court said it was reiterating its direction passed on Thursday that all state boards would declare the results of internal assessment of Class 12 examination by July 31, as done in the matter of CBSE and CISCE.

The bench had on Thursday said that state boards were free to formulate their own assessment scheme for evaluating students and there can't be a "fit-all" scheme.

The apex court had said it would not pass any direction for a uniform assessment scheme across the country for students whose board exams have been cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It had directed the state boards to ensure that schemes are formulated and notified at the earliest and not later than 10 days from Thursday.

The bench, which had posed tough questions to the Andhra Pradesh government on its decision to hold Class 12 board examinations, had asked the state's counsel to place before it the snapshot of the file giving reasons to hold the test.

Later on Thursday, the Andhra Pradesh government announced the cancellation of the year-end examinations for Class 10 and intermediate.

In its affidavit filed earlier in the apex court, the Andhra Pradesh government had said that it will be able to conduct Class 12 exams successfully as there are no reliable alternatives to assess the state board students.
Channapatna: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Friday said that like other South Indian states,Karnataka too will reject the national parties during the 2023 assembly polls and choose a regional party, as people don't want the administration here to be run by high commands sitting in Delhi.

The former Chief Minister has written to Governor Vajubhai Vala and Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, urging them to convene a special assembly session to discuss the COVID situation, allegations of corruption in the government, interference of others in administration and setbacks on issues relating to Kannada and Karnataka.

"Across the country people are enamoured of regional parties. Especially in South India, the Congress and BJP have been rejected in all states, except Karnataka," Kumaraswamy told reporters here.

He said during the 2023 assembly election, Karnataka too will reject both the national parties. "Aimed at achieving this, we (JDS) want to win the trust of the people and create an atmosphere to ensure that the administration is not run by the high command (of national parties),see that Karnataka is not administered from Delhi, but is governed by people of the state," he added.

Other than Karnataka, all the other South Indian states are not ruled by major national parties like the BJP or Congress. In Kerala there is a Left front government, while the DMK is in power in Tamil Nadu.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are ruled by the YSR Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) respectively.

The JD(S), led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is the only major regional political party in Karnataka, which is currently ruled by the BJP.

Meanwhile, seeking a special assembly session, Kumaraswamy also questioned the "double standards" of the ruling BJP in the state, pointing out that an assembly session has been called in neighbouring Maharashtra for two days, but the saffron party leaders in opposition there are demanding that it be extended, while they have not even convened it in Karnataka.

"During the COVID pandemic, the government has played with the lives of the people, there are several shortcomings in its handling of the crisis.The government should have called the session and discussed with the legislators at least for two-three days and got their opinion by now," he said.

Claiming that there have been certain shortcomings in the effective utilisation of funds that have come from taxpayers, he said discussions have to to be held on the way, the relief packages for those affected by COVID and the lockdown have been announced.

Alleging oppression on matters concerning Kannada language and the state, Kumaraswamy claimed the state government was not taking any action on this. He said, "several derogatory incidents have happened concerning Kannada, the stand by the central government towards Kannada language (is not favourable).Tamil Nadu is putting pressure on the Centre on Mekedatu issue, the state government is not concerned about these matters.. all these have to be discussed, so a session has to be called."

The JD(S) leader also warned the state government that his party will launch an agitation, if the assembly session was not convened soon.

Kumaraswamy in his letter has mentioned about a BJP MLC's allegation of irregularities in the implementation of the Upper Bhadra project worth Rs 20,000 crore, and his accusation about Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's family member receiving 10 per cent kickback in the project.

In his letter to the Governor and the Speaker, he has also mentioned about allegations of corruption against the Excise Minister, and alleged discrimination towards Kannada in banking jobs, insult caused to Kannada and Kannadigas on internet, among other issues.
MLAs led by Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had sought an appointment from the CM to seek a probe into the recent lock-up death of a Dalit woman, Mariamma. (Photo:Twitter @TelanganaCMO)

Hyderabad: Quite unusually, the gates of Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence-cum-camp office of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao were opened for Opposition leaders for the first time, on Friday.

Party MLAs led by Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka had sought an appointment from the CM to seek a probe into the recent lock-up death of a Dalit woman, Mariamma. When the CMO confirmed the appointment, this came as a surprise to not only Congress leaders but other political leaders too.

Congress MLAs D. Sridhar Babu, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, T. Jayaprakash Jagga Reddy were present.

This fuelled speculation of a noticeable change in the CMs style of functioning after Etala Rajendar's removal from the ministry. Of late, the CM is busy touring districts and meeting people, contrary to his image of being confined to Pragathi Bhavan or his farmhouse for most of the time in the past seven years.

Opposition parties have been complaining of not getting an appointment to meet the CM at least once in the past seven years. This was so except for the Owaisi brothers of the AIMIM, who could meet the CM at Pragathi Bhavan repeatedly.

But, on Sunday, in another outreach, the CM decided to hold an all-party meet on June 27 to discuss the modalities for implementation of the new CM Dalit Empowerment Scheme. Floor leaders of all parties in the Assembly and Dalit leaders have been called for the meeting at Pragathi Bhavan. This, notably, is the first all-party meeting being conducted by Chandrashekar after 2014, and the first time Pragathi Bhavan is hosting such a meeting.

Earlier, after receiving the representation from Congress MLAs, the CM advised DGP M. Mahendar Reddy to inquire into the lock up death of Mariamma and take stringent action against the police personnel responsible for this. If need be, remove them from service, the CM has said.

He said the alleged lock-up death of Mariamma from Chintakaniki in Madhira Assembly segment under Khammam district was very painful to him, and that the government would never support such actions.

The CM said the government would support the son and daughters of Mariamma. He asked Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to ensure that Mariammas son Uday Kiran is given a government job, a house and Rs 15 lakh ex gratia. Mariammas two daughters would be given Rs 10 lakh each. The CM asked the DGP to visit Chintakaniki to collect the details about the lock-up death and meet the victims family.

The Chief Minister expressed his anguish over the cruel behaviour of the police. He suggested that local minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar, MP Nama Nageshwara Rao and the district collector take Mallu Bhatti along with them on June 28 and meet the victims family members and console them.

Bhatti said the Chief Minister has assured them he would fulfill all the promises given to Mariamma's family in three days time.

Speaking to the media after his meeting with the CM, Bhatti said he sought stringent action against the errant police officials. The police have badly beaten up even Mariamma's son Uday Kiran and his friend Shankar. Attacks on Dalits have increased in Telangana and there is no security for the poor and Dalits, he said.

He said DGP Mahendar Reddy had promised to visit Mariamma's village Komatlagudem on Saturday and inquire into the incident.
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with top political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir as a "drama" and a "PR exercise".

Modi held talks with top political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and told them that the Centre's priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy there for which delimitation has to happen quickly for polls to be held.

This was the first interaction between the top leadership of the Union government and mainstream parties in J&K since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked its special status provided under Article 370 and bifurcated the border state into Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

"In my view it was a drama and why was it a drama? Because at best it could be called a public relations exercise but nothing was achieved," Qureshi said a day after the high-level meeting on Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi.

Qureshi said the Kashmiri leaders at the meeting "unanimously demanded full-fledged restoration of statehood".

"The leaders were not given any solid reply to their demand and instead told that a decision about restoration of the special status of Kashmir will be taken at an appropriate time, which is an ambiguous statement," he said.

He pointed out that the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leadership was not invited to the meeting.

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.

Indias decision evoked strong reactions from Pakistan, which downgraded diplomatic ties and expelled the Indian envoy.

Also read: No smiles in Kashmir after politicians' meet with PM Modi in Delhi

Qureshi claimed that India was trying to bring demographic changes in Kashmir which was worrying for Pakistan as it would have long term implications.

To a question about back-door diplomacy with India, he said no such communication was going on with India but confirmed intelligence-level contact.

There is no back-door channel but there is contact on the regional situation at an intelligence level but there is no back-door channel," he said.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of the Article 370 was its internal matter.

India has repeatedly said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the country is capable of solving its own problems.

India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.

Talking about the Afghan peace process, Qureshi said he was not aware of the deployment of a UN peacekeeping force in Afghanistan but Turkey was expected "to maintain security responsibilities at Kabul airport".

"Pakistan wants a stable and peaceful Afghanistan whereas the United States appreciates Pakistan's positive role in the peace process," he said.

The foreign minister also said that there was no change in Pakistan's policy on nuclear assets. Our nuclear assets are for our own defence. We have no aggressive intentions," he said.
The district milk federation has planned to expand the market of Chamul (Chamarajanagar Milk Union Limited) products. The milk produced here will not only be marketed in neighbouring states, but also sent to eastern states, the Indian Army and Bhutan.

Chamul Managing Director M Rajashekaramurthy said the Nandini Goodlife milk was being transported to Bhutan pre-Covid outbreak. The supply will resume again, he said.

Around 4.5 to 5 lakh litres of Goodlife milk is being supplied to the Indian Army in Assam Rifles every month and 1.5 lakh litres is being exported to Bhutan. Around 60,000 litres of milk is being supplied to Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and other places.

Recently around 1,000 litres of Nandini milk was supplied to Ooty in Tamil Nadu, he said.

The district produces 2.75 lakh litres of milk every day, including 1.2 lakh Goodlife milk sachets. Around 40,000 litres is supplied to Mother Dairy and 33,000 litres sold locally. Besides, curd, buttermilk, ghee, butter and other milk products are also produced, he added.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

My fervent plea to all sane Republicans
LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Pa. has a big chance to clean up the environment
New Singapore facility is the first step of GLOBALFOUNDRIES plan to expand its global manufacturing footprint to meet increasing worldwide customer demand

Malta, N.Y., and Singapore, June 22, 2021  GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF), the global leader in feature-rich semiconductor manufacturing, today announced it is expanding its global manufacturing footprint with the construction of a new fab on its Singapore campus. In partnership with the Singapore Economic Development Board and with co-investments from committed customers, GFs more than US $4B (S$5B) investment will play an integral role in meeting the growing demand for the companys industry-leading manufacturing technologies and services to enable companies worldwide to develop and scale their business.

In a virtual groundbreaking ceremony, Singapore Minister for Transport and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations S. Iswaran and Mubadala Investment Company Managing Director and Group CEO H.E. Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, were joined by: UAE Ambassador to Singapore H.E. Jamal Abdulla Al Suwaidi; Singapore Ambassador to the UAE H.E. Kamal R Vaswani; Singapore Economic Development Board Managing Director Chng Kai Fong; GF Board Chairman Ahmed Yahia Al Idrissi; along with GF executives including CEO Tom Caulfield; CFO David Reeder; SVP and Head of Global Operations KC Ang; SVP of Global Sales Juan Cordovez; VP of Human Resource for APAC and International Fabs Janice Lee; and VP of Technology Development in Singapore Dr. Soh Yun Siah.

The global demand for semiconductor chips is growing at an unprecedented rate, with worldwide semiconductor revenue projected to increase 2.1 times in the next eight years1. To meet that demand, GF has planned capacity expansions at all its manufacturing sites in the U.S., Germany and, starting with the construction of phase one of its 300mm fab expansion, Singapore. When complete, GF will add capacity for 450,000 wafers per year, bringing GFs Singapore campus up to approximately 1.5 million (300mm) wafers per year.

The new fab will be the most advanced semi manufacturing facility in Singapore and will further enhance GFs ability to provide its feature-rich RF, analog power, non-volatile memory solutions. GF is adding 250,000 square feet (23,000 square meters) of cleanroom space and new administrative offices. The new fab will create 1,000 new high-value jobs such as technicians, engineers and more. With construction already underway, the Fab is planned to ramp in 2023.

GF is meeting the challenge of the global semiconductor shortage by accelerating our investments around the world. Working in close collaboration with our customers and the Government of Singapore is a recipe for success that we are pioneering here and looking forward to replicating in the U.S and Europe, said GF CEO Tom Caulfield. Our new facility in Singapore will support fast-growing end-markets in the automotive, 5G mobility and secure device segments with long-term customer agreements already in place.

We are committed to partnering industry leaders such as GlobalFoundries to address the global demand for semiconductors, especially in growth areas such as artificial intelligence and 5G. The semiconductor industry is a key pillar of Singapores manufacturing sector, and GlobalFoundries new fab investment is testament to Singapores attractiveness as a global node for advanced manufacturing and innovation. It will help GlobalFoundries customers to strengthen the resilience of their supply chains, and also add to the vibrancy of our economy through the creation of good jobs for Singaporeans and business opportunities for our local enterprises, said Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board.

Semiconductor chips are more pervasive than ever, becoming one of humankinds most vital resources. From smartphones and automobiles to technology in schools and hospitals, modern society can no longer survive without them. GF is a trusted provider to more than 250 customers worldwide and is investing, in partnership with these customers and regional governments, to expand the capacity of its global manufacturing footprint to help right the demand-supply imbalance.

About GLOBALFOUNDRIES

GF is one of the world's leading semiconductor manufacturers and the only one with a truly global footprint. GF delivers feature-rich solutions that enable its customers to develop pervasive chips for high-growth market segments. GF provides a broad range of platforms and features with a unique mix of design, development and fabrication services. With an at-scale manufacturing footprint spanning the U.S., Europe and Asia, GF has the flexibility and agility to meet the dynamic needs of customers across the globe. GF is owned by Mubadala Investment Company. For more information, visit globalfoundries.com.






Mrunal Thakur couldnt be a part of Satyameva Jayate because of Super 30; Reveals she didnt audition for Batla House

There are many actors who made a smooth transition from television to Bollywood thanks to their passion, talent and dedication. One such celebrity is Mrunal Thakur, who made her debut with Love Sonia. She went on to win hearts with her limited but significant role and terrific performance in Hrithik Roshan starrer Super 30. But did you know that Mrunal was also approached for Milap Zaveri's Satyameva Jayate opposite John Abraham?

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mrunal Thakur (@mrunalthakur)

In a recent chat with Peeping Moon, Mrunal revealed, When I signed Super 30, I met Nikkhil Advani. He called me to say that he watched Love Sonia at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and he liked my work in the film. He had called me for Milap Zaveri's Satyameva Jayate (2018). I couldn't do it because I had signed Super 30. The meeting with him was very fruitful and after Super 30 was done, he called me for a film's narration.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mrunal Thakur (@mrunalthakur)

Mrunal went on to share, That was Batla House (2019). When I asked him whether I have to audition for the role, he said no. He told me that he has seen my work and I can be his Nandita. That was the moment I felt kuch toh achieve kiya hai life mein.

Clearly, working with John and Nikkhil was destiny!
Anirudh Dave emotional as 55 days battle with Covid-19 ends, actor says 'ab khudki saans le raha hoon' on getting discharged

Patiala Babes actor Anirudh Dave has been discharged from the hospital after recovering from Covid-19. The actor struggled with the virus for 55 days in the hospital after testing positive in April and was critical for days. Sharing the good news on social media Anirudh expressed his gratitude and said he left loved.

On leaving the hospital in Bhopal where he was admitted, Anirudh posed for a picture with the staff who were all dressed in PPE kits and masks while Anirudh wore a white kurta pajama. Sharing the picture Anirudh wrote, Such emotional moment after 55 days iam discharged from chirayu hospital.. feeling loved. sabka shukriya..oxygen nahin.. ab khudki saans le raha hoon. zindagi aa raha hoon main... #gratitude.

The actor was apparently in Bhopal to shoot for a web series when he contracted the deadly disease. Days after sharing the news of testing positive, Anirudh was in the hospital on oxygen support and critical.

Such emotional moment after 55 days iam discharged from chirayu hospital.. feeling loved. sabka shukriya..oxygen nahin.. ab khudki saans le raha hoon. zindagi aa raha hoon main... #gratitudepic.twitter.com/FfVyzZ8C76  ANIRUDH DAVE (@aniruddh_dave) June 25, 2021

Anirudhs wife rushed to Bhopal to be by his side as he recovered slowly from the disease and she had to leave their two month old son in Mumbai in the care of relatives to be there for the actor. His friends and colleagues from the television industry prayed for his speedy recovery all this while.
Statement by Ambassador Byrne Nason at the UNSC Briefing on Syria - Political

Statement

Thank you very much Mr. President

Geir, it is good to see you in the chamber with us and thank you for your briefing and of course for your ongoing efforts on the Constitutional Committee. We sincerely welcome those efforts to focus this Councils attention on the crisis in Syria and to press all parties to work together on concrete steps towards the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.

We also very much welcome your initiative to launch virtual Thematic Working Groups, which will allow civil society actors to engage with each other and with the UN, regardless of where they are, geographic location and ability to travel. We know ourselves from experience and from best practice that peace efforts produce more sustainable outcomes when civil society is adequately, and more importantly meaningfully, included in political and mediation processes, so thank you for that.

Despite your commendable efforts, I know that the Syrian authorities have yet to engage meaningfully in the work of the Constitutional Committee.

Ireland reiterates its call on the Syrian authorities to end unacceptable stalling tactics, which leave the prospects for substantive progress at the Constitutional Committee as far away as ever. Regrettably, we are no closer to meeting the expectations of the Syrian people for substantive progress on a political solution and national reconciliation as was foreseen in Resolution 2254. Such progress is unattainable in our view without a new Constitution that sets out a peaceful and inclusive vision for all Syrians. Sadly, last months elections brought us no nearer to that goal.

Mr. President,

In particular, I want to welcome this morning the participation of Ms. Abeer Hussain with us. We listened with great interest to you Ms. Abeer, to your work focused on empowering women. I see that work as absolutely critical and I happen to believe in your final words to us- no women, no legitimacy. We join in your desire to see what you amply describe as the strong women of Syria to take their rightful place in the peace process in working for equal and full citizenship, in working for justice to reach a democracy. We heard your appeal to see women play a decisive and effective role as a pressing force in the political process on a full, equal and meaningful basis. This I understand as your right, and not as your request.

Mr. President,

While a ceasefire continues to largely hold in the North West, the attack on Al-Shifaa hospital in Afrin was an appalling attack. It resulted in the killing and injury of civilians, including medical personnel and children, and the destruction of parts of the hospital. Ireland strongly condemns this disgraceful attack and calls for an end to all such attacks.

This latest appalling incident and the continuing violence underline the importance once again of a nationwide ceasefire in Syria.

Mr. President,

Ireland strongly condemns those parties in Syria who continue to disregard international human rights and humanitarian law. All must fully comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, including those relating to the protection of civilians and civilian objects. The Syrian authorities, through their repressive security apparatus, continue to arbitrarily arrest and detain their own citizens with flagrant disregard for due process.

We must never forget that tens of thousands of Syrian citizens have been subjected to arbitrary detention, as well as those who are missing. We think of their families left cruelly in limbo, without knowing the fate of their loved ones. It is unconscionable to us that the Syrian authorities have such callous disregard for their own citizens.

Geir, we very much welcome your continued efforts to make progress on detainees, abductees and missing persons. You have our full support in that work.

Mr. President,

The violations of international humanitarian and human rights law by the Syrian regime are extremely well documented. Ireland has consistently called for full accountability for crimes and violations committed. Ireland commends the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism and the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria for their work. The Commission of Inquirys reports testify to horrific crimes including the bombing of hospitals, schools and other civilian infrastructure.

Ireland strongly condemns these acts, as well as attacks against civil society actors and human rights defenders.

To conclude Mr. President,

We call on the Syrian authorities to engage urgently and meaningfully with the Constitutional Committee, and wider political process, as outlined in Resolution 2254. We urge the Syrian authorities comply with their obligations under international law and end their brutal policies. Only when this comes to pass will the Syrian people be able to begin rebuilding their lives and look forward to a hopeful and peaceful future. As we have often said, this is the very least the long-suffering people of Syria deserve.

Thank you, Mr. President.

 Previous Item | Next Item 
Many of us have come to heavily rely on Google Search and often dont question the veracity of information Google cherry-picks from the vast data available on the world wide web for its search cards. This incident, which is one part funny and two parts scary, makes it clear that Googles Knowledge Graph may not be as sacrosanct as you may have believed.

Hristo Georgiev was informed by a former colleague that a Google search of his name returned a Knowlege Graph card on the left that depicted his photo and linked it to a Bulgarian rapist and serial killer of the same name, also known as The Sadist, who murdered five people back in the 1970s and was later executed by shooting.

The graph linked the info to a Wikipedia article, which incidentally had no link to any of Georgievs profile or his image. It was Googles algorithms that erroneously matched the two. Whats even more problematic is that Hristo Georgiev is not a unique name and is shared by hundreds of other people.

As Georgiev notes in his blog, such search bungles can have serious implications - The fact that an algorithm that's used by billions of people can so easily bend information in such ways is truly terrifying.

The rampant spread of fake news and cancel culture has made literally everyone who's not anonymous vulnerable. Whoever has a presence on the internet today has to look after their "online representation". A small mistake in the system can lead to anything from a minor inconvenience to a disaster that can decimate careers and reputations of people in a matter of days

The issue was highlighted by the Hacker News community and has since been fixed. As community members point out, this wasnt a one-off incident where Google botched up its cards. Apparently, there have been errors as grave as listing the wrong symptoms or describing easily treatable maladies as "Incurable".

Thats even more of a problem since Google Assistant authoritatively reads from these cards to answer voice searches.

What we can take away from the whole incident is that to err is not just human, and to not take anything algorithms put together at face value.

Via
Google is the most used search engine on the planet with an endless amount of information present on this platform. According to an estimate the company receives almost 90,000 searches in just one second and 6 billion searches in a day. It is so interesting to see how the platform brings the related information of the user to the screen that they need, or they are searching for. So far, people get information from all parts of the world that may be irrelevant for them and that may take their time to search for information related to their country. But not now, the company of Google has announced that it is working on a country filter that will allow users to search news related to their country only. If users turn on this filter, they will only see the news info that is happening in their country.This upcoming feature will be much useful especially during the pandemic situation when people are searching for a lot on this platform relating to the vaccination center, and the availability of vaccines, etc. With the help of this filter, users will not need to filter the news from their country manually instead the platform will bring all the news on their screen related to their country. You can even check by yourself that whether you are a part of this experiment. The feature was first spotted by Bapun Raz You need to go to the Google search and then tap the news section of the page, choose the tools and then you will see the web filter that will enable you to turn on the country filter. However, many people are not seeing this filter yet, as Google has note announced anything about the roll out this filter. With this feature, Google will make the search a lot easier than it was before, Google has provided control to the hands of users so that they can get the information they want.The company understands that many people are not interested in getting the news of all countries, rather they just want to get the news of their region, therefore, this will be a much welcoming filter and that will provide a new level of search experience to users. The platform has also shared some screenshots how this filter will look like when it will be launched globally.Read next: Google Attempts to Address Racial Disparities With New Skin Tone Scale
Subscriber content preview

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  San Francisco city workers will be required to be vaccinated against the coronavirus when a vaccine receives full federal approval.

The policy covering 35,000 municipal workers may be the first by any city or county in the U.S., the San Francisco Chronicle reported Wednesday.





. . .
Subscriber content preview

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)  Walt Disney World is planning an 18-month celebration in honor of its 50th anniversary.

All four parks at the Lake Buena Vista, Florida, resort will take part in The World's Most Magical Celebration, beginning Oct. 1, Disney announced Tuesday.





. . .
Ive often wondered how my life would have been different if Id moved around. On the other hand, I really felt like this is where God wanted me to be, and it seemed like this is where the congregation wanted me to be as well.

Rev. Tim Greene

Saltillo First United Methodist Church

Quote
A teenager who was found with a shopping bag containing over 240,000 worth of cocaine and heroin has received a fully suspended sentence.

Kirsty Cummins (19) entered a flat and emerged carrying a bag which was later found to contain approximately 70,000 worth of cocaine and approximately 172,000 worth of heroin.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard the accused, who had recently turned 18 at the time of the offence, was highly unlikely to have any proprietary interest in the drugs. The court heard she is currently pregnant.

Cummins, with an address at Cooley Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and heroin for sale or supply at Ballyfermot Road, Ballyfermot, on February 23, 2020. She has no previous convictions.

Det Gda Mark ONeill told Derek Cooney BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, gardai were observing the movements of a black Ford Focus in the Smithfield area of the north inner city, following the receipt of confidential information.

The accused woman, along with two other people, was observed entering the car outside of the Maldron hotel in Smithfield, where she had been socialising with a group of friends.

On leaving the hotel, the car was seen by gardai entering St Michans House flat complex. The accused entered a property within the complex before returning to the car carrying a plastic Tesco carrier bag.

The court heard that the car, with the accused sitting in the front passenger seat, was eventually intercepted by gardai in the Ballyfermot area after they had travelled there from Smithfield.

Gardai conducted a search of the car, where they found a significant quantity of controlled substances inside of the Tesco bag. The bag, which had been sitting at the feet of the accused, contained cocaine and heroin with a combined estimated street value of 242,830.

Cummins was subsequently interviewed five times by gardai at Clondalkin garda station, where she relied mostly on her right to silence. In the third such interview, Cummins admitted she was aware of the drugs in the car.

A co-accused of Cummins was jailed after a garda search at St Michans House - conducted after the arrests made on February 23 - found over 300,000 worth of cocaine and heroin.

The co-accused, who was the driver of the car carrying Cummins on the date of offending, received a three year jail sentence.

Michael OHiggins SC, defending, said that Cummins was from a stable and loving family, and that she has their continuing support, as evidenced by their presence in the court.

Mr OHiggins also underlined the defences case that his client volunteered to travel in the car on the evening of the offence in another partys stead, after they were unable to do so because of their state of intoxication. Gda ONeill told the court he could not verify this claim.

Counsel appealed to the judge to consider mitigating factors before sentencing, such as the defendants early guilty plea and her personal circumstances.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Nolan said that from the evidence, he could infer that Cummins was to collect and transport the drugs. He said it was highly unlikely she had any proprietary interest in the drugs.

Judge Nolan said Cummins had just turned 18 at the time and had a drug addiction. He said the court was aware she is pregnant and takes it into account to some degree, but it is not a matter that changes things greatly in the case.

He said the higher courts have indicated that a fully suspended sentence in a case such as this should only be considered in truly exceptional circumstances. He said the only issue that allows him to consider the ultimate step in this case is the accused woman's age.

The judge said that since time immemorial courts have considered young people to be less mature and that it seems even 18 year olds can be very stupid. He said he considers the level of culpability to be quite low due to her low level of involvement and her age.

Judge Nolan sentenced Cummins to four years imprisonment, but he suspended the sentence in its entirety on strict conditions including that she follow all directions of the Probation Service for 18 months.
Duncan, OK (73533)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 83F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 66F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
The reality that many Louth learner drivers face months more waiting to sit a driving test is all but confirmed in a new annoucement from the Department of Transport.

In it, the Department confirms that the validity of learner driver licences has been extended for another 10 months in response to the level 5 restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

A statement said permit step is in response to restrictions on accessing many of the services delivered by the Road Safety Authority (RSA), as a result of Covid-19, some learner permit holders could not avail of driving lessons, sit the driving test or renew their learner permit.

The Department says this means a driver whose learner permit is or has expired between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2021 is being extended by 10 months. This is in addition to previous extensions granted. Therefore:

Permits that expired between 1 March and 30 June 2020 that were previously extended by 8 months will now be extended by a further 10 months, so 18 months in total.

Permits that expired between 1 July to 31 October 2020 that were previously extended by 4 months will now be extended by a further 10 months, so 14 months in total.

Permits that expired or will expire between 1 November 2020 and 31 July 2021 will be extended for 10 months.



By way of example of the above, the Department said that where the date of expiry on the physical learner permit, which can be seen at opposite number 4b on the permit shows

5 March 2020, the new expiry date is 5 September 2021.

5 July 2020, the new expiry date is 5 September 2021.

5 December 2020, the new expiry date is 5 October 2021.



Drivers who are affected by the extension are encouraged to check the new expiry date of their learner permit by using the expiry date calculator on www.ndls.ie. Enter the expiry date printed on your learner permit into the calculator and it will tell you the new expiry date.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Hildegarde Naughton provided more details in the announcement made on Thursday June 24.

Providing this further 10 month extension to the expiry date to Learner Permits will allow for peace of mind to many learner drivers as they continue to work towards passing their driving test in the months ahead. Those who will benefit from this extension dont need to do anything, our systems will update their records automatically.

"A new learner permit will not be issued to drivers with the new expiry date, rather the electronic driver record will be updated to reflect the new expiry date.

"This means that a person whose learner permit expired on 10 March 2020 will have the life of this permit extended to 10 September 2021, while a person whose permit expires on 15 August 2020 will have a new expiry date of 15 October 2021.

"If you have already renewed your permit, and it had an expiry date between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2021 the extension will not apply, and the expiry date of your permit will be as shown on your new permit. The RSA has also told Insurance Ireland and An Garda Siochana about the new expiry date of learner permits, she said.
Readers Survey

As our valued readers, we want to hear from you. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below. - Thank you, Eastern Arizona Courier Click Here
Claremont, NH (03743)

Today

A few showers early, becoming a steady light rain for the afternoon. High around 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Occasional light rain. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Rain likely. High 58F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low around 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
North Andover, MA (01845)

Today

Rain. High 58F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low near 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
EBRD gets ready for its 30th Annual Meeting

Ministers and leading officials will be gathering next week to take critical decisions aimed at improving the environment and economies covered by the EBRD. The Banks Annual Meeting and Business Forum takes place in the 30th anniversary year of the institution.The EBRD is moving from its emergency response to the Covid-19 pandemic to providing longer-term help for countries.

Learn more

Register

EBRD steps up green activities

60.4 million loan for Polish windfarms

Poland is accelerating its transition from fossil fuels with the development, construction and operation of two windfarms with a local currency loan of PLN 275 million (60.4 million equivalent) from the EBRD. The first project is the 81.4 MW Banie 3 development in northwestern Poland, where 37 turbines will be built. The second is at Sepopol in north-eastern Poland, where 20 wind turbines will be constructed with a capacity of 44 MW.

Learn more here and here

Supporting sustainable energy in Tajikistan

In Tajikistan, the EBRD and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are contributing towards the greater efficiency of Shabakahoi Taksimoti Bark (STB), a state-owned power utility responsible for electricity distribution, with a financial package of US$ 110 million to fund the introduction of advanced metering and grid enhancements in seven municipalities across the country.

Learn more here and here

Supporting CTPs green Eurobond issue

The EBRD has invested 42.5 million in a 500 million green Eurobond issue by real estate company CTP NV to support its portfolio expansion, increasing the supply of green real-estate stock across Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia and the Slovak Republic.

Learn more here and here

Albania launches first tender for wind power

Albania launched its first tender for utility-scale onshore wind power plants this week. Individual projects with a capacity of between 10 MW and 75 MW can apply. Several projects will be chosen. The total tendered capacity equals 100 MW and this may be increased to 150 MW in the coming months, in line with the countrys renewable energy targets. Developers are invited to submit their submissions by mid-June 2022. The announcement of the successful bidders is expected in the first half of 2023.

Matteo Colangeli, EBRD Head of Western Balkans, said: We are delighted with the progress Albania is making on scaling up wind and solar energy through open and transparent tenders. This is another milestone for the diversification, resilience and sustainable development of the countrys energy sector.

Learn more here and here

EBRD Paris Alignment webinar

An EBRD Paris Alignment webinar for CSOs heard comments on our new methodology for assessing how projects fit with our Paris Alignment criteria.

Learn more

New EBRD reports published

Annual Review and Sustainability Report 2020 published

The EBRD published its Annual Review 2020, describing the impact of its investments, projects and policy work amid the Covid-19 crisis. The Bank also released its Sustainability Report 2020, exploring the ways the EBRD made a difference to the daily lives of millions of people across three continents in its countries of operations.

Learn more

First GRI Disclosure Report published

The EBRD also published its first stand-alone GRI Disclosure Report. The Bank applied the Global Reporting Initiative Standards to structure its content. It is intended that this disclosure will enable stakeholders to gain a comprehensive overview of the EBRDs approach to environmental, social and governance issues in one place.

Read more and learn more here

Joint bid to fight financial crime

The EBRD and the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS) joined forces to safeguard the banking and trade-finance sectors in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia. The partners launched the ACAMS Eurasia Chapter to support compliance professionals in countries of the region.

Learn more

Childcare for working women

The EBRD, the International Labour Organization and the Union of Municipalities of Turkey are joining forces to promote more accessible childcare with the view to encouraging womens participation in the labour force. The partners will work to improve the municipal regulatory environment in childcare matters, to advocate change among policymakers and to support the implementation of these new approaches in selected municipalities, paving the way for broader policy reform.

Learn more here and here

Donors

Improving water services in Kyrgyz Republic

Six water companies in municipalities across the Kyrgyz Republic will be able to improve their water and wastewater maintenance services thanks to the delivery of new specialised equipment funded through a financial package of up to 2.4 million provided by the EBRD, the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the Global Environment Facility.

Learn more

Korea donation

A new US$ 4 million contribution from South Korea for various EBRD funds will further strengthen our partnership & help have greater impact across our regions.

Learn more

UN Sustainable Gastronomy Day

The EBRD celebrated UN Sustainable Gastronomy day with FAO. This is an example of how, together with the EU, the Bank is supporting the olive sector to ensure its sustainability in Tunisia while also boosting SME competitiveness.

Learn more

EBRD in the news

A blog post for the Atlantic Council by the American Chambers Andy Hunder quotes Matteo Patrone, EBRD Managing Director for Eastern Europe and the Caucasus as saying: More developed, less fragmented capital markets and organized commodity markets can and will attract investors in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, and others. At the same time, they will allow Ukrainian companies and citizens the chance to share in their countrys economic growth, as domestic markets become better integrated with the global financial ecosystem.

Learn more here (in English) and here (in Ukrainian)

Mateusz Szczurek, lead economist for central and south-eastern Europe at the EBRD, takes an upbeat view on the Czech Republics ability to manage Covid-19 related challenges in the Banker magazine: As the global automobile sector moves towards electric and hydrogen vehicle production, its quite possible that the Czech Republic will be able to make a success of the shift, he says. The structure of the Czech economy is the most important factor in supporting the recovery. There is a reshaping of global value chains that could benefit advanced industrial centres like the Czech Republic.

Learn more

Turkeys financial daily Dunya reports on a joint investment by the EBRD and Actera, a Turkey-focused private equity firm, in Mart, the country's leading electric scooter sharing initiative.

Learn more (in Turkish)

The EBRD on social media

We have been promoting next weeks Annual Meeting and Business Forum very actively.

Learn more

We told our audiences how to watch the event.

Learn more

Weve been previewing the Business Forum panels:

Here, here and here

Vice President Pierre Heilbronn met CEI Foreign Ministers

Learn more

With Pride Month coming to an end, we reposted EBRD Spectrum picture from the past

Learn more

Our Global Reporting Initiative was very popular on LinkedIn

Learn more

Subscribe to instant email updates on EBRD news about topics such as coronavirus and climate finance.

Sign up
West Cork Fianna Fail Councillor Gillian Coughlan has been unanimously elected as the new County Mayor on Friday.

Councillor Gillian Coughlan, who represents the Bandon Kinsale Municipal District (MD), has a long career working with her local community and representing the people of Bandon in Bandon Town Council and later the people of Bandon Kinsale MD in Cork County Council.

Labour Councillor Cathal Rasmussen, from Cobh, was elected to take the seat as Deputy Mayor for the coming political year.

Mayor Coughlan stated in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that her initial priority will be to support the people and businesses of Cork County as Ireland emerges from the pandemic.

Recognising that lockdowns have been very difficult on people socially, psychologically, emotionally and financially Mayor Coughlan said: There has been an incredible show of resilience and solidarity in all sectors of society in Cork County, and Cork County Council together with the countys voluntary and statutory agencies have played a vital role in supporting people. It is essential that as we move forward together, we dont leave anyone behind.

Congratulations to the New Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr. Gillian Coughlan, who has won an uncontested election following nomination from Cllr. Seamus McGrath and seconded by Cllr. Declan Hurley.https://t.co/sqOIQOBulQ@mayor_co_cork pic.twitter.com/SeaMroiH5I  Cork County Council (@Corkcoco) June 25, 2021

I also look forward to the continued town and village renewal and regeneration which has been accelerated through Project ACT. Social and economic recovery will benefit immensely from collaboration between the Council, businesses and volunteers, and I greatly look forward to meeting people Countywide who give their time to enhancing their locales. By ensuring that each town and village puts its best foot forward, our towns and villages will emerge as great places for travel, business and great places to live.

Other priorities for Mayor Coughlan include the provision of affordable housing schemes, climate adaptation and mitigation and supporting heritage work in the County.

Im also looking forward to working alongside Cork County Council in advancing digitisation and education programmes such as those run through the Councils Local Enterprise Offices and Library Services.

A native and resident of Bandon with her husband Donough Coughlan, and their three children, Aidan, Maeve and Ronan, Mayor Coughlan has been involved in many community groups including Bandon Walled Town, Irish Red Cross, Age Friendly Bandon, Bandon 1916 Commemoration Committee and is the current Cathaoirleach of Gaelscoil Dhroichead na Banndan.

After completing a degree in History and Political Science in Trinity College, Dublin, Mayor Coughlan returned to UCC to undertake the Higher Diploma in Education, completing her training at her alma mater in Bandon and subsequently teaching History and CSPE in Colaiste an Phiarsaigh, Gleann Maghair, tri mhean na Gaeilge.

In her tenure in Bandon Town Council, after she was first elected in 2009, Mayor Coughlan worked with her fellow representatives to secure funding for the Bandon Flood Relief project and the Bandon Water Main and Sewage Scheme in response to the devastating flooding experienced in the town.

Having been co-opted to Cork County Council in 2016, Mayor Coughlan went on to top the poll in the Bandon Kinsale Municipal District in the 2019 Local Elections.
CORK Airport has welcomed a new Lufthansa service to Frankfurt which will commence on a twice-weekly basis.

The new service will operate on Mondays and Fridays. The route will be served with a Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft with 75 seats on board which comprises 15 Business Class and 60 Economy Class.

Brian Gallagher, Head of Aviation and Commercial Business Development at Cork Airport said:

These are challenging times for aviation globally, so it is great to see Lufthansa take off from Cork Airport this summer connecting Cork with Frankfurt for the first time in eighteen years.

"We have worked long and hard over many years to secure connectivity to Frankfurt and beyond with Lufthansa to help support businesses and internationally trading companies across the South of Ireland region."

"It is great to see all this work come to fruition and secure further international connectivity to another major European hub airport.

Andreas Koester, Senior Director Sales UK, Ireland and Iceland for the Lufthansa Group, said:

After 18 years, we are proud to see Lufthansa operating once again at Cork Airport. Just in time for summer, this new Cork-Frankfurt connection compliments our flights from Cork to Zurich with SWISS, emphasizing the importance of Ireland within our network.

"Furthermore, with this additional connection, we are looking forward to offering our customers even more travel options within our worldwide, multi-hub system.

As one of the largest carriers in Europe, with just a short stopover in Frankfurt, our customers will have access to hundreds of connections to numerous destinations within our vast, global network, he added.

The flight will depart Frankfurt Airport at 15.40 local time, arriving into Cork Airport at 16.45. The return flight will depart Cork at 17.25 landing in Frankfurt at 20.30 local time, a flight time of two hours and five minutes.

Lufthansa joins other major European flag carriers - KLM, SWISS and Air France as well as home carriers Aer Lingus and Ryanair, operating from Cork Airport this summer.

Todays announcement concludes intensive efforts made by the Cork Airport team to bring the German flag carrier to Cork in recent years.

This new Lufthansa operation will complement the existing SWISS International Airlines service, with both airlines offering seamless connectivity through their Lufthansa Group Hubs at Frankfurt and Zurich respectively.
ARMED men entered the premises of the Cork and Bandon Railway in Bandon yesterday at about 3pm and removed the telephones from the goods office, the station signal cabin and the engine department, the Echo reported on Saturday, June 25, 1921.

A telephone was also taken from the distillery and similar raids were conducted simultaneously on stations from Kinsale Junction to Ballineen. The trains are now being worked by pilot engines between these stations.

de Valera Detained

The Publicity Department of Dail Eireann has stated that British crown forces conducted a raid on a house in Blackrock, Dublin, on Wednesday and discovered President de Valera.

He was taken to Portobello Barracks and detained there until 2pm on June 23, when he was released.

The motive of the British authorities in ordering the release is unknown but Sinn Fein says its position remains unchanged.

Girl injured

Those injured in the shooting in the city last Thursday are progressing favourably at the North Infirmary, but the condition of the girl, Mollie OConnor, of Sundays Well, and the child Mary OConnor, of Blarney Street, is still critical.

Intensified War

In London, the Cabinet sat late last night to approve the scheme for intensifying the campaign against Sinn Fein.

A committee of Ministers sat prior to the full meeting and the importance of their deliberations is indicated by the presence of Sir Hamar Greenwood (Chief Secretary) and General Sir Nevil Macready (Commander-in-Chief) and other officials of the Irish Executive. The Cabinet hitherto has only settled on the general policy of sterner measures against the gunmen and of dispatching additional troops to Ireland.

General Maurice writes in todays Daily News: The outstanding difficulty of the Irish problem is that neither party trusts the other. The majority of Englishmen have neither forgotten nor forgiven the Easter Rebellion of 1916. The tragic blunder has done more than all the murders which have taken place since to make a settlement difficult.

On the other side, there is amongst Irishmen an even greater distrust of England. No promise made by the British Government will be accepted as a basis for settlement until it has been fulfilled. The reasons for this distrust stretch back into history.

Reprisals, official and unofficial, have increased, but their cessation would not now replace it by confidence. In these circumstances, the only hope of settlement is in finding the honest broker in whom both parties have confidence and we have him now in our midst.

The Dominions Premiers are as much interested as ourselves in the security of the Empire. They at least have not forfeited the trust of Irishmen. Is it too late, even at this eleventh hour, to get them to adjudicate to decide upon what form of Dominion Government can and should be given to Ireland?

The greatest obstacle in the way of such a solution is the Prime Ministers obsession that our present position as regards Ireland is analogous to that which confronted Abraham Lincoln when the Southern States of America raised the flag of independence.

We should at least know there is a deal of difference between the Virginian and the Irishman of the South. The one way to make the Irishman secede is to try to prevent him by force from doing so. The one way to keep him contented within the Empire is to tell him he is free to leave it as and when he likes.

Melee on ship

At a Courtmartial in Kilmainham, Constable John Henry, R.I.C., was charged with endangering the safety of a soldier by discharging a pistol on board the SS Angia. The soldier was travelling across to England when he went to a cabin bathroom. He was about to shave and had the razor in his hand when accused followed him in and said he was out to rob everyone on the ship.

The accused pulled a revolver out of his pocket and fired at him, but the witness ducked and avoided the bullet.

The accused, who also struck a lance-corporal in the face, said he had come from a barrack in Co. Tipperary.

Lismore Fatality

Amid manifestations of sorrow, the remains of Master Cornelius Cronin, 14, who was drowned on Tuesday in the River Bride adjacent to his parents residence, were laid to rest at St. Carthages Cemetery, Lismore He was a promising pupil at the Christian Brothers Collegiate School.
Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.

Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital
Google has recently taken steps to fact-check search results, but sometimes reliable sources can be hard to come by  particularly with breaking news. Now, Google is testing a new feature that will at least warn users when a search may yield unreliable results, Recode has reported.

It's designed to give search users extra context about new or breaking information. "When anybody does a search on Google, were trying to show you the most relevant, reliable information we can," Google Search liaison Danny Sullivan told Recode. "But we get a lot of things that are entirely new."

A box above the results advises users that "it looks like these results are changing quickly," adding that "if this topic is new, it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources." As an example, it cited a recent news story about a UFO supposedly caught on a thermal police helicopter camera doing 106 MPH.

"Someone had gotten this police report video released out in Wales, and its had a little bit bit of press coverage. But theres still not a lot about it," said Sullivan. "But people are probably searching for it, they may be going around on social media  so we can tell its starting to trend. And we can also tell that theres not a lot of necessarily great stuff thats out there. And we also think that maybe new stuff will come along."

If fully implemented, the new feature would add to Google's recent efforts to inform users about the quality of search results. In February, the company introduced "about this result" panels that bring up a description of the linked website. That will either detail how the site sources information or other information about when it was first indexed.

However, the "about this result" pop-ups are hidden behind a menu that folks may not know to click on. The latest feature in testing warns users front and center that the results may not be reliable, hopefully giving users pause before they spread any misinformation.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) has published its long-awaited report on nearly two decades worth of UFO sightings. And for the most part, it leaves more questions open than it answers. ODNI examined 144 reports of what it calls "unidentified aerial phenomenon" or UAP dating back to 2004.

Of those, 18 incidents may have involved advanced technology that the US can't explain. "Some UAP appeared to remain stationary in winds aloft, move against the wind, maneuver abruptly, or move at considerable speed, without discernable means of propulsion," the report states. ODNI says there's no evidence that any of the cases involve secret technology developed by the likes of Russia and China or an extraterrestrial entity, but it also didn't rule out those explanations.

"Of the 144 reports we are dealing with here, we have no clear indications that there is any non-terrestrial explanation for them  but we will go wherever the data takes us," a senior official for the government told CNN.

Outside of a single report where intelligence officials were able to determine the cause of the incident, there was too little data for ODNI to conclude what happened in the majority of the reports it examined. What it did say is that there's no one possible explanation for all the incidents it examined. The agency's investigators tried to put the reports into five categories: airborne clutter (like errant balloons), naturally occurring phenomenon, classified technology developed by the US government, secret technology developed by an adversary like China or Russia and a final and alluring catchall "other" category. However, ODNI is convinced the majority of the sightings involved "physical objects."

The report concludes with ODNI stating that understanding these incidents will require a consolidated and standardized approach across various government agencies. It also wants to invest in technologies like machine learning algorithms to examine the reports. Government officials will provide Congress with an update on its data collection efforts in 90 days, with periodic updates to follow after that.
Samsung has launched the Jet Bot AI+ robot vacuum it first announced at CES this year, which it says is world's first in its category to have active stereo-type 3D sensor and an Intel AI solution. Those features apparently give the vacuum the capability to avoid gobbling up anything it shouldn't. One of the biggest issues with robot vacuums is that even with technologies that can detect obstacles, they still sometimes end up eating your power cords and even your poor pet's tail. That's not something you have to worry about with the Jet Bot AI+  based on how Samsung describes its new machine, at least.

The vacuum's 3D sensor can scan wide areas and detect objects as small as one centimeter. Meanwhile, the AI-powered object recognition technology can recognize appliances and furniture, as well as objects on the floor. The AI solution can classify electrical cables and pet excrements as dangerous and likely to cause contamination in order to avoid them, for instance. It also has decision-making capabilities that enable it to clean closely, say, around children's toys and to stay a good distance away from fragile items like vases. Further, the machine has a LiDAR sensor that repeatedly scans the room, allowing it to operate even in low-lit locations and underneath furniture.

In addition to features that prevent it from sucking in objects it shouldn't, Samsung says the vacuum can identify the surface it's cleaning and determine the amount of dust on it to adjust its suction power. It empties what it collects in a Clean Station, which uses a multi-layered filtration system to trap dirt in a 2.5L dust bag that only needs to be replaced every one to three months.

Users can control the vacuum using the SmartThings app on their smartphone  it even has a mode that uses its front camera to livestream video images through the app. They can also program the machine to clean a single room or multiple rooms on schedule and to prevent it from entering certain areas without needing to set up a physical barrier.

Samsung is now available for pre-order for $1,299 from the company's website if you're in the US and Canada. The listing says you can get it by August 12th. People living in Latin American, Southeast Asian and CIS regions will be able to buy the vacuum sometime in the second half of 2021.
Police in the UK have seized approximately 114 million (about $158 million) worth of cryptocurrencies as part of a money laundering investigation. Londons Metropolitan Police told Sky News the seizure is the largest of its kind in UK history.

The current global record is tied to dark web marketplace Silk Road. In 2020, the US Department of Justice recovered 69,000 Bitcoins, worth approximately $1 billion at the time, Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht had stashed away. The Metropolitan Police didnt say the kind of cryptocurrencies they recovered, nor did it reveal exactly how it traced the money. Both those amounts could be dwarfed by the nearly $3.6 billion in Bitcoin thats missing following the disappearance of two brothers who founded a cryptocurrency exchange in South Africa.
The services celebrating and honoring the life of Kim Wheeler will be 10:00 A.M. Friday in the Meno Faith Center with Pastor Cody Anderson under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home. Condolences may be shared online at www.Brown-Cummings.com.
Click for the latest, full-access Enid News & Eagle headlines | Text Alerts | app downloads

Allen is publisher and editor for the Enid News & Eagle.

Do you have a nomination for Someone You Should Know? It could be someone you work with, someone from your church or civic organization or a volunteer. Please send information on your nominee to callen@enidnews.com
Eccentric antivirus software company founder John McAfee, whose life was made into a documentary, reportedly committed suicide while in his prison cell in Barcelona, Spain.

His death came at such an untimely moment, especially since Spain's National Court just approved his extradition to the United States, where he would be facing his criminal tax evasion charges.

It is the Spanish newspaper El Mundo first reported that the 75-year-old McAfee was dead, with information from the Catalan Justice Department. According to McAfee's lawyer, he reportedly hanged himself.

McAfee's lawyer told Reuters that McAfee apparently hanged himself.

There were attempts to save him from his alleged killing of himself. According to El Mundo, citing the Catalan Justice Department, the prison's medical professionals tried to resuscitate him, to no avail.

At the time, McAfee was being held at the Brians 2 prison in Catalunya.

ALSO READ: Olivia Rodrigo Fans Did Not Know This About Her and Are Beyond Proud To Find Out

It can be remembered that he was arrested back in October 2020 while at the international airport in Barcelona. He was charged with several tax evasion crimes, all of which are presently pending in a federal court in Tennessee.

Since his arrest up to his alleged suicide, he was in a jail in Spain.

Based on the indictment, McAfee earned millions of dollars in profits after he promoted cryptocurrencies, engaged in consulting work, and participated in certain speaking engagements. He also made great money selling the rights to his life story for a documentary. However, despite his massive income, he failed to file tax returns, which is criminal.

"From 2014 to 2018, McAfee allegedly failed to file tax returns, despite receiving considerable income from these sources," the U.S. Justice Department said in October.

This was not his first brush with the law.

It can be recalled that back in 2012, he was detained for the alleged death of his neighbor. It was while in detention that he sold life rights for a documentary to be made to Future Media.

"My most heartfelt thank you goes to Impact Future Media and Cartoon Monkey Studio," McAfee said in a statement issued by the Canadian-based producer. "Their dedication to the truth is very uncommon in the world we live in today. I am now, and will always be, grateful to their organizations," he added.

ALSO READ: Nicolas Cage Heartbreak: Actor's Mother Died, Cause of Death Tragic

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle officially lost their HRH titles soon after they announced their exit from the royal family. In January 2020, Buckingham Palace itself clarified that part before clarifying that they will also no longer receive funds for royal duties.

With that said, the couple is only able to use the Duke and Duchess of Sussex even when they started residing in the U.S.

However, a new document clearly stated that the royal prince used his HRH title again despite its official removal.

A copy of the birth certificate of Sussexes' daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, states that her father is "The Duke of Sussex, His Royal Highness."

The publication of the new document to the public came after Meghan gave birth to Lili, whose name honors Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana, earlier this month.

But Prince Harry's use of the title shocked many people since it snubs the fact that he called out the royal family for racism. During his interview with Oprah, he revealed that some royal members expressed their concern over his son, Archie, and his skin.

The interview eventually sparked major controversy against the royal family, leading people to ask the Queen to completely cut ties from the couple.

Even Piers Morgan penned a column for Mail Online in January 2020, suggesting that Queen Elizabeth II should have removed the couple's titles as soon as they left the firm.

Prince Harry Was Previously Snubbed

Before Prince Harry registered his HRH title onto Lili's birth certificate, the Firm actually removed it in a recent event.

Earlier this month, the Kensington Palace launched an exhibition in honor of Princess Diana. Originally, one of the display panels shows the words "Lent by HRH the Duke of Cambridge and HRH the Duke of Sussex.

The exhibition titled "Royal Style in the Making" display includes Princess Diana's 1981 wedding dress and pink suit she wore during her honeymoon with Prince Charles.

READ ALSO: Baby Archie May Still Be Prince Regardless of Prince Charles' Decision and Position: How Is This Possible?

But a spokesman for the Royal Collection Trust clarified that the Duke of Sussex's HRH title would be dropped from the display. The Mirror UK confirmed that the new line turned into "loaned by HRH the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex."

Per the spokesman, the His Royal Highness title was only added due to an "administrative error, for which the Royal Collection Trust was responsible."

Following the error, the Royal Collection Trust promised to correct and update the label - clearly stating that Prince Harry shall no longer be called HRH.

READ MORE: Princess Diana's Death Revelation: New Details Surrounding Tragic Accident Emerge

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Queen Elizabeth II is put under intense scrutiny after new pictures of her were published in the past couple of days.

She just recently celebrated her first birthday without her husband, Prince Philip, who passed away in April. Her Majesty turned 95 years old just days after he died.

They were married for about 73 years and the mom-of-four described her husband as her "strength and stay."

Royal watchers and people around the globe watched the Queen grieved. They were even more heartbroken seeing Queen Elizabeth II sit alone at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Two and a half weeks after Prince Philip's death, the Monarch immediately returned to her royal duties. She received praises and respect afterward.

Early this month, the 95-year-old was also spotted accepting a pink rose from the president of the Royal Horticultural Society, Keith Weed, which was named after Prince Philip on the day of what would have been his 100th birthday.

Queen Elizabeth heard about how the sale of the flower would help raise money for The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Living Legacy Fund.

Photographs were taken to mark the special event, with the Queen wearing a bright blue floral dress and a gray cardigan. She even had sunglasses on.

But as soon as the pictures were published, it immediately sparked concerns among royal commentators and fans.

The Queen reportedly looked frail in the pictures.

Russell Myers said that though she did look a bit unwell, it could mostly be because of her outfit.

She said in the "Pod Save The Queen" podcast, "Partly because it's summer clothing and it's all about lighter and a bit thinner and smaller, but she looked more fragile I felt."

Additionally, host Ann Gripper added that it may be because there's a difference in how the Queen looks when she's on duty and when she's off duty.

"And pottering around Windsor Castle, and then when she was out at the G7 and she was out at Ascot, you know - up-straight, game face on, and on show."

READ ALSO: Prince Harry Did Not See What Princess DIana Saw in Oprah Winfrey: A Big Mistake?

With the Queen's age and the death of her partner, many believed that she would retire and "fade away gracefully."

But Peter Hunt, a former reporter for the BBC, claimed, "Covid has helped in the sense that it has accelerated what any sensible 95-year-old woman would want to do, which is not to stand on your feet all day long."

However, she proved everybody wrong, with the Queen appearing to have coped admirably and has now embraced her royal duties even more.

READ MORE: Was Prince Harry Financially Cut Off After Megxit? Royal Documents Reveal Shocking Figures

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
Prince Harry was spotted arriving at the Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday evening where he took off for the UK.

The 36-year-old Duke of Sussex is expected to attend the unveiling of Princess Diana's statue in Kensington Palace.

But there was a terrifying moment that happened just before he was about to leave the US temporarily.

According to Page Six, Prince Harry's arrival at LAX coincided with a driver that broke through a fence at a cargo facility at around 6 pm. It later led the police to chase the driver down before detaining him.

Reports said that there were no injuries during the entire thing, but two runaways in LAX were shut down when the chase started to unfold with the Duke of Sussex almost not making it to the UK.

A video of the incident showed that there were a ton of police in the airport to hunt the rogue driver down.

However, it's unclear what the driver's motive was or if the break-in was an attempt to reach a flight or a person who is currently at the airport.

45 minutes after the chase ended, Prince Harry departed for the trip where he will be joining his older brother Prince William for the event which is scheduled for July 1, on what would be their late mother's 60th birthday.

Once he touches UK soil, he will have to undergo a mandatory five-day quarantine before joining the Duke of Cambridge for the event that would honor their mother.

It will also be the first time Prince Harry and Prince William have reunited since Prince Philip's funeral in April.

The two brothers are expected to preside in a significantly reduced gathering that featured only a few guests, including some of Princess Diana's relatives from the Spencer side.

They initially planned to welcome about 100 guests, including some of the late Princess of Wales' friends, supporters, and former staff, however, because of the pandemic, they were forced to rethink their plans.

These guests, however, have been told that a new date for a larger ceremony will take place in September.

As of writing, it's unclear who will be the attendees of next Thursday's event.

READ ALSO: Prince Harry Did Not See What Princess Diana Saw in Oprah Winfrey: A Big Mistake?

Will Prince Charles Be There?

According to The Sun, Prince Harry has no plans to attend the Princess Diana unveiling event and reportedly has no plans to see his youngest son, Prince Harry.

A palace insider revealed to the outlet that the Prince of Wales will be away at his Scottish estate during next week's event.

They claimed, "Charles has made it quite clear he will not be around...because he is going to Scotland. There is no planned meeting between the three of them."

Prince Harry will most likely stay in Frogmore Cottage in Windsor while in the UK.

READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II New Photos Spark Health Concerns -- Here's What Royal Experts Had To Say

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
A new tabloid claimed that Van Jones already prepares himself to pursue Kim Kardashian as soon as she finalizes her divorce from Kanye West.

Per Star, Van expressed her desire to date Kim. He ignited the flame even more during his latest appearance on "The Ellen DeGeneres" show.

For what it's worth, the CNN analyst said that the "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" star will be an unbelievable lawyer. His praises rose even more as Kim works as an apprentice within his criminal justice reform organization.

Following the statement, the tabloid claimed that the undeniable chemistry between them proved their interests toward one another.

One source told Star that Van only awaits until Kim is legally free and single.

"It's Hollywood's worst kept secret that they've got the hots for each other," the insider said. "It's not as easy as snapping their fingers and hooking up for dates."

However, the KKW Beauty mogul reportedly does not want to be involved in any romance amid her legal career.

Is The Report True?

Amid the news reports about the two, Kim's own representative confirmed that the whole report is not true.

In fact, Kim herself revealed to Andy Cohen that she is not dating Jones. She then clarified that they remain friends, and there is no impending romance.

She also took her time to shut down rumors that she is dating Maluma.

"No. I'm not dating either one," Kim said. "Not Van Jones, not Maluma. I've known [Maluma]. I've seen him a few times, always in Miami. Such a nice guy."

For now, she wants to focus on her law studies even more after failing to pass her first-year exam for the second time.

READ ALSO: Princess Beatrice Speaks Truth Behind Alarming Health Condition That Affected Her Childhood

According to the businesswoman, she tried to take the baby bar exam after one year of studying. After failing it, she pledged to do better in the future.

Her desire to create her own law firm focusing on sentencing and prison reform push her to do better even more.

For years, she has been fighting for prisoners who deserve to be freed. Last year, she was able to cut short the jail sentences for Crystal Munoz, Judith Negron, and Tynice Hall.

All women had been put behind the bars for drug-related and white-collar crimes.

READ MORE: Does Prince Harry Still Carry 'His Royal Highness' Title In U.S? Proof Here

See Now: Famous Actors Who Turned Down Iconic Movie Roles
2021-06-25

Maeci

Webuild, in a consortium with Korean GS Engineering and Construction, Spanish CPB Contractors, China Construction Oceania (CCO) and a number of Australian partners, has been awarded the contract for Melbourne's so-called North East Link, the missing link that completes the ring road around the city and the largest public contract ever awarded by the State of Victoria, worth AUD 15.8 billion (over EUR 10 billion). The project, which is due to take off in 2022, will have a huge impact on the future of a growing but congested city that is expected to double its population, from the current 5 million to 10 million, within the next 20 years. The North East Link project is part of an ambitious infrastructure plan worth more than AUD 110 billion over the next two decades, creating more than 10,000 jobs.
2021-06-24

Maeci

At the instigation of the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Marina Sereni, an Italian Cooperation humanitarian flight departed yesterday from the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot (UNHRD) in Brindisi to Kathmandu airport with a cargo of six tonnes of medical supplies for the fight against COVID-19.

The humanitarian cargo, made available by the organisation of the Special Commissioner for the COVID-19 emergency, General Figliuolo, consists of lung ventilators, gloves and protective suits and will be delivered to the Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal. The operation has been possible thanks to the collaboration with the Civil Protection Department, within the framework of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.
Effective diagnostics, therapies and treatments for diseases and infections could increasingly involve re-engineering the body's internal biomechanisms at their most basic chemical and molecular foundations.

Growing knowledge about the body's biological processes is increasing the possibilities for restoring human health, says Xiao Wang, an associate professor of biomedical engineering in Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. He and a team of researchers are exploring ways to trigger and control cell differentiation and transition to unlock properties that may change bioengineers' approach to diagnostics, vaccine development and therapeutic treatments.

Recent research led by Wang and Alexander Green, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, reveals more about the potential for designing small add-on structures for biomolecules that can enhance their properties.

"There could be new and better kinds of applications for diagnostics, therapeutics and treatments, and for genome engineering," Wang says. "These could be big contributions to biomedicine."

The details about what the research may yield appear in the paper Predictable control of RNA lifetime using engineered degradation-tuning RNAs, published this week in the research journal Nature Chemical Biology.

Wang and Green's focus is on messenger RNA, or mRNA, which carries genetic information from DNA, the molecule that contains the genetic blueprint needed to develop and maintain organisms -- including humans.

Within cells, mRNA transmits messages from DNA to the protein-producing ribosomes, informing them of which proteins need to be synthesized at a given time. While DNA's status as the information repository of the cell means that it is very stable, mRNA's message-carrying role means it rapidly degrades. This degradation has made it harder to implement RNA-based therapies and diagnostics.

Wang, Green and their research team are devising methods of controlling degradation to produce predictable, precise and stable results. The new research paper describes how they are attempting to fine-tune the speed of mRNA degradation to boost the ability to perform biotechnological functions. To do this, they have identified specific RNA structural features to build a library of RNA components called degradation-tuning RNAs, or dtRNAs.

Attaching the dtRNAs to an RNA of interest through genetic engineering enables them to increase or decrease the RNA's degradation rate, and fine-tune gene expression levels in vivo and in vitro -- either inside a living organism or in a laboratory setting.

"We found that dtRNAs could be used with a variety of different types of RNAs and modify gene expression levels over a very wide range. These capabilities can increase the speed and sensitivity of medical diagnostics and give us better control over cell function," says Green, who was an assistant professor in ASU's Biodesign Institute and School of Molecular Sciences from 2015 to 2020 and is currently an adjunct professor with the school.

One of the more impactful results of these refining processes could be the development of mRNA-based vaccines that would be especially effective against viruses, Wang says.

"We can actually engineer the structure of RNA molecules in faster and more systematic ways that make them more efficient in how they behave," he says.

These behavior changes will inform how effective Wang and Green's bioengineering process will be at boosting the efficacy of diagnostics, vaccines, therapies and treatments.

###

Wang and Green's research team includes doctoral students Qi Zhang, Duo Ma, Kylie Standage-Beier and Xingwen Chen at ASU and doctoral student Kaiyue Wu at Boston University. Former ASU doctoral student Fuqing Wu, now at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, contributed to earlier research that helped lead to the recent discoveries.

Funding for research described in the paper has come from the Arizona Department of Health Services, the Arizona Biomedical Research Centre, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, the National Institutes of Health and the NIH Director's New Innovator Award, the National Science Foundation , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Arizona State University.

This release was authored by Joe Kullman, a science writer in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.
In 2018, Dr. Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui, who years before had completed her doctorate studies in Dr. James R. Lupski's lab at Baylor College of Medicine, received an email from an editor at Elsevier's Academic Press with a proposal that immediately caught her attention.

"The editor was considering adding a title on genomics of rare diseases to the Translational and Applied Genomics Series," Gonzaga-Jauregui said. "Would such a title fill a current need in the field and with the general public?"

Gonzaga-Jauregui, who is now an assistant professor in the International Laboratory for Human Genome Research at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, thought it was a great idea.

It is estimated that at least 350 million people worldwide are affected by a rare disorder, making these conditions a substantial healthcare challenge. Many patients can go undiagnosed for decades while receiving potentially misguided and often costly treatments for their condition, uninformed about the actual molecular defect and the underlying biology of the disease. In addition, counseling regarding recurrence risk, disease prognosis and clinical management are suboptimal due to the rarity of patients.

"At the time, there was no book that would present the lay of the land including information about genomics and its application to the study of rare diseases, from basic concepts to practical examples," Gonzaga-Jauregui said. "There was no such a book that would appeal not only to students and professionals in the field of genomics but also would be accessible and useful to a broader public including patients and families with rare diseases to empower them in understanding current scientific approaches in genetics and genomics."

Long story short, the editor proposed that Gonzaga-Jauregui developed this book project and she was delighted to accept. "But I did not realize in the beginning the tremendous amount of work that would be involved in this project. At the time, I also was starting a family and moving to a new academic position in Mexico, all in the middle of the COVID pandemic," Gonzaga-Jauregui said.

It's no surprise that Gonzaga-Jauregui took on the book project despite the personal and professional challenges. She is a dedicated genomics scientist who has led large-scale projects for genomic analyses of patients and families with rare and undiagnosed genetic disorders in academia and industry. Importantly, this book project fits perfectly with her interests in teaching both in a formal academic setting and through public science outreach where she talks about science, genetics and her career to middle and high school students.

"It was exciting putting together a proposal for a book that would be accessible to many people interested in the topic," she said. "Once the publisher gave a thumbs up to the project, I approached Jim [Lupski]. I said I was very excited about the book and that I would like him to be involved as co-editor. He accepted and we worked on this together."

"I have to admit that it was not so easy to convince me to work on this project. I have worked on three previous books and knew that there would be a lot of work involved. I finally gave in; it was about time to have a book like this," said Lupski, Cullen Professor of Genetics and Genomics and Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor and Texas Children's Hospital.

In addition to co-editing the book, Gonzaga-Jauregui also co-authored some of the chapters. "Teaching while writing helped me see what concepts are hard for students to grasp and guided the writing to make those concepts clearer, presenting them in ways that are easy to understand," she said.

"As co-editor, I tried to keep the big picture and the writing consistent throughout the book, rather than putting my own perspective on specific chapters," Lupski said.

"Having Jim onboard definitely enhanced the book by offering a complete landscape of the field," Gonzaga-Jauregui said. "It is easy for the younger generations of scientists to talk about the novel technological processes and advancements and their applications in the field, but it was important to put the current state of human genetics and genomics in perspective. Jim brings a historical view on how the field has moved forward through the years, weaving emerging new technologies and evolving knowledge."

"Genomics of Rare Diseases" offers readers a broad understanding of current knowledge on rare diseases from a genomics perspective. It clearly presents basic concepts and the latest molecular and genomic technologies used to elucidate the molecular causes of more than 5,000 genetic disorders, raising the possibility of uncovering many more that remain undefined and undiscovered. The challenges and opportunities associated with performing rare disease research are also discussed, and how the lessons learned from studying rare diseases also apply to other human diseases in general.

In addition, "Genomics of Rare Diseases" addresses the current need of the general public to better understand genetics and genomics.

"Genetics has become more mainstream in the last years through direct-to-consumer DNA testing. Genomic technologies are providing information to the general public about their genetic background and variation," Gonzaga-Jauregui said. "But we feel that the public needs to have a better grasp of fundamental concepts in human genetics to appreciate the genetic and genomic information they are receiving and also to take it with a grain of salt when talking about risk and common diseases. "Genomics of Rare Diseases" helps readers understand what genetics and genomics findings mean, what to expect and how to use the information provided by genetic testing."

###

"Genomics of Rare Diseases. Understanding Disease Genetics Using Genomic Approaches," Claudia Gonzaga-Jauregui and James R. Lupski, Editors, Academic Press, Elsevier, 2021. ISBN 978-0-12-820140-4.
Visual perception changes drastically in the second half of the first year of life

Babies are generally poorer at seeing and recognizing objects than adults because of their immature visual abilities. However, a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on June 23 reported that, in some circumstances, infants younger than 7 months old can perceive objects that older infants and adults cannot. This surprising result demonstrates the distinct mechanisms of visual perception between young infants and adults.

We can generally recognize an object, even if it is presented for a very brief time. However, if another object appears immediately following the first object, the perception on the first object is impaired such that we do not notice its existence. This perceptual phenomenon, called "visual backward masking," is used in vision science to study how visual perception is processed in the brain. Interestingly, this phenomenon occurs even if the second object does not spatially overlap the first object, such as a contour or four dots surrounding the object.

The occurrence of this phenomenon is assumed to be due to a disruption of "feedback processing." When we see something, visual information is serially processed from lower to higher visual areas in the brain in a bottom-up manner. However, top-down feedback processing, in which visual signals are sent back from higher to lower areas, also plays a critical role in visual perception. Visual backward masking is thought to occur owing to interference with feedback processing.

"We applied backward masking to infants aged 3-8 months to examine the development of feedback processing," says Yusuke Nakashima, a postdoctoral fellow at Chuo University in Tokyo and the study's lead author. "Recent studies in vision science revealed the importance of feedback processing in visual perception, but its development is poorly understood."

To test whether backward masking occurs in infants, the researchers presented images of faces on a computer screen and measured the length of time that infants spent looking at them. As infants tend to look longer at faces, researchers can test whether infants perceive faces by measuring their looking time. The faces were presented in two ways. In one condition, a face was followed by a mask image, in which infants would not see the face if backward masking occurred. In another condition, nothing appeared after the face; thus, infants would be able to see the face.

The researchers found that infants aged 7-8 months could not see faces followed by the mask, indicating that backward masking occurred, similar to adults. In contrast, infants aged 3-6 months could perceive faces even when the faces were followed by the mask image, indicating that masking did not occur and that younger infants could see faces that older infants could not.

"These results suggest that feedback processing is immature in infants younger than 7 months," says Nakashima. "That is, younger infants do not have feedback processing that backward masking should interfere, and thus, masking is ineffective for them." The results of the study demonstrated that the mechanisms for visual perception change drastically in the second half of the first year of life, from the bottom-up system to the system incorporating top-down processing.

The results also showed that objects that can be perceived in early infancy become imperceptible during development. "This might seem counterintuitive," says Masami Yamaguchi, a professor at Chuo University. "Instead, important visual abilities would be acquired by the maturation of feedback processing."

For example, feedback processing is essential for robustly perceiving ambiguous visual images, such as occluded objects. "Younger infants whose feedback processing is immature might perceive the external world ambiguously," says Yamaguchi. "In return for susceptibility to visual masking, we acquire the ability to robustly perceive ambiguous visual scenes."

###

Paper: Nakashima Y., Kanazawa S., & Yamaguchi M. K. "Perception of invisible masked objects in early infancy" Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118 (27), e2103040118.

DOI: https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1073/ pnas. 2103040118

This research was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
UPTON, NY--Scientists have organized proteins--nature's most versatile building blocks--in desired 2-D and 3-D ordered arrays while maintaining their structural stability and biological activity. They built these designer functional protein arrays by using DNA as a programmable construction material. The team--representing the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and City University of New York (CUNY)--described their approach in the June 17 issue of Nature Communications.

"For decades, scientists have dreamed about rationally assembling proteins into specific organizations with preserved protein function," said corresponding author Oleg Gang, leader of the Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN) Soft and Bio Nanomaterials Group at Brookhaven Lab and a professor of chemical engineering and of applied physics and materials science at Columbia Engineering. "Our DNA-based platform has enormous potential not only for structural biology but also for various bioengineering, biomedical, and bionanomaterial applications."

The primary motivation of this work was to establish a rational way to organize proteins into designed 2-D and 3-D architectures while preserving their function. The importance of organizing proteins is well known in the field of protein crystallography. For this technique, proteins are taken from their native solution-based environments and condensed to form an orderly arrangement of atoms (crystalline structure), which can then be structurally characterized. However, because of their flexibility and aggregation properties, many proteins are difficult to crystallize, requiring trial and error. The structure and function of proteins may change during the crystallization process, and they may become nonfunctional when crystallized by traditional methods. This new approach opens many possibilities for creating engineered biomaterials, beyond the goals of structural biology.

"The ability to make biologically active protein lattices is relevant to many applications, including tissue engineering, multi-enzyme systems for biochemical reactions, large-scale profiling of proteins for precision medicine, and synthetic biology," added first author Shih-Ting (Christine) Wang, a postdoc in the CFN Soft and Bio Nanomaterials Group.

Though DNA is best known for its role in storing our genetic information, the very same base-pairing processes used for this storage can be leveraged to construct desired nanostructures. A single strand of DNA is made of subunits, or nucleotides, of which there are four kinds (known by the letters A, C, T, and G). Each nucleotide has a complementary nucleotide it attracts and binds to (A with T and C with G) when two DNA strands are near each other. Using this concept in the technique of DNA origami, scientists mix multiple short strands of synthetic DNA with a single long strand of DNA. The short strands bind to and "fold" the long strand into a particular shape based on the sequence of bases, which scientists can specify.

In this case, the scientists created octahedral-shaped DNA origami. Inside these cage-like frameworks, they placed DNA strands with a particular "color," or coding sequence, at targeted locations (center and off center). To the surface of proteins--specifically, ferritin, which stores and releases iron, and apoferritin, its iron-free counterpart--they attached complementary DNA strands. By mixing the DNA cages and conjugated proteins and heating up the mixture to promote the reaction, the proteins went to the internal designated locations. They also created empty cages, without any protein inside.

To connect these nanoscale building blocks, or protein "voxels" (DNA cages with encapsulated proteins), in desired 2-D and 3-D arrays, second author and Columbia PhD student Brian Minevich designed different colors for the external bonds of the voxels. With this color scheme, the voxels would recognize each other in programmable, controllable ways leading to the formation of specifically prescribed types of protein lattices. To demonstrate the versatility of the platform, the team constructed single- and double-layered 2D arrays, as well as 3D arrays.

"By arranging the colors in a particular way, we can program the formation of different lattices," explained Gang. "We have full control to design and build the protein lattice architectures we want."

To confirm that the proteins had been encapsulated inside the cages and the lattices had been constructed as designed, the team turned to various electron- and x-ray-based imaging and scattering techniques. These techniques included electron microscopy (EM) imaging at the CFN; small-angle x-ray scattering at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) Complex Materials Scattering (CMS) and Life Science X-ray Scattering (LiX) beamlines at Brookhaven; and cryogenic-EM imaging at the Molecular Foundry (MF) of Lawrence Berkeley and the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center. The CFN, NSLS-II, and MF are all DOE Office of Science User Facilities; CFN and MF are two of five DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers.

"The science was enabled by advanced synthesis and characterization capabilities at three user facilities within the national lab system and one university-based facility," said Gang. "Without these facilities and the expertise of scientists from each of them, this study wouldn't have been possible."

Following these assembly studies, they investigated the biological activity of ferritin. By adding a reducing reagent to the ferritin lattice, they induced the release of iron ions from the center of the ferritin proteins.

"By monitoring the evolution of SAXS patterns during iron release, we could quantify how much iron was released and how quickly it was released, as well as confirm that the integrity of the lattice was maintained during this protein operation," said Minevich. "According to our TEM studies, the proteins remained inside the frames."

"We showed that the proteins can perform the same function as they do in a biological environment while keeping the spatial organization we created," explained Wang.

Next, the team will apply their DNA-based platform to other types of proteins, with the goal of building more complex, operational protein systems.

"This research represents an important step in bringing together different components from real biological machinery and organizing them into desired 2-D and 3-D architectures to create engineered and bioactive materials," said Gang. "It's exciting because we see the rational path for fabricating desired functional bio-nano systems never-before produced by nature."

###

This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science, a Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program grant, and the National Science Foundation. The LiX beamline is part of the Life Science Biomedical Technology Research resource, cofunded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences and the DOE Office of Biological and Environmental Research, with additional support from the National Institutes of Health. Brookhaven's Biology Department supplied the proteins.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https:/ / energy. gov/ science .

Follow @BrookhavenLab on Twitter or find us on Facebook.
TAMPA, Fla. -- E-cigarettes spark many concerns, especially when it comes to youth vaping. However, emerging evidence suggests that e-cigarettes can be a helpful tool in smoking cessation. Researchers in Moffitt Cancer Center's Tobacco Research and Intervention Program wanted to build upon this evidence by testing whether they could help dual users, people who use both combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes, quit smoking. In a new article published in The Lancet Public Health, they report results from a first-of-its kind nationwide study evaluating a targeted intervention aimed at transforming dual users' e-cigarettes from a product that might maintain smoking into a tool that can be used to aid smoking cessation.

An estimated 8 million adults in the U.S. use e-cigarettes, often with the goal of quitting or reducing cigarette smoking. Nearly 41% are dual users, a practice that maintains, and in some cases might increase, both nicotine dependence and exposure to toxins.

"We were concerned that smokers who started vaping in order to quit smoking often ended up instead using both products," said Thomas Brandon, Ph.D., chair of the Health Outcomes & Behavior Department and director of the Tobacco Research and Intervention Program at Moffitt. "This prompted our team to develop an easy-to-distribute intervention that could enhance dual users' smoking cessation efforts and maintain smoking abstinence."

The research team, which included collaborators from Virginia Commonwealth University; Eastern Virginia Medical School; and the University of Auckland, New Zealand, interviewed vapers who were and were not able to quit smoking. Based on what they learned, they developed a series of "If You Vape" booklets that includes smoking cessation advice geared specifically for dual users.

To test their intervention, the Moffitt team launched a national trial with nearly 2,900 dual users. Participants were randomized into three groups: an assessment group receiving no intervention, a generic self-help group receiving standard smoking cessation materials, and the targeted intervention group receiving the new "If You Vape" booklets. Participants completed surveys every three months for two years to report their current smoking and vaping.

The results showed that the targeted intervention produced smoking abstinence rates about 5 to 10 percentage points higher than the assessment group over the 18 months of treatment. The generic intervention produced abstinence rates in between the two other arms. The researchers noted that while those who reported little to no dependence on combustible cigarettes had greater overall success in quitting, more dependent smokers benefited the most from the new intervention. For example, among dependent smokers who received the booklets, about 20% had quit smoking by six months, compared to 13% of those in the assessment arm.

"Our study indicates that dual users could benefit from specific interventions that leverage their ongoing e-cigarette use, which in turn could expand the public health potential of e-cigarettes," said Brandon. "I think it is important to note that while our materials did not endorse the initiation of vaping, it also didn't demonize use. We treated vapers with respect and passed along information to help them achieve their goal of quitting smoking."

Although the booklets suggest that participants might eventually consider giving up all nicotine, the researchers found no differences in vaping across groups.

The research team would like to expand their efforts to include testing alternative intervention modalities such as a mobile app, improving long-term smoking cessation, and testing the intervention in clinical settings.

###

This work was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Cancer Institute (R01DA037961 and P30CA76292).

About Moffitt Cancer Center

Moffitt is dedicated to one lifesaving mission: to contribute to the prevention and cure of cancer. The Tampa-based facility is one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers, a distinction that recognizes Moffitt's scientific excellence, multidisciplinary research, and robust training and education. Moffitt is the No. 11 cancer hospital and has been nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report since 1999. Moffitt's expert nursing staff is recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center with Magnet status, its highest distinction. With more than 7,000 team members, Moffitt has an economic impact in the state of $2.4 billion. For more information, call 1-888-MOFFITT (1-888-663-3488), visit MOFFITT.org, and follow the momentum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
The LIGHT-CAP project has received a 3.18 million euros funding from the European Union. Its main goal is developing innovative approaches for the solar energy harvesting, conversion and storage; it is led by the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia

Genova (Italy), 25th June, 2021 - New technologies for the European carbon-neutrality program will be developed by the LIGHT-CAP project, a 4-year research initiative whose main objective is to implement a radical change related to the current tools of solar energy conversion and storage technologies. Researchers will apply cutting-edge nanotechnology in order to build systems capable of absorbing sunlight, converting it and concomitantly storing the associated energy (electric charges) in a sustainable way and at low-costs of production. LIGHT-CAP has won funding of 3.18M euros from the European Union and its consortium, coordinated by IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) includes EU and extra-EU partners with academical and industrial backgrounds that will actively cooperate in order to reach the project's goals.

The project's ground-breaking ideas have been presented under the Horizon2020 European call for "Breakthrough zero-emissions energy storage and conversion technologies for carbon-neutrality" in the context of the program "FET Proactive: Emerging Paradigms and Communities".

Nowadays, environmental sustainability is a central aspect of technological innovation and one of the most influential topics driving future research directions. The European Union is poised to reach the ambitious objective of climate neutrality by 2050. To reach it, it is fundamental to cope with judicious energy management, which should translate into energy production from renewable sources and efficient and effective energy consumption. Solar power is the most promising clean energy source but equally relevant is its storage in order to respond properly to the intermittent nature of sunlight and the fluctuations and diversification of the energy demand.

In this context, the LIGHT-CAP project seeks to change drastically the state-of-the-art of solar energy conversion and related accumulation, which today is still based mostly on expensive silicon solar panels and cumbersome batteries kept separated in two distinct devices. LIGHT-CAP will introduce new nanotechnology-enabled architectures combining the two functionalities in a single versatile device.

Crucial for this innovative proposal is the resorting to eco-friendly and earth-abundant materials, thus not suffering from future possible risks of supply. Specifically, the LIGHT-CAP approach pivots on a combination of materials with dimensions reduced up to the nanoscale (i.e. nanoparticles), based con carbon (such as graphene) together with compounds made of different metals (Indium, Zinc, Tin) with oxygen, usually employed for the electronic components in devices of daily use (like smartphones, displays, LEDs) thanks to their strong electrical conductivity properties. They even offer additionally potential improvement in the storage capacity after light conversion, thanks to multiple and reversible charge transfer processes that they can sustain. These species demonstrated a competitive storage capacity if compared to the current technologies in use for batteries systems and, in addition, they have exhibited long-term stability and cyclability.

The project aims at providing more efficient solar energy harvesting, conversion, storage, and controlled on-demand release for the fabrication of both portable and static technologies, potentially producing a considerable impact in the field of portable and mobile electronics that will drive the paradigm change towards a future sustainable and zero-emission energy landscape in Europe.

The LIGHT-CAP consortium includes: Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italy), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (Switzerland), Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany), Justus-Liebig-Universitaet Giessen (Germany), Politecnico di Milano (Italy) and Fundacion IMDEA Energia (Spain). The project also benefits of an extra-EU collaboration with a research group at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan, providing key expertise in nanomaterials synthesis and application. Further support comes from the SME Be-Dimensional, active in 2D materials production and implementation in energy devices and from Thales Research and Technology, a big industrial reality active in many different fields.

###
James Cook University scientists in Australia believe they have made a breakthrough in the science of keeping premature babies alive

James Cook University scientists in Australia believe they have made a breakthrough in the science of keeping premature babies alive.

As part of her PhD work, JCU engineering lecturer Stephanie Baker led a pilot study that used a hybrid neural network to accurately predict how much risk individual premature babies face.

She said complications resulting from premature birth are the leading cause of death in children under five and over 50 per cent of neonatal deaths occur in preterm infants.

"Preterm birth rates are increasing almost everywhere. In neonatal intensive care units, assessment of mortality risk assists in making difficult decisions regarding which treatments should be used and if and when treatments are working effectively," said Ms Baker.

She said to better guide their care, preterm babies are often given a score that indicates the risk they face.

"But there are several limitations of this system. Generating the score requires complex manual measurements, extensive laboratory results, and the listing of maternal characteristics and existing conditions," said Ms Baker.

She said the alternative was measuring variables that do not change - such as birthweight - that prevents recalculation of the infant's risk on an ongoing basis and does not show their response to treatment.

"An ideal scheme would be one that uses fundamental demographics and routinely measured vital signs to provide continuous assessment. This would allow for assessment of changing risk without placing unreasonable additional burden on healthcare staff," said Ms Baker.

She said the JCU team's research, published in the journal Computers in Biology and Medicine, had developed the Neonatal Artificial Intelligence Mortality Score (NAIMS), a hybrid neural network that relies on simple demographics and trends in heart and respiratory rate to determine mortality risk.

"Using data generated over a 12 hour period, NAIMS showed strong performance in predicting an infant's risk of mortality within 3, 7, or 14 days.

"This is the first work we're aware of that uses only easy-to-record demographics and respiratory rate and heart rate data to produce an accurate prediction of immediate mortality risk," said Ms Baker.

She said the technique was fast with no need for invasive procedures or knowledge of medical histories.

"Due to the simplicity and high performance of our proposed scheme, NAIMS could easily be continuously and automatically recalculated, enabling analysis of a baby's responsiveness to treatment and other health trends," said Ms Baker.

She said NAIMS had proved accurate when tested against hospital mortality records of preterm babies and had the added advantage over existing schemes of being able to perform a risk assessment based on any 12-hours of data during the patient's stay.

Ms Baker said the next step in the process was to partner with local hospitals to gather more data and undertake further testing.

"Additionally, we aim to conduct research into the prediction of other outcomes in neo-natal intensive care, such as the onset of sepsis and patient length of stay," said Ms Baker.

###
A new observational study has begun to evaluate the immune responses generated by COVID-19 vaccines administered to pregnant or postpartum people. Researchers will measure the development and durability of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in people vaccinated during pregnancy or the first two postpartum months. Researchers also will assess vaccine safety and evaluate the transfer of vaccine-induced antibodies to infants across the placenta and through breast milk.

The study, called MOMI-VAX, is sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. MOMI-VAX is conducted by the NIAID-funded Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Consortium (IDCRC).

"Tens of thousands of pregnant and breastfeeding people in the United States have chosen to receive the COVID-19 vaccines available under emergency use authorization. However, we lack robust, prospective clinical data on vaccination in these populations," said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., "The results of this study will fill gaps in our knowledge and help inform policy recommendations and personal decision-making on COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and in the postpartum period."

Pregnant people with COVID-19 are more likely to be hospitalized, be admitted to the intensive care unit, require mechanical ventilation, and die from the illness than their non-pregnant peers. Severe COVID-19 during pregnancy also may put the infant at risk for complications such as preterm birth. Individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding can choose to receive authorized COVID-19 vaccines, and studies to gather safety data in these populations are ongoing. So far, COVID-19 vaccines appear to be safe in these populations. The NIAID study will build on these studies by improving the understanding of antibody responses to COVID-19 vaccines among pregnant and postpartum people and the transfer of antibodies to their infants during pregnancy or through breast milk. Experience with other diseases suggests that the transfer of vaccine-induced antibodies from mother to baby could help protect newborns and infants from COVID-19 during early life.

Investigators will enroll up to 750 pregnant individuals and 250 postpartum individuals within two months of delivery who have received or will receive any COVID-19 vaccine authorized or licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Their infants also will be enrolled in the study. Vaccines are not provided to participants as part of the study protocol. Currently, three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the United States under emergency use authorization: the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccines and the Johnson & Johnson adenoviral vector vaccine. The study is designed to assess up to five types of FDA-licensed or authorized COVID-19 vaccines, should additional options become available.

Participants and their infants will be followed through the first year after delivery. To assess the development and durability of vaccine-induced antibodies overall and by vaccine type and vaccine platform, researchers will analyze blood samples collected from pregnant and postpartum participants. These samples will be collected at study enrollment; at delivery for participants who enrolled during pregnancy; and two, six, and 12 months after delivery. Pregnant participants enrolled in the study prior to receiving the vaccine will have blood drawn at enrollment as well as approximately one month after vaccination. To assess transfer of antibodies through the placenta and the levels and durability of antibodies in infants, researchers will perform antibody testing on samples from umbilical cord blood collected at delivery and blood samples collected from infants two and six months after delivery.

Investigators also will assess the potential effects on maternal immune responses and transfer of antibodies across the placenta according to the mother's age, the trimester of pregnancy during which the vaccine was received, the mother's health, and the mother's COVID-19 risk status. Additionally, mothers will have the option of providing breast milk samples at approximately two weeks, two months, six months, and 12 months after delivery. The investigators will evaluate breast milk antibodies to assess the potential for protection against COVID-19 in breastfed infants. Study staff also will gather information on COVID-19 illnesses in pregnant and postpartum participants, birth and neonatal outcomes, and COVID-19 illnesses in infant participants.

###

The work is led by principal investigators Flor M. Munoz, M.D., of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and Richard H. Beigi, M.D., of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The study will be conducted at up to 20 clinical research sites nationwide. More information about the study, including a list of sites, is available on the IDCRC website.

NIAID conducts and supports research--at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide--to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www. nih. gov .

NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health
People with dementia receiving home health care visits are less likely to be readmitted to the hospital when there is consistency in nursing staff, according to a new study by researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. The findings are published in the journal Medical Care, a journal of the American Public Health Association.

Home health care--in which health providers, primarily nurses, visit patients' homes to deliver care--has become a leading source of home- and community-based services caring for people living with dementia. These individuals often have multiple chronic conditions, take several medications, and need assistance with activities of daily living. In 2018, more than 5 million Medicare beneficiaries received home health care, including 1.2 million with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias.

"Nurses play a pivotal role in providing home health care," said Chenjuan Ma, PhD, MSN, assistant professor at NYU Meyers and the study's lead author. "As the population ages and older adults choose to 'age in place' as long as possible, the demand for home health care for people with dementia is expected to grow rapidly."

For most patients, their home health care often begins after being discharged from the hospital. Given that hospital readmissions are a significant quality, safety, and financial issue in healthcare, Ma and her colleagues wanted to understand if having continuity of care, or the same nurse coming to each home visit, could help prevent patients from being readmitted.

Using multiple years of data from a large, not-for-profit home health agency, the researchers studied 23,886 older adults with dementia who received home health care following a hospitalization. They measured continuity of care based on the number of nurses and visits during home health care, with a higher score indicating better continuity of care.

Approximately one in four (24 percent) of the older adults with dementia in the study were rehospitalized from home health care. Infections, respiratory problems, and heart disease were the three most common reasons for being readmitted to the hospital.

The researchers found wide variations in continuity of nursing care in home health visits for people with dementia. Eight percent had no continuity of care, with a different nurse visiting each time, while 26 percent received all visits from one nurse. They also found that the higher the visit intensity, or more hours of care provided each week, the lower the continuity of care.

"This may suggest that it is hard to achieve continuity of care when a patient requires more care, though we cannot exclude the possibility that high continuity of care results in more efficient care delivery and thus fewer hours of care," explained Ma.

Notably, increased continuity of home health care led to a lower risk for rehospitalization, even after the researchers controlled for other clinical risk factors and the intensity of home health care (the average hours of care per week). Compared to those with a high continuity of nursing care, people with dementia receiving low or moderate continuity of nursing care were 30 to 33 percent more likely to be rehospitalized.

"Continuity of nursing care is valuable for home health care because of its decentralized and intermittent care model," said Ma. "While continuity of nursing care may benefit every home health care patient, it may be particularly critical for people with dementia. Having the same person delivering care can increase familiarity, instill trust, and reduce confusion for patients and their families."

To improve continuity of nursing care, the researchers recommend addressing the shortage of home health care nurses, improving care coordination, and embracing telehealth in home health care.

"Multiple structural factors present challenges for continuity of care for home health nurses and other staff. These can include long commute times, few full- or part-time staff, agencies relying mostly on per diem staff, and organizational cultures that do not foster retention of home health care staff," said Allison Squires, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate professor at NYU Meyers and the study's senior author. "Proposed legislation in Congress that seeks to increase nursing and home health care frontline staff salaries will pay for itself because agencies can improve continuity of care, and therefore reduce penalties associated with hospital readmissions."

A hybrid care model of in-person visits and telehealth visits could also help achieve more continuity of care, the researchers note. They encourage policymakers to consider expanding coverage for telehealth visits in home health care.

###

In addition to Ma and Squires, study authors include Margaret McDonald and Penny Feldman of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, Sarah Miner of St. John Fisher College Wegmans School of Nursing, and Simon Jones of NYU Grossman School of Medicine. The research was supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (R01HS023593) and the NYU Center for the Study of Asian American Health under a National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant (3U54MD000538-18S1).

About NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing (@NYUNursing)

NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing and health. Founded in 1932, the College offers B.S., M.S., DNP and Ph.D. degree programs providing the educational foundation to prepare the next generation of nursing leaders and researchers. NYU Meyers has several programs that are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report and is among the top 10 nursing schools receiving NIH funding, thanks to its research mission and commitment to innovative approaches to health care worldwide.
Americans are also supportive, but with some caveats

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Although the United States is the only wealthy nation that doesn't guarantee paid leave to mothers or fathers after the arrival of a new child, Americans endorse providing paid time off for parents nearly as much as people from other countries.

About 82% of Americans support paid maternity leave, just slightly less than the 86% who support it in 26 wealthy nations, a new study shows.

Where Americans differ from the rest of the world is that they are less supportive of government funding for paid leaves, prefer shorter leave times and are less supportive of paid leave for fathers.

"We find marked differences in how Americans want paid leave administered compared to the rest of the world - but very similar desires to have leave available," said Chris Knoester, co-author of the study and associate professor of sociology at The Ohio State University.

Knoester conducted the study with Richard Petts, professor of sociology at Ball State University, and Amelia Li, a doctoral student in sociology at Ohio State. Their findings were published this week in the International Journal of Comparative Sociology.

The researchers analyzed data from 35,488 people who participated in the International Social Survey Programme 2012. The participants come from 26 wealthy countries, including the United States, that belong to the OECD, the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development.

Overall, the study found high levels of support for paid leave across the developed world, as well as support for relatively long paid leave periods and government funding for the time off, Knoester said.

Worldwide, about 75% of people wanted government support for paid maternity leave. In a previous study the authors published in Social Science Research, they found that about half wanted it for paternity leave.

Support for government funding was much lower in the United States - about half endorsed it for maternity leave, and only a third wanted it for paternity leave. And very few Americans wanted government funding leave by itself, Knoester said. Most wanted the government and private employers to share the costs.

"This may be a major reason why we don't have more widespread and generous leave offered in the United States, even though most people support it," he said.

"If we don't have leave provided through the federal government, we get what we have now, which is a patchwork of states and employers offering different leave policies."

Americans also didn't want as much paid leave as did those from other countries in the survey. People in the United States wanted about four months of leave allocated to new parents. Worldwide, people supported close to 13 months.

Support for paid leave for fathers is lower than for maternity leave, both in the United States and in the rest of the countries surveyed.

Overall, about 60% of people surveyed wanted paid paternity leave, compared to just over half of Americans.

While a lack of support for government funding may be one reason why the U.S. is the only major country without paid maternity leave, there are other reasons, the researchers said.

In another new study by the researchers, forthcoming in Sociological Focus, findings showed that older white people with more conservative political views in the United States were least supportive of paid parental leave.

"These tend to be the people in the elite positions in our society who make those policy decisions about paid leave," Li said. "That makes it difficult to enact leave policies."

Petts noted another reason why political elites in the United States may be less supportive of government-supported leave.

"These are the people who already largely have access to paid leave through their employers. They would not directly benefit from it, because they already have it," Petts said.

"It is a story of the haves and the have-nots."

The international study also showed other factors that affect people's support of paid leave.

As expected, women were generally more likely to support paid leave and wanted longer time off.

Also, people who were strong supporters of traditional gender roles, in which men focus on paid work and women focus on the home and family, were less supportive of paid leave than people who advocated more egalitarian gender roles.

"Relatedly, when people endorse both members of a couple working, they are more supportive of paid leave and this shows up particularly for support of paid leave for fathers in the U.S.," Knoester said.

In addition, individuals who felt more conflict between their home and job responsibilities were more likely to endorse paid leave.

While the survey that this study was based on was done 10 years ago, the researchers said more recent surveys suggest people's views have not changed much. If anything, people may have become slightly more supportive of paid leave, particularly in the United States.

"We are still seeing very high support of paid maternity leave, and there are some indications that support for paternity leave has increased since 2012," Knoester said.

In addition, signs point toward more Americans being in favor of government support of parental leave. Nine states and Washington, D.C., have enacted paid parental leave programs. Last November, Colorado voters passed a ballot measure that allows for up to 12 weeks of leave.

"I would never have guessed that the kind of measure enacted in Colorado would pass in the U.S. It suggests Americans are becoming more open to government support," Petts said.

###

Contact: Chris Knoester, Knoester.1@osu.edu

Amelia Li, Li.6109@osu.edu

Richard Petts, rjpetts@bsu.edu

Written by Jeff Grabmeier, 614-292-8457; Grabmeier.1@osu.edu
Night and day, oil tankers, yachts and cargo ships stacked with shipping containers ply the 80-kilometer (50-mile) waterway through the jungles of Panama between the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean: about 40 ships every 24 hours. But even though the Canal is fed by freshwater rivers that empty through the locks on each end, a system that generally prevents fish and smaller marine invertebrates from hopping from ocean to ocean, some still manage to get through, clinging to the hulls of ships. Other invading species arrive from far-flung ports, dumped with ballast water as ships prepare for transit.

"Panama is a major shipping hub that provides amazing opportunities to test key ideas about marine invasions by studying two very different oceans at the same latitude," said Mark Torchin, staff scientist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), "I can check sites in the ocean in front of my lab at the Pacific entrance to the Canal and then drive to the Atlantic coast in an hour to check sites there. Where else in the world can you do that?"

Since the Canal opened in 1914, the human population of the world has catapulted from 2 billion to almost 8 billion. And as people move around the globe, other organisms move as well. Fish breeders in the United States imported carp from Asia to clean their ponds; now Asian Carp have worked their way up the Mississippi River system to Canada, destroying natural bird and fish habitat along the way. Likewise, cane toads were introduced in Australia to control beetles, but because they have no natural predators there, toad numbers exploded. But most invasions are inadvertent, as animals (or viruses, for that matter) hitch rides on boats or planes.

"We have very practical reasons to test ideas about the success of invaders in different locations as we learn how to predict and manage invasions," said Amy Freestone, associate professor at Temple University and research associate at both STRI in Panama and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) in Maryland. "With these paired experimental studies, we wanted to know if marine invaders are equally successful in all environments and how important predators are to keep them in check."

First the team asked whether marine invaders are more successful in one ocean basin compared to the other. Is the proportion of non-native species higher in the less-diverse Pacific compared to the more-diverse Atlantic as theory predicts? And is there asymmetrical exchange between oceans in Panama, with more species introduced from the Atlantic to Pacific than in the opposite direction?

To find out, they suspended PVC panels as habitat patches for colonization. About the size of patio tiles, panels were placed in the water at 10 different sites near each end of the Panama Canal. They waited for 3 months for marine invertebrates to colonize the panels. Then they removed these standard collectors, photographed the results and identified the species on the panels, classifying them as either native, non-native or species of unknown origin.

They found more non-native species in the less-diverse Pacific where there were 18 non-native species, 30% of all Pacific species, than in the more-diverse Atlantic where there were 11 non-native species, 13% of all Atlantic species. And there was a higher influx of invaders from the Atlantic to the Pacific than vice versa.

Along the way they reported 9 new non-native sessile invertebrates in the Pacific and 7 in the Atlantic that were previously unknown from these areas. One of the important contributions of this project was a collaboration with the Panama Canal Authority (Autoridad del Canal de Panama, ACP) and the Panama Maritime Authority (Autoridad Maritima de Panama, AMP), with support from Panama's Secretariat for Science and Technology (SENACYT) to create an online database called Pan-NEMO of non-native species as part of the National Estuarine and Marine Exotic Species Information System (NEMESIS).

The team also combed through previous scientific papers, pulling together the cumulative record of all non-native marine species reported to date in Panama. They found the same thing: eight times more non-native species were reported from the Pacific than from the Atlantic in this area.

Next they looked for evidence of a concept called biotic resistance, the idea that, in biodiverse environments, it is harder for invaders to gain a foothold because they have to compete with the natives and survive alongside native predators. To test effects of predators, they compared caged and uncaged panels in two companion studies. They suspended uncovered panels, panels with mesh cages to keep predators out, and panels with mesh along the sides but open at one end at 3 sites per ocean, waited three months, and then identified the invertebrates and weighed them.

Predation substantially reduced biomass and changed non-native species composition in the Pacific, but not on the Atlantic coast. Some of the dominant non-native species were particularly susceptible to predation in the Pacific, supporting the hypothesis that predation reduces the abundance of certain non-native species.

Based on the results of the Panama experiments the research team secured funding from the US National Science Foundation to also test the idea that predation is stronger the closer you get to the equator and to find out how it impacts communities of marine invertebrates. To do this, they put out PVC panels, with and without cages at 12 sites in 4 regions: subarctic, Ketchikan, Alaska; temperate, San Francisco, California; subtropical La Paz, Mexico and tropical Panama City, Panama.

"These projects not only provide interesting data," said Carmen Schloeder, research manager in the Torchin lab and co-author of both studies, "but also a great experience working for extended periods of time in different environments with collaborators from many different cultural backgrounds. I'm proud to be part of a diverse core team which includes many women: to be able to work with and learn from inspiring colleagues is an essential part of science. "

Results of the second experiment showed that indeed, predators closer to the equator were more diverse, predation rates were higher, predators were larger and they spent more time interacting with their prey. Predation is a much more important force in the tropics than further north. In the tropics, the effects of predators were obvious: they reduced the biomass on the plates and changed the composition of the organisms. In the North, this didn't happen. Communities of marine invertebrates are hit harder by predators in the tropics.

"We show that predators are a critical component of these marine ecosystems, particularly in the tropics, and can limit the abundance of introduced species," Freestone said. "Protect the predators--that is, protect these diverse environments--and you are protecting the world's oceans from invasions by species that may radically alter the balance of marine ecosystems."

"Healthy ecosystems resist invasions," said Gregory Ruiz from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC). "Along with global efforts to reduce organism transfers by ships, conservation of native predator populations plays a critical role in biosecurity to prevent new invasions."

###

The Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, headquartered in Panama City, Panama, is a unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The institute furthers the understanding of tropical biodiversity and its importance to human welfare, trains students to conduct research in the tropics and promotes conservation by increasing public awareness of the beauty and importance of tropical ecosystems. Promo video.
Scientists at Tokyo Institute of Technology design polymers infused with a stress-sensitive molecular unit that respond to external forces by switching on their fluorescence. The researchers demonstrate the fluorescence to be dependent on the magnitude of force and show that it is possible to detect both, reversible and irreversible polymer deformations, opening the door to the exploration of new force regimes in polymers.

Besides causing physical motion, mechanical forces can drive chemical changes in controlled and productive ways, allowing for desirable material properties. One way to go about this is by introducing a so-called mechanophore into the material, molecular units that are sensitive to stress or strain. Specifically, mechanochromic mechanophores, which alter their optical properties in response to mechanical stimuli, are quite useful in quantifying their local mechanical environment.

However, the response mechanism at play in most mechanophores involves severing of chemical bonds. Consequently, they require relatively large mechanical forces to be activated and their response is usually not reversible. To address these issues, researchers led by Prof. Yoshimitsu Sagara from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech) had previously developed supramolecular mechanophores that show instantly reversible on/off switching of fluorescence without any scission of covalent bonds. The team's next challenge was to determine if both reversible and irreversible mechanoresponses can be elicited from the same molecular motif.

In a new Journal of the American Chemical Society study, the team explores this question using an unusual molecular architecture called "rotaxane" in which a dumbbell-shaped molecule is threaded through a "ring" such that they are mechanically interlocked, i.e. the "ring" cannot be normally pulled out. By attaching a quencher-emitter pair to the rotaxane and selecting appropriate sizes of ring and stopper moieties, the team demonstrates a new type of mechanophore response that can be either reversible or irreversible, depending on the magnitude of the applied force (Figure 1).

"When there is no force applied, the attractive interaction keeps the emitter-containing ring near the quencher fixed on the rotaxane's axle, so that the emission is quenched," explains Sagara. "Upon applying a weak force, the emitter is moved away from the quencher, and its fluorescence is turned on. This effect is reversible, unless the force is sufficiently high to push the ring past the stopper so that irreversible dethreading occurs."

By investigating a carefully designed set of different rotaxanes, the team demonstrated that the combination of appropriately selected ring and stopper moieties having the right sized is crucial to obtain interlocked structures that display such dual response. Tokyo Tech researchers collaborated with Swiss partners from the University of Fribourg's Adolphe Merkle Institute to incorporate the new mechanophores into elastic polyurethane rubbers. These materials which exhibit reversible fluorescence changes over many stretch-and-release cycles to low strains, due to the shuttling function, whereas permanent changes were observed when the rubbers were subjected to repeated deformations to high strains due to dethreading of the ring from the axle. "This mechanism allows one, at least conceptually, to monitor the actual deformation of polymer materials and examine mechanical damage that were inflicted in the past on the basis of an optical signal" says Sagara.

Speculating the possible implications of their results, an elated Sagara comments, "Extending the current library of mechanophores with our rotaxane-based candidates would be useful for studying the mechanical properties of not only polymers but also cells and tissues, as our mechanophores can respond to much smaller forces compared to those involving chemical bond scission."

Simply put, rotaxanes could pervade all of natural science!

###

About Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tokyo Tech stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading university for science and technology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in fields ranging from materials science to biology, computer science, and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Tech hosts over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students per year, who develop into scientific leaders and some of the most sought-after engineers in industry. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of "monotsukuri," meaning "technical ingenuity and innovation," the Tokyo Tech community strives to contribute to society through high-impact research. https:/ / www. titech. ac. jp/ english/
UNIST announced that a joint research paper, authored by Professor Sungil Kim and his Ph.D. student, YongKyung Oh in the Department of Industrial Engineering was highly commended for excellence at the 2021 Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE) Annual Conference, the single most prestigious conference in the field of industrial engineering.

Their work, entitled "Logistics Anomaly Detection with Maritime Big Data: A Bootstrap Approach," has been selected as the 2021 IISE Logistics and Supply Chain (LSC) Division Best Paper. Took place virtually from May 21 to 24, this annual conference featured over 800 sessions, including 75 paper presentations in the LSC division.

The research team has developed a real-time anomaly detection model for vessel abnormalities, using real-time tracking data on vessels, and thus demonstrated a technique to quantify the uncertainty of anomaly detection based on bootstrap techniques.

Meanwhile, their work has recently been selected as the 2021 Basic Science Research Project, supported through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). They plan on conducting related research for the next three years under the theme of "Development of AI-based Prediction Method for Vessel Arrival Time, Intended for Smart Ports."

###
Sung-Deuk Choi, Professor of Urban and Environmental Engineering at UNIST, received a certificate of commendation from the Ministry of Environment in commemoration of the 26th Environment Day on Saturday, June 5, 2021.

As an expert in measuring and analyzing air pollutant emissions, Professor Choi received credit for carrying out a number of research projects, proposed by the Ministry of Environment, which include the management of air pollutants (i.e., fine dust).

In particular, he was honored for developing key technologies for quantifying the contribution of long-range transported air pollution from China, as well as for analyzing the quantity of local air pollutant emissions and their major emission sources. In addition to this, he received credit for developing a converged technology for monitoring and modeling major emitting sources of fine dust from industrial sites.

Since the participation in the Expert Meeting on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollutants in Northeast Asia by the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) in 2013, Professor Choi has been making a concerted effort in pushing for non-governmental academic exchanges and cooperation by attending meetings, related to the cooperation of Korea-China-Japan for reducing particle pollution.

Professor Choi is currently pursuing a variety of scholarly and research activities in secondary generation of fine dust in the Seoul and Ulsan regions. In addition to this, he has been actively conducting research on the monitoring of long-range transport of air pollutants in west coastal areas and adjacent islands.

Meanwhile, World Environment Day has been celebrated since the United Nations designated it on June 5, 1972. Korea has held the World Environment Day ceremony since 1996 when the day was given legal commemorative status. The Ministry of Environment has proposed the theme for the 26th Environment Day as the 'Achieving Carbon Neutrality for Future Generations'.

###
When Winter Storm Uri hit, many Texans lost power from February 14-20, resulting in losses of lives and economic activity, and damages to their homes that for some are still not completely repaired. Now, four months later as demand for electricity has increased at the start of the summer amid tight supply, Texans continue to prioritize improvements to the power grid, albeit with doubt as to whether the Texas Legislature and Governor can get the job done.

In a survey by the Hobby School of Public Affairs and UH Energy at the University of Houston fielded between May 13-24, 1,500 individuals in Texas aged 18 and older responded to a series of questions regarding their experience during Winter Storm Uri and their evaluation of policy proposals toward protecting the Texas electric grid from severe weather events in the future.

"Winter Storm Uri was a massive event, with widespread impact across the state" said Pablo M. Pinto, the principal investigator who serves as associate professor and director of the Center for Public Policy at the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs.

Two-thirds of those surveyed lost power following Winter Storm Uri, while roughly 30% of those surveyed sustained damage to their home. Additionally, the bulk of power outages for sustained periods of time were clustered near larger urban centers in Texas.

Larger urban centers had no power for more than 30 hours in several zip codes. According to the survey, in the Houston area these zip codes were more clustered than the other large metro-areas in Texas.

The impact of the February storm is abundantly clear, but Texans' confidence in the ability of their state government to prevent another incident like this from repeating itself is less clear.

"Three months after the storm, Texans remained frustrated and blamed government officers, power generators and natural gas producers for the power outages," Pinto said. "They signal this frustration in their demand that energy producers and the Texas governments, not consumers, should bear the costs of retrofitting the Texas grid to withstand extreme weather events, at least in the short term."

Roughly 40% of respondents disagreed that the Texas state government will adequately tackle issues related to the electric grid. A partisan and age divide emerged within this result, namely that Republicans agreed more than Democrats and Independents, as did respondents older than 65 years old.

"A salient concern among Texans is having access to a reliable supply of electric power, which means a power system to provide uninterrupted service at an acceptable price," said Sunny Wong, professor at the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs and one of the principal investigators of the study.

The survey showed a correlation between age and disapproval of unreliable electric service. Of those aged 45-65 years old and older than, 48% and 53%, respectively, agreed that it is never acceptable for the power to go out.

Despite some doubt, eligible voters across party lines believe that wind, solar and other renewable energy sources will make a substantial contribution to reliable and secure electricity supply in Texas in the future. Sun or solar power accounted for 56.3% of surveyed respondents selected sun or solar power as a likely to make a substantial contribution, followed by wind power at 54%. The greatest support for renewables came from ages 18-29 at 69%.

"Even among Republicans, who had the lowest level of support compared to Democrats and Independents, 42% still agreed that solar power would make a substantial contribution," said Gail Buttorff, Co-Director, Survey Research Institute and Assistant Instructional Professor, at the UH Hobby School of Public Affairs and co-principal investigator.

"Younger respondents are much more likely to believe that climate change is happening, though a majority of respondents believe it is happening across age groups. 91% of respondents aged 18-29 believe climate change is happening compared to 76%, 73%, and 60% in the three older age groups."

With so many affected by the storm in February 2021 and the recent request by ERCOT to conserve energy in light of supply tightness juxtaposed by increased demand for electricity to cool homes, Texans continue to keep the power grid at the forefront of their minds.

Senate Bills 2 and 3 were passed by the Texas Legislature in an effort to oversee the appointment of the Public Utility Commission of Texas and of Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), as well as require the weatherization of some of the industry's and infrastructure. These both fall in line with voter values, which point to reliability (40%) as a top priority, followed by cost (26%). Weatherization and winterization of the electricity system also emerged as top policy preference among respondents.

"Although respondents preferred not to see the price of electricity increase, they realize that reliable access to electricity will require major investments and regulatory changes in the long run" said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Chief Energy Officer at the University of Houston and Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, who was one of the leaders of the study. "When offered a menu of investments and policy interventions, respondents revealed their willingness to pay modest increases in electricity prices to shorten power."

Time will tell whether legislation passed in the Spring will satiate Texas voters' demands for more reliable and affordable electricity. One point is certain, a majority of surveyed voters have pointed to renewables as a preferred path forward in Texas for diversifying the energy mix and improving reliable and sustainable electricity. Texas is the leading state in wind power already and among the top leaders in solar, and it appears Texas voters are in agreement to continue leading the pack.

###
The grant will enable the university to collaborate with partners on research for legged robots that will assist sailors with shipboard firefighting and maintenance

LOWELL, MA -- Congresswoman Lori Trahan (MA-03) applauds the awarding of $1,813,500 in federal grant funding to the University of Massachusetts Lowell by the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The grant will enable the university to collaborate with Brown University, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center on research for legged robots that will assist sailors with shipboard firefighting and maintenance.

"When sailors sign up to serve, they deserve to be confident that we're doing everything possible to prioritize their safety. This federal investment in humanoid robotics research shows incredible promise in bolstering personnel safety aboard ships, especially during dangerous events like fires," said Congresswoman Trahan, a strong supporter of cutting-edge research at UMass Lowell. "I'm proud to have advocated for an increase in federal funding for critical initiatives like this, and I look forward to seeing the tremendous advancements yielded by the researchers at UMass Lowell."

"Together with my colleagues Reza Ahmahzadeh, Yan Gu, Adam Norton and Paul Robinette, I am looking forward to working with the Naval Research Laboratory, Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Brown University to improve the state-of-the-art of legged robots to support the Navy and Marines. Our research will focus on walking and balancing in dynamic environments, on robot manipulation under difficult conditions and on human-robot interaction to make the robots easier to use for sailors and marines. At UMass Lowell's New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center, we will put the robots and their software through extensive testing," said Holly Yanco, UMass Lowell computer science faculty and Distinguished University Professor.

"UMass Lowell greatly appreciates the support of Rep. Trahan in securing this research funding. We value our strong partnership with Brown University, the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. Led by Distinguished University Professor Holly Yanco, this project is an example of how UMass Lowell excels at ensuring our 'use-inspired' research quickly translates to support for our sailors, as well as for our soldiers, first responders and dual-use commercial applications," said Julie Chen, Vice Chancellor of Research and Economic Development at UMass Lowell.

The program, led by the NRL in partnership with UMass Lowell and other leading research institutions, will increase the impact and use of robotics by the United States Navy and the Department of Defense. The objective is to significantly advance the state of the art in autonomous humanoid robots operating in highly complex and unstructured environments in collaboration with sailors.

Currently, the Navy is focused on two areas of use for humanoid robotics, including firefighting, which puts sailors at risk for serious injury. Humanoid robots that can work with sailors, perceive the fire and hazards, manipulate the hose, and navigate over knee-knockers will keep sailors safer and put shipboard fires out quicker. It is also prioritizing maintenance and is supporting research that will enable the use of humanoid robots to reduce the amount of time spent on maintenance tasks.

During consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Trahan successfully supported a $5 million increase in funding for the Navy's Humanoid Robotics in Complex Unstructured Environments program to better support the Department's research into ways to prioritize the safety of sailors by investing in robotic alternatives for dangerous activities.

###
PITTSBURGH (June 25, 2021) ... CALPHAD (CALculation of PHAse Diagrams) is one of the genomic toolkits for material design and more recently is widely used in alloy innovation, ceramic design, processing optimization, and microstructure engineering. Its high-performance, time reducing capabilities are an incredible resource for thermodynamics research, especially for developing novel functional alloys.

Using CALPHAD to help identify 21st century alloys is the focus of the University of Pittsburgh's Wei Xiong, who received the inaugural CALPHAD Young Leader Award at the 50th annual CALPHAD Global conference (CALPHAD Global) this June.

"I am humbled to receive the first CALPHAD Young Leader Award and grateful to my colleagues and friends for their endless support and guidance," said Xiong, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. "I look forward to organizing the Young Calphadian Workshop in the next CALPHAD annual meeting in Sweden."

The CALPHAD Young Leader Award is presented by the CALPHAD advisory committee to a researcher under 40 years of age who has demonstrated high achievement and active participation in the CALPHAD community, as well as strong leadership skills. No self-nomination is permitted.

In addition to the CALPHAD honor, Xiong and graduate student Liangyan Hao received the Best Paper Award from the Alloy Phase Diagram International Commission (APDIC). The publication, "An evaluation of the Mn-Ga system: Phase diagram, crystal structure, magnetism, and thermodynamic properties," (DOI: 10.1016/j.calphad.2019.101722) was selected as the best published manuscript on materials thermodynamics from all journals in 2020.

According to Xiong, the fundamental thermodynamics of the Ga-Mn (Gallium-Manganese) alloys is important for applications in magnets, spintronic devices, semiconductors, etc., but differences between available Ga-Mn phase diagrams can impede research. Through comprehensive and critical reviews, Xiong and Hao proposed a new phase diagram for the Ga-Mn system to support future thermodynamic modeling and design of novel functional alloys. Their publication was funded by the National Science Foundation as part of the project "Mechanisms of hierarchical microstructure formation under rapid solidification of functional Heusler alloys" (NSF DMR 1808082).

Xin Wang, another of Xiong's graduate students in his Physical Metallurgy and Materials Design Laboratory, also received the Best Poster Award for his CALPHAD-based integrated computational materials engineering (ICME) work on "Uncertainty Quantification of Alloy Powder for Additive Manufacturing." This research focused on solving a critical problem during powder production for additive manufacturing: pre-alloyed powder composition often deviates from the target composition leading to undesirable properties and fail builds.

In this work, Wang completed a high-throughput simulation for predicting critical properties, such as yield strength, impact transition temperature, and printability. He then proposed an optimized alloy composition that shows a near 100 percent chance to make the successful additive manufacturing component. The presented strategy is general and can be applied to other alloy composition optimization to expand the choices of alloy for additive manufacturing.

###

Financial support for this research is from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Additive Manufacturing Alloys for Naval Environments (AMANE) program (Contract No.: N00014-17-1-2586 Integrated Computational Materials Design for Additive Manufacturing of High-Strength Steels used in Naval Environments). This research project so far has published five high impact papers:

- Xin Wang, Wei Xiong, "Uncertainty Quantification and Composition Optimization for Alloy Additive Manufacturing Through A CALPHAD-based ICME Framework", npj Computational Materials, nature publishing group, 6 (2020) 188. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1038/ s41524-020-00454-9

- [Editor's Choice Article] Xin Wang, Soumya Sridar, Wei Xiong, "Thermodynamic investigation of new high-strength low-alloy steels with Heusler phase strengthening for welding and additive manufacturing", Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion, 41 (2020) 804-818. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s11669-020-00828-y

- Soumya Sridar, Yunhao Zhao, Wei Xiong, "Cyclic re-austenitization of copper-bearing high-strength low-alloy steels fabricated by laser powder bed fusion", Materials Characterization, 166 (2020) 110437. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. matchar. 2020. 110437

- Soumya Sridar, Yunhao Zhao, Kun Li, Xin Wang, Wei Xiong, "Post-Heat Treatment Design for High-Strength Low-Alloy Steels Processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion", Materials Science and Engineering A, 788 (2020) 139531. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1016/ j. msea. 2020. 139531
PITTSBURGH, June 25, 2021 - It is widely assumed that Americans' sexual activity took a nosedive during the early chaotic months of the coronavirus pandemic. But a new study from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine challenges this popular narrative.

In a research letter published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, scientists from Pitt and UPMC found that some people were having more sex during the pandemic than ever before. That group? Older men with erectile dysfunction.

"People's sexual lives contribute to the psychosocial fabric of society," said senior author Benjamin Davies, M.D., director of the Urologic Oncology Program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center and professor at Pitt's Department of Urology. "We saw a huge spike in sales of daily use erectile dysfunction drugs, which suggests that some people were having more spontaneous sex than ever--with their partners at home, they wanted to always be ready."

In a review of National Sales Perspective data, the researchers found that sales of prescription daily-use erectile dysfunction drugs, such as tadalafil, soared after March 2020, when the country went into the nationwide lockdown.

Scientists used the sales rates of the widely available erectile dysfunction drugs as a proxy for the amount of sexual activity--and compared the changes in sales trends pre-pandemic, before March 2020, and after the pandemic was declared, between March and December of 2020. To account for possible fluctuations of drug sales due to other factors, such as ease of access to pharmacies, the researchers tracked the sales of urological drugs--which didn't change in the months after the pandemic was declared.

Interestingly, scientists found, after a short decrease in sales in March and April, the sales of erectile dysfunction drugs have enjoyed a steady increase ever since. The sales of tadalafil, in particular--a longer-acting drug designed to be taken daily to help with spontaneous sexual activity--nearly doubled between February and December of 2020.

"Changes in sales of erectile dysfunction drugs can indicate important problems and point out issues in people's general well-being," said Davies.

###

Other authors on this manuscript include Inmaculada Hernandez, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Zeynep Gul, M.D., and Walid Gellad, M.D., M.P.H., all of Pitt.

This research was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute grant # K01HL142847.

To read this release online or share it, visit https:/ / www. upmc. com/ media/ news/ 062521-davies-pandemic-sex [when embargo lifts].

About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.

Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www. medschool. pitt. edu .

About UPMC?

A $23 billion health care provider and insurer, Pittsburgh-based UPMC is inventing new models of patient-centered, cost-effective, accountable care. The largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania, UPMC integrates 92,000 employees, 40 hospitals, 800 doctors' offices and outpatient sites, and a more than 4 million-member Insurance Services Division, the largest medical insurer in western Pennsylvania. In the most recent fiscal year, UPMC contributed $1.7 billion in benefits to its communities, including more care to the region's most vulnerable citizens than any other health care institution, and paid more than $900 million in federal, state and local taxes. Working in close collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC shares its clinical, managerial and technological skills worldwide through its innovation and commercialization arm, UPMC Enterprises, and through UPMC International. U.S. News consistently ranks UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside among the nation's best hospitals in many specialties and ranks UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh on its Honor Roll of America's Best Children's Hospitals. For more information, go to UPMC.com.

http://www. upmc. com/ media

Contact: Anastasia Gorelova

Mobile: 412-491-9411

E-mail: GorelovaA@upmc.edu

Contact: Cyndy Patton

Mobile: 412-415-6085

E-mail: PattonC4@upmc.edu
Friday, June 25, 2021

Journalist Art Kevin was invited by Jim Garrison to sit at the prosecution table for the preliminary hearing regarding Clay Shaw. Here is his report from 1997 looking back at the investigation. (Kennedy Assassination Chronicles, Volume 3, No. 2)

THE JOLLY GREEN GIANT

by Art Kevin

A LOOK BACK AT THE CASE AGAINST CLAY SHAW BY D-A JIM GARRISON

In February, 1967, New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison told the world that his office had solved the plot to murder President Kennedy. In March Garrison announced the arrest of businessman Clay Shaw. Garrison said that Shaw (also allegedly known as Clay or Clem Bertrand) and David W. Ferrie (who died 4 days after Garrison said he was involved) and Lee Harvey Oswald (then deceased), had meetings (with others) in Ferrie's apartment during which time the plot to kill JFK was hatched. Shaw calmly denied all of Garrison's charges.

Like many Americans I too disbelieved the Warren Commission (WC) report. I had taken the time to read the 26 volumes and found too many facts distorted or ommited, too many questions unanswered. My distrust was further fueled by the great work of seminal critics of that time. People like Mark Lane, Harold Weisberg and Penn Jones, Jr. In addition I'd had some run-ins with some WC personnel that led me to believe that the single bullet-single assassin theory was all they were willing to consider. But that's another story.

After the Garrison story broke it was my critic friends who told Garrison that I could be trusted and urged that he speak to me. One day out of the blue, Garrison called me at KHJ radio in Los Angeles. We formed a quick friendship on the phone. "Big Jim", or, "The Jolly Green Giant", as he was sometimes dubbed, stood 6'6. He had a powerful smile and a resonant voice with a distinct southern drawl. He was very articulate and convinced that the Warren Commission report on the death of JFK was a coverup. Garrison told me there were several suspects in Los Angeles where I worked. He said he would let me have the first word on who they were so I could be the first newsman to find and interview these men. I was exhilerated. This was the story of the century and I had an inside track. A seat on the 50 yard line shared by few others!

When I arrived in New Orleans Garrison warmly welcomed me at his office and introduced me to his staff. "Art thinks like we do", said Garrison, adding, "he's to be given open sesame to any and all information needed or requested whether or not it's been introduced in court. I asked Garrison's chief investigator Andrew Sciambra, a clean cut collegiate looking young man (just a year out of law school) for a witness list and a background summary as to where they fit into the larger picture. Sciambra promised me the materials the next day and some private time with him to weave it all together. Then Garrison offered me the best carrot of all. "Art how'd you like to sit with us", he asked, "at the prosecution table instead of the public section"? "I'd be honored", I replied.

The next day Sciambra gave me the prosecution "hot list" and we casually discussed their roles in the New Orleans scenario. I spent days tracking down the players still alive and interviewing them myself. The cast of characters proved to be eminently bizzare. Garrison's key witness, Perry Russo, was quite unusual. Even though he seemed a good witness, Russo had to be administered Sodium Pentathol and interviewed under hypnosis on 3 occasions to recall a meeting at Ferrie's apartment where the plot to kill JFK was alledgedly discussed by Ferrie, "Leon" Oswald , "Clay" or "Clem Bertrand "and others".

A narcotics addict who assertedly saw Clay Shaw and Lee Harvey Oswald at the waterfront was unavailable to me since he was already in jail. Then there was a flamboyant attorney named Dean Andrews. He had told the Warren Commission that a Clay Bertrand whom he'd met once or twice had called him the day after President Kennedy was shot and asked him to represent Oswald. Andrews said he declined. When asked by the WC to describe Bertrand, he said Bertrand was about 5'8 with sandy hair. Clay Shaw was about 6'3 with a dark Cajun complection and solid grey hair. Andrews refused to say that Shaw and Bertrand were the same man. Garrison, angered, went on to have Andrews indicted for perjury.

I also tracked down a private investigator who'd alledgedly given Garrison names and "hot tips". He turned out to be an alcoholic and tried to get me to pay for his story.

Lee Harvey Oswald was dead of course but I heard constant reminders from Garrison that Oswald was likely bi-sexual which is what brought him into contact with David Ferrie. Even Jack Ruby who'd killed Oswald on national TV was alledgedly gay or at the very least bi-sexual! As for Ferrie, he had been fired from a major airline for homosexual activity. He was a strange man, an ex-pilot, hairless, who often wore glued on eyebrows and similarly attached pieces of hair.

When I pointed out to Sciambra that thr witness list seemed shaky at best, he went quiet. Why can't Russo remember without medical and psychological help, I asked? Wouldn't his questioning under hypnosis be suspect because of the possibility of recall being implanted? Wouldn't the drug addict be suspect of trying to deal down for a lighter sentence? Wouldn't it seem that Garrison went after Dean Andrews on perjury because Andrews refused to cooperate with Garrison? And what about Andrews refusal to tie Shaw and Bertrand together as the same man? And what about the disparity of Bertrand-Shaw's physical appearance as Andrews told it to the WC? Sciambra, clearly looking as if a ton of bricks had come down on his shoulders, told me to take it up with Garrison. I did.

When I confronted the Jolly Green Giant alone in his office with my doubts, he too seemed truly crushed. He cradled his head in his hands as I recited chapter and verse of much of what I'd reviewed with Sciambra. When I concluded, I also asked for comment on the rumors circulating around town that he'd once hit his wife in public and that during his military service he'd been subject to psychiatric counseling. First he got mad. "Look", he said, "who the hell do you think would be involved in the murder of the President of the United States? Bankers? No! The scum of the earth, that's what. I did what I did with Russo just to make sure he was telling me the truth. Art, I'm sorry if you're disappointed. But you just wait until we get into court. I've got some things up my sleeve. Now as for those personal assaults on my integrity...". Garrison paused, stood up, looked me right in the eye and said, "I did get mad at my wife one time in public. Doesn't every husband and wife get that way sometime? And yes, I did have some problems in the military. I was very young. And I told you Art, the closer I get the more shit they dig out on me". With that, he turned and left me alone in his office.

I sat down and contemplated what I'd just heard. I couldn't help but feel real sympathy for the man and the weight he was carrying.

In the days that followed, though I continued to sit with the prosecution, cooperation sank to zero. No more coffee chats with key staff. No more inside scoop.

Even Penn Jones Jr. and comic Mort Sahl told me the "Big Guy" was miffed at me. They wondered why. Frankly, so did I.

Then one day I had a message at my hotel room to come to Garrison's office at a specified time that evening. I did, joining Garrison and Sciambra. "Tomorrow morning", said Garrison, "I will show the American people for the first time how the President of the United States was murdered. They will see without a doubt that there had to have been more than one shooter. I will show the "Z" film, the Zapruder film". With that, he shoved a copy in my hand. "That's for you Art. Now Andrew", he told Sciambra, "turn off the lights and let's show Art the film that will prove once and for all in an open court of law that the Warren Commission lied to the people of the United States".

We saw the film several times. he was right. It was dynamite. When I asked Garrison what effect it might have on the populace in general, he thought for a moment and said, "I don't know. Revolution? They might even make me Vice President!". Garrison had a wide ear to ear grin as he looked at me.

As we know, the trial was short and fast. The jury took less than an hour to determine Clay Shaw was not guilty. They obviously didn't buy Garrison's cast of oddball characters or even the devastating Zapruder film. I knew in my heart that had the Warren Commission Report been on trial, the verdict would have been "guilty". But it was Clay Shaw who was on trial and based on the evidence presented, there was no doubt he was innocent. I have often wondered if, in his heart of hearts, Jim Garrison didn't know the same thing and decided to gamble anyway?

Art Kevin understood that Garrison had no case against Shaw:
With redevelopment work well underway at Medical Park Tower, Lillibridge Healthcare Services today announced that the two lobby murals painted in 1967 by Mexican artist Rafael Navarro Barajas will be donated to the Hage family.? M.K. Hage, the original building developer, commissioned the artwork and was a close friend of the artist.

?



Removal of the two murals will be undertaken by LA-based Fine Art Conservation Laboratories (FACL). The work began Monday, June 21 under the care of expert mural conservator Scott M. Haskins and is expected to take one week due to the complexity of removing safely the canvas from the walls that they are adhered to. The murals will then be transported to the FACL lab for repair and restoration.

?We are excited to return a piece of the building?s history to the M.K.Hage family to be reinstalled into another building in Austin, preserving the murals and their culture heritage for future generations,? said Dan Minning, Lillibridge Executive Vice President, Property Management & Leasing. ?We are grateful to have identified the highly expert, art preservation and restoration specialists Fine Art Conservation Laboratories who have determined a safe method for conserving and relocating the murals, and to the local arts community for their support.?

Located on the campus of Ascension?s Seton Medical Center in the heart of the city?s medical district, the Medical Park Tower redevelopment is transforming the 160,000 square foot building into a sleek, state-of-the-art medical facility designed to LEED? standards for sustainable buildings.?The $30 million project will cover all aspects of the building including:



?



* An enhanced faaade with new glazing, removal of exterior fins, and new roof systems



* Upgraded mechanical and plumbing systems



* Modernized elevators and equipment



* Common area renovations



* New wayfinding designs and digital signage throughout the property



* New covered entrances to the building



* Installation of energy efficient LED lighting



* Accessibility enhancements throughout the facility including 8 new accessible parking spaces near the south entrances



* New outdoor green space sitting/meditation area near the south entrances



??



About Fine Art Conservation Laboratories



Working professionally since 1975 but established in 1986, the firm works on murals nationwide, and extensively throughout Texas such as the national treasure civil rights mural by John Biggers in Houston, the incredibly creative installation of 90 ft of Buck Winn mural in the Alkek Library of Texas State University in San Marcos and the monumental murals of Fair Park in Dallas by Carlo Ciampaglia, among many other mural conservation projects.



?
Judson Independent School Districts computer and communication systems remained paralyzed Thursday as staffers scramble to understand the extent of a ransomware attack detected a week earlier.

District officials werent disclosing what information the cyberattack compromised but acknowledged that Judson computers, telephones and e-mail services were still down. A spokesperson for the district, which covers part of San Antonio, Thursday confirmed the outages were the result of a ransomware attack.

Ransomware is a type of software that encrypts files and systems, rendering them unusable to the owner. The data hijackers then request a ransom, usually in cryptocurrency, in exchange for releasing the files and systems.

The Northeast Side school district, which employs 3,270 people and serves nearly 22,900 students across 30 campuses, now is using Googles commercial e-mail service, personal phones and cellular hot spots to communicate.

On ExpressNews.com: Ransomware attack leaves Judson ISD without access to phones, email

Right now, were still in the investigative process, and still trying to determine this scope and the nature of the attack, said Nicole Taguinod, a district spokeswoman. I can tell you that it does impact us pretty greatly just because were all very dependent on emails and our phones.

The district canceled summer school classes for about 700 high school students last Friday, according to Taguinod, but they resumed Monday.

Weve secured hot spots and collected those to be able to get our students online for summer school, she said. We also are using that kind of technology to be able to work within our offices and such.

Judson is working with local, state and federal authorities, Taguinod said. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment. The Texas Department of Information Resources, an agency responsible for protecting state technology infrastructure, is supporting the investigation.

On ExpressNews.com: Thats problematic: San Antonio lands on dark-web top 10 list

The Texas Department of Information Resources takes our role in assisting other government organizations with their cybersecurity incidents very seriously, and we strive to protect the information entrusted to us by those organizations who have been impacted, said Brittney Booth Paylor, an agency spokesperson.

The district Police Departments public phone line and e-mail remain down since theyre on the districts servers.

Taguinod couldnt say whether the district or authorities have been in contact with the hackers or if theyve requested a ransom to release the computer systems.

Nothing is more important to us than the safety and security of our community, staff, students and our families, and that includes protecting their personal information, their personal data, she said. We are committed to the recovery of this, and we will continue to communicate as much as we can when we can to keep them in the loop.

She said the district is communicating with families via a mass communication system with text messages as well as social media. Despite the outage, the districts public website remains operational, and it has a page dedicated to the attack.

On ExpressNews.com: Are out-of-state takeovers changing the nature of San Antonios nascent cyber industry?

Dozens have commented on JISDs Facebook page about the hack.

Student info is in the system, so is the parents info, including socials and bank account info if you have a lunch program, commented Anna Ramirez. Also staff bank account and payroll info is at risk.

Some parents expressed concerns about the validity of school emails since the district disclosed the attack.

We have set up phone numbers in order to address inquiries regarding our summer school programs, in addition to transportation, Taguinod said in an email. In addition, a district call center to assist with other inquiries is being established and will be live on Monday, June 28.

The JISD website asks staff, students and families to not access any other district information technology systems.

The district had a regularly scheduled school board meeting June 24. The agenda did not mention the ransomware attack, but Taguinod said the board would discuss it in a closed executive session at the end of the meeting.

People with information about the attack are asked to email JISD.communications@gmail.com

Lingle writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. brandon.lingle@express-news.net
Bexar County Sheriff's deputies on Friday arrested a man they said ran into the county's elections office after a shooting inside a downtown hotel.

Sheriff Javier Salazar said the man, later identified as 24-year-old Jouwan D. Williams Thomas, fired between 10 to 20 shots around 10 a.m. at the Quality Inn on Frio Street. Salazar said Thomas, who was still armed, then ran from the hotel into the nearby elections office at 1103 S. Frio Street, where he jumped the counter and told employees he was being chased.

"They were pretty scared; they weren't sure what to expect," Salazar said. "But this is why we do active shooter drills, and they locked down and sheltered in place. We are fortunate no one got hurt."

Thomas made it "quite a ways" into the secure area of the building before deputies and members of the San Antonio SWAT team, which so happened to be in the area, were able to apprehend him, Salazar said.

On ExpressNews.com: Man dies of his injuries after being shot at West Side hotel

The sheriff said Thomas appeared to be hallucinating from a drug-induced psychosis and was armed with a 9 mm and a high capacity magazine.

State Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, was in a meeting with Elections Administrator Jacquelyn Callanen but was in the back of the building away from the incident, according to Salazar.

At the hotel, several bullets were fired inside one of the rooms, penetrating the walls of other rooms. Salazar did not say why Thomas began shooting but said deputies could see marijuana and an additional high-capacity magazine from their vantage point outside the room. Investigators were getting a search warrant to enter the room, Salazar said.

The sheriff said Thomas is a resident of San Antonio but was unsure if he was staying long-term at the hotel or if he lived nearby.

Thomas was arrested on a felony warrant for a stolen vehicle but will likely face charges for drug possession, deadly conduct and trespassing, Salazar said. He could face additional charges as the investigation unfolds.

taylor.pettaway@express-news.net
Over the past year, Gov. Greg Abbott has issued disaster declarations across the state for a number of tragedies: the coronavirus pandemic that killed more than 50,000 Texans, a winter storm that left millions of people in freezing temperatures without power for days, hurricanes and floods that wiped out homes and local infrastructure.

The disaster declarations give the governor broad power to suspend state laws and regulations that hinder a jurisdictions recovery from a disaster and to allow the use of available resources to respond to the disaster.

Then, on May 31, the two-term Republican governor who is seeking re-election next year took the unprecedented step of declaring a disaster for 34 counties based on an increase of illegal immigration at the Texas-Mexico border. The declaration allowed Abbott to request the reallocation of $250 million of legislatively appropriated funds toward a border wall construction project pushed by his office.

Its extraordinarily unusual, said Jon Taylor, professor of political science at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Traditionally, its used for natural disasters, he added, though state law does allow for its use for some man-made disasters.

Abbotts move raises questions about the executive branchs emergency powers, rekindling concerns raised during the early days of COVID-19 last year when Abbott used his broad emergency powers to enact restrictions shutting down businesses to curb the pandemic. In response, the Legislature tried without success to rein in Abbotts authority this session.

But now, critics are questioning whether an increase in illegal immigration constitutes a disaster that merits emergency action by the governor.

State Rep. John Turner, D-Dallas, said Abbotts use of a disaster declaration to reallocate legislatively appropriated funds to a project from his office stretches the concept of emergency authority to its breaking point.

A governor should not be able to circumvent the legislative process by declaring such matters to be emergencies and then implementing whatever measures he wishes, Turner said in a statement. If a governor can commence such a long-term, multi-hundred-million-dollar public works project under the cover of emergency powers, it is difficult to know what the limits of those powers are.

I hope the Legislature will reassert its authority and resist this ill-considered action by the Governor, he added.

Under the Texas government code, governors are allowed to declare disasters for an occurrence or imminent threat of widespread or severe damage, injury, loss of life or property resulting from any natural or man-made cause. The code gives the executive branch broad authority that covers natural disasters, like fires, hurricanes,and storms, as well as man-made catastrophes like riots, hostile military action and cybersecurity events.

Renae Eze, a spokeswoman for Abbott, said the governor is acting together with leaders in both chambers of the Legislature, who signed off on his request to transfer legislative funds for the border wall last week. She said the action was warranted because of a 20-year record high of migrant crossings at the border.

This is not a red or blue issue  this is a public safety issue, she said. President Bidens reckless open border policies have led to a crisis along our southern border  Until the Biden Administration starts doing their job, Texas is stepping up to secure our southern border and protect Texans.

In a news conference last week, Abbott acknowledged that his move stepped outside of the historical precedent for disaster declarations.

I am unaware of a governor ever declaring a disaster at county requests because of the tidal wave of illegal immigrants coming across the border, wrecking havoc in communities and residents who live here in Texas, he said.

Abbott said the flow of illegal immigration through the state had cost Texas billions of dollars and thousands of hours of staff resources while hurting border residents whose properties were damaged and lives were threatened. Eze said this week that the Department of Public Safety has also seized 95 pounds of fentanyl smuggled across the border this year, which puts other areas of the state at risk.

In 2019, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the border as he sought to fulfill a campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump similarly said the emergency declaration was needed to stop illegal drug trafficking, human trafficking and gang violence.

Trump also faced backlash over executive overreach, but his emergency order stayed in place until February when the Biden administration formally ended it.

Alberto Gonzales, a former U.S. attorney general and Texas Supreme Court justice, said he generally supports having statutory authority within the governors office to respond to almost any kind of crisis because its hard to anticipate all the emergencies that might arise. Gonzales said he was speaking broadly because he did not have first-hand knowledge of the issues surrounding Abbotts declaration.

Gonzales, now dean of the Belmont University College of Law, said his experience as White House counsel for President George W. Bush during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have shaped his views of executive authority.

Only the executive can respond quickly and decisively in unexpected emergencies, he said.

In exchange for allowing strong emergency powers, lawmakers should demand strict accountability once the disaster has passed, including complete disclosure of the actions taken by the executive branch and an accounting of how state funds were used, Gonzales said.

Abbotts critics could still argue that an increase of illegal immigration does not meet the standards for a disaster declaration and gives the governor power he would not have under normal circumstances, Taylor said.

The disaster declaration allows the state to transfer money already appropriated in the budget to respond to the disaster. In this case, the state will transfer $250 million appropriated by lawmakers for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to Abbotts border wall initiative. State officials have said they will identify funding to replace that money in the agencys budget.

Lawmakers who oppose the wall could argue that their authority over the states purse strings is being side-stepped by the governor for his own initiative.

Its absolutely an encroachment, Taylor said. That gives a lot more authority than what I think people interpreted under the Texas Constitution. This has been a problem for Legislature-gubernatorial relations since at least Ann Richards but definitely since (Rick) Perry. There's been a decided push to expand gubernatorial power whenever possible.

Last year, Democrats and Republicans complained that Abbott had overstepped his authority through his orders to curb COVID-19. Democrats criticized the governor for not deferring to local officials, who they argued were better positioned to make decisions for their communities. And Republicans blasted Abbotts orders to shut down businesses and require masks.

The Legislature debated curbing the governors emergency powers during this years regular session, but the Senate and House had different approaches to the issue and were unable to reach a compromise before lawmakers returned home.

The Senate rallied around two proposals by state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, that would have applied to all declared disasters. The legislation, which would have needed a sign off from Texas voters before it could take effect, would have required the governor to call a special session to declare a state emergency that lasts longer than 30 days. The special session would give lawmakers the chance to terminate or adjust executive actions taken by the governor, or pass new laws related to the disaster or emergency.

In the House, state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, spearheaded House Bill 3, a sweeping piece of legislation that would have curbed emergency powers only during a pandemic as opposed to all disasters, which include hurricanes and tornadoes. Neither Burrows' nor Birdwells offices responded to requests for comment.

But neither of the Republican-dominated chambers seems opposed to Abbotts use of a disaster declaration to tackle illegal immigration.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dade Phelan flanked Abbott at a news conference on the subject last week, and the respective chambers chief budget writers Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, and Rep. Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood, signed off on the transfer of budgeted funds for Abbotts down payment for the border wall.

Phelan, a Beaumont Republican in his first term as speaker, said earlier this month that lawmakers will debate curbing the governors emergency powers again at some point but deferred to Abbott on whether it will be included in a special session agenda. Phelan has said he sees no need for lawmakers to convene during natural disasters.

Can you imagine trying to have a special session in an off-year, everyone coming up to Austin when they need to be back home taking care of their constituents? Phelan said during an interview with the Tribune after the regular legislative session.

State Rep. Chris Turner, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, said Abbotts focus on immigration at the border is all about politics.

I think the governor should have emergency powers in certain circumstances because emergencies do arise, Turner said. But, he added, the fact that Trump is going to tour the border with him next week is proof that this is more about Republican primary politics than it is serious policy.

Abbott has dismissed those criticisms as nonsense.

Taylor said as long as the legislative and executive branches are dominated by the same party and agree on the issue being tackled by a disaster declaration, there is no incentive for lawmakers to try to rein in the governors power. Under those circumstances, Abbott may keep testing the limits of his office.

Its the idea of, he saw an opening, he took the opening, Taylor said. It suggests to me that hes thinking Stop me until I spend again.

But even if lawmakers do not push back on Abbotts emergency power, Gonzales said valid questions remain. The governors opponents could argue in federal court that the state is usurping the federal governments responsibility over immigration enforcement and pre-empt Abbotts actions.

They could also challenge what constitutes a disaster.

If something is anticipated can you really call it an emergency? Gonzales said. Is there time for the Legislature to take action? Is there time for the executive to sit down with the Legislature and say This is the problem, heres the action Id like you to take?

Disclosure: The University of Texas at San Antonio 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.
The Texas Supreme Court has thrown out lawsuits against Academy Sports and Outdoors that alleged the store negligently sold the assault rifle Devin Kelley used in the mass killing at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs.

The court ruled that Academy, based in Katy, is shielded by the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which Congress passed to protect firearms retailers and manufacturers from lawsuits seeking damages arising out of the criminal conduct of third parties.

We hold that the PLCAA bars the lawsuits and protects Academy from continued participation in litigation, the court wrote.

Academys lawyers said their thoughts and prayers continue for the victims of this tragedy. We feel the entire Supreme Court opinion applied the law carefully and thoughtfully in this situation.

Attempts to reach several of the lawyers representing the families were unsuccessful Friday.

Academy was sued by relatives of the victims and survivors of the Nov. 5, 2017, shooting that killed 26 people and injured 20 more during a morning church service. Kelley killed himself during a chase after the shooting.

In four lawsuits filed in state court, the families alleged Academy negligently and illegally sold Kelley the assault rifle and two 30-round magazines.

/ AP

Kelley used a Colorado identification to buy the items at an Academy store in San Antonio. Colorado law prohibits the sale of magazines with a capacity of 15 rounds or more. The families alleged Academy ran afoul of the federal Gun Control Act.

A lower court had denied Academys motion to have the lawsuits dismissed before trial. In a 25-page ruling, the Texas Supreme Court said the lower court erred in denying the motion.

The high court also said Academy properly processed the federal firearms purchase form and checked Kelleys criminal background, which he passed.

It also sided with Academys argument that the magazines are not firearms and that therefore the sale was legal. The court agreed with Academy that no viable cause of action exists under Texas law for the families negligence claims.

Kelley bought the Ruger AR-556 semi-automatic rifle he used in the shooting, which was packaged with a 30-round magazine, on April 7, 2016. He also bought a second 30-round magazine.

During the purchase, Kelley reported a Colorado address and presented a Colorado identification, prompting certain requirements imposed by the federal Gun Control Act on the sale of a firearm to an out-of-state resident.

Although federal law disqualified Kelley from purchasing a firearm at the time of the sale  based in part on his conviction in a 2012 court-martial for assaulting his wife and stepson and his dishonorable discharge from the United States Air Force  that disqualifying information was not in the system, which authorized Academy to proceed with the sale, the court wrote.

Separately, the families sued the Air Force in federal court for failing to report Kelleys conviction to a federal database that would have barred him from buying guns from licensed retailers.

In a trial in San Antonio this year, the Air Force admitted it messed up, but its lawyers argued that the service is shielded from liability or that its liability is minor. The government also argued that most of the liability should be placed on the shooter, with a smaller blame on Academy.

A ruling on whether the Air Force is liable is expected in the near future.

guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland
Reed Williams doesnt go in for sugarcoating. Neither does he have much appetite for scapegoating.

In early March, Mayor Ron Nirenberg enlisted the former councilman to chair a committee to examine what went wrong during the February freeze that resulted in devastating blackouts and water outages.

Over three months, the Committee on Emergency Preparedness met nearly every Friday to hash out these issues. The panel took more than 400 questions and comments from understandably concerned residents. This week, it released its findings in a 46-page report.

On Thursday, Williams led off a 3-hour special session of City Council with a characteristic mix of folksiness, common sense and hard truths.

Williams and his fellow committee members talked about steps CPS Energy can take to better handle state-mandated rolling blackouts, how the city government can improve its coordination with San Antonios utilities and how local officials can best keep the community informed during emergencies.

Before pondering those questions, however, Williams made clear that when it comes to power generation, San Antonio is being forced to operate on a warped playing field.

Our municipal power company is languishing in a deregulated, energy-only Texas system that discourages the development of new power-generating capacity. In this system, energy companies are rewarded for selling as much power as they can. Theres no incentive to invest in extra generating capacity to provide a margin of safety.

When adverse weather causes generating plants to fail, theres minimal reserve power available. When were hit with the kind of extreme weather we experienced in February, that means a grid crisis.

This kind of scarcity leads to outrageous spikes in wholesale electricity rates.

This winter, if we have the same kind of situations, were right back in the same problem, Williams told council members.

He added that the problems must be solved at the state level.

We need to develop some legislation that we can propose, he said. We need to move from an energy-only market to some level of a capacity market.

Williams also pointed to the folly of this states go-it-alone approach to electricity and suggested that we try joining a multistate power grid.

I doubt either one of the other grids would have us right now, he said. Were too unreliable.

But if we can get our reliability up and require all generators and all marketers to hold reserve capacity, and we can get some support from the government for bonding and loaning (so) that we can build this capacity, then we can solve this problem.

CPS Energy, like all the electricity retailers connected to the states main grid, had no choice but to institute blackouts during the freeze. Where CPS Energy fell short was in how that pain was distributed.

One problem was that CPS Energys automated system for handling rotating outages failed, although the utility eventually was able to pivot to a manual approach. The committee also pointed to CPS Energys failure to alert the San Antonio Water System that outages could cut off power to its water pumping stations, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without water for days on end.

The report, however, debunked a persistent local narrative: that low-income residents on the South, East and West sides of the city were subjected to disproportionately long blackouts.

A color-coded map in the report showed that while some neighborhoods experienced considerably longer periods without power than others, there was no clear geographic pattern.

The committee also exposed the lie  heard frequently from climate-change deniers during this years City Council elections  that renewable energy sources caused the power shortfall. (A corollary to this lie was the argument that the blackouts could have been avoided if not for the 2018 shutdown of the J.T. Deely coal-fired power plant.)

CPS Energy wasnt banking heavily on solar or wind energy during the freeze. The big failures came from coal and nuclear energy. The Spruce 1 coal-fired plant and the South Texas Nuclear Project 1 both shut down. Williams estimated that the total cost to CPS Energy was $900 million.

Paula Gold-Williams, the utilitys president and CEO, has been under fire since the February freeze, and she seemed to understand the need for her to address the anger and frustration felt by ratepayers.

This was a horrific experience for many of our citizens all across San Antonio, and it has hurt many people, she said. And we apologize for any contribution that CPS had towards that. The buck stops with me.

The city and its utilities have room for improvement when it comes to emergency response. But only the state can prevent this kind of emergency from happening again.

ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470
The song Until You Come Back to Me (Thats What Im Gonna Do) is one of Aretha Franklins most beautiful and iconic songs in a catalog of beautiful and iconic songs. Written by Stevie Wonder, its a collaboration of two soulful geniuses in which Franklin wistfully addresses a lover whos broken up with her.

She misses him, wants him back and sweetly sings that shell rap on his door, tap on his window pane and that:

Till you come back to me

Thats what Im gonna do.

Later, she repeats the rapping and tapping she will do and adds:

Im gonna camp on your steps

Until I get through to you

Ive got to change your view baby.

Lost love and heartbreak have brought many of us to that place. Because weve been there, we feel for her. Its what youd expect from a song written by Wonder and sung by Franklin, a masterpiece of musicianship and a wonderful expression of pure emotion.

On ExpressNews.com: Clack: Turn out the lights, but not the memories

Its a great song to listen to.

Its a horrible song to use as advice on pursuing a relationship.

Any woman or man repeatedly rapping on the doors, tapping on the windowpanes, or camping on the steps of an ex or a new crush should, and will be, arrested for criminal trespassing. If youre the recipient of that unwanted rapping, tapping and camping, youre being stalked.

Stalking was no more the intent of Until You Come Back to Me (Thats What Im Gonna Do) than it is for the Polices massive hit, Every Breath You Take. Although Sting now says that the song is sinister and people misinterpret it as a love song, thats not how he discussed it when it came out. (Check out The Real Story Behind the Song: The Polices Every Breath You Take by Sting in the June 20, 2020 edition of American Songwriter.)

The point is that love, heartbreak, anger, jealously  any emotion  can drive people to the edge, make them think of doing things theyd normally not do. Most people dont act on these emotions because reason kicks in; they collect themselves and stop to think about the consequences, the negative repercussions that would result.

Thats why Gov. Greg Abbotts veto last week of an anti-dating-violence bill was so disappointing; it would have gone a long way toward helping Texas middle school and high school students learn preventive skills that would not only reduce dating violence but also family violence and child abuse.

Senate Bill 1109, which had bipartisan support, would have made it mandatory for students to learn about prevention efforts at least once in middle school and twice in high school. The program would cover the signs of dating violence, how to report abuse and the resources available to students.

The bill, authored by state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, was named the Christine Blubaugh Act after a 16-year-old from Grand Prairie who was murdered in 2000 by an ex-boyfriend who then shot himself.

On ExpressNews.com: Clack: Turn out the lights, but not the memories

Abbott vetoed the bill because it fails to recognize the right of parents to opt their children out of the instruction.

The problem with that thinking is that children cant avoid a violent dating relationship if they cant recognize the signs. And once in, they cant escape if they dont know how to get out.

At the time of Christines murder, neither her mother nor twin sister knew she was in an abusive relationship. Grand Prairie Assistant Police Chief Ronnie Morris drafted the bill sponsored by West.

Adults have a hard enough time navigating their way through domestic violence and dating violence; how could we expect our kids to know what those signs are, much less know what to do about it? Morris said in an interview in May with Dallas-Fort Worths NBC affiliate.

West has said Abbotts office assured him theyd work on the issue next session. Unless it will be included in a special session, that will be two years from now.

Until lawmakers return for the 88th legislative session, what are students in violent dating relationships to do?

cary.clack@express-news.net
On the same day Republicans in Congress officially slammed the door on the For the People Act, which would have massively expanded federal voting rights, here in Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a July 8 special session, which will be exceptional only in its partisan commitment to limit voting.

At the federal level, enabling more Americans to vote through mail-in ballots, automatic voter registration and new voting machines sounds great for democracy. So, of course, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas declared it a brazen power grab. One to ensure that Democrats cannot lose for the next hundred years.

Cmon, Ted, the next 100 years of Republican solitude? Even when Democrats win the national popular vote, everyone knows they have a pretty good chance of losing a presidential election. Thats part of the problem, right?

The real (brazen) power grab is whats happening in statehouses across the country, perhaps most notably in Austin, where raw power will come to fruition with the narrowing of ballot access coupled with the Republican gerrymandering that will shape voting for the next decade.

The lie of widespread voter fraud  and the very real legislative response to that bit of political fiction is the actual voter fraud of this era, a modern day stab-in-the-back myth that reverberates in unsettling ways. Should Democrats win the presidency in 2024, will Republicans accept the outcome? That this is a legitimate and fair question should make your patriotic heart sink.

Abbotts commitment to prioritize SB 7 in the upcoming special session  and his defunding of the Legislature for leverage  should be condemned because the elections bill not only will make voting harder for many people, especially people of color, but it also furthers the Big Lie of voter fraud.

Abbott has championed SB 7 as ensuring election integrity, but Texas Republicans performed exceptionally well in the 2020 general, which former Secretary of State Ruth Ruggero Hughs described as an election that was smooth and secure.

Given the serious concerns over limiting voting in Texas and the partisan roadblocks to do anything at the federal level, one would think Democrats in the Lone Star State would have, by now, settled on a high-profile alternative to Abbott. Someone to also hold pressers at the U.S.-Mexico border. Someone to hammer Abbott on his failure to reform the electric grid and to speak about the power of the vote, and the power derived from limiting it.

And perhaps former U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke, with his fundraising prowess and name recognition, is that person. That this remains a question, though, or that its seemingly Beto or Bust for Democrats reflects the fragility of personal brand politics and the lingering weakness of the party in Texas.

Its striking that former Housing Secretary and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro is only marginally mentioned in this conversation. Certainly, if he can seek the Democratic presidential nomination, its within the realm of possibility to challenge Abbott. But a key difference is there is no risk in running for president and losing if no one expects you to win. In such a scenario, the benefit is standing on the national stage.

But there is risk in challenging Abbott and losing by a wide margin. A lopsided defeat could tarnish the brand of a rising star. To which, I say, who cares?

If we are indeed facing a crisis in democracy and an assault on voting rights  and a potential electoral crisis in 2024  then Castro or ORourke should embrace that sense of urgency, even if it means losing, perhaps big, in 2022.

This criticism isnt meant as a both sides are wrong type of argument  or even a partisan one. To be clear, there is a wide gap between making voting harder and tethering a political party to the lie of voter fraud versus not stepping up to run for an office one is likely to lose. That gap is exactly why ORourke or Castro should run.

While limiting voting access is profoundly anti-democratic, democracies also falter when there is a paucity of credible candidates to offer an alternative vision, fresh ideas and sharp critiques. Here in Texas, one party seeks to strangle the vote, while the other seeks  a credible challenger. Its a profoundly sad state of affairs.

jbrodesky@express-news.net
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently held a press conference to announce his plans to build a physical border wall with state taxpayer dollars. He also indicated a new approach to charge immigrants and asylum-seekers with state crimes to create a criminal record and jail them. At the press conference, Abbott was surrounded by lawmakers from various parts of the state, but not a single lawmaker who joined him represents a border community.

Because border lawmakers live and work on the border every day, we understand the concerns of our constituents and the challenges our communities face. In our representative government, we should be at the table discussing issues that impact our districts. For whatever reason, we were omitted from major policy discussions related to the border. We support legal immigration, not open borders, and have supported transparent, accountable and smart border security for years.

Lawmakers from both political parties agree border security is a federal responsibility. For years, however, Texas has supplemented federal efforts by spending billions of state taxpayer dollars on border security, instead of on other pressing state needs. Last session, for example, Texas appropriated another $1.1 billion for border security. None of that money was earmarked for a border wall.

The federal government, dating back to President George W. Bush, has already built fencing and walls in the highest traffic areas. Building a physical wall from El Paso to Brownsville would be the most expensive and least effective way to achieve border security. Anyone who commits a crime, whether immigrant or legal resident, should be held accountable. Nevertheless, Texas shouldnt circumvent federal immigration and asylum laws by creating new ways to criminalize and jail undocumented immigrants and asylum-seekers. This expensive proposition would overfill local prisons  which already are stretched thin  with nondangerous persons, and separate families looking for refuge and the American dream.

The new federal administration is working on addressing the root causes of these migration waves that stress our borders, but this will take time. The bottom line is that Congress needs to pass immigration reform and provide resources to stop criminal elements from crossing the border.

On ExpressNews.com: Top Texas Republicans plan to spend $250M for border wall, crowdsource other funds

If Texas is going to be in the business of border security in the meantime, the state needs to be accountable, transparent and smart with taxpayer dollars. The state also should hear from border lawmakers. We suggest the following smart measures as a starting point:

Build a virtual or smart wall with fiber optic lines along the border, supported by technology, drones, motion sensors, cameras, etc. Virtual infrastructure for border security could be accomplished at a fraction of the cost of a physical wall; bolster real-time monitoring, detection and response; and bridge the digital divide for law enforcement along the border.

Reimburse local border communities and private property owners for costs related to border security and humanitarian aid with proceeds from asset forfeitures related to border crimes and other state grants. Our border communities are on the front lines, with local law enforcement supporting border security efforts, providing humanitarian assistance and humanely processing the remains of deceased migrants. Because private property owners along the border also sustain damage by human traffickers and cartels to fences, barns, outhouses and livestock, they should be reimbursed for related expenses.

Crack down on gun trafficking in Texas and incentivize the reporting of lost or stolen guns to law enforcement. Hundreds of thousands of firearms are smuggled from the U.S. into Mexico every year and are traced to 70 percent of all weapons seizures following murders, robberies and drug busts. Approximately 41 percent of illicit guns used to commit a crime in Mexico are from Texas.

Reduce the demand for illegal drugs, beginning with our children, and the related flow of money into Mexico. This will require education, intervention, rehabilitation and law enforcement programs.

Modernize ports of entry with technology and intelligent transportation systems. Fentanyl and most illicit drugs from Mexico enter the U.S. through the ports of entry. Investing in our ports of entry can make our border more secure while boosting our economy.

Improve border rail inspection stations required by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for lines owned by Texas. Some border rail lines cross the border and need improved facilities for the inspection and processing of rail cars.

These are only some of our many ideas drawn from our experience representing the border. By funding these proposals instead of a wall, we would make great strides while using state taxpayer dollars to benefit Texans and without funding programs that should be the responsibility of the federal government.

The issue of immigration and border security has been a challenge for decades, plagued by partisan politics. We are confident if we leave politics at the door, we can find common ground from which to address these challenges. That first requires including border lawmakers at the table.

Sens. Cesar J. Blanco, Juan Chuy Hinojosa and Judith Zaffirini represent El Paso, McAllen and Laredo.
Those who died with valor and sacrificed at the Alamo did so in defense of liberty and slavery.

In these days of disavowing the Confederacy and the removal of Confederate statues from public spaces, its time to take a stark look at the prevailing narrative of Texas liberty and the Alamo. This enhanced narrative skirts the question of slavery, projecting Texas as a Western frontier state.

Annette Gordon-Reed, a Harvard professor and Pulitzer Prize winner, once wrote that novelist Stephen Harrigan reinforced the idea that most people do not associate Texas with slavery. The states western half  its cowboy half  acts as a kind of psychic counterweight to the cotton-kingdom identity that links it with the Old South, Reed wrote in a 2019 essay in the New York Review of Books.

Indeed, the truth is that Texas was the deepest Southern, slaveholding state  and the battle to keep slavery was a harbinger of the Civil War.

Stephen F. Austin wrote in various letters and in the Diario Mexicano de Estevan F. Austin, which he wrote mostly in Spanish, that the Texas economy depended on cotton, which, in turn, depended on slaves picking the cotton. Without slavery, the cotton industry would have collapsed  and Texas would have, too.

Texas must be a slave country, Austin wrote in 1833. Circumstances and unavoidable necessity compel it. It is the wish of the people there, and it is my duty to do all I can, prudently, in favor of it. I will do so.

On ExpressNews.com: New leadership for Alamo project  and the promise of a 'world-class experience' for visitors

Austin went to Mexico in 1833 to negotiate Texas independence from the state of Coahuila. Mexico had become a centralist nation and would not tolerate a separate state nor continue to cast a blind eye at slavery. In January 1834, Austin was arrested for sedition and freed unconditionally in July 1835.

Like Saint-Domingue and Martinique in the Caribbean, Texas was a slave society, which Haitian American historian Michel-Rolph Trouillot described as not simply societies that had slaves: they were slave societies. Slavery defined their economic, social, and cultural organization: it was their raison detre. The people who lived there, free or not, lived there because there were slaves.

Because slavery was essential to the economic growth and existence of the Texas colony, Austin arranged for his settlers to receive 80 acres of land for each slave they brought with them to Texas. However, the holding of ever-increasing slaves presented perilous situations that Austin was familiar with after reading about the first successful revolt against an empire  the slaves of Saint-Domingue who rose against France  and the thought of Black people butchering whites filled him with dread.

Austin wrote: I sometimes shudder at the consequences and think that a large part of America will be Santo Domingonized in 100 or 200 years. The idea of seeing such a country as this overrun by a slave population almost makes me weep. It is in vain to tell a North American that the white population will be destroyed some 50 or 80 years hence by the negroes, and that his daughters will be violated and butchered by them.

And what about other Texas and Alamo heroes, such as James Bowie? He and his brother, Rezin, trafficked slaves in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Now the Alamo is being glorified even more with the construction of a new plaza and center  and along with it the propagation of the same old narrative of Remember the Alamo. Children will flock to this shrine of Texas liberty and purchase faux coonskin caps and muskets.

Julian Olivares is an Emeritus Hispanist at the University of Houston.
Among the lasting and most attractive features of the Affordable Care Act are the ones that insure people with pre-existing conditions, allow young adults to stay on their parents insurance until they turn 26, and expand Medicaid to states.

But at this moment, the most enduring feature of the ACA is that it endures. The defining achievement of Barack Obamas presidency and the most consequential legislation in more than half a century, the ACA has been targeted for death by Republicans in Congress since its passage in 2010.

Its survival has been perilous. It survived a 5-4 Supreme Court decision in 2012 because of Chief Justice John Roberts vote, although that decision made Medicaid expansion optional, a painful blow for the poor and uninsured in Texas. But for a memorable thumbs-down by Sen. John McCain, the ACA would have died in the U.S. Senate in 2017.

Yet with each rebuff of efforts to repeal and replace, which were really efforts to only repeal, and with each narrow victory, the ACA gets a little more popular with the American people.

Its most recent win came June 17, when the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in a lawsuit brought by a coalition of Republican state attorneys general, led by indicted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. They argued the acts individual mandate was rendered unconstitutional when Congress reduced the penalty for not having coverage to $0, and therefore the entire law must fall. The Trump administration sided with the Republican states  a position the Biden administration reversed in February.

On ExpressNews.com: Texas sets public hearings as it tries to convince federal government to extend health funding for the uninsured

The court ruled the plaintiffs had no standing because none of them had been harmed. The outcome was anti-climactic given that when the court heard arguments in November, even its conservative members pushed back against the mandate argument.

Still. This case loomed over 2020 during a historic, deadly and unrelenting pandemic that led to millions of Americans losing employer-based health insurance. Lets never forget that during a time when federal and state governments should have been expanding access to affordable health care, there was a concerted effort to take it away.

Any outcome to take away health insurance from 31 million people would have been cruel, but for it to happen now would have invited a spiraling catastrophe of suffering, death and grief.

There will be more challenges to the ACA, and they probably will include more Republican attempts to repeal, made with the promise to keep the most popular parts of the act.

Still, with this most recent Supreme Court decision, the ACA appears to be here to stay.

The Biden administration strengthened the ACA with its American Rescue Plan by extending subsidies to higher-income people who havent qualified before; increasing subsidies for lower-income people, some of whom will no longer have to pay premiums; and by enticing the 12 states that have yet to expand Medicaid with even more federal aid. Texas is the largest of those holdouts, as well as the state leading the nation in the highest number and percentage of uninsured people.

This isnt the kind of Texas exceptionalism Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the indicted Paxton boast about. Given their enmity to Medicaid expansion, they find no shame or compassion with Texas being No. 1 when it comes to the uninsured.

Medicaid expansion wont be on Abbotts agenda for the special session of the Legislature, even though it would lift 1.4 million Texans out of the ranks of the uninsured and bring in billions in revenue.

As the ACA grows more robust and permanent, it will provide more Americans with more ways to receive quality, affordable health care. Its endurance in providing coverage is matched only by the endurance of Texas Republicans denying coverage to Texans who need it the most.
The city of San Antonio and its water and energy utilities failed to share enough information during Februarys winter storm, among themselves or with the public.

That worsened an already bad situation, with hundreds of thousands of San Antonians enduring freezing temperatures without power or water for long periods.

A 46-page report on how the three organizations responded to the storm, submitted to the City Council on Thursday, detailed their shortcomings. It also called on them to beef up their communication plans as they prepare for the next disaster.

After its investigation, the Emergency Preparedness Committee, appointed in March by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, placed much of the blame for the long power outages on state officials and the Texas power grid operator. But the panel also found plenty of fault with the city, CPS Energy and the San Antonio Water System.

What we saw in February wasnt just a winter storm. Its what we call a cascading disaster. That is, we had one major disruption  in this case, weather  that resulted in disruptions to other infrastructure, said District 7 Councilwoman Ana Sandoval, a committee member. As changing climate continues to promise more extreme weather ... our risk for these types of disasters increases.

At the citys joint emergency operations center, which is responsible for coordinating city agencies responses during a crisis, CPS sent a representative to meetings during the storm. But CPS alone handled decision-making regarding power outages, which did not occur in coordination with the EOC, according to the report.

Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer

And CPS didnt tell the emergency operations center which circuits around the city  each of which delivers electricity to thousands of households  would lose power. That made it nearly impossible for the city to inform residents ahead of the outages and determine where to open warming centers for people whod lost electricity.

This was a horrific experience for many of our citizens all across San Antonio, CPS CEO Paula Gold-Williams said. It has hurt many people, and we apologize for any contribution that CPS had towards that. The buck stops with me. I am the CEO, and Im responsible and accountable.

When the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the states grid operator, required the utility to cut power across San Antonio, massive pumps used to push water throughout the city shut down. SAWS directed residents to boil their tap water  even though many did not have electricity to boil water.

Emergency officials were blindsided when SAWS leaders issued the boil water notice as water outages spread throughout the city. SAWS didnt have anyone at the emergency operations center, according to the report.

Buying generators to back up each of SAWS water-pumping stations in case of future widespread power outages is off the table for now. Outfitting each station with a generator would be too costly, given how rarely they would be needed, according to the report. One estimate pegged the cost at $200 million.

But CPS and SAWS could team up to back up at least the water utilitys most crucial stations, SAWS CEO Robert Puente said.

The Emergency Preparedness Committee, made up of four City Council members and three San Antonio residents, also called on CPS to re-evaluate how it buys and stores natural gas.

During the storm, the utility bought gas on the spot market to fuel its power plants and heat customers homes. But the cold weather froze natural gas facilities around the state at the same time that CPS and other utilities were competing for the fuel. The rising demand for gas and diminished supply sent prices skyrocketing.

CPS spent about $685 million for natural gas the week of Feb. 15. CPS typically spends about that much on fuel in one year.

The report also recommended changing CPS strategy for conducting rolling power outages throughout the city. During the freeze, a map provided by CPS shows that parts of the city  including the North Side  experienced significantly longer blackouts than others.

Though outages were spread throughout San Antonio, council members from lower-income districts contended that long-standing inequities  including less home insulation and access to the internet and grocery stores  worsened the freezes impact.

We have to be real that, yes, everyones pain is real, but the impact is not the same, said District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, who represents the East Side.

District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez, who represents the Northwest Side, vehemently rejected McKee-Rodriguezs reading of the crisis.

This was the great equalizer, Pelaez said. Every single San Antonian for one week was vulnerable.

The report also said CPS and other Texas utilities should pressure state lawmakers in 2023 to connect the Texas power grid to the electric grids west and east of Texas, which serve the rest of the U.S.

CPS should also support legislation preventing the Public Utility Commission of Texas and ERCOT from manually setting the price of wholesale power on the statewide market, the report said. A decision by regulators to set power prices at the maximum rate for 32 hours longer than necessary during the storm cost CPS and other utilities billions of dollars.

Several of CPS power plants were mostly or completely out of commission at times during the storm, according to the report. Some of the plant failures were caused by a lack of fuel.

But the biggest cause of plant shutdowns was mechanical failures caused by the weather.

Gold-Williams has said CPS weatherized all its power plants ahead of the storm. Still, the extensive weatherization actions taken were insufficient to account for either the demand experienced during the storm or the damage the storm would have on vulnerable plant equipment, the report said.

That prompted CPS to commit more capital to weatherization, Gold-Williams said. The projects could include beefing up plants insulation and adding more space heaters.

As far as municipal operations, budget writers have pinpointed $5 million in the citys upcoming annual budget to beef up the citys preparedness for future weather disasters. That money would pay for upgrading backup generators at fire and police stations, some of which lost power during the storm.

Its possible the city could ask San Antonio voters to approve the sale of bonds to shore up funds to pay for generators and other emergency measures.

City and utility officials dont have a firm timeline on implementing the reports nearly 60 recommendations.

City and utility staffers will assess and analyze the recommendations, City Manager Erik Walsh told council members in a memo Thursday morning.

Weve now had the report released publicly, Nirenberg said after the meeting. So we can begin the process of holding ourselves (accountable) and having the public scrutinize the implementation process.

Some arent content to wait. District 4 Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia made a formal proposal  backed by four other council members  to put together a council committee to oversee the utilities and how they put the recommendations into effect, so the report doesnt just sit on a shelf.

The committee would audit the utilities and the citys emergency preparedness annually.

Officials acknowledged the city and utilities failed in their response to the storm  and that itll take time to regain public trust.

I want our customers to take us for granted, Puente said. I dont want them to think twice when they turn a faucet whether water is going to come out.

diego.mendoza-moyers@express-news.net
More than 50 Democratic state House members and employees are asking the Texas Supreme Court to block Gov. Greg Abbott from vetoing funding for the state Legislature and its staff, claiming the move is an unconstitutional attack on the legislative branch of government.

Abbott had warned that he would veto that portion of the budget, known as Article X, in a tweet in late May, just after Texas House Democrats staged a walkout that killed the governors priority elections bill that would have restricted early voting and absentee voting opportunities, among other provisions.

In an unprecedented move, Abbott followed through on the threat last week, putting in limbo funding for an estimated 2,000 employees salaries and benefits, including those employed by advisory groups such as the Legislative Budget Board and Legislative Council.

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, Abbott said in a statement explaining the veto.

Though his statement was aimed at Democrats who walked out, there are far more Republicans who would be impacted.

Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze said in a statement that there is clear support in the law and from the courts for his broad authority in issuing vetoes.

The Democrats claims about the governors veto cancelling the legislative branch are misleading and misguided, Eze said. The Constitution protects the legislative branch, and as the Democrats well know, their positions, their powers and their salaries are protected by the Constitution. They can continue to legislate despite the veto.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

The cuts are scheduled to take effect on Sept. 1, unless lawmakers can override the veto or pass alternative legislation sooner. The special session begins July 8, and Abbott could call the lawmakers back to Austin again if he chooses.

Democrats say Abbott lacks the constitutional authority for the legislative pay veto, based on the separation of powers principle that provides for three separate and independent branches of government. As governor, Abbott is in the executive branch.

Governor Abbotts veto is an attempt to coerce, and thereby direct, how the Legislature discharges its functions  far exceeding the usual mechanism of the veto as a check on legislative excess, the suit read. If accepted, it would allow the governor to indirectly commandeer the Legislature by making its very existence contingent on its willingness to enact the governors preferred agenda.

The Democrats attorney, Chad Dunn, said vetoes that are unconstitutional have been overturned by the Texas Supreme Court in the past.

If the governor is permitted to zero out the budget of the legislative branch if he doesnt get what he wants, he similarly will be able to eliminate the budget of the judiciary until he gets what he wants, Dunn said. And if we havent learned anything of recent history, or for that matter long history, is that once an executive gets a power, it will be forever used.

Among the parties to the suit were the Houston and San Antonio delegations, as well as labor union Texas AFL-CIO, the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, Texas Legislative Black Caucus and Legislative Study Group.

House Democratic Caucus Chair Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, said on a press call Thursday that the veto doesnt hurt lawmakers  who make $600 a month in addition to a per diem of $221 every day they are in session  so much as staffers and their families who depend on their salaries and benefits. The cuts would also affect constituents who depend on help they receive from lawmakers offices for issues such as collecting child support or applying for unemployment.

The constituent service aspect of what state reps and state senators do is vitally important to our role in the legislative branch, and Gov. Abbott has essentially said that doesnt matter, Turner said.

Even if the Legislature is able to reinstate the funding, Dunn added there has been a tremendous damage done to our state, its citizens and its government.

The suit has echoes of a 2014 criminal case against then-Governor Rick Perry in which he was indicted for abuse of office and coercion for vetoing the funding for the states public corruption prosecution office.

Perry had threatened to do so if Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, who ran the public corruption unit, did not step down after she pleaded guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge, which she did not.

Both of Perrys charges were later dismissed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the states highest criminal court, which ruled that the courts could not intervene into a governors veto power because of separations of power and that Perrys threat constituted legally protected free speech.

A key difference separating the cases is that Abbotts veto would effectively abolish an entire branch of government, though he has argued that their jobs are secured by the Constitution and their work can continue without funding.

And while the lawsuit, being a civil matter, does not go so far as to accuse Abbott of criminal behavior, it lays groundwork for such an argument in the future. Turner, in interviews with reporters, has accused Abbott of abusing the power of his office.

The Court of Criminal Appeals rightfully leaned into Texas exceptional history protecting the separation of powers, Dunn said, noting the states Constitution includes a specific provision on that principle, unlike the U.S. Constitution.

We think even though its a criminal case  it doesnt technically bind the Texas Supreme Court  its another precedent of many that says the governor cant do what hes trying to do here.

On the flip side of that argument, Eze, Abbotts spokeswoman, has cited the Court of Criminal Appeals position that the Constitution does not impose any restriction on the governors veto power, as it ruled in the Perry case.

taylor.goldenstein@chron.com
Rogelio V. Solis/AP

First lady Jill Biden is returning to Houston to tout the administrations response to COVID-19 and encourage more people in the region to get vaccinated against the disease.

Biden is expected to make stops first in Dallas, then in Houston on Tuesday. Exact locations and times have not been released.
A press secretary with the Texas Attorney General's Office has resigned, claiming her security concerns were ignored when she was ordered to make a trip to the Mexico border to produce informational videos for the agency.

Kayleigh Lovvorn Date, who had been employed by the communications office for about five years, said in a formal complaint obtained by Hearst Newspapers that she had been asked in May to film video interviews of property owners in Brackettville, east of Del Rio, without a security detail or protective gear.

In her complaint, Date noted that First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster, who thought up the border video series, and Attorney General Ken Paxton had worn bulletproof vests during a portion of their visit to the border, but would not provide her and her team with similar protection.

The office has been known to create flashy videos promoting its work on immigration and other issues, often featuring dramatic music and video of interviews Paxton has done with Fox News. The Republican attorney general is seeking a third term in 2022.

Date, who did not respond to a request for comment, and others with concerns were told by superiors to just bring our guns if they felt unsafe, she wrote in the complaint. She said she doesnt have a handgun license or training.

Though Paxton and other Republicans have referred to the border as lawless  Gov. Greg Abbott is calling the same area overrun by gangs and smugglers  Date said her supervisors even denied a request to delay the video shoot for a week so she could work on a security plan.

BORDER VISIT: Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Texas border on Friday

Date put in her notice of resignation on May 26, citing in the complaint prioritization of my mental health and overall wellbeing. Her last day was June 11.

As of April 1, she was paid a $65,000 annual salary, according to the Texas Tribune salary database.

Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed many lawsuits on border security and takes border security and the safety of all Texans very seriously, Paxtons communications director, Alejandro Garcia, said in a statement. Law enforcement prepares security plans for all border trips. We do not release those plans to employees or the public as that could be a security risk for all individuals involved in those trips.

The attorney generals office handles legal matters related to immigration as it affects the state, and is part of a task force on border and homeland security formed by Abbott in June.

Paxton has filed multiple suits against the Biden administration already this year for policies he contends are harming Texans, such as an attempted pause of deportations that Paxtons suit stopped and more recently, COVID-19 protocols for immigrants taken into custody that he says could lead to spread of the virus to state residents.

Date wrote in her complaint that property owners from Brackettville had told communications staff that on a daily basis they witnessed cartel activity, car chases and hijackings, break-ins and property theft, and shots fired at themselves and their employees, including a recent instance of a property owner reporting sixty rounds fired at a location we were expected to visit and film.

After being given the assignment May 17, Date said she immediately raised concerns with peers. Three days later, she spoke with Garcia about those concerns and liability issues involved with traveling to the location with thousands of dollars in media equipment, according to the complaint. She said other communications employees agreed that security was a concern.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

But Webster, through Garcia, immediately denied her request, saying he did not believe security was necessary because he did not experience a need for security during his Rio Grande Valley border visit.

Allegations of bullying

On that trip, Date wrote, Webster was accompanied by Paxton's security detail of state troopers and other law enforcement personnel and, on one occasion, was provided with a bulletproof vest.

She refused to go without any security in place.

The morning of May 21, the day on which the border video trip was previously scheduled, Garcia called an emergency meeting of the team. Garcia told the employees that they had disappointed the executive division by refusing to go to the border and saying no to an assignment, Date wrote in her complaint.

According to Date, it was part of a pattern of bullying and threatening behavior from Webster that she also asked management to investigate.

Webster had been planning to call all communications officers to the office at 9 p.m. the day prior to reprimand them with severe consequences for tardiness or nonattendance, but Garcia said he convinced him to allow him to lead a disciplinary meeting instead, according to the complaint.

We were told that because Mr. Webster expressed willingness to travel to the properties and film interviews himself, our refusal to travel to these potentially dangerous locations without security on a tight timeline was embarrassing, Date wrote.

The team also learned at the meeting that Webster had envisioned not just the videos in question but a series of them involving them making additional trips to the border.

The communications team was then told that if these expectations and demands were too great, we should look for other jobs, Date wrote. As I personally consider the expectation that employees travel to potentially life-threatening locations without any form of security unreasonable, I am choosing to follow that recommendation.

Significant turnover

The office did not make Webster available for an interview with Hearst Newspapers on Thursday.

Enrique Varela, formal complaint officer with the AGs office, in a letter, told Date that after a June 10 phone call with her, the office was reviewing its safety protocols and procedures, according to a copy obtained by Hearst Newspapers.

Her complaint, he said in the June 23 letter, did not allow Varela to pursue a separate inquiry into Webster. He added that he learned that she did not report to nor work directly with Webster, nor did she attempt to speak with him about her concerns, so he closed the complaint.

Paxtons executive team has seen significant turnover in the last year, including eight top aides who either resigned or were fired after they reported Paxton to law enforcement for allegedly accepting bribes and abusing the power of his office by helping a friend and campaign donor.

Paxton hired Webster to replace one of those whistleblowers, former First Assistant Attorney General Jeff Mateer.

The FBI is investigating the whistleblowers claims; meanwhile, Paxton is already under indictment, and has been since 2015 as his court case stagnates, on felony securities fraud charges. He has denied all wrongdoing.

Staff writer Jay Root contributed to this report.
Former Biden campaign staffers whose bus was swarmed last fall on a major Texas highway by supporters of then-President Donald Trump have filed suit in federal court against those involved in the incident.

The plaintiffs include former state Sen. Wendy Davis, a Democrat, and others who were traveling on a Biden campaign bus from San Antonio to Austin just days before the 2020 presidential election. While the bus traveled on Interstate 35 on Oct. 30, dozens of cars and trucks bearing Trump flags surrounded the vehicle, slowing down traffic. No one was injured, but at least one Trump backers car made contact with that of a Biden campaign worker.

The incident was one of the most high-profile Trump Train events in the lead-up to the election, even as the former presidents supporters blocked major roadways in New York, New Jersey and other states. The FBI said in November it was investigating the Texas incident, though a spokesperson did not respond to a request for an update on Thursday.

On HoustonChronicle.com: First lady Jill Biden coming to Houston on Tuesday

The first of two lawsuits filed Thursday targets at least seven individuals who were driving the vehicles that surrounded the bus. The second addresses local law enforcement officers, whom the plaintiffs contend did not properly respond to the incident.

Two advocacy organizations  Protect Democracy and the Texas Civil Rights Project  helped lodge the claims.

Our plans and the plans of many of the dedicated organizers working on behalf of several Democratic campaigns, including college students who are participating in the first election of their lives, were interrupted by the violent harassment from Trump train drivers who intimidated and threatened us at campaign stops and on the highway, Davis said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. What I'm worried about is that this sort of violent behavior threatens to inhibit peaceful organizing and voter participation.

After the incident, Trump tweeted that these patriots did nothing wrong. The post was later used as evidence in his second impeachment trial arising from the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, when Democrats argued that the I-35 incident proved the former president knew his backers would resort to violence. (Trump had also tweeted, I LOVE TEXAS! after the event.)

The first lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that the individuals involved in surrounding the bus violated the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, which prohibits people from conspiring to inhibit individuals political speech via force, intimidation or threats.

Plaintiffs feared the Trump Train might run the bus off the road, or that they might crash into a vehicle, wall barrier, sign, pillar, or other obstacle on or by the highway, the lawsuit states. They feared what the Trump Train might do if they succeeded in stopping the bus or forcing the bus off the road. Plaintiffs were terrified that someone on the bus, or someone else driving on the interstate, would be injured or killed.

The second lawsuit claims that, as Biden staffers solicited aid from the San Marcos Police Department, they were failed by the very officials charged with upholding both their safety and their foundational democratic rights. The plaintiffs allege that they contacted San Marcos police with safety concerns a day in advance of their travels, and that officers declined to provide help when the bus was surrounded on the highway.

A spokesperson said last fall that the San Marcos Police Department had received a request for a police escort, but they couldnt catch up with the vehicle before it left the city.

The lawsuit contradicts that claim, asserting that officers said they wouldnt respond unless the campaign was reporting a crime.

This is unacceptable behavior for any public servant, and law enforcement officials need to be held accountable, said Eric Cervini, a plaintiff who was accompanying the Biden campaign bus in a separate car.

The suits claim the plaintiffs suffered psychological and emotional injuries and seeks monetary damages.

cayla.harris@express-news.net
MONROE, La. (AP)  More than a year and a half after Louisiana state troopers were captured on body camera video brutalizing Black motorist Ronald Greene during his fatal arrest, police brass were still trying to blame his death on a car crash at the end of a high-speed chase.

Police officials quietly commissioned a study late last year into the role the crash could have played in Greenes 2019 death, part of a behind-the-scenes bid to reduce the agency's legal liability, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The effort came despite the footage showing troopers stunning, punching and dragging the unarmed man  and one troopers admission that he bashed him in the head with a flashlight, a use of deadly force not previously reported.

The documents, which also detail how four troopers grossly exaggerated Greenes threat to justify their uses of force, provide the fullest account yet of the deadly May 10, 2019, arrest. And they show the extent to which top brass and troopers alike sought to cover up or explain away actions in a case that is now the focus of a federal civil rights investigation.

Its horrific, Greenes mother, Mona Hardin, told the AP. Theres nothing they can say to change, to warp, whats shown. I dont care which way they want to coat it, what different colors of paint they want to layer on this mess  they cant erase it.

Greene, a 49-year-old barber, failed to pull over for a traffic violation and led troopers on a midnight chase across rural northern Louisiana at speeds of up to 115 mph (185 kph) before his car spun to a stop on a roadside near Monroe.

Troopers told Greenes relatives hours later that he died on impact after crashing into a tree, an explanation called into question by photos of Greenes body on a gurney showing his bruised and battered face, a hospital report noting he had two stun gun prongs in his back, and the fact that his SUV had only minor damage.

Even Louisiana State Police appeared to back off the crash explanation later when they issued a one-page statement saying only that Greene struggled with troopers who were trying to arrest him and that he died on his way to the hospital.

The truth about what really happened began to emerge last month when the AP obtained and published body camera video showing troopers converging on Greenes car, repeatedly jolting him with a stun gun, wrestling him to the ground, putting him in a chokehold and punching him in the face, all while he apologizes and wails for mercy. A trooper can later be seen dragging a shackled Greene facedown and then leaving him unattended in a prone position for more than nine minutes before he finally became unresponsive.

But even after viewing that footage internally, and just three weeks after showing it privately to Greenes family, ranking police officials last November remained fixated on blaming the mans death on a car crash. They quietly asked a crash reconstructionist to estimate the g-force Greene might have suffered in a crash, suggesting that may have accounted for his fatal injuries.

Though the autopsy listed Greenes cause of death as cocaine induced agitated delirium complicated by motor vehicle collision, physical struggle, inflicted head injury and restraint, it notably left unresolved whether some of Greenes most significant injuries a fractured breastbone and lacerated aorta  were caused by the crash or state troopers.

One high-ranking official, Capt. John Peters, wrote in a November email to a state police attorney that the crash reconstructionist estimated that the violent rotation of Greenes vehicle  combined with impacts and the sudden speed reduction when the chase ended  generated approximately 19gs of force. Aortic ruptures can occur in crashes, experts said, but depend on many factors.

That could have significant value on the civil side as we try to reduce our percentage of liability, he added.

Faye Morrison, a state police attorney, responded: This will definitely be important re cause of death and damages.

Morrison was reassigned this week as the agency investigates her role in the Greene case.

Capt. Nick Manale, a state police spokesperson, said only that the crash reconstruction was part of an ongoing investigation.

It shows misplaced efforts and attention, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a New Orleans-based watchdog group. Theyre more focused on civil liability issues than the conduct of the troopers.

Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth told investigators that Greene didnt have any apparent injuries when he rushed the mans SUV following the chase.

Hollingsworth, who was later recorded saying he beat the ever-living f--- out of Greene, told investigators he was aware the head was a red zone of deadly force but acknowledged striking Greene in the head three times with a flashlight and jolting him six times with a stun gun out of fear for his own safety.

He was much bigger than I was and much stronger, and he had already kept two troopers from being able to handcuff him, Hollingsworth said. He could have done anything once my hold was broke off of him.

Shown the gurney pictures of Greenes body, Hollingsworth acknowledged the flashlight could have caused the half-moon shaped gashes on his head but added, Im not a doctor.

Police spokesperson Manale did not comment on Hollingsworths use of deadly force. Hollingsworth died in a single-vehicle crash last year just hours after learning he would be fired for his role in Greenes arrest.

The documents show Hollingsworth and three other troopers greatly overstated Greenes resistance to justify their use of force, with one telling investigators he had survived a fight for his life and another falsely contending that even after Greene was cuffed and shackled, he was constantly moving, trying to get up.

But investigators said those concerns werent justified based on body camera footage that showed Greene appearing to raise his hands and saying over and over, OK, OK. Im sorry and Im your brother! Im scared! Im scared!

Ive had a female fight me and put up a much bigger fight than what Im seeing on this video, one investigator remarked, contending Hollingsworth and another responding trooper, Dakota DeMoss, never gave Greene a chance to surrender.

DeMoss, who was recently fired, also admitted to investigators it was a rookie move to leave Greene handcuffed facedown on the ground with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes  a tactic use-of-force experts have criticized as dangerous and likely to have restricted his breathing.

DeMoss said he got a knot in his stomach when he learned Greene had died.

I could tell by the way the paramedics were looking at each other, he told investigators. I just got this gut-wrenching sick feeling.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment  which came after Chauvin broke his yearlong silence to offer condolences to the Floyd family and express hope that they eventually have some peace of mind  is one of the longest prison terms ever imposed on a U.S. police officer in the killing of a Black person.

Still, Floyd family members and others were disappointed. The sentence fell short of the 30 years prosecutors had requested. And with good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could get out on parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

Just because its the most time doesnt mean its enough time," said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis protest leader.

Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing Chauvin's abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump said the family had gotten some measure of accountability but is hoping Chauvin gets the maximum at his upcoming federal civil rights trial. Crump said this was the longest sentence a police officer has ever received in Minnesota.

But he added: "Real justice in America will be Black men and Black women and people of color who will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice.

Outside the courthouse, a crowd of about 50 people clasped hands or placed them on each others shoulders. The reaction was subdued as people debated whether the sentence was long enough. Some cursed in disgust.

At George Floyd Square, as the intersection where Floyd was pinned to the pavement is now known, members of the crowd broke into applause, and several said, Well take it.

Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. He showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond, as well as demands for overhauling police departments.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial, where his words could be used against him.

I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind, he said without further explanation.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson had asked that Chauvin be let off on probation, saying the former officer's brain is littered with what-ifs from that day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if? What if? What if?

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, pleaded for mercy for her son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man, she told the judge, adding: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank, in asking the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines, said tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life," Frank said.

Floyd family members had tearfully asked the judge to impose the maximum, which was 40 years. Several spoke before the sentence, and his 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, was seen in a recorded video.

I miss you and I love you, Gianna Floyd said in the video when asked what she would say to her daddy. She had a list of things she would have liked to do with him: I want to play with him, have fun, go on a plane ride.

Afterward, Floyds nephew Brandon Williams said the sentence was insufficient, when you think about George being murdered, in cold blood with a knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds execution-style in broad daylight. LaTonya Floyd, George Floyds sister, said of the punishment: Thats nothing. Thats nothing. He should have got the max, period.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvin's three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. The defense had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America witnessed something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the state's maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Chauvin on the federal charges. No date has been set for that trial.

__

Associated Press writers Aaron Morrison, Stephen Groves, Tammy Webber, and Angie Wang and Associated Press/Report for America reporter Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this report.

__

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
Derek Chauvin used brief comments at his sentencing hearing Friday to offer condolences to George Floyds family, and said he hopes more will come out in the future that gives them some peace of mind.

Chauvin spoke for less than a minute. With a possible appeal and with a federal case still pending, experts werent surprised Chauvin kept his comments to a minimum.

The white 45-year-old former Minneapolis officer was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for pressing his knee to George Floyds throat for up to 9 1/2 minutes on May 25, 2020, as the Black man gasped that he couldnt breathe before dying.

Chauvin wore street clothes  a gray suit, gray tie and a white shirt  rather than the jail-issued jumpsuit with permission from the judge. He said that due to other pending legal matters he was unable to give a full formal statement.

But briefly, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family, Chauvin said. He added that he hopes other information that will come out later will give you some peace of mind.

Joe Friedberg, a Twin Cities defense attorney, said Chauvin was trying to avoid saying anything that could haunt him in a pending federal case. He is still awaiting trial on federal civil rights charges in Floyds death, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials.

Theres nothing he can say that could help himself, so why would he say anything? Friedberg asked.

Mary Moriarty, the former chief public defender in the Twin Cities, noted that Chauvin also avoided any comment that could hurt a possible appeal of the conviction.

I was actually surprised he expressed condolences to the family, Moriarty said. There was nothing of that nature in the defense memo at all indicating that he had any empathy at all for the family. I guess I was surprised because we havent seen that from him before.

Chauvin had been silent since Floyds death. He opted not to testify at his trial, where he was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

__

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday vetoed a measure barring women from getting an abortion specifically because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome in a fetus. The proposal advanced by Republicans also sought to prohibit abortions on the basis of race or sex.

Under the measure, physicians would be required to report, with a signed confirmation, that an abortion was not desired for those three reasons. Republicans backing the measure say it would prevent a "modern-day eugenics" by ensuring disabled people wouldn't need to pass a genetic test in order to be born.

In a veto message, the states Democratic governor cited privacy concerns, arguing the bill would have made it difficult for patients to get medical information and have honest conversations with their doctors.

This bill gives the government control over what happens and what is said in the exam room between a woman and her doctor at a time she faces one of the most difficult decisions of her life," Cooper said in a statement. "This bill is unconstitutional and it damages the doctor-patient relationship with an unprecedented government intrusion.

Republican sponsors face a difficult challenge in overriding Cooper's veto. They'd need support from multiple Democrats in each chamber to complete the override. While six House Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the bill, the Senate vote was split along party lines.

Gender, race, and disability are protected classes in most other contexts. Why should we allow the unborn to be discriminated against for these same traits?" a statement from House Speaker Tim Moore said. The message sent by this veto is that some human life is more valuable than others based on immutable characteristics.

Abortions on the basis of sex selection are already outlawed in North Carolina. The bill would have strengthened the existing law by adding a mandate that physicians complete a form with signed confirmation that an abortion was not wanted because of a fetus's race, sex or Down syndrome diagnosis.

Several states have already enacted similar plans. South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem signed a bill in March barring women from seeking abortions based on the detection of Down syndrome. Arizona GOP Gov. Dough Ducey approved a bill in April to outlaw the procedure if a woman is seeking an abortion solely because a fetus has a genetic abnormality such as Down syndrome. A divided federal appeals court ruled earlier that month that Ohio could enforce a similar 2017 anti-abortion law the state passed but had on hold as it worked its way through the courts.

Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers and abortion rights groups in North Carolina have said House Bill 453 would force women to give birth, even if a Down syndrome diagnosis was just one of many factors that contributed to their decision.

Planned Parenthood South Atlantic and the American Civil Liberties Union praised Cooper for rejecting the proposal.

We have a lot of work to do to end discrimination against marginalized groups, but unconstitutionally limiting access to medical care based on the governments moral judgment does not contribute in any way to those efforts, said Liz Barber, policy analyst for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina.

The conservative NC Values Coalition is calling on state lawmakers to override Cooper's veto.

North Carolina should be a state where differences are celebrated and all babies are welcome, said a statement from Julie Scott Emmons, the organization's vice president. "We encourage members of the North Carolina General Assembly to embrace life and ensure that this legislation becomes law.

___

Follow Anderson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BryanRAnderson.

___

Anderson 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.
Hartford Police / Contributed

HARTFORD  A city man faces a murder charge after a pursuit with police late Wednesday morning stemming from a shooting earlier in the day that left one person dead and another hurt, according to police.

Around 1:50 a.m. Wednesday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Bedford Street on a ShotSpotter activation.
The Northern Irish government has welcomed the strong uptake of offers under its 15 million farm business grant scheme.

It has been announced that 94% of offers have been accepted by farmers under the latest tranche of Tier 1 of the Farm Business Improvement Scheme  Capital (FBIS-C).

The scheme is designed to encourage farming businesses in the province to invest in Low Emissions Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE).

It seeks to improve the sustainability of farms through the purchase of such equipment and machinery - costing from 5,000 to 30,000.

More than 2,900 Letters of Offer were issued to farmers and growers under the third tranche of Tier 1 of the FBIS-C, which closed in December 2020.

NI farming minister Edwin Poots said: Over 2,700 successful applicants have accepted their Letters of Offer, just over half of which are for LESSE and other ammonia mitigating equipment.

The use of LESSE can play a significant part in increasing the nutrient available for crop growth from slurry application and reduces the potential for water contamination and nuisance odours.

Farmers have demonstrated that they are keen to invest in up-to-date methods and technologies, to help develop their agriculture business into one thats more sustainable and environmentally aware.

FBIS-C Tier 1 is supported by the Department of Agriculture (DAERA) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

To date, Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the scheme have offered 43 million in support to farmers and growers.
Farmers in Wales could receive next year's BPS at current levels, but only if the Welsh government receives the same funding from the UK government for agriculture.

The revelation comes after Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths was asked in the Senedd on Wednesday (23 June) if she would safeguard the BPS at current funding levels for 2022.

Asking the question, Plaid Cymru Rural Affairs Spokesperson Cefin Campbell said that in the context of Covid and the trade policies of the UK government, there was a need for economic stability.

In her response, Ms Griffiths said that it was important to give farmers certainty in uncertain times.

With regards to the 2022 BPS budget, she stated that "so long as we [Welsh government] get that same funding from the UK government, well do that for 2022."

Her comments have been welcomed by farming groups in the country, with NFU Cymru saying it was a 'clear commitment' from the Minister.

The union's president John Davies said: "It is reassuring, and a comfort to the industry, to now hear the intention of this Welsh government to maintain the funding for the scheme at current levels, provided that the UK government commits to the same level of funding for 2022.

Throughout the Covid pandemic I have been immensely proud of the way the industry has continued to secure the supply of safe, high quality affordable food for all in society.

"The stability that the BPS provides has been, and continues to be, crucial in underpinning high quality food production in Wales."

Both the Minister and Cefin Campbell referenced the UK governments trade policies and the impact they could have on Welsh farming.

Mr Davies said this was a factor that must now actively be considered as part of the economic assessments that the Minister had commissioned ahead of the further development of a bespoke Welsh agricultural policy.

It is absolutely vital that we get this right, as the bill and the policies that are subsequently developed will define Welsh agriculture for a generation to come," he said.
At a joyful celebration Thursday evening, Piedmont Media publisher Catherine Nelson formally took over the presidency of the Rotary Club of Warrenton amid a wave of optimism in the wake of the pandemic. Next year we will sit in this place and say: That was a good ride, said outgoing president Wesley Shortridge before handing over the gavel. Weve finally hit our good point.

Nelson, who served a decade ago as the president of the Rutland, Vermont Rotary Club, focused on the organizations community service efforts. I have two passions: community journalism and Rotary, Nelson smiled. Im definitely service-above-self. Were going to do a lot of projects. Were going to have a lot of fun.

Shortridge also emphasized the groups service projects, highlighting its work supporting local food banks, Fauquier FISH, the Fauquier Free Clinic and Community Touch during the pandemic. Members also wrote thank-you cards to staff members at Brookside Rehab and Nursing Center, which suffered a deadly COVID-19 outbreak last fall.

When the Rotary Club shines, it shines with service, said Shortridge. Even relatively small things like decorating the Christmas tree at the Warrenton courthouse helped spread joy amid a difficult year, he said. In this strange year of COVID, it was nice the Christmas tree was still there.

The Warrenton chapter, founded in 1926, is now comprised of 70 members, including 11 who joined over the past year. Shortridge and Nelson honored two of those members Thursday: Citizen of the Year April Achter, population health coordinator for the Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District, and Rotarian of the Year Tonia Cubitt.
2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning --

4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS.

We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover.

We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come.
The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
Gov. Jim Justice, somewhat belatedly, has come around to admit that the states vaccination effort has hit a wall and that, at its current pace, we will not reach herd immunity anytime soon.
It is essential to have bread during the meal is the first principle laid down by Turkeys Association of Cuisine Professionals. That bread is present when eating be done is as binding as a religious commandment.

Both bread and water are considered holy in Turkey. Bread is considered a blessing from God, thus even a small piece is considered precious. A Turk who comes across a piece of bread on the street takes it to a higher spot after kissing the food first.

Living on breaded meals in Turkey would be no problem at all. You could have a sesame-studded simit (bread ring) for breakfast, crusty bread and cheese for lunch, a spicy meat lahmacun (Turkish pizza) drizzled with lemon for dinner. You could even top it off with a midnight swig of boza (fermented millet drink).

Bread in all shapes and sizes

Ekmek is the general term for bread of any sort but these days spongy white sourdough loaves are found everywhere. It can be shaped into oblongs, circles, long tubes, plaits or small rolls, glazed with egg yolk or milk, sprinkled with sesame, poppy or nigella seeds, or just left plain. It is usually made with strong white flour, to which a little wholemeal flour is sometimes added

Normal ekmek

Pide (flatbread) is basic homemade village fare as well as a pouch for doner and a base for pizza.

Pide (flatbread)

Lavas (thin crispy bread) is yeast free but ballons exuberantly when cooked.

Lavas

Exuberantly ballooned lavas

The chewy simit is sold in every town square and on just about every street corner in Turkey.

Turks are inclined to eat their bread plain, in between mouthfuls of food or with a little salt. Butter isnt usually offered but as most restaurants will have a pat available, you can probably get some to spread on your slice.

Ramazan Pide

During Ramazan (the month of fasting), normal loaves are sold in the mornings, but pide with corekotu (black cumin seeds) is sold in the afternoons so hungry people have something special with which to break the days fast. You can still find this pide for the rest of the year although its not as plentiful.

Pide with corekotu (black cumin seeds)

Lahmacun

Lahmacun is a type of pizza, most often topped with ground meat, onion, chilli and parsley. Other possible toppings include cheese, meat pieces and sausage. The classic lahmacun is oval and about a foot long, though restaurants may make palm-sized portions.

Classic lahmacun

Each region has its own way of making lahmacun. For example, in Antep theyre made with garlic but no onion and in Samsun theyre made in boat shapes with filling-hugging edges.

Boat shaped lahmacun from Samsun

The best come from big woodfire ovens and are paddled in and out on wooden oars.

Wood fired oven

When youre not doing it daintily, lahmacun is eaten as follows: slice it into strips, drizzle with lemon, daub it with chunks of tomato, roll it up and eat it with your fingers. Once its finished, you can eat the debris off your hands and arms.

You can eat your lahmacun with a knife and fork, but its not as much fun!

Is there bread on the hook?

In Turkey, theres an ancient tradition called Askda Ekmek, which relates to paying it forward with bread.

Askda Ekmek- Is there bread on the hook? The ancient tradition of paying it forward in Turkey

Click on the link below to read an interesting article by Lisa Morrow which explains Turkeys ancient tradition.

Turkeys ancient tradition of paying it forward

Sources: World Food Turkey/ Daily Sabah/BBC
Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release

SubCategory Select Sub-Category
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 17, 2021 / Minaean SP Construction Corp. (TSXV:MSP)(Frankfurt:NJA)(Berlin:NJA) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has submitted an Expression of Interest for the CONSTRUCTION OF A "SUPER SPECIALITY HOSPITAL" in Madagascar.

Pursuant to a conference call with the Head and management team of Direction Generale en charge des Projets (DGPP) of Madagascar on March 2nd, 2021 discussing the Company's capabilities and interest in construction of a hospital project, an Expression of Interest (EOI) of was requested to be submitted. The project, involving design, finance and construction of a 100 bed "Super Speciality Hospital" to be executed through a Government to Government model was discussed in detail during the call. The EOI has now been submitted as per the request made by DGPP, Madagascar, with the Company's profile and track record of its affiliated partner, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which has constructed 45 hospitals exceeding 19,000 beds and growing. Through DGPP's recent response, they have requested further details and clarification on the class of hospital that will be constructed. The communication is ongoing with DGPP to ensure the Company has the correct and specific information needed to work on a preliminary proposal. Based on the current indication and estimates, the budgeted construction cost of the hospital is expected to be approximately US$ 100 million.

In Madagascar, after years of socio-political crisis which weakened its health system and slowed down the progress of health development made during the previous decades, Madagascar has been working towards a socio-economic recovery of the country. The health sector plan has an ambitious goal that states "In 2030, the entire Malagasy population is in good health in a healthy environment in which they have a better and productive life". The current government's health policy prioritizes the provision of adequate and modern medical equipment and health facilities at regional and district levels to ensure quality care for its citizens.

In addition, the Government of Madagascar is seeking to establish universal health coverage for children under 5 years, pregnant women and people over 65. Challenges include access to medical facilities, distribution of medical staff, drug and medical supplies are not being sufficiently stocked, and sub optimal administration of the health sector. Over 60 percent of Madagascar's people live more than 5 kilometers from a health center, often in very remote and difficult to reach areas without roads or communications.

About the Company

Minaean SP Construction Corp. is a company well known for its pioneering efforts in the manufacture of light gauge steel components for the construction industry and modular metal buildings in India. Upon partnering with India's well known 156 year old construction conglomerate "Shapoorji Pallonji Group" (SP) in 2016 as an affiliated subsidiary, the Company changed its business model to take advantage of its $7 billion revenue partner's expertise and track record in Construction and Infrastructure projects globally. The Company through its business relations established with the Government of Canada's trade offices has been developing contracts in Africa and Latin America and is focusing more towards construction of hospitals in these countries.

SP is known for its expertise in construction of hospitals, having constructed their first hospital project in Mumbai, India in 1923. Since then SP has established its credibility in this field having completed construction of 45 hospitals, the last one being the well known 600 bed "Al Sabah" hospital in Kuwait. The Company establishes its ability to execute these contracts in partnership with SP and is confident of being a front runner in this industry by the end of this decade.

The shares of Minaean SP Construction Corp. (parent company) are publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MSP" and on the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol "NJA". For more information, please visit www.minaean.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

MINAEAN SP CONSTRUCTION CORP.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Minaean SP Construction Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/652058/Expression-of-Interest-Requested-and-Submitted-for-Construction-of-Hospital-Project-in-Madagascar
The acquisition of Sweden-based companies Telepo and Soluno make them the number 1 leader in European cloud communication solutions for SME's and service providers and places them amongst the biggest players in the world, with a 170m turnover and 2 million multi-tenant seats.

BRUSSELS and STOCKHOLM, June 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Destiny's ambition of becoming the leading European, SME-focused, secure cloud communication provider is surging forward. Today, the Belgian secure cloud communication provider signed two strategic acquisitions that instantly launches Destiny to the top position in the European UCaaS market. The services of Destiny and Sweden-based Telepo already have proven to be a perfect match. Telepo's UCaaS-platform will be Destiny's second UCaaS platform, deployed group-wide and be leveraged in future expansions. At the same time, Telepo strengthens Destiny's Service Provider channel. With Soluno, also Sweden-based, Destiny adds a well-known UCaaS provider to the Destiny Group that gives the company access to the Nordic market.

This?leap?will trigger further investment in?developing?the?innovative, market?leading, SME-focused?and scalable?UCaaS?platform - deploying?it?in the existing Destiny markets?and?in?new countries,?across all channels. As a result, Destiny creates a new market force in the UCaaS European market that has unparalleled competitive advantage.

Daan De Wever, CEO Destiny: "We are thrilled to announce this exciting news of the acquisition of these two fantastic and strong companies. This is the next level of Destiny's big play to own the European cloud communication space. Our combined forces give us own IP, technology that is easy to adopt, use and integrate, great partners, talented local teams and ambition to invest in further developing our innovative and market leading UCaaS platform for SME's, today and tomorrow. It also reinforces the hunger to grow Destiny as the reference for our businesses and service provider audience. Our customers are always at the heart of all our decision making. It's the increasing levels of service and innovation that they'll enjoy that led us to take this unprecedented step. We'll continue to develop human-centric communication services for the cloud, and make sure they serve all our client's and partner's ambitions in their local market and specific sector."

Technology synergy with Telepo

Destiny has been a loyal Telepo client, using their platform to deliver best-in-class UCaaS services in the Benelux region. Bringing in Telepo to the fold was a no-brainer move for Destiny, due to the proven success in teams' collaboration and the high-performing technology which Telepo consistently provided. The two companies believe in the importance of combining their power to advance and accelerate Telepo's innovation velocity to build next generation UCaaS services aimed at the European SME market and delivered via Destiny's channels and strategic partnerships.

Rami Houbby, General Manager at Telepo: "This is an important and transformational step for Telepo and its Service Provider partners, and I could not be more excited with the synergies between our companies. This marks the start of an incredible new chapter in our journey as a win-win for both companies. Destiny will be able to standardise on Telepo as own IP for the group-wide platform to drive consistency and future growth. The Telepo team will benefit from Destiny's strategy and resources to accelerate innovation and enhance their offering portfolio directly benefiting our Service Provider partners to compete and win in their markets. I am super delighted with this acquisition and the benefits it brings to all the stakeholders in our ecosystem. I very much look forward to working with Daan and his team, and I know we will make a winning combination."

Power coalition with Soluno

Soluno was announced to be recognised as one of the top 20 leaders in growth and industry innovation by Frost & Sullivan in the 2020 UCaaS Frost Radar report. The two companies becoming one, was a more than logical choice. The acquisition gives Destiny an instantly strong position in Sweden and also leads to globalisation for Soluno. Since Soluno was also using Telepo's platform, there will be no technological changes for their employees and clients. The power coalition will invest in the growth and innovation of their platform and own IP services.

Patrik Sorqvist, CEO of Soluno: "Soluno has constantly generated strong organic growth by providing our channels and end customers with innovation that enables easy to use and future proof business communications - today. By joining the Destiny family, our European vision is already a reality and we will together transform of the European UCaaS market."

The combined Destiny group will comprise of more than 600 employees in 6 countries (Belgium, Netherlands, France, Sweden, Germany and UK), and is expected to generate a turnover of 170m in 2021. Q Advisors, a leading global TMT investment banking boutique, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Destiny in connection with this transaction.

"We welcome every new colleague to the Destiny family. Our combined power will change the European UCaaS market forever. Destiny has a track record of company integration that emphasizes on future growth, not short-term restructuring. In the coming period, we will develop a vision of how our combined roadmap of products and services will support our existing clients as well as winning new client across Europe", Daan De Wever concludes.

About Destiny

Destiny, founded in 2008, is originally a Belgian provider of secure cloud communication solutions for innovative enterprises. Their annual turnover in 2020 was 90 million Euro. Today, Destiny has more than 600 employees in 6 European countries and an expected annual turnover of 170 million Euro in 2021.

Destiny has a clear ambition; to be the leading end-to-end solution provider of secure business communications in

Europe. Weaving together talent, technology, strategic service provider partnerships and sky-high ambition, Destiny is on course to win the European SME UCaaS market. Whether delivering innovation to business end-customers directly through its OpCos (Operating Countries) or via the long-established Service Providers' channel, Destiny is committed to champion innovation, customer experience and value growth for all stakeholders.

About Telepo

Telepo, previously a division of Mitel based in Stockholm, Sweden, is a leading cloud software provider offering Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) and Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC) solutions to Service Providers throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. Founded in 2004, Telepo was designed from initial inception as a complete end-to-end, multi-tenant solution with fixed mobile convergence and ease of use as the top priorities. Telepo differentiates in the market as mobile-centric cloud platform, purpose-built for mobile operators and Service Providers targeting SMEs and enterprises with innovative cloud solutions and offering a significant number of API integrations that enable maximum flexibility. Today, Telepo has grown to serve 2 million seats across all customers.

About Soluno

Soluno is one of the leading UCaaS providers in Europe with +200.000 users in the cloud. Driving the future of Business Communications by offering a mobile-first concept through wholesale partners in Europe.

For more information please contact:

Christian Hed, CMO Soluno, Christian.hed@soluno.com, +468 562 696 03

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1536446/Soluno_Destiny.jpg
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 24, 2021) - Value Capital Trust (TSXV: VLU.P) ("Value") and AIP Yield Fund, LP ("AIPYF") announce that they have updated the terms of the proposed brokered private placement of subscription receipts of AIPYF ("Units") for aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$20,000,000 (the "Offering") announced on February 18, 2021 (the "February Announcement").

Pursuant to the agency agreement signed June 14, 2021, Laurentian Bank Securities Inc. (the "Agent") will act as the lead agent and sole bookrunner in respect of the offering. Under the updated terms, the Agent will receive a cash commission equal to 8% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering and broker warrants to acquire such number of Units as is equal to 8% of the Units sold in the Offering. The terms of the Offering as described in the February Announcement are otherwise unchanged. The Offering is anticipated to close on July 15, 2021.

Following the completion of the Offering, Value Capital Trust ("Value") and AIPYF plan to complete the previously announced transaction that will result in a reverse take-over of Value by AIPYF (the "Proposed Transaction"). The Proposed Transaction will also result in the name of Value being changed to AIP Realty Trust. The Proposed Transaction will be an arm's length transaction, and, if completed, will constitute Value's "Qualifying Transaction" (as such term is defined in TSXV Policy 2.4).

For further information, please contact:

Value Capital Trust

Name: Nathan Smith

Title: Chief Executive Officer

Phone: (345) 926-4915

AIP Yield Fund, LP

Name: Leslie Wulf

Title: Capital Markets and Finance

Phone: (214) 679-5263

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Value and AIPYF with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and includes information regarding the completion of the Offering.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect Value and AIPYF's respective management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Value and AIPYF believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Resulting Issuer. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the ability to complete the Offering; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the diversion of management time on the Offering. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Value and AIPYF and market conditions.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Value and AIPYF have attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Value and AIPYF do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88611
BEIJING, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a news report from Beijing Review:

It needs two adults to fully wrap their arms around Shi Guangyin's first tree, which stands on the southern edge of the Maowusu sand land, one of the four largest sand lands in China. Shi, an esteemed hero fighting desertification, planted the tree back in 1984. "I love it very much; it's like my own child," he told Beijing Review.

Shi was born into a farmer's family in Dingbian, a county under the jurisdiction of Yulin, Shaanxi Province in northwest China. The county sits at the southern edge of Maowusu. In the 1950s, 39 percent of the county's land area was covered by sand, and the overall greenness was only 0.5 percent. Sandstorms hit the area frequently. "We moved nine times in my father's lifetime as the sandstorm had crashed our houses," Shi said. What's worse, Shi, when he was eight, lost a buddy in a sand storm. From then on, he was determined to fight "the demon sand."

A tough nut

In the early 1950s, the Chinese Government moved to green the northern part of China, an area prone to erosion. As of 1984, Chinese residents had been encouraged to plant vegetation across contracted sand lands and barren hills.

"I believed it was high time to realize my dream," Shi told Beijing Review. Shi contracted 233 hectares of sand land to plant trees and teamed up with six fellow villagers on his greening mission. He became the first farmer to contract deserted land in China's fight against desertification.

The biggest challenge was a lack of funding. Shi sold all of his livestock. So did other stakeholders. In addition, they took out a loan. Finally, the nascent company managed to raise enough funds to purchase saplings. Fortunately, the weather was in their favor that year. "We had enough rain. And 85 percent of our saplings survived in the first year," Shi said.

The success prompted the new greening team to be more ambitious. In 1985, they contracted 3,867 more hectares of sand land in Langwosha in the county.

Yet, Langwosha turned out to be a tough nut to crack. The surface temperature in Langwosha varied from 60 plus degrees Celsius in summer to minus 40 in winter. And winds were strong. Keeping saplings alive in such an inhospitable environment was a huge challenge.

Shi and his team lived in the sand land. "We ate highland barley flatbreads and drank groundwater from a 1-meter-wide hole we dug, using reed stalks as straws," Shi said. However, they failed twice. Several stakeholders wanted to give up. Shi respected their choice, but still held on to his dream. "I will not give up till my very last breath," he said.

Before Shi tried a third time in 1987, he was told that barriers were needed to protect the saplings. After the saplings were planted, his team sowed grass seeds. Once the seeds had taken root, they would stabilize the sand and cover the land, hence forging a barrier to protect the saplings. And finally, this way, Shi's team succeeded to turn Langwosha into a green land.

Promising changes

After three decades of hard work, the once barren desert has been turned into a forest. Animals like birds, foxes and pheasants have made their first appearance in the new oasis. And what excites Shi the most is the fact that some of the ground in Langwosha is now covered in moss. "This means that the water has been better conserved and some moving sand has turned into soil," Shi Jianyang, the grandson of Shi Guangyin, told Beijing Review.

Shi Guangyin is not alone in his greening efforts. Both individuals and state-owned farms have undertaken numerous bold efforts to green Maowusu in the past seven decades. In 2020, the forest coverage in Dingbian reached 29.2 percent. Maowusu has become the only sand land tamed by mankind in the world. "In the past, the moving sand chased us away. Now, we have pushed them back," Shi Guangyin said.

In early June, Shi Guangyin was nominated for China'sJuly 1 Medal, an award given to outstanding members of the Communist Party of China at the centenary of the founding of the world's largest Party.

Non-stop efforts

Success does not, however, mean that the residents of Maowusu now can rest on their laurels. According to Shi Changchun, dean of the Shaanxi Research Institute for Sand Control, all forests in Maowusu are man-made, and their ecosystems are fragile and unstable.

The combination of limited tree variety and high density has led to serious pest infections and tree degeneration in the forest. Also, many trees, like poplars, planted some 50 years ago are dying out as they have reached the end of their biological cycles.

"Maowusu is still at risk of degrading back into sand land," Shi Changchun told Beijing Review. He advises that a specific law should be rolled out to better protect the man-made forests, supported by new tailor-made guidelines and funds.

In fact, 110,000 hectares of mixed forests with Scots pines, which can stand tall for 150 to 200 years, as the main vegetation have been planted to replace dying poplars in Yulin since 2012. "We need continuous efforts, generation after generation, to protect the environment," Shi Guangyin said.

Please scan the QR code to watch a video about Shi Guangyin

Comments to linan@bjreview.com

By Beijing Review reporter Li Nan

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1550757/image1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1550758/image2.jpg
New Flagship Brands Targeting Gen Z, Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken, Developed and Manufactured Locally

Entering High Growth Potential Market as Part of International Expansion Fueled by $535 Million Capital Raise in Company's First Year

New Standard in China for Labeling Plant-Based Meat Takes Effect Today

LIVEKINDLY Collective, a collection of brands on track to become one of the world's largest plant-based food companies, today announced its launch in China with two new flagship brands, Giggling Pig ??? [Ge Ji Zhu] and Happy Chicken ??? [Ha Pi Ji]. Both have been developed and manufactured locally to cater to Chinese consumer tastes and are the first brands created in-house by LIVEKINDLY Collective.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210624006015/en/

LIVEKINDLY Collective introduces plant-based dumplings in China (Photo: Business Wire)

The two new brands cover a portfolio of seven innovative plant-based products based on beloved Chinese dishes, including plant-based dumplings, several mushroom-based dishes and a seasoned minced dish.

These new products will be available across China on June 25. Both brands are targeted at Gen Z, with two adorable cartoon characters, Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken, whose message is that consumers can enjoy great taste, excellent nutrition and a modern twist on heritage cuisine by eating plant-based food. China's plant-based market was nearly $1 billion in 2018, according to the Good Food Institute, and is projected to grow between 20 and 25% annually.

"China is one of the most exciting and strategic markets for the plant-based revolution, and a key pillar of our growth strategy," said Kees Kruythoff, CEO and Chairman of LIVEKINDLY Collective. "We are proud to launch these new flagship brands, which have been developed and manufactured for Chinese consumers, by Chinese experts. As we say: China for China, and at China speed."

"We're coming off a phenomenal first year, having become one of the top three highest-funded and fastest-growing plant-based food companies in the world," said Roger Lienhard, Founder and Executive Chairman of Blue Horizon Group and Founder of LIVEKINDLY Collective. "Our portfolio and model are global, and with the launch of our China office and delicious new products, we are closer than ever to achieving our mission of making plant-based living the new norm."

Since March 2020, in its first 12 months, LIVEKINDLY Collective has raised $535 million to fund its international expansion into China and other growth regions, as well as the company's strategic acquisitions, partnerships and investments in plant-based innovation.

In addition to the newly created Giggling Pig and Happy Chicken, LIVEKINDLY Collective has five plant-based food brands in its portfolio Oumph!, The Fry Family Food Co., LikeMeat, No Meat, and The Dutch Weed Burger as well as digital media company LIVEKINDLY.

"We are thrilled to launch in China with these incredible brands and delicious innovative products that we have crafted from scratch, in China for China," said Joanna LiuQiao, Regional Director, Greater China at LIVEKINDLY Collective. "China has a long history in plant-based cuisine and has been cooking with ingredients like seitan, tofu and tempeh well before it was mainstream. We understand what works and doesn't work for this market, and our new brands are delicious, high-quality and tailored to local consumer tastes."

Today also marks the adoption of China's first standard for labeling "plant-based meat products," which are now defined as food products that use plant-sourced materials or their processed products as sources of protein or fat. This standard, issued by the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology ("CIFST"), signals the rapid growth in demand for plant-based meat in China.

About LIVEKINDLY Collective

LIVEKINDLY Collective was founded by Blue Horizon Group on the belief that plant-based alternatives have the power to make the global food system sustainable. Its mission is to make plant-based living the new norm. As a collective of founders, entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the globe, LIVEKINDLY Collective is uniquely positioned to create impact with speed, at scale. Through its portfolio of brands, Oumph!, The Fry Family Food Co., LikeMeat, No Meat, and The Dutch Weed Burger, LIVEKINDLY Collective is providing consumers around the world with healthy, sustainable, delicious food options. Furthermore, the company is the voice of the plant-based movement, communicating informative, entertaining and inspiring content through its media and lifestyle platform, LIVEKINDLY, at www.livekindly.com and @livekindlyco on Instagram. LIVEKINDLY Collective has 500 employees and sells in more than 40 countries around the world. To learn more, visit www.thelivekindlyco.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210624006015/en/

Contacts:

Marta Tomczak

press@thelivekindlyco.com
DGAP-News: Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. / Key word(s): Quarter Results/Quarterly / Interim Statement

Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.: Vivoryon Therapeutics Announces Financial Results for the First Quarter of 2021 and Provides Corporate Update



25.06.2021 / 07:00

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.





Vivoryon Therapeutics Announces Financial Results

for the First Quarter of 2021 and Provides Corporate Update

HALLE (SAALE) / MUNICH, GERMANY, June 25, 2021 - Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. (Euronext Amsterdam: VVY; NL00150002Q7) (Vivoryon) today announced financial results and provided a corporate update for the first quarter of 2021, ending March 31, 2021. The report is available on the Company website at www.vivoryon.com/investors-news/financial-information.



"As we continue moving forward through 2021, our focus remains set primarily on our proprietary Alzheimer's disease (AD) pipeline. VIVIAD, our European Phase 2b study with our lead AD candidate, varoglutamstat, is well underway and we plan to launch VIVA-MIND, our US Phase 2a/b study, later this year. VIVA-MIND is designed as a complementary study to VIVIAD in an effort to strategically broaden our statistical base," said Dr. Ulrich Dauer, Chief Executive Officer of Vivoryon. "The Vivoryon team remains dedicated to creating value for patients and their families through our innovative AD platform and we look forward to seeing our program's continued progress throughout the course of this year."



Selected Business Updates

New ISIN code

In connection with the conversion into a Dutch N.V., Vivoryon shares started trading under a new International Securities Identification Number (ISIN), NL00150002Q7 as of January 11, 2021. The new German securities identification code (WKN) is A2QJV6.



Re-Appointment of Ulrich Dauer as CEO and Appointment of Florian Schmid as CFO

Vivoryon's shareholders approved all resolutions proposed by the Company's Board of Directors at the Company's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) which took place on March 12, 2021. Key agenda items for the EGM included: the re-appointment of Dr. Ulrich Dauer as Executive Member of the Board and re-granting him the title of Chief Executive Officer, the appointment of Mr. Florian Schmid as Executive Member of the Board and granting him the title of Chief Financial Officer, and the appointment of KPMG Accountants N.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, as external auditor for the financial year 2020.



KOL Event on Current Clinical Landscape in Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

On April 15, 2021, Vivoryon hosted a virtual event covering next steps in Alzheimer's disease treatment options with leaders and experts in the field. The interactive session covered discussions surrounding current hurdles and exciting, novel approaches to the challenging AD space, including varoglutamstat, the Company's small molecule inhibitor of glutaminyl cyclase (QPCT) designed to target all three hallmarks of AD: amyloid-beta, tau, and neuroinflammation. The panel of participating AD experts featured Professor Philip Scheltens, MD, PhD, Director at the Alzheimer Center Amsterdam and Managing Partner of the LSP Dementia Fund, Howard Feldman, MD, Professor, Department of Neurosciences and Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and Frank Weber, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Vivoryon.





Update for Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

In accordance with the decree of May 27, 2021 on amending expiry dates of legal provisions made in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak as published on May 31, 2021, the Temporary COVID-19 Justice and Safety Act has been extended. Therefore, Vivoryon's Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on Monday, June 28, 2021, at 10:30 a.m. (CEST) as a virtual meeting via an audio webcast which will be available, along with all relevant documents, on the Company's website at https://www.vivoryon.com/ordinary-general-meeting-of-shareholders-2021/.



Financial Review

In the first quarter of 2021, research and development expenses amounted to EUR 4,414 k and increased compared to the first quarter of 2020 (EUR 2,783 k). This increase was mainly driven by costs associated with VIVIAD the clinical Phase 2b study in Alzheimer's disease in Europe and production cost for our compound varoglutamstat /PQ912 which is used in this trial as well as in the US trial VIVA-MIND which is planned to start later this year.



General and administrative expenses increased to EUR 1,114 k (Q1 2020: EUR 580 k). This increase is largely attributable to consulting (2021: EUR 507 k, 2020: EUR 277 k) and share based payment expense (2021: EUR 232 k, 2020: nil). The Company did not generate any licensing revenue in the reporting period.



Net loss of the period was EUR 5,366 k compared to EUR 3,625 k in the first quarter of 2020.

The Company held EUR 23,777 k in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2021, respectively EUR 26,306 k as of December 31, 2020.



All results are in line with management expectations.



Additional information regarding other relevant information is included in the financial statements as of December 31, 2020, which is included in the Company's Annual Report 2020.



###



For more information, please contact:

Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.

Dr. Manuela Bader, Director IR & Communication

Tel: +49 (0)345 555 99 30

Email: IR@vivoryon.com



Trophic Communications

Gretchen Schweitzer / Valeria Fisher

Tel: +49 (0)172 861 8540 or +49 (0)175 8041816

Email: vivoryon@trophic.eu



About Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V.

With 20+ years of unmatched understanding in identifying post-translational modifying enzymes that play critical roles in disease initiation and progression, Vivoryon's scientific expertise has facilitated the creation of a discovery and development engine for small molecule therapeutics. This platform has demonstrated success by developing a novel therapeutic in type 2 diabetes. In its current programs Vivoryon is advancing its lead product, varoglutamstat (PQ912), in Alzheimer's disease and its entire portfolio of QPCT and QPCTL inhibitors in oncology and other indications. In addition, the Company pursues a development program for Meprin protease inhibitors with potential therapeutic use in fibrotic diseases, cancer and acute kidney injury. www.vivoryon.com



Forward Looking Statements

Information set forth in this press release contains forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the judgment of Vivoryon Therapeutics N.V. as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, and which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Eastern Platinum Limited (TSX: ELR) (JSE: EPS) ("Eastplats" or the "Company") announces that it has granted 1,420,000 stock options to directors, officers, and employees of the Company that vest in 90 days. The options were granted for a term of five years and expire on June 23, 2026. Each option allows the holder to purchase one common share of Eastplats at an exercise price of CDN$0.34.

About Eastern Platinum Limited

Eastplats owns directly and indirectly a number of PGM and chrome assets in the Republic of South Africa. All of the Company's properties are situated on the western and eastern limbs of the Bushveld Complex, the geological environment that hosts approximately 80% of the world's known PGM-bearing ore.

Operations at the Crocodile River Mine currently include re-mining and processing its tailings resource, from the Barplats Zandfontein UG2 tailings facility, with offtakes of chrome and PGM concentrates to the Company's offtake parties.

For further information, please contact:

EASTERN PLATINUM LIMITED

Wylie Hui, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

whui@eastplats.com (email)

(604) 800-8200 (phone)

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, forecasts, estimates, expectations and objectives for future operations that are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "will", "plan", "intends", "may", "will", "could", "expects", "anticipates" and similar expressions. Further disclosure of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and other forward-looking statements are discussed in the Company's Annual Information Form and Management's Discussion and Analysis which are available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com.

In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements pertaining to the vesting and expiry of options issued by the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. By their very nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements as a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives, expectations, estimates and intentions expressed in such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, commodity prices, economic conditions, currency fluctuations, competition and regulations, legal proceedings and risks related to operations in foreign countries.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date they are given and, except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88615
The digital sales platform trusted by manufacturers worldwide evolves its offering to help customers capture new markets.

SINGAPORE, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In Mind Cloud, the independent digital sales platform made for manufacturers, today launched its new brand identity, website, and strategy to match expanding customer needs.

The renewed brand and online experience were developed to better communicate the company's capability for uniting remarkable customer experiences with deep product expertise through their end-to-end sales platform.

In Mind Cloud CEO Dr. Christian Cuske said of the evolution, "Our global customers in manufacturing industries are at different stages on their digitalization journey. But they are all facing similar challenges of increasing global competition, rising customer expectations, and increasing profitability pressure. Our mission is to help them simplify, then accelerate their progress to digital maturity."

The In Mind Cloud Digital Sales Platform is designed to streamline manufacturing sales processes, help win more deals, and increase competitiveness for organizations competing in the global manufacturing marketplace.

Cuske adds, "Over the past nine years, we have accompanied our customers through the highs and lows of the market, have supported them on their digitalization journey. And over the years, we have done one thing consistently: we've listened.

"We learned that manufacturers would rather have one united platform that's built specifically for the industry, that's fast to implement, massively scalable, and Industry 4.0 ready. In Mind Cloud delivers all that, at a compelling price point, with no lock-in contract, and is backed by excellent customer support. We are grateful for the trust and support of our customers as we continue to grow into the future together."

In Mind Cloud's new visual identity reflects the brand's strength and simplicity, offering seamless buying experiences in a complex industry. Just like in manufacturing, there's a lot of thought behind each element - the rounded gold-colored logotype, for example, signifies independence, knowledge, and inclusivity.

The redesigned website www.inmindcloud.com delivers a customized experience for each visitor, reflecting their unique challenges and goals. The site features exclusive insights into the benefits and features of the Digital Sales Platform and trial access to In Mind Cloud's platform at no cost.

About In Mind Cloud

In Mind Cloud (www.inmindcloud.com) is an independent provider of a digital sales platform made for manufacturers, serving a global customer base through offices in Singapore, Germany, China, the US, and a high-value partner network.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1550828/preview_new_website_In_Mind_Cloud_2021__2.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1550829/IMC_LOGO.jpg


BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - German consumer confidence is set to improve in July as the country eases the lockdown restrictions, monthly survey results from GfK showed on Friday.



The forward-looking consumer sentiment index rose more-than-expected to -0.3 in July from revised -6.9 in June. The reading was the highest since August 2020. The expected score was -4.0.



In June, the economic and income expectations increased significantly and the propensity to buy showed moderate growth.



Sharply falling incidences and significant advances in vaccination allow more extensive loosening or opening of the economy, Rolf Burkl, GfK consumer expert, said.



In addition, vacation is now possible again. This ensures increasing optimism, which is also expressed in better consumer sentiment, added Burkl.



Economic expectations rose sharply in June as consumers were very confident about the general economic situation in Germany. The economic expectations index rose 17.3 points to 58.4 in June. This was the highest score since February 2011.



The income expectations index advanced noticeably by 14.6 points to 34.1 in June. Income sentiment last recorded a better level in February 2020.



The falling incidence figures allow openings in outdoor and indoor restaurants. A number of employees will leave short-time working and improve their income position.



The propensity to buy gained strength from income prospects. The indicator rose 3.4 points to 13.4 points in June.



The survey results are based on around 2,000 consumer interviews carried out on behalf of the EU Commission. The survey was conducted between June 3 and 14.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

GFK-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de
Strategic investor Invus Opportunities partners with profitable UK consumer finance company ClearScore to accelerate expansion

Invus Opportunities, the global equity investor, has made a substantial, long term investment in ClearScore, the UK's leading credit marketplace, to accelerate the growth in the business globally. ClearScore currently serves over 14 million customers worldwide, on three continents.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005016/en/

Justin Basini, CEO and Co-Founder of ClearScore (Photo: Business Wire)

This investment totalling $200m, at a valuation of $700m, is an exciting development for one of the UK's leading fintechs, that has supported millions of customers over the last 6 years especially through the pandemic. ClearScore has long standing profitability and is coming out of the COVID crisis with an evolving suite of innovative products. This investment will accelerate ClearScore's ongoing investments to expand its team, product suite, and customer base globally.

Invus Opportunities is an investment firm that specifically takes long term and significant positions in companies where they believe in both the management of the organisation and the fundamentals of the business, and where they can make a significant impact. The investment is a mix of primary and secondary, with existing investors QED, Blenheim Chalcot and LeadEdge together with management, retaining the majority of their positions in ClearScore, whilst allowing Invus Opportunities to take a significant minority position in the company.

The deal sees Benjamin Tsai of Invus Opportunities joining the ClearScore board, with co-founders Nigel Morris remaining as Chairman and Justin Basini continuing as Chief Executive.

Justin Basini, co-founder and CEO, ClearScore said "We welcome Invus Opportunities to the board and look forward to working with their team as we continue to grow ClearScore in the UK and internationally. As one of the only profitable UK fintech business operating at real scale, we didn't need to raise money, but rather we chose to partner with Invus. We made this decision as a team because of Invus' track record of working strategically over the long term with their businesses to recognise global opportunities, whilst delivering superior services to consumers. I have been incredibly impressed with Invus' insight and I'm looking forward to working closely with them to deliver our vision, that ClearScore will become an indispensable financial partner to millions more users around the world."

Benjamin Tsai commented, "We partner best with ambitious companies who are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of their customers. For us, ClearScore does this exceptionally well, as evidenced by their innovative product offering and ever-growing user base. We see huge potential in the business, already sustainable and profitable, and are excited to be involved in the ClearScore journey."

---ends---

About ClearScore

ClearScore is the UK's number one free credit score and financial product marketplace. Founded in 2015 with the mission to help users take control of their financial health, ClearScore is the industry leader in giving everybody access to their credit score and report for free, forever. Winners of prestigious awards such as the Queen's Award for Enterprise and featuring on The Sunday Times Best Companies to Work For list, ClearScore combines a team of industry experts, sophisticated algorithms, and clever tech with a trustworthy brand. The result is a beautiful product that delivers an experience that is clear, calm, and easy to understand. ClearScore uses data every step of the way to ensure that users see the most relevant financial products for them, giving them the tools to manage their finances in a way that suits them. With over 11 million UK users, and a further 3 million worldwide, ClearScore constantly innovates to help their users on a journey to greater financial wellbeing. Co-founded by CEO, Justin Basini, ClearScore is based in London and is supported by investment from QED Investors, Blenheim Chalcot, Lead Edge Capital and now Invus Opportunities.

About Invus Opportunities

Invus Opportunities is a sister fund to The Invus Group, an equity investment firm founded in 1985 with over $8 billion of evergreen capital. Invus Opportunities is focused on partnering with market-leading management teams and investors in private transactions globally. With a differentiated heritage and capital base, Invus Opportunities brings a complementary dimension to growing companies and investor groups seeking to create lasting value. Invus Opportunities both leads rounds of financing and co-invests in syndicated financings, and currently manages over $2 billion.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005016/en/

Contacts:

Rachel Gilley/ Liam McLaughlin

Email: rachel@clarity.pr liam@clarity.pr
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
MoneyTV with Donald Baillargeon television program, Copyright MMXXI, all rights reserved. MoneyTV does not provide an analysis of companies' financial positions and is not soliciting to purchase or sell securities of the companies, nor are we offering a recommendation of featured companies or their stocks. Information discussed herein has been provided by the companies and should be verified independently with the companies and a securities analyst. MoneyTV provides companies a 3 to 4 month corporate profile with multiple appearances for a cash fee of $6,950.00 to $11,995.00, does not accept company stock as payment for services, does not hold any positions, options or warrants in featured companies. The information herein is not an endorsement by Donald Baillargeon, the producer, publisher or parent company of MoneyTV.

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
PR Newswire to Host Official Online Press Room and Provide News Distribution Services

BARCELONA, Spain, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GSMA announced today that Cision PR Newswire will be the official media and communications partner for the organization's flagship mobile industry and technology event, MWC Barcelona 2021. The event is being held from June 28 through July 1, 2021.

Every year, MWC brings together leading companies and trailblazers to share the latest topics relevant to the future of the mobile and tech ecosystems.

PR Newswire, an industry-leading content distribution network and media advisory platform, is powering the official MWC21 Online Press Room. Event Exhibitors and PR Newswire members will use the Online Press Room to share show news, multimedia assets and other content with attendees, media and members of the public. Exhibitors can gain visibility in the press room by purchasing a show package here: https://mwc.vporoom.com/order

"We are excited to have PR Newswire as our official media partner for this year's event," said Lara Dewar, Global Head PR & Communications at GSMA. "MWC21 is a hybrid event so, ensuring a seamless experience regardless of an attendee's location or platform is critical. PR Newswire's team is creative and solutions oriented. I'm delighted that they are helping us bring press resources into this virtual space allowing media from around the world, to access important content."

PR Newswire has provided tips for companies navigating a hybrid event strategy in their guide, 3 Ways to Increase Your Visibility at MWC.

The theme of this year's event is Connected Impact and attendees will explore how AI, 5G, Big Data, and IoT will shape the future and continue to transform lives. It's time to reconnect, rebuild - and reimagine a more connected world.

To attend the event, please register here.

About Cision

As a global leader in PR, marketing and social media management technology and intelligence, Cision helps brands and organizations to identify, connect and engage with customers and stakeholders to drive business results. PR Newswire, a network of over 1.1 billion influencers, in-depth monitoring, analytics and its Brandwatch and Falcon.io social media platforms headline a premier suite of solutions. Cision has offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA and APAC. For more information about Cision's award-winning solutions, including its next-gen Cision Communications Cloud, visit www.cision.com and follow @Cision on Twitter.

About GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces the industry-leading MWC events held annually in Barcelona, Africa, Los Angeles and Shanghai, as well as the Thrive Series of regional conferences. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1551352/GSMA_Logo.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/998964/cision_PRNewswire_Logo.jpg
The Indian government's efforts to restrict PV equipment imports and expand domestic manufacturing are starting to bear fruit.From pv magazine India JMK Research says in a newly published report that India could create 13.75 GW of solar module production capacity and 6.9 GW of cell output over the next 18 months. Module manufacturers with 1 GW+ capacity have proposed cumulative capacity additions of 9 GW of modules and 6.4 GW of cells. This also includes Vikram Solar's plan to set up a 3 GW fab for modules, cells and wafers in Tamil Nadu over the next four to five years. Two key manufacturers ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
YOKOHAMA, Japan, June 25, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Power, a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group, has received an order to supply a 180 megawatt (MW) class gas turbine combined cycle (GTCC) power plant fired by blast furnace gas (BFG) for Jiangsu Shagang Group, a leading Chinese steelmaker. The order, which includes an M701SDAX gas turbine as a key component, was received through Mitsubishi Power's local subsidiary. The GTCC plant will make effective use of gas emitted by the blast furnace operated at a Jiangsu Shagang group company, to provide part of the power needed to run its factory. Operation of the new power plant is scheduled to commence in 2023.The BFG-fired GTCC power plant will be delivered to Zhangjiagang Hongchang Plate Co., Ltd. in Zhangjiagang, a county-level city under the administration of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, situated approximately 100km northwest of Shanghai. The facility will comprise a gas turbine, heat recovery steam generator, steam turbine, generator, gas compressor, and auxiliary equipment. Mitsubishi Power will manufacture the M701SDAX gas turbine, the plant's core component, at its Takasago Works in Hyogo Prefecture, and also supply related and auxiliary equipment. The steam turbine and generator will be provided by Dongfang Electric Group, a Chinese manufacturer of heavy electric machinery with which Mitsubishi Power has a cooperative relationship.Jiangsu-based Jiangsu Shagang Group is one of China's - and the world's - leading steelmakers. Established in 1975, the company mainly produces iron, steel and rolled steel plates. To date, Mitsubishi Power has supplied the company with four BGF GTCC power plants (50 MW class), starting with the first facility inaugurated in 2005. The new order was placed in recognition of this solid track record and Jiangsu Shagang Group's high evaluation of Mitsubishi Power's technological capabilities.Amid today's global initiatives to reduce environmental impact, the steel industry, like other industries, is facing strong pressure to reduce its carbon emissions. Because BFG-fired GTCC systems make effective use of the by-product gases emitted by steel plants, they both lighten environmental loads and contribute significantly to efficient energy usage.BFG has a lower calorific value than natural gas, and for that reason advanced technology is required to enable its stable combustion. Mitsubishi Power first achieved its proprietary technologies in BFG-fired GTCC power systems, including development of a dedicated combustion system, in the 1980s. Since then, the company has supplied numerous installations to steel plants worldwide. Today, Mitsubishi Power has the strongest track record in BFG-fired GTCC power plants in the world, with a greater than 60% global market share in BFG-fired gas turbines.Going forward, Mitsubishi Power will continue to actively propose solutions centered on BFG-fired GTCC systems in order to carry out its pioneering role in this area of technology. By enabling effective use of energy and reduction of environmental impact, the company will help realize a sustainable, decarbonized society. It will also continue to probe new solutions to other diverse issues affecting global society.Source: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.Copyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
- Playa de Alcudia in Majorca and Playa de Tirant in Menorca are top family friendly beaches, according to local families*

- Beach cleanliness is a key consideration for local Spanish families when choosing their country's beaches, particularly family friendly

LONDON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With the latest Government review adding the Balearic Islands to the green list, effective 4am, Wednesday 30 June, families can finally enjoy the long-awaited dip in the Mediterranean Sea without quarantining upon return (with a negative day-two PCR test)**. But, where should you go for a safe and enjoyable family trip?

Vrbo , a global expert in family holiday rentals, has revealed top family friendly beach destinations for British families to visit - and who better to choose the best beach relaxation than local Spanish families themselves!

Playa de Alcudia in Majorca and Playa de Tirant in Menorca both made it onto the top list of beaches Spanish locals visit with their families and would recommend to British holidaymakers too.

The important criteria on "why" Spanish families rate their local beaches as being particularly family friendly are diverse:

Both, the sandy beaches and the sea, should be clean and well maintained (62% of Spanish families)

44% of local families say that the water must be shallow and quiet for the perfect family dips in the sea

44% of Spanish families rate a large range of food options for the whole family to enjoy as particularly important for their family beach trip

Beach safety, including lifeguards, protected swimming areas or first aid posts is a must for 43% of Spanish families

To help British families prepare for their next beach getaway, Vrbo also asked Spanish families to reveal their top 'beach hacks'. Here's what family friendly advice they had to share:

Spanish beach hacks:

Early morning is the best time of day to go to the beach and catch the sunrise, according to 43% of Spanish families

6 in 10 Spanish families swear by bringing frozen water bottles and juice to the beach, helping the entire family keep cool

Over half (56%) suggest bringing a fitted sheet for a sand-free space, while a further 46% recommend putting your phone in a re-sealable bag to avoid sand getting everywhere

With 23% of British children being excited to try local dishes while away, Spanish families claim 'Tortilla de patatas' (or Spanish omelette to us Brits!) is the top family must-eat when visiting Spain ***

Notes to editors:

About?Vrbo???

In 1995,?Vrbo?introduced a new way for people to travel together, pairing homeowners with families and friends looking for places to stay. We were grounded in one purpose: To give people the space they need to drop the distractions of everyday life and simply be together. Since then, we've grown into a global community of homeowners and travelers, with unique properties around the world.?Vrbo?makes it easy and fun to book cabins, condos, beach houses and every kind of space in between.?

 2021 Vrbo, an Expedia Group Company. All rights reserved. Vrbo and the Vrbo logos are trademarks of Vrbo.?

*Survey conducted online by Atomik Research for Vrbo with a sample of 1000 Spanish parents with children 15 and under. The survey was carried out during May 2021. Atomik Research is an independent market research and creative organization that employs MRS-certified researchers and complies with the MRS code.

** https://www.gov.uk/guidance/red-amber-and-green-list-rules-for-entering-england

*** www.vrbo.com/en-gb/fhi

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1551518/Vrbo_Logo.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1551517/Playa_de_Alcudia__Majorca.jpg
Recommendation for approval based on results from pivotal KarMMa study

Abecma is the first CAR T cell therapy for adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma to receive positive CHMP opinion and builds on the company's innovative and leading portfolio across the disease

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended granting Conditional Marketing Authorization for Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel; ide-cel), the company's B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior therapies, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 antibody and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy The CHMP recommendation will now be reviewed by the European Commission (EC), which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union (EU).

The CHMP adopted a positive opinion based on results from the pivotal Phase 2 KarMMa study evaluating the efficacy and safety of Abecma in 128 patients with heavily pre-treated and highly refractory multiple myeloma.

"As the first CAR T cell therapy for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma to receive a positive CHMP opinion, Abecma represents a potential new treatment approach for patients in Europe battling this incurable blood cancer," said Noah Berkowitz, M.D., Ph.D., senior vice president, Cellular Therapy Development, Bristol Myers Squibb. "We look forward to the European Commission's decision as we build on our innovative multiple myeloma and cell therapy research to offer novel and personalized treatment options for patients in need."

The EC is expected to deliver its final decision within 67 days of receipt of the CHMP opinion. The decision will be applicable to all European Union member states and Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. The EMA previously granted Abecma access to the PRIority MEdicines (PRIME) scheme for the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma.

About KarMMa

KarMMa (NCT03361748) is a pivotal, open-label, single-arm, multicenter, multinational, Phase 2 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of ide-cel in adults with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma in North America and Europe. The primary endpoint of the study is overall response rate as assessed by an independent review committee (IRC) according to the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria. Complete response rate is a key secondary endpoint. Other secondary endpoints include time to response, duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival, minimal residual disease evaluated by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) assay and safety. The study enrolled 140 patients, of whom 128 received ide-cel across the target dose levels of 150-450 x 106 CAR+ T cells after receiving lymphodepleting chemotherapy. All enrolled patients had received at least three prior treatment regimens, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 antibody, and were refractory to their last regimen, defined as progression during or within 60 days of their last therapy.

About Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells in the bone marrow.1 The exact cause of multiple myeloma is not known and currently there is no cure, however, there are a number of treatment options available to help manage the disease.1 Patients who have already been treated with some available therapies but continue to have progression of their disease have "relapsed" and "refractory" multiple myeloma, meaning their cancer has returned after they have received initial treatments.2

About Abecma

Abecma is the first-in-class B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell immunotherapy, approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody. Abecma recognizes and binds to BCMA on the surface of multiple myeloma cells leading to CAR T cell proliferation, cytokine secretion, and subsequent cytolytic killing of BCMA-expressing cells.

Abecma is being jointly developed and commercialized in the U.S. as part of a Co-Development, Co-Promotion, and Profit Share Agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb and bluebird bio. Bristol Myers Squibb will assume sole responsibility for Abecma drug product manufacturing and commercialization outside of the U.S.

U.S. FDA-Approved Indication

ABECMA (idecabtagene vicleucel) is a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy indicated for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma after four or more prior lines of therapy, including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor, and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody.

U.S. Important Safety Information

BOXED WARNING: CYTOKINE RELEASE SYNDROME, NEUROLOGIC TOXICITIES, HLH/MAS, AND PROLONGED CYTOPENIA

Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), including fatal or life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients following treatment with ABECMA. Do not administer ABECMA to patients with active infection or inflammatory disorders. Treat severe or life-threatening CRS with tocilizumab or tocilizumab and corticosteroids.

Neurologic Toxicities, which may be severe or life-threatening, occurred following treatment with ABECMA, including concurrently with CRS, after CRS resolution, or in the absence of CRS. Monitor for neurologic events after treatment with ABECMA. Provide supportive care and/or corticosteroids as needed.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis/Macrophage Activation Syndrome (HLH/MAS) including fatal and life-threatening reactions, occurred in patients following treatment with ABECMA. HLH/MAS can occur with CRS or neurologic toxicities.

Prolonged Cytopenia with bleeding and infection, including fatal outcomes following stem cell transplantation for hematopoietic recovery, occurred following treatment with ABECMA.

ABECMA is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the ABECMA REMS.

Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS): CRS, including fatal or life-threatening reactions, occurred following treatment with ABECMA. CRS occurred in 85% (108/127) of patients receiving ABECMA. Grade 3 or higher CRS (Lee grading system) occurred in 9% (12/127) of patients, with Grade 5 CRS reported in one (0.8%) patient. The median time to onset of CRS, any grade, was 1 day (range: 1 23 days) and the median duration of CRS was 7 days (range: 1 63 days) in all patients including the patient who died. The most common manifestations of CRS included pyrexia (98%), hypotension (41%), tachycardia (35%), chills (31%), hypoxia (20%), fatigue (12%), and headache (10%). Grade 3 or higher events that may be associated with CRS include hypotension, hypoxia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypofibrinogenemia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), atrial fibrillation, hepatocellular injury, metabolic acidosis, pulmonary edema, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and HLH/MAS.

Identify CRS based on clinical presentation. Evaluate for and treat other causes of fever, hypoxia, and hypotension. CRS has been reported to be associated with findings of HLH/MAS, and the physiology of the syndromes may overlap. HLH/MAS is a potentially life-threatening condition. In patients with progressive symptoms of CRS or refractory CRS despite treatment, evaluate for evidence of HLH/MAS.

Fifty four percent (68/127) of patients received tocilizumab; 35% (45/127) received a single dose while 18% (23/127) received more than 1 dose of tocilizumab. Overall, across the dose levels, 15% (19/127) of patients received at least 1 dose of corticosteroids for treatment of CRS. All patients that received corticosteroids for CRS received tocilizumab.

Overall rate of CRS was 79% and rate of Grade 2 CRS was 23% in patients treated in the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort. For patients treated in the 450 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort, the overall rate of CRS was 96% and rate of Grade 2 CRS was 40%. Rate of Grade 3 or higher CRS was similar across the dose range. The median duration of CRS for the 450 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort was 7 days (range: 1-63 days) and for the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort was 6 days (range: 2-28 days). In the 450 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort, 68% (36/53) of patients received tocilizumab and 23% (12/53) received at least 1 dose of corticosteroids for treatment of CRS. In the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort, 44% (31/70) of patients received tocilizumab and 10% (7/70) received corticosteroids. All patients that received corticosteroids for CRS also received tocilizumab. Ensure that a minimum of 2 doses of tocilizumab are available prior to infusion of ABECMA.

Monitor patients at least daily for 7 days following ABECMA infusion at the REMS-certified healthcare facility for signs and symptoms of CRS. Monitor patients for signs or symptoms of CRS for at least 4 weeks after infusion. At the first sign of CRS, institute treatment with supportive care, tocilizumab and/or corticosteroids as indicated.

Counsel patients to seek immediate medical attention should signs or symptoms of CRS occur at any time.

Neurologic Toxicities: Neurologic toxicities, which may be severe or life-threatening, occurred following treatment with ABECMA, including concurrently with CRS, after CRS resolution, or in the absence of CRS. CAR T cell-associated neurotoxicity occurred in 28% (36/127) of patients receiving ABECMA, including Grade 3 in 4% (5/127) of patients. One patient had ongoing Grade 2 neurotoxicity at the time of death. Two patients had ongoing Grade 1 tremor at the time of data cutoff. The median time to onset of neurotoxicity was 2 days (range: 1 42 days). CAR T cell-associated neurotoxicity resolved in 92% (33/36) of patients with a median duration of neurotoxicity was 5 days (range: 1 61 days). The median duration of neurotoxicity was 6 days (range: 1 578) in all patients including those with ongoing neurotoxicity at the time of death or data cut off. Thirty-four patients with neurotoxicity had CRS. Neurotoxicity had onset in 3 patients before, 29 patients during, and 2 patients after CRS. The rate of Grade 3 neurotoxicity was 8% in the 450 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort and 1.4% in the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort. The most frequently reported (greater than or equal to 5%) manifestations of CAR T cell-associated neurotoxicity include encephalopathy (20%), tremor (9%), aphasia (7%), and delirium (6%). Grade 4 neurotoxicity and cerebral edema in 1 patient has been reported with ABECMA in another study in multiple myeloma. Grade 3 myelitis and Grade 3 parkinsonism have been reported after treatment with ABECMA in another study in multiple myeloma.

Monitor patients at least daily for 7 days following ABECMA infusion at the REMS-certified healthcare facility for signs and symptoms of neurologic toxicities. Rule out other causes of neurologic symptoms. Monitor patients for signs or symptoms of neurologic toxicities for at least 4 weeks after infusion and treat promptly. Neurologic toxicity should be managed with supportive care and/or corticosteroids as needed.

Counsel patients to seek immediate medical attention should signs or symptoms of neurologic toxicity occur at any time.

Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)/Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS): HLH/MAS occurred in 4% (5/127) of patients receiving ABECMA. One patient treated in the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort developed fatal multi-organ HLH/MAS with CRS. In another patient with fatal bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, HLH/MAS was contributory to the fatal outcome. Three cases of Grade 2 HLH/MAS resolved. The rate of HLH/MAS was 8% in the 450 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort and 1% in the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort. All events of HLH/MAS had onset within 10 days of receiving ABECMA with a median onset of 7 days (range: 4-9 days) and occurred in the setting of ongoing or worsening CRS. Two patients with HLH/MAS had overlapping neurotoxicity. The manifestations of HLH/MAS include hypotension, hypoxia, multiple organ dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and cytopenia. HLH/MAS is a potentially life-threatening condition with a high mortality rate if not recognized early and treated. Treatment of HLH/MAS should be administered per institutional standards.

ABECMA REMS: Due to the risk of CRS and neurologic toxicities, ABECMA is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the ABECMA REMS. Further information is available at www.AbecmaREMS.com or 1-888-423-5436.

Hypersensitivity Reactions: Allergic reactions may occur with the infusion of ABECMA. Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, may be due to dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in ABECMA.

Infections: ABECMA should not be administered to patients with active infections or inflammatory disorders. Severe, life-threatening, or fatal infections occurred in patients after ABECMA infusion. Infections (all grades) occurred in 70% of patients. Grade 3 or 4 infections occurred in 23% of patients. Overall, 4 patients had Grade 5 infections (3%); 2 patients (1.6%) had Grade 5 events of pneumonia, 1 patient (0.8%) had Grade 5 bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and 1 patient (0.8%) had cytomegalovirus (CMV) pneumonia associated with Pneumocystis jirovecii. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of infection before and after ABECMA infusion and treat appropriately. Administer prophylactic, preemptive, and/or therapeutic antimicrobials according to standard institutional guidelines.

Febrile neutropenia was observed in 16% (20/127) of patients after ABECMA infusion and may be concurrent with CRS. In the event of febrile neutropenia, evaluate for infection and manage with broad spectrum antibiotics, fluids, and other supportive care as medically indicated.

Viral Reactivation: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection resulting in pneumonia and death has occurred following ABECMA administration. Monitor and treat for CMV reactivation in accordance with clinical guidelines. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation, in some cases resulting in fulminant hepatitis, hepatic failure, and death, can occur in patients treated with drugs directed against plasma cells. Perform screening for CMV, HBV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in accordance with clinical guidelines before collection of cells for manufacturing.

Prolonged Cytopenias: Patients may exhibit prolonged cytopenias following lymphodepleting chemotherapy and ABECMA infusion. In the KarMMa study, 41% of patients (52/127) experienced prolonged Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and 49% (62/127) experienced prolonged Grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia that had not resolved by Month 1 following ABECMA infusion. Rate of prolonged neutropenia was 49% in the 450 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort and 34% in the 300 x 106 CAR+ T cell dose cohort. In 83% (43/52) of patients who recovered from Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia after Month 1, the median time to recovery from ABECMA infusion was 1.9 months. In 65% (40/62) of patients who recovered from Grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia, the median time to recovery was 2.1 months. Median time to cytopenia recovery was similar across the 300 and 450 x 106 dose cohort.

Three patients underwent stem cell therapy for hematopoietic reconstitution due to prolonged cytopenia. Two of the three patients died from complications of prolonged cytopenia. Monitor blood counts prior to and after ABECMA infusion. Manage cytopenia with myeloid growth factor and blood product transfusion support according to institutional guidelines.

Hypogammaglobulinemia: Plasma cell aplasia and hypogammaglobulinemia can occur in patients receiving treatment with ABECMA. Hypogammaglobulinemia was reported as an adverse event in 21% (27/127) of patients; laboratory IgG levels fell below 500 mg/dl after infusion in 25% (32/127) of patients treated with ABECMA.

Monitor immunoglobulin levels after treatment with ABECMA and administer IVIG for IgG <400 mg/dl. Manage per local institutional guidelines, including infection precautions and antibiotic or antiviral prophylaxis.

The safety of immunization with live viral vaccines during or following ABECMA treatment has not been studied. Vaccination with live virus vaccines is not recommended for at least 6 weeks prior to the start of lymphodepleting chemotherapy, during ABECMA treatment, and until immune recovery following treatment with ABECMA.

Secondary Malignancies: Patients treated with ABECMA may develop secondary malignancies. Monitor life-long for secondary malignancies. If a secondary malignancy occurs, contact Bristol Myers Squibb at 1-888-805-4555 to obtain instructions on patient samples to collect for testing of secondary malignancy of T cell origin.

Effects on Ability to Drive and Operate Machinery: Due to the potential for neurologic events, including altered mental status or seizures, patients receiving ABECMA are at risk for altered or decreased consciousness or coordination in the 8 weeks following ABECMA infusion. Advise patients to refrain from driving and engaging in hazardous occupations or activities, such as operating heavy or potentially dangerous machinery, during this initial period.

Adverse Reactions: The most common nonlaboratory adverse reactions (incidence greater than or equal to 20%) include CRS, infections pathogen unspecified, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, hypogammaglobulinemia, diarrhea, upper respiratory tract infection, nausea, viral infections, encephalopathy, edema, pyrexia, cough, headache, and decreased appetite.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNINGS and Medication Guide.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer

Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision-transforming patients' lives through science. The goal of the company's cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities and discovery platforms enable the company to look at cancer from every angle. Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patient's life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. Because as a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future.

Learn more about the science behind cell therapy and ongoing research at Bristol Myers Squibb here.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company.

Bristol Myers Squibb Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, that the CHMP opinion is not binding on the EC, that Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel), may not receive regulatory approval for the indication described in this release in the currently anticipated timeline or at all and, if approved, whether such product candidate for such indication described in this release will be commercially successful. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibb's business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

References:

International Myeloma Foundation. What is Multiple Myeloma? Available at: https://www.myeloma.org/what-is-multiple-myeloma. Accessed June 2021. International Myeloma Foundation. Glossary of Myeloma Terms and Definitions. Available at: https://www.myeloma.org/resource-library/glossary-myeloma-terms-definitions. Accessed June 2021.



corporatefinancial-news

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005187/en/

Contacts:

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company

Media Inquiries:

media@bms.com

Kimberly Whitefield

kimberly.whitefield@bms.com

Investors:

Tim Power

609-252-7509

timothy.power@bms.com
Recommendation based on positive results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -577 trial in which Opdivo doubled disease-free survival compared to placebo in the all-randomized population

If approved, Opdivo could be the first and only adjuvant therapeutic option in the European Union that has shown a significant improvement in disease-free survival for patients in this setting

Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended approval of Opdivo (nivolumab) for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer who have residual pathologic disease following prior neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The European Commission (EC), which has the authority to approve medicines for the European Union (EU), will now review the CHMP recommendation.

"For many patients with localized esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer, the risk of recurrence is high, even after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery. This leaves patients in need of additional treatment options," said Ian M. Waxman, M.D., development lead, gastrointestinal cancers, Bristol Myers Squibb. "We believe that the use of immunotherapy in earlier stages of cancer is important because of its potential to prevent recurrence. The CHMP's positive recommendation for Opdivo as an adjuvant treatment for esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer represents a step forward for people living with these cancers as we see the science translate into outcomes."

The positive opinion is based on results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -577 trial which showed that treatment with Opdivo following neoadjuvant CRT and complete surgical resection doubled the primary endpoint of disease-free survival (DFS) compared to placebo in the all-randomized population. The safety profile of Opdivo was consistent with previously reported studies. Results from CheckMate -577 were presented at the 2020 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Virtual Congress in September 2020 and at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in June 2021.

Opdivo is approved in the United States for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected esophageal or GEJ cancer with residual pathologic disease in patients who have received neoadjuvant CRT.

Bristol Myers Squibb thanks the patients and investigators involved in the CheckMate -577 trial.

About CheckMate -577

CheckMate -577 is a Phase 3 randomized, multi-center, double-blind study evaluating Opdivo as an adjuvant therapy in patients with resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer who have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and have not achieved a pathological complete response. The primary endpoint of the trial is disease-free survival (DFS) and the secondary endpoint is overall survival (OS). Following neoadjuvant CRT and complete tumor surgical resection (also known as trimodality therapy), a total of 794 patients were randomized to receive placebo (n=262) or Opdivo (n=532) 240 mg by intravenous infusion every two weeks for 16 weeks followed by placebo or Opdivo 480 mg every four weeks until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity or withdrawal of consent, with a maximum of one-year total treatment duration. Follow up for OS is ongoing.

About Esophageal Cancer

Esophageal cancer is the seventh most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of death from cancer worldwide, with approximately 600,000 new cases and over 540,000 deaths in 2020. The two most common types of esophageal cancer are squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, which account for approximately 85% and 15% of all esophageal cancers, respectively, though esophageal tumor histology can vary by region with the highest rate of esophageal adenocarcinoma occurring in North America (65%).

About Gastric Cancer

Gastric cancer, also known as stomach cancer, is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with over 1,000,000 new cases and approximately 770,000 deaths in 2020. There are several cancers that can be classified as gastric cancer, including certain types of cancers that form in the GEJ, the area of the digestive tract where the esophagus and stomach connect. While GEJ cancer has a lower prevalence than distal gastric cancer, it continues to rise.

Bristol Myers Squibb: Creating a Better Future for People with Cancer

Bristol Myers Squibb is inspired by a single vision transforming people's lives through science. The goal of the company's cancer research is to deliver medicines that offer each patient a better, healthier life and to make cure a possibility. Building on a legacy across a broad range of cancers that have changed survival expectations for many, Bristol Myers Squibb researchers are exploring new frontiers in personalized medicine, and through innovative digital platforms, are turning data into insights that sharpen their focus. Deep scientific expertise, cutting-edge capabilities and discovery platforms enable the company to look at cancer from every angle. Cancer can have a relentless grasp on many parts of a patient's life, and Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to taking actions to address all aspects of care, from diagnosis to survivorship. Because as a leader in cancer care, Bristol Myers Squibb is working to empower all people with cancer to have a better future.

About Opdivo

Opdivo is a programmed death-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint inhibitor that is designed to uniquely harness the body's own immune system to help restore anti-tumor immune response. By harnessing the body's own immune system to fight cancer, Opdivo has become an important treatment option across multiple cancers.

Opdivo's leading global development program is based on Bristol Myers Squibb's scientific expertise in the field of Immuno-Oncology and includes a broad range of clinical trials across all phases, including Phase 3, in a variety of tumor types. To date, the Opdivo clinical development program has treated more than 35,000 patients. The Opdivo trials have contributed to gaining a deeper understanding of the potential role of biomarkers in patient care, particularly regarding how patients may benefit from Opdivo across the continuum of PD-L1 expression.

In July 2014, Opdivo was the first PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Opdivo is currently approved in more than 65 countries, including the United States, the European Union, Japan and China. In October 2015, the Company's Opdivo and Yervoy combination regimen was the first Immuno-Oncology combination to receive regulatory approval for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and is currently approved in more than 50 countries, including the United States and the European Union.

INDICATIONS

OPDIVO (nivolumab), as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 (=1%) as determined by an FDA-approved test, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab) and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy, is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with metastatic or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving OPDIVO.

OPDIVO(nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with intermediate or poor risk advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with cabozantinib, is indicated for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have received prior anti-angiogenic therapy.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) that has relapsed or progressed after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and brentuximab vedotin or after 3 or more lines of systemic therapy that includes autologous HSCT. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with disease progression on or after platinum-based therapy.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), as a single agent, is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric (12 years and older) patients with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) that has progressed following treatment with a fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with YERVOY (ipilimumab), is indicated for the treatment of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have been previously treated with sorafenib. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on overall response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph nodes or metastatic disease who have undergone complete resection.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable advanced, recurrent or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-based chemotherapy.

OPDIVO (nivolumab) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of completely resected esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer with residual pathologic disease in patients who have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

OPDIVO (nivolumab), in combination with fluoropyrimidine- and platinum-containing chemotherapy, is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, gastroesophageal junction cancer, and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Severe and Fatal Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

Immune-mediated adverse reactions listed herein may not include all possible severe and fatal immune-mediated adverse reactions.

Immune-mediated adverse reactions, which may be severe or fatal, can occur in any organ system or tissue. While immune-mediated adverse reactions usually manifest during treatment, they can also occur after discontinuation of OPDIVO or YERVOY Early identification and management are essential to ensure safe use of OPDIVO and YERVOY Monitor for signs and symptoms that may be clinical manifestations of underlying immune-mediated adverse reactions. Evaluate clinical chemistries including liver enzymes, creatinine, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level, and thyroid function at baseline and periodically during treatment with OPDIVO and before each dose of YERVOY. In cases of suspected immune-mediated adverse reactions, initiate appropriate workup to exclude alternative etiologies, including infection. Institute medical management promptly, including specialty consultation as appropriate.

Withhold or permanently discontinue OPDIVO and YERVOY depending on severity (please see section 2 Dosage and Administration in the accompanying Full Prescribing Information). In general, if OPDIVO or YERVOY interruption or discontinuation is required, administer systemic corticosteroid therapy (1 to 2 mg/kg/day prednisone or equivalent) until improvement to Grade 1 or less. Upon improvement to Grade 1 or less, initiate corticosteroid taper and continue to taper over at least 1 month. Consider administration of other systemic immunosuppressants in patients whose immune-mediated adverse reactions are not controlled with corticosteroid therapy. Toxicity management guidelines for adverse reactions that do not necessarily require systemic steroids (e.g., endocrinopathies and dermatologic reactions) are discussed below.

Immune-Mediated Pneumonitis

OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated pneumonitis. The incidence of pneumonitis is higher in patients who have received prior thoracic radiation. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.1% (61/1994) of patients, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.9%), and Grade 2 (2.1%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 7% (31/456) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.2%), Grade 3 (2.0%), and Grade 2 (4.4%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 3.9% (26/666) of patients, including Grade 3 (1.4%) and Grade 2 (2.6%). In NSCLC patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks, immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 9% (50/576) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.5%), Grade 3 (3.5%), and Grade 2 (4.0%). Four patients (0.7%) died due to pneumonitis.

In Checkmate 205 and 039, pneumonitis, including interstitial lung disease, occurred in 6.0% (16/266) of patients receiving OPDIVO. Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 4.9% (13/266) of patients receiving OPDIVO, including Grade 3 (n=1) and Grade 2 (n=12).

Immune-Mediated Colitis

OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated colitis, which may be fatal. A common symptom included in the definition of colitis was diarrhea. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection/reactivation has been reported in patients with corticosteroid-refractory immune-mediated colitis. In cases of corticosteroid-refractory colitis, consider repeating infectious workup to exclude alternative etiologies. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 2.9% (58/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (1.7%) and Grade 2 (1%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 25% (115/456) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.4%), Grade 3 (14%) and Grade 2 (8%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated colitis occurred in 9% (60/666) of patients, including Grade 3 (4.4%) and Grade 2 (3.7%).

Immune-Mediated Hepatitis and Hepatotoxicity

OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated hepatitis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 1.8% (35/1994) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.2%), Grade 3 (1.3%), and Grade 2 (0.4%). In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy in Checkmate 040, immune-mediated hepatitis requiring systemic corticosteroids occurred in 5% (8/154) of patients. In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/ kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 15% (70/456) of patients, including Grade 4 (2.4%), Grade 3 (11%), and Grade 2 (1.8%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in 7% (48/666) of patients, including Grade 4 (1.2%), Grade 3 (4.9%), and Grade 2 (0.4%).

OPDIVO in combination with cabozantinib can cause hepatic toxicity with higher frequencies of Grade 3 and 4 ALT and AST elevations compared to OPDIVO alone. Consider more frequent monitoring of liver enzymes as compared to when the drugs are administered as single agents. In patients receiving OPDIVO and cabozantinib, Grades 3 and 4 increased ALT or AST were seen in 11% of patients.

Immune-Mediated Endocrinopathies

OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause primary or secondary adrenal insufficiency, immune-mediated hypophysitis, immune-mediated thyroid disorders, and Type 1 diabetes mellitus, which can present with diabetic ketoacidosis. Withhold OPDIVO and YERVOY depending on severity (please see section 2 Dosage and Administration in the accompanying Full Prescribing Information). For Grade 2 or higher adrenal insufficiency, initiate symptomatic treatment, including hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Hypophysitis can present with acute symptoms associated with mass effect such as headache, photophobia, or visual field defects. Hypophysitis can cause hypopituitarism; initiate hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Thyroiditis can present with or without endocrinopathy. Hypothyroidism can follow hyperthyroidism; initiate hormone replacement or medical management as clinically indicated. Monitor patients for hyperglycemia or other signs and symptoms of diabetes; initiate treatment with insulin as clinically indicated.

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 1% (20/1994), including Grade 3 (0.4%) and Grade 2 (0.6%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 8% (35/456), including Grade 4 (0.2%), Grade 3 (2.4%), and Grade 2 (4.2%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 7% (48/666) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.3%), Grade 3 (2.5%), and Grade 2 (4.1%). In patients receiving OPDIVO and cabozantinib, adrenal insufficiency occurred in 4.7% (15/320) of patients, including Grade 3 (2.2%) and Grade 2 (1.9%).

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypophysitis occurred in 0.6% (12/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.2%) and Grade 2 (0.3%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, hypophysitis occurred in 9% (42/456), including Grade 3 (2.4%) and Grade 2 (6%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, hypophysitis occurred in 4.4% (29/666) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.3%), Grade 3 (2.4%), and Grade 2 (0.9%).

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, thyroiditis occurred in 0.6% (12/1994) of patients, including Grade 2 (0.2%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, thyroiditis occurred in 2.7% (22/666) of patients, including Grade 3 (4.5%) and Grade 2 (2.2%).

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hyperthyroidism occurred in 2.7% (54/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (<0.1%) and Grade 2 (1.2%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, hyperthyroidism occurred in 9% (42/456) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.9%) and Grade 2 (4.2%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, hyperthyroidism occurred in 12% (80/666) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.6%) and Grade 2 (4.5%).

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, hypothyroidism occurred in 8% (163/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.2%) and Grade 2 (4.8%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, hypothyroidism occurred in 20% (91/456) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.4%) and Grade 2 (11%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, hypothyroidism occurred in 18% (122/666) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.6%) and Grade 2 (11%).

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, diabetes occurred in 0.9% (17/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (0.4%) and Grade 2 (0.3%), and 2 cases of diabetic ketoacidosis. In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, diabetes occurred in 2.7% (15/666) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.6%), Grade 3 (0.3%), and Grade 2 (0.9%).

Immune-Mediated Nephritis with Renal Dysfunction

OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause immune-mediated nephritis. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated nephritis and renal dysfunction occurred in 1.2% (23/1994) of patients, including Grade 4 (<0.1%), Grade 3 (0.5%), and Grade 2 (0.6%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated nephritis with renal dysfunction occurred in 4.1% (27/666) of patients, including Grade 4 (0.6%), Grade 3 (1.1%), and Grade 2 (2.2%).

Immune-Mediated Dermatologic Adverse Reactions

OPDIVO can cause immune-mediated rash or dermatitis. Exfoliative dermatitis, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) has occurred with PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies. Topical emollients and/or topical corticosteroids may be adequate to treat mild to moderate nonexfoliative rashes.

YERVOY can cause immune-mediated rash or dermatitis, including bullous and exfoliative dermatitis, SJS, TEN, and DRESS. Topical emollients and/or topical corticosteroids may be adequate to treat mild to moderate non-bullous/ exfoliative rashes.

Withhold or permanently discontinue OPDIVO and YERVOY depending on severity (please see section 2 Dosage and Administration in the accompanying Full Prescribing Information).

In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy, immune-mediated rash occurred in 9% (171/1994) of patients, including Grade 3 (1.1%) and Grade 2 (2.2%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated rash occurred in 28% (127/456) of patients, including Grade 3 (4.8%) and Grade 2 (10%). In patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, immune-mediated rash occurred in 16% (108/666) of patients, including Grade 3 (3.5%) and Grade 2 (4.2%).

Other Immune-Mediated Adverse Reactions

The following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions occurred at an incidence of <1% (unless otherwise noted) in patients who received OPDIVO monotherapy or OPDIVO in combination with YERVOY or were reported with the use of other PD-1/PD-L1 blocking antibodies. Severe or fatal cases have been reported for some of these adverse reactions: cardiac/vascular: myocarditis, pericarditis, vasculitis; nervous system: meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and demyelination, myasthenic syndrome/myasthenia gravis (including exacerbation), Guillain-Barre syndrome, nerve paresis, autoimmune neuropathy; ocular: uveitis, iritis, and other ocular inflammatory toxicities can occur; gastrointestinal: pancreatitis to include increases in serum amylase and lipase levels, gastritis, duodenitis; musculoskeletal and connective tissue: myositis/polymyositis, rhabdomyolysis, and associated sequelae including renal failure, arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica; endocrine: hypoparathyroidism; other (hematologic/immune): hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), systemic inflammatory response syndrome, histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi lymphadenitis), sarcoidosis, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, solid organ transplant rejection.

In addition to the immune-mediated adverse reactions listed above, across clinical trials of YERVOY monotherapy or in combination with OPDIVO, the following clinically significant immune-mediated adverse reactions, some with fatal outcome, occurred in <1% of patients unless otherwise specified: nervous system: autoimmune neuropathy (2%), myasthenic syndrome/myasthenia gravis, motor dysfunction; cardiovascular: angiopathy, temporal arteritis; ocular: blepharitis, episcleritis, orbital myositis, scleritis; gastrointestinal: pancreatitis (1.3%); other (hematologic/immune): conjunctivitis, cytopenias (2.5%), eosinophilia (2.1%), erythema multiforme, hypersensitivity vasculitis, neurosensory hypoacusis, psoriasis.

Some ocular IMAR cases can be associated with retinal detachment. Various grades of visual impairment, including blindness, can occur. If uveitis occurs in combination with other immune-mediated adverse reactions, consider a Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome, which has been observed in patients receiving OPDIVO and YERVOY as this may require treatment with systemic corticosteroids to reduce the risk of permanent vision loss.

Infusion-Related Reactions

OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause severe infusion-related reactions. Discontinue OPDIVO and YERVOY in patients with severe (Grade 3) or life-threatening (Grade 4) infusion-related reactions. Interrupt or slow the rate of infusion in patients with mild (Grade 1) or moderate (Grade 2) infusion-related reactions. In patients receiving OPDIVO monotherapy as a 60-minute infusion, infusion-related reactions occurred in 6.4% (127/1994) of patients. In a separate trial in which patients received OPDIVO monotherapy as a 60-minute infusion or a 30-minute infusion, infusion-related reactions occurred in 2.2% (8/368) and 2.7% (10/369) of patients, respectively. Additionally, 0.5% (2/368) and 1.4% (5/369) of patients, respectively, experienced adverse reactions within 48 hours of infusion that led to dose delay, permanent discontinuation or withholding of OPDIVO. In melanoma patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, infusion-related reactions occurred in 2.5% (10/407) of patients. In HCC patients receiving OPDIVO 1 mg/kg with YERVOY 3 mg/kg every 3 weeks, infusion-related reactions occurred in 8% (4/49) of patients. In RCC patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg, infusion-related reactions occurred in 5.1% (28/547) of patients. In MSI-H/dMMR mCRC patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 3 weeks, infusion-related reactions occurred in 4.2% (5/119) of patients. In MPM patients receiving OPDIVO 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks with YERVOY 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks, infusion-related reactions occurred in 12% (37/300) of patients.

Complications of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Fatal and other serious complications can occur in patients who receive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) before or after being treated with OPDIVO or YERVOY. Transplant-related complications include hyperacute graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD), acute GVHD, chronic GVHD, hepatic veno-occlusive disease (VOD) after reduced intensity conditioning, and steroid-requiring febrile syndrome (without an identified infectious cause). These complications may occur despite intervening therapy between OPDIVO or YERVOY and allogeneic HSCT.

Follow patients closely for evidence of transplant-related complications and intervene promptly. Consider the benefit versus risks of treatment with OPDIVO and YERVOY prior to or after an allogeneic HSCT.

Embryo-Fetal Toxicity

Based on its mechanism of action and findings from animal studies, OPDIVO and YERVOY can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. The effects of YERVOY are likely to be greater during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use effective contraception during treatment with OPDIVO and YERVOY and for at least 5 months after the last dose.

Increased Mortality in Patients with Multiple Myeloma when OPDIVO is Added to a Thalidomide Analogue and Dexamethasone

In randomized clinical trials in patients with multiple myeloma, the addition of OPDIVO to a thalidomide analogue plus dexamethasone resulted in increased mortality. Treatment of patients with multiple myeloma with a PD-1 or PD-L1 blocking antibody in combination with a thalidomide analogue plus dexamethasone is not recommended outside of controlled clinical trials.

Lactation

There are no data on the presence of OPDIVO or YERVOY in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in breastfed children, advise women not to breastfeed during treatment and for 5 months after the last dose.

Serious Adverse Reactions

In Checkmate 037, serious adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=268). Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred in 42% of patients receiving OPDIVO. The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse drug reactions reported in 2% to <5% of patients receiving OPDIVO were abdominal pain, hyponatremia, increased aspartate aminotransferase, and increased lipase. In Checkmate 066, serious adverse reactions occurred in 36% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=206). Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions occurred in 41% of patients receiving OPDIVO. The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were gamma-glutamyltransferase increase (3.9%) and diarrhea (3.4%). In Checkmate 067, serious adverse reactions (74% and 44%), adverse reactions leading to permanent discontinuation (47% and 18%) or to dosing delays (58% and 36%), and Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions (72% and 51%) all occurred more frequently in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm (n=313) relative to the OPDIVO arm (n=313). The most frequent (=10%) serious adverse reactions in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm and the OPDIVO arm, respectively, were diarrhea (13% and 2.2%), colitis (10% and 1.9%), and pyrexia (10% and 1.0%). In Checkmate 227, serious adverse reactions occurred in 58% of patients (n=576). The most frequent (=2%) serious adverse reactions were pneumonia, diarrhea/colitis, pneumonitis, hepatitis, pulmonary embolism, adrenal insufficiency, and hypophysitis. Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 1.7% of patients; these included events of pneumonitis (4 patients), myocarditis, acute kidney injury, shock, hyperglycemia, multi-system organ failure, and renal failure. In Checkmate 9LA, serious adverse reactions occurred in 57% of patients (n=358). The most frequent (>2%) serious adverse reactions were pneumonia, diarrhea, febrile neutropenia, anemia, acute kidney injury, musculoskeletal pain, dyspnea, pneumonitis, and respiratory failure. Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 7 (2%) patients, and included hepatic toxicity, acute renal failure, sepsis, pneumonitis, diarrhea with hypokalemia, and massive hemoptysis in the setting of thrombocytopenia. In Checkmate 017 and 057, serious adverse reactions occurred in 46% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=418). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, dyspnea, pyrexia, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and respiratory failure. In Checkmate 057, fatal adverse reactions occurred; these included events of infection (7 patients, including one case of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia), pulmonary embolism (4 patients), and limbic encephalitis (1 patient). In Checkmate 743, serious adverse reactions occurred in 54% of patients receiving OPDIVO plus YERVOY. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were pneumonia, pyrexia, diarrhea, pneumonitis, pleural effusion, dyspnea, acute kidney injury, infusion-related reaction, musculoskeletal pain, and pulmonary embolism. Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 4 (1.3%) patients and included pneumonitis, acute heart failure, sepsis, and encephalitis. In Checkmate 214, serious adverse reactions occurred in 59% of patients receiving OPDIVO plus YERVOY (n=547). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were diarrhea, pyrexia, pneumonia, pneumonitis, hypophysitis, acute kidney injury, dyspnea, adrenal insufficiency, and colitis. In Checkmate 9ER, serious adverse reactions occurred in 48% of patients receiving OPDIVO and cabozantinib (n=320). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were diarrhea, pneumonia, pneumonitis, pulmonary embolism, urinary tract infection, and hyponatremia. Fatal intestinal perforations occurred in 3 (0.9%) patients. In Checkmate 025, serious adverse reactions occurred in 47% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=406). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were acute kidney injury, pleural effusion, pneumonia, diarrhea, and hypercalcemia. In Checkmate 205 and 039, adverse reactions leading to discontinuation occurred in 7% and dose delays due to adverse reactions occurred in 34% of patients (n=266). Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =1% of patients were pneumonia, infusion-related reaction, pyrexia, colitis or diarrhea, pleural effusion, pneumonitis, and rash. Eleven patients died from causes other than disease progression: 3 from adverse reactions within 30 days of the last OPDIVO dose, 2 from infection 8 to 9 months after completing OPDIVO, and 6 from complications of allogeneic HSCT. In Checkmate 141, serious adverse reactions occurred in 49% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=236). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were pneumonia, dyspnea, respiratory failure, respiratory tract infection, and sepsis. In Checkmate 275, serious adverse reactions occurred in 54% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=270). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients receiving OPDIVO were urinary tract infection, sepsis, diarrhea, small intestine obstruction, and general physical health deterioration. In Checkmate 142 in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY (n=119), serious adverse reactions occurred in 47% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were colitis/diarrhea, hepatic events, abdominal pain, acute kidney injury, pyrexia, and dehydration. In Checkmate 040, serious adverse reactions occurred in 49% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=154). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients were pyrexia, ascites, back pain, general physical health deterioration, abdominal pain, pneumonia, and anemia. In Checkmate 040, serious adverse reactions occurred in 59% of patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY (n=49). Serious adverse reactions reported in =4% of patients were pyrexia, diarrhea, anemia, increased AST, adrenal insufficiency, ascites, esophageal varices hemorrhage, hyponatremia, increased blood bilirubin, and pneumonitis. In Checkmate 238, serious adverse reactions occurred in 18% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=452). Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions occurred in 25% of OPDIVO-treated patients (n=452). The most frequent Grade 3 and 4 adverse reactions reported in =2% of OPDIVO-treated patients were diarrhea and increased lipase and amylase. In Attraction-3, serious adverse reactions occurred in 38% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=209). Serious adverse reactions reported in =2% of patients who received OPDIVO were pneumonia, esophageal fistula, interstitial lung disease, and pyrexia. The following fatal adverse reactions occurred in patients who received OPDIVO: interstitial lung disease or pneumonitis (1.4%), pneumonia (1.0%), septic shock (0.5%), esophageal fistula (0.5%), gastrointestinal hemorrhage (0.5%), pulmonary embolism (0.5%), and sudden death (0.5%). In Checkmate 577, serious adverse reactions occurred in 33% of patients receiving OPDIVO (n=532). A serious adverse reaction reported in =2% of patients who received OPDIVO was pneumonitis. A fatal reaction of myocardial infarction occurred in one patient who received OPDIVO. In Checkmate 649, serious adverse reactions occurred in 52% of patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy (n=782). The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in 2% of patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy were vomiting (3.7%), pneumonia (3.6%), anemia (3.6%), pyrexia (2.8%), diarrhea (2.7%), febrile neutropenia (2.6%), and pneumonitis (2.4%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 16 (2.0%) patients who were treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy; these included pneumonitis (4 patients), febrile neutropenia (2 patients), stroke (2 patients), gastrointestinal toxicity, intestinal mucositis, septic shock, pneumonia, infection, gastrointestinal bleeding, mesenteric vessel thrombosis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Common Adverse Reactions

In Checkmate 037, the most common adverse reaction (=20%) reported with OPDIVO (n=268) was rash (21%). In Checkmate 066, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported with OPDIVO (n=206) vs dacarbazine (n=205) were fatigue (49% vs 39%), musculoskeletal pain (32% vs 25%), rash (28% vs 12%), and pruritus (23% vs 12%). In Checkmate 067, the most common (=20%) adverse reactions in the OPDIVO plus YERVOY arm (n=313) were fatigue (62%), diarrhea (54%), rash (53%), nausea (44%), pyrexia (40%), pruritus (39%), musculoskeletal pain (32%), vomiting (31%), decreased appetite (29%), cough (27%), headache (26%), dyspnea (24%), upper respiratory tract infection (23%), arthralgia (21%), and increased transaminases (25%). In Checkmate 067, the most common (=20%) adverse reactions in the OPDIVO arm (n=313) were fatigue (59%), rash (40%), musculoskeletal pain (42%), diarrhea (36%), nausea (30%), cough (28%), pruritus (27%), upper respiratory tract infection (22%), decreased appetite (22%), headache (22%), constipation (21%), arthralgia (21%), and vomiting (20%). In Checkmate 227, the most common (=20%) adverse reactions were fatigue (44%), rash (34%), decreased appetite (31%), musculoskeletal pain (27%), diarrhea/colitis (26%), dyspnea (26%), cough (23%), hepatitis (21%), nausea (21%), and pruritus (21%). In Checkmate 9LA, the most common (>20%) adverse reactions were fatigue (49%), musculoskeletal pain (39%), nausea (32%), diarrhea (31%), rash (30%), decreased appetite (28%), constipation (21%), and pruritus (21%). In Checkmate 017 and 057, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=418) were fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, cough, dyspnea, and decreased appetite. In Checkmate 743, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO plus YERVOY were fatigue (43%), musculoskeletal pain (38%), rash (34%), diarrhea (32%), dyspnea (27%), nausea (24%), decreased appetite (24%), cough (23%), and pruritus (21%). In Checkmate 214, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in patients treated with OPDIVO plus YERVOY (n=547) were fatigue (58%), rash (39%), diarrhea (38%), musculoskeletal pain (37%), pruritus (33%), nausea (30%), cough (28%), pyrexia (25%), arthralgia (23%), decreased appetite (21%), dyspnea (20%), and vomiting (20%). In Checkmate 9ER, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO and cabozantinib (n=320) were diarrhea (64%), fatigue (51%), hepatotoxicity (44%), palmar-plantar erythrodysaesthesia syndrome (40%), stomatitis (37%), rash (36%), hypertension (36%), hypothyroidism (34%), musculoskeletal pain (33%), decreased appetite (28%), nausea (27%), dysgeusia (24%), abdominal pain (22%), cough (20%) and upper respiratory tract infection (20%). In Checkmate 025, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=406) vs everolimus (n=397) were fatigue (56% vs 57%), cough (34% vs 38%), nausea (28% vs 29%), rash (28% vs 36%), dyspnea (27% vs 31%), diarrhea (25% vs 32%), constipation (23% vs 18%), decreased appetite (23% vs 30%), back pain (21% vs 16%), and arthralgia (20% vs 14%). In Checkmate 205 and 039, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=266) were upper respiratory tract infection (44%), fatigue (39%), cough (36%), diarrhea (33%), pyrexia (29%), musculoskeletal pain (26%), rash (24%), nausea (20%) and pruritus (20%). In Checkmate 141, the most common adverse reactions (=10%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=236) were cough (14%) and dyspnea (14%) at a higher incidence than investigator's choice. In Checkmate 275, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=270) were fatigue (46%), musculoskeletal pain (30%), nausea (22%), and decreased appetite (22%). In Checkmate 142 in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC patients receiving OPDIVO as a single agent (n=74), the most common adverse reactions (=20%) were fatigue (54%), diarrhea (43%), abdominal pain (34%), nausea (34%), vomiting (28%), musculoskeletal pain (28%), cough (26%), pyrexia (24%), rash (23%), constipation (20%), and upper respiratory tract infection (20%). In Checkmate 142 in MSI-H/dMMR mCRC patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY (n=119), the most common adverse reactions (=20%) were fatigue (49%), diarrhea (45%), pyrexia (36%), musculoskeletal pain (36%), abdominal pain (30%), pruritus (28%), nausea (26%), rash (25%), decreased appetite (20%), and vomiting (20%). In Checkmate 040, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=154) were fatigue (38%), musculoskeletal pain (36%), abdominal pain (34%), pruritus (27%), diarrhea (27%), rash (26%), cough (23%), and decreased appetite (22%). In Checkmate 040, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO with YERVOY (n=49), were rash (53%), pruritus (53%), musculoskeletal pain (41%), diarrhea (39%), cough (37%), decreased appetite (35%), fatigue (27%), pyrexia (27%), abdominal pain (22%), headache (22%), nausea (20%), dizziness (20%), hypothyroidism (20%), and weight decreased (20%). In Checkmate 238, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) reported in OPDIVO-treated patients (n=452) vs ipilimumab-treated patients (n=453) were fatigue (57% vs 55%), diarrhea (37% vs 55%), rash (35% vs 47%), musculoskeletal pain (32% vs 27%), pruritus (28% vs 37%), headache (23% vs 31%), nausea (23% vs 28%), upper respiratory infection (22% vs 15%), and abdominal pain (21% vs 23%). The most common immune-mediated adverse reactions were rash (16%), diarrhea/colitis (6%), and hepatitis (3%). In Attraction-3, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in OPDIVO-treated patients (n=209) were rash (22%) and decreased appetite (21%). In Checkmate 577, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients receiving OPDIVO (n=532) were fatigue (34%), diarrhea (29%), nausea (23%), rash (21%), musculoskeletal pain (21%), and cough (20%). In Checkmate 649, the most common adverse reactions (=20%) in patients treated with OPDIVO in combination with chemotherapy (n=782) were peripheral neuropathy (53%), nausea (48%), fatigue (44%), diarrhea (39%), vomiting (31%), decreased appetite (29%), abdominal pain (27%), constipation (25%), and musculoskeletal pain (20%).

Please see US Full Prescribing Information for OPDIVO and YERVOY

Clinical Trials and Patient Populations

Checkmate 037-previously treated metastatic melanoma; Checkmate 066-previously untreated metastatic melanoma; Checkmate 067-previously untreated metastatic melanoma, as a single agent or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 227-previously untreated metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 9LA-previously untreated recurrent or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer in combination with YERVOY and 2 cycles of platinum-doublet chemotherapy by histology; Checkmate 017-second-line treatment of metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer; Checkmate 057-second-line treatment of metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer; Checkmate 743-previously untreated unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 214-previously untreated renal cell carcinoma, in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 9ER-previously untreated renal cell carcinoma, in combination with cabozantinib; Checkmate 025-previously treated renal cell carcinoma; Checkmate 205/039-classical Hodgkin lymphoma; Checkmate 141-recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; Checkmate 275-urothelial carcinoma; Checkmate 142-MSI-H or dMMR metastatic colorectal cancer, as a single agent or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 040-hepatocellular carcinoma, as a single agent or in combination with YERVOY; Checkmate 238-adjuvant treatment of melanoma; Attraction-3-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Checkmate 577-adjuvant treatment of esophageal or gastroesophageal junction cancer; Checkmate 649-previously untreated advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction or esophageal adenocarcinoma

About the Bristol Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical Collaboration

In 2011, through a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Bristol Myers Squibb expanded its territorial rights to develop and commercialize Opdivo globally, except in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, where Ono had retained all rights to the compound at the time. On July 23, 2014, Ono and Bristol Myers Squibb further expanded the companies' strategic collaboration agreement to jointly develop and commercialize multiple immunotherapies as single agents and combination regimens for patients with cancer in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.

About Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases. For more information about Bristol Myers Squibb, visit us at BMS.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are wholly owned subsidiaries of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. In certain countries outside the U.S., due to local laws, Celgene and Juno Therapeutics are referred to as, Celgene, a Bristol Myers Squibb company and Juno Therapeutics, a Bristol Myers Squibb company.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding, among other things, the research, development, and commercialization of pharmaceutical products. All statements that are not statements of historical facts are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and current expectations and projections about our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including internal or external factors that could delay, divert or change any of them in the next several years, that are difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements. These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include, among others, that Opdivo may not receive regulatory approval for the additional indication described in this release in the currently anticipated timeline or at all and, if approved, whether such product candidate for such indication described in this release will be commercially successful. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. It should also be noted that the validation of the MAA does not change the standards for EMA approval. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that affect Bristol Myers Squibb's business and market, particularly those identified in the cautionary statement and risk factors discussion in Bristol Myers Squibb's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, as updated by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made only as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by applicable law, Bristol Myers Squibb undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise.

corporatefinancial-news

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005076/en/

Contacts:

Bristol Myers Squibb

Media Inquiries:

Media@BMS.com

Investors:

Tim Power

609-252-7509

timothy.power@bms.com
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Deveron Corp. (TSXV: FARM) ("Deveron" or the "Company"), a leading agriculture digital services and insights provider in North America, is pleased to announce it has appointed Joelle Faulkner as a director to the Company's Board. Joelle is a multi-generational farmer and the Founder and CEO of Area One Farms, a financial solution provider in the agricultural space. A Rhodes Scholar and Fulbright Scholar, Joelle obtained degrees in Engineering, Business and Law from Western University, Oxford University and Stanford University. She has been named as one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40, Canadian Private Equity Summit's Emerging Leader award, and Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women: Future Leaders.

"On behalf of the Board of Directors of Deveron, I am thrilled to welcome Joelle Faulkner as a new Director. Joelle brings great industry experience and an infectious winning spirit to our group and will be instrumental in developing our growth strategies for the future," said Bill Linton, Deveron's Chairman of the Board.

"Over the last 6 months Deveron has been able to increase its engaged acres by 553% through our M&A and organic growth strategies. We sped up our development time and began to leverage our platform with the acquisition of the award winning app Farm Dog, and have begun to build vertical synergies in the US with our recent joint venture agreement with A&L Laboratories," said David MacMillan, Deveron's President and CEO. "As the company continues to execute on our growth strategy, Deveron will focus on how it can better serve growers and agribusiness. I could not be more excited to have Joelle join our team of Directors. Joelle's success and vision in serving growers and agribusiness is unparalleled, and this appointment only validates our strategies to provide growers and agribusiness turn-key technology solutions to cut costs and increase yields."

"I'm proud to be joining the Deveron Board," says Joelle Faulkner, Founder and CEO of Area One Farms. "I look forward to being a part of the team, driving to supply turn-key technology products to the market, creating success for growers and agribusiness in an industry that I love."

The Company has granted directors and employees of the company 300,000 options to purchase common shares exercisable at a price of $0.80 per common share. The options will expire on June 25, 2026, vest over 3 years. The shares issuable upon exercise of the options are subject to a four month hold period from the original date of grant.

About Deveron: Deveron is an agriculture technology company that uses data and insights to help farmers and large agriculture enterprises increase yields, reduce costs and improve farm outcomes. The company employs a digital process that leverages data collected on farms across North America to drive unbiased interpretation of production decisions, ultimately recommending how to optimize input use. Our team of agronomists and data scientists build products that recommend ways to better manage fertilizer, seed, fungicide, and other farm inputs. Additionally, we have a national network of data technicians that are deployed to collect various types of farm data, from soil to drone, that build a basis of our best in class data layers. Our focus is the US and Canada where 1 billion acres of farmland are actively farmed annually.

For more information, please visit www.deveronuas.com.

David MacMillan

President & CEO Deveron Corp.

416-367-4571 ext. 221

dmacmillan@deveronuas.com

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of that phrase under Canadian securities laws. Without limitation, statements regarding future plans and objectives of the Company are forward looking statements that involve various degrees of risk. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current views with respect to possible future events and conditions and, by their nature, are based on management's beliefs and assumptions and subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the Company. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in our forward-looking statements. The following are important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements: changes in the world-wide price of agricultural commodities, general market conditions, risks inherent in agriculture, the uncertainty of future profitability and the uncertainty of access to additional capital. Additional information regarding the material factors and assumptions that were applied in making these forward-looking statements as well as the various risks and uncertainties we face are described in greater detail in the "Risk Factors" section of our annual and interim Management's Discussion and Analysis of our financial results and other continuous disclosure documents and financial statements we file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedar.com. The Company undertakes no obligation to update this forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. The Company relies on litigation protection for forward looking statements.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88597


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The United States on Thursday reported 12830 new coronavirus infections, taking the national total to 33,590,550. This is higher than the 7-day average of 11672.



345 new deaths reported on the same day took the total Covid death toll in the country to 603,178, as per the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. The 7-day average of Covid deaths is 314.



Florida reported the most number of cases - 1935 - while California reported most Covid-related deaths - 65 - Thursday.



California is the worst affected state in terms of both the Covid metrics. 3,813,332 cases have been reported in the state, while 63,495 people have died.



A total of 28,871,914 people have so far recovered from the disease in the country.



320,687,205 vaccine doses have been administered so far nationally. 178,331,677 people have received at least one dose.



151.3 million people, or 45.6 percent of the US population, are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 77.4 percent of people above 65 have received both vaccine doses.



Meanwhile, President Joe Biden warned that unvaccinated people are 'incredibly vulnerable' to the dangerous Delta variant of coronavirus that continues to emerge in the country.



After kicking off a community canvassing event at the Green Road Park Community Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, Biden said Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci has made it clear that the Delta variant is more easily transmittable, potentially deadlier, and especially dangerous for young people.



'He says its the greatest threat to our fight to beat Covid-19,' Biden noted.



According to the CDC, between 10 to 20 percent of all cases in the U.S. in the last two weeks have been the Delta variant.



'Nationwide, we're seeing the lowest number of daily cases and deaths since the first day of the pandemic,' Biden said.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
Pr. Kenneth Cusi presented the results of the STAMP-NAFLD 12-week, randomized, controlled Phase 2a trial of PXL770 in 120 presumed NASH patients selected as a "Best of ILC" abstract

Pr. Vlad Ratziu presented the results from a 4-week PK/PD target engagement study of PXL770

POXEL SA (Euronext POXEL FR0012432516), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of innovative treatments for metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) presented the results of two studies at the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) International Liver Congress, held from June 23-26, 2021.

On June 25, during an oral presentation [Abstract #427] in the "NAFLD: therapy" session, Pr. Kenneth Cusi (U. of Florida) presented the results of the 12-week, randomized, controlled Phase 2a trial in 120 presumed NASH patients, with or without T2DM, which evaluated three dosing regimens of PXL770, Poxel's lead direct AMP kinase activator, versus placebo. The results showed that treatment with PXL770 at 500 mg QD resulted in significant reductions in mean liver fat content and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels (vs. baseline). Greater effects were observed in patients with coexisting Type 2 diabetes (T2D, 41-47% of each group): -27% reduction in liver fat content at 500 mg QD vs. baseline; an increase in the proportion of responders (>30% reduction in liver fat); dose-responsive and significant mean decreases in ALT and aspartate transaminase (AST) levels vs. placebo. In the T2D patients, significant placebo-adjusted decreases were observed in fasting plasma glucose and HbA1c (-0.64%) despite well-controlled baseline fasting levels (121-144 mg/dL and 6.6-7.1%, respectively), along with improvements in commonly used fasting indices of insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR and QUICKI scores). PXL770 was well tolerated with an acceptable safety profile.

On June 23, Pr. Vlad Ratziu (Universite Pierre et. Marie Curie and the Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere Medical School, Paris) presented a poster [Abstract #159] with the results from a 4-week study designed to assess the PK profile, safety, and target engagement of PXL770 (500 mg QD) in 12 patients (plus 4 on placebo) with elevated liver fat and insulin resistance. The observed PK profile and safety results were consistent with previous results obtained in Phase I studies with healthy subjects. PXL770 treatment produced a significant suppression of de novo lipogenesis, indicating target engagement, along with a significant improvement in glycemia (total and incremental glucose AUC) following an oral glucose challenge test (OGTT). Improvements in several indices of insulin sensitivity were also observed.

"Taken together, the results of these two clinical studies provide strong evidence of efficacy for PXL770 in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, insulin resistance, and Type 2 diabetes," commented Pascale Fouqueray, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President, Clinical Development and Regulatory Affairs at Poxel. "The results are also notable as they represent the first reported clinical data for any direct AMP kinase activator in humans. Given a favorable safety profile, along with evidence of metabolic benefits with this lead molecule, we are also excited by the prospect of pursuing this mechanism in other important clinical indications in addition to NASH potentially including adrenoleukodystrophy."

About Poxel SA

Poxel is a dynamic biopharmaceutical company that uses its extensive expertise in developing innovative drugs for metabolic diseases, with a focus on type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and selected rare inherited disorders including adrenoleukodystrophy. In its mid-to-late-stage pipeline, the Company is currently advancing three drug candidates; several earlier-stage opportunities are also underway. Imeglimin, Poxel's first-in-class lead product, targets mitochondrial dysfunction. Poxel has a strategic partnership with Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma for TWYMEEG (Imeglimin) in Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan and nine other Southeast Asian countries. A new drug application for TWYMEEG for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, was approved in Japan. After successfully completing a Phase 2a proof-of-concept trial for the treatment of NASH, which met its primary endpoint and study objectives, for PXL770, a first-in-class direct adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, Poxel plans to initiate a Phase 2b program in the second half of 2021. PXL770 could also have the potential to treat additional metabolic diseases. PXL065 (deuterium-stabilized R-pioglitazone), is in a streamlined Phase 2 trial for the treatment of NASH. Poxel also has additional earlier-stage programs from its AMPK activator and deuterated thiazolidinediones (TZD) platforms targeting chronic and rare metabolic diseases. The Company intends to generate further growth through strategic partnerships and pipeline development. Listed on Euronext Paris, Poxel is headquartered in Lyon, France, and has subsidiaries in Boston, MA, and Tokyo, Japan.

For more information, please visit: www.poxelpharma.com

In the context of the COVID-19 outbreak, which was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 12, 2020, the Company is regularly reviewing the impact of the outbreak on its business.

As of the date of this press release, and based on publicly available information, the Company has not identified the occurrence of any material negative effect on its business due to the COVID-19 pandemic that remains unresolved. However, the Company anticipates that the COVID-19 pandemic could have further material negative impact on its business operations. The worldwide impact of COVID-19 may notably affect the Company's internal organization and efficiency, particularly in countries where it operates and where confinement measures are implemented by the authorities. In addition, COVID-19 may impact market conditions and the Company's ability to seek additional funding or enter into partnerships. Particularly, delays in the supply of drug substance or drug products, in the initiation or the timing of results of preclinical and/or clinical trials, as well as delays linked to the responsiveness of regulatory authorities could occur, which could potentially have an impact on the Company's development programs and partnered programs. The Company will continue to actively monitor the situation.

All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005192/en/

Contacts:

Poxel SA

Elizabeth Woo

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations, Corporate Communications and Public Relations

Elizabeth.woo@poxelpharma.com

Catherine David

Investor Relations Communication Manager

catherine.david@poxelpharma.com

+33 7 64 57 61 78

Investor relations Media EU/US

Trophic Communications

Stephanie May or Valeria Fisher

poxel@trophic.eu

+49 171 185 56 82 or +49 175 804 1816

Investor relations Media France

NewCap

Emmanuel Huynh or Arthur Rouille

poxel@newcap.eu

+33 1 44 71 94 94
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Viva Gold Corp. (TSXV:VAU) (the "Company" or "Viva") announces that it has come to an agreement with Humewood Ventures Corp. and 0868854 BC Ltd., the requisitioning shareholders, have revoked resulting in the revocation of their May 18, 2021 requisition for a special general meeting of the Company's shareholders. Consequently, Viva has terminated its plans for its previously announced August 17, 2021 shareholder meeting.

About Viva Gold

Viva Gold is a gold exploration and project development company with a focus on Nevada. Viva holds 100% of the advanced Tonopah Gold Project, a large land position of approximately 8,800 acres with demonstrated high-grade measured, indicated and inferred gold resources, located on the prolific Walker Lane gold trend in Nevada, about 30 kilometers south-east of the Round Mountain mine of Kinross Gold and 20 kilometers north from the Town of Tonopah. Viva's management team has extensive experience in mining exploration, development and production and are supported by a Board of Directors and advisors who are proven mine finders, deal makers and financiers. Viva trades on the TSX-V as "VAU", on the OTCQB in the US as "VAUCF" and on the Frankfurt exchange under "7PB". For additional information on Viva Gold and the Tonopah Gold Project, please visit our website: www.vivagoldcorp.com.

For further information please contact:

James Hesketh, President & CEO

(720) 291-1775

jhesketh@vivagoldcorp.com

Valerie Kimball, Director Investor Relations

(720) 933-1150

vkimball@vivagoldcorp.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

SOURCE: Viva Gold Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653073/Viva-Gold-Corp-Cancels-Special-Shareholder-Meeting
WESTON (dpa-AFX) - Biopharmaceutical company Samsung Bioepis Co., Ltd. and biotechnology company Biogen Inc. (BIIB) announced Friday that the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has adopted a positive opinion for BYOOVIZ, a biosimilar candidate referencing Lucentis (ranibizumab), also known as SB11. Ranibizumab is an anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) for retinal vascular disorders, which are a leading cause of blindness. BYOOVIZ is the first biosimilar of ranibizumab to be recommended for approval in Europe. BYOOVIZ has been recommended for approval for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), visual impairment due to diabetic macular oedema (DME), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), visual impairment due to macular odemea secondary to retinal vein occlusion (branch RVO or central RVO) and visual impairment due to choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in the European Union (EU). The CHMP's positive opinion will now be referred to the European Commission (EC), which will decide whether to grant a marketing authorization for BYOOVIZ. If a marketing authorization is granted by the EC, BYOOVIZ would be added to the biosimilars portfolio developed by Samsung Bioepis and commercialized by Biogen, including three widely prescribed anti-TNF biosimilars in Europe: BENEPALI, IMRALDI and FLIXABI. This positive CHMP opinion on BYOOVIZ was based on a Phase 3 clinical study that demonstrated equivalence in efficacy for both primary endpoints. In November 2019, Samsung Bioepis and Biogen announced that they had entered into a commercialization agreement for two ophthalmology biosimilar candidates, BYOOVIZ (SB11, ranibizumab) and SB15 (aflibercept), in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. Additionally, the Biologics License Application for SB11 was accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in November 2020. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. (TSXV: PEX) (OTC Pink: PEXZF) ("Pacific Ridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the following directors were elected at its Annual General Meeting held June 24, 2021: Gerald Carlson, Blaine Monaghan, Bruce Youngman (an independent director), Borden Putnam III (an independent director), and Gary Baschuk (an independent director). In addition, the shareholders re-appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Accountants, as auditor of the Company and approved the Company's rolling incentive stock option plan pursuant to which a maximum of 10% of the issued shares will be reserved for issuance under the plan. The plan is subject to TSX Venture Exchange acceptance.

The following officers were appointed after the Annual General Meeting: Gerald Carlson as Executive Chairman, Blaine Monaghan as President & CEO, Danette Schwab as Vice President Exploration, Salvador Miranda as Chief Financial Officer, and Arie Page as Corporate Secretary.

"I'm very pleased to welcome Gary Baschuk as our newest director," said Blaine Monaghan, President and CEO of Pacific Ridge. "The Company has built a strong team to advance the Kliyul copper-gold project and we look forward to the fully funded drill program starting next month. Pacific Ridge believes that there is excellent potential to find additional copper-gold mineralization along strike and at depth at Kliyul main zone, which is just one target area along a 4-km long mineralized trend."

Pacific Ridge also announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire certain data related to the RDP copper-gold project by issuing 100,000 common shares to the vendor. The agreement is subject to regulatory approval.

About Pacific Ridge

Our goal is to become one of the leading copper-gold exploration companies in British Columbia. Pacific Ridge's flagship project is the advanced-stage Kliyul copper-gold project, located in the Quesnel Trough, British Columbia, approximately 50 km southeast of Centerra Gold's Kemess project. Historic drilling at Kliyul encountered significant copper-gold porphyry mineralization, drill hole KLI-15-34 returned 245 metres of 0.75% CuEQ1 (see Pacific Ridge press release dated December 2, 2020). The Company plans to launch a drill program at Kliyul next month.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

"Blaine Monaghan"

Blaine Monaghan

President & CEO

Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd.

Corporate Contact:

Blaine Monaghan

President & CEO

Tel: (604) 687-4951

www.pacificridgeexploration.com

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pacific-ridge-exploration-ltd-pex-

https://twitter.com/PacRidge_PEX

Investor Contact:

G2 Consultants Corp.

Telephone: +1 778-678-9050

Email: ir@pacificridgeexploration.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The technical information contained within this News Release has been reviewed and approved by Gerald G. Carlson, Ph.D., P.Eng., Executive Chairman of Pacific Ridge and Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 policy.

Forward-Looking Information: This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling and other activities and events or developments that Pacific Ridge Exploration Ltd. ("Pacific Ridge") expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding certain data related to the RDP copper-gold project and drill program at the Kliyul copper-gold project this summer. Although Pacific Ridge believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, that one of the options will be exercised, the ability of Pacific Ridge and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Pacific Ridge's proposed programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Pacific Ridge does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

1 Copper equivalent (CuEQ) is equal to ((Cu (per cent) multiplied by $2.25 multiplied by 22.0642) plus (Au (g/t) multiplied by $1,650 multiplied by 0.032151)) divided by ($2.25 multiplied by 22.0642).

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88639
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - King Global Ventures Inc. (TSXV: KING) (OTC: KGLDF) (FSE: 5LM1) (the "Company" or "King") is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Chapel Island property located in central Newfoundland. The addition of the Chapel Island property brings King's total land holding in central Newfoundland to (4,144 ha). King's land holdings (Figure 1) are strategically located in one of the most active gold exploration jurisdictions in North America, the Gander Gold Belt Region of Newfoundland, Canada.





Figure 1: King's Newfoundland Property Locations

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8052/88640_1662b4d6f43c5a18_001full.jpg

The Chapel Island Prospect consists of 54 mining claim blocks (1,300 ha) located in northeast-central Newfoundland, on Chapel Island, (Figure 2) within the Dunnage Tectonostratigraphic Zone of the Appalachian Orogen.





Figure 2: Chapel Island Prospect Claim Map

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8052/88640_1662b4d6f43c5a18_002full.jpg

The Road Zone consists of four historical showings containing numerous Au occurrences. These occurrences have returned individual assay results up to 85 g/t Au and 32 g/t Au and 27 g/t Au. Chapel Island Nickel showings grab samples assayed up to 3.05% Ni.

The Lost Swamp showing is composed of a silicified and carbonate altered Coaker porphyry that contains very, fine grained arsenopyrite, with assay results returning values up to 149.8 g/t Au and 23.3 g/t Ag. At the Swamp Zone, a total of 35 channels were cut for a combined length of 35.9 m at 8 different locations in the old trench. The best results from the sampling were 5.2 m of 484 ppb Au and 0.9 m of 3.9 g/t Au.

John Cook, Chief Executive Officer of King Global Ventures, stated: "We are pleased to add the Chapel Island Prospect to our current portfolio of prospective gold properties in central Newfoundland. The addition of this highly prospective property group within proven gold bearing Dunnage Corridor has us quite excited about the potential for further discoveries within this zone."

King is currently completing the first phase of a $250,000 summer exploration program announced on May 25th, 2021.

Acquisition terms subject to Exchange acceptance:

King will acquire 100% of the title and interest in the property. Issuance of 2,000,000 shares and 2,000,000 warrants exercisable at $0.12 per share for 18 months and $35,000 cash upon Exchange acceptance and to complete $100,000 of work in the first year. On the 14th month anniversary of Exchange Acceptance pay $45,000 cash and issue 2,000,000 shares. On the second anniversary of Exchange acceptance pay $50,0000 cash and issue 3,000,000 shares. On the third anniversary of Exchange acceptance pay $120,000 cash and issue 3,000,000 shares. On achieving an indicated resource exceeding 500,000 ounces of gold in accordance with National Policy 41-101, an additional payment of $1 million. Upon payment of the purchase price King shall have acquired a 100% undivided interest in the property, subject to a 2% net smelter return (the "NSR") royalty, of which 1% can be acquired for $1 million. Advance royalties of $25,000 commence on fifth anniversary of signing of the agreement.

Newfoundland Properties:

King's projects include 100% interest in the following gold exploration projects:

The Golden Nugget Property consists of a 10 km long contiguous land package (1,850 ha.) of siliciclastic sediments within beds of conglomerates and mafic materials. High grade gold occurs in all rock groups with channel samples having returned values of 50.2 g/t gold over 1.1 m, 87 g/t over 0.8 m and 29.2 g/t over 2.5 m. These high grade channels are contained within extensive areas of lower to medium grade gold values along the entire length of this 10 km structural corridor.

The Miss Pickle Property (950 ha), is also north of the Davidsville Group and lies in another parallel structure to the Gold Nugget Property known as the Coaker Trend. Historical grab samples include, 7.3 g/t gold over 2.05 m, 8.3 g/t gold over 1.9 m and 7.1 g/t gold over 1.2 m. The length weighed average of 26 channel samples across the zone is 3.2 g/t gold.

The Gold Boulder Prospect consists of four contiguous claim blocks (100 ha) and is located near the small town of Glenwood in Central Newfoundland. Geologically the property is underlain by siliciclastic sediments of the Davidsville Group which is the same geological belt which hosts New Found Gold's high grade Queensway project. The entire prospect is bound on all side by New Found Gold Corp.

About King Global Ventures

King Global Ventures Inc. (TSXV: KING) holds 100% interest in four highly prospective and previously explored gold exploration projects in the Gander Gold Belt Region of Newfoundland, Canada. King is supported by strategic investor Eric Sprott who owns approximately 11.2% of King's common shares.

Additional information about King Ventures can be viewed at the Company's website at www.kingtsxv.com or at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of King Global Ventures

John F. Cook, MIMMM

Chief Executive Officer

416-200-8073

johncook@kos.net

www.kingtsxv.com

The technical contents of this news release were approved by John F. Cook, MIMMM, a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain information in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, the uncertainty of the financing, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, dependence upon regulatory approvals. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in preparing such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove imprecise and undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88640
The "Anaerobic Digestion Deployment in the UK 2021 Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This 2021 edition of the annual report provides a comprehensive regional breakdown of sector development in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the 10 regions of England.

The report provides a comprehensive regional breakdown of sector development in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the 10 regions of England, providing detailed information on feedstock requirements, installed capacity and output type (combined heat power or biomethane-to-grid) for every project.

After such a turbulent year it is unsurprising that progress in the AD industry has, like most other sectors, been hampered by the ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic. Many developments have faced delays in construction and commissioning, and many operational facilities have underperformed due to feedstock constraints a consequence of the retail and hospitality sectors being closed for a large part of the year.

However, following modest growth across the AD industry in 2019/20, we have seen a significant number of new developments commissioned over the past 12 months, which have benefitted from various extensions offered by the Government.

The publisher monitors anaerobic digestion activity and has published the eighth annual report on anaerobic digestion deployment in the UK.

Highlights

Extensive market data and analysis on current and future development trends

Regional breakdown of the 10 regions of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with maps and timeline graphs illustrating regional development trends.

Detailed sector commentary and comprehensive overview of policy and incentives affecting the anaerobic digestion development landscape.

Comprehensive excel database of more than 1000 planned and operational Anaerobic Digestion facilities in the UK.

Includes site name and location; feedstock type, source and volumes; energy output type and capacity; and development status.

Reasons to Buy

To inform investment and policy decisions in the anaerobic digestion sector by understanding the current and future anaerobic digestion market and policy landscape

To enable targeting of sales and marketing effort for anaerobic digestion service and product providers, based on technical or regional focus.

To identify the competition and quantify feedstock requirements of the anaerobic digestion industry

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Policy Incentives

2.1 Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

2.2 Contracts for Difference

2.3 Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation

2.4 Renewable Heat Incentive

2.5 Green Gas Support Scheme

2.6 Northern Ireland Renewable Heat Incentive

2.7 Sustainability Criteria

2.8 Feedstock Restrictions

2.9 Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

3 Deployment Analysis Criteria

3.1 Definitions

3.2 Assumptions

4 United Kingdom

5 Scotland

6 Wales

7 Northern Ireland

8 England

9 North West of England

10 North East of England

11 Yorkshire Humber

12 West Midlands

13 East Midlands

14 East of England

15 South West of England

16 South East of England

17 Greater London

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/8lham6

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005282/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
PagerDuty (NYSE:PD), a global leader in digital operations management, today announced the general availability of its European service region to support its growing customer base with operations across Europe. Starting June 28, when new customers sign up for PagerDuty, they will have a choice between either the U.S. service region or the European service region. In Europe, PagerDuty's primary hosting facility is based in Frankfurt, Germany.

PagerDuty has seen significant growth in the EMEA, increasing annual recurring revenue (ARR) by over 43 percent each of the past two years. Modern digital operations are critical to an organization's ability to provide perfect customer experiences and this new offering will help PagerDuty's European customers continue delivering always-on services.

Sean Scott, chief product officer, PagerDuty comments: "Our customer base and demand for a regional solution has rapidly grown and we are delighted to expand our offering into a new region, delivering the same high levels of reliability that is expected of PagerDuty's leading enterprise class platform."

The news has been welcomed by both new and existing PagerDuty customers including those in highly regulated industries. PagerDuty's service region option enables its European customer base, including those in highly regulated markets such as financial services, public sector, and healthcare, as well as managed service providers (MSPs), to manage time-sensitive mission-critical work in their region.

"The addition of localized data hosting will further ensure we meet the highest levels of omnichannel service and reliability around the world," said Robert Vis, founder and CEO of MessageBird. "In powering communications via voice and chat, it's crucial to minimize even the slightest chance for down time or latency issues. By integrating our solutions with PagerDuty's incident response platform, we've been able to provide more efficient services and deliver more engaging experiences for our customers."

PagerDuty will continue to comply with EU regulations such as GDPR, apply industry standard best practices in its security processes and controls and deliver the high levels of service reliability, redundancy and availability customers have come to expect in all service regions.

To learn more about PagerDuty's European service region, please contact your PagerDuty account team for details.

About PagerDuty, Inc.

PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE:PD) is a leader in digital operations management. In an always-on world, organizations of all sizes trust PagerDuty to help them deliver a perfect digital experience to their customers, every time. Teams use PagerDuty to identify issues and opportunities in real time and bring together the right people to fix problems faster and prevent them in the future. Notable customers include GE, Cisco, Genentech, Electronic Arts, Cox Automotive, Netflix, Shopify, Zoom, DoorDash, Lululemon and more. To learn more and try PagerDuty for free, visit www.pagerduty.com. Follow our blog and connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005059/en/

Contacts:

Amberly Asay Janke

media@pagerduty.com

SOURCE PagerDuty
Triumph Group is planning to build a $1.71 billion PV glass factory in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province. Longi has maintained unchanged the prices of its wafers for July.Chinese engineering company Triumph Group, a unit of state-owned conglomerate China National Building Materials Group Corporation, has signed an agreement with the government of Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, to build a solar glass factory at the Grand Canal Suqian Port Industrial Park. The company said in a statement it wants to invest RMB 11 million (around $1.71 billion) in the new manufacturing facility and that it expects to ...

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Couloir Capital Ltd. is pleased to announce initiation of research coverage on Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. (CSE: BLLG) (OTCQB: BLAGF) (FSE: 7BL). The report is titled, "Gold Explorer with a Plan for Near-Term Cash Flows to Back Future Exploration."

The report can be accessed through the link: https://www.couloircapital.com/research-portal

About Blue Lagoon Resources Inc.

Blue Lagoon Resources is a mineral exploration company focused on its high-grade gold project - the past producing Dome Mountain Mine. The drive to mine site can be accessed all year and is just a short 50-minute drive from the town of Smithers, located in northwestern British Columbia.

The company also owns 100% of The Big Onion porphyry copper project, also located near the town of Smithers in northwest British Columbia.

Additionally, the company owns 100% of the Pellaire gold property located 160 km southwest of William's Lake in the Chilcotin range of south-central British Columbia. The Pellaire project covers over 4,400 hectares and is known to have 10 gold-bearing veins on the property.

About Couloir Capital Ltd.

Couloir Capital Ltd. is an investment research firm comprised of a team of veteran investment professionals dedicated to providing world-class opportunities in the natural resource exploration and development sectors along with real and alternative asset classes and strategies. Couloir Capital Ltd. is affiliated with a registered securities dealer, Couloir Capital Securities Ltd., and an investment fund, the West Cirque Fund Limited Partnership.

For further information, please contact:

Robert Stitt, Managing Director, Couloir Capital Ltd.

Email: rstitt@couloircapital.com

www.couloircapital.com

Analyst Disclosure: The analyst and/or affiliated companies do not hold shares in the company.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88614
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - SKRR Exploration Inc. (TSXV: SKRR) (FSE: B04Q) ("SKRR" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that further to its news release dated June 15, 2021, the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted the acquisition agreement (the "Agreement") to acquire a 100% interest in the Father Lake Nickel Property consisting of nine (9) mineral claims comprising a total of 4,727.382 hectares in Saskatchewan, Canada.

"The addition and approval of the Father Lake Nickel exploration asset adds to the SKRR large portfolio of gold exploration assets. Nickel, in particular, goes through the eye of electrification just as gold acts as a tremendous hedge against all things uncertain. Investors can look to the growing assets and exploration success of SKRR in Saskatchewan as we enter another season of drilling," stated Sherman Dahl, CEO of SKRR.

Highlights

Located in mineral rich Saskatchewan a world class mining jurisdiction

Host rock is a 200m to 800m wide norite body that can be traced for 16km trending East North East

Numerous nickel and copper showings along trend

Claims cover eastern half of previous Strongbow Exploration Inc.'s Nickel Lake / Dumas Lake project and covers several historic nickel and copper showings including: Dumas Zones A & B drilling intersections 1.34% Ni & 0.94% Cu over 2m Dumas Zone D drilling intersection of 2.36% Ni over 0.5m



The Father Lake Nickel Property Details

The Father Lake property is located 40km northeast of the hamlet of Stony Rapids in the province of Saskatchewan. Stony Rapids is a full service community with a commercial airport. Access to the property is via fixed wing or helicopter aircraft. From a regional perspective, the property lies along the Snowbird Tectonic Zone (SBTZ), which is a 2,800 km long Archean age crustal scale structural break. Locally, the property is situated immediately south of the Grease River fault. Geologically the area is underlain by metasedimentary rocks which are intruded by a 3 km long norite sill trending 065 to 080 that varies in thickness from 215m to 800m.

The 9 contiguous mineral claims that comprise the Father Lake property, cover ~12km of prospective geologic trend, including the 3 km long norite sill that is host to the historic Dumas A, B, C and D nickel-copper sulphide showings, as well as additional identified airborne Electromagnetic "EM" geophysics anomalies along trend to the northeast that show TAU decay signatures similar to that at the Dumas showings. Zone C is the westernmost zone, while Zones A/ B are the easternmost and located ~3km to the east and interpreted to be the fault off-set continuation of Zones C and D. Zone D is situated half-way between Zone C and Zones A/B. The area has been the subject of historic exploration work dating back to 1956 by Father Lake Mining Co. with the discovery of Dumas zones A, B, C and D and drilling of 18 holes. An additional 11 drill holes were completed in 1969 by Pathfinder Resources Ltd. and more recently in 2007-08, Strongbow Exploration Inc. conducted airborne geophysics surveys (MegaTEM and VTEM platforms) and drilled 5 holes to test geophysics targets that appeared to be associated with the showings as well as targets away from the showings.

A brief summary of the highlight results of the historic mapping, prospecting, and drilling is as follows:

Dumas Nickel Zones A & B occurs within a Norite body estimated by mapping to be between 215m to 800m thick. The zones exhibits a gossan 10 to 15m wide and traced 180m along strike, with sulphides (chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite with minor amounts of pyrite, arsenopyrite and pentlandite) comprising 15 to 25% of rock volume within a Norite body. Surface sampling assayed 1.00% Ni and 0.77% Cu. Encouraging drill results included: Father Lake Development Ltd. (1956) drilled hole #2, which returned 1.33% Ni and 0.94% Cu over 2m from 45.4m to 47.4m down-hole depth. Pathfinder Uranium and Nickel Mines Ltd. (1969) drilled hole P-11 which returned 0.26% Ni, 0.07% Cu over 6.1m from 3.0m to 9.1m down-hole depth. Strongbow Exploration Inc. (2008) drilled hole DS08-001 which returned 0.15% Ni, 0.08% Cu and 0.008% Co over 25m from 6m to 31m.

Dumas Nickel Zone C occurs within Norite body which is estimated by mapping to be between 215m to 800m thick. Zone C is mapped at is 1.5m to 12m wide, averaging 5m wide, and is exposed for a distance of 400m along strike and open in both directions along strike. Sulphide mineralization is similar to Zone A with lenses of chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and pentlandite. Outcrop samples returned 1.87% Ni and 0.56% Cu. Encouraging drill results included: Pathfinder Uranium and Nickel Mines Ltd. (1969) drilled hole P-2 which returned 0.34% Ni and 0.15% Cu over 1.7m from 18.4m to 20.1m. Strongbow Exploration Inc. (2008) drilled hole DS08-003 which returned 0.27% Ni, 0.20% Cu and 0.012% Co over 4.55m 36m to 40.5m.

Dumas Nickel occurs within Norite body which is estimated by mapping to be between 215m to 800m thick. Zone D mineralization is exposed over 15m wide along 183m of strike. Similar to Zones A, B and C, mineralization is associated with lenses of chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite and pentlandite. Encouraging drill results included: Father Lake Development Ltd. (1956) drilled hole #8, which returned 2.36% Ni and 0.26% Cu over 0.5m from 25m to 25.5m. Strongbow Exploration Inc. (2008) drilled hole DS08-002 which returned 0.19% Ni, 0.12% Cu, 0.01% Co over 12m from 14.5m to 26.5m.



In 2008, Strongbow drilled 5 holes totaling 671.5m. The drilling targeted plates modeled from a 2008 airborne VTEM survey. The first 3 holes tested the historic Zone B, D and C respectively and all intersected anomalous mineralization of nickel, copper, and cobalt. The last two holes tested targets away from the historic showings and did not encounter mineralization.

SKRR believes that the Father Lake Ni-Cu-Co showings may represent the same style of mineralization and possibly the same mineralizing event as Nickel King Ni-Cu-Co deposit, which lies within the SBTZ, ~90 km to the northeast of the Father Lake property. Strongbow Resources produced a resource estimate on Jun 2, 2010 (Updated NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Nickel King, Main Zone Deposit, Northwest Territories, Canada, dated June 2, 2010) with an Indicated Resource of 11.1 Mt grading at 0.40% Ni, 0.10% Cu and 0.018% Co, containing 97.7 Mlb of Ni, 23.5 Mlb of Cu, and 4.4 Mlb of Co. The total Inferred Resource is 33.1 Mt grading at 0.36% Ni, 0.09% Cu, and 0.017% Co, containing 262.4 Mlb of Ni, 63.9 Mlb of Cu, and 12.3 Mlb of Co at a base-case cut-off of 0.2% Ni.

SKRR cautions that past results or discoveries on proximate lands are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be achieved on the Father Lake Property. SKRR cautions that some of the historical results were collected and reported by past operators and have not been verified nor confirmed by a Qualified Person but form a basis for future work in the Father Lake Property.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Ross McElroy P.Geo, a director of the Company and a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. McElroy verified the data disclosed (unless indicated otherwise) which includes a review of the sampling, analytical and test data underlying the information and opinions contained therein.

About SKRR Exploration Inc.:

SKRR is a Canadian-based precious metal explorer with properties in Saskatchewan - one of the world's highest ranked mining jurisdictions. The primary exploration focus is on the Trans-Hudson Corridor in Saskatchewan in search of world class precious metal deposits. The Trans-Hudson Orogen - although extremely well known in geological terms has been significantly under-explored in Saskatchewan. SKRR is committed to all stakeholders including shareholders, all its partners and the environment in which it operates.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Sherman Dahl

President & CEO

Tel: 250-558-8340

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements that address future work on the Father Lake Property, other statements relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its projects and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of metals, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather conditions, equipment failures, failure to maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, decrease in the price of gold, nickel and other metals, the impact of Covid-19 or other viruses and diseases on the Company's ability to operate, failure to maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88646
HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An is investing further in its healthcare ecosystem to meet the growing public healthcare needs in China, says Jessica Tan, Co-CEO of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEX: 2318; SSE: 601318).

Ms. Tan addressed the Fortune Global Forum, a virtual event for the leaders of the Fortune Global 500, the world's largest companies.

"This is a huge growth opportunity for the next five to 10 years," Ms. Tan said. "We see the opportunity accelerating, and it's time for a second phase of online consultation." Online medical consultations in China grew from 3% to 5% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 20% at its peak last year, Ms. Tan said. That could grow to 34% as consumers are becoming used to online consultations and more cities are now accepting social health insurance online as regulations changed during the pandemic.

"What will fuel the next stage of growth is how you can integrate the online and offline health aspects," she added.

Ping An has built a healthcare ecosystem that helps to address the challenges raised by China's rapidly aging population, rising public healthcare costs and a shortage of medical professionals. As of December 31, 2020, the ecosystem served 21,000 health management authorities in 158 cities, processed more than one billion online consultations, and partnered with more than 3,700 hospitals and 151,000 pharmacies.

Digital technology makes it possible for people even outside China's Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities to get access to quality healthcare, Ms. Tan said. Ping An Good Doctor, China's leading online healthcare platform, has an in-house medical team of about 2,200 as well as a network of 22,000 top specialists across the country. The smart healthcare team of Ping An Smart City is providing technology tools that now support about 750,000 doctors across the country, such as AskBob, an artificial-intelligence clinical decision support system, and medical imaging and analysis. For doctors in lower-tier cities who have less experience and training than those in the country's leading hospitals, these tools can help to significantly improve the accuracy of diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

The healthcare ecosystem creates synergies with Ping An's main businesses. In 2020, nearly 61% of Ping An's more than 218 million financial customers used services from the healthcare ecosystem. In the past four years, about 15% to 20% of Ping An's new financial customers each year were sourced from the healthcare ecosystem. Ping An's insurance customers and their families are assigned dedicated family doctor online. They also have access to services such as annual health check-ups, chronic disease management, such as monitoring diabetes, access to 22,000 specialists and treatment for critical illnesses.

Ping An's comprehensive healthcare ecosystem encompasses twelve entities, which work hand-in-hand to serve the healthcare industry on all fronts, including healthcare management authorities, patients, service providers, and payers. These include: the smart healthcare team of Ping An Smart City, which serves the government and offline health care service providers; Ping An Good Doctor, which focuses on patients and online health care service providers; and Ping An HealthKonnect, which serves payers. Ping An ranked first globally by the number of digital healthcare patent applications at the end of 2020. In addition to establishing its own businesses and partnering with others, Ping An has invested in nearly 100 companies in the healthcare industry through Ping An Overseas Holdings and other platforms.

Ms. Tan was number six on Fortune's list of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders in 2021, and number two on Fortune's Most Powerful Women International list in 2020.

About Ping An Group

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 220 million retail customers and 611 million internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An focuses on two over-arching domains of activity, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", covering the provision of financial and health care services through our integrated financial services platform and our ecosystems; in financial services, health care, auto services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" transformation strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Ping An ranked 6th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2021 and ranked 21st in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. Ping An also ranked 49th in the 2021 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list.

For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn - PING AN.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Southern Empire Resources Corp. ("Southern Empire"; TSX-V:SMP; Frankfurt:5RE; OTC PINK:SMPEF) is pleased to provide an update on the preliminary characterization and metallurgical assessment of surface materials collected from various historical mine waste rock dumps on its Oro Cruz Property, southeastern California.

David Tupper, Southern Empire's VP Exploration stated: "The objectives of our preliminary studies were to establish the presence of gold in the historical, pit-run mine waste dump materials and to determine if such gold could potentially be extracted from these materials by conventional leach methods. The results are positive and supportive of a more detailed assessment of the gold potential in the historical mine waste rock stockpiles that exist at our brownfields Oro Cruz Project."

Oro Cruz Project - Historical Mine Waste Rock Dump Sample Gold Assay Results Summary:

American Girl Waste Rock Dump :

Average gold assay of 104 surface rock samples: 0.448 grams gold/tonne ("g Au/t")

("g Au/t") Range of values (maximum/minimum): 7.070 / 0.009 g Au/t

Approximate footprint: 17.5 hectares ("ha"; 43.1 acres)

Padre y Madre Waste Rock Dump :

Average gold assay of 54 surface rock samples: 0.203 g Au/t

Range of values (maximum/minimum): 1.770 / <0.002 g Au/t

Approximate footprint: 7.6 ha (18.1 acres)

Oro Cruz Waste Rock Dump :

Average gold assay of 29 surface rock samples: 0.208 g Au/t

Range of values (maximum/minimum): 0.768 / 0.022 g Au/t

Approximate footprint: 10.4 ha (25.7 acres)

Dale Wallster, Southern Empire's CEO commented: "We are very encouraged with the initial assessment of the gold potential of our Oro Cruz Project historical waste dumps. Specifically, we are very pleased with the preliminary cyanidation metallurgical test gold recovery rates of 74.4% and 89.7% for the American Girl and the Padre y Madre materials respectively. While the gold grades we are reporting are less than 1 gram per tonne, they are still very significant given that more than 60% of the 125,736 ounces that Equinox Gold produced at their nearby Mesquite mine in 2019 was from their low-grade waste rock dumps."

Equinox Gold Corp.'s April, 2020 NI 43-101 Technical Report, concerning their Mesquite mine, reported an Indicated Resource estimate of 5.2 million tonnes in their waste dumps grading 0.18 g Au/t and an Inferred Resource estimate in the waste dumps of 26.4 million tonnes grading 0.23 g Au/t. Proven and Probable open pit, oxide reserves outlined at the Mesquite mine include 13.7 million tonnes grading 0.37 g Au/t (See Equinox Gold Corp. news release of May 12, 2020). Mineralization at the Mesquite Mine is not necessarily indicative of mineralization at the Oro Cruz Project and its waste dumps.

Preliminary Metallurgical Test Work Results

Blue Coast Research Ltd. ("Blue Coast") of Parksville, British Columbia, was contracted to undertake cyanidation metallurgical studies of two composite samples blended from select assay laboratory sample rejects (>80% passing 2mm) of surface grab samples collected from each of the American Girl and Padre y Madre waste rock dumps. These sample composites are not considered representative of waste rock dump material gold grades.

American Girl Waste Rock Dump Material :

Test procedure 96-hour Coarse Material Bottle Roll

Samples comprising Composite 10

Composite sample head grade: 0.61 g Au/t

Aliquot sample size: 2.0 kg

96-hour Gold Recovery: 74.4 %

Padre y Madre Waste Rock Dump Material :

Test procedure 96-hour Coarse Material Bottle Roll

Samples comprising Composite 2

Composite sample head grade: 0.39 g Au/t

Aliquot sample size: 1.0 kg

96-hour Gold Recovery: 89.7 %

Future planned work for additional evaluation of the historical waste rock mine dump materials includes:

Determination of waste dump volumes

Reverse Circulation ("RC") drilling and mechanical trenching to properly characterize the distribution of gold in the waste dump materials

Conduct additional cyanidation and column leach tests to determine gold extraction at different crush sizes

Conduct gravity concentration/mass reduction test work

Sampling Procedures and Quality Assurance and Quality Controls ("QA/QC")

Grab samples of fine and coarse material were collected at roughly 50 metre ("m"; 164 feet) to 100 m (328 ft) centres across the upper surfaces and around the perimeter slopes of the historical, pit-run mine waste dumps.

Gold analysis was performed by the Geoanalytical Laboratories of the Saskatchewan Research Council ("SRC") in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (ISO 17025:2017). The SRC is one of Canada's leading providers of applied research, development and demonstration ("RD&D"), and its internationally recognized and accredited, state-of-the-art Geoanalytical Laboratories have provided high-quality, advanced analytical testing and mineral processing analysis to the exploration and mining industry since 1973. For further information regarding the SRC and the accreditation of their Geoanalytical Laboratories, please visit www.src.sk.ca/mining.

Gold assay results for the samples collected are only a preliminary assessment of the potential presence of gold hosted by the historical mine waste dumps and are not considered representative of the whole. As a result, QA/QC were limited to analytical lab checks with the insertion of standards, blanks and repeat samples in the sample stream prior to gold fire assay analysis at SRC.

A combination of appropriately spaced mechanical trenching and RC drilling is required to provide sample profiles through the full height of the historical waste dumps to properly assess the distribution and total content of gold within them.

The metallurgical test work conducted by Blue Coast on the Oro Cruz Project historical waste dump materials is also preliminary in nature. The objective of this limited test work was to establish the potential for gold extraction by conventional leach methods. The American Girl and Padre y Madre waste dump surface sample composites (with target P80 primary grind sizes of 892 micron ("m") and 995 m, respectively) were each the subject of a single 96-hour bottle roll cyanidation test utilizing a sodium cyanide solution of 1.0 g/L NaCN maintained throughout and solids maintained at 40%. Dissolved oxygen was maintained at ~8 parts per million (ppm) and pH was maintained in the range of 10.5-11.

Qualified Person

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by David Tupper, P.Geo. (British Columbia), Southern Empire's VP Exploration and a Qualified Person ("QP") within the context of Canadian Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101; Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).

About Southern Empire Resources Corp.

Southern Empire is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of metals and minerals deposits in North America.

In the Cargo Muchacho mountains of Imperial County, California, Southern Empire owns 100 per cent of the historical gold-producing American Girl mine property and holds options to acquire a 100-per-cent interest in the adjacent 2,160-hectare (5,338-acre) Oro Cruz property located approximately 22.5 kilometres (14 miles) southeast of the operating Mesquite gold mine of Equinox Gold Corp.

At Oro Cruz, extensive historical drilling and large-scale open-pit and underground mining of the American Girl, Padre y Madre, Queen and Cross oxide gold deposits by the American Girl Mining Joint Venture (AGMJV; ultimately owned 53 per cent by MK Gold Company and 47 per cent by Hecla Mining Company) occurred between 1987 and 1996. During that time, gold was recovered by heap leaching of lower-grade ores and milling of higher-grade ores. AGMJV operations ceased in late 1996 because of declining gold prices leaving the Oro Cruz property with many gold exploration targets in addition to the historical inferred resource estimate, reported In 2011 by Lincoln Mining Corp., totalling 341,800 ounces gold based on 4,386,000 tonnes averaging 2.2 grams gold per tonne at a cut-off grade of 0.68 g/t Au (4,835,000 tons at 0.07 ounce gold per ton; Please refer to the Cautionary Notice Regarding the Oro Cruz Property Historical Resource Estimate below).

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Southern Empire Resources Corp.,

Dale Wallster, CEO and Director

For further information on Southern Empire please visit both www.smp.gold and SEDAR or contact: Lubica Keighery, (778) 889-5476, lubica@smp.gold.

Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("forward-looking statements"). All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release and reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipated", "estimated", "potential", "open", "future", "assumed", "projected", "used", "detailed", "has been", "gain", "planned", "reflecting", "will", "anticipated", "estimated", "might", "may" "containing", "remaining", "to be", or statements that events, "could" or "should" occur or be achieved and similar expressions, including negative variations.

Southern Empire cautions that all forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance; that they are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond its respective control. Forward-looking statements are subject to a many, varied known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the ability of Southern Empire to control or predict, and which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Southern Empire's limited operating history, the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations, results of exploration programs on its projects, results of metallurgical test work, the ability to fund exploration and development programs, and other risks and uncertainties identified in Southern Empire's annual and interim financial statements and management discussion and analysis that are filed on the Canadian Securities Administrators' System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval ("SEDAR"). Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking information.

Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Southern Empire undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

Cautionary Notice Regarding Oro Cruz Project Historical Resource Estimate

The historical resource estimate outlined above is disclosed in a technical report dated April 29, 2011, prepared for Lincoln Mining Corp. by Tetra Tech, Inc. and filed on SEDAR. It is termed an inferred mineral resource, which is a category set out in NI 43-101. It was based on historical reverse circulation and core drill hole sample, underground channel sample, and blasthole sample assay results and calculated using ordinary kriging to estimate gold grades in 10-foot-by-10-foot-by-five-foot blocks. Accordingly, Southern Empire considers this historical estimate reliable as well as relevant as it represents key targets for future exploration work. However, a QP has not done sufficient work to verify or classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource and Southern Empire is not treating this historical estimate as current mineral resources.

Work Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Timing of Southern Empire's exploration programs will be contingent on governmental regulations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and also the availability of exploration-related personnel, drill contractors, equipment, lodging, et cetera. Southern Empire will adhere to COVID-19 directives regarding safe working practices putting worker, community and national safety first and will proceed with exploration and development work programs only if potential COVID-19 risks can be effectively managed.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: Southern Empire Resources Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653102/Southern-Empire-Provides-Oro-Cruz-Project-Historical-Mine-Dumps-Assay-Results-and-Preliminary-Cyanidation-Metallurgical-Test-Results
Granada Hills, California--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Pervasip Corp. (OTC Pink: PVSP) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the hiring of top medical staff for its minority owned unit Kaiyon Biotech Inc. ("Kaiyon"). The Company recently announced its purchase of 5% of Kaiyon, which is a U.S. research and development company working in South Korea. Kaiyon has now established a consortium of experienced doctors, professors, and researchers (the "Team") dedicated to improving mankind's debilitating physical and mental ailments using psilocybin and CBD compounds.

Kaiyon is working with universities in South Korea to facilitate research and development of a commercialized psilocybin/CBD compound. The Team has studied CBD compounds for more than 5 years and is prepared to commence research adding psilocybin to the formulations.

According to Paul Riss, CEO of Pervasip Corp., "We purchased this asset to help us join the race to bring psilocybin and CBD to the market internationally and make deals to further the Company's dedication to bringing holistic medicines to market for debilitating diseases and ailments. Valuations in this industry are growing fast and we believe that Kaiyon's relationships with universities and labs in South Korea put us in a position to build partnerships internationally."

"Pervasip's attorney prepared employment contracts and strategic advisor agreements for the Team," continued Mr. Riss. "We are enthusiastic about the talent that has signed with Kaiyon, which includes research professors, biochemists and a synthetic compound geneticist. As early as next week, we plan to disclose the Team on Kaiyon's website."

Kaiyon's CEO is a research professor at the Department of Marine Bioscience and Technology at the Gangneung-Wonju National University. He has over 90 Science Citation Index international research papers published. One of his current projects is the development of a cancer drug using natural products, small molecular compounds and anti-bodies.

About Pervasip Corp.

Pervasip Corp. is a developer of companies and technologies in high value emerging markets. In addition to its ownership percentage in the Kaiyon entity, which focuses on CBD and psilocybin, Pervasip is currently pursuing the acquisition of Artizen Corporation, which generates revenues by providing leasing, licensing, management, staffing, and supplies to cannabis production facilities.

Please email Investor Relations with any questions at info@pervasip.net or call 855-464-2535 extension 1.

The information contained herein includes forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include those that use forward-looking terminology, such as the words "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "hope'" "project," "plan," "will," "shall," "should," and similar expressions, including when used in the negative. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could, and likely will, materially affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects our current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to our operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. We assume no obligation to publicly update or revise these forward-looking statements for any reason, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88637
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Talisker Resources Ltd. ('Talisker' or the 'Company') (TSX:TSK) (OTCQX:TSKFF) is pleased to announce the results of its annual meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting") held yesterday.

A total of 121,658,109 common shares of the Company were represented at the Meeting, representing approximately 48% of the total number of common shares of the Company issued and outstanding. All matters presented for approval at the Meeting were duly authorized and approved including setting the board of directors at six, election of all five management nominees to the board of directors of the Company, providing for one vacancy on the board, and the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year and authorization of the directors to fix their remuneration.

Detailed voting results regarding the election of directors are as follows:

Name Voted Vote # Voted For % Voted Withhold # Voted Withhold % Brent Gilchrist 103,097,888 87.24 15,074,246 12.76 Terence Harbort 117,360,655 99.31 811,479 0.69 Morris Prychidny 103,122,888 87.27 15,049,246 12.74 Eric Tremblay 118,160,692 99.99 11,442 0.01 Blair Zaritsky 118,157,692 99.99 14,442 0.01

About Talisker Resources Ltd.

Talisker (taliskerresources.com) is a junior resource company involved in the exploration of gold projects in British Columbia, Canada. Talisker's projects include the Bralorne Gold Complex, an advanced stage project with significant exploration potential from a historical high-grade producing gold mine as well as its Spences Bridge Project where the Company holds ~85% of the emerging Spences Bridge Gold Belt and several other early-stage Greenfields projects. With its properties comprising 282,403 hectares over 258 claims, three leases and 198 crown grant claims, Talisker is a dominant exploration player in the south-central British Columbia. The Company is well funded to advance its aggressive systematic exploration program at its projects.

For further information, please contact:

Terry Harbort, President & CEO

terry.harbort@taliskerresources.com

+1 416 361 2808

SOURCE: Talisker Resources Ltd.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653105/Talisker-Announces-Results-of-Annual-Meeting-of-Shareholders
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Recently, Musashi, a US-based project, inspired from the Japanese legend warrior Musashi has recently launched its offering. The project has recorded a remarkable growth, selling more than 100 million of allocation reserved for Public Sale of MSS Tokens during the first day of its launch. The project further aims to launch the token on PanCake Swap, a leading decentralized exchange on Binance Smart Chain Network before or by 15 th of August 2021.

In the recent years, blockchain and Defi market has recorded substantial growth. Despite the situation surrounding Covid-19, this market sector has recorded phenomenal growth for the last half a year, defi market has grown significantly, giving birth to innovative products such as Aave, UniSwap and NFT marketplaces.

The representative of Musashi, present at the ocassion said: 'We are very thrilled with the phenomenal growth recorded by Musashi in such a short time. The Token sale just got opened for a few hours and achieved with more than 180million of token sale in the first three days, which speaks for the interest the global community have in the MSS Token. With the launch on PanCake Swap, I am sure we bring more decentralization and deliver actual power to the community.'

Talking The Musashi App blends blockchain-based innovation with Miyamoto Musashi history and culture. It offers innovative financial products such as a dedicated utility token, a decentralized exchange, a blockchain-based gaming platform where everyone wins, staking and yield farming protocols, and an NFT based collectible marketplace.

'By implementing the philosophy of the Musashi, the legend, the Musashi App strives to eliminate the role of centralized institutions and intermediaries, seeking to re-examine the financial conventions practiced by people up until now. Like the principles that Samurais and warriors fought for during the medieval decades, Musashi App is fighting against the modern-world manipulative powers, the financial institutions, and intermediaries. We have several innovative products in the pipeline, that includes an NFT Marketplace, a Yield Farming Protocol, Wallet based Stacking and a gaming platform that runs on blockchain' He continued.

About Musashi

Musashi combines blockchain based innovation with Miyamoto Musashi history and culture. It offers innovative financial products such as a dedicated utility token, a decentralised exchange, a blockchain based gaming platform where everyone wins, staking and yield farming protocols and an NFT based collectible marketplace.

Musashi leverages combination of sophisticated technologies such as cryptography, blockchain and decentralized finance, smart contracts and asset tokenization to ensure that its token holders get the best returns against their token purchases. Musashi operates in a peer to peer environment, making it a totally decentralized i.e. without the involvement of banks and other financial institutions, all Musashi users can exercise their financial freedom.

Social Links

Twitter: https://twitter.com/musashifinance

Telegram: https://t.me/musashifinance

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/musashifinance

Media Contact

Company: Musashi Technology Inc

Contact: John Michael Lobo

E-mail: info@musashifinance.com

Website: https://www.musashi.app/

Address: 228 Park Ave, New York, US

SOURCE: Musashi Technology Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653103/Musashi-a-Defi-Project-Opens-It-Access-to-Public
ArcelorMittal Announces the Results of the Invitation for Offers to Sell for Cash up to the Maximum Acceptance Amount of itsEUR 500,000,000 0.950% Notes due 17 January 2023 (the "January 2023 Bonds"), EUR 750,000,000 1.000% Notes due 19 May 2023 (the "May 2023 Bonds"), EUR 1,000,000,000 2.250% Notes due 17 January 2024 (the "2024 Bonds") andEUR 750,000,000 1.750% Notes due 19 November 2025 (the "2025 Bonds")

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS (INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, WAKE ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) (THE "UNITED STATES") OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED) OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT AND THE INVITATION FOR OFFERS. FURTHER CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

Luxembourg, 25 June 2021 - 16:15 CEST - On 17 June 2021, ArcelorMittal ("ArcelorMittal" or the "Company") announced the commencement of an invitation (subject to offer restrictions) to holders of the bonds ("Bondholders") set forth in the table below (the "Bonds") to submit offers to sell for cash (each such offer, an "Offer to Sell") ") up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of USD 1,500,000,000 of the Bonds (as converted into U.S. Dollars at the U.S. Dollar / Euro foreign exchange rate determined by the Company and the Dealer Managers on 24 June 2021 using the Bloomberg BFIX screen) less the principal amount of USD Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Concurrent USD Offer (the "Maximum Acceptance Amount")1 of the Bonds to the Company (the "Invitation") on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Invitation for Offers dated 17 June 2021 (the "Invitation for Offers"). The Invitation expired at 17.00 hours CEST on 24 June 2021.

Announcement of Results of the Invitation

The Company is pleased to announce the acceptance of Offers to Sell as follows:

Bonds



























ISIN Amount tendered Amount accepted























Purchase Yield Purchase Price











Aggregate Principal Amount Outstanding after the Settlement Date EUR 500,000,000 0.950% Notes due 17 January 2023 XS1730873731 214,653,000 0 -0.15% 101.434 % (1,014.34 for each 1,000 in principal amount) 366,879,000 EUR 750,000,000 1.000% Notes due 19 May 2023 XS2082323630 465,562,000 0 -0.15% 101.894% (1,018.94 for each 1,000 in principal amount) 750,000,000 EUR 1,000,000,000 2.250% Notes due 17 January 2024 XS1936308391 470,977,000 470,977,000 -0.10% 105.417% (1,054.17 for each 1,000 in principal amount 529,023,000 EUR 750,000,000 1.750% Notes due 19 November 2025 XS2082324018 285,711,000 0 N/A 106.35% (1,063.50 for each 1,000 in principal amount) 750,000,000

Settlement

The Settlement Date is expected to be 29 June 2021. All tenders pursuant to the Invitation will settle through the normal procedures of the relevant Clearing System. On the Settlement Date, the Company shall pay or procure that there is paid to each Bondholder which has validly submitted an Offer to Sell accepted for purchase by the Company, an amount in cash equal to the Total Consideration.

Payment of the relevant Total Consideration, by or on behalf of the Company shall fully and finally discharge the Company's obligations to the relevant Bondholders in respect of the Bonds delivered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Invitation and as soon as reasonably practicable following the Settlement Date, such Bonds shall be canceled pursuant to their terms and conditions. Under no circumstances will any additional interest be payable by the Company to a Bondholder due to any delay in the transmission of funds from the relevant Clearing System or any intermediary with respect to the Bonds of that Bondholder.

Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs International, Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Europe GmbH and Societe Generale have been appointed to serve as the dealer managers for the Offers. D.F. King Ltd. has been retained to serve as the information and tender agent ("Tender Agent").

For additional information regarding the terms of the Invitation, please contact Citigroup Global Markets Limited at +44 20 7986 8969, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank at +44 207 214 5733, Goldman Sachs International at +44 207 552 6157, Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. at +39 027 265 7020, Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH at +44 20 7090 6134, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Europe GmbH at +44 20 3527 7545 or Societe Generale at +33 1 42 13 32 40 / +33 1 42 13 79 52. Requests for documents and questions regarding the Offers to Sell may be directed to D.F. King Ltd via email: arcelormittal@dfkingltd.com, or telephone: London: +44 20 7920 9700.

A copy of the Invitation for Offers is also available at https://sites.dfkingltd.com/arcelormittal and may be obtained at no charge from D.F. King.

Capitalized terms used and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Invitation for Offers.

###

This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Invitation for Offers. The distribution of this announcement and the Invitation for Offers in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this Notice or the Invitation for Offers comes are required by each of the Company, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

United States. The Invitation is not being made and will not be made directly or indirectly in or into, or by use of the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission, telex, telephone, email and other forms of electronic transmission) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national securities exchange of, or to beneficial owners of the Bonds who are located in the United States as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or to U.S. Persons as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act (each a "U.S. Person") and the Bonds may not be offered for sale in the Invitation by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from or within the United States, by persons located or resident in the United States or by U.S. Persons. Accordingly, copies of the Invitation for Offers and any documents or materials related to the Invitation are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded in or into the United States or to any such person. Any purported Offer to Sell in response to the Invitation resulting directly or indirectly from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid, and Offers to Sell made by a person located in the United States or any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary giving instructions from within the United States or any U.S. Person will not be accepted.

Each Bondholder participating in the Invitation will represent that it is not a U.S. Person, is not located in the United States and is not participating in such Invitation from the United States. For the purposes of this and the above paragraph, "United States" has the meaning given to it in Regulation S of the Securities Act and includes the United States of America, its territories and possessions (including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands), any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia.

European Economic Area. In any European Economic Area ("EEA") member state (each a "Relevant State"), this communication and the Invitation for Offers are only addressed to and are only directed at qualified investors within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended or superseded) (the "EU Prospectus Regulation") in that Relevant State. Each person in a Relevant State who receives any communication in respect of the Invitation contemplated in the Invitation for Offers will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of each of the EU Prospectus Regulation.

United Kingdom. The Invitation for Offers is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in the United Kingdom within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "UK Prospectus Regulation") in the United Kingdom. Each person in the United Kingdom who receives any communication in respect of the Invitation contemplated in the Invitation for Offers will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

Additional United Kingdom restrictions. This communication, the Invitation for Offers and any other documents or materials relating to the Invitation are for distribution only to persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom; (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Order"); (iii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Order; (iv) are members or creditors of certain bodies corporate as defined by or within Article 43(2) of the Order; or (v) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This communication, the Invitation for Offers and any other documents or materials relating to the Invitation are directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

France. The Invitation for Offers nor any other documents or offering materials relating to the Invitation have been distributed or caused to be distributed and will not be distributed or caused to be distributed in France, other than to qualified investors (investisseursqualifies), as defined in Article L. 411-2 1 of the French Code monetaire et financier and in Article 2(e) of the EU Prospectus Regulation. Neither the Invitation for Offers, nor any other such offering material has been submitted for clearance to the Autorite des marches financiers. By participating in the Invitation, an investor resident and/or located in France will be deemed to represent and warrant to the Company, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent that it is a qualified investor.

Italy. None of the Invitation, the Invitation for Offers or any other documents or materials relating to the Invitation have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB") pursuant to applicable Italian laws and regulations.

The Invitation is being carried out in the Republic of Italy ("Italy") as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the "Consolidated Financial Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended (the "Issuer's Regulation"). The Invitation is also being carried out in compliance with article 35-bis, paragraph 7 of the Issuers' Regulation.

Bondholders or beneficial owners of the Bonds located in Italy may tender the Bonds through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Consolidated Financial Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-a-vis its clients in connection with the Bonds or the Invitation.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014.

ENDS

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittalis the world's leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 17 countries. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes. Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York



Contact information ArcelorMittal Investor Relations General +44 207 543 1128 Retail +44 203 214 2893 SRI +44 203 214 2801 Bonds/Credit +33 171 921 026 Contact information ArcelorMittal Corporate Communications



E-mail:



press@arcelormittal.com (mailto:press@arcelormittal.com) Paul Weigh +44 203 214 2419





1 USD892,839,000 of the USD Notes were tendered in the Concurrent USD Offer (resulting in a Maximum Acceptance Amount applicable to this Invitation of 509,104,498.5, as calculated in the manner described above).
Capitalized terms used and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Offer to Purchase.

Important Information

This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation to buy any Notes nor is it a solicitation for acceptance of the Offers. This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Offer to Purchase and the announcement dated June 17, 2021. The distribution of this announcement and the Offer to Purchase in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this announcement or the Offer to Purchase comes are required by each of the Company, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

###

European Economic Area. In any European Economic Area ("EEA") member state (each, a "Member State"), the Invitation for Offers is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended or superseded) (the "EU Prospectus Regulation"), in that Member State. Each person in a Member State who receives any communication in respect of the Invitation contemplated in the Invitation for Offers will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of each of the EU Prospectus Regulation.

United Kingdom. This announcement, the Offer to Purchase and any other documents or offering materials relating to the Offers are for distribution only to persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom; (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Order"); (iii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Order; (iv) are members or creditors of certain bodies corporate as defined by or within Article 43(2) of the Order; or (v) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons"). This announcement and the Offer to Purchase are directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

France. None of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or offering materials relating to the Offers have been distributed or caused to be distributed and will not be distributed or caused to be distributed in France, other than to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies), as defined in Article L. 411-2 1 of the French Code monetaire et financier and in Article 2(e) of the EU Prospectus Regulation. None of this announcement, the Offer to Purchase, or any other such offering material has been submitted for clearance to the Autorite des marches financiers. By participating in an Offer, an investor resident and/or located in France will be deemed to represent and warrant to the Company, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent that it is a qualified investor.

Italy. None of this announcement, the Offers, the Offer to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Offers have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa ("CONSOB"), pursuant to applicable Italian laws and regulations.

The Offers are being carried out in the Republic of Italy ("Italy") as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended (the "ConsolidatedFinancial Act") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended (the "Issuer's Regulation"). The Offers are also being carried out in compliance with article 35-bis, paragraph 7 of the Issuers' Regulation.

Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes located in Italy may tender the Notes in the Offers through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Consolidated Financial Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of February 15, 2018, as amended, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-a-vis its clients in connection with the Notes or the Offers.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014.

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittalis the world's leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 17 countries. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes. Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Moneta Porcupine Mines Inc. (TSX: ME) (OTCQX: MEAUF) (XETRA: MOP) ("Moneta" or the Company") announced approval of each of the matters set out in the Company's Management Information Circular dated May 10th, 2021 at the 2021 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders held via webcast on June 24th, 2021.

The total number of shares represented by shareholders present in person virtually and by proxy at the Meeting was 356,911,245, representing 64.01% of the Corporation's outstanding shares.

The special resolutions to approve the Company's name change to "Moneta Gold Inc." and to approve a share consolidation of its outstanding common shares on a ratio of one (1) post-consolidation share for every six (6) pre-consolidation share was approved by the Company's shareholders.

Each of the following eight director nominees proposed by management in the Management Information Circular was elected. The votes were cast as follows:

Nominee Votes For % Withheld % Mark Ashcroft 335,021,991 95.30% 16,519,923 4.70% Rodney A. Cooper 344,183,112 97.91% 7,358,802 2.09% Alexander D. Henry 338,855,047 96.39% 12,686,867 3.61% Krista Muhr 349,977,714 99.56% 1,564,200 0.44% Gary V. O'Connor 340,785,756 96.94% 10,756,158 3.06% Josef Vejvoda 336,167,508 95.63% 15,374,406 4.37% Jose Vizquerra 319,971,270 91.02% 31,570,644 8.98% Blair Zaritsky 336,300,310 95.66% 15,241,604 4.34%

BDO Canada LLP was reappointed as auditor of the Corporation and the directors were authorized to fix the auditor's compensation.

Mr. Alex Henry, Chairman, commented "We are extremely pleased to welcome our newest board member, Ms. Krista Muhr, who has extensive capital markets experience spanning investor relations and environmental, sustainability and governance roles with a variety of mining corporations. In addition, I would like to thank our departing board member, Mr. Ian Peres for his many years of service and dedication to the company. We wish Mr. Peres all the best in his future endeavours."

Final voting results, on all matters voted on at the meeting are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

About Moneta

Moneta is a Canadian based gold exploration company focussed on the Timmins Gold Camp in Ontario. The Company's flagship project, covering the Golden Highway and Garrison Gold deposits, is located 100 km east of Timmins and hosts a total indicated resource of 3,967,000 ounces contained gold and a total inferred resource of 4,399,000 ounces contained gold. The project includes a total of 3,335,000 ounces of open pit indicated resources contained within 116.7 Mt @ 0.89 g/t Au and 2,270,000 ounces of open pit inferred resources contained within 79.4 Mt @ 0.89 g/t Au, at a cut-off grade of 0.30 g/t Au. The project also includes 632,000 ounces of indicated underground resources contained within 4.9 Mt @ 4.05 g/t Au and 2,129,000 ounces of inferred underground resources within 15.7 Mt @ 4.21 g/t Au, at a 2.60 g/t Au cut-off grade at South West and 3.00 g/t Au cut-off grade at the other underground deposits.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Gary V. O'Connor, CEO

416-357-3319

Linda Armstrong, Investor Relations

647-456-9223

The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com. For further information on the Company, please visit our website at www.monetaporcupine.com or email us at info@monetaporcupine.com.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88651
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - AgriCann Solutions Corp. (the "Company", "AgriCann" or "ASC") is pleased to announce that it has entered into binding Letters of Intent to acquire three established, privately-held enterprises, and is exercising its option to acquire Sticky Leaf Cannabis ("Sticky Leaf"), summarized as follows:

Advantage Microbial Solutions ("AMS"), founded in Kelowna British Columbia in 2008, to be acquired through a share exchange whereby AgriCann acquires 100% of AMS (the "Target"), for closing consideration of $3.5 million via the issue of 7,000,000 common shares at $0.50 per share from treasury to its shareholders. It is expected that ASC will add one new director as a result of this acquisition.



Royal Asset Management, LLC ("RAM"), and Venture Product Consulting, LLC ("VPC"), founded in Denver Colorado in 2015, to be acquired through a shares-for-interests exchange whereby AgriCann acquires 100% of RAM and VPC for closing consideration of $13.0 million via the issue of 26,000,000 common shares at $0.50 from treasury to the stakeholders of RAM and VPC. It is expected that ASC will add two new directors as a result of this acquisition.



In accordance with AgriCann's Option to Buy Agreement (the "Agreement" or "Option") of October 12, 2020 (see news release dated October 14, 2020) Sticky Leaf has been given notice of the exercise of ASC's Option to acquire the business for common shares of AgriCann. Sticky Leaf is currently operating under (i) Cannabis Retail Store ("CRS") Licence #450020 issued by the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch ("BC LCRB"), located in Creston; (ii) CRS Licence #450334 issued by the BC LCRB, located in Okanagan Falls, and (iii) the in-progress BC LCRB licence application for a CRS in Penticton. Sticky Leaf, historically operated as an unincorporated business, is in progress to become a 100%-owned incorporated subsidiary of AgriCann as Sticky Leaf Cannabis Corp ("SLCC"). Upon completion of the legal acquisition of SLCC from the current shareholder, ASC will issue to the owner of SLCC one share of ASC valued at $0.50 per share for each $0.50 of retail sales, determined from trailing 12-month sales as at the exercise of the Option, subject to adjustments for certain gross profit and balance sheet requirements. Upon completion of the ownership transfer, ASC will release all personal guarantees given over the advances ASC made to Sticky Leaf under its line of credit, totalling $275,000 to date. Based on recent sales information provided, but before any compensatory adjustments, up to 700,000 common shares of ASC priced at $0.50 per share could be issued from treasury to the SLCC shareholder.

Transaction details

The AMS acquisition remains subject to completion of a reorganization of the Target's balance sheet such that certain shares, property, equipment, indebtedness, and other items not integral to the Advantage Microbial business are severed from the accounts of the Target in a tax efficient manner. In the event that the land and building and/or other non-core assets remain as part of the acquisition, additional compensation may be negotiated. All common shares issued for AMS will be subject to escrow and voluntary pooling restrictions.

The RAM and VPC acquisition is subject to consent from the Colorado Department of Revenue Marijuana Enforcement Division ("MED") and local governmental regulators, customary conditions and approvals, as well as adjustments for material changes to financial disclosure required upon audit. All common shares issued will be subject to escrow and voluntary pooling restrictions.

Related party disclosure

The principals involved in these acquisitions are arm's-length parties to the Company, with the following exceptions:

Timothy Tombe controls AMS. Tim is an insider of AgriCann as he currently holds or controls approximately 14.84% of the issued and outstanding shares, which would increase to 21.98% upon conversion of the principal amount of the entire issue of Convertible Debentures ("CDs") into units of one share and a half warrant, and 24.32% upon exercise of all issued warrants given a further investment of $500,000. Upon closing of the AMS, RAM and VPC acquisitions, Tim will hold or control 22.40% of AgriCann and become a director of AgriCann.



Robert van Santen is AgriCann's current CEO and a director, and holds or controls approximately 17.59% of the issued and outstanding shares of AgriCann, which would increase to 24.02% upon conversion of the principal amount of the entire issue of CDs into units of one share and a half warrant, and 26.13% upon exercise of all issued warrants given a further investment of $500,000. Upon closing of the AMS, RAM and VPC acquisitions, it is expected that Rob will hold or control 16.10% of AgriCann by virtue of his wife Leslie van Santen's ownership of Phi Beta Capital Advisors Ltd., as a creditor of RAM and VPC, assuming settlement of that note for common shares as a participant in the acquisition of RAM and VPC. Leslie is currently a director of AgriCann but is expected to resign to make room for a new slate of directors post-closing of these acquisitions.

These transactions have been approved by the Company's board of directors and are expected to close on or before October 31, 2021.

AgriCann currently has 13,480,758 Common Shares outstanding. Upon completion of all the transactions contemplated herein without further adjustments, it is expected to have 47,180,758 shares outstanding.

About Advantage Microbial Solutions

Advantage Microbial Solutions ("AMS"), founded in 2008, is a producer of green, sustainable soil amendments within Canada's premier agricultural area, the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. AMS supplies organic crop production inputs to some of Canada's finest craft cannabis growers and leading organic produce producers, and manufacture the complete line of Micro Maxx Organics.

About Royal Asset Management, LLC and Venture Product Consulting, LLC

Royal Asset Management LLC, doing business as Diego Pellicer (Colorado), and Venture Product Consulting LLC are privately held companies located in Denver, Colorado. Collectively they are a vertically integrated fully licenced cannabis enterprise with a focus on cannabis cultivation, extraction, infused product manufacturing, and retail sales. They continue to experience year-over-year growth and have consistently been recognized as Colorado's best and as an award-winning cannabis brand and dispensary.

About AgriCann Solutions Corp.

The Company is a "Reporting Issuer" that originated as one of three spinouts upon completion of a statutory plan of arrangement completed by The Valens Company (VLNS-TSXV) (formerly Valens GroWorks Corp.) on March 12, 2015. The Company is strategically acquiring suitable synergistic business opportunities with potential for scalable cash flow and sustainable growth to create shareholder value.

ON BEHALF OF AGRICANN SOLUTIONS CORP.

(signed) "Rob van Santen"

CEO & Director

For further information, please contact:

Robert van Santen, CA, CPA, CMT

Telephone: +1.604.608.1999

Some of the statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "intends", "is expected", "potential", "suggests" or variations of such words or phrases, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are not historical facts and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control. Actual results and developments are likely to differ, and may differ materially, from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except as may be required by law. The Company will provide further updates respecting these initiatives as developments occur. There can be no assurance that interests in any or all of these or additional projects being pursued will be acquired, funded and/or commercialized.

AgriCann Solutions Corp.

400-1771 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6G 1C9

Tel. +1.604.608.1999 ~ Fax. +1.778.379.9990

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88656
Clean Invest Africa plc

("Clean Invest Africa", the "Company")

Extension of Reporting Deadline and Financial Update

25 June 2021

Clean Invest Africa today announces that, due to logistical issues arising from Covid - 19 restrictions and in accordance with the Stakeholder Update released by the Aquis Stock Exchange on 31 March 2020, the Company has been granted an extension of one month for the publication of its annual Report and Accounts for the year ended 31 December 2020. The Company will publish these results as soon as possible, and by no later than the end of July 2021.

The Company is in discussions with a number of potential investors in relation to significant financial investment into the Company's future. Some of these discussions are advanced. There is no guarantee that these discussions will close successfully and the Company will update shareholders as appropriate.

The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

ENQUIRIES :

Clean Invest Africa plc

Filippo Fantechi (Executive Director) +973 3969 6273

Shaikh Mohamed Abdulla Khalifa AlKhalifa (Non-Executive Chairman) +973 3969 2299

Peterhouse Capital Limited

Corporate Adviser +44 20 7469 0930

Guy Miller/Mark Anwyl
PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Hiru Corp. (the 'Company' or 'HIRU')(OTC PINK:HIRU) - HIRU is pleased to announce today that the OTC Markets Group, Inc. ('OTC Markets') has removed the Caveat Emptor warning from the OTC Markets website that had been previously associated with the company's ticker symbol. This Caveat Emptor removal is a direct result of a concerted effort to update the company's financial records.

The Company has published its financial statements for the fiscal years December 31, 2019, December 31, 2020, as well as the first quarter ended March 31, 2021. Additionally, the Company's securities counsel posted the omnibus annual legal opinion required by OTC Markets. All these OTC Markets filings were completed in an effort to become current with the mandatory quarterly filing requirements as set forth by OTC Markets.

Kathryn Gavin (HIRU Sole Officer and Director) stated, "It has been far too long since this Company has provided any financial information to the OTC Markets for the public consumption for which it is meant. It was my goal to provide this information in an expeditious and transparent manner. Now we can move on to building the revenue base of the Company as we move forward." Ms. Gavin continued by adding, "The removal of the Caveat Emptor is just the first step toward HIRU's new future and in so doing it demonstrates to current shareholders and potential investors alike that we are open for business."

Ms. Gavin has been working arduously since being appointed CEO of HIRU to address the inherited shortcomings that existed before her appointment. This is a strong show of force since being made sole officer and director less than 60 days ago.

About Us

Hiru Corp. is a Georgia corporation, is a public quoted Pink Sheets issuer under the ticker symbol 'HIRU'.

Forward Looking Statement

Certain statements that we make may constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include information concerning future strategic objectives, business prospects, anticipated savings, financial results (including expenses, earnings, liquidity, cash flow and capital expenditures), industry or market conditions, demand for and pricing of our products, acquisitions and divestitures, anticipated results of litigation and regulatory developments or general economic conditions. In addition, words such as believes, expects, anticipates, intends, plans, estimates, projects, forecasts, and future or conditional verbs such as will, may, could, should, and would, as well as any other statement that necessarily depends on future events, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees, and they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although we make such statements based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. We caution investors not to rely unduly on any forward-looking statements and urge you to carefully consider the risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including our most recent Annual Report and subsequent Flings, which are available on Otcmarkets.com. We expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement in the event it later turns out to be inaccurate, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

CONTACT:

Address: 3331 North 35th Avenue

Phoenix, Arizona 95107

Web Site: www.waterandiceshop.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hirucorp

Phone: 928-408-4486

Email: info@waterandiceshop.com

Contact: Kathryn Gavin, CEO

SOURCE: Hiru Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653124/Hiru-Corp-Announces-OTC-Markets-has-Removed-the-Caveat-Emptor
The "Switzerland Data Center Market Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Switzerland data center market size to witness CAGR of 3.44% during 2021-2026.

Switzerland is a major and mature data center market, which ranks 12th across the globe in terms of mobile internet speed and 4th in fixed broadband services. The internet penetration in the country is over 95%.

Telecommunication service providers, enterprises, government agencies, and cloud and colocation service providers are the major data center investors in Switzerland. IT companies account for over 50% of data center service demand in Switzerland.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT:

Server systems suitable for machine learning and artificial intelligence workloads are likely to observe growth during the forecast period.

The adoption of 200/400 GbE ports is likely to increase, significantly impacting data center interconnection solutions.

Mission-critical and high-performance server systems are likely to dominate the market owing to the increase in IoT-related technology.

The majority of facilities are built to be Tier III standards, with N+1 redundant configuration across UPS systems.

In terms of electrical infrastructure, generators with N+1 redundant configuration expect to observe growth during the forecast period.

Data center operators in Switzerland are to procure generators with at least 48 hours of on-site fuel backup.

Free cooling techniques and chillers are the most adopted cooling systems in facilities.

The use of 45U-48U rack units expects to grow during the forecast period; however, 42U rack units are likely to observe a decline.

SWITZERLAND DATA CENTER MARKET INSIGHTS

The growing demand for smart devices and analytics cloud adoption and the growth of wireless networking technologies have led several Switzerland-based organizations to invest in Big data and IoT technology.

Over 90% of the population in Switzerland is covered under 5G. The deployment of 5G across the country will enable IoT devices to communicate and share data at a faster speed.

The adoption of cloud-computing technology in 2020 grew by around 30%. The adoption of cloud computing technology has experienced considerable growth in Switzerland over the last few years.

The revenue from the public cloud expects to reach over $10 billion by 2026.

Cities such as Zurich and Geneva lead the colocation market. Zurich is considered one of the largest Tier III colocation markets in Europe.

The share of wholesale colocation will increase in the coming years, with increased investments by cloud service providers.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift from on-premise to colocation facilities by enterprises and the government are increasing the data center service demand.

The country has a high internet penetration at around 96% of the overall population, with around 7.33 million active mobile internet users.

Smart city initiatives and 5G deployment will increase the number of connected devices during the forecast period, leading to edge data center deployments across the country.

SWITZERLAND DATA CENTER MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE

The Switzerland data center market comprises several IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors. Vendors have involved a flurry of infrastructure and construction activities.

They are at the forefront of several innovations that aim to enhance the operational efficiency of facilities, reduce power consumption, and decrease carbon emissions. Renewable energy sources power multiple hyperscale facilities. The adoption of cloud-based services, big data analytics, and IoT services has been driven by local enterprises, boosting local colocation and managing host services demand in the market.

IT Infrastructure Providers

Arista Networks

Atos

Broadcom

Cisco Systems

Dell Technologies

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Huawei Technologies

IBM

Lenovo

NetApp

Construction Service Providers

Arup

Basler Hofmann

cpcm (construction project cost management)

DPR Construction

ffbk Architekten

Gruner

ISG

Steiger Concept

Turner Townsend

Support Infrastructure Providers

ABB

Caterpillar

Cummins

Eaton

KOHLER-SDMO

Legrand

Rittal

Rolls-Royce Power Systems

Schneider Electric

Socomec

STULZ

Trane Technologies

Vertiv

Data Center Investors

Digital Realty

Equinix

ewl (energie wasser luzern)

Green Datacenter

Safe Host

Vantage Data Centers

REPORT COVERAGE:

The segmentation includes:

Existing Vs. Upcoming Data Centers

Existing Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

List of Upcoming Facilities in the region (Area and Power Capacity)

SWITZERLAND DATA CENTER INVESTMENT COVERAGE

Infrastructure Type

IT Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

IT Infrastructure

Server

Storage

Network

Electrical Infrastructure

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

Generators

Transfer Switches and Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure

General Construction

Building Development

Installation Commissioning Services

Building Design

Physical Security

DCIM

Tier Segments

Tier I Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV

Geography

Zurich

Geneva

Lausanne

Lucerne

Wolhusen

Bern

Lupfig

Steinhausen

Satigny

WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH?

Market size available in the area, power capacity, investment, and colocation revenue.

An assessment of the investment in Switzerland by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators

Data center investments in terms of area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across cities in the country

A detailed study of the existing market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the Switzerland data center market size during the forecast period

Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party facilities in Switzerland

Facilities Covered (Existing): 31

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 9

Coverage: Over 11 Regions

Existing vs. Upcoming (Data Center Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Switzerland

Market Revenue Forecast (2020-2026)

Retail Colocation Pricing

Wholesale Colocation Pricing

Classification of the Switzerland data center market investments into multiple segments and sub-segments (IT, power, cooling, and general construction services) with market sizing and forecast

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, and growth restraints, and market prospects for the industry

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors, support infrastructure providers, and data center investors operating in the market

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspect of the market

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3iudks

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005405/en/

Contacts:

ResearchAndMarkets.com

Laura Wood, Senior Press Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900
Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - Credo Resources Inc. (the "Company" or the "Issuer") is pleased to announce that the Authorite des Marches Financier (former Commission des Valeurs Mobilieres du Quebec/Quebec Securities Commission) ("AMF"), has issued an order (the "Order") on June 22, 2021 revoking a cease trade order which was in effect since June 22, 1999.

At the Annual General and Special Meeting of the shareholders held on June 3, 2021, the shareholders approved the Corporation's updated by-laws, the name change, the stock consolidation, the re-appointment of Wasserman Ramsey as auditors of the Company for the ensuing year, and elected Mr. Dominique Monardo, Mr. Edward Murphy and Ms. Inga Izikson as directors of the Corporation. The shareholders also approved and ratified all acts of the Directors, Administrators, Officers, and any Interested Persons of the Corporation.

Prior to the meeting and pursuant to the Order of the Honourable Justice Collier, of the Superior court, District of Montreal, commercial Division in file: 500-11-057185-197 dated November 19, 2019, the requisite quorum requirement was dispensed with.

The Company does not have any definitive plans in place for the operation of the business at this time. However, the Company will proceed in a search for a business reverse take-over, merger, amalgamation or other form of combination.

The Company is currently being funded by Robert Salna. The purpose of these funds is for current expenses involving the administration and accounting for the Company. These advances are non-interest bearing, unsecured, with no fixed repayment terms. It is anticipated Mr. Salna will continue to advance funds until management completes a business acquisition. The Board of Directors considers these amounts and the fact that the loans are unsecured to be immaterial to the control of the Company.

Further to the Orders the Company undertakes to the AMF that the Company will not complete:

(a) a restructuring transaction involving, directly or indirectly, an existing or proposed, material underlying business which is not located in Canada,

(b) a reverse takeover with a reverse takeover acquirer that has a direct or indirect, existing or proposed, material underlying business which is not located in Canada, or

(c) a significant acquisition involving, directly or indirectly, an existing or proposed, material underlying business which is not located in Canada,

Unless:

(i) the Issuer files a preliminary prospectus and a final prospectus with the AMF and obtains receipts for the preliminary prospectus and the final prospectus from the AMF; and

(ii) the Issuer files or delivers with the preliminary prospectus and the final prospectus the documents required by Part 9 of National Instrument 41-101 General Prospectus Requirements ("NI 41-101") including a completed personal information form and authorization in the form set out in Appendix A of NI 41-101 for each current and incoming director, executive officer and promoter of the Issuer, and

(iii) the preliminary prospectus and final prospectus contain the information required by applicable securities legislation, including the information required for a probable restructuring transaction, reverse takeover or significant acquisition (as applicable).

The Company has filed a Material Change Report on SEDAR.

For more information, please contact

Credo Resources Inc.

Ms. Sheri Monardo

sherimonardo@gmail.com

*NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN THE UNITED STATES*

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88669
DGAP Voting Rights Announcement: QIAGEN N.V.

QIAGEN N.V.: Release according to Article 40, Section 1 of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] with the objective of Europe-wide distribution



25.06.2021 / 22:04

Dissemination of a Voting Rights Announcement transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.



The AFM (the Netherlands Authority For the Financial Markets) has informed us on June 23, 2021 that a notification related to our institution has been released by the AFM. The following notification has been disclosed in the relevant register on the AFM website: Date of transaction: 18 jun 2021

Person obliged to notify: BlackRock, Inc.

Issuing institution: Qiagen N.V.

Registration Chamber of Commerce: 12036979

Place of residence: VENLO Distribution in numbers Type of share Number of shares Number of voting rights Capital interest Voting rights Manner of disposal Settlement Ordinary share 31.593.649,00

34.437.971,00 Real Real Indirectly - BlackRock, Inc. Contract for difference 305.195,00 305.195,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - BlackRock, Inc. In Cash Ordinary share

1.279.452,00 1.279.452,00 Potential Potential Indirectly - BlackRock, Inc. Physical Delivery

Distribution in percentages Type Total holding Directly real Directly potential Indirectly real Indirectly potential Capital interest 14,37 % 0,00 % 0,00 % 13,69 % 0,69 % Voting rights 15,61 % 0,00 % 0,00 % 14,92 % 0,69 % QIAGEN N.V. is not responsible for the accuracy and correctness of the notification above. The content has been taken from the relevant register of the AFM:

BlackRock, Inc. - Qiagen N.V. - VENLO | Register substantial holdings and gross short positions | AFM Professionals

25.06.2021 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.

Archive at www.dgap.de


VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Silver Elephant Mining Corp. ("Silver Elephant" or "the Company") (TSX:ELEF)(OTCQX:SILEF)(Frankfurt:1P2N) announces the receipt of the TSX approval for its request to extend its Annual General Meeting.

The Company will hold its Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders on September 10, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. (EDT).

About Silver Elephant

Silver Elephant Mining Corp. is a premier silver mining and exploration company.

Further information on Silver Elephant can be found at www.silverelef.com.

SILVER ELEPHANT MINING CORP.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

"John Lee"

Executive Chairman

For more information about Silver Elephant, please contact Investor Relations:

+1.604.569.3661 ext. 101

ir@silverelef.com

www.silverelef.com

Neither the Toronto Stock Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release, including statements which may contain words such as "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "plans", "believes", "estimates", or similar expressions, and statements related to matters which are not historical facts are forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements, which reflect management's expectations regarding Company's future growth, results of operations, performance, and business prospects and opportunities, are based on certain factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to: statements about the estimation of mineral resources; magnitude or quality of mineral deposits; anticipated advancement of mineral properties or programs; future operations; future exploration prospectus; future corporate events; the completion and timing of mineral resource estimates and the PEA; future growth potential for the Company and Nevada Vanadium; and future development plans.

These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others: risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business; the Company's stage of development; the impact of COVID-19 on the timing of exploration and development work; the Company's financial position; possible variations in mineralization, grade or recovery rates; actual results of current exploration activities; actual results of reclamation activities; conclusions of future economic evaluations; business integration risks; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions; fluctuations in securities markets; fluctuations in spot and forward prices of vanadium, nickel, silver, base metals or certain other commodities; fluctuations in currency markets (such as the Canadian dollar to United States dollar exchange rate); change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, cave-ins and flooding); inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure its shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be anticipated, estimated or intended. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events, or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events, or results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release any future revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as expressly required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

SOURCE: Silver Elephant Mining Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653178/Silver-Elephant-to-Hold-Annual-General-and-Special-Meeting-of-Shareholders-on-September-10-2021
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Monterey Minerals Inc. (the "Company" or "Monterey") (CSE:MREY)(FSE:2DK) today announces that James Macintosh has resigned his position as President & CEO, and Director of the Company effective immediately to pursue other opportunities.

As a result of the resignation, Monterey's Board of Directors has appointed David Lees as interim CEO.

Mr. David Lees currently serves on the Board of Directors of Monterey, Mr. Lees has over 20 years' experience in the financial services industry, beginning his career as a stockbroker before moving into investment and funds management, with a primary focus on natural resources. These roles have given Mr. Lees extensive experience with capital raising, business development, portfolio management, business relationships and corporate governance. He currently serves as a non-executive director of ASX-listed Sultan Resources Ltd. (SLZ). David's education qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics and post graduate diploma in Applied Finance and Investment. Mr. Lees has assumed the role of Chairman of the Audit Committee.

The Company thanks Mr. Macintosh for his service and wishes him the best of luck on his future endeavors.

About Monterey Minerals Inc.

The Company owns the Cobalt Mountain Property (the "Property") in the Omineca Mining Division of British Columbia near the town of Smithers. The Company's NI 43-101 technical report, available on SEDAR, notes historic sampling on the Property that returned mineralized showings of gold, silver, copper, zinc and cobalt. The Company has optioned its 451 sq. km. of prospective Pilbara Basin tenements on the eastern flank of the Pilbara Basin in Western Australia to an Australian exploration company.

For more information, contact investor relations at info@montereyminerals.com.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

David Lees,

Interim CEO

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release

This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of the Company. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based on are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Monterey Minerals Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653176/Monterey-Minerals-Announces-Management-Changes
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 25, 2021 / Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc. ("Zinc8" or the "Company") (CSE:ZAIR)(OTC PINK:ZAIRF)(FSE:0E9) announces that its common shares trading on the OTC Markets will begin trading under the symbol ZAIRF at the market open, June 28, 2021.

The Company effected the OTC Markets symbol change to align with its name change which was effective in 2020. The new trading symbol is similar to the trading symbol on what has so far been its main trading exchange, the Canadian Securities Exchange. As a result of the focus of our engagements and potential customers in the United States, management believes that US interest will continue to build.

The Company's common shares will also continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ZAIR and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol 0E9.

About Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.

Zinc8 has assembled an experienced team to execute the development and commercialization of a dependable low-cost zinc-air battery. This mass storage system offers both environmental and efficiency benefits. Zinc8 strives to meet the growing need for secure and reliable power.

To watch a short video outlining Zinc8's technology, please visit https://zinc8energy.com.

More about the Zinc8 Energy Storage System (ESS)

The Zinc8 ESS is a modular Energy Storage System designed to deliver power in the range 20kW - 50MW with capacity of 8 hours of storage duration or higher. With the advantage of rechargeable zinc-air flow battery technology, the system can be configured to support a wide range of long-duration applications for microgrids and utilities. Since the energy storage capacity of the system is determined only by the size of the zinc storage tank, a very cost-effective and scalable solution now exists as an alternative to the fixed power/energy ratio of the lithium ion battery.

Technology

The Zinc8 ESS is based upon unique patented zinc-air battery technology. Energy is stored in the form of zinc particles, similar in size to grains of sand. When the system is delivering power, the zinc particles are combined with oxygen drawn from the surrounding air. When the system is recharging, zinc particles are regenerated, and oxygen is returned to the surrounding air.

Applications

The flexibility of the Zinc8 ESS enables it to service a wide range of applications. Typical examples include:

Smoothing energy derived from renewable sources such as wind and solar

Commercial/Industrial backup replacing diesel generators

Industrial and grid scale, on-demand power for peak shaving and standby reserves

Grid-scale services such as alleviating grid congestion, deferring transmission/distribution upgrades, energy trading and arbitrage, and increasing renewable energy penetration.

Architecture

The Zinc8 ESS is designed according to a modular architecture that enables a wide variety of system configurations to be created from a small number of common subsystems. Each subsystem implements a single element of the technology:

The Zinc Regeneration Subsystem (ZRS) provides the recharging function

The Fuel Storage Subsystem (FSS) provides the energy storage function

The Power Generation Subsystem (PGS) provides the discharging function

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

All statements and disclosures, other than those of historical fact, which address activities, events, outcomes, results or developments that Zinc8 Storage anticipates or expects may or will occur in the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking statements.

Forward looking statements in this press release include that there will be building US interest in our business; that we can execute the development and commercialization of a dependable low cost zinc-air battery; that our mass storage system offers both environmental and efficiency benefits; and that we can help meet the needs for secure and reliable power. Zinc8 Energy Solutions believes the material factors, expectations and assumptions reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable at this time, but no assurance can be given that these factors, expectations and assumptions will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements including, without limitation: that we are not able to raise funds as expected; that our technology fails to work as expected or at all; that our technology proves to be too expensive to implement broadly; that US investor interest may not increase; that customers do not adapt our products for being too complex, costly, or not fitting with their current products or plans; our competitors may offer better or cheaper solutions for battery storage; general economic, market and business conditions; increased costs and expenses; inability to retain qualified employees; our patents may not provide protection as expected and we may infringe on the patents of others; the completion of our planned private placement or are unable to raise all of the funds we are seeking to raise; and certain other risks detailed from time to time in Zinc8 Energy Solution's public disclosure documents, copies of which are available on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the CSE nor any Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For more information please contact:

Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.

Ron MacDonald

Incite Capital Markets

Kristian Schneck / Eric Negraeff

Ph: 604.493.2004

Email: investors@zinc8energy.com

SOURCE: Zinc8 Energy Solutions Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/653177/Zinc8-Energy-Solutions-Announces-Symbol-Change-For-OTC-Markets
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION DIRECTLY, OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 25, 2021) - ALX Resources Corp. (TSXV: AL) (FSE: 6LLN) (OTC: ALXEF) ("ALX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing on June 25, 2021 of the second and final tranche of a non-brokered private placement consisting of 790,000 non-flow-through units (the "NFT Units") and 250,000 flow-through units ("FT Units") of the Company for gross proceeds of $88,200 (the "Second Tranche"). A total of 15,591,250 NFT units and 2,940,000 FT units were sold in two tranches for gross proceeds to the Company of $1,541,300 (the "Offering").

The NFT Units were sold at a price of $0.08 per NFT Unit, consisting of one common share and one common share purchase warrant. The FT Units were sold at a price of $0.10 per FT Unit consisting of one flow-through common share and one non flow-through common share purchase warrant. One common share purchase warrant from the NFT Units entitles the holder to purchase one non flow-through common share of the Company at a price of $0.12 for a period expiring 24 months following the closing date of the Offering. One common share purchase warrant from the FT Units entitles the holder to purchase one non flow-through common share of the Company at a price of $0.15 for a period expiring 24 months following the closing date of the Offering.

The securities issued in the first tranche of the Offering are subject to a hold period of four months plus one day from the closing date, expiring October 22, 2021 (see ALX news release dated June 21, 2021). The securities issued in the Second Tranche are subject to a hold period of four months plus one day from the closing date, expiring October 26, 2021. The proceeds from the sale of FT Units will be used for exploration programs on the Company's Ontario and Saskatchewan gold and nickel properties, and the proceeds from the sale of NFT Units will be used for general working capital.

Finder's fees for the Second Tranche were paid to Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. consisting of a total of $1,750 cash and 17,500 finder's warrants finder's warrants exercisable at $0.10 for one common share of the Company for a period of two years from closing.

About ALX

ALX is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and its common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "AL," on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "6LLN" and in the United States OTC market under the symbol "ALXEF." ALX's mandate is to provide shareholders with multiple opportunities for discovery by exploring a portfolio of prospective mineral properties, which include gold, nickel, copper, and uranium projects. The Company uses the latest exploration technologies and holds interests in over 200,000 hectares of prospective lands in Saskatchewan and Ontario, stable Canadian jurisdictions that collectively host the highest-grade uranium mines in the world, and offer a significant legacy of production from gold and base metals mines.

ALX owns 100% interests in the Firebird Nickel Project (now under option to Rio Tinto Exploration Canada, who can earn up to an 80% interest), the Flying Vee Nickel/Gold and Sceptre Gold projects, and can earn up to an 80% interest in the Alligator Lake Gold Project, all located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. ALX owns, or can earn, up to 100% interests in the Vixen Gold Project, the Electra Nickel Project and the Cannon Copper Project located in historic mining districts of Ontario, Canada, and in the Draco VMS Project in Norway. ALX holds interests in a number of uranium exploration properties in northern Saskatchewan, including a 20% interest in the Hook-Carter Uranium Project, located within the prolific Patterson Lake Corridor, with Denison Mines Corp. (80% interest) operating exploration since 2016, a 40% interest in the Black Lake Uranium Project (a joint venture with UEX Corporation and Orano Canada Inc.), and a 100% interest in the Gibbons Creek Uranium Project.

For more information about the Company, please visit the ALX corporate website at www.alxresources.com or contact Roger Leschuk, Manager, Corporate Communications at, PH: 604.629.0293 or Toll-Free: 866.629.8368, or by email: rleschuk@alxresources.com

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of ALX Resources Corp.

"Warren Stanyer"

Warren Stanyer, CEO and Chairman

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that the Company's actual business outcomes and exploration results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include economic, competitive, governmental, public health, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and share price. Additional risk factors are discussed in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2021, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Except as required by law, we will not update these forward- looking statement risk factors.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/88708
bttn., a Seattle WA-based healthtech startup focused on automating medical supply, raised $1.5M in seed funding.

The backers, a group of technology and supply chain leaders, were not disclosed.



The company intends to use the funds to expand their technical, sales and operations teams.

Led by JT Garwood, CEO & Co-founder, bttn. is a healthtech startup focused on bringing technology, web based application ordering and big data insights to medical supply to enable healthcare providers to save costs and time.

The company was recently awarded a multi-million dollar annual contract with a major city in the state of Washington. In addition, bttn. has announced strategic partnerships with 11 major healthcare associations, including hospitals, dentists, physicians, and veterinarian groups with 20 more in the pipeline.

FinSMEs

25/06/2021
Paceline, a San Francisco, CA-based retail health and wellness platform that incentivizes consumers to live a healthy lifestyle, closed a $29.5m Series A financing round.

The round was led by Acrew Capital, with participation from Mubadala Capital along with existing investors. Additionally, Mark McCombe, investor and Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, will join the board.

The company intends to use the funds to build out its team, expand their rewards program and further extend the rollout of a full embedded financial platform later this year.

Led by Joel Lieginger, CEO and founder, Paceline is a retail health and wellness platform that incentivizes consumers to be active with curated offerings from health and wellness brands including Home Chef, Echelon,Hyperice, and Brownie Brittle. Consumers earn health and wellness rewards for 150 minutes of elevated heart rate a week.

Over the last fifteen months, Paceline has built a community of active individuals who have already logged over 20 million workouts, over 600 million exercise minutes, with some early members maintaining 60+ weeks of consistent long-term activity. Since its beta launch last year, customers have earned more than 580 thousand rewards to more than 100 brand partners representing over $1.8 million in rewards value.

FinSMEs

23/06/2021
Tampa, FL (33646)

Today

Thunderstorms likely. Rainfall will be locally heavy at times. High 84F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 76F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Googles move to remove support for third-party cookies in their Chrome browser has now been delayed until 2023. The move comes after Google faces scrutiny from multiple governments around the world about their possible anti-competitive behaviours in the advertisement industry, and they are seeking to work with regulators for the best possible solution.

Removing support for third-party cookies is a part of Googles Privacy Sandbox initiative, which aims at developing web technologies for companies and developers to build economically sustainable businesses online, while maintaining user privacy and control over their data.

Google originally planned to remove support for third-party cookies in Chrome, and then introduce a new standard for advertisers called Federated Learning of Cohorts technology, or FLoC. However, other browsers have not shown interest in the technology, and some have even stated that they will outright block it.

Google has now decided to delay the move to remove third-party cookies until 2023, which was made so that they can work with regulators (the United Kingdoms Competition and Markets Authority in particular) to discuss and develop an alternative technology responsibly.

In a blog post, they explained their new timeline, which includes:

Stage 1 (Starting late-2022): Once testing is complete and APIs are launched in Chrome, we will announce the start of stage 1. During stage 1, publishers and the advertising industry will have time to migrate their services. We expect this stage to last for nine months, and we will monitor adoption and feedback carefully before moving to stage 2.

Once testing is complete and APIs are launched in Chrome, we will announce the start of stage 1. During stage 1, publishers and the advertising industry will have time to migrate their services. We expect this stage to last for nine months, and we will monitor adoption and feedback carefully before moving to stage 2. Stage 2 (Starting mid-2023): Chrome will phase out support for third-party cookies over a three-month period finishing in late 2023.

While a few other browsers such as Safari and Firefox have already introduced some forms of blocking third-party cookies, Google Chrome is the most popular browser at the moment. This means that the changes they make have massive impacts to the advertisement industry, putting Google in a tough position.
U.S. Forest Service Botanist Lance Woolley shows Chaffey College students a tall tumble mustard plant, an invasive species in the Garner Valley of Riverside County. Students will be working this summer with the U.S. Forest Service/U.S. Department of Agriculture on a study pertaining to the Quino checkerspot butterfly and its host plants. The students are part of the Chaffey College Summer Research Opportunity program. (Contributed photo by Chaffey College)
Worse than ever before

About the same as last year

Not too bad

I love the illegal fireworks

Vote

View Results
Courtesy Photo

Saint Josephs Colleges Core Building in the middle of campus has been used by several students since the campus reopened in 2019.
Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed George Floyd on a Minneapolis street last year, was sentenced Friday to 22 and half years in prison. (CNN via CNN Wire)
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.
We welcome your letters and columns!

Use the button below to send us your thoughts.

Remember:

Letters must include your real name, town of residence and daytime phone number, which we use for verification. We do not accept anonymous letters or letters written under a pseudonym. Letters should be no more than about 400 words. Those of no more than 200 to 300 words are more likely to be published.

Submit
FILE - This Nov. 19, 2020 file photo shows the entrance to BuzzFeed in New York. BuzzFeed is merging with special purpose acquisition company 890 Fifth Avenue Partners Inc., Thursday, June 24, 2021, and will become a publicly traded company. BuzzFeed, which was founded by Jonah Peretti in 2006, said its implied valuation is $1.5 billion, once the transaction closes, which is expected in the fourth quarter. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
FILE  In this April 21, 2020 file photo Arizona Havasupai Indian tribe member, elder, and spiritual leader, Rex Tilousi, right, speaks during a news conference in Phoenix, as tribe member Dennie Wescogame listens. Tilousi, 73, died last week of natural causes with his family by his side. Services for Tilousi begin Friday with a traditional wake at the familys home in the village of Supai. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
Gainesville, TX (76240)

Today

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 67F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. High 86F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 79F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.
Lindsay Grace is Knight Chair in Interactive Media and an associate professor at the University of Miami School of Communication. He joins Gamasutra's Kris Graft and Alissa McAloon to chat about games and academia, games with social impact, and the Black experience in game development.

Listen now on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Spotify

On the Black experience in game dev

"One of the inspiring but also tough realities is that a number of the indie game makers that self-identify as Black actually decided that they couldn't find a space in traditional game design or development, so they made their own. And you'll see this time and time again.

"...I really think there could be a whole lot more [resources] committed [to aspiring Black game developers] than there is currently. I think it's obvious because the demand is there. When you hear members of a community who are by ratio high consumers looking to be producers, there is a disproportionate number of African-Americans who make games compared to consume games.

"And you can see there's a huge gap--at least 7 percent on most estimates. So less than 2 percent of the industry is African-American, but accounts for 9 percent of the consumer base...I have to say the larger organizations have the money and resources and time to [bring Black game developers in]...I think the pressure does fall on the larger orgs...then put pressure on everyone else to [follow suit]."

On what's next for game academia

"My general expectation is that we're going to see two things happen. I think first you're going to see a general understanding that games and game studies...will expand. The number of programs that are being generated these days I think looks similar to film in the 1970s, where it was strange maybe to say in 1950, 'I'm a film major,' when in 1970 everyone is like 'yeah! what kind of film do you do?'

"I think you're going to see the same with games, because there was a point where people were like, 'wow, you're studying games,' and now no one is impressed or surprised by that. They tend to ask the next question, 'what kind of games do you do?' or 'what kind of games do you study?'"

GDC Podcast music by Mike Meehan

Listen now on iTunes, Google Podcasts, and Spotify

Gamasutra and GDC are sibling organizations under parent Informa Tech.
Oregon had its lowest weekly case counts of COVID-19 in nine months, the Oregon Health Authority announced this week. The state also is less than 2% shy of the 70% threshold needed to lift most pandemic restrictions.

Linn County is still about 11,000 doses below meeting the 65% threshold needed to automatically drop to the lowest transmission risk level  as Polk County did this week. However, that benchmark may not even be necessary because, once Oregon reaches 70% of its population having at least one shot, the entire countywide risk matrix may be dropped.

Gov. Kate Brown made the announcement this week because Oregon is just 35,290 doses away from reaching the 70% benchmark. Last week, that number was over just over 60,000. With an average of about 9,600 doses being administered a day over this past week, those 35,000 doses could be done soon.

Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

There are no active outbreaks listed in nursing home facilities in Linn or Benton counties. There is still an outbreak being tracked at Palm Harbor Homes in Millersburg, which OHA attributes 45 positive cases to since May 21. The Lowes Distribution Center in Lebanon also has an active outbreak, with 20 cases tracked there since April 17. Clayton Homes in Albany has had 12 cases tied to it by OHA since May 28.
Republicans have seized on the absence of both Harris and President Joe Biden from the border to paint the administration as weak on border security, seeking to revive a potent political weapon against Democrats for the 2022 midterm elections. With former President Donald Trump visiting the area less than a week after Harris, Republicans will be watching the vice president's visit closely for fodder they can use in political attacks.

Other administration officials have made multiple visits to the border, but the absence of Biden and Harris has left some Democrats worried that damage already has been done. There's concern that the Biden administration has ceded the border security debate to Republicans.

The administration is making Democrats look weak, said Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in an interview with The Associated Press. Ive heard, from Democrats and Republicans in my area, what the heck is going on with this administration?

Cuellars district spans from south of San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border, and last year he won reelection by the slimmest margin of his nearly two-decade-long career. While he says hes not worried about his own reelection, he adds, I worry about my colleagues.
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.
Gilbert siblings Sophie and Alex Dorsten plan to release more new songs, possibly on a monthly basis, this year.
Gillette, WY (82718)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 93F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.
Press Release

Nokia launches next-generation AirScale 5G portfolio powered by ReefShark technology

Nokias new, industry-leading 5G portfolio covers baseband, radio, and massive MIMO antennas offering huge 5G capacity, coverage, and easy deployment

Introduces industrys lightest massive MIMO units at 17kg enabling simplified deployments and faster time to market

Nokias new comprehensive range of products are powered by Nokias latest generation of ReefShark chipsets

Nokias extended Single RAN accelerates 5G rollouts and cuts overall RAN Total Cost of Ownership

24 June 2021

Espoo, Finland  Nokia today announced the global launch of its latest range of industry-leading AirScale 5G products covering baseband, remote radio heads, and massive MIMO active antennas with digital beamforming. The innovative solutions are powered by the latest generation of Nokias ReefShark System-on-Chip (SoC) chipsets and deliver the highest capacity and network performance while enabling efficient deployments and operation. The rollout of the new products is already underway.

Nokia introduces its new generation of ReefShark-powered AirScale massive MIMO antennas with both 32TRX and 64TRX products, as well as 8T8R remote radio head solutions. The 32TRX is the industrys lightest, at 17kg, simplifying and speeding up site deployments. Notably, this low weight is achieved at the same time as supporting high radio frequency bandwidth (200 MHz occupied bandwidth and 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth) and delivering high radio frequency power output, without compromise. Both the new 32TRX and the new 64TRX massive MIMO antennas support both fragmented spectrum and network sharing cases.

Nokia also introduces its new SoC-based baseband plug-in cards to boost the capacity of the AirScale System Module. The new ReefShark-powered plug-in cards deliver up to eight times more throughput and serve up to eight times more cells compared to previous generations. They are easily installed and simplify the upgrade and extended operation of all AirScale deployments. Nokias baseband module can support 90,000 connected users simultaneously and has 84 Gbps throughput. The highly efficient ReefShark powered plug-in cards also reduce power consumption by up to 75 percent. Nokias modular AirScale baseband enables mobile operators to scale capacity flexibly and efficiently and as their 5G business evolves.

Nokia Single RAN software now includes 5G, accelerating 5G rollouts and cutting overall radio access network TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), by unlocking network efficiencies with common transport, common operability, common software delivery, and increased hardware sharing. The combination of Nokias Single RAN software and the new baseband plug-in cards offer multi-mode (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) and multi-band and supports the latest fronthaul interfaces (eCPRI) on a single baseband platform, simplifying the network and lowering costs.

Nokias AirScale baseband architecture is designed to be future-proof and support the increasing demands for wireless traffic. By keeping the L1 and L2 (Layer 1 and Layer 2) computing separate from L3 (Layer 3) and Transport baseband plug-in units, capacity can be added when and where it is needed in the network. Network modernization can be simply achieved either by software upgrade or by adding new plug-in units into the existing baseband.

Nokias ReefShark chipsets will also play a critical role in future Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities. Nokia has already introduced AI/ML features in areas such as predictive load balancing, anomaly detection, and intelligent traffic steering. All Nokia ReefShark platforms are AI/ML ready and Nokia is carrying out proof of concepts with customers this year in innovative areas such as Massive MIMO beam pattern optimization, energy-saving, advanced traffic steering, advanced packet scheduling, and alarm pattern discovery.

Patrick Filkins, Senior Research Analyst, IoT and Mobile Network Infrastructure, IDC, commented: 5G networks are absolutely critical for improving network capacity and performance, particularly when higher bandwidth is in demand. Nokias new portfolio addresses these concerns by enabling mobile operators to flexibly scale capacity while helping to smoothly transition to 5G from existing technologies easily and cost-effectively. The integration of Nokias ReefShark SoCs across both radio and baseband boosts performance and capacity and the new massive MIMO antennas set a new benchmark for low weight without compromising on performance. These solutions will help mobile operators to address the increasingly dynamic mobile services space that urgently requires more capacity.

Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks, Nokia, said: Our new generation of ReefShark-powered AirScale radio and baseband products is evidence of the successful transformation of our business and ability to deliver market-leading products to our global customers. Nokias new portfolio enables communication service providers to offer both consumer and enterprise customers with cutting-edge 5G experiences with premium speeds, capacity, and connectivity underpinned by seamless, simple, and efficient plug-in deployment. Our new AirScale products are O-RAN ready. They consume less energy and highlight our commitment to climate change. Were excited to see our customers deploying these products and see the transformative impact of 5G technology.

Resources:

Activate massive 5G capacity with Nokia AirScale  launch event

Activate massive 5G capacity with Nokia AirScale

AirScale baseband | Nokia

AirScale Active Antennas | Nokia

AirScale Radio | Nokia

Single RAN | Nokia



About Nokia

We create technology that helps the world act together.

As a trusted partner for critical networks, we are committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. We create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

Adhering to the highest standards of integrity and security, we help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable and inclusive world.
HONG KONG, June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amber Group (www.ambergroup.io), the leading crypto trading and technology firm, announced today it had raised $100 million in Series B funding from China Renaissance Group , Tiger Brokers, Tiger Global Management, Arena Holdings, Tru Arrow Partners, A&T Capital, Sky9 Capital, DCM Ventures, Gobi Partners, as well as existing investors Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures , and Blockchain.com. This financing round also includes participation from other leading investors in the crypto space including: Bit Digital, Digital Finance Group, Fenbushi Capital, Math Wallet, SNZ Capital, Continue Capital, and Mr. Zhao Qingsun. The fundraise marks a significant milestone for the company boosting its pre-money valuation to $1 billion, 10x its previous Series A round from 2019, in which the company raised $28 million at a $100 million valuation. The funding round comes at a time when Amber Group is expanding its operations globally to bring its crypto finance offerings to more regions.



"With this new capital from strategic investors, Amber Group will continue to expand global operations to meet client demand and develop market solutions for the world's leading crypto investors and companies," said Michael Wu, Co-Founder, and CEO of Amber Group.

Founded in 2017, Amber Group services both institutions and individual investors. With a presence in Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, and Vancouver, Amber Group is one of Asia's leading liquidity providers. It offers clients services including principal algorithmic trading, electronic market-making, high-frequency trading, OTC trading, borrowing and lending, derivatives, and other structured products.

"We've had record months over the past quarter across both client flow and on-exchange market-making volumes," said Wu. "Since stepping up our on-screen presence, we now account for 2-3% of total trading volumes in major spot and derivative markets and are continuing to see growth. Our cumulative trading volumes have doubled from $250 billion since the beginning of the year to over $500 billion."

With Bitcoin's market cap closing in on nearly $1 trillion and Ethereum's on half a trillion dollars, the crypto industry has been showing explosive growth. As a result, not only are more exchanges becoming profitable, trading firms are as well. Ranked on the BitMex public Top 25 Leaderboard by total notional traded, Amber Group has exceeded record revenues in trading. "We have been profitable since inception, and with growing revenues across all business lines, we are now annualizing $500 million in revenues based on January to April 2021 figures," said Wu.

"Amber Group has established itself as a category leader with its innovative crypto finance offerings, professional team, and trustworthy reputation amongst investors and partners," said James Rothschild, co-founder of Tru Arrow Partners, the global growth technology firm for families and entrepreneurs. "We are extremely excited to partner with them to explore the opportunities that lie ahead in the crypto space."

Amber Group highlights opportunities that lie at the intersection of trading and financial technology. Active in the DeFi space as a liquidity provider and trader, the firm currently manages about $1.5 billion in trading capital that varies based on BTC and ETH prices. In early Q3 2020, Amber Group launched their mobile app, 'Amber App,' to deliver an advanced suite of tools to assist users in achieving optimal investment returns on their investments. The launch has seen impressive user growth, with the number of registered users increasing four-fold since December 2020 to over 100,000.

When asked about the driving forces behind Amber Group's rapid growth, Wu explained, "Key to growing the platform has been our continued focus on product development and innovation. We're continuously innovating our products and adding top talent to our team to service our global user base." Having started as a small team of less than 10 in 2017, Amber Group now has over 330 employees globally. In the coming months, the company will be announcing further additions to its team, coming mainly from technology and traditional finance companies such as banks and market-making firms.

About Amber Group

Amber Group is one of the world's leading crypto finance service providers, operating 24/7 with a presence in Hong Kong, Taipei, Seoul, and Vancouver. To date, the company has raised a total of 128 million in funding from China Renaissance, Tiger Brokers, Tiger Global Management, Area Holdings, Tru Arrow Partners, A&T Capital, Sky9 Capital, DCM Fund, Gobi Partners, Paradigm, Pantera Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Blockchain.com, Polychain Capital, Dragonfly Capital, and Fenbushi Capital. For more information, please visit: www.ambergroup.io

Amber Group

Peter Sun, contact@ambergroup.io

888-8662288
PGS and Cognite have systemized data to increase PGS vessel speed without jeopardizing the seismic acquisition operation or the vessel integrity.



PGS is using Industrial DataOps provided by Cognite, including Cognite Data Fusion, to give seismic vessel operators a clear overview of the factors determining a vessels optimal operating speed. The solution cuts production time for PGS current fleet by more than 15 days, saves the Company more than $2 million a year and reduces manual reporting by approximately 1 month.

Challenge:

A PGS Ramform vessel with a full streamer spread deployed is among the worlds largest moving objects. Steering the vessel through waves and currents while at the same time allowing for sufficient recording of the seismic data means there are several different factors restricting the production speeds.

Through its vessel digitalization initiative, PGS Proteus, PGS aims to increase operational efficiency by using and combining available data. In this specific case, PGS saw an opportunity to combine the factors that influence a vessels optimal operating speed into a single easily accessible tool. This would provide transparency and the ability to identify which factors have the largest impact on the production speed.

A vessel speed optimization tool would also enable PGS to optimize seismic surveying in real time and improve on, or even remove, speed restricting factors, helping the Company reduce costs while maintaining a high level of quality.

There is a strong link between acquisition speed, efficiency and value creation. For the project planning and bidding process, it is of great importance to know the potential for daily revenue, as well as the planned duration for a survey. With better tools in place to document historical achievements, better, data-driven decisions can be made more quickly.

A real size seismic spread overlaid Manhattan, New York. A taxi ride from the tail end to the vessel takes approximately 30 minutes, in good traffic.

Solution:

PGS and Cognite worked together to streamline data ingestion pipelines between Cognite Data Fusion and the systems containing data relevant to calculate the optimal speed of seismic vessels. Using the Cognite Power BI connector and self-service training provided by Cognite Academy, PGS subject-matter experts developed Power BI reports combining vessel sensor and operational data. These reports have given unprecedented insight into the details of vessel production performance. The dashboards are used in onshore project planning, and the Company is working toward making the information more available to the vessels as well.

PGS subject-matter experts have also developed an onboard vessel speed dashboard, building and iterating with vessel crews to create the best visualizations for their use. The dashboard combines data from the most relevant systems representing the various restricting factors. The different inputs are transformed and presented to the vessel crews, indicating whether a further speed increase is recommended. The speed related data is automatically transmitted to shore, for ingestion into Cognite Data Fusion.

Impact:

PGS vessel crews have for years been monitoring and pushing production speed upwards. Particularly the powerful Ramform Titan-class vessels have shown their potential for speed increase. With the vessel dashboard in place, the crews job has become easier, removing parts of the manual process and supporting decision-making. The input data for further analysis has also improved in consistency.

While achieved speed varies between surveys, PGS has seen a marked improvement in the maximum acquisition speeds since implementing the vessel speed dashboard. In the fall of 2020, PGS three fastest surveys showed an average speed increase of 5.5% compared with the three fastest surveys in 2019.

PGS is now in a better position to make further improvements, moving towards machine learning and automated speed control. One of the Companys main focuses for 2021 is to work reliably at level four on the 10-point Sheridan-Verplank scale of automation, where the computer suggests optimal bottom speed. Once this is in place, PGS aims to reach level seven, where the computer executes the speed control and reports to the crew.

***

PGS ASA and its subsidiaries (PGS or "the Company") is an integrated marine geophysical company that provides a broad range of seismic and reservoir services, including acquisition, imaging, interpretation, and field evaluation. The Company MultiClient data library is among the largest in the seismic industry, with modern 3D coverage in all significant offshore hydrocarbon provinces of the world. The Company operates on a worldwide basis with headquarters in Oslo, Norway and the PGS share is listed on the Oslo stock exchange (OSE: PGS). For more information on PGS visit www.pgs.com .

***
French English

Charenton-le-Pont, June 25th, 2021

Modalities of the Shareholders' Meeting broadcasting

As announced on June 9, the General Meeting of Shareholders of Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits will be held on June 30, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. at the Company's headquarters, via live audio webcast.

Shareholders are invited to join the General Meeting by audio webcast, by following the link: https://events-ftp.arkadin.com/t/i.html

The detailed results of the votes, resolution by resolution, and the answers to the written questions received by the Company will be available on the MBWS website under "General Meeting", after certification of the attendance sheet by the General Meeting Bureau, via the following link: https://fr.mbws.com/investisseurs/assemblee-generale/assemblee-generale-2021.

About Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits is a Group of wines and spirits based in Europe and the United States. Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits stands out for its expertise, a combination of brands with a long tradition and a resolutely innovative spirit. Since the birth of the Maison Marie Brizard in 1755, the Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits Group has developed its brands in a spirit of modernity while respecting its origins.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits' commitment is to offer its customers brands of confidence, daring and full of flavours and experiences. The Group now has a rich portfolio of leading brands in their market segments, including William Peel, Sobieski, Marie Brizard and Cognac Gautier.

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits is listed on Compartment B of Euronext Paris (FR0000060873 - MBWS) and is part of the EnterNext PEA-PME

150 index.

Contact

Image Sept

Claire Doligez- Flore Larger

cdoligez@image7.fr  flarger@image7.fr

Tel : +33 1 53 70 74 70

Attachment
Dublin, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Solar Water Pump Market 2020-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global solar water pump market is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period (2021-2027).

Solar water pumps are gaining prominence as they run on electricity generated by solar panels which results in relatively lower emissions. The major factors that are augmenting the growth of the solar water pump market include cohesive government policies, increasing the need for alternative energy sources, and increasing renewable energy generation.

The support by the government authorities is witnessed majorly in the emerging economies such as India and China, to shift trend towards solar PV by replacing diesel pumps. For instance, Under the Madhya Pradesh Mukhyamantri Solar Pump Subsidy Scheme, in India (2021), free solar pumps will be provided to the farmers by replacing the diesel pumps.

Furthermore, increasing urbanization, the need for clean and potable water, shortage of electricity and fuel, and rising demand for solar pumps in domestic applications are some of the other factors that are estimated to fuel the market growth, during the forecast period.



However, certain factors are affecting the growth of the market. Higher initial investment costs could be a barrier to market growth. Although despite the initial investment costs, once installed, the solar water pumps can be used as an affordable source of electricity to reduce energy bills.



Segmental Outlook



The market is segmented based on type, end-user, and application. By type, the market is segmented into surface water pumps and submersible water pumps. Submersible water pumps hold a significant market share in 2020. The market growth is driven by increasing investments in the construction industry for rapid growth in urbanization and high demand for the submersible pump in the agriculture field for deep well pumping and irrigation system.

Some of the submersible water pump providers include Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd., Grundfos Pumps Corporation, KIRLOSKAR BROTHERS LIMITED, and Topsun Energy Ltd.



Global Solar Water Pump Market Share by Type, 2020 (%)



Regional Outlooks



The global solar water pump market is analyzed based on the geographical regions that are contributing significantly towards the growth of the market. Based on the geography, the market is fragmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. Asia-Pacific is estimated to be one of the major markets for the solar water pump.

China and India are the two leading countries in the region owing to favorable government initiatives and policies. For instance, under the PM Kusum scheme, the Central Government of India is giving a 30% subsidy.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme was initiated by the Government of India to increase the income of farmers and provide sources for irrigation and de-dieselize the farm sector.



In addition to this, growth in industrialization and increasing electricity demand in several industries including agriculture are also some of the driving factors contributing towards the growth of the market in the Asia-Pacific. An increase in the need for irrigation systems in countries including Morocco, Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya, in the African region with favorable weather conditions will contribute to the growth of the market.

Market Players Outlook



Key players of the solar water pumps market include Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd., Grundfos Pumps Corp., Bright Solar Ltd., LORENTZ, Shakti Pumps Ltd., C.R.I. Pumps Private Ltd. and SunEdison, Inc.

To survive in the market these players adopt different marketing strategies such as mergers, acquisitions, product launches, and geographical expansion, among more.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Report Summary

1.1. Research Methods and Tools

1.2. Market Breakdown



2. Market Overview and Insights

2.1. Scope of the Report

2.2. Impact of COVID-19 on the Market

2.3. Analyst Insight & Current Market Trends

2.3.1. Key Findings

2.3.2. Recommendations

2.3.3. Conclusion



3. Competitive Landscape

3.1. Key Strategy Analysis

3.1.1. Overview

3.1.2. Financial Analysis

3.1.3. SWOT Analysis

3.1.4. Recent Developments

3.2. Key Strategy Analysis



4. Market Determinants

4.1. Motivators

4.2. Restraints

4.3. Opportunities



5. Market Segmentation

5.1. Global Solar Water Pump Market by Type

5.1.1. Surface Water Pumps

5.1.2. Submersible Water Pumps

5.2. Global Solar Water Pump Market by Application

5.2.1. Agriculture

5.2.2. Water Supply

5.2.3. Others

5.3. Global Solar Water Pump Market by End-User

5.3.1. Small-Scale Based

5.3.2. Large-Scale based



6. Regional Analysis

6.1. North America

6.1.1. United States

6.1.2. Canada

6.2. Europe

6.2.1. UK

6.2.2. Germany

6.2.3. Italy

6.2.4. Spain

6.2.5. France

6.2.6. Rest of Europe

6.3. Asia-Pacific

6.3.1. China

6.3.2. India

6.3.3. Japan

6.3.4. South Korea

6.3.5. Rest of Asia-Pacific

6.4. Rest of the World



7. Company Profiles

Alpex Solar Pvt. Ltd.

Bright Solar Ltd.

C.R.I. Pumps Private Ltd.

Grundfos Pumps Corp.

Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd.

JJ PV Solar

Kirloskar Brothers Ltd.

LORENTZ

Lubi Electronics

. Rainbow Power Company Ltd.

Shakti Pumps (India) Ltd.

Span Pumps Pvt Ltd.

SunEdison, Inc.

Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd.

Topsun Energy Ltd.

Udhaya Semiconductors Ltd.

Waaree Energies Ltd.

Symtech Solar Group.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/40v0b6
New York, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Scrub Suits Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product Type, Fabric Type, and Distribution Channel" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06099494/?utm_source=GNW

Scrub suits are used highly in the medical and healthcare sectors.The suits are basically sanitary clothing used by surgeons, physicians, nurses, and other workers involved in the patient care in hospitals, clinics, and others.



Now these suits are worn by many hospital personnel.Their use has also been extended outside the hospitals as well at places where there might seem possibility of clothing carrying infectious agents.



The market for scrub suits provides a huge potential and customer base for scrub suits market players, since doctors, medical stuff, and even patients are concerned toward infectious diseases that can be spread in hospitals.



Based on product type, the scrub suits market is segmented into women scrub suits, men scrub suits, and unisex scrub suits.In 2020, the women scrub suits segment accounted for the largest share of the market.



Women scrub suits are the loose-fitting suits worn by female surgeons and assisting personnel in an operating room.Usually, the suit is a two-piece garment made of a green-colored cotton fabric.



Scrubs are required protective clothing that helps keep cross-contamination to a minimum level.Women are very conscious about fashion when it comes to selecting casual or professional attire.



They are seen choosy while selecting the right scrub suits for them. There are number of types and colors of women scrub suits that can be picked. Women scrub suits are made of polyester cotton possessing limited resistance towards bleach and the color may vary according to screen setting & resolutions. The scrub suit is generally cleaner than regular clothes, as well as it can be cleaned easily after use. Thus, the demand for women scrub suits is expected to grow during the forecast period.



By region, the scrub suits market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), South America (SAM), and Middle East & Africa (MEA).Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market in the coming years.



The rise in demand for scrub suits mainly from the medical industry is fueling the growth of the market in the region.Also, increasing concerns toward health and growing awareness related to the protection from germs and microorganisms are propelling the demand for scrub suits from medical staff in this region.



Scrub suits play a crucial role as there are many microorganisms present on the body parts, even after continuing with the sterilization process and strict hygiene.Therefore, surgeons and other staff members use these suits to avoid the transmission of infection in case of performing surgeries.



Hence, the growth of the medical and healthcare industry drives the growth of the scrub suits market in Asia Pacific.



The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has altered the status of the scrub suits industry.The outbreak has distorted operational efficiency and disrupted the value chains due to the sudden shutdown of national and international boundaries.



However, amid pandemic, the demand for scrub suits has increased globally due to the rising consciousness toward health along with growing awareness related to protection from microbial infection.However, the focus over just-in-time production is hindering the growth of the scrub suits market.



On the other hand, rising importance for protecting both workers and patients from hospital-acquired infections and increasing prevalence of COVID-19 would propel the demand for scrub suits during the forecast period.



Additionally, several companies have come forward to support the aggravating demand for scrub suit during the COVID-19 pandemic.Further, effective measures taken by various associations, such as Industrial Fabrics Association International, backed by positive government initiatives to safeguard frontline healthcare workers is expected to generate the demand for scrub suits in the coming years.



Further, significant investments by prominent companies in the development of advanced products is another factor supporting the market growth.



Careismatic Brands; Adar Medical Uniforms, LLC.; Med Couture; Barco Uniforms; Smitten Scrubs; Maevn Uniforms; Jaanuu, Inc.; Cowboy Jungle, Inc. (Wonderwink); Lifethreads; and Figs, Inc. are among the major players operating in the global scrub suits market.



The overall global scrub suits market size has been derived in accordance with to both primary and secondary sources.To begin the research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the market.



Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data, as well as to gain more analytical insights into the topic. The participants of this process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders, specializing in the global scrub suits market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06099494/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Dublin, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Europe Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market Forecast to 2027 - Covid-19 Impact and Analysis - by Product (Continuous Flow, Pulse Flow); Application (COPD, Asthma, Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Others); End User (Hospitals, Homecare Settings, Others); and Country" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Europe portable oxygen concentrators market is projected to reach US$ 710.25 million by 2027 from US$ 381.70 million in 2019. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2020 to 2027.



The growth of the Europe portable oxygen concentrators market is attributed to the growing prevalence of respiratory disorders, rise in geriatric population and increasing demand for the portable oxygen concentrators as alternative breathing equipment amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. However, high cost of device is likely to hamper the growth of the market during the forecast period.



The portable oxygen concentrators are used in the treatment of chronic obstructive respiratory diseases and in COVID-19 cases as a replacement of respiratory device ventilator. The novel coronavirus can cause a significant respiratory distress and majority of the patients who do die are a result of extreme respiratory failure.

The oxygen concentrators prove to be very helpful in providing supplemental oxygen or relieve breathing difficulty thereby expediting body's healing process. The governments around the world are arranging oxygen concentrators to COVID-19 patients under home isolation to manage with sudden drop in oxygen among these patients. For instance, WHO and our UN partners are working with manufacturers across the world through a variety of private sector networks to buy oxygen concentrators for countries that need them most.



The Europe portable oxygen concentrators market, based on product, is further segmented into continuous flow and pulse flow. In 2019, the continuous flow segment held a larger share of the market. However, the pulse flow segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period. The Europe portable oxygen concentrators market, based on application, is segmented into COPD, asthma, respiratory distress syndrome and others. In 2019, the COPD segment held a larger share of the market and is expected to register a higher CAGR during 2020-2027.

Further, the Europe portable oxygen concentrators market, based on end user, is segmented into hospitals, home care settings and others. In 2019, the home care settings segment held a larger share of the market and is expected to register a higher CAGR during 2020-2027.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market - Key Takeaways



3. Research Methodology



4. Portable Oxygen Concentrators - Market Landscape

4.1 Overview

4.2 PEST Analysis

4.3 Expert Opinion



5. Europe Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market - Industry Dynamics

5.1 Key Drivers

5.1.1 Rising Number of COVID-19 Cases

5.1.2 Increasing Prevalence of Respiratory Diseases

5.2 Market Restraints

5.2.1 High Costs of Portable Oxygen Concentrators

5.3 Market Opportunities

5.3.1 Technological Advancement in Portable Oxygen Concentrators

5.4 Future Trends

5.4.1 Increasing Preference of Home Care Products

5.5 Impact Analysis



6. Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market - Regional Analysis

6.1 Europe Transdermal drug delivery system Market Revenue Forecast And Analysis



7. Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market Analysis - By Product

7.1 Overview

7.2 Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market Revenue Share, by Product, 2019 and 2027 (%)

7.3 Continuous Flow

7.4 Pulse Flow



8. Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market - By Application

8.1 Overview

8.2 Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market, by Application, 2019 and 2027 (%)

8.3 COPD

8.4 Asthma

8.5 Respiratory Distress Syndrome



9. Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market - By End User

9.1 Overview

9.2 Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market, by End User, 2019 and 2027 (%)

9.2.1 Europe Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market, by End User - Revenue and Forecast to 2027 (USD Million)

9.3 Hospitals

9.4 Home Care Settings



10. Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market- Regional Analysis

10.1 Europe: Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market



11. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Europe Portable Oxygen Concentrators Market

11.1 Europe: Impact assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic



12. Company Profiles

GCE Group (Colfax Corporation)

Invacare Corporation

INOGEN INC.

Koninklijke Philips N.V

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rqn0rn
Dublin, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Market: 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



This study focuses on the market side of iPSCs rather than its technical side. Different market segments for this emerging market are covered.

Product function-based market segments include molecular and cellular engineering, cellular reprogramming, cell culture, cell differentiation, and cell analysis. Application-based market segments include drug development and toxicity testing, academic research, and regenerative medicine. iPSC-derived cell-type-based market segments include hepatocytes, neurons, cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, and other cell types.

It has been more than 10 years since the discovery of iPSC technology. The market has gradually become an essential part of the life sciences industry in recent years. Since the discovery of iPSCs, a large and growing research product market has grown into existence, mainly because the cells are noncontroversial and can be generated directly from adult cells. iPSCs represent a lucrative market segment because methods for commercializing this cell type are expanding every year, and clinical studies investigating iPSCs are swelling in number.



The reprogramming of human somatic cells into iPSCs offers tremendous potential for cell therapy, primary research, disease modeling, and drug development. Human iPSCs can be generated in culture, expanded, and then used to manufacture clinical-grade cells of almost any adult cell type.



iPSCs are adult stem cells that are isolated and then transformed into embryonic-like stem cells by manipulating gene expression and other methods. Experimentation and research using mouse cells by Shinya Yamanaka's lab at Kyoto University in Japan was the first case in which there was a successful generation of iPSCs. In 2007, a series of follow-up analysis were done at Kyoto University in which human adult cells were transformed into iPSCs. Nearly simultaneously, a research group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison achieved the same feat of deriving iPSC lines from human somatic cells.



Continued analysis and experimentation have resulted in several advances over the last few years. For instance, many independent research groups have announced that they have derived human cardiomyocytes from iPSCs. These cells could be further used in a laboratory setting to test drugs that treat arrhythmia and other cardiac diseases, and in a clinical setting they could potentially be implanted into patients with heart disorders.

Similar advances are continuing on the use of reprogrammed adult cells in the treatment of other diseases and conditions. Original techniques for iPSCs production, such as viral-induced transcription processes, are being substituted with newer technologies as private industry combines with the scientific community to develop safer and more effective methods of iPSCs production.

As innovation methods of iPSCs production continue, clinical-grade production of industrial quantities of iPSCs is now becoming possible due to continued research and experimentation. However, the iPSCs space is still relatively new, and therefore, full of business risks. One of the hurdles involves intellectual property. Because the technology involves manipulating donors' cells, the issue of patenting and ownership of those cells becomes a pressing problem.

Today, a patent license for a method to generate iPSCs might be obsolete when the patent filing is completed. This might be one reason why few companies have yet to commercialize cell lines derived from iPSCs, and they are unsure of how to license or protect their intellectual property.



Despite the uncertainty, a substantial business opportunity exists for companies looking to commercialize iPSCs, due to the high demand for iPSC life science tools. Many companies are in or entering the iPSC space, including some major life science and pharmaceutical players. This is in part because of the value added to the pharmaceutical space through improved drug development. Future applications of iPSCs will go far beyond their use as life science tools, ranging from personalized drugs to regenerative cell therapies.



Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Summary and Highlights

Key Drivers for Market Growth

Chapter 3 Market Overview

Introduction

History and Current State

Evolution of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Research

Advantages and Disadvantages of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Advantages

Disadvantages

Technology Overview

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Generation

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation

Current Challenges to iPSC Applications

iPSCs Bank

Chapter 4 Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

Impact on MedTech

Elective and Noncritical Procedures

Shift in Manufacturing

Regulatory Delays, Clinical Trials and Product Launches

Supply Chain Disruptions

Medical Tourism

Impact of COVID-19 on iPSCs

Pluripotent Stem Cells as a Study Model for COVID-19

Scientists Use Stem Cells to Uncover COVID-19 Effects on the Heart

Chapter 5 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Applications

Academic Research

Pharmaco-Toxicological Screening

Drug Discovery and Development

Disease Modeling

Tissue Engineering

Cell Therapy

Chapter 6 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Market Segmentation and Forecast

Market Overview

U.S.

Europe

Asia-Pacific

Application-Based Market Overview

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Product Market

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Tissue Cell Market

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Their Derivative Cell Market by Species

Global Market

Major Suppliers and Manufacturers of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Products

Market for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cells by Application

Market for Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells by Product Function

Global Market

Regional Markets

Research Market Compared with the Clinical Market

Chapter 7 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Research Application Market

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Research Product Types

Major Players

Major Commercial Entities

Major Noncommercial Organizations

Market Shares and Projections

Chapter 8 Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Contract Service Market

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Contract Service Types

Major Players

Market Shares and Projections

Chapter 9 Research Market Trend Analysis

Grant Analysis

Patent Analysis

Scientific Publication Analysis

Chapter 10 Clinical Application Market Trend Analysis

Clinical Trials

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Ischemic Heart Disease

Parkinson's Disease

Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD)

Spinal Cord Injuries

Cornea Repair

Cancers

Driving Forces

Limiting Factors

Technologies

Regulations

Market Acceptance

Clinical Efficiency

Chapter 11 Competitive Landscape

Mergers and Acquisitions

Strategic Alliances

Chapter 12 Company Profiles

Addgene

Allele Biotechnology And Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Alstem

Applied Biological Materials Inc. (Abm)

Applied Stemcell Inc. (Asc)

ATCC

Axol Bioscience? Ltd.

Bio-Techne

Bluerock Therapeutics

Bristol-Myers Squibb (Ipierian)

Cell Signaling Technology (Cst)

Corning Inc.

Creative Bioarray

Fate Therapeutics

Fujifilm Cellular Dynamics Inc. (Fcdi)

Genecopoeia

Gentarget Inc.

ID Pharma Co., Ltd.

Invivogen

Lonza Group Ltd.

Megakaryon Corp.

Merck Kgaa

MTI-Globalstem, A Part Of Thermo Fisher Scientific

Ncardia

Newcells Biotech

Peprotech

Plasticell Ltd.

Promega Corp.

Promocell Gmbh

Qiagen N.V.

Reprocell Inc.

Sciencell Research Laboratories

Stemcell Technologies

System Biosciences Inc.

Takara Bio Usa Inc. (Clontech Laboratories)

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Viacyte Inc.

Waisman Biomanufacturing

Chapter 13 Appendix: List of Acronyms

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/636xim
New York, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Clear Aligners Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type [Polyurethane Plastic, Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol, and Poly-vinyl Chloride ], Distribution Channels, and Age" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06099458/?utm_source=GNW

However, the high cost of clear aligners hinders the market growth.



Malocclusion refers to a set of growth and developmental abnormalities that affect jaws and teeth, resulting in deviations in their position.People suffering from several traits of malocclusion, including maxillary overjet, anterior irregularities, and anterior spacing, have a poor dental appearance and masticatory performance.



However, patients opt for orthodontic treatment mostly because of disappointment with the look of their teeth rather than problems with oral functioning.



The prevalence of malocclusion is more in children who are suffering from autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Posterior crossbite, grown overjet, and adverse maxillary crowding are the most widely diagnosed malocclusion traits in children.



As per prevalence, malocclusion is ranked third, after tooth decay and periodontal disease. The rising incidence of malocclusion in the country is among the critical factors for the growth of the global clear aligners market.



According to a data of Elsevier B.V. in 2018, the prevalence of severe deep overbite was around 8% in the US, with the average overbite ranging from 36.5% to 39.2% in children between the age of 5 and 6 years. Moreover, in a study published in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), the analysis of occlusion on a few groups of adolescents between the age of 12 and 18 years was performed. According to the study, more than 93% of the subjects confirmed some form of malocclusion.



The prevalence of malocclusion was higher in European adolescents. For instance, as per the data of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) 2015, the cases of class I (34.9%) and class II, division 1 malocclusions (40.0%) were higher. Furthermore, increased malocclusion (18%), reduced bites (14%), and reversed overjet (10%) were reported in the population.



The high prevalence of malocclusion was reported in teenagers in Japan.As per the data of PeerJ 7:e6630 published in 2019, a high prevalence of Angle Class II, was also reported among 12 to 15-year-old adolescents in Japan.



Moreover, anterior crowding was more dominant among girls than boys, which was constant in Japan. Thus, the rising incidence of malocclusions in teenagers has led to increased use of clear aligners, which is propelling the growth of the global clear aligners market.



The global clear aligners market, based on type, is segmented into polyurethane plastic, polyethylene terephtalate glycol (PETG), and polyvinyl chloride.In 2020, the polyurethane plastic accounted for the largest market share.



Technological development in polyurethane plastic and its high acceptance by dentists are the major factors driving the market growth for the segment. In addition, the increasing adoption of polyurethane plastic clear aligners is expected to propel the market growth for this segment in the future.



The COVID-19 outbreak has been adversely affecting most of the businesses globally since December 2019.The impact of the outbreak has placed many clear aligner manufacturing companies under pressure due to low sales and disruption in supply chains.



As the oral treatments and procedures are directly contacted with patients oral fluid, they can create possible risk of infections.Thus, to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and maintain social distance, the dental appointments have been restricted.



The scenario is restraining the growth of clear aligners market.



The Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS), Indian Dental Association (IDA), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Italian Dental Industries Association, Association Dentaire Francaise (ADF), and Japanese Society for Oral Health (JSOH) are among the secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the clear aligners market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06099458/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Pune, India, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global military antenna market size is expected to gain momentum by reaching USD 6.28 billion by 2028 while exhibiting a CAGR of 9.52% between 2021 and 2028. This information is published by Fortune Business Insights in its report titled Military Antenna Market, 2021-2028. The report further mentions that the market stood at USD 3.25 billion in 2020. Factors such as the rising military expenditure and the growing cross-border disputes are anticipated to propel the demand for the product during the forecast period.

The effect of the global pandemic, COVID-19, has been felt across several economies that are facing unprecedented loss. Owing to the lockdown announced by the government agencies, several industries have been on a standstill with limited operational activities. However, a collective effort from the government as well as the industries is likely to bring the economy back on track and aid in the resumption of industrial activities.





Get a Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/military-antenna-market-101824





List of the Companies Profiled in the Global Market for Military Antenna:

Antcom (California, the U.S.)

Cobham Limited (Wimborne Minster, The U.K)

Comrod Communication AS (Stavanger, Norway)

Eylex Pty Ltd. (New South Wales, Australia)

Hascall-Denke (Florida, The U.S.)

L3Harris Technologies Inc. (Florida, The U.S.)

Lockheed Martin Corporation (Maryland, The U.S.)

MTI Wireless Edge Ltd. (Israel)

Raytheon Technologies Corporation (Connecticut, The U.S.)

Rohde & Schwarz (Munich, Germany)

TERMA (Aarhus Municipality, Denmark)





Market Segmentation:

Based on frequency, the market is divided into high frequency, ultra-high frequency, super high frequency, and extremely high frequency. On the basis of type, the market is segmented into dipole antenna, aperture antenna, traveling wave antenna, loop antenna, and array antenna. Moreover, based on platform, the market is trifurcated into airborne, marine, and ground.

On the basis of the platform, the ground segment held a global military antenna market share of about 44.86% in terms of revenue in the forthcoming years. The segment is anticipated to experience exponential growth backed by the growing focus on the modernization of existing military equipment that is boosting the adoption of advanced military antennas for ground operations globally.

Lastly, based on the region, the market is classified into North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Europe.





Browse Detailed Summary of Research Report with TOC:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/military-antenna-market-101824





What does the Report Include?

The market report includes qualitative and quantitative analysis of several factors such as the key drivers and restraints that will impact growth. Additionally, the report provides insights into the regional analysis that covers different regions, which are contributing to the growth of the market. It includes the competitive landscape that involves the leading companies and the adoption of strategies by them to announce partnerships, introduce new products, and collaboration that will further contribute to the growth of the market between 2020 and 2027. Moreover, the research analyst has adopted several research methodologies such as SWOT and PESTEL analysis to extract information about the current trends and industry developments that will drive the market growth during the forecast period.





DRIVING FACTOR

Rising Cross Border Disputes to Augment Growth

The rising border disputes have led the governments of several countries to strengthen their surveillance, security, and tracking capabilities. For instance, China and Japan are at loggerheads with the border issue involving parts of the South China Sea consisting of the Ryukyu Islands and Senkaku Islands. The need to ensure reliable communication and the increasing focus on strengthening the military might by countries globally will propel the adoption of the product. This, coupled with the growing military expenditures, is expected to favor the global military antenna market growth during the forecast period.





Inquire Before Buying This Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/queries/military-antenna-market-101824





REGIONAL INSIGHTS

North America  The region is expected to hold the highest position in the market in the forthcoming years. This is attributable to the presence of prominent manufacturers in the region and the growing focus on the modernization of military equipment that will propel the adoption of advanced military antennas in the region. North America stood at USD 1.22 billion in 2020.

Asia-Pacific  The market in the region is expected to gain traction backed by the increasing defense spending in countries such as India and China. According to the Center for Strategic & International Studies, in 2020, China spent around 1.268 trillion yuan in its defense budget, a 6.6% rise compared to the previous year.





COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Key Players Focus on Partnership to Intensify Industry Competition

The global market for military antenna is experiencing healthy competition among major companies. These companies are focusing on partnering with other industry players to expand their product portfolio and further gain a stronghold in the market. Moreover, other key players are leveraging the opportunities by adopting several organic and inorganic strategies during the forecast period.





Key Industry Development:

December 2020 - Raytheon Technologies Corporation secured a contract worth USD 90.2 million from the U.S. Navy. The contract is aimed at delivering 23 submarine high data rate antenna systems for the high-capacity communication of underwater vessels.





Detailed Table of Content:

Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities

Key Insights Key Industry Developments Mergers, Acquisitions, and Partnerships Latest technological Advancements Porters Five Forces Analysis Supply Chain Analysis



Quantitative Insights- Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Military Antenna Market

Global Military Antenna Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast, 2017-2028 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights, and Forecast  By Frequency High Frequency Ultra-High Frequency Super High Frequency Extremely High Frequency Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Type Dipole Antenna Aperture Antenna Traveling Wave Antenna Loop Antenna Array Antenna Market Analysis, Insights, and Forecast  By Application Communication Surveillance SATCOM Electronic Warfare Telemetry Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast  By Platform Airborne Marine Ground Market Analysis, Insights, and Forecast  By Region North America Europe Asia pacific Rest of the World

Impact of COVID-19 on Global Military Antenna Market Steps Taken By Industry/Companies/Governments to Overcome the Impact Key Developments in The Industry in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Potential Opportunities Due to COVID-19 Outbreak



TOC Continued!





Speak to Our Expert:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/military-antenna-market-101824





Have a Look at Related Research Insights:

Military Radar Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Platform (Airborne Radar, Ground Radar, Naval Radar), By Range (Long, Medium, Short, Very Short), By Application (Weapon Guidance, Airspace Monitoring & Traffic Management, Airborne Mapping), By Frequency (C-Band, S-Band, X-Band, L-Band, UHF/VHF), By Component (Transmitter, Antenna, Receiver), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027

Antenna Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Radio Antennas, Smart Antennas), By Technology Type (SIMO, MIMO, MISO, Others), By Application (RADAR, Satellite Communications, Cellular Communications, WiFi Systems, WiMax Systems, Others) and Regional Forecast, 2021-2028

Military Aircraft Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Fixed-Wing, and Rotary-Blade), By Application (Combat, Multirole Aircraft, Military Transport, Maritime Patrol, Tanker, Reconnaissance & Surveillance, and Others), By System (Airframe, Engine, Avionics, Landing Gear System, and Weapon System), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026





About Us:

Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in.

Contact Us:

Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd.

308, Supreme Headquarters,

Survey No. 36, Baner,

Pune-Bangalore Highway,

Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India.

Phone:

US :+1 424 253 0390

UK : +44 2071 939123

APAC : +91 744 740 1245

Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortune-business-insights

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortuneBusinessInsightsPvtLtd
ArcelorMittal Announces the Results of the Invitation for Offers to Sell for Cash up to the Maximum Acceptance Amount of its EUR 500,000,000 0.950% Notes due 17 January 2023 (the January 2023 Bonds), EUR 750,000,000 1.000% Notes due 19 May 2023 (the May 2023 Bonds), EUR 1,000,000,000 2.250% Notes due 17 January 2024 (the 2024 Bonds) and EUR 750,000,000 1.750% Notes due 19 November 2025 (the 2025 Bonds)

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS (INCLUDING PUERTO RICO, THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, GUAM, AMERICAN SAMOA, WAKE ISLAND AND THE NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA) (THE UNITED STATES) OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED) OR IN ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT AND THE INVITATION FOR OFFERS. FURTHER CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS APPLY.

Luxembourg, 25 June 2021  16:15 CEST - On 17 June 2021, ArcelorMittal (ArcelorMittal or the Company) announced the commencement of an invitation (subject to offer restrictions) to holders of the bonds (Bondholders) set forth in the table below (the Bonds) to submit offers to sell for cash (each such offer, an Offer to Sell) ) up to a maximum aggregate principal amount of USD 1,500,000,000 of the Bonds (as converted into U.S. Dollars at the U.S. Dollar / Euro foreign exchange rate determined by the Company and the Dealer Managers on 24 June 2021 using the Bloomberg BFIX screen) less the principal amount of USD Notes accepted for purchase pursuant to the Concurrent USD Offer (the Maximum Acceptance Amount)1 of the Bonds to the Company (the Invitation) on the terms and subject to the conditions set out in the Invitation for Offers dated 17 June 2021 (the Invitation for Offers). The Invitation expired at 17.00 hours CEST on 24 June 2021.

Announcement of Results of the Invitation

The Company is pleased to announce the acceptance of Offers to Sell as follows:

Bonds



























ISIN Amount tendered Amount accepted























Purchase Yield Purchase Price











Aggregate Principal Amount Outstanding after the Settlement Date EUR 500,000,000 0.950% Notes due 17 January 2023 XS1730873731 214,653,000 0 -0.15% 101.434 % (1,014.34 for each 1,000 in principal amount) 366,879,000 EUR 750,000,000 1.000% Notes due 19 May 2023 XS2082323630 465,562,000 0 -0.15% 101.894% (1,018.94 for each 1,000 in principal amount) 750,000,000 EUR 1,000,000,000 2.250% Notes due 17 January 2024 XS1936308391 470,977,000 470,977,000 -0.10% 105.417% (1,054.17 for each 1,000 in principal amount 529,023,000 EUR 750,000,000 1.750% Notes due 19 November 2025 XS2082324018 285,711,000 0 N/A 106.35% (1,063.50 for each 1,000 in principal amount) 750,000,000

Settlement

The Settlement Date is expected to be 29 June 2021. All tenders pursuant to the Invitation will settle through the normal procedures of the relevant Clearing System. On the Settlement Date, the Company shall pay or procure that there is paid to each Bondholder which has validly submitted an Offer to Sell accepted for purchase by the Company, an amount in cash equal to the Total Consideration.

Payment of the relevant Total Consideration, by or on behalf of the Company shall fully and finally discharge the Companys obligations to the relevant Bondholders in respect of the Bonds delivered and accepted for purchase pursuant to the Invitation and as soon as reasonably practicable following the Settlement Date, such Bonds shall be canceled pursuant to their terms and conditions. Under no circumstances will any additional interest be payable by the Company to a Bondholder due to any delay in the transmission of funds from the relevant Clearing System or any intermediary with respect to the Bonds of that Bondholder.

Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Goldman Sachs International, Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Europe GmbH and Societe Generale have been appointed to serve as the dealer managers for the Offers. D.F. King Ltd. has been retained to serve as the information and tender agent (Tender Agent).

For additional information regarding the terms of the Invitation, please contact Citigroup Global Markets Limited at +44 20 7986 8969, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank at +44 207 214 5733, Goldman Sachs International at +44 207 552 6157, Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. at +39 027 265 7020, Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH at +44 20 7090 6134, SMBC Nikko Capital Markets Europe GmbH at +44 20 3527 7545 or Societe Generale at +33 1 42 13 32 40 / +33 1 42 13 79 52. Requests for documents and questions regarding the Offers to Sell may be directed to D.F. King Ltd via email: arcelormittal@dfkingltd.com, or telephone: London: +44 20 7920 9700.

A copy of the Invitation for Offers is also available at https://sites.dfkingltd.com/arcelormittal and may be obtained at no charge from D.F. King.

Capitalized terms used and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Invitation for Offers.

###

This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Invitation for Offers. The distribution of this announcement and the Invitation for Offers in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law. Persons into whose possession this Notice or the Invitation for Offers comes are required by each of the Company, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent to inform themselves about and to observe any such restrictions.

United States. The Invitation is not being made and will not be made directly or indirectly in or into, or by use of the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission, telex, telephone, email and other forms of electronic transmission) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facility of a national securities exchange of, or to beneficial owners of the Bonds who are located in the United States as defined in Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or to U.S. Persons as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act (each a U.S. Person) and the Bonds may not be offered for sale in the Invitation by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility from or within the United States, by persons located or resident in the United States or by U.S. Persons. Accordingly, copies of the Invitation for Offers and any documents or materials related to the Invitation are not being, and must not be, directly or indirectly, mailed or otherwise transmitted, distributed or forwarded in or into the United States or to any such person. Any purported Offer to Sell in response to the Invitation resulting directly or indirectly from a violation of these restrictions will be invalid, and Offers to Sell made by a person located in the United States or any agent, fiduciary or other intermediary giving instructions from within the United States or any U.S. Person will not be accepted.

Each Bondholder participating in the Invitation will represent that it is not a U.S. Person, is not located in the United States and is not participating in such Invitation from the United States. For the purposes of this and the above paragraph, United States has the meaning given to it in Regulation S of the Securities Act and includes the United States of America, its territories and possessions (including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island and the Northern Mariana Islands), any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia.

European Economic Area. In any European Economic Area (EEA) member state (each a Relevant State), this communication and the Invitation for Offers are only addressed to and are only directed at qualified investors within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 (as amended or superseded) (the EU Prospectus Regulation) in that Relevant State. Each person in a Relevant State who receives any communication in respect of the Invitation contemplated in the Invitation for Offers will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of each of the EU Prospectus Regulation.

United Kingdom. The Invitation for Offers is only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in the United Kingdom within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of domestic law in the United Kingdom by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the UK Prospectus Regulation) in the United Kingdom. Each person in the United Kingdom who receives any communication in respect of the Invitation contemplated in the Invitation for Offers will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with the Dealer Managers and the Company that it is a qualified investor within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation.

Additional United Kingdom restrictions. This communication, the Invitation for Offers and any other documents or materials relating to the Invitation are for distribution only to persons who (i) are outside the United Kingdom; (ii) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the Order); (iii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.) of the Order; (iv) are members or creditors of certain bodies corporate as defined by or within Article 43(2) of the Order; or (v) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as relevant persons). This communication, the Invitation for Offers and any other documents or materials relating to the Invitation are directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this document relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

France. The Invitation for Offers nor any other documents or offering materials relating to the Invitation have been distributed or caused to be distributed and will not be distributed or caused to be distributed in France, other than to qualified investors (investisseurs qualifies), as defined in Article L. 411-2 1 of the French Code monetaire et financier and in Article 2(e) of the EU Prospectus Regulation. Neither the Invitation for Offers, nor any other such offering material has been submitted for clearance to the Autorite des marches financiers. By participating in the Invitation, an investor resident and/or located in France will be deemed to represent and warrant to the Company, the Dealer Managers and the Information and Tender Agent that it is a qualified investor.

Italy. None of the Invitation, the Invitation for Offers or any other documents or materials relating to the Invitation have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedures of the Commissione Nazionale per le Societa e la Borsa (CONSOB) pursuant to applicable Italian laws and regulations.

The Invitation is being carried out in the Republic of Italy (Italy) as an exempted offer pursuant to article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998, as amended (the Consolidated Financial Act) and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of 14 May 1999, as amended (the Issuers Regulation). The Invitation is also being carried out in compliance with article 35-bis, paragraph 7 of the Issuers Regulation.

Bondholders or beneficial owners of the Bonds located in Italy may tender the Bonds through authorised persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Consolidated Financial Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 20307 of 15 February 2018, as amended, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended from time to time, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993, as amended) and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations or with requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority. Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-a-vis its clients in connection with the Bonds or the Invitation.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014.

ENDS

About ArcelorMittal

ArcelorMittal is the world's leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 17 countries. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes. Our goal is to help build a better world with smarter steels. Steels made using innovative processes which use less energy, emit significantly less carbon and reduce costs. Steels that are cleaner, stronger and reusable. Steels for electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure that will support societies as they transform through this century. With steel at our core, our inventive people and an entrepreneurial culture at heart, we will support the world in making that change. This is what we believe it takes to be the steel company of the future. ArcelorMittal is listed on the stock exchanges of New York (MT), Amsterdam (MT), Paris (MT), Luxembourg (MT) and on the Spanish stock exchanges of Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia (MTS). For more information about ArcelorMittal please visit: http://corporate.arcelormittal.com/



Contact information ArcelorMittal Investor Relations General +44 207 543 1128 Retail +44 203 214 2893 SRI +44 203 214 2801 Bonds/Credit +33 171 921 026 Contact information ArcelorMittal Corporate Communications



E-mail:



press@arcelormittal.com Paul Weigh +44 203 214 2419





1 USD892,839,000 of the USD Notes were tendered in the Concurrent USD Offer (resulting in a Maximum Acceptance Amount applicable to this Invitation of 509,104,498.5, as calculated in the manner described above).
XDJL, XBJL, XTJL, QTJL: New Accelerated ETFs listing July 1st



Seek to offer a multiple (2x or 3x) of the upside of SPY or QQQ, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to the downside, with or without a buffer, over a one-year outcome period

Quarterly outcome period Accelerated ETFs XDSQ and XDQQ  seeking to offer 2x the return of SPY and QQQ, up to a cap, with 1x downside exposure  to reset with new upside caps for Q3

Potential tools for wealth accumulation, Accelerated ETFs seek to enhance investors equity performance potential to a cap without taking on additional downside risk

CHICAGO, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innovator Capital Management, LLC (Innovator) today announced plans to bring to market the second quarterly series of a new suite of accumulation-oriented Defined Outcome ETFs, the Innovator Accelerated ETFs, the worlds first ETFs to seek to offer a multiple of the upside return of a reference asset (SPY or QQQ), up to a cap, with approximately single exposure on the downside. Part of Innovators Defined Outcome ETF family, the Accelerated ETFs offer advisors the ability to accelerate a portfolios equity performance to a cap over a one-year or three-month outcome period. The Accelerated ETFs represent another ETF industry milestone in Innovators path to disrupting the asset management and insurance industries for the benefit of advisors and the end-investor.

Set to list July 1st on the Cboe, the July series of the Innovator Accelerated ETFs will be as follows in the table below:

Ticker Reference

Asset Upside to

Cap Downside Average

Cap** Outcome

Period Listing XDJL SPY 2X 1X 16.11% Annual 7/1/21 XBJL SPY 2X 1X, 9% Buffer 9.19% Annual 7/1/21 XDSQ SPY 2X 1X 6.26% Quarterly Rebalancing 7/1/21 XTJL SPY 3X 1X 14.20% Annual 7/1/21 XDQQ QQQ 2X 1X 8.16% Quarterly Rebalancing 7/1/21 QTJL QQQ 3X 1X 18.19% Annual 7/1/21

** The Average Cap listed above represents an average of estimated caps, as illustrated by the funds strategy, based upon 10 previous trading days, as of 6/22/2021, and are shown gross of the 0.79% management fee. It does not represent the actual cap that will be set at the beginning of the Outcome Period, which will be dependent upon market conditions at that time. Periods of high market volatility could result in higher caps, and lower volatility could result in lower caps. As a result, the Cap set by each Fund may be higher or lower than the Average Cap displayed above. The Cap Ranges based on the highest and lowest Cap as illustrated by the Funds strategy from 5/24/21-6/22/21 (gross of the 0.79% management fee) are as follows: 15.40% to 16.91% for XDJL; 8.89% to 9.90% for XBJL; 5.76% to 7.07% for XDSQ; 13.66% to 14.95% for XTJL; 7.78% to 9.07% for XDQQ; and 17.85% to 18.87% for QTJL. Cap refers to the maximum potential return, before fees and expenses and any shareholder transaction fees and any extraordinary expenses, if held over the full Outcome Period. Buffer refers to the amount of downside protection the fund seeks to provide, before fees and expenses, over the full Outcome Period. Outcome Period is the intended length of time over which the defined outcomes are sought. Upon fund launch, the Caps can be found on a daily basis via www.innovatoretfs.com. Investors who purchase shares after the start of an outcome period may be exposed to enhanced risk. XDJL, XBJL, XTJL, and QTJL are not yet available for investment.

Also on July 1st, the Accelerated ETFs operating on a quarterly outcome period  the Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF  Quarterly (XDSQ) and the Innovator Growth Accelerated ETF  Quarterly (XDQQ)  will reset and rebalance for the first time, offering investors fresh upside caps on SPY (the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust) and QQQ (the Invesco QQQ Trust), the ETFs respective reference assets, for the third quarter.

Were very excited to continue building out the Accelerated ETFs lineup with the July series and empowering advisors with these unique Defined Outcome ETF tools, said Bruce Bond, CEO of Innovator ETFs. The Accelerated ETFs represent a product concept that weve been working diligently on since 2017 when we filed for our first Buffer ETFs. And now, for the first time ever in an ETF, investors who hold shares for an entire outcome period will have access to potentially double or triple the upside of SPY or QQQ, to a cap, with approximately single exposure on the downside. This means that in instances when SPY or QQQ returns less than the cap over the outcome period and the investor holds the respective Accelerated ETF for the entire outcome period, they will have the potential to outpace the respective equity market. We think its a very powerful concept that we see more advisors attracted to for a number of reasons.

With the growth of the Innovator Accelerated ETFs suite, investors will have even greater ability to construct strategic, diversified portfolios with Defined Outcome ETFs, said John Southard, CIO of Innovator ETFs. Alongside our Stacker ETFs, we believe the Accelerated ETFs will provide powerful growth tools to potentially enhance equity returns while our Defined Outcome Buffer ETFs can be used for equity risk management and as alternatives to core bond allocations that are being confronted by the frustrations of historically low yields, a steepening yield curve and the potential for elevated inflation. Given the popularity of such enhanced equity return strategies in other structures, we think the Accelerated ETFs will really resonate with advisors who have been attracted to accumulation strategies but were deterred by the illiquidity, opacity, high relative costs and credit risk of structured products.

On July 1st, Innovator plans to list the following Accelerated ETFs based on the Large-cap U.S. equity market through options on SPY (the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust): the Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF  July (XDJL); the Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF  July (XBJL); as well as the Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated Plus ETF  July (XTJL).

Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated ETF   July (XDJL) will seek to provide investors with double the upside performance of SPY, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to SPY on the downside, over a one-year outcome period.

will seek to provide investors with double the upside performance of SPY, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to SPY on the downside, over a one-year outcome period. Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated 9 Buffer ETF   July (XBJL) will seek to provide investors with double the upside performance of SPY, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to SPY on the downside and a buffer against the first 9% of losses in SPY, over a one-year outcome period.

will seek to provide investors with double the upside performance of SPY, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to SPY on the downside and a buffer against the first 9% of losses in SPY, over a one-year outcome period. Innovator U.S. Equity Accelerated Plus ETF  July (XTJL) will seek to provide investors with triple the upside performance of SPY, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to SPY on the downside, over a one-year outcome period.



Also on July 1st, Innovator plans to list the following Accelerated ETF based on Growth stocks through options on QQQ (the Invesco QQQ Trust):

Innovator Growth-100 Accelerated Plus ETF  July (QTJL) will seek to provide investors with triple the upside performance of QQQ, to a cap, with approximately single exposure to QQQ on the downside, over a one-year outcome period.



The Accelerated ETFs are not like leveraged ETFs, which typically seek to provide a magnified exposure on both the upside and the downside on a daily basis and can compound risk with higher volatility when held long-term due to their frequent, often daily, rebalancing. Instead, the Accelerated ETFs seek to provide asymmetrical returns over either a typically annual or quarterly outcome period that are magnified on the upside only, to a cap. Innovators Accelerated ETFs will rebalance annually or quarterly, making the funds more suited for asset allocation and longer-term investors rather than tools for ultra-tactical trading. In the Accelerated ETFs case, it is important to note that investors must hold shares for an entire outcome period to achieve the enhanced returns that a fund seeks to provide.

While the Funds are designed to participate in the reference ETF (SPY or QQQ) losses on a one-to-one basis over the duration of the outcome period as a whole, a decrease in the value of the reference assets share price may cause a decrease in the Funds NAV while an outcome period is ongoing. Therefore an investor that purchases Shares after an outcome period has begun may be exposed to incremental downside risk if the reference asset has increased in value.

The shorter outcome period of the Quarterly outcome period ETFs (XDSQ, XDQQ) means they will follow the reference asset (SPY or QQQ) more closely, but have lower starting caps. Investors can use both outcome periods to tactically respond to changing market conditions should they wish to do so.

The Funds have characteristics unlike many other traditional investment products and may not be suitable for all investors. For more information regarding whether an investment in the Fund is right for you, please see Investor Suitability in the prospectus.

At the end of each ETFs outcome period, the ETF will simply rebalance and reset, providing investors with new upside caps and a fresh 9% Buffer in the case of XBJL, over the next outcome period. The Accelerated ETFs do not expire and can be long-term core equity holdings in a portfolio. The options-based ETFs are anticipated to be as tax-efficient as traditional equity ETFs, with no planned cap gains distributions to shareholders and investors being able to defer taxes until selling.

Investors in the Innovator Accelerated ETFs will not receive dividend yield from their holdings; the ETFs will be based on the price returns of the reference ETF (SPY or QQQ) over the length of the outcome period. The Innovator Accelerated ETFs will charge a 0.79% management fee.

The Accelerated ETFs will be constructed using Cboe FLEX Options, offering exposure to equity markets rather than investing in them directly. The FLEX Options forming the underlying positions of the first three Innovator Accelerated ETFs are based on SPY or QQQ (the reference asset).

The Accelerated ETFs provide defined returns over the entire Outcome Period, not on a daily basis. As a result, interim returns may lag the reference benchmark ETFs. This is due to the time-value nature of the underlying options held by the fund; as such, the Accelerated ETFs wont maintain proportional betas of 1.0 to the reference ETF in instances of positive returns for the associated equity benchmark. Though they provide simultaneous multiple exposure to the upside of the benchmark, the Accelerated ETFs only seek to provide the positive performance of the reference ETF over the full Outcome Period, up to a cap, and 1:1 downside to the reference asset over the Outcome Period. In the interim, or intra-Outcome Period, investors can expect the Accelerated ETFs to exhibit lower beta than traditional passive index-tracking ETFs. An investor that purchases Shares after an Outcome Period has begun may be exposed to downside from that point forward if the reference asset has appreciated in value since the period began.

The Accelerated ETFs are part of Innovators category-creating Defined Outcome ETF family  including the Buffer ETFs, the first group of ETFs designed to provide investors with built-in buffers against losses of -9% (Buffer), -15% (Power Buffer) or -30% (Ultra Buffer) and exposure to the growth of core markets, to a cap, in a tax-efficient vehicle over a one-year outcome period. Innovator currently has 65 Defined Outcome ETFs in the market, including the Innovator Laddered Fund of S&P 500 Power Buffer ETFs (BUFF), with total assets under management (AUM) of over $4.6 billion1. In addition to being named ETF Issuer of the Year  2019 in the seventh annual ETF.com Awards*, acknowledging the rapid advisor adoption and the positive potential impact on investor behavior of the Defined Outcome ETFs, Innovator defended their 2019 win for the Asset Managers: ETFs award at the 2020 WealthManagement.com Industry Awards and was Highly Commended for ETF Suite of the Year at the Mutual Fund Industry and ETF Awards 2020 by Fund Intelligence**.

Innovator Defined Outcome ETFs - Benefits to Advisors

Pioneer and creator of Defined Outcome ETFs with 65 ETFs and over $4.6 billion AUM across family 2

Tax-efficient exposure 3 to five broad equity benchmarks (S&P 500, NASDAQ-100, Russell 2000, MSCI EAFE, MSCI EM), the 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Market and now including the Stacker ETFs, the worlds first ETFs to offer a stacked exposure to two or three benchmark equity index ETFs on the upside, to a cap, with downside exposure to the S&P 500 only, and the Accelerated ETFs, the worlds first ETFs to seek to offer a multiple of the upside return of a reference asset, up to a cap, with approximately single exposure on the downside.

to five broad equity benchmarks (S&P 500, NASDAQ-100, Russell 2000, MSCI EAFE, MSCI EM), the 20+ Year U.S. Treasury Market and now including the Stacker ETFs, the worlds first ETFs to offer a stacked exposure to two or three benchmark equity index ETFs on the upside, to a cap, with downside exposure to the S&P 500 only, and the Accelerated ETFs, the worlds first ETFs to seek to offer a multiple of the upside return of a reference asset, up to a cap, with approximately single exposure on the downside. Over 61 Defined Outcome ETFs from Innovator have reset and successfully completed their respective outcome periods 4

Monthly issuance on SPY or the S&P 500 with three buffer levels (9,15, or 30%)

Innovator's Defined Outcome ETFs are the subject of a patent application filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

About Innovator Defined Outcome ETFs

Defined Outcome ETFs are the worlds first ETFs that seek to provide investors with known ranges of future investment outcomes prior to investing. These outcome ranges include multiple and single upside exposure, to a cap, with defined levels of downside risk with buffers and floors over a set amount of time. The Innovator Defined Outcome ETFs cover a large spectrum of domestic and international equities and bonds. Innovators category-creating Defined Outcome ETF family includes Buffer ETFs, Floor ETFs, Stacker ETFs and Accelerated ETFs.

The Buffer ETFs seek to provide the upside performance of broadly recognized benchmarks (e.g., S&P 500, NASDAQ-100, Russell 2000, MSCI EAFE, and MSCI Emerging Markets, as well as the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)), or underlying ETFs based on those benchmarks, as applicable, to a cap, with built-in buffers, over an outcome period of one-year. The ETFs reset annually and can be held indefinitely.

Each Buffer ETF in Innovators Defined Outcome ETF suite seeks to provide a defined exposure to a broad market benchmark where the downside buffer level, upside growth potential to a cap, and Outcome Period are all known, prior to investing. In 2019, Innovator began expanding its suite of S&P 500 Buffer ETFs into a monthly series to provide investors more opportunities to purchase shares as close to the beginning of their respective Outcome Periods as possible.

Investors can purchase shares of a previously listed Defined Outcome ETF throughout the entire Outcome Period, obtaining a current set of defined outcome parameters, which are disclosed daily through a web tool available at: http://innovatoretfs.com/define.

Innovator is focused on delivering defined outcome-based solutions inside the benefit-rich ETF wrapper, retaining many of the features that have contributed to the success of structured products5 (e.g., downside buffer levels, upside participation, defined outcome parameters), but with the added benefits of transparency, liquidity, the elimination of credit risk and lower costs afforded by the ETF structure.***

Buffer ETFs seek to provide investors with potential market appreciation of a given reference asset, up to a cap, and a predetermined downside buffer, based on the price returns of the reference asset, over a 1 year outcome period.

About Innovator Stacker ETFs

The outcomes that the Stacker Funds seek to provide may only be realized if you are holding shares on the first day of the Outcome Period and continue to hold them on the last day of the Outcome Period, approximately one-year. The Funds should not be considered if an investor is unwilling to hold shares for the duration of the Outcome Period in order to achieve the outcomes the funds seek to provide. There is no guarantee that the Outcomes for an Outcome Period will be realized or that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The returns the Funds seek to provide are based on price return of the corresponding ETFs. An investor that purchases Fund Shares after the start of an outcome period may be exposed to the downside risks of QQQ and IWM.

While the Fund will not participate in any QQQ or IWM ETF (as applicable) losses over the duration of the Outcome Period as whole, a decrease in the value of the QQQ or IWM ETF share price will cause a decrease in the Funds NAV while an Outcome Period is ongoing. In the event an Outcome Period has begun, and the QQQ or IWM ETF share price has increased in value, such an increase will be reflected in the value of the Funds purchased call option on the QQQ or IWM ETF. Accordingly, in the event that the QQQ or IWM ETF share price were to subsequently decrease in value, that decrease would also be reflected in the value of that option, and therefore the Funds NAV. An investor that purchases Fund Shares after the QQQ or IWM ETF has increased in value during an Outcome Period may be negatively affected by future decreases during the remainder of the Outcome Period.

About Innovator Capital Management, LLC

Awarded ETF.com's "ETF Issuer of the Year - 2019", Innovator Capital Management LLC (Innovator) is an SEC-registered investment advisor (RIA) based in Wheaton, IL. Formed in 2014, the firm is currently headed by ETF visionaries Bruce Bond and John Southard, founders of one of the largest ETF providers in the world. Bond and Southard reentered the asset management industry to bring to market first-of-their-kind investment opportunities, including the Defined Outcome ETFs, products that they felt would change the investing landscape and bring more certainty to the financial planning process. Innovators category-creating Defined Outcome ETF family includes Buffer ETFs, Floor ETFs, Stacker ETFs and the Accelerated ETFs, the worlds first ETFs to seek to offer a multiple of the upside return of a reference asset, up to a cap, with approximately single exposure on the downside. Buffer ETFs and Floor ETFs seek to provide investors structured exposures to broad markets, where the upside growth potential, buffer or floor against the downside, and outcome period are all known, prior to investing. Stacker ETFs are the worlds first ETFs to offer a multiple or "stacked" exposure to two or three benchmark index ETFs (SPY, QQQ, IWM) to a cap, with only downside exposure to the SPY over a one year outcome period. Accelerated ETFs are the worlds first ETFs to seek to offer a multiple of the upside return of a reference asset, up to a cap, with approximately single exposure on the downside over an outcome period. Having launched the first Defined Outcome ETFs in 2018 -- the flagship Innovator S&P 500 Buffer ETF Suite  Innovators solutions allow advisors to construct diversified portfolios with known outcome ranges to aid in risk management and financial planning. Built on a foundation of innovation and driven by a commitment to help investors better control their financial outcomes, Innovator is leading the Defined Outcome ETF Revolution. For additional information, visit www.innovatoretfs.com.

About Cboe Global Markets, Inc.

Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE) is one of the worlds largest exchange-holding companies, offering cutting-edge trading and investment solutions to investors around the world. For more information, visit www.cboe.com.

About Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC

Milliman Financial Risk Management LLC (Milliman FRM) is a global leader in financial risk management to the retirement industry, providing investment advisory, hedging, and consulting services on approximately $150 billion in global assets as of March 31, 2021. Milliman FRM is one of the largest and fastest-growing subadvisors of ETFs. For more information about Milliman FRM, visit www.Milliman.com/FRM.

Media Contact

Paul Damon

+1 (802) 999-5526

paul@keramas.net

Interim Period Shareholders

Unlike structured notes, which offer limited liquidity, Innovator Defined Outcome ETFs trade throughout the day on an exchange, like a stock. As a result, investors purchasing shares of a Fund after its launch date may achieve a different payoff profile than those who entered the Fund on day one. Innovator recognizes this as a benefit of the Funds and provides a web-based tool that allows investors to know, in real-time throughout the trading day, their potential defined outcome return profile before they invest, based on the current ETF price and the Outcome Period remaining. Innovators web tool can be accessed at http://www.innovatoretfs.com/define.

Although each Fund seeks to achieve the defined outcomes stated in its investment objective, there is no guarantee that it will do so. The returns that the Funds seek to provide do not include the costs associated with purchasing shares of the Fund and certain expenses incurred by the Fund.

While the Fund will not participate in any QQQ or IWM ETF losses, as applicable, over the duration of the Outcome Period as whole, a decrease in the value in the net performance of the underlying assets share price will cause a decrease in the Funds NAV while an Outcome Period is ongoing. In the event an Outcome Period has begun and the underlying asset's share price has increased in value, such an increase will be reflected in the value of the Funds purchased call option on the underlying assets. Accordingly, in the event that the underlying asset's share price were to subsequently decrease in value, that decrease would also be reflected in the value of that option, and therefore the Funds NAV. An investor that purchases Fund Shares after the underlying assets have increased in value during an Outcome Period may be negatively affected by future decreases during the remainder of the Outcome Period.

Investing involves risks. Loss of principal is possible. The Funds face numerous market trading risks, including active markets risk, authorized participation concentration risk, buffered loss risk, cap change risk, capped upside return risk, correlation risk, liquidity risk, management risk, market maker risk, market risk, non-diversification risk, operation risk, options risk, trading issues risk, upside participation risk and valuation risk. For a detailed list of fund risks see the prospectus.

Market Disruptions Resulting from COVID-19. The outbreak of COVID-19 has negatively affected the worldwide economy, individual countries, individual companies and the market in general. The future impact of COVID-19 is currently unknown, and it may exacerbate other risks that apply to the Fund.

FLEX Options Risk The Fund will utilize FLEX Options issued and guaranteed for settlement by the Options Clearing Corporation (OCC). In the unlikely event that the OCC becomes insolvent or is otherwise unable to meet its settlement obligations, the Fund could suffer significant losses. Additionally, FLEX Options may be less liquid than standard options. In a less liquid market for the FLEX Options, the Fund may have difficulty closing out certain FLEX Options positions at desired times and prices. The values of FLEX Options do not increase or decrease at the same rate as the reference asset and may vary due to factors other than the price of reference asset.

These Funds are designed to provide point-to-point exposure to the price return of the reference asset via a basket of Flex Options. As a result, the ETFs are not expected to move directly in line with the reference asset during the interim period.

Investors purchasing shares after an outcome period has begun may experience very different results than these funds' investment objectives. Initial outcome periods are approximately 1-year beginning on the funds' inception dates. Following the initial outcome period, each subsequent outcome period will begin on the first day of the month the fund was incepted. After the conclusion of an outcome period, another will begin.

Fund shareholders are subject to an upside return cap (the "Cap") that represents the maximum percentage return an investor can achieve from an investment in the funds' for the Outcome Period, before fees and expenses. If the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has increased in value to a level near to the Cap, an investor purchasing at that price has little or no ability to achieve gains but remains vulnerable to downside risks. Additionally, the Cap may rise or fall from one Outcome Period to the next. The Cap, and the Fund's position relative to it, should be considered before investing in the Fund. The Funds' website, www.innovatoretfs.com, provides important Fund information as well as information relating to the potential outcomes of an investment in a Fund on a daily basis.

The Defined Outcome Funds that include a buffer objective only seek to provide shareholders that hold shares for the entire Outcome Period with their respective buffer level against reference asset losses during the Outcome Period. You will bear all reference asset losses exceeding 9, 15 or 30%. Depending upon market conditions at the time of purchase, a shareholder that purchases shares after the Outcome Period has begun may also lose their entire investment. For instance, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has decreased in value beyond the pre-determined buffer, an investor purchasing shares at that price may not benefit from the buffer. Similarly, if the Outcome Period has begun and the Fund has increased in value, an investor purchasing shares at that price may not benefit from the buffer until the Fund's value has decreased to its value at the commencement of the Outcome Period.

Nasdaq is a registered trademark of Nasdaq, Inc. (which with its affiliates is referred to as the "Corporations") and is licensed for use by Innovator Capital Management, LLC. The Product(s) have not been passed on by the Corporations as to their legality or suitability. The Product(s) are not issued, endorsed, sold, or promoted by the Corporations.

THE CORPORATIONS MAKE NO WARRANTIES AND BEAR NO LIABILITY WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT(S).

The Innovator Russell 2000 Power Buffer ETF (the Fund) has been developed solely by Innovator Capital Management, LLC. The Fund is not in any way connected to or sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by the London Stock Exchange Group plc and its group undertakings (collectively, the LSE Group). FTSE Russell is a trading name of certain of the LSE Group companies. All rights in the Russell 2000 Index (the Index) vest in the relevant LSE Group company, which owns the Index. FTSE Russell, and FTSE Russell are trade marks of the relevant LSE Group company and are used by any other LSE Group company under license.

The Index is calculated by or on behalf of FTSE International Limited or its affiliate, agent or partner. The LSE Group does not accept any liability whatsoever to any person arising out of (a) the use of, reliance on or any error in the Index or (b) investment in or operation of the Fund. The LSE Group makes no claim, prediction, warranty or representation either as to the results to be obtained from the Fund or the suitability of the Index for the purpose to which it is being put by Innovator Capital Management, LLC.

The ETFs referred to herein is not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by MSCI Inc. or based upon the MSCI EAFE and MSCI Emerging Markets Indexes. MSCI Inc. bears no liability with respect to the ETFs.

MSCI, MSCI EAFE, and MSCI Emerging Markets are trademarks or service marks of MSCI Inc. or its affiliates (Marks) and are used hereto subject to license from MSCI. All goodwill and use of Marks inures to the benefit of MSCI and its affiliates. No other use of the Marks is permitted without a license from MSCI.

Cboe Global Markets, Inc., and its affiliates do not recommend or make any representation as to possible Benefits from any securities, futures or investments, or third-party products or services. Cboe Global Markets, Inc., is not affiliated with S&P DJI, Milliman, or Innovator Capital Management. Investors should undertake their own due diligence regarding their securities, futures and investment practices.

Cboe Global Markets, Inc., and its affiliates make no warranty, expressed or implied, including, without limitation, any warranties as of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy, completeness or timeliness, or as to the results to be obtained by recipients of the products.

* ETF.coms editorial team chose the finalists and then the ETF.com Awards Selection Committee, an independent panel comprised of fifteen of the ETF industrys leading analysts, consultants and investors, decided the winners.

** The shortlists and winners are comprised of individuals and firms who have submitted entries or been nominated via the online submission process, as well as through recommendations from leading market participants. Judges will judge the ETF categories and will use the submitted application material, as well as any uploaded supplemental information, to determine which firm, individual or product they believe to be the most suitable and deserving winners for each category.

*** ETFs use creation units, which allow for the purchase and sale of assets in the fund collectively. Consequently, ETFs usually generate fewer capital gain distributions overall, which can make them somewhat more tax-efficient than mutual funds. Defined Outcome ETFs are not backed by the faith and credit of an issuing institution, so they are not exposed to credit risk.

Innovator ETFsTM, Defined Outcome ETFTM, Buffer ETFTM, Stacker ETFTM, Accelerated ETFs, Enhanced ETFTM, Define Your FutureTM, Leading the Defined Outcome ETF RevolutionTM and other service marks and trademarks related to these marks are the exclusive property of Innovator Capital Management, LLC.

XDJL, XTJL, XBJL, QTJL: INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO COMPLETION OR AMENDMENT. A REGISTRATION STATEMENT RELATING TO THESE SECURITIES HAS BEEN FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION BUT HAS NOT YET BECOME EFFECTIVE. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE SOLD NOR MAY OFFERS TO BUY BE ACCEPTED PRIOR TO THE TIME THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT BECOMES EFFECTIVE. THIS COMMUNICATION SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE AN OFFER TO BUY OR THE SOLICITATION OF AN OFFER TO BUY NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY SALE OF THESE SECURITIES IN ANY STATE IN WHICH SUCH OFFER, SOLICITATION OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL PRIOR TO REGISTRATION OR QUALIFICATION UNDER SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY SUCH STATE.

AN INDICATION OF INTEREST IN RESPONSE TO THIS ADVERTISEMENT WILL INVOLVE NO OBLIGATION OR COMMITMENT OF ANY KIND.

The Funds' investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses should be considered before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information, and it may be obtained at innovatoretfs.com. Read it carefully before investing.

Innovator ETFs are distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

Copyright  2021 Innovator Capital Management, LLC.

800.208.5212

1 AUM as of 6.23.2021.

2 AUM in all Innovator Defined Outcome ETFs as of 6.23.2021.

3 ETFs use creation units, which allow for the purchase and sale of assets in the fund collectively. Consequently, ETFs usually generate fewer capital gain distributions overall, which can make them somewhat more tax-efficient than mutual funds.

4 As of 6.01.2021

5 Structured notes and structured annuities are financial instruments designed and created to afford investors exposure to an underlying asset through a derivative contract. It is important to note that these ETFs are not structured notes or structured annuities.
MUNICH, Germany, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nordic Health Group BV (Nordic Oil), the top-selling European CBD manufacturer, is happy to announce that its equity crowdfunding campaign is now live on UK-based crowdfunding platform, Seedrs. The campaign will run through July 2021, and is the first time Nordic Oil has taken in external investments.



The campaign aims to generate capital that will be used to further the business marketing efforts, particularly its expansion into new and emerging markets. Here, the company will accelerate its growth by further expanding on proven strategies that have already delivered results. Nordic Oil has always been a business driven by its customers, hence the decision to opt for a crowdfunding investment platform in which loyal customers can participate, rather than more traditional angel investors.

Since launching in 2018, Nordic Oil has grown exponentially, raking in more than 35M in revenue. It now serves over 300,000 customers in 12 countries around the world, making it one of the largest CBD brands in Europe. With products ranging from CBD Oils and tinctures to softgels and isolates, Nordic Oil aims to make CBD accessible and understandable to everyone who can benefit from it.

Alongside Nordic Oil, the Nordic Group also features a number of other brands including Nordic Cosmetics (a dedicated skincare line), NatuPet (providing CBD products for pets), and Sundt (a line of liposomal vitamins and supplements). All four brands are committed to providing industry-leading products and expertise to loyal customers around the world.

With this campaign, launched in partnership with Seedrs, the Nordic Group aims to bring the benefits of its hugely popular products across these brands to an even wider audience. Backed by a history of product innovation and exceptional customer service, the campaign is set to propel Nordic Oil to become one of the major global players in the CBD market.

Nordic Oil Co-Founder Dannie Hansen said about the campaign: We've been working hard to build this business and deliver the best possible experience for our customers. After recording strong growth in 2020, were looking forward to expanding even further off the back of this crowdfunding campaign.

To own a part of Nordic Oil, visit nordicoil.com/invest.

About Nordic Oil:

Nordic Oil is the market leader in Europes CBD market with more than 300,000 customers of its wide range of CBD products including oils, topicals, concentrates, e-liquids, and pet products. As one of the most innovative, pioneering and experienced CBD brands in Europe, Nordic offers an extensive range of products and continuously pushes the barriers of CBD usage. For more information please visit: www.nordicoil.com
LAS VEGAS and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC. (CSE: TAAT) (OTCQX: TOBAF) (FRANKFURT: 2TP) (the Company or TAAT) is pleased to announce that Peach State Distributor (PSD), a wholesaler based in Alpharetta, Georgia, has completely pre-sold its initial purchase order of 15 TAAT master cases as part of an initiative to test the state of Georgia (population 10.62 million) as the next potential market for a full-scale launch of TAAT as an alternative to tobacco cigarettes. The shipment, which arrived in Alpharetta on Thursday, June 24, 2021, will be allocated for distribution to PSDs retailer accounts in Georgia and North Carolina, who will become the first official retailers of TAAT on the east coast of the United States. These retail placements will complement the existing presence of TAAT in more than 250 retailers in the state of Ohio, in addition to the Companys e-commerce portal which has been selling TAAT since February 2021 and avails the product to the majority of smokers aged 21+ in the United States.



PSD is a division of Forte International Spirits Direct Distributing, which carries regional specialty brands of liquor and liqueur such as Jaan, Five OClock, Zapata, and Tennessee Crown. Operating on a direct-to-store delivery (DSD) basis, PSD carries a variety of convenience category products to include beverages, snacks, and specialty lifestyle goods. PSD distributes to approximately 1,200 retail stores including 800 convenience stores as well as liquor stores and independent chains of cash-and-carry markets, many of which already carry tobacco products. Approximately 90% of PSDs accounts are located in the state of Georgia, though it also services retailers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama.

More than 1.2 million adults in Georgia are tobacco smokers, representing approximately 17.4% of the states adult population1. As of mid-June 2021, demand for TAAT from smokers aged 21+ in Georgia has proven strong despite there having been no targeted marketing or promotional efforts in the state. E-commerce orders and free sample pack requests to Georgia shipping addresses amounted to approximately 14% and 20% of the number of orders and sample pack requests to addresses in Ohio, indicating robust existing demand for and awareness of TAAT in Georgia even without regional promotion prior to its introduction to the state at retail.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/064125df-9d9e-4696-9e41-4dfa009fc317

The initial shipment of TAAT to PSD, a distributor in Alpharetta, Georgia who services over 1,200 points of sale in GA and neighbouring states, was completely sold out even before arriving at PSDs warehouse earlier this week. Upcoming store placements of TAAT throughout Georgia will stand to complement existing retail points of sale in Ohio as well as in Illinois.

Readers using news aggregation services may be unable to view the media above. Please access SEDAR or the Investor Relations section of the Companys website for a version of this press release containing all published media.

To maximize the performance of launch initiatives conducted through PSD, TAAT plans to deploy a dedicated in-house representative based in Georgia, who will work directly with PSD and their retail accounts at a local level to supervise the early-stage commercialization of TAAT Original, Smooth, and Menthol. Applications for this position are currently being considered. Candidates may inquire to hello@taatusa.com to request a detailed job description and an overview of applicant requirements.

Paul Duffy, Director of Sales for PSD commented, Many of our existing product offerings are strategic alternative choices for consumers who are seeking to forego certain ingredients that are common in mainstream products (e.g., sugar in soda). As such, TAAT is a natural fit for our product portfolio as an innovative alternative to tobacco cigarettes which contain no nicotine or tobacco. It turns out our perception was correct, as the entire order of 15 master cases sold out before the shipment even arrived through pre-sales to retailer accounts in Georgia as well as a few in North Carolina. We look forward to hearing about how TAAT performed in their stores, and hope that such performance foreshadows sustained demand for TAAT in our markets on the east coast of the United States.

Setti Coscarella, CEO of TAAT commented, As we continue to build a brand in the USD $814 billion global tobacco industry, we have attracted the attention of several distributors across the country through both cold approaches and warm referrals from existing business relationships. We chose Georgia as the next market in which we will officially launch TAAT for several strategic reasons, one of which is PSDs impressive ability to lead commercialization efforts for emerging alternative products similar to TAAT. Further, in addition to the fact that Georgia and Ohio have about the same population size, both states share borders with five other states. Just as launching TAAT in Ohio made the product accessible to smokers aged 21+ in the bordering states of Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, launching TAAT in Georgia provides similar opportunities in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. TAAT has only been available for purchase at retail for about 200 days now, and retailers in our second expansion market have already bought out 100% of our first shipment to our initial distributor before it even arrived. I believe this is a very positive indicator of our potential as we seek to widen our footprint in the United States this year.

Sources

1 - https://dph.georgia.gov/document/document/tobacco-use-data-summary-adults-2016/download

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Company,

TAAT GLOBAL ALTERNATIVES INC.

Setti Coscarella

Setti Coscarella, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact:

TAAT Investor Relations

1-833-TAAT-USA (1-833-822-8872)

investor@taatusa.com

THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE (CSE) HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE, NOR HAS OR DOES THE CSES REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER.

About TAAT Global Alternatives Inc.

The Company has developed TAAT, which is a tobacco-free and nicotine-free alternative to traditional cigarettes offered in "Original", "Smooth", and "Menthol" varieties. TAAT's base material is Beyond Tobacco, a proprietary blend which undergoes a patent-pending refinement technique causing its scent and taste to resemble tobacco. Under executive leadership with "Big Tobacco" pedigree, TAAT was launched first in the United States in Q4 2020 as the Company seeks to position itself in the $814 billion1 global tobacco industry.

For more information, please visit http://taatglobal.com .

References

1 British American Tobacco - The Global Market

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, estimates, intends, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur, or be achieved. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the anticipated performance of TAAT in the tobacco industry, in addition to the following: Potential outcomes from PSDs distribution of TAAT in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Alabama. The forward-looking information reflects managements current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; (ii) changes to the growth and size of the tobacco markets; and (iii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company operates in a rapidly evolving environment. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Companys management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Companys business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

The statements in this news release have not been evaluated by Health Canada or the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As each individual is different, the benefits, if any, of taking the Companys products will vary from person to person. No claims or guarantees can be made as to the effects of the Companys products on an individuals health and well-being. The Companys products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

This news release may contain trademarked names of third-party entities (or their respective offerings with trademarked names) typically in reference to (i) relationships had by the Company with such third-party entities as referred to in this release and/or (ii) client/vendor/service provider parties whose relationship with the Company is/are referred to in this release. All rights to such trademarks are reserved by their respective owners or licensees.

Statement Regarding Third-Party Investor Relations Firms
New York, NY, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IR-Med, Inc. (OTCPINK: IRME) announced today the appointment of Dr. Rom Eliaz as Chief Executive Officer.



Prior to his appointment as our CEO, Dr. Eliaz was Founder and Managing Director at Elrom Ventures, where he also served as a Managing Director at aMoon Fund. Previously, Dr. Eliaz was Head of Merck ventures Fund and Bio-Incubator in Israel where he co-founded several companies in the incubator, VP of Innovative Branded Products at Teva and CEO of NasVax a publicly traded company and Immcure Therapeutics.

We are pleased to have a seasoned life sciences and medical devices executive like Rom joining us as our CEO. His scientific and financial experience will be instrumental as we continue implementing our strategy to develop sensor based medical devices, developing point of care solutions for early identification and monitoring of chronic, preventable conditions explained Oded Bashan, Chairman of the Board at IR-Med.

Commenting on his appointment as CEO, Rom Eliaz added, I am incredibly excited and honored to be joining IR-Med. I believe IR-Med is one of the companies that are working to modernize care pathways through developing and integrating new-to-the-world sensor-based medical devices in truly unmet medical needs, and to actively contribute to becoming the leader in these fields. I am privileged to lead our mission-driven company into the next wave of growth. We have a tremendous opportunity here at IR-Med to leverage emerging technologies and data-driven insights to transform and sustainably mange patients healthcare for the long-term.

Dr. Eliaz served as Assistant Professor at University of California San Francisco, published over 40 scientific articles and holds more than 10 scientific patents in the fields of drug targeting and delivery, gene therapy and tissue engineering.

Dr. Eliaz received his PhD (cum-laude) in chemical engineering and Biotechnology from the Weizmann Institute and Ben-Gurion (BGU). His BSc and MSc degrees, with honors, in chemical engineering and Biotechnology are from BGU, and he holds an MBA from the Harvard Business School and Boston University joint program at BGU.

About IR-Med Ltd.



IR-Med Ltd is a development stage company currently focused on the development and application of Infra-Red (IR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to address common medical ailments. Initially IR-Meds technologies are designed to address the early detection of pressure injuries (PI) and the detection and diagnosis of ear infection, primarily in children. For more information visit http://www.ir-medical.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, references to novel technologies and methods; our business and product development plans; or market information. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, our ability to raise the additional funding we will need to continue to pursue our business plan and product development plans; the inherent uncertainties associated with developing new products or technologies and operating as a development stage company; our ability to develop, complete clinical trials for, obtain approvals for and commercialize any of our product candidates; competition in the industry in which we operate and market conditions. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward looking statement. Neither the Company nor I.R MED are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 as amended.

Company Contact:

Rom Eliaz

ir@ir-medical.com
Gloucester, MA (01930)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High around 60F. Winds NE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Rain likely. Low 56F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
GOSHEN [mdash] Thomas went to be with his Lord and Saviour early July 2. He was born to John W and Elizabeth (McNeilly) Detwiler on Jan. 14, 1949. He married D Sue (Shaum) on Nov. 27, 1969. He is survived by his wife, three children Thomas Edward (Wendy), Audra J (Scott) Hoover, and Anthony 
FILE - In this May 27, 2021, file photo Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., arrives as senators go to the chamber for votes ahead of the approaching Memorial Day recess, at the Capitol in Washington. Congressional bargainers are likely to blow past their latest deadline without completing a bipartisan deal for overhauling police practices, three people familiar with the talks said Thursday, June 24, 13 months after George Floyds killing and with the shadow of next years elections lengthening over Congress work. Despite a June or bust goal set by chief GOP negotiator Scott, the Senate was expected to leave town for a two-week recess after Thursdays session without a final compromise, according to two Democratic aides who described the status of talks on condition of anonymity.
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@skagitpublishing.com for help creating one.
Mercedes have yet to give clarity to Valtteri Bottas or George Russell. Both want the seat next to Lewis Hamilton next year, but there is only room for one. Who do Mercedes want, and why is Red Bull Racing pushing for George Russell?

In Formula1.com's Weekend Warm-Up, Will Buxton and Lawrence Barretto talk at length about the contract situation at Mercedes. The contracts of Hamilton, Russell and Bottas expire at the end of 2021, and so Mercedes has all three to choose from. However, with all the information at their disposal, you might ask why is it taking so long to make a decision?

Red Bull want Russell

"If Toto Wolff doesn't know by now, I find that odd that he needs more time. Valtteri has been there for years, he knows every detail of the guy," Buxton said. It might also be that he's not sure on George. Maybe he needs time on both of them and weighing up the pros and cons," Barretto added. Buxton, however, cannot understand why Mercedes is limiting itself to those two options.

"I find that incredible. Because you have Red Bull, Helmut Marko saying in the week saying they need to put George in the car. Why would Marko want George in the car they think George is better? I don't think Red Bull think George is better and that's why they're trying to apply pressure on Mercedes to put him in," Buxton said.

Russell the same as Rosberg?

Barretto cites that there is that appreciation from Mercedes and that they saw his way of working in Bahrain last year. However, Buxton states that Russell hasn't scored a point since, and although Barretto raises the argument that Russell is also just 'driving a Williams', Buxton wonders aloud if Russell is the right choice.

Meanwhile, Hamilton himself is hinting at a longer stay for Bottas, and that too will come into play. "Do we think George might prove to be too much of a distruptive influence like a Nico Rosberg. Someone that is certain of their own abilities," Buxton added. "Mercedes have to decide if they want a situation like that. At the moment everything works nicely, do they want to rip that all up? I guess it also depends on if they believe Lewis can still win the World title for them," Barretto concluded.
Dr Helmut Marko has allayed fears about spectators returning to Formula 1 circuits en masse.

This weekend at Red Bull's Austrian GP venue, just 15,000 spectators are allowed under the current local restrictions.

That said, 78-year-old Marko was still seen posing for a selfie with a fan without a mask on Thursday.

"FOM is much more restrictive than the respective government, and of course we respect that," said Red Bull's F1 supremo.

"But the system works. Although we travel to so many different countries, there has been no corona case for a long time," he told Osterreich newspaper.

For the second race in Austria next weekend, restrictions ease significantly and Red Bull is expecting a full house - although Marko admitted the public may still be worried about the risk of infection.

Meanwhile, organisers of the British GP have just announced that next month's race at Silverstone has been given the green light by the UK government to fill up the grandstands.

"This is something we have all been working towards for months and I cannot wait to welcome a full capacity crowd back to Silverstone this July," said track boss Stuart Pringle.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was quoted as expressing his "huge appreciation" to the British prime minister Boris Johnson.

Seven time world champion Lewis Hamilton, though, is worried.

"Of course it's great that the best fans in the world are allowed to come back," he said.

"Unfortunately, the number of infections in England is skyrocketing. You'd have to worry about a full house so I do have mixed emotions.

"It's great that there were spectators in France and we haven't heard any bad news since then. But I'd prefer to be careful and return to normal in a more gradual way than experimenting with the fans," he added.

Fellow Briton George Russell, however, is less concerned.

"Everyone who comes in will have to be vaccinated or tested," he said. "And you have to point out that 50 Wembley Stadiums would fit into the grounds at Silverstone."

(GMM)
Honda will not reverse its decision to officially quit Formula 1 at the end of the year, Dr Helmut Marko insists.

Although quiet in the media, the issue of the sport's next engine regulations for 2025 and beyond is bubbling along in the background.

Officials had hoped to lay out the new rules by the summer, but with bio-fuels and increased 'hybrid' credentials an important part of the mix, there are currently concerns that the 2025 engine will end up being significantly heavier.

"The new engine shouldn't add to the weight of the cars," F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali insists.

Outgoing FIA president Jean Todt also told Auto Motor und Sport: "The cars have gotten heavier over the years. We are discussing that.

"We should check whether there is any technology that we don't need. At the end of the day we want the driver to make the difference."

Some of the manufacturers, however, are also insisting that the new engines must keep up with the rapid 'green' pace of the rest of the world.

"It has to be an engine that will make us proud by 2030," said Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

Cost, though, is another major factor, with Todt declaring: "We hope we can get new manufacturers to enter the sport."

As for Honda's decision to withdraw officially from F1 next year, Dr Helmut Marko says it is final - even though the Japanese manufacturer looks on course to win the 2021 title.

"The Japanese don't change their decisions. That would be a loss of face," Austrian Marko, 78, told Osterreich newspaper.

"Honda will support us for the next two years for a fee, and then we'll be ready with our own engine."

(GMM)
As of June 2021, Moscows fleet of electric buses has reached 600 vehicles and will expand to 1,000 by the end of the yearmore than in any other European city. Most of the battery packs and propulsion equipment for the Russian capitals electric buses are made by Drive Electro, which has manufactured and supplied components for 400 of the citys electric vehicles.

This year, Drive Electro will supply Moscow with battery packs for a further 200 electric buses.

The company uses lithium titanate batteries for the electric buses, giving them a range of 350-400 km and requiring just 6-20 minutes to recharge. In addition, thanks to the engineering solutions applied, the buses are able to operate even at record low or high temperatures, making them ideal for Moscows changeable climate.





Besides manufacturing and supplying components, Drive Electro has been responsible for the full range of maintenance work on the buses propulsion equipment and batteries since the operational launch of the first model in 2019.

Drive Electro has previously announced plans to expand its manufacturing facilities. In the first quarter of 2022, the company plans to open its own plant to manufacture batteries for electric buses and to set up serial production of electric trucks. Up to US$5.2 million will be invested in the plant, which will have a maximum capacity of 1,000 battery sets and 500 electric trucks per year.

In late 2020, Drive Electro also presented Russias first electric truck, known as the Moskva. It was handed over to Russias largest retail network Magnit for trial operation. If the trial is successful, Drive Electro plans to produce a further 200 electric trucks for Magnit at its own plant.
Electric Last Mile, Inc. (ELMS) will reveal its working prototype of the Urban Utility electric medium-duty cab-forward truck, and begin taking orders, at the Route Consultant Contractor Expo on 30-31 July. Held in Nashville, Tennessee, the annual Expo is the largest independent gathering of FedEx Ground contractors in the country.

ELMS will be joined at the Route Consultant Contractor Expo by its strategic distribution partner, Randy Marion Automotive Group, and will host test drives of both its Class 3 Urban Utility medium-duty EV as well as its all-electric Urban Delivery cargo van.

ELMS expects to begin production of the Urban Delivery later this year.

The Urban Utility will offer an estimated range of approximately 250 miles unloaded, the ability to support variable cargo box lengths and an expected payload of around 5,700 pounds. Start of production is expected in the second half of 2022, and its introduction would position ELMS to offer commercial electric vehicle solutions spanning the Class 1 to Class 3 last-mile segment.

The Urban Utility is also expected to come with a suite of connectivity solutions that would allow fleet operators full visibility of their vehicles in near real time, as well as the ability to turn each Urban Utility vehicle into a Wi-Fi hotspot. In addition, ELMS expects to include over-the-air software update capabilities aimed at reducing vehicle downtime. As part of its integrated business model, ELMS also plans to offer upfitting solutions to customize the Urban Utility to fleets individual end-use cases.
The technology group Wartsila has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Global Energy Ventures (GEV) of Australia, a company specialized in delivering compressed shipping solutions for transporting energy to regional markets. The two companies will cooperate on the inclusion of Wartsila propulsion systems in GEVs compressed hydrogen (C-H 2 ) ships. (Earlier post.) The MOU was signed in Sydney, Australia.





Wartsila will collaborate with GEV to assess propulsion systems for GEVs new 430-ton C-H2 vessel.  Global Energy Ventures (GEV)

The cooperation aims at advancing GEVs Approval in Principle (AiP) application for its new 430-ton C-H 2 vessel. It is also intended to demonstrate the availability of a highly efficient, low-emissions propulsion system for the vessel.

This project is an important steppingstone along the journey towards a decarbonized maritime industry, something that Wartsila is fully committed to supporting. We are actively developing propulsion alternatives that can utilize future carbon-neutral fuels, raise efficiency levels, and which significantly improve environmental performance. This agreement with GEV is fully in line with our own ambitions. Petteri Saares, Sales Director, Wartsila Marine Power
Carter Corthell gets blasted by a bubble sprayer while his cousin Oliver Lee patiently waits his turn Tuesday afternoon at Centennial Park. The Sweetwater County Library hosted a Story Time and other events at the parkas part of its summer reading programs. The county library system, despite funding cuts over the past decade, continue to host numerous programs and events for residents.

The Sweetwater County Library's multipurpose room was filled with smiling faces Monday morning, though few as beaming as Becky Iwen's.

The library's manager of youth services, Iwen read stories and sang to 25 toddlers and parents gathered for the weekly Toddler Time program she hosts. Iwen brings an energy similar to Fred Rogers and Sheri Lewis when interacting with the children. Wearing a soft gray cardigan over a pink dress and sporting her trademark colorful hair -- this time dyed a lavender hue, the children watch closely and sing along with Iwen.

At the end of the program, some mothers and grandmothers gather their children and leave while others stay and let the toddlers color with large, circular crayons designed specifically for their tiny hands or play with basic musical instruments laid out for them. Both children and adults thank Iwen and wave to her as they walk out of the room.

Since the library started hosting programs in person, Iwen said there has been more interest in what it offers. Last week, Toddler Time attracted 33 people and attendance to other programs and usage of services has increased as well. Iwen credits this increased attention to how the library system responded as COVID-19 pandemic restrictions tightened in Wyoming. While the buildings were closed for a month, opening in May 2020, the library system didn't host in-person programming until recently. To continue engaging with patrons, libraries offered take-home activities for families and streamed programs like Toddler Time online. Those services continued through the year after the buildings reopened.

While the library system sees more demand services, it will operate at a 10% budget decrease from what it was funded last year; the latest in a series of revenue declines hitting the county-funded operation in the last decade.

The Sweetwater County commissioners approved their 2021-2022 budget June 17 and with it, a slew of cuts to county agencies and other organizations as the commissioners attempt balance the need for services against continually-declining revenues. The library system has frequently been a target of funding cuts, with prior commissioners suggesting the closure of buildings to help reign in costs. The 10% cut it receives this year represents a $335,063 cut in funding from last year, dropping from $3,350,630 to $3,060,442. Since the 2007-2008 budget, the earliest budget available on the county's website, the library's annual budget has declined by $1.77 million. During that budget year, the commissioners allocated $4,834,405 to the library system.

Jason Grubb, director of the county's library system, said the last six months have been the most difficult of his career. While 10% is significant, Grubb said the commissioners originally proposed a 20% cut, representing a loss of roughly $610,000. In what he describes as an 11th hour reconsideration, Grubb said the commissioners opted to only cut the 10% after realizing the library system would not be able to reach 20% without impacting staff.

"We could not go any lower without impacting employees," Grubb said. "When 75% of your budget is people, you can only go so far until it affects them."

Grubb said some librarians had their hours reduced to a part-time status, though he admits the 20% originally proposed would have been much harder on his staff. Iwen recalls a budget meeting amongst other managers debating what the proposed decrease would look like for library employees, saying the implications of that decrease stuck with her hours after the meeting ended.

"After we had that meeting and talked about what those budget cuts would do to the staffing at the library, I went home for lunch. When I sat down in my car to come back to work, I just sobbed," Iwen said. "This isn't about the programs we offer or the books on shelves, it impacts my library work family."

Grubb said he the most difficult aspect for him is the fact that the system's employees are either people he personally hired or had worked with prior to becoming its director. He said he understands the need to cut costs as the county and state's revenue outlook continues to worsen, but wants to protect his employees from those impacts as much as possible.

While trying to maintain service levels despite shrinking funding has stressed Grubb during the past several months, he also understands the county commissioners' position in facing declining revenue and compliments them on how they handled budget meetings.

"It's no fault of theirs," Grubb said. "They've been great to work with."

As revenues from the county's mineral-based economy continue to decline, Grubb sees the county being forced to make additional cuts, which will trickle down to other county-funded organizations. Until something happens to bolster the minerals economy or diversify the county's tax base, budget cuts are likely to continue.

A major part of cutting cost for the library system thus far has been through attrition, the closing of positions as they're vacated. These include two building manager positions and an information technology manager post being ended during the past few years. The library's administration has consolidated to consist of Grubb and two assistant directors overseeing operations three main buildings and six rural locations. He said other staff members have also stepped up over the years to absorb duties originally handled by other employees.

Looking to the future, Grubb said the county funded the libraries as well as it did in the past because it could afford to do so. With another potential budget decrease likely next year, Grubb believes the library system may need to find alternative sources of funding to support itself.

Patrons won't see the cuts impacting programs and other events hosted by the library system as those are funded through the Sweetwater County Library Foundation, a non-profit organization managing an endowment that was partially funded by the Wyoming Legislature. Grubb said endowment provides $25,000 in funding specifically for programming and special events each year. The library system has utilized those funds to pay for programs during the last several years, a move spurred by previous funding cuts. Other funding sources such as grants or private partnerships could allow the library system to operate without worry of how county funding would impact it.

Other solutions to current funding woes may only be temporary, but give Grubb and his staff some breathing room as they tackle fiscal problems. One financial burden the system will not have this year involves its digital offerings. Grubb said the Wyoming State Library received funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, which was used to pay contracts county library systems had with the state library. This includes collection access fees for Wyoming Libraries Database services and OverDrive content for the Wyoming Virtual Library, as well as access to LinkedIn Learning and Gale Business: Plan Builder and Gale Legal Forms to help workforce development in the wake of job and business losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. The digital collection access alone would have cost the Sweetwater County Library System about $50,000, an amount which Grubb said could fund two part-time positions.

For Iwen, working at the library remains enjoyable despite dealing with the funding cuts, with her Toddler Time every Monday being a highlight of her week. Talking about watching children grow and getting to know the library families puts a joyful smile on her face. As she works on the fall event schedule, she admits to keeping an eye on how many people are needed to host an event, but believes patrons will enjoy what is being planned.

"We have some fun and creative events coming up," she said. "We want to host fun events the community will want to be involved in."
An annual compliance check of registered sex offenders in Sweetwater County resulted in one arrest and two ongoing investigations according to a media release from the Sweetwater County Sheriffs Office.

Last week, county detectives and deputies initiated 104 registered sex offender compliance checks throughout the county, including Granger, Bairoil, Point of Rocks and Wamsutter. Registered offenders were delivered a copy of the Wyoming Sex Offender Registration Act, a list of applicable fees to their status and a letter detailing individual requirements for each registered offender. In total, 96 offenders were verified in compliance, while two were non-complaint, two others are under investigation and one non-complaint offender was arrested.

The compliance check was done with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Sex Offender Task Force as part of an ongoing activity known as Operation Jessica. Under Wyoming law, sex offenders must register with the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation through their county sheriffs office. A registered sex offender in Sweetwater County is photographed, fingerprinted and required to provide information including their physical address vehicle information and place of employment and are required to notify the sheriffs office if they change jobs or move. Information is published online through Wyoming DCIs website.

According to the release,While registration status is monitored and compliance checks are actually conducted year-round, officials named the annual compliance sweep Operation Jessica for nine-year-old Jessica Marie Lunsford, who was abducted, raped and murdered in Homosassa, Florida in 2005 by 47-year-old John Couey, a convicted sex offender who lived near Lunsford. An autopsy at the time revealed that Couey buried Jessica alive in garbage bags until she eventually suffocated to death. A Florida judge sentenced Couey to death in 2007, but he died in prison of natural causes in 2009.
Wyoming lawmakers have begun the lengthy and involved process of redrawing legislative district maps for the next decade.

The Joint Committee on Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisionss June 7 meeting marked the beginning of months of data crunching, discussion and negotiation on how population changes recorded in the 2020 census will affect representation in the Wyoming Legislature. The results could impact sitting legislators, shift the voting tendencies of individual districts, affect the partisan representation in the House and Senate and have unforeseen implications on policy making.

The process will not be simple. Without a complete data set from the U.S. Census Bureau, lawmakers still do not fully understand how populations changed in cities, counties and towns when the count was tallied on April 1, 2020. They also have to identify any laws regulating the states electoral districts they would like to change. These could range from rules governing how communities are assigned representatives to the ultimate number of members of the Legislature there will be.

Heres a guide to how the process will unfold.

The Wyoming Constitution provides that the House must have at least twice the number of members as then the Senate. Right now there are 60 House Districts and 30 Senate districts. Each is defined by a number of characteristics including distinct neighborhoods, geography and demographics.

With every new census, those characteristics can fluctuate, spurred by anything from new development in a downtown neighborhood to a bust in the oil and gas fields. Members of the Legislature, with the help of local officials, are tasked with redrawing the maps every decade to reflect those changes in a manner that ensures equitable representation.

Once county-level census data (or at least estimates) are available, lawmakers  with the help of a Geographic Information Systems consultant and legal counsel  will compare demographic changes from the 2010 to 2020 census in an effort to gauge where the most significant redraws will need to occur. From there, specific committee members (typically hailing from the Corporations Committee) begin the lengthy process of meeting with local residents and officials to fine tune where the lines will ultimately fall.

Once preliminary maps are drawn, the plan will go to the full Legislature for approval during the 2022 Budget Session this winter.

Though Wyoming is unlikely to see major shifts to its district maps due to its anemic growth, the process still has potential for significant implications.

Senate District 6 in Laramie County, for example, reaches across a county line to capture the population of a corrections facility. Some urban areas, such as Laramie, have seen a rash of new development on their outskirts. And in Sublette County, notable fluctuations in the natural gas industry have occurred over the last several years, impacting employment and residency numbers there.

Federal law mandates redistricting efforts incorporate the principle of one man, one vote. In a nutshell, this means lawmakers must design maps in an effort to ensure Wyomings voters are divided into as equal proportions as possible, and that lawmakers represent people, not trees, according to the National Constitution Center.

But in Wyoming, this task is often easier said than done. Wyoming is defined by small population centers dotting a massive land area and distinct landscapes like the Red Desert and the Bighorn Basin. To keep district sizes in balance and population counts even, lawmakers often have to represent numerous communities with distinct interests.

That equilibrium is easier to find in some districts than others. The Wind River Indian Reservation in Fremont County, for example, is clearly distinct from the surrounding area, enabling district drawers to keep most reservation residents in the same district. Larger municipalities also offer lawmakers more flexibility in defining where district lines fall. While some, like Cheyenne, use a pie slice model in which urban neighborhoods are lumped in with more rural neighborhoods, cities like Casper have districts that occasionally consist of a distinct portion of the city, like Rep. Jerry Obermuellers largely urban House District 56. These districts are typically the first to be mapped out.

Keeping similar populations together in more sparsely populated regions can often be a challenge, however, resulting in districts that can span hundreds of miles of terrain.

Senate District 11 and House District 47  represented by Sen. Larry Hicks (R-Baggs) and Rep. Jerry Paxton (R-Paxton), respectively  both stretch from the outskirts of Albany County to the edge of Rock Springs, and from the states southern border to the base of the Pathfinder Wildlife Refuge in Natrona County. Other lawmakers, like Senate Majority Leader Ogden Driskill (R-Devils Tower), have represented rural districts that overlap the borders of multiple counties, meaning even greater workloads for politicians representing the interests of several counties.

In my first term, I represented five counties at one time, Driskill said. Youve got five county governments, six or seven school boards [] there is a huge difference in quality representation. One man, one vote is fine. But also for them to have adequate representation means that representatives have to be able to do a quality job.

Lawmakers have some leeway when it comes to drawing rural districts. According to Ben Williams, a redistricting expert with the National Council on State Legislatures who testified Monday, the one man, one vote principle is continually evolving at the state level, and rural districts may have some ability to deviate from the standard to keep communities of interest together.

However, litigation is often an inevitability in states redistricting efforts. In testimony to lawmakers Monday, Legislative Service Office attorney Ted Hewitt described a number of lawsuits that have come to shape the fundamental principles of redistricting in Wyoming.

Lawmakers could change the law to avoid some of these challenges. In 1992, for example, the Wyoming Legislature voted to do away with multi-member districts, in which more than one senator or representative was elected to represent the entire district. Many political observers, such as longtime Sen. Cale Case (R-Lander), said that change was a prime contributor to a decline in political and demographic diversity in the Legislature.

The Legislature could change the number of legislative districts, according to the Legislative Services Office, but only as long as lawmakers hold to the principle of twice as many House districts than Senate districts.

While redistricting in Wyoming is bound by strict protocols, the process is still prone to some gamesmanship.

An amendment during the 2002 redistricting process, for example, split the Town of Jackson  arguably the most progressive district in Wyoming  into two districts.

During the last redistricting process, in 2011, some lawmakers were accused of drawing questionable lines of demarcation in their home districts to help preserve their election chances, including the border-jumping line to include a prison in Senate District 6.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
RED DESERT  Sitting in the verdant shade of an aspen grove on Steamboat Mountain  which rises out of the Red Desert in southern Wyoming  Jason Baldes talks about buffalo.

As the buffalo reintroduction coordinator for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe, this is not unusual for Baldes, whos wearing a shirt that reads Make Buffalo Great Again. But on this day in early June, he isnt focused solely on the herd he helped reintroduce to the Wind River Indian Reservation.

Instead, he imagines the hulking creatures that once roamed this mountain being pushed by members of his tribe up the funnel-shaped valley toward an ancestral buffalo jump near its peak.

They would put pressure on them to move right up this draw, right to where were sitting right now, Baldes says. The animals would be channeled to a natural crevice formed by the rock, he says, where they would plunge over the edge and be easily harvested.

So thats a sacred site, Baldes says. Untold thousands of buffalo harvested here.

And those buffalo? Shoshone people used them from horn to hoof, he says  hides for tepees, organs for water bags, bones for tools, meat for sustenance. Baldes, who grew up riding horses, camping and rock hunting in the Red Desert with his father, calls the site lifes commissary.

Baldes tale paints one scene in a tableau of stories about Indigenous uses of the Red Desert, which is the ancestral land of tribes including Shoshone, Ute, Goshute, Paiute, Bannock, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Lakota and Crow, according to Citizens of the Red Desert, a coalition dedicated to protecting the Red Desert from large-scale industrial activities. In this vast and varied landscape, petroglyphs, ancient trading routes and other cultural sites offer evidence of tens of thousands of years of use and habitation.

Led by Citizens for the Red Desert, advocates are pushing to educate modern-day users of the Red Desert about its full history.

The Red Desert, Baldes says, was part of the Fort Bridger Treaty of 1863, which established a 44-million-acre reservation for the Shoshone people. The reservation was drastically reduced by subsequent treaty revisions and other means and no longer includes the Red Desert, but the significance of the area was in no way diminished.

Baldes believes the recognition shared by many Indigenous cultures of natures interconnectedness can benefit anyone who cares about the Red Desert, he says.

I think that that has a lot of potential in helping people see and understand our relationship with places like this, he says.

The Red Desert yawns across much of southwestern Wyoming and beyond  from South Pass City it spills south, east and west, past the Utah and Colorado borders.

Wildly diverse features occupy the landscape, where otherworldly badlands, isolated mountains, unexpected buttes and shifting snow-white sand dunes erupt from sagebrush seas. The longest ungulate migration in the continental U.S. crosses through, and it is home to a collection of wilderness study areas.

Its austere, beautiful and odd. It is also peppered with oil and gas leases, and it has long been the focus of conservation efforts.

Those efforts have ramped up in recent years in anticipation of long-awaited revisions to the BLMs Resource Management Plan for the area. Conservationists, concerned that the new RMP could open up more of the Red Desert to energy leasing, are doubling down on efforts to educate the public about its outdoor-recreation, cultural and historical resources.

Citizens of the Red Desert, which aims to secure federal protections for the landscape, is in the early stages of working toward a congressional bill, according to coordinator Shaleas Harrison. It is engaging a host of stakeholders from the petroleum industry to ranchers, she says, and several of its team members, like Baldes, are tribal citizens.

I want to build up a platform for tribal nations to speak about their ancestral and contemporary lands, Harrison says.

That makes sense, Baldes says. The traditional ecological knowledge of tribal communities overlaps really well with our understanding of environmental science and ecological principles.

I think its just now that conservation organizations are finding out how to work with tribal communities though, he added.

As the daughter of well-known Northern Arapaho citizen Mark Soldier Wolf, Yufna Soldier Wolf grew up tagging along with her dad on trips to the Red Desert, where anthropologists and archeologists regularly sought his knowledge, she said.

He was always here, she says, sitting on the flank of a dune in the Killpecker Sand Dunes, an enormous complex of sand and scrub. He was always going somewhere on the land and I was always with him. The fine sand winks under a full sun; today the wind has sculpted it into scallops and ridges. A small band of elk skirts a distant drift at a trot.

He was always like, this is a real special place. Dont forget it, said Soldier Wolf, who is the Wyoming Outdoor Councils Wind River Coordinator and a Citizens for the Red Desert team member.

The Northern Arapaho tribe hasnt occupied the Red Desert as long as the Eastern Shoshone, Soldier Wolf says; her tribe was largely migratory, moving into the area later. But its still special for tribal citizens  wilderness is akin to church for many, she says.

Soldier Wolf grew up knowing the dormant volcanic feature that rises prominently from the desert, which maps and guides call The Boars Tusk, by its Northern Arapaho name The Parents due to its resemblance of two human figures.

Soldier Wolf hopes to disseminate Native stories in ways that make them as easily accessible as those from the settler cultures that erected the signs, named the landmarks in books and maps and defined ownership in Western terms, she says.

We cant just let it go away, and not ever tell those stories anymore, she said. Thats my objective.

She wants to ensure the stories are passed on to Native American youth. Like her own daughter Blue Moccasins, 14, who has accompanied her mother to the Red Desert today  just as Yufna once did with her father.

Soldier Wolfs job, she says, includes coordinating all the tribes whose ancestral lands are part of the Red Desert to determine what they want for the place, whether thats certain protections or more acknowledgement of traditional narratives.

Being able to tell stories from long ago, and connect it back to the land, thats what a lot of tribes are doing now, she says. So Im hoping thats what comes out of that.

WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
Life-long resident of the Greensburg/Jeannette area, Diane Bargerstock went to sleep, softly, and quietly on June 24, 2021 at the age of 70 years old and now she is resting in the arms of Jesus. Diane spent her work life with the Mercy Behavior Health System. She enjoyed her life with her hu
STAMFORD  A global manufacturer and technology company is relocating its corporate headquarters to Stamford and bringing nearly 60 jobs, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Friday.

The company makes highly engineered components and develops customized technology solutions for transportation, industrial, oil and gas markets. The company, which has been in White Plains, N.Y., will occupy a 24,000-square-foot space at 100 Washington Blvd. in Harbor Point, Lamont said.

Technically, ITT entered into a lease agreement with Building and Land Technology for the South End office space in late 2020, but the organization is expected to physically move into the location later this year.

Mark Macaluso, ITTs head of investor relations, said the company is working on building out the interior office space, getting it ready for the full move.

Lamonts ITT announcement on Friday comes on the heels of two other major business announcements this week.

On Thursday, Lamont said iCapital Network, a global financial firm, plans to open an office in Greenwich this fall, bringing about 200 jobs to the area.

Earlier this week, the governor said Philip Morris International would be relocating its corporate headquarters from New York City to Fairfield County. Lamont said the move will also bring about 200 jobs to the area, though it isnt expected to happen until next summer and the exact location was not revealed.

ITT employs about 9,700 global employees in more than 35 countries. Lamont said the new Stamford location is expected to bring 57 jobs to the area.

Our administration has been laser-focused on doing everything we can to get Connecticuts economy growing again, and having a company with a worldwide reputation like ITT deciding to move their global headquarters to our state is nothing but a win, Lamont said in a statement.

Luca Savi, president and CEO of ITT, said the company is excited for a new chapter in Stamford.

Stamfords rich history and prime location will provide the perfect home for our new global headquarters and will allow us to grow and build upon ITTs long history, Savis said in a statement. As a global manufacturer and developer of highly engineered components and technology, we are confident that our newly designed space will inspire innovation and collaboration and provide better solutions to serve our customers.

While a date wasnt provided for the move, Savi said it will happen later this year.

The city offers the critically important resources that a company needs, including an innovative culture, a highly skilled and well-educated workforce, great transportation options and a wonderfully diverse community that meets a broad range of needs and interest, Stamford Mayor David Martin said in a statement.

The original ITT, called International Telephone & Telegraph, was created in 1920 by brothers Sosthenes and Hernand Behn. It became a major international player, providing telephone switching equipment and telecommunications services, according to the ITT website.

The years between 1960 and 1977 are referred to as the companys conglomerate years, as ITT acquired more than 350 companies, including well-known businesses such as Avis Rent-A-Car, Sheraton hotels and the maker of Wonder Bread.

According to ITTs website, those acquisitions transformed the company from a medium-sized business with $760 million in sales to a global corporation with revenue of $17 billion.

The companys global reach at the time even affected foreign governments. In the early 1970s, the CIA used ITT as a conduit to fund opponents of Salvador Allende, the democratically-elected president of Chile. ITTs payments helped fund the military coup that resulted in Allendes death and the installation of right-wing dictator Augusto Pinochet.

In 1973, ITT's headquarters in New York City was bombed by the left-wing militant group Weather Underground for the companys involvement in the coup.

By the mid-1990s, the company began divesting its acquisitions, resulting in the business splintering into three factions: ITT Corporation, focused on hotel and gaming businesses; ITT Hartford, which turned into an insurance business; and ITT Industries, an assortment of manufacturing companies.

Eventually, ITT Corporation was acquired, ITT Hartford changed its name, and in 2006, ITT Industries changed its name back to ITT Corporation. In 2016, ITT reorganized into its current form as a global manufacturer for the transportation, industrial and energy markets.

The state Department of Economic and Community Development said it would provide a grant up to $1.995 million to support ITTs move to Stamford, contingent on the company creating and retaining up to 57 new, full-time jobs.

Connecticut is a national and global leader for advanced manufacturing because of our highly trained and educated workforce, and we welcome ITT to Stamford, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said in a statement. The word is spreading that Connecticut is committed to creating an environment that matches workers with leading companies, and ITT is an example of how were succeeding.

Editors note: This story has been update to correct the name of the company renting ITT the office space. The lease agreement is with Building and Land Technology.

Staff writer Ignacio Laguarda contributed to this report.
Stand up Greenwich.

Last April Greenwich stood up against systemic racism at a noon ceremony outside town hall. First Selectman Fred Camillo proclaimed April 23, 2021 as Stand Against Racism Day in the Town of Greenwich.

Over 100 businesses, non-profits, schools, faith communities, and the Town of Greenwich commit to Stand Against Racism every day, said the proclamation, in support of the Greenwich YWCAs campaign against racism.

Elected officials, public safety personnel, department heads, and community representatives attended the annual town hall ceremony. As it does each year, the YWCA called upon us to stand up and be counted among those who engage in an ongoing struggle for racial equity and social justice.

Stand against racism every day.

We are constantly challenged. Messaging on the signs that appeared throughout town in early June asked us to abandon our commitment to stand up against systemic racism.

Stand Up Greenwich, they said. Unmask Our Children. Ban Critical Race Theory. Protect Medical Freedom. Attend Board of Education Meeting, June 17th at 7 p.m.

Traced to self-proclaimed Greenwich patriots, these signs, although tailored to Greenwich, deliver a message consistent with a manipulative national strategy designed to harness white anxiety, channel its potential for anger, aim that anger toward those who seek racial equity, and wield it as a racist weapon in the 2022 mid-term elections. Funded and promoted by a network of right-wing groups, amplified by media outlets such as Fox News, this message attacks the demonized boogeyman it has invented and labeled Critical Race Theory (CRT).

Before last summer, when George Floyds murder gave new white life to the Black Lives Matter movement, CRT was something confined to rarefied academic circles. Wed never heard of it, nor been told K-12 schools teach it disguised as diversity, equity, and inclusion, much less that this is a form of Marxist indoctrination. This absurd, yet dangerous, boogeyman rose up to defend the white status quo in the wake of Floyds murder.

Stand up Greenwich?

Our commitment to stand against racism requires us to reject, as did many speakers at the June Board of Education meeting, such deliberate misrepresentation of the school curriculum. But will the town take a unified stand against these so-called patriots in unequivocal defense of teachers who broaden student knowledge, deepen multicultural awareness, and cultivate critical thinking? How forcefully will we denounce a ban on teaching that encourages students to discuss the role of racism in society?

We recognize structural racism plays a large role in determining the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, the first selectmans April 23 proclamation declares. These factors affect peoples access to quality housing, education, food, transportation, political power, and other social determinants of health. We know that understanding and addressing the public health consequences that stem from racism is crucial to eliminating racial and ethnic inequities, and to improving opportunity and well-being across communities.

The YWCAs focus this year is on racism as a public health crisis in Connecticut, a timely focus with state legislation addressing this crisis just enacted. Harry Arora and Kimberly Fiorello, Greenwichs two Republican legislators, voted no.

Fiorello, who opposed all legislation addressing systemic racism, denies its existence. Her recent Zoom meeting featuring Peter W. Wood, president of the National Association of Scholars, a conservative advocacy group, introduced the CRT boogeyman as a dangerous threat to humanity. The narrative, filled with distortions, argued for whitewashed American history, and advocated banning the teaching of CRT.

But CRT is whatever it is deemed to be. It could very well be the 21-Day Racial Equity and Social Justice Challenge, now available on the YWCA website. I engaged in this challenge between April 26 and May 24. It was an enriching educational experience. Each weekday an email arrived with that days challenge  something to read, listen to, view, and then record reflections on the days challenge. Each week had a different focus: Understanding Race and Racism, Manifestations of Racism, Zoning and Housing, and Practicing Anti-Racism.

On Day 21, we viewed the four challenging weeks as one step in a life-long journey to undo racism, with the next step up to us.

Stand up Greenwich. Together, lets accept this challenge to engage in bending the arc of history closer toward justice.

Alma Rutgers served in Greenwich town government for 30 years.
PHOENIX (AP)  The Arizona House on Thursday approved a $1.9 billion income tax cut that mainly benefits the wealthy as majority Republicans pushed through key pieces of a state budget plan opposed by Democrats and packed with a conservative wish list of unrelated policy changes.

The House joined the Senate in approving the tax cuts and another bill shielding high-earning taxpayers from the effects of a new 3.5% tax surcharge voters approved in November to boost education funding.

In all, nine of the 11 bills that make up the $12.8 billion budget were ready to send to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who negotiated the spending plan and will sign it. The 31-29 party-line votes came after majority Republicans, angered that House Democrats failed to show up to work earlier in the week, limited debate on the budget plan.

House Speaker Rusty Bowers announced that the GOP would change the rules and allow only 30 minutes of debate on each bill. Such debate typically takes up hours on each measure.

It is clear, was clear then, by the absence of an entire caucus ... that procedural obstruction and delay have been instituted in lieu of civility, Bowers said.

Republicans say the state is flush with cash, and the tax cut is needed to keep Arizona competitive and prevent the tax increase contained in Proposition 208, which added the new tax on high-earning Arizonans. They argued the tax cut will help businesses create jobs and that will help the middle class.

I think what we do have here is a historic tax cut that will result in significant positive impact for everyone, everyone in the state, said Peoria Rep. Ben Toma, the majority leader and a key architect of the tax cuts. Its a tax cut that helps small businesses, and it helps us be more competitive as a state relative to our neighbors.

Democrats vehemently oppose the tax cuts, saying without them the state could finally fully fund schools and social programs that were never completely restored after the Great Recession.

This is the time to make meaningful investments in our states future instead of this massive giveaway to folks who are really not struggling, Democratic Rep. Kelli Butler of Paradise Valley said. And there are plenty in Arizona who are really struggling.

The $1.9 billion in tax cuts will be phased in when revenue targets are met, starting at $1.3 billion this year. When fully phased in, the plan would lower tax rates for most taxpayers to 2.5%, down from a range of 2.59% to 4.5%. Wealthy taxpayers would, in effect, be spared from the tax hike approved by voters last year to pay for schools.

The average Arizonan earning between $75,000 and $100,000 will save $231 a year in state income taxes, while the average taxpayer earning between $500,000 and $1 million a year will save more than $12,000, according to the Legislatures budget analysts.

Ducey hailed the passage of the tax cut bill and the provision shielding individuals earning over $250,000 or couples making more than $500,000 from the new Proposition 208 tax. The estimated $827 million a year in new money will still go to schools, but it will come out of the general fund, preventing the state from funding other programs.

Every Arizonan  no matter how much they make  wins with this legislation. They will get to keep more of the money they earn under this tax plan, Ducey said. It will protect small businesses from a devastating 77% tax increase, it ensures working families and all Arizona taxpayers get to spend their money how they choose, and it will help our state stay competitive so we can continue to attract good-paying jobs.

Changes negotiated by a pair of GOP holdouts protect city revenues by boosting the percentage of income tax shared with municipalities, and boost state debt payoffs to $1.9 billion.

The new rules eliminated most of the usual debate, questions and forced roll call votes on amendments that can eat up hours of time. Holding 29 of 60 seats, Democrats only power is to slow the movement of bills by extensive debate.

Democrats were enraged, saying they did not show up Tuesday because Republicans had introduced a slew of last-minute budget amendments, and noted that it was absent Republicans who prevented a quorum.

Rep. Charlene Fernandez of Yuma called the limits absolutely ridiculous and said Republicans wasted 26 days of the session getting their own members on board with the budget deal.

The Senate packed the budget with conservative policy priorities, including a big expansion of the state's private school voucher program, a ban on teaching so-called critical race theory in K-12 schools, and a host of items targeting the enforcement of coronavirus restrictions. They include bans on cities requiring vaccines or ordering mask mandates if the pandemic again surges and similar restrictions for schools and state colleges and universities.

Republican Rep. Bret Roberts of Maricopa said he would not have voted for the health budget bill without those items and told members that he was glad they were included.

Democratic Rep. Lorenzo Sierra of Cashion, who survived a severe case of COVID-19 that left him on a ventilator for days, was flabbergasted. Arrogance is not an effective vaccine against COVID-19, Sierra said.

It also embraces the unfounded theory that former President Donald Trump lost in Arizona because of voter fraud, creating a $12 million election integrity fund to pay for election security updates and other priorities.

While Republicans appear to have the votes to pass the overall budget, some of the items added by the Senate could end up being dropped by the House. The lower chamber adjourned at about 10:30 Thursday night after skipping debate on the voucher expansion, which some House Republicans oppose.

The Senate, meanwhile, re-introduced and passed 22 bills that Ducey vetoed last month, when he said he wouldn't sign any new measures before lawmakers approved a budget. The unexpected action infuriated many lawmakers.

Senators also took the extremely unusual step Thursday of voting to override one of Ducey's vetoes, which requires a two-thirds vote. Republican Sen. Tyler Pace said they chose a bill making technical changes to state laws that had previously passed unanimously to send Ducey the message that lawmakers won't roll over.

The last time the Legislature overrode a governor's veto was in 1981.
LANSING, Mich. (AP)  Republican lawmakers voted Thursday to stop a $300 weekly federal supplement that is added to unemployed workers' benefits in Michigan, though the measure is expected to be vetoed when it reaches Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The GOP-controlled Legislature passed the bill on party lines, 19-16 in the Senate and 59-49 in the House. It would require the $300 pandemic benefit to end July 31.

Supporters have said the supplement, which is on top of the maximum state benefit of $362 a week, discourages people from rejoining the workforce. It is due to cease Sept. 4 under federal law. About half of states, nearly all of them with Republican governors, have opted to end the extra benefit early.

It doesn't make any sense for the federal government to pay people not to work when we've moving moving the state back to normal, Rep. Beth Griffin, a Mattawan Republican, said last week, days before Michigan's COVID-19 capacity restrictions and mask requirements were lifted.

Whitmer, however, has said a lack of child care is a bigger barrier to filling jobs and wants to expand a state workshare program so employers can hire new workers who, while working, would still get the $300 weekly benefit.

This isn't the time to be taking money away from people who are struggling to find work, Democratic Sen. Paul Wojno, of Warren, said Thursday.

Interest groups applauded and criticized the legislative vote.

"Retailers have waited over a year to operate at 100% capacity but need employees to help meet that demand, said William Hallan, president and CEO of the Michigan Retailers Association.

But the Michigan AFL-CIO called it a political stunt, noting that even if the governor signed the bill, the change would not occur until 2022 because Democrats did not agree to give it immediate effect.

"The Legislature should be working to make sure every Michigander shares in the gains from the state's economic and fiscal recovery, not launching attacks on people who were hit hardest... and trying to ship unemployment aid funds back to Washington, D.C., said president Ron Bieber.

___

Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00
GREENWICH  The 167-page full report on the audit of Greenwichs special education department includes 28 recommendations for the district  which one school board member called an opportunity to really make change happen.

The full report by Public Consulting Group, which is now available on the districts website, is an account of the districts successes as well as the many places where it should improve service to its special education students.

Im very excited about the recommendations, Superintendent of Schools Toni Jones said at the Board of Educations Wednesday meeting after PCG made an hourlong presentation of the report. Theres not a lot in there that actually that surprises me. And I think that thats a good thing.

PCG began its work in the district in October 2020 and released an executive summary of the report last Friday.

Jones, who was part of the steering committee that worked with PCG to facilitate the comprehensive study of the special education department, reiterated her commitment to addressing the issues raised, as did school board members.

It took a lot longer than I wish it had, Board of Education Chair Peter Bernstein said. But theres opportunity. A lot, a lot of opportunity to really make change happen.

File / Matthew Brown / Hearst Connecticut Media

The board must now develop a plan to solicit parent feedback and implement the recommendations.

I think as a board we need to hold ourselves accountable to this report, board member Karen Kowalski said. This essentially blew up our entire special ed program. And I think we knew that that was coming, but now we need to take responsibility and ownership for it and figure out how were going to get it done.

Implementing the report is complicated by the start of summer vacation (classes ended for all students Tuesday) and by the size of the report. Also, Stacey Heiligenthaler, the districts new interim director of the Pupil Personal Services Department, of which special education is a part, officially begins her role July 1.

So sometime after July 1, but not too long after July 1, well probably be looking to schedule that meeting, specifically for discussion around the action planning, hear from the administration as to what theyre thinking for first steps for the summer, what we think are the most important things that need to be worked on, as well as obviously hear from the parent community, Bernstein said.

Matthew Korobkin, PCGs lead consultant on the audit, said action planning on the boards part will be key.

In addition to recommendations, the PCG report also lists the districts strengths. Greenwich Public Schools is a high-performing district with committed educators and an impressive prekindergarten special education program, PCG said. The district is wealthy and well-resourced, and Jones is seen as trusted and as a resource for families, according to the report. Also, with Heiligenthaler replacing Mary Forde, who resigned as head of the special education department in April after 24 years, there is opportunity for meaningful change, the report said.

3 1 of 3 File / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 File / Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3





But the problems identified are multitudinous.

From a management and functional area, weve got some really serious issues across all of the major areas that make a good program functional, school board member Peter Sherr said.

According to the report, the processes for Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) and Planning and Placement Team (PPT) are inconsistent across the district. Parents have expressed frustration with the IEP and PPT process, as well as more broadly about communication with the district, the report said. Black and Hispanic students are more likely than their white peers to be identified for special education, the report said, and the achievement gap between Greenwich special education and general education students has plateaued.

The structure of the department itself is unclear and its name is not inclusive of its function, according to the report, and the special education staffing model is not well understood.

As Jones and board members noted, many of PCGs findings were not a surprise  they have been similarly highlighted over the last 20 years in other reviews of the department. According to PCG and special education parents, the districts inability to remedy deficiencies in the past has contributed to a feeling of distrust.

And that feeling remains, at least somewhat. When the district announced last week its plans to release the report, Caroline Lerum, co-founder of the districts Special Education Advisory Council, questioned why public comment would not be included in the agenda at Wednesdays meeting.

Lerum and other parents have expressed cautious optimism regarding the PCG report but they say its crucial to them that the district take action on its findings.

justin.papp@scni.com; @justinjpapp1; 203-842-2586
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A song heard at every Donald Trump campaign rally blared at least twice at the close of a North Carolina event featuring President Joe Biden.

Biden had just finished urging people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and had left the stage when You Can't Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones blared over the loudspeakers at the Green Road Community Center in Raleigh.
One new Democrat has entered the race for the seat in the 36th Senate District, but two prominent Greenwich Democrats say they are passing on a run.

State Rep. Stephen Meskers, D-150, and Selectperson Jill Oberlander said they will not seek to succeed Alex Kasser, who resigned unexpectedly on Tuesday.

A special election will be held to fill the open seat, which represents all of Greenwich, the northern part of Stamford and the western part of New Canaan.

Greenwich resident Alexis Gevanter said she plans to run for the spot as a Democrat, as does John Blankley, another Democrat who announced Thursday his plans to seek the seat.

I have been advocating for others my entire life, Gevanter said Friday. Right now, I am laser-focused on continuing to make progress here in Connecticut. I am the candidate who will champion both the economy and our values. We cannot go back to a time when candidates would compromise one for the other.

Meskers, who in 2018 was the first Democrat to win a state representative seat in Greenwich in 100 years, sent a message to supporters Thursday that he will remain in his current position.

I love the job I have and the opportunity it gives me to serve, Meskers said in his statement. I am ever grateful for the trust you have placed in me. However, I have decided to hold fast to the commitments I made to the people of the 150th and therefore will not seek election to the 36th Senate District seat. I look forward to continuing to serve in my present capacity.

In 2020, Meskers was reelected by a larger margin than in 2018.

Oberlander, who is not running for reelection to the Board of Selectmen, confirmed Friday that she also will not be a candidate for the Senate seat because the timing is not right. In 2014, she narrowly lost the race for state representative in the 150th District to Republican Michael Bocchino..

I didnt seriously consider running, said Oberlander, who acknowledged receiving a number of inquiries about a possible run. There already are strong candidates ready to continue the important work Alex was doing. Im committed to finishing out my term on the Board of Selectmen and continuing my efforts to ensure Greenwich remains a town we all want to live in.

An attorney and mother of two, Gevanter has worked as a legislative aide for former U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman from New Jersey. She is a volunteer with the Junior League of Greenwich and serves as the Connecticut chapter leader of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

If elected, Gevanter said she pledged to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to fight for causes our communities care about and protecting what she called shared values in economic growth, voting rights, womens rights, keeping the community safe from gun violence and bringing civility back to politics.

Connecticut is on an incredible path, Gevanter said, noting recent company moves into Connecticut as well as federal dollars coming to invest in infrastructure and rail. This is incredibly exciting and I want to ensure we continue to make this kind of economic progress. I would keep taxes low and fight for our small businesses, homeowners and families, especially as we all recover from the pandemic. I have vast experience building coalitions by listening and finding common ground.

Meskers and Oberlander praised Kasser, who resigned Monday, citing her ongoing divorce. Oberlander wished all the best for Kasser and thanked her for her service.

She was a strong voice for women, smart government, investment in infrastructure, inclusion, the environment, gun violence prevention and many more really important issues, Oberlander said.

Republicans held the seat for more than 75 years before Kasser defeated incumbent Republican L. Scott Frantz in 2018.

Several GOP candidates could be in the running for the partys nomination. State Rep. Harry Arora, R-151; Ryan Fazio, who ran against Kasser last November; and Republican National Committee member Leora Levy have all expressed interest in running but have not made official announcements.

One Republican who had eyed a run said he will not be moving forward, though. Carl Higbie, a former official in the administration of former President Donald Trump, said Friday he will be supporting Fazio.

I have decided to throw 100 percent of my support behind Ryan Fazio, Higbie said. He has the infrastructure and means to win this seat. I will be working to make my MAGA crowd in Greenwich his army.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
To-go drinks were a crucial source of income for many businesses during the pandemic; their immediate end caught many New Yorkers off-guard. Photo: Victor J. Blue/Getty Images

For 16 months, the owners and workers at New York Citys bars and restaurants have been forced to navigate and enforce a chaotic tangle of rules and regulations with little time to prepare for anything: mandated closings; sudden re-openings; changing rules about what size outdoor-dining structures must be and what times, exactly, they can be used; ever-fluctuating capacity and seating restrictions; decrees that anyone can dine outside without masks while some people can dine inside with masks; new decrees that allow anyone to eat anywhere without any kind of mask; curfews; temperature checks; and contact-tracing forms.

Finally, though, even if things werent starting to look great, exactly  there is still a massive hiring crisis fueled in part by the way this industry has historically mistreated its labor force, for example  they were at least starting to feel more steady. The rules seemed clear, customers understood what was expected of them, and re-openings across the city offered glimmers of optimism after more than a year of dismay, sadness, and confusion.

Then yesterday afternoon, the New York State Liquor Authority announced the end of a particularly popular, and successful, pandemic-era development: takeout and delivery alcohol from bars and restaurants. There was always the expectation that this could end, even as this new source of revenue helped countless businesses stay in operation. The announcement itself was disappointing enough, but the timing was, as New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells put it, one last sucker punch for restaurants and bars. The SLA made the announcement on Twitter, and gave these businesses just over 33 hours to prepare and comply. (Adding to the confusion was the fact that, as recently as June 6, the SLA explained  also on Twitter  that the program would continue until at least July 5.)

When asked about the squeeze this puts on thousands of businesses that are still suffering through the hardship of more than a year without solid business, the SLAs official response is: Hey, dont look at us. A rep for the group writes, The Legislature failed to codify the ability of restaurants to offer alcohol to-go. With the states declaration of emergency expiring on Thursday, all temporary pandemic-related suspensions and directives, including privileges allowing bars, restaurants, and manufacturers to sell drinks to go, will end after June 24th.

Meanwhile, a statement from Melissa Fleischut, the president of the New York State Restaurant Association points to the inanity of this decision:

A permanent extension of alcohol to go is supported by 78% of New Yorkers, but the Legislature failed to extend it and now the Executive Order has ended. Only in New York would elected officials ignore an overwhelming majority of the public. Restaurants are struggling to find staff, keep up with rising costs and manage a limited supply of goods, and nearly two thirds of the applicants will not receive Restaurant Relief Funds. New York State must do more to help, not hurt, our restaurant industry.

Why do this now? In explaining the end of the order, Cuomo said yesterday that the timing will punctuate the end of the emergency that we have been in. (As of yesterday, on average, more than four New York City residents still die from the virus each day, and anyone under 12 years old remains unable to receive any kind of vaccination, so: The end.)

The bigger question is: Why do it at all? After the successful rollout of similar programs, a host of other areas have moved to make sure to-go drinks are here to stay: Fifteen states so far, including Iowa, Arizona, and Wisconsin, have permanently legalized them and nearly a dozen have given them extensions, according to a report this week in the Washington Post.

That makes New York one of only a few states to lose this program. So, who wins with the end of off-premises privileges, as the SLA calls it, for bars and restaurants? The owners of liquor stores, mostly, who once again become the main purveyors of take-home booze. Who loses? Maybe you, a member of the public who had come to enjoy the convenience of, say, picking up a couple bottles of wine at a nearby restaurant and taking them home.

Who really loses, yet again, are the operators and workers who were given a single days notice  after being told something completely different less than three weeks ago  and now must scramble to adjust, and enforce, new regulations one more time. Will it be the final time this happens? Who knows! For now, it only adds to the feeling that the needs of these businesses are not really all that important to the states lawmakers, a reality thats been reinforced far too many times throughout this pandemic.

This post has been updated to correct a statement erroneously attributed to the SLA.

Eat like the experts. Sign up for the Grub Street newsletter. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.
Following weeks of anticipation, Honors new 50 and 50 Pro smartphones have officially gone on sale in the companys home market. The Chinese company announces that it sold CNY 500 million (more than $77 million) of Honor 50 devices in just one minute.

The Honor 50 and 50 Pro are solely available in China right now, but Honor has plans to launch the 50 series in Europe, complete with Google Mobile Services pre-installed, as the company confirmed.

Honor unveiled its 50 Series last week and its design is widely inspired by the upcoming Huawei P50 Series. The Honor 50 and 50 Pro are both powered by the Snapdragon 778G chipset while the entry-tier 50 SE is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 900.

The Honor 50 Pro has a 6.72-inch curved AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and Full HD+



Honor 50 Pro and Honor 50

resolution. The non-Pro model, meanwhile, has a 6.57-inch AMOLED screen with the same specs. The 50 has a single 32MP selfie cut out while the Pro model comes with dual selfie cameras, a 32MP main + 12MP ultrawide.

Via
After Brexit happened, UK's mobile operators didn't immediately introduce roaming charges but they are now gradually rolling those. The roaming charges will take place starting January 2022. O2 and Three are meanwhile going to limit their fair use caps - the former will limit the data roaming to 25GB a month while Three is reducing the limit from 20GB to 12GB.

For those of you are unaware, the EU has banned roaming charges within the EU but it has also introduced a fair use agreement where you can't buy a mobile data plan in one EU country and use it endlessly in another.

In any case, the EU and the UK will encourage operators to have "transparent and reasonable rates" for roaming.

Via




Have any questions? Please give us a call at 520-625-5511
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Submit




Haiti - Justice : ULCC orders banks to freeze 260 million embezzled Gourdes





As part of an investigation into ONA loans of more than 2 billion gourdes and 65 million gourdes paid by ONA to the notarial office of former Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant, Me Hans Jacques Ludwig Joseph, Director General of the Unit for the Fight Against Corruption (ULCC) on June 23 ordered banking institutions to freeze 260 million gourdes from several people with links to Real Business Investment (RBI) including businessman Pierre Reginald Boulos is the CEO.



For the ULCC, these 260 million would correspond to embezzled public money including the fines to be paid which must be remitted to the Public Treasury



The bank accounts targeted by the ULCC are those of: Isabelle Valmey, Pierre Reginald Boulos, Ursil Pierre, Emlyne Girova Brice, Sebastien Boulos, Melissa Regine Boulos, Natacha Blanc and Real Business Investissement.



The ULCC warns the banks concerned "[...] failing to comply with this, they may be prosecuted as a "facilitator" of laundering the proceeds of crime in accordance with article 5.3 of the law of 12 March 2014 on prevention. and repression of corruption and article 58 of the law of 11 November 2013 punishing money laundering and the financing of terrorism."



In a note dated June 24, 2021, the movement of the 3rd way (MTV Haiti) affirms that it is about political persecution against its President Reginald Boulos, convinced that it is an instrumentalisation of the ULCC to put an end to the actions against the referendum of the Movement.



SL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - FLASH : 1/3 of Port-au-Prince serves as a battlefield for nearly 95 gangs





This 3rd report from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA-Haiti), produced in collaboration with humanitarian partners. covers the period 14 to 22 June 2021 and is based on the information and data available to date. The next report will be published around June 29.



"Hignlights :

New escalations of violence in the neighbourhoods of Bas-Delmas, Martissant and Cite-Soleil generate widespread panic and new population displacements.



Humanitarian access remains a serious challenge and assistance continues to be delayed despite the efforts of partners to reach the affected population.



Camp Lapiste, where hundreds of people with disabilities found refuge after the 2010 earthquake, was burnt down by armed men on 17 June. Dozens of people with disabilities have sought refuge in the Saint Yves church.



Escalating violence and roadblocks continue to paralyze economic activity across the country. Due to the situation, transport activity has been drastically reduced, creating bottlenecks in supply chains leading to critical shortages of gasoline and diesel and increased prices of basic foodstuffs.



Health centres in the conflict-affected areas are barely functioning as the mobility of staff and the delivery of critical medical supplies continue to be restricted, further limiting their capacity to receive and treat victims of violence, including gender-based violence (GBV), and COVID-19 patients amid a recent surge in cases and deaths. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34060-haiti-flash-the-country-crosses-the-threshold-of-400-dead.html



Situation overview :

Around a third of Port-au-Princes territory is affected by the criminal activity and violence propagated by an estimated 95 armed gangs. Since 1 June, a significant upsurge in deadly clashes between these rival gangs in the metropolitan area, triggered by a reconfiguration of gang alliances and ongoing territorial disputes, continue to fuel widespread insecurity and displacement, with devastating consequences for the civilian population. The situation has worsened over the last five days and will likely continue to deteriorate in the coming weeks, as gangs are expected to fight back to regain territorial control, potentially triggering new population movements.



Between 17 and 19 June, the areas of Bas-Delmas, St. Martin and BelAir have been particularly hard hit by escalating violence. Bas-Delmas, particularly Delmas 2, 4, 6 and 8, is a very densely populated, underprivileged neighbourhood. Violent clashes between rival gangs and armed groups have isolated the population over the last few days, pushing them into a completely insecure and precarious situation.



On 17 June, a police officer was killed by a gang in Bas-Delmas, provoking a counterattack by the police using tear gas against the civilian population that had previously found refuge at the BNC car park. The population was forced to flee to neighboring areas in order to escape the automatic gunfire and flames of burning houses. The following day, on 18 June, a police inspector was shot dead in the commune of Petion-Ville.



Also on 17 June, armed individuals set fire to Camp Lapiste that hosted many people with disabilities who found shelter there in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake. The Organization of Hearts for Change for Haiti's Impoverished Children (OCCED'H), a local non-governmental organization (NGO) in Bas-Delmas, took the risk of entering the conflict zone to save dozens of people living with disabilities, including people with mobility, hearing and vision impairments. During the police operation, families were separated and mothers were desperately searching for their children. Clashes are also continuing in other neighbourhoods, rendering the situation extremely volatile.



The territorial control of gangs had already led to the desertion of the commercial district in downtown Port-au-Prince. Gangs are strengthening their control over a critical area covering hundreds of hectares of an industrial zone, with warehouses and factories that are at the heart of Haitis economic life, especially along the road to the Toussaint Louverture International Airport, where there is a high concentration of car dealerships, commercial bank branches and businesses. Armed groups have attacked businesses, stealing food and other supplies, while warehouses continue to be targeted by looters. According to initial estimates, losses to the looted food warehouses amount to several million dollars in goods and equipment.



Key figures :

1.5M people affected :

1.1M Martissant, Bas-Delmas, Saint-Martin, BelAir, Cite-Soleil

400Kin southern departments



1.1M people in need of assistance :

14K IDPs in organised and spontaneous sites since June 2021

1.1M people without access to essential services in Martissant, Bas-Delmas



214 K targeted for emergency assistance :

3K IDPs in organized sites2.5KIDPs in spontaneous sites

208.5K people without access to essential services in Martissant, Bas-Delmas areas



17K internally displaced :

BelAir: 1,242 (Aug 2020)

from Tabarre Issa: 2,160(Mar 2021)Since June 2021:

Toussaint Brave: 413(IOM)

Carrefour (Sports Centre): 1,115(IOM)

Delmas 2 (Salvation Army): 500(tbc)

Delmas 2 (Ecole Komite): 1,000(tbc)

Eglise St. Yves: 1,000(tbc)

Delmas 103: 500(tbc)

Saint Martin/Delmas 2: 4,000(tbc) (*)

Others: 5,110 (estimates within host families and other departments)



(*) The whereabouts of 4,000 of the 7,000 IDPs in Delmas 2 are unknown following the fighting that took place in Delmas 2 on 18 and 19 June"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34053-haiti-flash-barbecue-affirms-that-the-g9-is-now-a-revolutionary-force-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34049-haiti-insecurity-ocha-humanitarian-situation-report-1.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34038-haiti-un-high-insecurity-in-haiti-evoked-in-geneva.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34022-haiti-insecurity-they-crossed-the-red-line-declaration-of-the-dg-of-the-pnh-video.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-33981-haiti-flash-moment-of-panic-on-the-road-to-the-airport.html



HL/ HaitiLibre
























Haiti - News : Zapping...





Les Cayes on the verge of total blackout

Armed clashes blocked the passage to Martissant and prevented the regular supply of fuel to the power station in Les Cayes. The EDH management informs that if in the next 4 days the power station is not replenished with fuel, it will be a total blackout. While waiting for a solution, the whole city is rationed except in certain areas for security reasons.



Thought of Jovenel Moise

"On this June 24, I greet the pilgrims from all the municipalities of the country who celebrate Saint John the Baptist as their Patron Saint. On this occasion, I dedicate a special thought to the towns of Trou-du-Nord, Miragoane, Jean-Rabel, Saint-Jean-du-Sud, Gressier and the Valley of Jacmel" President Jovenel Moise



On behalf of President Jovenel Moise, and in his own name, the Consul General of Haiti in Montreal, Fritz Dorvilier "wishes a happy national holiday to Quebeckers. Long live a tightly woven Quebec !"



3 Haitian writers in the French Academy Awards

The Academie francaise is pleased to share with you its list of achievements for the year 2021. This list contains 65 distinctions. Including the Grand Prix de la Francophonie awarded to Franketienne, the Prize for Radiation of French Language and Literature to Mme Emmelie Prophete and the Francois Coppee Prize to Louis-Philippe Dalembert, for "Cantique du stambiement".



Me Rene Sylvestres : Condolences

"My most sincere condolences to the family and relatives of Me Rene Sylvestre as well as to these colleagues at the Court. It was a great pleasure to have met him and to have started a working relationship," Cristobal Dupouy, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the OAS in Haiti



"The United States offers its sincere condolences to the family of the President of the Court of Cassation, Rene Sylvestre. A distinguished lawyer, he was dedicated to the rule of law and to the service of his country. He will be missed," US Ambassador to Haiti Michele Jeanne Sison.



"I learned with great sadness of the disappearance of the President of the Court of Cassation and of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, the Honorable Magistrate Rene Sylvestre. He was a true friend and a staunch defender of justice. My condolences to his family and his colleagues," former Senator Simon Dieuseul Desras.



J-B Aristide in Cuba

On Thursday, former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide alias "Titide" left Port-au-Prince by private plane, bound for Cuba. Tested positive for Covid-19 his condition is stable according to his relatives, however, suffering from several other diseases his doctors advised him to recover under constant medical supervision because of the risks of side effects of covid-19 with the comorbid factors.



"[...] I wish former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide a speedy recovery. The Embassy of Haiti in Cuba will provide him with all the necessary assistance," said Jovenel Moise



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2021/06/24

Following an eight year break from directing, Kim Jho- Gwang-soo is back. "Made in Rooftop" is the first feature length film from the prolific producer since "Two Weddings and a Funeral" from 2013. He has otherwise been quite busy, producing the "Detective K" series of films. His marriage to another man was also documented in "My Fair Wedding" back in 2015, although gay marriage is not legal in South Korea and their contract was not legally binding.

Advertisement

In a recent interview Kim-Jho Gwang-soo expressed nervousness about being so long out of practice. Kim-Jho Gwang-soo claimed to have spent quite some time trying to make "Made in Rooftop" but being unable to come up with a suitable cast or investors. Kim-Jho Hwang-soo wished he could make queer films more often. "Made in Rooftop" is itself a product of the nineties, with Kim-Jho Gwang-soo recreating the same environment where he came of age.

Kim-Jho Gwang-soo was particularly concerned with his depiction of younger queer life. He wanted to provide a comparison point to young gay people in the present day, noting that the past wasn't so different, what with gay people trying to find themselves. Kim-Jho Gwang-soo also noted how originally he wanted more of a romantic comedy concept, but eventually had to take reality into account in spite of the generally cheerful tone of young love.

Kim-Jho Gwang-soo made note of how while gay people felt discrimination in the past as they do in the present day, it's not as if they just spent all their time crying and depressed. Kim-Jho Gwang-soo emphasized that movies are inherently unrealistic, and from this context, a gay romantic fantasy is perfectly reasonable. He cited the BTS Music Video of Come Back Home as his motivation to cast lead actor Lee Hong-nae, with his appearance in the video showcasing lovely cuteness even in agitation.

The casting of Jung Hwi was explained as a consequence of his musical theater experience, with Kim-Jho Gwang-soo being a fan of such work. Kim-Jho Gwang-soo acknowledged that despite the film itself being queer, his actors were largely straight, and that they needed much preparation. But his goal, which he felt was met, was to have performances that did not overemphasize the queer aspects of the story. "Made in Rooftop" was released in South Korean theaters on June 23rd.

Written by William Schwartz

___________

"Made in Rooftop" is directed by Kim-Jho Gwang-soo, and features Lee Hong-nae, Jung Hwi, Kwak Min-gyoo, Kang Jung-woo, Yeum Moon-keung, Lee Jung-eun. Release date in Korea: 2021/06/23.
Published on 2021/06/24 | Source

The movie "Bogota: City of the Lost" which was suspended during overseas filming last year in the aftermath of the new COVID-19 pandemic, resumed filming in Korea.

Advertisement

The film about the crimes of people who start dangerous deals to survive Bogota, the last land chosen by hopeless lives, began filming in Bogota in January last year, but stopped filming in March of the same year, two months after the spread of COVID-19.

The production company plans to reorganize the entire production based on the existing amount of filming and film in Korea for the next three months.

Song Joong-ki will play Gook-hee, who arrived in Bogota penniless at the age of 19, and show a colorful life story from the bottom of his life to standing at the top of Bogota's commercial district.

Lee Hee-jun will play Soo-yeong who arrives to Colombia as the residing resident of a large company, and Kwon Hae-hyo will play Sergeant Park, the head of the Korean merchant association.

It is a new film directed by Kim Seong-je, who won the Rookie Director Award and the Screenplay Award for his debut film "Minority Opinion".
Havre Police Department

Daniel Lawrence Olson of Havre, 47, was arrested on charges of expired vehicle registration, no vehicle insurance, driving under the influence and probation violation after officers made a vehicle stop on First Street at 7:32 a.m. Thursday.

--

A Thursday 7:40 a.m. vehicle crash was reported on First Street, and officers called for additional units for an additional incident.

--

A caller at a Third Street facility reported Thursday at 12:53 p.m. receiving threatening messages.

--

Someone stopped at the police station Thursday at 7:26 p.m. to report receiving unwanted phone calls.

--

A Lincoln Avenue caller asked Thursday at 9:43 p.m. to speak with an officer.

--

Officers investigated a 3:43 a.m. call today about a burglary in progress on Fourth Street.

--

Colette Cecelia LaPointe of Fargo, North Dakota, 65, was arrested on a charge of trespass to property after a caller at a First Street West business reported a woman was trespassing at 4:52 this morning.

Hill County Sheriff's Office

Erik Ryan Murri of Havre, 42, was issued a summons on a charge of theft after a caller at a U.S. Highway 2 West business caller reported a theft Thursday at 2:31 p.m.

--

Aaryn Jace Cantrell of Havre, 22, was issued a summons on a charge of trespass to property after the incident was reported by a caller at a U.S. Highway 2 West business at 2:56 p.m. Thursday.

--

Deputies investigated a complaint made at the sheriff's office Thursday at 11:14 p.m.

--

Mark Earl Kessler of Kalispell, 54, was issued a summons on a charge of DUI after a vehicle stop was made at Third Street and Fourth Avenue at 2:21 this morning.

Havre Fire Department

Emergency medical personnel responded to three calls Thursday.

--

Firefighters were called to the 800 Block of 14th Avenue where a power pole was reported leaning and lines hanging low. The NorthWestern Energy crew also called to the site said the lines are phone lines and the pole had been leaning like that for three years. Havre Fire crews turned the scene over to NorthWestern Energy.

Havre Animal Shelter

The shelter this morning held three 6-day-old kittens of unknown gender, six female cats and four male cats.

--

The shelter also held a female 11-month-old mixed breed puppy, two male 9-month-old mixed-breed puppies, one male and two female mixed-breed dogs, and a male and a female 10-month-old mixed-breed puppies.
The Gildford Colony School Board of Trustees held a special meeting June 18 to propose a resolution to amend its budget, and is meeting Monday to approve the resolution.

The resolution says that the schools enrollment has increased and the budget set for the year is inadequate for the entire year.

The resolution anticipates using Direct State Aid, defined by Montana Office of Public Instruction as state aid paid to each district in support of the districts general fund budget, as the source to increase the budget by more than $140,000 to cover the unanticipated increased expenses.

The board will meet Monday at 9 a.m. at the Gildford Colony School Boardroom.

The full budget resolution proclamation reads:

At a special meeting of the Board of Trustees at the Gildford Colony School District, Hill County, Montana, held June 18th, 2021, at 11 a.m. at the Gildford Colony School District Boardroom, the following resolution was introduced:

Whereas, the trustees of the Gildford Colony School District, Hill County, Montana, have made a determination that, as a result of an increase in enrollment, the districts budget for the elementary school general fund does not provide sufficient financing to properly maintain and support the district for the entire current school year; and

Whereas, the trustees have determined that an amendment to the elementary school general fund budget in the amount of $140,306.48 is necessary under the provision of Section 20-9-161(1), Montana Code Annotated, for the purpose of meeting current year obligations and expenditures including: salaries, benefits, professional development, classroom improvements, equipment, repairs, books, software and other supplies; and

Whereas, the anticipated source of financing the budget amendment expenditures shall be Direct State Aid (DSA);

Therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Trustees of the Gildford Colony School District, Hill County, Montana, proclaims a need for an amendment to the elementary school general fund budget for the fiscal year 2021-2022 in the amount of $140,306.48 under Section 20-9-161(1), MCA, for the purpose identified above, and

Be it further resolved that the Board of Trustees of the Gildford Colony School District, Hill County, Montana, will meet at 9 a.m. at the Gildford Colony School District Boardroom on June 29th, 2021, for the purpose of considering and adopting the budget amendment.
Veteran Cirque du Soleil performer Hulett touring Montana with Vegas-style variety show

Angelina Puzanova performs in an acrobatic routine. She and her husband, Havre native William Hulett, both former Cirque du Soleil peformers, are bringing a slate of talent to Havre in a Las-vegas-style variety show touring Montana.

Tickets are going fast for the Vegas Variety Show coming to Havre Aug. 10, produced by Havre native William Hulett and his wife Angelina Puzanova, both former Cirque du Soleil performers.

The show will be hosted by world-renowned magician Charlie Frye, who will have his own act featuring comedy and juggling.

Hulett said he's a good friend of his with top-tier magic skills and Puzanova described Frye as an old-school magician with years and years of experience entertaining audiences at the Tropicana Las Vegas.

She said another performer Anna Stankus is a former rhythmic gymnast and Cirque du Soleil performer, as well, who will be doing her own hula hoop show.

She said it would also include Roman Tomanov, another Cirque du Soleil veteran, who she said is among the most impressive performers she's ever known.

"I've been in the circus all my life," she said. "I think he's one of the best strap performers that I've ever seen and he's a dear friend."

Hulett said these were just a few of the performers whom people will see if they come to the show.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Montana Actors' Theatre website at https://mtactors.com/tickets, but more than half of them are already gone.

Hulett said the tour stops in four cities and all have been selling well, but "Havre has just kicked everybody's butt."

Puzanova said those who don't catch it in Havre may still have a chance to see it in Great Falls.

The tour will be starting in Butte Aug. 7 at the Motherlode Theater, and continue Aug. 8 in the Helena Civic Center, at the Havre High School Auditorium Aug. 10, and Great Falls Aug 12 at the Mansfield Center for the Preforming Arts.

Hulett said Havre High School has the only auditorium with sufficient facilities in the area, but said it has the best lighting of all four tour venues.

"As producers it will be a little bit of an experience for us because we're going right into a venue that's never had that kind of show, but we'll figure it out," he said. "It's going to be fun."

Puzanova originated the idea to do a show around Montana and her husband agreed that it would be a good idea, given the situation with the pandemic and Hulett's connection to the area.

They said because of the pandemic shows like the ones they produce in Las Vegas just couldn't be done, and while things are slowly opening back up and demand is high, they figured it was an opportunity to bring their performers' talents to Montana for a tour.

Hulett said people he knows in Havre have always supported his work, with many of his friends coming to Las Vegas to support his work, which he wants to thank them for.

"I think it's a great opportunity to bring a show to the people who come down to Vegas and have supported me," he said.

He said he thought this was a way to bring the show to them, though some have given him a hard time regarding the scheduling.

"All my friends are farmers and it's harvest so they've been ribbing me, they've been like, 'August, really Willy!?,'" he said laughing. "... That was funny getting all the feedback from farmer friends who are like, 'You seriously making us shut down the combines now!?'"

History

Hulett and Puzanova have been married for 10 years and both have long histories as performers.

Hulett was born in Havre, where he excelled at wrestling before graduating and moving to Los Angeles where he did some acting work.

He said he mostly did commercials until one day when he did one for a casino in Las Vegas and one of the people he met there suggested he move down there if he was interested in becoming an entertainer.

"The rest is kind of history," he said.

Hulett would become an entertainer at the Excalibur Tournament of Kings Show and eventually successfully auditioned for Cirque du Soleil in 2006, after winning Fear Factor in 2004.

Puzanova has been a circus performer for virtually her entire life, as a third-generation performer who began doing aerial acrobatics with her father at age 11.

She said her act traveled the world for years earning a fair few awards before Cirque du Soleil found her in Paris, where they offered her a job.

"Cirque du Soleil takes a lot of your time; you basically don't have a life, depending on your director," she said. "... But they pay well, they take care of you, they give you full insurance, they are a really amazing company. I'm very grateful to them."

Puzanova, along with her business partner Jenny Arata, another former award-wining acrobat, eventually retired from performance to become producers. She said her husband is part of the producing business as well, and the company, Show Talent Productions, has been going strong for about five years.
Things will be getting a little loud at Great Northern Fairgrounds July 9-10 as Warrant comes to Havre during the bands 30th anniversary tour for the hit song, Cherry Pie.

Warrant performs at 9 p.m. Friday, July 9, as part of the first-ever Beaver Creek Jam.

Event promoter Ken Erickson previously promoted demolition derby events and brought the bands Great White and Hells Belles, an all-female AC/DC tribute band, to Havre. Erickson said he had a contact through one of Warrants agents and that hed always wanted to see them play.

I just decided to see what I could do and so I contacted them and they gave me a list of available bands. And I always wanted to listen to Warrant and the chance to bring Warrant to Havre, Montana, on a Friday night was too good to pass up, Erickson said.

(Being a part of the anniversary tour) was just a bonus, because I didnt even know that when I first got in touch with them. Its a bonus for Havre and the community, what were gonna get to experience, he added.

Erickson said he felt Warrant said yes to performing at Beaver Creek Jam not just for the opportunity to play but because of their support of military veterans.

The two-day show includes a list of local and nationally touring bands, including Hells Belles returning to Havre, Southern Satellite and As The Crow Flies performing. Bands with local connections include Voodoo Cadillac and Allegedly Red, both out of Great Falls, and Shades of Blue.

The event includes other activities like a townwide scavenger hunt, and cornhole tournament both nights. Food will be available. The events Facebook page says proceeds will benefit the Veterans Memorial Campground.

Were hoping that the proceeds raised for the campground will go for  our first project is going to be getting a bridge across the creek, Erickson said. Were waiting to see what we raise to see what type of different avenues we can go (to build) a bridge.

Erickson said if the first Beaver Creek Jam is successful and this becomes an annual event, organizers would look for future projects in the Beaver Creek area.

Erickson said line-ups for both nights are set.

Both nights are final. I do not have the second stage announced and I do not have the cornhole tournament  its announced, but I dont have the particulars of it  and thatll be coming out either this weekend or first part of next week, he said.

This has totally been a community event, all the communities involved  Northern Winz Casino and Rocky Boy Reservation is involved, businesses all around the community are involved, sponsoring and helping make it possible. We have a second stage because a local businessman said, Hey, I want to make this better. Ill set up a second stage, and I said go for it, Erickson added.

The event lineup is:

Friday Night

 6 p.m.  Montana Neon Ridge

 7:30 p.m.  Southern Satellite

 9 p.m.  Warrant

 11 p.m.  Voodoo Cadillac

Saturday

 2 p.m.  Montana Neon Ridge

 4 p.m.  As the Crow Flies

 6 p.m.  Allegedly Red

 8 p.m.  Shades of Blue

 10 p.m.  Hells Belles

 Midnight  Thir13th floor

Tickets for the shows and for the campsite are available online through a link at the Great Northern Fair Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/events/the-great-northern-fair/beaver-creek-jam/182614100389995 at through the Tickets link at the Montana Actors Theatre website at http://mtactors.com .
Local aviation group honors seasoned pilots, helps inspire youth to fly

During a brunch at Havre City-County Airport Saturday, three Havre-area pilots were recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration, the North Central Hangar of the Montana Pilots' Association, and more than 135 family members, friends and fellow pilots for their longevity and success as pilots.

Jack Norman, Everett Tyrrel and Tim Dwyer were each honored with a Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, which is "the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots," the FAA website says.

Jeff Vercoe, program manager for the FAA Safety Team out of Helena, said at the pre-brunch ceremony that the award is named after the first U.S. pilots, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright.

He added that, along with having 50 years of flying experience, which can be a combination of civil and military, recipients must still hold a U.S. Civil Aviation Authority or FAA pilot certificate, though they don't have to be active pilots. They must have three letters of recommendation, and their aviation records must pass a complete examination by someone with the FAASTeam.

Vercoe gave each pilot a copy of their application packets during the ceremony, which was emceed by Dottie Dwyer, a local pilot with her private and commercial licenses.

"The one thing about Jack is that his love of flying is very contagious," Dwyer said while introducing the honorees, "and he was always ready for a flight and he was always practicing and learning."

"Never let up," Norman said from the crowd.

"And he is truly an inspiration," Dwyer continued.

"I have had a lot of great experiences in the airplanes that I've flown and have gotten myself into a lot of trouble and just barely got out of it," said Norman, who started flying at age 19 and has more than 70 years of experience. "... But I'm real tickled to be here today."

Norman's brother-in-law John Carr, who traveled from Belize to be one of dozens of Norman's family and friends at the event, entertained the crowd with a story about a time when Norman helped him get from the "metropolis of Warrick" in the middle of the Bear Paw Mountains to Mobridge so he could compete at two Fourth of July rodeos.

Carr joked that even though the control tower at Warrick wasn't operational that day Norman dodged all the sage brush and trees taking off and then landed safely at Mobridge - just shy of a 6-foot deep irrigation ditch hidden in the grass at the landing site.

"It was a great day," he said. "I'm 80 years old and I'm still talking about it, so it must've been important."

He thanked Norman for always being willing to help others.

Dwyer said Tyrrel, who recently repassed his pilot's license health certification at 90 years old, in part by challenging himself to take up exercising and hiking, started flying in Washington state at 39 years old.

Tyrrel, she added, has his private pilot's license and a commercial certificate. He currently flies a Mooney aircraft and keeps up with the young pilots by using a flying app.

When prompted to tell a story about his flying experiences, he talked about a time before modern GPS technology was available and he was flying in Alaska with some friends. After negotiating their way through an area with tricky and unfamiliar terrain, they couldn't decide from the paper map where they were exactly.

Tyrrel said they also didn't want to admit to anyone they were lost, so when they landed at a small airstrip they just asked a guy where they could get some good coffee, found their location on the map from that answer and continued on their trip.

Vercoe said that Tim Dwyer, who flew his solo flight at 16 years old and has been a flight instructor for years, made him work hard on his award review because, as a flight instructor, his aviation records were about three times thicker than the others'.

Dwyer said that one of his memorable trips was one in which he was flying with his father through some tough weather and his dad said that the clouds looked gray and ominous.

"Yes they do," he said he told his dad. "But the higher up you get, just watch, the sunlight will kind of bore through and then when you get up on top it's just like the lord kind of opens everything up.

"So, yeah, I feel closer to the lord up there in the airplane than I do anywhere else," he said.

Members of the North Central Hangar spearheaded the Master Pilot Award applications to acknowledge the contributions these members have made to the flying the community.

North Central Hangar President Willie Hurd has been pushing to get area pilots recognized for the award since he heard about it three or four years ago.

"When I first learned of the Master Pilot award offered by the FAA, there were no recipients in this area," he said. "... And I knew that we had pilots that had been flying for 50 years plus, easily, so I started seeking them out."

Previous honorees, Hurd said, were Havre pilots Bob Breum and Charlie Inman and Gildford pilot Roger Lincoln, who were all inducted into the Master Pilot program at a Montana aviation conference two years ago, and pilot John Hebbelman was honored at a ceremony at his home airfield in Chinook last year.

"We have a surprisingly large number per capita of Master Pilots in our small community of flyers around here," Hurd said, adding that he feels it's important for the North Central Hangar, which is a chapter of the Montana Pilots' Association, to recognize their contributions which, in turn, shines a light on aviation as a whole.

"Our goals are to encourage people to fly, promote safe flying and work toward getting young pilots into aviation careers and enjoy the pleasure of flying," he said.

North Central Hangar offers scholarships for area people who are learning to fly.

Fewer private pilots exist in the U.S. than in years past, and the snowball effect of this is a commercial pilot shortage in general.

"In the commercial world, they're hurting," Hurd said, adding "They're offering bonuses right now for people just to sign up to go to school to become a commercial pilot."

Pilots can get their commercial pilot's license right after getting their private pilot's license.

"But you don't get to go to the big show until you've flown enough hours," he said, flying freight and mail, maybe a small passenger plane, like Cape Air flies out of Havre.

"They're also really promoting young ladies to get into commercial aviation. There's been a big push for that in all the aviation magazines I've been seeing," he added.

To help generate interest in the community and youth specifically, the North Central Hanger also has an annual fly-in that is open to the public and offers free rides to youth.

The pilots who give the rides, Hurd said, try to put the older kids in the front seat so they can give them a flying experience from a pilot's perspective. The pilots explain what is going on in the pre-flight, flight and landing and let the kids feel the controls in flight.

Similarly, the group has sponsored and held the ACE High program. The Aviation Career Education high school program, brings in 10 youth for two or three days, Hurd said, and the kids have an indoor education session followed by sessions outside in the airport and in airplanes. The last day, they get to go flying.

"We make several flights, so everybody has a chance to be in the front seat, wiggle the controls, see what it's like to be pilot in command of an aircraft," he said.

The cost is minimal - about $20 - just to cover the expense of the text book, lunches and other handouts, Hurd said.

The hangar chapter is hoping to inspire youth to fill what member and the Master Pilot brunch organizer Tony Dolphay called "a drastic shortage of younger pilots."

Dolphay, who also owns the fixed base operation at Havre City-County Airport and works as the airport manager, pointed to Tim Dwyer as an example of someone who has had a career in aviation flying mail, charter aircraft and an air ambulance, serving on and training pilots for air search and rescue, and being a flight instructor.

Hurd said that he's already started on the Master Pilot application process for another area pilot and has leads on two more, but as someone relatively new to aviation he is enlisting the help of other pilots and area communities to learn about more.

"We're looking for more pilots that we may not know about that have been flying for a long, long time," Dolphay added. "... We're seeking out those other people. We believe they need the recognition."

Along with their application packets, this year's Master Pilot honorees will receive an official certificate and a lapel pin. They will also have their names listed on the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award Roll of Honor.

The complete list of recipients can be found at https://www.faasafety.gov/content/masterpilot/RecipientList.aspx .

The North Central Hangar chapter meets the second Monday each month at 7:30 p.m. in the terminal at the Havre City-County Airport.
From Montana University System

The Montana University System has awarded the prestigious Montana University System Honor Scholarship to students in the local area.

The local students receiving the award are Dylan Good, Chester-Joplin-Inverness High School, and Kaitlin Morehouse and Grant Whitacre, both from Havre High School.

The MUS Honor Scholarship is a renewable scholarship offered by the Montana Board of Regents that waives undergraduate tuition for up to eight semesters at any campus of the Montana University System or Dawson, Flathead Valley or Miles community colleges. The scholarships average value is $20,000. It is the most prestigious scholarship offered centrally by the Montana University System.

Students offered this scholarship must be graduates of an accredited Montana high school with a minimum grade point average of 3.4 at the end of their seventh semester in high school, take either the ACT or SAT standardized test, meet college core requirements, and attend an eligible Montana campus.

These scholarships are for Montanas best and brightest and we are honored to be able to provide them, Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian said. We look forward to these students choosing the Montana institution of their choice and getting a great education right here in the state.

A total of 244 scholarships have been offered statewide. A full list is available at http://www.mus.edu/Prepare/Pay/Scholarships/MUS_Honor_Scholarship.asp .
Over the last three years, I have written over 40 articles for the Pastor's Corner about faith, God, Christian living and the church. At the end of the month, I will be moving to a new call. My goal has never been to have everyone agree with me all the time but to share my voice as a "young," single, female pastor. I hope that I may have challenged you to question what you believe about the faith you've inherited in conversation with the present-day context that we live, move and have our being in.

On July 28, 2018, I stood before my colleagues and congregations on the day of my ordination, and vowed, among other things, to "pray for and serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination and love." It is a promise that is asked of all ministers and lay people who serve as elders and deacons in the Presbyterian Church.

What kind of world do you want to live in? What kind of world do you want for your children, grandchildren, and those who will come after you? What are your best wishes and hopes for the future of the world, our country, the Hi-Line? What do you pray for when you look at everything that is happening today? What are the needs, concerns, sorrows, hopes, dreams and lives of our neighbors?

In the words of Presbyterian Pastor Rev. Jan Edmiston, "ministry requires enormous energy, bountiful curiosity, fertile imagination and abiding love."

Do we have energy for this ministry? If not, we need to ask why? Is it because we are simply in need of a Sabbath, a vacation or a break? Do we have energy for other things  but not for this particular calling? Are we surrounding ourselves with people and habits that will recharge our batteries rather than drain them?

Are we still willing to learn new things? How do you process information - visually, verbally, logically, bodily, musically, interpersonally, introspectively, naturistically? Are we immersing ourselves in diverse voices - conferences, lectures, retreats, books, webinars, podcasts - that enhance our ministry? Or do we believe we know all we need to know?

How imaginative are we in this calling? Can we see the possibilities? Are ideas easily sparked? Are we excited about the potential all around us? Are we sharing the story of God in Scripture and stories of what God is up to in the world and the church now? Or are we asking our leaders to repackage the past rather than to visualize the future?

Do we love these people? Can we see our congregation and our community through the eyes of Jesus to the point that we can love the grumpy ones, the judge-y ones, the mean ones, and even the hateful ones?

God through God's Spirit has gifted us with the ability to learn from our experiences, to adapt to new situations in this beautiful mess of a changing world, understand and handle abstract concepts, and use that knowledge to reach our specific contexts. Perhaps there is nothing more abstract than trying to comprehend that we have an all-powerful, ever-present God who loves us, and claims us, and is for us, no matter what we have done or left undone, no matter what mistakes we've made or hardships we face, no matter how much the world doesn't value the beauty of who God has created us to be.

In the words of Paul in his letter to the Romans, "Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. Don't hesitate to be enthusiastic - be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord! Be happy in your hope, stand your ground when you're in trouble, and devote yourselves to prayer. Contribute to the needs of God's people and welcome strangers into your home" (Romans 12:913; CEB).

I will always cherish the experience of my first-call on the Hi-Line. I am grateful for the platform to share my thoughts over the last few years. May the extravagant love of God, the relentless grace of Christ, and the boundless companionship of the Holy Spirit be with you and abide with you this day, and forevermore!

--

The Rev. Maggie Lewis

Presbyterian Church of Chinook

First Presbyterian Church, Havre
North Central Senior Citizens Center

June 28 to July 2

Senior Center closed for now.

Medical transportation only for now. Call ahead for Fridays.

Menu

Monday  Swedish meatballs, rice, harvest beets, pudding,

Tuesday  Oven-baked chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, rolls, cake

Wednesday  Chili, baked potatoes, salad, fruit

Thursday  Ham and scalloped potato casserole, peas, salad, cookies

Friday  Soup, salad bar, chefs choice, dessert

We want to thank everyone who helped the Senior Center with the rummage sale and cinnamon rolls last month. The total taken in was $1596.65. Note there is a correction on the amount taken in from $159.65 to $1596.65.

The Senior Centers doors are still closed to the public. We are providing limited services by phone with individuals bringing their paperwork down to the center. Help is also being given over the phone when possible.

Reopening: With the increase of COVID-19 cases in Hill County, we are delaying the opening of the center until this once again stabilizes. The reopening plan has been taken to the commissioners for their perusal. When we are able to open a lot of things will have to change. Upon entering the building, you will have to wear a mask and your temperature will be taken at the door. The number of occupants in the building will have to be limited. We will be continuing the grab and go meals for those unable to eat at the Center.

Transportation: The Senior Center is providing medical transportation only. Remember to call ahead for Fridays appointments. Monday and Thursday rides have to be worked around grocery delivery.

Congregate meals: We are still continuing to provide meals at the North Central Senior Citizens Center as grab-and-go meals while we are still closed. Of course, this is in addition to the Meals on Wheels program. If you would like to pick up a meal, please be sure to call the center before 10 a.m. to order your meal through the kitchen. Your meals may be picked up at the center from 11:45 a.m. until 12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday. You may order a meal for one day or put in your order for the entire week, whatever is more convenient.

Important phone numbers

 Montana Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

 RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673

 Tumbleweed Runaway and Family Crisis Program: 259-2558 (local) 1-888-816-4702 (toll free)

 Friendship Line by Institute on Aging  The Friendship Line is both a crisis intervention hotline and a warm-line for non-emergency emotional support calls. It is a 24-hour toll-free line and the only accredited crisis line in the country for people aged 60 years and older, and adults living with disabilities. Toll-Free Line: 800-971-0016

 For those seniors getting frustrated with staying home and needing someone to talk to you can call 1-877-688-3377 for Montanas Warm Line.

Medicare open enrollment has come to an end. However, if you are having problems with prescriptions you can call Marci and see if she can help you. For those on Medicaid and Big Sky she can still make changes. For an appointment Call Marci at 265-5464.

Improving care through telehealth: Technology can be especially valuable for people in remote areas or places with few medical professionals. Using portable devices, health care providers can test and treat patients without them coming into the office. This practice is called telehealth. A doctor in a rural area can consult on a patients scan with a specialist in another state if need be. Someone with diabetes can monitor their blood sugar in real-time and have the data sent to their health care provider. Wearable sensors can alert a caregiver if a person with dementia leaves the house. These are all examples of how telehealth is changing medical care. Researchers are developing new ways to analyze blood samples for patients at home. Through advances like this, telehealth is helping medical professionals deliver effective, long-distance care.
Press release

Steve Mulonet, Veteran Service officer for the Montana Veterans Affairs, will be visiting the following locations and times to meet with veterans who are interested in applying for benefits. Veterans interested in applying for benefits need to bring a copy of their DD214 discharge paperwork with them.

Wednesday, July 14

Shelby  Courthouse, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Cut Bank  Glacier County Courthouse Annex Room 19, 1:30-3:30 p.m.

Thursday, July 15

Browning  Eagle Shield Building, 9-11 a.m.

Wednesday, July 21

Glasgow  Glasgow VA Clinic, 1-4 p.m.

Thursday, July 22

Malta  Malta City Hall, 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Friday, July 23

Rocky Boy  Rocky Boy Vet Center, 1:30 p.m.  2:30p.m.

If bad weather exists on days of travel, please stay tuned to the local radio stations for updated information regarding our outreach schedule.
This week, on July 21, U.S. Rep. Harold Hal Rogers (KY-05) recently announced nearly $4.6 million in COVID-19 relief funds for four community development financial institutions (CDFIs) located in southern and Eastern Kentucky. The U.S. Department of Treasury issued the awards through the CDFI Rapid Response Program (RRP) in Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District.

The following institutions received funding: $743,000 for Frontier Housing, Incorporated in Morehead, Kentucky; $1,826,265 for Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation (KHIC) in London, Kentucky; $200,000 for Redbud Financial Alternatives in Hazard, Kentucky; and $1,826,265 for Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) in Somerset, Kentucky.

As we continue to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, this funding will go a long way to support job creation and business expansion where we need it the most, said Rogers. This funding will fast-track financial services for businesses as they revamp operations, providing more hope in our rural region as we move forward.

The U.S. Department of Treasury awarded a total of $1.25 billion nationwide.

In serving places that the financial sector historically hasnt served well, CDFIs lift our whole economy up. We know that for every dollar injected into a CDFI, it catalyzes eight more dollars in private-sector investment, meaning that this announcement might lead to an additional $10 billion in investment, said Secretary Janet Yellen.

The CDFI RRP grant funds will be used to support eligible activities such as financial products, financial services, development services and certain operational activities, and to enable CDFIs to build capital reserves and loan-loss reserves.

This grant from the CDFI Fund will be instrumental in helping our region's companies rebound from the effects of the pandemic, said Brett Traver, executive director of the Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation. SKED will put these funds to work helping businesses not just recover, but grow, increase revenue and add jobs in Southern and Eastern Kentucky. 

The CDFI Fund designed the program to disburse the funds rapidly in light of the nationwide economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

KHIC will utilize the funds to expand our lending and technical assistance to Small Businesses in our 22-county service area, said Jerry Rickett, president and CEO of Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation. Survival and expansion of small business is a key to the economic recovery and growth of our southeastern Kentucky economy.

Redbud Financial Alternatives is a new CDFI that provides affordable consumer loans as an alternative to high cost preditory lenders with credit counseling and financial education to help families achieve housing and financial stability.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted Redbud by reducing lending operations by 70 percent with an increase of deferments and write-offs. These funds are critical as the economy reopens because we are seeing strong demand for trust worthy, low-cost financial products with a 34% increase in lending above pre-pandemic levels, said Redbuds CDFI Director Louis Irvin. The Rapid Response Program is amazing because it was easy to apply for with a quick turnaround, and it will infuse capital into the economy where it is needed. These funds will be a building block to economic recovery aiding low income families and businesses in eastern Kentucky.

With these funds, Frontier Housing will help more credit-ready homebuyers in northeastern Kentucky realize their dream of owning their own home, said Tom Manning-Beavin, president of Frontier Housing, Inc. Home-ownership is transformational; it is critical to the health of our local communities, and it changes the lives of the people who reside in the home.

The CDFI RRP was authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021.
Follow the music. That has been the best direction given to students for the last three decades at Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC) to find the office of English professor Ron Reed, a man whose personality and intellect are only out sized by his presence. By the end of June 2021, Reed will be playing himself out as he retires from his teaching position  something he admits is both terrifying and thrilling.

The excitement comes from knowing this is all brand new stuff for me. Ive never been without a job, and, so now all of a sudden Im not going to have a job, Reed said, the cheerful look most students associate with him never leaving his face. Realizing that as of July 1 Im unemployed, thats a little scary, but Im sure it will work out.

Reed chuckles as he sits in his office that, over the decades, has undeniably become his own. The bookshelf-lined walls are packed full of literature and history books, all cohabitating with artboth student-made and giftedand knickknacks. The smell of books fills the air and compliments the Ricky Nelson CD Reed turns down to background music when he has visitors.

Teaching English has always been a dream of Reeds.

Ive known I wanted to teach English ever since my ninth-grade year of high school, Reed said.

A native of Louisville, Reed and his family moved around a bit in his youth, finally landing in Tennessee for his formative school years. So, it is a bit surprising to hear that a young man from Tennessee would choose to attend a small, liberal arts school in Eastern Kentucky once he had graduated.

My guidance counselor suggested it (Berea College). Id never heard of it, and I said well it sounds interesting; lets apply, Reed remembers. My first day at Berea was the day I was scheduled to register and all that, so I didnt go to the campus beforehand.

Attending Berea College seemed to ignite a love in Reed for Eastern Kentucky. He says he knew after college graduation that at some point he wanted to be able to come back to the area and make a difference, but first he was ready to make some money.

I was tired of being poor, he said with a laugh.

Reed accepted a job with the retail company Montgomery Ward where, he said, starting out he was already making $300 more than his father was bringing home when Reed went away to college.

I thought, this is wonderful. Ive now got some money. I still remember one of my first purchases was a black and white TV, Reed explains, measuring the small TV set size out with his hands in front of him. I thought that was wonderful to have my own TV set.

After working 11 years for Montgomery Ward outside of the Eastern Kentucky region, Reed and his wife, Teresa, decided it was time to switch gears.

I now know what its like to make some money, I now want to do something thats worthwhile, and so we decided to go back to grad school, he said.

Reed and his wife managed to make full-time careers, full-time parenting of three children and full-time grad school studies work in their favor.

The thing that drove us was that if we were going to come back to Hazard, and we were, we wanted to be able to contribute in some way, Reed explained.

In 1987, with a teaching degree under his belt, Reed moved to Hazard, where Teresa took a job as a lawyer and he as a part-time English instructor at HCTC in Blackey. Within the year, Reed had accepted a full-time tutorial coordinator position with the college, and by 1991 had slipped into the groove of working as a full-time English professor.

Since then, Ive taught full-time a variety of courses and a variety of places, Reed said, joking that there may not be an English class he hasnt taught I bet that Ive taught almost every place that the college has taught classes.

Receiving tenure in 1996 gave Reed the freedom to expand his teaching methods and curriculum.

My favorite class to teach early on was honors, Reed said. And I liked that because it gave me some freedom to choose different topics. My favorite student evaluation of all time was Id give him a 78. Hes got good rhythm and I can dance to him.

Reed explained that the comment was in reference to American Band Stand, a show that asked young people to score a song or record.

Having worked as an English professor for more than three decades, Reed says its hard to pick out one student or one moment in a class that stands out in his memory.

For me, it meant a lot when students smiled or laughed in class because it meant that they were engaged, and I like that. So, there are lots of times when something was said that I thought was absolutely delightful or quite insightful and that sort of made my day when that happened, he said. There are thousands of moments like that. I thought, as long as they were engaged then the possibility of their getting something out of the class was increased.

Reed has lots of plans for his future in retirement, including taking mandolin lessons and eventually becoming a student at the HCTC Kentucky School of Bluegrass and Traditional Music, as well as traveling with his wife and generally enjoying his time and family.

First, though, he said he plans to tackle the deconstruction of the little world he has created in his office space. Reed points to a quilt displayed on the wall that a student made in a past literature class, then drawings leaned against the wall from an honors class, and a tapestry hanging by his door.

Ive had students who have interpreted literature in so many ways with these things, so, Ill always keep those things with me, he said.

The former Pearson Trio band mate reiterates the importance of both literature and music in his life and says that though he is retiring, that will not change. He adds that he may return to teach someday, but his priority is to continue his writing and musical ventures.

I dont want to stop learning about music. I dont want to stop learning, period, Reed said.

As he reaches over to let Ricky Nelson continue his performance, Reed explains why it was such a simple and fulfilling task to remain at HCTC and in Hazard, for so many years.

For me, HCTC is like a family. I had a family here at the college  a family that consisted of colleagues and students and staff  and then I had a family at home, he said. I was very lucky to be able to go from family to family and to feel like I was contributing in some way. The idea of people, of being a family, is important to this college, and I know that it will continue.
The Challenger Learning Center of Kentucky (CLCKY) has announced it received a grant from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels (HOKC) in the amount of $7,513.

The center is one of over 40 facilities located worldwide that were started to carry on the educational mission of the seven Challenger Astronauts lost in the shuttle disaster over 35 years ago. For 22 years, the center has been motivated by their mission to inspire and promote the creative genius in the children of our region by providing hands-on, interactive science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) programs that supplement classroom learning and apply technical concepts in a real-world environment.

Challenger Director Tom Cravens stated, On behalf of the Challenger Learning Centers Board of Directors, I would like to thank the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels for believing in the work that we do and providing us with funds to make improvements in our operations. This grant will allow us to replace some aging infrastructure in our building such as the chairs in our mission control simulator. We greatly appreciate the Colonels support of our program but also for what they do for the multitudes of non-profits across Kentucky through their Good Works Program.

HOKC will award $2.1 million in grants supporting 275 non-profits, impacting close to 3.7 million

Kentuckians. Grants are made possible through donations from contributing Kentucky Colonels from

throughout the Commonwealth and around the world who chose to exercise this honor in a meaningful way.

According to Commanding General Hal Sullivan, When HOKC Trustees met with grant applicants this year, we were reminded how hard the pandemic has made life harder for many folks, from first responders in community service charities to the clients themselves. Thanks to Kentucky Colonels from around the world who donate to the Good Works Program, HOKC can lend a helping hand to so many local charities that provide essential services that lessen the impact. Because a Colonel cares, we make giving to others a Proud Kentucky Tradition.

Those interested in being an active KY Colonel or nominating someone to become a KY Colonel contact HOKC National Headquarters at, (502) 266-6114, or go to, www.kycolonels.org.




We're a family of seven living in Georgia where Andrew's working as a professor at GSU. You can read more about us here
Holt forms campaign committee for Dct. 1 County Commission seat

Third-term Henderson County School Board member Amy Lynn Holt filed paperwork at the Board of Elections this week signifying her intention to run for the District 1 Board of Commissioners seat, which is currently held by Michael Edney.

I want to be a voice for the people I serve," Holt said. "I want the people of Henderson County to have a commissioner they know will listen to their concerns."

In a statement of organization, Holt appointed herself as treasurer and reported the campaign committee had opened a bank account.

Holt and her husband, Ritchie, along with their four kids, and granddaughter have called Henderson County home for many years. The Holts own and operate Champion Comfort Experts. She is currently serving as vice chair and formerly served as chair. She is involved in numerous local nonprofits, including serving as a board member for Crossnore Communities for Children and as chairwoman of United Ways Women United. She has previously served on boards for HopeRX, AdventHealth and the Children & Family Resource Center.

If elected to serve the people of Henderson County as a commissioner, I will always be available to hear the concerns of the people of Henderson County," she said. "I firmly believe the best way for our county to thrive is by working together. Strong relationships between local elected leaders is the key to success in Henderson County. We have a rich tradition of elected bodies working together for a strong community, and my focus would be to ensure those relationships continue to strengthen. The Holt for Henderson County Campaign plans to launch social media pages and a website soon.

Filing for the 2022 elections is in December. Edney told the Lightning last month that he had not made a final decision but was leaning toward running for re-election.
Apple Country Transit wins safety award

The North Carolina Public Transportation Association honored WCCAs Apple Country Transit in Henderson County with the 2021 Safety Award for the category of Urban/Regional/Small Urban Fixed Routes under 1 Million Miles.

Apple Country Transit, sole winner in the category, was recognized for traveling 173,965 miles with only one accident for the year.



Here at Apple Country, we have tried to embrace a culture of safety, training, and public service," Transportation Director Jeff Roper said. "This award is a culmination of our efforts to provide safe public transportation in our community.



Apple Country Transit, which employs nine drivers and six buses, contracts with Henderson County to operate three hourly public transit routes weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. In addition, WCCAs Apple Country Transportation also offers rural, medical, paratransit and elderly and disabled community transportation services. For a safe ride call (828) 698-8571.
A MAN who gave up his university course to sell cocktails puts his own brand of gin on sale today (Friday).

At 27, Jacob Wilson has become one of the youngest master distillers in the country and has turned his passion into a business with help from his family.

The Henley Distillery is based in a barn at Hampstead Farm in Binfield Heath, part of the Phillimore Estate, and produces Henley Gin, a classic dry gin.

Mr Wilson said: Im really excited. It is the culmination of a lot of hard work and I cant wait to start sharing it with people.

We are one of the only distilleries in the country to not only be run by a master distiller but also owned by one.

He grew up in Henley with his parents Alan and Terry Wilson and three siblings.

The family lived in Lauds Close before moving to Fawley when Jacob was 13.

He was educated at Trinity Primary School in Henley, the Oratory School in Woodcote and The Henley College.

He then went to Southampton University to study engineering but after completing the second year of his four-year course decided to go in a different direction.

He took a year out to start his own mobile cocktail business in Henley called Molotov Cocktails and attended events, such as the Thames Traditional Boat Festival.

He realised he had found his passion in combining flavours and decided he wanted to turn his craft into a career by going into distilling.

He was so confident of his decision that he registered the name of the company.

Mr Wilson said: I had a toss-up between going back to university and finishing my degree or jumping with both feet into the industry.

I looked at my long-term aims and I thought having extra years of experience would be more beneficial.

I found three distilleries that I really liked the look of. None of them was actually hiring at the time but I sent them my CV and a personal statement, which said I would love to learn and if youre thinking of hiring, please consider me.

The week after, I went for an interview in North Yorkshire with Masons Gin and a week later I moved up there. That bit of cosmic luck went in my favour.

He had been working as assistant distiller at the family business for five months when the head distiller left and he was asked to replace him.

Just over a year later, he then left to work for a new gin distillery in Masham, which is also in North Yorkshire and better known for the Theakston brewery.

He also met his partner, Katie Blythe, an actress who also teaches musical theatre.

Mr Wilson then moved to South Wales to work the at Hensol Castle Distillery, another new business which had spent 3 million converting the basement of a castle into a state-of-the-art distillery.

That was where I made the jump to being a master distiller, he said. I didnt want to take that title until after a few years. I wanted to earn the label.

He spent six months there and then worked as a consultant before returning to Fawley to live at home with his parents, from where they run their own businesses.

His father runs Extant Design, a commercial sculpture workshop specialising in stainless steel, and his mother is an artist who runs Sugar Eccentric making bespoke cakes.

Mr Wilson said: Theyre both self-employed and have run their own businesses throughout my life.

I knew thats where I wanted to be and just to be safe we registered the Henley Distillery.

I always knew I wanted to learn the craft properly, then come back as an experienced professional and do it right. The business is a partnership between my dad and me. He built pretty much everything in the distillery, barring the stills and the sink. He did all the design work on the label and my mum made the signs.

Im spearheading it because I have all the experience but it is a real family effort.

His sister Emma works in marketing for the business. His other sister Francesca in an English teacher working in France while his brother James is head chef at a restaurant in Cornwall.

The distillery has two 300-litre copper stills, which were custom made in Portugal.

Mr Wilson came up with the recipe for Henley Gin by keeping a list of his favourite flavour combinations during his time working at the other distilleries.

He said: I ended up with about 16 or 17 botanicals. That doesnt mean all of them will work.

You dont want all the flavours coming out and shouting at you. I want them to blend and complement each other to create the right flavour profile.

I always compare it to an orchestra  it doesnt work if all the musicians are playing at full volume all at once.

The classic dry gin is a combination of 11 botanicals. All gins start with juniper berries but he adds three types of peppercorns, lemongrass, cardamom pods, coriander seeds, tonka beans, angelica root, lime leaves and citrus peel.

There is also a rhubarb and orange version of Henley Gin.

The distilling process takes a total of about two weeks using a technique that allows Mr Wilson to control the temperature.

The distillery has a bottling room, where the corks are put in by hand and the labels applied.

The first batches of each of the two gins were bottled this week with about 300 bottles of each. All these bottles are hand-numbered and signed.

Mr Wilson is also making another 10 types of gin for other companies, which is helping to fund the familys investment.

He said: The business plan has changed slightly because of covid but the contacts weve made to be able to fund this distillery through contract production was a game-changer.

We have 40,000 bottles already ordered from various contract customers to be distilled between now and the end of the year. These are bespoke spirits under their own brand/label.

He is optimistic about the future.

Now it is my chance as a creative person and a distiller to be set free. Im not bound by other people and now I can really express myself, said Mr Wilson.

The stills are the perfect balance between the size and the quality they produce. I would never look at getting a bigger one.

My big dream would be to have 10 stills of the same size and six or seven distillers running them and several bottling rooms, all filled with people finishing off the bottles by hand. Im passionate that the method doesnt change as we grow.

We really believe in this brand and think it can go far.

The in-house shop is open from 10am to 6pm every day.
ATLANTA  Juan Carlos Torres-Carranza and Luis Pineda-Soto have been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 418.95 kilograms of methamphetamine.

According to Acting U.S. Attorney Kurt R. Erskine, the charges and other information presented in court: On June 1, 2020, Homeland Security Investigations agents began conducting surveillance at a warehouse in McDonough. During the second day, HSI agents saw a semi-tractor trailer arrive at the warehouse. The trailer was then unhooked and the semi-tractor that was pulling the trailer drove off. According to Homeland Security databases, the trailer was taken across the border into the United States from Mexico on May 20, 2020.

While watching both the warehouse and trailer on June 3, agents witnessed Pineda-Soto and Torres-Carranza, driving a pickup truck, and another individual driving a car arrived at the warehouse. Shortly after arriving, all three began working on the trailer over the next several hours, climbing on the top of the trailer, using power tools to remove panels from the top of the trailer, and dropping bundles of drugs from the top of the trailer to the ground. This process continued until 4:45 a.m. on June 3, 2020.

Before sunrise, the three left the warehouse. Agents followed both vehicles until they split up and went in different directions.

At the request of HSI, the Clayton County Police Department conducted a traffic stop on the pick up truck.

While searching the vehicle, police found multiple black trash bags in the truck bed containing a total of 77 bundles of narcotics consistent with the bundles agents witnessed being removed from the trailer. Several of the bundles had cords attached to them, consistent with narcotics that are hidden in hard to reach voids found in semi-trailers, which are used as a method to retrieve the narcotics. In total, the bundles weighed 52 kilograms.

Simultaneously, agents followed the individual in the car to a house in Ellenwood. Agents watched as the man pulled into the garage. He stayed in the home for about 10 minutes, long enough to unload anything stored in the trunk of the car.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

HSI obtained a federal search warrant for the house and searched it on the afternoon of June 3, 2020. It was unoccupied and contained no furniture. However, in a closet near the front door, law enforcement found 66 black bundles of methamphetamine similar to the bundles found during the stop of the pickup truck. The bundles weighed approximately 51.45 kilograms.

HSI also obtained a federal search warrant for the trailer located at the warehouse. It was searched on June 4, 2020. Inside hidden compartments in the roof, law enforcement found 446 bundles of methamphetamine similar to those previously seized, weighing 315.5 kilograms. In all, between the three searches, HSI seized 418.95 kilograms of methamphetamine.

The trafficking of large amounts of methamphetamine into and through the Northern District of Georgia continues to be a problem, Erskine said. We and our law enforcement partners are using every tool available to combat this scourge, which breeds violent crime, and presents a major public health risk.

This is a significant amount of poison that thankfully wont reach the streets of our communities and continue to destroy lives, said Special Agent in Charge Katrina W. Berger, who oversees Homeland Security Investigations operations in Georgia and Alabama. Cases like this are only possible because of the hard work and dedication of our agents, officers and law enforcement partners, and I am proud of their efforts.

Torres-Carranza, 28, and Pineda-Soto, 26, both of Michoacan, Mexico, who were both present in the United States illegally at the time of their crimes, were convicted of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute on March 22 after pleading guilty.

U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones sentenced each of them on June 22, to five years, three months in prison for their role in the conspiracy, followed by five years of supervised release.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited the southern border in El Paso, Texas, on Friday to see a migrant processing center, following dogged criticism for not having visited the US-Mexico border and a rocky first foreign trip to Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month.

The vice president toured the El Paso central processing center, a US Customs and Border Protection facility, and spoke with five young girls from Central America while there.

During a news conference at the conclusion of her trip, Harris said the girls were there without their parents.

"They are without their parents. They are also full of hope. They were asking me questions. 'How do you become the first woman vice president?' But it also reminds me of the fact that this issue cannot be reduced to a political issue. We're talking about children. We're talking about families. We're talking about suffering. And our approach has to be thoughtful and effective," Harris said.

Throughout her visit, she underscored the need to address the "root causes" of migration, saying during her news conference that "when we have this conversation about what's happening at the border, let's not lose sight of the fact that we're talking about human beings."

"People don't want to leave home if they don't have to," she said.

Harris also participated in a walking tour and attended an operational briefing. Later on in the day, she held a conversation with advocates from faith-based NGOs and shelter and legal service providers.

Harris is accompanied on the trip by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin and Democratic Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar.

The visit to El Paso came amid a smattering of criticism that's followed Harris since being tasked by President Joe Biden with leading diplomatic efforts in the Northern Triangle to address immigration.

Harris endured a rocky first foreign trip -- her two-day swing through Mexico and Guatemala -- with sources telling CNN at the time that the trip left some officials perplexed about her bumpy answers to questions about whether she will go to the border.

"At some point, you know, we are going to the border," Harris said in an interview with NBC News while on the Central America trip. "We've been to the border. So this whole, this whole, this whole thing about the border. We've been to the border. We've been to the border."

But when pressed on the fact that she still had not visited the border, Harris responded, "... and I haven't been to Europe. And I mean, I don't -- I don't understand the point that you're making," Harris said with a laugh, adding, "I'm not discounting the importance of the border."

That answer only intensified GOP criticism of her absence at the border.

Asked on Friday why now was the right time to come to the border, Harris said it was important she visit Guatemala and Mexico before visiting the border to build off of those meetings addressing the root causes of migration.

"Being in Guatemala, being in Mexico, and talking with Mexico as a partner, frankly on the issue, was about addressing the causes. And then coming to the border at the advice and actually the invitation of the congresswoman, is about looking at the effects of what we have seen happening in Central America, and so I'm glad to be here. This was always the plan to come here," she said.

When asked if the border trip was essentially the administration bowing down to pressure from Republicans, Harris' chief spokesperson, Symone Sanders, told reporters on a call Thursday evening that "this administration does not take their cues from Republican criticism, nor from the former President of the United States of America."

"We have said over a number of different occasions ... that she would go to the border. She has been before, she would go again. She would go when it was appropriate, when it made sense. And this trip tomorrow, this timing, is what made sense for the vice president's schedule, but also, for our partners on the ground," Sanders added.

Sanders called the visit part of a "cause and effect" strategy, labeling Harris' efforts in Guatemala and Mexico as addressing the cause and her upcoming visit to the border as addressing the effect. That's despite months of countering from aides both publicly and privately that Harris' focus is not the border.

Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said in a statement that "(c)ommunities like El Paso are struggling because of the damage the Biden-Harris administration has caused by opening the floodgates to human smugglers and drug cartels." He also joined critics who said Harris should have visited other parts of the state where the issue is worse, arguing that the trip took place "some 800 miles from the epicenter of the crisis."

"But, if the Vice President came to Texas without a concrete plan to secure our border and is unwilling to reverse her administration's failed immigration policies that caused the crisis, then her visit is nothing short of a glorified photo-op," Cruz added.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

"Inhumane conditions"

Officials have also indicated that the trip will draw a contrast with the Trump administration's immigration and border policies, with Sanders on Thursday calling El Paso the "birthplace" of the Trump administration's family separation policy, pointing to a 2017 pilot program.

A record number of unaccompanied children crossed into the US this spring, further intensifying GOP criticism of the Biden administration's handling. CBP encountered more than 180,000 migrants at the southern border in May, putting the US on track to surpass the number of border crossings in fiscal year 2019.

Mayorkas said Friday the administration has made "extraordinary progress" dealing with the situation at the border since March.

Harris said the Biden administration has "made progress" on "inhumane conditions" at the border, but admitted "there's still much more work to be done."

"Our administration, it is important to be clear, is working to build a fair and a functional, humane immigration system," the vice president said. "We feel very strongly about that."

Harris was speaking at a round table with faith-based non-governmental organizations, which she said would be a "candid conversation."

She said the Biden administration "inherited a tough situation," but that in five months, "we've made progress."

While in West Texas, Harris will not visit nearby Fort Bliss, where migrant children who crossed the US-Mexico border alone are still spending prolonged time in temporary government facilities, raising concerns among attorneys, who say the conditions are inadequate for kids.

Shaw Drake, a staff attorney and policy counsel for border and immigrants' rights with the ACLU of Texas, told CNN's Ed Lavandera that although the Biden White House has taken some very important steps to address immigration, "the administration, to this point, is not doing enough."

Drake specifically cited the administration's continued reliance on Title 42 and complaints of inhumane conditions at Fort Bliss. Title 42 is a policy enacted during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic that allows the US to expel migrants encountered at the US-Mexico border.

He said the administration took steps to move children out of Border Patrol facilities quickly when there was an increase in unaccompanied migrants, but concerning conditions at other facilities with migrant children remain.

"(N)ow we're facing conditions, concerns at places like Fort Bliss, here in El Paso, where reports continue to surface of children being held in inhumane circumstances and facing abuse by staff and other issues," Drake said. "So there's a long way for the administration to fully adhere to the law and to respect the rights of all migrants ... that are arriving here to the border seeking safety."

Tyler Moran, special assistant to the president for immigration for the Domestic Policy Council at the White House, noted on Thursday's call with reporters that improvements have been made at the facility, including the addition of 50 mental health professionals on site and increases to case management services.

"The administration is concerned by these reports and we do know that HHS has taken steps to address them. We are taking this very seriously. This is serious for the President and the vice president. And we know it's important to HHS to get to the bottom of this and ensure that the highest standards are being upheld," Sanders added.

Asked about Harris' upcoming trip, Biden said on Thursday that Harris has "done a great job so far."

"(T)he reason why it's important that she go down, she's now set up the criteria, having spoken with the president of Mexico and Guatemala, visited the region, to know what we need to do," Biden told reporters in the White House East Room.

This story has been updated with developments on Friday.

CNN's Nikki Carvajal, Jasmine Wright, Priscilla Alvarez and Jeremy Diamond contributed to this report.
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email customercare@heraldandnews.com for help creating one.
Support local journalism

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free.

Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.


Provo, UT (84601)

Today

Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 96F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.
Uniontown, PA (15401)

Today

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 76F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Please be aware that Cache Valley Publishing does not endorse, and is not responsible for alleged employment offers in the comments.

Recommended for you
Rudy Giuliani was suspended from practicing law in New York on Thursday after a judge determined that while working as a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, he distributed misleading information about the 2020 presidential election, which directly threatened the public's interest.

In the decision, the New York appeals court claimed that there is uncontroverted evidence, proving that Giuliani communicated false and deceptive claims to courts, legislatures, and the general public in his efforts to reverse Trump's loss in the 2020 presidential election. The judgment barred Giuliani, a U.S Attorney for the Southern District of New York, from practicing law in the state but did not revoke his law license.

Although Giuliani's dismissal from the Bar Association does not disbar him, the decision on Thursday does restrict him from practicing law in New York. Giuliani is also embroiled in a series of legal issues that emerged when he was still serving time the Trump administration, particularly his dealings with Ukraine.

The Attorney Grievance Committee of the state's First Judicial Department, which has authority over Manhattan attorneys, initiated the action.

Rudy Giuliani was licensed to the New York state bar in 1969 and had a distinguished legal career before joining Trump's team, including serving in the Ronald Reagan administration's Justice Department. In 1983, he was appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, a position he held until 1989 when he ran for and was elected Mayor of New York City.

The New York State Bar Association said on January 11, 2021, that it will investigate whether Giuliani's membership should be canceled, citing his remarks to a crowd of Trump supporters before they stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Rudy Giuliani's son mocks the court's ruling

Rudy Giuliani's lawyers, both former judges, said they anticipated their client to be reinstated after a complete hearing. Per NBC New York, John Leventhal and Barry Kamins said in a statement, "We are disappointed with the Appellate Division, First Department's decision suspending Mayor Giuliani prior to being afforded a hearing on the alleged issues. This is unprecedented as we believe that our client does not pose a present danger to the public interest."

Rudy Giuliani's son, Andrew Giuliani, a former Trump adviser and current Republican gubernatorial candidate in New York, posted a statement and a video criticizing the "5 Leftist judges" who revoked his father's license. The court, on the other hand, was harsh in its criticism of Rudy Giuliani's behavior, essentially suggesting that it couldn't trust him not to lie.

The decision came almost two months after federal officials executed search warrants at Giuliani's home and office as part of their continuing investigation into his actions in Ukraine. Based on the judgment, Giuliani misrepresented the nature of a court action regarding the Pennsylvania election, in which he made fraud-related arguments even though no fraud charges were filed.

Additional allegations against Giuliani include unsubstantiated statements he made about large numbers of underage voters, dead voters, and votes cast by ineligible convicted felons. Statements that Georgia ballots were manipulated by voting machines and statements alleging that varying numbers of illegal immigrants voted in Arizona unless these state investigations are proven otherwise.

Giuliani stated that he did not make any misleading comments. The suspension is interim, meaning it will last until entire disciplinary procedures against him are completed. The court acknowledged that this is a harsh step, but it believes it is necessary for the face of an "immediate threat to the public interest," as per Fox News.

Read Also: Kamala Harris Will Visit US Border, Criticized for Scheduling Visit After Donald Trump Decides to Do So

Trump reacts over Rudy Giuliani's license suspension

After his former personal attorney Rudy Giuliani was forced to quit practicing law in the state, former President Donald Trump said that he thinks the entire state of New York is out of control. Defending Rudy Giuliani on Thursday after his legal license was revoked by a New York appeal court for his support of the former president's voting fraud accusations, Trump said the attorney is "untouchable."

Trump is comparing Giuliani to Eliot Ness, a notorious Bureau of Prohibition agent who helped bring down iconic criminal Al Capone in the 1920s and 1930s. Ness was also a member of the infamous Chicago cops known as The Untouchables and co-wrote an autobiography with the same title.

On Twitter, Giuliani criticized the decision and distanced himself from allegations, instead of posting about a Trump fan who was shot and killed by a Capitol Police Officer during the incident earlier this year, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: New York AG Denies Any Independent Probe by Cuomo For Sexual Harassment on Women



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Daily Mail published an eyewitness report of a Russian ship firing on the HMS Defender. Reports say when the two forces met, the British destroyer was pursued by assets of the Russian force.

Weapons fired on the British ship

According to the Daily Mail, the melee in Crimean waters was witnessed as opposing forces were engaged in tensions. The Russians supposedly fired warning shots, with no intent to hit the Defender. Instead, the shots were fired to push it back to international waters.

During the encounter in which the gunner fired warning rounds from the ship's deck, Vladimir Putin's Black Sea fleet immediately acted once the identified foreign ship allegedly breached the annexed Russian territory in the Black Sea.

Russian military sources said the encounter occurred yesterday afternoon, in Cape Fiolent, which is a part of the Crimean coastline. Moscow considered the incident as an unlawful intrusion by the Royal Navy.

The Black Fleet made it clear that the HMS Defender will be shot at if it violated the border of the Russian Federation, noted a report on SCMP. The Russians said that one of their planes warned the UK warship by dropping four high explosive fragmentation bombs. However, the UK has denied the encounter and The Royal Navy calls it propaganda by Moscow.

A report from the Daily Mail said none of the ordnance that was supposedly launched was seen on the ship's crew or its radar. A possible encounter with the Defender and Russian forces might have occurred.

Read also: Russian Destroyers and Fighter Jets Engaged in Drills Near Hawaii, Carrier Strike Group Deployed as a Response

After her royal majesty Queen Elizabeth heard of the incident, she sent a message to the warship's crew, broadcast over the coms by the ship's commander, Vincent Owen.

Russia is reportedly furious over the incident and called it a serious provocation and called the British defense official in Moscow for a meeting.

Discussions with fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will be done to brief a coordinated response if it happens again in the future.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has told MPs that Putin remains a real threat to peace, citing the Salisbury poisoning of 2018.

A crew member of the destroyer Defender speaks

The latest encounter had 50 interactions with a Russian plane in a span of a few hours. Commander Owen said that it was the closest he got to another combatant ship in 12-years. He added a coastguard cutter had fired the rounds, noted the Swift Headline.

Furthermore, the commander added that his ship was following international law while passing their path during the encounter.

While sailing the destroyers was moving out of weapon range while moving at 30 knots to 21 of the Russians. The lone Defender had Russian jets and a drone that paced them, going out to international waters.

Lone warship unfazed by Russians

In 2009, the HMS Defender is the fifth of the Type 45 destroyers, and the most sophisticated ship of the Royal Navy. Assigned as air defense in the new Carrier Strike Group (CSG) that protects the new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. On Tuesday, the destroyer deployed from guard duties from the new carrier and ended up on the Crimean coast to meet the Black Sea armada.

Commander Owen did the freedom of navigation in the disputed region under authority. An encounter with HMS Defender and Russian forces was a show of force.

Related article: British Warship Denies That It Was Fired Upon by Russian Military Assets While in The Black Sea

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Biden administration imposed a ban on the US imports of a major solar panel material from China-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. on Wednesday due to suspicions of forced labor, said two sources briefed on the matter.

According to the White House, Xinjiang-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. will not be able to sell its products in the US owing to evidence reasonably indicating that Hoshine conducted forced labor to manufacture silica-based products. Due to their involvement in the exploitation of workers, the Commerce Department declared that Hoshine and four other Xinjiang companies should comply with relevant limitations on their ability to buy US commodities, software, and technology.

The US imposes trade bans on Xinjiang companies

Separately, the US Commerce Department prohibited exports to Hoshine, three other Chinese firms, and the paramilitary Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), alleging involvement in the forced labor of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. A subsidiary of Daqo New Energy Corp, Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co; a subsidiary of Shanghai-based manufacturing conglomerate East Hope Group, Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co; and a subsidiary of GCL New Energy Holdings Ltd, Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Co, are the three other companies added to the US economic blacklist.

The companies and XPCC were "involved in human rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China's campaign of repression, forced labor, mass arbitrary detention, and high-tech surveillance against Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang," according to the Commerce Department. At least some of the listed companies are leading manufacturers of monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon, both of which are used in the making of solar panels.

The majority of metallurgical-grade silicon is found in various manufacturing and comprises at least 98 percent silicon. It is not as pure as electronic-grade silicon, which is required for the manufacture of electronics like computer chips.

Producers from the areas that supply almost half of the world's polysilicon used in solar panels were impacted by the moves, as per AFP via MSN. A US Customs and Border Protection official who restricted Hoshan imports said the US bought items worth $150 million from the firm in the previous 30 months.

When asked if the US trade measures may clash with the promotion of solar energy, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that the priority is to end forced labor. Hoshine's import restriction follows similar measures taken against makers and consumers of cotton and tomato products, as well as hair items such as weaves from the region.

Per SCMP, US firms must get a license to sell products or technology to blacklisted companies under such limitations, although such exceptions are seldom granted. The US market for Chinese solar panel manufacturing is small, but there are few import choices outside of China, according to Peng Peng, general secretary of the China New Energy Investment and Financing Alliance.

Peng further stated that China produces around 76% of the world's polysilicon, with manufacturing centers mostly in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Sichuan province, and Yunnan province.

Read Also: Google, Wuhan-Linked Scientist Peter Daszak's Financial Ties over Virus Research Could Be One of the "Biggest Scandals"

Previous US bans against Chinese companies over forced labor concern

The US prohibited the purchase of seafood from a fleet of Chinese fishing vessels earlier this year, citing China's use of forced labor. The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has placed an import restriction on seafood from China's fishing fleet, which it claims has participated in forced labor, including violations against numerous Indonesian employees on its 32 vessels.

According to CBP authorities, their year-long investigation clearly shows the major indicators of forced labor on the 32 vessels owned or operated by Dalian Ocean Fishing Co. Ltd., including wage withholding, physical abuse, and movement restrictions. CBP claimed to have discovered 11 of the International Labor Organization's indications of forced labor during an inspection, including physical assault, wage withholding, and harsh working and living circumstances, Republic World reported.

The Trump administration issued an import embargo on all cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang during its final week in office, citing claims that they were produced with Uyghur forced labor, forcing clothing companies to reorganize supply chains. The latest restriction adds to the United States' efforts to penalize China for its mistreatment of Indonesian bonded laborers at Dalian Ocean Fishing.

Related Article: Trudeau Dares China for a Public Probe Over Uyghur Mistreatment as Beijing Attacks Canada's Human Rights Record



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In one of the most ambitious projects since the Apollo missions, the Chinese are intent to reach Mars by 2033. The goal is "to occupy it first and look for valuable resources," said Wang Xiaojun, the head of China's top rocket manufacturer.

The USA versus China in a new space race

America is also engaged in a plan to send its own astronauts to the red planet and start the first colony. NASA is setting its sights on the timetable of 2030s too. However, Beijing is more certain of its target date in 2033, reported the Daily Mail.

Wang has proposed a three-phase plan to allow the People's Republic of China to have the first successful. Robots will scout the surface of the planet and identify where to put the first base. It will also provide information on how to build systems to manage precious resources, cited Forbes.

All the pre-planning will determine how successful the Chinese effort will pan out. It is a crucial period, because failure will mean delay, and the US might overtake them.

One problem is the distance of 239-million-miles through mostly uncharted space. Next will be how to manage to land on the surface of Mars and start building the first human shelter far from earth.

When the first colonizers have terraformed the habitat for human occupation, mass travel is the next mission. Resources will be developed as the shuttling of space travelers are more frequent. That chance China will send the first manned expedition to Mars will be crucial for them to lead.

Read the article: Mars Rover Perseverance Preps for Maiden Launch to Mars on July 17

One small step for the far east

China has been busy with the development of space travel over the years. It was successful in sending a robotic rover to Mars last May. To propel their spacecraft and power it in space, nuclear power will be used. Energy byproducts like electricity and heat will be used to power their space vehicle. Estimates of travel time from earth to Mars and back again is several hundred days, stated Wang.

Like the technology China is planning to utilize, NASA has remarked that nuclear propellant will power the American spaceship to Mars in the 2030s and onwards. According to the US space agency, the journey to Mars will range from four to six months. They will be able to transport space pioneers to the surface of Mars safely and lessen the destructive effects of cosmic rays, noted Newstral.

China has been bolstered by the success of the return of Chang'e-5 last December 2020, which had onboard rocks and soil from our own moon. It was touted as a major victory for the Chinese space program.

With Mars in its sight, China wants a base in the southern pole of the moon. They plan to accomplish this feat with the help of the Russians. Both nations have agreed to be a partner in a memorandum made to signify cooperation. If China will send the first manned expedition to Mars, the competition for the first colonists there will begin, but no one knows if it will end in success.

Related Article: Artemis Accord: The Outer Space Treaty for Peace on the Moon

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Ethiopia's military took responsibility for a fatal attack in a crowded market in the country's Tigray region yesterday. According to health officials, at least 64 people, including children, were killed in the airstrike. The military said that they were only targeting rebels.

Ethiopian soldiers stopped medical personnel from reaching the market in Togoga village. A doctor recounted a "horrible" scene of critically injured individuals on the ground, wailing in pain with no medical attention. The doctor who arrived at the scene said most of the patients they encountered were old men, women, and children. Only a few young men were there.

Ethiopia denies targeting civilians

According to military spokesperson Col. Getnet Adane, fighters backing the Tigray region's previous leaders had gathered to commemorate Martyrs' Day when the attack happened. "The Ethiopian air force uses the latest technology, so it conducted a precision strike that was successful," Adane said, as per Fox News.

A regional health authority said the airstrike injured more than 100 individuals. Half of them were critically injured. Ethiopian soldiers reportedly stopped medical professionals from arriving and fired at a Red Cross ambulance attempting to reach the area.

Two days after the attack, bodies were still being retrieved from the wreckage. Many of the survivors had gunshot and blunt trauma wounds and were still being brought to regional hospitals, said a doctor in Mekele, the regional capital. The evacuation of critically injured people to Mekele has been described as a "matter of life and death" by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

United Nations spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters on Thursday that the UN is still unable to access the area. The airstrike, which was one of the deadliest killings of the war, occurred in Tigray during some of the heaviest combats. The crisis began in November as the Eritrea-backed Ethiopian forces chased Tigray's previous leaders.

Ethiopian soldiers were relocated to other places for Monday's national election, according to an Ethiopian military official, who rejected Tigray fighters' claims of advances in recent days. Following Ethiopia's recent designation of Tigray's previous governing party as a terrorist group, Tigrayans and others have expressed fear that anyone associated with Tigray fighters, including civilians, may be targeted, Mercury News reported.

Read Also: Canada Indigenous Group Discovers Hundreds of Unmarked Graves in Former Residential School; Second Time in a Month

The US, EU condemn Ethiopia's deadly Tigray airstrike

The US called it "reprehensible conduct," through a statement by the State Department. Thousands of civilians have been killed in Tigray, and 350,000 people are now facing one of the world's worst catastrophes in years, according to the US. Ethiopia says that the majority of Tigray's 6 million residents are receiving help while relief workers report that troops have repeatedly refused access to many sections of the region.

Per AP News, Ethiopia's claim that the airstrike was exclusively targeting outraged Tigrayans. The actual death toll from the strike might be much higher since some individuals likely carried the deceased home to their nearby villages and buried them without informing regional officials, stated Hailu Kebede, a former Togoga resident, and official with the Salsay Woyane Tigray.

Related Article: Israel Launches Airstrikes on Gaza Strip 3 Weeks After a Cease-Fire Halted 11 Days of Fighting



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A female linguist who worked for the Pentagon in Iraq was sentenced to 23 years of imprisonment for providing confidential information to a foreign national associated with the Hezbollah.

Mariam Taha Thompson was charged in May last year with a criminal case for sharing highly sensitive classified national defense data. She believed the foreign national would provide the data to the Lebanese-based Hezbollah, a foreign terrorist organization associated with Iran.

The 62-year-old woman handed her Lebanese love interest a list of US spies' names that she has kept under her mattress. Thompson, who was given a sentence on Wednesday in Washington's federal court, said that she "just wanted someone to love [her] in [her] old age," reported Daily Mail.

Pleaded Guilty

Thompson, from Rochester, Minnesota, was a contracted linguist for a United States Special Operations task force in Iraq. She had top secret clearance and agreed to plead guilty in exchange for leniency, according to a US Justice Department official.

The Minnesota woman put the lives of human assets working furtively for the US at risk. She was indicted on one count of delivering defense information classified at the secret level to aid a foreign government. This charge upholds a maximum imprisonment of a lifetime, reported Albawaba.

John Demers, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's national security division, remarked, "Thompson's sentence should stand as a clear warning to all clearance holders that violations of their oath to this country will not be taken lightly, especially when they put lives at risk," reported Stripes.

Read Also: US Pulls Antimissile Batteries From Middle East Countries, Realigns Mission to Confront China and Russia

According to court records, she signed an extensive statement of facts in late January admitting to the plot. The Justice Department stated that Thompson confessed in her guilty plea hearing that early 2017 Thompson started communicating with her co-conspirator through a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging app and that she harbored a romantic interest in her associate.

Thompson never met the man personally. She was introduced to him on social media by her relatives from Lebanon in 2019. Thompson was hoping the man would marry her. The man, who was not identified in the indictment, asked her to marry him when she retired and convinced her to move to Lebanon.

She admitted that she communicated information to a Lebanese man whom she believed would relay the sensitive data to Hezbollah agents. Her contact was trying to obtain expounded information on individuals who may have been involved in the Jan. 3 assassination of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force Commander Qasem Suleimani last year.

Her sentence depicts the human sources she jeopardized and the seriousness of her contravention of the trust of the American people and the troops who worked at her side as friends and colleagues, according to John Demers, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's national security division.

Related Article: Countries With Ongoing Conflicts Increase Military Confrontations

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Planners have considered the combat radius of the stealth fighter. The Stingray tanker UAV allows combat air patrols to go farther without exposing ships to attack.

Gamechanger UAV

One thing that China or Russian needs to have is a way to top up jets in flight. The MQ-25 is the only such drone in service today. It is an autonomous drone that is under development by Boeing. A fleet of them will double the strike ranger of carrier planes, reported National Interest.

Based on calculations, there will be a 300 to 400 miles extension for all aircraft, which will make a difference, said Vice Adm. Mike Shoemaker, as noted in USNI. One example is the Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet which has a combat range of 450 miles.

Shorter ranges make the US Navy more vulnerable

Range is everything now. Having short-range is a weakness at a crucial time, especially with the gains of Russia and China in ship-killing missile technology. Beijing boasts of their DF-21D, a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) with a 1,000-mile range to attack. Another is the Hypersonic DF-17 with more than 1,000 miles of attack range as well.

Russia's own 3M22 Tsirkon is a winged, hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile that can attack at least 600 miles away. The danger is apparent if a single hit from Tsirkon can knock out or devastate a US carrier. If the F-35 Lightning II can attack with extended range, the launchers can be destroyed.

Read also: US F-35 Stealth Fighters Debut at Cope North Drills in Guam

Sailing within reach of an adversary's weapons will affect how an American carrier strike group can effectively use its resources to attack successfully. Having a problem with the shield of missiles in the Pacific, that is China's anti-access, area-denial (A2-AD) approach noted by Defense News that hampers US attack capabilities.

Stingray to the rescue

The MQ-25 is made to fix the range problem related to A2-AD. The drone is networked to a navigation system while flying and can hold 15,000-lbs of fuel to refuel planes with an extended distance of less than 600-miles. Its Ford and Nimitz supercarriers will have these robot-tankers equipped soon, cited NavAir.

By increasing the operating distance of all carrier-based planes, the Stingray will make it safer for carriers to get away and stay safe from anti-ship killers. Stealth F-35s can refuel and can attack enemies, use stealth to destroy targets, without worrying about their sea base.

Now, more range and refueling drones will allow more vital missions to slip in and destroy the enemy or enemies in one flight. Also, adapting to changing requirements on the go without a hit.

According to the former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson, Stingray is a gamechanger in how warfare is done. This shows the US Navy's commitment to lead as the best-armed force, using drones, manned aircraft, and ships of all kinds.

This ultra-modern and leading-edge refueling drone is projected to be on carriers by 2024, which will give the US Navy the edge it needs to overcome its adversaries. If the F-35 Lightning II can attack with extended range, with the drone wingman, this will be the best advantage.

Related article: US Air Force Prepares F-16s, F-35s in Guam Jungle Airfields

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Two brothers in South Africa have vanished together with $3.6 billion in Bitcoin stored in their cryptocurrency financing platform.

Alleged Bitcoin Heist

In a recently published article in the New York Post, it was reported that Ameer and Raees Cajee launched their crypto investment platform, Africrypt, in 2019. When the Bitcoin price surged in April, they sent an email to clients or investors informing them that the firm had been hacked. However, a group of suspicious investors approached Hanekom Attorneys, a firm that specializes in all areas of the cryptocurrency business and advises high-volume traders, exchanges, and arbitrage firms.

Hanekom Attorneys said that the alleged heist was reported to the Hawks, an elite section of South Africa's national police agency. Hanekom has also informed South African financial authorities and crypto exchanges across the globe about the situation, according to a published report in a local news outlet Larenota.

Read Also: Cryptocurrency; The Famous Currency

Some Result of the Investigation of the Law Firm

In a published report in Bloomberg, the firm's investigation revealed that Africrypt's pooled money was moved from its South African accounts and customers' wallets into other Bitcoin transactions to make them untraceable.

Suspicions grew after they found out also that employees of Africrypt lost access to the back-end systems seven days before the alleged breach. The law firm also said that they were instantly concerned since the statement pleaded with investors not to pursue legal action.

Meanwhile, Hanekom Attorneys said that South Africa's Finance Sector Conduct Authority is also looking into the crypto platform, but the agency said that it cannot start a formal inquiry since Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are not legally considered financial goods.

South African Granted Provisional Liquidation

According to ITWeb, in April, a South African court decided in favor of a group of around 20 investors, giving the brothers a temporary liquidation order. According to the site, they have until July 19 to file an appeal against the liquidation.

The chief operating officer of Africrypt, Ameer Cajee, when contacted for comment by The Post, replied via email referring to his attorney for comment. However, he did not name his attorney or give contact information.

Meanwhile, the alleged theft comes after the bankruptcy of another South African Bitcoin broker, Mirror Trading International, last year. The losses totaled about $1.2 billion in Bitcoin, with some dubbing it the greatest cryptocurrency fraud of 2020.

Some Information About the Cajje Brothers

In a published article in Jonathan Desverney USA News, the two Cajee brothers were featured on the cover of The Umhlanga Magazine in December. The article, which detailed the Cajees' success in starting their own company, seems to have been removed off the internet.

At that time, they said in a joint interview "The vision for Africrypt has always been to develop the first African cryptocurrency-focused bank, providing decentralized finance to the people who need it most, giving easy access to capital for young entrepreneurs, and stimulating growth and prosperity," according to a published article in The Umhlanga Magazine.

Related Article: 4 Aspects to Analyze Before Choosing a Bitcoin Exchange

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Evolutionary anthropologists from the Max Planck Institute (MPI) in Leipzig Germany obtained sediments in Denisova Cave, found in Siberia's Altai mountains, reported the Daily Mail. The DNA found in the samples indicates that there was interbreeding between these early humans, and may be a clue to the origins of homo sapiens.

It's all in the family

Denisovans are a prehistoric branch of humans. Denisova cave gave its name to the obscure pre-humans there. They were discovered in 2008, living in Asia what was know as the early paleolithic or early stone age.

More remains were discovered in the cave, Neanderthal remnants, that were found along with Denisovans. One surprise is a bone fragment that carried the genetic tags of the two sub-species, which suggests that both species cohabited and produced hybrid offspring. The offspring had a Denisovan father and Neanderthal mother that opened up a new chapter in human history, cited Granthshala.

The discovery of eight bone and teeth remains trapped in 300,000-year-old sediments inside the cave is a lucky find. But from those scant artifacts found in the cave, some details in the caves revealed how the inhabitants interacted, used their tools, made decorative ornaments, and items that characterize how early humans lived.

Based on the DNA analysis, the researchers checked what times the human sub-species have lived in the cave. Dating placed Denisovans as the first occupants, about 250,000 years before other proto-humans utilized the cave. If the Denisovans and Neanderthals were cohabiting in caves, there is a good chance for birthing hybrids.

Read also: Ancient Oceans Not Susceptible to Climate Change; Human Activities Have Done Many Damages

More Details from the study

The scientists say that the study is the largest investigation made to study sediment DNA coming from a single location, yielding a wealth of information. Lead scientist and author of the study, archaeologist Richard 'Bert' Roberts of the Wollongong University, Australia, had a chance to examine the samples.

The researchers were able to incorporate the dates that were assumed for the deposits in Denisova Cave using molecular evidence for the presence of people and fauna in their study.

Samples from Denisova cave

When the sediments were studied, they produced 700 samples from different places in the caves. Parts of the cave are the main chamber, with places in the eastern chamber. According to one of the authors and archeologist, Zenobia Jacob of Wollongong University, it took more than a week to gather their relevant samples in the three cave chambers. Documenting the places in the cave, cited UK News Today took time.

When collected by the researchers, the sedimentary evidence was sent to the MPI for evolutionary anthropology. It took two years for the members of the study to extract and sequence what has been left of hominin mitochondrial DNA.

They hit the jackpot and the mysterious Denisovan DNA was found along with Neanderthal DNA, said another lead author Elena Zavala.

Mapping the DNA profiles through sedimentary layers, it was Denisova DNA found. A stone implement dated to be about 250-170,000 years old was found to be theirs. Neanderthals came at the end of that period in time. Later Denisovans and Neanderthals were cohabiting in caves as hypothesized.

Related articles: Ancient Madagascan Beasts Brought to Extinction by Human Activity, Megadrought

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
On Thursday, a defrocked Greek Orthodox priest was charged with several counts of inflicting serious bodily injury over an acid attack that left seven senior bishops and three others wounded.

Greek Priest Arrested for Throwing Acid at Several People During the Disciplinary Hearing

According to a recently published article in the Associated Press, a police guard detained the defrocked Greek priest late Wednesday after he hurled acid at the bishops when they announced, at a disciplinary hearing, that he has been officially expelled from the priesthood for his wrongdoings.

Church authorities claimed he was dismissed for "ecclesiastical and criminal crimes" such as fraud and illicit drug use and that he had posted threatening statements on social media before Wednesday's hearing, as elaborated in an article published in The Washington Post.

Following this, the 37-year-old Greek priest was charged with multiple counts for causing grievous bodily harm. The victims in the said incident included seven senior bishops and three other individuals.

Read Also: Florida Metro Rider Hits Female Passenger's Face 20 Times, Injures Her Ribs in 'Senseless' Attack

Church Officials and Greece's Government Condemned the Attack

The Orthodox Church's ruling Holy Synod deemed the assault "abhorrent and unusual" and confirmed that the suspect has been expelled from the priesthood after holding the lesser rank of deacon, reported Spectrum News.

Greece's government President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and the spiritual head of the world's Orthodox Christians Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who is based in Istanbul, Turkey, denounced the assault.

The Greek priest lawyer Andreas Theodoropoulos said, "The suspect ... is a psychiatric patient who is taking strong medication. He did not fully comprehend the consequences of his action ... but was responding to a perceived injustice," according to a published report in NZ Herald.

President Sakellaropolou also released her statement on the issue: "I express my disgust for this unprecedented incident and wish the victims a speedy recovery," per 7 News.

Health Condition of the Victims

The victims of the acid attack were hospitalized with burns. Two of them are still in critical condition. The arresting officer was also afflicted with burns and was sent to the hospital. The majority of the victims were released on Thursday.

Photographs of the assault scene in downtown Athens were broadcasted on official ERT TV. It showed bloodstains and acid burns on the walls of the hearing chamber and on tiny tables where the bishops were sitting.

The bloodstains and burn holes on the bishops' and accompanying clergy's discarded black robes were so visible that they could be seen in the TV broadcast. The victims did not expect the acid attack but it was later found out that the Greek priest already hinted at the crime on his social media account.

Substance Used in the Acid Attack

The caustic chemical used in the assault has not been disclosed by the police although the suspect's lawyer characterized it as acid to reporters outside a courtroom where the charges were being filed.

The police authorities will still conduct an investigation and will make sure that both parties in the said acid attack are given equal treatment. As of today, there are still no updates as to when the suspect will present himself before the ruling court.

Related Article: "Holy Shot!": Priest Goes Viral After Shooting Church Goers With Holy Water Using a Squirt Gun



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
There remains a continued fascination with Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston's relationship. Aniston recently guested with her "Friends" co-actors and real-life friends Lisa Kudrow and Courtney Cox on SiriusXM's "The Howard Stern Show." The conversation led to a small talk about her former husband of five years.

In September 2020, Pitt and Aniston publicly reunited when both participated in a fundraising table read of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," along with other big names like Matthew McConaughey and Morgan Freeman.

The Table Read Scene

In the table read, the two had to reenact a scene where Linda, played by Aniston, catches Brad, played by Pitt, having a private moment in the bathroom while fantasizing about her. The 1982 film reading served as a fundraiser for COVID-19 relief.

The "Friends" actress explained that she and Pitt are "buddies." Reflecting on the experience of the table read of the teen movie, Aniston described it as "absolutely fun" and she confirmed they are friends, reported Digital Spy.

Pitt and Aniston's marriage spanned from 2000 to 2005. While the world has been obsessed with their relationship, the two people themselves are not at all concerned. Pitt went on to start a relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-actor Angelina Jolie, tied the knot, and divorced.

According to the 52-year-old addressing radio star Howard Stern, "It was absolutely fun. Brad and I are buddies, we're friends. And we speak, and there's no oddness at all, except for everyone that probably watched it and was wanting there to be, or assumed there to be," reported Yahoo News.

Read Also: Brad Pitt, Nicole Poturalski Breaks Up, Relationship Was Never Serious

In January 2020, the internet almost went wild when they were seen having a mini interaction backstage at the 2020 SAG Awards. A photo of Pitt holding onto Aniston's arm had people wondering if a recoupling could potentially be on the cards.

Aniston married actor Justin Theroux after her divorce from Pitt. However, they split in 2018 following over two years of marriage and almost seven years as a couple.

In this week's People Magazine cover narrative, Aniston stated that she would not try online dating, and getting remarried was not on her radar.

Aniston was keen to pour cold water on a probable reconciliation. When she gets asked regarding her reaction to her run-ins with Pitt at industry events, according to her, "It's hysterical, but what else are [people] gonna talk about?" reported Buzzfeed News.

Dane Cook, who hosted the live table read, aired his thoughts on the Pitt and Aniston's reunion in 2020 on "Better Together with Maria Menounos." He said they both locked in and what people witnessed was what they had hoped. He added it was just a nice engagement between two huge and very talented people.

Related Article: Brad Pitt Plans to Fight Angelina Jolie to Be with Children for the Holidays

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Prince Harry's statements in an interview with Oprah earlier this year that claimed his family had "cut him off financially" in the first quarter of 2020 drew a lot of attention. However, officials working for Prince Charles have just told journalists information about the financial arrangements surrounding the Sussexes' departure from royal life, claiming that the Prince of Wales promptly funded them with a significant sum.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have 4.4 million ($6.1 million), allocated to their activities, according to the Prince of Wales' annual review. Before the funds ceased, it was unclear how much of the amount Harry received.

Prince Harry receives 'substantial sum' from Prince Charles

While trying to negotiate his exit from the royal family in winter 2019, Prince Harry told Oprah how Prince Charles stopped receiving his calls. In a podcast interview, he also claimed to be suffering from "genetic pain" as a result of his upbringing, implying that his father's childhood with the Queen and Prince Philip may have affected him, as per Newsweek via MSN.

The most recent details were revealed when the royal family released its annual accounts for the fiscal year in March 2021. Prince Charles' household also released a yearly evaluation that presents how he has spent his income from the Duchy of Cornwall, in addition to the Sovereign Grant report, released by Buckingham Palace.

In terms of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's spending in the previous financial year, a senior Clarence House spokesperson said Prince Charles set aside a significant sum to help them achieve financial independence. According to the spokesman, this financing stopped in the summer of last year.

Read Also: Prince Charles Questioned Over Princess Diana's Note About Him "Planning an Accident," Is He Involved in Her Death?

Meghan and Harry slam report about Prince Charles' cash support

Despite leaving the monarchy at the end of March last year, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still recorded as having received money from Charles' Duchy of Cornwall revenue. After the Sussexes ceased to be senior royals, the financing bill - as well as other expenses such as Prince Charles' capital spending and transfer to reserves - fell by about 1.2 ($1.67) million in the financial year.

"I wouldn't acknowledge that they are dramatically different. All I can tell you are the facts," the Clarence House spokesman said when asked about the disparity over the Duke of Sussex's statement.

The Sussex spokesman claimed that there was no time difference and that Harry was referring to the first quarter of the UK's fiscal reporting cycle, which runs from April to July. The couple's departure from the working royal family was termed as "a source of enormous sadness to the family" by a Clarence House spokesperson.

Harry and Meghan signed multi-million-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify, and the duke told Oprah Winfrey that he did so to ensure his financial security. He stated he had the 7 ($9.75) million Diana left him and that "without that, we would not have been able to do this."

The Harry's and Markle's combined wealth was believed to be 18 million pre-Megxit, but their high-profile acquisitions will have significantly increased it, The Independent reported.

The data were not broken out in-depth in the report, and royal officials refused to elaborate. Despite leaving the monarchy at the end of March last year, the independently audited records show that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are still recorded as receiving money from Prince Charles' Duchy of Cornwall income.

The couple moved to Canada first, then to California, where they acquired an 11 ($15.32) million family house in Montecito despite their apparent distress. They have also established the Archewell Foundation and their film and audio firm.

The investigation into claims of bullying against Meghan is still ongoing, according to Buckingham Palace. However, Meghan refuted the claims. The Palace insisted that no public funds were being used to finance the review, but would say where the funds were coming from.

As a result of the pandemic, Prince Charles' yearly revenue from the Duchy of Cornwall earnings decreased to 20.4 ($28.41) million this year, a loss of 1.8 ($2.51) million or 8%, according to the Clarence House records. The Prince also voluntarily increased his tax payment by 3%, from 4.86 ($6.77) million to 5.02 ($6.99) million, as per Daily Mail.

Related Article: Prince Charles Won't Let Grandson Archie be a Prince, Source Close to Meghan Markle, Harry Reveals



@YouTube

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A recent study claims that comet fragments may be responsible for the way civilizations were shaped. Researchers asserted that the event was instrumental in changing the lifestyles of nomads, which is a change that led to the rise of ancient cities.

Big changes for once nomadic tribes

One point of the study is that 13,000 years ago, a turnaround event happened that changed humanity forever. It usually takes extreme events to influence great change, much like having comets shards hit earth is a serious threat.

Generally, comets do not make contact with the earth. But, a big cosmic event occurred 65 million years ago, which caused the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. For humanity, it had to adapt to a catastrophe on a lesser scale, reported the Science Daily.

The research corroborates the theory that a comet collided with the earth sometime before the start of the Neolithic period. This was also around the time that the Fertile Crescent of southwest Asia gave rise to civilizations.

During this period of change, most humans in this particular region lived around Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon. Evidence points to an abrupt shift. These people went from being in wandering groups to establishing permanent settlements. They became farmers, which then led to building self-sufficient city-states. They are located in the Fertile Crescent or the Cradle of Civilization noted ThoughtCo.

Read also: SETI Looks for Alien Life on Comets from Deep Space

The cosmic event

The comet strike, called the Younger Dryas impact, killed large mammals and started a mini-ice age for over one thousand years. One study from the University of Edinburgh proposed proof of a collision that also set the stage for a series of events that continues to impact the world even though it happened many thousands of years ago.

Enough evidence exists that a comet hit the earth 13,000 years ago, as affirmed by the study. Verification was done meticulously by scientists who scour four continents for geo-data. Places of interest are the United States and Greenland, thought to be where the biggest comet pieces can be found after they impacted the earth.

One of their methods to detect the ancient comet is to look for signs of excess platinum or materials that have been subject to the heat of a crashing comet. Examples of these are nanodiamonds, that are formed in comets.

What is next to prove the theory?

To prove the comet impact model, there should be more investigation into how the global climate has shifted. Under it lies clues on how changes in human settlements were made or how many animals have died in extinction events.

Dr. Martin Sweatman, University of Edinburgh's School of Engineering, the study lead, made some statements related to the hypothesis. In particular, remarked the cosmic event is depicted in the giant stone pillars of Gobekli Tepe. It might be the first temple built by people, with links to the origin of civilization in the Fertile Crescent, noted SOTT.

If a comet prompted a shift from wandering nomads to establishing permanent settlements, the civilization began with a huge bang from the sky.

Related article: Archaeologists Discover Rare Egyptian Artifacts: Over 300 Rock-Cut Tombs of Akhmim Leaders

Related article: Archaeologists Discover Rare Egyptian Articfacts: Over 300 Rock-Cut Tombs of Akhmim Leaders

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tornadoes are deadly weather conditions that leave wreckage after it has passed an area. In Czechoslovakia, two districts suffered casualties and damage from such unexpected weather conditions.

Torn apart by extreme winds

In the districts of Breclav and Hodonin, a fearsome twister took the lives of five people, while 150 individuals needed medical attention from injuries suffered. Extreme winds that exceeded 150 mph caused all the chaos, reported The Sun.

Last Thursday, the storm struck without warning and ripped houses on its path. Roofs were blown away, and cars were strewn by the roadside. These towns looked like a warzone.

An emergency search and rescue operation was started in villages that needed assistance. Many of the locals were in shock and some were trapped in the flung debris, making rescue imperative.

Members of the Czech army were spread out to look for survivors. Search and rescue personnel used drones and infrared equipment to look for people still trapped in the debris.

The use of these specialized pieces of equipment gave the rescuers a greater chance of finding those in severe need of rescue. The monster twister tore up houses in the Czech Republic leaving debris, which made rescues more difficult.

Read also: Tropical Storm Eta Leaves and Heads to Atlantic, Warnings Lifted in Affected Areas

More details about the natural calamity

There were 30,000 people left with no power after the twister caused damage to the power line or trees. According to the Czech Minister of the Interior, Jan Hamacek, it was a bad situation and resulted in the sad loss of lives. On Twitter, he said that all rescue units were on the move and going to Hodonin, where several districts have been ravaged by the tornado.

Obrovska katastrofa na Hodoninsku, navstivil jsem obce Hrusky a Luzice, hovoril se starostkou i starostou, zasahujicimi hasici a policisty. Nabidl jsem maximalni moznou pomoc. pic.twitter.com/GErlYR43Mh  Jan Hamacek (@jhamacek) June 25, 2021

Included large rescue efforts are teams from Austria and Slovakia, on route to the designated disaster areas to assist the Czechs.

Areas struck were damaged and torn apart

There is footage made available that captured the natural disaster in Hodonin. Damaged buildings, tossed vehicles, and felled trees were seen. Fires also erupted from broken gas lines. It left the government struggling to conduct repairs and rescues.

More videos were posted on social media channels. They showed the monster twister's spinning black mass, as it destroyed everything on its path. The powerful wind going 200-mph had knocked down trees, which blocked a train route.

A spokesperson for emergency services, Michaela Bothova, addressed the public on live television, stating that 100-150 people were hurt, including children and the elderly, cited the Straits Times.

Hrusky's Mayor informed that half of the town was torn up and demolished. Dozens of injured were given treatment at the Hodonin Hospital.

Andreas Zenker of the Red Cross mentions his organization had dispatched 12 ambulances and a doctor to Horodin. He added that more were diverted to assist from Weinviertel, stressing the dire situation.

According to meteorologists, the tornado is classified as level three to four based on the Fujita scale. Damage will be from significant to severe it is indicated.

This monster twister tore up houses in the Czech Republic and is one of the most powerful seen in the Czech Republic's history.

Related article: Nashville Tornado Left 25 Dead as It Ripped Through Other Areas in Tennessee

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Even without China's permission to travel, the UN human rights head will initiate an investigation on the suffering of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights To Investigate Human Rights Violation in China

In a recently published article in Euro News, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said on Monday that she hoped to agree on conditions for a long-awaited visit to China this year to investigate accusations of widespread imprisonment, torture, and forced labor in the country.

Beijing rejects any accusations of mistreatment against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims, claiming that the camps in the country's far west as vocational training centers to fight religious extremism, according to a report published in U.S. News.

Meanwhile, China dismissed the remarks as meddling with "political objectives." The communist country said that Bachelet's visit was welcome, but it should be focused on "boosting exchanges and collaboration rather than an inquiry based on the so-called assumption of guilt."

Read Also: China Forces Traditional Medicine on Xinjiang Residents Amid Strict Coronavirus Lockdown Procedures

Bachelet's Authority To Collect Testimonies

In a recently published article in Reuters, it was reported that without a mandate from the council or an invitation from the nation in question, Bachelet has the power to gather testimony of violations remotely. It can be remembered that she and her predecessor launched similar investigations into security forces deaths in Venezuela, the disputed Kashmir region, and southern Turkey.

Bachelet said on Tuesday, "In the meantime, the office continues to deepen its analysis and assessment of the alleged patterns of human rights violations in Xinjiang," per MSN News.

Uyghurs Are Receiving Long Prison Sentences

According to the US State Department as well as various human rights organizations,China is holding up to two million Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in extra-legal detention camps. In their defense, Beijing said that these places are "vocational training facilities" intended to prevent religious extremism.

Experts believe that, in addition to that detention system, there is a second program that includes the long-term imprisonment of Uyghurs for purported offenses like terrorism, separatism, and ethnic hatred.

According to Chinese official data, the number of individuals sentenced to long jail terms in Xinjiang has increased dramatically since 2014, when Beijing intensified its crackdown on the region's Muslim-majority Uyghurs.

However, the records do not disclose the nature of the crimes committed, nor do they include information on the religion or ethnicity of individuals convicted. Meanwhile, it cannot be confirmed if the policy is still in effect since official data on imprisonments has not been published beyond 2018.

According to Nathan Ruser, an Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) researcher and author of a study on Xinjiang satellite imagery, indications of expanded jail facilities and Uyghur testimony from the area suggested that systematic persecution via the courts was still probable.

In Xinjiang, about 21,000 individuals were condemned to prison in 2014. Four years later, the figure had risen to almost 133,200. In an area with a population of approximately 25 million people, more than a quarter of a million individuals were imprisoned between 2016 and 2018.

According to the statistics yearbooks of Xinjiang, 87 percent of all sentences in 2017 were for more than five years, up from 27 percent in 2016. Furthermore, human rights organizations said that the significant increase in the length of jail sentences indicates that the Chinese government's crackdown in the area is getting increasingly severe.

Related Article: China Covers Up Torture Of Uyghur Muslims In Detention Camps: Report



@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Insecurity is defined as a sense of inadequacy or a feeling of not being good enough. It causes anxiety over your objectives, relationships, and capacity to deal with specific circumstances.

Cause of Insecurity

Working in different industries gives us more chances to meet different people who have different behaviors and attitudes. The most prevalent attitude that can cause conflict within the group is "insecurity."

Whether we like it or not, there will be people around us who will not be happy with our achievements in life. They will continue to talk about you even if you are no longer connected with your previous working environment.

One of the reasons why people get insecure is because of their lack of sense of fulfillment, according to a published article in WebMD. They find it hard to accept the fact that the person they dislike has achieved something they did not expect.

Read Also: Iskra Lawrence: 5 Things You Need To Know About The Inspiring Model Who Wishes People Would Stop Saying Plus-Size (PHOTOS)

Signs of Insecurity

In a published article in Reader's Digest, here are some signs that a person is insecure:

1. Acting perfect in every way

According to neuropsychologist Rhonda Q. Freeman, Ph.D., Insecurity may manifest in a variety of ways, depending on the underlying reason and the person's personality type. People with narcissistic personality disorder, for example, are insecure persons who portray a "false self."

This is not to say that everyone who brags a little is a narcissist, but it does imply that your desire to show off may be masking insecurity.

2. Always showing disagreement

Someone who is insecure may continuously attempt to demonstrate their intelligence by pointing out faults in other people's views. If someone claims the sky is blue, the insecure person will not only argue it is green but will also provide scientific evidence to show they are correct and everyone else is wrong.

3. Showing people that you are superior

Someone who is arrogant or appears superior to everyone else in the room may be insecure. Deep down within, that person is possibly terrified that someone will find out. Arrogant conduct, according to PsychMechanics, is a cover intended to preserve the ego and emotions of self-worth. In other words, if you are insecure, you may be trying all you can to conceal it from the rest of the world.

4. Loves to criticize others

After all, to effectively navigate life, people must be able to distinguish and evaluate other people, their issues, and circumstances in life to make sound choices. For example, failing to think critically about the person you are going to marry is a sure way to wind up in an unhappy marriage. In fact, some are already married but are not still happy because they still live in their previous relationship, according to NickWigNall.

5. Always comments on social media

One of the most prevalent characters of an insecure person is his or her ability to always comment in a social media post of their friends. Though the ideas and comments do not matter, it is a method to gain attention.

Insecure people are those who are not really happy in their lives. Furthermore, they are not happy with what their peers achieved.

Related Article: Feeling Self-Conscious? Here's How to Overcome

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Multimedia Video Journalist

Buffalo native trying to get her news on! Im a Multimedia Journalist here at Your Hometown Stations and I love what I do. Have a cool story idea? Im in! Just email me at ashelton@wlio.com or message my Facebook page.
Appointment

25 June 2021

Salwa brings more than 16 years of professional experience in the luxury hotel sector to Anantara Eastern Mangroves. Hailing from Lebanon, where she completed graduate studies in hospitality, she undertook several internships at luxury hotels in Beirut and Abu Dhabi before relocating permanently to the UAE.

For more than a decade, she has held senior and directorial roles in sales and business development for highly respected luxury hotel brands in Abu Dhabi, earning additional hospitality certification from e- Cornell University during that time. A strong and inspiring leader with an expansive range of competencies, she looks forward to bringing her expertise to the new role at Anantara Eastern Mangroves.
Press Release

25 June 2021

Montpelier Alive and Airbnb announced the launch of a new campaign to promote safe, domestic travel with a focus on local attractions, unique stays and experiences that highlight the best Montpelier has to offer. The campaign is a collaborative effort to support the citys post-pandemic recovery and the local shops, restaurants and workers who rely on the local tourism industry.

Advertisements

The social media and email campaign will target potential travelers in nearby cities in the Northeast. A landing page features a curated list of nearby stays, experiences, and local businesses to help travelers plan their future trip to Americas Small Town Capital. From historic landmarks and acres of maple trees to world-class breweries and distilleries, there is a lot to be rediscovered in Montpelier.

With the pandemic shutting travel down for a large portion of the last year, Montpeliers tourism economy and the associated businesses and jobs that rely on it have suffered, said Kelly Fay from Airbnb. Airbnb is proud to work with Montpelier Alive to shine a light on everything that makes the city and region unique and worth rediscovering in upcoming travel.

Were excited to work with Airbnb to safely welcome visitors back to Montpelier. Montpelier offers the perfect basecamp for visitors, with a vibrant downtown surrounded by the best of Vermonts adventures. Dan Groberg, Montpelier Alive Executive Director

Tourism is a crucial aspect of many rural economies in Vermont. According to the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, in 2019, visitors spent more than $2.5 billion in Vermont, and the tourism industry employed more than 32,000 Vermonters. The partnership between Montpelier Alive and Airbnb to promote in-state visitation provides an opportunity to amplify safe opportunities for tourism during these critical months of recovery.

Recent Airbnb survey data shows that travel is the activity Americans have missed the most during the pandemic and yearn to be with the people they care about. The majority are ready to travel in 2021 as soon as they feel safe to do so. Increased interest in feeling comfortable and safe is prompting many travelers to choose destinations that are not just domestic but much closer to home  56 percent prefer a domestic or local destination, and one in five want it to be within driving distance from home.

As people continue to find ways to travel and host safely, in line with guidance and rules issued by local governments and health authorities, Airbnb is requiring all Hosts and guests to commit to following its COVID-19 safety practices, which include wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.

Partnering with Montpelier Alive is part of Airbnbs work with governments and tourism agencies globally to support economic recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. By working with destination marketing organizations, nonprofits and governments to support responsible and safe travel, Airbnb is helping communities harness these economic benefits for local citizens and small businesses.

About Montpelier Alive:

Montpelier Alive celebrates the City of Montpelier. We work with partners to sustain and build upon Montpeliers vibrant downtown community by offering and supporting special events and activities and by promoting City businesses. We work to ensure a thriving local economy for Montpelier and to preserve the Citys historic character and unique sense of place.
Australias so-called Covid-zero strategy is under increasing strain, with an outbreak of the delta variant forcing at least half-a-million residents of Sydney into lockdown for a week.

New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday ordered people who live or work in four of Sydneys most populous areas, including the CBD, not to leave their homes unless for specified essential reasons. The outbreak has climbed to 65 cases, with 22 new locally acquired cases recorded since the day before.

The lockdown is in order for us to ensure that this doesnt take a hold for weeks and weeks and we believe this is a proportionate response to the risk, Berejiklian said. While she had previously barred about 1 million of Sydneys population of 6 million from leaving the city, the new measures show concern is rising about how the virus is quickly spreading in the local community.

Sydneys outbreak is the latest example showing how efforts by Covid-zero nations -- which include Singapore, Hong Kong and China -- to eliminate the virus are now keeping them isolated, even as highly-vaccinated countries such as the U.S., U.K. and parts of Europe start to open up.

Once admired for their approach that kept borders shut and the health impacts of the pandemic relatively low, slow vaccine rollouts are now exposing Australia and neighbor New Zealand to the ongoing risk of breakouts as more virulent strains spread, disrupting plans to keep their economies open.

Adding to the problem, both Australia and New Zealand have struggled with securing and rolling out vaccines. The lack of infections has made Australians hesitant around receiving jabs, particularly given concern about blood clots from the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine thats being given to people aged over 60.

In response to the Sydney outbreak, other states and territories have now implemented travel restrictions against residents of the city, and a travel bubble between New South Wales and New Zealand has been suspended.

The virus is believed to have originally escaped into the community from a driver who works for international flight crews. At least 20 other leaks into the community are thought to have started via hotels being used to quarantine residents returning from overseas.

The Sydney outbreak shows the system is porous, and this is the normal that we have to deal with while we wait for the government to get the vaccine rollout right, said Kyle Rodda, a Melbourne-based analyst at brokerage IG Markets. That leaves the business community feeling nervous, frustrated and with a slight apprehension -- theres still this difficulty to be able to plan anything more than a quarter out in advance, he said.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is under pressure to ramp up the nations tardy vaccine rollout. While the federal government has abandoned its original October target to inoculate the population, its also said it wont reopen borders until its safe to do so, meaning Australia is likely to be isolated from most of the world into next year.

The country of more than 25 million people has administered shots to cover 13.7% of its population, according to Bloombergs vaccine tracker, versus the U.S. at over 50% and the U.K. at 56%. New Zealand has inoculated just 10.3%, the tracker shows.

The areas of Sydney to be locked down midnight are Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney, all in the center of the metropolis. The four reasons to leave are shopping for essential goods, medical care or compassionate needs, outdoor exercise, and essential work or education that cant be done from home.

With authorities ordering anyone who has worked in those areas within the past two weeks to also stay home, the total number of people required to enter lock down will be higher than their population sizes indicate. Census data from 2016 showed that of the 500,000 people who worked in the City of Sydney alone, about 85% commuted in from other suburbs.
Thousands of Texans have banded together and hired an attorney to file suit to block Gov. Greg Abbott from ending emergency federal unemployment benefits before the programs expire in September.

The plaintiffs, two groups that organized over Facebook with more than 30,000 people, argue that the decision to end the benefits early exceeded the governors authority, according to the lawsuit, filed this week in state district court in Austin. The benefits, aimed at providing relief to workers during the pandemic, are scheduled to expire Saturday under Abbotts order.

Texas has what is known as a weak governor and a large part of Texas is run by commissions, David Sibley, an attorney for the group of unemployment groups, said. We just believe the governor is acting outside of his authority, and it's something the TWC (Texas Workforce Commission) should address.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Abbott ends federal unemployment assistance early

Abbott last month ordered the early end to federal programs that provided supplemental payments of $300 a week to unemployed workers and extended jobless benefits to gig workers and other self-employed people not covered by the traditional unemployment system. Abbott argued that job openings in the state are plentiful and the additional benefits were no longer needed.

His office did not respond to a request for comment.

The move was praised by employers, who have complained that generous unemployment benefits were discouraging workers from taking jobs, leading to a labor shortage. Economists say the reasons for reported labor shortages are more complex than that.

On Friday, Judge Dustin Howell denied a temporary restraining order to block the governor from ending the federal benefits while the case is proceeding. Despite the ruling, Sibley said his clients will continue with their case. A denial of a (temporary restraining order) does not mean the case is over, Sibley said.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to order the Texas Workforce Commission to make the decision on whether and when to end the benefits. They acknowledge that the workforce commission could reach the same decision as the governor, but it would delay when the federal benefits would expire.

The workforce commission recently ended guidance that allowed workers to refuse jobs if they believed COVID-19 would threaten their health or the health of their families.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Unemployment recipients can no longer refuse jobs for COVID related reasons

Of course, this would not prevent the Texas Workforce Commission from reaching the same decision properly (which would not become effective for 30 days after notice of the decision to the United States), court documents say.

The two unemployment groups are crowdsourcing to be able to pay legal fees. So far, they have raised more than $8,000 to cover the estimated $15,000 it will cost in legal fees.

becca.carballo@chron.com
WASHINGTON  The oil industry's largest lobbying group released a voluntary climate reporting scheme Thursday, as governments increase pressure on oil and other polluting sectors increases amidst growing concern around climate change.

The announcement came as the Securities and Exchange Commission is considering requiring uniform greenhouse gas emission reporting across industries, allowing investors and the general public to compare companies and industries' emissions at a time of growing interest in business's ability to navigate a low carbon future.

The American Petroleum Institute released its "climate reporting template" Thursday as way to give investors apples to apples comparisons between oil companies on emissions. And while it would be voluntary, the group said it expected most of its roughly 600 member companies to participate beginning next year.

"We think we're taking an additional step here with the release of this template," said Frank Macchiarola, API's senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs. "We think it provides significant transparency and comparability within the industry."

RELATED: Biden looks at financial rules to deprive oil of capital, shift country on climate

Investors have been pressuring the SEC to establish uniform rules on climate exposure  the same way they do on profits and cash flow  to get better insight into which companies are at greatest risk from a shift toward clean energy.

But the framework proposed by API is unlikely to give investors a full picture of oil companies carbon footprint, most significantly by excluding indirect emissions that come from vehicle tailpipes as a result of the fuels oil companies sell - known as scope 3 emissions - said Andrew Logan, oil and gas director at Ceres, a non-profit that advises investors on climate.

"This template has the potential to raise the floor for disclosure in an industry where many companies, particularly private operators, disclose little or nothing about their GHG emissions," he said. "However, leaving out scope 3 emissions will make this template much less relevant for companies that want to do more than the bare minimum."

The prospect of uniform carbon reporting enforced by the SEC could be particularly problematic for the oil and gas industry. With no viable way to capture the huge volumes of emissions that come out of vehicles tailpipes, analysts have warned the oil and gas industry is at risk of losing access to capital in the years ahead.

At an event at the Houston Economic Club Thursday, API President Mike Sommers cautioned that "America was at a turning point," as the Biden administration takes steps to address climate change by halting federal oil and gas leasing and revising fiscal regulations to favor clean energy.

"We need to produce more oil and natural gas in the decades ahead," he said. "Renewables are an important and growing part of the energy pie but as population grows the pie itself is growing. We need more energy across the board."

API has been pushing back against the SEC's effort to require uniform carbon reporting, saying such a rule could violate companies' free speech rights and questioning the fairness of a one-size fits all approach.

The framework they put out Thursday would only be applied to oil companies, not other polluting industries like coal or agriculture, making comparisons' difficult. Also the reporting would only apply to companies' direct emissions, say from a refinery or an office building.

Such a method would seemingly be out of step with what investors want to see. So far this year shareholders at Chevron and Conoco Phillips have voted in favor of reducing not only direct emissions but those emissions from the energy products those companies sell.

Aaron Padilla, API's manager of climate policy, said they chose to only include direct emissions because, "those emissions they have direct control over and the most influence to reduce."
WASHINGTON - Earlier this week, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, took to Twitter to point out that gasoline prices have risen 86 cents gallon over the past year to a national average above $3 a gallon, adding the tag line, President Bidens economy.

Seventeen months from the midterm elections, the implications were clear. With Biden in the White House, promoting a historic shift towards clean energy in a race against climate change, Americans would come to expect higher energy costs.

Rising gasoline prices, like higher taxes, have long presented danger for politicians as voters notice bigger chunks of their earnings going into their gas tanks, but Biden potentially faces a bigger risk of a backlash. While political leaders in the past could blame higher gasoline prices on the ups and downs of global oil markets or the greediness of OPEC, Bidens messaging on climate change  including moves to lower oil production  just as gasoline prices rise presents a particular political challenge.

Its an easy move to say Biden is doing all this stuff on the environment and its causing gas prices to rise. Theres little evidence of that, but that has never gotten in the way of a good political argument, said Frank Maisano, a Washington communications consultant. You never want to be on the rising end of gas prices from a political standpoint. Its what people see every day. You can drive past 12 gas stations on the way home, and the prices are blaring out.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Millions hit the road with gasoline prices at 7-year high

Gasoline prices have risen to the highest levels since 2014, rebounding from some of the lowest in years following a collapse of demand during the pandemic that at one point drove oil prices into negative territory. Now, economists say, as people get vaccinated and infection rates decline, economic activity is resuming and with it demand for oil, driving up fuel prices.

The Biden administration has tried to counter criticisms over rising gasoline prices with that very argument. Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain tweeted in response to Jordan that gasoline prices were low last year because, the pandemic limited travel and the unemployment rate was over 13 percent.

June 2020 vs. June 2021? Happy to have that debate, he wrote.

But like all things political, reasoned analysis does not necessarily win an argument.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, a pro-oil Democrat from South Texas, scoffed at the notion that Biden was responsible for the rise in fuel prices. But he said that might not make much difference to voters in his district, for whom Bidens decision to pause federal oil and gas leasing and block the Keystone XL pipeline is a big deal.

You have demand going up, so you're going to see prices go up. But at the same time (the Biden administration has) to be very careful what they do, he said. If you continue on like with Keystone or not opening up new leases, then Republicans can certainly turn around and use that against Democrats.

Following the hack of the Colonial Pipeline in May, which caused fuel shortages across the eastern United States, Republicans including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney blamed Biden administration policies for the price spike.

From cancelling the Keystone Pipeline to banning new oil and gas leasing on federal lands, Bidens energy policies are having devastating consequences, Cheney tweeted Weve already seen a glimpse of this devastation with prices skyrocketing and gas shortages hitting communities across the country.

Magic moment

The effectiveness of such messaging is hard to gauge. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at the fuel-price tracking website Gas Buddy, said that considering the events of the last year, higher gasoline prices were not taking much space in the minds of American motorists who are likely thrilled to be traveling again.

Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox

Its not as much a pinch point if it wasnt coupled with a strong rebound in the economy, he said. This is not like 2008, with gas at $4 a gallon and pizza delivery and everything else through the roof.

Since late 2014, when the U.S. fracking boom and a refusal by the OPEC cartel to lower production combined to drive down gasoline prices more than 40 percent in just six months, Americans have enjoyed relatively good deals at the pump. Until now, the highest average monthly prices came in the summer of 2018, reaching an average price of $2.99 a gallon in May, and prompting then president Donald Trump to turn his Twitter ire on OPEC.

They continue to push for higher and higher oil prices! We will remember. The OPEC monopoly must get prices down now!, he wrote in June 2018.

Gasoline prices did eventually come down, but not until October when the summer driving season had ended and demand for gasoline slipped. Considering the high rate at which Americans are getting out of town this summer, Biden could well expect a similar drop in gasoline prices this fall, Maisano said.

Its always a big deal in the moment, but the moment never lasts, he said. Six months from now its going to be completely different.

james.osborne@chron.com

Twitter.com/@osborneja
The oil and gas industry is pushing back against efforts to overhaul cybersecurity regulation following the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline. Industry representatives assert that revisions to existing rules and closer cooperation with the federal authorities would be sufficient to harden the sector against future attacks without significant government intrusion.

The shutdown of Colonial, which lasted several days and created gasoline shortages along the East Coast, has spurred several proposals for more government oversight of the pipeline industry, including transferring the oversight for pipeline cybersecurity from the Transportation Security Administration -- an arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security -- to the Energy Department. But industry trade groups say these and other big changes are not needed to protect pipelines and critical energy operations, most of which already have cybersecurity measures in place.

The American Petroleum Institute argues that rather than removing cybersecurity responsibility from the TSA, Congress should instead provide the agency with more funding to do its job better. API is also updating its own cybersecurity standards for the pipeline industry that will call for greater coordination between the industry and the federal government.

You dont need to go through a whole regulatory or legislative process to fix something thats not necessarily broken, said Suzanne Lemieux, APIs leading cybersecurity expert.

The ransomware attack against Colonial Pipeline, which begins in Houston and carries almost half of the East Coasts supplies of gasoline and diesel, exposed the vulnerability of the energy networks that power the United States. On May 8, Colonial reported that it was victim of a ransomware attack, in which criminals seized company data and demanded a ransom for its return. Although the company said the hackers did not gain the ability to disrupt pipeline flows, it shut down large segments of its pipeline network in an abundance of caution.

After agreeing to pay a demand for about $4.4 million ransom, the company returned the pipeline to normal operations on May 15.

Vulnerable to cyberattacks

The incident rekindled a long-running debate on the ability of the nations energy sector to withstand increasing cyberattacks.

The attack against Colonial Pipeline was most consequential of its kind against critical energy networks in the United States, but it was by no means the first. Last October, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the federal agency responsible for monitoring cybercrimes, reported a cyberattack affecting control and communication assets of an unnamed natural gas compression facility.

On HoustonChronicle.com: After Colonial hack, pipeline sector faces government scrutiny

The cybercriminals used an emailed spear-phishing link to get into the plants information technology network as well as its operations network, then deployed ransomware to encrypt data on both networks. The compressor station shut down for two days, resulting in a loss of productivity and revenue, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said.

In addition to criminal gangs, cybersecurity experts said, the nations infrastructure is vulnerable to cyberattack from countries hostile to the United States. Cyberspace is the perfect place for nation states to project power and demonstrate their ability to take down a countrys critical infrastructure if they wish, said Grant Geyer, chief product officer of cybersecurity company Claroty.

The increase in the number and severity of cyberattacks against energy infrastructure targets has led regulators, political leaders and experts to call for greater government intervention into an area that has largely been left to the private industry. Just days after the Colonial Pipeline attack, Richard Glick, chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, called for mandatory cybersecurity standards on the pipeline industry, similar to those that FERC imposed on the power system more than a decade ago.

Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, plans to re-introduce a bill first proposed in 2019 that would give the Department of Energy oversight over both the physical security and cybersecurity of oil and gas pipelines, a spokeswoman said. The legislation would eliminate the role that the TSA and its parent, the Department of Homeland Security, have played in these areas.

Cybersecurity standards

API, however, opposes transferring the oversight for pipelines cybersecurity efforts from the Transportation Security Administration, which has worked closely with industry since the agency was created in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

TSA has been working with the pipeline sector for the last 20 years, said Lemieux, APIs cybersecurity expert. They know the companies; they know the operations; they understand how pipelines work.

Lemieux pointed to a security directive the Transportation Security Administration issued on May 28, as an example of how the agency collaborates with the pipeline companies to improve the industrys cybersecurity posture. This directive, which is aimed at about 100 oil and gas pipelines designated as part of the nations critical infrastructure, calls for operators to report cybersecurity incidents to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within 12 hours.

Lemieux said API representatives are meeting with TSA officials to discuss how regulators plan to implement the directive, especially requirements for reporting cybersecurity incidents. She said the rules could prove onerous to the pipeline industry if operators are required to report every unsuccessful email phishing attempt on their systems.

Were not anti-regulation, she said. We just want smart regulation. It needs to be effective to be implementable.

Other industry groups, including the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and Association of Oil Pipe Lines, also are calling for the government to take a more cooperative approach to pipeline cybersecurity, rather than imposing new rules or overhauling the regulatory system.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Homeland Security orders pipelines to report cyber attacks

John Stoody, vice president of the Association of Oil Pipe Lines, argued that TSA should limit the scope of information that it requires pipelines to share with the federal government.

Our biggest desire is for them to get it right, to have the information they need in time thats helpful to the government and to other pipeline operators, he said. We know that companies of all types get hit by cybersecurity attempts literally hundreds of thousands of times a day, and almost all of these are unsuccessful. Theres an easy opportunity to have overly broad requirements that end up wasting a lot of peoples time.

Evolving cyberthreats

Meanwhile, the Biden administration and members of Congress are calling for tougher oversight cybersecurity regulation of the pipeline industry.

On a recent visit to Houston to meet with city officials, members of Houstons congressional delegation and energy industry leaders, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said the government should institute improved cybersecurity standards for the oil and gas industry, similar to those imposed on the electric transmission industry. Those requirements include training workers in cybersecurity, establishing electronic security perimeters, installing physical measures to protect systems, and reporting incidents.

There are no similar regulations for the oil and gas pipeline industry. Granholm acknowledged that imposing such standards would require that pipeline operators make costly investments in cybersecurity.

Theres a continuous improvement of methods by cybercriminals, Granholm said, and therefore there must be a continuous improvement in what we install for cyber protections.

The United States led the world in reported incidents of ransomware demands last year, with 23,661, far outpacing second-place Italy with 9,226 demands, according to Emsisoft, a New Zealand software firm. The company estimates that U.S. ransomware attacks cost as much as $3.7 billion last year.

Eric Goldstein, executive assistant director for cybersecurity at Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said the Colonial Pipeline attack is just the most visible example of the risks threatening public agencies and private companies.

You had people that were really concerned for a few days about whether theyd be able to fill up their tanks to get to work, and whether gas prices would increasingly put a strain on their budgets, he said. Our nation is facing a really urgent cybersecurity risk.

Fuel Fix: Get energy news sent directly to your inbox
Refugio Sanchez has volunteered at downtowns Federal Detention Center, Houston and the Harris County jail for almost two decades.

He clearly remembers feeling a call to join prison ministry. A Jehovahs Witness from southwest Houston, he was preaching door to door when it struck.

I started thinking of those people who are incarcerated, Sanchez recalled. I thought, they need to have the opportunity to hear this message, too.

He applied to join the Jehovahs Witnesses prison ministry and, before long, began making weekly visits, offering Bible studies in Spanish.

For years, he visited weekly. But because of COVID-19, visiting inmates is no longer possible.

Now I think of those guys, and I dont know what theyre doing. I feel like Im missing something, Sanchez said.

Not only are the prison doors closed, but all in-person ministries for Jehovahs Witnesses have been on pause for more than a year.

Though he is able to send a few letters to his group, Sanchez cant wait until restrictions are lifted and meetings are allowed again. He is convinced that regular sessions with prison ministers can change the trajectory of those who are incarcerated.

Ive seen the benefits, when they start to read the Bible and put into practice what they learn, he said. This is a part of my life. I want to go back as soon as I can.

For the past five years, Jehovahs Witnesses minister James Wells, a resident of Houstons Northside, has led a team of five volunteers to regularly visit three jails downtown.

I view it as an extension of our ministry, he said. We love talking to people.

And in jail, his team often find others who need a listening ear.

We are talking to individuals who dont have much distraction from the outside world, Wells said. We have their attention.

He explained that inmates can request Bibles from the Jehovahs Witnesses headquarters. Before COVID, he would follow up with those individuals about joining a Bible study.

When the pandemic struck, the requests for Bibles did not stop. As a matter of fact, they increased, Wells said. The need became greater.

When the volunteers could no longer follow up in person, they began writing letters.

The highlight of my week is to go to the post office and receive my letters from the inmates, Wells said. I cannot go, but Im still in communication. Its helped me look at other ways I can expand my ministry.

Wells said that the volunteers have a mission with the inmates.

We do not focus on the reason they are there  but instead provide positive thoughts from the Bible, he explained. Our goal is to plant seeds. You have to cultivate the ground, plant a positive thought and hope that it produces results.

Huntsville resident Bennie Elmore also turned to writing letters to inmates when prison doors closed. He coordinates Jehovahs Witnesses volunteers from Houston, who drive to the area to minister to prisoners. He also heads a similar effort at the Pam Lychner State Jail in Humble.

Before COVID, Elmore led 30 to 40 inmates in a Bible study class every Tuesday. When the pandemic completely restricted visitation, new opportunities arose.

Its amazing, the avenues that opened up to us, Elmore said.

Last July, he was surprised when the prison contacted the Jehovahs Witnesses requesting a video for inmates. He jumped at the opportunity, delivering new DVDs to prison chaplains.

Elmore also led volunteers in writing letters. He believes that both the videos and the letters have strengthened relationships between inmates and the volunteers ministering to them.

Were getting letters that say, I used to attend your meetings or, I used to study the Bible with you years ago, Elmore said. Were able to follow up with that. Locally, it has increased our communication three- or fourfold.

He added that many prisoners have turned to faith during COVID.

The pandemic has caused people to reflect and to ask, Do I need to make some adjustments? Do I need to add spirituality to my life? Just like in the free world, the pandemic has opened up a new awareness, Elmore said.

The denominations prison ministry has been a fixture for decades; each prison in the U.S. is connected to a contact congregation in the church.

Its a community with more need than can ever be addressed, said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for the Jehovahs Witnesses. This population is vulnerable. This population is also reflective. Many have a desire to connect or even reconnect with their spirituality.

Each prisoner has a story, he added.

And usually its a tough one, Hendriks said. There are many righteous hearts in prison. Maybe they had a hard life, but that doesnt mean their heart wasnt right. To provide them hope, in the most vulnerable time of life, when theres very little hope, thats what we do. Thats our mission.

He explained that prison ministers are passionate about their work and form a bond with the inmates they serve.

COVID-19 did not break those bonds, he added.

The prison ministers simply adapted.

The DVDs for prisoners and letter-writing campaigns are one example. A pilot program, launched in New York, California and Florida in January 2020, also began during the pandemic. In the new program, each congregation will have a designated prison-ministry liaison, Hendriks explained. The denomination also started a more proactive approach to its prison witnessing in those states and eventually plans to expand this pilot nationwide.

The Bible provides inspiration for prison ministry, Hendriks said. He points to Apostle Paul, who was under arrest for years and later saved his jailer.

He also conducted a prison ministry, Hendriks said. When we find a person and connect to them, it doesnt matter if theyre in prison. What matters is that theyre now following a new path in their life thats going to a better place.

And thats why it is essential to keep prison ministry going in a new way, even when visitation is impossible.

Almost immediately, our prison ministers were finding new ways to reach out, Hendriks said. Our programs couldnt die because that would mean that the people in them would die spiritually  and we couldnt let that happen.

He is not certain when in-person ministry will resume, explaining that safety is a top priority for both volunteers and the prison population.

But what we do know is that weve found effective ways to meet our neighbors in need, Hendriks said. We have seen, in this very dark time, a lot of encouraging light.

Lindsay Peyton is a Houston-based freelance writer.
It seems that no home gets built today without a bar or wine feature  a sign that entertaining is a big priority. Amp up your party game with new barware for making and serving all kinds of cocktails.

Aerin Freya wicker ice bucket with tongs

Take the party outdoors with Aerins Freya wicker-wrapped ice bucket with ice tongs. Made in Italy, the bucket is double-walled stainless steel and finished with a stainless-steel lid and tongs. $350; aerin.com or Longoria Collection

Picnic Time wine and cheese cooler

Make your next picnic more interesting with Picnic Times two-bottle wine and cheese cooler. Its insulated wine-bottle compartments keep your drinks chilled, and the pack has room for an Acacia wood cutting board, stainless-steel cheese knife and a waiter-style corkscrew. Happy trails! $57; Kuhl-Linscomb

Legonart decanter

Legonarts hand-blown glass Optimum decanter uses a funnel and filter to decant your wine beautifully. Its curvy Italian style will add a sexy touch to your bar or bar cart. $138; amara.com

Aerin Classic shagreen bar set

Brass, suede and shagreen combine for the ultimate bar collection for any mixologist. The set  by Aerin and in cream or chocolate finish  includes three removable trays, bar tools, a jigger, shaker set, cocktail picks, julep cups, napkins and shagreen coasters, all in a shagreen-covered box. $5,371; amara.com, aerin.com

Airstream Party Cooler

Show your sense of wanderlust with a cooler made to look like an Airstream RV. Pottery Barn and Airstream have teamed up for a collection that includes serveware, bedding and other home goods. The cooler is made of hand-cast aluminum and holds 4 quarts. $199; potterybarn.com

Acrylic stir sticks

Jewelry for your cocktail: What will they think of next? Dallas-based Jordan Payne produces these stylish acrylic stir sticks for your drinks, and theyre washable and reusable. $17/set of four; Kuhl-Linscomb

Mario Luca Giusti barware

Mario Luca Giustis synthetic crystal barware looks like the real deal, but the acrylic is shatter resistant and featherlight. The Super Milly tumblers are perfect for poolside. $36; Kuhl-Linscomb

Luxe bottle stoppers

Bottle stoppers topped with a slice of natural agate, by Luxe, bring an organic touch to your next wine tasting. $32 for a set of two; amara.com

Tiffany Modern Bamboo collection

Tiffanys iconic motif returns in an updated style in the Modern Bamboo collections decanter, wine glasses and other pieces. Set of two wine glasses, $140, decanter, $275; tiffany.com and Tiffany & Co. stores

Jonathan Adler Barbell barware

What macho man  or gal  wouldnt want a set of bar tools inspired by workout gear. And the solid brass gadgets  like you  only get better with age. $198; jonathanadler.com

The Marlin Bar cocktail book

Transform your backyard cabana with lively and casual Tommy Bahama cocktail recipes. The new recipe book, The Marlin Bar: Cocktails With Tommy Bahama (Chronicle books; $40; ) is a nod to the brands dining concept and offers recipes using fresh fruits and juices, herbs and great garnishes. $40; tommybahama.com and Tommy Bahama stores

Jonathan Adler Cabana glassware collection

The Cabana glassware collections vertical blue or white stripes are perfect for mixing and matching. Jonathan Adler created the collection with a rocks glass ($54/set of four), highball ($66/set of four) or glass pitcher ($58). $54-$66; jonathanadler.com

Robbe & Berking Dante Cocktail shaker

Shake up your favorite cocktail in this perfectly polished silverplate shaker and glass. Finish it off with matching pieces, such as a jigger or bottle opener. or other bar tools. $558; amara.com

Tiffany & Co. Makers Ice Tongs

Craftsmanship stands out in Tiffanys sterling-silver ice tongs, made with the symbol that marks it as part of its 1837 Makers collection. $500; tiffany.com and Tiffany & Co. stores

Jonathan Adler Rocket decanters

Jonathan Adler sends your barware into orbit with space-inspired porcelain decanters shaped like rockets and embellished with 16-karat gold. Labeled for gin, vodka, whiskey, rum and tequila. $148-198; jonathanadler.com

VinGlace stemless wine glass

Keep your favorite wine chilled for hours in a lightweight and portable VinGlace stemless wine glass. The cups are stainless steel outside and glass inside, to avoid a metallic taste. $17; Kuhl-Linscomb
Travel still may not be on everyones docket but thats no reason you cant go global. Some of Houstons top bartenders are creating delicious destinations via cocktails that suggest specific places near and far. Oh, the places you will go!

The flavors of Thailand get a delicious workup at this restaurant where the Thai Me Up cocktail is made with Thai chile-infused gin, lime juice, fresh coriander and drops of sesame oil. 191 Heights; 1751houston.com

Space Cowboy

The hot new patio bar and restaurant at the Heights House Hotel mixes up El Parajo, a cocktail inspired by the Malaysian jungle bird but made with a Mexican twist, using mezcal for the flavors of the Oaxacan beachside. 100 W. Cavalcade

Brennans of Houston

The iconic Houston outpost of the legendary New Orleans restaurant offers Brandy Crusta, a born in the Big Easy cocktail made with brandy, cherry liqueur, Cointreau and lemon juice. 3300 Smith; brennanshouston.com

The Nash

Downtowns new dining player offers a menu of global flavors that extends to cocktails such as Coconut Carajillo, a welcome taste of Spain made with Licor 43, coconut liqueur and espresso. 1111 Rusk; thenashhouston.com

Musaafer

The Gallerias grand Indian restaurant pays homage to Indias deep ties to gin and tonic with a cocktail made with Tanqueray Rangpur gin, orange bitters and juniper berries; 5115 Westheimer; musaaferhouston.com

Julep

The boozy flavors of the American South are explored in intoxicating ways at Alba Huertas cocktail bar, where her Mint Julep, made with bourbon, turbinado sugar and mint leaves, reigns supreme. 1919 Washington; julephouston.com

The Annie Cafe & Bar

One of Houstons favorite restaurants offers transporting cocktails, including the Madame Butterfly  Asian flavors, inspired by the famous operaset in Japan, made with tequila, ginger liqueur, coconut milk and kaffir lime. 1800 Post Oak; theanniehouston.com

Fegens

The hot new Heights restaurant with old-school Italian fare offers an exciting cocktail program that includes a sunny dip into the French Riviera via a Sunshine Spritz cocktail made with Suze and prosecco. 1050 Studewood; fegens.com
Like every business owner, Benjy Levit had to figure out how to weather the coronavirus pandemic. In March 2020, he ran five Houston locations of Local Foods and was worried about the future of full-service restaurants.

Levit wanted to keep his partner purveyors in business while providing customers with an alternate shopping method to the panicky, shortage-ridden grocery store experience of the early pandemic days.

Local Foods, like other restaurants in town, started offering produce boxes to help farmers sell their harvests. He then reached out to other suppliers, asking what else he could sell for them at retail that would complement the fruits and vegetables from the box.

Soon, Levit was seeking out products from elsewhere, obsessively reading about small-batch food startups and other hard-to-find items, reaching out directly and ordering items to sell at Local Foods. Some of these companies had started during the pandemic, when pivoting professionals cooked up goods in their kitchens and became COVID success stories. Others were already established but not available anywhere in Houston.

Little by little, Levit added these offerings on makeshift shelves at Local Foods locations throughout the pandemic. Now he is making moves to have groceries be a permanent part of the company.

In October, Levit closed his other restaurant, Benjys, after 25 years in business. The team redesigned the space  which is adjacent to the Local Foods Rice Village location  to accommodate Local Foods Market, a treasure trove of cool food products from small makers. A market selection is also available at the Tanglewood location.

Walk into one of these Local Foods today and youll find pantry staples like artisan Italian pasta and heirloom beans; condiments of all kinds, from hot sauce to jam; snacks and sweet treats; and a small refrigerated section with some fruit and vegetables, cheese, alt-milks and other beverages. Some hail from local vendors, like the Atkinson Farms produce box, but most come from across the country, with some international items thrown in the mix.

Here are 10 fun foods you can get in a Local Foods haul.

Dannys Nut Butter

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

When his bartending and DJ-ing gigs disappeared with the pandemic, Brooklyn, N.Y., resident Danny Castaneda started making nut butter from cashews and almonds in his apartment and selling it over Instagram. His business exploded. Levit read about Dannys in New York Magazine and reached out to carry his product. The one Local Foods carries is a cashew-almond blend mixed with New York maple syrup, cinnamon and sea salt. $12

Deux Cranes

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Michiko Marron-Kibbeys triangle-studded artisan chocolate bars are art to the eyes and to the palate. Based in Los Gatos, Calif., Marron-Kibbey is influenced by her childhood in Japan and her culinary training in Paris for her small-batch creations, which include flavors like white chocolate with matcha and caramelized sesame, and dark chocolate with miso-roasted almonds. $11.50

Freak Flag Organics

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

I believe in everything that they do, Levit says about this Minneapolis-based food company. So when they come out with something new, Im reordering it. Freak Flag founder Fred Haberman makes a range of sauces, condiments and bone broths, including vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free and nut-free options. The pestos, in particular, are a highlight on Local Foods shelves, available in kale, tomato and carrot flavors. $8 for the sauces

Fly By Jing

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

This chili crisp was kind of a COVID sensation, so I jumped on it, Levit says. Fly By Jing, founded by Jing Gao in 2018, has become a top seller at Local Foods. The Sichuan chili crisp is made in Chengdu, China, where Gao was born, and adds a numbingly hot, umami flavor when drizzled on everything from dumplings and pizza to eggs and ice cream. $12

Hellenic Farms Fig Salami

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Based in Roselle, N.J., Hellenic Farms founder Vivianna Karamanis works with artisans in her native Greece to bring products like Greek olive oil, olives and herbs to the U.S. Her vegan fig salami is always on display at Local Foods Market. It comes in several flavors, blended with nuts and spices like Aleppo pepper and smoked paprika, and is great on a cheese board or as a snack on its own. $8

Hotaru Foods Yuzu Mayo

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Local Foods has a robust Asian section in its market; a significant portion of it is devoted to Japanese products. Instead of the vinegar typically used in mayonnaise, Hotaru Foods relies on the citrus fruit yuzu as its acid source for this product. Use this tangy mayo as a dip, on sandwiches, in egg or potato salads, and with seafood. $11

Kameda Rice Crackers

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Kameda is not the kind of small company Local Foods typically highlights  its the leading manufacturer of rice crackers in Japan, with 30 percent market share  but its snacks are not widely available in the U.S. From Kamedas Age Ichiban brand, these crunchy, deep-fried rice crackers with soy sauce and honey are quite addictive. $3

Siete Family Foods

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Led by Veronica Garza, this Mexican American family of sevens journey into a healthy lifestyle resulted in Siete, a line of grain-free potato chips, tortillas, taco shells and sauces. Siete is based in Austin, and the Garzas also own a CrossFit gym in Laredo. Local Foods carries many of Sietes products, including chips that come in chipotle barbecue, queso and nacho flavors. $4.50 for chips

Scout Canning

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

I grew up eating tuna fish and not thinking much about the quality of the fish that goes into it, Levit says. He read about Scout Canning, which is based on Prince Edward Island in Canada, and founder Charlotte Langleys commitment to sustainability through wild-caught and not farm-raised fish. The beautifully designed canned goods include white albacore tuna, Atlantic Canadian lobster, Ontario trout and PEI mussels. $6

Vera Mexicana

Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer

Vera Mexicana is a Denmark-based company that partnered with producers in the Mexican states of Oaxaca, Tabasco and Veracruz with the aim of introducing Mexican foods to European consumers. Local Foods is bringing some of the products into the U.S. The mole negro is made by mother-and-daughter team Sandra and Tereza Mucino Gomez in Oaxaca. Its a blend of Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, clove and cumin. $9.50 for the mole negro
The wind rippling across my sturdy cloth tent made a flapping sound as the bright afternoon light started to dim. With the gentle gusts, I felt the racing inside my head slow to a halt.

Lying diagonally across my bed, I peered through the tents triangle opening at the landscape outside. Cane cholla cacti dotted the desert shrubland, a palette of dusty blues, greens and grays, desperate for a little rain. The mountains stood authoritatively in the distance.

After a 14-hour drive, I had arrived at KitFox, a new glamping site in Lamy, N.M., just outside Santa Fe.

KitFox specializes in pop-up event production  private retreats, weddings, music festivals, dining experiences  but also offers nightly stays in the glamping tents at their flagship location on 160 acres in the Galisteo Basin Preserve.

Founders Jennifer Kolker and Brandon Gregoire are both New Mexico natives. They met in business school 15 years ago and, before starting their latest venture, lived in Houston for five years, where they worked in the fashion industry.

If you go 8 single queen tents, which sleep two: $149-$199 per night 2 double twin tents, which sleep two: $149-$199 per night 1 king cabin, which sleeps two: $199-$249 per night Dine in the Wild packages: $399-$499, plus $50 for site preservation/staff gratuity (includes camp dinner, overnight stay, breakfast, coffee and tea for two) Note: Nightly stays happen on different days than Dine in the Wild packages and other events. Dine in the Wild isn't an add-on to a nightly stay, it is sold as a separate event. Thornton Ranch Road, Lamy, N.M.; staykitfox.com See More Collapse

Kolker never realized how cool her home state was when she was growing up, she said. It is arguably one of the most beautiful places in the country.

They both missed New Mexico and moved back in 2016, bringing with them a passion project they had started in Houston: Dig & Serve, a pop-up dining experience.

Today, Kolker manages the KitFox lodgings while Gregoire continues Dig & Serve, which produces the on- and off-site culinary events. The vision for KitFox came long before its setting; Kolker said it took a while to find the perfect spot with the right permitting.

The Galisteo Basin Preserve is a project headed by the Commonweal Conservancy, a conservation-focused community development nonprofit based in Santa Fe. In 2003, the organization entered a contract to acquire the land and develop an environmentally conscious town, but the initiative hit hard times during the 2008 recession and was largely scrapped.

In 2018, the Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw Charitable Trust saved Commonweal from foreclosure by purchasing its loan obligations. A new campaign is focused on expanding and upgrading public access trails, roads, facilities and overlaying the preserve with conservation easements.

Each plot was designed to have natural screening via the dips of the rolling hills  you cant see the neighbors and the neighbors cant see you, giving an impression of miles of untouched land around you.

Kolker and Gregoire have been building out KitFox here since 2019, while continuing their pop-ups, and they officially launched bookings in March. KitFix donates $1 of every stay to the Galisteo Basin Preserve.

I read through KitFoxs information guide the night before my departure, like the 11th-hour traveler that I am. My brow furrowed as I skimmed passed mentions of no WiFi or cell service, no showers, requirements of closed-toe shoes and  gasp  long pants.

A perpetually bare-legged person, I reluctantly tapped my hurricane stash to fish out the only long pants I own: a waterproof pair I bought in case I needed to wade through floodwaters some day. I also packed the entire collection of cheap flashlights, headlamps and other alternative light sources I acquired during a Hurricane Laura panic-buy.

I was half-wondering where the gl in glamping was, but I neednt have worried.

The KitFox team has thought of the little details that will make your stay easier. Each tent has a large stainless-steel water dispenser, a chargeable lamp that illuminates the space quite well at night, a small mirror, ear plugs in a cloth pouch, large body wipes, a portable phone charger, a bottle opener and playing cards.

Tents have proper beds and are outfitted in a minimalist Southwestern decor: beige and tan tones, arrow-motif pillows, striped blankets and sheepskin rugs.

The communal area, called the Clubhouse, follows the same scheme, with brown leather couches, ottomans and floor cushions, and little potted succulents scattered across the room. A few solar panels power phone chargers and the tea and coffee station.

A kids corner is decked out with a mini tent, childrens books, block toys and a well-stocked game collection, including Clue, Scattergories, Yahtzee, Monopoly, Scrabble, Apples to Apples and Uno. A large stretch of gravel outside the Clubhouse has seating space for eating or lounging, a cornhole set and a firepit.

The most camping-esque part of KitFox are the two outhouses  just a hole in the ground, with a sign above it promising flushing toilets will come in 2022. Gregoire said they will also add indoor and outdoor showers next year. There is, however, a sink station with running water for washing hands and brushing teeth.

KitFoxs land includes two hiking trails, a 1.25-mile loop and a 1.8-mile loop. Shortly after I arrived, I set off for what I thought would be a quick jaunt.

The walk was lovely at first; I stopped to take photos of copper-colored rock formations and interesting tree roots. But I took a wrong turn somewhere and proceeded to make a series of questionable path choices.

I suddenly realized I was horrendously lost. Not just that: I was lost with 20 minutes to go before sunset, 10 percent battery on my phone and almost zero cell service.

I tried to retrace my steps. I remember this rock, I remember this tree. But my new choices led me farther and farther away from base camp. My panic rising by the minute, I desperately darted in different directions, jogging almost, testing paths like a rat trapped in a maze, hoping one would lead to my freedom.

I had long decided to one day retire in New Mexico and have this enchanting state be my final resting place. The gradually dimming light was hitting the landscape just right. Id think it was so beautiful if it werent an omen for my early demise, I thought.

By some miracle, I eventually found a familiar intersection that made me solve the maze puzzle. I emerged after an hour and a half, panting and flustered. Gregoire handed me a beer.

The rest of my stay was much more pleasant and relaxing. I read an entire book, something Im ashamed to say I hadnt been able to do since before the pandemic.

I sat outside watching the relief of the mountains change as the sun shifted across their facades.

Every couple of hours, my phone received enough bars for a few texts and notifications to ping through, but not enough for me to engage with them, which was a true blessing. I stopped paying attention to it altogether.

As I ate a salad of canned tuna, sweet corn and marinated artichokes one morning, Kolker and Gregoire were prepping for a Dine in the Wild event, KitFox and Dig & Serves regular dinner series.

Chef Nathan Mayes of Paloma, a restaurant in Santa Fe, was cooking a mostly organic and locally sourced feast of charcoal potatoes, roasted carrots with goat yogurt and cumin, and barbecued lamb with nixtamalized polenta and cactus.

I had to drive back to Houston and was sad to miss it, but I got what I needed from the trip. For more than a year, the void of quarantine had been filled with so much noise, screaming at me through my screens.

Staying in the wild, with the sound of the wind and the howls of coyotes alone to distract me, allowed me to slow down and be at peace, even if just for a moment.
League City officials hope sharing photos of a large, stomach-turning sewer clog will convince residents to stop flushing wipes down the toilet.

In a recent Facebook post showing a huge ball of rags at its wastewater treatment facility, the city reminded the public to to do their part in protecting the environment and the city's sewer system.

Although flushing wipes and other products may seem harmless in the moment, it can be a lasting detriment.

This is a result of flushable wipes and other cloth-like materials that flowed into the collection system, according to the post, and can cause costly repairs for the city.

Over time, these rags can clump together and become too large to catch and lift with machinery, forcing employees to manually remove them from the system.

And this includes branded "flushable" wipes, too.

"Remember that 'flushable' wipes and ALL wipes need to be disposed in trash cans," the post said. "Doing your part can help League Citys Wastewater Treatment Facilities run efficiently and reduce costly repairs."

IGNORE LABELS, UTILITIES SAY: More flushed wipes are clogging pipes, sending sewage into homes

Many users, largely grossed out, expressed their disgust in the comments, joining the "don't flush wipes" bandwagon.

"This is a major problem," wrote Kitty Karson. "Its time for companies that make these 'flushable' products to remove that label from their products. Can citizens help the municipality put pressure on them to do so? If so, just tell us what steps to take."

Another user, Jessica Jones, expanded on the city's disclaimer advising women to avoid flushing feminine products as well.

But for some, it was a valuable lesson.

"I always wondered about flushable wipes," wrote Jackie LeJeune Tietje Griffin. "Now I know!"

Clogged sewers isn't newfound territory in Houston, a city that saw an uptick in sanitary sewer overflows since the COVID-19 pandemic started in early 2020 and people started bulking up on toilet paper, according to an ABC13 report.

The City of Houston issued a public service announcement in October 2020 advising residents on how to protect the pipes.

On its website, the city warns to "only flush the 3 P's": pee, poo and (toilet) paper.
Cy-Fair ISD staff will receive a raise for the 10th consecutive year after the school district approved the 2021-2022 budget.

During the June 24 meeting, the CFISD board of trustees approved the budget of $1,086,291,898. The general fund budget includes state, federal and local revenues of $997,829,922.

Cy-Fair school notebook: Senior Walks connect CFISD grads with students

While it has not been approved, the proposed tax rate for the school district for 2021-2022 is $1.3356, a decrease of 1.99 cents from the previous years tax rate. The tax rate is scheduled to be adopted during the September meeting of the board of trustees.

Staff raises will be an increase of 5 percent on the greater of midpoint or base for all staff. Hourly and paraprofessionals are receiving two $500 stipends for the fall and spring semester. Teacher starting salary has been increased from $56,000 to $58,500.

Other budget costs for 2021-2022 include Wi-Fi hotspots, Amazon Web Services cloud infrastructure and software licenses.

As for costs associated with adjusting to the pandemic, the district saw millions of dollars worth of impacts to the general fund. Karen Smith, chief financial officer for CFISD, said the district received many COVID-19 costs after funds were provided by the state.

Cy-Fair school notebook: Students earn $50,000 for Rodeo art work

Additional costs to respond to the pandemic and address learning loss, coupled with lost revenues, have totaled $132.5 million of which $62.9 million has impacted the general fund as of May 31, 2021, Smith said. Some of the lost revenues include lost revenue due to interest income as well as our food service operations due to lower a la carte sales and lower participation as well as facility use, concessions, catering and community programs.

Smith said, as of the May board meeting, Cy-Fair ISD had only received $742,474 from the state COVID-19 relief fund.

The school district recently announced they were no longer looking into remote learning for CFISD students in 2021-2022 due to a lack of funding from the state. State legislature failed to pass a bill related to online learning statewide. Many school districts across Texas chose the same path.

In a May press release, the district explained that the virtual campus plan is contingent upon the Texas Legislature adopting specific legislation to permit and fund remote learning for the 2021-2022 school year. In the event this does not occur, CFISD will not be able to open the virtual school and applicants will be notified.

chevall.pryce@chron.com
Area college student Diana Gonzalez Mejia has been announced as one of the winners of the Project Yellow Light contest. Her winning billboard design Phone Rest advises drivers to keep their eyes on the road.

The 21-year-old Houston native was one of six winners, chosen from 2,069 submissions from around the country. There are three categories: billboard, short video, and radio spot.

I used Adobe Illustrator to make it, she said. I always like to play around in Illustrator and just make designs for fun or for school. I have a lot more experience with this medium than video or audio.

Phone Rest will be emblazoned on digital panels and bus stop shelters around the country until December 2021. The goal of the annual competition, which is open to high school and college students, is to inculcate safe driving habits in young people.

In 2019, nine percent of drivers 15 to 20 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted. This age group has the largest proportion of drivers who were distracted at the time of the fatal crashes.

Project Yellow Light is a scholarship competition started by the family of Hunter Garner after his death in a car crash in 2007. Hunter, a 16-year-old from Fredericksburg, Virginia, had been riding in a car driven by a good friend. Hunters mother, Julie Garner, established Project Yellow Light to prevent distracted driving. Teens are far likelier to listen to their own peers.

I know the topic can sometimes include messages that use scare tactics, Gonzalez said. But they encouraged us, on the website, to try to avoid using scare tactics. I thought I would make something that was nicer and more positive to look at.

Since 2011, Project Yellow Light has partnered with the Ad Council to turn the winning entries into public service announcements that are broadcast nationwide on 1,800 television stations, iHeartMedia radio stations, and Clear Channel Outdoor's nearly 2,000 digital displays.

On Monday, July 2, the winning entries will be shown in a ceremony in Times Square in New York.

Im actually going to go visit it in Times Square this coming week, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez is a senior at the University of Houston where she is studying supply chain management and marketing. She grew up in Houston with her parents Isaac and Belen Gonzalez and her brother Armando.

The Project Yellow Light competition will reopen on October 31, 2021.

juhi.varma@hcnonline.com
Officials in The Woodlands Township are following the old military adage to climb the ladder in their quest for tens of millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief money.

On Wednesday night, the township board voted 6-0 to hire Washington, D.C., lobbying and advisory firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck at $50,000 a month to directly lobby President Joseph R. Biden and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen for more than $35 million in combined coronavirus relief funds.

The latest move to secure relief funds comes after failed attempts at the county and state level. Now, its onto President Biden.

It is actually multiple approaches. The firm will actually approach the White House for their support, (approach) the Secretary of Treasury directly and also draft the comment that is required to be submitted on behalf of the township, said township board chairman Gordy Bunch. The Texas consulting group will be approaching the governors office to advocate for two things  recognizing The Woodlands to be included in any category for ARPA Act funds, but also to approach them for the remaining $5.8 million we have yet to receive under the CARES Act. Funding has not been received at the $55 per capita for local government from the CARES Act.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Woodlands leaders lobby for more CARES Act funds

The concern over coronavirus relief money from the federal government has been on the minds of township board members since May 2020 when discussions began about how much CARES Act funds the township would possibly get from both Harris and Montgomery counties.

By December, 2020, The Woodlands received slightly less than $1 million combined from both counties in CARES Act reimbursements, with the Harris County allocation totaling $715,000 for Creekside Park and the roughly 14,000 Woodlands residents that live there.

Bunch praised Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo who he said used the $55 per person formula for every resident of the Village of Creekside Park, the only portion of The Woodlands not in Montgomery County. That formula, township officials claim, was not used by Montgomery County.

Ongoing dispute

The majority of land in the township and more than 100,000 residents are in Montgomery County. Woodlands officials made two requests for CARES Act fund reimbursements to Montgomery County totaling $6.1 million, however the township received around $280,000.

Montgomery County Judge Mark Keough as well as Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack have both criticized officials in The Woodlands for funding claims, both stating the county followed the legislation and law in distributing the $105 million in CARES Act funds.

In an email, Noack said Montgomery County reimbursed all eligible entities, including the township, for their allowable COVID related expenses. He also said he would not opine on the cost of the lobbying firm.

Its unfortunate that there continues to be misinformation regarding the eligibility of CARES Act funds based on a what if scenario of incorporation. Montgomery County distributed CARES Act funds fairly and accurately based upon the U.S. Treasury guidelines. Bunchs assertion of if we were a city is incorrect. If they were a city based on their population, they would have received (zero dollars), Noack said via email. Even if The Woodlands Township had been a city when the CARES Act legislation passed, funds were distributed only to cities with a population of over 500,000 people. The Woodlands has a population of roughly 125,000.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Montgomery County responds to accusations of mismanaging CARES Act funds

To compound the issue, township officials discovered earlier in 2021 that because The Woodlands is not a city, the community is ineligible for funds under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Todd Stephens, the townships director of intergovernmental affairs for the township, gave a report to the board during a special meeting in March on the latest round of federal coronavirus stimulus proposals, noting that only communities eligible to received Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grants would be able to receive funds to help reimburse communities.

Stephens reiterated that discovery on Wednesday in explaining how outreach, including a letter sent to Yellen, had not worked and as the ARPA legislation stands, the township will not get $30 million officials believe the community is eligible to receive.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Woodlands ineligible for round 2 of stimulus funds (houstonchronicle.com)

Now, after unsuccessful efforts to get funds at the county level as well as with Gov. Greg Abbott and federal officials like U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, and senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, the township is moving to the White House.

Funds seen as critical

The township believes it is owned more than $5.8 million from the CARES Act funds given to Montgomery County. Officials say the money will be used to pay for firefighter overtime, safety equipment purchases as well as quarantine pay and expenses for firefighters from the early months of the pandemic.

Now, with ARPA funds out of reach despite a recent lobbying effort to federal officials that was unsuccessful, Bunch said The Woodlands could lose out on more than $30 million in ARPA relief funds.

During discussion of the issue, Bunch said the ARPA money was more useful than CARES Act funds because it is allowed to be spent on infrastructure, payroll expenses as well as other, undefined uses such as possibly helping rebuild the local economy, restaurant and hotel industry which suffered from closures and few customers for more than a year.

Director Shelley Sekula-Gibbs again criticized county officials for the lack of CARES Act funds, saying the township was invisible and the millions of dollars in relief money are vital to township residents and owed from the county.

Noack said those claims are false, adding that the $105 million the county did receive had benefited residents across the county, including in The Woodlands.

Residents of The Woodlands greatly benefited from CARES Act dollars that were spent on public education, non- profit public assistance, and public health initiatives such as COVID testing and vaccinations, Noack stated in his email.

Keough did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday.

Powerful lobby firm

The firm hired by The Woodlands is Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a lobbying and strategic legal and governmental advisory firm with offices in Nevada, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles and other locations.

The companys informational website lists more than a dozen main areas of specialties as well as sub-specialties such as government engagement. Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the firm has added multiple areas of special advice and engagement focused on coronavirus-related issues.

Bunch said the township will have access to multiple teams from the firm to directly lobby Biden and Yellen as well as draft, help research and finalize the townships official public comment by the July 16 deadline. Bunch also said the firm has ties to the Biden-Harris administration with veterans of the federal government and the township, needs some help with the issue.

They have a very extensive team of consultants, folks that have direct relationships with the Biden administration and who have influence on elected officials, Bunch added.

On HoustonChronicle.com: The Woodlands officially restarts incorporation efforts

The goal is to do everything possible to get some amount of COVID-19 relief money, he added.

We are trying to work every pocket that exists. We are really approaching a short window of time for the ARPA Act. Were talking about more than $36 million that the community currently has either not received that it is entitled to (or may not receive). We should be included just like every other city with a population of almost 120,000, Bunch explained. For me, $50,000 a month is a good spend to bring almost $36 million back into the community. This is a month-to-month engagement, a strategic approach to hit every possible angle to improve our position. (Weve) been overlooked continuously for stimulus money.

And, Bunch noted, the funds are in his belief taxpayer generated, a sentiment echoed by fellow director Bruce Rieser for several months.

These are funds that are federally allocated. Were still advocating, staff is still working, Im still calling (politicians). It is not that we havent tried, Bunch added. I think this is a good opportunity to competently say, we did everything we could and we want to make sure our community doesnt get excluded from the largest federal stimulus program in our lifetimes. Because right now, were sitting at zero.

jeff.forward@chron.com
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced Friday to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment  which came after Chauvin broke his yearlong silence to offer condolences to the Floyd family and express hope that they eventually have some peace of mind  is one of the longest prison terms ever imposed on a U.S. police officer in the killing of a Black person.

Still, Floyd family members and others were disappointed. The sentence fell short of the 30 years prosecutors had requested. And with good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could get out on parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

Just because its the most time doesnt mean its enough time," said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis protest leader.

Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing Chauvin's abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

Now Playing: Legal expert expects the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in the death of George Floyd to receive a sentence of 30 years (June 24) Video: Associated Press

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump said the family had gotten some measure of accountability but is hoping Chauvin gets the maximum at his upcoming federal civil rights trial. Crump said this was the longest sentence a police officer has ever received in Minnesota.

But he added: "Real justice in America will be Black men and Black women and people of color who will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice.

Now Playing: George Floyd's older sister La Tonya watched Derek Chauvin's sentencing from Houston and said the 22 year sentence wasn't enough. (June 25) Video: Associated Press

Outside the courthouse, a crowd of about 50 people clasped hands or placed them on each others shoulders. The reaction was subdued as people debated whether the sentence was long enough. Some cursed in disgust.

At George Floyd Square, as the intersection where Floyd was pinned to the pavement is now known, members of the crowd broke into applause, and several said, Well take it.

Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. He showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond, as well as demands for overhauling police departments.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial, where his words could be used against him.

I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind, he said without further explanation.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson had asked that Chauvin be let off on probation, saying the former officer's brain is littered with what-ifs from that day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if? What if? What if?

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, pleaded for mercy for her son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man, she told the judge, adding: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank, in asking the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines, said tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life," Frank said.

Floyd family members had tearfully asked the judge to impose the maximum, which was 40 years. Several spoke before the sentence, and his 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, was seen in a recorded video.

I miss you and I love you, Gianna Floyd said in the video when asked what she would say to her daddy. She had a list of things she would have liked to do with him: I want to play with him, have fun, go on a plane ride.

Afterward, Floyds nephew Brandon Williams said the sentence was insufficient, when you think about George being murdered, in cold blood with a knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds execution-style in broad daylight. LaTonya Floyd, George Floyds sister, said of the punishment: Thats nothing. Thats nothing. He should have got the max, period.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvin's three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. The defense had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America witnessed something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the state's maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Chauvin on the federal charges. No date has been set for that trial.

__

Associated Press writers Aaron Morrison, Stephen Groves, Tammy Webber, and Angie Wang and Associated Press/Report for America reporter Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this report.

__

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
Now Playing: An attorney for George Floyd's family says family members are feeling anxious as they wait to hear the sentence for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. (June 25) Video: Associated Press

A prosecutor told the judge at Derek Chauvin's sentencing Friday that the former Minneapolis police officer should face a maximum sentence because he violated an officer's most important job by failing to provide for George Floyd's care while trying to take him into custody.

Chauvin was being sentenced on a second-degree murder charge in the May 25, 2020 death of the Black man under the officer's knee.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Kentucky:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Kentucky is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The measure was extended by Gov. Andy Beshear earlier this year to match the original expiration date of the CDC moratorium, June 30. The state is not extending its moratorium through July 31, but the governor's office stressed that the federal moratorium will still be in effect.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Kentucky has received federal funding of about $297 million to help tenants with outstanding rent and utility payments. The money can go toward 15 months of rent and other expenses. So far, the state has issued about 5,500 payments totaling about $20 million, though those numbers don't include the state's two largest metro areas, Lexington and Louisville.

In June, Gov. Beshear added nearly $39 million in rental relief from the states federal funds for those two cities. A federal funding formula left the two metro areas with less funding than expected. Beshear said the payouts are picking up as the state approaches the end of the moratorium. About $2 million in payments went out the second week of June, Beshear said.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Evictions in Kentucky have been on hold since March 16, 2020, when the Kentucky Supreme Court halted new proceedings. That did not include evictions already proceeding through the courts. Last year in Kentucky's largest city, there were 6,481 eviction filings from January to November. That was a 62% decline from 2019, according to a University of Louisville report.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Kentucky traditionally has rental prices below the national average. In its largest city, as of May, the median monthly rent in the Louisville metro area had risen 7% over the past year to $868, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment increased 13.7% to $1,120. That's compared to a national median monthly rent of $1,527, an increase of 5.5% from the previous year.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Kentucky housing officials say its difficult to predict how the expiration of the eviction moratorium will impact homelessness, but attorney Ben Carter with the Kentucky Equal Justice Center said he didnt expect a surge. He said Kentucky has enough funding for the first time in the states history to help anyone who doesnt have enough money to pay rent. He said as long as the rental assistance funding is distributed, there should not be a big rise in homelessness. Census data showed 24,002 out of 57,642 renters in the state were concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP)  Family members of a Black motorist fatally shot by a southwestern Washington deputy in February after a traffic stop say they intend to sue Clark County over his death.

The family of Jenoah Donald is alleging wrongful death in the claim announced Thursday, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

Attorney for the family, Mark Lindquist, asserts Clark County Sheriffs deputies traffic stop was illegal, citing a 1997 court case that he said bars Washington police from using traffic stops as cover to investigate drug crimes.

The deputies believed Jenoah was leaving a drug house, but they did not have probable cause to pull him over for a drug crime. So, instead, the deputy pulled him over using the excuse of a defective rear light, Lindquist said.

Donald lived in the city of Battle Ground and died Feb. 12, eight days after he was shot once in the head by 21-year-old Deputy Sean Boyle.

Investigators said deputies had been responding to a complaint of a drug house in the area. One deputy thought she saw a weapon in Donalds car, leading another to try to forcefully remove him from the vehicle, investigators said.

When the car began to move as he was grappling with Donald, Boyle fired his gun, according to investigators.

Donalds mother and brother said Thursday they hope to dislodge more facts through the lawsuit and to hold the Clark County Sheriffs Office accountable for Donalds death.

Donald was the second Black man killed by deputies in four months. On Oct. 29, a law enforcement task force attempted a drug sting involving 21-year-old Kevin Peterson Jr. It ended with three deputies firing at Peterson as he ran away while carrying a gun.

Petersons family announced its lawsuit in March. Neither the families nor their attorneys have elaborated on what damages they will seek. Tacoma-based Herrmann Law Group represents both families.

Clark County Sheriff Chuck Atkins in a statement Thursday called Donald's death tragic and said his condolences are with Donald's family.

He said his office is waiting for a statewide panel of prosecutors from Washington state to finish their review of the shooting investigation and said the sheriff's office will review the tort claim from the family when they receive it.

We will have no further comment on the matter pending completion of the (panel's) review, Atkins said.
An arrest has been made in the fatal shooting of a 62-year-old woman outside of a southeast Houston gym last week, according to police.

A 16-year-old boy was charged with capital murder for his alleged role in the June 17 killing of Elsa Mikeska in the outside of Life Fit Gy in the 10500 block of Fuqua St. near Seaford Drive, the Houston Police Department announced Friday.

The name of the teen who was arrested is not being released to the public because he is a juvenile. He is currently in the custody of Juvenile Probation.

As Mikeska arrived at the gym around 4:51 a.m. and walked toward the entrance, police say surveillance footage shows a white Chevrolet SUV pull up. Two males got out and called out to the woman, according to investigators.

Mikeska realized they were trying to rob her and began running, said police. One of the males fired a gun at Mikeska as she ran toward the gym entrance, where she collapsed, detectives say.

The suspect then got back into the SUV and fled south on Beamer Road, police said.

Police said they believe the teen they arrested was the male who fired at Mikeska. They said they are still looking for information about the other suspect or any others potentially involved and the location of the SUV.

About an hour before Mikeska was shot, police said an aggravated robbery reportedly took place in the 10100 block of Freehill Street. The victim in that case gave suspect descriptions that matched the males seen attempting to rob Mikeska, according to authorities.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information related to these cases is asked to call HPDs homicide unit at 713-308-3600 or give an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.
A Houston boarding home owner is being held in lieu of posting $100,000 bond related to the death of a tenant in an August 2020 fire.

Investigators say Felicia Chris Ekpouko, 62, ran a boarding house that inspectors had cited with 15 violations less than two weeks before the blaze.

She was charged with injury to the elderly on June 2 in the death of Charles A. Dunn, 69. He was a deaf and mute resident with a physical disability, according to court documents.

Authorities arrested Ekpouko months after an Aug. 11, 2020, fire at the Angel Personal Care Home at 6111 Gladewell. A criminal hearing officer set her bail conditions at a probable cause hearing Friday.

During the fire, residents struggled leaving the house because of a lock inside the front door, police said. They exited using a side door and later realized one person was missing, leading to authorities discovery of Dunn in his bed.

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences determined Dunn died of carbon monoxide toxicity with smoke inhalation, according to court records.

A friend of Dunn's, who declined to be named, said Dunn didn't have any family. His church had a deaf ministry and helped take care of him for decades, she said.

Dunn was a "loner" who couldn't live alone, and he went from nursing home to nursing home before ending up at the Angel Personal Care Home, the friend said. He was there for no more than a couple weeks before his death.

The cause of fire was undetermined.

Investigators discovered that boarding home enforcement unit officers on July 28, 2020, issued a verbal and written warning to Ekpouko about the home.

They found 15 violations, including operating without a certificate of occupancy, having a prohibited door lock restricting entry and exit from the front door, and having no visual smoke alarm for a hearing impaired resident, Dunn. The home also lacked working fire extinguishers, police said.

Ekpouko told officers in an interview that she put her violation notice on her list of things to do but didnt complete it because many businesses were closed during the pandemic.

The owner has been working at boarding homes for more than a decade and has incident reports with many violations dating back to 2014, court records show.
The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday in a Houston case that Facebook is not a lawless no-mans-land and can be held liable for the conduct of pimps who use its technology to recruit and prey on children.

The ruling came in a trio of Houston civil actions involving teenage trafficking victims who met their abusive pimps through Facebooks messaging functions. They sued the California-based social media juggernaut for negligence and product liability, saying that Facebook failed to warn about or attempt to prevent sex trafficking from taking place on its internet platforms. The suits also alleged that Facebook benefited from the sexual exploitation of trafficking victims.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston woman sues Facebook for aiding in her being sex trafficked as teen

The justices said trafficking victims can move forward with lawsuits on the grounds that Facebook violated a provision of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code passed in 2009.

Facebook lawyers argued the company was shielded from liability under Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act, which states that what users say or write online is not akin to a publisher conveying the same message. Essentially, they said, Facebook is immune to these types of lawsuits.

The majority wrote, We do not understand Section 230 to create a lawless no-mans-land on the Internet in which states are powerless to impose liability on websites that knowingly or intentionally participate in the evil of online human trafficking.

Holding internet platforms accountable for the words or actions of their users is one thing, and the federal precedent uniformly dictates that Section 230 does not allow it, the opinion said. Holding internet platforms accountable for their own misdeeds is quite another thing. This is particularly the case for human trafficking.

The justices explained that Congress recently amended Section 230 to add the possibility of civil liability for websites that violate state and federal human-trafficking laws. They said under the amended law states may protect residents from internet companies that knowingly or intentionally participate in human trafficking through their action or inaction.

The lawsuits were brought by three Houston women recruited as teens through Facebook apps and trafficked as a result of those online connections. The young women said in court filings that the social media giant cloaked traffickers with credibility and provided a point of first contact between sex traffickers and these children and an unrestricted platform to stalk, exploit, recruit, groom, and extort children into the sex trade.

On HoustonChronicle.com: The Track: Open-air sex trade permeates daily life on Houstons outskirts

One young woman who sued was 15 when a friend of a mutual friend reached out to her on Facebook in 2012. The adult who began messaging her had images on his profile of scantily-clad young women in sexual positions with money stuffed in their mouths and other deeply troubling content, the justices wrote. She confided in him and he complimented her, offering her a modeling job. After they met in person, the trafficker posted photos of her in prostitution ads on Backpage, an online platform shuttered due to its promotion of human trafficking. The young woman said she was raped, beaten, and forced into further sex trafficking.

Another plaintiff was 14 in 2017 when a man contacted her on Instagram, another Facebook property. The pimp in this instance lured her with false promises of love and a better future. She said the easy access to her through social media made it possible for the man to traffic her, using Instagram to advertise her as a prostitute and set up dates, during which she was raped numerous times. After the teen was rescued from his operation, traffickers kept using her profile to lure in other minors, according to the ruling. In this case the family says the girls mother reported what had happened to Facebook and the company never responded.

The third girl who sued identified herself as being 14 on Instagram in 2016. A man of about 30 whom she didnt know sent her a friend request on Instagram. They exchanged messages for two years in what plaintiffs said was a calculated effort to groom her and prepare her for sex-trafficking. In March 2018, the man asked the teen to leave home and meet him. He brought the girl to a motel, photographed her and posted images in Backpage ads, according to the opinion. The johns who responded to the post raped her.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Sex trafficking victim sues hotels, truckstops for profiting from exploitation

Annie McAdams, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said it was a groundbreaking decision. This is the first case to beat Facebook on its argument that it had immunity under Section 230, she said.

While we have a long road ahead, we are grateful that the Texas Supreme Court will allow these courageous trafficking survivors to have their day in court against Facebook, McAdams said. She said with the help of an anti-trafficking provision under the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code called Chapter 98, We believe trafficking survivors in Texas can expose and hold accountable businesses such as Facebook that benefit from these crimes of exploitation.

A Facebook spokesperson said in a statement that the company is considering possible next steps.

Sex trafficking is abhorrent and not allowed on Facebook, the official said. We will continue our fight against the spread of this content and the predators who engage in it.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com

twitter.com/gabmobanks
A man who provided a tip to authorities investigating the disappearance of 5-year-old Samuel Olson, whose body was found earlier this month in a Jasper motel, has been charged in the case.

Dylan Walker, 27, of Coldspring, was charged with tampering with physical evidence with an intent to impair a human corpse. He posted bond on $125,000 bail on Thursday. He is the third person charged in the case, along with Theresa Balboa and her roommate Benjamin Rivera. They were also arrested on a charge of tampering with evidence in the case involving the Houston boy, whose father was dating Balboa.
Dianna Cormier-Jackson has lived in Fifth Ward all 67 years of her life. And in the low-income neighborhood, northeast of downtown, she says she put up with certain things, such as greasy, gasoline-like smells.

They were treating wood with creosote at the rail yard near Cormier-Jacksons home, then owned by Southern Pacific. That stopped in the 1980s, but contamination remains.

Cormier-Jackson, a retired administrative assistant, is among those who arent putting up with that sort of environmental injustice anymore.

Two days after a fraught Monday night meeting about Union Pacifics plans to clean up the site it now owns, Cormier-Jackson explained how residents fought back. Many lacked computers to watch the virtual meeting; they streamed it in a community center and church.

Fifth Ward didnt have a homeowners association, Cormier-Jackson said, but Sandra Edwards was among those who had been organizing. They knew a richer, whiter neighborhood wouldnt tolerate what they faced.

If this had been over in River Oaks, or been over in Bellaire, Cormier-Jackson said, somebody would have done something way before now.

So they noticed that state and company officials on Monday didnt meet them in person, that they didnt apologize, that the technology for the meeting was a mess. Edwards said she knew why theyd worked at this for so long: The people who lived here were poor, Black and brown.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Fifth Ward rail yard meeting dominated by frustration, confusion

At some point, you say, This is not right, said Edwards, 55. We have good sense out here. Theres a lot of educated people out here and they are fighting back.

Cormier-Jacksons mother died with cancer in her lungs, liver and kidneys. She cared for older women in River Oaks and Bellaire to help send her kids to college. Otherwise, she was home.

Only then did Cormier-Jackson begin to realize the dangers of where they lived. The Environmental Protection Agency considers creosote a probable human carcinogen. State health officials identified higher rates of adult and childhood cancers in the area. (They didnt give a cause.)

The city sampled drinking water, surface water and air quality and found nothing of concern. When they tested storm sewers, they found benzene and napthalene, both hazardous to human health. The county too has hired a consultant to do testing.

Whether harmful vapor might be coming up from underground remains a contentious point: The city found some contaminants in testing late last year, but said the levels were so low they do not indicate inhalation risk.

State environmental officials and Union Pacific spent 6  years working out a plan to remediate the rail yard, but residents dont feel satisfied. The company plans to block contaminated water under the site with a wall that may go as deep as 75 feet. They plan to pull what else they can from the neighborhood with new wells. (The soil has already been remediated.)

The company in a statement said it sympathized with residents with health concerns and medical issues. They said theyve met with the community previously as theyve been working on this and asked for the recent meeting to be held in person. Still, they maintain that residents arent at risk of harm from the groundwater because they dont drink it.

But questions remained for Rodrigo Cantu, too, an environmental justice attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid who has advocated for residents through the technical and complex process. Would building the wall worsen the contaminations spread? Would there be enough wells, built deep enough?

Other neighborhoods with more resources or more power would have been able to stand up to an actor like Union Pacfic a long time ago, Cantu said.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Qualitys executive director has preliminarily found the plan meets statutory and regulatory requirements. The agency is accepting public input until Aug. 30 and then will respond to those comments.

This could lead to a new decision.

There may also be a hearing before an administrative law judge, who would make a separate recommendation to the commission.

Among those who will be watching is Shaunlee Babineaux, whos done plenty of research of her own into creosote, while also building her catering business. She worries some in the surrounding neighborhoods were were afraid to speak out; she argues the area has been the victim of classism.

Classism, she said. These things are not happening in areas where people have an income of at least 75,000 or more.

She felt people were failing on a basic level to think about what was right for a fellow human.

emily.foxhall@chron.com
Corrina Jimenezs knees shook as she waited to hear whether she and her three grandchildren were going to get kicked out of their apartment in north Houston.

Court officials called out the name of her apartment buildings management over the Zoom eviction hearing, recalled Jimenez. No one answered.

Case dismissed, she heard next.

The court decision offered a moment of respite to Jimenez, 57, a patient care assistant who said shes been unemployed since a December accident. After authorities left an eviction notice with her grandson in late April, she declared on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention form that she would have no other housing options if evicted.

Jimenez is among people in the Houston area whove relied upon a CDC order to stave off eviction, and who have received help from other sources of relief during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the winter freeze. But three programs that have helped tens of thousands of Texans stay afloat financially are going away.

The eviction moratorium, which protects people who cant pay rent from being pushed to the streets, is to expire at the end of July following what the agency said Thursday is intended to be the final extension. Gov. Greg Abbott this month pulled Texas out of a federal program that has provided jobless Texans with $300 a week during the pandemic. And the states Public Utility Commission voted to end a temporary ban on shutting off utilities for nonpayment of bills, just as the summer scorches toward its peak.

More Information Need help? As some COVID-19 relief programs go away, two programs will continue assisting Houston-area residents with rent and utility bills. Those in need can learn about the Houston-Harris Rental Assistance Program at houstonharrishelp.org or by calling 832-402-7568. Information can be found about the state's program by visiting texasrentrelief.com or calling 833-989-7368. See More Collapse

Jimenez, who started receiving unemployment benefits in March and spends $30 a week for a prepaid electricity plan, is worried how she will get by.

I have fear in my heart for myself, for all the other families  especially the single mothers who are without work Jimenez said. Its just that: They cannot pay their rent.

The extension of the CDC order was not welcomed by all.

The nonprofit National Apartment Association said in a post it has staunchly opposed and aggressively advocated against the CDCs overreaching and destructive order and plans to continue challenging it.

Even with the CDC moratorium, evictions have not stopped.

In Harris County alone, 33,084 eviction cases were filed between March 11, 2020  the day the Houston rodeo was canceled at the start of the pandemic  and Wednesday, according to figures tracked by January Advisors, a data science consulting firm. The phase-out of the safety nets may exacerbate the difficulties faced by people already struggling.

All these things really add up, said Luis Guajardo, urban policy research manager at Rices Kinder Institute for Urban Research. When you talk about the obstacles and challenges that lower-income Houstonians have had to deal with over the last 10 years, at least in recent memory, its been pretty intense as we talk about climate change and as we talk about more frequent, bigger storms and heat  all these things affect people of lower economic means in a much greater way.

Abbott: Unemployment help no longer necessary

The changes come as unemployment has slowly decreased amid the reopening of the state. The state recorded an unemployment rate of 6.5 percent in May  with 920,389 people out of work, according to the Texas Workforce Commissions seasonally adjusted numbers.

In canceling the federal unemployment benefit, Abbott pointed to the states economy as evidence for ending the help and addressing a labor shortage. Economists say the reasons for shortages vary.

In fact, the amount of job openings in Texas is far greater than the number of Texans looking for employment, Abbott wrote the U.S. Department of Labor, making these unemployment benefits no longer necessary.

For some individuals, though, working is not a realistic option due to personal circumstances.

Lilia De La Cruz, 56, who lives a few doors away from Jimenez, said she received assistance to pay rent at the beginning of the year while she cared for her 91-year-old mother, whos been in and out of the hospital with different maladies. She still owes rent for May and June, she said.

She said she cannot return to the taqueria where she worked as a cook because no one else can care for her mother, who some days doesnt speak or eat and doesnt leave her bed.

My mother, at any moment, will perish, she said, breaking down. What would bring me a little bit of peace is for my rent to be paid, because imagine I get kicked out with my mother, how would I have her?

Some small business owners, however, have welcomed Abbotts move to end the benefit approved by the Democrat-led Congress more than two months before its expiration.

Nearly half of businesses polled by the National Federation of Independent Business said they have job openings, according to Annie Spilman, the organizations director for Texas, and a majority of businesses that are hiring reported finding few or no qualified applicants.

Small business owners, more than any other employer out there, understand and sympathize with their employees and consider them family, so there definitely was a time when the additional stimulus was needed, because there were not jobs out there, Spilman said. Small businesses have the positions to fill, they want to give them these jobs.

Beyond personal situations, some workers dont want to return to jobs they consider low-paying and unsafe amid the lifting of COVID restrictions, according to labor advocates. State figures show 57 percent of people in Texas are vaccinated, a figure that badly trails some Northeastern states.

Folks want to work not just for the sake of working and getting money to their families, but working in conditions that will allow them to be safe, said Anahi Tapia Torres, an organizer with Unemployed Workers United.

The end of the ban on utility cutoffs in Texas poses another worry for some.

With utilities, poorer individuals have a greater burden because they face reconnection and late fees, said Zoe Middleton, a Southeast Texas co-director for TexasHousers, a nonprofit advocacy group.

The crisis is by no means over, Middleton said. Were entering into a summer of extraordinary heat and thats going to put incredible stress on the grid and make things more difficult for people who are utility-burdened.

And struggles with paying the bills will continue, according to residents and advocates. Some worry about the combined impact of pulling up safety nets on already-vulnerable populations, potentially leaving people without a safe place to live.

Being homeless in the summer in Houston is going to be devastating. And then to have your utilities cut off, especially if you're a senior or a disabled person, its going to be life-threatening, said Doris Brown, a resident of Scenic Woods and co-founder of the Northeast Action Collective.

No power shutoffs should occur, Middleton said.

Instead we need a functioning grid, meaningful climate action, Middleton said, and a plan for debt forgiveness for energy-burdened low-income households.

Some dont know about aid

Two programs at the local and state levels will continue assisting Houston renters with rent and utility bills.

As of midweek, nearly 60,000 households had been approved for help from the states $1.2 billion rent relief program, with $382.8 million paid out. An additional 17,283 households that had been approved were waiting on $98.2 million in pending payments.

The state program helps people with both rent and utilities if they meet federal eligibility requirements, according to the states Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Locally, the Houston-Harris County Emergency Rental Assistance Program, or ERAP, has allocated $114 million to 30,000 households. ERAP can only help with rent and utilities charged as part of rent, but organizations like the nonprofit BakerRipley have separate programs that help households with overdue utility bills.

Joshua Johnson, a 32-year-old production technician who lives in Webster, saw his work hours reduced when the pandemic started. As his children started online classes, he faced unexpected costs: extra food, learning equipment and materials.

Near the end of the year, he fell behind on his $1,150 monthly rent. He didnt want to keep struggling to pay rent, he said, so he applied for help. He was quickly approved for the county program in the fall  and recently, once again.

I didnt want to do it at first. Maybe it was pride or I was scared or didnt want to go through this whole long application just to get denied help, he said. If you really need the help then, you know, just apply and see if you could get approved because thats what its here for: Its here to help those who are having a bad time, struggling going through this pandemic.

Not everyone in Houston, however, is aware of the kinds of assistance available.

Feast Bennemie, a resident of Houstons Fifth Ward, was surprised to hear about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The 74-year-old, who collects Social Security, said he was about $180 behind on his energy bill, and was told his lights would be shut soon if he couldnt pay.

I wish I would have heard of it, Bennemie said. I wouldnt have been going through these problems with the landlord if I did.

The program is expected to continue until all funds are distributed.

Helping others

At her apartment building, Jimenez knocked on the doors of neighbors on a recent afternoon and stopped at a courtyard to catch up with them about their latest struggles.

Although shes unemployed, she said she spends her time volunteering with local charities and informing her neighbors about their rights as renters. After receiving her eviction notice, she called the mayors office, which connected her with another organization and told her about the CDC moratorium.

She printed a copy of the declaration  and about 20 others in English and Spanish, she said, to pass out to neighbors with concerns. Then a few more neighbors asked for a copy, too.

alejandro.serrano@chron.com
George Perry Floyd Jr.s siblings felt anguish, anger and some measure of justice Friday as a judge sentenced former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin to 22  years in prison for killing their brother, who grew up in Houstons Third Ward.

Floyds younger sister Bridgett Floyd, who heads the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, said the sentence showed that matters of police brutality are finally being taken seriously, but said many changes are needed before Black and brown people finally feel like they are being treated fairly and humanely by law enforcement in this country.

His elder sister LaTonya Floyd said that no punishment was sufficient for the former cop who killed my brother in cold blood in front of the world.

Chauvin, 45, was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for about 9  minutes as the 46-year-old said he couldnt breathe. The daylight killing of a Black man was an captured on bystander video, prompting protests around the world.

Chauvin faced up to 40 years on the most serious charge of second-degree murder, because all of the charges against him stemmed from one act against one victim.

Prosecutors asked for 30 years, while defense attorney Eric Nelson sought probation.

The sentencing by Judge Peter Cahill took place following statements by members of Floyds family, Chauvins mother, and the ex-cop himself.

Floyds family members spoke about the deep pain theyve endured after a public killing that sparked a movement.

Floyd, who hoped to forge a life away from the poverty and violence of Cuney Homes, was the first of his siblings to graduate high school and attend college. But he also faced setbacks, arrests, and, in the end, a death that galvanized protests across the globe.

The court watched a video interview with Floyds 7-year-old daughter Gianna, who lives in Houston. She wished she could tell her late father that I miss you and I love you.

We used to have dinner meals every single night before we went to bed, she said. My daddy always used to help me brush my teeth.

She had a long list of things she would have liked to do with her father. I want to play with him, have fun, go on a plane ride.

Terrance Floyd asked the judge to make sure his sentence reflected the gravity and significance to so many of what Chauvin did to his brother and, he implied, the harm police inflicted on yet another Black man.

No more smacks on the wrist, he urged. In my community, in my culture, weve seen too much of that.

He addressed some of his remarks directly to Chauvin: Id like to know what was going through your head when you had your knee on my brothers neck, when you knew he was no threat.why you didnt get up, why you stayed there.

The judge also heard from Floyds nephew, Brandon Williams, and brother Philonise.

Carolyn Pawlenty, the ex-officers mother, made an emotional statement to the judge, proclaiming his innocence and referring to him as her favorite son. She described him as a quiet, thoughtful, honorable man with a big heart who put others needs before his own.

His mother said the most important moments of her life were Chauvins birth and the day he became a police officer. She also talked about the toll this experience taken on him and said he was not racist.

Notably, no rank-and-file colleague or former supervisor made a statement on his behalf.

Chauvin also stood and  in a hoarse voice  made a 30-second statement. He said for legal reasons he was unable to make significant comments. He then turned toward family members in the courtroom and said, I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. He vaguely referenced something he hoped to say at a later date that he hoped would give them some peace of mind.

Cal Wayne, a close friend who lived in Floyds home for part of his childhood, said had no faith in Chauvins statement about condolences and that he had more to share that would comfort Floyds family.

I aint feeling that, Wayne said in a text message.

LaTonya Floyd, Georges older sister, and Tiffany Cofield, a close friend of the family, watched the sentencing Friday largely in silence at Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

As Special Prosecutor Matthew Frank ran through the events of Floyds murder, arguing that they constituted aggravating factors that should be considered in his sentencing, LaTonya stood up and walked behind a nearby bookcase, hands over her ears.

Excuse me, I cant hear this, LaTonya Floyd said.

The pair only occasionally broke their silence to interject when a comment from the sentencing struck a nerve. LaTonya Floyd scoffed hearing Chauvins mother tell the judge that he was not just sentencing Chauvin but her as well.

He killed my brother and he killed me, LaTonya said.

Floyd and Cofield waited nervously as the court took a recess to deliberate on the forthcoming sentence, but also took the time to remember George as a brother, friend and community figure.

I taught my brother how to play basketball, I got the MVPs first and then he came along and got em, said LaTonya. That REO Speedwagon song, Keep on Loving You, me and him sang that every Sunday to death.

He was so important to so many different people here in our neighborhood, in our community, with the kids in our neighborhood, students I used to teach, said Cofield.

He was like a diplomat for stuff that would happen here in the city, he knew about everything going on even though he was so far away, and oftentimes he would be the negotiator to keep peace. He was just so important, and its just like Chauvin doesnt even realize his actions have altered [the entire community], Cofield said.

Judge Cahill returned from the break and said as he prepared to sentence Chauvin that he acknowledged the deep pain of the Floyd family and others. He said his sentenced wasnt based on public opinion.

Floyd and Cofield had been hoping for the maximum sentence, 40 years. When the judge said 270 months, Cofield, who until that time had sat been sitting expressionless next to Floyd, burst into tears.

Thats nothing. He shouldve gotten the max, period. It wouldnt have been enough for me but I would have been content with that, because what he did deserved the max sentence, Floyd said. The man killed my brother in cold blood in front of the world.

Thats a slap in the face, Cofield said.

Sandra Guerra Thompson, director of the Criminal Justice Institute at the University of Hourston Law Center, said she was a little surprised that the sentence was lower than the 30-year maximum allowed under Minnesotas strict sentencing guidelines, but this sentence is probably in line with Minnesota sentencing practices which are not as severe as those in Texas.

Guerra Thompson said that Minnesotas sentencing law means that the judges decision can be overturned on appeal, especially when the judge goes too far above the guideline range.

She noted that Chauvin has separately been indicted on federal charges and faces a possible life sentence if convicted.

Chauvins sentencing marked a rare moment in the justice system: it is among a small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial. The list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction in these cases.

Its not over for the family, though.

The other three Minneapolis police officers who were present when Chauvin killed Floyd will not stand trial until March 2022, and Floyds 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, still doesnt fully understand what happened to her father, LaTonya said.

We dont get to grieve in peace, we have to rely on each other just to keep sane, Cofield said. Its a hell of a way to have to live, always having to be in the spotlight for something thats literally messed up. All of our lives have been altered because of this.

gabrielle.banks@chron.com

sam.kelly@chron.com

The Associated Press contributed.
A Galveston County Sheriff's Office deputy was indicted Thursday in the death of jail inmate Ariel Ledesma, according to a news release from the Galveston County District Attorney's Office.

Sgt. Jonathan Wuneburger was charged with manslaughter, a second degree felony with a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.
The city is offering commercial drivers a $3,000 signing bonus as it looks to hire more than 100 people to bolster the Solid Waste Departments ranks and help it catch up on delayed services, including heavy trash and tree waste collections.

Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the incentives  which could rack up to $300,000 if distributed  this month, hoping to lure workers fielding competitive offers from private companies and other employers.

Were desperately in search, Turner said after Wednesdays City Council meeting. So, if you know anybody, please send them right on over.  Quite frankly, if youll let us know where they live, well go to them.

In a tweet, the mayor said he would welcome any drivers with a fairly good driving record.

The department has been behind on bulk and tree waste collections for months, and complaints about missed services have continued to climb this year. There were nearly 10,000 complaints of missed bulk waste or tree collections to the citys 311 service as of last month. That is a 26 percent increase over the same period last year.

The city is paying a contractor, DRC, about $400,000 per month to pick up routes. The company has 12 to 18 crews out per day, Turner said. The major issue for Solid Waste, though, is the need for more drivers, he said.

It took the department and DRC seven weeks to complete the April collections for bulk trash, according to Carolyn Wright, interim director for Solid Waste. She attributed the delays to short staffing and an increase in volume  people are putting out more trash.

Wright said the department has more than 30 vacancies for drivers, but the issues are more fundamental. The departments staffing levels have not increased over the last decade to keep up with the citys growth, she said.

The department showed 418 full-time equivalent employees in March 2021, down from 440 in September 2012, according to the citys monthly financial reports.

When we start out in the morning, were already challenged, Wright said. Their routes have increased in size, but our personnel has remained the same.

Drivers are working six days a week, often for 12 or 14 hours, according to Wright.

The sign-on offer could mark a nearly 10-percent bonus for drivers, who make $34,000 to $50,000 at the city, according to salary data released in response to a public records request.

I think this is the first time the city has made this offer, but the market is competitive, and this is a start, Wright said.

Robert Mele, president of Teamsters Local 988, which counts CDL drivers among its 8,000 members, said the city will have to pay more if it wants to attract drivers. One large company currently is offering a $7,500 signing bonus for CDL drivers in the Houston area, he said, and some Teamsters members make six-figure salaries for their work.

Whats happening with CDL drivers in Houston is no different than the labor market overall, Mele said. Workers finally have a bit of leverage, and long-term  these companies are going to have to raise their rates and pay more money.

A master plan for the Solid Waste department showed Houston is understaffed compared to other Texas cities, which serve fewer households but have more employees and higher budgets. Houston serves 908 households per full-time equivalent employee. The second-highest among large Texas cities is San Antonio, where the figure is 575.

Solid Waste had 197 employees classified as sideloader operators, 69 refuse truck drivers and 59 equipment operators as of January, according to the salary data.

The numbers closely mirror the headcounts from one year earlier, in January 2020: 196 sideloader operators, 69 refuse truck drivers and 63 equipment operators.

Were not a sustaining department, so its hard for us to keep up with demand, Wright said.

Reporter Mike Morris contributed to this story.

dylan.mcguinness@chron.com
The loss of an uncle and great-grandmother  one from COVID-19 and the other during the Texas winter storm  added layers of grief to Kennedi Wilsons first year of medical school.

The 25-year-old Third Ward native is one of 30 students in the inaugural class of the University of Houston College of Medicine, the citys first new medical school in nearly half a century and the latest member institution of the Texas Medical Center. The students closed out the year June 11.

After back-to-back deaths in her family, Wilson persevered through a very, very rough time and continued her studies in a year already complicated by remote learning. The completion of final exams marked a milestone for Wilson and her peers.

We had our little celebration with a class picnic, she said. We didnt really get to celebrate our little wins throughout the year, because we were so distanced from COVID. That was really hard, especially in the beginning, starting a new school and a new journey in medical education. None of us expected that to be the case.

Students returned to in-person classes in April as vaccination rates climbed. Dr. Stephen Spann, the schools founding dean, said he was proud of their resilience.

We need to build a culture, and trying to do that with a lot of instruction being virtual was challenging, he said. I think our faculty and students rose to the occasion and made the best of he circumstances that we had. The fact that we got through it feels good.

The colleges central mission is training students to fill gaps in primary care in under-served communities. Texas ranks 47th out of 50 states in the ratio of primary care doctors per person. Currently, only 20 percent of medical students nationwide become primary-care doctors.

The student body is unique in its racial makeup. Nearly one-third of the inaugural class is Hispanic or African American. Nationally, such minorities comprise about 13 percent of all students accepted to medical schools, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Forty percent of the UH class come from low-income households, while more than half are first-generation college students. Each student received a $100,000 four-year scholarship through philanthropy for tuition and fees, the university said.

The second batch of 30 students reflect similar demographics. The size of classes will increase within the next few years to 120, with a total of 480 students at full enrollment. Construction on a three-story, $80 million medical school building is expected to be completed in the summer of 2022.

Despite this years challenges, Wilson said she was pleased with her opportunities.

She spent half a day each week with doctors at the LivingWell Health Center in the St. Joseph Medical Center, where she saw older patients on federal insurance with a multitude of health complications. She listened to presentations on healthcare access from leaders in communities near the university, such as Third Ward, Fifth Ward and East End.

Wilson jumped at a faculty members recommendation to join a national vaccination campaign at the Smithsonian Institution. Through that effort, she helped bring a vaccination hub to Texas Southern University for one year. She also worked with the university to arrange a donation of more than $3,000 to The Womens Home, a nonprofit that helps women struggling with mental illness or addiction.

Wilson worked there while earning her masters degree in public health from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

She wants to serve a community like the one where she grew up.

I guess as a child (in Third Ward) you dont realize some of the barriers that might exist that are not necessarily promoting health, she said. When I think back on it, Im growing up in a neighborhood surrounded by fast food chains. We have one healthy convenience store  maybe.

Her class includes other Houston-area natives like Charles Anugwom Jr., who grew up in Sugar Land. His love for medicine rose from a childhood spent visiting his ailing grandmother in the hospital. He peppered doctors with questions: What is cardiology? What are surgeons? What does primary care mean?

While his curiosity blossomed, he took note of the faces in his field of interest.

I saw a lot of doctors that didnt look like me, Anugwom said.

His motivation to change that trend was solidified by his grandmothers death. He often told her about his desire to care for her later in life as a physician.

Anugwom said he started classes at the University of Houston undeterred by the pandemic and online courses. But re-joining his peers in the classroom buoyed his spirit.

Theres only so much you can get out of emails, he said. Theres only so much you can get out of chats.
Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in El Paso on Friday with a clear mission: to shift the political narrative around the record surge of illegal crossings along the Texas-Mexico border that started in the spring.

Since April, Democrats have been hammered by former President Donald Trump and Republicans who blame the Biden administration for making the problem worse with his messaging and policy.

Harris on Friday asserted that the White House is taking a deeper look at the systemic problems in the immigration system that Trump failed to address during his four years in office.

Our administration  it is important to be clear  is working to build a fair, and a functional, and a humane immigration system, Harris said at a meeting at El Paso International Airport. We feel very strongly about that. And as you know, we inherited a tough situation.

Harris also highlighted the Trump administrations child separation policies that detained children in facilities away from their parents.

In fact, right here in El Paso was the launch of the child separation policy, Harris said. You saw it as it rolled out on the ground in real time.

It was in nearby Tornillo that the Trump administration built a temporary tent city that went from housing 400 children to having more than 6,000 teens largely from Central American countries cycle through it.

FROM 2018: Fate of immigrant children separated from parents at Texas border is unclear

Harris said that after many years of inhumane conditions, it is clear the asylum system is broken and needs serious repair.

While Republicans have accused the Biden administration of sitting idle as immigrants surge at the border, Harris said federal officials have been busy reunifying families, expediting the processing of immigrants at the border and improving conditions at detention facilities.

This month, the Interagency Task Force on the Reunification of Families set up by the administration announced that it had reunified seven families in May and that 29 others are expected to soon be reunited. A report by that task force showed that 5,600 families were separated at the border during the Trump administration, with potentially thousands still apart.

But Harris bid to shift the debate on the border wont be easy. On Wednesday, Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott are expected to be in Hidalgo County in the Rio Grande Valley to draw attention to parts of the border wall that Trump started building but President Joe Biden has refused to complete.

Republicans have been unrelenting in accusing the Biden administration of not taking the current border surge seriously enough.

Since October, the Border Patrol has reported more than 870,000 encounters with people illegally crossing the border, a 291 percent increase over the same period in 2020. More than half those encounters have occurred between Del Rio and Brownsville.

IN-DEPTH: VP Harris visits border as administration struggles to house migrant children

There are a number of factors driving the migration, said Josiah Heyman, director of the Center for Inter-American and Border Studies at the University of Texas at El Paso. He said the impacts of COVID-19, resulting economic shutdowns, and corrupt governments and violence in countries such as Honduras are driving factors.

Heyman said the political divide is clear, with the Biden administration going at the broader issue and Republicans trying to center on a political solution to build more barriers that may not deter people willing to pay $10,000 to smugglers to help them get across the border.

The border wall is amazing political symbolism, Heyman said

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has been among those pushing Harris to visit the Valley and criticizing her for being in El Paso instead. Though Border Patrol officials report a 267 percent surge in border encounters in El Paso, Cornyn said what is happening in the Valley is more indicative of the scope of the problem.

She is nearly 100 days late and a thousand miles short, Cornyn said. By ignoring the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest Border Patrol sector along the U.S. Texas-Mexico border, the vice president is shifting the focus away from the most serious problems of the crisis.

Harris denied that she was in El Paso only because of Republican pressure on the issue. She said the plan all along has been for her to investigate the root causes in Central America of what is sending such a large flow of migrants to the border, then visit the U.S. border to see the impact.

It was always the plan to come here, Harris said.

But while Harris is searching for root causes of the border issues, immigration advocates say a big part of the solution to them is obvious. Biden has continued a Trump-era order  known as Title 42  that allows border agents to immediately expel migrants caught crossing into the U.S. because of the pandemic.

The result has been that people who are immediately expelled are trying multiple times to cross, hoping for a more formal hearing of their claims for asylum, as would normally happen if not for Title 42, Heyman said.

Though she was in El Paso, Harris did not visit Fort Bliss, where migrant children are being held. Next week, U.S. House and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is expected to visit that facility.

While Texas Republicans blasted Harris for her handling of border issues in general and failing to visit the Valley, Democrats praised her for taking a broader approach.

It is imperative that the vice president sees for herself the conditions in which refugees are being housed and processed along the border, said Gilberto Hinojosa, chairman of the Texas Democratic Party. Many times the discussion is only about the border with Mexico, but the causes of mass migration are far more complicated and encompass many countries, political and economic systems.

jeremy.wallace@chron.com
Make no mistake: Republicans unanimous filibuster in the U.S. Senate this week of Democrats sweeping voting rights bill was a win for both parties.

While Republicans run victory laps, bragging to the party faithful that theyve thwarted a political takeover of elections  a coup detat, really, as Texas Sen. John Cornyn put it  Democrats can beat the drums of partisan war and promise party loyalists to fight like heck, as President Biden put it, to protect voters against a coordinated Republican assault on election access across the nation.

Democrats happen to have the moral high ground here  as any group would in trying to expand sacred voting rights rather than restrict them for no good reason  but the entrenched partisan positions on both sides are confusing Americans, obscuring the truth and squandering real opportunities to pass common sense legislation that would truly strengthen elections that belong to all of us.

Restoring Americans confidence in our system of voting wont happen with extreme rhetoric, either Cornyns coup comment or Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressleys scorched-earth urging: The people did not give Democrats the House, Senate and White House to compromise with insurrectionists, she tweeted. Abolish the filibuster so we can do the peoples work.

Compromise, as painful and slow as it can be, is essential to the legislative process. In these un-trusting times, it is one of the thin, delicate threads holding this democracy together. And we agree with those who argue that the filibuster  at least in some form  serves an important function that shouldnt be carelessly tossed aside for momentary gain.

Compromise can work. Just look at Bidens pledge on Thursday to support a bipartisan proposal to spend $600 billion on infrastructure  more than the GOP leadership has called for but far less than what Biden himself and Democrats in Congress have proposed. We have a deal, Biden said after an Oval Office meeting with senators where details had been worked out. I think its really important weve all agreed that none of us got all that we wanted.

Biden knows that just because he didnt get everything he wanted in this bill doesnt mean he cant keep fighting for his priorities in future legislation.

On voting rights, too, there are hopeful signs. Increasingly, Democrats are rethinking their blanket opposition to voter ID laws. The wide use among many states, including Texas, of utility bills and other documents to satisfy the requirements, on the one hand, and the broad public support for some type of voter ID on the other, have eased opposition on the left.

America is indeed ensnared by a crisis of confidence in our elections  a condition carefully woven of the silky, self-serving lies of a former president clinging to office. How we got here, though, is less important now than how we get out.

We dont get out  indeed, we sink deeper in  when our Congress members approach their duties as partisans first and representatives second. Lawmaking is the peoples business  not the parties business. Democrats knew that their 800-page grab bag of voter provisions  some legally questionable and some, such as a ballot-mailing mandate, just needlessly onerous  wasnt tailored enough to earn serious consideration from Republicans. By lumping the strong provisions with weak, it gave Republican senators, even moderates, ample excuse to vote against it.

Republicans, meanwhile, completely misconstrued the bill, dubbed the For The People Act, as a sinister plot to stack the deck in future elections: Its an attempt by Democrats to federalize elections and to ensure that Democrats cannot lose for the next hundred years, said Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

The bill to voting, with features such as early voting and electronic voter registration that are widely popular among Texans.

If a party is existentially threatened by the prospect of more people voting, that says more about the party than the legislation. Republicans who sing the praises of free markets should apply their wisdom to elections: expanding the market of voters is an opportunity for growth, right?

Same goes for ending partisan gerrymandering, a patently tainted process that Texas will embark on later this year by which lawmakers manipulate district boundaries to essentially pick voters who will keep their party in office. In states such as Texas, this process stacks the deck in favor of Republicans and results in few competitive districts. What kind of free market is that? If competition makes for a better economy, shouldnt it make for a better government as well?

Perhaps thats why Americans  yes, Republicans and Democrats  overwhelmingly support limits on partisan gerrymandering, which has been condemned by politicians as varied as President Obama and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.

Way back in 1988, President Reagan aptly assessed the partisan manipulation of American elections as a national scandal. In railing against Democrats use of it in California, Reagan urged reform: thats all were asking for: an end to the antidemocratic and un-American practice of gerrymandering congressional districts.

Here, here.

Arguably, only one other change in law would do more to shore up the fairness of our elections and ward against voter suppression in all its discriminatory forms: passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. The bill, much narrower in focus than the one senators blocked this week, would restore a vital provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 requiring jurisdictions with a history of discriminatory voting laws to have new laws screened by the Justice Department.

Congress is expected to take up the act this fall, but already there are threats of filibuster. Anybody wondering why should look to politics and partisanship  not justice.

In a state such as Texas, which has violated the Voting Right Act every single redistricting cycle since 1970 with racially discriminatory gerrymandered districts, the need for Justice oversight should be a no-brainer.

Should be. But brains are no match for the heart, and much less for the gut. Americans gut feelings and perceptions about our elections have become just as important as the facts and statistics.

Congress members should keep that in mind as they contemplate next moves. Turning lawmaking into partisan grist  whether that means eschewing compromise, tossing out time-honored rules, vilifying sensible reforms as existential threats, or all of the above  is a great way to win a primary.

Its the worst way we can think of to win confidence in a government.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently held a press conference to announce his plans to build a physical border wall with state taxpayer dollars. He also indicated a new approach to charge immigrants and asylum seekers with state crimes to create a criminal record and jail them. At the press conference, Abbott was surrounded by lawmakers from various parts of the state, but not a single lawmaker who joined him represents a border community.

Because border lawmakers live and work on the border every day, we understand the concerns of our constituents and the challenges our communities face. In our representative government, we should be at the table discussing issues that impact our districts. For whatever reason, we were omitted from major policy discussions related to the border. We support legal immigration, not open borders, and have supported transparent, accountable and smart border security for years.

Lawmakers from both political parties agree border security is a federal responsibility. For years, however, Texas has supplemented federal efforts by spending billions of state taxpayer money on this federal responsibility, instead of on other pressing state needs. Last session, for example, Texas appropriated another $1.1 billion for border security. None of that money was earmarked for a border wall.

The federal government, dating back to President George W. Bush, has already built fencing and walls in the highest traffic areas. Building a physical wall from El Paso to Brownsville would be the most expensive and least effective way to achieve border security, and it would be a colossal waste of taxpayer money. A physical wall made of cement or steel slats is a third-century solution to a 21st-century migration problem. Anyone who commits a crime, whether immigrant or legal resident, should be held accountable. Nevertheless, Texas shouldnt circumvent federal immigration and asylum laws by creating new ways to criminalize and to jail undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. This expensive proposition would overfill local prisons, which already are stretched thin  with non-dangerous persons and separated families looking for refuge and the American dream.

The new federal administration is working on addressing the root causes of these migration waves that stress our borders, but this will take time. The bottom line is that Congress needs to act immediately to pass immigration reform and provide resources to stop the criminal elements from crossing the border.

If Texas, however, is going to be in the business of border security in the meantime, the state needs to be accountable, transparent and smart with taxpayer dollars. If Texas is to be committed to going down this path, as lawmakers who represent districts along the Texas-Mexico border, we suggest the following smart measures as a starting point:

(1) Build a virtual or smart wall with fiber optic lines along the border, supported by technology, drones, motion sensors, cameras, etc. Virtual infrastructure for border security could be accomplished at a fraction of the cost of a physical wall; bolster real-time monitoring, detection and response; and bridge the digital divide for law enforcement along the border.

(2) Reimburse local border communities and private property owners for costs incurred related to border security and humanitarian aid with proceeds from asset forfeitures related to border crimes and other state grants. Our border communities are on the front lines as local law enforcement support border security efforts, provide humanitarian assistance for needy families and children, and humanely process the remains of deceased migrants. Because private property owners along the border also sustain property damage by human traffickers and cartels to fences, barns, outhouses and livestock, they should be reimbursed for related expenses.

(3) Crack down on gun trafficking in Texas and incentivize the reporting of lost or stolen guns to law enforcement. If Texas is serious about combating cartels and armed human traffickers, we should find ways to disarm them.

(4) Reduce the demand for illegal drugs, beginning with our children, and the related flow of money into Mexico. This will require education, intervention, rehabilitation and law enforcement programs.

(5) Modernize ports of entry with technology and intelligent transportation systems. Fentanyl and most illicit drugs from Mexico enter the U.S. through the ports of entry. Investing in our ports of entry can make our border more secure while boosting our economy.

(6) Improve border rail inspection stations required by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for border rail lines owned by Texas. Some border rail lines cross the border and need improved facilities for the inspection and processing of rail cars.

These are only a few of our many ideas drawn from representing the border. By funding these proposals instead of a wall, we will make great strides while using state taxpayer dollars to benefit Texans and without funding programs that should be the responsibility of the federal government.

The issue of immigration and border security has been a challenge for decades and plagued by partisan politics. These issues will not be solved overnight or by one party. We are confident if we leave politics at the door, we can find common ground from which to address these challenges. That first requires including border lawmakers at the table.

Sen. Blanco represents El Paso, Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa represents McAllen and Sen. Judith Zaffirini represents Laredo.
This years Texas Legislature adjourned without addressing the largest demographic shift confronting the state. In Texas the number of seniors 65 and older is expected to diversify and more than double from 3.9 million in 2020 to 8.3 million by 2050. Evidence shows that longer lives are increasingly accompanied by longer periods of compromised health and declining physical and cognitive capacities. Texas, like many other states, will be forced to reassess its ability to provide the care that a rapidly aging population needs. The central question is: Who will pay the bill for how the state provides at least basic services to those in need?

This session focused on nursing home regulation but not community-based long-term services, meaning staying home as you age with care coming to you. According to AARP, 76 percent of Americans age 50 and older want to stay in their homes as they age. In Texas, the Medicaid program provides many of these services including physical and speech therapy, cleaning, and bathing to those who need assistance in order to remain at home.

Our research reveals that these long-term services and supports make up close to a third of Texass Medicaid budget. To contain costs while keeping enrollment high, Texas provides full benefits only to the poorest of those individuals who rely on Medicaid and for a certain fraction of low-income Medicare beneficiaries eligible for nursing facility-level of care. The most comprehensive plans have over 42,000 people on their interest (waiting) lists, which can take years to move through.

The problem for Texas is that while the vast majority  more than 70 percent  of individuals reaching normal retirement age can expect to use some form of long-term care, many people believe that Medicare will pay for their long-term care. But that is simply not the case. Demographers also project that older parents will have fewer grown children to rely on for support in the coming decade. Plus, low-income families who are caring for parents, working, and raising children are unable to deal with their increasing care needs, which means that many people will be dependent on Medicaid, a joint federal-state program.

Given these aging trends and the fact that state expenditures for Medicaid, the primary financing mechanism for long-term care, are growing at an alarming pace, we need a task force on aging to take a fresh look at new and cost-beneficial options for caring for low-income seniors and people with disabilities, based on managed care principles. These encompass both public and private solutions, including Medicaid waivers, state-funded home and community-based long-term care insurance, family caregiver credits, and expanded access to geriatric social workers, among others.

Although home and community-based care was not taken up this legislative session, lawmakers have an opportunity to tackle this issue in the coming months. Specifically, they can explore many of the services that are not a permanent fixture of our Medicaid program. Texas operates these Medicaid community care services through experimental waivers, which are agreements between the federal and state governments to fund these programs. The 1115 Medicaid waiver is one example, giving states flexibility to transform, support and improve the quality of a coordinated care delivery system for the most vulnerable seniors. However, the waiver was recently revoked by the Biden administration due to lack of sufficient public input prior to the waivers approval in January 2021, and now they are asking for more public comments.

Care for those with dementia is just one example of the challenge Texas faces  and the opportunity for innovation. Nationwide, one quarter of adults with dementia living in the community receives Medicaid coverage over the course of a year, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. This percentage will invariably grow and family members will demand new alternatives to long-term care in a nursing home. New opportunities for an integrated senior care model are clearly possible. Locating affordable housing, adult day care and childcare all in one place improves health and well-being while strengthening the commitment of one generation to the next. Thats the type of policy approach Texas should embrace.

The explosive growth of Texas senior population will place an increasing fiscal and care burden on the state. The state cannot do it alone and must collaborate with local governments, the private sector and the nonprofit sector to promote financial options for a healthy aging and productive economy. New programs that address this growing need must be developed so we take the opportunity to rethink senior care before 2050. Texans can build on our strengths while seeking solutions to improve the lives of those we care for most.

Angel is the Wilbur J. Cohen Professor of Health and Social Policy at The University of Texas at Austin. Castillo is a graduate student in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin.
Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday issued a warning to states including Texas  where Republican lawmakers are pushing new voting restrictions  as he announced the Justice Department is suing Georgia over new voting laws adopted in that state.

The Justice Department is closely watching similar proposals in other states, Garland said.

Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act, he said.

HARRIS IN TEXAS: VP visits border today as administration struggles to house migrant children

The lawsuit comes as Texas Republicans are likely to try again to push voting restrictions during a special session next month after Democrats derailed efforts to do so in the legislative session that ended May 31. State lawmakers will report back to Austin July 8.

As of mid-May, 22 restrictive laws had passed in at least 14 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which researches voting and supports expanded access. Justice Department officials had hinted that prosecutors were looking at other state voting laws and warned that the government would not stand by if there were illegal attempts to restrict voter access.

Abbott and other state leaders have said new measures are needed to combat voter fraud and keep elections secure, though studies have found fraud is not a widespread problem. Some Republicans were incensed when Harris County officials made it easier to vote last fall through the use of drive-by voting, 24-hour voting and drop boxes.

The Justice Department alleges Georgia Republicans sought to deny or abridge the rights of Black residents to vote by passing new voting restrictions, especially those targeting mail-in voting. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke said the laws were designed to reduce access to absentee voting at each step of the process, pushing Black voters to vote in person, where they are more likely to confront long lines.

The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum," Clarke said. "These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp slammed the lawsuit in a statement.

Joe Biden, Stacey Abrams, and their allies tried to force an unconstitutional elections power grab through Congress  and failed, Kemp said. Now, they are weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to carry out their far-left agenda that undermines election integrity and empowers federal government overreach in our democracy.

Among the provisions the Justice Department is challenging are new restrictions on absentee voting, including banning election officials from distributing unsolicited absentee ballot applications, as well as related measures federal officials have deemed to be stringent new requirements for voters.

Texas Republicans similarly sought to restrict voting by mail, pushing legislation in the spring that would have required voters to disclose an illness, injury or medical need to cast an absentee ballot and would have made it a crime for public officials to send out unrequested applications.

The Justice Department is also challenging provisions of the Georgia law that limit the number of absentee ballot drop boxes that counties can offer.

Gov. Greg Abbott last year issued a pandemic executive order allowing counties to have just one ballot drop-off location as several counties, including Harris, planned to add boxes to make it easier to vote during the pandemic. The Texas Supreme Court upheld the order.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton denounced the federal lawsuit against Georgia in a tweet, claiming the radical left seeks to aid illegal voting.

Today the DOJ took another step against fair & just elections, Paxton said. I will fight for fair elections & secure ballots.

The lawsuit comes as Texas Democrats have urged their colleagues in Congress and the Biden administration to help them stave off the next round of legislation restricting voting. A dozen of them traveled to D.C. for meetings with members of Congress and the administration last week.

It also comes after Senate Republicans earlier this week blocked a Democratic overhaul of the nations voting laws, which would have targeted virtually all of Texas existing voting restrictions and stopped many  but not all  of the new restrictions Republicans have proposed.

President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders in Congress have said they will continue to push voting rights legislation, including a bill that would reinstate portions of the Voting Rights Act the Supreme Court axed in 2013 that allowed the Justice Department to review new voting laws in states with a history of discrimination, including Texas.

Garland on Friday urged Congress to reinstate that power.

We are using every method at our disposal in our enforcement efforts, but that is not enough, he said.

The report contains material from the Associated Press.

ben.wermund@chron.com
Vice President Kamala Harris is heading to the southern border amid early signs that the administration is losing ground handling a record-breaking number of unaccompanied children arriving there, after months of progress.

Border Patrol took 534 children into custody on Tuesday, the most since April. At the same time, the pace at which the Biden administration is transferring those children out of U.S. Health and Human Services-run shelters and into the care of family members or sponsors appears to be slowing.

That comes ahead of a potential housing crunch as Gov. Greg Abbott directed state regulators to begin revoking licenses for the facilities housing many of them later this summer. The number of children in HHS care  14,894 on Tuesday  was significantly less than the 22,000 reported in April.

Experts say its too early to tell whether these are small fluctuations or signs of a larger trend. But they are nonetheless a warning for the administration, which has made strides handling an influx of migrants, especially unaccompanied children, arriving at the border.

Theres a risk that the progress starts reversing, said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy counsel at the American Immigration Council. This is the check engine light coming on.

BACKGROUND: Texas governor bars facilities from housing children in the country illegally

Harris visit to El Paso comes at a crucial time for the administration, as officials weigh when to further reopen the border and scrap a public health order issued during the COVID pandemic that allows Border Patrol to immediately expel most migrants. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat, said that order could be repealed as soon as next month, though the administration has not made such an announcement.

Abbott, meanwhile, moved earlier this month to prohibit state-licensed childcare facilities from housing migrant children, a step that could leave the federal government scrambling to find shelter for thousands of unaccompanied kids. The Biden administration has threatened to sue over the move.

The vice presidents trip follows bipartisan pleas for a visit from Texas lawmakers, including Cuellar and Republicans U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, of San Antonio.

Former President Donald Trump is set to visit the Rio Grande Valley later this month with Abbott, who has positioned himself on the frontlines of Republican attacks on Bidens approach to the border surge. Abbott and other Texas leaders last week committed $250 million in state funds to begin to pick up where Trump left off building the wall.

TEXAS TAKE: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

Abbott has also said he will empower state troopers to begin arresting migrants despite a Supreme Court ruling that stopped Arizona from doing the same during the Obama administration.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, filed a preliminary injunction motion on Thursday to prevent the Biden administration from ending the public health order.

The Biden administration said the trip is meant to highlight the work it has done to get its arms around the influx of migration, including adding beds for unaccompanied children, expanding visas and reinstating a program that allows children in some Central American nations to apply for asylum there, instead of traveling to the U.S.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who chairs the Judiciary Committee, and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat, will be with Harris on the trip.

The visit is also aimed at underscoring Harriss diplomatic work with Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador as she works to address the root causes of migration.

A decrease in encounters with families and unaccompanied minors in April and May is likely due in large part to increased immigration enforcement by Mexico, largely at the request of the U.S., said Jessica Bolter, associate policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. Immigration arrests by Mexican authorities doubled from January to April, when there were 18,709. Increased immigration enforcement in Mexico has been key to reducing past migration surges.

You need to go

Political scientists say the vice presidential visit is an important step for the administration, which has struggled to counter Republican messaging on immigration, even as it has shown signs of progress rebuilding what administration officials say is a broken immigration system left by Trump.

A huge part of politics is the accompanying performance, said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. While Harris could likely assess the border situation from Washington, its far more impactful to make an appearance at the border and publicly communicate how the Biden administration is responding to the matter.

Everybody knows the policy options that have been discussed over the course of decades for dealing with [border security], so in a sense, you dont need to go, Jillson said. But in the performative sense  the performative politics  you need to go.

The Biden administration had likely planned to send Harris to the border at some point, Jillson said, but it may have been moved up after former President Donald Trump said he would tour the area next week.

The fact that Trump was going to show up at the border and say, I had all this solved, and now these guys have decided in favor of open borders, it is a crisis.  There are a lot of things going on, but the fact that Trump had announced a trip to the border, I think, dictated that whatever the timing had been, it should now be before Trump, Jillson said.

Border Politics THE SITUATION: The Biden administration has spent months responding to record numbers of encounters with migrants crossing the Mexican border. Biden campaigned on creating a more humane immigration system and, while his administration is still expelling most migrants under a public health order, it has also allowed in families and unaccompanied children who are seeking asylum - people who were being immediately expelled during the Trump administration. REPUBLICANS SAY: Biden caused the whole mess with his looser policies and messaging on immigration, and has repeatedly fumbled his response. Texas GOP leaders are planning to add to Trump's border wall and say the state will begin arresting migrants on its own, claiming that public safety is threatened by the flow of migration. DEMOCRATS SAY: Biden inherited a mess of an immigration system after Trump spent years working to restrict even legal immigration, including providing asylum for people fleeing certain countries. They say the administration was essentially starting from scratch and has made progress, including quickly standing up shelters to house migrant children while it works to find care for them in the U.S. See More Collapse

The visit may also help allay some Republican criticism after Harriss ill-received trip to Central America to address the root causes of migration, he added.

But Ruth Wasem, a professor of public policy practice at the University of Texas at Austin, disagreed. Harris was tasked with addressing immigration from Central America, and her trip to the border is more a show of strength and collaboration for the Biden administration, Wasem said.

[Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro] Mayorkas accompanying Vice President Harris to the border is an important sign of a partnership, and of the need to look at not just what's going on at the border, but also what is going on in those countries, she said.

As for the timing of the trip, Wasem said shes more inclined to believe that Texas Democrats calls for a border visit would have influenced Harris schedule, rather than Trumps plans.

If there was any pressure that they would be responding to, its pressure from the Texas Democrats at the border and the extent to which they wanted people to come down, she said.

One such Democrat, Cuellar, said the trip is a good first step, even if Harris is going to be hundreds of miles away from the Rio Grande Valley where the vast majority of migration is happening.

El Paso, politically, is a safer place to go, Cuellar said. Shes 8, 900 miles up the river, but again she is going to the border so thats a very good first step.

ben.wermund@chron.com
This article originally ran on thecentersquare.com.

FACT CHECK See inaccurate information in this story? Tell us here.
Robert Patrick  314-340-8131 @rxpatrick on Twitter RPatrick@post-dispatch.com

This article originally ran on stltoday.com.

FACT CHECK See inaccurate information in this story? Tell us here.
Ryan Gipson rests on the back of a rented U-Haul truck during his move to a new apartment in University City on Jan. 20, 2021. Gipson's former landlord turned off the electricity to Gipson's old apartment. He recently found a new one nearby, with cheaper rent. Photo by Sara Diggins, sdiggins@post-dispatch.com
FACT CHECK See inaccurate information in this story? Tell us here.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
June 25, 2021 - Houston police are investigating an incident in which an HPD officer discharged his duty weapon at a suspect(s) who fired shots at the officer at 14400 Minetta Street about 1:30 a.m. today.



The suspect(s) has not been apprehended.



Officer B. Taveras, who discharged his duty weapon, was not injured in the incident. Officer Taveras was sworn in as an officer in December 2018 and is assigned to the South Gessner Patrol Division.



HPD Special Investigations Unit Sergeant J. Hekimian and Detectives N. Arellano, B. Elliot and V. Nguyen reported:



Officer Taveras was driving slowly in his patrol vehicle near the above address when multiple shots were fired and his patrol vehicle was struck. Photos of the patrol vehicle are attached to this news release.



The officer then observed several suspects in a nearby park. One of the suspects was armed with a pistol and pointed in the officer's direction. Fearing for his life, Officer Taveras exited his vehicle and returned fire at the suspects. At this time, it has not been determined if a suspect was struck. The suspects then fled the scene in an unknown direction.



As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the Houston city limits, this case is being

investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit and the Internal Affairs Division.



Anyone with information on the identities of the suspects in this case is urged to contact the HPD Special Investigations Unit at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.


As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.
Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.
The end has come for Neptune the Century Plant and his 30-foot flower stalk. Over 
The city's Events Coordinator Becky Manship, left, City Engineer Allison McMordie, Berkshire Watershed Conservation manager Alison Dixon, BEAT Executive Director Janet Wynn explain the Churchill Street culvert. PreviousNext

New Pittsfield Culvert Allows Fish, Wildlife to Pass



The culvert is large enough to allow the free flow of fish and wildlife.

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  After seven months of construction, the city recently finished an 18-by-8.4-foot culvert on Churchill Street that allows aquatic life and wildlife to pass underneath without disturbance.



The new structure is a big improvement from the previous culvert: a 48-inch tunnel that made it difficult for even fish to pass through.



The project was done in collaboration with the Berkshire Watershed Conservation and Berkshire Environmental Action Team.

On Wednesday, City Engineer Allison McMordie and Events Coordinator Becky Manship invited the public to the site for an unveiling and a walkthrough of the project, which was funded with around $710,000 from a Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) grant and matched 25 percent, or about $170,000, from the city.



Councilor at Large Peter White, Ward 5 Councilor Patrick Kavey, Ward 6 Councilor Dina Guiel Lampiasi, and Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Maffuccio were in attendance at the meeting along with about 10 neighborhood residents.



This culvert was chosen for an overhaul because of the cold, high-quality stream that flows beneath it.



"It's cold enough year-round to maintain a habitat for cold-water fish," McMordie said. "It's critical to keep these waters protected and maintained, especially without any barriers or impacts to the stream."



The original was described as a 48-inch "squashed metal pipe" with stone headwalls in mismatched order that posed passage issues with the stream.



The undersized pipe also posed public safety hazards, the watershed's Manager Alison Dixon explained, because it caused road flooding in high-storm events by clogging with sediment and not allowing water to pass through.



The new design  an 18 feet wide and 8.4 feet tall square pass through  is designed to increase the hydraulic capacity and improve conditions for the wildlife and fish crossing. It is an open-bottom design that makes fish believe they are passing through a natural stream.



A culvert downstream on Hancock Road was replaced in 2018 because it was a barrier for aquatic passage and stream flow like the Churchill Street culvert. The original plan was to overhaul both simultaneously but the downstream structure had to be completed first to not compromise infrastructure.


Groups urge ICCAT to address lack of transparency, accountability in use of Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in the Atlantic Ocean

The International Pole and Line Foundation (IPNLF) and the EUs Outermost Regions Advisory Council (CCRUP) are urging the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) to agree on much needed improvements in the management of drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs).



The ICCAT Intersessional Meeting tasked with the conservation and management of Atlantic Ocean tropical tunas (referred to as Panel 1), will be taking place next week for the first time since the pre-pandemic annual ICCAT meeting in 2019. One of the key issues that will be discussed is the urgent need to better manage drifting FADs that are being used by industrial tuna purse seiners to increase their catches.



Around 20.000 FADs are reported to be deployed each year in the Atlantic Ocean by industrial purse seine fishing vessels, attracting large schools of tuna underneath them in the otherwise quite featureless open ocean. Up to 100m of netting or other materials are attached beneath each of these floating platforms, thereby creating micro-ecosystems dotted all over the ocean. The massive tuna purse seiners, some of them longer than 100 meters in length, use sophisticated satellite location devices and sonar to constantly keep track of their drifting-FADs and detect how much fish has aggregated under each of their many FADs. This has made their operations too efficient (so-called effort creep) and has consequently been a key driver of Atlantic bigeye tuna overfishing - a stock that has been overfished since 2015. ICCAT scientists have also warned that yellowfin tuna catches have exceeded the total allowable catch (TAC) by 13 - 20% over these last years, also putting the health of this population at risk.



As elsewhere in the world, there is an urgent need to improve the management of drifting FADs in the Atlantic Ocean, primarily to reduce catches of juvenile tropical tunas, but also to help mitigate the other ecological impacts associated with drifting FADs, including marine plastic pollution, ghost fishing and the bycatch of turtles, sharks and marine mammals. It is also very likely that the deliberate abandonment of FADs constitutes infringements of international maritime law and the lack of clarity around the ownership and legal status of these FADs should be addressed as a matter of priority.



In a recent Recommendation developed by the CCRUP, which is a formal advisory council to the European Commission and EU countries, the concerns of small-scale fishery stakeholders and NGOs regarding the excessive use of drifting FADs is clearly reflected: We recommend a further reduction in the number of FADs allowed to be deployed/accessed/used per vessel, and their transparent registration and near real-time GPS tracking to be monitored by an independent body. Moreover, FADs should not be allowed to change ownership, and We dearly hope that the European Union can advocate for a precautionary, transparent, and accountable approach to FAD management globally.



David Pavon, the Chairperson of the CCRUP Executive Committee, and a pole-and-line tuna fisher from the Canary Islands, adds: The EUs Outermost Regions represent many traditional one-by-one tuna fisheries that highly depend on healthy tuna populations swimming through our coastal waters following their natural migratory routes. It is a disgrace that vulnerable, community-oriented fisheries like ours have to carry the burden of a problem caused by the uncontrolled increase of efficiency of the most industrialised fisheries. We really hope that ICCAT decision-makers can turn the tide by appropriately regulating harmful fishing methods while recognizing and protecting small-scale fisheries that use highly selective fishing gear.



One-by-one tuna fisheries provide for a vital source of food and contribute to the livelihoods of numerous coastal communities in at least sixteen Atlantic coastal States. Their future depends on ICCAT to stop the overfishing by industrial fleets and ensure small-scale fisheries have equitable access to both resources and markets, in conformity with international law. It is clear that the use of FADs have further increased the efficiency of industrial fleets leading to unsustainable pressure on tuna populations. It should not be acceptable that this destructive fishing method, for both tuna populations and the wider environment, continues to operate in the dark while making incredible (offshore) profits over cheap cans of tuna that come with an enormous hidden cost, said Yaiza Dronkers, the Atlantic Region Manager at IPNLF.



Ahead of the upcoming ICCAT meeting that will specifically focus on FAD management, IPNLF released its Position Statement, urging ICCAT Contracting Parties to address the lack of transparency and accountability associated with the use of FADs in the Atlantic Ocean, saying that this can no longer be tolerated in the context of well-managed fisheries.

Theme(s): Fisheries Resources.
We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@idahopress.com for help creating one.
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation2@journalnet.com for help creating one.
John McAfee found dead

John McAfee, the founder of antivirus software provider McAfee, has died at the age of 75 while awaiting extradition to the US.

The controversial British-American businessman was found dead in a Barcelona prison cell on Wednesday. Just a few hours before, Spanish prosecutors approved a request to extradite him to the US to face charges of tax evasion.

Spanish officials said paramedics attempted to revive McAfee, but their attempts were futile. They said "everything indicates" that McAfee killed himself.

His lawyer, Javier Villalba, has since confirmed that the tech entrepreneur committed suicide by hanging. He had spent nine months in a Spanish prison and maintained his innocence throughout.
FILE - In this April 20, 2021, file photo, from video, defendant, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, listens to verdicts at his trial for the 2020 death of George Floyd, Tuesday,, in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin faces decades in prison when he is sentenced Friday, June 25, 2021, following his murder and manslaughter convictions in the death of George Floyd. Floyd's death, filmed by a teenage bystander as Chauvin pinned Floyd to the pavement for about 9 and a half minutes and ignored Floyd's "I can't breathe" cries until he eventually grew still, reignited a movement against racial injustice that swiftly spread around the world and continues to reverberate.(Court TV via AP, Pool, File)
The workshops, which took place on 17 and 18 June 2021, are part of the project funded by UNESCO/Global Media Defence Fund (GMDF) designed to set up legal representation networks to support journalists under threat.

The project involves establishing and operationalising a network of licensed lawyers, who will provide legal representation to journalists based on international standards.

The IFJ invited Ms Catherine Anite, an experienced Ugandan lawyer and a member of the High Level Panel of Experts on Media Freedom, to run the workshop which was attended by ten lawyers from the four countries. Representatives of journalists unions and associations in the countries concerned also joined the training.

The workshops focused on international and regional standards on freedom of expression and comparative jurisprudence on freedom of expression and digital rights.

The lawyers who attended the training will work with IFJ affiliates in the four countries to provide expert support to journalists who need legal representation in defending their rights and freedoms before courts and public institutions.

We know journalists in the four countries face multiple legal challenges, from blatant violations of their rights to subtle restrictions in their daily reporting which undermine press freedom and public accountability, said IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. Through this project, we welcome the opportunity to provide workshops for the lawyers who will support our colleagues as they stand up for their right to work safely and independently.
A bus carrying journalists on a press trip crashed near the city of Naqadeh in Northwestern Iran on 23 June killing 2 female reporters and wounding 21 others. The International Federation of journalists (IFJ) joins the Iranian Journalists Association (IJA) in asking for a swift investigation into the crash.

The bus, traveling to Tehran, Iran's capital, from Urmia Lake, and carrying over 20 reporters and media workers, overturned near the city of Naqadeh on its way back from a environmental press trip organised by the government.

Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) correspondent Reyhaneh Yassini and Iran Students News Agency (ISNA) reporter Mahshad Karimi lost their lives in the crash.

Twenty-one other journalists were injured in the accident, including four who are in a critical condition and were taken to Urmia city hospital.

According to media reports, the commander of the country's traffic police announced after the crash that the bus was out of order and belonged to a cement factory. Some of the journalists who were rescued from the bus complained to IJA that the condition of the bus was inappropriate for this trip.

The IJA said: "We will investigate the incident and its causes, and if there is any negligence on the part of the relevant institutions in the incident, we will pursue it vigorously and will duly inform the public."

IFJ General Secretary said: "Two journalists have unfortunately paid the highest price for doing their job and we are extremely shocked by their loss. We wish the wounded journalists a swift recovery and send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of ReyhanehYassini and Mahshad Karimi. We call on the Iran autorities to conduct a full investigation into the bus crash."
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on June 20 controversially returned the new Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021 without signing it. The international Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) urge the Sindh assembly to honour its commitment and urgently pass the bill again without distorting its key provisions.

The Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021 was passed by the Sindh Assembly on May 28. Among its provisions, the bill envisions the creation of a Commission for Protection of Journalists and Other Media Workers to proactively protect journalists under the law. Drafted in consultation with journalist representative organisations, including the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), the bill empowers this commission to produce an annual report on the State of Safety and Security of Journalists and Media Practitioners in the Province of Sindh.

One of the governers objections on the bill was understood to be the absence of a finance committee or third party audit to monitor the income and expenditure of the commission. He also pointed out contradictory provisions about the governance of the commission, arguing that one point of the bill allows the commission to formulate its own policy and law while in another area places the authority in the government.

Among the notable elements of the bill welcomed by the journalism fraternity was that it required employers to provide adequate insurance and training for media workers at risk of being attacked, injured or killed because of their work and provision for protection of news sources. It also made the government responsible for the protection of journalists, including through legal assistance. Media organizations also hailed the bills provision that sought protection of journalists from arbitrary misuse of law against them.

A joint meeting of senior journalists and media stakeholders, including representatives of the Karachi Press Club (KPC), all factions of the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ), media watchdog Freedom Network, and International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) held on June 24 raised concern for the rejection of the bill and urged the Sindh assembly to pass the bill again.

The journalist community agrees with the governors argument of having third party to supervise the finance of the commission, but also argues for the independence of the commission by allowing it to formulate its policy and laws independently without the interference of government.

The IFJ said: The passing of the Sindh journalist protections bill was a great milestone in Pakistans media development but it is concerning to see the bill blocked in this way. The IFJ urges the Sindh assembly to pass the bill again based on consultation with media fraternity.
Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, has announced the opening of a new office in Herzliya, Israel with plans to invest around $80 million into the country during the next five years. This new office will focus on conducting cybersecurity research and development, enabling Acronis partners with local sales, marketing, technical, and educational support, as well as, recruiting and activating new cloud partners. The office also expands the companys global network of Acronis Cyber Protection Operations Centers (CPOCs).

This announcement comes just weeks after a $250 million funding round that raised the companys valuation to more than $2.5 billion. Some of that new funding will be directed to the Herzliya office to recruit staff and support regional partners. Acronis plans to recruit more than 100 highly skilled engineers, scientists, and cybersecurity professionals for the new location. Another focus of investing will be on growing the number of cloud aggregators, distributors, and service providers in the region, where the company has had a presence since 2008.

The new office is the latest in a series of announcements regarding Acronis expansion in the region. Acronis acquired the Israeli cybersecurity firm CyberLynx Security at the end of last year and opened a new data center in Israel in April.

Acronis' strategic move into Israel reflects the fact this region will play a major role in our future success and we have tremendous trust in the talent of the Israeli high-tech industry, said Serguei Beloussov, CEO and founder of Acronis. This new Israeli center will be at the forefront of cyber protection research and development, becoming one of the key sites in our international network of research centers, alongside our Swiss, Singaporean, Bulgarian, and North American locations.

The Israeli office will be led by General Manager Gili Moller, who has more than 15 years of experience in R&D and product management in Israel-based technology companies.

Acronis is committed to setting the standard for modern cyber protection, which merges cybersecurity and data protection into one solution, said Moller. Our team in Israel will now be at the heart of that revolution, as we provide partners and customers with a single solution that covers all five stages of their protection  prevention, detection, response, recovery, and forensics.

To support Acronis aggressive hiring goals, Acronis will collaborate with the business community and top Israeli universities to establish workforce pipeline initiatives, R&D collaborations, and training and mentoring guidance to help existing employees with their professional development.
Submissions for the 15th edition of the Sony World Photography Awards are open from 1 June 2021 and free for all to enter via www.worldphoto.org.

Created by the World Photography Organization, the Sony World Photography Awards are an authoritative voice in the industry. Celebrating the best contemporary photography from the past year, the Awards give vast exposure and opportunity to photographers worldwide. Sony supports the Awards to help the continued development of photographic culture by giving a global platform to todays talent.

Entry to the Awards is completely free and photographers are judged anonymously by a panel of industry leading judges.

Photographers worldwide are invited to submit to the Awards four competitions: Professional, outstanding bodies of work between 5-10 images across ten categories; Open, rewarding the worlds best single images across ten categories, Youth, a monthly brief for emerging talent aged 12-19, and Student, for photography students across the globe. The National Awards program will also reward local photographic talent.

2022 Prizes and Deadlines

The Sony World Photography Awards is open to submissions from 1 June 2021. Full competition and categories descriptions can be found at www.worldphoto.org/sony-world-photography-awards

Deadlines for submission across the Awards four competitions are:

Professional: 14 January 2022, 13:00 GMT

Open: 7 January 2022, 13:00 GMT

Student: 30 November 2021, 13:00 GMT

Youth: Monthly competitions with a changing theme running from 1 June to 31 December, 2021

All category winners of the Professional, Open, Youth and Student competitions will receive digital imaging equipment from Sony. In addition, cash prizes of $25,000 (USD) will be presented to the Photographer of the Year and $5,000 (USD) to the Open Photographer of the Year. All winning and shortlisted photographers works will be exhibited at the annual Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition in London and will then be toured internationally. The winning images will also be published in the annual Awards book.
Imperial Valley News Center

Kegel exercises for men: Understand the benefits

Rochester, Minnesota - Kegel exercises for men can help improve bladder control and possibly improve sexual performance. Here's a guide to doing Kegel exercises correctly.

Think Kegel exercises are just for women? Think again.

Kegel exercises for men can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder and bowel and affect sexual function. With practice, Kegel exercises for men can be done just about anytime.

Before you start doing Kegel exercises, find out how to locate the correct muscles and understand the proper technique.

Benefits of Kegel exercises for men

Many factors can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, including the surgical removal of the prostate (radical prostatectomy) and conditions such as diabetes and an overactive bladder.

You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if you:

Have urinary or fecal incontinence

Dribble after urination  usually after you've left the toilet

How to do Kegel exercises for men

To get started:

Find the right muscles. To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream or tighten the muscles that keep you from passing gas. These maneuvers use your pelvic floor muscles. Once you've identified your pelvic floor muscles, you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.

Perfect your technique. Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for three seconds, and then relax for three seconds. Try it a few times in a row. When your muscles get stronger, try doing Kegel exercises while sitting, standing or walking.

Maintain your focus. For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.

Repeat 3 times a day. Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.

When to do your Kegels

Make Kegel exercises part of your daily routine. For example:

Fit in a set of Kegel exercises every time you do a routine task, such as brushing your teeth.

Do another set after you urinate, to get rid of the last few drops of urine.

Contract your pelvic floor muscles just before and during any activity that puts pressure on your abdomen, such as sneezing, coughing, laughing or heavy lifting.

When you're having trouble

If you're having trouble doing Kegel exercises, don't be embarrassed to ask for help. Your doctor or other health care provider can give you important feedback so that you learn to isolate and strengthen the correct muscles.

In some cases, biofeedback training might help. In a biofeedback session, your doctor or other health care provider inserts a small probe into your rectum. As you relax and contract your pelvic floor muscles, a monitor will measure and display your pelvic floor activity. Research suggests that biofeedback training is more effective in treating fecal incontinence.

When to expect results

If you do your Kegel exercises regularly, you can expect results  such as less frequent urine leakage  within a few weeks to a few months. For continued benefits, make Kegel exercises a permanent part of your daily routine.
What are you doing tomorrow? Frank Figliuzzi, former assistant director for counterintelligence at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wants you to block off your morning and plan how you're going to handle your inevitable cyberattack.

"This is the new robbery. This is the new 7-Eleven convenience-store stick-em-up," says Figliuzzi. "The time to make a decision is not in the middle of a crisis." Figliuzzi recently talked about how to protect corporate brands and reputation in the digital age with Gary Sheffer, a professor of public relations at Boston University. They spoke in a webinar by Smart Works Collaborative, an initiative on change and disruption in business from Westport, Connecticut, public relations firm Meryl Moss Media Group. Figliuzzi, author of The FBI Way: Inside the Bureau's Code of Excellence (Custom House, 2021), offered guidance that business owners and leaders of organizations of all kinds can use to protect against the growing threat of ransomware and other cybersecurity risks, including deep fakes. Here are some takeaways you can put to work today.

Ransomware plans

According to Figliuzzi, the best course of action that a leader can take now to protect against a ransomware attack is to assemble a crisis management team and an IT leadership group, review your insurance policy for cyberattack coverage, and talk with your insurers about it.

He says you should nail down the answers to these four essential questions:

When do we pay? When do we not pay? What does insurance cover? How do we shore up our defenses?

To that last point, make sure your company isn't beholden to one single source of operations--and even run a redundancy practice drill to understand how vulnerable you may be to an attack.

What's more, ask your employees for input about the risks they see. You may hear about vulnerabilities you might have not realized yourself, Figliuzzi says. Once you have a list of possible risks, decide on a few that fall into the "moderate chance" and "moderate damage" categories. Then, start with those, and work your way up from there, he says. That's your plan.

Deep fakes

Employees also need to know about deep fakes--realistic photos, audio, videos, and other counterfeit imitations generated with artificial intelligence. They're increasingly part of a typical financial fraud scheme. For example, Figliuzzi explains, an employee may receive a video showing someone who looks exactly like the CEO saying to move a large amount of money into an account by the end of the day. Similarly, employees are now receiving deep-fake phone calls that sound exactly like the CEO asking for money to be moved into an account, he says.

You need to make it clear to employees, particularly in financial areas, that the movement of money should never be generated by an incoming communication, but to always confirm it with you directly, Figliuzzi says. Tell your employees point blank: "'It's going to take your picking up the phone and going, 'I'm sorry to bother you, but did you just tell me to move a million dollars or not?'"

Remote-work cybersecurity risks

As companies bring employees back into an office setting after a year or more of remote work, more security issues could be on the horizon, particularly if your business isn't on the cloud or using a VPN, Figliuzzi says.

Figliuzzi advises businesses to start troubleshooting now. Ask your IT team about any cybersecurity risks they may have seen since starting remote work, especially as employees have used their own devices for work more at home. These may include attempted incursions on your firewall, an increase in outbound data, or a flood of attachments and emails sent outside of your system, he says.
President Joe Biden on Thursday threw his support behind a $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan that would plow billions into shoring up America's crumbling bridges and highways and upgrading key ports and transit systems.

The plan is the outcome of bipartisan negotiations among 10 members of Congress and, importantly, won't be funded by tax increases. Instead, the proposal calls for closing the tax gap--that is, boosting IRS enforcement of tax dodgers--and redirecting unspent emergency relief funds.

While small businesses, particularly those in the construction and critical infrastructure spheres, will likely cheer this legislation, the spending level is more than $1 trillion less than what Biden had initially proposed in his American Jobs Plan.

The America Jobs Plan had plenty of support among small businesses. In a recent survey from Small Business for America's Future, an advocacy group, 80 percent of the more than 1,000 small-business owners surveyed said they support it, and 72 percent said that the infrastructure investments will help small businesses. That poll was taken before the latest agreement was cobbled together.

The latest version accounts for several key business-friendly elements, such as $65 billion for broadband infrastructure and $7.5 billion for building out a national network of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers along highways and in rural and disadvantaged communities. There's $109 billion for rebuilding roads and bridges.

Based on the outline, at least one big provision didn't make the cut: Biden had previously called for investing $180 billion in research and development. The funding would have benefited America's research infrastructure, allocated across the federal agencies, including the Department of Energy. Half of those funds were to be reserved for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other such institutions, including the creation of a new national lab focused on climate affiliated with an HBCU.

Even though the framework is bipartisan, getting the bill passed is hardly assured. One sticking point: Lawmakers plan to repurpose unused funds from 2020 emergency relief legislation, some of which is targeted to health care providers who may still want access to it. That's going to "create a lot of friction," says Jennifer Walsh, a public affairs director with Foley & Lardner, a law firm in Washington, D.C. "I know there's a lot of anxiety in the health care provider community. There are still some unspent funds in the provider-relief fund."

Progressive Democrats are also reluctant to bless the measure without first seeing a reconciliation bill--that is, Biden's American Families Plan--which would include a lot of the elements they prize, such as making permanent a crisis-era expansion of the earned income tax credit as well as tuition free community college and pre-kindergarten.

The Families bill is expected to also contain tax increases on the wealthy and boost the corporate tax rate to 28 percent from 21 percent. Prior to passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, the top corporate tax rate was 35 percent.
Know that if I hang myself, a la Epstein, it will be no fault of mine.

Less than nine months after writing these words from inside a Spanish prison, John McAfees lifeless body was discovered inside his cell.

Shortly after his death, the Catalan justice department released a statement saying everything indicates that the 75-year-old had taken his own life. But his prophetic comment, together with a trail of online breadcrumbs left by the tech tycoon in the months and years leading up to 23 June, mean his death is no less cryptic or controversial than the life he lived.

I saw that chaotic and occasionally confusing life close-up, during numerous meetings and conversations throughout the final years of McAfees life. The last time I spoke to him, just a few weeks after his Epstein warning, suicide was a long way from his mind. When I asked how he was managing to keep his spirits up while incarcerated in a foreign prison, he replied: As I always do, by finding the humour and sometimes the beauty that exists in almost all environments.

McAfee had spoken frequently about his belief that the high-profile socialite and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was murdered in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial. He believed that, like Epstein, people in powerful places wanted him silenced.

In November 2019, three months after Epsteins death, McAfee tattooed the word WHACKD on his right arm. If I suicide myself, I didnt, he tweeted. I was whackd.

At the time, McAfee was on the run from US authorities, sailing around the Caribbean with his wife and bodyguards and occasionally clashing with local law enforcement.

He was briefly detained in the Dominican Republic for carrying high-calibre weapons without declaring them, but was released after a few days and put on a plane to Europe, where he went off the grid once again.

It wasnt the first time McAfee had fled authorities. In 2012, he notoriously escaped Belize on a boat after being named a person of interest in the murder investigation of his neighbour. After being arrested in Guatemala for illegally entering the country, he faked a heart attack while in custody in order to delay his deportation and give his lawyers enough time to file appeals and secure his release.

John McAfee is transferred in an ambulance to the national police hospital in Guatemala City on 6 December, 2012 (AFP via Getty Images)

In the years since, he claimed to have been pursued by various branches of federal law enforcement agencies - including the CIA and FBI - as well as Cental American cartels.

His final adversary, however, proved to be the pencil pushers at the Internal Revenue Service.

In June 2020, McAfee was indicted for failing to file tax returns between 2014 and 2018. This was something he freely admitted to, going even further by publicly confessing to not paying taxes for 10 years, informing the IRS that he refused to file returns in principle.

It was these alleged offences that eventually caught up with him at Barcelona airport last October, when Spanish police arrested him at the request of the US Department of Justice, as he was preparing to catch a flight to Turkey. Hours before his body was discovered on 23 June, the countrys national court had finally agreed to extradite him to face charges in the US.

John McAfee built a Faraday cage while on the run to prevent himself from being tracked (John McAfee/ Twitter)

Once dubbed the Prophet of Paranoia, McAfee went to extraordinary lengths to protect his life. The first time I met McAfee in person was in a hotel bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2015. He had recently announced his candidacy for the US presidency and had pistols in each of his trouser pockets. He also had a fully armed bodyguard with him and later took pride in showing me around his tricked-out truck: fitted with lasers, sirens, reinforced windows and a pneumatic bumper that could repel assailants. I did not doubt him when he told me he slept with an automatic weapon beneath his pillow.

It was partly thanks to this paranoia that McAfee had made his fortune more than 30 years previously. As the founder of the eponymous antivirus company, he was the first to foresee the threat posed by computer viruses back in the 1980s. This innate sense of looming danger appeared never far away.

In 2017, one of his live-in security guards told me that he once found McAfee naked in his living room at 4am, firing bullets at a perceived intruder within the walls of his house. It was all part of a plot to kidnap him, McAfee told me.

Several months later, in the basement toilets of a Mayfair hotel, McAfee was back on the subject of conspiracies. Midway through a post-conference dinner, he had left the table in a hurry and sent one of his bodyguards to summon me. He pulled me into a cubicle and told me he had another mind blowing story. What he told me is too libellous to publish but it involved powerful Silicon Valley elites injecting the blood of infants in order to prolong their lives beyond their natural span.

John McAfee claimed Jeffrey Epstein could have been murdered, or faked his own death (John McAfee/ Instagram)

On the day his body was found, an image of a single letter Q was posted to his Instagram account. This was instantly taken as a reference to the discredited QAnon conspiracy theory, which also attempted to link a high-level cabal to child exploitation.

McAfee claimed in June 2019 to have more than 31 terabytes of incriminating data relating to corruption at the highest levels. The instant I disappear, the information is released, he said. Those named would be crazy to kill me or collect me. They are simply praying I live forever. If its released, revenge takes over and Im dead.

QAnon advocates are already speculating that there is a key code to a dead mans switch containing damning evidence against the deep state.We will see if this pans out, QAnon adherent MelQ posted to her 139,000 Telegram followers following McAfees death.

Similar to Epsteins death, theories have also arisen that McAfee is not dead at all. He frequently boasted of having various body doubles that he employed to confuse his pursuers, and even claimed that the CIA poisoned one of his doppelgangers on the way to a blockchain conference.

The wild allegations and mysterious posts have all helped foment suspicion around his death, and within hours of it being announced, the hashtag #JohnMcAfeeDidntKillHimself was trending on social media.

Two autopsies of McAfees body are expected to take place next week  an official state one, followed by an independent one  but it is unlikely these will dispel the questions and conspiracies that now shroud his death as much as his life.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights hinted that she could move forward with an investigation into accusations of human rights violations against Uyghurs in Chinas Xinjiang province, even without Chinas cooperation.

On Monday, Michele Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva: I continue to discuss with China modalities for a visit, including meaningful access, to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and hope this can be achieved this year, particularly as reports of serious human rights violations continue to emerge.

This was the first time that Ms Bachelet had set out an explicit timeline for the visit publicly, but added that she had other options, while she continued to pursue negotiations with China that have been ongoing since 2018.

In the meantime, she said, the office continues to deepen its analysis and assessment of the alleged patterns of human rights violations in Xinjiang.

In fact, the UN rights chief has the authority to remotely collect testimonies of abuses  without an invitation from the country concerned or a mandate from the council. Such probes have already investigated extra-judicial killings by security forces in Venezuela and the disputed Kashmir region.

Liu Yuyin, a spokesperson for the Chinese mission in Geneva, said that China welcomed a visit by Ms Bachelet, including to the Xinjiang region, but added that the visit should be a friendly one, aimed at promoting exchanges and cooperation rather than making the so-called investigation under the presumption of guilt.

He also said that Ms Bachelet should stop making erroneous remarks which interfere in Chinas sovereignty.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International both issued reports earlier this year that documented practices used against Uyghur Muslims in the Xinjiang province which they say meet the threshold for crimes against humanity.

The reports found that at least one million Uyghurs had been subjected to heinous abuse in the northwestern region, including mass arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, mass surveillance, cultural and religious erasure, family separation, forced labour, sexual violence, and violations of reproductive rights.

China has consistently denied the reports and insists that it is simply running vocational training centres to combat religious extremism.
 Close UK Covid-19 vaccinations: Latest figures

Germany could lift travel restrictions on British travellers who have had both their Covid jabs in a foreseeable future, Angela Merkel has said.

Speaking on a visit to the UK the chancellor declined to immediately lift controls and pointed out that the UK had also imposed rules of its own on German travellers.

Meanwhile, cases of the Delta variant of coronavirus in the UK have risen almost four-fold in less than a month, new data shows.

On Friday, Public Health England (PHE) reported a total of 161,981 confirmed and probable cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant have now been identified in the UK - up by 50,824, or 46 per cent, on the previous week.

The increase in case numbers comes as the government has been reportedly discussing the possibility of reintroducing masks and social distancing for the winter.

Downing Street has publicly stated its hope that 19 July, when all measures are set to be lifted, will be the start of an exciting new journey for the UK.

But The Independent understands that government officials have been discussing the possibility of reintroducing baseline Covid restrictions for the winter in the eventuality of a significant wave of cases.
 Close Video captures harrowing moment of Florida building collapse leaving 51 missing

There has been no update to the number of survivors from the Miami building collapse overnight on Friday, officials said.

Rescue teams were still working to locate 159 unaccounted for people after the 12-storey Champlain Towers South building fell on Thursday. Four people have been confirmed dead.

One problem impacting the search efforts was a fire thats burning deep within the rubble from the collapse.

Authorities were now working to locate the source of the fire, or fires, while also finding ways to still search for any possible survivors.

More fatalities are expected as authorities warned the number of missing from the collapsed apartment complex in Florida could increase from the current figure of 159.

Meanwhile, a researcher at Florida International University has revealed that the building had been sinking into the ground since the 1990s.

Firefighters rescued 35 people from the Champlain Tower South building that collapsed in the middle of the night on Thursday in Surfside, a beachside town just 6 miles (9.6 km) north of Miami.

Those with family members who may have been in the building at the time of its collapse are asked to call 305-614-1819. More information here.
 Close Derek Chauvin jailed for 22.5 years for George Floyd murder

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, broke his silence to offer condolences to his family as Judge Peter Cahill sentenced him to 22 years and six months in prison.

The sentence marks 10 years above the 12.5-year guideline for second-degree unintentional murder, due to aggravating factors. Cahill said he wasnt going to be profound in the court and instead pointed to a 22-page legal argument outlining the rationale for the determination.

It came after the court heard form Chauvin for the first time, as well as four members of the Floyd family.

I want to give my condolences to Floyd family, theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest and I hope things will give you some peace of mind, Chauvin said.

Defence attorney Eric Nelson said whatever sentence Cahill decides, half will believe its too lenient and half too draconian or overbearing as the case became the epicentre of a culture war and political divide. It has weaved its way into nearly every facet of our lives, from the entertainment that we consume to the presidential politics, he said. From protests to conspiracy theories.

Apart from Chauvin himself and Nelson, the only other person to speak on the ex-officers behalf was his mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, who said she feared dying before her favourite son is released from prison. Derek has played over and over in his head the events of that day. I have seen the toll it has taken on him.

For the family of Floyd, his daughter, two brothers and nephew delivered victim impact statements asking the judge for the maximum sentence without the possibility of parole, probation or time off for good behaviour.

Although Chauvin will be sentenced today and spend time in prison, he will have the luxury of seeing his family again, talking to them, he will likely get to spend time with them upon his release, nephew Brandon Williams said.

Georges murder, this trial, and everything in between has been tragically devastating, our family is forever broken and one thing we cannot get back is George Floyd.

Hours before sentencing, the court ruled against the defence teams request for a new trial or for a hearing on jury misconduct.

Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in April following an emotional and tense trial in Minneapolis.
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused in the murder of George Floyd, was found guilty on all three counts he faced by a 12-person jury in April.

After hearing 15 days of court testimony and deliberating for about 10 hours, the jury was able to reach a unanimous decision on the three charges.

Chauvin, 45, was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Mr Floyd on 25 May, 2020  after the former officer pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Police led Chauvin, who was out on bail, away from the courtroom in handcuffs following the jury's verdict  with Judge Peter Cahill revoking his bail. Chauvin will remain in police custody until his sentencing, which is scheduled for 25 June.

The sentencing was initially scheduled for 16 June but was later rescheduled by Mr Cahill. Court spokesman Spenser Bickett said the proceedings were moved due to a scheduling conflict.

How long will Chauvin be behind bars?

Chauvin was found guilty of two counts of murder  second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder.

The presumptive sentence for each murder charge was 12.5 years for a defendant like Chauvin, who has no prior criminal history, according to Minnesota's state guidelines.

But the state has asked for a stricter sentence for the former police officer due to several aggravating factors, including that the murder took place in front of children and that Mr Floyd was treated with particular cruelty by Chauvin.

The state also said an extended sentence was necessary because the former officer abused his position of authority.

However, state law also dictates that people are sentenced according to the top count for example for second-degree murder, which carries a maximum 40-year sentence.

Mr Cahill has already ruled that there were aggravating factors in the death of Floyd, paving the way for a longer sentence than 12.5 years for Chauvin.

Legal experts have said it is unlikely Chauvin will face 40 years and that the highest amount of time he would be handed is 30 years.

If Chauvin is sentenced to any more than 30 years it could risk being overturned on appeal. Prosecutors are seeking the maximum sentence. Defense attorney Eric Nelson requested probation.

Whatever the former police officer is sentenced to, it is likely that he will only serve two-thirds in prison on the presumption of good behaviour. The rest would likely be served on parole.

Chauvin had the opportunity to decide if he wanted the jury to determine if aggravating factors existed in the murder, but he waived that right.

Mr Cahill will now determine if aggravating factors exist and decide the length of prison sentence for Chauvin. In Minnesota, defendants serve about two-thirds of their prison sentences with the rest on parole.

Though Chauvin is widely expected to appeal, he also still faces trial on federal civil rights charges, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials.

The Associated Press contributed to this report
Kanye West is reportedly suing Walmart for flagrantly trading off his brand of Yeezy footwear.

The 44-year-old alleges that Walmart traded off his popularity, as well as that of his footwear brand, Yeezy, in a court filing seen by TMZ and The Blast.

An apparent copy of his Yeezy Foam Runner trainer, Mr West argues, confused consumers with the $35 imitation found on Walmarts website.

The Foam Runner, which Mr West reportedly designed in 2019, sold for $75 a pair when they were first offered in 2020, and became iconic after selling out.

Attorneys for Mr West reportedly say Walmart traded off the popularity of Mr West and Yeezy with the "unauthorised exact copy" of the Foam Runner.

Lawyers reminded the American retailer that the rappers Yeezy brand was worth billions, and that Mr West sets trends for everything he touches.

Simply put, Kanye West is a household name, and the Yeezy brand, which has become synonymous with West, has become one of the most influential and successful brands in fashion, it reportedly added.

It was also alleged that Mr West reached out to Walmart with a warning to stop selling the trainers, but it apparently failed to do so.

The lawsuit is seeking damages.

Walmarts conduct is harming and will continue to harm, West and Yeezy, the court filings allegedly say, leaving them no choice but (to sue) to stop Walmarts unfair competition and profiting from the popularity of the success of West and Yeezy.

Not only are West and Yeezy losing market share for their authentic Yeezy Foam Runner, but also their reputation and the goodwill of the Yeezy brand is being harmed by the association with the Imitation Shoe given its subpar quality, as evidenced by the consumer comments shown from the Walmart website, lawyers for Mr West reportedly added.

The retailer, in a response to TMZ, said the trainer was sold by a third party company on its website.

"The product referenced in the complaint is not sold by Walmart, but rather by third party Marketplace sellers. We take allegations like this seriously and are reviewing the claim. We will respond in court as appropriate after we have been served with the complaint, the spokesperson added.

The Independent has reached out to Walmart for further comment.

Mr West faced criticism in 2020 for claiming a figure between $2m and $5m in federal loans as part of Donald Trumps coronavirus relief offer for struggling businesses.

The rapper, a vocal supporter of Mr Trump, reportedly employs 160 staff and and has revenues of around $1.5bn annually.
A mother who fell four floors and broke her pelvis during the Surfside condo collapse in Miami managed to pull herself and her daughter to safety despite the injury.

CBS 4 Miami reported that Angela Gonzalez and her 16-year-old daughter, Devon, were inside the building when it collapsed. The duo fell from the ninth floor to the fifth floor as the building crumbled, leaving Ms Gonzalez with a broken pelvis.

Despite her injury, Ms Gonzalez summoned the will to pull herself and her daughter out of the rubble.

After the feat, both she and her daughter were taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Edgar Gonzalez, Ms Gonzalez's husband and Devon's father, is among the nearly 160 individuals still unaccounted for.

So far, at least four people have been confirmed dead following the building collapse.

The 12-storey condo collapsed around 1:30am on Thursday. The reason for the collapse is not yet known, and may not be known for weeks or months, pending an investigation.

A resident in the building who escaped the collapse told the Associated Press that he heard a crack that sounded like lightning. The resident then opened his door to see his hallway filled with rubble.

The resident was eventually rescued by firefighters using a cherrypicker.

Rescue workers have been tearing through the unstable rubble to find survivors since the collapse.

On Thursday, rescue crews brought heavy equipment and dogs to the site to assist as they race against time to find those still buried.

Rescue workers have reported hearing sounds from the rubble, though there is no guarantee that their origins are human. Twisting metal and sliding rubble are likely to be causing at least some of the noise.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden authorised FEMA to assist in the disaster response effort, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency.

The TV doesnt do it justice, Mr DeSantis said. It is really, really traumatic to see the collapse of a massive structure like that.

Senator Marco Rubio said his office was arranging emergency visas for individuals from more than a dozen countries who had family members in the condo.

Many are starting to or have already arrived in South Florida, the senator said in a tweet.
Since the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v Wade decision, which gives women nationwide the right to access abortion procedures, anti-abortion advocates have worked to chip away at the monumental court ruling.

Republican lawmakers across states have moved at a rapid pace in 2021 to introduce and pass some of the most restrictive abortion laws, all an effort to limit access.

These lawmakers introduced bills that would enforce 561 abortion restrictions, including 165 abortion bans across 47 states, as of 7 June, according to the Guttmacher Institute  an abortion-rights research organisation. More than 80 of these restrictions have been enacted in 16 states, including 10 bans.

This makes 2021 the most hostile year for abortion rights since Roe v Wade was ruled on. Previously, 2011 was regarded as the most hostile with 70 restrictions being enacted, including seven bans, the Guttmacher Institute reports.

Pushing forward anti-abortion legislation in state legislatures has worked to challenge Roe v Wade, as the Supreme Court announced in May that it would take up Mississippis ban that prevents most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority after President Donald Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices during his term.

Abortion is arguably one of the most divisive issues in the United States, and yet a majority of Americans support access to the reproductive health service. According to a Pew Research survey, 59 per cent of the public supports abortion access while 39 per cent say it should be illegal in all or most cases.

Additionally, 58 per cent of Americans are against overturning Roe v Wade while 32 per cent are in favour, a Gallup poll finds.

Yet 58 per cent of women of reproductive age (nearly 40 million) lived in a state that was considered hostile towards the procedure in 2019. And this hostility has only continued into 2021 with state legislatures attempting to pass some of the most restrictive laws to date to make it harder for women to access abortions.

Arkansas

For years, Arkansas state legislature has made attempts to limit residents ability to access abortions services by passing laws and restrictive measures.

Only two abortion clinics are available to the three million Arkansas residents: Little Rock Family Planning Services and Planned Parenthoods Little Rock Health Center.

While residents can currently access the procedure up to 22 weeks after a patients last menstrual cycle, Governor Asa Hutchinson recently signed into law a near-total ban on abortions that will take effect on 28 July. This despite him expressing concern at the unconstitutional nature of the law and it making no exceptions in cases of rape and incest.

I have not reviewed the lawsuit, but I expect the constitutional challenge to be decided ultimately by the US Supreme Court, Mr Hutchinson said in a statement. I signed this bill into law expressing my view that it would have been preferred to have included exceptions for rape and incest in the law.

Arkansas also has a trigger law in place that would ban abortions if a constitutional amendment or court ruling were to leave the decision up to the states.

This is just one more attack that weve endured over many, many years of continued incremental increases in restrictions on abortion from the legislature, said Lori Williams, the director of Little Rock Family Planning.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit against the state asking for a federal judge to strike down the abortion ban before it takes effect.

Roe v Wade remains the law of the land. States cannot do what Arkansas is attempting to do under nearly 50 years of Supreme Court precedent thats been consistently reaffirmed, said ACLU staff attorney Meagan Burrows. So we hope and we expect that the district court will abide by and follow that precedent and block the law from taking effect well before 28 July.

Until then, abortion providers are making it clear the procedure is still accessible and available in Arkansas, but, like other conservative states, restrictions have been put in place, including a 72-hour waiting period.

This 72-hour waiting period requires for a patient to first visit an abortion clinic for an ultrasound then wait at least three days before they can then return to the clinic for the actual procedure.

This is a real barrier for patients having to travel twice, take off work twice on childcare, and organise transportation twice to get them here, Ms Williams said. All of those things just double the burden on patients that are already trying to obtain the care.

Dr Janet Cathey, a physician at Planned Parenthoods Little Rock Health Center, has served patients who travel three hours just to access the clinic. People will also travel across state lines from places like Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana to access an abortion clinic.

If I could pick one common denominator, Dr Cathey said, it is women with a child under one year old. They couldnt get in for postpartum visits to get birth control. They had appointments for tubals (a surgical procedure to prevent pregnancy) that got cancelled. They couldnt get in for their IUD to be changed.

It almost brings me to tears because I think its a very, very unselfish decision, Dr Cathey added.

Its not that they dont want this child. Its that they can barely support the one child, two children, three children they already have, and they cannot bring another child into this world that they cant provide for.

Arkansas has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, according to the CDC. The state also had the third highest maternal mortality rate with approximately 35 deaths per 100,000 live births, which was higher than the national average of approximately 20 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2019.

We have a shortage of providers in rural areas. We have a shortage of financial resources in our health department. We have a shortage of financial resources and legislative restrictions on sex education in schools, Dr Cathey said.

All of these factors compound together and impact a womans access to healthcare, which can alter her decision when choosing if she should carry a pregnancy to term.

Everyone has different needs, health status, jobs, and childcare access; all of these are just multitude of factors that influence a womans decision. It cant be summed up as, Oh, this patient is just not good at their birth control, Ms Williams said.

Kansas

The number of abortions performed in Kansas increased in 2020 by 9.1 per cent, largely because women and girls travelled from states like Texas and Oklahoma in order to access the procedure.

Because so many anti-abortion restrictions have already been passed in the surrounding states, we are already seeing a lot of patients come from out of state, said Dr Iman Alsaden, who serves as an abortion provider for Planned Parenthood in several states including Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has fought against signing similar abortion bans into law in the state compared to neighbouring states, instead calling the procedure an essential need.

But there is one measure on the states ballot in 2022 that would give voters the option to add an amendment to the states constitution that would ban the procedure if Roe v Wade was overturned.

If Roe V Wade was overturned, abortion will become illegal in Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma  which makes Kansas all the more important for just maintaining peoples access to essential healthcare, Dr Alsaden said.

While the doctor has provided care for patients outside of Kansas, she emphasised that there were likely others who dont have the resources to travel far to an abortion clinic.

These are the people that have the money, the childcare, the ability to take off from their jobs, and the transportation to get to Kansas, Dr Alsaden said. But there are so many more people who just dont have the resources to do that, and these types of laws affect those people the most.

The new ballot initiative that anti-abortion advocates are attempting to pass in 2022 comes after the Kansas Supreme Court declared abortion a fundamental right in 2019.

Louisiana

The state legislature in Louisiana made headlines after it passed a bill this year that would require doctors to tell a patient who chooses a medication abortion that they can change their minds after taking the first of the required two pills  this despite minimal scientific data backing up those claims.

Under the bill, if signed by Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards, doctors would be required to provide patients with information that claims the medication is not always effective in ending a pregnancy and they should consult with a medical provider if they regret their decision in between the first and second pill.

Nearly all of the laws that [the state legislature] pass are medically unnecessary, said Ellie Schilling, New Orleans-based reproductive rights attorney and Lift Louisiana co-founder, a womens health advocacy group.

Some of the laws, like this abortion pill reversal, are also dangerous, she added.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has stated that claims of abortion reversal are not based on science and do not meet clinical standards.

Yet, politicians are pushing legislation to require physicians to recite a script that a medication abortion can be reversed with doses of progesterone, and to steer women to this care. Unfounded legislative mandates represent dangerous political interference and compromise patient care and safety, ACOGs website states.

The bill was just one law among many pushed by anti-abortion lawmakers in Louisiana in an effort to prevent people from accessing the medical procedure.

Louisiana has a 24-hour wait period that requires for someone to visit an abortion clinic twice to receive the procedure: once for an ultrasound with the physician and then a second visit at least 24 hours later for the actual abortion.

Most of the women we deal with here at Hope [Medical Group for Women] are already at the federal poverty level, said Kathaleen Pittman, the clinical director of the Louisiana abortion clinic. So these are people who already did not have access to funds for the abortion and now have to pay for childcare, take time off work. Its a double whammy for them.

It is not uncommon on the day of a procedure to look at a patients chart and see numerous appointments rescheduled  where they had to reschedule because childcare failed, their transportation failed, they were still short on money, she added.

The clinic is one of three available for Louisiana residents to use when seeking an abortion.

But, similar to its surrounding states, Louisiana has in place a trigger law that could allow the state to almost immediately ban abortions if Roe v Wade was overturned or amended  making the Mississippi case one to watch for residents.

The last assessment that I heard is if Roe is overturned, then essentially patients in Louisiana and similar states would have the closest place they would be able to access legal abortions being either Illinois or New Mexcio, Ms Schilling said.

Were talking about thousands of miles of travel, she added. Some people will be able to do that  but thats going to be an insurmountable barrier for many, many people  both in terms of the cost and the time away from your life, your work, your children  from everything.

Anti-abortion advocates argue these laws would save lives given it would prevent a majority of girls and women in these states from accessing the procedure.

But at what cost? Ms Pittman asked. We are looking at families, not just the women, but families who are going to be stuck in poverty, stuck in abusive situations.

Louisiana has the second highest maternal mortality rate and foetal mortality rate in the United States, according to the CDC  two statistics abortion rights advocates credit to the lack of accessible healthcare and reduction of policies like medicaid and sex education.

[Lawmakers] spend a lot of time trying to make it very difficult for women to obtain an abortion but not very much time thinking about how to support women through the healthcare system, Ms Schilling said.

The same people who come to our legislature to testify in favour of abortion restrictions also come to testify against mandatory sex education in Louisiana public schools  They wont raise the minimum wage. They never vote in favour of equal pay.

Texas

Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed into law the states first-of-its-kind abortion legislation in May that would ban the procedure as early as six weeks while also giving private citizens the ability to sue abortion providers.

The law will take effect in September, but abortion rights advocates have vowed to challenge the legislation in court given it would largely ban the ability to access the procedure, which goes against Roe v Wade.

Ninety per cent of abortions happen after six weeks. Most people dont even know theyre pregnant at six weeks, said Amy Hagstrom Miller, the founder and CEO of Whole Womans Health, which operates nine abortion clinics in Texas, Indiana, Virginia, Maryland, and Minnesota

This is just a way to figure out how to ban abortion without overturning Roe, she added. [Greg Abbott and Texas lawmakers] are blatantly stating, We are interested in banning abortions by any means necessary. Its not subtle.

Under the new bill, abortion providers would be unable to perform the service once a foetal heartbeat is detected. There is only an exception to the ban under medical emergencies, meaning women who get pregnant by rape or incest would not be allowed to seek the procedure.

What do I tell the 13-year-old who I saw who was being raped by her grandfather, and she doesnt have any options because of the state she lives in? said Dr Bhavik Kumar, Planned Parenthoods Gulf Coast medical director and an abortion provider in Texas, when recalling a recent patient.

Her story is just one of hundreds Dr Kumar thinks about as Texas lawmakers attempt to further restrict abortion access in the state; a state where about 5.2 million women are of reproductive age, according to an analysis of data from the US Census Bureau.

There are all different kinds of folks who access abortions, Dr Kumar said. Folks as young as 13, folks in their fifties, black women, white women, Christian women, transgender men  the list goes on.

We dont know what its like to be in their shoes and they should have a right to choose, he added. I keep thinking about what it means to be American, what it means to have freedom, what it means to have control over your own body. Thats been taken away from people.

Ms Hagstrom Miller described the exclusion of rape and incest cases in Texas abortion bill as cruel and extreme in a state that has long been hostile towards abortion services.

But she cautioned against abortion rights advocates focusing on the extreme cases as to why someone should have access to the procedure.

Rape and incest is oftentimes what people like to talk about as an extreme because it allows us to see the pregnant person as a victim, she said, but I think anybody who decides that they cannot for whatever reason bring life into the world through their body because they dont feel ready emotionally, they dont feel ready financially, they dont think they will have the kind of support they need to be the kind of parent theyd like to be  all of those reasons are completely valid for someone to say, Im not ready to have a child.

Additionally, the law, if it goes into effect, would give private citizens the opportunity to sue abortion providers or anyone who assists with the procedure.

You cannot sue the person who had an abortion, Dr Kumar said, but, whether its a physician providing the care or the nurse thats involved or anybody else, it allows for people to bring a lawsuit forward. So it essentially encourages abortion vigilantes.

The passage of the heartbeat bill was not the first time the state legislature has incorporated laws that would limit abortion access. In July 2013, HB2 was signed into law and set forth provisions that would close a majority of abortion clinics in Texas.

Whole Womans Health had a clinic in McAllen, Texas, that was shut down for almost one year because of the law  meaning there was no accessible abortion clinic available to women south of San Antonio.

One mother called Ms Hagstrom Miller during this time begging for any available option.

She said, Can you just tell me what I can use to perform my abortion. Tell me out of all these things I have under my sink what I can do to cause my own abortion. Thats how desperate she was, Ms Hagstrom Miller said. This is in a country where abortion is legal. These are the kinds of situations that people are put into.

Abortion is still legal in Texas, courtesy of Roe v Wade  which requires for the procedure to be available nationwide up to the point where the foetus can survive outside the womb, about 28 weeks.

But Texas has joined 11 other states in passing trigger laws that would ban abortion services outright if a court ruling or constitutional amendment gave states the ability to limit the procedure  potentially making the fate of Roe v Wade in the Supreme Court more detrimental for residents.

Two different Americas have formed, Ms Hagerstrom Miller said, due to some states hostility towards abortion services.

We can talk about will Roe fall, will Roe not fall, which people have been talking about my whole career, Ms Hagerstrom Miller said. What we really need to talk about is if this is a society that values womens autonomy and equality? Or are we treating women as second-class citizens?

These kinds of laws have nothing to do with womens health and safety. In fact, restricting abortion is directly correlated with increasing maternal mortality and poor pregnancy outcomes  What are we saying about the ability for over half of our population to plan their futures and have control of their bodies? To me, thats really whats on the block here.
Joe Biden is facing criticism for suggesting that Latinx people are not getting vaccinated because of a fear of deportation.

The president, who was touring North Carolina on Thursday, said it was hard to get Latinx vaccinated because they feared deportation.

Theyre worried that they will be vaccinated and deported, said Mr Biden of the Latino American community, as he addressed the issue of a slowing vaccination rate for the whole of the US.

It followed Mr Biden saying there were a number of reasons why members of the Black and Latino communities were not getting vaccinated for Covid, initially.

The reason why its been harder to get African Americans, initially, to get vaccinated is because they are used to being experimented on, said Mr Biden, referring to historical experiments carried-out by federal officials on people of colour.

It includes the Tuskegee Airmen of WWII, who were injected with syphilis, and others, Mr Biden said.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), both Black and Latino Americans have received vaccines at rates lower than white Americans.

On 21 June, white Americans accounted for two-thirds of all US vaccinations, while Black Americans accounted for 9 per cent, and Latino Americans, 15 per cent.

As reported by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) on Thursday, rates of vaccinations for Latino Americans are increasing across all states, after a slow start initially. Black Americans are also receiving vaccinations at larger rates than before.

Republicans, including firebrand congresswoman Lauren Boebert, were among many on the right who accused Mr Biden of racism for referring to Latino deportations.

Apparently the only reason Latinos dont want to get vaccinated is because they fear getting deported, tweeted Ms Boebert on Friday. So according to Joe all Latinos are illegals?

Jenny Garcia Sharon, a Republican candidate in Texas, added: Since when are all Latinos/Latinas illegal that if they get vaccinated theyll be deported?

Many also attacked Mr Biden for referring to Latinx, an alternative to to the binary Latino or Latina, for being woke.

Latinx is not widely used by members of the Latino American community, and largely among those aged between 19 and 2019, according to figures from the Pew Research Centre.

Both Black and Latino Americans, who were more likely to be infected or hospitalised from Covid last year, also face issues of access to vaccination locations, and to doses.
Tucker Carlson has labelled a top US army general stupid and a pig for defending learning about critical race theory at a congressional hearing.

The Fox News host was commenting on Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who told the House Armed Services Committee that he wanted to understand the white rage that led to the insurrection at the US Capitol on 6 January.

I want to understand white rage, and Im white, and I want to understand it. What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the constitution of the United States of America, what caused that? I want to find that out, he told the committee on Thursday.

Mr Carlson hit back at the decorated military leader.

Hard to believe that man wears a uniform, Mr Carlson said of Mr Miley, who holds degrees from Princeton, Columbia and the Naval War College.

Hes that unimpressive, continued Mr Carlson, who has no military experience whatsoever. Notice how he never defined white rage, and we should know what it is, what is white rage?

White rage is a believed to be a response to African Americans political advancement, according to Carol Anderson, an African-American Studies professor at Emory University, who in January, gave an interview to Vox about the concept, the same name of her 2016 book. She defined it as, the operational function of white supremacy. It is the fear of a multicultural democracy. It is predicated on a sense that only whites are legitimate Americans.

She cited the Republican attempts to tighten voting laws, that disproportionally affect Black people and other ethnic minorities as an example of a white supremacist tactic.

Mr Carlson compared it to other race related theories, Well, like drapetomania, its one of those diseases that only affects people with certain melanin levels, its a race-specific illness.

Gen Milley told the hearing, Ive read Mao Tse-tung. Ive read Karl Marx. Ive read Lenin. That doesnt make me a communist.

He went to ask, So what is wrong with understanding? Having some situational understanding about the country for which we are here to defend? He continued, I personally find it offensive that we are accusing the United States military, our general officers, our non-commissioned officers of being quote woke because we are studying some theories that are out there.

This impassioned defence from Gen Milley came after Rep.Matt Gaetz asked him about unverified claims he was pushing anti-racism reading lists onto members of the army.

In response to Gen Milleys reading list, Mr Carlson asked why he just doesnt read white supremacists to understand white supremacy before concluding that the military general would be fired instantly if he read those books.
European Union leaders have denounced Hungarys prime minister over new legislation in his country that will ban showing content about LGBT issues to children.

The majority of leaders insisted discrimination would not be tolerated in the 27-nation bloc and told Viktor Orban the new Hungarian law goes against the EUs fundamental values.

"Being homosexual is not a choice; being homophobic is," Belgiums prime minister, Alexander De Croo, told Mr Orban during the meeting, an EU diplomat told the Associated Press.

The Netherlands prime minister, Mark Rutte, launched a virulent attack, suggesting Mr Orban should activate the same clause in the bloc's treaty that Britain used to leave if he is not happy with the EU's principles, another diplomat said.

Hungarys justice minister, Judit Varga, said on Twitter that Hungary has no intention of leaving the EU. "On the contrary, we want to save it from hypocrites, she said.

Hosting the summit in Brussels, European Council president Charles Michel recalled that values such as freedom, tolerance and human dignity are at the heart of the EU, another diplomat said. They added that the discussion was "an in-depth and at times even emotional debate".

The law was signed on Wednesday by Hungarys president, Janos Ader, after Hungary's parliament passed the bill last week.

It prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films or advertisements. The government says it will protect children, but critics say it links homosexuality with paedophilia.

Speaking upon arrival at the meeting in Brussels, Mr Orban ruled out withdrawing the law, insisting it does not target homosexuals.

"It's not about homosexuality, it's about the kids and the parents, he said. "I am defending the rights of homosexual guys but this law is not about them."

The issue has turned a harsh spotlight on the EU's inability to rein in the "illiberal democracies" among its ranks like Hungary and Poland, whose deeply conservative, nationalist and anti-migrant governments have flouted the bloc's democratic standards and values for years.

Luxembourgs prime minister, Xavier Bettel, who is openly gay, said the Hungarian law further stigmatises homosexuals and should be fought.

"The most difficult thing for me was to accept myself when I realised that I was in love with this person of my sex, he said. "It was hard to say to my parents, hard to say to my family ... we have a lot of young people who do suicide because they do not accept themselves, how they are."

In coordinated messages on Twitter, several EU leaders wrote that "hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union. That's why, today and every day, we stand for diversity and LGBTI equality so that our future generations can grow up in a Europe of equality and respect".

Many attached a letter to their tweets addressed to the European Council president, Charles Michel, who hosted their summit, as well as the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and UN secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, who also took part in the meeting.

The letter, signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, among others, said: "Respect and tolerance are at the core of the European project.

"We are committed to carry on with this effort, making sure that future European generations grow up in an atmosphere of equality and respect.
Malta, Madeira and the Balearic Islands have been added to the quarantine-free green list, giving UK holidaymakers a much-needed boost this summer.

The changes will come into effect from 4am on 30 June, and mean holidaymakers returning from those nations need not quarantine, but must instead take just one post-arrival PCR test.

However, all territories but Malta are on the green watchlist, which mean they are at risk of turning amber.

Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced the changes in a tweet.

Javier Pinanes, director of the Spanish Tourist Office, said: We are delighted that the Balearic Islands has been added to the UKs green list for travel meaning that British travellers will be able to visit the archipelago (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera) without the requirement of quarantine on their return to the UK.

This development illustrates the excellent progress that has been made in the archipelago regarding Covid-19 and is a step forward for both the Spanish and British travel industries. We hope that the rest of Spain will be added to the list very soon so that British residents can once again enjoy their holidays in Spain and/or be reunited with relatives.

This is not Portuguese-owned Madeiras first time on the green list. In the first green list announcement at the start of May, Portugal and its territories of Madeira and the Azores were added to the green list, and thousands of UK holidaymakers flew there.

However, Portugal and its islands were moved to the amber list on 3 June in a highly disappointing update, in which the government expressed concern over the rising number of Delta variant cases.

Most of mainland Europe, including holiday favourites Spain, France and Italy, remain on the amber list. Arrivals from amber countries must self-isolate for 10 days and take two PCR tests.

The latest traffic light update also shuffled countries including Uganda, Tunisia and Haiti onto the red list.

In addition, Israel has been downgraded slightly from green to the green watchlist.
Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community!

Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region.
Indiana, PA (15701)

Today

Cloudy skies with a few showers this afternoon. Thunder possible. High 76F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening followed by increasing clouds with showers developing after midnight. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.


remaining of

Thank you for Reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Setting another milestone for Make In India, the first indigenously built Aircraft Carrier - INS Vikrant - will be commissioned next year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.

Singh who was visiting the Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kerala on Friday to review the progress of the construction of the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier(IAC) there, described it as "India's pride and a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat".

BCCL

The Carrier also known as the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier 1 or IAC-1 will be christened INS Vikrant on commissioning.

Sea trials from July

The sea trials of the aircraft carrier will start in July.

"Commissioning of the IAC next year will be a befitting tribute to 75 years of India's independence. The combat capability, reach and versatility of the aircraft carrier will add formidable capabilities in the defence of our country and help secure India's interests in the maritime domain," he said.

BCCL

Built at a cost of over Rs 24,000-crore, the aircraft was originally supposed to be commissioned in 2018, but was hit by several delays.

The successful completion of the 40,000 tonne aircraft carrier puts India in the elite group of four nations - the US, Russia, the UK and France - in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers.

BCCL

The basic design of the indigenous aircraft carrier was done by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design, which was developed into a detailed design by the design team of CSL.

The ship has a length of over 260 metres and breadth of 60 metres. It has two take-off runways and a landing strip with three arrester wires, capable of operating STOBAR aircraft including the indigenous LCA, as well as a range of helicopters with hangar facilities.

BCCL

It is named after INS Vikrant (R11), the first aircraft carrier of the Indian Navy which was commissioned in 1961.

BCCL/ File

The original INS Vikrant was decommissioned in 1997 and was preserved as a museum until 2012. In 2014, INS Vikrant was sold as scrap.
AP

Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in India in both the first wave and the second wave is gearing up for the third wave, which could happen in a matter of weeks. According to Dr Sumit Aggarwal, Scientist and Program officer, Division of Epidemiology and Communicable disease, ICMR it is too early to say if Delta Plus will cause the third wave in India. "There is no concern now for the third wave and its too early to predict the third wave, the third wave depends on many other factors," Dr Aggarwal told ANI. Read more



Fully Vaccinated, With Negative Covid Report, Are Welcome, As Goa Set To Open For Tourists

BCCL

According to Goa Minister Michael Lobo, the state will make it mandatory for tourists to be fully vaccinated with both doses and a COVID negative RT-PCR report. "We have to wait till July and let the number of cases go down to zero. We will reopen Goa for tourists with proper screening. Both doses of vaccines and a negative RT-PCR report will be made mandatory for tourists for the first three months after reopening of tourism in the state," he told ANI. Read more



Delimitation Of J&K Explained: What It Means For The Region And Why It Is Controversial

File

Delimitation is the redrawing of boundaries of an assembly or Lok Sabha constituency to reflect changes to the population of a region. The Delimitation Commission is an independent body and the executive and political parties cannot interfere in its functioning. The Commission is headed by a retired Supreme Court judge and includes the Chief Election Commissioner or Election Commissioner and state election commissioners. Read more



Lakshadweep Filmmaker Aisha Sultana Gets Anticipatory Bail For Bio Weapon Remark

Aisha Sultana/ Facebook

The Kerala High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to filmmaker Aisha Sultana in the sedition case registered against her. The case was registered by the Kavaratti police under section 124-A (sedition) and 153 B (hate speech) of IPC on the complaint by a BJP leader from the island. Sultana, while taking part in a television debate had referred to Praful Khoda Patel, the administrator of the Island as 'Centre's biological weapon against the people of Lakshadweep'. Read more



Israel Embassy Blast: 4 Students Arrested; What We Know So Far About The Case

BCCL

Four students from Jammu and Kashmir's Kargil district, suspected to be involved in terror activities, have been arrested by the Delhi police's special cell. They have been arrested in connection with the blast that took place outside the Israel Embassy-Delhi in January this year. They have been brought to Delhi on transit remand - Delhi Police sources were quoted as saying by news agency ANI. They are currently being interrogated in the national capital. Read more


On Tuesday, the Indian Central Government went ahead and declared Delta Plus variant B.1.617.2.1 -- closely related to the Delta variant that resulted in the catastrophe of the second wave -- as a VoC or variant of concern based on three characteristics, an increase in transmission rate, stronger binding capabilities with receptors of lung cells as well as a reduction in monoclonal antibody response.

Reuters

Also Read: Measles Vaccine 87.5% Effective For COVID-19 In Kids, Finds Indian Study

This new variant has already been spotted in several states of the nation including Maharashtra, Kerala and other states. The government has been urging citizens to get vaccinated as soon as they can to stay safe from the new variant.

However, with the emergence of this variant, people getting vaccinated and people who have already gotten vaccinated surely have concerns surrounding which vaccine would be the most effective against the Delta variant.

Covishield / Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine

A recent study conducted by Oxford University researchers (highlighted in a Reuters report) looked at the ability of antibodies in the blood of individuals who were vaccinated with two-shots of the vaccine to neutralise the highly contagious Delta and Kappa variants of the novel coronavirus.

For the AstraZeneca vaccine, the researchers found that the current generation of vaccines would be capable of providing protection against the new strains of the novel coronavirus.

Reuters

Also Read: Under 18 Vaccine: Covaxin Gets Approval For Children's Vaccine Trial In India



The researchers however highlighted that the concentration of neutralising antibodies was somewhat reduced and could cause breakthrough infections in some. Another analysis made by Public Health England (PHE) showed AstraZenecas vaccine was over 90 percent effective against hospitalisation from the Delta Variant.

Covaxin vaccine against Delta variant

In a recent press conference (as per a TOI report) the Indian Health Ministry stated that Bharat Biotechs Covaxin is effective against the Delta Variant.

Reuters

Rajesh Bhushan, Union Health Secretary said in a statement, Both the vaccines being administered in India, Covishield and Covaxin, are effective against Delta. But to what extent and what is the proportion of antibody titers produced by these vaccines will be shared soon.



Sputnik V vaccine against Delta variant

Russian vaccine, Sputnik V is also claimed to be effective against the Delta variant. This was revealed in a statement by the Gamaleya Institutes head, Alexander Gintsburg via a post on Twitter, Antibodies developed after vaccination with #SputnikV protect from all variants of COVID known today, starting from the UK variant to the so-called Delta variant, first detected in India.

"Antibodies developed after vaccination with #SputnikV protect from all variants of COVID known today, starting from the UK variant to the so-called Delta variant, first detected in India" - Head of the Gamaleya Center academician Alexander Gintsburg. pic.twitter.com/upaornSbEG  Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) June 22, 2021

This was based on a study conducted by the Russian Direct Investment Fund, which was cited on June 15, claiming it was more efficient than any other vaccine that has published results on the strain so far.

Also Read: US To Start 12 To 15-Year-Old Kids Covid Vaccination This Week, What About India?



Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine against Delta variant

One vaccine many are waiting for in India is the Pfizer vaccine, due to its clearance of administration for teenagers and kids. Last weeks analysis by the Public Health England (highlighted by Reuters) revealed that Pfizer vaccine too offers a high protection of over 90 percent against hospitalisation from the Delta variant.

Reuters

Alon Rappaport, Pfizer's medical director in Israel, told local broadcaster Army Radio said in a statement, "The data we have today, accumulating from research we are conducting at the lab and including data from those places where the Indian variant, Delta, has replaced the British variant as the common variant, point to our vaccine being very effective, around 90%, in preventing the coronavirus disease, COVID-19."
The bond between a human being and a dog is unshakable, and there's is something indescribable and unique about it.

If anyone needed anymore proof of their undying loyalty, this should serve as one of the biggest examples. A loyal dog makes daily visit to Mexican coal mine to wait for his deceased owner to come home - three weeks after he was killed in collapse that killed six other miners.

15 Sabinas

According to a report in Daily Mail, Gonzalo Cruz, had adopted an abandoned dog he called Cuchufleto six months ago and together they would walk the half-mile to the coal mine where he worked.



Cruz's widow, Sandra Briseno said: "He would leave with my husband at 6:30am. He even went inside with my husband to the mine. He did not care that it was dark. There he was. Sometimes he would go out and wait for him outside."

15 Sabinas

The bond between them was so strong that the dog would sometimes return back home while Cruz was at work but would walk back to the mine if he noticed that his owner was running late.



It all changed on June 4. Tragically, Cruz lost his life along with six other miners, after a coal mine in a northern Mexico border state that flooded and later collapsed.

15 Sabinas

Cuchufleto reportedly sensed that Cruz had not arrived back from the mine and walked the half mile to check on his owner, where he was met by dozens of workers attempting to rescue the trapped miners, Briseno told television station 15 Sabinas.



The loyal dog stood outside the mine until the rescue workers pulled his owner's body out of the wreckage on June 6.

Since then, the heartbroken dog spends his days lying in front of the door steps waiting for Cruz to come back from his shift at the mine.
University of Southern Californias Jyo Deshmukh was among five staff members honored with a National Science Foundation CAREER Award. The Indian American is an assistant professor of computer science at the engineering school. (usc.edu photo)
Woodbridge, VA (22192)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 80F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low near 60F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
A man who used sledgehammers and mallets to further damage customers vehicles at the two auto body shops he owned in an effort to cheat insurance companies has pleaded guilty to dozens of charges, prosecutors said.

Adam Haddad, 44, pleaded guilty to 18 counts of insurance fraud, 15 counts of larceny by false pretenses, six counts of malicious destruction of property and three counts of attempted larceny, according to the state attorney generals office.

Haddad, who owned shops in Worcester and Everett, was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in jail, with six months to serve and the remainder suspended with probation. He was also ordered to pay $170,000 in restitution.

Authorities started investigating in 2017 after getting a a referral from the Insurance Fraud Bureau.

According to law enforcement, Haddad regularly enhanced damage and caused new damage to customers vehicles to falsely inflate appraisal repair quotes. He then kept insurance checks without completing the necessary repairs on the customers cars.

Haddad was implicated in part by surveillance video from one of his businesses that showed him using mallets, sledgehammers, and pieces of wood to intentionally dent five vehicles.

In a separate case, Hadded pleaded guilty in September to federal tax fraud charges.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud Abuse Molestation Massachusetts
The chief operating officer of a Philadelphia-based technology startup company orchestrated a long-running securities offering fraud while simultaneously embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the firm, according to federal prosecutors in New Jersey.

Joseph Geromini, 54, of Linwood, New Jersey, faces 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of securities fraud in an indictment that was unsealed Wednesday. He was due to make his initial court appearance via video conference later in the day, and it wasnt known if hes retained an attorney.

The tech startup specialized in the development of point-of-care diagnostic testing of various diseases, prosecutors said, and Geromini controlled its bank and debit card accounts. He also was responsible for soliciting investments in the company through debt and equity fundraising.

From July 2018 through October 2018, the company raised about $2.25 million of investor funds. Geromini misrepresented to investors that he would use the money to pursue the companys business plan, but he instead diverted significant portions of the funds to pay himself hundreds of thousands of dollars through unauthorized wire transfers and make ATM cash withdrawals and debit card transactions, prosecutors said.

Geromini frequently misrepresented to the company that the unauthorized wire transfers were intended to compensate him for his employment, prosecutors said. Geromini told the companys chief executive officer that he had twice secured contracts on behalf of the company with third parties and was, pursuant to his employment agreement, entitled to separate bonus payments.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a civil complaint against Geromini based on the allegations underlying the securities fraud charges, prosecutors said.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud InsurTech Tech
LONDON  Britains Court of Appeal confirmed on Thursday that riders for food delivery firm Deliveroo were self-employed, dismissing a union appeal against past judgments on their status.

Deliveroo said it was the fourth court judgment in Britain which had determined its riders were self-employed, after one by the Central Arbitration Committee and two at the High Court.

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) was refused permission in 2017 for collective bargaining rights for a group of Deliveroo riders on the basis that they were not workers under the terms of legislation on labor relations.

Read more: Uber Reclassifies 70,000 UK Drivers as Workers  Providing Minimum Wage, Benefits

Employment models across the gig economy have been challenged in courts around the world by unions and workers.

In February, Britains Supreme Curt ruled that a group of Uber drivers were entitled to worker rights such as the minimum wage.

In Thursdays unanimous 3-0 verdict, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Courts dismissal of a judicial review of that judgment.

It said the fact that Deliveroos riders did not have an obligation to provide services personally was a material factor.

A Deliveroo spokesperson said the verdict was an important milestone.

UK courts have now tested and upheld the self-employed status of Deliveroo riders four times, the spokesperson said.

Deliveroos model offers the genuine flexibility that is only compatible with self-employment, providing riders with the work they tell us they value.

The risk of legal challenges to its employment model was one reason that some major investors shunned Deliveroos London listing in March.

The shares, which were sold for 390 pence in the IPO, rose as much as 9% on Thursday to a high of 274 pence, the highest level since April.

Britains opposition Labour Party said the decision was devastating for Deliveroo drivers, and the government should outlaw the companys exploitative employment practices.

(Reporting by Paul Sandle; editing by Kate Holton and Alexander Smith)
These international People Moves detail new hires at two Lloyds insurers (Ascot and MS Amlin) and broker Howden.

A summary of these appointments follows here.

Insurer Ascot Group announced the expansion of its U.S. facultative reinsurance capabilities with the appointment of Anthony Kashuba, executive vice president, and Steve Robinson, senior vice president.

Kashuba will help oversee Ascots overall North America Casualty FAC product suite and facilitate new and expanded solutions across the casualty product spectrum. Based in Ascot Groups Stamford, Conn. office, Kashuba joins Ascot from Arch Reinsurance where he was managing director, responsible for its casualty facultative operations in North America. Throughout a 30-year career, Kashuba has held a number of senior underwriting and broking roles within the casualty sphere, including stints at Allied World, Swiss Re and Willis Re.

Robinson joins to initiate and increase Ascots presence in the professional lines segment of the FAC market. He joins from TransRe where he wrote a range of management and professional lines. Prior to this, he was at Chubb, writing public company management liability.

Kashuba and Robinson will also assume responsibility for the Casualty FAC solutions currently provided out of Dallas, Texas, by Scott Beall and Lex Smart, both of whom will retire at the end of 2021. The enhanced casualty FAC team will complement Ascots long-standing property FAC capabilities that have been provided in the U.S. since 2009 and are led by Libby Ismail, senior vice president.

Both men will report to Rory Cline, who in a new role, is promoted to president of Ascots U.S. reinsurance solutions, and in turn reports to Jonathan Zaffino, group president.

Ascots North America FAC solutions are provided from Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Stamford, utilizing the capacity of Ascots Syndicate 1414 at Lloyds.

This new grouping of our FAC solutions will enable us to provide a broader range of products, better service, operational efficiencies and solution expansion. Anthony and Steve are talented underwriters, and their appointments give us the opportunity to expand into new casualty FAC areas such as auto and professional lines, commented Cline.

***

MS Amlin Underwriting Ltd., (MS AUL), the Lloyds specialty re/insurer, announced the appointment of Richard Little as senior underwriter for Marine Energy Liability. Little will take up the role later this year and report directly to Kevin Massey, Marine Liability Product group leader.

With nearly 20 years of industry experience, Little joins from Marsh where he most recently held the role of head of Energy Liability Team. During his 12-year tenure at Marsh he held various roles within the energy practice while constantly serving as a senior offshore property broker. He was also a member of the Marsh Technical Advisory Group, which debates and develops new market initiatives, wordings, and clauses. He began his career at JLT Agnew Higgins.

***

Howden, the London-based insurance broker, announced has appointed Holger Schaefer as chief executive officer, Germany, to lead its companies in the country. Germany is an important market for Howden, where it owns a group of specialist businesses, which combined make it the countrys sixth largest insurance broker.

Schaefer joins Howden on Sept. 1 after more than 30 years working for the Allianz Group. Schaefer latterly held international roles as regional CEO for Asia Pacific for Euler Hermes since 2016 and previously CEO of Allianzs Corporate and Specialty business in Australia and New Zealand. Prior to that, he was part of Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Germany, for 20 years, where he held senior positions in underwriting and sales, managing multinational clients.

His new role will mean a return to his home country to lead Howdens growth ambitions for the German market. Schaefer will also focus on strategic acquisitions of other culturally aligned companies, and investing in talent and digital transformation.

The appointment of Schaefer as CEO, Germany, follows the recent announcements of Felix Jenny as CEO, Switzerland, and Luigi Sturani and Enrico Nanni as CEO and CCO, Europe, respectively.

Jose Manuel Gonzalez, CEO, Howden Broking, commented: I am delighted to welcome Holger to the group, who will lead our continuing expansion in the German market, building on the success we have delivered there so far and taking it to the next level. Our ambition is to be one of the top three brokers in key markets across Europe through strategic acquisitions, organic growth and investment in talent.

Topics Mississippi Allianz
A Minnesota-based estate and probate debt recovery company that manages decedent debt recovery for creditors is facing a federal lawsuit for allegedly fired Christian employee after he refused to be fingerprinted due to his religious beliefs.

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit that AscensionPoint Recovery Services LLC (APRS) violated federal law when it fired the employee instead of accommodating his request not to be fingerprinted.

The EEOCs pre-suit investigation revealed that APRS had requested that its employees be fingerprinted due to a background check requirement of one of its clients. Shortly after the Christian employee informed APRS that having his fingerprints captured was contrary to his religious practices, APRS fired him at their St. Louis Park, Minn., office. APRS did so without asking the client whether an exemption was available as a religious accommodation, and despite the fact that alternatives to fingerprinting are available.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on religion and requires employers to reasonably accommodate an applicants or employees religious practice unless it would pose an undue hardship.

The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The case, EEOC v. AscensionPoint Recovery Services, LLC, Civil Action No. 0:21-cv-01428, was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota and was assigned to U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud.

The governments litigation effort will be led by EEOC Trial Attorneys Adrienne Kaufman and Kelly Bunch and supervised by EEOC Supervisory Trial Attorney Justin Mulaire.

Source: EEOC

Topics Lawsuits Minnesota
Jim Bakker and his southwestern Missouri church will pay restitution of $156,000 to settle a lawsuit that accuses the TV pastor of falsely claiming a health supplement could cure COVID-19.

Missouri court records show that a settlement agreement was filed on June 22. It calls for refunds to people who paid money or gave contributions to obtain a product known as Silver Solution in the early days of the pandemic.

The settlement also prohibits Bakker and Morningside Church Productions Inc. from advertising or selling Silver Solution to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat or cure any disease or illness. Bakker, in the agreement, does not admit wrongdoing.

Republican Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sued Bakker and Morningside in March 2020. Schmitt sought an injunction ordering Bakker to stop selling Silver Solution as a treatment for COVID-19 on his streaming TV program, The Jim Bakker Show. The lawsuit said Bakker and a guest made the cure claim during 11 episodes in February and March of 2020.

Schmitt said in a news release that Bakker has already made restitution to many consumers, and must pay back another $90,000 to others.

The hour-long Jim Bakker Show is filmed in southwestern Missouri. The consent agreement notes that during the program, Silver Solution was offered to those who agreed to contribute $80 to $125.

Bakkers attorneys  Derek Ankrom and former Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon  said in a joint statement that Bakker and Morningside Church Productions are pleased to put the matter behind them so they can continue the important work of Morningside Church. They noted that the agreement includes no findings whatsoever that our clients violated any laws or misled consumers.

Nixon had previously claimed that Bakker was being unfairly targeted by those who want to crush his ministry and force his Christian television program off the air, and that Bakker did not claim that Silver Solution was a cure for COVID-19.

The lawsuit cited a discussion on the program on Feb. 12, 2020, in which Bakker spoke with Sherrill Sellman, referring to her as a naturopathic doctor and a natural health expert.

This influenza that is now circling the globe, youre saying that Silver Solution would be effective? Bakker asks. Sellman, according to the lawsuit, replies: Well, lets say it hasnt been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it has been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours.

Yeah, Bakker says.

Totally eliminate it, kills it. Deactivates it, Sellman replies, according to the lawsuit.

Also in March 2020, U.S. regulators warned Bakkers company and six others to stop selling items using what the government called false claims that they could treat the coronavirus or keep people from catching it. Letters sent jointly by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission warned the companies that their products for treating COVID-19 were fraudulent, pose significant risks to patient health and violate federal law.

Silver Solution, a form of colloidal silver, consists of silver particles suspended in a liquid. The solution is often described by manufacturers as having the power to boost the immune system and cure diseases. But it has no known benefit in the body when ingested, according to officials with the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a federal scientific research agency.

Experts say ingesting colloidal silver can have serious side effects. The NCCIH says it can turn skin blue when silver builds up in the bodys tissue.

Nixon, who served two terms as governor from 2009 to 2017 and is now a partner at the Dowd Bennett law firm in St. Louis, said Bakker immediately complied with orders to stop offering Silver Solution on his show and ministry website after receiving the warning letters from the FDA and FTC.

Meanwhile, Arkansas attorney general filed a lawsuit similar to Missouris in June 2020. That case is still pending.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics COVID-19 Lawsuits Claims Missouri Church
A Muskegon insurance agent charged with fraud and embezzling his clients money has pleaded guilty, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) Director Anita Fox.

In February, Charles Booker Jr., 63, was charged with:

Three counts of embezzlement by an agent or trustee of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, a felony punishable by five years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine, or three times the amount embezzled, whichever is greater;

One count of insurance fraud, a four-year felony and/or a $50,000 fine; and

Using a computer to commit a crime, which is a felony punishable by seven years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine in this instance.

The attorney generals office alleged that between October 2014 and June 2016 Booker collected nearly $17,200 insurance premiums from 42 clients but failed to remit the premiums to Farmers Insurance. Instead, Booker converted the money to his own use.

He also allegedly applied money he collected in premiums from three clients to the policies of several other clients whose premiums he did not remit to the insurer.

Before Judge Maria Ladas Hoopes in Muskegon Countys 60th District Court, Booker pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor embezzlement by an agent of $200 or more but less than $1,000.

He also paid $13,764 in restitution prior to entering the guilty plea. Booker further signed a written acknowledgement that he engaged in insurance fraud and that he was not eligible to seek re-licensure as an insurance agent.

In addition to the restitution, the judge ordered Booker to pay $1,500 in fines and costs as his sentence.

Farmers Insurance honored the affected insurance policies.

Source: Michigan Attorney Generals Office

Topics Agencies Michigan
Launching one of the richest individuals on earth into orbit has proved a leap too far for insurers, who are not ready to price the risk of losing Jeff Bezos or his fellow space travelers.

Amazon CEO Bezos, a lifelong space enthusiast, has been vying with Elon Musk and Richard Branson to become the first billionaire to fly beyond the earths atmosphere.

And while insurers are well known for offering cover for even the most outlandish of risks, at a price, potential accidents in space are not yet among them. Being uninsured in space is nothing new. NASA and the U.S., in general, do not buy liability cover, with government launches basically insured by taxpayers, Richard Parker of Assure Space said. Space tourism involves significant risk, but is not an issue life insurers specifically ask about as yet because it is so rare for anyone to travel into space, Insurance Information Institute (III) spokesperson Michael Barry said.

There is a nearly $500 million market to insure satellites, rockets and unmanned space flight, but no legal requirement for an operator such as Blue Origin, which Bezos founded, to insure passengers for injury or death or for space tourists to have life cover, brokers and insurers said.

Were not aware of a case where anybody is insured against passenger liability, Neil Stevens, senior vice president, aviation and space at Marsh, the worlds biggest insurance broker, told Reuters.

Assuming they lift-off as planned next month, Bezos and the other wannabe astronauts on Blue Origins New Shepard spacecraft will not only spend several minutes 62 miles (100 km) above the earth in a truck-sized capsule, they also have to get back.

The only group that has regularly flown humans sub-orbitally since the 1960s is Bransons Virgin Galactic. All have been tests, with one failure in 2014 resulting in a death. Blue Origin has flown 15 unmanned sub-orbital flights with no failures, Seradata SpaceTrak data showed on June 10.

Bezos, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic did not respond to requests for comment from Reuters on their insurance plans and flight records.

Different Risk Profiles

Being uninsured in space is nothing new.

NASA and the U.S., in general, do not buy liability cover, with government launches basically insured by taxpayers, Richard Parker of Assure Space, a unit of insurer AmTrust Financial that provides space insurance, said. Insurers expect iron clad waivers and contracts from commercial space travel firms, stating they will bear no burden if a passenger dies during a flight. NASA astronauts are eligible for government life insurance programs, a NASA spokesperson said in an emailed response.

Charles Wetton, underwriting manager for space policies at insurer Global Aerospace, said astronauts on government-funded missions are carefully selected for their knowledge, skills and fitness and train for several years before blast off.

They and their families understand the risks of the work they do, Wetton said.

But commercial space cadets may only get a few days of training for a sub-orbital flight or a few months for a ride to the International Space Station (ISS), Wetton said, adding: These represent two very different risk profiles that insurers will take into account.

Blue Origin on its website says the spaceflight passenger will receive training the day before the launch, including mission and vehicle overviews, safety briefings, mission simulation and instruction on in-flight activities.

Virgin Galactic said participants will get three days of training and preparation before the launch.

Insurers expect iron clad waivers and contracts from commercial space travel firms, stating they will bear no burden if a passenger dies during a flight.

NASA has called for responses from the industry for its plans for a liability framework for privately-funded astronaut missions to the ISS. NASAs plans include requiring private astronauts to buy life insurance.

It is still early days, but cover for space tourists may be the next step, said Tim Rush, senior vice president, U.S. space, at insurance broker Gallagher, adding that the life insurance market currently provides individual cover of $2-5 million for private astronauts.

The only mandatory insurance in place for commercial space operators is third-party liability, mainly to cover property damage on earth or to a flying aircraft, said Akiko Hama, client executive, space and aerospace underwriting at Global Aerospace.

Blue Origin plans for its six-seater spacecraft to take off on July 20 and fly for four minutes beyond the boundary between the earths atmosphere and outer space, where passengers will experience total weightlessness.

Million Dollar Question

A key question for how the sector develops is whether risks related to tourism fall under space or aviation insurance lines, insurers and brokers told Reuters. According to Marshs Stevens, whether space tourism trips fall under aviation or space insurance is a million dollar question. The U.N. Outer Space Treaty and the Liability Convention of 1972 governs all activities in space and very few countries have a legal framework for commercial human spaceflight, they said.

The first-ever aviation insurance policy was written by Lloyds of London in 1911. A few years later the market insured Charles Lindbergh and his single-engine plane for $18,000 on its non-stop flight from the United States to Europe.

Space trips are different, said Marshs Stevens, because the passengers are returning to the same place as they left, making it technically a domestic trip to which international aviation insurance cannot be applied, meaning there will also be no limitation to liability.

The aviation, aircraft insurance market, and the like, are less keen to take on risks that involve spacecraft, he said, adding that whether space tourism trips fall under aviation or space insurance is a million dollar question.

While air travel is governed by rules that establish airline liability in the case of death of passengers, Stevens said he was unaware of plans for similar rules for space tourism.

However, Wetton said Global Aerospace had started to receive enquiries from companies for sub-orbital missions.

In 10 years time, maybe the two lines, aviation and spaceflight, will look very similar, said Assure Spaces Parker.

Some legislative somewhere will say, look, were now having average Joes flying on these launch vehicles and need to protect them, Parker added.

Top Photo: In this Thursday, May 9, 2019 file photo, Jeff Bezos speaks in front of a model of Blue Origins Blue Moon lunar lander in Washington. In 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said space is currently a $400 billion market, including satellites. Opening up spaceflight to paying customers, he said, could expand the market to $1 trillion. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Topics Carriers
Former state Sen. Wendy Davis and others who were traveling on a campaign bus for President Joe Biden in October 2020 when it was surrounded and followed by former President Donald Trumps supporters on a Texas highway have filed multiple lawsuits over the events that transpired that day. The suits target people who were allegedly following and harassing the bus, as well as local law enforcement for not helping after assistance was requested, according to those on the bus.

The lawsuit filed in federal court against at least seven members of the so-called Trump Train, who followed the bus, claims the group violated the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 and Texas law by organizing a politically-motivated conspiracy to disrupt the campaign and intimidate its supporters.

The Klan Act prevents groups from joining together to obstruct free and fair federal elections by intimidating and injuring voters, or denying them the ability to engage in political speech.

The second lawsuit was filed against law enforcement who turned a blind eye to the attack  despite pleas for help  and failed to provide the bus a police escort, according to Protect Democracy, the group of lawyers representing the plaintiffs. The second lawsuit was filed against Chase Stapp, the head of San Marcos director of public safety, and the San Marcos City Marshals Department.

The lawsuit against the Trump supporters claims the defendants violated that law when they followed the bus, yelling death threats and streaming their activities on social media and bragging about their aggressive driving.

The plaintiffs in both suits include Davis, David Gins, a then-campaign staffer who now serves as deputy director for operations for Vice President Kamala Harris, Eric Cervini, another campaign volunteer, and the bus driver, Timothy Holloway. The lawsuit also states that the plaintiffs continue to suffer psychological and emotional injury from the event. The bus driver, Holloway, has been unable to drive a bus following the experience.

Not knowing whether the police would show up to help us was terrifying, said Holloway in a press conference.

They are asking for compensatory, and punitive damages and for legal fees to be covered in both lawsuits.

What Defendants cannot do under the law is use force, intimidation, or threats against those with whom they disagree politically. Yet that is precisely what Defendants did by conspiring to use their vehicles as weapons to interfere with the constitutional rights of those who supported the Biden-Harris Campaign, the lawsuit reads. The Constitutions guarantee of free speech, association, and assembly is empty if those rights cannot be freely exercised. And where groups are permitted to terrorize those with whom they disagree into forgoing their constitutional rights, the functioning of our democracy demands accountability.

The individuals named in the lawsuit could not immediately be reached for comment. The city of San Marcos declined to comment due to pending litigation.

The confrontation, captured on video in late October, made national news in the days leading up to the 2020 presidential election. It featured at least one minor collision and led to Texas Democrats canceling three scheduled campaign events in Central Texas, citing safety concerns. The plaintiffs argue the forced cancellation due to these intimidation tactics also infringed on their First Amendment rights. The FBI continues to investigate the incident, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation.

A group of Trump supporters, who documented their progress on social media, had followed the group throughout the Texas campaign. On Oct. 30, a social media user using the hashtag #TrumpTrainTexas posted on Twitter, Trolling is FUN. The user called for other Trump supporters to escort the Biden [bus] coming through San Antonio.

Once they left San Antonio, dozens of trucks with Trump and American flags surrounded the bus, shouting and honking at it, and tried to slow it down. The campaign canceled an event in San Marcos and continued on to an event in Austin. But plaintiffs said they struggled to get police to respond as they continued north on Interstate 35.

Many of the defendants who are named in the filing were linked by their social media posts of the incident in which their license plate numbers are visible.

According to the filing, the defendants include Steve and Randi Ceh, who were apparent leaders of the Trump Train in New Braunfels, and their daughter, Hannah. The filing states that Hannah posted several videos that showed her license plate number.

Eliazar Cisneros, who appeared to participate in the Alamo City Trump Train, also posted videos with his license plate visible, the filing states.

The filing also said according to social media posts, Steve and Randi Ceh were also pictured at the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The provision of the Klan Act that the plaintiffs are citing in the lawsuit has laid dormant for years, but has seen a resurgence under the Trump administration, according to Project Democracy lawyer John Paredes, who is representing some of the plaintiffs. It was also recently cited in a federal lawsuit against Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection.

In an interview with the Tribune in January 2021 after the insurrection, Davis said she saw a direct link between the two events. She also she didnt think law enforcement had taken the situation on I-35 seriously enough. She said in San Antonio, police responded to a request for assistance, pushing the trucks with Trump flags back. But once they left San Antonio, the caravan once again surrounded the bus. Davis said they called 911 again in San Marcos but they could not get an officer to respond.

They just kept saying, Where are you now? Where are you now,' Davis said in January. We kept giving them landmark after landmark, mile marker after mile marker.  Never were we able to get anyone to come out. It was unbelievable.

Cervini, who traveling ahead of the bus and had arrived at the event location in San Marcos, said he tried to alert a member of the San Marcos City Marshals Department that the bus needed assistance, but the individual refused to send help.

A San Marcos spokesperson said in October that police received a call from the Biden campaign bus requesting a police escort but due to traffic werent able to catch up to the bus before it exited the city.

According to the filing, the San Marcos Police Department told the plaintiffs on the bus, they would not respond unless the Biden-Harris Campaign was reporting a crime, explaining: we cant help you.' the filing reads. Despite being told the bus was driving through San Marcos, and despite the fact that Plaintiffs had already tried calling 911, an officer from the San Marcos City Marshals Department made similar excuses, saying: we dont know if the bus is in our jurisdiction and call 911 if theres a problem.'

Lisa Prewitt, a former San Marcos council member who was running for a county commissioner seat at the time, also told the Tribune in the days after the skirmish she had flagged the event to local law enforcement 24 hours in advance and mentioned safety concerns. Prewitt said she had called Stapp, and alerted him the bus was 30 minutes away from the event location in San Marcos and was being followed by 50 or more vehicles with Trump flags.

I let [Stapp] know what was going on and [asked] if we were going to be receiving San Marcos [Police Department] backup, and I was reassured once again that would happen, she said in October. We never did see any law enforcement from the county nor the city show up to assist the Biden bus.

Stapp previously denied that Prewitt specifically requested a police escort or mentioned the Trump Train was causing issues, but did not respond to follow up questions at the time.

With the exception of the two phone calls to me from Ms. Prewitt, at no time did anyone from the campaign request assistance from the San Marcos Police Department in advance of the event so that the request could be evaluated and prepared for, Stapp said in a statement to the Tribune in 2020.

The incident garnered praise from Republican lawmakers at the time. Trump tweeted a video of the Trump supporters following the Biden bus saying, I LOVE TEXAS! and claimed inaccurately that the supporters were protecting the bus. Lawyers for the plaintiffs said on they hope filing this lawsuit will send a message that political intimidation is wrong.

Whether youre conspiring to harass a campaign bus on the highway or burning crosses in someones front yard, intimidation of any kind is illegal, and it has consequences, said Emma Hilbert, a lawyer at the Texas Civil Rights Project, which helped file the lawsuit.

Wendy Davis, others sue law enforcement and Trump supporters over Trump Train harassing Biden bus in Texas was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Topics Lawsuits Texas Law Enforcement
A provider of contractor services for heavy construction projects has agreed to resolve claims of alleged pay discrimination affecting 22 female employees at its Houston location, federal officials say.

The U.S. Department of Labor said Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals Inc. has agreed to pay $200,000 in back wages and interest and to set aside $50,000 in salary adjustments to female employees with engineering job titles.

The company will also take steps to ensure its personnel practices, including recordkeeping and internal auditing procedures, meet legal requirements, the DOL said.

A routine compliance evaluation by the departments Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals  which provides contractor services for engineering, construction and project management for heavy construction projects  allegedly discriminated against female employees beginning on or before April 1, 2013, by paying them less than comparable male employees in similar jobs.

Such actions violate Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. The company denies the allegations.

Source: U.S. DOL

Topics Claims
The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) is raising awareness of recent changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) that it says will raise flood insurance premiums for some Tennessee flood insurance consumers while for others, premiums will drop.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently unveiled a new way of calculating flood risk called Risk Rating 2.0 that the agency said will create flood insurance rates that are more actuarily sound, equitable, easier to understand and better reflect a propertys flood risk.

In Tennessee, there are 27,500 NFIP policies in place. Another 2.5 million properties are without NFIP coverage, leaving these homeowners to pay for repairs and rely on federal financial assistance in the event of a flood.

According to the state and FEMA, the changes from Risk Rating 2.0 in Tennessee will mean:

28% of Tennessee flood insurance policy holders (7,581 policies) will see immediate premium decreases;

59% (16,316 policies) will see premium increases of $0-$10/month on average (which is around the current national average);

8% (2,162 policies) will see premium increases of $10-20/month on average;

5% (1,448 policies) will see premium increases of $20 or more per month on average.

FEMA reports that the national average annual premium for a single-family home is now $920. The average annual premium would fall to $815.

While flood insurance cannot stop a flood, it can save homeowners from financial catastrophe, said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Bill Huddleston. On the heels of flooding that affected thousands of Middle Tennessee residents in March, I urge more Tennesseans across the Volunteer State to learn how flood insurance is an important tool in preparing for a flood and remaining resilient after a disaster.

The new rate schedule takes effect Oct. 1, 2021 for new policyholders but not until April 1, 2022 for renewal of existing policies.

Topics Flood
A bipartisan effort to legalize marijuana for medical use in North Carolina got a legislative committee hearing on Wednesday. But its unclear whether enough legislators are ready now to alter their views on pot to make it law.

With nearly three-quarters of states already allowing medical marijuana, senators who unveiled their framework told colleagues the measure takes health and safety seriously while offering palliative care for those with painful or life-threatening illnesses such as cancer.

Similar bills have failed to get traction over the past decade, unable to garner enough support. But views on marijuana have been changing quickly.

To some people, it is a contentious issue and to some people it is not, said Senate Rules Committee Chairman Bill Rabon of Brunswick County, a bill sponsor and cancer survivor. I think theres nothing less compassionate on this Earth than to watch a person you love suffer when theres something that can ameliorate at least that suffering  I think it is time to bring this forward.

The legislation would create a new regulatory system in which patients are declared in writing by a physician to have one of several debilitating medical conditions to obtain an ID card to purchase or possess marijuana and cannabis-infused products. The patients caregivers also could be registered.

The health conditions would include cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Crohns disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and multiple sclerosis, including for those suffering nausea related to hospice care. Doctors would declare in writing that the potential health benefits of cannabis use for a patient outweigh the risks. Recreational use of pot would remain illegal.

Qualifying patients could obtain medical cannabis products for smoking or other uses through 10 suppliers licensed by a new state commission. Each supplier would control production from seedlings to sale, with up to eight medical cannabis centers from which to sell to the public. Suppliers would have to pay 10% of gross revenues monthly to the state Department of Health and Human Services.

The measure contains safeguards, such as an online system for cannabis centers and police to check patient registrations. And suppliers would still be subject to cannabis prosecution if found to be driving while high or delivering cannabis to people who arent registered.

Thirty-six states currently permit cannabis products for medical use, while 18 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation regulate adult use of cannabis, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Come July 1 in Virginia, adult residents can legally possess up to 1 ounce of marijuana for use.

Committee speakers included military veterans who served in the Iraq War and suffer with PTSD. They say they know of colleagues who have committed suicide because of the mental anguish that was often treated with pharmaceuticals.

I do not seek to get `stoned. Its not what its about, said Josh Biddix, an ex-Marine who served in Iraq and former Asheville and Gastonia police officer. He is now a hemp farmer, which is lawful in North Carolina. But I do seek pain relief and stress relief from anxiety and (PTSD) without the plethora of medications. Cannabis, in my opinion, is a lot safer and a lot better alternative than alcohol.

The Rev. Mark Creech of the Christian Action League of North Carolina opposed the measure, saying that while he was moved by the other speakers, the states that offer medical marijuana correlated with locales with higher rates of marijuana addiction.

Marijuana is not medicine, and science has never been conclusive that it is proven safe or effective as other (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) approved medications have, Creech said. He added that he hoped senators will see through the haze about marijuanas effectiveness.

Several committee members praised Rabon for the measure. Some Democrats want marijuana use more decriminalized broadly.

At least two committee Republicans said they were skeptical about medical marijuana. The bill wasnt voted upon Wednesday and would have to clear four committees before reaching the Senate floor and heading to the House if approved. But the GOP lawmakers said they could be persuaded.

I do have a number of concerns, morally and otherwise, but Im trying my best to look at this with open eyes, and I might be convinced, said Sen. Chuck Edwards, a Henderson County Republican.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics North Carolina Cannabis Politics
A Tennessee doctor has pleaded guilty to causing the overdose death of a patient by illegally prescribing the painkiller hydrocodone, federal prosecutors said.

Thomas K. Ballard III faces 20 years in prison under a plea agreement, the U.S. attorneys office in Memphis said Wednesday. Sentencing is set for Sept. 21.

Ballard was one of 53 medical professionals in the U.S. who were indicted in April 2019 on federal charges related to the illegal prescribing of painkillers.

Ballard, 63, operated the Ballard Clinic in Jackson. Ballard prescribed addictive drugs without any legitimate medical purpose and engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with several female patients while he ignored red flags that they were abusing the medications he prescribed, the U.S. attorneys office said in a news release.

Ballard ignored one patients past problems with drugs and psychiatric issues when he prescribed medications for her, including the opioid hydrocodone, prosecutors said.

Ballard issued the patient a hydrocodone prescription in May 2015  before she fatally overdosed, prosecutors said.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Tennessee
The Supreme Court on June 23 sided with California agriculture businesses that objected to a state regulation giving unions access to farm property in order to organize workers.

As a result of the ruling, the businesses attorney said, California will have to modify or abandon the regulation put in place in 1975 after the efforts of labor leader Cesar Chavez.

The justices ruled 6-3 along ideological lines for the agriculture businesses. Its another potential setback for unions as a result of a high court decision.

The access regulation amounts to simple appropriation of private property, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the conservative members of the court. Roberts said the regulation grants labor organizations a right to invade the growers property.

At issue was a California regulation that allows unions access to farms and other agriculture businesses for up to three hours per day, 120 days per year, in order to organize workers. Businesses are supposed to be notified before organizers arrive, and organizers are supposed to come during nonwork times such as lunch and before and after work.

Two agriculture businesses had challenged the regulation saying it had the effect of taking their property without compensation in violation of the Constitution. The businesses also said the regulation was outdated and unnecessary given that unions can now reach workers many ways, including via smartphone and radio.

Writing for the majority, Roberts rejected the suggestion that the ruling would endanger a host of state and federal government activities involving entry onto private property.

But writing for the three-justice liberal minority, Justice Stephen Breyer said the majoritys conclusion threatens to make many ordinary forms of regulation unusually complex or impractical.

Breyer wrote that he would have concluded that Californias regulation did not take anything but instead regulates the employers right to exclude others.

Breyer noted the large numbers of ordinary regulations that permit the temporary entry onto a property owners land. That includes entry for inspections ranging from food product safety like meat and dairy facility inspections to the inspections of nursing homes, preschools and foster care facilities.

I suspect that the majority has substituted a new, complex legal scheme for a comparatively simpler old one, he wrote.

The ruling is the latest hit to unions by the court under Roberts. In 2018, the courts conservative majority overturned a 41-year-old pro-union decision that had allowed states to require that public employees pay some fees to unions that represent them, even if the workers choose not to join.

Still, its unclear how much will change as a result of the courts ruling.

The access regulation in particular is unique to California. And the state had said that union organizers use the regulation sparingly  only five times in the 2019-2020 budget year and 24 times in 2018-2019. Still, the United Farmworkers of America told the justices that the regulation is more necessary now than ever. The union said farmworkers are increasingly indigenous workers from Mexico and the only effective way to communicate with them is in person at their job sites.

In court documents filed before President Joe Biden took office, the Trump administration had urged the justices to side with the businesses. The Biden administration later changed the governments position.

The case the justices ruled in involved Fowler Packing Co. in Fresno, which ships grapes and citrus, and Cedar Point Nursery in Dorris, which grows strawberry plants for commercial growers.

Union organizers used Californias regulation to go on to Cedar Points property in 2015. That same year, union organizers complained Fowler Packing interfered with their ability to access company property for three days. That complaint was later withdrawn.

In a statement, Joshua Thompson of the Pacific Legal Foundation, who argued the case for the businesses at the high court, called the ruling a huge victory for property rights.

Todays decision affirms that one of the most fundamental aspects of property is the right to decide who can and cant access your property, he said.

The case is Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, 20-107.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics USA California
The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers has named Valerie Taylor a vice president, producer in the San Francisco Bay area office.

Taylor has 16 years of experience in the insurance industry, with niches in cannabis, real estate, and community associations. Most recently she was a producer and commercial account manager at McDermott Costa Insurance Brokers. She has also held positions at AmWINS Group Inc., Commercial Coverage Ins. Agency, and Colemont Insurance Brokers (now AmWINS).

The Liberty Company Insurance Brokers is a privately held brokerage firm in Woodland Hills, Calif., with offices throughout the country.

LP Insurance Services LLC has added Steve Schroeder to the Reno, Calif., commercial insurance team.

Schroeder is focusing on building and servicing relationships within the northern Nevada business community.

Schroeder was most recently the owner of Synergy Communications, an event management and marketing agency.

LP Insurance Services LLC is a Reno-based risk management and insurance brokerage firm specializing in property/casualty, surety, workers compensation, employee benefits, healthcare professionals, personal and risk management services.

Topics California Commercial Lines
Its been a year and a half since California Gov. Gavin Newsom directed oil regulators to consider new health and safety measures to protect people living near oil and gas drilling sites.

But those regulators missed another deadline on June 22 for releasing the rules, frustrating environmental advocates who say communities cant wait any longer for change. The California Geologic Energy Management Division, known as CalGEM, hasnt set a new timeline for the rules, which Newsom originally mandated be out last December. Regulators delayed but said they would come out in the spring.

California is the nations seventh-largest oil-producing state and has no statewide rules on how far oil and gas wells must be from where people live, work or go to school. While it has a reputation as a climate leader, other oil-producing states, including Pennsylvania and Colorado, already have such regulations. Even Texas bans wells within 467 feet of a property line.

Advocacy groups point to studies that show living near drilling sites can worsen a slew of health risks, including respiratory problems and birth defects.

It is clear CalGEM does not respect the urgency needed to prevent further damage and inequity in our communities, Cesar Aguirre, a community organizer with Central California Environmental Justice Network, said in a statement.

The group is one of dozens in the Last Chance Alliance that sent Newsom an open letter calling for him to immediately mandate a 2,500-foot buffer zone between wells and places like homes and schools and to issue a moratorium on all new drilling permits in those zones. Newsom has previously declined to impose such a mandate in favor of the agency rulemaking process.

Your leadership can deliver equitable and effective relief today, the letter says.

Uduak-Joe Ntuk, the states oil and gas supervisor, was not made available for an interview Tuesday to discuss the delay.

The process is taking longer than expected because of complex subject matter within and beyond our previous regulatory experience, David Shabazian, director of the California Department of Conservation, said in a statement. His department oversees CalGEM.

We continue to work closely with our state partners and the public health experts panel to thoroughly examine and assess impacts across the board so that we develop the most well-informed, legally durable rule possible to protect communities and workers from the impacts of oil extraction activities, he said.

Spokespeople for Newsom didnt comment on whether he would communicate with regulators about the delay or respond to advocates call for him to take immediate action.

But as he faces an expected recall election later this year, the regulation of the oil industry places him between two powerful constituencies: environmentalists and some labor unions aligned with the oil industry. Democrats, who control state government, are divided on how much to regulate the industry.

The Western States Petroleum Association and the State Building and Construction Trades Council oppose a statewide mandate on buffer zones, saying such a rule would hurt workers and raise the cost of fuel.

Meanwhile, environmentalists have long been frustrated by the states oil regulator, saying the agency is too close with the companies it oversees.

Newsom, a first-term Democrat, pledged to reform CalGEM in 2019 by renaming it and directing it to focus on health and safety. He told the agency to consider prohibiting drilling within certain distances of homes, schools, hospitals and parks.

Last year, he used executive powers to mandate the draft regulations come out by December. But the agency punted to the spring, saying it needed more time to take feedback from public health experts. Advocates took note when summer began on Monday without the new rules.

Its astounding that the state has failed to develop a draft public health and safety rule in over a year and a half, said Gladys Limon, executive director of the California Environmental Justice Alliance.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics California Energy Oil Gas
As the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona approaches, the excitement around the event has heightened substantially. The event, which saw over 109,000 attendees, including 8,000 CEOs in 2019, attracts some of the most influential decision-makers across the globe, offering fantastic networking opportunities and significant cutting-edge innovations.

One of these innovators, Israel-based JpU, developers of a revolutionary enterprise cellular 4G/5G platform, announced earlier this month that they will be demonstrating their breakthrough Enterprise 5G offering at Mobile World Congress 2021 in Barcelona.

They are included as one of an exclusive group of technology companies selected by the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (IEICI) and the Ministry of Economy and Industry to represent mobile innovation at the GSMA's largest event of the year.

"We are honored to be part of the Israel Pavilion this year," said Jonathan Schwartz, CEO, JpU. "As enterprises around the world continue their digital transformation journeys, we are focused on bringing those enterprises LTE/5G connectivity with unprecedented levels of speed, resilience, security, flexibility, and control. From Quality of Experience to Quality of Service, our platform and our ecosystem partners are bringing cloud-based solutions designed to support advanced digital initiatives while saving enterprises millions of dollars. We look forward to demonstrating this live in Barcelona later this month."

Established in 2016, JpU provides LTE/5G solutions that offer deep insight into telecom and enterprise solutions, as well as a remarkable experience in building networks and applications for a variety of organizations.

JpU focuses on delivering end-to-end, wireless communications solutions to enterprises that feature guaranteed high-quality user experiences with fully optimized private and public clouds that deliver secure and efficient services designed to support enterprise digital transformation.

Sponsoring the pavilion is The Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute (IEICI). Established in 1958 as a non-profit organization by the government of Israel and the private sector, IEICI promotes various Israeli goods and service exports with overseas companies while boasting great trade relations, cooperation, and strategic alliances. IEICI provides these services and continued support to thousands of Israeli exporters. IEICI initiates and organizes incoming and outgoing commercial delegations while also mounting national pavilions as well as information centers at international exhibitions and conventions throughout the world. IEICI operates through two business development divisions, a technology industries division and a consumer goods division, plus professional services units.

The Ministry of Economy and Industry, one of Israel's core government ministries, is also a contributor to this annual Israel National Pavilion.

The agency offers a wide variety of tools to stimulate economic growth, develop human potential, and expand international trade. The Ministry works to augment the country's human resources, regulate and enforce labor laws, as well as initiate new legislation in the areas of employment, consumerism, international trade, education, research, development, safety, innovation, and the price of living.

The Ministry uses tools to enable and encourage various financial investments throughout the Israeli economy. In addition, they offer incentives for the employment of target populations such as ultra-Orthodox (Haredim), minorities, single parents, and people with disabilities.

JpU will be located in Hall 1, within the Israel National Pavilion. Other exhibitors at the Israel National Pavilion are:

Cellium - https://www.cellium.net/

Deeyook - https://www.deeyook.com/

FirstPoint - https://www.firstpoint-mg.com/

Keepers - https://www.keeperschildsafety.net/

Monogoto - https://monogoto.io/

MyPrivacy - https://myprivacy.io/

PicUp - https://www.picup.io/

Powermat - https://powermat.com/

Radix - https://www.radix-int.com/

ShieldIoT - https://shieldiot.io/

Silicom LTD. Connectivity Solutions - https://www.silicom-usa.com/

Trackimo - https://trackimo.com/

Edited by Luke Bellos
Besotted parents of a baby born with the help of a surrogate in Ukraine this week say their daughter will be 'gobbled up' with love from everyone when they return to Ireland.

Sandra and Matthew Lynch haven't been able to take their eyes off little Charlotte (Lottie) Kathleen Lynch since she was born a week early on Wednesday  weighing 3.85kg (8lb 8oz).

The couple who run the well-known B&B, The Old Rectory in Trim, County Meath paid more than 38,000 for the whole surrogacy procedure for their newborn daughter but said that you can't put a price on a miracle.

"We are just besotted, it's amazing," said Sandra (50) who is already mum to an adult son and daughter in their 20s.

"It's Matt's first baby and he is stunned. He just can't believe it."

Sandra and Matt Lynch pictured at hospital in Ukraine with hours old surrogate daughter Charlotte (Lottie) Kathleen Lynch who was born on Wednesday morning. Louise Walsh story

The Lynchs were in Kyiv for the birth but things happened so quickly at the end that baby Lottie was born before they got to the hospital: "Marina, our surrogate was due to go into hospital on June 24 and have Lottie by caesarean section on the 30th but I was in the shower when we got a phone call from the clinic to say Marina was preparing to give birth and a car would collect us in 20 minutes. I had the baby's bag packed and all that so we just threw a few pieces together and went.

"On the way, the girl in the car who was from the clinic whipped her phone around to us in the back and said 'look, she's been born!'

"We didn't ever think it would happen to us that we'd have another little child in our lives. It's just a miracle."

The couple told LMFM Radio's Late Lunch that they had researched a lot of clinics since they got married in 2019, before deciding on IV Med in Ukraine.

"I can't say enough about them. The lawyers both here and in Ireland are amazing and they know each other which we found to be a great safety net," said Sandra.

"We came out here last year. I had the choice of using my eggs but because of my age, I was just a bit apprehensive about it.

"Matt left a sample which was frozen and then we had to decide on a donor. The file is almost like Tinder where you flick through until you find one you like and one who resembled me in some way. So then they freeze the donor's egg and the embryo is placed in another woman's body who carries the child. We had four embryos  two boys and two girls  and the first embryo worked straight away."

"They did all kinds of genetic tests on them first to make sure there were no abnormalities. Throughout the pregnancy, they sent us all the scans, all videos, every detail of every check-up. It was much more detailed than if I was carrying the baby myself. After a few weeks, I was dying to know what it was so we found out it was a girl and we started deciding on names and picking up a few bits for her."

"Even though we were prepared with cots and prams and clothes, we still didn't take it all in until she was born on Wednesday. We will stay at the hospital for another few days and then take her to the Irish Embassy for her birth certificate and passport. The solicitors here and in Ireland will be in touch so that when we land in Ireland we go through a similar process."

"It will take up to two years for me to be actually recognised legally as Lottie's mother although I am on the birth certificate in the Ukraine along with Matt (58)."

"Our families and friends in Trim are bursting to see her  she will be gobbled up with love when she gets home."
The owners of the Savoy on Corks St Patrick's Street have secured a tenant for the former Quills store who is looking to occupy the location by the end of the year.

The Clarendon Group, owners of the complex, have lodged a fresh planning application to reconfigure the internal layout of the historic building, significantly enlarging the former Quills store, incorporating some of the smaller units that were located within the centre. A former barbershop, travel agent and juice shop would all be amalgamated into unit number two, resulting in a significantly larger retail unit.

It is the latest of a series of planning applications to revamp the former Savoy Centre, and return it to use.

The Savoy Centre has been vacant for some years. Planning was granted in 2018 to merge the former A Wear unit fronting onto St Patrick's Street with the sports shop to the rear of the shopping centre to form one large JD Sports retail outlet.

The remaining units, with the exception of the 3 mobile phone store, are all vacant. Last year, a large-scale redevelopment of the remaining elements of the Savoy Theatre Complex was granted by Cork City Council that ended the building's recent history as a shopping arcade with numerous units in favour of three larger units, facing St Patrick's Street.

That permission also includes the change of use of a portion of the Savoy Theatre and former upper retail areas to residential use for 11 apartments. The owners of the Savoy are seeking tenants for the retail units prior to commencing construction.

The applicants state that this new application is a "simple permission which is an immediate short-term measure to react to the fact that a retail tenant for retail unit 2 [Quills] has been secured and is seeking a slightly larger unit and is looking to occupy the unit before the end of the year".

The identity of the future tenant of the former Quills unit has not been disclosed. Their arrival on St Patrick's Street is expected to provide a significant boost to an area severely impacted by the Covid pandemic. Debenhams, Monsoon, Oasis, Warehouse, and Clarks all had outlets on the street in 2019.

The current planning application follows on from the announcement earlier this year by Penneys to significantly expand its presence on the street. Construction work has also commenced on the redevelopment of the former Victoria Hotel into a large retail unit.
European Union leaders have given the go-ahead to plans to give Turkey another 3 billion over the next few years to continue providing assistance to Syrian refugees on its territory and to help the country boost border controls.

Its about additional funds of three billion euros, then afterwards also funds for Lebanon and Jordan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. She said the plan, drawn up by the EUs executive branch, will soon be formally endorsed.

More than one million migrants entered the EU in 2015, many of them fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq. The arrivals through Turkey overwhelmed facilities in the Greek islands, and sparked one of the EUs biggest-ever political crises.

To persuade Turkey to stop people leaving its territory, the 27-nation bloc offered the country six billion euros for Syrian refugees and the prospect of fast-track EU membership talks and visa-free travel in Europe for its citizens. Arrivals quickly dropped to a relative trickle, and the EU is keen to update the arrangement.

Membership talks are at a standstill, and Turkey has still not fulfilled several criteria to secure visa-free travel, but the commission has handed over most of the funds and will pay the rest as contracts are completed. Separately, it is providing a further half a billion euros for refugees there this year.

Turkey is estimated to now host about 3.7 million refugees from the conflict in Syria. Lebanon and Jordan are also sheltering hundreds of thousands each. But Turkey is also a source of great concern for the EU, particularly disputed energy exploration work in the east Mediterranean that had heightened tensions with EU member states Greece and Cyprus.

In a working paper prepared for the summit, seen by the Associated Press, the commission said the support has been highly effective and efficient.

It proposed that a further three billion euros from the EU budget shall be dedicated until 2024 to support actions in Turkey.

It said that in programming the actions under this package, will gradually move from humanitarian priorities to socio-economic support and development. This will include funding for migration management and border control, notably at Turkeys eastern border.

Merkel said the EU will continue to work on improving a customs arrangement it has with Turkey providing favourable tariffs on certain goods.

Of course, we expect further constructive behaviour from Turkey. We have seen an improvement of the situation in the Mediterranean Sea, she said.

An additional 2.2 billion would be spent to help refugees and displaced people in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, according to the commission plan.

But Turkeys Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that reducing cooperation on migration to a financial dimension is a big delusion. It called for greater cooperation between Turkey and the EU to deal with the issue.

The ministry called for a review of the Turkey-EU migration deal reached in 2016 in a manner that responds to the needs of the day and common interests. It said that other European decisions about Turkey were far from containing expected and necessary steps.

The ministry specifically complained that no decision was taken to implement a positive agenda in relations between the bloc and Turkey, including agreement on the customs union update. It insisted that Turkey has fulfilled its responsibilities in terms of reducing tension and initiating a dialogue with Greece.
Burma 15 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Sagaing Region Firefights

The entrance to Mingin town. / CJ

At least 15 junta troops were reported killed on Thursday during two firefights with civilian resistance fighters in Sagaing Region. The clashes took place after military regime soldiers raided villages and searched forests in the eastern part of Mingin Township.

At around 12.30pm on Thursday, fighters from the Mingin Peoples Defense Force (PDF) were attacked by regime soldiers near Samyin Village, according to a local Facebook page monitoring clashes in the township. The PDF members had been assisting villagers fleeing a junta raid.

The junta troops were wearing civilian clothes and pretending to be villagers. They attacked our members while we were helping the fleeing villagers, said the spokesperson for the PDF-Mingin.

During the shootout, a civilian resistance fighter was killed and three others injured, according to the PDF-Mingin.

Another firefight occurred in the afternoon near Than Pauk Village. There were around 30 military casualties, claimed the spokesperson for the PDF-Mingin.

Local media said that at least 15 junta soldiers were killed in the shootouts. However, The Irrawaddy was unable to confirm that figure independently.

We didnt want to fight as we were helping local refugees. But they [junta troops] are marching into our area and, because of their raids, villagers are suffering hardship, said the PDF-Mingin spokesperson.

Junta forces have been raiding villages in Mingin Township since May. Over 12,500 people from more than 20 villages are now sheltering in the forests because of the raids.

PDF have been formed in many cities and towns nationwide in response to the regimes lethal crackdowns on anti-coup protesters.



You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Regime Charges Ousted Magwe Region Chief Minister With Corruption

Myanmar Junta Reorganizes Legal Team for ICJ Rohingya Genocide Case

Kachin Independence Army Calls Myanmars People to be Alert
Burma Myanmar Regime Charges Ousted Magwe Region Chief Minister With Corruption

Magwe Region Chief Minister Dr. Aung Moe Nyo / The Irrawaddy

The military regime has filed another lawsuit against Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, who served as the Magwe Region chief minister in the ousted National League for Democracy government, under the Anti-Corruption Law.

Junta-controlled newspapers on Thursday reported allegations made by the regime-appointed Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) that Dr. Aung Moe Nyo, who is also on the NLD Central Executive Committee (CEC), received 50 million kyats (about US$30,350) from a businessman in return for a filling station permit while he was in office.

The newspapers alleged that the businessman paid the money on the pretext of donating to the NLDs 2020 election campaign fund. They accused Dr. Aung Moe Nyo of abusing his power as chief minister and of allowing 1 acre (0.4 hectares) of farmland to be used for the filling station.

They reported that the ACC charged Dr. Aung Moe Nyo under Article 55 of the Anti-Corruption Law, which carries a maximum jail term of 15 years upon conviction.

He has told us to handle all his cases. He might already be aware of this lawsuit, as he is allowed to read newspapers in prison. The ACC has also questioned him. But he might not know all the details, said U Myint Maung, a lawyer for Dr. Aung Moe Nyo.

On June 7, the NLD chief minister was sentenced to two years in prison with labor after being convicted of incitement for sharing a video on social media in which he states his opposition to the military coup and his support for the Civil Disobedience Movement, and for a statement issued by the CEC condemning the coup.

On the same day, the military regime filed another charge against the chief minister under Section 25 of the Natural Disaster Management Law for alleged violations of COVID-19 regulations.

According to the regime, Dr. Aung Moe Nyo attended a campaign event in a village in Magwes Pwintbyu Township ahead of the 2020 general election, as well as three post-election events celebrating the NLDs win, in violation of a ban on large gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

They alleged that there were more than 50 people attending the events. There have been four court hearings on this charge. The case is also being heard by a special court inside Magwe Prison, U Myint Maung said.

The regime has also filed corruption charges against ousted Magwe regional parliament Speaker U Tar and Magwe regional government ministers U Myint Zaw, Dr. Khin Maung Aye and U Tin Nwe Oo.

The corruption cases are likely to be heard at the Magwe Region High Court, though others including the incitement cases against the Magwe regional ministers are being heard by special courts inside Magwe Prison.



You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Junta Reorganizes Legal Team for ICJ Rohingya Genocide Case

Kachin Independence Army Calls Myanmars People to be Alert

Myanmar Junta Propaganda Books Hope to Rewrite History
Burma Myanmar Regime Raids Home Village of Prominent Anti-Coup Activist

Dr. Tayzar San took to the streets of Mandalay against the juntas coup on Feb. 4. / The Irrawaddy

Myanmar junta forces have raided a Sagaing Region village that is the birthplace of prominent anti-coup protester Dr. Tayzar San twice this week, injuring at least one villager, detaining a number of others and stealing and destroying the property of pro-democracy supporters.

Dr. Tayzar San, who was born in Shwe O-ya Village but grew up in Mandalay, led demonstrations against the juntas coup from Feb. 4 in Myanmars second city.

He is the subject of an arrest warrant for incitement issued under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code. Regime forces have attempted to arrest Dr. Tayzar San multiple times during demonstrations, as well as raiding his home in Mandalay in April.

Over 100 troops raided Shwe O-ya Village in Wetlet Township on Wednesday afternoon, injuring one local. The man was shot while trying to run away as junta troops detained people on farms outside the village, according to a Wetlet resident who asked to remain anonymous.

The victim is being treated at Mandalay Hospital, added the resident.

Residents said that military regime soldiers also detained five villagers from the farms and used them as human shields, making them walk in front of the troops as they entered the village. The detainees were later released. Other villagers fled ahead of the junta forces.

Junta troops also destroyed the home of a former general administrator, raided the homes of members of the National League for Democracy party, and stole 13 motorbikes and some sacks of rice, said the Wetlet resident.

We thought they had finished the raid but, last night, around 150 soldiers in six military trucks came to the village again searching for friends of Dr. Tayzar San. They [junta forces] thought people might have fled Mandalay and returned to the village because of the raid on the village on June 23, and because of the clashes in Mandalay on the same day between civilian resistance fighters and junta troops, the Wetlet resident said.

Most residents of Shwe O-ya, which is home to some 150 households, had already fled to the forests because they were afraid of being arrested. But some members of the local Peoples Defense Force (PDF) stayed to defend the village, he added.

On Friday, two other villages in Wetlet Township  Shein Makar and Thit Seint  were also targeted in regime raids.

Military regime forces are putting the fear into people every day, with military trucks patrolling and raiding the villages and threatening and arresting people they encounter, said former lawmaker U Myint Thein of Wetlet Township.

The regime forces are patrolling the areas and showing their strength to get control of it. They instill fear and many people run to hide from them as they are afraid, said U Myint Thein.

U Myint Thein, along with more than a dozen people in Wetlet, is also the subject of an arrest warrant for incitement issued under Article 505(a) of the Penal Code.

Residents of a number of townships in Sagaing Region, including Kalaymyo, Tamu, Yinmarbin, Kani, Mingin and Taze, have formed PDFs to defend themselves against junta soldiers.

Junta forces have killed at least 880 people since their Feb. 1 coup, while 5,104 remain under detention and another 1,965 are the subject of arrest warrants, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.



You may also like these stories:

15 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Sagaing Region Firefights

Myanmar Junta Reorganizes Legal Team for ICJ Rohingya Genocide Case

Kachin Independence Army Calls Myanmars People to be Alert
Burma UN Agency Reports 230,000 Displaced Since Myanmar Coup

A displacement camp in Demoso Township, Kayah State. / Free Burma Ranger Karenni

A United Nations humanitarian agency says the number of people displaced by violence and fighting in Myanmar since the Feb. 1 coup has increased to around 230,000 and stressed that they need assistance.

Displaced people, as well as communities in affected areas, are in urgent need of a wide range of humanitarian assistance, including food and basic household materials, shelter, access to health care, water and sanitation, as well as various protection services, including psychosocial support, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported on Thursday.

Kayah States displaced population has risen to 103,500, almost three times the number the agency reported in May.

On June 22, 47,600 people were also reported as displaced in Karen State, with most living in forests, it stated.

Several thousand people have also fled fighting in Chin, Kachin and Shan states and Magwe, Sagaing and Bago regions.

The UN body said relief operations were ongoing but were being hindered by armed clashes, violence and insecurity.

In the mountain town of Mindat, Chin State, seven civilians displaced by junta offensives on the town died from lack of medical care, a camp volunteer in the township said.

Mindat Township displacement camp management committee has sought volunteers to provide health care in the camps as there are no medics.

The volunteer said some civilians have returned home as clashes between the junta and Chinland Defense Forces have ceased although some people remain in the camps.

You may also like these stories:

Myanmar Regime Charges Ousted Magwe Region Chief Minister With Corruption

Myanmar Junta Reorganizes Legal Team for ICJ Rohingya Genocide Case

Kachin Independence Army Calls Myanmars People to be Alert
Friday! Rain or shine, time to reward yourself on this last day of the work week by enjoying a burger or one of the other delicious meal options offered by our participating #tasteofkeybiscayne restaurants.

#Meal-Deals for #burgerfriday, June 25, 2021

Brasas KB

#burgerfriday special. delicious Half-Pound Hamburger, with one side and a soda, only $10.99 - loaded it up with a fried egg, bacon, cheese and pickles to make it a "completa" for only $4 more! Can't beat the quality! Unmatched value!

Have you tried our Peruvian Chicken Rotisserie for lunch or dinner that include 2 sides and sauce of your choice: huancaina, aji amarillo, huacatay and olivas negras peruanas.

Open for Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Call (786) 615-2399 to place a takeout order. Open Noon to 8 p.m.

328 Crandon Blvd, Galleria Shopping Center

D'Lite Bistro & Bakery

Who says eating healthy means sacrificing taste and flavor? Not at DLite!

We are a unique and healthy restaurant that serves salads, wraps, sandwiches, bowls, protein smoothies and cold press juices made fresh every morning  including gluten-free, vegetarian and keto options.

Better than a burger for Meat Lovers... our grilled picanha is a must try with this delicious Fattoush Salad!

We open at 7 a.m. daily and close at 8 p.m. everyday except Sat and Sun when we close at 6 p.m.

DLite is located in the Arcade Mall, 180 Crandon Blvd. To place an order, call (305) 882-9284 or visit us online by clicking here.

Pops Burger

What better place to dine on #burgerfriday than a burger joint? At Pops, we love burgers, made with 100% certified Angus beef. We offer everything from the most basic burger or cheeseburger, to our new Signature Burgers!!

Visit us today and enjoy a delicious double-cheeseburger! And do not forget to add our unique crinkle fries.

We also serve Hot Dogs, nachos with chili and many other favorites, in addition to shakes and desserts in a safe and family style setting and we are pet friendly!

Pops Burger is located in the Square Mall, at 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne

We are open at Noon to 9 p.m. seven-days a week. We close at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

To place an order, please call 786-401-7474 or to order online, click here.

We offer dine-in, takeout and delivery via UberEats and Postmates

DUNE Burgers on the Beach

Our burgers are so good that once youve tried you will come back for more! Nothing screams Friday like a burger by the beach!

DUNE is the stylish, yet casual, beach lounge at The Ritz-Carlton's beach for global appetizers, gourmet burgers & champagne.

Located in the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne, 455 Grand Bay Dr, Key Biscayne. You can reach them at (305) 365-4500.

They are open Thursday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, click here.

La Scala

Fridays are Osso Bucco days at La Scala and ours has the reputation of being the best on the island. Guaranteed.

Open for Indoor & Limited Outdoor Dining (reservations recommended) and Takeout

The popular Italian Bistro now offers their delicious meals to enjoy at home and thanks you for the great support from the community while they enjoy La Scala cuisine at home.

To place a takeout order call (786) 773-3633 or visit us online by clicking here.

Open 5 to 10 p.m.

180 Crandon Blvd  Arcade Shopping Center.

Artisan Kitchen & Bar

Join us. Open for Indoor dining & expanded Outdoor dining, Takeout or FREE Delivery.

An Artisan burger makes Friday perfect.

We deliver our famous craft beers. Call for your favorite, or take advantage of our Wine sale! All our white & red wine bottles are $12 - and we will deliver

Hours of operations: Mon - Sat 8 AM to CLOSE

Sunday Brunch 9 AM to 4 PM

Call us directly at (305) 365-6003 to place an order.

Place your Order Online here

PANNA

At PANNA we like to say we offer a taste to remember, the place you love. We are serving the most delicious Venezuelan food combined with other traditional delights from Colombia and Argentina in a fast-service, friendly and casual setting.

TEQUEBURGER is all you need this Friday. We combine two of your favoritesTequenos + Burger what you get is our exclusive Tequeburger!

We offer a dine-in or grab-and-go menu for you to enjoy at home.

Convenient order online for takeout or delivery. Click here.

We are located at 600 Crandon Blvd, Suite 130, Key Biscayne next to Winn Dixie. You can reach us at (305) 456-0886

AMICI At Key Biscayne

From San Marino, the oldest & smallest republic in the world located in the center north of Italy, now in Key Biscayne.

In Italian, AMICI means friends and that is what you will find at AMICIs a friendly atmosphere surpassed only by the excellent Authentic Italian cuisine.

To make a reservation call (786) 453-0974 or Email info@amiciatkeybiscayne.com

And for today, try our Amicis Burger 8oz lean beef, Burger, provolone cheese, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onion, bacon, brioche bun, fries! Gourmet burger for only $13.99

AMICI at Key Biscayne is located inside The Towers of Key Biscayne at 1111 Crandon Blvd.

To see the complete email and the history of the family behind the excellence that is AMICI, click here.

Boaters Grill & Lighthouse Cafe / Bill Baggs

The restaurants inside Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park  the popular Boaters Grill, located at No Name Harbor and accessible by boat, and the beachside Lighthouse Cafe are open and ready to serve.

What says Burger Friday more than a perfectly cooked burger and fries, enjoyed beachside under the shadows of the Lighthouse?

Outdoor dining is our specialty.

Boaters Grill is open Sunday through Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Lighthouse Cafe is open 7-days a week, from 9 a.m. to Sunset

The restaurants are located inside Bill Baggs State Park, at 1200 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne.

You can reach them at (305) 361-0080

Costa Med Bistro

Sometimes all you need is a loaded burger and a lot of fries! A Costa Burger is the solution for this Burger--Friday  and the islands place to see and be seen has the best burger in Key Biscayne

Place your takeout order online by clicking here!

Costa Med, a TripAdvisor Traverlers Choice nominated restaurant, is located in the Square Shopping Center. 260 Crandon Blvd. Offering Indoor & Outdoor Dining with expanded seating, Takeout.

Reservations suggested. Call Antonio or Harold at (305) 361-7575

Hours.

Lunch Mon to Sat: Noon a.m. to 4 p.m.

Dinner Mon to Sat: 6 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. / Sun 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Open Seas Cafe

Beach. Burger. Friday. Perfection.

This Friday, try our delicious cheeseburger. Only $8.95. Add sweet potato fries! Order from the beach and we will deliver it to you!

Come and tantalize your senses in a true beachside setting at OpenSeas Cafe, you local favorites, like our signature conch fritters or our renowned fish tacos for a treat you wont forget. Our frozen daiquiris or flavorful margaritas are the perfect combination for beach and sun.

We are located in Crandon Park / South Beach at 6747 Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne. We are open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (weather permitting).

Call or text us at (786) 305 4747 for more information or order. Visit us online by clicking here.

Ayesha Indian Restaurant

Open for Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Friday! What a perfect day for a perfectly cooked delicious South Indian meal. How spicy do you like it.

And no matter what dish you try, experience our signature dessert, Gulab Jamun!

For our full menu or to order online, please click here.

FREE APPETIZER when you spend $50 and FREE DELIVERY

Tuesday  Sunday 5 to 9:30 p.m.

Call (786) 953-4761 to place a takeout order

328 Crandon Blvd - #115 Key Biscayne

The Golden Hog

Eat Local. Help local. Shop Safely. Email us your order! Click here.

Want to treat yourself to something truly uniquely delicious? Try our Burger! Grilled to perfection while you wait!

Todays menu:

Soups & Creams: Chicken Stracciatella / Yellow Split / Tomato Basil

Main Course: Asado Negro (Eye Round) / Chicken Bell Pepper / Salmon Fillet / Pasta Alfredo Mushroom

Side Dishes: Paella / White Rice / Mixed Vegetable / Pepper Wedge Potatoes

The Golden-Hog has a complete line of specialty groceries for delivery.

Golden Hog puts safety first, and has taken steps to ensure the safety of employees and customers, investing in shields, masks and gloves for safety, and the store is set up for social distancing. Shop with confidence.

Call (305) 361-1300 to place a delivery or take out order; you can order online here.

Novecento

Deep in the heart of the island, Novecento is the neighborhood hotspot.

Friday. Beer. Burger. Outdoor seating. Novecento. Perfection!!! Try our HAMBURGUESA NOVECENTO. Grilled hamburger, mozzarella, ham, bacon, butter lettuce, tomato, green olive-mayonnaise and fried egg on sesame brioche bread with our hand cut fries

Place your takeout or delivery order at 305-362-0900

Novecento Key Biscayne Bistro Argentino is located at 620 Crandon Blvd in Key Biscayne.

Open daily Noon to 10 p.m.

You can order online by clicking here

Sake Room

This Friday, we are featuring our unique Ichiban tuna tartar! A must try!

Or try us for lunch. Specials starting at $10.99

Open for Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Or still enjoy Sake quality at home!

FREE* Crunchy Crab Salad!!!

New hours! 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Call (305) 456-0488 to place a takeout or delivery order directly

Following all CDC safety protocols

328 Crandon Blvd Ste 108, Galleria Shopping Center

Grub hub  UberEats also available. Please if you can call us first

*Offer good on any $50+ order

KEBO

Open for Indoor & Shaded Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Today, try a KEBO Wagyu Burger! Quality at its best!

While picking up your order, visit our Kebo-Store with some Spanish delicacies like virgin olive oil, chorizos and more. Call us to place your order.

Call (305) 365-1244 to order a KEBO meal. Kebo is a TripAdvisor Traverlers Choice nominated restaurant

Randazzos Italian Seafood and Classics

Open for indoor & outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery. Reservations recommended

Do not settle. What is better than a burger this Friday? Randazzos famous homemade meatball!

Call us directly to order at (305) 456-0480. Offering Randazzos own delivery service. Local and safe

Open Monday, Wednesday to Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Open until 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Closed Tuesdays

328 Crandon Blvd Ste 112, Galleria Shopping Center

Outside the island delivery via @Postmates or @UberEats

Tacopolis

Tacopolis, where everyday is Taco-Day!! Only eat tacos on days that end in a Y but today, we are featuring our delicious loaded Burger al Pastor - or our loaded burger, unique and delicious

Tacopolis was born as an idea in Cancun Mexico with the goal of creating a casual and relaxed atmosphere, serving authentic Mexican dishes

Open 7-days a week, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Open for Outdoor dining, Takeout or delivery but our own service of find us on UberEats

They are located in the Square Shopping Center at 260 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne.

To place a phone order, call 786) 703-5523. To order online, please click here.

Tutto Pizza & Pasta

Open for Indoor & Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery.

Fridays Burger burger special! Give me a burger!!! Or two!!!

Lunch special. Burger Friday Twofer - Two Classic Burgers plus two Soft Drinks for only - $22.00

Also offering Tutto Family Meal day! Order from 4 delicious options. Family meals include main dish, salad and they throw in some yummy homemade bread. Feeds 4-6 for only $45.00

Offering No Contact Delivery  simply request that when ordering online  click here  or by calling (305) 361-2224.

Sun- Thur 11:30 am -10:30pm

Fri-Sat 11:30 am  11pm

328 Crandon Blvd #111, Key Biscayne / Galleria Shopping Center

Kazumi

Open for Indoor & Outdoor seating, Takeout or Delivery!

Make it a Wagyu Beef Slider Friday! We top it off with a fried egg for perfection!

Modern Japanese fusion restaurant, offering creative treatments & creativity in our dishes for takeout and delivery by our own employees. Available for lunch and dinner.

Open Monday through Saturday from Noon to 10 p.m.

Only accepting credit card payments.

To place an order call (305) 361-2675 or order online here.

Milanezza

Treat yourself to a Milanezza burger!!! Add a cold beer its Friday!!!

Shot safely for groceries. Our Milanezza Mercadito offers 1-hour delivery of daily fresh fruits & vegetables, Argentina grass fed black-angus beef, all natural chicken, amazing seafood & homemade pastas. We also deliver miga sandwiches, alfajores, milanezzas, empanadas and much more.

Offering delivery from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

To place a delivery or takeout order, call (305) 646-1001. Or save 10% by ordering online. Use code ONLINE. Order online here.

Open for Indoor & Expanded Outdoor Dining, Takeout or Delivery from Milanezza, a Tripadvisor Travelers Choice Restaurant, is located in the CVS Plaza

Check back tomorrow for more specials as we add more restaurants to #tasteofkeybiscayne-To-Go

And please remember to order from the restaurant directly before using one of the apps  this way we support the local restaurants by saving them the commission they are charged, which at times is as much as 30%
The electronic vehicle company Tesla could potentially face significant losses in their second-quarter earnings, all thanks to their Bitcoin holdings. The cryptocurrency market has been seeing a significant decline in prices and even the Dogecoin champion and his company aren't left immune to its pull-back.

Tesla's Bitcoin Holdings

Elon Musk is no stranger in the world of cryptocurrency. In fact, his very tweets could affect the price of a token almost instantaneously. An influencer of sorts.

First endorsing the future of cryptocurrency in Bitcoin, he announced that Tesla had purchased $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and would be accepting the cryptocurrency as a form of payment, Yahoo! Finance recalled. He later denounced support for Bitcoin citing environmental concerns about coal mining, which did not align with his or his company's values. His support has been directed now to the meme crypto, Dogecoin.

Dogecoin's price rallies were pretty consistent after that. Doge traders were waiting for Musk's next Doge tweet which could propel another price rally, making more profits.

But while Dogecoin started heading to the moon, Bitcoin started to see price dips, much to the chagrin of the crypto's traders, investors and supporters.

However, since Musk's appearance on the Saturday Night Live show, Doge price also saw a consistent decline.

That Bitcoin Tesla earlier bought stayed locked in their treasury until Bitcoin could start becoming greener with their mining.

Dogecoin correction update: -78% since the Musk SNL peak.$DOGE pic.twitter.com/JbwJSLOmAc  Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) June 22, 2021

$90 Million Loss for Tesla's Books

Recent market crashes and individual cryptocurrency crashes have left the board volatile. During the first quarter, Tesla recorded $27 million of impairment losses on Bitcoin, Yahoo! Finance said. The company also realized gains of $128 million through sales of the cryptocurrency. From a tweet by Musk, this was to see if they could still liquidate the currency without moving the market.

The company's holdings of Bitcoin amounted to $2.4 billion on March 31, Business Insider said. At that time, BTC was seeing prices around $59,000 which would mean an estimate of 42,000 Bitcoins were held by the EV company.

But that was months ago. Now, Bitcoin's prices have dipped to $28,814 on Wednesday, and Tesla's books could potentially reflect a $90 million loss, assuming the company has not sold off its holdings even more by next month when it will report its second-quarter earnings.

Bitcoin price falls below $30k for 1st time in 5mths nearly wiping off its entire 2021 gain. It fell in recnt weeks aftr Tesla CEO flaged energy usage for crypto mining and China's crackdwn on Bitcoin mining operations. It has droped roughly 50% frm midApril around $64k#BITCOIN  Ajay Menon (@Ajaystweet) June 23, 2021

Potential Bitcoin Price Recovery and the Future of the Cryptocurrency Market

Even if Bitcoin prices bounce back a fraction, it wouldn't help Tesla's accounts.

Realized losses and gains are usually accounted for once items are sold. However, this isn't the case for Bitcoin, Business Insider explained. Accountants would consider Bitcoin to be a "collectible" which means it is held at a cost even though it could be considered an investment.

In the case of the first quarter, Bitcoin was held at a cost of $27 million, and that is called "impairment losses." Impairment losses don't just happen for the end of the quarter, either. Losses are accounted for throughout the quarter.

So if Bitcoin does suddenly increases in price again, Tesla still has impairment losses to report. And gains can only be registered once they sold their holding.

The loss, though not crucial from an accounting point of view, does spell a bit of reserved sentiment for the company overall, as seen by the drop of Tesla's share price by 27 percent since February.

#Bitcoin Daily



Divergence on 4-hour & Daily. Turning point tomorrow



I still haven't ruled out a spike to the lower hz before trying higher in earnest. We should have a much clearer picture w/the weekly close but looking like we're getting closer to bottoming soon...finally $BTC pic.twitter.com/kB6TgM8zIH  Things (@TeslaThings) June 24, 2021

Experts have always noted the volatile nature of the cryptocurrency market. And with the bearish, or downward, trajectory of the market as a whole, it makes it difficult to discern how things will look in the near future.

But if we apply the fundamentals, it could look like Bitcoin is on its way to falling to $10,000. For strong supporters of cryptocurrency's future, this could mean a great window to purchase more for a long-term hold.

But for short-term traders, this is a nightmare, not knowing when or if they could at least break even with their purchases.

Despite notable and high-profile personalities have started endorsing the tokens in the cryptocurrency market, such as the altcoin Ethereum Max, the market isn't looking positive.

Experts can only speculate, given the historical conditions of other markets like stock, it is difficult to predict if or when exactly the cryptocurrency market would recover.

Related Article: Dogecoin Price Crash Sparks Meme Flood From Angry, Hopeful Investors: Here Are the Best Reactions
The McAfee name is something you'd be very familiar with if you've ever worked on a desktop computer. Your computer could be running some version of the McAfee antivirus software right now, even.

The McAfee company was founded in 1987, and it is the largest antivirus company in the world. It was named after the founder, John McAfee.

So how did the pioneer of the cybersecurity industry find himself, at age 75, in a Spanish prison cell where he spent his final day?

John McAfee: Antivirus Software Tycoon

McAfee Corp. was born in Santa Clara, California in the year 1987. Led by John McAfee, the company dominated the market for antivirus protection of personal computers, Bloomberg said.

He had a brilliant strategy for gaining market share and establishing market dominance, according to CelebrityNetWorth. While his competitors were selling their software for $50 to $100, McAfee Corp. gave its product away for free. The company would then charge for technical support and upgrades. The strategy was able to blow away the competition and ultimately changed the software industry forever.

By the early 1990s, McAfee had grown into the largest antivirus company in the world, with half of the Fortune 100 companies using his software.

John grew bored of the company decades later, though, revealing that the company was no longer fun as it grew into a huge corporation. And by 1994, he stepped down his position as CEO, selling all of his shares for $100 Million.

A move that, in hindsight, wasn't the best considering his lifestyle and the historical events that follow.

John McAfee Net Worth: From $100 Million to $4 Million

With $100 million to his name, John went ahead and purchased properties and company bonds.

According to CelebrityNetWorth, he bought a five-acre oceanfront mansion in Hawaii, a private jet, a 157-acre ranch in New Mexico that had a movie theatre, artwork, and dozens of luxury cars. In Colorado, he built a 10,000 square foot, 280-acre estate which was a $25 million project. The Colorado estate would then become his primary home base.

He also purchased millions of dollars worth of Lehman Brothers bonds to diversify his portfolio. Unfortunately, the Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy in October 2008, leaving McAfee's investment worthless.

Realizing he was nearly out of cash, McAfee was forced to sell as many of his assets as possible. Unfortunately, this wasn't the greatest time in the American economy and by the end of it all, he was left with $4 million.

As a person who was used to such a lavish lifestyle, the net worth dip was a hard pill to swallow.

With $4 million, McAfee relocated to Belize in 2009. His money went a lot further there and he was able to purchase a waterfront bungalow compound. He also started dating a 17-year-old local girl.

McAfee launched a new-age pharmaceutical company but the local police suspected that the former CEO tycoon was actually manufacturing methamphetamine and an ultra-potent strand of bath salts, CelebrityNetWorth said.

Read Also:

Authorities discovered dozens of guns in his house in a police raid in May 2012. McAfee was in jail for a night.

In November 2012, John McAfee was announced as a prime suspect for the murder of his neighbor Gregory Faull. McAfee professed his innocence, claiming he was being set up by the Belize Prime Minister and police because he wasn't well-liked by the PM. He said they killed Faull, mistaking him for McAfee, and then framed him for the crime.

He sought asylum in Guatemala in 2012 but said he wasn't on the run from the authorities in Belize. In an attempt to salvage his reputation, he turned to social media and public interviews, Bloomberg said. He sent updates to Wired magazine, allowed two Vice magazine reporters to accompany him, while also posting on his own website. He divulged how he eluded police by burying himself in the sand with a cardboard box and changing his appearance.

He was detained in Guatemala for several weeks before being deported to the U.S. in December 2012.

A Florida judge ordered McAfee to pay more than $25 million to Faull's estate.

I can see a small piece of sky above the tall concrete walls of the prison yard. The walls seem to frame, in contrast, the deep blue sky and the fluffy clouds drifting through it.



It turns this tiny sky window into a jewel of extraordinary beauty.  John McAfee (@officialmcafee) May 25, 2021

John McAfee's Death

McAfee lived relatively free in the U.S.

In 2017, he jumped into the Bitcoin bandwagon as CEO of MGT Capital Investments Inc., with the promise to turn the former video company into a profitable cybersecurity firm. He stepped down a year later to become CEO of a cryptocurrency company, Luxcore.

He also started charging more than $105,000 per tweet to promote initial coin offerings. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was wary of the CEO as he allegedly artificially inflates a price of a cryptocurrency and then promptly selling it off.

However, in January of 2019, McAfee was on the run again for failing to file U.S. tax returns from 2014 to 2018.

He was arrested and detained by Spanish authorities last October, per Bloomberg. Six months in the Catalonian prison, he was able to tweet: "this has been the most trying period in my life."

.@officialmcafee has been in a Spanish prison for six months. He has been dubbed Papa America by the other inmates since he is the oldest man in the prison by far. It has been a tedious ordeal but John has remained in good spirits. Most days. It is time to#FreeJohnMcAfee now. pic.twitter.com/vbe894GWol  Janice McAfee (@theemrsmcafee) April 4, 2021

At this point, he was still worth an estimate of $4 million from his previous business ventures.

In November, McAfee posted a photo of his latest tattoo which read "$WHACKD" on his right bicep. He also wrote: "Getting subtle messages from U.S. officials saying, in effect: 'We're coming for you McAfee! We're going to kill yourself. I got a tattoo today just in case. If I suicide myself, I didn't. I was whackd. Check my right arm."

He awaited trial and the possibility of facing up to 30 years in prison, Grunge noted. On June 23, the Spanish high court announced that McAfee would be extradited to the U.S. to face federal for his financial crimes.

Just a few hours after the news, McAfee was found dead, an apparent suicide, by security personnel. He was 75 years old.

If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Related Article: Student Loan Forgiveness 2021: How to Apply for Borrower Defense? Do I Qualify for Student Loan Cancellation?
As COVID-19 vaccines continue to rollout across the nation, and companies begin to consider the rationality behind returning their workforce to offices or not, groups such as The 20 have begun navigating the logistics associated with the decision.

A business development group focused on scalability and growth for MSPs, The 20 suggest that clients address the implementation of their vision from a technical perspective. Therefore, they focus on various issues with cybersecurity, infrastructure whilst also considering the technical implications of the workplace transformation generated by the pandemics onset.

A challenging time for businesses, the pandemic necessitated a plethora of cuts and changes for those hoping to remain functional in the drastically altered environment. In response to lockdown, companies replaced in-person meetings with Zoom or Microsoft Teams and rushed to alter their company infrastructure by transferring to cloud-based services. This caused large disruptions both due to poor connectivity and vulnerable networks throughout many organizations globally. Relocating the workforce back to offices will once again require a shuffling of assets and considerations if remote working is undesirable.

Arguably most important, cybersecurity concerns when returning to the office will be paramount. With office devices outdated and the focus having been dedicated to remote workers' secure access, entire office networks will need to be retouched and updated as most MSPs will likely have had fragmented attention for the area. In response to this, assets and devices within the office and those arriving must be audited to prevent vulnerabilities and hacking attempts; outdated software must also be removed to protect sensitive data.

Another area of concern is in relation to infrastructure, which was heavily altered during the pandemic. Many businesses found it necessary to implement scalable systems where there previously was none; this was to facilitate secure and widespread work from home. However, these drastic changes to infrastructure negatively impact onsite security, requiring updates to fit security guidelines and service restoration. Additionally, having been disregarded during the pandemic, various onsite infrastructure must also be replaced to support cloud migrations or other changes. Moreover, alternating what is on the centralized network will be important as some things that were valuable when working from home will now only slow down the network without proper investment into bandwidth.

With many clients returning to their offices, the logistical structure of many businesses will likely change with a balance between office work and remote work replacing the prior permanence of either. As a result, individual MSPs will need to make considerations according to their own framework and budget when working to effectively provide for their client.

To aid MSPs through this, The 20 offer collective expertise, a standardized model for maximum efficiency, and unified resources to propel MSPs into the top 20% of the IT industry; they are available at Miami, Florida-based ITEXPO June 22nd to 25th in Booth 229 MSP.

Share this Page

Edited by Luke Bellos
Ithaca, NY (14850)

Today

Rain and thunderstorms. High around 70F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 54F. Winds light and variable.
Students in the Wellness and Spas class of Reneta McCarthy, retired Senior Lecturer at Cornells School of Hotel Administration, worked on various projects related to the design and operations of the new spa. See story on page 1.
Page Content 10



International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated worldwide every year on the fourth Thursday of April. Girls in ICT Day provides an opportunity for girls and young women to see and be exposed to the benefit of ICT in enabling their career and aspiration. To date, over 377,000 girls and young women have taken part in more than 11,400 celebrations of International Girls in ICT Day in 171 countries worldwide.



The Government of Bangladesh is working towards a large number of ICT and Digital technology projects to close the digital gender divide - placing special emphasis on Digital Bangladesh Vision 2021. At the UN digital Cooperation summit, held in September 2020, Prime Minister, H.E. Sheikh Hasina declared Bangladesh's vision to ensure high-speed internet connectivity to all particularly in connecting the schools by 2030.



The Government of Bangladesh recognises the potential of ICT as a catalyst for economic and social progress particularly for women, girls, persons with disabilities and the vulnerable groups and communities. Women and girls in Bangladesh face major challenges and many of them are not able to benefit from ICT. In order to close the digital gap and to ensure the no one is left behind, Bangladesh is working towards including women and girls in ICT programmes and job opportunities. Using the gender lens, Bangladesh aims to implement gender-equitable ICT access and digital equality for women and girls.



With the goal to bring more women and girls online and to reduce the digital gender gap, the ITU Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, the Alliance of Affordable Internet initiative of the World Wide Web Foundation in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh (the Department of Information and Communications Technology Bangladesh, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication Bangladesh, Ministry of Post and Telecommunication of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, the Aspire to Innovate (a2i) the Bangladesh governments flagship digital transformation program, jointly implemented by the ICT Ministry and Cabinet Office with technical support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)) are organising the Girls in Tech Day Bangladesh 2021 that aims to encourage girls and young woman to pursue studying STEM and to enhance the level of digital skills and raise awareness on meaningful and safe use of ICT.

The celebration will take place in collaboration with the State Ministry of ICT, the Ministry for Women and Children Affairs Bangladesh, the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Bangladesh, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) , University of Dhaka, North South University, Bangalink, Teach for Bangladesh, Women in e-Commerce, e-Worldwide Group, SBK Tech Ventures, Women in Digital, Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), Preneur Lab, Code.org and Facebook.


Nokia announced the global launch of its latest range of AirScale 5G products covering baseband, remote radio heads, and massive MIMO active antennas with digital beamforming.

Nokia say the solutions are powered by the latest generation of Nokias ReefShark System-on-Chip (SoC) chipsets and deliver high capacity and network performance while enabling efficient deployments and operation. The rollout of the new products is already underway.



Nokia introduces its new generation of ReefShark-powered AirScale massive MIMO antennas with both 32TRX and 64TRX products, as well as 8T8R remote radio head solutions. The 32TRX is a light, 17kg, simplifying and speeding up site deployments. It is supporting high radio frequency bandwidth (200 MHz occupied bandwidth and 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth) and delivering high radio frequency power output.

Both the new 32TRX and the new 64TRX massive MIMO antennas support both fragmented spectrum and network sharing cases.

Nokia also introduces its new SoC-based baseband plug-in cards to boost the capacity of the AirScale System Module. The new ReefShark-powered plug-in cards deliver up to eight times more throughput and serve up to eight times more cells compared to previous generations.

Nokia say the ReefShark-powered plug-in cards are easily installed and simplify the upgrade and extended operation of all AirScale deployments. Nokias baseband module can support 90,000 connected users simultaneously and has 84 Gbps throughput. The highly efficient ReefShark powered plug-in cards also reduce power consumption by up to 75 percent.

Nokia comment that the modular AirScale baseband enables mobile operators to scale capacity flexibly and efficiently and as their 5G business evolves.



Nokia Single RAN software now includes 5G, which Nokia say will accelerate 5G rollouts and cut overall radio access network TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), by unlocking network efficiencies with common transport, common operability, common software delivery, and increased hardware sharing.

The combination of Nokias Single RAN software and the new baseband plug-in cards offer multi-mode (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) and multi-band and supports the latest fronthaul interfaces (eCPRI) on a single baseband platform, simplifying the network and lowering costs.

Nokia claim the AirScale baseband architecture is designed to be future-proof and support the increasing demands for wireless traffic. By keeping the L1 and L2 (Layer 1 and Layer 2) computing separate from L3 (Layer 3) and Transport baseband plug-in units, capacity can be added when and where it is needed in the network. Network modernisation can be simply achieved either by software upgrade or by adding new plug-in units into the existing baseband.

Nokia say ReefShark chipsets will also play a critical role in future Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities. Nokia has already introduced AI/ML features in areas such as predictive load balancing, anomaly detection, and intelligent traffic steering.

All Nokia ReefShark platforms are AI/ML ready. Nokia say that it is carrying out proof of concepts with customers this year in innovative areas such as Massive MIMO beam pattern optimisation, energy-saving, advanced traffic steering, advanced packet scheduling, and alarm pattern discovery.

IDC senior research analyst IoT and mobile network infrastructure Patrick Filkins commented, 5G networks are absolutely critical for improving network capacity and performance, particularly when higher bandwidth is in demand.

"Nokias new portfolio addresses these concerns by enabling mobile operators to flexibly scale capacity while helping to smoothly transition to 5G from existing technologies easily and cost-effectively.

"The integration of Nokias ReefShark SoCs across both radio and baseband boosts performance and capacity and the new massive MIMO antennas set a new benchmark for low weight without compromising on performance. These solutions will help mobile operators to address the increasingly dynamic mobile services space that urgently requires more capacity, Filkins concluded.

Nokia president of mobile networks Tommi Uitto said, Our new generation of ReefShark-powered AirScale radio and baseband products is evidence of the successful transformation of our business and ability to deliver market-leading products to our global customers.

"Nokias new portfolio enables communication service providers to offer both consumer and enterprise customers with cutting-edge 5G experiences with premium speeds, capacity, and connectivity underpinned by seamless, simple, and efficient plug-in deployment. Our new AirScale products are O-RAN ready. They consume less energy and highlight our commitment to climate change.

"Were excited to see our customers deploying these products and see the transformative impact of 5G technology, Uitto concluded.
The week of Monday 28 June, 2021, is when those who are registered for Windows Insider Program can freely and legally download the first Windows 11 Insider Preview build - here's what you need to do.

Ok, so first things first.

It is possible to find pirate versions of the Windows 11 beta on the Internet right now, but given that it is illegal to pirate software, and given that pirate sources of software aren't exactly what you'd call trustworthy, as they're often served with a no-so-healthy side serving of virus, trojans, ransomware or other malware-du-jour, it's definitely NOT a wise move to seek the leaked versions out.

The only LEGAL and safe way to try out the beta version of Windows 11 is to sign up for the Windows Insider Program, with this blog post at Microsoft containing all the details.

You'll also need a Windows PC that is compatible with Windows 11's minimum requirements, which you can see here.

You can also download the free PC Health Check app to determine whether your existing computer qualifies.

In short, however, you'll need a minimum of dual-core 64-bit CPU with a minimum speed of 1Ghz or compatible SoC, 4GB or more RAM, 64GB or greater storage, system firmware that is UEFI and Secure Boot capable, has TMP v2, a graphics card that is compatiblee with DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver, a 9-inch or larger display that is at least 720P capable, and an Internet connection and Microsoft account.

Windows 11 has a new interface, new icons, new start menu, new widgets section, new tablet capabilities, the new ability to run Android apps and plenty more.

You can see iTWire's article on the Windows 11 launch here, which includes the full Windows 11 launch event and a range of other videos.

You can sign up for Microsoft's newsletter on Windows 11 here.

Here's a video on the Windows Insider Program:
Health organisations, especially NFPs, are prone to ransomware attacks. A cybersecurity expert calls the government for protection given that health and essential services are now a priority due to COVID-19.

Attacks on essential services and the threat it poses to the public has led calls for authorities to provide digital protection for healthcare organisations, particularly not-for-profits (NFPs) whose systems operate outside the government.

It is believed that 85% of cyberattacks are criminally and financially motivated. Hackers are ruthless and aware of the damage they could inflict by derailing healthcare and essential services, especially at a time when these services are already under pressure due to COVID-19.

Cyber experts are concerned that important networks are becoming increasingly vulnerable. This could lead to further disruption to essential services across education, health, aged care, disability services, and social services.

Network Overdrive CEO Greg Clarkson notes that with so many essential services in Australia now being provided by NFPs, the government needs to ensure their IT and digital systems with confidential and critical information are not exposed to criminal networks.

Clarkson explains how ransomware infiltrates the system. By the time a ransomware demand is delivered, a criminal syndicate has already been rifling through confidential data and files, looking for key information and triggers to leverage.

These criminal networks can not only hold services to ransom, they can use the IT systems of NFPs that work with government to infiltrate government networks and cause even greater damage, Clarkson says.

He suggests that a Cyber Network Umbrella is needed, under which the NFPs and other groups delivering essential services are afforded the best quality IT and data protection.

Clarkson also urges organisations to hire IT consultants. For example, IronNet, a cybersecurity company, provides such services to clients. IronNet says that the public sector no longer can protect itself with a traditional approach to cybersecurity, as attacks become more sophisticated and malicious in recent times.
Not all non connections are capable of delivering the maximum speeds of higher speed NBN plans, and Telstra has apologised for not communicating this properly in the past, and said "we have made significant improvements to how we manage communicating nbn speed information to our customers", so what else does Telstra's California-based global connectivity and platforms exec, Sanjay Nayak have to say about it all?

Over at the Telstra Exchange blog, Telstra's Sanjay Nayak has published a blog post titled: "Our responsibility and commitment to clarifying your NBN speeds."

Here's what Sanjay Nayak has to say, in full:

"One of the issues internet providers face when providing customers with an internet service that relies on an nbn connection is that not all nbn connections to the home are created equal  theyre not all capable of delivering the maximum speeds of higher speed nbn plans.

"The maximum download speed you can achieve on your nbn connection  the speed to the household - is primarily dependent on the technology type delivered by NBN Co to your property. Its impacted by a range of factors, including how far away your house is from the closest nbn point.

"Theres also no way to tell what maximum speeds you can get on your NBN service until after you are connected to the nbn for the first time. This means you might order a 100Mbps service when you first move, only to find out later the nbn connection is not able to support those speeds."

Nayak continues: "This mainly affects Fibre to the Node (FTTN), Fibre to the Building (FTTB) and Fibre to the Curb (FTTC) households. Weve added some more information about these NBN technology types here and you can see what type youre on by visiting the My Telstra app under your NBN service.

"The common element with these NBN technologies is the final stretch of copper cable that delivers the nbn service to the wall socket inside your premises. This is what is known as nbns multi-technology mix.

"Once youre connected to the NBN, we receive information from NBN Co about the maximum possible speeds at your address. If theyre lower than the speeds of your chosen plan, we need to let you know and give you the option of cancelling your service without cost, moving to a lower plan without cost or staying on the same plan.

"If you cancel your service or move to a lower plan, we also need to provide you with a proportionate refund to reflect the period you didnt receive the full benefit of the plan youd chosen.

"We committed to do this through an enforceable undertaking provided to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in November 2017 in relation to FTTN and FTTB connections, as have a number of other nbn internet providers. Were also obliged to do this under NBN service migration rules.

"We have become aware that we have failed to meet these commitments and rules for many customers. Were now in the process of contacting all customers who have been potentially impacted to offer them appropriate remedies.

"As we became aware of these issues, we reported them to the ACCC and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and have developed a comprehensive remediation programme. This programme started in February 2021 and well contact customers over the next few months.

"This is a complicated issue that we are managing proactively, and we are very sorry to have let these customers down. Our continued commitment to our customers is when things go wrong, we pick it up and aim to fix it. We are committed to always acting responsibly, while being transparent and accountable. And this is one of those times.

"Since discovering these issues, we have made significant improvements to how we manage communicating nbn speed information to our customers. Weve introduced a new system for processing the information we receive from NBN Co about customers maximum speeds which lets us better match our data with NBN Cos and detect when there are issues.

"We have also recently introduced new capability which for many FTTN, FTTB and FTTC customers lets us provide them with reliable information at point of sale about the maximum possible speeds at their address so they can make an informed choice when they purchase or change plans. Were calling this pre-qualification process, our dynamic service qualification tool.

"For homes connected to the nbn for more than 21 days, we can inform consumer customers of the maximum attainable speeds they can get on their FTTN, FTTB or FTTC connection. This comes in the form of a range of maximum download speeds, and is the best estimate we can make of the fastest possible speeds of a customers connection. We also provide information to customers about how the maximum speeds at their address relate to their different options for plans with us.

"We will also continue to write to customers once they are connected on their new plan, and if their connection doesnt support the maximum speeds of their plan, well provide them with the options in line with our obligations mentioned above.

"If Dynamic Service Qualification data isnt available - for example, if their home hasnt been connected to the nbn yet - then customers on FTTN and FTTB wont be able to purchase our Premium Speed Plan. Once connected, well let them know what speeds their connection can support, and they will have the option to upgrade to the Premium plan if available to them.

"Were committed to always delivering the best customer experience that we can, so Aussies can better study, work, and be entertained online at home," Nayak concludes.
Today

Partly cloudy skies. High 107F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

A few clouds. Low 82F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow

Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 109F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
I'm going to watch some fireworks.

I'm going to gather with family/friends.

I'm going to take a short trip or start a long vacation.

I plan to go to a theater and see a movie.

I plan to binge watch movies/shows.

I haven't planned anything yet.

Vote

View Results
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 




Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support.
For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Ravalli Republic .
Tom Hallberg covers a little bit of everything, from skiing to long-form feature stories. A Teton Valley, Idaho, transplant by way of Portland and Bend, Oregon, he spends his time outside work writing fiction, splitboarding and climbing.
Teton County Reporter

Previously the Scene editor, Billy Arnold made the switch to the county beat where he's interested in exploring Teton County as a model for the rest of the West. When he can, he still writes about art, music and whatever else suits his fancy.
Page Content

Following its impressive global recognition, the City of Joburg commends 7th Street in Melville for being named one of the world's coolest top 30 streets by global magazine "Time Out."



This after making it to the international digital magazines list of the worlds 40 coolest and kindest neighbourhoods, ranking 33rd. Last year, Time Out described Melville as one of the most diverse neighbourhoods in Johannesburg, bringing bohemian charm to South Africas economic epicentre. And this year, because of its top-notch quality, 7th Street is listed 12th in the line-up of the globes coolest top 30 streets.



It is wonderful to share this good news about our city. A listing like this is a testament to Joburgs appeal as a diverse and dynamic metropolis. We are truly an all-year-round global destination for everything from business, education and lifestyle to sport, events, the arts, culture and fashion, says the MMC for Economic Development, Cllr Lawrence Khoza.



Melville is well-known for hosting diverse young people and bringing vibrancy to Johannesburg. It also offers a wide array of quaint guesthouses, restaurants, bars, antique, specialty and thrift shops, making it a popular destination for both locals and visitors. Located near the University of Johannesburg in Auckland Park and Wits University in Braamfontein, Melville is jam-packed with student life, which automatically accommodates all sorts of lifestyle preferences  offering a youthful and artistic feel.



Cllr Khoza appreciates the work done by the Melville community in taking pride in their suburb and improving it through initiatives like the I Love Melville Facebook page and an active social media presence on other platforms.



Despite the challenges we currently face in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and many others, it is exciting to see that one of Joburgs most popular suburbs has found its own space on the global stage among contenders like Melbourne, Barcelona and London. We congratulate the Melville community and commend their efforts, he adds.



Travellers interested in lifestyle tourism, relaxing and dining in the lively suburb of Melville are welcome to experience what 7th Street offers  from the quality of restaurants to pubs and taverns.



Although it has become the main motivation to travel for some, it is also compatible with cultural interests or experiences  as on 7th Street, where visitors immerse themselves in the local vibe. The City is cognisant of this and is embarking on collaborative arrangements to ensure safer and cleaner streets for freedom of movement throughout Joburg, Cllr Khoza concludes.



Written by Gontse GeE Hlophe


FILE - In this June 13, 2020, file photo, Silver Dollar City employee takes the temperature of guests before they are allowed to enter the park on just west of Branson, Mo. As the U.S. emerges from the COVID-19 crisis, Missouri is becoming a cautionary tale for the rest of the country: It is seeing an alarming rise in cases because of a combination of the fast-spreading delta variant and stubborn resistance among many people to getting vaccinated.
Curtis F. Marbut taught school as a teenager in Barry County, Missouri and saved his money to enter the University of Missouri in the mid-1880s. He graduated with a B.S. degree in geology in 1889. This undated portrait is from his university days.
Phill Brooks has been a Missouri Statehouse reporter since 1970. He is the Statehouse correspondent for KMOX Radio, director of MDN and an emeritus faculty member of the Missouri School of Journalism.
Hedgesville High student Katie Hatfield poses with her award from the Berkeley County Diversity Council, which was presented at Monday nights board of education meeting. She was one of four honored by the council.
During session, Eric can be found at the Capitol in Hartford, reporting the information that readers want and need to know. For insights and updates on legislation, politicians, committees, and commissions that affect the entire state of Connecticut, follow Eric on Twitter: @BednerEric.
SHOOTING CASES

DEFENDANT: Matthew Thomas Cardell, 31, who has listed an address on New State Road

CONVICTIONS: Attempted first-degree assault and first-degree reckless endangerment in each of two shootings, on March 14 and 17, 2019; first-degree criminal mischief in a shooting on March 13 or 14, 2019; and illegal discharge of a firearm on a March 16, 2019 incident

LIKELY SENTENCE: Four years in prison, followed by 10 years special parole
To listen to the podcast, click on the play button below:

Some of the most documented conflicts in history have been happening in Syria and Iraq. Theres tonnes of material out there on social media networks. And there are huge influxes of refugees to Europe; victims, witnesses or even perpetrators of atrocities.

War crimes units across the continent are really investigating broadly these conflicts aimed at prosecuting those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. For evidence, they often rely on social media. They have to find ways to effectively collect, process and analyse such user-generated data evidence, like photos on Facebook or videos on Youtube.

Yvonne McDermott Rees, professor of law at the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law University of Swansea, and Karolina Aksamitowska also in Swansea where shes doing her PHD, joined us to discuss how domestic war crimes prosecutors are dealing with social media evidence.

For background do check out Karolinas paper in the Journal for International Criminal Justice, and a recent project Yvonne did together with GLAN  the Global Legal Action Network  and Bellingcat, who have become synonymous with investigating and analysing social media videos. Here are the links  videos 1 and 2  to the mock hearing in front of a real British judge with real British lawyers and a fictional Yemen war crimes case, intended to test whether such evidence would be accepted.
More than 750 unmarked graves have been found near a former Catholic boarding school for indigenous children in western Canada, a tribal leader said Thursday  the second such shock discovery in less than a month.

The revelation once again cast a spotlight on a dark chapter in Canadas history, and revived calls on the Pope and the Church to apologize for the abuse suffered at the schools, where students were forcibly assimilated into the countrys dominant culture.

As of yesterday, we have hit 751 unmarked graves at the former Marieval boarding school in Saskatchewan province, Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme told reporters.

This is not a mass grave site. These are unmarked graves, he said, adding that each plot would be assessed in the coming weeks to determine the number of victims buried at the site.

Delorme said the graves  found through ground-penetrating radar mapping  may at one time have been marked, but Catholic Church representatives removed these headstones, adding that doing so is a crime in Canada and they were treating the site as a crime scene.

Without a doubt, they were trying to cover up the amount of children that were being mistreated and killed in those institutions, Bobby Cameron, head of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations in Saskatchewan, told broadcaster CBC.

We had concentration camps here, Cameron said separately at a news conference. Canada will be known as the nation who tried to exterminate the First Nations.

The exact number of victims will not be known for weeks because the radar mapping equipment has a margin of error and graves may contain more than one set of remains, said Delorme.

Excavations at the Marieval school, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of the provincial capital Regina, began at the end of May, after the discovery of the remains of 215 schoolchildren at another such former school in British Columbia.

That first find at the Kamloops school triggered excavation work near several former institutions for indigenous children across Canada, with the assistance of government authorities.

Until the 1990s, some 150,000 Native American, Metis and Inuit children were forcibly recruited into 139 of these residential schools across Canada, where they were isolated from their families, language and culture.

Many were subjected to ill-treatment and sexual abuse, and more than 4,000 died in the schools, according to a commission of inquiry that concluded Canada had committed cultural genocide.

Cameron described the finding as a crime against humanity.

The only crime we ever committed as children was being born indigenous, he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the findings at both Kamloops and Marieval a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination and injustice that indigenous peoples have faced  and continue to face  in this country.

Together, we must acknowledge this truth, learn from our past and walk the shared path of reconciliation, so we can build a better future, he said.

 We will find more bodies 

The Marieval residential school in eastern Saskatchewan hosted indigenous children until the mid-1990s before being demolished and replaced by a day school.

One former student, Barry Kennedy, told CBC he was shocked by the news but not surprised.

During my time at Marieval Indian Residential School, I had a young friend that was dragged off one night screaming, he said, adding that he never saw the child again.

His name was Bryan I want to know where Bryan is, Kennedy said.

He described a history of violence at the school.

We were introduced to rape. We were introduced to violent beatings. We were introduced to things that werent normal with our families, he added.

And he said he imagined the graves found so far were just the tip of the iceberg: By the stories that were told by our friends and fellow students, there are multiple locations, you know, per school.

Searches have already turned up possible unmarked burial sites in Ontario and Manitoba provinces.

We will find more bodies and we will not stop till we find all of our children, Cameron said at the press conference.

Added Delorme: We all must put down our ignorance and accidental racism at not addressing the truth that this country has with indigenous people.

This country must stand by us.

In early June, a few days after the discovery of the bones in Kamloops, UN human rights experts urged Ottawa and the Vatican to conduct a full and prompt investigation.
Five years ago, the question of reparations was raised strongly by French, Caribbean, American, Brazilian, and English associations, particularly through the demand for reimbursement of compensation paid to slave owners in 1849  after the abolition of slavery in 1848  and that imposed on Haiti in 1825. Often perceived as not very serious, out of place, even excessive, this issue questioned us as researchers and pushed us to go and dig into the archives  not in order to answer questions about the past in a mechanical way, but to provide elements for reflection on these contemporary questions. How do we think about post-slavery? Has indemnity had an impact on post-slavery? What impact on citizenship? Unlike the work of activist associations, we were interested in a scientific approach, that is to say, one based on archives, texts and fieldwork.

The first database on indemnities in the British Empire was born in England. The objective was to work on the constitution of capitalism in Great Britain, i.e. to show how the colonies had participated in the stabilization or even development of the wealth of certain people who were themselves involved in English capitalism. Our approach is different, since it is to create a database from unexplored archives and to see concretely which indemnity, for which amount, was paid to whom; to see how it was distributed and know more about the history of the indemnity.

Compensation and reparations for slavery in the world. Click on the map to access the interactive version on the CNRS website.  CIRESC, Centre international de recherche sur les esclavages et post-esclavages (CNRS)

Haiti and the independence debt

Following the revolt of the slaves of Saint-Domingue on August 23, 1791, the attempt to re-establish slavery by Napoleon in 1802 and the war that followed, Haiti became an independent country on January 1, 1804. It was an earthquake, since this uprising showed that all the enslaved  the term enslaved does not reduce the person to his or her status as a slave  could rise up against their masters, even kill them. From that moment on, fear spread; slavery, which had always been more or less stable even though there were revolts and resistance, was under threat and the balance of power in favour of the masters was shifting.

After Haiti, the second abolitionist movement discussed the conditions for abolition of slavery. There were several cases, notably that of the English who, in 1807, decided to abolish the slave trade. Abolishing the slave trade first meant cutting off the supply routes. Then, in 1833, England decided that slavery would be abolished with one specificity: slaves would be free within six years and not immediately. France, however, did not choose a gradual abolition but an immediate one, linked to the establishment of the Republic: equality was for all citizens.

It should be remembered that there was a precedent for this indemnity paid from 1849. It concerns the Haitian state. France asked this new country to pay the debt of independence. In other words, France recognized Haitis independence in exchange for the payment of an indemnity amounting to 90 million gold francs, financed by Haitis economic revenues but also by loans from the Caisse des depots et consignations in France. This system maintained Haiti in economic dependence, since the state had to repay both the debt and loans until 1887, and was obliged to take out other loans to balance the countrys budget. A real debt spiral was put in place.

Who were the slave owners who got compensation?

Then, in 1849, France paid 126 million gold francs to all the slave colonies of the French imperial domain; not only the owners of the so-called four old colonies (Guadeloupe, Guyana, Martinique and Reunion) but also Senegal, Nosy Be and Sainte-Marie of Madagascar. According to economist Thomas Piketty, this sum represents 1.3% of gross national income. The same proportion applied to the gross domestic product today would represent 26 billion euros.

Reunion was the colony that got the most  the amounts were determined according to censuses and surveys  because the island was in the process of developing the sugar industry and there was a plan to make Reunion a new Saint-Domingue. The purchase of slaves and their value was therefore more important than for Martinique and Guadeloupe, which were in a phase of decreasing their slave populations.

While working for the Repairs project on the issue of compensation in Martinique, Jessica Balguy, a doctoral student at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) within the Centre International de Recherches sur les Esclavages et les Postesclavages (Ciresc), was able to show that 30 to 40 percent of those receiving compensation were people of colour, i.e., a category of small property owners. This finding has made the issue of compensation more complex, because we can see that the opposition put forward between whites and blacks does not necessarily work. Indeed, there was an oligarchy of settlers who concentrated their land ownership after 1848, and a sort of scattering of slave ownership among smaller owners, who were people of colour. We discover that the slave relationship is multifaceted and worked in many ways.

Reparations, a demand for equality

As a result, the Repairs database opens up considerable avenues of research. Ours is a more contemporary line of research, where the question of compensation is approached from an economic, legal, and philosophical perspective, and which raises the question of reparation as part of a reflection on restorative and transitional justice. This is the work of Magali Bessone, but there is also a sociological line of research led by Elisabeth Cunin, who coordinated an interactive map that is accessible online. It allows us to ask the following questions: how was the issue of reparations organized within French overseas associations, but also in all countries that experienced slavery? What types of policies were put in place at the time of Emancipation (financial compensation to owners, no compensation, maintenance of economic dependency relationships, etc.) and what contemporary memorial policies were put in place around the memory of slavery (teaching of this issue, commemoration days, memorials, etc.)?

In my opinion, this question of reparations involves a demand for equality that has never really been achieved. To be French is, of course, to have citizenship rights, but we can see very clearly how, in the French West Indies, these rights have always been contained and minimized, subjected to discrimination and socio-racial hierarchies. The issue of reparations underlies the question of what kind of society we want. What do we want to forget? On which subjects is a lid always kept tight?

While our project tends towards equality, I think that there is no taboo subject and that, on the contrary, we must provide scientific tools to think about social issues. Symbolic reparations are very important and considered as such when they produce equality. Reparation is a kind of levelling of a historical fact, where things are put back on an equal footing. And real equality would be a serene, full and complete recognition of the history of slavery, which should not mean an indictment. To accept the history of slavery is to put back into the narrative of French history a piece of the puzzle that allows us to understand the economic and social history but also the political philosophy of France. Justice, equality and fraternity are terms that were also fully grasped by the slaves of Saint-Domingue when they rose up in 1791. They did so in the name of the principles of the French Revolution, in the name of the Declaration of Human and Citizens Rights!

This work is therefore only the beginning of new research that will contribute to public debate on these issues.
Afghan leaders Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah will meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday for high-stakes discussions , The discussion may affect the future of Afghanistan, because the United States withdrew nearly 20 years after the invasion.

President Biden is expected to provide U.S. backed guarantee Analysts say that with the increasing number of Taliban attacks, they may urge Ghani and Abdullah to unite their opposing political factions.

At the same time, Ghani and Abdullah are expected to call on Biden to make specific and specific financial and diplomatic support commitments, including continuing to provide technical assistance to the troubled Afghan army.

The security situation is worrying and it is deteriorating, said Scott Warden, director of the Afghanistan Program at the American Institute of Peace, who recently returned from a trip to this Asian country.

According to Reuters and other reports, as the Taliban intensified their military operations, fighting between the Afghan government forces and armed groups has accelerated. A senior UN official warned the Security Council on June 22 that since May, militants have occupied the surrounding areas of the provincial capital, allowing the Taliban to control large areas of territory.

Deborah Lyons, head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, said, It is undeniable that it may slip into a terrible scenario.

Biden said on Thursday that he plans to discuss with President Ghani and Chairman of the Reconciliation Commission Abdullah a plan to airlift thousands of Afghans who support the Americans out of the country.

Those who have helped us will not be left behind, Biden said. They will be welcomed here, just like other people who risk their lives to help us.

U.S. congressmen are pushing the Biden administration to speed up visa approvals Afghans who helped U.S. troops left the country and have Evacuation talk A large number of Afghans went to Guam, the United States.

From left, the leader of the Afghan National Reconciliation High Commission Abdullah Abdullah, the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, and the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell , June 24 in Washington, DC [Tom Brenner/Reuters]

The United States said that more than half of the work of withdrawing equipment and troops has been completed. The withdrawal completed jointly with NATO troops may be completed as early as July, which is the deadline set by Biden on September 11, the 20th anniversary of the US invasion.

Indeed, fast U.S. withdrawal Worden said this caught Afghan political and civil society leaders by surprise, caused a psychological blow to the Afghan security forces, and frustrated public hopes and expectations.

Earlier this week, The Taliban occupy a key border crossing According to Reuters, they seized ammunition and armored vehicles from government forces in the town of Shirhan Bandar, which borders Tajikistan in northern Afghanistan, and dispatched customs staff to flee to safety.

The ability of the Taliban to take over the region surprised many Afghans, I think the region, Warden told Al Jazeera.

The Talibans success on the battlefield inspired the organizations military branch and reduced the motivation to participate in peace negotiations. It changes the strategic considerations of negotiations and prospects for peace, Warden said.

White House and Pentagon officials stated that President Bidens decision to withdraw US and NATO troops and the timetable for the withdrawal of all US troops by September is fixed.

However, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told the media on June 21 that the Talibans offensive may cause the United States to modify its plan. This is a dynamic situation, We noticed that as the situation changes, the schedule may fluctuate and change, Kirby said.

When asked about the issue of Afghanistan at a media conference on June 23, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki insisted that the Pentagon was continuing to withdraw US troops in an orderly manner. She emphasized that the US did not see the Taliban launch an attack on the US military.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milly, the top US military officer, assured Congress that the Afghan army will be able to Withstand the challenge Even in the absence of the US military, it is from the Taliban. But they also said that Al Qaeda may regain the power to attack the United States within two years-which is why it invaded in 2001.

However, according to the Wall Street Journal, citing reports from officials familiar with the new assessment, after the Taliban swept northern Afghanistan last week, US intelligence agencies concluded that the Afghan government may collapse within six months of the completion of the US withdrawal. .

Centcom Commander General Frank Mackenzie of the US Marine Corps told VOA earlier that US military planners have been assessing their ability to carry out air strikes on Afghanistan from remote bases elsewhere, if this is necessary to protect the United States and its allies. The benefit is necessary once its troops leave this month.

Lisa Curtis, director of the Indo-Pacific Program at the Center for New American Security in Washington, said Bidens exit schedule is much more urgent than it needs, and Ghani may want to convince the government to adjust its approach. .

Curtis said that the Biden administration should allow contractors to stay in Afghanistan and continue to provide support to the Afghan Air Force, which relies on US technical assistance.

Curtis told Al Jazeera that Biden needs to show that the United States has not simply turned its head to abandon this country because of the narrative that is now being established.

However, according to the agreement signed by Bidens predecessor Donald Trump in February 2020 between the United States and the Taliban, the agreement requires the withdrawal of troops, and an estimated 16,000 American contractors must evacuate when they withdraw troops from Afghanistan.

The Afghan government did not participate in these negotiations, and the peace negotiations between it and the Taliban, which should have been the next step, are at a deadlock.

In the long run, the Biden administration relies on regional powers including Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, China, and Iran to help avoid an outbreak. Major civil war Analysts say that they support the peace process in Afghanistan.

Biden met with Russian President Putin and Turkish President Erdogan in Geneva and Brussels last week to discuss the withdrawal of US troops and the security situation in Kabul.

RAND policy researcher Jason Campbell said that at the White House, Biden will provide Ghani and Abdullah with guarantees that the United States will continue to support the Afghan government financially and diplomatically after the withdrawal of the US military.

Campbell told Al Jazeera that Biden may behind the door and bluntly teach Ghani and Abdullah to make difficult political compromises between the Afghans, which is necessary to establish a united front against the Taliban. .

We know that from past experience, Biden has no problem with making such remarks on his expectations.

Ghani and Abdullah represent rival parties. The two raised objections to the results of the 2019 presidential election-and finally reached an agreement, Ghani retained the presidency and Abdullah as the chairman of the reconciliation committee. After months of fighting for who won the presidential election in 2016, the two had previously governed in the government of national unity.
BC health officials announced 75 new COVID-19 cases and 3 other deaths on Thursday.

As of Thursday, 77.5% of adults in British Columbia and 76% of adults 12 years of age and older have now received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The second dose has been given to 25.9% of adults and 24.2% of adults 12 years and older.

In a written statement, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix stated that there are currently 1,111 active cases of the novel coronavirus in BC

A total of 113 people were hospitalized, 34 of whom were in the intensive care unit.

The overall number of hospitalizations usually lags behind the peaks and troughs of new cases, a 14% drop from last Thursday, when 131 people were hospitalized for the disease.

The number of intensive care patients has dropped by approximately 23% from 44 a week ago.

So far, the number of deaths caused by the disease in the province is 147,346, of which 1,747 have died.

To date, 4,652,087 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been vaccinated, including 1,122,024 second doses.

vaccination

Health officials encourage British Columbians to get two doses of the vaccine as soon as possible so that they can travel and resume normal social interaction.

Now, the best way for us to do this is to get a full immunization with two doses of our safe and effective vaccine. Once you are eligible, you must get vaccinated immediately, Henry and Dix said.

Across the province, health officials encourage anyone who has not yet registered for immunization to do so now.

B.C. citizens 12 years and older can register in three ways:

The provinces goal is for most people to get the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine eight weeks after the first dose.
Green list update: as Ibiza, Mallorca, Malta, Madeira and the Caribbean islands receive green lights, there has been an increase in holidays





SUNSEEKERS got the biggest boost of the year tonight, with Ibiza, Mallorca, Malta and the Caribbean all being promoted to the green list.

In the major victory of the summer vacation, the list of new destinations that Britons can travel without quarantine is open for foreign travel as early as next week.

With the exception of Malta, all countries are on the green watch list, which means they are on the verge of returning to amber.

But this means that from 4am next Wednesday, passengers will be able to fly from the UKBalearicThere is no need to squat down at home when returning.

The announcement was welcomed by poorly funded airlines, travel companies, and vacationers eager to retreat after the pandemic after months of lockdown.

Read the Green List Travel live blog below for the latest news and updates.





Source link

It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam, reorganized the cabinet, appointed Security Minister Lee Hsien Loong as the Chief Secretary for Administration-the second largest position in the government-and appointed Chief of Police Deng Xiaoping to succeed Lee Kuan Yew. This move is seen as Chinas strengthening of Hong Kongs control over Hong Kong. After the democratic Apple Daily was suppressed, it called on the United States to increase sanctions.

At a press conference on Friday, Lin also announced that Xiao Feng, the deputy police chief, will become the citys new police chief.

Lees appointment as Chief Secretary for Administration marks the first time that a former police officer has assumed the highest administrative position in Hong Kong. H

After the official announcement on Friday, Lee stated in a brief statement that he would ensure that the patriots govern Hong Kong and vowed to help the Chief Executive implement policies to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carrie Lam, Li and Tang are now meeting with the media. pic.twitter.com/itlKs5wFqY -Alvin Lum (@alvinllum) June 25, 2021

For his part, Tang stated that he will ensure that the forces under his leadership help protect the citys national security and help eliminate any form of domestic terrorism and threats from external forces. As the police chief, Tang was the citys main law enforcement officer in the 2019 democracy protests.

At the same time, Xiao stated that he will continue to lead the police force with loyalty, maintain contact with society, and protect Hong Kongs national security.

The three newly appointed officials did not answer questions from reporters, leaving Carrie Lam facing the media. Li Zhiying, the founder of the media group, was arrested in August last year and awaiting trial in prison under the broad-worded national security law that China implemented on the territory a year ago.

The day before the reorganization, the pro-democracy Apple Daily released its last edition after its editors and senior managers were arrested and their assets were frozen. Li described the arrested as criminals and said that ordinary reporters should not interact with them.

At the press conference, Lin told the media that her vision for the city is to maintain the legal rights of citizens, but will also strictly enforce the law.

Although these appointments were announced by Carrie Lam, they were also approved by the State Council of China. They were first announced in Chinese official media.

Call for U.S. sanctions

Recent events in Hong Kong, including the closure of the Apple Daily, prompted two leading US senators to urge President Joe Biden to impose sanctions on the perpetrators, implying that foreign banks are also implicated.

Senator Pattumi, a senior Republican member of the Senate Banking Committee, and Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic member of the committee, said that the Hong Kong Autonomy Act passed last year requires the US Secretary of State to confirm to Congress that any foreigners, including foreign companies, are Cannot enjoy the substantial contribution of freedom of assembly, speech, press, or independent rule of law.

The letter said: The shocking suppression of Li Zhiying and Apple Daily seems likely to involve many foreigners to whom Article 5 of the Hong Kong Autonomy Law applies.

The letter refers to a report by Reuters last month that the newly appointed chief secretary Li Zai Letters were sent to Jimmy Lai, the owner of Apple Daily, and branches of HSBC and Citibank, threatening to face up to seven years in prison for any transaction with the billionaires account in the city.

The senators letter provided to Reuters stated that Lee had ordered the branch to freeze Lais account, it seems they have done so.

Earlier this week, about 500 policemen raided the Apple Daily. The letter stated that the Hong Kong Security Bureau subsequently ordered the Apple Daily bank to freeze the newspapers assets, directly leading to its closure.

It said: After Li Zhiying was treated unfairly and Apple Daily was forced to close, we urge your government to immediately and fully implement the Hong Kong Autonomy Law.

Senator legislation requires mandatory sanctions on individuals and entities that directly undermine Hong Kongs autonomy, and secondary sanctions on banks that do business with these entities and individuals.

The senators added in the letter that their understanding is that the order for the foreign bank was issued extrajudicially by an official outside the court system, without any criminal charges or subpoenas.

Earlier this week, about 500 police officers raided the offices of Apple Daily and arrested its executives, forcing the publication to cease operations on Thursday [File: Tyrone Siu/Reuters]

These orders have cemented the impression of many people that Hong Kong no longer has the rule of law, they said.

Last month, a Citi spokesperson said in response to a Reuters report that the bank must abide by all laws and regulations of the country in which it operates.

HSBC declined to comment, but CEO Noel Quinn has previously stated that the bank must comply with police requirements in any country in the world.

On Thursday, Biden called the closure of Apple Daily a sorrowful day for media freedom, and said it marked Chinas intensified repression while vowing to continue to support the people of the Chinese territories.

He did not mention any plans to impose further sanctions on the crackdown.

Human Rights Watch described the shutdown as a systematic deprivation of the civil and political rights of the people of the city by the Chinese government.

Hong Kong people are watching the Chinese government take quick measures to destroy their democratic society, said Wang Maya, a senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Human Rights Watch stated that Beijings actions in Hong Kong are coordinated and comprehensive, and seem to be aimed at transforming a city of basic freedom into a city that follows the line of the Chinese community party.

In March of this year, the Biden administration identified 24 Chinese officials previously sanctioned by the Trump administration as responsible for weakening Hong Kongs high degree of autonomy.

It stated that foreign financial institutions with which they knowingly conduct major transactions are now sanctioned.

However, in the latest report submitted to Congress in May under the Act, the Treasury Department did not specify any foreign financial institutions that do business with these people.
Chennai, India  Harshali Nagrale is a first-generation student in the Dalit community in India. He was once known as a untouchable and has been facing systematic persecution by the so-called upper-caste Hindus for many years.

This 25-year-old young man has done a lot of work in public policy and education in marginalized communities, and now wants to receive a more professional education in this field at a foreign university.

Although she was admitted to Londons prestigious Royal Holloway College in elections, elections and democracy, she encountered obstacles.

The daughter of a retired mill worker and the mother of a housewife simply cannot afford the $54,000.

Nagrale tried to obtain scholarships established by the Indian government and some foreign organizations, but failed.

At that time she decided to try an unconventional method, which has recently brought results for poor students like her.

Nagrale launched a fundraising campaign on an online platform called Milaap, explaining in detail the jobs and courses she would like to join, and seeking financial support from her community.

I am the first woman to graduate from my village and family, she wrote in an appeal on the crowdfunding platform.

I am a first-generation lawyer, and it is indeed a proud moment for me to get this course at this famous university.

This worked. Nagrale has received enthusiastic responses from Dalit students studying abroad, community groups and activists.

She was able to raise 67% of the target amount and is now in the process of applying for a visa. She said she will pay for the remaining living expenses by working part-time in the UK.

The choice of low-privileged aspirants

In recent days, hashtags such as #SumittoOxford and #sendAbhishektoCambridge have become popular on Indian social media, as more than a dozen aspiring people like Nagrale seek to donate to higher education in famous Western universities.

In the past, the government, philanthropists, and NGOs have helped some deserving students from poor families, but these scholarships are limited and highly competitive.

In addition, Indian banks do not provide student loans unless the bank seeking financial support provides collateral.

Earlier, part of the support came from universities that students planned to join in the form of scholarships and endowments. However, the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic has led to a decline in the amount of assistance provided by Western universities to foreign students.

In this case, crowdfunding has become an option, mainly for students from poor families, or students who have lost family members.

As more and more people begin to seek help, many activists and organizations belonging to marginalized communities support their activities by forwarding their requests or helping them find donors.

Activists said they support these students because they believe that education is the only way for them to gain power and improve their lives or community life.

Research community-related issues

Many students who are crowdfunding for education in Western universities say they intend to take courses related to the struggle in the community.

Archana Rupwate is a 34-year-old untouchable lawyer who lives in the western metropolis of Mumbai and works on issues related to human rights and criminal justice.

She has a masters degree in human rights and humanitarian law from Viadrina University in Frankfurt, Germany. But as the daughter of a farmer, her only choice is to seek help from strangers.

Although I received acceptance letters from several well-known universities, I did not receive a full scholarship, she told Al Jazeera.

So a friend of mine and a former colleague suggested that since I have done so much work in the human rights field, I should try crowdfunding.

Rupwate launched a fundraising campaign on another crowdfunding platform called Ketto and stated that she raised 80% of the funds in just eight days.

I think most people who appreciate my work have donated  my clients and Dalit friends, who have settled globally and have achieved some achievements in their lives, and really hope that other students in the community will realize their dreams. she says.

Maknoon Wani, a 23-year-old student from India-controlled Kashmir, said that he wanted to study the influence of the Internet and social media on fostering social, religious or racial hatred, and found a suitable masters program in Oxford, for which he now needs financial help.

Kashmiri student Maknoon Wani intends to study in Oxford [Courtesy of Maknoon Wani]

The Internet shutdown in our region in 2019 and 2020 bothered me a lot. My father suffered losses due to his inability to run a retail business, and I was unable to take online courses in the last year of university, he told Al Jazeera by phone.

I was admitted, but I didnt have the necessary funds, so I decided to set up a fundraising event on Milaap, he said.

But Wani has not yet been able to raise the target amount of US$58,000.

I cant postpone admission. Im really motivated to do this course and I really hope I can do it, he said.

A surge in people seeking funding

Indian crowdfunding platforms, including Milaap and Ketto, stated that the number of activities initiated on their websites by people seeking help from higher education has increased significantly in recent years.

Milaap co-founder Mayukh Choudhury told Al Jazeera that his website hosted more than 11,000 education-related fundraising events in 2020, an increase from 7,000 a year ago. He said that education is the second largest category after medical emergencies.

Although it is common for non-profit organizations and communities to raise funds to support the education of poor children, many young people also seek crowdfunding support to pursue higher education, Chowdhury said.

On June 3, Dalit musician and activist Sumeet Samos raised a staggering $50,000 for his education in Oxford in less than a day.

The fundraising campaigns posted on our crowdfunding platform have received an overwhelming response, Chowdhury said, adding that all activities on his website were verified by a dedicated team and after the relevant documents were approved.

Mayukh Choudhury co-founded the crowdfunding platform Milaap [Courtesy of Mayukh Choudhury]

In the case of raising funds to pay tuition fees, relevant documents from the institution, such as telephone notices, admission notices and other related documents will be shared on the event page, he said.

Namrata Pandey, an education consultant in New Delhi, said that crowdfunding is still unable to cover the full cost of overseas education and living expenses.

Many universities, especially in the United States, will fund students from marginalized communities if they are academically talented, talented, and bring unusual perspectives, she said.

The failure of the government plan

However, not everyone who sets up a fundraising event will get the funds they need. Usually, the forefront is activism, a network of friends and wishers, and a good work record in the chosen field.

Although fundraising may seem like an easy way to raise funds for education, putting your life story online for the world to see may cost you.

The ethics of crowdfunding education expenses has also been questioned. Many people think that people from marginalized communities should not receive such an expensive education and question whether such an expensive degree is worth it.

Some people seeking funds have also received strong opposition from social media, with users calling them beggars and selfish and even accusing them of concealing facts about themselves or their family members.

Recently, Ansab Amir, who graduated from Aligarh Muslim University in northern Uttar Pradesh, asked for funding after he was admitted to the masters program in journalism at Goldsmiths University in London.

But the 22-year-old aspiring journalist decided to end his fundraising in Milaap and return the funds raised to donors because he and his family have been subjected to abuse, harassment and threats. [my] All of this damages mental health.

Dalit activist and author Cynthia Stephen said that most government scholarships are designed to give the impression of helping marginalized communities, but students rarely manage to obtain them.

To deprive students from marginalized communities of opportunities is to deprive them of their personal dignity and constitutional rights, she told Al Jazeera, calling crowdfunding for higher education a good trend.

But this is also a measure of the failure of government programs to support marginalized communities.
Prince Harry arrived at Los Angeles International Airport and went to Britain to unveil the statue of Princess Diana, just as the car chase was unfolding.

On Thursday night, someone saw Harry arrive at the airport in a black SUV, and then he will set off for London to attend the unveiling ceremony next week.

2 Harry is heading to London Credit: Reuters

2 A car broke through the gate of Los Angeles International Airport and led the police to chase Credit: CBSLA

When the Duke arrived at Los Angeles International Airport, a driver broke through the fence of the FedEx cargo facility at about 6 pm and led the police to hunt down before being detained.

The police stated that no one was injured, but as the chase unfolded, the two runways were closed.

The video of the incident showed a large number of police officers at the airport.

The flight from Harry to London departed only 45 minutes later.

Harry and his brother Prince William will appear together on Thursday at the unveiling of their mothers statue, which is her 60th birthday.

The unveiling of the statue will be the first time Harry and William have appeared together since the funeral of their grandfather Prince Philip.
Is your business prepared for emergencies in the workplace? As vaccination rates increase and your business reopens, and customers and employees return to stores, offices, and workplaces, it may be time to update your emergency plans and agreements. Here are some ideas to help you plan for emergencies at work, whether its COVID exposure, fire, flooding, chemical spills, or blackouts.

Does your workplace need an emergency action plan? We provide you with a customizable document that will

Help you prepare for the unexpected.

How can employers prepare for emergencies at work?

To prepare for an emergency at work, you first need an emergency action plan. This plan can help you document your businesss emergency procedures so that your employees can plan ahead. It covers evacuation plans, emergency contact information, fire extinguisher policies, etc. Whether required by law or not, it is best to keep a written plan and keep it updated.

Your emergency plan should also include Business contingency planThis document outlines the steps required to ensure that your business can continue operations after a disaster, even if the facility remains inaccessible or personnel cannot perform its work.

Once you have a plan, make sure your employees know where it is and what it contains. Training and practice will help everyone know what to do in an emergency. Review your plan regularly to ensure that everyone understands the policies and procedures contained in it.

What are some examples of workplace emergencies?

Many types of emergencies can occur in the workplace. The three main types are:

natural disaster

Natural disasters, including storms, floods, earthquakes, and fires, can cause serious problems for your team. These are the hardest emergency situations to plan because they often happen without warning. Your preparation plan needs to take this into consideration so that you can act quickly in the event of an emergency.

Occupational hazards

Accidents, chemical spills, mechanical problems, technical interruptions, gas leaks, explosions and other accidents often occur in the workplace. These are business-specific and will depend on the type of work you perform, so please evaluate your needs and set your plan accordingly.

Civil emergency

Civil emergencies stem from state activities or unrest, such as workers strikes or protests. If violence occurs and workers must evacuate or make special plans for safety reasons, some recent shutdowns and protests related to the coronavirus may be considered such emergencies.

How to develop an emergency action plan for my business?

One Emergency action plan Ask your company to analyze the risks you face in daily operations. This includes the risks of natural disasters and business-related emergencies. Then, you must outline how you want your business and employees to handle emergencies. Finally, you need to produce an easy-to-follow document outlining these procedures.

State or federal laws may sometimes specify steps to be taken in an emergency. You may need to consult a commercial lawyer when developing an emergency action plan. Rocket Lawyer On Call Can answer your question. You can contact the lawyer directly from the file you created.

How often should I update my workplace emergency action plan?

The corporate emergency plan should be reviewed annually. They may not require annual updates, but regular reviews can ensure that they meet your changing business needs. If you find errors or missing policies or information, you can update or modify the plan. As the needs and responsibilities of companies continue to change, these files are fluid.

Emergency situations will happen. The coronavirus shows us that accidents can have long-term consequences. Business owners and office managers are responsible for ensuring that plans are made to ensure that the business flourishes, even in emergencies.

This article contains general legal information and does not contain legal advice. Rocket Lawyer is not a law firm, nor is it a substitute for a lawyer or a law firm. The law is complex and changes frequently.For legal advice, please Ask a lawyer.
Sunwing said it has reached an agreement with the Canadian Corporate Emergency Financing Corporation. Used for financing, allowing more customers to get refunds.

The travel company stated that customers who have cancelled their holidays due to the pandemic and have received non-refundable bookings for future travel points or travel vouchers can now request a full refund.

Sunwing stated that customers who wish to retain travel points can do so.

Watch | Sunwing customers are frustrated with refund delays:

For flights cancelled due to the pandemic, Sunwing Airlines frustrated customers have been waiting a long time to get their refunds even though other airlines have compensated for their flyers. 2:04

It says that future travel credits can be used for travel until September 30, 2026.

To apply for refunds, eligible customers and travel agencies must submit their applications through the online COVID-19 refund application form before August 27.

The new policy applies to hotels, flights and vacation packages booked on or before Friday, June 25, 2021, and plans to travel on or after February 1, 2020.
The Milky Way is a big place. There are an estimated 200 billion stars, most of which have one or more planets. Therefore, searching for alien life is like finding a needle in a haystack.

However, a new study has released a list of potentially habitable planets that may have received signals from Earth, may be receiving them, or will receive them within 5000 years.

This Research, published in Nature , Using data collected by the European Space Agency (ESA) Gaia Space Telescope, which is mapping our Milky Way in unprecedented 3D.

When we are looking for exoplanets or planets orbiting other stars, one of the most popular methods is the transit method, in which the light of one of the stars drops slightly (probably close to 1%), which indicates that the planet has passed through the-or Transit-star.

However, this method requires the planet to be in our sight. Its like someone holding a pea in front of a huge bulb; if you place it anywhere above or below the bulb, we wont notice a slight drop in brightness.

The authors of the new study found that in the past 5,000 years, about 1,715 nearby stars can see the Earth through this transit method. Among them, 29 habitable planets around these stars may also be affected by humans. . Radio transmission began about 100 years ago. That is, if they know to look for radio signals.

Watch | Astronomers estimate the number of star systems that may have or can detect life on Earth:

Scientists at Cornell University and the American Museum of Natural History have identified 2,034 nearby star systems that can find the earth simply by observing our light blue dots passing through our sun. Video source: NASA/AMNH OpenSpace via D. Desir 2:49

But we know that there are potentially habitable planets around some stars: Ross 128; Tigaden Star; GJ 9066; TRAPPIST-1, K2-65; K2-155 and K2-240.

So we have seven stars with planets, four of which are within 100 light years, said Lisa Kaltenegger, an associate professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, the lead author of the study.

So who can see us passing by, and also, have they already received the radio waves that we started sending about 100 years ago? This is the whole question: Is everyone looking for radio waves? Does everyone develop radio technology? Nobody knows.

The most interesting one is the TRAPPIST-1 system consisting of seven exoplanets, three of which are rocks and are located in a potentially habitable zone (water may be present on the planets surface).

However, Kaltenegger said, TRAPPIST-1 will not see us until 1600.

So we have found it, she said. But their vantage point hasnt reached this perfect place yet, and they havent seen us transit. So to some extent, we know something they havent known since 1600.

The artists vision shows what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system might look like, based on available data about their diameter, mass, and distance from the host star. (NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology)

Ross 128 is a red dwarf star about 11 light-years away, which means it is close enough to receive Earths broadcasts (radio signals travel at the speed of light), and it has a planet almost twice the size of Earth. If there is life there, they will see the earth transiting for more than 2,000 years. However, 900 years ago, they lost their view of the earth.

However, Tigaden Star, which is 12.5 light-years away from Earth, will be in a good position to receive Earths transmissions in 29 years.

Broadcast or not

When it comes to the search for alien life, the biggest question is whether we miss you Spread our existence into space: What if we remind a smart but not so benevolent species to pay attention to our existence?

However, despite the controversy, there is still a coordinated effort to find extraterrestrial intelligence, known as SETI, which is mainly composed of the SETI Institute and Breakthrough listening program .

what [the authors] Seth Shostak, a senior astronomer at the SETI Institute who was not involved in the study, said: What we are doing here is that they list all the things that can see the earth passing in front of the sun. A star system relatively close to us. So they gave SETI a bunch of targets.

Although the signals have been sent from our radio transmissions to space, they are not directional, but what astronomers call leaks.

If they have the kind of antenna we make, they wont receive this kind of leakage radiation from the earth, right? Because it was not aimed at them deliberately, Shostak said.

only The directional signal was sent by the now-defunct Arecibo Telescope in 1974 In Puerto Rico. But it was sent to a star cluster M13 that is more than 21,000 light years away from us.

This picture shows the printout of the strong signal received by the Big Ear Radio Astronomy Observatory in 1977. Astronomer Jerry Ayman circled this unusual signal and wrote Wow! on the edge. (Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American Astrophysics Observatory)

But so far, it has been very quiet. The closest we came to a potential signal was in 1977, often referred to as the wow! signal. It lasted for 72 seconds and then disappeared.Since then, people have been skeptical about this, and one of the papers claimed that it was due to Passing by the comet .

Astronomer Nick Cowan, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University, was not involved in the study. He said there are many situations that can lead to silence.

I mean there are many solutions, from the horrible, such as the moment you start leaking radio into space, no matter how long it takes for aliens to get here, they will come here and destroy us, to the real one. Its frustrating, he said. Perhaps intelligent life is actually very rare. It appeared on Earth through a series of evolutionary fluke.

This led to the Fermi Paradox, named after the physicist Enrico Fermi, who is said to have asked: Where is everyone? In 1950, decades before we discovered exoplanets, Have lunch with other scientists at Los Alamos National Observatory. The idea is that if there are so many stars, there should be millions or billions of planets, and the potential intelligent life we ??should be able to detect. But so far, we are greeted by silence.

But the search continues, and this recent study may help narrow down some targets.

Now sometimes when I look up at the sky, I think, Kaltenger said. Have [about] There are 2,000 stars to see us now. I am an optimist, so I think the sky becomes more friendly because I imagine if life is there, it will wave there, you know? Its like,Hey, are you outside? 
Opinion analysis

after Amy How





1:58 PM

Supreme Court Friday Significantly narrowed class actions against TransUnion, One of the top three credit reporting companies in the country. The court ruled by 5 votes to 4 that approximately 1,800 people whose personal information was provided to others have the legal right to sue them for claiming that TransUnion failed to follow due process, but the information of approximately 6,000 other people were not disclosed. The ruling will significantly reduce the $40 million judgment against TransUnion, which is also a victory for the wider business community because it may further restrict class actions under consumer protection law: the court made it clear that even if Congress has The cause of action, the mere fact of violating the law does not alone provide the right to sue in federal court.

Fridays ruling TransUnion v Ramirez When Sergio Ramirez, a Californian, tried to buy a car, a dispute occurred. The car dealer conducted a credit check, and the result falsely indicated that Ramirez was on the list of suspected terrorists with whom the American company was prohibited from doing business. When Ramirez later followed up with TransUnion, which provided credit reports, TransUnion once again sent two emails to Ramirez, indicating that his name potentially matches with the two names on the terrorist watch list. Ramirez argued that these emails did not comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Ramirez went to federal court where he sued TransUnion on behalf of approximately 8,000 other consumers who were identified as potential matches and received a similar set of emails within six months of 2011. The jury sided with consumers and ordered TransUnion to pay more than $60 million in damages, but the Federal Court of Appeals later reduced the verdict to $40 million. TransUnion argued that the case should not be allowed to proceed as a class action because there is no guarantee that every class member will suffer the kind of harm required by the constitution to bring a lawsuit, but the lower court rejected this argument and the Supreme Court agreed to accept it last year. case.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh emphasized when writing for the majority that the constitution requires that the plaintiff who filed a lawsuit in the federal court has a personal interest in this case. He explained that in order to prove such an interest, the plaintiff must prove the injury caused by the defendant and remedied by the court. Kavanaugh went on to say that such a requirement guarantees that the court will only deal with real disputes that have a real impact on real people. Kavanaugh pointed out that there are different types of injuries that can constitute the specific injuries needed to stand up-that is, the legal right to sue. Kavanaugh observed that physical and financial injuries are the most common and obvious injuries, but intangible injuries, such as damage to the plaintiffs reputation or disclosure of private information, are also eligible.

Although Congress sometimes passes regulations to give someone reasons for litigation when violating federal laws, Kavanaugh writes that this alone is not sufficient to give the plaintiff the right to file a lawsuit in federal court. Only those already Specific injury Kavanaugh emphasized that if the defendant violates statutory regulations, the private defendant may be sued in federal court for the violation. Kavanaugh believes that the opposite conclusion would interfere with the Constitutions separation of powers in two ways: it would violate the courts requirement to resolve only actual cases and disputes, and it would interfere with the executive branchs decision on when and how to implement federal laws.

Kavanaugh then turned to the plaintiffs claims in this case. As he said, TransUnion did not do enough to ensure that the alert that marked them as potential terrorists was not included in their credit file. Kavanaugh wrote that assuming that the plaintiff was right that TransUnion was not doing enough, the 1,853 members whose credit reports had actually been sent to the company suffered the kind of specific harm that gave them the right to sue. However, Kavanaugh went on to say that the other 6,332 class members were not harmed in this way. During the dispute in this lawsuit, TransUnion did not send their credit information to anyone, and the inaccurate information in the internal files of the class members will not bring them the kind of specific harm of the right to sue.

The court concluded that, with the exception of Ramirez, none of the plaintiffs had the right to sue for the other two claims for damages because they believed that the format of the email sent to them by TransUnion was incorrect and therefore violated federal law. . Cavano emphasized that apart from Ramirez, no other plaintiffs indicated that they even opened the email, let alone suffered harm.

In view of Fridays ruling, the court sent the case back to the lower court for new proceedings. Kavanaugh suggested that, among other things, the lower courts may consider whether it is appropriate to proceed with the case as a class action according to our conclusion on the status of the litigation.

Justice Clarence Thomas opposed, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Justice Elena Kagan also disagreed. Although Congress believes that such misconduct should be corrected, most people believe that TransUnions behavior is so insignificant that the Constitution prohibits consumers from defending their rights in federal court, Thomas lamented. The Constitution does not have such a thing. In fact, Thomas believes that the court has long held that damage to private rights-such as the rights granted to individuals by law-is sufficient to allow litigation to proceed, and this is what class members are doing. What this case demonstrates: the controversial federal law imposes obligations on consumers on behalf of credit reporting agencies, and these obligations are violated here.

Kagan wrote a separate objection, and Breyer and Sotomayor joined. She complained that most people transform the current law from the principle of judicial humility to a tool for judicial strengthening, insisting for the first time that the specific categories of plaintiffs allowed by Congress to initiate litigation cannot do so under the Constitution. Kagan pointed out that she disagrees with part of Thomas objection: his argument is that as long as the individual rights set by Congress are violated, the plaintiff should have the legal right to sue.Supreme Court ruling Spokeo v Robbins Kagan emphasized that the constitution requires specific injuries. But in practice, she stated that her views should lead to the same results as Justice Thomas method, except for extremely unusual cases.

This article is Originally published in Howe on the Court.
In the summer of two years ago, during the boom of large-scale street demonstrations in Hong Kong, when pro-democracy protesters confronted the police, they were always on the front line: eager young journalists working for the tabloid Apple Daily.

Day after day, they were beaten with tear gas and clubs. They exchanged insults with the police because they sent real-time mobile phone images to the vast majority of citizens who supported the protest and were angry with the city government.

The Apple Daily became a symbol of this struggle, providing a combative voice for the democratic movement-as well as celebrity gossip and a rigorous investigation into the private affairs of officials.

People have a kind of despair, said Apple Daily reporter Elven Yu Kin-man. They want a newspaper to write about their feelings and express their opinions.

This tabloid has also become the main target of Hong Kong leaders and their hegemons in Beijing.It is forced Turn off Thursday after 26 years.

In the early hours of Thursday morning, shortly after the 26-year-old newspaper was last printed, supporters greeted an Apple Daily employee outside the media companys office building in Hong Kong. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Not just anger

Im very angry and frustrated, Yu said in a telephone interview with CBC News after reporting on the last day of Apple Daily on Wednesday.

Another reporter, who declined to be named for fear of arrest, told CBC, At least we fought and showed our dignity.

Watch | The reporters union stated that the closure of Hong Kong newspapers will have a chilling effect:

Chen Longsheng, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, said that the closure of the pro-democracy Apple Daily may prompt other reporters to avoid reporting news that may be affected by the new national security law. (Lin Yi/Reuters) 0:21

Last week, hundreds of police officers rushed into the newsroom, confiscated reporters computers, and ransacked on desks as part of what the officials called national security investigations, alleging vague collusion with foreign countries.

Several editors were arrested, and $2.3 million in assets were frozen, preventing the printing press from continuing to operate.

The tycoon Lai Zhixing, the aggressive founder and owner of this tabloid newspaper, has been in jail. This spring, he was sentenced to 14 months in jail for participating in an illegal assembly and faced more charges under Beijings fully implemented national security law.

But his real offense may be political. Lai has long been an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party.He predicted in May last year New York Times Beijing will not only tire of Hong Kongs freedom of the press, but also of Hong Kongs free people.

He also warned his employees that working as a reporter in Hong Kong is a dangerous job.

We know that once our boss becomes a target, we will not be safe, Yu said. We live in a kind of fear, waiting for death. But its hard to believe that the time has come.

National security law undermines freedom of the press

Reporter Yang Qingji was also arrested this week.

Like other Apple Daily files, he accused officials of plotting to strangle the tabloids column from being online.

In fact, Hong Kongs freewheeling media atmosphere-unique in Chinese soil-is now being erased.

Employees of Apple Daily work in the printing room because the last issue of the newspaper was printed in Hong Kong early on June 24. The tabloid announced its closure the day before its assets were frozen by the police. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Beijings comprehensive national security law implemented a year ago restricts its traditional freedom of speech and is increasingly accustomed to shutting up Political opponentsAlthough China has promised that Hong Kongers will be allowed to retain their freedom for at least 50 years after the former British colony was ruled by China in 1997.

Critics say that security laws are also used to hunt down people who other officials dont like, from lawyers to artists and scholars.

A Hong Kong journalism professor told CBC News that anonymous comments are usually violating my professional standards. She is so afraid of police visits that she wants to use the pseudonym Alexia to confirm her identity.

She believes that the closure of critics like Apple Daily marks the end of press freedom in the city.

The national security law seems to be all-encompassing, and Hong Kong is not familiar with all aspects, she said in a text message exchange with CBC News. It sends a message to everyone in Hong Kong, especially journalists.

Apple Daily employees work in the printing room, packaging the last edition of the newspaper. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

She said the police referred to them as criminals and their newsroom as a crime scene.

She said the government appeared to be deliberately making the national security law ambiguous. Red lines are everywhere, she said, but no one will define exactly what can be reported and what cannot.

A reporter from another Hong Kong media hopes to be identified only by the surname Chen. This shows that press freedom in Hong Kong is actually dead, she told CBC News in a Skype interview.

The review has already begun, she said. Self-censorship will happen because you want to make sure that you are as safe as possible.

Forbidden fruit

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, an ally of the Beijing Communist Party, refuses to accept these accusations.

Dont try to accuse the Hong Kong authorities of using the national security law as a tool to suppress the media or stifle freedom of speech, she told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday.

On June 17, the Hong Kong police arrested the editor-in-chief and four executives of the democratic newspaper. On June 17, the newspaper editorial office in Hong Kong removed the monitor from the desktop computer. That day. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Lin said that normal journalism is acceptable; but she refuses to define what it means.

I believe that friends in the media have the ability to understand what activities endanger national security, she said. It is okay to criticize the Hong Kong government, but if there are intentions or activities to instigate or subvert the government, that is another matter.

When the last issue of Apple Daily went to the streets yesterday, a large number of Hong Kong people lined up to buy newspapers. Unlike the usual 80,000 copies, 1 million copies were sold out in a few hours. Customers say they want so-called territoriesForbidden fruit.

Hong Kong will become another Chinese city

In Canada, readers like Chen Weiye are lamenting that the democratic movement has lost its thought and soul. From a critical point of view, it has lost an important source of information.

Chen served as an opposition member of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong for 25 years and was also the organizer of many democratic protests. He now lives in British Columbia.

In the early morning of June 24, people lined up in Mong Kok, Hong Kong, waiting for the delivery of the Apple Daily. (Bertha Wang/AFP via Getty Images)

He said: The suspension of the Apple Daily is an official announcement that there is no longer a freedom of the press and there is no longer a free Hong Kong.

Hong Kong can open the Internet, but Chen and others worry that it will also be restricted, just like in mainland China.

The Chinese media will take over the mass media, and Hong Kong will become another Chinese city. The Chinese Communist Party is taking over, he said.
Officials said that the ban on the Hamas flag was in response to reports of violence and anti-Semitism in German demonstrations.

The Lower House of the German Bundestag passed a law to ban the symbols of groups designated by the European Union as terrorist organizations, including the Palestinian movement Hamas.

The new law passed on Friday still needs to be approved by the upper house of the Federal Senate. It also bans the symbol of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.

Previously, only the signs of organizations banned by Germany were banned.

The move took place after several pro-Palestinian rallies held in Germany during the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in May, during which incidents of violence and anti-Semitism took place.

Prime Minister Angela Merkels Christian Democrat Unions MP Torsten Frey told Le Monde last week that the government wants to ban the Hamas flag in response to the demonstrations.

We dont want the banner of terrorist organizations to fly on German soil, he said, adding that the ban will send a clear signal to our Jewish citizens.

In May, during the 11-day battle between Israel and Hamas, several demonstrations took place in Germany. Some protesters chanted anti-Semitic slogans, burned Israeli flags, and destroyed the entrance of the synagogue with stones.

In a protest in Berlin, protesters threw stones, bottles and fireworks. 59 people were arrested and dozens of policemen were injured.

The German Jewish Central Committee stated that it received the worst flood of anti-Semitism insults on social media.

City Council Chairman Joseph Schuster urged the police to take a hard line on anti-Semitism, saying that these incidents reminiscent of the darkest period in German history.

The Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (Horst Seehofer) stated that Germany will severely crack down on anyone found to spread anti-Semitic hatred.

We will not tolerate the burning of Israeli flags and attacks on Jewish institutions on German soil, he told Bild.
Canadian hyperloop company TransPod has completed a feasibility study on the implementation of ultra-high-speed transportation routes between Calgary and Edmonton.

The company said it expects to receive private funding for the first part of the production line by the end of this year.

The ultimate goal of TransPod is to allow Albertans to shuttle between Calgary and Edmonton in a train-like pod-at speeds of up to 1,000 kilometers per hour-through the magnetic tube, and start in Edmonton by 2031. An extension of 20 kilometers between downtown Monton and Edmonton Airport.

In August 2020, Toronto-based TransPod announced that it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the province to support the company (but did not provide funding) to further study the feasibility of the technology in Alberta and share traffic data And determine the appropriate land for the test track.

On Friday, the company released the results of the feasibility study. It stated that it had shared initial investment proposals totaling US$1 billion with the government.

Sebastian Gendron, co-founder and CEO of TransPod, said that the completion of the research has enabled the project to enter the next phase of investment and research and development.

The next step is to ensure-so we have two proposals to provide 5 billion for the first 20 kilometers, and we have to confirm this before the end of this year, he said.

Then we will begin to study the land acquisition or land agreement between Edmonton Airport and the city government, as well as public consultation, construction permits and environmental assessments.

Sebastien Gendron, co-founder and CEO of Transpod, a Canadian hyperloop company. (Tony Sescus/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Overall, the feasibility study predicts that the project will cost approximately US$22.4 billion, or US$45.1 million per kilometer along a unique track of approximately 350 kilometers.

It also predicts that the additional cost of fixed infrastructure stations is US$6.7 billion.

The company estimates that by 2020, the construction of the entire line will cost US$6 billion to US$10 billion, but Gendron said that the new cost analysis includes land acquisition costs.

The results of the study indicate that the Hyperloop transportation between the two cities will help the province reduce carbon emissions by 636,000 tons per year.

Alberta Transport Minister Ric McIver stated that Alberta has a history of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Thats why we are pleased that TransPods feasibility study points out that a safe and clean ultra-high-speed passenger and freight connection between Calgary and Edmonton may be established, he said in an email statement.

The company hopes to build a test track and complete high-speed tests between 2022 and 2027, and begin construction of a complete intercity line between Edmonton and Calgary in 2025.

Gendron said: We considered Red Deers choice, but it will add 1 billion US dollars to infrastructure costs.

The study found that the project will create as many as 140,000 jobs and help the provinces GDP grow by 6.25% in ten years.

Transport Minister Ric McIver said that he is very happy to see such projects receive private funding support. (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

The goal is actually to make this project as inclusive as possible and solve any problems, Gendron said.

For example, we have begun to reach out to some Aboriginal people, and we are working with the construction industry in Edmonton to achieve this goal and create jobs.

McIver said it is encouraging to see such projects being proposed and funded by private capital.

From day one, the Alberta government has been committed to making our province the most attractive place in North America for innovators and the incredible opportunities it brings. This work is paying off.

The economy class fare for the super high-speed Hyperloop is approximately US$90 and the business class fare is as high as US$150.

The one-way trip takes approximately 45 minutes. It will carry a mix of passengers and cargo.
Lord Ashcrofts daughter-in-law, Jasmine Harting, was arrested again in Belize for shooting and killing a senior police officer while on bail and attempting to watch her child.

Hattings She was arrested because she revealed that she was the victim of an attempted rape a few days before the death of Superintendent Henry Jemmott.

8 Jasmine Hartin, 32, was told that she was detained by the police because she violated her bail conditions Credit: Coleman-Reina

8 Harting told reporters that she will be illegally detained Credit: Coleman-Reina

8 Superintendent Henry Germot was shot and killed by Harding on May 28 Credit: pixel8000

The Canadian socialite was detained yesterday at the San Ignacio police station in the western part of the Central American country while signing in as part of the bail conditions.

Harting told reporters before being taken to the police station for registration: I was detained for trying to visit my child.

This is illegal. I was detained illegally. This is false. It is absolutely ridiculous.

The police said she was arrested a second time for a common assault in San Pedro, but declined to give more details.

After Germot was shot and killed on May 28, the mother of the two children was charged with negligent manslaughter.

Simultaneously, Hating Explains how she confided to her close friend Germot after being sexually assaulted at a party a few days before his death.

I went to a party the previous weekend, and when a man was very aggressive towards me, I was about to go to bed, the mother of two told me Daily mail.

He threw me on the bed and my head smoked from the concrete wall.

He tried to kiss me and take off my pants. I was afraid that I would be raped, but I fought him.

Hartin claimed that she subsequently called her friend Jemmott because he lived not far from Belmopan, the capital where the attack occurred.

I grabbed my bag and ran to the road, where I called Henry, she explained.

I waited for an hour before he sent someone to pick me up. About an hour later, he came to pick me up.

8 Harting is the daughter-in-law of Conservative Party donor Lord Ashcroft Credit: Rex Features

8 The footage that appeared this week shows Harting facing her partner Andrew Ashcroft

On May 28, the police body was found in San Pedro, Belize

The mother of two children claimed that after the terrible attack, Germot urged her to obtain a gun license.

A few days later, on May 28, when he showed her how to use his pistol, it allegedly exploded unexpectedly in her hands and killed him.

Henry told me to take my gun, I hope you can adapt to it, she said.

That night he said you need to learn to protect yourself, and we need to get you a gun license.

According to reports, Harting insisted that she accidentally shot and killed Jemot on May 28 after Jemot was shot in the head.

Police Chief Chester Williams said that only one shot was heard and the police found a woman on the dock with blood on her arms and clothes.

Henry is my friend, she told DailyMail.com.

This was an accident. I didnt escape from the scene. The first thing I did was call the police myself.

Every day I dont cry for the pain of losing friends and family.

This is something that will never leave me. Henry is a great man. He is protecting me.

Harting is the daughter-in-law of billionaire Lord Ashcroft

The footage that appeared this week showed the blonde Hating confronting her partner Andrew Ashcroft in San Pedro.

Jasmine can be heard desperately begging her husband Andrew, the youngest son of a Conservative peer of Lord Ashcroft, to let her see their two young twins.

Harting told reporters when he was arrested: I was detained for trying to visit my child. This is illegal. I was detained illegally.

On June 9, after spending 8 days in Hattieville prison where he was infested by scorpions, Hartin was released to a secret location and forced to report to the local police station in Belize once a day.

On Tuesday, she used her mobile phone to take a picture of Andrew, 43, and begged him to see their two twins Charlie and Ally.

Confronting him at the hotel they run together in Belize, she said in the video: Why dont you let me see Andrews child? Why dont you let me see the child?

Hartin claims that Jemmott told her to apply for a gun permit after she was sexually assaulted

Why do you prevent me from coming to my house to meet my child Andrew? Dont you want to appear in front of the camera?

Why are you keeping my children away from me Andrew? You lied to my family. Let me see my children.

In the second video, also posted on the Internet, she and a friend met the guard when they walked to Andrew in the distance of the hotel.

She said: Im going up to see my children. All the girls are on standby. And Andrew, Andrew is running, so I cant see my children.

In pink Strawberry Super Moon lights up the night in spectacular photos around the world GEE-GEES TEE-HEE The laughing stallion steals the limelight in the photo of the owners smiling pregnant woman Terrible secret 761 bodies of children found in Canadian school mass grave Do not fight! Russian navy gunner ordered to miss the absurd moment of the British warship Cruel stunt TikToker gave the girl a new phone and asked her to like it in the video and later snatched it back

She added: Security really prevents me from seeing my child now. Wow, so Andrew instructed you to prevent me from seeing my child? Right?

Speaking of her cohabiting husband Andrew, she added: He will rot in hell for this. Its like I havent experienced enough.

Harting continued to warn her partner that she was preparing to disclose his embarrassing secrets in the past-including allegations of his arrest in Dallas and Florida.
John McAfees widow said he did not commit suicide and revealed that the last sentence was I love you, I will call you at night





John McAfees widow insists that her husband did not commit suicide In a Spanish prison He was there waiting for extradition to the U.S. -And blamed his death on the US authorities.

Janice McAfee She said she wanted to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of her husbands death, which occurred in his prison cell in Barcelona on Wednesday, and the authorities said it was an apparent suicide.

Associated Press

Lawyer Javier Villalba (left) and John McAfees wife Janice left the Brians 2 prison center for a brief conversation with reporters[/caption]

McAfees lawyer Javier Villalba said that at the request of the McAfee family, he will request a second autopsy.

Janice told reporters outside the Bryans 2 prison in northwestern Barcelona: The last thing he said to me was I love you. I will call you in the evening.

Most read in the news

Hancock vibrator The latest news about Matt Hancocks relationship with his close assistant revealed Sorry, not sorry Hancock said I violated social distancing but did not apologize to his wife

Hidden Hancock visits SCRAPS because he faces a call to be fired due to an affair scandal Covid-19 destroyer Pierce attacked Hancock while he told the public not to embrace

Cheating Hancock Hancocks relationship with his married assistant was exposed after kissing in the office during Covid Hans Pass Hancock was mocked by Twitter If you are a woman, please swipe up post exposed





For the latest news on this story, please continue to check Sun Online, we will provide you with real-time updates as soon as possible before anyone else.





Source link

It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print
This week, a New Jersey correctional officer was celebrated for his heroic rescue of an old man who sank off the coast of Ocean County.

When Chad Ammerman got off work on Monday night, he found a distressed man about 300 yards from the coast. Police said a nearby resident fishing along the coast heard the 82-year-old mans call for help and reminded Amerman of the emergency.

Ammerman immediately dialed 911 to seek help for the man, who floated alone in Barnegat Bay for three hours.

However, when the search personnel could not find the man in the water near the place where his ship sank, Ammerman personally took measures.

The off-duty police officer emptied a heavy cooler onto the beach as a floating device, and then waded to the man.

Ammerman dragged the cooler for 300 yards to reach the man. He stopped and looked back at the shore, watching the bystanders who offered gestures to help guide him. When he reached that person, he had only enough strength to grasp the cooler, and Ammerman led him back.

The two men were rescued by a boat about 40 yards from the coast and taken to safety.

The authorities did not provide the latest information about the man, nor did they explain the reasons for the sinking of the fishing boat.

William Sullivan, Chairman of Local 105 of the New Jersey Police Charity Association, said: We should all be very proud of todays correctional officer Chad Amerman. He risked his life to save others, he was The true definition of a hero.
The exercise took place a few days after Moscow claimed to fire a warning shot on a British warship in the Black Sea.

The Russian military launched a full-scale exercise in the Mediterranean, including fighters capable of carrying hypersonic missiles. This was a demonstration of power when tensions soared after the incident in the Black Sea and British destroyers.

Moscow said that one of its warships fired warning shots on Wednesday that a warplane dropped bombs on the route of the British ship HMS Defender, forcing it to leave an area near Crimea, which Russia claims is its territorial waters. The UK denied this claim, insisting that its ship was not shot, and stated that it was sailing in Ukrainian waters.

The Russian exercises that began in the Eastern Mediterranean on Friday coincided with the entry of British aircraft carrier battle groups into the area.

Earlier this week, British and American F-35 fighter jets from the Queen Elizabeth flew combat flights against the Islamic State (ISIS) organization.

Since September 2015, Russia has launched a military operation in Syria that allowed President Bashar al-Assads government to regain control of most of the country after a devastating civil war.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that two MiG-31 fighter jets capable of carrying Kinzal hypersonic missiles arrived at Russias air base in Syria for exercises. The Hemeimeem Air Force Base in the coastal province of Latakia is Moscows main hub for operations in the country.

This is the first time that a fighter plane capable of carrying Kinzhal has been deployed beyond the Russian border.

According to the military, Kinzhals flight speed is 10 times the speed of sound and a range of up to 2,000 kilometers (approximately 1,250 miles).

The Ministry of National Defense stated that the exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean involved multiple warships, two submarines, and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers and other combat aircraft.

Last month, the supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 was deployed to Syria for the first time to demonstrate the increase in Russias military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernized the Hemeimeem runway to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second runway to expand operations there.

Russia has also expanded and renovated a naval base in the port of Tartus in Syria, which is the only such facility it currently owns outside the former Soviet Union.

The Russian military has increased the number and scope of exercises amidst tensions with the West. After Moscow annexed the Crimea Peninsula of Ukraine in 2014, Western relations have fallen to a post-Cold War low.

As part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to strengthen the Russian military, the Navy has resumed the Soviet-era practice of continuously rotating warships in the Mediterranean in recent years.

On Sunday, on the Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier, Brigadier General Steve Moorhouse told reporters that as Russias military presence in Syria increases, the Eastern Mediterranean has become more crowded and competitive, leading to Frequent encounters with Russian ships and fighters.

He pointed out that a Russian warship has sailed within 16 kilometers (10 miles) of the aircraft carrier.

Russia warns Britain and the United States against seductive fate

At the same time, Russia warned Britain and the United States on Friday not to tempt fate by sending warships to the Black Sea, and said it would use all possible means, including military power, to defend their borders.

In a statement broadcast on national television, the Ministry of Defense stated that it is unwise for British and American ships to approach the Crimean coast.

The spokesperson of the ministry, Major General Igor Konashinkov, said: We call on the Pentagon and the British Navy, which are sending warships into the Black Sea, not to tempt fate in vain.

He said that HMS Defender is just a target for the defense of the Black Sea Fleet.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov stated separately that Washington and London had sowed conflicts because they did not accept Crimea as part of Russia, and Russia was prepared to use all means, including military power, to defend its borders.

Moscow warned Britain on Thursday, It will explode If the so-called provocative action of the British navy is repeated off the coast of Crimea, then British naval ships in the Black Sea will appear again.

The British Embassy in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgias South Caucasus, wrote on Twitter on Friday that HMS Defender will arrive in Batumi, a port city on the east coast of the Black Sea.
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin learned on Friday that he had been sentenced for the murder of George Floyd, putting an end to a liquidation case that sparked global anger and racial differences in the United States.

Chauvin, 45, faces decades of imprisonment, and several legal experts predict that his sentence will be 20-25 years. Although it is widely expected that Xiao Wan will appeal, he still faces trial on federal civil rights charges and three other dismissed officials who have not yet undergone state trials.

The concrete barricades, barbed wire, and National Guard patrols that enveloped the county courthouse for Chauvins three-week trial have all disappeared, and much of the citys tension awaiting the April verdict has also disappeared. Nonetheless, it is recognized that for a city that has been in a state of tension since Floyds death on May 25, 2020, Xiao Wans sentence will be another big step forward.

Between incidents, videos, riots, trials  this is the culmination of it, said Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who closely followed Xiao Wans case. The verdict is also big, but this is where justice comes.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree inadvertent murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter by pressing his knee on Freuds neck for about 9.5 minutes, because the black man said he could not breathe and was limp. The bystander video of Freud arrested for allegedly passing the forged 20-dollar bill has triggered protests around the world and the reckoning of ethnic and police brutality across the country.

According to Minnesota law, Chau Wan will only be sentenced for the most serious crimes, with a maximum sentence of 40 years. But the case law stipulates that 30 years imprisonment will be the actual maximum sentence that Judge Peter Cahill can impose, without the risk of an appeal being overturned.

The prosecutor asked for 30 years, saying that Xiao Wans behavior was shocking and shocked the conscience of the country. Defense lawyer Eric Nelson asked for a probation, saying that Chauvin was a product of a broken system and believe that he is doing his job.

Freuds family may speak

Cahill has found that the aggravating factor in Freuds death sentence is higher than the 12.5 year sentence recommended by the states sentencing guidelines. The judge determined that Xiao Wan had abused his power and was particularly cruel to Freud, and that several children had witnessed the crime. He also wrote that Chau Wan knew that restraint against Freud was dangerous.

Cahill wrote last month: The long-term use of this technique is particularly shocking because George Freud made it clear that he cannot breathe and that he is dying due to police restraint.

In April, a man celebrated Derek Chauvans guilty verdict in front of a George Floyd mural in George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Karen Paulos/Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)

Attorneys from both sides are expected to have a brief debate on Friday, and the victim or the victims family can make a statement. No family member publicly stated that they could speak.

Chauvin can also make a statement, but it is not clear whether he will do so. Experts say that without involving himself in a pending federal case accusing him of violating Freuds civil rights, Shavins words can be tricky.

Shavin chose not to testify in his trial. The only explanation the public heard from him came from the body camera lens. He told a bystander at the scene: We have to control this guy because he is a fairly large person It looks like he might be doing something. Matter.
The Speaker of the House of Commons, Anthony Rota, intends to confront the Liberal government in court because two scientists from Canadas highest security laboratory were fired regarding the disclosure of documents.

The Speakers Office stated that the speakers legal counsel has informed the Federal Court and the Attorney General that Rota intends to interfere with the Liberal governments court application and will challenge the courts jurisdiction based on parliamentary privileges unless the government waives its application to block its application. Disclosure of documents.

The Liberal government and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) refused to publish documents related to the dismissal of scientist Qiu Xiangguo and her husband Cheng Keding, who were escorted out of the National Microbiology Laboratory during an investigation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in 2019.

Two formal Was fired in January this year.

The opposition parties united in the House of Commons earlier this month and ordered PHAC to surrender all unedited documents related to the dismissal of the two scientists.

Liberal government Ask the court earlier this week The disclosure of documents is prohibited, and Liberal Party Member Rota is appointed as the respondent for this matter.

The Liberal government stated that it is concerned that the release of sensitive intelligence may have an impact on international relations, national security and national defense.

PHAC Chairman Iain Stewart said that the law prohibits him from disclosing sensitive or potentially harmful information.

Public Health Agency of Canada Chairman Ian Stewart (right) approached the bar in the House of Commons on Monday, June 21, 2021, and accepted the admonition of the Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. (Canadian Media/Sean Kilpatrick)

The oppositions motion calls for these documents to be handed over to parliamentary legal assistants, who will conduct confidential review of them and modify any content that he believes would endanger national security or an ongoing police investigation.

The motion stipulates that the Canada-China Relations Committee may choose to disclose any edited materials after consulting with legal assistants.

The minority Liberal government ignored the House of Representatives order and provided unedited documents to the party-wide National Security and Intelligence Committee member NSICOP, whose members have the highest security clearance and must be kept confidential.

The Liberal government argued that NSICOP is the appropriate agency to review documents and will not endanger national security or harm any ongoing investigations.

The House of Representatives has power

Last week, Rota ruled that sending the document to NSICOP was an unacceptable option because it is a relatively new institution and not a parliamentary standing committee.

Rota used a rarely used House program on Monday Publicly condemned Stewart Because he did not surrender the required documents.

Relevant powers, like all powers enjoyed by the House of Representatives collectively and individual members, are essential to fulfilling their duties, Rota said. When obstruction or interference hinders its deliberations, the House of Representatives has the power and, in fact, the duty to reiterate them.

As the guardian of these rights and privileges, this is exactly what the House of Representatives asked me to do today, ordering the Speaker to condemn your contempt for the Public Health Agency of Canada and refuse to submit the required documents.
Sri Lankas top criminal investigator insisted that after he was released on bail earlier this week, he did nothing wrong because he was remanded for more than 10 months in a murder case involving a senior police officer.

Shani Abeysekara, a 59-year-old former senior superintendent in charge of the criminal investigation department, is accused of fabricating and concealing evidence in a case against former deputy police inspector Vaas Gunawardena, his son and four other police officers.

The group killed Colombo businessman Mohamed Shiyam on a contract of USD 50,000 in May 2013, was convicted and sentenced to death.

The truth will prevail, Abesekara told Al Jazeera. I am an honest and diligent official. Throughout my career, I have done nothing wrong. This is all I can say.

Abeysekaras humble two-bedroom apartment in Colombo is only a few hundred meters from the prison where he was held.

Although he suffered a heart attack and other health problems during his imprisonment, he appeared calm and confident.

People who live by conscience find it easy to face anything. They know that if they do something wrong, they must face punishment, he said.

I will not be punished because I did nothing wrong.

Court of Appeal dismissed the allegations

Although Gunawadna, who is believed to be closely related to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, admitted to possessing the weapons used to kill the businessman, Abesekara was still under investigation.

Vaas Gunawardena is the highest-ranking police officer convicted of murder in Sri Lanka [File: Al Jazeera]

A police officer stationed at the DIG residence also testified that he loaded his weapon into the police car on the day the businessman was murdered.

In its June 16 bail order, the Court of Appeal stated that the accusation against the suspect Shani Abeysekara is the result of forgery and modification, and an afterthought.

According to the statements of the apparent supporters and supporters or collaborators of the convicted murderer, the so-called facts have been reported Chief Justice Bandula Karunarathna (Bandula Karunarathna) and Rath In severely criticizing the police and legal institutions, Ratnapriya Gurusinghe said that they were blatantly trying to frame suspects by forging false evidence.

They added, However, in the case against Abeysekara, no credible evidence was brought to the attention of the court.

In response, Attorney General Ali Sabri told Al Jazeera that the Court of Appeals order showed how strong our democracy and the rule of law are, and how independent our judiciary is.

He said: Therefore, I can be proud of the way the judiciary acts.

When asked about the courts view that the accusation against Abeysekara was false, Sabri said: The police must consider this observationAs the attorney general, I do not manage the police.

Sabri said the police should now find out what was there, and if there is sufficient evidence of the allegations, they must investigate.

Police spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana told Al Jazeera that the department respects the order of the Court of Appeal, and if there are guidelines or recommendations (to be followed), it will take corresponding action.

Powerful enemy

During his 34-year career, Abesekara led the investigation of dozens of high-profile cases, many of which involved human rights violations and extrajudicial executions.

Usually, these cases also involve senior members of the government, as well as senior military officers and police. Many people say that when the current president served as defense minister from 2005 to 2015, Gunawardena was protected by Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

During the interrogation, the senior police threatened to kill Abesekara, a crime that resulted in him being sentenced to five years of severe imprisonment.

Touted as one of the most hard-working and honest officers, these qualities also make Abesekara a suppressed target.

Two days after Rajapaksa took office as president in November 2019, Abesekara was demoted to personal assistant to a higher-level official.

In January 2020, a leaked recording of a phone conversation between Abeysekara and actor and politician Ranjan Ramanayake went viral on the Internet.

During the conversation, it was alleged that Abeysekaras voice criticized senior police and judicial officials in answering questions raised by Ramanayake.

As the recording went viral on the Internet, the police accused Abesekara of bringing reputation to the police. He was suspended.

Abesekara is not a person who took bribes or deceives. He faces political interference from this government and the previous government, a human rights lawyer who asked not to be named told Al Jazeera.

Trying to show that he is biased and assassinating him seems to be part of a larger plan.

EU pressure

The bail order in favor of Abeysekara was also issued a few days after Sri Lanka was condemned in the European Parliament resolution passed on June 10, in which the European Union noted with concern the detention of former CID director Shani Abeysekara and urged the government to give the detention immediately Fair trial or unconditional release on valid allegations.

The resolution passed by 628 of the 705 members of the General Assembly called on the European Commission to consider temporarily withdrawing Sri Lankas preferential access to the European market. Europe is Sri Lankas second largest export market.

At the same time, Abeysekara was determined to clear his name. The Supreme Court has filed two petitions against his arrest and detention to the Supreme Court, but any progress in the case has slowed down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As a Buddhist, I dont hate anyone. Im not angry, he told Al Jazeera.

I work with my conscience. I regard the duty of law enforcement as sacred. But as a result, I was forced to stay away from home, away from my family, away from my children for no reason. This is something I regret.
Republicans in Arizona, Florida, and Iowa have also adopted new voting restrictions; Pennsylvania and Texas may follow.

Attorney General Merrick Garland (Merrick Garland) announced on Friday that the U.S. Department of Justice is filing a lawsuit to challenge a new restrictive election law in Georgia on civil rights grounds.

Georgia law, Passed in March Garland said in a speech at the Justice Department that the state legislature controlled by the Republican Party is trying to cancel the voting of African Americans in this southern state, which has discriminatory electoral practices.

Where we believe that the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will act without hesitation, Garland said, citing the provisions of the federal election law, including the Voting Rights that prohibited discrimination in US elections in 1965 law.

President Joe Biden won Georgia in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, becoming the first Democratic candidate to win the state in 30 years.

The new Georgia law is one of them A wave of new initiatives After former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that his November election failure was the result of widespread fraud, the Republican-controlled state legislature passed the bill this year.

Kristen Clarke, Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Justice, stated that the U.S. lawsuit against Georgia is being processed by the Civil Rights Department of the Department of Justice, which not made this decision lightly.

Clark said: Our careful evaluation of the facts and the law shows that Georgias new law violates the U.S. Voting Rights Act because it has discriminatory purposes.

The assistant attorney general for civil rights, Kristen Clarke, is leading the Justice Department lawsuit to challenge Georgias election law, which imposes new restrictions on voting [Ken Cedeno/Reuters]

The Republican governors of Arizona, Florida, and Iowa also signed new voting restrictions this year, while the state legislatures of Pennsylvania and Texas are also working to advance similar measures.

On March 25, the Georgia law signed by Governor Brian Kemp tightened the identification requirements for absentee ballots, restricted the use of ballot boxes, and allowed Republican-controlled state agencies to take over local voting operations. The state is a key battleground for the 2020 presidential election.

A comprehensive Democratic-sponsored bill aimed at reforming the U.S. election law will overturn the NSW restrictions being passed by the Republican legislature. It failed to make progress in the U.S. Senate this week.

Garland announced earlier this month that the Justice Department is reviewing the new voting restrictions being passed by the Republican state legislatures and will double the number of lawyers enforcing federal voting regulations.

This lawsuit is the first of many steps we have taken to ensure that all eligible voters can vote, Garland said on Friday.

We are reviewing new laws designed to restrict voter access, and when we see violations of federal law, we will take action.

Garland said Justice will provide guidance on post-election audits conducted by Republicans and Trump supporters that seek to challenge the results of the 2020 election.

Republicans in Arizona have collected votes from the 2020 election and are conducting an audit that has been criticized for violations.

Even after the bipartisan review found that Michigan had no evidence of improper voting and rejected Trumps fraud accusations, Republican lawmakers in Michigan are still considering a similar course of action.

Garland is instructing the FBI and federal prosecutors to investigate and prosecute threats of violence against local election workers since Trumps failure.

He said, We have seen a sharp increase in threats and threats of violence against election managers and voting workers.

Biden Zeng Condemning Georgias new law, Calling it atrocity and a flagrant attack on the constitution and conscience.

After losing the election, Trump has pressured State and local election officials in Georgia overthrew his defeat in the election by disqualifying the Democratic vote.

Trump urged Justice Department officials to remove federal prosecutors in the Atlanta area.Trumps action is now Under investigation Georgia State Law Enforcement Officer.
A MoDOT supervisor named Lloyd Crawford was struck and killed by a vehicle in the city's Northland on Monday morning. He was 61 years old and had been with MoDOT since 2003.
Known for his flexible and impressive acting, Korea's promising star, Kwak Dong Yeon bravely shared how he handles comments about his performances.

Kwak Dong Yeon Looks Confident and Charming in Latest Elle Magazine Shoot

Famous fashion magazine Elle dropped new sets of Kwak Dong Yeon's photos for their latest issue. Looking simple yet charming, the "Vincenzo" actor gracefully shows off another side of his appealing persona.

Aside from the portraits, Elle also released a glimpse of the interview they had with the Korean actor. The said interview is expected to be uploaded on Elle Korea's official YouTube channel anytime soon. Included in the interview was about Kwak Dong Yeon's acting career, specifically on how he sees and absorbs the various comments and feedback he always received from the viewers.

The "Doctor Detective" star revealed that he watched most of "Vincenzo" episodes during its original broadcast before. According to Kwak Dong Yeon, "Most of the time I tend to focus on monitoring my performance, but this time I unconsciously forgot to check and monitor acting and watched it from the viewers' perspective instead." He added that there were a lot of interesting scenes in "Vincenzo."

You Might Also Like: Kwak Dong Yeon Blushes as He Reads Fan Compliments for His Epic Portrayal in 'Vincenzo'

Kwak Dong Yeon Has His Own Ways of Handling Good and Bad Criticisms

Meanwhile, now that he is getting overwhelming support from the audience due to his incredible acting chops, Kwak Dong Yeon bravely shared how he would handle various criticisms about his acting.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by  (@h_and_ent) "I don't like to hear that I am good at acting for my age." Kwak

Dong Yeon added,"No one would have said it to Daniel Radcliffe or Emma Watson when they were still filming Harry Potter." With his positive and strong mindset, Kwak Dong Yeon has his own ways of handling both good and bad criticisms. The "My ID is Gangnam Beauty" star added in his interview that as a professional actor in a competitive industry, he should at least have a skill set to be someone that he is not ashamed of.

6/45 is Kwak Dong Yeon's Next Project

Furthermore, Kwak Dong Yeon is gearing up for another thrilling film, "6/45." The star-studded cast includes Go Kyung Pyo, Lee Yi Kyung, Park Se Wan, and Eun Moon Suk. Recently, Kwak Dong Yeon received a coffee truck on the set of "6/45," it was sent by his "Vincenzo" co-star Kim Yeo Jin.

The movie is gaining more attention due to its exciting concept and a stellar cast.

In Case You Missed It: Kwak Dong Yeon Receives Sweet Gift from 'Vincenzo' Co-Star Kim Yeo Jin

Which among Kwak Dong Yeon's previous works is your favorite? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!

For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars.

Kdramastars owns this article.

Written by Shai Collins.
[Breaking news update, posted at 11:31 a.m. ET]

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's post-verdict motion for a new trial has been denied.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill ruled Thursday night that Chauvin "failed to demonstrate ... the Court abused its discretion or committed error such that Defendant was deprived of his constitutional right to a fair trial."

Cahill also ruled that Chauvin failed to demonstrate prosecutorial or juror misconduct.

Prosecutors have requested a 30-year prison sentence.

[Previous story, posted at 5:04 a.m. ET]

Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed George Floyd on a Minneapolis street last year, is set to be sentenced Friday to a potentially lengthy prison stay.

Chauvin, 45, was convicted in April on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for his role in Floyd's death.

Prosecutors for the state of Minnesota requested a 30-year prison sentence, saying it "would properly account for the profound impact of Defendant's conduct on the victim, the victim's family, and the community," according to a sentencing memo.

Chauvin's defense attorney, Eric Nelson, argued that the former officer should instead receive probation and time served, or at least a sentence less than what the law guides.

"Mr. Chauvin asks the Court to look beyond its findings, to his background, his lack of criminal history, his amenability to probation, to the unusual facts of this case, and to his being a product of a 'broken' system," Nelson wrote in a filing.

The guilty verdict on all three charges against Chauvin came nearly a year after he impassively kneeled on the neck and back of Floyd, handcuffed and lying prone on the street, for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Under the officer's knees, the 46-year-old Black man gasped for air, repeatedly exclaimed "I can't breathe" and ultimately went silent as a group of horrified bystanders looked on.

Floyd's final moments, captured on searing cell phone footage by a 17-year-old, illustrated in clear visuals what Black Americans have long said about how the criminal justice system treats Black people. Floyd's death set off mass protests across the globe as well as incidents of looting and unrest.

Chauvin arrived at the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis hours before his sentencing hearing Friday.

Three other officers who were on scene during Floyd's fatal arrest -- Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and Alexander Kueng -- have pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting. Their trial is currently set for March 2022.

How the sentencing will go

The sentencing is set to take place at 1:30 p.m. CT at the Hennepin County Government Center. Judge Peter Cahill, who oversaw the trial, will likewise decide the sentence.

Members of Floyd's family will be allowed to deliver victim impact statements, and Chauvin will have an opportunity to speak before he is sentenced.

Since his conviction, Chauvin has been held at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights, outside of Minneapolis, and was put into a segregated housing unit for his own safety, a prison spokesperson said. The Minnesota Department of Corrections will decide on where Chauvin will serve his time after receiving Cahill's sentencing order, spokeswoman Sarah Fitzgerald told CNN.

Legally, Chauvin could face up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for third-degree murder and up to 10 years for manslaughter. The second-degree murder charge said Chauvin assaulted Floyd with his knee, which unintentionally caused Floyd's death. The third-degree murder charge said Chauvin acted with a "depraved mind," and the manslaughter charge said his "culpable negligence" caused Floyd's death.

Chauvin has no prior criminal record, so Minnesota's sentencing guidelines recommend about 12 and a half years in prison for each murder charge and about four years for the manslaughter charge.

The sentences for the charges will likely be served at the same time, rather than consecutively, per sentencing guidelines. That means the sentence for second-degree murder will be of primary importance.

In this case, state prosecutors asked for a tougher sentence than the recommendations provide, citing five aggravating factors they said applied. Judge Peter Cahill has ruled that four of the five factors were proven beyond a reasonable doubt: (1) Chauvin abused a position of trust and authority, (2) he treated Floyd with particular cruelty, (3) children were present during the offense, and (4) Chauvin committed the crime as a group with the active participation of at least three other people.

The findings allow the judge to sentence Chauvin beyond what the guidelines recommend.

Over about three weeks of testimony in court, Minnesota prosecutors repeatedly told jurors to "believe your eyes" and rely on the infamous video of Floyd.

"This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first, when you saw that video. It is exactly that. You can believe your eyes," prosecuting attorney Steve Schleicher said in closing arguments. "This wasn't policing. This was murder."

The defense called seven witnesses -- but not Chauvin himself, as he invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. Nelson argued that Chauvin's use of force was reasonable, that he was distracted by hostile bystanders and that Floyd died of other causes.

Chauvin faces other legal issues as well. A federal grand jury indicted all four former officers in connection with Floyd's death, alleging they violated his constitutional rights, according to court documents filed in federal court in Minnesota. They are due to be arraigned on the charges in September, according to a court filing.

Chauvin also was charged in a separate indictment related to an incident in which he allegedly used unreasonable force on a Minneapolis 14-year-old in September 2017, the Justice Department said in a statement. He is also expected to be arraigned in that case in September, according to court filings.
SALEM, Ore.  When the federal government began offering stimulus payments to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, they were not intended to be taxed at either the federal or state level. Due to a quirk of Oregon's particular tax code, however, many of them were.

An estimated 870,000 Oregonians owed more in state taxes because of the two Economic Impact Payments (EIP) issued in 2020, with more to come next year due to the third payment that came in 2021. According to Senate Republicans, those additional taxes amounted to roughly $300 million.

Earlier this year, lawmakers designed a bill that would refund these additional taxes back to Oregonians who were penalized by the stimulus payments, Senate Bill 842. Despite widespread support for the bill, however, it has remained stalled in the Senate committee on Finance and Revenue.

Republican Senator Dick Anderson, who introduced the bill in March, attempted to bring the bill up for debate on Thursday and was rebuffed by Democrats.

I am a former mayor, Senator Anderson said. I am used to passing common-sense, bipartisan ideas that fix unintended consequences. It's extremely disappointing that partisanship got in the way of this bill. There is no defensible reason to be taking part of Oregonians stimulus checks, especially given Oregons current financial position.

Senate Republicans cited a letter that U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio, a Democrat, penned in February, urging Governor Kate Brown and Democratic leaders in the legislature to return the taxes on stimulus checks.

When lawmakers heard comment on SB 842 in April, one of the only speakers to express significant concerns about the bill was Betsy Imholt, director of the Oregon Department of Revenue.

Imholt explained the major pressure her department was under due to ongoing COVID-19 impacts; an ongoing tax season with the deadline pushed back to mid-May, in addition to the sudden project of quickly refunding taxes levied on unemployment checks during the pandemic. Imholt said that Revenue staff were already working overtime to meet these crucial deadlines.

"The most practical path to implement Senate Bill 842 would be for this reduction  to build it into next tax season," Imholt said. "By making the correction next tax season, we can build the forms, instructions into our planning right now, and work with the e-filing vendors to automatically calculate the correction. We can do the correction both for 2020 and 2021 at the same time . . . this would be simple for taxpayers, and it would be most efficient on our end as well."

While the reasoning for Democrats' decision to oppose advancing the bill is unclear, Imholt's arguments may have prevailed, opening up the possibility that refunds for the 2020 payments will appear when taxpayers file in 2022.

Democrats blocking this legislation shows Oregonians exactly where their priorities are, Senate Republican Leader Fred Girod said. This money belongs in the pockets of Oregonians. It is only right to return it to them. I hope that Democrats will find it in their hearts to move this legislation during the next session.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) 

UPDATE: After hearing victim impact statements from members of George Floyd's family on Friday, Judge Peter Cahill delivered former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's sentence.

Judge Cahill sentenced Chauvin to 270 months in prison  22 1/2 years. Chauvin was granted credit of 199 days for his time served in jail.

The punishment handed out Friday fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested. With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

Cahill said prior to delivering the sentence that his remarks would be brief and not "profound or clever," but that there would be a lengthy written legal analysis to accompany the ruling. Cahil pledged that the sentence was not based on emotion, sympathy, or public opinion, but on his close analysis of the case and the laws involved.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they emerge.

INITIAL REPORT: Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin is set to learn his fate as a Minnesota judge sentences him for murder in the death of George Floyd.

The 45-year-old Chauvin faces decades in prison, with several legal experts predicting a sentence of 20 to 25 years. He still faces a federal trial on civil rights charges in Floyds death.

Fridays hearing will take place at a county courthouse that no longer has the concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard members that were in place as the city and nation held its breath for the verdict in Chauvins trial.

Also Friday, Judge Peter Cahill denied a defense request for a new trial, saying the defense hasn't shown Chauvin was deprived of his right to a fair trial.

An attorney for George Floyd's family says family members are feeling anxious as they wait to hear the sentence for the former Minneapolis police officer. Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder and other charges in Floyd's May 25, 2020, death and he faces a practical maximum of 30 years when he's sentenced on Friday.

Family attorney Ben Crump told The Associated Press that family members are feeling anxious and tense." Floyd's brother Philonise, his brother Terrence and his nephew Brandon Williams plan to make victim impact statements at the hearing.

Crump says that while Floyd is seen as a cause by many, he is the family members' flesh and blood.
SALEM, Ore.  The state of Oregon will shed its coronavirus restrictions on Wednesday, June 30 or whenever it hits the 70 percent adult vaccination goal, whichever comes first. Governor Kate Brown revealed in a press briefing on Friday morning.

Governor Brown announced back in May that the state would reopen once 70 percent of adults received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. In spite of a lottery incentive campaign revealed less than two weeks later, the statewide rate of daily doses administered has been dropping since mid-May, with only a slight uptick at the beginning of June.

As a result, Oregon has continued to inch toward Brown's goal, but with no guarantee that it would be achieved by the end of June. As of Friday morning, the statewide rate stood at 68.9 percent.

In a statement, Brown's office said that she would issue a new executive order, rescinding the previous order that codified the statewide mask mandate and the county risk level system in place since late 2020. This would effectively end physical distancing requirements, capacity limits, mandated closing times for businesses, and other measures.

Brown signed the new order in her live press briefing on Friday.

"I'm proud of our collective efforts to vaccinate more than 2.3 million Oregonians. It is because of this success that we can move Oregon forward and into the next chapter of this pandemic. We are ready," said Governor Brown.

Some mask requirements could stay in place for specialized settings following current CDC guidance, including for airports, public transit, and health care settings.

Brown's new "recovery order" is set to last until December 31 of 2021 unless terminated earlier. Despite the repeal of other executive orders, the Governor's office said that the emergency declaration for COVID-19 would be extended again with a more limited scope, focusing on "COVID-19 recovery efforts, similar to the recovery executive order currently in place for 2020 wildfire season recovery."

"We should all take pride in the work we have done to bring us to this moment," Brown continued. "The efforts underway to close our vaccine equity gap and reach every Oregonian with information and a vaccine have definitely helped bring us this far. Thank you to all who are going the extra mile to vaccinate Oregonians."

Brown's office said that she would also rescind the executive orders concerning schools and childcare, handing back the reins to individual schools, districts, and communities for health and safety decision-making.

Almost simultaneously, the Oregon Department of Education issued a final set of guidance for the coming school year, prioritizing the return of full-time, in-person instruction in the fall. Schools will still be expected to follow regulations on the control of infectious diseases and plan accordingly.
SALEM, Ore.  The Oregon Department of Education released a new set of guidance on Friday for the 2021-22 school year, one that promises a return to near-normal for Oregon public schools.

ODE said that the "Resiliency Framework" includes several major pillars, the first of which calls for a return to full-time, in-person learning for the coming school year. Pre-pandemic instructional time requirements will also be reinstated.

The path is clear for students to return to full time, in-person instruction next year. Working together, we can harness this opportunity to rekindle joy and learning in the classrooms, auditoriums, and playgrounds across Oregon, said Oregon Department of Education Director Colt Gill. Oregon schools are ready to once again be vibrant places for learners, staff, and their families.

School districts and charter schools across the state can continue to offer online programs for students, but it is not a requirement. ODE said that it will update remote learning standards over the next year.

Health and safety protocols that were mandated in the previous guidance will now become "advisory," ODE said. Schools will have the option to use guidance from the CDC and Oregon Health Authority where they feel they should apply, which could include face covering, distancing, or other requirements.

Districts and independent schools will still need to maintain a communicable disease plan, keep an isolation space in schools, and submit plans for operation to the state.

Schools have more than a year of practice on how to mitigate COVID-19 and create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for students and staff, Gill said. Moving to an advisory framework is a logical progression from emergency state direction to local decision-making for keeping students and staff healthy within each schools unique context.

ODE's new guidance came almost in tandem with Governor Kate Brown's announcement that Oregon will lift COVID-19 restrictions by June 30.

The Medford School District said in a brief statement that it would begin working with Jackson County Public Health to implement local health and safety guidance "that makes the most sense for our students, staff, and families."

"In working with JCPH, we will continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students, staff, and community. We will also work to align our guidance with stakeholder feedback and input, and make urgent yet responsible decisions around how school will look in the fall, and possibly for the remainder of Summer Experience," said Superintendent Bret Champion.
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.

Vote

View Results
Wisconsin law protects sex trafficking victims from prosecution on issues related to trafficking, but that defense has not been used in a homicide case before.

Graveley said because legal questions involved in the Kizer case are a "first impression" issue in which the statute's meaning has never been considered by the appellate courts, he thinks it is likely the Supreme Court will accept the appeal.

Arguing the affirmative defense issue at the appellate level before Kizer goes to trial will make the strategy more clear for attorneys for both sides. If Kizer is allowed to present the defense, it gives her a better path to acquittal. If she is convicted at trial, the early decisions on the issue by the appellate courts make it less likely her conviction could be overturned on appeal.

We only want to try the case once, Bias said.

Victim was target of probe

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Kizer was 17 when she was charged in 2018 with first-degree intentional homicide for the shooting death of Volar, a man that prosecutors say had been filming sex with underage girls, including Kizer. She is alleged to have shot Volar before setting his Kenosha home on fire and fleeing to Milwaukee in his car.
The Kenosha Unified School Board is expected to appoint a new board member during a special meeting next week.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at 5 p.m. Thursday, July 1, at the Educational Support Center, 3600 52nd St., in the boardroom. Board members are scheduled to hold interviews with candidates and appoint a successor to board member Dan Wade, who announced earlier this month he would be stepping down June 30 after seven years of service.

Wade submitted his resignation to the board on June 10, citing health reasons. He was first elected to the School Board in April of 2014. Wades current term expires in April next year.

Fourteen candidates for the board appointment filed letters of interest by the noon Thursday deadline. They include Aziz Al-Sager, John Bush, Valerie Douglas, Mike Falkofske, Kyle Flood, Genevieve Gagliardi Gerou, Jonathon Kim, Patrick Langston II, Brooks Litz, Eric Meadows, Sarah Rendulic, Matthew Richer, Atifa Robinson and Samuel Roochnik.

Falkofske and Flood are former board members. Douglas, Litz and Meadows ran unsuccessfully for the board in the April election.

The individual appointed will serve out the remainder of Wades term through April 2023. School Board members earn a $6,500 annual stipend.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}
First Division: The Lutheran Vanguard of Wisconsin marching band leads off this division. Marching bands are in short supply this summer, due to COVID-19, so make sure to cheer them on! You can also wave to Miss Kenosha Alex Daher and the Kenosha Area Vietnam Veterans. The parades theme is A Centennial Celebration: Womens Right to Vote, and this Division features Kenosha Women Marching for the Vote and a float from the Danish Sisterhood of America depicting Women and their Bicycles. (Bicycles represented freedom for women, allowing them to travel to jobs and other places.) Also in this division is local band Lunde  a rock group, not a marching band. A crowd favorite, the Jesse White Tumbling Team, wraps up the First Division.

Second Division: This is the division you want to watch for. And Im not just saying that because this is where youll find me in the parade Sunday, riding with the rest of the Kenosha Pops Concert Band and playing polkas and marches (though that is a good reason). This is also the division featuring the Navy Club of Kenosha Ship No. 40, the Bradford High School Cheerleading Teams float, the band Auto-American and Miss Bristol Haley Gorsuch.
News

AP

'We have a deal': Pared-down infrastructure bill still huge

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden announced on Thursday a hard-earned bipartisan agreement on a pared-down infrastructure plan that would make a start on his top legislative priority and validate his efforts to reach across the political aisle. But he openly acknowledged that Democrats will likely have to tackle much of the rest on their own.

The bills price tag at $973 billion over five years, or $1.2 trillion over eight years, is a scaled-back but still significant piece of Bidens broader proposals.

It includes more than a half-trillion dollars in new spending and could open the door to the presidents more sweeping $4 trillion proposals for child care and what the White House calls human infrastructure later on.

When we can find common ground, working across party lines, that is what I will seek to do," said Biden, who deemed the deal a true bipartisan effort, breaking the ice that too often has kept us frozen in place.

The president stressed that neither side got everything they wanted in this deal; thats what it means to compromise, and said that other White House priorities would be taken on separately in a congressional budget process known as reconciliation, which allows for majority passage without the need for Republican votes.

He insisted that the two items would be done in tandem and that he would not sign the bipartisan deal without the other, bigger piece. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and progressive members of Congress declared they would hold to the same approach.

There aint going to be a bipartisan bill without a reconciliation bill, Pelosi said.

Claiming a major victory five months into his presidency, Biden said, This reminds me of the days when we used to get an awful lot done up in the United States Congress." Biden, a former Delaware senator, said that as he put his hand on the shoulder of a stoic-looking Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio as the president made a surprise appearance with a bipartisan group of senators to announce the deal outside the White House.

But the next steps are not likely to be nearly so smooth.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell complained that Biden was caving to Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumers plan to hold the bipartisan agreement hostage for the presidents bigger package of what he called wasteful spending.

Thats not the way to show youre serious about getting a bipartisan outcome, McConnell said.

And there is plenty of skepticism on Biden's own left flank. Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said the bipartisan agreement is way too small  paltry, pathetic. I need a clear, ironclad assurance that there will be a really adequate robust package that will follow.

Thursday's deal was struck by the bipartisan group led by Portman and Democrat Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, including some of the more independent lawmakers in the Senate, some known for bucking their parties.

You know there are many who say bipartisanship is dead in Washington, Sinema said. We can use bipartisanship to solve these challenges.

And Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said, It sends an important message to the world as well that America can function, can get things done.

The proposal includes both new and existing spending on long-running programs and highlights the struggle lawmakers faced in coming up with ways to pay for what have typically been popular ideas.

The investments include $109 billion on roads and highways and $15 billion on electric vehicle infrastructure and transit systems as part of $312 billion in transportation spending. There's $65 billion toward broadband and expenditures on drinking water systems and $47 billion in resiliency efforts to tackle climate change.

Rather than Bidens proposed corporate tax hike that Republicans oppose or the gas tax increase that the president rejected, funds will be tapped from a range of sources  without a full tally yet, according to a White House document.

Money will come from $125 billion in COVID-19 relief funds approved in 2020 but not yet spent, as well as untapped unemployment insurance funds that Democrats have been hesitant to poach. Other revenue is expected by going harder after tax cheats by beefing up Internal Revenue Service enforcement that Portman said could yield $100 billion.

The rest is a hodgepodge of asset sales and accounting tools, including funds coming from 5G telecommunication spectrum lease sales, strategic petroleum reserve and an expectation that the sweeping investment will generate economic growth  what the White House calls the macroeconomic impact of infrastructure investment.

The senators from both parties stressed that the deal will create jobs for the economy and rebuild the nation's standing on the global stage, a belief that clearly transcended the partisan interests and created a framework for the deal.

Were going to keep working together  were not finished, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah said. But America works, the Senate works.

Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana said it will show the world "were not just, you know, a hot mess here.

For Biden, the deal was a welcome result. Though for far less than he originally sought, Biden had bet his political capital that he could work with Republicans toward major legislation.

Moreover, Biden and his aides believed that they needed a bipartisan deal on infrastructure to create a permission structure for more moderate Democrats  including Sinema and Joe Manchin of West Virginia  to then be willing to go for a party-line vote for the rest of the president's agenda.

The announcement leaves unclear the fate of Bidens promises of massive investment to slow climate change, which Biden this spring called the existential crisis of our times.

Bidens presidential campaign had helped win progressive backing with pledges of major spending on electric vehicles, charging stations, and research and funding for overhauling the U.S. economy to run on less oil, gas and coal. The administration is expected to push for some of that in future legislation.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La, stressed that there are billions of dollars for resiliency against extreme weather and the impact of climate change and deemed Thursday's deal a beginning investment.

Biden has sought $1.7 trillion in his American Jobs Plan and the $1.8 trillion American Families Plan for child care centers, family tax breaks and other investments that Republicans reject as far outside the scope of infrastructure.

The broad reconciliation bill would likely include tax increases on the wealthy, those earning more than $400,000 a year, and hike the corporate rate from 21% to 28%, so a tension still exists over funding for some Republicans and business groups.

Its still a long haul to a bill signing at the White House. The Senate expects to consider the bipartisan package in July, but Biden's bigger proposal is not expected to see final votes until fall.



Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Mary Clare Jalonick, Alan Fram, Matthew Daly and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.
An ER in Kathmandu during the pandemic: a lesson on motivation

0 Shares Share

It was 2:00 a.m. I had just finished shifting a severe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia/ARDS patient to the intensive care unit (ICU) after he was intubated in the emergency room (ER).

The ER was teeming with patients awaiting admission. For new patients to get a bed, some admitted ones have to be discharged or dead.

Outside the ER, four ambulances arrived  each carrying a COVID-19 patient on oxygen. One ambulance driver came rushing towards the ER and said he had run out of his oxygen supply. The triage nurse dragged an oxygen cylinder and rushed towards the ambulance.

I hurried behind her in a hazmat suit, climbed into each of the ambulances and quickly assessed all four of them. One of the patients, a female in her 50s, was extremely tachypneic, breathing at around 40 breaths per minute and on 15 liters per minute of oxygen via a non-rebreather to maintain an oxygen saturation of 80 percent.

Luckily, the resuscitation room was not occupied as I had just shifted a patient to the ICU. We shifted her to the resuscitation room, and she received endotracheal intubation.

Now came the hard part, finding an ICU bed for her. There was only one mobile ventilator in the ER, and it was occupied.

Our team with the patients visitors frantically started calling hospitals in Kathmandu one by one to ask for an ICU bed while managing other cases in the observation area.

At around 7 in the morning, we finally found an ICU bed in another hospital. I gave the physician hand-off to prepare a referral note, and she was ready to be shifted.

I had two hours left on my shift, and there were patients in the observation yet to find a bed to be admitted  a typical day in a hospital in Kathmandu in the midst of the pandemic.

The nurses arrived for their morning shift. The nurse in charge was cleaning the station desk with alcohol swabs.

Good morning, doctor. How was your shift? she asked.

Good Morning, Rejina (name changed). Thank you for keeping us all safe, I replied.

Lucky for us, none of us got infected during the whole pandemic despite working in the ER and being the first one to come in patients contact in one of the busiest emergency departments in Kathmandu.

Along with the PPE, systematic triaging and isolation and negative pressure rooms, I believe it is mindfulness at work that plays a huge role in the protection of health care workers.

The motivation to work for a greater cause  a noble cause that drives us towards perfection, towards mindfulness at work even during the most stressful of circumstances. It would not be completely correct to say the fear of getting infected and working with no margin of error protects us. Actions driven by fear will lead to burnout and fatigue. It prevents us from bringing out the best of our abilities.

The pandemic unites us, the health care workers, even more.

Like soldiers fighting on the battlefield to protect their fellow people, it is the same driving force for both soldiers and health care workers. A greater cause, a noble motive to save our people.

Let us continue working selflessly, the way the health profession is meant to be practiced. Lets continue motivating each other and create a good work environment for our own well-being. Lets walk towards the path of being the best version of ourselves.

Bijay Phuyal is an emergency physician in Nepal.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Local

featured

ON THE BALL

Coast Guard leads evaluation of 80-year-old sunken tankers

Photo provided A diver works alongside the Munger T. Ball oil tanker some 70 miles off Key West in roughly 120 feet of water. ROB ONEAL/The Citizen Capt. Adam Chamie, Commander U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, explains plans to carefully remove a massive amount of oil that remains on board the Munger T. Ball, one of two tankers that were sunk by German U-boats in the Gulf of Mexico on May 7, 1942. Photo provided The Munger T. Ball has been on the ocean floor for the past 79 years after being torpedoed by a German U-boat. STEVE KORNACKI/The Citizen Capt. Adam Chamie points out the location of the Joseph M. Cudahy, left, and the Munger T. Ball, right. Both tankers were sunk by German U-Boats in 1942 and contain massive amounts of oil. Photo provided The Joseph M. Cudahy was sunk by a German U-Boat on May 7, 1942, and is currently in 400 feet of water. ROB ONEAL/The Citizen Chief Petty Officer Walter Goggans explains the processes involved with removing decades-old oil from the Munger T. Ball.

Unescorted vessels carrying ship fuel and other goods central to the Allied powers efforts in World War II were being torpedoed by German U-boats in the travel lanes north of the Dry Tortugas. And in the early morning hours of May 5, 1942, a pair of oil tankers were hit by the same U-507, the explosions tearing gaping holes into their riveted steel hulls and setting off fiery blazes before taking the ships and most of their crews to their graves.

The Joseph M. Cudahy and Munger T. Ball both met that fate, and nearly 80 years later remain on the sandy floor of the Gulf of Mexico, shattered relics creating an eerie, Titanic-like scene of marine life growing and gathering upon and around them, reminders of a night when terror filled the eyes of every man aboard.

I mean, this is National Geographic, Capt. Adam Chamie, Commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West, said of the visuals and communication of divers and those on board the commercial ship thats been assessing the environment-threatening situation of oil still stowed on the Ball. That kind of level of seeing whats going on  I mean, its really, really fascinating to see this operation.

One mistake and you could have a significant safety issue, and the operation could take a turn. But the group thats on there is very, very impressive.

Chamie pointed to the map above his office desk at their resting places, some 70 miles apart from one another.

Chamie and a number of Coast Guard officers huddling Thursday in a situation room recalled the history and the current relevance of the vessels.

That team and members of other agencies are about to embark on a pump-out of the Ball scheduled for July 1-6. Its whereabouts hadnt been accurately pinpointed in nearly 80 years until June 12, and it was soon discovered that it had 35,000 to 55,000 gallons of Bunker C heavy ship fuel oil.

Time was of the essence in removing this significant threat to the underwater region called the Oil Wreck by divers.

It could just be waiting to tip over or a hurricane comes through or the rivets finally pop, said Chamie, and we have that oil wrapping around the Florida Keys, coming aboard into the Marine Sanctuary, and onto our beaches.

The Coast Guard had tracked oil 60-65 miles northwest of Key West, and received satellite imagery and reports of the oil sheen of this wreck that we thought was the Cudahy, according to Chamie. He said it was discovered that the sunken ship was 100 feet shorter than the Cudahy.

We discovered this was actually the Munger T. Ball, added Chamie. Both were sunk by this German U-boat, U-507. But in what we call the fog of war, the confusion in what was going on that daywe swapped the positions of the two.

We came upon this almost by accident.

Improved technology is enabling the team of 30-40 sub-contracted workers and scientists aboard the Shelia Bordelon, a 247-foot commercial vessel from Louisiana, along with nine divers going down 140-146 feet, to accurately evaluate the situation.

Chamie said they can tap into the side of a ship and test oil without an explosion or creating this huge hole in the hull, and have oil leaking all over the place.

Over the last two weeks, the Coast Guard has worked side-by-side with representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Resolve (a contracted company) and other partners to assess the Ball in order to detect the presence of oil and other hazardous materials.

We were able to identify three tanks that have potential oil in them, said Chief Petty Officer Walter Goggans of Sector Key West. We were able to pump a little bit from some, and the other tanks have thicker oil.

Goggans, adding that the oil viscosity is lowered by heating, said, This is very nasty, very thick oil. Once they start pumping, well go 24/7 until we get it. Once we get it going, it wont take really long.

Chamie said they will button up those tanks after pumping them out, adding that there is no way to completely rid the threat by knowing all the oil has been taken off the ships, but noting that they will get to a point where they can say: This is no longer a significant threat to the Florida coast.

The Ball was headed from Port Arthur, Texas, to Norfolk, Virginia, to fuel a larger boat headed off to war.

The biggest challenge is logistics because shes out 70 miles and its thin metal, said Goggans. And its also a grave. So, we have to be respectful to the dead and also the environment.

The Cudahy is in much deeper water and not a current threat to the environment.

That does not appear to be actively discharging oil  which is why were focusing all of our efforts right now on the Munger T. Ball, said Chamie. The Cudahy, right on the border of our area and Sector St. Petersburg, the Tampa area, is actually inside theirs. But from a Coast Guard and NOAA perspective, its something worth watching.

The Cudahy, under the command of Walter Edmund Reed and named after the head of the Sinclair Refining Company, was hit by the first torpedo at the water line on the starboard side at the No. 4 main tank. An officer in the conning tower spotted it 20 feet from its explosive destination, helpless to do anything, according to uboat.net.

The USS Coral sunk the tanker by gunfire because it was beyond salvage and a navigation hazard.

The Ball was torpedoed at 1:32 a.m., and the Cudahy at 4:15 a.m. Both were victims of the U-507 sub, commanded by Harro Schacht, who would receive the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross from the Hitler regime on Jan. 9, 1943. He was the equivalent of a decorated flying ace, credited with sinking 20 ships off the coasts of Florida and Brazil.

However, Schacht met his own fate four days after receiving that Cross. Depth charges dropped by U.S. Navy PBY (amphibious) Catalina Aircraft of VP-83, some 330 miles off the Brazilian coast, brought an end to the U-507s reign of crippling the Allied cause by sinking valuable cargo and claiming hundreds of lives. The entire crew of 56 died, never rising above water to fly its Swastika flag again.

Both tankers departed Texas ports May 1, 1942, never to dock again.

Now, both ships rest on sand on their starboard sides. The Ball, captained by Karl Ragnar Olsen, was struck by a torpedo on the port side and 30 seconds later by another torpedo that hit near the engine room. It burst into flames before lifeboats could be launched. Crew jumped overboard, swimming away from burning gasoline which spread across the water and trapped many on the tanker.

Thirty-one perished, with just four survivors swimming to a life raft that survived the fire. The Cudahy had 27 lives lost and nine survivors, making it a lucky 13 alive between the two sunken ships. All were taken to Key West.

Chamie said ways to honor the dead are being explored, and that none who survived are known to still be alive. But the boats they went down with remain big news eight decades later.

skornacki@keysnews.com
The fire chief helping to lead search and rescue efforts at the South Florida building collapse that killed at least four people had a message Friday for the families of the 159 others unaccounted for.

Have hope.

'There's always hope,' Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Andy Alvarez said as he choked up in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. 'We're doing everything we can to bring your family member out alive.'

Alvarez said the rescue efforts rank among the most dangerous he's ever been a part of. Concrete is falling around some team members as they cut into walls trying to find ways into the voids in the rubble.

Meanwhile, some family members wait at a reunification center. Some have given DNA samples in case they are needed to help identify victims.

Jason Pizzo, a state senator, said he has been talking with anxious relatives.

'It's absolute desperation; it's devastation. It's still being called search and rescue,' he said, but when families see the rubble, it seems like no one is listening. 'They just want to see some sort of movement.'

Three bodies were found overnight from Thursday into Friday in the wreckage of Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah said -- adding to one found early Thursday.

The medical examiner's office identified Stacie Fang as a victim killed in the collapse. Fang is the mother of Jonah Handler, a boy who was pulled alive from the rubble, her family said in a statement.

'There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie,' the Fang and Handler family statement said. 'The members of the Fang and Handler family would like to express our deepest appreciation for the outpouring of sympathy, compassion and support we have received. The many heartfelt words of encouragement and love have served as a much needed source of strength during this devastating time.'

The number of people unaccounted for is 159, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters Friday -- up from the figure of 99 that officials gave Thursday afternoon.

Those 159 people 'have been identified as possibly being on the site,' the mayor said at a news conference Friday afternoon in Surfside. 'So those are people that maybe live there, but we don't know whether they were there at the time.'

Dr. Howard Lieberman, a trauma surgeon with the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Urban Search & Rescue Task Force, told CNN that crews on Thursday 'did hear some tapping, there was some noise,' adding that the tapping kept up for a while and then, over the course of the day, 'dissipated.'

According to Lieberman, the search effort has been very emotional, as teams find personal effects in the rubble.

'We're seeing stuffed animals, teddy bears, boxed of diapers, a child's bunk bed, and we're finding a lot of pictures, family pictures, and it's, it's a little bit more emotional than going somewhere, where you know there's no one, let's say for a hurricane where they had enough warning and they had evacuation time and they got out.'

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at the news conference emphasized the importance of finding out the cause of the collapse.

'We need a definitive explanation for how this could have happened,' DeSantis said. 'We don't want to get [it] wrong, obviously, but at the same time I do think it's important that it's timely because you have a lot of families here, you have families that lost loved ones ... you have other folks who were able to get out safely, but then lost their homes.'

Three of the four victims have been identified, according to Dr. Emma Lew, director of the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department. One victim died at a hospital. No other information was provided.

About 55 of the 136 units at the building a few miles north of Miami Beach collapsed at around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, leaving huge piles of rubble on the ground and materials dangling from what remained of the structure, officials said.

Thirty-five people were rescued from standing portions of the building by first responders, Jadallah said Thursday.

Numerous search and rescue personnel have been scouring the rubble, including from the surface, with search dogs, sonar and cameras.

Structural engineers also have been shoring up other places -- such as areas near a parking garage underneath the rubble -- to allow crews to tunnel underneath with light machinery.

Officials don't know how many people were in the building

State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis said the search involved 'that delicate balance of saving lives while risking lives,' with the accumulation of water used to extinguish fires adding dangerous weight to the unstable remains of the buildings.

Crews were taking down license plate numbers of cars in the parking garage in an attempt to determine who was in the building, Patronis said.

Surfside Town Manager Andy Hyatt said officials do not know how many people were in the building at the time of the collapse.

'We know that it was about 80% occupied but that doesn't mean that there was 80% occupied with people,' he told CNN Friday.

'We know that some families around here travel quite a bit.'

The building's residents reflected South Florida's international and cultural mix, with affluent families from Argentina, Paraguay and Colombia and a tight-knit Jewish community.

Kevin Spiegel said his wife, Judy, is among the missing. He said he was out of town at the time of the collapse.

'She's just the most amazing person in the world and we would do anything to have her back,' he told CNN, his two sons -- Michael and Josh -- at his side.

President Joe Biden on Friday approved an emergency declaration for the state, making federal aid available to Florida -- including equipment and other resources -- and authorizing FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts.

Additionally, a team of engineers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology is being sent to Surfside to determine whether a larger investigation that could impact building codes everywhere is needed.

The federal agency studies building structural failures and recommends changes to building codes, fire response and emergency communications, according to spokeswoman Jennifer Huergo.

The goal of such an investigation, Huergo said, would be to determine 'the technical cause of the collapse' and the possible need for 'changes to building codes, standards and practices.'

Engineers weigh in on the collapse

Although the cause of the partial collapse wasn't known, some engineers who saw it on video shared their expertise with CNN on why the building fell the way it did.

Greg Batista, a structural engineer who did work on the building years ago, said concrete repair and a spalling problem can cause collapses.

Spalling can occur when part of the surface of the concrete peels, breaks or chips.

'Spalling can get to a point that, if not repaired, it can lead to eventual collapse, and I've been to places where there have been collapses of floors, of beams, of columns,' Batista said.

Batista noted that for that type of collapse to occur, the malfunction of one column is enough to bring a structure down.

'All it takes is one column, and everything can come down like a Jenga,' he said. 'After having seen the video ... you see the actual building coming down, and the actual collapse begins on one of the lower floors. So immediately, I see that something happened down there.'

Another structural engineer, Kit Miyamoto, who is California's seismic safety commissioner, echoed Batista's take.

'This collapse is a real classic ... column failure, which means the building itself was supported by a series of pillars. If the pillars fail, everything fails. So that's exactly what looked like that,' Miyamoto told CNN.

Batista offered a glimmer of hope for those unaccounted for, saying it's entirely possible for more people to be rescued.

'If you go back to videos of building crumbling in the past, you've seen miracles of babies being pulled out of small voids either the day after or the week after. There's certainly a possibility that this can happen here,' Batista said.

Kenneth Direktor, an attorney for the association of residents at the condo, said the building had 'thorough engineering inspections over the last several months' in preparation for compliance with a 40-year certification.

The building was constructed in 1981, according to online Miami-Dade property records. Building standards were strengthened after highly destructive Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

'What that tells you is.... nothing like this was foreseeable, at least it wasn't seen by the engineers who were looking at the building from a structural perspective,' Direktor told CNN.

An engineer had already conducted inspections to determine needed repairs, but the only work that had actually commenced was on the roof, Direktor said.

Alexandria Santamaria, a property manager for the building until 2019, told CNN on Friday that she was never told immediate repairs were needed during her time managing the property.

'No one ever said there were any signs of repairs that were needed immediately or that there [were] any signs of collapsing,' she said.

A class-action lawsuit filed Thursday accuses the association of the collapsed condo of 'failures to secure and safeguard' the lives and property of condo owners.

The suit cites statements from Direktor, who said 'repair needs had been identified' for the condo's structure but had not been completed.

'Defendant could have prevented the collapse of Champlain Towers south through the exercise of ordinary care, safety measures, and oversight,' the suit alleges.

The lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $5 million, though a different amount could be sought as the case proceeds.

Direktor responded on behalf of the association saying, 'I don't know what caused this building to fall down ... The engineers don't know with certainty what caused this building to fall down.'

'How is it that less than 24 hours after the building collapses that this lawyer (who filed the lawsuit for the plaintiffs) knows with certainty what caused the building to fall down?' Direktor asked.

Condo association response

Meanwhile, Donna DiMaggio Berger, an attorney for the Champlain Towers condo association, told CNN's Chris Cuomo that the board met this morning, and they were not privy to any information that would have foreshadowed Thursday's disaster.

Berger said that the building was undergoing a 40-year re-certification process, and what knowledge the board had in terms of repair work came from the engineer's certification report.

'Typical things that an engineer looks for in a certification report in Miami-Dade and Broward County, which are the two counties that require this kind of certification, is a review of the roof, the HVAC system, electrical, plumbing, and the building envelope,' Berger told Cuomo. 'But certainly, there was nothing hazardous that was outlined in that report, anything that would have proven to be a danger to life.'

Berger added that the engineer outlines what the priorities are, and the priority was the roof replacement, which was underway.

Cuomo asked Berger if the board was aware of research done in the 1990's that showed the area where the building collapsed showing signs of land subsidence.

Berger replied that they were aware, and she thinks it is significant, but her question to the professor or the team that undertook the research was, 'Did they inform the city, did they inform the county, did they inform the state?

'I mean, that is significant, and I think that's something we want to dig into.'
NORTH BEND, Ore. -- A week after three people were murdered in North Bend, we're learning more about one of the victims.

Suspect Oen Nicholson allegedly killed his father, Dr. Charles Simms Nicholson, before killing two other people in North Bend last Friday. The elder Nicholson was licensed to practice dentistry in both California and Oregon.

RELATED: COOS COUNTY DA RELEASES AUTOPSY RESULTS IN TRIPLE MURDER

According to multiple Advantage Dental Clinic employees, Dr. Nicholson worked at the Coos Bay location as a dental surgeon until about two years ago. He also worked at Santee Cottonwood Dental in Santee, California, before moving to North Bend.

MORE: TRIPLE MURDER SUSPECT STILL AWAITING EXTRADITION TO OREGON

Oen Nicholson will appear in an extradition hearing this Friday, according to Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office.

This is a developing story. Stay with KEZI 9 News for the latest.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. -- The suspect in the triple murder case in North Bend is fighting the extradition process.

Oen Nicholson, 30, made his first court appearance in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Friday.

RELATED: NORTH BEND MURDER SUSPECT TURNS HIMSELF IN TO WISCONSIN AUTHORITIES

The intake hearing began at 8:30 a.m. and was expected to go on into the afternoon.

Nicholson did not waive his right to an extradition hearing.

MORE: TRIPLE MURDER SUSPECT STILL AWAITING EXTRADITION TO OREGON

He has a criminal complaint filed against him in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court which states that he is a fugitive from justice.

The criminal complaint states: "The above-named defendant on Sunday, June 20, 2021, stands charged in the State of Oregon, with

the crimes of: 6 Counts of Murder in the First Degree, Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, 2 Counts of Failure to Perform Duties of Driver to Injured Persons, and has fled from justice being a person within the County of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin."

Court official Katryna Rhodes said she had looked at the criminal complaint.

"I've actually read this complaint and I find that it states probable cause," said Rhodes during the court hearing. "What I'm going to do now at this time is remand you into custody of the sheriff."

Public defender Sylvie Jaspen represented Nicholson in court on Friday.

"Commissioner, Mr. Nicholson did indicate he would like an extradition hearing," Jaspen said.

Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier responded to Nicholson's decision not to waive extradition back to Coos County.

In a statement, Frasier said: "My office is in the process for preparing the necessary documents to submit to the office of Governor Kate Brown requesting that the Governor issue a Governor's Warrant for the extradition of Mr. Nicholson."

Frasier said the process to extradite Nicholson could take several weeks if not months before it is completed.

Nicholson's extradition hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. on July 20 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The judge assigned to the case is Judge Glenn Yamahiro.
By Ruth Anderah

The High Court Kampala has ordered the government to pay Shs 225 million to businessman Moses Besimira in compensation for his vehicle which was wrongly impounded by police ten years ago.

According to the judgement sent to both parties via email by Justice Musa Ssekaana, on September 8th 2011, Besimiras vehicle UAK 588G, Mitsubishi Fuso that had gone missing was found at the Central Police Station in Kampala.

Basimira, who was never told the reason for impounding his vehicle, has since 2011 been trying to recover it and written several letters seeking its release in vain, which prompted him to petition the court in 2015.

In his suit filed against the Attorney General, Basimira argued that by the time the vehicle was impounded, it was in good condition but had degenerated to a bad state while under police custody at the Criminal Investigations Department -CID headquarters in Kibuli.

In his judgement, Justice Ssekaana has ruled that on March 3rd 2013 the Commandant Kampala Metropolitan Police had ordered investigations into why Basimiras vehicle was impounded and failure to find any sufficient reason to hold it, they would have released it to the owner.

He has accordingly awarded Basimera Shs110m as the fair value of the motor vehicle, Shs100m in general damages and another Shs15m shillings as a punishment to police never to repeat similar acts.
By Benjamin Jumbe

Ugandans will not be allowed to travel to the United Kingdom after June 29th.

This is after the UK put Uganda on the red list.

In a letter to Ugandas Foreign Affairs minister, the British High Commission states that the decision by UK ministers followed review of scientific evidence pertaining to the risk of community transmission of Covid-19 variants.

It adds that only British and Irish nationals and 3rd country nationals with resident rights to the UK will be permitted to travel to the UK from Uganda.

The United Arab Emirates took a similar step earlier this month, while in neighboring Rwanda, RwandaAir banned passengers travelling from Uganda.
By Tonny Abet More by this Author

By Stephen Otage More by this Author

Proprietors of private hospitals yesterday requested State Houses Anti-Corruption Unit to give them up to Monday, to review the cost of treating Covid-19 patients and report to government next week.

Although in principle, the owners of private hospitals resolved to review the charges per day after meeting Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja on Monday to iron out a few things.

They promised that a harmonised position on how much a Covid-19 patient will pay in private facilities will be communicated next week.

Col Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, convened an emergency meeting with the owners of private hospitals after Daily Monitor consistently highlighted the plight of struggling families and several complaints about exorbitant daily charges to treat a critically ill patient which go as high as Shs5 million.

Read more:https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/private-hospitals-agree-to-cut-covid-treatment-charges-3449838
Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM PDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Hot temperatures with highs in the mid 90s to near 100. Lows in the mid 50s to upper 60s. * WHERE...Quincy, Pomeroy, Nezperce, Cheney, Hayden, Nespelem, Ephrata, Odessa, Winchester, Worley, Othello, Brewster, Wenatchee, Peck, Moses Lake, Rockford, Cashmere, Coulee City, Spokane, Wilbur, Bridgeport, Coeur d'Alene, Craigmont, Omak, Okanogan, Lapwai, Culdesac, Lewiston, Davenport, Entiat, Grand Coulee, Clarkston, Post Falls, Gifford, Kamiah, Oroville, Chelan, and Ritzville. * WHEN...Until 7 PM PDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned area, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors that may be sensitive to the heat. &&
After many failed efforts, it may finally be infrastructure week in America. A bipartisan group of US Senators has agreed to a roughly $1.2 trillion package of infrastructure reforms that President Joe Biden said he will support. The package has a long way to go -- including more detailed discussions of the specific 'pay-fors' or funding mechanisms for the reforms -- but the fact that the President has weighed in with his support increases the likelihood that success is on the horizon.

Americans should be excited about these developments. During a time of extreme partisan polarization, when, according to Gallup, just one in four people approve of Congress, the news that members of both parties have come together to support critical priorities should be celebrated. It's a bit of throwback to the time when bipartisanship wasn't a dirty word and productivity was valued over ideology. As Biden noted in a press conference today, 'This reminds me of the days when we used to get an awful lot done up in the United States Congress.'

Indeed, the infrastructure deal is a rare win-win for both Democrats and Republicans in Washington, DC. Both sides stand to gain some political advantage from getting this deal through Congress and onto Biden's desk for his signature.

But there is opposition bubbling up from both Republicans, who believe it best to deny Biden a legislative victory ahead of next year's midterm elections, and Democrats, who want Biden to go bigger and press for up to $6 trillion in progressive reforms that extend far beyond improvements to bridges, roads and physical infrastructure.

For Democrats, the reasons to support this package should be obvious. Legislative wins have been few and far between for Biden since he used only Democrat votes to pass a $1.9 trillion spending package in the spring. Since then, efforts to pass a January 6 commission and federal voting rights legislation have failed after facing Republican opposition.

It's unclear where else Biden could look for support from the GOP in Congress beyond infrastructure issues. Bipartisan negotiators on policing reform have put forth a framework for legislation, but much work still remains to be done. And a bipartisan win is important for Biden personally, given the image he cultivated during his campaign as someone who would reach across the political divide to find common ground on challenges that face the country.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has argued that the infrastructure deal will not be considered until a larger set of progressive reforms that Biden and Democrats have supported is passed by the Senate first. This is a recipe for failure. Insisting on the passage of what Biden calls his 'human infrastructure' package (investments in child care and paid leave) first will torpedo any likelihood of Republican support for a package of physical infrastructure reforms.

Republicans, for their part, should recognize that there are advantages that come from working with Democrats and Biden to pass this package of changes. Namely, voters will look kindly upon efforts to make badly needed infrastructure improvements.

Ten Republican Senators will need to support the compromise to get reforms through the regular legislative process. Five GOP Senators -- Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio and Mitt Romney of Utah -- participated in negotiations over the deal. So, the support of an additional five will be needed to get this package across the finish line.

The difficult sticking point for the infrastructure package has been -- and will continue to be -- how it will be financed. Republicans have argued that tax increases are a red line they are unwilling to cross. Fortunately, the proposed sources of funding issued by the bipartisan group that negotiated the package does not include tax hikes but rather focuses on other sources of money, including more aggressive enforcement by the IRS to close the so-called 'tax gap' and the formation of new public-private partnerships.

The bipartisan deal may be of greatest political relevance to the 15 Senate Republicans who may run for reelection in 2022. (A total of 20 GOP Senators are up for reelection in 2022, but five -- including Portman, who has been central to the bipartisan infrastructure discussions -- have said they are not running next year.)

Some have argued that Republicans are better off politically if they stonewall all of Biden's agenda and deny him a legislative win. At this point, it's hard to see how standing in the way of a bipartisan agreement will benefit Republicans, particularly those who are either running for reelection in 2022 or Republicans who are running for open seats in swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania.

In fact, infrastructure reform is the rare example of an issue where there can be wins on both sides of the aisle. Even Republican incumbents stand to win if they can demonstrate they did their part in bringing infrastructure spending home to their districts and states.

There are still many steps between now and final passage of a bipartisan infrastructure package. And while it's not exactly the policy that either Republicans or Democrats would have drafted alone, members of Congress on both sides of the aisle should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good in this case. They should take the win that is in front of them and give the American people faith that legislators can legislate together again.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment  which came after Chauvin broke his yearlong silence to offer condolences to the Floyd family and express hope that they eventually have some peace of mind  is one of the longest prison terms ever imposed on a U.S. police officer in the killing of a Black person.

Still, Floyd family members and others were disappointed. The sentence fell short of the 30 years prosecutors had requested. And with good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could get out on parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

Just because its the most time doesnt mean its enough time," said Nekima Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis protest leader.

In imposing the punishment, Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump said the family had gotten some measure of accountability but is hoping Chauvin gets the maximum at his upcoming federal civil rights trial. Crump said this was the longest sentence a police officer has ever received in Minnesota.

But he added: "Real justice in America will be Black men and Black women and people of color who will not have to fear being killed by the police just because the color of their skin. That would be real justice.

Outside the courthouse, a crowd of about 50 people clasped hands or placed them on each others shoulders. The reaction was subdued as people debated whether the sentence was long enough. Some cursed in disgust.

At George Floyd Square, as the intersection where Floyd was pinned to the pavement is now known, members of the crowd broke into applause, and several said, Well take it.

Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. He showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond, as well as demands for overhauling police departments.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial, where his words could be used against him.

I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some peace of mind, he said without further explanation.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson had asked that Chauvin be let off on probation, saying the former officer's brain is littered with what-ifs from that day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if? What if? What if?

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, pleaded for mercy for her son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man, she told the judge, adding: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank, in asking the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines, said tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life," Frank said.

Floyd family members had tearfully asked the judge to impose the maximum, which was 40 years.

Afterward, Floyds nephew Brandon Williams said the sentence was insufficient, when you think about George being murdered, in cold blood with a knee on his neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds execution-style in broad daylight. LaTonya Floyd, George Floyds sister, said of the punishment: Thats nothing. Thats nothing. He should have got the max, period.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvin's three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. The defense had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America witnessed something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the state's maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Chauvin on the federal charges. No date has been set for that trial.
WASHINGTON, DC  A former Rochester woman is going to federal prison for espionage.

Mariam Taha Thompson, 62, pleaded guilty to delivering classified national defense information to aid a foreign government and has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars.

The U.S. Department of Justice says Thompson worked as a contract linguist at an overseas U.S. military facility where she was entrusted with a Top-Secret government security clearance. In her plea, Thompson admitted that she started communicating with her unindicted co-conspirator in 2017 using a video-chat feature on a secure text and voice messaging application. Court documents state that Thompson developed a romantic interest in her co-conspirator and learned the unindicted co-conspirator had a family member who was in the Lebanese Ministry of the Interior and that the unindicted co-conspirator claimed to have received a ring from Hassan Nasrallah, the secretary-general of Lebanese Hezbollah.

When Thompson was assigned to a Special Operations Task Force facility in Iraq, the United States launched a series of airstrikes in Iraq targeting Kataib Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed foreign terrorist organization. Those airstrikes culminated in a January 3, 2020, strike that killed Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force commander Qasem Suleimani, as well as the founder of Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Federal prosecutors say after Suleimanis death, the unindicted co-conspirator began asking Thompson to provide them with information about the human assets who had helped the United States to target Suleimani. Thompson confessed she understood them to be Lebanese Hezbollah, including an unnamed high-ranking military commander.

After being asked for such information in early January 2020, the Justice Department says Thompson began accessing dozens of files concerning human intelligence sources, including true names, personal identification data, background information and photographs of the human assets, as well as operational cables detailing information the assets provided to the U.S. government. Court document state Thompson used several techniques to pass this information on to the unindicted co-conspirator, who told her that his contacts were pleased with the information and that the Lebanese Hezbollah military commander wanted to meet Thompson when she came to Lebanon.

Investigators say When she was arrested by the FBI on February 27, 2020, Thompson had used her access to classified national defense information to provide her co-conspirator with the identities of at least eight clandestine human assets; at least 10 U.S. targets; and multiple tactics, techniques and procedures.

Thompsons sentence reflects the seriousness of her violation of the trust of the American people, of the human sources she jeopardized and of the troops who worked at her side as friends and colleagues, said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers for the Justice Departments National Security Division. That Thompson passed our nations sensitive secrets to someone whom she knew had ties to Lebanese Hezbollah made her betrayal all the more serious. Thompsons sentence should stand as a clear warning to all clearance holders that violations of their oath to this country will not be taken lightly, especially when they put lives at risk.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court on Friday said an expanded number of small refineries can seek an exemption from certain renewable fuel requirements.

The high court ruled 6-3 that a small refinery that had previously received a hardship exemption from complying with Clean Air Act requirements may obtain an extension of that exemption. That's even if the refinery let a previous exemption lapse.

Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw made the following statement in response:

We are extremely disappointed the Supreme Court didnt uphold the 10th Circuit Court ruling on eligibility to request RFS refinery exemption extensions. I am not a lawyer, but it sure seems like the 10th Circuit Court got it right when they determined that a refinery cant extend something it no longer has. However, it is important to remember this case only applied to one of the three major findings from the 10th Circuit Court."

"Todays decision allows refiners to apply to extend RFS exemptions that have lapsed. But this case did not impact the 10th Circuits ruling that refiners must still prove economic harm directly related to compliance with the RFS. Just as importantly, the 10th Circuit also found that EPA cannot use RIN costs as a cause of economic harm while simultaneously admitting RIN costs are recovered in the refiners crack spread. As the Biden EPA has pledged to follow the 10th Circuit Court ruling, todays decision allows refiners to request an RFS exemption extension, but it does not make it easier for refiners to actually receive one."

"We fully expect the Biden EPA to keep their commitment to the RFS and to apply the 10th Circuit Court standards relating to economic harm, and as a result, to deny the vast majority of RFS exemption extension requests that are pending or that will be submitted in the future.

The case involved amendments to the Clean Air Act made in 2005 and 2007 that require transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain specified amounts of certain renewable fuels. Small refineries were exempt from that requirement until 2011.

Iowa Governor Reynolds released the following statement after the United States Supreme Court decision regarding small refinery exemptions:

Todays ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court is a disappointing setback for Iowa agriculture and our renewable fuel industry. The decision not only undermines demand for ethanol and biodiesel, but creates an environment where waivers could grow exponentially.

Now more than ever we need the Biden Administration to take a clear stance against small refinery exemptions in order to limit the negative impact of this ruling. The Administration should now set robust annual renewable volume obligations and clear all additional hurdles for consumers to access cost-effective, clean-burning renewable fuels.

Despite what happened today, the fight is far from over and we will never back down in defense of this essential Iowa industry.

The law also allowed the Environmental Protection Agency to extend the exemption for individual small refineries if complying would subject them to disproportionate economic hardship.

Another section of the law says that a small refinery can ask the EPA for an extension of the exemption at any time.

Iowa U.S. Senator Joni Ernst sent out the following tweet on the Supreme Court ruling:

Im disappointed w/ todays SCOTUS decision, but it makes the stakes absolutely clear: The Biden @EPA can side w/ Americas farmers & producers, or Big Oil. No matter what, Iowans can be sure I will always stand w/ biofuel, and continue fighting tooth & nail to defend the #RFS.

President Joe Biden's administration had argued that to get an extension a refinery had to have maintained a continuous exemption since 2011. The administration said that followed from the word extension.

But three small refineries told the court that the phrase at any time meant they did not have to maintain a continuous hardship exemption to seek one.

Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson released the following statement:

"Today's Supreme Court decision would allow some oil refineries to have expired SRE waivers from biofuel blend mandates reinstated. This is a devastating blow to farmers in Iowa and across the nation. The Administration must not grant these exemptions to small oil refineries and should work to maintain the integrity of the renewable fuel standard, and I will continue calling on them to do so. I will never stop fighting for Iowa's farmers and biofuel producers in Congress."

A federal appeals court had said a continuous exemption was required for an extension. The Supreme Court disagreed.

The case involves HollyFrontier's Cheyenne Refinery in Wyoming, HollyFrontier's Woods Cross Refinery in Utah and Wynnewood Refining in Oklahoma. They argued that siding with the Biden administration would eliminate the exemption for most small refineries in the United States.

Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor also released the following statement on Fridays ruling:

The Supreme Court disagreed with the lower courts view of extensions, but todays decision does nothing to change the 10th Circuits ruling that exemptions cannot be granted when refiners cannot properly trace their hardship to compliance with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), said Skor. In the past, the biofuel industry has looked to the courts to halt abuse. Today, new leaders at the Environmental Protection Agency have shown a willingness to defend the RFS, most recently by reversing three improperly granted exemptions. We look forward to working with the Biden administration to keep a lid on exemptions, further strengthen the RFS, and fast-track our progress toward decarbonization. Engine smart and earth kind biofuels are vital to achieving the nations climate goals.
MASON CITY, Iowa - For the second time this year, a Mason City man has been arrested for third-degree burglary.

Johnathan Hamilton, 26, is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail on $5,000 bond in connection to a burglary earlier this month in the 700 block of 9th St. NE.

Hamilton was witnessed in the house by a friend of the tenant, and it was later found out he did not have permission to be there. Items from the home were missing.

Authorities said Hamilton gained entry through a basement window that he broke out.

Hamilton was also arrested in March for allegedly breaking into the YesWay on 12th St.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A timeline of key events that began with George Floyd's arrest on May 25, 2020, by four police officers in Minneapolis:

May 25, 2020  Minneapolis police officers respond to a call shortly after 8 p.m. about a possible counterfeit $20 bill being used at a corner grocery and encounter a Black man, later identified as George Floyd, who struggles and ends up handcuffed and face down on the ground. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. Bystander video shows Floyd crying I can't breathe multiple times before going limp. He's pronounced dead at a hospital.

May 26  Police issue a statement saying Floyd died after a medical incident, and that he physically resisted and appeared to be in medical distress. Minutes later, bystander video is posted online. Police release another statement saying the FBI will help investigate. Chauvin and three other officers  Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao  are fired. Protests begin.

May 27  Mayor Jacob Frey calls for criminal charges against Chauvin. Protests lead to unrest in Minneapolis, with some people looting and starting fires. Protests spread to other cities.

May 28  Gov. Tim Walz activates the Minnesota National Guard. Police abandon the 3rd Precinct station as protesters overtake it and set it on fire.

May 29  Chauvin is arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. President Donald Trump tweets about thugs in Minneapolis protests and warns: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. Protests turn violent again in Minneapolis and elsewhere.

May 30  Trump tries to walk back his tweet. Protests continue nationwide and some turn violent.

May 31  Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead prosecutions in Floyd's death. The nationwide protests continue.

June 1  The county medical examiner finds that Floyd's heart stopped as police restrained him and compressed his neck, noting Floyd had underlying health issues and listing fentanyl and methamphetamine use as other significant conditions."

June 2  Minnesota's Department of Human Rights launches a civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.

June 3  Ellison files a tougher second-degree murder charge against Chauvin and charges the other three officers who were involved in Floyd's arrest.

June 4  A funeral service for Floyd is held in Minneapolis.

June 5  Minneapolis bans chokeholds by police, the first of many changes to be announced in coming months, including an overhaul of the police department's use-of-force policy.

June 6  Massive, peaceful protests happen nationwide to demand police reform. Services are held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, near his birthplace.

June 7  A majority of Minneapolis City Council members say they support dismantling the police department. The idea later stalls but sparks a national debate over police reform.

June 8  Thousands pay their respects to Floyd in Houston, where he grew up. He's buried the next day.

June 10  Floyd's brother testifies before the House Judiciary Committee for police accountability.

June 16  Trump signs an executive order to encourage better police practices and establish a database to track officers with excessive use-of-force complaints.

July 15  Floyds family sues Minneapolis and the four former officers.

July 21  The Minnesota Legislature passes a broad slate of police accountability measures that includes bans on neck restraints, chokeholds and so-called warrior-style training.

Oct. 7  Chauvin posts $1 million bond and is released from state prison, sparking more protests.

Nov. 5  Judge Peter Cahill rejects defense requests to move the officers' trials.

Jan. 12, 2021  Cahill rules Chauvin will be tried alone due to courtroom capacity issues. The other officers will be tried in August.

Feb. 12  City leaders say George Floyd Square, the intersection blocked by barricades since Floyd's death, will reopen to traffic after Chauvin's trial.

March 9  The first potential jurors are questioned for Chauvin's trial after a day's delay for pretrial motions.

March 12  Minneapolis agrees to pay $27 million settlement to Floyd family.

March 19  Judge declines to delay or move the trial over concerns that the settlement could taint the jury pool.

March 23  Jury selection completed with 12 jurors and three alternates.

March 29  Opening statements are given.

April 11  Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, is fatally shot by a white police officer during a traffic stop in suburban Brooklyn Center, sparking successive days of protest.

April 12  Judge declines request to sequester Chauvin jury immediately due to Wright shooting.

April 15  Testimony ends.

April 19  Closing arguments. Jury begins deliberations.

April 20 -- Jury convicts Chauvin on murder and manslaughter charges.

May 7  Federal grand jury indicts Chauvin, Lane, Kueng and Thao on civil rights charges in Floyd's death.

May 25  A street festival, musical performances and moments of silence are held in Minneapolis and elsewhere to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd's death, and Floyd family members meet with President Joe Biden in Washington to talk about continuing pursuit of police reforms.

June 25: Chauvin faces sentencing in state court on murder conviction.
WORTH COUNTY, Iowa - A wanted Worth County man was taken into custody Thursday after fleeing into a field before he was taken into custody hours later.

Christopher More, 32, of Manly, was wanted on a sex offender violation. An officer attempted to stop a vehicle he was in at the intersection of Highway 65 and Highway 9.

Authorities said More then bailed out of the front passenger seat and ran into a cornfield. He was instructed to stop and ran further into a field.

He was taken into custody hours later with the assistance of many departments and officers.
CLEAR LAKE, Iowa - A Northwood man is facing a felony theft charge after being found in possession of a vehicle reported stolen out of Charles City.

Mitchell Stevens, 34, was taken into custody late Thursday night in Clear Lake. He was in possession of a 2006 Chrysler 300 and had the keys in his pocket at the time of his arrest.

Witnesses stated they saw him in the vehicle and there was a video of the Stevens driving it.

He's also facing a charge of interference with official acts-bodily injury after he attempted to leave where he was arrested on numerous occasions.
Lynn Grooms writes about the diversity of agriculture, including the industrys newest ideas, research and technologies as a staff reporter for Agri-View based in Wisconsin.
Two Easy Ways To Subscribe!

The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper.

(Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription.
Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in Missouri... Osage River near Mari-Osa Campground. 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 late Sunday evening... The Flood Warning continues for the Missouri River at Jefferson City. * Until late Sunday evening. * At 7:45 PM CDT Friday the stage was 25.4 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 7:45 PM CDT Friday was 26.1 feet. * Forecast...The river is expected to fall below flood stage tomorrow afternoon and continue falling to 10.3 feet Wednesday evening. && Fld Observed Forecasts (7 pm CDT) Location Stg Stg Day/Time Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Missouri River Jefferson Cit 23.0 25.4 Fri 7 pm 22.8 19.4 15.3 12.0 10.3 &&




Hacker groups linked to North Korea are suspected of carrying out cyberattacks by using manipulated email addresses from the South Korean government to steal user information, cybersecurity firm ESTsecurity said Friday.







The security company said it detected a cyberattack Tuesday, when the hackers used a manipulated email address from the Ministry of Unification. On Thursday, the hackers used an address from the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification.







ESTsecurity said it suspects North Korea-linked hacking organizations, such as Thallium and Kimsuky, to be behind the attacks, which manipulated the sender emails to appear as official government addresses.







The emails in the attacks included links to documents that appeared to be official government reports.







When users click the links, they would be directed to enter their email passwords, which would then allow hackers to steal the information, according to ESTsecurity.







The security firm said it traced the two incidents to a server that had been long used for other cyberattacks.







The server had been used in an attack detected on June 18 against the Institute for National Security Strategy.







ESTsecurity did not elaborate on the targets of the latest cyberattacks, though it said Thallium usually targets officials and journalists in the foreign relations and security sectors.







The cyberattacks are the latest in a series of recent hacking incidents suspected of being carried out by North Korean groups.







Last week, the science ministry acknowledged that a state-run nuclear research institute was the target of a cyberattack last month.







Rep. Ha Tae-keung of the main opposition People Power Party has accused a hacker group associated with a North Korean intelligence agency of being behind the attack. (Yonhap)


President Moon Jae-in speaks at the virtual South Korea-Central American Integration System summit, June 25. Yonhap



The leaders of South Korea and eight Central American countries adopted a joint vision Friday for the development of comprehensive partnerships especially in the digital and environment-friendly sectors.



The accord came at the first South Korea-Central American Integration System summit in 11 years. The regional group, widely known as SICA, consists of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the Dominican Republic.



During the virtual session, President Moon Jae-in noted that South Korea will commemorate the 60th anniversary next year of forging diplomatic ties with seven SICA members, except for Belize. Formal diplomatic relations between South Korea and Belize were established in 1987.



Moon stressed the need to expand people-to-people exchanges and further enhance "mutual understanding," according to Cheong Wa Dae.



He expressed Seoul's commitment to making contributions to the social and economic stability in the SICA region as well as regional integration.



He proposed that the two sides develop "forward-looking comprehensive" cooperation as partners in the green and digital fields for the sake of economic recovery in the post-coronavirus era.



He said South Korea will continue efforts for the complete denuclearization of the peninsula and establishment of permanent peace. The leaders of SICA member states expressed support and agreed on the importance of inter-Korean and Washington-Pyongyang dialogue resuming at an early date.



Moon and his counterparts adopted a joint statement presenting the vision for the deepening of cooperation.



It marked South Korea's first multilateral summit with Latin American countries under the Moon administration, which is campaigning to broaden Seoul's "diplomatic horizons" as a key player in handling major global issues.



The previous South Korea-SICA summit was held in 2010 after the inaugural session in 1996 and the second in 2005.



Cheong Wa Dae pointed out the strategic significance of the Central American region.



It represents a geographical and economic hub connecting North and South America and an advanced base for South Korean companies to enter the U.S. market.



The eight SICA members have a total population of 60 million and around $330 billion of combined gross domestic product.



The South Korea-Central America free trade agreement took effect in March, and South Korea joined the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) as a non-regional member last year.



SICA is designed to promote the economic, social, cultural and political development of the member countries in a balanced, harmonious and sustainable way. South Korea joined it in 2012 as an extra-regional observer. (Yonhap)


South Korea's top nuclear negotiator stressed Tuesday the importance of resolving the North Korean nuclear issue through dialogue and diplomacy, casting it a great challenge to international security beyond the Korean Peninsula.





Noh Kyu-duk, special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs
Indiana Legal Services staff attorney and Director of the Tenant Assistance Legal Clinic Andrew Thomas said 300 clients so far have received help to avoid eviction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Natrium nuclear power plant proposed for Wyoming could create 2,000 to 3,000 construction jobs and 300 to 400 permanent positions for workers in the community ultimately selected for development, a project official told state lawmakers Friday.

TerraPower intends to prioritize hiring local workers, particularly those currently employed by the closing coal plant where the project will be sited, Jeff Nevin, the company's director of external affairs, told the Wyoming Legislatures Minerals Committee.

We think a lot of those jobs are going to transfer. It takes a lot of skill to operate a 21st-century coal plant, Nevin said.

While Nevin did not give an estimate of the number of local jobs that will be created during construction or operation, he said that TerraPower will work with unions and workforce development agencies at the state and federal levels to ensure local workers have the skills needed to run the nuclear plant.

Our intention is to hire as many people as we can locally, he said.

Gov. Mark Gordon on June 2 announced plans to build the first in a new generation of nuclear power plants in Wyoming. The state will work with the Department of Energy, utility PacifiCorp and Bill Gate's TerraPower nuclear firm on the venture. The reactor is expected to go online in mid-2028 and produce 345 megawatts of electricity.

At the time of the announcement, Gordon said the plant would result in hundreds of jobs. But he did not offer specific numbers like those mentioned at Friday's meeting.

Representatives from TerraPower and Rocky Mountain Power, which is part of PacifCorp, have begun visiting the four coal plants in contention for construction. They are Jim Bridger near Rock Springs, Naughton in Kemmerer, Dave Johnston in Glenrock and Wyodak near Gillette.

The sites are not all created equal, said Jon Cox, vice president of government affairs at Rocky Mountain Power.

Because the sites must meet permitting requirements and allow completion of construction within the seven-year deadline set by the Department of Energy, considerations including existing infrastructure, geologic issues and current plant retirement dates will inform the selection process, Cox said.

Other factors, like community need, will also affect site selection. The mayors of all four towns told the Star-Tribune earlier this month that they would like the plant built in their communities.

A siting decision is expected by the end of the year, but may come much sooner, depending how meetings with community stakeholders progress.

We want this to be consent-based siting, where were working with these communities and were not just forcing this project upon them, Nevin said.
(TROY, Kan.) -- A Troy, Kansas man is in jail after being arrested on a wide range of felony sex and abuse accusations.

Nathaniel Keller, 33, was taken into custody after KBI agents conducted a search warrant at a home in Troy.

Keller is a former deputy at the Doniphan County Sheriff's Office.

Keller was arrested for rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, sexual exploitation of a child and aggravated indecent liberties of a child for crimes suspected to have happened in 2017.

Keller was also arrested for battery and property damage for incidents alleged to have happened in 2019 and earlier this year.

Charges are still pending.
FILE - In this Oct. 14, 2020, file photo, housing activists erect a sign in Swampscott, Mass. A federal freeze on most evictions is set to expire soon. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)
MONTANA - Workers continue to be wanted throughout the state. One area that's seeing openings is firefighting.

In the past two weeks, Kalispell Fire Department has had to shut down one of their stations multiple days due to short staffing. The department doesn't have enough people to take on overtime when sick leave or injuries occur.

I reached out to the Montana State Fire Chiefs Association about the overall state of fire service in Montana and uncovered some layers.

When it comes to paid firefighters, job availability really depends on where you are in the state.

For example, the Columbus Fire Chief said he recently had two positions open, but was only able to fill one of them with someone qualified. On the other hand, the Bozeman Fire Chief shared he received over a hundred applicants for just two openings.

The real concern, he added, is when it comes to volunteer firefighters. These stations are seeing a drastic decline.

According to the National Fire Department Registry, about 93 percent of fire departments in Montana are volunteer run.

In the most recent survey by the National Fire Protection Association, the number of volunteer firefighters in the United States dropped nearly 70,000 between 2010 and 2018.

Bozeman Fire Chief Josh Waldo said these numbers are concerning.

"If you don't have people to respond, then your emergency goes unanswered," Waldo said. "Its conversations that communities have to have about what their expectations are and what level of service they expect. Sometimes those come with costs and you have to decide to absorb those costs in order to get the level of service that you want."

The chief recognized the role of a volunteer firefighter is a huge responsibility and time commitment on top of fulltime jobs and families.

He added coming out of the pandemic will be an interesting time, as there are known risks especially after a year on the front lines.

If you're interested in filling the role of a volunteer firefighter, click here for more information.
What was the best piece of wisdom you received as a kid that is worth passing on to todays younger generation?
ROME, JUN 18 - Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number is 0.69, according to the latest weekly coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the Higher Health Institute (ISS), substantially stable with respect to 0.68 last week, sources said Friday. The COVID-19 incidence, however, stayed on a downward trend, with 16.7 cases for every 100,000 inhabitants, compared to 25 cases a week ago, the sources said. The monitoring report was presented lon Friday after being examined by the government's 'control room' COVID-19 taskforce. The proportion of Italy's intensive-care places taken up by COVID-19 patients is 6%, with the number of coronavirus sufferers in ICUs down from 688 on June 8 to 504 on June 15. No region is above the critical threshold of 30%. The proportion of ordinary hospital-ward beds occupied by COVID patients at the national level is also 6%, with the number dropping from 4,685 on June 8 to 3,333 on June 15. The report said that all of Italy's regions and autonomous provinces are currently low risk for COVID-19, except for Basilicata, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Molise, which are considered moderate risk. ISS President Silvio Brusaferro said the infection curve was now among the lowest in the EU and many towns and cities had no cases. Brusaferro added that in some regions cases had come from abroad. Health ministry prevention chief Gianni Rezza said the situation was "very good but the epidemic is not over". (ANSA).
ROME, JUN 25 - Foreign MInister Luigi Di Maio said Friday he would go to Israel and the Palestinian Territories to boost the peace process with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha Gozalez Laya at the end of July. The visit will take place "with an eye to reactivating and revitalising the role of the Quarter (EU, US, UN and Russia) and trying to raise the EU's profile" to bring the parties back to the peace process talks, he said. (ANSA).
ROME, JUN 25 - Safeguarding the fragile is a Constitutional right, President Sergio Mattarella said in a message to the second national conference on mental health Friday. Mattarella sent "keenly felt greetings to the conference, set up by the health ministry 20 years after the first edition." He said "Italy was a pioneer in these issues laying the basis for the overcoming of limits and barriers in safeguarding people with psychiatric illnesses. "The treatment of mental health is a complex challenge and requires that the most fragile are followed and safeguarded in compliance with their Constitutional rights", he said in the telegramme. (ANSA).
ROME, JUN 25 - The 5-Star Movement (M5S) is in major turmoil due to a clash between the founder of the anti-establishment group, comedian-cum-politician Beppe Grillo, and its anointed leader, ex-premier Giuseppe Conte. Parliamentary sources said Friday that Conte's leadership is hanging by a thread. Conte agreed to lead a revamp of the M5S after his second coalition government collapsed at the start of the year. Although he was considered close to the movement, he had not previously been part of it. The ex-premier, 56, and Grillo are reportedly at odds over changes to the movement's statute, including possible changes to the ban on its elected representatives serving more than two terms, and over the role that the 72-year-old founder will have. Grillo, who currently has the role of 'guarantor' of the movement, told M5S lawmakers on Thursday that Conte "must understand that I can still be useful to him", sources said. He described Conte as "rational" and himself as a "visionary" who had known the M5S since its birth, the sources said. The Internet-based movement was only founded in 2009 but it fast won support among people disaffected by Italy's traditional parties and it was the individual group that won most votes in the 2018 general election. It has now been part of three coalition governments though and, with the compromises that come with being in power, much of its support has fallen away recently. (ANSA).
ROME, JUN 25 - Sniffer dogs and electromagnetic instruments have indicated the presence of a body at a greenhouse near the home of an 18-year-old Pakistani woman who has been missing for 55 days and believed killed by her family for refusing an arranged marriage in Pakistan, sources said Friday. The family are believed to have disposed of Saman Abbas's body near the home in Novellara near Reggio Emilia after her uncle allegedly strangled her. (ANSA).
ARBUS, JUN 25 - A 65-year-old man died of cardiac arrest after saving two girls from drowning in one of the most dangerous spots on the Sardinian coast on Friday. The incident happened at Marina di Arbus, in the southwest of the Italian island. The man was on the beach when he saw the girls get into trouble and did not hesitate to jump in after them, but his heart gave out, sources said. (ANSA).
We dont typically read the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Lifes too short, right?

But well admit, when this article by the Post-Dispatch came across our screens, it was more than we could stand. Maligning Lake of the Ozarks and lying about Covid-19 simply requires a response.

So, dear St. Louis Post-Dispatch Editorial Board, we have three diagnoses for you, and (hooray!) three prescriptions youll need to take, ASAP, to get better

#1. Your internal compass seems to be stuck.

You keep talking about Lake of the Ozarks pool parties and then talking about outbreaks in the southwest part of the state, as though they're somehow related. Those are not the same thing.

It doesnt matter which way you hold a map (does anyone still hold physical maps?), theres no possible way Lake of the Ozarks is in the southwest corner of the state. Its EXACTLY in the middle: the headwaters of the 90-mile-long main channel begin about 120 miles from the westernmost point of the state (which is 241 miles wide) and 150 miles from the southernmost point (Missouri is 300 miles long). We even made this highly sophisticated imageusing Missouri state dimensions we found in a Google search, and point measurements we discovered on Google Mapsto help illustrate the point.

Lake of the Ozarks is right in the heart of Missouri. Its the center geographically, and its the heart of who Missourians are, and where Midwesterners want to be. Voted the Best Recreational Lake in the Nation, Lake of the Ozarks draws millions of visitors every year to enjoy boating and exploring the great outdoors, in the foothills of the Ozarks. It is central to many, many peoples vacation plans every single summer. And the massive influx of visitors in 2020, and now 2021, is all the evidence we need that Lake of the Ozarks' general freedom vibe (some call this the "presumption of liberty") is in the hearts of millions of Midwesterners too.

Now, Lake of the Ozarks is to the southwest of St. Louis; and since the Post-Dispatch editorial team seems to think St. Louis is the center of Missouri, perhaps by that circuitous reasoning, Lake of the Ozarks would be in the southwest part of the state. But in that case, Springfield and Joplin are located somewhere in central Oklahoma.

PRESCRIPTION: Spend 30 seconds looking at Google Maps today.

#2. Unfortunately, it seems you are suffering from delusions.

You say the videos of Lake of the Ozarks pool parties fed the weird national debate about whether to take the coronavirus seriously? Are you kidding? No debate was even allowed. The central-control sickos at the reins of power acted in eerie lockstep, abetted by their eagerly complicit propaganda publications across the country. Lockdowns, masks, and panic, oh my! And then, when those things clearly [STUDY] didnt [CHARTS] work [QUIZ] lock us down HARDER, double-masks, and rage-panic!

Whether to take the coronavirus seriously Please. Stop the scolding and concern-trolling. Everybody dealt with Covid-19 in the way they felt was appropriate. For many people, that meant choosing to enjoy a summer on Lake of the Ozarks. Many young people especiallywho were inarguably at a much lower risk of suffering seriously from Covidopted for pool parties. Others stuck close to family on their boats.

Heavy-handed ideas from folks like you didnt help anyone then, and you sound increasingly out-of-touch when you write about them now.

Just a quick question: have you called-out the St. Louis Cardinals for re-opening Busch Stadium to full-capacity? Because it almost seems like your concern over people enjoying a day at Lake of the Ozarks is more serious than your concern for 40,000 people mingling in ballpark corridors, concession stands, and stadium seating. But surely were just imagining that.

PRESCRIPTION: Go to a Cardinals game and high-five (gasp!) a person sitting near you, after Yadi throws out some fool trying to steal second.

#3. Your logic processor is malfunctioning.

You wrote: On Memorial Day weekend of last year, while America was struggling with the height of the pandemic, life at the bars, pools and other party venues in and around Lake of the Ozarks was going on as if folks didnt have a care in the world Because so many of the Missouri partiers back then were visiting from other areas, it was impossible to quantify just how much of a viral spread those parties spawned. But todays numbers are clear: As of Monday, Missouri was leading the nation in both new coronavirus cases and new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, according to The New York Times tracker.

This, o Post-Dispatch editorial team, is what we call a non sequitur. Its where you put multiple facts alongside one another, and even though those facts are not causally related, you hope your audience mistakenly assumes they are. Here are those facts:

a) Lots of people came to Lake of the Ozarks for Memorial Day 2020

b) It was impossible to quantify whether any Covid-19 spread can be attributed to those infamous pool parties (although enormous resources from fearmongering news organizations were being leveraged after every large gathering  especially in red country  to try and blame a Covid outbreak on it and they were clearly unable to)

c) "[L]ow vaccination rates and cultural rejection of basic pandemic precautions" exist, you tell us, in southwest Missouri

d) Missouri is leading the country this week in new Covid cases and hospitalizations per 100,000

Do you see it?

If you couldnt track whether the 2020 Memorial Day Pool Parties triggered an outbreak in other states, then how can you possibly track whether similar behavior in 2021 has triggered an outbreak?

You cant.

So you just decided to say something about a case spike in southwest Missouri (where Lake of the Ozarks is not located), and about the Lake of the Ozarks pool parties (lets be honest: one of the most interesting stories to come out of Missouri in 2020, period), and hope people connect the two.

PRESCRIPTION: Take Introduction to Logic, at Liberty Classroom online.

So in closing, Post-Dispatch Editorial Board, your sickness is a serious one, but it need not be unto death. We want to help you be better, so we have one final pill. It's very red. And it'll probably be kinda bitter. You wont like it, but you should definitely take it. Itll refresh the body and mind

PRESCRIPTION: You need a vacation. ASAP. And we have a certain Best Recreational Lake In The Nation in mind.
BURLINGTON  An investigation that cleared Burlington High School social studies teacher Jeff Taff of any illegality or policy infraction also criticized him for what the investigator said was poor judgment and a lack of professionalism.

Taff and his supporters have claimed that the teacher has been vindicated following a drawn-out process that brought widespread attention.

No violations found

Newly released reports stemming from Taffs five-month leave of absence show that the school districts investigator faulted Taff repeatedly for his on-the-job conduct as a social studies teacher at Burlington High School.

The investigator cited incidents when Taff questioned students who chose not to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance; used an inappropriate approach to discussing the Nazi Holocaust; and allowed students to celebrate a holiday with a decoration they labeled A Very Ghetto Christmas.

The Burlington Area School District launched an investigation and placed Taff on paid leave after he took vacation days to participate in the Jan. 6 protest at the U.S. Capitol opposing the certification of Joe Bidens presidential election win over Donald Trump, and after parents and others raised concerns about his behavior at school.

The district announced last week that the investigation found no violation of law or school district policy, so Taff will be returned to the classroom next fall while receiving additional professional training and observation in his $50,000-a-year job.

Taff and his attorney, Todd Terry, last week claimed vindication and said the complaints against him were unfounded and politically motivated.

Taff: Criticisms are subjective

In response to the new details divulged in the investigative reports, Taff stated in an email that he disputes the investigators findings, which he described as really subjective.

I would love for any law firm to fully investigate any teacher and not find some areas of focus to critique or improve upon, he wrote. BASD essentially had to find something.

The district released two investigative reports completed by Grenell, both of which included criticisms of Taffs conduct at school, while finding that district policies permitted such behavior.

Quote "This was nothing more than a disgusting, pathetic stunt." Taylor Wishau, BASD School Board member, regarding the investigation of Jeff Taff

District reaction

Burlington Area School District officials said they have no plans to review district polices as a result of the Taff case.

School Board President Peter Turke said the board has discussed the investigative findings. He expects no movement toward adjusting any of the relevant district policies.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

At this point, theres been no discussion about revisiting our policies, Turke said.

Another school board member, Taylor Wishau, issued a statement applauding Taff and calling the investigative outcome a complete vindication of the teacher. Wishau said those who made complaints against Taff should be required to pay the costs of the investigation.

This was nothing more than a disgusting, pathetic stunt, Wishau said.

Report: Unnecessary controversy and division

On other issues raised in the investigation, Grenell reported finding no evidence that Taff had used racial slurs in school, had made sexist remarks or had tried to indoctrinate students to his own personal political beliefs.

However, the two newly released reports show that the investigator found many complaints against Taff to be accurate.

One report covered a parents allegations of misconduct by Taff. The other covered the districts concerns stemming from Taffs participation in the U.S. Capitol protest.

On the protest in Washington, D.C., the investigator reported that Taff showed students in class  and then posted for them online  a video raising doubts about the legitimacy of Bidens election over Trump. The investigator also found that Taff messaged students that some of them would not understand why he was joining the Jan. 6 protest on behalf of Trump.

The investigator said that although discussing the election with students would have been acceptable, voicing doubts about the election outcome brings unnecessary controversy and division into the classroom. Posting the video for students, he wrote, also showed questionable judgment.

The investigator found emails in which Taff questioned individual students about why they were not standing for a daily Pledge of Allegiance in his class. Noting that students are not required to stand for the pledge, the investigator wrote that Taffs questioning should be frowned upon and that it could deter students from exercising their rights not to stand.

In discussing the Nazi Holocaust of World War II, Taff asked students to consider why the Jews would allow themselves to be killed, the investigator reported.

Taff also asked students how they would respond if they saw their fellow students being shot. The investigator concluded that Taffs approach on the subject was rather concerning and inappropriate.

The investigator also questioned Taff about why he allowed students to display a Very Ghetto Christmas holiday decoration on his classroom door, with a tree and pictures of students. Taff called the display humorous, but the investigator said he found absolutely no justifiable reason for such a display.

It shows poor judgment, insensitivity, and could alienate certain students, the report stated.

Students involved in investigation

Grenell was hired by BASD. No estimate has been disclosed on the cost of his investigative services.

In addition to Taff and other school staff, the investigator reported that he interviewed seven students. Those students were not identified by name in the reports.

On the issue of whether Taff pushed his own politics in the classroom, the investigator noted that district policy allows teachers to discuss their own beliefs as long as they are not trying to persuade students to adopt any particular belief.

Several of the students indicated that Mr. Taff would often give his own personal opinion on politics, the investigator wrote. Most students did not feel like they were being persuaded one way or another.
Former President Donald Trump has railed against it. Republicans in the U.S. Senate introduced a resolution condemning any requirement for teachers to be trained in it. And several Republican-controlled states have invoked it in legislation restricting how race can be taught in public schools.

The concept known as critical race theory is the new lightning rod of the GOP. But what exactly is it?

The term seemed to appear in statehouses and at political rallies almost from nowhere. Over the past few months, it has morphed from an obscure academic discussion point on the left into a political rallying cry on the right.

On Wednesday, for instance, critical race theory became a flashpoint during a congressional hearing into the militarys approach to addressing racism and extremism, when Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pushed back forcefully against accusations by Republican lawmakers that the effort is creating division and hurting morale.

Yet even those who condemn or seek to ban critical race theory in schools often struggle to define what it is. Real-world examples of students being indoctrinated in its principles are difficult to find.
As Darrell Rennich walked through the tie-stall barn at Heart and Soul Holsteins, he noticed a similarity between the dairy industry in Pennsylvania and back home in South Dakota, where herd size averages 1,000 cows.

I see the love and passion for dairy cattle here that we have in South Dakota, Rennich said. The farms are much smaller here, but I see them putting up quality feed and the cows have excellent udders, feet and legs. These farms are working to drive components up, and thats something every operation strives for, no matter the size.

Heart and Soul, in Union County, was the third and final stop on the Distinguished Young Breeders Tour on June 21  part of the National Holstein Convention held June 20 to 24 in Lancaster.

The tour showcased three Pennsylvania dairies that were past winners of the state Distinguished Young Breeder Award. The national convention was held in Pennsylvania for the first time since 1995, when it was in Pittsburgh.

The annual event is held in a different state each year and brings together Holstein enthusiasts from across the country. The Pennsylvania Holstein Association hosted this years event, which included farm tours, junior competitions, an awards ceremony and a cattle sale on the final day.

At Heart and Soul, owner Doug Boop was happy to showcase his 42-cow dairy and be a part of the national convention.

We were getting things ready last week and I had hay to do, but I put it on the back burner. It can wait for this, he said. When the association contacted us about being a part of the tour, we were thrilled. Its an opportunity to showcase the genetics we developed to dairy people from so many other states.

Pete Dueppengiesser, a sales specialist with ST Genetics and owner of dairy cattle with the Ransom-Rail prefix in Wisconsin, said he was impressed with the breeding and facilities at Heart and Soul.

And, he said, dedication was a common denominator at every stop on the tour.

The work that these farms put into producing a high-quality product is something you see in dairies no matter the state or the size, he said. Its great for our industry, and we need to make sure the public knows what these dairy families do.

Some of the participating farms housed cattle that were featured in the sale at the end of the convention. Being able to see animals on their home farm is a big advantage for prospective buyers, Rennich said.

I like to see them in their working clothes and see the conditions of the farm, he said. You get to see the quality of feed theyre being fed, their siblings ... it just really helps when youre interested in buying.

A Powerful Camaraderie

Anita Rokey of Kansas noted how the layout of Pennsylvania farms differs from those in her state.

The buildings and facilities are really close together, and in Kansas the land base for farms is greater so things are really spread out, she said. But I like the way the facilities are set up, and the cattle and genetics Ive seen here are very impressive.

Her husband, Dwight Rokey, said it took some extra work to get things ready on their 125-cow dairy so they could travel to Pennsylvania for the convention. The month of June is a busy time on any farm, he said, but the convention and tours provide benefits that make the trip worthwhile for any dairy farmer.

Being on a tour like this and visiting with fellow dairymen from across the country, it re-energizes you to know there are others going through the same things you do, Dwight said. Were not alone on an island doing this, and when we all get together at the convention, its uplifting. If you dont have that camaraderie, it can be tough mentally.

While some farmers traveled great distances to attend the convention and the tour, one farmer in Pennsylvania had to overcome a different challenge to make the trip.

Keith Walters, who operates a 38-cow dairy in Greensburg, Westmoreland County, nearly had his plans sidetracked by a broken water line at his barn the night before he planned to drive to Lancaster.

I was almost ready to cancel the trip, but I have good help and they all said I need to go. They took care of it, Walters said. Im glad I did because the tour today has been really beneficial just to see the facilities and how other people do things in the industry. These farms on the tour have done a great job showcasing Pennsylvania dairy, and it gives you ideas to implement on your own farm.

Last years national convention, which was supposed to be held in Lancaster, was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Boop was thrilled to be a host farm on the tour, he was also looking forward to attending a convention for the first time. The pandemic was challenging to everyone in 2020, he said, and the return of the Holstein convention signals a return to normalcy.

Its just a relief that we can do this and gather with people who have a common interest  the Holstein breed. We may be from so many different states, but once we start talking, you see that everyone does a lot of things the same, Boop said. We love the breed, genetics, bulls  all of it. And now were able to come together and share that interest again.
A 12-story oceanside condo in Miami-Dade County partially collapsed, authorities confirmed Thrusday that at least one person died in the scene while the massive search and rescue operations were still ongoing.

Still an Active Scene

Based on the social media post of the Miami-Dade Rescue Fire, more than 80 technical and rescue teams were on the scene in Surfside, a town located only a few miles north of Miami Beach. Firefighters picked up survivors through the rubble and carried them out safely from the wreckage.

According to USA Today, Charles Burkett, the town Mayor of Surfside has confirmed that at least one individual died.in the incident. Burkett stated that it was less likely than a lightning strike, he added that buildings do not fall down in America.

Moreover, Burkett mentioned that 10 individuals were medically treated at the scene. Two individuals were sent to the hospital, but the other one later died. Despite the ongoing search efforts in the collapsed section of the building, Burkett said that the way the building fell means those efforts may not be successful as it will hard to recover many people as the building has literally pancaked.

Also, Sgt. Marian Cruz of the Miami Dade Fire Rescue said that they were on the scene and it's still very active. She stated that the entire backside of the building has collapsed.

Authorities stated that they do not have yet the exact number of people present in the building during the collapse or how many were able to run away. The Miami Herald said that the building is part of Champlain Towers South which was built in 1981, containing more than 100 apartments.

Miami police blocked nearby roads, while dozens of fire and rescue vehicles, like ambulances, and police cars converged on the area waiting for possible survivors.

ALSO READ: Utilities Warn of High Power Consumption During Heat Wave; Portland General Electric Prepared, Not Planning Any Blackouts

Explosion in the Building

Meanwhile, Victor Cohen, who lives nearby, shared during an interview that the building had been undergoing a major renovation when the oceanfront wing collapsed like a pancake, WPLG-TV reported.

Another Surfside resident Michael Ruiz, who lives near the partially collapsed building mentioned that before just 2 in the morning he has heard about 50 ambulances, fire trucks, and fire rescues. Ruiz added that he immediately went to the scene and took videos and photos. Ruiz stated that starting from the ground to the third floor of the entire building, people cannot see it from the street, it's completely gone in the back, toward the beachside.

Santo Mejil, 50, mentioned during an interview that his wife, who was working overnight as a caretaker for an elderly woman in the complex called him from a unit on the ninth floor of the south building. Mejil, shared that her wife heard a big explosion and it felt like an earthquake, Miami Herald reported.

Photos and videos from the scene show that the collapse affected half the tower. Also a photo of firefighters pulling a boy from the rubble of the building circulated online. Firefighters were also seen using ladder trucks to rescue people from the high-rise.

RELATED ARTICLE: California To Settle People's Unpaid Rent During Pandemic; Plans To Utilize Federal Stimulus Surplus

WATCH: CHOPPER: Florida building collapse: At least 1 dead; boy pulled from rubble alive - ABC Action News
In the wake of the heat wave in the western region of the U.S., Oregon received an excessive heat warning, as the state would be hit by a three-day extreme temperature from Saturday to Monday. The warning was announced by the Tillamook County Emergency Management two days before the onset of the extreme temperature in the state.

The heat wave was expected to start on Saturday around 10 in the morning Monday, 11 in the evening. Oregon residents would experience "dangerously" hot conditions with temperatures ranging from the mid 90s to low 100s. Meanwhile, at night, the temperature was expected to be in the mid-60s to low 70s.

READ NEXT: Wildfire Erupted in Coconino County, Closing National Forest in Flagstaff

Excessive Heat Warning Issued to Oregon Over Heatwave

Several areas in Oregon would experience the extreme heat that is expected to start on Saturday. The areas would be the Central Coast range of Western Oregon, Coast Range of Northwest Oregon, and Northern Oregon Cascades and Foothills. Cascade and Cascade Foothills in Lane County would also experience extreme heat.

Because of the heat wave, the agency also noted that individuals who work or participate in outdoor activities would have a greater risk to heat-related illnesses. Furthermore, heat stress may also be experienced due to the hot daytime temperatures and warm, overnight lows. These phenomena can also result in high heat risk.

Apart from Oregon, other areas in Washington would also experience the heat wave over the weekend. Tri-Cities, Mid-Columbia area, Yak Trike News reported, are having temperatures ranging from 108 to 114. Yakima Valley would also experience extreme temperatures ranging from 105 to 111. Meanwhile, the Ellensburg area is expected to have temperatures ranging from 98 to 104.

Because of the extreme temperatures expected in these parts of Washington, an excessive heat warning was issued to the said areas starting Friday afternoon up to Thursday evening.

Aside from the heatwave warning, the agency also reminded the areas, such as Oregon, which would experience extreme temperatures, to drink plenty of water and stay in an air-conditioned room. The agency also underscored that "children and pets" should not be left inside a car without adult supervision "in any circumstances."

"Re-schedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening," said the Tillamook County Emergency Management. The agency also emphasized the importance of knowing the signs and symptoms of heatstroke, as well as wearing "lightweight and loose-fitting" clothing, if possible.

No Blackouts Despite Heatwave in the Northwest

Although Oregon and Washington would experience heat wave over the weekend, Portland General Electronics (PGE) vowed that there will be no power outage in the northwestern region of the U.S.

A spokesperson from the company clarified that there would be enough power to support areas in the northwest, highlighting that they did not find any indication that would be an issue for them.

PGE was known to have a plant in Oregon that was shut down in the previous year. The said move was applauded by environmentalists because the PGE plant in the state converts coal into electricity.

READ NEXT: California Gov. Gavin Newsom Declares State of Emergency Amid Heat Wave

WATCH: Western Heat Wave Shatters All-Time Records - From TODAY
President Joe Biden warned the Americans, especially those who are still unvaccinated, about the dangers of the Delta COVID variant.

The chief executive issued the warning at a community center in Raleigh, North Carolina, CNBC reported.

Joe Biden's warning happened on Thursday, June 24, as he also reported that the surge in COVID-related deaths in the U.S. would continue due to the Delta variant. Because of this, Joe Biden labeled the strain of SARS-CoV-2 as a "serious concern."

"The data couldn't be clearer: If you're vaccinated, you're safe," said the president as he emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated.

Joe Biden said that unvaccinated individuals are "at risk of getting seriously ill or dying." The president also emphasized the importance of young Americans getting immunized against the disease.

"Six hundred thousand-plus Americans have died and with this Delta you know there's going to be others as well," said Biden.

White House chief medical advisor, Dr. Anthony Fauci, confirmed on Wednesday, June 23, that the Delta COVID variant now accounts for at least 20 percent of all new COVID cases in the U.S.

READ NEXT: Ex-FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb Says Delta Variant Likely to Become Dominant COVID Strain in U.S.

Joe Biden: COVID Killed More Americans Than War in Iran

As the president speaks in North Carolina, he warned the unvaccinated Americans about the Delta COVID variant. New York Post reported that Joe Biden said COVID claimed more American lives than all wars of the past century combined, including the U.S. war on Iran, which never happened.

The president noted that about 600,000 deaths were recorded in the U.S. in about a year.

"That's more than every life lost in World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War, Iraq, Iran, across the board - Afghanistan," said Biden in North Carolina.

Apart from stating the casualties, Joe Biden also discussed why racial and ethnic groups were hesitant to take the COVID vaccines.

The president said the African Americans do not want the vaccine because "they used to be experimented on." Joe Biden also noted that Latino communities are against the vaccine because they fear being deported.

Despite the hesitancy, the president still emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated amid the presence of the Delta COVID variant.

WHO Warns Against Delta COVID Variant

Aside from president Joe Biden, the World Health Organization (WHO) also warned public health officials and world leaders about the emergence of the Delta COVID variant.

Just like Joe Biden, the organization also promoted COVID vaccination to prevent the spread of the Delta strain, which was reported to be more transmissible and contagious against the Alpha variant.

WHO noted that the Delta COVID variant was reported to have more "severe" symptoms. However, they also said that more research was needed to support these claims.

READ MORE: First Mexican Suffering From 'Black Fungus' or Mucormycosis Linked to COVID-19 Dies

WATCH: Growing Concern Over Covid Delta Variant - From NBC News
A Haiti's gang led by an ex-cop has declared this week that they are going to launch a revolution against the country's business and political elites, further escalating the violence surge in the Caribbean nation.

Violence has increased in Haiti in recent weeks, with the United Nations saying it was at "unprecedented levels," according to an Aljazeera report.

Haiti's rival gangs battle with one another or the police for control of the streets, displacing thousands and pushing the country into a humanitarian crisis.

Former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, alias "Barbecue," has formed the so-called "G9," which is a federation of nine gangs last year.

Cherizier told local media outlets in the slum of La Saline on Wednesday, June 23, that the G9 had become a revolutionary force to deliver Haiti from the opposition, the government, and the Haitian bourgeoisie.

The government had not publicly responded to his statement, Voice of America News (VOA) reported.

READ NEXT: Venezuela First Lady's Nephew Appeals Drug Case to US Supreme Court

Who is Haiti's Gang Leader Jimmy Cherizier?

According to VOA, Jimmy Cherizier was a suspect in several massacres of citizens in recent years, including other crimes for which he was sanctioned late last year by the U.S.

The Haiti's gang leader depicts himself as a community leader filling the gaps left by weak institutions. The ex-cop said his gang members started the looting at multiple stores in Port-au-Prince last week. A huge crowd followed suit as they were hungry.

Jimmy Cherizier noted that it is the people's money in the banks, stores, supermarkets, and dealerships. He then encouraged the people to take what is rightfully theirs. His comments went viral on social media in Haiti.

Violence Surge in Haiti

Unicef said that rising gang violence in Haiti has caused around 8,500 women and children to flee their homes in the country's capital in the past weeks, The Guardian reported.

Many of the said families were staying in gymnasiums and other temporary shelters that are running out of water, food, and other items such as blankets and clothes.

Around 14,000 people in Port-au-Prince have been displaced by violence in the past nine months, according to the UN office overseeing humanitarian coordination.

Many expect the violence to increase as Haiti prepares for general elections in September and November. Many were speculating that gangs were trying to support certain candidates and target neighborhoods and organize protests against President Jovenel Moise.

Pierre Esperance, executive director of the Haitian National Human Rights Defense Network, said that gangs in Haiti control about 60 percent of the country's territory. Since 2018, he noted that 12 massacres have been reported in disadvantaged communities.

Esperance added that gangs have so much power and they are being tolerated. The executive director also said that each day that Moise is in power, the situation is going to deteriorate.

Businesses and schools have closed and public transportation has stopped in communities widely affected by the violence. This includes Martissant and parts of Delmas.

More than 40 patients were received by Doctors Without Borders in Martissant. The patients have gunshot wounds from June 2 and June 4 alone.

READ MORE: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Prepares 23 Counties for Hurricane Marco

WATCH: Haiti Violence Threatens Elections - From VOA News






Socialite Jasmine Hartin has been arrested again while on bail for the accidental fatal shooting of a Belize cop.

Jasmine Hartin is awaiting trial for shooting Superintendent Henry Jemmott with his service pistol. The 32-year-old socialite was taken into custody on Thursday afternoon, June 24, when she reported to a police station as part of her daily bail requirements, Daily Mail reported.

The grounds for her arrest were not immediately clear but it comes after Jasmine Hartin clashed with her ex-partner Andrew Ashcroft, who is the son of British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft.

The two were seen arguing in video footage early this week as she tried to see their four-year-old twins, Elle and Charlie.

Hartin had filmed on her cellphone the incident, showing her cornering her partner in a hotel restaurant. She was heard asking Andrew Ashcroft why he would not let her see their kids.

The socialite told Daily Mail that she was warned by her attorney that authorities would seek to revoke her bail over the confrontation that happened.

As she arrived for her daily check-in appointment at the San Ignacio police station with her mom Candice Castiglione, Hartin was apprehended once again. She said she was being detained for something "she was not sure" of.

Jasmine Hartin was caught in footage asking what she had done to breach her $30,000 Belizean dollar bail. An officer answered her and said that she is being detained for common assault.

Jasmine Hartin is likely to be taken back to Hattieville Prison, which was once featured in a Netflix documentary "Inside the World's Toughest Prisons."

The mother of two said she did nothing wrong as she only tried to collect her personal belongings and see her children. She noted that she has obeyed every single court order. She added that she would go to prison every day if it meant she could have her kids.

RELATED ARTICLE: Jasmine Hartin Accuses Andrew Ashcroft, Son of British Billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft, of Denying Her Access to Their Kids

Jasmine Hartin and Son of Lord Michael Ashcroft's Alleged Separation

Another Daily Mail report revealed that Andrew Ashcroft and Jasmine Hartin had separated months before she was arrested for fatally shooting the Belize cop.

Sources noted that Hartin and Andrew had kept details of their separation a secret to "maintain appearances," while they were living separate lives. The two had a confrontation earlier this week at the five-star Alia Belize resort, which is owned by the Ashcroft family.

British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft has extensive business interests in Belize and has once represented the country at the United Nations. Hartin is listed as the hotel's director of lifestyle and experience.

During the confrontation between the two, Hartin was confronted by guards as she walked towards Andrew Ashcroft in the distance.

Jasmine Hartin said that security is stopping her from seeing her children. She tried to confront the son of Lord Michael Ashcroft for the second time, saying that she just wanted to see her children.

Hartin added that she is not in breach of any court order and there is nothing that says that she has no access to her children and property.

Belize Cop's Fatal Shooting

Jasmine Hartin told authorities that she picked up the gun and tried to eject the magazine clip, but it was stuck.

She further noted that she was struggling to get the magazine out when the gun suddenly went off. She added that she had no idea that the gun still had a bullet in the chamber.

Jasmine Hartin and Henry Jemmott had reportedly been friends for some years and he suggested that Hartin should arm herself after an incident at a party when a man became aggressive towards her, according to an Australian News site.

The two had been drinking together on a pier on May 28, the same day when Jemmott was also found floating dead beside a pier on the island of San Pedro. But police clarified that the two were both fully clothed.

READ MORE: Jasmine Hartin, Daughter-in-Law of British Billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft, Set To Be Charged Over the Death of Belize Cop

WATCH: Jasmine Hartin Hunts Down Andrew Ashcroft in His Resort, She Wants Her Kids - From 7News Belize




Vice President Kamala Harris appeared to have reminded President Joe Biden to discuss the Florida condo collapse after finishing his press conference.

The awkward exchange of whispered conversation between the two top officials happened during a White House press conference on Thursday, June 24.

The president was discussing the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill as well as voting rights during the press briefing, Daily Mail reported.

As Joe Biden attempted to wrap up the press conference by telling that he got to get to a helicopter, Kamala Harris approached the president and whispered "Florida, yeah" before walking away, New York Post reported.

After the reminder of the vice president, Joe Biden then said, "Oh yes! I apologize," and thanked Kamala Harris for reminding him.

"Yes, thank you, Madame Vice President," Joe Biden said as he turned back to the microphone.

READ NEXT: Pres. Joe Biden Voices 'Serious Concern' Over Delta COVID Variant, Says More Americans Will Die From It

Joe Biden on Florida Condo Collapse

President Joe Biden said that the federal government is ready to assist Florida on the tragic incident involving a building that collapsed in Miami.

Biden noted that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is assessing the situation on the ground. However, he said the federal government could not provide help until Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declares a state of emergency, The Hill reported.

"We are ready to move from the federal resources, immediately - immediately, if in fact we're asked for it," the president said during the White House press conference.

Biden further noted that FEMA was also assessing if the people nearby the building must be evacuated and whether shelter and food are needed to be given to the residents.

The 12-story Miami apartment building that collapsed early Thursday, June 24, left at least three people dead and 99 others missing. As of Thursday afternoon, at least 35 people were rescued by the authorities from the site.

"I made it clear that I say to people of Florida: Whatever help you want that the federal government can provide, we're waiting," said Biden. The Hill reported that Joe Biden has yet to speak to the Florida governor as of Thursday afternoon.

Joe Biden Whispers During the White House Press Conference

President Joe Biden also took questions and repeatedly whispered to reporters, who attended the White House press conference.

On three separate occasions, Biden leaned over his lectern and whispered to reporters as he answered some questions from the press. Joe Biden first answered a PBS reporter while whispering on the microphone, when he was asked about the relief for families. He continued to talk this way when he answered questions from two other reporters.

Some people found the president's way of answering disturbing. Abigail Marone, the press secretary for Senator Josh Hawley, found the president's "lean in and long whisper" bizarre.

The Biden lean in and long whisper into the mic was very very bizarre.  Abigail Marone (@abigailmarone) June 24, 2021

Meanwhile, Republican strategist Matt Whitlock posted a video of Joe Biden's whispering and said "this is nuts."

This is nuts pic.twitter.com/L592KeVXaZ  Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) June 24, 2021

READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Unveils Strategy on Addressing Gun Violence

WATCH: Biden Pledges Support For Florida Building Collapse Rescue Efforts - From NBC News
Two police officers believed to be abducted by one of the Mexican drug cartels were killed and their bodies were found hanging from an overpass in the state capital of Zacatecas in Mexico.

Northern Mexico officials said that seven more people were massacred by gunfire and their bodies were also found in the state of Zacatecas.

According to Associated Press, the Zacatecas state's public safety department said the policemen's bodies were found Wednesday morning.

The bodies were identified as the police force of the neighboring state of San Luis Potosi. They had been reported missing hours earlier.

Mexican drug cartels have reportedly hung the bodies of the victims from overpasses before as a message to rivals or authorities. However, the drug cartels seldom do the act with members of law enforcement agents.

Police later found bullet-ridden bodies of four women and three men in the nearby city of Fresnillo. A man and a woman were found wounded at the scene of the attack. They were with five children who had not been wounded.

The reported killing in Zacatecas state came after prosecutors in Mexico's most violent state, Guanajuato, reported that seven men were shot to death at a mechanic's shop.

Guanajuato has been the scene of turf battles between Mexican drug cartels, particularly the Jalisco cartel and local gangs backed by the Sinaloa cartel.

San Luis Potosi Interior Minister Jorge Daniel Hernandez Delgadillo noted that Fresnillo, particularly near the border with Zacatecas city, had seen a struggle for the control of the narcotics trade, Mexican News Daily reported.

Sen. Ricardo Monreal has urged Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez to strengthen law enforcement. Monreal said that for years, insecurity has been experienced in the state of Zacatecas, citing the recent events as proof of that sentiment.

The senator from Fresnillo added that he will be discussing the matter with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Zacatecas Governor Alejandro Tello asked the federal government in February for support, saying that the Mexican drug cartels overpowered security forces in manpower and weapons.

Statistics agency Inegi noted that 95 percent of residents in Fresnillo consider the municipality to be unsafe, marking the highest portion in the country. The agency published the survey last April.

READ NEXT: El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel Continues to Thrive Despite the Drug Lord's Absence: Report

Mexican Drug Cartels

The Zacatecas state has been the scene of fights between several Mexican drug cartels. It was once dominated by the old Zetas cartel.

Meanwhile, Guanajuato has Mexico's highest number of homicides being the area of turf battles between the Jalisco cartel and gangs supported by the Sinaloa cartel.

The fight for control of Guanajuato had persisted despite escalated efforts by police and the National Guard to contain the fighting.

The Jalisco Cartel

The Jalisco cartel has responded to Mexico's policy on fighting drugs. The cartel had kidnapped several members of an elite police force in the state.

The Jalisco cartel members had tortured members to obtain names and addresses of fellow officers, according to another AP News report.

They are now hunting down and killing police at their homes during their day-offs and killing them in front of their families.

The Jalisco cartel had declared a war on the government, with a goal to eliminate an elite state force known as the Tactical Group. They said that the elite force had been treating its members unfairly.

The Jalisco cartel had hung a banner saying that they are going to kill two members of Tacticals for each member of their cartel that they arrest.

READ MORE: Jalisco Cartel Boss El Mencho's Daughter, La Negra, Asks U.S. Judge to Free Her

WATCH: Inside Mexico's Warring Cartels and the Millions of People They've Displaced - From Vice News






A real-life superhero dressed as Spider-man shook the hands of Pope Francis in Vatican City. The encounter between Pope Francis and the man wearing the superhero outfit happened during the pope's weekly audience on Wednesday, June 23, Daily Mail reported.

Identified as Matteo Villardita, the 28-year-old Italian lined up with the people as Pope Francis faced his weekly audience in Vatican City.

Villardita was an attention grabber during the occasion, as he took selfies with the children who also went to the Vatican courtyard.

READ NEXT: Amazon Rainforest in Brazil Is Being Plagued by Armed Violence Linked to Illegal Gold Mining

Italian 'Spider-man' Meets Pope Francis

Matteo Villardita, who dressed up as Spider-man, turned out to be a real-life hero as he uses his costume to brighten up and make sick children in hospitals happy.

The children in the hospital were the reason why Villardita lined up to meet Pope Francis. Marvel reported that the man asked Pope Francis to pray for the children in the hospitals, as well as their families. The 28-year-old Italian 'Spider-man' told AP TV that he also handed a spare mask to Pope Francis.

Matteo Villardita noted that the mask he gave to the pope was a sign to tell him that through Spider-man's eyes, he saw "pain from sick children in the hospitals" daily.

"It was very exciting because Pope Francis immediately understood my mission," the real-life hero dressed as Spider-man said.

The 28-year-old Italian made it his mission to help hospitalized, and ailing children to find some joy and smile, such as those who were residing in Vatican's pediatric hospital.

He also surpassed his limits during Italy's lockdown as he disclosed that he did video calls with thousands of children he was not able to visit.

Spider-man's Matteo Villardita Was Once a Pediatric Patient

Matteo Villardita's devotion came from his experience as he was also a former pediatric patient. He was diagnosed with congenital heart disease and underwent several surgeries to treat the condition.

Because of this, he leads an association for other hospital volunteers who dress up as superheroes. His efforts were recognized as the Vatican described him as a "really good superhero."

The man, who got his inspiration from a 1962 comic published by Marvel, was also awarded an "honorary knighthood" by Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

Spider-man was one of the most popular and commercially successful superheroes of the Marvel franchise. Just like Peter Parker, who is the fictional character behind the mask of Spider-man, Matteo Villardita also had a different life behind his mask.

Aside from being Spider-man to make the kids happy, he works in a terminal shipping company in the northwestern Liguria region of Italy.

Last month, a man in Brazil wearing a Superman costume also hit the headlines when his stunt went wrong. The Brazilian wannabe superhero was unexpectedly hit by a bus while he was pretending to stop the moving vehicle with his hand to show off his strength.

READ MORE: 'Blue Beetle' Will Be the First Latino Superhero Movie From DC Films

WATCH: Pope Francis Meets Spider-Man as Superhero Swings by Before Visiting Sick Kids - From The Sun
After authorities found cocaine inside the body of a 4-month-old from South Carolina, the baby's parents were immediately arrested and charged after tests confirmed that the baby ingested cocaine on a feeding bottle.

Cocaine on a Feeding Bottle

The parents of the 4-year-old baby were identified as 17-year-old Mary Catherine Bedenbaugh and 18-year-old Brady Lynden Wearn. Both of them were residents of Prosperity in South Carolina.

According to ABC13 WLOS, the Newberry County Sheriff's Office stated that on May 2, Sunday, Emergency Medical Services and Rescue responded to Duckbill Road in the Prosperity section of Newberry County after a 4-month-old was reportedly not breathing and unresponsive. The baby was immediately transported to Newberry Hospital and was pronounced dead.

Based on the initial investigation, toxicology reports showed the infant had measurable levels of cocaine in the body. But when authorities did further toxicology tests, they have found amounts of cocaine in the feeding bottles. As a result of the investigation done by the authorities, both of the baby's parents submitted to a drug screen. Both of them tested positive for Cocaine, Fentanyl, and marijuana.

The Newberry County Coroner's Office also notified the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division Child Fatality Unit and the South Carolina Department of Social Services to investigate the case because it involves the death of a child under 17-years-old, KWTX reported.

ALSO READ: Louisiana Woman Arrested for Hiring 4 Teens to Murder Ex-Girlfriend's New Beau

Cocaine Ingestion

Laura Kneece, Newberry County Coroner, ruled the death as a homicide after completion of the death investigation to include an autopsy and meetings with numerous involved agencies. She also added that these cases are very difficult and emotional from the start because an infant is involved.

Kneece also said that it took multiple agencies' cooperation from the beginning of the investigation. The Newberry County Coroner also said that she's very proud of the dedication of all agencies that were involved. Kneece also emphasized how effortless it was for everyone if all agencies work together in solving cases right away.

Also, Forensic Pathologist Dr. Kelly Rose, who is a member of the Newberry Pathology Group, shared that they were able to collect evidence on the scene. She also stated after the assessment the infant died due to "sudden unexpected infant death associated with recent cocaine ingestion."

The parents of the 4-month-old baby, Brady Lynden Wearn and Mary Catherine Bedenbaugh, were served with warrants for the offense of homicide by child abuse and unlawful conduct toward a child. Both of them were being held at the Newberry County Detention Center pending a bond hearing scheduled in the morning of June 24.

Furthermore, Sheriff Foster stated that cases like this were very difficult and time-consuming because investigators need to wait for the testing results of items which usually takes a few weeks. The sheriff also said that it is the reason why the Drug Enforcement Agency takes drug problems seriously because drug abuse and use were not crimes without victims, Local News8 reported.

RELATED ARTICLE: Florida Trooper Uses Stun Gun on Teenager Outside His Girlfriend's House; Incident Caught on Camera

WATCH: Infant died from ingesting cocaine, teen parents charged, Newberry County officials say-News 19 WLTX


After the tour of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria in the San Diego County-sponsored vaccination superstation Thursday, alongside other local officials, they urged the federal government for the reopening of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Decision Justified by Vaccination Rates

The tour at the San Ysidro Port of Entry prompted officials to request a border reopening to the federal government. Local officials mentioned that for 15 months there had been no hustle-bustle in San Ysidro.

According to 10News San Diego, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria emphasized after the tour that it is critical for the economy. Gloria also added that if the request would be granted by the federal government, the decision would be justified since vaccination rates increase and infection rates fall.

Moreover, Mayor Gloria stated that vaccinations happen every day at tents at the port of entry. The San Diego mayor also pointed out that aside from the one million doses donated by the federal government, San Diego County has partnered with the Mexican Consulate and UCSD Healthcare which resulted in more than 200,000 shots at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in the last few months.

South Bay elected officials including Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, and National City Mayor Alejandra Sotelo-Solis, and Vargas pleaded with the federal government to let them reopen, CBS 8 reported.

Mayor Dedina said that they need to show everything that they could for the U.S. government officials at the White House to notice them. Dedina also added that what they were doing was a team effort.

In addition, local officials said that they were doing everything in their power to move the needle in the right direction. They mentioned that what they need now is more guidance from the federal government for their plans to happen.

Mayor Gloria that the federal government needs to inform the public regarding what levels of vaccination rate both sides of the border need to meet the reopening condition. Gloria stated that if they would have it it would be helpful especially for small businesses.

ALSO READ: Guatemalan Pleads Guilty in Colombia-to-America Cocaine Conspiracy; Accused Extradited to Ohio in 2020

Businesses Hanging to Survive

The closure to non-essential travel is set to expire on July 21, but the federal government has extended the closure several times since the pandemic started.

On the other hand, cellphone shop owner Omar Trujillo said he was 60% down. He also said that he was hanging on to survive in the middle of the pandemic. Trujillo also said that he was devastated after DHS decided to postpone the reopening of the border.

San Diego County Supervisor Nora Vargas stated that retail sales were down $200 million, which is a 72% loss for the region.

Trujillo said that for him to survive, he needed to open his shop, but he said that he continuously wears a mask in case his customers from across the border were not vaccinated. Trujillo also said that for the U.S. to open the border, the federal government needs to help Mexico, especially those who are living near the border.

RELATED ARTICLE: Vice President Kamala Harris to Visit U.S.-Mexico Border for the First Time

WATCH: Local officials push to reopen US-Mexico border- ABC10 News
Music Generation Laois is getting funds from a North-South cultural scheme, according to Laois Offaly TD Sean Fleming.

Minister of State at the Department of Finance said the Laois branch is getting 12,000 funding for cross-border cultural projects under Cooperation with Northern Ireland Scheme 2021.

"It is great to have this programme available to children and young people in Laois and the opportunities and experiences they will gain through their love of music. I wish Music Generation Laois and all participants the very best of luck in future projects and performances," said Minister Fleming.

Started in 2012 Music Generation Laois is part of Music Generation  Irelands National Music Education Programme, initiated by Music Network and co-funded by U2, The Ireland Funds together with, The Department of Education and Skills and Local Music Education Partnerships.

Their vision being to break down the barriers that may otherwise prevent children and young people from experiencing the pure joy of making music. The aim is to build confidence and creativity, to nurture leadership and innovation, to promote self-expression, connection and happiness and ensure children and young people have the opportunity to realise that potential, regardless of circumstance.

Music Generation Laois offer programmes for children and young people in County Laois. Young people have access to weekly tuition and instruments, in schools and after-school settings, childcare settings, youth projects and with community groups as well as having a dedicated building in Portlaoise where young people can sign up to classes/ bands/ orchestras/ ensembles.
Dunamaise Arts Centre are proud to announce that live theatre is coming back as they team up with the Gate Theatre when they park up outdoors Emo Court & Parklands later this summer.

To be staged on Saturday, August 7 'In MiddleTown' is the new show by the amazing Irish Times Theatre Award-Winner Mikel Murfi.

The show had hardly been announced but tickets flew out to a point where a second show was added on the night.

"We really wanted as many people as possible (obviously within safety guidelines) to enjoy this wonderful live theatre experience so we have arranged with the Gate Theatre, Mikel Murfi and Emo Court & Parklands to add an extra show, at 7pm," said the Dunmaise!

Performed outdoors on the back of a specially adapted truck, and to strictly limited audiences, In MiddleTown will tour towns and communities across Ireland this summer, including the beautiful setting of Dunamaise Arts Centres momentary venue at Emo Court & Parklands. MORE BELOW LINK.

In MiddleTown is a remarkable new solo show, commissioned and produced by the Gate Theatre and written and performed by Irish Times Theatre Award winner Mikel Murfi, renowned for his critically acclaimed plays The Man in the Woman's Shoes and I Hear Your Rejoice.

Murfi plays a furniture removals man, in the middle of his life, living in the middle of a small town.

One day, instead of helping a neighbour move, he drives to his own house, packs up his 'life' onto the back of his truck, pulls the door behind him and never goes back. The truck becomes his world, turning into places he thought he would never see or visit. He is a man moving on, neither here nor there, to both everywhere and nowhere.

"In MiddleTown is a brilliantly imaginative, gentle reflection on 'living in the middle', and the search for solitude, simplicity, and the things that make us truly happy. It's a magical, timely, and heartfelt piece for the times we live in," said the Dunamaise.

Mikel Murfis critically acclaimed shows include The Man in The Womans Shoes and I Hear You and Rejoice. In MiddleTown features set and costume design by Sabine Dargent, lighting design by Sinead Wallace and sound design by Sandra OMahony.

This event is presented in partnership with the Office of Public Works. Dunamaise Arts Centre extends grateful thanks to them and the management and staff of Emo Court and Parklands.

Tickets 20 from Dunamaise.ie or Tel: 057 8663355. See website for full details, including safety guidelines and terms & conditions.
Laois children are to enjoy extra supports, services as well as access to arts and creativity as a result of grants from the RTE Toy Show Appeal which have been announced by the broadcaster and The Community Foundation for Ireland.

The RTE Toy Show Appeal raised a staggering 6.6million in donations from television viewers on a truly magical Toy Show night in December. Half of that money was shared out between three key charities; Barnardos Ireland, Children's Health Foundation Ireland and Children's Books Ireland.

The remaining monies from the fund were made available for childrens charities in an open call for grants managed by The Community Foundation for Ireland which are now being announced.

In addition to the national lifeline and support organisations, Portlaoise Community & Family Resource Centre is developing a Stepping Stones To Resilience Initiative. The initiative is delivered through a stepping stone design based on age/ ability, supporting personal develop, building resilience through creative engagement and learning. This funding will enable art and play therapy sessions for children and young people, music, dance and art for babies 0-4 years old and children aged 5-12 and run other creative programmes to develop life skills and resilience. (30,718.00)

Laois children will also benefit from a range of national grants. A new National Dyslexia Learning Hub is being developed, a Deafblind literacy programme is being pioneered, The Irish Wheelchair Association will be promoting creativity for children while the health and wellbeing group Soar is starting a five year mission to ensure supports are offered to every transition year student.

The Community Foundation for Ireland says vulnerable children in Laois and across Ireland will be supported by initiatives including the development of a Traveller Mental Health Service, My Life Now will ensure children caring for a loved one are supported to develop and continue in education while SafeIreland will develop supports for children in violent homes.

Ryan Tubridy, Late Late Show host, said: Its time to show the people of Ireland just where the money they dug deep for last November is going, and its going directly to children all over the island of Ireland who are going to have better, happier, safer and more creative, enriched and nourished lives because of these donations. Thank you once again to the viewers of The Late Late Show for your continued overwhelming generosity. The RTE Toy Show Appeal will be back again this year to help Change Childrens Lives for Good."

Saoirse Ruane, the Galway girl whose story inspired the establishment of the RTE Toy Show Appeal, added: I'm delighted my story inspired Ryan and The Late Late Show to launch the very first Toy Show Appeal last November. I am so happy the money will go to help such wonderful charities. Since the show I have been busy, learning to cycle my bike again, returning to school and I have just gone back to play camogie.

In total, over 675,000 children and family members across Ireland will directly and immediately benefit from the overall RTE Toy Show Appeal proceeds, with thousands more set to benefit through the investment in essential resources, both medical and otherwise, for years to come.

Dee Forbes, Director-General RTE, said: It is truly fulfilling to reach this stage in the process, where the funds so generously donated by the public as part of the RTE Toy Show Appeal are being distributed to so many worthy projects to support children and their families throughout Ireland and Northern Ireland. I am proud that an idea we created just months ago, that was built on the back of the generous spirit which underpins the Late Late Toy Show, has been such a force for good".

Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of The Community Foundation for Ireland added: The generosity of viewers has been overwhelming and is now being turned into action on the ground in communities where it will make a huge difference for children and their families. The positive impact we will see on so many young lives in the coming weeks and months should act as an inspiration to us all. It is also a sad reality that in the current challenging times, demand from groups for this grant round has outstripped the support which was available. As a Community Foundation, we are keenly aware of that shortfall, and we remain absolutely committed to working with partners in an effort to address that challenge.

About the initiative

The RTE Toy Show Appeal is a designated fund to help a range of childrens charities and causes around Ireland, to be managed on RTEs behalf by The Community Foundation for Ireland www.communityfoundation.ie. The Community Foundation for Ireland was also the partner for RTE Does Comic Relief which raised just under 6 million for non-profit organisations that provide key supports for vulnerable citizens impacted by Covid-19.

The Community Foundation for Ireland: Now over 20 years in existence, The Community Foundation for Ireland works with individuals, families, companies and other trusts and foundations to support a diverse range of not-for-profit organisations. Since 2000 The Community Foundation for Ireland has awarded over 75 million in grants. The Community Foundation for Ireland is a registered charity, (Charities Regulator Number: 20044886) and is committed to the highest standards of trust and governance.
Services at Portlaoise hospital continue to be hit by the cyber attack on the HSE but authorities at the hospital are getting back to normal in the wake of the extensive disruption caused by it and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The HSE's Dublin Midland Hospital Group (DMHG) issued a statement on the latest situation so that the public is up to speed on what the need to know if they have to attend.

"Scheduled Care is being restored on a phased basis across Dublin Midlands Hospital Group as systems recover from last months devastating cyber attack.

"All services at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise are now operational, however, there continues to be delays in some services due to the impact of the IT cyber attack. Patients should attend their appointment unless contacted by the hospital.

"Local and national IT teams have made progress in recent weeks in restoring some of our most critical patient information systems allowing us to now safely resume scheduled care. However, the cyber attack continues to have an adverse impact across the health service; recovery will be uneven, with manual workarounds continuing to be in place, across the various services. Therefore, delays should be expected and we continue to thank patients for the patience and support in this regard," it said.

The statement outlined some key points of information.

Emergency Department

Attendances to the Emergency Department at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise remain high for this time of year. The hospital would ask patients to consider their care options via their GP or GP Out of Hours before presenting to the Emergency Department. Patients who require urgent care will be prioritised.

What to bring to your appointment

If you are attending for an appointment, bring your most recent hospital letter.

Patients attending for antenatal or maternity should also bring their combined antenatal card or patient number.

Contact the hospital

If you have a question, you can phone Midlands Hospital Portlaoise on 057 869 6771 or 057 869 6340. Visit www.hse.ie for any further changes to services or disruptions.

Visiting restrictions during COVID-19

Visits need to be pre-arranged. You need to make an appointment if you want to visit a patient in a ward area. Contact the ward or unit in advance.

Do not visit the hospital if you have symptoms of COVID-19 (high temperature, cough, shortness of breath, or loss or change to your sense of smell or taste).

The current visiting restrictions are kept under review and will be updated in line with national recommendations.

Maternity Services

 Partners can attend for the anatomy scan and the booking scan.

 Partners are facilitated to attend the birth once the woman is admitted to the delivery suite in labour and remains for the birth of the baby and up to 1 hour on the postnatal ward. This includes the induction of birth in the delivery suite.

 Partners are also facilitated to be present in theatre at Caesarean Section for the birth of the baby.

 The Hospital have reintroduced scheduled visiting to the maternity ward since Monday 3rd May for ante natal and postnatal women, which is arranged by appointment generally this visit is scheduled for up to an hour.

 Scheduled visiting is facilitated in the special care baby unit.

The HSE added that Portlaoise hospital is managing access and visiting to the maternity services in accordance with the national guidance. It said arrangements will be kept under constant review and in the full consideration of the safety of the women and families attending our services.

Michael Knowles, General Manager at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise, spoke about the extent of the disruption.

The cyber attack has caused severe disruption in recent weeks. Our teams, with the support of the HSE ICT colleagues, continue the work of restoring our systems. While services are operational, work is continuing in the background to return and update the various systems. We have also been impacted administratively with limited, or no access to the internet and some staff emails.

"However, we have made significant progress and it is encouraging that the work done to date in prioritising the most important clinical and patient information systems has allowed us to gradually and safely restore services for patients. We are also working to reschedule patients cancelled over the last month as soon as possible.

"I would like to thank our staff for their continued commitment and dedication during this difficult time. I would also like to thank the community for their patience and we greatly appreciate their continued support while we work to restore our systems fully, he said.
Irish Rail has warned that line works between Laois and Kildare will also cause disruption this weekend and it also ads the seats will be scarce.

Iarnrod Eireann has said that demand for Intercity and Enterprise services is extremely high this weekend, with 50% of on board capacity available for use.

Many trains on all routes are seeing high demand across the weekend, with almost every train booked out today (Friday, June 25) on the following routes: Heuston to Galway, Heuston to Tralee, Connolly to Belfast, Connolly to Sligo.

Iarnrod Eireann reminds customers intending to travel on Intercity and Enterprise services that advance booking is essential for travel at present, in order to manage the 50% of on-board capacity available for use under current public health measures.

Many services this weekend have already sold out, with more expected to in advance of departure. Customers must have a booking to travel, as tickets will not be available for sale at stations for Intercity and Enterprise services. This includes holders of existing tickets such as season tickets, and DSP free travel, who can reserve travel at no charge in advance under current measures.

The company also reminded customers are also reminded that from 5pm on Saturday, June 26 to 9am Sunday, June 27, line works between Hazelhatch and Portarlington will result in bus transfers on all Intercity services to/from Heuston.

A spokesperson for Iarnrod Eireann said with more sectors of the economy open, and particularly with domestic tourism resumed, we expect many Intercity and Enterprise services to sell out in advance over the coming weeks, and particularly at weekends, with 50% of on board capacity available for use. That is why we are stressing to those who wish to travel that it is essential to book in advance, as otherwise you will not be able to travel. Customers have been hugely cooperative and supportive throughout the past 16 months with all of the public health measures, and we are grateful for their further assistance with mandatory pre-booking.

Customers are also reminded that:

Face coverings are mandatory on board all train services and in stations

Alcohol is prohibited on all services, and catering services remain suspended

Ticket bookings and reservations are available at www.irishrail.ie
A big row flared up between public representatives from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail over housing in Laois where a Fine Gael councillor said building too many social housing estates is 'destroying' towns.

The skirmish blew up at the Portarlington Municipal Distric meeting after Cllr Aisling Moran, Fine Gael, called into question the provision of open spaces and parks in new housing developments.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, she said open space is needed in every estate in Ireland but she focused on a new development in Stradbally.

"It's very important that we have a new park in Stradbally even if we have to change the design of new housing," she said at the meeting in Laois County Council HQ.

She asked if it is possible to relocate housing planned for the village so that a park could be created. She suggested that additional housing could be procured from a builder in another part of the town where social housing is being built to make way for the park.

This led her on to questioning the number of houses being built.

"I feel we are putting too much social housing in small villages," she said.

Cllr Moran insisted that people for an area be housed and not those living in other counties or cities. She claimed that she had spoken with a number of Dublin people who had been moved to social housing in Laois.

While she is in favour of more housing, she said that the more than 50 social houses that are in the pipeline for Stradbally are not all needed.

Cllr Paschal McEvoy, Fianna Fail, did not agree on a number of fronts and disputed the claims that people from outside Laois are being housed in the county. He said there are in the region of 300 people are waiting for new social housing with a preference to live in Stradbally.

"I don't agree with what you are saying," he said.

But Cllr Moran countered: "Do you see what is happening in other towns where they have built council estate after council estate? They are destroying them," she said.

Cllr Moran gave the example of Ballylinan near her home where an estate was originally earmarked for private housing but she claimed there are now nearly 70% of the houses occupied by council tenants.

Cllr McEvoy challenged her again: "What is wrong with council estates"?

She replied that she had no issue but local people are getting no say when it comes to houses being purchased for council tenants. She believes this impacts the community.

"We are losing the community spirit and we have people coming from other counties to live," she said.

Cllr McEvoy claimed anybody that may be living in Laois in housing supported by the State having moved from another county is doing so through the Housing Assistance Programme.

"There is no way that this council is allowing applications from another county unless they have an absolute connection," she said.

The two councillors also disagreed sharply on the location of the park for Stradbally. Cllr McEvoy insisted parks must come second to providing homes.

"I'm all for parks but I'm more for housing," he said.

He said it is hugely important to people waiting for a house when they hear confirmation that they are getting a home but is devastating on those on a list who get turned down for a home in a new housing development.

Cllr Aidan Mullins said he is not opposed to social housing but it must be sustainable.

"There seems to be a carte blanche in relation to social housing," he said. He described this approach as: 'Put them anywhere and it doesn't matter how many'.

He said gave an example of a housing estate in Portarlington where a developer received permission for more than 40 houses extra in an existing estate. After planning was granted all 40 were sold to a voluntary housing body for social housing.

He said 30 residents already living in the estate were not consulted on this change.

He said social housing targets can be achieved without impacting negatively on existing residents.

Cllr Padraig Fleming said it is very difficult for people to housed in social housing in Laois.
A local action group are fundraising to pay for legal action to block a controversial quarry near Kilcullen which was approved by An Bord Pleanala despite strong local opposition.

More than 200 objections were lodged against the plans by Kilsaran Concrete for the development at Racefield, Ballyshannon which was also rejected by Kildare County Council.

On June 10, an Bord Pleanala granted approval even though its own inspector recommended that it be refused.

Objections to the quarry had come from the Aga Khan, jockey Ruby Walsh, along with horse breeders led by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association (ITBA).

Ballyshannon National School also had serious concerns about the level of HGV traffic on local roads.

A spokesperson said: We have not gone away and are continuing to fight this inappropriate development on behalf of our community, but we need financial support to take our case further.

We have a matter of weeks to apply for a Judicial Review of this appalling decision and we are under no illusions, this has always been a David versus Goliath struggle, we need all the help we can get."

Opposition campaigns claimed that the development will create dust and noise six days a week and bring at least 72 additional HGV truck journeys to local roads every day.

Kilsaran Concrete said the development will deliver a continuity of supply of aggregate materials to meet the ongoing demands of the construction industry and secondly in response to the need to invest in public infrastructure set out in the National Development Plan.

The Meath-based company stated that the proposals will not have a negative impact on the nearby residents and therefore will not have an impact on the equine industry.

Fine Gael Kildare South TD and Minister of State, Martin Heydon said that local residents were shocked and disappointed at the deicision by An Bord Pleanala.

Mr Heydon said: Local residents have expressed their concerns to me in relation to the impact that such a development would have on the local road network system as well as the local environment. Theyre finding it very difficult to understand how this decision to extract approximately 3 million tonnes of sand and gravel will not have an impact on the locality with Ballyshannon School only 1.5km away from the proposed quarry development.

The Action Group has asked people to donate to a GoFundMe page: https://ie. gofundme.com/f/ballyshannon- says-no

or a Credit Union account IBAN: IE67KIRI99217910372756
Irish Water has confirmed that works will start along one one Naas most congested routes.

It will likely mean even more delays for people using Monread Road.

According to IW the works entails the upgrading and replacing of the wastewater network in several locations along the route connecting Sallins Road with Dublin Road.

Works will be completed in three phases starting on Monday, June 28. All three phases are expected to be completed by Monday, August 9.

Read more County Kildare news

Phase one, involving works adjacent to Monread Avenue junction will start on Monday 28 June and will be completed by Monday, 12 July.

Phase two, involving works at the Globe retail park will start on Monday July 12 and will be completed by Monday, August 2.

Phase 3, involving works from the Globe retail park to the big ball roundabout will start on Monday August 2 and will be completed by Monday, August 9.

As the works progress phases may overlap from time to time, the details of which will be provided on Irish Waters website.

To facilitate the safe delivery of these works, road closures will be in place, however, the project team will endeavour to minimise the disruption for the local community as much as possible and pedestrian and local access will be maintained.

Irish Water and Kildare County Council regret any inconvenience these necessary works may cause. The works are being delivered on behalf of Irish Water by Coffey Construction Limited in strict compliance with current HSE and government COVID-19 guidance, IW said in a statement.

The works in Naas are part of the Upper Liffey Valley Sewerage Scheme, a 38 million project .
Attendances at the emergency department at Naas General Hospital remain high for this time of year, says the HSE.

The hospital is asking patients to consider their care options via their GP or GP out of hours before presenting to the emergency department. Patients who require urgent care will be prioritised.



Meanwhile in-patient care is being restored on a phased basis across Dublin Midlands Hospital Group - which includes Naas General Hospital - as systems recover from last months devastating cyber attack.

Read more County Kildare news

Health care services continue to be severely impacted by the cyber-attack and while some services at Naas Hospital are now operational, there continues to be delays in services due to the impact of the IT cyber attack. Routine outpatient radiology remains cancelled. Patients should attend their appointment unless contacted by the hospital.

Healthlink, a web based messaging service, is operational for GP results.

Local and national IT teams have made progress in recent weeks in restoring some most critical patient information systems, accordiong to the HSE.

However, it says the cyber attack continues to have an adverse impact across the health service; recovery will be uneven, with manual workarounds continuing to be in place, across the various services.

Therefore, delays should be expected and we continue to thank patients for the patience and support in this regard.

Alice Kinsella, general manager at Naas Hospital said: The cyber attack has caused severe disruption in recent weeks. Our teams, with the support of the HSE ICT colleagues, continue the work of restoring our systems. While good progress has been made in restoring some of our systems, services are continuing to see significant impacts and disruptions.

Although essential services are continuing, our systems are not functioning as usual and patients may experience delays and in some cases cancellations. While some services are operational, work is continuing in the background to return and update the various systems. We have also been impacted administratively with limited, or no access to the internet and some staff emails.

However, we have made significant progress and it is encouraging that the work done to date in prioritising the most important clinical and patient information systems has allowed us to gradually and safely restore services for patients. We are also working to reschedule patients cancelled over the last month as soon as possible. I would like to thank our staff for their continued commitment and dedication during this difficult time. I would also like to thank the community for their patience and we greatly appreciate their continued support while we work to restore our systems fully.
Sligo University Hospital, in line with national guidance, will be implementing changes to visiting arrangements with effect from Monday 28 June 2021.

From Monday, the hospital will be facilitating one visitor per inpatient each day. Visiting times will be from 6pm to 8pm each day. Only one visit per patient per day can be facilitated at the present time.

Visits must be pre-arranged by family members / visitors, who should contact the relevant ward or Unit in advance.

Visitors will be required to complete a screening checklist regarding COVID-19, prior to visiting the hospital.

Grainne McCann, Hospital Manager said, We are delighted to be in a position to re-introduce visiting from Monday. We will be arranging visits by appointment to minimise the risk of COVID-19 to patients, family members and staff.

It is really important that visitors continue to follow all the public health guidance, including wearing a face mask and performing good hand hygiene regularly, during a visit to the hospital.

Sligo University Hospital is also requesting that where possible, approved visitors will have received a COVID-19 vaccination, in order to minimise the risk to patients.

It is also recommended that children do not visit the hospitals, unless agreed in advance on compassionate grounds, with the ward / Unit manager.
A Cloone man was convicted, fined and disqualified from driving for two years for drink driving and dangerous driving after contesting the case at Carrick-on-Shannon District Court last week.



Michael Healy, Eden Bawn, Cloone was charged with drink driving and dangerous driving at Drumharkan Glebe, Cloone on August 26, 2020.

Garda Murtagh said she was on duty with Garda McCormack and driving from Cloone to Mohill on the above date, when they met a car coming against them but crossing onto their lane. They had to swerve into the ditch and stop.

The patrol car turned around to follow the vehicle, and they noticed the car drive from one side to another.

When they stopped the car, Garda Murtagh said there was a strong smell of alcohol, slurring of words and the driver was unsteady on his feet.



Mr Healy was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. The vehicle was seized and they called for garda assistance and a tow truck and waited for both to arrive. They came within seconds of each other after about 30 minutes.

Garda Murtagh did not have a record of what time they left the scene for Carrick Garda Station.

The result of the alcohol intoxilyser test showed Mr Healy had 95mcg of alcohol per 100mls of breath.



Solicitor John McNulty noted the garda had said in her statement that she seized the vehicle for no tax and insurance before speaking to the driver.

He also noted there was no reference to a tow truck in the statement.

He asked the garda if she was in charge of the vehicle, why they needed a tow truck. The garda explained she had not passed her driving test at the time.



Garda McCormack also gave evidence. He said the vehicle was parked outside of a house and was not entirely off the road. He said he would not have left Garda Murtagh alone with the defendant so the tow truck was the only option.

Mr McNulty said no speed was noted of Mr Healys driving, there was no reference to the tow truck in the gardas statement and no information on what happened when the car was seized.



He also noted there were no times recorded of when the tow truck was called for or what delay there was at the scene.

He questioned if the delay was reasonable expedition of custody. He said the wait at the scene was an unreasonable truism into his liberty.

Inspector Emmet Treacy said the time delay was not unreasonable and the arrest was at 22.05 and the garda noted they arrived in Carrick-on-Shannon at 22.52 so the wait was less than a half hour.



Judge Kevin Kilrane said the seizure of the vehicle was responsible and he noted practical difficulties. He did not agree the time was unnecessary or excessive.

In mitigation, Mr McNulty said his client was driving an unfamiliar automatic car.

Mr Healy was convicted, fined 300 and disqualified from driving for two years for drink driving.

He was also convicted, fined 300 and disqualified from driving for two years, concurrent, for dangerous driving.
The Department of Health has reported 380 new Covid-19 cases, while the number of patients in intensive care is unchanged at 13.

The number of cases may change due to future data validation following the cyber attack on the Health Service Executive's system.

The Chief Executive of the HSE has also said that Ireland is in a stronger position as it faces the threat posed by the Delta variant, but uncertainty and concerns remains.

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, Paul Reid said that there are less hospitalisations and more of the population vaccinated, with 36 patients in hospitals with Covid-19 today.

He said the Government will have to weigh up the data and also consider that the Delta variant poses "a real and significant threat" while also "trying to protect the gains made" as it decides on further reopening.

Mr Reid said that 84% of cases of the Delta variant are in the under 45s.

The Taoiseach Michael Martin has stated that "we need to get down to the younger age cohorts more quickly if we possibly can, and get them protected".
THE number of new cases of Covid-19 in Limerick has almost doubled in a 24-hour period, it has been revealed.

Provisional data, collated by the Department of Public Health Mid West, also shows a worrying trend is beginning to emerge in County Clare.

According to the latest data, 36 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in Limerick on Thursday - up from 17 on Wednesday and 16 on Tuesday.

While there has been a reduction in cases in Limerick over the last week, the incidence rate of the disease is still around three times the overall national rate.

Meanwhile, there were six cases of the Covid-19 recorded in County Clare yesterday and public health officials are concerned at the trend which has seen 28 new cases being reported in the Banner county over the past four days.

Separately, the head of the HSE Paul Reid, says the Delta variant which has seen cases increase across Europe poses "a real and significant threat" despite the number of patients in hospital falling to 36.

Speaking on RTE Radio, Mr Reid said Ireland is in a stronger position as it faces the threat posed by the Delta variant, but uncertainty and concerns remains.

The Government is due to make a decision regarding the further easing of restrictions next week.
A CARAVAN, valued at 13,000, which was stolen from a couple in England in 2016, and seized by gardai from a house in Newcastle West in 2017, has now been turned over to the English company which paid out on the insurance.

An embedded microchip helped investigators identify the caravan as the one stolen in England.

At Newcastle West court on Thursday, an application was made under the Police Property Act 1897 to have the Sterling Eccles Coral twin axle caravan returned to insurers Ashwick Claim Services Ltd.

Making the application, Inspector Andrew Lacey said it had been held in storage in the district for a number of years and at a cost to the state. It was reported stolen in Sussex, England on November 11, 2016, he said, and seized in Newcastle West on November 7, 2017.

Following a forensic examination of the caravan, it was discovered that one digit of the original chassis number had been interfered with. Two people, not present in court, had been interviewed about the matter, the court was told and insurance had been paid to the original owners.

Det William Saunderson, a qualified vehicle examiner from Dublin, examined the caravan at the storage yard in Castleconnell on February 22, 2018.

He examined labels near the door and bulkhead of the caravan and also examined the windows and chassis. In each case, one digit had been changed from six to eight.

He also scanned an imbedded microchip and found the number to match that of the stolen caravan. It is impossible to manipulate that chip, he said.

Ian Walker, an investigator for Askwick Claim Services Ltd, said the original Sussex owners had accepted an insurance payout of 12,900 and transferred ownership to Ashwick.

Judge Sandra Murphy ruled that the caravan should now be given to the legal owners.

The applicants had been put on notice but were not here to give evidence or dispute the evidence, she said.

It is clear there was an element of fraudulent behaviour. It is clear this was stolen and efforts were made to conceal the true identity of the caravan.
THE ESB is undertaking a feasibility study which could lead to a new visitor experience at Ardnacrusha.

Clare TDs received a briefing where he was told the electricity board is looking to establish the case for a new world class attraction at the site of Irelands first electricity generating station.

The move was welcomed by Independent deputy Michael McNamara, who said: The Shannon hydroelectric Scheme, which led to the establishment of the ESB in 1927, was a major development by the Irish Free State to harness the power of the River Shannon at a time when the country had the second lowest consumption of electricity in Europe.

He welcomed the ESBs dialogue with public representatives ahead of preparing the feasibility study.

As part of this work, the ESB is now commencing on a period of participatory stakeholder engagement to attain key input and feedback on the project plan. It is anticipated that this process of engagement will lead to a regional project with local and community beneficial impact, he added.

Mr McNamara believes there is scope to develop a heritage tourism project on a par with the Titanic Experience in Belfast.

During my first term as a TD, I successfully appealed to the then Energy Minister Pat Rabbitte to encourage ESB to reinstate school tours at Ardnacrusha and I am delighted to see it has proven to be extremely popular. Clare County Councillor PJ Ryan has also been pushing for the development of a visitor project there over a long number of years, the deputy added.

At present, the ESB runs a visitor experience in the current power station from approximately May to September each year, with visitor numbers of just over 10,000 per year.

However, access to this is limited with tours can only be provided at set times during the week. As it stands ther eis no scope to expand the capacity limits, said Mr McNamara.

He added: To meet this challenge and to tap into the tourism potential for the region, the ESB has informed me it is planning a proposed new experience to harness the cultural heritage tourism potential of the region. Comprising of five floor floors, each created to inspire and educate through social, engineering, architecture and steam related stories and interactive exhibits, a 360-degree virtual amphitheatre, a cafe which will offer sustainable locally sourced food, a retail unit hosting local artisan crafts and products, and family oriented outdoor spaces the Ardnacrusha Experience will deliver a unique project on a par with the best-world-class interactive visitor experiences.
POPULAR Limerick principal Tiernan ONeill received a red-carpet send off today as he steps down after 20 years at Corpus Christi School in Moyross.

Principal of the northside school for the last 10 years and prior to that a home school co-ordinator, Mr ONeill is taking up a strategic role within regeneration.

As students left the school this afternoon, he was given a guard of honour, as parents and pupils all paid tribute.

A Incredible! Goodbye to a Incredible! Principle Tiernan O'Neil. (Mr Fantastic)it was very fitting we put the red Carpet out for him as he always put it out for everyone within this community we will miss him dearly but for the better of our community we know he will do us proud. pic.twitter.com/TqCOZmVFdr June 25, 2021

Jason Craig, a support worker at Corpus Christi said: For the parents, its been a difficult couple of weeks since they found out. The red carpet in a lot of places marks royalty, and a lot of people would think of him as that around the place. He started a culture within the school where families cam come with their issues and feel supported. A lot of their lives have improved through that initial conversation with Tiernan. That has expanded with my role in the school, and its becoming a focal point, where the community can come for support and help.

Jason said Corpus Christi is a place where families feel safe, warm and welcome.

And he added Mr ONeill will be a tough act to follow, with a new principal to take over this summer.

We were joking around, saying the next principal is coming in after Fergie, laughed Jason, referring to the hugely successful former Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson who retired from the Red Devils in 2013 after a generation of success.

Hes a tough act to follow. But the pathways and the foundations have been put in place through the wellness foundations we have, through the family supports. Tiernan was a jack of all trades, but in the last few years, weve expanded into a lot of different specialties, added Jason.
LONDON/MOSCOW : Russia accused Britain on Thursday of spreading lies over a warship confrontation in the Black Sea and warned London that it would respond resolutely to any further provocative actions by the British navy off the coast of Russia-annexed Crimea.

Russia summoned the British ambassador in Moscow for a formal diplomatic scolding after the warship breached what the Kremlin says are its territorial waters but which Britain and most of the world say belong to Ukraine.

Britain said Russia was sowing inaccuracies and disputed Russia's account, saying no warning shots had been fired and that no bombs had been dropped in the path of the Royal Navy destroyer Defender.

Russia's foreign ministry summoned Ambassador Deborah Bronnert to deliver a "tough demarche" - diplomatic jargon for a telling off - and spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused London of "barefaced lies".

"We believe it was a deliberate and premeditated provocation," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the incident, in which Moscow said it fired warning shots and dropped bombs in the path of the British destroyer.

"In the event of a repeat of unacceptable provocative action - if those actions go too far, no options can be ruled out in terms of legally defending Russia's borders," Peskov told reporters.

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace accused Russian pilots of conducting unsafe aircraft manoeuvres 500 feet (152 m) above the warship.

The Black Sea, which Russia uses to project its power in the Mediterranean, has for centuries been a flashpoint between Russia and its competitors such as Turkey, France, Britain and the United States.

Russia seized and annexed the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and considers areas around its coast to be Russian waters. Western countries deem the Crimea to be part of Ukraine and reject Russia's claim to the seas around it.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the warship was acting in accordance with the law and had been in international waters.

"The important point is that we don't recognise the Russian annexation of Crimea," he told reporters. "These are Ukrainian waters and it was entirely right to use them to go from A to B."

Britain disputed the Russian version of events, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab calling it "predictably inaccurate".

"No shots were fired at HMS Defender," he told reporters while on a visit to Singapore.

Wallace said: "The Royal Navy will always uphold international law and will not accept unlawful interference with innocent passage."

Under international law of the sea, innocent passage permits a vessel to pass through another state's territorial waters so long as this does not affect its security.

Black Sea dispute

During its 2008 war with Georgia, Russia bristled at U.S. warships operating in the Black Sea, and in April the United States cancelled the deployment of two warships to the area.

Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden say relations between the two former Cold War foes are at a low point after disputes over spying, hacking, election meddling, Ukraine, Belarus and human rights.

Ties between London and Moscow have been on ice since the 2018 poisoning with a Soviet-developed nerve agent known as Novichok of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal, a mole who betrayed hundreds of Russian agents to Britain's MI6 foreign spy service.

The British destroyer visited the Ukrainian port of Odessa this week, where an agreement was signed for Britain to help upgrade Ukraine's navy.

Russia said it had ventured as far as 3 km (2 miles) into Russian waters near Cape Fiolent, a landmark on Crimea's southern coast near the port of Sevastopol, headquarters of the Russian Navy's Black Sea fleet.

Britain's BBC released footage from the ship showing a Russian coast guard warning that he would shoot if the British ship did not change course.

"If you don't change the course, I'll fire," a heavily accented Russian voice said in English to the British ship. The BBC said shots were fired and that as many as 20 Russian aircraft were "buzzing" the British ship.

Britain said the shots were part of a Russian gunnery exercise. Russia released footage filmed from a Russian SU-24 bomber flying close to the British ship.

"These aircraft posed no immediate threat to HMS Defender, but some of these manoeuvres were neither safe nor professional," Britain's Wallace said.

Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter.
When hives of the African lowland honeybee (Apis mellifera scutella) collapse, they do so because of an invisible inner threat: the growing, immortal clone army of a rival bee subspecies.

That army is possible because the female workers of the rival subspecies  the South African Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis)  can create perfect copies of themselves, with one individual found to have done so millions of times in the past three decades. With this perpetual-cloning ability, the Cape honeybees sneak into the hives of their lowland honeybee rivals and churn out copy after copy (no need for a queen). Even worse, these clones are freeloaders, refusing to do any work.

Now, a new study has revealed the genetic foundations of the strange and formidable adaptation. Unlike most animals, and even their own queen, the female workers do not reshuffle the DNA of the eggs they lay. This enables the workers to consistently recreate a perfect copy of themselves  a clone  each time they reproduce. According to the researchers, the sidestepping of this DNA-reshuffling process is unlike anything they've ever seen.

Related: Gorgeous images of Australia's 'rainbow' bees will blow your mind

"It's incredible. It's also incredibly dysfunctional," lead author Benjamin Oldroyd, a professor of behavioral genetics at the University of Sydney, told Live Science, referring to the fact that reshuffling is normally required to hold chromosomes together during the egg-making process. "Yet, somehow they've managed to do it [still lay eggs]. It's insane; I've not heard of anything like this before, anywhere."

Honeybee workers and other social insects have the ability to reproduce via a form of asexual reproduction called thelytokous parthenogenesis, in which females produce female offspring from unfertilized eggs. Each time she creates offspring, the single-parent worker bee will replicate the chromosomes she received from her parents (a queen and a male drone) into four. Next, she takes the genetic material from all four chromosomes, reshuffles it and creates four chromosomes with that mixed-up DNA through a process called recombination. This reshuffling guarantees that, even with just one parent, future offspring will be genetically distinct.

However, as only two chromosomes out of the four are picked and no new genetic material is introduced by a sexual partner, this leads to an average loss of one-third of genetic diversity every time the shuffling is performed, or every generation, Oldroyd said. After just a few generations of parthenogenetic reproduction, the accumulated loss of genetic material leads to levels of genetic diversity that are low enough to be lethal.

Most social insects, therefore, rely on a queen that reproduces sexually on their behalf. In return, the genetically diverse workers maintain the health of the colony and protect the brood of their closely related siblings and cousins.

"It's like in a human society, we have this tension between what's good for the individual and what's good for society, and we come up with all of these social norms that allow us to function," Oldroyd said. "In honeybee societies, one of the things that evolved to suppress selfish behavior is [that] the workers generally can't lay eggs."

This is mostly true of the Cape honeybee, which on the whole abides by the usual rules of social insect reproduction, according to Oldroyd. But Cape honeybee workers have a genetic mutation that enables them to lay eggs parthenogenetically with all of the genetic material from the four chromosomes (so they dont throw out any of those chromosomes somehow). With that ability, they can prevent the immediate loss of genetic diversity caused by the reshuffling process. This allows them to clone themselves whenever they like for decades, even if cloning in the much longer term leads to a population that, on the whole, has no genetic diversity.

This cloning superpower places colonies on a much finer balancing point between individualism and sociality. And if they tip over, they may be at risk of extinction, according to the researchers.

To understand how the clones can create millions of copies of themselves and yet remain functional, Oldroyd and his team compared the genomes of Cape honeybee workers with those of their queen and her offspring.

After forcing the Cape queen to reproduce asexually by fitting her with surgical tape that prevented her from mating, the team examined certain DNA sequences of both the Cape queen and the 25 larvae she produced. Then, they did the same for four Cape honeybee workers and their 63 larvae.

The team discovered that the asexually reproduced offspring of the queen had levels of recombination (DNA mixing) 100 times greater than the genetically identical cloned offspring of the workers  a finding that suggests the Cape worker bees have evolved a mutation that prevents recombination. Without the risk of a one-third loss of genetic material caused by the asexual reshuffling process, the workers are free to continually create perfect copies of themselves.

The workers ability to clone at will places their colonies in a much more precarious position, especially once the queen leaves or dies and the old social order collapses. Instead of expending energy to get the colony back on its feet, workers will dedicate themselves to selfish schemes  such as finding ways to place their clones into positions of power.

"If you take the queen away, for instance, instead of raising a new queen like other bee species might, these bees will just start laying eggs themselves," Oldroyd said. "There are also cells, called queen cells, where the queen lays the eggs containing future queens. It's perfectly possible for a worker to fly in from another colony, or one of the existing workers in that colony to come and replace that queen egg with one of their clone eggs. That way, they can be genetically reincarnated as a queen."

But one lineage of Cape bee workers has taken this socially parasitic behavior even further, to the point where they no longer need a queen, and they solely exist by taking over the hives of the African lowland honeybee. Members belonging to a single branch of rogue clone Cape bee workers sneak into African lowland honeybee hives, which are commonly used for agricultural purposes, and lay as many eggs as they can, which the African lowland bees mistake for their own and rear.

The parasitic clone Cape bee larvae are in on this ruse, even sending signals to their unfortunate hosts to feed them as much as possible. This cuckoo-like behavior allows them to grow their bodies and their ovaries almost to the size of a queen's.

"The Cape bee clones don't do any work inside those hives because they've become reproductive," Oldroyd said. "They just strut around with this attitude like, 'Yeah, you're going to work for me.' It very quickly leads to the collapse of the hive. As individuals, these clones are quite dysfunctional, so you'd expect them to peter out. But they're a lot like the cells in a tumor in this regard  it doesn't matter if every clone is healthy, so long as enough of them are around to exploit the host."

The Cape bee workers that take part in this parasitic behavior are the genetically identical descendants of a single worker that lived in 1990, according to Oldroyd. This single lineage of clones is responsible for the collapse of 10% of African lowland honeybee colonies every year.

Now that the researchers have a handle on how the workers can accomplish their bizarre cloning trick, they want to figure out how queens can switch on the gene that enables recombination and how the workers can switch it off. They also want to investigate the African lowland hives parasitized by Cape bee workers, to figure out what triggers the hive collapse.

The researchers published their findings June 9 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Originally published on Live Science.
This illustration shows what "Dragon man" may have looked like during his lifetime at least 146,000 years ago.

The skull of an ancient human discovered in northeastern China may belong to a previously unknown human species that scientists have dubbed Homo longi, or "Dragon Man," three new studies report.

Dragon man's well-preserved skull is the largest Homo skull on record. An analysis of the cranium revealed that Dragon man might be the closest-known related species to Homo sapiens , even closer than Neanderthals , who were long thought to be our closest relation, the study found.

"I was surprised by the resulting phylogeny [family-tree analysis] linking it to H. sapiens rather than H. neanderthalensis, but our conclusions are based on the analysis of large amounts of data," study co-researcher Chris Stringer, a research leader at the Center for Human Evolution Research at the Natural History Museum in London, told Live Science in an email.

However, this interpretation is debatable; it seems possible that this skull belongs to the mysterious Denisovan human lineage, three scientists specializing in human evolution told Live Science.

Related: 10 things we learned about our human ancestors in 2020

The history of Dragon man's skull is worthy of an Indiana Jones movie. A Chinese man reportedly discovered it in 1933 in Harbin City, in Heilongjiang, China's northernmost province. However, the man (kept anonymous by his family) worked as a labor contractor for the Japanese invaders, and chose not to turn over the skull to his Japanese boss. Instead, "he buried it in an abandoned well, a traditional Chinese method of concealing treasures," the researchers wrote in the study. The skull remained there for 85 years, surviving the Japanese invasion, the civil war, the communist movement and the Cultural Revolution, the researchers said. Before the man died, he told his family, who recovered the fossil in 2018 and later donated it to the Geoscience Museum of Hebei GEO University.

The research team had never seen a skull like this before. "His head was huge  containing a large brain  with a long, low shape and massive brow ridge over the eyes," Stringer said. "His face, nose and jaws were very broad, and he had big eyes. But his face was low in height, with delicate cheekbones, and it was tucked back under the braincase, as in a modern human."

The scientists found slight depressions on the top of Dragon man's head that might be healed wounds, "but we have no evidence of the cause of death," Stringer said. Further analysis determined that the skull likely belonged to a male individual who died at about age 50.

Dragon man (Homo longi) had a huge head and a massive brow. (Image credit: Chuang Zhao)

Unique skull

An analysis of the skull revealed "typical archaic human features," but also found "a mosaic combination of primitive and derived characters setting itself apart from all the other previously-named Homo species," study co-researcher Qiang Ji, a professor of paleontology of Hebei GEO University, said in a statement .

When studying the skull, the researchers looked at its shape in detail, analyzing more than 600 traits, Stringer said. Then, the team "used a very powerful computer to build trees of relatedness to other [early human] fossils. After many millions of tree-building processes, we arrived at the most parsimonious trees."

The results suggest that the cranium and a few other fossils from China form a third lineage of humans that lived alongside the Neanderthals and H. sapiens, Stringer said. The family tree indicated that the newly described H. longi is more closely related to H. sapiens than Neanderthals are, he added. In other words, H. longi "shared a more recent common ancestor with us than the Neanderthals did," he said. This would make Dragon man a sister species to H. sapiens, he explained.

The family tree analysis revealed another bombshell: The common ancestor humans share with Neanderthals likely lived more than 1 million years ago, which is about 400,000 years earlier than scientists previously thought, the researchers said.

Related: Denisovan Gallery: Tracing the Genetics of Human Ancestors

A newly constructed family tree showing the Harbin skull (Dragon man, in yellow) on a new lineage of early humans. (Image credit: Ni et al.)

Time and place

The man who discovered the skull reportedly found it while working on Dongjiang Bridge in Harbin. To verify that claim, the researchers ran a series of geochemical analyses  they looked at X-ray fluorescence (XRF), rare Earth elements (REE), and strontium isotopes (a variation of strontium)  to investigate the skull's unique chemical makeup. The results supported the claim; Dragon man skull's chemical composition was similar with that of fossils from humans and other mammals found in the Harbin area that date from the middle Pleistocene epoch (2.5 million to 11,700 years ago) to the Holocene epoch (11,700 years ago to present). Dirt struck to the skull's nasal cavity even had matching strontium isotope compositions with a sediment core drilled near Dongjiang Bridge, the researchers found.

The team also dated the skull by looking at the regional stratigraphy (rock layers), and determining the cranium likely came from the Upper Huangshan Formation, which dates to between 309,000 and 138,000 years ago. The researchers were able to narrow that time window by taking tiny samples from the skull to examine the decay rate of the radioactive element uranium , a method that revealed that the cranium is at least 146,000 years old, dating to the middle Pleistocene epoch.

Given this time frame, it's possible that other human species, including H. sapiens, interacted with H. longi, the researchers said. In the middle Pleistocene, Harbin was a forested floodplain. "Like Homo sapiens, they hunted mammals and birds, and gathered fruits and vegetables, and perhaps even caught fish," study lead researcher Xijun Ni, a professor of primatology and paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Hebei GEO University, said in the statement. Based on Dragon man's large size, as well as his location in northeast China, the researchers suggested that H. longi could survive in harsh and cold environments, which helped them migrate through Asia.

This map shows where the remains of Dragon man and his relations, as well as other early human species, were found. (Image credit: Ni et al.)

Is Dragon man really a Denisovan?

The study's anatomical analyses are "well done" and "impressive," but the conclusions are "too adventurous," three scientists specializing in human evolution, who were not involved with the study told Live Science.

It's possible that the cranium is a Denisovan fossil, all three said. Many think the Denisovans "evolved from an ancestral form called Homo heidelbergensis/ rhodesiensis that dispersed from Africa about 600,000 years ago into Eurasia. In Europe, Homo Heidelbergensis evolved into Neanderthals and in Asia into Denisovans," Silvana Condemi, a paleoanthropologist at Aix-Marseille University in Marseille, France, told Live Science in an email.

Coupled with the fact that the Denisovans are also known from Asia and that the time period that Denisovans and the Harbin skull existed overlap, it's quite possible that Dragon man is a Denisovan, she said.

"I have carefully read the anatomical and phylogenetic study," Condemi said. "The published data leads me to consider this fossil as a particular fossil that could be a Denisovan."

A row of skulls (left to right) showing Peking Man, Maba, Jinniushan, Dali and the Harbin cranium. (Image credit: Kai Geng)

Antonio Rosas, a paleobiologist at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Spain, agreed that the skull likely belongs to a Denisovan. He added that the authors may have given too much weight to certain evolved facial features on the skull. "These morphological features of the face may be, in fact, primitive characteristics inherited from a common ancestor," Rosas said. "As a result ... the Harbin skull could be associated either with the modern human clade or with the Neanderthal clade." (A clade includes species that share a common ancestor.)

An additional 3D test, known as a geometric morphometric analysis, might shed light on the skull's identity, said Fernando Ramirez Rozzi, director of research specializing in human evolution at France's National Center for Scientific Research in Paris. This analysis lets scientists compare hundreds of traits at once and determines which traits are most important for distinguishing a new group.

While there are precious few Denisovan remains known to scientists, it would be possible to compare the tooth from the Harbin skull with those attributed to Denisovans, Ramirez Rozzi added.

However, the study's researchers said they did consider that the skull was a Denisovan. "I think that Harbin could certainly be a Denisovan, suggested by the very large molar with splayed roots, and the close phylogenetic relationship with the Xiahe jawbone [in northern Tibet], which could be Denisovan," Stringer said. "But until we have a complete Denisovan genome with a complete cranium (or better still, a complete skeleton!), we cannot resolve this question properly, only talk about probabilities."

The three studies were published on Friday (June 25) in the journal The Innovation.

Originally published on Live Science.
This Friday (June 25), we will explore the wondrous world of constellations in our new kids video series: Summer School with Live Science.

In this week's installment, Live Science producer, Diana Whitcroft, will teach you how to construct a constellation projector using simple materials found in just about every household. Each family member can choose their favorite constellation and, through these simple instructions, create a device that will bring these star structures to life in your own home!

Every Friday at 3 p.m. EDT (12 p.m. PDT), Diana will host Summer School with Live Science, which you can find live on Live Science's Facebook, YouTube and Twitter pages. Every week, the series will explore a different field of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through simple hands-on experiments that you and your child can follow along with at home.

Disclaimer: It is strongly advised that all science experiments, recipes and methods be attempted only under adult supervision. Adults are required to handle or assist with any potentially harmful utensils and ingredients. Always wash hands thoroughly after trying any experiment. Avoid touching your face and eyes when performing any experiments, and if possible, wear glasses or safety goggles. Do not ingest any of the ingredients during or after performing this experiment.

Project the Stars: Objective

Age range: 4-10 years

Create a projector that will illuminate and cast your star constellation of choice upon a wall or ceiling.

Project the Stars: Materials

3"x3" square aluminum foil

Empty toilet paper roll

Ballpoint pen, (or toothpick for more intricate designs)

Rag

Tape

Marker

Pocket flashlight

Step One: Select Your Constellation

There are 88 recognized star constellations from which to choose. Pick one you'd like to cast through your projector, keeping in mind that you'll be working in a very limited space to replicate this star structure. So, try a simpler constellation to start.

To get a better sense of your canvas, gently press the rim of one end of your toilet paper roll at the center of your aluminum foil square. This will create a circle indentation and within that circle is where you will be poking holes to replicate your star constellation.

You can sketch out your constellation by hand for reference, or use your phone or computer to look up your many stellar options.

Step Two: Poke Away

Using your ballpoint pen or toothpick, poke through the aluminum foil, (again, within the circle indentation you've made), to form the pattern of stars that defines your desired constellation. Do not make the holes too big, as the light intended to shine through will spill too widely and diffuse your constellation pattern.

Step Three: Assemble your Projector

Place your aluminum foil over one end of the toilet paper roll, ensuring that your pattern of holes rests within the roll's circular boundaries, and fold down the excess foil. Tape the overhanging foil to the roll for a snug fit. Using your marker, label the roll with your constellation of choice.

Step Four: Illuminate

Using your pocket flashlight or smartphone light, cast your light inside the toilet paper tube and simply marvel at your creation.

Document this experience and send images to us either on social media or to community@livescience.com . We'd love to see your results so that we can feature them in a photo gallery!

Why constellations?

Constellations are shapes connecting stars in the sky to stories from cultures throughout time and around the globe. In the video demonstration provided, Diana makes a Leo constellation projector. Leo the Lion is one of the earliest recognized constellations. The constellation is observable in the Northern Hemisphere around the spring equinox through May. The constellation is easily found by looking for the head of the lion known as the "sickle." In Greek mythology, Leo represents the Nemean Lion slaughtered by the divine Hercules.

These are tales worth telling as bedtime stories, (of course, after some alterations to make them a bit more G-rated). Besides acting as great history lessons of fables and tales from civilizations past, this fun activity allows kids the opportunity to become amateur stargazers themselves. With the help of a telescope or binoculars, adults can then draw youngsters out into the field to see these wondrous star structures in the night sky with their own eyes. They'll gain an understanding of seasonal changes in the night sky as well as star identification.

Check out these other science experiments:

Summer School with Live Science: Lemon volcanoes

Summer School with Live Science: Egg drop challenge

Originally published on Live Science.
Everyone can travel in time . You do it whether you want to or not, at a steady rate of one second per second. You may think there's no similarity to traveling in one of the three spatial dimensions at, say, one foot per second. But according to Einstein 's theory of relativity , we live in a four-dimensional continuum  space-time  in which space and time are interchangeable.

Einstein found that the faster you move through space, the slower you move through time  you age more slowly, in other words. One of the key ideas in relativity is that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light  about 186,000 miles per second (300,000 kilometers per second), or one light-year per year). But you can get very close to it. If a spaceship were to fly at 99% of the speed of light, you'd see it travel a light-year of distance in just over a year of time.

That's obvious enough, but now comes the weird part. For astronauts onboard that spaceship, the journey would take a mere seven weeks. It's a consequence of relativity called time dilation , and in effect, it means the astronauts have jumped about 10 months into the future.

Traveling at high speed isn't the only way to produce time dilation. Einstein showed that gravitational fields produce a similar effect  even the relatively weak field here on the surface of Earth. We don't notice it, because we spend all our lives here, but more than 12,400 miles (20,000 kilometers) higher up gravity is measurably weaker and time passes more quickly, by about 45 microseconds per day. That's more significant than you might think, because it's the altitude at which GPS satellites orbit Earth, and their clocks need to be precisely synchronized with ground-based ones for the system to work properly.

The satellites have to compensate for time dilation effects due both to their higher altitude and their faster speed. So whenever you use the GPS feature on your smartphone or your car's satnav, there's a tiny element of time travel involved. You and the satellites are traveling into the future at very slightly different rates.

Navstar-2F GPS satellite. (Image credit: USAF)

But for more dramatic effects, we need to look at much stronger gravitational fields, such as those around black holes , which can distort space-time so much that it folds back on itself. The result is a so-called wormhole, a concept that's familiar from sci-fi movies, but actually originates in Einstein's theory of relativity. In effect, a wormhole is a shortcut from one point in space-time to another. You enter one black hole, and emerge from another one somewhere else. Unfortunately, it's not as practical a means of transport as Hollywood makes it look. That's because the black hole's gravity would tear you to pieces as you approached it, but it really is possible in theory. And because we're talking about space-time, not just space, the wormhole's exit could be at an earlier time than its entrance; that means you would end up in the past rather than the future.

Trajectories in space-time that loop back into the past are given the technical name "closed timelike curves." If you search through serious academic journals, you'll find plenty of references to them  far more than you'll find to "time travel." But in effect, that's exactly what closed timelike curves are all about  time travel

How It Works (Image credit: Future) This article is brought to you by How It Works. How It Works is the action-packed magazine that's bursting with exciting information about the latest advances in science and technology, featuring everything you need to know about how the world around you  and the universe  works.

There's another way to produce a closed timelike curve that doesn't involve anything quite so exotic as a black hole or wormhole: You just need a simple rotating cylinder made of super-dense material. This so-called Tipler cylinder is the closest that real-world physics can get to an actual, genuine time machine. But it will likely never be built in the real world, so like a wormhole, it's more of an academic curiosity than a viable engineering design.

Yet as far-fetched as these things are in practical terms, there's no fundamental scientific reason  that we currently know of  that says they are impossible. That's a thought-provoking situation, because as the physicist Michio Kaku is fond of saying, "Everything not forbidden is compulsory" (borrowed from T.H. White's novel, "The Once And Future King"). He doesn't mean time travel has to happen everywhere all the time, but Kaku is suggesting that the universe is so vast it ought to happen somewhere at least occasionally. Maybe some super-advanced civilization in another galaxy knows how to build a working time machine, or perhaps closed timelike curves can even occur naturally under certain rare conditions.

An artist's impression of a pair of neutron stars - a Tipler cylinder requires at least ten. (Image credit: NASA)

This raises problems of a different kind  not in science or engineering, but in basic logic. If time travel is allowed by the laws of physics, then it's possible to envision a whole range of paradoxical scenarios . Some of these appear so illogical that it's difficult to imagine that they could ever occur. But if they can't, what's stopping them?

Thoughts like these prompted Stephen Hawking , who was always skeptical about the idea of time travel into the past, to come up with his "chronology protection conjecture"  the notion that some as-yet-unknown law of physics prevents closed timelike curves from happening. But that conjecture is only an educated guess, and until it is supported by hard evidence, we can come to only one conclusion: Time travel is possible.

A party for time travelers

Hawking was skeptical about the feasibility of time travel into the past, not because he had disproved it, but because he was bothered by the logical paradoxes it created. In his chronology protection conjecture, he surmised that physicists would eventually discover a flaw in the theory of closed timelike curves that made them impossible.

In 2009, he came up with an amusing way to test this conjecture. Hawking held a champagne party (shown in his Discovery Channel program), but he only advertised it after it had happened. His reasoning was that, if time machines eventually become practical, someone in the future might read about the party and travel back to attend it. But no one did  Hawking sat through the whole evening on his own. This doesn't prove time travel is impossible, but it does suggest that it never becomes a commonplace occurrence here on Earth.

The arrow of time

One of the distinctive things about time is that it has a direction  from past to future. A cup of hot coffee left at room temperature always cools down; it never heats up. Your cellphone loses battery charge when you use it; it never gains charge. These are examples of entropy , essentially a measure of the amount of "useless" as opposed to "useful" energy. The entropy of a closed system always increases, and it's the key factor determining the arrow of time.

It turns out that entropy is the only thing that makes a distinction between past and future. In other branches of physics, like relativity or quantum theory, time doesn't have a preferred direction. No one knows where time's arrow comes from. It may be that it only applies to large, complex systems, in which case subatomic particles may not experience the arrow of time.

Time travel paradox

If it's possible to travel back into the past  even theoretically  it raises a number of brain-twisting paradoxes that even scientists and philosophers find extremely perplexing.

Killing Hitler

A time traveler might decide to go back and kill him in his infancy. If they succeeded, future history books wouldn't even mention Hitler  so what motivation would the time traveler have for going back in time and killing him?

Killing your grandfather

Instead of killing a young Hitler, you might, by accident, kill one of your own ancestors when they were very young. But then you would never be born, so you couldn't travel back in time to kill them, so you would be born after all, and so on 

A closed loop

Suppose the plans for a time machine suddenly appear from thin air on your desk. You spend a few days building it, then use it to send the plans back to your earlier self. But where did those plans originate? Nowhere  they are just looping round and round in time.
Click here to read the full article.

China struck back at the U.S. on Friday for President Joe Bidens condemnation of its shutdown of Hong Kongs pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper. Meanwhile, American senators on Friday called for an even more hardline U.S. response.

Earlier this month, some 500 policemen raided the Apple Daily newsroom and arrested five of its top executives. The papers assets were also frozen.

The tabloid-style paper, the citys leading opposition voice, said on Wednesday afternoon that it would stop updating its website after midnight and put out its last print edition on Thursday. Hong Kongers bought the papers en masse to show their support and keep as mementos.

Biden said the papers closure heralded a sad day for media freedom and was the result of intensifying repression by Beijing.

Through arrests, threats and forcing through a National Security Law that penalizes free speech, Beijing has insisted on wielding its power to suppress independent media and silence dissenting views, he said in a statement on Thursday.

On Friday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian called his comments baseless and accused him of interfering in Hong Kong affairs on the pretext of press freedom.

Two of Apple Dailys arrested executives, editor-in-chief Ryan Law Wai-kwong and publisher Cheung Kim-hung, have been charged under the security law of conspiring to collude with foreign forces. Three others have been released pending further investigation.

U.S. senators Pat Toomey and Chris Van Hollen urged Biden in a bipartisan letter on Friday to go a step further and impose sanctions on those responsible for the papers closure via the Hong Kong Autonomy Act passed last year.

The act mandates sanctions on people or entities that directly undermine Hong Kongs autonomy, as well as on banks that do business with them.

Hong Kongs Security Secretary John Lee has threatened foreign banks HSBC and Citibank with jail time for any business conducted with Apple Daily owner Jimmy Lai.

Lee was promoted on Friday to become Hong Kongs second-in-command as chief secretary, while police chief Chris Tang was promoted to Lees current role  moves giving security officials greater power over the territory and tightening Beijings control.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.

With British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell currently awaiting a November 2021 trial, facing charges that range from enticement of minors to sex trafficking of children in connection, the producers behind Epsteins Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell feel the timing of that docuseries release could not be more perfect.

This is because they did not set out to capture the definitive story of her legal battles, but rather to be the definitive documentary on who this woman is, executive producer Emma Cooper explained at the Seriesfest panel for the three-part docuseries.

The docuseries doesnt solely focus on Maxwells relationship with the titular Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender who was arrested again (this time on charges of sex trafficking of minors) in 2019 and found dead in his jail cell just a month after that arrest. The two were in each others orbit for decades (though exactly how long may depend on who you ask) and were at times linked romantically (again depending on who you ask). Arguably without this association, Maxwell may not have come to the forefront of headlines. However, navigating a tyrannical, powerful, wealthy man was something she learned earlier in life, executive producer and director Barbara Shearer said, due to the way her father, publishings Robert Maxwell, conducted himself.

We were trying to connect the dots to the audience, to make the audience to understand why she chose Jeffrey Epstein to stay with him for almost 20 years, she explained.

What we do have now with this documentary series is a really good basis for people to understand this woman behind the headlines that they will begin to see more and more as it goes to trial, Cooper added.

Maxwell did not respond to the production teams request for an interview, which they say upfront in the docuseries. Instead, they rely on more the people who knew her the best in her different faces, said Cooper, including childhood friend and writer Anna Pasternak, as well as series executive producer and journalist Nina Burleigh, who has written about Epstein and Maxwell for Varietys sister publication Rolling Stone under the PMC umbrella.

We went in with a list of hundreds of names and started to approach them one by one. And it was quite an experience, said Burleigh of finding and vetting people to interview on camera.

Pretty much right away we realized we likely would not get [Ghislaine] on camera, executive producer Jennifer Harkness said. But we felt that through all of the interviews that we did spanning right back from her childhood all the way up to current day, her time in New York, that wed be able to really round out who she was.

Work on the his docuseries unofficially began in 2016 when Shearer was researching Epstein and came to realize Maxwell was an interesting character. A woman who socialized with the two of them in Palm Beach came to me with a story. I didnt know him, and neither did mainstream media, Shearer recalled.

She pitched the project at the time and heard two main concerns: the first was that those she pitched did not know who this guy was and the second was that it was a tawdry subject, a little distasteful.

One comment from a network guy [was], Barbara, if this was a murder, Id have a better shot at greenlighting this, she said.

But she didnt give up, and with years of research and numerous connections to people in their orbit, as well as a bigger spotlight already shining on both Epstein and Maxwell, she brought the project to Blue Ant Medias Harkness and Laura Michalchyshyn in January 2020, just with an adjusted angle.

I said, Never mind him: whos way more interesting than that guy because hes just a grifter  hes almost cliche  is this woman. Shes complicated. Her background is fascinating.  I still believe that she is a much more complex character, much more worthy of investigation into, from a documentary point of view, Shearer said.

Additional research needed to be done for Epsteins Shadow, especially around the 2,000 page court document about a defamation suit against Maxwell that dropped into public view in August 2019.

We could not have done this without the legal documents that had been slowly released, said Burleigh. If you read them closely, you would be able to see why Ghislaine Maxwell and her lawyers would not have wanted this material to be public, because it was so filled with depositions and allegations that were really, really serious.

Epsteins Shadow began production in September 2020, with the team working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (They only met each other in person for the first time a few weeks ago.) When they began working on the the piece, Maxwells trial was set for spring 2020. However, in May a federal judge postponed it.

Episode 3 ends right up at the trial, Shearer said. It didnt affect our story. The only thing that would have affected our story in a much more dramatic fashion is [if] shed gotten bail.

If shed gotten bail, she continued, we would have had to really think about, How do we go back and open up Episode 3 and get some voices in there and talk about bail? Because otherwise then our show would have looked outdated immediately.

Working on a project where there is an active case against the subject can be a bit of a moving target. The team also had to be really reactive to any new information that was coming out, so as soon as an item dropped on Twitter, there was a big group chain going around, Harkness said. And certainly it comes with many sensitivities, as well. The key is sticking to what is known to be factual in telling her story. However, even though we all do adhere to the code, I think that with a woman like this, and we are women, you come with questions and you come with an empathy and an inquisitiveness which then slightly directs where your eye might fall, Cooper said.

The Epsteins Shadow team was compromised of 60-70% women behind the camera, Harkness said, which was both intentional and important in shaping the narrative of the three-parter.

Although this is not a series necessarily about the survivors, Shearer said, their points of view became integral towards the end of the three hours because there is no crime if there are no victims.

The final voice was given to Maria Farmer, who was a predominant fixture in Episode 2 and 3 because she was just so strong, she continued. So, we do have a nod to the fact that we do know there are victims in all of this, the survivors of all of this story.  Its a beast of a story, and I think a lot more is going to come out.

Whether they will follow up with a second part to the series focusing on the trial still remains to be seen, though, as Harkness would only say they will all be watching [it] in November.

Epsteins Shadow: Ghislaine Maxwell is streaming now on Peacock.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Just two days after holding a press conference to suspend the intake of animals at Laredo Animal Care Services following disturbing photos of animals in poor conditions that emerged on social media the night before, the City of Laredo stated that it officially concluded its investigation early on Thursday.

The city dismissed the legitimacy of the photos, stating that most were not recent and the others were not from the shelter.

As information was obtained during the investigation, city officials found that some of these images were not taken at the LACS shelter, some were taken last year during a previous administration and some of the pets were surrendered to the shelter in an ailing state due to animal cruelty they endured with their owner, the City of Laredo said in a statement regarding the investigation.

With the city announcing the end of the investigation, it also announced that it reinstated the interim director that had been demoted in the wake of the controversy in LACS Operations Manager Karina Elizondo. She also was elected in 2020 to Laredo College Board of Trustees Place 7.

The City of Laredo has concluded its investigation and found that the allegations of animal cruelty have been determined to be unfounded against Karina Elizondo, the city said. Robert Eads, Laredo City Manager, has requested that Ms. Elizondo returns to the position as Interim Animal Care Services Director, the position she held before the investigation.

Elizondo could not be reached for comment by LMT on Thursday.

The images originally were shared online with the Laredo community by citizen journalist Priscilla La Gordiloca Villarreal.

Omg!! I had been holding off on posting about the animal shelter located in Maher and holy s balls!! I will not stay (quiet) and I hope that something is done like ya!!! said La Gordiloca on Monday night. People need to be fired immediately!!! Im posting pictures and all so VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED!!

I have messaged most of council and City manager just now about this issue and its disturbing and unacceptable!!!! she continued an ensuing post containing the images. Karina Elizondo needs to be held accountable for this mess, its been months of messages after messages about the neglect and abuse of animals in this shelter! Someone needs to contact some animal activist that are going to come down and get s done here!! ... The City has failed these animals and continue to do so! ... The City Manager needs to grow a pair and STOP all this nonsense immediately!!! Enough is enough!!!

La Gordiloca shared that she met with Eads and then-interim leader of the shelter John Orfila, the City of Laredo Public Works Director, on Wednesday afternoon. She said the closed door meeting went absolutely awesome and a plan was set forth to get this shelter running the way it should.

However, La Gordiloca would not provide comment regarding the origin of the photos she shared or the timeframe they were taken. But after the city released its findings Thursday, she shared the press release to her followers and stated, Karina Elizondo was (given) back her position!

It is unfortunate that the shelter has come a long way historically and that false images have deviated the publics attention of what the real issue is, City of Laredo Veterinarian Dr. Sandra Leyendecker said. During Ms. Elizondos tenure, the shelter has had satisfactory inspections by the Texas Department of State Health Services. We continue to work diligently alongside city management to ensure the shelter remains in the best state possible, despite the unprecedented surge of stray animals, owner surrenders and lack of personnel.

As the photos have now come into question, one person close to the animal shelter argues that they are indeed not new. Animal shelter rescue volunteer Angie Ancira stated that she believed they were taken before Elizondo took her position.

Those pictures, I have seen them before, and the dog that is almost dying there he had parvo, Ancira said. Puppies do get that and get that way, but he was dying because the owner took him like that ... they could give it medicine, but not all dogs survive because parvo is a hard disease and very painful for the puppies.

Ancira said the pictures were not taken recently but during the previous administration by an employee who was let go. Ancira also said that the reason why the shelter looked in such disarray was not because of the leadership itself but rather because the workers and volunteers did little to clean and take care of the animals adequately, and also because no one is at the shelter over nights as workers clock in at 8 a.m. and the dogs dirty their kennels and their necessities during that time period.

Although she does not know if all the pictures are from the animal shelter  she believes some could be from other places as the city stated in its findings  she does state that most pictures are indeed from LACS just not recently.

The city further commented stating that the investigation was done in such a short period of time due to the photographs.

The investigation was done quickly because it was only on the validity of the pictures which was easily determined through intake records, City of Laredo Public Information Officer Noraida Negron said. Some of the pictures were clearly not from our shelter, some were old from a prior administration.

City of Laredo District IV Councilman Alberto Torres Jr., who has established various animal cruelty campaigns locally, stated that the investigation focused on the pictures and that the animal shelter was not deemed unsafe as it currently succeeds in all of the certifications it is required to have.

"The investigation by the city manager pertained exclusively to the pictures that circulated in social media, Torres said. It is my understanding from city management that historically shelter inspections by the Texas Department of Health Services have been satisfactory under the current administration. As per City Charter, Mr. Eads has sole oversight authority as it pertains to departments and personnel matters.

La Gordiloca posted a video on social media discussing the photographs indirectly but did not state where she obtained them from. She said she made it public after individuals like Ancira messaged her to talk about the animal shelter and its needs.

Ancira did state that she had been in contact with La Gordiloca and that the shelter is immensely in need of resources, stating city officials have not listened to the demands of the rescue volunteers. But she said that the efforts of La Gordiloca did not bring solutions but rather more problems as the suspension of the intake of new animals might lead to the killing of many others already in the shelter.

Even though the investigation concerning the photographs is now over, Torres stated that a staff report is still ongoing by the city management office to see if there are any more details and facts that need to be assorted. Nevertheless, Torres stated that he remains committed to supporting all pets in the community.

We await a staff report update on Mr. Eads findings and investigation conclusion, Torres said. I remain committed to working diligently to ensure we continue to provide the best care for our four-legged friends while working hand-in-hand with our community and rescue groups."

Eads, however, did provide a statement on Thursday night applauding the efforts of Elizondo with her work at the shelter and how unfortunate it was for the viral circulation of the photos for the reputation of the shelter.

Eads also commended Elizondos efforts against animal cruelty.

Karina Elizondo has previously proven results for the local animal shelter, Eads said. For example, she has launched an animal cruelty campaign with the purpose of reducing violation rates. Thanks to her efforts, many cases of animal cruelty have been brought forth. Ms. Elizondo also holds various certifications that make her the right fit for this job.

As for the shelter still not allowing the intake of new animals due to a lack of resources and manpower at the shelter, that was still not resolved as of Thursday, according to Negron.

We continue to work with the rescue groups so that we are able to release pets, and we are able to reinstate the intake of animals, Negron said. This will take some time, and we continue to ask the public to assist in the adopting and fostering of pets.

Ancira said that the No. 1 problem is the community itself, stating that the shelter currently has anywhere between 500-800 dogs which will most likely be euthanized if they are not adopted or taken care of as room needs to be made for more animals to be taken in by the facility.

The real culprit behind this problem is not just one person but rather the community, as we need to spay and neuter our animals, Ancira said.

jorge.vela@lmtonline.com
A Sureno gang member was arrested for being in the country illegally, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

Hebbronville Station agents apprehended a group of 10 migrants in Brooks County. One individual was identified as Antonio Cardenas-Duarte, a 35-year-old citizen of Mexico.
MOSCOW (AP)  The Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea.

Moscow said one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs in the path of British destroyer Defender on Wednesday to force her out of an area near Crimea that Russia claims as its territorial waters. Britain denied that account, insisted its ship wasnt fired upon and said she was sailing in Ukrainian waters.

The Russian drills that began Friday in the eastern Mediterranean come as a British carrier strike group is in the area. Earlier this week, British and U.S. F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat sorties against the Islamic State group.

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, allowing Syrian President Bashar Assads government to reclaim control over most of the country after a devastating civil war.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that a pair of MiG-31 fighter jets capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived at the Russian airbase in Syria and flew training missions to practice strikes on targets in the Mediterranean. The Hemeimeem airbase, in the coastal province of Latakia, serves as the main hub for Moscows operations in the country.

It's the first time the warplanes armed with Kinzhal have been deployed outside Russia's borders.

The military says the Kinzhal has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles) and flies at 10 times the speed of sound, making it hard to intercept.

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft. The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernized the runway at Hemeimeem to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second one to expand the operations there.

Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia currently has outside the former Soviet Union.

The Russian military has increased the number and scope of its drills amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Moscows 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. As part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to beef up Russias military, the Russian navy in recent years has revived the Soviet-era practice of constantly rotating its warships in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the eastern Mediterranean has become more congested and contested with the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes. He noted that a Russian warship has come within 10 kilometers (16 miles) of the carrier.

In Wednesday's Black Sea incident, Britain insisted the Defender had been making a routine journey through an internationally recognized travel lane and remained in Ukrainian waters near Crimea. The U.K., like most of the world, recognizes Crimea as part of Ukraine despite the peninsulas annexation by Russia.

Russia denounced the Defender's move as a provocation and warned that next time it could fire to hit intruding warships if they again try to test the Russian military's resolve.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov on Friday derided the British denials that the Russian military fired warning shots at the Defender and urged Britain and its allies not to tempt fate again. He added that the Defender is "just a juicy target for the Black Sea Fleet's missile systems.

___

Menelaos Hadjicostis contributed to this report from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Courtesy /U.S. Border Patrol

Two people caught smuggling migrants claimed they were on their way to Splashtown San Antonio, according to an arrest affidavit.

Maria Orenia Villegas and Rolando Mendoza Jr. were arrested and charged with transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport migrants who were in the country illegally.
Courtesy /U.S. Border Patrol

Two undocumented migrants who were lost managed to climb up a windmill and call 911 for help, the U.S. Border Patrol said on Thursday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and agents responded to the area after the migrants were able to share their exact locations through the GPS coordinates on their cellphone.
Newfane native Brian Irr is heading to Tokyo to represent the United States as a member of the first American karate team to qualify for the Summer Olympics. The Newfane (High School) Alumni Association is asking local residents and business operators to post pictures of American and Newfane pride and tag #NAABrianinTokyo on Facebook to show Irr their support. (Contributed image)
BENJAMIN JOE / Staff

Jon Vinson operates Vinny's Vinyl on Main Street in Lockport. Here he stands in the soul section. Vinson suggests there's something for everyone in his shop, and the advantage of shopping used albums is you can pop one on his player and try it before you buy it.
Embrace FARM, the farm accident support network, is hosting a #HereForYou campaign to acknowledge the support networks of those left bereaved by, or who have survived, farm accidents.

Following the success of the organisations first ever online Remembrance Service last year, Embrace FARM will host its eighth annual Remembrance Service for those affected by farm accidents on Sunday, June 27 at 2pm. The event will be live streamed on www.embracefarm.com.

At the online Remembrance Service last year, over 220 names were honoured and the founders of Embrace FARM, Brian and Norma Rohan, are calling on Irish families to submit names of loved ones who were lost or injured in farm accidents to be remembered at the Remembrance Service.

Brian Rohan, Founder Embrace FARM said We are pleased to confirm that our annual Remembrance Service will be live-streamed on our website again this Sunday following the successful online ceremony in 2020.

Similarly, it is not possible to host a physical event due to social distancing guidelines but we understand the importance of carrying on virtually for the many people who take comfort in remembering their loved ones each year at our service.

The annual occasion offers bereaved families, friends and accident survivors a safe space for them to honour those whose lives have been lost or affected by farm accidents.

We will continue to speak their names and would like to encourage anyone from the Irish farming community, family members or friends to send us your loved ones name and a photograph for inclusion in Sunday's ceremony.

#HereForYou

Embrace FARMs Here For You campaign honours the people, communities and businesses who have supported those impacted by farm accidents and the work of Embrace FARM over the years.

The campaign acknowledges the community support systems across Ireland, the unsung heroes, many businesses, those who have died or were injured in farm accidents and those who have been left behind in times of tragedy.

Norma Rohan, Founder Embrace FARM said, This year, we chose the theme Here For You for our annual remembrance campaign to highlight the importance of support in times of great loss, bereavement or accidents.

For many people, this past year has been a particularly difficult one, but in difficult times we see a rise in support and togetherness, a sense of community when people need it the most.

For this online initiative, we are encouraging people to honour those who have been there for them during the hardest of times.

On behalf of Embrace FARM, we too would like to acknowledge and thank those who have hugely supported the work we have done since 2014. Without sponsorships, fundraising events and dedication from local community groups, our work to support those affected by farm accidents would not be possible.

People are encouraged to get involved in the Here For You campaign on social media by expressing what support means to them and how it has helped during hard times. Join the conversation online by using the hashtag #HereForYou and tag @EmbraceFARM.

Online Remembrance Service 2021

To add a loved ones name to the remembrance list please WhatsApp 085-7709966 or email info@embracefarm.com with name, county, year of death or accident and a photograph if available.

For further information follow @embracefarmsupport on Facebook and Instagram, @EmbraceFARM on Twitter, find us on LinkedIn or visit www.embracefarm.com.

Statistics

From the period 2011 to 2020 there have been 210 lives lost due to farm related accidents in the Republic of Ireland according to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA).

A further 27 lives were lost from a similar period 2015-2020 in Northern Ireland according to the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).



Teagasc research carried out between 2012-2017 estimates an average 2500 accidents per year that result in some level of injury or fatality.



Agriculture remains one of the most dangerous industries to work in Ireland.
A man charged with aggravated burglary and assault has been remanded in custody following a special sitting of Longford District Court late last night (Thursday, June 24).

William Stokes (27) of Ballynagoshen, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, was arrested shortly after 1pm on Thursday afternoon on suspicion of aggravated burglary.

He was interviewed three times throughout the day by gardai at Granard Garda Station before being charged by Gda Brendan Lynn with aggravated burglary and section 3 assault shortly before 9pm.

He was cautioned and conveyed to a special sitting of Longford District Court where, at 9.30pm, he was further charged with a section 3 assault by Gda David Buckley.

Gda Lynn told Judge Kevin Kilrane that gardai would be objecting to bail under O'Callaghan rules, citing the seriousness of the charges as reason for the objection.

Giving his evidence, Gda Lynn explained that, on the night of April 30, 2021, into May 1, 2021, at approximately midnight, Mr Stokes allegedly entered the home of a woman in the Mostrim Oaks housing estate, where he allegedly assaulted the woman.

He went on to give evidence of a second incident, which took place on June 10, 2021, when he allegedly assaulted Christopher Stokes before returning to the woman's house and assaulting her again and threatening her with a metal pole in the presence of her four children, aged one, three, four and five.

Turning to the bail application, Gda Lynn explained that gardai would be objecting due to concerns for the injured party.

"It is my strong opinion that if Mr Stokes is granted bail, he will interfere with the witnesses in this case. They're personally known to him," he said.

Judge Kilrane, on hearing the evidence, explained that, if the case were solely about the assault on Christopher Stokes, he would grant bail. But he expressed concern for the woman who was in a "very vulnerable situation".

"I have no doubt she is in serious fear and dread of the defendent and the fact that he issued a warning not to go to the gardai indicates that he will contact her directly or indirectly," he said.

"I believe he is not a flight risk. But I believe he would interfere with the witness. I also believe he would commit further offences such as entering the house for the purpose of assaulting her, or getting others to do so.

"In those circumstances, I'm refusing bail," he concluded, remanding Mr Stokes in custody to July 1, 2021, by video link in Mullingar District Court for DPP directions.

For a more detailed report, see next week's Longford Leader.
Longford County Council is delighted to welcome the allocation of 1.46 million for the further development of the Corlea Bog Amenity Walk and additional bog greenway extensions, linking them with a gem of Irelands Hidden Heartlands, the Royal Canal Greenway.

The funding, announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD, is provided under the Strategy for the Future Development of National and Regional Greenways as set out by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in 2018 which is supported in the Project Ireland 2040 plan. Its part of the Department of Transports Greenway Programme worth 63.5 million, the highest single year amount ever allocated to this type of infrastructure.

These new routes, to be completed by 2022, will give local people and visitors extra options for active travel through the scenic areas of Longford. The project will see the recently completed Corlea Bog Amenity Walks linked up with the Royal Canal Greenway, as well as Longford Town and the villages of Clondra, Lanesboro and Ballymahon. These sustainable transport routes will provide a major tourism and public amenity, offering a breath-takingly beautiful escape to a natural environment in Irelands Hidden Heartlands.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council Paul Ross described the development as exciting. This is an exciting time for tourism in Longford, with local entrepreneurs already seeing the benefits of the increased footfall off the Greenways. The development of assets like these also enhances the quality of life and health of our local people, encouraging us all to get active.

The first phase of the existing Corlea Bog Walk, that complements the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre experience, was completed in 2017 after 100,000 was received under the 2016 Rural Economic Development Zone (REDZ) Scheme. Then, as part of the wider Mid Shannon Wilderness Park project, 200,000 was confirmed under the 2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS). Both allocations were funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development. The ORIS funding saw the development of the Derryogue bog walk between Clondra and Killashee commence. Work on this project is expected to be completed in the coming months, with the benefit of the new funding.

This latest funding announced by Minister Ryan, seeks to complete the Corlea Bog Walk Phase 2, and extend it through Derrylough/Derrycolum and Ederra Bog Walk to open up access to a number of cut away peat bogs that are being rehabilitated at present, work that is already underway as part of the Mid Shannon Wilderness Park.

This project, which is being coordinated by the Regeneration Team of Longford County Council, also supports the Just Transition program and provides continued employment to Bord na Mona staff who are building the bog greenway infrastructure on behalf of Longford County Council.

Chief Executive Paddy Mahon welcomed the funding, Not only is this walkway a beautiful addition to Longfords tourist offering, the entire project is further evidence of Longford County Councils commitment to supporting the community most impacted by the power station closure as well as looking after our environment and tackling climate change.

The Mid Shannon Wilderness Park is a project being developed by Longford County Council as part of an ongoing effort to return cut away bog land to a more natural state. It combines existing natural amenity areas, including Lough Ree, the rivers Shannon, Inny and Camlin, the Royal Canal, Newcastle Wood and other forests, with the future rehabilitated Bord na Mona bogs. All of these amenity areas, which are in very close proximity to each other, together, combine to create the Wilderness Park across south county Longford.
The annual Tibohine Fly-In, a staple in the flying and community calendar, will take place on June 26 and 27 (weather depending), with all proceeds going to the Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation and Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland.

The event, run by James Morrisroe and members of Tibohine Flying Club, has raised over 30,000 for a number of charities over the last 11 years.

We are delighted that we can hold the Fly-In this year and raise money for our chosen charities  Mayo/Roscommon Hospice and Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland. This year we have teamed up with Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland as a number of children in the Frenchpark/Ballaghadereen area have being diagnosed with cancer over the past few years. The flying community have always been hugely supportive of this event. We have worked hard to make it a safe outdoor environment for visitors, so we look forward to welcoming everyone, said James.

Admission for spectators and families is a minimum donation of 5, all of which goes to the two chosen charities.

According to Martina Jennings CEO of Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation, continued community support during Covid has been vital to the organisations work. The last year has been a challenging time for charities who are trying to raise funds, but the demand for palliative care services hasnt waned and events like this make a huge difference to the Foundation. Without this support we could not have continued to fund the service, or be able to complete the build of our Roscommon Hospice. The Fly-In has raised significant funds for Mayo/Roscommon Hospice Foundation for over 10 years now and we are very grateful to be one of the chosen charities again this year. Thanks so much to James for his unwavering support over the last number of years



Laura Cullinan, voluntary director with Childhood Cancer Foundation Ireland, noted that funds raised at Tibohine Fly-In will allow the charity to continue its work in the region. One of our key projects is to refurbish isolation rooms in shared care hospitals, where children with cancer receive treatment outside of Crumlin. The rooms in Sligo General Hospital was finished last year and we will soon begin working with Mayo University Hospital shortly. Events like these make this work possible and really make a difference to families living with childhood cancer.

Tibohine Airfield is located in Tibohine not far from Frenchpark Co. Roscommon. The organisers have worked hard to ensure that social distancing procedures will be in place both for visiting pilots and visitors on the ground. There will be a BBQ on both days and lots of fun for all the family over the weekend from 1pm  6pm each day.
Community, Charity & Cause, Travel & Local Attractions

By Chris Boyle Published: June 25 2021

"This project will bolster the shoreline and provide safety reinforcements," Zeldin said.

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R, NY-1) has issued the following statement regarding the Montauk Point Lighthouse project, which is set to enter the heavy construction phase on the lighthouses stonework revetment this week:

For over two centuries, Montauk Point Lighthouse has served as one of the most recognizable symbols in our region, evoking a sense of community among Long Islanders, and attracting visitors from across the United States and foreign nations. This critical project is an investment in the future of not only Montauk Point Lighthouse, but Long Island as a whole.

The landmark currently sits less than 100 feet from the receding edge of the bluff and its deteriorating stonework revetment is the only thing left protecting the lighthouse from being lost to the ocean due to erosion. This project will bolster the shoreline and provide safety reinforcements, including an 840-foot revetment with a 73-year level of protection for the lighthouse, that will ensure Montauk Point Lighthouse will continue to shine for generations to come.

Congressman Zeldin has worked closely with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on this effort every step of the way, advocating for and helping secure federal funding for the project. In January of this year, the Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $30.7 million contract to H&L Contracting of Bayshore, New York, to carry out the restoration and protection of Montauk Point Lighthouse.
Local News, Business & Finance, Press Releases, Politics

By Chris Boyle Published: June 25 2021

Its been a long road to recovery, but Nassau County is poised to come back stronger than ever, said Curran.

As part of her sweeping initiative to restore financial health and create jobs and opportunities lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran was joined on Friday by elected officials, members of her Economic Advisory Council and community stakeholders to announce her proposal to use $62,900,000 from the American Rescue Plan to fund a robust economic recovery and community investment package. County Executive Curran has submitted legislation to the County Legislature that delivers relief for small businesses, residential and commercial renters, revitalizes main streets and downtowns, and rebuilds Nassaus water infrastructure while supporting workforce development, senior citizens, veterans, youth programs and more.

The County has launched a new online portal at www.nassaucountyny.gov/BoostNassau that will serve as a one-stop-shop to determine eligibility for federal, state, and County programs and apply for available recovery grants, loans and other assistance programs and initiatives, including support to school and special districts. For those needing additional information and support, Nassau County staff will be available by appointment (phone or in person) at the new Boost Nassau Resource Center, a County facility at Eisenhower Park.

Its been a long road to recovery, but Nassau County is poised to come back stronger than ever, said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. I want our residents and businesses in Nassau to know that more help is on the way. While all of this funding is being made available, the typical complexity and bureaucracy that often surrounds these types of programs may keep a resident or business owner from seeking and obtaining the help they need, said Curran. We are taking the guesswork out of the process and providing the resources and assistance residents need in one place.

The County Executives proposal was developed in coordination with her Economic Advisory Council, which is comprised of diverse members of the Nassau County community, including stakeholders from business, non-for-profits, civic associations, and labor organizations. The Economic Advisory Council also commissioned a survey in partnership with Hofstra University to assess the Countys economic and pandemic recovery needs.

County Executive Curran is leading the way for Nassau to once again rise above and recover even stronger from the pandemic, said Richard Kessel, Chairman of the Nassau County IDA and Co-Chair of the County Executives Economic Advisory Council. We are open for business, and this is a comprehensive effort to assist Nassaus recovery. We thank County Executive Curran for her leadership.
Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business!

Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge.

(Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!)
(Alliance News) - BT Group PLC's mobile network EE said it will bring back roaming charges for customers travelling to Europe, the first network to do so after Brexit.

EE customers will have to pay GBP2 a day to use their full data, minutes and texts allowance in 47 European destinations from January, the company said. There will be an option to buy a monthly pass costing GBP10.

The change applies only to customers signing up for new or upgraded contracts from July 7. Ireland will not be included in the new policy and customers there can continue to use their allowance without roaming charges.

The fees will support investment in EE's UK network and customer service, the company said.

The EU banned roaming charges in 2017. Other networks have not brought back charges since the UK left the EU, although most have free data roaming limits. Telefonica SA's O2 told customers on Friday that it is introducing a 25 gigabyte cap, after which it will charge GBP3.50 per gigabyte.

Shares in BT were up 0.1% to 202.86 pence in London on Friday morning.

By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - British-American cruise operator Carnival PLC on Friday said AIDA Cruises will be offering cruises to and from Hamburg, Germany, starting from July 31.

It is the third German port city opened for cruises this year following Kiel and Rostock-WarnemAnde. The company said it plans to offer calls to further ports once more destinations are open for cruise tourism.

Hamburg will be the port of departure and destination for seven-day voyages initially sailing to Amsterdam and Rotterdam. In both cities AIDAmar will stay overnight for AIDA-organised shore excursions.

New to AIDA Cruises is a 40-day trip in the Caribbean with the ship AIDAsol from October 16 to November 25, and two 43-day 'Great Caribbean Winter Break' trips from November 25 to January 7, 2022. Both voyages are from/to Hamburg.

Carnival's shares closed 1.1% lower in London on Friday at 1,677.40 pence each, while in New York, the stock was up 1.4% at USD27.85 a share.

By Aidan Lane; newsroom@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of share dealings by London-listed company directors and managers announced on Friday and not separately reported by Alliance News:







Phoenix Group Holdings PLC - London-based provider of insurance services - Says Non Executive Director Kory Sorenson buys a total of 11,700 shares in three transaction on Wednesday at an average price of GBP6.70 each. The total value of this transaction is GBP78,390.







Whitbread PLC - Houghton Regis, England-based hotel and restaurant company - Says Independent Non-Executive Director David Atkins buys 1,000 shares at a price of GBP32.39 each. This transaction, worth GBP32,390, was completed on Thursday.







Jupiter Fund Management PLC - investment manager - Says Non-Executive Director Roger Yates purchases 200,000 shares at a price of GBP2.66 each. This transaction, totalling GBP532,200, was completed on Friday.







Kerry Group PLC - Tralee, Ireland-based food company- Says Gerry Behan, president & chief executive of Kerry Taste & Nutrition, sells 4,721 shares at a price of EUR117.00 each. The transaction, worth EUR552,357, was completed on Friday. It has not been disclosed how many shares, if any, Behan holds following this deal.







Renalytix PLC - Cardiff, Wales-based diagnostics company - Says Chief Technology Officer Fergus Fleming sells 15,000 shares at a price of GBP10.75 each. This transaction, worth GBP161,250, was completed on Friday. Following completion of the sale, Fleming is interested in 569,481 shares, representing 0.8% stake.







Beeks Financial Cloud Group PLC - Glasgow, Scotland-based cloud computing and connectivity provider - Says Chief Executive Officer Gordon McArthur sells 750,000 shares at a price of 119.0 pence each. The transaction, worth GBP892,500, was completed on Friday. Following the transaction, McArthur retains a holding of 47% of the company, being 26.3 million shares, which includes 740,000 shares held by McArthur's wife.







By Evelina Grecenko; evelinagrecenko@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The travel industry has voiced frustration and disappointment after the latest limited easing of coronavirus restrictions on foreign holidays.

The government has added 14 new countries and territories to its green list of destinations from which travellers do not have to self-isolate on their return.

However, all but one a Malta a were also put on a watchlist, which means they are at risk of returning to the amber list.

While some popular hotspots a including Spain's Balearic islands and a number of Caribbean destinations a are on the list, France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain off limits to UK holidaymakers.

To add to the uncertainty, there were fears of potential new EU-wide restrictions on travellers from the UK over concerns about the spread of the Delta variant just as cases on the continent are coming down.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been pressing EU leaders meeting in Brussels to impose stringent quarantine requirements of arrivals to the bloc from Britain.

Meanwhile Transport Secretary Grant Shapps held out the prospect that people visiting amber list countries who had received two doses of the vaccine would not need to self-isolate on return, with an announcement due next month.

However across the beleaguered travel sector there was concern that it would all be too late to rescue the summer season.

The Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the government's "overly cautious" approach would continue to have "major financial impacts" on the sector.

"Any extension of the green list is welcome, however small, but we also have to be realistic: this is not yet the meaningful restart the aviation industry needs to be able to recover from the pandemic," she said.

CBI chief UK policy director Matthew Fell said: "While welcome, these limited movements on green list countries won't be enough to salvage the summer season for the international travel sector.

"International connectivity extends far beyond tourism and underpins our whole economy. The UK's successful vaccine rollout means we should be in the vanguard of safely restarting international travel."

The holiday company On The Beach Group PLC said it would not be taking new bookings for July and August while so much uncertainty remained about countries on the watchlist.

Chief Executive Simon Cooper said: "Booking a holiday to these destinations is not a guarantee that you won't have to self-isolate when you return home.

"While this uncertainty continues, we will continue to not sell holidays for July and August until we have greater confidence these holidays will go ahead with minimal disruptions."

However, Thomas Cook CEO Alan French was more upbeat saying he expected a "bumper weekend" of bookings.

He said the announcement was "fantastic news for our customers who are desperate for a holiday and have been waiting with bated breath for this latest update".

Shapps rejected accusations the government was being too timid, saying that protecting public health remained its top priority.

"It's right that we continue with this cautious approach, to protect public health and the vaccine rollout as our top priority, while ensuring that our route out of the international travel restrictions is sustainable," he said.

The new rules come into force at 4am on June 30.

The changes a which also see Israel and Jerusalem added to the green watchlist a follow advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre.

There are also a number of additions to the red list, with returning travellers required to stay at a quarantine hotel.

The affected countries are the Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Haiti, Kuwait, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda.

The full list of destinations moved to the green list comprises:

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Balearic islands

Barbados

British Antarctic Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory

British Virgin Islands

Cayman Islands

Dominica

Grenada

Madeira

Malta

Montserrat

Pitcairn Islands

Turks and Caicos Islands

By Gavin Cordon, PA Whitehall Editor

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) -A Both easyJet Group PLC and Ryanair Holdings PLC added seats to destinations such as Malta and the Balearic Islands following their addition to the UK's travel green list, but urged the government to relax travel rules further.

Announced on Thursday, fourteen new countries and territories have been added to the UK government's green list of destinations from which travellers do not have to self-isolate on their return. They include Spain's Balearic Islands, Malta, Madeira and a number of Caribbean destinations.

However, all of the additions except Malta were also put on a watchlist, which means they are at risk of returning to the amber list.

A number of popular hotspots such as France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain in the amber tier. Travellers returning to the UK from those locations must self-isolate at home for 10 days, making holidays unviable for many people.

easyJet said it has put over 50,000 extra seats on sale from the UK to new green list destinations.

This includes two new routes from Bristol and London Luton to Malta which will launch next month and more seats to Malta on existing routes from London Gatwick and Manchester, the FTSE 250-listed budget airline said.

Chief Executive Johan Lundgren said the bolstered offering means it now has around one million seats operating to current European green list destinations this summer.

"And with two thirds of UK adults expected to be double jabbed by 19 July, now is the time to let British citizens take advantage of the success of the vaccination programme so we urge the government to move quickly to remove quarantine and testing for fully vaccinated people travelling from Amber and Green countries," he said.

easyJet is "ready and able to ramp up", Lundgren added.

Ryanair - which has added 200,000 extra seats from the UK to Malta, Ibiza and Palma across July, August and September - also urged the government to allow ease of travel for fully vaccinated holidaymakers.

"This is a small step in the right direction. While we welcome the addition of Malta and the Balearics to the UK's green list, this is simply not enough for a country where over 60% of the adult population is now fully vaccinated," the Irish airline said in a statement.

Ryanair criticised the current traffic light system as being "very confusing" for airlines and customers.

"We urge the UK govt to immediately add Cyprus, the Canaries and the Greek Islands to the green list as the rest of Europe has done, and to immediately allow fully vaccinated UK & EU citizens travel freely to/from the EU without all these unnecessary and useless travel restrictions," it said.

Shares in easyJet were down 1.2% at 958.00 pence in London on Friday, while Ryanair was down 1.3% at EUR16.40.

By Lucy Heming;A lucyheming@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Live Co Group PLC - Surrey-based live events organiser - Signs contract with new client, Capron Zoo in Massachusetts. Live Co will bring its Bricklive Animal Paradise touring show to the zoo. Terms of the contract are not disclosed. Company looks forward to announcing new tours in the US "in due course".

Current stock price: 5.17 pence, up 7.7% on Friday

Year-to-date change: up 16%

By Ivan Edwards; ivanedwards@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - Tesco PLC avoided a shareholder revolt at its annual general meeting on Friday although the board did face environmental protestors outside its offices ahead of the event.

Just 8.2% of investors in the supermarket voted against the pay packets for bosses, including a GBP1.6 million final payment for former boss Dave Lewis.

By comparison, more than 70% of rival Morrison's shareholders voted against its own pay report for bosses.

The Tesco vote was a reversal to the heavy defeat by shareholders at last year's meeting, where investors rejected the directors' remuneration report but the payments went ahead because the vote was not binding.

Bosses vowed to change the way it calculated bonuses in future having faced criticism for no longing considering Ocado a "competitor" in setting targets.

Chair John Allan saw 4.2% vote against his re-election, fellow non-executive board member Byron Grote faced a 6.6% revolt and Steve Golsby lost the support of 4% of shareholders.

The rest of the board were re-elected with 99% of shareholders voting in favour.

Prior to the meeting, Greenpeace activists held giant letters spelling out 'FOREST CRIME', calling on the company to stop using a chicken supplier, JBS, which is owned by a company accused of deforestation in the Amazon.

Elena Polisano, senior forests campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "Tesco's chicken supplier is owned by a company notorious for destroying the Amazon rainforest.

"And Tesco's chicken is reared on soya that's driving deforestation and fires across Brazil."

Protestors also read out messages from shoppers and Brazilian indigenous leaders.

The vote over pay relates to executives receiving a total payout of GBP5.9 million for the 2020/21 financial year, almost half the GBP11.7 million that it handed out in the previous period.

Alan Stewart, who was replaced as chief financial officer by Imran Nawaz earlier this month, received a pay package worth GBP1.42 million, according to the report.

Tesco's new chief executive officer, Ken Murphy, received a pay deal just short of GBP1 million.

Murphy, who took over the reins in September, was handed GBP629,000 in pay, as well as GBP363,000 compensation payment for money he forfeited from a non-compete clause he had at previous employer, Walgreens Boots Alliance.

Shares in Tesco were flat at 223.42 pence in London on Friday.

By Simon Neville, PA City Editor

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel as she visits Britain on July 2, a spokesperson for his Downing Street office said on Friday.

"This will be a chance to discuss a range of issues, including deepening the UK-Germany relationship and the global response to the coronavirus pandemic," the spokesperson said, explaining that the two leaders would meet at the prime minister's Chequers country residence northwest of London.

Merkel's visit, likely her last before she steps down after 16 years in power, will follow discussions between the pair at this month's G7 summit in Cornwall in southwest England.

Johnson's attempts to sell his vision for post-Brexit Britain at the summit were overshadowed by lingering tensions following Britain's departure from the EU which have framed relations with European leaders, including Merkel, in recent years.

In particular, London has clashed with Brussels and other European capitals over checks on goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK under a protocol, signed separately from the Brexit trade deal agreed in December.

Merkel has also pushed for the 27-member bloc to follow Berlin's lead and to quarantine travellers from Britain to stop the spread of a more transmissible Delta variant strain of the coronavirus first identified in India.

At the G7, Johnson and Merkel also discussed foreign policy related to Russia.

In the last two days, Britain and Russia squared up over a naval incident off the coast of Crimea after Moscow claimed it had fired warning shots at a Royal Navy destroyer in the Black Sea.

An initiative by the German chancellor to arrange direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin was scuppered on Friday amid particular opposition from eastern European leaders.

source: AFP

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The limited easing of restrictions on foreign holidays provides "a little bit of relief for the travel industry", Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has insisted, amid claims it has not gone far enough.

Fourteen new countries and territories have been added to the government's green list of destinations from which travellers do not have to self-isolate on their return.

They include Spain's Balearic islands, Malta, Madeira and a number of Caribbean destinations.

Shapps told Sky News: "It does mean there is a little bit of relief for the travel industry and for people who wish to get away.

"It won't be quite like it was in 2019 and the old days, but we are moving in a positive direction."

However, all of the additions except Malta were also put on a watchlist, which means they are at risk of returning to the amber list.

A number of popular hotspots such as France, Greece, Italy and mainland Spain remain in the amber tier.

Travellers returning to the UK from those locations must self-isolate at home for 10 days, making holidays unviable for many people.

Shapps held out the prospect that people visiting amber list countries who had received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine would not need to quarantine, with an announcement due next month.

Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, said the development was a "constructive step", but "fails to go far enough".

He added: "The government's own evidence shows that the US is low-risk and should be added to the green list now."

The Airport Operators Association chief executive Karen Dee said the government's "overly cautious" approach would continue to have "major financial impacts" on the sector.

"Any extension of the green list is welcome, however small, but we also have to be realistic: this is not yet the meaningful restart the aviation industry needs to be able to recover from the pandemic," she said.

CBI chief UK policy director Matthew Fell said: "While welcome, these limited movements on green list countries won't be enough to salvage the summer season for the international travel sector.

"International connectivity extends far beyond tourism and underpins our whole economy. The UK's successful vaccine rollout means we should be in the vanguard of safely restarting international travel."

However, Thomas Cook chief executive Alan French was more upbeat saying he expected a "bumper weekend" of bookings for the online travel company.

He said the announcement was "fantastic news for our customers who are desperate for a holiday and have been waiting with bated breath for this latest update".

But there are fears of potential new EU-wide restrictions on travellers from the UK over concerns about the spread of the Delta variant just as cases on the continent are coming down.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been pressing EU leaders meeting in Brussels to impose stringent quarantine requirements on arrivals to the bloc from Britain.

Shapps told BBC Breakfast: "I think it is understandable if you are in Germany a I heard what the chancellor said yesterday a and you have yet to reach the level of vaccination that we have seen here or in Malta, that you're going to be more concerned.

"That may be just a question of waiting for their vaccination programme."

Professor Adam Finn, from the University of Bristol and a member of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, told Sky News that the UK poses more of a risk to some other countries at the moment than the other way round.

He said: "I think these islands, where they've been added to the green list, have been added because there are very low, almost absent levels of virus there, so they pose very limited risk to the UK, particularly if people coming back are being tested on the way.

"So I think the risk actually is greater for those places a that people coming from this country at this point in time may take the virus with them and infect other people there, but of course that decision lies with them and these are countries that depend on tourism income for their livelihood."

By Neil Lancefield

source: PA

Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Exton, PA (19341)

Today

Rain this morning with thunderstorms developing for the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A few clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
Davidson County election commissioners are set to meet today to discuss ongoing litigation relating to an anti-tax referendum election a judge ordered earlier this week cannot take place.

Earlier this week, Chancellor Russell Perkins ruled that a set of six amendments to the Metro Charter proposed by the 4 Good Government group may not go to voters in a referendum election on July 27, as the commission had previously voted.

Perkins ruling noted that while sufficient signatures had been filed to trigger an election, several amendments were vague and confusing, and the petition included two alternative dates for a proposed election, not one, as prescribed by the charter. Perkins ordered the election to be canceled.

The ruling had choice words on the election commissions previous votes on the matter. Perkins wrote that election commissioners committed prejudicial legal error when they voted in May to place the 4 Good Government petition on the ballot for a referendum without consulting a judge.

This decision by the election commission was fraught with essential illegality; the election commissions decision was arbitrary, capricious, and illegal, Perkins ruled.

Tennessees chapter of Americans for Prosperity, which had scheduled door-to-door canvassing and phone-banking efforts through late June and July, decried the ruling.

This ruling once again silences Nashville voters and taxpayers who continue to be saddled with harmful tax increases, State Director Tori Venable said. Nashvillians are tired of Mayor Cooper and Metros spending addiction that put the city in jeopardy of a state takeover.

The commissions meeting today will be its first since the three-day trial on the matter earlier this month. Commissioners today will discuss the status of litigation and any necessary action, according to an agenda for the meeting. The meeting, which begins at 2 p.m., will be livestreamed on the Metro Nashville Network.

In a letter to all five election commissioners sent Thursday, council member at large Bob Mendes urged the commission not to appeal Perkins decision to cancel the election.

When I appeared before you last, I accused Chair (Jim) DeLanis of conducting a pre-baked political circus that was fundamentally anti-democracy. I stand by that, Mendes wrote. Please do not pursue an appeal. Please accept that trying to take taxing authority away from a countys legislative body violates Tennessee law.

The election commission spent $53,504.80 on legal fees related to the 4 Good Government referendum election between April 1 and June 23, according to Administrator of Elections Jeff Roberts. Documents detailing exact expenses remain privileged due to ongoing litigation.

A referendum election was projected to cost taxpayers $800,000. The commission spent nearly $215,000 on legal fees during last years proceedings.
The Spanish Government will continue to allow UK citizens to make non-essential trips to Spain, even although other European countries are restricting entry because of the spread of the delta variant of Covid-19.

"We are currently maintaining the measures that allow British citizens to enter our territory," according to Foreign Affairs, EU & Cooperation Minister, Arancha Gonzalez Laya. The Government will continue to monitor the situation, as we do with every country in the European Union and third countries as the pandemic evolves."

Non-essential travel to Spain is now allowed from Albania, Australia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Rwanda, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, which are considered safe countries with a low Covid incidence rate and good vaccination campaigns.

"It is up to the British Government to say what the rules are for its citizens, Minister Gonzalez Laya said when London kept Spain on its Amber' list two weeks ago. The Government will continue to share information on the incidence of the virus and the variants present with the British authorities.

The Balearic Islands and Canary Islands have been urging the British Government not to lump them in with mainland Spain when theyre reviewing the cumulative incidence rate and the mobility of British citizens.

Official American sources have indicated that the Joe Biden Administration has no plans to allow Spaniards to enter the United States, even if theyre fully vaccinated, despite the fact that Americans whove had both jabs are allowed to travel to Spain.
The total number of students from the mainland who were on trips to Mallorca and have subsequently tested positive is now put at 479 - 320 in Madrid, 50 in Galicia, 49 in the Basque Country, 32 in Valencia, 18 in Murcia, and ten in Aragon. In addition, at least five students have been isolated in a so-called bridge hotel in Mallorca after testing positive. They are from the Gipuzkoa province in the Basque Country, where a mass screening is being undertaken in the capital San Sebastian.

The 320 positive students from Madrid are aged between 17 and 19 and they are covered by 61 health areas, meaning that they are from all parts of the region. In Galicia, the minister of health, Julio Garcia Comesana, says that thirty cases are centred on Pontevedra. The others are in Lugo, Oursense and Vigo.

As a result of the infections detected in recent days, the national ministry of health's alerts committee agreed on Thursday that all those who are participating in and have participated in end-of-course trips to Mallorca are considered to be "close contacts".

The Balearic tourism minister, Iago Negueruela, has meanwhile said that places where students could have been infected have been identified. Inspectors have been sent to these places, although he hasn't stated which ones they are. "We have located premises where irregularities may have occurred and an investigation is now under way to see what action needs to be taken."

Negueruela is emphasising that sanctions for breaching Covid regulations are "extremely high" and he has called for responsibility on behalf of tour operators and families. "This type of trip," he has stated, "is not authorised". "It is irresponsible due to the risk it entails."

All regions of Spain, he noted during a radio interview on Friday morning, are concerned about the consequences that summer may have on young people. "Covid has not been eradicated and so we must all act with caution. Young people, who have lived through a particularly tough year, are being asked for one last effort."

"We cannot afford to take a backwards step. This is why tourism of excesses has no place, even less so than before the pandemic. We will not jeopardise everything that has been achieved. We have met with businesspeople and we are not contemplating closing establishments. Everyone has to be given the opportunity to start. We will see how behaviour is in these areas (e.g. Arenal, Magalluf). If there are incidents, we will act forcefully and with consequences, as we did last year."

He added that the government has worked with the UK government in stressing what can and cannot be done on the islands. "The UK is in a difficult situation (because of the variant). What cannot be done there, cannot be done here in the Balearics."

For the meantime, however, it is Arenal to which most attention is being paid, and this has nothing to do with British tourists or indeed Germans; it is a Spanish student tourism of excess.
Get Cobb County news and local guidance about the coronavirus outbreak.

Sign up for our Email News Alerts.
Submit A Press Release

$25.00 / for 2 days

Ensure your press release runs prominently on our website and in our E-mail Newsletter. Gauranteed placement on these platforms is $25.

Note: All submissions will go through our editorial approval process before being posted.
Catherine E. Semcer is a research fellow with the Property and Environment Research Institute and member of the Sustainable Use and Livelihoods Specialist Group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. She wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Note:

We have changed our commenting system. If you do not have an mdjonline.com account, you will need to create one in order to comment.
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
Sleep apnea is a critical disorder that affects people of all ages. Researchers now discovered that this sleep disorder in children could harm them in the long run.



A new study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) revealed that children experiencing sleep apnea might develop hypertension in their adolescence. High blood pressure is a health condition of concern as it makes one vulnerable to additional health issues like heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.

Persistent sleep apnea in kids is a critical sleep disorder that might impair their growth and development. Children with sleep apnea are three times more likely to develop adolescent hypertension in the future than their normal counterparts.

Monitoring the sleep disorder



At the start of this study, the researchers enrolled 700 children aged 5 to 12 years and monitored them in a sleep lab. Then they conducted a follow-up study after about seven years with 421 participants in their adolescent period.



All the data analyses were completed during 2020. The team used polysomnography, a classical sleep type of sleep test, to assess the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score of the participants. Further, they measured blood pressure levels and monitored body fat ranges.



Risk of hypertension



On analyzing various parameters, the team found that about 12% of the children under observation had sleep apnea. The outcomes from the analyses of these children revealed that they were nearly three times more vulnerable to develop hypertension when compared to the ones who never had that sleep disorder.



Further data analyses showed that these teens were also more likely to develop orthostatic hypertension, a condition in which blood pressure increases once when an individual takes an upright posture like standing.



"There is limited data on either the short- or long-term impact on cardiovascular risk in this (pediatric) population. The new findings address this knowledge gap and raise awareness of sleep-disordered breathing in children as a public health problem," said Dr.Marishka Brown, director of the NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.



Mild pediatric sleep apnea can be treated if diagnosed earlier. In some cases, surgical removal of tonsils and large adenoids might be recommended.







Source: Medindia At the start of this study, the researchers enrolled 700 children aged 5 to 12 years and monitored them in a sleep lab. Then they conducted a follow-up study after about seven years with 421 participants in their adolescent period.All the data analyses were completed during 2020. The team used polysomnography, a classical sleep type of sleep test, to assess the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) score of the participants. Further, they measured blood pressure levels and monitored body fat ranges.On analyzing various parameters, the team found that about 12% of the children under observation had sleep apnea. The outcomes from the analyses of these children revealed that they were nearly three times more vulnerable to develop hypertension when compared to the ones who never had that sleep disorder.Further data analyses showed that these teens were also more likely to develop orthostatic hypertension, a condition in which blood pressure increases once when an individual takes an upright posture like standing."There is limited data on either the short- or long-term impact on cardiovascular risk in this (pediatric) population. The new findings address this knowledge gap and raise awareness of sleep-disordered breathing in children as a public health problem," said Dr.Marishka Brown, director of the NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research.Mild pediatric sleep apnea can be treated if diagnosed earlier. In some cases, surgical removal of tonsils and large adenoids might be recommended.Source: Medindia

Fernandez-Mendoza, an associate professor at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, insisted, "Sleep apnea and its risk factors should be screened for, monitored, and targeted early in life to prevent future cardiovascular disease."
Toxic workplace exists when companies fail to prioritize employees' mental health. This in turn leads to threefold increase in the risk of developing depression, reveals a new study.



And while working long hours is a risk factor for dying from cardiovascular disease or having a stroke, poor management practices pose a greater risk for depression, found researchers from the University of South Australia.

Low psychosocial safety climate (PSC) is an important predictor of bullying and emotional exhaustion at workplace. When a company is concerned of their employees mental health, bullying can be prevented.





While enthusiastic and committed workers are valued, working long hours can lead to depression, affecting an estimated 300 million people worldwide. Men are also more likely to become depressed if their workplace pays scant attention to their psychological health.



High levels of burnout and workplace bullying are also linked to corporations' failure to support workers' mental health, said researchers.



A separate paper co-authored by internationally renowned expert on workplace mental health, ARC Laureate Professor Maureen Dollard and published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology earlier this month, found that low psychosocial safety climate (PSC) was an important predictor of bullying and emotional exhaustion.



PSC is the term used to describe management practices and communication and participation systems that protect workers' mental health and safety.



"We also found that bullying in a work unit can not only negatively affect the victim, but also the perpetrator and team members who witness that behaviour. It is not uncommon for everyone in the same unit to experience burnout as a result.



The study investigated bullying in a group context and why it occurs. Sometimes stress is a trigger for bullying and in the worst cases it can set an 'acceptable' level of behaviour for other members of the team. But, above all bullying can be predicted from a company's commitment to mental health, so it can be prevented, Dollard noted.







Source: IANS "Evidence shows that companies who fail to reward or acknowledge their employees for hard work, impose unreasonable demands on workers, and do not give them autonomy, are placing their staff at a much greater risk of depression," Zadow said.While enthusiastic and committed workers are valued, working long hours can lead to depression, affecting an estimated 300 million people worldwide. Men are also more likely to become depressed if their workplace pays scant attention to their psychological health.High levels of burnout and workplace bullying are also linked to corporations' failure to support workers' mental health, said researchers.A separate paper co-authored by internationally renowned expert on workplace mental health, ARC Laureate Professor Maureen Dollard and published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology earlier this month, found that low psychosocial safety climate (PSC) was an important predictor of bullying and emotional exhaustion.PSC is the term used to describe management practices and communication and participation systems that protect workers' mental health and safety."We also found that bullying in a work unit can not only negatively affect the victim, but also the perpetrator and team members who witness that behaviour. It is not uncommon for everyone in the same unit to experience burnout as a result.The study investigated bullying in a group context and why it occurs. Sometimes stress is a trigger for bullying and in the worst cases it can set an 'acceptable' level of behaviour for other members of the team. But, above all bullying can be predicted from a company's commitment to mental health, so it can be prevented, Dollard noted.Source: IANS

Poor workplace mental health can be traced back to poor management practices, priorities and values, which then flows through to high job demands and low resources, said lead author Amy Zadow, in the study published in the
In Kanpur Dehat, a two-year-and-8-month-old girl was administered the Covid vaccine during the ongoing trial of Bharat Biotech's Covaxin on children.



The girl is the daughter of a doctor in Kanpur Dehat.

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission to Bharat Biotech in the month of May to begin phase 2-3 trials of Covaxin on children as young as two.





A safety profile of the children, who have been vaccinated, will be prepared.



In May, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission to Bharat Biotech to commence phase 2-3 trials of Covaxin on children as young as two.



Several hospitals, including AIIMS Delhi and Patna have also commenced Covaxin trial on kids.







Source: IANS The children were kept under observation for two hours before they were allowed to go home, said the spokesperson.A safety profile of the children, who have been vaccinated, will be prepared.In May, the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had granted permission to Bharat Biotech to commence phase 2-3 trials of Covaxin on children as young as two.Several hospitals, including AIIMS Delhi and Patna have also commenced Covaxin trial on kids.Source: IANS

The spokesperson of the Prakhar hospital, where the girl was vaccinated, said on Thursday that around five children, including three girls and two boys, in the age group of 2-6 years were given the vaccine at the hospital in Kanpur.
Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots was a revolutionary movie that came out in 2009 and really connected with young audiences and adults everywhere.

 Netflix

The coming-of-age comedy-drama film, based on Chetan Bhagat's book Five Point Someone, had a stellar cast of Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, and Boman Irani, making the film not only just a content-based film but a cinematic delight as well.



 Netflix

The film had a lot of takes on how education is looked at as a whole in India and how students have to bear tremendous pressures when it comes to scoring high in examinations as well as getting a job that pays well in the future.



Actor Ali Fazal portrayed one of those students in the film, with his character Joy Lobo deciding to take his own life after failing to complete his final year project on time.

 Netflix

However, Fazal, who himself was a second-year college student back when the film was being shot, said that during the shooting, a news channel approached him, asking him to comment on the teenage suicides in India.



The 34-year-old actor revealed that he fell into depression around the same time and stated how he felt 'crushed' at the news of students taking drastic steps due to pressures related to studies.

I slipped into depression when I started with 3 Idiots. I played a small role in it. Do you know what happened? Suddenly they were doing some news pieces, not to sound morbid or anything but at that time, some college students had harmed themselves, and then I got a call from some news channel saying, 'Sir, you've played this role and this is exactly what has happened. How do you feel about it?' and I was crushed at that point. I was naive. I was in my second year of college, said Fazal, while speaking with PeepingMoon in an interview.

After starting out with a small role in 3 Idiots, over the course of years, Fazal has really gone on to make a big name for himself by working in films like Happy Bhag Jayegi, Bobby Jasoos, and Fukrey.

 Prime Video

The actor, who really impressed fans and critics with his performance in the Amazon series Mirzapur, has also bagged some Hollywood projects during that time.



He will now be seen in Netflix's upcoming OTT series 'Ray' on June 25, 2021.
Disney Plus Hotstar has dropped its action-thriller web series Grahan, which has been inspired by the novel Chaurasi by Satya Vyas. The series follows the aftermath of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots which also interlinks two stories from different eras. The show stars Zoya Hussain, Pavan Malhotra, Anshuman Pushkar, Wamiqa Gabbi, Teekam Joshi and Sahidur Rahman in pivotal roles.

It tells the story of a police officer, who has been made a part of Special Investigation Teams to investigate cold cases from the riots in Bokaro. Things take an ugly turn when she realizes that her father might be somewhere involved in instigating the riots of 1984. She wants to pursue the truth and it gets darker and darker with each passing layer of the story.

After the trailer, the show landed into trouble for hurting religious sentiments. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Bibi Jagir Kaur even demanded an immediate ban on Grahan.

Well, the show is now streaming online on the OTT platform with people pouring positive reviews.

People are recommending it as a must-watch story and are asking people not to miss it. Its because of the performances put up by the team and they are also hailing the screenplay. People also are rooting for it because its engaging and can be binge-watched.

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

 Twitter

Even the critics are rooting for the story and have given positive reviews.

According to India Today, With eight episodes of 40-50 minutes each, the series can be easily binge-watched over the weekend. This might also interest the millennial kids in trying to find out about a forgotten chapter and one of the dark chapters of Indian history, which is not often talked about.

An Indian Express critic said, Overall, Grahan is engaging and will keep you invested through the almost seven hours of content. Even if khoon kharaba or investigative drama is not your cup of tea, you can give the charm of first love a try.



With all these positive reviews by people and critics, the show can be added to your watch list.

Are you planning to watch the show over the weekend? Let us know in the comments section below.
Released in 2019, The Family Man season 1 received rave reviews. The 10 episode series sees the life of Srikant Tiwari, played by Manoj Bajpayee, who is flitting between his clandestine government job and his role in the family. Whereas in season 2, we saw Srikant settle for a corporate job, but he ends up back in the force. The story also saw another mind-boggling character of Samantha Akkineni, whose phenomenal acting skills instantly made the show a big hit.

 Amazon Prime Video

 Amazon Prime Video

Samantha plays the role of Rajalakshmi Chandran, AKA Raji, who is an activist. She is seen as the antagonist on the show with Sajid, played by Shahab Ali. In a recent interview, Shahab went on to speak about the chemistry between the two. We witnessed tits and bits of their growing romance but not a full-fledged love story. In the interview, Shahab mentioned that there were 'suggestive' scenes with Samantha that didn't make it to the final show. They had intimate scenes, which were jettisoned.



 Amazon Prime Video

Shahab said, "It is not just the intimate scenes. It was the usual process - you have a lengthy show, and there is the process of editing which comes later. It was not like a particular scene was edited out."



He further added, "I think only those scenes were retained that were required and logical. The parts that were not logical, were not kept."

 Amazon Prime Video

When asked if they shot intimate physical scenes, he added, "We did some suggestive scenes that suggested that they fall in love towards the end. But those scenes were not making sense for the creators, or maybe the platform. So, those scenes were edited out. There are so many scenes edited out, so it is not a big deal. That is the process of content creation."



 Amazon Prime Video

Their roles as extremists have been highly praised by the audience and made it one of the gripping shows. He also remembered how he didn't know how to drive but had to learn for a few episodes. He said, "I had to drive the car in panic mode with intense dialogues. It was a nightmare for me. Production people gave me a fifteen-twenty minutes lesson, and then I went to shoot. Samantha did not know that I was driving for the first time. Later, when I told her she was shocked,"



 Amazon Prime Video

The Family Man 2 is directed and created by Raj & D.K. Suparn S. Verma. The story is based on several real-life events, making the show an exciting watch with its twists.


China has recently demanded that its laboratory in Wuhan be awarded the prestigious Nobel prize for its contribution to the research of Coronavirus.

Yes, you are reading that right!

Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministrys spokesperson, Zhau Lijian said that Chinas Wuhan lab deserves the Nobel prize for studying the coronavirus.

This comes after the lab has been nominated for Chinas top science award.

 BCCL

The Chinese Academy of Sciences selected the Wuhan Institute of Virology for its Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize in 2021 for identifying the virus.



Dr. Li-Meng Yan, a Chinese virologist earlier claimed that the coronavirus was leaked from the Wuhan lab. After hearing about Chinas demands asking for a Nobel Prize for the same, she said, It sounds crazy that China asked for Nobel Prize nomination for Wuhan Lab. When more and more evidence coming out, people are realizing that the COVID-19 pandemic originated in Wuhan, and the labs are involved in the gain-of-function modification of the virus. However, the nomination clearly shows Chinas perspective to the world, which is opposite but perfectly fits CCPs logic."

She further said, Asking for the nomination not only shows CCP regimes ambitions to the world but also proves how inhuman the communist ideology and dictatorship is. Moreover, it tells you clearly that the COVID-19 is NOT caused by a lab accident, but purposely released to destroy the rival countries by the Chinese government."

Zhau Lijian had said according to a press statement, The genome sequence of Covid-19 was first identified by Chinese scientists, but that does not mean Wuhan is the source of the coronavirus, nor can it be inferred that the coronavirus was made by Chinese scientists.

 BCCL

Linian added, If those that first publish high-quality viral genomes were to be accused of making the virus, then professor Luc Montagnier, who first discovered the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) would be considered the culprit of AIDS rather than awarded the Nobel Prize, and Mr. Louis Pasteur, who discovered microbes, would be held accountable for the disease-causing bacteria all around the globe. By analogy, the team in Wuhan should be awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for their research on Covid-19 instead.



Now, social media users are angry and are reacting to the news of China asking for a Nobel Prize for the lab.

People on Twitter believe that the lab was the original source of the virus and are now heavily criticizing the ministry for asking for a Nobel Prize.

Heres what they have to say-

If Wuhan Lab in China deserves Nobel Prize for Medicine according to China; then ISIS deserves the Nobel peace prize too.  Shining Star  (@ShineHamesha) June 24, 2021

We must admit, the work of the Wuhan Institute of Virology really has touched all of our lives, hasnt it? https://t.co/eicvXkz94v  Jim Geraghty (@jimgeraghty) June 21, 2021

considering they want the Wuhan lab to receive a Nobel prize for identifying the virus, you'd think they'd do a better job developing a vaccine to fight it  MikJee (@SMikjee) June 23, 2021

Yes indeed... nobel is always awarded for graound breaking in their respective field..... Wuhan virus was and is a Ground breaking virus in the field of Virology....

Just accept it was manufactured in Wuhan lab and every country would recommend for the Nobel.  Samya Das Gupta (@samyaishere) June 23, 2021

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below!
In another heartbreaking news, a TV anchor from Zambia interrupted a live news bulletin to complain that he and his work colleagues havent been paid their salaries by the news channel.



Kabinda Kalimina, who was reading the news during a KBN programme on Saturday, stopped between live news to announce that the staff at the channel had not received their wages and insisted that they must be paid.

He started the show by giving a round-up of the days top stories. But then, he went on to make a complaint on live television.

He said, Away from the news, ladies, and gentleman, we are human beings. We have to get paid.

He added, " Unfortunately, on KBN we haven't been paid... Sharon and everyone else hasn't been paid, including myself. We have to get paid.

Check out the video here-

As soon as Kalimina made his statement, his live feed was cut to the opening montage.



Kennedy K Mambwe, the CEO of KBN TV, took to Facebook to condemn the actions of the anchor.

He also added that Kalimina exhibited drunken behaviour during the show and said that the channel would investigate how drunken part-time presenter found himself on air abated.

The statement read as, As KBN TV, we are appalled with the drunken behaviour exhibited through a video clip that has gone viral on social media and staged by one of our part-time presenters during what should have been the main news bulletin last night.

It added, As management, we are carrying out investigations to determine how a drunken part-time presenter found himself on air unabated, and disciplinary action will be taken against anyone who may have been party to the scheme.

The anchor refuted the channels claims saying that he wasnt drunk during the show. He also questioned how he can be under the influence of alcohol as he had already anchored three other shows.

He said, Yes I did that on live TV, just because most journalists are scared to speak out doesn't mean journalists shouldn't speak out.
In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full
Bulk cargoes of August-shipment US heavy melting scrap 1&2 (80:20) were offered to Vietnam at $520 per tonne cfr this week, down by $10 per tonne from last week.Shredded scrap from the US was offered to Vietnam at $525-530 per tonne cfr, while bonus scrap from the country was offered at $530-535 per tonne cfr.Australia-origin HMS 1&2 (80:20) was offered to Vietnam at $510 per tonne cfr this week.These offers are in line with spot market prices, sources said, considering bulk cargoes from the US West Coast were offered to Taiwan at $515 per tonne cfr.A southern Vietnamese steel mill was in the spot market for a bulk cargo of HMS 1&2 (80:20) and floated a tender to buy 15,000 tonnes of the material on Wednesday. Sources said it was bidding at $500-510 per tonne cfr Vietnam.Market participants could not confirm the final purchase price that the mill had paid at the time of writing.Market sources indicated spot prices at around $510 per tonne cfr Vietnam, based on offers for Japanese H2 scrap of $500 per tonne cfr Vietnam at the start of the week.Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for deep-sea bulk cargoes of steel scrap, HMS 1&2 (80:20), cfr Vietnam was $510 per tonne on Friday June 25, down by $10 per tonne from a week earlier A bulk cargo of Japanese H2 scrap was said to have been sold to Vietnam at $495 per tonne cfr either on Monday or late last Friday.Market participants indicated spot prices of $490-495 per tonne cfr for bulk cargoes of Japanese H2 scrap this week. Bids were made at $485 per tonne cfr Vietnam, but sources said these were unlikely to result in any transactions.But this week has been extremely quiet for Japanese scrap. It seems like there was little interest for such material, a Vietnamese trader told Fastmarkets on Friday June 25.Hong Kong-origin H1&H2 scrap (50:50) was offered at $485 per tonne this week, sources said.Domestic scrap prices in Vietnam also experienced some adjustments on Wednesday.Type 1 domestic scrap (which is largely similar to Japanese H1 scrap) has being sold at 9,800 Vietnamese Dong per kg - about $424 per tonne - since the middle of this week; Type 2 domestic scrap (similar to Japanese H2 scrap), at 9,700 Dong per kg; and Type 3 domestic scrap, at 9,200 Dong per kg. Special scrap (similar to Japanese HS or plate & structural) is being sold at 10,000 Dong per kg.With domestic scrap prices at about $440 per tonne, the gap with imported scrap is quite big, so there is no need for me to purchase imports, a buyer source in southern Vietnam told Fastmarkets.Fastmarkets weekly price assessment for steel scrap H2, Japan-origin import, cfr Vietnam was $490-495 per tonne on Friday, down by $5-10 per tonne from a week earlier.Join our industry experts for an exciting forward look into Asias evolving steel market at the Singapore Steel Forum on July 14. Register today at
Prices for seaborne pulverized coal injection (PCI) inched up slightly in cfr market in the week to June 25 amid tight supply of both domestic and Russian PCI. The fob market continued to surge up due to the upgoing coking coal market and supply tightness of Australia PCI, market sources told Fastmakets. Premium hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $184.11 per tonne, up $0.31 per tonne Premium hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $304.14 per tonne, up $0.80 per tonne Hard coking coal, fob DBCT: $159.92 per tonne, up $2.99 per tonne Hard coking coal, cfr Jingtang: $265.31. per tonne, up $0.99 per tonneCoking coal marketChinas coking coal market is in a stalemate amid domestic supply tightness and necessary restocking demand from a few large steel mills.Some Chinese coke producers and mills were looking for coking coal cargoes urgently because their stocks can only support about one week of production and some coke producers even actively reduced production due to the shortage of raw materials, various market sources said.A few large steel mills in east China, without support from coal mines and coke producers, therefore, started to procure imported United States-origin high quality coking coal.One trader source from north China said the previous transaction of $305 per tonne cfr China for US-origin premium low-volatility hard coking coal was a short-lived individual case and it did not reflect the overall market buying level.This end-user got used to Australian coking coal and high-quality domestic coal, so they have no choice but to try the new and high-quality imported US-origin coal to sustain production, the same source said.A few market sources expect overall domestic supply of coking coal to gradually return after July 2 and July 15.Some coal mines have just closed following other unsafe mines, however, they will gradually apply to resume but I still need to keep watch, an industry source said.The fob coking coal market was also largely stable on Friday with few offers and bids submitted. The bid for Australia premium low-vol hard coking coal increased to $185 per tonne fob Australia yet no deals were concluded.Other market participants adopted a wait-and-see attitude and monitored the source of buying interest this week, Fastmarkets heard.A mill source from east Asia said there is no procurement demand in the spot market.We also heard mills in Japan and South Korea are well-stocked and have no buying interest for spot cargoes, the same source added.The PCI market in China in the week to June 25 was relatively quiet because there are limited tradable resources from Russia, market sources said.The offers for Russia low-volatility and high-HGI PCI with high quality were heard at about $170-$175 per tonne cfr China yet no deals were concluded.Russia mid-volatility PCI was heard traded at about $164-$165 per tonne cfr China in the week to June 25.A few traders were concerned whether Russia would impose an export tax on coal products after Russia's economy ministry proposed temporary export duties on ferrous and non-ferrous metals sold outside the Eurasian Economic Union.We've not heard that from our suppliers but if there's an added export tax on Russia-origin coal, Chinese buyers would have to seek other replacements at home and in other countries, a Beijing-based trader said. Fastmarkets index for PCI, low-vol, cfr Jingtang was $172.03 per dry metric tonne on June 25, up by $0.69 per tonne on a weekly basis.The fob PCI market inched up in the week to June 25 due to the continuous Australia PCI supply tightness and fast-growing coking coal prices, market source said.I feel most brands benefit from the rising Australia coking coal prices, a Singapore-based trader said.No deals for Australian PCI were reported over the week, however.Another mill source from Vietnam said Australia PCI prices continue to be supported amid tight supply. Fastmarkets index for PCI, low-vol, fob DBCT was $141.62 per dmt on June 25, up by $1.78 per tonne on a weekly basis.Dalian Commodity ExchangeThe most-traded September coking coal futures contract closed at 2,045 yuan ($315.79) per tonne on June 25, down by 0.50 yuan per tonne day on day.The most-traded September coke contract closed at 2,827 yuan per tonne on June 25, down by 37 yuan per tonne day on day.Join our industry experts for an exciting forward look into Asia's evolving steel market at the Singapore Steel Forum on July 14. Register today at https://events.fastmarkets.com/singapore-steel-forum
Thank you for subscribing!

By signing up to this free newsletter you agree to receive occasional emails from us informing you about our products and services. You can opt out of these emails at any time.
In Partnership with the Marijuana Regulatory Agency, Michigan's Electric Providers Offer Advice for Marijuana Home Grows

In Partnership with the Marijuana Regulatory Agency, Michigan's Electric Providers Offer Advice for Marijuana Home Grows

June 25, 2021 - Michigan's Marijuana Regulatory Agency - in conjunction with the Michigan Public Service Commission, the Bureau of Fire Services, the Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and electric providers in the state of Michigan - today produced and distributed materials to inform Michigan residents growing marijuana in their homes about the best ways to keep themselves, their neighbors, and their community safe while continuing to protect Michigan's electric grid.

Michigan residents with medical marijuana patient and caregiver registration cards have been able to grow a limited number of marijuana plants in their homes since 2008. After Michigan voters legalized marijuana in 2018, Michigan residents over the age of 21 have also been able to grow up to 12 plants at their home. These developments have resulted in an influx of new residential marijuana grows that have a major impact on Michigan's electric grid.

Since the energy demand for growing marijuana plants is so intensive - often requiring nonstop grow lights, ventilation systems, and other high-demand equipment - it is essential residential marijuana growers understand the impact the increased energy usage in their homes may have on their safety, the safety of their communities, and the safety of electrical workers and first responders.

A Michigan resident growing 12 plants in a home can increase that home's energy demand by 2.75 times. Maximizing the 72-plant limit for a medical marijuana caregiver's residential grow operation could result in energy usage equivalent to the average use of 10.75 houses.

Residential marijuana growers should understand the proper steps to take while planning their grow operation to ensure their safety, as well as the protection of their home and utility equipment. Overloading electrical equipment can create fire hazards and damage electrical equipment, which can also lead to extended power outages in your community.

Growing marijuana in a home is a legal right and it must be done safely and responsibly. Before starting a home grow, individuals should:

become familiar with local rules and ordinances

hire a licensed electrical contractor

contact their local utility to ensure their electrical service is sized appropriately to serve the increased energy demand

When residential growers work together with their electric company, significant damage can be avoided, including:

Unanticipated significant overloading can lead to catastrophic failure of utility and customer-owned equipment. If a significant customer load is added before the energy provider has an opportunity to review and utility equipment is damaged as a result, the customer causing the issue may be held responsible for associated costs of repair. There could be lengthy delays in the restoration of service. The utility must determine what caused the issue, find out what the true load sizes are, and upgrade its equipment to serve it.

In addition to damaging the equipment of the customer that added the significant load, there could be possible damage to property of other customers receiving service from the same transformer. This damage can range from appliances to sensitive electronics, smart TVs, computers and more.

Structural fire dangers are by far the worst-case scenario for marijuana home grows. When circuits are overloaded beyond their rating, it becomes a hazard and the cost associated with this kind of incident is immeasurable as it has the potential to cause death in addition to widespread damage to the electrical system and people's property.

The Michigan Public Service Commission's website has important information available for Michigan residents, including:

The Electrical Safety: Residential Growing informational document can be found here or by visiting Michigan.gov/MRA.
MDHHS issues COVID-19 school guidance to help keep kids and teachers healthy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 25, 2021

Contact: Lynn Sutfin, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. - Today, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) issued recommendations for schools to help prevent transmission of COVID-19 within school buildings in an effort to reduce disruptions to in-person learning and help protect those who are not fully vaccinated.

"I am pleased with the progress of our vaccination efforts in Michigan, with 56% of Michiganders age 12 and older having received at least their first dose of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine," said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS. "These vaccines are the reason transmission of the virus in Michigan is at the lowest point in a year. However, as the school environment brings together large groups of individuals who may not yet be vaccinated, MDHHS is issuing this guidance to help protect Michiganders of all ages."

To help schools prepare for the return of people to indoor settings in the fall, the guidance outlines mitigation measures designed to protect students, teachers and staff, and maintain in-person learning. Schools can layer multiple prevention strategies developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce transmission of the virus within school buildings.

This will help minimize disruptions to in-person learning and help protect the people who are not fully vaccinated, which currently includes all children under the age of 12 years. All prevention strategies provide some level of protection, and layered strategies implemented at the same time provide the greatest level of protection.

Key prevention strategies in schools include:

Encouraging students and staff to stay home if sick or having COVID-19 symptoms.

Encouraging students and staff to get tested for COVID-19 if having symptoms or if they are not fully vaccinated and are a close contact of someone who has COVID-19.

Conducting screening testing.

Implementing contact tracing and quarantine, collaborating with the local health department.

Maintaining Healthy Environments

Promoting handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes.

Routine cleaning to help maintain healthy facilities.

Avoiding crowded and/or poorly ventilated indoor activities (e.g., engaging in outdoor activities when possible and increasing ventilation for indoor activities).

Michigan residents seeking more information about the COVID-19 vaccine can visit Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.

# # #
First mosquito-borne virus of 2021 detected in Michigan mosquitoes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 25, 2021

Contact: Chelsea Wuth, 517-241-2112

First mosquito-borne virus of 2021 detected in Michigan mosquitoes

Residents urged to protect against mosquito bites

LANSING, Mich. - Mosquitoes recently collected in Bay, Oakland and Saginaw counties have tested positive for Jamestown Canyon virus (JCV) at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Laboratories (MDHHS BOL). These are the first infected mosquito pools detected for 2021. Residents are reminded that the best way to protect themselves against JCV and other mosquito-borne illnesses, including Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV), is to prevent mosquito bites.

Every summer in Michigan, bites from mosquitoes carry the risk of spreading diseases to people and animals. JCV sickened three Michiganders in 2020. Also reported were 32 cases of WNV and four cases of EEE, resulting in two deaths.

The JCV virus is spread to people through bites from infected mosquitoes. Most cases occur from late spring through mid-fall. Illness can develop within a few days to two weeks following a bite from an infected mosquito. While most people do not become ill, initial symptoms can include fever, headache and fatigue. In rare cases, it can cause severe disease in the brain and/or spinal cord including encephalitis and meningitis.

"It only takes one bite from an infected mosquito to cause a severe illness," said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health at MDHHS. "We urge Michiganders to take precautions such as using an EPA-registered insect repellent when outdoors, avoiding areas where mosquitoes are present if possible and wearing clothing to cover arms and legs to prevent bites."

While the JCV is found throughout much of the U.S., cases have been increasing in the Midwest. This likely reflects increased awareness and testing but may also be due to an increase in the presence of the virus in the environment. This is the first year that the MDHHS BOL is offering virus testing of mosquito pools collected by local health departments and county mosquito control programs. Testing is being offered to improve detection and notification of mosquito-borne viruses.

JCV can be spread by mosquitoes that become infected when they feed on deer or other animals that have the virus in their blood. Infected mosquitoes spread the virus to other animals or people through bites. Arboviruses including WNV and EEE virus spread when mosquitoes contract the virus from biting infected birds then biting a human.

Residents can stay healthy by using simple, effective strategies to protect themselves and their families. The following steps are recommended to avoid JCV and other mosquito-borne diseases:

Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, or other EPA-approved products to exposed skin or clothing. Always follow the manufacturer's directions for use.

Wear light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and long pants when outdoors. Apply insect repellent to clothing to help prevent bites.

Maintain window and door screening to help keep mosquitoes outside.

Empty water from mosquito breeding sites around the home, such as buckets, unused kiddie pools, old tires or similar sites where mosquitoes lay eggs.

For more information, visit Michigan.gov/EmergingDiseases.

###
BENZIE COUNTY  A Copemish man is being charged with one count felony operating while intoxicated third offense after a traffic stop in Benzie County on Thursday, according to a news release from police.

A Michigan State Police trooper from the Cadillac post stopped a vehicle around 1:06 a.m. on Nesson City Road near Lindy Road in Colfax Township for improper lane use, according to a Friday news release from state police.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Late Philippine President Benigno Aquino III was hailed Friday for his integrity in a Southeast Asian nation long plagued by corruption and for standing up to China over long-raging territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Hundreds of people lined up at a Catholic church in Manila despite coronavirus restrictions to pray before a silver urn with the cremated remains of Aquino, who died Thursday at age 61 of kidney disease arising from diabetes.

I just want to show my support and big thanks to Pnoy, Ivy Roque, a 41-year-old call center employee said, using Aquinos nickname. In his time, we were given hope that the Philippines can rise from poverty.

President Rodrigo Duterte declared 10 days of national mourning and ordered Philippine flags to be flown at half-staff across the country to honor Aquino, who led the country from 2010 to 2016.

Aquino's remains are to be interred Saturday in a private cemetery beside the tombs of his parents, the pro-democracy icons who helped topple dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1980s.

Ordinary Filipinos took to Facebook and other social media platforms to mourn Aquino and hail him as an honest leader who reminded the country that nobody was above the law.

Condolences also poured in from around the globe.

He was a valued friend and partner to the United States, and he will long be remembered for serving his country with integrity and selfless dedication, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement.

Aquinos steadfast commitment to advancing peace, upholding the rule of law, and driving economic growth for all Filipinos, while taking bold steps to promote the rules-based international order, leaves a remarkable legacy at home and abroad that will endure for years to come, Biden said.

Duterte, who has publicly ridiculed the political opposition to which Aquino was associated, called for the outpouring of sympathy for his predecessor to be turned into an opportunity to unite in prayer and set aside our differences.

His memory and his familys legacy of offering their lives for the cause of democracy will forever remain etched in our hearts, Duterte said.

Aquinos late parents, including former President Corazon Aquino, are revered for helping lead the resistance against dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was ousted in a 1986 army-backed revolt that helped spark similar peaceful uprisings in authoritarian regimes worldwide.

Philippine TV networks ran tributes to Aquino and his advocacy for good governance. DZMM radio network broadcast messages from listeners, including one who praised Aquino as the president with the biggest guts against China.

Aquino authorized the filing in 2013 of a complaint that questioned the validity of Chinas sweeping claims in the South China Sea before an international arbitration tribunal. The Philippines largely won. But China refused to join in the arbitration and dismissed the tribunals 2016 ruling, which invalidated Beijings claims.

Aquinos legal challenge and the eventual ruling was praised by Western and Asian governments but plunged relations between Beijing and Manila to an all-time low.

One of Aquinos major successes was the signing of a 2014 peace deal with the largest Muslim separatist rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, that eased decades of fighting in the country's south.

But while Aquino moved against corruption  detaining his predecessor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and three powerful senators  and initiated anti-poverty programs, the deep-seated inequalities and weak institutions in the Philippines remained too daunting.

Opponents pounded on missteps, but Aquino retained high approval ratings when his six-year term ended in 2016. Philippine presidents are limited to a single term.

Aquino campaigned against Duterte, warning he could be a looming dictator and could set back the democratic and economic momentum achieved in his own term. Duterte, however, won with a large margin on a vow to eradicate illegal drugs and government corruption in his first three to six months in office.

Duterte failed to fulfill his bold promise, acknowledging that he underestimated the magnitude of the problems. Aside from his brash rhetoric, he has been condemned for an anti-drug crackdown that has killed thousands of mostly petty suspects and alarmed Western governments and human rights groups.

Antonio Trillanes IV, a former senator and leading Duterte critic who went to Aquinos wake, said the former presidents death rekindled memories of his integrity and leadership style that starkly contrast with the culture of hate, killing and deaths under Duterte.

Were now fondly recalling the pleasant conditions in our country before compared to what we're seeing now, Trillanes said.

___

Associated Press writer Jim Gomez contributed to this report.
House Bill 4434, Require unemployment bureau communications use plain language: Passed 19 to 16 in the Senate

To end further state participation in the $300 weekly "supplemental" unemployment benefits authorized by a federal "stimulus" spending bill. News reports indicate 25 other states have refused the benefits due to concerns they incentivize people not to work while jobs are plentiful. The bill would also require the state unemployment agency to use clear and concise plain language in its communications and determinations.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley R - Attica Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn R - Frankenmuth Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas R - Midland Y

Senate Bill 379, Prohibit governor from unilaterally increasing states road debt: Passed 19 to 16 in the Senate

To prohibit a governor from adding to the states long term debt by borrowing money for road repairs (bonding) without consent from two-thirds of the House and Senate. The bill comes after the legislature refused to enact a 45 cent per gallon gas tax proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who then authorized $800 million in new road debt in 2020, and eventually up to $3.5 billion. Money to service these debts comes out of future gas taxes and other transportation tax revenue.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley R - Attica Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn R - Frankenmuth Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas R - Midland Y

House Bill 4204, Authorize automated "photo cop" school bus passing citations: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate

To permit school districts to install cameras on school buses for the purpose of prosecuting motorists who illegally pass a stopped school bus.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley R - Attica Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn R - Frankenmuth Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas R - Midland Y

House Bill 4603, Permanently allow "virtual only" commodity marketing board meetings: Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate

To permit members of the agricultural commodity marketing boards to meet electronically. The bill would permit this on a permanent basis, not just in epidemics. These entities allocate money collected through mandatory assessments levied on growers; examples include commissions for growers of apples, asparagus, potatoes, cherries, beans, beef and others.

31 Sen. Kevin Daley R - Attica Y

32 Sen. Kenneth Horn R - Frankenmuth Y

36 Sen. Jim Stamas R - Midland Y

House Bill 4980, Permit drag races in the sand dunes at Silver Lake State Park: Passed 96 to 12 in the House

To make an exception to the state law banning drag racing for an activity at Silver Lake State Park authorized by the Department of Natural Resources. This would apply to a 450-acre section of sand dunes that park managers have set aside as a "scramble area" for ORVs.

95 Rep. Amos O'Neal D - Saginaw Y

96 Rep. Timothy Beson R - Bay City Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn R - Midland Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck R - Mount Pleasant Y

House Bill 4411, Authorize K-12 school budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year: Passed 105 to 3 in the House

To appropriate $16.742 billion for K-12 public schools in the 2021-22 fiscal year, of which $1.943 billion is federal money. The budget would raise the per-pupil state "foundation allowance" target to $8,700. This would be the first year since voters authorized this complex distribution formula in the 1994 Proposal A school funding initiative that its goal was reached of equalizing this amount between all of Michigan's 537 conventional public school districts.

95 Rep. Amos O'Neal D - Saginaw Y

96 Rep. Timothy Beson R - Bay City Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn R - Midland Y

99 Rep. Roger Hauck R - Mount Pleasant Y

House Bill 4725, Mandate binding arbitration with jail unions: Passed 97 to 10 in the House

To impose a binding arbitration mandate on local governments in union labor negotiations with corrections officers (jail guards). A similar mandate has long applied to local police agencies, and more recently fire departments, and reportedly increases costs and complicates contract negotiations.

95 Rep. Amos O'Neal D - Saginaw Y

96 Rep. Timothy Beson R - Bay City Y

97 Rep. Jason Wentworth R - Clare Y

98 Rep. Annette Glenn R - Midland N

99 Rep. Roger Hauck R - Mount Pleasant Y

Source: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit www.MichiganVotes.org.
MIDDLETOWN  The city will form a committee to study the best and most prudent way to allocate its roughly $20 million portion of American Rescue Act funds, officials said.

Overall, Middletown was approved for roughly $20 million in support from the federal government, $12 million of which will be applied to general government, and $8 million to the Board of Education, Mayor Ben Florsheim said.

It already received half of that sum in the first of two installments, he said, which includes $4 million in county funding given to municipalities based on their population, since Connecticut does not have a regional government structure.

It can be spent in limited ways, including on municipal government, some of which went toward the recently approved $213.25 million 2021-22 budget. That allowed the city to reduce taxes by 0.1 percent.

Downtown Business District commissioners voted Wednesday to send a letter to city officials proposing they dedicate a portion of the money to a streetscape improvement project for Main Street and its offshoots.

Theyre recommending the city study sidewalk, trees, benches, pavement, meters, garbage cans  any other issues on the sidewalks downtown, as well as the side streets, Chairwoman Jen Alexander explained during the meeting.

The federal money is going to be a huge, huge focus now that were done with the city budget, Florsheim said Thursday.

The city used to have a matching facade grant program, which DBD members hope can be revived by using ARA money, to help business owners pay for more expensive outlays.

Any hardscape building change requests would be vetted by members of the Design and Review Preservation Board and/or Planning and Zoning Commission, Alexander said.

About two weeks ago, Common Council members began talks on how to disperse the money, including to make up for lost revenue, the mayor said. A portion will go toward improving water and sewer infrastructure, which Congress recommended, Florsheim said.

Other eligible expenditures can be set aside for municipal economic recovery and revitalization, which the mayor expects will include investments in the riverfront and city-owned incubator space, the R.M. Keating Historical Enterprise Park. These are existing projects we want to take to the next level, Florsheim said.

That could potentially include grants to small businesses, he added.

Also, monies can be used to address sociological and mental health programs dealing with the effects of the pandemic, including among students, the mayor said.

The panel charged with recommending how stimulus dollars will be spent will consider many factors.

I think were going to have to be careful in terms of who we put on that committee from the general public, because some of this funding will likely be going to community partners, nonprofits and agencies as fiduciaries, Florsheim said.

That will avoid any potential conflicts of interest.

The DBD request would fall under the economic development category, the mayor said. Talks with members have taken some good steps in that direction, and I think we will continue to.

Its more about asking City Hall to set this as a priority for one of the things theyre going to pursue stimulus funding for, Alexander said the DBD meeting.

Amatos Toy and Hobby Owner Diane Gervais said the grant proposals are important to the appearance of downtown. Our street does not look as good as it could. We need a comprehensive plan.

Under the former program, a great city partnership, Gervais said, the street starts to look better.

Recently, the toy shop owner looked into getting a new awning and received an estimate of $23,000. Insanity; but thats what it costs, so Im putting it off  again.

If the city could pay half, you can bet that would be going up so fast, and it would look beautiful, Gervais said. I cant be alone. All the buildings on the street have similar situations. In the scope of [$20] million, the kind of money wed be talking about is tiny, but we need to bring it to the attention of our city leaders.

Were putting in our wish list because money is going to be spent, and we just want to be in there saying downtown should be a priority, Alexander said.

Signage and wayfinding is something that we could use some reinvestment in downtown, especially if we are trying to do more events that are drawing people in from other neighborhoods and all over the region, the mayor said.

The idea is to direct the funds toward projects that are lasting and meaningful, Florsheim said. Its going to be a big task how we spend this once-in-a-lifetime money in a way that is keeping with the fact that its going to last a lifetime.
MISSION, Kansas (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Kansas:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Last month, top Republican lawmakers rescinded the executive order from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly that imposed the states pandemic ban on evictions and foreclosures. That left only the CDC moratorium, which offered slightly different protections.

The state moratorium had been in effect since August. Kelly also issued an eviction moratorium in March 2020 but let it expire two months later. When the latest Kansas moratorium was lifted, Kelly spokeswoman Reeves Oyster said GOP leaders had decided to kick people out of their homes. Republicans have argued that the states moratorium prevents landlords from getting paid.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Kansas has received two rounds of federal rental aid  $200 million in one and $20 million in the other. As of mid-June, the Kansas Housing Resources Corp. had distributed $5.5 million from the largest pot to about 950 of the 7,780 households that applied (Wichita is the only community not served by the housing corporation). The money can go toward 15 months of rent, utilities and internet expenses.

The state also distributed $17 million in rental aid from the smaller pot, said Emily Sharp, a spokeswoman for the agency.

One challenge is that both tenants and landlords must apply to access some of the money, but certain landlords are saying, No, I just want you out," said Casey Johnson, an attorney for Kansas Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm. Some tenants also have refused to fill out the paperwork, making it impossible for landlords to collect any money, said Steve Vogel, the head of the Shawnee County Landlords Association. Johnson speculated that tenants might be resistant because they remain protected from eviction by the soon-to-expire CDC moratorium.

The state is anticipating an additional $150 million later this year.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

In Johnson County, the state's most populous, eviction proceedings are still conducted remotely. Many counties are now handling such cases in person or as a hybrid.

It's impossible to tell whether more Kansans were kicked out of their homes during the pandemic because the state lumps its eviction data into a broader category that also includes landlord disputes, debt collection and employment discrimination, said Lisa Taylor, a spokeswoman for the state's Office of Judicial Administration. But Johnson, of Kansas Legal Services, said landlords are increasingly finding reasons beyond nonpayment to evict tenants, such as not cleaning well enough or having an unauthorized pet. He said some landlords are not renewing leases when they expire. A Johnson County judge has found that the CDC moratorium is not enforceable and is proceeding with evictions.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Kansas has among the nation's most affordable housing markets, said Kirk Mcclure, a retired professor of urban planning for the University of Kansas and a contract worker for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He said only the Deep South is cheaper.

From 2015 to 2019, rent for a two-bedroom apartment increased by 7.9%, which was far below the national average of 15.4%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The vacancy rate was 7.8% before the pandemic, which was above the 6% national average.

As of May, the median monthly rent in the Kansas City metropolitan area was 4.6% higher than a year before, at $1,109, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. The median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the area was $1,319.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Kansas advocates for the homeless are bracing for a spike in people entering shelters or moving in with relatives. One indication is recent census survey data showing that 18,107 people believe they could be evicted within the next two months.

The process could move quickly: Kansas has one of the shortest timeframes in the country for evicting tenants who fall behind on rent. Johnson said landlords must merely send them a notice that gives renters three days to pay in full. After that, landlords can get a court order that gives the county sheriff 14 days to remove them.

Vogel, of the Shawnee County Landlords Association, said landlords are not eager about any of this. But he added: It is just like having a job but not getting paid. You just cant sustain that because they still have all their costs.

The Salvation Army in Wichita has already seen an increase in calls from people asking for shelter, said Jami Scott, the organizations director of homeless services.

Unfortunately, the money that has been flooded into the community to help people pay their bills, a lot of that money is drying up, and it is going to be really difficult for us to be able to get people into housing," she said.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP)  The Medical University of South Carolina will buy several hospitals and an emergency room in the states Midlands region, the state's second-largest health system announced Friday.

The MUSC board voted to approve the purchase of two Providence Health hospitals in Columbia, the KershawHealth hospital in Camden and a freestanding emergency room in Fairfield County, according to a news release. All are currently owned by LifePoint Health, a for-profit company based in Tennessee.

The State Fiscal and Accountability Authority intends next week to vote on signing off on the deal by the state-owned health system, House budget chief Murrell Smith told The State newspaper.

Gov. Henry McMaster, one of four members on the state fiscal authority's board along with Smith, didn't commit to supporting the plan Friday. McMaster, who was briefed by MUSC several weeks ago on the possibility of the purchase, promised a full discussion next week.

Our goal is to see the people of South Carolina have ample medical care and attention," McMaster told reporters. "MUSC is confident that this will do that. But I would like to see the details of the proposal as would, Im sure, the four members of the Fiscal Affairs Authority.

The MUSC purchase comes months after Prisma Health, the state's largest hospital system, abandoned its plan to buy the same facilities, after an unfavorable court ruling and questions about whether the deal would give Prisma a near-monopoly over hospital care in much of the states Midlands region. The Prisma merger would have left the Columbia area with only two hospital systems, Prisma and Lexington Medical Center.

Unfortunately, Lifepoint has made a decision they just are not going to continue to operate in South Carolina. So if Prisma cant do it, I cant think of a better system to provide those services than MUSC, Smith told The Post and Courier, which first reported the MUSC deal.

If approved, the MUSC expansion would bring more than 400 new beds across its 1,600-bed system.

MUSC has previously announced plans to buy hospitals in Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Mullins. It is also working to build new hospitals in rural Williamsburg County, Lancaster County and Berkeley County.

___

This story has been corrected to remove a sentence that erroneously said MUSC is working to expand its Charleston-based medical school.
RIDGEFIELD  The Western Connecticut Council of Governments approved a $3 million grant last Thursday to construct a 1.6-mile trail in the town. The Ridgefield Ramble will connect to the Redding Mile as the Norwalk River Valley Trail progresses north.

The money comes from the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program, which provides state funds to municipal governments in lieu of federal funds. It is the single largest grant the organization has received in its nine-year history.

The $3 million will cover construction costs, but an additional $180,000 is needed to activate the grant, according to NRVT Executive Director Beth Merrill.

What we have to do and what weve started to do is raise funds to complete the design, engineering and leasing of the project, she said. In order for us to build this, we have to have all the plans completed and approved.

The finished NRVT will span 30 miles from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk north through Wilton, Ridgefield and Redding and end in Danbury. Roughly 8 miles of trail have already been completed, with segments in Wilton and Norwalk, and construction on the Redding Mile is slated to begin this fall.

The first section of the Ridgefield Ramble will begin at a pond adjacent to the Norwalk River at Route 7 and Simpaug Turnpike. There will also be a dedicated parking lot at the same location. The trail will then wind along the river and upswing into the Berkshire foothills, Merrill said, which contain rock outcroppings and gorgeous old trees.

The top section of the trail will run in between two stone wall sheepfolds that date back to the early 1900s. Merrill envisions this spot as a dreamy destination for photos and engagements.

I just find (it) so entrancing, she said.

More Information For more information or to donate visit www.nrvt-trail.com. A virtual tour of the trail site is available on YouTube. See More Collapse

The crushed stone trail will be 10-feet wide with another 10 feet of clearings on either side, making it universally accessible to visitors with baby strollers or wheelchairs.

Past NRVT President Patricia Sesto, of Ridgefield, spoke of the benefits of having the trail in town.

In Wilton, the NRVT ranks as a top, if not the top, amenity and is used by thousands each month, she said. (The Ridgefield Ramble) will open up beautiful sections of woodlands next to the Norwalk River and take people to areas on the east side of town few are likely to have been.

She also noted the NRVTs regional significance, saying that, upon completion, it would be on par with other notable pathways such as the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Massachusetts, the North County Trailway in Westchester and the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail in Park City, Utah.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi echoed Sestos sentiment.

To be able to have a walking trail from Norwalk to Danbury, thats a huge asset for our region, he said. This, when completed, will be something that (everybody) can really enjoy  a beautiful outdoor nature walk.

The NRVT has already raised $54,000 of the $180,000 needed to support ancillary aspects of the project. On July 2, it will host a fundraising launch at Nod Hill Brewery in Ridgefield, where guests will be able to sample a new brew called One For the Trail.

Made in collaboration with Mitch Ancona, owner of Anconas Wines & Liquors in the Branchville neighborhood, the cans design features the organizations logo and information about the 30-mile trail. For every beer sold, a portion of the proceeds will go toward bringing the Ridgefield Ramble to fruition.

Merrill anticipates the trail will be completed by December 2022. The final installment of the NRVT, which is planned for Danbury, will begin construction next fall.

Were not stopping, Merrill said.

Katrina Koerting contributed to this story. alyssa.seidman@hearstmediact.com
A preservation commission that oversees Connecticut's historic state Capitol building is raising concerns about a provision tucked into the state budget that calls for a statue of the late Major John Mason, leader of the massacre of the Pequot Tribe, to be removed. They're warning that other statues of controversial figures could be next.

Members of the State Capitol Preservation and Restoration Commission said they were not originally consulted about the decision to move the statue. They are asking top leaders of the General Assembly for more information about the decision and whether they can study the issue further, including holding a possible public hearing.

I am still conflicted on this one. I go from, Oh, my gosh, take that down, the guy is bad' to, 'Wait a minute, we cant destroy all of history," said Barbara Gordon, a board member. I think we need to hear more from (legislative leaders)."

Mason's statue sits in one of 26 gothic niches located above entrances to the historic gold-domed structure that contain sculptures of once-famous Connecticut citizens.

In reading all these files of all these other people, its not going to stop with this one thing because theres a tremendous amount of information here about slave owners, slaveholders, said Mary Finnegan, a commission member and retired clerk of the legislature's Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, who questioned what the cost might be to relocate the statues.

Mason is known for leading a raid in 1637 on a settlement of Pequot Indians, which historians said killed more than 400 men, women and children. There have been efforts to remove his likeness elsewhere in Connecticut in recent years, including a 2-ton statue in Windsor that was first erected in 1889 in Groton but eventually relocated to Windsor in 1996. A member of the Pequot tribe had campaigned to have it removed from Groton because he said it glorified the killing of his ancestors.

Rodney Butler, chair of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, said it was a major victory for his tribe to have that language in the budget bill.

Every single time I go into the building and meet with legislators or testify, I always reference that, You know, it's kind of ironic that I'm walking into this building with Mason's statue on it,' Butler said.

State Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, co-chair of the Appropriations Committee, included the language in the budget bill signed this week by Gov. Ned Lamont. There was some confusion among members of the state Capitol restoration committee, however, about the timeline for the removal of the statue and its relocation to the Old State House, which is used as a historic and education attraction. An earlier bill would have required the re-examination of all the statues on the Capitol grounds.

State Historian Walter Woodward, a member of the commission, raised concerns during a meeting on Thursday, saying he worries about making judgments based on projecting present values into the past" when reassessing complicated historic figures like Mason.

Not only is it a slippery slope, but  we lose what can be incredibly important milestone markers for our own future, he said. There were reasons the people of Connecticut stood up for him, just as there are reasons Native Americans find him a despicable human being. These lessons are important lessons.
Erik Trautmann / Hearst Connecticut Media

State officials announced Thursday they have come to agreements allowing for new ownership and over 20 residents to be relocated from Carlson Place, a residential care home in Norwalk that has been the subject of complaints regarding its living conditions.

One agreement allows 26 residents to be relocated from the home, while the other allows for a new owner to operate the residential care home in Norwalk after a complete renovation of the facility at no cost to the state, according to a state Office of the Attorney General press release.
MANCHESTER  As police continue to investigate the killing of 13-year-old Zaniya Wright, whose body was found in the basement of a Manchester apartment building last week, many questions remain unanswered.

Dr. James Gill, the states chief medical examiner, said Saturday the girl was strangled, and her death was ruled a homicide.

Wrights mother reported her missing to Manchester police around 8:30 p.m. Thursday. By 8:30 a.m. the next morning, police found the girls body in the basement of the South Adams Apartments on Olcott Street, according to Lt. Ryan Shea.

Shea said on Monday there was nothing new in the case to report.

Its still unclear what Wright, a seventh-grader at Illing Middle School, was doing in the apartment building. Shea said she did not live there. Police have not indicated how long they believe Wrights body was in the basement.

No arrests have been made and authorities have not said if they have identified any potential suspects.

Late last week, Shea said investigators are doing everything they can to piece together the circumstances that led to the girls death, including talking to anyone who might have seen her or talked to her after she was reported missing.

Manchester Superintendent of Schools Matthew Geary called Wrights death terrible news in a letter to the public schools community the day her body was found. He said counselors were available Friday night and Saturday morning for anyone who wanted to talk about what happened or needed a safe space to grieve. School officials declined to comment on claims a family friend told WFSB that Wright was bullied at school.

A GoFundMe campaign, set up over the weekend by Joanne Sciulli, is seeking to raise money to help support the girls family. Sciullis connection to the family was not immediately clear.

There are no words of comfort that we can offer to Zaniyas family at this time, but we know that we do not want them to be burdened with funeral and other expenses to ensure they have the ability to focus on their grief and trauma, Sciulli wrote in the fundraisers description.

Sciulli said she hopes the funds donated through this campaign will cover all funeral expenses and provide financial support for the family during this surreal time. Any funds raised that are not needed to cover the expenses will be used to find ways to honor Wrights memory, Sciulli said.

Over $2,000 has been donated as of Monday morning.

The fundraiser described Wright as bright like the sun ... beautiful like the sea.

Anyone with information is urged to call police at 860-645-5500.
CLARKSBURG, W.Va.  A former physician at a West Virginia's veterans hospital was sentenced to probation Wednesday after pleading guilty to touching two female staffer's breasts without permission.

The sentencing of Dr. Kenneth C. Ramdat, 65, of Silver Spring, Maryland, comes a month after a former nursing assistant at the Louis A. Johnson VA Hospital in Clarksburg was sentenced to seven consecutive life terms for giving seven elderly veterans fatal injections of insulin.

Prosecutors said the separate incidents involving Ramdat occurred as he hugged the women in 2019. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to two counts of simple assault. A U.S. magistrate judge then followed the prosecution's recommendation and sentenced him to a year's probation, The Exponent Telegram reported.

According to a plea agreement, Ramdat will not be required to register as a sex offender.

Ramdat apologized in court and called his behavior repulsive, the newspaper said. He has retired from the Veterans Affairs system, according to statements in court.

Ramdat's plea is a step in the right direction to giving the women affected by his horrific actions the justice they deserve, said U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. "The systemic negligence at the Clarksburg VAMC must be addressed and dealt with. Accountability begins at the top, and I am committed to working with VA Secretary McDonough and as a member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee to ensure that these serious issues are addressed.

In May, a federal judge called ex-nursing assistant Reta Mays the monster that no one sees coming before sentencing her on seven counts of second-degree murder for intentionally injecting the veterans with unprescribed insulin.

Mays, who has a history of mental health issues, offered no explanation for why she killed the men. But U.S. District Judge Thomas Kleeh told her you knew what you were doing.
KABUL, Afghanistan  A small group of Afghans who worked as interpreters for the U.S. military rallied on Friday near the American Embassy in Kabul, protesting the red tape that stands in the way of their leaving Afghanistan.

The protest comes amid a push to get Afghan interpreters and others who helped the U.S. out of the country as American and NATO troops complete their pullout. The protesters in Kabul said they are victims of a bureaucratic nightmare as they try to escape abroad.

Many  even those who have not been directly threatened  say they fear for their lives, despite assurances from the Taliban they would not be targeted.

The former interpreters said the situation is increasingly urgent. Many had their special immigration visas approved, only to see them later denied, allegedly because of minor discrepancies in their statements from one interview to another. Others had been denied outright or were approved but were still waiting for the visas.

One of the men, Omid Mahmoodi, said he was not moved by President Joe Biden's promise on Thursday that Afghans who had helped the U.S. military during the last nearly 20 years would not be left behind.

We think he is lying, said Mahmoodi, who worked as a translator in 2018 . Time is running out.

Lately, it's become evident that the deadline for the last of the 2,500-3,5000 U.S. troops and 7,000 allied NATO soldiers to leave Afghanistan has been accelerated. Biden had said the last of the troops would be home no later than Sept. 11 but it has become increasingly clear that th e last soldiers would be gone from Afghanistan as early as next month.

Hezat Shah, who said he worked as an interpreter in southern Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold, said he risked his life each time he stepped into an armored vehicle with the Americans.

He said he does not trust a Taliban statement from last month that they would not seek revenge against those who worked with the Americans or helped Western interests.

They are not to be trusted ... they are lying, said Shah.

Biden faces strong criticism from some Republicans for pulling out of Afghanistan, even though President Donald Trump made the 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw all U.S. forces by May 2021.

The Taliban are today stronger than they have ever been since the 2001 invasion to topple their regime for harboring Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida chief, and have control over roughly half of Afghanistan, mostly rural areas. There is deep insecurity and fear of violence from the Taliban and the many heavily armed U.S.-allied warlords once the U.S. withdraws. Increasing lawlessness and a recent move to resurrect militias to fight a Taliban surge has further fired fears of a violent future for Afghanistan

Later on Friday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, are meeting with Biden at the White House.

As past experience not just from Afghanistan but also Iraq has shown, the vetting process to qualify for a special immigration visa could sometimes takes years, with multiple interviews  and the smallest contradiction from one interview to the next would be enough to disqualify an applicant.

Steve Miska, author of Baghdad Underground Railroad, which tells of the challenges faced by interpreters and their struggles to find a new life in America, said the bureaucracy is a mess.

I dont think the process was intentionally designed to be self-defeating. However, 9/11 created a hypervigilant U.S. response to terrorism, Miska said in an email to The Associated Press. The good intentions of the disparate intelligence community has created an extremely challenging process."

Mohammad Shoaib Walizada, who applied for his visa in 2012, was at first accepted but then rejected, said that in one interview he mentioned having three cousins, and later erroneously changed the figure. Mahmoodi, the other interpreter, said he mentioned an uncle and claimed he forgot to mention the uncle's death in a subsequent interview, and was disqualified.

Then they say you are lying, but I just didn't remember, said Mahmoodi.
The child development center building program would receive more than 10 times its intended budget next year in the House's first draft of the Defense Department's construction funding bill.

Proposed legislation passed Friday by the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee would increase the DoD's funding request for child development centers by $193 million, to $213 million.

The proposed legislation does not say which military installations are slated to get new or expanded child care centers, but Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said during consideration of the bill Friday that the increase will help fund a new child development center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

Read Next: Navy Announces End of Relaxed Grooming Standards

The DoD's fiscal 2022 budget request included funds to build a child development center at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, that would increase capacity by 60 children. Other projects currently in the works include centers that would serve Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; and Naval Base Kitsap, Washington.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., the subcommittee chairwoman, and other lawmakers have expressed concern about child care availability -- or lack thereof -- for military families. During a hearing in May, she told Air Force officials they needed to "go back to the drawing board and push to make sure" that child care is a priority.

"It's just incredibly disrespectful of your service members -- and I think this is the case across the board, but it is particularly pronounced in the Air Force -- that your requests have not included child care development centers," Wasserman Schultz said.

Of the child development center funding, $33 million is marked for "planning and design for future facilities," $72 million would go to the Army, $11 million to the Navy and Marine Corps, and $64 million to the Air Force.

In addition to child development centers, the $10.9 billion proposed military construction bill -- more than $1 billion above the administration's budget request -- includes increases for construction or changes to National Guard and Reserve facilities and cleanup of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid, collectively known as PFAS, contamination at former and active military installations.

Other programs that would see a boost in the House bill are military barracks at various locations -- $237.2 million above the budget request, including new barracks at Fort Hood, Texas. The bill also contains money to shore up installations from the effects of climate change at $100 million above the fiscal 2022 budget request.

Shipyards would receive a boost as well -- $475 million in total, which is $225 million above the administration request.

Family housing would receive $1.4 billion to address issues that came to light in 2018 in the military's privatized housing program, including mold contamination, poor maintenance and upkeep, and pest infestations.

"This bill demonstrates a strong commitment to our service members, their families and our veterans," Wasserman Schultz said during the markup, which included the portion of the proposal that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs in fiscal 2022 and provides advanced funding for the VA in 2023. "The bill specifically targets military housing and child care needs, women's and mental health priorities, and the climate crisis, while responding to threats emanating from Russian and Chinese aggression.

"Of course, I would have done some things differently if I were in your position; however, you have done a good job," the subcommittee's ranking member, Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, told Wasserman Schultz. "But I strongly support the bill."

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the misidentification of a lawmaker.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: After Criticizing Bloated VA Budget, House Agrees to Boost It By $170 Million
WASHINGTON -- Training for new Marines will become more rigorous as troops start to conduct more complex operations in smaller units, the commandant told senators Thursday.

"Through [a Marine's] entry-level training to [his or her] first unit, we have to raise the bar because we're going to expect noncommissioned officers and junior officers to make decisions that two levels up, they make today," Gen. David Berger said during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on the Navy and Marine Corps budget for 2022.

Berger said junior leaders are going to have to make calls, especially in a high-threat environment, independent from their higher headquarters as the service is now more than a year into reshaping its force to better prepare for modern operations.

In March 2020, the Marine Corps announced its "Force Design 2030" plan that laid out sweeping changes, including cutting overall end-strength numbers from 186,000 in 2020 to 174,000 by 2030, divesting in tanks, as well as investing in rockets instead of conventional artillery.

Berger said the service is lengthening infantry training by 50% this year.

"It has to get them to another level. ... We have got to make sure one person has three skill sets," such as an individual who is a corpsman, a machine gunner and a sniper, he said.

"We will raise the bar in training to make sure that we can empower and train them to a level where they can make the decisions on the spot," Berger said.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., also pressed Berger to explain how the force design will affect operational tempo and how the service will support families during more frequent or longer deployments.

Berger did not provide specifics on how the service would support families when Marines are on extended deployments.
FALLS CHURCH, Va.  A federal judge on Wednesday tossed out all charges against six defendants accused of cheating the government by supplying unqualified linguists to serve in Afghanistan, ruling that the government waited too long to bring the case to trial.

Prosecutors obtained a grand jury indictment against the six defendants in April for conduct that occurred in 2011 and 2012. Prosecutors say the defendants arranged for unqualified candidates to be hired as linguists in Dari and Pashto, the primary languages in Afghanistan, in part by having more proficient speakers take tests over the phone on their behalf. The linguists hired under the contract would support Army soldiers in communicating with Afghan civilians and military officials.

The defendants asked the judge to dismiss the case, saying their ability to defend themselves was prejudiced by the 10-year delay in bringing charges. They said one key witness had died, another went missing, and others were suffering memory impairment caused by medical conditions and the passage of time. They also said key evidence was never preserved.

Prosecutors said the case should proceed to trial. In court papers, they noted that a federal law, the Wartime Suspension of Limitations Act, explicitly extends the statute of limitations for crimes in war zones until five years after the termination of hostilities.

Defense lawyers said prosecutors sought to use the delays to their advantage, trying to extract pre-indictment pleas from the defendants.

At a court hearing Wednesday in Alexandria, U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema sided with the defendants and dropped all charges.

Prosecutors did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request for comment.
The Pentagon's office for logistics is hailing a win for a controversial program that gives cast-off military combat gear and vehicles to civilian law enforcement agencies after a police department in Texas deployed an Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected vehicle in response to an active shooter.

According to a release from the Defense Logistics Agency, the Paris, Texas, Police Department responded to a June 16 call for assistance with a barricaded suspect by sending out a SWAT team and the 26-ton MRAP -- a combat vehicle designed to withstand blasts from roadside bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan. An unidentified gunman carrying "high-powered rifles, shotguns and handguns" had fired on and hit a responding police officer and a patrol car before barricading himself inside a residence, the release states.

"The MRAP allowed the response team to safely approach the residence and provided some additional barrier from bullets for surrounding residences and businesses," it adds. "[Criminal Investigative Division Police Lt. Doug Murphy said the vehicle took at least 30 rounds with the team inside, but it performed well, needing only replacement mirrors, spotlights, one window and a gallon or two of touch-up paint."

Read Next: AC-130 Gunship Crew Gets Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medals for Saving 88 Lives in Battle

In a statement to the DLA, Murphy hailed the vehicle's contribution to the operation.

"This would not have been possible without the use of the MRAP, and its protection is, in my opinion, priceless," he said. "It kept my guys safe, simple as that."

The DLA frequently publishes news releases about ways law enforcement agencies have been able to use donated military combat vehicles that would have otherwise been destroyed as excess equipment. In January, it highlighted the use of former military vehicles in a shootout in Springfield, Ohio; in May 2020, it ran a story about an MRAP used to rescue locals from flooded homes in Saginaw and Bay City, Michigan.

For the military, excess equipment can be a massive headache. In 2013 and 2014, the Pentagon urged allies and civil agencies to take thousands of MRAPs and other combat vehicles off its hands as operations changed and it looked to more versatile options. The alternative is shredding or scrapping, which can be costly.

But the Defense Department's touting of the Law Enforcement Support Office, or LESO, program, which has transferred more than $7.5 billion worth of military gear to over 8,000 partnering law enforcement agencies since it began in 1997, comes as many decry the program.

In the wake of the 2020 protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, McClatchy published an investigation into the transfer of military gear to law enforcement. It found that of the 15 police departments with the highest number of police-involved killings, seven had received a larger share of military weapons through the LESO program. As of July 2020, McClatchy reported, 1,059 hulking MRAPs, valued at $700,000 apiece, had been gifted to police departments.

Last year, on the heels of outcry over police militarization, a provision that would have prohibited the transfer of MRAPs, weapons and other military paraphernalia to law enforcement agencies was introduced in the Senate, but failed to pass. A more narrow version that restricted transfers of grenades and certain other weapons and weaponized vehicles did make it into the fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

Military transfers continue, and so does concern from some citizens. In a June 24 letter to the editor published in the Gazette out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, citizen Tara McGovern speaks out on the pending transfer of an MRAP to the Johnson County Sheriff's Office.

"You will see the sheriff dismiss concerns about the weight of the MRAP (26 tons) by stating that it's 'lighter than a firetruck.' The reality is that damage to roads and property is a major reason why many communities have already phased out similar armored transport in their cities," she writes of a recent county board meeting. "You will see the sheriff refuse to rule out the use of armored transport in future protest scenarios even though you also will see the sheriff acknowledge that MRAPs have poor visibility, are difficult to operate and there is little reasonable recourse if the vehicle should tip over as they are wont to do."

Little contextualizing information is available about the shooter incident that unfolded in Paris, Texas -- population 25,000. A June 24 local news report states that "man barricaded himself in a Honey Grove home, allegedly shooting a Honey Grove [police] officer in the leg, sending him to the hospital. After about 10 hours, the standoff came to an end when officers entered the home at 9:20 a.m., finding the man deceased."

The injured police officer has been released from the hospital, it adds.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

Related: 43 House Democrats Join Call for More Restrictions on Transfer of Military Gear to Police
Daniel R. DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist at Newsweek.

This Friday, President Joe Biden will welcome Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to the White House for what could be a tense conversation. Ghani's trip to Washington, D.C., comes at a time when the war in Afghanistan is at its most intense since the 2010-2011 U.S. troop surge, when nearly 140,000 U.S. and coalition troops were patrolling villages in search of Taliban fighters.

Ghani and his governing partner, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, will likely use the face-to-face meeting with Biden to warn him of the urgency of the security situation in Afghanistan. The White House continues to receive criticism about its decision to withdraw all remaining U.S. forces from the country by September, with some condemning the exit as disorganized. Abdullah, who is in charge of talks with the Taliban, is predicting the collapse of diplomacy once the U.S. troop withdrawal is complete.

Despite all of the negative reactions, however, the case for the U.S. leaving Afghanistan is as solid today as it was when Biden announced the decision in April. Indeed, those who insist the Biden administration should change course or at least re-think its current approach fail to put forth a better alternative.

To be fair, there is no question the Afghan security forces are in increasingly desperate shape. With U.S. air assets being removed from the country, the Afghan military no longer has the world's best Air Force at its disposal. The overworked Afghan Air Force, which could soon be hamstrung with maintenance issues, is unable to keep pace with the Taliban's offensive operations across Afghanistan's north and south. According to The New York Times, about a dozen districts fell to the Taliban in a 24-hour period last week. Afghan troops, stuck on the front lines and often at the mercy of incompetent and corrupt commanders, find themselves with little choice but to negotiate surrender deals.

The question, though, is not whether the Afghan security forces will have trouble sustaining themselves after a U.S. troop withdrawal (the answer is self-evident). For U.S. officials, the relevant question is whether there is a more persuasive American policy option in Afghanistan than a full troop withdrawal. Given that nobody can articulate one beyond staying for an undetermined period of time, the answer is a resounding no.

Therein lies the issue with the argument for staying: It rests in part on the very hubris that fueled Washington's Afghanistan misadventure in the first place, counterfactuals that can't be proven, and best-case scenarios.

The idea that peace talks will end the moment the last U.S. troop leaves Afghan soil is widely accepted. But the inverse of that argument -- that U.S. troops will give the Afghans more time to hammer out a deal -- is not necessarily true. Just because the intra-Afghan peace negotiations are at risk of collapse in a post-U.S. Afghanistan doesn't mean those very same negotiations would have greater odds of success if the Biden administration decided to lengthen the U.S. presence.

To believe otherwise is to conveniently ignore how the Taliban has operated for the last 20 years. At no point in the 20-year war effort has the insurgency been serious in cooperating in a U.S.-facilitated diplomatic process with the Afghan government, an entity the Taliban regards as an artificial construct concocted by western powers. Even at the height of the U.S. and NATO troop surge, when military pressure on the movement was at its most fierce, the Taliban never officially dropped its longtime position of refusing direct negotiations with the Afghan government. The only reason Taliban officials decided to do so in the 2020 Doha agreement was because the U.S. also agreed to phase out its military presence.

Would the Taliban have agreed to speak to Kabul if the Trump administration wasn't willing to pull out of the country? Given the movement's past history, it's highly unlikely. If one takes the Taliban's words seriously, the group likely would have done precisely the opposite, dropping talks completely and using a lingering U.S. troop presence as a pretense to resume offensive attacks against U.S. forces. The same dynamics would apply if the Biden administration stopped the ongoing troop withdrawal in its tracks.

What if the U.S. linked additional troop reductions to the success of the intra-Afghan peace talks, as the prestigious Afghanistan Study Group recommended? This linkage sounds reasonable, as it would theoretically provide the Taliban with an incentive to cooperate diplomatically. In reality, though, this proposal makes a grandiose but false assumption: that a foreign troop presence on Afghan soil will, over time, enable good behavior from the Taliban, including the signing of a comprehensive intra-Afghan peace agreement. Unfortunately, there is little evidence supporting this assumption. In fact, if it was true, Afghanistan would already be at peace.

Could the U.S. military help buttress the Afghan army and frustrate Taliban attempts to capture more district centers? Indisputably, yes. But to what end? And for how long? These are the questions too few people refuse to address.

Nobody wants to see Afghanistan descend into further violence. But many of us often forget that Afghanistan was in the middle of civil war decades before U.S. troops were deployed. Regrettably, civil war will persist long after the U.S. leaves. To defend the Afghan government in perpetuity, however, would merely extend America's role in this long war, one only Afghans themselves have the power to end.

-- The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration.
When Senior Airman Daniel Proben's non-military friends ask about his Air Force job, he tells them that he refuels jets in midair.

Quizzical looks usually follow, prompting Proben -- an in-flight refueler with the 9th Air Refueling Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, California -- to explain further.

"I'll also say, 'They're about 40 feet away from us. We pass some fuel to them, so that they can remain in the air for a little bit longer,''' Proben said.

The confusion is understandable because commercial airplanes don't take on more fuel while 20,000-plus feet above the ground. In the military, it's common.

In-flight refuelers, also known as boom operators, can be critical to a mission's success.

Tech. Sgt. Philip Gordon has been a boom operator for 8 and-a-half years and is stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. He has been a formal training unit, or FTU, instructor for five years, helping other boom operators to meet qualifications.

Tech. Sgt. Philip Gordon, left, is a formal training unit instructor/in-flight refueler based at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. (U.S. Air Force/Air Mobility Command)

"If you deploy and the F-15 [Eagle] or the F-16 [Fighting Falcon] comes up and you refuel them, you feel like it's a normal day,'' Gordon said. "Their wings are full of bombs, and then they come up an hour later and their wings are empty. They just took out some of the bad guys, and they wouldn't be able to do that if we weren't there to refuel, because they only have an hour or two of gas.''

Tens of thousands of pounds of gas -- 10,000 pounds of fuel is equal to roughly 1,450 gallons -- can be pumped during the refueling process through one of two methods, depending on the aircraft. One utilizes a boom, which is a pole that extends from the refueling aircraft into a receptacle on the receiving aircraft. The other involves a probe on the receiver that latches on to a basket, or drogue, trailing the refueler on a hose, said Master Sgt. Paul McIntyre of the 50th Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

"It's most NATO and Allied aircraft we can refuel,'' said McIntyre, an in-flight refueler since 2012.

The Air Force operates three fleets of refueling tankers: the KC-10 Extender, KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-46 Pegasus.

While the KC-135s are stationed at bases in the U.S., including at MacDill, and overseas, the KC-10s are only at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and Travis AFB. The KC-46s currently are at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma; McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas; Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H.; and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., an Air Mobility Command spokesman said via email.

"The biggest appeal is the tangible impact that you can have when it comes to force projection and global mobility,'' McIntyre said. "No other country can do what we do with our tanker fleet.''

Training begins with tech school at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, where aircrew fundamentals and a basic boom operator course are taught. That is followed by survival, evasion, resistance and escape, or SERE, instruction at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.

Depending on the aircraft, the refueler and receiver can be 40 feet apart -- or less -- at the point of contact. Gordon said accidents are rare but happen. The aircraft's cautious approach -- at the rate of one foot per second -- and the pilots' training contribute to the safety of the process, he added.

There also is a standard emergency call: Break away.

"That will speed up the tanker, and that will slow down and make the receiver drop,'' Gordon said. "We practice it so much that the pilots, they're pretty much ready if it ever is called.''

A good in-flight refueler must be flexible because of how quickly schedules can change, Gordon and Proben said. The job can become intense and, because there is only one boom operator on a flight, they must think independently, the refuelers added.

McIntyre mentioned that, like so many in the military, boom operators tend to be away from home for extended periods.

Still, boom operators form a tight-knit community. That camaraderie comes in handy during stressful situations. Proben's squadron even has a phrase they use: "Keep it Gucci.'' "[It] basically just means be super hard-working and awesome in everything that you do,'' Proben said. "I guess I would just say [to those considering becoming an in-flight refueler], 'Keep it Gucci.'''

Want to Know More About the Military?

Be sure to get the latest news about the U.S. military, as well as critical info about how to join and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox.
We had mentioned in previous weeks closing report that Nifty, Sensex were directionless. The major indices rallied during the week and ended with decent gains.

The trend of the major indices in the week is given in the table:

On Monday, the indices opened lower but rallied and ended with decent gains. On the NSE, there were 1,255 advances, 771 declines and 57 unchanged.

PNB Housing Finance filed an appeal before the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) against the SEBI directive to halt the company's proposed preferential issue of shares worth Rs 4,000 crore.

The government has shortlisted Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank for divestment, according to media sources. The two lenders might see a 51% stake sale in the first phase of disinvestment.

Authum Investment and Infrastructure was selected by the lenders of Reliance Home Finance Ltd (RHF) as the winning bidder for the acquisition of the home financiers assets.

Centrum Capitals Centrum Financial Services has received 'in-principle' nod from the RBI to set up a small finance bank. This paves the way for the entity to take over crisis-ridden Punjab and Maharashtra Co-operative Bank.

On Tuesday, the indices opened higher but lost all of its gains and ended flat. On the NSE, there were 1,207 advances, 792 declines and 55 unchanged.

Jet Airways resolution plan has received approval from the NCLT. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA) have been given 90 days from June 22 to allot slots to the airline.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the additional equity stake acquisition in United Breweries by Heineken International B.V.

Info Edge net profit came in at Rs 66.7 crore for the quarter ended 31 March 2021 compared to Rs 41.6 crore YoY. Revenue declined 10.2% YoY to Rs 290 crore.

Avanti Feeds consolidated net profit declined 20% to Rs 69.7 crore compared to Rs 87 crore YoY. Revenue rose 6.1% to Rs 1,098.1 crore compared to Rs 1,035 crore, YoY.

On Wednesday, the indices opened higher but ended lower with minor losses. On the NSE, there were 780 advances, 1,193 declines and 63 unchanged.

The Enforcement Directorate handed over assets worth Rs 9,371 crore belonging to fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi to state-run banks to realise the losses on account of the fraud committed against them.

The government may sell 26% stake in IDBI Bank as part of its disinvestment programme. The Centre has started the sale process by issuing Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire transaction and legal advisors to advice on the sale process.

Piramal Pharma has completed the acquisition of Hemmo Pharmaceuticals Private Ltd for cash consideration of Rs 775 crore and earn-outs linked to achievement of milestones.

NMDC net profit jumped to Rs 2,838 crore from Rs 351 crore YoY. Total income more than doubled to Rs 6,932.75 crore, from Rs 3,320.95 crore in the year-ago period.

Hero MotoCorp has decided to raise prices by up to Rs 3,000 from July 1, due to an increase in commodity prices.

On Thursday, the indices opened higher and ended with decent gains. On the NSE, there were 778 advances, 1,184 declines and 58 unchanged.

Google and Reliance Jio announced launch of a new smartphone called JioPhone Next in the latters annual general meeting. Chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani unveiled the strategy and roadmap for its New Energy and New Materials business with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore over a period of three years.

Adani Group's Australian mining division Bravus Mining & Resources has struck coal in the much controversial Charmichael project in Queensland.

Apollo Hospitals reported consolidated net profit of Rs 169.89 crore for the Jan-Mar 2021 quarter compared to Rs 209.60 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. Consolidated revenue declined to Rs 2,867.95 crore compared to Rs 2,922.43 crore YoY.

Hornbill Orchid India Fund, a Mauritius-based hedge fund, acquired a 1.95% stake in Nureca.

On Friday, the indices opened higher and ended with minor gains. On the NSE, there were 1,068 advances, 900 declines and 62 unchanged.

LIC Housing Finance plans to raise about Rs 2,334.69 crore through preferential issue of equity shares to Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

Shilpa Medicare received in-principle approval from Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) to manufacture and sale of 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2DG) used in the treatment of COVID-19.

Majesco promoter Aurum Platz IT Pvt Ltd acquired a 14.31% stake in the company via off market transaction, taking total shareholding to 34.57% from 20.26%.

Apex Frozen Foods reported 9% decline in net profit for the quarter ended 31 March 2021 at Rs 8.36 crore from Rs 9.15 crore in the corresponding period of the previous financial year. Total income rose 26% to Rs 184 crore from Rs 146 crore YoY.
Considering time required for completion of reconstruction of Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended its directions on the lender till 31 December 2021.

In a statement, RBI says it has received certain proposals in response to the expression of interest (EoI) floated by PMC Bank. "After careful consideration, the proposal from Centrum Financial Services Ltd (CFSL) along with Resilient Innovation Pvt Ltd (BharaPe) has been found to be prima facie feasible. Accordingly, in specific pursuance to their offer dated 1 February 2021 in response to the EoI, RBI on 18 June 2021 has granted 'in-principle' approval, valid for 120 days, to CFSL to set up a small finance bank (SFB) under the general guidelines for on tap licensing of small finance banks in the private sector dated 5 December 2019," it says.

Taking into account the time required for completion of various activities involved in the process, RBI says, it is considered necessary to extend the directions.

Accordingly, it is hereby notified for the information of the public that the validity of the aforesaid directive dated 23 September 2019, as modified from time to time, has been extended for a further period from 1st July to 31 December 2021, subject to review, it added.

The PMC Bank scam broke after Housing Development and Infrastructure Ltd (HDIL), a single borrower which accounted for 73% of PMC's loan book, went bankrupt.

HDIL, in collusion with PMC Bank executives, created thousands of fake customer accounts to re-route funds to itself.

Earlier on 24 September 2019, RBI imposed strict restrictions on the Mumbai-based Bank. PMC Bank was also barred from carrying out most of its routine business transactions and depositors were restricted to withdraw only Rs1,000 from their accounts at that time. This limit was raised to Rs1 lakh in June 2020 with which the central bank had said that more than 84% of the depositors of the Bank will be able to withdraw their entire account balance.

You may also want to read
In an example of how deeply ingrained misogyny is in the Indian system, billionaire investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala asked the management of Jubilant Pharmova: How can we be lower than the lady? We have to beat her, in a slighting reference to well-known entrepreneur and industrialist Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and her company Syngene.

This happened during a public interaction on an analyst conference call held on 18th June when ace stock picker Rakesh Jhunjhunwala, whose 6.3% investment valued at Rs745 crore makes him one of the key shareholders in Jubilant Pharmova, was interacting with the company management.

Referring to the contract manufacturing business, which gives Jubliant Pharmova a 35% margin on its Rs 306 crore turnover, Mr Jhunjhunwala asked, Am I right in assuming that this business is some part of what Syngene is doingis it similar? The management responded affirmatively.

Mr Jhunjhunwala pointed out that it was highly scalable and Syngene had a good turnover and profitability because of this.

The management explained how they are different from Syngene, to which Jhunjhunwala asked how many people are employed in that business (850 people going up to 1,000 in the coming fiscal said the management) and Mr Jhunjhunwala sought a comparison with Syngene (around 3,000 to 4,000 he was told).

It is at this point that Mr Jhunjhunwala said, How can we be lower than the lady sir? We have to beat her.

This was immediately followed by loud laughter on the conference call  which is largely a mens club. Yet another of those back-slapping boys locker room moments in the Indian financial world.

This is not the first time Jhunjhunwala has made a sexist comment. A few months back, Mr Jhunjhunwala, who admittedly loves to gamble dished out advice to his followers in politically incorrect terms. He compared share trading to a mistress and longer-term investing to a wife, and recommended that investors should keep both happy.

A few people later on called out the misogyny; many termed it as 'lighthearted banter' or actively applauded him saying 'his comments are a class apart'. But what is dismissed as banter is exactly at the core of gender stereotyping and is reflected in the negative, abusive comments and dismissive attitude towards women in business and finance. It is metaphorical and continues to create barriers for all women and even the successful ones who have stormed past the glass ceiling constantly have their achievements derided and coloured with suspicion and abuse. The impact is best seen on the boards of companies where there is a drought of truly independent women directors.

Of the top-100 BSE companies in India, 91 have only one woman as a director. Most often, these are drawn from a fixed pool or related to the promoter group.

The Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is no stranger to misogynous comments. Last November, in a free wheeling interview, she shared how, over the years she took on sexism head-on and fought gender bias. She once said that women should forget all about criticism because it is always going to be there.

Last September when the parliament opened to begin the monsoon session, finance minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman became the target of Indian mens ingrained misogyny when a member attacked her appearance while trying to take a potshot at the state of Indias economy.

While male politicians have to protect against criticism for their statements and their actions  but someone like Sitharaman has to defend their domestic roles of mother,sister or aunty because these are the positions Indias patriarchal society has designated for them. While the economy might be an issue, the personal barbs and venom directed at the FM were below the belt.

Another form of misogyny is mansplaining  where men assume that women who are experts in their respective fields dont know what they are talking about and feel the need to explain their comments.

In 2008, author Rebecca Solnits now famous essay , Men Explain Things to Me, had set off a firestorm. Countless women had their own stories to recount about how something would have been condescendingly explained to them in their own field of expertise.

Closer home, we have seen plenty of such stories and many women rant about such experiences on social media too.

Aditi Puthran summed it succinctly on Twitter, on a deep level there is this tendency to mirror behaviours at home even in the corporate world. It sounds very primitive, but most men who haven't grown up around assertive female role models tend to be shocked by and resist women who are more qualified than them.

I think on a very deep level there is this tendency to mirror behaviours at home even in the corporate world. It sounds very primitive, but most men who haven't grown up around assertive female role models tend to be shocked by and resist women who are more qualified than them.  Aditi Puthran (@AditiPuthran) March 8, 2021

Wall Street veteran Sallie Krawcheck, a former CEO of wealth management at Citibank and former CEO of Smith Barney investment advisers, also revealed that venture capitalists interested in her new financial investment venture Ellevest mansplained financial advising to her . She admitted that she faced decades of finance mansplaining.

Research shows that women only speak for 25% of the time in meetings, while men speak for the remaining 75%. Men not only share ideas more, they interrupt women more often than they do other men.

Mr Jhunjhunwalas comment in the context of a self-made, successful entrepreneur like Ms Mazumdar-Shaw, only goes on to show that the more things appear to change, the more they remain the same.
Lansdale, PA (19446)

Today

Rain showers in the morning with thunderstorms developing for the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Lansdale, PA (19446)

Today

Rain showers this morning with numerous thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. High 69F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Rain showers this evening with clearing overnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
June 25, 2021 Experts: British HMS Defender Stunt Near Crimea Was Patently Illegal On Wednesday the British Royal Navy destroyer HMS Defender staged a provocation by sailing through territorial waters of Crimea. The British government, which had explicitly instructed the destroyer to do so, insists that the move was legal: The British government signed off on a plan to sail a battleship through disputed waters off the coast of Crimea, over the objections of its foreign policy chief, according to bombshell new claims in London's Telegraph newspaper. In a report released on Thursday night, the outlet  known to be close to Prime Minister Boris Johnson  alleged that Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had "raised concerns" about the mission, proposed by defense chiefs, in advance. He was reportedly worried that the move could hand a potential victory to Moscow. The account of events claims that Johnson was ultimately called in to settle the dispute. The Type-45 destroyer HMS Defender was given its orders on Monday, ahead of a clash with the Russian navy and air force two days later. The British government then lied about the incident insisting that no warning shots had been fired when the destroyer was in the relevant area. However, video material from the BBC, which had embedded with the destroyer, as well as footage from the Russian coastguard proved that to be false. The ship was warned to leave the area and warning shots were fired. Russia insist that the 'innocent passage' of the warship through the relevant territorial waters was illegal. Craig Murray, a former British diplomat who himself has negotiated several sea treaties, concurs with Russia's position: The presence of a BBC correspondent is more than a political point. In fact it has important legal consequences. One thing that is plain is that the Defender cannot possible claim it was engaged in innocent passage through territorial waters, between Odessa and Georgia. Let me for now leave aside the fact that there is absolutely no necessity to pass within 12 miles of Cape Fiolent on such passage, and the designated sea lane (originally designated by Ukraine) stays just out of the territorial sea. Look at the definition of innocent passage in Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:

...

Very plainly this was not innocent passage. It was certainly 2 (d) an act of propaganda, and equally certainly 2 (c), an exercise in collecting information on military defences. I would argue it is also 2 (a), a threat of force. So far as I can establish, the British are not claiming they were engaged in innocent passage, which is plainly nonsense, but that they were entering territorial waters off Crimea at the invitation of the government of Ukraine, and that they regard Crimea as the territory of Ukraine and Crimean territorial waters as Ukrainian territorial waters. Murray goes on to explain why that is an unsound argument but he misses an important legal point. During the Ukrainian-Russian standoff in April this year both sides amassed troops near their border. Russia then introduced special restrictions on navigation of warships in parts of the Black Sea. In a Notice to Mariners Russia designated the areas around Crimea depicted below as forbidden for any foreign warship. No 'innocent passage' through these is allowed. The restrictions will be valid until October this year but may be extended.

bigger It was through one of these zones, which are next to sensitive military sites on land, that the British destroyer passed. The British government insists that Crimea still belongs to the Ukraine and that the Ukraine had allowed it to pass through its territorial waters. It calls Russia's presence on Crimea an occupation. It supports the view of the Ukrainian government which insist that it alone can regulate the water areas around Crimea. That view is wrong. Prof. Dr. Stefan Talmon LL.M. M.A is the Director at the Institute of Public International Law at the University of Bonn. On May 4 he had published a legal opinion on the legality of the zones Russia had declared. On the above point he noted (emph. added): Ukraine protested the Russian announcement, inter alia, on the ground that Russia was not the coastal State with regard to the territorial sea surrounding the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. According to the Ukrainian Government: These actions of the Russian Federation constitute another attempt to usurp Ukraines sovereign rights of a coastal state in violation of the norms and principles of international law, as Ukraine is in fact endowed with the right to regulate the navigation in these water areas of the Black Sea. The UN General Assembly condemned the ongoing temporary occupation of Crimea and urged the Russian Federation to uphold all of its obligations under applicable international law as an occupying Power. This raises the question of whether as an occupying Power the Russian Federation could temporarily suspend the innocent passage of foreign ships in the territorial sea of the occupied Crimean Peninsula. Occupation also extends to the occupied States territorial waters (internal waters and territorial sea) to the extent that effective control is established over the adjacent land territory. Under the law of armed conflict, the occupant may take measures to ensure public order and safety in the occupied territory, including its territorial waters. In particular, the occupying Power may take measures to ensure the security of the Occupying Power, of the members and property of the occupying forces or administration, and likewise of the establishments and lines of communication used by them. Under the laws of armed conflict, the occupying power has the right to suspend in all or in parts of the territorial sea of the occupied territory the innocent passage of foreign ships, if it considers it necessary for imperative reasons of security. In determining whether such suspension is necessary, the occupying power enjoys a wide margin of discretion. Even if Britain does not recognize that Crimea is Russian it still has to recognize that Russia, as the 'occupying power,' can regulate the traffic in the territorial waters of Crimea: During the ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine the law of the sea is at least partly supplanted by the law of armed conflict and, in particular, the law of occupation. Germany and other States cannot consider Russia to be an occupying Power in Crimea and, at the same time, deny it the rights that come with that status. There is precedence for Russia's move of which the British government is likely well aware of: [O]n 2 May 2004, the United States, acting as an occupying Power in Iraq, issued a notice to mariners establishing with immediate effect a 2,000-metre exclusion zone around the Khawr AlAmaya and Al Basra oil terminals in the Persian Gulf and temporarily suspended the right of innocent passage [] in accordance with international law around [these] oil terminals within Iraqi territorial waters. That zone was continued until at least February 2006. Prof. Talmon discusses various other arguments against Russia's declared zones. He finds that the zones are legal under all aspects of international law. Ukraine has no right to interfere in the restrictions that Russia, which in the Ukrainian and British view is an occupying power, has posed on the territorial waters of Crimea. Russia has suspended the 'right of innocent passage' in those zones and the British destroyer acted illegally when it passed through them. Professor Talmon published his legal analysis seven weeks before the HMS Defender incident. It is thus free from any undue influence. Moreover Talmon is also a Supernumerary Fellow of St. Annes College, Oxford, where he previously taught, and practices as a Barrister from Twenty Essex, London. The British government would be well advised to consult with him. It otherwise might quite legally lose a warship to Russian missiles when it orders a repetition of Wednesday's patently illegal stunt. Posted by b on June 25, 2021 at 14:29 UTC | Permalink Comments next page  next page 
Lorain parks will receive an investment of at least $126,687 for new grills, hydration stations and playground equipment.
Lorain County

Lorain County Public Health warns about increase in drug overdose deaths, shares resources available for prevention
Lorain's city leaders and residents continue the public discussion about the best way to balance the need for water and sewer line improvements with costs to customers. This month, Lorain Utilities Director Paul Wilson told City Council's Streets & Utilities Committee, with members of the new Sewer and Water Advisory Board, about improvements happening this year.
featured

rocky river

Drive-thru Greek Festival is on at Saint Demetrios
Moultrie, GA (31768)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon hours. High around 85F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Scattered thunderstorms this evening. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Moultrie, GA (31768)

Today

Variable clouds with scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly during the afternoon hours. High near 85F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
During the blockbuster plot twist that was 2020, three Los Angeles-based actors and longtime friends wrote themselves a scene that was playing out in cities across the United States. Early into lockdown, Becca Tobin, best known for her role as Kitty Wilde on the Fox series Glee, formed a pandemic pod with her fellow actors Haylie Duff and Jamie-Lynn Sigler, gathering for regular backyard confabs about shifting priorities, family demands and their future in Hollywood.

We had been able to work from home successfully and set up our careers from anywhere, Tobin said. And we were all kind of ready for a change.

Tobin, 35, Duff, 36 and Sigler, 40, had all moved to Los Angeles in their 20s for work and, like so many others, spent much of 2020 wondering if they wanted to live somewhere else. Hollywood the town and Hollywood the job had been cleaved apart, with acting classes going online, self-tape auditions replacing in-person and the off-screen demands of the job  red carpets, award shows, interviews  going virtual or extinct.

HOUSTON TO HOLLYWOOD: How a Houston actress is fulfilling her dreams in the 'City of Angels'

We found our conversations shifting more toward life, said Sigler, who made her mark playing Meadow Soprano on The Sopranos. And then we started to fantasize about what it would be like to live in different cities, and would we ever want to leave LA?

They were far from alone. For the first time in more than a century, California lost people last year, according to population estimates released by the state in May. Some of that was a result of COVID-19 deaths, falling birthrates and the Trump administrations efforts to limit immigration. But for many, it was simply a matter of finding better prices in greener pastures.

The three made a pact to relocate their quaranteam, leaving Hollywood together for a new city where they could keep working but enjoy a less hectic, and less expensive, life.

It reminded me of being in high school and being like, Youre gonna go home tonight and shave your legs, right? Because Im going to do it, too, Tobin said of the agreement. Like adult peer pressure.

During the summer, Duff, the native Texan in the group, had visited her parents in Houston and felt the pull back home. The older sister of actress Hilary Duff, she has been acting since she was a teenager and had always planned to move back to Texas eventually, and after the trip, she cut her familys five-year plan to a five-month plan. As more friends relocated, there was an energy around people choosing to make a change in their life, for a positive reason, for a self-care reason, she said.

The friends considered different cities they had heard of people moving to, like Nashville or Atlanta, but they kept coming back to Texas. We liked the idea of being in a progressive city, but not necessarily something so overly populated, Tobin said.

The obvious choice was Austin, the booming southern crossroads of culture and technology, where they could more or less split the distance between Los Angeles and New York. It was a madcap move in the rush of a red-hot sellers market, a once-in-a-century chance to pause, then fast-forward.

Even though we were together so much during quarantine and COVID, it really chipped away at us as a family, like many families, said Sigler, who had only been to Austin once, for a film premiere at the South by Southwest festival. Coming to this new city all together on this adventure offered a lot of repair for us, as well.

Tobin, a Georgia native who had lived in Los Angeles for 12 years, said of Tinseltown: As easy as it was to come, it was as easy for me to say goodbye.

The three families made a common checklist, headlined by ample outdoor space and good public schools. They hit the Zillow hard, Sigler said, lobbing listings at one another from film sets and playgrounds. In October, they embarked on a house-hunting tour with partners and children in tow (Duff has two daughters; Sigler has two sons), and settled on a neighborhood about 20 minutes northwest of downtown Austin.

When they arrived in the spring, the culture shock came by way of small-town hospitality and everyday conveniences.

You mean I can get in my car, drive five minutes and not fight people when Im in the grocery store to get in a lot? said Tobin, who arrived in April after filming a TV reboot of the 1989 film Turner & Hooch in Vancouver, British Columbia. Oh, and you dont pay for parking anywhere.

In decamping to Austin  home to an ever-expanding ecosystem of film festivals and production studios  they were joining a wave of high-profile Californians like Tesla founder Elon Musk and podcaster Joe Rogan, as well as the other roughly 70,000 people who moved to the area last year, according to U.S. census data, making it the fastest-growing metro area in the United States.

Once you come here, its hard to leave, said Duff, whose film roles include Napoleon Dynamite and The Wedding Pact, and who spent time this year shooting a movie in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She noted that each of the friends booked gigs not long after closing on their Austin homes, which felt like a nod from the universe.

I almost feel more connected to my craft and why I love acting, said Sigler, who had just returned from recording dialogue at a studio in downtown Austin for an ABC pilot she shot in Los Angeles. When the calls come in, its a beautiful surprise. Im still on things and Im still a businesswoman and its still my career, but I dont feel the pressure around it because we took a stand for ourselves and we made decisions for our families.

With its bohemian charms, natural splendors and lack of state income taxes, Austin has been courting Californias twin economic engines, Hollywood and Silicon Valley, for years, all while trying to maintain its cherished Keep Austin Weird credibility. According to Rice Universitys Kinder Institute for Urban Research, about 90,000 Californians moved to Texas in 2018 and 2019. The pandemic has only deepened the romance. Austin enjoyed a PR blitz of high-profile corporate relocations and expansions last year, with tech giant Oracle moving its headquarters there from Redwood Shores, California, and Musk announcing Teslas $1 billion gigafactory on the southeast edge of town.

The housing market, already in a decadelong development frenzy, wound up defying the pandemic and roaring back to life. In May 2021, the median sale price in the Austin metro area hit an all-time high of $465,000, according to the Austin Board of Realtors. High-end home prices spiked 24%, according to Redfin, the most of any area in the country.

Still, anyone used to California prices sees Texas as a bargain, said Scott Michaels, an Austin real estate agent with Compass, who described cutthroat, all-cash bidding wars that drew 40 to 60 offers on a single property.

Its a challenge because were competing with people moving from out-of-state, and theres just not a lot of inventory on the market, he said.

For Sigler, who is from Long Island, New York, Austins square footage and outdoor space were revelatory.

There was a lot of like, Oh my God, look what we can get for this. Look at the life we can give ourselves, you know, compared to what were able to afford here in LA, she said. I just feel like were taking a big, deep breath since we got here.

Sigler and Duff started their careers as teens but wanted a different lifestyle for their children in Austin, where space and nature are plentiful, and paparazzi arent.

That was a big choice for us, wanting our kids to stay young, Duff said.

RELATED: Hollywood meets Houston in this hybrid 'barndominium' on the market for $299K

Austin has been contending with growing pains since the early 1980s, during its first hint of what locals call Silicon Hills, said Natasha Harper-Madison, the citys mayor pro-tem. Born and raised in East Austin, Harper-Madison said the changing cityscape was best described by her mother: She said, I really like my neighbors. I just wish I didnt have to lose so many of the old ones to get new ones. And I think, in large part, thats how folks feel. Its not any sort of absence of the desire to welcome people to our communities. Its the exact opposite. In fact, people want to preserve and sort of steward the evolution of their communities.

Despite some natal cries of Dont California My Texas from both ends of the political spectrum, whats fueling the migration are the states similarities. Sitting on the border with relatively sunny climates, theyre both super diverse, in every possible way  ethnically, economically, geographically, said Jake Weggman, an associate professor of community and regional planning at the University of Texas at Austin.

Its an incredible burst of prosperity for the city, but its also just terrifying from a housing affordability standpoint, what that means for people living here, Weggman said.

Tobin has sensed some side-eye when she tells locals where shes from, but she tries to put them at ease. Voting and donating are two ways to do it, she said, and she has contributed to causes that support homeless outreach and abortion rights through local nonprofits like Mobile Loaves & Fishes and the Lilith Fund.

I get it, they dont want us to LA their Austin, she said. My husband and I personally are going to really try to do our best to help out in the community and get involved where we can.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  The dissident Belarusian journalist and his Russian girlfriend who were arrested after being pulled off a flight that was diverted to Minsk have been transferred from jail to house arrest  a move the countrys exiled opposition leader said Friday was positive but still left them hostages.

Raman Pratasevich, whose messaging app channel was widely used in last years massive protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, and girlfriend Sofia Sapega were seized on May 23 when their Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in Minsk because of a reported bomb threat.

Several world leaders denounced the dramatic gambit as a hijacking, and it prompted another round of Western sanctions on Belarus, where Lukashenko responded to the months of mass protests with a brutal crackdown.

Pratasevich, who faces a potential 15 years in prison, has been seen since his arrest in videos on state television and at a government press briefing expressing regret for his activities. The opposition said he spoke under duress.

Belarus Investigative Committee said in a statement that Pratasevich and Sapega have been moved to house arrest after they had cooperated with investigators and accepted a pre-trial deal. It said they agreed to help investigators probe the crimes, expose their accomplices and do everything possible to compensate for the damage that was inflicted and made consistent confessional testimony.

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called their move to house arrest good news but stressed that their situation remains precarious.

House arrest is not freedom, they're still facing charges, their every step is still being watched. It means they're still hostages, said Tsikhanouskaya, who left Belarus for Lithuania last year under pressure from the authorities.

She added that her team is in touch with Pratasevich's parents, who aren't given any information about their son, aren't allowed to talk to him" and are convinced that the regime is playing a game, using Raman's and Sofia's lives.

She urged the West not to ease its pressure on Lukashenko and keep pushing for the release of all political prisoners and early elections, noting that Western sanctions have been quite powerful.

We are really glad that conditions have changed ... but still they are prisoners, Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press. This so-called release after imposing sanctions is a political game.

Pratasevich's mother Natalia Pratasevich told Polands TVN by phone that she has gotten no official word regarding her son or if conditions of his detention have changed. She said a move to house arrest is "likely an improvement in their living conditions. But Ill repeat, none of the charges against them have been dropped. They remain hostages and captives just like before.

Tsikhanouskaya's adviser Franak Viacorka, who spoke to the parents, added that they don't believe authorities plan to free their son. Instead, Viacorka said, the move might be aimed at holding off additional sanctions.

We urge the European and the global community not to give in  everyone needs to be free and not under house arrest, he said, adding that Lukashenkos goal is to create an illusion of softening and concessions. But this is just one prison replaced with another.

Viacorka said Pratasevich's sister has been able to pass on some belongings to him and talk to him. The house arrest is not freedom, he lives there with operatives of the KGB, agents who watch him round the clock, he said.

Sapega's lawyer, Anton Gashinsky, also confirmed that his client was transferred to house arrest recently, without specifying when. She is now staying in an apartment in Minsk, and her parents met her on Thursday at a restaurant.

Gashinsky wouldn't say whether Pratasevich was also there  but said Sapega didn't go alone.

Pratasevich's lawyer, Inessa Olenskaya, refused to comment on her client's whereabouts and status, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Marie Struthers, Amnesty Internationals Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said putting the pair under house arrest looks like a cynical ploy by the Belarusian authorities to secure the lifting of international sanctions.

The months of mass protests were fueled by Lukashenkos reelection to a sixth term in an August 2020 vote that was widely seen as rigged. The subsequent crackdown saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police. Most opposition leaders have been jailed or forced to leave the country.

In the wake of these violations and the flight diversion, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada joined forces on Monday to impose sanctions on several top Belarusian officials. The EU also imposed a series of bruising economic sanctions that target key Belarus exports, including potash  a common fertilizer ingredient  and petroleum products.

Belarus Foreign Ministry says the sanctions will hurt ordinary people and border on the declaration of an economic war. On Friday, the ministry again condemned the sanctions and promised retaliatory measures in the coming weeks. It's about time European politicians realized that pressure and sanctions are not a language one should use with Belarus," the statement read.

___

Associated Press writer Harriet Morris in Moscow contributed.
HONG KONG (AP)  China on Friday promoted Hong Kongs top security official to the territorys No. 2 spot as Beijing looks to the government of the Asian financial hub to clamp down on free speech and political opponents to restore stability following anti-government protests.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Secretary for Security John Lee would replace Matthew Cheung as the citys chief secretary, while police chief Chris Tang would take over Lees role. Raymond Siu Chak-yee, Tang's deputy, will be the new head of the police force.

Hong Kong's government has long been lauded for its professionalism and efficiency, but its image has been battered in recent years by its banning and suppression of pro-democracy protests and its hard-line enforcement of Beijing's security policies. The U.S. and other Western democracies have imposed visa bans and other sanctions on Lam, Lee and other members of the administration.

Violent clashes between police and pro-democracy demonstrators in 2019 prompted the central government to adopt a firm line against political concessions, a policy seen through by Lam, Lee, Tang and Siu, who made restoring public order their top priority.

They have had distinguished performance in the government over the years and possess proven leadership skills," Lam said of those promoted. I am confident that they are competent for their new posts and would rise to the challenges in serving the community.

Cheung, the former No. 2, will be retiring from government service.

The leadership changes come a year after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the former British colony and one day after Hong Kongs last remaining pro-democracy newspaper, the Apple Daily, published its final edition.

Police froze $2.3 million of the newspaper's assets, searched its office and arrested five top editors and executives last week, accusing them of foreign collusion to endanger national security. Its founder, Jimmy Lai, is facing charges under the national security law of foreign collusion and is currently serving a prison sentence for involvement in the 2019 pro-democracy protest movement.

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden said it was a sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world," and accused Beijing of having insisted on wielding its power to suppress independent media and silence dissenting views."

People in Hong Kong have the right to freedom of the press. Instead, Beijing is denying basic liberties and assaulting Hong Kongs autonomy and democratic institutions and processes, inconsistent with its international obligations," Biden said in a statement on the White House website.

Apple Daily continues to be published online in Taiwan, the self-governing island democracy that China claims as its own territory.

Beijing promised Hong Kong could maintain its civil liberties for 50 years after the former British colony was handed over to Chinese rule in 1997, but has essentially abandoned that commitment to impose total political control and end what it sees as undue foreign influence on the semi-autonomous city's institutions.

China effectively ended multiparty democracy in Hong Kong by having the ceremonial Chinese legislature in Beijing impose the national security law without debate or a vote in the city's Legislative Council. It then moved to pack the Legislative Council with Beijing loyalists while radically reducing the proportion of legislators directly elected by voters.

Opposition legislators earlier resigned as a group after four colleagues were barred on national security grounds.

In recent months, police have arrested most of the citys pro-democracy activists. Most are still in police custody, while others have sought asylum abroad, under threat from Lam's administration for past statements and actions seen as disloyal to China or in violation of Hong Kong law as it now stands.

Despite the overwhelming emphasis on security, Lam told reporters that the role of the chief secretary in helping oversee the city's daily administration, including dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, had not changed.

Yet she appeared to acknowledge Beijing's increasingly assertive role in managing the city's affairs and the central government's demand for absolute loyalty from Hong Kong officials and members of the Legislative Council.

Now today as chief executive, I am responsible not only to Hong Kong but also to the central government, performing national duties, particularly in safeguarding national security," Lam told reporters. So for people with commitment, integrity, leadership and spirit to serve the nation and Hong Kong ... we will put in our best."

China has dismissed foreign sanctions and criticism as interference in its internal affairs, and Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Friday defended the national security law as focused on cracking down on a small group of anti-China elements in Hong Kong who have seriously endangered national security, and which protects the rights and freedoms enjoyed by the vast majority of Hong Kong residents in accordance with the law, including freedom of the press."

Since the enforcement of the Hong Kong national security law, Hong Kong society has returned to stability, the rule of law and justice has been upheld, and the legal rights and freedoms of Hong Kong residents and foreign citizens have been better protected in a safer environment," Zhao said at a daily briefing.

Accusing China of suppressing press freedom just because the organization involved in the case is a news outlet and the individuals punished are working in the field of journalism is an attempt to confuse the public out of ulterior motives," Zhao said.

The U.S. should respect the facts, stop using excuses of any form to obstruct law enforcement in (Hong Kong), stop shielding suspects and interfering in Hong Kong affairs and Chinas internal affairs in any way," he said.
A betrayal like no other from a beaver who just cant get enough.

Buc-ee's is building the world's largest convenience store, not at all a shock for a chain that built its name on Walmart-sized gas stations where you can get Dippin' Dots and home decor under the same roof.

LONG LIVE LUBY'S: Luby's gets new life after selling 32 locations to Chicago-based group

But it wont be in Texas.

Buc-ee's upcoming location in Sevierville, Tennessee will break the record already held by Buc-ee's with a 74,000-square-foot travel center, ABC 6's Gregory Raucoules reports.

And after all Texas has given this buck-toothed behemoth, youd think our state would deserve to keep the world's largest convenience store record. Everything is already supposed to be bigger in Texas. Its our unofficial slogan. And theyre just going to throw that away for Tennessee? Unconscionable.

Plus, weve already seen how non-Texans feel about letting a giant beaver loom over their highways. Theyre not always welcoming, obviously stemming from a reasonable lack of understanding on why a convenience store would ever need to be that size and where the fudge actually comes from.

IT'S TRUE: Buc-ee's Beaver Nuggets really are the best gas station snack

But alas. King Buc-ee will not stop until every motorist coast to coast has a bag of Beaver Nuggets in hand and has seen just how clean a gas station bathroom can be. And perhaps we should have prepared for the day Buc-ee left the nest for greener pastures (states where an oversized gas station is even more of a shock). Maybe the thrill of the chase just wore off for him here in his home state.

Until the Tennesse Buc-ee's location opens, visit what will formerly be the world's largest convenience store at the New Braunfels Buc-ee's and pay your respects to a Texas legend.
Adam Durant 06 07 joins physics professor Raymond Shaw to discuss green aviation and how updating flight plans to prevent long-lasting contrails can reduce climate impacts.

Its not rocket science. Its harder  or at least harder to predict. Clouds are often referred to as the wildcard of climate modeling, and while some basic physics have become much clearer using tools like the cloud chamber at Michigan Technological University, atmospheric science remains a fascinating and complex space.

SATAVIA The companys mission is to eliminate 2% of human climate impact by making aviation greener. The specific number comes from a surprising source  contrails, which cause up to 60% of all aviations climate impact. The wispy streaks following planes often disappear quickly, but those that linger have a disproportionate effect on radiative forcing. The contrails that stick around reflect heat back down toward the surface, worsening climate change. As a data analysis software company, SATAVIA specializes in forecasting high-probability contrail zones and helping airlines adjust flight plans to avoid them.

Shaw, distinguished professor of physics and director of Michigan Techs atmospheric sciences doctoral program, studies ice crystal formations in clouds. When Durant worked with him as a graduate geoscience student, the team studied how volcanic ash and frigid water interact in the atmosphere. For Durant, experimenting with specks of dust and drops of supercooled water coalesced into an ongoing interest in the interactions effects on airplanes  and the industrys climate bill. Drawing on his interdisciplinary background, Durant started the company SATAVIA in 2013.

In their Q&A, Shaw (RS) and Durant (AD) explain how rerouting airplanes to minimize contrails can have the biggest impact with the smallest changes.

Q: Why focus on contrails to curb climate change impacts?

AD: Its not just direct engine emissions that matter in terms of aviations climate impacts. Non-carbon dioxide sources  like the climate forcing from contrails  make up almost two-thirds of the industrys impact, which is a surprisingly big number. In fact, it equates to 2% of all human-caused climate change.

RS: Contrails are pretty and localized, so its understandable that few people would guess theyre of consequence. And its relatively rare flights that make these long-lasting contrails, which are heavily weighted in terms of their climate impact.

AD: Yes, of about 500 flights, only one or two make these kinds of contrails.

Q: How does SATAVIAs software help predict contrail formation?

AD: We are a data analytics company, building software that uses cutting-edge atmosphere and climate science. We use a commercial cloud structure to create a digital twin of the Earths atmosphere from surface to space, quantifying many key meteorological parameters like temperature, humidity, cloud cover and other factors that affect flight operations. We aggregate that information and apply it to different use cases, including contrail formation and other applications such as contaminant exposure and corrosion factors. Predicting contrail formation and persistence in the atmosphere is complex, so it becomes a big data problem  unless youve got a high-performance atmospheric digital twin, you wont be able to crunch through the data properly. Right now, were working with a major Middle East airline through a collaboration with Aviation X Lab, a Dubai-based aviation incubator. They want to be proactive about assessing their impact, and theyre helping us validate our models. The next challenge is software integration, so we can help airlines optimize flight paths for contrail prevention while minimizing fuel burn.

Contrails and Cloud Chambers Contrails form as moisture from fast-moving jet engines is mixed into the surrounding cold air in a giant, turbulent vortex, forming a cirrus-like cloud tailing an aircraft. The same process happens inside Michigan Techs Pi Chamber, a one-of-a-kind cloud chamber. Because the chamber design is unique, Subin Thomas, whose doctorate is newly minted, worked on a computer program to help researchers like Shaw understand whats happening inside the cloud chamber. Thomas starts at SATAVIA this summer and will help them scale up their cloud formation modeling to consider bigger regions and global scales. Play Cloud Chamber Research at Michigan Tech video

Q: How can industry, universities and government groups work together?

RS: Its important to acknowledge that while Michigan Tech doesnt have direct collaborations with SATAVIA, it was a former student who started the company and a new graduate, Subin Thomas, starts there soon as a key player on their science team. Academia can play a role by training people in the fundamental science so they can carry on innovation within the private sector. We also work with agencies, like our partners at the National Center for Atmospheric Science (NCAR) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). For example, a current graduate student, Elise Rosky, is at this moment at NCAR flying a holographic instrument through clouds to investigate how ice forms and grows. Who knows where that fundamental research will lead, and even how it might tie into the science of contrails?

AD: We all want to solve real world problems. Theres a lot more to solving problems than throwing science at it. If it doesnt cost money or make money, its hard to get business to care. As the price of carbon rises, there is going to be more and more incentive for airlines to fly smarter and greener. With our model, we not only assess a flight plan and help make changes that actually lower aviations climate impact, but we also estimate what a company can save in associated carbon credits and carbon offsets.

Q: How did your Michigan Tech research help make these kinds of collaborations possible?

AD: This brings me back to doing my PhD on volcanic ash with Bill Rose, who blended a lot of disciplines. I felt like an atmospheric scientist but my degree was geoscience. I moved on to a climate research group next  mostly climate modelers and remote sensing experts  and that experience also brought me closer to policy.

RS: Sometimes, Adam, we jokingly call students like you a gluon [bad physics joke]  Well, Bill does this and Raymond does that, so we need a go-between. To Bills credit, he was always roving and looking for people who could help him solve the problems he was working on. So, Adam asked in his research: What happens when we put ash in a supercooled droplet? It was a logical next step to ask what happens when an airplane flies into an ash plume.

About the Researchers Raymond Shaw rashaw@mtu.edu

906-487-1961 Research Interests Atmospheric Physics

Cloud Physics

Nucleation

Turbulence

Digital Holography Researcher Profile Adam Durant Research Interests: Green aviation

Ice crystal morphology and cloud formation

Volcanic ash plumes

Sustainable business

Q: What inspires you in your work?

AD: I want to take tangible action on climate change  thats what my mission has become. Weve been thinking about our vision as a company and it always comes back to solving climate change.

RS: We say all the time that we do basic science to help society. Examples like Adams company make that true. In some ways, its easier to stay in academia, but moving into the private sector means there is so much more potential for influence. Much of research is curiosity-driven and with a genuine interest in solving fundamental problems, with the hope that eventually the solutions will make a difference. But no one would fund us to solve puzzles every day; we hope that when we train students that our fundamental work will be connected to the private sector and help make the world a better place.

Q: What are challenges that remain ahead?

AD: Raymond, here is what we are always asked: Do we know enough about the science of contrail formation and whether we can predict it?

RS: Well, the basic physics is there. The part that is complicated, which falls under current research, is how persistent will a contrail be  will it be ice or water, and whats the crystal shape? The good news is that the basics are clear.

AD: I agree that the fundamental science is sound, and that the challenge facing us now is scaling and creating contrail forecasts at flight altitudes so that aviation operators can avoid making them. And policy and regulation  that is what will influence how big organizations deal with this problem.

RS: Thats the surprising part. Thinking from the company spreadsheet point of view, in the right economy, SATAVIAs approach can actually save money.

AD: Yes, many companies already pay to offset their carbon emissions. Changing flight plans would make a bigger difference and save them more money. What we need to work on most from a technical perspective is software integration, and thats going to take time and close partnerships with more airlines.

Q: The pandemic changed travel. How has this impacted your work?

AD: Before COVID, much of our work focused on how atmospheric and climatic factors can damage aircraft engines and airframes, and responding to that with smarter condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Contrails are the biggest contributor to aviations climate impact. The company SATAVIA works on data analysis software to help airlines avoid long-lasting contrail formation. Credit: Conor Farrington, SATAVIA

But as the pandemic began and continued, we pivoted to focus more on aviations impact on climate. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time with our ice crystals research. People care about green aviation now, to the extent that it will influence their choice of airline, though some consumers will always be driven by the cheapest prices. In the near term, its likely to be business travelers who care most about the green credentials of a flight.

RS: Even before the pandemic, I was starting to notice an uptick in the number of colleagues who would say, Im not going to go to that meeting because Im trying really hard to minimize the aviation part of my carbon footprint. Or saying, I cant go on that airline, Im going to choose this other airline because theyre doing more to solve this problem. And I do think the pandemic has made more of us aware of what can and cant be done. The nice thing is that we can have a global aviation industry and mitigate the impact to some extent. As you think about returning to air travel, why not expect more from the airline youre flying with? Because there are actions they can take. Contrails are something most people would never think about, but SATAVIAs work shows that its possible to do something about their climate impacts.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university, home to more than 7,000 students from 54 countries. Founded in 1885, the University offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. Our campus in Michigans Upper Peninsula overlooks the Keweenaw Waterway and is just a few miles from Lake Superior.
We'll keep you connected to all the updated local news and information about what's happening in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County!

Click Here to Subscribe!
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Contact us
Billie Vanderbilt, 72, resident of Boley, left us on Thursday, July 1, 2021 from her home. Service arrangements are pending in the Hyde Park Chapel of the Keith D. Biglow Funeral Directors, Inc., in Boley. biglowfunerals.com
Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation.

Click here to get access
Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
'Once in a career fire': residents, first responders reflect on aftermath of the Monument Fire
Thirty seconds after Tim and Jan Surratt walked from the deck in their front yard to inside their Meredosia house came a boom that knocked them to the floor.

By the time they realized the house across the street had exploded, a fire was raging, Jan Surratt said.

The grabbed their dog and evacuated.

Ive never heard a sound like this before in my life, Jan Surratt said. This is the craziest thing Ive ever seen.

Dozens of residents reported hearing the blast about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. It shook houses for several blocks, according to social media reports.

On Thursday, as investigators worked to determine what caused the blast that leveled one house and damaged several others, neighbors gathered, still shaken by what had happened.

There was a loud popping noise before the explosion, according to Carol Snyder of Meredosia. Ten minutes later, the house at 227 Orange St. blew up, Stanley Snyder said.

More Information Gallery of photos from the explosion's aftermath available here. See More Collapse

The ensuing fire, which sent flames leaping into the evening sky, damaged the side of the Snyders house and yard.

The Snyders said they were doing all right Thursday and had help from community members, some of whom offered food and a place to stay.

Were fine, well get through this, Carol Snyder said. It couldve been worse.

The incident is being investigated by the state fire marshals office and the Illinois Commerce Commission.

Jan Surratt said she had taken a walk about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and thought she smelled gas, but figured it was something else, like soured corn.

The explosion happened 7:30 p.m. June 23 and was felt and heard for blocks. Dispatchers received multiple calls within minutes, according to Morgan County Sheriffs Department.

The house is believed to have been unoccupied at the time of the explosion. No immediate injuries were reported.

The responders did a really good job, said Phil McCarty, Morgan County Emergency Management Department director. Its very unfortunate, but were very happy that no one was injured.

Firefighters from Meredosia, Chapin and Arenzville were assisted by Meredosia/Bluff Rescue Squad, Morgan County Sheriffs Department, Morgan County Emergency Management Agency, the state fire marshals office, Illinois Commerce Commission and Ameren Illinois.

Crews were on the scene until about 1 a.m. Thursday.
Jacksonville High Schools homecoming parade will step off at 4 p.m. Sept. 10.

The parade line-up begins at 3 p.m. at Duncan Park. Businesses, organizations, clubs, and sports and activities groups are invited to participate.

Bailey Brammeier and members of Jacksonville School District 117s Transitional Adult Program will serve as parade marshals this year.

The parade, with the theme Night at the Movies, will begin along the southern edge of Duncan Park and travel east along West State Street toward the downtown square before circling the square to end in the vicinity of Illinois Theater. The route is roughly 1.32 miles.

Floats will line up on the north and south sides of West State Street between Sandusky and Finley streets.

Parade entry forms are available by contacting Jim Chelsvig by Sept. 3 at jchelsvig@jsd117.org or 217-243-4384, extension 2138.

 Rochelle Eiselt
Overnight reports from Jacksonville police:

 Joshua M. King, 39, of 728 N. East St. was arrested at 9:25 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, obstructing justice, aggravated fleeing or eluding, resisting or obstructing arrest, squealing or screeching tires, and operating an uninsured vehicle.

According to a police report, King fled from officers on North Main Street and drove to his house on North East Street. He and a passenger ran into the house and police made a forced entry to arrest him, during which he resisted arrest.

The passenger, Rachel N. Crain, 34, of 741 N. Main St., tried to pull officers away from King, according to the report. She was arrested on a charge of resisting or obstructing a peace officer.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Thursday.

In addition, several hundred additional American forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September, to assist Turkish troops providing security, as a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said. Overall, officials said the U.S. expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership and most troops out by July Fourth, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago.

The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before President Joe Bidens Sept. 11 deadline for withdrawal. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months.

Officials have repeatedly stressed that security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul is a critical requirement to keeping any U.S. diplomatic staff in Afghanistan. Still, the decision to keep additional troops there for several more months makes it more complicated for the Biden administration to declare a true end to Americas longest war until later this fall. And it keeps the embattled country near the forefront of U.S. national security challenges, even as the White House tries to put the 20-year-old war behind it and focus more on threats from China and Russia.

In a statement Thursday night, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that as Biden has ordered, the U.S. will complete the withdrawal by early September. Nothing has changed about that goal. Kirby said. The situation is dynamic, and we review our progress daily. Speculation by unnamed sources about potential changes to that timeline should not be construed as predictive.

On Friday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, are meeting with Biden at the White House. The two Afghan leaders also are to meet at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and possibly other administration officials, the Pentagon announced.

Getting most troops out by early July had been in doubt because of complications including an outbreak of COVID-19 at the U.S. Embassy and the push to get Afghan interpreters and others who helped the U.S. out of the country. Officials said U.S. commanders and NATO allies in Afghanistan have been able to overcome logistical hurdles that might have prolonged the withdrawal process. But they also warned that plans in place for the final stages of the U.S. military withdrawal could change if airport security agreements fall through or there are other major, unforeseen developments.

As recently as last week, there was discussion of possibly extending the U.S. troop presence at Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul, but officials said the U.S. presence at the base is expected to end in the next several days.

The roughly 650 U.S. troops that are planned to be a more permanent force presence in Afghanistan will provide security for the U.S. Embassy and some ongoing support at the airport. Officials said the U.S. has agreed to leave a C-RAM  or Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar system  at the airport, as well as troops to operate it, as part of an agreement with Turkey. The U.S. also plans to leave aircrew for helicopter support at the airport.

According to the officials, Turkey has largely agreed to provide security at the airport as long as it receives support from American forces. U.S. and Turkish military officials are meeting in Ankara this week to finalize arrangements.

On Wednesday, Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said there is not yet a written agreement with Turks on airport security. He said he did not want to speak about specifics before there is a final agreement, but added, I feel very comfortable that security at the Kabul airport will be maintained and the Turks will be a part of that.

The U.S. troop departure, which began with Bidens announcement in April that he was ending U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan, is ramping up just as the administration moves ahead with plans to evacuate tens of thousands of interpreters and others who worked with American forces during the war and now fear for their safety.

A senior administration official said Thursday that planning has accelerated in recent days to relocate the Afghans and their families to other countries or U.S. territories while their visa applications are processed. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss unannounced plans. The administration intends to carry out the evacuation later this summer, likely in August, according to a second official familiar with the deliberations but not authorized to discuss them publicly.

The Pentagon has said the military is prepared to assist the State Department as needed but indicated that charter flights might be adequate to move the Afghan visa applicants, thus not necessarily requiring a military airlift.

Officials said that NATO allies, such as Germany, are also very close to being completely out of the country.

Senior Pentagon leaders, including Austin, have been cautious in recent weeks when asked about the troop withdrawal, and they have declined to provide any public details on when the last troops would leave, citing security concerns.
SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES, Spain (AP)  The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, on Friday demanded a thorough investigation of his death, saying her husband did not appear suicidal when they last spoke.

Authorities in Spain are conducting an autopsy on McAfees body but have said that everything at the scene in his cell indicated that the 75-year-old killed himself.

An official source familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that a suicide note had been found in McAfee's pocket. The source, who was not authorized to speak about an ongoing judicial inquiry, refused to comment on the content of the note.

McAfee's Spanish lawyer, Javier Villalba, said that the family had not been informed by authorities about the note.

In her first public remarks since the software entrepreneur's death on Wednesday, McAfee's widow Janice McAfee said she wanted a thorough investigation to provide answers about this was able to happen.

His last words to me were I love you and I will call you in the evening, the 38-year-old told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona where she recovered her late husband's belongings. She said they spoke earlier on the day he was found dead.

Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal, she added.

John McAfee was arrested at the Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee who were seeking up to three decades of imprisonment for allegedly evading more than $4 million in taxes.

The day before he was found dead, Spain's National Court had announced that it was agreeing to his extradition to the U.S. but the decision was not final.

We had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision, Janice McAfee told reporters. I blame the U.S. authorities for this tragedy: Because of these politically motivated charges against him my husband is now dead.

The National Court judge said John McAfee had provided no evidence to back his allegations that he was being politically persecuted. On the contrary, according to his own testimony, he took part in primaries of a certain party to defend his convictions with a result little favorable to him, the judge wrote in the ruling seen by AP.

In an e-mailed statement, the U.S. State Department confirmed for the first time the tycoons death, offering the family condolences. It said: We are closely monitoring local authorities investigation into the cause of death. We stand ready to provide all appropriate assistance to the family. Out of respect to the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.

Results of McAfee's autopsy could take days or weeks," authorities have said.

The couple reportedly met in 2012 in Miami and married the following year. John McAfee had several children from previous relationships, Janice McAfee said.

The entrepreneur had not been connected with the companies that took over the antivirus software he built after he sold his shares in the 1990s. That early success had made McAfee rich and followed him in his troubled biography.

In 2012, he was sought for questioning in connection with the murder of his neighbor in Belize, but was never charged with a crime. The controversy didn't stop him from making long-shot runs for the U.S. presidency starting in 2016.

But it was his more recent tax problems that kept him away from the U.S., the country where the British-born entrepreneur was raised and had built his early success.

The Tennessee prosecutors' indictments from 2020 showed that the tycoon allegedly failed to declare income made by promoting cryptocurrencies, attending speaking engagements and selling the rights for a documentary on his eventful life.

Even though he was born in England, America was his home," Janice McAfee said. "He came there when he was a child. He had his first girlfriend there, his first case, you know, his first job. He made his first millions there and he wanted to be there. But, you know, politics just wouldnt allow for that to happen.

John McAfee's social media postings indicated that he had chosen a northeastern Spanish coastal resort town as his base in Europe at least since late 2019.

All John wanted to do was spend his remaining years fishing and drinking," his widow said on Friday. He had hope that things would work out. We knew that there would be an uphill battle to continue to fight this situation. But hes a fighter ... And anybody that knows John, that knows him even a little bit, knows that about him."

He was just so loving. He had a big heart and he just loved people and he just wanted to have peace in his life," Janice McAfee added. My prayers are that his soul has found the peace in death that he could not find in life."

__

Parra reported from Madrid.
Watertown, SD (57201)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Hot. High 92F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 70F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
Courtney Duff, 12, of Fenton makes dog treats for her business CDs Healthy Gourmet Dog Treats. Duff will be one of 25 vendors at Kimmswicks Young Entrepreneurs Day on June 26.
Review: Liam Neesons back, fighting on thin ice (literally) View Photo

Its intriguing to imagine Liam Neesons management team, contemplating his next film. Perhaps Uber Express? Maybe Lyfted Up?

Theres just something symbiotic about Neeson and vehicles  not only cars, but planes (Non-Stop), suburban commuter trains (The Commuter), even snowplows (Cold Pursuit).

And now in The Ice Road, this durable action hero improbably pushing 70 is at the wheel of a big ol truck  not your normal truck, but a 65,000-pound rig. And not on regular roads, of course. On ice roads, meaning frozen lakes or oceans, where the spring thaw brings treacherous conditions and one wrong move sends you straight into the freezing abyss.

Luckily, Neeson has a way of lending his rough-hewn dignity to even the most perfunctory of plots  because this one, it must be said, is perfunctory. All you need to understand are three elements: Good guys, bad guys  no subtlety here  and the fact that ice is very slippery, very cold, and has a tendency to melt in sunshine. Got it?

In this latest installment of the Neeson vehicular canon, written and directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, Neeson is Mike McCann, a long-haul trucker whos also the caretaker of his brother, Gurty, a war veteran suffering from PTSD. Mike cant manage to hold onto a job very long  hes had 11 jobs in eight years, and we watch him get fired from his latest after he decks a guy making fun of his brothers war-induced aphasia. But his luck may be about to change.

A methane accident causes a diamond mine to explode up in remote Manitoba, Canada, killing eight miners and trapping 26. Theres a 30-hour oxygen window, but rescuers first need a wellhead. The only way to get the wellhead to the mine is by truck.

But this is April, when the ice roads leading to the mine are melting. No trucker would attempt such a suicidal mission.

Well, almost no trucker.

Mike responds to an alert from Jim Goldenrod, organizer of the impossible rescue, offering his driving skills (yes, Neeson still has a special set of skills) and brother Gurty (Marcus Thomas) as an ace mechanic. The duo is soon hired, joined on the mission by Goldrenrod himself (Laurence Fishburne, sadly underused here) and Tantoo (Amber Midthunder), a feisty young driver for whom the job is more personal than financial  her brothers trapped in the mine.

Theres one more passenger in the three-rig convoy: an insurance guy from the company that runs the mine, apparently needed for his actuarial skills (Benjamin Walker, whose considerable acting talents arent really mined here, if youll excuse the pun).

In a film thats big on great scenery but skimps on character development and backstory, we know from the outset who the good guys are  especially Mike and Gurty. We also know soon enough who the bad guys are; theyre cartoonish as can be. As for the ice, well, theres lots, and it gets thinner and thinner  which one could say of the plot if one wanted to grab low-hanging fruit off the tree of potential puns.

More low-hanging fruit is offered in the lyrics of the Johnny Cash song on the country-infused soundtrack: All I do is drive, drive, drive, it goes (sung by Jason Isbell here). Try to stay alive. And while you might be thinking back to these lyrics as you watch Neesons Mike do just that  drive, drive, drive  you might also focus on the alive part.

Thats because Neesons durability as an action hero seems more remarkable as the years go on. Yes, hes older and brittler and paler here, and theres not even a hint of a love interest  unless you count Mikes believable love for his brother, the only developed relationship in the script. But, just like Mike, he gets the job done, and hes the reason to watch this.

The Ice Road, a Netflix release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for strong language and sequences of action and violence.  Running time: 103 minutes. Two stars out of four.

___

MPAA definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

By JOCELYN NOVECK

AP National Writer
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  The medical charity Doctors Without Borders said Friday it was horrified by the brutal murder of three colleagues in Ethiopias Tigray region, the latest attack on humanitarian workers helping civilians in the deadly conflict there.

A statement by the aid group, also known by its French acronym MSF, said two Ethiopian colleagues and one from Spain were found dead Friday, a day after colleagues lost contact with them while they were traveling.

This morning the vehicle was found empty and a few meters away, their lifeless bodies, the statement said.

We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding of what happened, MSF added, calling it unthinkable that the three  emergency coordinator Maria Hernandez, assistant coordinator Yohannes Halefom Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael  paid for their work with their lives.

In a statement, Ethiopias foreign ministry expressed condolences for the deaths it said occurred in the town of Abi Addi, and it suggested that Tigray fighters were to blame. It also called for military escorts  a thorny issue for many aid groups because Ethiopian forces, like all sides in the conflict, have been accused of abuses.

Another MSF team was attacked in March after witnessing Ethiopian soldiers pulling men off two public buses and shooting them dead. Soldiers beat the MSF driver and threatened to kill him, the aid group said at the time.

This latest attack occurred amid some of the fiercest fighting in Tigray since the conflict began in November. This week Ethiopias military acknowledged carrying out an airstrike on a busy market in Tigray that health workers said killed several dozen civilians. The military claimed it was targeting combatants.

Ethiopian soldiers detained six victims of the airstrike en route to a hospital and three were later released, a regional health official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The three who are still being detained  two women and a 15 year-old boy  were not receiving medical care, said the official who added, this is very desperate. Its unclear why theyre held.

The conflict in Tigray has been deeply challenging for humanitarian workers who have pleaded for better access to the region since the fighting began, with Ethiopian forces backed by ones from neighboring Eritrea pursuing Tigrays former leaders.

At least 12 aid workers have now been killed since the conflict began.

Death by starvation is another looming crisis in Tigray. On Friday the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, tweeted that terrifying new findings show that up to 900,000 people in the region now face famine conditions, with millions more at risk.

The United Nations on Thursday warned that at least 33,000 children in inaccessible parts of Tigray are severely malnourished and face imminent death without immediate help.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia awaits the results of Mondays national election, the first test at the polls for Abiy who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. a year after taking office. He now stands accused by critics of backsliding on political reforms.

Abiys government has said the election would be the first free and fair one in Ethiopia, Africas second most populous country. But on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the vote was not free or fair for all Ethiopians, citing opposition boycotts, detentions of political leaders and insecurity in various parts of the country.

The statement also called for a cease-fire in Tigray and the withdrawal of Eritrean forces, who have been accused by witnesses of atrocities including gang-rapes and massacres.

In separate statement Friday, the European Union and 12 countries including Britain and Japan described problematic conditions regarding Mondays election and urged a national dialogue to de-escalate conflict.

___

This version corrects to say the airstrike victims were detained en route to a hospital, not at the hospital.

By CARA ANNA

Associated Press
EU leaders defend LGBT rights amid concern over Hungary law View Photo

BRUSSELS (AP)  European Union leaders clashed with Hungarys prime minister during a heated summit Thursday over new legislation in his country that will ban showing content about LGBT issues to children, a measure that has been widely criticized across the region and has angered human rights groups.

A majority of the leaders insisted that discrimination must not be tolerated in the 27-nation bloc and told Viktor Orban that the new Hungarian law goes against the EUs fundamental values.

Being homosexual is not a choice; being homophobic is, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told Orban during the meeting, according to a EU diplomat. The person spoke anonymously according to usual practice.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte launched a virulent tongue-lashing, suggesting that Orban activate the same clause in the blocs treaty that Britain used to leave if he is not happy with the EUs principles, another diplomat said.

Hungarian Justice minister Judit Varga said on Twitter that Hungary has no intention of leaving the EU. On the contrary, we want to save it from hypocrites, she wrote.

Hosting the summit in Brussels, European Council president Charles Michel recalled that values such as freedom, tolerance and human dignity are at the heart of the EU, said another diplomat with direct knowledge of the discussions.

He added that the discussion was an in-depth and at times even emotional debate.

The law was signed Wednesday by Hungarian president Janos Ader after Hungarys parliament passed the bill last week. It prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films or advertisements.

The government says it will protect children, but critics say it links homosexuality with pedophilia. It will enter into force in 15 days.

Speaking upon arrival at the meeting in Brussels, Orban ruled out withdrawing the law, insisting it does not target homosexuals.

Its not about homosexuality, its about the kids and the parents, Orban said. I am defending the rights of homosexual guys but this law is not about them.

The issue has turned a harsh spotlight on the EUs inability to rein in the illiberal democracies among its ranks like Hungary and Poland, whose deeply conservative, nationalist and anti-migrant governments have flouted the blocs democratic standards and values for years.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who is openly gay, said the Hungarian law further stigmatizes homosexuals and should be fought.

The most difficult thing for me was to accept myself when I realized that I was in love with this person of my sex, Bettel said. It was hard to say to my parents, hard to say to my family.  We have a lot of young people who do suicide because they do not accept themselves, how they are.

In coordinated messages on Twitter, several EU leaders wrote that hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union. Thats why, today and every day, we stand for diversity and LGBTI equality so that our future generations can grow up in a Europe of equality and respect.

Many attached a letter to their tweets addressed to European Council President Charles Michel, who hosted their summit, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who also took part in the meeting.

Respect and tolerance are at the core of the European project. We are committed to carry on with this effort, making sure that future European generations grow up in an atmosphere of equality and respect, said the letter, signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, among others.

Hungary was not mentioned by name, but many of the same leaders signed a letter earlier this week backed by 17 countries calling on von der Leyens commission, which watches over the respect of EU laws, to take the government in Budapest to the European Court of Justice over the bill.

The commission has already taken the first step in legal action. On Wednesday, Brussels sent a letter to Hungarys justice minister seeking clarifications, explanation and information about elements of the bill.

It said that some provisions appear to directly violate the prohibition of discrimination based on sex and on sexual orientation, and would put homosexuality, sex change and divergence from self-identity on the same footing as pornography.

Asked Thursday about the Hungarian bill, Guterres said all forms of discrimination are totally unacceptable and obviously any form of discrimination in relation to LGBTQ+ people are totally unacceptable.

Speaking after a meeting with Guterres, EU Parliament president David Sassoli said a mechanism making payouts to Hungary from a COVID-19 recovery fund conditional to the respect of the rule of law should be activated.

The time has come now for the law to get applied, Sassoli said.

___

Associated Press writers Mark Carlson in Brussels and Mike Corder in The Hague contributed to this report. Spike reported from Budapest.

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN, LORNE COOK and JUSTIN SPIKE

Associated Press
Students rescue German police from burning patrol car View Photo

BERLIN (AP)  German police said four students walking home from their high school graduation ceremony in the early hours Friday helped rescue two police officers from a burning patrol car.

Police in the western city of Bochum said that the 24 and 30-year-old officers were on their way to a reported burglary when their vehicle crashed into a tree and burst into flames.

The students and a passing motorist pulled the injured officers from the wreck, police said.

German news agency dpa quoted a Bochum police spokesman saying that it was unclear whether the officers, who suffered serious injuries including fractures, would have been able to free themselves from the burning car.

The two officers were being treated in hospital and their lives were not in danger, the spokesman said.
Haiti awaits first vaccines amid delays, renewed promises View Photo

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Officials offered new promises Thursday that Haiti would soon receive its first vaccine as the country of more than 11 million people reels from a spike in coronavirus cases and COVID-19 deaths that have saturated hospitals.

Speaking during an online meeting, Margherita Ghiselli with the Pan American Health Organization said vaccinations in Haiti would start very soon, though she did not say exactly when the doses would arrive.

Meanwhile, a U.N. program that delivers coronavirus vaccines to poor countries and has Haiti on its list has cut its supply forecast this year by more than 100 million doses. It wasnt immediately clear how that might affect the delivery of vaccine to Haiti via the COVAX program, but officials were wary of the news.

Robert Barrais, with Haitis Ministry of Public Health, said during the meeting that hospitalizations have nearly doubled and that the country is still in the pandemics critical phase. Officials have reported more than 17,900 confirmed coronavirus infections and 400 deaths from COVID-19, although experts say they believe those numbers are severely underreported given the lack of widespread testing.

The fact that we dont have vaccines yet, that explains the current situation we have in the country, Barrais said.

Haiti was slated to receive some 756,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine last month as part of the U.N.s COVAX program, but government officials were concerned about the vaccines potential side effects and of possibly being forced to throw away doses given the lack of infrastructure to keep them properly refrigerated.

Officials later announced that some 130,000 doses were supposed to arrive in mid-June, but the shipment was delayed for unknown reasons.

Even if the doses do arrive, officials worry they still have to persuade thousands of Haitians to get inoculated amid widespread mistrust of the vaccines and of health authorities.

During Thursdays meeting, Ronald Jean-Jacques, a professor at Haitis State University, shared a survey in which he interviewed more than 5,300 Haitians. More than 60% said they would not take the vaccine, while an additional 10% said they had not even heard of a coronavirus vaccine, highlighting warnings by international agencies that stronger and more widespread educational campaigns are needed.

Were always going to have people who dont want the vaccine, said David Fitter, an official with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Not everyone is concerned.

Marco Jean-Pierre, an industrial mechanic, said he would take the vaccine if it would help him live longer. He added that he believes rumors that the vaccines have supposedly arrived and that only government officials and Haitis elite have received doses.

Jean-Pierre said he lamented living in a country where nothing is guaranteed.

If I have the opportunity to have a life somewhere else, thats what I would do, he said. Take my kid, and goodbye, Haiti.

___

Associated Press writer Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti contributed to this report.

By DANICA COTO

Associated Press
UN envoy calls for new international talks on Syrian war View Photo

UNITED NATIONS (AP)  With no progress toward ending the 10-year Syrian conflict, the U.N. special envoy for Syria called Friday for new international talks on concrete steps like exchanging prisoners and a nationwide cease-fire that the government and opposition could agree on as initial steps to give impetus to a political solution.

Geir Pedersen told the U.N. Security Council he believes these and other areas of vital concern for average Syrians have the potential to achieve common ground among Syrias warring parties. Progress would also promote internal and regional stability and build trust and confidence, he said.

This will not be easy, Pedersen said,

But he said he senses that all key players are interested in deepening talks on a way ahead, which is why we need a new constructive international dialogue on Syria.

Pedersen said he has been in regular contact with senior officials from Russia, a close Syria ally, and the United States, which supports the opposition, before and since this months meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. He said he has also been in regular contact with many countries on the 15-member Security Council and key states in the region.

Pedersen said he will go to Rome to talk with foreign ministers at a meeting on Syria convened by Italy and the United States and soon after that he will head to Moscow. He also plans to consult Turkey and Iran  the guarantor states along with Russia in the so-called Astana process aimed at ending fighting in Syria  ahead of an Astana group meeting in early July.

Asked after the council briefing about when he might launch a new international dialogue, he said, I hope we are not talking about too many weeks.

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, there have been many high-level gatherings designed to stop the fighting and guide the country to a political transition. Locations included Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Geneva and included assemblies with names such as Friends of Syria and the London 11. In 2016, it was the International Syria Support Group. None has made a lasting impact.

Pedersen told reporters he thinks this might be the right time to try to launch international talks because there are a few very important developments.

He pointed most importantly to the 15 months of relative calm on the ground in Syria, but stressed that it is a very fragile calm, and we need to discuss how we can make sure that this does not break down. He also cited the collapse of Syrias economy, the lack of movement on releasing detainees and abductees and accounting for missing persons, and the millions of Syrians forced to flee their homes.

Warning that the relative calm remains fragile, Pedersen told the council there were alarming signs of escalation in the June 12 rocket attack and shelling of the al-Shifaa Hospital in the northern Syrian town of Afrin controlled by Turkey-backed fighters that killed at least 13 people, including medical personnel, and destroyed parts of the hospital. He also cited airstrikes and shelling in the south of rebel-held Idlib resulting in casualties and more displacement.

Elsewhere, this month has seen more airstrikes attributed to Israel, more turbulence in the southwest and more attacks by terrorist groups including operations claimed by the Islamic State extremist group, he said.

Pedersen said there are worrying signs the Islamic State group may be getting stronger, given the increased frequency and reach of its latest attacks. He urged key international players to cooperate on countering IS and other terrorist groups.

Recovering from the economic impact that most Syrians face after a decade of war and devastation is another area of potential common focus, Pedersen said.

He urged the international community to focus on the 13 million Syrians forced to flee their homes within Syria and abroad  half the countrys pre-war population.

This is a profound humanitarian and national tragedy and also a ticking time-bomb for regional stability, he warned.

The U.N., U.S., Russia and many other countries support a December 2015 Security Council resolution endorsing a road map to peace in Syria approved in Geneva in June 2012 by major global powers and Arab nations that calls for a new constitution followed by U.N.-supervised elections.

Pedersen has tried unsuccessfully to get the Syrian government and the opposition to start negotiating a new constitution.

Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, stressed the importance of convening the constitutional drafting committee. He called on all sides to engage in constructive interaction and urged support in every way possible for the inter-Syrian dialogue.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield criticized Syrias so-called election in May that kept President Bashar Assad in power, saying that it wasnt free or fair and that it violated the 2015 Security Council resolution that declared U.N.-supervised elections should follow the drafting of a new constitution.

The Syrian people deserve elections, she told the council. And these elections should feature a diverse range of candidates, a safe voting environment, and a meaningful way for displaced people to participate.

By EDITH M. LEDERER

Associated Press
Police arrest man on murder charge in Austin mass shooting View Photo

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Authorities in Texas have arrested a 19-year-old man on a murder warrant for the killing of a tourist during a mass shooting in downtown Austin that also wounded more than a dozen people, prosecutors in the city said Thursday.

Officers with a fugitive task force took Deondre White into custody Thursday afternoon on a warrant for the killing of 25-year-old Douglas John Kantor during the shooting on Austins 6th Street, the Travis County District Attorneys office said in a statement. Prosecutors said they also intend to seek multiple aggravated assault charges against White.

White was arrested without incident in Killeen, a community about 70 miles (112 kilometer) north of Austin, and was being held in the local jail ahead of an initial court appearance, the city police department said in a statement. It was not immediately clear whether he has an attorney.

Whites arrest comes two days a, fter prosecutors dropped criminal charges against two juveniles who police initially arrested in the June 12 shooting. Authorities have said the shooting stemmed from and argument between two groups of teenagers from Killeen.

The two juveniles who were arrested were involved in the dispute and had guns, Austin Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon said Tuesday, but ballistics evidence showed that Kantor was killed by a shot from Whites weapon.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza on Thursday thanked the Austin residents for their patience and offered assurances that authorities now have the right person.

Based on both forensic and eyewitness testimony, we have full confidence that the person responsible for the shooting has been arrested and is no longer a danger to our community, Garza said. At this time, we believe that Mr. White was the only shooter.
RENO, Nev. (AP)  The Nevada Air National Guard is activating its airlift wing with air tankers more than a month sooner than last fire season to help fight wildland blazes that already have burned more than 780 square miles (2,020 square kilometers) across 11 western states.

The National Interagency Fire Center requested one C-130 aircraft and aircrew from the 152nd Airlift Wing in Reno, said Col. Jeremy Ford, the wings commander.

He said in a statement Thursday the activation highlights the militarys role assisting in firefighting efforts, especially with that need coming much earlier this year than past years to combat increased fire activity across the American West.

The specially fitted C-130 cargo compartments can drop up to 3000 gallons (11,356 litres) of water or fire retardant in 6 seconds, Ford said.

Last years activation out of Reno from July 29 to Oct. 3 was the longest firefighting activation in the units history.

The initial request for the aircraft and crew lasts through July 26. The unit will join the 146th Airlift Wing out of Channel Islands, California, with initial deployment scheduled Saturday to CAL FIREs McClellan Air Tanker Reload Base in Sacramento.
To accommodate the growing population, food producers have to focus on efficiency.

One way of achieving this goal is through agricultural analyses. That is why Stanley and Kelli Marshall opened Rock River Laboratory-Texas in January 2021.

Family owned and operated, the Edmondson lab is a licensed local associate of Rock River Laboratory, Inc. Established in 1976 in Watertown, Wisconsin, the company is dedicated to serving agriculturalists by providing nutrient breakdowns of feedstuffs, soil and plant tissue. With these analyses, producers can better understand the outcome of their herd or crops.

Stanley said he wanted to open a lab in West Texas to meet the needs of the many producers in the area.

I thought it was a great opportunity to bring the strength of this company into this part of the world and take away that obstacle of not having quick information, Stanley said. When we get samples in the morning, we typically have results ready later that afternoon. This way producers dont have to overnight their samples and wait a long time for results.

Although the operation also offers its services to beef producers and crop farmers, most of its clientele consists of dairies in the region seeking nutrition evaluations. According to Stanley, there are around 400,000 lactating cows within just 60 miles of his lab. Thus, sparking a high demand for his services.

The companys website indicates the lab uses Near-Infrared (NIR) testing to study the individual components of a total mixed ration. It then sends the information back to the producer with a report showing the Total Fatty Acids (TFA), Total Amino Acids (TAA) and starch digestibility. Producers can utilize this information to make decisions regarding their feeds efficiency.

Within just six months of opening, the lab has experienced a surge of business, especially during this year's silage harvest. He said he receives around 60-80 samples per day during the slower season.

We are exceedingly grateful for the immediate acceptance we have gotten with just the first year of opening, Stanley said. After our training in January, we just got busier and busier, and then harvest hit. It was like a baptism by fire kind of deal.

Through these services, Stanley said the operation can determine regional information regarding trends in crops and feedstuffs. He said the analyses allow him to create a database foreign to the area that can help with the sustainability of agricultural production.

He said while the regions water source continues to face ongoing depletion, Rock Rivers dedication to finding alternative forages can not only help producers but it can also benefit their communities.

My passion is bringing in the expertise from Rock River to this area and make a difference in the lives of these dairymen and farmers, Stanley said. When we start looking at alternative forages that take less water and find the ones with the best combination of nutrients per acreage, it can be greatly beneficial for these producers, their employees and their communities.

For more information about Rock River Lab-Texas, visit https://www.rockriverlabtx.com/.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Texas Democratic lawmakers who blocked one of America's most restrictive voting measures with a dramatic walkout sued Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, after he vetoed funds that cover thousands of Capitol paychecks that he said shouldn't be given to those who quit their job early."

The lawsuit reflects the tensions that remain in Texas more than a month after Democrats' last-ditch revolt over the Memorial Day weekend, and more battles are ahead. Abbott has ordered lawmakers back on the job for a special session starting July 8, when Republicans are expected to embark on a second try at passing new voting laws.

Going straight to the Texas Supreme Court, Democrats called the veto an unconstitutional power grab. Abbott has indicated he will give lawmakers the chance to reinstate the money once they return for the special session.

The veto of more than $400 million in funds didn't just punish Democrats: paychecks for the offices of Republican legislators are also impacted, as well as nonpartisan support staff around the Capitol. Democratic state Rep. Chris Turner put the number of affected jobs in the legislative branch at more than 2,000.

Governor Abbotts position  that he is able to defund a co-equal branch unless or until it bends to his will  contains no limiting principle," the lawsuit reads.

Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze responded to the lawsuit with a statement defending the governor's veto power and called Democrats' claims misleading. This is not the first time, and undoubtedly will not be the last time, that a governor vetoes funding for government positions and salaries," she said.

In his veto proclamation, Abbott wrote: Funding should not be provided for those who quit their job early, leaving the state with unfinished business and exposing taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislative session."

The vetoed funding only applies to the next budget cycle that begins in September, meaning paychecks for Capitol staffers will continue at least until then. Lawmakers make just $600 a month in Texas  where the Legislature only meets for five months every other year  and many have well-paying careers back home. But Democrats say the veto puts at risk legislative staff whose jobs are their main source of income.

It was unclear when the court might take up the lawsuit.

Democrats are girding for another fight over voting this summer. Abbott and Republican leaders have promised to deliver new election laws in Texas, which already has some of the nation's toughest voting restrictions, but have given little indication of what the next proposals might include.

The walkout by Democrats in May unfolded after nightfall as Republicans raced to pass a sweeping voting measure, known as Senate Bill 7, before a midnight deadline. Democrats say they were especially galled at last-minute changes to the bill that included a prohibition on Sunday morning voting  a time widely used by Black churchgoers  and provisions that could make it easier for a judge to overturn an election.

Republicans commanding majority in the Texas Capitol means an elections bill will probably eventually pass, but Democrats have vowed to continue fighting GOP efforts to reduce polling hours and ballot access. Nationwide this year, Republicans have rushed to enact a wave of strict voting laws in response to former President Donald Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him.

In Washington, D.C., a sweeping attempt by Democrats to rewrite U.S. election and voting laws was blocked this week by Senate Republicans, leaving Democrats with no clear path forward.
Editors note: This story was produced in conjunction with the Record-Journals Latino Communities Reporting Lab. A free Spanish version is available at Myrecordjournal.com/latino-news.

As states lift many COVID-19 restrictions and the pace of vaccinations has slowed in the U.S. the rise of the delta variant has some health experts concerned about a possible third wave among those not vaccinated.

The delta variant, also known as B.1617.2, was first detected in India and has spread to more than 60 countries. It accounts for nearly all new coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom and over 20 percent of new cases in some areas within the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Delta is the fastest-spreading variant to date and can cause more serious symptoms, leading some experts to fear outbreaks in unvaccinated parts of the U.S., the CDC recently warned.

Doctors have seen an increased likelihood of hearing loss, severe stomach pains and nausea in patients infected with the new variant. In most cases, patients are more likely to be hospitalized, require oxygen treatments and endure other complications.

That risk has public health officials stressing the benefits of vaccines, which have been shown to be highly effective against the delta variant. In one recent study, researchers in the U.K. found that a two-dose regimen of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 88% effective against symptomatic disease from the delta variant, according to media reports.

Doctors have compared unvaccinated persons to incubators that provide a host for the virus to mutate.

If you are vaccinated, youre going to be protected, which is another very good reason to encourage people strongly to get vaccinated, says Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. If you are not vaccinated, you are at risk of getting infected with the virus that now spreads more rapidly and gives more serious disease.

Vaccination rates are considerably higher in Connecticut and the Northeast, where roughly 65 percent of the population has been vaccinated. But as more people gather without masks for indoor and outdoor events, the concern is unvaccinated adults and children. Health officials are working to get as many people age 12 and up vaccinated to protect against the new variant.

Viral loads are reduced among the vaccinated, and many breakthrough cases  those who test positive for COVID-19 after being vaccinated  have no or very few symptoms, said Dr. Tilahun Gemtessa, infectious disease doctor at MidState Medical Center in Meriden.

Even if you get the infection, its less likely it will lead to a severe infection, Gemtessa said. Its less likely to be transmissible.

But immune compromised and unvaccinated people remain susceptible to the virus and the risk of more serious illness with the delta strain. Those populations should continue to wear masks and social distance, doctors said.

As an example, viral spread can be found in the Southwestern and Western United States, where areas such as Missouri are reporting vaccination rates of lower than 35 percent.

Health officials in Springfield, Missouri, say the faster-spreading delta variant is the primary cause of an increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the region, according to the Associated Press.

Kendra Findley is a health investigator for the Springfield-Greene County Health Department. Findley told the Associated Press the increasing cases and random testing of virus samples have confirmed the more infectious variant is spreading quickly in Greene County, and in much of southwest Missouri. Administrators at the two largest hospitals in the Springfield-Greene County region are urging people to get vaccinated.

Globally, delta is the most serious development that we know of in terms of the evolution of the virus, William Hanage, an epidemiologist at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, told USA Today.

We have seen the delta variant in Connecticut in about 25 cases, said Dr. Virginia Bieluch, head of infectious diseases at the Hospital of Central Connecticut. We are starting to get data, but the vaccines in the U.S. offer protection. Its a real concern among the unvaccinated.

Most of the people who have tested positive for the delta variant are younger and the symptoms tend to be milder, Bieluch said. But there is data suggesting the variant can cause more severe illness.

Bieluch encourages children under 12 to continue to wear masks, and get vaccinated when they are eligible. Most experts fear there could be another COVID-19 outbreak in the fall when schools reopen and people head back inside.

The only way to protect against variants is to get vaccinated, Bieluch said.

mgodin@record-journal.com203-317-2255Twitter: @Cconnbiz
SOUTHINGTON  A family-owned auction house plans to move from Berlin to a new location in Southington.

Nest Egg Auctions started in Meriden and moved to its current Berlin location at 4 Rod Road six years ago.

The owners include Ryan Brechlin, his mother, Mary Ellen Brechlin, and Tom Selmont.

Nest Egg owners are looking to move their company to 172 Wonx Spring Road, an industrial building with a glass-domed entrance visible from Interstate 84.

Ryan Brechlin said it will be used for warehousing merchandise and holding live auctions.

The company is currently leasing space in Berlin.

The agreement to buy the Wonx Spring Road property is contingent on town approval.

Its time to own a building, Ryan Brechlin said. Were proud and happy to be building owners.

From high volume to valuables

Nest Egg started with estate sales and an auction house that moved large lots of items. With the move to Berlin, the owners began to specialize in more valuable items.

Nest egg now focuses on specific areas, Ryan Brechlin said. We do a lot with estate jewelry, coin collections, silver vintage watches, fine art.

Buyers are more interested in those high-value items and it allows owners to spend more time describing and photographing individual items rather than selling big boxes of stuff from estates.

Its very hard to ship a dining room set, Ryan Brechlin said.

The company has many customers in the Meriden and Southington area.

Live and online auctions

Nest Egg was restricted to online auctions only for the past year and a half. Several weeks ago, the company started its live auctions again.

If approved and bought, the Southington location will allow for live auctions.

Since theres a retail component to the business, Nest Egg needs approval for a site plan, according to Dave Lavallee, the towns acting planner. The Planning and Zoning Commission heard the proposal at its meeting last week and allowed Lavallee to approve it once it met the towns regulations.

If there was not a retail component it would just be a zoning permit, Lavallee said. It has not been signed off on yet.

Ryan Brechlin said there are still approvals needed, such as approval from the fire marshal.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com203-317-2230Twitter: @JBuchananRJ
Depositphotos.com

Do you want to launch a business and you live in Latin America? Believe it or not, the region has large cities that ask nothing of better-known entrepreneurship hubs like Silicon Valley. According to the study by the e-commerce tool Oberlo.es , Santiago de Chile is the best Latin American city to undertake.

His study "The best cities for entrepreneurial success" analyzed different variables encompassed in infrastructure, technology / digitization, import / export and financing / bootstrapping.
Courtesy of San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance

Who has the better tacos  San Antonio or Austin? Its an age-old debate between the two (dare I say warring) cities. San Antonio, ever the underdog, is generally confident that we deserve the title, despite national media often highlighting our neighbors to the north.

Now, on Thursday, July 15, the San Antonio Food & Wine Alliance is hosting a Taco Rumble competition and fundraising event to put both citys tacos to the test. The event will run from 7:30-10 p.m at the Espee, previously known as Sunset Station (and the filming locale for Selena's "No Me Queda Mas.")
Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin's sentencing Friday in George Floyd's death will hardly be the last word in the case, with federal civil rights charges still pending, appeals expected and three more officers facing trial.

Even as that case grinds forward, many other cases are being closely watched as the U.S. grapples with the racial injustice exposed anew by Floyd's death. Most involve killings by police, although some  like Ahmaud Arbery's death in Georgia  are being scrutinized for other reasons.

Here's a rundown of some of the most high-profile cases:

AHMAUD ARBERY

Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was chased and fatally shot by three white men who spotted him running in their Georgia neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2020. Glynn County police were widely criticized for making no arrests. Charges didn't come until the state took over the case more than two months later. Jury selection for the three men, charged with malice murder and other counts, is scheduled in October, and federal authorities have charged the men with hate crimes.

ANDREW BROWN JR.

Brown, 42, who was Black, was fatally shot in April by sheriff's deputies in Elizabeth City, N.C. They were serving drug-related warrants at Brown's home when they surrounded Brown's car; he backed up and moved forward before several shots were fired at and into his vehicle. Attorneys for Brown's family say he was trying to get away, while authorities have said he was using his car as a weapon. The deputies were cleared by a prosecutor who agreed with authorities. An FBI probe is ongoing.

MA'KHIA BRYANT

Bryant, 16, who was Black, was shot four times in April by a white Columbus, Ohio, police officer as she swung a knife at a young woman. Police were responding to a 911 call from Bryant's foster home about a group of girls threatening to stab members of the household. Bryant's family has said the teen and her younger sister were the ones who called for help. The city's mayor invited the Justice Department soon afterward to review the police department for any possible racial disparities.

DAUNTE WRIGHT

Wright, 20, who was Black, was shot during a traffic stop in April in a Minneapolis suburb in the midst of the Chauvin trial. A white police officer, 26-year veteran Kim Potter, is charged with manslaughter. Body camera video shows Wright attempting to pull away from officers, and Potter shouting Taser! Taser! Taser! just before shooting Wright. The city's police chief said he believed Potter mixed up her Taser with her handgun; both he and Potter resigned two days after the shooting. Wright's family and activists have rejected the Taser explanation and called for more serious charges.

ADAM TOLEDO

Toledo, a 13-year-old who was Latino, was fatally shot in March by a white police officer in Chicago. Body camera video shows the teen appearing to drop a handgun less than a second before the officer fired his gun. A civilian police accountability board hasn't yet made a recommendation on whether the officer should be charged.

ANTHONY ALVAREZ

Alvarez, a 22-year-old Latino man, died March 31 after being shot by a Chicago police officer during a foot chase. Police said Alvarez brandished a gun while being chased. Body camera video showed Alvarez had his back turned and appeared to be holding a gun when Officer Evan Solano fatally shot him. The citys independent police review board recommended that the officer be stripped of his police powers until an investigation concludes.

RONALD GREENE

Greene, a 49-year-old Black man, died in 2019 in Louisiana in the custody of state troopers, but his case drew new attention in May after The Associated Press obtained and published body camera video of his arrest that appeared to contradict at least one trooper's statement. The trooper said Greene was a threat even after restrained and that his behavior was the reason troopers used force. The video shows troopers stunning, beating and choking Greene after a car chase. He also was placed facedown on the ground for more than nine minutes while restrained. Activists have called for the troopers to be fired and charged with crimes.

MARVIN SCOTT III

Scott, a 26-year-old Black man , died in March while struggling with detention officers at a Texas jail. Scott was arrested at a mall on a charge of marijuana possession, then taken to a hospital because he was reportedly acting erratically. After he was released, he was taken to the Collin County jail, where he exhibited what the sheriff called some strange behavior." Jailers put him on a restraint bed, used pepper spray and covered his face with a spit mask. He eventually became unresponsive and died of what the medical examiner's office called fatal acute stress response during restraint struggle with law enforcement. Seven jailers were fired and one resigned. Scott's family called for their arrest. A grand jury in June declined to indict the jailers but called for a work group to study Scott's death.

LINDANI MYENI

Myeni, a 29-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by Honolulu police in April after they responded to a 911 call. Tourists staying at a home called police after a stranger  Myeni  walked into the home and acted oddly, according to their attorney. Police said Myeni violently attacked responding officers, leaving one with a concussion, and released clips of body camera video showing him ignoring commands to get on the ground and being unaffected by a stun gun. Myeni's widow has filed a wrongful death lawsuit saying he likely mistook the home for a temple next door.

WINSTON SMITH JR.

Winston Boogie Smith Jr., a 32-year-old Black man, was fatally shot in a Minneapolis parking ramp by members of a U.S. Marshals Service task force. Authorities said they were trying to arrest Smith on a weapons violation and that he showed a handgun. The state investigative agency said evidence shows Smith fired the gun. A woman with Smith said through attorneys that she never saw a gun on Smith or in his vehicle. The two sheriff's deputies who shot Smith weren't wearing body cameras, saying the Marshals Service told them they could not. The lack of video in the city where George Floyd died contributed to anger over Smith's death, sparking several days of protests.

DANIEL PRUDE

Prude, a 41-year-old Black man, died in Rochester, New York, in March 2020, several days after encountering police after he was released from a hospital following a mental health arrest. He ran naked from his brother's home and was seen breaking store windows; his brother Joe testified that he warned an officer who came to his home not to kill his brother. His death drew new attention six months later when his family released body camera video obtained through a public records request that showed Prude handcuffed and naked with a spit hood over his head as one officer pushed his face against the ground and another pressed a knee to his back. The officers held Prude down for about two minutes until he stopped breathing. A gran d jury declined to indict any officers in February. An internal investigation may still result in disciplinary charges.

ANDRE HILL

Hill, a 47-year-old Black man, was visiting a family friend when he was fatally shot by a white police officer in Columbus, Ohio, in December as he emerged from a garage holding a cell phone. Officer Adam Coy was fired and has pleaded not guilty to murder and reckless homicide charges. The police chief was forced out and the city agreed to pay a $10 million settlement to Hill's family.

CASEY GOODSON JR.

Goodson, a 23-year-old Black man, was shot in the back five times by a white sheriff's deputy in Columbus, Ohio, on Dec. 4. The deputy, Jason Meade, was working for a U.S. Marshals Office task force and just finishing a search for a fugitive when he shot Goodson, who was not the subject of the search. U.S. Marshal Peter Tobin first said Goodson drove past the deputy and waved a gun, then withdrew the comments as based on insufficient information. Relatives said Goodson was opening the door to his grandmother's house when he was shot. Two special prosecutors were appointed in June to examine the case.

RAYSHARD BROOKS

Brooks, a 27-year-old Black man, fell asleep in his car in the drive-thru lane of a Wendy's restaurant in Atlanta in June 2020. Police body camera video showed him struggling with two white officers who told him he'd had too much to drink to drive and tried to arrest him. Brooks grabbed a Taser from one of the officers and fled, firing it at Officer Garrett Rolfe as he ran. Rolfe fired his gun, hitting Brooks twice in the back. Rolfe is charged with murder and was fired after the shooting, though that dismissal was reversed on the grounds the city hadn't followed its procedures.

MANUEL ELLIS

Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, died March 3, 2020 after he pleaded for breath under an officer's knee in Tacoma, Washington. Ellis was Tasered, handcuffed and hogtied, with his face covered by a spit hood. A medical examiner said he died from lack of oxygen caused by restraint, with an enlarged heart and methamphetamine intoxication as contributing factors. Tacoma police officers Christopher Burbank and Matthew Collins are charged with second-degree murder after witnesses reported they started beating Ellis without provocation. The officers say he attacked them. A third officer, Timothy Rankine, is charged with first-degree manslaughter for allegedly kneeling on Ellis back and shoulder as he repeatedly said he couldnt breathe.

___

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  Search and rescue teams worked through the night, encountering rainstorms and small fires in the rubble, hoping to detect any sounds coming from survivors following the collapse of a beachside condominium complex near Miami.

The crews, which include some 130 firefighters working in teams, are approaching the pile from above and below as they search for any signs of life in what had been a wing of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Florida.

Overnight, crews pulled three bodies from the pile, bringing the official death toll to four, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. The tower collapsed early Thursday, leaving 159 people unaccounted for, she said. But Fridays focus remained on finding survivors among the rubble, which is more than 30 feet (9 meters) high.

Crews have heard some tapping and other noises, but Assistant Miami-Dade Fire Chief Raide Jadallah emphasized that the rescuers don't know whether the sounds are human-made or just caused by the settling of the huge mass of concrete, metal and other belongings lost in the collapse.

Any time that we hear a sound, we concentrate in that area, Jadallah said during a news conference Friday morning. It could be just steel twisting, it could be debris raining down, but not specifically sounds of tapping or sounds of a human voice.

Crane operators are meticulously picking up large pieces of concrete and other heavy debris from the pile using large claws, creating a sound of crashing glass and metal as they pick up a haul and dump it to the side as crews look on. The cranes periodically come to a pause, allowing firefighters a chance to pick up and remove lighter debris.

At the same time, other firefighters are tunneling from below, using saws and jackhammers, to search for pockets in the rubble, Jadallah said.

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said the removal of the debris should make it safer for rescuers to tunnel into pockets where survivors might be trapped.

Right now we are picking up dangerous pieces that look like they could fall on our search and rescue guys, he said.

Periodic downpours, as well as strong winds, were adding to the challenges. A fire somewhere deep within the rubble was also a concern. Were working around that, its not stopping us, the mayor said.

Levine Cava said it is incredibly motivating to watch the search and rescue teams.

This work is being done at extreme risk to these individuals. Debris is falling on them as they do their work, she said. We have structural engineers on site to ensure that they will not be injured but they are proceeding because they are so motivated and they are taking extraordinary risk on the site every day.

Jadallah said firefighters know the risk, but are driven by the hope of finding survivors.

This is the risk that we take: its the risk vs. benefit, he said. Every time that we have that belief that theres hope with personnel that are trapped, we do risk our lives.

___

Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting to more full-time firefighting crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and making the jobs more attractive by increasing pay and benefits.

Theres a push in Congress to increase firefighter pay and convert at least 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to year-round workers, furthering a shift in their ranks over the past decade as fires have grown more severe.

It comes as fires raging in Western states parched by severe drought and record heat have burned more than 2,000 square miles (5,300 square kilometers) this year.

That's ahead of the pace in 2020, which ultimately saw a near-record 15,000 square miles (40,000 square kilometers) burned as well as more than 17,000 homes and other structures destroyed.

U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Christopher French testified Thursday before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that firefighters need more pay in recognition of the growing workload.

The year-round firefighters could also remove brush and other hazardous fuels when not battling wildfires. French said the Forest Service treats 3 million acres (4,700 square miles) annually, but to make progress would need to treat two to four times that much in the 193 million acres (301,500 square miles) it manages.

He called for a paradigm shift in forest management to address the impacts of climate change.

We have a crisis," French said while testifying on a infrastructure bill sponsored by West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. We must address it at the scale of the problem, and bring long term relief to our firefighters, our communities and our forests.

The challenge has increased in recent decades as more homes were built outside cities and towns, forcing wildland firefighters to protect the structures.

President Joe Biden this week called for an increase in firefighter pay from $13 an hour.

That's a ridiculously low salary to pay federal firefighters, he said.

Firefighters can often boost pay by working overtime, a regular occurrence on bad fire years.

The Forest Service and Department of Interior combined employ about 15,000 firefighters. Roughly 70% are full-time and 30% are seasonal. Those figures used to be reversed, said Forest Service spokesman Stanton Florea.

Increased pay and more full-time firefighters were included in infrastructure legislation sponsored by Manchin, the chair of the energy and natural resources committee and a key swing vote in the evenly divided Senate. He was among a bipartisan group of 10 lawmakers who announced a deal Thursday with Biden on a pared-down version of the administrations plan.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, also in the group, said the package would contain money for addressing wildfires but was unclear whether raises were included. If not, Tester said raises would be addressed in next year's federal budget.

This is dangerous work, folks need to be paid for it. Were going to need to hire people to do this work, he said.

Still, officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise said they face a potential shortage of firefighters this year because the $13 starting wage isnt enough.

Theres not technically a shortage of firefighters because we always overprepare, said Jessica Gardetto, a fire center spokeswoman with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and a former wildland firefighter. But its a concern right now. We're seeing people taking jobs at local businesses that pay the same or more than starting fire positions.

She also said the length of time firefighters spend in the field has been increasing. That can be a problem for seasonal firefighters who are college students and need to get back to class.

In the past we had fire seasons, now we have fire years, she said.

Officials at the center on Tuesday raised the national preparedness level to 4 on a 1-5 scale, the second earliest dating back to 1990. The primary reason is the drought will likely make it harder to put out fires and strain firefighting resources.

We dont know what kind of support were going to be able to get from other agencies, said Sharla Arledge, spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Lands, which is responsible for protecting state and some federal land. It's a tinderbox out there.

More than 90% of the U.S. West is in drought. Forecasters expect the drought will persist at least through September across most of the region.

The nation's wildland firefighting system is a network of local, state and federal agencies, and in Idaho includes a unique program where ranchers are trained and given equipment to keep wildfires small until help arrives. The vast majority of wildfires are put out within days, but some grow to thousands of acres and draw hundreds firefighters.

Major blazes that raged in Oregon, California, Washington and other states in 2020 revealed how stretched thin the ranks of firefighters have become. By September, with more than 30,000 firefighters deployed, there were so many fires burning that hundreds of requests for help went unfulfilled as agencies scrambled to get enough firefighters, aircraft, engines and support personnel.

Firefighters from across the U.S. and other countries including Canada and Israel were summoned to help fill the personnel shortage.

Idaho officials have struggled to retain state wildland firefighters who are sometimes poached by federal agencies after gaining on-the-ground experience. Starting pay for an Idaho wildland firefighter is $12.55 an hour.

As of Friday, the National Interagency Fire Center said almost 9,000 firefighters were battling wild fires across the U.S. About 80% of wildfires annually are started by people, often while enjoying outdoor activities or using fireworks.

___

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
"In first trip to U.S.-Mexico border as vice president, Kamala Harris focuses on causes of immigration" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans  and engages with them  about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Kamala Harris visited El Paso on Friday, in her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border as vice president after relentless criticism from Republicans who accused her of avoiding the border and ignoring what they say is a crisis of illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Harris, who was accompanied by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, visited the El Paso Border Patrol station and the El Paso del Norte Port of Entry, and met with representatives of non-governmental organizations that help immigrants during her four-hour trip to the border city.

Inside the border facility, Harris met with five immigrant girls who ranged in age from 9 to 16, according to her staff. Harris then told reporters that migrants dont want to leave their homes and do so because they are fleeing some type of harm.

This issue cannot be reduced to a political issue, she said during a news conference.

READ MORE: New poll shows Matthew McConaughey with high favorability for governor among Texans

Outside of the border facility, Harris brushed off criticism from Republicans that she had not visited the border since becoming vice president and did not understand immigration issues. She pointed to her trips earlier this month to Guatemala and Mexico as efforts to tackle the root causes of illegal immigration.

The reality of it is that we have to deal with causes, and we have to deal with the effects, said Harris, who visited the border as a U.S. Senator from California.

Symone Sanders, a Harris spokeswoman, said the new administration had inherited a broken, gutted immigration system that was inhumane.

Since President [Joe] Biden and Vice President Harris have taken office, they have worked very diligently to address immigration at every single level, to establish legal pathways, restore an orderly, humane and fair system and means to apply for asylum, Sanders said.

Pro-Trump demonstrators outside the border facility held signs that read: Kamala do you hear their screams? and Kamala, you know Trump won.

Harris did not visit Fort Bliss, where the government has erected the largest processing center in the country for unaccompanied migrant children. But while at the port of entry, she visited a screening area for asylum applicants who enter from Mexico.

Republican elected officials, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, have said the Biden administrations immigration policies  which in many cases reversed those of former President Donald Trump  have led to a surge of more migrants seeking to enter the United States.

There were 180,034 apprehensions last month at the U.S.-Mexico border, compared to fewer than 25,000 in late 2020, according to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. During the Trump administration, the highest recorded number of apprehensions was nearly 150,000.

Mayorkas said the country faced challenges at the border earlier this year but has made extraordinary progress.

Abbott, who earlier this month announced that Texas would build a state-funded border wall to stop illegal immigration, said earlier this week that Harris is ignoring the real problem areas along our southern border that are not protected by the border wall and are being overrun by the federal government's ill-thought-out open border policies.

Abbott recently held a self-styled border summit in Del Rio, which he said is one of the areas most affected by the increase in immigration. There, he announced a state of disaster in 34 border counties and called for Department of Public Safety troopers to arrest migrants crossing into Texas for state offenses like criminal trespassing, human trafficking and smuggling.

On Friday, Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas also slammed Harris for visiting the border 800 miles from the epicenter of migrant crossings in the Rio Grande Valley and saying the administrations policies had opened the floodgates to human smugglers and drug cartels.

If the Vice President came to Texas without a concrete plan to secure our border and is unwilling to reverse her administrations failed immigration policies that caused the crisis, then her visit is nothing short of a glorified photo-op, he said in a statement.

Republicans arent the only ones criticizing Harris. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who represents a border district, said the vice presidents decision to visit El Paso was a politically safe move.

Cuellar said he was glad Harris was visiting the border, but she would get a better understanding of the regions problems if she visited the lower Rio Grande Valley, where much of the increase in illegal crossings is happening.

If you want to get a snapshot of where the action is happening, you go down to where the action is, he said.

Abbott and Trump are planning to visit the Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday for a town hall on border issues.

But Escobar, who accompanied Harris on the trip, said El Paso is the right place to visit because it has borne much of the impact of an increase in migration to the U.S. in recent years. During the Trump administration, the city dealt with hundreds of migrant children who were separated from their parents while trying to enter the country and had to erect emergency shelters to house migrants.

I and other advocates have long said El Paso is the new Ellis Island, Escobar said. We have been greeting asylum seekers and refugees at our nations front door for a very long time.

Escobar touted the work of local and federal groups in the region who have helped immigrants who were stranded in the city during the Trump administration and said the Biden administration could learn a lot from those workers.

While in El Paso, Harris met with those groups, including the Hope Border Institute and the Border Network for Human Rights, which has called for the immediate closure of the Fort Bliss emergency shelter. Sanders said the administration has instructed U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to do a thorough investigation of conditions at the shelter.

Harris said at a roundtable meeting with the immigrants rights groups that she wanted to have a candid conversation with them and stressed that she wanted to learn what they believe leads migrants to leave their homes.

The Border Network for Human Rights and other groups have also called for the administration to end Title 42, a public health rule invoked during the Trump presidency that allows immigration agents to turn away migrants seeking to enter the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayorkas said during the trip that a decision will be made based on data being reviewed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Escobar said presidential action on immigration is important but added that Congress must play its part by creating pathways to citizenship and asylum for immigrants who seek them.

My Republican colleagues are more interested in walls and criticism of our vice president than about real meaningful solutions, she said.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/25/kamala-harris-texas-mexico-border-immigration/.



The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.
The National Weather Service has confirmed the state's largest piece of hail ever recorded fell near San Antonio this spring. An even bigger piece appears to have been made into margaritas.

On the afternoon of April 28, a "supercell" storm developed just southeast of Del Rio, setting a course for San Antonio. By early evening, residents across the region were reporting 1-to-2 inch pieces of hail and winds between 70 and 100 miles per hour.

Around 7:30 p.m., residents in Medina County, including Hondo and Castroville, were reporting pieces of hail between 5 and 7 inches in diameter, and sending images to area news stations. What would eventually be designated Texas's biggest piece of hail on record fell in Hondo, measuring 6.4 inches across, 12 inches in circumference, and weighing more than a pound.

READ MORE: Storms could provide some relief from the heat in San Antonio next week

Rather amazingly, members of the NWS were able to use radar to detect almost the precise moment the record-breaking ice fell, and put it at approximately 7:35 p.m., according to a June 22 memo from the NWS to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

A few days later, on May 6, members of the NWS Austin-San Antonio team and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety traveled to the hail finder's home after seeing an image submitted on social media local TV station. According to the memo, because the ice had been put into the freezer without a bag, it likely shrunk slightly in size from the initial picture.

Members of State Climate Extremes Committee convened a few weeks later to confirm this mondo Hondo ice as setting the inaugural SCEC record for the State of Texas.

There is an addendum to this chilling tale: the record holder may not have been Hondo's biggest hailstone that night. Another social media post shows a piece with a possible diameter of 6.57 inches also fell on April 28. Unfortunately, researchers say they were unable to verify its size before it was blended into a batch of margaritas.
I began my journalism career in Nashville in 1990, with my current position with Nashville Post having evolved since October 2000 (when I was with the now-defunct The City Paper, a sister publication of the Post starting in 2008).

Follow William Williams Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
(Natural News) Affidavits filed in a federal court on June 21 raise crucial questions about the FBIs role in the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaigns efforts to vilify her opponent, Donald Trump, as a Russian agent. The FBI obtained a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant to spy on the Trump team based on a dossier of memos alleging Trumps ties to Russia that was filed by Clinton campaign contractor Christopher Steele.

(Article by Lee Smith republished from TheEpochTimes.com)

But the newly released court documents suggest the FBI may have helped shape the anti-Trump plot at its origins.

The affidavits are the latest revelation to come from the ongoing defamation suit that the owners of Alfa-Bank, Russias largest commercial bank, have brought against Fusion GPS, the communications firm that hired Steele to compile TrumpRussia reports on behalf of the Clinton campaign. In one of Steeles memos, Alfa-Bank principals Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven, and German Khan are alleged to have engaged in corrupt practices.

Steele claims that this report and the others are sourced to a Russian national he hired, Igor Danchenko, who, in turn, says his information came from a network of Russia-based sources. The affidavits filed this week were sworn by five Russian nationals who say Danchenkos allegations that they served as sources for Steeles reporting are false.

This may put Danchenko in a bind. Finding himself at the mercy of angry billionaires who are eager to clear their names and the reputation of their business, Danchenkos clearest path out of financial and legal risk may be to reveal everything he knows about the anti-Trump plot.

The affidavit signed by Russian financial journalist Ivan Vorontsov is the most significant of the five documents. Vorontsov said that he has been friends with Danchenko since 2013 and met him three times in 2016. According to him, Danchenko said that he was employed by Fusion GPS, and its co-founders, Glenn Simpson and Peter Fritsch.

This appears to contradict what Danchenko told the FBI in a January 2017 interview. According to the transcript, Danchenko did not have any visibility into [Steeles] end clients. Danchenkos attorney reaffirmed his clients claim, Never asked, and was never told [about final clients].

Another section from Vorontsovs affidavit may prove even more significant. He states that during a June 2016 reception at the U.S. ambassadors residence in Moscow, he was whisked away and invited to have a discussion with representatives of the FBI about Mr. Danchenko.

Though Vorontsov does not give any more details, the FBIs interest in him is noteworthy. According to the Department of Justices December 2019 inspector generals report, the FBI claims Steele didnt provide them with Danchenkos name. Moreover, the FBI says it didnt speak with Danchenko until January 2017. And yet seven months earlier, the FBI was seeking information about Danchenko from a man he named as a dossier source.

In the January 2017 interview, Danchenko told the FBI that hed given Steele the names of some of his sources. One name he relayed to Steele has been redacted in the interview transcript and annotated as Source 2, which is how Vorontsov has been identified in public reporting. If, as the FBI says, Steele didnt give them the names of his sources, how did they know to connect Danchenko to Vorontsov?

The other issue therefore raised by Vorontsovs account is chronology. The FBI says it did not begin its investigation into the Trump teams alleged ties to Russia until July 31, 2016. It also claims it didnt receive dossier reports until July 5, when Steeles FBI handler met him in London. Vorontsovs affidavit suggests the FBI may have been active in the anti-Trump operation at least a month earlier.

June 2016 is a key period in the dossier timeline. Its when the dossier was constructed. Fusion GPS documents and public testimony show that between October 2015 and mid-May 2016, the opposition research firm was focused on public reports of Trumps alleged ties to organized crime figures in the former Soviet states. But within a month, Fusion GPSs focus changed.

The first memo in the dossier is dated June 20, alleging that, according to Russian government officials, including senior intelligence officers and diplomats, Trump had been compromised by Moscows spy services. Indeed, Russian President Vladimir Putins senior advisors controlled the Trump file on behalf of Putin himself.

So why did the subject matter of Fusion GPSs reporting swing so dramatically? Simpson and Fritsch say thats because they brought on Steele in May. According to their account, the British ex-spy and expert in all matters Russian found that Trumps most shocking ties werent with Russian organized crime figures but to Russian government officials.

The affidavits show why Steele was able to gather such remarkably in-depth and earth-shattering intelligence in only a months timeit was fabricated. The dossiers shocking allegations were invented either by Danchenko, or Steele, or Fusion GPS, or more likely a combination of the three.

But that doesnt explain why the fabric of the story changed. From May 20 to June 20, 2016, the subject morphed from organized crime to intelligence matters regarding foreign officials, in other words, a subject tailored to win the FBI a FISA warrant to spy on the Trump team. Did the FBI receive Steeles fraudulent intelligence reports or did it help create them?

The five affidavits give more evidence that the dossier operation relied on sources upon sourcesthat is, cut-outsin part to avoid the legal jeopardy that Danchenko now faces. Steele couldnt be held accountable if he was just relaying what he heard from Danchenko, who couldnt be blamed if his information came from other sources. The five affidavits have left Danchenko alone and exposed. And so, one important question is, if Steele hid behind Danchenko, who was hiding behind Steele?

Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com and FBICorruption.news.
(Natural News) American Airlines (AA) canceled more than 300 flights over the weekend due to a lack of pilots. The cancellations prompted travelers to take to social media to voice out their frustration. The issue stemmed from the large-scale retrenchment of pilots during the start of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Because of this, the carrier announced that an unanticipated surge in demand for post-pandemic travel could cause 3,000 flights to be axed by the end of July 2021.

A report by the Daily Mail said the carrier cut 123 flights on Saturday, June 19. The next day, it canceled another 180 flights and followed up with the cancellation of 98 flights scheduled on June 21. In total, 303 flights were cut on Saturday and Sunday  and the additional canceled Monday flights brought up the total to 401.

Many affected passengers posted about their harrowing experience on social media. Matt Jones shared a picture of a mile-long line for customer service desks at Miami International Airport. He and other passengers queued in front of the desks after their AA flight from Florida to New York encountered lengthy delays before finally being canceled.

Scott Kubie meanwhile tweeted that his partners flight was canceled last minute for no given reason. While they surmised pilot shortage as the possible reason, they noted that AA should not sell tickets [it] cant honor. Kubie also noted how AA staff members were unhelpful at the service desk.

A passenger who was left stranded on June 20 tweeted how AA canceled his flight because not enough people boarded. They claimed that they were stuck at the airport since 8 a.m. and only got confirmed for a flight 10 hours later at 6 p.m. Another passenger lashed out at the airline for canceling his wifes flight without notice. The second passenger added that AA did not reschedule another flight for his wife, who just had surgery, so she can fly home.

The cancellations occurred amid a post-pandemic air travel boom

Speaking to ABC News, the airline said most of the cancellations were for its Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 aircraft. It added that it anticipates axing 50 to 60 flights daily for the remainder of June. Furthermore, the carrier said it will cancel 50 to 80 flight daily in July  amounting to more than 3,000 flights.

AA said in a statement: We made targeted changes with the goal of impacting the fewest number of customers by adjusting flights in markets where we have multiple options for re-accommodation.

Demand for air travel collapsed during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as various countries put lockdowns in place. Because of this, airline companies  including AA  were forced to lay off employees to cut costs. It retrenched 1,200 of its 15,000 pilots, with most of the pilots skilled in flying the Boeing 737 jets that comprise the U.S. carriers domestic fleet being laid off. (Related: COVID-19 hits aviation industry: American Airlines grounds fleet, suspends flights.)

But now, Americans quickly resumed travel as COVID-19 vaccination became more widespread, case numbers dropped and quarantine restrictions were lifted. The sudden surge in post-pandemic travel caught airline companies by surprise  and many pilots previously laid off became much-coveted hires.

Even though carriers scramble to rehire retrenched pilots, an industry bigwig warned that the U.S. could face a pilot shortage in the future. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby predicted that more pilots who gained experience during the Cold War will hang up their hats. The military produces far fewer pilots today than in the Vietnam [War] and Cold War [eras], and its hard to become  a commercial airline pilot if youre not going through the military, he explained.

The ABC News report noted that the U.S. airline industry is also facing a shortage of staff members aside from pilots. Thousands of airline employees were offered early retirements and buyouts when air travel stopped in March of last year. But airlines are scrambling to fill these vacancies once more as travel returned to pre-pandemic levels, (Related: Thousands of US aircraft sit dormant amid coronavirus travel restrictions.)

The same report said AA is dealing with a shortage of catering staffers and wheelchair operators. Meanwhile, its rival United Airlines desperately seeks baggage agents. Delta Air Liness automated service told customers at one point during last months Memorial Day weekend that it would take more than 21 hours of waiting to talk with a reservation agent.

Visit Pandemic.news to read more about the impact of COVID-19 on the airline industry.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

ABCNews.go.com
(Natural News) More than 1,200 rare cases of myocarditis and pericarditis have now officially been reported in conjunction with the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most of the victims are 30 years of age or younger and suffer these side effects after their second dose of the shot.

The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) admits that there is a likely association between the injections and heart inflammation in the young. For both jabs combined, there are now 12.6 heart inflammation cases per million doses administered.

Clinical presentation of myocarditis cases following vaccination has been distinct, occurring most often within one week after dose two, with chest pain as the most common presentation, says Dr. Grace Lee, the ACIP chair.

Myocarditis is categorized as inflammation of the heart muscle while pericarditis demarcates inflammation in the membrane that surrounds the heart. Both conditions are serious and should not be occurring in otherwise healthy young people.

According to Lee, the CDC is in the process of gathering more data to fully understand the potential risks involved with continuing to administer Chinese Virus injections, particularly to young adults and children.

One of the slides presented at a recent ACIP meeting shows that the age group most affected by heart inflammation post-jab is 16-18 years old. Very few people over the age of 30 suffer such side effects after getting injected.

CDC says benefits of covid injection outweigh risks

The CDC says that there are 267 known reported cases of myocarditis or pericarditis after the first injection of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, and 827 known reported cases after the second injection.

Another 132 additional cases have been reported where the number of doses received prior to manifesting side effects is unknown.

As of June 11, some 300 million doses of Wuhan Flu shots have been administered in the United States, according to the CDC.

This is still a rare event, claims Dr. Tom Shimabukuro, noting that the more dangerous of the two injections appears to be Moderna at 19.8 cases per one million injections.

Israels Ministry of Health came to similar conclusions about these mRNA injections, having admitted that they probably cause deadly heart inflammation, particularly in younger men.

It is unknown why young men are the most hard-hit by the jabs, but the CDC insists that everything is a-okay because most cases supposedly lead to recovery. Only a handful end up requiring a victim having to go to the ICU for more advanced treatment.

Despite the serious risks involved, the CDC still contends that getting injected is a safer bet than risking catching the Chinese Virus out in public. According to the CDC, the most hospitalized age group for the Wuhan Flu is now younger people, though the agency refuses to link vaccines as the cause.

Adolescents and young adults make up a greater proportion of total cases; 33% of cases reported in May were in persons aged 12 to 29 years, compared with 28% last December, says the CDCs Dr. Megan Wallace.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also released a statement encouraging Americans to still get injected despite the risks involved with potentially developing deadly heart inflammation.

Only an exceedingly small number of people will experience it after vaccination, the federal agency claims.

Importantly, for the young people who do, most cases are mild, and individuals recover often on their own or with minimal treatment. In addition, we know that myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe.

Chinese Virus injections are dangerous and unnecessary, especially in young people. To learn more, visit ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

CNBC.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that children in the U.S. may have already achieved herd immunity against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19). Despite this, the health agency is still attempting to rush ahead with mass vaccinations for children.

According to the CDCs own data, around 42 percent of Americans between the ages of five and 17 have already been infected with and recovered from the coronavirus. This means that American youth are probably already at herd immunity without the need for vaccinations.

Even the World Health Organization (WHO) understands that COVID-19 cases among under 18-year-olds only represent a sliver of all reported cases. And among those cases, most experience a very mild form of the disease and even fewer die from it.

But companies like Pfizer are still pushing forward with their vaccine trials for children, with the approval of the CDC. Some hospitals are even expanding the trial to include volunteers as young as six months old.

Now that the vaccine has proven to be effective in adults, it is a natural next step in the research process to study the unique needs of younger individuals, said Dr. Julia Garcia, director of clinical infectious diseases research at the Ochsner Medical Center in Louisiana. (Related: Pfizer pushes ahead with plans to push coronavirus vaccines on younger children, including toddlers and infants.)

A childs immune system is different than an adults immune system, so it is critically important to have a study focused on the efficacy of the vaccine in this cohort, she added.

One couple from Louisiana signed up all their children for Pfizers trial at Ochsner. The parents are Drs. Cuong Bui and Erin Biro and they signed up their three children. The eldest is six, the middle child is three and the youngest is just 14 months old.

Biro claimed she was doing this so that her kids can live safely in a world where we dont have to worry about them getting sick from COVID.

Were super excited that our entire family now has the opportunity and the chance of possibly being protected  and also just contributing to the research and the science to hopefully get all kids across the finish line, she added.

WHO believes children should not be vaccinated against COVID-19 right now

On Tuesday, June 22, the WHO issued new guidance recommending that parents hold off on vaccinating their children against the coronavirus for the time being.

The WHO said children are less likely to get the virus. Even if they do, they will only most likely experience a very mild form of it compared to adults and are not in urgent need of vaccinations unless they have pre-existing conditions.

Because of this, the WHO believes vaccines should be prioritized for those with health conditions, healthcare and other frontline workers and older individuals.

More evidence is needed on the use of the different COVID-19 vaccines in children to be able to make general recommendations on vaccinating children against COVID-19, wrote the WHO in its guidance.

Despite this guidance, the WHO still believes in the supposed effectiveness of vaccines. The WHOs Strategic Advisory Group of Experts said that the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is suitable for children aged 12 years old and above.

It also did not recommend that the ongoing Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trials on children should be stopped. The organization is instead waiting for the results of the trial and will most likely support the vaccination of children once the trials results come out.

Instead of getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the WHO is recommending parents continue giving their children other childhood vaccines.

Sources include:

TheBlaze.com

CDC.gov

WHO.int 1

ABCNews.go.com

Fox8.com

WHO.int 2
(Natural News) Just take out the Marxist playbook and turn to the next page, where the Delta variant of the China-disease scamdemic is now to blame for every upcoming death caused by the Covid-19 vaccines. Beware of the Delta variant and the Beta variant, but still get the Covid-19 vaccines, if you havent, theyre telling everyone. So we have to get this straight. Science has proven that Covid-19 was created in a laboratory using gain of function, so a disease bats carry could become contagious for humans and zero in on infecting the lungs.

While designing the China virus, those same companies, corporations and institutes created vaccines for that virus, a virus that mutates frequently (within a year) into new, more virulent strains that the vaccines are useless against. Then, the CDC and WHO want us all to blame the new variants for all deaths caused by Covid vaccines that are causing blood clots and fatalities all around the world.

Dirty variants, dirty vaccines and the dirty cover-up

This is how you wreck the most powerful, successful nation in the world, and then blame the virus when the vaccines start wiping millions of people off the planet. Its all one big psychological operation (psy-op) controlled by the media and scripted by Bill Gates and Fauci. As the Delta Variant sweeps through India, much of Europe, and now supposedly the United States, get ready for more scare tactics to sell those dirty prion-creating vaccines. In Israel, the citizens are about to experience forced lockdown after exposure to the Delta Variant and Delta Plus, which is said to be MORE contagious than Covid-19. Sure. The tsunami cometh.

In India, the Covid vaccines are causing 50,000 new infections per day. The wave of infections and deaths are being blamed on new variants of Covid-19, just as planned. All of mass media has been informed to follow the narrative and the script. Its always breaking news and Covid variant being detected now in (plug in any overpopulated city or nation here). Theres even mutated forms of the Delta variant. Mutations of mutations, and you can bet your epitaph funds there will be a booster shot for every single one of them, after they scare everyone to death with fake news.

Its genetic sequence suggests it may be even more contagious than the original yeah, we get it. Every institute with science in their name is declaring the same narrative at the same time all over the place, and all of the Trump haters are lined up around the block for their next dirty jab.

Catch the Delta Variant and its variants with new vaccines, so round and round the toxic merry-go-round goes

The goal of the CDC and WHO is to catch this Delta Variant and its variants early and figure out where they originated, they say, even though theyve done everything in their power to BLOCK investigations into the Wuhan lab in China, and their connections/funding by NIH and Fauci-led grants. The Delta Variant has turned up in 9 countries so far, and if they can get the world saying Delta Variant over and over, they may be able to convince all the vaccinated sheeple to run out and get the next dose of blood-clotting injections.

Here comes the irony. Only four percent of Indians are fully vaccinated. Thats because word is getting out, circumventing the mass media, that vaccines are causing mass injury and death around the world. Especially after the first vaccine delivers horrific side effects, and then every medical professional is instructed to tell you to get the next vaccine as soon as possible (if its been 2 weeks). People are figuring out the source of the carnage, and fast. This whole Delta Variant narrative is to cover up deaths and injuries caused by the vaccines, and next comes the fake PCR Delta Variant Test, to see if you got it. Get it? Its all a scam.

Visit CovidVaccineReactions.com if you already got a toxic Covid jab or two and you are experiencing side effects, blood clots or other adverse events. Then tune your internet frequency to Pandemic.news for updates on these crimes against humanity being delivered under the guise of inoculation. Also visit Visit PharmaDeathClock for more information and validated statistics about the tragedies along the Allopathic train on which 200 million Americans ride.

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

TruthWiki.org

GlobalJustice.org

NOQReport.com

ZeroHedge.com

BBC.com
(Natural News) Frances health minister is threatening to make COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for health workers after low turnout rates, in particular, among those in care homes.

On Thursday, Health Minister Olivier Veran made a solemn appeal to health workers to take the plunge after the ministrys latest report showed that only 41.9 percent of health workers in care homes have been fully vaccinated, while only 55.3 percent have received their first shot.

According to Veran, these figures mean that the vaccination rate for health workers in care homes in France is lower than that of the general adult population. By comparison, around 60 percent of adults in France have received their first shot.

If by the end of the summer there is no improvement, we will have to consider making vaccinations for those specific groups obligatory, said Veran in an interview with BFM television.

France among the first countries hit by coronavirus pandemic

France is among the first countries in Europe to be hit by the coronavirus, recording its first COVID-related death as early as February last year. Currently, the country has a total caseload of nearly 6 million and a death toll of around 110,000.

According to health authorities, older adults in care homes were hit hard at the height of the pandemic last year. As vaccines became available, health workers were the first in the country to be injected.

The latest report from Public Health France  as well as Verans threat  came out on the same day the country began to relax its mask-wearing rule and allowed people to remove masks outdoors. The agency has reportedly held off releasing the report, as it changed its computation process.

Aside from dropping the use of face masks outdoors, the French government is also set to lift nighttime curfews. The health minister noted that the government is planning to reopen nightclubs  which have been shuttered since last year  by next month.

Learn more about how vaccines may harm your brain with this Health Ranger Report.

Mandatory vaccinations coming to the U.S.

Meanwhile, the city of San Francisco is set to require employees to get vaccinated or they will lose their jobs. According to city officials, mandatory vaccinations will start after the Food and Drug Administration fully approves the COVID-19 vaccines.

In a statement to NBC, Carol Isen, the citys human resources director, said the move is their way of helping employees see their way to getting vaccinated.

Whats become clear in the science is that the vaccine is the best protection for our employees and for the public that we serve, she added.

Starting next week, city employees will have 30 days to comply with the new regulation. The mandatory vaccination order covers city hall and municipal workers, as well as police and firefighters. (Related: UK healthcare workers may be forced to get injected with covid vaccines containing deadly spike protein.)

In New York, 1199SEIU, the countrys largest health care union, has declared plans to fight mandatory vaccinations among health workers.

Speaking to WNYC/Gothamist, union president George Gresham stressed that medical workers have the right to make their own decisions about their health. He also said that they are ready to challenge any move to make vaccinations a requirement for employment.

The unions first challenge will come from NewYork-Presbyterian, which released a memo on June 11 requiring all employees to be vaccinated by Sept. 1 lest they lose their jobs. Gresham said that union delegates have already met with NewYork-Presbyterian CEO Steven Corwin to raise their concerns.

In Texas, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Houston Methodist Hospital for mandating coronavirus vaccines. The dismissal caused 153 people to lose their jobs because they refused to comply with the vaccine mandate.

Pandemic.news has the latest on the Wuhan coronavirus.

Sources include:

RFI.fr

9News.com.au

Worldometers.info

SHTFPlan.com

NBCBayArea.com

Gothamist.com
(Natural News) Activated charcoal is a common home remedy with many uses, from detoxifying to boosting kidney health.

You can stock up on activated charcoal as a prepper by learning how to make it at home. This ensures that you have access to a versatile home remedy for minor health complaints like digestive or skin issues when SHTF. (h/t to ThePreppingGuide.com)

Activated charcoal: A versatile home remedy

Activated charcoal is a fine black powder made from ingredients like coal, coconut shells, olive pits, peat, petroleum coke, or sawdust.

The charcoal is activated by processing it at very high temperatures, which change its internal structure, reduces the size of its pores and increases its surface area. This produces charcoal that is more porous than regular charcoal.

Activated charcoal is highly absorbent, allowing it to bind to molecules, ions, or atoms. The activation process removes previously absorbed molecules and frees up binding sites. The process also helps reduce the size of the pores in charcoal.

How to make activated charcoal at home

You can make activated charcoal at home by burning wood or fibrous plant material.

Making the charcoal

Build a medium-sized fire outdoors. The fire must be hot enough to burn wood. Start the fire carefully and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Place the hardwood pieces or plant material into metal pots with a vent hole on top and cover them with a lid. If you dont have hardwood, use alternatives like dense, fibrous plant material (e.g. coconut shells). Airflow to the inside of the pot should be kept low during this process. Let the materials burn in the pot for three to five hours. Steam and gas will escape from the vent hole in the lid during this step and everything inside the pot will burn except the carbon (charcoal). Youre done once no gas or smoke comes out of the pot. The charcoal in the pot will burn hot for a while. Set it aside to let it cool down completely. Once the charcoal has cooled down, transfer the carbon to a clean container. Rinse it with cool water to remove the remaining debris and ash. Drain the water. Transfer the rinsed charcoal to a mortar and pestle then grind it into a fine powder. Alternatively, you can place the carbon in a plastic bag and crush it into a powder using a hammer or meat tenderizing mallet. Let the charcoal powder air dry completely. Leave it in the mortar for 24 hours. If you used a plastic bag, place the powder in a clean bowl. The powder must be completely dry before moving on to the next part.

Activating the charcoal

Mix calcium chloride and water using a 1:3 ratio. Prepare enough of the solution to cover the charcoal completely. Do not overheat the solution. For small batches of charcoal, youll need 100 g (3.5 oz) of chloride mixed with 1.3 cups (310 ml) of water. You can buy calcium chloride from hardware stores, home centers, or general retailers. If you dont have calcium chloride solution, use bleach or lemon juice instead. Replace the calcium chloride solution with either 1.3 cups (310 ml) of bleach or 1.3 cups (310 ml) of lemon juice. Transfer the charcoal powder into a stainless steel or glass bowl then add the calcium chloride solution and stir. Gradually add the calcium chloride solution in small increments to the powder and stir continuously with a spoon. The mixture will turn into a paste when the solution is added. Cover the charcoal bowl and set it aside for 24 hours. Do not stir the charcoal. Drain as much of the remaining moisture you can. The charcoal should be wet but not saturated. Cook the charcoal for another three hours to activate it. Place the charcoal back in the clean metal pot and place it over the fire. Once the fire is hot enough to boil water, the charcoal will be activated.

Store the activated charcoal in an airtight container to prevent air from getting to it. When left unopened, activated charcoal can absorb gases in the environment, which may reduce its strength or efficiency.

To make activated charcoal capsules at home you will need a capsule machine, filling spoon and capsules. You can make 100 capsules at a time using a basic capsule setup. When buying capsules, check your machines capacity.

Considerations when using activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is generally considered safe to use. Adverse reactions are infrequent and rarely severe.

Using activated charcoal as a remedy may cause side effects like nausea, vomiting, constipation and black stools.

Check if your prescription medications might interact with activated charcoal. Consult your physician if you are taking prescription medication or have ongoing health problems.

Activated charcoal can cause stains, but using charcoal capsules will eliminate the risk of staining unless opened. The capsules also make it easy to know what dosage level you are using.

How to use activated charcoal

Activated charcoal helps eliminate allergens, bad smells, bacteria and pollutants from air and water. The substances and odors are then accumulated in the pores within the charcoal.

Skincare

According to studies, activated charcoal can help attract microparticles like bacteria, chemicals, dirt, dust and toxins to the skins surface, making them easier to remove.

Follow the steps below to make an activated charcoal mask:

Get a small mixing bowl and combine two tablespoons (30 ml) of bentonite clay, two tablespoons (30 ml) of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon (15 ml) of turmeric, one teaspoon (4.9 ml) of honey and 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of activated charcoal. Add water gradually to the mixture until its smooth.

Use the activated charcoal mask to detoxify your skin and unclog your pores. To use the mask, apply a thick layer of the mixture to your face for 10 minutes, then rinse it off.

Treating insect bites and stings

When SHTF, you may be exposed to stinging and biting insects. Use activated charcoal to soothe irritated skin. (Related: Itch relief: 10 Natural remedies for itchy and swollen bug bites.)

Mix a capsule of activated charcoal with half a tablespoon of coconut oil and apply it to the affected area.

Rash treatment

Activated carbon can also be used as a treatment for rashes caused by poison ivy and poison oak, which both secrete a substance that causes allergic reactions.

Use the same recipe for the insect bite remedy above. The toxin-binding properties of activated charcoal and coconut oil will help draw out the toxins from poison ivy and poison oak.

Kidney health

Activated charcoal can help improve kidney function by removing undigested toxins and drugs through filtering. It is believed that activated charcoal is effective at removing toxins from urea, the main byproduct of protein digestion.

Relieving intestinal gas

Using activated charcoal powder can help disrupt intestinal gas. Liquids or gases trapped in the intestine can easily pass through the pores in activated charcoal, neutralizing them.

A panel from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommends taking at least one gram of activated charcoal powder at least 30 minutes before and after each meal to relieve intestinal gas.

Before SHTF, learn how to make activated charcoal at home and stock up on this versatile ingredient for various home remedies.

Sources include:

ThePreppingGuide.com

Healthline.com

JotScroll.com
(Natural News) The Biden administration has no plans to force China to allow an investigation regarding the origins of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

During an appearance on CNNs State of the Union, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said pressuring Beijing to allow an independent probe on whether COVID-19  which has infected over 178 million people and killed around 3.8 million people  originated in a lab in Wuhan isnt something Bidens government will take immediate action on.

He added that the Biden administration is working on what he calls two tracks to determine where SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, came from. These so-called tracks include an independent investigation by the U.S. intelligence community, which President Joe Biden ordered with a 90-day deadline, and an international investigation led by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The time to put more pressure on China will only come after an international consensus is met. The political advisor also said the administration would continue to seek support in the international community, instead of directly confronting Beijing.

When pressed on what the Biden administration would do if Chinas communist government refuses to allow an investigation, Sullivan said that the U.S. will then look at other options together with its allies and partners.

We are in the process of using our own capacities, our own capabilities to begin to develop a clearer picture, said Sullivan. And then, secondly, in order to build the kind of international consensus around this issue that will be required to put additional pressure on China, that takes diplomatic spadework.

He added that while the U.S. isnt simply going to accept Chinas refusal, the administration is looking to build a [strong] consensus in the international community between now and the start of the WHO-led investigation.

Because it is from that position of strength that we will best be able to deal with China, he said.

Lab leak theory gaining ground

The Biden administrations move comes on the heels of wider recognition that SARS-CoV-2 might have been manipulated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). To note, former President Donald Trump had already raised the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 being released intentionally from the WIV in Wuhan as early as last April. In response, the Chinese government dismissed Trumps theories as fabricated and unfounded. (Related: Former CDC head believes coronavirus escaped from Wuhan lab.)

In an interview on April 30, Trump accused the WHO of being Beijings public relations agency.

I think that the World Health Organization should be ashamed of themselves because theyre like the public relations agency for China, added Trump.

He also said that while China is making an effort to be somewhat transparent in its handling of COVID-19, people will find out the truth on whether the Wuhan lab leak that created the pandemic was intentional or not.

Its a terrible thing that happened. Whether they made a mistake or whether it started off as a mistake and then they made another one or did somebody do something on purpose.

The earliest reports of COVID-19 were in late 2019 when health authorities in Wuhan linked dozens of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause to a local wet market. More than a year after the outbreak, the viruss origins are still unknown, and the possibility that it leaked from a laboratory in Wuhan is gaining traction.

In a June 13 interview with CBS, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Beijing must cooperate with the WHO, especially when in investigations into the origins of SARS-CoV-2. In fact, the communist governments refusal to cooperate, especially in the initial stages of the pandemic, was the reason for the WHOs failed initial report, which he said had real problems with it.

Its worth noting the WHO initial report was prepared by members with ties to Beijing. In addition, the Chinese government refused to hand over raw data on early COVID-19 cases to the investigators.

Unsurprisingly, the WHO report stuck to Beijings narrative on the viruss origin, saying that the possibility of a lab leak was extremely unlikely.

In response to Sullivans remarks, state-owned Global Times said that the national security advisors gestures were similar to that of a bully in elementary school. In an editorial, they doubled down on their stance to reject any investigation on the origins of COVID-19, then proceeded to provoke the United States.

The arrogant U.S. ruling elites should curtail their arrogance, they wrote. Washington needs to have more sense of shame and have a clearer estimation of itself.

Learn more about the origins of COVID-19 at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

TheEpochTimes.com

Coronavirus.JHU.edu

FoxNews.com

GlobalTimes.cn
(Natural News) Researchers from the U.S. and the U.K. found that three-quarters of the biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) facilities around the world that handle dangerous pathogens have low or medium biosecurity and biosafety levels, underlining the possibility that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic originated from a lab.

The study comes as the debate on the origins of the pandemic shifted on the chances of the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to have escaped from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China  the ground zero of the pandemic.

The WIV is one of the 59 BSL-4 labs in operation, under construction or planned around the world. These labs are spread in 23 countries. The largest concentration of BSL-4 labs is in Europe with 25. North America and Asia have 14 and 13 respectively while Australia has four and Africa three.

Study determines how many BSL-4 labs pass safety protocols

Gregory Koblentz, an associate professor of biodefense at George Mason University, and Filippa Lentzos, senior lecturer in science and international security at Kings College London, conducted the study to determine how many pass safety protocols. They noted that three-quarters of the BSL-4 labs sit in urban areas, including the WIV.

Around 60 percent of BSL-4 labs are in government-run public health institutions and the rest are either housed in universities or in government agencies involved in biodefense.

Regardless of who runs them, the researchers said, the BSL-4 labs are used either to diagnose infections with highly lethal and transmissible pathogens, or conduct research on such pathogens to develop new medical countermeasures and diagnostics tests or to improve our scientific understanding of how these pathogens work.

The study revealed that theres significant room for improvement in the policies in place to ensure that the BSL-4 labs are operated safely, securely and responsibly. Only about one-quarter of the countries with BSL-4 labs received high scores for biosafety and biosecurity  as measured by the Nuclear Threat Initiatives Global Health Security Index, the researchers said.

The Global Health Security Index measures whether countries have the requisite legal and institutional components of national biosafety and biosecurity oversight systems. We categorized countries as having high, medium or low levels of biosafety and biosecurity preparedness, the researchers said.

Based on that scoring system, the WIV got a medium ranking for biosafety and biosecurity. But it is important to note that U.S. Embassy officials issued two diplomatic cables warning about inadequate safety at the lab after a visit in 2018. According to the Washington Post, one of the cables warned that the labs work on bat-based coronaviruses represented the risk of a new SARS-like pandemic.

Risk of pandemic originating from lab is real

The researchers found that the vast majority of countries with BSL-4 labs do not conduct oversight on the type of gain-of-function research that has been a central feature in the debate on COVID-19s origin.

Even if you do not believe that the current pandemic was the result of a gain-of-function experiment gone wrong, it doesnt mean that this type of work couldnt be the source of the next pandemic, the researchers said. (Related: Gain-of-function expert Dr. Peter Daszak bullied top scientists into covering up laboratory origins of SARS-CoV-2.)

According to a database maintained by the American Biosafety Association (ABSA), since 2003 there have been four incidents of researchers being exposed, though not necessarily infected, while working in a BSL-4 lab. Meaning, the risk of future pandemics originating from lab research with dangerous pathogens is real.

All the BSL-4 labs in the U.S. are ranked high in both biosecurity and biosafety while all three in Africa are low.

Only 40 percent of nations with BSL-4 labs are members of the International Experts Group of Biosafety and Biosecurity, which is where regulators share best practices on handling dangerous pathogens. Members include the U.S., the U.K., Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore and Switzerland.

Relaxed regulations could spark another pandemic

The new report has raised concerns among experts who fear relaxed controls and regulations at some locations could spark another pandemic.

The larger the number of institutions and the larger the number of individuals with access to these dangerous agents, the greater the risk, said Richard Ebright, a professor of chemical biology at Rutgers University. We need to strengthen biosafety and biosecurity rules around the world.

The researchers said countries with BSL-4 labs should have whole-of-government systems that can conduct multidisciplinary risk assessments of the proposed research for safety, security and dual-use activities, such as the gain-of-function research. They also stressed the need for the World Health Organization to develop guidelines to govern dual-use research and the handling of potential pandemic pathogens.

Follow Pandemic.news for more news and information related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Science.TheWire.in

TheGuardian.com
(Natural News) As vaccine-induced deaths begin to accelerate around the world from the dirty Covid-19 jabs, the mainstream media narrative is shifting to cast blame away from the deadly, blood-clotting inoculations and onto a new, more virulent Covid virus mutation called the Delta Variant. This variant is just a cover story for actual vaccine deaths, and there will be blood on the hands of the vaccine industrial complex. One of the World Health Organizations doctors (ring leader) is already warning of reduced efficacy (meaning it doesnt work at all) regarding all these Covid-19 jabs, including mRNA and protein payload injections, being useless against the variants that the vaccines are actually creating and spreading.

Covid-19 vaccines make the vaccinated MORE susceptible to catching and dying from mutant Delta variant of the Covid-19 lab-made virus

Delta Covid is spreading like wildfire across Europe and the United States, and now the first generation of Covid vaccines are deemed virtually worthless against it. So how many generations of Covid and its variants will there be, and how often? Will Americans need a booster shot every three months, forever? They wont like that news.

Run for your life its the invasion of the mutants of Covid-19. All vaccinated humans should remain on lockdown, masked and quarantined in their own basement until further notice, as the vaccines have proven to make you weaker, more susceptible to mutant variants of Covid-19. Meanwhile, Delta picks up steam, like a hurricane, across the USA.

Covid vaccines suffering a reduction in neutralization against the Covid-19 Delta and Beta variants  Well, you cant say natural health advocates didnt warn you

Mutant strains of Covid-19 are immune to all Covid-19 vaccines, the WHO has all but admitted it already. The Beta variant is attacking the vaccinated in South Africa right now as you read this. The variants are simply a cover story for all the deaths and blood clots caused by the Covid-19 vaccines, and for the vaccinated sheeple who are STILL catching Covid-19, even after vaccination. Its obvious, as the WHO scrambles to convince all the fence-riders and absolute non-vaxxers that the vaccines still work, theyre just not as effective as they had hoped. At what? Killing folks?

The goal of Covax is that we need those who are most at risk to severe disease, and those who are most exposed, to receive those vaccines and to be protected, a WHO (quack) doctor said. Well you cant have it both ways. You cant have all these people who are already fighting back cancer, diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimers get the Covid-19 vaccines that cause blood clots and heart inflammation; it will kill them. Then they just use fake Covid tests and say they died of Covid, or Delta, or Beta, or some other college fraternity name.

Corrupt WHO doctors say Double and Triple Covid mutants are on the way to America

Yes, double and triple mutants will further erode the efficacy of the whole first wave of dirty Covid-19 vaccines, if its possible to reach below zero efficacy. It seems that it is possible, since the mRNA and viral vector jabs make you MORE susceptible to catching and dying from these new, more virulent mutants. So now, Covid-19 vaccine efficacy is a negative percentage, due to risk of catching double and triple mutants.

Its a whole constellation of mutations rising up inside the variants, claim the WHO doctors, that will totally wipe out all potency of the vaccines. Again, blame the virus for death and destruction, but never the vaccines. Classic catch and release fake news.

Of course, now the narrative is shifting and claiming the new mutant versions of Covid are surging in under-vaccinated parts of the US, as if they really test for it and have results to share with the medical community and all the truth journalists. Most dirty vax-deniers arent going anywhere near a Covid test, because thats all part of the reel in and the bait. Theyre all fake or faked positive. Part of the plan. Just another ploy. Another cover story to get more people to get injected with deadly vaccines that the WHO is already declaring obsolete.

Question: Why would anyone in their right mind get a vaccine that will be useless a month later?

Visit CovidVaccineReactions.com if you already got a toxic Covid jab or two and you are experiencing side effects, blood clots or other adverse events. Then tune your internet frequency to Pandemic.news for updates on these crimes against humanity being delivered under the guise of inoculation. Isnt it ironic how the mutants are being attacked by mutants?

Sources for this article include:

Pandemic.news

NaturalNews.com

TruthWiki.org

GlobalJustice.org

NOQReport.com

LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) A new report has blown the lid on Googles involvement with Wuhan scientist Peter Daszaks illegal gain of function research on bat coronaviruses that many now believe unleashed the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

According to Steve Hilton, the revelation could become one of the biggest scandals of our time, proving once again that Googles corporate mantra of Dont Be Evil is painfully outdated.

Its honestly one of the biggest scandals for, I dont know, a hundred years, Hilton stated during a recent appearance on Fox News Primetime. I cant think of a bigger one.

The Next Revolution host cited a bombshell report recently published by The National Pulse highlighting deep financial ties between Google and Daszaks EcoHealth Alliance, which is said to be a controversial group that has openly collaborated with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) on killer bat coronavirus research.

Daszak, as you may recall, worked on the World Health Organizations (WHO) wildly compromised Chinese Virus investigation team. During that time, he personally championed efforts to try to debunk the theory that the Wuhan Flu originated at a Wuhan lab as opposed to a Wuhan wet market.

This latest revelation about Google just goes to show that Big Tech was also involved in suppressing this theory while propping up the narrative that bat soup or other such nonsense was responsible for unleashing Chinese Germs on the world.

Its a really shocking story and it just adds to this increasingly big mountain of evidence that we have got a massive establishment cover-up going on because the people at the heart of this know what they did, Hilton says.

People like Peter Daszak, people like [Dr. Anthony] Fauci himself who, of course, initiated the work that Daszak then sent to the Wuhan Institute of Virology to make bat coronaviruses more airborne and more transmissible and more infectious to the human respiratory system  [a theory] we now know as the most likely origin of the pandemic. Theyre covering it up because they know theyve got a guilty conscience.

Google still working around the clock to squash lab origin theory

Even though many mainstream news outlets are now admitting that the Chinese Virus may have originated at a Wuhan lab, Google is still trying to squash that explanation in searches by redirecting people towards what they call the natural origin theory, for which there is literally zero evidence, Hilton says.

For nearly the entirety of 2020, Google has been searching far and wide for some kind of proof to substantiate the natural origin theory, but has come up with nothing. Still, Google and YouTube are censoring content that supports the lab origin theory from their respective platforms.

According to Hilton, this is clear proof of a massive conflict of interest at Google, which is working hand-in-hand with the establishment  some might say Google is the establishment  to protect the false narrative and continue propagating it as truth.

If you think about the consequences of this pandemic and the idea that it was actually created by scientists who were arrogantly operating outside the bounds of the regulation that was in place and then covering their tracks, it is so scandalous, Hilton says.

A spokesperson from Google, meanwhile, is denying these allegations, calling them baseless. This person told Fox News that the one-off philanthropic grants awarded by Fauci to his cronies in Wuhan are years old and had nothing to do with covid.

We have engaged precisely zero times with this organization on any work related to covid or the Wuhan lab, the spokesperson further claims.

More related news about the Chinese Virus controversy can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

FoxNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Last week, Fox News host Tucker Carlson stunned viewers when he revealed details of a Revolver News investigation into charges surrounding individuals allegedly linked to the Jan. 6 protest at the U.S. Capitol Building.

Without fail, the government has thrown the book at most people who were present in the Capitol on Jan. 6, Carlson said during his show. There was a nationwide dragnet to find them. And many of them are still in solitary confinement tonight.

But, strangely, some of the key people who participated on Jan. 6 have not been charged. Look at the documents. The government calls those people unindicted co-conspirators. What does that mean? Well, it means that in potentially every single case, they were FBI operatives, he continued.

If hes right  and at this point, there is little reason to doubt him, given the FBIs extensive history of entrapping people to bolster arrest stats and send the message to the country that they are in charge, not We The People  that means Trumps own government was involved in setting him and his supporters up for massive persecution coming down from the Biden regime, all in the name of preventing another insurrection attempt.

So, Tucker Carlson and this website are talking about this and other FBI abuses; why isnt the so-called mainstream media? Where is Chuck Todd? Jake Tapper? Chris Cuomo? Joe Scarborough? Rachel Maddow?

Where is The Washington Post, CNN, The New York Times, USA Today, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, or, for that matter, leading conservative outlets?

They are still there, of course; theyre just not going to touch this story. And why? Because the FBI, along with the CIA and other elements of the U.S. intelligence deep state, are partnered with the major media to control narratives and spread fear and loathing, just like state and media apparatuses do today in places like China, North Korea and Cuba.

Glenn Greenwald, one of that last true investigative journalists out there  a liberal, at that  explains all of this in a new piece published on Substack.

The lib media axis, as he describes it, are in an angry uproar over a recent report questioning the foreknowledge and involvement of the FBI in the January 6 Capitol riot, he writes.

As soon as that new report was published on Monday, a consensus instantly emerged in these liberal media precincts that this is an unhinged, ignorant and insane conspiracy theory that deserves no consideration, he added, despite the fact that these same outlets know of the FBIs history of entrapment.

Greenwald went on to note that Revolver News and Carlson reported the documented ample evidence of FBI infiltration of the three key groups at the center of the 1/6 investigation  the Oath Keepers, the Proud Boys and the Three Percenters  and noted how many alleged riot leaders from these groups have not yet been indicted.

While low-level protesters have been aggressively charged with major felonies and held without bail, many of the alleged plot leaders have thus far been shielded from charges, he said.

Why is that, given the pugnacious nature of the governments efforts in identifying and then arresting as many of the Capitol protest participants as possible, to make examples of them all? Why not arrest everyone actually identified in court documents, since we know that the Biden regime is using the incident to attack and persecute all of Donald Trumps supporters?

It can only be due to the fact that those individuals are FBI assets, and maybe even agents.

The implications of these facts are obvious. It seems extremely likely that the FBI had numerous ways to know of any organized plots regarding the January 6 riot, Greenwald explains. There is no doubt that the FBI has infiltrated at least some if not all of these groups  which it has been warning for years pose a grave national security threat  with informants and/or undercover spies.

Greenwald went on to remark that it would be wrong and out of sorts for the FBI to have not had informants in these groups. He also recounted the long history (particularly since the Global War on Terror began after the 9/11 attacks) of FBI infiltration into groups that later turned into blatant entrapment.

The only thing missing from this equation is, of course, the corporate media, and the very same media that documented FBI informant ops (often critically) for years. Those same outlets looked askance at the Revolver News report and especially Carlsons handling of it. These are the same outlets, as a reminder, who pushed one lie and fake news story after another about Donald Trump for five years (Russian collusion, Ukraine quid pro quo, fine people on both sides at Charlottesville, etc.).

Now, suddenly, those outlets are ridiculing the notion that the 1/6 protest could not have been the work of the FBI. Something stinks and Greenwald smells it:

What accounts for this furious liberal #Resistance to questioning the FBIs role in the January 6 riot and asking whether there are vital facts that are being concealed? There was one minor analytical flaw in both the Revolver News article and Carlson segment that they seized on by pretending that it was central to the question rather than what it was: a completely ancillary distraction.

The FBI wouldnt refer to operatives as unindicted co-conspirators if they were, indeed, legitimate co-conspirators, Greenwald noted, citing the corporate media shills.

But the FBI would refer to its operatives as Person One, Person Two, etc., which the Justice Department does in the charging documents related to 1/6.

Greenwald further speculates:

If the FBI had advanced knowledge of what was being plotted yet did nothing to stop the attack, it raises numerous possibilities about why that is. It could be that they just had yet another intelligence failure of the kind that they claimed caused them to miss the 9/11 attack and therefore need massive new surveillance authorities, budget increases, and new Patriot-Act-type laws to fix it. It could be that they allowed the riot to happen because they did not take it seriously enough or because some of them supported the cause behind it, or because they realized that there would be benefits to the security state if it happened. Or it could be that they were using those operatives under their control to plot with, direct, and drive the attack  as they have done so many times in the past  and allowed it to happen out of either negligence or intent.

The most likely scenario  again, given the FBIs history of entrapment  is that the bureau had operatives working with certain individuals to plan a riot-like event that the incoming regime could use to quash its political opposition.

Its happened before, only in 1963, the deep state handled it a different way with John F. Kennedy.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

Greenwald.Substack.com
(Natural News) Israel faces the threat of a looming Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak once again. The news starkly contrasts with earlier reports of the country keeping COVID-19 under control with its vaccination program using the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine. But Israeli health experts say such brief surges are completely expected and there is no need to raise the alarm just yet.

One such outbreak occurred in the city of Beit Shean in northern Israel. A report by the Jewish News Syndicate said the Israeli Ministry of Health ordered attendees of a June 17 indoor concert there to get tested for COVID-19 and quarantine themselves. The ministrys June 20 order followed one of the audience members testing positive for COVID-19.

The health ministry said the source of the infection was still under investigation  but is purportedly connected to an individual who recently returned from abroad. It added that investigations are still underway whether the new cases involve the highly infectious Delta variant. Also called the B16172 strain, the Delta variant was first identified in India and has since spread to more than 80 countries.

Outbreaks also occurred in schools at the northern town of Binyamina-Givat Ada and the central city of Modiin-Maccabim-Reut. In response, Ministry of Health Director-General Hezi Levi signed a mask mandate for schools in the two areas  in both open and closed spaces. Levi signed the order on June 20.

But health experts in the Jewish-majority country did not express concern over the matter. Professor Eyal Leshem of the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer said: As long as we have travel inside and outside of Israel, then we will have outbreaks among people  vaccinated and unvaccinated  and primarily among students.

Computational biologist Eran Segal of the Weizmann Institute of Science seconded Leshems remarks, saying that outbreaks were not surprising. Tomer Lotan, head of the countrys national coronavirus task force, meanwhile said he does not expect the latest COVID-19 outbreaks to prompt a change in the Ministry of Healths current policy.

The outbreaks herald a post-vaccine wave of coronavirus infections caused by the Delta strain

While the outbreaks are still under investigation, speculation that the Delta strain was responsible for the new cases has emerged. According to Israels Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center, the new variant is 60 percent more contagious than the British B117 strain. It also causes more than twice the amount of hospitalizations than the British variant, the center added in its June 20 report.

Israeli health officials emphasized that the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine appears to be highly effective against the Delta variant. They pointed out that the vaccine stopped the onset of severe COVID-19. More than 5.4 million Israelis received the two-dose vaccine in the countrys widely-praised mass inoculation program. (Related: In Israel, refusing coronavirus vaccination means your life is over.)

Leshem remarked that the latest COVID-19 outbreaks at Beit Shean, Binyamina-Givat Ada and Modiin-Maccabim-Reut tell us that this is what the future is going to look like. He added: People who are unvaccinated can get infected, and people who are fully vaccinated could get infected  but will be protected from severe disease. Leshem further noted that the outbreaks do not pose a risk to public health as more than 90 percent of Israelis older than 50 had already been vaccinated.

But Cyrille Cohen of Bar-Ilan University said that as many as one-third of people infected during the recent COVID-19 outbreaks were inoculated. Currently, around 35 percent of eligible Israelis are not vaccinated against the disease. Leshem said he hopes the outbreaks will convince them to get inoculated.

Israeli authorities claim the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA vaccine offers protection against the Delta variant. But this may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 by making more people susceptible to contracting different variants.

A study done by researchers from Tel Aviv University and Israeli healthcare provider Clalit Health Services examined the two-dose vaccine and found that it increased the risk of people catching Wuhan coronavirus variants of concern. (Related: Israeli panel concludes Pfizer covid vaccine probably causes heart inflammation, especially in young people.)

They found that the South African B1351 variant was eight times more prevalent in people who completed the two-dose vaccination schedule. The researchers also found that the British B117 variant was more prevalent in those who received one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.

Lead researcher Dr. Adi Stern said: We found a disproportionately higher rate of the South African variant among people vaccinated with a second dose, compared to the unvaccinated group. Based on patterns in the general population, we would have expected just one case of the [B1351] variant, but we saw eight.

Visit Pandemic.news to read more about COVID-19 outbreaks driven by vaccines against the disease.

Sources include:

JPost.com

JNS.org

LifeSiteNews.com
(Natural News) Evolutionary biologist Brett Weinstein recently appeared on an episode of the Triggernometry podcast during which he revealed that it is no longer permissible to even mention the word ivermectin on YouTube or Facebook.

Because the anti-parasitic drug shows promise in treating the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19), Big Tech has decided that, like hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), it should not be talked about ever.

According to reports, high-profile channels and pages that have mentioned ivermectin in recent weeks have seen their videos removed or accounts suspended for violating the community standards of major tech platforms.

In a recent article, independent journalist Matt Taibbi posed the question, Why has ivermectin become a dirty word? In it, he cited Dr. Pierre Kory, who testified before a U.S. Senate committee about the benefits of ivermectin in treating the Chinese Virus.

At one point, Dr. Kory referred to ivermectin as a wonder drug, which among other things prompted YouTube to pull the footage from its platform for allegedly spreading misinformation. The testimony was also televised and viewed by approximately eight million people.

Not only did YouTube pull the video, but it also deleted Dr. Korys entire channel on the basis that he was putting peoples lives at risk by telling them about something other than masks and vaccines that might keep them safe against the Wuhan Flu.

The Associated Press (AP) also fact-checked Dr. Korys testimony, deciding that there is no evidence that ivermectin is a miracle drug against COVID. The AP then labeled it as false information.

First, I find it a little presumptuous for a wire service to be fact checking senate testimony, writes Mark E. Jeftovic of Bomb Thrower. Isnt the job of the committee holding the hearing largely that of fact-finding? Isnt that the entire point?

The ostensible role of the press should have been to simply report on what happened. What we got instead was an editorial wrapped in a logical fallacy (appeal to ignorance) that was passed off as some sort of objective truth.

Mainstream media demolishing last remaining traces of credibility with phony fact-checking propaganda

Jeftovic makes an excellent point about the audacity of these fake news outlets in challenging the claims of a licensed doctor concerning the safe and effective use of a drug. Since when did the AP become a credentialed physician?

Even if someone at the AP who helped fact check the testimony holds similar credentials to Dr. Kory, who are they to decide that his information is false? Were they present when he successfully treated his own patients with the use of ivermectin?

The AP and many other formerly respected news outlets are only further destroying their already tattered credibility by pretending to be all-knowing oracles about what does and does not work in treating and preventing the Chinese Virus.

Big Tech is no better, as it is working in tandem with Big Media and Big Brother to try to keep a lid on information that challenges their own interests. It has never been about saving lives, it turns out, but rather about controlling the narrative and keeping everyone in the dark and in fear.

Its because of independent, renegade journalists and people writing outside of major outlets that these stories are starting go mainstream despite the best efforts of Big Tech, enforcing whatever canon the corporate press deems to be truth, or the establishment anointed fact checkers who try to step in whenever something looks to gain traction, Jeftovic says.

Medical fascism is everywhere these days, thanks to the manufactured plandemic. To keep up with the latest, check out Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

BombThrower.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Monmouth University in New Jersey has released new Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) guidelines for the upcoming fall semester that require all students and faculty, including those who are vaccinated, to wear a face mask on campus at all times.

None of the schools existing mask restrictions will change in any way, proving once again that face coverings are a form of medical fascism that has nothing to do with science and everything to do with abiding by the religious cult doctrines of Covidism.

According to the new guidelines, all students and faculty at Monmouth have to get vaccinated and wear a mask on campus. No unvaccinated student or faculty member, even if they wear a mask, will be allowed anywhere on campus, and will either have to choose distance learning or quit if they refuse to get jabbed.

All residents of New Jersey are, however, allowed either a religious or medical exemption from vaccination, so students and faculty who do not which to permanently alter their DNA with experimental mRNA gene therapy chemicals will need to do their homework to figure out how to file for one or the other.

Either an exemption or proof of injection will be required for submission by August 1 in order to qualify for on-campus learning or teaching in the fall. Submissions must be made through the schools digital health portal.

CDC admits that covid jabs dont really do anything

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), meanwhile, inadvertently admitted in a recent Interim Public Health Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People report that the risk of testing positive for the Chinese Virus is about the same whether a person is vaccinated or not.

The agency also says there is barely any risk of an unvaccinated person catching the Wuhan Flu from someone else, so Monmouths new guidelines are completely anti-science.

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is minimal for fully vaccinated people, the CDC claims. The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission from fully vaccinated people to unvaccinated people is also reduced.

Regardless, Monmouth loves the masks and despite the risks involved with wearing one, the school is doubling down on enforcement plans for this fall.

The university has carefully considered the role that COVID-19 vaccinations will play in safeguarding the overall health and safety of the university community, Monmouth president Patrick Leahy said in a June 14 statement.

We acknowledge that reaching a high vaccination level among our community is the most important factor in resuming in-person activities across campus this fall.

Monmouth students believe differently, though. At least one of them told Campus Reform that real science, not politicized Tony Fauci science, has already proven that masks are nearly ineffective.

So, wearing them even unvaccinated is useless, this person stated, choosing to remain anonymous for fear of being kicked out of school. Being vaccinated on top of that (if the vaccine really works) should eliminate the need to wear masks entirely.

Carlie Zeidler, president of the College Republicans at Monmouth, agrees, adding that requiring a person to be vaccinated regardless of a mask mandate is an outrageous attack on a persons rights.

The government and, or, any institutions do not and should not have the authority to tell someone what to put in their body. Vaccines should 100 percent be a persons choice, Zeidler added in a statement.

Zeidler has created a petition against Monmouths vaccine mandate that currently has over 250 signatures. Campus Reform attempted to reach out to Monmouth for comment on the petition but did not receive a response before publishing time.

More related news stories about the Cult of Covidism can be found at Pandemic.news.

Sources for this article include:

CampusReform.org

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) An oil and gas company is planning to build a massive new oilfield in one of the worlds last untapped wildernesses in southern Africa. This proposed oilfield will threaten the lives of over 130,000 elephants, as well as the regional ecosystem and any community living in the area.

The proposed oilfield would be set up by ReconAfrica, an oil and gas company headquartered in Canada and listed on the stock exchanges of two other countries. The company has already leased more than 34,000 square kilometers (13,127 square miles) of land in the Kavango Basin, an area that covers most of the southern African nations of Namibia and Botswana. (Related: Poaching rates DOWN for elephants compared to a decade ago, but theyre not out of the woods yet.)

Conservationists believe the proposed oilfield would devastate regional ecosystems and wildlife as well as local communities located within and around the vicinity of the oilfield.

Oilfields would drive elephants closer to extinction

Conservationists in Africa and all over the world are up in arms over the proposed oilfield.

It is incomprehensible that ReconAfricas hunt for fossil fuels is going ahead, said Rosemary Alles, president and co-founder of the Global March for Rhinos and Elephants. Fewer than 450,000 elephants survive in Africa, down from millions not so long ago: 130,000 of these have established this region as a home range, and ReconAfricas misbegotten plans place them at direct risk.

The government of Namibia said it has only sold exploratory licenses to oil companies like ReconAfrica. These licenses do not allow the companies to conduct oil drilling operations.

The government further claims that these exploratory wells are not located in any conservancy or environmentally sensitive areas and will have no significant impact on our wildlife.

But scientists, environmentalists and people living within the vicinity of the proposed oilfields say otherwise. They believe ReconAfricas project will have a critical effect on water supplies and threaten the Okavango Delta, a huge pristine wilderness and UNESCO World Heritage Site in neighboring Botswana.

Every element of this process  from new roads to drilling sites, refineries to terminals  will devastate the ecosystem and the local communities that depend on it for farming and fishing, said Nnimmo Bassey, a Nigerian environmental justice advocate and leader of Health of Mother Earth Foundation and Oilwatch Africa.

Searching for new oil wells at this time simply means searching for trouble for our nations and for the planet, said Bassey.

Alles added on to this by saying that the noise and vibrations created by the exploratory drilling and the increased human activity would be enough to significantly disturb the elephants.

This can drive them away from their ancient migratory routes and closer to villages and agricultural areas, leading to more human-elephant conflict, said Alles.

ReconAfrica has denied the charge that its proposed oilfield would threaten the local environment. The company said the project would bring jobs and huge economic benefits to Botswana and Namibia. The company estimated that the proposed oilfield could potentially generate between 60 to 120 billion barrels of oil and be worth billions of dollars to the two affected countries.

A company spokesperson said the regions energy industry could be developed in a way that significantly minimizes the risk to the local environment.

The spokesperson added that there were measures in place to address concerns regarding noise and vibration. He said the company had also installed solar-powered community water wells for the local communities. To protect the ecosystem, the company claimed it was using water-based, biodegradable and chloride-free drilling fluids. To not hinder elephant communication, the company was also supposedly using low-frequency equipment that would not be used at night, when elephants typically communicate.

We are committed to continuing to work closely with, and under the direct oversight of, the governments in both countries, as well as their regional and traditional authorities, to ensure we continue to comply with relevant laws and regulations throughout all the stages of our operation.

Learn more about the threats facing elephants and other wild animals by reading the latest articles on Extinction.news.

Sources include:

TheGuardian.com

NatureWorldNews.com
(Natural News) The United Kingdoms post-vaccine wave of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) infections is in full swing.

On Wednesday, June 23, the Department of Health and Social Care recorded 16,135 new infections, up by almost 80 percent from last weeks figure and nearly 5,000 cases more than were recorded the day before. (Related: Coronavirus cases in surge across the UK, even though 8 in 10 adults have received the vaccine.)

This is the highest reported daily toll since Feb. 6 earlier this year, when 18,262 people tested positive for COVID-19. Another 19 deaths supposedly from the coronavirus have also been registered, up from nine last week. The number of hospitalizations has also risen by 20 percent.

Separate figures published by the Office for National Statistics show there are over 153,000 deaths registered in the U.K. that mention COVID-19 on the death certificate.

Officials within Public Health England (PHE) are partially blaming the rise in COVID-19 cases on the new delta variant. A spokesperson for the prime minister said PHE has already put extra lockdown measures in place in locations in the U.K. where the delta variant has been detected.

Some of these measures include enhanced contact tracing protocols, mass testing programs and mandated quarantines.

The spokesperson added that at least 41 cases of the variant have already been identified in the country.

Officials have emphasized the need for people in the U.K. to get vaccinated to avoid infections. This is despite the fact that COVID-19 cases are still rising even though much of the country has already received at least one dose of the vaccine.

As of press time, the U.K. has reported vaccinating 60.3 percent of all people in the U.K. aged 18-years-old and over. In Wales, 61.6 percent of adults are fully vaccinated. In England, its 60.4 percent of adults. They are followed by Scotland and Northern Ireland, where 59 and 56.7 percent of all adults are fully vaccinated.

Health officials in the U.K. spinning rise in cases as a positive

Dr. Mary Ramsay, head of immunization at PHE, said during a press conference on Wednesday that the surge in cases is actually a good thing because it means the mass testing program in Scotland is working.

In the previous 24 hours before the latest COVID-19 tally was announced, Scotland tested over 42,000 people for the coronavirus. This is the highest number of tests Scotland has carried out in a single day since the pandemic began. Around seven percent of the tests came back positive.

She added that, even though every coronavirus death is a terrible tragedy, the data shows that the countrys mass vaccination program is working.

To prove this, Ramsay pointed to a chart allegedly showing COVID-19-related deaths in the U.K. and said that the numbers are so small on this graph that you cant even see any increase.

Top scientists and government ministers believe the data regarding cases is encouraging because it supposedly shows that the speed of the post-vaccine infection wave is decelerating. They also believe this wave is more like a bump and the worst of the coronavirus crisis is actually over.

Statistics from the National Health Service, the U.K.s publicly funded healthcare system, even allegedly show pressure on hospitals with COVID-19 patients is decreasing even though the actual number of infected patients requiring treatment is still on the rise.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. might still have a rough winter ahead of it. He said this even though his ministers and health experts said the rise in coronavirus cases is supposedly a good thing.

Johnson has also not ruled out putting more lockdown measures in place if COVID-19 cases surged again. His governments current plan is to loosen all restrictions by July 19 and he said its looking good that the lockdown rollback will proceed as planned.

Learn more about how the coronavirus pandemic is still affecting countries like the U.K. with high vaccination rates by reading the latest articles at Pandemic.news.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Mirror.co.uk

News.Sky.com
(Natural News) Every time Joe Biden speaks, he proves to our adversaries that the United States, the titular head of NATO, is being led by an invalid who should be at home sitting on a shaded deck with a cold glass of tea watching the birds, not in the Oval Office.

And every time he speaks and sounds as though hes halfway to dementia and Alzheimers, he further empowers those enemies to act.

When Donald Trump was president, he made it clear to our allies and enemies alike he was large and in charge and fully in control of his faculties. They knew when he spoke, when he warned, when he threatened, he wasnt bluffing, as he proved on numerous occasions.

But these adversaries dont fear Biden, and they certainly dont fear his back-up, Vice President Kamala Harris. They see her as uber-focused on enhancing her own power once Bidens handlers 25th Amendment him into retirement, so theyre not worried one iota about what he or she will do if they step up to protect their own interests as Russia has just threatened to do.

Britain might have had the mightiest naval fleet once upon a time, but it doesnt anymore, and Moscow knows it; thats why Vlad Putin has warned London hell blow one of Her Majestys warships out of the water if it breaches Russias naval security zone near Crimea again.

The Daily Mail reports:

A top Russian official has warned British warships could be bombed the next time they sail too close to Crimea after warning shots were fired at HMS Defender on Wednesday.

The British Type 45 destroyer sailed within the 12-mile limit of Crimea near Cape Fiolent in the Black Sea which Russia claims as its own territory but the West sees as international waters.

After the flashpoint, which saw 20 Su-24s buzzing over the Royal Navy vessel, Russias deputy foreign minister Sergey Ryabkov warned: What can we do? We can appeal to common sense, demand respect for international law.

If this does not help, we can bomb not only in the direction but also on target, if our colleagues do not understand, Ryabkov continued. I warn everyone violating the state borders of the Russian Federation under the slogan of free navigation, from such provocative steps, because the security of our country comes first.

But wait; isnt an attack on one NATO member the same as an attack on all NATO members? Yes.

And arent all NATO members obliged to respond to such attacks? Yes, under Article V of the NATO Charter.

However, who believes thats seriously going to happen? Who believes that Europe, which comprises nearly all of NATO, will go to war against Russia, especially after Russia is set to complete an energy pipeline into Germany, Europes richest NATO member?

No one in their right mind believes that. No one who is serious about world affairs as they stand today believes that.

More to to the point, Russia obviously doesnt believe NATO will retaliate, either; otherwise, a top Russian official, who speaks on behalf of Putin, would never have threatened to destroy a NATO members warship. Especially a nuclear-armed NATO member.

So clearly, Putin sees in Biden what he saw in Barack Obama: Weakness. The same weakness and lack of resolve that led him to invade the Crimea in the first place, during Obamas second term, and to launch an insurgency in nearby Ukraine.

At least the British are looking at the situation clear-eyed.

Theres huge scope for an accident to occur, misinterpretation, leading to an actual kinetic engagement and it could be a bit of time before somebody grabs that red phone and calms things down, Britains Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Tobias Ellwood, told the Daily Mail.

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

NationalSecurity.news
Weather Alert

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM PDT SUNDAY... ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS CANCELLED... * WHAT...Temperatures up to 95 to 103. * WHERE...Portions of central, south central and southeast Washington and central, north central and northeast Oregon. * WHEN...Until 8 PM PDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances. Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1. &&
MOSCOW (AP)  They tried grocery giveaways and lotteries for new cars and apartments. But an ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June still has fallen short by a third.

So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants.

As many Western countries lift coronavirus restrictions and plan a return to normal life after mass vaccinations, Russia is battling a surge of infections  even though it was the first in the world to authorize a vaccine and among the first to start administering it in December.

Daily new cases have grown from about 9,000 in early June to about 17,000 on June 18 and over 20,000 on Thursday and Friday.

Officials have blamed Russians lax attitude toward taking necessary precautions and the growing prevalence of more infectious variants. But perhaps the biggest factor is the lack of vaccinations.

Over 21 million people, or about 14% of the population of 146 million, have received at least one shot as of Friday. According to figures from earlier this week, only 16.7 million, or about 11%, have been fully vaccinated.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said only 0.5% of those who had gotten both doses have contracted COVID-19.

Experts say those numbers are due to several factors, including the public's wariness of the rushed approval and rollout of the Sputnik V vaccine; an official narrative that Russia had tamed its outbreak; criticism on state TV of other vaccines as dangerous; and a weak promotional campaign that included incentives such as consumer giveaways.

In light of the surge, 18 Russian regions  from Moscow and St. Petersburg to the remote far-eastern region of Sakhalin  made vaccinations mandatory this month for employees in certain sectors, such as government offices, retail, health care, education, restaurants and other service industries.

Moscow authorities said companies should suspend without pay employees unwilling to get vaccinated, and they threatened to temporarily halt operations of businesses that dont meet the goal of having 60% of staff get at least one shot by July 15 and both shots by Aug. 15.

As of Monday, all Moscow restaurants, cafes and bars will admit only customers who have been vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, or can provide a negative coronavirus test from the previous 72 hours. City officials also limited most elective hospital care to those who are fully vaccinated or can provide tests showing they have antibodies to fight the infection.

The moves seem to be an act of desperation by authorities.

They backed themselves into a corner, they have no choice now, said Judy Twigg, a political science professor specializing in global health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

They overhyped this vaccine so that people didnt trust it. Then they took a series of measures that were clearly attempted to make it seem as though the government had everything under control, the pandemic was no big deal.  And now theyre in this situation, not surprisingly, where low vaccination rates have left an opening for the delta variant to come in, she said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Friday there were no mandatory vaccinations and no one is making Russians get shots. Earlier this week, Peskov explained that those required to get vaccinated because of their line of work can refuse it and seek a different job.

The governor of the southern region of Krasnodar, home to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, said hotels and sanitariums will only accommodate vacationers with a negative coronavirus test or a vaccination certificate starting July 1. As of Aug. 1, only vaccinated individuals will be admitted.

Russia's Association of Tour Operators has since reported a flood of requests to cancel bookings in the usually popular destination.

The mandates have drawn mixed responses, with some saying they are welcome if they prevent closures of businesses, while other say it's unclear how employers can persuade those who don't want the shots.

Most restaurateurs believe that vaccination is necessary, said Sergei Mironov, founder of a restaurant chain and vice president of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers. But it is necessary to create (the right) conditions for the vaccination (drive)."

"There are too many rumors, and even doctors say different things," and convincing younger employees to get vaccinated is especially difficult, he said.

Tatyana Moskalkova, the government's human rights commissioner, said the unvaccinated have cited discrimination by employers, with threats of dismissal or withholding bonuses.

At a TV awards ceremony Tuesday, popular actor Yegor Beroyev wore a yellow star akin to those worn by Jews under the Nazis in World War II, and he spoke of waking up in a world where (COVID-19 vaccination) became an identification mark of whether you are a citizen,  will you be able to visit institutions and events, will you enjoy all the benefits and rights.

As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner.

Restaurant owners won concessions Thursday when Moscow agreed the QR codes aren't needed for the next two weeks at establishments with outdoor terraces, and underage customers won't have to provide documentation if accompanied by their parents.

Still, the situation for many restaurants is hard and will be harder by the day, Mironov said.

In Moscow, online searches for fake inoculation documents increased shortly after the mayor announced mandatory vaccinations, social anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova told an online lecture on vaccine hesitancy.

Police quickly cracked down, launching 24 criminal cases last week against sellers of fake vaccination certificates. Still, several accounts offering the bogus documents could be found easily on the Telegram messaging app this week.

The number of such offers has grown about 19% every month since March, said Evgeny Egorov, digital risk protection analyst at Group-IB, a Singapore-based cybersecurity company. In mid-June, Group-IB found at least 90 active offers, he said.

The independent pollster Levada Center said polls show about 60% of Russians are unwilling to get vaccinated.

Levada director and sociologist Denis Volkov said the vaccination mandates could change the minds of many because it's a clear signal from the government that the shots are necessary.

I often hear (from respondents) that they wouldnt do it, are afraid and so on, but if there are restrictions, and it is required for travel, state services, or at work, then yes," Volkov said.

It could be starting to change attitudes. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said the average vaccination rate across Russia has almost doubled in the past week, and long lines have been seen at pop-up vaccination clinics in Moscow shopping malls.

Murashko, the health minister, said Sputnik V, Russia's most widely used vaccine out of four domestically developed shots, has been cleared for pregnant women, a group previously ineligible for vaccination. He cited positive" study results but didnt provide the data.

A demand for vaccines could also lead to shortages. As of mid-May, just over 33 million doses were produced in Russia, and a significant amount was exported.

Several regions have reported supply problems this week, but Peskov assured those were temporary logistical difficulties.

-

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
President Joe Biden, with a bipartisan group of senators, speaks Thursday June 24, 2021, outside the White House in Washington. Biden invited members of the group of 21 Republican and Democratic senators to discuss the infrastructure plan. From left are, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Biden, Sen, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., rear, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.
Newburyport, MA (01950)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High around 60F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Rain. Low 56F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Tata Group hospitality firm Indian Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL) on Friday said its 'Taj' brand has been rated as the strongest hotel brand in the world.

According to the 'Hotels 50 2021' report by Brand Finance, Taj topped the strongest brands list for having stood resilient in spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic, besides other achievements.

The Taj brand has re-entered the ranking for the first time since 2016 when it was at 38th spot.

Brand Finance, a global brand valuation consultancy firm, evaluates the relative strength of brands, based on factors such as marketing investment, customer familiarity, staff satisfaction, and corporate reputation.

"According to these criteria, Taj (brand value USD 296 million) is the world's strongest hotel brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 89.3 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA brand strength rating," Brand Finance said in the report.

The Taj is followed by Premier Inn at second place, Melia Hotels International (3rd), NH Hotel Group (4th) and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts (5th).

Commenting on the feat, IHCL Managing Director & CEO Puneet Chhatwal said, "Taj being rated as the World's Strongest Hotel Brand is a testament to the unwavering trust our guests have consistently placed in us and the warmth and sincere care our employees have embodied day-after-day."

He further said, "We will continue our endeavour to elevate the world class experiences of luxury hospitality and deliver the magic of 'Tajness' to all our stakeholders."

Brand Finance CEO David Haigh said, Taj, a brand with a century old legacy and a custodian of the revered Indian hospitality has stood resilient inspite of the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic.

Global travellers have relied upon and tested brands in different ways and Taj has emerged on top.

According to the report, Taj is renowned for its world-class customer service and the luxury hotel chain scores very well in Brand Finance's 'Global Brand Equity Monitor' for consideration, familiarity, recommendation, and reputation especially across its home market of India.

"Taj's successful implementation of its 5-year plan - which focuses on selling non-core assets, becoming less ownership driven and reducing dependence on the luxury space - followed by the speedy adoption of its new R.E.S.E.T 2020 strategy, which provides a transformative framework to help the brand overcome the challenge of the pandemic, has contributed to the brand's re-entrance into the ranking for the first time since 2016 in 38th spot," the report said.

When it came to the world's most valuable hotel brands, Hilton topped the list despite recording a 30 per cent drop in brand value to USD 7.6 billion, the report said.

Hilton's rival, Marriott dropped to 5th spot from 2nd (last year), after losing more than half of its brand value, down 60 per cent to USD 2.4 billion.

On the other hand, Hyatt checked into the 2nd spot with a 4 per cent increase at USD 4.7 billion, while Holiday Inn was at 3rd despite a 16 per cent dip at USD 3.77 billion and Hampton by Hilton at 4th with a decline of 26 per cent at USD 2.86 billion.

The report said as holidays are cancelled and people are instructed to work from home, the hospitality sector has reached an almost complete standstill both from tourism, as well as corporate travel.

"As a result, the total value of the top 50 most valuable hotel brands has decreased 33 per cent year-on-year, down from USD 70.2 billion in 2020 to USD 47.4 billion in 2021," it added.

ALSO WATCH | Demons and Genies: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell'
Harish Murali By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday submitted to a bench of the Madras High Court that it had invited an Expression of Interest (EoI) to produce its 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a drug to treat COVID-19 patients, and 40 pharmaceutical companies have shown interest in manufacturing it.

The DRDO had given the licence to make this drug to only one pharma company, Dr Reddy's Laboratories. The petitioner D Saravanan, a resident of Chennai, had sought the court to direct the authorities to provide a licence to several medical companies that might bring the price down of the drug when many lives are being lost.

R Sankara Narayanan, Additional Solicitor General representing DRDO, submitted during Friday's hearing that the EoI for manufacturing of 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG) has been invited by uploading the offer on the web. As of July 17, 40 companies have expressed their interest to manufacture it and the applications are being processed, he added.

However, the bench comprising Justices N Kirubakaran and TV Thamilselvi asked the Additional Solicitor General to get instructions on the time limit required for processing the applications and issuing final orders concerning the transfer to the selected companies.

The bench also brought to the notice of the central government counsel the treatment provided by Dr Anandayya of Krishnapatnam in Nellore district.

"The efforts of Dr Anandayya, who prepares the medicine and offers it to a large number of people every day, free of cost, especially, when hospitals and doctors are minting money even out of this pandemic situation, need to be lauded and this court appreciates the yeoman service rendered by him," observed the bench.

The counsel in reply said that the medicine is currently under research by the ICMR.

The bench directed the central government to submit the final report to the bench prior to adjourning it for the final hearing next week.
By Express News Service

In this final article of the Trick-or-Treat series, Express aims to refresh readers memory of the Government Order (G.O.) that limited the maximum that hospitals can charge for Covid treatment. Issued on May 22 in response to many complaints of hospitals fleecing patients, the G.O had also warned of punitive action against erring private hospitals. Salient points of the G.O. are as follows:

Under the Chief Ministers Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), non-critical cases without oxygen support can be charged Rs 5,000 a day; non-critical cases with oxygen support can be charged Rs 15,000 a day; cases requiring ICU facility with invasive ventilation can be charged Rs 35,000 a day; cases requiring ICU facility with non-invasive ventilation, CPAP, and BiPAP oxygen devices can be charged Rs 30,000 a day; and cases requiring ICU facility with only oxygen support can be charged Rs 25,000 a day. The cost of medicines and other ICU tests will also be borne by government.

As for those not covered under the CMCHIS, non-critical cases not requiring oxygen support can be charged Rs 7,500 a day at Grade A1 and A2 hospitals, and Rs 5,000 at Grade A3 to A6 hospitals. In the same category, non-critical cases requiring oxygen support can be charged Rs 15,000 a day; those requiring ICU facility with non-invasive ventilation, CPAP, and BiPAP oxygen devices can be charged Rs 30,000 a day; cases requiring ICU facility with invasive ventilation can be charged Rs 35,000 a day; and those requiring ICU facility with only oxygen support can be charged Rs 25,000 a day. The State government had graded private hospitals based on infrastructure, bed strength, and other facilities.

Patients who wish to receive treatment in private hospitals under the CMCHIS, now require no referral form from a government doctor. Hospitals that breach these rules will be punished. The Coimbatore district administration has so far barred two such private hospitals from offering Covid treatment to patients.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Delhi units of the BJP and the Congress hit out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday and demanded his resignation over a Supreme Court-appointed audit panel report that said his government exaggerated its oxygen requirement during the second wave of COVID-19.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, however, categorically denied the existence of such a report.

The Delhi BJP accused the chief minister of criminal negligence and demanded that he should resign.

"The deaths of innocent people during corona's second wave due to pretended oxygen shortage shown by the Delhi government are the sole responsibility of Arvind Kejriwal's government and therefore he should resign," Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said.

The kind of criminal negligence that was committed by the Kejriwal government during the pandemic's second wave is simply "unpardonable", he added.

"The Kejriwal government is responsible for the loss of thousands of lives, and he should be arrested for the same.

Not only should he resign but a criminal case should also be filed against him and his ministers," the BJP leader said.

The Centre supplied more oxygen to Delhi than its actual requirement but due to the mismanagement by the city government, there were instances when some places reported only 48 hours' oxygen left in stock, while somewhere else, it was just for 48 minutes, he claimed.

"This led to a panic situation, causing unavoidable deaths," Gupta said.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Anil Chaudhury also targeted the chief minister.

"It is clear from the 'Oxygen Audit Committee report' that due to Kejriwal, the supply of 12 other states in the country was affected. The lack of storage and tankers in Delhi and the fault of some private hospitals led to the oxygen crisis. 'People died because of Kejriwal.' Killer chief minister leave the chair," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

Former Delhi minister Dr Narendra Nath and ex-MLA Adarsh Shastri said that in light of the "shocking" findings, "an FIR should be filed and the Delhi government dismissed for giving out misleading information to create an oxygen scare, and total mismanagement of the pandemic".

They said even though the Delhi government got four times more oxygen than its actual requirement, patients died due to non-availability of the life saving gas.

Delhi's high demand also deprived other states of the much-needed oxygen supply which could have saved many lives there had they received enough stock of the gas, Nath and Shastri added.

Responding to the accusations, Kejriwal on Friday said his only "crime" was that he "fought for the breath of two crore people" of Delhi.

His deputy Manish Sisodia claimed that no such report has been approved by the committee members.

He alleged that the "bogus" and "misleading" report has been"cooked up" at BJP's office and submitted by the Centre in the apex court.

"The real truth about this report is that it does not exist. This alleged report which is being used by BJP leaders to senselessly slam CM Arvind Kejriwal does not exist. It is bogus and misleading. The Bhartiya Janata Party is lying and shirking accountability," Sisodia alleged.

Several Union ministers, including Prakash Javadekar, Piyush Goyal and Nirmala Sitharaman, took to Twitter to hit out at the Delhi government over the report.

WATCH |

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra also slammed the Delhi government, terming it to be a "heinous crime".

The Delhi units of both the BJP and the Congress demanded the resignation of Kejriwal, saying that due to "exaggerated demand of oxygen" by his government, supply of the live-saving gas to 12 other states was affected.

Delhi was hit severely by a brutal second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in April and May, claiming a massive number of lives daily, with a shortage in oxygen supply at various city hospitals adding to the woes.

The sub-group constituted by the Supreme Court to audit oxygen consumption in hospitals in the national capital during the second wave of COVID-19 said the Delhi government "exaggerated" the consumption of oxygen and made a claim of 1,140 MT, four times higher than the formula for bed capacity requirement of 289 MT.

The five-member panel headed by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria said the Delhi government had made the claims for allocation of 700 MT oxygen on April 30 of medical grade oxygen using a "wrong formula".

Taking to Twitter, Kejriwal said his only "crime" was that he "fought for the breath of two crore people".

"My crime -- I fought for the breath of my two crore people. When you were doing an election rally, I was awake all night arranging for oxygen. I fought, pleaded to get oxygen for people."

"People have lost their loved ones due to lack of oxygen. Don't call them liars, they are feeling so bad," Kejriwal said in a tweet in Hindi.

Dismissing the existence of the report at a press briefing, Sisodia said, "Upon speaking to members of this Oxygen Audit Committee, the truth came out.

Members of this committee have informed the Delhi government that no such report has been approved, signed or released.

"When no such report has been approved by the Oxygen Audit Committee, then which report is being used by the BJP to yet again malign the Delhi government? Where has this report come from?" "The real truth about this report is that it does not exist.

It is bogus and misleading.

It is absolutely shameful and despicable that BJP leaders, sitting at their party headquarters, cooked up some misleading facts and fabricated an alleged report to shift accountability from themselves," he alleged.

Union ministers and senior BJP leaders hit out at the Delhi government citing the report.

Railways Minister and senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal said on Twitter, "Hope accountability is fixed for disrupting oxygen supply across India", citing the SC-appointed oxygen audit committee's report.

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar alleged that due to Delhi government, other states had to face the loss during the second wave of COVID-19, adding that someone should learn from the AAP dispensation on how to make noise.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also tweeted: "actual oxygen consumption claimed by the Delhi government was four times higher than the calculated consumption as per the formula based on bed capacity. National Capital Territory of Delhi had surplus oxygen affecting supply to other states."

Addressing a press conference, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra cited the SC-appointed panel report to note that the Delhi government had demanded 1,140 MT of the life-saving gas during the peak of the second wave even though it could utilise 209 MT.
Somrita Ghosh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: More than a dozen villages in the North West district of the national capital are waging a different war among themselves; for winning the 'fully vaccinated' title.

To encourage villagers to get COVID jab and push forward vaccination in the rural belts of Delhi, the Kanjhawala subdivision of North West district has come up with this new concept of making villages compete among themselves. The initiative titled 'Corona mukt gaon abhiyan' took off on Wednesday.

The winner of the 'battle' will take home a trophy given by the district administration while a board stating the achievement will be affixed at a prominent place in the village. Budhanpur Majra, Salahpur Majra, Chandpur, Kanjhawala, Ladpur, Ghevra, Sawda, Garhi Rindhala, Nizampur, Jaunti (including Jheemarpura), Tatesar, Punjab Khore, Qutabgarh and Jat Khore are the villages in Kanjhawala sub-division.

"Kanjhawala is one of the backward areas in Delhi. It is still very much rural and we have villages where people practise agriculture. So keeping in view the kind of village community that exists in this area, we wanted to capitalise our resources and encourage people to come up in huge numbers to get vaccinated which is why we have started this competition. We hope this becomes a movement and more people come out and get vaccinated," said SDM Soumya Sharma, who is heading the initiative.

Under this scheme, the village with highest proportion of its adult population vaccinated as on July 31 will be declared winner.

To give the initiative more publicity, street plays will be organised in villages. Further, ground-level functionaries including 75 BLOs and anganwadi workers, panchayat secretaries and NGOs have been roped-in.

"It is not that the count of vaccinated people is too low, but we want more people to come out and get the jab," Sharma stated.

Wherever vaccination hesitancy is reported, the administration will be arranging mobile vaccination camps and pick-up and drop facilities for the beneficiaries. Sessions with healthcare professionals will be organised to remove misconceptions.

"Some hesitancy happened when someone took the jab and felt the common post-vaccine symptoms," the SDM said and added that once a household is fully vaccinated, the officials would put stickers outside declaring 100 per cent vaccination status.

The administration will ensure that sufficient vaccination centres are opened in the vicinity of all participating villages, Sharma further said.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: In a joint operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs seized more than five kilograms of gold from five passengers who arrived at the Kochi airport on Thursday.

According to an airport official, the DRI team made a seizure of 3.44kg of gold from three passengers who arrived in separate Jazeera and Air Arabia flights. The accused are Rasheed of Malappuram, Abdhu Rahaman of Malappuram, and another passenger named Musthaque Kuttassery.

As the value of the smuggled gold seized from each individual was less than `1 crore, they were released on bail. Similarly, Customs intercepted two other passengers who arrived from Kuwait and Sharjah at Kochi, a Customs official said.
Anupama Mili By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Celeena Michaels life has been a struggle, but it can inspire women who curse themselves for failed marriages and think of ending their lives. Her husband left her and their two daughters 25 years ago. Not willing to give up, the 57-year-old started going for construction jobs in the neighbourhood.With the meagre amount she received as daily wages, she sent both her daughters  Mary Manju and Sini  to school.

Slowly, she started saving and constructed a small house in her hometown, Athani near Thrikkakara, close to the crematorium she works now. Both my children were good at their studies, and I wanted them to study as much as they wanted to. Daughters never seemed like a burden to me. When they grew up, I could marry them to good families. Both of them have two children. When there was a vacancy for an assistant at the crematorium, the management asked me if I could join, and I did, she recalls.

Sini and her family live at Celeenas house. Both sons-in-law of Celeena help her at the crematorium when she is unwell and manage the functioning of the place in her absence. Nobody saw it as a bad job. There is risk involved when we cremate bodies of Covid patients, but we take precautionary measures, Celeena says.

Jeo, who is married to Manju, was working as an autorickshaw driver ferrying children to and from schools. However, the pandemic took away his job. Sini is a homemaker and her husband Jayesh suffers from ailments that require him to rest. So, in effect, Celeena has once again become the lone breadwinner of the family.

For Jayeshs surgery and treatment alone, we spent around Rs 8 lakh. I have a responsibility towards my children and they help me when I need them. Now, I have to pay off several loans that together come up to almost Rs 25 lakh. I have to keep working, she says.
By Express News Service

VIJAYAWADA: In a major development, Vijayawada Police on Thursday arrested a gang of five youth for committing robberies and murdering six elderly persons across Penamaluru and Kanchikacherla PS limits in Krishna district. Addressing media persons, Commissioner of Police B Sreenivasulu said the accused were identified as Velpuri Prabhakar Kumar (22), Sunkara Gopi Raju (22) of Poranki, Ponamala Chakravarthy alias Chakri (21), Moram Naga Durga Rao alias Chanti (21) of Tadigadapa and Maddhi Phanindra Kumar (20) of Kamayya Thopu.

On June 12, the accused tried to commit theft at an ATM centre under Penamaluru PS limits. A case has been booked in this regard and investigation has been launched. After examining the CCTV footage in the ATM, the police found two of the accused had worn a white plastic bag on their heads and tried to break open the ATM, but failed. Based on the CCTV footage, the police have recognised the duo as old offenders and arrested them.

Our probe has revealed that the duo is involved in the double murder of an elderly couple at Kanchikacherla PS limits. During interrogation, it was revealed they were also involved in four more unreported murders of elderly persons in Penamaluru PS limits. He explained the two main accusedPrabhakar Kumar and Gopi Rajuboth auto drivers first got together and were involved in small thefts. Later their mutual friends, Chakri, Chanti and Phanindra, joined in and began targeting elderly persons living alone in Penamaluru area.

From October 2020 to June 2021, the accused have committed six murders in five cases and were also involved in 12 other offences such as robberies and thefts, he said. Explaining their modus operandi, Sreenivasulu said they used to conduct a recce of the houses that they would target. The accused focussed on double door houses as they are much easier to break in. They dont aim for large properties. So far they have stolen jewellery worn by the victims and some cash from the cupboards, Sreenivasulu informed.
By PTI

LOS ANGELES: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has announced that it will be honouring veteran actors Samuel L Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann with Honorary Oscars.

The Academy shared the news in a statement posted on its official website on Thursday.

The award is given to "honour extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy".

Veteran Hollywood actor Danny Glover will be felicitated with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

The award is bestowed upon an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose "humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry".

The honours will be presented at the Academy's 12th Governors Awards ceremony, to be held on January 15, 2022.

"We are thrilled to present this year's Governors Awards to four honourees who have had a profound impact on both film and society," said Academy President David Rubin.

"Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May's bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers.

"Liv Ullmann's bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover's decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his dedication to recognising our shared humanity on and off the screen," he added.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who has been working in Hindi cinema for close to three decades, on Friday said he is "overwhelmed" by the love his fans and followers have shown him over the years. Known as King Khan of Bollywood, the 55-year-old star started his acting journey with television shows "Fauji" and "Circus" before making a spectacular film debut with "Deewana" in 1992.

Been working. Just saw the overwhelmed ness of the lov of nearly 30 yrs u r showering on me here. Realised its more than half my life in the service of hoping to entertain u all. Will take out time tomorrow & share some love back personally. Thx needed to feel loved.  Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) June 24, 2021

The superstar has since featured in blockbusters and critical hits like "Chamatkar", "Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman", "Darr", "Baazigar", "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge", "Dil To Pagal Hai", "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai", "Devdas", "Swades", "Kal Ho Naa Ho", "Chak De! India", "Main Hoon Na", "My Name is Khan" and "Chennai Express".

In a Twitter post in the wee hours of Friday, Khan expressed gratitude to his fans for their unending love and support throughout his career. Reflecting on his career, the actor said he spent more than half his life trying to entertain the audience.

"Been working. Just saw the 'overwhelmed ness' of the love of nearly 30 years you are showering on me here. Realised it's more than half my life in the service of hoping to entertain you all. Will take out time tomorrow and share some love back personally. Thanks, needed to feel loved," he wrote.

In recent years, Khan was on sabbatical following the lacklustre of performance of his 2018 movie "Zero". He recently started shooting for his upcoming movie, reportedly titled "Pathan". The actor is reportedly also in talks with filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and Tamil director Atlee for their upcoming projects.
By PTI

MUMBAI: Superstar Salman Khan believes it takes a lot of "courage" to accept the mistakes one had done in life and rectify them.

During a candid conversation with veteran actor Kabir Bedi, to mark the release of his memoir "Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Journey of an Actor", Khan said there have been instances in his life where he has found it difficult to own up to his mistakes.

"It is the most difficult to own the mistakes that one has done. Everyone denies that. I am one of those persons sitting right in front of you. I always said, 'yeh maine nahi kiya (I haven't done this)'."

"But if you have said that 'yes, I've made this mistake and I've tried to rectify it', that takes a lot of courage," Khan said in response to Bedi's revelation that in the book he has shared the mistakes and glories of his life.

The 55-year-old actor said he too has made mistakes in life and apologised with an aim to not repeat them.

"There are times when I have made mistakes. I have come and said sorry. Mistakes do happen but then repeating the same mistakes again is not okay."

Khan praised Bedi, 75, for sharing his life story with the world through his memoir.

The veteran actor said the book details everything about his career, success, triumph, failure, love, and relationships.
RAM VENKAT SRIKAR By

Express News Service

Few films tend to question the need for an objective gaze while evaluating them. Does studying mise-en-scene or framing enrich the experience when all you remember is how warm and cosy the film made you by the time the screen cut to black? Fatherhood is one such film. Led by an affable Kevin Hart, in his most mellowed performance as Matthew Matt Logelin, every character in this equally loveable film exudes warmth. Be it the ever-reliable Lil Rel Howery as Matts friend, Jordan, Deborah Ayorindes Liz, or even a minor character like Matts boss, Howard, played by Paul Reiser, they come across as warm-hearted humans we wish we had by our shoulder.

The film effortlessly transports us into an optimistic world suffused with amiable humans, although the story originates from a rather dark inciting incidentdeath; it beautifully dichotomises tragedy and happiness.Based on Matt Logelines memoir Two Kisses For Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love, Fatherhood begins at a funeral. Matts world is burnt to the ground when his wife passes away shortly after giving birth to their daughter, Maddy. The death scene, although we foresee it coming from a mile, is a solid tear-jerking moment. Theres something uncomfortable about actors best-known for comic roles donning dramatic parts.

Be it Mark Duplass as the cancer-stricken Michael in Paddleton, Robin Williams iconic therapist-turn in Good Will Hunting, Ricky Gervais grieving Tony in After Life, or our very own Sanjay Mishra in Kadvi Hawa, their comic background complements the contrasting emotional gravity of the performances. In a similar vein, watching the generally loud Hart break into tears comes across as more profound than, say, watching a rather serious actor perform the same scene.

Make no mistake, this Paul Weitz directorial is no sobfest; neither is it a philosophy-heavy examination of grief. Howery brings down the roof with his dead-pan delivery in every scene he is in, and the travails of the single dad coupled with Harts comic abilities are put to hilarious upshots.

Matt, struggling to single-handedly run errands for the toddler, finally manages to keep up with the doctors appointment for the daughters health check-up. After the doctor assures him about Maddys healthy growth rate, Matts mother-in-law affirms, Today was a good day for you as a parent. You keep all these little victories in a little box inside you. These will be your most prized possessions.

The film is all about such little, heartfelt moments. Take the scene where Matts mother ties his shoes as he aimlessly lays on the bed during his wifes funeral service, the day Matt and Maddy spend together at an amusement part, or Matt recollecting the day Maddy took her first steps, the film is replete with moments as sweet as candy.

Moreover, not once does it convey the impression of playing sugary charades. Its a story thats innately imbued with tenderness. Fatherhood might not have the most hypnotic colour scheme or writing that propagates hidden layers, but it has a heart the size of a mountain.

Film: Fatherhood

Directed by: Paul Weitz

Cast: Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Frankie R. Faison, Lil Rel Howery, DeWanda Wise

Streaming on: Netflix
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Forty-eight cases of Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus have been detected from 45,000 samples sequenced so far in the country with Maharashtra reporting the highest number of 20, the Centre said on Friday, stressing that there are still very limited cases of this mutation and it cannot be said that it is showing an upward trend.

Delta Plus in Maharashtra: One death recorded, stricter curbs imposed in the state:

Sujit Singh, Director of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), said 20 cases of Delta Plus variant has been found in Maharashtra, followed by nine in Tamil Nadu, seven in Madhya Pradesh, three in Kerala, two each in Punjab and Gujarat, and one case each in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Karnataka.

"There are very limited number of cases of this mutation (Delta Plus). In India, there are very limited cases (of Delta Plus). There are nearly 50 cases that are found in 12 districts and this has happened in the last three months. It cannot be said that in any district, state it is showing an increasing trend. Till the time we don't correlate this we will not say this is a rising trend because its mutations are the same as Delta variant," Singh told a media briefing of the health ministry.

So the transmission variant that is found in Delta can also found in this variant, he added.

ALSO WATCH | How Mumbai, India's most crowded city, beat the odds and the virus

The NCDC is involved in genome sequencing of the coronavirus in the country.

Singh said the Delta Plus variant signifies the Delta variant with an additional mutation -- B.1.617.2.1.

This specifically refers to acquisition of K417N genetic variant in the background of Variant of Concern Delta (B.1.617.2).

He said K417N is of public significance as this mutation is also present in the Variant of Concern Beta (B.1.351).

He said the Delta Plus variant is denoted by a plus sign.

"This does not mean. That severity of transmission is more or lead to more severe disease. If scientific evidence does (suggest) that then we will definitely let you know," he said.

He said Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal have Delta variant in more than 50 per cent of the samples sequenced.

"After that, we came to a conclusion that exponential surge during the second wave was to a large extent driven by this variant. Ninety per cent of the cases (of the samples sequenced) are being driven by B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant of SARS-CoV2," he said.

He said coronavirus variants of concern have been found in 174 districts in 35 states and union territories with the highest number of such cases seen in Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Telangana, West Bengal and Gujarat.

The proportion of COVID-19 cases with variants of concern rose from 10.31 per cent in May, 2021 to 51 per cent on June 20, 2021, he added.

The government also asserted that both the COVID-19 vaccines -- Covishield and Covaxin -- work against SARS-CoV-2 variants like Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta.

It added that the second wave of COVID-19 is not yet over in country as 75 districts still have more than 10 per cent prevalence and 92 districts have 5-10 per cent prevalence of the coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Friday reported the first death from the 'Delta Plus' variant of COVID-19, with an octogenarian woman succumbing in Ratnagiri civil hospital, a senior official said.

The woman hails from Sangameswar and was admitted to the hospital, over 330 kilometres from Mumbai, a few days ago, Sanjay Shinde, Additional Collector, Ratnagiri told PTI.

He said the woman's death was being audited to see if she suffered from comorbidities.

Shinde said district officials have been told to increase awareness as well as sensitize people about appropriate COVID-19 behavior.

Forty-eight coronavirus cases of 'Delta Plus' variant have been detected from 45,000 samples sequenced so far in the country, with Maharashtra reporting the highest number of such cases at 20, the Centre said on Friday.

As per a PIB release, the characteristics of the Delta Plus variant include increased transmissibility, stronger binding to receptors of lung cells as well as potential reduction in monoclonal antibody response.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted searches at the premises of former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of a money laundering probe against him, officials said.

They said the raids are being carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the locations include Deshmukh's residence in Nagpur.

It was not known if Deshmukh, 71, was available at the premises.

The central probe agency had registered a criminal case under the anti-money laundering law against Deshmukh and others last month after studying a CBI FIR.

The ED case came about after the CBI first carried out a preliminary enquiry followed by filing a regular case on the orders of the Bombay High Court that asked it to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Officials said the search teams are looking for additional evidence that can be important for their probe.

The agency's probe is focused on the allegation that illicit funds were generated in the transfer, posting of police personnel in Maharashtra and if illegal extortion was done by the cops as claimed by Singh in his complaint.

The ED has powers to attach assets of the accused during the investigation stage and later file charge sheets against them before a PMLA court for trial.

Singh was shunted out from the prime post after the role of policeman Sachin Waze surfaced during investigation of the explosive-laden SUV that was found parked near industrialist Mukesh Ambani's house in Mumbai.

In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was removed from the Police Commissioner's post, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked Waze to extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai.

Deshmukh, a politician of the NCP, was the home minister of the state in the MVA government headed by Thackeray.

He had resigned in April after these allegations were made against him.

The CBI booked Deshmukh and others under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections related to criminal conspiracy and section of Prevention of Corruption Act for "attempt to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of public duty".

"The preliminary enquiry prima facie revealed that a cognisable offence is made out in the matter, wherein the then home minister of Maharashtra, Shri Anil Deshmukh and unknown others have attempted to obtain undue advantage for improper and dishonest performance of their public duty," the CBI FIR had alleged.

The CBI enquiry found Waze, assistant inspector of Mumbai Police, had been reinstated into the police force after being out of service for more than 15 years.

Waze was entrusted with some of the most sensational and important cases of Mumbai city and Deshmukh was in knowledge of the said fact, the CBI FIR alleged.

It alleged that Deshmukh "and others" exercised undue influence over the transfer and posting of officials and thereby exercising undue influence over the performance of official duties by the officials, it claimed.

After registering the FIR on April 21, the CBI had also carried out searches in Mumbai and Nagpur at premises linked to the former minister who had resigned after the high court had ordered a CBI probe against him in connection with this case.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: India and China on Friday agreed to hold the next round of military talks at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh amid fresh sparring between the two sides on the prolonged LAC standoff.

At a virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs, the two sides had a "frank exchange" of views and decided to maintain dialogue to reach a mutually acceptable solution for withdrawal of troops in all friction points to enable progress in the overall ties, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) here.

In a statement at the end of the talks, the MEA said both sides agreed on the need to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

The talks took place in the backdrop of a fresh round of sparring between the two sides over the standoff as well as deadlock in further movement in the disengagement process after the withdrawal of troops by both sides from the north and south banks of Pangong Lake in February.

"Both sides agreed on the need to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh keeping in view the agreement reached between the two foreign ministers in September 2020," the MEA statement said.

"In this regard, the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through the diplomatic and military mechanisms to reach a mutually acceptable solution for complete disengagement from all friction points so as to ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity to enable progress in the bilateral relations," it added.

The MEA said both sides also agreed that in the interim, the two sides will continue to ensure stability on the ground and prevent any untoward incident.

"The two sides agreed to hold the next round of the senior commanders meeting at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all the friction points along the LAC in the western sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols," it said.

India refers to the eastern Ladakh region as the western sector.

The previous round of military talks(11th round) was held on April 9.

"The two sides had a frank exchange of views on the situation along the LAC in the western sector of the India-China border areas," the MEA said.

A war of words broke out between India and China on the border standoff this week.

India on Thursday blamed China for the standoff saying its amassing of a large number of troops close to the border and attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC last year were responsible for seriously disturbing peace and tranquillity in the region.

India's response came after China said its military deployment in the region is a normal defence arrangement aimed at "preventing and responding" to alleged "encroachment and threat" on Chinese territory by India.

The WMCC meet was co-chaired by MEA's additional secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava and the director general of the boundary and oceanic department of China's foreign ministry.

India and China had reached a five-point agreement to resolve the border standoff during talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at a meeting in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) conclave.

The pact included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC.

India and China were locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

India has been particularly pressing for disengagement of troops in Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang.

According to military officials, each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the sensitive high altitude sector.

There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach to this issue at the 11th round of military talks.

Last month, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said there can be no de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh and that the Indian Army is prepared for all contingencies in the region.

Gen Naravane also said that India is dealing with China in a "firm" and "non-escalatory" manner to ensure the sanctity of its claims in eastern Ladakh, and that it was even open to initiating confidence-building measures.

Meanwhile, Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria has lauded the Western Air Command (WAC) for its swift response in the face of the bitter border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh and directed it to keep the operational readiness at the "highest level", officials said on Friday.

The Chief of Air Staff was addressing a two-day conference of the top commanders of the WAC which looks after the security of the country's air space in the sensitive Ladakh sector as well as various other parts of north India.

In his remarks, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria directed the commanders to ensure that the operational readiness of all platforms, weapon systems and assets are kept at the "highest level", the officials said.

The commanders deliberated extensively on security challenges facing the country along the northern border during the deliberations that concluded on Friday.

In his remarks, Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria emphasised the need for critical analysis of the evolving security matrix, enhancing operational preparedness and ensuring robust physical and cybersecurity infrastructure.

"The Chief of Air Staff appreciated the swift response and high commitment shown by all bases in WAC in the recent standoff on our Northern frontiers despite the constraints posed by the ongoing pandemic," the IAF said in a statement.

Following the escalation in tension in eastern Ladakh in mid-June last year, the Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed almost all its frontline fighter jets like Sukhoi 30 MKI, Jaguar and Mirage 2000 aircraft as well as its attack helicopters in the key air bases in eastern Ladakh and elsewhere along the Line of Actual Control.

Since last September, newly-inducted Rafale jets too started carrying out sorties in various forward areas in eastern Ladakh as part of measures to give a boost to India's combat readiness in the region.

The Chief of Air Staff also appreciated the aerospace safety record of the WAC and urged the commanders to continue their efforts towards a safe operational environment.

"He underlined the future of IAF by enhancing operational capability through force structuring along with self-reliance and indigenisation with an aim to transform the IAF into a potent aerospace power," the IAF said.

India and China were locked in a military standoff at multiple friction points in eastern Ladakh since early May last year.

However, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February following a series of military and diplomatic talks.

The two sides are now engaged in talks to extend the disengagement process to the remaining friction points.

India has been particularly pressing for disengagement of troops in Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang.

According to military officials, each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control in the sensitive sector.

There was no visible forward movement in disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points as the Chinese side did not show flexibility in their approach on it at the 11th round of military talks.

Last month, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said that there can be no de-escalation without complete disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh and that the Indian Army is prepared for all contingencies in the region.

Gen Naravane also said that India is dealing with China in a "firm" and "non-escalatory" manner to ensure the sanctity of its claims in eastern Ladakh, and that it was even open to initiating confidence-building measures.
Sudhir Suryawanshi By

Express News Service

MUMBAI: Covid-19 cases in Maharashtra have suddenly increased, from 6,200 a day a few days back, the count crossed the 10,000 mark on Wednesday. Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has warned the district authorities not to rush to lift restrictions, as the third wave with the Delta Plus variant is spreading fast in some of the districts.

According to data from the state health department, when the unlock started on June 7, count of fresh cases for that day were 10,219. On June 18, the count was 9,798, and on June 19, it came down to 8,912. On June 21, it further went down to 6,270 cases, but the number jumped on June 22 with 8,470 cases, and on June 23, went up to 10,066.

The state has already reported 21 Delta Plus cases in Ratnagiri and Jalgaon districts. Chief Minister Thackeray has cautioned that the Covid-19 danger persists. Based on scientific data, the state government has facilitated the availability of oxygen beds. Local authorities should not be in a hurry to announce unlock measures, Thackeray warned.

Government sources said seven districts are a cause for concern  three each in the western and Konkan areas and one in the Marathwada region. Dr Sanjay Oak, chairman of Maharashtra health task force, said testing should be stepped up in these districts. He said that the focus should again be on 4 Ts  testing, tracing, tracking and treatment.

Vaccination should be also ramped up. Small containment areas should be clearly marked, said Dr Oak.

Maharashtra has set a target of producing 3,000 metric tonnes of oxygen against the current production of 1,300 metric tonnes per day. The state government has decided to encourage various companies to produce oxygen at a large scale, Thackeray added.

The Chief Minister has asked the local authorities to speed up preparations for the third wave and be ready to tackle it as and when it comes. We are yet to find out how lethal the new Delta variant is. Experts have warned that the latest Covid version is deadlier than the first and second variants. Therefore, people of the state need to be more careful and authorities in all the distrcits should be prepared to tackle it, Thackeray said.


By PTI

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat government on Friday said there were no new coronavirus cases of Delta Plus variant in the state and the two patients who were found infected with the variant in April had recovered.

Speaking to reporters in Gandhinagar, additional chief secretary, Health, Manoj Aggarwal said, "The Delta Plus variant was found in two persons in April. One of the patients was from Surat, while the other one was from Vadodara and both eventually recovered from the infection."

There were no new cases of Delta Plus variant at present, the official said.

"Both patients are stable and our local teams are monitoring their condition. We also did their contact tracing, but did not find anyone else getting infected with Delta Plus variant because of them," he said.

Aggarwal further said that the state administration has been put on alert to tackle the situation and testing is also being done to detect this variant.

Earlier in the day, the Centre had said that at least 48 coronavirus cases of Delta Plus variant have been detected from 45,000 samples sequenced so far in the country, with Maharashtra reporting the highest number of such cases at 20.

The state on Friday reported 123 COVID-19 cases and three deaths, taking the tally to 8,23,010 and the toll to 10,045, while 431 people recovered during the day, an official said.

The state's recovery count stands at 8,08,849, which is 98.28 per cent of the overall caseload, leaving it with 4,116 active cases, including 38 patients on ventilator support, he said.

"Ahmedabad led with 27 cases, followed by 15 in Surat, 14 in Vadodara among other places. The three deaths took place in Ahmedabad, Gir Somnath and Jamnagar districts," the official said.

A release said 2,42,60,703 people have been vaccinated so far in the state, including 3.58 lakh during the day.

Neighboring Dadra Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu reported five COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, while 11 people recovered, leaving it with a tally of 10,501 and recovery count of 10,448.

The UT, where four people have died of the infection, has an active caseload of 49.

Gujarat COVID-19 figures are as follows: Positive cases 8,23,010, new cases 123, deaths 10,045 discharged 8,08,849 active cases 4,116 and people tested so far - figures not released.
Ritwika Mitra By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: There has been a change in migration pattern since last year, according to a survey of workers in the informal sector by Migrants Resilience Collaborative -- a joint initiative of Jan Sahas, Edelgive Foundation and Global Development Incubator.

As a part of the second part of the report Voices of the Invisible Citizens, 2,342 workers across five states were interviewed over the course of the last year.

Over 55 per cent respondents reported a decrease in migration in the past year. While over 70 per cent of the workers said they did not migrate for fear of contracting Covid-19, 54 per cent workers said there was a lack of job opportunities at the destination.

Over 45 per cent workers feared 'sudden lockdowns'. Around 55 per cent of the migrant workers who ventured out reported that they were now moving for a shorter duration as compared to before.

ALSO READ | 'In debt and skipping meals': Survey finds Covid second wave has hit the poor hard

Workers in source villages and destination areas like construction sites, labour chowks/nakas, community settlements and textile clusters were interviewed.

Over 70 per cent of respondents reported that it had become harder to secure jobs in the past year, leading to a drastic reduction in their monthly income.

Forty per cent reported that the wage rates had remained the same over the last year, while 36 per cent reported a decrease in the wage rates.

Around 60 per cent respondents reported that fewer women are migrating now as compared to the pre-pandemic time.

Lack of employment at destination or source, mounting debt, a dip in female labour participation were indicators of distress, it said.

While featuring examples of how states and industry have responded to protect migrant workers, the report pointed out the Delhi government's campaign for registration under the Building and Construction Workers Act (BOCW) ensured over 1.05 lakh workers getting registered under the board.

Chhattisgarh was one of the most successful states in terms of Public Distribution System (PDS) coverage with over 97.8 per cent respondents of the survey reporting that they had received free or subsidised ration during the lockdown, it said.


By PTI

NEW DELHI: After Twitter briefly blocked IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from accessing his account for alleged copyrights violation, chairman of the parliamentary panel on information technology Shashi Tharoor on Friday said the same thing happened with him and the standing committee will be seeking an explanation from the social media firm over the temporary locking of their accounts and the rules it follows while operating in India.

Confronting Twitter, Prasad said it was apparent that his statements calling out the high handedness and arbitrary actions of the micro-blogging platform, particularly sharing clips of interviews to TV channels and the powerful impact had "clearly ruffled its feathers".

"Friends! Something highly peculiar happened today. Twitter denied access to my account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA and subsequently they allowed me to access the account," Prasad said in a tweet.

Tagging Prasad's tweet, Tharoor said, "Raviji, the same thing just happened to me. Clearly DMCA is getting hyperactive."

He said one of his tweets has been deleted by Twitter because its video included the copyrighted BoneyM song"Rasputin".

After a process, the account was unlocked, the Congress leader said.

Indians creatively make videos using short snippets of foreign music and most people would consider that "fair use", Tharoor argued in a series of tweets.

Instead of letting the clip enhance the popularity of their song, the copyright holders have issued a notice, the Lok Sabha MP said, adding that though he had just retweeted it, he was not about to contest their act.

In this case the complainant was the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry which is zealously defending the rights of Sony Music to "Rasputin", he said.

Ironically, Tharoor said, at their last conference in India, he was a keynote speaker.

"So I won't blame @Twitter for this action or attribute the motives to them that @rsprasad does, though it wasn't pleasant finding my account locked. Clearly they had no choice but to honour a DMCA takedown notice, however stupid & pointless the request was," he said in another tweet.

But getting a notice from a UK-based organisation, citing Twitter's role as a service provider under a US law, points to the challenges of Twitter India's operations in India, Tharoor said.

The minister has pointed to possible violations of Indian regulations while conforming to foreign rules, he said.

"As Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, I can state that we will be seeking an explanation from @TwitterIndia for the locking of @rsprasad's & my accounts & the rules & procedures they follow while operating in India," Tharoor said.

A couple of hours after his series of tweets, Tharoor tweeted that Twitter had locked him out again because to explain the problem, the first tweet in his thread of tweets included the offending copyrighted video.

"Locking is a foolish response to a DCMA notice; disabling the video (which they've now done) should be enough. @Twitter has a lot to learn," he said.

Weighing into the issue, Rajya Sabha MP and Shiv Sena leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said this has happened to her verified Facebook page as well with respect to television debates.

"I had also raised this copyright issue in the department related Committee meeting. Unfortunately, it only pinches when it hits home. No conspiracy sir, it is something that has gone unaddressed & is less understood," Chaturvedi said, tagging Prasad's tweet.

"I had in a committee meeting on copyright and Intellectual Property Rights asked this specific question: how can a TV channel flag a segment as copyright violation for a debate in which I was a part & is shared on my page? The page was allowed access only when post was taken down," she tweeted.

However, there was no answer then and not even taken up as a larger issue that needs clarity, she said in her series of tweets on the issue.

"Today it happened to the IT Minister and he blames the platform! The issue is not you, your position or the platform, it is the lack of clarity. But then we live in the times of narrative setting," Chaturvedi said.

The temporary locking of the IT Minister's Twitter account comes at a time when the US-based digital giant has been engaged in a tussle with the Indian government over the new social media rules.

The government has slammed Twitter for deliberate defiance and failure to comply with the country's new IT rules, which has led to the microblogging platform losing its legal shield as an intermediary in India and becoming liable for users posting any unlawful content.

Lashing out at Twitter, Prasad -- in a series of posts on rival social media platform Koo -- said it was apparent that his statements calling out the "high handedness and arbitrary actions" of Twitter had ruffled feathers.

He also tweeted on the issue.
Ritwika Mitra By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad cried foul saying social media giant Twitter denied him access to his account for around an hour on Friday. This was over complaints that he had violated copyright laws by posting his clippings from TV debates.

"Friends! Something highly peculiar happened today. Twitter denied access to my account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) of the US and subsequently they allowed me to access the account," said Prasad in a tweet.

He attached a screenshot of the account when it was locked and Twitter's message which read, "Your account has been locked because Twitter received a compliant Digital Millenium Copyright Act ("DMCA") Notice for content posted to your Twitter account. Under the DMCA, copyright owners can notify Twitter claiming that a user has infringed their copyrighted works. Upon receipt of a valid DMCA notice, Twitter will remove the identified material. Twitter maintains a repeat copyright infringer policy under which repeat infringer accounts will be suspended. Accruing multiple DMCA strikes may lead to suspension of your account."

He posted a subsequent screenshot where it said the account was 'available for use'.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor tweeted saying it happened to him too and said a hyperactive DMCA was to blame.

Raviji, the same thing just happened to me. Clearly DMCA is getting hyperactive. This tweet has been deleted by @Twitter because its video includes the copyrighted BoneyM song"Rasputin": https://t.co/ClgP2OKV1o #DanceIsNotJihad pic.twitter.com/IqQD50WhaU

After process, a/c unlocked. https://t.co/TCeT8aGxV6  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 25, 2021

It was something Twitter confirmed in a statement when The New Indian Express reached out to them. A Twitter spokesperson said, "We can confirm that the Honourable Ministers account access was temporarily restricted due to a DMCA notice only and the referenced Tweet has been withheld. Per our copyright policy, we respond to valid copyright complaints sent to us by a copyright owner or their authorised representatives.

ALSO READ | Karnataka HC restrains UP police from taking any coercive action against Twitter India's MD

Prasad posted a series of tweets in which he alleged Twitters actions were in 'gross violation of Rule 4(8) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021' where they failed to provide Prasad with any prior notice before denying him access to my own account.

"It is apparent that my statements calling out the high-handedness and arbitrary actions of Twitter, particularly sharing the clips of my interviews to TV channels and its powerful impact, have clearly ruffled its feathers," he said in another tweet.

"Further, it is now apparent as to why Twitter is refusing to comply with the Intermediary Guidelines because if Twitter does comply, it would be unable to arbitrarily deny access to an individuals account which does not suit their agenda," he added.

"Furthermore, in the past several years, no television channel or any anchor has made any complaints about copyright infringements with regard to these news clips of my interviews shared on social media," Prasad said.

He added that Twitters actions indicated that they were not the harbinger of free speech that they claim to be but were 'only interested in running their own agenda, with the threat that if you do not tow the line they draw, they will arbitrarily remove you from their platform'.

"No matter what any platform does they will have to abide by the new IT Rules fully and there shall be no compromise on that," he said in the last tweet.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the US criminalises production and dissemination of technology, devices, or services intended to circumvent measures that control access to copyrighted works. It also criminalises the act of circumventing an access control, whether or not there is actual infringement of copyright itself.

While the Act exempts online service providers exempts them from filtering out copyright infringement, the onus is on copyright holders to request removal of violations.

This places the burden on copyright holders to request the removal of violations.

The Centre and Twitter have been at loggerheads since the government notified the IT Rules in February, and over Twitter's 'non-compliance' of rules.

Recently, Prasad had tweeted that Twitter failed to comply with the new IT Rules despite being given multiple opportunities. He had said that the 'rule of law' was bedrock of Indian society.


By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) NSAs meeting in Dushanbe, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval called for member nations to evolve an action plan to tackle Pakistan-based terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Doval also urged member states to look at the possibility of signing a MoU with the Financial Action Task Force for countering terror financing. Pakistan NSA Moeed Yusuf was present in the meeting. There is a need to fully implement UN resolutions on terrorism. India strongly condemns terrorism in all its forms and is committed to bringing terrorists  including those who indulge in cross-border attacks to justice, Doval said.

He also called for sanctions against UN-designated terrorists and entities and underlined the need to monitor terrorists use of technology, including the dark web and drones to smuggle weapons. Formed in 2001, the SCO has eight member states including Russia. It is an economic and security grouping often perceived to be a counter to the NATO. India was initially an observer member and later joined as a full member in 2007

Doval also pushed for greater connectivity including through initiatives like Chahbahar, INSTC, Regional Air Corridors, Ashgabat Agreement, saying it always leads to economic gains and building trust while emphasising that connectivity must respect sovereignty and territorial integrity.

On Afghanistan, Doval emphasised on the need to preserve gains made in the last two decades and reiterated that India supports the SCOs Afghanistan contact group and wants it to be more active. Later, Doval also held a meeting with his Russian counterpart Nikolai Patrushev.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday said it is bizarre that the government wants to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir first and grant statehood later.

He said the Congress and other parties in Jammu and Kashmir want statehood first and the elections later.

"Congress and other J&K parties and leaders want Statehood first and Elections afterward. Government's response is Elections first and Statehood later," he said on Twitter. "The horse pulls the cart. A state must conduct elections. Only such elections will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre," he added.

Nearly two years after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs and revocation of its special status, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks with top political leaders from the erstwhile state, and said the Centre's priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy there for which delimitation has to happen quickly so that polls can be held.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was also present at the meeting, had said that the delimitation exercise and holding of peaceful elections in the Union Territory are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in Parliament.
By PTI

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recorded the statement of dismissed Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Waze in connection with a money laundering case filed against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, an official said on Friday.

A two-member team of the ED recorded the statement of Waze at the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai on Wednesday (June 23), the official said.

Waze is lodged in the jail under judicial custody after arrest in the sensational Antilia security scare-Mansukh Hiran murder case.

The state prison department had given access to ED officials to record Waze's statement in the jail, he said.

Two days after questioning Waze, the ED on Friday conducted searches at the premises of Deshmukh and his associates in Nagpur and Mumbai as part of a money laundering probe against the politician on Rs 100 crore bribery charges, officials said in Delhi.

The ED is probing the PMLA case based on an FIR registered by the CBI against the NCP leader, who faces allegations of corruption and misconduct.

The FIR was registered following a Bombay High Court order in April after corruption allegations were levelled against Deshmukh by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh.

In his letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray after he was removed from the Police Commissioner's post, Singh had alleged that Deshmukh had asked Waze and other police officials to extort over Rs 100 crore a month from bars and restaurants of Mumbai.

Deshmukh, who resigned from the state cabinet after the HC order, has repeatedly denied Singh's allegations.

"Singh levelled false allegations against me after he was shunted out (from the post of Mumbai police chief in March). The CBI investigating the case and I will cooperate," the NCP leader said on Friday.

The ED case came about after the CBI first carried out a preliminary enquiry followed by filing a regular case on the orders of the High Court that asked it to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by Singh.

Officials said the search teams are looking for additional evidence that can be important for their probe.

The teams are trying to gather evidence and record statements to substantiate the claims made by about 10 bar owners to the ED that they paid about Rs 4 crore "bribe" in cash that was allegedly handed over to the former home minister, the said.

Deshmukh said he extended full cooperation to ED officials who visited him during the searches and hoped "the truth will come out".

The ED conducted searches at the premises linked to Deshmukh in Nagpur and his associates in Mumbai as part of a money laundering probe against the politician on Rs 100 crore bribery charges, officials said.

They said the raids were carried out under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the locations include Deshmukh's residence at GPO Chowk in Nagpur and that of his personal secretary Sanjeev Palande and personal assistant Kundan Shinde in Mumbai.

Palande was brought to the ED's office in Mumbai in the afternoon for inquiry in connection with the case, sources said.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Deshmukh said he would continue to cooperate with investigate agencies in future too and expressed confidence that "the truth will come out".

Deshmukh claimed former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh had levelled false allegations of corruption and misconduct against him after his removal from the post in March.

"Singh was removed from the post due to his suspicious role in placing an explosives-laden SUV outside Mukesh Ambani residence. All the five police officials from the CIU (crime intelligence unit) arrested in the case reported to Param Bir Singh directly. The NIA is investigating the case," the NCP leader said.

"Singh levelled false allegations against me after he was shunted out. The CBI is investigating the case and I will cooperate," he said.

Deshmukh came to his flat in 'Sukhada' building at Worli in Central Mumbai when ED searches were on, sources said.

He was present the flat with ED officials and a team of forensic experts, the sources said.

The ED had registered a criminal case under the PMLA against Deshmukh and others last month after studying a CBI FIR.

The ED case came about after the CBI first carried out a preliminary enquiry followed by filing a regular case on the orders of the HC that asked it to look into the allegations of bribery made against Deshmukh by Singh.

The NCP, which is part of the Shiv Sena-led ruling alliance in Maharashtra, said nothing has come out against Deshmukh so far.

There was an attempt to harass Deshmukh out of "frustration" as the investigation against him and his family has not revealed anything, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said.

"Earlier some (Central) agencies had showered loving attention on the businesses of his son. As far as I know, they did not find anything. So out of frustration, there is an attempt to see if he (Anil Deshmukh) can be harassed in any other way," Pawar told reporters in Pune.

The NCP president said such things are not happening for the first time.

"All these things are not new to us. Anil Deshmukh is not the first (to face such action). A new trend of using power has been shown by those who are in power. There is no need to talk about that issue anymore. We are not at all worried about it," Pawar said.

An ED team of five officers, including a woman, arrived Deshmukh's residence at GPO square in Civil Lines in Nagpur at 8 am with a team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), police officials said.

Searches at the residence lasted for almost nine hours.

Deshmukh's wife son Salil and and wife of their younger son Hrishikesh were present at the Nagpur residence, they said.

Local NCP workers, led by Nagpur city unit chief Duneshwar Pethe, staged a protest against the ED action at 12 noon near the residence of Deshmukh.

They were put into a van and taken to a police station.

Later, another group of NCP workers from Nagpur Rural, led by former ZP vice-president Chandrashekhar Chikhale, protested against the ED at Deshmukh's residence.

The workers raised slogans when the ED team was going back after concluding their searches.

Meanwhile, the BJP said investigation against Deshmukh was going on as per a HC order and rejected suggestions that ED searches at his premises were politically motivated.

The opposition party in the state also hit out at its former ally Shiv Sena, heading the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, for linking the ED action against the NCP leader with the BJP.

BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis said it was wrong to attribute political motive to the ED action against the former home minister.

Fadnavis, speaking to the media at the Nagpur airport, said, "All these inquiries are going on as per direction of the high court. There is no reason to find any political motive in them. We feel that agencies are working as directed by the HC."

Asked about NCP MP Supriya Sule's comments linking the ED searches to Emergency, Fadnavis said she has no experience of the 1975-77 era characterised by press censorship and suspension of civil liberties.

"Supriya Sule has not seen Emergency as she was a child at that time. even I was a child. She has not experienced Emergency. but we have experienced Emergency.

"My father was in jail for 21 months without any charge, there were several others like him, lakhs of people. George Fernandes (socialist leader and former Union minister) had to sleep on ice slab. What do you know about Emergency? It is wrong to link a HC-directed investigation with Emergency," the former CM said.

In Mumbai, another BJP leader, Pravin Darekar, hit out at Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut for linking ED raids on Deshmukh with the BJP.

The Leader of Opposition in the council said if Deshmukh has not done anything wrong, he should not be afraid.

In a statement issued to the media, Darekar said, "Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut is wrongly suggesting that the ED searches were carried out on orders of the BJP. If Anil Deshmukh has done nothing (wrong), he should not be afraid.

"CBI officials carried out a raid on April 21 at the house of Anil Deshmukh in Nagpur. As he is under investigation, the ED also carried out raids at his residence in Mumbai. The more you try to politicise such routine procedures, the more Deshmukh and the MVA government would come under suspicion," he said.

The ED and other investigating agencies have carried out raids in the past as well, but nobody then linked those raids with the then government, Darekar said.
By PTI

LUCKNOW: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday put the Uttar Pradesh health authorities on alert against the emergence of new coronavirus variant Delta-plus detected in some parts of the country.

In a bid to shield UP from the onslaught of the new variant, the chief minister has asked the state's health authorities to start genome sequencing of RTPCR samples of train, air or road passengers coming to UP from states where delta-plus variant has been detected.

Acting on the recommendations of the state's health experts' advisory panel, the chief minister also ordered the collection of samples from the UP districts bordering the states where cases of delta-plus variant have been detected and get their genome sequencing done in UP itself.

"For delta-plus variant, genome sequencing of more and more samples should be done. Genome sequencing of those coming from railway, bus and air route should also be done," Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal said in an official statement.

The statement said the samples should also be taken from districts bordering states where the virus' delta-plus variant was detected and as per results of the tests, mapping of delta plus variant should be done, Sehgal said.

"This will help in taking preventive measures from this new variant," he said in the statement, adding the chief minister gave the directions after chairing a high-level meeting to take stock of the Covid situation in the state and the emerging threat from its delta-plus variant.

The chief minister also asked the Health Department to expedite the process of setting up ICUs for children, including the newborn ones, across the state, amid the fears that a possible third wave will affect children more.

The chief minister gave the directions following the strategy, chalked out by the state-level health experts' advisory panel, which has also recommended a high level of public awareness about the threats from the new as well as existing variants of the virus.

The chief minister also ordered upgrading the facilities and infrastructure at the KGMU, Lucknow or BHU Medical College and Hospital, Varanasi, which too have begun genome sequencing.

Till now samples were being sent to Pune for genome-sequencing but now with the start of the high-end investigation in the state itself, they will not have to be sent outside the state, the statement said.

The state government will also conduct door-to-door distribution of 'special medicine kits' with syrups and chewable tablets for children showing influenza-like symptoms of cold and cough, the statement said.

It added that the distribution of the medicine kits for children will be undertaken by over four lakh members of 60,569 surveillance committees in rural areas from June 27, the CM said.

"Everyone must follow the COVID-19 protocols and ensure 100 per cent usage of double masks, sanitisers along with social distancing and maintenance of personal hygiene," the CM said.

He mentioned that the five-fold strategy of "Tracing, Testing, Treatment, Covid-appropriate behaviour and Vaccination (TTT-CV)" implemented with utmost seriousness will be effective in curbing any further spread.

With 17 more COVID-19 fatalities, the cumulative death toll in Uttar Pradesh rose to 22,381 while the total cases in the state climbed to 17,05,220 with 226 new infections, a health bulletin issued here said.

"In the past 24 hours, 226 fresh cases were reported in the state while as many as 320 COVID-19 patients recovered from the infection and have been discharged, taking the total number of recoveries in the state to 16,79,416," it said.

The count of active COVID-19 cases in the state stands at 3,423, the bulletin said.

The recovery rate of the state is 98.5 per cent.

In the past 24 hours, more than 2.6 lakh samples in the state have been tested.

The overall samples tested is over 5.65 crore in the state, it said.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Top government authorities on Friday announced that within 7-10 days, the results of experiments being carried out to assess the efficacy of the existing Covid vaccine against the Delta Plus variant of SARSCoV2 will be out.

The announcement comes amid concerns that this variant, now detected in nearly 50 samples in 11 states --- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan, Jammu, and Karnataka -- may potentially have immune evasive properties and may be capable of causing more severe disease.

In a first-ever study in the world, declared ICMR director general Balram Bhargava on Friday, India will come up with its finding on how effective the vaccines are against the delta plus variant -- which is B1.617.2 or delta variant with K1417N mutation -- reported in 12 countries thus far.

Such data is available nowhere globally, said Bhargava, adding that the report will be available in 7 to 10 days.

In a press briefing on Friday on Covid19 status in the country, senior officials said that Covid vaccines -- Covaxin and Covishield -- are effective against coronavirus variants of concern, such as alpha, delta, gamma, and delta.

The existing vaccines, however, have reduced effectiveness against the delta variant, which is now the most dominant variant in India and is being seen in nearly 90% of the samples.

ALSO READ | 48 Delta Plus Covid variant cases detected in India; Maharashtra records highest: Government

While Covishield has shown a two-fold reduction in neutralising antibodies, it is down by 3 fold in the case of Covaxin, Bhargava said, also assuring that vaccines can be modified structurally to work better against emerging variants.

It can be done more easily in case of RNA vaccines but can also be done in case of whole inactivated virus-based vaccines and adenovirus-based vaccines, he stressed.

Department of biotechnology secretary Renu Swarup underscored that the reported delta plus variant cases in India, so far, are localised in some districts and have largely been seen in isolated cases.

Studies are underway currently to understand whether this variant is associated with increased transmissibility, change in virulence, or disease presentation and has any effect on diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines.

S K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control highlighted that forming a scientific opinion on a variant takes time and clarified that the plus in the name of variant does not denote more virulence.

"The plus is an addition of an existing variant due to its properties. It does not mean that it is stronger than delta. If scientific evidence suggests so in future, we will inform the public about it, he said.

Meanwhile in a letter issued to states where the delta plus variant has been identified, Union health secretary Rejesh Bhushan reinforced the need to take immediate containment measures including preventing crowds, intermingling of people, widespread testing, prompt tracing as well as vaccine coverage on a priority basis in the select districts.

The letter addressed to the chief secretaries also asked them to ensure that adequate samples of positive people are sent to the designated laboratories of INSACOG promptly so that clinical epidemiological correlation can be established.
By PTI

KOLKATA: Arrested fake IAS officer Debanjan Deb has been impersonating as a joint commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for the last four months and has duped a few people of several lakhs of rupees on the pretext of helping them get tenders of the civic body, a Kolkata Police officer said after initial probe.

Deb, who lied to his family about becoming an IAS officer, might have used that money to organise fake Covid-19 vaccination camps, pay salary to his employees and rent for the office, the officer said on Friday.

The 28-year-old man came in contact with several police officers and political leaders while participating in various programmes organised for social causes, the IPS officer said adding that four persons were called for questioning as part of the investigation.

"Deb was an IAS aspirant but could not crack the UPSC examinations. In 2018, he told his father and relatives that he passed the tests and became an IAS officer," he said.

Deb told interrogators that he started a business of selling sanitiser, masks and PPE kits last year and made a "good profit" but at that time he did not identify himself as a KMC joint commissioner.

"But slowly, when people started approaching him for help in Covid-19 related needs, Deb promised them assistance as an official and started going around identifying himself as a joint commissioner of the KMC. He fell into his own trap," the officer said.

He hired a vehicle, recruited men and rented an office in Kasba area of the city, the cop said.

In the process, he came in contact with a few contractors and sub-contractors of the KMC and allegedly cheated two persons.

One of them filed a police complaint alleging that Deb had taken Rs 10 lakh from him promising him to get a tender of the KMC.

Another person has also approached the sleuths of Kolkata Police claiming that Deb had taken Rs 90 lakh from him, out of which Rs 36 lakh was transferred to a bank account, for getting a tender of the KMC to construct a stadium, the police officer said.

"He might have used the money to run these camps as well as pay salary to the people he had recruited and rent for the office," the IPS officer said.

However, the probe is still at a very preliminary stage, he said.

"There is not much money left in the accounts about which Deb has told us. Our officers at the anti-bank fraud unit are using his PAN card details to check whether he has any other bank accounts or not. We have also asked the banks to provide details of all transactions he had through these accounts," he said.

Deb had claimed of organising a "khichri" distribution camp in Behala with the help of a local club and the police have started verifying it.

The items seized from Deb's office included pads having fake logos of the KMC and the West Bengal government.

"We have found from his office several letters written by him to secretaries of various departments. It seems that he wrote them to influence people but never dispatched them. We are verifying the matter with the respective persons," the police officer said.

The Kolkata Police on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the fake vaccination drive.

Deb held two camps in the city where thousands of people were suspected to have been inoculated.

The police arrested Deb on Wednesday for allegedly posing as an IAS officer and organising a COVID-19 vaccination camp in Kasba area, where actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty had also got her jab.

Chakraborty, who was invited to attend the camp, said she became suspicious about the vaccination process as she did not receive the customary SMS that is sent to people after they are administered a dose, and informed the police.

"At the camp held in a college, 72 people have been inoculated. We are trying to find out how many were vaccinated in Kasba," the officer said.

Deb got labels of Covishield printed from somewhere in Sealdah area of the city, he added.

The fake labels were found pasted on several vials of an antibiotic injection used for a number of bacterial infections.
By PTI

SHIMLA: A ruling party MLA in Himachal Pradesh had been accused by his HPAS officer wife of physical and mental torture.

In an 11-minute video that has gone viral on social media, the 2020-batch Himachal Pradesh Administrative Services (HPAS) officer Oshin Sharma alleged that her husband Dharamshala BJP legislator Vishal Nehriya had slapped her thrice on Thursday.

She further alleged that Nehriya had physically and mentally tortured her several times.

Nehriya and Sharma were married just three months ago on April 26.

Sharma said she has returned to her maternal house after she had been allegedly slapped by her husband on Thursday.

The HPAS officer also alleged that Nehriya had beaten her before their marriage in February this year in a Chandigarh hotel.

The BJP MLA neither answered calls nor replied to messages sent to get his version.

Thirty-two-year-old Nehriya was elected as MLA from Dharamshala for the first time in a by-election on October 24, 2019.

Sharma also alleged that her husband had expelled her from his house on the fourth day of their marriage when she was Covid positive.

She said she agreed to return as he had threatened to harm himself.
Nanditha Krishna By

A disaster brings out the best and the worst in people. During the lockdown, I was trying to find an oxygen concentrator for a friend who was in home isolation with Covid and faced breathing difficulties. As a result, I stumbled upon a large network of black marketeers who are thriving in this pandemic.

First, the Good. The common people have rallied, as always, some giving food for Covid patients, some providing care for elders and children, doing their shopping, providing pet care and so on. Throughout this and the previous lockdown in Chennai, Blue Cross of Indias volunteers went around feeding homeless strays, who generally live on scraps thrown by passing pedestrians and tea stall owners, all of which cease in a lockdown. During the floods of 2015, private individuals and associations took out boats to save those inundated in water and several kitchens were set up to feed the poor. Living in Chennai, which has seen regular disasters ranging from floods and droughts to cyclones and now this pandemic, one gets inured to calamities, and to seeing the best in people.

But this time we are seeing the worstand not just in Chennai. The price of everything required to avoid or treat the pandemic shot through the roof. An N95 mask cost Rs 250. An oxygen concentrator, normally costing Rs 35,000-40,000, shot up to Rs 1,25,000 in Chennai and between Rs 2-3 lakh in the richer cities of Mumbai and Delhi. Remdesivir cost Rs 25,000 per vial in the black market. Ambulance services cost a bomb. Numerous accounts of price rise were reported: airfares peaked, while a bus ticket worth Rs 500 was sold for Rs 4,000 the day before the lockdown. Migrant workers had to pay through their nose for a ticket to go home. Vegetables and grocerieseven those supplied by the governmentbecame more expensive. Meanwhile, the lockdown closed the ration shops and kirana stores on which the poor and the middle class depended, while e-commerce platforms, to which few have access, were categorised as essential services and permitted to function.

This is the Badthe evil Indian black marketeer who profits on peoples distress. This has been a part of Indias social history: usurers who lend money at exorbitant rates during a drought or illness or weddings and money lenders who feed on peoples tragedies, making them indebted for life. What do these people learn at school or from their parents? Obviously, they are not taught the difference between right and wrong!

The British enacted the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 to tackle bubonic plague in Mumbai and contain epidemics by providing special powers to the government to control the spread of disease. According to this law, anyone disobeying the orders of a public servant could be punished under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. Chapter X of Indias Disaster Management Act of 2005 is full of punishments and penalties. However, Section 53Punishment for misappropriation of money or materials, etc.,only punishes the guilty for two years with maybe a fine. It does not mention black marketing. Meanwhile, the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980, provides that the maximum period for which any person may be detained shall be six months from the date of detention. Ridiculous! As if black marketeers care if they are locked up for six months. They will come out and expand their business.

India never expected a public health emergency like Covid-19. The country ranks 179 out of 189 in healthcare expenditure in the annual budget. Rates of hospitalisation are 3-4% compared to 8-9% in middle income countries. Private hospitals are money-making industries with no commitment towards lowering rates of disease or death. One person I know spent Rs 18 lakh for his Covid treatment in a five-star hospital in Chennai. We have just had elections in five states: health infrastructure and care never made it to the political discourse. Meanwhile, hospitals had only a few hours of oxygen available, while antiviral drugs and ventilators have been hard to find. What a wonderful opportunity for the black marketeer! An MLA was indicted for hoarding several oxygen cylinders. I wonder how many he sold. If politiciansthe rajasdo this, what do you expect from the praja or people?

It is time the Central and state governments woke up to the evils of the black market. All politicians know who the black marketeers are, where they are situated and where they hoardafter all, most contribute liberally to every political party. They must be tried and convicted in public fora if we are to have a cleaner and greener society. The prices of medical supplies and food must come down and black marketeers caught and imprisoned, with stricter laws than the weak punishment mentioned above.

And finally, the award for the Ugly goesas alwaysto China. A social media post by Chinas top law enforcement body, the Communist Partys Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, on its official Sina Weibo account, compared the Tianhe module launch and its fuel burn-off to pictures of mass outdoor cremations in India, and captioned them as China lighting a fire versus India lighting a fire. Ironically, the Chinese rocket lost its way and ended up as debris in the Indian Ocean, earning the worlds ire. So much for the Chinese fire. The world medias role was also shocking, broadcasting images of burning bodies. Is nothing sacred anymore?

Nanditha Krishna, Historian, environmentalist and writer based in Chennai (nankrishna18@gmail.com)
The death of 23-year-old Vismaya Nair has rekindled the debate on the reprehensible dowry system prevalent in Kerala society. The collective moral outrage on display currently in the state is a seasonal phenomenon at best. There was a similar outrage in May last year when 25-year-old Uthra died after her husband got her bitten by a snake. In the last 13 years, 212 women have lost their lives owing to dowry harassment in Kerala. The Kerala Assembly at present has four legislators who were accused of domestic violence and none faced prosecution as the cases were settled out of court. So, its unlikely Vismayas death will change anything unless the government takes sincere and proactive steps to deal with the dowry menace, and communities wake up to the barbarity of the social evil they have preserved and nurtured for generations.

Sixty years have passed since Parliament enacted the Dowry Prohibition Act. Following criticism that it has failed to provide adequate protection for women, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act was enacted in 2005. Armed with these laws and corresponding sections in the Indian Penal Code, police and agencies like womens commissions can tackle the issue of dowry and domestic violence. Unfortunately, police and commissions prefer to play mediators, as if saving the institution of marriage is more important than saving lives and punishing the culprits. Even in the case of Vismaya, a police complaint was withdrawn following negotiation initiated by senior officers.

The government must put in place an effective system to ensure that no life is lost due to the dowry menace. Let the first step be weeding out the dowry practice among government employees. As suggested by former chief minister Oommen Chandy, the government employees can be made to sign an affidavit saying they will neither accept nor give dowry, and any violation should attract nothing less than dismissal from service. Imposing a deterrent tax on luxury weddings is another idea. Opinion makers and political leaders should set a model by opting for dowry-free and simple marriages. Dowry is a system that has no place in a modern, progressive society. Its time we did away with that once and for all.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Vaccination is the only way to keep Covid-19 away, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar has said, adding that the State Government is determined to fully-vaccinate everyone by December. Speaking to reporters after flagging off a special vaccination drive at the State Bar Council on Thursday, Dr Sudhakar said that the government has taken steps to vaccinate 1 lakh advocates and their families. It is being given on priority to professionals who are in contact with more people If we want to be mask free, then everyone should be vaccinated at the earliest, he said.

It is because of the stringent measures of the government that mortality rate has reduced during the second wave though there was a surge in cases than expected. Backlog vacancies of 1,760 medical officers have been filled which were due from the last 25 years. We are strengthening the health sector at district level to tackle the third wave based on the recommendations of the committee headed by Dr Devi Shetty, the minister said.

Some people are spreading rumours about vaccines on social media. People tend to believe such information, he said, urging people to trust only authenticated information from government sources. As in the case of smallpox, people took many years to trust the vaccine. The Hepatitis-B vaccine took 20 years to arrive in India but we were fast enough to invent the vaccine for Covid-19. We should be proud that it has been invented in our country, he said, adding that foreign vaccines are expensive but PM Narendra Modi is providing the indigenous vaccine free of cost.
By PTI

BENGALURU: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Friday instructed officials to maintain vigil over the 'Delta Plus' variant of coronavirus, especially in border districts and subject those arriving in the state from Maharashtra and Kerala to tests.

Yediyurappa held a meeting with senior Ministers and officials today to review the COVID-19 situation in the state.

"The Delta Plus situation in the state as of now is under control and instructions have been given to maintain strict vigil about the virus," the CMO said in a statement.

Noting that a greater number of Delta Plus variant virus infections are being reported in neighboring Maharashtra, it said directions have been put on border districts on alert.

Instructions have also been given to maintain strict vigil on those arriving in the state from Maharashtra and Kerala, by subjecting them to COVID tests, the statement said.

Expressing concern over the intensity of the second wave not declining in Maharashtra and Kerala, it said people have been requested to follow all the precautionary measures with relaxing of restrictions in the state.

The government has also instructed the authorities to identify malnourished children and provide them nutritious food and medical care that is required.

Earlier in the day Health Minister K Sudhakar said there are two cases of Delta plus variant in the state, one in Bengaluru and the other in Mysuru, both with mild symptoms.

"The one in Mysuru has completely recovered. There was no severity in both the cases. Primary contacts of these cases have tested negative. Therefore, there is no need to panic about this virus. Genome sequencing is being done everyday to detect new strains," he said.

Six genome sequencing labs are being set up at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi, Mangaluru and Vijayapura, he added.

The state on Friday permitted conduct of marriage functions in choultries, hotels, resorts and function halls involving not more than 40 guests.

The weddings can be held from June 28 with some conditions.

According to an order issued by the State government, those organising marriages should obtain permission from either the Joint Commissioner of the BBMP Zone in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike area or Tahsildar at the taluks.

The officer concerned shall issue 40 passes per marriage function by name, the order said.

Only people with passes would be allowed to attend the marriage and they shall not be transferable, the order said.

People attending the function have been asked to strictly follow COVID appropriate behaviour, it added.

The state on Friday reported 3,310 new cases of COVID-19 and 114 deaths, taking the caseload to 28,26,754 and toll to 34,539, the health department said.

The day also saw 6,524 discharges, continuing to outnumber the fresh cases, pushing the total number of recoveries to 26,84,997.

Bengaluru Urban logged 614 new cases, as the city saw 1,401 discharges and 17 deaths.

Active cases in the state stood at 1,07,195.

While the positivity rate for the day stood at 2.09 per cent, case fatality rate (CFR) was at 3.44 per cent.

Mysuru reported 22 deaths, Dakshina Kannada (14), Ballari and Dharwad (9), followed by others.

Bengaluru Urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 12,09,687, followed by Mysuru 1,64,385 and Tumakuru 1,14,345.

Hassan accounted for 399 deaths, Dakshina Kannada 377, Mysuru 367, Shivamogga 212, followed by others.

Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban tops the list with 11,27,900, followed by Mysuru 1,57,507 and Tumakuru 1,11,034.

Cumulatively a total of 3,35,08,382 samples have been tested in the state so far, of which 1,58,072 were tested on Friday alone.
Rajesh Abraham By

Express News Service

KOCHI: 1. Suresh Mathew and his family have been planning to fly to Kerala for holidays from Dubai, where he has been settled for the last four years, in July. But the rising Covid cases back home and the strict quarantine rules in the UAE have forced him to cancel the plans.

2. A couple who returned to Qatar after attending a wedding in the family in Kerala had to pay close toRs 3 lakh for a hotel stay in Doha as rules in the West Asian country required travellers to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days.

Though thousands of families want to travel to Kerala from the Gulf countries for holidays in July-August, the uncertainty over their return journeys, including flight availability, and stringent quarantine rules in many West Asian countries have forced many to put off their travel during this Onam season.

According to the rules which were eased earlier this week, passengers who have received two doses of a UAE-approved vaccine with a valid residence visa are allowed to travel to Dubai from India. They should also present a negative certificate after a PCR test taken 48 hours before departure. Only QR-coded negative PCR test certificates are accepted. Passengers are also required to undergo RT-PCR tests on the fourth day and eighth day of their quarantine period.

During pre-Covid days, Kochi airport alone used to see an average of over 3-4 lakh passengers arriving from the Gulf countries during July and August. This time, the holiday season will see only those travelling for emergency purposes, officials said.

A relative of mine travelled to Kerala for attending a marriage and then the second wave hit India, leading to the flight cancellations, said Suresh Mathew. She has been stuck in Kerala since then. Though several flights including Emirates and Air Arabia are operating to Kochi, but they are not carrying passengers on return flights. Only Oman and Qatar are taking passengers from here, said a spokesman of Kochi airport. As of the latest reports, FlyDubai and Emirates have decided to resume passenger flights from Kerala.

Norka-Roots CEO Harikrishnan Namboothiri K said though the UAE has announced a relaxation in rules, several areas need clarification. There is a requirement of the result certificate of the RT-PCR test taken four hours before departure. This needs clarification. Im told airports are setting up the facilities for this, he said.

Shabeer Ahamed, who returned from Doha recently, said Qatar is the only country that has been receiving travellers from India for the last couple of months. But these too are not normal flights, only bubble flights -- that means a restricted number of flights, he said. According to him, the high cost of the stay in quarantine in hotels there has made many travellers cancel their plans to travel home for holidays this season.

Kochi airport alone used to see an average of over 3-4 lakh passengers arriving from Gulf during July and August
By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) built by the Cochin Shipyard, which is India's pride and a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat, will be commissioned in 2022, defence minister Rajnath Singh said in Kochi on Friday.

"Commissioning of the IAC next year will be a befitting tribute to 75 years of India's independence. The combat capability, reach and versatility of the aircraft carrier will add formidable capabilities in the defence of our country and help secure India's interests in the maritime domain," the minister who

reviewed the progress of the project at Cochin Port wharf told media persons.

The initial deadline to deliver IAC-1, to be Commissioned as INS Vikrant, was 2018.

Sources said the sea trials of the aircraft carrier will commence in July.

India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) will be commissioned next year: Defence Minister #RajnathSingh said after reviewing the progress made in the construction of #IAC. #atmanirbharbharat



Express Video | @albin_tnie pic.twitter.com/93liZt4e10  The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) June 25, 2021

The defence minister said 44 warships are being built at Indian shipyards, which is a testimony to the impetus given by the government to modernisation, harnessing India's indigenous industry and know-how.

"The IAC boasts of nearly 75 per cent indigenous content, from design to steel used in construction, to key weapons and sensors. The Defence Acquisitions Committee (DAC) has also recently accorded approval for a request for Proposal of Project 75-I under the Strategic Partnership model, which will give further fillip to the indigenous development of niche manufacturing technologies," said Rajnath Singh.



He said the modernisation measures will help enhance the Indian Navy's operational reach and prowess to protect India's maritime interests.

"The Indian Navy remains poised and combat-ready to tackle any challenge. The Navy's proactive forward deployment during the Galwan standoff signalled our intent that we seek peace but are ready for any eventuality," said Rajnath Singh.

The defence minister applauded the significant contributions made by the Navy in the fight against Covid by bringing back Indian citizens from overseas during Operation Samudra Setu-I, and in shipping the much-needed Liquid Medical Oxygen during Samudra Setu-lI, despite dangers of Covid spread on board warships. The search and rescue efforts by the Navy during Cyclone Tauktae showcased the spirit of daring and courage among our men and women in whites, he said.

Referring to Project Seabird at Karwar, which he visited on Thursday, the defence minister said it will be the largest Naval Base of the Indian Navy in future. The Seabird will provide the facilities and infrastructure to support the Navy's operations in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

The Government is fully committed to a strong Navy and these two projects are examples of our unwavering focus, said Rajnath Singh.




By Express News Service

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to filmmaker-activist Aisha Sultana accused of sedition for her alleged remarks that the central government had used Covid-19 as a 'bio-weapon' against the islanders.

While granting bail, Justice Ashok Menon observed that "Prima facie, the offences alleged by the prosecution are not attracted. She has no criminal antecedents. She is not likely to flee from justice."

Senior Advocate P Vijayabhanu, the counsel for Aisha Sultana, submitted that she is innocent and the allegations of sedition and inciting disharmony among groups of people are totally false and unsustainable. She had no intention to excite disaffection towards the Government of India.

The court noted that Aisha Sultana had expressed her regret about the use of the words 'bio weapon'. Custodial interrogation and her incarceration in prison, particularly in these pandemic times, may not be required.

ALSO READ | 110-year-old woman from tribal hamlet in Attappadi tests Covid positive

The prosecution has also not expressed any fear of her fleeing from justice or not cooperating with the investigation, the court added. Nor has the prosecution expressed its intention to subject her to custodial interrogation. No evidence in the case can be tampered with and there is little risk of witnesses being influenced or intimidated. Consequent to the granting of interim anticipatory bail on June 17, the petitioner was directed to appear before the investigating officer for interrogation, and there was no report that she has not complied with that direction of the court.

Hence, the interim anticipatory bail is made absolute, the court ruled. In the event of her arrest, she should be released on bail on the execution of a bond for Rs 50000 with two solvent sureties each for the like amount to the satisfaction of the arresting officer.

Opposing the bail plea, S Manu, counsel for the Lakshadweep administration, had earlier submitted that in plain terms the applicant has alleged that the central government has used the Covid-19 virus as a bio-weapon against the people of Lakshadweep. She has also compared it with the rumours that were rife about China using Coronavirus as a bioweapon against the citizens of other countries. She suggested that the Government of India has acted in a similar way against the citizens of India in Lakshadweep.

The court observed that the decisive ingredient for establishing the offence of sedition under section 124-A IPC is doing certain acts that will bring the Government established by law in India into hatred or contempt. There was no suggestion that she did anything as such against the Government of India.

She only protested against the newly-introduced reforms by the Administrator and has sworn allegiance to the people of Lakshadweep. There was no apparent indication in her statement that amounts to imputations or assertions prejudicial to the national interest, nor does it propagate any class of persons against another group of persons. It is therefore doubtful whether the penal provisions of section 153-A would apply in this case, the court observed.
By Express News Service

KOLLAM: The family of a Keralite nurse, who was found dead in Saudi Arabia, alleged suspicion in the death of their daughter. Muhasina, 30, a native of Anchal, was working as a nurse in the Arab nation. She was found dead at her residence in Mecca on June 21. The family had lodged a complaint with the CM and police, alleging that their daughter had been abused by her husband for a long time and hence her death should be investigated.

Muhasina and Sameer, a native of Karikkom, got married eight years ago. The couple was staying together in Saudi Arabia, until last month when Sameer moved to Riyadh. Her family alleged that she committed suicide while she was on a video call with her husband. The relatives alleged Muhasina did not inform them about the abusive marital life as hers was a love marriage that happened against the wishes of her relatives.

The girls parents alleged that Sameer constantly threatened her for property and money. They have filed a complaint with the CM and others seeking an inquiry into the mystery of their daughters death. Saudi police have confirmed that Muhasinas death was a suicide. Her family has also lodged a complaint with Punalur DySP. The couple has a three-year-old son.
Prashant Sahu By

Express News Service

UMERKOTE: The Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) of Nabarangpur district received Rs 58,000 in the fiscal year 2020-21. Compare this with allocations to other districts. Jeypore ITDA received Rs 84.20 lakh; Koraput received Rs 1.22 crore; Rayagada Rs 81.80 lakh, Gunupur Rs 2.13 crore and Malkanagiri got nearly Rs 2.39 crore. Kalahandis Thumul Rampur ITDA got Rs 49 lakh.

Incidentally, Nabarangpur ITDA is the largest in the State. The districts population comprises around 70 per cent from scheduled castes and tribes. In 2019-2020, it was sanctioned Rs 2.86 crore while the previous year, it was provided Rs 5.56 crore, making last years funds release the lowest in half a decade.

As per 2011 census, around 57.35 per cent of population of Nabarangpur has never attended any school. There are many remote villages which are cut-off from the block and district headquarters. Amid tall claims of both the Central and State governments of bringing about significant improvement in human development indicators in tribal areas through its slew of welfare programmes, Nabarangpur presents a sad picture of neglect and official apathy.

In view of the state of affairs in Nabarangpur, ITDA, Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihood Programme (OTELP) and Special Development Councils (SDC) were implemented to improve socio-economic indices through livelihood support and food security.

However, the State government has stopped OTELP in Nabarangpur since March 31 this year. As many as 119 villages in five blocks of Kosagumuda, Papadahandi, Jharigam, Tentulikhunti and Dabugaon were identified for setting up 50 watershed projects under OTELP which was launched in the district in 2009. Technical assistance for better farming, seeds and agriculture requirement were also provided to tribals under the scheme.

These apart, plans were made to buy forest produce directly from tribals residing in remote areas and steps taken to provide housing units to the homeless and land leases to landless under OTELP. Various programmes were also undertaken to increase efficiency of tribal women and youths. With the government stopping the scheme, the programmes have come to a grinding halt.

On Thursday, the Project Level Committee (PLC) meeting, chaired by Collector Ajit Kumar Mishra met here. MP Ramesh Chandra Majhi, 4 MLAs, ZP president, all block chairpersons, ADM, Sub Collector, PD DRDA, PD Watersheds were present.

The peoples representatives expressed concern over non-release of funds to Nabarangpur ITDA for the current financial year. A resolution demanding release of funds was adopted. Contacted, Collector Mishra said he has placed proposals for projects to the government for approval. The delay in allocation of funds was caused by the pandemic, he sought to clarify.

Meanwhile, the Special Development Council, set up by the government to protect culture and tradition of tribals, is no more in force after its dissolution last year. The government provided special grants to revive language, art and culture of tribals under the council.
By Express News Service

COIMBATORE: Collector GS Sameeran handed over a cheque of Rs 2 lakh to family members of an autorickshaw driver Kadhar Meeran (41) who succumbed to Covid after receiving treatment for over three weeks at a private hospital in the city.

The family from Suleeswaranpatti in Pollachi lost their breadwinner and is reeling under the debt of Rs 9 lakh borrowed for his treatment which cost them a total of Rs 14.5 lakh.

As the family exhausted all their resources, they decided to sell their house to meet clear debt. TNIE carried a report on the familys situation on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Collector handed over a cheque to the family to meet their debts from the Collectors Discretionary Fund. Kadhar Meeran's wife Samsath Begam, and son Salman, who is pursuing his UG final year, were asked to come to the Collectorate.

The Collector also spoke with the private hospital, where Kadhar Meeran was treated and asked them to reduce the bill by Rs 1 lakh.

The hospital staff returned Rs 1 lakh in the form of a cheque to the family in the presence of the Collector. Besides, the Collector said that he has made a recommendation for assistance from the Chief Minister's relief fund to the family.
By Express News Service

MADURAI: The Health Department has cancelled the permission granted to a private hospital in Anna Nagar to treat Covid-19 patients. The action was taken after the hospital did not comply with the government order to refund the excess `2.48 lakh collected for Covid-19 treatment last month.

According to the order (dated June 23) issued by the Joint Director of Medical and Rural Health Services Dr P Venkatachalam, Raksha Hospital in Anna Nagar was told to return `2,48,590 to 39-year-old Balkees Begum, who was admitted to the hospital for Covid treatment from May 14 from May 19, after the hospital was found to have collected exorbitant fees.

Even after seven days, however, the hospital failed to refund the amount. During the weekly review conducted by the Collector, the non-compliance was viewed as a serious violation of government orders.

Based on the directives issued by the Director of Medical and Rural Health Services, action was initiated against the hospital. The permission granted to it to treat Covid-19 patients was thus cancelled and the hospital was barred from admitting Covid-19 patients from June 23.

In his order to the Managing Director of the hospital, Dr Venkatachalam further directed the hospital authorities that those Covid-19 patients who are already getting treatment should be taken care of and discharged without any dispute by collecting only the treatment cost mandated by the State government.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani faces the cold reality of the end of US military presence in Afghanistan Friday when he meets with President Joe Biden in the White House.

With his government under increasing threat from an emboldened Taliban insurgency, Ghani will be hoping for a significant commitment of US aid for his government, which will be without the on-the-ground support of US forces for the first time in nearly two decades.

But any hopes for a delay in America's exit from its longest war are likely to be snuffed.

Biden has ordered the departure of all US forces from Afghanistan by this year's 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks that triggered the invasion, saying he believes that no more can be achieved.

The final pullout, announced in April, has moved fast and some speculate the exit of some 2,500 US troops and 16,000 civilian contractors could be mostly completed in July.

"This visit is first about our ongoing commitment and support to the Afghan people and to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said Thursday.

"The president will emphasize the need for unity, cohesion, and for the Afghan government to focus on key challenges Afghanistan faces."

Deep uncertainty as Taliban gain

Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who is in charge of stalled negotiations with the Taliban on a power-sharing deal, arrived in Washington on Thursday as the rebels continued to gain ground in the country, both physically and propaganda-wise.

The looming US exit has left the country in a deep state of uncertainty, with many worried about the return to power of extremists who applied a brutal version of Islam to the population when they ruled from 1996-2001.

The Wall Street Journal reported that a new US intelligence report assesses that the Taliban could possibly capture Kabul within six months -- though other experts downplay that scenario, at least in the short-term.

Still, the situation is being compared to the US withdrawal from Vietnam in 1973.

Two years later, the South Vietnamese government that Washington had backed and then abandoned fell to North Vietnamese troops.

'Enduring commitment'

Still apparently hoping to slow the US pullout, Ghani and Abdullah met Thursday with members of Congress, many of whom criticize Biden's decision to leave -- even though the withdrawal actually began under his predecessor Donald Trump last year.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell urged Biden to delay the withdrawal after talks with the Afghan leaders.

"President Biden's decision to withdraw US forces leaves our Afghan partners alone to confront threats that his own top advisors acknowledge are grave and growing worse," McConnell said.

On Friday, Ghani and Abdullah will meet with Biden in the White House and, separately, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon.

"One of the things that we will certainly be talking with President Ghani about tomorrow is what the enduring commitment of the United States to his government is going to look like," said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby.

Biden is expected to reaffirm billions of dollars in US aid for the country, and possibly make arrangements for US civilian contractors -- essential to keep the Afghan air force flying -- to remain there.

The United States will also provide three million doses of Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine to Afghanistan to be shipped as soon as next week, according to Jean-Pierre.

Andrew Watkins, an Afghanistan expert at the International Crisis Group, said Ghani wants to show he has US support as the country's leader.

"Ghani doesn't have a lot of domestic legitimacy. His legitimacy comes maybe more than from any other source or any other factor from international recognition and support," Watkins said.

The US side, meanwhile, is likely to pressure Ghani and Abdullah to strike a power-sharing deal with the Taliban sooner rather than later.

"We believe that a negotiated political settlement is the best way to end the conflict," Jean-Pierre told journalists.

Possibly underscoring how uncomfortable the situation is for both sides, no press conference was planned.
By PTI

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Friday announced a strict countrywide shutdown until further notice to check the spread of COVID-19, as it reported 108 deaths from coronavirus, the second highest single-day toll since the pandemic's outbreak in the country.

Health officials said the deadly Delta variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, has spread to Dhaka, mounting pressure on health facilities in the country's capital.

"Other than emergency services, all government and private offices will remain closed. No one will be allowed to go out of home without urgent reasons," an official order said.

Only goods-laden and emergency vehicles will be allowed to operate during the lockdown, it said.

The death toll due to COVID-19 reached 13,976 while the total number of positive cases touched 8,78,804 with 5,869 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the latest data by the Health Ministry.

The country recorded the highest 112 deaths on April 19 this year.

The health authorities' report came hours after the Public Administration Ministry said they awaited a government decision to enforce a two-week long nationwide shutdown in line with the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on COVID-19.

"We are ready to enforce the shutdown anytime. It (enforcement) will be tougher than that of last year," Junior Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told reporters.

NTAC said they have recommended a "strict countrywide lockdown when no offices other than emergency services would operate as their experts were convinced that the worsening situation could not be controlled without a nationwide shutdown.

Bangladesh is experiencing an increase in the COVID-19 infection rate, with the latest report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) noting that out of the country's 64 administrative districts 43 were at "very high risk while 15 others, including Dhaka, were at "high risk.

Health officials said the Delta variant of the coronavirus has spread to Dhaka, mounting pressure on health facilities here.

The northern and southwestern regions bordering India have also reported cases of Delta variant.

Authorities last week ordered a lockdown in seven central districts surrounding Dhaka in an effort to isolate the capital from the rest of the country to prevent community transmission in view of rising infection cases in bordering regions.

But experts said the Delta variant made its way to the capital through community transmission and the doctors said the number of COVID-19 patients was increasing every day at hospitals.

The country's biggest state-run health facility, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), said 80 per cent of their COVID-19 patients were residents of the capital city and the number is increasing every day.

"The number of COVID-19 patients is increasing everyday at DMCH and 80 per cent of them are residents of Dhaka city. This means infection rate is increasing in the capital, DMCH Director Brigadier General Md Nazmul Haque told the state-run BSS news agency.

Haque said the current number of COVID-19 patients in DMCH was nearly four times higher than that of last month and feared if this trend continued "all general and ICU beds in the city will be fulfilled within 10 to 12 days.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital reported a nearly identical picture with its additional director Nazmul Karim Manik saying pressure (of coronavirus patients) is mounting gradually and most of them are from Dhaka.

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Dr Tahmina Shirin said districts bordering India are more exposed to the Delta variant compared to Dhaka.

"The Delta variant is largely responsible for the recent spike of the coronavirus cases. We must check people's movement in border districts to contain the community transmission," Shirin said.

DGHS officials said the situation in districts with borders with India particularly in southwestern Khulna region continued to worsen and at places the COVID-19 positivity rate were found to be 100 per cent.
By AFP

MADRID: Spain and Italy will receive the lion's share of the 750-billion-euro EU rescue fund but opinions vary over whether it will help their economies roar back to life or go to waste.

In Rome, analysts are confident the funds will be put to good use in the plan outlined by Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi whereas in Spain, the same issue raises many questions.

The two countries will receive almost half of the 750 billion euros ($900 billion) earmarked by Brussels to relaunch Europe's economies that have been devastated by the Covid-19 epidemic, funded through an unprecedented joint borrowing mechanism.

Italy will receive just over 191 billion euros in the form of grants and loans while Spain will get up to 140 billion.

"We are aware that the EU is staking its future on the successful use of these funds," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

Italian counterpart Mario Draghi had a similar message.

"We all have a responsibility to Europe's taxpayers who are funding our national plan," he said on Tuesday.

Both countries have put forward recovery plans that have been approved by Brussels and which pledge to invest the funds into the green transition, digitalisation and infrastructure projects.

But in Spain, there has been a lot of criticism.

Experts say the deep-seated problems within Spain's economy lie elsewhere: in job insecurity, youth unemployment, a fragile pension scheme and an education system in need of an overhaul.

"These funds have been oversold: it is not that much money, nor are they going to have a big impact on the economy," said Fernando Fernandez, an economist at the IE Business School.

The first payments are expected in July but the bulk of the funds for 2021 aren't likely to arrive until the end of the year when the economic recovery will already be underway.

'Simplistic optimism'

Despite Sanchez's repeated claims that Spain's recovery plan includes 100 structural reforms, these are "marginal" in essence, said Toni Roldan, director of EsadeEcPol, which specialises in economic policy research.

"While they are certainly good enough to get the European Commission's green light, they are not enough to stimulate a real change in competitiveness in Spain."

Spain is planning to channel the investment into housing rehabilitation, electric cars and 5G.

"That's all well and good, but it only creates jobs in the short term, not in the long term," said Fernandez.

Critics also point to the lack of political consultation around the plan, which was put together by Sanchez and his economy minister with virtually no input from other political forces.

In Italy, however, experts have taken a completely different view.

Draghi, who is known as "Super Mario" for helping save the euro during the debt crisis, was called in earlier this year to help Italy implement a recovery plan that had sparked political tensions that brought down the previous government in January.

He has promised to reform Italy's stifling bureaucracy, its labyrinthine tax code and snail-paced justice system, as well as focusing on education, female employment and fighting climate change.

Bureaucracy

If Rome had previously been inefficient in its management of EU funds, Draghi's arrival could change that, experts say.

"Draghi's strong political commitment and leadership, coupled with the EU's generous grants and loans, may give Italy a better chance of implementing its plan than before," said Lorenzo Codogno, former head economist at the Italian treasury.

Since taking over, Draghi has appointed some 30 officials with special powers to revive 57 infrastructure projects that have been tangled up in Italy's legendary bureaucracy and issued a series of decrees to simplify and speed up procedures.

For Carlo Altomonte of Bocconi University in Milan, it's a step "in the right direction, to free up projects and get investments going".

The pressure on Rome is enormous, Altomonte noted.

"If the Italian plan were to fail, it would call into question the entire European common debt policy."
By AFP

BRUSSELS: EU leaders holding a summit on Thursday attacked Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban over a new law in his country banning LGBTQ content in schools, which they view as homophobic and contrary to EU values.

Orban was virtually isolated as most of his 26 counterparts rounded on him in what one EU official described as an "in-depth and at times even emotional debate". The most strident was Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte -- who, on his way into the summit, had told journalists "for me, Hungary has no place in the EU anymore".

Facing Orban inside, Rutte said: "You have passed the line. This time it is too much," according to another EU official in the room.

Others joined in the criticism, delivering a scathing broadside to Hungary's nationalist leader, who has frequently clashed with Brussels and with EU counterparts over his socially conservative policies and perceived undercutting of democratic norms.

"Being homosexual is not a choice. Being homophobic is a choice. We cannot accept a legislation that is legitimising such a behaviour," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo was said to have told Orban. "You've crossed a red line," Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel -- the only openly gay leader at the summit -- reportedly said.

The extraordinary attacks overshadowed the first day of the two-day summit, whose agenda also covered fraught ties with Russia and Turkey, and the bloc's handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

'Not a diplomatic discussion'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said early Friday, after the lengthy first day came to an end, that "it was certainly a controversial, but very, very frank discussion". "We all made it very clear here what fundamental values we are pursuing and the European Commission "will now continue to deal with the Hungarian law," she said.

Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said before the summit that her executive would challenge the basis of the law. De Croo told journalists after leaving the summit that the haranguing of Orban was unprecedented at such gatherings. "This was not a diplomatic discussion, this was quite confrontational," he said.

He added that only Poland and Slovenia -- the latter "a little bit" -- had offered Hungary support. However, Orban was characteristically defiant in the room. As he headed into the summit on Thursday he insisted to journalists that his fellow leaders had misunderstood the legislation.

"This is not against homosexuality... It's about the right of the kids and the parents. It's about how a child learns about sexuality... and decisions about that are exclusively the business of parents," he said.

'Grave concerns'

Even before the summit, most EU countries -- 17 of them, including heavyweights Germany, France, Italy and Spain -- had made their criticism clear. They signed a joint declaration raising "grave concerns" over the Hungarian law and a follow-up letter deploring any threats to "the principle of non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation".

UN chief Antonio Guterres, who attended the opening of the summit, also said of the Hungarian law: "No discrimination is acceptable in any circumstances, and any discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people is totally unacceptable in our modern societies."

Hungary's law, titled the "Anti-Paedophilia Act", was originally aimed at toughening punishments for child abuse. But its final draft contains amendments that critics say conflate paedophilia with homosexuality.

The law bans the "promotion of homosexuality" to under-18s, and says that only government-approved instructors are allowed to teach sex education in schools. Firms cannot run ads showing support for the LGBTQ community if they are seen as targeting minors, according to the law.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Friday retained Pakistan on its 'grey list' for failing to check money laundering, leading to terror financing, and asked Islamabad to investigate and prosecute senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups, including Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar.

The global body against money laundering and terror financing also asked Pakistan to work to address its strategically-important deficiencies.

FATF president Marcus Pleyer said the decision has been taken at the conclusion of the virtual plenary of the Paris-based organisation.

Addressing a virtual press conference, Pleyer said the Pakistan government has failed to check risk of money laundering, leading to corruption and terror financing.

Pakistan will continue to remain on "increased monitoring list", the FATF president said.

"Increased monitoring list" is also known as the 'grey list'.

Noting that Pakistan has now completed 26 of the 27 action items given to it in 2018, Pleyer said the FATF has asked Pakistan to take action against UN designated terrorists.

"The FATF encourages Pakistan to continue to make progress to address as soon as possible the one remaining Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT)-related item by demonstrating that Terror Financing (TF) investigations and prosecutions target senior leaders and commanders of UN designated terrorist groups," an FATF statement said.

The UN designated terrorists based in Pakistan include Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Azhar, Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Saeed and its 'operational commander' Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi.

Azhar, Saeed and Lakhvi are most wanted terrorists in India for their involvement in numerous terrorist acts, including 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and bombing of a CRPF bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in 2019.

The FATF said Pakistan should continue to work to address its strategically-important deficiencies by enhancing international cooperation by amending its anti-money laundering law and demonstrating that assistance is being sought from foreign countries in implementing UNSC Resulution1373 designations.

Pakistan should also be demonstrating that supervisors are conducting both on-site and off-site supervision commensurate with specific risks associated with Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs), including applying appropriate sanctions where necessary.

Pakistan has also been asked to ensure that proportionate and dissuasive sanctions are applied consistently to all legal persons and legal arrangements for non-compliance with beneficial ownership requirements, demonstrating an increase in money laundering investigations and prosecutions and that proceeds of crime continue to be restrained and confiscated in line with Pakistan's risk profile.

This included working with foreign counterparts to trace, freeze, and confiscate assets and demonstrating that DNFBPs are being monitored for compliance with proliferation financing requirements and that sanctions are being imposed for non-compliance, it said.

The FATF also referred to the high level political commitment made by Pakistan in 2018 to work with the FATF and Asia Pacific Group to strengthen its anti money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.

With Pakistan's continuation in the grey list, it is increasingly becoming difficult for the country to get financial aid from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Union, thus further enhancing problems for the neighbouring country which is in a precarious financial situation Pakistan needed 12 votes out of 39 to exit the grey list and move to white list.

Islamabad has been avoiding black list, for which it needs support of three countries. China, Turkey and Malaysia are its consistent supporters.

Pakistan was placed on the grey list by the FATF in June, 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete it by October, 2019.

Since then the country continues to be in that list due to its failure to comply with the FATF mandates.

The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system.

The FATF currently has 39 members including two regional organisations -- the European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

India is a member of the FATF consultations and its Asia Pacific Group.

ALSO WATCH | Demons and Genies: Yemen's mysterious 'Well of Hell'
By Associated Press

SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES: The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead.

His last words to me were I love you and I will call you in the evening, Janice McAfee told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona where she recovered her late husband's belongings.

Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal, she added in her first public remarks since the software entrepreneur's death on Wednesday.

Authorities in Spain are conducting an autopsy on McAfee's body but have indicated that everything at the scene indicated that the 75-year-old killed himself.

John McAfee was arrested at the Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee for allegedly evading more than $4 million in taxes. Hours before he was found dead, Spain's National Court agreed to his extradition to the U.S. but the decision was not final.

We were prepared for that decision and had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision, Janice McAfee, 38, told reporters. I blame the U.S. authorities for this tragedy: Because of these politically motivated charges against him my husband is now dead.

Results of McAfee's autopsy could take days or weeks," authorities have said.
Whippany, NJ (07981)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 66F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable.
Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities.
PHOENIX (AP)  After slashing $1.9 billion in income taxes mainly benefiting upper-income taxpayers and shielding them from higher taxes approved by voters in an initiative last year, the Republican-controlled House returned Friday and passed more legislation targeting Proposition 208.

The House approved the creation of a new tax category for small business, trusts and estates that will eliminate even more of the money that the measure approved by voters in November was designed to raise for schools. The proposal passed despite unified opposition from minority Democrats.

It creates a new small business tax category that will allow many high-earners to entirely avoid the 3.5% surcharge in Proposition 208. The new tax brackets for small businesses start this year at 3.5% and drop to 2.5% in 2025, the same as the new flat tax approved this week for all taxpayers. Estates and trusts will pay slightly more.

In other developments Friday, the House failed to include a massive expansion of the state's private school voucher program in the budget bill for K-12 schools. That sets up a conflict with the Senate-passed version of the budget, which will have to be reconciled next week before it goes to the governor for his approval. A universal school voucher expansion passed in 2017 was blocked by the voters the following year, but it remains a priority of many Republicans. Three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition to the expansion of school vouchers.

The House did add a provision requiring schools to teach new civics curriculum to be developed by the state Board of Education to include a comparative discussion of political ideologies that conflict with the principles of freedom and democracy essential to the founding principles of the United States."

Democrats called it an unprecedented state mandate on what is taught in schools.

The budget also blocks any instruction that infers that one race is inherently racist, should be discriminated against or feel guilty because of their race. It is another in a series of policy items targeting or reacting to so-called critical race theory," which is not currently being taught in K-12 schools.

Another of the 11 budget bills, the one focused on criminal justice issues, has the same House-Senate mismatch that will have to be resolved next week. The other nine bills making up the budget passed the House Thursday and are ready to be sent to Ducey for his promised signature.

The big fight Friday was on the new loophole for people affected by Proposition 208 who can claim their income is from a small business, trust fund or estate.

Profits from Arizona small businesses are currently taxed on personal tax returns. The new tax voters approved in November imposes a 3.5% tax surcharge on income above $250,000 for individuals or above $500,000 for couples. The tax cuts approved this week as part of the $12.8 billion state spending plan shields them from that, setting the top rate with the surcharge at the current 4.5% top tax rate.

An earlier version of the small businesses tax bill would have cut almost half the $827 million expected to be raised for added school funding, according to estimates from the Legislature's budget analysts. An amendment added Friday cut that even more, although Republicans said they did not know by how much, by dropping the proposed 4.5% top rate.

This would create a loophole for the wealthiest in Arizona to file as a small business so they can avoid paying the 3.5% surcharge that Arizonans said they said they want to support public education, Democratic Minority Leader Reginald Bolding said.

Republicans argued that proponents of the initiative wrongly sold it as not affecting small businesses, so they felt compelled to fix that.

They said it's not a business tax - that is gross misinformation, said GOP Rep. Steve Kaiser of Phoenix. And that is either a complete unintelligible response on how businesses are taxed, or it's a straight up lie.

All 31 GOP House members backed the measure. It now returns to the Senate, where it previously passed with only Republican support, for final approval before heading to Ducey's desk.

The governor has expressed disdain for the voter-approved tax, saying it would hurt the state's economy and vowing in March to see it gutted either though Legislation or the courts. The Arizona Supreme Court is considering a constitutional challenge to the new tax and could release its decision at any time.

The budget-approved tax cuts set a flat 2.5% tax on all income levels that will be phased in over several years once revenue projections are met, with those subject to the new education tax paying 4.5% at most. Under the current progressive tax structure, taxes start at 2.59% on the first $26,500 of income and rise to a maximum of 4.5% on income over $159,000.

The state will still direct whatever is still collected under Proposition 208 to a new fund. Half will be used for raises for credentialed teachers, 25% to boosting wages for cafeteria workers, bus drivers and other support staff, and the rest for teacher training, vocational education and other initiatives.

Backers of Proposition 208 have vowed to fight the changes, either in court or the ballot box. The measure was an outgrowth of a 2018 teachers' strike that won them raises but fell short of their other school funding goals.

Weve been part of meetings with more than 30 other groups across the state that are looking at all options for protecting Prop 208 and what the voters intended with it,  Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Education Association, said Friday.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the House and Senate have disagreements about the criminal justice bill, not the higher education bill.

___

This story has been corrected to say that three Republicans joined all Democrats in opposition to the expansion of school vouchers, not two.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Biden administration on Thursday extended the nationwide ban on evictions for a month to help millions of tenants unable to make rent payments during the coronavirus pandemic, but said this is the last time it plans to do so.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, extended the evictions moratorium from June 30 until July 31. The CDC said this is intended to be the final extension of the moratorium.

A Biden administration official said the last month would be used for an all hands on deck multiagency campaign to prevent a wave of evictions. One of the reasons the moratorium was put in place was to prevent further spread of COVID-19 by people put out on the streets and into shelters.

By the end of March, 6.4 million American households were behind on their rent, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

The news brought a sense of relief to tenants on the verge of being evicted and whose only lifeline was the CDC moratorium.

Among them was Cristina Livingston, a 55-year-old mother of two from Bay Harbor Islands, Florida, who lost her job as an administrative assistant during the pandemic. She couldnt get federal rental assistance to pay upwards of $14,000 in back rent because her landlord refused to take it.

Ah, great. Im just asking for a little bit more time. I just need the time to move out of here in a dignified way, said Livingston, who said her biggest fear was that she would be evicted without notice before finding a new job.

Its been a devastating experience, she said. I have never been in this situation. Its killing me because Im afraid anytime somebody is going to come and get me out of here. I dont have a place to go.

Ronald Leonard, a 68-year-old retired heavy equipment operator from Daytona Beach, was facing eviction from his one-bedroom apartment. His landlord also is refusing to take federal assistance to cover $5,000 in back rent.

I dont have to worry about July no more. I feel a lot better, said Leonard, who still fears being forced to live on the streets once the moratorium expires. Its heartbreaking. Its not going to be good all. I'm not healthy anymore. There is no way Im going to live on the street.

The extension announcement Thursday was accompanied by a flurry of administration activity. The Treasury Department issued new guidance encouraging states and local governments to streamline distribution of the nearly $47 billion in available emergency rental assistance funding. And Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta released an open letter to state courts around the country encouraging them to pursue a number of alternatives that would protect both tenants and landlords.

Gupta's letter states that eviction filings are expected to overwhelm courts across the country, unless additional steps are taken.

The White House had acknowledged Wednesday that the emergency pandemic protection, which had been extended before, would have to end at some point. The trick is devising the right sort of off-ramp to make the transition without major social upheaval.

Guptas letter to state courts encourages them to do everything possible to prevent or delay evictions.

Losing ones home can have catastrophic economic and psychological effects, she states. The entire legal community, including the Department of Justice, the bar, and the judiciary, has an obligation to do what it can to ensure that each and every individual has meaningful and equal access to justice before facing such consequences.

That includes giving tenants as much time as possible, and making sure both tenants and landlords are aware of any emergency relief funds that may be available.

She references steps made by state courts in Texas, Michigan and Pennsylvania and directs state courts to an online assessment tool designed by the National Center for State Courts to help jurisdictions determine the most appropriate model.

This week, dozens of members of Congress wrote to President Joe Biden and Walensky, calling for the moratorium to be not only extended but also strengthened in some ways.

The letter, spearheaded by Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Jimmy Gomez of California and Cori Bush of Missouri, called for an unspecified extension to allow the emergency rental assistance included in the American Rescue Plan to get into the hands of tenants.

Ending the assistance too abruptly, they said, would disproportionately hurt some of the minority communities that were hit so hard by the virus, which has killed more than 600,000 people in the United States. They also echoed many housing advocates by calling for the moratoriums protections to be made automatic, requiring no special steps from the tenant to gain its protections.

The impact of the federal moratorium cannot be understated, and the need to strengthen and extend it is an urgent matter of health, racial, and economic justice, the letter said.

Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, called an extension of the eviction ban the right thing to do  morally, fiscally, politically, and as a continued public health measure.

But landlords, who have opposed the moratorium and challenged it in court, were against any extension. They have argued the focus should be on speeding up the distribution of rental assistance.

There are at least six prominent lawsuits challenging the authority of the CDC ban. So far, three judges have sided with the ban and three have ruled against, with all cases currently going through appeals. One judge in Memphis declared the CDC order unenforceable in the entire Western District of Tennessee, and the U.S. District Court in Washington struck down the moratorium in May.

The judge in the District Court in Washington agreed to stay the case after the Justice Department filed an emergency appeal. The landlords in the case have filed a request to vacate the stay with the Supreme Court.

Others welcomed the moratorium extension but said the Biden administration needs to think about more long-term solutions, including expanding the federal government's housing voucher program for low-income tenants. Even before the pandemic, there were 24 million people who would have benefited from the program but couldn't get help  many of those people of color.

For now. extending the eviction moratorium will protect the millions of people behind on rent, but many of these renters faced a similar deadline only months ago and they will face this deadline again next month, Alicia Mazzara, a senior research analyst with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told reporters. They need a long-term solution, not another Band-Aid. Policy makers should seize this moment to enact a more enduring solution.

___

Casey reported from Boston.
Connecticut this week joined three other New England states where recreational marijuana is legal. New Hampshire and Rhode Island are the remaining holdouts.

Rhode Island could be next. Its state Senate passed a cannabis legalization bill this week, advancing it to the state House for consideration ahead of the June 30 adjournment date.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Retired police officers hired by Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos are being paid $3,200 a month to investigate potential irregularities and/or illegalities" in the 2020 presidential election, contracts obtained by The Associated Press show.

The investigators will be paid $9,600 each over three months to conduct the probe, according to the documents provided Thursday to the AP by the Assembly chief clerk's office under the open records law. Vos signed two contracts in recent days and has said he intends to hire a third investigator and an attorney to oversee the probe.

Vos last month announced plans to have officers investigate the election results as part of the Republican response to former President Donald Trump's narrow loss in Wisconsin. Republicans have also ordered a review by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau and they have passed several bills tightening rules for absentee voting, measures Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is all but certain to veto.

In Wisconsin, local election officials identified just 27 cases of potential voter fraud out of nearly 3.3 million votes cast in the November election that they forwarded to prosecutors. No charges have been brought in any of the cases.

Republicans in other states are also conducting audits and reviews after Trump made unproven and discredited allegations of widespread voter fraud and abuse. Several Wisconsin Republican lawmakers recently traveled to Arizona to observe an audit being conducted there. Vos has said he does not anticipate a similar review in Wisconsin, citing his hiring of the retired investigators instead.

The investigators hired to date are Mike Sandvick, a retired Milwaukee police detective with ties to the GOP, and Steve Page, who Vos has said previously worked for the city of Eau Claire. Page's name had not been made public prior to the AP obtaining the contract.

Vos has not named the other two people he intends to hire, but has said the other retired officer used to work for the Brown County Sheriffs Department and investigated former Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt over election law violations.

Vos spokeswoman Angela Joyce did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the contracts signed or the status of the other agreements. Vos signed the contract with Sandvick on June 16 and the one with Page on Wednesday.

The terms of the contracts are identical. Sandvick and Page have been hired for June, July and August and are to be paid $3,200 a month by taxpayers.

They are tasked with following leads and allegations submitted to the Assembly elections committee, raised in the media, provided to members of the Legislature or generated during the course of the probe. The final report is to be submitted to Vos.

The contract does not discuss gaining access to the actual ballots, as was done in the Arizona audit. Vos said this week that its unlikely that would happen in Wisconsin because of the Legislative Audit Bureau review that's underway and audits of ballots already conducted per state law.

Democrats have been highly critical of the effort, which they say is meant to perpetrate the discredited lie that Trump won the 2020 election. Vos has defended it as a way to address concerns raised that have undermined confidence in the election process.

Assembly Democratic Minority Leader Gordon Hintz called the investigation a witch hunt.

Speaker Vos and Assembly Republicans are wasting taxpayer dollars on a sham investigation that validates and prolongs the Big Lie, undermines our democracy, and perpetuates the type of rhetoric that led to the January 6th insurrection," Hintz said in a statement.

Sandvick's hiring drew particular scorn from Democrats because of his prior work related to elections.

A 2008 report Sandvick wrote about the 2004 presidential election recommended that Wisconsin election laws be changed in light of what he called voter fraud. That report has since been referenced by conservatives as evidence of unchecked fraud. However, the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorneys office and the FBI all disavowed the report.

In 2013, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman did not allow the report to be admitted as evidence in a lawsuit over Wisconsins voter ID law, saying it was not trustworthy.

Sandvick later worked on an election integrity committee established by the Wisconsin Republican Party and was briefly state director for True the Vote, a Texas group focused on voter fraud aligned with the tea party movement.
More than a month after Connecticut rolled back its COVID-19 restrictions amid waning cases and wide availability of vaccines, state data still shows vaccinations are lagging in some communities.

As in previous weeks, the largest gaps in vaccination include rural communities in the eastern parts of the state in Windham and New London counties, as well as Connecticuts largest cities.

In Mansfield, Sterling, Hartford, Thompson and Bridgeport, less than 40 percent of residents are fully vaccinated, and less than 46 percent of residents have received at least one dose. In Mansfield, less than 35 percent of residents have received at least one dose far below the state average and making it the least-vaccinated community in the state.

The data shows underserved communities are also more likely to be under-vaccinated. Of the 10 lowest-vaccinated municipalities by residents who have received at least one shot, seven are noted as having at least one high social vulnerability index census tract.

In underserved ZIP codes prioritized for vaccination by the state, 50.57 percent of residents have initiated vaccination as of this week, according to the state data. Among residents of all other ZIP codes, the number is 63.34 percent.

Meanwhile, in Canaan, a town of a little more than 1,000 residents in northern Litchfield County, about 98 percent of residents are at least partly vaccinated, while almost 87 percent are fully vaccinated as of this week.

In Salisbury, Lyme, Old Saybrook and Kent, more than 80 percent of residents are at least partly vaccinated as well.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 rose slightly in Connecticut on Thursday, as infections and the states one-day positivity rate remained low.

Five more hospitalizations increased the statewide total to 34. There were 153 new infections found out of 30,775 tests for a daily positivity rate of 0.5 percent. Three more fatalities brought the states official death toll to 8,274.

On the states color-coded map showing levels of infections in each municipality, only three communities  Prospect, Bolton and Somers  were highlighted yellow, meaning there were more than five cases per 100,000 people over the last two weeks.

The low infection rate comes as 2.2 million residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine, while just over 2 million are fully vaccinated, according to the governors office.

But vaccinations around the state are waning, mirroring a national trend. Last week, the state administered 61,673 doses, down 30 percent from the week before, according to state data. The number is less than the vaccinations administered during the first week of January, when the supply of vaccines was still limited.

And on Tuesday, the Biden administration acknowledged the country would not reach the presidents goal of having 70 percent of adults nationwide at least partly vaccinated by July 4.

As of Thursday, about 65.7 percent of U.S. adults received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The drop in vaccinations comes as new variants of the disease are circulating in the U.S., including the Delta strain first detected in India that is believed to be more transmissible.

Dr. Sten Vermund, dean of the Yale School Of Public Health, said there is no doubt that communities with low vaccination rates are at a higher risk from variants than the original strain of the virus.

While new case rates are low now, they will climb in the future if we do not achieve herd immunity with about 80 (percent) vaccine coverage rates, Vermund wrote in an email.

He said the greatest risk will come during flu season, which lasts from Thanksgiving to late March.

Nearly all respiratory viruses are circulating with higher efficiency at this time, including coronaviruses, influenza, and cold viruses, Vermund said.

A study out of the U.K., where the variant has become the dominant strain, this week shows the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine appears to work against it.

Some public health experts say people who are vaccinated should not be concerned.

If youre vaccinated, the most important thing you can do right now is go live your best life and make up for lost time, Andy Slavitt, former senior advisor on the Biden administrations COVID response, tweeted. There are far greater threats in your life than the Delta variant.

For those who havent been vaccinated, keep monitoring Delta, he wrote.
SEATTLE (AP)  A Nigerian information technology worker has been indicted on federal wire fraud and identity theft charges, after authorities said he and his co-conspirators filed false claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in 17 states.

Chukwuemeka Onyegbula, using the name Phillip Carter, was linked to at least 253 fraudulent filings for unemployment benefits, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in Seattle.

Onyegbula has been detained in Nigeria, but prospects for his extradition to the U.S. were unclear. Onyegbula works for Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Nigeria Limited, according to the Seattle U.S. Attorney's Office. Court documents did not list an attorney who might comment on his behalf.

Washington, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin paid out a total of nearly $290,000 on claims related to the case. Additionally, the federal Small Business Administration paid out $54,000 in COVID-19 economic disaster claims filed by Onyegbula and his co-conspirators, prosecutors said.

Washington state was severely victimized by fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits. It likely paid out more than $647 million in such fraudulent claims, though $370 million was recovered, according to state officials.

Onyegbula is the second Nigerian national charged with such fraud in U.S. District Court for western Washington. Abidemi Rufai, 42, a suspended Nigerian government official, has been accused of filing $350,000 in fraudulent claims in Washington and other states, with $288,000 making it into a bank account he controlled. He also sought to bilk the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $1.6 million, according to federal prosecutors.

Rufai was arrested May 14 as he tried to travel from New York to Nigeria. A federal court in New York ordered him released on bond pending trial, but federal prosecutors in western Washington have been seeking to make sure he remains in custody, saying he poses a severe flight risk, is facile with fake identities, and that hes unlikely to ever be extradited if he makes it back to Nigeria.

A hearing is set for Friday to determine whether Rufai might be released pending trial. In a court filing Wednesday, assistant U.S. attorneys said that a recorded conversation between Rufai and his brother revealed that Rufai did not really know a woman who had offered to act as his custodian should he be released.

The recorded conversation also suggested that Rufai had significantly more money than he led the court to believe, prosecutors said.

In a response filed Thursday, one of Rufai's attorneys, Michael C. Barrows, called the government's reading of the conversation an absolute fabrication.

The family friend who offered to act as custodian attended the christening of Rufai's son five years ago, Barrows said. Rufai often visited her when he traveled to New York, and nothing in the conversation  which occurred in English, Rufai's second language  could be understood to mean he didn't know her, Barrows said.

Further, the comments Rufai made about money referenced the fact that he could raise funds for his bond from friends and supporters  not that he had hidden assets, Barrows said.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Police in Oregon's largest city are being advised to no longer pursue low-level traffic infractions  including expired plates and broken headlights  unless related to an immediate safety threat, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler announced Tuesday.

In addition, if police do stop a driver they must receive recorded consent before searching the vehicle and clearly inform the person they have the right to refuse.

Wheeler said both changes are an attempt to refocus on immediate threats and are also occurring in response to data showing a a disproportionate impact on Black drivers for traffic stops and vehicle searches. While 6% of Portlanders are Black, he said they account for 18% of traffic stops in the city.

The goal of these two changes is to make our city both safer and more equitable, Wheeler said.

Portland is not the first large city to make such a move regarding traffic stops. Oakland, California, has had a similar police for the last several years.

Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell said while officers are being directed to halt pulling drivers over for low-level traffic violations, they will still use their judgement if the violation is an immediate threat.

For example, a car driving at night without lights, although a minor infraction, would be considered an immediate safety issue and could be pulled over.

Wheeler noted these changes are also being done in part because of the police bureau's limited staffing and resources.

Our staffing on the streets is inadequate, Wheeler said.

Currently the police bureau, which is struggling to find its grounding in the liberal city, is at its lowest staffing in decades  the department is around 150 officers short of authorized strength".

In the past nine months, the department has experienced a rapid turnover with more than 120 officers having left, many citing low morale and burnout from racial justice protests that would end in confrontation and plumes of teargas.

The situation reached a breaking point last week when 50 police officers, who serve on a specialized crowd-control unit and respond to Portlands ongoing protests, resigned en masse from the squad, but not the department.

The unit was on the frontlines of nightly racial justice protests, following the murder of George Floyd and were tasked with dispersing groups after a riot was declared. Officers often times were met with fireworks, rocks and glass bottles being thrown at them.

The move by officers to disband their own team came a day after a team member was indicted and accused of fourth-degree assault stemming from a baton strike against a protester last summer.

Last summer, while officers priorities were shifted to protests, Portland was also experiencing its deadliest year in more than a quarter-century.

Gun violence has spilled over into this year, with at least 42 homicides so far. If nothing changes, Portland will surpass its all-time record for homicides of 70 set in 1987, when the city was in the midst of a gang siege.

Police estimate half of Portlands more than 500 shootings this year, which have injured more than 140 people, are gang-related. In May, Wheeler warned that perpetrators are being told by gangs to shoot someone within 30 days or be shot and that people are traveling from other states to engage in violence in the Rose City.

While long time residents say the gun violence in the city is they worst they have ever see, police are struggling to to find the resources, officers and funds to fully address it.

Last month, City Council voted to create a team of 12 officers and two sergeants to tackle gun violence, but with no additional funds.

Lovell said the department is so lean right now that officers would likely be pulled from patrol, domestic violence or human trafficking investigations to support the new team.

Despite police pleas for more personnel, city leaders slashed $27 million from the police budget last year  $11 million due to the pandemic-caused budget crisis and $15 million amid calls to defund the police  vowing to devote money to community groups working to curb gun violence.

-

This story has been updated to correct the first quote from Wheeler.

-

Cline 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.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  San Francisco city workers will be required to be vaccinated against the coronavirus when a vaccine receives full federal approval.

The policy covering 35,000 municipal workers may be the first by any city or county in the U.S. Employees who refuse to get vaccinated and dont get an exemption could be fired, according to the policy posted to the city governments website Wednesday.

The three COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the U.S. are being dispensed under emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

They are expected to receive full approval in several months. San Francisco city employees will then have 10 weeks to get their shots.

San Francisco, a compact city of nearly 900,000 residents, has had some of the strictest pandemic-related restrictions in the country. The city was among the first in the nation to order a lockdown last year and its vaccination rates are some of the highest in the nation. At least 80% of residents are partially vaccinated and 70% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated, according to Mayor London Breed.

The vaccination policy for city employees covers a wide range of jobs but it does not include teachers, who are school district employees.

Its really a decision for the health and safety of our employees and our public that we serve, Carol Isen, San Francisco director of human resources, told the San Francisco Chronicle. Its about protecting the city as an employer from what we deem to be unacceptable risk.

Starting Monday, employees will have 30 days to report to the city their current vaccination status, including showing proof of vaccination by uploading a photo of their vaccination card or the QR code generated by the states digital verification system, Isen said.

Isen did not return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment Thursday.

Under California law, employers can require their staff to get vaccinated as long as that requirement doesn't interfere with the employees' rights, said Leonard H. Sansanowicz, a Los Angeles employment attorney.

Youve got this inherent tension between an employees right to privacy, and right to freedom over their bodies, and the employers need for safety in the workplace, Sansanowicz said.

The Department of Fair Employment and Housing issued guidelines in March that set forth the rationale for employers to mandate staff get vaccinated and that included requiring employers to accommodate those city workers who won't get a vaccine due to religious beliefs or medical reasons, he said.

Los Angeles County, which employs about 110,000 people, is not currently considering mandating employees get a vaccine, said Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.

That doesnt mean that there arent going to be some places where there may be a need earlier on to in fact think about increasing vaccination coverage, she said.

Ferrer said some high-risk settings in the county, including hospitals and nursing homes, are already requiring their employees to be vaccinated.

In San Francisco, about 55% of city employees have said they are at least partially vaccinated, according to the Department of Human Resources. About 5% of employees have said they are not vaccinated. The vaccination status of the remaining 40% is not known.

SEIU 1021, the union that represents city employees, called on the city to have an inclusive and collaborative approach when enforcing the new policy.

There are numerous cultural, religious, and health status factors that must be considered as we implement vaccination policies, said SEIU 1021 San Francisco Regional Vice President Theresa Rutherford. We can not force the front-line essential workers who have put themselves out there and risked their lives during the pandemic in a position to be worried about providing for their families or having their jobs or livelihood threatened.

The city is the second-largest employer in San Francisco after the University of California, San Francisco. Earlier this month, the University of California reversed course said it will require all students, staff and faculty to be vaccinated against the coronavirus this fall.

UC has more than 280,000 students and 227,000 faculty and staff, and expects to return to mostly in-person instruction at its 10 campuses starting in August.

Dr. Grant Colfax, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, told the Chronicle protecting the workforce was especially important with the highly infectious delta variant gaining traction across the United States.

Given that the delta variant is here and likely to increase in terms of its prevalence across the city, we need to do everything we can to protect our city workforce and the public we serve, especially as the city reopens, Colfax said.
A normally placid panel that oversees the State Capitol complex erupted in opposition Thursday to a plan to remove the marble statue of an early English settler who led the massacre of hundreds of Native Americans in the 1637 Battle of Mystic.

The State Capitol Preservation & Restoration Commission bristled at plans by legislative leaders to take down the stone likeness of John Mason from the north exterior of the Capitol. By keeping the statue in its third-floor niche overlooking Bushnell Park, they insisted, the figure can become a learning tool whether or not it offends people.

Commission members warned that if Mason is removed from the high-profile perch above the Capitols north steps, other statues of early settlers, including slave owners, can be next. Its not going to stop at one thing, warned Mary Finnegan, a commission member who worked in the General Assembly for nearly 38 years.

The state budget that Gov. Ned Lamont signed on Wednesday includes a plan to move Masons likeness to the Old State House one mile away from the Capitol, as key lawmakers wanted it out of the collection of historic statues that ring the Capitol building.

Complicating the issue, the commission members, during their quarterly meeting, became confused over the possible timetable to remove the statue after legislative staff told them that money for moving Mason from the State Capitol was not actually included in the new state budget.

But right after the hour-and-20-minute-long commission meeting, state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, the powerful co-chairwoman of the legislative Appropriations Committee, said her plans to remove the statue indeed remain in the state budget that starts July 1.

It will show up in the budget books, Osten said in a phone interview. Theres no dollar write-up because it will be removed within existing expenditures. Osten had originally budgeted about $15,000 to take the statue off the third-floor exterior and truck it over to the Old State House Museum in the center of downtown Hartford.

Masons colonial troops joined with allies from the Narragansett and Mohegan tribes to the battle against the Eastern Pequot tribe in May of 1637, killing about 500 Native Americans. The massacre, which is also the subject of another commemoration on the Capitol, is an affront to Native Americans, said Osten, whose district includes the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribal nations.

Osten said that those women, children and older Native Americans who were not killed in the massacre were tortured and became slaves. She said that the statue could be sent to the Old State House for permanent exhibition rather than taking a honored location at the Capitol.

Commission member William Morgan, the former longtime chief of the State Capitol Police, initially called for the commission to go to Superior Court for an injunction against the removal of the statue. But members led by Chairman Buddy Altobello of Meriden, a former longtime member of the state House of Representatives, agreed to take a wait-and-see attitude, with a possible public hearing on the issue during the next quarterly meeting in September.

Walter Woodward, an associate professor of history at UConn who serves on the commission and is an expert in early Connecticut history, joined in the defense of the keeping the statute in public view on the exterior of the 1878 Capitol.

One of the things that I know is that John Mason certainly, in that Pequot fort on that morning, did something that was horrendous to save his and his mens lives, said Woodward, who is also the Connecticut state historian, during the virtual commission meeting.

Woodward continued, The massacre at Mystic, as it is called now, was a desperate act by someone in desperate trouble, by someone trying to survive. And at that moment he and his men were fighting to save the colony of Connecticut as well. The reason the state of Connecticut honored him through those centuries, is because at a moment of great peril for this fledgling colony that was facing starvation and surrounded by enemies, he was the great risk-taker.

While the commission serves as an advisory group to the legislature, which runs the 14-acre Capitol complex as well as the Old State House, the state mandate guiding the preservation panel says The integrity of the location, design, setting, material, decoration and appearance of all exterior structure, surfaces, and finishes shall be maintained, whenever possible, as originally designed and created... There shall be no changes to the exterior structure, surfaces, or finishes without approval of the Commission on Preservation and Restoration of the State Capitol or its designated subcommittee.

Woodward described Mason as a complex man who after the Pequot War, became close friends with Uncas, who as the sachem of the Mohegans was the leader of that tribal nation. Woodward said it took him a long time to understand the complexity of their relationship.

When we project present values into the past, not only is it a slippery slope, but we lose what can be incredibly important milestone markers for our own future, Woodward told the commission. A person like John Mason, who the people of this state honored for centuries who may have been, without his actions, the state of Connecticut, the colony of Connecticut, might have ceased to exist. We should really be cautious in our own time about the assumptions we hold and the actions we take based on those assumptions.

In other business, the 12-member commission, whose members are appointees from legislative leaders and the governor, were told that the replica of the allegorical Genius of Connecticut, that has stood in the Capitol rotunda since 2009, may finally be hoisted to the top of the dome. The state budget includes $500,000 to perform the complicated installation.

The original 18-foot-tall statue was removed from the top of the dome after it was found to be damaged after the famous hurricane of 1938. The winged statue was melted down for munitions during World War II.

kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Friday promised Afghanistan's top leaders a sustained" partnership even as he moves to accelerate winding down the United States' longest war amid escalating Taliban violence.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, met at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before their sit-down with Biden at the White House later in the afternoon. While Biden vowed that the U.S. was committed to assisting Afghanistan, he also insisted that it was time for the American military to step back.

Afghans are going to have to decide their future," Biden said in brief remarks at the start of his meeting with the Afghan leaders. Biden did not elaborate on what a sustained" partnership might entail.

The leaders' visit to Washington comes as the Biden administration has stepped up plans for withdrawal ahead of the presidents Sept. 11 deadline to end a nearly 20-year-old war that has come with a breathtaking human cost.

Ghani also paid a visit on his own Friday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and with House Republican lawmakers. He met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday.

More than 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed and 20,000 wounded in the war since 2001, according to the Defense Department. Its estimated that over 3,800 U.S. private security contractors have been killed. The suffering has been even greater for Afghanistan with estimates showing more than 66,000 Afghan troops killed and more than 2.7 million forced to flee their homes  mostly to Iran.

Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

Several hundred additional American forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September. They'll assist Turkish troops providing security, a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said Thursday.

Overall, officials said the U.S. expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership, and most troops out by July Fourth, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago.

The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before Bidens Sept. 11 deadline. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months.

Ghani said at a news conference following the Oval Office meeting that the talks with Biden were productive. He pointed to an uptick in Afghans signing up for the military as a sign of hope. But he also acknowledged the difficulty that lies ahead, suggesting the moment was analogous to the difficulties the U.S. faced at the start of its civil war.

There have been reverses, we acknowledge it  but the key now is stabilization, he added.

Abdullah, who took part in the meeting with Biden, later emphasized the importance of continued U.S. support.

We tend to forget that al-Qaida had reached a certain level of capacity in Afghanistan that was an actual danger and homeland security threat, Abdullah told the AP in an interview. If Afghanistan is abandoned completely, without support, without engagement, theres a danger that Afghanistan can turn once again into a haven for terrorist groups.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking Friday in Paris, noted the increased violence and cited a real danger" that if the Taliban tries to take the country by force, "well see a renewal of a war or possibly worse.

But, Blinken said, the Biden administration came to the conclusion that not removing U.S. troops, as the Trump administration had promised the Taliban in February 2020, would have been a bad choice. The administration believes the Taliban would have resumed attacks on U.S. forces, prompting an escalation of the war.

Blinken added that a continued U.S. presence certainly would have helped significantly the Kabul government. But what is almost certain is that our military would have come to us and said, well, the situation has changed, we need more forces. And we would have repeated the cycle that weve been in for 20 years. And at some point, you have to say this has to stop.

Still, Biden faces strong criticism from some Republicans for pulling out of Afghanistan, even though President Donald Trump made the 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw all U.S. forces by May 2021.

McConnell on Thursday charged Biden has chosen to abandon the fight and invite even greater terrorist threats" and urged the president to delay the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed back on Friday that Biden inherited an untenable situation from Trump, marked by a relatively small coalition troop presence and an agreement brokered by the Trump administration and the Taliban to draw down all U.S. forces.

Thats the hand we were dealt," Psaki said. The president made a decision which is consistent with his view that this was not a winnable war."

Biden acknowledged the difficult situation Ghani and Abdullah face as they try to build back their country while staving off Taliban aggression.

Theyre doing important work trying to bring back unity among Afghan leaders across the board and Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they, what they want," Biden said. What they want. It wont be for lack of us."

Ghani in his meeting with House Republican leadership faced questions about how his government would use the $3 billion in security assistance it is seeking from the United States and recent gains by the Taliban.

We want to support them. We want them to be able to defend their country from the Taliban. But Ill tell you its a fairly grim assessment, said Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the senior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The question is: Can they push back the Taliban?

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Robert Burns contributed to this report.
HOUSTON (AP)  Investigators have recovered a weapon that may have been used to kill a 5-year-old Houston boy whose body was allegedly kept in a storage unit before being discovered in an East Texas motel.

The weapon was being tested to see if it was the one used to kill Samuel Olson, Andrea Beall, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office, told reporters Thursday.

Were not going to stop until we get justice for little Samuel, said Beall, who declined to say what type of weapon was found or used to kill the boy.

The disclosure came the same day a third person was charged in the case. All three face evidence tampering counts and none have been charged with murder, though prosecutors said earlier this month that they expected to bring additional charges against one of them, Theresa Balboa, who was Samuels father's girlfriend.

Samuels cause of death was ruled a homicide, but authorities haven't said how he was killed.

A Jasper County grand jury indicted 27-year-old Dylan Walker on Thursday. Court records didn't list an attorney who might speak on his behalf. Balboa and her roommate, Benjamin Rivera, were previously charged.

Authorities allege that on June 1, Walker helped Balboa move Samuel's body from a suburban Houston storage unit to a motel in Jasper, about 135 miles (215 kilometers) to the northeast, where it was found inside a plastic tote in a room Walker rented for Balboa.

Police believe Samuel, who would have turned 6 on May 29, died weeks before Balboa reported him missing on May 27, according to an arrest affidavit. His body was kept in a bathtub at Balboa's and Rivera's suburban Houston apartment until they put it in the tote and hid it in a storage unit on May 13, police allege.

After Walker helped Balboa move the body to Jasper, he called authorities to let them know where it was, police allege. Prosecutors said Balboa was on her way to Louisiana when she was arrested in Jasper.

Balboa, 29, remains jailed on bonds totaling $600,000. Rivera, 27, and Walker were freed after posting bond.

Im thankful justice is beginning to be served, Sarah Olson, Samuels mother, said in a statement.

Samuels parents had been involved in a bitter custody battle since filing for divorce in January 2020. His mother had primary custody, but she hadn't seen her son since the summer of 2020, according to her attorneys.

Samuel had been living with Balboa since April 30, which was the last day he was seen at school. Authorities haven't said why Samuel had been staying with Balboa instead of his parents.

___

Follow Juan A. Lozano on Twitter: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
Free access for current print subscribers

As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to news-daily.com including stories, photos, obituaries, e-edition and more on your computer, tablet or phone.

All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name.

Don't know your subscription number? Email access@news-daily.com with your delivery address.

Activate your account now.
It's the summer of new solar power on the International Space Station.

Astronauts Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency conducted their third spacewalk in just over a week and installed a second new solar array outside the space station on Friday.

The astronauts began their walk at 7:52 a.m. ET and after six hours and 13 minutes, the astronauts successfully installed and deployed the second array. Coverage was streamed on NASA's TV channel and website, and began at 6:30 a.m. ET.

"The two space walkers executed today's activities in flawless fashion," said Rob Navias, NASA public affairs officer.

The entire spacewalk lasted 6 hours and 45 minutes and concluded at 2:37 p.m. ET.

A total of six solar arrays will be installed on the ISS, with the next pair arriving on a future Space X cargo flight, according to Navias.

Pesquet wore red stripes on his spacesuit as extravehicular crew member 1, and Kimbrough wore the suit without stripes as extravehicular crew member 2.

During the spacewalk, Pesquet was attached to the end of the robotic Canadarm2, which he used to grab the solar array. Inside the space station, astronaut Megan McArthur maneuvered the robotic arm and Pesquet to the location where the array will be installed.

It's Pesquet's fifth and Kimbrough's ninth spacewalk overall, and their fifth together as a team. And this is the 241st spacewalk to support the assembly, maintenance and upgrading of the space station.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request.

The duo attempted to install the first solar array last Wednesday and ran into technical issues before finishing the job. But on Sunday, they successfully installed the first Roll-Out Solar Array, called iROSA, bolted it into place and connected cables to the station's power supply.

The solar arrays arrived at the space station on June 5 after launching on the 22nd SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply mission. The arrays were rolled up like carpet and are 750 pounds (340 kilograms) and 10 feet (3 meters) wide.

Once the array is unfurled and bolted into place by the astronauts, it will be about 63 feet (19 meters) long and 20 feet (6 meters) wide. This unfurling process takes about six minutes.

While the original solar arrays on the space station are still functioning, they have been supplying power there for more than 20 years and are showing some signs of wear after long-term exposure to the space environment. The arrays were originally designed to last 15 years.

Erosion can be caused by thruster plumes, which come from both the station's thrusters as well as the crew and cargo vehicles that come and go from the station, said Dana Weigel, deputy manager of the International Space Station Program.

"The other factor that affects our solar arrays is micrometeorite debris. The arrays are made of a lot of small power strings, and over time those power strings can degrade if they're hit by debris," she said.

The new solar arrays are being placed in front of the original ones. This will increase the space station's total available power from 160 kilowatts to 215 kilowatts. It's also a good test for the new solar arrays, because this same design will power parts of the Gateway lunar outpost, which will help humans return to the moon through NASA's Artemis program in 2024.

"The exposed portion of the old arrays will still be generating power in parallel with the new arrays, but those new arrays have solar cells on them that are more efficient than our original cells," Weigel said. "They have a higher energy density and together in combination may generate more power than what our original array, when it was new, did on its own."

The new arrays will have a similar 15-year expected life span. However, since the degradation on the original arrays was expected to be worse, the team will monitor the new arrays to test their true longevity, because they may last longer.
One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021
Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).
Sonya Davis started Kiko's Kitchen as a food truck in 2018. On April 29, it opened as a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Mentor.
Vice President Kamala Harris talks to Gloria Chavez, Chief Patrol Agent of the El Paso Sector, as she tours the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Central Processing Center, Friday, June 25, 2021, in El Paso, Texas.
Adolescent marijuana use and binge drinking did not significantly change during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite record decreases in the substances' perceived availability, according to a survey of 12th graders in the United States. The study's findings, which appeared online on June 24, 2021, in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, challenge the idea that reducing adolescent use of drugs can be achieved solely by limiting their supply. The work was led by researchers at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

In contrast to consistent rates of marijuana and alcohol use, nicotine vaping in high school seniors declined during the pandemic, along with declines in perceived availability of vaping devices at this time. The legal purchase age is 21 for nicotine products and alcohol in all states, and for cannabis in states that have legalized nonmedical cannabis use.

Last year brought dramatic changes to adolescents' lives, as many teens remained home with parents and other family members full time. It is striking that despite this monumental shift and teens' perceived decreases in availability of marijuana and alcohol, usage rates held steady for these substances. This indicates that teens were able to obtain them despite barriers caused by the pandemic and despite not being of age to legally purchase them." Nora D. Volkow, M.D., NIDA Director

The data for the study came from the annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey of substance use behaviors and related attitudes among adolescents in the United States. In a typical year, MTF surveys thousands of middle and high school students at more than a hundred schools across the country in the spring. MTF has been watching substance use trends for 46 years.

To assess the impact of the pandemic, the investigators issued a survey between mid-July and mid-August 2020, which 12th graders could complete outside of school. This summer survey followed up on investigators' standard MTF spring survey, which gathered responses between mid-February and mid-March 2020 before stopping prematurely due to school closures caused by COVID-19. Of the 3,770 12th graders who responded in the spring, 582 submitted a follow-up survey in the summer. All data and statistical analyses used in the study were weighted to be nationally representative.

Analysis of the responses revealed that students perceived a sharp decrease in availability of marijuana and alcohol in the months after the onset of the pandemic. For marijuana, the fraction of students who reported "fairly" or "very" easy access dropped by 17 percentage points, from 76% in the spring before the pandemic to 59% during the pandemic, and for alcohol it dropped by 24 percentage points, from 86% to 62%. These were the largest year-to-year decreases in perceived availability of marijuana and alcohol ever recorded since the survey began in 1975. Prior to 2020, the largest recorded decreases were only two percentage points for marijuana, and one percentage point for alcohol. Between the spring and summer of 2020, there was also a sharp decrease in respondents who said they could "fairly" or "very" easily obtain a vaping device, going from 73% before the pandemic to 63% during the pandemic.

Despite the reported declines in marijuana and alcohol availability, the levels of use of these substances did not change significantly. Before the pandemic, 23% of students said they had used marijuana in the past 30 days, compared to 20% during the pandemic. For alcohol, 17% reported binge drinking in the past two weeks pre-pandemic, compared to 13% during the pandemic. However, there was a moderate and significant decrease in nicotine vaping - before the pandemic, 24% of respondents said they had vaped nicotine in the past 30 days, compared to 17% during the pandemic.

The study authors cite the wide availability of alcohol and marijuana, even during the pandemic, as a factor in the continued use of these substances. While pandemic-related restrictions limited social interactions, and even with record-breaking decreases in perceived availability among participants, most students said they still had access to marijuana and alcohol. In addition, the authors suggest that when the substances became less available, the students may have intensified their efforts to obtain them.

While a dip in the perceived supply of vaping devices may have contributed to the decline in nicotine vaping that occurred during the pandemic, there may have been other factors as well. The federal minimum age for tobacco product purchases, including vaping devices and liquids, rose from 18 to 21 years and went into effect in early 2020. News reports on vaping-induced lung injuries may have also had a chilling effect on usage.

"These findings suggest that reducing adolescent substance use through attempts to restrict supply alone would be a difficult undertaking," said Richard A. Miech, Ph.D., lead author of the paper and team lead of the Monitoring the Future study at the University of Michigan. "The best strategy is likely to be one that combines approaches to limit the supply of these substances with efforts to decrease demand, through educational and public health campaigns."

Monitoring the Future continues to survey respondents as they progress through adulthood, providing the researchers with the opportunity to explore the impact of the pandemic and the social changes it brought about on future substance use trends.
Throughout much of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing homes and care homes were often the most significantly affected, as many of these centers cater to vulnerable and high-risk individuals like the elderly.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19, which is caused by infection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on the working practices of care home staff, particularly those caring for people with dementia.

The study, which appeared in the pre-print server medRxiv*, shows that the pandemic significantly disrupted the daily working practices of care home staff, with some forced to adopt additional roles on top of increased workloads. These roles were performed to compensate for the loss of external agencies and support.

Study: Working in a care home during the COVID-19 pandemic: How has the pandemic changed working practices? Image Credit: DG Fotostock / Shutterstock.com

COVID-19 and care homes

The COVID-19 pandemic first started in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. From there, SARS-CoV-2 continued to spread to 192 countries and territories, infecting almost 179 million people worldwide and causing the deaths of almost 3.9 million people as of June 24, 2021.

During the pandemic, care homes experienced significant impacts including visitation restrictions and resident illnesses, with some facilities permanently closing as a result. By May 2020, care home residents accounted for 54% of all COVID-19-related deaths in the United Kingdom, with dementia and Alzheimers disease being the most common comorbidities.

Care homes in the U.K. consist of a healthcare team and multi-professional workforce, including nurses and care assistants. Unsurprisingly, the pandemics effects on care homes have been overwhelming, which prompted alterations to several staff roles. Aside from the impacts of the pandemic on workloads, nursing home care staff is also at a greater risk of contracting SARS-CoV-2, especially among those working across multiple care homes.

How has the pandemic changed care home working practices?

In the current study, the team aimed to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the working practices of care homes.

To this end, the researchers gathered the responses from care home staff about their working practices before and since the pandemic. Between October and November 2020, the team collected data through interviews lasting between 16 and 41 minutes. The clinicians based their interviews on a topic guide developed with a team of clinicians and current or former caregivers.

The team described three central themes in the study, including the practical implications of working in a care home during the pandemic, staff values and changes to their roles, as well as the impact of care home staff and concerns for the care sector.

Practical implications of working in a care home

The study results showed that care homes were affected by new public health pandemic protection measures that included restricting visitors and imposing infection control measures. When restrictions were lifted, care homes were advised to adhere to local public health restrictions. Adapted visits were implemented, wherein window visits were possible if the residents resided on the ground floor.

The study participants noted that even if staffing levels were adequate, they were not always appropriately trained in supporting the new forms of visitation, such as those that utilized digital platforms.

Further, the staff members were mandated to comply with additional infection control measures, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and increased cleaning procedures. These measures caused barriers to the working roles of staff members while also adding to their already growing workload.

The staff noted a lack of support and variation in the testing of staff and residents for SARS-CoV-2. Though testing improved over time, testing protocols varied between homes.

Image Credit: Shutter.B / Shutterstock.com

Staff changes to their roles

During the pandemic, care home staff were left to fill roles that were originally given by external agencies and family caregivers. They stepped in to provide support to patients by engaging them in social interactions and activities. Staff members also became responsible for suggesting and implementing innovative ways to keep the residents entertained.

Also, the staff was expected to adopt greater emotional and familial roles since visitor restrictions were in place. The staff comforted the residents who were concerned that their family members had stopped visiting.

Impact to care home staff and concerns for the care sector

The care home staff experienced increased workloads, stress, and burnout due to the changes in their job roles and reported a lack of support after new policies were imposed. Most of the staff members reported higher levels of work-related stress and burnout, both of which were worsened by staff shortages that arose when other staff members were quarantined following a SARS-CoV-2 exposure.

Personal issues outside of work such as isolation in lockdown, family illness, and the loss of stress-relieving activities exacerbated their work-related stress.

This research has identified drastic changes to care home staff roles during the pandemic. However, staff concerns expand beyond individual impacts of the pandemic, and consider the wider impact on the future of care homes.

The study also highlights a gap in support and guidance that needs to be addressed. Nursing and other care home staff should be adequately trained to best adapt to their new working practices. These measures will help protect the staffs health and ensure that care homes can recover from the pandemic.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Fibromyalgia is one of many chronic pain conditions that remains stubbornly difficult to treat.

As the ravages of the opioid epidemic lead many to avoid these powerful painkillers, a significant number of people with fibromyalgia are finding an effective replacement in CBD-containing products, finds a new Michigan Medicine study.

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is the second most common cannabinoid in the cannabis plant, and has been marketed for everything from mood stabilization to pain relief, without the intoxicating effects produced by the most common cannabinoid, THC. THC, which stands for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the ingredient in marijuana that causes people to feel high.

The cannabis industry has exploded, aided by the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in states around the United States and the removal of hemp-derived CBD from Schedule 1 status--reserved for drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse--at the federal level.

Previous research shows that some people substitute medical cannabis (often with high concentrations of THC) for opioids and other pain medications, reporting that cannabis provides better pain relief and fewer side effects. However, there is far less data on CBD use.

CBD is less harmful than THC, as it is non-intoxicating and has less potential for abuse. If people can find the same relief without THC's side effects, CBD may represent a useful as a harm reduction strategy." Kevin Boehnke, Ph.D., Research Investigator, Department of Anesthesiology and the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center

Boehnke and his team surveyed people with fibromyalgia about their use of CBD for treatment of chronic pain.

"Fibromyalgia is not easy to treat, often involving several medications with significant side effects and modest benefits," Boehnke explained. "Further, many alternative therapies, like acupuncture and massage, are not covered by insurance."

For this study, the team focused on 878 people with fibromyalgia who said they used CBD to get more insight into how they used CBD products.

The U-M team found that more than 70% of people with fibromyalgia who used CBD substituted CBD for opioids or other pain medications. Of these participants, many reported that they either decreased use or stopped taking opioids and other pain medications as a result.

"I was not expecting that level of substitution," said Boehnke, noting that the rate is quite similar to the substitution rate reported in the medical cannabis literature. People who said they used CBD products that also contained THC had higher odds of substitution and reported greater symptom relief.

Yet the finding that products containing only CBD also provided pain relief and were substituted for pain medications is promising and merits future study, noted Boehnke.

The team noted that much of the widespread use of CBD is occurring without physician guidance and in the absence of relevant clinical trials. "Even with that lack of evidence, people are using CBD, substituting it for medication and doing so saying it's less harmful and more effective," he said.

Boehnke stressed the need for more controlled research into how CBD may provide these benefits, as well as whether these benefits may be due to the placebo effect.

Clinically, opening up lines of discussion around CBD use for chronic pain is imperative, said Boehnke, for medication safety reasons as well as for "enhancing the therapeutic alliance and improving patient care."
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), continues to spread globally. As of June 24, 2021, over 179 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, with a death toll that is nearly 3.9 million.

Amid the pandemic, non-therapeutic measures to curb the viral spread, particularly mask-wearing, have been effective in some countries. Despite its utility, this practice has been considered a controversial measure since some studies in community settings have reported inconsistent results.

Study: Mass mask-wearing notably reduces COVID-19 transmission. Image Credit: Cat Box / Shutterstock.com

Researchers from the University of Bristol found that an entire population that wears masks in public leads to a reduction in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by almost 26%. The study, which appeared in the pre-print server medRxiv*, demonstrated that around the same time that masks mandates were lifted, the persistence of mask-wearing by a majority of the population led to a notable reduction in SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

Face masks are one of the most popular interventions against COVID-19, with very high uptake in most countries. Recently, the global wearing of masks has begun to decline, even in countries with low vaccination rates.

Confirming the efficacy of mask-wearing is important since only a minority of the global population is expected to be fully vaccinated by the end of 2021. Additionally, the emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants that are highly transmissible and have the potential to evade acquired immunity is also worrisome. The researchers aimed to evaluate the efficacy of mask-wearing in both healthcare settings and the community by reviewing past studies.

Effects of mask-wearing

Masks have at least two effects  preventing viral transmission to non-infected mask-wearers and preventing individuals with COVID-19 from infecting others.

In healthcare settings, N95 masks work well when worn properly by trained users and have been found to reduce the transmission of several coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, by at least half. Surgical masking of non-infected individuals corresponds to a 65% to 75% reduction in their risk of acquiring COVID-19.

Meanwhile, in community settings, clinical studies have shown that fitted surgical masks offer individual results from the meta-analyses, ranging from a 7% increase in infection risk to a 61% decrease in infection risk.

Image Credit: ST.art / Shutterstock.com

The study

In the current study, the researchers aimed to evaluate the ecological effect of a large proportion of the population wearing average masks in the community setting. They also want to determine how the effects of mask-wearing vary between different cultures.

The team investigated inconsistencies within epidemiological studies and found that government mask mandates are not related to large increases in mask-wearing. Further, the team analyzed the effect of mask-wearing on transmission rates, during which they covered 92 regions in six different countries. The researchers of the current study also included the largest survey of individual-level mask-wearing behaviors that included the responses from 20 million participants.

To arrive at the study findings, the team used a hierarchal Bayesian model to estimate the effect of mask-wearing and mask-mandates on transmission rates by associating mandates with reported cases in each region.

The researchers also evaluated the strength of results conducted in a total of 123 experiments across 22 sensitivity analyses. This evaluation found that an entire population that wears masks in public areas results in a median reduction in the SARS-CoV-2 reproduction number of 25.8%, with 95% of the medians between 22.2% and 30.0%.

Conclusions

Taken together, the researchers concluded that wearing face masks is tied to a marked reduction in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. The study suggests that national and state-level mandate data are not enough to model the effect of mass mask-wearing.

In comparison, South Koreas mask-wearing mandate came after voluntary wearing had already reached 94%. Meanwhile, the Netherlands and Switzerland had imposed mask-wearing mandates but few people were wearing masks. In the Czech Republic, mask-wearing increased but only after the mandate was imposed for a considerable amount of time.

The team also observed that factors other than mandates may have contributed to the worldwide uptake of mask-wearing in 2020.

This presents a difficulty for policy-makers: if wearing works but mandates are not strongly associated with wearing, what other levers are available? Some options include free mask distribution, domestic supply guarantees, fit training, mask quality guidelines, targeted mandates by the venue, and openness about the benefits of masks.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Ultrasound can overcome some of the detrimental effects of aging and dementia without the need to cross the blood-brain barrier, Queensland Brain Institute researchers have found.

Professor Jurgen Gotz led a multidisciplinary team at QBI's Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research who showed low-intensity ultrasound effectively restored cognition without opening the barrier in mice models.

The findings provide a potential new avenue for the non-invasive technology and will help clinicians tailor medical treatments that consider an individual's disease progression and cognitive decline.

Historically, we have been using ultrasound together with small gas-filled bubbles to open the almost-impenetrable blood-brain barrier and get therapeutics from the bloodstream into the brain." Professor Jurgen Gotz, Queensland Brain Institute

The new research involved a designated control group who received ultrasound without the barrier-opening microbubbles.

"The entire research team was surprised by the remarkable restoration in cognition," he said.

"We conclude therapeutic ultrasound is a non-invasive way to enhance cognition in the elderly."

Aging is associated with impaired cognition and a reduction in the learning induced plasticity of the signalling between neurons called long-term potentiation (LTP).

Dr Daniel Blackmore, senior postdoctoral researcher on the team, said the new research aimed to use ultrasound to restore LTP and improved spatial learning in aged mice.

Professor Gotz said the brain was "not particularly accessible", but ultrasound provided a tool for overcoming challenges like the blood-brain barrier.

"Using ultrasound could enhance cognition independently of clearing amyloid and tau, which form plaques and tangles in people with Alzheimer's disease," he said.

"Microbubbles will continue to be used in combination with ultrasound in ongoing Alzheimer's research."

About 400,000 people in Australia have dementia and numbers are projected to increase to one million by 2050, with aging the single biggest risk factor.

Previous research has shown the long-term safety of ultrasound technology and that pathological changes and cognitive deficits could be improved by using ultrasound to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Professor Gotz said there were still questions about the differences between normal "physiological" aging and the "pathological" aging that happens in Alzheimer's disease.

''We believe there may be some overlap between physiological and pathological aging in the brain and the potential for this to be corrected with ultrasound is meaningful for those living with Alzheimer's disease," he said.

''We are taking these findings and implementing them in our Alzheimer's research as we go forward to clinical trials.''

Professor Gotz's research team aims to understand how brain diseases begin and their progression at molecular and cellular levels in the hope of ultimately developing therapies.

The research has been published in Nature journal Molecular Psychiatry.
The COVID-19 epidemic, which began late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread throughout the world, was accompanied by unprecedented releases of reported case data. Now, researchers propose combining phenomenological descriptions with epidemiological dynamics for an entirely new perspective on these data.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) database, the first cases in Japan date back to January 14, in Italy to January 29, in France to January 24, 2020, etc. Since then, unprecedented data is available at institutions (such as the WHO and the Johns Hopkins University) for public information and use.

Understanding the information in this data may throw open new questions and challenges for the scientific community. To describe the epidemiological dynamics of this data, three researchers from University Bordeaux, CNRS, and University Grenoble Alpes, France, built a method using a phenomenological model and regularized data.

After comparing the various instantaneous reproductive numbers, they concluded that the dynamics of COVID-19 are primarily influenced by dynamics of social interaction (contact between individuals). They obtained an instantaneous reproduction number that stays below 3.5 from the early beginning of the epidemic.

Based on their findings, the researchers interestingly conclude that it is sufficient to vaccinate 71% of the population in each state or country (as considered in this study).

"Therefore assuming the vaccines will remain efficient against the new variants, and to be more confident it is sufficient to vaccinate 75  80% to get rid of COVID-19 in each state or country," noted the researchers, hoping then subsequently the people may go back to normal. This work is published on the preprint server medRxiv. It is to be noted that the preprint reports are not peer-reviewed and should not be used to guide clinical practice.

Flow chart for the model.

For this study, the researchers used the reported case data for eight different geographic areas: the state of California, France, India, Israel, Japan, Peru, Spain, UK. Except for the California state, for which they used data from the COVID tracking project, they took the rest of the reported case data from the WHO database.

They found that the phenomenological model applied to the COVID-19 data allowed them to handle the multiple epidemic waves and fit the data well for the eight geographic areas considered in this study.

"We expect that a number of different phenomenological models could be employed for the same purpose; however, our method has the advantage of involving a limited number of parameters."

As noted by the researchers, forecasting the propagation of the epidemic is, in particular, a key challenge in infectious disease epidemiology. Modeling efforts are employed to analyze and predict the outbreak and deduce the epidemic's transmission rate. This information can help epidemiologists, scientists, and importantly medical doctors and healthcare decision-makers.

One of the most crucial challenges of an epidemic is understanding the transmission rate - the fraction of all possible contacts between susceptible and infected that effectively result in a new infection per unit of time. It depends on many factors, such as (i) the coefficient of susceptibility, (ii) the coefficient of virulence, (iii) the number of contacts per unit of time, (iv) and environmental conductivity.

In this study, the researchers attempted a novel method to understand and reconstruct the transmission rate from the data by using the model - without choosing a predefined function for the transmission rate, which was how the standard approaches were.

However, the researchers used an approach used in the early 70s (by London and Yorke), who used a discrete-time approximation model and discussed the time-dependent rate of transmission in the context of measles, chickenpox, and mumps.

Our analysis shows that it is hopeless to estimate the ascertainment rate using time series of cumulative cases only. Indeed, a time-dependent transmission can be computed for any reasonable value of this rate and perfectly fits the data. The same is true for other parameters of the mathematical model: the average duration of the non-infectious incubation period, the average duration of the infectious incubation period, the average duration of the symptomatic infectious period. Therefore, these parameters have to be estimated by statistical methods on samples of a different nature, like for the Diamond Princess cruise ship and the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

Based on recent studies where an explicit formula and algorithms were used to reconstruct the transmission rate, the researchers understood that the regularization of the data is a complex problem. Therefore, reconstructing a meaningful time-dependent transmission rate is crucial, and they presented a new method to compute it from cumulative reported case data.

"While the use of a predefined transmission rate  (t) as a function of time can lead to very nice fits of the data, here we are looking for a more intrinsic relationship between the data and the transmission rate."

In the paper, to compute the transmission rate directly from the data, they described their method in a two-step procedure: Firstly, we use a phenomenological model to describe the data and extract the general trend of the epidemic dynamics while removing the insignificant noise. Secondly, we derive an explicit relationship between the phenomenological model and the transmission rate.

Notably, the researchers reported that the social changes in the population have a more substantial impact on the propagation of the disease than the pure epidemiological dynamics while proposing a method to quantify these changes.

On predicting the future behavior of an epidemic, the researchers compared with the popular and standard method of framework (for the effective reproductive number), they observed their new indicators performed better near the beginning of the epidemic and close to the last data point, and were less variable in time.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Renowned evolutionary researcher, Jesse Bloom from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, has conducted a phylogenetic analysis suggesting that the early severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequences that were obtained from the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, China, are not fully representative of the viruses circulating in the city at the time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.

Blooms findings are based on the identification and recovery of a dataset containing SARS-CoV-2 sequences from early on in the Wuhan epidemic that had been deleted from The National Institutes of Healths Sequence Read Archive.

Bloom says the analysis suggests that the progenitor of known SARS-CoV-2 sequences differs from the Huanan Seafood Market sequences and is at least three mutations closer to SARS-CoV-2s bat coronavirus relatives.

The current study suggests that at least in one case, the trusting structures of science have been abused to obscure sequences relevant to the early spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan, writes Bloom. A careful re-evaluation of other archived forms of scientific communication, reporting, and data could shed additional light on the early emergence of the virus.

A pre-print version of the research paper is available on the bioRxiv* server, while the article undergoes peer-review.

The origin of SARS-CoV-2 remains a mystery

Understanding the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan is essential to trace the origin of the virus.

The first reports outside of China at the end of December 2019 highlighted the Huanan Seafood Market as a site of zoonotic spread.

However, this theory became increasingly unlikely as reports of earlier cases in 2019 emerged that had no connection to the market.

For example, Professor Yu Chuanhua from Wuhan University told the Health Times that the records he reviewed included two cases in mid-November and one suspected case on September 29th.

Example of the process to delete SRA data. The image shows e-mails between the lead author of the pangolin coronavirus paper Xiao et al. (2020) and SRA staff excerpted from USRTK (2020).

Chinese CDC banned the sharing of information without approval

At around the same time, the Chinese Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order forbidding sharing information about the COVID-19 epidemic without approval. Chinas State Council then issued a much broader order requiring central approval of any publication related to COVID-19.

In 2021, the joint World Health Organization (WHO)China report dismissed all reported cases prior to December 8th 2019, as not COVID-19, and the theory that the virus may have originated at the Huanan Seafood Market was revived.

Although there is much debate surrounding how exactly SARS-CoV-2 infected the human population, it is universally accepted that the viruss deep ancestors are bat coronaviruses.

The reported collection dates of SARS-CoV-2 sequences in GISAID versus their relative mutational distances from the RaTG13 bat coronavirus outgroup. Mutational distances are relative to the putative progenitor proCoV2 inferred by Kumar et al. (2021). The plot shows sequences in GISAID collected no later than February 28, 2020. Sequences that the joint WHO-China report (WHO 2021) describes as being associated with the Wuhan Seafood Market are plotted with squares. Points are slightly jittered on the y-axis. Go to https://jbloom.github.io/SARS-CoV-2_PRJNA612766/deltadist.html for an interactive version of this plot that enables toggling of the outgroup to RpYN06 and RmYN02, mouseovers to see details for each point including strain name and mutations relative to proCoV2, and adjustment of the y-axis jittering.

However, the earliest known SARS-CoV-2 sequences, which are mostly derived from the Huanan Seafood Market, differ significantly from these bat coronaviruses, compared with other sequences collected at later dates outside of Wuhan.

As a result, there is a direct conflict between the two major principles used to infer an outbreaks progenitor: namely that it should be among the earliest sequences, and that it should be most closely related to deeper ancestors, writes Bloom.

What did the current study involve?

Bloom identified a dataset of SARS-CoV-2 sequences isolated from outpatient samples collected early on in the Wuhan epidemic that had been deleted from the NIHs Sequence Read Archive. He recovered the files from the Google Cloud and reconstructed partial sequences of 13 early epidemic viruses.

Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences, in conjunction with careful annotation of existing ones, suggested that the early Wuhan sequences from the Huanan Seafood Market that have been the focus of the joint WHOChina report are not fully representative of the viruses that were actually present in Wuhan at the time.

The RaTG13 coronavirus that infects the horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus affinis) has been identified as sharing the greatest genome sequence identity with SARS-CoV-2 to date.

However, the early Huanan Seafood Market sequences are more distant from RaTG13 than sequences collected in January from other locations in China and even other countries.

All sequences associated with this market differ from RaTG13 by at least three more mutations than sequences subsequently collected at various other locations  a fact that is difficult to reconcile with the idea that the market was the original location of the spread of a bat coronavirus to humans, writes Bloom.

More about the deleted sequences

Phylogenetic analysis of the deleted sequences revealed that four GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data) sequences collected in Guangdong that fall within a putative progenitor node were isolated from two different clusters of people who traveled to Wuhan in late December of 2019. These individuals then developed symptoms before or on the day that they returned to Guangdong, where their viruses were ultimately sequenced.

All sequences from patients infected in Wuhan but sequenced in Guangdong are more similar to the bat coronavirus outgroup than sequences from the Huanan Seafood Market, writes Bloom.

These deleted data as well as existing sequences from Wuhan-infected patients hospitalized in Guangdong, show that early Wuhan sequences frequently contained the T29095C mutation and were less likely to carry the mutations T8782C and C28144T than sequences in the joint WHO-China report.

Deletion of the data has important implications for future studies

Bloom says the deletion of such an informative data set has implications beyond those gleaned directly from the recovered sequences.

Firstly, samples from early outpatients in Wuhan represent a gold mine for anyone seeking to understand the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Secondly, genomic epidemiology studies of early SARS-CoV-2 must focus on the provenance and annotation of the underlying sequences as much as they do technical considerations.

In addition, future studies should devote equal effort to going beyond the annotations in GISAID to carefully trace the location of patient infection and sample sequencing, says Bloom.

In addition, I suggest it could be worthwhile to review e-mail records to identify other SRA [Sequence Read Archive] deletions.

*Important Notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
The study was conducted by an international collaboration involving the research team led by Luca Tiberi of the Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of Brain Cancer at the Department of Cellular, computational and integrative biology - Cibio of UniTrento, the Paris Brain Institute-Institut du Cerveau at Sorbonne Universite in Paris, the Hopp Childrens Cancer Center (KiTZ) in Heidelberg, Germany, and Sapienza University in Rome. It was supported by Fondazione Armenise-Harvard, Fondazione Airc (Italian Association for Cancer Research) and Fondazione Caritro from Trento. The findings of the study, published in Science Advances, could lead to better and more effective treatments.

The team of researchers is proud of the results achieved.

For the first time, we have used an organoid model that we created and developed in past months. Thanks to these in vitro cancer tissues in 3D, we were able to identify the type of cell that can develop into medulloblastoma. These cells in fact express Notch1/S100b, and play a key role in the onset, progression and prognosis of this type of childhood brain cancer". Luca Tiberi, coordinator of the study and corresponding author of the paper

Organoids, grown by the hundreds in the laboratories of the University of Trento, are generated from skin or blood cells and look like irregular spheres the size of a peanut. Scientists use them to understand the genetic mechanisms responsible for the most common brain cancer affecting children and to explore new treatments for incurable conditions. Organoids were used to provide a model of the tumors in the laboratory. The findings may lead to advancements in brain cancer research and, in the future, could be used to study other tumors in a laboratory setting at a reduced cost, compared with previous technologies, and to conduct larger screenings to test new drugs and tailored treatments.

About organoids

Organoids are generated from skin or blood cells and look like irregular balls the size of a peanut. They are not cell aggregates, but specialized and organized cells that replicate as much as possible the organ under study.

These three-dimensional models allow scientists to do research in a laboratory setting. Working with patients in the case of the present study would be impossible, given that it focuses on brain cancer in children. That is why the team of researchers of the Armenise-Harvard Laboratory of the Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrated Biology - Cibio of the University of Trento used organoids to understand the genetic mechanisms of brain cancer in childhood and to find new treatments for these almost untreatable conditions.

Brain tumors are the first cause of death due to cancer in children. They are very aggressive and require a multidisciplinary and integrated approach. While significant progress has been made in treating these tumors, surviving patients may suffer long-term side effects that significantly compromise their quality of life. When the tumor reappears after some time, therapies are usually ineffective. Medulloblastoma, the focus of this study, is the most common malignant brain tumor in children affecting the central nervous system. The survival rate at five years from the diagnosis of medulloblastoma is around 70% (source: AIRC Italian Association for Cancer Research).
The initial spread of the coronavirus in India led to the introduction of a national lockdown in March 2020. After the first wave of the pandemic had subsided and a nationwide vaccination campaign had begun, a mutation of the virus in the spring of 2021 caused infection and mortality rates to rise steeply again.

The previous stages of the pandemic had led to severe social upheaval, the most visible sign of which was the return of hundreds of thousands of migrant workers to their often distant rural home regions. The pandemic threw into sharp relief the unevenness of India's infrastructure of social redistribution, which feeds on, and sharpens, the graded structures of inequality rooted in India's social fabric.

Professor Ravi Ahuja of the Centre for Modern Indian Studies at the University of Gottingen will produce an "analytical chronicle" of this crisis. The German Research Foundation (DFG) has provided funding for his project "Crisis as catalyst: COVID-19, social citizenship and political transformation in India" for one year with support of 133,000 euros.

The chronicle will cover a period of 18 months: from the first weeks of 2020, when the first COVID-19 cases were identified, to the summer of 2021, half a year after the start of the vaccination campaign and shortly after the peak of a second wave.

The aim is to capture the dynamism of social perceptions, behaviour and the contradictory possibilities opened up by the crisis.

We analyse the crisis as an unfinished, still unfolding historical event, a moment of societal acceleration creating sudden strains, and opening new possibilities for consolidation as much as for contestation." Ravi Ahuja, Professor, Centre for Modern Indian Studies, University of Gottingen

The project investigates the formulation and implementation of social policy at the national level, the way the crisis unfolded in different regional contexts, and the way it was experienced, and access to social entitlements were negotiated, at the local level. To achieve this, publicly available sources will be evaluated and experts will be interviewed.

"The analytical chronicle must be compiled promptly, while the optimal conditions for documenting everything exist and before the perception of the crisis fades or is reshaped by subsequent developments," says Ahuja. The research findings will subsequently serve as the basis for a deeper historical study of the transformations and structures of "social citizenship" in postcolonial India.
To contain the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, rapid vaccination is imperative. An expansive vaccination drive has changed the outbreak situation in many advanced regions of the world, like the USA and Europe.

Among the developed nations, Japan was the last to commence vaccination (February 2021). Only 8.7% of Japanese people are fully vaccinated as of today, June 25th, 2021. Fortunately for Japan, the incidence of the disease has been much lower than in Europe or the United States. Now, a new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server analyzes the impact of vaccination on the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan.

There are many benefits to vaccination. Aside from providing personal protection, it also provides herd immunity to all non-vaccinated persons.

In Japan, in order to tackle the COVID-19 situation, schools were closed, and various social and commercial events were called off between February 27, 2020, and March. Further, a state emergency was declared on April 7 and it continued till 25 May, which restricted individuals from leaving their homes and visiting retail shops and restaurants.

The first coronavirus infection peak was attained on April 3, after which there was a decline in the disease spread by July 29. In order to revive the tourism industry, the Go To Travel Campaign (GTTC) was established on July 22, which provided a 50% subsidy on various travel programs. This program continued till the end of December, after which the third wave of infection started.

In Japan, the third wave was massive and more significant than the preceding two COVID-19 waves. The third wave peak was reached at the end of December.

Researchers believe that the massive third wave occurred due to the GTTC program. For controlling the third wave, the government announced the second emergency and it prevailed between January 8, 2021 and March 15, 2021.

Effective reproduction number and vaccine coverage by two definitions. vaccine coverage (%)

Owing to the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 mutants or strains, a fourth wave occurred. Subsequently, a third emergency state was declared on April 25, 2021, primarily to support the hosting of the Olympics and Paralympics Games in Tokyo in July.

The current study was conducted to estimate the effects of the vaccine on SARS-CoV-2 infectiousness and the outbreak in Japan.

The effective reproduction number R(t) was used as the main dependent variable in a multivariate regression model. R(t) was regressed on vaccine coverage, temperature, humidity, mobility, and countermeasures.

Researchers assumed two different definitions of vaccine coverage. The first included individuals with a single dose with a 12-day delay, while the second definition included individuals with a second dose. The sample period was February 2020 through May 16, 2021.

The results of the estimation were encouraging. The coefficient on vaccine coverage was significantly negative, and the estimated coefficients were far more significant than expected by researchers.

This finding might imply that herd immunity played a role in reducing R(t). However, this result might also be influenced by the fact that the period of increased vaccination coincided with the decreasing phase of R(t).

This hints at correlation but not causality. Another factor influencing the results might be the assumption of a linear function and the presumption that the estimated coefficients were larger than expected.

It must be noted that the third emergency status was not of significant importance because it overlapped heavily with the initiation of the vaccination campaign in February 2021. This would imply that there is strong multicollinearity between vaccine coverage and emergency status. This multicollinearity might also be influencing the obtained results.

Despite the initially promising results, there are some caveats. The first most crucial limitation of the current study is the possible overestimation of the effects of vaccine coverage and the incidence of herd immunity. Therefore, more data is required to obtain further robust results.

Secondly, readers should interpret these results as showing mere correlations but should not derive causal implications. However, the study does convey the message that a strong association exists between vaccine coverage and the degree of infectiousness.

In summary, the current research reveals a negative association between vaccine coverage and the reproduction number. However, more data over a longer duration is required to arrive at more robust conclusions.

This is mainly because the increased vaccination phase coincided with the reducing phase of infectivity, i.e., lowering of R(t).

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
A growing trove of data to help scientists understand the biology of Alzheimer's disease among diverse populations within the context of sociocultural, behavioral and environmental factors is now available through the Institute for Translational Research at The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC).

The research data is the result of the Health and Aging Brain among Latino Elders (HABLE) study launched in 2017 with $12 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health and headed by Sid O'Bryant, PhD, Executive Director of the Institute.

In 2020, the HABLE study received an additional $45 million from National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. O'Bryant announced the availability of the research data in article published June 21 in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring, a national journal published by the Alzheimer's Association.

The data from this study is a first-of-a-kind for the field. We will for the first time be able to examine the biology of Alzheimer's among Mexican Americans as well as non-Hispanic whites all within the context of sociocultural, environmental and behavioral factors. Scientists from across the globe can use this data to address health disparities and define new diagnostic and treatment opportunities for underserved communities." O'Bryant, PhD, Executive Director, University of North Texas Health Science Center

The percentage of Hispanics 65 and above in the U.S. will triple by the year 2050 and, when compared to other racial or ethnic groups, are expected to experience the largest increase in Alzheimer's disease related dementias by 2060, according to the paper. About 65 percent of U.S. Hispanics are of Mexican decent.

However, Mexican Americans are severely underrepresented in Alzheimer's research, resulting too few comprehensive studies of the biomarkers of the disease among this population. Early findings suggest that beta amyloid protein -- one of the biomarkers of Alzheimer's -- is less common among Mexican Americans yet Mexican Americans seem to have a younger onset of cognitive loss.

About 1,000 Mexican Americans and 1,000 non-Latino whites over 50 from North Texas have enrolled in the study that gives participants reoccurring and free comprehensive interviews, functional exams, clinical laboratory tests, a brain MRI and state-of-the-art PET Scans.

The PET Scans allow researchers to observe the differences over time in the development of the biomarkers between Mexican Americans and non-Latino whites.

In December, HSC announced an additional $7 million investment that to add 1,000 African Americans to the study. Among people 65 and older,?African Americans have the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's disease, followed by Hispanics and non-Latino?whites, according to the U.S. Center for?Disease Control and Prevention.
Even as herculean efforts are being made to extend the reach of vaccination against COVID-19 to all the regions of the world, there is a dire need for rapid and sensitive tests to assess the antibody response to the various vaccines used and to monitor antibody titers over time.

A new preprint, available on the bioRxiv* server, describes a new approach to this problem which could be applied to other molecules of interest as well, both in laboratories and at the point of care.

This knowledge will help to guide the degree of freedom in social interactions that the vaccinated individual has, as well as to determine what type of treatment is necessary in cases of breakthrough infection. Moreover, it will help evaluate how effective each vaccine is, as well as offering insights into therapeutic antibody use, especially against the emerging variants of concern (VOCs).

Background

The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of the host cell via the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the former. This is the immunodominant target of neutralizing antibodies formed against the vaccine spike or wildtype virus spike.

However, spike mutations have defined multiple VOCs, especially in the RBD, altering the recognition of these epitopes by neutralizing antibodies to the wildtype virus. Thus, these mutations allow the virus to escape neutralization. To deal with this situation, it is essential to have accurate and sensitive serological tests that could, ideally, be done at home, following either natural infection or vaccination.

While antibody assays that measure both the titer and the neutralizing capacity are available at present, they require a laboratory setting because of their complex protocols and equipment requirements. Neutralization tests can be carried out only in live virus assays involving either pseudoviruses or authentic viruses. The use of the latter is restricted to biosafety level 3 (BSL3) facilities.

Lateral flow antigen tests have been developed to meet this need, but they can only report whether the binding activity is present between the antibody and the antigen, leaving neutralizing capacity unresolved. Moreover, they do not report quantitatively.

Newer cell-free tools also measure antibody titer, but again, neutralization is not identified. At present, therefore, there is no way to measure the neutralization activity of antibodies against the VOCs.

What was the aim of the study?

In this study, the scientists from the University of Washington in Seattle, and the Washington University School of Medicine in Missouri, developed a novel sensor that could measure neutralizing antibody responses to the wildtype SARS-CoV-2 as well as VOCs, in a convenient format, and with the ability to provide rapid results within half an hour.

In contrast, currently available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assays, which provide both the antibody titer only after 6 hours but take several days to cell-based neutralizing capacity.

Sensor principles

The approach they used was to identify and measure only antibodies that disrupt virus RBD-ACE2 binding as a surrogate measure for antibody neutralization. The biosensor they came up with comprises a lucCageRBD protein. This sensor can switch between closed or open states.

The lucCageRBD has a cage domain. In the closed state, when the RBD is absent, the lucCageRBD protein cage domain attaches to the latch domain containing the LCB1 protein. This prevents the activation of luciferase, and hence luminescence. This is the dark state of the protein.

When the RBD is present, the LCB1 protein binds at picomolar concentrations to the RBD, indicating a very high affinity. Another protein, called the lucKey protein, binds to the sensor in the open state, inducing luciferase activity  the luminescent state. These events are driven by the free energy of binding.

This biosensor is therefore capable of identifying antibodies directed to the RBD, since these molecules competitively inhibit LCB1 binding at or near the ACE2-binding interface. Since the presence of antibodies leads to dissociation of the RBD from the LCB1 protein, this switches the sensor towards the dark or closed state, as luciferase is not reconstituted.

Design and characterization of sensors for monoclonal antibody detection. a, To detect neutralizing antibodies which primarily block the interaction between ACE-2 and the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike WT and other emerging variants, we designed our lucCageRBD assay, which utilizes the RBD sensor and lucKey. b-c, Schematic of the LOCKR nAb biosensor system (quaternary, this work) (b) and ACE2:RBD out-competition format (ternary, previous work) (c). The RBD sensor contains 2 domains that interact, the Cage and Latch, the latter of which contains smBiT of luciferase (blue) and the de novo LCB1 domain (yellow) designed to recognize the ACE-2 binding region of RBD15. LucKey contains the Cage-associating key domain and lgBiT of luciferase (blue). RBD WT or variants bind to LCB1, which together with Key:Cage binding enables reconstitution of luciferase, thus increasing luminescence. Neutralizing antibodies compete for RBD binding, thus shifting for Cage:Latch binding, limiting Key:Cage interaction, and disturbing luciferase reconstitution, thus decreasing luminescence. As increasing nAb concentrations should promote decreases in luminosity, we created the fraction of lucCageRBD dynamic range lost metric. d, Simulations for the detection and deconvolution of nAb titer from affinity. Each sub-plot corresponds to the sensor response for each setting of the decision matrix, which is defined by a combination of lucKey and RBD concentrations (quaternary system; left) or ACE2 and RBD concentrations (ternary system; right). For each sensor system, the raw maximum signal (absence of nAb, used for signal normalization) is also shown (blue heatmaps). e-m, Different concentrations of either SARS2-02 (e-g), SARS2-38 (h-j), CR3022 (k-m) mAbs with 5 nM RBD WT, B.1.1.7, and B.1.351 were tested in the lucCageRBD assay (e, h, k), BLI for binding to RBD strains (f, i, l), and spike VoC-containing SARS-CoV-2 live virus (g, j) or VSV-based pseudovirus infection (m). lucCageRBD and BLI experiments were performed in triplicates, viral infection experiments were performed in duplicate and data are mean  s.e.m.

Multiple advantages of the sensor

This is described as a reversible quaternary biosensor. It detects antibodies to free unlabeled RBD in solution, rather than the RBD-ACE2 complex detected in other competitive inhibition assays. As a result, RBD VOCs can be detected just as easily as the wildtype.

When an assay detects neutralizing antibodies via their direct competition with ACE2 for ACE2-RBD complex formation, it is difficult to distinguish more potent but less abundant antibodies from those present at higher titers but with less binding affinity, since the overall level of competition is similar for both.

Conversely, the biosensor described here simply picks up the presence of neutralizing antibodies via their competition with the high-affinity LCB1 protein for RBD binding. By changing the concentrations of either protein, this quaternary sensor system can be made more sensitive to the concentration and binding affinity of the antibodies.

The latch and key proteins can both be modified to achieve the optimal affinities required for the cage in order to capture the largest range of antibody affinities and titers, without mutating the RBD-ACE2 interface as required for ternary systems.

Moreover, this offers quantitative measurements of both antibody binding affinity and titer, thus providing a way to assess if vaccination has succeeded in generating immunity.

In addition, the peak sensor responses in the closed state (no antibody) and open state are similar, due to the unchanging concentration of the lucCageRBD protein and the use of unlabeled RBD. In ternary systems, significant variation occurs as the substrate is depleted, and also the instrument cannot detect the signal below a limit.

This shortcoming can be remedied by using fixed amounts of one component, but this further compounds the difficulty in distinguishing between antibodies with high affinity/low concentration and low affinity/high concentration.

How was the system tested?

The researchers found that when tested over a range of five monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) directed against different spike variants (wildtype, B.1.1.7, and B.1.351), the level of activation of the sensor, rather than spike binding affinity, indicated the potency of neutralization. This is explained by the location of the binding of the antibody to the sensor, near the binding interface, which is targeted by most neutralizing antibodies.

Thus, SARS-CoV-2 wildtype and B.1.1.7 were neutralized 20-40-fold more potently than the B.1.351 variant by one of the five mAbs, SARS2-02. This was reflected by a remarkable decline in the lucCageRBD signal in the presence of the first two, but not the latter, which showed a lesser reduction.

The lucCageRBD was found to measure protective antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in mouse sera following vaccination. The samples showed progressively lower activation levels relative to pre-vaccination levels. The luminescence ratio decreases logarithmically with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) against the pseudovirus and the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) in ELISA assays.

The same level of correlation was seen in human antisera following COVID-19 vaccination.

What are the implications?

The novel biosensor is a useful addition to the available serological tests for COVID-19, in view of its many advantages. It is especially capable of identifying new variants of the RBD based on the level of reaction.

This system is also composed of components that can be easily generated by E. coli systems, and which are lyophilizable, allowing for a long shelf-life and ease of manufacturing. Avoiding the use of the ACE2 protein obviates the use of high-throughput single-step serology.

The ability to quantify antibody affinity and concentration will help evaluate vaccine efficacy. Work is underway to convert this into a high-throughput format or a point-of-care diagnostic platform offered at low cost.

With the considerable recent advances that now enable computational design of high affinity binding proteins and the embedding of them in designed protein switches, the approach described in this paper should be readily extensible to quantification of the binding affinity and abundance of a wide variety of analytes of interest, concludes the team.

*Important notice

bioRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
Winners are chosen by fellow trailblazers and inventors around the world

WALTHAM, Mass., (June 24, 2021)Olympus is proud to announce its OLYMPUS Provi CM20 incubation monitoring system won a Bronze Edison Award in the Cellular Research and Disease Prevention category for its innovative design that automates the cell culture workflow. Named after prolific inventor Thomas A. Edison, an Edison Award is one of the most prestigious accolades honoring excellence in new product development, design and innovation.

Automated Cell Culture Workflow

The traditional cell culture workflow requires users to check cell conditionsincluding cell morphology, confluency and countby removing samples from the incubator and observing them under a microscope every two to three days. This time-consuming, qualitative process leads to increased workloads, higher costs and cell quality results that vary depending on the user.

The CM20 monitor offers a more accurate, cost-effective and streamlined cell culture workflow by providing quantitative data remotely. Just place the head and cell cultures in the incubator, and the system will periodically scan it to count cells and determine confluency. Data is wirelessly communicated to a PC or tablet, so users can monitor cultures without entering the cleanroom and acquire consistent results throughout the lab.

The Future of Cell Culture

Cell culture is growing in importance with the advancement of cell therapy through gene editing technology and stem cell studies. The award-winning CM20 monitor contributes to a stable and quantitative cell culture process to support emerging research and science.

We are honored to be recognized for the breakthrough technology of the CM20 incubation monitoring system and the value it brings to the cell culture market, said Lee Wagstaff, Vice President of Life Science Sales and Marketing at Olympus Corporation of the Americas. I look forward to seeing its impact on cell culture as the industry enters a new era of innovation, scientific discoveries and productivity.

For more information about the CM20 incubation monitoring system, visit www.Olympus-LifeScience.com/Cell_Culture_Solution/CM20. To learn more about the Edison Awards and past winners, visit www.EdisonAwards.com.
Social distancing measures in public places decrease the risk of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the pathogen responsible for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, while social distancing may be effective in public places, people who live in overcrowded or multigenerational households are at a higher risk of exposure.

Researchers at the Weill Cornell Medical College aimed to determine the role of overcrowded households as a risk factor for COVID-19. The study's objective, which appeared in the medRxiv* pre-print server, was to examine the link between overcrowded and multigenerational households and COVID-19 in New York City.

Disparities in minority populations

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the marked health-related disparities in minority populations in the United States. These individuals are at a higher risk of severe illness caused by SARS-CoV-2. Studies have shown differences in COVID-19 testing, deaths, and disease between non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Hispanic Americans in both the health and community settings.

Other studies demonstrate that socioeconomic factors may play an imperative role in the risk of being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). These factors may also heighten the risk of death related to COVID-19.

These populations usually live with other families in a household. Thus, the role of overcrowding and household composition on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear. Data shows, however, that proximity to infected individuals and concentration of inoculum may play a vital role in acquiring the virus and the severity of the illness.

Overcrowded or multigenerational households

In the current study, the researchers investigated whether ZIP code tabulation areas (ZCTA) with a higher percentage of overcrowded or multigenerational households could be a risk factor for severe COVID-19.

Distribution of New York City ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) by a) suspected COVID-19 cases in March 1-30 2020; and b) overcrowded housing and c) multigenerational housing in 2018

To arrive at the study findings, the team performed a Bayesian ecological time series analysis at the ZCTA level in NYC to evaluate whether households that are overcrowded or have multigenerational members were independently tied to higher suspected COVID-19 case rates.

Overcrowded households were defined as the proportion of the estimated number of housing units with more than one occupant per room. In contrast, multigenerational households were defined as the estimated percentage of residences occupied by a grandparent and a grandchild less than 18 years old.

Unadjusted and predicted trends in suspected COVID-19 cases per 10,000 population in March 1-30 2020 by a) percentage of multigenerational households, and b) percentage of overcrowdedness, both in quartiles

The team's final model controlled ZCTA-level sociodemographic factors, the prevalence of clinical conditions associated with COVID-19 severity, and spatial clustering. The sociodemographic factors include median income, the White race, essential workers, and poverty status, while clinical conditions include hypertension, obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and smoking status.

Percent Overcrowded Homes

The team found 39,923 suspected severe COVID-19 cases across 173 ZCTAs in New York City between March 1 and March 30, 2020. The adjusted COVID-19 case rates heightened by 67 percent in ZCTAs for overcrowdedness and increased by 77 percent for those living in multigenerational housing.

"We found that ZCTAs with higher proportions of overcrowded and multigenerational households were associated with increased rates of suspected severe COVID-19 cases, after accounting for both socioeconomic factors which may increase the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2, and clinical factors which may lead to more severe COVID-19 disease," the team concluded in the study.

Study results show a relationship between COVID-19 case rates and area-level measures of overcrowded and multigenerational housing, illustrating socioecological mechanisms that explain observed inequities in COVID-19 related outcomes. This shows the racial or ethnic differences in mortality and morbidity in COVID-19 patients.

Further, the team revealed that at the beginning of New York's COVID-19 wave suggests that lockdown-related school and business closures were linked to adverse consequences for people living in areas with high levels of household crowding and multigenerational households.

*Important Notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
When it comes to career aspirations for teenagers, a University of Houston psychology researcher believes it's best to shoot for the moon, so you can at least land in the stars. The truth is the moon may sometimes be unreachable.

In the Journal of Career Assessment, Kevin Hoff, assistant professor of psychology, reports the existence of important discrepancies between young people's dream jobs and employment realities.

"Almost 50% of adolescents aspired to investigative or artistic careers, which together account for only 8% of the U.S. labor market," reports Hoff, whose research examined the career aspirations of 3,367 adolescents (age 13-18 years) from 42 U.S. states. Investigative jobs include those in the field of science and research.

Hoff's team conducted a large-scale coding effort using the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) to compile the automation risk levels, educational requirements, and vocational interests of career aspirations.

Results revealed that most adolescents aspired to careers with low potential for automation. However, there were large discrepancies between adolescents' aspirations and the number of jobs available in the labor market." Kevin Hoff, Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Houston

For females, the most popular aspirations were doctors, veterinarians, teachers, and nurses. Doctor was most popular in early adolescence (accounting for around 12% of all female aspirations at ages 13-15), whereas veterinarian, teacher, and nurse were more popular in late adolescence (ages 16-18). For males, athlete was overwhelmingly the most popular aspiration during early adolescence (accounting for 22-32% of male aspirations at ages 13-15) but became less popular in late adolescence (accounting for 5-13% at ages 16-18).

"Both males and females showed a similar pattern of increasing variability in their career aspirations with age, indicating more diverse career goals," said Hoff. Indeed, reality may have set in. Many 13-year-old males who wanted to be professional athletes had changed their minds by 18 to aspire towards more attainable jobs.

One of the most important ways to help children find ambitious, yet realistic career goals is through exposing them to a variety of career types they would not naturally see in their daily lives.

"Young girls often want to become teachers because that is what they see every day," said Hoff. "It's equally important to show them that other occupations exist, especially lesser-known careers with growing employment demands, such as those in the STEM fields." Hoff said teachers often struggle with directing students who have very lofty career ambitions but mediocre grades, although there's an upside to having such ambition.

"Adolescents who want to become doctors may end up with a really good job doing something else in the medical field, and that's a positive outcome. The negatives are they might end up working toward an unattainable career, pursuing education that's a bad fit in interest or ability," said Hoff.

Despite a rapidly changing labor market, little research exists on how youth's career goals correspond to projections about the future of work. "This kind of career development research can make a positive impact in helping individuals and societies prepare for the future of work," said Hoff.

In the end, Hoff's work does not discourage ambition, but amplifies the need for a good back-up plan.

"It's good to encourage students to have prestigious careers, but as they get older, parents, teachers or counselors should also be real with them and help them understand how many people actually work in their dream fields, and how likely it is they will get a job in that field," said Hoff.
Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology residents Ivan Echeverria, Miriam Cotaina and Antonio Jovani, from the Hospital Provincial of Castellon, doctor Ana Benito and doctor Gonzalo Haro from the TXP research group of the CEU UCH, and doctor Rafael Mora, have published the results of their latest research: a meta-analysis on suicide, the first cause of external death in Spain.

This time, the study delved into the possible connection between smoking, a toxic habit that is prevalent in our country, and different suicidal behaviors: ideation, planning, suicide attempts and suicides committed.

As much as 19.8% of the Spanish population smokes every day. Considering that numerous studies suggest that smoking increases suicide risk, we believe it is essential to delve into this connection." Miriam Cotaina, Asociacion RUVID

After analyzing a total 2,436 scientific articles on this topic, the meta-analysis ultimately includes data from 20 articles with a higher level of evidence as they are prospective studies, involving a total 2,457,864 participants.

Tobacco use, suicide risk factor

Doctor Echeverria explains that "the results show that smoking multiplies the risk of suicide by 2.5. However, this figure seems to decrease in former smokers. This pattern seems to take place across the suicidal spectrum, as the risk of developing suicidal ideation is 1.84 times higher among smokers and just 1.35 times greater among people who have stopped consuming tobacco.

"Meanwhile, doctor Jovani highlights the importance of including this information in suicide prevention plans: "Tobacco is not considered an independent predisposing factor in suicidal risk assessment scales. One of the most used scales in psychiatric emergency services is SAD PERSONS, which includes toxic habits such as alcoholism, but not smoking," he says. "Science must be the light that guides our daily clinical practice, which is why considering the high prevalence of smoking and its effect on suicidal behaviors, the addition of the "T" (tobacco) could be added, turning it into "T-SAD PERSONS".

Smoking women and pandemic: higher risk

Ana Benito adds that "in our clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a significant increase in suicide attempts, especially among the young female population." The figures of this study show that women who smoke have a higher risk of suicide than males, which makes us consider the extent to which gender differences socially affect suicidal behaviors."

One of the possible biological explanations of the tobacco-suicide connection is the role of nicotine in the central nervous system, which could decrease the levels of serotonin in the hippocampus and modify the enzymatic activity of the neurotransmitters involved in affective processes.

Doctor Gonzalo Haro, head researcher at the TXP group of the CEU UCH, clarifies this: "One of the most backed hypotheses to date in depression and suicide is the decrease in neurotransmitters such as serotonin, noradrenalin and dopamine. Smoking would make these alterations even more prominent, thus having the contrary effect to that sought with antidepressants, causing anxious-depressive symptoms that could be the breeding ground leading to suicide."

Research team

The study has been directed by professor Gonzalo Haro and doctor Ana Benito, from the TXP research group of the CEU Cardenal Herrera university and conducted by Ivan Echeverria and Antonio Jovani, psychiatry residents, and Miriam Cotaina, clinical psychology resident, all at the Hospital Provincial de Castellon. Doctor Rafael Mora, head of the Mental Health service at the same hospital, and member of the suicide group of the Valencian Community's regional Universal Health Department, also collaborated. The study was funded by the Research Foundation of the Hospital Provincial de Castellon.
A social media post circulating on Facebook and Instagram claims that the World Health Organization recently flipped its policy recommendation about children receiving a Covid-19 vaccine.

"The WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION recently reversed its stance on children getting the Covid vaccine. Sorry to all those dumb parents who rushed out to get their 12 year olds vaccinated. Oops you injected your kids with poison and it's no longer recommended. Personally no one should but at least save the children!," the post reads.

A photo posted alongside the caption is a screenshot from the World Health Organization's website, with the words circled in red: "Children should not be vaccinated for the moment."

The screen grab also shows the following paragraph with the words underlined in red: "There is not yet enough evidence on the use of vaccines against Covid-19 in children to make recommendations for children to be vaccinated against Covid-19."

The post was flagged as part of Facebook's efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its news feed. (Read more about PolitiFact's partnership with Facebook.)

Others have been spreading similar messages on social media about this alleged change in the WHO's stance on Covid vaccines for children, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). The topic also dominated vaccine-related Google searches on June 22, according to Google Trends data.

Mining the webpage

The screen grab posted on Instagram was indeed taken directly from the WHO's webpage and the text had not been altered. The purpose of that specific webpage is to give the public advice on who should receive a Covid vaccine.

The webpage stated, "Children should not be vaccinated for the moment."

However, this was not new guidance from the WHO. The organization first posted this guidance on April 8, according to our analysis of the webpage through the Wayback Machine, an internet archive service, and First Draft, a nonprofit group that analyzes misinformation on the web.

When we reached out to the WHO on June 22 to ask officials about the webpage's wording and whether they had reversed their stance, a spokesperson sent the following statement:

"Children and adolescents tend to have milder disease compared to adults, so unless they are part of a group at higher risk of severe Covid-19, it is less urgent to vaccinate them than older people, those with chronic health conditions and health workers.

"More evidence is needed on the use of the different Covid-19 vaccines in children to be able to make general recommendations on vaccinating children against Covid-19.

"WHOs Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) has concluded that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is suitable for use by people aged 12 years and above. Children aged between 12 and 15 who are at high risk may be offered this vaccine alongside other priority groups. Vaccine trials for children are ongoing and WHO will update its recommendations when the evidence or epidemiological situation warrants a change in policy.

"Its important for children to continue to have the recommended childhood vaccines."

The WHO updated its webpage June 23, replacing the language "children should not be vaccinated for the moment" with the precise language sent in the statement above.

Jen Kates, director of global health and HIV policy at KFF, said she reached out to a WHO contact who told her this updated language was added to reflect the latest advice from the WHO's June 15 meeting of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts, which said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be given to those age 12 and older.

The WHO's stance

The WHO's chief scientist, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, explained in a June 11 video why the WHO was not prioritizing Covid vaccines for children.

"So, the reason that today, in June 2021, WHO is saying that vaccinating children is not a priority is because children, though they can get infected with Covid-19 and they can transmit the infection to others, they are at much lower risk of getting severe disease compared to older adults," Swaminathan said. "And that is why, when we started prioritizing people who should get the vaccination when there are limited supplies of vaccines available in the country, we recommend that we start with health care workers and front-line workers who are at very high risk of exposure to the infection. Also elderly, the people who have underlying illnesses that make them at high risk to develop severe disease."

Dr. Rachel Vreeman, director of the Arnhold Institute for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, confirmed that the statements on the WHO's webpage were focused on whom to prioritize most urgently in getting Covid vaccines.

"They are not saying that children should not be vaccinated against Covid or that the vaccines currently approved for use in children 12 years old and above are not safe," Vreeman wrote in an email. "The WHO is saying that the global priority should be on getting more adults vaccinated, since older adults are at the highest risk of serious complications and death from Covid-19."

"In the face of massive inequities in who has access to Covid-19 vaccines globally, the WHO advises that those at highest risk  older adults  be prioritized first," Vreeman wrote.

Recommendations of Covid vaccines for children in the U.S.

It's also important to consider that supplies of the Covid vaccines are no longer limited in the U.S., as they are in other parts of the world. So, having to ration the vaccine for only health care workers or those who are older or at higher risk for severe disease does not apply here. Remember, the WHO is a global organization, so its recommendations need to be applicable worldwide.

In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone age 12 and over receive a Covid vaccine. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been authorized for emergency use in the U.S. in children ages 12 to 18 and adults of all ages.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that children 12 and up receive a Covid vaccine.

So does Vreeman, who is a pediatrician.

"As a pediatrician in the United States, in a setting where the Covid-19 vaccine is widely available, I whole-heartedly recommend that children 12 years old and up receive the Covid-19 vaccination as soon as possible," Vreeman wrote in an email. "The data show that the vaccines are safe and effective for this age group, and we want to prevent the risks that Covid-19 does present to children."

Our ruling

An Instagram post and other posts across social media falsely claimed that the WHO recently reversed its stance on children receiving a Covid vaccine because the vaccines were "poison" and would be dangerous for children.

The WHO first posted its guidance for children and Covid vaccinations on April 8. That guidance did include the wording, "Children should not be vaccinated for the moment." But that wording was a reflection of the WHO saying that children should not be prioritized for vaccinations over other groups because in many countries supplies of vaccine are limited and health care workers, front-line workers, the elderly and those with high-risk medical conditions should have first dibs.

There's no evidence the WHO "reversed" its position on childhood Covid vaccination in the way the viral social media posts allege. The WHO updated its guidance on June 23 to reflect a meeting of one of its scientific advisory groups, which said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine could be safely given to children 12 and up. But this came after those misleading posts first appeared.

We rate this claim False.
The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) today said it is investigating four additional COVID-19 cases, involving patients who arrived from UK, Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Regarding a local case involving the L452R mutant strain, genetic analysis by the Public Health Laboratory Services Branch of the Department of Health revealed that the strain belongs to the Delta variant.

According to the CHP's preliminary investigations, the local case, a 27-year-old man, had received cargo flight crews at the airport and stayed in a specimen collection centre.

Comparison of the sequence of the case to the genomes from previous cases reported in Hong Kong showed that the genomes from it were identical to those of three imported cases.

These imported cases arrived from Indonesia via CX798 on June 11 and they were detected to have the L452R mutant strain. Two of them tested positive by the specimens collected at the department's Temporary Specimen Collection Centre in the airport.

Meanwhile, the CHP was notified by the UK health authority of a COVID-19 case in that country involving a 19-year-old woman.

She departed Hong Kong on June 13 to London via flight CX251. Her specimen collected on June 16 tested positive for the virus. She remains asymptomatic and repeated testing on June 22 was negative.

The CHP is following up on the case with the authority and the epidemiological investigations are ongoing.

As a safety measure, Tower 2, Springdale Villas in Yuen Long where the patient had resided will be put under a compulsory testing notice. People who had been there for more than two hours between May 31 and June 13 have to undergo testing by June 27.

In addition, the Government announced that two schools where upper respiratory tract infection and influenza-like illness have occurred are also covered in the compulsory testing notice and that some mobile specimen collection stations will extend their service period.

The centre also reminded people in relation to Wan Hang House, Wan Tau Tong Estate in Tai Po to undergo compulsory testing by tomorrow in accordance with the compulsory testing notice.

For information and health advice on COVID-19, visit the Governments dedicated webpage.
Funeral services for Thomas Armond "Tommy" Ritch, 72, will be Friday, June 11 at 11 a.m. from the Chapel of Kilgroe Funeral Home. Interment to followe at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Cemetery in Gallant. The family will receive friends on Friday from 10 a.m. until service time at funeral home
Gilbert J. Rake, 88, of Bonita Springs, FL passed away on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 with his loving wife by his side. He was born in Starlight, IN, son of Henry and Catherine Rake. Gil proudly served his country in the United States Army. Following the service, he worked as an accountant with
The Air Force has revised Instruction 36-2903 to address differences in hair density and texture. When hair is secured behind the head, the hair may extend 6 inches to the left and to the right and 6 inches protruding from the point where the hair is gathered. The 12-inch total width must allow for proper wear of headgear.
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com.
(Newser)  "I just wanted to have somebody to love me in my old age," 63-year-old Mariam Taha Thompson told a sentencing hearing this week. Prosecutors said that was a poor excuse for passing US military secretsincluding the names of informantsto a foreign national she knew had links to Hezbollah, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Thompson, a Defense Department linguist who had been stationed at a US Special Operations facility in Iraq, pleaded guilty in March to delivering classified national defense information to aid a foreign government. A man she was romantically linked with had asked for the information after the January 2020 airstrike that killed Iranian military commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani. She was sentenced to 23 years in prison Wednesday, the BBC reports.

story continues below

Thompson, who was born in Lebanon and became a US citizen in 1993, said she had met a Lebanese national on social media in 2017 and he had expressed interest in marrying her, according to court documents. She said she never met the man in person and admitted she was aware of his links to the militant group, CBS reports. Prosecutors said Thompson used her top-secret clearance to obtain dozens of classified files, including the identities of at least 8 "clandestine human assets," reports the Washington Post. Thompson pleaded for leniency, saying she hadn't meant to hurt anybody and wanted to spent time with her grandchildren before she died. Federal prosecutors asked for a 30-year sentence to reflect the "seriousness of her violation of the trust of the American people, of the human sources she jeopardized, and of the troops who worked at her side as friends and colleagues." (Read more espionage stories.)
(Newser)  At the height of the Cold War, the Pentagon and CIA were more than happy to let the public think unusual sights in the sky were caused by natural phenomena, not by secret aircraft they were developing. The possibility of aliens landing in the desert West also worked, the New York Times reports, to deflect from secret efforts by the Air Force and CIA to develop the capability of greater Soviet reconnaissance. But the CIA, at least, later had second thoughts. "The agency's understandable interest in concealing its role in some of the early UFO investigations ultimately proved to be counterproductive," a 1997 CIA report said, adding that "it just fed into later charges of conspiracy and cover up." The government could change direction this month, when it releases a report on the possibility of UFOs and aliens.

story continues below

The CIA worried then as now about the effects of Russian disinformation on the American public. The fixation on aliens could bring the wrong response in the event of a Soviet attack; Americans might swamp officials with alien invasion reports instead of taking shelter from an earthly threat. In some cases when UFOswhich the government now refers to as unidentified aerial phenomenahave been reported, government officials have been relatively open about what was going on, per the Times. But other times, they haven't been, to protect the secrecy of various military programs, leaving room for conspiracy theories to thrive. "Government secrecy has acted as a spur toward conspiratorial thinking, and it has aggravated that tendency in some sectors of the American public," said Steven Aftergood, a government secrecy expert for the Federation of American Scientists. It's not just limited to UFOs." (Read more UFOs stories.)
(Newser)  A federal court ruled Thursday that Baltimore's crime-fighting surveillance flights were unconstitutional and that police can't use any of the information gathered by the planes. The judges said the program violated the Fourth Amendment safeguard against illegal searches, the Verge reports. The planes' cameras were intended to record the movements of anyone in the city, though Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the system would be used only in the investigation of homicides, non-fatal shootings, armed robberies, and carjackings. The groups' suit on behalf of Black leaders said the surveillance program threatened Baltimore residents' privacy rights, per the AP.

story continues below

In the 8-7 decision, the 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals agreed. "Allowing the police to wield this power unchecked is anathema to the values enshrined in our Fourth Amendment," the chief judge wrote for the court, per the Baltimore Sun. A dissenting opinion called Baltimore, given its crime statistics, "one of the most dangerous cities in America. Yet somehow the majority sees oversurveillance as Baltimore's big problem." The city dropped the surveillance program earlier this year, but activists still sought a temporary injunction to shut it down and prevent the use of the camera footage. The court decided the case was not moot because the city still has that footage. The police department made no immediate comment on the ruling. (Read more Baltimore stories.)
(Newser)  Eli Lilly is nearly ready to take another shot at getting approval for a possible Alzheimer's drug. The drugmaker said Thursday that it plans to submit its potential treatment donanemab to the Food and Drug Administration later this year. The announcement comes a few weeks after the FDA approved a treatment from rival Biogen, Aduhelm, despite warnings from the agency's independent advisers that it hasn't been shown to help slow the brain-destroying disease. It's the first new Alzheimers drug in nearly 20 years and the only therapy that US regulators have said can likely alter the course of the disease, rather than temporarily ease symptoms like thinking problems, memory lapses, and anxiety. Both Aduhelm and Lilly's potential treatment help clear a protein called beta-amyloid from the brain.

story continues below

Lilly said that it will seek approval for donanemab based on results from a mid-stage clinical study of the drug involving 272 patients with an early form of the disease. Researchers said donanemab showed signs of slowing a decline in cognition and daily function for patients who took it compared to those who took a placebo or fake drug. The FDA gave donanemab a "breakthrough therapy" designation, which is intended to speed the development and review of drugs that show signs of being an improvement over established treatments. Lilly may be able to file its application for approval in the next two or three months since the drugmaker appears to have all the data it needs, said Dr. Vamil Divan, an analyst who covers the company for Mizhuho Securities USA. More than four years ago, Lilly said another potential drug it developed called solanezumab did not work better than a placebo in a study of over 2,100 people.

(Read more Alzheimer's Disease stories.)
(Newser)  The confirmed death toll in the Florida condo collapse rose to four on Friday, while the number of people unaccounted for rose from 99 to 159, reports WSVN. As rescuers continued the desperate search after the partial collapse of the condo building early Thursday, survivors and witnesses were starting to share stories of their horrifying experiences while loved ones were sharing the agony of waiting for news. "I have no hope," one man said through tears to USA Today at the reunification center set up by the Red Cross. His mother and grandmother live in Surfside's Champlain Towers South Condo. "We cant find him," a woman told the Miami Herald of her husband, who was in one of the units with his brother while his wife stayed with their daughter elsewhere. "He hasnt responded for 15 hours.  Maybe hes alive, I dont know." Survivors described hearing loud booms and feeling the building shaking before the tower came down. Video from inside one unit shows debris raining down before it goes black.

story continues below

Fifty-five of the building's 136 units were involved in the collapse. While 35 survivors were pulled from the two-story-high pile of rubble early on, the director of Miami-Dade Emergency Management said by 8am that all easily reachable people were believed to have been pulled from the rubble, and news of rescues was no longer coming in by later in the day. A search and rescue dog detected a woman buried under concrete in the morning, but rescuers later lost voice contact with her as they continued to work to free her. In another rescue, a mother and child were pulled out but the mother's leg had to be amputated. Officials say it's too early to say why the building collapsed, and experts say it could be years before there are answers. The building was undergoing a 40-year recertification for structural integrity at the time, and the inspector had visited Wednesday; the roof was also being redone. In the recent past, residents had complained about the building shaking as another nearby high-rise was being constructed. (The building that collapsed had reportedly been sinking for decades.)
(Newser)  The High Arctic experiences months of darkness in winter, which can pose a challenge for human inhabitants, just as it did for dinosaurs who occupied the region some 70 million years ago. Paleontologists have long wondered whether dinosaur species found along Alaska's North Slope migrated south in winter to evade the perpetual darkness and freezing temperatures. Now, the rare discoveries of hundreds of fossils from baby dinosaurs of many species, who were incapable of traveling long distances, offers "the strongest evidence yet that Alaskas dinosaurs stayed year-round," per Smithsonian. Baby dinosaur fossils are notoriously hard to find because they're so tinysome as small as "pinheads or dandruff flakes," one expert tells the Guardianand because young dinos were easy prey. But on cliffs along the Colville River, paleontologists hit the motherload.

story continues below

Over three decades, the Prince Creek Formation, the largest Cretaceous formation of baby dinosaur fossils in North America, has given up more than 100 bones and teeth from baby dinosaurs of seven species, per Live Science. "Not just one of the dinosaurs was nesting up there, but it looks like almost all of them, if not all of them," Florida State University palaeobiologist Gregory Erickson, co-author of the study published Thursday in Current Biology, tells the Guardian. These Arctic dinosaurs were likely warmblooded. Some studies suggest they grew quickly during the warm season and stopped growing in the cold season, "creating rings in their bones, similar to tree rings," per Smithsonian. But lead author Patrick Druckenmiller of the University of Alaska wants to dig deeper. "What food helped the herbivores survive in the winter?" he asks. "Did the small species burrow and hibernate?" (Read more dinosaurs stories.)
(Newser)  A fire swept through a martial arts school in central China early Friday, killing 18 people and injuring 16, authorities said. Most of the victims are believed be children who were staying at the school, Reuters reports. The county government says the person in charge of the Zhenxing Martial Arts Center in Shangqiu, Henan province has been arrested, reports the BBC. Four people were severely injured and 12 have light injuries, according to a short statement from authorities. Parents say they have been given very little information.

story continues below

"My kid is 9 years old, but I know nothing about his current situation. We can't see him or visit him," the father of one of the hospitalized children tells Reuters. "At Zhenxing, the kids would study and practice martial arts in the day and live there every night," the father says. The Beijing Youth Daily reported that all the students who boarded at the school were between ages 7 to 16. The article was republished by news and web search portals in China but had been deleted by noon, a common practice on matters Chinese authorities deem sensitive, the AP reports.

(Read more China stories.)
(Newser)  Former Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday defended his role in certifying the results of the 2020 election, saying he was proud of what he did on Jan. 6 and declaring that there is almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president. Pence, a potential 2024 presidential contender, delivered his strongest rebuttal to date of former President Trumps continued insistence that he could unilaterally overturn the results of the last election, even though the Constitution granted him no such power. Pence, in remarks at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, directly addressed those who continue to blame him for Trumps defeat to now-President Biden, the AP reports.

story continues below

Now there are those in our party who believe that, in my position as presiding officer over the joint session, that I possessed the authority to reject or return electoral votes certified by the states, he said. But the Constitution provides the vice president with no such authority before the joint session of Congress. And the truth is, theres almost no idea more un-American than the notion that any one person could choose the American president." Pence said he will "always be proud that we did our part, on that tragic day, to reconvene the Congress and fulfill our duty under the Constitution and the laws of the United States." It was Pences most overt attempt to date to distance himself from Trumps rhetoric about the election, but he also praised the former POTUS repeatedly during the speech.

(Read more Mike Pence stories.)
(Newser)  Roughly 650 US troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, US officials tell the AP. In addition, several hundred additional American forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September, to assist Turkish troops providing security, as a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said Thursday. Overall, officials said the US expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership and most troops out by July 4, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago. The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

story continues below

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before President Bidens Sept. 11 deadline for withdrawal. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months. Officials have repeatedly stressed that security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul is a critical requirement to keeping any US diplomatic staff in Afghanistan. Still, the decision to keep additional troops there for several more months makes it more complicated for the Biden administration to declare a true end to Americas longest war until later this fall. In a statement Thursday night, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that as Biden has ordered, the US will complete the withdrawal by early September. "Nothing has changed about that goal," Kirby said.

(Read more Afghanistan stories.)
(Newser)  Nikki Haley maintained that former President Trump was truthful and entirely fit for office during her tenure as his UN ambassador before flipping after the Capitol riot. Trump "lost any sort of political viability," she said earlier this year. "He went down a path he shouldnt have, and we shouldn't have followed him, and we shouldnt have listened to him. And we can't let that ever happen again." That was not at all her tone on Thursday, however. Speaking in front of a crowd of 500 at the Iowa Republican Party's Lincoln Dinner, Haley praised Trump yet again, saying she "saw firsthand as ambassador to the United Nations that Donald Trump put America first." She also stated his "Little Rocket Man" nickname for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un showed Trump had "a way of getting people."

story continues below

"Thank goodness for Donald Trump, or we never would have gotten Kamala Harris to the border," Haley "poked," per Politico, alluding to the vice president's Friday visit to the US-Mexico border ahead of Trump's planned visit on June 30. Haley also blasted Democrats' "socialist" agenda and criticized President Biden as "weak" on China. This comes as the former South Carolina governor considers a potential 2024 presidential run, though she said in April that she would step back and support Trump if he decided to run againanother deviation from her earlier claim that his political life was finished. CNN notes her criticism of Trump has complicated "her ability to win the allegiance of Trump's base voters if she decides to run." For now, Haley says she's only focused on electing a "conservative force" to Congress in the 2022 midterm elections. (Read more Nikki Haley stories.)
(Newser)  A Frenchwoman on trial for murdering her abusive husband, who was her abusive stepfather before he forced her to marry him, collapsed in court Friday after hearing how long prosecutors were asking for her to spend in prison. Valerie Bacot, now 40, could have seen life in prison after admitting to killing Daniel Polette, who she says started raping her when she was 12. But during courtroom proceedings on Friday, prosecutors asked for five years behind bars for Bacot, with four years suspendedmeaning, because she's already been in detention for a year, she'll likely walk away a free woman, per the Daily Beast. "When she understood what that means, she was stunned, she had a panic attack, and then fell ill," Bacot attorney Nathalie Tomasini told reporters.

story continues below

Bacot, whose bestselling memoir about her experiences was published in May, has admitted to fatally shooting Polette, who fathered her four children, in March 2016. During her trial, Bacot said she killed Polette partly because of her own abuse, which included being pimped out, but also because she feared Polette was grooming their 14-year-old daughter to become a prostitute as well. Prosecutor Eric Jallet said in court Friday that justice had to be served in the case, as "a criminal court stands for civilized values, foremost among which is the protection of life," reports the BBC. However, he acknowledged that Bacot was "very clearly" a victim as well, that she was not a likely risk to commit a crime like this again, and that her kids needed her. Tomasini, for her part, told CNN affiliate BFM that she was surprised at the prosecution's ask, as she'd been gearing up to ask for "leniency." Bacot was attended to by paramedics after fainting, and the verdict should be officially rendered later Friday. (Read more France stories.)
(Newser)  Derek Chauvin is going to prison for the murder of George Floyd. A judge in Minneapolis on Friday sentenced the former city police officer to 22 and a half years behind bars, reports the AP. Prosecutors had asked for 30 years, while Chauvin's legal team said he deserved only probation. The 45-year-old Chauvin was previously convicted of murder and manslaughter charges after he pinned his knee to Floyd's neck and kept it there for more than nine minutes during an arrest in May 2020. With good behavior, he could be paroled in 15 years. Prior to sentencing, Chauvin himself addressed the court, per the Star Tribune:

"At this time due to some additional legal matters at hand I'm not able to really give a full formal statement at this time," he said. "Briefly though, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. There's gonna be some other information in the future that would be of interest and I hope things will give you some peace of mind. Thank you."

story continues below

Examples of other statements before the sentencing, per CNN:

Chauvin's mother: "It's been difficult for me to hear and read what the media, public and prosecution team believe Derek to be an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person," said Carolyn Pawlenty. "I can tell you that is far from the truth." Chauvin is a "good man," she said.

"It's been difficult for me to hear and read what the media, public and prosecution team believe Derek to be an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person," said Carolyn Pawlenty. "I can tell you that is far from the truth." Chauvin is a "good man," she said. Floyd's brother: "On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty," said Terence Floyd. "We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We've been through that already... no, no, no, no."

"On behalf of me and my family, we seek the maximum penalty," said Terence Floyd. "We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist. We've been through that already... no, no, no, no." Floyd's daughter: 7-year-old Gianna Floyd delivered a victim impact statement via video. Asked what she would tell her father if she could see him again, she answered, "It would be I miss you and I love you."

7-year-old Gianna Floyd delivered a victim impact statement via video. Asked what she would tell her father if she could see him again, she answered, "It would be I miss you and I love you." Another brother: "Every day, I have begged for justice to be served, reliving the execution of George while others begged and pleaded for officer Chauvin to simply just allow George to take a breath," said Philonise Floyd. "I haven't had a real night's sleep because of the nightmares I constantly have, hearing my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again. Even saying, 'They're going to kill me, please, officer,' screaming for our mom.'"

"Every day, I have begged for justice to be served, reliving the execution of George while others begged and pleaded for officer Chauvin to simply just allow George to take a breath," said Philonise Floyd. "I haven't had a real night's sleep because of the nightmares I constantly have, hearing my brother beg and plead for his life over and over again. Even saying, 'They're going to kill me, please, officer,' screaming for our mom.'" More to come: This is far from the end of the Chauvin-Floyd saga. Chauvin will almost certainly appeal, plus he faces separate federal civil rights charges. And three other fired Minneapolis officers are awaiting trials of their own.

(Read more Derek Chauvin stories.)
(Newser)  The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the US, on Friday demanded a "thorough investigation" of his death, saying her husband didn't appear suicidal when they last spoke. Authorities in Spain are conducting an autopsy on McAfee's body but have said that everything at the scene in his cell indicated the 75-year-old killed himself, per the AP. "His last words to me were 'I love you and I will call you in the evening,'" Janice McAfee, who's said to have been married to John McAfee since 2013, told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona, where she recovered her late husband's belongings. She said they spoke earlier on the day he was found dead. "Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal," she added.

story continues below

John McAfee was arrested at the Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee who were seeking up to three decades of imprisonment for McAfee allegedly evading more than $4 million in taxes. The day before he was found dead, Spain's National Court had announced it was agreeing to his extradition to the US, but the decision wasn't final. "We had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision," Janice McAfee, 38, told reporters. "I blame the US authorities for this tragedy: Because of these politically motivated charges against him, my husband is now dead." The National Court judge said John McAfee had provided no evidence to back his allegations that he was being politically persecuted. Results of McAfee's autopsy could take "days or weeks," authorities have said.

(Read more John McAfee stories.)
(Newser)  Already under pressure over his handling of the pandemic and possible cronyism in awarding government contracts, Britain's health secretary has apologized after cameras apparently caught him embracing an aide. "I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances," Matt Hancock said in a statement Friday. "I have let people down and am very sorry." The Sun published the photos, which it said were taken last month and show him kissing Gina Coladangelo, CNN reports. The tabloid said the photos were taken in May, before England's rules allowed physical contact between members of different households. They were taken by a security camera, per NBC. The Sun reports Hancock and Coladangelo, whom it described as his friend and adviser, are having an extramarital affair, which renews the cronyism suspicions.

story continues below

Earlier in the pandemic, Hancock granted a contract for coronavirus test kits to a former neighbor. A judge ruled that Hancock was lax in not publishing timely information about pandemic contracts being awarded, per the BBC. A spokesperson for the opposition Labor Party called Hancock's position as health minister "hopelessly untenable" and said he should quit or be fired. "Ministers, like everyone, are entitled to a private life," the spokesperson said. "However, when taxpayers' money is involved or jobs are being offered to close friends who are in a personal relationship with a minister, then that needs to be looked into." Britain has Europe's highest COVID-19 death toll, more than 128,000. (Read more Britain stories.)
The movie recreates the couple's now-historic interview with Oprah Winfrey, as well as attempting to portray the pair's struggle to survive under the public pressure and constraints of the institution.

"I see you being literally being hounded to death, and I'm helpless to stop it," Harry's character tells Meghan in one scene.

"I am the person who is strong and gets things right," Meghan's character says at another stage.

The film advertises itself as the "movie event of the year", using the tagline "not all fairytales have the perfect ending".
"We hope that the Sydney visitor to Wellington was not one of these super-carriers even if infected with the more transmissible Delta variant," Rako chief science officer Dr Stephen Grice said.

"It is good news the visitor had a first vaccination shot as it's possible this reduced the risk of being a super-carrier, which supports Chris Hipkins' comment that it is a low risk but not no risk."

A Public Health England study published in the British Medical Journal backs this up, finding adults infected with COVID-19 three weeks after receiving one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine were 38-49 percent less likely to pass the virus on.

The study found protection against COVID-19 was seen from around 14 days after vaccination, with similar levels observed regardless of the age of cases or contacts.

However should the Sydney case prove to be a COVID-19 'supercarrier' - an individual carrying unusually high amounts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus - it could spell bad news for Wellington.

A Colorado University study found just 2 percent of COVID-19 cases carry 90 percent of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 virus in a population. That means most people with COVID-19 don't infect many if any others, but a few people infect others in large numbers.

"Coming in contact with a super-carrier is a game of chance so you have to continue to be careful. And some asymptomatic people are carrying a viral load as high as someone with COVID-19 who is very sick in hospital," Dr Grice said.

"If you do come into contact with a super-carrier there is much higher risk - and there is no difference whether they are coughing or not."
"Today marks five days since the Sydney case left Wellington," COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told reporters on Friday.

"That means that someone who was exposed during that time could have started to show symptoms by now so if you were at a location of interest and you've already had a negative test result earlier this week, that doesn't completely rule you out.

"So make sure you continue to monitor for symptoms for at least 14 days through until at least another week."

'Not out of the woods yet'

Cabinet will meet on Sunday virtually to discuss the current alert level restrictions.

"It's important that we all stay vigilant, and that includes people who were on the 195 Air New Zealand flights that took off from Wellington over the weekend and on Monday. That's flights across the country and trans-Tasman," Hipkins said.

Of the 1752 contacts, 532 have so far returned negative results, eight have gone back overseas, and the remaining 1212 are awaiting test results. More than 10,000 tests were processed on Thursday, but only just over 3700 were in Wellington.

"We're not out of the woods," said Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

The traveler had received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Australia, and Dr Bloomfield said it may have helped in preventing him from spreading the virus.

Hipkins said officials have been monitoring the situation in Australia closely.

"We keep a very close watch on Australia generally. We have a variety of different things we've set out in our trans-Tasman bubble guidance. We'll be watching that very closely over the next 24 to 48 hours," he said.

"We've obviously got a pause with New South Wales which we've just extended. I think today's announcement over there reinforces that that was the right thing to do when we made that decision.

"New South Wales do have a very good contact tracing system and they do lean heavily on their contact tracing system, so they are a bit slower to use those lockdown restrictions than other Australian states are."
After weeks of rumours and leaks, Microsoft finally unveiled the latest version of its operating system on Friday morning.

And while the screenshots of Windows 11 that circulated gave an accurate glimpse of the look and feel of the new software, there were still some surprises in the official announcement.

The biggest of those may have been the redevelopment of the newly-renamed Microsoft Store and, in particular, the addition of Android apps to it.

The partnership with Amazon and use of Intel's Bridge technology means shoppers will be able to search for apps in Windows and then buy them via Amazon's Appstore.
Fiji have edged the All Blacks Sevens on day two of the Oceania Sevens tournament in Townsville.

The defending Olympic champions led 14-7 at halftime, and hung on for the 21-19 win after New Zealand missed a penalty in added time.

The All Blacks Sevens had opened the tournament on Friday with a 28-5 win over Oceania before going on to edge Australia 24-21 in their second match.

On Friday, Michaela Blyde ran in a hat trick of tries to guide the world champion Black Ferns Sevens to a 51-0 demolition of the Oceania side.
Those living or working in four local government areas (LGAs) across Sydney have been told to stay home after another 22 community cases were detected in New South Wales (NSW).

In a press conference, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian issued stay-at-home orders for those in Woolhara, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney.

The new measures, which will be in place for a week, mean there are now only five reasons for people who live or work in those areas to leave home. These are:

if you can't work from home and you have to work outside of home; if you can't get educated at home and you have to get educated outside of home; if you exercise outside, although we don't want any more groups than 10; if you need to provide care or compassion to a relative; or if you need to buy essential goods or services.

"We appreciate what impact this will have significantly on businesses, especially in the CBD and those four council areas we've announced," Berejiklian said.
New Zealanders raised more than $100,000 for those families, the group delivering food parcels to help get them through, but not everyone can be reached.

"The fact is everyone's resources are constrained and we had hoped by now we would be in a better position, but unfortunately that is not the case, so we are trying as best we can to reach as many families as possible," Ali says.

Following the record number of daily cases on Friday, Secretary for Health Dr James Fong says the worst is yet to come.

"The metrics that my team uses to assess on a regular basis all indicate that we will see higher increases in daily case numbers."

On its current trajectory, Fiji is looking at 700 new cases each day, but despite repeated calls, a lockdown is not on the cards.

"If I believed there was a medical case to be made for a 24-hour curfew for 28 days for all of Viti Levu, Id advise the Prime Minister directly," says Dr Fong.

Opposition leader Biman Prasad says the Government is failing its people.

"Lockdown doesn't necessarily mean people are locked down in their houses, like in New Zealand you are allowed to access food and medicines.. that's the kind of lockdown we're calling for.

"This government is so arrogant, it doesn't care, it's a case of failed leadership at the top. The Prime Minister and Minister of Economy are missing in action."

Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has been quiet this week but on Friday did encourage people to get vaccinated posting a picture of his second jab to social media - while his country grapples with a deadly outbreak.
The largest ancient human skull ever found belongs to a new species previously unknown to science, according to three blockbuster papers published on Saturday (NZ time).

Homo longi, which translates to 'Dragon Man', is even more closely related to us than the Neanderthals according to Chris Stringer, a paleoanthropologist at the Natural History Museum in London.

He is one of the scientists behind a new study into a skull known as the 'Harbin cranium', which has been kept at the Geoscience Museum in Hebei GEO University.

Found in the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin in the 1930s, the skull is about the same size as a modern human's but has a wider mouth, "huge" teeth, thick brow ridges and - most curiously - massive, almost square-shaped eye sockets.

"The Harbin fossil is one of the most complete human cranial fossils in the world," said co-author Qiang Ji, a professor of paleontology of Hebei GEO University.

"This fossil preserved many morphological details that are critical for understanding the evolution of the Homo genus and the origin of Homo sapiens."
Rescue workers were treading carefully through the structurally unstable debris pile looking for survivors, removing rubble by hand while battling intermittent rainstorms and an ongoing fire that broke out at the site.

"I'm praying for a miracle," Rachel Spiegel, whose mother Judy Spiegel is missing, told CNN on Friday.

The last time Spiegel communicated with her mom was Wednesday night, when her mother excitedly texted her that she had bought a dress online for Spiegel's daughter, her granddaughter.

Hours later, early Thursday morning, a large section of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, a barrier island town across Biscayne Bay from the city of Miami, crumbled to the ground.

Video captured by a security camera nearby showed an entire side of the building suddenly folding in two sections, one after the other, at about 1:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) on Thursday, throwing up clouds of dust.

Dozens of people were gathered at a reunification site at the Surfside Community Center on Friday, where the scene was hectic with volunteers running around and people hugging to console each other.

Outside the center, Toby Fried held back tears when she said she last spoke to her brother Chiam "Harry" Rosenberg around midnight Wednesday. Rosenberg had lived in Champlain Towers for about a year and a half. He and his daughter Malki Weiss and her husband Beni Weiss, who were visiting him from Brooklyn in New York City, are all missing.

"They came to stay with him for a week on vacation," Fried said.

Joining the families searching for missing loved ones was Paraguay's first lady Silvana Lopez Moreira, who traveled to Florida because her sister, brother-in-law and their children were unaccounted for. The first lady's family owned a condo in the building, local media reported.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said on Friday that rescuers had heard sounds in the rubble overnight, but said it could be either falling debris or people tapping.

"We are listening for sounds, human sounds," Jadallah said.

'I grabbed the kids and our phones'

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said that 110 individuals whose whereabouts were initially unknown were since located and "declared safe."

"We still have hope that we will find people alive," the mayor said.

A fire official said earlier that 35 people were evacuated from the section of the high-rise left standing, and response teams using trained dogs and drones in the search pulled two individuals from the rubble. One of them was dead.

Survivor Janette Aguero, her husband and her two teenage children had been staying in her mother-in-law's apartment for vacation this week. Around 1:20 a.m. on Thursday, she was startled by what felt like an earthquake, she said. Her family ran down the stairwell to escape.

"A million things raced through my mind," Aguero said. "I grabbed the kids and our phones. That was the only thing we could take because everyone was telling us we had to get out."

"The room were my children slept is only 15 feet away from the section that collapsed," she said.

Cause unknown

US President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration in the state of Florida and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts.

"The president's action authorises the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts," the White House said on Friday.

What caused the 40-year-old high-rise to cave in was not immediately known, although local officials said the 12-story tower was undergoing roof construction and other repairs.

Satellite data from the 1990s showed the building was sinking about 1mm to 3mm per year while surrounding buildings remained stable, said Florida International University professor Shimon Wdowinski.

"Either the building is settling into the soil or maybe there is some compromise with the structure, a compromise within the building. We cannot really say," he said in a telephone interview. "I was very surprised, because I didn't expect that."

He said there is not sufficient data to show whether the movement continued since then.

Late Thursday night, a resident of the collapsed building filed what is believed to be the first lawsuit against the condominium, the Champlain Towers South Condominium Association.

Manuel Drezner said in the proposed class action that the collapse could have been avoided had the condominium made needed repairs and ensured it was safe.

He said the condominium should pay unit owners millions of dollars for their "unfathomable loss."

Officials said the complex, built in 1981, was going through a recertification process requiring repairs, with another building under construction on an adjacent site.

The Champlain Towers South had more than 130 units, about 80 of which were occupied. It had been subject to various inspections recently due to the recertification process and the adjacent building construction, Surfside Commissioner Charles Kesl told Miami television station WPLG Local 10.

Reuters
His meeting with Ghani comes as Taliban insurgents press a major offensive in Afghanistan, triggering growing concern in Congress for Afghan interpreters who worked for the US military during its two-decade-long engagement and fear Taliban reprisals after American troops depart.

The US officials did not disclose where the Afghans would be transported or say how many would be involved, but said the group consisted entirely of Afghans who have already started the visa process.

"Should it become necessary, we will consider additional relocation or evacuation options," one of the officials said.

US Representative Mike McCaul, speaking to Reuters after discussing the plan with administration officials, said the evacuees will comprise some 9,000 interpreters who have applied for Special Immigration Visas and their families.

"You are probably talking about 50,000 people. There's no way to expedite their visas in-country ... on a timely basis that would save their lives," said McCaul, the top Republican on the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs and a leading advocate of evacuating US-affiliated Afghans.

Countries that "could be on the table" to receive them include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, he said.

The operation "is going to involve a lot of planes," he said, adding that while it will create the "optics" that Afghanistan "is imploding ... the decision has been made to pull out our military forces and so this really needs to be part of the preparation and planning."

The Pentagon said the evacuation may not require the use of US military aircraft.

"It doesn't always have to entail US military aircraft to accommodate," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby told reporters.

He declined to speculate on how many people could be evacuated.

Fighting between US-backed Afghan forces and the Taliban has surged in recent weeks, with the militants gaining control of territory. The Pentagon now estimates the Taliban control 81 of the country's 419 district centers.

Political talks between the government and the Taliban have largely stalled and it is unclear how Afghan security forces will perform after US troops depart. The Taliban have assured Afghans who worked with foreign forces of their safety.

But as the clock ticks down, Afghans who have applied for visas increasingly fear that the insurgents will target them and their families, in retribution for helping foreign forces during America's longest war.

Samey Honaryar, a former Afghan interpreter who was granted asylum in the United States after his life was threatened, said at a news conference at the US Capitol on Thursday that time was running short for his compatriots.

"Please evacuate them," he said. "They were good people, they helped you."

The US military has completed more than half of its withdrawal from Afghanistan and is set to finish in the coming weeks. Officials say between 600 and 700 US troops are likely to remain to help provide security for diplomats at the US embassy in Kabul.

There is little time to process applications for special immigrant visas already filed by the roughly 9,000 Afghans, or the thousands of others who have formally expressed interest.

Although the US State Department has increased staffing, US officials say there is a limit to how fast a 14-step, multiple-agency process that includes security vetting can move without changes to legislation. If all goes well, a visa could normally be processed in nine to 12 months, officials say.

Administration officials say changes in legislation could accelerate the process, but its plans have been upended by the coronavirus pandemic, which has repeatedly forced the US embassy in Kabul to postpone visa interviews.

US Representative Seth Moulton, a Democrat and former Marine, introduced legislation on Thursday to help Afghans who worked for the United States. With Honaryar and other former interpreters, he told reporters he welcomed word of the planned evacuations.

"This is a good day in this story, but it is far from the final chapter," Moulton said.

Reuters
Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit here
The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

Letters to the editor

Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

One more ex-minister is facing the music in Bahrain, days after another had his jail terms in a dud cheque case. This time around, the ex-minister is in the dock for illegal possession of amounts, which a court ruling found was rightfully owned by his sons widow and his granddaughter.

The ex-ministers sons widow proved her right to the money ten years ago in a court case. The lawsuit accused the ex-minister of refusing to pay the woman and her daughter their share in a real estate company, villa and a shop owned by her husband.

The lawsuit demanded paying the woman and her daughter 48,000 dinars from the proceeds of a villa and a shop in Isa Town from September 2012 to December 2020.

BD9,248 being the womans share, and the remaining BD 38,844 her daughters. Similarly, from July 2009 to December 2020, the woman and her daughter demanded the ex-minister pay 141,570 dinars. (BD 27,225 for the woman and 114,345 dinars for her daughter).

The woman had also filed another lawsuit demanding the ex-minister and his two daughters to pay their share from the profit of a real estate company owned by her husband.

Following trials, the court ordered the minister and his two daughters to pay 108,420 dinars to the woman and her daughter. The new case surfaces a few days after Tribune reported that a former minister received prison terms of two-and-a-half years in a dud-cheque case after Bahrains Court of Appeal upheld a previous ruling. The appeals court upheld two earlier rulings after finding him guilty of issuing dud cheques with bad intentions.

The ex-minister got into trouble after issuing a cheque of 160,000 dinars ($427,000) to his friend, which got bounced. The court also upheld a six-month jail term for issuing another cheque of 18,300 dinars ($49,000) to a commercial establishment, which also got bounced.


Thank you for trusting us for your local news coverage. You have reached the maximum number of free articles per month. Subscribe today for unlimited access to News-Press NOW. It's a fast and easy way to support local journalism.
From concerts to parades, festivals and more, News-Press NOW is the place to find out about events in the community.

Subscribe for only 25/ week.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's new election law, alleging Republican state lawmakers rushed through a sweeping overhaul with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot.

Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday in announcing the lawsuit.

Republican lawmakers in the state pushed back immediately, pledging a forceful defense of Georgia's law.

The Biden administration's move comes two weeks after Garland said his department would scrutinize new laws in Republican-controlled states that tighten voting rules. He said the federal government would take action if prosecutors found unlawful activity.

The suit also comes as pressure grows on the Biden administration to respond to GOP-backed laws being pushed in the states this year. A Democratic effort to overhaul election laws was blocked this week by Republican senators.

As of mid-May, 22 restrictive laws had passed in at least 14 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which researches voting and supports expanded access. Justice Department officials hinted that prosecutors were looking at other voting laws across the United States and warned that the government would not stand by if there were illegal attempts to restrict voter access.

The increased enforcement of voting rights laws also signals that President Joe Biden and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke are making good on a promise to refocus the department around civil rights after a tumultuous four years during the Trump administration. Clarke was one of the nations leading civil rights attorneys before her nomination to lead the department's civil rights division.

Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, said he would contest the suit. The Republican official was harshly criticized by then-President Donald Trump and his allies for rebuffing efforts to challenge the outcome of the state's vote in the 2020 election. Raffensperger largely supported the new law and faces a primary challenge from a congressman backed by Trump.

The Biden Administration has been spreading lies about Georgias election law for months," Raffensperger said in a statement. "It is no surprise that they would operationalize their lies with the full force of the federal government. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court.

Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Ga., called the Justice Department's lawsuit legally and constitutionally dead wrong and said the accusations made by prosecutors were baseless and quite honestly, disgusting.

Today, the Biden Justice Department launched a politically motivated assault on the rule of law and our democracy, he said at a news conference.

While much of the more controversial aspects of Georgia's new voting law were dropped before it was passed, it is notable in its scope and for newly expansive powers granted to the state over local election offices.

The bill, known as SB 202, also adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots, shortens the time period for requesting a mailed ballot and results in fewer ballot drop boxes available in metro Atlanta  provisions that drew the challenge from the federal government.

The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum," Clarke said. "These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress.

The lawsuit also takes aim at another controversial measure  a ban on the distribution of food and water by various groups and organizations to voters standing in line to cast a ballot. Democrats say the support is needed to encourage voters who find themselves in long lines. Republicans argue the measure is needed to prevent unlawful electioneering from happening at polling places.

In 2020, just two states had ID requirements for voters requesting a mailed ballot. Along with Georgia, lawmakers in Florida have also passed a law requiring additional identification for mail voting. Clarke described the Georgia law as adding new and unnecessarily stringent identification requirements to mail voting.

In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the states most populous communities.

For the entire metro Atlanta area, Democrats estimate the number of drop boxes will fall from 94 last year to no more than 23 for future elections based on the new formula of one drop box per 100,000 registered voters.

Clarke noted that metro Atlanta is home to the largest Black voting-age population in the state.

The NAACP and civil rights leaders such as Stacey Abrams applauded the administration's step. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Georgias law was a blatant assault on the American peoples most fundamental and sacred right, the right to vote.

The law already is the subject of seven other federal suits filed by civil rights and election integrity groups that raise a number of claims under the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in voting.

The Supreme Court also is weighing a voting rights dispute from Arizona that predates last years election in which the court could again significantly cut back on the use of the voting rights law.

Eight years ago Friday, the high court removed the Justice Departments most effective tool in combating discriminatory voting laws: the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination, mostly in the South, obtain advance approval of any voting changes from the government or a court.

The department also announced Friday that it was creating a task force and advising FBI and U.S. attorneys to prioritize investigations of threats against election officials.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Mark Sherman in Washington and Kate Brumback and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
BERLIN (AP)  The German government on Friday hinted at possible tweaks to an agreement between the European Union and Britain on how to set border controls with Northern Ireland. The move could help resolve a long-running dispute between Brussels and London.

Angela Merkel's spokeswoman said the chancellor plans to travel to Britain next week for talks with U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer avoided replying directly to a question on what Germany thinks of the EU executive arm's implied willingness to impose punitive tariffs if Britain doesn't comply with the Brexit deal.

But she cited Merkel's comments at the recent Group of Seven meeting in Cornwall, at which the German leader had called for pragmatic solutions" within the framework of the accord, especially on border checks between Britain and Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the U.K. that borders the 27-nation bloc. The debate over exactly where to conduct customs controls has raised political tensions in the territory where some people identify as British and some as Irish.

Demmer said that Merkel had spoken out in favor of considering where one can improve matters if it better serves the citizens in Northern Ireland.

Merkel's trip next Friday to Chequers  the British prime minister's country retreat  will be one of the last bilateral trips of her 16-year chancellorship. The 66-year-old is not running for a fifth term in Germany's national election on Sept. 26.

Germany has imposed strict quarantine rules for travelers coming from Britain due to concerns about the highly contagious delta variant of COVID-19 that's dominant there. But Demmer said all precautionary measures would be taken during Merkel's trip and that there would be only limited contacts.

Merkel recently received her second dose of vaccine against COVID-19.
The White House said in a statement that these actions demonstrated their commitment to imposing additional costs on the People's Republic of China (PRC) for engaging in cruel and inhumane forced labor practices.

The trade of solar panel materials from a Chinese company was banned by the US Government on Thursday for alleged usage of forced labor within the Xinjiang Region. The White House quoted in a statement that Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. based in Xinjiang would not be selling its products anymore into the United States due to information reasonably indicating that Hoshine allegedly used forced labor in the manufacturing of silica-based products.

The Commerce Department claimed that Xinjiang based other organizations and Hoshine would be susceptible under strict restrictions on their dexterity to use to gain US commodities, software and technology due to their participation in forced labor.

The White House said in a statement that these actions demonstrated their commitment to imposing additional costs on the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) for engaging in cruel and inhumane forced labor practices. The White House also accentuated on the usage of forced labor as a part of Beijing systematic efforts to digress Uyghurs and other minorities in the west region. It also includes sexual harassment and giant-scale of detentions in labor camps.

The imposed ban on the import of Hoshine solar panel material will also include a ban against the traders of cotton products, tomato products and hair products from various regions. Companies whose trade are banned in the US includes two traders and producers of polysilicon material essentials of the solar panel industry Xinjiang Daqo New Energy and Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Technology.

The cotton related business also impacted adversely with the imposed ban, Xinjiang Production and Construction Cops and Xinjiang East Hope Non Ferrous Metals, Aluminium producer are also in the list of trade banned by the Commerce Department.
As Connecticut opens up and more people are vaccinated, many may want to celebrate with their loved ones. But what happens if they don't feel entirely comfortable being indoors yet?

"Things are getting better, but people still feel very comfortable outside," said Nicole Pedonti, co-owner of Pause and Picnic, a company that arranges picnics in parks, beaches or backyards.

Following a national trend, luxury picnic service companies around Connecticut have begun to appear. "We saw a little bit of this happening on the west coast," said Michaela Morin, co-owner of The CT Picnic Co., a full-service picnic business based in Hartford that started during the pandemic.



According to the Washington Post, this pandemic trend is happening across the country and people are "splurging on decadent pop-up picnics, shelling out as much as $3,000 for attendants to cook, serve and clean while partyers take their leisure on soft white rugs and pose for pictures." In Connecticut, the cost for these services ranges from $160 to $700.

And the look of these picnics isn't your standard red checkered table cloth and wicker basket. "Event organizers are using Instagram to show off tables covered in linens, candles and fine china, in idyllic redwood and beachfront settings," the Washington Post article goes on to describe.

Chandeliers hang from wooden canopies. Upscale marketers and influencers are hyping their picnic displays on social media."

Jennie Julio, for example, owner of Luxury Picnic Co., based in Fairfield County, offers high-end picnics, including materials from stores such as Anthropologie and Pottery Barn.

So far, the response to these luxury picnics has been positive in Connecticut, according to multiple owners. "I've had like very satisfied customers," said Rashea Banks, owner of southwestern Connecticut-based CT XOXOXO Luxury Picnics.

"I feel like after this year we all deserve a rest and relaxation," she said.



Check out seven luxury picnic services here in Connecticut.



The Picnic Gals The Picnic Gals offer picnic services around Connecticut. Contributed by The Picnic Gals Taylor Montimny and Jess Fontaine founded The Picnic Gals as a way to use their creative skills and offer a COVID-19 safe way to gather with loved ones. "They [the clients] are able to use us to create that intimate experience," said Montimny. Serving: Southeastern Connecticut Starting price: $160 Max party members: 10 Add-ons: Charcuterie boards, games, birthday decor, etc.

The CT Picnic Co The CT Picnic Co. was founded by sisters Olivia Morin and Michaela Morin. Contributed by The CT Picnic Co. The CT Picnic Co. was founded by sisters Michaela and Olivia Morin. "We wanted to create a safe environment for family and friends to gather and be in touch with each other but still be on safe and social distancing," said Michaela Morin. Serving: All Connecticut Starting price: Contact for pricing Max party members: 13 Add-ons: Balloon decor, custom desserts, flower arrangements, etc.

CT XOXOXO Luxury Picnics CT XOXOXO Picnics Luxury Picnics serves the Southeast of the state. Contributed by CT XOXOXO Luxury Picnics Rashea Banks started CT XOXOXO Luxury Picnics while completing her nursing degree. "[Families] are just able to like, enjoy the beaches enjoy the parks without having to do too much work," she said. Serving: Southwestern Connecticut Starting price: $179 Max party members: 20 Add-ons: Boho umbrella, photoshoot, extra time, etc. (Starting June 27, CT XOXOXO will offer luxury picnics in Aquilas Nest Vineyard, located in Newtown.)

Luxury Picnic Co. Luxury Picnic Co. offers services in Fairfield county. Contributed by Luxury Picnic Co Jennie Julio said she founded Luxury Picnic Co. because she is passionate about event planning and was inspired by similar companies on the west coast. The picnic company distinguishes itself by using high-end brands such as Anthropology and Pottery Barn. "It's been a really great response and it's really fun to see people when they walk onto the beach, how excited they are," said Julio. Serving: Fairfield county Starting price: $250 Max party members: 10 Add-ons: Tents, time, Tamarack chairs, etc.

Gathered East View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gathered East (@gatheredeast) Serving: Connecticut and Rhode Island Max party members: No limit Add-ons: Individual "graze boxes" (boxes full of snacks or treats)

Luxe CT Picnics View this post on Instagram A post shared by @luxectpicnics Serving: Hartford county and surrounding areas Starting price: $200 Max party members:6 Add-ons: Citronella candles, games, food pickup, etc.
HAMDEN  He was nothing if not a fighter for what he believed in, and those who knew him say he modernized the Hamden Police Department, even as he and his pet birds ruffled some feathers along the way.

A giant in the towns history, former police Chief John Jack Ambrogio died last weekend. He was 87.

When you put Jack in perspective, what stands out in my mind is the incredible nerve it took to take on the most powerful people, said Hugh Keefe, Ambrogios attorney of 35 years. He didnt have any reluctance to go to battle.

Twice, those battles made headlines and threatened Ambrogios job, according to previous Register stories. But he came out on the winning side each time, holding his post as top cop for nearly a quarter century and retiring in 1998.

/ Hearst Connecticut Media file

And at least for a time, the chief kept parrots in his office - either two cockatiels or a cockatiel and a parakeet, depending on which report you read.

A town health inspection Okd the avian residents even after a deputy chief complained about them in 1988.

Though the birds became part of Ambrogios lore, they were just a blip in his long legacy.

He joined the department in the 1950s, becoming chief in 1974.

Ambrogios career literally touched every single era of the history of our departmentwhich spans just about a hundred years, said former police Chief Thomas Wydra, one of Ambrogios successors. His influence is profound on the agency.

A lasting legacy

The former chief was beloved by his family. Daughter Pam Doolan said in a written statement Friday the family was truly heartbroken.

He was the rock of our family. A loving husband to my mom; a wonderful father  and an amazing grandfather to his grandchildren whom he adored and who all enjoyed nothing more than spending time with him sharing their many mutual interests, she said. The love and support from his fellow officers, friends and the Hamden community are a comfort to us all.

As for his impact on local policing, the sheer length of time Ambrogio headed the department awed Wydra, who left in 2018.

My time as chief was 12 years and his was virtually double that in terms of length, and I dont know how he did it, he said. It is an incredibly demanding job.

Brian Zahn /Hearst Connecticut Media /

The department did not have a policy manual when Ambrogio became chief, according to Wydra.

What they had were a collection of directives in writing issued over many years, and as I understand it, (Ambrogio) took those documents and blended them into a formal rules and regulations manual that was issued in 1975, he said. When he became the chief, he sought to and did professionalize the department. Theres no disputing that.

Wydra described the chief as progressive-minded when it came to training officers. He recognized the need for specialty curricula that dealt with subjects such as mental illness, Wydra said.

The training, curricula and schedule embedded in the department today has existed for four or five decades, and he played a key role in establishing it, he said, calling Ambrogios influence on training a part of his lasting legacy.

/ Hearst Connecticut Media file

Robert Nolan, Ambrogios immediate successor as chief of police, joined the force in 1971. He said he watched Ambrogio introduce specialized units, including a street crime unit that did narcotics investigations, a traffic unit that handled safety issued and investigated accidents, and a victim services unit.

He was fearless when it came to the use of new technologies. Nolan remembered when Ambrogio suggested he try using a fax machine, which at the time seemed like a big deal.

He was open to moving forward with thingsthat was a big thing, that fax machine, Nolan said, adding that Ambrogio was looking to the future.

Chief Ambrogio brought the department to where it is today, said Lewis Panzo, a friend of Ambrogios who also sat on the Legislative Council between 1985 and 1991. He just had vision.

Michael Iezzi, the current chairman of the police commission, served his first term on the board when Ambrogio was chief.

He was an innovator, Iezzi said.

Ambrogio also was a dear friend to Iezzi - and to Panzo, who said he frequently called Ambrogio for advice over the years.

He was always there for me, Panzo said. He was a friend, he would help you in any way he possibly could. And if you werent a friend, watch out.

Strong-willed

Even those who adored Ambrogio acknowledged he was at times controversial.

I think he did a lot of things people just didnt like, and they were things that needed to be done, Panzo said. He was very strong-willed. They werent gonna tell him what to do.

In Panzos view, Ambrogio was on the right side of the controversies.

He was controversial, Panzo said. He was. But he was always right on in ...what he said and what he did.

Michael Iezzi /Contributed

Former Mayor John Carusone said he still thinks he should have won an issue with Ambrogio during which he fired the chief in 1989 but that was then overruled by a judge.

Basically with Jack he has his own way of doing things. No matter what it ishes gonna do it his way, Carusone said. He won and I lost, and the bottom line is I should not have lost.

Keefe, Ambrogios attorney who also represented him in other controversies, said no matter what technical reason the judge used to rule in his clients favor, he recognized that the termination was wrong.

A big loss

Ambrogio inspired fierce loyalty.

He had a tremendous following in the New Haven area, Keefe said. People admired his you-know-what.

Hundreds attended his retirement dinner in 1998, according to Iezzi, the police commissioner.

During the legal battle with Carusone, Iezzi headed up a group called Concerned Citizens for Chief Ambrogio, which reportedly had 300 members in 1990.

While the former chief sometimes clashed with the police union, those who followed in Ambrogios footsteps deeply admired him.

I found him to be a very strong leader and a very fair leader to work for, and I worked for him for a lot of years, said Nolan, Hamdens police chief after Ambrogio. He was a man that was dedicated to the town of Hamden and the police department I consider him one of the finest men Ive ever had the pleasure of knowing and working for.

Current Chief of Police John Sullivan said the department last year dedicated the chiefs office to Ambrogio.

Trying to fill his shoes is almost impossible, Sullivan said. Its a big loss for me, and for this department and the town.

In a way, Ambrogios legacy lives on in department leadership - it was Ambrogio who hired Sullivan in 1995.

Carusone also said, Jack Ambrogio was a (heck) of a part of Hamden history.

meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP)  The medical charity Doctors Without Borders said Friday it was horrified by the brutal murder of three colleagues in Ethiopias Tigray region, the latest attack on humanitarian workers helping civilians in the deadly conflict there.

A statement by the aid group, also known by its French acronym MSF, said two Ethiopian colleagues and one from Spain were found dead Friday, a day after colleagues lost contact with them while they were traveling.

This morning the vehicle was found empty and a few meters away, their lifeless bodies, the statement said.

We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding of what happened, MSF added, calling it unthinkable that the three  emergency coordinator Maria Hernandez, assistant coordinator Yohannes Halefom Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael  paid for their work with their lives.

In a statement, Ethiopias foreign ministry expressed condolences for the deaths it said occurred in the town of Abi Addi, and it suggested that Tigray fighters were to blame. It also called for military escorts  a thorny issue for many aid groups because Ethiopian forces, like all sides in the conflict, have been accused of abuses.

Another MSF team was attacked in March after witnessing Ethiopian soldiers pulling men off two public buses and shooting them dead. Soldiers beat the MSF driver and threatened to kill him, the aid group said at the time.

This latest attack occurred amid some of the fiercest fighting in Tigray since the conflict began in November. This week Ethiopia's military acknowledged carrying out an airstrike on a busy market in Tigray that health workers said killed several dozen civilians. The military claimed it was targeting combatants.

Ethiopian soldiers detained six victims of the airstrike en route to a hospital and three were later released, a regional health official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. The three who are still being detained  two women and a 15 year-old boy  were not receiving medical care, said the official who added, this is very desperate. It's unclear why they're held.

The conflict in Tigray has been deeply challenging for humanitarian workers who have pleaded for better access to the region since the fighting began, with Ethiopian forces backed by ones from neighboring Eritrea pursuing Tigrays former leaders.

At least 12 aid workers have now been killed since the conflict began.

Death by starvation is another looming crisis in Tigray. On Friday the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, tweeted that terrifying new findings show that up to 900,000 people in the region now face famine conditions, with millions more at risk.

The United Nations on Thursday warned that at least 33,000 children in inaccessible parts of Tigray are severely malnourished and face imminent death without immediate help.

Meanwhile, Ethiopia awaits the results of Monday's national election, the first test at the polls for Abiy who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. a year after taking office. He now stands accused by critics of backsliding on political reforms.

Abiy's government has said the election would be the first free and fair one in Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country. But on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the vote was not free or fair for all Ethiopians, citing opposition boycotts, detentions of political leaders and insecurity in various parts of the country.

The statement also called for a cease-fire in Tigray and the withdrawal of Eritrean forces, who have been accused by witnesses of atrocities including gang-rapes and massacres.

In separate statement Friday, the European Union and 12 countries including Britain and Japan described problematic conditions regarding Monday's election and urged a national dialogue to de-escalate conflict.

___

This version corrects to say the airstrike victims were detained en route to a hospital, not at the hospital.
PARIS (AP)  European leaders may have breathed audible sighs of relief when U.S. President Joe Biden visited them last week to proclaim the Trump era over, but they are giving his top diplomat even more effusive welcomes.

As Antony Blinken tours traditional American allies this week, senior European officials are treating him like the rock star he once aspired to be for simply representing the shift from former President Donald Trump.

Policy differences, some of them significant, have been largely tossed aside for what appear to have become mutual celebrations of Biden's anti-Trump persona in western Europe.

Top diplomats in Germany and France dropped all diplomatic caution in expressing their glee that Trump is no longer in charge on the other side of the Atlantic as they welcomed Blinken to their countries on Thursday and Friday. Similar sentiments are expected from Italian officials when Blinken travels to Rome on Sunday.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas rejoiced that America is back on our side again while French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian hailed the end of Trump's four years in office during which he said Europe alone was left to shoulder the burden of international responsibility and leadership.

In Blinken, Europe is encountering a French-fluent soulmate who spent his formative years living and attending high school in Paris and traveling in the 1970s and 80s, a time he recalls with deep fondness and affection for most things European.

It's far cry from his predecessor, Mike Pompeo, whose previous European experience was serving as a tank commander in West Germany in the waning years of the Cold War. And, like his boss, Pompeo regarded Europe largely as an overly dependent annoyance, and held little regard for the European predilection for multilateralism and consensus.

Pompeo prided himself on challenging long-held European beliefs and often spoke longingly of a speech he once delivered in Brussels in which he trashed the United Nations, the European Union and other multilateral institutions before an audience with a vested interest in them.

Blinken is the literal opposite, championing cooperation and close relationships with some of America's longest-standing allies.

Sharing a beer with Maas before a group of young German exchange students at a restored 1920s Berlin dance hall, Blinken spoke of a teenage road trip he and friends had taken from Paris to Hamburg, where they tried unsuccessfully to follow The Beatles into rock music history. That didnt happen, he said wryly.

Anyway, I have extremely warm and strong and long memories of being in Germany and having very close friends, he said, before proclaiming that he and Maas are in violent agreement on most issues.

Maas, who had a notoriously testy relationship with Pompeo, could barely contain his excitement at having a new interlocutor, one with whom he spent several hours over the course of four joint events in less than two days.

From the very first telephone conversation we had after Tony took the office of secretary of state, at the end of the telephone call I couldnt help myself by saying Tony, I still have to get used to the fact that I can speak to the American foreign secretary and always be of the same view because that used to be different beforehand,' Maas said.

Maas hailed Biden's election as a genuine game-changer for international politics, the biggest for quite a while.

The United States are back on the international stage and that is really something that we missed, he said on Thursday.

A day later, Le Drian offered Blinken similarly warm remarks of relief and appreciation.

Welcome back," Le Drian said. It is excellent news for all of us that America is back. It is a comeback to the values that we share, it is a comeback to the multilateralism that we built together and it is our responsibility to continue with it intensively. This is what France and the Europeans had to fight for alone for four very long years.
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Mississippi:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves temporarily suspended evictions for two months at the start of the pandemic in the spring of 2020. The CDC moratorium is the only current protection in place for renters.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Earlier this year, Mississippi received $200 million in federal emergency rental assistance. Approximately $186 million of that funding is flowing through the Mississippi Home Corporation's Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program.

The money can go toward 15 months of rent and other expenses, such as utilities and home energy costs, including electricity, gas, water and sewer trash removal. The funding can't be used to pay telephone, cable or internet bills, however.

To qualify, renters must make no more than 80% of their area's median income.

Mississippi Home Corporation Executive Director Scott Spivey said the agency has received more than 15,000 applications for assistance.

Mississippi's two most populous counties  Hinds County in the Jackson metro area and Harrison County on the Mississippi Gulf Coast  also received $7 million each to distribute to renters in need.

Additionally, the state received $18 million in rental assistance from a pot of funds called the Emergency Solution Grants (ESG) program at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The state usually receives around $2 million in Emergency Solutions Grants a year. The money is targeted for rapid rehousing for people who are in danger of becoming homeless.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Evictions in the Jackson metro area are being held remotely through the Justice Court System unless the judge requests individuals show up in person.

The CDC moratorium has meant that many eviction lawsuits have been stayed. However, not all courts and landlords refrained from filing evictions.

Jackson-area property owners filed evictions against 3,257 families from Sept. 4, 2020  when the CDCs moratorium went into place  to June 15, 2021, according to Hinds County Justice Court Clerk Patricia Woods. The landlords secured warrants of removal against nearly 500 renters.

Attorney Sam Buchanan, executive director of the Mississippi Center for Legal Services, said because the moratorium only prevented evictions due to nonpayment of rent, landlords continued to pursue evictions on other grounds.

Whether or not they were initiated to circumvent the moratorium, I cannot say definitely, but that is what we will be suspicious of, he said.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Mississippi has some of the least expensive rents overall in the United States  and the poorest residents. The average cost for a two-bedroom apartment was $774 a month in 2020, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. That's compared to $1,922 a month in California. However, renters living in a two-bedroom apartment in Mississippi were estimated to make $14.89 an hour, on average, compared to $36.96 an hour in California, according to the coalition.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Mississippi. Buchanan, of the Mississippi Center for Legal Services, said he expects to see a surge. Spivey said his team has been trying to reach out to landlords to educate them on the available rental assistance and encourage them not to evict.

We're trying to tell them, it's counterproductive for landlords to give up rent, he said. If they evict, theyre not entitled to the past rent that they were due. Were not going to pay them if theres nobody in the unit.

One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 37,266 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.
BEIJING (AP)  A fire swept through a martial arts school in central China early Friday, killing 18 people and injuring 16, authorities said. Children may be among the victims.

The fire has been extinguished, and police have detained the person in charge of the school.
(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

Nancy Costello, Michigan State University

(THE CONVERSATION) A Supreme Court decision saying a school district could not punish a student for profane complaints made on a weekend and off school grounds will not stem the torrent of crude, disrespectful speech in American society.

In 2017, high school sophomore Brandi Levy tried out for and failed to make the varsity cheerleading squad at Mahanoy Area High School in Pennsylvania. She made the junior varsity team instead.

The angry 14-year-old turned to social media to vent her frustration. She posted to Snapchat a photo of herself with a middle finger raised and a caption that read, F school, f softball, f cheer, f everything.

She posted the message online on a weekend, not during the cheerleading season, while hanging out with a friend at a convenience store. A screenshot of the self-deleting message was shown to school officials, who suspended Levy from cheerleading for the next year.

Claiming their daughters First Amendment free-speech rights had been violated, Levys parents sued the school district. Hailed as the most significant case involving free-speech rights of students to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 50 years, it ended with court ruling that Levys First Amendment rights had been violated, though justices also said there were other circumstances in which the school could punish students for things they say off-campus.

Civic engagement or rhetorical weapon?

As a First Amendment expert, I see this ruling as a victory for First Amendment rights. But as a citizen and teacher troubled by the demise of civil discourse in the U.S., I am aware that the courts ruling does nothing about the growing problem of ill-mannered, even toxic speech  by students and adults. The problem runs much deeper than posting F-bombs online.

Many Americans use the First Amendment not as a tool of civic engagement but as a weapon to avoid consequences for voicing hateful, repulsive or profane expression. At a time when most young Americans prefer to communicate by text or social media, rather than face-to-face interaction, civil discourse is withering.

But it is not the role of the Supreme Court to prescribe civility  or ban incivility. Thats up to us, and I believe its clear that Americans need to know more about the First Amendment, and practice in-person interaction, to properly understand how free speech can be a productive part of civil discourse.

Free speech is complex

In a 2018 Knight Foundation survey of almost 10,000 high school students, 89% supported the right to express unpopular opinions; however, only 45% believed people have the right to express speech that others considered offensive. A survey of college-age students produced similar results.

Some commentators have suggested these contradictory results show there is a philosophical conflict in balancing free-speech protections with a respect for diversity and inclusion.

But something else could be true: Young people  and Americans as a whole, of all ages  simply may not understand First Amendment free-speech rights.

The First Amendment protects a broad spectrum of speech, even speech that offends and makes people feel uncomfortable, because a thriving democracy depends on cultivating a vigorous marketplace of ideas. Citizens should ponder and sift the merits and pitfalls of diverse ideas to make good public policy.

In a 2018 survey by the Freedom Forum Institute, a nonprofit advocacy group promoting the First Amendment, 40% of adults interviewed could not name even one right guaranteed by the First Amendment. By 2019, that number dropped to 29%, but still thats about 1 in 3 Americans who dont know the first thing about the First Amendment.

First Amendment lessons

As knowledge about the First Amendment has waned, so has training in this fundamental constitutional right.

In 2006, 72% of high school students surveyed by the Knight Foundation reported having taken a class that studied the First Amendment. But 12 years later, in 2018, that percentage had dropped to 64%.

Coupled with a decline in young peoples knowledge about free-speech rights comes a decline in their interest in face-to-face verbal communication.

In 2012, 49% of teenagers preferred talking in person, with 42% preferring texting or other tech-driven communication. And 34% were on social media multiple times a day. By 2018, though, 61% of teenagers surveyed preferred texting or using social media to talking in person. And 70% were on social media more than once a day, with 16% saying they use social media almost constantly.

I expect that after a year of pandemic-related separation and isolation, even more teens will feel more comfortable with digital communication and less interested in in-person conversations. The result? Teenagers who mature into adults are less interested in, and less adept at, the primary form of communication for the human species  talking face to face.

In-person interaction is key

The seemingly random, aimless conversations teens can have while strolling through a shopping center, while gaming together or over a burger actually serve an extremely important role. It is in the real-time conversational experience that people learn whether something they say is well received or offensive.

When speaking in person, they can read a friends facial expression, body language and emotions and think to themselves, Uh-oh, maybe I shouldnt have said that, or said it differently. Instead, I should have said .

As young people mature, most learn through this process to say things less bluntly, less dismissively and with more mutual respect. Face-to-face conversation cultivates reflection and, with practice, the art of civil discourse.

Fostering real exchange

But when 70% of teenagers are primarily engaging with other people and the world online, it is easy for them to impulsively send words and images into the ether, never knowing how bluntly or cruelly their messages strike others.

Social media is a good place for personal boasting and passing judgment, but it makes us worse at listening and doesnt help develop humility, both key elements of productive civil discourse.

Is it any wonder, then, when a teenager confronts an idea she doesnt like the response is not Its interesting you feel that way, please explain but rather, You suck!  end of story. Online there is not a person right in front of her with hurt feelings, providing the social  not legal  consequences of intemperate or even offensive speech.

[Understand whats going on in Washington. Sign up for The Conversations Politics Weekly.]

In my own law school classroom, I have tried not only to teach students about free-speech principles but to give them opportunities to engage in respectful, face-to-face speech, even when they disagree. I paired a pro-Trump law student with a first-generation Middle Easterner to teach First Amendment workshops at a rural Michigan school.

The students didnt change their political views, but the pro-Trump student learned about the fears of immigrants who faced threats of deportation by the Trump administration, despite their decades of hard work and contributions in America. The Middle Easterner put aside her bias and learned to work as a team to provide free-speech training to dozens of high school teenagers.

Similar student encounters are possible across schools and colleges curricula because free expression is involved in a myriad of subjects  English, art, psychology, theater and other disciplines.

Fostering diversity of thought in a culture that welcomes a robust exchange of ideas takes skill and practice, for young and old alike. No decree by the Supreme Court can do that for us.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/free-speech-ruling-wont-help-declining-civil-discourse-163325.
NEW HAVEN  The story of Romeo and Juliet has been passed down through the centuries; the undoing of two young people deep in romance, driven by misfortune, the choices at hand and conflict between families.

But with their performance of Shakespeares classic Saturday, June 25 at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, young performers gathered by Ice the Beef and Elm City Shakespeare will ask: how could this tragedy been averted?

By doing so, they hope people can take away a better understanding of paths towards peaceful conflict resolution, and help address gun violence that regularly claims the lives of city residents.

Chaz Carmon, executive director of Ice the Beef, a group that works to end conflicts, said the idea of the performance came about just before the pandemic. He met with a group of young people, who, struck by the ideas of two families in conflict, came up with the idea of putting on Romeo and Juliet.

With the help of the Elm Shakespeare Company, they began rehearsing in the fall, first collaborating over Zoom, as they navigated pandemic-era requirements, then in person.

We wanted to give them something to look forward to (during the pandemic), Carmon said.

The performance begins with a rendition of Romeo and Juliet, Carmon said.

Then, at the end, the young people reach out to the audience, collaborating on different choices that could have been made to avert the tragic conflict  Juliet and Lady Capulet discussing, then accepting, that Juliet did not love or wish to marry Paris; Romeo, Thibault and Mercucio, working together, without the need for the larger community, to end the beef between them; Paris and Juliet working out, with the help of Friar Lawrence, an understanding not to marry.

The moments where these individuals could have died are negated, based on (their actions), Carmon said.

Rebecca Goodheart and Sarah Bowles, producing artistic director and education director with Elm City Shakespeare, said they were pleased to help the young people put on the performance, with Goodheart noting the city Department of Arts, Culture & Tourism had provided a grant to help fund it.

The organization has worked with Ice The Beef on smaller community shows in recent years, they said, with this being a step up in ambition.

Goodheart said she was glad the company could help facilitate the opportunity for the young people to share their voices. The companys mission, she said, was to help share the Bard with everyone.

Theyre really clear theyre going to make a difference, said Goodheart, noting the youths had decided to use classical theater to strive against the continuation of the cycle of violence. I think this project epitomizes how Shakespeare can be used to bring people together and tell stories that are impactful in the 21st century. This is not your grandmas Shakespeare.

Bowles said, over the course of their months of rehearsal, the young performers had continued to improve, investing themselves and their personalities in the characters and creating dynamic performances.

She said she had helped work to walk them through the people they were portraying; as a director, she tries to collaborate with people to foster their understanding of the character at hand.

I couldnt be prouder of this play... and prouder of the students. Theyre so good, said Bowles. The students really shine in this play. Im glowing about it.

James Jones, Zahra Hutchinson and Brian Starbird, who play Friar Lawrence, Juliet, and Thibault, respectively, said they were intrigued by the opportunity to put on the play and help combat violence.

Jones, a student at Hamden Middle School, and Hutchinson, a student at the Engineering and Science University Magnet School in West Haven, said they had enjoyed performing in prior plays.

Acting really makes me happy... Im able to show people how good I am, said Jones. Acting just makes me feel so special... even if Im scared, I feel amazing.

Hutchinson said she was struck by having the chance to weave a story for the audience through acting, getting them to react to and feel the emotions at hand.

The chance to perform in Romeo and Juliet, she said, was a pleasure, as she loves Shakespeares plays.

Obviously, I leapt at the opportunity, said Hutchinson. Who wouldnt want to be in Romeo and Juliet?

She said she liked the scene at the balcony, where Romeo confesses his love to Juliet, although its one of the harder to perform. The audience has the chance to see the relationship blossom before them, she said.

Starbird, a student at James Hillhouse High School, said hes not usually the acting type, but was struck by the message behind the performance, and wanted to help bring it to life.

He was struck by one of the alternate endings, where he, as Tybault, talks with Romeo about how to change the path toward violence theyre on together, noting that the characters admit their faults.

When we talk, its that sense of understanding; that we are the next era and we have the opportunity to change the future, said Starbird. Imagine that in everyday life?

The young performers and the staffers from Elm City Shakespeare said they hoped the audience, presented with tragedy and paths around it, would be left with a better understanding the virtues and possibilities of considering the ways conflict can be resolved without violence.

Stories dont have to end tragically, said Hutchinson.

We cant always count on those in authority or adults to act they way they should (to prevent and avert tragedy), said Bowles. We can only change our own behavior.

Carmon and Bowles said they hoped the experience resonated for the young people in the years to come.

Carmon noted that learning Shakespeare exposes people to the arts, to a different vocabulary  its a new experience for many.

Bowles said that a play is a group effort  everyones performance relies on the rest of the cast, artistically and practically, as people have to be able to deliver their lines. Theres a sense of teamwork and responsibility that comes out of that, she said.

You dont want to miss this, said Bowles. Its going to be really joyful, really fun... (the youths are) impressive.

The performance is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on the main stage at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, being held on the New Haven Green, Carmon said.

It will be streamed live through the festivals Facebook Live, YouTube channel, Twitch and virtual stage platforms.

The young people will then reprise the play in August, Goodheart and Bowles said, as part of a youth festival put on by Elm City Shakespeare from Aug. 13 to Aug. 15. in Edgerton Park.

william.lambert@hearstmediact.com
WEST HAVEN  Whats a centennial celebration without thinking of the new generation?

Thats exactly what officials in the city did recently when they unveiled the centennial diaper bags at City Hall.

Mayor Nancy R. Rossi, City Clerk Patricia C. Horvath and West Haven Child Development Center Executive Director Patrice Farquharson showed off the brown and yellow bags that the city clerks office will distribute to the first 100 West Haven babies born on or after June 24, according to Beth A. Sabo, the chairwoman of the City of West Haven Centennial Celebration Committee. Sabo also was at the unveiling, as was Farquharsons daughter, Julia, 22, according to the city.

The distribution coincides with the centennial kickoff ceremony in Old Grove Park at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, which is 100 years to the day that West Haven was incorporated by the General Assembly as Connecticuts youngest town, Sabo said in a statement.

The diaper bags were made possible by the Child Development Center and West Haven Community House through a donation from the Eder family, said Sabo, the citys commissioner of human resources, also in the statement.

The bags are emblazoned with the centennials dark blue 100 logo with Celebrating Our Past and Inspiring Our Future in dark blue lettering, the statement noted.

The bag of donated supplies were assembled by Julia Farquharson and contain items for parents of newborns: a centennial bib from the Community House, a childrens book from Read to Grow, a dental kit from the state Husky Health program and a first haircut gift card from Teddi and Archell, as well as a history of West Haven from the West Haven Historical Society, the statement said.

For information on the diaper bags, call the city clerks office, located on the first floor of City Hall at 355 Main St., at 203-937-3535.
Kristen H. Emes, 73, of Niagara Falls, NY, passed from this life on June 25, 2021. Born on May 8, 1948 in Niagara Falls, NY, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Helen Elizabeth "Betty" (nee Long) Emes. Kristen was a lifelong resident of Niagara Falls, NY, and graduated from Stella Nia
President Muhammadu Buhari says the All Progressives Congress (APC) is back to life and has overcome the phase of litigations and intra-pa...

President Muhammadu Buhari says the All Progressives Congress (APC) is back to life and has overcome the phase of litigations and intra-party strife.





The president said the party has been revived, energised, and repositioned for its national convention and future elections.

Buhari spoke on Friday at a meeting with members of the national caretaker/extraordinary convention planning committee (CECPC) led by Mai Mala Buni, governor of Yobe state.

The president hailed the committee for reorganising the party and reconciling members, and added that with the work done by the committee the party has bounced back to life.

He said: I have listened with great interest the remarkable job you have done so far.

We are all witnesses to the crisis that engulfed the party leading to litigations and presented a picture of selfishness and division.

Buni, the chairman of the CECPC, said the committee approached the duty with commitment and dedication to rescue the party from imminent collapse.





We are currently witnessing high powered decamping to our party, including governors from the PDP, he said.

The party is now more peaceful, orderly and accommodating than what we met on the ground. Although there was initial fear, the mobilisation and sensitization was able to allay the fears of members.

We have observed that youth and women constitute huge population of the voting group.

We had a youth and women committee, and also people with disability.

He said a contact and strategy team had been set up in every state to come up with an acceptable template that would ensure transparency, credibility and acceptability of the internal electoral processes.

Buni said the committee had also instituted a process to review the partys constitution and look into loopholes that usually fan conflict and litigations among members, with more than 500 memoranda already received.

The CECPC chairman added that the party members had agreed to name the APC national secretariat after the president.
President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed his planned trip to London. The planned trip scheduled for Friday was to allow Buhari embark on a f...





President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed his planned trip to London.

The planned trip scheduled for Friday was to allow Buhari embark on a follow-up medical check-up.

However, Buharis spokesman, Femi Adesina said a new date will be announced soon.

A terse statement by Adesina reads: The medical follow-up visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United Kingdom earlier scheduled for today, Friday, June 25, 2021, has been postponed.
President Paul Biya of Cameroon has awarded Aliko Dangote the countrys highest civilian honour  the Commander of the National Order of Val...





President Paul Biya of Cameroon has awarded Aliko Dangote the countrys highest civilian honour  the Commander of the National Order of Valour.

Biya said honour was conferred on Dangote in recognition of his efforts in infrastructural development of Cameroon and Africa through his cement plants.

At the conferment ceremony held at the Unity Palace, Yaounde on 23 June, Biya praised Dangotes various efforts to promote industrialisation across Africa through the building of cement plants in several African countries.

He noted that these plants have provided thousands of direct and indirect employment at their various locations, to boost the economies of their host countries, just like in Cameroon.

He urged Dangote to consider more investments in the manufacturing sector in Cameroon, explaining that there are numerous business opportunities in the country.

He maintained that his government is focused on promoting a business-friendly environment to make the country more attractive and an investors destination.

Dangote thanked President Biya and the people of Cameroon for the great honour done to him in the award of the nations highest civilian honour.

He disclosed that there are plans to diversify the groups investments in Cameroon, starting with energy.

We have plans to expand our investment to other sectors beginning with oil and gas while our capacity in cement will be expanded.

He commended the Cameroonian government for providing an enabling environment, which aided the successful completion of the Dangote Cement plant.

He also expressed appreciation for the support provided by the President and cabinet in solving the challenges encountered in the construction of the plant.

At the inception of our construction activities at the plant, we encountered several challenges, but the government stepped in and ensured that we overcame these initial problems.

Also, the incentives by the Government to investors are encouraging. We feel very much at home here in Cameroon because of the business-friendly environment. If demand for cement increases, we will increase the capacity of the plant and make the country self-sufficient in cement production.

Dangote Cement Cameroon SA, part of Dangote Cement Group was commissioned six years ago, and has boosted domestic cement production, reduced partly the domestic deficit, and helped in holding down the price of a bag of cement in the country.

Dangote Cement is sub-Saharan Africas largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 48.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated quarry-to-customer business with activities covering manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement.

It has a long-term credit rating of AAA+ by GCR and Aa2.ng by Moodys due to its market leading position, significant operational scale and strong financial profile evidenced by the companys robust operating and net profit margins relative to regional and global peers, adequate working capital, satisfactory cash flow and low leverage.

Dangote Cement is a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited, a diversified and fully integrated conglomerate as well as a leading brand across Africa in businesses such as cement, sugar, salt, beverages, and real estate.

The groups $11 billion petrochemical complex will soon be fully ready.

It recently rolled out its fertiliser products into the local market, with plans for export while meeting local demand to boost agriculture.
The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, June 24, 2021, secured the conviction of four inte...





The Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Thursday, June 24, 2021, secured the conviction of four internet fraudsters in Calabar, Cross River State.

The four internet fraudsters were arraigned before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State.

The convicts: Eneji Emmanuel, (a.k.a Karen Moana, Buccly Clunder, Mainer Chic, Karen Klunder) Adie Stephen Udie (alias Laura Vazquze), Nwandike Kelechi (a.k.a Bradley) and Victor Francis (alias Donald Walter), pleaded guilty to separate charges bordering on love scam and obtaining by false pretence.

In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Segun R. Akinrinlade urged the court to convict them in accordance with the plea bargain agreement among the parties.

The defence counsel, C.O.Bassey and Innocent Eze pleaded with the court for leniency.

After listening to the Counsel, the judge convicted and sentenced the defendants as follows:

Enegi Emmanuel was sentenced to three months imprisonment for using a fictitious email (mainerchick19976@gmail.com) to register for the American Paycheck Protection (PPP) loan, a benefit meant for US citizens, and used same to defraud unsuspecting citizens of their hard-earned money.

He was however given an option of fine of One Hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000.00) to be paid into the Federal Governments account and community service at the Federal High Court and Ministry of Social Welfare Calabar, for a period of one month which must be supervised by the court and the EFCC.

While Adie Stephen was sentenced to six months imprisonment for fraudulently impersonating one Laura Vazquez, an American citizen, and Dave Daley, the court ordered that the items recovered from him which include a black Toyota Corolla car 2009 model (still unregistered), iPhone 7 and iPhone XS mobile phones, be auctioned and the proceeds paid into the Federal Governments account.

Nwandike Kelechi was sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of Three Hundred Thousand (N300,000.00) fine and one month of community service.

The court also ordered that the convict forfeits the following items to the Federal Government  iPhone 11 Pro Max and HP Intel(R) Core laptop.

Victor Francis was convicted and sentenced to six months imprisonment for fraudulently obtaining the sum of $1,200 (One Thousand Two Hundred US Dollars) from one Jean Judson.

The convict was also given an option of Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N200,000.00) fine plus one month of community service.

He is to forfeit an iPhone 11 to the Federal Government, as well as, restitute the victim in the sum of One Thousand Two Hundred US Dollars ($1,200).

After sentencing the convicts, Justice Ojukwu further ordered that they be remanded at the Correctional Service facility in Calabar until they have paid the various fines pronounced by the court.

The convicts were arrested by operatives of the Uyo zonal office of the Commission in a sting operation on May 18, 2021.
A statue of George Floyd erected in Brooklyn has been defaced just less than a week after its unveiling. The 700-pounds bronze statue of Geo...

A statue of George Floyd erected in Brooklyn has been defaced just less than a week after its unveiling.

The 700-pounds bronze statue of George Floyd was unveiled in Brooklyn, a predominantly African American city in Newark on June 19, in commemoration of the Juneteenth celebration.

The statue, which depicts Floyd sitting on a bench, was commissioned by actor and filmmaker Leon Pinkeye and sculpted by artist Stanley Watts as a donation to the city.

The statue was, however, defaced on Thursday with white and black spray paint.

The website and logo of the white suprematist group, Patriot Front, was also found on the statue, according to DailyMail.

Four suspects connected to the vandalism were caught on camera and the police is working to identify them.

The surveillance footage showed four unidentified individuals who approached the statue at around 3.40am, before they walked away a short time later.

According to the police, the vandalism is being treated as a hate crime.

This act was carried out day before the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in Floyds death, Derek Chauvin, is set to face sentencing.

Floyd, whose death sparked a global outcry against police brutality and racial injustice had his one year death anniversary celebrated last month with the US president inviting his family to the White House.

Minnesota Police officer, Derek Chauvin, who has been charged and found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter was caught on camera while kneeling on Floyds neck for more than 9 minutes while the latter pled for breath.
Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has warned that President Muhammadu Buhari who is set to embark on fresh medical trip to London mus...

Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has warned that President Muhammadu Buhari who is set to embark on fresh medical trip to London must return to the country before July 10.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the president is to depart Abuja for London in United Kingdom on Friday for a medical checkup.

According to the statement, the president is expected back in Nigeria during the second week of July.

Buhari had on March 30 2021, embarked on same medical trip to London where he was able to see his doctor.

Buharis stay in London was relatively rough as the former presidential aide and some other Nigerians in UK stormed Buharis residence in London to demand his return to the country.

Reno, in a post on his official Facebook page on Thursday, said the president has had enough time to put up quality health facilities in the country to prevent his incessant medical trips.

The post reads, I am putting you on notice. Your just announced planned trip to London to see your doctors next week is one trip too many.

You have refused to build hospitals for Nigerians, and if by July 10, you are still in London, then prepare for the Mother of All #HarassBuhariOutofLondon.

You have had six years to develop the health sector. If you can spend $1.9 billion of Nigerias money to build a railway in Niger Republic, then you could have built hospitals to cater to your health and the health of Nigerians.
Watertown, NY (13601)

Today

Rain showers early with scattered thunderstorms arriving for the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable.
Struggling with a calamitous downturn in tourist traffic caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the National World War II Museum suspended cruises on its restored 78-year-old PT boat in April 2020 and hoisted the wooden vessel out of the water. Now it might never return to the sea.

Even thought the COVID-19 crisis is fading, the museum said Friday it will not reinstate cruises. Instead, plans are being made to move the 78-foot-long, 51-ton PT-305 from dry dock storage on the New Orleans Industrial Canal back to the Warehouse District museum complex, ending four years of voyages on Lake Pontchartrain.

The unique and complicated nature of operating a restored WWII-era boat had required significant financial investments since PT-305 returned to the waters in spring 2017, a museum statement said. The museum critically needed to continue its core operations during a very challenging time.

Patrol-torpedo boats such as the PT-305 were one of New Orleans major contributions to the Allies' victory in World War II. Hand-made at the Higgins factory near City Park, the torpedo-, cannon- and machine gun-armed vessels tormented the German and Japanese navies with high-speed, hit-and-run attacks.

The museum's PT boat, which received the tongue-in-cheek title USS Sudden Jerk from its crew, was built in 1943 and entered combat in the Mediterranean Sea, where the crew is credited with sinking at least two enemy vessels. After the war, the boat was sold as surplus. Eventually the old warhorse was repurposed as an oyster trawler on the East Coast.

The National World War II Museum acquired the rare relic in 2006 and embarked on a meticulous 10-year restoration that eventually cost $6 million.

Jim Letten, the former U.S. attorney in New Orleans and a longtime Naval Reservist, was one of the many volunteers who spent countless hours ensuring that the vessel was returned to its original state, right down to the roughly 500,000 rivets used to assemble the deck and hull and the working V-12 engines. As far as Letten knows, the PT-305 is the only one of its kind.

Shes not a model; shes not a mockup. Shes the real deal, Letten said Friday. The boat, on so many levels, is just amazing: the history, the engineering, the devotion and courage of those who served on her and the devotion of those who restored her.

Letten said several volunteers  some of whom were World War II veterans  died during the long restoration period, having spent part of their lives ensuring that at least one Higgins PT boat survived.

In 2016, the gleaming gray ship, which appeared brand new, was carefully transported via an enormous industrial dolly from the huge museum showroom where it had been restored to the Mississippi riverfront and lowered onto a barge. The boat was then ferried through the Rigolets to a special covered dock in Lake Pontchartrain where, starting in 2017, almost 4,000 history buffs paid $350 to hold tight as the "USS Sudden Jerk cut wakes through the brown water. Almost 4,000 more visitors paid $15 just to walk on the deck of the one-of-a-kind vessel.

A sudden jerk concludes preview cruise of the PT boat U.S.S. SUDDEN JERK An otherwise splendid preview cruise of the National World War II Museum's lovingly restored PT-305 on Thursday (March 16) ended more abruptly

Whether shes in the water or in a building for everyone to see, Letten said, shes a living, very real testament to the human spirit, and a very real, important piece of history.

Precisely where the old boat will be displayed is still being decided, the museum said.

As PT-305 remains securely stored at Seabrook Harbor and Marine, the museum team is working on plans to return her to our main campus, where she will continue to educate visitors from across the world, said the museum's statement.

+3 WWII Museum's 73-year-old PT boat prepares for action At age 73, after most of us have drifted into retirement, PT 305 is preparing to get back into action. The World War II -veteran patrol/torped
Maj. Christopher Thornhill may speak with a bit of a country twang, but hes from New Orleans, recently finding his way back here after living in different parts of the south  Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi among them. He came back in June 2020 to take on the role of area commander at The Salvation Army.

Since then, despite being caught in the middle of the pandemic, Thornhill's accomplishments include starting a summer camp for kids and opening a technology center filled with internet-accessible computers. He is hoping to add programs focused on job training and life skills.

A jovial Thornhill recently led a tour through The Salvation Armys Greater New Orleans headquarters on South Claiborne Avenue, which is barely a block away from Ochsner Baptist. I was born right over there, he said, pointing toward the hospital.

The Salvation Army building houses a 270-bed shelter for adults, several small apartments, a chapel, a food pantry run by volunteers, recreational areas and administrative offices.

Now that COVID-19 restrictions have drastically decreased, he wanted patrons to see firsthand what the organization has in the works.

Everything was pretty much locked down, Thornhill said, explaining the conditions when he moved to the city with his wife and children. We really couldn't have very many people in our building.

The Salvation Army knew people needed places to stay, however, so it opened its doors and welcomed residents while sticking to federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety guidelines. And their bed count  along with community support  continues to increase, Thornhill said.

A leg up

When Salvation Army first welcomes individuals or families, he explained, an employee goes over their financial needs, possibly helping them find the money for rent and utilities, or provides a dorm room if they are looking for temporary shelter.

But our job really is not to keep them there. We want them out on their own, Thornhill said. Salvation Armys case management specialists assess their needs, and assess their situation.

They will work with them to find a job or housing, and just get them moving forward, he said. But we assist them. We don't want to push them out the door and say, OK, now you're on your own. Not only is it not nice, but it doesn't help at all.

Men and women residents live on separate floors in dormitories, which are largely furnished through donations. Families live in rooms similar to studio apartments, complete with small kitchens. Each floor contains a spacious lounge for relaxing or even exercising.

Residents can sleep in the building at night, but they must leave in the morning.

Our hope is that they are out searching for jobs or setting up meetings, Thornhill said, noting that Salvation Army provides two hot meals a day, including breakfast. After seven days, residents segue into a transitional program meant to help them move closer to independent living.

Based in faith

Because The Salvation Army is an offshoot of the Methodist Church, the organization runs faith-based programs for adults and youth, and hosts church services every Sunday in its chapel. Thornhill and his wife are ordained ministers.

+4 Bolivian girl gets life-saving surgery for heart defect through Childrens' Hospital and HeartGift While waiting for the doctor to arrive, 5-year-old Genesis sat closely by her mothers side and watched cartoons on a small electronic device.

We're very mission-minded people, he said while showing the tour group a small, carpeted chapel, illuminated by stained glass windows. I tell people, This is where the magic happens.

Since The Salvation Armys first summer camp was in full swing during the tour, children and teens filled the pews.

When we arrived last year, we realized that there really wasn't a whole lot for children in this area, so what we wanted to do was have avenues for children, said Thornhill. Having our summer day camp is a milestone for us.

At the time, 15 children were registered. After being absent from the youth programming landscape, it's nice to see 15. I count that as a victory, he said.

Thornhill hopes the camp leads to an after-school program for more extensive tutoring and activities.

In January, by collaborating with Cox Communications, Salvation Army opened the technology center.

Public speaking tips from a Newman speech and debate teacher who just won a national award As a public speaking teacher at Isidore Newman High School, Christopher Vincent helps teenagers of all personality types discover their voices.

It's open to the public so that if someone happened to call me and say, I need to write a resume. I need to get caught up on Minecraft. May I use your technology center? Well, yes, we could schedule a time for you, Thornhill said.

Thornhill also wants offer programs focused on job training, life skills, and even nutrition, so that when residents leave Salvation Army, they are equipped and ready to move forward into the workplace.

We want to see them succeed, he said.

He and his team have spread the word about the organizations current program offerings by distributing flyers throughout the surrounding neighborhood and posting information on community websites geared toward parents.

+4 During a COVID year, mothers and adult children working in health care forge new bonds Mothers and their children have an almost indescribable bond. But those who work together in health care  especially during the pandemic of t

Despite the operational challenges caused by COVID-19, Thornhill has been busier than ever. But hes not complaining.

We couldn't have asked for a better way to spend this last year, even in a pandemic. It's been crazy, but the people of New Orleans have been so friendly and so welcoming to us, he said. We love New Orleans. It's my home.
The latest U.S. Census data shows that the average American family contains 3.15 people. Move that average family into the stunning historic house at 508 Millaudon St. in New Orleans, and each of them theoretically could have 2,698 square feet of space all to themselves. Its that big.

In reality, however, there is nothing average about the 8,498-square-foot home that carries an asking price of $2.9 million.

The raised centerhall, built in 1865, gets relief from the styles boxy shape with a side bay, which is original to the home. The main level, on the second floor, includes formal living and dining rooms, the kitchen and breakfast room, a den and the primary bedroom.

+16 Photos: Fabulous kitchen, home theater, gym, bar and more fill this 16-room Uptown manse With 8,498 square feet of space and a prime Uptown location near St. Charles Avenue and Audubon Park, this home has filled the bill for a larg

Upstairs are three more large bedrooms with en suite baths.

The ground floor has another bedroom suite, gym, playroom, office and theater.

In all, there are about 16 rooms, said listing agent Joey W. Walker, of Reve Realtors.

If the traditional style exudes quiet elegance outside, befitting its location right off of St. Charles Avenue in the Black Pearl neighborhood, the inside is all about modern living.

It underwent a major renovation in 2018. The owners gutted to studs and totally renovated everything: new roof, siding, wiring, plumbing, the kitchen and bathrooms  the works, said Walker.

The interior seems light, airy and comfortable.

It has the traditional formal living and dining rooms, but also a big open kitchen connected to a cozy den, Walker said. While its large, the scale on three levels makes it very livable and not overwhelming.

He pointed out that the raised-cottage style would have been clean and simple from its beginning. It wouldnt have been a super ornate home like a Victorian, he said.

There are touches from the past. Some original features, such as the pine floors and transom windows, were retained. On the upper floors, all of the original door hardware was restored and put back on, he said.

The large -acre lot is unusual for the area, which is close to Tulane University and Loyola University New Orleans, as well as the shops and restaurants of Maple Street.

While the sellers are a couple with four children, previous owners, who lived there for 60 years, used it as a multigenerational home, Walker said.

508 Millaudon St., New Orleans

Asking price: $2,895,000

Size: 8,498 square feet

Bedrooms and baths: 5 suites, plus 2 half-baths

Lot size: .34 acre

Neighborhood: Black Pearl

Kitchen with Subzero, Wolf range and wine fridge

Den off kitchen with gas fireplace.

Ground floor theater, gym and office

Wet bar

Porch

Security system

One in a Million is an occasional profile on a luxury property on the market in the New Orleans area.
When Brennans Restaurant reopened in 2014, it marked the reincarnation of a grand but faded New Orleans classic, blending tradition with new energy and a more contemporary culinary voice.

Now, the French Quarter restaurant has regained one piece of its past that has been a quest for proprietor Ralph Brennan and his managers since they took over. This week, Brennans was once again named a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner, in recognition of offering some of the highest level of wine service in the world, according to the publication.

It marks a comeback as well as a new chapter.

The award, the highest honor from Wine Spectator, was one that Brennans won annually from 1983 until Hurricane Katrina. Built over decades, the restaurants vaunted wine collection was ruined in the cellar by the long power outage that followed the catastrophe.

Famous for its lavish "breakfast at Brennan's and for bananas Foster, the dessert invented in its kitchen, this was the restaurant that launched the entire Brennan familys legacy in New Orleans dining, and has led to many other restaurants.

But the Royal Street original had fallen on hard times in the years after Hurricane Katrina. It shut down and landed in a foreclosure auction. It was acquired by Ralph Brennan, a cousin of its former operators, and his business partner Terry White. After an overhaul that essentially redesigned and rebuilt the restaurant from the inside out, they reopened Brennan's late in 2014.

When Ralph took over he wanted to restore the greatness and grandeur of Brennans, said Brennans wine director Braithe Tidwell. This was part of it: He wanted that award back and that honor for the cellar.

Wine Spectator has different levels of awards. The Grand Award is the highest, given to restaurants that show an uncompromising, passionate devotion to the quality of their wine programs, according to the publication. Grand Award winners have serious breadth of top producers, outstanding depth in mature vintages, a selection of large-format bottles, excellent harmony with the menu, and superior presentation.

Due to the pandemic, with many restaurants closed, Wine Spectator did not issue Grand Awards for 2020.

Brennans is one of three restaurants added to the ranks of Grand Award winners in 2021.

The others are Le Bernadin, the Michelin-starred New York restaurant, and SingleThread Farms, in Healdsburg, California, in the heart of Sonoma wine country.

Only 97 restaurants worldwide hold the Grand Award. That includes two more in New Orleans: Commanders Palace, which is run by a different branch of the Brennan family; and Emerils Restaurant, the flagship for chef Emeril Lagasse, which is set to reopen Aug. 31 (Lagasses Delmonico Steakhouse in Las Vegas is also a Grand Award winner).

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

This years honor reflects the work that earlier sommeliers have put into rebuilding Brennans cellar, Tidwell pointed out. But it is also very much a recognition of how Tidwell herself has cultivated the wine program and runs it day-to-day.

Tidwell became a certified sommelier while working in New York at Danny Meyers acclaimed Union Square Cafe. She came to Brennans in 2015 and has been wine director since 2017.

Today, Brennans has built up a cellar of more than 14,000 bottles, arrayed in a carefully temperature-controlled outbuilding across the courtyard from the main dining rooms.

It is a modern cellar, with most bottles dating back no further than the 2000 vintage. It also has a character that reflects Tidwells approach to wine, and the way she works with executive chef Ryan Hacker.

Really its to honor New Orleans heritage, she said. We want the food and wine to tell a story together about our culture and heritage in New Orleans.

The list has prestige bottles that can cost as much as a year of college tuition. But it also maintains an extensive list of bottles under $70, and the restaurant has been offering diners another list of featured wines at half price.

The modern Brennans has a framework for formality, with tuxedo-clad waiters and tableside preparations. It also gleefully weaves in its own playful streak. This runs through the wine program too, where a happy hour dubbed bubbles at Brennans has become a fixture four days a week for half-price Champagne, and where at least one bottle is ceremonially opened with a saber on the patio each day.

We try to make wine fun. I want it to be as accessible as possible, Tidwell said. Having a bottle on every table is the goal, not the cost of the bottle. I just want people to experience great wine and great food together.

Brennans Restaurant

417 Royal St., (504) 525-9711

Breakfast, lunch, dinner Thu.-Sun.

+7 Emeril's Restaurant plans its return: Here's how the New Orleans flagship will be different As the New Orleans hospitality business has snapped back to life, the road ahead for one of its most high-profile restaurants has been a myste

+23 At a Haitian restaurant in New Orleans, deep Creole flavor, a glimpse of something more At a glance, you can tell the namesake sandwich at Fritai will gush flavor, with rough-hewn chunks of fried pork between discs of fried planta

+20 How a storied old hotel lured this top Texas restaurant group to New Orleans Rising through three floors of weathered brick, lacy ironwork and long, shady verandas, the old St. Vincent orphanage has cast a compelling al
The restaurant and bar called 13, a longtime late-night destination for food and drinks on Frenchmen Street, is back open and has a new owner.

Local restaurant operator Brian Mullin took over 13 and has begun putting his own stamp on the place.

Its the latest in a slew of changes in the restaurant and bar business through the pandemic.

13 has been part of the Frenchmen Street scene for 17 years, and was created by the family behind the Decatur Street bar Mollys at the Market.

It served sandwiches, pints and late-night food long amid the bustling stretch of music clubs and bars. One specialty is a dish called tater tachos  tater tots done up like nachos with a variety of toppings.

Those remain a centerpiece of the menu, and the new 13 adds more options for them, including a dessert version made with sweet potato tots. The rest of the menu has been overhauled with a focus on pressed po-boys, with versions like hot sausage and roast beef debris pressed and served hot, in the style of a Cuban sandwich (which is also on the menu). Chargrilled oysters will also join the line-up.

Theres a diversity on Frenchmen, everyones doing something different down here, thats what I like and we want to add our own thing to it, Mullin said.

One niche Mullin hopes to retain is 13s following among service industry workers in the area.

Thats the backbone of the business, the people coming off their shift or stopping in on the way to their next gig, he said.

The new operation will keep late hours, serving food until 2 a.m.

Mullin got his start in the local restaurant business not long before the pandemic, opening the Little Easy, a tavern at 634 Julia St., in the former home of La Casita.

Last fall he took over the longtime home of Johnny Whites on the corner of Bourbon Street and Orleans Avenue, which had closed in 2020. Here, he opened Local 718, a bar and restaurant pitched as a locals hang in the middle of the tourism hub.

Eying future projects, he formed a new company called River Restaurant Group, named for his young granddaughter. 13 is its latest addition.

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

+16 New bar Annas opens in former Mimis in the Marigny; whats next for its predecessor? The bar that for almost two decades held down the corner of Royal Street and Franklin Avenue let you know right where you were  it was called

13 first open in 2004, in the address that had previously been home to a vegetarian restaurant called Old Dog New Trick.

Frenchmen Street at that time as well established as a nightlife destination, though the vibe was much more local and low-key than it is today as redevelopment ramped up and more tourists added the street to their bucket lists.

The name 13 may seem enigmatic, but is intricately coded into the restaurants history. It was the lucky number for its founder, the late Jim Monaghan, said his grandson Trey Monaghan, the former proprietor of 13. Jim Monaghan was born on the 13th and died on the 13th, in that case December 2001. Add up the numbers in the taverns address (5+1+7) and you get 13. The letter M for Monaghan is the 13th letter in the alphabet.

As it happens Mullins has the same initial, so he likes the continuity.

The theme continues across the restaurant including a drinks list with cocktails named "Can't Guard Mike," a tribute to Saints receiver Michael Thomas, who wears the No. 13 jersey, and the Fillmore, for the countrys 13th president.

The original 13 had been an outlet for Frozen Irish coffee, a signature drink at Molly's; the new 13 is swapping this out for a bushwacker.

Mullin plans to start DJ nights in the future.

13

517 Frenchmen St.

Daily from 4 p.m., kitchen open through 2 a.m. (starts June 25)

+2 After buying 'bite-sized' Frenchmen Hotel, new owner has appetite for more in New Orleans Robert Thompson, who recently purchased The Frenchmen Hotel in the Marigny, says the offbeat inn is a "good, bite-sized" start for the long-ti

+3 French Quarter restaurant Eat closes after 15 years, growing local breakfast joint moves in The French Quarter restaurant Eat opened in the tumultuous year after Hurricane Katrina, part of a new wave of homegrown businesses to start u

+7 Whats next for these New Orleans restaurants, bars closed since the pandemic The hospitality business is far from back to normal, but most restaurants are at least back to business, and customers have been coursing back
After leading WYES-TV for nearly nine years, Allan Pizzato is embracing a new role in life  proud grandfather. Its one of the reasons Pizzato, the New Orleans public television stations president and CEO, officially retires at the end of June.

Well, I honestly didn't think I was going to be working as long as I have been, because I kind of wanted to retire early, and my wife and I wanted to travel, said Pizzato, who recently turned 69. I love my job. I've loved my career in public broadcasting, but there comes a time when you need to spend time with family.

The Pizzatos travel plans include heading to San Francisco where his granddaughter lives, along with visits to Italy and southeast Asia.

It was a good time for me to just slow down and enjoy this portion of my life, Pizzato said.

Pizzato's 46-year career in public broadcasting began back in 1966, when he was a freshman in high school.

They had just put in a brand new television studio in the high school, and my locker was right next to the entry to the TV studio, Pizzato said, noting that only seniors were allowed inside. I used to hang around, and one day the instructor said, You're always standing outside looking through the window; come on in.

Pizzato spent the next four years of high school working in that studio.

It was just something that fascinated me, he said, adding that he was especially interested in public television.

Pizzato later landed a job at WSIU-TV in Carbondale, Illinois, and spent 13 years at the station, eventually working his way up to the position of general manager. In 1988, he moved to Pensacola, Florida, to work as the general manager of WSRE-TV.

He then served as the president and general manager of Alabama Public Television  the PBS provider for the state. At that point, Pizzato was ready to retire  until he heard of a job opening at WYES, that is.

Several of my friends in the industry said, You ought to apply for that job. So I threw my hat in the ring just to see, Pizzato said.

He joined WYES in 2013, with the intention of creating a community-driven television station.

It was just a really great opportunity at the time, he said. It basically changed my thinking about retiring.

Pizzato expected to work another three, maybe five, years at that point. But he remained with WYES for nearly nine years and oversaw local programming that celebrates New Orleans  sometimes on a national level.

The stations award-winning productions include "Kitchen Queens: New Orleans," "Informed Sources," "Reshaping a Greater New Orleans: Seeking Justice & Safety," "Steppin Out" and "The Mighty Mississippi," an electronic field trip.

WYES launched Kevin Beltons "New Orleans Kitchen," a cooking show that aired across the country and spawned three subsequent series featuring the jovial New Orleans chef.

In 2018, the station served as the media source for the New Orleans Tricentennial by producing documentaries, books, tourism markers around the city with QR codes for historical moment vignettes, short features, and grade school electronic field trips.

It was wonderful to do programming that was shared nationwide and promoted New Orleans, Pizzato said. WYES had already been doing many documentaries, telling the history and the stories of New Orleans, and I thought that was one of the key important things for the station to be doing.

Pizzato also oversaw the construction of WYESs new, $17 million headquarters. The 47,000-square-foot building opened in 2017.

Its really a jewel in the crown of New Orleans as far as I'm concerned, in terms of a facility  for public media especially  in New Orleans, he said. It's just right and it is made so that the public visit.

Pizzato said the biggest challenge of his career has been raising operating dollars.

When I took over, the station was running under a bit of a deficit, he said.

But over the years, underwriting and support for the station have increased, he said. And membership has done very, very well. Major donors have helped with funding.

It's always a challenge to balance your finances with the productions and goals and programming that you want to provide, Pizzato said. It's expensive running a television station, but the community has stepped up.

Pizzato believes WYES will keep improving.

With new technology coming aboard, and with digital technology going in the direction it's going, the station is poised to really make even more inroads and provide even more services to the community, he said, crediting his staff, the WYES board, and the community for the stations success. It's an exciting time, which gives me some reservations about the fact that I am retiring, because it's going to be another exciting growth period for WYES.

But, Pizzato is sticking with his plan.

I feel it's time for someone else to step in and take it to the next level, because that's what needs to happen, he said. I'm sure they're going to do a wonderful job.
It doesnt take long to wonder if the bite can live up to the bark in director Josh Rubens Werewolves Within. Forest ranger Finn arrives at his new post at a remote Vermont town and quickly meets Cecily, who delivers the mail for the Post Office. She invites him to tag along on some package deliveries and introduces him to the people of Beavertown  and shares racy gossip about them. Then she takes him to a tavern where theres ax-throwing instead of a dart board, and shes deadly accurate with a hatchet.

Beavertown is not much more than a quirky handful of misfit neighbors who find themselves trapped when a winter storm blocks the road with heavy snow. Charlotte dreams of opening a craft store for tourists. The gruff Sam Parker is staying at the inn while trying to buy townspeoples support to run a gas pipeline through the area. Hes being thwarted by Dr. Ellis, a scientist out to protect the environment. Devon is a tech mogul who lives with his Argentinian husband. Emerson Flint threatens anyone who comes near his property. Jeanine runs the local inn, and her husband dies in the opening minutes. Finn is drawn into that and other mysterious phenomena.

Rubens horror comedy is a follow-up to his 2020 debut Scare Me, which also flirted with werewolves and gruesome tales. This film is a hybrid whodunit mystery and monster horror film, and its based on the video game of the same name. Ruben gently parodies those and other film genres with stock premises and schemes. Its full of eccentric characters, all with motives to kill and most with something to hide. The story tracks like countless mystery films in which a group of strangers who are trapped together decide the menace is among them.

Sam Richardson, who stars in Veep, plays Finn, the mild-mannered federal forest ranger. He arrives like a new sheriff in an old Western town with a mission to calm unrest. He takes everything in stride as they try to figure out whos the murderer and if its connected to some human flaw  like greed or vengeance  or inhuman menace  like a bloodthirsty beast. He attracts the sidekick Cecily, played by Milana Vayntrub, familiar from a string of AT&T ads as the showroom salesperson Lily. Here, shes more direct in her come-on to Finn, and shes entertaining in her deadpan humor, but their flirtation needs to burn brighter.

The method to Rubens madness is overkill. Rather than drop clever clues for shrewd viewers, he bombards the screen with conspicuous teasers, including an abundance of guns and blades, rivalries and threats, poorly kept secrets and sudden violence.

NOLA Zydeco Fest debuts at Jazz Museum on Saturday For Gabrielle Deculus and her cousin, Courtney Smith, the NOLA Zydeco Fest is as much a tribute to their family as it is to the music itself. 

Ruben also preserves his mystery with distractions of all sorts. No tangent is ignored, as Ruben slips in snark about hits from the 90s and drags in new trends like the ax-throwing bars. He works in a host of headline-grabbing issues, including battles over fracking, gun ownership, get off my land property rights, animal cruelty and pet obsessions, the arrogance of tech millionaires, gay marriage and more. The horror scheme could use more compelling pathos, and the comedy is buoyed by the films breakneck pace and stream of plot twists and reversals.

Its not easy to make some of the bits work simultaneously as parody and compelling drama. Ruben wants to have it all ways, and rather than dwell on any point, he whiplashes his cameras to new revelations. He manages to tie it all together, and its a boisterous addition to the growing niche of horror comedy.

Werewolves Within runs at Prytania Theatres at Canal Place, Zeitgeist Theatre & Lounge and The Broad Theater.
St. Tammany Parish sheriff's detectives investigating the disappearance of a Madisonville area woman are helping search the water at "an area of interest" just across the state line in Mississippi, a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office official said.

The detectives are assisting the Hancock County Sheriff's Office and Mississippi Highway Patrol in searching an area where a vehicle went into the water off Interstate 10, said Capt. Scott Lee, a St. Tammany Sheriff's Office spokesperson.

It is not known if the vehicle is connected to the disappearance this week of Courtney Johnson, 34. Johnson was last heard from Tuesday after she left her workplace in Baton Rouge Thursday for a trip to meet friends at the Golden Nugget casino in Biloxi, authorities said. Johnson never checked into her hotel room, the Sheriff's Office said.

Family and friends were joined by St. Tammany Parish law enforcement agencies in searching for Johnson. Lee said St. Tammany deputies centered their search on the I-12 and I-10 corridors through the parish and across the state line.

Johnson's vehicle, a dark-colored Mazda 6, has not been found.

Lee said St. Tammany detectives had joined with authorities in Mississippi at the site off I-10 early Friday. He said Hancock County Sheriff's Office divers had been on the scene.

"I do not wish this upon anybody to go through what we are going through, Johnson's mother, Tracy Johnson, told WWL-TV. This is my one and only child. My one and only child.

Check NOLA.com for more on this story as news develops.
MINNEAPOLIS  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment handed out Friday fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested.

With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. APs earlier story follows below.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former police Officer Derek Chauvin broke his long courtroom silence Friday as he faced sentencing for the murder of George Floyd, offering condolences to Floyds family and saying he hopes more information coming out will give them some peace of mind.

Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his COVID-19 and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial he still faces.

But very briefly, though, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some some peace of mind, he said, without elaborating.

Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson called Floyds death tragic, and that Chauvins brain is littered with what-ifs from the day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if what if what if?

Floyds family members took the stand and expressed sorrow about his death. They asked for the maximum penalty.

We dont want to see no more slaps on the wrist. Weve been through that already, said a tearful Terrence Floyd, one of Floyds brothers.

+4 Feds probing possible pattern of racist abuses by Louisiana State Police, say victims' attorneys A federal investigation into a series of beatings of Black motorists by Monroe-based state troopers has spawned a broader probe into systemic 

Floyds nephew Brandon Williams said: Our family is forever broken. And Floyds 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, in a video played in court, said that if she could say something to her father now, it would be: I miss you and and I love you.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked the judge to exceed sentencing guidelines and give Chauvin 30 years in prison, saying tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life, Frank said.

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, took the stand to plead for mercy for son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I can tell you that is far from the truth, she told the judge. I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man. She added: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvins three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict in April. Still, there was recognition that the sentencing was another major step forward for Minneapolis since Floyd died on May 25, 2020.

Between the incident, the video, the riots, the trial  this is the pinnacle of it, said Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney who closely followed the case. The verdict was huge too, but this is where the justice comes down.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Minnesota sentencing guideline s called for 12 1/2 years, but Judge Peter Cahill agreed with prosecutors ahead of Fridays proceedings that there were aggravating circumstances that could justify a heavier punishment  among them, that Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty, abused his position of authority as a police officer and did it in front of children.

The defense requested probation, saying Chauvin was the product of a broken system and believed he was doing his job.

With good behavior, Chauvin could get out on parole after serving about two-thirds of his sentence.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. Defense attorney Eric Nelson had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved away from Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Ben Crump, an attorney for the family, said relatives were anxious and tense ahead of the proceedings. To us, George Floyd is a cause. Hes a case. Hes a hashtag. To them -- thats their flesh and blood. You know, that thats their brother, Crump said.

It was unclear whether Chauvin would break his long silence and speak at his sentencing. Some experts had expressed doubt he would say anything because of the risk his words could be used against him in the federal case. No date for that trial has been set.

But Brandt said Chauvin could say a few words without getting into legal trouble. I think its his chance to tell the world, I didnt intend to kill him, the attorney said. If I was him, I think I would want to try and let people know that Im not a monster.

Chauvin did not testify at his trial. The only explanation the public heard from him came from body-camera footage in which he told a bystander at the scene: We got to control this guy cause hes a sizable guy ... and it looks like hes probably on something.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America faced something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two mistrials were declared over the death of Samuel Dubose in Cincinnati.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor, who has represented victims of police brutality. Everybody knows that this doesnt happen every day.

Several people interviewed in Minneapolis before Chauvins sentencing said they wanted to see a tough sentence.

Thirty years doesnt seem like long enough to me, said Andrew Harer, a retail worker who is white. I would be fine if he was in jail for the rest of his life.

Joseph Allen, 31, who is Black, said he would like to see Chauvin get a life sentence, adding that he hopes other police officers learn not to do what Derek Chauvin did.

As for whether she would like to hear Chauvin speak, Levy Armstrong said: For me as a Black woman living in this community, theres really nothing that he could say that would alleviate the pain and trauma that he caused. ... I think that if he spoke it would be disingenuous and could cause more trauma.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the states maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.

---

Associated Press writers Aaron Morrison and Stephen Groves and Associated Press/Report for America reporter Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this report.
Frustrated motorists and wary boaters flooded the Madisonville Town Hall on Thursday evening for a discussion about possible changes in the opening schedule of the swing bridge over the Tchefuncte River.

The town of Madisonville has asked the Coast Guard to consider not opening the bridge for boats on weekdays between 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. and between 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and limiting the bridge to hourly openings beyond those times, except between 7 p.m.-6 a.m. when it would open on signal. The bridge's current schedule allows boats to pass every hour and half-hour except from 6 a.m.-9 a.m. and 4 p.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, when it's every hour.

Comments sometimes grew heated between boaters, who largely supported leaving the schedule as is, and motorists, who are tired of long traffic backups on Louisiana 22, which become even worse when the bridges opens.

The reasons for this request are many and they are not restricted to traffic concerns, Madisonville Mayor Jean Pelloat said.

A long backup at the bridge is life threatening" when it delays police, fire or ambulance service, he added.

St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper and Parish Council President Mike Lorino spoke in support of the change, as did Madisonville Police Chief Barney Tyrney and Madisonville Fire Chief Randy Hess.

Lorino said that a request to limit bridge openings three years ago was rejected by the U.S. Coast Guard, the controlling agency.

It was bad then and its worse now, Lorino said, noting that construction on nearby Interstate 12 has forced more people onto La. 22.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Shawn Potter, a Mandeville resident who said he moved from Madisonville because of the traffic, said it took him 23 minutes to get from his subdivision two miles away to the meeting.

Others asked for further studies on traffic flow, or suggested roundabouts instead of traffic lights. One woman said a distinction should be made between recreational boaters, on the river largely for pleasure, and motorists who have to get to work, school and appointments. Several people noted the rapid development of the area and suggested a moratorium on development in the area.

Some speaking in favor of a tighter opening schedule identified themselves as boat owners as well motorists. One Madisonville resident joked that he couldn't even cross the bridge to get to his boat.

But to many of the boaters who spoke during the meeting, the traffic problem won't be solved by changing the bridge schedule.

The problem with the traffic in Madisonville is the expansion of this end of the parish and our parish government not improving our roads, said Dave Carrodus, who said he has lived in Madisonville for 45 years. They need to do something with the light and they need to improve the roads. Theres no reason to ruin the enjoyment of the boaters on the river.

Joey Mahon, a boater, business owner and resident of Madisonville, said that all the marinas but one are located north of the bridge.

Its unfair to put all of your anger on boaters, he said. We didnt create this problem, we pay our taxes as well ... We need to find a solution to the traffic. The traffic is the problem, not the river.

Doug Blakemore, a Coast Guard bridge administrator, said the agency would analyze public opinion, traffic flow and vessel data over the next 45 days. If they decide to make the change, there may be a 30 or 60-day test of the regulation. The process could take four to six months, he said.
Authorities searching for a missing Madisonville woman found a vehicle matching her car's description submerged in water alongside a stretch of Interstate 10 just across the Mississippi state line, authorities said.

A body was found inside the vehicle, but it was not known Friday evening if it was Courtney Johnson, 34, who had been missing since Tuesday, the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said.

The Mississippi Highway Patrol is handling the investigation into the crash. Foul play is not suspected, the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office said.

Johnson was last heard from after she left work in Baton Rouge for a trip to meet friends at the Golden Nugget Casino in Biloxi. She never checked into her hotel room.

Friends and family prayed that she would turn up safe as they scoured the parish. The Sheriff's Office focused on the I-10 and I-12 corridors heading into Mississippi, said Capt. Scott Lee, an agency spokesperson.

Earlier Friday, Lee said St. Tammany detectives were at "an area of interest" around eight miles across the state line in Mississippi, assisting the Hancock County Sheriff's Office and Mississippi Highway Patrol. The detectives had observed an area where a vehicle had recently left the highway and notified Mississippi authorities, the St. Tammany Sheriff's Office said.

Johnson's dark-colored Mazda 6 was pulled from the water Friday afternoon, the Sheriff's Office said.

"I do not wish this upon anybody to go through what we are going through, Johnson's mother, Tracy Johnson, told WWL-TV. This is my one and only child. My one and only child.
A Kenner native was in the Miami-area beachfront condominium building that collapsed Thursday, and her family was holding out hope that she would be found alive as searchers combed through the ruins a day later.

Cassondra Cassie Billedeau-Stratton  whose mother Kerry Billedeau still lives in Kenner  was standing on a fourth-floor balcony at the building and talking on the phone with her husband when she described seeing an outdoor swimming pool one level below her cave in, multiple family friends said Friday.

The call then ended and there has been no sign of her since. As of Friday afternoon, officials said nearly 160 people are still unaccounted for and at least four are dead following the collapse of the condo complex in Surfside, Florida.

God please find my baby sister, Billedeaus older sister, Ashley, wrote in a social-media post shortly after the catastrophe. I cant feel my body. Please pray for my baby.

The Billedeau family declined a request for comment Friday that was made through Rebecca Schepler, a family friend. Schepler, for her part, said, We are praying that everything is going to be OK.

Cassie is a beautiful, beautiful girl, outside and inside, Schepler added.

Billedeau-Stratton, 40, was raised in Kenner, but she had since gotten married and moved to Colorado.

Denver media outlets reported that Billedeau-Strattons husband, Michael Stratton, is a Democratic political strategist from Colorado who has worked on 10 presidential campaigns. The couple quarantined at their Surfside condo during the height of the coronavirus pandemic. She was there alone Thursday when the collapse occurred.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

In remarks reported by Denver television station KDVR, Stratton said: Theres been so much wonderful outreach from people and friends  and it is carrying me when I have no legs. (Cassondra) is just the most fun, full of life person you could ever meet.

Stratton said his wife worked as an actress, fashion model and Pilates instructor. He added that he was thankful for the efforts of rescue crews. Theyre in the middle of a rain storm and thunderstorms and still trying to recover people who are still in the rubble and debris of the condo, he said.

Rescuers equipped with cherry pickers, ladders and other equipment had evacuated at least 35 people from still-intact areas of the condo tower in the early hours of the disasters aftermath. Search efforts could take days, officials have said.

Schepler said that Cassie's mother, a former employee for Kenners public works department, called her in tears on Thursday. Kerry Billedeau explained that her family couldnt find a flight to Florida, and Schepler said that conversation led both women to make a flurry of calls seeking out help.

One of Kerry Billedeau's calls was to the office of U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, the Republican House Whip whose district includes Kenner. Scalise said his staff "got the word out" that a local was missing in the condo tower that fell in Surfside, and her family needed a ride out there.

Scalise said PJ's Coffee co-owner Scott Ballard and Todd Waguespack of Level Homes then arranged for a private plane and pilot to bring the Billedeaus to Florida late Thursday, so they could go to a reunification center where people were awaiting results of DNA swabs that could help identify victims.

"The whole community is rallying behind Kerry and Cassie," Scalise said Friday.

Authorities had not identified a cause for the collapse as of Friday afternoon.

"There's a lot of questions to answer," Scalise said. "But in the meantime, they're in the middle of a search and rescue operation, and...our heart goes out to the families involved."
Tyesha Young doesnt have the luxury of screening her calls.

Every time her cell phone is jolted to life by an unfamiliar number, the unemployed mother of two has to stifle the urge to let the call go to voicemail and answer it anyway.

It could be a scammer or bill collector. But it could also be from the Jefferson Parish rental assistance program, which she has been counting on for months to dig her out of the $7,000 debt she owes to the landlord of her Waggaman apartment.

She is still waiting.

Young, 29, was laid off from her job stocking food and nutritional items at a local hospital early in the pandemic. That was right about the time she found out she was pregnant with her second daughter, who was born six months ago with a birth defect requiring a tracheotomy and feeding tube.

Young has managed to pay a month's rent here and there, but her landlord doesn't allow partial payments and it's difficult to borrow and scrape up the full $570 needed. She said she's trying to find work, but must first secure a home-health nurse for her new baby, Jalayah.

"It's been a mess," she said Thursday as she lulled the child to sleep.

Young and pandemic-stricken renters across the country got a small but crucial reprieve Thursday as the federal moratorium on evictions was extended one month to the end of July.

But the lion's share of the $12.8 million in federal funding Congress sent to Jefferson Parish to help make renters and landlords whole remains out of reach. The program, which has attracted 3,863 applicants, got off to a slow start under the private contractor hired to start up and administer the program, paying out only $236,000 to 55 qualified residents in the three months ending in May, when Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng fired the contractor, Hammerman & Gainer, and brought the process in-house.

Councilman Dominick Impastato has called for an investigation into the contract and into the parish's payment of $500,000 toward the $1 million Hammerman & Gainer has billed. The company this week issued a statement defending its performance, noting that starting such a program is not without challenges and typically involves front-end costs.

Lee Sheng has stopped short of publicly criticizing Hammerman & Gainer, but said her administration is reviewing all invoices. She said all local governments who had to create rental assistance programs from scratch had a formidable task to perform.

This has never been done before on this scale, she said.

Since taking over the program, Jefferson has paid out another $1 million, bringing the number of approved applicants to 191. But the parish still lags far behind New Orleans, which has approved 1,372 applications and disbursed $7.1 million with another $980,000 pending by the end of the week.

Not a single one of my clients in Jefferson Parish got funds disbursed until the process was brought in-house, said Hannah Adams, an attorney with the Southeast Louisiana Legal Services, which has about 28 clients navigating the process in Jefferson. Just in the first couple weeks (under parish control) weve seen an enormous difference.

Adams said the program under Hammerman & Gainer was unresponsive and overly bureaucratic. Her agency sent the parish a letter co-signed by other fair housing organizations in March, calling the program "unnecessarily confusing" and alleging that "some elements have no basis in statutory or agency requirements." The elderly and non-English speakers in particular were at a disadvantage.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The parish took steps to address some of those concerns, Adams said. But the time the program spent under private contract caused unnecessary delays and was frustrating for renters and landlords.

One of those was A-Plus Property Management, which owns and operates Gretna Park Apartments, as well as apartment complexes in Baton Rouge.

Eleven of its tenants in Gretna applied for assistance, 10 were qualified, but only one has received a check. From the beginning, Gretna Park found the process cumbersome and overly bureaucratic, said Joette Manninen, executive administrator of A-Plus.

For what it's worth, Manninen said, her company's experience in Baton Rouge, where 54 tenants have applied and only one has been paid, hasn't been much better. Baton Rouge is running its program in-house, and while Jefferson's seemed overly bureaucratic under the private contract, she said Baton Rouge's seems overwhelmed and understaffed.

She said rental revenue at A-Plus is down by about two-thirds since the pandemic began.

"Were now down to the wire," she said. "If this rental assistance program does not come through  were not going to be able to pay our mortgages and keep our doors open.

Housing advocates say Jefferson Parish, and others, can do better, starting by focusing more on results than process.

"Families in South Louisiana are no stranger to dealing with recovery programs more concerned with "compliance" than actually meeting peoples needs," said Cashauna Hill, executive director of the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center. "Ultimately, emergency rental assistance programs will be judged by how many people on the waitlist still end up on the street when the eviction moratorium expires. By that measure, Jefferson Parish  and most of the other programs as well  certainly have a lot of work to do.

Manninen is encouraged that Jefferson has taken over the process and hopes to see things improve. The uncertainty of the last year has been taking its toll on renters and property owners alike, and it is crucial that assistance programs function efficiently.

That is our only chance of getting some financial reimbursement, she said, adding that making tenants and landlords whole is a far better solution for everyone than eviction. What breaks my heart is the potential for people  people with children in their families  to lose their homes. And then my employees, who have been with me since 2009, will be without a job.

Jefferson is one of eight local governments with populations large enough to disburse their share of Louisiana's $330 million themselves, with the rest being doled out by the state. There is a second tier of funding the eight parishes can secure if they can meet certain requirements, and Congress passed another round of rental assistance funding after Joe Biden was elected president.

But policymakers and housing advocates have noted the funding falls far short of the need, and that the amount programs have at their disposal now amounts to a drop in the bucket. Even New Orleans' program, which got off to a relatively quick start because it already had some of the processes in place, has drawn considerable fire for not meeting demand. The city recently resumed taking applications despite the fact that the 12,000 applications it already has would require $84 million, about seven times as much as it has to give out today.

So the slow start in Jefferson has compounded a problem it likely would have had even if it had moved quickly in the first three months, and it remains to be seen if the parish can process claims quickly enough to catch up pay out the 65% of its allocation required to qualify for more. If not, it could leave more renters, like Young, exposed when the moratorium eventually does expire.

"The main thing I think about is my kids," she said. "Im not so much worried about me, but not having the funds to pay for my housing, and facing eviction or homelessness? I have to think about them.

Correction: This story was changed on June 26, 2021 to correct erroneous information provided by the property management firm.
The owners of the 105-year-old refinery in Chalmette say they need a big break on local taxes to lure investment in a new "green" energy project -- and without it, they say, the future of the plant and its 516 employees is at risk.

PBF Energy, the New Jersey-based corporate owner of the refinery, which bought it from ExxonMobil for $322 million six years ago, is seeking a deal through the controversial Industrial Tax Exemption Program that would exempt it from paying 80% of local property taxes if the new project becomes a reality.

The ITEP incentive, which is estimated to cost local governments in Louisiana about $2 billion a year, has in recent years faced increasing opposition from across the political spectrum. A package of bills that proposed to phase it out advanced in April, although the bills ultimately didn't pass.

Steven Krynski, the Chalmette refinery's manager, said operators like PBF were devastated by the pandemic and have had to borrow heavily from banks just to survive. He said that "every one (of PBF's six U.S. refineries) is in jeopardy," after the parent company took on $1.2 billion in debt over the past year.

"We have taken a shellacking on COVID, and if we don't have this project, we don't have a refinery," Krynski said of the proposed $550 million investment needed to partially convert the plant to renewable energy production.

PBF said that it needs outside investment to go ahead with the conversion of a disused hydrocracker unit that used to make distillates and gasoline until it was put out of service more than a decade ago. The company argues that the investment would allow that unit to turn soybean oil and other feedstock into biodiesel fuel at a much cheaper rate than rival refineries.

On Thursday, Gov. John Bel Edwards and local Chalmette officials pushed for the project.

This innovative project at Chalmette Refining is right in line with the goals set out by the Climate Initiatives Task Force I created last year," Edwards said in a statement released by Louisiana Economic Development, the state economic agency.

"With this major capital investment in a next-generation energy source and the creation of quality manufacturing jobs along the way, Louisiana would benefit from this project on many levels, Edwards added.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

PBF has promised to create at least 20 long-term jobs, though Krynski said he hopes it would be more than double that number, assuming full-capacity operation. He also noted that at peak construction, there would be 600 jobs created by the investment.

St. Bernard Parish President Guy McInnis and Meaghan McCormack, executive director of the parish's economic development foundation, both also said the project was necessary to shore up the refinery and ensure jobs.

The conversion, while adding "green fuel" capacity, would have little impact on the refinery's emissions levels, as it would continue to have the capacity to process medium-sour grade crude oil from the Gulf of Mexico.

Last year, the refinery emitted 114 tons of fine particulate matter and 6.4 tons of toxic volatile organic compounds, according to Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality data. Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter can result in respiratory issues and worsen heart disease.

In 2019, the facility also added the equivalent of 1.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide to the air, according to the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program. The plant is also working with the federal agency to address spikes in benzene releases recorded by fenceline monitors. The benzene releases ranked it No. 8 in such releases among U.S. refineries, according to a recent report by a host of environmental groups.

The success of the biodiesel project would be dependent on the future of federal incentives for that industry. In the past, biofuel incentives have been highly volatile as administrations' priorities have shifted.

President Joe Biden has promised to prioritize "next generation" biofuels in his climate change policy, though he recently scaled back on specific incentives offered to the industry.

The local political leaders and refinery representatives were scheduled to put their case at a public meeting held at the La Bella Vita Reception House in Meraux on Thursday evening.

-Staff writer Halle Parker contributed to this story.
A Calcasieu Parish judge on Friday ruled that a ban on non-unanimous jury verdicts is retroactive under state law, in the case of a Florida man who is serving 30 years in prison over a fatal punch outside a Sulphur strip club.

Advocates say the decision from 14th Judicial District Judge Kendrick Guidry, granting post-conviction relief to inmate David Nelson, appears to be the first in which a Louisiana judge has agreed that the ban on split verdicts applies to those who have exhausted their appeals.

While the decision applies only in Nelson's case, an appeal of Fridays ruling could set the stage for the Louisiana Supreme Court to weigh in directly on the retroactivity question, which affects some 1,500 Louisiana inmates, or about 5% of the state's prison rolls. Most are serving life sentences with no shot at parole.

Guidry, a former prosecutor who was elected last year, declined to discuss his ruling, which he made from the bench. District Attorney Stephen Dwights office confirmed the decision but did not comment on it. Nelson will remain imprisoned while prosecutors weigh an appeal, his lawyers said.

Guidrys ruling raised hopes for advocates who continue to press for new trials for those inmates convicted long ago by split juries, after the U.S. Supreme Court last month refused to make its year-old ban on them retroactive.

U.S. Supreme Court refuses to make Louisiana ban on non-unanimous juries retroactive The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to make its recent ban on non-unanimous juries retroactive, denying relief to as many as 1,500 Louisi

Louisiana was the first state to discard a requirement for jury unanimity in serious felony cases, when delegates ratified split verdicts at a convention called in 1898 with the explicit purpose of restoring White supremacy in the state, mainly by stripping Blacks from voter rolls.

For the better part of a century, the state constitution allowed juries in Louisiana to convict with as few as 9 of 12 jurors in agreement. The state upped the required count to 10 jurors in 1974.

State voters outlawed split verdicts in a groundswell in 2018. Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court followed suit, banning split verdicts in Louisiana and Oregon, the only other state to allow them. A 6-3 court majority ruled that juries in America were always meant to be unanimous.

That decision applied only to cases where appeals hadn't been exhausted, however. Likewise, the state ban, which Louisiana voters passed nearly two-to-one, applies only to trials for crimes committed after 2018.

Last month, in the case of Thedrick Edwards of Baton Rouge, the U.S. Supreme Court made clear that it was refusing to apply its decision retroactively.

Still, advocates for those 1,500 inmates have continued to press the Legislature and the judiciary to act on their own. They have filed similar motions on behalf of hundreds of inmates.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Newly elected Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams has said he plans to seek new trials or cut plea deals with all inmates from New Orleans who were sentenced to prison after split verdicts. His office has begun that process.

Hardell Ward, an attorney with the Promise of Justice Initiative who represents Nelson, argued that the state constitution expressly repudiates any law that discriminates based on race, and that its enough to toss those older guilty verdicts by split juries.

The state constitution says no one shall be denied the equal protection of the laws. No law shall discriminate against a person because of race or religious ideas, beliefs, or affiliations.

An exhaustive review of six years of statewide jury trial outcomes published by The Advocate in 2018 found that Black defendants were about 30% more likely than White defendants to be convicted by divided juries. Black jurors, though still more likely to convict than acquit, dissented from guilty verdicts at more than twice the rate of White jurors, according to data from East Baton Rouge Parish and records from other state courts.

As it happens, Nelson is White. At 25, he was charged with murder for a punch that felled 19-year-old Chad Heath in March 2009, fracturing the teen's skull on the pavement in the parking lot of the Plantation Club. Heath never regained consciousness and died days later.

+5 Ronald Gasser can't be retried on murder charge in Joe McKnight killing, judge rules A Jefferson Parish judge ruled Wednesday that the state cannot prosecute Ronald Gasser again for second-degree murder when he is retried in th

A jury found Nelson guilty of manslaughter on a 10-2 vote in 2012. Nelson recently sought post-conviction relief based on the verdict count.

The fact Nelson is White goes to show this law hurts not only African Americans, it hurts all of Louisiana and it challenges the fairness and accuracy of our convictions, Ward said.

The ruling, he said, "means Louisiana will face the question. And we will answer it, and hopefully we will reach a verdict that lets us right our wrongs and ensure our justice system is fair and just for all."

The Legislature this year opted against passing a bill that would have allowed new trials for all inmates convicted by split juries. Instead, the state House of Representatives set up a task force to recommend "plausible remedies for miscarriages of justice that are determined to have resulted from non-unanimous jury verdicts."
As Louisiana housing agencies struggle to get hundreds of millions of dollars in federal emergency rental aid out the door, the Biden administration on Thursday lent another reprieve to tenants nationwide who have been unable to pay rent during the coronavirus pandemic, extending an eviction moratorium for a month.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pushed back the evictions freeze from June 30 until July 31, in what the CDC said is intended to be the final extension.

A Biden administration official said the extra month would be used for an all hands on deck multiagency campaign to prevent a wave of evictions.

By the end of March, 6.4 million American households were behind on their rent, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they faced eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey.

This week, dozens of members of Congress wrote to President Joe Biden and Walensky, calling for action. The letter, spearheaded by Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Jimmy Gomez of California and Cori Bush of Missouri, said an extension was needed to allow the emergency rental assistance included in the American Rescue Plan to get into the hands of tenants.

They also said ending the assistance too abruptly would disproportionately hurt some of the minority communities that were hit so hard by the virus, which has killed more than 600,000 people in the United States.

The additional month came as welcome news for tenants living on the brink in Louisiana, while advocates pressed for state and local housing officials to speed up rental aid payments before the freeze expires.

It helps me personally and it helps my community, said Glenda Cruz, a 49-year-old Honduran who has lived in New Orleans since 2002. "Its been tough."

Cruz said she lost her housekeeping work and suffered a stroke during the pandemic, but has scraped up money from friends and taken out high-interest loans to keep her landlord at bay. She applied in February for emergency rental aid through the city, saying she owed three months on her $800 rent in New Orleans East, but has yet to hear back.

She's far from alone in waiting for relief. Many qualified renters and landlords have yet to see a payment, despite the hundreds of millions of dollars that have been funneled to the state and large local jurisdictions for rental assistance.

In New Orleans, the list of applicants for the emergency aid has grown to 14,000, said Marjorianna Willman, the citys housing policy director. Only one in 10 of those applicants has been approved for payment. Another few thousand are expected to be approved before the latest extension of the CDCs eviction moratorium expires, Willman said.

If your number is below 3,500, its a very good chance well reach you in July sometime, she said.

Willman acknowledged that the city continues to process many applications that rushed in when the city opened the process on Feb. 15, the first in the state to do so. She blamed a combination of manpower and funding for the plodding pace.

Local housing advocates, though, called for the city to step up with manpower and resources before the moratorium lifts and many landlords opt to evict.

If were going to avoid a homelessness disaster this summer, the city needs to massively increase the staffing and resources dedicated to this program and pull from all available sources to do so, not just the federal money, said Maxwell Ciardullo, director of policy and communications at the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center. Because ultimately, these programs will be judged by how many people on the waitlist still end up on the street when the eviction moratorium expires."

Desperate tenants in Jefferson Parish, where more than 3,800 have applied, have fared worse. The bulk of $12.8 million in federal funding sent to the parish for emergency rental aid remains unspent, and Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng last month fired the contractor hired to administer the program.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

To address problems at the local level, the Treasury Department issued new guidance encouraging states and local governments to streamline distribution of the nearly $47 billion in available emergency rental assistance funding.

And Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta released an open letter to state courts around the country encouraging them to pursue a number of alternatives that would protect both tenants and landlords. Gupta's letter states that eviction filings are expected to overwhelm courts across the country, unless additional steps are taken.

It encourages state courts to do everything possible to prevent or delay evictions.

Diane Yentel, president of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, called an extension of the eviction ban the right thing to do  morally, fiscally, politically, and as a continued public health measure.

But landlords, who have opposed the moratorium and challenged it in court, were against any extension. They have argued the focus should be on speeding up the distribution of rental assistance.

Austin Badon, clerk of First City Clerk, which handles a large majority of evictions in New Orleans, said there are 450 pending eviction filings on the citys east bank. He said landlords who file for eviction today can count on waiting until October for a hearing date, thanks to the logjam.

Now everybodys in a holding pattern again, Badon said.

And in New Orleans, the rental aid doesnt figure to go far enough, officials said.

New Orleans has received about $18 million so far from $42 million earmarked for the city from multiple tranches of stimulus funds. If its all spent, that $42 million would cover back rents for up to 6,000 tenants  less than half those who have applied. The average payment of about $5,700 is also rising as tenants get further behind on rent, and may soon approach $7,000, said Willman, the citys housing policy director.

Meanwhile, the number of new applications is drastically increasingly, to be honest with you, at a clip of 700 new applicants a week. So far, the city has doled out just $8 million.

Don Vallee, president of the Landlord Advisory Committee of New Orleans, said he expects many landlords will work with tenants who have made efforts to pay something toward their rent.

The ones who are not working with you and are abusive because they dont have to (pay) and got free money  get rid of them, he said.

He added: Just providing some rental assistance on some temporary basis doesnt solve the problem. The bigger problem out there is putting people back to work so they can pay rent.

Others said the Biden administration needs to think about other long-term solutions, like expanding the federal government's housing voucher program for low-income tenants.

They need a long-term solution, not another Band-Aid," Alicia Mazzara, a senior research analyst with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told reporters. "Policy makers should seize this moment to enact a more enduring solution.
MONROE  More than a year and a half after Louisiana state troopers were captured on body camera video brutalizing Black motorist Ronald Greene during his fatal arrest, police brass were still trying to blame his death on a car crash at the end of a high-speed chase.

Police officials quietly commissioned a study late last year into the role the crash could have played in Greenes 2019 death, part of a behind-the-scenes bid to reduce the agencys legal liability, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The effort came despite the footage showing troopers stunning, punching and dragging the unarmed man  and one troopers admission that he bashed him in the head with a flashlight, a use of deadly force not previously reported.

The documents, which also detail how four troopers grossly exaggerated Greenes threat to justify their uses of force, provide the fullest account yet of the deadly May 10, 2019, arrest. And they show the extent to which top brass and troopers alike sought to cover up or explain away actions in a case that is now the focus of a federal civil rights investigation.

Its horrific, Greenes mother, Mona Hardin, told the AP. Theres nothing they can say to change, to warp, whats shown. I dont care which way they want to coat it, what different colors of paint they want to layer on this mess  they cant erase it.

Greene, a 49-year-old barber, failed to pull over for a traffic violation and led troopers on a midnight chase across rural northern Louisiana at speeds of up to 115 mph before his car spun to a stop on a roadside near Monroe.

+4 Feds probing possible pattern of racist abuses by Louisiana State Police, say victims' attorneys A federal investigation into a series of beatings of Black motorists by Monroe-based state troopers has spawned a broader probe into systemic 

Troopers told Greenes relatives hours later that he died on impact after crashing into a tree, an explanation called into question by photos of Greenes body on a gurney showing his bruised and battered face, a hospital report noting he had two stun gun prongs in his back, and the fact that his SUV had only minor damage.

Even Louisiana State Police appeared to back off the crash explanation later when they issued a one-page statement saying only that Greene struggled with troopers who were trying to arrest him and that he died on his way to the hospital.

The truth about what really happened began to emerge last month when the AP obtained and published body camera video showing troopers converging on Greenes car, repeatedly jolting him with a stun gun, wrestling him to the ground, putting him in a chokehold and punching him in the face, all while he apologizes and wails for mercy. A trooper can later be seen dragging a shackled Greene facedown and then leaving him unattended in a prone position for more than nine minutes before he finally became unresponsive.

Louisiana State Police face federal suit over 'ass whoopin' of Mississippi man in traffic stop Three Louisiana State Police troopers who bragged over text messages about an ass whoopin they had just doled out on a Black motorist last y

But even after viewing that footage internally, and just three weeks after showing it privately to Greenes family, ranking police officials last November remained fixated on blaming the mans death on a car crash. They quietly asked a crash reconstructionist to estimate the g-force Greene might have suffered in a crash, suggesting that may have accounted for his fatal injuries.

Though the autopsy listed Greenes cause of death as cocaine induced agitated delirium complicated by motor vehicle collision, physical struggle, inflicted head injury and restraint, it notably left unresolved whether some of Greenes most significant injuries a fractured breastbone and lacerated aorta  were caused by the crash or state troopers.

One high-ranking official, Capt. John Peters, wrote in a November email to a state police attorney that the crash reconstructionist estimated that the violent rotation of Greenes vehicle  combined with impacts and the sudden speed reduction when the chase ended  generated approximately 19gs of force. Aortic ruptures can occur in crashes, experts said, but depend on many factors.

That could have significant value on the civil side as we try to reduce our percentage of liability, he added.

Faye Morrison, a state police attorney, responded: This will definitely be important re cause of death and damages.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Morrison was reassigned this week as the agency investigates her role in the Greene case.

Capt. Nick Manale, a state police spokesperson, said only that the crash reconstruction was part of an ongoing investigation.

+5 A year after George Floyd's death, pent-up rage remains as Louisiana faces its own policing issues It began with a few dozen protesters shouting into traffic on North Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans, four days after George Floyd was killed l

It shows misplaced efforts and attention, said Rafael Goyeneche, a former prosecutor who is president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, a New Orleans-based watchdog group. Theyre more focused on civil liability issues than the conduct of the troopers.

Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth told investigators that Greene didnt have any apparent injuries when he rushed the mans SUV following the chase.

Hollingsworth, who was later recorded saying he beat the ever-living f--- out of Greene, told investigators he was aware the head was a red zone of deadly force but acknowledged striking Greene in the head three times with a flashlight and jolting him six times with a stun gun out of fear for his own safety.

He was much bigger than I was and much stronger, and he had already kept two troopers from being able to handcuff him, Hollingsworth said. He could have done anything once my hold was broke off of him.

Shown the gurney pictures of Greenes body, Hollingsworth acknowledged the flashlight could have caused the half-moon shaped gashes on his head but added, Im not a doctor.

Police spokesperson Manale did not comment on Hollingsworths use of deadly force. Hollingsworth died in a single-vehicle crash last year just hours after learning he would be fired for his role in Greenes arrest.

The documents show Hollingsworth and three other troopers greatly overstated Greenes resistance to justify their use of force, with one telling investigators he had survived a fight for his life and another falsely contending that even after Greene was cuffed and shackled, he was constantly moving, trying to get up.

But investigators said those concerns werent justified based on body camera footage that showed Greene appearing to raise his hands and saying over and over, OK, OK. Im sorry and Im your brother! Im scared! Im scared!

Ive had a female fight me and put up a much bigger fight than what Im seeing on this video, one investigator remarked, contending Hollingsworth and another responding trooper, Dakota DeMoss, never gave Greene a chance to surrender.

DeMoss, who was recently fired, also admitted to investigators it was a rookie move to leave Greene handcuffed facedown on the ground with his hands and feet restrained for more than nine minutes  a tactic use-of-force experts have criticized as dangerous and likely to have restricted his breathing.

DeMoss said he got a knot in his stomach when he learned Greene had died.

I could tell by the way the paramedics were looking at each other, he told investigators. I just got this gut-wrenching sick feeling.
A woman was killed and two others injured in violent crimes in New Orleans in a 24-hour period, police said Friday morning.

The crimes were among the major offenses reported to police in a 24-hour period from 7 a.m. Thursday to 7 a.m. Friday. Police also investigated a mugging on Bourbon Street and a carjacking in Mid-City.

Here's what we know via preliminary information from the New Orleans Police Department.

Woman fatally stabbed, dropped off at hospital

A woman was stabbed multiple times and dropped off at University Medical Center, New Orleans police said early Friday. She died a short time later.

Her name and age have not been released.

The woman was dropped off around 2 a.m. Friday, and police said they are investigating to determine where the stabbing took place, when it happened and who is responsible.

Boy shot in 7th Ward

A boy was walking Thursday afternoon in the 7th Ward when police say he was shot.

The shooting was reported to police at 2:11 p.m. in the 3100 block of Pauger Street (map).

The boy, whose age was not provided, went in a personal vehicle to the hospital. No other details were immediately available Friday morning, including his condition, a possible motive or a description of a shooter.

Man mugged on Bourbon Street

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

A man told police Thursday morning he was mugged while walking on Bourbon Street.

The crime was reported to the NOPD at 11:27 a.m. in the 300 block of Camp Street, but it wasn't immediately clear when it happened.

The man told police someone hit him, took his wallet and ran away.

Man shot in Central City

A 31-year-old man was shot in the leg in Central City, police said.

The crime was reported to the NOPD at 9:20 p.m. Thursday near Washington and South Claiborne avenues (map).

He went in a personal vehicle to a hospital for treatment, and his condition was not immediately available.

Man carjacked in Mid-City

A man was getting in his vehicle when police say three people with weapons approached him and demanded his keys.

The crime was reported to police at 11:16 p.m. in the 300 block of North Rendon Street (map).

The man gave his keys to the three people, described as a man and two women. They drove off in the stolen vehicle, which is a black 2015 Honda Accord with Louisiana license plate 499CBA.

Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.

Staff writer Carlie Kollath Wells contributed to this story.
The search for a man who allegedly gunned down his girlfriend then attempted to rape another woman weeks later ended Wednesday when police arrested Sharod Williams at an apartment complex in New Orleans East.

Officers began looking for Williams on April 30, when he was accused of shooting 35-year-old Brianisha Caine to death inside a home they shared in the 1100 block of Verret Street in Algiers, according to documents filed by police in criminal court Thursday.

A witness who was in the home told police that Williams had forced his way in to get clothes. He and Caine ended up fighting and falling to the floor in a bedroom, where Williams put Caine in a headlock, police allege.

During the struggle, the witness noticed a gun bulging out of Williams pants and ran to a neighbor for help, police said. On the way, police said, the witness heard multiple gunshots and saw Williams speed off in Caines white Mitsubishi sedan.

Paramedics later arrived and pronounced Caine dead at the scene.

Investigators obtained a warrant to arrest Williams, 36, within six hours of Caines slaying, but they hadnt found him as of June 8, when police publicly identified him as the prime suspect in the case.

Their search gained more urgency on June 15.

A woman who was dating a friend of Williams said the three of them left a home in the 3800 block of Washington Avenue in Central City to pick up food when Williams went back to the house to purportedly get some things he had forgotten, the court records say.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The woman also went back inside to get mascara when Williams kicked, punched and squeezed her neck until she lost consciousness on the kitchen floor, according to the records.

After a few minutes, the womans boyfriend went inside the house looking for the pair. There he saw Williams tying his girlfriend's hands with duct tape. Her skirt was also lifted and her underwear exposed, police allege.

Williams and the boyfriend fought before Williams got into the other mans car and sped away, police said.

Police obtained a second arrest warrant for Williams that day. On Wednesday, he was captured an apartment complex on Curran Boulevard and booked with second-degree murder and attempted rape.

Magistrate Court Commission Jonathan Friedman set Williams' bail at more than $1 million during a hearing late Thursday.

If convicted of murder, Williams faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison. An attempted rape conviction could carry an additional maximum of 50 years.

Caine's obituary describes her as a person who loved music, singing, cooking and spending time with her family. She is survived by her two children, parents and seven siblings.
Editor's Note This article is brought to you by Market Umbrella.

A New Orleans nonprofit is working to expand its longstanding tradition of providing fresh, local food to families across the region.

Crescent City Farmers Market has received a five-year grant to provide at least $125,000 in Market Match dollars each year. Under Market Match, an individual can bring their EBT card to the market, state how much of their EBT balance they would like to spend, and receive an equal amount in tokens to use specifically at the market.

If they say they want to spend $20, we give them $20 in EBT tokens and $20 in Market Match tokens, explained Cordelia Heaney, executive director of Market Umbrella, which operates the Crescent City Farmers Market.

Heaney said the EBT tokens can be used on any EBT-eligible items, while the Market Match tokens must be used on fruits, vegetables and food-bearing plants. The tokens do not expire, so someone can save unused tokens for a future trip to the market.

Its just a really cool way to make the market more accessible for folks, Heaney said. Were happy to give them a tour if they have never been and walk them through how it works and whats available. I love it because I feel like it helps make sure everybody in our community has a greater chance to access fresh local foods. Its a huge support for our farmers as well.

Since Market Match was launched more than a decade ago, 80 percent of shoppers who use EBT say the program is a main reason why they use the farmers market. Heaney said she has heard feedback that shoppers enjoy having greater buying power and the opportunity to expose their children to new foods. The impact can be especially meaningful since 32 percent of the states families with children are food insecure, according to Feeding Louisiana, and one in six Louisiana households struggles to put food on the table, according to the USDA.

Each week, the Crescent City Farmers Market hosts more than 60 local farmers, fishers and food producers who sell the freshest possible items. Heaney said the selection includes seasonal produce, dairy, seafood, meat, baked goods, prepared foods and more.

The markets are open for shoppers to walk through three days each week  Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. For the Sunday market, patrons also have the option of pre-ordering items and picking them up using a drive-through. Shoppers can also have a box of goods from the market delivered to their home.

I think folks can expect to find vendors that really speak to the unique food culture of the southeast Louisiana region, Heaney said. All of our vendors are from 200 or fewer miles away, so we really focus on having regional food represented. Its very different from shopping in a supermarket in that you get to meet the people who made or grew the food you are buying. You can ask them questions. They can give you recommendations on how to use it. Its just a cool way to learn about where your food came from.

Heaney said there also are resources at the farmers market to educate shoppers on the best ways to use their food finds. The market will soon resume food demos to highlight recipes that can be made without elaborate equipment or ingredients. In addition, each vendor is available to share recipe ideas and food preparation tips with shoppers.

Aside from providing New Orleans area families with fresh goods, Heaney said the Crescent City Farmers Market also has a long-reaching economic impact. The money that is spent at the market stays in the community by going directly to vendors. In addition, many vendors who began selling their product at the market have been able to expand to open brick-and-mortar businesses in the area.

I think if you are someone who is passionate about shopping local and supporting the New Orleans culture and economy, shopping at the market is a great way to do that and get to know some of the business people in the community, Heaney said.

Crescent City Farmers Markets are open at the following days, times and locations:

Tuesdays, 8 a.m. to noon, Uptown Square, 200 Broadway Street at the River

Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Lafitte Greenway, 500 North Norman C. Francis Parkway at the Bayou

Sundays, 8 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., Pre-order drive thru pickup only, New Orleans City Park, Tad Gormley Stadium, Marconi Drive at Navarre Avenue

Sundays, 10 a.m. to noon, Walkup sales and pre-order pickup at vendors, New Orleans City Park, Tad Gormley Stadium, Marconi Drive at Navarre Avenue

For more information, visit www.crescentcityfarmersmarket.org or call 504-861-4485.
Staff Writer

Reese Gorman covers elections, local politics and the COVID-19 pandemic for The Norman Transcript. He started as an intern in May of 2020 and transitioned into his current position as a staff writer in August of 2020.
Jean Chastain Holland, 100 of Norman, passed away on June 25th 2021. Services are scheduled for 2:00 pm on July 6th at Primrose Funeral Service Chapel. Arrangements are under the direction of Primrose Funeral Service.
Williamsport, Pa. - As if the industrious fulfillment of her proud Pennsylvania College of Technology days isnt a sufficient bequest, Kate M. Ruggiero punctuated her academic performance with a larger-than-life mic drop: impressively taking the lead in repainting a single-engine Cessna 175C airplane donated to the Lumley Aviation Center eight years ago.

Ruggiero earned an associate degree in aviation technology from Penn College in December, crossing the stage in a COVID-delayed ceremony on May 15, and will move from Easton to Michigan in early July to start a job as an aircraft paint specialist  working on corporate and private jets for Duncan Aviation in Battle Creek.

Employment is but the latest exciting step along Ruggieros bustling path.

She was an award-winning campus leader and recipient of multiple industry scholarships, a Presidential Student Ambassador and a Theta Phi Alpha sorority sister.

And shes a self- described Daddys girl who gleefully tag-teamed the teardown of an airplane carburetor during an early visit to Penn College with her father. Painting is Ruggieros foundational passion, but airplanes werent always her palette.

As a student at Easton Area High School and the Career Institute of Technology, she took automotive courses  including classes in collision and refinishing technology.

I started doing welding, sheet-metal fabrication, spray-painting and filling in dents. I wanted to just broaden my skills, she said.

Pennsylvania College of Technology caught my eye. I actually toured there originally for the collision repair program and automotive business management," Ruggiero continued.

Paternal research would help redefine her career path, revealing that the college also has an attractive aviation program and moving a daughters focus from wheeled transport to the winged variety.

Ever since I was little, my dad took me to a local airpark that's about five minutes from my house. They had fly-ins all the time, so he would take me there as a little girl, plus to different aviation museums, Ruggiero said.

He always had a passion for aviation and really supported the industry, and he carried that down to me," she added.

She and her father Mike visited the Lumley Aviation Center in Montoursville, where they met instructor Michael R. Robison and other faculty members, and followed up with a shadow day that provided a more intensive look at the campuss instructional labs.

I had the pleasure of meeting Kate while she was exploring college majors, said William F. Stepp III, associate professor of aviation. She impressed me by her depth of research and maturity.

The day had an impact on Ruggiero, as well.

I went into a carburetors class, and my dad was actually able to be there with me for the whole day, which was awesome. He loved it! she said.

He always wanted to work on planes, be affiliated with them somehow, so he was like a little kid in a candy store just as much as me. Mr. Stepp (William IV, assistant professor of aviation maintenance) handed us a carburetor and some tools and said, Here. Have at it. Take it apart. If you need any help, let me know."

Dad's a jack of all trades  cars, trucks, diesel, campers, hes really into motorcycles. He can do it all 'cause he's a mechanic, but I'd never done anything like that before, she said. So that was a lot of fun, and being able to interact with the students and meet more teachers, that really encouraged me to go to Penn College.

The summer after her first year, Ruggiero did an internship at Lancaster Aero in Smoketown, a maintenance, paint and body shop owned by Kendall N. Horst, a May 1997 graduate of the colleges aviation technology major. Horst had just hired a specialist at his Lancaster County business, so Ruggiero didnt get the full hands-on experience.

I got an inside look at what its like to paint aircraft, though, she said. I did some composite repairs and got to sit in the paint booth as the new guy was spraying, looking at his techniques. And I got to help lay out paint designs, too.

The paint bug would resurface in Ruggieros final semester last fall, when a three-credit physics survey course was the only remaining stop on her road to that two-year degree.

I didnt really want to leave the Aviation Center yet  I still wanted to be involved there  and I was studying and testing for my Airframe and Powerplant certification, she said. So I asked if I would be able to paint one of the aircraft because I really wanted that experience beneath my belt.

Asked  and answered.

She was readily assigned to refurbish the Cessna, donated in Spring 2013 by the alumni-laden Gable family.

Ruggieros ability to prioritize, prepare and perform  from becoming Federal Aviation Administration-certified to finalizing the instructional aircrafts makeover to graduating  is no surprise to her faculty mentors.

She is a conscientious, friendly and honest person who ensures all tasks are completed correctly, on time and to the highest standards without compromising safety, Stepp III said. She can always be trusted to do her best and seek help or guidance if needed.

Ruggiero and Grace M. Snyder, of Lebanon, who graduated May 15 with a bachelors degree in aviation maintenance technology, busily occupied themselves with the Cessna during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters. (Snyder took some time away from the work early this year to concentrate on her senior project, then jumped back in to help with the rebuild and final prep for spraying. She is now employed by Fly Advanced, Lititz.)

From September to December, all that Grace and I were doing was complete disassembly  bringing it down to the fuselage, she explained about their meticulous game plan.

Typically, we don't take off the wings; we don't completely disassemble a tail. We just take off all the flight controls, and then we take off the cowling, and then the wheel pants," Snyder said.

(A step-by-step photo gallery of the project can be found at PCToday, the colleges news and information website.)

You generally dont take off the major components, but we did that for the Cessna because we thought it would be a lot easier, she added. We could then go in there for corrosion control, really get an inside look and see if there were any major repairs that needed to be done. Fortunately, everything was in decent condition.

The duo used a chemical stripper to more easily remove the planes greenish hue, jokingly characterized by classmates as dying salmon, Ruggiero said.

We put that on and let it sit for a couple of hours, sometimes overnight, and that chewed up the paint and brought it into a big, gooey ball, she recalled. Then we just scraped it all off, and that brought it down to bare metal. Once all the paint was completely removed from the flight surfaces and the fuselage, I went in there with sandpaper and a little Jitterbug sander and got rid of all the corrosion so that there was only clean metal.

Ruggiero also replaced all of the hardware, a nod to the thoroughness of the enterprise, and realigned inspection panels and other pieces for a professional, uniform look.

She and Snyder searched online for blue Cessna paint design and readily selected one of the first results that were displayed. They modified the look slightly, and opted for a Wildcat- friendly mix of blue, gray and white paint.

The result, it goes without saying, is magnificent  but visitors to the Lumley Aviation Center are saying it anyway.

We came to recruit aviation technicians for New World Aviation because the curriculum and the technology at Penn College help support our workforce by giving students and graduates the skills they need to be leaders in our industry, said Darrell Frey, president of New World Aviation in Allentown, a Penn College Corporate Tomorrow Maker.

Seeing what was happening with the Cessna was a pleasant surprise and truly demonstrates, not only the level of talent and skill of Ms. Ruggiero and her team, but their passion for the industry and the craft," Fry said.

Frey was equally impressed that the college attracts such enthusiastic young people into its program, producing a high-quality outcome that bodes well for aviations future.

I remember meeting Kate and Grace side-by-side in the paint booth with big smiles, he said. You could tell they loved the opportunity to learn the paint process.

When Ruggiero was selected in December to receive the Presidents Award for leadership and service to her alma mater, her nominator all but predicted her lasting influence.

Despite being a student from a satellite campus and an off-campus resident, she has immersed herself into the campus community by being engaged in leadership and social opportunities, the Admissions Office employee wrote. Her continued desire to give back to the campus and serve her peers through her involvement is inspiring.

Ruggiero matches that effusive praise with pure humility, making sure to credit the nearly 30 students who lent a hand  a just-doing-my-job attitude that will serve her new employer well: Im just really glad that I could leave a little bit of a legacy.




This article is made possible through Votebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. This article is available for reprint under the terms of Votebeats republishing policy.

Harrisburg, Pa.  The Pennsylvania House passed an election overhaul bill Tuesday that creates stricter voter ID requirements and early voting in 2025, despite opposition from most Democrats and a promised veto from Gov. Tom Wolf.

The state Senate is poised to take up the measure in the coming days, but Republican lawmakers in the chamber are charting a separate path that would advance the priorities of county election officials while putting stricter voter ID requirements on a future ballot.

The topic has emerged as a partisan sticking point in Harrisburg. Currently, only first-time voters and those casting ballots at a new polling precinct are required to show ID. Roughly three-quarters of respondents to a recent Franklin & Marshall College poll of Pennsylvania voters said they favor requiring all voters to show photo ID.

Democrats call any new such ID restrictions voter suppression, while Republicans say it makes elections more secure. The reality is more complicated, with a 2019 study showing such laws dont reduce already-rare fraud or voter turnout.

House lawmakers spent more than three hours Tuesday debating Rep. Seth Groves 150-page election bill, which also places limits on drop boxes; requires more comprehensive audits of ballots, machines, and processes; and calls for the state to reimburse each county for electronic poll books.

Grove, who heads the House committee in charge of considering election legislation, said the measure secures and modernizes elections while ensuring access to voters. The bill was drafted without input from Democrats.

Democrats countered that most of whats included in Groves bill isnt necessary and addresses false claims of voter fraud rather than expanding voter access. Rep. Margo Davidson (D., Delaware), the minority chair of the House State Government Committee, called the bill another sad step in the march that is dismantling our democracy.

Wolf on Twitter said he wants election reform, but would veto Groves bill in its current form.

The lawmakers behind this bill are the same ones who asked Congress to throw out PA votes and whose lies directly contributed to the Jan. 6 insurrection, he tweeted Tuesday.

A state Senate committee is expected to consider the legislation in the coming days.

Even within the GOP, there appears to be disagreements over how to approach any overhaul of the Election Code, with its right-wing members favoring a wholesale repeal of mail voting and a third, Arizona-style audit of the 2020 election.

Argall supports such a review, despite two already-completed audits and multiple government officials confirming the accuracy of the votes.

Grove has rejected an audit and said his focus is on passing the omnibus election bill, which he said was a result of 10 hearings aimed at finding ways to restore confidence in elections. He said hes tried asking Wolf to negotiate without success and dismissed Democrats claims of voter suppression as a false narrative.

His counterpart in the Senate State Government Committee, David Argall of Schuylkill County, is taking a different approach that may prove more successful.

The Republican senator is pushing a bill that solely addresses two priorities county commissioners and election officials fiercely advocated for in the months leading up to the 2020 presidential contest: moving the deadline to apply for a mail ballot from seven to 15 days before Election Day, and allowing county officials to begin processing, or pre-canvassing, mail ballots seven days before Election Day.

Argalls piecemeal approach to election reform is likely to be supported by Democrats and Wolf, who have repeatedly said changes requested by election officials should be addressed before the legislature tackles more nuanced issues. The bill has yet to be considered by Argalls committee.

If your car needs new tires and brakes to pass inspection, thats what we ought to do, Rep. Mark Longietti (D., Mercer) said Monday. Some folks want to rebuild the entire car, which takes a lot of time, thats a big project, and we dont have the tools to do that because the governor doesnt support that.

At the same time, Argalls committee has advanced a proposed constitutional amendment to require voter ID, though the measure is light on details. The proposal has a major benefit for the GOP: It wouldnt require support from Wolf, who has vowed to veto any legislation with stricter ID requirements.

The full state Senate could take up the resolution as early as this week before sending it to the House. As a constitutional amendment, lawmakers would need to approve the measure in two consecutive two-year sessions, meaning the earliest voters could see the question is 2023.

Republicans used the amendment process to send two questions about curtailing the governors emergency powers to the voters, who approved the changes to the Pennsylvania Constitution this May. Such amendments rarely fail to pass: Since the 1990s, voters have approved 100% of ballot questions.

WHILE YOURE HERE... If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.




Updated June 25, 12:10 p.m.

Williamsport, Pa.  An inmate in the Lycoming County Prison died on Tuesday.

Donald Aaron Donato, Sr., age 45, had been incarcerated for one month, according to his family. He was in for violating his probation, they said.

According to a media release from the Chairman of the Lycoming County Prison Board, Tony Mussare, On June 22, 2021, a Lycoming County Prison inmate was found deceased by correctional staff.

This matter was immediately referred to the Lycoming County District Attorneys Office which has commenced an investigation as is standard protocol, the release said.

According to the release, staff called 911 immediately after discovering the inmate. Attempts to revive the inmate were not successful.

The family reached out to NorthcentralPa.com on Tuesday, the day Donato Sr. died.

"My father died today in the Lycoming County prison this afternoon and they will not let us identify the body and there is no cause of death," Donnie Donato said.

According to Charles Kiessling, Jr. Lycoming County Coroner, an autopsy was scheduled for 8 a.m. Thursday.

"We clearly know who the deceased is or we would have made other arrangements to get him identified. We do not allow viewing of decedents before autopsies," Kiessling wrote.

The family reported the cause of death to be an aneurysm in his heart and two leaky valves.

"The pre release center failed to take him to his scheduled doctors appointment," Donato said.

According to Kiessling "the death certification is pending until all testing is completed including full toxicology which will take 10  12 weeks."

"He was a very good man," Donato said of his father. "He will be missed by many."
Selinsgrove, Pa.  A Northumberland man has been arrested for allegedly stalking employees at the Selinsgrove Walmart in Monroe Township, Snyder County.

Matthew Fischl, 48, was charged with stalking and harassment, according to Pennsylvania State Police at Selinsgrove. Police were recently called to the store to begin investigating the alleged stalking incidents that took place between May 14 and June 8.

Fischl would follow and sometimes approach the employees while they were working. The employees told police they did not know Fischl and felt uncomfortable when he was in the store, according to the police report.

The employees also reportedly told police that Fischl would follow them throughout the store.

On one occasion, Fischl allegedly attempted to follow an employee into a back room that was for employees only. He was stopped by another employee, according to state police.
Jersey Shore, Pa.  Police Officers from the Tiadaghton Valley Regional Police Department said an early morning crash led to multiple felonies for a Lock Haven man.

Sergeant Brian Fioretti responded to a call on June 19 from a woman who said Jamison Sinkus, 21, had followed her with his truck. Fioretti said Sinkus allegedly crashed his truck during the chase.

After allegedly crashing and causing a flat tire, Sinkus called the driver of the other vehicle and asked them to retrieve a firearm from the truck. As officers spoke with the caller, they discovered Sinkus was on parole and not to be in possession of a firearm.

The caller explained to officers she discovered Sinkus inside a home located on Ramsey Drive in Cumming Township. Sinkus was seen coming out of a bedroom at the residence, which the caller knew had a gun inside.

As officers spoke with the caller they were able to locate the truck at the restaurant in Lock Haven. It allegedly had a flat tire and damage from the crash.

As authorities investigated the truck in an effort to locate the firearm, officers from the Pine Creek Township Police Department made contact with Sinkus.

According to the complaint, Sinkus initially said he didnt know anything about a firearm. Officers spoke with his father, who then met with Sinkus alone to discover the location of the weapon.

Sinkus told his father the location of the firearm, which officers quickly recovered. Sinkus was then transported to the police station and placed in a holding cell.

Sinkus was charged with five felonies that ranged from first-degree burglary and possession of a firearm to second-degree theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property to third-degree criminal trespassing.

Court records show Sinkus was taken to the Lycoming County Prison and held in lieu of $100,000 monetary bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sinkus on June 30 at 10 a.m. with Judge Jerry Lepley.
Lifestyles

wire

We have a deal: Biden, lawmakers reach tentative bipartisan infrastructure agreement

Sarah Silbiger/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COM/TNS President Joe Biden speaks to reporters outside of the West Wing of the White House following a meeting with a bipartisan group of Senators where they reached a deal on the infrastructure plan in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, June 24, 2021. Sarah Silbiger/Pool/ABACAPRESS.COM/TNS President Joe Biden speaks to Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT, as Senators speak to reporters outside of the West Wing of the White House following a meeting with a bipartisan group of Senators where they reached a deal on the infrastructure plan in Washington, DC, on Thursday, June 24, 2021.

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators agreed on a nearly $1 trillion infrastructure plan Thursday, the culmination of months of negotiation over a proposal to fortify the nations roads, bridges and broadband internet access.

We have a deal, Biden said, standing with the 10 senators in the West Wing driveway after their 30-minute Oval Office meeting. Theyve given me their word, he said of the group of five Republicans and five Democrats. Where I come from thats good enough for me.

Its a big step forward, and validation for the Senate negotiators and a president determined to show that working across the political aisle is still possible in such a partisan era. But, given the deep divide in Washington and Democrats thin congressional majorities, securing the votes to pass a bipartisan package wont be easy.

The meeting came after the group of senators reached a tentative agreement with White House aides Wednesday evening following two days of meetings on Capitol Hill.

We made serious compromises on both ends, Biden said, acknowledging that Republicans werent going to back the investments in human infrastructure hes called for. Biden said he would push those in a separate package that would require support from every Democratic senator. Well see what happens in the reconciliation bill and the budget process.

The plan calls for nearly $600 billion in new spending, with the rest of the funds coming from existing pots of money.

The deal, if enacted, would mark the first major bipartisan legislative accomplishment for Biden, who campaigned on his ability to work across the aisle with Republicans. This agreement would cover only a fraction of what Biden originally called for in his $4 trillion proposal to invest in hard infrastructure of roads and bridges, alongside human infrastructure, such as child care and elder care programs.

The plan calls for $109 billion for road and bridge projects; $7.5 billion to build a new network of electric vehicle-charging stations; $55 billion to replace all lead pipes and upgrade water infrastructure; and $66 billion in rail line expansion.

Calling the investments long overdue, Biden framed the breakthrough as a strong signal to the rest of the world that in the global economic competition with autocracies like China, democracies can deliver.

This agreement signals to the world that we can function, deliver and do significant things, he said. But in an aside at the outset of his remarks, Biden acknowledged the tenuous nature of the agreement and its legislative prospects, ad libbing that the negotiations were only settled for the moment.

On Capitol Hill, senators who were not involved in the negotiations were reluctant to commit to supporting the plan without seeing full details. But in a positive sign, neither progressives nor conservatives completely ruled out supporting it.

Significant hurdles remain, however, and the clock is ticking. Progressive Democrats long ago grew tired of the protracted negotiations, warning the White House that Republicans were merely trying to eat up precious legislative time. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., threw down the gauntlet Thursday morning before the particulars of the Senate compromise were known, indicating that the House wouldnt vote on it until the Senate passes the more progressive proposal that is likely to address issues such as immigration, climate change and health care.

We will not take up a bill in the House until the Senate passes the bipartisan bill and the reconciliation bill, said Pelosi, who called bipartisan legislation important for symbolic reasons while asserting that legislation focused mainly on traditional infrastructure doesnt meet the needs of the moment. There aint going to be an infrastructure bill unless we have the reconciliation bill passed by the United States Senate.

Several other progressives echoed the requirement that the two bills would have to run together. The bipartisan plan by itself is not enough, it doesnt meet the moment, said Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif. But he left the door open to supporting it if the partisan reconciliation bill comes along. These two tracks have to move together in parallel, he said.

The second bill would have to be approved through the reconciliation process, which circumvents the Senate filibuster and would require the backing of all 48 Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them in the evenly divided chamber. If the vote comes to a 50-50 split, Vice President Kamala Harris would cast the tie-breaking vote.

Pelosis pledge addresses the concern held by progressive Democrats that their partys key moderates  Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona  could opt not to support the larger, more progressive bill after helping negotiate the smaller, bipartisan infrastructure package.

Manchin didnt rule out supporting a partisan bill but wouldnt commit until the details were fleshed out. Im open to everything. You cant go in with a closed mind, he said.

The challenge facing Biden now will be gathering enough Republican and Democratic support to get the deal through the Senate, where he is starting with about two dozen votes.

Pressed by reporters in the East Room on the political inside straight hes attempting to pull off, Biden acknowledged he cant guarantee either legislative effort will be successful. In an effort to keep progressives in the fold, he said he agrees with Pelosis demand that both bills arrive in the House before either gets a vote and pointed to his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package enacted in March as proof hes willing to go big.

My partys divided, but my partys also rational, Biden said, promising that in the event the bipartisan bill were to get to his desk alone, Im not signing it.

Bidens pledge buoyed progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is already at work writing the partisan bill.

Hes absolutely right. So our job right now is to continue working on a major bill which addresses the crises of working families, Sanders said.

But linking the two plans together could make it harder to get Republican support. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Bidens promise not to move the bipartisan plan without the reconciliation package a veto threat of his own deal. But he didnt rule out supporting it. I hope our colleagues can recover and get their good-faith efforts back on track, he said.

Republicans not involved in the negotiations wouldnt commit to supporting the plan without the full legislative text, but many have been broadly supportive of infrastructure investments, even if the proposal comes with the risk that Democrats would follow up with a partisan measure.

The most critical point in the negotiations centered on how to pay for the plan. Both sides have said in recent weeks that the others proposed funding plans crossed a red line for them. Republicans refused to consider Bidens proposal to raise the corporate tax rate, which the GOP lowered from 35% to 21% in 2017.

And the White House has hammered Republicans for suggesting new infrastructure investments be funded by raising the gas tax and imposing new fees on drivers of electric vehicles, even dubbing it a Ford F-150 tax in reference to the companys new heavy-duty truck model that runs on electric power.

According to the White House fact sheet outlining the agreement, the new spending would be paid for by stricter tax enforcement by the IRS, unused unemployment and emergency funds, sales from the strategic petroleum reserve and public-private partnerships.

White House officials and congressional Democratic leaders will have a short time frame to gather support for the agreement and get it enacted, especially if they try to advance both bills simultaneously.

Were all on the same page: Both tracks, the bipartisan track and the budget reconciliation track, are proceeding at pace, and we hope to have votes on both of them in the House  in the Senate and the House in July, Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., said late Wednesday after a meeting with Pelosi and White House officials.

The dual tracks will require some heavy legislative maneuvering, but it has been done before. In 2010, House Democrats made a similar demand of Senate Democrats as they enacted the Affordable Care Act through two pieces of legislation  one approved in normal legislative procedure and a second bill enacted through the reconciliation process.
Support Local Journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by subscribing.
A Philly man was cleared of murder after 34 years by evidence that was in the police file all along
This is what an adult spotted lanternfly looks like.
Minutes and seconds are the difference between life and death in an emergency setting. From our emergency care through our outpatient services, we deliver exceptional care without the wait. One of the defining characteristics of the techs, nurses and doctors at NW Indiana ER & Hospital is that everyone is here for the same reason  to help people, Samlan said. Even though we are a smaller scale facility, we find this is to our advantage. We have the extra time to sit down and talk with our patients while figuring out how to make them better. We are reimagining emergency health care with an unwavering emphasis on patient experience and satisfaction.
"They're doing a HR audit and a lot of research because they want to make sure the compensation and benefits are appropriate," he said. "I'm not concerned. They're doing due diligence. I'm not going to negotiate my contract through the press."

The board hired a local professor to study Batistatos's overall compensation. His base salary is $158,000 a year, but the study found he made more than $330,000 a year with benefits, including use of a company car, vacation day buyouts, vacation bonuses, stipends, and retirement plan contributions.

"We decided unanimously not to renew his contract because of compensation issues," Qunell said. "We felt the contract was one-sided, benefiting only one party."

Different people were on the 19-member board, which includes hospitality and other professionals appointed from across the Region, when the contract was ratified in 2016, Qunell said.

"Typically benefits only account for 20% to 30% of compensation," he said. "This is in excess of that. This is egregious, one-sided compensation that we could not come to terms on, so the full board did not renew his contract."
"In researching this issue, there is statutory authority and case law to invalidate the boards decision to disburse the funds, should it vote to do so," he wrote. "The fact that a more detailed discussion was held in the regular meeting of the board as part of the public meeting may not cure the defect of the improper topic discussed during the executive session, but may be considered in the balance of these factors. As the decision to invalidate the action of the board would be discretionary on the part of the trial court, it would be a matter indeterminate until an action is filed, and a judge issues a ruling. A challenger would have 30 days to pursue such an action from the time it is discovered or should be discovered."
"Unless we address the systemic issues and address the violence, we will beat each other with sticks," Holliday recalled the pastor saying.

Effecting meaningful change will take faith and support from communities and their leaders, she said.

Pastor John Jackson, of Trinity United Church of Christ in Gary, said violence is a public health crisis.

"We know this country was born in violence. What happened Jan. 6 was a representation of how this country was born," he said. "Until we address the real issue that violence is a problem, then we'll always be grasping at straws. This is not just a moment. This is a movement."

'We want to live without fear'

Senior Pastor Williams lost his 35-year-old son Nehemiah Williams in a shooting Feb. 21, 2018, in Burnham, he said.

He was told his son had conflict with a person inside a store, and that person gunned his son down.

The loss of a child is a pain no parent should have to go through, Williams said.

Biden knows that pain, because he's lost two of his four children, he said.
Geminus will give out food baskets this Saturday in Merrillville at a drive-up enrollment for the Head Start program for young children.

"If you are not familiar with Head Start, it is a federally funded no-cost early childhood education and preschool program for children from birth to age 5, as well as pregnant women," Geminus Quality Assurance Manager Thomas J. Walker said. "We serve over 1,600 Lake and Porter County children and their families each year."

Geminus Head Start will host a drive-through enrollment event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday to sign kids and families up for the program at 8400 Louisiana St. in Merrillville.

"We will be taking quick/pre-applications for families with children from birth through 4 years old, providing various resources and giveaways, raffle prizes, and a box of food provided by the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana while supplies last," Walker said.

Dating back to 1965, Head Start is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program that provides low-income families with early childhood education, nutrition, health and other services. The goal is to help develop happy, healthy kids with stable families and strong cognitive abilities.
In the statement, Patton and Cox accused Jones of consolidating his power "by removing nearly all the duties of the City Clerk, hiring new employees without proper authorization from the city council, and putting unnecessary roadblocks between the city council and city departments causing delays in constituent services being completed."

They also said Cox and fellow Police and Fire Commission members William Galgan and Carmelo Ziobro resigned "after members reported being 'bullied and threatened' by the mayor."

Cox said Friday she resigned because Jones "created a situation where I would have no longer felt comfortable serving in that capacity."

Jones said earlier this week the previous commissioners did not do enough to promote diversity in the city's police and fire departments, which Howard said have only 10 black staffers of a total of more than 130. Cox said she did try to reach out to churches with predominantly black membership, among other efforts.

Jones denied bullying or threatening the former commissioners, who were replaced by three new commissioners appointed by Jones and confirmed by the City Council this week. They are: Carol Conditt, Bryan Carradine and Stevon Grant. Jones said Conditt and Carradine have law enforcement experience, while Grant has served as an EMT. All are Calumet City residents.
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes in many states. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in New Hampshire:
"Now I understand the disappointment many feel about the last election. I can relate. I was on the ballot," he added. "But you know, there's more at stake than our party and our political fortunes in this moment."

Trump was impeached after Jan. 6 on a charge of inciting an insurrection, and he was acquitted by the Senate the next month, after leaving office. More than 500 people face federal charges in the insurrection, including a member of the Oath Keepers extremist group who pleaded guilty this week.

Pence's appearance Thursday in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 800 at the hilltop library was his latest in recent months as Pence considers a White House bid. He took a brief pause from the public stage after leaving office in January, but he kicked off a series of appearances in April in early-voting states, looking to sharpen his conservative profile for voters more familiar with him standing in Trump's shadow.

Earlier this month in New Hampshire, Pence defended the Trump administration record but also appeared to put some distance between himself and the former president, saying, "I don't know if we'll ever see eye to eye" on the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.
The town's council approved it, and after a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, unveiled the new sign Thursday on Isley Brothers Day in front of a crowd numbering in the hundreds.

I've lived in Teaneck since 1976 and I thought, Ive never really done anything to improve the town'" until making the connection that some of the Isley Brothers had lived there, Buckman joked Thursday.

Former bandmates and neighbors offered reminiscences of befriending the brothers in the 1960s and 70s. Neighbors recalled swimming in Ron Isley's family's backyard pool all summer long and never being turned away, or hearing the groups new songs before they were released to the general public. They painted a picture of a close-knit neighborhood that just happened to have a world-famous band hanging out down the block.

Ron Isley was overcome with emotion after hearing all the tributes.

It's beyond words for me to express my level of appreciation and gratitude, he told the crowd. I love you people, and I thank you for loving me, for loving us and for loving the Isley Brothers.
Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who werent vaccinated, a staggering demonstration of how effective the shots have been and an indication that deaths per day  now down to under 300  could be practically zero if everyone eligible got the vaccine.

An Associated Press analysis of available government data from May shows that breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people accounted for fewer than 1,200 of more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations. Thats about 0.1%.

And only about 150 of the more than 18,000 COVID-19 deaths in May were in fully vaccinated people. That translates to about 0.8%, or five deaths per day on average.

The AP analyzed figures provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC itself has not estimated what percentage of hospitalizations and deaths are in fully vaccinated people, citing limitations in the data.

Among them: Only about 45 states report breakthrough infections, and some are more aggressive than others in looking for such cases. So the data probably understates such infections, CDC officials said.

Still, the overall trend that emerges from the data echoes what many health care authorities are seeing around the country and what top experts are saying.
Cities across the country are experiencing a historic spike in homicides, violence that is greatest in racially segregated, high-poverty neighborhoods, the statement said. Black men make up 6% of the population but over 50% of gun homicide victims. Black women, Latinos, and Native Americans are also disproportionately impacted.

Historically, the bulk of government funding aimed at reducing gun violence has gone to law enforcement organizations.

It has to be well-rounded, said Paul Carrillo, director of the Community Violence Initiative at the Giffords Law Center. If youre going to hire more police, OK, it should be something to the effect where  whatever your police budget is, X% should also be toward this violence intervention work.

In the first three months of 2021, there were 983 homicides in 24 U.S. cities monitored by researchers at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for reports prepared for the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice. The number was 193 higher than in the first quarter of last year and 324 higher than in the first quarter of 2019. Last years increase in homicides was likely due to the coronavirus pandemic, social unrest and other factors, according to a research report by criminal justice professor Richard Rosenfeld and graduate research assistant Ernesto Lopez Jr.
After years of effort, millions of dollars and strong opposition, the renovated pavilion at Indiana Dunes State Park is now a reality.

Those who chose to see this project to fruition didn't give up. They were met with public scrutiny by groups who didn't want the project to go forward.

Bottom line is the property was rundown and desolate. Now Indiana Department of Natural Resources with the Pavilion Partners group have found a good, sustainable use for it.

It already has and will continue to bring in visitors.

As was reported recently in The Times, the pavilions general store is already open. The Dari Dip is also open, selling ice cream and other treats.

The renovated pavilion will offer a cafe on the first floor, an event space for 175 people on the second floor and a rooftop bar and grill for up to 150 people.

Tom Collins Jr., of Pavilion Partners, said he expects the restaurant and bar will open July 15. The event space is expected to open Thursday.

The pavilion, which was built in 1930, had fallen into utter disrepair over the years.
WASHINGTON  A Chinese company that produces a key ingredient in solar panels will be barred from the U.S. market as part of a broader effort to halt commerce tied to the country's repressive campaign against Uyghurs and other minorities, the Biden administration said Thursday.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will immediately halt shipments from the Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. Ltd. and its subsidiaries under a law that bans the import of goods produced with forced labor.

In addition, the Commerce Department will add six Chinese entities involved in the production of raw materials and components for the solar industry to a blacklist restricting their access to the American market, the administration said.

The moves target a relatively small slice of the U.S. import market, but it is notable given the administration's renewable energy goals. It also reflects an escalation of efforts to use economic leverage to pressure China over its use of forced labor as part of its campaign against ethnic minorities in the country's far wester Xinjiang region.
99 people missing after Florida building collapses

The sudden collapse of a condominium complex north of Miami Beach has left at least one person dead and 99 unaccounted for. Search-and-rescue teams using trained dogs and sonar looked above and below ground for signs of life amid the piles of rubble.

Half of the Champlain Towers complex collapsed to the ground yesterday, just after midnight, as if struck by an earthquake. The building was home to a mix of retirees and well-off professionals with young families. Fifty-five units were affected by the collapse, the mayor said.

Public records show the building was constructed in 1981 and was coming up on its required 40-year recertification. Some of its more than 136 units had recently sold for over $1 million.

Disaster zone: The wrecked interiors of what were once peoples homes gaped open toward the ocean: Broken air-conditioning units. An empty bunk bed. Linens waving in the wind. At one point, clouds of dust swirled as a fire broke out at the site.
A statue of George Floyd that was installed in Brooklyn less than a week ago was spray-painted and marked with a white supremacist groups logo in an act of vandalism that the police were investigating as a hate crime, officials said on Thursday.

The defacing of the statue, which was unveiled on Flatbush Avenue last Saturday to commemorate the Juneteenth holiday, was discovered by officers early Thursday, the police said. It was covered with black spray paint and marked with a stencil for Patriot Front, a white supremacist group with a small but growing presence in New York City.

Its at the epitome of not only anti-Blackness and racism, but it is also about the lack of even basic human decency about the life of George Floyd, said Imani Henry, a lead organizer with Equality for Flatbush, a local community group that opposes gentrification in the area and fights against police brutality.

For someone to desecrate an innocent persons tribute is just beyond the pale, Mr. Henry said.

Officials in Newark, New Jerseys biggest city and one with a large Black population, said they were investigating a similar incident involving a statue of Mr. Floyd outside City Hall. As in Brooklyn, the Newark statue was defaced with spray paint and marked with Patriot Front graffiti.
That danger is real. Polls reveal that both Black and white voters reject the slogan Defund the police. Yet Walton has shown that even in a city where shootings have surged a staggering 116 percent so far this year, a socialist promising police reform can win.

When I asked her how, her answer was simple: Organizing. But its a little more than that. Walton is a woman with a working-class background and an inspiring personal story who knows how to make progressive ideas sound like common sense. The challenge of the left is that we use our jargony activist language and dont take time to fully explain what we mean to those who may not be as woke as we are, she told me.

It was last summers racial justice protests that finally pushed Walton to run for office, but she shies away from the phrase defund the police. I come from the Marshall Ganz school of organizing, she said, referring to the activist turned sociologist. I try and avoid using negative language on campaigns.

Instead of defund, she said, we say were going to reallocate funds. Were going to fully fund community centers. Were going to make the investments that naturally reduce crime, such as investments in education, infrastructure, living-wage jobs. Nothing stops crime better than a person whos gainfully employed. If you have to go to work, you dont have time to be out in the streets with all these shenanigans.

Buffalo is a blue-collar city, and Walton, who grew up on the chronically neglected East Side, can relate to the problems of her beleaguered fellow citizens. There are actually similarities between her trajectory and Eric Adamss  both had hardscrabble backgrounds followed by struggles to master institutions that had frightened and alienated them. For Adams, that was the Police Department. For Walton, it was the medical establishment.
TEL AVIV  Variations of the phrase Hitler was right, appeared in more than 17,000 tweets from May 7 to May 14, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Jewish college students have been attacked and threatened on online forums for expressing their values. Student governments have posted one-sided statements placing full blame for the conflict in the Middle East on Israel and have shunned American Jews and Israelis on their campuses. Jewish students have been made to feel excluded in their own communities.

None of this is acceptable, though online hate  often protected by freedom of speech rules  may seem the least pernicious of these manifestations of anti-Semitism. It is not. College students learn, work and socialize online. With the physical isolation brought about by the pandemic, virtual life has become real life for many of them. In recent weeks, the spread of hate online has become an epidemic of its own that must be confronted immediately by university leaders.

The hatred being displayed online has been accompanied by hateful activity in the physical world. An identifiably Jewish student at Princeton was reportedly subject to verbal harassment over commencement weekend. A Jewish student at the University of New Mexico was beaten and subjected to anti-Semitic slurs while wearing a shirt that said Just Jew It.

At the University of Michigan, [expletive] Israel and red handprints were painted near the Hillel building. And 60 percent of Jews in America have witnessed, either online or off, behavior or comments they deem anti-Semitic since hostilities between Israel and Hamas reignited in May.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas has been going through a bumpy stretch of late. Last year he irked many of his conservative brethren by imposing a mask mandate and other public safety measures aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus  suspiciously non-MAGA moves that prompted some Republican state lawmakers to discuss trimming his executive authority. Then there was the states pathetic handling of this years winter storm, which left at least 150 (and possibly hundreds more) Texans dead and millions shivering in the dark without power. The governors initial stab at damage control  falsely blaming the outages on green energy sources  prompted pushback from those more concerned with facts than partisan palaver.

These are not the sort of stumbles the governor wants voters pondering as he prepares for his 2022 re-election fight. Already he is facing a primary challenge from the right by Don Huffines, a former state senator. And there is chatter about a possible run by the right-wing bomb thrower Allen West, an ex-congressman from Florida who migrated to Texas and won election as chairman of the state G.O.P. last year. A loud critic of the governors pandemic leadership, Mr. West stepped down as chairman this month to ponder his next political move.

How is an ambitious guy like Mr. Abbott navigating this turbulence? Simple. Hes borrowing a political play long favored by foreign adversaries who find themselves in sticky situations: Attack the U.S. government as a way to distract from ones troubles and rally the public against an external foe.

Thus the governor has been making much ado about his big plans to deal with the influx of migrants across his states border with Mexico. Accusing the Biden administration of abdicating its national security duties, Mr. Abbott has announced that Texas is  wait for it  going to build a wall. The governor is using $250 million in general revenues as a down payment. For the rest of the cost, he is turning to online crowdfunding. If anyone wants to donate land along the border, he thinks that would be swell, too.
On-site work is back. But is it better?

As the pandemic winds down in the U.S., companies are preparing to bring millions of employees back into the office.

The argument many employers are making is that being in the office is essential for collaboration and innovation. They say that fresh insights and keen decision making are born out of chance encounters and spontaneous meetings.

But is that true?

My colleague Claire Cain Miller, who writes about gender and the future of work, dug into this question and found that not only is there no evidence to back up that argument, but that in some cases, the opposite may be true. The office stifles creativity because it can create an inhospitable environment for many people.

Long hours of face-time requirements in the office are often worse for many women, many people of color, people who have caregiving responsibilities, people with disabilities, people who are shy, Claire said. And when you lose those people youre losing diversity, and the ideas that come with people from diverse backgrounds.
The measures supporters said that Dr. Johnson, who died in 1995, was unquestionably deserving of the honor.

Image Lulu Merle Johnson, in an undated photo, received a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Iowa and went on to teach at several historically Black colleges and universities. Credit... Family photo

In 1941, she received a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Iowa, becoming the first African American woman in the state to earn a doctorate, according to her biography. She was one of the first Black women in the United States to earn a doctorate in history, said a post on the website of the university, which named a fellowship after her that helps underrepresented minority graduate students.

Dr. Johnson faced discrimination as a student. She recounted to academics at the university that she had been required to take a swimming class for her Ph.D. even though it had no relevance, but she was not allowed to use the pool at the same time as white students. She was also not welcome to live on campus.

Her family was very familiar with the practice of slavery, Leslie A. Schwalm, the chair of Gender, Womens & Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa, said during a conference call with the board before the vote. On her fathers side, she was the first person born free in that side of the family.

Dr. Schwalm, who served on a committee that considered the change, said that Dr. Johnsons family achieved prosperity as farmers in Gravity, Iowa, after the Civil War.

That prosperity eventually allowed Lulu to attend the University of Iowa, where she became part of a group of Black students who really challenged segregation and discrimination in the city and at the university, she said.
Relatives of Paraguays first lady and an Argentine couple with a 6-year-old daughter were among those unaccounted for, according to South American officials, news reports and relatives. Paraguays foreign minister, Euclides Acevedo, identified the missing relatives of President Mario Abdo Benitezs family as Luis Pettengill, a cattle rancher, and his wife, Sophia Lopez Moreira  a sister of the first lady, Silvana Lopez Moreira. An employee of the family and the couples three children are also missing, he said.

Lisandro Sabanes, a spokesman for Argentinas foreign ministry, said that at least nine Argentines who were believed to have been in the building were unaccounted for.

A Chilean man, Claudio Bonnefoy, is also among those missing, according to his daughter, Pascale Bonnefoy. Ms. Bonnefoy, a Chilean journalist who writes for The New York Times, said her father, who is 85, lives in an apartment on the side of the building that collapsed. He lived with his wife, Maria Obias-Bonnefoy.

Their apartment is in the rubble, Ms. Bonnefoy said.

Along the beach in front of the remains of the building, a crowd of people gathered throughout the day somberly gazing at the rubble.

Raysa Rodriguez, 59, who lives in the part of the building that remained standing, said she was awakened by what she thought was an earthquake. She then escaped down an emergency stairwell and off a second-floor balcony onto a rescue ladder.

When I opened the door, Im like, Theres no more building, said Ms. Rodriguez, who has owned a ninth-floor unit in the building for nearly 20 years. They are not going to be able to find those people.

Mr. Cohen, the lawyer rescued via crane, said he and his wife were asleep when he heard what sounded like a loud thunderclap. When they opened the door to their unit, It looked like it had been hit by a missile.

I am always happy to be alive, Mr. Cohen said, but Im even happier today.

Patricia Mazzei and Richard Fausset reported from Surfside. Joseph B. Treaster , William P. Davis , Johnny Diaz , Giulia Heyward , Michael Majchrowicz , Neil Reisner and Amanda Rosa contributed reporting from Surfside; Ernesto Londono from Rio de Janeiro; Daniel Politi from Buenos Aires; and Santi Carneri from Asuncion, Paraguay. Mike Baker , Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs , Jenny Gross , Christine Hauser , Sophie Kasakove and Alexandra E. Petri also contributed reporting. Susan C. Beachy and Kitty Bennett contributed research.
There aint going to be no bipartisan bill unless were going to have reconciliation, Ms. Pelosi said, a message she repeated privately to Democrats, after liberals warned against acting just on a bipartisan deal that jettisons the provisions progressives want most.

Still, the deal struck Thursday fulfills the promise of bipartisanship that Mr. Biden has long sought, and its authors were in a celebratory mood.

They had spent the last two weeks shuttling across the Capitol, meeting with Brian Deese, the director of the National Economic Council; Steve Ricchetti, a top adviser to the president; and Louisa Terrell, the director of the White House Office of Legislative Affairs. The talks unfolded after negotiations had collapsed with a separate group of Republicans led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, with Mr. Biden saying the G.O.P. was not offering enough infrastructure funding to meet the countrys needs.

I think that this coalition, and now being endorsed by the president, sends a message not just to Congress, not just to the country, but to the world that we can do the big things  we can function, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat of Arizona, one of the groups primary drivers, said in a brief interview. We continue to be the leader of the world, and this is evidence that we are doing the work.

The framework doles out money in large pots: $312 billion for transportation projects, $65 billion for broadband and $55 billion for water infrastructure. A large sum, $47 billion, is set aside for resilience  a down payment on Mr. Bidens promise to deal with the effects of climate change.

But the path forward is complicated and politically freighted, given Democrats spare majorities in the House and Senate, which leave them little margin for error. Both the infrastructure legislation and the far more ambitious reconciliation bill must still be written and passed by both chambers. Democrats have signaled that the contents of one could dictate the contents of the other, and the votes required for each will be dependent on fragile coalitions of moderates and liberals who have disparate priorities.

Senator Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who is chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, has proposed spending up to $6 trillion on a sweeping reconciliation plan that could include a Medicare expansion and other long-sought liberal priorities, but moderate Democrats have raised concerns about the scope.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is in the later stages of planning how to phase out a Trump-era public health rule that has allowed border agents to rapidly turn away most migrants who have arrived at the southern border during the pandemic, according to two administration officials. It is possible that in the coming weeks, border officials could start allowing migrant families back into the country, with an eye toward lifting the rule for single adults this summer.

The plan, while still not final, is sure to complicate an already thorny issue for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is visiting the border on Friday as Republicans accuse the administration of being slow to address what they describe as an unrelenting surge of migrants trying to enter the country. Lifting the rule will only exacerbate that.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, border agents have turned away migrants nearly 850,000 times under the public health rule, known as Title 42, which immigration and human rights advocates call unnecessary and cruel, particularly for those seeking asylum. Migrant families have been turned away more than 80,000 times since the rule was put in place in March 2020, according to government data.

The White House has deflected questions about how much longer the rule will remain in place, saying it is up to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which issued the policy. An agency spokeswoman referred questions about the rule to the White House.
Residents of Gibraltar voted by a wide margin Thursday to ease one of the strictest abortion laws in Europe following an emotional campaign, lifting a near-ban on the procedure and aligning the tiny British territory more closely with British legislation.

In a referendum, about 62 percent of voters approved changes in the law that will allow abortions within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy if a womans mental or physical health is considered by a doctor to be at risk, or later in cases of severe fetal abnormality.

Until now, the law in Gibraltar had allowed abortion only to save a mothers life. The law had set a potential criminal penalty of life imprisonment, though no such sentence had been imposed in recent history.

In contrast, British law allows abortion in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Parliament set the stage for Thursdays vote in 2019, when it adopted language intended to ease abortion restrictions that it passed along to voters for approval. A referendum was originally planned for March 2020 but had been put off by the coronavirus pandemic until Thursday.
JERUSALEM  The death of a popular activist while in the custody of the Palestinian Authority on Thursday has infuriated Palestinians across the West Bank, set off a large protest in Ramallah and put a spotlight on a recent crackdown on the authorities opponents.

The activist, Nizar Banat, 42, was known for his fierce online criticism of the authority, the Palestinian government that exercises limited self-autonomy in parts of the West Bank. His family says he was fatally beaten by Palestinian security forces.

The authority has not given a full accounting of what happened but said his health deteriorated during his arrest and has promised an investigation.

An investigative committee will be given all the information it needs to enable it to proceed with its work and to expedite the process of exposing the truth, said Mohammed Shtayyeh, the prime minister of the authority.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.

To Be Continued

After 28 years on late night and 11 years on TBS, Conan OBrien bade farewell on Thursday night, thanking the network, producers, writers, family and fans.

Ive devoted all of my adult life  all of it  to pursuing this strange phantom intersection between smart and stupid. And theres a lot of people who believe the two cannot coexist, but god, I will tell you, it is something that I believe religiously. I think when smart and stupid come together, its very difficult, but if you can make it happen, I think its the most beautiful thing in the world, OBrien said.
I prefer to read crime series in chronological order. That way you see the protagonist grow and change over time, and have a richer experience reading later volumes. But Cheryl A. Heads chilling and prescient WARN ME WHEN ITS TIME (Bywater, 285 pp., paper, $16.95), the sixth novel featuring the private investigator Charlie Mack, has me questioning this ingrained belief, knowing there are several book-length investigations to catch up on, preferably by bingeing them.

Charlie and her associates are hired to look into the 2009 death of an imam in Dearborn, Mich., after his mosque is firebombed. His family has lost confidence in law enforcement, fearful that prejudice and indifference will freeze the case. Initially they were very interested and informative, the imams daughter tells Charlie, but for two weeks our contact in the hate crimes unit has not returned our repeated calls. Although Charlie later apprises the police of her involvement in the case, she doesnt trust them; she was disillusioned by her previous job at the Department of Homeland Security over the way the agency profiled the local Muslim community.

The imams murder connects to a network of far-right nationalists, which in 2009 garnered far less attention than now. Head plumbs these scary depths with great care, showing how hate infects the pliable, and how, for Charlie and her colleagues, it can never be anything less than personal and political.

Cass Raines, too, was once part of law enforcement, and giving up on the badge was by no means an easy decision. But working for herself means burrowing into the issues that matter and the people who are too often neglected, as she does in RUNNER (Kensington, 304 pp., $26), Tracy Clarks lapel-grabbing and provocative new novel, the fourth to feature Raines as a private detective working the bitterest, chilliest Chicago streets.

Shes hired to look into the disappearance of 15-year-old Ramona Titus, who appears to have fled her latest foster home. Ramona  poor, Black, her biological mother struggling with addiction  is precisely the most vulnerable to predation, and the most likely to see her plight ignored. Shes bounced around for years, one home after another, the cop assigned to her case tells Raines. Shes a ghost everywhere shes placed. Quiet. Barely leaves a mark. Raines knows that the likelihood of a good outcome is low, but even she isnt prepared for how depraved things get and the gravity of danger to both Ramona and herself.
DAnieri is sensitive to this historical monochrome. Still, excluded from his sketch of Guyot are the geographers crackpot Aryanist theories about racial geography and his esteem for his own white race as the most pure, the most perfect type of humanity. Absent from DAnieris portrait of Myron Avery, as well, is the early trail organizers 1940 recommendation for a Virginia segment where the racial stock was reputed to be perhaps the purest Anglo-Saxon in the eastern Atlantic states.

One might argue, I suppose, that Guyots racist theories arent explicitly relevant to his intersection with the history of the Appalachian Mountains, and that Avery, born in 1899, was parroting his era. But one must also contend  and DAnieri does do this, if fleetingly, in his final first-person chapter  with the fact that, according to surveys by the hiking website The Trek, roughly 95 percent of A.T. thru-hikers identify as white. Its a correlative spur warranting far more exploration.

The places we choose, and the way we then develop and manage them, DAnieri writes, tell us a lot about what we are asking from nature, what exactly we think we are traveling toward and escaping from.

The problem that the Appalachian Trails earliest founders were taking a stab at was, in the words of the outdoor writer and A.T. guiding light Horace Kephart, the nerve-strain and bodily exhaustions that are the penalties of a hurrying, high-tensioned civilization. The idea stemmed, then, from much the same outdoor-air movement that gave us summer camps, scouting and forested urban parklands: an effort to connect Americans with what Aldous Huxley called the not-self. The trails founders saw it as a kind of pressure relief valve for stressed urbanites, refuge not only from noise and smokestacks, as DAnieri sharply notes, but from the less refined and the lower class. A network of woodlands, they believed, could act as a buffer against the strains  spiritual, physical, social, aesthetic, ecological  of industrial-era life.

But even in the trails earliest days, as DAnieri writes, imagining a pristine alpine realm required not-seeing the native history of the Appalachians. The trail has always, then, been a noble contrivance. Isolating the trail from the change all around it meant carving out a narrow strip of exclusion from the actual landscape, an exercise not just in preservation, DAnieri writes, but illusion.

This is not to depreciate the achievement of the Appalachian Trail, or the magic it daily confers on hikers up and down its vast length. It is only to say  as DAnieris stalwart biography makes clear  that the work of humans, even a mere ribbon of dirt along an ancient ridgeline, will always bear the contradictions and complications of those whose hands  and feet  made it.
The group of tourists, dressed in replica Red Army costumes, stood in front of a red hammer-and-sickle billboard. With their right fists raised, they pledged their allegiance to the Chinese Communist Party.

Be ready at all times to sacrifice my all for the party and the people, and never betray the party, they recited, standing proudly next to a giant statue of Mao Zedong in the northern city of Yanan, the base of the revolution until 1948. Then, they shuffled off before another group came to do the same.

Mass swearing-in ceremonies arent typical group tour activities, but this is red tourism in China, where thousands of people flock to places like Yanan to absorb the official version of the partys history. At these sites, schoolchildren are told how the Red Army, later renamed the Peoples Liberation Army, was created. Tourists gaze at an ensemble of chairs used by Xi Jinping, Chinas leader, and other guests when they visited Maos home. Retirees take selfies with flower-adorned statues of Mao and Zhu De, the Red Army commander.
While shareholders have found some success in behind-the-scenes efforts to influence corporate management in Japan, the Toshiba case is a rare investor victory in such a public and direct confrontation.

Theres been a lot of positive change in Japan in terms of governance practices, but if you then dont have shareholders holding companies to account, a lot of that will just become superficial, said Ali Saribas, a partner at the shareholder advisory firm SquareWell Partners.

Cases like Toshibas, he noted, are likely to remain unusual in the near term. The company, which has been weakened by its scandals and disastrous investments, has an unusually high percentage of foreign shareholders, who tend to be more willing to vote against management than Japanese investors.

But, he added, Mr. Nagayamas rejection is likely to put some companies on notice.

Japanese board members are probably looking at this event and thinking that we should engage more with our investors to not face this kind of shareholder revolt, he said. If there are concerns, lets listen to them.

Toshiba, once a crown jewel of Japanese industry, has seen its reputation diminish sharply in recent years. While it pioneered the laptop computer and invented flash memory, it no longer has much of a presence in the consumer market, with much of its business now focused on industrial projects and infrastructure, such as nuclear power.

The company was forced out of the top tier of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 2017, after it suffered huge losses on an investment in the American nuclear power company Westinghouse. It was forced to sell one of its most valuable businesses and issue new shares to pay down its liabilities.

Foreign investors rushed into the company, allowing them to exercise influence on a level that is rare for an old-line Japanese firm.
Richard J. Meislin, a New York Times editor who helped kick a tradition-bound newsroom into the internet age, changing how Times journalists gathered the news and how readers received it, died on Friday at a hospital in Manhattan. He was 68.

The cause was Merkel cell carcinoma, his husband, Dr. Hendrik Uyttendaele, said.

Mr. Meislin retired in 2015 as The Timess internet publishing consultant after a 40-year career in which he held a number of posts, among them associate managing editor for internet publishing; editor in chief of New York Times Digital, which included nytimes.com; and Mexico City bureau chief.

Drawing on a passion that was evident in high school, when he worked with punch cards on a half-ton IBM 1620 computer, Mr. Meislin tried to convince skeptical colleagues in the 1990s that the internet was about to change journalism, not simply augment it.

He has been at the forefront of bringing advanced technology to The Times both to enhance our journalistic efforts and to improve how we present and distribute our content, Dean Baquet, the executive editor of The Times, and Tom Bodkin, the papers creative director, said in a joint statement announcing his retirement.
It is the fall of 2020, and the American National Theater is desperate to survive the pandemic.

In Torrey Townsends blistering and hilarious satire Off Broadway, presented by Jeremy O. Harris and streaming free on Broadstream, this tenaciously middling nonprofit is millions of dollars in the red, and operating with only a skeleton crew.

But it sees one route out of financial calamity. When it finally reopens, it will do so with a surefire smash: Al Pacino in Othello, playing the title role. In blackface.

Andy, the companys staggeringly underqualified artistic director, doesnt recognize this as regressing to a shameful and banished tradition. Rather, he frames it as a brilliant provocation, a metatheatrical challenge to quaintly limited thinking.

Yall are gonna get eaten alive, Marla, his horrified associate producer, warns during a Zoom meeting, but no one pays the slightest heed. She is Black; the others are white. They are happy to rationalize the idea.
The new working paper by Ms. Ku, Mr. Johnsen and Mr. Salvanes finds that something else is going on: The short amount of time away from the office gives co-workers a small advantage over leave-takers that shows up in promotions and other workplace advantages.

The new study came to this conclusion by re-examining the 1993 policy in Norway, but with a twist. The researchers looked at cases where, coincidentally, a mans competitors at work all took paternity leave around the same time. The study defined a mans likely competitors as male co-workers with a similar education level and age; many of them had children around the same time.

Strikingly, if the competitors were also on leave, the setback to a mans career from taking leave was negligible. It was when a man took leave but his competitors did not that his earnings suffered.

If the cause of the pay gap had nothing to do with competition  if mens skills atrophied or they chose to put less priority on their careers  they would have been expected to earn less later regardless of what their co-workers were doing.

We may not commonly call our co-workers competitors, but in a sense they often are exactly that, and not just in Norway. For example, one study found that, in Italy, young workers careers stalled when a pension change caused senior colleagues to postpone retirement. On a more morbid note, another study found that in Germany, workers enjoyed a salary bump after the unexpected death of co-workers.

Even if it is not consciously understood, this competition for scarce opportunities for advancement means that workers can be stuck in a kind of arms race, requiring them to be ever-present at work. One father chooses to forgo paternity leave to avoid being edged out. His competitor makes the same choice. They remain neck and neck for a promotion, but they would have also been neck and neck  yet happier  if both had taken leave.

Counterintuitively, removing peoples freedom of choice by requiring them to take leave could make them better off. It would compel them, figuratively speaking, to lay down arms and spend more time at home with their children.
Romulo Yanes, who in his 26 years as the staff photographer helped define Gourmet magazines striking visual identity by capturing the natural beauty of food without relying solely on the embellishments of ornamental props or elaborate styling, died on June 16 at his home in Tampa, Fla. He was 62.

His husband, Robert Schaublin-Yanes, said the cause was peritoneal cancer.

Before the 1980s, when Mr. Yanes (pronounced YAH-ness) arrived at Gourmet, food photography in cookbooks and magazines was typified by a lifestyle sensibility that placed a gauzy focus on everything but the food itself. Styling could be theatrical, lavish props were heavily used, and the finished photographs were seen as obligatory accompaniments to recipes. Mr. Yanes brought a sense of elegant realism to his craft, and he let his delectable subjects take center stage.

I want the dish to be the star, he told Texas Monthly in 2006. Everything else is secondary to that.

With the artistry of a portrait photographer, Mr. Yanes imbued an air of refined desirability to string-tied roast turkeys, chocolate cakes, cups of melon balls, links of liverwurst and a raw scallop he presented so pristinely that its plump meat looked practically edible right off the page. In his studio in the Conde Nast building in Times Square, which adjoined the magazines test kitchens, Mr. Yanes photographed dozens of dishes per day. To better understand his subjects, he ate them.
Since the film is more focused on the quest itself than its conclusions, the second half pivots to apply the doctors theories of connection to the assistants whove agreed to follow them off the grid. In a nod to her own research, Dr. Garland teaches a Ph.D. student a wire-winding technique passed down through four generations of biologists, while Dr. Fournet wrestles with feeling more adrift in a city than she does at sea.

I have to remove myself from society and live in a world that is dominated by animals, Dr. Fournet says. And it doesnt feel like a sacrifice. It feels like a release. Sure, mankind has also evolved to be a social beast  but whales have more than a 40-million-year head start.

Fathom

Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 26 minutes. In theaters and on Apple TV+.
Mr. Adams said November was too long to wait to begin a transition given the economic and gun violence problems the city is facing. He has already called on Mr. de Blasio to adopt his plan to address gun violence.

July 12 the results should be known. July 13 there should be an immediate sit down, build out a real transition team, build out a meeting with all the commissioners, for both the Democratic and Republican nominees, Mr. Adams said. We cant say lets start from scratch on Jan 1. Thats unfair to New Yorkers.

Mr. Adams said he wanted to make sure that federal stimulus money as part of pandemic relief was used to address the rise in violent crime and that he planned to reach out to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson and other City Council leaders. The deadline to approve the citys $99 billion proposed budget is June 30.

We need to use the money smartly to ensure that we can deal with the inequalities that I believe produce the violence, but there are some things that we should be doing immediately to go after the violence we see on our streets, Mr. Adams said.

The city will receive at least $14 billion in pandemic-related aid over the next few years.

Mr. de Blasio was noncommittal in response to Mr. Adamss proposal to accelerate the transition process.

There will be informal conversations with winning campaigns following the primary and a formal transition process following the general election, said Bill Neidhardt, the mayors press secretary. In the meantime, the mayor is focused on our recovery.

Ms. Wiley and Kathryn Garcia, the former sanitation commissioner, who is in third place after the first ballot, took issue with Mr. Adams stance.
In-person visits resumed at New York City jails on Friday after they were halted for more than a year to stave off the coronavirus, according to the citys Department of Correction.

The department has struggled since the start of the pandemic, facing surges of violence, overworked guards and staffing shortages, and the departments commissioner characterized the return of in-person visitation as a positive development for inmates and guards alike.

Were really thrilled that its starting back up again because we all got to learn how lonely it can be not being able to see your loved ones this year, and thats when youre not incarcerated, Vincent Schiraldi, the commissioner, said in an interview on Friday night. For people who are locked up, its even worse.

Mr. Schiraldi said that guards were happy to see family members return, and that visits were good for staff because a calmer facility, where people are happier, is a better place to work.
Im super excited about the decision, Ms. Crawford said by phone. Even though my case is over, I know this will help so many other people.

A pretrial protection order is a well-intentioned precaution meant to shield someone from an abusive partner. But for decades, defense lawyers, legal experts and lawmakers say, they have been issued with such abandon in city courts, with such disastrous consequences for people with low incomes and few resources, that they have become sentences unto themselves  ones that are disproportionately meted out to Black and Latino defendants.

Obviously, in many cases, temporary orders of protection are necessary, Mr. Northrup said. But in cases like Ms. Crawfords  criminalized survivors, or families separated against their will  there will be an avenue to seek relief.

The head of the law-reform unit at the Legal Aid Society, Corey Stoughton, said Friday that she had already heard of three cases where the decision was used as a basis for getting orders of protection lifted or modified to ease restrictions on the defendant.

I got all these emails back from lawyers who said, Oh I used it, its great! she said. Three people went in, brandished the decision in front of the judge and ended up doing something that addressed the burden of the order of protection on one of their clients.

One of them, Jennvine Wong, said she requested such a hearing Thursday for a client who has been in a legal limbo awaiting a trial since 2018. The entire time, a temporary protection order has interfered with the womans ability to co-parent her child, Ms. Wong said. The judge scheduled the hearing for next month, she said.

Though Ms. Crawfords criminal case is long over, her difficulties with her former boyfriend, Kevin Mayers, remain. A judge issued a protection order against him in April, but the police have been unable to find him to serve him, her lawyers say. Mr. Mayers did not respond to an email message seeking comment on the case.
The Manhattan district attorneys office has informed Donald J. Trumps lawyers that it is considering criminal charges against his family business, the Trump Organization, in connection with fringe benefits the company awarded a top executive, according to several people with knowledge of the matter.

The prosecutors had been building a case for months against the executive, Allen H. Weisselberg, as part of an effort to pressure him to cooperate with a broader inquiry into Mr. Trumps business dealings. But it was not previously known that the Trump Organization also might face charges.

If the case moves ahead, the district attorney, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., could announce charges as soon as next week, the people said. Mr. Vances prosecutors have been conducting the investigation along with lawyers from the office of the New York State attorney general, Letitia James.

Any indictment would be the first to emerge from the long-running investigation and would raise the startling prospect of a former president having to defend the company he founded, and has run for decades, against accusations of criminal behavior.
When we were dressing the original set for Agent Mulders office on The X-Files, I came up with the poster with a U.F.O. on it that reads I Want to Believe. And I think thats where most people come down on the whole extraterrestrial business. Not quite there yet, but waiting for a sign.

The universe is just too vast for us to be alone in it. Carl Jung wanted to believe, as did Carl Sagan. Both wrote books on the subject. Now videos from Navy aircraft tracking unidentified aerial phenomena (as theyve been relabeled) suggest that maybe we have seen them. Based partly on the videos, a much-anticipated government study on the topic landed in Congress on Friday. Answers were promised. But answers are always promised.

I have never seen a U.F.O. or an alien, as much as Id like to. But as a result of The X-Files Ive met many people who claim they have. I have seen grainy videos of gray aliens on someones back patio. I know an award-winning movie director who told me straight-faced hed seen a U.F.O. when he was in college. Annie Jacobsen, the author of the terrific book Area 51, introduced me to a man who worked at that top secret facility for many years and saw strange craft coming and going on the air base. For a decade I became a magnet for this stuff.

The plot of The X-Files was built on a conspiracy theory: The government is lying to you about the existence of U.F.O.s and extraterrestrials. Do I believe the government lies to us? Absolutely. Im a child of Watergate. Do I believe in conspiracies? Certainly. I believe, for example, that someone is targeting C.I.A. agents and White House officials with microwave radiation, the so-called Havana syndrome, and your government denied it.
They have refused to share direct records from the lab. Dr. Shi echoed this stance in May when a group of scientists, including her co-author Dr. Baric, pushed for broader transparency. Its definitely not acceptable, she emailed a reporter in response to the groups request to see her labs records.

Meanwhile, throughout December 2019, Wuhan doctors suspected that a SARS-like virus was on the loose, and the local government arrested whistle-blowers, including at least one health care worker. The cover-up by Communist Party officials continued until the prominent SARS scientist Zhong Nanshan traveled to Wuhan on Jan. 18 and raised the alarm.

That said, circumstantial evidence casts some doubt on the claim that SARS-CoV-2 was bioengineered.

For instance, aspects of the virus that have made some suspect it was bioengineered could also be evidence that the virus evolved naturally. A lot of attention has been drawn to an unusual feature on its spike protein called a furin cleavage site, with which the virus can better infect a human cell. Its one of several odd features of SARS-CoV-2 that are weird enough that even virologists who greatly doubt lab involvement told me they were shocked to see it. In fact, even beyond the furin cleavage site, SARS-CoV-2 was a virus that scientists had never seen before. Evolution can be a random accumulation of weird, novel features. For the research on viruses that scientists like Dr. Shi do for high-level scientific publications, such a combination would be incongruous. Their work usually involves examining or changing one element of a virus at a time to find out what each element does and can be made to do. If your computer conked out, for instance, you wouldnt see whats wrong by simultaneously changing the power source, the cable and the electrical outlet. Youd test each one individually. Having a variety of unusual elements leads to hard-to-assess results, not a paper in Nature.

But even if we put aside directed engineering, regular lab work at the Wuhan labs has raised concerns.

In 2016 the Wuhan institute reported experimenting on a live bat coronavirus that could infect human cells in a BSL-2 lab  a biosafety level that has been compared with that of a dentists office. Protective gear other than gloves and lab coats is usually optional at this level, and theres often no airflow control sealing ventilation between the work area and the rest of the building. Michael Lin, an associate professor of neurobiology and bioengineering at Stanford, told me it was an actual scandal, recorded in print, that a SARS-like virus capable of replicating in human cells was worked on under such low safety conditions.

Just trying to culture bat viruses in the lab can create risks that the scientists may not even be aware of. While trying and failing to cultivate one strain, they might inadvertently culture another one they dont even know about. Its even possible, Dr. Lin told me, that viruses can coexist in a single sample and quietly recombine, giving rise to something novel but undetected. Under BSL-2 conditions or even sloppy BSL-3 conditions, researchers could get exposed to a pathogen they didnt know existed.

Several scientists who signed The Lancet letter denouncing the consideration of anything but natural origins have since said they are more open to lab involvement. One, Bernard Roizman, an emeritus virologist at the University of Chicago with four honorary professorships from Chinese universities, said he was leaning toward believing there was a lab accident.
To the Editor:

Re Rubble Searched for Signs of Life (front page, June 25):

In 1977 a well-known Florida author, John D. MacDonald, published a novel titled Condominium. It centered on the shoddy and dangerous building practices for condos along the Florida coast. The collapse of a condo cost lives and wreaked havoc on those who survived.

Ive heard that the book caused the Florida authorities to take a long look at building codes in the state. The collapse of a condo in Surfside early Thursday may turn out to have been caused by improper building practices, but it is too early to say that. However, it may be time to take a look at condos in Florida to see how they are faring given the impact of the states weather on them, and to confirm that proper building practices were followed.

Cal Branche

Hudson, Fla.

The writer has a website about John D. MacDonald and was the chair of two conferences on the author. He is a co-editor of the forthcoming book The World War Two Letters of John D. and Dorothy MacDonald.

To the Editor:

The collapse of the condo tower just north of Miami Beach is truly tragic, and my heart goes out to all those affected by this catastrophe.
Last week I took advantage of the fading pandemic to take a bike tour in the Finger Lakes region, making a detour on the way to visit the old industrial city of Utica, N.Y.  which is where I lived until I was 8 years old. I found the street we used to live on, although to be honest I couldnt remember which house was ours. But perhaps thats not all that surprising: The neighborhood has changed since 1961, having become home to many Bosnian refugees in the 1990s.

And whereas my mother used to take me out for lunch at the local White Tower, a once popular hamburger chain, this time I stopped near our old house for cevapi.

The thing is, for a city that has lost most of its original reason to exist  the glory days of the Erie Canal are ancient history, and the industries that drove the upstate economy in its heyday are pretty much gone  Utica is doing relatively OK. Those refugees and other immigrants, drawn in part by low housing costs, have helped generate new businesses  Chobani yogurt has a plant nearby  that in turn have partly offset the loss of the old industrial base.

All of which is surprisingly relevant to discussions about the economic future of New York City  which those of us who have lived in or around it tend to call simply the city  whose trajectory has probably been permanently altered by Covid-19 and its aftereffects. Even though the U.S. economy as a whole seems headed for rapid recovery, the post-pandemic economy will probably be different in some ways from what we had before. And New York might seem, on the surface, to be one of those places that will lose from those differences.
I went to see my doctor the other day for a Covid-delayed physical. Instead of talking about what ails me, he wanted to talk about what ails us. A dystopian country. The Babel of misinformation. The lack of trust in everybody and everything.

And how did Dr. Fauci become the enemy? he said. My doctor is politically moderate and ambidextrously smart. After much steam had been let off, I wanted to say, Enough with American vitals  what about my own?

Trust in institutions  government, the press, religion, big business  is at or near record lows. My own profession, journalism, has been kicked to the cellar of disdain. Almost 40 percent of Americans have little or no confidence in newspapers, according to Gallups annual surveys  up from 24 percent in 2000.

But the press, where free speech and all its cacophonous chaos reside, has been a punching bag for some time. More shocking is that about 50 percent distrust our electoral system, according to a Morning Consult survey. Diminished confidence in elections is among the worst of the many awful legacies of Donald Trump.
Scientists on Friday announced that a massive fossilized skull that is at least 140,000 years old is a new species of ancient human, a finding that could potentially change prevailing views of how  and even where  our species, Homo sapiens, evolved.

The skull belonged to a mature male who had a huge brain, massive brow ridges, deep set eyes and a bulbous nose. It had remained hidden in an abandoned well for 85 years, after a laborer came across it at a construction site in China.

The researchers named the new species Homo longi and gave it the nickname Dragon Man, for the Dragon River region of northeast China where the skull was discovered.

The team said that Homo longi, and not the Neanderthals, was the extinct human species mostly closely related to our own. If confirmed, that would change how scientists envision the origin of Homo sapiens, which has been built up over the years from fossil discoveries and the analysis of ancient DNA.
For some, perusing the aisles of a sex shop can be awkward, and that feeling may be exacerbated by the help of a store associate. Not for Diana de Vegh. In this weeks Modern Love essay, she writes about the attention she wished she were paid on a visit to a New York City sex store.

Why, she wondered, as an 83-year-old visually impaired woman, was it so hard for her to get some assistance while browsing for toys? Despite not being attended to like the other shoppers, Ms. de Vegh happily sashayed through each aisle (with a cane), filling her basket with intriguing items for solitary enjoyment. Her philosophy: There should be no age limit on a pleasurable life.
Even with a population of nearly 700,000, Washington can still seem like a small town, as Dr. Noemie Levy and Graham Gottlieb discovered.

The two met in March 2012, outside a yogurt shop at 10 or 11 p.m., when a close friend of Dr. Levy, who was also a grade-school friend of Mr. Gottlieb, waved him over to say hello and then introduced them.

Their connection was immediate. We both developed a crush instantly from the first time we met, Dr. Levy said, adding that she felt at ease with him right away. She laughed so hard at his humor, she said, that her face hurt and was absolutely certain that she wanted to spend all her time with him.

But I wasnt sure if Id ever see him again, she said.

Both were working at the White House during the Obama administration, though they never crossed paths professionally  she was an intern for the Domestic Policy Council and he was a staff assistant in the Presidential Personnel Office.
If you missed Thursdays last call, youre out of luck: To-go alcohol, one of few upsides in New Yorks state of emergency, is officially a pandemic indulgence of the past.

And unlike most lockdown-era pastimes, the walktail deserves a proper eulogy.

Originally intended as a lifeline to shuttered bars and restaurants, takeaway drinks became a welcome  needed?  taste of New Orleans-style hedonism in an unrelentingly dark period.

This is not to say that bars and restaurants have recovered (they havent) nor is it to suggest that drinking in public was ever legal. It wasnt, and city residents of color protested that enforcement varied according to race and class.
The Celebrity Edge is poised to set sail out of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Saturday, becoming the first major cruise ship to restart operations from a United States port since the pandemic all but hobbled the industry over a year ago.

The ship will sail at 35 percent capacity, with at least 95 percent of passengers and all crew members fully vaccinated, its owner, Celebrity Cruises, said in a statement. Vaccines are not mandated for the cruise because of a new Florida state law banning businesses from requiring proof of immunization, but unvaccinated guests will face more stringent coronavirus protocols.

All guests over the age of 16 who do not show proof of vaccination will be required to wear masks on board and take a series of antigen tests during the cruise at an additional cost. (Testing for vaccinated guests will be free of charge.)

Were definitely finding that cruisers prefer to be vaccinated and to share this information with us, said Susan Lomax, associate vice president for global public relations at Celebrity Cruises.
A look back

As we head into this summer weekend, lets pause a moment to take stock of how far the U.S. has come. While many of us are busy planning vacations, reconnecting with family, or even making new friends, it can be easy to forget that this moment didnt always feel guaranteed.

For a reminder, I dug into our archive of reader responses from the early days of the pandemic to see how much things have changed.

The comments were collected from March 2020, when we still knew very little about the virus. Some people still didnt believe the threat was real. If the C.D.C. says there have been between 29,000 and 59,000 seasonal flu deaths in the USA this year, and coronavirus has killed (only) around 1,700 people, then whats the big hype? one reader asked.

But in the days the followed, readers worries poured in. You reported wiping down mail and shopping carts, avoiding public spaces and frantically cleaning every surface in your homes.
Derek Chauvins mother, speaking publicly for the first time, said in court on Friday that her son had wrongly been described as a racist and that she believed he was innocent of murdering George Floyd.

Carolyn Pawlenty, urging leniency at her sons sentencing hearing, told a judge that the news media and prosecutors had painted a distorted picture of her son.

I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man, Ms. Pawlenty said. He has a big heart and he always has put others before his own. The public will never know the loving and caring man he is. But his family does.

Ms. Pawlentys statement came shortly before Judge Peter A. Cahill was to sentence Mr. Chauvin, who was convicted of second-degree murder in April in the death of Mr. Floyd. Ms. Pawlenty said Mr. Chauvin has played the arrest over in his head repeatedly over the last 13 months. Mr. Chauvin himself spoke only briefly during the hearing, offering condolences to the Floyd family.
MINNEAPOLIS  For the past two months, Derek Chauvin has been held in solitary confinement as lawyers and investigators have been busy with the next phase of his case: determining the length of his punishment for the murder of George Floyd.

On Friday afternoon, Mr. Chauvin, 45, will return to the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis where he was convicted in April to learn his fate. Prosecutors are asking that Mr. Chauvin face 30 years in prison, while his defense team has requested probation. The maximum sentence allowed by law is 40 years.

The sentencing hearing is expected to last at least an hour and to include statements from members of Mr. Floyds family, who may speak about his life and how his death has affected them. The gruesome killing of Mr. Floyd as Mr. Chauvin, a former police officer, held a knee on his neck for more than nine minutes was captured on cellphone video and drew millions of Americans to the streets to protest against racial injustice and police brutality toward Black people.

Mr. Chauvin, who is white, did not testify at his six-week trial in March and April; he spoke only once, outside the presence of the jury, to invoke his Fifth Amendment right not to take the stand.
MINNEAPOLIS  Some scenes at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis are now very familiar. Some people pray, others take pictures and some have conversations about where things stand.

This week, as the community geared up for a judges sentencing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murdering Mr. Floyd on April 20, people gathered at the spot where Mr. Floyd died, sharing food under a former gas stations canopy that offered shade from the summer heat.

Across from the former gas station, in this south Minneapolis neighborhood, is the now-infamous Cup Foods convenience store, where a clerk called 911 on May 25, 2020, to report that Mr. Floyd had allegedly used a fake $20 bill to buy cigarettes, drawing the police to the scene. The store was open on Friday, and several people mingled through.

For a year after Mr. Floyds death, the square was turned into a memorial for Mr. Floyd, and barriers and activists barred cars from passing through. But earlier this month, city workers arrived before dawn, removing the barriers and placing memorial items into storage.
Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who was convicted of murdering George Floyd on a Minneapolis street corner last year, will be sentenced for the crime on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Central.

Like the trial, Fridays hearing will be filmed live, and The New York Times will be showing a stream of the sentencing once it begins.

Judge Peter A. Cahill, who oversaw the trial in March and April, will decide Mr. Chauvins sentence.

The maximum sentence for second-degree murder  the most serious charge Mr. Chauvin was convicted of  is 40 years in prison. Prosecutors with the Minnesota attorney generals office have asked Judge Cahill to hand down a 30-year sentence, while Mr. Chauvins lawyer has asked him to order probation but no more prison time than he has already served.
Jacques Georges Barzaghi was born on July 26, 1938, in the small town of Beausoleil in the south of France, near Monaco. His father, Rene Barzaghi, who was part of the French Resistance during World War II, was an officer in the French merchant marine. He and Jacquess mother, Marie Louise (Denoix) Barzaghi, separated when Jacques was 6. In effect abandoned by his parents, Jacques was raised by his paternal grandmother.

He left for Paris at 16, before finishing high school. Falling in with theater and movie people, he found work as an actor, taking the stage name Lorenzo Poldi. He joined the French Army at 18 and served briefly until he was injured and returned to Paris. There, enamored of New Wave film directors like Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, he dabbled in directing himself.

After the 1968 student uprisings in Paris, Mr. Barzaghi moved to West Hollywood and worked briefly in the film industry. One night at a party in Laurel Canyon, he fell into conversation with a man about movies, relationships and the Navajo, learning only later that this stranger was Californias secretary of state, Mr. Brown. His lack of deference, he told The New York Times, was the key to connecting with him.

Some found Mr. Barzaghi a little far out. When asked a question, he will stare a long moment, during which the words youve just spoken seem to ring with foolishness, The Los Angeles Times wrote. Then he will utter a cryptic remark like, Dont sell the skin of the bear before you shoot the bear.

Others found him a grounding influence on Governor Moonbeam, as Mr. Brown was called in more derisive quarters, a reference to his sometimes eccentric, New Agey tendencies. I came to think that Barzaghi was the ballast to Jerry Browns ship, one Brown aide told The Washington Post in 1992. He gave stability. He was the calm at the center of the storm.

There was little calm in Mr. Barzaghis personal life: Over the course of six marriages and six divorces he sired eight children. In addition to Tatiana Barzaghi, he is survived by two other daughters, Jessica Doherty and Edwina Barzaghi; five sons, Ky, Rashad, Akira, Hassan and Salam Barzaghi; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Rescue workers continued Friday to comb through the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Fla., just north of Miami Beach. But by evening, 159 people remained unaccounted for and four people confirmed dead, the same numbers officials had released early in the morning. No survivors had been found Friday.

Speaking with a lot of these family members, when theyre unaccounted for, its a really, really difficult thing because they just dont know, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said.

The rescuers worked through thunderstorms that left pockets of flooding, and grappled with on-and-off fires whose smoke hung over the unstable pile of rubble. Dousing them was out of the question, so emergency workers tore through the debris to get to the source of the flames and pull it away.

South Florida has some of the nations most elite search-and-rescue crews, which have responded to hurricanes, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. But there was a growing sense that time was running short. Family members of the missing were asked to provide D.N.A. swabs in case it was needed to identify remains.
He added that the senseless violence has to stop.

Mr. Bidens decision to withdraw American troops by Sept. 11 is one of the most consequential of his presidency so far. And despite the worsening security situation, gloomy intelligence reports and the likelihood of terrible images of human suffering, his message remains clear, officials say: The U.S. military is leaving.

It wont be a happy conversation, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the Wilson Center, a think tank in Washington. While Kabul has accepted the fact that U.S. forces are leaving, its tough to swallow given that the withdrawal is playing out against an unprecedented Taliban offensive.

At the White House, Mr. Biden sought to reassure Mr. Ghani with $266 million in humanitarian assistance and $3.3 billion in security aid. The administration will also send oxygen supplies and three million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to Afghanistan, where fighting has hampered efforts to combat the coronavirus.

A small embassy security force will also stay behind.

He was very clear that if we did not pull our troops, withdraw our troops from Afghanistan  something that he has long talked about having an interest and desire to do  the Taliban would have been shooting at U.S. troops again, the White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, said on Friday.

The financial commitment buys Mr. Ghanis administration a little bit of space and authority with everybody now who is jockeying and saying, Can the central government protect me or do I need to completely break? said Jason Dempsey, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for New American Security.
I dont think thats going to pass, and I think they killed any opportunity, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the minority leader, said at his weekly news conference. I think it was disingenuous in every shape or form.

The senators who helped negotiate the compromise convened a private call Friday afternoon to express frustration with Mr. Bidens comments and concern that they had upended what had been seen as good-faith negotiations. The call, first reported by The Washington Post, was described by two people familiar with it on the condition of anonymity.

No deal by extortion! Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said on Twitter after having endorsed an initial framework this month. It was never suggested to me during these negotiations that President Biden was holding hostage the bipartisan infrastructure proposal unless a liberal reconciliation package was also passed.

Mr. Biden spoke with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat of Arizona and a leader in the negotiations, on Friday to reiterate his support for both the bipartisan plan and a second package. He told Ms. Sinema the bills were priorities he wants to see advance through the legislative process as quickly as possible, pass as quickly as possible and be presented to him for signing as quickly as possible, according to a readout provided by the White House.

People are very committed to what weve done, said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire and one of the negotiators. I didnt understand the president to take that position, so Im going to continue to operate and try and build support for the infrastructure package.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is in the later stages of planning how to phase out a Trump-era public health rule that has allowed border agents to rapidly turn away most migrants who have arrived at the southern border during the pandemic, according to two administration officials.

It is possible that, in the coming weeks, border officials could start allowing migrant families back into the country, with an eye toward lifting the rule for single adults this summer.

The plan, while still not final, is sure to complicate an already thorny issue for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who is visiting the border on Friday, as Republicans accuse the administration of being slow to address what they describe as an unrelenting surge of migrants trying to enter the country. Lifting the rule will only exacerbate that.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, border agents have turned away migrants nearly 850,000 times under the public health rule, known as Title 42. Migrant families have been turned away more than 80,000 times since the rule was put in place in March 2020, according to government data.
Most people dont want to leave home, and when they do, it is usually because either they are fleeing some type of harm or they cannot take care of the simple and basic needs of their family by staying where they are. And so, we are here today to address and to talk about what has brought people to the U.S. border and again, to continue to address the root causes, which cause people to leave and often flee their home country. So the important aspect of this visit is leading this visit after the work that we did in Guatemala and Mexico. Because as Ive long said, I said back in March, I was going to come to the border. So this is not a new plan, but the reality of it that we have to deal with causes and we have to deal with the effects. So being in Guatemala, being in Mexico, talking with Mexico as a partner, frankly, on the issue was about addressing the causes. And then coming to the border at the advice, and actually the invitation, of the Congresswoman is about looking at the effects of what we have seen happening in Central America. And so Im glad to be here, it was always the plan to come here. Thank you for being a part of it. Good to see you. One of the things that weve been seeing, too, is a shift in terms of unaccompanied children. Obviously, weve been working closely with our partners in H.H.S. to expedite the movement and transfer those children. Do you mind showing her the childrens area over here?
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department sued Georgia on Friday over a sweeping voting law passed by the states Republican-led legislature, the first significant move by the Biden administration to challenge state-level ballot restrictions enacted since the 2020 election.

The rights of all eligible citizens to vote are the central pillars of our democracy, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a news conference at the Justice Department. They are the rights from which all other rights ultimately flow.

The complaint accuses the Georgia law of effectively discriminating against Black voters and seeks to show that state lawmakers intended to violate their rights. It says that several of the laws provisions were passed with a discriminatory purpose, Kristen Clarke, the head of the departments civil rights division, said at the news conference.

The lawsuit, particularly its attempt to prove lawmakers intent, is among the most aggressive efforts to expand or preserve voter protections in years. The Supreme Court in 2013 had overturned a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that had allowed the Justice Department to stop states from passing laws viewed as facilitating voter discrimination.
But of the episodes examined by the task force, only one could be identified and categorized: a large, deflating balloon that was classified as airborne clutter.

Officials do not have any indications that the unexplained incidents show objects that are part of a foreign intelligence collection program or a major technological advancement by a potential adversary, a senior government official said. They are also unable to confirm that any of those incidents are part of a U.S. government or defense industry program, a senior official said.

Nevertheless, the report does not completely rule out a Russian or Chinese aircraft or an American classified program.

The report was made public because of a provision inserted by Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, into a huge spending bill passed by Congress.

The Defense Department and intelligence community have a lot of work to do before we can actually understand whether these aerial threats present a serious national security concern, Mr. Rubio said.

Of the incidents examined by the task force, there are no clear indications that there is any nonterrestrial explanation for them, said a senior official, adding that the government would go wherever the data takes us as the inquiry continued.

The report avoids any real discussion of the possibility that the unexplained phenomena are extraterrestrial in nature. It was not the purpose of the governments task force to search for extraterrestrial life, a responsibility that falls to NASA, said a senior governmental official.
They also took aim at the administration of the Republican governor of Wyoming, Mark Gordon, whom hard-right conservatives considered far too moderate and whose candidacy Ms. Gore had opposed in 2018. They targeted a Republican state representative, now the Wyoming speaker of the house, because of his openness to liberalizing marijuana laws  a position Ms. Gore vigorously opposes.

Using her Democratic cover identity, Ms. LaRocca got a job working for a consortium of wealthy liberal donors in Wyoming  the Wyoming Investor Network, or WIN  that had decided to back some moderate Republicans. The job gave her access to valuable information.

Getting the WIN stuff is really damaging, said Chris Bell, who worked as a political consultant for the consortium. Its the entire strategy. Where the money is going. What were doing long term.

Mr. Seddon, Mr. Maier and Ms. LaRocca did not respond to requests for comment about the operation or the campaign contributions. Cassie Craven, a lawyer for Ms. Gore, also did not respond to emails or a voice mail message seeking comment about the operation, nor did Ms. Gore herself.

When The Times reached out to political activists and politicians who had come to know Mr. Maier and Ms. LaRocca, informing them of the couples true agenda, some said the news confirmed their own suspicions that the pair might not have been on the level. Others were stunned and said they regretted any part they had played in helping them gain entree to political circles in the West.

George Durazzo Jr., a Colorado businessman and fund-raiser who coaxed the large donations from Mr. Maier and Ms. LaRocca and shepherded them around Las Vegas before the debate, said he was both angry and embarrassed. He had planned, he said, to take them to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee before the pandemic turned it into a virtual event.

If they are indeed Benedict Arnold and Mata Hari, he said, I was the one who was fooled.
The courts ruling, Justice Sotomayor wrote, followed from the United States unique historical relationship with Alaska Natives.

When the United States purchased the Territory of Alaska from Russia in 1867, Alaska Natives lived in communities dispersed widely across Alaskas 365 million acres, she wrote, adding that there was no effort to isolate them on reservations. As a consequence, the claims of Alaska Natives to Alaskan land remained largely unsettled even following Alaskas admission to the union as our 49th state in 1959.

In 1971, Justice Sotomayor wrote, Congress extinguished Alaska Natives claims to land and hunting rights and authorized the transfer of $962.5 million in state and federal funds and approximately 44 million acres of Alaska land to state-chartered private business corporations  the Alaska Native corporations.

After the 2020 relief law was enacted, the Treasury Department announced that the Alaska Native corporations would be eligible for more than $500 million in aid, later reduced to about $450 million. Indian tribes promptly sued, and a federal judge ruled against them.

But the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed that ruling, saying that a phrase in the 1975 law limited the definition of Indian tribes to groups that the federal government had recognized. The appeals court said the wording of the 1975 law, which included the corporations in its definition of Indian tribes, required that interpretation because part of its final clause, concerning recognition, seemed to limit the sweep of what came before it.
The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that Alaska Native corporations, for-profit businesses that serve tribal villages in Alaska, are entitled to part of the billions of dollars of coronavirus relief allocated by Congress in March 2020 to tribal governments.

Alaska Native corporations were established in 1971 to manage almost 45 million acres as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Tribal governments in the lower 48 states had sued to challenge the governments decision to allocate about $500 million to them under the 2020 law, the CARES Act, arguing that the corporations do not meet the definition of Indian tribes.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing for the majority in the 6-to-3 decision, rejected that argument. The corporations, she wrote, are Indian tribes, regardless of whether they are also federally recognized tribes.

The court today affirms what the federal government has maintained for almost half a century: A.N.C.s are Indian tribes under the definitions in a 1975 law.
Derek Chauvin, 45, had been a police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department for more than 19 years before George Floyds death. During that time, he was the subject of at least 22 complaints and internal investigations. One of the episodes led to two letters of reprimand  his only formal discipline.

Mr. Chauvin worked in one of Minneapoliss busiest precincts on its most difficult shift, from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., long after many officers his age had moved to different positions. He earned several awards, including two medals of valor after separate confrontations in which he shot at suspects, one of whom died.

Mr. Chauvin, who is white, was filmed on May 25 of last year pressing his knee on the neck of Mr. Floyd, who is Black, for more than nine minutes as Mr. Floyd pleaded with him and repeatedly said, I cant breathe.

Mr. Chauvin was fired the next day, along with three other officers who had arrived at Cup Foods, a convenience store, after a teenage clerk called 911 to report that Mr. Floyd had used a counterfeit $20 bill. In October, Mr. Chauvin was freed from jail while awaiting trial, having posted $100,000 through a bail bond agency. He was initially required to remain in Minnesota, but later was allowed to live in any of the four bordering states (Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota) because of concerns for his safety.
A Search for Survivors and Answers: How Could the Condo Near Miami Have Collapsed? As of Friday evening, at least four people were dead and up to 159 people were unaccounted for. The families of the missing waited and prayed. Follow our latest coverage of the building collapse in Miami.

Experts say collapse could have several possible causes. The Champlain Towers South building in Surfside, Fla., was about to undergo repairs as part of required structural recertification. Credit... Maria Alejandra Cardona for The New York Times Engineering and architectural experts said that it might take a long time to piece together what caused the partial collapse of the Champlain Towers South condo building near Miami. On Friday, the town released documents showing that two years ago an engineering consultant had found alarming evidence of major structural damage to the concrete slab below the pool deck and abundant cracking and crumbling of the columns, beams and walls of the parking garage under the 13-story building. The consultant, Frank Morabito, did not say that the structure was at risk of collapse, but he wrote that the needed repairs would be aimed at maintaining the structural integrity of the building and its 136 units. To address those problems, the building, in Surfside, Fla., was about to undergo extensive repairs for corrosion and concrete spalling, or flaking, as part of a required structural recertification for buildings when they reach 40 years of age. Still, experts said there may be other factors at play. Charlie Danger, who retired as Miami-Dade Countys building chief seven years ago, said unauthorized remodeling could result in someone eliminating a structural support column. When a building falls downward on itself its more likely that there was a loss of support somewhere, said Abieyuwa Aghayere, a professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Drexel University. In addition, some experts, including Mr. Aghayere, said a sinkhole or other problems with a foundation could lead to major instability under a building. Researchers using space-based radar to examine the flooding potential in the Miami Beach area had noticed long before the collapse that the Champlain Towers South building was subsiding, or on land that was sinking, in ways that neighboring properties were not. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County both promised on Friday that there would be a full investigation of the collapse. We need a definitive explanation for how this could have happened, Mr. DeSantis said. Federal investigators were dispatched to the scene. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, which investigated the collapse of the World Trade Center on 9/11, sent a team of experts to Florida on Friday afternoon to meet with local building officials and engineers. Mike Baker, Sophie Kasakove , Christopher Flavelle and

A frantic search for survivors in the rubble stretched into a second day. Video transcript Back bars 0:00 / 1:14 - 0:00 transcript Rescue Efforts Continue After Florida Condo Collapse Dozens of people remain unaccounted for after a high-rise residential building collapsed near Miami Beach on Thursday. Reporter: Have you seen anything that leads you to believe there are still people alive there? We will continue search and rescue because we still have hope that we will find people alive. I was about to fall asleep when my wife and my kid, and my mom called me desperate, Please, help me. I thought that it was a joke. Well, then I came running here and Im trying to see whats going on. And when I saw the building, I just couldnt believe myself. Dozens of people remain unaccounted for after a high-rise residential building collapsed near Miami Beach on Thursday. Credit Credit... Saul Martinez for The New York Times Rescue workers continued Friday to comb through the rubble of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Fla., just north of Miami Beach. But by evening, 159 people remained unaccounted for and four people confirmed dead, the same numbers officials had released early in the morning. No survivors had been found Friday. Speaking with a lot of these family members, when theyre unaccounted for, its a really, really difficult thing because they just dont know, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said. The rescuers worked through thunderstorms that left pockets of flooding, and grappled with on-and-off fires whose smoke hung over the unstable pile of rubble. Dousing them was out of the question, so emergency workers tore through the debris to get to the source of the flames and pull it away. South Florida has some of the nations most elite search-and-rescue crews, which have responded to hurricanes, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. But there was a growing sense that time was running short. Family members of the missing were asked to provide D.N.A. swabs in case it was needed to identify remains. My mind tells me there is no way she could have survived such a massive collapse, but I believe in a God that can do anything, said Sally Noriega, whose 91-year-old mother-in-law, Hilda Noriega, lived in the building and has not been heard from. WSVN 7 News, a Miami television station, broadcast video of more than 40 people gathered in a prayer circle at sunset on the beach just north of the site. President Biden said federal mortuary services would be available if needed, and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava of Miami-Dade County told CNN on Friday night that the county had just received the presidents support for FEMA funding. Ms. Levine Cava said that rescuers were using cameras, dogs and sonar equipment to look for survivors. They are in the tunnels, theyre in the water, theyre on top of the rubble pile, she said. The piles instability made the work that much more delicate and dangerous. They cant dislodge pieces of debris that could injure them in the process, she had noted earlier in the day. They cant dislodge debris that could possibly make it more difficult to continue the search. An official with the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner Department said Friday that Stacie Fang, 54, died in the collapse. Ms. Fang was rescued from the rubble but pronounced dead at a hospital. She is the first victim to be identified by the medical examiner. Ms. Fang was the mother of Jonah Handler, a 15-year-old boy pulled from the rubble on Thursday in a dramatic rescue, the authorities said. We could see his arms sticking out and his fingers wiggling, said Nicholas Balboa, 31, who was walking near Champlain Towers when he saw the building collapse. He was just saying, Please dont leave me. Please dont leave me. The stunning collapse of the residential building, in the beachfront town of Surfside, left few answers and considerable questions about how a 40-year-old condo building could have suddenly crumbled as residents rested in their beds. The 13-story structure, with more than 130 units, was home to a mix of retirees and well-off professionals with young families. The wrecked interiors of what were once peoples homes gaped open toward the ocean: Broken air-conditioning units. An empty bunk bed. Linens waving in the wind. The collapse stopped right at our apartment, said Marian Smeraldi-Lopez, who said she escaped from the sixth floor on the partly collapsed buildings stairway. No apartments on that north side were visible. Just air, debris and rubble. A lawyer for the resident-led association that manages Champlain Towers said the building had been about to undergo extensive repairs for rusted steel and damaged concrete. Mr. DeSantis and Ms. Levine Cava pledged to investigate the causes of the collapse. We all want answers; we all need answers, Ms. Levine Cava said. We never want this to happen again. On Friday evening, she said that investigators and structural engineers were at the scene. Patricia Mazzei, Richard Fausset, Christine Hauser, Michael Majchrowicz , Mitch Smith and

Advertisement Continue reading the main story

The first identified victim of the Florida condo collapse is Stacie Fang, 54, whose son was rescued. Jonah Handler, 15, the son of Stacie Fang, being hoisted out of the wreckage by emergency workers on Thursday. Credit... WSVN The first victim of the Florida condo collapse to be identified is Stacie Fang, 54, the authorities said. Her son, Jonah Handler, 15, was pulled alive from the rubble on Thursday in a dramatic rescue. Ms. Fang was also pulled from the wreckage but pronounced dead on Thursday at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center, a spokesperson for the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner Department said on Friday. The cause of her death was blunt force trauma, the medical examiners said. There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie, the Fang and Handler families said in a statement posted on Twitter by a local TV reporter. According to Ms. Fangs LinkedIn page, she worked since 2009 as a vice president for a company that organizes an annual event for retail marketers. She studied business administration and management at Pace University in New York, and graduated in 1990. Ms. Fangs sister, Virginia Borges, arrived at the reunification center for victims families on Thursday afternoon. Ms. Borges told The Washington Post before authorities confirmed her sisters death that her nephew had not been badly injured. He wants to know what happened to his mother, Ms. Borges said. We all want to know. Video of Jonahs rescue shows emergency workers hoisting him out of the wreckage and strapping him to a stretcher. Nicholas Balboa, 31, said he was walking near Champlain Towers when he saw the building collapse and heard a boy calling for help. We could see his arms sticking out and his fingers wiggling, Mr. Balboa said. He was just saying, Please dont leave me. Please dont leave me. The boy said his mother had been with him, but Mr. Balboa heard no other voices. Using his cellphone flashlight, Mr. Balboa flagged a police officer, who rushed toward them with a rescue crew. The crew dug through debris and used a saw to get the boy out, Mr. Balboa said. Jonah Handler plays baseball for Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens, according to his scouting page. The Archdiocese of Miami said that he was in his sophomore year. On behalf of Stacies son, Jonah, we ask you now to please respect our privacy to grieve and to try to help each other heal, the Fang and Handler families said in their statement.

I knew them all. As families await news, neighbors recall the missing. Ariana Hevia of New Orleans, center, near the Champlain Towers South beachfront condo on Friday. Her mother lived in the building. Credit... Lynne Sladky/Associated Press SURFSIDE, Fla.  After a thunderclap of noise jolted Bruno Treptow awake on Thursday morning, he rushed to open the front door of his eighth-floor condo. He then realized something terrible, he said: The hallways gone. Where there had been a row of doors opening into different neighbors apartments, there was now a void of dust and breeze. The beautiful family with two young daughters in 802; the young married couple in 804; the single father in 801 who coached his sons baseball team. In an instant, the apartments were gone, the fate of their occupants uncertain. I knew them all, said Mr. Treptow, 62, who had lived in the building for 20 years. They made up an only-in-Miami mix of residents at the Champlain Towers South condominium  beach-seeking retirees from New York, striving young families, Orthodox Jews and well-connected South American immigrants, drawn to the 13-story building by its palmy beachfront setting in this 5,600-person town just north of Miami Beach. Family members of the 159 people who remained unaccounted for after the tower collapsed waited anxiously for news on Friday, praying and updating far-flung relatives as they fought to hope for miraculous rescues against the hardening realization that they might never see their loved ones alive again. I hang onto the hope that shes in there, said Stephanie Fonte, whose vivacious, fashion-loving sister, Cassondra Billedeau-Stratton, 40, was among the missing. If theres any way possible, she's going to fight this. But the longer time goes by, the more we begin to lose hope. Ms. Fonte said her sister had lived in the building for about six years, going back and forth between Miami and Colorado, where her husband works as a political strategist. She loved the pool, and walking and biking along the beach. She also loved photography, and when the sisters were together, Ms. Billedeau-Stratton would often make them stop and pose in front of a special spot on the beach or near a burst of flowers. Ms. Fonte said her sister had been talking on the phone with her husband at around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, moments before the collapse: She said the building was shaking and then the phone died, Ms. Fonte said. Another one of the people missing in the wreckage was Manuel LaFont, 54, a businessman who worked with Latin American companies and the father of a 10-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter, according to his ex-wife, Adriana LaFont. Ms. LaFont described Mr. LaFont as a loving and devoted father who ate, drank and slept baseball  a passion he had inherited from his Cuban parents. Mr. LaFont had played the sport in his youth and coached his sons team, never missing a practice or a game. Hes the best dad, Ms. LaFont said. Hes the most genuine person I ever met. Their children were with Ms. LaFont, who lives elsewhere, when the building collapsed, and the three of them sat together praying and waiting for news. Faith was vital to Mr. LaFont, she said, and, late on Thursday night, the family was not ready to give up their hopes. He was, Ms. LaFont said at one point as she described Mr. LaFont. She then stopped to correct her tenses: He is. Giulia Heyward, Richard Fausset and

What of the sister tower to the fallen Florida condo building? Champlain Towers North, a sister condominium building to Champlain Towers South, which partially collapsed in Surfside, Fla., early Thursday. Credit... Scott McIntyre for The New York Times In the hours immediately after much of the Champlain Towers South condominiums collapsed, the authorities evacuated two nearby buildings, an 18-story condominium tower and a seven-story hotel. But no action had been taken by Friday at the fallen buildings nearly identical sister a few hundred yards up the beach  Champlain Towers North. Both buildings went up in 1981 in Surfside, Fla., just north of Miami Beach. The complex has a third building, Champlain Towers East, erected in 1994. The mayor of Surfside, Charles W. Burkett, said on Friday afternoon that he was worried about the stability of the north building but that he did not feel philosophically comfortable ordering people to evacuate. He was speaking at a town commission meeting called to formally declare a state of emergency in Surfside, which Mr. Burkett said would give the town access to state and federal funds. We have a lot of circumstantial evidence to lead us to believe that there could be issues at the sister building, Champlain Towers North, Mr. Burkett said. The layout of the building is the same as Champlain Towers South. It has the same name. It was probably built by the same builder, and it was probably built with the same materials. I cant tell you, I cant assure you, that the building is safe. Still, Mr. Burkett said he thought the decision to evacuate should be voluntary. He added that had not yet spoken with residents in the building. Mr. Burkett, an independent, said he had decided on this approach after talking with elected officials in Washington and in Miami. James McGuinness, who is in charge of Surfsides building department, told the commissioners that construction crews had been working on the roof of the south building before it collapsed, but he said he saw no evidence that the roof work had contributed to the disaster. There was no inordinate amount of materials on the roof that would cause this building to collapse, Mr. McGuinness said. Mr. McGuinness said workers had been making repairs to the roof and to anchors on the corners that hold ropes used by window cleaners. The condominium association had hired engineers to work on a review of the structural integrity of the building and its electrical systems, he said. Miami-Dade County requires these inspections at intervals of 40 years, Mr. McGuinness said, but the work on the anchors on the roof were not related to the recertification process. He said the town of Surfside had not yet received the 40-year inspection report from the buildings owners. Commissioners at the meeting said Surfside had no indication that anything was wrong with the building. Documents released by the town on Friday afternoon, however, showed that an engineering consultant had warned the buildings owners in 2018 about major structural damage to a concrete slab below a pool deck as well as crumbling and cracked concrete beams, columns and walls in a parking garage beneath the structure.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story

A nearby synagogue, filled to capacity, starts rerouting donations. Volunteers assisting with donations at The Shul, an Orthodox synagogue near the Champlain Towers complex, for the survivors and family members of building collapse on Thursday. Officials reported that more than a dozen members of the synagogue were among the missing. Credit... WSVN Dozens of volunteers flowed into the Shul, an Orthodox synagogue just up the road from the site of the Champlain Towers building collapse, on Friday morning. Offering to do, well, anything, they were mostly put to work organizing massive piles of donated items that have also streamed in since word of the condo collapse spread. A mound of pillows 12 feet high. Hundreds, maybe thousands of bottles of water. A space on one table in the synagogues social hall labeled Wipes. Another labeled Shaving. A third labeled Feminine Hygiene. The volunteers  mostly 20-somethings, but there were elementary school students and older adults, as well  were tasked with sorting clothes and boxing them up, first by gender and then by size, to make it easier for survivors to come in and grab what they need. Something like this happens in the community and you just have to rise up, and help, said Ilene Weinkle, who was pitching in. She works at a Jewish day school for children with special needs. Ultimately, the Shuls social hall couldnt accommodate more donations and incoming items were sent to a local kosher food bank  which soon became full, too. Volunteers were looking for another location. Israels consul general in Miami, Maor Elbaz-Starinsky, visited the Shul mid-morning to offer his support. He had been awake for 30 hours, and mostly at the scene. Not that Im clearing rubble, he said, but I do think I have to stand by this wounded community. The Israeli search-and-rescue team is on standby to come and help if asked, Mr. Elbaz-Starinsky added. The countrys government is making sure that those with relatives who lived in the Champlain Towers are able to board flights to the United States. The Israeli minister of diaspora affairs, Nachman Shai, is expected to visit the area on Sunday.

Photographers captured the dramatic search-and-rescue effort. Octavio Jones/Reuters David Santiago/Miami Herald, via Associated Press Joe Raedle/Getty Images Octavio Jones/Reuters Lynne Sladky/Associated Press Miami-Dade Fire Rescue/via Reuters Saul Martinez for The New York Times slide 1 slide 2 slide 3 slide 4 slide 5 slide 6 slide 7 At the site of the partially collapsed Champlain Towers South condominiums in Surfside, Fla., on Friday, emergency crews surveyed the damaged, worked to put out fires and searched for survivors. Family members of those missing embraced as they waited for any news.

Rescuers may have learned from the Oklahoma City bombing and the Sept. 11 attacks. Search-and-rescue personnel worked at the collapse site on Thursday evening. Credit... Chandan Khanna/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images As emergency medical workers kept up their frenetic search for the missing in the flattened rubble in Surfside, Fla., on Friday, they relied on some lessons of past disasters and on the grim but increasingly sophisticated science of urban search and rescue. Michael J. Fagel, an emergency planner, was a scene-safety and logistics officer after both the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995 and the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He recalled not the noise of the piles, but the silence  the life-or-death importance of utter silence. We used stethoscopes. We used hearing devices, Mr. Fagel, 68, said of the Oklahoma City disaster site. We would actually stop the mission for five minutes. Youd have three blasts of an air horn. And you would listen. You hear a moan. You hear a whisper. You hear a breathing sound. Mr. Fagel, who teaches disaster management, said the search-and-rescue effort in Florida will most likely use some of the same techniques that have guided the response to building collapses and explosions in past decades. The scene will probably be broken up into zones for easier organization of personnel and in an attempt to instill order. A priority is to cut the utilities, a complex task. You may have to go in the street with a backhoe, dig them up, shut them down so you have no more spark, no more potential fuel for the fire, he said. There are multiple operations at once, and some move more quickly than others. There are those studying the safety of the scene itself and working to stabilize sections of the building still standing. An acronym soup of local, state and federal agencies and officials assemble, including the task forces that make up the Federal Emergency Management Agencys National Urban Search and Rescue Response System. The difficulty for those focusing on the rubble comes in working quickly yet methodically. You may remember when you were growing up, there was a game called pick-up sticks, Mr. Fagel said. If you pull out something from the debris pile, it may cause a structural shift two floors away. And despite all the training and the military-style command structure, each search-and-rescue effort improvises its way through problems. In July 1981, a dance was being held in the lobby of a Hyatt Regency in Kansas City, Mo., when elevated walkways suspended from the ceiling collapsed, killing 114 people. As rescuers converged on the scene in Kansas City, streams of water began flooding the lobby. The flow came from water tanks that could not be shut off, and trapped survivors were at risk of drowning. When the fire chief discovered that the hotels front doors were keeping the water inside, he called in a bulldozer. You use every tool, every faculty, because we are still people helping people, Mr. Fagel said. Thats all it is. He said some of those searching through the rubble on Friday will remember the work for the rest of their lives. Mr. Fagel, who became ill from working at ground zero on Sept. 11, said the mental and physical effects may not be evident for years. I had colleagues of mine who worked the Oklahoma City bombing who would not go back through downtown at Sixth and Harvey, he said. They would avoid it. Theyd drive around it. We as responders put ourselves before others. But we as responders forget that were human.

Advertisement Continue reading the main story

A family on vacation from Colombia is among the many missing. Sergio Barth, left, with his brother Luis Barth, who is missing. Credit... Sergio Barth Sergio Barth, the owner of a youth soccer academy in the Miami area, said Friday that he believed his older brother Luis Barth, 51, a lawyer visiting Florida from Medellin, Colombia, was in the building when it fell, along with Luiss wife, Catalina Gomez, and their daughter Valeria, 14. Luis and his family had traveled to South Florida for a number of reasons, Sergio said: They wanted to get the family together after the coronavirus had prohibited family members from traveling internationally, and they wanted to spend some time on vacation. Luis and his family had also decided to get vaccinated in the U.S., given the frustratingly slow pace of the vaccine rollout in Colombia. Image Luis Barth, his wife, Catalina Gomez, 46, and their daughter Valeria, 14. The family was visiting Florida from Medellin, Colombia, and had come to Miami to get vaccinated, see family and for vacation. Credit... Sergio Barth The family arrived in Florida on May 25, Sergio said, and all three of them got the vaccine. In the last few days they were in nearby Port St. Lucie, where Valeria was enrolled at a tennis academy. Their plan was to go to Miami on Thursday and briefly stay in a friends condominium in Champlain Towers before moving to Sergios house and continuing their vacation. Luis and Sergios mother had flown up from Colombia on Monday, and Sergios nine-year old daughter was eager to see her older cousin. But for some reason, Sergio said, Luis, Catalina and Valeria went to Miami a day earlier than planned. Thats a God thing, Sergio said. Its really hard for us to understand and explain. Sergio said he had been calling the familys cellphones, but no one answers. The loss  if it is indeed a loss  will be felt intimately and broadly. Luis was politically active in Colombia  his brother described him as a practical-minded centrist  and he had formerly served as director of the Medellinnovation District, a technology and innovation hub central to the citys effort to move beyond the years of drug-war violence. Catalina was also a talented lawyer, Sergio said. But Sergio was also contemplating the loss of a brother 10 years his senior who had stepped into a paternal role when their father died in 2001. I dont know what to think, Sergio said in an interview Friday morning. I mean there is, I think, resignation here, with just a little, little, little esperanza  you know, hope. Miracles happen. So until the authorities say the investigation is closed we have to keep thinking positive.

What we know about the building collapse so far. The partially collapsed Champlain Towers South building. Credit... Maria Alejandra Cardona for The New York Times When did it happen? Survivors said they were jolted awake at about 1:30 a.m. on Thursday by fire alarms, falling debris and the feeling of the ground trembling. How many people have died? At least 12 people were killed. The authorities fear many more fatalities. How many are unaccounted for? Some 149 people remained unaccounted for as of Monday, officials said. How many have been rescued? About 35 people were rescued from the intact part of the building, and two were pulled from the rubble, said Ray Jadallah, a Miami-Dade Fire Rescue assistant fire chief. How tall was the building? The tower was 13 stories tall; about half of the 135 units collapsed. When was it built? It was constructed in 1981, according to county property records. How many people live in Surfside, Fla.? The town, just north of Miami Beach, has about 5,600 residents. It is a mostly residential community, with several multistory condominium buildings along Surfside Beach on the Atlantic Ocean. The town has an Orthodox Jewish community and is also home to many retirees as well as immigrants from South America.

Globally, building collapses are often caused by sloppy construction and poor oversight. Rescuers working at the site of a building collapse in Cairo in March. Credit... Shokry Hussien/Reuters CAIRO  Around the world, buildings often collapse because of sloppy construction, poor maintenance or the use of low-quality concrete and other building materials. But the bigger problem is weak, uneven or nonexistent oversight; local authorities may fail to enforce building standards, lack the power to do so, or take bribes to look the other way. Shoddy construction is widespread in poor and informal settlements in Egypt, for instance, where it is not uncommon for small residential buildings to collapse. Even a quick review of building collapses around the world in recent years shows the same problems again and again: people building illegally or without the right construction permits, or developers adding more floors than the structural supports were designed to hold in a bid for bigger profits. Such structures are easy prey for a fire, earthquake, gas explosion or bad weather, but sometimes a collapse has no obvious cause. In the United States and other developed countries, however, building regulations tend to be tighter and better enforced  though experts agree that American infrastructure is a different story, with bridges and roads in urgent need of updates. In most developed countries, the construction of any building is highly controlled, so both the design and the approval process and the inspection of the building during construction  all of that is done, and therefore you have very few failures, said Matthys Levy, a structural engineer and the author of Why Buildings Fall Down.
MEKELLE, Ethiopia  Three aid workers employed by Doctors Without Borders were found dead in the conflict-hit Tigray region of northern Ethiopia on Friday, in what the aid group called a brutal murder.

In a statement, Doctors Without Borders said that the bodies of the workers  a Spanish woman and two Ethiopian men  were found near their vehicle on Friday morning, less than a day after they went missing.

We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding what happened, the statement said.

The slain aid workers  identified as Maria Hernandez, 35; Yohannes Halefom Reda, 31; and Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael, 31  were traveling on Thursday afternoon when their colleagues lost touch with them, Doctors Without Borders said.
Dr. Suhendro Sastrowiwoho was fully vaccinated and eager to help this month as Indonesia faced a new and deadly wave of Delta variant coronavirus cases. His daughter and son-in-law, both trained as doctors, told him to rest. He was 74 years old, they warned, and the virus was evolving in unexpected ways.

On June 18, Dr. Suhendro died just days after testing positive for Covid-19. Like other frontline medical workers in his small town of Kudus, on the island of Java, he had received a double dose of Sinovac Biotech, the Chinese-made vaccine.

His love was taking care of his patients and helping people, said Angeline Dewi Suhendro, his daughter, whose husband is now also hospitalized with Covid. We forbade him to practice because Covid cases were shooting up, but he insisted.

While the West appears to be recovering from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, some countries without access to plentiful vaccines are facing their most devastating outbreaks yet, as more contagious variants spread quickly. Other countries are discovering that certain vaccines may not be as effective as others in preventing infections caused by these variants.
MOSCOW  A Belarusian opposition activist and his girlfriend, who were arrested after their airliner was forced to land in the countrys capital of Minsk, have been transferred to house arrest, their lawyer and parents said on Friday.

Both the dissident, Roman Protasevich, and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, were released from jail as the European Union imposed sharp-toothed sanctions against 78 people and critical sectors of the Belarusian economy in response to what Western countries have called a hijacking of the Ryanair jet the two were traveling on.

They still face charges of helping organize the mass anti-government protests that erupted last year in Belarus after Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, the countrys brutal and erratic leader, claimed victory in an election that was widely dismissed as fraudulent. If convicted, Mr. Protasevich and Ms. Sapega could be sentenced to more than 10 years in the countrys notoriously harsh prison system.

In an interview and a news conference conducted after his arrest, Mr. Protasevich, 26, renounced his views and praised Mr. Lukashenko, whom he had earlier compared to Hitler and described as a dictator. Mr. Protasevichs parents said he made those statements under duress.
Krisjanis Karins, Latvias prime minister, said: The Kremlin does not understand free concessions as a sign of strength.

Even countries normally sympathetic to Franco-German initiatives criticized the effort as ill-prepared and initiated late, with no prior consultation. Ms. Merkel and Mr. Macron argued that the European Union should have its own channels to Moscow and not depend on the Americans. In general, the Germans have always believed in keeping lines of dialogue open with Russia almost no matter how it behaves, while Mr. Macron has been trying to reset Frances relations with Moscow, with little success.

In this case, the prime mover was Germany, with French support.

Early Friday, a visibly tired Ms. Merkel said in her uninflected fashion that it was not possible to agree that we would meet immediately at leaders level, but what is important to me is that the dialogue format is retained and that were working on it. She added: Personally, I would have liked to have taken a bolder step here. But she said that in a very detailed and also not an easy discussion, the leaders did agree on the conditions that would be required for such a summit meeting.

Mr. Macron said it was important for the European Union, in its own interests, to speak to Russia with a unified voice and a structured agenda, instead of only reacting to events.
CHALON-SUR-SAONE, France  Valerie Bacot was just 12 when her stepfather began raping her. After a stint in prison for abusing her, he returned to the family home and resumed the rapes, she said. The two eventually settled together, for what Ms. Bacot said were 18 years of repeated beatings, sexual assaults and forced prostitution.

At first it was slaps, then kicks, punches and he would strangle me, Ms. Bacot, a frail 40-year-old woman, told a French court in emotional testimony this week, recounting how she was afraid to die every day.

Until the day she killed Daniel Polette, her former stepfather who became her husband.

On Friday, a court sentenced Ms. Bacot to a four-year prison term, with three years suspended, meaning she would not face further incarceration since she has already served one year in prison.

This means, madam, that you will leave this court free, a judge told Ms. Bacot, as her family sitting behind her burst into tears and applauded the decision.
PARIS  Prosecutors in France said on Friday that they had dropped their investigation into accusations of rape, sexual assault and harassment against one of the countrys best-known television news anchors, citing a lack of evidence and an expired statute of limitations.

The news anchor, Patrick Poivre dArvor, 73, was initially accused in February by Florence Porcel, a 37-year-old writer, of raping her on two occasions, first in 2004, when she was 21 and he had invited her to watch his news show in person after she wrote to him, and again in 2009.

Seven other women stepped forward to accuse Mr. Poivre dArvor of sexual misconduct, but the police elected to shut down their investigation after talking to more than 20 women over four months.

Mr. Poivre dArvor, a star anchorman widely known by his initials, PPDA, presented the prime-time evening news for more than two decades, including Frances most-watched news show, on the channel TF1, from 1987 to 2008.
Salvatore Tedesco, a graduate of Milans Bocconi University, who was perusing the statue with two friends, said he was not a fan. We were just commenting on how beautiful every building is  how Rome is full of history and culture. In comparison, the statue is an eyesore, he said.

His Bocconi schoolmate, Calogero Rallo, who now works in Luxembourg, disagreed, saying the statue was an ironic statement on tradition. Everyone loves porchetta, so it is right that it be immortalized in stone like the Emperor Augustus, he said. A Roman institution deserves a statue.

Actually, porchetta is more typical of the Castelli Romani, towns like Ariccia and Marino just southeast of Rome. Several passers-by said the statue would find a better home there.

The bus for Ariccia is waiting, joked a retired insurance salesman, Giuseppe, who declined to give his last name. But he grew nostalgic remembering how pork got his family of 11 through many winters when he was child in the highlands of Sardinia. The annual slaughter of a pig was almost a ritual, he said, adding, There was respect for the animal.

If nothing else, the statue has stimulated public debate, which is what contemporary art should do, said Giulia Urso, the ward councilor who oversaw the project. It has people arguing not only about public art, but also about the need to shift society toward a more vegetarian and animal rights point of view, she said.

Fabio Mongelli, the director of RUFA, said that both staff and students were frustrated that the porchetta polemics had eclipsed the other works in the project and its overall theme, capturing snippets of Romes rich identity. The 13 students involved in the project spent months working on it, including research into the history of Rome and events tied to the individual piazzas to then give their interpretation looking to the future of the city, he said. Its an act of love.
BERLIN  A man armed with a long knife killed three people and injured several others, some seriously, in the southern city of Wurzburg Friday before being shot by police and arrested, German authorities said.

It was unclear how many people were injured in the attack in a central part of the Bavarian city. Police identified the suspect as a 24-year-old Somali man living in Wurzburg. His life was not in danger from his gunshot wound, they said.

Videos posted on social media showed pedestrians surrounding the attacker and holding him at bay with chairs and sticks.

A woman who said she had witnessed the incident told German RTL television that the police then stepped in.
Officials in Sydney announced on Saturday that Australias largest city would enter a full lockdown until July 9 as an outbreak linked to the Delta variant continued to grow.

The decision expands a partial lockdown ordered a day earlier, when Sydneys central business district and eastern suburbs were ordered to close for at least a week.

Officials in New South Wales, which includes Sydney and is Australias most populous state, announced an additional 22 cases on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 65, the citys largest outbreak in six months. They warned that many more cases were likely to emerge in the coming days because of a cluster centered on a hair salon that some 900 clients visited while several employees were infectious.

The lockdown will affect Sydneys five million residents and follows a return to mandatory mask wearing and a ban on travel outside the city, which were announced this week.
The deadline for filing 2020 federal tax returns was May 17, but people who are owed refunds or arent required to file generally dont pay penalties for filing late, according to the I.R.S. (Filers who sought automatic extensions have until Oct. 15.)

Families that arent required to file may get the monthly payments faster by using the I.R.S. non-filer tool, because it may take time to process their return, David DuFault, an estate planning lawyer with Sodoma Law in Charlotte, N.C.

Congress approved the expanded 2021 child tax credit in March as part of the Biden administrations economic relief legislation. The size of the credit depends on a familys income, the number of children and their ages. For now, it applies to 2021 only, although President Biden and some members of Congress hope to extend it for years.

Getting part of the credit as monthly payments is a boon to low-income families, which often struggle with fluctuating incomes, said Timothy Flacke, executive director of Commonwealth, a nonprofit group that focuses on financial security.

This is a really, really big deal, he said. They can make financial plans around it.

The payments will be made on the 15th of each month through December, except for August (when it is scheduled for the 13th because the 15th falls on a weekend). The monthly payments cover half of a familys estimated child credit; the other half will be paid next year when the family files its tax return.

Some families, however, may not want to get part of the credit early. For them, the I.R.S. has set up another special website, called the child tax credit update portal, where recipients can unenroll from the advance payments. (To skip the July payment, recipients must opt out by Monday.) Users must take steps to verify their identity before using the tool because it allows access to sensitive personal and financial information.

Why would someone opt out? Say a family qualifies for the credit based on its 2020 income but doesnt expect to be eligible in 2021 because of higher earnings or a change in the number of qualifying children. If it doesnt opt out, that family may have to repay some or all of the money it receives this year or get a smaller refund when it files its tax return in 2022.
Dwayna Haley

Porter Novellis Dwayna Haley is joining the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce as chief brand and communications officer on July 26.

She will guide MACs positioning and marketing communications related to economic development and ecosystem expansion.

Haley will take charge of media relations, external & internal communications and responsibility for MACs ChooseATL initiative that targets next-generation talent.

At Porter Novelli, Haley most recently served as executive VP and North American growth lead. Previously, she was the shop's senior vice VP and practice director for the brand, innovation and impact portfolio.

Earlier, she was account director at MSLGroup and a member of Ketchums consumer brand practice, working on Kodak, Kelloggs and Clorox.

Katie Kirkpatrick, MAC CEO, said Haleys experience working with Fortune 500 brands and leveraging multiplatform storytelling will be integral to our continued work to promote metro Atlanta as a premier location for businesses and to attract and retain talent.

Haley will succeed Deisha Barnett, who took a job at UPS.
What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.
Opalesque Industry Update - Jerome Dupuy has stepped up from his role as a Senior Advisor to become the Chief Investment Officer of Argentium. Jerome has over 30 years' experience in international financial markets, with special expertise in Relative Value Trading. Jerome moved to Hong Kong in the early 1990s to build JPMorgan's equity derivatives business in APAC. This was one of the most successful and profitable businesses on the street. He then went on to run volatility trading across Asia Pacific for Lehman Brothers based in Tokyo. He also developed the Global Relative Value Team at BIP in Paris, an in-house hedge fund later taken over by Dresdner Bank. Jerome is an engineering graduate of Ecole Centrale de Paris. Paul Frost-Smith, CEO of Argentium, commented: "I am so pleased to be working with Jerome again, after our time at JPMorgan together. To have one of the inventors of options and skew trading running our books is a huge endorsement of the opportunities that the crypto markets currently present." Argentium provides services to manage The Argentium Chimera Fund, a high frequency systematic multi-strategy hedge fund trading in the most liquid cryptocurrencies. It combines market neutral arbitrage and liquidity with a machine-learning long/short to provide consistent returns irrespective of market direction. Its trade engine, Chimera, is powered by leading US digital asset execution house MainBloq and runs on servers out of the US with ultra-low latency.
It's hard to imagine swim week without Lila Nikole and her . Born in 2009, Lila Nikole Collection has become one of the fashion industrys leading swimwear designers flourishing into a powerhouse brand recognized nationally. The city of Miami will be closing Espanola Way between Washington Avenue and Collins by placing an 80- foot runway on the street for the models to walk the runway for the Wave Miami Beach Fashion Show series 
On Monday morning, 21 June, 12 inmates from the III Roma Rebibbia Prison brought a basket of fresh bread to the Pope, at Casa Santa Marta, and then they visited the Vatican Museums. They had prepared that bread the night before, with their own hands, to say thank you to Francis for the gift of hope he offers to them and other detainees.

And, in a familial spirit, the Pope shared with the twelve the very concern he has for all those who live the tragic situation of reclusion, recalling past prison visits he had made in Argentina. He also assured them of his prayers for their families.

Today the entire prison community, along with the Pope, shared an extremely important experience, said an emotional Fr Moreno M. Versolato, a priest of the Servants of Mary, and chaplain of the smallest of the four sections of the Roman prison. Yes, Fr Moreno speaks about community because, he emphasized, today, here in the Vatican we have come together: 12 inmates, the director of the third prison of Rebibia, Anna Maria Trapazzo, three instructors, female prison police officers and two women surveillance magistrates.

The very presence of the two judges, Anna Vari and Paola Cappelli, the chaplain noted, was highly significant: They are the ones who evaluate and sign the authorizations in the social reintegration programmes, through alternative day-release measures, and it is extraordinary that today, directly along with the inmates, they should live out an experience of beauty which is a school of life for everyone.

Fr Moreno explained that these young people grew up in run-down areas on the outskirts or perhaps they come from faraway towns  in other words, they have had, since they were little, another school.

Barbara Jatta, director of the Popes Museums, who received the Rebibbia ambassadors with a warm welcome, echoed the chaplain: These galleries are home to everyone; here each person, with their own sensitivity, can find something that applies to their life and can make it better. With great joy today Vatican Museums are presented and proposed to the detainees and to those accompanying them as an inspiration to the beauty that touches the depths of the soul.

The visit to the Museums  which included a particularly striking moment in the carriage pavilion  was even more meaningful, said Fr Moreno, because during this pandemic period, the inmates have suffered a great deal of isolation and marginalization due to the impossibility of embracing their loved ones. They are extreme situations, truly at the limit, he said, and it is easy to give in to the temptation to give room to conflicts and anger. And this applies to the entire service staff as well.

I can testify, as chaplain, to how great and sincere the affection of the detainees is for Pope Francis, said the priest. This morning we thanked him personally, all together, for the closeness he shows us continually and on different occasions.

The Popes gift of the colomba Easter cakes, he added, was a surprise for everyone. But the greatest thanks, the chaplain concluded, is for his prayers and for his requests to political authorities to keep changing the conditions of detentions especially where personal dignity is constantly violated.

At the end of the morning at the Vatican, the warden spoke about the experience of welcome and hope: The gift of bread for the Pope has an enormous value for us: in the middle of the lockdown we started a bakers workshop and seven inmates have been hired by a company. Thus, the bread made last night for Francis is a thank you. And also the gift of the tile with the cross, an expression of the mosaic course, is not a formal gesture, but a sign of faith and hope.
Permanent deacons should not be semi-priests, second-rate priests or special altar boys, but rather caring servants who do their best to ensure that no one is excluded and that the love of the Lord touches peoples lives in a tangible way, Pope Francis said to the Diocese of Romes permanent deacons whom he received in audience with their families on Saturday, 19 June. The following is a translation of the Holy Fathers address, which he shared in Italian in the Hall of Benediction.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Good morning and welcome!

Thank you for your visit.

I thank you for your words and your testimonies. I greet the Cardinal Vicar, all of you and your families. I am delighted that you, Giustino, have been appointed director of Caritas: looking at you I think it will grow, you are twice as tall as Fr Ben, go on! [laughter, applause]. I am also delighted that the diocese of Rome has resumed the ancient custom of entrusting a church to a deacon to become a diaconate, as it did with you, dear Andrea, in a working-class neighbourhood of the city. I greet you and your wife Laura with affection. I hope you do not end up like Saint Lawrence, but keep going! [laughter]

Since you have asked me what I expect from the deacons of Rome, I will tell you a few things, as I often do when I meet you and stop to have a word with some of you.

Let us begin by reflecting a little on the ministry of the deacon. The main path to follow is the one indicated by Vatican Council II, which understood the diaconate as a proper and permanent rank of the hierarchy. After describing the function of presbyters as a participation in the priestly function of Christ, Lumen Gentium illustrates the ministry of deacons, upon whom, it says, hands are imposed not unto the priesthood, but unto a ministry of service (29). This difference is not insignificant. The diaconate, which in the previous conception was reduced to an order of passage to the priesthood, thus regains its place and its specificity. The mere fact of emphasizing this difference helps to overcome the scourge of clericalism, which places a caste of priests above the People of God. This is the core of clericalism: a priestly caste above the People of God. And if this is not resolved, clericalism will continue in the Church. Precisely because they are dedicated to the service of this People, deacons remember that in the ecclesial body no one can elevate himself above others.

In the Church, the opposite logic must apply, the logic of lowering oneself. We are all called to lower ourselves, because Jesus stooped to us; he made himself the servant of all. If there is one great person in the Church, it is he, who made himself the smallest and the servant of all. And it all begins here, as we are reminded by the fact that the diaconate is the gateway to the Order. And one remains a deacon forever. Let us remember, please, that for the disciples of Jesus, to love is to serve and to serve is to reign. Power lies in service, not in anything else. And since you recalled what I say, that deacons are the custodians of service in the Church, we can thus say that they are the custodians of true power in the Church, so that no one goes beyond the power of service. Think about this.

Following the high road of the Council, the diaconate thus leads us to the centre of the mystery of the Church. Just as I spoke of a constitutively missionary Church and a constitutively synodal Church, I say that we should speak of a constitutively diaconal Church. Indeed, if we do not live this dimension of service, every ministry is emptied from within, it becomes sterile, it does not bear fruit. And little by little it becomes worldly. Deacons remind the Church that what Saint Teresa discovered is true: the Church has a heart enflamed by love. Yes, a humble heart pounding with service. Deacons remind us of this when, like the deacon Saint Francis, they bring Gods closeness to others without imposing themselves, serving with humility and joy. The generosity of a deacon who gives of himself without seeking the front ranks has about him the fragrance of the Gospel, he tells of the greatness of Gods humility in taking the first step  always, God always takes the first step  to meet even those who have turned their backs on him.

Today we must also pay attention to another aspect. The decrease in the number of priests has led to a prevailing engagement of deacons to substitute them in tasks which, however important, do not constitute the specific nature of the diaconate. They are substitute tasks. The Council, after speaking of service to the People of God in the diaconate of the liturgy, of the word and of charity, emphasizes that deacons are above all  above all  dedicated to duties of charity and of administration (Lumen Gentium, 29). The phrase recalls the early centuries, when deacons looked after the needs of the faithful, especially the poor and the sick, in the name and on behalf of the bishop. We can also draw on the roots of the Church of Rome. I am not only thinking of Saint Lawrence, but also of the decision to give life to the diaconate. In the great imperial metropolis seven places were organized, distinct from the parishes and distributed throughout the citys municipalities, in which deacons carried out grass-roots work on behalf of the entire Christian community, especially the least of these, so that, as the Acts of the Apostles say, none among them would be in need (cf. 4:34).

That is why in Rome we have tried to recover this ancient tradition with the diaconate in the church of Saint Stanislaus. I know that you are also present in Caritas and in other bodies that are close to the poor. In this way you will never lose your bearings: deacons will not be semi-priests or second-rate priests, nor will they be special altar boys, no, that is not the path to follow; they will be caring servants who do their best to ensure that no one is excluded and that the Lords love touches peoples lives in a tangible way. In short, one could summarise diaconal spirituality in a few words, that is, the spirituality of service: willingness on the inside and openness on the outside. Willingness on the inside, from the heart, ready to say yes, docile, without making life revolve around ones own agenda; and open on the outside, looking at everyone, especially those who are left out, those who feel excluded. Yesterday I read a passage from Fr Orione, who spoke about welcoming those in need, and he said: In our houses  he was speaking to the religious of his congregation  in our houses everyone who has a need, any kind of need, anything, even those who have pain, must be welcomed. And I like that. To receive not only the needy, but those who have pain. Helping these people is important. I entrust this to you.

Regarding what I expect from the deacons of Rome, I would like to add three more brief ideas  but do not fear: I am coming to the end  which are not so much things to do, but rather dimensions to cultivate. Firstly, I expect you to be humble. It is sad to see a bishop and a priest showing off, but it is even sadder to see a deacon wanting to put himself at the centre of the world, or at the centre of the liturgy, or at the centre of the Church. Humble. Let all the good you do be a secret between you and God. And so it will bear fruit.

Secondly, I expect you to be good spouses and good fathers. And good grandparents. This will give hope and consolation to couples who are going through difficult times and who will find in your genuine simplicity an outstretched hand. They will be able to think: Look at our deacon! He is happy to be with the poor, but also with the parish priest and even with his children and his wife!. Even with his mother-in-law, thats very important! Doing everything with joy, without complaining: it is a testimony that is worth more than many sermons. And out with the complaints. Without complaining. I had so much work, so much. Nothing. Send these things away. Away. The smile, the family, open to the family, generosity....

Finally, thirdly, I expect you to be sentinels: not only to know how to spot the distant and the poor  this is not so difficult  but to help the Christian community to recognize Jesus in the poor and the distant, as he knocks on our doors through them. It is also a catechetical and prophetic dimension of the sentinel-prophet-catechist who knows how to see beyond and help others to see beyond, and to see the poor who are far away. You can make your own the beautiful image at the end of the Gospels when Jesus asks his disciples from afar: Have you nothing to eat? And the beloved disciple recognizes him and says: It is the Lord! (cf. Jn 21:5-7). Whatever the need, see the Lord. So you, too, recognize the Lord when, in so many of his smaller brothers and sisters, he asks to be fed, to be welcomed and loved. I would like this to be the profile of the deacons of Rome and of the whole world. Work on this. You have generosity, and go forward with this.

I thank you for what you do and what you are, and I ask you, please, to continue to pray for me. Thank you.
Tired and weary, he grasped that sweet chain to God. Among the thousands of internally displaced who fled into the jungle to escape the violence of the Burmese army, Michael Phe Ha ling, an 11-year-old Catholic boy, in the adversity invoked our heavenly mother without hesitation, to ask for nourishment for his exhausted body and peace for his homeland. He befriended Christ Jesus at the Holy Spirit parish in Mindat, a town in Chin State, on the border with India. With that sweet chain  as Blessed Bartolo Longo called it  always around his neck, he began praying the Rosary with all his might as his terrified family ran into the forest in a frenzied rush. Among the tears and the suffering faces, praying the Rosary is both refuge and hope for the internally displaced people of Chin who live in the Diocese of Hakha. The Catholic population, numbering some 30,000 faithful, is sharing with the rest of the people the tragic situation of widespread violence which, after the 1 February coup, concerns all of Myanmar.

Maung Ki, a Catholic catechist in Mindat, has an agonizing story: The Burmese army, he recounted to LOsservatore Romano, pursues and attacks the thousands of innocent civilians who poured out of Mindat into the thicket. At least 2,000 people have been displaced, including women, elderly, children and sick people. But the soldiers, on the hunt for rebels, are merciless.

In Chin State the armed resistance of the popular defense forces, strengthened by prior experience with the ethnic militia, as happens in other states of the Burmese Union, makes life difficult for the government army. Thus the troops are intensifying attacks, indiscriminately striking civilians and trying to follow combatants back to their camps in the jungle.

The army has cut off all communications and stopped humanitarian aid for the displaced who have an urgent need for food, medicine, clothing, water and canvas to shield them from the rain, while the monsoons are approaching, says Timothy Khui Shing, a Catholic priest in Mindat. The army launches rockets toward camps set up in the jungle where unarmed and peace-loving people can be found. Many are injured but the soldiers do not allow them to be transported to hospitals to save human lives, he notes.

In the territory of Chin, a rural and mountainous State in the northwest of Myanmar, among the least developed in the country, with a population of some 500 thousand inhabitants, the Church makes her resources available to help refugees. Hrang Tin Thang, a parish priest in the town of Surkhua, has brought the elderly, disabled people, women and children of the town into his parish church where, thanks to the help of the Sisters of the Little Way, a local religious congregation, he offers welcome and necessary support. It is a work of charity that we carry out without religious discrimination, offered to the weakest and most defenseless, he explains. Paul Thla Kio, another priest in Hakha, adds: We continue, as possible, the work of mercy, but here a humanitarian emergency is underway that requires the contribution of large international organizations. Desperate, many citizens begin to cross the border, seeking refuge in India. They do not really know what awaits them there. They take a sack, a few precious objects and Rosary beads.
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
Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years?

Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals.

If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge.
Matthew Shephard received an email back in May saying that he was a quarterfinalist for a Grammy award. This is nothing new for him.

For third time, Shephard has been selected as one of 200 potential entrants for the Grammys' Musical Educator Award. He said even if he never makes it past the quarterfinalist stage, he is honored to be recognized.

That is a huge honor on a national level to have that kind of recognition, Shephard said. Honestly, if it never goes any further than the quarterfinals, I just feel absolutely humbled to be among the top 200 that (the Grammys) have in their selection process.

Shephard was born and raised in Auburn and grew up constantly around music. His father was the director of bands at Freeland Community Schools for 30 to 40 years and his mom played piano a lot at home.

Shephard graduated from Bay City Western High School and then from Central Michigan University in 2001. From watching his parents play and his professors teach, he knew what he wanted to do moving forward.

I knew that I wanted to work in a service field, (because) I wanted to give back, Shephard said. I'm really inspired by children, youth and teenagers and the energy that they bring. Teaching seemed natural and music was something that I had always loved and wanted to continue to work with.

For the past 20 years, Shephard has been the band director at Meridian Public Schools for fifth graders and up. He said this allows him to have great relationships with his students and see their talents grow over the course of their primary education.

Under Shephards tenure as band director, he said the band has been invited to perform at the Michigan Music Conference in Grand Rapids twice in the past 10 years. The jazz band has also been invited to play at the Detroit International Jazz Festival for the last 10 years or so. Currently, he said the high school has 30% of its 400-student population participating in band.

The Grammys presents the music educator award at its yearly ceremony and it is awarded to one of 10 finalists. Shephard said they look for teaching approach, community involvement, and how an educator inspires students. Semifinalists will be announced in September.

Shephard also reached the quarterfinalist stage in 2018 and 2019. He does not know who nominated him. He said it could have been a colleague, former student, current student, or a community member.

Every day that I've gone in to teach, I've had the goal to make my students smile and for them to leave my class happier than they were when they came into the classroom, Shephard said. To be nominated for this is validation that what I'm doing is actually making a difference in the lives of the students, and (I am) just incredibly grateful to have that recognition.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP)  A judge on Friday excoriated federal prison officials for refusing to admit an inmate needing mental health care who later killed himself in a local jail cell.

Christopher Lapp, 62, of Great Falls, Virginia, died by suicide at the Alexandria Adult Detention Center last month while he awaited sentencing on carjacking and armed bank robbery charges.

Lapp was bipolar and had a history of mental health problems. When he pleaded guilty in April, U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III ordered him sent to the federal prison hospital in Butner, North Carolina, where Lapp had been previously treated and restored to competency with the help of medication.

But Butner officials refused to accept Lapp, saying that they don't accept inmates who are awaiting sentencing unless they need a court-ordered evaluation.

So Lapp instead remained at the Alexandria jail, where a psychiatrist with the city's Community Services Board opted not to medicate him. Lapp died in his cell a few weeks later.

At a court hearing called Friday by Ellis to look into the the death, Ellis was particularly angered that Butner didn't follow his order to admit Lapp.

I wasn't asking. It was an order, Ellis said. I don't care what your lawyers tell you about what's allowed.

Butner officials reached out to prosecutors and Lapp's attorney to tell them why they weren't accepting Lapp, but never notified the judge directly.

Ellis accepted a measure of responsibility himself; Lapp's attorney, Joseph Flood, filed a motion with the court informing the judge that Butner was refusing to accept Lapp. But Ellis said Friday he wasn't aware that Butner had declined him until Lapp had died.

Ellis also questioned why the jail discontinued medication for Lapp when he had a long record of mental health issues. A psychiatrist with the Community Services Board who evaluated Lapp gave an explanation, but most of it occurred when the courtroom was closed to the public. It was clear, though, that Lapp was not cooperating with the psychiatrist, and that the psychiatrist was not given Lapp's medical records from Butner to review.

Ellis said he told lawyers representing Butner at the hearing that he expects the prison to send at least a summary discharge report going forward for local officials to review.

Dr. Lapp's suicide is a tragedy we ought not to repeat, Ellis said.

Lapp lived in a wealthy neighborhood outside the nation's capital and owned a $1.3 million home there at the time of his arrest.

He was highly educated, and had multiple degrees, including a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His father, Ralph Lapp, was a scientist who worked on the Manhattan Project.

Ellis said he committed the crime during a manic episode of his illness in which he robbed a bank and carjacked a woman at gunpoint in November 2018.

Prosecutors said in court papers that Lapps cellphone records showed he had multiple romantic interests, including a Playboy model, and that he was working to keep his romantic love interests happy with additional money.

Lapp was initially found incompetent to stand trial and initially refused medication, but eventually agreed to be medicated and was restored to competency. He opted to plead guilty, but at the time of his guilty plea, Flood noted he was starting to see a slippage in Lapp's mental health, prompting Ellis to order Lapp's return to Butner while he awaited sentencing,
BENTON HARBOR, Mich. (AP)  A Michigan man walked free Friday after serving 16 years of a life prison sentence, following the dismissal of three murder convictions.

A new investigation cleared Corey McCall of having had any role in the fatal shootings of three people, including a 12-year-old boy, at a Benton Harbor home in 2005, the attorney general's office said.

Fresh evidence, including Walmart records, corroborated McCall's claim that he was not at the scene, Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

I feel good, man. Its been a long time. Its been hard, and Im glad Im here, McCall, 39, said after he left a prison in Ionia.

Perpetrators of the crime, including gunman Andrew Pumpkin Miller, knew McCall was innocent but waited years to disclose it, said Berrien County prosecutor Steve Pierangeli, who was not in office at the time of the trial.

There are no words to meet the moment, Pierangeli told McCall. "It is tragic that you served time for this offense.

Three people were shot in the head during a home invasion. McCall was not accused of being the shooter, but he was identified by a survivor as someone who was armed and in the house.

Judge Angela Pasula, who presided over McCalls trial, threw out the convictions Friday.

The case was reexamined by Nessel's conviction integrity unit and the WMU-Cooley Law School Innocence Project.

McCall could be eligible for $50,000 from the state for every year spent in prison.

He said he prayed and worked to stay out of harm's way while locked up.

You cant be angry. You cant hang on to a grudge," McCall said when asked about his calm demeanor, moments after gaining his freedom. "Youve got to live and let go.
A Michigan lawyer said Thursday there is a coalition of attorneys preparing administrative claims on behalf of more than 1,000 clients for over $1 billion from the federal government for its role in the May 2020 mid-Michigan dam failures.

Royal Oak-based law firm Pitt McGehee Palmer Bonanni & Rivers announced earlier this week that it filed administrative claims on behalf of more than 400 Michigan residents against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), alleging the agency negligently entrusted a dam license to Boyce Hydro, the Edenville Dam owner at the time of the May 19, 2020, failure. The aggregate amount of the claims filed on June 18 for this group exceeds $334 million.

Plaintiffs co-counsel Michael Pitt told the Daily News that a coalition of attorneys are preparing administrative claims on behalf of more than 1,000 Michigan residents. He claimed the federal government will ultimately owe an amount exceeding $1 billion.

When you look at the totality of the catastrophe and the number of individuals who have been affected by this, you begin to see how these numbers can quickly get into the hundreds of millions  if not billions of dollars, Pitt said.

The administrative claims allege FERC knew or should have known that Boyce Hydro was unwilling or incapable of operating the dam safely.

The claims further alleges that FERC failed in its mandatory duty to monitor the operation of the dam to ensure that Boyce Hydro was equipped with the necessary capital, experience and willingness to safely maintain the dam.

FERC declined to comment on the recently filed claims, the media relations department citing that this is a pending court matter.

Since 1993, FERC has listed the Edenville Dam as a "High Hazard" structure and has issued multiple mandates to the dams owners for safety upgrades and maintenance without any meaningful follow-up enforcement activities by federal and state agencies.

We are not giving up on our community. This is where we want to be," stated lakefront property owner and claimant Dave Krieger in a news release. "We were totally innocent, and we have to pay to clean up someone elses mistakes. That is not right. This catastrophe was caused in part by FERCs negligence, and they must do what is necessary to clean up the mess it caused and to compensate every single person for their losses.

"It is hard to believe that this dam has been considered dangerous for 26 years and that FERC licensed Boyce without requiring it to make the dam safe to operate. It is shocking that the federal government would do something so reckless. We want to be fairly compensated so that we can rebuild our lakes and our lives, Krieger added.

The June 18 administrative claims were filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act. Under this law, the federal government can be held accountable for its negligence in causing harm and injuries to the parties bringing these claims.

Residents filing administrative complaints within two years of injury under the Federal Tort Claims Act can ask for compensation for damages. People impacted by the Edenville dam failure have until May 19, 2022, to file claims.

The federal government has unlimited time to either negotiate a settlement or deny the administrative claim. If a denial is issued or there is no agency decision after waiting six months, each individual then has six months to file a federal court lawsuit against the federal government for relief.

The dams are currently are owned by the Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF), acting as the delegated authority for Midland and Gladwin counties.

On Thursday, U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, told the Daily News that it may take years for many people to fully recover from last year's flooding, and he has been working "to make sure something like this never happens again."

"This includes making changes at FERC to improve compliance with federal safety regulations," Moolenaar added in a Thursday email. "I have introduced the bipartisan National Dam and Hydropower Safety Act of 2021 to make these improvements so there is more accountability and oversight of negligent dam owners in the future.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  Former Philippine President Benigno Aquino III, the son of pro-democracy icons who helped topple dictator Ferdinand Marcos and a defender of good governance who took China's sweeping territorial claims to an international court, has died. He was 61.

Aquinos family told a news conference that he died in his sleep early Thursday due to renal failure secondary to diabetes. A former Cabinet official, Rogelio Singson, said Aquino had been undergoing dialysis and was preparing for a kidney transplant.

Mission accomplished Noy, be happy now with Dad and Mom, said Pinky Aquino-Abellada, a sister of the late president, using his nickname and struggling to hold back her tears.

Condolences poured in from political leaders such as President Joe Biden and Aquino's successor Rodrigo Duterte and the dominant Catholic Church. Philippine flags were lowered at half-staff on government buildings.

For beyond politics and much public acrimony, I knew Noynoy as a kind and simple soul. He will be deeply missed, Sen. Imee Marcos, a daughter of the late dictator, said in a statement, using Aquinos nickname.

Biden called Aquino a valued friend and partner to the United States and said he enjoyed their time working together.

President Aquinos steadfast commitment to advancing peace, upholding the rule of law, and driving economic growth for all Filipinos, while taking bold steps to promote the rules-based international order, leaves a remarkable legacy at home and abroad that will endure for years to come, Biden said in a statement mourning Aquinos death.

Aquino, who served as president from 2010 to 2016, was the heir of a family that has been regarded as a bulwark against authoritarianism in the Philippines.

His father, former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr., was assassinated in 1983 while under military custody at the Manila international airport, which now bears his name. His mother, Corazon Aquino, led the 1986 people power revolt that ousted Marcos. The army-backed uprising became a harbinger of popular revolts against authoritarian regimes worldwide.

A scion of a wealthy land-owning political clan in the northern Philippines, Aquino, who was fondly called Noynoy or Pnoy by many Filipinos, built an image of an incorruptible politician who battled poverty and frowned over excesses by the countrys elites, including powerful politicians. One of his first orders that lingered throughout his presidency was to ban the use of sirens in vehicles that carried VIPs through Manilas notorious traffic jams.

Aquino, whose family went into exile in the U.S. during Marcoss rule, had turbulent ties with China as president. After China seized a disputed shoal in 2012 following a tense standoff in the South China Sea, Aquino authorized the filing of a complaint before an international arbitration tribunal that questioned the validity of Chinas sweeping claims in the strategic waterway Beijing claims virtually the entire South China Sea on historical grounds.

We will not be pushed around because we are a tiny state compared with theirs, Aquino told The Associated Press in June 2011. We think we have very solid grounds to say do not intrude into our territory.

The Philippines largely won. But China refused to join in the arbitration and dismissed as a sham the tribunals 2016 ruling, which invalidated Beijings claims based on a 1982 U.N. maritime treaty. Aquinos legal challenge and the eventual ruling plunged the relations between Beijing and Manila to an all-time low.

Born in 1960 as the third of five children, Aquino never married and had no children. An economics graduate, he pursued business opportunities before entering politics.

During his mother's tumultuous presidency, after democracy was restored, Aquino was wounded by gunfire during a failed 1987 coup attempt by rebel soldiers who attempted to lay siege on the heavily guarded Malacanang presidential palace. Three of his security escorts were killed. A bullet had remained embedded in Aquino's neck.

He won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1998, where he served until 2007, then successfully ran for the Senate. Aquino announced his presidential campaign in September 2009, saying he was answering the call of the people to continue his mothers legacy. She had died just weeks earlier of colon cancer.

His won with a battle cry "without the corrupt, there wont be poor people. He called ordinary Filipinos his boss and offered himself as their servant. Friends said he often carried a copy of the Philippine Constitution in his pocket, a reflection of his steadfast belief that no one is above the law.

His victory was also seen as a protest vote due to exasperation with the corruption scandals of his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She was detained for nearly five years before the Supreme Court cleared her of the charges. Arroyo later served as House speaker under Duterte.

Public expectations of Aquino were high. While he moved against corruption  detaining Arroyo and three powerful senators  and initiated anti-poverty programs, the deep-seated inequalities and weak institutions in the Southeast Asian nation wracked by decades-old communist and Muslim insurgencies remained too daunting.

Under Aquino, the government expanded a program that provides cash dole-outs to the poorest in exchange for commitments by parents to send children to school. Big business, meanwhile, benefited from government partnership deals to finance major infrastructure projects.

One of Aquino's major successes was the signing of a 2014 peace deal with the largest Muslim separatist rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. It eased decades of fighting in the countrys south, homeland of minority Muslims in the largely Roman Catholic nation.

Opponents pounded on missteps, including a Manila bus hostage crisis that ended with the shooting deaths of eight Chinese tourists from Hong Kong by a disgruntled police officer, and delays in recovery efforts in the disastrous aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. He was also criticized in 2015 for his absence at an air base ceremony honoring police commandos who were killed by Muslim insurgents during a covert raid that killed one of Asias most-wanted terror suspects.

Aquino retained high approval ratings when his single, six-year term ended in 2016. The rise of the populist Duterte, whose deadly crackdown on illegal drugs has killed thousands of mostly petty drug suspects, was a reality check on the extent of public dissatisfaction and perceived failures during Aquinos reformist rule.

Aquino campaigned against Duterte, warning he could be a looming dictator and could set back the democracy and economic momentum achieved in his own term.

Time magazine named Aquino as one of 100 most influential people in the world in 2013, praising him for stabilizing a sputtering economy and for bravely confronting China over the South China Sea disputes.

After leaving office, Aquino stayed away from politics and the public eye.

He is survived by four sisters. His cremated remains are to be taken Friday to a Roman Catholic church at Ateneo de Manila University, his former school, for a daylong public visitation subject to coronavirus safeguards before a planned weekend interment, organizers said.

___

Associated Press journalists Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila contributed to this report.
Project 111 is thanking the Midland Area Community Foundation for its generous $40,000 grant to fund the Project 111 Driving School. Project 111 has developed a driving school and is pleased to announce that thanks to this very generous donation, it will be launching a driving school in 2022.

Project 111 is a safe driving non-profit serving high school students in Midland County. Project 111 promotes safe driving among teen drivers through a comprehensive education program and by providing incentives to stay traffic ticket-free, including high-ticket gift cards to Nike, Lululemon and Ulta or an Apple Watch or iPad. The current Project 111 program primarily serves juniors and seniors.

The Midland Area Community Foundation provides philanthropic leadership to strengthen our community by fostering collaboration and giving today and in the future. This project meets the Midland Area Community Foundation's Focus Area: Caring for Our People.

By establishing a driving school in Midland County, Project 111 will be able to connect with both parents and teens at the very beginning of their driving years. By teaching drivers education, Project 111 will begin reaching teens at 14 and 15 years of age and will continue speaking into their driving experience up until graduation through their well-established Project 111 education and incentive program already at work in the schools in Midland County.

This is really an opportunity to build relationships that will last their entire high school career, said Sarah Schieber, executive director of Project 111. Teaching drivers education will allow us to begin an education process with our teens that will continue to influence them with teaching and messages of safe driving until they graduate high school. Drivers education will be the beginning of a long relationship, not just a moment in time for a teen. We are deeply grateful for the generosity of MACF and their vision for keeping our teens and community safe.

Part of the Project 111 Driving School will be an extensive component geared toward parents.

We hear from parents all the time that they are confused about the Graduated Drivers License program, said Schieber. The goal will be to engage and educate parents right along with their teens. Parents will even be part of the behind the wheel portion of the drivers education process. All research indicates that parents who take part in their teens driving experience have safer teen drivers.

Project 111s goal all along has been to establish an educational component of Project 111 that speaks a teens language as it relates to safe driving. Starting a driving school will allow Project 111 to incorporate their already established messages and teachings into a teens driving experience at a younger age. The Project 111 program is clearly working. By combining incentives and education Project 111 is reducing teen crashes in Midland County. Midland County teens are involved in 10% fewer crashes than their peers around the state of Michigan. Project 111 works and now can offer their program to teens at a younger age, which is a win-win for Midland County.
Ten16 Recovery Network was one of a select number of agencies to be awarded a $100,000 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. In their highly competitive grant process, with over 400 proposals being received, they were one of 67 selected in a variety of different behavioral health categories.

The grant will allow Ten16 to address the existing treatment desert for those with substance use disorders in rural regions of mid- and northern Michigan. These adults, especially older adults, who struggle with a severe diagnosis have little to no access to specialty care within 60 miles from their home. It puts many of these individuals at risk, and Ten16 plans to partner with local and regional coalitions to develop a more robust local continuum beyond outpatient counseling.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Wednesday, June 23:

11:55 p.m.  A deputy responded to an Ingersoll Township residence regarding a fraud complaint. A 15-year-old female said her email address was hacked into by an unknown suspect and her parent's debit card info was possible obtained by the suspect. The juvenile found out about the fraudulent activity because she received a phone call from the unknown male suspect asking for additional personal information. The juvenile notified her parents immediately and her e-mail password was changed. The 41-year-old mother stated she also notified her bank about the incident to place a hold on the accounts. No monetary loss was reported, and the parents were given a copy of the identity theft checklist. The parents requested a report for information only. The deputy attempted to call the suspect's phone number; however, it was disconnected.

11:32 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Midland Township residence for a verbal domestic between a husband and wife. Upon arrival, deputies spoke with a 31-year-old female and her 35-year-old husband. The male advised he had too much to drink which caused the argument. Both parties were calm and cooperative, and it was determined they would remain separated for the night.

11:17 p.m.  Officers responded to am OWI on Highbrook Drive. The suspect resisted and/or obstructed the arrested.

11:11 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to Homer Township to assist the open-door shelter with an intoxicated 21-year-old female and her 2-year-old son. The shelter no longer wanted the female to stay at the facility. Deputies transported the female and her son to a friend's house without incident where they were both safe for the night. The female was cooperative with deputies.

10:34 p.m.  Officers made a warrant arrest on South Saginaw Road.

10:22 p.m.  A deputy responded to a fraud in Warren Township. A 58-year-old woman reported her Cash App account was used in New York for a total of $219.80. The woman requested a report for Cash App to return the money. There are currently no suspects.

7:55 p.m.  A deputy responded to a Hope Township address and spoke with a 33-year-old female regarding phone calls she was receiving stating she had past due credit accounts. The unknown female caller did not give their identity, however, the complainant stated they were attempting to solicit personal information for fraudulent purposes. The complainant did not provide the information and hung up the phone. The complainant stated she checked her credit report and did not notice any fraudulent activity and she was not out anything of monetary value. Complainant requested a report to document the phone calls. She was provided with an identity theft check list.

7:50 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Homer Township neighborhood for a report of a loose horse. The owner located the horse and it was returned to its pasture without incident.

6:55 p.m.  A deputy responded to a Lee Township residence regarding a 10-year-old child who was playing and accidentally scratched a neighbor's vehicle with a plastic light saber toy. The deputy spoke with all parties involved and it was evident the male juvenile was playing and accidentally hit the vehicle. The 42-year-old female complainant wished to handle the matter civilly with the juvenile's parents. No further assistance was requested.

4:40 p.m.  A deputy was dispatched to an Edenville Township location reference a 911 hang up call. The deputy determined a 3-year-old had called 911 by mistake. All people at the residence were contacted and nobody required assistance.

12:21 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on West Collins and West Reardon streets.

10:06 a.m.  A deputy responded to a Mills Township residence after a 26-year-old woman called reporting she was in an argument with her now ex-boyfriend, a 24-year-old Sanford male. The woman also reported she had property missing and requested that it was documented. The property was later located and returned to the woman.

6:52 a.m.  Officers responded to a hit and run in the area of U.S. 10 and Eastman Avenue.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin.

Thursday, June 24:

11:16 p.m.  Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of South Saginaw Road and East Haley Street.

11:02 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to an Ingersoll Township residence for a report of a 14-year-old female being abused by her father. The complaint originated in Jerome Township. A 14-year-old Jerome Township female was refusing to go home with her father, a 57-year-old Jerome Township male who has custody of her. The 14-year-old female accused her father of abusing her. Deputies determined there were no signs of abuse, and the 14-year-old female was advised she needed to return home with her father. Child Protective Services was contacted, and a report was filed with them.

8:57 p.m.  Deputies were dispatched to a Homer Township residence for a verbal dispute between a 31-year-old female and a 34-year-old male. The parties were separated, and no physical assault occurred.

8:38 p.m.  Officers responded to a parole violation on East Ashman Street.

8:37 p.m.  Deputies conducted a traffic stop on a 57-year-old female at a Midland Township location. During the contact, it was discovered that there was no insurance on the vehicle and the female was cited for no insurance. A report is being sent to the Prosecuting Attorneys Office.

8:34 p.m.  Deputies were asked by Isabella County Sheriff's Office to contact a 72-year-old Jerome Township male suspect regarding a retail fraud complaint that occurred in Isabella County. Deputies went to the male's residence to make contact, but no one was home.

7:49 p.m.  A deputy made contact with a 39-year-old Hope Township female who advised she had applied for a job on Facebook Marketplace and had communicated with an unknown person via text message who claimed to have hired her. The unknown male sent the female a fake cashier's check and wanted her to put the money on prepaid Visa cards. The female realized the male was attempting to scam her and didn't deposit the fake check. The female wasn't out any money but wanted the incident to be documented.

3:15 p.m.  Response was made to a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services regarding alleged physical abuse of a 4-year-old male. The child was allegedly burned by hot bath water, but the child did not have injuries to suggest he was burned. The child was interviewed and said that the bath water was hot. The mother of the child advised that her ex-boyfriend ran a bath for the boy, and the water was too hot. The boyfriend no longer gives the child a bath. No further investigation is warranted at this time.

3:05 p.m.  Response was made to a referral from the Department of Health and Human Services regarding alleged inappropriate contact between a female and her stepfather. Communication was made with the female, who is now 36 years old and who said that there was inappropriate contact when she was 15 years old. She does not wish to have law enforcement involved, and she is currently seeking therapy on her own.

2:14  A deputy was dispatched to the area of North M-18 near West Baker Road for the report of a unknown male walking down the roadway with two backpacks. The deputy stopped and spoke with the male, who was identified as a 26-year-old Arenac County man. The 26-year-old male stated that he needed medical treatment because he had consumed methamphetamine and wasn't feeling well. The deputy called for EMS, who arrived on scene a short time later and transported the 26-year-old male to the ER for an evaluation.

2:00 p.m.  A 57-year-old Larkin Township male reported that he caught his neighbor trespassing on his property. Subsequently, a 56-year-old Larkin Township female agreed to stay off of the male's property.

11:05 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to the area of West Prairie Road near South Nine Mile Road for the report of a two-vehicle traffic crash. A UD-10 was completed.

10:54 a.m.  Deputies responded to Greendale Township for an unknown accident. Deputies located the vehicle, which was unoccupied. A UD-10 crash report will be completed once a driver is identified.

10:01 a.m.  Officers responded to a hit-and-run on Eastman Avenue.

9:10 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to the area of North Waldo Road near East Wheeler for the report of a two-vehicle traffic crash. A UD-10 was completed.

9:08 a.m.  A 2-year-old Lee Township male was transported by EMS to the Mid-Michigan Medical Center after he accidentally inhaled a vape pen containing marijuana. The child was later released from the hospital without incident. Child Protective Services was notified and was provided with the information pertaining to this incident.

7:15 a.m.  A deputy was dispatched to the area of eastbound US-10 near M-18 for the report of a car/deer traffic crash. A UD-10 was completed.

4:03 a.m.  Deputies responded to a 45-year-old Homer Township male's residence for a report of a suicidal male. The male was subsequently transported to ER for a mental health petition.
Author Bio Cathy was born and raised in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A country that is rich in literature, poetry, and the arts. She also lived in England and in the south of Ireland before moving to California. She has B.A. in History and Literature, and a Masters Degree in Irish Studies. She recently had a short story published in the Bay Area and won First Prize in a Poetry Competition in Ireland. She lives in Mountain View with her husband and daughter. She spends her time volunteering for the Homeless, the ACS, and of course writing. Enjoys yoga, reading, and meeting people. Inspiration Growing up in Northern Ireland surrounded by interesting characters, I intermingled the period of post-war Belfast, when people in my neighborhood sang outdoors, especially when cleaning their windows, Tuberlicous was rife and education rare for women. This combination I included in my story - it was a sign of the times.

The McBrides lived next door to us in Belfast. They were a quiet family except when saying goodbye to visitors late at night. The whole family would troop outside and stand on the steps waving and shouting. It took them at least fifteen minutes to say: Good night now God Bless...in their broad Northern brogues. They could be heard all over the avenue and beyond.

Mrs. McBride, could neither read nor write. Herself and her cloth capped husband Jim regularly went to the local cinema together. The Broadway. Pity the poor cinema-goers who were seated around them, because Mr McBride would explain the whole plot sotto voice to her all the way through the main features.

"Ye see Aggie", he would explain out loud to her, "The fella with the gun has just shot yer man and he is on the run from the police".

Aggie never spoke, just nodded. It was, as if, because she could not read or write he thought she was completely dimwitted. The McBrides two children Jimmy and Susan were probably in their late twenties and I was about eight at the time. Susan, their daughter, had a fragility about her. Thick curly blonde hair, almond-shaped blue eyes and porcelain pale complexion, she looked like Disneys snow-white, delicate and ethereal.

Jimmy on the other hand, had the same thick curly blonde hair that any woman would have given their eye teeth for, but unfortunately, the skin on his face was blotchy, covered in pimples with swollen red and yellow patches just to add colour. He was nearsighted and forced to wear glasses so thick they looked like bottle tops. His cornflower-blue eyes were like pinpoints behind the glasses. Always looking for an image to copy to make himself a magnet for the single ladies of Belfast. It didnt matter how unsuitable the image might look on him he just wanted to be a cool guy. Staggering about on high heeled boots, the fringes on his jacket weaving with his unsteady walk he had quickly given up his Country and Western stage as he kept tripping over himself, plus he couldn't master the guitar that so that image was put to bed quickly.

Marlon Brando starring in the movie, The Wild Bunch, came to the local cinema and Jimmy was hooked on the whole tough guy package. Out came the black leather trousers with a leather jacket to match. He started to mumble like Brando and hoped this look would get himself a girlfriend. All he needed was the motorbike so he started to save up his money for the deposit.

In the meantime, he practiced what he did best, singing. Now, he was far too shy to sing in public but regularly he would lock himself in the outside loo and sing to his heart's content. Locked in the small room Jimmy could open his soul and sing his song to anyone who would listen. That would be most of us in the neighborhood, we had no choice, his voice carried all over the streets.

He became known in the neighborhood as The Out House Crooner. So in his own peculiar way, he was making his mark and attracting attention. Even though Jimmy had a lovely melodic voice and it was very pleasant to listen to, the location was just a wee bit off-putting and I couldnt see many trendy young women running up the street to bang on the door of his outside lavatory to make his acquaintance.

Jimmy bought himself a white tee shirt and a black and silver monster motorbike. He tucked his cigarettes in the sleeve of his shirt just like Brando, but they kept falling out due to his lack of muscle and he was forever seen groping around the ground for his fags in his nearsighted way. Nonetheless, he was determined to make an impression as a cool dude showing off on the new bike.

Riding the motorbike was a bit of a worry for everyone in the neighborhood as Jimmy could barely see his nose in front of him. One Friday night, dressed in his black leather misshapen gear he decided to make his debut.

He worked the night shift in a factory making scented soap in downtown Belfast. Tying his grey lunch box on the back of his shiny silver and black motorcycle, he decided to ride the bike to work. It was not yet dusk and there was not a speck of rain anywhere, the way was clear. He managed to struggle onto the bike just outside his front door and was determined to appear tough sitting astride his monster. Through the lace-covered windows, all eyes were glued on him. He smiled as he passed us kids sitting on the pavement and knew already he had a captive audience. We all drew in our breath in fearful anticipation as he wobbled all the way down the street as far as Mrs Armstrongs dustbins. He plowed right into them and fell off his bike.

The bins rained the remains of Mrs. Armstrong's dinner leftovers right down on top of his lovely new clothes. The carcass of a chicken, green leeks, potato peelings and scraps of red tomatoes fell on his helmet and on his new leather jacket. He picked himself up and dolefully wheeled the bike back home trying to shake off the peelings as they were sticking to his helmet. As he went by us, we gave him a roll of pink toilet paper to help clean himself up.

The bike stood outside his lavatory in the back yard for about six months until he sold it to a workmate. His mother breathed a sigh of relief. Herself and the husband went over to the Broadway Cinema to watch On the Waterfront when it came back again for a rerun. They left Jimmy singing the blues in the loo as Brando was abandoned.

While Jimmy was attempting to find himself, his beautiful sister Susan was suddenly rushed to the hospital late one Saturday night and was immediately diagnosed with Tuberculosis. This was terrifying for the family as during the l950s it was almost a death sentence. T.B, as it was known then, was the highest incidence of mortality for young women and men in the prime of their lives. We could almost feel the anxiety seep through the thick Victorian walls that separated our house from theirs. Susan was eventually taken to a sanatorium and was prayed for at Mass regularly.

During this time, you could see Mr. McBride through the window, sitting with his head in his hands for hours on end, he was desolate. Aggie showed her mettle to both men, organizing the visits to the hospital, keeping up morale and pushing her own fears aside to keep hope alive and the two men sane.

Susan spent seven months in the sanatorium and was released just in time to celebrate Christmas. The neighborhood breathed a sigh of relief and the McBrides were content. Jimmy was singing a more cheerful tune now.

In gratitude for Susans return to health, Jimmy joined the church choir up in St. Paul's. The rehearsals were every Tuesday night and Roisin Duncan was the choir mistress. She had been away to be a nun in her teens but decided it was not for her as she wanted to get married but so far wasnt having much success with finding a boyfriend never mind a husband.. As soon as Roisin heard Jimmy sing, she was determined to be in love. She had been an unclaimed treasure for longer than she cared to remember but now she saw an opportunity to hook Jimmy as she sensed a kindred lonely soul. Soon, Jimmy and Roisin were seen linking arms leaving choir practice together and the street fell silent, waiting for the inevitable.

Roisins father owned a wallpaper and paint shop on Springfield Road and he gave Jimmy a day job of managing the place. The Monard Swimming Club was just around the corner from the shop and Jimmy started swimming there every Monday night after work. Soon the muscles in his arms and shoulders developed and his skin started to rid itself of the spots and blemishes. Contact lenses were becoming available and Jimmy got rid of his bottle-top glasses now his baby blue eyes were on show for everyone to see.

The visits to his singing quarters in the outside loo were steadily declining as with Roisin in the Choir encouraging him, he was getting more and more confident about singing in public. Several of the girls in the street started passing his house frequently hoping to get a chance of a chat with Jimmy. Roisin quickly changed the rehearsal times to three times a week.

Ed Mc Beatty's pub decided to run a movie star look-alike competition during Easter week and all the local lads were scratching their heads as to what to wear and what celebrity to imitate. Elvis was definitely going to be a big hit.

Jimmy turned up as Brando complete with cigarettes neatly tucked in the sleeve of his white tee-shirt, his muscles bulging and a little Elvis like snarl on his lips. Standing in line with the other lads Jimmy looked confident. Later, I heard my father tell my mother that he could not believe the change in Jimmy.

"Jesus Nan, he certainly looked the part - the swimming and no specs certainly changed him, and he swaggered off with a bottle of whiskey, I tell ya, hes beginning to smell himself."

Going to the cinema became quieter for everyone as Mr. McBride no longer explained the contents of the silver screen to Aggie. She had earned her stripes when Susan was ill. Aggie sat munching her popcorn with a smile on her face with Mr. McBride sitting quietly beside her holding her glasses case in his lap.

One Saturday evening not long after Susan came out of hospital Jimmy slithered out the back door of the house, past the lavatory and snuck down the back entry, carrying his battered brown suitcase he headed straight onto the boat to take him across to England. We heard later he was going to try his luck singing across the water.

Everyone thought that Roisin would go to pieces after Jimmy left but the new junior curate was paying great attention to the choir and soon the gossips started wagging heads and pointing fingers. Then the word was out, he was leaving the priesthood and Roisin and himself took off for a hasty wedding with the Christening following a few months later. Back they came with the new baby and settled down in a new housing estate just outside Belfast.

The McBrides moved away shortly after Susan married and had her first baby as the new grandparents wanted to be near their only grandchild. Nobody in the street had heard anything about how Jimmy was doing.

One murky December evening, a couple of years after Jimmy left, I was standing in the kitchen peeling potatoes for dinner. Suddenly, a familiar singing voice floated across the room, and I thought the Outhouse House Crooner had returned to the outside loo. But no, it was the television and there was Jimmy, poured into a red sequined dress slashed up to his thigh, dancing on silver high heeled shoes. Blonde curly hair slicked around his shoulders as he sashayed his way across the stage. Surrounded by four virile men all dressed up in black tails Jimmy was imitating Marilyn Monroe singing Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend". I stood transfixed to the end.

It was a talent competition and there he was shining like a new penny. Jimmy was now Jenny and finally making his way in showbiz.

Jimmy had found his image at last, and, do you know what, it suited him.
Lilongwe, Malawi (PANA) - Malawis low levels of electricity access, high internet prices, unpredictable connectivity, high cost of smart devices, and lack of digital skills hinder a potential of $189 million in additional GDP and $33 million in tax revenues per year, says the latest World Bank Malawi Economic Monitor (MEM)
BLOOMINGTON  Medicare patients in Illinois nursing homes were among some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report issued by a federal government watchdog.

The report from the office of the inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services found that deaths among Medicare patients rose by 32% last year and that four in 10 of those patients had or likely had COVID-19 in 2020. Overall, deaths increased by just more than 169,000 from the prior year.

Medicare beneficiaries in nursing homes who had or likely had COVID went from about a quarter in late June to half in late December, the report said.

Data from the state and federal governments on COVID in Illinois nursing homes isnt denoted in a way that separates Medicare beneficiaries from those who are not, instead tracking COVID-19 by how many cases there were in each facility by resident or staff member.

Overall, there have been 79,558 infections in nursing homes across the state, along with 10,519 deaths, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

This is something that was definitely going to hit folks, Illinois Health Care Association Executive Director Matt Hartman told The Pantagraph. I think at the beginning, people had some inclination to think that this is something happening in cities  this is never going to happen here.

Certainly, those people were misguided. Many of them, I dont think, had an understanding of a pandemic  how infectious disease works. And then that panned out, because in the country, only 64 buildings out of over 15,000 never saw a case.

Steps being taken, officials say

That COVID-19 has a presence in a long-term care facility isnt immediately a mark of non-compliance to federal standards, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services officials note in a preface to COVID data.

In fact, not every facility in McLean County that CMS reported as having deficiency had shortcomings specific to COVID.

A review of available CMS and IDPH reports by The Pantagraph indicated the McLean County Nursing Home, Heritage in Normal and Westminister Village were those with documented deficiencies specifically related to COVID over the past year.

In late November and December 2020 at the McLean County Nursing Home, a failure to separate one asymptomatic COVID-positive resident from another resident  identified only as R2 and R3, respectively, in reports  resulted in R3s doctor prescribing hospice care after R3 contracted the virus.

Administrator Terri Edens, who has been in the position since June 2020, said in an email to The Pantagraph she couldnt speak about the situation specifically without giving away identifying information, but could detail what we are currently doing at the facility, which includes isolating new residents who are unvaccinated or were exposed to someone with COVID.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

We are following CDC guidelines on a daily basis. Our goal is to prevent introduction and the spread of respiratory germs by continually monitoring our residents for symptoms, screening our staff and all visitors every day, she wrote. We are assuring everyone uses (personal protective equipment), and wears it appropriately. Handwashing and using hand sanitizer has now become routine for a lot of us.

At Westminister Village in Bloomington, a survey December 2020 showed one staff member didnt wipe down a blood pressure arm cuff before placing it on another patient, and another staff member wore two surgical masks instead of the recommended N-95 mask in the presence of someone who was COVID-symptomatic.

Administrator Barb Nathan said she believes eight or so inspections were made of the campus over the past year, with those two issues the only ones found in that frame. The mask issue was corrected as soon as it was noted, she said, and the cuff-related incident was not the standard.

Did these two incidents contribute to the incidence of COVID as Westminister Village? No, she said. We also work with human beings and we are caring for individual residents. So, sometimes, things arent exactly as they should be at a moment in time. It doesnt mean a place is bad.

A similar PPE situation played out at Heritage Health in Normal in October, in which multiple staff members didnt wear full PPE in the presence of patients who were isolating for a 14-day period after transferring into the facility or coming from the hospital.

In violation of a COVID-specific policy the long-term care home adopted last year, signage to identify such patients and a list of what PPE was required to be in their presence was not posted accordingly.

A spokesperson for the company, which has 48 locations across the state, has not yet responded for comment.

Focusing on preparing

Hartman, whose nonprofit organization represents about 500 facilities across the state, said survey reports dont tell the whole story of COVID in nursing homes.

I think the differentiation, though, is in how buildings handled it, he said. "It's how they handled it when they got there and the outcomes that came of that."

Edens said learning how to navigate "through this pandemic has been challenging and is a continual work in progress but something we take very serious to keep our residents and staff as safe as we can."

"Our Infection Control RN and team are continually assuring our Emergency Preparedness Plans are up to date and in place. We keep staff updated with changes and monitor PPE inventory and usage. For any issues we do find, we take corrective action and address immediately," she said.

Added Nathan: "Surveys, sort of, I think give us the opportunity to look at ourselves and how can we do things better  how are we training people and following up. We all believe everybody in this industry wants to be doing the right thing and this journey was unbelievable."

That's exactly the reason the HHS inspector general released the Medicare patient death and case information, officials wrote, which is one report in a series with more information to come.

"It is important that we understand the extent of the outbreaks in nursing homes, including the increase in deaths, to not only acknowledge the pandemics toll," the document said, "but to improve efforts to mitigate the damage of the continuing pandemic, and better prepare for future public health emergencies."

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
BLOOMINGTON  June is Pride Month, an opportunity to commemorate the LGBTQ community's push for and progress in obtaining equal rights in the United States.

Among the limited freedoms gained over the last 50 years are the federal right of same-sex people to marry freely and to adopt; state protections from employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity; and state anti-discrimination housing laws.

And the Illinois General Assembly this spring passed two bills aimed at decriminalizing HIV transmission and including LGBTQ health in sexual education. Both policies are awaiting Gov. J.B. Pritzker's signature.

But inequities still persist across other public spaces, like bathrooms and businesses, especially for transgender people.

In recognition of the struggles and the successes, as well as the people behind both, The Pantagraph interviewed seven members of the Bloomington-Normal LGBTQ community who play a role in the ongoing push for codified freedoms.

Their stories of advocacy, loss and acceptance are a sampling of the LGBTQ community's larger narrative and offer insight into its odyssey for inclusion.

Creating a safe community

For more than 40 years, David Bentlin has worked tirelessly to lobby for and make Bloomington-Normal a safe, inviting community for LGBTQ people.

Bentlin, 58, is president of the Prairie Pride Coalition  first founded in 1995 as the Advocacy Council for Human Rights  which strives to provide support and advocacy for the LGBTQ community.

Initially, I didnt find much of a gay community here," said Bentlin. Before I knew it, this is what I was calling home. I think at that point a lot of us felt, instead of moving to a larger city, we wanted to bloom where we were planted and really work on making this community a safe, more welcoming, more inclusive place.

Most recently the group has successfully lobbied to decriminalize HIV transmission in Illinois, and for the Keeping Youth Safe and Health Act, which requires comprehensive sex education that is LGBTQ-inclusive.

Despite the progress that's been made, there is still plenty of work to be done at the local, state and federal levels, said Bentlin.

"Our transgender community is another sector of our community, and nationwide, that is underserved, underrepresented and marginalized in a lot of ways," he said. "They continue to experience levels of discrimination that some of us in other parts of the community do not.

The PPC recently opened a gender-expansive resource center in collaboration with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington-Normal. The program provides health products such as chest binders and shapers.

Advocacy and serving the community, Bentlin said, remain a priority for the PPC. While the group continues lobbying efforts, he said nothing will change until people's attitudes toward the LGBTQ community change.

That doesnt happen in a State Capitol or a Hall of Congress or in the Supreme Court," he said. "We can pass laws, and the Supreme Court can find on our favor in different cases, but until we get to the point where we can change hearts and minds in society, were still going to have a big struggle ahead of us.

 Sierra Henry

Fighting on the battleground of big ideas

Jenn Carrillo views Bloomington-Normal as a battleground of big ideas.

Its here where Carrillo, a progressive activist who represents Ward 6 on the Bloomington City Council, advocates for LGBTQ accessibility and equity by challenging people's misconceptions and worldviews.

Theres a lot at stake.

If all the queer, cool, weird people decide that this is not a place thats welcoming for them and they move to a larger city, then places like this get stuck, Carrillo said. Kids coming up here wont have anyone that they can look up to thats living openly and authentically and publicly.

Carrillo, 31, who identifies as pansexual and genderqueer and uses they/them pronouns, knows that scenario well. They grew up without a readily-accessible Latina role model in politics, and without a visible LGBTQ person they could identify with.

You know, you cant see yourself if you cant see yourself, Carrillo said, explaining why they entered local government. As someone who exists at the corners of a lot of intersections of identities, I want to help bridge the gap between those and show that this is a place where you can be yourself and you can govern.

There have been some small victories for the movement so far, like changing Bloomington City Council titles of alderman and alderwoman to council member. Nonetheless, some long-term goals remain, like ensuring all public bathrooms are accessible for transgender people.

The former may not seem like much of a change, Carrillo said, but it opens up possibilities for who can think of themselves" as a person in a position of power.

The latter, they said, is something very achievable," and "if we as a city are serious about that, we have to put up the capital for those changes."

But the biggest risk to LGBTQ activism and policy wins is complacency, Carrillo said.

"We have to keep telling those stories and socializing those big ideas," Carrillo said. "Ultimately I think it will make us a better, a more welcoming and more attractive community for trans people and the LGBTQ movement."

 Timothy Eggert

Protecting LGBTQ students

For the first half of his teaching career, Brandon Thorntons sexuality was never an issue; it never came up.

$3 for your first 3 months. Become a Pantagraph member today. Reporting like this is brought to you by a staff of local journalists committed to telling the stories of your community. Support local journalism.

It wasnt until being gay in a position of power became politicized  where I felt more like my identity is important, he said, noting anti-trans legislation and the prevalence of gay straight alliances in schools. Now I need to be this person for kids who know that theres an adult in the building where they can just exist.

Thornton, 31, teaches special education at Bloomington High School and just finished his 10th year as an educator. In that time, he's noticed LGBTQ students are often the ones who join the clubs he sponsors, like Anime Club  and oftentimes its just because Im the other gay in the building.

Identifying as queer has become increasingly important to his students in recent years, and he sees this as a good thing.

When a student trusts him enough to come out to him, especially trans and nonbinary students, Thornton takes that seriously.

Its my job to protect that and to not out them, he said. I know a lot of teachers might say, I dont want to know that, but if a student trusts you and identifies you as an adult to come out to, I think we have a moral obligation to protect that.

But having heard members of the community speaking against the inclusion of LGBTQ health and diversity, equity and inclusion in education, Thornton said he "know(s) theres a storm coming.

I know as the token gay Black male in the building ... parents could say, I dont feel comfortable with my student in his class. It hasnt happened yet, but I know those people, those mindsets exist.

While it wasnt his experience growing up, Thornton said he knows there is some taboo regarding queerness in the Black community, so he worries about his Black students.

That community does not embrace queerness, and I think its because we are raised, as a Black male, to be tough, to be hard, because youre not going to make it in this world if youre not. Its like anything other than that is less, and queerness is less, inherently, he said.

But seeing more successful LGBTQ Black role models can help to show young people, not to sound cheesy, but that it gets better," he said.

 Kelsey Watznauer

Codifying acceptance

Julie Emig will often pause and reflect on how acceptance of her sexual orientation has evolved in the last three decades.

When she was 16 and living in Oklahoma, the parents of her Pentecostal girlfriend learned of their relationship and forbade the two from being together. Her identity was definitely closeted through her teenage years and through college because "it was very hard to be openly gay or lesbian at the time."

That kind of thing almost seems like a different world, said Emig, who represents Ward 4 on the Bloomington City Council and serves as executive director of the McLean County Museum of History.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Emig, now 52, didnt come out until she met her partner, Mary, in college. The two have been together for more than 30 years and are parents to a daughter.

I probably have some deep scars from growing up in a conservative and deeply religious community, Emig said. But at this point in my life, Im very comfortable about being open about my identity.

But the ultimate acceptance came when she ran for a seat on the council.

People evaluated me on my ideas, my accomplishments and the things I believe in and stand for," Emig said, rather than her sexual orientation.

As a gay woman in a position of leadership, Emig regularly uses her influence to advocate for and codify that same acceptance of people in the LGBTQ community.

That was the case this spring during conversations over renovations to the west side ONeil Pool and Park, when Emig pushed for the new aquatic facility to feature gender-neutral bathrooms and locker rooms.

I really was trying to communicate the value of having a space that was gender neutral and just, as we go forward and build these new structures, make sure thats always part of the plan, Emig said.

Having those conversations is an essential first step, Emig added, but developing a sense of normalcy around different identities is more important.

I didnt have a community that understood where I came from, and I so often felt like an outsider, Emig said. "We need not just an effort to educate, but also make sure we, as local government and a community, officially codify and create spaces that recognize those identities."

 Timothy Eggert

Building an all-inclusive community center

Looking around Bloomington-Normal, Laurie Bell sees a need in her community.

For nearly 30 years The Bistro, a bar in downtown Bloomington, has served as the only communal spot for members of the LGBTQ community.

"This bar has been the place that has made it all possible and witnessed it all," said Bell, who has spent decades fighting for LGBTQ rights in the U.S. and Canada, where she immigrated from. "But we need somewhere, especially for young people, where you don't need an ID to get in."

At 61, Bell is leading the initiative to build an LGBTQ community center in downtown Bloomington. The reason, she said, is to better serve LGBTQ youth in McLean County and surrounding areas.

"People are in really serious danger," said Bell, who moved to Bloomington 12 years ago. "For LGBTQ youth, the rates of homelessness, suicide  you name it  it's just so high. If you don't receive family acceptance, you're on the doorstep of homelessness."

Bell is part of what she describes as the "coming out generation," the first wave of young people to openly identify as gay. At the time, that meant facing a lot of loss, along with violence.

She was also involved in social activism in Toronto and San Francisco during the AIDS and HIV crisis. There, Bell helped start an LGBTQ youth program that provided transitional housing and foster care.

"Anybody who wasn't an activist had to become one," Bell said. "We had to do everything, from sit in at the health minister's office, to do all of the hands-on care as they were sick and dying."

Society has come a long way, Bell said, but LGBTQ people still face violence across the globe. But, by developing an inclusive community center, she hopes to provide resources for mental health, intervention and a safe place to meet and hang out locally.

LGBTQ people all over the world dont even have even the most basic rights," she said. "LBGTQ people are just simply killed and the objects of violence everywhere in the world.

You get all those legal rights so you can start doing the work of taking care of your young people.

 Sierra Henry

Offering spaces, language to explore an identity

Even though she didn't become Bloomington's first openly LGBTQ mayor, Jackie Gunderson still found a victory in her 2021 bid to lead the city.

"While I didn't win, I also showed a whole community of people that you can do that, too  you can live authentically and do whatever thing you want to do," Gunderson said. "That matters."

Self-described as "queer because it takes into account a spouse who is non-binary," Gunderson, 33, is a procurement manager at Illinois State University who also serves as creative director of the nonprofit Penguin Project of McLean County and volunteers with Healing Rides Ministry.

She ran in the April election with a mission that included prioritizing social services and expanding accessibility for people living with disabilities as well as members of the LGBTQ community.

Two weeks after losing the mayoral race, Gunderson said she was able to accomplish the latter goal by coordinating an event where transgender and non-binary teens could shop for clothing to wear to prom in a safe and accepting environment.

"We made space for people to feel like they got to be celebrated," Gunderson said.

A similar space was introduced to Gunderson while she was a student at ISU, attending the charity drag show.

"I was just surrounded by so many people that were just living so authentically and they seemed so happy to be in community with other people like them," Gunderson said. "Just feeling that energy all around me ... seeing such a inclusive space ... that was it for me."

Gunderson said she may have come out earlier if she had had the language or the experiences to identify, process and explore her feelings when she was younger.

Because of that experience, Gunderson said she aims to create a community "where kids get to see themselves reflected and they have language and they have support for who they are."

Ultimately, she hopes creating areas in health care or education to "explore whatever labels" will foster more inclusivity in other spaces.

"Just paving the way so that more people have the opportunity to understand that the way there were made is perfectly fine," Gunderson said. "That they shouldn't have to change that in any way to be celebrated and included."

 Timothy Eggert

Better for the next generation

Elizabeth Fox Anvick never set out to be the first anything.

I just wanted to live my authentic life, and it just so happened that we ended up being first for a lot of things, she said with a laugh.

Fox Anvick was the first "out" member of the LGBTQ community to hold an elected position in Bloomington when she was elected to the Bloomington District 87 school board in April 2017.

"I wanted to make sure that everybody was going to have a seat at the table because I knew after the election in 2016 that maybe not everybody was going to be able to have a seat at the table, holistically," she said, noting her concerns for LGBTQ rights being "slashed" in the last four years.

Another first she can claim: She and her wife, Caroline Fox Anvick, were the first married gay couple to obtain a foster license in McLean County. They now have two daughters, ages 8 and 10.

As a school board member, Fox Anvick, 45, said bringing her perspective can be valuable for students and the district. One example is her suggestion to install all-gender bathrooms during renovations and construction at Bloomington High School, before a state mandate was in place.

Not everything that comes out of my mouth comes from an LGBT slant, but having lived a non-heteronormative existence, I think it allows me to see things from a different perspective and I ask questions appropriately, she said.

Fox Anvick has been an active member of the Prairie Pride Coalition since 2002, working for non-discrimination policies and marriage equality.

When people ask her why she wants to stay in Illinois, I say you know what, the state of Illinois is actually a really amazing place when it comes to human rights, she said, as it is one of less than half of the states in the U.S. with non-discrimination laws that protect LGBTQ people.

The winters may stink, but I know me and my family are legally protected in the state of Illinois," Fox Anvick said. "I cant be federally guaranteed that, so its very important to me.

Of her advocacy work, Fox Anvick said: I didnt know I was going to have kids at the time, but I wanted the next generation to have it better than what I had."

-Kelsey Watznauer

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.

Kelsey Watznauer Education Reporter Follow Kelsey Watznauer Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Let me join your long list of friends, colleagues and community residents who are wishing you well on your retirement.

During my time in the Illinois General Assembly, I had the privilege of working with six presidents of Illinois State University. I can say that all of you faced unique challenges, but not one of them met those challenges more perfectly than you did.

As a newly-elected state representative in 1993, the very first piece of legislation I passed was a resolution urging that funding for the universitys agriculture school be maintained. Twenty-seven years later, as the Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate, I was honored to stand with you and your scientists as you unveiled game-changing genetics research for the use of pennycress to benefit agriculture and the environment.

I recall that Illinois State, under your leadership, managed to remain strong and stable  to use your words and weather the state funding stalemate for two long years.

And I was happy to see the Board of Trustees this month approved the new College of Engineering you have championed for some time.

Those are but highlights of the many initiatives that mark your presidency.

The formation of the Presidents Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council, the opening of a Center for Civic Engagement and Service Learning, renovation of the Bone Student Center and plans for a new multi-cultural center all came under your watch and with your outstanding leadership, as did the record-setting Redbirds Rising campaign which raised more than $180 million for university efforts.

Illinois State University is better today for the great contributions you have made during your time on the Bloomington-Normal campus, as well as the ISU global community you have created.

And, as residents of Bloomington, Nancy and I cannot thank both of you for the time, effort and generous support you have given to the entire Bloomington-Normal community and its not-for-profit and cultural institutions. Our communities, like the university, are better today for your involvement. Thank you.

I may no longer represent the people of Bloomington-Normal in the General Assembly, but I think I can speak for all of them in wishing you a happy retirement and best of wishes for all your future endeavors.

Best regards,

Bill Brady

Former member of Illinois General Assembly

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
You have been good stewards of Gods grace. You have served so many of us so well, using your gifts to make our lives and our community better. We are grateful. We feel blessed to share this journey with you.

As we think back on the last five years, many snapshots of you come to mind.

We remember you welcoming us to our new church assignment at Normal First United Methodist Church. You were so gracious and generous with your time and offers to help. Your warm smiles, easy laughter and openness to life are contagious.

We remember you carrying chairs and tables up and down stairs for the Attic Sale. Even with all of your responsibilities, you were always willing to do any small task to help.

We remember how you fielded so many questions and specific inquiries about ISU from anyone and everyone who happened to see you. You took everyone seriously and made everyone feel important, while deftly suggesting the right person to call or the best place to get the answers.

We remember cheering with you at ballgames, and the way you said, Go You Redbirds! We also remember your concern for players of the opposing team when there were injuries.

We remember visits in your office; and lunch, dinner, parties and coffee. We admire how you thought through challenges and looked for the positives.

We remember your community engagement. Whether it was hosting a United Way event or serving on the board of The Baby Fold, your passion to make a difference always showed through. Your love and concern for young people especially came to the forefront.

We remember the way you reach out to people, walking across campus or walking through Jerusalem. You were always ambassadors for ISU, but even more, you were always looking for ways to relate and to make someone elses life better.

We remember the ways you shared your own stories in worship, inspiring others and giving them courage.

We have admired how you have handled the pandemic. Tough decisions had to be made and there was no way to please many people. You did what had to be done and got us through the worst of it.

We know you are people of deep faith. One of our best memories is seeing you on the Sea of Galilee or talking with families in Bethlehem. Your faith guides you.

We hope to share more great memories with you in the future.

We look to your future with eager anticipation. We know you will continue to make the world better with your presence. We hope you also get some time to rest and travel.

May God bless your next chapters!

Pastors Kent and Kathy King-Nobles

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
ATLANTA  The Atlanta Coal Mining Co. had trouble hitting coal, but the community hopes it has hit pay dirt with a museum based on the 19th century mine.

Atlanta has received a $1,000 Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway grant for the Atlanta Coal Mining Co. Historic Mine project.

Whitney Ortiz, Atlantas tourism development director, hopes it will attract both Route 66 travelers and non-Route 66 travelers.

Theres no other coal mine exhibit like this on Route 66, she said.

The money will be used for information panels that will be part of the exhibit.

Plans call for visitors to view the coal mine shaft sunk in 1879 through glass panels with the help of a light system. A video with Go-Pro footage of a person rappelling to the bottom of the mine will give visitors the feeling of descending to the bottom of the shaft.

This will be an exciting exhibit, said Bill Thomas, Logan County economic development director and chair of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership, a collaborative organization involving eight states along old Route 66.

We hope to have it fully open by next summer, said Thomas. Were meeting with an exhibit designer next week.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The entire cost of the project will be about $20,000, he said.

The panels will trace the history and portray the story of the mining company, chartered in 1869, and the company that followed, the Atlanta Water Works.

The shaft is on the site of the J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum.

The bottom of the shaft is filled with water  which was an ongoing problem the mining company faced.

In her historical research, Ortiz discovered the mining company tried three different times to drill a shaft to reach coal, but couldnt keep water from flowing in. Eventually, it was used as a water source for the town.

It turned a negative into a positive, she said. And now the community hopes another positive will come from the museum.

It will join several other tourist attractions in Atlanta, including a fiberglass statue of a 45-foot-tall Paul Bunyon, wayside interpretive signs and the restored Palms Grill Cafe.

"We're essentially midway between Chicago and St. Louis. It's a good way to get out and stretch you legs," said Ortiz.

Thomas said organizers are in the very early stages of creating an American Giants Museum in Atlanta that would focus on iconic statues, such as Paul Bunyon. Thats at least two years away, he said.

Thats not all. As the Mother Road continues to attract visitors from around the world, Thomas is looking ahead to a centennial celebration of Route 66 in 2026.

Contact Lenore Sobota at (309) 820-3240. Follow her on Twitter: @Pg_Sobota

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
BLOOMINGTON  Bloomington-Normal community members on Friday reacted to former Minnesota police Officer Derek Chauvin being sentenced to 22 years in prison for the killing of George Floyd.

Twenty-two and half years is not justice. It does not represent the important life of Mr. Floyd, said Linda Foster, president of the Bloomington-Normal branch of the NAACP.

Chauvin, 45, was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyds death.

Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, was unarmed when Chauvin, a white Minneapolis police officer, kneeled on his neck for 9 minutes, pinning Floyd to the pavement until he died on May 25, 2020. A bystander recorded video of his death, sparking a wave of protests and national conversation regarding equity, police training and officer recruitment.

Per Minnesota law, only two-thirds of the sentence is required to be served, meaning Chauvin  who was fired after Floyds death  could be released from prison and paroled after about 15 years.

We really have two dual justice systems and that is dangerous, said Carla Campbell-Jackson, first vice president of the Bloomington-Normal NAACP, noting she has seen longer sentences for non-violent offenses. Maximum sentence was warranted based on what Americans saw but also what the world saw.

Foster said the sentence was appalling, reckless and just not right.

It is our hope that nobody takes up this mantle and thinks you can do what hes done and get only 22 and a half years. Thats not justice, she said.

The prosecution asked Judge Peter Cahill to issue a sentence of 30 years in prison, and members of Floyds family who spoke during the hearing Friday asked for the maximum of 40.

We dont want to see no more slaps on the wrist. Weve been through that already, said Terrence Floyd, one of Floyds brothers.

Chauvins attorney, Eric Nelson, asked for a noncustodial sentence of probation. At the beginning of the hearing, he asked for a new trial, a motion the judge denied.

An official for the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police declined to comment on the sentencing.

Miltonette Craig, a criminal justice professor at Illinois State University, said listening to the victim impact statements, especially from Floyds 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, was difficult Friday.

Listening to his daughter speaking was very emotional; she shouldn't have had to do that, if her father was still here, Craig said, though she added it was important for people to see the raw emotion from victims, giving them the opportunity to talk about how the crime has impacted them and traumatized them.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Craig said Chauvins sentence was more than she expected, since the presumptive sentencing range was 10 to 12 years.

I didnt think it would be as high as the prosecution wanted, but at least he will serve prison time, she said, acknowledging no amount of time served will bring Floyd back.

Craig said this prison term really does make a statement that officers cannot have disregard for human life.

Though she called it a drop in the bucket when it comes to transforming the American policing institution, she believes this sentence provided some justice and relief for Floyds family and for communities that are hyper-policed.

At least this officer is not on the streets and the Minneapolis community is safe form this particular violent offender, she said.

Campbell-Jackson said the NAACP supports a comprehensive approach to police accountability, like that included in the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, which passed in the House of Representatives in March.

She said true justice is when law enforcement and other entities invest in the communities that they work in, to make sure the relationships are there and make certain every life is valued because everyone should be held accountable for their actions.

Chauvins conviction and sentencing is one of few instances in which an officer who was accused of brutality against Black people have gone to trial. The list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

Let us not feel that were here to celebrate, said civil rights leader the Rev. Al Sharpton to crowd outside the courthouse in Minneapolis. Justice would have been George Floyd never having been killed. Justice would have been the maximum. We got more than we thought only because we have been disappointed so many times before.

Before giving the sentence, Cahill said he acknowledged the deep and tremendous pain felt by all families but especially Floyds.

The judge went 10 years beyond the presumptive sentence, citing aggravating factors in the murder that include Chauvins abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

When given the opportunity to speak, Chauvin said due to some additional legal matters at hand, he was not able to give a full statement at the time, but he offered condolences to Floyds family.

Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest, and I hope things will give you some peace of mind, he added.

Upon sentencing, Chauvin was remanded to the custody of the Hennepin County Sheriffs Office.

We are a resilient people. We are a people that have been through some of the most harshest times in life. We are a people that have endured, injustice, racism discrimination. ... We are a people that believe that we should be treated fairly equally and just, Foster said. "But were still looked at less than. We are still literally choking because somebodys knee is on our neck and we cant breathe.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Contact Kelsey Watznauer at (309) 820-3254. Follow her on Twitter: @kwatznauer.

Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
More than 900 nurses at Cook County Health went on strike Thursday morning, forcing the health system to postpone some appointments and surgeries and send ambulances to other hospitals.

The nurses walked off the job for the one-day strike after their last contract expired in November. The nurses work at Stroger and Provident hospitals, the systems clinics and Cermak Health Services, which provides health care to the detainees at the Cook County Department of Corrections.

Cook County Health said in a statement Wednesday that it planned to use temporary agency nurses to fill in gaps Thursday in certain areas, including trauma and emergency departments, operating rooms and units for patients hospitalized overnight.

The system also postponed some elective and nonurgent procedures and appointments and moved other appointments to telehealth.

Stroger Hospital went on ambulance bypass for emergency department and advanced life support cases Thursday morning, meaning it asked ambulances to take patients to other hospitals instead of Stroger. The safety-net hospital continued to accept trauma patients.

The nurses union, National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United, says a major sticking point in negotiations has been staffing. The union says the hospital system is short hundreds of nurses, which has led to delays in patient care and burnout among nurses. The health system, however, has said it is continually recruiting nurses and hired nearly 800 in the past year.

The nurses picketed outside Stroger, Provident and Cermak. At Stroger, hundreds of nurses wearing red scrubs waved noisemakers and held signs reading, Safe staffing saves lives and Our patients deserve better. Cars and trucks honked in support as they passed on Damen Avenue.

Nurse Cathleen Armstrong said in her 23 years at Cook County Health, shes never seen staffing and morale as bad as they are now.

The staffing is so bad that patients can be here for several days without someone to wash their face, Armstrong said, noting that washing a patients face is usually the job of certified nursing assistants, and nurses are not the only workers in short supply. Were always short staffed.

I go home and wonder did I get done everything I needed to get done, Armstrong said. That brings me a lot of sleepless nights because you want to advocate for your patients.

The nurses say that Cook County Health isnt hiring enough nurses or doing a good job retaining them.

When someone leaves or retires, theyre not replacing them, said Adrienne Cleveland, a trauma nurse whos been with the system for 28 years. Theyre just putting more workload on us, and its not fair to the patients at all.

Nurses were also frustrated by the way Cook County Health handled COVID-19 for its nursing staff, said nurse Nancy Alverio, noting that she knew one Stroger nurse who died of the illness.

We want them to prepare for future pandemics, said Alverio, who has been with Cook County Health for 24 years. We want them to supply us with proper PPE.

Emergency department nurse Consuelo Vargas, who is the unions chief nurse representative for Cook County Health, said the union also wants to see pay improve so Cook County Health can be competitive with other hospitals in the West Side medical district where Stroger sits.

Cook County Health said in a statement Thursday that it remains prepared to provide safe care for our patients during todays nursing strike.

When asked about short-staffing and nurse burnout at the health system, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said in an interview with the Tribune Wednesday, Im grateful for the work that our employees do across the board, in particular for the good work that our nurses do in the health and hospitals and thats all I want to say about that.

Preckwinkles administration on Wednesday projected a $121 million budget deficit for next year, compared with a deficit of $410 million this fiscal year.

Originally, about 1,250 nurses had been poised to strike, but the county received a court-ordered injunction Wednesday night to prevent nearly 330 nurses from striking. The order followed the Illinois Labor Relations Boards finding earlier this week that those nurses should not be allowed to strike because their absence would pose a clear and present danger to the health and safety of the public.

As of Thursday morning, a separate strike by members of Service Employees International Union Local 73 was planned to begin Friday.

Those employees work in offices under the Cook County president, in the county clerks office, in civilian positions in the sheriffs office, and for Cook County Health. About 1,473 of those workers are part of Cook County Health, working at Stroger and Provident hospitals, clinics, and in mental health services at Cermak. They include technicians, physician assistants and service and maintenance workers, among others.

Points of disagreement include pay equity, pandemic pay and retiree health benefits, among other issues, said Eric Bailey, a union spokesman. SEIU Local 73s last contract expired in November.

About 2,500 members of that union had originally planned to strike, though the Illinois Labor Relations Board found Wednesday that about 370 of those workers, many of whom work in health care, should not be allowed to strike because of the danger it could pose to the public. Cook County said it would seek a court-ordered injunction to formalize that ruling Thursday.

Typically, employers can take findings from the board to circuit court, where they can pursue an injunction to limit or prohibit a strike.

A number of Illinois hospitals have faced nurse strikes in recent years, with nurses often citing staffing as a main concern. Hospitals where nurses went on strike in recent years include University of Chicago Medical Center, University of Illinois Hospital and Amita Health Saint Joseph Medical Center Joliet.

Cook County Health patients with questions about appointments, tests or procedures scheduled for Thursday should call 312-864-0200.

Alice Yin contributed.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
This week, our congressional dysfunction continued as the vote on the For the People Act was along purely partisan lines with a vote of 50 Democrats in favor and 50 Republicans against. The level of dysfunction is heightened by the fact that this was not a vote to pass the voting rights legislation, but simply a vote on whether to even debate the proposed legislation.

Whether one believes that the wave of state-level voting changes is warranted or not, whether one believes in the voting rights legislation in its present format or not, there is no doubt that Americans believe that voting is at the heart of our democratic process. Yet the vote as to whether to even have a debate on the subject was 100% partisan.

As I listened to the rationale on both sides before, during and after the vote, I realized that the rhetoric was devoid of any desire for an open-minded search for the truth and a workable solution on this vital issue.

As I switched channels between FOX, MSNBC, and CNN, I witnessed the dogma and observed how it can give the holder a warm and comforting feeling of security in this time of great change and anxiety in our nation. Comfort unfortunately does not allow for the possibility of advancement and a modicum of common ground.

Polls repeatedly show that a vast majority of Americans in both parties want fair and open elections. Yet this is rarely mentioned by the press or members of Congress as the dysfunction continues. Finding the balance between reasonable voter ID that 75% of Americans favor and federal standards to ensure that voting is accessible and fair cannot even be debated as both sides are entrenched in the dogmatic rhetoric of left versus right politics.

Therefore, the dysfunction continues as both sides enflame their followers.

Democrats issue dire warnings of the threat of voter suppression. Republicans sound the alarm about the menace of voter fraud. But both parties are dramatically overstating an exaggerated problem to whip their most devoted supporters into a frenzy. The result is that confidence in the foundation of our democratic process is at an all-time low, driven down by unyielding partisan attacks from both the left and the right as a cynical tool to motivate their most committed loyalists.

As I reflected, I was reminded of a quote from Brene Brown, a research professor who has spent a decade studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame: "My inability to lean into the discomfort of vulnerability limited the fullness of those important experiences that are fraught with uncertainty: Love, belonging, trust, joy, and creativity to name a few."

You may ask how this in any way relates to the dogma perpetrated by our political leaders who each have their own prescribed doctrine proclaimed as unquestionably true by their side. Perhaps it is our fear of uncertainty, and the vulnerability that comes with uncertainty, that leads the citizens of our country to gravitate to candidates who claim to have the answer, who portray everything with a high degree of certainty in comforting black and white terms.

Our nation is trapped by political dogma and the greatest casualty is the truth that is needed for pragmatic solutions. Everything gets lost in the posturing, the fear mongering, and the close mindedness as nothing gets done. And We the People are the collateral damage of this partisan warfare.

We can and must do better as a nation. Now is the time, because so much is at stake.

David L. Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0
The Delta variant is considered to be 2-3 times more contagious than other variants and is already causing problems in the U.S., with Missouri in particular seeing an uptick in cases in areas with low vaccination rates.
We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!
This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions
Melbourne Airport has committed to ensuring that all front-of-house hospitality venues and lounges will be free of single-use plastic by the end of 2021. The airport will put an end to the distribution of traditional plastic items such as single-use straws, cutlery, plates, drink stirrers and expanded polystyrene food and drink containers.

The airport says the majority of its front-of-house venues are already reducing plastics by switching to sustainable and recyclable options like bamboo. The new commitment will see remaining venues and lounges adopt a plastic-free stance by the end of the year, well ahead of the Victorian governments 2023 deadline.

') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // -->

For example, Delaware North, which has operated a wide range of food and beverage services at the airport since 1990, says it is already seeing huge benefits after eliminating single-use plastic straws from its operations. The company estimates that since launching its Last Straw campaign several years ago, it has prevented the use of more than 500,000 plastic straws by passengers at Melbourne Airport. It is in the process of eliminating all single-use plastic from its venues within Melbourne Airport and will complete the process by the end of 2021.

Melbourne Airport chief of aviation, Lorie Argus, said the ambition to reduce single-use plastics by the end of the year highlights the airports commitment to environmentally friendly practices. While the Victorian government has mandated a ban on all single-use plastics by February 2023, Melbourne Airport will stop the purchase and distribution of single-use plastics across our front-of-house venues and lounges at the end of the year as part of our continuous improvement program around waste management. We know pollution and waste management are a major concern for travelers, so were proud to announce this significant step as part of our traveler experience work stream. Were looking forward to working with our tenants to find sustainable, recyclable alternatives to single-use plastic.
In May 2018 Patently Apple posted a report titled "Apple Officially Kills the Athenry Data Center in County Galway Ireland due to Delays in the Planning Approval Process." Then in Oct. 2018 we followed-up with a report titled "A Hardy Group of Irishman from Athenry attended a Rally today Supporting Apple's Proposed Data Center." There was 300 town folk marching in support of Apple's development knowing it meant jobs. The people were upset with the government dragging their feet in getting the Apple project approved. Apple didn't back down with the government and walked away from the project.

We're now learning that Apple has re-applied for planning permission to build a data center in Athenry, County Galway, as the deadline to deliver on the original plans for the site are nearing expiration.

In October 2019, it emerged the site had been put up for sale, yet according to a filing on the Galway County Council planning portal, the site remains under the ownership of Apple Data Services, and an entity trading as Apple Distribution International filed an application on 14 June 2021 to request the planning permission deadline for the development be extended by five years.

It is anticipated that the development will be completed within the extension period sought, i.e. by the 7 November 2026, the filing states.

At the time of writing, the application is still being assessed by the local council, but the supporting documents state that an extension is being requested to give Apple more time to find a third-party to develop the site.

Specifically, the document states: "It is the applicants intention to support the provision of the consented works by identifying interested parties to develop the project and who can then proceed with he consented works within the relevant timeline."

For more on this, read the full ComputerWeekly report.
Payson, AZ (85541)

Today

Mostly cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 82F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds light and variable.
The Minority in Parliament says its own investigations have established that Russian authorities have at all times been willing to deal directly with Ghana contrary to what the government has claimed in relation to the purchase of Sputnik-V COVID-19 vaccines through a middleman.



The Minoritys own investigations into this Sputnik V scandal is that the Russian authorities have at all times been willing to deal directly with Ghana contrary to what the Akufo-Addo government has been claiming.



The Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu said this at a press conference in Accra today (Thursday).



They have therefore asked the government to abrogate the contract with the middleman and deal directly with the Russian authorities.



Justification



The Minority stated that the justification being provided by the Minister of Health to purchase 3.4 million doses of the Russian Sputnik-V vaccine using a middleman at a unit cost of US$19 instead of US$10 was unconvincing and an embarrassment to Ghana.



It said the purported Vaccine Supply Agreement between the Ministry of Health, signed by the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu and H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum on March 9, 2021 violated Article 181 (5) of the 1992 Constitution which required Parliamentary approval for international agreements of that nature.



Besides, it said the purchase of the vaccines from Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum did not guarantee the safety and potency of those vaccines for the people of Ghana.



Indeed, WHO has warned all countries including Ghana to desist from the purchase of vaccines using intermediaries because it has the tendency of resulting in sub-standard vaccines that can be harmful to

our compatriots, it said.



Addressing a press conference on overpriced Sputnik V vaccines in Parliament today, the Minority Leader, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, said there still existed other channels such as the WHO, UNICEF, GAVI, COVAX that could assist Ghana to obtain standard and safe vaccines set at a price far lower than the US$19 per dose rip-off.



Sputnik-V vaccines contract with middlemen not in Ghanas interest - Minority



Graphic Online's Nana Konadu Agyeman reported from PARLIAMENT HOUSE that the Minority said the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) had opened direct engagements with over 30 governments as of February 2021 including African countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Tunisia, Guinea and Algeria.



We have a copy of a statement RDIF issued in Moscow confirming this fact, it said.



Middlemen are imposters



The Minority Leader said the Minority had also established that the dubious middlemen government was dealing with had no authorization on behalf of RDIF or Russian authorities to hold themselves out as agents.



At best, they are imposters. The NDC caucus can also confirm that these middlemen made no efforts to engage the Russian Embassy when they arrived in Accra. Our government did not also contact them for any due diligence neither were Russian Embassy officials invited into the meetings with these shadowy characters.



It is worth pointing out that contrary to the claims contained in the official press release of the Ministry of Health dated June 9, 2021, there is no Deputy Russian Ambassador in Ghana, he said.



He added, We the minority believe that this contract is not in the interest of Ghanaians and whether payments have been made or not, the contract is null and void and government must as a matter of urgency put in the necessary steps to abrogate the contract.



Profiteering



The Minority Leader said the governments attitude now pointed to one of opportunism in exploiting the pandemic to aggregate wealth to family and friends.



This is naked and blatant opportunism that had led to a situation where we risk our longstanding mutual relations with our diplomatic partners so as to facilitate unconscionable profiteering, he said.



He questioned why the government had rather, in a bizarre twist, preferred to deal with dubious middlemen of questionable character in its insatiable thirst to profit from vaccine acquisition as revealed by the Norwegian newspaper, Verdens Gang (VG).



Minority concerns



Mr Iddrisu argued that the justification by the Minister of Health, Mr Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, was unconvincing to the Ghanaian populace because the decision to purchase vaccines from an intermediary did not guarantee the safety and potency of those vaccines for the people of Ghana.



Indeed, WHO has warned all countries including Ghana to desist from the purchase of vaccines using intermediaries because it has the tendency of resulting in sub-standard vaccines that can be harmful to our compatriots.



He said it was totally unacceptable for President Nana Akufo-Addo, who has served as Foreign Affairs Minister before, to boldly choose to sidestep diplomatic channels and rather resort to dealing with Russian Institutions through third parties when we have always had and maintained cordial bilateral relations with the Russian Government.



Failure to leverage diplomatic ties



He further pointed out that the Foreign Ministry, led by Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, had let the country down.



According to him, the abysmal failure in leveraging historic diplomatic ties with the Russians at a time we in the Minority have unfettered access to the Russians is most embarrassing.



She ought to be fired if she cannot meet the basic expectations of her office. We are more incensed by the terms of these multiple illegal agreements which cruelly short-changed Ghanaians by our government agreeing to pay $19 to $26per jab of Sputnik-V instead of the under $10 other countries and multilateral agencies like the AU purchased the very same vaccine.



We also intend to explore further avenues under our Constitution and Standing Orders to hold the Health Minister accountable for this graft of international proportions, he said.



Fleecing nations



Touching on Frontiers Healthcare Services operations at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), Mr Iddrisu said the decision to choose the private company at the neglect of reputable public institutions such as Memorial Institute for Medical Research allowed the entity to rake in a colossal $16.3m dollars for charging travellers US$150 for the less sensitive and inferior antigen test.



Sadly, KIA was handed a paltry $1million. Do note that these fantastic profits for Frontiers are just for the period September to December 2020. January to June this year has not yet been accounted, he said.









Source: Graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
An Executive Director of G.N.S. Foundation, who also doubles as a sickle cell health advocate, Mrs Sandra Amponsah Ayivor, has advised people intending to marry to know their sickle cell status before marriage.



According to her, this will prevent them from producing children with sickle cell diseases. Sickle Cell Disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders.



Mrs Sandra Amponsah Ayivor gave this advice at the commemoration of World Sickle Awareness Day in Accra, organised by Vodafone Ghana Foundation with support from The G.N.S. Foundation and the Forestry Commission. And as part of the government's efforts at planting over five million trees under the Green Ghana Project, The Foundation also planted some trees at the Accra zoo in remembrance of Ghana's Fallen Heroes.



G.N.S Foundation is a Non-Governmental Organization (N.G.O) specializing in sickle cell management and associated haematological diseases, offering assistance to Orphanages and people living with Disabilities. It also offers support to Youth and Women (Kayayo Antenatal) as well as empowering them to become instruments of change in their various communities.



The G.N.S. Foundation (an acronym for two sisters - Gibeleen and Sandra) is a charity dedicated to positively impact women and children and society at large.



The G.N.S. Foundation has worked underground for many years since 2013 until the organization gained accreditation in early 2016.



Since its inception, The G.N.S. Foundation has embarked on several projects, aimed at empowering individuals and institutions which are in need.



Some of the beneficiaries of the G.N.S. Foundation projects are Osu Children's Home, Korle Bu Sickle Cell Clinic, Head Porters (Kayaye) and Covered Girls Camp.



Mrs Sandra Amponsah Ayivor hinted that The G.N.S. Foundation will soon embark on intensive campaigns at the Senior High Schools to educate the students on the need to know their sickle cell status and its accompanying benefits.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Former PNC General Secretary, Atik Mohammed, has proposed that the right to sell lands should be vested in the State and not Chiefs or individuals.



Speaking on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme, Atik Mohammed expressed disgust over the behaviour of land lessors who engage in double land grants or fake land documents to unsuspecting individuals.



According to him, "one of the major concerns I have with the way Nkrumah administered our lands is entrusting it in the hands of families and stools", he told host Kwami Sefa Kayi, adding "right now, when you buy a land, you don't have the land until you're done with the house".



To him, one of the surest ways to protect lands, avoid the double sale of lands and misuse of State lands among other land problems is to entrust them to the State.



He believed this is will help resolve the land challenges.



"I think that would have been helpful because when you buy it, there's security . . . if the lands were vested in the State, there wouldn't have been the inappropriate sale of lands and when you buy it, you can't build the house just anyhow."





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari is due to travel to London "for a scheduled medical follow-up", a statement from his office says.



This is the second time this year that he will have travelled to see doctors in the UK's capital. He was in London for a fortnight in April.



The 78-year-old has made several trips to the UK for medical reasons throughout his presidency, which began in 2015, but the nature of his illness has never been disclosed.



"He is due back in the country during the second week of July," the president's office says.



Mr Buhari has been criticized in the past for travelling abroad for treatment, especially as the country's public health service remains severely underfunded.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Akyem Abuakwa Stool Land Protection Agency has accused the police of aiding activities of illegal sand winners in the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.

The Traditional Council says it has petitioned the Inspector General of Police about the illegal sand winning activities in the Akyem Abuakwa State but has received no positive response from the police.



The group claimed that a team of police officers from the Adeiso Police Station have been beefing up the security of Summertide Company Limited, which the chiefs say is operating winning sand illegally within some areas of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area.



When reached on the phone to respond to the allegations of the traditional authorities, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Summertide Company Limited, Mr Samuel Atsu Forson denied the allegations, saying his companys operations are legal and licenced by the appropriate authorities.



Illegal sand winning

At a press conference held on Wednesday, June 24, 2021, the Akyem Abuakwa State Secretary, Mr Daniel Marfo Ofori Atta said the sand wining activities in the area by Summertide Company Limited has led to a series of attacks on residents of Yakooko, Teacher Mante, Ahwerease-Daaman, Amaadi and Kotuakrom, Asuboi and its environs.

He claimed that their checks from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Minerals Commission showed that the CEO of Summertide Company was winning the sand in the aforementioned areas of the Akyem Abuakwa State illegally.



Mr Ofori Atta said the Okyeman Taskforce and the chiefs were left red-faced when they encountered gun-wielding land guards parading themselves at one of the illegal sand winning sites around Adeiso as Okyeman Taskforce.



He noted that the gun-wielding men fired several gunshots at the entourage of chiefs that went to ascertain the fact following several complaints from their subjects, saying the chiefs had in the past invited the CEO of Summertide Company to Ofori Panin Fie to produce valid work permits from EPA and the Minerals Commission but he failed to do so.



Assault and Police response

The Okyeman State Secretary said the gunmen after assaulting the chiefs, rather reported same to the Eastern Regional Police Command alleging kidnapping among several other false accusations against the traditional authorities.

He said Barimah Twum Tebrade II, together with others from the Stool Land Protection Agency went to the bush with a registered gun but did not exchange fire with the land guards who confronted them, rather he said the gun-wielding men he described as "hoodlums" shot at them after four of the illegal sand winners were accosted.



The Traditional Council described the response of the Ghana Police Service over the illegal sand wining issue in Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area as very disappointing.



Protection

He stressed that Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin has not leased nor sold any land within Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area to Summertide Company Limited for the purposes of sand winning or mining.



He also indicated that they have a responsibility to protect their lands and subjects from illegal sand winning and mining activities should the police fail to do a thorough work.



Meanwhile the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Summertide Company Limited, Mr Samuel Atsu Forson who maintained innocence of the accusations levelled against him, has told Graphic Online he intends to hold a press conference to respond to all the issues.









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
Bono Regional Chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kwame Baffoe popularly known as Abronye DC has appealed to graduates not to focus only on white-collar jobs or the government for jobs after graduation.



According to him, there are so many opportunities in the private and agricultural sectors.



Speaking on UTVs Adekye Nsroma programme, Abronye DC urged the youth to help the government build the private sector.



He said, "I am appealing to the youth to help the government develop the private sector just as in Cuba and Malaysia . . . with our first degree, HND and Masters degree, we should not only behave as if without the government sector, there is no other opportunity anywhere or job in Ghana. It is time to join hands in the private and agriculture sectors to help build this country.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Minister for Works and Housing, Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye has urged architects, engineers, planners, construction managers and all key stakeholders in the built environment to strive towards designing and building the nation.



He said the nation-building is a collective responsibility of the government, private sector, academia, civil society organisations and professionals, and that the is the need to look critically at the way the cities are developing, and offer strategies that can develop the environment in a more robust and resilient manner.



The Minister was speaking at the 2021 Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Institute Architects which was held through a virtual platform on the theme My City; Between Vision and Reality'.



He said the government recognises the good work of Architects which ensures safe, functional and attractive habitats within which people live and work in the context of cities and urban settlements and therefore urged them to bring up more innovative designs to improve the living environment in the country.



I am convinced, beyond doubt, that you are collectively meeting here today, as Architects to develop a system that will make the role of architecture and planning more critical in ensuring that we build better and more inclusive cities for generations yet unborn, he stated.



The Minister assured Ghanaians that the Ministry will not relent in its effort to create the requisite regulatory regime and environment to ensure that buildings are executed to standards that serve the needs of everybody in the society.



Arc. Samuel Quartey, the President of the Ghana Institute of Architects in his address assured the government that they will continue to work hard to bring up innovative designs which will address the current urbanisation challenges in the country.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Namibias reserves of medical oxygen have been exhausted as the country experiences record numbers of daily deaths from coronavirus, Health Minister Kalumbi Shangula has told the BBC.



In severe cases, the virus damage the lungs, causing the body's oxygen levels to drop and making it harder to breathe.



This week Mr Shangulas ministry announced 45 deaths from the virus on Wednesday and then 55 on Thursday. With a population of just 2.5 million, this currently represents the highest death rate on the continent.



The country has also recorded high numbers of new cases.



Local media have been reporting that hospitals have been struggling to cope and the minister confirmed that resources were stretched.



Oxygen delivery to the patient is not at a satisfactory level, Mr Shangula told BBC Focus on Africa.



He said all local manufacturers of purified oxygen had been roped in and the country was now importing the gas from neighbouring South Africa.



New measures, including a lockdown in the capital, Windhoek, have been introduced to contain the spread of the virus.



When it comes to vaccination, the health minister said that along with battling some vaccine hesitancy, which he blamed on misleading information being shared on social media, the country was having problems getting hold of the jabs.



Just over 5% of the population has so far received at least one dose.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
NPP Bono Regional Chairman, Abronye DC has jumped to the defence of National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah for causing the removal of the former Ashanti Regional Security Liaison Officer, DCOP (rtd) Ayensu Opare Addo from office in Parliament on Wednesday, 23rd June 2021.



Responding to questions in Parliament, Mr. Kan Dapaah explained that DCOP Opare Addo was removed from office by men from the headquarters because he was obstructing the work of his successor.



Meanwhile , many have condemned the hounding of the former security coordinator, calling it unfortunate and a threat to the Ghanas democracy.



Abronye DC on a panel discussion on UTVs Adekye Nsroma urged the embattled Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator to go to court if he thinks his removal was illegal.



I think he has a law firm in Kumasi, so he can go to court if he thinks he does not deserve the treatment meted out to him in his removal from his post.



According to Abronye, DCOP Opare Addos case was purely security issues and it is important for him to have complied since he, himself, is a security expert and one of their core mandates is to obey before complain.



He also indicated that all the negotiations for him to leave office without any incident proved futile, thus necessitating the National Security Coordinators decision to send men to Kumasi to change the locks to the office.



DCOP Opare Addo then declined numerous invitations from the National Security Coordinator to leave his post. His continuous stay in office obstructed the work of the new officer. As if that was not enough it was alleged that his office was used for other dubious acts for his personal gain, thus aiding others to invade tax.



He was occupying that position on a contract basis and contract jobs are temporary. What he was doing was a contract for service and not contract of service. The government is the employer and has every right to terminate a contract according to the labour law if something is not right. The Labour Act emphatically directs employees on where to seek redress for unfair termination of appointment, so if he thinks his removal was illegal then he can go to court, he stressed.

Source: Peacefmonline









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
Nigerias President Muhammadu Buhari has had to put off a medical trip to London planned to begin on Friday, his office has said.



On Thursday, a statement from one of his aides said he was leaving for the UK capital for a scheduled medical follow-up".



It would have been the 78-year-olds second trip to see doctors in London this year.



He has made several visits to the UK for medical reasons throughout his presidency, which began in 2015, but the nature of his illness has never been disclosed.



No reason has been given for the postponement of this trip, but Fridays statement said a new date would be announced.



Mr Buhari has been criticised in the past for travelling abroad for treatment, especially as the country's public health service remains severely underfunded.

Source: BBC









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Pantang Hospital in the Ga East Municipal Assembly is scheduled to undergo some renovations by a 27-year old rising American entrepreneur as part of his agenda to meet the needs of mental healthcare in the country.



Disclosing his intention at the launch of the maiden edition of his book dubbed 12 Principles Of Soulful Success at the La Villa Boutique Hotel, Osu, Johnwick Nathan said that he has come to Ghana to find the need the country, especially in the mental health sector.



Speaking to the media at the launch, Johnwick Nathan noted that little or no attention is given to mental healthcare in the country as compared to other sectors; thus, he intends to start up with mental healthcare and later zone into education.



I am here to meet the needs of the people and specifically the mental health. I am here to find out the need of the people and I want to start up with mental health because I believe it is such an important area that people sometimes overlook and it is a place that is not receiving the same attention as other sectors, he disclosed.



He insisted that the Pantang Hospital project which has to do with the repair of the roof of the administration block and some areas are the starting point as that is what the assistant director of the hospital has indicated to be one of the pressing issues confronting the management of the hospital.



I am going to hire a contractor and not give them the money to repair the roof of the administration block and after that, we will start from there. Once I demonstrate that I am here to help with the repair of the roof and other areas, we will take it up from there, he said.



Johnwick Nathan posited that he chose Ghana due to the connection he has made through his Ghanaian friend ONeill after he has made his intention known to him that he wants to make a change.



he [ONeill] told me what he is doing in his country and so I took interest and I booked a trip to Ghana and so it happened that my book has been released and so I decided to launch it here. We are finding a solution to the needs and problems the country is having, he mentioned.



He stated emphatically that his ambition in Ghana is to assist a change, create awareness about mental health and also help build a mental hospital to take care of mental patients in the country.



Information about Johnwick Nathan



Johnwick Nathan is a rising American entrepreneur who at the age of 27 has transformed a passion for serving others into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. What is most amazing about his meteoric success is that its Primary Principle is love. Johnwicks belief as proven by his own experience is that maintaining a mindset of servanthood, putting the benefit of others first, is not only a highly efficient approach to your personal life but also to your business.



Johnwick Nathan was born in 1994 to the family of Miliana Joseph Leprince Nathan in Haiti in a small town called Bombardopolis. Miliana Johnwicks mother packs up her family and migrates to the United States.

Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
Seven persons have been arrested in connection with the disappearance and murder of 12-year-old Cornelius Negble at Nornyikpo in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region.



The suspects included Hunor Kofi Koko, 30, a spiritualist, 30, Kwamevi Kagbeto, 37, Anani Koko, 23, Senanu Ashitor Atsikpo, 28, Louis Etse, 25 and Fianyo Sandema 39 and Kudzo Akpatsu, 49 and father of suspect Morris, who is at large.



According to the Police, five of the suspects admitted to playing various roles in the abduction and killing of the deceased for ritual purposes and narrated how the murder was orchestrated and executed.



The Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwateng, said one of the suspects, Mr Ashitor Atsikpo who deals in human parts, told them he was aided by two assigns of Mr Hunor Kofi, Mr Anani Koko, and Mr Morris to kill the boy.



This was after they succeed in luring him into a nearby forest.





The corpse was delivered to the shrine of Mr Hunor Kofi in Nudowukorpe in fulfilment of a promise by Mr Ashitor Atsikpo to make available human parts to use in performing sacrifices in building a new deity.



Sargeant Prince Dogbatse detailed that preliminary investigations revealed Mr Senanus involvement in the murder of the little boy for ritual purposes.

He explained a second visit to Mr Hunor Kofis shrine led to the exhumation of the 12-year-old boys head while his maggot-infested headless body was kept in a sack. His kidney, heart and penis were removed.



The body has since been removed and sent to the Police Hospital in Accra for preservation and autopsy, he said. He explained it took a collaborative effort with their counterparts in Togo to arrest Hunor Kofi, who fled to the neighbouring country upon sensing danger.

All seven suspects have been remanded into Police Custody by Samuel Essel Walker after they were arraigned before the Kpetoe District Magistrate Court and would reappear on July 5, 2021.



He, therefore, urged the public to timely inform the police on suspected criminal acts to avert the unfortunate from hapoening.





Source: myjoyonline.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
Test results, often required to fly across borders, can be easily manipulated. Airlines are battling a scourge of passengers traveling with falsified Covid-19 health certificates.



The documents are often the Covid-19 test results required by many countries on arrival. The International Air Transport Association industry body says it has tracked fake certificates in multiple countries, from France to Brazil, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Border control authorities and police forces have also reported arrests of people selling documents in the U.K., Spain, Indonesia and Zimbabwe, among others.



The problem is hitting international flights more than domestic ones, which typically dont require certification at the moment. Airlines that are more dependent on cross-border travel, particularly those operating in Europe, are growing increasingly alarmed as they look to the summer, when they still hope demand will start to return.



The proliferation of fake health certificates is exposing a logistical blind spot, as airlines rush to navigate post-pandemic travel standards and retool their systems to ease complianceand spur demand. Airlines say their staff arent equipped to handle and police all the new health certifications needed and worry the problem will be exacerbated when some countries also start to ask for vaccination certificates.



At Brussels Airlines, staff have shared certificates that they have come across  including one from an incident last week  to stay abreast of the techniques fraudsters are using.







Source: The Wall Street Journal









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
Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah says Ghana's justice delivery system has internal corrective mechanisms for persons whose conviction or trial might have suffered injustice.



However, it took those with the means to trigger the law, he said.



"A well-funded national Legal Aid Scheme should be an important programme that as a nation, we should commit our resources to for our people," Chief Justice Anin said this in a speech read on his behalf at the premiering of a documentary dubbed: "The untold story of Ama Forson," at the Law Court Complex in Accra.



Ama Forson is a beneficiary of In Prison Paralegal Programme/Appeal of POS Foundation, which empowers inmates to file an appeal by themselves when their conviction or trial might have suffered miscarriage of justice because of their inability to secure a good lawyer to cross examine evidence adduced against them.



Ama Forson, a food vendor, was jailed 11 years for possession of narcotics (Indian hemp), a crime she denied and said she was innocent.



The 67-year-old was acquitted and discharged when she appealed against her conviction.



Chief Justice Yeboah, in his speech read by Justice Gabriel Pwamang, a Justice of the Supreme Court, called for the institutionalisation of POS Foundation concept of In-Prison Paralegal Programme by continuously perusing the records of convicts who had reasons to believe that they were innocent and had been wrongfully incarcerated.



He said because of the complex nature of crime, the law had an elaborate provision aimed at ensuring that whiles criminals were effectively dealt with, innocent persons were not mistakenly punished in the process of crime fighting.



"Police or prosecutors may, out of zeal or human error, present evidence, which may not be true. This evidence may enter into the records of court because accused might not have a lawyer or may have an inexperienced lawyer to cross examine on the wrongful evidence, he said.



But the system has made provision for such unfortunate slips to be corrected by appeal or review of the judicial processes."



Chief Justice Yeboah said the limitation of the corrective system, however, required money and the cost of the services of a lawyer to curtail such mishap in those instances.



The intervention of POS Foundation and its partners came in handy to assist the system to correct itself, he said, and commended the Foundation for organising a virtual court under the Justice for All Programme for inmates as the world battled with the COVID-19 pandemic.



Justice Yeboah said the Judiciary, under his watch, "is committed to our role in the fight against crime by ensuring that those who make it their business to disturb the peace of this country are punished according to the law of the country."



He noted that in recent times there had been some persons or miscreants engaged in criminal acts and pledged the Judiciary's resolve to rigidly enforce the law.



"We can only do our work if the Police and the Attorney General are able to gather sufficient evidence against those they prosecute in court."





Ms Virginia Elliot, the Acting Deputy Chief of Missions at the United States Embassy, said the greatness of a nation was measured on how it treated the marginalised.



She said the US Government was providing support by training prosecutors and lawyers on the Case Tracking System where criminal cases would be monitored from start to finish.



Mr Charles Antwi Boahen, the Chief Executive Officer of KAB FAM Ghana Limited, dealers in electrical appliances, donated a cheque for GH 20,000 to Ama Forson, who had no fixed place of abode, to start a business.



Touched by Madam Forsons plight, Mr Boahen pledged to provide her with some appliances as a start-up for her business.

Source: GNA









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga Central, Mr Isaac Adongo, has advised the government to resist any temptation to request for additional funds to spend at the upcoming mid-year budget review.



He said the current economic situation required that the government reduce its expenditure to avoid crashing the economy and burdening the citizens with more debts and taxes.

Mr Adongo, who is also the Deputy Ranking Member of the Finance Committee of Parliament, was speaking at a public lecture organised by the Coalition of Restoration (CFR), a political pressure group, in Accra yesterday.



He spoke on the theme: Ghana's economy: A victim of COVID-19 or pre-existing conditions?



The dialogue series has been initiated to stimulate discourse on critical national issues.



Implications



Mr Adongo, a chartered accountant and financial management specialist, said the government's inability to control expenditure had led to more borrowing, which had worsened the plight of the populace and the economy.



He noted that there were some worrying developments in the country's expenditure front, with debt service alone taking about 75 per cent of tax revenue, leaving behind just 25 per cent of tax revenue for critical spending.



Mr Adongo said the implications of the government's increased appetite for borrowing started manifesting in 2019 when debt servicing (interest and amortisation) expressed as a percentage of tax revenue exceeded 70 per cent.



Against that backdrop, he said, the trajectory would be maintained even in the medium term.



Citing projections by the government, Mr Adongo said the country's debt servicing risked hitting 91.6 per cent by 2024.



COVID-19 not responsible



Describing Ghana's debt servicing as the singular most important element of fiscal and public debt risk, the Bolgatanga Central legislator said it had deteriorated by 17 per cent (from 55.8 per cent of tax revenue in 2018 to 72.5 per cent in 2019).



As a matter of fact, although debt service experienced elevated levels of vulnerability in 2020 (86 per cent) with lower levels of revenue and increased borrowing, the situation of the deterioration in 2019, and flowing from the trajectory, it is clear that Ghana is in an unsustainable debt service quagmire, he said.

Mr Adongo posited that the deterioration in 2020 of about 11 per cent was far better than the 17 per cent suffered in 2019.



That, he said, was an indication that the country's current debt level was not as a result of COVID-19.



Debt accumulation



Mr Adongo said another issue of grave concern was the ability of the economy to pay for debt accumulated.



Ghana's debt-to-Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio shows that while our public debt is growing at a faster rate, the economy is growing at a slower pace, and that is unable to anchor debt sustainability.



In other words, we are not growing the income-earning opportunities of Ghanaians enough, such that Ghana can generate the pool of income necessary to ensure that we can generate significant resources from the economy to pay for and service these debts, he explained.



The debt-to-GDP ratio, Mr Adongo said, improved slightly from 56 per cent in 2016 to 55 per cent in 2017, consistent with the improvement in the economy from the seeds sowed by the previous administration.



However, from 2018, the debt-to-GDP began to worsen to 57 per cent above the 2016 levels and increased further to 62 per cent in 2019. Clearly, Ghana's economy and the trajectory of debt accumulation had long gotten worse by 2019 and could only get worse in 2020.



No wonder, then, that the end-year 2020 debt-to-GDP ratio crossed the dreaded 70 per cent mark to 72 per cent, he said.



The MP for Bolgatanga Central said what was even more worrying was that the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections showed that Ghana's debt-to-GDP in the medium-term would hit 86 per cent by the end of 2024.



Arrears



Mr Adongo, who is a Minority spokesperson on finance and the economy, said the accumulation of arrears due contractors was affecting the flow of liquidity within the financial system, as contractors could not repay their loans, which had created a cycle that resulted in a liquidity crunch.



I may be right if I attribute the supposed banking crises to the failure of the government to pay contractors who were owed in excess of GH5.7 billion. As of the end of 2020, both road and non-road arrears were estimated at some staggering GH8.2 billion, he posited.







Source: graphiconline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has inaugurated a nine-member management committee of the Parliamentary Friendship Associations (MCPFA) of the Eighth Parliament of Ghana.



The cross-party association, chaired by the Deputy Majority Leader, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin, is to promote dialogue with members of other countries legislatures.



It has the mandate to also enter into bilateral and, or multilateral relations with other legislatures of other countries which are members of the United Nations and has diplomatic relations with Ghana.



Besides, the association may establish and pursue contact with counterparts in other parliaments through periodic exchange of visits, holding of joint cultural and educational programmes, participation in activities to celebrate important events undertaken by diplomatic missions of counterpart countries in Ghana, among others.



Members



The members of the association are the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr James Klutse Avedzi, who is also the Vice Chairman of MCPFA; the Deputy Majority Whip, Ms Lydia Seyram Alhassan; the Deputy Minority Whip, Mr Ahmed Ibrahim; the Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Bryan Acheampong; the Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa.



Others include the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Akuapem South, Mr O. B. Amoah; the NPP MP for Oforikrom, Dr Emmanuel Marfo, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Bia East, Mr Richard Acheampong.



The MCPFA was first established during the Sixth Parliament under the auspices of the former Speaker of Parliament, Mr Edward Doe Adjaho, and the leadership of Parliament at the time.



The event attracted some members of the diplomatic corps.



Relationships



Inaugurating the committee in Parliament yesterday, Mr Bagbin urged the committee to co-opt three other women onto the board to bridge the gender disparity.



He said the relationship between those associations and their counterparts was characterised by several exchanges during the Seventh Parliament.



We, therefore, have much to build on and we cannot wait to reorganise all these associations while establishing new associations with other friendly countries to forge further linkages needed for global peace and development, he stated.



Global integration



According to him, COVID-19 had taught the world lesson that global integration was integral to global development as the pandemic had heightened our helplessness in our attempt to handle emerging challenges as individual countries.



As we are all aware, the world has become a global village due to the great strides made in science and technology; in the same vein, emerging challenges confronting this world tend to be transgenerational and trans-territorial.



In view of this, no nation on earth can claim exclusive know-how to emerging issues around the world. These issues therefore require countries strengthen and bond together, build stronger networks to be able to apply best practices and contribute to solving the current problems in the world, he said.



Benefits



Highlighting the benefits of parliamentary friendship association, the Majority Leader, Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, said a functioning association served as an effective tool for conflict resolutions, offered members the unique opportunity to become abreast of best practices of other Parliaments which, in the long run, impacted on their contributions to debates in their respective Parliaments.



In addition, the association also help to deepen democracies in member countries through the sharing of ideas and their exposure to best practices from other countries, he said.



The Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Columbia to Ghana, Ms Claudia Turbay Quintero, in her solidarity message, said the formation of the parliamentary associations would be of mutual benefit of both Parliaments and deepen diplomatic and institutional relationships between Ghana and other countries.



Mr Afenyo-Markin, on behalf of the committee, expressed the readiness of the committee to discharge its duty to improve parliamentary relationship with other countries.

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
Dormaa East Legislator, Paul Apraku Twum Barimah, has filed an urgent question in parliament regarding the cost of former President John Dramani Mahamas travels when he was the sitting President.



Mr Twum Barimah said the question has become necessary in order to resolve issues surrounding the cost of travels of Presidents of Ghana.



It is, therefore, important that as a country we look at collectively how we can come together to resolve all these issues.



I have filed the question to also understand how much it cost this country between 2013 to 2017 when our president [former President Mahama] was on series of travels using chartered flights, he told Joy News.

JUNE 19, 2021



This comes at a time North Tongu lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has also filed a question on the cost of the recent trip of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.



Mr Ablakwa had said The decision to travel particularly to long and multiple destinations such as the president travelling to France, Belgium, South African and back to Ghana especially during this covid time will always require a larger capacity aircraft such as a DBKJ or an aircraft ATJ 319 even when the Falcon is air ready, the Bimbila lawmaker told Parliament on Wednesday June 16.



Mr Ablakwa accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of engaging in extravagant travels.



He alleged that Mr Akufo-Addo spent an amount of GHS 2.8 million on his recent travels to only South Africa and France using the services of a private jet.



The Airbus ACJ320neo owned by Acropolis Aviation based in Farnborough, UK and registered as G-KELT, is the most luxurious and the most expensive in the Acropolis fleet. The manufacturers describe it as the most outstanding ambassador for Airbus Corporate Jets.



It costs the Ghanaian taxpayer approximately 15,000 an hour when President Akufo-Addo rents it, he alleged in a post on Facebook.







Source: 3news.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured Video
A former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has raised issues with the payment of judgement debts in Ghana.



He wondered how long the country will continue to bleed from self-inflicted wounds.



Speaking on Okay Fm's "Ade Akye Abia" programme, the one-time Communications Director at the Presidency during the late Professor Atta Mills' tenure, lamented how the former president was bequeathed with some of these judgement debts as legacies which could have been easily avoided.



"So, Judgement debt has reared its ugly Medusa-like head in Ghana again? I sat in Cabinet & saw the extent to which Prez Atta-Mills Laboured to pay Judgement debts he inherited. For how long will the Motherland continue to bleed from self-inflicted wounds? I weep for Ghana, he added.



GPGC Saga



The Commercial Court in London, reportedly refused to allow Ghana to bring a belated challenge to a UNCITRAL award worth over US$134 million in favour of a power contractor, ruling that national elections and COVID-19 pandemic, did not make the states delay reasonable.



The case started under Gloria Afua Akuffo, then Minister of Justice and Attorney General, with Godfred Yeboah Dame as one of her Deputies.



State attorneys, including Helen Akpene Awo Ziwu, Anna Pearl Akiwumi Siriboe and Grace Oppong Dolphy in Accra, were also mentioned in the case as having failed to beat a 28-day deadline.



The delay resulted in the State having to pay $170 million in damages to the claimants; Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC) located at 1 Airport Square Building, 7th Floor, Accra.



AG Bares Teeth



Meanwhile, Godfred Yeboah Dame, Ghana's Attorney General (AG), says the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Police Service, will investigate the Power Purchasing Agreement signed between the government and GPGC, which has exposed the nation to such a huge financial loss.



He said the agreement was unnecessary and ill-informed because the country did not need excess power at the time and that an inquiry would be instituted into the matter to protect the public purse.



The AG said the agreement contained clauses, which rendered the government liable for payment of huge sums of money, saying, irrespective of whether it was terminated before it became effective or not, the government was exposed to financial loss.









Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]









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
Residents of a Bangaldeshi village gather around water tanks installed with help from the Penticton Sunrise Rotary Club. The group is planning a new project in the poverty-stricken area that will focus on helping villagers earn income.
Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune.

You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.25 per week for 13 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month.
Who is Robin Goomes?

I'm a 24yo Kiwi girl and all round MTB frother!

Where are you from and where do you live now?

From the Chatham Islands a rather small and isolated Island 800km(ish) off the east coast of New Zealand, now living in Rotorua.

How did you start mountain biking?

I grew up riding motos and done some BMX racing at high school so I was always pretty into bikes. I was in the Army when a friend had just started to get into MTB and took me to the local spot in Palmerston North, we went down a grade 5 called Kissing Rock that I spent more time walking than riding but I was determined to learn how to ride that whole trail which led to me buying a bike asap.

Who are your sponsors?

Yeti Cycles, Mons Royale, Wide Open NZ, DVO NZ, POC sports, ENVE components, SDG Components, ODI Grips, Boons Valley Transport. Stoked to have such rad people backing me, thanks team!

What bike(s) do you ride?

Yeti SW B165 built up as a downhill / freeride bike.Yeti SB150 enduro bike.And a Polygon Tridd ZZ slope bike.

What is a typical day for you?

No two days are the same. I have pretty casual work so somedays it's driving MTB shuttles in the Whakarewarewa forest. Other days it's gym, ride, or both. Either pedaling in the forest, dirt jumps, or shuttles. Always keen for a mission!

What riding accomplishments are you most proud of?

Having fun, backflips to dirt, 1st at the NZ Open, and 2nd at NZ downhill nationals.

What are your strengths?

I'd say focus. Once I decide I want to do something I will follow through.

What are your weaknesses?

Most recently trip planning, admin, logistics. That stuff is a skill I don't yet have dialled.

What are you most excited for this season?

Learning! This is my first trip overseas with bikes, I have learned so much already and really pumped to just be out of NZ and getting amongst it all.

Where is your favorite place to ride?

Queenstown, NZ. I spent a lot of time there this summer, it's insane. I haven't been many places though.

Who or what inspires you?

All of the kiwi MTB riders having a crack on the world stage. It's a huge commitment to travel from the bottom of the world to attempt making it in the sport but there are so many kiwis crushing it and proving that it is all possible.

Do you have a favorite motto or saying?

If not now, when?

What you do think about the future of mountain biking?

There are some suuuper talented groms out there. I think they are on another level already and when they come through they are going to take MTB to another level!

What does the future hold for you?

After two rounds of EWS in Italy, I'll be racing the Megavalanche in France then back home to prep for Crankworx Rotorua, also maybe do a cheeky edit this summer, and keep chipping away at the dream!
Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.
The vice chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff in a letter dated Tuesday said his greatest infrastructure concern is any delay that translates to missed deadlines for plutonium pits, nuclear weapon cores to be produced, as proposed, in both South Carolina and New Mexico.

As our nuclear weapon stockpile ages, it is essential that we continue to modernize our aging DOE infrastructure, Gen. John Hyten wrote to U.S. Rep. Michael Turner, an Ohio Republican and member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Achieving production rates of 30 pits per year in 2026 and 80 pits per year in 2030, Hyten suggested, is essential to address the stockpiles aging components, support modernization, and improve safety and resiliency for an uncertain future.

The glaring predicament, though, is that the National Nuclear Security Administration no longer believes the broader demand for plutonium triggers can be satisfied on time.

The prospective Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility at the Savannah River Site, where at least 50 of the warhead components are expected to be made, could come to fruition as late as fiscal year 2035, and all of the pit work cannot be accomplished at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, according to Dr. Charles Verdon, the acting boss of the National Nuclear Security Administration.

President Joe Bidens nominee to lead the weapons-and-nonproliferation agency, Jill Hruby, a former Sandia National Laboratories director, in late May said 30 pits per year at Los Alamos was on track for 2026. Verdon, in congressional testimony Thursday, corroborated that timeline.

Older National Nuclear Security Administration environmental reviews have stated both sites could boost production and staffing to meet the 80-pits-per-year demand. But exactly when  how soon  isnt clear.

Even with a potential surge in production at Los Alamos, there remains uncertainty about that capability, especially with their history of outages, U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican, told the Aiken Standard this month. I plan on continuing frequent dialogue with both NNSA officials and military leadership to address the best strategy to mitigate this risk.

Hyten, previously the leader of U.S. Strategic Command, has described the resurrection of plutonium pit production as the National Nuclear Security Administrations highest infrastructure priority.

Our national requirement, supported by numerous studies and analyses, requires no fewer than 80 war-reserve pits per year by 2030, the general testified in February 2019. I support the NNSA plan to achieve this.

He reiterated his support in the missive to Turner: The tandem approach, repurposing the failed Mixed Oxide Fuel Fabrication Facility footprint and bolstering Los Alamos, he wrote, gives us the best chance for meeting the requirement.

Verdon on Thursday said the two-site production strategy remains the most cost- and time-efficient, despite higher-than-expected price tags and a schedule slip.
Aiken County, its Sheriffs Office and its emergency medical services (EMS) department all are being sued because of how an emergency call was handled two years ago.

Also named as defendants are Aiken County Sheriff Michael Hunt, Aiken County Administrator Clay Killian, a dispatcher identified as Jeannie Turner and John Does.

The lawsuit includes accusations of negligence, gross negligence, recklessness and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Brothers Jack Roberts and Frank Roberts filed the legal action on May 9 in the Court of Common Pleas for South Carolinas Second Judicial Circuit.

It since has been removed from that courts jurisdiction and transferred to the Aiken Division of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

The suit states that Jack Roberts had the power of attorney for his late mother, Barbara.

According to the legal action, Barbara Roberts, who lived in Windsor, began exhibiting symptoms of cardiac arrest while at home on May 6, 2019.

Frank Roberts and his wife, Brenda, also were there.

Frank Roberts called 911 and repeatedly told Turner that his mother was suffering from cardiac arrest, the suit states.

According to the legal action, Turner was rude and confrontational and seemed annoyed and frustrated that Frank Roberts was insisting his call be categorized as a cardiac arrest."

Turner hung up on Frank Roberts within 1 minute and 12 seconds of his call and didnt obtain all relevant information, the suit states.

After the call ended, defendants cameras displayed Turner bragging to other dispatchers that I hung up on him and proclaiming that she did not have time for that, according to the legal action.

Turner then improperly, intentionally and with actual malice improperly coded the call as a report of chest pain, the suit states.

As a result, according to the legal action, only one Aiken EMS unit was sent to the residence, which was inadequate because Mrs. (Barbara) Roberts condition required two units or at least three EMTs (emergency medical technicians) or paramedics.

Turners improper dispatch, the suit claims, was the reason why EMS personnel arrived without vital information, proper equipment and insufficient resources to properly care for Barbara Roberts.

The EMS worker who treated Roberts before she was transported to the hospital did not act urgently and failed to bring equipment necessary to treat her into her home, according to the legal action.

That person had to return to the ambulance to gather additional equipment, the suit states, and took approximately 17 minutes to complete industry standard life-saving techniques that should have only taken six to nine minutes to complete.

As a result of the delay caused by the negligence, gross negligence (and the) intentional, malicious, willful, wanton and reckless conduct of defendants, according to the legal action, Frank Roberts and Mrs. (Barbara) Roberts suffered severe injuries and harm, including, but not limited to, an anoxic brain injury.

In addition, Aiken County, Hunt and the Sherriffs Office, the county EMS department and Killian were grossly negligent because of their failure to supervise, train, intervene and retain employees, the suit claims. And that led to state created danger.

The plaintiffs constitutionally guaranteed rights at the federal level and their state civil rights were violated, according to the legal action.

At the time the 911 call occurred, Aiken County had a high employee turnover rate, insufficient resources and inadequate 911 dispatchers and EMS personnel, the suit claims.

The defendants failed and refused to address the problems, according to the legal action.

The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial, damages and compensation for legal expenses.

Barbara Roberts died this year on June 5 at a rehabilitation and health care center. She was 74.

When contacted by the Aiken Standard, Killian said, I do not comment on litigation that is pending.

In a text message to the Aiken Standard, Capt. Eric Abdullah with the Sheriffs Office wrote, We dont comment on pending litigation.

The Aiken Standard was unable to contact the defendants attorney, Robert D. Garfield, who filed an answer to the lawsuit on June 15 that denied many of its allegations and asked for the legal action to be dismissed because it fails to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.

Chace Hawk, the attorney for the plaintiffs, didnt return a call from the Aiken Standard before this storys publication deadline.

Aiken County recently has increased pay and taken other steps to hire and retain employees in its emergency medical services department.
GOOSE CREEK  A fire that caused more than $100 million worth of damages to the JW Aluminum plant has led to a legal battle between the metal manufacturer and its insurers over who will pay for the repairs.

The company said in a court filing that five carriers that collectively issued an "all risk policy" for its Berkeley County operations are reneging on their responsibility to cover damages from the Aug. 4, 2020, fire at the cast house.

No injuries were reported, but the blaze caused structural and equipment damage, disrupted production and delayed the second phase of an expansion at the metal plant.

The insurers have said an amendment to the policy caps their liability at $10 million, and that JW Aluminum has been uncooperative in providing documents and interviews as part of an investigation into the fire. The companies have asked a federal judge in Charleston to dismiss the case.

The fire started when two employees were draining aluminum from a holding tank into a drain mold in preparation for routine maintenance, according to court documents. The workers heard two "pops" coming from the mold and then noticed an orange glow on a steel beam 35 feet above the workspace. The combustible dust on the beam then ignited and the fire began to spread throughout the rafters.

JW Aluminum said in court documents that its insurance policy calls for up to $250 million of coverage for any incident not specifically excluded in the contract, and that fire was not an exclusion.

Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email

Sign Up!

The insurance companies said the claim falls under a "molten material" policy amendment that limits coverage to $10 million for damage directly caused by heat from molten material, such as aluminum.

"As the molten aluminum is at a temperature in excess of 1,400 degrees, such heat from the molten aluminum ignited a fire on the roof which generated a shutdown of equipment and the resulting loss," one of JW Aluminum's insurers wrote in a letter denying the larger claim.

JW Aluminum said it wasn't molten metal that caused the damage, but combustion of dust on a metal beam resulting in a fire.

The insurance company's stance "contradicts a plain reading of the policy language and South Carolina law, and is likewise contrary to the undisputed fact that JWA's losses result from a covered cause of loss  namely, fire  not from heat," the company said in its lawsuit.

A JW Aluminum representative declined to comment specifically on the lawsuit.

"While the fire was a setback, the team at JW Aluminum has shown incredible resilience and dedication to overcome past disruptions," spokeswoman Lauren Fairbanks said. "We have the full support of our stakeholders and are committed to a sustainable future in aluminum manufacturing."

JW Aluminum was founded in Goose Creek as Jim Walter Metals, a single-facility operation with 10 employees. The company  which employs about 500 workers at plants off of U.S. Highway 52 and in Russellville, Ark.  makes rolled aluminum products for about 250 North American customers. It primarily services the building and construction, air-conditioning and packaging and container markets.
Nearly four dozen South Carolina airports will pick up more than $55 million in federal aid as part of the American Rescue Plan Act's $8 billion in grants to terminals and airfields across the U.S., according to the FAA.

The money, part of the package signed into law in March by President Joe Biden, is designed to keep U.S. airport workers on the job and construction projects going as U.S. airports recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The Airport Rescue Grants keep workers employed and help the aviation sector recover as more Americans get vaccinated and begin traveling again, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement.

"These grants are part of the Administrations commitment to build back a better and safer transportation system throughout our country," Buttigieg said.

The funding provides aid to eligible airports that provide commercial service and are reliever and general aviation airfields. The money is targeted to help airports reimburse operational expenses, debt service payments and costs related to combating the spread of pathogens at their terminals.

Airports can also use the money to provide rent relief to in-terminal retail and concession companies. The funding requires that airports continue to employ at least 90 percent of their pre-pandemic employees for those airports that cover a majority of the traveling public.

Forty-five of the 53 airstrips across the Palmetto State will share the money, with the four largest airports landing the lion's share of $51.5 million collectively.

Charleston International, the state's busiest airport, is the lead recipient with almost $20 million. Greenville-Spartanburg and Myrtle Beach will see about $12 million each, and Columbia Metropolitan will receive about $7.9 million.

The only other airport to be granted more than $1 million is Hilton Head, which will see almost $2 million.

Forty other smaller airfields across the state will share the rest of the money, with grants ranging from $22,000 to $148,000.

Sign up for our new business newsletter We're starting a weekly newsletter about the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina. Get ahead with us - it's free. Email

Sign Up!

In the Charleston area, the Aviation Authority will receive $59,000 for the airport on Johns Island and $32,000 for Mount Pleasant's airfield.

Eight airports received no funding under the plan, including those in Andrews, Bamberg, Dillon, Florence, Loris, Newberry, Saluda and St. George.

For the larger airports, part of the money is awarded based on the number of annual passenger boardings while smaller amounts will go to provide relief for in-terminal concessions from rent and minimum annual guarantees that many vendors couldn't meet because of the pandemic.

Some of the money also can be used by some airports to pay the matching share of certain FAA improvement grants.

Charleston International CEO Elliott Summey said the latest round of federal aid continues to expand on how it can be used in the wake of coronavirus-induced operational losses.

"As quickly as we are coming back, if we can use some of it to help with our match, that would be fantastic," Summey said.

Charleston airport received $22.3 million during an initial round of COVID-related funding in April 2020. Much of it went to payroll protection, cleaning and debt service, while a second round of about $6 million helped with concession relief, Summey said.

Charleston airport officials have several big-ticket improvement projects ahead, including expanding the ticket hall and adding a third wing. Both of those are in the early planning stages and could begin to take shape over the next five years.

Summey said he's glad the federal government recognized the value of the aviation industry and its trickle-down effect on the overall economy.

"The more people travel, the more they spend in hotels and restaurants, giving people jobs and helping to boost business," he said.
COLUMBIA  MUSC Health University Medical Center will pay $75 million for Providence Health's Columbia hospitals as well as other Midlands medical centers, a price lower than previous offers.

The board of South Carolina's second-largest hospital system unanimously approved the purchase agreement June 25 and expects to close the deal with Tennessee-based for-profit LifePoint Health on Aug. 1, MUSC Health CEO Dr. Pat Cawley said.

The purchase includes Providence's two Columbia hospitals, KershawHealth in Camden, an emergency room in Fairfield County and associated physician practices. Any of the existing 2,000 employees of those facilities who wish to remain under the new ownership will be retained, Cawley said.

Governmental approval for the purchase by state-owned MUSC Health is expected to come before a funding authority led by Gov. Henry McMaster on June 29. The State Fiscal Accountability Authority oversees all major state projects.

McMaster did not offer an opinion June 25 about the state agency buying the private hospitals.

"I would like to see the details of the proposal," he said. Asked if he had any concerns, the governor said "the question is always what better serves the people of the state."

Buying Providence Health is the latest in MUSC's major expansion outside of its Charleston base where it had been contained for nearly 200 years before it branched outside the area for the first time with the acquisition of four community hospitals in 2019. The public, nonprofit health system receives financial support out of the state budget.

Dr. James Lemon, MUSC's board chairman, said MUSC facilities already served 1,000 patients from the Midlands last year and expects to be able to integrate itself into the community.

"This is very much a Columbia hospital," Lemon said. "I feel comfortable the people of the Midlands area will know this is their hospital."

Some of the specialties MUSC hopes to add to the Columbia market include neuroscience, orthopedics, cancer care and complex cardiac procedures, such as transplants, said MUSC President Dr. David Cole.

Sign up for our Columbia business and real estate newsletter. Get all the latest industry happenings from the Midlands, plus exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week. Email

Sign Up!

"This is a roll up our sleeves opportunity but we feel it's worth the work," he said.

The deal comes months after Prisma Health, the state's largest health care system terminated its own agreement to purchase LifePoint's facilities. Prisma, which operates three major hospitals in Columbia, abandoned its efforts April 9 after it was plagued for more than a year by legal and regulatory challenges.

Had the purchase been finalized, it would have taken the Columbia area down to two hospital systems  Prisma and Lexington Medical Center. And it would have made the state's largest system even larger.

Lemon said Prisma was poised to pay $110 million for the properties before the deal fell through and the value of the facilities are appraised at $122 million, much higher than the price negotiated by state-owned MUSC Health.

"That's just the price we negotiated," Cawley said.

Efforts to reach LifePoint were not successful. Prisma only recently learned of the deal, adding that it does not typically comment on the business strategies of other organizations.

"We will watch this with interest and await to learn of MUSCs plans to serve vulnerable populations in downtown Columbia and rural areas of Richland, Kershaw and Fairfield counties," an emailed statement from Prisma read.

The purchase will be financed with a loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which Cawley said they expect to repay within two years.

Cawley also said they do not anticipate having to spend a large amount of money on upgrades. Most of the investments will be made on the technology side to support the hospital's electronic records system.

The LifePoint deal will take MUSC to more than 2,000 beds and 19,000 employees across the state.

While MUSC has greatly expanded its reach in recent years  buying hospitals in Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Mullins from publicly traded Community Health Systems for $137 million  Providence Health is MUSC's first purchase in a competitive market. Prisma Health and Lexington Medical Center both serve the Columbia area.

"MUSC is a well-respected organization," Lexington Medical Center said in a statement. "We look forward to learning more about their plans and how they can help enhance the delivery of health care in the Midlands."
GEORGETOWN  In April, Georgetown County Council approved a 2,500-acre solar farm off of Saints Delight Road, and Santee Cooper and its biggest wholesale customer have now taken the next step to make it a reality.

In separate announcements, the Moncks Corner-based utility and Central Electric Cooperative announced June 23 the purchase of new power from four statewide solar projects, amounting to 425 megawatts.

The power will be added to the Santee Cooper system in 2023, and the largest project among the four is in Georgetown County, at 200 megawatts.

The two-pronged project called Lambert I and Lambert II is being developed by Nashville-based Silicon Ranch, which describes itself as one of the largest independent power producers in the country. It is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2023.

At 425 megawatts, or about 40 percent of the solar capacity currently installed in South Carolina, Santee Cooper said the deal expands its solar energy commitments drastically. The other three projects are in Aiken, Williamsburg and Dorchester counties, all amounting to 75 megawatts each.

We are incredibly pleased to be working with an excellent group of solar developers as we transform our power supply to one that is significantly more sustainable and less expensive," said Santee Cooper CEO Mark Bonsall in the press release.

Sign up for our Myrtle Beach weekly update newsletter. Sign up for weekly roundups of our top stories, news and culture from the Myrtle Beach area. This newsletter is hand-curated by a member of our Myrtle Beach news staff. Email

Sign Up!

Silicon Ranch said it was attracted to this specific plot because of its ability to support the necessary infrastructure, its environmental makeup, community sustainability and its sheer size.

A key benefit of this project is the $300,000 per year in tax revenue it will produce for the city, said Brian Tucker, economic development director for Georgetown County.

If we were to generate $300,000 a year of new revenue in single family homes, then we would be adding that many more cars to the streets, we would add that many more students going to schools that would then be utilizing government services, Tucker said. And we want that, but if we can get revenue that doesnt tax our services, thats even better.

This group of solar projects, Santee Cooper said, represents the first of three phases it is planning as it transforms its generating portfolio to a leaner, greener mix. Other phases, totaling about 500 megawatts each, are scheduled for later this decade and in early 2030s.

Silicon Ranch and the Georgetown project will likely have to go through county planning commission and county council once more before ground can be broken later this year, Tucker said.
MAULDIN  A national homebuilder with a presence in Greenville plans to build 266 houses on 100 acres off Ashmore Bridge Road.

D.R. Horton intends to construct the single-family homes across from the Maple Grove subdivision. Bluewater Civil Design is the engineering firm attached to the project.

Mauldin City Council voted June 21 to annex the property, which is about 1.5 miles east of Fork Shoals Road.

The developer is working with ReWa in an effort to extend sewer lines to the property along the Reedy River. No development will be approved on the land until that infrastructure is in place, according to material provided to council. On average, the homes will be priced around $350,000.

New roads and sewer lines built to support the proposed development would be publicly owned and maintained, according to the council materials.

The area in and around southwest Mauldin, particularly near Ashmore Bridge Road and Fork Shoals Road, has continued to see concentrated growth as development accelerates. There are currently 806 houses and townhomes under construction at the intersection of the two roads that will be the Arden Woods subdivision, and 610 more homes being built at the nearby Harrington development.

There were roughly 4,700 homes under construction throughout Mauldin as of late May, according to data from the city.
CAROLINA FOREST  The proposed Conway Medical Center hospital in Carolina Forest is on hold until Horry County officials are certain it won't harm a new mitigation bank nearby.

While Horry County Council approved on June 15 the second reading of the hospital project, located off of International Drive, the rezoning will not get its third and final reading until it is clear the development of the hospital will not affect the mitigation bank, which has not yet been created.

According to the state Environmental Protection Agency, a mitigation bank is a wetland, stream or other aquatic resource area that will be restored, established or enhanced. This will preserve natural habitats and balance the scales for areas where the natural habit cannot be maintained with the proposed growth.

The proposed hospital would be located next to a piece of property Horry County bought several years ago for the mitigation bank, but the hospital won't purchase the land until they know everything will work out between itself and the county.

While the mitigation bank provides an environmental purpose, the county is also reliant on the bank for mitigation credits, which the county needs to be able to build in wetland areas, county Spokesperson Kelly Moore said.

If the bank is jeopardized, it would force the county to buy the mitigation credits from the private industry, which could cost the county tens of millions of dollars.

"It's hard to guarantee anything but I can assure you that 12 of us up here are not interested in jeopardizing (the mitigation bank)," Council Chairman Johnny Gardner said.

Hospital Spokesperson Allyson Floyd confirmed Conway Medical Center is waiting on the county now, but Moore said the county is waiting on the Interagency Review Team to approve or disapprove the mitigation bank.

The mitigation bank will be reviewed by the team, which is chaired by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and made up of members from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency and more. But the Corps of Engineers will make the final decision, according to SCDNR.

Moore said the county does not have a clear timeline on when this decision will be made.

The biggest concern is whether DNR will be able to do prescribed burns, as it is necessary to maintain the natural order of the plants and wildlife around the bank.

"We all know how important those burns are," Councilmember Johnny Vaught said.

SCDNR has made it clear in multiple letters to Horry County Government it is still concerned about the continued development in an area so close to the Lewis Ocean Bay Heritage Preserve and the obstacles SCDNR could face while doing prescribed burns.

Normally, SCDNR would be in charge of managing the bank land as the long-term stewards, but in a June 15 letter to the county, the department said it is considering whether or not it will do it over concerns of maintaining the mitigation bank.

One concern is the longleaf pine savannah herbaceous vegetation, which have to be burned to thrive. The department is concerned it won't be able burn the pines with prescribed burns as the hospital creates constraints as a smoke-sensitive area.

SCDNR has not made a final decision, but has advised the county to look for other options.

The bank also faces concerns related to the RIDE III program, a major road construction fund that backs projects like the extension of S.C. 31, as well as the widening of Carolina Forest Boulevard.

The RIDE III program is what the county will use the mitigation credits for, and if the land is not burned and maintained, the county might not receive all its credits.

Credits are distributed over a five- to seven-year period, according to SCDNR, as long as the mitigation bank is able to be maintained through things like prescribed burns.

The rezoning's second reading was approved 10-1 with Gardner voting against. Councilmember Tyler Servant was not in attendance. The next council meeting is July 13, but it is uncertain at this time whether or not the hospital will be discussed.
The students knew they were working on the site of a 19th-century kitchen. Their archaeological dig turned up parts of the foundation of the structure, along with a hearth where the food was cooked.

They carefully removed the dirt  lots of dirt  filling 5-gallon buckets, then emptying them onto a quarter-inch screen used to filter the material.

The screen lets most of the loose dirt through, along with the smallest pieces of objects no longer recognizable or salvageable.

Left behind are the bigger bits. Many of them turned up during the work at 63 Coming St., just south of Addlestone Library. There were pottery shards, animal bones and something else, something that will invigorate any urban archaeologist.

Lying atop the screen after the dirt fell through was a diamond-shaped piece of brass alloy.

These College of Charleston students under the guidance of professors Jim Newhard, Scott Harris and Grant Gilmore, had found a slave badge.

It hung on someones neck, said Newhard, director of the colleges Center for Historical Landscapes. The enslaver  the owner  would put down a fee to the city and a tag would be issued, and the enslaved would then be able to be hired out to other places. The owner would get a cut, if not the entirety. Possibly, the enslaved would get something for his troubles.

For those excavating urban sites and discovering such items today, a find like this stirs mixed feelings of excitement and distress.

You just feel the evil, Newhard said.

The only wording thats still legible on the badge is Charleston and the year 1853. The rest was discovered thanks to Gilmores dentist James Warner, who X-rayed the object to reveal the word SERVANT and badge No. 731.

Digging in the dirt

Thirty-six students in the Archaeology Program were involved in the dig, which was conducted in February and March on a site where a solar-powered pavilion is to be installed. During the planning process, the project coordinators determined the pavilion was to be constructed atop a buried structure identified on old Sanborn fire insurance maps as a kitchen.

That prompted archaeology, Newhard said.

The project had received federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, conveyed to the college by the S.C. Energy Office. That meant it was subject to the National Historic Preservation Act, whose provisions require protections of cultural assets.

The archaeology team needed to figure out what was underground, and how to ensure the pavilion project didnt inflict damage.

They performed soundings of the ground and found a buried structure. During the excavations, they found bricks and a foundation, and they found what turned out to be an exceedingly helpful soda bottle.

The bottle, they discovered through research, was produced in Charleston only for two years, 1855 and 1856. This helped the team pinpoint the dates the kitchen likely was used.

They also found trash pits  an archaeologists dream find. Rummage through those and you can determine all sorts of things about the people who dumped their garbage there: what they ate, how they cooked it, what utensils they used, how much they consumed, and more.

The trash pits answered some questions and raised others. Were their contents the result of one big party, or an accumulation of regular meals over time? Who did the cooking? Who did the eating?

One thing was clear: A lot of oysters got shucked.

Working on the site literally made me hungry a lot of days, said Harris, director of archaeology. We found ham bones, chicken legs, beef bones. ... The students loved finding the bones.

Badge No. 731

Slave badges functioned as tickets or passes, enabling the wearer to be hired out by his master in a specific category of labor, such as mechanic, huckster (fruit vendor), fisher, porter or servant.

They were likely introduced in the middle 1700s, and mandated by 1764, according to the book Slave Badges and the Slave-Hire System in Charleston, South Carolina, 17831865, by Harlan Greene and Harry Hutchins Jr.

Some of the first laws passed by the newly incorporated city of Charleston in 1783 pertained to the issuance of slave badges. In the early 1800s, the laws were standardized. Badges were valid for a year and sold to enslavers at various fees depending on the category of work.

The wearer could move with a degree of freedom throughout the city in order to fulfill his obligations, Gilmore wrote in an email.

Badge No. 731 was found adjacent to the hearth in the kitchen building that was excavated earlier this year, he noted.

It may indicate that once the home was completed in the early 1850s that meals were prepared by a hired enslaved person, Gilmore wrote.

It will be difficult, perhaps impossible, to determine to whom the badge belonged.

The original City of Charleston ledger books recording the names of the enslaved and their enslavers were likely destroyed when the Orphan House on Calhoun Street was torn down in the 1950s to make way for a Sears and Roebuck, Gilmore wrote.

The badge might have been discarded after it expired, or dropped accidentally, or misplaced, Newhard said.

Harris said the other artifacts were most helpful in determining the details of the site, but the badge enabled the team to solidify the cultural significance of their work. The project was a gift to students hindered by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.

Normally, archaeology students travel to digs abroad to gain essential field experience, but that was put on hold for nearly two years because of the virus.

Generally, scratching in the dirt is required, Harris said.

When this opportunity arose in downtown Charleston, eager students jumped at it.

It was a lot of fun," Harris said. "Students learned proper methods of excavation, curation and documentation.

An important metaphor

Bernard Powers, director of the colleges Center for the Study of Slavery, said it was important for students to make the connection between their school and the institution of slavery.

But the metaphor is important, too, he said. This is something that was hidden and unearthed. It really speaks to the hidden history, and indeed the hidden hands that helped to craft and maintain the College of Charleston.

Though an emblem of the past, the badge is a reminder of all thats left to learn about urban slavery, Powers said. Mostly when we think about slavery we think about cotton and rice plantations, but the institution was deeply rooted in cities across the South and its impacts felt in myriad ways.

Although the brutality was not entirely avoidable, city life was better than the rice fields.

It was possible to learn how to read and write, to come into contact with books and information, to work as a physicians assistant while a slave, which assumes a certain level of education and intimacy, he said.

Urban slavery also helped Americans better appreciate the meaning of freedom, which seemed more pronounced when set against an entire class of people who lacked for it, Powers said.

The badge also signifies certain contradictions of the period: how a man who fought with honor against the British, proudly waving the banner of liberty, also could be an active participant in the slave trade.

The presence of slavery nurtured a sense of American patriotism and the American revolutionaries great appreciation for freedom because of what they saw, he said. So in that sense, freedom and slavery were connected. They were not complete and total opposites that people think of them as being (today).

Newhard said he hopes the badge can find a permanent home at the College of Charleston, perhaps at the Avery Research Center or the Addlestone Library. It could become part of an exhibition that focuses on the second half of the 19th century and encompasses Reconstruction, a critical period of our history that does not get enough attention, he said.

Visitors to the exhibition would gain a better appreciation for the nuances of urban slavery, the role the college played in exploiting and upholding it, and the impressive, if short-lived, effort to right wrongs in the aftermath of the Civil War.

And thanks to the excavation project, the schools archaeology students, constrained by the pandemic, finally got their hands dirty.
Meeting Street Schools, the Charleston-based nonprofit organization that runs public-private elementary schools throughout the state, awarded over 100 teachers bonuses for the 2020-21 school year.

The bonuses, which were given based on student performance, averaged around $5,000 per teacher with some receiving as much as $10,000.

They included teachers at all four of the nonprofits schools: Meeting Street Academy in Charleston, Meeting Street Academy in Spartanburg, Meeting Street Elementary School @ Brentwood and Meeting Street Elementary School @ Burns, both in North Charleston.

In the past two years, Meeting Street Schools has developed a system to assess student performance, said CEO Christopher Ruszkowski. The 2020-21 school year marked the first in the nonprofits initiative to provide annual bonuses based on student performance.

The nonprofits schools have a unique funding model. Meeting Street Academy in Charleston is completely privately funded while the public-private elementary schools in North Charleston and Spartanburg are funded through a mix of federal per-pupil dollars and private donations.

Meeting Street isnt the first school system in the area to provide bonuses  Charleston County School District, Berkeley County School District and Dorchester District 2 all distributed one-time $1,000 bonuses over the school year.

Meeting Street is the first to create an incentive program based on student performance.

In the first year of bonuses, the money came from philanthropic dollars raised by the school system, Ruszkowski said. Going forward, Meeting Street plans to include the bonuses into its base budget, which could mean public dollars will go toward the bonuses at the public-private schools.

Although Meeting Street has the help of private donors, that doesnt mean its impossible for public school districts to implement a bonus system like the one created by Meeting Street.

Ruszkowski pointed to Texas, where a 2019 law established a Teacher Incentive Allotment that allows up to $32,000 per teacher per year based on performance.

It is possible, and it is happening around the country, that schools and districts are thinking about how to do this innovative work with public dollars as well, Ruszkowski said.

Meeting Streets formula for determining how much each teacher received looked at student reading and math scores to assess growth over the school year. Any teacher whose students made over one year of growth received a bonus. Over 100 of the nonprofit's nearly 200 educators received a bonus over the school year.

Teachers with students who achieved a year and a half to two years of growth received the most money, Ruszkowski said. About a dozen teachers achieved that level of bonuses.

The bonuses were especially important after the teachers spent a year and a half adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We teach every day knowing there will be an end of year assessment to show student growth and achievement, but to have a financial incentive to recognize the growth makes the work all year feel valued and appreciated, which I know is not the same in other school systems, Kaitlin Payton, a fifth grade teacher at Meeting Street Elementary @ Burns, said in a news release.

Ruszkowski said he hopes the money will help with teacher retention and morale as South Carolina faces a growing teacher shortage crisis.

Theres never been a more important time to recognize and reward outstanding teaching that is having a dramatic effect on students' academic results and lives, Ruszkowski said.
Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations.
Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.
Jamal Sutherlands death inside a Charleston County jail cell didn't generate the national backlash of the George Floyd murder, as some had predicted, but it clearly struck a nerve, and it provided a painful illustration of how ill-equipped law enforcement is to deal with people in mental health crisis.

For evidence, look no further than the S.C. Legislatures stunningly quick and seemingly effortless response this month.

At a meeting just three weeks after video was released showing the last moments of Mr. Sutherlands life, Rep. Bill Herbkersman told the House Ways and Means Committee that he had immediately called together officials from the Department of Mental Health to figure out how we can work to prevent any more psychiatric patients from mistreatment in detention centers.

The result was a $3 million plan to give local jails access to medical professionals who can recognize and treat mental distress and to experiment with ways to divert people with mental illnesses away from jail. The package creates a tele-psychiatry team made up of mental health professionals who will be available around the clock through online connections to evaluate inmates with known or suspected mental illness. It also pays for medication for inmates with mental illnesses and creates the first of what a budget proviso envisions as a network of crisis intervention centers across the state to divert mentally ill people away from jails.

The Post and Couriers Seanna Adcox reports that the crisis stabilization unit for nonviolent arrests will use partnerships with community hospitals and will be tested in a pilot project in Columbia because that's where the Department of Mental Health is headquartered.

Mr. Herbkersman, a Beaufort Republican who chairs the budget-writing panels health care subcommittee, spent a little less than a minute explaining the plan. No one raised questions or objections, and its insertion into the state budget bill was waylaid only long enough for another representative to praise an unrelated health proposal and for Ways and Means Chairman Murrell Smith to praise the work of the subcommittee.

No one objected to the plan in the full House, or the House-Senate conference committee. No one objected on Monday when the Senate signed off on the budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1, and it easily survived Gov. Henry McMaster's veto pen.

Sign up for our opinion newsletter Get a weekly recap of South Carolina opinion and analysis from The Post and Courier in your inbox on Monday evenings. Email

Sign Up!

All of that is encouraging because in South Carolina and across the country, an inordinate number of unarmed people killed by police turn out to be struggling with mental illness. Providing better access to mental health professionals, medication and intervention programs is essential to any effort to make those encounters less deadly.

But protecting people in mental distress requires more than an appropriate diagnosis and treatment after the fact. It also requires a broader understanding within the police and prison community, and it almost certainly requires changing the training and practices that state law demands of police.

Recall, for instance, that Jamal Sutherlands family had done precisely what they were supposed to do to keep him out of danger to himself or others, checking him in at a private mental health facility. But officials there called the police after he became tangentially involved in an altercation between another patient and staff. Rather than allowing him to stay where professionals could care for him, the facility insisted that he be carted off to jail.

Recall too that he probably would have been fine if not for an insane policy at the Charleston County Detention Center requiring inmates to attend a bond hearing that state law gives them the option of not attending. Two guards used pepper spray and electric shocks in an attempt to force Mr. Sutherland out of his cell in order to comply with that policy; he died in the cell.

Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health was cited by regulators for how it treated Mr. Sutherland, and Sheriff Kristin Graziano has rescinded the bond-hearing requirement that she inherited in January. For the life of us, we cant understand why her predecessor would have ever dreamed up such a requirement. State legislators need to find out whether other jails have similar policies or others that needlessly endanger people with mental illnesses, and if so prohibit them.

And lawmakers need to deliver on their promises from more than a year ago to change policies that put innocent people needlessly in danger. That includes changes tailored to protecting people in mental distress, such as refocusing police training to teach officers how to deescalate potentially violent encounters and to recognize mental-health crises.

But it also includes other measures that will protect unarmed people regardless of their mental status, such as prohibiting police from shooting fleeing suspects in most cases, requiring officers to intervene when their colleagues act inappropriately, putting body cameras on more cops and making the video public except under extraordinary circumstances.
Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@postregister.com for help creating one.
This continues and supplements part 7 of this series, mostly with respect to Chauvins sentencing this afternoon. Im writing from the courts Media Business Center across the street from the courthouse. I will add to this post until sentence is imposed.

 More than 100 pages of briefs were filed supporting and opposing Chauvins post-trial motions. After I posted part 7 this morning, Judge Cahill summarily denied all of Chauvins motions in a two-page order. The order is posted here.

 I have the impression that Judge Cahill has had it with this case. At least some of Chauvins motions  such as the one based on the issue of venue  deserve more than his high-handed kiss-off.

 The open space in front of the courthouse building on Seventh Street is full of cameras. The atmosphere is festive. Chauvin family attorney Ben Crump is doing interviews. The circus is back in town.

 The AP has updated its preview of the sentencing with quotes from Crump and others. The story is here. AP reporter Steve Karnowski tells me they will be updating the story as appropriate.

 The State has introduced four victim impact statements, leading with George Floyds seven-year-old daughter via video. Nephew Brandon Williams and two brothers followed with statements in court.

 Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank spoke on behalf of the State. The State seeks a greatly increased sentence over the presumptive sentence set forth tin the state sentencing guidelines. He reviewed the four aggravating factors that Judge Cahill has already ratified. He seeks a sentence of 30 years.

 Chauvin is in court and has the opportunity to address Judge Cahill before sentencing, but he is in a box. He has bona fide appellate issues and he remains in jeopardy in the duplicative federal civil rights case filed against him and his colleagues. Anything he says can be used against him in a hypothetical retrial in state court and in the very real federal case that is pending against him.

 Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, addressed Judge Cahill on behalf of Chauvins family. The case has exacted a toll on her. She said Derek is her favorite son.

 Defense counsel Eric Nelson also addressed the court. He estimates that he has received 5,000 email and 1,000 voicemails from members of the public since he undertook Chauvins defense. Speaking to the impact of the case on the community, he expressed his hope that the case would ultimately have a positive impact on Minneapolis. I dont think so.

 Nelson acknowledged Floyds death as a tragedy. He asked Judge Cahill to consider mitigating factors. He was decorated for courage and service as a police officer. He has lived an honorable life. He wasnt even scheduled to work on May 25, 2020  he volunteered because his precinct was short-staffed. He urged the court to impose a sentence consistent with the guidelines  that would be 12-and-a-half years, although he asked for a sentence of time served and probation in the papers he filed with the court.

 Chauvin alluded to the federal case against him precluding a formal statement. He expressed his condolences to the Floyd family and referred vaguely to something additional that would give them comfort in the future. He cant have spoken for more than 30 seconds.

 Judge Cahill is filing a 22-page memorandum with his written sentencing order. He is keeping his oral remarks brief. He refers us to his legal analysis in the memorandum. https://www.mncourts.gov/mncourtsgov/media/High-Profile-Cases/27-CR-20-12646/MCRO_27-CR-20-12646_Sentencing-Order_2021-06-25_20210625145755.pdfThe sentencing order and memorandum opinion are posted here.

 Judge Cahill sentenced Chauvin to prison for 270 months, a ten-year addition to the presumptive sentence. With that, the hearing was adjourned.
The Business Law Section of the Florida Bar adopted a policy regulating the composition of faculty at section-sponsored continuing legal education programs. Subject to certain exceptions, the policy imposed quotas requiring a minimum number of diverse faculty, depending on the number of faculty teaching the course. The policy defined diversity in terms of membership in groups based upon race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and multiculturalism.

Im happy to report that the Supreme Court of Florida, on its own motion, has tossed this quota arrangement. It stated:

The Court recognizes and is grateful for the Bar sections important contributions to the legal profession in our state. And the Court understands the objectives underlying the policy at issue here. Nonetheless, certain means are out of bounds. Quotas based on characteristics like the ones in this policy are antithetical to basic American principles of nondiscrimination. Cf. Grutter v. Bollinger, 539 U.S. 306, 334 (2003) (To be narrowly tailored, a race-conscious admissions program cannot use a quota system . . . .); Regents of University of Cal. v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 265, 307 (1978) (numerical goal or quota must be rejected as facially invalid). It is essential that The Florida Bar withhold its approval from continuing legal education programs that are tainted by such discrimination.

(Emphasis added)

Accordingly, the court amended the states rule on continuing legal education to include this language:

The board of legal specialization and education may not approve any course submitted by a sponsor, including a section of The Florida Bar, that uses quotas based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion, national origin, disability, or sexual orientation in the selection of course faculty or participants.

(Emphasis added)

Six judges signed this opinion. One judge wrote a concurring opinion in order to further express my support for what I view as the well-intended motivation underlying the decision of The Florida Bars Business Law Section to adopt a policy aimed at meaningfully broadening participation in the instructor pool for its educational offerings. Can you say virtue signaling?

One judge dissented on the theory that a simple letter directed to the Business Law Section, communicating that [its] action may be in violation of United States Supreme Court precedent, would have sufficed. Maybe yes, maybe no.

No judge defended the legality of the quota.
Ammo Grrrll has scoped out RATS, LIARS, AND SNITCHES, Oh My! She writes:

In the Bad Olde Days of the Cold War, I was a scrawny, nervous child insomniac who worried half the night about a nuclear attack from the Commies. I worried that there was a slight possibility that my desk may not fully protect me as I hid under it during our air raid drills. I worried, similarly, that my little sister was more vulnerable in the top bunk than I was in the bottom one, and sometimes I would put her in with me in the middle of the night to protect her.

Unbeknownst to my parents, I would sometimes squirrel away canned goods and beverages in the basement, under the staircase, in a kind of makeshift bomb shelter. Yes, the five of us could surely live long and prosper on three cans of Campbell beans, an apple, two Hershey bars, and a can of Fresca as we waited out the radioactive half-life. Lest we get bored while waiting, I also included a deck of cards and the board game of Uncle Wiggly. Yes, I was every bit as prepared as the farmers in the various autonomous zones in Seattle and Portland. But, at least I had the excuse of only being 9 or 10 years old.

Since I had no more idea of how things worked than, say, The Squad, or The View, I assumed that we would still have water and plumbing and electricity and heat for the long Nuclear Winter which, frankly, would be hard to distinguish from a regular Minnesota winter. That level of naivete is not much different than the Nude Green Eel advocates belief that the planet will finally be healed as we huddle in our tents without fossil fuels or nuclear power, eating Kale Chips and praying to Gaia for a sunny or windy day.

Death by nuclear war was an unpleasant prospect, to be sure. However, what terrified me most about the culture of the Commies was the news that children were actually encouraged to report on and turn in their parents to the authorities if the kids thought they were insufficiently devoted to Communism! Who, I wondered, would DO such a thing? Or even THINK IT? Send their Mommy and Daddy to Siberia?

Well, were about to find out!

The naked and demented Emperor the Left is pretending is robed in glory and in charge has announced a see something, say something campaign encouraging citizens to report family members and friends who might be heard to say radicalized things. Things like support for the other guy in an election, for the Constitution and particularly the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, borders, the right to bear arms, the fact that there are only two sexes, horrible insurrectional stuff of that nature.

And how could such a plan POSSIBLY go off the rails? French Revolution ring a bell? Could it ever occur to someone to turn in a brother or sister if she would get a larger share of an upcoming inheritance? Or to accuse someone of WrongThink who is ahead of you in the pipeline for a promotion?

In the history of the world, when has anyone ever shafted a romantic rival to clear the playing field? King David, would you like to weigh in? (Okay, technically, he didnt turn IN Bathshebas husband, Uriah, to the authorities. He WAS the authority, but the point remains true  he manipulated things to get Uriah killed and to have his wife.)

Has anyone, anyone at all, ever LIED bald-faced about someone to the authorities for attention, money, or position? Jussie? Anita Hill? Every single wretched Kavanaugh accuser? The gay guy who said someone put a gay slur on his cake? The mayor in the recent Florida Pride March who announced that a terrorist homophobe deliberately ran his pickup into the crowd, killing a marcher? Oh, a geezer from the Gay Mens Chorus did it? Well, never mind then, but it COULD have been a terrorist. They are out there! And the greatest threat to America except for the weather.

Jumping to sick conclusions is the price we pay for that kind of eternal vigilance. Accuse in haste, repent in leisuwait, NEVER repent, never apologize.

And what about reporting REAL crimes rather than Thought Crimes to the powers that be? Arson, looting, shooting, murder, carjacking, the like? Well, you better not! There IS no real crime if it is committed by non-white people. Years ago when I would take my black/Hispanic foster son to the Mall, he liked to shop at a clothing store that catered to young black men. I noticed that one shirt featured the 3 monkeys of see no, hear no, speak no evil fame upon which it said, NO SNITCHIN. Calling the cops on real drug dealers, violent pimps, hookers on the stroll, or other neighborhood undesirables could get the informer killed, and has.

In California, anyone can legally steal just under $1,000 worth of merchandise and walk out of the store unimpeded. Clerks arent even allowed to stop shoplifting in progress. For a little perspective, when I made sixty-five cents an hour at my fathers drugstore, that would be what I grossed in about 3 summers worth of 40-hour weeks. And professional thieves get that every single day. Without consequence  to them. Of course, vast neighborhoods are now without pharmacies, but, oh well. Why put in a 40-hour work week when you can just steal?

Yeah, I know, Im just an old Boomer railing against the demise of every single norm I was raised with. Tolerance for real crime, even violent crime is evidence of your wokeness. But, siccing the all-powerful State on WrongThinkers is righteous.

Mama had zero tolerance for petty tattling. Granted, she was not dealing with violent children. She was hearing things like Mooom! Susan is repeating everything I say. (With the faint echo of Moooom! Susan is repeating everything I say, coming from another room). Or Mooom! Jimmy is almost touching me. Reporting crimes of that nature was a waste of time. Whatever the offense was  and Im sure everyone with siblings can agree that the two examples are, indeed, intolerable  she considered tattling on your sibling to be worse.

Well, get ready for Sanctioned and Encouraged Tattle-Tale Nation. From E Pluribus Unum to Show me the Conservative, Ill show you the crime, in a couple short generations. Heres a radical idea: RESIST. Fight back against all the little Beria Mini-Mes.

Oh, by the way, I am selling some paintings. List price: half a million. I figure I only have to sell one or two. In the upper right hand corner, each one will have a nice little yellow sun with plenty of sun-beamy rays, because that is what I did in EVERY artwork I ever made. Call it the Sunny Collection as opposed to the Joe Bidens Sonny Collection. Is there NOTHING that degenerate, racist crackhead wont monetize while the gettin is good?
A satellite tracking antenna built by Kevin Doherty. This antenna tracks some off the 100 private satellites but into orbit by Amateur, or ham Radio operators from all over the world.
Umar Danbatta, executive vice-chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has urged Nigerians to imbibe reading culture for a better knowledge and information.

Mr Danbatta, a professor, said this at the 2021 Library/Museum Day on Thursday in Abuja.

He described library as a learning resource assessed by its level of currency in its quality, quantity and variety of the stocks.

Mr Danbatta said that an important component of the library resource is the e-section, which allows electronic link-up and access to more databases and information.

He called on the commission to continue to seek ways to maximise the library resource in meeting its mandate and expanding knowledge and information.

The library is a learning resource. The stock of a library is normally assessed by its level of currency, what is the quality, quantity, variety of the stock. We must be able to embark on assessing the whole thing.

An important component of the library resource is the e-section. The e-section is the section that allows you to link up and access more data bases for information.

When we assess the library, we pay careful attention to the ability of users to access more data bases electronically.

The most importantly thing is for you to be able to sight a reference that is credible. The library is a component of the entire learning process.

I believe the outcome of todays event will help change our reading culture, if you dont have a reading culture, please try and acquire one, it is very important to read. It will motivate us to have a critical look of innovations, he said.

Speaking further, Mr Danbatta said that the theme: The Future of Museum, Recover and Re-Emerging captured the purpose of the commissions special museum dedicated to the telecommunications industry.

He said that it was important to collect exhibits and conserve telecommunications items to enlighten and educate stakeholders.

Museums generally play important roles in the society by observing the past and appreciate the future through providing insight into the history of a people and educating a future of generations, Mr Danbatta said.

Abba Isa -Tijani, Director General, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Nigeria (NCMM), said Museums play crucial role in preserving local culture with careful documentation and artifact preservation of institutions and sectors.

Mr Isa-Tijani, represented by Kilba Zainab-Uche, assistant director, museums, said that the museum sector must move with new trends of technology development , adding that the traditional roles of museums in development could not be underestimated.

He applauded the commission for setting the standard for other institutions and pledged to support the museum whenever the need arises.

The NCC has a museum where significant and historical telecommunications objects are exhibited, this is historic.

So the new role of museums in the digital era is till emerging. The museum is not yet completely digital because there is the need to converge both the new and traditional.

ADVERTISEMENT

If the traditional role is completely phased out, it will create a problem because from time to time you will have to go back to your past in order to know where you are in the present and to forge ahead, he concluded.

(NAN)
Afrobeat musician, Made Kuti, is still basking in the success of his recent debut headline gig at The New African Shrine and is set to hold a solo gig.

The exclusive showcase event tagged An Evening With Made Kuti is scheduled for July 2 at the fit-for-purpose Terra Culture Arena, Victoria Island, Lagos.

For his second solo headline gig, Made said he will introduce his own band, The Movement to a colourful audience comprising his growing young army of fans, music connoisseurs, brands, diplomats among others.

Made told PREMIUM TIMES, The aim is to extend my performance beyond the New Afrika Shrine and create opportunities for new fans and brands alike to experience my art.

This special showcase will create quality engagement and reach an audience composed of young adults, business professionals, and expatriates who enjoy Afrobeat and support the Kuti legacy.

The grandson of Fela Kuti and son of Femi Kuti gave a foretaste of what to expect at his forthcoming gig when he performed his first show at The New African Shrine alongside his newly-formed band, The Movement.

Together, they performed songs such as Mades single, Free Your Mind and his stellar rendition of Felas Trouble Sleep.

Shortly before this, the multi-talented instrumentalist released his debut album, For(e)ward in February 2021.

It was packaged together with his fathers album Stop the Hate.

Both albums made up separate sides of a double album titled, Legacy+. Made features on both projects, playing bass on Stop the Hate and every instrument on For(e)ward.

About Made

Mades early years were spent growing up in The New Afrika Shrine. As the son of Femi and grandson of Fela, he was surrounded by music early on fiddling with instruments as a toddler.

He played the trumpet at three, took to the alto sax at five years old, picked up the piano at eight years old, the drums and guitar at 12, and the bass at 15.

As a child, he toured the world with his fathers Positive Force band, playing legendary venues like Glastonbury and the Hollywood Bowl at the age of eight.

He studied at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London  where Fela attended

and is a multi-instrumentalist composer who plays up to six instruments including the saxophone, trumpet, guitar, bass, and more.

On most days, he said, he practices intensely for up to seven hours, moving seamlessly from instrument to instrument.

He enjoys genres such as Jazz, Alternative Rock, and of course, Afrobeat  all of which have helped fashion his own unique musical style.

Packaged by FK Management, An Evening With Made Kuti is made possible in partnership with Legend Extra Stout, Mainstreet Capital, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS).

ADVERTISEMENT
A Yoruba actor, Deji Aderemi, popularly known as Olofa Ina, has accused his colleague Iyabo Ojo and comedienne Princess of pranking and setting up Omiyinka Olanrewaju (Baba Ijesha).

The 71-year-old movie star, who was one of the Yoruba actors who showed up at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja in solidarity with Baba Ijesha on Thursday said this while addressing journalists after his colleague was granted bail.

PREMIUM TIMES previously reported that Baba Ijesha was arraigned before the Special Offences Court in Lagos on charges of sexual assault, indecent treatment of a child, and sexual assault by penetration.

Baba Ijesha is under investigation by the Lagos State police command on allegations of rape and has been in police detention since April 22 for the alleged offence.

The actor is being accused by a Nigerian comedienne, Princess, of raping a minor (when she was 7-year-old) who was kept in her care.

Iyabo Ojo ridiculed me

Olofa Ina, who featured in the first-ever home video production by Alade Aromire titled Ekun in 1989, said he found it hard to believe that Baba Ijeshas alleged rape case became a court issue.

He said he made several steps to intervene in the situation, which ended in disrespect to his age/status.

He said, Theres no actress in our industry now that can claim to be untouched. But they pranked him and set him up. I know those who had a hand in this issue wont end well because they cant say they werent lovers before now.

I came to court today to learn and see if truth still exists in Nigeria. Ive never heard it before that actors take themselves to court.

He also revealed that he called Iyabo Ojo privately and pleaded with her because she is not as old as he is. According to him, people often get wealthy and have no regard for humans and elders.

The actor said Ms Ojo said, Come off it Baba! its not how far but how well. She replied that I cant let such happen to my own daughter. I told her that Im talking to her as her father, then she cut the phone abruptly. She disrespected me.

Princess is not as vocal as Iyabo Ojo, despite being the affected person. I begged Iyabo Ojo, same as Iya Rainbow and Igwe. We know her story and we have all the details about how she got to the level shes in now too, but we dont want to open it up because it is nothing new to us.

He also revealed that all persons involved in the alleged rape case were not members of the umbrella body of Yoruba actors and filmmakers, TAMPAN.

Bail

Meanwhile, Oluwatoyin Taiwo, the judge, granted the defendant, Mr Omiyinka, bail in the sum of N2 million.

She said bail is a constitutional right and not a discretionary right.

The second surety shall be a legal practitioner as suggested by the defence counsel. The surety shall present evidence of bar and shall swear an oath to the affidavit, Mrs Taiwo said.

She added that the legal practitioner must have a residence and an office address in Lagos and enter a monetary bond of N1 million to be deposited with the chief registrar who shall approve the surety.

Baba Ijesha has been in detention since April 22.

ADVERTISEMENT

The trial was adjourned to July 27.
ADVERTISEMENT

To describe someone as transphobic and call her a murderer for simply refusing to commingle feminism with transgender activism is to miss the whole premise of the LGBTQ campaign, which is about respecting individual choices and differences, even when they dont align with yours. Cyber bullying and reverse discrimination are also not behaviours to be encouraged.

There is a raging showdown between two literary amazons, both of whom have played crucial roles in shaping contemporary African literature and helped in expanding its global appeal. I am losing quite a bit of sleep. My initial approach was to let time sort things out, as prior experiences confirm. On second thought, however, I decided that it is better to summon the two erring sisters to a court where chiefs with red caps festooned with feathers wield the big stick. At least, this should serve as a cautionary tale, while also offering a teachable moment to those who would rather wash our dirty linen in the full glare of the public and dare Amadioha in his face.

Tufiakwa!

You know that you are inching closer to the twilight zone when all of a sudden you start feeling like the moral arch of the universe rests upon your shoulders. It comes with that feeling of a weighty responsibility to wade into every crisis and intervene even between those who have zero idea of your existence. May God help.

Akwaeke Emezi. Gosh! How I love that soul. Even her name alone is awe-inspiring and in Igbo anthroponymy, it translates to a Unicorn. I know! Funny enough, before now I had only chanced upon some of her writings, mostly as short stories in the Brittle Papers, an African literature platform. Its just recently that I learnt of the body of work that clearly defines her as a multi-talented video artist and accomplished writer, who has been nominated in many literary categories and had gone on to win multiple awards.

Emezi currently signed a two-book deal with Riverhead Books. The first of the two, a New York Times best seller called, The Death of Vivek Oji was released in August 2020 and the second one is titled, Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir.

Her debut novel, Freshwater, which explores the Igbo con,cept of gender and spirituality vis-a-vis Western culture, was named a New Yorker Best Book of the Year and received glowing reviews from reputable organisations like the New York Times, Los Angeles Time and even The Guardian. In 2019, Freshwater was nominated for the Womens Prize for fiction which was historic in the sense of being the first of its kind by a transgender author.

Problem started when Chimamanda granted an interview to UKs Channel 4TV in March 2017, in which she stated that a trans woman is a trans woman. By that, she was attempting to draw the distinction between the experience of women born female, as opposed to those of trans women. Chikena.

Talking about gender, Emezi identifies as non-binary. She is a strong advocate of the LGBTQ community, championing transgender rights and drawing inspiration from the late Binyavanga Wainaina. Its not totally surprising, therefore, that gender identity and the politics of it are at the front and centre of her public spat with a former mentor and world-famous author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

With the serendipitous discovery of Emezis treasure trove of literary work, I arrived at two conclusions. First is that the feud comes with its own silver lining for those of us late to Emezis party. The second is that if her wish as the underdog in this fight is to gain more visibility and claim a greater market share in the literary space, she may have achieved that beyond her wildest dreams. But truth be told, there is a different dimension to this issue that is beyond the literati, which is why the New York Times, Guardian, NPR and even the Daily Mail picked up the story and ran with it.

Problem started when Chimamanda granted an interview to UKs Channel 4TV in March 2017, in which she stated that a trans woman is a trans woman. By that, she was attempting to draw the distinction between the experience of women born female, as opposed to those of trans women. Chikena.

Following that interview, she was excoriated and roundly condemned by a section of the LGBTQ community as being transphobic. Even the series of subsequent media statements and Facebook posts, in an attempt to douse the fire and showcase her long track record of support for LGBTQ rights, were not enough to stop her trolls. Emezi was particularly disappointed and deeply incensed, feeling that such statement was emblematic of the culture of transphobia that exists in the larger society. She called Adichies statement not just a serious betrayal by a friend, mentor and role model but also a denial of her existence as a transwoman. And she made that known publicly. Oh dear!

Of course, we may never know all that transpired in a long-term relationship between two friends gone awry but certain inferences could be made, sorting through their correspondence. It appears that Emezi later realised her mistake of lashing out in public, wrote an apology letter and hoped to warm her way back into Chimamandas world. The latter, very angry and feeling betrayed by someone she went out of her way to help, played the defence and rebuffed all the subsequent overtures. Having tried repeatedly without success, Emezi got frustrated, called Chimamandas bluff and went full scale on the offensive. She called her a murderer and from what we heard, launched a scorched-earth social media campaign to discredit Chimamanda. Not only that, she went on a mission to permanently damage her brand. Mba nu!

Like all art aficionados, one is deeply burdened by the ugly ramifications of this fight, given its tendency to polarise people and force the family of African writers to take sides. But this is not the first time it will happen. There is a long history of feuds between writers and Im convinced that the two will settle scores, knock themselves over a couple of times, but in the end, each will get up and be just fine.

People often say that all is fair in love and war but that is not necessarily true. Or why do we have the International Court sitting in Hague, which tries war criminals? Believe it or not, it is expected that even in war situations, rules of engagement still need to be upheld. Its human nature to be angry and act out but the response should also be commensurate to the perceived wrong. In this fight, Ms Emezi took no prisoners.

To describe someone as transphobic and call her a murderer for simply refusing to commingle feminism with transgender activism is to miss the whole premise of the LGBTQ campaign, which is about respecting individual choices and differences, even when they dont align with yours. Cyber bullying and reverse discrimination are also not behaviours to be encouraged.

Hopefully this one issue may offer a window of opportunity into discussing the relationship between the transgender and cisgender, heterosexual and LGBTQ in general, in order to define expectations on each side. As the campaign to educate more and more heterosexual people about LGBTQ rights and the push for increased sensitivity to gender fluidity is being ramped up, its important to educate the other side as well. The crucial need to support LGBTQ rights and interact with the community in a respectful and non-threatening way is something that a whole lot of people are still struggling with and it remains work in progress.

Though its not yet uhuru and a lot more needs to be done to protect such a vulnerable population, we should also acknowledge that tremendous progress has been made in these past few years. With increasing public enlightenment and awareness, many are now evolving from an initial hardline position to that of showing willingness to listen and learn. More effort should be channeled, however, in that direction. Even though one can sense the impatience in opting for such a slow and time-consuming process, the alternative is to adopt a fire brigade approach meant to blackmail or beat every questioning voice to shape. Such method is unlikely to help in the long run and would only amount to conversion without conviction.

Like all art aficionados, one is deeply burdened by the ugly ramifications of this fight, given its tendency to polarise people and force the family of African writers to take sides. But this is not the first time it will happen. There is a long history of feuds between writers and Im convinced that the two will settle scores, knock themselves over a couple of times, but in the end, each will get up and be just fine. What is more worrisome, however, is the unintended consequences when two elephants fight. The problem is the grass being trampled upon in this case takes the form of all forgone alternatives. Not in the least is the squandered opportunity to beam a searchlight on the human carnage that has since become an everyday Nigerian story.

Osmund Agbo, a public affairs analyst is the coordinator of African Center for Transparency and Convener of Save Nigeria Project. Email: Eagleosmund@yahoo.com
Morgan Agidi, 84, stood at the eroded shore of Abari creek, gesturing as he spoke about the havoc flooding has wreaked on the living and the dead in his community.

Most of our (late) fathers, their bones are now in the river. When they die, we bury them but erosion carries them away into the river, the octogenarian said.

Abari is one of the communities on the bank of the River Niger in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State. The town is on the verge of becoming a historical reference with the yearly flood gradually washing it into the river.

According to a research paper by Adaku Echendu, the erosion is caused by the Niger Delta coastal flood, which has left no fewer than three million persons displaced.

It is estimated that the town loses about five to six houses and farmlands to the flood annually.

This leaves many in the town and other coastal areas with only the option of relocation from the area or taking temporary accommodation with the few whose structures are yet to be impacted.

A study has shown the havoc that the Niger Delta coastal flood causes annually. Climate change vulnerability is a major issue of urgent policy attention among poor coastal regions.

The Nigerian Environmental Study /Action Team (NEST) reported that sea-level rise and repeated ocean surges will not only worsen the problems of coastal erosion but will increase the problem of floods, the intrusion of seawater into freshwater sources and the ecosystems. These will affect agriculture, fisheries, and general livelihoods.

A prediction in 2007 by the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says rising global temperatures will contribute to an upsurge in several floods, drought, glacier melt, and sea-level rise.

In developing countries, the pressure is expected to intensify especially on land and water resources, disrupt agricultural production and threaten food security.

The treasurer of Abari town, Peremobowei Dakromoh, said erosion is an age-long problem, which he grew up to understand as a norm.

Normally, human beings die before houses. But in this community, houses die before human beings, he said.

Still, in his late twenties, Mr Peremobowei said his family members had been victims of the disaster. Stretching his hands in the direction of the waterside and snapping his fingers, Mr Dakromoh said the house his late father built was swept off by erosion.

He said the government has turned a blind eye to the plight of the residents.

Abari community is the first ward of Patani local government but we no know if we be part of this Nigeria, he lamented in pidgin English.

Difficulties with farming, business

Mr Peremobowei said the main occupations of the residents are farming and fishing, but farmers and fishermen have problems taking their products to markets outside the community because there are no motorable roads.

According to him, farmers now take their goods to the nearest market through wooden or engine boats, which he said adds between N7,000 and N10,000 to their transportation cost.

This could be half the value of the whole farm product, resulting in little or no gain, he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Izon-Ebi Gobagha is the secretary of the towns association. He said moving crops from the farm to the nearest village for sale is even harder when the flood comes.

Sometimes the floods scare many farmers because sometimes our boats sink, she said.

The communitys youth association chairman, Ogbotobo Godday, said farming activities have drastically reduced in the community.

This community used to produce about 3,600 tonnes of yam every year, but there is nothing to write home about the figure anymore. It is frustrating.

A young farmer, Ogboteh George, said the flood has dealt badly with farmers in Abari.

It (flood) has affected us so badly; so much that youth outside the community can be seen owning houses, owning okada, owning cars but we in this community have nothing.

Even at our farms, when we plant our crops, they get flooded within a year, killing our crops. We are so sad about this, to be very honest, Mr Ogboteh said.

Hospitals, others affected

It is not only the economic endeavours that are suffering, other parts of peoples lives are also affected in the community.

There is no functional health centre or hospiral in the community and ill residents have to seek help from neighbouring communities.

We are begging the government to come and help us because we are suffering. Imagine people who are sick, before we call a boat from the nearest community, the person would have died. In short, I want to believe we are not part of the local government in Delta State. They forget us in every aspect of development, Mrs Gobagha said.

Similarly, Mr Peremobowei said, the educational sector in the town has also been affected.

He said teachers often reject posting to the community, because there are no motorable roads and most of them are afraid to travel by water.

NDDC intervention and failed government efforts

The National President of Abari Union, Peter Pibowei, said the community had made a series of appeals since 2012 to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other government agencies for the construction of shorelines and motorable roads. He said the appeals were all ignored.

Also, a former Chairman of Patani Local Government Area, Perez Omoun, said he had written articles, letters, and recommendations to the state and federal governments on the problems of Abari.

NDDC, which was set up to address infrastructure deficit and other developmental challenges of the region, has made little impact in the region.

According to the commissions website, in 20 years, the NDDC has awarded over 9,445 projects in the Niger Delta region. It awarded a few projects in Abari too, as shown in the table below.

PROJECT YEAR AWARDED PROJECT CONTRACTOR PROJECT STATUS Construction of Home Economics, Fine Art & ICT laboratory at Abari Patani LGA, Delta state May 07, 2013 ACTIONWORKS LTD Not started Construction of Cottage Hospital in Abari, Patani L.G.A, Delta state May 31, 2012 SHADY BRIGGS NIG. LTD Ongoing Construction of Abari Road, in Patani L.G.A, Delta State May 28, 2012 KEMEZ CONSTRUCTION NIG.LTD Ongoing Installation of 1NO. 300KVA, 33/0.415KV Transformer at Abari community, Delta state Sep. 06, 2010 LAURINCO NIGERIA LIMITED Ongoing.

However, this reporter tracked the ongoing projects in the community and saw no evidence of recent progress.

The communitys chairman, Abraham Zitubboh, told PREMIUM TIMES that the shorelines project was proposed but not executed.

In 2018, a contractor from the NDDC came, taking feasibility studies, designs or whatever and left. Till today, nothing has been done, he said.

PREMIUM TIMES later found out that the feasibility study was assigned to Yemi Fasuyi, a consultant working for the commission.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Fasuyi confirmed that in 2018, the NDDC sent him to conduct a feasibility study of the area to include the length, sea depth and pilling of shorelines.

He revealed that the report of the study with its cost has been on his desk since 2018 because we are still debating it.

Mr Fasuyi said he was not sure if the shoreline contract had been awarded. But he added: Even if they want to start construction, another feasibility study needs to be taken because every year, the shore keeps collapsing and the sea depth keeps deepening.

Residents of Abari lament the attitude of the government to their plight.

Since I came to this town 40 years ago, we have been pleading with the government to help the town, Mr Agidi said.

They promised us heaven on earth, that they were going to help us and that we should show them where they were going to put their materials. When they came, they arranged all their materials and left. Till today, we have not seen them again, Mr Agidi said.

Oladapo Soneye, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation, said there is a need to evacuate the area before any action is taken.

The first thing to even rescue the situation is evacuation, he said. Taking residents to a safer place because there is no way they may get help immediately and even if it is immediately, it will still take a while before any result.

In addition, Mr Soneye recommended that infrastructure like groynes which interrupt water flow, strong solid shorelines and canals be built to manage the situation.

Mr Soneye further warned on the future of communities in coastal areas experiencing floods.

If actions can be taken by the government and corporations on time, we can save the situation but if nothing is done, these communities in coastal areas will disappear into the water with people being displaced. In like 20-30 years from now, you wont hear anything about these communities, he warned.

Support for this report was provided by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ) through funding support from Ford Foundation.
The Nigerian education sector has, in the past months, been badly hit by incessant mass abductions of students in the northern parts of the country.

This has been identified as a major threat to the advancement of education, particularly in the Northern region, which has the highest rate of out-of-school children in the country.

The recurring pattern before this year is that the mass abduction is executed one after the other but this has seemingly been distorted as different categories of students from different states are being held in captivity simultaneously.

The dynamics, however, points to the thriving business of banditry as criminal gangs have taken advantage of ineffective governance and weak security presence to continue their reign of terror in villages and schools.

The bandits maintain hideouts in the forests, especially the Rugu forest, which links Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Niger states.

PREMIUM TIMESs review showed that three categories of students are yet to be released after spending weeks with their abductors.

The three groups are the most recent of the 11 mass abductions of students carried out since 2014, according to a timeline published by this newspaper.

Islamic school pupils in Niger

On Sunday May 30, bandits abducted 136 pupils of Saliu Tanko Islamic school in Tegina, a densely populated town in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

The school, which consists of nursery and primary schools, also hosts Islamiyya students in the evening and at weekends.

Two parents died of shock after hearing of the incident, this newspaper gathered.

One of the teachers, Yakubu Idris, said the bandits demanded N150 million as ransom but nothing is forthcoming from the poor parents.

Earlier in the week, the state governor, Sani Bello, said a combined security force, comprising the military, police, civil defence, and vigilantes would be sent to the forests to rescue the abducted school children.

Governor Bello said that it was time for the government to take decisive action towards ending the bandits activities that are forcefully changing the lives of the people especially in the rural areas.

We have to try our possible best not to make them succeed in forcing us to change our normal lives. They started by displacing farmers from their farmlands, next moved to burning farms, then moved to kidnappings and forcing us to close our schools, now they have started attacking Islamic schools, only God knows what is next, he said.

He told the special squad that logistic materials had been provided for them, promising that their allowances and other financial benefits will always be provided as at when due.

The headmaster of the school, Abubakar Alhassan, said the action of the government to go into full combat is a welcome development provided that their children will be brought back safely.

Mr Alhassan said 15 of the teachers have escaped from the hands of their abductors in Zamfara State and are in a military facility in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, where they will be handed over to the Niger State Government soon.

Polytechnic students in Kaduna

Less than two weeks after the Tegina kidnap, eight students of the Kaduna State government-owned Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic in Zaria were abducted.

ADVERTISEMENT

PREMIUM TIMES reported how bandits attacked the UPE campus of the institution, kidnapping lecturers, with many students missing.

It was also gathered that a Higher National Diploma (HND) student, who earlier sustained injuries from a gunshot, died the following day.

Although the management of the state-owned Polytechnic have reopened the institution for academic activities, the abducted students are yet to be released.

A staffer of the institution, Hadiza Mohammed, told PREMIUM TIMES last Friday that those kidnapped had not been released.

The students and lecturers kidnapped are still in the captivity of bandits. We do not have any information about their release. Meanwhile, the family of one of the kidnapped students has said the bandits have contacted them, she said.

Unity College students in Kebbi

Exactly a week after the attack on the Zaria polytechnic, another criminal gang stormed Federal Government College (FGC), Yauri in Kebbi State.

Aside from kidnapping an undisclosed number of students, the bandits killed a security officer 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.

A few days after the abduction, the army later announced the rescue of about 10 students and three staff of the learning institution.

The Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu, has vowed to lead a search and rescue mission into the forest where over 100 students are believed to be held by their kidnappers.
ADVERTISEMENT

A Nigerian senator who was accused by a government agency of using 11 companies as fronts to secure for himself a N3.6 billion contract has joined Nigerias ruling party,.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday welcomed the senator, Peter Nwaoboshi, to his party, saying you are welcome to the progressives family.

Mr Nwaoboshi, formerly of the Peoples Democratic Party, represents Delta North District in the Senate. He was presented to President Buhari and the National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) at the State House by Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Mr Omo-Agege said Mr Nwaoboshis decision to join the APC clearly shows that the effort of the CECPC was yielding fruit.

The senator was warmly welcomed by party members, presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu said in a Friday statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

Nwaoboshi enmeshed in NDDC scandal

Amidst the various allegations and counter allegations of fraud in the NDDC last year, the Niger Delta minister, Godswill Akpabio, in July, accused federal lawmakers of corruption and poor job delivery in the NDDC, saying that most of the commissions contracts were executed by the lawmakers.

The NDDC had earlier in June last year accused Mr Nwaoboshi of using 11 companies as fronts to secure for himself a N3.6 billion contract in the commission. The contract was not executed and the money not refunded, the commission said.

The NDDC spokesperson, Charles Odili, had said the contract was the biggest single case of looting of the Commissions resources.

Mr Nwaoboshi is the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta and the NDDC and like other named lawmakers denied any wrongdoing. Nobody has been convicted for the various allegations of fraud in the NDDC and a government-ordered probe has not been concluded.

Mr Akpabio, who once said the NDDC abandoned $70 million in a bank for 13 years, said the commission was so corrupt that it was treated like a teller machine where money could be withdrawn freely at any time.

Interestingly, Mr Akpabios tenure as the Niger Delta affairs minister has also been blighted by the corruption scandals in the NDDC.

I said it on radio the other day, why did it take us 20 years to know that NDDC was not living up to its mandate? said Ken Henshaw, the Executive Director of We The People, a non-governmental organisation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

It was created in 2000 and it took us up to 2020 to realise that the NDDC wasnt working.

The same thing with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs. Have we carried out any evaluation to know whether the ministry is living up to its mandate?

I think we should put robust monitoring and evaluation frame-work in place to ensure there is a match between projects and objectives and to ensure that those projects actually speak to the issues in the Niger Delta region, Mr Henshaw said.
A court document has revealed how Lauretta Onochie, a presidential nominee for a sensitive Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) position, proudly declared her membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ms Onochie, currently the Personal Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Media, also confirmed in the document obtained by PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, that she is into active politics.

She also described herself as a volunteer at the Buhari Support Organisation (BSO), a vibrant network of Mr Buharis staunch political supporters since the 2015 elections.

The document, which is her statement on oath filed in a pending suit, further confirms her widely known unapologetic partisanship, which has sparked public outrage against her recent nomination by Mr Buhari as a national commissioner of INEC.

She filed the statement on oath as part of a libel suit which she instituted at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, in 2016.

In the suit marked CV/852/16, Ms Onochie seeks N1 billion in damages against Emeka Ugwuonye, whom she accused of defaming her by referring to her as a trafficker of young girls for international prostitution, in a Facebook post of January 21, 2016.

The suit was amended and refiled on March 8, 2017.

PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that Ms Onochie has appeared as a witness in the suit which is pending before Sylvanus Oriji, a judge in the Apo Division of the FCT High Court.

She was cross-examined by the defence team only last year, precisely on February 26 and March 3, 2020, when she also adopted all her claims contained in her statement on oath as true.

The lawyer she engaged to file the case is Festus Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who is the incumbent Minister of Labour and Employment in Mr Buharis cabinet.

Mr Keyamo is a top APC figure from Delta State like her.

As her screening for the INEC job approaches amid growing public condemnation of her nomination for the appointment, a law firm has written to the Senate denying that she is a member of APC.

The onus to prove whether Lauretta Onochie is a card-carrying member of any political party, therefore, rest on her accusers, the lawyers wrote without stating that they were acting for Ms Onochie.

Self-confirmation

The court document obtained by this newspaper has, however, removed every doubt about her membership of APC and her strong political bias for the political interests of Mr Buhari.

She made the disclosure in the document, bragging to be an educationist and active politician, whose reputation was injured by the Facebook post complained of in her suit.

She stated that with the words used in the post, her reputation has been seriously injured in her character, credit, reputation and integrity and has been brought to public scandal, odium, and contempt and has suffered damage.

I am an educationist having served as Headmistress of Aunt Margaret International School Calabar and Principal of Holy Child Secondary School, Calabar. I have also served as a Lecturer at the Epping Forest College Essex United Kingdom, she said of her career as an educationist.

Regarding her political career, she said, That I am also engaged in active politics and a member of the Neighbourhood Watch and has also contested the Local Government elections under the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom.

ADVERTISEMENT

DOWNLOAD COURT DOCUMENT HERE

I am also a member of the All Progressives Congress and a volunteer at the Buhari Support Group.

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES over the phone on Friday, Ms Onochie requested that our reporter send her the enquiries in a text message.

She has, however, yet to respond to our reporters text message asking if she instructed the lawyers who sent letter to the Senate denying her membership on the APC, and if she still stood by her statement on oath affirming her membership of the party.

She did not answer our correspondents subsequent call.

Background

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on October 13, 2020, read a letter from President Buhari requesting the confirmation of three nominees as INEC National Commissioners and one Resident Electoral Commissioner.

Ms Lauretta Onochie, who hails from Aniocha Local Government Area of Delta State, was nominated as National Commissioner of INEC to represent the South-south region.

Eight months after her nomination, the Senate, on June 9, referred Ms Onochies name to its Committee on INEC to commence her screening for the appointment.

Many Nigerians have condemned her nomination due to her unhidden partisanship.

The Nigerian constitution explicitly prohibits the appointment of a person like Ms Onochie, who belongs to a political party as an INEC national commissioner. Credible voices including senior lawyers, civil society groups and media organisations have also said this.

Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism (PTCIJ), YIAGA Africa and nine other civil society groups, in their June 16, 2021 petition to the Senate, rejected Ms Onochies appointment to INEC on many grounds, including her partisanship.

They cited section 156(1)(a) and Third Schedule, Part 1, Item F, paragraph 14 (1) of the 1999 Constitution, as disqualifying her from holding the post as a card-carrying member of APC.

A former 2nd vice-president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Monday Ubani, cited the same constitutional provisions in objecting Ms Onochies nomination in a letter to the Senate.

Other Nigerians and institutions have also raised objections to the nomination in separate letters and statements.

Ms Onochies suit

The crux of the matter in the libel suit filed by Ms Onochie is about a post she credited to one Mr Ugwuonye in a Facebook group, DUE PROCESS ADVOCATES, on January 21, 2016.

Ms Onochie reproduced what she claimed to be the libellous statement posted by Mr Ugwuonye, labelling her as a vicious trafficker of poor girls into international prostitution.

The post is titled, A MAJOR BREAK IN THE TRACKING OF THE DUBAI MADAMS AND THEIR AGENTS  A KEY MADAM REVEALED AS A SOCIALITE WITH APPARENT ON CONNECTIONS TO NIGERIAN POLITICIAN.

In the post which Ms Onochie reproduced in her suit, the the author accused her of engaging in the trafficking of young girls to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Italy, and Greece.

It was alleged in the post that she is known as Aunty Lolly within her human trafficking circle in foreign countries.

It added that Ms Onochie is into the business of recruiting young ladies, promising them a good life in Dubai and elsewhere, swearing their parents to shrines, selling them off for $5,000 to $15,000, making nude videos of them and using thugs to intimidate their parents.

Ms Onochie denied the allegations in her suit, demanding a retraction of the post and N1 billion in damages against the defendant.

She said the post was made to malign her reputation.

She said contrary to the allegation of her involvement in trafficking of girls in the Facebook post, she is at the foremost of the campaigning for the girl-child emancipation and woman empowerment.

DOWNLOAD COURT DOCUMENT HERE
In a bid to beat the July deadline for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on PIB, on Thursday, met the Minister of Minister of Petroleum (State), Timipe Sylva and the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari.

The meeting, which held for five hours at the National Assembly complex, was at the instance of the lawmakers to address the grey areas of the bill, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

The House had set the July deadline to pass the bill before embarking on its annual recess.

The Chief Whip of the House, Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno), who is also the Chairman of the Committee, had promised that the bill would be passed before the end of the first quarter of 2021.

Also after his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House on Thursday, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, assured that the report on the bill would be laid on Tuesday.

The House conducted a public hearing on the bill in January.

This newspaper had reported the position of some of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) on the bill during the exercise.

Total Nigeria had described the fiscal regime, as proposed in the new bill as globally uncompetitive, warning that it would hurt several deep offshore investments in the country.

Mike Sangster, the Chief Executive Officer of Total Nigeria, had presented the position of the oil companies under the cluster of Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce (LCCI) at the hearing.

His presentation was adopted by Shell, Chevron and Exxon Mobil.

The IOCs raised concerns about multiple-taxation, arbitrary powers of the regulatory agencies, adding that there was a need for PIB to explicitly preserve base businesses and rights for existing Joint Venture licenses and leases and Production Sharing Contracts, which form the basis for future growth.

Under the PIB, several agencies have the power to make final rulings on matters without recourse to the judiciary or independent arbitration. Access to a fair and independent dispute resolution mechanism is key in providing an equitable and stable investment environment and is a globally accepted practice, Mr Sangster had said.

Nigeria, IOCs interest to be protected

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the House, Ben Kalu, confirmed the meeting in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

He revealed that the committee will be meeting again on Tuesday to deliberate on the proposed legislation.

Mr Kalu said the committee would ensure balance, by accommodating the concerns of the IOCs, while also protecting the interest of Nigeria.

According to the lawmaker, there is a need for the fiscal regime to be competitive enough to incentivise investors to the sector.

You saw me coming out from the PIB section, we sat down from 11 oclock, till 4 oclock We summoned the minister of petroleum. We summoned the GMD of NNPC, and we have been deliberating on this bill, Mr Kalu said.

We will meet again next Tuesday, to fine-tune the grey areas, the bill is in order, just a few grey areas that need to be fine-tuned. issues of frontier states, the host community, hopefully, we will be able to meet the time we have set for ourselves.

ADVERTISEMENT

Concerns

On the concerns raised by the IOCs, the lawmaker said the bill would be structured in a manner that is beneficial to the companies and Nigeria.

The law must be structured in a manner that will become a win-win for the host country and the IOCs, and even better competitiveness in comparison with other newly found oil nations across Africa.

This is because there must be a selling point for the IOCs to bring the funds, the selling point could be the tax regime, the deductions that are made on the financial burdenevery investor wants to know his exit route, when he is going, is it going to be a lose through that exit or a gain. It is only when it is profitable that they will come in.

If you attended that public hearing, you will agree with me that the IOCs were represented there, and they made their presentation there. So, their concerns were considered in the cause of framing this bill as it is, we are still working on the billhere is a copy, we have narrowed it down to these grey areas.

So in the end, the interest of the IOCs must be protected, but not to the detriment of our nation, we must balance it in a way that it will become the beautiful bride that every investor will like to bring in money.

The investors are looking at this law right now, if it goes well, it will bring in money, and if it goes bad, they will not come, that is why we have asked the lawmakers to remove sentiments, sectionalism, ethnic interest and other interests, and put Nigeria first to make sure we dont drag our feet anymore.

Background

The PIB was first introduced into the National Assembly in 2008 as an executive bill by then president, Umar YarAdua (now late)

The 6th National Assembly (2007  2011) failed to pass the bill.

The bill was reintroduced into the National Assembly in 2012 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

A few hours to the end of the 7th Assembly (2011-2015), 47 out of the 360 members of the House of Representatives were present when the bill was passed.

The bill, however, failed to get a concurrent passage from the Senate.
ADVERTISEMENT

Controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has denied media report that he was invited by the State Security Service (SSS) on Friday

The Kaduna-based cleric said he was neither arrested nor invited for interrogation by the secret security agency.

I am having non stop calls from all over the globe asking whether I was interrogated or detained by the DSS. Let it be clear. Nothing of that happened, the cleric posted on his Facebook page.

Mr Gumi, a retired military officer and critic of President Muhammadu Buhari, has been advocating an amnesty for armed bandits terrorising the northwest and north-central states of Nigeria.

He appeared on Arise News TV this week and accused security operatives of arming and colluding with the bandits. This elicited calls by Nigerians on social media for his arrest.

I have a good working relationship with all the security outfits, and I didnt meet any bandit in the forests we visited without the presence of the security men, state officials, representatives of traditional rulers, and Fulani Ardos, Mr Gumi said..

We will continue to discuss and have interactions directly or through representatives with all these institutions.

So people should be rest assured that there is no conflict of any sort and we will continue to cooperate to see that peace has prevailed in this dear nation. May Allah continue to protect us all. Amin, Mr Gumi said in the post.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into a report of an alleged $3 million fraud involving a Nigerian firm, Zenith Carex.

Global Fund, an international health sector funding mechanism, had raised the $3million fraud allegation in the latest report issued on March 9 by its Office of Inspector General (OIG).

The global organisation, which pools the worlds largest financial donations for the prevention, treatment, and care of AIDS, Tuberculosis, and malaria, blacklisted Zenith Carex in its report.

It accused the firm of systematically inflating invoices for the distribution of health commodities to warehouses and health facilities throughout Nigeria.

The company committed the alleged fraud between 2017 and 2019, a period of two years, the report had stated.

EFCC confirms probe

EFCC, Nigerias foremost anti-corruption agency, has confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that it has begun an investigation into the matter.

It confirmed the ongoing investigation against Zenith Carex and others in its reply to this newspapers Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

PREMIUM TIMES request was fuelled by the rising concerns about the poor attention, Nigerias anti-corruption agencies pay to Global Funds indictment of Nigerian firms over the years.

This is despite the reputational damage and possible loss of goodwill the blacklisting of the Nigerian firms is capable of causing the country in the global space.

Assuring this newspaper of its efforts to ensure justice is done regarding the matter, EFCC wrote that it is investigating Zenith Limited for an alleged offence of conspiracy and criminal breach of trust with regards to contracts for the distribution of drugs/vaccine supply chain programme in all states of the federation.

The letter signed by the head of FoI desk of the agency, Elizabeth Ayodele, wrote that the commission had also met the representatives of Global Fund over the matter.

It will interest you to know that the investigation has reached an advanced stage, the letter read in part, adding, A zoom meeting was even held with representatives of Global Fund to enable them to assist our office on the allegations against the suspects.

Zenith Carex contacted

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES in March, a representative of the firm said the company was aware of the OIG report. The contact, however, said the company would not want to comment publicly on the matter as their lawyers were exploring the best possible legal option to take.

But, Zenith Carex denied the allegations in a report by Punch Newspaper on March 11, three days after the OIGs report was issued.

The firm said EFCC was aware of the development and had invited some of the parties involved. It also called on the federal government to intervene in the matter.

Confronted with EFCCs fresh revelation to PREMIUM and asked to comment on it again on Friday, an official at Zenith Carex whose phone number appears on the firms website, declined to speak.

The official, whom Truecaller identified as Adelana Olamilekan, told our reporter, The commission had already invited some of our staff for questioning regarding the matter.

So, I cannot speak further as the case is still under investigation.

ADVERTISEMENT

Background

Global Fund is a funding mechanism that pools the worlds largest financial donations for the prevention, treatment, and care of AIDS, Tuberculosis, and malaria.

Given that Nigeria has the highest malaria burden in the world (one in four cases globally), the worlds fourth-largest tuberculosis burden and about two million people living with HIV, funding programmes to stem the tide of these grim indices became a central focus for Global Fund.

Since 2003, the Global Fund has disbursed over $2 billion in Nigeria. But despite that, the country is still dogged by disturbing health statistics partly because corrupt and incompetent officials undercut progress in health management, health experts say.

Zenith, a sub-contractor of Chemonics International, who managed an integrated supply chain for Global Fund Principal Recipients in Nigeria and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was blacklisted by the Fund.

The OIG report said Zenith allegedly inflated distribution invoices up to ten-fold and misrepresented the services executed, resulting in a $3 million overcharge.

The revelation builds on previous yearly reports by the OIG accusing Nigerian companies and government agencies of abusing millions of dollars of the Global Fund aid.

Aside from the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had previously said it commenced investigation into allegations against Nigerian firms, agencies, and their proxies.

We also sent a similar FOI request to the ICPC seeking to know the status of its investigations of allegations reported by the OIG but there is no response yet.
Ulla Mueller, the Country Representative of the UN Population Fund in Nigeria, has urged government at all levels to implement laws and policies that will empower and guarantee women and girls their bodily autonomy.

She made the call at the launch of the 2021 State of the World Population (SWOT) Report in Maiduguri on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SWOP Report is UNFPAs flagship activity, annually launched to highlight different issues that affect the lives of women, girls and boys.

The theme of this years report is My Body is My Own  Claiming the Rights to Autonomy and Self Determination, emphasising bodily autonomy for women and girls to check Gender Based Violence and harmful practices.

Ms Mueller, who joined the launch of the report virtually, urged the media in Borno to give special attention to delivering the message of bodily autonomy to the public.

She said that the launch of the annual SWOP Report in Borno, which was the first, was in line with the decentralisation to states in 2021 and to shed light on emerging population and development issues, including sexual and reproductive health and rights issues to draw global attention.

She added that at this very moment today, somewhere in the world, an adolescent girl is expected to undergo some harmful practice such as Female Genital Mutilation. Somewhere in the world at this moment, a girl is married off, ending her dreams of completing secondary education, a critical source of skills in changing economies.

Somewhere at this very moment, a pregnant woman who wants to deliver at the hospital is threatened with divorce. More than 60 per cent of deliveries take place at home without a skilled birth attendant.

Many of such home deliveries result in physical trauma due to prolonged labour and a disability known as foot drop, a nerve injury that makes it difficult for the woman to walk. She can also get obstetric fistula and then due to her incontinence, her husband will desert her and remarry.

Somewhere in the world, a woman who walks into a clinic is told she cannot access contraception without the permission of her husband.

For millions of girls, early marriage also leads to health risks associated with early childbearing such as obstetric fistula and even death.

According to UNFPAs 2021 Flagship State of World Population report, only 55 per cent of women worldwide are fully empowered to make choices over healthcare, contraception and the ability to say yes or no to sex.

She noted that this was the first time the report focused on bodily autonomy, saying the lack of bodily autonomy has massive implications beyond the profound harms to individual women and girls; potentially depressing economic productivity, undercutting skills, and resulting in extra costs to healthcare and judicial systems.

Through this groundbreaking report, UNFPA is measuring both womens power to make their own decisions about their bodies and the extent to which countries laws support or interfere with a womans right to make these decisions.

The data shows a strong link between decision-making power and higher levels of education.

The report shows that in countries where data is available, 71 per cent of countries guarantee access to overall maternity care, 75 per cent of countries legally ensure full, equal access to contraception.

It also shows that 80 per cent of countries have laws supporting sexual health and well-being, while 56 per cent of countries have laws and policies supporting comprehensive sexuality education.

Marry your rapist laws

The SWOP Report also documents other ways bodily autonomy is violated, revealing that 20 countries or territories have marry-your-rapist laws, where a man can escape criminal prosecution if he marries the woman or girl he has raped.

ADVERTISEMENT

Meanwhile, in their respective remarks, the Permanent Secretary of Borno Ministry of Women Affairs, Mohammed Hamza, and the Director, National Population Commission, Kachalla Yerima, lauded the report and urged stakeholders to use it for the purpose intended.
ADVERTISEMENT

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has applauded the efforts of troops of 3 Brigade of the Nigerian Army for securing Falgore forest and other notorious forests in the state.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 1Division Nigerian Army, Kaduna, Ezindu Idimah, said this in a statement issued on Friday in Kaduna.

Mr Idimah said that securing the forest by the army has denied criminals the freedom of carrying out their nefarious activities within and around these forests.

According to him, Mr Ganduje made the statement when he played host to the Commander, 3 Brigade Nigerian Army, Sinyinah Nicodemus, who paid a courtesy call on the Governor on June 23, at the Kano Government House.

Mr Idimah quoted Ganduje as attributing the relative peace being enjoyed in Kano State to existing strong synergy between the army and sister security agencies in the state.

He said Mr Ganduje reiterated the need for pro-activeness and also said, Security in this age requires technology, this has informed our deployment of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) for effective tracking within Kano State.

Mr Idimah said the governor appreciated the people of Kano State for their cooperation in reporting suspicious activities to the security agencies.

Earlier in his remarks, the Commander 3Brigade Nigerian Army, Mr Nicodemus, thanked the governor for supporting the brigade.

Mr Nicodemus reassured the governor of the commitment of troops of the brigade in conjunction with other sister security agencies in ensuring that the safety and security of the people remained a priority. (NAN)
President of Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said the National Assembly will work with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delineate electoral constituencies ahead of 2023 general elections.

Mr Lawan said this when he received a delegation from INEC, led by its Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, in his office in Abuja on Thursday.

The last exercise, which witnessed the creation of electoral districts and constituencies across the country, was carried out 25 years ago in 1996.

The senate president said the delineation of electoral constituencies would enhance democracy as well as provide equitable and fair representation in Nigerias governance structure.

He explained that having more districts and constituencies would present a level playing field for all Nigerians to elect leaders of their choice at the poll.

Mr Lawan urged the federal government to find a way of getting accurate information about the countrys population size, stressing that such information was significant and critical for the creation of more constituencies in disadvantaged areas.

The issue of delineation or creation of more electoral constituencies is like the previous one on the polling units.

But unlike the polling units, this is going to be more difficult because you need more information, especially on the population.

And because we did not have census after the 2006 exercise, now we have to find a way of getting information about our population size, because that is very important and significant in taking any decision in that respect.

But I want to assure you and Nigerians that we will go all the way with you to finding solutions on getting the delineation of electoral constituencies done before the end of our tenure, he said.

Mr Lawan added: It is not going to be easy by no means, but we sit here as parliamentarians to deal with the issues of developing Nigeria and of course, elections determine a lot of things in this country and, indeed, in any country.

This is one way of giving Nigerians the opportunity to vote for their leaders and we cannot joke with that. We are all products of elections.

If the delineation of constituencies  whether state or national  will give Nigerians better opportunities and enhance our democracy, and Im sure it will, then we must work hard to do that. So, we will work with you in INEC.

Speaking, Mr Yakubu said the delineation of constituencies required an act of the national assembly.

The major consideration in the revision of the countrys constituencies is the population quota.

The National Assembly has powers under the constitution to actually request INEC to delineate constituencies by an act of the assembly.

No act of the National Assembly has asked INEC to delineate constituencies since the last delineation in 1996, he said.

(NAN)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has approved the appointment of Suleiman Umar as the new emir of Lere.

A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the governor, Muyiwa Adekeye, on Friday, said Mr Umar emerged out of five aspirants that were screened by the kingmakers of Lere Emirate Council.

The appointment followed the death of the former occupant of the throne, Abubakar Mohammed, in April.

Mr Umar, who is the eldest son of the 12th emir of Lere, Umar Mohammed, came top among the contenders for the throne.

The other contenders were Suleiman Waziri, the district head of Lere, Bello Jaafar, Dandoton Lere, Umaru Waziri, Galadiman Lere; and Tankon Kumbo.

The new emir, a former General Manager, Staff at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is 61 years old.

He graduated from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in 1985 with a degree in Chemical Engineering and obtained an MBA from the same university in the year 2000. He was turbaned Madakin Lere in 2015 by his predecessor, late Mr Muhammad.

The statement added that Governor El- Rufai has congratulated the new emir on ascending the throne of his forefathers, charging him to promote peace and harmony in their communities.

Meanwhile, Lere town went agog with celebrations on Friday as people troupe in their thousands to the palace to congratulate the new emir.

This is a well-deserved appointment. The people have been praying he ascends the throne and we thank Allah for that. Celebration is everywhere now and this is just the beginning. Hassan Mohammed, a prince of the emirate, told PREMIUM TIMES.
ADVERTISEMENT

Nigeria on Thursday recorded 26 new coronavirus cases in six states, and the federal capital territory, FCT.

The new cases have brought the countrys total infections to 167,401.

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, disclosed this in an update on its Facebook page Friday morning.

The new infections indicate a decline from the 44 cases recorded a day earlier.

There was no new death from the disease on Thursday, meaning that the total fatality toll remains 2,118.

Nigeria appears to have weathered the storm in the management of the disease, with authorities reporting less than 100 cases per day averagely in more than a month.

Health experts, however, believe its not safe to let the guard down on safety protocol.

Specifics

Lagos led again in Thursdays infection tally with 13 new cases followed by Kaduna with four cases.

Akwa Ibom recorded three cases while Kwara and Rivers recorded two each. The FCT and Gombe had one new case each.

About two-thirds of the over 167,000 in Nigeria have recovered after treatment with 163,933 patients discharged from the hospital nationwide.

Meanwhile, Nigeria still has about 1,350 active cases, according to the NCDC update.

The disease agency noted that Nigeria has tested a total of 2,266,591 samples from its roughly 200 million people.
(Editors Note: This story has been updated after a fresh review of the governors remarks).

The Governor of Borno State, Babagana Zulum, has alleged fraud in the management of funds donated by the international community for assisting people affected by the ongoing armed conflict in the northeast of Nigeria.

Mr Zulum made the allegation when he hosted the ambassador of the United States and the United Kingdom High Commissioner who paid him a courtesy call in his office on Wednesday.

To stop the alleged fraud in the system, the governor called for the involvement of the state government in determining the areas of need of the people and the execution of the targeted projects.

Honestly, I dont want to mention names, but I keep on saying that there is corruption in the system and why there is corruption is because we are not involved from the beginning, Mr Zulum said to the top diplomats.

You may announce some heavy donations, but if this money is left unchecked, believe me sincerely 30 per cent of this funding will not go to the target population, the governor added.

The U.S. ambassador, Mary Leonard, and her UK counterpart, Catriona Laing, met with major stakeholders in the humanitarian services in Borno on the humanitarian and development priorities in northeast Nigeria.

The two top diplomats had visited IDP camps, the military and some of the humanitarian offices before paying a courtesy call on the governor.

The visitors were led by the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon.

The delegation acknowledged the insecurity in the region, and how the protracted conflict in Nigeria has affected the Lake Chad Region, including its neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Niger and Chad for over 10 years.

The UN said because of the over a decade old conflict, over 3.2 million individuals are displaced, with 4.4 million food-insecure people at crisis and emergency levels and millions of civilians subjected to extreme hardships.

Mr Kallon said in north-east Nigeria alone, 13.1 million people live in areas affected by conflict, out of whom 8.7 million need immediate assistance.

Both the UK and U.S. top envoys expressed their countrys intention to support and partner with the Nigerian government in managing the humanitarian crisis.

Governor Zulum, who had earlier thanked the diplomats for the visit as well as their pledge for continued support for Borno and the North-east region, expressed his misgiving about the way humanitarian organisations handle funds given to them to provide services.

He urged the UN and the INGOs to partner with the state government in identifying areas of need of the people before executing projects. He said many INGOs would rather cut corners than transparently work with the government to serve the people.

There is a need for you to listen to us, the governor told the top diplomats.

Funding is very critical. But how the government and people of Borno State benefit from funding is also very critical. The participation of the state government is important- the bottom-top approach is very key.

Without the participation of the state, the funding will not reach the desired target population.

ADVERTISEMENT

I am very much known for my transparency, there was never a time, from my time as commissioner for RRR, that I diverted a single kobo belonging to the donor agencies.

We are not looking for something or cash from you. But what we want to do is that we want Borno State to take leadership. This is very key. You may announce some heavy donations, but if this money is left unchecked, believe me sincerely, 30 per cent of this funding will not go to the target population.

What I am telling you is that we shall work together to meet our objectives of closing the camps. The UN system will be with us so that the money can be channeled appropriately.

The governor called for transparency in the use of donor funds by humanitarian actors.

These are taxpayers money, so there must be transparency in the system. Honestly, I dont want to mention names, but I keep on saying that there is corruption in the system and why there is corruption is because we are not involved from the beginning.

If we were involved, we would try as much as possible to be transparent and to give the sense of understanding in the system. There must be an independent monitoring team. There is no way you can be funding, executing and monitoring your activities. The major issue is the donation of which we remain eternally grateful to all of you. But the big challenge is how do we ensure that the funding goes to the critical mass of the population  the deserving ones.

Mr Zulum said the INGOs must take the government into confidence and be open in the way they spend donor funds.

There is no way you can go on to determine the target population without the government. The UNDP did it under the stabilisation facilitation project and they involved us. We went there and started screening the beneficiaries together. But there are some INGOs or donor partners who just dont want to talk to us.

We have a lot of complications caused by the INGOs  one person is receiving ten support from ten different organisations. We say no to that. And again, I said that was why some INGOs dont want to partner with the government of Borno State because we will insist on telling them no, this is not right.

So as long as I am the governor of Borno State I want to be seen to be doing the right thing. I want to be transparent with you and I want to partner with you, but there is a need to set things right when it comes to managing door funds.

These donor funds coming from you people, are taxpayers money, which is coming from you people; and with which we want to help us and to want to help you to ensure that the objectives of your donations are met without any problem.

The UN had earlier stated that its humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) appeal fund for Nigeria is $1.01 billion. And going by PREMIUM TIMES checks, about $324.9 billion (which represents 51 per cent of the total funding requirement for 2021) has been received, as of June 8.
ADVERTISEMENT

Parents and guardians of students of Kaduna State University (KASU) must sign an undertaking that their children and wards will not participate in a protest against an increase in their school fees, the management of the school has decided.

It warned that any student who participates in such protests would be expelled.

The university students have, for weeks, been protesting against the tuition fees increment, demanding the state government reverse it to enable indigent students to study to the university level.

The state government has hiked the tuition fees to between N300,000 and N400,000 from N36,000. But the protesting students said many of them cannot afford the fees.

Following the faceoff, the university, through the registrar, Samuel Manshop, directed parents/guardian to sign the undertaking that their children would abide by all the rules and regulations of the university.

The undertaking reads in part: I hereby write to assure you that my Son/Daughter/Ward will obey all the rules and regulations of his/her department and faculty as well as the university at large.

I also pledge that my Son/Daughter/Ward should be expelled without warning if he/she engages in any demonstration/protest against the increment in tuition fees or any contrary activities of the university rules and regulations.

Mr Manshop did not responds to PREMIUM TIMES multiple phone calls and text message on Thursday and Friday seeking clarification on the development.

However, the university, on its Facebook page, denied the document, saying it is fake, without elaborating more.

Before the increment, the fees were N24,000 and N26,000 for indigenes, depending on the course of study.

For students not from the state, it was between N31,000 and 36,000, also depending on the course of study.

However, the school website for students registration in the current academic session published the new fees regime for new students.

Students from the state will pay N150, 000 for Art and Humanities and N171, 000 for Sciences while others will pay N221,000.

For social sciences, students from Kaduna will pay N170, 000; while from other states will pay N200, 000.

Also, Kaduna students admitted to study medicine will pay N300,000 and N400,000 for students from other states.
The defence team in the trial of Gibril Massaquoi, the former RUF commander accused of committing war crimes in Liberia, has had some big wins in the concluding weeks of the trial in Tampere, Finland.

Since it resumed in Tampere, after three months hearing testimonies in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the trial has narrowed to two questions: What were the dates of the events for which Massaquoi is accused? And, have dozens of Liberian witnesses got the wrong man when they claimed Angel Gabriel is the commander with a Sierra Leonean accent that they say direct the atrocities?

Among the witness in this final part of the trial in the southern Finnish city where Massaquoi was living when he was charged and arrested in March 2020 were two international researchers who extensively documented the atrocities in Liberia in the period in question  2000 to 2003.

One told the court that she and a colleague had spoken with 61 witnesses who described atrocities in the Lofa, particularly the village of Kamatahun, which matched the descriptions given by many Liberian witnesses.

They said many of those being taken to Kamatahun had been from Kiantahun. Afterwards, after an order of a commander, they were taken into three houses  one of the witnesses said four houses  and they were burnt alive, the witness told the court.

The witnesses said the event took place between September and December 2001. The researcher had interviewed them between March and July, 2002, just months after the alleged atrocities took place.

The witness said five testimonies mentioned the infamous Taylor commander Ziza Maza. They also mentioned another top Taylor commander named Colonel Stanley and a number of lower level commanders.

Massaquois lawyer Kaarle Gummerus asked the researcher, Was there an Angel or Angel Gabriel mentioned in the interviews conducted by you or your colleague?

The witness answered, No, I do not recall that.

In addition to the witnesses the researcher said she had spoken with local community organisations, as well as members of think tanks, diplomats, refugee right organisations, and so on.

In these questions, did Angel Gabriel or Gibril Massaquoi ever come up? asked Gummerus.

The witness answered, No.

A second researcher told the court he spent 15-months between 2012 and 2018 living in the Waterside area of Monrovia, where more of Massaquois alleged crimes took place. He told the court he had spoken to around 300 soldiers, in Monrovia and 15 different provinces, as well as, hundreds of civilians, and some of the conversations were very informal.

Gummerus asked the witness whether interviewees named specific people.

Yes, some names have come up, the witness said naming the war time aliases Stanley, Ziza and General Mosquito. People are still scared to talk about what happened.

Did Gibril Massaquois name come up? Gummerus asked.

No, replied the witness.

What about Gabriel? asked Gummerus.

ADVERTISEMENT

Again the witness answered, no.

The testimony of the two researchers helped narrow down the question of dates that has plagued this trial. Liberian witnesses had given a range of changing dates for harrowing rapes, murder and torture of civilians that they said were committed and directed by Angel Gabriel, the alleged nickname of Gibril Massaquoi, who refutes it

An expert witness told the court that such memory lapses were entirely normal in a society where many people did not use calendar dates with regularity and for people remembering traumatic events from 20 years ago. He said the lapses could not be said to indicate dishonesty on the part of witnesses in any way.

However the second researcher said he was very clear that the witnesses were describing events that he has pinned down to July of 2003 or in the summer of 2003. It was the third and final assault by rebels on Taylors forces in Monrovia, known to Liberians as World War 3.

That date presents a problem for the prosecution. From March 2003 until he left Sierra Leone for Finland under a special deal in 2008 Gibril Massaquoi was under witness protection in a safehouse provided by the United Nations in return for his role as an informant against Charles Taylor. The testimony of witnesses in Sierra Leone, most of whom were close to Massaquoi and thus less credible, made clear that the protection conditions were not tight.

Massaquoi had left the safehouse on occasion and hosted visitors who could have couriered messages or threats between him and those he was testifying against.

Interview records by Special Court investigators showed that Massaquoi went as long as a month between interviews  plenty of time to travel to Liberia.

But the first researcher told the court she found it implausible to think that Massaquoi and Taylor would have been in league with eachother at that time.

At that time, Massaquoi was collaborating with the Special Court as an insider witness, and as I understand it, providing information on command structure and information against President Taylor, she said. The indictment of Taylor had been made public in June. So I find it unlikely that [Massaquoi] would have travelled to Monrovia to defend the capital, fighting on the same side as the person just indicted by the Special Court.

She reminded the court that it was well known that Taylor had little sympathy for people who had turned on him.

Generally it was thought that Taylor had made Charles Bockarie to be killed on the grounds that he had given the special court information against him, she said.

The trial has taken a summer break. Tomorrow New Narratives will have the latest from the this phase of the trial.

This story is a collaboration with New Narratives as part of the West Africa Justice Reporting Project. We have permission to republish
President Muhammadu Buhari says the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been revived, energised and repositioned for its national convention and future elections.

The president stated this at a meeting with members of the National Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) led by Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, in Abuja on Friday.

The president said the fortunes of the party had been brightened by the re-organisation and reconciliation of members across the party, saying

with the work done by the committee the party has bounced back to life.

He added: I have listened with great interest the remarkable job you have done so far.

We are all witnesses to the crisis that engulfed the party leading to litigations and presented a picture of selfishness and division.

Mr Buhari said the partys structure was disturbed by the conflicts that preceded and followed various elections, noting that the secretariat had been witnessing a beehive of peaceful activities after the reconciliation.

The president told members of the committee that they would continue to enjoy the support of all party stalwarts and members to complete their assignment with the actualisation of the convention and leave an indelible footprint.

We want to leave behind a legacy of transparency and fairness, which the party needs to survive, he added.

In his remarks, Mr Buni said the committee approached the duty with commitment and dedication to rescue the party from imminent collapse.

He noted that all issues and members were given a fair hearing, and an open door policy was created to accommodate all those that were aggrieved, leading to withdrawal of cases in court and peaceful settlements.

We are currently witnessing high powered decamping to our party, including governors from the PDP.

The party is now more peaceful, orderly and accommodating than what we met on the ground. Although there was initial fear, the mobilisation and sensitization was able to allay the fears of members, he said.

The governor said the registration and revalidation of members across the country recorded more than 40 million members, and an appeal committee was also set up to hear all matters related to the process so that no member gets disenfranchised.

We have observed that youth and women constitute a huge population of the voting group.

We had a youth and women committee, and also people with disabilities, he added.

He said a Contact and Strategy Team had been set up in every state to come up with an acceptable template that would ensure transparency, credibility and acceptability of the internal electoral processes.

Mr Buni also said the committee had instituted a process to review the partys constitution and look into loopholes that usually fan conflict and litigations among members, with more than 500 memoranda already received.

ADVERTISEMENT

The CECPC chairman told the president and other party members that 14 party members had indicated their interest to contest for the Anambra State elections, assuring that the primary election will be free, fair and transparent.

He said huge legal fees were inherited, and the committee had worked with members to settle all the outstanding, after scaling them down, noting that payment for the APC National Secretariat had been completed.

The party members have agreed to name the secretariat, Muhammadu Buhari House, he added.

While thanking the president for his support and insight, Mr Buni noted that a National Conference for the Youths was organised recently as part of the bottom-up approach to strengthening the party and ensuring relevance of all stakeholders.

Some members of the APC, who attended the meeting include, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; as well as Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, who is also the Chairman, Progressives Governors Forum.

Others in attendance of the meeting included the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong; Governors of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola and that of Niger State, Abubakar Bello.

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a Chairman, and an Executive Secretary for the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA).

The Chairman is Atuonwo A. Obinna, while the Executive Secretary is Mr Abdulkadir Saidu, reappointed for another four years.

The appointment of Mr Obinna as Chairman Governing Board for a four-year term is in accordance with Section 2 (1-3) and 3 (a) of the Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (Establishment, ETC) Act 2003.

Femi Adesina

Special Adviser to the President

(Media and Publicity)

June 25, 2021
ADVERTISEMENT

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday said it has uncovered a N3.5 billion cryptocurrency fraud in Sokoto State .

The head of the anti corruption agency in Sokoto zonal office, Bawa Kaltingo, told reporters that the amount was obtained through dubious means and deposited in a United Bank for Africa (UBA) account.

The official said the suspected fraudsters deceived their victims in Sokoto and made them believe that the funds would be used to trade in forex and cryptocurrency.

Mr Kaltingo named the prime suspects as Benson Kufre John and Iraboh Eseosa.

He said the two suspects employed the services of one Sunday Marcus to register a company with the Corporate Affairs Commission as well as open the bank account using fictitious addresses and unregistered phone numbers.

He said the EFCC also discovered other bank accounts with GTB and Zenith Bank also opened by Mr Markus but operated by Benson Kufre and Joseph Irabo for the purpose of fraud.

The EFCC official said the money was raised between February and August 2020.

Mr Kaltingo said after nine months of investigation, the anti-graft agency was able to make a breakthrough, arresting three of the suspects while others are still at large.

He added that money and property, including exotic cars and residential buildings in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Calabar were recovered from the suspects.
ADVERTISEMENT

The police in Oyo State have confirmed the killing of Olayemi Odetomi, wife of a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Matters, in the state by unknown gunmen.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that Mrs Odetomi was shot dead on Friday in her residence at Ashi, Bodija Area of Ibadan, when the gunmen invaded her house.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident in a text message sent to NAN in Ibadan.

Mr Osifeso said the deceased, 66, died immediately after being shot.

Updates on Investigations would be provided in due course, he said. (NAN)
The Lagos Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says accidents involving articulated vehicles have had huge negative impacts on the economy.

The state Sector Commander, Olusegun Ogungbemide, spoke at a conference in Lagos on Friday.

The conference on: Curbing Crashes Involving Articulated Vehicles, was jointly organised by FRSC, Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) and Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Lagos State.

For instance in 2018, Nigeria lost over N39 billion to tanker and trailer-related road crashes, said Mr Ogungbemide.

According to available statistics, a total of 650 tankers and trailers were involved in crashes in 2018, with over 90 per cent of the affected vehicles having been used for haulage transportation for over 30 years.

Mr Ogungbemide said the FRSC impounded 835 articulated vehicles in 2020 under its Operation Scorpion I, II and III.

The FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, had in recent times adopted and engaged in some home-grown operational initiatives.

One of such was code-named Operation Scorpion I, II and III.

The operation, the first of which was held in 2016 and subsequently carried out in 2020, was introduced to wage a total war against haulage servicing vehicles that operate below required and globally acceptable safety standards.

The operation recorded 835 articulated vehicles booked for various offences ranging from failure to properly secure containerised goods with the aid of proper latching hooks, to operating with worn-out tyres and other observed mechanical deficiencies.

Traffic agencies urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government and stop loss of lives and property in the state, he said.

Mr Ogungbemide said the need for cooperation of major fleet owners in this regard could not be overemphasised as truckers bore the largest brunts of any traffic mishaps in the country.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Olajide Oduyoye, appealed to motorists and others aiding gridlock in the state to change their attitudes and support the state government to achieve safety of lives and property.

He said that gridlock affected all aspects of life.

He appealed to traffic managers to prioritise safety of lives and property.

Enforcement needs to take place to enable people do the right thing.

We need to step up our action; our people like begging when they violate traffic rules in order not to be sanctioned, he said.

Mr Oduyoye advised transport operators to remove rickety articulated vehicles from the roads.

ADVERTISEMENT

He said that the state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was committed to tackling perennial gridlock on Apapa Road but needed cooperation of all.

The Director of Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Lagos State, Akin Fashola, said that VIS would continue to work with FRSC in improving road safety.

Mr Fashola said VIS would also collaborate with stakeholders to stop rickety vehicles from plying Nigerian roads. (NAN).
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah. I testify that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is His servant and Messenger.

Dear brothers and sisters! I enjoin you and myself to fear Allah, for it (the fear of Allah) is the provision and safety in this world and the Last Day:

The day when neither wealth nor sons will avail, except him who brings to Allah a clean heart.

Dear brothers and sisters! Allah Almighty says:

Everyone shall taste death. And only on the day of Resurrection shall you be paid your wages in full. And whoever is removed away from the fire and admitted to Paradise he indeed is successful. The life of this world is only the enjoyment of deception (a deceiving thing). [Quran, 3:175]

Such is the reality of death and what comes after it. Every one of us shall taste it whether poor or rich; healthy or sick, old or young; leader or led and none of us can escape it. Allah the Most High says:

Wheresoever you may be, death will overtake you even if you are in a fortress built up strong and high. [Quran, 4:78]

Respected servants of Allah! Death, as manifested in its character and effects is one of the mysteries that dazzles human intelligence because it has to do with the soul. Allah Almighty says:

And they ask you (O Muhammad) concerning the spirit (soul). Say: The spirit (soul) is one of the things, the knowledge of which is only with my Lord. And of knowledge, you (mankind) have been given only a little. [Quran, 17:85]

One of its mysteries is that you see a youth who was full of health and energy suddenly falls dead without warning; thereby making that youthfulness and energy fade away, bringing all his senses to a complete standstill. That youth might even be an erudite scholar, an eloquent author, a skilled physician or brilliant inventor but it is absolutely out of the question that this quality should prevent death from overtaking him when his time is due. Allah Almighty says:

When their term is reached, neither can they delay it nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment). [Quran, 10:49]

Amr Bin Abdullah used to mount the pulpit (mimbar) and say:

Many a person who has seen the beginning of a day but would not see its end. And many a person who has expected morning but would not live to see it. If only you had known your appointed time and how it comes to pass, you would have detested nursing hope for worldly materials and its deception.

Dear brothers and sisters! While man enjoys his good health, playing and merrymaking, moving about in haughtiness, commanding and forbidding, death and illness suddenly attacks him, weakens his body, makes his limbs lifeless and then closes his record.

My beloved people! How near is death! Every day it becomes closer to us and no sooner has the book reached its appointed time that we belong among the dead. Then it becomes clear that life is really like flowers that bloom then afterwards wither or like a lamp that illuminates then afterwards dies down.

Let those who crave for this world and its pleasures ponder over these scattered graves all over the place and realise that the way to pleasures and lustful things, though decorated with beautiful roses inevitably leads to the present condition of those buried in these graves. Happiness is for him whom a messenger of death has opened his eyes to reality before he died, and whoever does not heed to the warning of the Quran and death, even if mountains were to thrust one another in front of him, he would not heed.

Dear brothers and sisters! What we witness in the cemeteries is a great lesson for us. The carrier of the bier to the cemetery today is taken back there tomorrow (as a dead person) and is left there only with his deeds either good or evil.

ADVERTISEMENT

It is also very unfortunate that in these days we see some people among those who escort the deceased laughing and playing or attending the funeral for showing off. This phenomenon is due to the heedlessness that has hardened peoples hearts and made them forget the Last Day and the frightening conditions of the grave. May Allah awaken us from this heedlessness, ameen!

Respected brothers and sisters! It is expected of him who knows that he will die, be buried, raised up on the day of Resurrection and enter Paradise or Hell to always remember death, prepare for it and reflect on it. He is in fact expected to regard himself among the dead. This is because all that is coming is near and when the angel of death comes neither your wealth nor your people or your position can prevent him from taking your soul.

Please, where are those people who achieved their aims and none were comparable to them in that? They collected and gathered but could not eat what they collected; they built mansions but could not live there! We on our part are still swimming in the pool of life as if we are meant to live here forever. Uways Al-Qarni said:

Remember death when you sleep and always think of it when you are awake.

Fellow servants of Allah! It is a fact that this world and its tribulations appear insignificant in the eyes of him who always remembers death, for, he has lofty aims and strong resolutions; he is far from hypocrisy and always yearns for the everlasting bliss in the eternal Paradise.

Dear brothers and sisters! Remembering death does not in any way make ones life loathsome to him; forcing him to sit in his home and leave all means of sustenance. It is rather meant to deter him from committing sins and soften his hard heart. We remember death in order to have good preparation for it and for all that follows it by doing righteous deeds, obeying Allah and increasing ones efforts in all acts of worship. Imam Abdur-Rahman Ibn Mahdi said:

If Hammad Bin Salamah is told, You will die tomorrow. He will not be able to increase anything in his deed, because his time is full of worship and remembrance of Allah.

Now please, how do we prepare for death? We prepare for death by shunning all abominable things and returning trusts to their rightful owners. We prepare for death by eliminating hatred and enmity from our hearts. We prepare for death by being good to the kith and kin. Ibn al-Mubarak said that Salih Al-Mariy used to say:

If the remembrance of death leaves me for an hour my heart becomes spoilt.

It is also said that:

Whoever frequently remembers death is honoured with three things: quick repentance, self-contentedness and energy in doing acts of worship; and whoever forgets death is punished with three things: delaying repentance, lack of contentedness and laziness in acts of worship.

Respected servants of Allah! When will one who always follows his lustful desires and moves wantonly in his heedlessness remember death? When will one who has no regard for Allahs injunctions in Halal or Haram remember death? When will one who deserts the Quran, prays not Fajr in congregation, usurps peoples property unlawfully, takes usury, and commits fornication, remember death? How can one whose habit is slandering others and backbiting, whose heart is full of rancour and envy remember death?

Fellow servants of Allah! The Prophets, whenever death came to them were given a chance of choosing between remaining on this world and moving to that noble position. It is beyond doubt that every Prophet would select the everlasting bliss. This happened to Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), as narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Aisha (RA) that she said:

The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) used to say while he was healthy, No Prophet died until he saw his place in the Paradise, he was then given the choice between that place and remaining in this world. So when he was dying and his head was on my thigh, he fainted for a while then regained his consciousness. He stared at the ceiling, then said, O Allah! I choose the Highest Companionship. I then said, He was not preferring us. It was then that I understood statement he used to tell us and it was true. She said, The last word he uttered was: Oh Allah, I choose the Highest Companionship.

My great people! During death and its pain; in the grave and its darkness; and the Day of Resurrection and its horror people fall into two groups. A group shall remain firm; secured from fright and given glad tidings of Paradise while the other group shall suffer disgrace and ignominy. Allah Almighty says:

Verily, those who say, Our Lord is Allah (alone) and then stood straight, on them the angel will descend (at the time of their death saying,) Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised. [Quran, 41:30]

Angels shall descend upon the believers who are straight in their religion during death in their graves and when they are resurrected in order to assure them of security and to allay their fears of the horror of the day of judgement. The angels will be telling them:

Do not fear about what you are going to meet and do not grieve over what you will be leaving behind of children, family and wealth.

The angels will also say:

We have been your friends in the life of this world and (are so) in the hereafter. [Quran, 41:31]

i.e. we will also be your friends in the hereafter, keeping your company in your graves and when the horn is blown, we will also assure you of security on the day of resurrection.

As for the unbelievers, when death comes to them and they start suffering its agonies, they will be subjected to ignominy and disgrace. Allah the Most High says:

And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the agonies of death, while the angels are stretching forth their hands saying, Deliver your souls! This day you shall be recompensed with the torment of degradation because of what you used to utter against Allah other than the truth. And you used to reject His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) with disrespect. [Quran, 6:93]

Their sorrow shall increase so much so that they will wish to go back to this world. Allah the Most High says:

Until when death comes to one of them, he says, My Lord send me back. [Quran, 23:99]

Imam Qatadah said while commenting on the above Quranic verse:

By Allah, he would not wish by this statement to go back to his family and wealth nor to collect the good things of this world and satisfy his desires. He would rather wish to go back and do acts of obedience to Allah. May Allah bless him who does in this life what the disbelievers would wish to do when he sees the torment of Hell!

Fellow brothers and sisters! How is the need of a dying Muslim to Allahs success that his last words may be, La ilaha illallah. Muadh Bin Jabal narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

Whoever has La ilaha illallah as his last words will enter Paradise.

And Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said:

Dictating this word to a dying man is recommended because one who is dying experiences horrors that were unknown to him before, so it is feared that forgetfulness might overtake him since Satan (Shaitan) is close to human beings. Moreover, uttering this statement while dying has a great effect in erasing ones misdeeds because it is a testimony of a servant of Allah who believes in it and knows its meanings; for whose lustful desires are now dead and whose soul has become weak after its might. Then that testimony becomes his last utterance, it purifies him from all his sins because he meets with his Lord with a sincere testimony

The righteous predecessors also recommended that a dying person be reminded of his good deeds, so that he can have positive thoughts about his Lord. Jabir narrated that: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

None of you should die except in the state of having positive thoughts about Allah. [Muslim]

And the Prophetic Sunnah encourages talking about good deeds of a dead person and abstaining from talking about his misdeeds. Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Aisha (RA) that she narrated, The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

Do not abuse the dead; for they have gone to meet the consequences of their deeds.

And in Sahih Al-Bukhari, Abul-Aswad said:

I came to Madinah while there was an epidemic there. I sat with Umar Ibn al-Khattab. Then a funeral procession passed by and people praised its owner. Umar said, It becomes incumbent. Then another funeral procession passed by and people also praised its owner, and Umar said, Its incumbent; then a third procession passed by and people spoke ill of its owner. Umar also commented, It becomes incumbent. Then I said, What is incumbent, O Leader of the Faithful? Umar (RA) answered, I said as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, that, Any dead Muslim whom four persons testify in his favour, Allah will make him enter Paradise, We said, And three persons? He said, And three persons. We also said, And two persons? He said, Yes, and two persons. We did not thereafter ask him of one person.

It should be added that those whose testimony is regarded are the people of virtue and truthfulness. The testimony of an enemy shall not be considered.

It is also recommendable that the person who washes the dead should conceal whatever defects he may see on him. It is also a right of a Muslim on his fellow Muslims to escort his funeral, pray on him and supplicate for him. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

Whoever attends the funeral of a Muslim faithfully and hoping for the reward of Allah and stays with him until Salah (prayer) is done on him and he is buried, he will go back home with two qirats, each is as big as the size of Mount Uhud; and whoever observes Salah (prayer) on him and then goes back before he is buried will get one qirat.

As regards debts, the family of the deceased should hasten to pay it because a believers soul hangs on his debt until it is paid on his behalf. Debts of Allah should also be promptly paid for, it is more deserving to be paid. Ibn Masud said:

A Believer has no rest until he meets Allah.

Dear brothers and sisters! Our beloved Prophet (Peace be upon him), declared that:

Live in this world as if you are a stranger passing through.

As Muslims it is time for us to reassess our approach to dying and death. Dying is understood to be a part of living  an important part. Sometimes we may not want to know about the processes that occur after we die because we are afraid or dont want to think about it. However, this should not be the attitude of a Muslim. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said:

Live in this world as though you are a stranger or a traveller (passing through it). [Muslim]

We as Muslims are on a journey and should know about the whole journeys itinerary, not just one part, and should also understand some things about the destination. We should be foremost in learning and understanding about death and dying, so we can organise our lives accordingly. We are urged to accept the will of Almighty Allah with good grace and patience, but many Muslims when they find out that they are going to die are quite appalled and indignant. They protest in agony and outrage.

Dying is normally associated with suffering, pain and trauma. And it is normal to fear suffering, and react to it with anger and frustration, because we feel oppressed by it and powerless against it. The denial of our own power lies at the root of suffering. Quite often suffering blocks our faith (Iman) and some of the many Questions that are asked are Why Me Where is Allah in all of this Why am I being Punished. There is this Search for meaning. Allah Almighty said:

(O Man whilst on the earth) be sure that we will test you with many things; fear (insecurity), hunger, loss of goods, loss of life (sickness/death), the fruits of your toil. But give glad tidings to those (when they are tested) who turn to Almighty Allah when afflicted, with patience and prayer, and they will say, O Allah everything comes from you and to you we will return.

Pain and suffering is most certainly not a curse from Almighty Allah but rather a blessing and a test to see how we will react when challenged and tested.

What is called death is not pure annihilation but a movement from one state to another or transmigration from our form of biological existence to another in another zone or dimension. In the Prophetic traditions this zone or dimension is referred to as BARZAKH, translated from the Arabic means barrier or partition between two areas, zones or dimensions (The physical state and the Day of Resurrection). So the human spirit (Ruh) is released to a new life independent from the physical body. Such an event is what the word death indicates. Almighty Allah states that:

Every soul shall taste death, then in the end you shall all return to us. [Quran, 29:57]

The person continues his life within a form of spirit body the same way as within his physical body! Almighty Allah declares that:

And say not of those who are slain in the way of Allah as dead  Nay they are alive  though you perceive it not. [Quran, 2:154]

Clinical Psychologists Raymond Moody, Elizabeth Kubler Ross, Dr. Melvyn Morse and Ralph Wilkinson etc. who researched NDEs (Near Death Experiences) discovered in the 1960s (after comparing case histories) some remarkable phenomena during the experiences as follows:

1. A strange sound and beautiful smell: A buzzing or ringing noise and a clean pure smell of fragrant perfume, while having a sense of being dead.

2. Peace and painlessness: While people are dying, they may be in intense pain, but as soon as they leave the body the pain vanishes and they experience peace.

3. Out-of-body experience, the tunnel experience and Rising rapidly into the heavens: Instead of a tunnel, some people report rising suddenly into the heavens and seeing the earth and the celestial sphere as they would be seen by astronauts in space.

4. People of light: Once on the other side of the tunnel, or after they have risen into the heavens, the dying meet people who glow with an inner light. Often they find that friends and relatives who have already died are there to greet them.

5. The Great being of light: After meeting the people of light, the dying often meet a powerful spiritual being whom some have called Allah, Jesus, or an Angel or Angels. Also, although they sometimes report feeling scared, they do not sense that they were on the way to hell or that they fell into it.

6. The life review: The being of light presents the dying person with a panoramic review of everything they have done in this life, based on certain non-verbal communication. In particular they are questioned about acts of worship, how most of their lives were spent, and they relive every act they have ever done to other people and come away feeling that love is the most important thing in life.

7. Reluctance to return: The being of light sometimes tells the dying that they must return back to life. Other times, they are given a choice of staying or returning. In either case, they are reluctant to return. The people who choose to return do so only because of loved ones they do not wish to leave behind.

One common question is, what possible evolutionary pressure could have resulted in Near Death Experience (NDE)? Why would dying brains suddenly have the ability to perceive other realities? The Quran states that:

It is Allah that takes the souls (of men) at death; and those that die not (He takes) during their sleep; those on whom He has passed the decree of death, He keeps back (from returning to life) but the rest He sends (to their bodies) for a term appointed. Verily in these are signs for those who reflect. [Quran, 39:42]

And Almighty Allah tells us in the Noble Quran that:

O you people of faith (Iman), fear Allah as He (Allah) ought to be feared and die not except in the state of full surrender and submission to the will of Almighty Allah.

Almighty Allah tells us that:

O Contented Soul, O satisfied Soul (O! Purified Self) return unto your Lord  Well pleased (yourself) and He well pleased (with you). Enter among My devotees! You enter into My Paradise.

Dear brothers and sisters! Death is a stage, which occurs when the spirit departs from the body to make it lifeless. As Muslims, A fundamental article of Faith (Iman) is that we believe in the resurrection when the body and the spirit will be reunited in the hereafter. This life is a stage for action, every action will have reaction in the hereafter.

The life to come after the resurrection is a stage of reward. Human beings will either be in pure happiness or in total misery. It is part of the basic Islamic beliefs that after resurrection, we will account for our deeds and we will be judged accordingly. Those on whom Allah bestows His mercy will be in heaven, while those who are denied it will abide in hell, the place of absolute misery. It is also clearly stated by the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that the deeds of even the best person will not be enough to send him to heaven (paradise) without Allahs grace and mercy.

A true servant of Almighty Allah when he is afflicted with suffering or pain will turn to HIM and say in Prayer, We belong to Allah and unto him Is our return O Allah reward me for my affliction and give something better in exchange for it.. O Allah! Cause me to live so long that life is better for meand cause me to die when death is better for me.

I pray to Almighty Allah to bless this congregation and the Ummah at large and to create affection in the hearts of the Muslims, reform them, guide them to the paths of safety and peace. Draw them out from the Darkness into the Light, assist them against the enemies of Islam. Our Lord, grant us beneficence in this world and in the hereafter. Save us from the torment of Jahannam, ameen.

All praises and thanks are due to Allah alone, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions and his true and sincere followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of Nagazi-Uvete Jumuah and the late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okenes Mosques, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com or +2348038289761.

This Jumuah Khutbah (Friday sermon) was prepared for delivery today, Friday, Dhul-Qaadah 14, 1442 AH (June 25, 2021).
A 24-year-old woman, Abibat Kehinde, has been abandoned at Epe General Hospital, Lagos State, over N131,000 unpaid bills, three months after she gave birth to twins at the hospital.

Mrs Kehinde told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Epe that her husband absconded after delivery on March 21, without paying the bills to facilitate her discharge from the hospital.

My husband is a commercial motorcycle rider.

He absconded since I gave birth to the twins on March 21.

I wasnt ready for the second child before but God knows best, she said.

The mother of twins said that she lacked sufficient food to eat while the babies also lacked basic nutrients since her abandonment three months ago.

My husband said that he couldnt afford to feed one child, not to talk of feeding two children with their mother; and he complained about the huge hospital bill before he left.

Since he left the hospital, he has not returned to check on me and the children till date. He abadoned us in the hospital and absconded, Mrs Kehinde said.

She said that she managed to raise N30,000 out of her medical bill of N161,000, leaving a balance of N131,000 yet to be settled.

I have been in the hospital since March without being discharged by the management of the hospital.

The hospital bill keep increasing every day and I dont have alternative means to offset the hospital bills, she said.

Mrs Kehinde appealed to the hospital management to discharge her and the baby twins.

Ayanbisi Rauf, Social Welfare Officer at Epe General Hospital, confirmed that the woman had been abandoned by her husband.

The husband abandoned the patient in the last three months and all efforts made by the hospital authorities to locate him proved abortive, Mr Rauf said.

He said the patient would only be discharged if she paid 90 per cent of her total bills.

Mr Rauf said that two other nursing mothers having similar plight with Mrs Kehinde would remain in the hospital until they settle their bills.

He appealed to benevolent individuals and organisations to assist the women in settling their bills so as to discharge them from the hospital.

(NAN)

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Somolu Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Thursday, marched peacefully to the Lagos State House of Assembly in protest against the imposition of a chairmanship candidate.

They alleged that Abdulhameed Salawu, popularly known as Dullar, was imposed on them as the partys chairmanship candidate for the upcoming local government election.

Mr Salawu is the incumbent chairman.

The residents carried placards with various inscriptions, some of which are Somolu Unites 4 Bowale; Enough is enough; No Bowale, No Election; Dullar must go; Bowale We Know, BoBo We Trust; Crisis Is Imminent At Somolu; Sanwo-Olu Stop The Pending Danger At Somolu.

One of the protesters, Jimi Olanrewaju, alleged that Mr Salawu disrupted the primary election by locking up election officials in his office in Somolu.

He alleged that the incumbent Vice Chairman, Bowale Sosinmi, is their choice.

According to him, no election would hold in the area, if the party leadership fails to give the mandate to Mr Sosinmi, as he had been denied the chance to run for election thrice.

Femi Olowonle-Denmark, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, alleged that the party did not hold a primary election in Somolu.

He said that four of the contestants agreed to nominate Mr Sosinmi, as their preferred candidate for the chairmanship position.

Mr Olowonle-Denmark said the imposition would be the second time it is happening, and that is why we have appealed to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to prevail on the party leadership to ensure that the will of the people reigns supreme.

The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, who addressed the protesters, commended them for being peaceful.

Mr Hamzat urged them to submit an agreement letter presenting Sosinmi as their consensus candidate, and promised that their leaders would be called to a roundtable to settle the issues amicably.

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

The Police on Friday re-arraigned five persons before an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates Court, Ibadan, for alleged unlawful possession and receipt of human parts for consumption.

The defendants are: Adeyemo Kemi, 34, Oyedepo Saheed, 43, Aliu Mubarak, 24, Oladipupo Ifakorede, 40, and a minor.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five defendants, who were previously arraigned on October 22, 2020, for alleged receipt of human parts of policemen burnt by hoodlums during the EndSARS protest in Ibadan, had been in custody.

The court had adjourned the case to await the receipt of the State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP)s advice.

At Fridays hearing, the Prosecutor, Amos Adewale, told the court that he had received the DPPs advice which ordered the re-arraignment of the defendants on substituted charges.

He said the defendants were now arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, receiving human parts for consumption, misconduct and unlawful possession of human head.

All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Idowu, acting on the Chief Judges directive on a special plea, granted bail to Ms Kemi, who is pregnant.

Mr Idowu also granted bail to Messrs Oyedepo, Aliu and Oladipupo in the sum of N1 million each with two sureties in like sum.

The Magistrate, however, released the minor to his father, who was present in court, with an order that he should enter into a bond to produce him in court whenever needed.

He adjourned the matter till August 11, for mention.

(NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

A mob of secondary school students set ablaze a truck carrying the inscription of the Dangote Group after their colleague was fatally hit on Friday, the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) has said.

Babatunde Akinbiyi, the agencys spokesman, said the accident happened around Sabo junction in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun.

The spokesman said the truck was loaded with cement.

The incident happened barely one week after an angry mob set ablaze a truck belonging to the company, also in Ogun State, for causing the death of two persons.

Mr Akinbiyi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the accident occurred around 1:12 p.m.

The TRACE spokesperson explained that the accident was caused by excessive speeding by the truck driver.

According to eyewitness accounts, the Dangote truck was coming from Ibese and heading towards Owode-Idiroko when the unfortunate incident happened.

The driver of the truck lost control due to brake failure and crushed the student who was returning home from school.

Some students trooped out in their numbers and set the Dangote truck on fire.

They also insisted that Fire fighters should not put off the fire and instead vandalised their truck, he said.

He said the deceased has been deposited at the morgue of the General hospital, Ilaro. (NAN)
ADVERTISEMENT

Uche Agomoh of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, on Friday, sentenced four internet fraudsters to various jail terms, totalling 18 months.

Mrs Agomoh, the judge, also ordered each of the convicts to sign an undertaking to be of good behaviour, after completing their jail terms.

The convicts are Samuel Olatunji, Joshua Adeyemi, Ekelechukwu Ugwu and Adedeji Bashir.

Messrs Olatunji, Ugwu and Bashir were each sentenced to four months imprisonment, while Mr Adeyemi was jailed six months.

The convicts had entered a plea bargain agreement with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to a count amended charge instituted against them.

Mrs Agomoh, assessing the spate of internet related crimes among youth in the society, in her four separate judgments, said there was no reason for youth to take to crimes in the country.

According to her, that there is no work is not an excuse for our youth to go into cybercrimes, and now that you are losing all, after being caught, so, what have you gained?

You are getting minimum sentences now, because you did not have any previous record of conviction.

`However, you would be given the maximum conviction when next you are caught for any crime.

My advice to you is to take a proper examination of yourselves and be of good conduct, especially as political activities will soon start.

After completing your jail terms, each of you must write and sign an undertaking that you would never partake in any form of criminal activities again,  Mrs Agomoh ordered.

Earlier, the EFCC Counsel, Mabas Maburb, told the court that Meesrs Olatunji, Adeyemi, Ugwu and Bashir were arrested at different locations in Ogun and Oyo States respectively, between February and March.

Mr Maburb said the convicts were apprehended based on tipoff from concerned Nigerians that they were defrauding unsuspecting foreigners.

The prosecutor also said that each of the convicts was found operating fictitious email addresses, through which they impersonated and defrauded some U.S citizens.

He said Mr Olatunji was found in possession of many incriminating documents, linking him with fraud, while Mr Adeyemi was found in possession of $500 and an i-phone.

According to her, $1,000 and two smart phones were confiscated from Mr Ugu, while Mr Bashir restituted a cash of $650 and two smart phones.

Mr Maburb said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 22B (2) of the Cyber Crime Prohibition and Prevention Act, 2015. (NAN)
Plattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. High 66F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 56F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.
Southbury, CT (06488)

Today

Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High 61F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low 54F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
The Prince William Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.
NAIROBI, Kenya, June 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A national motorcycle helmet coalition is to be established in Kenya as part of a major effort to increase motorcycle and motorised three-wheeler safety for riders and their passengers. It follows research which shows that a motorcycle helmet can reduce the risk of death by 42 per cent and risk of head injury by 69 per cent in a crash.

The project was announced today as part of the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) Safe and Affordable Helmet Programme  which has seen the creation of an innovative new high-quality motorcycle helmet which meets UN safety standard 22.05, is comfortable in hot and humid climates, and available at a target selling price of around 20 USD.

Independent global road safety philanthropy the FIA Foundation will provide ongoing support for the initiative and has appointed Transaid to lead an initial 18-month project to build a national network of stakeholders to improve safety and reduce injury nationally. Transaid is an international development organisation with extensive experience in motorcycle and three-wheeler safety and has worked in Kenya previously.

Sam Clark, Head of Programmes at Transaid, says: "The FIA and FIA Foundation are committed to achieving large-scale deployment of their Safe and Affordable Helmet Programme, and we believe strongly that a national helmet wearing coalition has the potential to deliver transformational change. We are going to be engaging with government, police, hospitals, private sector, transport associations and communities to develop the solutions which make Kenyan journeys safer."

Kevin Mubadi, President of the Boda Boda Safety Association, Kenya, explains: "Our industry is an essential and growing element of Kenya's transport system, but the challenge to access safe, affordable and appropriate helmets means that the number of riders suffering from serious head injuries is on the rise.

"We are committed to taking a leading role in the national helmet coalition implementation and we welcome the FIA Foundation's funding for the multi-sectoral approach which will seek to advocate for greater use of helmets to deliver safer Kenyan roads."

The majority of the estimated 1.4 million* motorcycles in Kenya are used as "boda bodas"  and whilst compulsory motorcycle helmet use laws exist, enforcement is currently inconsistent and helmet use is low.

Saul Billingsley, Executive Director for the FIA Foundation, says: "Use and access to affordable yet quality helmets in low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya has historically been low making riders vulnerable to serious injury, in particular head injuries. More than a quarter of global road traffic deaths represent motorised two or three wheelers and the rate is rising rapidly.

"Establishing a national helmet wearing coalition, with Transaid's support, helps to address the need for greater awareness of road safety amongst riders, and lay the groundwork for the cross-sectoral cooperation and active engagement of civil society and communities."

[Tomorrow] FIA President Jean Todt will meet with His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya, to showcase the new helmets and discuss road safety.

Kenya currently has amongst the highest road traffic death rates in Africa, with 12,463* road traffic-related deaths reported in 2018.

*Source: Directorate of Registration and Licensing at the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), reported there were 1,393,290 registered motorcycles in Kenya, in February 2018.

**Source: WHO estimated



Note to Editor:

About Transaid

Transaid transforms lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport.

Transaid's core work includes creating transport management systems for the public sector and assisting with the provision of professional driving qualification development and the training of driver trainers. It also assists with teaching preventive vehicle maintenance management and introducing local, low cost transport solutions including its innovative bicycle ambulance. Transaid also helps promote road safety awareness and shares its specialist knowledge with the humanitarian aid sector.

About the FIA Foundation

The FIA Foundation is an independent UK registered charity which supports an international programme of activities promoting road safety, the environment and sustainable mobility. Our aim is to ensure "Safe, Clean, Fair and Green" mobility for all.

Related Links

https://www.transaid.org



SOURCE Transaid
JOLIET, Ill., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A Beep, LLC marks its 25th anniversary as the nation's largest privately held Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) provider. A Beep has grown from a small regional Paging Carrier and 2-way radio service company to a recognized provider of Push-to-Talk over Cellular with their Diga-Talk+ product line.

Diga-Talk+ (DTP) has grown into a complete communications ecosystem. Multiple devices that include handheld portable radios, mobile in vehicle radios, PC dispatch software and smart phone applications are available. Diga-Talk+ is a cost-effective turnkey solution that provides not only the device but also the monthly service. Earlier this year DTP launched its' inaugural FirstNet certified device for Extended Primary Users with the introduction of the DTP-9751.

DTP also has a dealer program that provides the product and service through a wholesale channel. This local representation with dealers in almost every state has been integral in the growth of DTP nationwide.

Frank Anderson, Cofounder and CEO remarked: "We have achieved our success through the hard work and dedication of our employees, great customers and dealers that resell our products. We have dedicated ourselves to 25 years of customer service, to provide our customers with quality communications products and service."

Past achievements include the first all-digital wide area 2-way radio network serving Chicago. This Diga-Talk network began construction in 2009 with Kenwood Nexedge equipment. It now covers much of Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana. A Beep has partnered with other Kenwood dealers that provide additional tower sites and customer loading.

While 2020 was filled with obstacles that affected us all, we continued to move forward. Projects that included the graceful shutdown of the Anterix MotoTrbo 900mhz system in multiple markets as well as the moving of our operations to a new, larger state of the art facility were completed. We also upgraded our premiere repeater location at the 108th Floor at Willis Tower Chicago. New antenna and combining equipment was installed to cover all LMR frequency bands. All Lessees from Chicago Tower Inc. from Floor 90 were relocated into our facility. New space is available for future tenants on the tallest building in the Midwest.

A Beep continues to look forward and is excited for what the next 25 years will bring. Staying at the forefront of communications technology and innovation has always been the cornerstone of our success. We once again thank our employees, partners, and especially our customers for contributing to this momentous milestone.

http://www.abeep.com/Find out more information about Diga-Talk+ at www.DigaTalkPlus.com or call 855-530-2378. Diga-Talk+ is privately held with corporate offices located at 710 West Jefferson Street, Joliet, IL 60435. Media contact is Susan Hibsch at [email protected] or 815-740-1780.

Related Links

www.digatalkplus.com

www.abeep.com

SOURCE A Beep, LLC

Related Links

http://www.abeep.com


LA JOLLA, Calif., June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This Sci-Fi Alien UFO movie "AI The Plan to Invade Humanity was originally released on April 24, 2020 on Twitter. Within 3 days of its release, the public received confirmation that we have had off-world alien technology land on earth. This Sci-Fi movie is based on true events. Watch this thought provoking, alternative universe film that is based on Cyrus A Parsa, of The AI Organization's secret R&D on UFO and Alien scans.

AI The Plan to Invade Humanity Official Trailer The Alien UFO movie by Cyrus that spooked the Pentagon during the pandemic and started a chain of reaction to declassify UFO files. Find out why every human being is special and what the AI Alien Master Plan as disclosed by Cyrus 20 years of hidden R&D is. Cyrus claims he was shown in 2003 top-secret files and images of on not only UFO's, but actual aliens. 4-24-2020, Cyrus Tweets movie to Potus, Pentagon, CIA, FBI, Space Force, Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, and military Generals at height of pandemic. Within 3 days, on April 27, 2020, the Pentagon confirms for first time in history UFO's, starting a chain reaction. Movie got the Pentagon and CIA talking. Later in the year, on December 8, 2020, Cyrus put out another tweet asking for complete declassification of Alien and UFO files. Within days, the order was put to give DNI 6 months to brief congress.

After 335, 362 views U Tube Views as of 6-21-2021, we have put it on private and re-released it in its raw original form, digitally remastered, available for only $3.99. New Addition commentary at end of Movie

Watch Full Film Digitally Remastered in its Raw Form for Immediate Viewing at: https://theaiorganization.com/ai-the-plan-to-invade-humanity-movie-spawned-pentagons-alien-ufo-disclosures-on-april-24-2020/

Direct Rental

Watch AI The Plan to Invade Humanity Online | Vimeo On Demand on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/alienaimovie

https://alienaimovie.com

Official Website

https://theaiorganization.com

The original Tweet occurred on

https://twitter.com/CyrusAParsa1/status/1253725082947514369

Original Trailer via You Tube

AI: THE PLAN TO INVADE HUMANITY OFFICIAL TRAILER---Cyrus A. Parsa, The AI Organization - YouTube

The Aliens had a plan with their Quantum Crafts to colonize earth without the inhabitants realizing that they were being invaded. One day they come, one day they go, takes only two days to span 100 years to invade in our dimension through AI technology. Yet, their plans are exposed, as the Creator has another plan.

AUDIENCE REVIEWS

"This may be the most important movie I've ever seen as far as humanity is concerned and that's no hyperbole. I'm gonna share it wide but the sad thing is that most people will dismiss it as fantasy or conspiracy. Thank God I'm not plugged into the ""Matrix"" anymore." Blake Salmons

"A stunning video. The best yet that I've heard on the subject. I'll spread this as far as I can. Thank you Cyrus" Olemolokoplus

"Greatest movie I've ever watched in my life. Thank you. You have ignited my spirit for life. " Blossom Queen

"After listening to the whole video I've got to say, Finally, someone who has the whole picture and not just pieces, thank you!!!!!!" Nancy Smith

"You get my nomination for most important documentary of the century sir!! Thank you." Elisa T

Original Movie Release

AI The Plan To Invade Humanity - THE AI ORGANIZATION

CONTACT:

[email protected] or [email protected]

1-805-996-0135

Corporate Twitter: The AI Organization (@AiOrganization) / Twitter

Founder & CEO, Cyrus A. Parsa Social Media:

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/CyrusAParsa1/

Instagram:

@CyrusAParsa1 and @AIORGANIZATION

Telegram: @CyrusAParsa1

https://t.me/CyrusAParsa1

Parler:

@CyrusAParsa1 and @aiorganization

Facebook

https://www.Facebook.com/THEAIORGANIZATION/

Theaiorganization.tv

Amazon Book Link Kindle and Paperback:

Amazon.com: The Great Reset: How Big Tech Elites and the World's People Can Be Enslaved by China CCP or A.I. eBook: Parsa, Cyrus, The AI Organization: Kindle Store

"Cyrus A. Parsa, and The AI Organization support and respect all people of faith, race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, and political belief. The mission is to support humanity at large, all people. The AI Organization specializes in AI, Biosecurity, Quantum, China and UFO R&D for the safety and betterment of humanity at large" said Cyrus A. Parsa.

SOURCE The AI Organization
WELLESLEY, Mass., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ampersand Capital Partners announced today that it has completed the sale of Nexcelom Bioscience, one of its portfolio companies and a leading provider of automated cell counting solutions, to PerkinElmer for $260 million in cash.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Nexcelom is the manufacturer of innovative Cellometer, Cellaca MX, and Celigo image cytometry products for cell analysis in drug discovery, development, and manufacturing workflows. In 2018, Nexcelom received an investment from Ampersand Capital Partners to support its rapid growth in aiding the discovery and development of cell, gene, and immuno-oncology therapies, virology drugs, and vaccines. Today Nexcelom has approximately 130 employees around the world based in the U.S., the UK and China and projects 2021 revenues of approximately $40 million.

"Nexcelom was founded with the goal of assisting bench scientists by automating tedious and manual cell counting processes," said Peter Li, President and CEO of Nexcelom Bioscience. "Over the past eighteen years the Company has worked closely with our customers to develop powerful tools to solve their complex challenges in rapidly developing cell-based assay and biomanufacturing markets. Ampersand's support and guidance over the past three years has been an important part of the Nexcelom story, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to partner with them."

Eric Lev, General Partner of Ampersand Capital Partners, added, "When Ampersand began its partnership with co-owners Peter Li and CTO & Founder Jean Qiu about three years ago, we saw promise in Nexcelom's technology and believed we could help the company leverage its unique solutions to expand its presence in therapeutics development and manufacturing support. It has been extremely rewarding to participate in Nexcelom's sucess during our investment period, and we believe that as part of PerkinElmer Nexcelom will be well positioned to serve customers worldwide in the development of life-changing drugs and vaccines."

About Ampersand Capital Partners

Founded in 1988, Ampersand is a middle-market private equity firm with more than $2 billion of assets under management dedicated to growth-oriented investments in the healthcare sector. With offices in Boston and Amsterdam, Ampersand leverages its unique blend of private equity and operating experience to build value and drive superior long-term performance alongside its portfolio company management teams. Ampersand has helped build numerous market-leading companies across each of the firm's core healthcare sectors. Additional information about Ampersand is available at www.ampersandcapital.com

SOURCE Ampersand Capital Partners

Related Links

www.ampersandventures.com


Technavio offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario and the overall market environment.

Download a Free Sample Report

Technavio's report on "Sand Control Systems Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024" reveals that the market has the potential to reach USD 418.62 million, progressing at a CAGR of almost 3%.

Leading Regions Analysis of Sand Control Systems Market during 2020-2024:

Technavio identifies North America as the second highest country where the market size of sand control systems will have the potential to reach USD 643.62 million by 2024. Factors such as the significant rise in E&P activities in unconventional oil and gas sources and the increase in the overall production of crude oil and gas in North America are contributing to the demand for the sand control systems market during the forecast period.

Europe will be the third-highest country, where the market size of sand control systems will have the potential to reach USD 586.44 million by 2024. Factors such as favorable government policies and the numerous offshore oil and gas projects in the North Sea will drive the demand for the sand control systems market during the forecast period.

Enquire to know more about the global trends impacting the future of the market.

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR45766&type=enquire

Sand Control Systems Market in the Oil & Gas Equipment & Services Industry during 2020-2024: Vendor Analysis and Scope

To help businesses improve their market position, the sand control systems market report provides a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the market. Some of these vendors include 3M Co., Baker Hughes Co., Halliburton Co., Mitchell Industries, National Oilwell Varco Inc., Schlumberger Ltd., Oil States International Inc., Packers Plus Energy Services Inc., Superior Energy Services Inc., and Weatherford International Plc.

The report also covers the following areas:

Sand Control Systems Market size

Sand Control Systems Market trends

Sand Control Systems Market analysis

Key Topics Covered

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market Sizing

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation by Application

Market Segmentation by Geography

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Vendor Landscape

Vendor Analysis

Appendix

Related Report on Energy Include:

Global Frac Services Market- The frac services market is segmented by application (offshore and onshore) and geography (North America, MEA, Europe, APAC, and South America).

Download Free Sample Report

Global Land Drilling Rigs Market- The land drilling rigs market is segmented by type (conventional rigs and mobile rigs) and geography (MEA, North America, APAC, Europe, and South America).

Download Free Sample Report

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. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Report Page: https://www.technavio.com/report/sand-control-systems-market-industry-analysis

SOURCE Technavio
KISSIMMEE, Fla., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Blade Services, Inc. ("ABS"), a wholly owned subsidiary of First Aviation Services Inc., announced today the commencement of a multi-year Inspection and Repair Training and Maintenance contract to support Main and Tail Rotor Blade repair for the Taiwanese fleet of S-70/UH-60 rotorcraft. The partnership with AMS Group and Air Asia Company Limited ("AACL") is another significant milestone for Aviation Blade Services in supporting operators worldwide.

ABS General Manager John Brennan commented "We are excited to continue growing our footprint with foreign military operators of the Blackhawk and Seahawk by expanding our longstanding relationship with the AMS Group and AACL. The training and service partnership allows AACL to support fleet readiness in country and reduce turnaround times (TAT) by leveraging ABS's industry leading technical capabilities."

AMS Group SVP, Business Development, Dr. Matthew Wentzel states "AMS Group is extremely excited to expand our partnership with ABS to enhance the AACL Vertical Flight Center's current in-country Depot Level S-70/UH-60 Rotor Blade maintenance capabilities. AMS and ABS are collectively committed to provide AACL with on-going training, engineering consultation and maintenance support to sustain the ROCN and ROCA S-70/UH-60 fleets mission readiness requirements."

AACL VP, Tsai, Sung-Lin stated "The AMS and ABS partnership has demonstrated dedicated customer support, competitive cost/TAT options, technical capability and a reputation for quality support and services. These were all key factors in our decision to enter into a long-term technical partnership."

Aviation Blade Services, Inc. looks to continue to grow its influence within the UH-60/S-70 rotor blade maintenance marketplace with continued investment in engineering and capacity. The establishment of partnerships with AMS, as well as direct government contracts is proving to be a successful growth path.

About Aviation Blade Services, Inc. (www.absblade.com)

Aviation Blade Services, Inc. ("ABS"), based in Kissimmee, Florida, is best known for its expertise in the UH-60 Blackhawk rotor blade, as well as the Sikorsky, S-55, S-58, S-61, S-62, S-64, S-70, H-3, H34, and CH-54 rotor blades, and Westland Sea King rotor blades. With one of the most extensive libraries of Sikorsky rotor blade maintenance and manufacturing technical data, ABS is a world class repair facility for Sikorsky rotor blades. The company's experience, knowledge and support for these rotor blades is unmatched. More information may be found at www.absblade.com.

About First Aviation Services Inc. (www.firstaviation.com)

First Aviation Services Inc. ("FAvS"), headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, is a leading provider of component repair and overhaul, PMA parts manufacturing and rotables management to the aviation industry worldwide. FAvS's principal operating subsidiaries are: Aerospace Turbine Rotables, Inc. (AeTR) and Evolution Aerospace, Inc. (EVO) in Wichita, KS, Piedmont Propulsion Systems, LLC (PPS) in Winston-Salem, NC and Aviation Blade Services, Inc. (ABS) in Kissimmee, FL. Together, the companies repair and overhaul Landing Gear systems, Flight Controls, Actuation Systems, Lighting, Power Supplies, Oxygen and Fire Suppression systems, Hydrostatic Testing, Crew Masks, all Dowty, Hamilton, Hartzell and McCauley propellers and Helicopter Rotor Blades. More information about FAvS and its subsidiaries may be found on the company's website www.firstaviation.com.

About AMS Group, Aero International, LLC (www.amsgroup.net)

The AMS Group is a diverse group of established companies providing innovative technologies and logistics support services to US and international customers in commercial, defense and security markets.

AERO International, LLC. (AERO), operates as a key member of the AMS Group Logistics Division. AERO is an authorized OEM licensed manufacturer, distribution and logistics provider. AERO provides an extensive line of OEM and after-market products, repair and overhaul services, as well as engineering expertise and logistic support for military and commercial aircraft, land combat and military transport vehicles, accessories, and ground support equipment. Customers include the US DOD, NATO and foreign military operators, prime contractors, and end users of OEM products, where AERO provides authorized licensed, value-added products and logistics support services. Since 1994, AERO has been an industry recognized license manufacturer and channel partner for Honeywell International - Defense & Space, Honeywell Advanced Sensing Technologies and L3Harris Technologies -Ocean Systems.

About Air Asia (AACL) (http://www.airasia.com.tw/)

AACL's Vertical Flight Center was designed to support numerous helicopter platforms in the region. With successful technical transfer from Bell Helicopter Textron and Industrial Cooperation Program (ICP), AACL's Vertical Flight Center is the most professional helicopter service center in Taiwan. We offer extensive helicopter maintenance service in line with OEM's standards & qualifications.

Contact:

Paul Bolton

Aviation Blade Services, Inc.

[email protected]

Dr. Matthew Wentzel

AMS Group, Inc.

[email protected]

SOURCE Aviation Blade Services, Inc.
Minister of Tourism & Aviation, the Hon. Dionisio D'Aguilar, was among the officials gathered at the Sir Lynden Airport this afternoon to greet the inaugural flight and he expressed warm words of welcome.

"I am honoured and excited that Frontier Airlines has decided to partner with The Bahamas, particularly at this critical juncture, as we engage on the path of tourism recovery and economic restoration following a devastating hurricane and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic. I take this opportunity to extend a warm Bahamian welcome to you and to express our sincere appreciation for your partnership."

The addition of Frontier Airlines to the growing number of air carriers servicing The Bahamas comes as a result of the ongoing drive by the Ministry of Tourism & Aviation and key industry partners to expand airlift to the destination. A robust increase in airlift from major source markets figures as a key element in the Ministry's overall strategy for tourism recovery.

"Frontier Airlines' multiple flights per week provide a breath of fresh air to our tourism economy as this air link connects our destination to the hub of the Southeastern USA, including Florida, a market from which we annually attract a significant share of our visitors," said Minister D'Aguilar.

Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful beaches and explore the exciting offerings of Nassau and Paradise Island.

ABOUT THE BAHAMAS

Explore all the islands have to offer at www.bahamas.com or on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram.

PRESS INQUIRIES

Anita Johnson-Patty

Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation

[email protected]

SOURCE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation
The feed yeast market is expected to grow by USD 547.14 million during 2021-2025, according to Technavio. The report offers a detailed analysis of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the feed yeast market in optimistic, probable, and pessimistic forecast scenarios.

Enterprises will go through the Response, Recovery, and Renew phases.

Download: Analysis on Feed Yeast Market Segments

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40109

The feed yeast market will witness a Positive impact during the forecast period due to the widespread growth of the COVID-19 pandemic. As per Technavio's pandemic-focused market research, market growth is likely to Increase as compared to 2019.

With the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic, organizations across the globe are gradually flattening their recessionary curve by leveraging technology. Many businesses will go through response, recovery, and renew phases. Building business resilience and enabling agility will aid organizations to move forward in their journey out of the COVID-19 crisis towards the Next Normal.

This post-pandemic business planning research will aid clients to:

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.

Key Considerations for Market Forecast:

Impact of lockdowns, supply chain disruptions, demand destruction, and change in customer behavior

Optimistic, probable, and pessimistic scenarios for all markets as the impact of pandemic unfolds

Pre- as well as post-COVID-19 market estimates

Quarterly impact analysis and updates on market estimates

Gain instant access to 17,000+ market research reports by using

Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform: https://www.technavio.com/request-free-demo?industry=Packaged Foods & Meats

Related Report on Consumer Staples Industries:

Yeast Market by Type, Application, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis

Global Probiotics Market

Major Three Feed Yeast Market Participants:

Alltech Inc.

Alltech Inc. offers animal nutrition for dairy cow, beef cattle, poultry, pig, aquaculture, equine, pet and others. The company also offers the yeast by brand name Yea-Sacc.

Archer Daniels Midland Co.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. operates its business under segments- Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions, Nutrition, and Others. The company offers the Red star yeast.

Associated British Foods Plc

Associated British Foods Plc operates its business under segments- Grocery, Sugar, Agriculture, Ingredients, and Retail. The company offers the feed yeast such as AB Agri.

Buy our Feed Yeast Market report right now to gain access to a detailed customer landscape matrix comparing key industry-driven parameters.

https://www.technavio.com/Buy Now!

Feed Yeast Market 2021-2025: Segmentation

Feed yeast market is segmented as below:

Product

Poultry



Ruminant



Swine



Aquaculture



Others

Geography

Europe



APAC



North America



South America



MEA

The feed yeast market is driven by the increasing livestock population. In addition, product launches is also expected to trigger the feed yeast market toward witnessing a CAGR of over 5% 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

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Report: https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40109

SOURCE Technavio

Related Links

https://www.technavio.com/talk-to-us?report=IRTNTR40109&type=sample&src=report&utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=vendor.v.2_wk26_001_rfs2_Fee_Yea&utm_content=IRTNTR40109


DENVER, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Evergreen Services Group, a family of leading managed IT services companies, announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all the operating assets of VirtualArmour, a leading global managed security services provider (MSSP). The transaction is expected to close later in the second quarter or early in the third quarter of 2021, at which time the company will continue to operate independently under its existing leadership team led by CEO Russ Armbrust.

VirtualArmour Inc.

"We are excited to expand our cybersecurity capabilities by joining forces with VirtualArmour," said Jeff Totten, Evergreen's CEO. "From our first interaction, we were impressed by Russ, the VirtualArmour team and the company they have built. We look forward to partnering with the VirtualArmour team to bring a comprehensive managed cybersecurity offering to Evergreen's customers."

"Evergreen is a proven growth partner which will bring long-term vision and resources to support our growth while we continue independent operations," said Armbrust. "Evergreen will enable us to continue providing great service to our customers while we expand our capabilities in furtherance of our mission to be the industry's leading provider of managed security services."

In VirtualArmour, Evergreen sees the opportunity to enhance its capabilities in the rapidly growing cybersecurity services market that is highly complementary to Evergreen's portfolio of MSPs. Through its Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) offering, professional services and best-in-class cybersecurity offerings, VirtualArmour manages the entire security lifecycle, from initial assessment to implementation and remediation.

"VirtualArmour's success stems from our absolute dedication to client satisfaction and world-class service. With Evergreen's investment, we are further affirmed in the quality of our company, our team, and our abilities as a premier cybersecurity managed services provider," said CTO Andrew Douthwaite. "It will be exciting to continue building VirtualArmour with our new partner Evergreen!"

"With the ever-increasing importance of cybersecurity for all businesses, we knew we wanted to find an MSSP to partner with, and we think VirtualArmour is a perfect fit," said Ramsey Sahyoun, Evergreen's Head of M&A. "We're excited to support VirtualArmour in growing its business alongside our MSPs and expanding the company's partner program."

VirtualArmour follows Evergreen's acquisition of 28 managed IT providers since 2018. Evergreen continues to actively invest in leading IT service providers throughout North America, where it can serve as a long-term capital partner and support future growth. Capstone Partners, an independent, full-service middle market investment bank, acted as the exclusive financial advisor to VirtualArmour.

About VirtualArmour

VirtualArmour is a global managed security services provider founded in 2001 by a team of networking and security industry experts. VirtualArmour specializes in advanced networking and cybersecurity, serving mid-market and enterprise customers across the US and Europe through managed services, professional services and hardware/software resell. The company's services operate through its global Security Operations Centers (SOC) located in Middlesbrough, UK and the United States. For more information about VirtualArmour, visit www.virtualarmour.com.

About Evergreen Services Group

Evergreen Services Group is a family of leading managed IT and cybersecurity services companies operated by world-class leadership teams. Evergreen partners with owners of IT services companies to provide operational assistance and capital in support of growth and exceptional service delivery. Evergreen differentiates itself by providing a permanent home for businesses that care deeply about their customers and employees. For more Evergreen Services Group news and information, visit www.evergreensg.com.

Contact:

Evergreen Services Group

Ramsey Sahyoun, (415) 591-1318

Head of M&A

[email protected]

Related Images

image1.png

SOURCE VirtualArmour Inc.
WARREN, Ohio, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Brian Kirk, grandson of Niles murder victim Marie Belcastro , will hold 13 separate events to protest Senate Bill 256 , the new Ohio law that could free Belcastro's killer. SB256, effective since April, mandates parole eligibility for almost all juvenile criminals, forcing victims to endure traumatizing parole hearings every five years. Kirk, along with other survivors, is working to amend or repeal the law through the legislature, courts, and Ohio Constitutional amendment.

Beneficiaries of the bill include Gavon Ramsay , who murdered and sexually assaulted 98-year-old Margaret Douglas in Wadsworth and Jacob Larosa, who attempted to rape and then murdered 94-year-old Marie Belcastro in 2015.

"SB 256 is devastating to victims, as it forces us to endure traumatizing parole hearings, robs us of closure, and betrays our faith in the justice system. Victims' devastation is enhanced by lawmakers' apparent disregard for us," said Patty Sacco, great-niece of Margaret Douglas.

Kirk and Sacco have written hundreds of letters to Ohio lawmakers, including a five-page hand-written UPS Next Day Air letter to Gov. DeWine. "He never wrote back, never called, and I've known him for 31 years. Of Ohio's 132 legislators, many of whom I know very well, only four have responded to our letters and phone calls. Four."

Kirk is crowd-funding the tour. He and his family will meet with voters, fellow victims, media, and lawmakers. "Ohioans passed Marsy's Law with 83% of the vote," said Kirk. "When voters learn what their leaders did with SB256 in a lame duck session, they'll demand change. We're coming back to Ohio to shine a bright light on this pro-killer, anti-victim law."

The tour will include Kirk filing a petition for injunction against the bill in Trumbull County, as well as a final event at Capital Square in Columbus. Other stops include Bowling Green, Lima, Wapakoneta, Findlay, Kettering, Xenia, Delaware, Marion, Mansfield, Ashland, Wooster, Warren, and finally Columbus. The tour is Monday June 28-July 2, and July 9 ( Complete Itinerary).

The Ohio Coalition for Safety and Fairness was founded to speak up for surviving victims of juvenile murderers in Ohio. We are NOT a non-profit, as we often advocate in the political realm. For more: www.OhioCSF.com

SOURCE Ohio Coalition for Safety & Fairness

Related Links

Https://www.ohiocsf.com


SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- California has a shortage of primary care doctors, and this is projected to worsen over the next decade. As a state, it is critical that we train and retain as many physicians as we can if we are to meet the health care needs of our population. However, the California Academy of Family Physicians warns that new licensing requirements for resident physicians threaten to drive many early-career doctorsparticularly women, out of the state.

Last year, licensing requirements for physicians changed significantly now requiring that in order to become eligible for a California medical license, medical school graduates must successfully complete three years of post medical school graduate training in an accredited program, two of these three years must be uninterrupted training in the same program.

To understand why this is a problem, let's consider that residents are generally in their late 20's to early 30's and often starting families of their own while completing their training. While California labor law is quite clear that pregnancy-based employment discrimination is illegal, a female resident who has a baby during training could lose the ability to get a medical license if she takes maternity leave because training must be continuous for 24 months and she must complete 36 months of training, there are no exceptions for parental leave. It does not matter if the resident is in good academic standing or if they complete all requirements and pass their board examinations. If they take time off, they are ineligible for licensing in California unless they extend their training program, which is not possible due to lack of funding. While the same rule would apply to a male resident who wanted to take parental leave, this rule disproportionately affects women.

This has real impact for physicians and California communities. For example, recently, a family medicine residency program accepted a physician into their global health fellowship program. The program is located in one of the more underserved communities in the state, and graduates of this particular program almost universally remain in the area after training, providing primary care to immigrant farmworkers. However, due to California's revised licensing requirements, the residency program's incoming fellow was denied a California license, and was therefore unable to practice there.

The fellow was denied eligibility for a California license for a technical reason that has nothing to do with her ability to practice medicine. She was in excellent standing throughout her training, but had to transfer from her first residency program to another one due to her partner's serious health condition. She therefore completed 15 months at one residency program and 21 months at a second program, which does not meet California's licensure requirement of 24 continuous months at the same program. This meant that this family physician, who is fluent in Spanish and dedicated to practicing in an underserved community, had to take a position in another state which does not have the 24-month continuous training requirement.

The California Academy of Family Physicians, which represents almost 11,000 family physicians, medical residents, and medical students in California, along with coalition partners, the California Medical Association, the California Primary Care Association, SEIU California State Council, and the California Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, strongly opposes the revised licensing requirements. Regardless of intent, a policy that effectively bars parental and other types of family leave during training is discrimatory. Furthermore, requiring 24 months of continuous training at the same program creates many unforeseen barriers for people like the global health fellow, who have legitimate reasons for needing to relocate during training that have no bearing on the physician's ability to practice medicine. Given California's physician workforce shortage, we should not create barriers to practice. Rather, we must support an equitable system that bolsters the primary care physician workforce. One step we can take to achieve this is to immediately fix the licensing requirements in California that drive many early-career doctorsparticularly women, out of the state. Assembly Bill 1156, authored by Assembly Member Weber, provides a solution and should be passed by the Legislature immediately.

About the Author: Shannon Connolly, MD, FAAFP, is the President of the California Academy of Family Physicians (CAFP). Dr. Connolly is Associate Medical Director at Melody Health in Orange County where she also sees patients. Dr. Connolly received a B.A. in Biomedical Ethics from Brown University and an M.D. from University of Southern California. She did her medical residency in Family Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles and completed a fellowship in Primary Care Psychiatry at the University of California Irvine.

About the California Academy of Family Physicians: With more than 10,000 members, including active practicing family physicians, residents in family medicine, and medical students interested in the specialty, CAFP is the largest primary care medical society in California. Family physicians are trained to treat an entire family's medical needs, addressing the whole spectrum of life's medical challenges. FPs serve a broad base of patients in urban, suburban and rural areas, often in California's most underserved areas.

SOURCE California Academy of Family Physicians

Related Links

https://www.familydocs.org


NEW YORK, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced Orogen Royalties Inc. (TSX-V: OGN) (OTCQX: OGNRF), a company focused on organic royalty creation and royalty acquisitions on precious and base metal discoveries in western North America, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Orogen Royalties Inc. upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market.

Orogen Royalties Inc. begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "OGNRF." U.S. investors can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

Upgrading to the OTCQX Market is an important step for companies seeking to provide transparent trading for their U.S. investors. For companies listed on a qualified international exchange, streamlined market standards enable them to utilize their home market reporting to make their information available in the U.S. To qualify for OTCQX, companies must meet high financial standards, follow best practice corporate governance and demonstrate compliance with applicable securities laws.

Paddy Nicol, Orogen's President and CEO commented, "Orogen is proud to have met the qualifications for the OTCQX, the top tier of the OTC markets. Trading on the OTCQX enables the Company to enhance its visibility and liquidity with U.S. investors. Orogen looks forward to an exciting future with our organically generated royalty and property assets in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico."

B. Riley Securities, Inc. acted as the company's OTCQX sponsor.

About Orogen Royalties Inc.

Orogen Royalties Inc. is focused on organic royalty creation and royalty acquisitions on precious and base metal discoveries in western North America. Orogen's royalty portfolio includes the Ermitano West gold deposit in Sonora, Mexico (2% NSR royalty) being developed by First Majestic Silver Corp. and the Silicon gold project (1% NSR royalty) in Nevada, USA, being advanced by AngloGold Ashanti N.A. The Company is well financed with several projects actively being developed by joint venture partners.

About OTC Markets Group Inc.

OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM) operates the OTCQX Best Market, the OTCQB Venture Market and the Pink Open Market for 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect a diverse network of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. We enable investors to easily trade through the broker of their choice and empower companies to improve the quality of information available for investors.

To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.

OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.

Subscribe to the OTC Markets RSS Feed

Media Contact:

OTC Markets Group Inc., +1 (212) 896-4428, [email protected]

SOURCE OTC Markets Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.otcmarkets.com


Feature Story on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland Airing on FOX Business Network Sunday, June 27th at 5:30 pm

VANCOUVER, BC, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Rritual Superfoods Inc. ("Rritual" or the "Company") (CSE: RSF) (FSE: 0RW) (OTC: RRSFF) is pleased announce that the Company's Feature Story on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland, will air on FOX Business Network on Sunday, June 27th at 5:30 pm.

The piece will feature Kathy Ireland's interview with Rritual CEO, David Kerbel, discussing the Company's rapid growth and leadership within the fast-rising functional superfood category.

Rritual Superfoods Featured on FOX Business Network Highlights:

Rritual Superfoods the subject of Feature Story on Worldwide Business with kathy ireland

The Feature will air on FOX Business Network on Sunday, June 27 th at 5:30 pm

at Kathy Ireland's interview with Rritual CEO, David Kerbel focuses on Rritual's rapid rise as the brand grows across the USA

"The Rritual story is very compelling to the business audience we are reaching through Worldwide Business with kathy ireland," said Mr. David Kerbel, Rritual President and CEO. "On one hand, we have established a brand that has received tremendous awareness, illustrated through multiple sales, marketing and distribution deals that are putting our products within arms-reach of consumers across the USA. Couple that with the fact that functional mushrooms and the superfood category overall is in its infancy and this is a leading-edge success story in the making."

Rritual product offerings are all USDA-certified organic and are a caffeine-free option that can be mixed with other beverages or enjoyed by itself. Rritual's proprietary Immune-Synergy Six Mushroom Blend is the only functional health product on the market that contains a daily prebiotic blend which nourishes a healthy gut microbiome and facilitates balanced digestive function.

About Rritual

Rritual is a fast-growing functional superfood company that creates natural wellness products which support a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle. The company is poised to dominate a segment where demand and sales are growing exponentially. Under the executive leadership with over 100 years of CPG pedigree, Rritual has launched distribution to major retailers and is positioning itself as a leader in the functional health and wellness industry as a superfood platform. Rritual markets organic wellness products in the United States through initial retail rollout which includes over 10,000 points of sale and through www.rritual.com.

Follow Rritual on Twitter , LinkedIn , Facebook , and Instagram .

Functional Foods Market

According to Grandview Research*, it is estimated that the global functional food market is projected to reach $275 billion by 2025, growing at 7.9% each year with consumers putting more emphasis on health and wellness.



*https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-functional-foods-market



Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Rritual's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Company's plans to leverage third party manufacturing and logistics, the Company's broader retail distribution plans and the Company's other plans, focus and objectives.

Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rritual's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors set forth under "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the final long form prospectus of the Company dated February 26, 2021 and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Rritual undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Rritual to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.

SOURCE Rritual Superfoods Inc.
COMMERCE, Calif., June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TOUS les JOURS, a French-Asian bakery cafe chain known for its wide range of cake and pastry selection, announces that 2 new locations will be opened this month.

The chain is branching out its business in the Massachusetts area and opening up a new store in Malden, MA this month. This store will be its first standalone TOUS les JOURS location in Massachusetts with the new store concept that was introduced last year in California. With its new white and gold interior, the bakery welcomes guests with a clean and modern-classic vibe.

The chain is also opening up a new store in Killeen, TX, as the brand tries to expand its business in Texas. Located at 714 S Fort Hood Street, this location will be the brand's 9th store in the lone star state.

At new locations, customers will be able to enjoy freshly baked bread, gourmet-style cakes, and special bakery gift items. To celebrate the openings, new stores are also offering opening promotion deals where customers can receive free brand merchandise with purchases. Quantities are limited, and each store has its own limitations.

Now with the 2 new locations, customers can enjoy TOUS les JOURS bakery goods in 15 different states at 69 different locations. The brand plans to expand its business in current and new markets and open several more stores this year.

TOUS les JOURS Malden opens at 230 Pleasant St. Malden, MA 02148 with hours of 7:30am to 9:30pm, and TOUS les JOURS Killeen opens at 714 S. Fort Hood St. Killeen, TX 76541 with hours of 9:00am to 8:00pm from Monday to Saturday and 10:00am to 8pm on Sundays.

To learn more about TOUS les JOURS stores and their locations, please visit https://www.tljus.com/locations.

About TOUS les JOURS

TOUS les JOURS is a French-Asian-inspired bakery cafe, offering more than 300 different kinds of bakery goods, including bread, pastries, cakes, desserts, and beverages. The bakery bakes every day to provide fresh products for the guests and takes pride in sourcing and using carefully selected fine ingredients.

TOUS les JOURS continues to expand and embrace innovation in all markets. With its franchising know-how and continuous support from the team, the brand is getting a lot of attention from people who are interested in setting up a small business.

Currently, there are more than 60 stores in the U.S. and more than 1,600 stores all around the world. TOUS les JOURS means "every day" in French.

For more information about the brand, see https://www.tljus.com.

Media Contact:

Joon Kwon

323-480-9158

[email protected]

Related Images

tous-les-jours-bakery.jpg

TOUS les JOURS Bakery

SOURCE TOUS les JOURS USA
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has informed the company that the FDA will not meet the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action dates for the supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDAs) for RINVOQ (upadacitinib) for the treatment of adults with active psoriatic arthritis and adults with active ankylosing spondylitis. The FDA cited its ongoing review of Pfizer's post-marketing study, ORAL Surveillance, evaluating tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

No formal regulatory action has been taken on the sNDAs for RINVOQ in psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

"RINVOQ has demonstrated strong efficacy data, a safety profile that is well characterized from large long-term studies and a favorable benefit-risk profile," said Michael Severino, M.D., vice chairman and president, AbbVie. "We remain committed to working with the FDA to bring RINVOQ to patients living with psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other immune-mediated diseases."

About RINVOQ (upadacitinib)

Discovered and developed by AbbVie scientists, RINVOQ is a selective and reversible JAK inhibitor that is being studied in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. In August 2019, RINVOQ received U.S. FDA approval for adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate. RINVOQ is approved by the European Commission for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs); for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more DMARDs; and for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to conventional therapy. The approved dose for RINVOQ in these indications is 15 mg. Phase 3 trials of RINVOQ in rheumatoid arthritis, atopic dermatitis, psoriatic arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis are ongoing.

Important Safety Information about RINVOQ (upadacitinib)

RINVOQ U.S. Use and Important Safety Information

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in whom methotrexate did not work well or could not be tolerated. It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children under 18 years of age.

What is the most important information I should know about RINVOQ?

RINVOQ is a medicine that can lower the ability of your immune system to fight infections. You should not start taking RINVOQ if you have any kind of infection unless your healthcare provider (HCP) tells you it is okay.

Serious infections have happened in some people taking RINVOQ, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses that can spread throughout the body. Some people have died from these infections. Your HCP should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster).

Your HCP should test you for TB before starting RINVOQ and check you closely for signs and symptoms of TB during treatment with RINVOQ. You may be at higher risk of developing shingles (herpes zoster). Lymphoma and other cancers, including skin cancers, can happen in people taking RINVOQ.

Blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs and arteries are possible in some people taking RINVOQ. This may be life-threatening and cause death.

Tears in the stomach or intestines and changes in certain laboratory tests can happen. Your HCP should do blood tests before you start taking RINVOQ and while you take it. Your HCP may stop your RINVOQ treatment for a period of time if needed because of changes in these blood test results.

What should I tell my HCP BEFORE starting RINVOQ?

Tell your HCP if you:

Are being treated for an infection, have an infection that won't go away or keeps coming back, or have symptoms of an infection such as:

Fever, sweating, or chills



Shortness of breath



Warm, red, or painful skin or sores on your body



Muscle aches



Feeling tired



Blood in phlegm



Diarrhea or stomach pain



Cough



Weight loss



Burning when urinating or urinating more often than normal

Have TB or have been in close contact with someone with TB.

Have had any type of cancer, hepatitis B or C, shingles (herpes zoster), or blood clots in the veins of your legs or lungs, diverticulitis (inflammation in parts of the large intestine), or ulcers in your stomach or intestines.

Have other medical conditions including liver problems, low blood cell counts, diabetes, chronic lung disease, HIV, or a weak immune system.

Live, have lived, or have traveled to parts of the country that increase your risk of getting certain kinds of fungal infections, such as the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest. If you are unsure if you've been to these areas, ask your HCP.

and Mississippi River valleys and the Southwest. If you are unsure if you've been to these areas, ask your HCP. Have recently received or are scheduled to receive a vaccine. People who take RINVOQ should not receive live vaccines.

Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Based on animal studies, RINVOQ may harm your unborn baby. Your HCP will check whether or not you are pregnant before you start RINVOQ. You should use effective birth control (contraception) to avoid becoming pregnant while taking RINVOQ and for at least 4 weeks after your last dose.

Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. RINVOQ may pass into your breast milk. You should not breastfeed while taking RINVOQ and for at least 6 days after your last dose.

Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. RINVOQ and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.

Especially tell your HCP if you take:

Medicines for fungal or bacterial infections

Rifampicin or phenytoin

Medicines that affect your immune system

Ask your HCP or pharmacist if you are not sure if you are taking any of these medicines.

What should I tell my HCP AFTER starting RINVOQ?

Tell your HCP right away if you:

Have any symptoms of an infection. RINVOQ can make you more likely to get infections or make any infections you have worse.

Have any signs or symptoms of blood clots during treatment with RINVOQ, including:

Swelling



Pain or tenderness in the leg



Sudden unexplained chest pain



Shortness of breath

Have a fever or stomach-area pain that does not go away, and a change in your bowel habits.

What are the common side effects of RINVOQ?

These include: upper respiratory tract infections (common cold, sinus infections), nausea, cough, and fever. These are not all the possible side effects of RINVOQ.

RINVOQ is taken once a day with or without food. Do not split, break, crush, or chew the tablet. Take RINVOQ exactly as your HCP tells you to use it.

Please see the Full Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide, for RINVOQ.

This is the most important information to know about RINVOQ. For more information, talk to your HCP. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

If you are having difficulty paying for your medicine, AbbVie may be able to help. Visit AbbVie.com/myAbbVieAssist to learn more.

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to realize the expected benefits from AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan plc ("Allergan"), failure to promptly and effectively integrate Allergan's businesses, competition from other products, challenges to intellectual property, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry and the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics, such as COVID-19. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

SOURCE AbbVie

Related Links

abbvie.com


BOSTON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Eaton Vance New York Municipal Income Trust (NYSE American: EVY) (the "Fund") held a special meeting of shareholders earlier today (the "Special Meeting"). At the Special Meeting, Fund shareholders were asked to approve the liquidation and termination of the Fund pursuant to the plan of liquidation and termination approved by the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Special Meeting was adjourned to July 14, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time to allow more time for shareholders to vote. The April 23, 2021 record date for shareholders entitled to vote at the adjourned Special Meeting remains unchanged. Information about the adjourned Special Meeting appears below.

If, as of April 23, 2021, you were a Fund shareholder and have not yet voted, the Fund urges you to submit your vote in advance of the adjourned Special Meeting by one of the methods described in the Fund's proxy materials. The Fund's proxy statement is available online at https://funds.eatonvance.com/closed-end-fund-and-term-trust-documents.php.

If, as of April 23, 2021, you were a holder of record of Fund shares (i.e., you held Fund shares in your own name directly with the Fund) and wish to participate in and vote at the adjourned Special Meeting, you should email your full name and address to AST at [email protected]. You will then be provided with credentials to participate in the adjourned Special Meeting. You will be able to vote by entering the control number found on the proxy card you previously received. All requests to participate in and/or vote at the adjourned Special Meeting must be received by AST by no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 13, 2021.

If, as of April 23, 2021, you held Fund shares through an intermediary (such as a broker-dealer) and wish to participate in and vote at the adjourned Special Meeting, you will need to obtain a legal proxy from your intermediary reflecting the Fund's name, the number of Fund shares you held and your name and email address. You may forward an email from your intermediary containing the legal proxy or attach an image of the legal proxy to an email and send it to AST at [email protected] with "Legal Proxy" in the subject line. You will then be provided with credentials to participate in the adjourned Special Meeting, as well as a unique control number to vote your shares. If you would like to participate in, but NOT vote at, the adjourned Special Meeting, please send an email to AST at [email protected] with proof of ownership of Fund shares. A statement, letter or the Vote Instruction Form from your intermediary will be sufficient proof of ownership. You will then be provided with credentials to participate in the adjourned Special Meeting. All requests to participate in and/or vote at the adjourned Special Meeting must be received by AST by no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 13, 2021.

Please contact AST at [email protected] with any questions regarding access to the adjourned Special Meeting, and an AST representative will contact you to answer your questions.

About the Fund

Eaton Vance applies in-depth fundamental analysis to the active management of equity, income, alternative and multi-asset strategies. Eaton Vance's investment teams follow time-tested principles of investing that emphasize ongoing risk management, tax management (where applicable) and the pursuit of consistent long-term returns. The firm's investment capabilities encompass the global capital markets. With a history dating back to 1924, Eaton Vance is headquartered in Boston and also maintains investment offices in New York, London, Tokyo and Singapore. For more information, visit evmanagement.com. Eaton Vance is a part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, the asset management division of Morgan Stanley.

Shares of closed-end funds often trade at a discount from their net asset value. The market price of Fund shares may vary from net asset value based on factors affecting the supply and demand for shares, such as Fund distribution rates relative to similar investments, investors' expectations for future distribution changes, the clarity of the Fund's investment strategy and future return expectations, and investors' confidence in the underlying markets in which the Fund invests. Fund shares are subject to investment risk, including possible loss of principal invested. The Fund is not a complete investment program and you may lose money investing therein. An investment in the Fund may not be appropriate for all investors. Before investing, prospective investors should consider carefully the Fund's investment objective, strategies, risks, charges and expenses.

This press release is for informational purposes only and is not intended to, and does not, constitute an offer to purchase or sell shares of the Fund. Additional information about the Fund, including performance and portfolio characteristic information, is available at eatonvance.com.

Statements in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements, as defined by the U.S. securities laws. You should exercise caution in interpreting and relying on forward-looking statements because they are subject to uncertainties and other factors that may be beyond the Fund's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Eaton Vance Management

Related Links

www.eatonvance.com


SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- While recently FDA-approved Aduhelm (aducanumab) may help rid the brain of amyloid deposits, this is only one piece of the puzzle in a multifaceted treatment plan for defeating brain diseases.

According to the authors of Regenesis, available today on kindle and for hardcopy order, an effective brain health program includes simultaneous deployment of other approaches, including those directed at autophagy, immune system stimulation, reduction in inflammatory processes, remediation of bioenergetics, dysbiosis, lipid imbalances and more.

Regenesis: The Brain Doctor's Guide to Health

When brain health is failing, elements of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and mood disorders may displace vibrancy, consciousness, and personality. According to the authors, maintaining brain health is existential combat between the forces of destruction and regeneration. When brain regenesis is facilitated, anyone can defeat the forces of destruction and revive a failing mind.

According to the principal author and artist Dr. Jordan, "Every person is an amazing creation molded by an array of natural forces that can be harnessed to heal." In Regenesis: The Brain Doctor's Guide to Health the authors discuss the age-related vulnerabilities that can cause a brain to fail, how to optimize brain health, exosomes, and how we may even be able to reprogram the biological clock.

As chief investigator for The Regenesis Project, Dr. Jordan advances the boundaries of neurological care through the exploration of cutting-edge and targeted approaches for brain health and regeneration. Proceeds from book sales will go directly to The Regenesis Project and its numerous clinical research studies that give patients access to non-invasive therapeutic modalities including focused ultrasound, TMS, and light therapy.

Sheldon Jordan, MD is a board-certified neurologist and clinical associate professor of neurology at UCLA and USC. Dr. Jordan has written over 175 publications in peer-reviewed literature, and lectures nationally and internationally on brain health and regeneration. He has ongoing laboratory research which he is translating from the bench to the beside. Co-authors include psychiatrist Alexander Bystristsky, MD, PhD, neuropsychiatrist Taylor Kuhn, PhD, and gastroenterologist Sabine Hazan, MD.

Media Contact:

Victoria Venkatraman

(310) 829-5968

[email protected]

SOURCE The Regenesis Project
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alcovit is a cutting-edge German brand that was launched with the singular mission to genuinely reduce the symptoms of a hangover. After countless time spent in research and development, the brand struck gold with the volcanic rock zeolite. Mixed with the right vitamins, the mineral not only reduces existing short-term hangover symptoms, but it appears to also minimize the existence of those symptoms in the first place.

Alcovit is a revolutionary supplement that helps individuals detox from a night of drinking without the need to go through all of the phases of a traditional hangover. The founders of the brand started to develop their groundbreaking product when they realized that most hangover supplements merely address existing symptoms. In other words, it isn't until a hangover has begun that they become useful. Only then do they provide nutrients to help soothe an already active problem.

In contrast, Alcovit is also equipped with a battery of vitamins that are similarly focused on bolstering the body's nutrients and strength in the wake of a night spent out on the town. However, the product goes beyond vitamins by including the essential mineral zeolite in its formula, as well.

This volcanic rock is harvested by hand in South Africa and milled into a fine powder that can be ingested without being absorbed into the body. Instead, it passes through the digestive system. During this journey, the mineral silicate's sponge-like quality absorbs alcohol and escorts it out of the body before it's metabolized.1

The unique approach of Alcovit to proactively solve the hangover problem naturally promises an uphill battle for the supplement as it is promoted to an increasing number of consumers. However, the development team has already conducted initial testing that has demonstrated the efficacy of the product and has been able to back up its research with European Patent # EP 2 538 950 from the E.P.A. at Munich, Germany.

At this point, Alcovit stands alone as a pioneer in the new hangover prevention industry. As the awareness, track record, and research behind the label continues to grow, it bodes well for a product that is gaining attention across the globe for its ability to provide effective hangover relief.

About Alcovit: Alcovit is a product of CDM MEDICAL LLC. CDM's goal is to "identify new products, medicines, supplements, cosmetics and devices." From there, the company develops and markets them in the name of improving the quality and life expectancy of individuals around the globe. Alcovit, in particular, has had resounding success and has already been well received in Europe, Australia, and Asia. The brand is quickly expanding into North American markets, as well.

Please direct inquiries to:

Kerry Metelka

(954) 479-4576

[email protected]

1 http://www.biotake.de/images/pdf/ALCOVIT_PUBLICATION_pl_engl%20.pdf



SOURCE Alcovit
WASHINGTON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Council of Cannabis Medicine (ACCM) announced today, support for two major initiatives further accelerating access, research and professionalization of medical cannabis. The National Medcann Index and Elevated States programs bring together multiple stakeholders in cooperation with ACCM's "Yes We Cann!" initiative to support these significant efforts.

ACCM's "Yes We Cann! program advocates for the professionalism of medical cannabis on all fronts. We advocate for clinical research and access on a federal level and support similar initiatives on the state level.

"Yes We Cann! Program promotes and supports advocacy at all levels of medical cannabis. While most recognized as support programming for federal legislative access and professional research, it is way more." says, Glen Caroline,CAO at WAB Strategic and ACCM Outreach Committee Co-Chair "Multiple state initiatives are underway. MedCann Index and Elevated States are prime examples of how ACCM as the primary Industry Council can make a huge difference. Through engagement of our stakeholders and supporters, our efforts will be greatly amplified."

The National Medcann Index is using sound methodology and research executed by a blue ribbon advisory board, of medical, research, legislative and industry experts. As is common with other health focused indexes, MedCann will provide a valuable scorecard and rankings to help advance professional medical cannabis.

"Throughout healthcare, indexes benchmark everything from heart heath to system standards. These types of review and rankings drive almost every aspect of medicine today." Says, Dr. Dale Paulson, CEO of Allegiance Research and Medcann Index Lead Director "Evaluating the state medical cannabis programs will provide a scientific path to improvement."

"MedCann project has been in development for three years. The comprehensive effort is impressive indeed! ASCM's commitment to professional standards makes this a sensible fit, and we're pleased to be a lead sponsor of the project" says, Garnett Meador, EVP/CEO of the American Society of Cannabis Medicine. "Our physicians are committed to the professional practice and data-driven science of cannabinoid medicine to advance public health. They are pleased to participate in the index's boards, supporting its ultimate purpose to improve patient outcomes."

ACCM's Elevated States Program launches in Utah, Pennsylvania and Florida next month under the "Yes We Cann!" banner, aligning the medical cannabis vertical in each state, providing extensive public and medical education. Raising awareness/advancing professionalization.

"ACCM is incredible. "Yes We Cann!" advocacy is the industry standard." says, Steve Bate CEO of ComCan Healthcare and ACCM Veterans Affairs Committee Co-Chair "Elevated States connects the stakeholders (including our vets). Only ACCM could pull off a program like this. As a cancer survivor who benefited from medical cannabis, I want to help educate as many people as possible."

"We are pleased with ACCM's education programs." says, Lance Davis, Vice President of Government Affairs at CannaScripts, Inc. "The "Yes We Cann! - Elevated State" program is very exciting to see. ACCM alignments help many people."

The American Council of Cannabis Medicine is the "Voice of American Medical Cannabis" ACCM represents the America's medical-cannabis industry, supporting millions of U.S. jobs and backed by a growing grassroots movement with millions of

beneficiaries. Members produce, process, and distribute medical cannabis through state-licensed programs. Additionally, members include supporting companies, health industry, physicians, researchers, patient advocacy groups, insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Members participate in ACCM's 14 standing area-centric committees. ACCM was started in 2016 as a Capitol Hill working group and has developed into the premier industry 501c4. Our pressing objective is to facilitate legislation that advances medical cannabis at the federal level and improve state access.

Reach the American Council of Cannabis Medicine at 202-349-9650, or visit www.accmforum.org.



Contact: Ken Grubbs

202-349-9650 ext. 800

[email protected]

SOURCE American Society of Cannabis Medicine
MEXICO CITY, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Finance Magnates recently released its Market Intelligence Report for Q1 2021, which ranks most global brokers based on different criteria. The report highlights the various developments in the global financial markets in Q1, including clients' trading volume and activity at each broker in detail.

ATFX is honoured to announce that its MT4 trading volume was ranked among the top 5 MT4 brokers globally for the third consecutive quarter, with the MT4 trading volume reaching US$139 billion.

The ranking demonstrates ATFX's strong standing in the industry driven by its desire to meets its clients' need and serve them professionally. ATFX's management team believes that "the interests of clients override everything, and all our decisions are for the interests of clients".

ATFX always strives to provide clients with high-quality services and an efficient trading experience, which is why it launched the new brand AT Premier for local investors in the Middle East, and the ATFX TeamUp APP for Latin America. At the same time, the annual total trading volume of ATFX connect, ATFX's institutional arm, increased by more than 500% year on year.

From its establishment up to now, ATFX has gone through multiple upgrades. The broker is constantly developing new features to improve its clients' experience. Some of the recent upgrades include the launch of an upgraded member centre, a revamped trading platform, better platform interface management, cash management, and shock warnings triggered by significant events.

In 2021, ATFX has won 7 global awards including the "Best Financial Technology Broker", the "Best Trading Experience", the "Best MT4 Broker in Asia". ATFX remains committed to its original aspiration of making the financial markets accessible to traders from every corner of the world via developing innovative technologies and expanding product portfolio to create increased opportunities for traders.

ATFX intro:

ATFX is an award winning FX/CFD broker with an established global presence. Globally, the company has offices around the world including London, Dubai, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines offering support to its clients in more than 15 different languages.

ATFX is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) in Cyprus, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Mauritius, and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

www.atfx.com

SOURCE ATFX

Related Links

https://www.atfx.com


The waste consists of 3,200 cubic meters of radioactive cladding  pieces of metal tubes used for uranium fuel rods in some of the UK's earliest nuclear reactors. The mission of the PFCS project is to deliver a system that allows Sellafield to retrieve the waste, package it safely, and dispose of it permanently.

The new scope calls for:

procurement, manufacture, preparation, installation, and commissioning of additional equipment to allow Sellafield to retrieve waste from the remaining five silo compartments, once the first compartment has been emptied;

extension and growth of off-site testing facilities, to develop future systems for use on the retrievals plant; and

establishment of a new, centralized control building for all silo monitoring and waste retrieval operations.

"This award continues our very special relationship with our Sellafield colleagues, which has enabled us to consistently deliver ahead of time and under budget," said Clive Billiald, Bechtel programme manager. "I am incredibly proud of our collective team, who thoroughly deserve the trust placed in them."

"This extension reinforces the strong collaborative working relationship we have with Sellafield and our partner and is testament to our delivery performance on one of the four most hazardous buildings in Western Europe," said Fran Worthington, Cavendish Nuclear's Sellafield Business Unit director.

"This award allows us to build on our initiatives to maximise the benefits felt by our local communities, and to create a project legacy further afield," said Robin Spurr, Bechtel Cavendish Nuclear Solutions' Social Value lead. "We will utilise the skills and experience of Bechtel and Cavendish Nuclear people, in conjunction with the Sellafield project team, to create a truly collaborative approach to Social Impact, which will bring greater value to the local area."

Learn more about the project here:

About Cavendish Nuclear

Cavendish Nuclear, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Babcock International Group, is a leading nuclear services company.

From servicing existing nuclear power plants and decommissioning some of the most complex nuclear sites in the world, to helping to keep the UK's fleet of nuclear powered submarines at sea, our people innovate to deliver nuclear services safer, faster, at lower cost.

Cavendish Nuclear at a glance:

Access to 5,000 nuclear SQEP personnel

60+ years of industry heritage

Licensed to operate nuclear sites

Strategic partner supporting nuclear companies in the lifetime extensions of their fleet

Supporting delivery of the UK's first new nuclear power station in a generation

Delivery of large-scale engineering projects at Sellafield and across the UK nuclear estate

We deliver across all aspects of the nuclear energy life-cycle; from design, manufacture and construction, through operations and maintenance, to decommissioning, waste management and remediation. You can view our recent projects here.

www.cavendishnuclear.com

About Bechtel

Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers' objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world's infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place.

Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Nuclear, Security & Environmental; and Mining & Metals markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com

For further information, please contact:

Kelly Duane, Cavendish Nuclear: [email protected] / +44 (0)7540 672734

Fred deSousa, Bechtel: [email protected] / +1 703 429 6435

SOURCE Bechtel

Related Links

http://www.bechtel.com


LOS ANGELES, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Launching June 25th, global superstar, actress, social activist and beauty maven Becky G introduces her Latinx-inspired brand, Tresluce Beauty. Inspired by Latinx culture and made for all, the brand is dedicated to paying homage and uplifting Latinx creators, while honoring the unique beauty within each and every Tresluce Beauty consumer.

Becky G partnered with beauty brand incubator, Madeby Collective, to create an innovative, vivid world of color in a conscious beauty line that will highlight communities and always give back in an intentional way, supporting Latinx artists and artisans across the U.S. and Latin America.

As a second-generation Mexican-American, Becky G has always been devoted to shining a light on her humble beginnings, family values and Latinx identity. As an authority in beauty, serving as the youngest CoverGirl to date, she is determined to present positive change, and acknowledge Latinx creators, consumers and tastemakers who are the driving force in today's beauty economy. The first collection is inspired by Becky G's Mexican heritage and future collections will seek to celebrate all Latinx cultures.

"Growing up, I never really saw people who looked like me represented, especially when it came to ads for beauty brands. My inspiration for Tresluce came from wanting to put more diverse faces at the forefront of beauty. Being Mexican-American, my Mexican heritage was also very much an inspiration. I wanted to highlight it in a very special way, along with all the other beautiful Latinx cultures within our community."

The brand has developed high-performance, conscious, vegan-friendly formulations that deliver high-impact artistry, with the mission to encourage beauty aficionados to tap into their inner artist. Additionally, the line is cruelty-free, and packaging as well as formulas, are infused with Latinx sourced ingredients and art. A key ingredient is blue agave sourced from Jalisco, Mexico. The soothing and nurturing Mexican blue agave delivers a unique softness improving the skin texture, and is derived in a sustainable way from the nectar of the plant.

Tresluce Beauty will be launching with six products including: "I Am" Shadow Palette, "Like An Artista" 8pc Brush Set, "Ilusion" Premium Lashes (Sueno 3D, Fantasy 5D, Deseo 6D), "Intenso" Liners (15 shades), "Mi Tesoro" Lash Case, and "Super Facil 2-in-1 Lash Applicator". Prices range $8-$35.00.

Media Contact: Danielle Alvarez [email protected]

SOURCE Madeby Collective
TAIPEI, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BKSTEC, a leading design and manufacturer of fiber optic cables for HDMI 2.0 and 2.1, USB 3 and 4, DisplayPort and more, with years of experience in delivering fiber optic solutions to OEM/ODM partners announces the world's first automated production line for fiber optics, which lowers the cost of fiber optics to replace copper cables for current and future generations of HDMI and USB products.

In response to the growing market for high-resolution and high-bandwidth digital audio and video transmissions, demand for fiber optic cables with high-capacity, high-speed and stable transmission has increased. However, due to higher costs, proliferation of fiber optic cables has remained low until now.

Automation reduces production costs significantly

A group of engineers were determined to streamline the automation process and started the company, BKSTEC. After 5 years of trial and error with integration of semiconductor manufacturing processes and optical communication technology, BKSTEC has successfully developed the world's first modularized automated production of HDMI fiber optic cables. Trial production begins in June of 2021 and phase one is expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The monthly capacity is expected to reach 50,000 units, and 250,000 units by 2023.

BKSTEC's chairman Zheng-Xiang Chen, "Automation replaces the complex manufacturing of the manual process, which in turn increases production yields. Additionally, automation improves production efficiency through perception modules, AI learning and monitoring. The time needed for training, replication process and ramping up production will be drastically shortened."

BKSTEC has established partnerships with some of the biggest tier-one brands in the world and is at the forefront of leading-edge fiber optic solutions. The company current solutions include HDMI 2.1, USB 4.0, DisplayPort 2.0, USB-C 240W cables and extenders to offer the most advanced and complete OEM/ODM solutions.

Image and Word file download

For more information, visit: https://www.bkstec.com

SOURCE BKSTEC
LONDON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- From June 30th, British travellers will be able to travel to the Commonwealth of Dominica without the need to quarantine on their return, as announced in the latest review for the United Kingdom's green travel list. Dominica took a different approach to their restrictions and have been open to international visitors since last summer, however, the green list will allow the island to move one step closer to pre-pandemic tourism levels. The news comes a few days after the nation welcomed its first American Airlines flight to conduct a "proving flight run"  a technical process conducted before an airline can obtain an Air Operator permit to a country it has an interest in servicing.

The small island has been one of the least impacted by COVID-19, reporting zero casualties since the onset of the pandemic due to the government's efficient management of the virus, making it a trusted destination for travellers with safety concerns. Furthermore, the country also recently made progress on the construction of an international airport that would continue to boost tourism and trade in Dominica, particularly across Europe and the United States.

"[The airport] will open up opportunities for a range of providers of goods and services from caterers to fuel providers and from maintenance to spa services. This will add several 100 new jobs to the national economy," said Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit during the agreement ceremony for the airport.

"In addition to the direct jobs, the new airport will also create a significant number of indirect jobs in the transport and tourism services sector. This will include those for taxi drivers, farmers and fisherfolk and increased opportunities for many others. But this is only the beginning," he added.

In recent years, Dominica has become a popular eco-tourism hub for travellers looking for a unique Caribbean experience. Known as the 'Nature Isle of the Caribbean', the nation is famed for its host of environmentally friendly resorts, natural hotspots like the Boiling Lake, and experiences rooted in health and wellness. These features have also made the island an attractive destination for remote workers, digital nomads and those seeking out a practical Plan B to protect their family in light of COVID.

Dominica offers a route to second citizenship for those who want to make the island their permanent home. Through its Citizenship by Investment Programme, investors can make an economic contribution via the government fund or purchase of real estate. Once undergoing meticulous security checks, applicants gain receipt of citizenship and can thus apply for their second passport. Becoming a Dominican citizen comes with many benefits, including increased travel freedom to over 140 destinations, the right to live, work and study in the country and a lifelong second home in a stunning Caribbean setting.

+447867942505, [email protected], www.csglobalpartners.com

SOURCE CS Global Partners
NEW YORK, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) announced today that is has launched its first-ever Spanish-language information hub to connect Hispanic patients and caregivers with the latest cancer immunotherapy research and treatment options. Addressing a need for diversity and representation of racial and ethnic minority communities in cancer research and treatment, the CRI site also serves as a platform to connect patients with potentially lifesaving clinical trials to directly impact the health and success of this group.

In fact, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), cancer is the leading cause of death among U.S. Hispanics. Overall, this group is more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage and is underrepresented in cancer trials and studies. With 1 in 3 U.S. Hispanics (both women and men alike) being diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime1, there is an urgent need to focus on racial health inequities that directly affect this group.

CRI, a nonprofit organization spearheading transformative immunotherapy scientific research to cure all cancers, believes that access to in-language information, research and clinical trials is imperative to the success and wellbeing of the U.S. Hispanic patient and caregiver community. Cancer immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses the body's own immune system to control and eliminate cancer.

"Immunotherapy has transformed treatment for many patients and is the future of cancer care for many more, and we believe it should be accessible to all. Providing information, education and support to patients and their caregivers bilingually is one way the Cancer Research Institute can help this community on their cancer journey," said Jill O'Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D., CEO and director of scientific affairs at CRI.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, U.S. Hispanic men and women are twice as likely than non-Hispanic white individuals to die from liver cancer, and Hispanic women are more likely to die of cancers of the cervix and stomach compared to non-Hispanic white women in the U.S. In addition, the National Behavioral Health Network explains that this community is seeing limited access to quality healthcare due to certain social determinants of health, including lack of access to culturally appropriate health services, including health care professionals who speak Spanish.

This year marks the ninth annual Cancer Immunotherapy Month organized by CRI, during which CRI is launching a series of U.S. Hispanic-targeted efforts including the Spanish-language website and resource hub where research, patient testimonials and clinical trials information is now available in-language. Visit cancerresearch.org/es to see the robust offering of information now available in Spanish.

This comes in anticipation of the first ever Spanish-language CRI Immunotherapy Patient Summit where U.S. Hispanic cancer patients and caregivers can connect with and learn from immunotherapy experts. The virtual event, which takes place September 16, 2:005:00p.m. EDT, will include esteemed speakers, including Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, surgery, and molecular and medical pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the chair of the Melanoma Committee at SWOG Cancer Research Network. To learn more about the summit visit http://cancerresearch.org/conferencia2021.

About the Cancer Research Institute

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), established in 1953, is a toprated U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to saving more lives by fueling the discovery and development of powerful immunotherapies for all cancers. Guided by a worldrenowned Scientific Advisory Council that includes four Nobel laureates and 27 members of the National Academy of Sciences, CRI has invested $445 million in support of research conducted by immunologists and tumor immunologists at the world's leading medical centers and universities and has contributed to many of the key scientific advances that demonstrate the potential for immunotherapy to change the face of cancer treatment. To learn more, go to cancerresearch.org/es.

1 Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanics/Latinos 2015-2017. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2015.

SOURCE Cancer Research Institute
MELBOURNE, Australia, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Australian caravan sales have hit a 30-year high in 2021, according to personal loan experts Positive Lending Solutions. With international borders remaining strictly closed and Covid-19 restrictions changing quickly and constantly, holidays are seeing Australians travelling closer to home, making camping the holiday activity of choice for many.

Positive Lending Solutions

Those in the caravan industry report an average of a 15% increase in caravan sales in January and February, as compared to previous years. The Caravan Industry Association of Australia has predicted that over the next 12 months, a record-breaking number of caravans will be built and sold - some industry experts are forecasting as many as 25,000 units being built over the next year.

After Victoria's months-long lockdown in the second half of 2020, Victorians were extremely eager to get back out and travel as much as possible. Due to the pandemic, Australia's international borders are firmly shut to most countries except New Zealand and will remain so at least until 2022. Tourism Australia is encouraging Aussies to "holiday at home" this year and take advantage of all that Australia has to offer before international borders eventually open again.

Thus, with international travel off the table, small outbreaks still emerging in different locations throughout the country, and state borders often shutting swiftly and with little notice, the choice to travel within one's own state is a popular choice amongst most Australians this year. The best way to do it? In a caravan.

While a large portion of Australia's automotive manufacturing industry has been in decline, the caravan industry remains thriving. Each year, the caravan industry contributes an average of over $20 million to the Australian economy, according to caravan loan experts Positive Lending. As of May this year, there were approximately 750,000 RVs, caravans, and motorhomes registered in Australia, and almost all of them are Australian-made.

For the foreseeable future, road trips and caravans are going to be the choice mode of travel around Australia and caravan sales are only expected to keep rising. Positive Lending reports that caravan loan applications have increased exponentially since 2019 and speculates that with the increased popularity of camping, boat finance applications may be the next trend seen in Australia.

Don't sit back and let the rest of Australia have all the fun. Talk to the best personal loan agents at Positive Lending to compare every caravan loan, boat loan , or personal loan Australia -wide and get the ball rolling on your application today.

Related Images

positive-lending-solutions.png

Positive Lending Solutions

Positive Lending Solutions

SOURCE Positive Lending Solutions
"As Americans prepare for Independence Day, Threadsy is proud to help people celebrate and commemorate their gatherings," said Threadsy Senior Director Kathryn Hutchison. "Our mission is to empower others to be creative. Whether you are an artist looking to transfer your patriotic designs to tote bags or a family looking to create your own t-shirts, Threadsy is here to help."

The company is featuring hundreds of American-made products on its website, including those from well-known brands American Apparel, Bella + Canvas and more. People who are looking to outfit a crowd this Independence Day will benefit from Threadsy's bulk savings and free shipping programs. Shoppers will also find deep discounts on select accessories for their parades, barbecues, and family gatherings. The promotion will be available until July 4, 2021.

Want to decorate your own patriotic apparel? Or stock up on totes, coolers, caps, and more? Visit Threadsy to shop tees and tanks, and to save 40% on featured accessories with promo code FIREWORK at checkout.

Threadsy is an Austin-based online retailer of blank apparel and accessories. Founded in 2021, the company helps small businesses, hobbyists and home-based decorators get high-quality goods at a fantastic value. Threadsy has no order minimums and offers free shipping for orders $50+ and free returns for 30 days.

SOURCE Threadsy

Related Links

https://www.threadsy.com/


"These are not stepsa sequence of actions that an author claims will lead to a pie-in-the-sky outcome. These are principles, and if practiced wholeheartedly, they can transform your life and the lives of the people you serve," reads the foreword to the book.

Each of the 12 principles defined in the book are designed to help you better your own life as well as the lives of those around you simultaneously.

Mr. Nathan is the CEO of multiple successful companies such as Harbor Health Integrated Care and Guillet Industries; organizations that are dedicated to assisting the struggling people of Arizona.

Harbor Health is run with the welcoming and loving attitude of a community outreach program, and Mr. Nathan and the other Harbor Health executives hope that this new book will promote a similar attitude in other businesses across the country.

"The principle of love is primary in the achievement of soulful success. Love, not as an emotion, rather as an intention. A driving principle that establishes value, infuses relationships and promotes healing and ultimately success," reads the new book's section on love.

This announcement comes on the heels of Mr. Nathan's trip to Ghana where he plans to expand his mental healthcare business, and spread his principles for success to the next generation of Ghanaian businessmen and women.

About Johnwick Nathan

Johnwick Nathan is the founder CEO of Harbor Health Integrated Care, a company that provides struggling Arizonians with vital healthcare and mental healthcare services. He is also the CEO of Guillet Industries, which integrates with HHIC to provide outgoing patients with affordable independent housing. He is deeply passionate about music, religion, and his community.

The book is on sale on Amazon and on the website .

You can learn more about Mr. Nathan's journey and his vision for the future on his website .

Contact Info:

For Media Inquiries, please contact [email protected]

Distributed by: Exclusive PR Solutions

SOURCE Harbor Health Integrated Care

Related Links

https://www.johnwicknathan.com/


HONG KONG and SHANGHAI, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ping An is investing further in its healthcare ecosystem to meet the growing public healthcare needs in China, says Jessica Tan, Co-CEO of Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. (hereafter "Ping An" or the "Group", HKEX: 2318; SSE: 601318).

Ms. Tan addressed the Fortune Global Forum, a virtual event for the leaders of the Fortune Global 500, the world's largest companies.

"This is a huge growth opportunity for the next five to 10 years," Ms. Tan said. "We see the opportunity accelerating, and it's time for a second phase of online consultation." Online medical consultations in China grew from 3% to 5% before the COVID-19 pandemic to 20% at its peak last year, Ms. Tan said. That could grow to 34% as consumers are becoming used to online consultations and more cities are now accepting social health insurance online as regulations changed during the pandemic.

"What will fuel the next stage of growth is how you can integrate the online and offline health aspects," she added.

Ping An has built a healthcare ecosystem that helps to address the challenges raised by China's rapidly aging population, rising public healthcare costs and a shortage of medical professionals. As of December 31, 2020, the ecosystem served 21,000 health management authorities in 158 cities, processed more than one billion online consultations, and partnered with more than 3,700 hospitals and 151,000 pharmacies.

Digital technology makes it possible for people even outside China's Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities to get access to quality healthcare, Ms. Tan said. Ping An Good Doctor, China's leading online healthcare platform, has an in-house medical team of about 2,200 as well as a network of 22,000 top specialists across the country. The smart healthcare team of Ping An Smart City is providing technology tools that now support about 750,000 doctors across the country, such as AskBob, an artificial-intelligence clinical decision support system, and medical imaging and analysis. For doctors in lower-tier cities who have less experience and training than those in the country's leading hospitals, these tools can help to significantly improve the accuracy of diagnoses and treatment recommendations.

The healthcare ecosystem creates synergies with Ping An's main businesses. In 2020, nearly 61% of Ping An's more than 218 million financial customers used services from the healthcare ecosystem. In the past four years, about 15% to 20% of Ping An's new financial customers each year were sourced from the healthcare ecosystem. Ping An's insurance customers and their families are assigned dedicated family doctor online. They also have access to services such as annual health check-ups, chronic disease management, such as monitoring diabetes, access to 22,000 specialists and treatment for critical illnesses.

Ping An's comprehensive healthcare ecosystem encompasses twelve entities, which work hand-in-hand to serve the healthcare industry on all fronts, including healthcare management authorities, patients, service providers, and payers. These include: the smart healthcare team of Ping An Smart City, which serves the government and offline health care service providers; Ping An Good Doctor, which focuses on patients and online health care service providers; and Ping An HealthKonnect, which serves payers. Ping An ranked first globally by the number of digital healthcare patent applications at the end of 2020. In addition to establishing its own businesses and partnering with others, Ping An has invested in nearly 100 companies in the healthcare industry through Ping An Overseas Holdings and other platforms.

Ms. Tan was number six on Fortune's list of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders in 2021, and number two on Fortune's Most Powerful Women International list in 2020.

About Ping An Group

Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An") is a world-leading technology-powered retail financial services group. With over 220 million retail customers and 611 million internet users, Ping An is one of the largest financial services companies in the world. Ping An focuses on two over-arching domains of activity, "pan financial assets" and "pan health care", covering the provision of financial and health care services through our integrated financial services platform and our ecosystems; in financial services, health care, auto services and smart city services. Our "finance + technology" and "finance + ecosystem" transformation strategies aim to provide customers and internet users with innovative and simple products and services using technology. As China's first joint stock insurance company, Ping An is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate reporting and corporate governance. The Group is listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Ping An ranked 6th in the Forbes Global 2000 list in 2021 and ranked 21st in the Fortune Global 500 list in 2020. Ping An also ranked 49th in the 2021 WPP Kantar Millward Brown BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands list.

For more information, please visit www.group.pingan.com and follow us on LinkedIn - PING AN.





SOURCE Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd.

Related Links

www.group.pingan.com


NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) today announced the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of RINVOQ (upadacitinib), an oral, selective and reversible JAK inhibitor, for the expanded use in adults (15 mg or 30 mg, once daily) and adolescents 12 years and older (15 mg, once daily) with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis who are candidates for systemic therapy. RINVOQ is being studied in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.4-10

The CHMP positive opinion was supported by data from the global Phase 3 program evaluating more than 2,500 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis across three global pivotal studies: Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2 and AD Up.1,2 Across the three studies, both doses of RINVOQ met all primary and secondary endpoints, demonstrating rapid and significant improvement in skin clearance and reduction in itch compared to placebo at week 16 and other time points (p<0.001) in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis.1,2 The most commonly reported adverse events in patients treated with RINVOQ were acne, nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infections.1,2

"This milestone is an important step forward in our journey to improve care for people living with atopic dermatitis," said Michael Severino, M.D., vice chairman and president, AbbVie. "Despite available treatments, many people with moderate to severe forms of this disease continue to experience a relentless and burdensome cycle of skin and itch symptoms. We are encouraged that the CHMP has recognized RINVOQ's potential as an additional treatment option for these patients."

The CHMP positive opinion is a scientific recommendation for marketing authorization to the European Commission, which authorizes marketing approval in the European Union. The Marketing Authorization will be valid in all member states of the European Union, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Northern Ireland. If approved, this will be the fourth indication for RINVOQ, and RINVOQ will be the first JAK inhibitor in the European Union to treat moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in both adults and adolescents 12 years and older.3

About Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory condition characterized by a cycle of intense itching and scratching leading to cracked, scaly, oozing skin.11,12 It affects up to an estimated 10 percent of adults and 25 percent of children.12,13 Between 20 and 46 percent of adults with atopic dermatitis have moderate to severe disease.14 The range of symptoms poses significant physical, psychological and economic burden on individuals impacted by the disease.12,15

About the RINVOQ Atopic Dermatitis Global Phase 3 Study Program

The global Phase 3 program evaluated more than 2,500 patients worldwide across three global pivotal studies: Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2 and AD Up.1,2 The studies evaluated the efficacy and safety of RINVOQ (15 mg and 30 mg, once daily), with and without topical corticosteroids (TCS), in adults and adolescents with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis who were candidates for systemic therapy.1,2 The co-primary endpoints across all three studies were at least a 75 percent improvement in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI 75) and a validated Investigator's Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD) score 0/1 at week 16.1,2 Secondary endpoints included reduction of itch defined as 4 point improvement in Worst Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) from baseline at week 16 and other timepoints, as well as EASI 90 and EASI 100 at week 16.1,2 More information on this program can be found at www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03569293, NCT03607422, NCT03568318).

About RINVOQ (upadacitinib)

Discovered and developed by AbbVie scientists, RINVOQ is a selective and reversible JAK inhibitor that is being studied in several immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.1-10 In human cellular assays, RINVOQ preferentially inhibits signaling by JAK1 or JAK1/3 with functional selectivity over cytokine receptors that signal via pairs of JAK2.3 In August 2019, RINVOQ received U.S. FDA approval for adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response or intolerance to methotrexate. RINVOQ is approved by the European Commission for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe active rheumatoid arthritis who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs); for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to, or who are intolerant to one or more DMARDs; and for the treatment of active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in adult patients who have responded inadequately to conventional therapy. The approved dose for RINVOQ in these indications is 15 mg. Phase 3 trials of RINVOQ in axial spondyloarthritis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, giant cell arteritis and Takayasu arteritis are ongoing.4-10 Use of RINVOQ in atopic dermatitis is not approved and its safety and efficacy are under evaluation by regulatory authorities.

Important EU Safety Information about RINVOQ (upadacitinib)3

RINVOQ is contraindicated in patients hypersensitive to the active substance or to any of the excipients, in patients with active tuberculosis (TB) or active serious infections, in patients with severe hepatic impairment, and during pregnancy.

Use in combination with other potent immunosuppressants is not recommended.

Serious and sometimes fatal infections have been reported in patients receiving upadacitinib. The most frequent serious infections reported included pneumonia and cellulitis. Cases of bacterial meningitis have been reported. Among opportunistic infections, TB, multidermatomal herpes zoster, oral/oesophageal candidiasis, and cryptococcosis have been reported with upadacitinib. Prior to initiating upadacitinib, consider the risks and benefits of treatment in patients with chronic or recurrent infection or with a history of a serious or opportunistic infection, in patients who have been exposed to TB or have resided or travelled in areas of endemic TB or endemic mycoses, and in patients with underlying conditions that may predispose them to infection. Upadacitinib therapy should be interrupted if a patient develops a serious or opportunistic infection. As there is a higher incidence of infections in patients 65 years of age, caution should be used when treating this population.

Patients should be screened for TB before starting upadacitinib therapy. Anti-TB therapy should be considered prior to initiation of upadacitinib in patients with previously untreated latent TB or in patients with risk factors for TB infection.

Viral reactivation, including cases of herpes zoster, were reported in clinical studies. The risk of herpes zoster appears to be higher in Japanese patients treated with upadacitinib. Consider interruption of therapy if a patient develops herpes zoster until the episode resolves. Screening for viral hepatitis and monitoring for reactivation should be performed before starting and during therapy with upadacitinib.

The use of live, attenuated vaccines during, or immediately prior to therapy is not recommended. It is recommended that patients be brought up to date with all immunizations, including prophylactic zoster vaccinations, prior to initiating upadacitinib, in agreement with current immunization guidelines.

The risk of malignancies, including lymphoma is increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Immunomodulatory medicinal products may increase the risk of malignancies, including lymphoma. The clinical data are currently limited and long-term studies are ongoing. Malignancies, including non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), have been reported in patients treated with upadacitinib. Consider the risks and benefits of upadacitinib treatment prior to initiating therapy in patients with a known malignancy other than a successfully treated NMSC or when considering continuing upadacitinib therapy in patients who develop a malignancy. Periodic skin examination is recommended for patients who are at increased risk for skin cancer.

Absolute neutrophil count <1000 cells/mm3, absolute lymphocyte count <500 cells/mm3, or haemoglobin levels <8 g/dL were reported in < 1% of patients in clinical trials. Treatment should not be initiated, or should be temporarily interrupted, in patients with these haematological abnormalities observed during routine patient management.

RA patients have an increased risk for cardiovascular disorders. Patients treated with upadacitinib should have risk factors (e.g., hypertension, hyperlipidaemia) managed as part of usual standard of care.

Upadacitinib treatment was associated with increases in lipid parameters, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The effect of these lipid parameter elevations on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been determined.

Treatment with upadacitinib was associated with an increased incidence of liver enzyme elevation compared to placebo. If increases in ALT or AST are observed during routine patient management and drug-induced liver injury is suspected, upadacitinib therapy should be interrupted until this diagnosis is excluded.

Events of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) have been reported in patients receiving JAK inhibitors, including upadacitinib. Upadacitinib should be used with caution in patients at high risk for DVT/PE. Risk factors that should be considered in determining the patient's risk for DVT/PE include older age, obesity, a medical history of DVT/PE, patients undergoing major surgery, and prolonged immobilisation. If clinical features of DVT/PE occur, upadacitinib treatment should be discontinued and patients should be evaluated promptly, followed by appropriate treatment.

The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions were upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, nausea, blood creatine phosphokinase (CPK) increased and cough. The most common serious adverse reactions were serious infections.

Overall, the safety profile observed in patients with active psoriatic arthritis treated with upadacitinib 15 mg was consistent with rheumatoid arthritis. A higher incidence of acne and bronchitis was observed in patients treated with upadacitinib compared to placebo. A higher rate of serious infections and hepatic transaminase elevations was observed in patients treated with upadacitinib in combination with MTX compared to monotherapy.

Please see the full SmPC for complete prescribing information at http://www.EMA.europa.eu.

Globally, prescribing information varies; refer to the individual country product label for complete information.

About AbbVie

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women's health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Forward-Looking Statements

Some statements in this news release are, or may be considered, forward-looking statements for purposes of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project" and similar expressions, among others, generally identify forward-looking statements. AbbVie cautions that these forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, failure to realize the expected benefits from AbbVie's acquisition of Allergan plc ("Allergan"), failure to promptly and effectively integrate Allergan's businesses, competition from other products, challenges to intellectual property, difficulties inherent in the research and development process, adverse litigation or government action, changes to laws and regulations applicable to our industry and the impact of public health outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics, such as COVID-19. Additional information about the economic, competitive, governmental, technological and other factors that may affect AbbVie's operations is set forth in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," of AbbVie's 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as updated by its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. AbbVie undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to forward-looking statements as a result of subsequent events or developments, except as required by law.

References:

Guttman-Yassky E ., et al. Once-daily upadacitinib versus placebo in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (Measure Up 1 and Measure Up 2): results from two replicate, double-blind, randomized controlled phase 3 studies. Lancet. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00588-2. Reich K., et al. Safety and efficacy of upadacitinib in combination with topical corticosteroids in adolescents and adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD Up): results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(21)00589-4. RINVOQ [Summary of Product Characteristics]. AbbVie Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG; May 2021 . Available at: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/product-information/rinvoq-epar-product-information_en.pdf. Pipeline  Our Science | AbbVie. AbbVie. 2021. Available at: https://www.abbvie.com/our-science/pipeline.html. Accessed on June 1, 2021. A Study to Compare Safety and Efficacy of Upadacitinib to Dupilumab in Adult Participants With Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis (Heads Up). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03738397. Accessed on June 1, 2021. A Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Adult Participants With Axial Spondyloarthritis (SELECT AXIS 2). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04169373. Accessed on June 1, 2021. A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of ABT-494 for the Induction of Symptomatic and Endoscopic Remission in Subjects With Moderately to Severely Active Crohn's Disease Who Have Inadequately Responded to or Are Intolerant to Immunomodulators or Anti-TNF Therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02365649. Accessed on Accessed on June 1, 2021. A Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib (ABT-494) in Participants With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis (U-ACCOMPLISH). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03653026. Accessed on June 1, 2021. A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Upadacitinib in Participants With Giant Cell Arteritis (SELECT-GCA). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03725202. Accessed on June 1, 2021. A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Upadacitinib in Subjects With Takayasu Arteritis (TAK) (SELECT-TAK). ClinicalTrials.gov. 2021. Available at: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04161898. Accessed on June 1, 2021. Nutten S. Atopic Dermatitis: Global Epidemiology and Risk Factors. Ann Nutr Metab 2015;66(suppl 1):816. doi: 10.1159/000370220. Weidinger, S., et al. Atopic dermatitis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 4, 1(2018). doi: 10.1038/s41572-018-0001-z. Eichenfield L.F., et al. Guidelines of care for the management of atopic dermatitis: section 1. Diagnosis and assessment of atopic dermatitis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2014;70(2):338-351. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2013.10.010. Shrestha S., et al. Burden of Atopic Dermatitis in the United States : Analysis of Healthcare Claims Data in the Commercial, Medicare, and Medi-Cal Databases. Adv Ther . 2017;34(8):19892006. EFA. Atopic Eczema: Itching for Life Report. 2018. Available at: https://www.efanet.org/images/2018/EN_-_Itching_for_life_Quality_of_Life_and_costs_for_people_with_severe_atopic_eczema_in_Europe_.pdf. Accessed on June 1, 2021 .

SOURCE AbbVie

Related Links

www.abbvie.com


HONG KONG, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOOC Limited (the "Company", SEHK: 00883,NYSE: CEO, TSX: CNU) today announced that the China's first offshore large-sized independent deepwater gas field, Lingshui 17-2 gas field has commenced production.

The Lingshui 17-2 gas field is located in the northern sea of Qiongdongnan Basin, with water depth of approximately 1,560 meters. It was the first large-sized deepwater discovery, with proven geological resources of natural gas exceeding 100 billion cubic meters, made by independent exploration, proving the great potential of deepwater area of South China Sea.

A new semi-submersible production platform has been built, with condensate oil storage capacity, a mooring system, as well as a set of underwater production system and subsea pipeline. A total of 11 production wells are planned. It is expected to reach peak production of 328 million cubic feet of natural gas and 6,751 barrels of condensate per day in 2022, with a 10-year stable production period. After the commencement of production, natural gas will be connected to the national gas pipeline network through submarine pipelines, and will become one of the important sources of stable natural gas supply for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Hainan area.

CNOOC Limited holds 100% interest of Lingshui 17-2 gas field and acts as the operator.

Mr. Wang Dongjin, the Chairman of the Company said, "Commencement of production in Lingshui 17-2 gas field indicates the Company has taken a leap towards the 1500 meters ultra-deepwater field, further releasing the Company's natural gas potential. In the future, CNOOC Limited will continue to enhance our exploration and development activities, strive to expand reserves and production, increase the proportion of green, low-carbon as well as clean energy, and hence to support the goal of carbon emission peak and carbon neutrality to be achieved at an early date."

Notes to Editors:

More information about the Company is available at http://www.cnoocltd.com

*** *** *** ***

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected future events, business prospectus or financial results. The words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors the Company believes are appropriate under the circumstances. However, whether actual results and developments will meet the expectations and predictions of the Company depends on a number of risks and uncertainties which could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition to differ materially from the Company's expectations, including but not limited to those associated with fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas prices, macro-political and economic factors, changes in the tax and fiscal regimes of the host countries in which we operate, the highly competitive nature of the oil and natural gas industry, the exploration and development activities, mergers, acquisitions and divestments activities, environmental responsibility and compliance requirements, foreign operations and cyber system attacks. For a description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please see the documents the Company files from time to time with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report on Form 20-F filed in April of the latest fiscal year.

Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. The Company cannot assure that the results or developments anticipated will be realised or, even if substantially realised, that they will have the expected effect on the Company, its business or operations.

*** *** *** ***

For further enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Jing Liu

Manager, Media & Public Relations

CNOOC Limited

Tel: +86-10-8452-3404

Fax: +86-10-8452-1441

E-mail: [email protected]

Bunny Lee

Porda Havas International Finance Communications Group

Tel: +852 3150 6707

Fax: +852 3150 6728

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE CNOOC Limited

Related Links

http://www.cnoocltd.com


WASHINGTON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) significantly affected more Black and Latino children than white children, with Black children at the highest risk, according to a new observational study of 124 pediatric patients treated at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C. Researchers also found cardiac complications, including systolic myocardial dysfunction and valvular regurgitation, were more common in MIS-C patients who were critically ill. Of the 124 patients, 63 were ultimately diagnosed with MIS-C and were compared with 61 patients deemed controls who presented with similar symptoms but ultimately had an alternative diagnosis.

In the study, published in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers provide insight into key features distinguishing MIS-C patients to provide a more realistic picture of the burden of disease in the pediatric population and aid with the early detection of disease and treatment for optimal outcomes. The COVID-linked syndrome has affected nearly 4,000 children in the United States in the past year. Early reports showed severe illness, substantial variation in treatment and mortality associated with MIS-C. However, this study demonstrated that with early recognition and standardized treatment, short-term mortality can be nearly eliminated.

"Data like this will be critical for the development of clinical trials around the long-term implications of MIS-C," says Roberta DeBiasi, M.D., lead author and chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Children's National. "Our study sheds light on the demographic, clinical and biomarker features of this disease, as well as viral load and viral sequencing."

Of the 63 children with MIS-C, 52% were critically ill, and additional subtypes of MIS-C were identified including those with and without still detectable virus, those with and without features meeting criteria for Kawasaki Disease, and those with and without detectable cardiac abnormalities. While median age (7.25 years) and sex were similar between the MIS-C cohort and control group, Black (46%) and Latino (35%) children were overrepresented in the MIS-C group, especially those who required critical care. Heart complications were also more frequent in children who became critically ill with MIS-C (55% vs. 28%). Findings also showed MIS-C patients demonstrated a distinct cytokine signature, with significantly higher levels of certain cytokines than those of controls. This may help in the understanding of what drives the disease and which potential treatments may be most effective.

In reviewing viral load and antibody biomarkers, researchers found MIS-C cases with detectable virus had a lower viral load than in primary SARS-CoV-2 infection cases, but similar to MIS-C controls who had alternative diagnoses, but who also had detectable virus. A larger proportion of patients with MIS-C had detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies than controls. This is consistent with current thinking that MIS-C occurs a few weeks after a primary COVID-19 infection as part of an overzealous immune response.

Viral sequencing was also performed in the MIS-C cohort and compared to cases of primary COVID-19 infection in the Children's National geographic population. 88% of the samples analyzed fell into the GH clade consistent with the high frequency of the GH clade circulating earlier in the pandemic in the U.S. and Canada, and first observed in France.

"The fact that there were no notable sequencing differences between our MIS-C and primary COVID cohorts suggests that variations in host genetics and/or immune response are more likely primary determinants of how MIS-C presents itself, rather than virus-specific factors," says Dr. DeBiasi. "As we've seen new variants continue to emerge, it will be important to study their effect on the frequency and severity of MIS-C."

Researchers are still looking for consensus on the most efficacious treatments for MIS-C. In a recent editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. DeBiasi calls for well-characterized large prospective cohort studies at single centers, and systematic and long-term follow-up for cardiac and non-cardiac outcomes in children with MIS-C. Data from these studies will be a crucial determinant of the best set of treatment guidelines for immunotherapies to treat MIS-C.

About Children's National Hospital

Children's National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., celebrates 150 years of pediatric care, research, and commitment to community. Volunteers opened the hospital in 1870 with 12 beds for children displaced after the Civil War. Today, 150 years stronger, it is among the nation's top 10 children's hospitals. It is ranked No. 1 for newborn care for the fifth straight year and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children's National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. In 2021, the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus opened, the first in the nation dedicated to pediatric research. Children's National has been designated three times in a row as a Magnet hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Northern Virginia. Children's National is home to the Children's National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation and is the nation's seventh-highest NIH-funded children's hospital. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels.

For more information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Childrens National Hospital
DUBLIN, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Industrial Construction Projects, Europe" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The report tracks construction projects with significant industrial work in Europe with a total value of US$389.1 billion, which includes projects from the announced to execution stages.

Russia accounts for the highest value project pipeline, with US$172.8 billion. The overall projects pipeline in Europe is dominated by projects in the pre-execution and execution stages, with a total value of US$222.8 billion, accounting for 57% of the project pipeline. Projects in the pre-planning and planning stage (design, tender and award) amount to US$166.4 billion



This report provides a detailed analysis of industrial construction projects in Europe, based on projects tracked by the publisher.



Scope

The report provides analysis based on the publisher's construction projects showing total project values and analysis by stage and funding.

The top 50 regional projects are listed giving country, stage, value of projects. Ranked listings of the key operators for the sector are also provided showing the leading contractors, consulting engineers and project owners. Country profiles are provided for the top 10 countries.

Reasons to Buy

Gain insight into the development of the industrial construction sector.

Assess all major projects by value, start date, scope and stage of development globally, for the regions and top 10 countries to support business development activities.

Plan campaigns by country based on specific project opportunities and align resources to the most attractive markets.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Overview



2. Project Analytics by Country

2.1 Russia

2.2 France

2.3 United Kingdom

2.4 Germany

2.5 Belarus

2.6 Sweden

2.7 Turkey

2.8 Italy

2.9 Hungary

2.10 Poland



3. Construction



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ftn0u8

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Falvey Insurance Group and its subsidiary companies have chosen to directly align its 2021 philanthropy efforts with causes related to our business operations. For this reason, Falvey Cargo Underwriting announces its formal support of, international seafarer welfare charity, The Mission to Seafarers.

We intentionally make our announcement today: June 25th which marks the "Day of the Seafarer"  a day to formally recognize those responsible for vessel operations, and for the safe and smooth delivery of the valuable cargo Falvey, and others, insure each day.

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), "The day not only acknowledges the invaluable work of seafarers, but also aims to bring global attention to the issues affecting their work and lives, such as piracy. It calls on governments to develop policies that lead to fair treatment of seafarers at ports and asks private ship companies and owners to provide their employees proper facilities and comforts while they are at sea."

Support of The Mission is not new to Falvey, as our Senior Vice President  Canada, Isabelle Therrien, has laid some valuable groundwork in the Toronto/Hamilton port region: "It has been a privilege to be part of an organization who supports me volunteering some of my time with The Mission to Seafarers of Southern Ontario. As a Cargo insurance underwriter, I couldn't think of a better way to support the real risk-takers of the global supply chain. Whether through fundraising, packing gift bags for the Holidays or delivering the Holiday gifts bags to the ships, it has been rewarding to be part of the great work done by The Mission to Seafarers."

In recognizing this new partnership, Revd Canon Andrew Wright, Secretary General of The Mission to Seafarers said, 'The Mission to Seafarers is delighted to be making this joint announcement of our partnership with Falvey Insurance Group, who are headquartered on Rhode Island. The company have supported our work in Toronto for some time and now wish to extend their support across our North American operations. We look forward to working with them and helping as many seafarers as possible, whilst engaging Falvey Insurance Group staff in support of our work.'

Falvey's President and CEO, Mike Falvey adds, "Never has there been a year in recent history where the work of the seafarer has been more center stage. When the world came to a complete stop during the pandemic, seafarers were sailing across the world to ensure delivery of products including critical supplies. Falvey Cargo is proud to support The Mission to Seafarers to express our thanks and acknowledge the men and women who ensure the safe movement of product throughout the globe. We very much look forward to the expanded partnership with The Mission to Seafarers and making an impact on the seafarer community."

About Falvey Cargo Underwriting

Falvey Cargo underwrites marine cargo coverage in three cargo industry segments: General Cargo, Life Sciences, and Technology. Founded in 1995, Falvey Cargo Underwriting has evolved into the largest cargo covernote holder at Lloyd's of London, offering the highest capacity in the marine cargo market. Falvey Cargo has over 150 years of combined marine cargo underwriting experience, global reach with local expertise servicing clients around the world from offices in Rhode Island, California, Colorado, New York, North Carolina, Washington, Canada, and London, and dedicated loss prevention, claims processing, and recovery services in-house.

www.falveycargounderwriting.com

About Falvey Insurance Group

Falvey Insurance Group began as a single division, Falvey Cargo Underwriting, opening its first office in 1995 in Wakefield, RI by the company's founder: Mike Falvey. After 25 years, the company has evolved into Falvey Insurance Group, comprised of three divisions: Falvey Cargo Underwriting, Falvey Shippers Insurance and Safe Harbor Pollution Insurance. "The Specialized Insurance Experts" underwrite on behalf of Lloyd's of London, C.V. Starr, Nationwide, Beazley Insurance Company, Hiscox, Ascot Group and State National. The flexibility, World-Class customer service, claims processing excellence, and comprehensive knowledge and expertise that Falvey companies are known for is unparalleled in the insurance industry. Falvey was also named Insurance Insider's MGA of the Year in 2020.

www.falveyinsurancegroup.com

About The Mission to Seafarers

The Mission to Seafarers provides help and support to the 1.5 million men and women who face danger every day to keep our global economy afloat. We work in over 200 ports in 50 countries caring for seafarers of all ranks, nationalities and beliefs. Through our global network of chaplains, staff and volunteers we offer practical, emotional and spiritual support to seafarers through ship visits, drop-in seafarers' centres and a range of welfare and emergency support services.

https://www.missiontoseafarers.org/

Media Contact: Megan Bell, 401-214-5600, [email protected]

SOURCE Falvey Insurance Group

Related Links

http://www.falveyinsurancegroup.com


ROCHESTER HILL, Mich., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Few banks are disclosing the number of AI users that engage with their chatbots. Why? Bank of America reported about 20 million or about 30% of their customers arere using ERICA  their chatbot. ERICA has been in use for about 4 years, So, Foresight Research wondered about consumer resistance to AI and chatbots and surveyed 400 consumers of banking products and services to find out the resistance to AI in Georgia.

To start with, about 85% of all consumers are comfortable with asking banking questions or gathering advice on investments, loans or retirement planning in-person. But when asked about call center text message engagement that number drops to about 2 of 3 customers. For chatbots or AI a low 51% of consumers are comfortable using this technology for routine questions. For gathering information or for asking for advice on loans, retirement planning or investments only 44% would be comfortable using AI. While chatbots are still in their infancy, it seems that consumer adoption will take a lot of time. Not surprisingly, younger consumers are more comfortable with this technology and when it comes to Gen X or Baby Boomers a tall task can be expected. Foresight found one surprise  high income consumers are more likely to become comfortable perhaps because they have more need  especially for advanced applications. Of course, advanced chatbots are not yet available, but expanding technology is just one issue  another is consumer adoption.

In addition to younger and high- income consumers, there are a few small rays of light. One area is satisfaction with their primary financial institution. Consumers who are extremely or very satisfied with their bank's performance in problem solving, offering financial advice, and digital banking are more likely to express comfort with routine AI and advanced AI applications. So, the overall customer experience seems to be a prerequisite to automated banking adoption.

Foresight Research (a Michigan marketing research company) and a leader in cost effective syndicated market research has been working with Fortune 500 companies for over 20 years. Visit our website, shoot us an email or give us a call to find out more about this report and other available reports.

Contact: Steve Bruyn

Foresight Research.com

248.608.1870 x 12

[email protected]

SOURCE Foresight Research

Related Links

http://www.foresightresearch.com


Joseph will bring his expertise to the Company while sitting on the Company's Board, assisting in roll-up strategies, sourcing tuck-in acquisitions, and capital raising across the country.

While spending the last year remaining focused on Frontline Real Estate Partners which he is the majority shareholder in, while also solidifying his Nashville-based family office, Big Plan Holdings, Joseph has spent considerable time investing in and advising multiple cannabis and CBD companies nationwide, including a women-owned luxury beauty and lifestyle subscription box, 3rd Eye Hi.

"After taking some time to grow our family company, it is incredibly exciting to be returning to the cannabis industry. We are thrilled to become part of the growing cannabis communities in Maine and are looking forward to additional strategic market entry points," Big Plan Holdings' Founder, Joshua Joseph, said. "Our goal is to find our next new location as soon as possible."

To further capitalize on the rapidly growing cannabis industry, a wholly owned subsidiary of Big Plan Holdings acquired a single tenant property located in Macomb, Illinois that features a long-term lease with Windy City Cannabis. Joseph also invested $6.5 million in the multi-state operating (MSO) cannabis company, Ascend Wellness Holdings.



Windy City Cannabis is a leading cannabis operator throughout the state of Illinois. The Macomb property is strategically situated in the downtown district of Macomb and within two miles from the campus of Western Illinois University.

Joseph looks forward to continuing to expand his work within the cannabis and CBD industries across the nation. For investment opportunities or partnership requests, please email [email protected] .

About Big Plan Holdings

Big Plan Holdings is a Nashville, Tennessee based diversified family holding company with investments in various industries across the country.

https://www.bigplanholdings.com/about

For additional information, visit:

https://www.bigplanholdings.com

Big Plan Holdings

(205) 612-7807

[email protected]

SOURCE Big Plan Holdings

Related Links

www.bigplanholdings.com


FLINT, Mich., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Forum Health , a nationwide provider of personalized healthcare, and Riverwoods Behavioral Health , a leading provider of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, have entered into a strategic collaboration to develop and test a breakthrough ketamine treatment using a new integrative protocol. With promising results, the research could facilitate lasting changes in how ketamine is delivered across patient populations and inform other psychedelic-assisted interventions.

Under the collaboration, Forum Health and Riverwoods Behavioral Health will launch two stage 1 clinical trials to investigate the feasibility and potential of integrative ketamine assisted psychotherapy (iKAP) for treating adults with major depression (trial 1) as well as older adults with co-occurring major depression and early cognitive decline (trial 2). The protocol, developed by Dr. Patricia Henrie-Barrus , Principal Investigator and Founding Director at Riverwoods Behavioral Health, combines repeated sessions of low-dose ketamine with psychotherapy, mind-body skills, ambient music, and textile art. It is a novel approach compared to traditional ketamine treatment, where patients are typically left alone in clinics without psychiatrists or other mental health professionals on staff.

"Multiple studies have already shown the benefit of psychotherapy adjunct to ketamine treatment. Now, we are seeing the positive effects of incorporating music, meditation, and brain stimulation to achieve better health outcomes; and how critical set and setting are. Developing an integrative and context-driven protocol just made sense," says Dr. Henrie-Barrus. "Not only does iKAP have the potential to enhance ketamine's antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects, but also standard of care delivery. This is increasingly important given the rapid emergence of ketamine clinics that are incentivized by the drug's profit margins over the wellbeing of patients," adds Anya Ragnhildstveit, Co-Principal Investigator and Program Director of the Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy Educational and Research Lab . "Evidence-based protocols for optimizing treatment and ensuring ethical practice are desperately needed, now more than ever."

Currently, the two trials are being reviewed by the University of Utah Institutional Review Board, with recruitment from the Greater Salt Lake City area anticipated to start in late July of 2021. Data derived from each study will be used to adapt and refine the protocol in preparation for future randomized controlled trials.

"We are confident that our collaboration with Riverwoods Behavioral Health will enable us to drive critical developments for new promising mental health treatments," says Dr. Andrew Petersen , Site Principal Investigator and Chief of Staff at Forum Health. Considering the psychological aftermath of COVID-19, I couldn't be more excited about these studies and am optimistic they will make a real difference in people's lives, both to those suffering from depression and those with early symptoms of Alzheimer's disease."

The collaboration is supported by researchers at the University of Utah, Harvard University, Yale School of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, and Duke University. Industry partners are also participating, including Salt City Psychedelic Therapy and Research and Summit Ketamine Therapy Clinic .

About Forum Health, LLC

Forum Health, LLC is a nationwide provider of personalized healthcare. Steeped in the powerful principles of functional and integrative medicine, Forum Health providers take a root-cause approach to care. They listen and dig deep  exploring lifestyle, environment, and genetics to help each patient achieve their ultimate health goals. Members have access to advanced medical treatments and technology, with care plans informed by data analytics and collaborative relationships. To learn more, visit forumhealth.com .

To learn more, visit our practice location page .

SOURCE Forum Health, LLC
ATLANTA, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Residential customers have rated Georgia Power as a "Most Trusted Brand" according to a study by industry-leading analysts in the energy sector. The company was ranked among top utilities based on communication effectiveness, customer focus, community support, reliable quality, environmental dedication and company reputation in the 2021 Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement: Residential study from Escalent.

Using a "Brand Trust Index," the study measured customer brand perceptions against 140 electric, natural gas and combination utilities among more than 75,000 US utility customers. The study found that utilities that focused on communication regarding their product options, how they partnered with their communities during the pandemic, and environmental efforts saw the highest increase in customer satisfaction and trust last year.

"Over the last year and a half, we know that our customers and communities have had to navigate the unexpected and adapt throughout the pandemic," said Kevin Kastner, vice president of Customer Service at Georgia Power. "We have also continuously adapted our processes to ensure we're providing our customers across the state with an exceptional experience. By focusing on the resilience of our system and our teams, we will continue serving customers the clean, safe, reliable electricity they need at rates well below the national average."

Resources & services for residential customers

To ensure each residential customer receives world-class service, Georgia Power offers the following resources, services and programs:

Simple Online Account Management  The company is committed to making it simple for customers to manage their monthly bill, payment history and energy usage in one place. With Georgia Power's online portal, customers can start, stop and transfer service, and sign up for paperless billing to reduce incoming paper mail.

The company is committed to making it simple for customers to manage their monthly bill, payment history and energy usage in one place. With Georgia Power's online portal, customers can start, stop and transfer service, and sign up for paperless billing to reduce incoming paper mail. Payment Methods  Customers can easily pay their Georgia Power bills online at www.GeorgiaPower.com with a credit or debit card or with a checking or savings account. The company has eliminated fees associated with credit and debit card payments as well as at Authorized Payment Locations (APLs). APLs are venues that accept Georgia Power payments, posting them immediately and securely. There are more 4,000 APLs across the state including many grocery stores and pharmacies including Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Walgreens and more. Customers can also pay via the Georgia Power Mobile App, which can be downloaded for free from both the App Store (Apple) and Google Play Store (Android).

Customers can easily pay their Georgia Power bills online at www.GeorgiaPower.com with a credit or debit card or with a checking or savings account. The company has eliminated fees associated with credit and debit card payments as well as at Authorized Payment Locations (APLs). APLs are venues that accept Georgia Power payments, posting them immediately and securely. There are more 4,000 APLs across the state including many grocery stores and pharmacies including Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Walgreens and more. Customers can also pay via the Georgia Power Mobile App, which can be downloaded for free from both the App Store (Apple) and Google Play Store (Android). Georgia Power Marketplace  Georgia Power makes it simple for customers to make their home more efficient by offering an online, one-stop-shop for LED lightbulbs, smart thermostats and connected home technology, advanced power strips, water faucets and EV chargers, without having to visit a store. Visit www.GeorgiaPowerMarketplace.com to learn more.

Georgia Power makes it simple for customers to make their home more efficient by offering an online, one-stop-shop for LED lightbulbs, smart thermostats and connected home technology, advanced power strips, water faucets and EV chargers, without having to visit a store. Visit www.GeorgiaPowerMarketplace.com to learn more. Online Energy Checkups  Georgia Power offers quick and easy online energy checkups that provide customized reports for customers to understand their energy use and find ways to save money.

Georgia Power offers quick and easy online energy checkups that provide customized reports for customers to understand their energy use and find ways to save money. Energy Efficiency Programs  Georgia Power is committed to helping residential customers save money on their monthly energy bill. The company offers a variety of products and programs to make customers' homes energy efficient, while keeping them comfortable.

Residential customer service representatives are available to answer questions by phone at 1-888-660-5890 and via online chat. To learn more about Georgia Power's resources, programs and services for residential customers, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/Residential.

Customers can also connect with the company on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (www.Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (www.Instagram.com/Ga_Power) to receive the latest Georgia Power news and information, including helpful energy efficiency tips and programs, storm tips, outage updates and more.

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the Company's promise to 2.6 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the Company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the Company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

SOURCE Georgia Power

Related Links

http://www.georgiapower.com


FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 19; Released: January 2021 Executive Engagements: 47388 Companies: 96 - Players covered include Aclara Technologies LLC; Cisco Systems, Inc.; Eaton Corporation plc; Elster Group GmbH; General Electric; IBM Corporation; Itron, Inc.; Landis+Gyr AG; Schneider Electric SE; Sensus; Siemens AG; Trilliant Holdings Inc and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Device (Smart Gas Meters, Smart Water Meters, and Smart Electric Meters) Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry



ABSTRACT-



Global Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Market to Reach $12.5 Billion by 2026

The principal objective of AMIs is to monitor and manage the utilization of energy resources. AMI enhances existing AMR (advanced meter reading) technology by enabling bi-directional meter communication which facilitates automatic real-time data collection, as well as bi-directional information transmission throughout the grid. The popularity of AMI till date has been guided by the demand for power, particularly from emerging economies, constantly changing energy policies all over the world, rapid technological developments in the power generation equipment sector, rapidly exhausting non-renewable resources, requirement for efficient utility solutions which adhere to regulatory mandates. The installation of AMI-integrated meters in smart grids for new housing starts and infrastructure projects bodes well for the growth of the AMI in the long run. The use of AMI in utility architectures significantly reduces total operating expenses through effective load management, reliability and two-way communication. The reduced operational costs thus translate into additional revenues and improved asset utilization. AMI also helps reduce the carbon foot-print of power plants and other utility stations by promoting energy conservation programs and enhanced outage management services. From the vendor's side, there is increasing focus on standardization in terms of smart meters design and manufacture to comply with various government regulations worldwide.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) estimated at US$7.3 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$12.5 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 9.5% over the analysis period. Smart Gas Meters, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 7.7% CAGR and reach US$2.5 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Smart Electric Meters segment is readjusted to a revised 9.7% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $1.2 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $4.7 Billion by 2026

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) market in the U.S. is estimated at US$1.2 Billion in the year 2021. China is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$4.7 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 11.0% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Canada, Japan and Europe, each forecast to grow at 7.1% 6.3% and 7.3% respectively over the analysis period.

The establishment of new power plants, refurbishment of existing power generation facilities, and the migration to energy-efficient models will drive growth of AMI, particularly smart meters. Liberalization and privatization of the electricity generation sector in several countries across the globe is another factor positively influencing demand for AMI. Ever growing energy needs offer a stable and secure business case for advanced metering systems worldwide. The launch of dynamic pricing programmes and demand response services is prompting utility providers to conserve non-renewable resources and decrease or shift utility consumption towards non-peak hours. AMI is useful for all participants of the supply chain including utility companies which gain from stable load levels on the grid without the need to expand production capacity through heavy investments. On the other hand, end-users including industrial and residential consumers benefit through lower bills and increased efficiency. In addition, the information provided by AMI technology facilitates the optimization of business operations, maintenance, system engineering as well as customer service operations.

Smart Electric Meters Segment to Reach $7.7 Billion by 2026

In the global Smart Electric Meters Segment, USA, Japan, China, and Europe will drive the 9.7% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$3.1 Billion in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$5.8 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets and is forecast to reach US$2.8 Billion by the year 2026. More

MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp

Connect With Us on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./

Follow Us on Twitter

https://twitter.com/marketbytes

Journalists & Media

[email protected]

SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.strategyr.com


FACTS AT A GLANCE Edition: 15; Released: January 2021 Executive Engagements: 5704 Companies: 233 - Players covered include Ahlstrom-MunksjA Oyj; Altair Nanotechnologies Inc.; American Elements; Arkema Group; Covestro AG; Cytodiagnostics, Inc.; DuPont de Nemours, Inc.; Evonik Industries AG; Frontier Carbon Corporation; Hyperion Catalysis International Inc.; KURARAY CO., LTD.; Nanoco Technologies Ltd; Nanocomposix, Inc.; Nanocyl SA; Nanografi Nano Technology; NanoMaterials Technology Pte Ltd.; Nanophase Technologies Corporation; Nanoshel LLC; Nanostructured & Amorphous Materials, Inc.; Nanosys; Raymor Industries; Reade International Corporation; SHOWA DENKO K.K.; SkySpring Nanomaterials, Inc.; Strem Chemicals, Inc.; US Research Nanomaterials, Inc. and Others. Coverage: All major geographies and key segments Segments: Type (Carbon Nanotubes, Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles, Silicon Dioxide, Aluminum Oxide Nanoparticles, Copper Oxide Nanoparticles, Other Types); Application (Medical, Electronics, Paints & Coatings, Energy & power, Other Applications) Geographies: World; USA; Canada; Japan; China; Europe; France; Germany; Italy; UK; Rest of Europe; Asia-Pacific; Rest of World.

Complimentary Project Preview - This is an ongoing global program. Preview our research program before you make a purchase decision. We are offering a complimentary access to qualified executives driving strategy, business development, sales & marketing, and product management roles at featured companies. Previews provide deep insider access to business trends; competitive brands; domain expert profiles; and market data templates and much more. You may also build your own bespoke report using our MarketGlass Platform which offers thousands of data bytes without an obligation to purchase our report. Preview Registry

ABSTRACT-

Global Nanomaterials Market to Reach $12.1 Billion by 2026

Nanomaterials are strong, yet lightweight materials that can be employed in an extensive array of industrial, electronics, healthcare, automotive, construction and consumer applications. Apart from enabling thinner layers and smaller structures for semiconductor manufacturing, nanotechnology is expected to offer enhanced functional surfaces and reliable materials combinations to cater to specific requirements of interconnection and packaging technologies. Miniaturization of electronic devices and components and lean towards light weight and energy efficient electronic systems will continue to make strong business case for use of nanomaterials in electronics production. Nanomaterials play an important role in the field of medicine by providing solutions for prophylactics, diagnostics and treatment of various medical conditions. Nanotechnology is anticipated to also accelerate the transition from coal-fired and atomic-energy based power generation units to renewable energies. Nanomaterials have also been found to enhance the electrical, thermal, structural, optical, magnetic and catalytic capabilities of the automobile. The increasing sale of anti-aging products that use nanocarrier delivery options along with rising adoption of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles in sun care cosmetics propel growth in personal care industry.

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Nanomaterials estimated at US$7.1 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$12.1 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 9.7% over the analysis period. Carbon Nanotubes, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record a 11% CAGR and reach US$4.2 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles segment is readjusted to a revised 10.1% CAGR for the next 7-year period. Carbon nanotubes are hollow, cylindrically structured network of carbon atoms, which result in the formation of crystalline graphite. Nanotubes exhibit exceptional thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. These are primarily used in the production of plastic-based equipment for semiconductor wafers, mechanical memory (RAM), and computer disk drives.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $2.1 Billion in 2021, While China is Forecast to Reach $1.2 Billion by 2026

The Nanomaterials market in the U.S. is estimated at US$2.1 Billion in the year 2021. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$1.2 Billion by the year 2026 trailing a CAGR of 11.4% over the analysis period. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 8.1% and 8.7% respectively over the analysis period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 9.1% CAGR. North America continues to dominate demand for nanomaterials used in the cosmetic and personal care industries. The strong position of the region is attributed to increasing allocation to R&D projects and affordability of products. While Europe is estimated to claim a major share of the market owing to mass production and associated decline in nanomaterials' prices, robust gains for nanomaterials across the Asia-Pacific region are credited to government investment in nanotechnology research and rising adoption of cosmetic products offering sun protection.

Silicon Dioxide Segment to Reach $1.6 Billion by 2026

In the global Silicon Dioxide segment, USA, Canada, Japan, China and Europe will drive the 8.7% CAGR estimated for this segment. These regional markets accounting for a combined market size of US$750.1 Million in the year 2020 will reach a projected size of US$1.3 Billion by the close of the analysis period. China will remain among the fastest growing in this cluster of regional markets. Led by countries such as Australia, India, and South Korea, the market in Asia-Pacific is forecast to reach US$253.5 Million by the year 2026. More

MarketGlass Platform

Our MarketGlass Platform is a free full-stack knowledge center that is custom configurable to today`s busy business executive`s intelligence needs! This influencer driven interactive research platform is at the core of our primary research engagements and draws from unique perspectives of participating executives worldwide. Features include - enterprise-wide peer-to-peer collaborations; research program previews relevant to your company; 3.4 million domain expert profiles; competitive company profiles; interactive research modules; bespoke report generation; monitor market trends; competitive brands; create & publish blogs & podcasts using our primary and secondary content; track domain events worldwide; and much more. Client companies will have complete insider access to the project data stacks. Currently in use by 67,000+ domain experts worldwide.

Our platform is free for qualified executives and is accessible from our website www.StrategyR.com or via our just released mobile application on iOS or Android

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc. & StrategyR

Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (www.strategyr.com) is a renowned market research publisher the world`s only influencer driven market research company. Proudly serving more than 42,000 clients from 36 countries, GIA is recognized for accurate forecasting of markets and industries for over 33 years.

CONTACTS:

Zak Ali

Director, Corporate Communications

Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Phone: 1-408-528-9966

www.StrategyR.com

Email: [email protected]

LINKS

Join Our Expert Panel

https://www.strategyr.com/Panelist.asp

Connect With Us on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-industry-analysts-inc./

Follow Us on Twitter

https://twitter.com/marketbytes

Journalists & Media

[email protected]

SOURCE Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.strategyr.com


DUBLIN, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Ride Sharing Market by Type (E-hailing, Station-Based, Car Sharing & Rental), Car Sharing (P2P, Corporate), Service (Navigation, Payment, Information), Micro-Mobility (Bicycle, Scooter), Vehicle Type, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global ride sharing market is projected to grow from USD 85.8 billion in 2021 and reach USD 185.1 billion in 2026, at a CAGR of 16.6%.

COVID-19 pandemic has impacted ride sharing business for a consecutive second year. However, according to experts, the ride sharing industry would start its complete recovery from Q3 of 2021 or Q1 of 2022, and the key factor that would drive the demand for ride sharing is urbanization. The majority of the population living in cities has shifted to their countryside; still, the urbanization rate in 2020 was close to 56% globally, which was 55% in 2019.

However, post-pandemic the more population is expected to return to the cities, which is expected to further increase the urbanization rate. This would bring back the urbanization rate, and slowly the basic needs of the population would start rising; transport would be one of these. Considering the second COVID wave and the expected third wave, this change would take place slowly. This would be the foremost driver for bringing back the ride sharing industry revenues back on track.

Additionally, though urbanization would be a key driver for the ride sharing industry, the pandemic's effects would be seen on ride sharing models for the initial period. For instance, after the pandemic period, people would still be hesitant to opt for shared services and public transport, and they would prefer e-hailing or car rentals.

Most of the ride sharing services have shifted from web-based to app-based, and the key reason is an increase in popularity & options available on smartphones. Additionally, internet penetration has showcased significant growth in the last 3-4 years. According to World Economic Forum, in 2019, internet usage is doubled from 2010.

Hence, a rise in urbanization, an increase in penetration of smartphones, and a growth in internet penetration together would fuel the demand for ride sharing in coming years.

Globally, the Electric vehicle segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period.

Recent initiatives taken by major ride sharing provider companies such as Uber, Free Now, Bolt, and Lyft, to electrify their fleet partially by 2025 and fully by 2030 are expected to drive the electric vehicle ride sharing market during the forecast period.

Moreover, in China, according to David Xu, Didi's head of strategy, a whopping 21% of the ride-hailing fleet is electric. Beijing-based Didi Chuxing Technology Co., the world's largest ride-hailing company, has about 1 million EVs on its network, with a goal to hit 10 million by 2028.

Asia Pacific is projected to be the largest regional market

Asia Pacific accounts for a significantly lower number of vehicles per 1,000 persons as the per capita income in most of these countries is lower than in Western countries. Hence, ride sharing offers users a sense of owning a vehicle at a much lower cost than actually owning one. Therefore, consumers prefer ride sharing services over personal vehicles.

Additionally, factors such as a rise in the daily commute to workplaces in urban areas and an increased need to save fuel by providing a ride to commuters and colleagues heading along the same route are anticipated to fuel the Asia Pacific ride sharing market.

The increasing number of megacities and the population growth in developed and developing countries have increased the importance of deploying a smart transportation network. The ride sharing services in Asia Pacific are growing rapidly because of the demand in countries such as China, India, and Japan. These countries have started recognizing ride sharing as a solution to curb issues such as traffic congestion, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Didi Chuxing (China), Uber Technologies, Inc (US), Gett (Israel), Lyft, Inc (US), and Grab (Singapore) are the leading providers of ride sharing in the global market.

Premium Insights

Attractive Opportunities in the Electric Vehicle Ride Sharing Space: Rising Population & Urbanization to Drive the Ride Sharing Market

Electric Vehicles Are Projected to Showcase the Fastest Growth Among Ride Sharing Cars Over the Forecast Period

Car Sharing Market, by Type: P2P Car Sharing to Dominate the Car Sharing Market in 2021

Ride Sharing Market, by Data Service: Navigation to Account for the Major Share in the Ride Sharing Data Services Market

Micro-Mobility Market, by Vehicle Type: Bike/Bicycle to Lead the Micro-Mobility Vehicle Market

Ride Sharing Market, by Distance: Short Distance to Account for the Dominant Share by 2026

Ride Sharing Market, by Region: Asia-Pacific to Account for the Largest Share of the Ride Sharing Market in 2021

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increase in Urbanization and Internet and Smartphone Penetration

Increase in Urbanization

Increase in Usage of Smartphones and Growing Internet Penetration

Increase in Costs Associated with Vehicle Ownership

Restraints

Varying Transport Policies of Different Countries and Resistance from Traditional Transport Services

Opportunities

New Business Models to Cover Losses in Ride Sharing Business

Food & Freight Delivery

Micro-Mobility

Emergence of Autonomous Ride Sharing

Challenges

COVID-19 Impact on Profitability & Sustainability of Transport Network Companies

Ride Sharing Market: An Ecosystem

Porter's Five Forces Analysis

Supply Chain Analysis

Case Studies

Patent Analysis

Ride Sharing Market Scenario

Realistic Scenario

Low Impact Scenario

High Impact Scenario

Technology Analysis

Impact of Vehicle Automation on Ride Hailing

Impact of Automation L2 on Ride Hailing

Impact of Automation L3 on Ride Hailing

Impact of Automation L4/L5 on Ride Hailing

Autonomous Vehicles and Vehicle Connectivity

Vehicle-To-Cloud (V2C)

Vehicle-To-Pedestrian (V2P)

Vehicle-To-Infrastructure (V2I)

Vehicle-To-Vehicle (V2V)

Recommendations

Asia-Pacific to Lead the Global Ride Sharing Market

to Lead the Global Ride Sharing Market Micro-Mobility: Key Focus Areas

Company Profiles

Key Players

Didi Chuxing (Didi)

Uber Technologies, Inc. (Uber)

Gett

Lyft, Inc (Lyft)

Grab

Ani Technologies Pvt. Ltd (Ola)

Blablacar

Intel

Tomtom International Bv

Aptiv

Denso Corporation

Other Players

IBM

Ford

General Motors

Waymo

Daimler

Car2Go

BMW

Bosch

Cabify

Bolt

Toyota

Goget

Via Transportation, Inc.

Easy Taxi

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kihajl

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


DUBLIN, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Market by Point of Sale, Systems, Platform (Civil & Commercial, and Defense & Governement), Function, End Use, Application, Type, Mode of Operation, MTOW, Range, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global UAV market is estimated to be USD 27.4 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 58.4 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 16.4% from 2021 to 2026.

North America is projected to account for the largest size of the UAV market from 2021 to 2026. The incorporation of artificial intelligence in UAV has not only enhanced their capabilities but has also enabled them to carry out several activities such as takeoff, navigation, data capture, data transmission, and data analysis without human intervention.

As well as rising demand for contactless deliveries of medical supplies and other essentials using drones owing to COVID-19 are some of the factors driving the growth of the UAV market. The strict imposition of lockdowns and travel restrictions in countries has disturbed the normal flow of essential commodities in the healthcare, food, and logistics sectors.

However, during the pandemic, various pilot projects and test flights related to drones were carried out in various countries to speed up the testing of COVID-19 samples and prevent the spread of the virus. Additionally, drones were widely used for surveillance and mapping of the COVID-19 hotspots, crowd management and control, and aerial decontamination of outdoor public places by several governments to fulfill the purpose of social distancing norms.

Based on application, the UAV market has been classified into the military, commercial, government & law enforcement, and consumer. For this segment of the UAV market, the military segment of the UAV market is projected to grow from USD 12,760 million in 2021 to USD 19,641 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 9.0% from 2021 to 2026. The commercial segment of the market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR of 28.0% during the forecast period; the growth of this segment can be attributed to the developments and advancements in drone technology.

Based on function, the UAV market has been segmented into special purpose drones, passenger drones, inspection & monitoring drones, surveying & mapping drones, spraying & seeding drones, air cargo vehicles, and others. Special purpose drones mainly include decoy drones, swarm drones, combat UAV, etc., that are used in military applications.

The special purpose drones segment of the UAV market is projected to grow from USD 9,332 million in 2021 to USD 20,548 million in 2026, at a CAGR of 17.1% from 2021 to 2026 and have the largest market share during the forecast period. It is due to the rising usage of Special Purpose Drones in military and Combat Operations.

Based on point of sale, the UAV market has been segmented into original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and aftermarket. The aftermarket segment of the market has been classified into maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), replacement, and simulation & training. The OEM segment of the UAV market is projected to have a higher CAGR as compared to the Aftermarket segment.

The OEM segment of the UAV market is projected to grow from USD 22.7 billion in 2021 to USD 49.0 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 16.7% from 2021 to 2026. This is due to the fact that most of the assembly and modifications required in UAV are carried out at the OEM level. The aftermarket segment of the market is projected to grow from USD 4.7 billion in 2021 to USD 9.2 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 14.5% during the forecast period.

Major players operating in the UAV market include General Atomics (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), EHang (China), Parrot (France), PrecisionHawk (US), Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (Israel), DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (China), Parrot SA (France), AeroVironment, Inc. (US), Lockheed Martin Corporation (US).

Key Topics Covered:

1 Introduction

2 Research Methodology

3 Executive Summary

OEM Segment to Account for Large Share of UAV Market in 2021

Defense & Government Segment to Account for Large Share of UAV Market in 2021

Optionally Piloted Segment to Account for Largest Share of UAV Market in 2021

UAV Market in Asia-Pacific to Grow at Highest CAGR from 2021 to 2026

4 Premium Insights

4.1 Attractive Growth Opportunities in UAV Market: Improvement in Regulatory Framework to Drive Market Growth from 2021 to 2026

4.2 UAV Market, by Point of Sale

4.3 UAV Market Share, by Application: Military Segment to Account for Largest Share of UAV Market in 2021

4.4 UAV Market, by Function: Special Purpose Drones Segment Held Largest Share of UAV Market in 2021

4.5 UAV Market, by Region: North America to Account for Largest Share of UAV Market in 2021

4.6 UAV Market in North America, by Country: US to Account for Large Size of UAV Market in North America from 2021 to 2026

5 Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Increased Adoption of UAV in Civil and Commercial Applications

5.2.1.2 Risen Demand for UAV in Military Applications

5.2.1.3 Surged Use of UAV in Disaster Relief Operations

5.2.1.4 Improvements in Regulatory Frameworks Related to Drone Operations

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 High Infrastructure Costs and Lack of Skilled Personnel for Operating Drones

5.2.2.2 Issues Related to Drone Safety and Security

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Rising Demand for Contactless Deliveries of Medical Supplies and Other Essentials Using Drones Owing to COVID-19

5.2.3.2 Increasing Deployment of UAV to Carry Out Aerial Remote Sensing

5.2.3.3 Ongoing Technological Advancements in UAV

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Instances of Use of Drones in Terror Attacks and Drug Trafficking

5.2.4.2 Consumer Acceptance and Health Issues Caused by Noise from UAV

5.3 Impact of COVID-19 on UAV Market

5.4 Ranges and Scenarios

5.5 UAV Market Ecosystem

5.6 Value Chain Analysis

5.7 Pricing Analysis and Average Selling Prices of UAV

5.8 Trends/Disruptions Impacting Business of Customers

5.8.1 Revenue Shift and New Revenue Pockets for UAV Manufacturers

5.9 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.10 Trade Analysis

5.11 Operational Data

5.12 Tariff and Regulatory Landscape

6 Industry Trends

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Technology Trends Related to UAV

6.2.1 UAV with AI

6.2.2 3D Printed UAV

6.2.3 Advanced Material-Based UAV

6.2.4 Multisensory UAV Payload Systems

6.2.5 Wirelessly Charged Commercial Drones

6.2.6 UAV for Cloud Infrastructure

6.2.7 Endurance in UAV

6.2.8 Machine Learning-Based Analytics for UAV-Based Communication

6.2.9 Swarm UAV

6.3 Technological Analysis of UAV

6.3.1 Challenges for Developing Fully Autonomous Drones

6.3.2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) in UAV

6.3.3 List for UAV Innovations

6.4 Use Case Analysis: UAV

6.4.1 UAV for Delivery Services During Pandemic

6.4.2 Drones for Aerial Photography

6.4.3 Drones for Videography

6.4.4 UAV for Surveying

6.4.5 UAV for Agricultural Applications

6.4.6 Drones for Aerial Construction

6.4.7 UAV for Industrial Inspection

6.4.8 Drones for Wildlife Conservation

6.4.9 UAV for Warehouse Inventory Services

6.4.10 UAV for Border Security

6.4.11 UAV Deployed by Various Companies for Delivery Services

6.4.12 Drone Technology for Radiological Monitoring

6.5 Impact of Megatrends

6.6 UAV Product Ecosystem

6.6.1 Brief Description of Key UAV Products

6.7 Innovations and Patent Registrations

6.8 UAV Specifications

6.9 Software Used by UAV

6.10 UAV Services

6.11 Urban Air Mobility (UAM)

Companies Mentioned

3D Robotics

Aerialtronics

Aerovironment

AirbUS

Autel Robotics

Bae Systems

Boeing

Challis Heliplane

Delair

Denel Dynamics

DJI

Draganfly Innovations

Eca Group

Ehang

Elbit Systems

Flir Systems Inc.

General Atomics

Ideaforge

Insitu Inc.

Intel Corporation

Israel Aerospace Industries

Kespry

Lockheed Martin

Microdrones

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Parrot

PrecisionHawk

Products/Services Offered

Raytheon

Saab

Sensefly

Skydio

Textron

Thales

Yunnec

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/do47nk

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


SEOUL, South Korea, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The organizing committee of the H2 Mobility+Energy Show (Chairman Jung Marn-ki, president of the Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association) will be hosting the H2 Mobility+Energy Show 2021, a 4-day event, from September 8 (Wednesday) to 11 (Saturday), 2021.

Participation is open to businesses, organizations, and agencies that supply hydrogen-related products, technologies, and services in the fields of hydrogen mobility, hydrogen charging/infrastructure, and hydrogen energy.

The first H2 Mobility+Energy Show, held in July 2020, attracted the participation of 108 companies from 11 countries and was attended by some 12,000 visitors, leading to its recognition as a major hydrogen tech event in Korea. It's worth noting that, despite the first H2 Mobility+Energy Show having taken place in an economy left stagnant by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a success that was not associated with any transmission of the virus thanks to the stringent quarantine measures that were applied.

The H2 Mobility+Energy Show 2021 will see the POSCO Group, Saint-Gobain (France), Witzenmann (Germany), and KraftPowercon (Sweden) added to the list of participants. The Hyundai Motor Group, Korea's largest hydrogen mobility company, is scheduled to exhibit its new fuel cell electric vehicles and have its affiliates, including Hyundai Mobis and Hyundai Rotem, take part in the event and introduce new hydrogen ecosystem technologies, fuel cells and fuel cell electric trams, among others.

Having created a hydrogen division and announced its vision for a hydrogen business this year, the POSCO Group will also involve its affiliates in this year's event and share its blueprint for a hydrogen-based society.

Organizations from Sweden, Canada, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, and the Czech Republic have applied for a place in this year's event, reflecting the rising international interest in the H2 Mobility+Energy Show.

To affirm the global shift toward carbon neutrality, foster the development of the hydrogen ecosystem and discover new technologies, this year's show will be held concurrently with the first H2 Innovation Award.

The H2 Innovation Award is a hydrogen tech event focused on presentations on new hydrogen products and technologies, in which special achievements are selected and honored. Participation is open to SMBs, large enterprises, and startups. It will be jointly hosted by H2KOREA, KEIT (Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology), and KETEP (Korea Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning).

Participation is not limited to participants in the H2 Mobility+Energy Show, but is open to all businesses around the world. The intent is to discover hydrogen technology innovators, from everywhere in the world.

The H2 Innovation Award will take place in two stages (preliminaries and finals) and provide an opportunity for presentations, exhibitions, and networking, all at the same time. Participants will be able to introduce their new technologies in great detail and take advantage of the H2 Mobility+Energy Show to discover business opportunities.

A spokesperson for Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association indicated "the H2 Innovation Award will be developed into a global arena for the innovation of hydrogen mobility and energy technology".

Once preparations are made, the hosts will make an announcement in early July and begin accepting applications (www.h2mobility.kr) to participate in the H2 Innovation Award.

For further information, please visit: http://www.h2mobility.kr/html/en/main.php

SOURCE The organizing committee of the H2 MobilityEnergy Show
"Lily's is a great addition to Hershey's growing portfolio of better-for-you snacking brands, and we are excited to add this high-growth, leading BFY brand and to get to work with its talented and innovative team," said Chuck Raup, President U.S. "Lily's popular low-sugar products are a great strategic fit with our multi-pronged better-for-you snacking strategy and will perfectly complement our existing iconic Hershey's BFY offerings."

Lily's mission is to offer consumers a range of great tasting, low sugar treats. Launched with four chocolate-style bars nationally in Whole Foods Market, today the expanded line of bars, baking chips and other confections can be found across the country at key retailers.

Safe Harbor Statement

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Many of these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "future," "intend," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "strategy," "target" and similar terms, and future or conditional tense verbs like "could," "may," "might," "should," "will" and "would," among others. These statements are made based upon current expectations that are subject to risk and uncertainty. Because actual results may differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements when deciding whether to buy, sell or hold the company's securities. Factors that could cause results to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the ability to timely satisfy the conditions to the closing the transactions contemplated in the definitive agreement; our ability to realize the benefits of the transaction; risks related to the impact of the coronavirus global pandemic ("COVID-19") on our business, suppliers, distributors, consumers, customers, and employees; the scope and duration of the pandemic; government actions and restrictive measures implemented in response to the pandemic, including the distribution of vaccinations and continuation of social distancing guidelines and stay at home orders; disruptions or inefficiencies in our supply chain due to the loss or disruption of essential manufacturing or supply elements or other factors; issues or concerns related to the quality and safety of our products, ingredients or packaging, human and workplace rights, and other environmental, social or governance matters; changes in raw material and other costs, along with the availability of adequate supplies of raw materials; the company's ability to successfully execute business continuity plans to address the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting changes in consumer preferences and the broader economic and operating environment; selling price increases, including volume declines associated with pricing elasticity; market demand for our new and existing products; increased marketplace competition; failure to successfully execute and integrate acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures; changes in governmental laws and regulations, including taxes; political, economic, and/or financial market conditions; risks and uncertainties related to our international operations; disruptions, failures or security breaches of our information technology infrastructure; our ability to hire, engage and retain a talented global workforce, our ability to realize expected cost savings and operating efficiencies associated with strategic initiatives or restructuring programs; complications with the design or implementation of our new enterprise resource planning system; and such other matters as discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020. All information in this press release is as of June 25, 2021. The company undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the company's expectations.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company is headquartered in Hershey, Pa., and is an industry-leading snacks company known for bringing goodness to the world through its iconic brands, remarkable people and enduring commitment to help children succeed. Hershey has approximately 17,000 employees around the world who work every day to deliver delicious, quality products. The company has more than 90 brands around the world that drive more than $8 billion in annual revenues, including such iconic brand names as Hershey's, Reese's, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, SkinnyPop, and Pirate's Booty.

For more than 125 years, Hershey has been committed to operating fairly, ethically and sustainably. Hershey founder, Milton Hershey, created the Milton Hershey School in 1909 and since then the company has focused on helping children succeed.

To learn more visit www.thehersheycompany.com.

Follow:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hersheycompany

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-hershey-company?trk=top_nav_home

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hersheycompany

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/hersheycompany

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hersheycompany

SOURCE The Hershey Company

Related Links

https://www.thehersheycompany.com


BOISE, Idaho, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, the Idaho Supreme Court, in a unanimous opinion, granted a request for a writ of prohibition against the Elmore County Magistrate Court. The Petitioner, Roxana Beck, filed the requested writ after spending seven days in jail on a warrant issued owing to her failure to pay court debt. The Idaho Supreme Court agreed with Ms. Beck that the Magistrate Court's issuing arrest warrants for failure to pay court debtwithout first conducting an ability-to-pay hearingviolates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution pursuant to the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Bearden v. Georgia, 461 U.S. 660 (1983), as well as the Idaho Constitution.

The practical effect of the decision is that lower courts in Idaho are now prevented from jailing indigent defendants for failure to pay court debt, without first conducting an ability-to-pay hearing. Ms. Beck was represented by Pete Wood, an Elmore County Public Defender in Mountain Home, Idaho.

"The Idaho Supreme Court confirmed what we all want to believe: that the Constitution is there to protect us, most especially the most vulnerable among us," said Mr. Wood. "This is a significant victory for indigent Idahoans like Ms. Beck who have been jailed solely for their inability to pay court debt. We are thrilled with the Court's decision, and thankful to the incredibly talented organizations who stepped forward to support this effort."

The full decision is viewable here: 48475.pdf (idaho.gov)

The case attracted national attention, with an amicus brief in support of Ms. Beck being filed by Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP on behalf of the Fines and Fees Justice Center; Institute for Justice; University of California, Berkeley Law Policy Advocacy Clinic; ACLU of Idaho; American Civil Liberties Union; Cato Institute; and the Arthur Liman Center for Public Interest Law at Yale Law School's Judith Resnik, Anna VanCleave and Brian Highsmith.

Mr. Wood is available for comment at [email protected] or (208) 587-0900.

CONTACT:

Peter Alan Wood

Ratliff Law Offices, Chtd.

290 South 2nd East Street

Mountain Home, ID 83647

(208) 587-0900 Telephone

(208) 587-6940 Fax

SOURCE Peter Alan Wood
BOSTON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm, has been recognized as a leader in the new IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Digital Strategy Consulting Services 2021 Vendor Assessment. The firm's position as a leader in digital strategy consulting was reinforced in the report through client testimonials, who applauded Bain's "client insight, people quality and action orientation."

Bain & Company has advised on more than 5,500 digital projects across industries and geographies through its integrated digital delivery platform, known as Vector, which includes world-class capabilities in new business innovation, product and experience innovation, digital marketing, automation, enterprise technology, software engineering and advanced analytics, including data science, machine learning and data engineering.

As reported by IDC MarketScape's assessment, "Bain's vision is to help clients be digital winners, assisting them in conceptualizing, designing, building and scaling digital businesses that create high levels of value and set digital standards of excellence." To help achieve this, Bain made multiple acquisitions to enhance its digital offerings, launched 13 Global Digital Innovation Hubs, employs more than 1,000 in-house Vector team and capability members, and continues to expand its more than 700 ecosystem partners that provide access to cutting-edge capabilities.

"Accelerated by the global pandemic, every industry has experienced digital disruption and most companies are struggling with how to formulate and execute on digital strategies," said Arpan Sheth, Global Leader of Bain's Vector Solutions Group. "We're proud to be recognized by the IDC MarketScape for our long and proven track record of helping companies across industries win in the digital age and look forward to partnering with many of the world's leading companies to put digital strategy at the forefront of their business."

According to IDC MarketScape report, another client reference said: "Bain is best at consulting in action, when launching something or creating something from nothing. There's a practicality in their thinking, which I like. I would just use them for stuff that is truly complex and has the potential to be game changing."

An excerpt copy of the IDC MarketScape report can be accessed here.

Editor's Note: To arrange an interview, contact Dan Pinkney at [email protected] or +1 646 562 8102.

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 61 offices in 38 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest $1.1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 2% among other consulting firms. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

About IDC MarketScape

IDC MarketScape vendor assessment model is designed to provide an overview of the competitive fitness of ICT (information and communications technology) suppliers in a given market. The research methodology utilizes a rigorous scoring methodology based on both qualitative and quantitative criteria that results in a single graphical illustration of each vendor's position within a given market. IDC MarketScape provides a clear framework in which the product and service offerings, capabilities and strategies, and current and future market success factors of IT and telecommunications vendors can be compared. The framework also provides technology buyers with a 360-degree assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of current and prospective vendors.

Media Contact:

Dan Pinkney

Bain & Company

Tel: +1 646-562-8102

[email protected]

SOURCE Bain & Company

Related Links

http://www.bain.com


At the opening ceremony, Xu Nanping, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology, said, "Nanjing, as the first batch of national innovative cities, has set a new benchmark for the construction of national innovative cities." It will continue to increase the efforts to support Nanjing in creating original innovations and efforts in the areas of strategic source, carbon peaks, carbon neutrality, and scientific and technological system comprehensive reform pilot areas, according to the Organizing Committee of Nanjing Tech Week.

In the keynote speech, Fan Gang, professor of economics at Peking University, said that the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as a national strategic scientific and technological force, is cooperating more and more closely with Nanjing, and a group of CAS high-end innovation resources is accelerating the gathering, forming a regional innovation highland of subject clusters and spatial agglomeration. At the meeting, the 3rd-generation Semiconductor National Technology Innovation Center (Nanjing) was unveiled.

As the representative of Russia, the guest country of this year's Tech Week, Mr. Raspertov, Acting Director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, said in an online speech that this year's Tech Week has a rich series of Russian-Chinese cooperation activities involving information technology, biotechnology, new materials, AI and other fields. This in-depth cooperation showed that Russian and Chinese scholars and researchers are interested in establishing contacts and developing mutually beneficial cooperation in the priority areas of the two countries. "I believe that the various activities held here will help build a sustainable platform and promote the implementation of international scientific and technological projects and innovation cooperation."

The World Intellectual Property Organization released the 2020 edition of the Global Innovation Index, showing that Nanjing has achieved great improvement in four years, and its ranking has jumped from 94th in 2017 to 21st; Nanjing is ranked 8th in the global scientific research cities selected by the authoritative journal "Nature".

Innovation has been integrated into the blood of Nanjing's development and has become the distinctive temperament of the city.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=394590

Caption: Purple Mountain Innovation Conference of Nanjing Tech Week

SOURCE The Organizing Committee of Nanjing Tech Week
SANTIAGO, Chile, June 25th, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chile has consolidated its reputation as a leading player in the global food industry in recent years. Domestic and export food sales combined totaled more than US$47 billion in 2019. As a result, food ranks second after mining in terms of importance to the Chilean economy. Chile exports close to US$20 billion annually and has one of the most important networks of trade agreements in the world, giving it access to favorable trading conditions with countries accounting for 88% of global GDP. Regionally it stands out for its logistics, innovation and food safety. Now the country is seeking to take a leap in quality into new sectors.

Food Industry in Chile: Projection & Opportunities

It is against this backdrop that InvestChile, Chiles Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, has released its e-book, "Food Industry in Chile: Projection and Opportunities". This resource brings together all of the information that a foreign investor will need to explore the food opportunities that Chile offers.

The e-book includes a section outlining the sectors with the best growth and investment potential in Chile. These include the areas of functional ingredients and natural additives, healthy processed food, sustainable packaging, agrifood tech and aquaculture.

In each of these areas, the publication - which is part of InvestChile's Insights collection - provides information on the industry at the global and domestic level, consumption trends, market developments, private and state programs to which you can apply and examples of companies that have imported and successfully developed their products in Chile.

The new e-book also indicates the incentives available to companies that decide to invest and develop their business in Chile, including co-financing, tax benefits and subsidies.

Interested investors can download the e-book for free from www.investchile.gob.cl.

Press Contact:

Francisca Schwerter, [email protected]

Denisse Vasquez, [email protected]

Related Images

e-book-food-industry.png

E-Book Food Industry

Food Industry in Chile: Projection & Opportunities

SOURCE InvestChile
Under the theme of "Sustainable Peace, Inclusive Prosperity," dozens of prominent figures and experts have been invited to give speeches and take part in the sessions, including former French President Francois Hollande, former U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee.

Also participating in the forum will be former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, former Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and former Colombian President and 2016 Nobel Peace Prize winner Manuel Santos.

On Thursday, the forum started off with a "youth" panel session involving Jeju Gov. Won Hee-ryong and Banerjee, a professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), speaking with a group of students about inequality and inclusive prosperity.

On Friday, Ban and Hollande will lead a session to discuss cooperation and leadership to tackle climate change under the pandemic era.

Moon Chung-in, a former adviser to President Moon Jae-in, will join a session with former Ambassador to U.N. Kim Sook and ex-Foreign Minister Gong Ro-myung to look back on the 1991 South Korea-Soviet Union summit and discuss its legacy in light of peace and security..

A roundtable of current ambassadors of Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Israel and others will be held to discuss peace in the Middle East.

The forum will be followed by another session with foreign ambassadors, including Ambassadors of Japan, France, India, Australia and Singapore.

As June 25 marks the anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, there will be a visual presentation of interviews of war veterans recounting their experience.

Since its launch in 2001, the forum has grown into a regional multilateral dialogue platform for promoting sustainable peace and prosperity on the peninsula and beyond.

SOURCE Jeju Peace Institute
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A San Bernardino County Superior Court judge today ruled that local agencies that pump water from the Chino Basin can store and access an additional six-month supply of groundwater, providing significant benefit for 1.5 million people across Inland Southern California.

The ruling by Judge Stanford Reichert on this single element of the Chino Basin Optimum Basin Management Program (OBMP) means water providers in the region can retain use of the stockpiled groundwater, worth about $50 million, and have room for more. The Chino Basin Watermaster Board of Directors and staff and the cooperating agencies worked together to craft this solution over the course of several years.

"Judge Reichert's decision will result in tremendous advantages for the residents and businesses in our region, particularly as the state confronts another serious drought and groundwater storage takes on added significance," said Jim Curatalo, Chairman of the Chino Basin Watermaster Board, which oversees management of the basin. "The local Chino Basin pumpers stood to lose the banked water, which is enough to serve about 200,000 people for a year."

Groundwater is more reliable and less expensive than water imported from Northern California and the Colorado River, providing a cushion against drought and minimizing the need for drastic water rate increases for customers.

The Chino Basin supplies water for people from Pomona east to Fontana and from Rancho Cucamonga south to Chino, Eastvale and Jurupa. The creation of the OBMP in 2000 represented a monumental, cooperative effort to set guidelines for protecting water quality, avoiding subsidence, setting storage limits and more among more than two dozen pumpers, including agriculture, business and industry, cities and water suppliers.

At that time, designated safe storage capacity for local basin pumpers was set at a total of 500,000 acre-feet; an addendum to the OBMP environmental study in 2017 increased storage to 600,000 acre-feet, with a deadline of June 30, 2021, to reach a new, long term arrangement.

The new agreement approved by Judge Reichert increases approved storage to 700,000 acre-feet, and makes Chino Basin one of the largest groundwater banks in the state. Without approval of the agreement, these parties would have lost the right to use the excess water they had stored in the basin under the earlier addendum.

The OBMP was updated in 2020 and the water rights holders are now working on an implementation plan.

"Groundwater is a renewable resource, and still it needs constant care and management, so it doesn't diminish," Curatalo said. "This renewed commitment and effort have to begin now to set us on course for the next 20 years."

# # #

About Chino Basin Watermaster

The Chino Basin Watermaster was established by the San Bernardino County Superior Court in January 1978. The purpose of the nine-member Board is to implement the 1978 Judgment and any subsequent Court Orders. Groundwater producers that own and operate water wells within the Chino Basin are represented in one of three Pools depending on the associated type of water right, Agricultural, Non-Agricultural, and Appropriative, which is made up of cities and water suppliers.

SOURCE Chino Basin Watermaster
CALGARY, AB, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumio, the free-to-use digital learning tool used by millions of teachers and students worldwide, was named the "Best Collaborative Learning Solution for Students" this week as part of the annual SIIA CODiE Awards. Lumio offers solutions for teachers returning to in-person instruction to provide the same dynamic, interactive lessons they created to engage students on their devices during remote instruction.

The CODiE Awards recognize the companies producing the most innovative education technology products across the country and around the world. Winning a category is a prestigious honor, following rigorous reviews by expert judges including educators and administrators whose evaluations determined the finalists. SIIA members then vote on the finalist products, and the scores from both rounds are tabulated to select the winners.

Lumio allows teachers to transform their lessons with interactive activities, games, group workspaces, and assessments. They can import and combine resources (including Google SlidesTM, Microsoft PowerPointTM slides, PDFs and other formats), then add videos, images, games, assessments and shared workspaces  all with the goal of making learning more active, engaging, and collaborative.

"As teachers have returned to in-person instruction, they're even more interested in tools like Lumio that allow for more interactive, student-focused learning," said Nicholas Svensson, SMART's chief executive officer. "Not only is Lumio an incredibly flexible tool, it also transforms classrooms into interactive spaces where every student has a voice and teachers can capture their insights."

Powered by SMART Technologies, the edtech leader with a 30-year track record of pioneering learning solutions that encourage student collaboration and engagement, Lumio works on any web-enabled device and is integrated with Google and Microsoft Teams. Teachers use Lumio to build lessons that might include images, videos, manipulatives, graphic organizers, customized games, and opportunities for student input. Students log in with their own devices then follow along in real-time in class or remotely, in real time or anytime.

"Lumio reaches students who can get lost if a teacher is just standing at the front of the class talking for 35 minutes, " said Phil Kurbis, Director of Technology Integration at Divine Savior Academy in Dorval, Florida. "The interactive features really speak to kids who need more opportunities for hands-on learning."

Lumio also offers teachers ongoing feedback about students' progress. Its dashboard lets teachers see each student's work in real time and lets them give feedback as they progress. It includes a variety of polling and brainstorming tools that ensure teachers always have a clear understanding of how students are learning.

"I like that I can see what students are looking at during class and their contributions during collaborative and interactive parts of our lessons," said Brenna McPherren, an elementary teacher at Lake Washington school district. "But the best part is how simple it is to create interactive lessons by importing existing content like PDFs, PowerPoints, or Google Slides. I can edit or add ready-made content and games in no time."

"Congratulations to the 2021 Ed Tech CODiE Award winners," said SIIA President Jeff Joseph. "The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us of the importance of innovative Ed Tech products and services and this year's class takes a special place among the many amazing products recognized across the 35-year history of the CODiE Awards."

Lumio is an industry leader in interactive software, with teachers globally using and celebrating the flexibility and functionality of the tool. G2.com has recently placed Lumio (formerly SMART Learning Suite Online) as a Leader on the Spring 2021 Grid Report in the Classroom Management, Assessment, and Digital Learning Platforms categories.

Earlier this year, EdTech Digest's 2021 EdTech Awards named Lumio the winner of its "Collaboration Solution" category, in which it placed ahead of a field of 20 finalists. In its inaugural Top Ed Tech Products of the Year awards, District Administration called it "a powerful platform ... designed with remote use in mind, so it's an effective tool during remote and hybrid learning." It also won Tech & Learning's Best of 2020 award, with one judge noting, "It enriches student-led learning, project-based learning, and flipped classroom experiences."

Teachers and administrators can access Lumio today at http://lum.io . A short video introducing Lumio is available at youtube.com/watch?v=JcMkrxOxn3E .

About SMART Technologies Inc.

SMART is a world leader in education technology, providing interconnected solutions to help every person discover and develop the greatness within them. Since they invented the first SMART Board and helped to create a whole new way of learning and interacting with technology, SMART has continued to innovate. SMART Notebook is the world's most popular collaborative learning software, and Lumio - the award-winning online learning software - consistently innovates based on educator feedback. With a full range of products used by millions of educators and students around the world, SMART creates connections that matter. To learn more, visit smarttech.com.

SOURCE SMART Technologies

Related Links

http://www.smarttech.com


Attorney DeRouen did not just stop with starting her own practice but made the decision to reach back and help other minorities because of the challenges she faced with securing a job after graduation. Attorney DeRouen's firm is the 1 st African American women-owned and women-operated practice in Houston. Attorney DeRouen prides herself on her ability to help other minority women through job opportunities, mentorship, as well as networking to provide them the opportunity she was not given. Attorney DeRouen founded Women of Law, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization designed to empower women lawyers by connecting, inspiring, and promoting the advancement of women, along with Kristy Blurton, to further her passion to assists other minorities in the legal space.

Attorney DeRouen is excited to continue to provide opportunities for minority women in the legal space through her firm and Non-profit Women of Law, stay tuned for what's next from Attorney DeRouen. To inquire about Zoom/Skype interviews or media inquiries please contact LaToya Hurley at [email protected] or call 281-660-1813.

About DeRouen Law Firm, PLLC

DeRouen Law Firm, PLLC is a premier litigation firm focusing primarily on divorce, custody, and probate matters. Our attorneys are committed to providing families with quality legal representation and top tier service. With years of experience and a trusted reputation, our team of legal professionals have the skills required to help you achieve a satisfactory result. We serve clients in Harris, Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Milam County.

Press Contact:

Innovating Marketing Group

3463553364

https://innovatingmarketinggroup.com

SOURCE DeRouen Law Firm, PLLC
TSXV: MTA

NYSE AMERICAN: MTA

VANCOUVER, BC, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Metalla Royalty & Streaming Ltd. ("Metalla" or the "Company") (NYSE American: MTA) (TSXV: MTA) is pleased to announce the voting results for its annual general meeting of shareholders held on June 23, 2021 (the "Meeting").

A total of 17,584,062 shares were represented at the Meeting, being 41.82% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares. Shareholders approved all matters brought before the Meeting as follows:

REPORT ON PROXIES

MOTIONS NUMBER OF SHARES PERCENTAGE OF VOTES CAST FOR AGAINST WITHELD/ABSTAIN FOR AGAINST WITHHELD/ABSTAIN Number of Directors 10,856,098 27,276 0 99.75% 0.25% 0.00% Brett Heath 9,612,833 0 95,956 99.01% 0.00% 0.99% Lawrence Roulston 9,474,839 0 233,950 97.59% 0.00% 2.41% E.B. Tucker 9,634,947 0 73,842 99.24% 0.00% 0.76% Alexander Molyneux 6,752,398 0 2,956,391 69.55% 0.00% 30.45% James Beeby 9,598,314 0 110,475 98.86% 0.00% 1.14% Terry Krepiakevich 9,621,614 0 87,175 99.10% 0.00% 0.90% Douglas Silver 9,620,386 0 88,403 99.09% 0.00% 0.91% Appointment of Auditors 17,501,850 0 82,212 99.53% 0.00% 0.47% Share Compensation Plan 9,462,841 245,946 0 97.47% 2.53% 0.00%

ABOUT METALLA

Metalla was created to provide shareholders with leveraged precious metal exposure by acquiring royalties and streams. Our goal is to increase share value by accumulating a diversified portfolio of royalties and streams with attractive returns. Our strong foundation of current and future cash-generating asset base, combined with an experienced team, gives Metalla a path to become one of the leading gold and silver companies for the next commodities cycle.

For further information, please visit our website at www.metallaroyalty.com.

ON BEHALF OF METALLA ROYALTY & STREAMING LTD.

(signed) "Brett Heath"

President and CEO

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. The forward-looking statements herein are made as of the date of this press release only, and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new information, estimates or opinions, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budgets", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "projects", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, the future vesting and exercise of the options granted under the share compensation plan and the potential for Metalla to become one of the leading precious metal royalty and streaming companies. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies. Forward-looking statements and information are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the ability of Metalla to control or predict, that may cause Metalla's actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied thereby, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors set out herein, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions and other related risks and uncertainties including other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's most recent annual information form, annual report on Form 40-F and other documents filed with or submitted to the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on the EDGAR website at www.sec.gov. Metalla undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.

Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements.

SOURCE Metalla Royalty and Streaming Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.metallaroyalty.com/


Since 2015, only 509 Class A units have been delivered in Hillsboro and Beaverton, making Zera's a spectacular location, close to two of Portland's largest employers. Zera is ten minutes from Nike's World Headquarters and Intel's campus, providing direct access to over 38,000 high-paying jobs. Situated along the Highway 26 corridor, Zera also provides housing to employees working throughout the "Silicon Forest."

"The Portland area's continued diverse employment growth is laying the groundwork for a strong post-Covid economic recovery," said Founder & CEO of MG Properties, Mark Gleiberman. "Zera at Reed's Crossing is ideally positioned to serve residents in the expanding west-side market."

MG Properties Group has purchased 13 communities in the past year totaling over 3,900 units and $1.31 billion in combined value. The company is targeting further acquisitions in Washington, Texas, Oregon, Arizona, California, Colorado, and Nevada.

Eastdil Secured's Mark Washington, Joseph Smolen and Mark Petersen represented the seller, North America Sekisui House and Holland Partner Group. The acquisition of the community was financed with a loan from an affiliate of Apollo Global Management arranged by Lee Redmond and Greg Stampley from Eastdil Secured.

To learn more visit: www.RentZera.com

About MG Properties Group: MG Properties Group (MGPG) is a privately owned real estate owner and operator specializing in multi-family assets. Since 1992, MGPG has acquired over 158 communities with its private investors and institutional joint venture partners totaling over 36,000 units, representing more than $8.0 billion in total asset value, including 28,800 units since 2010. The company's current portfolio includes more than 21,000 units valued at $5.6 billion in California, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon. MGPG employs industry experts leading teams in acquisitions and underwriting as well as asset, property, construction, and investment management. For additional information, visit www.mgproperties.com.

SOURCE MG Properties Group

Related Links

https://mgproperties.com/


HARTFORD, Conn., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Shah LLP announces that the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut has approved the following announcement of a proposed class action settlement that would benefit former participants in the Novitex Enterprise Solutions Retirement Savings Plan:

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT

RIGOBERTO SANDOVAL, Civil Action

individually and as a representative of a class of No. 3:17-cv-1573 (MPS)

similarly situated plan participants and

beneficiaries, on behalf of the

EXELA 401(k) PLAN,

the successor-in-interest of the

NOVITEX ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS

RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN,

Plaintiff,

vs.

EXELA ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS, INC.,

NOVITEX ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS COMMITTEE

and DOES NO. 1-10, Whose Names Are

Currently Unknown,

Defendants.

__________________________________________

SUMMARY NOTICE OF PROPOSED SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION AND SETTLEMENT FAIRNESS HEARING

TO: ALL FORMER PARTICIPANTS IN THE NOVITEX ENTERPRISE SOLUTIONS RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN, (THE "NOVITEX PLAN") WHO WERE PARTICIPANTS IN THE PLAN BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2014 AND DECEMBER 31, 2018 (THE "SETTLEMENT CLASS PERIOD").

PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY.

A FEDERAL COURT AUTHORIZED THIS NOTICE.

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION.

YOU ARE NOT BEING SUED.

A settlement has been preliminarily approved by a federal court in a class action lawsuit by Plaintiff, Rigoberto Sandoval ("Plaintiff"), on behalf of himself and on behalf of the Settlement Class against Exela Enterprise Solutions, Inc. ("Exela") and the Novitex Enterprise Solutions Employee Benefits Committee ("Committee"), alleging breaches of fiduciary duties under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"). This Settlement will provide for a payment of $750,000, less any Court-approved fees and expenses, and administrative costs, to the Exela 401(k) Plan ("Exela Plan"), the successor-in-interest to the Novitex Enterprise Solutions Retirement Savings Plan (the "Novitex Plan"), which money will then be allocated to the accounts of former participants of the Novitex Plan who had accounts in the Novitex Plan during the Settlement Class Period. All capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Summary Notice of Class Action Settlement have the meaning provided in the Settlement Agreement (the "Agreement") available on the Settlement website (provided below). If you currently have an active account in the Exela Plan, you will receive an allocation without taking any further action. You do not need to send in a claim or take any other action to participate in the Settlement. If you do not have an active account with the Exela Plan, you need to file a Claim Form to obtain a payment. YOU SHOULD READ THIS NOTICE CAREFULLY AS THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. IF YOU DO NOTHING, YOU WILL BE BOUND BY THE JUDGMENT AND THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE RELEASE CONTAINED IN THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT. The United States District Court for the District of Connecticut authorized this Notice.

WHO IS INCLUDED IN THE SETTLEMENT?

If you were a participant in the Novitex Plan at any time during the period from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2018, inclusive, or you were a beneficiary or alternate payee of any such participant, then you are a member of the Settlement Class (a "Settlement Class Member").

WHAT IS THIS CASE ABOUT?

Plaintiff claims that Defendants breached their fiduciary duties under ERISA. Plaintiff's allegations are described in more detail in the Second Amended Complaint ("Complaint") available on the Settlement website. All Defendants deny any wrongdoing, and do not, by agreeing to the Settlement, admit any fault or liability arising from the allegations and claims set forth in the Complaint. Both sides agreed to the Settlement to avoid the cost and risk of further litigation.

WHAT DOES THE SETTLEMENT PROVIDE?

Defendants have agreed to create a Settlement Fund totaling $750,000 to be divided among eligible Settlement Class Members after payment of attorneys' fees and expenses to Class Counsel, a Case Contribution Award to Class Representative Rigoberto Sandoval, and payment of other costs and expenses of the Settlement, including notice and claims administration, as the Court may allow. The Agreement, other related documentation, and a list of Frequently Asked Questions, available at the Settlement website identified below, describes the details of the proposed Settlement. Your share (if any) of the Settlement Fund will depend upon the amount and value of your Novitex Plan account(s) during the Settlement Class Period. This Settlement releases certain claims against Defendants relating to the investment of the Novitex Plan's assets and the expenses of the Novitex Plan during the Settlement Class Period and releases all claims that were or could have been brought in the lawsuit based upon the allegations in the Complaint.

HOW DO I RECEIVE A PAYMENT?

If you are a Settlement Class Member, are a current participant in the Exela Plan, or you are a beneficiary or alternate payee of a Novitex Plan participant who has an active account in the Exela Plan, and you are entitled to a share of the Settlement Fund according to the Agreement, you are not required to do anything to receive a payment. The payment will be made directly to your Exela Plan account(s). If you are a Settlement Class Member and you do not have an active account in the Exela Plan, or you are a beneficiary or alternate payee of a Novitex Plan participant who does not have an active account in the Exela Plan, you will need to file a Former Participant Claim Form in order to receive a payment from the Settlement Fund. If your address has changed since you closed your Plan account(s), please contact the Settlement Administrator toll-free at 866-274-4004 or by email to [email protected] to advise of the change of address.

CAN I OBJECT TO OR OPT OUT OF THE SETTLEMENT?

You do not have the right to exclude yourself from the Settlement in this case, but you do have the right to object by writing to the Court, including objecting to the amount of attorneys' fees and expenses requested by Class Counsel and the amount of the Case Contribution Award requested for the Class Representative. You will be bound by any judgments or orders that are entered in this Action, and if the Settlement is approved, you will be deemed to have released all of the Defendants from all claims that were or could have been asserted in this case, including all Claims as defined under the Agreement, other than your right to obtain the relief provided to you, if any, by the Settlement.

The Court will hold a hearing in this case on September 14, 2021 at 10:00 a.m., in the courtroom of the Honorable Michael P. Shea, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, Abraham Ribicoff Federal Building, United States Courthouse, 450 Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut 06103, to consider whether to approve the Settlement and a request by the lawyers representing all Settlement Class Members, Class Counsel, for attorneys' fees and expenses, for a Case Contribution Award to the Class Representative, and for other case-related expenses. If approved, these amounts will be paid from the Settlement Fund. You may ask to speak at the hearing by filing a Notice of Intention to Appear by August 15, 2021, but you are not required to do so.

Although you cannot opt out of the Settlement, you may object to all or any part of the Settlement and/or the Motion for Attorneys' Fees filed by Class Counsel and request for award of a Case Contribution Award in accordance with the instructions included in the long-form Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action and Settlement Fairness Hearing available at the Settlement website below. Objections must be postmarked, or if not sent by United States Postal Service received by the Court, by August 15, 2021. Please note that the time, place and date of the hearing may change without a further mailing. Class Counsel will update the Settlement website below if the hearing time or location is changed. The Settlement Fairness Hearing also may be held by video or teleconference. Please check the website or contact Class Counsel if you wish to confirm that the hearing time has not been changed and to determine if it is occurring in person or by video or teleconference.

HOW DO I GET MORE INFORMATION?

If you are a Settlement Class Member and would like to receive additional information or to receive a copy of the long-form Notice of Proposed Settlement of Class Action and Settlement Fairness Hearing, you can obtain such information by (a) sending a letter to Sandoval 401k Settlement Administrator, c/o Strategic Claims Services, 600 N Jackson St #205, Media, PA 19063; (b) sending an e-mail to [email protected]; (c) visiting the Settlement website at www.strategicclaims.net/sandoval401k; or (d) calling toll-free at 866-274-4004.

SOURCE Miller Shah LLP
NEW YORK, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirriad Advertising plc (USOTCQX: MMDDF, UK LSE: MIRI) Mirriad, the leading in-content advertising company, today announces that it has reached a new commercial agreement with Tencent.

Tencent is China's biggest online video streaming platform by subscriptions and, after two years of successful collaboration with Mirriad, this agreement renews the maturing relationship for a further two years, and is backdated to commence from 1st April 2021.

During the previous contract term, Tencent introduced Mirriad's proprietary in-content advertising solution to its advertisers, offering innovative video advertising services in China.

Tencent and Mirriad will now work together to further scale in-content advertising in the fast-growing Chinese market. This enhanced agreement enables a move to a revenue share model for both parties, removing the previous minimum volume and exclusivity clauses, to align with the commercial terms Mirriad has in place with other large partners in US and European markets.

The revenue share agreed in this deal will be consistent with those in other Mirriad standard commercial contracts previously disclosed to the market.

A notable further part of the agreement is a commitment from both parties to develop a sales model based on audience reach delivered to advertisers in the Chinese market, allowing Tencent to widen the range of content it can monetise using Mirriad's patent protected and award-winning in-content advertising technology.

Stephan Beringer, CEO of Mirriad, said: "This new agreement underlines how much we achieved in our first contract term with Tencent and I'm excited about how we can continue to create new routes to grow revenue together. This includes audience based-buying and delivery, which allows us to scale across more of Tencent's content and it takes us further towards our ultimate goal of programmatic advertising.

"In a rapidly evolving advertising territory, we've introduced a record number of brands, including the biggest names in key categories and, most importantly of all, demonstrated how integrating with the Tencent advertising stack can be a blueprint for mass adoption in other markets."

About Mirriad

Mirriad's market-first solution seamlessly integrates with existing subscription and advertising models, improving the viewer experience by limiting commercial interruptions whilst delivering dramatically increased reach and impact for advertisers.

Mirriad currently operates in the US, Europe and China.

Enquiries:

For further information please visit www.mirriad.com or contact:

Mirriad Advertising plc

Stephan Beringer, Chief Executive Officer

David Dorans, Chief Financial Officer

Ryan Mendy, US Investor Relations

[email protected]

Tel: +44 (0)207 884 2530

#OTCQX, $MMDDF, $MIRI, #MMDDF, #MIRI, #MIRRIAD, #ADVERTISING, #PROGRAMMATIC #TENCENT

SOURCE Mirriad Advertising plc
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A strong immune system is the bedrock of a healthy lifestyle. It's a fact that the folks at Muno-Vax have had in mind throughout the development of their growing line of immune support products. While bolstering the body's immune system is a common refrain for many health and wellness companies, though, the way that Muno-Vax is doing so is anything but commonplace.

Muno-Vax has developed a line of products that support the body's immune system in order to prevent issues in a few distinct areas. These include:

Respiratory health;

Oral health;

Men's prostate health.

There are many forms of medication and other medical solutions to address concerns in these areas after they've appeared. And Muno-Vax's products claim to be able to shorten the duration of existing issues, as well. However, the company's real goal is to head off those issues before they ever have time to develop.

Muno-Vax has attempted to do so by creating products that stimulate the immune system. This arousal of the body's natural defenses is aimed at helping increase its ability to detect and fight off threats.

While a stronger immune system is a goal for many supplement manufacturers, though, there's one factor that makes Muno-Vax's products stand apart from other competitors in the immune support niche. The brand utilizes a unique immuno-modulator in all of its products.

According to the brand, this potent ingredient contains "certain lipopolysaccharides and immune building antioxidants that present a harmless stimulant to the immune system." This gentle stimulation is designed to keep the body  and specifically the immune system  in a steady state of "excitement."

In essence, the goal of Muno-Vax's products is to present a controlled antigen that arouses the immune system and keeps it in a peak state of alertness. It stimulates white blood cells and helps them remain ready to fight off real infections at a moment's notice.

There are other immune support products on the market. However, Muno-Vax claims that its innovative immuno-modulator is the defining factor that sets it apart from the competition. This has allowed the brand to focus its products' stimulating effects toward specific immune systems within the body.

About Muno-Vax: Muno-Vax is a Bulgaria-based brand that operates under its parent company Natstim Ltd. Both organizations also work in close association with the biotech manufacturing arm of The National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases.

Please direct inquiries to:

Richard Curley

(954) 631-7821

[email protected]

SOURCE Muno-Vax
Jeep 4x4 capability is legendary, and the brand continues its leadership position as the most capable 4x4 in the world.

As the brand continues its 80th Anniversary this year, it is elevating its capability game yet again with the introduction of the new Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon Package at the 2021 Chicago Auto Show on July 14.



"For the first time ever, the new Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon Package delivers 35-inch tires straight from the factory," said Jim Morrison, Vice President, Jeep Brand North America. "We have been listening to and watching our customers make this one of the most popular modifications to their Wranglers, and now we will deliver this exciting new package, along with an industry-first 100:1 crawl ratio, off the showroom floor at our Jeep dealerships."



The new Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon Package includes:

LT315/70R17C (35-inch) BF Goodrich KO2 All-Terrain Tires

17-inch x 8-inch Beadlock Capable Wheels

4.56:1 Axle Ratio

1.5-inch Factory Suspension Lift with uniquely tuned shocks

The results: Best-in-class approach angle, departure angle, ground clearance and water fording capability:

Approach angle  47.4 degrees

Breakover angle  26.7 degrees

Departure angle  40.4 degrees

Ground clearance  12.9 inches

Water fording  33.6 inches

Customers can now order the Jeep Wrangler Xtreme Recon package on both Wrangler Rubicon 4-door and Wrangler Rubicon 392 models. Production at the Toledo (Ohio) Assembly Plant will start in August.

A new 4.88:1 axle ratio will be available on the Wrangler Rubicon. When paired with the six-speed manual transmission, this optional axle ratio delivers a best-in-class 100:1 crawl ratio for increased wheel torque and control when navigating off-road obstacles. The 4.88:1 axle ratio will be available for ordering later in 2021.



Be sure to check out the Jeep brand reveal at the Chicago Auto Show for more on this and the new 2022 Jeep Compass on July 14, 2021.



Jeep Brand

Built on 80 years of legendary heritage, Jeep is the authentic SUV with capability, craftsmanship and versatility for people who seek extraordinary journeys. The Jeep brand delivers an open invitation to live life to the fullest by offering a full line of vehicles that continue to provide owners with a sense of security to handle any journey with confidence. Jeep Wave, a premium owner loyalty and customer care program that is available to the entire Jeep lineup, is filled with benefits and exclusive perks to deliver Jeep owners the utmost care and dedicated 24/7 support.



The Jeep vehicle lineup consists of the Cherokee, Compass, Gladiator, Grand Cherokee, Renegade and Wrangler. To meet consumer demand around the world, all Jeep models sold outside North America are available in both left- and right-hand drive configurations and with gasoline and diesel powertrain options. Jeep is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.



Follow Jeep and company news and video on:

Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com

Jeep brand: www.jeep.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeep

Instagram: www.instagram.com/jeep

Twitter: www.twitter.com/jeep

YouTube: www.youtube.com/thejeepchannel or https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

SOURCE Stellantis

Related Links

http://www.stellantis.com


NEWARK, N.J., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) and New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) are excited to announce the winners of the 2021 essay contest titled Who Belongs in the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

In the middle school category, the committee chose Hanna Juma, an eighth grader at Glassboro Intermediate School in Glassboro for her essay on Mark Chitkwesit Mexhaniat "Quiet Hawk" Gould, the elected chief of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation. Naima Bari, a ninth grader at Diana C. Lobosco STEM Academy in Passaic, was selected in the high school category for her essay on Nobel Prize-winning biochemist and microbiologist Selman Abraham Waksman.

The essay contest is open to all New Jersey students from fourth to 12th grades and divided into two age categories: Intermediate (grades four through eight) and High School (grades nine through 12). Applicants need to write an essay of no more than 500 words describing who should be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. The Academy will then consider the nominees for induction into the 2022 class.

"As educators, we are proud of every student who participated in this essay contest," said NJEA President Marie Blistan. "We learn a lot from reading their essays. The quality of their work and the creativity of their submissions demonstrate the great things happening in our public schools."

"We are thrilled to see the next generation of leaders voice their opinions on who should be in the New Jersey Hall of Fame," said Chairman of the NJHOF Jon F. Hanson. "This year's nominations are a wonderful example of the amazing talent and heroes that can be found within our great state."

"We created the Hall of Fame to inspire the younger generation on the many heroes and role models within our state," said Steve Edwards, president of the NJHOF. "We hope to be able to continue to provide that inspiration to our future leaders and all residents."

Mark "Quiet Hawk" Gould, of Bridgeton, has served in leadership in the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation for more than four decades, including playing a major role in the public reorganization of the tribe in the 1970s. He has been an active voice for the rights of indigenous people. The tribe has been in New Jersey, in Cumberland and Salem Counties, and Delaware for more than 10,000 years.

Known as "The Father of Antibiotics", Selman Abraham Waksman was born in the Ukrainian town of Nova Priluka before immigrating to a small farm on the outskirts of Metuchen at the age of 22. He enrolled in Rutgers College, now Rutgers University, on a state scholarship in 1911 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. He is credited with discovering and isolating more than two dozen new antibiotics, including streptomycin, actinomycin and neomycin.

The essay winners will be recognized at the 13th annual New Jersey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in October, which will be televised on My9NJ.

The contest is part of a series of initiatives by the NJHOF to inspire and encourage students in New Jersey. The organization also runs the Arete Scholarship Fund, which awards two annual $5,000 scholarships to one female and one male high school senior for use towards college and trade school education.

ABOUT THE NJHOF: Because everyone needs a hero, the New Jersey Hall of Fame (NJHOF) honors citizens who have made invaluable contributions to society, the State of New Jersey and the world beyond. Since 2008, the NJHOF has hosted 12 ceremonies for more than 180 notable individuals and groups in recognition of their induction into the Hall of Fame. The NJHOF endeavors to present school children with significant and impactful role models to show that they can, and should, strive for excellence. The NJHOF is thankful for the support of its many sponsors, without which none of our endeavors would be possible. For more information, go to www.njhalloffame.org.

CONTACT: Natasha Alagarasan, [email protected], (609) 789-7818

SOURCE New Jersey Hall of Fame

Related Links

http://www.njhalloffame.org


VANCOUVER, BC, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus" or the "Company") (TSXV: NUMI), a mental health care company advancing innovative treatments and safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies, announces that it has granted 1,825,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to directors, officers and employees of the Company, which are subject to regulatory approval.

Of the 1,825,000 Options granted during the month of May, 810,000 were issued to directors and an officer of Numinus, which have an exercise price of $0.90 per common share and are exercisable until May 19, 2023. The 1,015,000 Options issued to employees have exercise prices ranging between $0.87 and $1.00 with expiry dates ranging from May 1, 2023 to May 17, 2023.

The Company's Stock Option Plan allows for the issuance of up to 10% of issued and outstanding share capital in the form of incentive stock options. As the result of the above grants, the Company has 8,931,500 options issued, representing approximately 4.42% of the issued and outstanding share capital.

About Numinus

Numinus Wellness (TSX-V: NUMI) empowers people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Numinus Wellness model - including psychedelic production, research and clinic care - is at the forefront of a transformation aimed at healing rather than managing symptoms for depression, anxiety, trauma, pain and substance abuse. At Numinus, we are leading the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into mainstream clinical practice, and building the foundation for a healthier society.

Learn more at numinus.ca , and follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licences and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals, licences and permits to operate and expand the Company's facilities; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal and provincial legalization of psychedelic therapies, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use of psychedelics, delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; the Company's limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; the Company's requirements for additional financing, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with research and development institutions, customers and suppliers; the development and implementation of medical protocols and treatment standard operating procedures for the use of psychedelic therapies; the Company's goals to develop and implement partnerships with research organizations and other key players in the integrative mental health industry; the Company's ability to successfully withstand the economic impact of COVID-19; the medical benefits, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of psychedelics; the approval and/or success of compassionate access clinical trials; the cultivation and harvest of Psilocybe mushrooms; and the availability of trained personnel and medical professionals. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Numinus Wellness Inc.

Related Links

https://numinus.ca/


CLAYTON, Mo., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Olin Corporation (NYSE: OLN) announced today that on Wednesday, July 28, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time, Olin's senior management team will review the company's second quarter 2021 financial results. Prepared remarks will be followed by a question and answer period.

A press release, including financial statements and segment information, will be distributed after the market closes on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 along with the associated slides.

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Interested participants may access the conference call by dialing (877) 883-0383 (Canadian callers, please dial (877) 885-0477; International callers, please dial (412) 902-6506), using the pass code 2338481. The call will also be webcast live on the company's website at www.olin.com, accessible under the second quarter conference call icons. Participants should log on to the website 15 minutes prior to the start of the call.

Following the event, the webcast will remain available for replay on the company's website for one year. A telephonic replay of this conference call will be available beginning at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time for 14 days by dialing (877) 344-7529 (Canadian callers, please dial (855) 669-9658; International callers, please dial (412) 317-0088), using the pass code of 10157439.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Olin Corporation is a leading vertically-integrated global manufacturer and distributor of chemical products and a leading U.S. manufacturer of ammunition. The chemical products produced include chlorine and caustic soda, vinyls, epoxies, chlorinated organics, bleach and hydrochloric acid. Winchester's principal manufacturing facilities produce and distribute sporting ammunition, law enforcement ammunition, reloading components, small caliber military ammunition and components, and industrial cartridges.

Visit www.olin.com for more information on Olin.

2021-15

SOURCE Olin Corporation

Related Links

http://www.olin.com


NEW YORK, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- At Cannes Lions Live 2021, Omnicom Group (NYSE: OMC) agencies were recognized for their excellence within both the creative and media disciplines. All three Omnicom creative networks (BBDO, DDB and TBWA) placed in the top ten of the Network of the Festival competition, with BBDO coming in third, DDB in sixth and TBWA in seventh. AMV BBDO won Agency of the Festival. In addition, Omnicom Media Group (OMG) agencies PHD and OMD earned first and second place respectively in the Media Network of the Festival competition. Overall, more than 160 Omnicom agencies from 45 countries won over 180 Lions.



"After a year unlike any other, it makes me proud to see our agencies recognized for work that not only elevated our clients, but also brought awareness to important causes," commented John Wren, Chairman and CEO of Omnicom Group. "Our creativity remained a constant even during the unknowns of 2020, and more than ever we saw how our work could not only inform consumers, but unite communities. Congratulations to all the teams who played a role in these wins."

Breaking it down by network, BBDO had 15 agencies combine to win 78 Lions including five Grand Prix and 12 Gold Lions. AMVBBDO was also named Agency of the Festival. As the single most awarded agency in the world, it accumulated 27 total Lions, five of which were Grand Prix. Its work with Bodyform/Libresse on "#Wombstories" earned four of the five, including the show's top honor: the Titanium Grand Prix. The agencies fifth Grand Prix was the Lions Health United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good for The Central Office for Public Interest's (COPI) "addresspollution.org".

DDB won 57 Lions total, 12 of which were Gold. It also took home a Grand Prix for Africa DDB's work with House of Lapland on "Salla 2032", a campaign calling attention to the climate crisis. DDB Germany also scored an impressive nine Lions, three of which were Gold, for Reporters Without Borders' "The Uncensored Library"  a digital home for press freedom that bypasses internet censorship.

TBWA won 49 lions this year, five of which were Gold Lions and one Grand Prix. It was TBWA\London who secured the Health and Wellness Grand Prix for its work with BECO on the #StealOurStaff campaign, aiming to raise awareness for the 'Disability Employment Gap'. TBWA\Media Arts Lab took home two Gold Lions with its client Apple for campaigns "Bounce" and "Vertical Cinema". TBWA\Istanbul and TBWA\Hunt\Lascaris also had strong showings, winning Gold Lions for campaigns focused on combating violence against women.

As mentioned above, OMG dominated the Media Network of the Festival competition with PHD and OMD earning first and second place respectively. In addition to dominating the coveted competitive category, OMG saw all three of its networks make a trip to the virtual awards stage, with Hearts & Science taking home a Silver and a Bronze. With a total of 10 Media Lions won by its three agencies, OMG was the most awarded media agency holding company of the 2021 festival.



Rounding out Grand Prix wins, Omnicom's Goodby Silverstein & Partners won the Creative Strategy Grand Prix for Cheetos Popcorn's 2020 Super Bowl spot "Can't touch this Cheetos".

ABOUT OMNICOM GROUP INC.

Omnicom Group ( www.omnicomgroup.com ) is a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 70 countries. Follow us on Twitter for the latest news.

SOURCE Omnicom Group Inc.

Related Links

http://www.omnicomgroup.com


GUANGZHOU, China, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Onion Global Limited ("Onion Global" or the "Company") (NYSE: OG), a next-generation lifestyle brand platform that incubates, markets and distributes the world's fresh, fashionable and future brands to young people in China and across Asia, today announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Sunwah Chuanyu, the Sichuan Area Branch of Sunwah Group to establish a joint venture Xinyang Wujie. The joint venture will target new consumer opportunities in Southwest China, and aims to boost cross-border e-commerce in the region with the mission of "cross-promoting local Sichuan goods to overseas markets, and bringing international goods to Sichuan." Currently, Xinyang Wujie has successfully introduced and incubated the first collection of premium international brands.

Mr. Cong (Kenny) Li, Founder and CEO of Onion Global, commented, "Southwest China is a rapidly evolving market that presents us with many new growth drivers and business opportunities. The changing consumer behaviors and overall progression towards a higher quality of living and healthier lifestyle will continue to drive the economic growth, leading to massive, untapped market opportunities for us. Only the brands that have effectively integrated global supply chains, high-quality distribution resources, and elevated their operational efficiencies will be able to remain competitive and continue to gain market share to reshape their brand's landscape moving forward."

"We will continue to pursue further growth opportunities with our brand partners in the "Big Healthcare" sector and build the up and downstream production chain in the industrial zone," Mr. Li continued.

Since its establishment, Onion Global has accumulated several unique advantages in the areas of brand incubation, key opinion consumer ("KOC") marketing, as well as novel and integrated online and offline promotion, establishing an innovative closed-loop operation model. The Company has in-depth cooperation with more than 4,000 brands around the world and offers a wide selection of more than 70,000 SKUs from 43 countries and regions. The Company also has an extensive community with over 700,000 KOCs, which can create 700 million impressions for brands in a single promotional campaign. The partnership with Sunwah Chuanyu has laid a solid foundation for Onion Global to further expand its presence in the domestic consumer market and promote its global awareness.

Mr. Faqiang Wu, Director and President of the Sichuan Area Branch of Sunwah Group, commented, "This strategic partnership will enable stronger links between the two companies. The Tianfu New Area of Sichuan Province is one of the first national import trade promotion and innovation pilot zones and will bring new development opportunities for both parties. Meanwhile, our existing investments in the Sichuan Province will also provide both personnel support and logistic channels for the partnership."

Sunwah Group is a highly diversified multinational conglomerate with overseas investments across Southeast Asia, Europe, America and Australia. Based in Southwest China, Sunwah Chuanyu is the 7th regional headquarters of Sunwah Group in Mainland China.

Ms. Shan (Mio) Ho, Director and CFO of Onion Global, commented, "Under China's new economic development policies, the country will continue to open up to global markets more broadly. We will work to maximize the synergies and consistently innovate through deepened cooperation between corporations, and support further cooperation between upstream and downstream partners to achieve greater economies of scale. Our combined efforts will strengthen the advantages of China's industrial chains in global trade. Chengdu benefits from three national growth strategies, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the economic circle of Chengdu and Chongqing, as well as the New Land and Marine Routes for Western Regions. The region connects business and trade, logistics and capital, and provides a strong support system to companies to expand their industrial chains layout and promote external circulation development."

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company's filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law.

About Onion Global Limited

Onion Global Limited (NYSE: OG) is a next-generation lifestyle brand platform that incubates, markets and distributes the world's fresh, fashionable and future brands, which we refer to as "3F brands," to young people in China and across Asia. The Company's mission is to be the dream factory of lifestyle brands for young people. The Company's platform offering an integrated solution to develop, market and distribute new and inspiring branded products, thereby reshaping the lifestyle shopping and consumer culture in China. For more information, please visit http://ir.msyc.com/. Onion Global Limited has been listed on New York Stock Exchange since May 2021.

For more information, please visit: http://ir.msyc.com/.

About Sunwah Group

Sunwah is a highly diversified conglomerate with businesses in eight principal areas: Seafood & Foodstuff, Real Estate, Financial Services, Technology, Infrastructure, Media, Education and training, Green technology and healthcare. Activities cover extensively into Mainland China, Japan, Macau, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Singapore, Canada, Europe, the US and Australia.

For more information, please visit: https://en.sunwahgroup2021.cn/.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In China:

Onion Global Ltd.

Investor Relations

E-mail: [email protected]

Christensen

Mr. Eric Yuan

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +86-13801110739

In United States:

Christensen

Ms. Linda Bergkamp

E-mail: [email protected]

Tel: +1-480-614-3004

SOURCE Onion Global Limited

Related Links

http://ir.msyc.com/


CHICAGO, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaCann Inc., one of the largest vertically integrated cannabis companies in the United States, today announced that it has completed a private offering of 12% Senior Secured Notes due June 30, 2025 (the "Notes"). The net proceeds from the offering were approximately $79.9 million, after the original issue discount and other estimated offering expenses, and will be used for strategic growth opportunities and general corporate purposes.

The Notes were offered and sold only to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A, other accredited investors under Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and to accredited investors in Canada. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. Unless they are registered, the Notes may be offered and resold only in transactions that are exempt from registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

Leading U.S. and Canadian lenders participated in the offering. Canaccord Genuity Corp. served as financial advisor to PharmaCann and legal advisors included Fox Rothschild LLP and Dentons Canada LLP.

About PharmaCann

PharmaCann is one of the nation's largest privately held and vertically integrated cannabis companies, providing safe, reliable, and high-quality cannabis products to people in both the medical and adult-use markets. The PharmaCann geographic footprint includes dispensaries and cultivation and processing operations in six states. For more information about PharmaCann, please visit: PharmaCann.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislations (collectively, the "forward-looking information") that involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove incorrect, could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward-looking information includes all statements that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking information by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "outlook," "believes," "expects," "potential," "continues," "may," "will," "should," "could," "seeks," "predicts," "intends," "trends," "plans," "estimates," "anticipates" or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking information is based on the beliefs and assumptions of the Company's management based on information currently available to management. Such forward-looking information is subject to risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to disclose any revision to these forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Media Contact:

Beth Coronelli

Tel: 312-667-6260 ext. 322019

[email protected]

SOURCE PharmaCann

Related Links

http://PharmaCann.com


ST. LOUIS, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) today issued a reminder that it will release its 2021 second quarter financial results at approximately 6 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, July 27, 2021, and host a conference call afterwards at approximately 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Time) to review the results. Michael F. Neidorff, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Drew Asher, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, of Centene Corporation will host the call.

Investors and other interested parties are invited to listen to the conference call by dialing 1-877-883-0383 in the U.S. and Canada; +1-412-902-6506 from abroad, including the following Elite Entry Number: 6975030, to expedite caller registration; or via a live, audio webcast on the Company's website at www.centene.com, under the Investors section.

A webcast replay will be available for on-demand listening shortly after the completion of the call for the next 12 months or until 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at the aforementioned URL. In addition, a digital audio playback will be available until 9 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Tuesday, August 3, 2021, by dialing 1-877-344-7529 in the U.S. and Canada, or +1-412-317-0088 from abroad, and entering access code 10157941.

About Centene Corporation

Centene Corporation, a Fortune 25 company, is a leading multi-national healthcare enterprise that is committed to helping people live healthier lives. The Company takes a local approach  with local brands and local teams  to provide fully integrated, high quality, and cost-effective services to government-sponsored and commercial healthcare programs, focusing on under-insured and uninsured individuals. Centene offers affordable and high-quality products to nearly 1 in 15 individuals across the nation, including Medicaid and Medicare members (including Medicare Prescription Drug Plans) as well as individuals and families served by the Health Insurance Marketplace, the TRICARE program, and individuals in correctional facilities. The Company also serves several international markets, and contracts with other healthcare and commercial organizations to provide a variety of specialty services focused on treating the whole person. Centene focuses on long-term growth and the development of its people, systems and capabilities so that it can better serve its members, providers, local communities, and government partners.

Centene uses its investor relations website to publish important information about the company, including information that may be deemed material to investors. Financial and other information about Centene is routinely posted and is accessible on Centene's investor relations website at: https://investors.centene.com/.

SOURCE Centene Corporation

Related Links

http://www.centene.com


ROCHESTER, Minn., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After nearly three years of planning and zoning, 20 months of construction, and a global pandemic that presented unique development challenges, joint-venture partners PEG Companies [PEG] and EKN Development Group [EKN] have formally opened Rochester, MN's first completed opportunity zone project, the Hyatt House Rochester / Mayo Clinic Area . With In-Group Hospitality: A PEG Company [IGH] managing operations, the highly anticipated hotel hosted a ceremonial ribbon cutting celebration with the community this week.

PEG Companies

Located at 315 1st Ave NW, Hyatt House Rochester / Mayo Clinic Area brings 172 apartment-style, extended-stay suites to the area. The upscale hotel boasts fully equipped functional kitchens, comfortable living rooms featuring Hyatt's signature Cozy Corners, spacious bedrooms, and stylish bathrooms.

"This project reflects ongoing investment in our community, which is so important to the economic development and availability of employment in the area" said Rochester Mayor Kim Norton. "The amenities of the hotel, as well as room offerings, support our community's focus on being a place of care, hope and healing for our many visitors."

Hyatt House Rochester / Mayo Clinic Area became the first-ever Qualified Opportunity Zone [QOZ] project to break ground in the City of Rochester back in April 2019. The property previously belonged to the American Legion Post #92, which relocated after selling the site to the developers.

"From the first day of discussions to acquire the American Legion property, and discussions with our neighbor, the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, EKN was welcomed by the community with tremendous support," said Ebbie K. Nakhjavani, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at EKN Development Group. "The City Stakeholders and DMC's well-structured framework for investment and development in Rochester contributed to making the Rochester Hyatt House a reality and exceptional success."

The new hotel continues to receive positive support from the community and Destination Medical Center [DMC], a statewide economic development initiative designed to position Minnesota as a global center for the highest quality medical care and to generate high-value jobs, new tax revenue, and businesses. Because of the significant role that Hyatt House Rochester / Mayo Clinic Area plays in the DMC initiative, public officials deemed construction of the hotel an "essential business" during the COVID-19 shutdown, allowing work to continue during the pandemic with proper health and safety protocols in place.

"In many ways, the pandemic provided us with opportunities to rethink and improve our design," explained Cameron Gunter, Founder/Chief Executive Officer at PEG. "We quickly adapted our plans to provide an enhanced hospitality experience equipped with the latest technology including touchless doors, an abundance of hand sanitizer stations, and other improvements to maximize the project's ability to operate in a post-COVID-19 environment."

"We are excited for the opportunity to lead the hospitality industry out of these unprecedented times," said Graydon Pearson, President of In-Group. "With a dedicated operations team that's uniquely qualified to provide the safest, most welcoming and comfortable environment for our valued guests, our goal at Hyatt House Rochester / Mayo Clinic Area is to help everyone feel right at home."

MEDIA CONTACT: Ali Monsen l [email protected] l 801-783-7334

ABOUT PEG COMPANIES:

Boasting a robust $1.4 billion+ pipeline, PEG Companies ["PEG"] is a vertically integrated, full-service commercial real estate investment firm known for its unique approach to creating value. PEG's mission remains constant: create opportunities through grit, ingenuity and expertise - providing the premier real estate experience. The PEG team offers considerable experience in project design and development, engineering, financing, city entitlements, tax incentives, construction management, marketing, and property management and offers a strategic combination of acquisition, rehabilitation, and development capabilities. PEG owns and manages more than 4,900 hospitality keys across the U.S. and Canada, with over 2,800 multifamily housing units and additional office, retail, and industrial space across the West. The firm sponsors multiple investment products on behalf of its investors and has produced net annualized returns of over 25% for the strategies it pursues.

Related Images

image1.png

SOURCE PEG Companies
TORONTO, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), based in Toronto, Ontario, a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, today announced that Chris Driessen, Chief Executive Officer, will present live at VirtualInvestorConferences.com on June 29th.

VirtualInvestorConferences.com Details:

DATE: Tuesday, June 29th

TIME: 1:30pm ET

LINK: https://bit.ly/34Tj6je

This will be a live, interactive online event where investors are invited to ask the Company questions in real-time. If attendees are not able to join the event live on the day of the conference, an archived webcast will also be made available after the event.

It is recommended that investors pre-register and run the online system check to expedite participation and receive event updates.

Learn more about the event at www.virtualinvestorconferences.com.

Recent Highlights

SLANG appointed Mr. Hilal Tabsh as Chief Revenue Officer to further integrate commerce and business development

as Chief Revenue Officer to further integrate commerce and business development SLANG completed the acquisition of Allied Concessions Group, Inc. to further consolidate its supply chain in Colorado

SLANG announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger with respect to a proposed acquisition of NS Holdings Inc. to bolster its Oregon -based manufacturing assets

About SLANG Worldwide Inc.

SLANG Worldwide Inc. is a global leader in the cannabis CPG sector with a diversified portfolio of popular brands distributed across the United States. The Company specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities. For more information, please visit www.slangww.com.

To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email [email protected] with "SLNG" in the subject.

About Virtual Investor Conferences

Virtual Investor Conferences (VIC) is the leading proprietary investor conference series that provides an interactive forum for publicly-traded companies to meet and present directly with investors.



A real-time solution for investor engagement, Virtual Investor Conferences is part of OTC Market Group's suite of investor relations services specifically designed for more efficient Investor Access. Replicating the look and feel of on-site investor conferences, Virtual Investor Conferences combine leading-edge conferencing and investor communications capabilities with a comprehensive global investor audience network.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management of SLANG at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Applicable risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to regulatory risks, risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic, changes in laws, resolutions and guidelines, market risks, concentration risks, operating history, competition, the risks associated with international and foreign operations and the other risks identified under the headings "Risk Factors" in SLANG's annual information form dated April 29, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. SLANG is not under any obligation, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable law.

SOURCE VirtualInvestorConferences.com

Related Links

http://www.slangww.com


SANTIAGO, Chile, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SORCIA CHILE SPA (SORCIA), a wholly owned subsidiary of the US company, SORCIA MINERALS LLC, reached an agreement with RJR SALAR SPA (RJR) to exploit lithium in the Maricunga salar, in the Atacama Region.

Sorcia continues to advance in its objective of introducing in Chile an innovative and highly sustainable technology developed by the Canadian Company, INTERNATIONAL BATTERY METALS, LTD. (IBAT), and which allows the extraction of lithium, while reinjecting over 90% of the extracted brine in its natural state, minimizing the consumption of water and using mobile and modular plants that are less invasive to the land.

The "selective absorption" lithium technology was invented in the late 1980s by Dr. John Burba, CEO of IBAT, and the latest version of Dr Burba's proprietary technology allows for a more efficient extraction than the current methods, reducing the carbon footprint, drastically reducing the use of water and brine in the salar and protecting the surrounding ecosystem.

The growing demand for lithium, driven by electromobility, demands the use of cleaner technologies that ensure the preservation of resources and guarantee the living conditions of local communities, already challenged by the scarcity of water resources.

The exploratory work will be carried out in conjunction with the UNIVERSITY OF SANTIAGO DE CHILE (USACH), SORCIA's strategic partner for research, development, and implementation of new sustainable mineral exploitation technologies.

This acquisition is a continuation of Sorcia's parent Ensorcia Metals Corporation's goal of a total supply chain roll out including carbonate plants and hydroxide plants under development and planned for Europe.

Contact:

[email protected]

Badajoz 45, piso 17, Las Condes

Santiago - Chile

Ph: +562 32102041

Ph: +562 32102042

Ph: +1(917) 8096970

SOURCE Sorcia Minerals LLC
NEW YORK, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sprinklr, the unified customer experience management (Unified-CXM) platform for modern enterprises, today announced the closing of its initial public offering. Sprinklr's Class A common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CXM."

An aggregate of 16,625,000 shares of Class A common stock were sold in the offering, at a price to the public of $16.00 per share. The gross proceeds to Sprinklr were $266.0 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses.

Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan, Citigroup, Barclays, and Wells Fargo Securities acted as lead book-running managers for the proposed offering, and JMP Securities, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Oppenheimer & Co., Stifel, William Blair, Blaylock Van, LLC, C.L. King & Associates, Ramirez & Co., Inc. and Roberts & Ryan acted as co-managers for the offering.

A registration statement relating to this offering was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 22, 2021. This offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus may be obtained from: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014; J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, or by telephone at (866) 803-9204, or by email at [email protected]; or Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (800) 831-9146, or by email at [email protected].

About Sprinklr

Sprinklr is the unified platform for all customer-facing functions. We call it unified customer experience management (Unified-CXM). We help companies deliver human experiences to every customer, every time, across any modern channel, at a once impossible scale. Headquartered in New York City with over 2,400 employees globally, Sprinklr works with more than 1,000 of the world's most valuable enterprises  global brands like Microsoft, P&G, Samsung and more than 50% of the Fortune 100.

Investor Relations Contact

[email protected]

Press Contact

[email protected]

SOURCE Sprinklr
LUXEMBOURG, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Swiss Insured Brazil Power Finance S.a r.l. a private limited liability company (societe a responsabilite limitee), incorporated and existing under Luxembourg law, having its registered office at 14, rue Edward Steichen, L-2540 Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, registered with the Luxembourg Register of Commerce and Companies under number B 217648 (the "Company") announced today that it has commenced a solicitation (the "Consent Solicitation") of consents ("Consents") from each registered holder ("Holder") of its 9.850% Senior Secured Notes due 2032 (the "Notes"), issued and outstanding under the indenture, dated as of April 12, 2018, among the Company, CELSE  Centrais Eletricas de Sergipe S.A., as guarantor ("CELSE"), and Citibank, N.A., as trustee (in such capacity, the "Trustee"), to permit the Company, as the sole holder of certain debentures issued by CELSE pursuant to an indenture (as amended, the "Debenture Indenture"), dated as of March 28, 2018, among CELSE, Pentagono S.A. Distribuidora de Titulos e Valores Mobiliarios, as fiduciary agent (the "Fiduciary Agent") and Credit Suisse AG, in its capacities as policyholder and policyholder agent (the "Policyholder Agent"), to instruct the Fiduciary Agent to (i) amend (the "Proposed Amendments") certain provisions of (a) the Common Terms Agreement (as amended, the "Common Terms Agreement"), dated as of April 12, 2018, among CELSE, the senior lenders party thereto (the "Senior Lenders") and the Senior Lender representatives named therein, the Fiduciary Agent, the Policyholder Agent and Citibank, N.A., as project intercreditor agent (the "Project Intercreditor Agent"), on behalf of the Senior Lenders, (b) the Debenture Indenture, (c) the Amended and Restated Collateral Accounts and Security Agreement, dated as of February 4, 2019 (as amended, the "Accounts Agreement"), among CELSE, the Fiduciary Agent, the Policyholder Agent, the Project Intercreditor Agent and the other parties thereto, (d) the Conditional and Fiduciary Assignment Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2018, and amended on April 3, 2018 among CELSE, CELSEPAR  Centrais Eletricas de Sergipe S.A., Banco Citibank S.A and others (as amended "Conditional and Fiduciary Assignment Agreement"), and (e) certain other collateral documents, in each case, solely as is necessary to permit CELSE to incur (and secure with the WC Collateral (as defined below) the Working Capital Facility (as defined below); and (ii) consent (the "Proposed Consent", and together with the Proposed Amendments, the "Proposed Consent and Amendments") to release the existing security over the variable revenues (the "Variable Revenues") to be received by CELSE (a) under the Power Purchase Agreements (Contratos de Comercializacao de Energia no Ambiente Regulado - CCEARs) in the Brazilian Regulated Environment (the "PPAs") entered into between CELSE and the distribution companies and (b) from spot free market sales of energy, in each case, solely to permit such assets to secure the Working Capital Facility (as defined below).

The Notes are currently listed on the Official List of the Luxembourg Stock Exchange (the "LuxSE") and admitted to trading on the Euro MTF market of the LuxSE.

The Consent Solicitation is being made by means of the Company's consent solicitation statement, dated June 25, 2021 (the "Consent Solicitation Statement"). Holders are referred to the Consent Solicitation Statement for detailed terms and conditions of the Consent Solicitation. The Consent Solicitation will expire at 5:00 p.m. (New York City time) on July 1, 2021 (the "Expiration Time"), unless extended or earlier terminated by the Company in its sole discretion. Consents delivered may be validly revoked at any time prior to the earlier to occur of: (i) the time at which the requisite Consents are received and (ii) the Expiration Time.

Primarily as a result of the ongoing and extreme lack of rainfall in Brazil for the past several months, the adverse hydrological conditions in Brazil will result in unanticipated and persistent dispatch of CELSE's combined cycle power plant. Commencing in July 2021, CELSE is expected to dispatch continuously through at least December 2021. Accordingly, in order to satisfy its dispatch requirements, CELSE requires a new working capital facility to facilitate the posting of certain letters of credit in favor of the supplier of LNG and the financing of LNG costs prior to CELSE receiving the related Variable Revenues. Without such a working capital facility, CELSE would be unable to purchase LNG needed to satisfy its dispatch requirements, which could result in various fines and penalties being imposed by the Brazilian energy regulators. Accordingly, CELSE plans to incur a working capital facility in an aggregate principal amount up to $175 million (the "Working Capital Facility") to finance certain LNG costs and post letters of credit in favor of its LNG suppliers, which Working Capital Facility would be secured solely by (i) the Variable Revenues received by CELSE and (ii) the escrow account into which the Variable Revenues will be deposited (collectively, the "WC Collateral"). The recourse of the Working Capital Facility lenders (the "Working Capital Facility Lenders") to CELSE or CELSE's property or assets will be limited to the WC Collateral and they will not receive the benefit of any other security interests from CELSE. In addition, the Working Capital Lenders will enter into a subordination agreement with the Senior Lenders in order to limit such recourse.

The ultimate purpose of the Consent Solicitation is to authorize CELSE to enter into agreements that (i) amend the definitions of "Permitted Indebtedness" and "Permitted Liens" in the Common Terms Agreement and in the Debenture Indenture, (ii) amend the Accounts Agreement to permit CELSE to open a segregated escrow account into which, among other funds, the Variable Revenues will be transferred, (iii) release the security over the Variable Revenues received by CELSE and (iv) make any other modifications or waivers to the Common Terms Agreement, the Debenture Indenture, the Accounts Agreement, the Conditional and Fiduciary Assignment Agreement, or any other collateral document, that are necessary to permit CELSE to incur (and secure with the WC Collateral) the Working Capital Facility.

Subject to certain conditions, including the receipt of the requisite Consents and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent agreed with the Senior Lenders and/or SERV in connection with the Proposed Consent and Amendments, Holders who validly deliver and not validly revoke their Consents at or prior to the Expiration Time pursuant to the terms of the Consent Solicitation Statement will be eligible to receive a consent payment of R$2.50 per R$1,000 principal amount of the Notes.

The Company has engaged Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC to act as solicitation agent (the "Solicitation Agent") for the Consent Solicitation. D. F. King & Co., Inc. has been engaged to act as the information and tabulation agent (the "Information and Tabulation Agent") for the Consent Solicitation. Any questions or requests for assistance concerning the terms of the Consent Solicitation may be made to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC at [email protected], +1 (800) 828-3182 (toll free) or +1 (212) 357-1452 (collect). Questions or requests for assistance relating to the procedures for delivering Consents or additional copies of the Consent Solicitation Statement and any related documents may be directed to D.F. King & Co., Inc. at [email protected], +1 (866) 751-6313 (toll free) or +1 (212) 269-5550 (collect).

Forward-Looking Statements

The Company cautions you that statements included in this announcement that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which may not materialize or prove correct. These include, among others, statements with respect to the terms and timing for completion of the Consent Solicitation, the receipt of the requisite Consents, and the payment of the consent fee. There can be no assurance that the transactions contemplated in this announcement will be consummated. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement included in this announcement to reflect events or circumstances arising after the date on which it was made.

The Solicitation Agent takes no responsibility for the contents of this announcement. This announcement must be read in conjunction with the Consent Solicitation Statement. This announcement and the Consent Solicitation Statement contain important information which should be read carefully and in its entirety before any decision is made in connection with the Consent Solicitation. If you are in any doubt as to the action you should take, you are recommended to seek your own financial advice immediately from your stockbroker, bank manager, accountant or other independent financial adviser.

None of the Company, CELSE, the Trustee, the Fiduciary Agent, the Policyholder Agent, the Solicitation Agent, the Information and Tabulation Agent or their respective affiliates, makes any recommendation as to whether or not Holders should deliver Consents. This announcement is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation of Consents. The Consent Solicitation is only being made pursuant to the Consent Solicitation Statement. The Company reserves the right to waive or modify any term of, or to terminate, the Consent Solicitation, for any reason, prior to the Expiration Time.

This announcement is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. The Notes described herein have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and they may not be offered or sold in the United States or to U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

SOURCE Swiss Insured Brazil Power Finance S.a r.l.
GREENSBORO, N.C., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT), a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers, announced today that its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 will be released on Tuesday, August 3, 2021 after the market close. The Company will host its conference call for analysts, investors, and other interested parties on Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

To access the conference call, listeners should dial 1-844-492-3729 and request to join the Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. SKT Call.

A live audio webcast of this call will be available to the public on Tanger's Investor Relations website, investors.tangeroutlets.com.

A telephone replay of the call will be available from August 4, 2021 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time through 11:59 p.m. on August 18, 2021 by dialing 1-877-344-7529, replay access code #10157928. An online archive of the webcast will also be available through August 18, 2021.

About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.

Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) is a leading operator of upscale open-air outlet centers that owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 36 centers. Tanger's operating properties are located in 20 states and in Canada, totaling approximately 13.6 million square feet, leased to over 2,500 stores operated by more than 500 different brand name companies. The Company has more than 40 years of experience in the outlet industry and is a publicly traded REIT. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the Company's website at www.tangeroutlets.com .

Investor Contact Information

Cyndi Holt Jim Williams SVP, Finance & Investor Relations EVP, CFO & Treasurer 336-834-6892 336-834-6800 [email protected] [email protected]

Media Contact Information [email protected]

SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc.

Related Links

www.tangeroutlet.com


More than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic, students around the world are still affected by partial or full school closures, and millions of children will fall below the minimum proficiency level in reading due to the health crisis.

Students can personalize their own avatars and be immersed in a classroom where they can learn & engage - Hosni Zaouali

Voila Learning and Tech-AdaptiKa are creating a virtual learning opportunity this summer to make up for this lost year of education. The companies have teamed up to offer an immersive virtual learning experience to students across North America to help them catch up on important school curriculum.

"We want to help bridge the learning gap for Canadian and American students by creating opportunities for meaningful interactions safely. Our virtual platform allows educators to teach in a more human-centric way," said Carrie Purcell, Co-founder, Tech-AdaptiKa.

"Students can personalize their own avatars and be immersed in a classroom where they can learn and engage with their teacher and peers," said Hosni Zaouali, Co-founder, Tech-AdaptiKa. "Now more than ever, teachers are an important part of facilitating student learning, well-being, and growth.This virtual reality summer school is an innovative platform that will help support teachers, students and parents until schools can remain open in a sustainable way."

The Virtual Reality Summer School will be offered from July 15 to September 15, and it is available to school boards in Canada and the United States.

For more information head to https://voilalearning.com/en/

About Tech-AdaptiKa

Headquartered in Toronto, Tech-AdaptiKa is on a mission to transform education and empower universities & corporations to provide quality education and training to as many learners as possible. Tech-AdaptiKa's avatar-based virtual event and learning platforms are currently enabling students and professional learners across the world. Both the LiVe Virtual Campus and Virtual Event Platform are currently being used by both educational institutions and enterprise & mid-market organizations globally.

About Voila Learning

Voila Learning is a Ed-Tech organization mandated by multiple school boards to design solutions for students and school boards using virtual reality, apps, gamification and online homework help. The organization utilizes a human-centred design approach to support the needs of thousands of teachers, students and their parents.

SOURCE Tech-AdaptiKa

Related Links

https://adaptika.tech/ideno/


HOUSTON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In an unprecedented ruling today, the Texas Supreme Court allowed alleged sex trafficking survivors to sue Facebook, Inc. under a Texas anti-trafficking law, according to the victims' lawyers at Annie McAdams PC, The Gallagher Law Firm, and Sico Hoelscher Harris LLP.

The Court ruled that the trafficking victims could proceed with lawsuits alleging that Facebook violated Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 98, an anti-trafficking law passed in 2009. The underlying cases, originally filed in state district courts in Harris County, Texas, allege that Facebook, Inc. benefited from sexual exploitation of the "Jane Doe" trafficking survivors.

The trafficking victims are represented by Annie McAdams of Annie McAdams PC, of Houston; Michael T. Gallagher of The Gallagher Law Firm, of Houston; and David E. Harris of Sico Hoelscher Harris LLP, of Corpus Christi, Texas.

Annie McAdams, of Annie McAdams PC, said, "Our clients have fought for over two years for the chance to bring their case. While we have a long road ahead, we are grateful that the Texas Supreme Court will allow these courageous trafficking survivors to have their day in court against Facebook. With the help of Chapter 98 protection, we believe trafficking survivors in Texas can expose and hold accountable businesses such as Facebook that benefit from these crimes of exploitation."

According to the lawsuits, the social media giant provided "an unrestricted platform to stalk, exploit, recruit, groom, and extort children into the sex trade. Facebook is now the first point of contact between sex traffickers and these children Facebook not only provides an unrestricted platform for these sex traffickers to target children, but it also cloaks the traffickers with credibility."

David E. Harris, of Sico Hoelscher Harris LLP, said, "We believe Facebook has an obligation to safeguard its users, both through its online platform and otherwise, of the dangers of human traffickers using Facebook as a tool to entrap and enslave children into sex trafficking."

In April 2018 testimony before Congress, Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company had not "taken a broad enough view of Facebook's responsibility to the community and content." He added, "We [Facebook] need to make sure that people aren't using it to harm other people or to spread misinformation. Across the board we have a responsibility to not just build tools, but to make sure they're used for good."

The Texas Supreme Court case is "In re Facebook, Inc. and Facebook Inc. d/b/a Instagram, Relators," No. 20-0434. The underlying cases, from the state district courts, are Cause Nos. 2018-69816, 2018-82214, and 2019-16262.

Media Contact: Erin Powers, Powers MediaWorks LLC, for Annie McAdams PC, [email protected], 281.703.6000.

SOURCE Annie McAdams PC

Related Links

https://www.anniemcadamspc.com/


PROVENCE, France, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MDCV celebrates International Rose Day with the release of the 2020 vintages of Romance, Inspiration and UP Rose in the US along with the estates reopening in France. From the Cotes de Provence these rose wines from Chateau de Berne, and Ultimate Provence awaken the senses with every sip and the bottle design captures the elegance and spirit of both estates. Made by Alexis Cornu, winemaker and enologist since 2016 he showcasing the timeless authenticity of the appellation at these two celebrated estates dating back to Roman times (Berne), with his commitment to sustainability at every level.

Chateau de Berne rose inspiration bottle. Chateau de Berne Arial shot

Chateau de Berne is nestled in the rolling hills of Provence, in the South of France, one hour from Saint-Tropez between the villages of Lorgues and Flayosc. A remote winding road leads to the exquisite estate in its stunning, pristine natural environment.

The five-star Relais & Chateau de Berne estate includes a hotel and private villa accommodations, as well as a Michelin-starred restaurant "Le Jardin de Berne" which features an eco-conscious approach to fine dining and in 2021 received the new Michelin Green Star distinction, awarded for exemplary sustainable restaurant practices. Completed by the spa, cooking school and various leisure activities, Chateau de Berne offers food & wine lovers, athletes, adventurers, and those simply looking for quiet contemplation, the promise of an unforgettable experience.

World-famous for its rose wines, Provence is less well-known for the outstanding variety of its terroirs. The Cotes-de-Provence appellation alone spans six vast territories, running from East to West, each with its own unique soil type, geography, and climate. Located in the Haut-Pays (Highland) area, Chateau de Berne is characterized by limestone hills and shallow valleys. This little known, secret backcountry of Provence yields structured reds and fruity, delicate whites and roses. The estate combines the best of two worlds in terms of geology and altitude. The heart of Berne's vineyard, where 80 % of its vines are rooted, is located on a chalky plateau, at an altitude of 980 ft. Cool nights, combined with a broad daytime temperature range, allow the grapes to mature at a slower pace, thus enhancing the wine's freshness and delicate aromas.

Chateau de Berne Romance Rose retails for $14.99, Chateau de Berne Inspiration Rose $19.99 and Ultimate Provence Rose $21.99; available where wine is sold and as trio from wine.com. The Romance bottle features a fun special effect inside the bottle, as a bubble motif appears when the wine is poured, Inspiration is an exclusive square bottle that is a tribute to the Roman architecture and a nod to the estate's long history of winemaking dating back to Roman times. Inspiration has received a 91-point score from Wine Enthusiast.

Ultimate Provence's sleek modern design features a chic boutique hotel nestled in an oasis of fresh green surroundings, and the estate makes a lasting impression. Tucked away in the hills behind Saint-Tropez, it offers guests an unexpected taste of Provence, in a remarkable atmosphere that awakens the senses and jostles the codes of this terroir's ancestral traditions. Ultimate Provence wines offer an explosion of delightful aromas and bountiful pleasures for the palate. Chef Romain Franceschi's colorfully creative and mouthwatering gourmet cuisine, a true sensorial experience in perfect harmony with the estate's wines. This is a place of epicurean and aesthetic delights, conveying the feeling of a dream-come-true getaway experience. Be it waking up in a stylish and cozy room with breathtaking views of the Notre-Dame-des-Anges mountain range, learning about the art of wine-tasting with an expert sommelier, or relaxing by the luxurious pool, UP offers a veritable oasis of charm for those seeking to chill out and enjoy life. UP received a 93-point score from Wine & Spirits.

Instagram & Facebook - @chateaudeberne, Instagram - @ultimate_provence, Facebook - @UltimateProvence, Keep up with the latest news on https://provencerose.com/

Contact:

Kristen Green

4155672999

[email protected]

SOURCE Chateau de Berne
COLUMBIA, Md., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mexico Fund, Inc. (NYSE: MXF), today issued its fiscal 2021 semi-annual report for the period ended April 30, 2021.

A full version of the report is available at the company's website  www.themexicofund.com

Semi-Annual Report 2021 Highlights

During the first half of fiscal year 2021, the Fund's NAV per share and market price recovered sharply, registering a total return of 32.70% and 38.61%, respectively, while the Fund's benchmark, the Morgan Stanley Capital International ("MSCI") Mexico Index, increased 36.10%. Although the Fund's NAV per share underperformed its benchmark during the period, it has outperformed its benchmark during the one-, three-, five- and ten-year periods ended on April 30, 2021, as shown in the table below:



Annualized % Return in USD

1-year 3-years 5-years 10-years MXF Market Price 70.06 0.63 0.82 0.68 MXF NAV 67.50 0.25 0.22 0.42 MSCI Mexico Index 58.05 -1.62 -0.77 -1.13

As of April 30, 2021, the Fund's market price and NAV per share were $14.54 and $16.80, respectively, reflecting a discount of 13.45%, compared with a discount of 17.14% at the end of fiscal year 2020.

At its June 2021 meeting, the Board of Directors (the "Board") decided to reinstate its Managed Distribution Plan ("MDP"). In June 2020 the Board temporarily suspended the Fund's MDP due to the significant decrease in net assets and uncertainty produced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding, the Board maintained a commitment to reinstate the MDP as soon as it deemed advisable. During the Fund's first half of fiscal year 2021, Fund net assets recovered along with global financial markets, the economic outlook improved, and the Fund experienced a recovery in dividends received from portfolio issuers. Accordingly, the Board has reinstated its MDP, and has declared a distribution of $0.18 per share to be paid on July 29, 2021, to stockholders of record as of July 22, 2021.

The Fund's Expense Limitation Agreement was reinforced for fiscal year 2021. The commitment to limit the ordinary expense ratio at 1.50% (which excludes, among other things, the performance component of the Investment Advisory fee) was maintained for fiscal year 2021, but with a lower threshold for Fund net assets of $180 million, instead of the prior threshold of $200 million. In addition, the Fund announced on November 3, 2020, further reductions in certain operating expenses. The Fund's ordinary expense ratio during the first half of fiscal year 2021 was 1.46%, below the limit of 1.50%.

About The Mexico Fund, Inc.

The Mexico Fund, Inc. is a non-diversified closed-end management investment company with the investment objective of long-term capital appreciation through investments in securities, primarily equity, listed on the Mexican Stock Exchange. The Fund provides a vehicle to investors who wish to invest in Mexican companies through a managed non-diversified portfolio as part of their overall investment program.

This release may contain certain forward-looking statements regarding future circumstances. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Fund's current expectations and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in such forward-looking statements including, in particular, the risks and uncertainties described in the Fund's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results, events, and performance may differ. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Fund undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to these forward looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. The inclusion of any statement in this release does not constitute an admission by The Mexico Fund or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statement are material.

SOURCE The Mexico Fund, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.themexicofund.com


JERUSALEM, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- United Hatzalah of Israel working in conjunction with El Al Airlines has begun preparations to send a team from its Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit to provide psychological support and stabilization to the families and neighbors of those injured, killed, or affected by the tragedy that occurred in Surfside Florida. The team's mission will be to assist the community in Surfside and those affected by the collapse of a residential condo that has claimed the life of at least one person and left nearly 100 missing.

The team of psychological first aid experts will be composed of top members of the organization's Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit (PCRU) and will assist the families of those who were killed, injured, and missing, in the collapse. They will also make themselves available to members of the Miami community by providing psychological and emotional stabilization and treatment to those who need it in the wake of the incident.

The team will be utilizing techniques and tools developed in Israel which have proven to be highly successful in assisting those who have suffered from similar incidents. The United Hatzalah delegation is being flown to Miami by EL AL Israel Airlines who have graciously partnered in this effort. They are scheduled to arrive in Surfside on Sunday, June 27th.

The unit will be led by Dov Maisel, the Vice President of Operations for United Hatzalah, and a paramedic, who has led disaster response missions to Nepal, Haiti, and Japan. Maisel will partner with Einat Kaufman, who serves as the Clinical Operations Director of the PCRU. Kauffman, in addition to being a trained EMT, is one of the top Cognitive Psychotherapists in Israel, and an expert in trauma, grief, and bereavement especially when concerned with mass casualty incidents. She as well as other members of the unit have taken part in several missions as psychological first aid responders, including the missions from United Hatzalah following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and the Tree Of Life mass shooting that took place in Pittsburgh.

Most recently, Maisel and Kauffman led the PCRU and United Hatzalah's medical team in providing support at the Meron tragedy in Israel, to both the injured, bereaved, and to the first responders themselves who were present at the incident and were traumatized as a result.

Eli Beer, President and Founder of United Hatzalah, spoke about the preparations and thanked EL AL for their partnership in getting the mission off the ground. "As soon as the collapse occurred, we began preparations for the mission to depart. When we contacted EL AL, they were eager to help and transport the team to Florida."

EL AL CEO, Avigal Soreq, commented, "This partnership with United Hatzalah is natural for EL AL. Our 73 years of history are replete with all types of rescue and crisis missions, and we are honored to assist in any way we can."

Mr. Beer continued, "This will be the fourth emergency relief mission conducted by our Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit in the United States in as many years. EL AL is an incredible partner, and we are forever grateful for their support of this mission.

"I myself was the benefactor of the kindness of the entire South Florida community during my fight with Covid-19 last year and if I were able to go myself on this mission I would. We stand with you and we are sending you the best of the best to help."

Media Contact

Scott Goldberg

Carve Communications for United Hatzalah

[email protected]

(847)347-3333

SOURCE United Hatzalah
As he steps into this new role, Dr. Miller's responsibilities will increase to oversee implementation of Well Being Trust's strategies to measurably save lives from deaths by drugs, alcohol and suicide, improve well-being for everyone, and transform the health of the nation.

"Dr. Miller Is a dynamic leader and widely recognized national authority," said Tyler Norris, MDiv., chief executive of Well Being Trust.

"Throughout his four years of service at Well Being Trust, he has demonstrated skillful means as a 'go-to' national and community expert, leading such game-changing initiatives as the national Framework for Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being - a platform for changemakers at every level of society who seek to improve mental health and well-being outcomes. We are excited to have Dr. Miller help lead our organization to its next level of scale, visibility, and impact in delivering actionable solutions to increase mental health and well-being for all Americans."

Rod Hochman, M.D., president and CEO of Providence and Well Being Trust board chair, added, "Well Being Trust has made a significant impact in a short amount of time, and I'm looking forward to Dr. Miller's leadership as he steps into this new role and works alongside Tyler in leading efforts to reach our goal of saving 100,000 lives from deaths of despair, while measurably improving the well-being of the American people over the next 10 years."

Prior to joining Well Being Trust in 2017, Dr. Miller spent eight years as an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine where he served as founding director of the Eugene S. Farley, Jr. Health Policy Center. Under his leadership, the Center worked on policies related to mental health and primary care integration, payment reform, workforce efforts, and community-based prevention to help key decision makers positively improve mental health in their communities.

It was Dr. Miller's early experiences  helping emotionally disturbed children navigate school, individuals with breast cancer cope with their diagnosis, prisoners plan for a successful return to society, and working in primary care clinics  that showed him how the continued marginalization and fragmentation of mental health in America has ripple effects throughout every layer of society.

"Well Being Trust has the opportunity to be a difference maker for mental health, and I am deeply honored to take on the role and responsibility as president to help lead us forward," said Dr. Miller.

He added, "Well Being Trust exists to transform the health of the nation and improve well-being for everyone, and it's a privilege for me to serve in this role and do the work that is needed to engage with partners across sectors to begin to lay the foundation for a reimagined mental health system that is grounded in community and an integral part of our broader health care infrastructure."

Dr. Miller received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, completed his predoctoral internship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and worked as a postdoctoral fellow in primary care psychology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.

He has received numerous awards for his work, and he has also written and published extensively on ways we can better integrate mental health, including through policy change.

Dr. Miller is a highly sought-after expert in the field, and most recently testified to Congress on ways our nation could pursue more robust policy change for mental health. He is also author of the weekly newsletter Mental: Fighting the fragmentation of mental health one policy at a time.

About Well Being Trust

Well Being Trust is committed to innovating and addressing the most critical mental health challenges facing America and to transforming individual and community well-being. Launched by Providence in 2016 as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity with an initial seed endowment of $100 million, Well Being Trust has invested more than $58 million in a portfolio of carefully targeted initiatives and investments and forged extensive cross-sector partnerships to address clinical and community needs and drive social engagement.

For more information, visit wellbeingtrust.org.

SOURCE Providence St. Joseph Health

Related Links

https://wellbeingtrust.org


As communities worldwide transition back to an in-person lifestyle, BICSI is fully embracing all the benefits associated with face-to-face learning and networking. Once again, attendees will be able to connect in person while enjoying the full Fall Conference experience in Las Vegas. In addition, those who are unable to attend in person can still take part in the conference via a virtual platform.

On-site keynote speakers in Las Vegas will live-stream to virtual attendees. On Tuesday morning, 24 August, Tom Smith, ENV SP, CAE, FASCE, CEO of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), will sit down with BICSI President Todd W. Taylor, RCDD, NTS, OSP, to discuss how to anticipate, reimagine, and prepare for future changes in "FUTURE WORLD VISION: Infrastructure Reimagined."

On Thursday, 26 August, Lieutenant General Ronald L. Bailey, USMC (Ret.) and National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Vice President of Industry Development, will address both in-person and virtual attendees with "What is Your Leadership Blueprint?" With decades of military and ICT leadership experience, attendees will gain valuable leadership insights that will benefit any organization or individual in the ever-changing business environment.

The Venetian Resort, where every room is a suite, is the official hotel for the 2021 BICSI Fall Conference. Attendees can enjoy pampering amenities including award-winning eats and lounges, a ride down the Grand Canal on a Venetian gondola, shopping in the Grand Canal Shoppes as well as the gyms, pools, spas, and a 3D gaming room that visitors might expect from a luxury resort. With everything they need essentially under one roof, attendees won't even need to step out into the Nevada heat once they arrive at the hotel. The early-bird hotel discount for attendees will be available through 19 July.

Additionally, BICSI is taking many aspects of their past virtual conferences and applying them to those who cannot physically meet their ICT colleagues in August. Virtual attendees can watch educational sessions from their home office, as well as tour the Exhibit Hall via their computer or mobile device. Companies like Diamond Sponsor Sumitomo Electric Lightwave will be there to share their game-changing advancements.

This year's conference includes more than 35 industry leading presentations covering all areas of ICT including: smart cities, intelligent buildings, Internet of Things (IoT), Power over Ethernet (PoE), data centers, audiovisual technologies, optical fiber, passive optical networks (PON), wireless, distributed antenna systems (DAS), and more.

Professionals seeking career advancement will have several opportunities to explore next steps for their ICT journey while swapping stories with colleagues. Packed with innovative products and subject-matter experts, companies facing industry roadblocks may discover novel solutions.

Past BICSI virtual conference attendee, John Raye, RCDD, OSP, RTPM, INSTF, TECH, said, "I hope that BICSI continues with a hybrid conference moving forward (virtual and in-person options)," he said. "I really like the swag bag option/idea and having access to sessions and exhibits for 30 days after the conference is great."

The conference will also include "What's New, What's It Do?" product presentations in the BICSI Theatre on the exhibit floor. Attendees will be able to watch back-to-back demonstrations from multiple exhibitors, each offering a unique sampling of their specialized area within the ICT industry.

For more information, visit bicsi.org/fall.

About BICSI

BICSI is a professional association supporting the advancement of the information and communications technology (ICT) profession and currently serves more than 26,000 members and credential holders. BICSI is the preeminent resource for the Connected World. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, USA, BICSI membership spans nearly 100 countries.

SOURCE BICSI

Related Links

http://www.bicsi.org


"Government action alone will not be enough," said Secretary Kerry. "That's where Silicon Valley steps in." Tweet this

The summit, convened by Silicon Valley Leadership Group, also featured White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan; Acting Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities Melissa Dalton; as well as the CEOs of PG&E, Lucid, Logitech, ChargePoint, the UN Global Compact, and more.

In his remarks, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry emphasized that the net zero transition represents the greatest market transformation since the Industrial Revolution and presents tremendous growth opportunities. Another key highlight included a call from Advisor McCarthy to Silicon Valley to collaborate with federal officials on prioritizing the infrastructure and clean energy investments needed to jumpstart innovation and foster domestic job growth.

"I want you to say that we can do this; I want you to say you have the technologies, the business savvy and the practices and that you're going to be transparent about the risks," said Advisor McCarthy. "We will be there to make sure the federal government doesn't take the field but we set it, we seed it in a way that businesses can thrive."

In a conversation with SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas, EPA Administrator Michael Regan discussed the Biden-Harris Administration ambitious climate agenda. He pointed to EPA's commitment to encouraging innovation and greater prosperity for all while addressing communities of color that are disproportionately vulnerable to climate impacts.

"The good news is that I don't believe we need a tradeoff between innovation and fighting climate change impacts," said Administrator Regan. "The President's plan recognizes that climate action presents an unprecedented opportunity for the U.S. to build stronger, to leverage American ingenuity, and to create more clean energy jobs here at home."

In a local segment, PG&E CEO Patti Poppe spoke about expanding PG&E's clean energy supply and the company's efforts to adapt to the challenges of climate change in California including developing innovative wildfire protection solutions to minimize shutoffs.

"I do think there is no more important place in the world than this area and the role that PG&E can play as a key enabler to thwarting climate change," said Poppe.

SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas noted that the Race to Net Zero event represented one of the most significant conversations on climate in the region in recent memory.

"The only way to drive the bold solutions we need to address the climate crisis is by leveraging the unique innovation ecosystem of Silicon Valley to save the world's ecosystem. Getting to a Net Zero world requires building a meaningful partnership between federal, state and local governments, the nonprofit community, and our businesses."

Melissa G. Dalton, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, pointed to multiple climate change challenges confronted today by the Pentagon -- increased migration pressures, severe weather damaging U.S. military bases, and greater competition for scarce resources. She also highlighted the military's new sustainable procurement practices.

"[Climate change] is a priority for the President, it's a priority for Secretary of Defense Austin," said Assistant Secretary Dalton. "He has noted that climate change is making the world more unsafe, and we need to act."

Clips of the summit can be viewed online here and a full rebroadcast of Race To Net Zero will be available on Monday, June 28th, at SVLG.org/Watch .

About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group

The Leadership Group is a business organization of hundreds of Silicon Valley's most dynamic companies working to shape the innovation economy of California and the nation. Founded by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, for over 40 years the SVLG has worked to address issues that affect the region's economic health and quality of life. Today the SVLG Is focused on economic competitiveness with a special focus on diversity & inclusion, climate change and infrastructure. SVLG members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute more than $3 trillion to the worldwide economy. For more information, visit svlg.org .

Laura Wilkinson

Media & Communications

Silicon Valley Leadership Group

415.713.9288

[email protected]

SOURCE Silicon Valley Leadership Group

Related Links

https://www.svlg.org/


On Tuesday, June 29, 2021, at 6:00 p.m. EST , The Windward Institute will present a free webinar , Unsiloing Science: Connecting Schools and Literacy Researchers, featuring leading educators from across the United States. Panelists include Akeela Azcuy, Ph.D., Manhattan Literacy Academy (New York, NY) ; Claudia Koochek, Head of School at Westmark School (Encino, CA) ; Ben Powers, DBA, Head of School at Southport School (Southport, CT) ; and Jamie Williamson, EdS , Head of School at The Windward School and Director of The Windward Institute (White Plains, NY and New York City, NY).

This webinar will cover the sustainability and scalability of school-based models that integrate the Science of Reading and supporting evidence-based practices. "When educators are empowered to work collaboratively with literacy researchers, we move closer towards reading achievement for all students," states Jamie Williamson, EdS.

Register at thewindwardschool.org/unsiloing-science.

About The Windward Institute

The Windward Institute is a division of and serves The Windward School and the broader educational community by providing research-based professional development; forming partnerships with leading education institutions; advocating for students with language-based learning disabilities; and expanding The Windward School's reputation and expertise.

www.thewindwardschool.org/wi

About The Windward School

Internationally recognized co-ed, independent day school with three campuses in White Plains, NY, and New York City, NY, for students in grades 1-9 with language-based learning disabilities like dyslexia, Windward's objective is to remediate and return students to a mainstream educational environment. www.thewindwardschool.org

What is the Science of Reading?

SoR encompasses findings from decades of scientifically based research across multiple fields and disciplines. It underlies the fact that the brain is plastic and has to rewire and rearrange for proficient reading. SoR provides a framework and evidence for the development of reading and writing; informs best practices in teaching these skills; explains why students may vary in their reading development; and identifies directions for the assessment, prevention, and remediation of reading difficulties.

SOURCE The Windward Institute
Independent modelling estimates the PromarkerD predictive test for diabetic kidney disease (DKD) would increase the quality of care and could save US payers almost USD400 billion over 10 years

The US is home to 31 million adults with diabetes who are at risk of DKD - cost savings stem from slowed disease progression, delayed or prevented dialysis and kidney transplants, and fewer dialysis crashes

Results to be presented at the American Diabetes Association's 81st Scientific Sessions, 25- 29 June 2021

BOSTON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Proteomics International Laboratories Ltd (ASX: PIQ) announces testing for diabetic kidney disease with the PromarkerD prognostic blood test could save US payers almost USD400 billion over 10 years, research suggests. The ground-breaking PromarkerD test is the only test capable of predicting the onset of diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Independent consultant Boston Healthcare Associates modelled the budget impact of using PromarkerD compared to the current standard of care, to proactively test for diabetic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes but who otherwise have no sign of kidney disease.

It found the testdeveloped by Proteomics Internationalcould result in net savings to Medicare and commercial insurers of USD384 billion over 10 years.

There are 31 million adults with diabetes in the US. Instigating the simple test, set at USD150 for an annual testing regime, would cost $8.9 billion annually, however, could produce savings of USD473 billion over ten years. Savings stem primarily from slowing the progression of diabetic kidney disease, followed by benefits from delaying or preventing dialysis and kidney transplants, and a reduction in dialysis crashes.

The findings will be presented at the virtual American Diabetes Association's 81st Scientific Sessions at 11:30am ET on Friday 25 June 2021 (presentation details below).

Proteomics International managing director Dr Richard Lipscombe said the research extends the initial modelling [ASX: 13 May] to emphasise the benefits of an early, accurate and cost-effective prognosis. "Testing patients with type 2 diabetes every 6-12 months with PromarkerD would enable early intervention for those at high-risk of developing diabetic kidney disease," he says.



"This would decrease the need for expensive late-stage interventions, such as dialysis and kidney transplants. It would also assist in stratifying which patients would receive new DKD preventative therapeutic treatments. The potential benefits to the patient and the healthcare system are enormous."

The PromarkerD test has received CE Mark registration and is currently available in Europe, with Proteomics International in advanced discussions to bring the test to the clinic in the US.

Authorised by the Board of Proteomics International Laboratories Ltd (ASX.PIQ).

About PromarkerD ( www.PromarkerD.com )

PromarkerD is a predictive test for the early detection of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in patients with type-2 diabetes. CKD is one of the major complications arising from diabetes and if unchecked can lead to dialysis or kidney transplant.

The patented PromarkerD test system uses a simple blood test to detect a unique 'fingerprint' of the early onset of disease by measuring three serum protein biomarkers, combined with three routinely available conventional clinical variables (age, HDL-cholesterol and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)).

In clinical studies published in leading journals PromarkerD correctly predicted 86% of otherwise healthy diabetics who went on to develop chronic kidney disease within four years. The PromarkerD immunoassay, the PromarkerD mass spectrometry assay, and the PromarkerD software hub have each achieved CE Mark registration in the European Union.

Further information is available through the PromarkerD web portal.

ADA 81st Scientific Sessions poster presentation

(#813-P; 13-A Health Care Delivery - Economics), titled: Demonstrating the Economic Health Benefit of using the PromarkerD In Vitro Diagnostic Test in the Prediction of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Burchenal W1, Datar M1, Peters KE2, Fernandez GC2, Morrison JC2, Lipscombe RJ2

1Boston Healthcare Associates, Boston, MA, USA, 2Proteomics International, Perth, WA, Australia

To visit the PromarkerD virtual booth please see: www.PromarkerD.com/product

About Proteomics International Laboratories (PILL) (www.proteomicsinternational.com)

Proteomics International (Perth, Western Australia) is a wholly owned subsidiary and trading name of PILL (ASX: PIQ), a medical technology company at the forefront of predictive diagnostics and bio- analytical services. The Company specialises in the area of proteomics  the industrial scale study of the structure and function of proteins. It received the world's first ISO 17025 laboratory accreditation for proteomics services, and operates from state-of-the-art facilities located on Perth's QEII Medical Campus.

Proteomics International's business model is centred on the commercialisation of the Company's world-leading test for diabetic kidney disease, PromarkerD. The Company offsets the cash burn from R&D and product development through provision of specialist analytical services, whilst using its proprietary PromarkerTM technology platform to create a pipeline of novel diagnostic tests.

For further information please contact: Dr Richard Lipscombe Vik Malik Managing Director Chief Commercialisation Officer Proteomics International Laboratories Ltd Proteomics International T: +61 8 9389 1992 T: +1 312 310 4444 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]



Dirk van Dissel Kyle Moss Corporate Advisor & Investor Relations Corporate Advisor Candour Advisory Euroz Hartleys T: +61 408 326 367 T: +61 8 9488 1400 E: [email protected] E: [email protected]

SOURCE Proteomics International Laboratories Ltd
At the World Dairy Innovation Awards ceremony, an annual event held during the Global Dairy Congress, the judging panel considered 222 entries from 25 countries across 20 categories, and Yili won three awards, including "Best Dairy Drink" for Cute Star Rub Your Tummy dietary fiber yogurt drink, "Best Functional Dairy" for TOORAN Black Milk Powder and "Best Packaging Design" for SATINE X Palace Museum Product of Special Edition. Notably, Yili is the only award winner from Asia and also the one with the most nominations and awards globally.

"The era of Industry 4.0 calls for dairy players to embrace digital technology in order to drive greater innovation. Always putting our customers first, Yili has established 'dual centers' online and offline and achieved the 'dual integration' of informatization and digitalization. Digital technology also empowers our partners to improve their efficiency and will ultimately help to provide products of even higher quality for global consumers," said Dr. Yun.

Creating digital tools for the development of a smart dairy industry

As consumer needs become personalized and segmented, Yili has been developing a wide range of digital tools to stay ahead of the market. The company has established its own "radar" to track consumers' evolving demands and receive feedback around their experiences, as well as a series of platforms for product lifecycle management (PLM), compliance and standard platform management, and risk assessment.

Based upon nearly two decades of research, Yili has become the first Chinese company that sets up its own breast milk database. Together with Wageningen University & Research, Yili has applied the key research findings to its Jinlingguan infant formula.

Introducing digital transformations throughout the industry chain

For Yili, achieving true digitalization means transforming the entire industry chain through the deployment of cutting-edge Internet technologies.

In the upper reaches of the industry chain, Yili actively promotes digital farming and is building smart pastures. Using Yili's digital management system, pasture workers are able to keep real-time digital health records for every cow. In the middle of the industry chain, Yili has been accelerating the construction of "smart factories". Downstream, Yili has been promoting the concept of "new retail" to optimize consumer shopping experiences and achieve the full integration of online and offline channels.

Driving product innovation through "dual integration"

Yili integrates IT applications with the dairy industry, and uses big data to accurately understand consumers' rapidly evolving needs.

For example, after finding out that 80% of Asians have a lactose deficiency, Yili spent four years on product development to help address this issue and came out with the new lactose hydrolysis technology and the Shuhua Lactose Free Milk. Based upon its big data radar platform, Yili has collected and taken into consideration consumer recommendations around the rapid launch of its new AMBPOMIAL products.

Image Attachments Links:

Link: http://asianetnews.net/view-attachment?attach-id=394686

Caption: Yili introduces 'dual centers' and 'dual integration' strategy at the Global Dairy Congress.

SOURCE Yili Group
HANetf S&P Global Clean Energy Select HANzero UCITS ETF will track an index of 30 global clean energy companies and also offer a unique offsetting mechanism

Carbon emissions will be offset via climate-positive projects, including rainforest conservation in Papua New Guinea

A new exchange-traded fund is listing in London that will be the first in Europe to offset any carbon emissions from the index it is tracking.

The HANetf S&P Global Clean Energy Select HANzero UCITS ETF ( ) is being launched by HANetf and and will track the S&P Global Clean Energy Select index, which measures the performance of 30 of the largest companies in global clean energy related businesses.

On top of this, the ETF will incorporate carbon offsetting so that any carbon emissions linked to the underlying securities will be compensated by buying carbon credits from certificated climate-positive offset projects selected by South Pole, a Zurich-based offsetting specialist.

Using the monthly carbon to value invested data for the index published by S&P DJI, HANetf said it will calculate a daily accrual which will then be offset with offset credits.

It added that the projects selected by South Pole are upheld to the standards set by the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA) and are subject to full screening, third party auditing and in house due diligence.

The ETFs total expense ratio (TER) will be 0.55%, with associated costs of the offsetting taken from the TER and so will not impact performance, HANetf said.

HANetf said that due to the uniqueness of this offering it is trademarking the process as HANzero, which it now also intends to apply to future ETF launches.

Under the HANzero programme, HANetf said it will initially make contributions to two projects: the conservation of the Topaiyo rainforest in Papua New Guinea and the Musi River hydro plant on the island of Sumatra, Indonesia.

The ETF is due to start trading in London before the end of June and will be passported across Europe, scheduled Article 6 under the EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).

Environmentally conscious investors can now target capital growth with the HANetf S&P Global Clean Energy Select HANzero UCITS ETF, ZERO, safe in the knowledge that any carbon emissions linked to their investment will be offset in some exciting global climate positive projects, said Nik Bienkowski, co-founder and co-CEO of HANetf.

He added that is was the first ETF in Europe with the ability to offset carbon and that HANzero is maybe our most impactful innovation to date.

Som Seif, founder and CEO of , said with the election of President Biden increasing optimism about green policies and the global consensus solidifying behind the fight against climate change, the ETF not only delivers access to the most exciting pure-play clean energy companies but it offers an article 6 product under SFDR and the opportunity to remove an investors carbon footprint.
Mathura : , June 25 (IANS) In a suspected attempt to kill senior officials of the commercial tax department, a canter truck rammed into a personal vehicle of a joint commissioner while he was checking a vehicle on a special input of transportation of 'silver without paying GST, with his mobile squad team.

The incident took place in Naujheel area in Mathura on Thursday.

While a commercial tax officer Virendra Singh and a constable Kishore Kumar Shukla were killed, joint commissioner Special Investigation Branch (SIB) Manoj Tripathi, Assistant Commissioner Vinay Gupta, driver Vijay Kumar, peon Vinod Kumar sustained grievous injuries.

Anil Rawat, helper of the pick-up vehicle, which was being checked by the officials, was also rushed to the hospital.

The truck driver fled from the spot.

Mathura District Magistrate Navneet Singh Chahal said that Tripathi has been admitted at Noida's Fortis hospital and his condition was stated to be critical while other three were stated to be stable and admitted at Kailash hospital.

"I am in constant touch with the Noida district magistrate. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Maant and Circle Officer have also visited the hospital in Noida to meet the family members of the victims," he said.

Additional Commissioner of Commercial Tax department, Vinay Asthana told reporters that joint commissioner Tripathi had some information about transportation of silver consignment from Agra to Delhi with GST evasion.

"They parked the vehicles on the side of the expressway and a truck rammed into the personal vehicle of the joint commissioner, when they were standing for checking the papers," he said.

Mathura SSP Gaurav Grover said that the FIR will be registered on the basis of a complaint provided by the department.

"We will probe all the angles," he said.

Inspector General of Agra range Naveen Arora also reached Naujheel police station to inquire about the incident.
Washington, June 25 : The Biden administration plans to evacuate some Afghan interpreters and others who worked with the US military before the withdrawal, according to reports on Thursday.

Citing US officials, multiple media outlets said that some Afghans would be sent to safe locations as they wait for their US visa applications to be processed.

US officials declined to say where the Afghans would wait, and it is not clear whether third countries have agreed to take them, The New York Times wrote in a piece on Thursday.

More than 18,000 Afghans had applied for Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to people who face threats for working for the US government, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The news came as President Joe Biden will meet with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Ashraf Ghani at the White House on Friday.

A group of lawmakers urged the Biden administration to protect these Afghans as the security situation in the country deteriorated, and the US military had completed more than half of the withdrawal.

Taliban militants have been continuing heavy fighting against government forces since the drawdown of US troops on May 1. Taliban claimed it had captured more than 40 suburban districts over the past month.

Biden announced in April that all US troops would leave Afghanistan before September 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that drew the US into its longest war.
Santiago, June 25 : Chile confirmed the first case of the Delta variant of the virus that causes Covid-19 in the country on Thursday, after analysing the test results from a Chilean patient who came from the US, authorities said.

"We have officially confirmed the presence of a patient with the Delta variant, who came from the US and entered through the Santiago airport," Chilean Minister of Health Enrique Paris said during a speech before the Chamber of Deputies.

The 43-year-old woman has been in quarantine since her arrival in the country, and the Delta variant "is much more contagious than others we have had so far," Paris explained.

The Chilean Congress will vote Thursday on a request to extend the constitutional state of exception for another 90 days, starting on June 30, which allows the regulation of people's liberties, including a night curfew currently in effect, the Xinhua news agency reported.

The detection of the Delta variant in the South American country came amid high levels of Covid-19 infections and hospital demand, despite the progress of mass vaccination against the virus, according to specialists.

Chile had accumulated 1,531,872 Covid-19 cases and 31,797 deaths as of Thursday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Suva, June 25 : Fiji recorded 308 new cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, setting a new record for daily infections, according to the Ministry of Health.

Fijian Permanent Secretary for Health James Fong said that a 63-year-old who was positive for Covid-19 had died and doctors were investigating whether this is related to the virus, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Of the new cases, 297 are from the Lami-Nausori Containment Zone and 11 from Nadi, Fiji's third largest town in the western part of Viti Levu.

Fong confirmed that there were seven severe cases of Covid-19 admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva as two people are recovering and no longer classified as severe.

Head of Health Protection in Fiji Aalisha Sahukhan said they had continued to record clusters in Naitasiri and Tailevu provinces.

Sahukhan said Fiji has recorded 13 Covid-19 deaths so far, 11 of which are from the current outbreak alone.

There were 17 recoveries in the last 24 hours which means 2,173 active cases are in isolation.

Fiji has recorded 2,778 cases of Covid-19 since the outbreak in April and 2,848 cases since the first case detected in the country in March 2020 with 653 recoveries so far.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama stressed on Friday that the Covid-19 vaccine is the key that will open the gates to normal life in Fiji, urging all eligible Fijians to get vaccinated.

The prime minister said the vaccine is the right thing for each individual's health and safety as a total of 299,202 Fijians have been vaccinated with at least one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine, representing 45 per cent of the targeted population in the island nation.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New York, June 25 : Six bills taking aim at the Big Tech market power are hurtling forward in the US Congress with bipartisan support even as a House panel has pushed forward an ambitious legislative package that seeks to rein in Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple by targeting their ownership of mighty online platforms in combination with other lines of business that kill competition.

The bills moved forward after a 12-hour all nighter debate, especially over features which would require online platforms to allow users to communicate across competitor services.

Lawmakers closed shop at 5 a.m. on Thursday on the East Coast.

Supporters of the bills argue that the proposed changes will hand consumers power over how their personal data is extracted and juiced by businesses which rely on these data to drive their predictive models and profits.

"With this package of historic legislation, we have the opportunity to take control of our own destiny to be a global leader in developing rules of the road for the digital economy," Judiciary Committee chair Jerry Nadler said.

"We cannot be complacent and we cannot delay." These developments come barely a week after President Joe Biden appointed strident Big Tech critic Lina Khan to head the Federal Trade Commission in a sign of a tougher stance against technology companies which have seeped into society in remarkable ways.

Khan played a crucial role in the sweeping, 15-month long investigation of the tech giants' market power.

Listed below are the six bills that now enter what is likely to be a long slog through Congress: The Access Act, which came in for maximum debate, details a new framework for data portability and interoperability.

The Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act gives the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission more money to take on antitrust cases against tech companies. It increases filing fees for tech mergers above $500 million and lowers fees for those under that level. The legislation passed 29-12.

The State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act was approved 34-7 and heads to the House floor for a final vote. If it passes, it would give states greater powers in deciding the courts where tech antitrust cases would be heard. Plenty of so-called atechlash' cases have piled up, especially over the last year with state attorneys general, the US Justice Department and the FTC suing dominant US technology companies.

The Platform Competition and Opportunity Act would prevent large tech platforms from buying up early stage competitors, like the Facebook buyout of Instagram in 2012.

The Ending Platform Monopolies Act would force large tech companies to sever lines of business that conflict with one another and hurt competitors.

The American Choice and Innovation Act seeks to stop companies like Google or Amazon from giving preference to their products on their own platforms.

If these bills gain momentum, the US could see landmark changes in the tech industry.

For now, they are headed to the House floor, where more than 400 lawmakers will vote. Next stop is the Senate, where Democrats will need solid Republican support to break through a 60 vote barrier.

Democrats control the House, but the Senate is a 50-50 split.
Kathmandu, June 25 : Online classes amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has boosted the import of mobile phones in Nepal, according to data released by the country's Department of Customs.

As online teaching is continuing, demand for smartphones has grown substantially in the Himalayan country, leading to a growing import of mobile phones during the first 11 months of the current 2020-21 fiscal year which ends in mid-July, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the Ministry data, Nepal imported mobile phones worth 34.14 billion NPR ($287 million) during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, in contrast with 15.74 billion NPR over the same period of last fiscal year.

As to the number of mobile phones, 6.55 million sets were imported during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, as against 4.07 million for the same period of the last fiscal year.

"Soaring demand for smartphones for education purposes is the main reason behind a massive growth in import of mobile phones," Sanjaya Agrawal, chief executive officer of Tele Direct, an authorised smartphone distributor, told Xinhua.

"Another reason is that border control measures taken to control the spread of coronavirus have also discouraged the entry of smuggled and counterfeit mobile phones." Last year, Nepal imported over 60 per cent of mobile phones from China, according to Agrawal.

According to the Department of Customs data, Nepal imported mobile phones from China worth 20.76 billion NPR during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, which accounted for some 61 per cent of the total value.

Meanwhile mobile phones valued at 11.83 billion NPR were brought in from India during the same period, the data further revealed.

The Panini School in Kathmandu does not allow students to carry mobile phones normally. But since the starting of online classes, around 400 students have been making such gadgets part of their daily lives.

The Kathmandu Valley has been put under a lockdown since late April in response to a new wave of the pandemic, under which schools are shut down to help control the spread of the virus.

"Most of our students are now taking online classes," said Karna Bahadur Shahi, founding principal of the Panini Education Network which runs the school.

"In the past, we had to advise the students not to overuse mobile phones and other gadgets but such a gadget has been indispensable for their study due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Lucknow, June 25 : For the second time in three months, the Bhartiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh has been forced to change candidates for the panchayat elections, because they were related to former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who has been convicted of rape.

The BJP had named Arun Singh as its candidate for the zila panchayat chairman's post in Unnao but the rape victim appealed against the decision to President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in this regard.

In her appeal, the rape victim said that Arun Singh was one of the co-accused in the case registered in connection with the accident involving her car on July 28, 2019, in which her two aunts were killed while she and her lawyer were critically injured.

Arun Singh claimed that though he was initially named in the case but the CBI had given him a clean chit. "Allegations are being levelled against me at the behest of my rivals," he said.

The party has named Shakun Singh as its candidate. Shakun is the wife of former MLC Ajeet Singh, who was shot dead in 2005. Singh was a well-known mafia don of the state.

Unnao district chief Raj Kishore Rawat said that state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh had directed him to change the candidate.

Earlier, in April, the BJP had named Kuldeep Sengar's wife, Sangeeta Sengar, as the party candidate for the zila panchayat ward member but replaced her after a similar uproar against her candidature.

Sengar, a former BJP MLA from Unnao's Bangarmau seat, was accused of rape by the victim in 2017.

A Delhi court had sentenced Sengar to life imprisonment in the case in December 2019.

In March 2020, a special court sentenced Sengar, his brother Atul Singh and five others to 10 years' imprisonment in two cases linked to the death of the Unnao rape victim's father in 2018.

Kuldeep Sengar was expelled from the BJP and disqualified as member of state assembly after the trial court convicted him.

The election for the zila panchayat chairperson will be held on July 3.
Dhaka, June 25 : The Bangladesh government has suspended transportation services linking capital Dhaka to the other parts of the country in a further effort to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the Bangladesh Railway (BR), all trains to and from the capital city have been suspended from 12.01 a.m. on Wednesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Sardar Shahadat Ali, a senior BR official, told journalists on Thursday that the suspension would remain in force till June 30.

Also, long route buses to and from the capital city were suspended from Tuesday as part of emergency measures to contain the transmission of the disease.

Movement of ferries from the capital Dhaka to various destinations have already been halted due to growing concern over the virus.

Bangladesh has so far reported 872,935 coronavirus cases and 13,868 deaths.
Ballia : , June 25 (IANS) A 35-year-old man, resident of Ballia district, has been arrested by a team of women power line (WPL) 1090 for allegedly making obscene video calls to 370 women across 15 districts and blackmailing them.

The accused, Shiv Kumar Verma, a graduate, has been arrested from his stationary shop in the Garhwar police station area of Ballia.

Police officials said that Verma used seven mobile phones, each with different numbers, to harass women. He used to later destroy the SIM cards and handsets.

The police said he would type random numbers and check their registration on the 'True Caller' app. He then would save the numbers registered in the name of women and make video calls via WhatsApp during odd hours, police said.

"He used to undress and start a conversation using a video screen recorder. Before the women could understand and snap the call, he used to shoot it. Women who used to snap the call were harassed repeatedly. Those who said they would complain, were blackmailed that the screen video recording would be sent to their in-laws and husband. As a result, many victims did not report the matter to any authority and changed their phone numbers," said the officer.

A complaint against Verma was first received from Lucknow in February 2020.

"Verma was counselled by WPL 1090 multiple times but he did not mend his ways," said the officer.

He has been booked under the charges of singing, reciting, uttering obscene words, stalking, dishonesty, forgery, fraudulently and dishonestly using any genuine document and criminal intimidation.

Additional Director General of Police, 1090 WPL, Neera Rawat said more girls and women under distress should avail the service by calling 1090.

"We are continuously helping them on social media by making them aware and also acting tough against those stalking and harassing them," she said.
Jhansi : , June 25 (IANS) One man died when five passengers jumped off a train in Jhansi after realizing that they had boarded the wrong train.

The deceased, identified as Ajay Kumar, 33, came under the wheels of the train, while four others, including his two siblings, were injured in the incident.

The victims had boarded the wrong train at Jhansi station and panicked when it left the station.

In a hurry, they all jumped off the train which resulted in Ajay's death.

The incident took place on Thursday, barely a kilometre away from Jhansi railway station.

Ajay was travelling to Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh along with his younger siblings Vijay Kumar and Sanjay, cousin Sandeep Kumar and uncle Jagmohan.

They all work as daily wage labourers in a private company in Andhra Pradesh.

Vijay suffered serious injuries and is in coma. The remaining three persons escaped with minor injuries.

Sandeep Kumar, one of the five, told reporters, "They reached Jhansi from Gorakhpur in a bus and had to board a train for Rajahmundry. But by mistake, we boarded a Delhi bound train." GRP personnel of Jhansi division said they received a distress message of the incident.

"The five men had jumped off the train after it had travelled nearly a kilometre. The victims panicked and jumped off the train after they realized the mistake," said sub-inspector Sandeep Kumar.

Ajay's body has been sent for autopsy, while the injured have been admitted to the government medical college in Jhansi, the official said.
Nagpur, June 25 : For the second time in a month, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided the house of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh.

The ED team reached Deshmukh's residence with a huge posse of police and central police forces, sparking speculation of further stringent action in the matter.

The senior NCP leader quit his post after former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh wrote a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray levelling allegations of corruption against him (Deshmukh).

Further details of the ongoing ED action were awaited.

---IANS qn/in

///

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Jakarta, June 25 : An Indonesian court has sentenced a controversial cleric to four years in jail for not supporting the government's efforts to handle the Covid-19 pandemic and lying on his positive status.

Cleric Muhammad Rizieq Shihab, a leader of the hard-line group Islamic Defenders Front that was banned in 2020 by the Indonesian government, was proven to have committed a crime of fake notification, Khadwanto, a judge at the East Jakarta district court, said on Thursday.

This verdict is lower than the prosecutor's demand of six years in prison.

The case began when Shihab, who was under medical treatment at the Ummi hospital in Bogor, West Java province, refused a swab test.

In a video he sent to a television station, Shihab said he was in good and healthy condition, though the results of the antigen swab test concluded that he was Covid positive.

The fake notification, the judge added, could have a bigger impact as he is a religious figure with many followers.

The court also sentenced the director of the Ummi hospital Andi Tatat, and Shihab's son-in-law Hanif Alatas, to one year in prison each for covering up his lie.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Washington, June 25 : US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has confirmed that she spoke with Apple CEO Tim Cook about a recent slate of antitrust bills, adding that she told him to let the process play out, the media reported On Thursday, the House Speaker detailed her conversation with Cook, but maintained her stance that American privacy and data are at the ends of giant technology companies.

Pelosi said she told Cook to let the legislative process continue, citing CNBC, AppleInsider reported.

"If you have substantive concerns -- and they have members who have voted with them on this -- they can put forth what they want to put forth," said House Speaker Pelosi.

"But we are not going to ignore the consolidation that has happened and the concern that exists on both sides of the aisle," Pelosi added.

Pelosi also said that the primary concerns of lawmakers are consumers and competition. While technology is an asset to the US, the speaker said she's concerned about fairness, privacy and data exploitation.

Just a day earlier, reports indicated that Cook had personally called Pelosi and other lawmakers in an attempt to sway opinion against a recent slate of antitrust bills that could have major changes on the technology industry.

Cook reportedly said that the bills were rushed and would stifle innovation and hurt consumers.

The antitrust package was introduced in the US House earlier in June. There are a total of five bills that could have significant ramifications for Apple and other technology giants, including new restrictions on the preinstallation of first-party iOS apps.

Along with Apple, other groups have voiced their opposition to the bills.

On Tuesday, a group of think tanks and nonprofits -- some of which are backed by Apple -- penned a letter to the House Judiciary Committee urging lawmakers to reject the bills.
Moscow, June 25 : Over 120,000 cyber attacks on Russias "critical infrastructure" were carried out in 2020, the country's Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev said, adding that a "significant number of them originated in the US, Germany and the Netherlands".

Russia is often subjected to unfriendly actions in the cyber sphere, TASS News Agency quoted Patrushev as saying on Thursday while addressing the Moscow Conference on International Security.

He added that the cyber attacks targeted "state government objects, military-industrial enterprises, healthcare, transport, research and education facilities".

He noted that Russia is often "groundlessly accused of carrying out cyber attacks against Western states... And this is despite the fact that through NATO, the West has officially declared cyberspace a place for military actions".

"We find it important to ensure non-politicised cooperation between the states with the aim of creating a global international information security system," Patrushev said.

He added that these efforts should be open and inclusive.

The Security Council Secretary also claimed that "Russia actively cooperates with other countries within the UN and other organisations in this sphere".

"The need for such formats of cooperation is becoming more obvious as information technologies are turning into an important factor of strategic stability."
Chandigarh, June 25 : Amidst the pandemic, medical services were badly hit in Punjab on Friday after doctors of state-run hospitals joined a day-long strike to protest against the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations on de-linking non-practicing allowance (NPA) from the basic pay.

The impact of the strike was seen more in rural areas of the state.

Medical services in the out-patient departments (OPDs) were severely affected due to the strike. However, emergency services were exempted from the strike.

Patients and their attendants blamed the government to resolve the issue amicably.

"The common man suffers more because of the strike as they couldn't afford the costly private treatment," Gurdev Singh, a resident of Amritsar who brought his mother for treatment, said.

The call for strike was given by the Joint Punjab Government Doctors Coordination Committee, which is supported by the Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association, the Punjab Medical Teachers Association, the Rural Medical Officers Association, the Punjab Dental Medical Officers Association and the Punjab Ayurveda Officers Association.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Thursday constituted an oversight committee of ministers to resolve the grievances of the employees of the government.

Local Government Minister Brahm Mohindra, Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, Social Justice Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Medical Education and Research Minister O.P. Soni and Health Minister Balbir Sidhu will be a part of the committee.

The Chief Minister also directed the Chief Secretary to constitute an officers' committee to personally listen to the grievances of the employees of various departments.
Washington, June 25 : The American Red Cross has warned of a "severe" blood shortage nationwide of "unprecedented levels" amid a tough battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, the media reported.

"We did not anticipate that it would be at this level," Xinhua news agency quoted Pampee Young, the Red Cross's chief medical officer of biomedical services, as saying in a Washington Post report published on Thursday.

According to the report, this year alone, the Red Cross said it has experienced a 10 per cent increase in red blood cell demand from hospital trauma centres compared with 2019.

The Red Cross also attributed the pandemic towards the blood shortage as well.

It said that there was a need for increased blood transfusions because people who deferred care during the pandemic are now experiencing more advanced disease progression, which leads to an increase in demand for transfusions.

Since March of 2021, the Red Cross said that it has distributed nearly 75,000 more blood products than officials expected, to meet these needs.

"The rise in need and a slowdown in traditional collection methods, such as donation drives at schools and offices, halted in large due to pandemic precautions, means supplies have dwindled to precariously low levels," the American Red Cross added.

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, have updated their recommendations for blood donations as Covid-19 vaccinations have become more prevalent across the country.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Dharamsala, June 25 : Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) President Penpa Tsering on Friday thanked former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo for his constant efforts during his leadership to raise the issue of Tibet and hold China accountable for its gross human rights violations.

Dalai Lama's representative Arya Tsewang Gyalpo met Abe and other parliamentarians at their offices in Tokyo and conveyed greetings from Tsering.

In a letter, Tsering said: "Your efforts have also inspired many other Japanese parliamentarians and politicians to support the Tibetan cause which was instrumental in establishing the All Party Japanese Parliamentary Support Group of Tibet, the world's largest Parliamentary Support Group with 100 parliamentarians." He further said Abe's efforts to raise the issue of Tibet in Japan have also heralded a new era of Japan-Tibet relations marked by growing interest in Tibetan Buddhism and culture, and increasing support for Tibet among the Japanese public.

A post on the CTA's website quoting Abe said he always raised the issue of Tibet during his meeting with world leaders when he was the Prime Minister, adding, Tibetans should direct their effort to strengthen advocacy in the European Union.

He inquired about the current situation in Tibet and expressed concern over the issue of Tibet not getting highlighted much at the international level such as during the recently concluded G7 meeting.

Representative told Abe that the situation in Tibet has become more repressive and there is no freedom of movement and information as the Chinese government has turned Tibet into a police state.

Later, representative Arya met Shimomura Hakubun, Chairman of the All Party Japanese Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet, and delivered him the letter from Penpa Tsering.

In his letter, he wrote: "Your support for the Tibetan cause reinforces and mirrors his commitment to truth, justice and freedom. We will seek your support and participation for a more collaborative global network of parliamentarians in moving the cause of Tibet."
New Delhi, June 25 : Former Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday fired fresh salvos at the Narendra Modi government over the Delta Plus variant of Covid and asked why no testing on a large-scale was being done to stop its spread.

"Question to Modi government on Delta plus variant, why there is no testing on large-scale to stop the spread of this variant. How effective are the vaccines and till when will full information be made available? What is the plan to control it in the third wave?" Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi.

His remarks came after several cases of Delta Plus strain -- a mutation of the Delta strain which drove the second wave of the virus in the country -- have been found in Kerala, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The parent Delta strain is highly infectious, however, not much is known yet about the Delta Plus.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Berlin, June 25 : German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended patent protection for Covid-19 vaccines in a government statement in the Bundestag or the lower house of Parliament.

"A politically enforced release of patents is, in my opinion, the wrong way to go," Merkel said on Thursday.

She said she was convinced that "we need to increase the production of vaccines on the basis of licenses as quickly as possible".

The world will "continue to depend on vaccines being developed in the future", Merkel said in the German government's statement on the June 24-25 European Council meeting in Brussels.

"This will only succeed if the protection of intellectual property is not overridden but is preserved." At their summit, the EU's heads of state and government will discuss, among other things, the progress of the Covid vaccination campaign and the global distribution of vaccines.

Merkel emphasised that the decision to jointly procure vaccines in Europe was right.

"Anything else might have given some member states short-term advantages but would have severely disrupted life in the internal market." Till date, more than 27.8 million people in Germany had been fully vaccinated, bringing the country's vaccination rate to 33.5 per cent, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).

More than 43.4 million people received at least one vaccine dose.

"The pandemic can only be defeated globally and the key to this is vaccination," Merkel stressed.

It is therefore important that the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US) aim to distribute 2.3 billion vaccine doses to the developing countries by 2022.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Moscow, June 25 : The Russian Foreign Ministry has summoned UK Ambassador Deborah Bronnert and "strongly" protested against the violation by a British warship of Moscow's "territorial waters" in the Black Sea.

The Ministry in a statement on Thursday denounced the "provocative and dangerous actions" of the UK Navy destroyer HMS Defender in Russia's "territorial waters" on Wednesday, which went against the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, reports Xinhua news agency.

If such provocations happen again, "all responsibility for their possible consequences will rest entirely on the British side", the Ministry warned.

According to the Defence Ministry in Moscow, the warship "crossed the Russian border" in the northwestern part of the Black Sea at 11.52 a.m. on Wednesday after going 3 km beyond the sea border in the area of Cape Fiolent, and Russia's Black Sea Fleet Su-24M aircraft carried out "warning bombing" along the path of the destroyer.

In a statement later in the day, the British Ministry of Defence's Press Office said that "no warning shots have been fired at HMS Defender".

"The Royal Navy ship is conducting innocent passage through Ukrainian territorial waters in accordance with international law," it said.

The Press Office further said: "We believe the Russians were undertaking a gunnery exercise in the Black Sea and provided the maritime community with prior-warning of their activity."
New Delhi, June 25 : Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman discussed opportunities in India for growth and investment on the back of the reform measures taken by government, during a global investors roundtable organised by the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF).

The roundtable held through video conference witnessed participation of some of the largest foreign investors, including Mastercard, MetLife, Prudential, Air Products, Dell, SoftBank and Warburg Pincus amongst others.

The event held on Wednesday provided investors with an opportunity to engage with the Union Finance Minister and senior officials of Indian government to discuss potential investment opportunities and deliberate on the role of ongoing policy reforms that will enable greater ease-of-doing-business in India, said an official statement.

The Finance Minister remarked that macro-economic stability, infrastructure-led economic growth opportunities, financial sector reforms, and positioning as a strong player in global supply chains are just some of the ways India continues to rise as a global economic powerhouse.

The broad messages conveyed to the investors include the "significant drop" in daily Covid cases and "strong relief and reforms" undertaken by Government during the pandemic times The minister also outlined that continued macro-economic stability and resilience in economic recovery in the recent months and the vision to make India 'self-reliant'.

In her concluding remarks, Sitharaman spoke about going ahead with an overall vision to build a self-reliant modern India driven by -- Intent, Inclusion, Investment, Infrastructure and Innovation. The Finance Minister stated that the country is committed for long term relationship with US investors and proposes to meet twice yearly.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, June 25 : Actor Ravi Bhatia who is currently seen in the web series, "Shukla: The Tiger", is fortunate to have got the opportunity to work in all three mediums -- television, films and OTT.

While "Shukla: The Tiger" has won him new fans on OTT, the actor has been part of television shows such as "Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se" and "Ishq Subhan Allah, and now has the film "The Conversion" in the pipeline.

"As an actor I feel blessed to explore and act on all the three platforms, be it TV screen, digital or Bollywood. I have got an opportunity to connect and entertain my audience in each of them. I feel it is the dream of every artiste and all of us seek such opportunities," the actor tells IANS.

Ravi's upcoming film "The Conversation", is directed by Vinod Tiwari and is a story that features a love triangle.

Talking about the film, the actor says: "It is not a simple love triangle that we have seen earlier, but I can assure my audience that they will enjoy watching a new story that sensitively explores the dilemma of religious conversions that happen during Indian love marriages." Besides this, the actor will also be seen in the web series "Margaon: The Closed File", which also stars veteran actress Zeenat Aman.
Chennai, June 25 : The Indian Army will carry out logistics trials in Kashmir with the drones of city based Garuda Aerospace.

"The Indian Army has asked us to demonstrate the load carrying capabilities of drones in medium and high altitudes. The demonstration is being held at Gulmarg in Kashmir," Agnishwar Jayaprakash, Managing Director, Garuda Aerospace, told IANS.

According to Jayaprakash, the trails for the army will be held next month. The army has asked for drones with a capacity to carry 10 to 20 kg to higher altitude at a distance of five to ten kilometres.

Last month, India's space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) trialed drone-based delivery of medicines, vegetables and spraying of disinfectants at its staff quarters located in rocket launch town Sriharikota.

Similarly, Varanasi Smart City carried out public dissemination, sanitisation and medicine delivery operations on trial basis within Varanasi with Garuda Aerospace drones.

According to Jayaprakash, different agencies are looking at the use of drones in their monitoring operations.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has recently made monthly video recording of national highway projects mandatory during all stages of development, construction, operation and maintenance work using drones.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted a conditional exemption to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for testing the feasibility of drones delivering vaccines.

Last year when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out in the country, Garuda Aerospace bagged drone based sanitization orders from several municipal corporations and smart cities like Varanasi, Rourkela, Raipur, Chennai and Hyderabad.

The company also had bagged contracts from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Haryana governments for spraying anti-locust pesticide in the state when there was a locust swarm attack last year.
Gurugram, June 25 : It's raining discounts for air passengers in India this monsoon season. After Vistara, it's now SpiceJet offering rock bottom fares under its mega monsoon sale.

The low cost carrier is offering one way all-inclusive domestic sale fares starting from as low as Rs 999 for travel to select destinations such as Hyderabad-Belgaum, Belgaum-Hyderabad, Chennai-Hyderabad, Chennai-Bengaluru amongst others.

On Thursday, full service carrier Vistara had announced a 48-hour 'Monsoon Sale' across its domestic network that offers a one-way all-in fare starting Rs 1,099.

SpiceJet said it's customers can enjoy weekend getaways and exciting holidays with the Monsoon sale's free flight voucher. The free flight voucher is equivalent to the base fare amounting up to Rs 1,000 per PNR and is applicable for bookings with travel period starting from August 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Welcoming monsoon with utmost fervour, the airline has also rolled out special offers from brands like Grofers, Mfine, Medibuddy, MobiKwik and The PARK hotels. These special brand offers are available for customers booking their tickets directly through SpiceJet website.

The airline also said that customers can avail special prices for essential Add Ons like preferred seats and You 1st Priority Services for just Rs 149. They can also chose SpiceMAX and get extra legroom, priority services, meals and beverage for just Rs 799 under this offer.

The sale will be valid for bookings made from 25 June, 2021 till 30 June, 2021 while the travel period validity for these bookings is from 1 August, 2021 to 31st March, 2022.

Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Commercial Officer, SpiceJet said, "With our special Mega Monsoon Sale offer, you won't find a reason to say no to those much-awaited short breaks. Our new unbelievable fares and offers are carefully curated to give the best value to our passengers and ensure a great travelling experience." "We have also partnered with multiple brands to bring special deals to our passengers that will help them save time and money on their daily expenses and healthcare services." SpiceJet's special discounted fare offer is valid for all one-way retail fares on direct domestic bookings. Tickets for the Mega Monsoon Sale can be booked across channels.
Mumbai, June 25 : Actress Bhumi Pednekar thanks her parents for making her an opinionated person.

"I thank my parents for imparting strong values in me and I'm deeply thankful to them for making me this opinionated person that I have become," Bhumi, who is also an environmentalist, said.

She added: "I will continue on my mission to constantly do my bit for the community and the fellow citizens of my country." The actress, with her initiatives Climate Warrior and Covid Warrior, tries to reach out to people in need and raise as much awareness on critical issues that our country faces today.

On the work front, Bhumi will be seen with Akshay Kumar in the upcoming film "Raksha Bandhan". She will also be seen in "Badhaai Do", a sequel to the Ayushmann Khurrana starrer "Badhaai Ho".

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 25 : Automaker MG Motor India is expanding its retail footprint by proactively foraying into Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets, in addition to its established operational bases, because of the strong demand, informs Gaurav Gupta, CCO of MG Motor India.

He adds: "By the end of this year, we aim to expand to 250+ locations in 140+ cities across the nation." IANSlife spoke to Gupta to get details on business strategy, the brands journey so far and the various initiatives undertaken under its CSR activity.

Excerpts: Q: How has been MG's journey so far in India?

A: In the past three years of operations, MG has done exceptionally well by every benchmark. Our first product, MG Hector -- India's first internet SUV, was received with a lot of fanfare in India. It still continues to maintain one of the highest resale values within its segment.

Following Hector's launch in 2019, we had to stop accepting new bookings for a while due to the high order volume. Community and diversity being our core brand values, we launched the 'Worth Waiting For' campaign to support girl child education. As a part of the campaign, our customers received 1,000 points for every additional week that they had to wait for MG Hector. These points could either be redeemed for accessories or maintenance packages at our dealerships or support girl child education. The campaign was well-received and received a lot of praise from our customers.

As Hector sales continued to increase, we launched MG ZS EV in early 2020. ZS EV can be called a major milestone in India's automobile industry. The electric vehicle offers the perfect confluence of affordability, range, performance, and features. Owing to our customer-centric approach, we have been able to retail 2,042 units of ZS EV till May 2021 despite lockdowns and market hiccups.

In late 2020, we further introduced India's first autonomous (Level 1) premium SUV, MG Gloster. It has received good traction, which is also the case with our MG Hector 2021 and MG ZS EV 2021. Overall, we have had a very pleasant journey so far.

Q: What are your future plans for the Indian market? A: At present, we are expanding our retail footprint by proactively foraying into Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets, in addition to our established operational bases, because of the strong demand. The regions house tech-savvy Indians who want to avail state-of-the-art products and services.

By the end of this year, we aim to expand to 250+ locations in 140+ cities across the nation. On the EV charging front, we have partnered with Tata Power and Fortum. With the expansion of ZS EV sales footprint to 31 cities, we will further augment the fast-charging network. The target is to have 60 DC chargers in 55 cities by year-end.

Q: What is MG SEWA? A: MG SEWA is an umbrella platform to serve immediate communities around our operational bases. Since 2019, we have supported several relief measures via MG SEWA, especially across three fronts, i.e. girl child education, upskilling underprivileged women, and women empowerment in general. Some of our key initiatives include Covid-19-related support, skill development course for engineering students with 'MG Dakshata', our skill development program for underprivileged women 'Prerna', and donation of essential kits to deprived communities.

Through our partnership with IIMPACT NGO, we are also currently sponsoring quality primary education for over 1,477 girls across remote villages. Similar initiatives are live with Udayan Care and Save the Children foundation as well. MG SEWA has also spread awareness on road safety across schools and nurtured over 100 start-ups in the auto-tech space.

Some of MG SEWA's other key initiatives include Drive Her Back -- enabling women to return to the workplace with dignity and pride, Changemakers -- honouring women entrepreneurs doing exceptional work, and Womentorship -- empowering social women entrepreneurs across communities.

During Covid-19 crisis, we had launched MG Healthline for its customers seeking medical assistance. Recently, we also converted our Hector Plus into Covid-19 mobile testing unit. The vehicle will be used as Dhanvantari Rath for Covid-19 vaccination, testing and other mobile healthcare services in Gujarat.

Q: What initiatives did MG SEWA take during the pandemic? A: Ever since the pandemic broke, MG SEWA has remained at the forefront of community service. Given the inherent dynamism of Covid-19, we addressed wide-ranging problems as and when they emerged, including amplifying medical oxygen production, strengthening indigenous ventilator manufacturing, development and donation of Hector Ambulances, extending relief supplies and sanitization, sanitizing vehicles of police personnel and elderly people, as well as distributing masks and hygiene kits and food items.

In April 2021, we had joined hands with Devnandan Gases Pvt. Ltd. in Gujarat and supported in increasing the oxygen production by 36 per cent at one of the latter's plants in Vadodara within a month. MG has further offered 200 beds for Covid-19 patients in Gurugram with an online healthcare platform, Credihealth, while also raising funds for and distributing biodegradable bedsheets to the affected in Pune.

We also gave a special emphasis to the e-learning of underprivileged children to minimise the digital divide. Recently, we have also launched an initiative to sponsor the academic fees of young survivors whose parents lost the battle against Covid-19.

Q: Pandemic has fast-tracked the digital transformation across industries. How has MG flared when it comes to digital retail of vehicles? A: At MG, we have always maintained a digital edge in the market. In fact, MG was the industry pioneer to process the digital booking of vehicles. In 2020, we further introduced the 'Disinfect & Deliver' program, wherein we became one of the first automakers in India to deliver vehicles at the doorstep of our customers. In other words, we helped the industry to transition into an end-to-end e-commerce model.

At the same time, we also developed a dedicated suite to ramp up the digital experience at our dealerships. While maintaining the highest standards of hygiene, we also integrated solutions such as MG Vphy, a voice-guided demonstration of MG vehicles.

Q: How are the MG sales since the dealerships were shut during the lockdown? What was the result online as against offline during 2020? A: We maintain a seamless omnichannel experience online as well as offline with an industry-leading Car Configurator and Adobe Marketing Suite of Products. We are currently receiving 50 per cent of our queries digitally via Facebook, Instagram, Google, and YouTube.

Q: What has been your marketing strategy in the Covid world? A: We strongly believe in our brand ethos, which has community at the heart of it. This community includes our employees, suppliers, dealer partners, and their staff as well as our customers, their families, people living around MG's operational bases, auto-enthusiasts, and everyone else. We will continue to do everything in our capacity to serve the needs of this community.

Q: Can you share the innovations that MG brought to the Indian automotive space? A: Leading the front with our innovation-driven approach, we have introduced several 'firsts' in the Indian automobile industry. They include India's first internet SUV, MG Hector, which comes loaded with more than 70 connected features, India's first pure electric internet SUV, MG ZS EV, and India's first autonomous (Level 1) premium SUV.

The current social and ecological trends have encouraged us to develop cars with an immersive customer experience using high-end technology. We have MG Hector aimed at redefining the role of vehicles by adding a human element to them. It is a true example of India's growing connected car ecosystem. With ZS EV, we have focussed on the demand for electric vehicles among people amid rising climate change concerns. Recent events such as the pandemic, incidents of wildfire, and stories of melting glaciers have added to the development.

MG has also stepped into familiarising automobile enthusiasts with the new era of innovation. Our MG Gloster is much beyond internet cars. It is equipped with ADAS technology, which is the first step towards autonomous vehicles.

At MG, we are not only unleashing tech innovation ourselves. We are also building an ecosystem to catalyze such developments.

(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- Syndicated from IANS
Geneva, June 25 : Too many barriers still prevent refugees from being vaccinated against Covid-19, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said, adding that only a small portion of the 82.4 million displaced individuals have received jabs till date.

"Around the world, we have seen an unwavering commitment to not leave refugees behind in COVID-19 vaccination planning. But barriers to vaccination persist," Ann Burton, Chief of UNHCR Public Health Section, said on Thursday.

The Geneva-based Agency reported several types of obstacles, including vaccination centres located too far and registering systems too complicated to use or in languages that were not understood by refugees.

In some countries, vaccination required identity documents that were not possessed by many refugees and asylum-seekers.

In others, costs of vaccines were too high for refugees, affecting fair access to Covid-19 vaccines.

Lack of information, or even misinformation in some cases, created even more issues to vaccinate displaced people.

The UN agency saluted the efforts of some countries, notably Serbia, which brought vaccines directly in asylum centres and completed vaccination for refugees living in private housing.

The UNHCR hoped that more effort will be done to vaccinate 20 per cent of global refugees as it is an objective of the COVAX Facility, a WHO-led initiative aimed at providing more equitable access to vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 25: India has welcomed Russias willingness to actively engage in Indias 'Make in India program for co-development and production of high technology defence items, terming the defence relations as an integral pillar of the 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership' between the two countries.

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, in his address at the 9th Moscow Conference on International Security (MCIS - 2021) which opened Wednesday, said that New Delhi is looking forward to the visit of Russian Defence Minister General Sergei Shoigu to India later this year for the next meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation.

Held annually since 2012 under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence of Russia, the three-day forum consistently strengthens its role as an authoritative platform for discussing the most actual problems of international security and is a traditional subject of interest as in Russia, as abroad.

India Russia Partnership Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar at 9th Moscow Conference on International Security

The forum traditionally brings together Defence Ministers, Heads of International organizations, nongovernment experts and world's think-tank representatives. With the last year's edition having been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 conference is seeing participation of more than 600 participants, including ministers of defence and delegations of military institutions, chiefs of general staffs from various countries who are currently discussing problems of global and regional stability, as well as various security aspects in Europe, Asia, Africa, in the Middle East and in Latin America.

The participants at this edition of the conference will also consider the issues of the information security, the situation after the INF (Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces) Treaty, the military-technical cooperation in Africa and Middle East as the main factor of enhancing regional security and the situation in Europe besides the role of the armed forces in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

At a time when the defence ties between India and Russia continue to grow, Pakistan is also seen cosying up to Russia. On Wednesday, Pakistan's Deputy Minister of Defen?e Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain met Russian Deputy Defen?e Minister Colonel-General Alexander Fomin at the sidelines of the conference to discuss the possibility of building up their potential for military-technical cooperation.

Mian Muhammad Hilal Hussain also noted that the Pakistani government, within the framework of the concept of geo-economic stability, seeks to develop long-term and multifactorial cooperation with Russia in the field of trade, peaceful use of the atom, culture, military and military-technical spheres.

"In our opinion, the Russian Federation plays a key role in this matter. The role of Russia, its active participation has a positive effect on regional stability," said the Deputy Minister of Defen?e of Pakistan.

A 'Special and Privileged Partnership' between India and Russia Military technical cooperation and military-to-military cooperation constitutes an important pillar in the Special and Privileged Partnership between India and the Russian Federation.

India has taken a number of steps to expedite the collaboration between the Indian and Russian companies after the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) on the joint manufacturing of spares in India signed in Vladivostok on September 4, 2019. The IGA provides a framework for partnership of Russian Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEMs) with Indian industry for manufacturing of spare parts of Russian origin equipment in use by the Indian defence forces under the 'Make in India' initiative.

India Russia A large number of delegates from Indian and Russian defence sector companies had participated in the 5th round of India-Russia Military Industrial Conference (IRMIC) which was conducted in February 2020 on the sidelines of Defexpo-2020 at Lucknow. As many as 14 MoUs were exchanged between the Russian OEMs and the Indian companies during the conference.

Later, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, during his visit to Moscow to participate in an event to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Victory Day Parade at Red Square, discussed a broad range of areas of cooperation between the two countries in a meeting with Russian Defence Minister, General Sergei Shoigu.

India said that there was substantial commonality in positions with respect to challenges at the regional and international levels in the areas of peace and security, reflective of the deep trust and confidence that both sides enjoy as strategic partners.

India Russia Friendship Singh had also conveyed appreciation for the steadfast support provided by Russia consistent with the defence and security needs of India, and in this context, particularly noted "the timely manner in which the Russian had responded" to requests for procurement of particular weapon systems.

India has signed agreements with Russia for production of AK-203 rifles - considered one of the most modern weapons available for infantry forces - as a joint venture, manufacturing of spares, components, etc required for Russian/Soviet origin platforms and defence equipment, manufacture of frigates and supply of S-400 long range surface to air missile system.

Russia India Navy Exercise Indra Russian Federation Navy (RuFN) ships Yaroslav Mudry, Viktor Konetsky and Yelnya had participated in the Naval component of the Indo-Russian tri-services Exercise Indra in 2019

At the same time, exercises like 'Indra Navy' - a biennial bilateral maritime exercise between Indian Navy and Russian Navy - have further boosted mutual confidence and cooperation between the defence forces and reinforced the long-standing bond of friendship between the two countries. The primary aim of the 11th edition of Indra Navy-20 organised in the Bay of Bengal last September was to epitomise the long-term strategic relationship between the two Navies.

India defence forces heal the world during Covid-19 pandemic Meanwhile, Defence Ministers of Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Zimbabwe, Sudan and UN Under Secretary General for Peacekeeping among others participated in the session titled 'Role of Military Agencies in fighting against Covid-19' which was addressed by Kumar on Wednesday.

The Defence Secretary stressed on bolstering infrastructure and capabilities for global response to prevent eruption of such pandemics in future.

"Emerging technologies must be leveraged. For example, Artificial Intelligence can be put to use for infection prediction, data analysis and Covid diagnostics with greater accuracy," he suggested while highlighting India's assistance to other countries in fighting Covid-19.

"India not only fought its own battle, India also helped and continues to help friendly foreign nations to withstand Covid-19. Even at a time of great medical and economic stress, India supported others unhesitatingly, inspired by its ancient belief of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family," he added.

He also highlighted that DRDO established Covid care facilities in a matter of days and embarked to set up 500 medical oxygen plants using the Medical Oxygen Plant technology developed for on-board oxygen generation on Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.

"Indian Navy sent a huge number of medical supplies and teams to Indian Ocean Region, while 11 Naval ships ferried in over 1,500 metric tonnes of emergency Liquid Medical Oxygen. Indian Air Force carried out approximately 1,800 sorties and lifted 15,000 metric tonnes of essential medical supplies from within the country and abroad," Kumar told the conference attendees.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Kolkata, June 25 : Even 48 hours after more than 2,000 people fell victim to a fake vaccination drive in the West Bengal capital, the police and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) are not yet sure what was injected in them in the name of Covid-19 vaccines.

Preliminary investigations suggest the fake vials either contained plain water or some other vaccine, as per KMC officials.

"The vials are completely different from the vials the state provides. It is smaller in size without any batch number or manufacturing dates.

"There is no expiry date even. It is suspected that the labels were created separately and pasted on the vials. We have sent the vials for forensic tests. Unless reports come in it will be impossible for us to say anything," a KMC doctor, who has tested the people who have been vaccinated told IANS on condition of anonymity.

"One thing is good -- none of those administered the fake doses has developed any side effects, so far but we are keeping a close watch on everybody," she added.

The Kolkata Police Detective Department while interrogating Debanjan Dev -- the man responsible for running the fake vaccination racket -- has stumbled on some interesting details.

The city police have recovered KMC letterheads, logos, rubber stamps and many other documents which were convincing enough that he worked for KMC. According to the police, Dev recruited people and gave them a salary.

"I had to pay 3 lakhs when I got this job. I was given an appointment letter on a KMC letterhead and went with Dev to many places including KMC head office in Esplanade. I was made to stand in a place and he went away," a person who worked in Dev's company said.

"I dona't know whom he met and what conversation they had. I even went with him to City College for the vaccination drive. I didn't have a hint that I was working for a fraud organisation," the person added.

The police probe team are of the opinion that Debanjan Dev had carefully planned that whole thing. They have also come to know that Dev, who was a good student - used to tell his neighbours that he is an IAS officer and worked at the level of Joint Commissioner in KMC.

He moved about in a vehicle with a blue beacon light and with an armed security guard.

"The office he used to run looked like a KMC office and it is expected that he had developed some close relations with some of the officials of the Corporation but we are yet to find out his source of money and or the motive behind this," a police officer said.

The whole incident came to light when Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty lodged a complaint with the Kolkata Police alleging that a man was running a fake vaccination centre in Kasba area in the Southern fringes of the city on Wednesday.

The actor-turned-politician found the camp suspicious when she received no official confirmation after taking the vaccine from this camp on Wednesday evening and then lodged her complaint.

Police immediately arrested one Dev from South Kolkata.
Nagpur/Mumbai, June 25 : For the second time in 60 days, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) teams raided four locations, including the Nagpur and Mumbai residences of former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in connection with an alleged corruption case filed against him, officials said here on Friday.

The raids were carried out in at least four locations as part of the probe into a money-laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, lodged in May against Deshmukh, a senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, even as the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi slammed the Centre and Bharatiya Janata Party.

Earlier on April 24, around 10 locations of Deshmukh in multiple cities were raided by the ED on April 24 and he was detained for several hours after he was booked.

Prior to that, on April 6, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a preliminary enquiry following a Bombay High Court order asking the agency to probe the allegations of corruptions and misuse of office levelled by former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh.

Soon after the dawn raids started, the ruling MVA allies Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress slammed the Centre and the BJP for "misusing central probe agencies" to harass opposition parties.

Sena MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut besides NCP State President and Minister Jayant Patil accused the Centre of constantly misusing various probe agencies to target opposition parties' and their leaders on flimsy charges.

In a sharp attack, Congress Spokesperson Sachin Sawant sought to know "what the ED is trying to search while raiding the residence of Anil Deshmukh" since both Param Bir Singh and sacked cop Sachin Vaze "never said money was given".

"If the ED feels that money was given, why no raids on Vaze and Singh who supposedly gave the money? Sad state of Democracy We must save Democracy," said Sawant.

He rued that all national investigation agencies have surrendered their independence before the (Narendra) Modi government and are being used as political weapons against the Opposition.

Sawant called upon the three ruling allies to "unitedly oppose this ploy to defame the MVA by torturing its leaders".

NCP MP Supriya Sule said that while the entire state government is working round-the-clock to tackle the challenges of the upcoming Covid-19 'third wave', the Centre is letting loose central agencies to pursue 'vendetta politics' against the Opposition.

In Nagpur, a large group of NCP activists lodged strong protests and raised slogans against the BJP and Centre for "blatantly misusing" central probe agencies like ED, CBI, NIA, etc. to hound opposition leaders.
Kochi, June 25 : Lakshadweep film personality Ayesha Sulthana, who was granted interim bail by the Kerala High Court earlier this month, on Friday got anticipatory bail in a sedition case charged against her by the Kavaratti police.

A complaint was registered by Lakshadweep BJP's unit president Abdul Khader against Sulthana as she had in a TV channel debate on June 7 said that the Centre used biological weapons for spreading Covid in Lakshadweep, which according to the complainant was anti-national.

The Kavaratti police had registered a case against Sulthana with non-bailable charges and asked her to appear before the police on June 20.

It was then she applied for anticipatory bail and then the court granted her interim bail and directed the police that in case she needs to be arrested she should be given bail immediately.

She reached the island and appeared before the police and by now she has been interrogated for three days.

"I have appeared before the police and they behave to me very well and I have no issues with them. I had full faith in the judiciary. When I realised what I had said, I had immediately apologised for my mistake," said Sulthana after hearing the news that she had been given anticipatory bail.

The notice that was served on Sulthana by Sub-Inspector Ameer Bin Mohammed contains charges under 124 A and 153 B of the CrPC, both of which are non-bailable offences.

Incidentally, following the move by Khader, several BJP leaders and workers in the island have resigned from the party.

Sulthana hails from Chelath Island in Lakshadweep, and is based here. Besides being a model, she has worked in various Malayalam films.
Kochi, June 25 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Navy's forward deployment showed the country's intent and readiness during the Galwan standoff amid the military face-off in Ladakh between India and China.

This is the first official word on Indian Navy's proactive deployments in wake of the tensions between India and China. Singh was speaking after inspecting the work on the country's indigenous aircraft carrier in Kochi.

"Navy's proactive forward deployment during the Galwan standoff signalled our intent that we seek peace but are ready for any eventuality." The minister said that Navy remains poised and combat-ready to tackle any challenge.

Singh said it was a pleasure to review first-hand the work being done on the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, which is India's pride and a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

He has been on a two-day visit to Karwar and Kochi.

On Thursday, he had reviewed Project Seabird at Karwar, which will be the largest Naval Base of the Indian Navy in future, and will provide the facilities and infrastructure to support the Navy's operations in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

The aircraft carrier is a much needed boost for the Indian Navy's capabilities as the navy currently functions with only one aircraft carrier.

The defence minister said commissioning of the IAC next year will be a befitting tribute to 75 years of India's Independence.

"The combat capability, reach and versatility of the aircraft carrier will add formidable capabilities in the defence of our country and help secure India's interests in the maritime domain," he said.

The construction of the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in Kochi has faced many delays since work started on it in 2009.

An additional aircraft carrier is key in wake of growing Chinese forays into the Indian Ocean Region.

While INS Vikrant awaits completion even after 11 years since work started, China's first indigenous carrier was commissioned in 2018 within 3 years of starting construction.

India currently has INS Vikaramditya as the only operational aircraft carrier while INS Vikrant is under construction and the Indian Navy has been pressing for the third one but faces resistance from the government and military planners.

Vikrant is in an advanced stage and is expected to start sea trials soon and be fully ready by later 2022 or early 2023.

"Our impetus to modernisation, harnessing India's indigenous industry and know-how, is a key priority," he said.

Pointing out that the navy is looking at indigenous options, the defence ministry saod 42 of the 44 warships on order being built at Indian shipyards is a testimony to this.

"The IAC boasts of nearly 75 per cent indigenous content, from design, to steel used in construction, to key weapons and sensors. DAC has also recently accorded approval for RFP of Project 75-I under the Strategic Partnership model, which will give further fillip to indigenous development of niche manufacturing technologies," he said.

During his address, Singh also talked out Navy's significant contributions in the fight against Covid-19, bringing back Indian citizens from overseas during Op Samudra Setu-I, and much needed Liquid Medical Oxygen during Samudra Setu-II, despite dangers of Covid spread onboard warships.

Search and rescue efforts by Navy during Cyclone Tauktae showcased the spirit of daring and courage among our men and women in whites.

"Our efforts are in alignment with the Prime Minister's Vision of SAGAR, or Security and Growth for All in the Region, and the wider goal of a Free, Open and Inclusive Indo-Pacific region, to ensure peace and stability in the region," the defence minister said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Thiruvananthapuram, June 25 : A day after protests spilled on to the streets following a curt remark by M.C. Josephine, the chairperson of the Kerala Women's Commission on Friday decided to quit from her post.

She is a senior CPI-M central committee member.

The decision that she will put in her papers came at a party meeting in which she also took part at the state CPI-M state headquarters on Friday.

In a TV channel organised phone-in programme, Josephine, responding to a woman who had called to complain about the harassment that she has been facing at her husband's home, but added that she had not given a police complaint, said: "If you have not done (that), then you continue to suffer." In the one to one talk between Josephine and the hapless woman, Josephine behaved in a "very rude and curt manner, where she was seen expressing her displeasure all through the talk" and at the end, the caller disconnected.

The entire opposition, both the Congress and the BJP, criticised Josephine and even took to the streets demanding her removal.

The women activists from the Congress staged a protest outside the CPI-M headquarters where the meeting was scheduled but were taken into custody by the police.

The women wing of the BJP too staged their protests before the Commission office and the CPI-M office.

Finding no support for her in the party and the growing protests, Josephine was asked to put in her papers.

Her five-year term was to end next year.

For the past few days, the state has witnessed a spate of suicides by young women upset by the grooms' demand for more dowry. In the midst of all these cases, came Jospehine's statement, which did not find favour with the people.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Wellington, June 25 : New Zealand on Friday extended the pause on quarantine free travel to the country from Australia's New South Wales state for a further 12 days, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

There are now 36 recent community cases of Covid-19 in New South Wales, including four not yet linked to the existing outbreak that are urgently being investigated by Australian health officials, reports Xinhua news agency.

This decision follows a further public health assessment in which officials consider a range of factors, whether any new cases are identified, the results from COVID-19 testing of any contacts identified and from the wider Sydney community, Hipkins said in a statement.

The government strongly believes a cautious approach is the best course of action while these investigations continue, he said.

New Zealand public health staff remain in close contact with New South Wales authorities about the actions being taken in Sydney, and will review the decision to continue the pause late next week, he added.

Anyone who was at a location of interest at the specified times cannot travel to New Zealand within 14 days of the exposure event.

This applies to all travellers, no matter which Australian state or territory they are departing from, the Minister said.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 25 : Ethnic wear is appreciated for its novel silhouettes, distinctive prints, energetic colours and its connection to the foundations of the Indian culture. Monsoon is inseparable from solace. You need garments that can beat the mid-year heat while making you look stylish! IANSlife speaks to Anuj Mundra, MD & Chairman of JaipurKurti.com, who suggests some ways to style yourself this monsoon season.

Be specific about colour and prints Try not to wear earthy tones. All things considered, go for pastels and lively gem stones hues. If its daily wear, stay with pastels and quieted conceals. Join sparkle in evening wear, however don't try too hard. exquisite prints can complement any body type. Monsoons additionally address immense flowery and paisley themes. You Just need some bright happy and contrasting colours coming together to set a happy tone to your monsoon day.

Play with cuts High-low kurtis look incredible with cigarette or straight pants. Asymmetrical kurtas with printed culottes. Fit and flare dresses in Indian prints are extraordinary for the mid-year. Shararas with short kurtas are likewise ideal for a late spring early lunch with family. Take care of the fabric you choose this season. The right fabric is the essence for a entire look of the dress.

Choose Kurta Lengths Wisely: It's recommended to consistently pick a kurti with the sufficient length, as per the bottom wear you need to wear with it. Assuming you like to wear a shalwar, the length of the kurti should be short and when you need to wear a palazzo or churidar then you ought to go for a long length kameez or kurti.

Accessorise Accordingly: Too many accessories will make you uncomfortable this monsoon season. Pair your ethnic wear with minimal accessories that looks sophisticated and yet classy at the same time. Continuously pay heed to the footwear you pick with your ethnic outfit. While Kolhapuri chappals, shoes or Punjabi joottiyaan look astounding with Shalwar Suits, then again, high heeled footwear is amazing to be worn with Saree and Lehenga Choli.

Slit as high as possible High cut kurtas look tasteful and exquisite. Go for long kurtas with single or twofold front cuts beginning from your navel line. High cuts make you look taller and, in this way, give you a durable look. Stick to straight or A-line kurtas with cigarette pants or palazzos.

(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@ians.in)
Lucknow, June 25 : The Yogi Adityanath government is mulling changes in the state's jail manual in order to ensure better upkeep of inmates and making jails secure.

The Chief Minister, who saw a presentation of a revised draft of the jail manual by the prison department, said efforts should be made to improve the behaviour of jail inmates.

He said that officials must develop the skills of prisoners by connecting them with creative activities so that they can lead a normal life with the right mindset after their release.

According to the government spokesman, Yogi Adityanath directed jail officials to ensure that children of women prisoners get good education.

However, the Chief Minister said that hardened inmates should be dealt with strictness.

He further asked officials to ensure the safety of the prisoners inside the jail and effective jail administration.

The Chief Minister also instructed to monitor the prisoners inside the jail with CCTV cameras.

Additional chief secretary, home, Avanish Awasthi said that the provisions of the Model Prison Manual issued by the Union home ministry have also been included in the draft proposal.

The Chief Minister was also apprised about the security arrangements of prisons and the inclusion of arms policy for control of law and order inside the jail premises.
Lucknow, June 25 : After the Uttar Pradesh ATS arrested Umar Gautam and Jahangir for illegal religious conversion of at least 1,000 underprivileged youth, the state police have found the syndicate's penetration in around 24 states.

Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, said, investigators are reaching out to families who were lured into converting to Islam and found that the gang had a well-oiled machinery with a countrywide reach.

"The issue is sensitive and under investigation. We will launch an ATS helpline number for parents who wish to divulge information on forceful conversion of their children. We are interrogating Umar Gautam and Jahangir and gathering clues," he said.

ATS officials also raided two establishments linked to accused Umar Gautam in Malihabad and Hardoi and documents seized from the campus are being scrutinized to track source of funds.

"Umar was Vice-President of the Malihabad unit and we are trying to find out if the two institutes were used as a base for forceful conversion," said an officer involved in the investigations.

A senior ATS official said that a school principal who made Urdu and Arabic compulsory for Hindu students in Fatehpur will also be questioned.

"Umar Gautam would often visit the school accompanied by 20 clerics," said a teacher who lodged a complaint against the principal.

On Monday, the ATS arrested Umar Gautam and Jahangir from Delhi on charges of converting poor women and children with speech and hearing disabilities.

The ATS is looking into various schools for children with speech impairment.
San Francisco, June 25 : Facebook-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram might soon let its users post from their computers.

A number of Twitter users noticed that the test feature had gone live on Thursday and Instagram confirmed the test to TechCrunch.

"We know that many people access Instagram from their computer," an Instagram spokesperson was quoted as saying by the website.

"To improve that experience, we're now testing the ability to create a Feed post on Instagram with their desktop browser," the spokesperson added.

To see if the test is live for you, head to Instagram in your browser and look for a new "plus" icon in the icon tray on the top right.

The test isn't available to everyone and it only allows users to create posts for the main feed.

The new test feature is the company's most recent sign of life for its desktop product.

The photo-sharing platform added the ability to view Stories on the web in 2017 and added direct messaging to desktop late last year.

"We haven't found any evidence that the Instagram desktop web experience cannibalizes engagement from the native apps," a data scientist with Instagram observed with the launch of web messaging.

"In fact, it's quite the opposite -- users who use both interfaces spend more time on each interface, compared to users who use each interface exclusively," the data scientist added.
June 25 : In a conversation with Kabir Bedi about his autobiography, 'Stories I Must Tell: The Emotional Life of an Actor, Salman Khan admitted that he had made many mistakes in life and how he apologised to people after making those mistakes. Salman was speaking to the veteran actor during an Instagram Live.

"I have shared a lot of the glories that I have seen but I have also told of the mistakes that I have made and I hope everyone can learn from that," Kabir Bedi said about his book.

Responding to him, Salman Khan said, "That is the most difficult thing... to own the mistakes that one has done. Everyone denies that. I am one of those persons sitting right in front of you. I always said, 'yeh maine nahi kiya (I haven't done this)'. But if you have said that 'yes, I've done this mistake and I've tried to rectify it this way', that takes a lot of courage."

Later Salman added, There are times when I have made mistakes. I have come and said sorry. Mistakes do happen but then repeating the same mistakes again is not okay.

In his autobiography, Kabir wrote about his marriages and relationships; about how he broke his marriage to live with Parveen Babi. He also revealed about the financial crisis he faced in Hollywood; and how he went through traumatic experiences after his son committed suicide.

Talking about writing a book with honesty, the Bharat actor said, When you write a book, the most courageous thing is to go look deep inside your soul. When you are writing, whether I should write this or not... And then you say, to hell with it, I am just going to be honest with myself and honest to everyone, and I am going to write the honest truth about what all has happened to me."

Sharing the video clip on his Instagram handle, Kabir Bedi wrote: "Salman Khan and I talk about what it took to tell the story of my life honestly, and how I wrote my book in the pandemic. #StoriesIMustTell seems to have touched many of you and that's a great gift for a debut author. I thank you ALL for your love and appreciation. Thank you @beingsalmankhan."
Lucknow, June 25 : President Ram Nath Kovind will arrive in Kanpur on Friday evening by a special train.

It would be after a gap of 15 years that an incumbent President is travelling by a train.

This is also the first time that the President is visiting his birthplace after assuming office.

Kovind left Delhi in the afternoon from the Safdarjung railway station and will make two stop-overs, at Jhinjhak and Rura of Kanpur Dehat, where he will interact with his old acquaintances from school days.

The train will reach Jhinjhak around 6 pm on Friday and after a brief stopover, the train will reach Kanpur at around 7.45 pm.

The President will stay at the Circuit House in Kanpur.

On Saturday, Kovind will meet Ministers, MPs, legislators and eminent citizens in the Circuit House.

The following day, on Sunday, he will visit his village Paraunkh by a helicopter and also a temple, school and meet his old acquaintances.

On Monday, the President will come to Lucknow where he will stay at the Raj Bhawan.

Kovind will board the train at the Kanpur Central railway station to reach Lucknow for his two-day visit to the state capital.

Official sources said that the President will return to New Delhi on a special flight on Tuesday.

Unprecedented security arrangements have been made all along the route of travel and in Kanpur and Lucknow for the Presidential visit.

Last time, a President travelled by train was in 2006 when APJ Abdul Kalam boarded a special train from Delhi to Dehradun to attend the passing-out parade of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) cadets.
Chennai, June 25 : The Union Public Service Commission(UPSC) will meet on June 28 to select the final panel for the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police post. The incumbent DGP, J.K. Tripathy is scheduled to retire on June 30.

The names of seven DGP rank officers of the Tamil Nadu cadre drawn from the 1987 to 1989 IPS batches were already sent to the UPSC for shortlisting. However, the UPSC has directed the state government to send a revised list and according to senior officers with the police headquarters, a list of nine ADGP level officers of the 1990 and 1991 IPS batches was forwarded to the UPSC.

C. Sayilendra Babu of the 1987 batch is the senior-most IPS officer in the state followed by Karan Singha of the same batch. The third senior-most officer in Tamil Nadu cadre is Sanjay Arora of the 1988 batch who was posted as the Special DG of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The UPSC will shortlist three to five names to be considered for the post of the state DGP. The concerned state government can choose one officer from the final list of three or five officers finalized by the UPSC.

The selection of the UPSC is based on certain procedures, including the Supreme Court guidelines in the Praksh Singh case as well as a minimum of 6 months of residual service to be considered for appointment as the state DGP.

Sources in the state police headquarters told IANS that the fresh list forwarded to the UPSC comprises Shankar Jiwal, A.K. Viswanathan, Abash Kumar, T.K. Ravichandran, Seema Agarwal of the 1990 batch, Amaresh Pujari, M. Ravi, K. Jayanth Murali and Karuna Sagar of the 1991 batch.

These officers have the qualifying service of 30 years in the Indian Police Service and are serving as DGP's and ADGP's in the state police.

According to the Tamil Nadu Police Establishment Act, the state government can insist on three to five names and the state government can select anyone from the final list provided by the UPSC.
New Delhi, June 25 : The Supreme Court on Friday asked the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Law Minister Moloy Ghatak to move Calcutta High Court afresh with their plea to file affidavit in Narada scam case.

The top court stayed the June 9 High Court order, which refused to take reply-affidavits of Banerjee and Ghatak on the CBI's transfer plea in the case.

A bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and Dinesh Maheshwari asked the High Court to decide their plea in connection with filing of affidavits, with regard to their alleged role on the day of arrest of four TMC leaders by the CBI on May 17 in the case.

The bench pointed that High Court is scheduled to hear the matter on June 29, therefore the parties concerned should move there.

The top court also asked the High Court to first decide the applications filed by the WB government, Banerjee and Ghatak, before proceeding ahead in the matter.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the CBI, suggested the top court that it could ask the petitioners to move the High Court afresh since the hearing in the matter is in progress over there.

The CBI had accused both the leaders of stopping it from performing its legal duty following the arrest of four TMC leaders.

The top court stayed the June 9 order of the High Court, where the court had refused to take into record affidavit by Banerjee and Ghatak, after hearing their counsel senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi and senior advocate Vikas Singh representing the West Bengal government.

Earlier, two SC judges Justice Indira Banerjee and Aniruddha Bose, both hailing from West Bengal, had recused from hearing the West Bengal related matters.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Mumbai, June 25 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the restrictions on Hindu Co-operative Bank Limited, based out of Pathankot, Punjab, in terms of withdrawal and deposit limits along with grant of loans, till September 24, 2021.

RBI had first imposed the restrictions with effect from the close of business on March 25, 2019, under Sub-Section (1) of Section 35A read with Section 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949(AACS), in the public interest in view of the weakened financial condition of the bank.

The validity of the directions has been extended from time to time and were last extended till June 24, 2021.

"These directions shall continue to apply to the bank for a further period of three months from June 25, 2021 to September 24, 2021, subject to review," said an RBI statement on Friday.

The central bank further said that it may consider modifications in directions depending upon the circumstances and the issue of directions should not per se be construed as cancellation of banking license.

"The bank will be able to undertake banking business with restrictions till its financial position improves," it said.

The notification dated March 13, 2019 by the central bank said that without prior approval, the bank will not be able to grant or renew any loan, make any investment, incur any liability including borrowal of funds and acceptance of fresh deposits, among others.
Bengaluru, June 25 : Information, pertaining to more than 3.4 million customers, stands compromised following a serious data breach in a leading online trading platform in India, according to cybersecurity and big data startup Technisanct.

The customers' data has been put up for sale on a data sharing platform on June 15 and the incident has been reported to Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) by Technisanct.

Nandakishore Harikumar, founder and CEO of Technisanct said that such incidents raise the possibilities of financial frauds among Indians.

He said that the details in the database could be used by Cyber Criminals to target the victims of breach through various scams via online and phone.

"The lack of data security authority in India has resulted in a massive increase in the number of such cases. Even while breaches are identified, non-existence of a regulatory body paves way to repeated breaches with the same brand", he added.

The leaked data include Personal Identifiable Information (PII) such as name, customer ID, contact number, email ID, trade login ID, branch ID, city and country.

The security breach was identified by Technisanct's digital risk monitoring tool 'Integrite'.
June 25 : Veteran star Jaya Bachchan, who keeps herself away from the limelight of stardom, will soon debut in the digital space. Her husband, megastar Amitabh Bachchan and son Abhishek Bachchan have already made their OTT debuts. While Amitabh Bachchan debuted in the digital space with his film Gulabo Sitabo in 2020, Abhishek Bachchan was seen in the web series Breathe: Into The Shadows.

The actor-politician Jaya Bachchan will reportedly make her OTT debut with Endemol Shine India's forthcoming venture titled Sadabahar. Reportedly, the veteran actress had started shooting for Sadabahar in February this year. However, with the second wave of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown in Maharashtra, shooting of the project was halted in April.

Now with the relaxation of the lockdown in the state, Jaya Bachchan has reportedly resumed shooting for the web series. This week, shootings will take place at two locations--one at Sony Mony and another at Apna Bazaar in Andheri. The team has resumed shoot in a strict bio-bubble format, and the makers have ensured that only 50 members are present in the unit.

Jaya Bachchan was last seen in a special guest appearance on the big screens in Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khans film Ki & Ka in 2016. After five years, the veteran actress will return to the screen. The veteran actress first film as an adult was Hrishikesh Mukherjees film Guddi in 1971, thereby marking 2021 as her 50th year in the film industry.
Gurugram, June 25 : The Gurugram Fire department will soon buy a 101-metre high hydraulic platform machine from Finland to help it tackle emergencies in residential and commercial high-rise buildings.

The estimated cost of the machine is Rs 30 crore.

This will be the first such hydraulic machine in Haryana and is due to arrive soon in Gurugram, said a fire official.

The department has contacted a Finland-based company to purchase the machine, the official added.

Given several high-rise buildings across Gurugram, a proposal was sent to the state government for the requirement of such machines with greater height, the Fire official informed.

"There are nearly 4,000 multi-storey buildings in Gurugram. At present, the Fire department has a 42-metre high hydraulic platform machine to deal with only 15-storey building fires," he said.

"The cost of the hydraulic platform is nearly Rs 30 crore. With this we will be able to reach the top of more than a 35-storey building in case of a fire. This is a major boost to our firefighting capabilities and we no longer have to take such equipment from DLF, Airforce and Maruti," said a senior fire official requesting anonymity.

DLF has two hydraulic machines whose capacity is 90 metres.

Currently, there are more than 4,000 multi-storey buildings in the city and many buildings are under construction. The building plans of 200 metres have been passed from the state Fire department, the official added.

"A purchase process of the hydraulic machine is underway. The machine will be arranged as soon as the process will be completed," Gulshan Kalra, Deputy Director, Gurugram Fire department, told IANS.

He said the department has also purchased 250 new fire tenders for different fire stations across the state. These machines will be distributed as per the requirement.
Lucknow, June 25 : Renowned Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad has raised questions over the working of the ATS and has asked for a fair investigation into religious conversions case slapped on two men in Uttar Pradesh.

Following the arrest of Mufti Jahangir and Umar Gautam by UP ATS, the links of religious conversion are being probed all across the state.

Talking to reporters, Jawad said: "UP ATS should ensure a fair investigation of this whole matter. Also, it should be kept in mind that no innocent person is punished." Maulana Jawad said, "The statements of those who have been converted should be recorded. Were they really forced to convert to Islam or did they convert voluntarily? If a person voluntarily converts, then he cannot be held guilty in the Indian Constitution, because every religion has the right to promote its religion as per the Indian Constitution.

"Whether it is Hinduism, Muslim religion or Christianity, there is complete freedom in any religion to propagate its religion." He further explained that "Forced conversion cannot be done in Islam. Moreover, if a person is forced to convert, then that person is not considered to be included in Islam." On the issue of foreign funding, Jawad said that it is a failure on the part of agencies if funding was going on from foreign countries.

"If the agencies say that funding was being done from abroad and that is why religious conversion was being done, then they should prove this.

"They should also reveal from which countries the money was coming and how the money kept coming for so long and the investigating agencies did not even know about it. This is a big lapse in terms of security," he pointed out.

The UP ATS arrested two clerics, accusing them of converting people under duress using "fear and temptation".

During their interrogation, the police found that Gautam himself converted to Islam.

"He had disclosed that they have converted at least 1,000 people to Islam so far. The two men have also disclosed that they received funds from international organizations with the purpose of converting people into Islam," UP ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar had said.

The matter came to light when parents of a student of Noida Deaf Society reported that their son has been missing and was later found to have been forcefully converted to Islam.

Both accused have been booked for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion, criminal conspiracy and cheating.
Hyderabad, June 25 : With the lifting of Covid-19 related restrictions in Telangana, Bonalu will be a grand affair this year, the government said.

Unlike last year when the festival was celebrated without people's participation, this year the festivities will be organised with mass gatherings and traditional procession. Minister for Animal Husbandry Talasani Srinivas Yadav said the temple committees will be briefed on the precautions to be taken during the festival.

Yadav, however, said on Friday that adherence to Covid-19 protocol, including wearing of masks and social distancing will be ensured.

He along with Home Minister Mahmood Ali, Endowments Minister Indrakaran Reddy, Labour Minister Malla Reddy, Hyderabad Mayor G. Vijayalaxmi, Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy and other officials reviewed the arrangements for the festival, which will commence on July 11.

The Golconda Bonalu will be held on July 11 while the festivities at Mahankali temple in Secunderabad will be organised on July 25. The traditional Lal Darwaza Bonalu in the old city of Hyderabad will be held on August 1.

Ashada Bonalu is a festival held in the month of Ashada, according to the Hindu calendar, celebrating Goddess Mahankali.

Srinivas Yadav said that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has directed to organise the Bonalu festival on a grand scale this year.

The Chief Minister has also expressed a desire to offer the Bangaru Bonam (offering Naivedyam to the Goddess in a golden container) on behalf of the state government.

He said that Bonalu festivities will reflect Telangana culture with performances by the artistes.

Srinivas Yadav pointed out that ever since the formation of Telangana State, the government has been organizing Bonalu in a befitting manner. This year the government has allocated Rs 15 crore for the celebrations.

He said the money would be used to spruce up the temples for the celebrations and for making all necessary arrangements for the devotees.

Last year, Bonalu was a low-key affair as the people had celebrated the festival at their homes in view of Covid-19 pandemic.

The folk festival is mainly celebrated in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad region during the month of Ashada. The women make offerings in the form of food to goddess Mahankali in specially decorated pots. During the month-long festival, people also hold 'rangam' or forecasting the future, organise processions and cultural events.

Women queue up at the temples to offer Bonalu, which consists of cooked rice, jaggery, curd and turmeric water, carried in steel and clay pots on their heads. The devotees believe that the annual festival will ward off evil and usher in peace.

Nearly month-long festival begins with the celebrations at the Sri Jagadamba temple atop historic Golconda Fort.

The annual celebrations are also held at Sri Ujjaini Mahankali temple in Secunderabad and at Sri Simhavahini Mahankali temple in Lal Darwaza and at Sri Akkanna Madanna Mahankali temple in Haribowli.

The annual festivities conclude with a procession from Akkanna Madanna temple. The procession led by a caparisoned elephant, carrying the ghatam of the Goddess, passes through the main thoroughfares of the old city, including the historic Charminar.

It is commonly believed that the festival was first celebrated over 150 years ago following a major cholera outbreak. People believed that the epidemic was due to the anger of the Mahankali and began offering Bonalu to placate her.

After the formation of Telangana State in 2014, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had declared Bonalu as the state festival.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna : Beneficiaries poses for a picture after receiving a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, at 24 hours vaccination center Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna on Saturday 12 June 2021. (Photo: AFTAB ALAM SIDDIQUI/ IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Mumbai, June 25 : In a significant milestone, Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to give 3 crore Covid vaccine jabs, an official said on Friday.

"At 2 p.m. hrs on June 25, the total Covid-19 vaccination doses administered in the state stood at 3,00,27,217," Additional Chief Secretary, Health, Dr Pradeep Vyas said.

The achievement comes in the wake of the major push given to the vaccination drive by Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, especially intended to prevent the looming threat of spread of the Delta Plus variant of coronavirus.

The government has directed all the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMA) to ensure that more people turn up for vaccinations in the state, which crossed the 60 lakh case tally (60,07,431) on Thursday, besides the highest death toll which stands at 119,859.

"Push vaccination through public awareness activities, attempt must be to achieve vaccination of 70 per cent eligible population at the earliest, encourage workplace vaccinations, especially of blue-collar workers," says the new set of guidelines announced by the state on Friday.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chennai, June 25 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday launched a scheme to provide dry ration kits to migrant labourers, struggling over Covid-related issues including lockdowns and loss of jobs.

A release from the Chief Minister's office said that Stalin also launched a vaccination drive for construction workers that would benefit over two lakh labourers who have been registered by the Tamil Nadu Construction Labourers Welfare Board.

The dry ration kit provided by the Tamil Nadu government consists of 15 kg of rice, 1 kg of Tur Dal and 1 kg of cooking oil.

Medical and Family Welfare Minister Ma Subramanian, Labour Welfare and Skill Development Minister C.V.Ganesan, Rajya Sabha MP M. Shanmugham, Chennai South MP, Thamizhachi Thangapandian and other senior officials were present during the programme held at the Secretariat on Friday.
San Francisco, June 25 : Tech giant Google has started testing a new feature to notify people when they search for a topic that may have unreliable results, media reports said.

According to Vox, the move is a notable step by the world's most popular search engine to give people more context about breaking information that is popular online but is actively evolving.

The new prompt warns users that the results they are seeing are changing quickly, and reads, in part, "If this topic is new, it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources." Google confirmed to Recode that it started testing the feature about a week ago. Currently, the company says the notice is only showing up in a small percentage of searches, which tend to be about developing trending topics.

Companies like Google, Twitter and Facebook have often struggled to handle the high volume of misinformation, conspiracy theories and unverified news stories that run rampant on the internet.

In the past, they have largely stayed away from taking content down in all but the most extreme cases, citing a commitment to free speech values.

During the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2020 US elections, some companies took the unprecedented action of taking down popular accounts perpetuating misinformation.

But the kind of label Google is rolling out -- which simply warns users without blocking content -- reflects a more long-term incremental approach to educating users about questionable or incomplete information, the report said.

The new prompt is also part of a larger trend by major tech companies to give people more context about the new information that could turn out to be wrong.

Twitter, for example, released a slew of features ahead of the 2020 US elections cautioning users if the information they were seeing was not yet verified.
Brussels, June 25 : Social media companies such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are not doing enough to stop the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 on their platforms, a new report has found.

A preliminary research from global civic organisation Avaaz, found 240 pieces of fact-checked misinformation content about Covid-19 that had reportedly been liked, shared, and commented on more than 2.8 million times on spreading on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube, the Euronews reported on Thursday.

"It's exhausting to keep saying this, but none of the tech platforms are doing enough to curb the toxic lies polluting their platforms," Luca Nicotra, Campaign Director at Avaaz, was quoted as saying.

"The big four tech platforms are failing to act on 37 per cent of the Covid-19 disinformation content sample studied in this research," Avaaz added.

Youtube emerged the worst social network as it neglected to remove over 92 per cent of the Covid-related misinformation. It was followed by Twitter (74 per cent), Facebook (27 per cent) and Instagram (7 per cent), the report said.

YouTube said its teams have removed more than 900,000 videos related to "dangerous or misleading Covid-19 medical information." Facebook stated that the company said it removed more than 18 million pieces of content from both Facebook and Instagram for violating our Covid-19 and vaccine misinformation policies since the beginning of the pandemic.

"We've also labelled more than 167 million pieces of Covid-19 content rated false by our network of fact checking partners," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying. Avaaz's study, on the other hand, found that Covid-19 misinformation on Facebook had received more interactions than on any other platform.

Twitter told Euronews that "since the beginning of Covid-19... We've removed more than 22,400 Tweets and challenged 11.7 million accounts worldwide".

Avaaz has called on the social networking companies, and the European Union, to fight misinformation related to Covid-19 akin to climate change.

"We urgently need a 'Paris Agreement for Disinformation'," said Nicotra, "but that requires the Big Tech platforms to agree on a strong Code of Practice that has meaningful commitments and measurable action." "This is their last chance saloon - otherwise, get ready for regulation," he added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 25 : President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday undertook a train journey to visit his native place in Kanpur.

According to Northern Railway spokesperson Deepak Kumar, President Kovind boarded the special Presidential train from the Safdarjung railway station in New Delhi along with with his wife to visit his native place in Paraunkh in Kanpur Dehat.

This is the first time that Kovind visited his birthplace after taking over his present assignment.

Kumar said the special Presidential train will make two stop-overs at Jhinjhak and Rura in Kanpur Dehat, where the President will interact with people known to him.

"On June 28, President Kovind will board the train at Kanpur Central railway station to reach Lucknow for a two-day visit to the state capital. On June 29, he will return to New Delhi," said the Northern Railway official.

Union Minister of Railways, Piyush Goyal, Chairman and CEO of Railway Board, Suneet Sharma, Northern Railway General Manager, Ashutosh Gangal, and other senior Railway Board and Northern Railway officials were present at the station on this occasion.

The Railway Board Chairman thanked President Kovind for using Indian Railways for his journey and expressed hope that post the pandemic, the vast railway network will help the country regain its economic glory.

Kumar said the service of the Presidential saloon, which was in use since Independence, was discontinued on the instructions of Kovind.

"This saved the exchequer crores of rupees annually that went into the making and maintenance of the saloon. Indian Railways has requested President Kovind to travel by the people's transport post Covid, as the country enters into resurgence and rebuilding mode," he added.

A special train service was run for President Kovind to travel from Delhi to his native village, said the Northern Railway official.

"This move will be a great morale booster for the Railway men who have diligently given their services throughout the difficult pandemic times. This will also help encourage and build confidence among the people to use trains to travel for business, tourism and other purposes to different parts of the country," Kumar added.

It is after 15 years that the India President is travelling in Indian Railways. Before Kovind, former President APJ Abdul Kalam had last undertaken a train journey.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
New Delhi, June 25 : The Supreme Court-appointed National Task Force (NTF) has proposed creation of strategic reserves of oxygen for the country to cover 2-3 weeks' consumption amidst the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

A 12-member panel, constituted by the top court, said: "We should have strategic reserves of oxygen for the country to cover 2-3 weeks' consumption, similar to the arrangement made for petroleum products. Similarly, all hospitals should have a buffer capacity for emergencies." It suggested that there should be a strategy to manufacture oxygen locally or in the neighbourhood for the big cities to fulfil at least 50 per cent of their liquid medical oxygen (LMO) demand, as road transportation is vulnerable.

"This may be taken up in respect of Delhi and Mumbai on priority, due to their population density. All 18 metro cities to be made oxygen independent, with at least 100 MT storage in the city itself," added the panel in its report.

The NTF proposed a formula for determining the oxygen needs for the country, which considers all levels of care amid the pandemic.

The panel said 1.5 MT of LMO is required for a 100-bed hospital with 25 per cent ICU beds per day is a formulation, which may be examined. "Such a formula will be part of a dynamic, evolving process and open to modification and consultation with states as the situation evolves," said the panel.

"About 20 per cent buffer capacity of the state's requirement should be created for allocation over and above baseline demand for allocation to states with rising cases," it recommended.

The active case load of the state/UT and the doubling rate should be the main factors in allotting oxygen, addressing both the current situation and the future demand, it added.

The panel said: "Efforts are to be made to further scale up LMO production in preparation of the next pandemic. There is an urgent need to increase production of LMO from about 5 per cent to 8 per cent of gaseous industrial oxygen. Government should support and subsidise concerned industries." It emphasised on judicious use of oxygen, and the audit of hospitals should be conducted including their pipeline systems, which may reduce the usage by 10 to 20 per cent.

On the methodology for allocation of oxygen to states and UTs, the panel recommended developing guidance protocols for home-based or facility-based isolation and self-monitoring programmes and non-hospital Covid care facilities.

The panel stressed that there should be a buffer of at least six cylinders in the rural settings, to accommodate for delays and surge. As a way forward, it said: "At Central level, such as procurement of cylinders, enhancing production and supply of oxygen, mapping oxygen for states as per formula that includes case load, infrastructure of beds, projected requirements, etc, and the need for a supply plan which is also dynamic and flexible." The report said the members of NTF recognise the hard work made by the government in the management of the pandemic of the present magnitude.

"The members of the NTF appreciate that many of their recommendations were already under implementation and work on others has also already commenced," it said.

The panel suggested that a formula needs to be developed for the calculation of oxygen requirement for the primary, secondary, and tertiary-level hospitals based on the number of oxygen beds and ICU beds.

The top court had set up the NTF on May 6 to formulate methodology for allocation of oxygen for saving lives of Covid patients.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Bareilly : , June 25 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a security guard deployed at a bank in Bareilly on Friday opened fire at a customer who had come without wearing a mask.

The security guard deployed at the Bank of Baroda's Junction Road branch shot the customer, identified as Rajesh Kumar, a railway employee, in the leg.

Initial reports say that he got into an argument with the security guard over not wearing a mask.

Rajesh Kumar was admitted to the district hospital in Bareilly while the guard, Keshav Prasad Mishra, has been taken into police custody. Mishra said that he shot at Rajesh Kumar in a fit of anger.

IGP, Bareilly range, Ramit Sharma, SSP Rohit Singh Sajwan, SP City Ravindra Kumar and other officials reached the spot.

The SSP said the accused was a private security guard of the bank who had a licensed gun, from which he opened fire.

He said all the people who were present at the bank were being questioned, and the customer's statement would be recorded after he regains consciousness.
Chennai, June 25 : The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday told the Madras High Court that 40 pharmaceutical companies have evinced interest in the anti-Covid-19 drug produced by it.

The submission came in response to a Public Interest Litigation complaining that DRDO had given a license to Dr Reddy's Laboratories in Hyderabad for the production of the anti-Covid-19 drug.

The premier scientific organisation said that it has invited Expressions of Interest (EoIs) to produce its D-glucose (2-DG) and adjunct drug to treat Covid patients, and already 40 pharmaceutical companies had expressed interest.

Additional Solicitor General R. Sankaranarayanan told a bench of Justices N. Kirubakaran and T.V. Thamilselvi that the DRDO was interested in ensuring that the drug, developed by its Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences, could be manufactured in as many quantity as possible in the shortest possible time.

The PIL filed by Chennai resident, D. Saravanan, complained that the DRDO had given license to Dr Reddy's Laboratories in Hyderabad alone for making the oral powder at a cost of Rs 990 for a sachet of 2.34 grams.

The court also took note of a submission made by a litigant that the DRDO's medicine was very effective and a woman Covid-19 patient with comorbidities had a magical cure after being administered with 30 sachets of the drug at a cost of Rs 30,000. The litigant said that the doctor who had treated the patient had said that he can vouch for its efficiency.

Sankaranarayanan told the court that that the DRDO had fixed June 17 as the last date for submission of EoIs and that 40 pharmaceutical companies had envisaged interest to manufacture the medicine with the DRDO knowhow.

The judges reserved their verdict and directed the ASG to circulate all documents related to the case.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Shimla, June 25 : The Chief of Army Staff, General M.M. Naravane, met Himachal Pradesh Governor, Bandaru Dattatreya, here on Friday here and held discussions on issues relating to the development of India-China border infrastructure.

General Naravane said that he had served at the Shimla-based Army Training Command (ARTRAC) and considered Himachal as his old home, adding that he always feels delighted to visit the place.

He further said that the Indian Army is capable of giving a befitting reply to every nefarious attempt of the enemy. As far as the borders with China are concerned, talks are going on and there is nothing to worry about, the army chief asserted.

The army is on full alert and adequate men and machinery have been deployed on the Indian side, he said.

Naravane also said that a plan has been prepared by the army for the construction of roads in the border areas during the next 5-10 years, which would help develop the areas besides checking the migration of the youth.

Naravane further said that there is a lot of enthusiasm among the youth for the army and a large number of them are willing to join the force. Efforts are on to give representation to every district of the country in the army, he said.

The Governor stressed on infrastructure development in the areas of the state bordering China, saying that the Indian Army has an important role to play in the development of roads, helipads and other infrastructure in the region.

"The youth from the villages adjoining the borders have been migrating to cities for better employment opportunities, which is a matter of concern. We need to explore the possibilities of self-employment and employment at the local level," Dattatreya said.

The Governor apprised the Army chief that youth from almost every household in the lower belt of Himachal Pradesh are serving in the Indian Army, and the number of ex-servicemen is also quite high in the state.

He also raised the issue of Walker Hospital in Shimla with the Chief of Army Staff, to which Naravane assured that efforts would be made to start the hospital at the earliest.

Naravane also said that the army is following a strict protocol, as a result of which coronavirus cases among the army personnel posted in the border areas are negligible.

Extensive testing is being done and soldiers returning from leave are being tested twice, besides being made to go under complete quarantine for 14 days, the army chief said.

Naravane also expressed concern over cases of narco-terrorism in the border areas, though he said that the local administrations are doing better in this direction.

He said women officers are already working in the army, but now recruitment has also been started up to the core of military police and the response is encouraging.

Earlier, the Chief of the Army Staff had visited the Army Training Command (ARTRAC) here, where he was briefed on a range of issues, including strategic military futures, doctrinal corrections, operational challenges and preparedness, technological infusion and training pedagogy.
In early June, US President Joe Biden, under an executive order, essentially blacklisted Chinese firms by prohibiting US investments in certain Chinese firms that "undermine the security or democratic values of the United States and our allies".

The port city developers, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), and the mother company, China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), were on this list.

On its China policy, the US stands firm with its bipartisan consensus. This would raise concerns in nations like Sri Lanka, which has a large Chinese infrastructure portfolio constantly growing in the country.

Regional powers and their periphery Such Chinese firms are barely exclusive to Sri Lanka. In fact, they operate in the US's own backyard along the 82-kilometre Panama Canal. The Panama Canal was built for the strategic expansion of the US, connecting the Atlantic-Pacific Ocean route, and is today surrounded by Chinese infrastructure projects.

Chinese firms such as CHEC and CCCC are also involved in infrastructure development in Panama. In 2017, Panama ended its diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and embraced Chinese BRI assistance amounting in billions of dollars toward infrastructure. China is involved in a bridge project over the Canal for $1.4 billion and a $4 billion rail project.

It is also involved in the power sector, mining, and a Chinese telecom infrastructure project with Huawei, including a digital free trade zone in San Miguelito. Panama's shifting to Beijing had a domino effect, with 15 Latin American nations welcoming China's BRI.

However, the present Panamanian regime has managed to rebalance and scale back its Chinese infrastructure including the bridge, considering the Chinese 'debt trap' and the US geopolitical security concern.

In a similar manner, in the backyard of the regional power India, Sri Lanka has invited the Chinese BRI with several projects that are of concern to India. Colombo has fallen into the premeditated scheme of a Chinese debt trap, paying off its loans in varied ways, from leasing its strategic assets through debt-equity swaps to creating extra-jurisdictional Special Economic Zones.

Like in Panama, the Sri Lankan government would need to backtrack its China 'bandwagoning' foreign policy and bring a 'balance', and develop a considered perspective on the geopolitical and regional security concerns its close relationship with China brings.

The interwoven regional geographical alignments, such as India-Sri Lanka and the US with its immediate periphery in Panama, cannot be outweighed by the strategic interest drawn by an extra-regional power, China. The same 'Monroe Doctrine' is applicable in China's periphery.

China's port city victory in Colombo Speaker of the Sri Lankan house, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, inked the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill on May 27 after it received approval from two-thirds of the government. Sri Lanka's Supreme Court observed several clauses of the bill to be unconstitutional.

The praetorian regime, with its majoritarian power, passed the Port City Bill in a hurry, ignoring and threatening the nation's sovereignty.

Justifying the passing of the bill during the pandemic and lockdown, the Speaker of the house explained, "There were precedents that Parliament sittings have been conducted without any hindrance even during World War II and also when the Sri Lankan Parliament came under a bomb attack." The environment was conducive towards suppressing the democratic mechanism of public protest, discussion, and to bulldoze the bill through. There are ample mechanisms in the Sri Lankan government political toolkit to turn down the bill. It was simply not used against China.

In other cases, such as India's East Container Terminal project or for the US MCC grant, there were public protests and experts committees of inquiry. China's strength in handling the local agency, perhaps, with an 'agency side payment' to manoeuvre projects is clear through this.

Revisiting the work of Robert Putnam, Diplomacy and domestic politics: the logic of two-level games, considering how diplomacy and domestic politics are entangled in Sri Lanka, the present Gotabaya regime has crushed the domestic decision-making and negotiation space.

The government mechanism of bargaining for a better deal at different bureaucratic levels with a foreign party is absent. When the decisions are made and concluded at the higher level first (Gotabaya with Xi), there is no space for bargaining.

The acceptance of Chinese proposals without any negotiations will have serious consequences. Tagging along with China's BRI and bandwagoning with the Middle Kingdom without any negotiation minimise the fallback option with other players, especially Sri Lanka's closest neighbour, India.

Gulbin Sultana warns "given the dynamics of India-China relations, Sri Lanka should not expect that India will shut its eyes and keep mum over the developments in the Colombo Port City, which is just 290 kilometres away from its mainland, even though unlike the US, it has not raised any official concern".

The domestic decision to favour China and lose its foreign policy balance will significantly impact India-Sri Lanka relations.

The recent China tilt strengthened President Gotabaya's win-set at the domestic political level within the SLPP coalition securing his Presidency. This same coalition, which had successfully created a fear amongst the public over the US project MCC by depicting it as a threat to sovereignty, has used China's port city to secure a domestic political victory upon passing the bill.

What the present regime failed to understand was the domestic political victory upon passing the bill has failed to address the foreign policy fallout, which is fundamental for Sri Lanka to sustain a balanced foreign policy.

The belligerence of China and the defence of China in an unusual manner, such as by Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary speaking on Xinjiang, has invited multiple levels of external pressure on Colombo's foreign policy.

An assessment of the recent developments in the country reveals a subversion of democracy and a weaponisation of the neutral agencies that would otherwise ensure checks and balances in an effective democratic set up. The elected office bearers maintain a veneer of democracy and rhetorically accept the foreign policy balance while eviscerating its substance by endorsing an alternative Chinese model.

In China's CCP (Chinse Communist Party) model, President Xi has nothing to worry about over Sri Lanka's port city project. The Sri Lankan government's acceptance and passing of the bill is another victory for President Xi's BRI strategy. It is a victory more for his foreign policy than for the domestic.

Gotabaya has a different measure where the passing of the bill has become more of a domestic political concern due to the democratic nature of governance in Sri Lanka. If the bill fails to deliver, it could even cost him his presidential seat while President Xi has no such concerns. The majoritarian win-set created and used to play the China card can switch its position, making the democratically-elected leader vulnerable.

There are two reasons the government hurried the Port City bill in just under a month. First, Sri Lanka's economic situation has worsened with the pandemic.

The country's foreign inflows had been impacted and debt management has become a serious concern, with accumulated 'total outstanding external debt at US$ 35.3 billion by end of August 2020'.

PB Jayasundara, Secretary to the President, justified the port city by pointing out that "this is why the Port City law matters... Port City legislation enables Sri Lanka to create a service centre with an incentive structure that will encourage the FDIs on a much stronger footing".

He further explained the government's position on foreign loans, asking "to refrain from getting foreign loan-funded projects in the future". While the government's fiscal position has deteriorated, China's port city is seen as a promise to restart the ailing economy.

Second, the political security guaranteed at the human rights council by China to the regime was proven by China's support to vote against the UNHRC resolution to look into human rights violations during Sri Lanka's long civil war that ended in 2009.

The phone call after the UNHRC vote was well-timed by the Chinese leadership. For the Rajapaksas, this political security is an essential ingredient for survival.

China openly backs this cause, reaffirmed by a high level official visit of Chinese State Councillor and Minister of National Defence, Wei Fenghe, who said, "Chinese side appreciates Sri Lanka's position on issues relating to China's Taiwan, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and will as always support Sri Lanka's stance on issues relating to human rights".

While China would defend the Sri Lankan government's human rights posture and accept whatever form it presents, Western democracies will be obliged to highlight the long-delayed minority concerns in the island.

The recent resolution from the US House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) on Sri Lanka is a clear indication of pressure on the Sri Lankan government to achieve some credible transparent domestic process.

The Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington has denied what the resolution has concluded and stated: 'Calling an international mechanism at this juncture was sinister, at a time the present government had provided such mechanism'.

This 'state of denial' is a common trend in sync with with the UNHRC resolution denial; the absence of a credible mechanism is evident in Sri Lankan society. The new European Union Parliament adopting a resolution to withdraw the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) is a clear warning to the Sri Lankan regime.

The resolution highlights Sri Lanka's "alarming path towards the recurrence of grave human rights violations".

Being sheltered by only China's financial muscle and security are clear miscalculations. For China, pushing this port city deal is high on the agenda, especially at a time when there is significant global pressure over China's belligerent behaviour in its neighbourhood and elsewhere.

Bringing Colombo into its sphere is a considerable victory in its larger BRI trail. Further, the agreed period of the port city bill exceeds the time span of the present government. Could a future government re-open the bill or default on the deal? A similar revisit was discussed by the former government after signing Hambantota Port deal.

If a revisit is possible and the port city deal is feasible, then Sri Lanka would be grateful for such transformative infrastructure. But President Gotabaya's election promise to revisit the Hambantota Port deal that has been signed for 99 years never occurred. History tells us that there won't be much difference in Chinese flexibility in revisiting the port city bill.

The fast track approval for the port city bill shows the strength of the Chinese sphere of influence dominating and dictating local agency. Sri Lankan foreign policy today is in the shape of a doughnut, focused on the external interests of China.

Worryingly, it is hollow at the centre, with national interests safeguarding sovereignty lying completely neglected. This foreign policy will begin to shake once an external partner intervenes in domestic affairs and the Sri Lankan regime loses its domestic political grip.

(Asanga Abeyagoonasekera is a geopolitical analyst and author of 'Conundrum of an Island [2021]'. This commentary was initially published by ORF New Delhi)
Brussels, June 25 : Taking painkillers before a Covid-19 shot to prevent potential side effects is not advised, as it may impact the vaccines' efficacy, said the World Health Organization (WHO), the media reported.

However, one can take "paracetamol or other painkillers" to control side effects such as pain, fever, headache, or muscle aches post vaccination, said the global health body, the Euronews reported.

The WHO said this after several fake posts on social media orchestrated the need for taking antihistamines and other painkillers available over the counter, before getting the Covid shots to help relieve the potential side effects of the vaccine.

"Taking painkillers such as paracetamol before receiving the Covid-19 vaccine to prevent side effects is not recommended," a spokesperson was quoted as saying.

"This is because it is not known how painkillers may affect how well the vaccine works." "However, you may take paracetamol or other painkillers if you do develop side effects such as pain, fever, headache, or muscle aches after vaccination." The common side effects of the vaccine, such as arm soreness, headaches, or tiredness, are minor in most cases, the WHO added.

But while antihistamines can mitigate certain allergic reactions, they are not designed to prevent them.

Experts have advised against taking vaccines unless one develops side-effects.

But, "if you're already on any medication at all, you should check with your local doctor, as some people may be advised to keep taking antihistamines for rashes and other allergic reactions," Professor Luke O'Neill, Chair of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin, was quoted as saying to Euronews.

"But there's no reason to start taking painkillers ahead of the vaccine, just in case they might limit vaccine efficacy," he added.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Thiruvananthapuram, June 25 : A Thiruvananthapuram court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to former Kerala Director General of Police Siby Mathews, named in a fresh FIR registered by the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) in the infamous ISRO spy case.

The CBI on Thursday registered an FIR with the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court against 18 people, including two top former Kerala police officials, who have been charged for conspiracy and fabrication of documents.

Things changed for the victim S. Nambi Narayanan, a former ISRO scientist, after numerous long-drawn court battles when the Supreme Court in 2020 appointed a three-member committee headed by retired judge Justice D.K. Jain to probe if there was a conspiracy among the then police officials to falsely implicate Narayanan.

The apex court, which went through the report, ordered the CBI to conduct a new probe, and its FIR, apart from Mathews, has 17 other officials from the Kerala Police and also from the Intelligence Bureau (IB).

Mathews approached the court and secured his bail, as reports indicate that the CBI might go in for arresting those who are named as accused in the FIR.

Mathews, who was Kerala DGP in 2011, took voluntary retirement months before he was to be superannuated and became Kerala's Chief Information Officer. He has since retired from the post during 2016 and is now settled in the state capital.

The list of accused includes former Gujarat DGP and then Intelligence Bureau (IB) Deputy Director, R.B. Sreekumar, besides other police officials which includes S. Vijayan, Thampi S. Durgadutt, K.K. Joshua, who were all from the local police, which first registered the ISRO spy case.

The ISRO spy case surfaced in 1994 when Nambi Narayanan was arrested on charges of espionage along with another senior ISRO official, two Maldivian women and a businessman.

The CBI freed Narayanan in 1995 and since then he has been fighting a legal battle against Mathews, Vijayan and Joshua who probed the case and falsely implicated him.

Incidentally the case emerged amid a factional feud in the Congress between then Chief Minister K. Karunakaran and A.K. Antony's factions that was at its peak following which Karunakaran had to quit office in 1995. Karunakaran quit his chair after it was found that he had shielded his close aide and senior police official, Raman Srivastava, who later became the state police chief and after retirement, he was the advisor to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan till recently.

Nambi Narayanan has now received a compensation of Rs 1.9 crore from various agencies, including the Kerala government which in 2020 paid him Rs 1.3 crore and later awarded Rs 50 lakh as directed by the Supreme Court in 2018 and another Rs 10 lakh as directed by the National Human Rights Commission.

The compensation was because the former ISRO scientist had to suffer wrongful imprisonment, malicious prosecution and humiliation.

In 2019, Nambi Narayanan was awarded the Padma Bhushan and whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Kerala for political rallies, he often refers to the travails faced by Narayanan and how the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) treated him with respect and consideration.
New Delhi, June 25 : Pakistani media is behind-the-curve, unable to grasp the real meaning of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's deft move to announce his intent to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir-a major strategic move after August 5, 2019, when J&K was turned into a Union Territory.

Analysts say that PM Modi's masterstroke, which was made public follows a meeting with top Kashmir mainstream parties on Thursday, docks with a budding peace process on J&K, which had commenced through back- channel talk between the two countries. The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed , had confirmed that the behind-the -scenes dialogue took place in his country.

The under-the- radar moves between the two countries broke into the open after the two militaries decided the revive their 2003 ceasefire agreement across the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in February this year. People aware of the rapidly shifting sands of New Delhi -Islamabad ties said that PM's move could well help to breathe new life into the essential but preliminary steps to normalise India-Pakistan side. Insiders told India Narrative that the military led by the Army Chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa was the sole custodian of the new initiative from the Pakistani side. It is now likely that after the PM's initiative, follow up steps could commence especially on the diplomatic and trade front involving commercial engagement first across the LoC, and then on a larger scale across the Wagah international border.

Obviously, the Pakistani foreign office did not appear to be in sync with the ground breaking initiative taken by the military headquarters in Rawalpindi.

In an official statement issued by Pakistan's foreign office, the country's foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that India must refrain from taking any "further illegal steps" in Kashmir after its actions of August 5, 2019.

The Pakistani Urdu paper the Daily Jung came out with headline, "Modi's drama flops, puppet leadership of Occupied Kashmir also demands restoration of status quo." Another Pakistani newspaper, Dawn said that "the meeting is, therefore, being viewed in Islamabad as an attempt by Delhi to legitimise its Aug 5 action, which had been heavily criticised in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, by making minor concessions and that too to take forward its own agenda without giving any meaningful relief to the Kashmiris. The only beneficiaries, as per the thinking in Pakistan, would be the occupied valley's pro-India political class that may get a sort of rehabilitation - an old Indian ploy." Pakistani daily, The News said that only the puppet pro-India Kashmiri leaders were invited to the meeting, while the pro-freedom and genuine leaders were ignored.

"The meeting was meant to ward off mounting criticism at home and abroad after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government in August 2019 downgraded the region's status, split it into two federal territories - Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir - and removed inherited protections on land and jobs for the local population." (This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative/
Nagpur/Mumbai, June 25 : For the second time in two months, former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has come under the scanner, this time of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which raided three locations, including his residences in Nagpur and Mumbai, and two others belonging to his two associates in connection with an alleged corruption case filed against him, officials said here on Friday.

The raids were carried out simultaneously at five locations as part of the probe into a money-laundering case filed against Deshmukh in May under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), even as the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies slammed the Centre and BJP for the actions.

Soon after the ED launched the raids on Friday morning, the MVA allies -- Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress -- slammed the Centre and the BJP for "misusing central probe agencies" to harass opposition parties.

In a blistering attack, NCP President Sharad Pawar told mediapersons that ever since the BJP came to power at the Centre, it is misusing its power and the probe agencies to harass the opposition leaders.

"This is being done only to harass Deshmukh. This is a new political pattern of the Centre. But they will get nothing, and we are not worried about such investigations," Pawar said.

Sena MP and chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut and NCP state President and minister Jayant Patil accused the Centre of constantly misusing various probe agencies to target opposition parties and their leaders on flimsy charges.

In a sharp attack, Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant sought to know "what the ED is trying to search by raiding the residence of Anil Deshmukh" since both former Mumbai Police chief Param Bir Singh and sacked cop Sachin Vaze had "never said money was given".

"If the ED feels that money was given, why no raids on Vaze and Singh who supposedly gave the money? This is a sad state of democracy. We must save democracy," said Sawant.

He also alleged that all the national investigation agencies have surrendered their independence before the (Narendra) Modi government and are being used as political weapons against the opposition.

Sawant called upon the three ruling allies to "unitedly oppose this ploy to defame the MVA by torturing its leaders".

NCP MP Supriya Sule said that while the entire state government is working round-the-clock to tackle the challenges of a possible 'third wave' of the Covid pandemic, the Centre is letting loose central agencies to pursue 'vendetta politics' against the opposition.

In Nagpur, a large group of NCP activists lodged strong protests and raised slogans against the BJP and the Centre for "blatantly misusing" central probe agencies like ED, CBI, NIA etc. to hound the opposition leaders.

Earlier on April 24, the Central Bureau of Investigation had raided around 10 locations of Deshmukh in multiple cities after he was booked. The 71-year-old leader was detained for several hours at his home during the searches on his premises then.

Following the allegations against him and the Bombay High Court directives, Deshmukh had quit as the Home Minister of Maharashtra on April 5.

After directions from the Bombay HC, the CBI had on April 6 registered a preliminary enquiry to probe the allegations of corruption and misuse of office levelled against Deshmukh by Param Bir Singh vide his 'letter-bomb' in March.
New York, June 25 : A single mutation gives SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, the ability to enter cells through another route, opening up the possibility of evading Covid antibodies or vaccines, finds a study.

Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, scientists identified how SARS-CoV-2 gets inside cells to cause infection. All current Covid-19 vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics were thus designed to disrupt this route into cells, which requires a receptor called ACE2.

But, the new study led by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis showed that Covid virus has the ability to enter cells via an alternative pathway -- one that does not require ACE2.

While the researchers did not find evidence of SARS-CoV-2 evasion to vaccines, the discovery does show that the virus can change in unexpected ways and find new ways to cause infection. The study is published in the journal Cell Reports.

"This mutation occurred at one of the spots that changes a lot as the virus circulates in the human population," said Sebla Kutluay, Assistant Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the varsity.

"Most of the time, alternative receptors and attachment factors simply enhance ACE2-dependent entry. But in this case, we have discovered an alternative way to infect a key cell type -- a human lung cell -- and that the virus acquired this ability via a mutation that we know arises in the population. This is something we definitely need to know more about," Kutluay added.

For the study, the team screened a panel of 10 lung and head-and-neck cell lines to find relevant cells capable of growing SARS-CoV-2.

"The only one that was able to be infected was the one I had included as a negative control. It was a human lung cancer cell line with no detectable ACE2. So that was a crazy surprise," said M. Ben Major, Professor of Cell Biology and Physiology at the varsity.

The team discovered that the virus they were using for experiments had picked up a mutation. The virus had originally been obtained from a person in Washington state with Covid-19, but as it was grown over time in the laboratory, it had acquired a mutation that led to a change of a single amino acid at position 484 in the virus's spike protein.

"This position is evolving over time within the human population and in the lab," Major said. "Given our data and those of others, it is possible that the virus is under selective pressure to get into cells without using ACE2. In so many ways, it is scary to think of the world's population fighting a virus that is diversifying the mechanisms by which it can infect cells."

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Chandigarh, June 25 : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday said the farm economy of Punjab has been "endangered" by the Congress government, with massive power cuts and insufficient canal water threatening to devastate the paddy crop.

Talking to the media in Kharar town near here, Badal said even as the top Congress leadership was engaged in an internal feud with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the farmers of the state had been left to their fate.

He alleged that farmers were barely getting four to five hours of power and that too in gaps instead of the promised eight hour uninterrupted power supply. He said for the first time ever, even canal supply had been disrupted which threatened to result in the destruction of paddy crops over vast swathes in the Malwa region.

Badal said even as farmers were suffering, the Chief Minister was busy in keeping the Gandhi family happy and had accepted the directive of Rahul Gandhi to implicate the top SAD leadership in false cases.

"The new SIT (special investigation team) which was formed after the dismantling of the old one led by former IG Kunwar Vijay Pratap after it was indicted for conducting a politically motivated inquiry by the high court, is also now being run by the state Vigilance Department." He said this was clear from the manner in which Vigilance officials were included in the SIT team in direct violation of the high court orders when the SIT questioned former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at his Chandigarh residence.

"It is clear that Vigilance Director B.K. Uppal and Advisor B.I.S. Chahal, who works in conjunction with the former, are supervising the SIT probe." The SAD President alleged Punjab had gone backwards during Congress rule with corruption and scams being the order of the day.

He announced that once the SAD formed a government in the state in 2022 it would order a probe into all scams and bring their perpetrators to book.
Hyderabad, June 25 : Telangana Congress leaders on Friday called on Governor, Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, and appealing her to ensure justice to Dalit woman Mariyamma who allegedly died of police torture in custody.

A delegation of party leaders led by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum to her.

The Dalit woman died in Addaguduru police station under Rachakonda police Commissionerate in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district on June 18.

The Congress leaders urged the Governor to intervene in the matter to ensure that the guilty are punished. They also demanded help to the family of the victim.

They alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government is trying to shield those involved in the custodial death.

Vikramarka said the government has failed in maintain law and order. Voicing concern over increasing attacks on Dalits, he said despite repeated representations over the issue. the government has failed to check the crime.

The Telangana High Court on Thursday ordered judicial probe into the alleged custodial death.

The court directed the Aler magistrate to conduct the probe and submit the report to the court in a sealed cover. The magistrate was also directed to exhume the body of the deceased and conduct re-postmortem, if necessary.

Mariyamma, who was working as a maid at a pastor's house in Addagudur and faced robbery charges, died in the police station on June 18 station because of alleged police torture.

Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat had on Tuesday ordered suspension of three police officers at Addagudur for negligence in handling investigation allegedly leading to the custodial death.

Station sub-inspector V. Maheshwar, constables Rasheed, and Janaiah were suspended.

A delegation of Telangana Congress leaders led by its President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy Wednesday met DGP M. Mahender Reddy and sought further action against the policemen involved in the alleged custodial death.

They alleged that the police was trying to project the death as a case of heart attack in the Addaguduru police station and demanded a fair inquiry into it.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said Mariamma and her son were whisked away from their home in Komatlagudem in Khammam district by policemen in plain clothes on June 15 in connection with the theft case. They were brought to Addaguduru police station, where they were tortured.

He demanded that a case be filed under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act against police officers responsible for custodial death and inhuman torture of her son.
San Francisco, June 25 : After announcing its all-new Windows 11 software for PCs, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has invited Apple's iMessage to the Microsoft Store, the media reported.

In an exclusive interview with WSJ's Joanna Stern, Nadella spoke about the new operating system, called out app stores and invited iMessage to the Microsoft Store.

While Nadella seems optimistic about a future where all developers and apps are welcome to the Windows software, no matter what, Apple has taken a different path, 9To5Mac reported.

Mostly during the last year, Apple has been accused of monopoly over the iPhone App Store. ThereaAs the Epic lawsuit, as well as many other governments that want to break Apple's App Store.

Even the US Congress wants the iPhone to be sold without any pre-installed app, although it seems a stretch, the report said.

Nadella reinforced that Windows welcomes more marketplaces to its ecosystem.

"We have the ability to have multiple marketplaces. We want to have a great marketplace, but we also welcome other marketplaces," he said.
New Delhi, June 25 : The National Investigation (NIA) on Friday said that it has arrested Jahiruddin SK aka Jahir, an absconding FICN racketeer in connection with the seizure of counterfeit currency of face value of Rs 6.84 lakh from Bengaluru.

An NIA spokesperson said that the agency arrested Jahiruddin from his house in West Bengal's Murshidabad.

A case was originally registered on August 7, 2018 in Bengaluru relating to seizure of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) having face value of Rs 6.84 lakh in denomination of Rs 2,000 from four accused persons.

The NIA had taken over the probe on September 6, 2018 and had earlier filed three charge sheets against six accused persons.

The official said that during probe it was revealed Jahiruddin is a close aide of arrested accused persons Abdul Kadir and Sabiruddin who had procured FICN from their associates in Bangladesh and supplied the same to their other associates in India for circulation in various parts of the country.

Jahiruddin was produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate at Malda in West Bengal seeking transit warrant to produce him before the NIA Special Court in Bengaluru.
London, June 25 : Stars formed for the first time 250 million to 350 million years after the beginning of the universe, according to a new study.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) and the University of Cambridge examined six of the most distant galaxies currently known, whose light has taken most of the universe's lifetime to reach us. They found that the distance of these galaxies away from Earth corresponded to a "look back" time of more than 13 billion years ago, when the universe was only 550 million years old.

Analysing images from the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes, the researchers calculated the age of these galaxies as ranging from 200 to 300 million years, allowing an estimate of when their stars first formed.

"Theorists speculate that the universe was a dark place for the first few hundred million years, before the first stars and galaxies formed," said lead author Nicolas Laporte from Cambridge.

"Our observations indicate that cosmic dawn occurred between 250 and 350 million years after the beginning of the universe, and, at the time of their formation, galaxies such as the ones we studied would have been sufficiently luminous," Laporte said.

The findings are detailed in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The researchers analysed starlight from the galaxies as recorded by the Hubble and Spitzer, examining a marker in their energy distribution indicative of the presence of atomic hydrogen in their stellar atmospheres. This provides an estimate of the age of the stars they contain.

This hydrogen signature increases in strength as the stellar population ages but diminishes when the galaxy is older than a billion years. The age-dependence arises because the more massive stars that contribute to this signal burn their nuclear fuel more rapidly and therefore die first.

The researchers noted that NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, scheduled to launch in November, will be sensitive enough to observe the birth of galaxies directly.

"We now eagerly await the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, which we believe has the capability to directly witness cosmic dawn," said Professor Richard Ellis from UCL's Physics and Astronomy department.

"The quest to see this important moment in the universe's history has been a holy grail in astronomy for decades. Since we are made of material processed in stars, this is in some sense the search for our own origins," he added.
Chandigarh, June 25 : Facing massive statewide agitation by farmers over power outages, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday issued directions to ensure eight-hour uninterrupted power supply and to purchase deficient power from outside the state at any cost to prevent any supply disruption in the ongoing sowing season.

Chairing a high-level meeting to review the power supply to the farmers during the ongoing kharif season, he directed the Finance Department to release Rs 500 crore to the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) to tide over the financial crunch faced amid the pandemic.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who was present at the meeting, assured that his department would release these funds without delay.

The PSPCL earlier informed the meeting that it was facing a severe financial crunch as a result of slowdown in consumption and revenue collection in the last one year due to the pandemic.

Reiterating his government's commitment to providing continuous eight-hour supply to farmers for sowing their crops, the Chief Minister directed PSPCL to purchase deficient power, if needed from outside the state at any cost, to meet the government's commitment to the farmers.

There should be no disruption of power supply to the farmers, he added.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal said the farm economy of Punjab has been endangered by the Congress government with massive power cuts and insufficient canal water, threatening to devastate the paddy crop.

He said farmers were barely getting four to five hours of power and that too in gaps instead of the promised eight hour uninterrupted power supply.
Srinagar, June 25 : One terrorist was killed while another surrendered with an AK rifle during an encounter between militants and security forces in the Hanjipora area in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Friday, officials said.

"The second terrorist of proscribed outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) surrendered along with an AK 56 rifle during the encounter. Search is still going on," the police said.

The firefight between LeT terrorists and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the army cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of terrorists.

As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where the terrorists were hiding, they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.
New Delhi, June 25 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday said that it registered two separate cases against officials of NTPC and the Postal Department and carried out searches at multiple locations in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain and Indore, Jharkhand's Chatra, and Rajasthan's Bhilwara.

A CBI spokesperson said that the agency registered a case against Rashid Khan, the then officiating Postal Assistant in Ujjain, on a complaint from Senior Superintendent of Post Offices in Ujjain.

He said that in the complaint it was alleged that during the period 2019 to 2020, Khan had forged withdrawal vouchers of six account holders of Mahidpur Sub Post Office and thereby fraudulently withdrawn the amount of Rs 13.41 lakh from their accounts, thereby causing a loss to the Post Office.

The official said that the agency carried out searches at two places located in Ujjain at the premises of Khan.

He said that the agency registered a separate case on a complaint from GM (Vigilance), Corporate Centre, NTPC, New Delhi against Shiv Shankar Vyas, the then Manager (EE), NTPC, Khargone in Madhya Pradesh, his wife Ankita Vyas, Kunal Rai, Proprietor of Rife Solutions in Indore and other unknown persons.

He said that it was alleged that the Vyas was misusing his official position and forcing vendors to work in partnership in NTPC Khargone.

"Searches were conducted at the premises of Vyas at Chatra, Bhilwara and Indore which led to recovery of some incriminating documents," he added.
Chandigarh, June 25 : The officials of South Korea-based multinational company Seoul Semiconductor on Friday called on Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here to explore the possibility of setting up a research and development (R&D) facility in the state to cater to the needs of the Indian market.

The company, which is into the business of manufacturing compound semiconductors and innovative LED lighting, already has its office in Gurugram.

The South Korean Ambassador to India, the President of the Federation of Korean Associations and the representatives of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KOCHAM) in India joined the meeting virtually.

Seoul Semiconductor handed over medical supplies, including masks, gloves and mobile air purifiers, to the Haryana Chief Minister to support the state's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Arshi Krishnachar, India Head and Vice President, Seoul Semiconductor, told the media on the sidelines of the meeting that the company is exploring the possibility of setting up an R&D facility in Gurugram.

"The state government has offered us multiple locations to set up a manufacturing facility, R&D facility, logistic hubs etc., and would take a call to set up an R&D unit in Haryana by 2023 to cater to the Indian and overseas markets, including the US and the Middle East," he added.

At present, the company has its manufacturing facilities in Korea, China, Vietnam and the US.

Korean Ambassador Shin Bong-kil said, "Haryana is one of the favourite destinations for the global investors. Taking advantage of the state's business-friendly environment and policies, Korean companies have a strong foothold in the state."
New Delhi, June 25 : API Holdings Ltd (API), the parent company of digital healthcare brand Pharmeasy, is set to acquire automated accredited diagnostic laboratory Thyrocare Technologies, making the first such deal of a listed entity by an Indian unicorn.

API Holdings has signed definitive documents to acquire 66.1 per cent stake in Thyrocare Technologies Ltd (Thyrocare) from Dr A. Velumani and affiliates at a price of Rs 1,300 per share aggregating to Rs 4,546 crore.

The transaction is subject to regulatory and other applicable customary approvals.

Docon Technologies Pvt Ltd, a 100 per cent subsidiary of API, will be the acquirer and shall make an open offer for an additional 26 per cent stake.

Velumani will be separately acquiring a minority non-controlling stake, of less than 5 per cent, in API as part of a series of equity investments by existing and new investors of API.

PharmEasy is an online pharmacy and diagnostics brand, RetailIO - India's largest B2B pharma marketplace & seller, and DocOn - a leading consultation and EMR platform.

The company has a base of over 12 million consumers, network of over 6,000 digital consultation clinics, and over 90,000 partner retailers across the country. It currently serves over 1 million patients for their pharmacy & diagnostics needs, conducts over 300,000 consultations, and issues over 1 million digital prescriptions on a monthly basis.

Thyrocare is a diagnostics solution provider by volume with over 110 million tests performed annually. It is the largest B2B player in the diagnostics space and has a network of over 3,330 collection centres across in over 2,000 towns in India. Thyrocare operates a multi-lab model with one mega central processing lab, two zonal processing labs and 13 regional processing labs across the country.

The partnership between PharmEasy and Thyrocare is expected to draw synergies of both, India's largest digital health platform and one of the largest, cost-effective diagnostics solution providers (by volume), and will accelerate the delivery of high-quality diagnostic and OPD services across the full continuum of patient care to nearly 800 million Indians, the company said in a statement.

On the addition of Thyrocare into its portfolio, API Holdings CEO Siddharth Shah said: "We are delighted to be partnering Thyrocare. We will provide world class customer experience in diagnostics, rivalling our pharmacy experience by leveraging technology, and building on top of the massive scale & truly pan-India presence of Thyrocare. It is our aim to deliver all outpatient healthcare products & services to every Indian within 24 hours." Thyrocare Chairman and MD, Velumani, said: "I am excited about this relationship, unique of its kind in Indian healthcare industry. The unique reach and strength of Thyrocare in diagnostics blended with young and dynamic team of PharmEasy will bring in better healthcare solutions for common man nationwide."
New Delhi, June 25 : If there is any politician in Pakistan, who deserves the sympathy of the world today, the worthy is Imran Khan, the 22nd Prime Minister of the country.

He is no ordinary Pakistani. He belongs to a relatively affluent, upper middle-class family. He did his higher studies from Oxford. One of his ancestors, Haibat Khan Niazi, "was a leading general" of the 16th century warrior king, Sher Shah Suri, who gave nightmares to the Great Moghuls.

Maternally, Khan is a descendant of the Sufi warrior-poet, Pir Roshan, whose lasting contribution is the Pashto alphabet. Pashto is the language spoken by Pashtuns, who live in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Simply put, Imran Khan's pedigree makes him the envy of fellow politicians in the land of the pure, as Pakistan is known ever since it was carved out of British India in 1947 as the home for Muslims.

But for reasons that remain still a riddle wrapped in enigma, the mighty Imran Khan has become an embarrassment to the Pakistani diaspora with his witless remarks.

And at home, his pearls of wisdom have become fodder for the social media vigilantes, who say he is no different from the run of the mill politicians; their verdict is that he too suffers from the foot-in-the-mouth disease.

Well, like most politicians of the Indian sub-continent, Imran Khan can blame the media for his latest troubles. Because it is Axios journalist Jonathan Swan's interview for HBO that found Imran Khan expose his foot-in-the-mouth affliction with his remarks on rape, and on his belief that his country as also India need no nuclear weapons if differences over Kashmir are resolved.

Asked about the ongoing "rape epidemic" in Pakistan, he, in a matter-of-fact tone, said, "If a woman is wearing very few clothes, it will have an impact on the man unless they are robots. It's common sense." Frankly, this was not the first time that Khan was speaking his mind on rape. He did so as recently as mid-April and faced flak. Apparently, he remains unmoved by the outrage he has invited by blaming women for the increasing incidence of rape cases in the country. And the sobriquet -- 'rape apologist'.

Khan's Pakistan is the only nuclearised Muslim country. The know-how was acquired surreptitiously during the Bhutto era, as the charismatic Socialist was determined not only to match neighbour India, but also to gift the "Islamic Bomb" to the world.

Clearly, the Imran-speak shows startling ignorance about his grasp over key issues. While India has not yet reacted, the Opposition in his country, notably the Peoples' Party of Pakistan and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), have pounced on him, accusing him of working at the behest of the West to undo Pakistan's nuclear programme.

It was the PPP regimes that had laid the N-foundations; the N-test was conducted by PML-N.

Incredibly, the Pakistan Prime Minister is unaware that India had started its nuclear programme after China, Pakistan's 'iron brother', introduced the deadly weapon in the region more than half a century ago.

India doesn't need nukes to defend itself against Pakistan, but it will be foolish of India to imagine that the nukes can be done away with as long as China has the policy of forcible intrusion into the Himalayas.

In other words, Pakistan's N-bomb is India centric whereas India's N-concerns have no Pakistan fixation.

In interview after interview, Khan has been declaring that he would not talk to India unless "its mischief" in Kashmir is rolled back. The reference is to New Delhi's 2019 decision to end the special status the Indian constitution had temporarily bestowed on Jammu and Kashmir years ago.

But he has no answer as to why India should oblige him. He has been fretting and fuming against India and its Prime Minister in the most undiplomatic language.

Khan harps on ill-treatment of minorities in India, but does nothing to stop atrocities, including murder, rape and conversion by force on minority Shias, Hazaras, Hindus and Christians in his own country.

That apart, he is quick to denounce France, Canada and a host of Western nations for alleged instances of 'Islamophobia', but doesn't utter a word on China's brutalities against Muslims in Xinjiang and the Buddhists in Tibet.

Now cut to Khan's remarks on rape. His comments on women's attire and rape are no different from the belief of men of a particular bent of mind at home that unless a woman who ventures out of home is covered head to toe, she should be ready to face sexual barbs, if not assault.

More than a dozen women's rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, have released a statement demanding his apology, according to the Guardian.

"This is dangerously simplistic and only reinforces the common public perception that women are 'knowing' victims and men 'helpless' aggressors," they said.

The Oxford-educated Khan's doublespeak does sound astonishing. He made his first wife, a British Jew, adopt many Pakistani ways, including the habit of appearing in public 'fully attired and head covered'.

His second marriage to a beautiful British journalist of Pakistani origin ended in bitterness. The divorced bride spoke of Imran Khan's fondness for company outside the matrimony. His present wife, a Pakistani, appears in public covered under layers of linen.

So much so, Khan commenting on rape is a case of devil quoting the scripture. By no means rape can be described as a modern-day curse. It marks him out as a misogynist with a narrow mindset.
Bengaluru, June 25 : The Bengaluru Police on Friday opened fire on two persons, who are wanted in a case related to the killing of local BJP leader Rekha Kadiresh, after the duo resisted the police's effort to arrest them.

Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, Kamal Pant, told reporters that the police teams were forced to open fire after firing warning shots in the air as the accused persons resisted the search teams' efforts to nab them.

"We are investigating the matter based on a family member's complaint," he said in response to a question.

Rekha (45) was hacked to death in broad daylight on Thursday morning in front of her local office in Cottonpet, one of the oldest and thickly populated areas of Bengaluru.

Rekha was a two-time member of the Bengaluru civic body -- the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). She was the second wife of rowdy-sheeter Kadiresh, who was also a BJP leader and was killed in a similar fashion by an armed gang in February 2018.

Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa had directed the police on Thursday to nab the assailants within 24 hours.

According to the police, the duo -- Peter aka 'Lamboo Peter' and Surya -- was hiding in a forest area in Sunkadakatte after they had fled from the crime scene.

The police said they were forced to open fire after the duo attacked a sub-inspector and a constable at the time of their arrest.

Both Peter and Surya are now admitted to a hospital for treatment and further investigation is on, informed the police.

"Surya and Peter were the first ones to assault Rekha on her neck with sharp weapons. Despite the gruesome attack, she ran about 100 metres, but the gang chased her down and attacked her in broad daylight. Though some people managed to take her to a hospital, she was declared dead," the police said, adding that they identified the accused persons based on eyewitness accounts and the CCTV footages from the nearby buildings.

The police said they have CCTV footage of Peter and Surya fleeing from the spot with the help of Stephen, who is also a relative of Rekha.

The police said that the attack was executed by a five-member gang, of which three are still on the run though they have also been identified.

Peter is also a relative of Kadiresh as he had eloped with his niece in 2017, a year before the latter was killed. Bad blood existed between them since then.
Chennai, June 25 : The Madras High Court on Friday came down heavily against the Tamil Nadu government over the 2018 police firing at Thoothukodi against unarmed protestors at the Sterlite plant that left 13 people dead.

A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam made the observation on a plea seeking a direction to the National Human Rights Commission to reopen the case pertaining to the police firing incident.

"It is somewhat alarming that the state, through its police, fired at unarmed protestors and no one is booked three years after the incident. It does not augur well for a civilised society governed by constitutional principles that we have to merely throw money at the families of the victims and give closure to an incident of brutality and excessive police action," it said, while directing the NHRC to submit the report of its team that probed the police firing on anti-Sterlite protestors.

The court also orally observed that throwing money at people and hushing up everything is not good for a society governed by a Constitution. A greater part with regard to the punishment is left unanswered, it noted.

"Can we kill people and throw money at them and say that our job is done? Is that the society we want to build? Just throwing money at some people and everything else is hushed up," it said.

The High Court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to submit the interim report of the Justice (retired) Aruna Jagadeesan Commission.
Chennai, June 25 : The Tamil Nadu government on Friday constituted a 16-member panel to study and report on tourism revival plans in the state as well as on the Covid protocols to be implemented at tourist spots.

The state Health Department has already issued an order to vaccinate people at all tourist spots and memorials in the state.

The Director, Tourism will be the Chairman of the 16-member panel, which has been asked to convene a committee meeting immediately, and prepare and submit a revival plan for the tourism sector as well as Covid standard operating protocols for tourists.

The Director of Museums, the Commissioner, Art and Culture, the Commissioner of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, the Director of Public Health, the Commissioner of Archeology, the Regional Director of the Union Tourism Ministry and Chennai Corporation's former City Health Officer, P. Kugananthan are among the members of the panel.

Representatives of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the Tamil Nadu Travel Mart (TTM), the South Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (SIHRA), the Tamil Nadu Tour Travel and Hospitality Association (TTTHA), the South India MICE Association(SIMA), and the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) are the other members.

There were several petitions from the associations in the tourism sector as well as the Tourism Department to bring out a revival plan for the tourism sector. While various stakeholders are not hopeful of a proper inflow of tourists into major tourist destinations of Tamil Nadu, the department is expecting movement of inter- and intra district movement of tourists and hence, wants a proper tourism revival plan in place.

The department is of the opinion that once the sector is opened up, there would be easing of travel restrictions leading to movement of people, and this would help the total revival of the sector in a gradual manner.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New York, June 25 : The Indian Navy and Air Force deployed their arsenal of both Russian and Western-made aircraft during the joint exercises centred around the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Indian Ocean to 'build on the high-calibre integration' between the two nations, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM).

"Our nations share a common interest in a secure Indo-Pacific," Rear Admiral Will Pennington said.

"Working collectively with like-minded nations to provide full spectrum awareness and defence of the vast Indian Ocean expanse ensures stability in the region," Pennington added.

The joint drill was held on Wednesday and Thursday, when the USS Ronald Reagan, which is based in Japan, was on its way to the North Arabian Sea in preparation for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. After that, the US Navy held a separate exercise in the region with Sri Lanka and Japan, PACOM said.

The India-US exercises that "reinforced the converging maritime interests" of the US and India followed last month's meeting between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Pentagon during India's first cabinet-level visit to Washington after President Joe Biden took office, the PACOM said.

The Indian Defence Ministry said on Friday, "The exercise has been a key enabler in building interoperability and strengthening the defence coordination between the two nations and witnessed high tempo-naval operations at sea." "The exercise has been another milestone in strengthening cooperation between the two countries and reinforcing the shared values as partner militaries, in ensuring freedom of seas and commitment to an open, inclusive Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order," the ministry said.

Echoing the sentiment, PACOM said, "Integration of Indian forces sharpen the regional maritime security construct to uphold a rules-based maritime order in the Indian Ocean Region." The Indian Defence Ministry said the exercises included "intense air dominance exercises, advanced air defence exercises, anti-submarine exercises, tactical manoeuvres and cross-deck helicopter operations".

PACOM added that aerial exercises like dissimilar aircraft combat training (DACT), detect-to-engage sequence and formation manoeuvering were are also part of the exercises.

The Defence Ministry said that guided-missile stealth destroyer INS Kochi, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime air dominance fighter MiG 29K, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I, and Seaking 42B and Kamov AEW helicopters from the Navy, and Jaguars and Su 30 MKI fighters, airborne early warning and control aircraft, and air-to-air refueller aircraft from the Air Force were deployed in the exercise.

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group known as CSG 5 that participated in the exercise deployed the US guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh and guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey, as well as aircraft from its Carrier Air Wing, according to PACOM.

The Defence Ministry, detailing the US aircraft in the exercise, said they included F18 fighters, E2D Advanced Hawkeye Airborne early warning and control aircraft, and Sikorsky MH60R Seahawk helicopters.

The US Naval Institute News reported on Friday that the USS Ronald Reagan was in the North Arabian Sea to support the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.

This was the second US-India naval exercise this year as strategic cooperation flourishes between the two countries.

US Navy's USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group had held exercises with the Indian Navy and Air Force in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region in March. It followed Austin's visit to India, the first cabinet-level trip in Biden's administration.

The US Navy also held an exercise with Sri Lanka with the participation of Japan "focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships", PACOM said.

The 27th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise included both at-sea and virtual elements, PACOM said.

Sri Lanka Navy's India-built SLNS Sayurala and US-made SLNS Gajabahu participated in the exercise with Japan's JMSDF Asagiri-class destroyer JS Yuugiri and US littoral combat ship USS Charleston and a P-8A Poseidon aircraft, PACOM said.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis)
Hyderabad, June 25 : Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday directed the state police chief to probe the lockup death of a Dalit woman in Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district and take stringent action against the police personnel responsible as per the law.

He asked Director General of Police M. Mahender Reddy to remove the policemen, if found guilty, from the service.

He said that the lockup death of Mariamma, hailing from Chintakaniki in Khammam district, is very painful and the government would never support such measures.

Assuring that the government would extend all support son and daughters of Mariamma, he instructed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to ensure that Mariamma's son Uday Kiran is given a government job, a house and Rs 15 lakh ex gratia, and Mariamma's two daughters are given Rs 10 lakh each. The DGP was asked to visit Chintakaniki to find out the facts and details about the lockup death and console the members of the victim's family.

KCR, as the Chief Minister is popularly known, gave the directions after a delegation of opposition Congress party leaders met him to submit a memorandum, seeking justice for the family of the victim.

Congress Legislature Party leader and Madhira MLA Bhatti Vikramarka, other party MLAs D. Sridhar Babu, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Jaggareddy, and Congress SC Cell Chairman Pritam called on the Chief Minister.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, he expressed anger over the behaviour of police in the lockup death. He suggested that local minister Puvvada Ajaykumar, MP Nama Nageshwar Rao, and District Collector should take the CLP leader along with them on June 28 and meet the victim's family members and console them.

"There is a need for the society to change its attitude towards the Dalits. Especially the attitude and behaviour of the police towards the Dalits should be in favour of them and support them. It is unfortunate that when the police machinery is making a qualitative change in maintaining the law and order situation, such incident took place. We will not pardon such incidents. The government will not keep quiet if anyone does harm to Dalits. There will be swift action on the matter. There should not be any delay in inquiring about the culprits of lockup death and taking stern action against them. If need be, dismiss them from the service," the CM told the DGP.

The CM's orders came a day after the Telangana High Court ordered judicial probe into the alleged lockup death of the Dalit woman in in Addaguduru police station under Rachakonda police commissionerate on June 18.

Mariyamma, who was working as a maid at a pastor's house in Addagudur and faced robbery charges, died in the police station because of alleged police torture.

Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat had on Tuesday ordered suspension of three police officers at Addagudur for negligence in handling investigation allegedly leading to the custodial death.

Station sub-inspector V. Maheshwar, constables Rasheed, and Janaiah were suspended.

The Congress party leaders alleged that Mariamma and her son were whisked away from their home in Khammam district by policemen in plain clothes on June 15 in connection with the case. They were brought to Addaguduru police station, where they were tortured.
Chennai, June 25 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had set a new benchmark in inclusive politics by accommodating former Health Minister and AIADMK leader C. Vijayabhaskar in a 13-member-committee of legislators to combat Covid-19. But that did not stop him from taking issue with the opposition party's claims.

Stalin, after assuming office, reached out to opposition parties to set up the committee with legislators from across the political spectrum. The development was hailed and the Chief Minister noted that the presence of the former Health Minister would provide support to the government in its fight against Covid.

However, this did not stop Stalin from openly contradicting the claims made by the AIADMK leadership including former Chief Minister K. Palaniswami that his government had a better track record of containing Covid-19. Stalin said that it was the DMK government under his leadership that has contained Covid and the AIADMK government was found wanting in several crucial moments during the first wave of the pandemic.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian also came out heavily against the previous AIADMK government in the matter of containing the deadly pandemic.

The sudden change by the DMK leadership in the house and outside is seen by political observers as a calculated political move to capture the public mind and to discredit the opposition.

Talking to IANS, Madurai based journalist and political observer S. Sivashankar said: "Stalin is a shrewd politician and he knows that he had to take credit for the decreasing number of Covid-19 cases and that he should not provide space to the AIADMK in this game of one-upmanship. While he wants to project an image of a politician with inclusiveness, at crucial junctures, he wants to break free of that image and cater to his cadre base as well as send a strong message to the people that it was his leading role that helped contain the disease." With the assembly now adjourned, the verbal duel which took place in the house between the DMK and the AIADMK is expected to continue on the streets.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New Delhi, June 25 : The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Friday said that it has busted an international racket across India and Nepal involved in smuggling charas, arresting two persons and seizing 12.5 kg of the drug.

NCB Deputy Director K.P.S. Malhotra said that the drug law enforcement agency has arrested a 51-year-old woman from Bihar's East Champaran and Mukesh, 40, a resident of Haryana's Karnal, adding that with their arrest, the local supply network of charas has been dismantled.

Malhotra said that on June 23, specific information was received at Delhi Zonal Unit that a woman would come to Panipat to supply huge quantity of charas to her associate.

"Acting on the information, a trap was laid and one lady, who was later on identified as a resident of Bihar, was apprehended. From her possession, 12.5 kg charas was recovered," he said.

He also said that during her questioning, she revealed that she had come to supply the contraband to Mukesh. "At her instance, Mukesh was also arrested from Karnal," he said.

Malhotra said that during interrogation, they revealed that the main supplier of charas is a resident of Nepal.

"Charas was being trafficked to Delhi NCR through Bihar. Mukesh is married to a woman in Nepal and through her, he came in contact with Ramesh and started trafficking charas."
New Delhi, June 25 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Friday that it has arrested trader Ajay Chandrashekar Baheti in connection with its probe into the PDS scam case.

Following his arrest, a court has sent Baheti to eight-day agency custody.

The ED said in a statement that Baheti was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Thursday and he was produced before the court on Thursday.

The ED had initiated the investigation on the basis of the FIR and chargesheet filed by the Maharashtra Police against Baheti under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Essential Commodities Act.

Baheti had gained illicit pecuniary advantage from the Public Distribution System (PDS) by forming a syndicate to systematically steal ration under government quota at Nanded in Maharashtra.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Baheti had indulged in unlawful activities and illegal profiteering.

Explaining the modus operandi, the ED said that PDS food grains (wheat and rice) from the warehouses of the Food Corporation of India were transported in trucks to various tehsils in Nanded and Hingoli districts Maharashtra.

"These trucks were diverted to Baheti's factory -- India Agro Anaj Limited -- instead of their designated destination. This scam involved more than 3,000 ration shops of two districts and 28 godowns of the Food Corporation of India," the ED said.

"Some unknown agents, traders, business people and government officials were also involved in the said scam," it added.
Patna, June 25 : BJP Rajya Sabha member and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Friday slammed RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav for questioning the Covid vaccination programme.

Tejashwi Yadav had said that he will only take the vaccine only after 70 per cent of the vaccination programme would be completed in the country.

In response, Sushil Modi, in a series of tweets, said that Tejashwi Yadav has shown his political motive through his vaccine statement, and is running a political agenda just like Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. They are trying to defame the Central government's vaccination programme, he alleged.

He asked Tejashwi Yadav to clarify why his father, Lalu Prasad, and mother, Rabri Devi, had not taken Covid vaccine, and with the vaccination programme underway for last 6 months, why did Tejashwi Yada had not visited any vaccination centre.

"Some reports about human errors like in Chapra appeared before us. Apart from that, the vaccination programme is by and large running in smooth way," Sushil Modi said, citing the incident in which a nurse was purportedly seen injecting an empty syringe into the arm of a youth.

Noting that 30 crore population of the country and 1.5 crore in Bihar are taken the vaccines so far, he said that it was "extremely unfortunate" that leaders of opposition parties are not serious about vaccination.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Gandhinagar, June 26 : Two patients, infected with cpronavirus' Delta Plus variant - listed as 'a variant of concern', have been detected in Gujarat, as per data disclosed by the Union Health Ministry.

Those two people are from Surat and Vadodara, but according to the information available, have been treated and are known to be out of danger.

But the real cause of worry for Surat administration is that neighbouring Maharashtra has found that out of the total 20 persons identified to be infected with Delta Plus variant in the state, the travel history of two has been traced back to Surat.

The Union Health Ministry said the country has a total of 48 cases of the strain, detected from 45,000 samples that were sequenced, spread across 10 states and Union Territories - Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Rajasthan and Karnataka, as well as Jammu and Kashmir.

Delta plus variant is a mutation of the dreaded Delta variant (B1.617.2), which created havoc during the second wave of covid-19 in the entire country in April-May. According to some health experts, the new mutation can be the cause of the feared third wave of the pandemic.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Patna, June 26 : A saloon owner in Bihar's Darbhanga district is offering free haircut and shave to those who have received the Covid vaccine.

Shambhu Kumar Thakur, the owner of the saloon located at Baita Chowk in Darbhanga city, said that he is providing free service to promote the vaccination drive in the district.

Those seeking free service need to present their vaccination certificate or a selfie clicked while taking the vaccine shot.

"The state government is taking various steps to inform the people about the vaccination drive. Keeping this in view, we have also decided to educate the people in our own capacity," Thakur said.

"We have provided free service to over 200 clients so far. We have also put up a board stating our offer outside the saloon," he said.
Bengaluru, June 26 : Raising concern over the intensity of the second wave not declining in neighbouring Maharashtra and Kerala, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday directed officials intensify its surveillance on border areas to keep track of passengers those arriving from these states After a meeting with ministers and bureaucrats concerned to discuss strategies to curb the spread of new mutant - Delta Plus - of coronavirus' Delta variant, he, in a statement, said that there is need to increase surveillance on border areas to keep check on its carriers entering from neighbouring states.

"We need to subject everyone who arrive from Maharashtra and Kerala to tests as in these states, Covid cases are still on the rise and cases related to Delta Plus mutant were also recorded more in number in these states than in southern states," he said Yediyurappa contended that at least in Karnataka, the Delta Plus strain has not yet appeared on large scale as of now and things are under control in this regard.

He also instructed the authorities concerned to identify malnourished children and provide them nutritious food and medical care that is required.

Earlier in the day expressing similar concerns, Health Minister K. Sudhakar observed that there is a surge in cases in Kerala where the positivity rate is more than 10 per cent.

"We need to be cautious as we share a border with this state. Same is with Maharashtra too. We need to conduct more tests in border areas. We have instructed the district administration to conduct more tests in border areas to keep tight vigil on the spread of Delta Plus strain," he said.

However, the minister firmly ruled out sealing down borders. "It is not appropriate to close the borders. We need to be extra cautious at bus and railway stations," he said.

He said that there are two cases of Delta Plus variant in the state, one in Bengaluru and the other in Mysuru, both with mild symptoms.

"The one in Mysuru is completely recovered. There was no severity in both the cases. Primary contacts of these cases have tested negative. Therefore, there is no need to panic about this mutant," he said.

The minister reiterated that genome sequencing is carried out regularly to detect new strains.

"We are planning to set up six genome sequencing labs at Bengaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Hubballi, Mangaluru and Vijayapura," he added.
Gandhinagar June 26 : The Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoH) of the Union Ministry of Health on Friday asked Gujarat Chief Secretary (CS) Anil Mukim to adopt immediate containment measures in Surat district, where the new variant of the Delta variant -- the Delta Plus -- has been found.

After the Delta Plus variant of the coronavirus was found in two victims in Gujarat on Friday, Rajesh Bhushan (IAS), from the DOH, has written to Mukim to take immediate containment measures in Surat and other places where clusters of Delta variant have been found.

Besides, one of the infected was found to be from Surat, but according to the information available, even the Maharashtra administration found that out of the total 20 persons identified in Maharashtra to be infected with Delta Plus variant, two had a travel history to Surat.

Indian SARS-CoV-2Genomics Consortium (INASCOG), the consortium of laboratories, has been entrusted to not only carry out the whole genome sequencing of the coronavirus and its variants, but also has been told to give timely inputs on appropriate public health response in regions where the variant has been found.

Bhushan has said that INASCOG has informed that the Delta Plus has following characteristics like increased transmissibility, stronger bonding to receptors of lung cells and potential reproduction in monoclonal antibody response. The consortium has also informed that the variant has been found in Surat.

The Gujarat CS has been instructed to take immediate containment measures like preventing gathering of crowds and inter mingling of people, carry out widespread testing, prompt tracing as well as vaccination on a priority basis.

It is also requested to ensure adequate samples of Delta Plus positive persons are sent to the designated laboratories of INASCOG promptly, so that clinical epidemiological co-relationships can be established.

Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Washington, June 26 : Former US police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced on Friday to 270 months, or 22.5 years in prison, for the murder of African American George Floyd last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota state.

Chauvin "is the first white officer in Minnesota to face prison time for the killing of a Black man," according to Minnesota Public Radio.

"We need to recognise the pain of the Floyd family," Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in court.

The sentence was not based on emotion or sympathy, the judge noted.

Members of Floyd's family were present in the courtroom for the hearing, the Xinhua news agency reported.

Chauvin, who was found guilty of murdering Floyd by a jury in April, said he declined to give a formal statement in court due to "additional legal matters," but expressed his condolences to the Floyd family.

In his earlier ruling, Cahill concluded that Chauvin abused his "position of trust and authority" as a police officer and displayed "particular cruelty" when he knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes during his arrest. Floyd was later pronounced dead at hospital.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter as well as third-degree murder in April.

Floyd's death sparked weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism last summer.
Airfree is proven effective in killing viruses like the Influenza A. We wanted the certified proof that this would include the COVID-19 virus. The first test we conducted with MRIGlobal has proven it is effective after 60 minutes and our continued testing will prove to show even more.

Airfree, the number one filterless air purifier proven to effectively destroy 99.9 percent of all viruses, announced today the results of its first study to successfully destroy COVID-19 from the air. Airfree has been researching best practices for safely testing its air purifiers against the coronavirus. The study, which was performed by MRIGlobal Laboratories, in April, was found to kill 80.5% of the virus in the first 60 minutes of testing.

This first study was done using the Airfree Onix 3000 unit. This is the most popular model that is sold in the US and Canada. The Onix 3000 was tested as a whole unit, as if it was taken right out of the box by the consumer. It was conducted under the standard operating procedures or approved laboratory procedures of MRIGlobal, a US-based laboratory.

Airfrees purifiers have been tested hundreds of times proving its effectiveness in destroying bacteria and viruses and other organic materials that can be detrimental to our health. Throughout its testing, Airfree models have proven time and time again to kill 99.99% of airborne microorganisms, but the company wanted to ensure its consumers that its products would also destroy the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus variant, to show its consumers that they can completely trust their brand.

Most other air purifiers on the market capture airborne microorganisms using a HEPA filter, where they remain alive for some time. The Airfree's proprietary TSS (thermo-dynamic Sterilization System) was created to silently draw bacteria, viruses, and other organic organisms into the ceramic core heated ducts to be destroyed by heat purifying the room, not by just capturing without destroying, and most importantly without any filters to replace, a huge saving to the consumer and the environment. This also helps avoid the hazardous air filter replacement, which could put the captured organisms back into the environment. said Daniel Matias Global Sales Officer. We know that Airfree has been proven effective in killing viruses like the Influenza A, but we wanted the certified proof that this would include the COVID-19 virus. The first test we conducted with MRIGlobal has proven it is effective after just the first 60 minutes and our continued testing will prove to show even more, as most people plug in the Airfree units for more than just 60 minutes.

In all of our testing, Airfree has always strived to find ways to test its products in real-world situations. Once the pandemic began, our scientific team worked with independent laboratories to conduct a safe study to measure the effectiveness of our products against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, said Raphael Matias, Global Marketing Officer.

Airfrees founder strived to create an air purification system unlike anything else on the market, and it then wanted to test its system to prove its effectiveness, resulting in its proprietary air purification system that has been tested hundreds of times around the world and concluded its effectiveness in silently cleaning the air in a room over and over in a 24 hour period leaving it free of viruses, bacteria, allergens, and other organic materials.

For more information on the study, please click here to see the results.

About Airfree:

Airfrees mission is to combine the best technology and design, to turn our clients needs into innovative solutions for indoor environments, whether for health reasons, comfort, or to increase productivity. The technology began being developed thanks to the initiative and creativity of a Portuguese businessman in an effort to find an effective way to ease his sons allergy attacks. After successful testing at the INETI microbiological laboratory in Portugal, large-scale production of the devices began to take shape so that more families worldwide could be able to enjoy the benefits of a simple, effective concept.

In 2004, after a few adjustments had been made to improve electronics and capacity, Airfree was born. This was marked by the launch of its P air purifier range, attractive and modern in design. Since then, Airfree has continued to grow, manufacturing a variety of models of air purifiers exclusively in three factories in Europe, intended for use not only in homes but also geared towards commercial, agricultural, and industrial uses. For more information, please visit http://www.airfree.com.

In late 2020, Airfree USA was launched to better attend the US Market needs.
Audio Patient Monitor with improved sound My goal was to bring back a cost-effective, reliable and portable solution for veterinarians to audibly monitor pressure pulses in real-time in the operating room. A product thats not only accessible to veterinarians, but to all that care for animals, like SPCAs, rescues and travel veterinarians.

Originally released in 1974 as AM Bickfords flagship product, the Audio Patient Monitor (APM) is a battery-operated audio amplifier that detects low-frequency pressure pulses of the cardiovascular system in animals.

Replacing the traditional stethoscope, APM uses a sensitive microphone that transmits the animals heartbeat and respiration sounds using an esophageal stethoscope tube or chest piece cup. The amplified cardiovascular sounds are heard through a speaker and indicated visually through a flashing red light.

Veterinarians count on APM for its hyper-sensitive monitoring capabilities. Because the sound of the animals heartbeat is amplified in real-time, veterinarians can quickly identify time-sensitive disruptions in cardiovascular rhythm during surgery, saving lives.

Users appreciate the sound of the animals actual heartbeat as opposed to disruptive and distracting beeping sounds from other cardiovascular monitoring equipment. Many have stated they find the sound of the animals actual heartbeat soothing in the operating room.

While the APM was loved by veterinarians, the original APM was discontinued.

That was until Tim Keohane joined the family business. He started to receive a number of requests for APM parts and machines.

Due to the demand, Keohane decided it made sense to bring back the APM better than ever.

My goal was to bring back a cost-effective, reliable and portable solution for veterinarians to audibly monitor pressure pulses in real-time in the operating room. A product thats not only accessible to veterinarians, but to all that care for animals, like SPCAs, rescues and travel veterinarians. The original APM was well-liked, but before bringing it back, I wanted to make some improvements.

Keohane teamed up with SCJ Associates, Inc., a Rochester, NY electronics manufacturing services company to create a new and improved APM. Compared to the older model, the new APM boasts longer battery life, improved sound quality, durability and an easy-to-remove battery pack. The microphone is better protected, and the machine comes with a protective case.

To keep the machine accessible, APM comes at an affordable price point. The APM retails for around $550 and includes the microphone unit, esophageal stethoscopes (12F, 18F, and 24F), 4 C batteries and a protective case.

The feedback for the new and improved APM has been positive.

Heather Cushman from Bavarian Veterinary Hospital in Michigan gave this testimonial, We have been using an APM monitor for the last 30 years. We love it. Durable and well built, the older model was wonderful. We have been using the new model for about 3 weeks now. This new model is so much louder and clearer than the old but is just as reliable as the older model. We have two APM monitors and could not be happier with them. Great company to work with and they really care that they are getting you a quality product.

To inquire about APM, visit ambickford.com/apm-monitor or call 1-800-795-3062.

About AM Bickford

AM Bickford has been a manufacturer of veterinary anesthesia equipment for over 40 years. Founder Allan Morris Bickford was a World War II Navy pilot veteran who had a vast knowledge of the anesthesia field. Allan Bickford applied his decades of experience in both the human and veterinary anesthesia medicine to the equipment AM Bickford manufactures and services today. AM Bickford continues to carry out Bickfords legacy with dependable and affordable equipment tailored to the unique needs of veterinarians.

For more information, contact

Tim Keohane

timk@ambickford.com

1-800-795-3062
For drivers in the Yuma, AZ area that are looking for an amazing model with a great fuel economy, Alexander Toyota is the dealership to visit!

For drivers in the Yuma, AZ area that are looking for an amazing model with a great fuel economy, Alexander Toyota is the dealership to visit! They offer a ton of amazing models, many of which giving drivers great fuel economies. What are some examples of these exceptional vehicles? Continue reading below to find out!

Starting off the list of models that offer a fuel economy of 30 MPG or higher is a 2018 Toyota Camry LE. This excellent sedan features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine system, an automatic transmission system, front-wheel drive, and more. It has only 40,888 miles on it and features a fuel economy of 28 MPG city and 39 MPG on the highway. It's priced at only $23,440.

A second model explored today is a 2019 Toyota Corolla L, which is priced at $21,550. This vehicle features a 1.8-liter I-4 engine system, automatic transmission system, and other benefits. The vehicle has only 29,076 miles on it and features a fuel economy of 28 MPG in the city and 36 MPG on the highway.

Finally, another excellent model in Alexander Toyotas lineup is a 2018 Toyota RAV4 XLE, which features a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine system, automatic transmission, and more. The model offers a fuel economy of 23 MPG city and 30 MPG on the highway. Its priced at only $24,440 and features only 35,062 miles.

These are three examples of the excellent vehicles offered at Alexander Toyota. To learn more about them and other vehicles, interested individuals should contact the dealership today. They can be reached on their website, https://www.myalexandertoyota.com/, or by phone at 928-344-1170.
Author Byron Edgington debuts his newest book, "Postflight: An Old Pilot's Logbook." "I am looking forward to helping as many young, aspiring pilots as I can to find their way into the cockpit. Dream it, believe it, do it!"

Flight is a gift that comes not without challenges. Author Byron Edgington uses his 52 years of flight experience to help guide the next generation through the trials of the aviation industry in his newest book, "'Postflight: An Old Pilot's Logbook."

A retired commercial helicopter pilot and Iowa City resident, Edgington uses his years of experience, captivating stories, insight, and best practices to write about what he loves to dofly. He trained to fly helicopters in the U.S. Army, spent a year in Vietnam, then launched a commercial aviation career that lasted almost 40 years. Now, he shares his years of aviation experience through his writing.

Edgington hopes his writing can help other young pilots not make the same mistakes he witnessed all too often. Edgington notes that this is where he found his inspiration for the book: "I loved to fly. But too often in my 50-year career, I grieved the loss of colleagues due to accidents and incompetence. Some pilots dismiss the privilege of flying. Now retired, I want to address that."

Edgington eagerly awaits the launch of "Postflight: An Old Pilot's Logbook" in late June and remarks, "I am looking forward to helping as many young, aspiring pilots as I can to find their way into the cockpit. Dream it, believe it, do it!"

There will be a virtual book launch for "Postflight: An Old Pilot's Logbook" at noon EDT on June 27 via Fig Factor Medias FB Page here. This book launch is a full-circle opportunity for Edgington as June 27 marks 52 years since he first soloed in flight school.

"Postflight: An Old Pilot's Logbook" will be available for purchase on Amazon.

About Byron Edgington:

Byron Edgington is a retired commercial helicopter pilot, author of several books, and a Crew Resource Management Instructor. Trained to fly helicopters in the Army, he spent a year in Vietnam, then launched a commercial aviation career that lasted almost 40 years. After retirement, he returned to college and received his Bachelor's Degree in English & Creative writing from The Ohio State University in 2012 at age 63. Also, in 2012, Edgington won the prestigious Bailey Prize awarded by the Swedenborg Foundation Press for his essay titled Liftoff. He has been published in numerous trade and monthly magazines, and was a writer for The Iowa City Press Citizen. Edgington is married to Mariah, his best editor. He has three daughters and five grandkids. He lives and writes in Iowa City, Iowa. For information, visit https://www.byronedgington.com/
Cynthia Dooley Even though Cynthia is our new attorney, shes not new to us. She has worked with our firm in the past, and were thrilled that she has decided to re-join us so that we can continue to help our clients foster peace and security at home and in their businesses.

A nearly 30-year attorney with a passion for service, Cynthia Dooley is the newest addition to the roster of Brousseau Naftis & Massingills practitioners. Her practice focuses on resolving wills, trusts, estates and probate issues for her clients.

Even though Cynthia is our new attorney, shes not new to us, said Matthew Naftis. She has worked with our firm in the past, and were thrilled that she has decided to re-join us so that we can continue to help our clients foster peace and security at home and in their businesses.

To that end, Ms. Dooleys guiding principle is keep your eyes on the prize, and she has found that for most people the prize is universal: a peaceful, financially secure life in the company of loved ones. With that in mind, she represents and counsels clients to set them up for the prize in the short- and long-term.

One case that stands out to her involved a resident of Los Angeles who was stuck in a dispute regarding an inherited 50% share of a home in Dallas. The inheritor of the other 50% lived in the house and refused to sell it or buy out the other owner. To complicate matters, there was no known proof of her clients title.

Eventually, Ms. Dooley found an old affidavit of heirship in the Dallas County Deed Records, and, during the lawsuit discovery process, the Dallas resident admitted to the 50% interest owned by Ms. Dooleys client. Ultimately, the house was put on the market, and Ms. Dooley made sure the sale closed and her client received the agreed amount. The two remain great friends to this day.

A lifelong Texan, Ms. Dooley was born on Galveston Island, moved to Tarrant County, and has lived in Dallas for the last three decades. She is also an alumna of Texas schools, having attended Rice for her undergraduate degree and The University of Texas School of Law, where she earned her J.D. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Dallas Bar Association, and the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, where she met her Los Angeles client.

Apart from her legal work with the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, Ms. Dooley volunteers extensively with Faith Presbyterian Hospice, where most recently, she served as a scribe at their drive-through COVID-19 vaccination clinics. For more information about Ms. Dooley, visit https://www.bnmdallas.com/cynthia-dooley/

About Brousseau Naftis & Massingill

Brousseau Naftis & Massingill provides small businesses and individuals with representation in commercial transactions and litigation, estate planning, probate, real estate, and family law matters, including marital property agreements, divorce, property division, and child custody. For more information, visit bnmdallas.com.
Crimson Cup Triple Ripple Nonalcoholic Coffee Stout "Were excited to partner with BrewDog in this first-of-its-kind beer club, which delivers delicious nonalcoholic beers with a low carbon footprint." - Greg Ubert

Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea has partnered with BrewDog to launch Crimson Cup Triple Ripple nonalcoholic coffee stout.

The limited edition brew debuts in the June box of BrewDog & Friends, the worlds most sustainable nonalcoholic beer club.

Were excited to partner with BrewDog in this first-of-its-kind beer club, which delivers delicious nonalcoholic beers with a low carbon footprint, said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert.

Each monthly box includes six nonalcoholic BrewDog beers and six nonalcoholic beers from the brewery's friends.

Besides Triple Ripple, the June box features BrewDogs Hazy AF and Punk AF, plus an exclusive brew from Hilltop Brewing. July will include beers from friends Pelotonia and Lamb of God.

Triple Ripple is a cold brew-style stout featuring Crimson Cups Ethiopian Kossa Kebena coffee, added in three different ways at three different times to create a chewy body.

Heavy-hitting waves of roasted coffee aromas with almond and dark fruit lead into a sip of sweet, creamy bliss, Ubert said.

Triple Ripple pays homage to Crimson Cups Ripple Effect, based on its core values of achieving results, giving back and having fun.

Every purchase contributes to the meaningful impact we create in communities around the globe, Ubert said. For example, our Friend2Farmer program goes far beyond Fair Trade, helping to provide a better quality of life for coffee farmers, their families, and their communities.

By focusing on good, we believe the actions we take today can impact the lives of our team, partners and communities for years and generations to come.

BrewDog said traditional beer clubs have a high carbon footprint because they receive beer from all over the U.S., only to turn around and ship it to the consumer.

As a carbon negative brewery, BrewDog set up this one-of-a-kind beer club so that it brews all the collaboration beers at its brewery. This results in low impact on the planet and super fresh beer.

Monthly BrewDog & Friends boxes are $29.99. A three-month box is $89.99. June boxes will be available through June 30.

About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is celebrating 30 years of Coffee + Community. Since May 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced craft coffee for consumers and wholesale coffee customers. It is a 2020 Good Food Award winner, 2019 Golden Bean Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.

Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program, the company teaches entrepreneurs to run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop.

Crimson Cup also supports life-enriching projects through its Friend2Farmer initiatives, promoting the education, health, sustainability and economic growth of small-plot coffee farmers and their communities.

Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also operates several Crimson Cup Coffee Houses and a new Crimson retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.


Working with Heather is an amazing opportunity to broaden our reach, increase our impact, and to make a difference in the lives of those returning to society. Our purpose and mission is to restore the lives of post incarcerated returning youth and to reestablish their dreams. said Dr. Khanna

On June 23, 2021, the office of Dr. Surajit Khannas Post Incarceration Juvenile Justice Reformation Act Initiative, also known as Dr. Khannas ReturningYouth Initiative, is excited to announce the selection of Brand Management and Public Relations firm Indigo Station to represent this initiative.

Dr. Khannas Returning Youth Initiative works nationally to positively impact young adults released from any type of government confinement. This is accomplished through Returning Youths programs that include restoration, education, training, and counseling. Dr. Khannas goal is to reinforce stability in these young adults lives to help them become self-sustaining individuals by providing them with what they need to secure a career with the opportunity of business ownership and reintegrate them into the society.

Indigo Station is headed up by nationally known Public Relation expert Heather Malloy-Davis in collaboration with TV, Music Producer, and Talent Manager James Womack. Heather has worked with many top-tiered individuals and companies in the nation. This notable list includes Michelle Obama (who wrote a personal note of recommendation for Heather), Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Deion Sanders, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Tyler Perry, Chris Rock and many others. She has also worked with nationally recognized companies that include HBO, OWN, Bravo, A&E, Sony Pictures, and Warner Brothers Pictures.

Indigo Station understands that every Brand is unique and takes the time to customize each clients Publicity, Media Relations, Brand Development, Brand Management and Creative Marketing. Heather is excited to work on the Returning Youth Initiative. Dr. Khanna says, Working with Heather is an amazing opportunity to broaden our reach, increase our impact, and to make a difference in the lives of those returning to society. Our purpose and mission is to restore the lives of post incarcerated returning youth and to reestablish their dreams.

Speaking for Indigo Station, Heather Malloy Davis says, We are excited to work with Dr. Khanna and the Returning Youth Initiative team. I have personal experience with post incarcerated young adults in the African American community and seen the pain and suffering experienced during re-entry. Being released from incarceration should be a time of joy with a positive expectation of the future. Indigo Station, working with Dr. Khanna and the Returning Youth Initiative, expects to deliver on this promise as it expands to all 50 states and 3,142 counties in the USA.

About Dr. Khannas Returning Youth Initiative: Dr. Surajit Khanna, a youth advocate, launched Returning Youth to provide post-incarceration young adults a pathway to reintegrate into the society when they are released from prison so that they can create a self-sustaining productive life for themselves and their families.
Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP For more information about the class action lawsuit against Granite Construction Company, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

The Los Angeles employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action lawsuit against Granite Construction Company, alleging the company violated the California Labor Code. The lawsuit against Granite Construction Company is currently pending in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 21STCV19574. To read a copy of the Complaint, please click here.

According to the lawsuit filed, Granite Construction Company allegedly (a) failed to pay minimum wages, (b) failed to pay overtime wages, (c) failed to provide legally required meal and rest periods, (d) failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, (e) failed to reimburse employees for required expenses, and (f) failed to provide wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in Labor Code Sections  201, 202, 203, 226, 226.7, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct.

The complaint further alleges Granite Construction Company committed acts of unfair competition in violation of the California Unfair Competition Law, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code  17200, et seq. (the UCL), by engaging in a company-wide policy and procedure which allegedly failed to accurately calculate and record all missed meal and rest periods and failed to pay all minimum and overtime wages due to PLAINTIFF and other CALIFORNIA CLASS Members. As a result of DEFENDANTs alleged intentional disregard of the obligation to meet this burden, DEFENDANT allegedly failed to properly calculate and/or pay all required compensation for work performed by the members of the CALIFORNIA CLASS and allegedly violated the California Labor Code.

For more information about the class action lawsuit against Granite Construction Company, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today.

Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is a labor law firm with law offices located in San Diego County, Riverside County, Los Angeles County, Sacramento County, Santa Clara County, Orange County and San Francisco County. The firm has a statewide practice of representing employees on a contingency basis for violations involving unpaid wages, overtime pay, discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination and other types of illegal workplace conduct.

***THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT***
With In this new position, Erin will take the lead on all engagement programs going forward, including working with Navy leadership, from educational exhibits and online content, to finding new opportunities and exciting was to execute the Memorials mission,.

The U.S. Navy Memorial is proud to welcome Erin Harroun as the new Vice President of Programs and Engagement. With In this new position, Erin will take the lead on all engagement programs going forward, including working with Navy leadership, from educational exhibits and online content, to finding new opportunities and exciting was to execute the Memorials mission. She will also be responsible for spearheading unique initiatives designed to expand the Memorials outreach capabilities and increase awareness of the Memorials programing and educational offerings . Erin brings a wealth of experience from numerous high-level positions, including leading sales at the International Spy Museum and National Law Enforcement Museum.

A long time Virginia native, Erin graduated received a Bachelors degrees in marketing management from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. After graduating, she immediately began a longstanding career with Marriott International, working for the company for over 10 years, culminating in her promotion to Global Account Manager in association sales. Her proven track record continues as she pivoted form the hospitality industry into museum sales management. Since then, her achievements have only grown with her expertise in strategy development and business consulting, and she has continued to lead her numerous organizations to organizational and fiscal success.

We are overjoyed to have someone like Erin join our team, said Admiral Frank Thorp, President and CEO of the Navy Memorial. Her proven track record as a sales and engagement leader is exactly what the Memorial needs to further its mission to honor, recognize and celebrate the men and women of the sea services. We look forward to the energy, expertise and perspective that she will bring to the Team seeing her work flourish in her new position.

The US Navy Memorial is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to Honor, Recognize and Celebrate the men and women of the Sea Services, past, present and future, and to Inform the public about their service. For more information about the Memorial and its mission, please visit our website at http://www.navymemorial.org.

# # #
SGF patients, Stephanie and Dale's, dreams of parenthood were made possible thanks to the Cade Foundation's Family Building Grant. The Fall 2021 grant application deadline is on July 1, 2021. "The grants are available for medical treatment of infertility and child adoption."

With the grant application deadline on July 1, 2021, Shady Grove Fertility (SGF), a longtime supporter of the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation, reminds interested applicants to apply for two grants that are available at this time: the general Cade Foundation Family Building Grant (available to anyone who has infertility), and the Dr. Stephen J. Greenhouse Grant (available only to SGF patients).

The Tinina Q. Cade Foundations Family Building Grant is an annual award that provides up to $10,000 to needy, infertile families. The grant assists with the costs associated with infertility treatment or domestic adoption. Family Building Grants can take the form of a cash award that is payable directly to the clinic or agency or a medication award that will be sent to the fertility center of the recipient. The grants are available for medical treatment of infertility and child adoption. The fertility medication grant is provided through a donation from EMD Serono.

The Dr. Stephen Greenhouse Grant, which covers one IVF cycle at SGF, is also available through the Tinina Q. Cade Foundation. The Dr. Stephen Greenhouse Grant is a grant specifically designated for an SGF patient to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Greenhouse, an SGF physician and practice leader who died in an accident in July of 2018. Dr. Greenhouse was a well-respected leader and role model and known for his endless and tireless devotion to his lifes worksupporting his patients in overcoming infertility. Dr. Greenhouse was a strong supporter of the Tinina Q Cade Foundation and attended many Cade Foundation events with his family over the years.

Former Dr. Stephen Greenhouse Grant recipients, Stephanie and Dale, shared, "We are forever indebted and grateful for SGF, the Cade Foundation, the Greenhouse family, and now Capital Womens Care for getting us through the last hurdle of delivery. I am still hopeful that one day we can meet the Greenhouse family, to introduce them to D.J. who is living and breathing solely due to their generosity and the generosity of many Cade Foundation donors  a true honor to Dr. Greenhouses memory. We were the first recipient of this particular grant, and that is very special to us."

To apply for these grants, please submit an application for the Cade Foundation Family Building Grant. SGF patients will automatically be considered for the Dr. Stephen Greenhouse Grant when they apply for a Family Building Grant.

To make a contribution in support of these grants, please visit the Cade Foundation.

To learn more about overcoming infertility, schedule a virtual physician consultation with an SGF physician by calling 1-888-761-1967 or visiting ShadyGroveFertility.com.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and 5,000+ 5-star patient reviews. With 40 locations, including new locations in Colorado and Norfolk, VA, as well as throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C. and Santiago, Chile, SGF offers patients virtual physician consults, delivers individualized care, accepts most insurance plans, and makes treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including 100% refund guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. SGF is among the founding partner practices of US Fertility, the largest physician-owned, physician-led partnership of top-tier fertility practices in the U.S. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.

About Tinina Q. Cade Foundation

The Tinina Q. Cade Foundation is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to serving the needs of families battling infertility through education, outreach, and grants that help couples pay for infertility treatment or domestic adoption. In the past decade, through events like the Race for the Family, Corks with Cade, and others, SGF and the Cade Foundation have raised more than $750,000 that is used to fund grants for fertility treatment and adoption for families with infertility and to build awareness about the 1 in 8 couples struggling with infertility. For more information about the Cade Foundation please visit http://www.cadefoundation.org.
Someone is stealing Lynns rescue dogs and planning to take them to China, but she wont let these crooks succeed, even if she has to take down the mob. Carolynn Tucciarone shares the tale of Lynns adventure in Spot On: Mystery at the Dog Rescue (published by Archway Publishing).

When Lynn wakes up to find some of her rescue dogs missing, she is terrified. Who would steal her dogs, and for what purpose? The mystery continues when a man is found shot to death at Lynns shelter.

It soon becomes apparent her pups were stolen to send to China to take part in dogfights. Lynn and her friends cannot let this happen, so they rush to save their precious pets. Their investigation takes them to New York Citys Chinatown where they must stand up to the Chinese mob.

Lynn will not back down. She will find her rescue dogs and maybe even solve a murder in this adventure story about one womans love for fur babies and the lengths she will go to save them.

Tucciarone hopes that her book educating readers on trafficking of dogs to China will appeal to those that are interested in a cozy mystery and foreign dog rescues.

Spot On is available for purchase online from Archway, Barnes & Noble and on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/SPOT-Mystery-at-Dog-Rescue/dp/B08QS68YLL.

Spot On

By Carolynn Tucciarone

Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 102 pages | ISBN 9781665706315

E-Book | 102 pages | ISBN 9781665706308

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

Carolynn Tucciarone is an avid reader. Dog rescue is her passion. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Joe Tucciarone, and their bull terrier Spot. Learn more at http://www.carolynntucciarone.com. Spot On - Mystery at the Dog Rescue is part of her book series that includes Spot On - Chaos at the Dog Rescue, Spot On -Canine Babies at the Dog Rescue, Spot On - Canines on a Cruise and Working On Spot On - K9 at the Dog Rescue.

Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957.
Dr. Michael Farzam's House Call Doctor Los Angeles provides mobile medical care in the Greater Los Angeles area. As an approved partner of the State of Hawaiis Trusted Testing and Travel Partners Program, House Call Doctor Los Angeles is able to provide its patients with fast PCR results that authorize healthy travelers to visit Hawaii.

House Call Doctor Los Angeles is proud to announce its new Hawaii-certified COVID-19 PCR testing service. As an approved partner of the State of Hawaiis Trusted Testing and Travel Partners Program, House Call Doctor Los Angeles is able to provide its patients with fast PCR results that authorize healthy travelers to visit Hawaii. The Los Angeles-based medical concierge service says it is excited to be a part of the process of helping area residents enjoy their summer vacations safely.

Board-certified internist Dr. Michael Farzam of House Call Doctor Los Angeles says testing services are not just for individuals traveling to Hawaii. He says the service has both COVID PCR and rapid antigen testing services available for travelers visiting any destination. By providing travelers with fast access to testing and results, Dr. Farzam says any healthy individual can travel without having to worry about quarantining once they reach their destination.

Dr. Farzam says that in addition to getting tested for COVID before traveling, getting vaccinated and continuing to follow local health guidelines is the best way for everyone to ensure a happier and healthier summer. The physician notes that some COVID protocols in Southern California may differ from local guidelines in the state of Hawaii or elsewhere, so travelers should be sure to research what the ordinances will be at their destinations.

About House Call Doctor Los Angeles

House Call Doctor Los Angeles provides house call and concierge medical services to patients across Los Angeles, bringing outstanding healthcare directly to the comfort of their home, office, or hotel. Its board-certified physician, Dr. Michael Farzam, has been a leader in his field for over 10 years.

One important benefit of taking advantage of House Call Doctor Los Angeles is a more personalized approach to medicine. While doctors are frequently pressured to keep visits as brief as possible, Dr. Farzam spends an average of 40 minutes with each of his patients. This allows him to fully address his patients questions and concerns while also reaching a more accurate diagnosis and a more effective treatment when needed.

Readers interested in learning more about board-certified physician Dr. Michael Farzam and the services of House Call Doctor Los Angeles can call (310) 849-7991 or visit https://www.housecalldoctorla.com/ those specifically interested in PCR and other types of COVID-19 testing can visit https://www.housecalldoctorla.com/covid-19-testing.html.
Impact Group Marketing Team We are proud to have created a business we are passionate about. It has given us the opportunity to invest in our clients, our employees, and our community, and we look forward to getting to continue doing this for many years to come.

On June 23rd, Impact Group Marketing was named one of the ten fastest-growing local businesses by the Bryan Rotary Club. Out of the ten companies awarded, Impact Group placed fourth.

Since 1994, the Bryan Rotary Club has awarded its Business Performance Awards, recognizing the ten fastest-growing firms in Brazos County annually. Impact Group and the other nine awardees were recognized today at a ceremony and luncheon at the College Station Hilton, which featured Keynote Speaker, Dean of Mays Business School at Texas A&M.

Over ten years ago, we attended the Newman 10 ceremony; if you would have told us that we would own a business and our business would be receiving the same honor, we wouldnt have believed it, said Kevin Crenshaw, CEO and Partner at Impact Group Marketing. We are proud to be involved in the growth of this community and humbled to receive such recognition. We pride ourselves on supporting and improving the local economy and love seeing it thrive.

Impact Group Marketing was founded in the summer of 2015 in an effort to meet the expansive marketing needs of its partners former consulting clients. After branching off from their sister company, the agency transformed from a print marketing business into a full-scale digital marketing agency and is now focused on providing an array of services to local small- and medium-sized businesses. These services have grown to include website development; pay per click (PPC) marketing; social media management and advertising; search engine optimization; content development; and more.

It is such an honor to be recognized by the Bryan Rotary Club today, said Becky Chumley, Director of Digital Marketing and Partner at Impact Group Marketing. We are proud to have created a business we are passionate about. It has given us the opportunity to invest in our clients, our employees, and our community, and we look forward to getting to continue doing this for many years to come.

In addition to their day-to-day operations, Impact Group Marketing is heavily invested in the Bryan/College Station community, having supported the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Ambassador program for many years. They also work with and support many local organizations including the Junior League of Bryan-College Station, Arts Council of the Brazos Valley, and Brazos Valley Symphony. In addition, they are a proud supporter of Texas A&M Universitys Mays Business School and participate annually in the Reynolds & Reynolds Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans (EBV).

In an interview with the Bryan Rotary Club, Impact Group Marketings partners noted that some of the keys to their success are passion and taking the taking the time to learn about and identify the needs of local businesses. Director of Digital Marketing and Partner Becky Chumley continued, Every business is different, and our solutions are customized based on the needs and specific goals of each client. We are passionate about our clients brands and work hard for them as if they were our own business.

Providing further insight, CEO and Partner Kevin Crenshaw gave his perspective on the keys to the Impact Group teams success: For your health, a good manager is better than a good doctor. He added that Work as a team, go home as a team and Work hard, play hard, are mantras that are important to the company.

To learn more about Impact Group Marketing, visit their website, or check them out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. For more information about the Bryan Rotary Club or the Rotary 10 Awards, check out their website.
The Girl Who Wondered Whats Out There?: a highly insightful short story unfolding the experience of the authors daughter, Alexis, during her twelve years of stay at an orphanage in China. The Girl Who Wondered Whats Out There? is the creation of published author Judy Hyman, a compassionate woman who is blessed with a golden heart, a mother to six children, and a dedicated wife.

Hyman shares, The Girl Who Wondered Whats Out There is the story of my daughter, now named Alexis, and her time growing up in an orphanage in Changsha, Hunan, China. Her English is still developing, and slowly she has been able to share her memories. Even though she doesnt always have the words, her eyes let us know that she is always watching and wondering whats out there!

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Judy Hymans new book is a compelling work filled with sympathy towards the kids who have been neglected and were left behind due to unforeseen events. The author aspires that with the publication of her daughters story, a lot of people will become motivated to adopt or foster.

However, if one cant do the first two options, a donation to a chosen orphanage or simply a fervent prayer intended for kids is deeply appreciated.

View a synopsis of The Girl Who Wondered Whats Out There? on YouTube.

Consumers can [purchase The Girl Who Wondered Whats Out There? at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about The Girl Who Wondered Whats There?, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
We have always felt that quality is a mindset and a crucial component to everything we all should do - from product, partner and consumer relations to our very own culture," said David Rosen, CEO & Founder.

The Florida Sterling Council and FloridaMakes has awarded Kira Labs with a Bronze medal for the Florida Sterling Manufacturing Business Excellence (SMBE) Awards 2021. The Sterling competition evaluated over 140 companies throughout Florida to identify quality manufacturing leaders.

The Florida Sterling Council and FloridaMakes collaborated on this statewide award to recognize the state's high-performing manufacturers. Companies were judged in seven categories of criteria, including: leadership; strategy; customers; measurement, analysis and knowledge management; workforce; operations and results.

Kira Labs CEO and Founder David Rosen shared, We have always felt that quality is a mindset and a crucial component to everything we all should do - from product, partner and consumer relations to our very own culture. Participating and placing a Bronze medal in the Sterling Quality Awards is a major accomplishment for the entire Kira Labs organization and our quality leadership team. The award process, led by the FloridaMakes group, and the Baldrige criteria used to grade our quality standards, has and continues to propel us forward in our continuous improvement efforts. The recognition excites and inspires the entire Kira Labs team and I encourage all leaders and organizations to consider how they too can join the quality journey to drive excellence for all.

The quality team at Kira Labs is led by Nicole Boucher and her team of quality experts. I am very proud that Kira Labs won Bronze for the Sterling Award 2021! We were going up against some tough competition, like Lockheed Martin. The process of being evaluated was the most rewarding because it highlights areas that need improvements. The last question they had for us was for the CEO David which was, 'What is the most important part of Kira Labs?' and our CEO David Rosens answer was, 'The employees! To make sure they wake up every morning wanting to come into work happily and that they are taken care of and healthy!' It has truly been an honor to work at Kira Labs and partake in the Florida Sterling Award process," said Nicole Boucher, Quality Assurance/Quality Control Manager.

About Kira Labs

The Kira Labs history and growth embodies the classic American Dream story - an immigrant and a self-starting entrepreneur decides to start a business in his garage. Arriving from Australia in 2001 to his now adopted home in Florida, David Rosen and his wife Lindi established a family while starting their company, Kira Labs. CEO and Founder, Rosen is quick to point out, Our team has helped us grow from our humble start hand bottling skin care to a thriving and award-winning cosmetic manufacturer and beauty innovator.

Specializing in beauty, home and pet products, Kira Labs has grown in reputation and size to produce over 30 brands. We are culture focussed, agile, vertical, and fast to market, according to Rosen. Kira Labs operates as a vertically integrated manufacturer both developing and manufacturing its own internally developed and wholly owned brands. Key is understanding retail needs and consumer behavior. We are proudly Made in the USA, delivering our own brands with quality, value and a wow experience, says Rosen.

About the Governors Sterling Award

Established in 1992, the Florida Sterling Council is a public/private not-for-profit corporation supported by the Executive Office of the Governor. The Council oversees the Governors Sterling Award for Performance Excellence, presented annually by the Governor to high performing, role-model organizations, both private and public, who demonstrate superior management approaches and role model results. Sterling's Conference teaches participants how to elevate performance and increase productivity. Nearly 600 executives and professionals gather at this event for a one-stop source for education, information and inspiration. The conference concludes with the recognition of best practices, the Team Showcase Champion, and the presentation of the Governor's Sterling Awards, the highest award an organization can receive for performance excellence in Florida. For more information, contact John Pieno at (850) 922- 5316 or visit http://www.floridasterling.com.

About FloridaMakes

FloridaMakes is a statewide, industry-led, public-private partnership operated by an alliance of Florida's regional manufacturers associations with the sole mission of strengthening and advancing Floridas economy by improving the competitiveness, productivity and technological performance of its manufacturing sector, with an emphasis on small and medium-sized firms. It accomplishes this by providing services focused on three principle value streams: technology adoption, talent development, and business growth. FloridaMakes is the representative of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) National Network in the state of Florida, a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce. For more information about FloridaMakes, please visit FloridaMakes.com and follow @FloridaMakes.

Contact:

Maria LLanso

Kira Labs

(305) 965-3561

maria.llanso@kiralabs.com
If you would like to know more about the Vulcan Materials Company and Calmat Co. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047.

The San Diego labor law attorneys, at Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC, filed a class action complaint against Vulcan Materials Company and Calmat Co. for allegedly failing to accurately pay employees' wages for all their time worked. The class action lawsuit, Case No. 37-2021-00024583-CU-OE-CTL, is currently pending in the San Diego County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the complaint can be read here.

According to the lawsuit, Vulcan Materials Company and Calmat Co. allegedly violated California Labor Code Sections  201, 202, 203, 204, 206.5, 226, 226.7, 246, 510, 512, 558, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 1198, and 2802 by failing to: (1) pay minimum wages; (2) pay overtime wages; (3) provide required meal and rest periods; (4) provide accurate itemized wage statements; (5) reimburse employees for required expenses; and (6) provide wages when due.

The lawsuit also alleges Vulcan Materials Company and Calmat Co. violated the Private Attorneys General Act ("PAGA"), which gives rise to civil penalties as a result of Vulcan Materials Company's and Calmat Co.'s conduct. PAGA allows aggrieved employees to file a lawsuit to recover civil penalties on behalf of themselves, other employees, and the State of California for Labor Code violations. An "aggrieved employee" is defined as "any person who was employed by the alleged violator and against whom one or more of the alleged violations was committed." Cal. Lab. Code section 2699(c). PAGA allows aggrieved employees to become deputized as private attorneys general to enforce the Labor Code.

If you would like to know more about the Vulcan Materials Company and Calmat Co. lawsuit, please contact Attorney Jackland K. Hom today by calling (619) 255-9047.

Zakay Law Group, APLC and JCL Law Firm, APC are labor and employment law firms with offices located in California that dedicate their practices to fighting for employees who have been wronged by their employers due to unfair employment practices. Contact one of their attorneys today if you need help with workplace issues regarding wage and hour, wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, and harassment.

-THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT-
Miracle: The Long Journey Home: a gripping tale of loss and growth. Miracle: The Long Journey Home is the creation of published author Maureen Kincaid, a passionate educator with over thirty-five-years in the field. She experienced a life changing event which caused a loss of faith. As a cradle Catholic, she later returned to the Catholic Church and a renewed sense of faith.

Kincaid shares, Miracle: The Long Journey Home is a personal narrative of tragedy and loss and one survivors forty-year journey from trauma and hatred to joy and love through the grace of God. As a seventeen-year-old, the author was the victim of gun violence resulting in the death of a friend and coworker when an armed assailant entered the McDonalds restaurant at which she worked in 1979. The story tells of the trauma experienced by all present that night and the long journey that the author would take over forty years, leading her back to the gunman who committed the crimes and back to our Heavenly Father. Parallel to the authors story is the gunmans background and experience from childhood through his spiritual conversion while incarcerated.

The spiritual journey of both the author and the gunman allowed not only for her to forgive him, but to embrace him as her friend and spiritual mentor. This is not an ordinary story of forgiveness, but rather a story of how a deep love of God cleanses the soul of all hatred and anger, leaving only love. The author describes a faith journey that will inspire all, especially those who have been traumatized as survivors of tragedy. Moreover, it will inspire a belief in the power of God to manifest His goodness in the darkest of days of despair, bringing light to even a prison cell where redemption can be born and the unlikeliest of friendships becomes possible.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Maureen Kincaids new book is a powerful testament to the power of forgiveness and the strength of the human spirit.

The authors spiritual tale is an engaging journey from anger and resentment to forgiveness and faith.

View a synopsis of Miracle: The Long Journey Home on YouTube.

Consumers can purchase Miracle: The Long Journey Home at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Miracle: The Long Journey Home, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
Ambassador Robert C. O'Brien Ambassador OBrien brought a renewed focus to defense and industrial base issues, orchestrated the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East, brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, and achieved increased cooperation with Americas allies across the Indo-Pacific.

The National Museum of the Surface Navy, founded aboard Battleship USS Iowa and scheduled to open in 2025, today named former U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. OBrien the recipient of the 2021 Freedom of the Seas Award. The award is presented to an accomplished individual who embodies the core principles of the American Surface Navy to protect and defend our oceans for the benefit of the free world.

Ambassador OBrien will accept his award and present the keynote speech at the 2021 Freedom of the Seas Awards, the premier annual event of the National Museum of the Surface Navy at the Battleship Iowa. The event will be held on October 23, 2021, aboard Battleship USS Iowa in the Port of Los Angeles.

An accomplished lawyer and experienced diplomat, Ambassador OBrien served as the 28th U.S. National Security Advisor. In that role, Ambassador OBrien brought a renewed focus to defense and industrial base issues, orchestrated the historic Abraham Accords in the Middle East, brokered economic normalization between Serbia and Kosovo, and achieved increased cooperation with Americas allies across the Indo-Pacific.

Prior to his service in the White House, Ambassador OBrien worked at the State Department as the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, during which time he coordinated the governments diplomatic engagements on overseas hostage-related matters and successfully negotiated the return of over 20 hostages and wrongfully detained Americans.

In addition to being named one of the 500 most influential people in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal, Ambassador OBrien is the recipient of the National Security Medal, National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service, National Defense Service Medal, and the Kosovo Presidential Medal of Merits.

The annual Freedom of the Seas Awards event is held in honor of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II. Attendees invited to the exclusive event include top leaders from the education, veteran, community, industry, government, and military sectors.

About Battleship USS Iowa Museum

Located in the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, Calif., Battleship USS Iowa Museum is one of the top five museums and attractions in Los Angeles, bringing the ships history to life through in-person and virtual tours and educational programs for youth. In addition to providing a natural platform for veterans and patriotic civilians to come together as a community, Battleship USS Iowa Museum provides a wide array of impactful programs and resources that support the critical needs of our military and veterans. Owned and operated by the nonprofit Pacific Battleship Center, the museum is transitioning to national museum status as the National Museum of the Surface Navy at the Battleship IOWA to open on the 250th birthday of the U.S. Navy in 2025.
2022 Honda Civic Sedan Touring interior from driver seat angle perspective

Honda has been introducing 2022 model year vehicles gradually over the last few months, with one of the most recent releases being the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan. This model, in a few different trim levels, has arrived at the Atlantic Honda dealership, offering car shoppers the opportunity to test drive, lease or finance the redesigned 2022 Honda Civic Sedan.

The base trim is called the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan LX. Four units of this trim are currently for sale at Atlantic Honda. Featuring a 2.0L, 158-horsepower engine, automatic climate control, Bluetooth streaming audio, cloth seats, smartphone integration and a Collision Mitigation Braking System, the LX is designed so buyers on a budget dont miss out on modern technology.

The 2022 Honda Civic Sedan Sport includes more comfort and convenience features, like a leather-wrapped steering wheel, remote engine start and a three-mode drive system. Ten units of this model are available at the Atlantic Honda Dealership.

One unit of the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan EX is in stock at the dealership. This model is built around a 180-horsepower turbocharged engine and includes 17-inch alloy wheels, an 8-speaker, 180-watt audio system and traffic sign recognition.

Supplies of the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan Touring are currently limited to two at the Atlantic Honda dealership. This model features a 12-speaker Bose premium brand audio system, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather-trimmed seats, LED fog lights, a 9-inch color touchscreen and a collection of advanced active and passive safety systems.

Shoppers who want to learn more about the 2022 Honda Civic Sedan and other 2022 model year vehicles available at Atlantic Honda are encouraged to contact a representative through the chat function on the dealership website, by calling (631) 892-7266 or by visiting the dealership at 1375 Sunrise Hwy, Bay Shore, New York, 11706.


Ohio Air Quality Development Authority We are proud to support this exciting project for Cargill as it benefits the community of Sidney," said Christina OKeeffe, executive director of OAQDA.

The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) recently issued $75 million in revenue bonds to finance an air quality facility project for Cargill Incorporated, an international provider of food, agricultural and industrial products. The project is part of a larger expansion (approximately $250 million) of the companys soybean waste facility in Sidney, Ohio, located in Shelby County. The financing is provided through OAQDAs Clean Air Improvement Program (CAIP), which supports clean air facility improvements statewide for businesses of all sizes.

We are proud to support this exciting project for Cargill as it benefits the community of Sidney," said Christina OKeeffe, executive director of OAQDA. The facility and equipment improvements the company is incorporating will better protect our environment while also spurring local investment and job creation. Cargill is a shining example of a company committed to sustainability and their community.

The financing, which was first approved by the Authority in March 2021, will support Cargills soybean production efforts as well as the development of a solid waste disposal facility that will turn waste byproducts into key components of cattle feed that would otherwise be sent to a landfill. The company is making a significant investment in the Sidney community with the expansion of its facility, creating 12 jobs and retaining nearly 300 positions.

Farmers are at the core of our business and this investment will help us provide them a better experience when they choose to sell their crops to us, said Don Camden, commercial leader for the eastern region of Cargills agricultural supply chain business in North America. This also demonstrates our commitment to invest in and grow with the Sidney community.

The project is anticipated to reduce solid waste by 1.6 million tons per year. It also will reduce air emissions, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and soybean particles that will be recycled through the feed process.

The increased capacity will strengthen and expand our U.S. crush footprint, enable us to meet the growing demand for soy products from our customers and further integrate our refined oil capabilities, said Warren Feather, Cargill managing director of global crush. This is an exciting opportunity to partner with the OAQDA in the expansion of our facility while additionally gaining efficiencies in our production process.

Cargill is an international leader in agriculture, and it continues to grow in Ohio, said Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman. OAQDAs innovative air quality program is both an investment for the future of the company, and an investment for the future of the environment here at home.

Prioritizing air quality also improves the bottom line, and the partnership between the OAQDA and Cargill is a primary example of this, said Ohio State Representative Nino Vitale. I applaud the companys effort to move toward a more sustainable future as well as their long-term commitment to expanding in Ohio.

Cargill also received local support from the City of Sidney, Shelby County and Sidney Local Schools for the project.

About OAQDA

The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA), which is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021, is a non-regulatory government agency created to help Ohio businesses comply and go beyond clean air regulations. Since its creation in 1970, OAQDA has worked to improve air quality by supporting businesses, creating jobs and improving communities while enhancing the health and safety of all Ohioans. To date, OAQDA has awarded more than $8 billion to finance air quality projects. For more information about OAQDA and its services, please visit ohioairquality.ohio.gov.

About Cargill

Cargills 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 155 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture.
Ports of Indiana Maritime plays a large part in our states economy, said Ports of Indiana CEO Vanta E. Coda II. 2021 looks to be another strong year and we hope to see international shipments grow. Transportation is all about bigger, better, faster; thats always our goal.

A new study shows maritime and industrial operations at Indianas three ports contribute $8.2 billion per year, a 5 percent increase from the last report, support 51,000 jobs and generate more than $552 million state and local taxes.

The economic impact study, completed every five years, is based on 2019 data measuring jobs, income, business revenue and economic output. The study was conducted by Martin Associates, a leading provider of economic and strategic assessments of the worlds transportation systems.

Maritime plays a large part in our states economy, said Ports of Indiana CEO Vanta E. Coda II. 2021 looks to be another strong year and we hope to see international shipments grow. Transportation is all about bigger, better, faster; thats always our goal.

In 2019, the Ports of Indiana harbors - Burns Harbor, Jeffersonville and Mount Vernon - handled nearly 16.4 million tons of waterborne cargo including key commodities such as coal, iron ore, steel products, grain, soybean products, ethanol, DDG, fertilizer, dry bulks and minerals.

Looking ahead, Ports of Indiana will invest $50 million in infrastructure improvement projects by 2025 including $28 million at Burns Harbor and $22 million in Jeffersonville. In 2019, Mount Vernon completed a $2 million capital improvement project including a new overhead gantry crane. The Ports of Indiana manages a total of 2,800 acres with more than 75 companies operating. Additionally, more than 900 acres of available land are ready to develop or lease.

The maritime industry, which includes Lake Michigan and Ohio River, contributes $27 billion economic revenue and 157,000 jobs overall.

Simply put, Ports of Indiana is a long-time supporter of Indiana and will continue to play a vital role in supporting our states economy, jobs, tax resources and their respective communities, Vanta said.

See the full economic impact reports here under Research. Visit a newly-refreshed website at http://www.portsofindiana.com.

About the Ports of Indiana: The Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, the Ports of Indiana is a self-funded enterprise dedicated to growing Indianas economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system.

Information: portsofindiana.com. Follow us on Twitter: @PortsofIndiana

Media Contact: Jen Hanson, jhanson@portsofindiana.com
Its been said that the ACDIS annual conference feels like a family reunion were excited and ready to come together, learn, and take the next great step forward in advancing the CDI profession!

One day at a time, one step at a time.

After a year in which the world endured unique and trying circumstances, the ACDIS team is excited to be stepping forward, leaning in, gathering the lessons learned, and presenting them at a hybrid in person and virtual conference in October, with the goal of making the CDI profession stronger than ever.

Its been said that the ACDIS annual conference feels like a family reunion! After a year in which our beloved in person event was cancelled, were excited ready take the next great step forward in advancing the CDI profession and celebrate! says Brian Murphy, director of the association.

In 2021, the ACDIS conference agenda includes cutting-edge education across more than 60 CDI-focused presentations and four concurrent tracks focused on:

1. Coding and clinical concerns

2. Management and professional development

3. Regulatory changes and challenges

4. Outpatient CDI and much more

Attendees can also choose from three pre-conference events, held October 24-25, being taught by some of the leading names in CDI education and innovation. Topics include:

1. The Physician Advisor's Role in CDI

2. CDI Management Essentials

3. Clinical Validation in the CDI Chart Review

This years conference kicks off with an amazing keynote session from Nicole Fox, MD, MPH, FACS, CPE, a trauma surgeon, surgical intensivist, and medical director of CDI for Cooper University Health Care, Murphy adds. She discusses experiences and lessons learned on the front lines of the pandemic, and offers strategies to enhance ones ability to evolve, adapt, and thrive in times of personal and professional upheaval.

And thats just the beginning. As part of its first-ever hybrid experience, ACDIS is offering access to supplemental online-only bonus presentations to all attendees in November to further their CDI education through the end of the year.

For more information about the annual ACDIS conference, visit https://hcmarketplace.com/acdis-conference or speak with a customer service representative at 800-650-6787.

As always, ACDIS will provide breakfast, lunch, snacks and beverages at the breaks, and an opening night cocktail reception for all attendees, plus a conference app that provides easy access to all the presentation materials, a session planner, and unparalleled networking with their CDI peers.

Discounted pricing is available for current ACDIS members and groups at 800-650-6787 x4005 or via email at HCEvents@hcpro.com.

Regarding COVID-19 safety and security measures

We place the highest priority on the safety of our guests by following safety guidelines and advisement for meetings as outlined by state and local mandates. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 environment, the recommended guidelines, and communicate adjustments to the onsite policies and procedures as we approach the live event date.

###

The Association of Clinical Documentation Integrity Specialists (ACDIS) is the nation's only association dedicated to the CDI profession. As the premier healthcare community of CDI professionals, ACDIS shares the latest tips, tools, and strategies to implement successful CDI programs. ACDIS also provides continuing education, certifications, training, networking events, CDI resources, and opportunities for professional growth. Learn more at https://acdis.org/.

About HCPro

For over 34 years, HCPro has specialized in providing the latest healthcare regulatory information through industry-leading publications, continuing education, online coding platforms, instructor-led training, events, consulting services, and more to deliver consistent training, achieve compliance, and maximize workflow efficiencies, resulting in measurable performance and financial improvements. Visit http://www.hcpro.com/.
"The internet can help drivers that are looking for an insurance deal to save time and money", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Compare-autoinsurance.org has launched a new blog post that presents the best places from the internet that can help drivers get free online car insurance quotes.

For more info and free car insurance quotes online, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/where-to-find-free-car-insurance-quotes/

The internet is the perfect place for drivers that are looking for better car insurance deals. Before the internet, drivers could have spent hours to obtain a small number of quotes from a few insurance companies. Nowadays, the internet allows drivers to obtain many quotes and compare them in just a few minutes.

The best sources from the internet to obtain free car insurance quotes are:



Insurers websites. The vast majority of insurance providers own a website that provides quotation services to their potential customers. Drivers will only need to fil an online questionnaire in order to get several price estimates. However, going to the site of an insurance company to obtain quotes has its disadvantages. One disadvantage is that drivers will get quotes only from a single insurance company. To obtain quotes from different providers, drivers will have to visit different insurers websites and complete a questionnaire for every site.

Brokerage websites. Many drivers consider that brokerage websites are the ideal places to obtain quotes. Brokerage websites work together with multiple insurance companies. Drivers that visit a brokerage website will have to fil only one questionnaire in order to receive quotes from multiple insurance companies. With the help of brokerage websites, drivers can discover offers made by local or regional insurers. These relatively unknown insurers can offer better insurance offers than nationwide insurers. All insurers that offer insurance deals will have to adhere to the same set of questions provided by the brokerage website. By doing so, the significant price differences that drivers get when filling quotes at different insurers' sites will be gone.

Local insurance department. This is not exactly the place from where a driver can obtain car insurance quotes, but instead, drivers can find out more details about car insurance companies. Drivers can easily find a list of top insurers and some basic rate surveys.

For additional info, money-saving tips and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.org/

Compare-autoinsurance.org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.
While COVID-19 physically impacts some, it has impacted mental health on a much broader scale. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study reported a 31% increase in the proportion of mental healthrelated emergency department visits for youth aged 1217 years during 2020 as compared to 2019.

Stress-induced cognitive and physical impairments and toxic stress related to the unpredictability of the COVID-19 pandemic has been prolonged and exaggerated. Another recent survey found that 64% of teens believe the experience of COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on their generation's mental health, and 6 in 10 teens say their sources of support are harder to reach than normal.

Youth mental health issues have caused an echo pandemic of increased incidences of depression, anxiety, and suicide, escalating the demand for both therapists and other supportive adults who are mentally healthy themselves.

The science of early adversity proves that in the absence of protective relationships, toxic stress in childhood can change the architecture of the developing brain. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact everything--classroom behaviors, learning and comprehension, the ability to self-regulate--and can dramatically heighten the risk for future mental and physical health concerns.

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) recently launched A Way of Being with Children: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Building Resilience. This online training for parents, teachers, childcare workers, or anyone who regularly interacts with children and families, along with a public health campaign, aim to build a more trauma-informed community so that children can grow up with adults who understand the impact of trauma and adversity and do not risk re-traumatizing children through their words or actions.

Being trauma-informed involves understanding, sensitivity, and a deep knowledge of how trauma can affect a child's growing brain and potentially result in lifelong physical and mental health implications.

The 5.5 hour online course, accompanied by a spiral-bound manual with over 80 pages of practical advice and technique-building exercises, introduces a new way for adults to simply "be" around children--a better way that can help bring families closer together and make the time spent with children happier and more fulfilling. Based on decades of research into childhood brain development and the expertise of countless childcare workers and professional therapists, A Way of Being aims to create family and school relationships where children feel accepted and parents and teachers feel empowered.

Center for Child Counseling was founded in 1999 with the vision that every child will grow up feeling safe and nurtured in communities where they can thrive. CFFCs work started in Palm Beach County, Florida, childcare centers, providing therapeutic support for young children experiencing adversity and trauma, while equipping their caregivers with effective practices for building social-emotional well-being and resilience.

The Centers work has expanded beyond childcare centers to now working with children birth to age 18 in schools, the community, and the child welfare system. A primary goal is to help providers, educators, caregivers, and child-serving systems to shift their everyday way of being with children, families, and communities who have experienced adversity and trauma from a Whats wrong with you? to a What happened to you? approach. Using a prevention and healing-centered lens, CFCC focuses on changing the systems and practices that keep adversity and trauma firmly in place.

For over two decades, CFCC has worked in partnership with families and communities, interacting with children in their most natural state of being: when they are at play. A Way of Being was developed based on this work and research over the last twenty years--grounded in science, guided by the voices of the families helped, and founded on best-practice principles using a trauma-informed, racial-equity lens.

In conjunction with the online training, the Center has also launched a public health campaign on social media--including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube--promoting this new way of being. The campaign aims to build awareness and education of the positive ways that adults can interact with the children in their lives to build lifelong resilience.

The goal is for all community members to understand and own the idea that we each have a stake and role in child and family wellbeing. The need for adults to provide positive mental health support has significantly increased during COVID-19. Children have tremendous potential--which our society needs--and which we have a shared obligation to foster and protect, said Renee Layman, chief executive officer of Center for Child Counseling.

A Way of Being with Children online training and public health campaign has been made possible through the partnership and support of Florida Blue Foundation, Early Learning Coalition of Palm Beach County, and Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County. Grants from these funding partners make the training (live and online) available to childcare centers and public schools in Palm Beach County at no cost.

For more information on A Way of Being or to register for the online training or purchase the manual, visit: centerforchildcounseling.org/awayofbeing. For more information on training options for childcare centers, schools, or organizations, contact: info@centerforchildcounseling.org.

About Center for Child Counseling

Since 1999, Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships.

Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen

Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel

cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

561-632-6747

###
Click Here to go to PublishersWeekly.com
A-list celebrities arent the only ones proving that its cool to be spotted with a book in hand. Every Child a Reader, the charitable arm of the Childrens Book Council, is introducing a new component to its Get Caught Reading program, featuring local leaders of key cultural and social services organizations. This initiative extension is launching on June 24 in New York City, with plans to roll out across the country in the coming years.

This years three highlighted NYC leaders are Roderick Jones, executive director of Goddard Riverside, a community services organization offering day care, senior care, and homeless counseling throughout the Upper West Side; Dr. Raymond Codrington, CEO of Weeksville, a Brooklyn cultural center; and Rina Madhani, executive director and co-founder of Start Lighthouse, a literacy nonprofit in the South Bronx. Jones is pictured reading Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, while Codrington is reading Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi, and Madhani is reading Good Talk by Mira Jacob.

Interviews with Madhani, Jones, and Codrington will be released later this summer, along with programming news for Goddard, Weeksville and Start Lighthouse.

The longtime AAP program, was relaunched in 2018 by Every Child a Reader with a grant provided by KPMG, and featured Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez]. In 2019 and 2020, posters included authors Kate DiCamillo, Raj Haldar and Raakhee Mirchandani, along with animated characters Phoebe and her Unicorn.

Getting Onboard

This all happened serendipitously, said Carl Lennertz, executive director of the Childrens Book Council and Every Child a Reader. CBC has the social justice prize with Goddard, and I knew Rod was an avid reader. Then the New York Times ran an article about Weeksville, so I reached out to Ray, and then Rani reached out to learn more about us and she also agreed to do a poster.

The local leaders join this years featured readers: Charlie Jane Anders, Kacen Callender, Shani Mahiri King, Kristi Yamaguchi, The Story Monster and, most recently, the nine contributing authors to the Brown Bookshelf: Crystal Allen, Tracey Baptiste, Tameka Fryer Brown, Paula Chase, Gwendolyn Hooks, Varian Johnson, Kelly Starling Lyons, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, and Don Tate.

Im so thrilled that we can shine a national spotlight on these wonderful community organizations that are doing such diverse and important work, said Ruth Chamblee, chairperson of the Every Child a Reader board. While they may be local, the powerful message of these role models and their ideas can resonate across the country.

The three Get Caught Reading posters in this series are sponsored by Lexile, a division of MetaMetrics. Malbert Smith, CEO and co-founder of MetaMetrics, added: As the developer of the Lexile Framework for Reading, MetaMetrics shares a mission with Every Child a Reader: matching kids with books. We were proud to sponsor a donor growth campaign during the May Childrens Book Week and are thrilled to support the Get Caught Reading campaign.

Posters are available free of charge to teachers, librarians, and booksellers in quantities of 10 and can be ordered online at GetCaughtReading.org.
In early 2018, Matthew Pearl told his longtime agent, WMEs Suzanne Gluck, his idea for a nonfiction book. When he said Daniel Boone, she admits, my heart did not flutter. They laugh about it now, because once she saw the proposal she didnt have any doubts that he would be writing an important page-turner of a book. The Taking of Jemima Boone: Colonial Settlers, Tribal Nations, and the Kidnap That Shaped a Nation, about the kidnapping of Daniel Boones 13-year-old daughter by a Cherokee-Shawnee raiding party in July 1776, will be published in October by Harper.

Jemimaalong with two other girls from Boonesboro, the Kentucky settlement founded by Boonewas captured while canoeing on the Kentucky River, a little-known event that Pearl has spun out into the story of westward expansion. The Declaration of Independence had been signed only weeks before. Kentucky was contested territory, and when Hanging Maw realized one of his captives was Boones daughter, he saw her as an asset in peaceful negotiations. But Boone and his compatriots ambushed the raiding party, and the violence that is part of American history inevitably escalated.

A master of literary historical thrillers, Pearl has written six novels, beginning in 2003 with his bestselling The Dante Club, completed when he was at Yale Law School. He wrote it quietly, telling no one, and sent it to Gluck.

He tracked me down from the acknowledgements page of Caleb Carrs The Alienist, Gluck tells me. His passion was Dante, and hed done this deep dive, and I remember the last line of his letter: Please dont make me be a lawyer!  She hesitates with this last-line story, afraid that it might find its way into every future query letter to every agent. But I cant resist repeating it. (Pearl graduated but never took the bar.)

Each of Matthews novels is deeply informed by history, Gluck says. When we talked about a nonfiction book, I suggested he read two of my writers, Candice Millard and Simon Winchester, to understand how a small moment can be a window into a big story.

Gluck calls the result the multilayered story of a dramatic kidnapping, adding, Matthew humanizes all the players: the tribes, the settlers, and the third piece of the triangle, the British, who were working to advance their own agenda. Pearl is sensitive to the complicated politics of the times, and, Gluck notes, theres so much about Daniel Boone the legend, but Matthews gotten to the real man, and hes given the women their due. We know of Boone but not Jemima, a young girl who was so smart, a survivor, a strategist.

Describing the kidnapping, Pearl writes, Jemima proved herself her parents daughter, suppressing fear and anger, concentrating on assessing the scene and their situation. And, After walking with their captors for a short time, Jemima stopped and refused to budge. I would rather die, she announced.... She showed her wounded foot.... One of the Indians threatened Jemima. She didnt scream, but still refused to move.

Pearl first realized he wanted to write more nonfiction when he was doing long-form pieces. I really enjoyed writing the articles, and I really like research, he says. I was utilizing the skill set Id developed on the fiction side and exercising some different muscles.

Teaching a seminar at Harvard Law School on literary copyright in the 19th century, Pearl chose a different writer each week. I came across James Fenimore Cooper and started reading, he says. It got me thinking about where The Last of the Mohicans came from. He adds that Cooper was the entry point to Jemima Boone. I came to the rule that if a story doesnt need to be fictionalized, if it has all the elements planted in the actual events to make the story, then stick with nonfiction.

Pearl started writing The Taking of Jemima Boone in earnest three years ago. He discussed the idea with Gluck and the proposal went out to publishers in September 2018. We had lots of choices, Gluck says. Matthew is a unique brand, hes inspired by literature and history, and this is a tight, exciting read. He can write a wildly original novel and brought this talent to nonfiction. Matthew has the sense of the reader in the chair and keeping him there. This book is magic. You cant stop reading.

There was an auction, and Sara Nelson, executive editor at Harper, won it. She was the right fit, and HarperCollins was the right place, Gluck says.

I knew nothing about Jemima Boone when I got the proposal, Nelson recalls. I liked the idea of history through the story of a less well-known sourceto see early America through the experiences of this young woman. I love this book because it doesnt feel like history homework. Its exciting, dramatic, cinematic. Matthew and I had a great conversation, and there wasnt much to change editorially. She bought North American rights in October 2018 for, she says, a solid six figures.

Pearl notes that nonfiction is a leap of faith. Its based on a proposal, so its an uphill battle; theres no book. He met with eight editors, he says, but clicked with Nelson. We met one-on-one and I felt we could just keep talking. Sara completely got the material and what I was excited about.

Matthew was so young when I signed him, Gluck says. A literary prodigy. Weve been together through all six novels. I watched him grow up!

For his part, Pearl says, If she retires to Hawaii, what will I do?

Correction: An earlier version of this article misidentified Candice Millard.
Former Vice President Mike Pence and his family join him as he gives remarks to a small crowd on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021 at Columbus Municipal Airport in Columbus, Ind.
Coronavirus

Berks new cases dip to nearly lowest point
A picture is part of the memorial for school counselor Bernadette Norton set up outside Lauer's Park Elementary School. She died of injuries suffered in a fire at her Pottstown home.
Kirsten Haas, executive director of Girls on the Run of Berks County, right, on the set of "Jeopardy!" with guest host Savannah Guthrie.
One of the most curious things about America is how many of our most celebrated billionaires sound like socialists. Bill Gates and Warren Buffett love talking about how more and more of their wealth should be taxed. Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post, enabling it to wage relentless war on the Republicans.

That's why it seemed a little funny for the socialists at National Public Radio to report some public hatred of Bezos as news. The headline was "Tens Of Thousands Sign Petition To Stop Jeff Bezos From Returning To Earth." On July 20, Amazon's founder and his brother Mark will enter the New Shepard suborbital rocket system as part of the first crew aboard the reusable rocket for its 11-minute voyage to space.

Eleven minutes isn't enough for the billionaire-haters. NPR's Dustin Jones reported "Since Bezos made the announcement about his journey to space this month, tens of thousands of people have come together to petition against his return to the planet."

The largest misanthropic petition at Change.org -- titled "Do not allow Jeff Bezos to return to Earth" -- had collected more than 80,000 signatures by June 22. "Billionaires should not exist," its brief statement read. "On Earth, or in space, but should they decide the latter they should stay there."

It sounded a little Marxist. The credit line was "Ric G started this petition to the proletariat."

More than 20,000 people have signed the "Petition To Not Allow Jeff Bezos Re-Entry To Earth." This one has stronger hate speech. "Jeff Bezos is actually Lex Luthor, disguised as the supposed owner of a super successful online retail store. However, he's actually an evil overlord hellbent on global domination. We've known this for years."

This one's so kooky that it could be satire: "Jeff has worked with the Epsteins and the Knights Templar, as well as the Freemasons to gain control over the whole world."

In a video posted to Instagram, Bezos proclaimed: "If you see the Earth from space, it changes you. It changes your relationship with this planet, with humanity. It's one Earth." That's a noble sentiment, but it's false.

The capitalist-haters will always hate successful businessmen. We will always have class warriors to divide us. It's easy to feel that envy for the wealthiest, that most of their riches must be undeserved. It's not as easy to think about how companies like Amazon have revolutionized business and made life better for millions of consumers.

Earlier, on their evening newscast "All Things Considered" on June 11, NPR aired an allegedly humorous commentary from comedian Vinny Thomas where he imagined riding into space with the Bezos brothers and speaking as the Voice of the People: "You guys could probably feed everybody down there if you really wanted to, huh? They laugh. And then I laugh, too, you know -- just to fit in."

NPR also reported the Amazon magnate's estimated net worth of $182 billion is bigger than the gross domestic product of Hungary or Ukraine, according to data from the International Monetary Fund. If you're religious, it seems obvious that the superrich have a duty to help the poor. But it's also true that if you're religious, middle-class people have a duty to help the poor. You could argue that people sending thousands or millions of dollars to NPR should be spending their money on feeding people instead of funding propaganda.

Socialists always feel that rich people have way too much freedom, and they need to be energetically oppressed. It's taking it to a whole new level to want them banned from the planet.

COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM
Nearly two weeks after Vice President Kamala Harris told Central Americans considering making the perilous journey to the United States not to come because they can find hope at home, the U.S. Embassy in Honduras put out a starkly different message.

Refugee resettlement in the United States is being restored to offer hope and a safe haven to people fleeing persecution, the embassy said in a tweet written in Spanish celebrating Thursdays World Refugee Day. A more inclusive world will allow people to take care of ourselves, learn and shine.

It was sent the same day news broke that Harris is heading to the Texas border on Friday, after months of resisting calls to make the trip. Just a few days before, the same embassy tweeted a joint statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas promoting new ways Hondurans and others from the region could apply to come to the United States.

We are fulfilling our promise to improve safe, orderly and humane migration from Central America by expanding legal avenues to request humanitarian protection in the United States, the tweet stated.

Harris herself toned down the do not come remarks once she returned to Washington from Guatemala and Mexico earlier this month. On the Friday after her trip, she told a Spanish international news agency she was committed to ensuring the United States is a safe haven for people seeking asylum.

The mixed immigration messaging is continuing amid a U.S. government social media and radio ad campaign in Central America trying to dissuade immigrants from making the journey. Dont put your kids lives at risk based on false hopes, one man advises another in one radio spot before a narrator steps in to say that people can get ahead by remaining in their home countries.

The administration says the ads have reached at least 7 million Central Americans via 133 radio stations, but theres no evidence theyre having an impact. More than 170,000 illegal immigrants were stopped at the U.S.-Mexico border in May, the third straight month that number was exceeded, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data. Its also the most recorded border encounters since 2000.

Convincing would-be migrants not to flee for a better life in the U.S. is a tall order while Northern Triangle countries  Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador  remain mired in crime, corruption and poverty.

Still, President Biden and Harris say theyre committed to solving the root causes behind the flood of illegal immigrants to the U.S. and are directing billions in U.S. taxpayer dollars to that end.

The only problem is that the most recent model failed miserably. While vice president, Biden led a push to try to stop the surge of illegal immigrants at the border by sending $3 billion in humanitarian aid to Central America  an effort to stabilize the region, fight corruption and create significant economic opportunities for the poor. But none of those goals were ever achieved. Now Biden is repeating the same play, tapping Harris to lead the effort and seeking to provide $4 billion in U.S. aid to the region over the course of the next three years.

Harris announced the first down payment of $310 million during her trip earlier this month, a rocky foray after media miscues and her do not come warning seemed to please no one, rankling those on the left while spurring further ridicule from the right.

That $310 figure includes $125 million to mitigate repeated droughts, food shortages and the COVID-19 pandemic, along with $104 million to help with the safety and protection of refugees and asylum seekers. The Defense Department is providing $26 million more to increase partnerships aimed at health, education and disaster relief services.

I am here because the root causes are my highest priority in terms of addressing the issue and we need to deal with it, both in terms of the poverty we are seeing, the hunger that we are seeing, the effects of the hurricanes and the extreme climate conditions, what we are seeing in terms of the pandemic, Harris told reporters while in Guatemala.

But foreign policy experts across the political spectrum, including those close to the administration, argue that Harris is simply dusting off the old, failed Biden model. What is needed, they all insist, is a dramatically different approach to providing U.S. aid to the region  while conservative critics adding that its impossible to solve the deep-seated poverty problems just by pouring more U.S. government dollars into the area.

Bidens choice for an envoy to the Northern Triangle, career foreign service officer Ricardo Zuniga, was involved in crafting a very similar aid program during the Obama administration when he served as senior director for Western affairs at the National Security Council.

Its literally the same plan, orchestrated by the same people, for around the same amount of money  so how is it going to have different results? asked one former veteran Washington foreign policy hand who specializes in the region and requested anonymity to speak openly on the controversial topic.

If the U.S. wants to provide humanitarian aid as a goodwill gesture, thats one thing, the source said. But expecting an influx of U.S. funds and programming to curb illegal immigration without a security side of the equation isnt realistic.

The Obama-Biden initiative in the region was called the Alliance for Prosperity but never lived up to the second half of that name, says Ryan Berg, a senior fellow in the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

We got a lot of alliance and grew closer to the Northern Triangle countries, but we didnt get a lot of prosperity for them, he said. For instance, Berg points out, the United States has done years of police training in Mexico, but the country still has an impunity rate of around 90% --meaning the vast majority of crimes go unpunished.

Berg is particularly skeptical about the effectiveness of a recently announced U.S. Justice Department task force aimed at partnering with Northern Triangle countries to fight crime and corruption in the region. And, he argues, if the U.S. is going to provide billions more in humanitarian assistance, there should be sanctions and other consequences to ensure local governments clean up their acts. So far, however, the administration is so focused on channeling U.S. dollars to the region, theres little incentive for governments to reform.

The big miss is: What are the governments of these countries doing, especially in terms of gang violence, corruption and economic reform? asked a former senior U.S. Agency for International Development official. What are their financial and policy contributions to solving their problems?

Others maintain that the U.S. could do far better in getting the funds to the right places and programs if USAID, which disburses most of the assistance, continues some specific Trump administration reforms to the contracting process put in place by Mark Green, the former USAID administrator who previously served as a Tennessee congressman. Green is one of the rare former Trump appointees who maintains bipartisan respect.

Those changes were focused on allowing more involvement from local charities and organizations already doing aid work on the ground. (The U.S. doesnt give any money directly to Central American governments, but instead relies on USAID to fund programs and initiatives for the region.)

We have the U.S. government coming in and playing a sort of generous uncle and trying to do some good in these places and doing it very clumsily, said Anthony Fontes, an American University professor who serves as the faculty affiliate at its Center for Latin and Latino Studies.

Fontes was part of a team of researchers working last year on a Biden campaign blueprint for development in the Northern Triangle. He partly blames the lack of progress on President Trump for his decision to pull the plug on most U.S. aid to the region and disrupting the continuity of the programs from the Obama era. But Fontes also says the traditional way the U.S. has directed funds to the region is inherently flawed and wasteful.

International humanitarian aid contracting has become a lucrative inside-the-Beltway business, with these organizations consuming as much as 50% of the USAID funding they receive for overhead, rent, salaries and profit. Meanwhile, these same contractors often parachute into regions without strong relationships on the ground and then depart when the money has been spent.

[Theres] this trickle-down effect until much of the money doesnt make it  to the particular people targeted, Fontes told RCP.

Many of the expensive for-profit aid corporations fill their staff with retired USAID officials who are enjoying lavishly paid second careers by doing the same exact thing they did on the private side, added James Roberts, a former foreign service officer now working on development assistance issues at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Its really a form of agency capture, he said.

Its a problem across most of USAID, not just in its Central America programming. A New York Times article in early June outlined the problem, noting that 80% of the American-financed development projects in Central America from 2016 to 2020 were given to American contractors, citing data provided by the aid agency.

Too often the money is misspent. The Times noted that a $20 million USAID program in Guatemala built outhouses for potato farmers  but most were quickly abandoned or torn apart for scrap metal. Another $31 million project, administered by Development Alternatives Incorporated, a company based in Bethesda, Md., created an app to enable residents to see how their local government spends money, but many of the residents didnt have smartphones.

One way to combat this wasteful spending and make programs more effective is for large American contractors to partner with local organizations already serving the communities on the ground. USAID usually cannot channel funds directly to local charities and organizations because most lack the capability to comply with the U.S. governments massive paperwork and regulatory requirements.

Even though the Trump administration dramatically cut funding to Central America, it instituted significant contracting reforms allowing for a greater number of local organizations, including faith-based charities, to receive USAID sub-grants while working with larger American contractors.

Catholic organizations do most of the humanitarian heavy lifting in Central and South America and are better positioned to withstand corruption because drug cartels and other criminal enterprises take a more hands-off approach to them. The region is still very religious, largely Catholic, and so a lot of these Catholic relief agencies have a lot of pull on the ground, Berg said.

As part of its journey to self-reliance aid mantra, the Trump administration also tried to boost the number of U.S. private-sector investments, an effort to help local businesses scale up their products and break into international markets in the U.S. and elsewhere.

After USAID Administrator Samantha Power traveled to Central America last week following Harris trip, she provided more details about a $39 million initiative involving a partnership with 12 private companies, including Starbucks and Target, to help small businesses and entrepreneurs in areas of high migration scale up their operations and break down barriers that prevent their products to reaching new markets.

USAID is continuing to work with local organizations because we value their expertise, knowledge of local culture and understanding of the context on the ground, a USAID spokesperson told RCP in a written statement. In Guatemala, for example, a pest management program for farmers was initially implemented by a U.S. contractor and support by a local organization called Agropecuaria Popoyan as a sub-grantee. After two years, Agropecuaria Popoyan became the prime implementer of a five-year, $36 million Feed the Future horticulture project.

The spokesperson also said USAIDs Latin and Caribbean missions are involved in 135 project awards with new or local partners, including several faith-based organizations, and has a specific $50 million annual local works program designed to work directly with local actors.

Through these programs, USAID is adopting a locally led approach to mitigating the root causes of migration by addressing crime and youth violence, engaging with indigenous communities to improve access to education and economic opportunities and improving the local environment and solid waste management, the spokesman added.

While encouraged that USAID has kept at least some of the Trump reforms, many foreign policy regional experts in and out of the administration are urging the agency to shift even more of its funding to local entities and encourage additional private-sector participation.

Still, even then, change will be incremental and unlikely to have a major impact on migration rates until the countries themselves enact rule-of-law and economic reforms to help local businesses prosper, build roads and bridges to move the products and spur large-scale private investment.

When Biden announced he wanted to send $4 billion in additional U.S. aid to the region, the Heritage Foundations Roberts said he went back to the speech President John F. Kennedy delivered when he first created USAID.

He was talking about the very same problems in Central America that we are today, Roberts said. The reality is the obstacles to investment are daunting  out-of-control crime, lack of infrastructure, corruption  and theyve been going on for a long, long time.

Henry Kokkeler contributed to this report.
After the 2020 election, many Pennsylvania voters were left confused, frustrated, and distrustful. A new and inefficient mail-in balloting process, unrealistic and shifting voting deadlines, and often non-binding guidance from state government led to varied experiences across precincts and delays in reporting the elections results.

Issues concerning Pennsylvanias administration of elections, though, werent limited to last November. The past two primaries, for example, were also plagued by malfunctioning voting machines and long delays in ballot counting. The process was further clouded by agenda-setting financiers who sent grants to counties in an attempt to influence local election processes.

Recognizing these facts, state legislators, county officials, and even Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and his secretary of state called for improving the states election laws to ensure access, integrity, and, most important, trust. In Harrisburg, lawmakers responded with House Bill 1300, comprehensive legislation that passed the state House this week.

Known as the Voting Rights Protection Act, the bill would ensure that the next election doesnt result in more skepticism about outcomes. Wolf, though, has denounced this sensible legislation for partisan gain. I will not allow bad actors to put up barriers to voting, he proclaimed at a recent event, accusing lawmakers of spewing debunked conspiracy theories as they try to undermine confidence in the November election and its outcome.

Wolfs time would have been better spent working with legislators to ease his concerns instead of tossing Democratic Party talking points to the press. He was silent, for instance, when the House State Government Committee held 10 hearings that focused on election process, not outcomes. Testimony from state and county officials  along with election officers in other states and policy groups  outlined best practices across Pennsylvania and the U.S. The committees subsequent 99-page report neither mentions former President Donald Trump, nor does it allege fraud in the 2020 election. Instead, it focuses on overcoming election challenges.

Wolf is also ignoring new polling from Franklin & Marshall College, which shows that Pennsylvania voters believe election reform is necessary. Among voters polled, 81% favor signature matching for mail-in ballots and 74% approve of voter identification requirements  both tenets of HB 1300.

Pennsylvania must do better before the next election.

As it stands, the House bill makes voting and counting votes easier, providing extra time to account for mail-in ballots. By requiring signature matching and voter ID, it will ensure greater integrity and restore confidence in elections. It will prevent, moreover, out-of-state billionaires from influencing ballot collection and vote counting by regulating private election donations. And it ensures that all voters will receive the same treatment and enfranchisement.

Recent legislation passed in Kentucky, Virginia, Florida, and Georgia, among other states, was signed by both Republican and Democratic governors who acknowledge that commonsense reforms can help everyone and satisfy the vast majority of voters.

The major tenets of these reforms are similar to Pennsylvanias HB 1300. The most common impetus is that democracy fails if voters dont believe the elections are conducted fairly.

Claims that such reforms amount to disenfranchisement or a recipe for fraud cause unnecessary discord. Theyre also disproven by analogous laws that have existed for years in both red and blue states. These states have seen increased voter turnout; there is also no evidence of voter disenfranchisement.

To a large extent, the Wolf administration owns Pennsylvanias failures in the 2020 election. The administration, though, was right to support legislative reform. This is why Wolfs attacks on the General Assemblys resulting proposal is so puzzling.

By refusing to speak to anyone but the press and directing his unsubstantiated ire toward legislators, the governor is not only grandstanding for mere political points  hes also undermining Pennsylvanias system of government. Wolf should sign the bill and put discord and doubt over the states election process behind us.
In the ongoing battle between Republicans and Democrats over who can scare away regular Americans more, the Democrats are going all in with their policies and rhetoric on violent crime. Left-wing Democrats have scared the hell out of regular Americans with their "defund the police" rhetoric and even more with actual cuts to funding for many big-city police departments and their refusal to prosecute many crimes.

After a multidecade decline, crime rates are way up. It shouldn't surprise anyone that voters are not happy about this. After months of largely ignoring the problem, President Joe Biden realized he had to address it. In essence, Biden's response pins the entire violent crime rise on access to guns. His solutions focus almost exclusively on gun control. We should debate gun policies, but pretending gun access explains the rising crime rate is preposterous on its face. This is not going to end well for Democrats.

It's hard to fathom now, but former President Bill Clinton, the greatest Democratic politician in recent memory, won over much of middle America in part with his "tough on crime" agenda. Putting 100,000 new cops on the street was a singular early Clinton administration achievement. Imagine today's Democratic Party taking on that cause? Clinton's crime policies blunted the winning Republican argument that Democrats were soft on crime. And it worked. Crime rates dropped to historically low levels, even while gun ownership continued to skyrocket.

The radical wing of the Democratic Party has undone all this political and substantive progress with their wacky "defund the police" movement. Even with the corporate media pulling as hard as they can to help sell the cause, there is no possibility of convincing the average American voter that defunding the police is anything but crazy.

This does not mean, of course, that there aren't police reforms we should be debating. Videos of horrendous actions by individual officers drive home the point that there are bad cops out there. But bad apples aside, people know that police have tough jobs that most of us would not want to do. People also know that vilifying police as a class, getting rid of police, sharply reducing police funding and refusing to enforce basic laws are all going to cause a spike in crime. Yet these are precisely the policies and rhetoric coming out of the left wing of the Democratic Party. And surprise, crime rates are skyrocketing.

We had much higher crime rates in the 1960s and 1970s. During this period many of our major cities were flat-out dangerous, especially at night. With the bipartisan reform efforts of the 1980s and 1990s, that all went away. The result was huge investment and population growth. The radical left's crime agenda puts all this at risk.

The solution to rising crime is not complicated. It's the same formula that worked for Clinton: Enforce the law; fund enough police; and support honest police work. Those commonsense concepts are no longer acceptable to the radical left. Frontline police are the ones squeezed in this new environment. Their jobs are too dangerous, and their pay is too low, to put up with the demonization they are now facing. In Portland, Oregon, the epicenter of American crazy, the entire riot squad just resigned en masse after enduring a year of abuse from the city's political leadership. Without support from our political leaders, this is what we can continue to expect.

Biden knows all this, but he doesn't have the political will to take on the crazies in his own party, starting with his vice president. Kamala Harris asked her supporters to donate to the Minnesota Freedom Fund to provide bail money for those arrested in the George Floyd protests. Subsequent reporting by the Daily Caller showed that the Minnesota Freedom Fund bails out violent criminals and even serial domestic abusers. Instead of reversing her support for this radical cause, Harris has left her fundraising plea up for over a year now.

The left's "defund the police" insanity is premised on racial injustice. Interestingly, though, members of affected minority communities do not share the generally wealthier and whiter radicals' zeal to vilify and undercut law enforcement. Law-abiding people of all races who live in higher-crime neighborhoods want a strong police presence. Biden could have taken up their cause and pushed back on his party's ascendant radical fringe. That sort of political courage would have been rewarded.

Pretending our crime spike is all about gun access, as the president is now doing, is the opposite of political leadership. Lawful gun ownership and sales do not lead to higher crime rates. Americans have had access to guns for decades. None of that changed recently. What changed is a failure in many cities to support the police and enforce the law.

The president missed a huge opportunity to show leadership and occupy the political center with his crime rollout this week. If Democrats lose large numbers of seats in 2022 and 2024, his punting on the crime issue will be a big reason why.

COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM
On Tuesday, Brooklyn Borough President and former police captain Eric Adams took the lead in the New York mayoral race with 32% of the Democratic primary vote, 10 points more than progressive Maya Wiley, who had the endorsement of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

How did Adams beat the elite? Said The New York Times:

Adams built "an old-school political coalition that united Black and Latino voters," and was "able to persuade working-class people, largely outside Manhattan, that he was the best candidate to make the city safe from crime."

Adams' anti-crime and pro-cop campaign carried four of New York City's five boroughs, including Ocasio-Cortez's congressional district in Queens. He lost only Manhattan, though, under the ranked-voting system New York uses, his victory may not be confirmed for a week.

Wednesday, President Joe Biden went before a White House podium to outline his program for dealing with the plague of shootings, killings and murders that have marked and marred the five months of his presidency.

What does all this tell us?

"Law and order," the issue that arose in the '60s to tear apart President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal Coalition, is back. And the emotional anti-cop wave after the George Floyd killing in Minneapolis a year ago, manifest in the "Defund the Police!" demand of Black Lives Matter, has receded.

America is saying: We don't want rogue cops, but we do want more cops in our neighborhoods and our communities to stop the shootings that are terrorizing, wounding, maiming and killing us.

Driven by the publicized surge in shootings and killings in America's cities, the issue is gaining the ascendancy it had in the mid-1960s.

A "mass shooting" is a term used for a crime where four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter. By that definition, mass shootings have become a common occurrence in America, with a count of some 300 thus far in 2021.

Before the 1960s, perhaps the most notorious mass shooting was still the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre, where seven enemies of Al Capone were lined up against a wall in a Chicago garage and executed in cold blood.

Last weekend, 52 people were shot in Chicago, seven fatally. Monday produced seven more shooting deaths.

Biden recognizes the political danger. He is old enough to recall what the law-and-order issue did to his party in 1968.

That year, George Wallace, running as a third-party candidate, took 13% of the presidential vote. Four years later, in 1972, the year Biden was elected senator, the Alabama governor was the front-runner for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination when he was shot by a would-be assassin in a Laurel, Maryland, shopping center.

The Democratic nominee that year, Sen. George McGovern, a man of the progressive left, lost 49 states to President Richard Nixon.

Sen. Joe Biden helped to write the crime bill of 1994, which many liberals now fault for contributing to a massive increase in incarcerations. But, today, as president, Biden is facing a similar and serious crime crisis and cannot be unaware of its political potency.

The Democratic Party's dilemma: Its progressive wing believes defunding and re-imagining police work to protect people of color from abuse by rogue cops is the first priority.

Eric Adams' vote in liberal New York, however, suggests that a higher priority for Blacks and Hispanics is public safety and the disarming and removal of the armed thugs and the street gangs who imperil it.

In the shooting galleries that some inner-city neighborhoods have become, "Defunding the Police!" amounts to social insanity.

"Nowhere," says Bill Bratton, former New York police commissioner, "do you see recognition that there are some people who cause incredible harm to the community and who unfortunately need to be in jail."

To secure the safety of poor communities, several elements have always been needed: police to prevent crimes and arrest the criminals who commit them, prosecutors who will put them away, and prison cells to house them.

This was the formula that broke the back of the long crime wave that began in the 1960s -- and ended in the anti-crime movement that produced Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York.

In the early 1960s, like today, the elite and our major media declared "law and order" to be a "code word" for racism.

But the departure of millions of working-class voters from the Democratic Party of Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy, and its move to the party of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, testified that Middle Americans believed in safe streets and would reward leaders who would keep them safe -- with more cops.

Biden spoke Wednesday as though the inner-city menace was the guns with which people are being shot, not the criminals using them.

But some of the folks helping to produce record gun sales today are Black folks who know who and what the threats to their families really are. Gun control is not crime control, and it is crime that is the enemy.

COPYRIGHT 2021 CREATORS.COM
Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!
The View and Mr. Iglesias alum Sherri Shepherd is set to star in the new Lifetime movie, Imperfect High.

ADVERTISEMENT

The film is set to debut on the cable network on Sept. 18. It is a followup to 2015's Perfect High, which featured Bella Thorne

Siobhan Devine is directing the project from a script written by Anne Marie Hess.

"Imperfect High is the story of Hanna Brooks (Nia Sioux from Dance Moms), the new girl in town who is looking to find her place and fit in at Lakewood High School, which was rocked a couple of years earlier by the shocking drug overdose of a popular student," a synopsis said.

"Hanna suffers from an anxiety disorder and the move to a new school is especially stressful for her. While trying to fit in with the 'it' crowd, she finds herself pulled between two boys -- a bad boy with a heart of gold, and an alluring, popular rich kid who is not as straight of an arrow as he seems."
56, of Traverse City, died, June 25, 2021. He is the son of Elizabeth Yates and brother of Marcia Emery. Scott was preceded in death by his brother, James McCann. Services will be held 11 a.m., Friday, July 2, 2021 at the Greensky Hill Indian Methodist Church, 8484 Greensky Hill, Charlevoix.
About the authors: Michele Howard has been a librarian for more than 27 years. She is currently the director of the Traverse Area District Library.

Stephie Luyt is a school librarian in Traverse City. She has worked in K-12 education for more than 15 years.

Kerrey Woughter is the director of library services at the Northwestern Michigan College library. Woughter spent more than 25 years in K-12 education.
Juneteenth, sometimes known as Freedom Day, celebrates June 19, 1865, when Union troops arrived in Texas and informed the states enslaved people they were free. While it has long been celebrated by Black communities across the U.S., it has recently become more widely known following nationwide protests over police brutality and racial inequality.
Blake and Adam Williamson are not strangers to the Athens music scene, but their upcoming show on July 11 at Southern Brewing Company will be the duos first performance in the city as the Williamson Brothers.
Mother convicted 11 years after baby found dead in container

A North Carolina woman who left her newborn baby in front of a Planned Parenthood office has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter
Brattleboro, VT (05301)

Today

Showers this morning becoming a steady light rain during the afternoon hours. High near 60F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.
From left, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., speak to the media after remarks by President Joe Biden, Thursday June 24, 2021, at the White House in Washington. Biden invited members of the group of 21 Republican and Democratic senators to discuss the infrastructure plan.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden celebrated Pride Month at the White House on Friday, a reflection of the growing stature of the LGBTQ community at the highest level of government.

Pride Month represents so much, Biden said. It stands for courage. The courage of all those in previous generations and today who proudly live their truth. Stands for justice. Both the steps weve taken and the steps we need to take. And above all, Pride Month stands for love.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay person confirmed to a Cabinet post, joined the president and first lady in the White House's East Room and also gave remarks.

Us even being here proves how much change is possible in America," Buttigieg said. So many lives have been changed, saved by the sustained advocacy, the moral resolve, the political courage of countless LGBTQ-plus leaders and allies, some elected, some invisible, some long gone, some in this room right now.

A White House hallway was lit in the colors of the rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBTQ movement, and Biden said he takes the hallway each day as he goes between the residence and the Oval Office. Also on display was a candle carried during the AIDS vigil and a pair of sandals owned by Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was fatally beaten in 1998 and whose death inspired new hate crime laws.

Also on Friday, Biden named Jessica Stern as a special diplomatic envoy at the State Department for LGBTQ rights. Her responsibilities will involve ensuring that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect LGBTQ rights around the world. Stern is currently executive director of OutRight Action International, which defends human rights and works to prevent abuses of LGBTQ people.

In her new role, Stern will help put in place a presidential memorandum to advance the rights of LGBTQ people as well as bring together like-minded governments, nonprofits and corporations to uphold equality and dignity, according to the White House.

The focus also carries personal resonance for many in the Biden administration. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House's principal deputy press secretary, tweeted out her own story Friday about coming out to her mother at the age of 16 and the revolted look in response that left her sexuality a family secret for many years.

Im proud to be an out Black Queer woman and I have been for quite some time, she wrote. Im happy to say, my Mother is now proud of ALL of who I am; she loves my partner and she loves being a doting grandmother to the daughter we are raising.

Jean-Pierre added that her journey toward acceptance was not easy, but it was worthwhile.

Biden also signed into law Friday a measure that designates the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as a national memorial. A mass shooting at the gay nightclub in June 2016 left 49 people dead and 53 wounded in what was the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history.
3 1 of 3 CTDOT / Contributed Show More Show Less 2 of 3 CTDOT / Contributed Show More Show Less 3 of 3





CHESHIRE  Authorities are searching in Southington for a man they say is armed and dangerous after a shooting on Interstate 84 in Cheshire early Friday that sent one person the hospital, according to Connecticut State Police.

While the shooting took place on the highways westbound lanes near Exit 26  causing police to shut down the westbound lanes between exits 26 and 25A from around 2:45 a.m. until about 7 a.m. police said the search for the alleged gunman has reached the areas of Wolcott and Southington.
WATERBURY  A former city resident pleaded guilty in federal court this week to charges connected with his alleged role in drug sales in the Waterbury area while he was illegally residing in the country, prosecutors said.

Luciano Solis-Sanchez, 36, a citizen of Mexico last living in Waterbury, pleaded guilty Thursday in Hartford federal court to immigration and controlled substance offenses.

He pleaded guilty to reentry of a removed alien and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. The immigration offense carries a maximum term of two years, while the drug offense carries a maximum of 40 years.

He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on Oct. 13.

In April 2007, Solis-Sanchez ran into U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona and was granted a voluntary return to Mexico, prosecutors said. More than 10 years later, in November 2017, he ran into Board Patrol again and was removed to Mexico. About a week after being removed, he was picked up by agents in Arizona.

Solis-Sanchez never held legal status in the United States, according to prosecutors. He was taken into custody after the final attempt and was eventually charged and convicted of illegal reentry. He was again removed to Mexico.

Twice in May 2019, prosecutors said, Solis-Sanchez ran into Border Patrol in Texas and was removed to Mexico.

He was arrested in Waterbury on March 3, 2020, on charges of possession of narcotics with intent to sell, possession of drugs near a prohibited place, operating a motor vehicle without a license and driving the wrong way on a one-way street, prosecutors said. He was released on a promise to appear on the state charges. Federal authorities soon learned of his arrest and secured an arrest warrant to charge him with illegal reentry.

On Jan. 8, U.S. Customs and Border Protection analyzed a UPS package that came from Zapopan, Mexico, and was headed to an Alfonso Perez at a Bucks Hill Road residence in Waterbury  the same address where Solis-Sanchez lived, prosecutors said. Inside the package, authorities said they found a lamp that had two bundles of nearly 500 grams of methamphetamine hidden behind a fiberglass panel.

Law enforcement made a controlled delivery of the package on Jan. 13, and served the search warrant at the Bucks Hill Road home that same day. Authorities said they seized a distribution amount of cocaine from the residence. Solis-Sanchez was taken into custody and has been detained since.

When he was arrested, authorities said, Solis-Sanchez had an additional mount of cocaine in his possession that he allegedly planned to sell. Prosecutors said Solis-Sanchez told officers he arranged for the package delivery with methamphetamine, and also admitted to getting cocaine shipments from the same supplier.
To those who know her fashion design work, Brenda Quin is known as the Queen of Colour.

She recently opened Diva USA Pink House Boutique, a retail clothing store on Albany Turnpike in Canton, in a pink building surrounded by flowering plants and a bright pink sign out front.

The former business there was a consignment shop, but Diva USA sells Quins own clothing and accessories, made in her own factory in South Africa, as well as local crafts, soaps and jewelry from area makers.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

Its going very well  Ive been pleasantly surprised, said Quin. Its a very good spot for me; I plan to keep the prices middle-of-the-road, so they are very affordable. We have many nice high-end stores here, so this is something different.

She also designs her own fabrics, using them to make her unique dresses, flowing tunics, bright tops and bottoms in a variety of solids and prints that are hers alone.

Quin, a native of South Africa and now a resident of New Hartford, moved to the United States in 2020 to be closer to her son and his family, who live on Long Island. She and her husband of 43 years, Dave, discovered Litchfield County while searching for a home; they chose a property and are residing in an RV until the house is ready.

It was just a shell house; it should be ready in about four months, Quin said.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

Her passion is creating clothing for women that will make them happy, she said. After settling in New Hartford two years ago, Quin approached Jackie McNamara, the owner of LiveBeYou in Winsted, a retail clothing and gift store that opened earlier this year.

McNamara rented her a space in the rear of the store to sell some of her designer dresses, tops and handmade gifts.

But it wasnt enough to be in one small room, and when she was ready, she found the Albany Turnpike space and set to work to open her new business. The communitys reception to Diva USA has been very positive, she said. Well see how we do; see what people need and want, she said. I will be listening to the customers and what they want. Its going to be a whole new ball game.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

I love helping women with their wardrobe planning, helping to bring out their own unique style, Quin said. I believe we are all unique individuals and enjoy expressing ourselves in our own way; sometimes, we just need a little help.

Quin is a self-taught fashion designer, and has worked in fashion for nearly 30 years. She has provided dresses for many of the Miss South Africa and Miss World contestants, and has showcased her work at African Fashion Week in London and shows in South Africa, where she won Best Womens Wear Collection awards in 2016 and 2018, she said. Quin also was invited to show her work at the President of Maltas Summer Verdala Palace in Malta.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

Now that shes in Canton, Quin said she is making friends and finding local vendors to sell their wares in her store.

I believe in supporting local, she said. Right now Ive got some scented candles and soaps; the maker is happy to do that under my label; and were still looking for someone local who makes jewelry.

I also believe in empowering women in business, Quin said. Many women start their businesses from home, because thats the only way it will work. Theyre busy being moms and wives, and so they start out at home, like I did. So if I can help them reach their own dreams, thats what its all about.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

Diva USA is a full-time commitment, but Quin also is enjoying her new life in New Hartford. We moved in August 2020, during the pandemic, but it wasnt a huge challenge for us because we werent visiting anyone but our son and his family, she said. We were playing it safe, of course.

Were camping out right now, with the RV while the house is being built, she said. In South Africa, we did safaris, so were used to it. In the rain, its awkward to do the cooking, but weve adapted, and we love it.

Their property borders a state forest, which is perfect for the Quins. We come from an area of open space, and we love wildlife  weve seen bears and deer here, she said. Dave was retired when we came here, but he just joined up with a builder, and theyre flipping houses. So hes not sitting at home; hes not bored.

Quin was not ready to retire yet.

I wanted to do something with my fashion business once I got here, and if someone asks me How could you do this, during the pandemic? my answer has always been, if you dont try, youll never succeed. I took the bull by the horns and opened the store on faith, she said. Its like starting completely over. But Im an entrepreneur by nature, and that comes with risks. I want to try and never fail.

Brenda Quin / Contributed photo

Quin said she plans to add a staff member to do alterations for her customers, and support her neighbors.

What Im picking up on quite strongly is that people are very supportive of shopping local, she said. If you dont look after your local shops, theyll end up closing, and then the local economy breaks down. Im only as strong as the other stores are; were all together, and we can work together.

Diva USA Pink House Boutique is located at 164 Albany Turnpike, Canton. Store hours are Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. To reach the store, call 845-375-7505 or visit https://m.facebook.com/Diva-USA-104774641824747/
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  A rapid resurgence of COVID-19 is slamming South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, and threatens to overwhelm its hospitals.

Johannesburg, a city of 5 million, and the surrounding Gauteng province account for about 60% of the countrys new daily infections. South Africas 7-day rolling average of daily new cases has doubled over the past two weeks from 10 new cases per 100,000 people on June 10 to 22 per 100,000 people on June 24, according to Johns Hopkins University.

South Africa's rising cases are part of a rampant resurgence across Africa whose peak is expected to exceed that of earlier waves as the continent's 54 countries struggle to vaccinate even a small percentage of their populations.

The steep rise of cases in Gauteng has not yet reached its peak, bringing authorities to consider increased restrictions on public gatherings and liquor sales. South Africa's vaccination drive has had a slow start and to date about 2.5 million people of the country's population of 60 million have received at least one jab.

The military has sent medical personnel to help treat the growing number of patients. Hospitals in Gauteng province are so full that many patients are being sent to medical facilities hours away in Mpumalanga and North West provinces, Lucky Mpeko, a director at QRS ambulance services, told The Associated Press.

The normal practice is that a patient must be taken to the closest hospital to their home, but that has not been possible because hospitals are full, they do not have beds," said Mpeko.

Even when you are allowed to bring a patient to a hospital, you will have queue (wait in line) for two or three hours while they try to find space for your patient, said Mpeko.

He said under normal circumstances, taxis take 30 to 45 minutes to transport a patient to a hospital, but now the time is often hours because they must drive such long distances.

The beta variant, first identified in South Africa, continues to dominate here. The alpha and delta variants are also here, but they are responsible for a minority of cases, according to health experts.

This week health faculty at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg demonstrated against the government's management of the crisis and called on authorities to urgently reopen Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, a designated COVID-19 center. Some parts of the hospital were gutted by a fire in April and more than 700 patients were evacuated. Initially, officials said the hospital would be reopened within two weeks, but two months later it's still closed.

It is having a huge impact. We are talking about a 1,000-bed hospital being closed in the middle of a pandemic, with a wave that is not comparable to the ones we previously had," said Professor Johnny Mahlangu, head of Wits university's pathology school and who participated in the protests.

This hospital has been declared as a COVID-19 treating facility and it is missing in action and that is negatively affecting us," he said. The province is currently under siege from the pandemic and opening this facility will help us manage it.

On Friday, the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, protested in the capital, Pretoria, against the slow pace of vaccinations.

South Africa's sluggish rate of vaccinations is blamed for contributing to the new surge. The country has had a shortage of vaccines, among other delays.

On Thursday acting health minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced South Africa will soon include people aged 50 years and older as eligible to get vaccinated as the country seeks to expand its inoculations. So far vaccinations have been limited to health care workers, people aged 60 and over, and schoolteachers.

This week, 300 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were allocated to start vaccinating teachers and other workers in the education sector.

___

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
GOSHEN  United States Senator Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, is holding a Highlands Reauthorization Roundtable in Goshen June 28.

The meeting will be held at 12:30 p.m. at 65 Beach Hill Road, at the site of the states largest and most recent conservation project to leverage funding from the federal Highlands Conservation Act, according to a statement.

The Housatonic Valley Association is cosponsoring this event and to highlight the conservation impact that these significant federal funds have made, and will continue to make possible in our region, according to the statement.

Murphy is sponsoring S. 753, initiated to reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act, which since 2007 has helped protect 3,646 acres of woodlands, fields, wetlands and important wildlife and recreational land within the 29 town Highlands region in Northwest Connecticut, according to the HVA. Highlands funds help the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection buy land or purchase conservation easements and require a 1:1 match of other public and private resources.

In Northwest Connecticut, the land trust community has successfully protected 15 important properties by combining DEEP Open Space Watershed and Land Acquisition awards with Highlands easements, according to the HVA.

According to the statement, Goshen recently concluded a Highlands easement transaction that permanently protects more than 100 acres of municipal land, and the state DEEP has also made important purchases of land and easements as well.

Beech Hill, a 627- acre property with forest, field and wetland habitats, was conserved in April with 50 percent of the purchase price provided by the Highlands Conservation Act. It is now part of Goshens Wildlife Management Area.

The reauthorization bills in the Senate and House include language that would double the maximum appropriation for the HCA from $10 to $20 million, and President Bidens proposed budget includes as $15 million request for the program. It also makes provision for the four Highlands states  Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania  to petition to change the Highlands boundary to include additional communities and makes other important administrative changes. These funds still require a 50 percent matching contribution, which may include state, municipal or private funds in various combinations, according to the statement.

Founded in 1941, HVA is dedicated to conserving a healthy and climate resilient environment across the entire Housatonic River Watershed The watershed includes about 2,000 square miles of land stretching from western Massachusetts through western Connecticut and eastern New York to Long Island Sound. With a strong network of partner organizations and backed by science, HVA's work includes Follow the Forest aimed at securing a connected woodland habitat corridor across the watershed; restore clean, free-flowing streams and rivers; help residents protect backyard habitats and waters; and promote environmentally sound public policies. HVAs offices are in Cornwall Bridge, Connecticut; Stockbridge, Massachusetts and Wassaic, New York. For more information, visit hvatoday.org.
Ashland

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 35 N. Ninth St., will feature The Shoreliners in a free live performance from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. In the event of rain, the concert will be held in the church auditorium. People are invited to bring lawn chairs to enjoy the show, according to a release from Cynthia Marrone Hampton, incoming secretary. For more information, email marronecynthia@yahoo.com.

Pottsville

Members of the Pottsville Rotary Club, during a recent meeting, discussed fundraising to support the clubs scholarships and charities. It was noted that options are needed in the absence of the clubs regular fundraisers. According to the club bulletin, the annual Kauffmans chicken barbecue will be held later this summer. Members are being asked to come up with additional ideas.

Primrose

South Cass Fire Company, Route 901, will sponsor a breakfast from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday. People may eat at the fire hall or take food out.

Shenandoah

The Shenandoah Area Free Public Library, 19 W. Washington St., is having daily book sales through Aug. 31 in which people can fill a bag with great books (used hardcovers and paperbacks) for $5 per bag. For more information, call 570-462-9829.

Shenandoah

The Father Walter J. Ciszek Chapel in the former Annunciation BVM rectory, West Cherry Street, is open for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 2 to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Seventeen people (plus the moderator) are allowed for adoration. Ciszek, a native of Shenandoah and of the former St. Casimir Church, is a candidate for sainthood. His cause for canonization is at the Vatican.
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS  A group of parents with their children attended the North Schuylkill school board on Wednesday to be a voice for the voiceless about face masks and COVID-19 vaccinations.

With changes in regulations regarding the pandemic and the requirements of wearing face masks by students and others in school, parents made their thoughts known about the upcoming school year.

A group of us are attending the meeting tonight as a voice of the voiceless and as a messenger, said Ashland resident Melinda Towers.

She said they dont want masks or vaccines required for students for the 2021-22 school year.

Pennsylvania Department of Education (Acting Secretary) Noe Ortega has said it is not required to wear masks in order to receive your funds, Towers said. I have made a list of school districts that have masks as optional for next year.

In a letter jointly signed by Ortega and Alison Beam, acting secretary of the state Department of Health, and dated May 14, they said that districts may continue the mitigation plans in place or strengthen them as deemed necessary.

The two secretaries included:

At the same time, PDE recognizes that many school entities may wish to revise current mitigation strategies to reflect the increased flexibility afforded to fully vaccinated individuals per the updated CDC (federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidance. Such revisions are within the discretion and authority of school entities.

Notably, school entities that choose to forego requiring face coverings for fully vaccinated individuals would not be violating the Secretary of Healths universal face covering order or the associated attestation process.

Towers questioned requiring masks for use by children because of how they could be affected.

Covering the only air passages of developing children with the external medical device all day is not only dangerous, it is criminal, Towers said. We know that the human brain is very sensitive to oxygen deprivation.

Towers also expressed concerns for any unknown long-term effects on children, be it mask use or vaccination.

My guess is you (school district) may not be held liable, but it may play on your conscience, she said, adding that the pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccines are not liable for detrimental effects in the future.

Other mothers spoke about mask policies, with some saying that if restrictions continue for their elementary-age children, charter schools could be an option.

Dr. Robert Ackell, superintendent, addressed the issues.

As far as the vaccine, there is nothing in our Health and Safety Plan for a student or faculty being mandated to have the vaccine, he said. There is a section in there that we are required that we address the vaccine and that all we will do is spread the word.

There is no mandate or anything more than sharing information about where vaccines would be available.

As far as masks, we have it very general that we will follow all CDC and (state) Department of Health mandates, and all recommendations we will take into consideration. If school was in tomorrow, we would not be wearing masks, but  things can change.

If the CDC says we must wear masks, we will wear masks. If the Department of Health says we must wear masks, well be wearing masks.

Ackell said the CDC is still recommending masks, but not mandating their use.

District resident Debbie Davis asked, So if its a suggestion or recommendation we are not going to follow it, but if its a mandate?

I think its more of a consideration that will be discussed among the board and administration about what were going to do if its not mandated, but its a recommendation, board President Charles Chaz Hepler said. Were going to try to do whats best.

The link to the Health and Safety Plan can be found at the school districts homepage at www.northschuylkill.net/index.htm.
State Reps. Jerry Knowles, Joe Kerwin and Tim Twardzik announced Friday the unanimous passage of House Resolution 99 by the House Judiciary Committee that calls upon the committee to begin an investigation of Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr. as to whether an impeachment or removal from office is required due to alleged misbehavior in office and violation of public trust.

The House Judiciary Committee has taken the next step in the process of beginning the investigation of Schuylkill County Commissioner George F. Halcovage Jr., said the delegation in a news release. While this is very rare for legislators to ask for an investigation of a public official, unfortunately, under the circumstances, we believe it to be necessary. We have an obligation to our constituents and all of Schuylkill County to determine the facts in this case and proceed accordingly.

House Resolution 99 empowers the House Judiciary Committee and the Subcommittee on Courts to conduct an investigation of Halcovage to subpoena witnesses and other materials, and take testimony. The members of the committee will work in a bipartisan manner to ensure that the due process rights of everyone involved have been safeguarded, according to the news release.

Several female county employees have alleged that Halcovage sexually harassed and/or assaulted them in the courthouse since he assumed office at the beginning of 2012. A county human resources investigation found the allegations credible and concluded Halcovage would have been fired if he were not an elected official.

However, as an elected official, Halcovage can be removed only by impeachment and conviction by the state Legislature.

Four of the women also have filed a federal lawsuit against Halcovage and other county officials in connection with his alleged actions. That lawsuit is pending before Scranton-based U.S. District Judge Malachy E. Mannion.

Effective May 17, Halcovages access to the courthouse was restricted in the wake of the accusations and the commissioners parking space was moved to a spot directly outside the buildings public entrance.

Halcovages county identification card also has been terminated.

The restrictions, however, do not ban Halcovage from the courthouse, as several of the officials have requested, though such a ban has not been ruled out.
MAHANOY CITY  Construction crews from Montgomery County worked throughout the night Wednesday into Thursday replacing valves on large underground pipes at Main and Centre streets that distribute water to the entire borough.

The work left residents without water from 10 p.m. until about 8 a.m.

Mahanoy Township Authority manager Joseph Fegley said the valves and pipes have been in the ground since the 1800s and the work is a major upgrade to the system.

These were probably here as long as Mahanoy City was, 1845, he said.

Fegley said the replacements will allow the authority to shut off the water supply to sections  the east, west, south and north  of the borough.

If there is ever a major leak we can shut down a section without turning off (water) to most of the town, Fegley said. Before, we couldnt isolate anything.

There were valves in place; however, they had not worked for a long time.

The $238,000 project was funded through two state grants awarded to the authority, he said.

Crews from Doli Construction, Chalfont, began restricting traffic to one lane Wednesday in anticipation of the work, which began around 6 p.m.

In the event of a fire, Mahanoy City Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz, in addition to the units in town, had tanker trucks from fire departments in Pine Grove, Donaldson, Walker Township and Nuremberg-Weston on standby and fully staffed during the period the water was off.

When service was restored, the chief, through social media, thanked the departments for the vehicles and manpower they provided overnight.

Fegley said the authority has a water boil advisory in place until samples are tested to determine the water is safe.
The state Senate voted 48-2 on Tuesday to approve Senate Bill 439 to fund the demolition of blighted and abandoned properties, according to Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, sponsor of the bill.

This bill gives counties dedicated funding for the demolition of blighted, decaying, rat-infested buildings, Argall said. Breathing new life into our older towns, large and small, will help bring more jobs here and encourage more of our young people to stay in their hometowns to raise their family and build their career.

SB 439 extends a 2016 law sponsored by Argall that gave counties a new funding option to fight blight. Since 2016, 20 counties across Pennsylvania, including Schuylkill, have chosen to participate.

This bill heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
A Shenandoah native is serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Iowa, one of the worlds most advanced nuclear-powered submarines.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Stephen Zapolsky, a 2013 Shenandoah Valley High School graduate, enlisted eight years ago.

I joined the Navy to try something new, Zapolsky was quoted in a news release. I wanted to serve my country.

According to Zapolsky, the values required to succeed in the military are similar to those found in Shenandoah.

Growing up in Pennsylvania, I learned the importance of a strong work ethic, he said. Its important to give 100% to whatever I do.

Fast, maneuverable and technically advanced, submarines are some of the most versatile ships in the Navy, capable of silently conducting a variety of missions around the world.

Serving in the Navy means Zapolsky is part of a world that is taking on new importance in Americas focus on rebuilding military readiness, strengthening alliances and reforming business practices in support of the National Defense Strategy.

Knowing how dynamically different our roles are in the Navy is important to our national security, Zapolsky said. Even though the public may not know everything we do, we continue with global dominance as the worlds most powerful Navy.

With more than 90% of all trade traveling by sea, and 95% of the worlds international phone and internet traffic carried through fiber optic cables on the ocean floor, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity and security of the United States is directly linked to a strong and ready Navy.

As a member of the Navy, Zapolsky, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition, providing unforgettable experiences through leadership development, world affairs and humanitarian assistance.

Their efforts will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who will follow.

Serving on a submarine is an honor because were part of such a small, close family, Zapolsky said.
HEGINS  Parents picketed Wednesdays Tri-Valley school board meeting and presented a 150-signature petition asking that masking of their children in the fall be a choice and not a mandate.

Families stood on the high school steps carrying signs that read, I cant breathe in a mask, Unmask our children, and Not on my watch.

At the meetings start, board President Jerry R. Beaver announced that each presenter would have five minutes to speak. However, the board allowed parents and taxpayers to state their concerns without a time limit, which resulted in 45-minutes of audience dialogue. Heated exchanges flared as the audience repeatedly interrupted school directors and those addressing the board. Citizens said they had been silent long enough. Some referred to mask wearing and social distancing as satanic. About 25 attended the meeting.

Ashley Wagner and her twin sister, Amber Kaslavage, both from Hegins Township, helped launch the petition and were among the first to speak. They are teachers in other school districts and have children who attend Tri-Valley.

If this is the best you can do for our community, then you seriously need to take a look at your position and find something different because we need people on the board who are willing to do whats best for our children, Wagner said. I am very hopeful for our new administrator, Mr. (Matthew) Horoschak. He has children in the district. I am very hopeful that this coming year well take these masks off and we will stop social distancing because it is child abuse.

Students working at a desk with a mask on and plexiglass in front of them is not acceptable and it will not be tolerated for this coming school year, she said.

Horoschak is the incoming superintendent, starting July 1. He will replace Mark D. Snyder, Ed.D., who is retiring Aug. 13.

Most parents had concerns about the effect of forced mask-wearing and social distancing on students mental and physical health; whether COVID-19 vaccines would be mandated for school attendance; the status of the districts health and safety plan; and a lack of transparency with the administration and board.

They also questioned the activities of a high school LGBTQ club and if critical race theory was going to be part of the districts curriculum.

Kaslavage said they had collected more than 150 signatures in three days and were seeking more through Facebook at https://pppc.me/petitions/petition-tri-valley-school-district, which is part of the Pennsylvanias Parents Protecting Children group. They may eventually go door to door to gather more, she said. The Tri-Valley parents have also sought legal representation, according to Kaslavage.

Organizers offered resource websites and lab reports, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as americasfrontlinedoctors.org, childrenshealthdefense.org and theamericaproject.com.

In Satanic worship, you have to wear one of these things and stand 6 feet apart in a circle. This is what theyre doing to you, said Ralph Lucht, of Hegins.

Primarily, what you are doing is a ritualistic, submissive muzzle control mechanism that has been passed down by these psychopaths that are in charge. Youre abusing our kids and Im not going to put up with it, he said.

Others who spoke included Beth Bowman, Karrie Bowman, Brittany Heller, Alison Lucht, Machelle Tietsworth, Traci Timmins and Jon Wagner. Although the board did not offer a direct response to the groups presentation Wednesday and is still working on the districts health and safety plan, Snyder did answer questions from the media Thursday through email.

The districts health and safety plan is currently under construction, Snyder said, and will need to be submitted to the state Department of Education by July 30.

While the issue of masking needs to be addressed within the submitted plan, I see no reference regarding mandated vaccinations, Snyder said.

It will be up to individual districts to decide their own masking policies, even after Pennsylvania is scheduled to lift its mask mandate for all residents on Monday.

More information about the plan can be found at the PDE link: https://www.education.pa.gov/Schools/safeschools/emergencyplanning/COVID-19/SchoolReopeningGuidance/ReopeningPreKto12/HealthSafetyPlans/Pages/default.aspx

Other concerns

Snyder answered other questions brought up by the parents.

The GayStraight Alliance club began during the 2019-20 school year and was one of 37 clubs running in the high school. Some parents said it appeared teachers werent teaching and students didnt have to do anything who were part of the club.

No, I believe that misrepresentation originated from reports that several students participated in a Day of Silence on April 23, 2021, Snyder said. More information can be found at www.glsen.org/day-of-silence.

Critical race theory is not scheduled as part of the 2021-22 curriculum, according to Snyder.

Meanwhile, One elementary student on one occasion was relocated to an office conference room while the parent was contacted to pick up said student, Snyder said. This was in response to parents asking about children being placed in isolation.
Sadly, state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29, Rush Township, is officially among the supporters of an audit of the Pennsylvania vote in the 2020 election. He said its needed to answer questions some of his constituents have about the results.

Hes right. Many are questioning the results. But thats mostly because leaders like Argall have allowed that suspicion to grow.

Instead of an audit, Argall, a political scientist, could answer his constituents questions by assuring them that the 2020 election was secure and accurate  as proven by county and state election officials of both parties and through several state and federal legal challenges in Pennsylvania, and more than 60 nationally, that produced no evidence of irregularities.

For Argall and others who believe Pennsylvania should consider an audit like the one taking place in Arizona, consider that the 4-1 Republican-majority commission in Maricopa County unanimously condemned it as a fraud.

But, there is some good news: While the Republican rewrite of Pennsylvania election law that passed the House on Tuesday has provisions that could prevent its ultimate passage, it includes this vital change: Counties would get five days before election day to begin canvassing absentee and mail-in ballots, meaning they could open ballot envelopes, remove inner envelopes and ballots and scan the ballots.

In November, no such pre-canvassing was allowed in Pennsylvania, and so it wasnt until Saturday, four days after Election Day, that enough Pennsylvania votes had been counted for news organizations to declare that Joe Biden had won the state  and with it, the presidency, as the Philadelphia Inquirers Jonathan Lai had written way back in December.

The long wait created an opening for false claims of fraud that Trump and his supporters have exploited, he said.

Little did he know at the time just how much they would be exploited and for how long.

Enough. Lets spare the time, cost and further political pain of an audit and instead focus on the myriad problems facing Pennsylvanians  including the need for pre-canvassing.

Meanwhile, if Argall and other lawmakers hope to satisfy their constituents, they should take note of the results of a recent Franklin and Marshall College poll, which asked, What do you think is the most important problem facing Pennsylvania today?

The answer wasnt the 2020 election results. It was: government, politicians.
To the Editor:

I think one thing that almost everyone can agree on is that in order for all of our citizens to become productive, contributing members of society, we need the support of a state government that functions effectively and in a bipartisan manner. As I look at issues such as equitable school funding, developing a 21st century infrastructure, property tax reform, access to quality health care and jobs that pay a life-sustaining wage, I see issues that all Pennsylvanians, regardless of their political party, are deeply concerned about.

It has become increasingly frustrating that our Legislature has done little to address any of these issues and is mired in partisan bickering, catering to special interests and protecting their own perks, such as per diem spending, by failing to disclose their expenses. It seems as if many of the people whom we have elected to represent us no longer do the job that they were sent to Harrisburg to accomplish.

This situation exists because our legislative districts have been so gerrymandered that the elected officials who represent them have safe seats and do not have to worry about being ousted in a general election. The gerrymandered district maps, which have been drawn to the advantage of one political party over another, allow legislators who do not serve the interests of all of their constituents to remain in their positions. They also are a deterrent to new candidates challenging those in power. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue; both parties have done it and over the years it has had a devastating effect on the way our Legislature functions. In my opinion, because of gerrymandering, our legislators have been able to cater to their base and special interests and avoid the bipartisan compromises that make a government work for the people it represents.

It seems that we are all frustrated by this situation in Harrisburg and, finally, it seemed that with Senate Bill 222, we had some real momentum for change. This bill would have made changes to the way we draw our state legislative districts and represented hope for voters to have a real choice in elections. This bipartisan bill received the support of voters, as well as Fair Districts PA. However, it stalled in committee and then, finally, on Tuesday Sen. David G. Argall brought it up for a vote.

The bill passed on Tuesday by the Senate State Government Committee, which Argall heads, was not the bill that voters had hoped for. Instead of addressing the unfair manner in which legislative districts are drawn in Pennsylvania, the committee voted on an amendment offered by Argall, which removed proposed reforms to the legislative redistricting process. His defense for the action was that it had a better chance of passing if it focused only on congressional redistricting.

Words cannot express how disappointed I am by the actions of Argall and his committee. It seems to me that this is yet another attempt to cement the power of the party in power in the Legislature and thwart the wishes of the people of Pennsylvania. I would like Argall and his committee to know that people will not give up on fairly drawn districts and having a real choice in elections. I am asking our residents to remember this when they vote in the next election and vote for change in our state. We all deserve better.

Barbara Tokarz

Auburn
Schools over. Turn the 15 mph flashing school zone lights off there over by the Catholic school. I am tired of driving real slow for no reason. Kids are usually in the doors when the lights are on. There are no kids out there to even have to go slow for. Turn the lights off.

Minersville



The photo of a Cub Scout carrying a flag, which appeared on the front page of your newspaper on June 14, was the most beautiful and inspiring photo I have ever seen in any newspaper. It really made my day. Your staff photographer Jacqueline Dormer deserves a prize.

Frackville



Lets wax poetic for a moment about Washington, D.C. Donald Trump uncovered a lot of rats in the D.C. swamp. Now, however, Nancy, Biden and Kamala are back to feeding those rats in the swamp. Only question is how big will we let those rats grow?

Shenandoah



Biden is going to stop Russian hacking. Good luck with that. Cant even stop telemarketers, how is he going to stop Russian hacking?

Pottsville



A shout out to the Marian track and field 4-by-4 at Schuylkill Leagues this year. Anyone who loves relay enjoyed that rundown to the anchor, Ean Chelak. Marian scored quite a few medals at least and broke school records. Personally, my wife and I think more coverage in the newspaper was deserved. Thanks for a great year of track and field with all your challenges.

Park Place



Republicans want to give all the credit for the vaccine rollout to the ex-president, but now dont trust the vaccine because it was rushed. Which is it? Make up your mind.

Frackville



Joe Biden says the Republican Party is fractured thanks to Donald Trump. I dont think he is right, but that is his opinion. I think it is the other way around. Not only is the Democratic Party being fractured, its the country being fractured by Joe Biden.

Tamaqua



Personally, all employers should step up to the plate and demand all employees get a COVID-19 vaccination shot or find work elsewhere.

Pottsville



White supremacists are not the greatest threat of domestic terrorism. What about last summer with BLM and Antifa? An example, please, of white supremacist terrorism?

Pottsville



In a democracy we are not free to ignore the truth, Jonathan Shell, 1973, Watergate. That is still true in 2021. Fight the Big Lie. Ask good questions.

Pine Grove



Many times, people have negative things to say about the young people in our county. Our experience shows the opposite. While out to dinner we, as senior citizens, were sitting next to a young couple and a child. We talked to them. When they left, we waved goodbye. When we went to pay for our meal, the waitress told us that the young couple had paid for it. We were very surprised and thankful. Our faith was restored in the younger generation.

Gordon



I would like to thank everyone who helped my wife and I on June 12 when we were in a car accident. I would like to thank the people on the scene who helped us, the first responders and the girls at St. Lukes emergency center. They were all helpful. Thank you again. God bless.

Cass Township

Jill Biden should be ashamed of herself for letting her husband make a fool of himself out on the world stage, making so many blunders and gaffes. Thats elder abuse. The whole world is watching.

Frackville



Greed is a pandemic and there is no vaccine for it.

Lansford



When are the mayor and the police going to do something about the illegally parked cars on the main street? It has been going on for awhile now. Dont they see it? Theres no sense in complaining to the borough council because they will only look at you like it is your fault.

Girardville



I have always been told that first impressions are lasting impressions and make a statement about yourself or your area. Perhaps Schuylkill County people should be calling Thunder-Enlightning and forget politics and complain about the disastrous condition of Route 61. That is our lifeline between 81 and 78 and when people travel it, that is the impression they get of Schuylkill County. It is like a war zone in front of R&R and Sheetz. You cant even drive up from Orwigsburg on 61 northbound without rattling your car apart. I think the state needs to take a good look at Route 61 again.

Pottsville



To Minersville, you say the Confederacy lives in the Republican Party of today. You should check your history. The Confederacy is the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party is the KKK. Know your history before you talk.

Hegins



Guns dont kill people, bullets kill people. The government should confiscate all the bullets. Problem solved.

Frackville



Every presidential election, people say, are we better off now than we were four years ago? We can narrow that now a little bit and say, are we better off now than we were six months ago? I dont think so.

Pottsville



Pottsville, you are urging people to read President Bidens plan for the economy, race relations and overcoming the pandemic. Dont you understand? He is the swamp. He has been there 50 years. He has had plan after plan and did absolutely nothing. It is called lip service.

Minersville



The reason the NATO countries love Biden is because they wont have to pay anymore. Trump made them pay up. Now they are going to use that money to buy oil from Russia, and Russia is going to use the money to, guess what?, buy weapons to fight NATO. You cant make this stuff up.

Frackville



Friedensburg said Kamala Harris had been interviewed by Lester Holt and said she was at the border. This is not true. I watched it. She said she went to the source in Guatemala. She did not go to the border. It was very clear.

Pottsville
On Friday, India and France co-hosted a virtual event that emphasized countering the financing of terrorism in the post-COVID-19 landscape, at the second United Nations Counter-terrorism week. Taking to Twitter, the Ambassador of India to United Nations TS Tirumurti said, "Delighted to co-host with France & UN partners, High-Level event #CTWeek on "Countering Financing of Terrorism in the post-Covid landscape-- India follows International standards, National Risk Assessment is undertaken regularly, Cash couriers major terror financing method."

Delighted to co-host with France & UN partners, High-Level event #CTWeek on Countering Financing of Terrorism in post-Covid landscape



 India follows International standards

 National Risk Assessment undertaken regularly

 Cash couriers major terror financing method - 1/2 pic.twitter.com/aU5ITPHqRo  PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) June 25, 2021

In yet another tweet, the Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations added that the event focused on:-

New risks from pandemic e.g fake charities & NPOs, crowdfunding, exploiting blockchain tech

India talked about upgrading its Financial Intelligence Network (FINNET)

India contributed USD one million to the United Nations Trust Fund for Counter-Terrorism.

Hold accountable States financing terrorism

Need to strengthen FATF

I added:

 New risks from pandemic e.g fake charities & NPOs, crowd funding, exploiting block chain tech

 India upgrading Financial Intelligence Network / FINNET

 US$ 1 mill contributed to @UN

 Hold accountable States financing terrorism

 Need to strengthen FATF - 2/2 pic.twitter.com/C9DkqRf8di  PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) June 25, 2021

In 2004, India had set up its financial intelligence infrastructure which serves as notional monitoring and investigation agency for money laundering and terror financing. According to a UN statement, countries that hosted the program along with India included Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Germany, Nigeria, Poland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

This comes on a day that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has continued to keep Pakistan on its grey list, for terror-financing and money laundering, despite the Imran Khan government's desperate attempts to portray a crackdown on the terrorists on its soil. Suspicions remain that the purported terror attack on Thursday at terrorist Hafiz Saeed's residence in Lahore was a part of an effort to play a victim card before the FATF's decision.

Accelerating Citizen-Centric Energy Transition

On June 23, the Ambassador of India to the United Nations co-hosted a special event at the United Nations HLDE 2021 on India's efforts to achieve the 2030 agenda. The event - Accelerating Citizen-Centric Energy Transition - was co-hosted with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) at UN's High-level Dialogue on Energy 2021.

Delighted to co-host with @mnreindia, "Accelerating Citizen-Centric Energy Transition" -Special event at @UN #HLDE2021 on India's efforts to achieve #2030Agenda #India selected Global Champion for Energy Transition Track



 only #G20 member on course for #ParisAgreement target pic.twitter.com/BVovwchI3z  PR/Amb T S Tirumurti (@ambtstirumurti) June 25, 2021

(With ANI Inputs)

(Image Credits: UN/@ambtstirumurti-Twitter)
DRDO Successfully Test-fires Pinaka & 122mm Caliber Rockets Off Odisha's Coast

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test-fired an extended range version of indigenously developed Pinaka rocket from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) system. The test was carried out at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha on June 24 and 25. Twenty-five Enhanced Pinaka Rockets were launched in quick succession against targets at different ranges. All the mission objectives were met during the launches.

Read full story

Twitter Replies To Republic's Queries On Locking Law Min's Account; Cites Copyright Policy

In response to Republic Media Network's 5 questions on its one-hour lockdown of Union IT & Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad's account on Friday morning, Twitter has maintained that a temporary restriction was placed on the Minister's account due to a DMCA notice. Stating that the action was taken in response to a copyright complaint, Twitter said that tweet in question has been withheld.

Read full story

Sachin Vaze Grilled By ED In Taloja Jail, Even As Agency Raids Anil Deshmukh In Nagpur

In a sensational development, hours before raids were conducted at former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh's Nagpur residence, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also questioned tainted ex-Mumbai Police cop Sachin Vaze at Taloja jail where he is currently lodged. Sachin Vaze was earlier arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in relation to the Antilia bomb scare case and the Mansukh Hiren murder case, and now, the extortion allegations levelled by his former boss Param Bir Singh against Anil Deshmukh have also caught up with the disgraced former encounter cop.

Read full story

Report On Delhi Govt Inflating O2 Requirement Turns Kejriwal Emotional; CM Defends Effort

As the BJP slammed the Delhi Government for allegedly inflating the national capital's Oxygen requirement during the second wave of COVID-19 by four times, CM Arvind Kejriwal has asked the BJP not to disrespect the citizens of Delhi who have lost their loved ones during COVID.

Kejriwal took to Twitter to issue a rather emotional response saying, "My crime - I fought for my 2 crore people. When you were doing an election rally, I was awake all night arranging for Oxygen. I fought, pleaded to get people oxygen. People have lost their loved ones due to the lack of oxygen. Don't call them liars, they feel so bad."

Read full story

'COVISHIELD, COVAXIN Effective Against Delta Variant; 48 Cases Reported So Far': MoHFW

The Union Health Ministry on Friday informed that the average daily new COVID-19 cases continue to decline from 3,89,803 cases between May 1 to May 7 to 53,093 cases between June 19 to June 25. Since the highest reported peak of 37.45 lakh, active cases on May 10, India's active caseload (6,12,868) has decreased by roughly 83 percent. Case positivity is also rapidly decreasing, falling from 21.6 percent between April 30 and May 6 to 3.1 percent between June 18 and 24. ICMR DG Dr. Balram Bhargava informed that Covidshield and Covaxin work against the variants of SARS CoV 2. The Health Ministry stated that it was an Indian scientist who identified the variants and put it onto the global database.

Read full story

SII Begins Production Of 'Covovax' At Pune Facility; CEO Poonawalla Calls It A Milestone

The Serum Institute of India (SII) announced that it has reached a new milestone in vaccine production, as the manufacturing of the first batch of Covovax vaccine began at its Pune facility on Friday. The SII is producing Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine in the country under the name Covovax.A new milestone has been reached; this week we began our first batch of Covovax (a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Novavax) at our facility, here in Pune: Serum Institute India," the company wrote on Twitter.

Read full story

'Vaccinating Children Still Debatable': ICMR Director Claims 'need More Relevant Data'

The Union Health Ministry on Friday said that at present there is only one country that is giving COVID-19 vaccines to children. While addressing a press conference on behalf of the Union Health Ministry, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director-General Dr. Balram Bhargava stated that it is still not clear that very small children should be vaccinated or not and until relevant data is available, children will not be inoculated at large.

Read full story

Vismaya case: Family Alleges Torture Over Dowry As Reason For Death As Cops Arrest Husband

In Kerala, a 24-year-old Ayurveda doctor, Vismaya V Nair was found dead in the wee hours of Monday. The initial assertion, that she took her own life, has been challenged by her family, and while the matter is being investigated, what is sure as of now, is that there is a dowry element to the entire case. Her husband S Kiran Kumar, who is presently behind bars, got many 'gifts' at the time of marriage but was unhappy with the car gifted to him by his in-laws, and took this grievance as a reason to allegedly harass his wife. The images of the harassment were shared by Vismaya herself with the family, who on Friday came forward to share their pain with Republic Media Network.

Read full story

Pakistan Aghast As PM Modi & J&K Leaders Have 'conducive' Meet; Asks 'where's Hurriyat?

Left red-faced by New Delhi's kickstart to development and discourse with Jammu & Kashmir and NSA Ajit Doval's tough stance against terrorism at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Pakistan on Friday downplayed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's key meeting with political parties from the valley. Terming the discussions 'unsuccessful and pointless' even as nearly all attendees of the meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg unanimously welcomed it, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the meeting called by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah was rather a 'public relations exercise'.

Read full story

India, China Agree To Maintain Stability At LAC To Prevent 'untoward Incidents: MEA

India and China have decided to maintain stability on the ground and prevent any untoward incident in the border area in eastern Ladakh at the 22nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held on Friday after a gap of over three months.

According to the release by MEA, the two sides agreed to hold the next (12th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all the friction points along the LAC in the Western Sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols.

Read full story
The Kerala gold smuggling case took another twist as the ED moved the Kerala High Court against the state government's move to appoint a judicial commission. As per the notification dated May 7, the panel chaired by former HC judge VK Mohanan has been tasked to examine ED's alleged attempt to implicate CM Pinarayi Vijayan in the case. However, the central agency argued that this was a ploy to "impede and imperil" the ongoing investigation. Moreover, it argued that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government was not the competent authority to issue this notification.

Earlier this year, two FIRs were filed against unnamed ED officials for "forcing" gold smuggling scam accused Swapna Suresh to give statements against Vijayan. Several sections such as 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 192 (fabricating false evidence), 195-A (threatening any person to give false evidence) among others of the IPC were invoked by the police. However, the Kerala HC quashed the aforesaid FIRs in April.

What is the Kerala gold smuggling case?

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 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. Furthermore, 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. While this case became a key poll issue, LDF created history by becoming the first incumbent government in Kerala in nearly four decades to get re-elected. It bagged 99 out of 140 seats, 8 more than the 2016 election besides garnering a vote share of 45.43%.
Weeks after the leak of his alleged Clubhouse chat hinting at the return of Article 370 when his party is voted to power, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday issued his response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first meeting with mainstream leaders of Jammu & Kashmir since the abrogation of the bifurcated state's special status. Welcoming the meeting, the former Madhya Pradesh CM was critical of the delay in discussions as he remarked that the Prime Minister should have called such a meeting before abrogating Article 370 in 2019. Pertinently, Congress' 5 demands, placed by Ghulam Nabi Azad in the meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, did not mention Article 370 in any manner.

Praising former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's solution of 'Insaniyat, Jamhuriyat, Kashmiriyat,' the veteran Congress leader said that PM Modi, in contrast, did not consult anyone before the abrogation, adding that had he called for a meeting prior, there would be no problem now. Digvijaya Singh alleged that contrary to PM Modi's claims that terrorism would end, investments would be brought in and Kashmiri Pandits would also return when Article 370 is abrogated, the ex-CM said that nothing had happened so far.

"Yesterday the meeting which he called, had he done the same meet before taking a decision on Kashmir such problem would not have happened. Modi Ji takes the decision first and then thinks, he did the same thing with Demonistisation," Divijaya Singh said told media on Friday.

Moreover, the Congress leader also said that the Centre should reveal whether talks have taken place in Doha with the Taliban, claiming that New Delhi has held such secret discussions which have been affirmed by Qatar Ambassador. In view of NSA Ajit Doval's meeting with his Pakistani counterpart at the SCO, Singh also opined that India should not hold any discussions with Pakistan until those who conspired the terrorist attack on Mumbai are brought to the book.

Digvijaya Singh's Clubhouse chat

Earlier this month, BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya shared a clip of an alleged Clubhouse chat of the Congress party, where senior leader and Madhya Pradesh MP Digvijaya Singh can be heard hinting at a possible return of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, when his party returns to power. In the 1-minute clip shared by Malviya, Digvijaya Singh allegedly tells a Pakistani journalist that the decision to revoke Article 370 was an 'extremely sad decision,' and that when the Congress comes to power, they will 'certainly have to relook on this issue.'

"Democracy was not there in Kashmir when they revoked Article 370. Their insaniyat (humanity) was not there because they put everyone behind bars, and kashmiriyat is something which is basically the fundamentals of secularism. In a Muslim-majority state, there is Hindu praja and both work together. The reservation in Kashmir is given to Kashmiri pandits in government services. Therefore decision of revoking Article 370 and revoking the statehood of J&K is an extremely sad decision and the Congress party will certainly have to have a relook on this issue," said Digvijay Singh.

PM Modi's key J&K meeting with mainstream leaders

In the first meeting between mainstream J&K leaders and PM Modi after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, development, elections and statehood were mostly discussed, as per the account of multiple leaders that attended. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a tweet after the meeting, said that the Centre is committed to ensuring the all-round development of J&K. He asserted that Indian democracy's biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. As per sources, the PM in the meeting, also said that he aims at removing 'Dilli ki Duri' along with 'Dil ki Duri'.

Congress' veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad revealed that there were no restrictions in the meeting and representatives were allowed to bring up any issue and speak freely without any time constraint. Divulging details of the meeting to the media, Azad asserted that all parties univocally demanded a 'full-fledged restoration' of statehood. He also remarked that the Prime Minister said that he wanted to hold such a meeting earlier but was forced to delay it due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, Congress also placed 5 demands before the Centre which includes:
A Nigerian information technology worker has been indicted on federal wire fraud and identity theft charges, after authorities said he and his co-conspirators filed false claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in 17 states.

Chukwuemeka Onyegbula, using the name Phillip Carter, was linked to at least 253 fraudulent filings for unemployment benefits, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday in Seattle.

Onyegbula has been detained in Nigeria, but prospects for his extradition to the U.S. were unclear. Onyegbula works for Pan Ocean Oil Corporation Nigeria Limited, according to the Seattle U.S. Attorney's Office. Court documents did not list an attorney who might comment on his behalf.

Washington, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Nevada, Rhode Island, Texas and Wisconsin paid out a total of nearly $290,000 on claims related to the case. Additionally, the federal Small Business Administration paid out $54,000 in COVID-19 economic disaster claims filed by Onyegbula and his co-conspirators, prosecutors said.

Washington state was severely victimized by fraudulent claims for pandemic-related benefits. It likely paid out more than $647 million in such fraudulent claims, though $370 million was recovered, according to state officials.

Onyegbula is the second Nigerian national charged with such fraud in U.S. District Court for western Washington. Abidemi Rufai, 42, a suspended Nigerian government official, has been accused of stealing $350,000 from Washington. He also sought to bilk the Internal Revenue Service of nearly $1.6 million, according to federal prosecutors.

Rufai was arrested May 14 as he tried to travel from New York to Nigeria. Federal prosecutors in western Washington have been seeking to make sure he remains in custody pending trial, saying he poses a severe flight risk, is facile with fake identities, and that hes unlikely to ever be extradited if he makes it back to Nigeria.

A hearing is set for Friday to determine whether Rufai might be released pending trial. In a court filing Wednesday, assistant U.S. attorneys said that a recorded conversation between Rufai and his brother revealed that Rufai did not really know a woman who had offered to act as his custodian should he be released.

The recorded conversation also suggested that Rufai had significantly more money than he led the court to believe, prosecutors said.

Rufai's attorneys did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment Thursday.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
A recent analysis suggests that COVID-19 may have started spreading in China as early as October 2019, which is two months before the first case was identified in the central city of Wuhan. According to the study from the Britains University of Kent, the researchers used the methods from conservation science to estimate that SARS-CoV-2 first appeared from October to mid-November 2019. The paper published in the PLOS Pathogens journal revealed that the most likely date for the virus emergence was November 17, 2019, and it had probably already spread globally by January 2020.

Chinas first official case was in December 2019 and was linked to Wuhans Huanan seafood market. However, now mounting evidence suggests that the original case may have emerged even earlier. In a bid to clarify the timing of the onset of the pandemic, David Roberts of the University of Kent and his colleagues repurposed a mathematical model originally developed by conservation scientists to determine the date of extinction of a species, based on recorded sightings of the species.

For their analysis, the researchers reversed the method to determine the date when COVID-19 most likely originated, according to when some of the earliest known cases occurred in 203 countries. The study suggested that the first case occurred in China between early October and mid-November of 2019. The findings support growing evidence that the pandemic arose sooner and grew more rapidly than officially accepted.

Spread of COVID outside China

It even identified when COVID-19 is likely to have spread to the first five countries outside of China, as well as other continents. According to the research, the first case outside of China occurred in Japan on January 3, 2020. The first case in Europe occurred in Spain on January 12, 2020. The first case in North America occurred in the United States on January 16, 2020.

Roberts said, "The method we used was originally developed by me and a colleague to date extinctions, however, here we use it to date the origination and spread of COVID-19. This novel application within the field of epidemiology offers a new opportunity to understand the emergence and spread of diseases as it only requires a small amount of data.

COVID-19 origin

Meanwhile, there has been mounting controversy over how the virus first emerged in humans - whether through contact with animals at a wet market in Wuhan or leakage from The Wuhan Institute of Virology - as some have suggested. As questions continue to be raised over the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, the US and Britain have also demanded the WHO to take a deeper look into the possible origins of COVID-19, including a new visit to China where the first human infections were detected. The demand to probe COVID-19 origin intensified after an undisclosed and controversial Wall Street report propelled conspiracies claiming three researchers from China's Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) sought hospital care after they fell sick in November 2019.

(Image: Unsplash/AP)
The Chinese military has said that Taiwan needs to be aware that its future lies in reunification with China. Taiwan is China's internal matter and they oppose any form of official exchange of Taiwan with the United States, said Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, on June 22. China has urged the US to stop official exchange and military contacts with Taiwan.

Future of Taiwan lies in 'reunification'

While commenting on the recent military exchanges between the US and Taiwan, he said that China is opposed to such military exchanges between the US and Taiwan. Ren said that the United States should understand that China's development cannot be stopped by any force,.The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in Taiwan must be aware that the future of Taiwan lies in "national reunification" and "the wellbeing of the Taiwan compatriots hinges on the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation", Ren said in the news release. Hepointed that "Taiwan independence" is a dead-end road, and seeking "Taiwan independence" means war, he stressed.

Ren noted that the complete reunification of China is a "historical necessity". He added that, in recent days, the PLA has dispatched multi-type aircraft to conduct exercises in the Taiwan Strait, which is a "necessary action" in response to the current security situation across the Taiwan Strait and the need to safeguard national sovereignty. He further added that PLA will continue to perform the sacred mission of "safeguarding national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and ensuring national security".

At least 28 Chinese military planes had entered Taiwans ADIZ on June 15 which also marked Beijings largest incursion since the self-ruled democratic island began regularly reporting such actions in recent months. The warplanes sent by China included fighter jets, bombers, and anti-submarine along with an early warning aircraft. The latest incursion surpassed the previous peak of at least 25 planes sent by China on April 12 this year.

IMAGE: AP
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, on June 26, stated that Hungary "has no place" in the European Union (EU) post passing a contentious Bill in the parliament that banned LGBTQ content at schools. Reportedly, the legislation is formulated to combat child sex abuse, prohibits sharing content deemed to be promoting homosexuality or sex reassignment with minors.

The move called for intense criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties. People took to streets on the day the statute was passed while crowds gathered in Budapest outside the parliament to protest the bill.

"Hungary has no place in EU anymore": Dutch PM Rutte

Now, the EU repelled the new law, also, threatening to sue Budapest over violations of fundamental human rights if it does not back down immediately. Newly introduced laws faced backlashes and eminent leaders did not shy away from outrightly expressing their unwelcomeness.

"For me, Hungary has no place in the EU anymore," Dutch PM Rutte told journalists before attending an EU summit in Brussels.

He added, "But unfortunately, in the system that we have, I can't do it on my own, but (with) 26 other member states saying: 'you gave to leave. This has to happen step by step and in the meantime, you hope they will adapt."

EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said the legislation "is in contradiction with the charter of fundamental rights". Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said "this type of law is shameful", and added, "there is no place for discrimination within Europe".

Speaking to reporters upon arrival at a pre-summit meeting of liberal EU leaders, Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said "I will be intolerant with intolerance," and added, "this will be my fight today". Bettel is openly gay and has been married to his partner since 2015.

Hungary's take

Speculations over new Hungarian law, adopted last week, threatened to dominate the first day of the two-day summit, which was intended to focus on geopolitical issues such as stuffed ties with Russia. Viktor Orban, Hungary's Prime Minister, has ruled out withdrawing the law, insisting it does not target homosexuals. Orban's government says the bill will protect children, but critics say it links homosexuality with paedophilia.

Orban has however strongly defended the new legislation, CNN reported.

"It's not about homosexuals, it's about the kids and the parents. I am a fighter for the rights. I am a freedom fighter in the communist regime," Orban said.

EU's deep concern

On Tuesday, 14 out of 27 EU members expressed their "deep concern" with newly enacted Bills in a joint declaration initiated by Belgium. European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen openly condemned the Bill too.

Similar laws have been passed by Hungary in the past too. In December 2020 the country's parliament voted to redefine the concept of "family" in the country's constitution. This move effectively barred same-sex couples from adopting children thus, met with outcry from human rights groups.

Hungarys parliament passed the bill last week, which prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films or advertisements.

The episode surfaces as Orban is set to contest elections next year. His Fidesz party promotes a Christian-conservative agenda.
Two months after Portugal began to ease a prolonged lockdown, the Lisbon region is going into reverse due to a surge driven by the coronavirus' delta variant, which now accounts for more than 7 in 10 new infections in the capital.

The country reported 1,556 new infections Thursday - the highest number since Feb. 20. Just over 1,000 of them were in the Lisbon region.

Prime Minister Antonio Costa warned that the problem isnt just in Portugal: Experts predict the delta variant, which originated in India, will account for 90% of new infections across Europe by the end of August, he said Thursday.

Though hospital admissions for COVID-19 patients remain manageable, the trend is worrying, Cabinet Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva told a press conference.

She said the number of hospitalisations and patients in intensive care went up by 30% and 26% over the past week, respectively.

Vieira da Silva noted that some 700,000 people aged over 60 have not yet had their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Portugal is administering around 320,000 jabs a week, but its a race against time, she said.

The Lisbon region, where some 2.8 million people live, will go back to a 3.30 p.m. closing time for restaurants and cafes at weekends, with limits on how many customers can be served.

Among other restrictions, wedding and baptism venues will be allowed to fill only 25% of their capacity, down from the current 50%.

Travel into and out of Lisbon will not permitted at weekends.

Portugal was the worst-hit country in the world, in terms of weekly infections, in January. But an extended lockdown contained the spread.

Since the pandemic began, Portugal has officially recorded around 869,000 cases of COVID-19 and some 17,000 deaths.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas met with Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi on Friday at the Foreign Ministry in Berlin to discuss bilateral and regional issues.

Both ministers gave brief statements ahead of the expected signing of a declaration of intent, the Ta'ziz Partnership for Democracy.

Maas said Germany has invested 35 million euros (42 million US dollars) into the program, which sees Tunisia as "one of four priority countries, along with Lebanon, Sudan and Iraq".

He applauded Tunisia for "making the leap to democracy and defending it" since the Arab Spring a decade ago.

"For that Tunisia deserves our highest respect," Maas added.

Jerandi said the signing of the memorandum of understanding was "proof of the renewed trust by the German authorities in Tunisian democracy, and its keenness to continue support it."

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The holiday island of Mallorca is ready to welcome UK tourists after Spain's Balearic islands were added to the UK's list of countries people could visit without having to quarantine.

The sun is out, the beaches are clean and the sea sparkling for the much-needed boost of UK tourists.

The British government announced the easing of travel restrictions for UK residents on Thursday evening.

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps confirmed that Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK Overseas Territories and the Caribbean Islands, including Barbados, would be added to the government's 'green' list from 4am local time on Wednesday, June 30.

This means that the Spanish islands can start to welcome UK tourists again.

The decision could make this vital holiday season for business owners in the popular Magaluf resort.

The area, synonymous with UK tourists, has been eerily quiet for June.

An estimated 2.3 million UK tourists travelled to the Balearic Islands every year before the pandemic, 26% of the islands total tourist's trade; according to figures from the island's regional government.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said European Union leaders had discussed various topics on the first day of their summit in Brussels, including relations with Turkey, Russia, and new legislation in Hungary. EU leaders clashed with Hungarys prime minister during a heated summit Thursday over new legislation in his country that will ban showing content about LGBT issues to children, a measure that has been widely criticized across the region and has angered human rights groups.

A majority of the leaders insisted that discrimination must not be tolerated in the 27-nation bloc and told Viktor Orban that the new Hungarian law goes against the EU's fundamental values.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
European Union leaders on June 24 clashed with Hungarys PM Viktor Orban over new legislation in his country that will ban showing content about LGBT issues to children. According to Associated Press, a majority of EU leaders told Orban that the new Hungarian law goes against the 27-blocs fundamental values and further also insisted that discrimination must not be tolerated. Hosting the summit in Brussels, European Council president Charles Michel also recalled that values such as freedom, tolerance and human dignity are at the heart of the EU.

During the in-depth and emotional debate, Belgian PM Alexander De Croo told Orban that Being homosexual is not a choice; being homophobic is. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in a strident remark suggested that the Hungarian PM activate the same clause in the blocs treaty that Britain used to leave if he is not happy with the blocs principles. On his way into the summit, Rutte even told reporters that for him, Hungary has no place in the EU anymore.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who is openly gay, said the Hungarian law further stigmatizes homosexuals and should be fought. Bettel said that the most difficult thing for him was to accept himself when he realised that he was in love with a person of the same sex. It was hard to say to my parents, hard to say to my family. ... We have a lot of young people who do suicide because they do not accept themselves, how they are, Bettel added.

'Hate, discrimination have no place'

In a coordinated message on Twitter, several EU leaders also wrote that hate, discrimination have no place in the EU. They further attached a letter addressed to European Council President Charles Michel as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. It read, Respect and tolerance are at the core of the European project.

We are committed to carry on with this effort, making sure that future European generations grow up in an atmosphere of equality and respect, said the letter, signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, among others.

Hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union. That's why, today and every day, we stand for diversity and LGBTI equality so that our future generations can grow up in a Europe of equality and respect. pic.twitter.com/CFZ44hyOaU  Pedro Sanchez (@sanchezcastejon) June 24, 2021

Le respect et la tolerance sont au cur du projet europeen. Nous devons continuer a lutter contre les discriminations envers la communaute LGBTI, en reaffirmant notre defense de leurs droits fondamentaux. pic.twitter.com/UmcbswW8Y0  Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 24, 2021

The way Hungary is treating its LGBTQIA+ community is unacceptable. Earlier today several European counterparts and I issued a statement. We said we will keep fighting discrimination against sexual and gender minorities, and take a firm stand on their fundamental rights.  Mark Rutte (@MinPres) June 24, 2021

Hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union. That's why, today and every day, we stand for diversity and LGBTI equality so that our future generations can grow up in a Europe of equality and respect. pic.twitter.com/iBP0j6G4Up  Xavier Bettel (@Xavier_Bettel) June 24, 2021

EU seeks 'clarification' about bill

The law was signed on Wednesday by Hungarian President Janos Ader after Hungarys parliament passed the bill last week. The law prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films or advertisements. The government says it will protect children, however, critics say it links homosexuality with paedophilia. It will enter into force in 15 days.

The Hungarian PM has already ruled out withdrawing the law and insisted that it does not target homosexuals. But EU leaders have called on von der Leyens commission, which watches over the respect of EU laws, to take the government in Budapest to the European Court of Justice over the bill. The commission has already taken the first step in legal action. Brussels sent a letter to Hungarys justice minister seeking clarifications, explanation and information about elements of the bill. It said that some provisions appear to directly violate the prohibition of discrimination based on sex and on sexual orientation, and would put homosexuality, sex change and divergence from self-identity on the same footing as pornography".

(With inputs from AP)


Israel's prime minister Naftali Bennett said Thursday that he "would prefer it if the world would understand" that world powers "can't do business" with the Iranian regime.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony for a new crop of Israeli Air Force pilots, Bennet described the Iranian leadership as "a violent and fanatic regime, which elected as President the 'hangman from Tehran'".

Bennett added that dialogue with "friends" continued "out of deep mutual respect", but that "in the end, we will keep the responsibility for our fate in our hands".

On Sunday, Bennett slammed Iran's newly-elected president and called on world powers to "wake up" to the perils of returning to a nuclear agreement with Tehran.

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.

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.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
In a significant development on Friday, the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided that Pakistan will continue to remain on its grey list. FATF, the global watchdog on financial crimes such as money laundering and terror financing, had placed Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and since then Pakistan has failed to comply with its norms to come out of said list, despite carrying out a sham crackdown on the terrorists it harbours on its soil.

Speaking on the development, Major (Retd) Gaurav Arya said Pakistan's retention in the FATF grey list is not surprising given that Pakistan is a highly unstable and militarized state with nuclear capacity. He also ridiculed Pakistan for being bothered about Kashmir instead of working to get itself out of the FATF grey list as being in the grey list has its own financial repercussions.

"It was a foregone conclusion. It's a nuclear weapon state. It is more or less a military dictatorship and it's highly unstable. It has got radical Islamists all over, it's a violent place. Keeping Pakistan in the grey list has economic connotations...They will find it difficult to get loans. They will get loans at a higher rate of interest. Its reputation also takes a beating when it is again put on a grey list," Gaurav Arya said.

"Pakistan should have been working day and night to get out of the grey list but they were more bothered Kashmir, Palestine and other things across the world except for their own grey list. And one day if Pakistan doesn't mend its ways then they could well be on the blacklist," he added.

When asked if it really bothers Pakistan to be on the grey list, Gaurav Arya said none of the leaders of Pakistan has any stake in their country as they have been living abroad, adding that the past four army generals of Pakistan are now living abroad including Pervez Musharraf.

"Everybody who reaches a certain grade, grade 22 or 23 in Pakistan becomes a senior officer, the first thing they do is get citizenship abroad - Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand or any other country in Europe, preferably the UK. So they have no stake, they do not care what happens to Pakistan. They have looted and abandoned their own country. Everyone is waiting to retire and settle down abroad," he said while pointing out that even Pakistan's NSA has US citizenship and not Pakistani nationality.

"The entire cream of Pakistan, the top leadership - the army, the bureaucracy, the business elite, even their National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf is a resident of the US. He is one of the people having a direct link to their nuclear assets. That is Pakistan for you," Gaurav Arya quipped.

Pakistan continues to remain on the FATF grey list after failing to comply with one of the 27 items on the action plan, Marcus Pleyer, President of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said.

Pakistan remains under increasing monitoring. It has largely addressed 26 out of 27 items on the action plan: Marcus Pleyer, President, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) President pic.twitter.com/gvV7CCFIMg  ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2021

Pakistan is still failing to effectively implement the global FATF standards across a number of areas which means risk of money laundering remain high which in turn can fuel corruption and organised crime: Marcus Pleyer, President, Financial Action Task Force (FATF)  ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2021

However, one key action items still need to be completed which concerns the investigation and prosecution of senior leaders & commanders of UN-designated terror groups: Marcus Pleyer, President, Financial Action Task Force (FATF) pic.twitter.com/l84xNwsJWn  ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2021

What is FATF listing?

FATF is an inter-governmental body decision-making body established in 1989 during the G7 Summit in Paris to develop policies against money laundering. Later it included terror financing on its watch and combating the same. It has placed North Korea and Iran on the blacklist which includes countries knowns as Non-Cooperative Countries or Territories (NCCTs). These countries support terror funding and money laundering activities.

Whereas Grey list includes countries that are considered safe haven for supporting terror funding and money laundering are put in the FATF grey list. It is a warning call to the countries that they may enter the blacklist. FATF has certain checklists which deal with money laundering and terror funding.

According to reports, twelve countries are placed in the grey list, namely - Bahamas, Botswana, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Pakistan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Syria, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia and Yemen.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan drew flack from the countrys human rights groups who want him to publicly apologise for his controversial remarks on sexual violence. In an interview with Axios on HBO, Pakistan Prime Minister pinned the blame of violence against women on their attire saying, If a woman is wearing very few clothes it will have an impact on the men unless they are robots. It's common sense. While Khan has continued to face severe backlash over his sexist remarks, in a press conference on June 24 at least 16 civil society organisation condemned Pakistan Prime Minister troubling views.

Organisations including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), the Women's Action Forum, Tehrik-e-Niswan, Aurat March, and the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research among others expressed strong condemnation of Khans remarks of linking womens attire to rape. The statement by HRCP said that it was the second time that khan reduced sexual violence as a mere act of temptation while noting that it was dangerously simplistic.

"This is the second time that the Prime Minister has reduced sexual violence to an act of 'temptation.' This is dangerously simplistic and only reinforces the common public perception that women are 'knowing' victims and men 'helpless' aggressors. For the head of government--a government that claims to defend the rights of women and vulnerable groups--to insist on this view is simply inexcusable," read the statement.

Apart from denouncing Khans views on sexual violence, HRCP further added that it was equally disheartening to witness that several women in the ruling party had united to defend the Pakistan Prime Minister and even justified his remarks citing vague and illogical terms.

The Commission said, Even a cursory glance at the news should make it painfully clear that survivors of sexual violence can include women, girls, men, boys, and transgender persons--and that such acts can occur in schools, workplaces, homes, and public spaces. Gender, age and attire do not 'prevent' rape any more than the time of day or the relationship between survivor and perpetrator.

HRCP also said that Pakistan PM would do well to understand that rape is an 'act of power, not lack of sexual control.' The Commission further remarked, We demand an immediate public apology from the Prime Minister and assurances that his highly flawed perception of how and why rape occurs does not inform the government's attempts to tackle what is a serious and prevalent crime in Pakistan.

To reduce sexual violence to an act of temptation as @ImranKhanPTI has done is dangerously simplistic. It reinforces the flawed perception that women are knowing victims and men helpless aggressors. For the PM to insist on this view is inexcusable.https://t.co/9QViH1bamX  Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) June 24, 2021

Avoid temptation in society: Imran Khan to women

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said on HBO, ...I said the concept of 'purdah'. Avoid temptation in society. We don't have discos here, we don't have nightclubs. It is a completely different society way of life here. So if you raise temptation in society to a point -- all these young guys have nowhere to go --- it has a consequence in the society. Khans latest remarks came just two months after he drew similar backlash when he had said that rise in sexual violence in the country particularly children was due to fahashi or vulgarity.

IMAGE: AP
In a big embarrassment for Pakistan, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has on Friday decided to keep the Imran Khan-led nation on the grey list, refusing to clear Pakistan over being a 'terror sponsor'. This means Pakistan's last-ditch attempt to play the victim card over a suspicious terrorist attack at terrorist-in-chief Hafiz Saeed's residence in Lahore seemingly flopped as the FATF highlighted that it should address the remaining combating financing terror (CFT)-related items by demonstrating that TF (terror finance) investigations and prosecutions target senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups.

Keeping Pakistan on the grey list, FATF noted that the Imran Khan-led nation should address the strategically important AML/CFT deficiencies by following six recommendations. FATF urged Pakistan to consider enhancing international cooperation by amending the MLA law while demonstrating that assistance is being sought from foreign countries in implementing UNSCR 1373 designations.

FATF won't let Pakistan off the hook for terror financing

FATF asked Pakistan to demonstrate that supervisors were conducting both on-site and off-site supervision commensurate with specific risks associated with DNFBPs, including applying appropriate sanctions where necessary while also ensuring that proportionate and dissuasive sanctions were applied consistently to all legal persons and legal arrangements for non-compliance with beneficial ownership requirements.

Further, FATF asked Pakistan to make an increase in ML investigations and prosecutions and that the proceeds of crime continue to be restrained and confiscated in line with the country's risk profile, including working with foreign counterparts to trace, freeze, and confiscate assets. Lastly, it asked Pakistan to demonstrate that DNFBPs are being monitored for compliance with proliferation financing requirements and that sanctions are being imposed for non-compliance.

FATF somehow noted that Pakistan had completed 26 of the 27 items mentioned in its 2018 action plan and noted that the country had made progress to complete two out of three remaining action items on demonstrating that effective sanctions were imposed on terror financing (TF) convictions, but this was insufficient for removal from the grey list.

In June 2018, FATF placed Pakistan on the 'grey list' and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action to curb money laundering and terror financing by the end of 2019. But later on, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline was extended. Pakistan has been struggling to avoid being added to a list of deemed countries with anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations by the FATF.

APG retains Pakistan on 'enhanced follow-up' status

Last week, FATF's regional affiliate, the Asia Pacific Group (APG) on money laundering had retained Pakistan on enhanced follow-up status for enough outstanding requirements. APG also improved the countrys rating on 21 of the 40 technical recommendations of the global watchdog against money laundering and terror financing. The second follow-up report (FUR) on Mutual Evaluation of Pakistan by APG further downgraded the country by one more criteria.

As per PTI, the APG report stated that the country was re-rated to compliant status on five counts and on 15 others to largely compliant. Dawn also reported that overall, Pakistans status is now fully compliant' with seven recommendations and largely compliant with 24 others. Meanwhile, the country is partially compliant with seven recommendations but remains non-compliant with two out of the 40 recommendations. Overall, Pakistan is now compliant or largely compliant with 31 out of 40 FATF recommendations. The reporting date for this evaluation was October 1, 2020, implying that the nation might have made some progress since then in order for it to be evaluated at a later stage.
After Imran Khan took to his official handle to inform that he has asked Bill Gates to set up a Microsoft "incubation" lab in Pakistan, netizens have heavily trolled the Pakistani Prime Minister for not knowing that Bill Gates doesn't run Microsoft anymore. One of the netizens wrote, "Tho Bill Gates doesn't run Microsoft but he told PM Pakistan main aik banday ko janta hoon wo kar de ga apka kaam. Bill also said "hor koi khidmat saday laik", which translates to, 'though Bill Gates doesn't run Microsoft but he told Pakistan PM that I know a person who can get the job done, is there anything else that can I can help you with.'

Also asked Bill if he could set up a Microsoft incubation lab in Pakistan.  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 24, 2021

Netizens troll Imran Khan for asking Bill Gates to set up Microsoft incubation lab

Tho Bill Gates doesn't run Microsoft but he told PM Pakistan main aik banday ko janta hoon wo kar de ga apka kaam. Bill also said "hor koi khidmat saday laik". https://t.co/XCVfhOzZ0a  Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) June 24, 2021

Unfortunately Bill left Microsoft board in early 2020 due to investigation that led to his divorce. Im sure he told you hes not on the board but he is well connected to pull strings.  Aisha Ejaz  (@theaishaejaz) June 24, 2021

It is unlikely because bill gates had been kicked out of board of directors of Microsoft and he sold all of his shared. So he can do anything officially  Naveed Khan (@naveedkhan02) June 24, 2021

That's not upto him it's upto new Chairman of Microsoft.  anime_malayali3.0 (@anime_malayali3) June 24, 2021

PM Imran Khan speaks to Bill Gates

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday morning had a telephonic conversation with Microsoft founder and the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates. Taking to his official Twitter, the Pakistan Prime Minister had said that during the phone call, he thanked Gates and his foundation for helping Pakistan with the polio eradication campaign.

Spoke with Bill Gates last night & thanked him for the help his Foundation provided for polio eradication in Pak. This time last yr we had 56 reported cases - this yr so far only 1 case. InshaAllah we will eradicate polio completely in coming yr.  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 24, 2021

Also asked Bill if he could set up a Microsoft incubation lab in Pakistan.  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 24, 2021

Bill Gates steps down from Microsoft board

Earlier in March 2020, Bill Gates, co-founder and former CEO of Microsoft stepped down from the board of the company. Gates previously served as CEO of Microsoft until 2000 when he stepped down from the position in order to spend more time on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2008, Gates had left his full-time role at Microsoft in an official capacity to focus all of his efforts on philanthropy. Gates will still serve as a technology advisor to current CEO Satya Nadella, a role he began in 2014 at Nadellas request when he stepped down from serving as chairman of Microsofts board.

(Image: AP, Pixabay)
Dhaka, Jun 25 (PTI) Bangladesh is considering imposing a strict nationwide shutdown for 14 days as it reported 108 deaths from coronavirus on Friday, the second highest single-day toll since the pandemics outbreak in the country, according to health authorities.

Health officials said the deadly Delta variant of the coronavirus, first identified in India, has spread to Dhaka, mounting pressure on health facilities in the country's capital.

The death toll due to COVID-19 reached 13,976 while the total number of positive cases touched 8,78,804 with 5,869 new cases in the last 24 hours, according to the latest data by the Health Ministry.

The country recorded the highest 112 deaths on April 19 this year.

The health authorities' report came hours after the Public Administration Ministry said they awaited a government decision to enforce a two-week long nationwide shutdown in line with the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on COVID-19.

We are ready to enforce the shutdown anytime...it (enforcement) will be tougher than that of last year, Junior Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told reporters.

NTAC said they recommended a strict countrywide lockdown when no offices other than emergency services would operate as their experts were convinced that the worsening situation could not be controlled without a nationwide shutdown.

Bangladesh is experiencing an increase in the COVID-19 infection rate, with the latest report of the World Health Organisation (WHO) noting that out of the countrys 64 administrative districts 43 were at very high risk while 15 others, including Dhaka, were at high risk.

Health officials said the Delta variant of the coronavirus has spread to Dhaka, mounting pressure on health facilities here. The northern and southwestern regions bordering India have also reported cases of Delta variant.

Authorities last week ordered a lockdown in seven central districts surrounding Dhaka in an effort to isolate the capital from the rest of the country to prevent community transmission in view of rising infection cases in bordering regions.

But experts said the Delta variant made its way to the capital through community transmission and the doctors said the number of COVID-19 patients was increasing every day at hospitals.

The countrys biggest state-run health facility, Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), said 80 per cent of their COVID-19 patients were residents of the capital city and the number is increasing every day.

"The number of COVID-19 patients is increasing everyday at DMCH and 80 per cent of them are residents of Dhaka city . . . this means infection rate is increasing in the capital, DMCH Director Brigadier General Md Nazmul Haque told the state-run BSS news agency.

Haque said the current number of COVID-19 patients in DMCH was nearly four times higher than that of last month and feared if this trend continued all general and ICU beds in the city will be fulfilled within 10 to 12 days.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital reported a nearly identical picture with its additional director Nazmul Karim Manik saying pressure (of coronavirus patients) is mounting gradually and most of them are from Dhaka.

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Director Prof Dr Tahmina Shirin said districts bordering India are more exposed to the Delta variant compared to Dhaka.

The Delta variant is largely responsible for the recent spike of the coronavirus cases...We must check people's movement in border districts to contain the community transmission, Shirin said.

DGHS officials said the situation in districts with borders with India particularly in southwestern Khulna region continued to worsen and at places the COVID-19 positivity rate were found to be 100 per cent. PTI AR PMS AKJ PMS

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
The deadliest massacre that Burkina Faso has suffered since extremists invaded the West African nation was perpetrated by mostly children, officials said. According to a press release, the UN childrens agency UNICEF said that the massacre that killed more than 130 people in north-east Burkina Faso was carried out mostly by children between the ages of 12 and 14. In a separate statement, government spokesman Ousseni Tamboura informed that a group of young boys raided the village of Solhan on the evening of June 4, opened fire on residents and burned homes.

UNICEF Representative in Burkina Faso Sandra Lattouf said, We strongly condemn the recruitment of children and adolescents by non-state armed groups. This is a grave violation of their fundamental rights. We recall that civilian populations should never be victims or targets of attacks. Families and children should be protected everywhere and at all times.

Officials in Burkina Fasos north, where jihadists control large areas, said that child soldiers had been used by Islamist groups over the past year. However, they added that this months attack was by far the highest-profile case. According to the Washington Post, they even went on to inform that the attack represented a new low for the country that since 2018 has seen a sharp rise in attacks on civilians and soldiers.

3,270 children recruited in 2020

Meanwhile, Unicefs announcement comes as ten per cent of Burkina Fasos schools have shuttered due to rising insecurity - a trend that researchers say makes children more vulnerable to abuse, human trafficking and combat recruitment. As per reports, classrooms have been closed nationwide from March to June of last year because of the pandemic, and many students never returned. The UN reported that more than 300,000 children in the country have now lost access to education.

In 2020, an estimated 3,270 children were recruited into armed groups in central and West Africa, the UN found. That accounts for more than a third of the worlds documented child soldiers. While speaking to the media outlet, a Burkinabe military officer said that children as young as 7 are kidnapped to become soldiers.

(Image: AP)
Over a year after the tragic downing of a Ukrainian jet that killed 176 passengers, Canada on June 24 released a government report stating that it found no evidence it was premeditated but held Iran fully responsible. Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752 was hit by two missiles shortly after takeoff in Tehran on January 8, 2020, and led to the death of all passengers on board. Out of 176 victims of the incident, at least 138 passengers on the doomed plane had ties to Canada along with other citizens or residents of the UK, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Sweden.

Canada on Thursday said that the blame lies with Irans civilian and military authorities even as it acknowledged that an air defence unit operator likely acted on his own in making the decision to launch the missiles. The Canadian government released the report following the conclusion of an eight-month forensic investigation and noted that the January 2020 incident would have been avoided if it was not for the "incompetence, recklessness, and wanton disregard for human life" of Iranian officials.

The joint statement by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau, and the Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra said, The report highlights the Iranian authorities recklessness, incompetence, and wanton disregard for human life. It also concludes that Irans official account of events is disingenuous, misleading, and superficial, and deliberately ignores key factors. This confirms Canadas view that Irans actions and omissions in relation to Flight PS752 amount to violations of its obligations under international law.

Irans anti-aircraft systems on high alert

The probe also found that even though the Iranian anti-aircraft missiles were on high alert, the authorities did not close its airspace or notify the airlines who were operating at the same time. Garneau has also said that a missile operator made a series of extremely flawed decisions that could have and should have been avoided. He also noted the unhurried command and control by the Iranian military to address the failures and taking the needful measures to prevent the incident in future.

Canadian government stated, Iranian authorities positioned anti-aircraft systems on high alert near a civilian airport, without implementing basic protections like closing the airspace over Tehran or notifying airlines. All planes flying into or out of Tehrans airport that night were at risk, including four civilian flights that took off immediately before Flight PS752.

The families and loved ones of the victims deserve a full explanation of Irans dangerous and deliberate choice to keep its airspace open, and a full accounting of the Iranian militarys training and command and control procedures for anti-aircraft operations. Iran has not addressed the numerous deficiencies the Forensic Team has identified, it added.

Canadas report came months after a United Nations (UN) human rights expert said that high-level officials of the Islamic Republic should be charged for the downing of Ukrainian jet. The UN official described the killing of all 176 passengers aboard the Boeing 737-800 that was shot down shortly after takeoff from Tehran as a profound and serious indictment of the countrys civil and military authorities.

A 45-page letter was also delivered to the Iranian government by Agnes Callamard, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions. Callamard and Javaid Rehman, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran have raised concerns in the aftermath of the deadly shooting that Tehran admitted to being a mistake. The inconsistencies in the official explanations seem designed to create a maximum of confusion and a minimum of clarity. They seem contrived to mislead and bewilder," Callamard wrote.

IMAGE: AP
The chief of an Indigenous nation in Canada said that they have found 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former Marieval residential school for Indigenous children. The Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his media statement said that he was saddened to know about the remains of the children in the now defunct school. He recognized that these findings would only deepen the pain that families, survivors, and all Indigenous peoples and communities are already feeling.

I am terribly saddened to learn that the remains of children had been found in unmarked graves near the former Marieval (Cowessess) Residential School in Saskatchewan. My heart breaks for the Cowessess First Nation, and for all Indigenous communities across Canada."

Discovery of unmarked graves at the former residential school

Trudeau called the discoveries in British Columbia and Saskatchewan provinces "a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice that indigenous peoples have faced and continue to face in the country". Justin Trudeau pointed out that Canada needed to acknowledge its history of racism against indigenous peoples in order to "build a better future".

The findings in Marieval and Kamloops are part of a larger tragedy. They are a shameful reminder of the systemic racism, discrimination, and injustice that Indigenous peoples have faced  and continue to face  in this country. And together, we must acknowledge this truth, learn from our past, and walk the shared path of reconciliation, so we can build a better future.

My heart breaks for the Cowessess First Nation following the discovery of Indigenous children buried at the former Marieval Residential School. We cannot bring them back, but we will honour their memory and we will tell the truth about these injustices. https://t.co/WuxdsixJnx  Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 24, 2021

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today the pain and grief Indigenous communities are feeling is "Canada's responsibility to bear."He said that the government will continue to provide Indigenous communities across the country with the funding and resources. He added that though they cannot bring back those who were lost but they will forever honour their memory.

An indigenous nation in Canada said that it has discovered 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan. A statement from the Cowessess First Nation and the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous First Nations, which represents Saskatchewans First Nations, said that "the number of unmarked graves will be the most significantly substantial to date in Canada", according to AP. Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, were found buried on the site of what was once Canada's largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

IMAGE: AP
This week's announcement of the high efficacy of Cuba's COVID-19 vaccine sparked international interest, health officials said on Thursday. Health authorities reassured that both vaccine candidates Abdala and Soberana 02, exceeds the international requirements to protect against the new coronavirus.

There was a "hive of exchange, of emails from many counterparts," said Eulogio Pimentel, vice-president of BioCubaFarma, the state company that markets the medicines on the island. He did not detail the countries that have made requests, but in recent days Argentina, Iran and Vietnam said they were aware of the development of the antigens.

The expectation came after the Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology reported Abdala's protection percentage, and the Finlay Institute announced that the Soberana 02 would have a minimum of 62%. Officials also stated that Venezuela received a donation of 30,000 doses of Abdala on Thursday as part of a trade agreement with Caracas. Both vaccines are expected to obtain an emergency clearance and be finally certified by the World Health Organization. The certification process will begin in the next few days.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
When the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world last year, an invisible army of seafarers were scattered around the world and found themselves stuck at sea or in ports, unable to leave because of the surging virus. Some 400,000 people still managed to keep the industry going, with cargo ships never stopping the deliveries of food, medicine or other necessities to countries all over the word over the duration of the global health crisis. Daresh Villarayan, from Punnaikayal, Tamil Nadu in India, spent a month in Sri Lanka stuck on his vessel along with other sailors there. He had to quarantine several times, including in his native village.

"So, because of corona, there are lot of problems in the life of a seaman," he said.

Hermant Solanki, a seafarer from Surat, Gujarat in India, on the other hand, could not sail for eight months before trying to join a ship in Egypt. He spent a month in a hotel, but this attempt eventually failed too because of the virus and Solanki was left without any income. Mobin Mulla, a seafarer from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, said "another job better" because he has not been able to see his family for so long. To help those affected by the virus pandemic, a special charity fund has been set up as officials urged on the International Seafarers Day on Friday that governments do more to speed up vaccination of seamen to enable them to work more freely.

"We owe the seafarers a huge debt of gratitude because not one time during the last 15 months have they stopped sailing on the ships," said Guy Platten, Head of the International Chamber of Shipping.

He said at no point did they stop, carrying on delivering "the fuel, the food, the medical supplies and all the other essentials that keep the world going". "They've been the forgotten heroes of this pandemic and they've really been collateral damage because it was so easy for countries to say we'll take nobody into our country, except, of course, they wanted the ships to come in and just discharge their cargo," Platten said.

Platten warned that the cargo ship industry could lose much of its workforce, as workers might opt to trade their jobs for more stables ones. "Why on Earth would anyone want to choose a career at sea," he asked, if people are wondering if they're "ever going to get home again?"

"So, these things are really important, and governments need to sit up and take notice."

Catherine Spencer, CEO of the seafarers' charity Seafarers UK, said they have raised over 800,000 USD to help the seafarers. The charity is working with various groups delivering help. "But we know that that situation that we are seeing in India is likely to be repeated," she warned. "So we really need to encourage people to continue donating to the fund, so we can get help to these seafarers and their families across the world."

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
After Hong Kong's pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily published its final edition, Taiwans President Tsai Ing-wen on June 24 expressed regret over the closure of the media outlet. In a long Facebook post, Tsai said that free Taiwan will continue to support freedom for Hong Kong. She added that the daily was a beachhead for those who are not afraid of authoritarian rule, long for democracy and pursue freedom.

Tsai pledged Taiwans continued support and expressed hope that the yearning for freedom and democracy deep in the hearts of Hong Kong people will one day make the Pearl of the Orient shine again. She also noted that the international community is on the side of the people of Hong Kong, worrying about the regression of liberal democracy in the former British colony. Freedom-loving people should support each other, Tsai said.

Apple Daily shuts down

Meanwhile, Apple Daily's decision to cease operations comes amid China's increasing crackdown on pro-democracy voices. The publication decided to shut down after its reports were accused of breaching a national security law, leading to the detention of five editors and executives and a freeze on company assets. According to the Associated Press, the final edition was a tribute to its readers with the headline: Hong Kongers bid a painful farewell in the rain.

In recent years, the newspaper became increasingly outspoken, criticizing Chinese and Hong Kong authorities for limiting the citys freedoms not found in mainland China. It even accused them of reneging on a promise to protect them for 50 years after the 1997 handover from Britain. While pro-democracy media outlets still exist online, it was the only print newspaper of its kind left in the city.

Sad day for media freedom in HK

Following its closure, United States President Joe Biden on Thursday also expressed dismay. Biden remarked the shutting down of Apple Daily as a 'sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and globally'. Calling out China's aggressive measures to curb free speech, Biden stated that the Apple Daily, which was viewed as a 'much-needed bastion of independent journalism' has ceased publishing.

Biden further stated that 'Journalism is not a crime' He added that people in Hong Kong have the right to freedom of the press. Hitting out in Beijing, the US President said that China is denying basic liberties and assaulting the democratic institutions of Hong Kong. Biden further added that the US will continue supporting the people of Hong Kong.

(Image: AP)




In recent days the Taliban have made quick gains in Afghanistan's north, overrunning multiple districts, some of them reportedly with barely a fight, even as the U.S. and NATO press forward their final withdrawal from Afghanistan.

By all accounts their departure will be complete long before the 11 Sept. deadline set by President Joe Biden when he announced in mid-April an end to America's "forever war."

The Taliban gains in north Afghanistan are significant because of the transportation routes they give to the insurgent movement.

But equally significant is that the north is the traditional stronghold of Afghanistan's minority ethnic groups, who aided the U.S.-led invasion that drove the Taliban from power nearly 20 years ago, and have been part of the ruling leadership since.

The traditional stronghold of the Taliban, who are mostly ethnic Pashtuns, has been in the country's south and east.

With the recent gains the Taliban now control Afghanistan's main border crossing with Tajikistan, a vital trade route.

They also hold the strategic district of Doshi, critical because the one road linking Kabul to northern Afghanistan runs through it.

As a result, a worried government this week launched what it called National Mobilization, arming local volunteers.

Observers, however, say the move only resurrects militias that will be loyal to local commanders or powerful Kabul-allied warlords, who wrecked the capital during the inter-factional fighting of the 1990s and killed thousands of civilians.

A member of Kunduz provincial council, Ghulam Rabani Rabani, has gathered a handful of Local militias in Kunduz city to fight alongside Afghan security forces.

Rabani said, it is the time for the people to support the Afghan security forces.

"For years, they (Afghan security forces) sacrificed their lives and blood for us, for our society and for our culture, and now that the 48 foreign countries are leaving in this bad situation it is up to us to support them," said Rabani.

The acceleration in fighting around the Kunduz province has taken a heavy toll on the civilians living around the province.

According to Kunduz regional hospital officials, more than 200 people, mostly civilians have been killed and wounded in the last five days.

Hospital director, Mohammad Naeem Mangal said 21 corpses have been brought to the hospital, six Afghan military personal and the rest civilians.

He also added that 121 wounded victims are still under treatment, while the rest have been discharged.

Hundreds of families from nearby districts have migrated to Kunduz city, mostly from Imam Saheb district.

While many families have taken shelter in their relatives' homes, a huge number of people have taken refuge in a school located in the center of the city.

Many families have spent days stuck in their villages because of the fighting, now their only demand is safety.

"We just ask the government that we don't need their food or water, we just want a secure place to stay alive" said Najiba, who left her home located in Imam Saheb district.

On Wednesday at Koh Daman on Kabul's northern edge, dozens of armed villagers in one of the first National Mobilization militias gathered in a rally. "Death to criminals!" and "Death to Taliban!" they shouted, waving their automatic rifles. Some had rocket propelled grenade launchers resting casually on their shoulders.

As the districts fell, President Ashraf Ghani cut a swathe through his Defense and Interior Ministers appointing new senior leadership, including reinstating Bismillah Khan as defense minister.

Khan was previously removed for corruption, and his militias have been criticized for summary killings.

They were also deeply involved in the brutal civil war that led to the Taliban's takeover in 1996.

Afghan and international observers fear a similar conflict could erupt once more.

During the 1990s war, multiple warlords battled for power, nearly destroying Kabul and killing at least 50,000 people, mostly civilians.

Those warlords returned to power after the Taliban's fall and have gained wealth and strength since.

They are jealous of their domains, deeply distrustful of each other, and their loyalties to Ghani are fluid.

Ethnic Uzbek warlord Rashid Dostum Uzbek, for example, violently ousted the president's choice for governor of his Uzbek-controlled province of Faryab earlier this year.

Taliban military spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Taliban had captured 104 districts since 1 May, including at least 29 in recent fighting.

It brings the total area of Taliban control to 165 of Afghanistan's 471 districts nationwide.

There was no way to immediately verify his statements, and some areas often change hands back and forth.

Most analysts tracking the front lines say the Taliban control or hold sway in roughly half the country, mostly in rural areas.

Officials and observers say many across the country have allegiance to neither side and are deeply disillusioned by corruption, which has resulted in ordinary Afghans benefiting little from the trillions of dollars in international assistance pumped into the country the past 20 years.

The U.S. and NATO have committed to paying $4 billion annually until 2024 to support Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces.

But even Washington's official watchdog that audits spending reports that Afghan troops are disillusioned and demoralized with corruption rife throughout the government.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Protesters marching to protest Brazil's high COVID-19 death toll gathered in the capital, Brasilia, Wednesday.

Women from several parts of Brazil held large flags with the embroidered names of COVID-19 victims.

Lourdes Marinho pointed to the names she embroidered herself.

"This is Patricia, and this is her father, Itare. They both died, he in one week and she in the next one. And this is my sister-in-law, Nizia Brito, who also died and had no health problem," said Marinho.

The protest took place in front of Brazil's Congress, as the Senate continued to pursue an inquiry into the government's management of the COVID-19 pandemic, a probe that analysts say could potentially jeopardize the reelection of President Jair Bolsonaro.

"4 out of 5 deaths would not have happened if we were in the worldwide average and between 95 and 145 thousand deaths were caused by the delay in purchasing the vaccines," stated Pedro Hallal an epidemiologist being questioned during the Senate investigation.

Bolsonaro has been one of the world's most prominent opponents of restrictions aimed at curbing the disease, whose effects he has often downplayed.

He has also encouraged use of medications that scientists say are worthless, and critics say his policies, along with a bungled vaccine campaign, have contributed to the world's second highest COVID-19 death toll.

While the investigation isn't formally aimed at criminal allegations, it potentially could lead to charges.

It's also likely to provide a months-long drumbeat of embarrassing accusations ahead of the October 2022 presidential election.

Brazil has already hit the milestone of 500,000 COVID-19 deaths this week, trailing only the U.S. total.

The South American nation has recorded more virus deaths in the first four months of 2021 than in all of last year, though the number of daily cases and deaths continues to rise.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
A branch of Chile's Special Operations Carabineros (GOPE) rescued 27 people trapped in their vehicles on a high mountain pass in the Andes mountains early Thursday morning.

The temperature at the time the rescue was conducted was -20 Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) a fact that spurred on the Carabineros evacuation efforts,

Among those trapped among the 27 stranded persons were two mothers and their babies.

The rescue team began their hike at 10 in the evening Chile time (03:00 GMT) hiked for 5 hours at 5 thousand meters above sea level (16,500 ft.)to reach those trapped in their cars.

Under extremely harsh weather conditions the team walked those who were rescued, including one mother who video shows was carrying her baby under her coat and a blanket, to safety.

All those rescued as well as those taking part in the rescue returned safely to the Carabineros base in Antofogasta.

A sudden storm overtook the high mountain pass leaving the drivers and any passengers they were carrying stranded until help arrived.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Indigenous communities sitting on remnants of the once-powerful Incan Empire celebrated the ancient son god for winter solstice, a dear festivity canceled last year due to pandemic restrictions in Peru.

The ceremony was also marked as President Francisco Sagasti passed the Echenique disc to Cusco authorities.

The Andean relic in possession of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian was returned to Peru earlier this week.

Thursday reenactment in Cusco, paid homage to Inca's celebration of the rebirth of the sun god Inti, who watched them and ruled for abundance in crops.

Actors participating on Thursday represent the ethnic groups with common ancestry in the ancient Incas, which its heritage spread across Ecuador, Bolivia,Chile and Argentina. They dress in gold and silver jewelry for the festivity, featuring theatre, dance, and recreate sacrifices.

The Inti Raymi, as the celebration is traditionally called, took place on Thursday in Cusco, a UNESCO world site and once the capital of the Inca empire.

The annual fete began in a temple where Incas once worshipped the sun and continued at a central plaza before reaching a fort.

Spanish conquerors and Roman Catholic priests prohibited the celebration in the 16th century, but worshippers kept the ritual alive with smaller underground festivities.

A group of artists officially reinitiated the Inti Raymi jubilee in Peru in 1944.

While the celebration is usually a landmark in Cusco witnessed by thousands of locals and tourists alike. This year it was performed at closed doors.

After the ceremony, president Francisco Sagasti handed Cusco authorities the Echenique disc, an Andean relic in possession of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, returned to Peru earlier this week.

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Former US National Security Agency (NSA) consultant Edward Snowden on June 24 warned that Julian Assange could be next after tech mogul John McAfee was reported dead in Barcelona prison following the news that he was being extradited to the US on criminal tax evasion charges. The news of McAfees apparent suicide was reported by Spanish media outlets on June 23. Weighing in on the incident, Snowden who leaked highly classified information from the NSA in 2013 and is now a data privacy advocate, stated that Europe should not extradite those accused of non-violent crimes to an unfair court system.

Julian Assange could be next. Until the system is reformed, a moratorium should remain, he added.

Europe should not extradite those accused of non-violent crimes to a court system so unfairand prison system so cruelthat native-born defendants would rather die than become subject to it. Julian Assange could be next.



Until the system is reformed, a moratorium should remain. https://t.co/tUociySmVy  Edward Snowden (@Snowden) June 23, 2021

Mentioned by Snowden, the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested in April 2019 in the UK and the British court temporarily blocked his extradition to the United States in January 2021 on 18 charges including the ones through the Espionage Act of obtaining and sharing classified information. After it was founded in 2006, WikiLeaks rose to global recognition in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by the US Army intelligence Chelsea Manning.

The 49-year-old Assange remains imprisoned in Britains toughest jail, HMP Belmarsh and has not been bailed ahead of an appeal hearing because of flight risk. Meanwhile, Snowden was also granted permanent residency in Russia in October 2020. In the aftermath of the global surveillance disclosures in the US, Snowden flew from Hong Kong to Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport.

John McAfee found dead in Spanish prison

British-American computer programmer and businessman John McAfee was found dead in his cell in a jail near Barcelona on June 23. The 75-year-old tech mogul is reported to have taken his own life in prison in Barcelona and his lawyer confirmed the same on Wednesday. However, his death stirred speculation, not only because of Janices warning but also John himself flagging his own suicide in the previous years. He was charged with tax evasion last year and was found dead just hours after it was made public that he would be extradited to the United States.

John McAfee, whose legal troubles reportedly spanned from Tennessee to Central America to the Caribbean, was discovered at the Brians 2 penitentiary in northeastern Spain. Reportedly, the security officials tried to revive him but the jails medical team on Wednesday finally certified his death. A statement from the regional Catalan government said, A judicial delegation has arrived to investigate the causes of death...everything points to death by suicide. However, the statement did not mention the tech mogul by name.

McAfees reported suicide on Wednesday came after Spains National Court on Monday ruled in the favour of his extradition. The 75-year-old had argued in an earlier hearing that the charges against him by prosecutors in Tennessee were politically motivated and claimed that he would have to spend the rest of his life imprisoned if he was to return to the United States. The Monday ruling was made public on June 23 and was open for appeal and the final extradition of the antivirus pioneer would have required Spanish Cabinets approval.

IMAGE: AP




A Miami man says he is hoping to wake up from the painful reality he's currently living after his friends went missing when a beachfront condo building collapsed early Thursday.

Nicolas Fernandez says his friends  a couple and their young daughter, visiting the U.S. from Argentina  were staying at his family's apartment located on the wing of a 12-story building that collapsed, and he fears the worst.

"It's a family that has worked really hard their entire lives. They're members of the LGBTQ community. They were finally able to adopt their young daughter after years of much sacrifice and nowthe three of them were there," Fernandez told reporters Thursday. "For them to go in this way  I hope that's not the case  but for them to go in that way is so unfair."

Holding onto hope, Fernandez says he and his mother have continued to call their friends in the event that someone might pick up the phone.

"There's always hope until we hear different," he said.

At least one person was killed, and dozens are feared trapped inside what's left of building: rubble and twisted metal.

Authorities did not say what may have caused the collapse. Work was being done on the building's roof, but Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said he did not see how that could have been the cause.

About half of the building's roughly 130 units were affected, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a news conference.

Rescuers pulled at least 35 people from the wreckage by mid-morning, and heavy equipment was being brought in to help stabilize the structure to give them more access, Chief Ray Jadallah of Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue said.

Fifty-one people who were thought to be in the building at the time of the collapse were unaccounted for by mid-morning  but there was a possibility that some weren't at home, said Sally Heyman, of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners.

The tower has a mix of seasonal and year-round residents, and while the building keeps a log of guests, it does not keep track of when owners are in residence, Burkett said.

Earlier, Burkett said two people were brought to the hospital, one of whom died. He added that 15 families walked out of the building on their own.

IMAGE: AP

(Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com)
Former US President Donald Trumps lawyer, Rudy Giuliani on June 24 was suspended from practising law in New York state by an appellate court. The decision was made after Giuliani was found to make demonstrably false and misleading statements" about the 2020 presidential election in the United States. As per news agency ANI, the ruling released on Thursday followed disciplinary proceedings. The court then concluded that there is uncontroverted evidence that Giuliani communicated demonstrably false and misleading statements to courts, lawmakers and the public at large in his capacity as lawyer for former President Donald J. Trump and the Trump campaign in connection with Trump's failed effort at reelection in 2020.

The court further wrote that Giulianis conduct immediately threatens the public interest and warrants interim suspension from the practice of law.

Giulianis lawyers express disappointment

Following the ruling by Appellate Division, First Department Giulianis lawyers, John Leventhal and Barry Kamins, said that they were disappointed as the decision was announced before a hearing on the alleged issues. The said as per ANI, This is unprecedented as we believe that our client does not pose a present danger to the public interest. We believe that once the issues are fully explored at a hearing Giuliani will be reinstated as a valued member of the legal profession that he has served so well in his many capacities for so many years.

For Rudy Giuliani who has also served as a mayor of New York City, the suspension of his license marks yet another fall after once rising to fame for being a formidable force in legal circles. The court ruling also stated that the 77-year-olds false statements were made to improperly bolster respondent's narrative that due to widespread voter fraud, victory in the 2020 United States presidential election was stolen from his client."

In some of the cases, as per the ruling, Giuliani noted that the statements he was making were false but claimed that he did not intentionally make an untrue remark. However, according to the court, there is simply no proof to support this explanation. Subsequently, in other cases, the 77-year-old was unable to provide any source at all for statements that he made including his remarks about the number of dead people he alleged voted in Georgia in the 2020 election.

"The seriousness of respondent's uncontroverted misconduct cannot be overstated...This country is being torn apart by continued attacks on the legitimacy of the 2020 election and of our current president, Joseph R Biden. The hallmark of our democracy is predicated on free and fair elections. False statements intended to foment a loss of confidence in our elections and resulting loss of confidence in government generally damage the proper functioning of a free society," it said, as per news agency. The court also found that Giuliani continued to make false remarks even after telling the authorities that he would exercise personal discipline and refrain from making any further remarks.

IMAGE: AP
Now the US authorities are determined to have John die in prison, said John McAfees wife, Janice on June 20 just days before it was reported that the antivirus pioneer was found dead in a Spanish prison. British-American computer programmer and businessman John McAfee was found dead in his cell in a jail near Barcelona on June 23 and prior to that his wife had warned that American authorities were determined that the 75-year-old would die in prison. In a chilling Fathers Day message shared on Twitter, Janice said that her husband was loved and appreciated while also claiming that his honesty got him in trouble with corrupt governments.

Janice and John McAfee got married in 2013 and not much is known about her personal life except that she was born in 1983 and hails from Guatemala. The 75-year-old tech mogul is reported to have taken his own life in prison in Barcelona and his lawyer confirmed the same on Wednesday. However, his death stirred speculation, not only because of Janices warning but also John himself flagging his own suicide. He was charged with tax evasion last year and was found dead just hours after it was made public that he would be extradited to the United States.

In the Fathers Day note for John McAfee, Janice wrote, I know John is an extremely polarizing individual...Now the US authorities are determined to have John die in prison to make an example of him for speaking out against the corruption within their government agencies.

Happy Father's Day @officialmcafee. Though you are spending the day in prison know that you are loved and appreciated. #FreeJohnMcAfee #FreeMcAfee pic.twitter.com/YFmB36KWfb  Janice McAfee (@theemrsmcafee) June 20, 2021

John McAfee, whose legal troubles reportedly spanned from Tennessee to Central America to the Caribbean, was discovered at the Brians 2 penitentiary in northeastern Spain. Reportedly, the security officials tried to revive him but the jails medical team on Wednesday finally certified his death. A statement from the regional Catalan government said, A judicial delegation has arrived to investigate the causes of death...everything points to death by suicide. However, the statement did not mention the tech mogul by name.

McAfees reported suicide on Wednesday came after Spains National Court on Monday ruled in the favour of his extradition. The 75-year-old had argued in an earlier hearing that the charges against him by prosecutors in Tennessee were politically motivated and claimed that he would have to spend the rest of his life imprisoned if he was to return to the United States. The Monday ruling was made public on June 23 and was open for appeal and the final extradition of the antivirus pioneer would have required Spanish Cabinets approval.

John Said If He Was Ever Found Dead In 'suicide' He 'didn't Kill Himself'

John even had a "Whackd" tattoo on his right arm and claimed that even if he was ever found dead by suicide, he "did not kill himself". On December 1, 2019, the creator of McAfee antivirus software posted an image on Twitter in which he accused the officials in the United States of sending him threats through "subtle messages". On June 23, McAfee reportedly killed himself just hours after it was announced that he would be extradited to the US.

However, two years ago, McAfee had already claimed that the reason behind his whackd tattoo is the constant threat he had been receiving from the US. He had written in the caption, Getting subtle messages from U.S. officials saying, in effect: 'We're coming for you McAfee! We're going to kill yourself'," he wrote.

He added, "I got a tattoo today just in case. If I suicide myself, I didn't. I was whackd. Check my right arm."

IMAGE: Janice McAfee/Facebook
Years of diplomatic dialogue and discussion have failed so far to halt a crackdown on democracy and civil society in the Southeast Asian country.

Cambodia-based rights groups say they are hoping that a newly appointed UN envoy to Cambodia for human rights will bring results in talks with the government of the Southeast Asian country, where years of diplomatic dialogue have failed to halt a crackdown on democracy and civil society.

Thai academic Vitit Muntarbhorn, who replaced former UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Cambodia Rhona Smith earlier this year, spoke on Wednesday in a first virtual meeting online with Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng.

Writing next day on his Facebook page, Sar Kheng said the talks with Vitit promised frank dialogues and discussions in the future on a range of issues of concern, including government measures taken to control the spread of COVID-19, the countrys crowded prisons, democracy, and the reform of the countrys NGO laws.

In a second meeting on Thursday, Vitit also spoke with Keo Remy, head of the governments Human Rights Committee, the Committee said on its own Facebook page.

Reached by RFA for comment, Vitit declined to discuss topics addressed in the two meetings, referring a reporter instead to media contacts in his office who did not respond to requests by Thursday evening.

If accurately reported by Sar Kheng, the talks held on Wednesday reflected topics of genuine concern in Cambodia, where there are ongoing restrictions on civil and political rights, said Soeung Senkarunaa senior human rights worker and spokesperson for the rights group ADHOCspeaking to RFA on June 24.

Vitits work in Cambodia may not bring quick breakthroughs or improvements in the countrys human rights situation, though, Soeung Senkaruna said.

We often see that UN Special Rapporteurs on Human Rights hold many meetings and frank discussions [with government officials], but nothing significant ever comes from these, he said. Our problems always remain the same.

It would be great if things did change in our society, so that our country would not become subject to sanctions from the international community and the free world, he added.

Reporting the facts

Speaking to RFA in interviews after Vitit secured his appointment in April, human rights workers in Cambodia said they hold little hope that the new UN rapporteur can solve Cambodias rights problems just by maintaining good relations with Cambodias governmentthe main cause, they said, of the countrys human rights issues.

I dont expect that he will fix all these problems, said labor rights activist Moeun Tola, adding, But I do expect him to work professionally by reporting the facts about the actual human rights situation existing in the country.

He will have to gauge and balance his own relations with the government, just to keep in contact, but failing to mention factual evidence in his reports in order to maintain good relations wont solve any problems, he said.

Previous UN rapporteurs Suriya Prasad Subedi and Rhona Smith used a gentle approach with the government at first, but things didnt work out, and as a result they began to voice stronger criticisms and more critical reporting, he said.

Am Sam Ath, a spokesperson for the Cambodian rights group Licadho, said that talks and dialogue can sometimes be effective in solving problems, but that more critical approaches are sometimes required to force improvements or changes in government behavior.

I think that the approach [Vitit] should adopt is to uphold the UNs principles on human rights and then adjust his approach to talks using his negotiation skills and based on the circumstances at the time.

In this way, he can point to violations of international rights standards in ways that encourage Cambodia to change, and to respect human rights, he said.

Crackdown on opposition

A crackdown on the opposition, media, and civil society by Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia since 1985, has caused Phnom Penhs ties with the UN, the U.S., and the European Union to deteriorate.

The main opposition, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was banned and its leader Kem Sokha arrested in late 2017, allowing Hun Sen's ruling party to win every parliamentary seat in 2018 elections, drawing international criticism and EU trade sanctions.

The government has also come down hard on CNRP supporters, environmental activists, and journalists.

British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab in a visit to Phnom Penh this week said that in talks with the government he raised the charges against Kem Sokha, who remains in legal limbo, as well as the recent arrest and imprisonment of activists from the Mother Nature environmental group.

Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Written in English by Richard Finney.
The family of late, ousted premier Zhao Ziyang have been ordered to leave his former courtyard home in Beijing.

Authorities in Beijing have begun moving large numbers of items out of the former residence of late ousted premier Zhao Ziyang ahead of the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s centenary celebrations on July 1, RFA has learned.

A relative of the late premier, who was forced from office for a too-lenient attitude to the 1989 student-led protests on Tiananmen Square to spend the rest of his life under house arrest, confirmed the move.

Removal company staff entered the traditional Beijing courtyard home at No. 6 Fuqiang Alley in Beijing's Dongcheng district on Thursday morning, packing a large number of items into a vehicle.

The Zhao family member confirmed by phone that the family -- which has been given notice to leave the state-owned property -- is in the process of removing his belongings.

But they declined to elaborate on which items were being moved, or their personal or political significance.

"We had been planning to move out anyway, and this is happening gradually," the family member said. "We don't know exactly when we will complete the move."

"As to the value of the items, it depends on your point of view," they said. "This is an entirely personal matter."

Since Zhao's death at the age of 85 in January 2005, the house has been occupied by his daughter Wang Yannan and her family.

They were served notice to leave by the CCP General Office, which manages practical arrangements for Chinese leaders, last year.

The move is unlikely to have been completed by the July 1 centenary, however, according to former 1989 student protester Ji Feng, who is acquainted with the family.

"The original plan was to get them to move out by July 1, but the authorities didn't force them," Ji said. "They just let them do it in their own time."

Memorials, dissent

The house had become a focus for memorials to Zhao and events by dissidents and petitioners marking his death, with hundreds paying their respects on the anniversary and on the traditional grave-tending festival of Qing Ming in April.

The insistence that the family move was likely a bid to ensure that it wouldn't provide any kind of focal point for dissent during the centenary celebrations, Ji said.

"While only Wang Yannan and her husband actually lived there, a lot of people would go there to pay their respects, often in connection with the Tiananmen massacre," he said.

"They are worried that if more people start going, it could lead to unrest," Ji said.

"The place has become a pilgrimage site, just like the grave of Lin Zhao," he said, in a reference to the Mao-era dissident executed by the CCP. "So they have to get rid of it."

Ji said the items currently being moved mostly came from Zhao's study and bedroom, and included desks, tables and chairs, upholstered furniture, and other items, which have now been taken for storage in a warehouse on the outskirts of Beijing.

Among Zhao's belongings were large numbers of books and other gifts he received from world leaders during his overseas trips while in office, as well as commemorative photo albums, he said.

Sources said the family may donate some items to a museum in Zhao's hometown in the central province of Henan.

"The family will likely donate some things to make a dedicated memorial hall ... all of the things he used while carrying out his work," Ji said.

According to a tweet from Beijing-based political journalist Gao Yu, Wang Yannan's plan is to create a replica of her father's study in her new home.

Politically sensitive items

Feng Chongyi, associate professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Technology Sydney, said he was concerned that some items could be taken away by the authorities if they are considered politically sensitive.

"This is kind of a gray area, items belonging to former Chinese leaders," Feng said. "If [the CCP] sees you as one of them, they will take steps to protect them, and they will take the views of the family into account when making arrangements."

"But they view Zhao Ziyang as their enemy, even though he has never been publicly denounced as a traitor, so they won't be protecting his belongings, nor allowing his family to take away or dispose of them," he said.

Prior to his ouster for showing sympathy with the student protesters, Zhao was a liberal-minded and well-loved leader who rose to the top of the ruling party at the 13th Party Congress in 1987.

His name rarely appears in the official record, although he has a loyal following of former officials seeking to rehabilitate him as a figurehead of the reform era that began in 1979.

In a conclusive break with the reformist thinking of the 1980s, China's current supreme leader Xi Jinping is now serving an indefinite term as president following constitutional changes nodded through in March 2018 by China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC).



Reported by Gao Feng for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has announced a crackdown on the U.S.$120 billion private tutoring, or buxiban, industry, in a country where hothousing children to ensure the best shot at a good high school or university has become the norm for middle-class professionals.



More than 75 percent of students in primary and secondary education attended after-school tutoring in 2016, the most recent industry figures for 2016 showed.



New rules governing the industry will likely be announced soon, with trial bans on in-person and online vacation classes expected in a number of major cities, along with an advertising ban, Reuters reported.



On , the Ministry of Education said it was setting up a new department to monitor off-campus education and training provision, to implement "reforms to the off-campus education and training sector."



And the State Administration for Market Regulation announced on it would be "rectifying" tutoring services run by internet giants Tencent and Alibaba, fining the companies around U.S.$5.73 million for regulatory violations.



The moves come after a speech by CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, who hit out at "chaos" in the tutoring industry, calling it "a stubborn disease that is hard to manage."



"On the one hand, there is the desire for children to have a happy childhood, and enjoy physical and mental health," Xi told education sector delegates to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).



"On the other, there is the fear that children won't be starting at the same point in the competition for good grades," he said, according to a commentary in the official People's Daily newspaper, also carried by state news agency Xinhua.



"The rectification and regulation of the private tutoring market must be strengthened so as to reduce the burden on students ... and to avoid undermining fairness in the public education sector," it said.



The ban on vacation and weekend tutoring would be implemented in nine municipalities and provinces, including Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu, for twelve months before being rolled out across the country, Reuters quoted one source as saying.



Xi said last week that schools should bear the full responsibility for student learning, not buxibans.



"Education departments are correcting this phenomenon," Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.



Weekday tutoring will be restricted, with outright bans on weekend and vacation tutoring across nine municipalities and provinces, including Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu, for one year.



The measures will then likely be rolled out nationwide, Reuters said.



The move comes amid growing concern in China over a phenomenon dubbed the "chicken baby" syndrome, referring to parents dosing their children up with chicken-based food supplements to boost stamina for all of the extra hours of study they expect of them.



It also comes as the CCP moves to quash a social phenomenon known as "lying down," in which young people refuse to cooperate with social pressure to get good jobs, marry and buy their own homes.



Economics scholar He Jiangbin has warned that young people face such fierce competition, that they increasingly regard the level of effort required as not worth it, given that the rewards are so hard to come by.



Reported by Chingman and Matt Chan for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A pro-Beijing lawmaker says she doesn't see 'any problem' with the idea that Hong Kong is now a police state.

Newly promoted Hong Kong government officials Chief Secretary John Lee (L), Police Commissioner Raymond Siu (2nd L), and Secretary for Security Chris Tang (R) appear with Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam at a press conference in Hong Kong, June 25, 2021.

Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam announced a reshuffle of her cabinet on Friday, placing two ex-cops in key cabinet positions, including the police commissioner who presided over the widespread use of violence against mostly peaceful demonstrators during the 2019 protest movement.

The ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) approved the appointment of former secretary for security, John Lee, to replace Matthew Cheung as Lam's second-in-command, while former police commissioner Chris Tang was made secretary for security, the government said in a statement on its official website.

Lee joined the Hong Kong Police Force in 1977, rising to the rank of deputy commissioner in September 2010, before serving as under-secretary for security.

Tang was commissioner of police throughout the 2019 protest movement, which saw widespread international criticism of police violence against protesters. He will be replaced by former deputy police commissioner Raymond Siu.

The changes come almost exactly one year after the CCP imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong that forbids public criticism of the Hong Kong and Chinese governments, as well as criminalizing overseas lobbying and fundraising efforts, and journalism that calls for overseas sanctions on foreign officials.

Lam, Lee, and Tang were all sanctioned by the Trump administration in August 2020 for "undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong."

"The recent imposition of draconian national security legislation on Hong Kong has not only undermined Hong Kongs autonomy, it has also infringed on the rights of people in Hong Kong, allowing mainland Chinas security services to operate with impunity in the region, mandating national security education in Hong Kong schools, undermining the rule of law, and setting the groundwork for censorship of any individuals or outlets that are deemed unfriendly to China," the U.S. Treasury said in a statement at the time.

Asked if Hong Kong had become a police state, as evidenced by the new appointments, pro-Beijing lawmaker Alice Mak dismissed journalists' concerns.

"If its a police state, why not? I dont think theres any problem with a police state," Mak said. "When we say a police state, I will view the other side, that is the emphasis on security."

"If someone from the police discipline can help to govern Hong Kong, can help to maintain law and order in Hong Kong, why not?" she said.

Lee told journalists that he would ensure that Hong Kong was governed by patriots, while Tang vowed to protect "national security" in the city, and eradicate domestic "terrorism," as well as threats from "external forces."

'Rioting, illegal assembly'

More than 1,000 people have been prosecuted and thousands more arrested, mostly for charges linked to "rioting" and "illegal assembly" under the Public Order Ordinance.

But the imposition of the national security law from July 1, 2020 launched an ever-widening crackdown on public dissent and political opposition that has seen dozens of former opposition lawmakers and democracy activists detained for "subversion" for taking part in a democratic primary in 2020.

The mass public protests -- which Beijing claims were incited by hostile foreign powers fomenting a "color revolution" in Hong Kong -- and the increasingly violent responses by protesters to widespread and excessive police violence, were cited as the main reason for the new regime.

Siu said he will continue to lead the police force in a spirit of loyalty and connecting with the community to protect Hong Kongs national security.

The announcements came a day after the forced closure of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper in the wake of a national security police raid that saw several of its journalists and executives arrested for "collusion with foreign powers" and its assets frozen.

On the day of the raid, Lee referred to Apple Daily journalists as "criminals," while U.S. President Joe Biden called the paper's closure a "sad day for media freedom" that showed "intensifying repression" by China.

The paper's founder Jimmy Lai is currently serving time for "illegal assembly" in connection with a peaceful protest, and is awaiting trial for "collusion with foreign powers" under the national security law.

The paper was reportedly raided in connection with articles it had printed calling on foreign governments to sanction Hong Kong and Chinese officials, some of which dated back to 2019, well before the national security law took effect.

Travel ban to take effect

Under an immigration bill due to take effect in August, Hong Kong's secretary for security will have new powers to order border guards to prevent anyone of any nationality from boarding any form of transportation leaving the city.

The bill has sparked concerns that the authorities may use travel bans to stem the current exodus of families and individuals from Hong Kong, as controls over freedom of speech and publication intensify, and as the government's "national security education" program is implemented in schools.

Lee's wife and two children hold U.K. citizenship, giving Lee the ability to claim U.K. citizenship as well, according to a report in the Hong Kong Free Press.

Chung Kim-wah of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute (PORI), said the appointments of Tang and Lee are a break with the convention that much of Hong Kong's government is run on a day-to-day basis by powerful civil servants.

"They are disregarding public opinion in appointing John Lee chief secretary for the administration," Chung told RFA. "They want to break with the tradition of administrative officers running things, meaning that there will be far less of a political role for civil servants than there was in the past."

Current affairs commentator Johnny Lau said the fact that Lee, Tang, and Siu all have a background in law enforcement is significant.

"It is a sign that the current hardline style will be transferred from the top-down dictatorship of law enforcement to the machinery of policy-making," Lau said. "It's a lot like the political and legal affairs committee system in mainland China."

"Hong Kong is increasingly convergent with the mainland in implementing such a system," he said.

Reported by Lau Siu Fung, Cheng Yut Yiu, Carmen Wu, Gigi Lee and Emily Chan for RFA's Cantonese and Mandarin Services. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Citizens exposed to outside films and media freely discuss the actual history of the war.

Fireworks illuminate the sky to mark the 67th anniversary of the Korean War armistice in Pyongyang, North Korea, July 27, 2020.

Every year in the run up to the anniversary of the June 25, 1950 North Korean invasion of South Korea that started the three-year conflict, residents of the North are bombarded with propaganda that falsely claims it was the South who set off the conflict.

Fewer and fewer North Koreans are buying the official line these days, sources in the North told RFA.

Seventy-one years ago Friday, North Korea invaded the South and overran the capital Seoul in three days, igniting what both Koreas call the 6.25 War, and quickly conquering the whole peninsula except for a small perimeter around Busan in the southeast, before a U.S.-led United Nations counterattack pushed them back.

North Korea officially maintains that it was the South that provoked the war and that the U.S. had a plan to conquer the whole peninsula as an aggressor. Pyongyang calls the conflict, which ended in an armistice, the Fatherland Liberation War, and claims it won a victory over the imperialist U.S.

A resident of the city of Hamhung in the eastern province of South Hamgyong told RFAs Korean Service that propaganda broadcasts began in the city this week.

Broadcast vehicles from the Korean Workers Party Propaganda and Agitation Department lined up near a factory in the city and were enthusiastically pushing class-consciousness education by saying that the Korean War in the 1950s was an armed invasion by South Korea and other imperialists trying to crush our Republic, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons.

The broadcasts tell how the North Korean invasion of the South was provoked by the enemy attacking first, the Hamhung resident added.

The soldiers and people fought together with a fighting spirit to defend the country and our leader from the enemy, and through our fierce determination, we finally won, the source quoted the propaganda as saying.

Despite this obvious propaganda, most people know the actual history. Any factory worker who has heard a foreign broadcast about the Korean War knows full well that it wasnt South Korea that attacked first. We actually prepared for the war and started it. They have been repeating the narrative that the war was started by provocations from the United States and South Korea, said the source.

According to the source, people who are close to each other often talk about the actual history of the Korean War whenever the anniversary draws near.

Theyll say, If South Korea had started it, the South Korean army could have occupied Pyongyang within three days. How is it possible that the Korean Peoples Army were able to take Seoul in three days instead? said the source.

They all know that the propaganda trotted out by the authorities on war history is inconsistent historical distortion, the source said.

Another source, a resident of South Pyongan province, north of Pyongyang, told RFA that each year as June 25 approaches, authorities repeat the propaganda saying that South Korea, backed by the United States, was trying to devour North Korea.

They keep saying that we should not forget for a moment that the enemy caused the war, and we should go out to defend our homeland, the second source said.

The authorities this year emphasized that young people, who may have friendly feelings toward the culture of South Korea and the United States, should know that the Korean War was a battle of ideology and mental power with the imperialists who were trying to annihilate our country, said the second source.

The authorities tell young people that they had a responsibility to continue the class struggle even if generations have passed since the war, according to the second source.

But North Koreas teens are already watching South Korean and American films stored on USB flash drives or SD cards so they are well aware of how the Korean War actually began, the second source said.

They know full well that when Seoul fell in three days and South Korea was on the brink of disappearing completely from the peninsula, the U.S. and UN forces felt the need to step in, but the authorities are repeating obvious lies, said the second source.

A college student in his 20s who escaped from Pyongyang in 2018 to settle in South Korea told RFA that a South Korean War movie helped him, and others find out about the true history of the war.

The movie Taegukgi: The Brotherhood of War, which was released in South Korea in 2004, came to Pyongyang on video CD and it was a hot topic among young people, the student said.

The film is about two brothers who are conscripted into the South Korean army unwillingly and it is highly critical of the Souths anti-communist fervor at the time.

The movie depicts very well how the Korean War started and how a family suffered tragedies due to the war, so young North Koreans who secretly watched it were greatly shocked to know what it was really like, the student said.

Some of my high school friends borrowed it and I remember watching it on a USB stick. Thats when I first learned that it was not South Korea, but North Korea that started the war.

Reported by Hyemin Son for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Jinha Shin. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
An aerial view of the China-backed Shwe Kokko new city project along the Thaungyin River in southeastern Myanmar's Kayin state, August 2019.

Like more than 100 areas in the Mekong River region earmarked as development zones, the Yatai Shwe Kokko Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Myanmar was promoted as a way to spur economic growth and deliver material benefits to the local community.

But instead the Chinese-backed U.S. $15 billion real estate mega-project along the Thaungyin River in southeastern Kayin state has gained notoriety in recent months as a bastion of illegal activity, according to a report released Wednesday by the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS), an independent research outfit that studies transnational organized crime networks.

Shwe Kokko New City, as the area is called, was funded by Hong Kong-registered developer Yatai International Holding Group in partnership with the Chit Lin Myaing Company owned by the Kayin State Border Guard Force (BGF), an ethnic Karen force aligned with the Myanmar military. It includes the Myanmar Yatai Shwe Kokko Special Economic Zone.

But the area became a hub for illicit activity because of weak national laws, a diffusion of responsibility, and a lack of development plans, says the 76-page report titled Zoned Out: A Comprehensive Impact Evaluation of Mekong Economic Development Zones.

The study identified 110 official and unofficial foreign-invested EDZs in the Mekong region, including 40 in Cambodia, 15 in Laos, 20 in Myanmar, 16 in Thailand, and 19 in Vietnam, and used publicly available information to assess them in terms of economic development, illicit activity, and geopolitics.

To assess the impact of EDZs, the researchers examined both quantitative indicators derived from personal activity intelligence, including mobile phone location data, change detection in satellite imagery, and nightlight data, along with qualitative research on illicit activity and geopolitical trends.

Because of the strong correlation between nightlight data and economic activity, the researchers measured nighttime luminosity in the EDZs to objectively evaluate the relative economic performance of the zones. They also used information from publicly available reports that detailed illegal activities, including corruption, environmental degradation, land conflict, drug trafficking, and wildlife trafficking.

Shwe Kokko is not the only example of an EDZ gone wrong. The study found that while the establishment of the zones speeds up development, the EDZs themselves can facilitate adverse outcomes that undermine economic growth benefits.

They also found that limited data access concerning the Mekong regions EDZs can hurt host governments and local communities, and that collaboration among stakeholders from government, grassroots organizations, the private sector, and civil society will increase transparency and better match objectives to end results.

Without proper management, EDZs can serve as staging grounds for multiple types of transnational illicit activity and geopolitical machinations, the report says. Further complicating the situation is a paucity of accessible data, leaving policymakers and observers alike struggling to draw informed conclusions on the effects of zones.

Lack of regulatory oversight

In the case of the Shwe Kokko SEZ First, the developers allegedly received a 70-year land lease with the possibility of extending to 99 years, violating Myanmar law which limits lease terms to 50 years for official Economic Development Zones (EDZs). Then the BGF confiscated land for the site, but shortchanged residents paying them only U.S. $1,600 an acre  half the amount they sought.

A lack of regulatory oversight enabled the illegal land confiscations along with Chinese gang activities once the project had been built, illegal casinos, money laundering, and environmental degradation, the report says. It also notes that She Kailun, Yatai Internationals China-born chairman, had a previous conviction for operating an illegal lottery business that earned nearly U.S. $300 million.

In response, Myanmars civilian-led government announced plans in January to address alleged irregularities, including the land confiscations, illicit activities, and local concerns about the impact of the casinos.

The government also cracked down on Chinese criminal groups in the area and requested that the national military enforce the law in Shwe Kokko. When Myanmars military overthrew the government in a Feb. 1 coup, it became unclear what would happen next in Shwe Kokko.

A combination of legal ambiguity, limited host government enforcement, and poor zone management have created numerous negative externalities in Shwe Kokko, including increased criminal activity, decreased geopolitical power, and environmental degradation  all without delivering economic gain for the region itself, the report says.

Aung Naing Oo, minister of investment and foreign economic relations under the State Administrative Council, the official name of Myanmars military government, told RFA that the Myanmar Investment Commission had examined and approved the Shwe Kokko project during the previous civilian-led government, but determined that its scope was much larger than the original proposal.

Then we checked the project again and ordered that business activities not included in original proposal be stopped, he said. Because the project was much larger and there were other issues such as land use, we ordered the project to be halted since previous government. They were ordered to do only what had been approved.

The activities that were not included in the proposals were the building of hotels among other [sites], he said. We asked them to stop, [and] the order has remained unchangedWe have supervised them very closely about the suspension.

The report details other case studies of other zones plagued by illicit activities, such as the Boten SEZ in Laos, rife with illegal sales of wildlife, such as endangered pangolins, and the Golden Triangle EDZ, also in Laos, a hub for a hub for illicit drug and wildlife trafficking.

An official in the Special Economic Zone Control Department of the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment told RFA that he could not comment on whether there is illicit activity in the Boten and Golden Triangle SEZs.

China used its influence

Cambodias Sihanoukville SEZ, considered part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, suffered from high crimes rates among other factors, the report said.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) promises benefits for local communities. In the case of the Sihanoukville SEZ, however, development was greatly undercut by increasing crime rates, rising rents, overwhelmed infrastructure, and the suppression of local culture in the city of Sihanoukville, the report says.

China allegedly used its influence to pressure Cambodia to ban online gambling as part of a broader campaign against gambling by China. This ban further disrupted the city of Sihanoukville by devastating the local gaming economy and causing thousands to leave the city, it said.

The Cambodian Investment Board did not respond to an email request for comments on the reports findings concerning the Sihanoukville SEZ. Emails sent to two contact addresses listed on the website of the Cambodian Special Economic Zone Board were undeliverable. Both government agencies deal with investment projects in SEZs.

To improve the impacts of EDZs in the Mekong region, the researchers recommend the development of open, centralized repositories of information on EDZs, the use of emerging technologies such as nightlight capture, satellite imagery, and machine learning to create monitoring processes, and the convening of cross-sector interdisciplinary task forces to address negative impacts.

Through collaboration and data-driven analysis, host governments can ensure that EDZs serve the needs of the host country economy and the local population, the report says.

Additional reporting by RFAs Lao and Myanmar services.
A pregnant woman, two infants and three elderly refugees died from lack of medical access, sources say.

At least six civilians displaced by conflict in Chin statea pregnant woman, two infants, and three elderly peoplehave died from lack of access to medical care since fighting erupted between Myanmars military and the Chinland Defense Force (CDF) militia two months ago, sources said Thursday.

The deaths come as the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated 230,000 people have been displaced by fighting and violence this year and efforts to assist them is being hampered by armed clashes and insecurity.

More than 20,000 people were sheltering at 100 displacement areas in Chin state bordering India, while 177,000 people were displaced in Kayah state bordering Thailand, according to OCHA.

A refugee from the war-torn township of Mindat, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal, told RFAs Myanmar Service that the six had died in the jungle while fleeing a junta offensive in the area.

At least six people have died in the jungle due to lack of medicine, the source said, adding that he was unsure of their names.

The babies were just a few days old. There are old people [who died]. Some fell from the narrow mountain roads while escaping the fighting. Others died because they could not secure their usual medicine.

Clashes between the military and the CDF have been raging in the remote township of southern Chin state in Myanmars northwest since April 26 and have forced more than 30,000 people to flee to safety, according to aid groups.

A five-point bilateral agreement was reached between the two sides Wednesday to ban armed surveillance and the targeting of civilians in Mindat, end the disruption of government services, cease the use of intimidation or coercion to force Civil Disobedience Movement participants protesting the militarys Feb. 1 coup detat into returning to work, and lift a blockade of the Kyauktaw-Mindat-Matupi Road to allow the delivery of relief.

A member of the CDF, who also declined to be named, said his group agreed to a ceasefire to alleviate the suffering of those in need of food and medicine, while the military does not care about the plight of people fleeing the war.

I dont think they did it to show compassion to the people, he said, adding that the militarys decision to enter the agreement likely stemmed from heavy losses it sustained in nearby Chaungzon township.

They suffered many casualties around Chaungzon and sent in around 60 more men as reinforcements. I don't know whether they came in to quell riots in other areas or to pressure us, but Im sure they didnt call for a ceasefire because they care about the people.

A CDF spokesman said military troops in the region had been told not to disturb residents or make arrests, adding that he was monitoring the situation.

Some of the refugees who were hiding in the jungle to avoid the conflict began returning home in the days leading up to the agreement, relief workers told RFA.

However, they said, access to food and medicine remains a challenge, and many refugees are suffering from illnesses, including seasonal flu and diarrhea, and supplies are desperately needed.

[The military] questioned people who returned to town and some were arrested, the worker said, adding that the situation remains tenuous.

It is still unclear at this time what they will do to people after this. There are no guarantees. And there still is a need for food and medicine for the refugees.

When transporting supplies for refugees, he said, trucks are required to submit to inspections at multiple checkpoints throughout the area.

A family takes refuge in a jungle area in Demoso, Kayah state, after fleeing from fighting between the Myanmar military and members of the People's Defence Force (PDF), June 3, 2021. STR / AFP Ordering refugees home

On Feb. 1, Myanmars military staged a coup, seizing power from Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD), rejecting its landslide victory in November 2020 general elections as the result of voter fraud. The junta has provided no evidence to back up its claims and citizens from all walks of life have protested the takeover.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP), the military has killed at least 880 people, while some 5,104 people have been detained, charged, or sentenced in the five months since the coup.

Amid nationwide turmoil, the military has stepped up offensives in remote parts of the country of 54 million that have led to fierce battles with a plethora of Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militias formed to protect residents from troops loyal to the junta. Ethnic armies in other parts of the nation have used the instability to encroach on one anothers territory.

Sources in eastern Myanmars Kayah state told RFA Thursday that the military has been ordering refugees from Demoso townshipwhere fighting between junta troops and a branch of the Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militia broke out on May 20to return home, but that most have relocated to other areas because they fear for their safety.

One person living in a makeshift camp outside of the township told RFA that soldiers had come to the area and told refugees to return to Demoso and that they would only be given protection if they agreed to do so.

Some villagers moved elsewhere instead of going back, he said, adding that the others had no plan to return any time soon.

Even if we want to return, where would we stay? All our houses have been destroyed, totally or in part. [Troops] are still stationed in the villages. They are even stationed in the refugee camps medical center and are forcing people in the camps to cook for them.

Other sources said that a brave few have returned to villages near to the suburbs of Demoso, but only temporarily because of the need to cultivate their fields, noting that even the state capital Loikaw remains dangerous.

Military troops and police go on patrol at Kayah state, Myanmar, May 23, 2021. AP Photo Few willing to return

At least 100,000 people have been displaced throughout Kayah state since fighting broke out more than a month ago in Demoso. They account for the lions share of the more than a quarter million civilians in seven regions of Myanmar that the United Nations estimates have fled clashes between the military and militias or conflict between ethnic armies in the four months since the junta overthrew the countrys democratically elected government.

The 226,000 displaced in 2021 join more 500,000 refugees from decades of conflict between the government military and ethnic armies who were already counted as internally displaced persons at the end of 2020, according to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center, a Norwegian NGO.

Palan, a social worker based in Demoso, told RFA that only around less than one-third of the 100,000 displaced in Kayah state have gone home, while others refuse because they fear the military or have no dwelling to return to.

I think about 30,000 have returned at present, he said.

The main problem is that most of them are now homeless. Almost all the residents of Demoso and about 50 percent of those from Loikaw have no homes now. There are still a lot of soldiers in the villages, as well as in Ngwedaung and Demoso [townships]. Thats why it isnt easy to go back.

Bringing rice to Kayah state from neighboring Thailand to help feed the displaced is also nearly impossible because the military has blocked the supply routes, Palan added.

Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
New measures block imports from a major Chinese producer of solar panel inputs and blacklists others.

The United States took new measures on Thursday to address Chinas use of Uyghurs as forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), halting imports from a major Chinese producer of polysilicon for the solar panel industry and blacklisting other firms operating in the region.

Forced labor is on a long list of serious human rights problems that have been documented in the XUAR and is cited along with the incarceration of an estimated 1.8 million people in detention camps since 2017 and forced birth control by the U.S. government and others as evidence of genocide of the Uyghurs.

The targeting of polysilicon makers followers similar moves since last year against hair products, electronics, tomatoes, and cotton made in Xinjiang with suspected forced labor.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) stopping shipments from Chinas Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., Ltd., a major producer of solar panel inputs using Uyghur labor in the XUAR, and its subsidiaries, under a U.S. law banning the import of products made with forced labor, the White House said in a statement.

CBP investigates allegations of forced labor in U.S. supply chains and will continue investigating allegations in the polysilicon industry and other industries in Xinjiang and elsewhere, it said.

In a related step, the U.S. Commerce Department added five Chinese companies and organizations, including Hoshine, to its list of blacklisted entities for accepting or using forced labor in the XUAR and contributing to human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minority groups there.

The action restricts the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of commodities, software, and technology subject to U.S. export regulations in cases in which the entities are a party to the transactions.

The other four entities barred from access to the U.S. market are Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co., Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co., Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Technology Co., and the paramilitary Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).

The Commerce Department previously blacklisted 48 Chinese governmental or commercial entities that it said were connected to human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the XUAR.

Additionally, the U.S. Labor Department updated its List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor to include polysilicon produced with forced labor in China in violation of international standards.

Chinas polysilcon market is forecast to grow 15.7 percent a year from 2020 to 2027, when it will be worth U.S. $3.3 billion, according to a Global Polysilicon Industry analysis issued in April.

These actions demonstrate our commitment to imposing additional costs on the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) for engaging in cruel and inhumane forced labor practices and ensuring that Beijing plays by the rules of fair trade as part of the rules-based international order, the White House said.

Were working very closely with the private sector  its a public-private partnership  to achieve a shared objective, a shared goal, and a shared imperative of rooting out forced labor wherever it might exist, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told a CBP news briefing.

Large solar panels are seen in a field at a solar power plant in Kumul (in Chinese, Hami) in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, May 8, 2013. Credit: AFP





Legislation in the making

In January, the CPB issued a WRO to detain all cotton products and tomatoes from the XUAR at U.S. ports of entry, saying that the agency had identified indicators of forced labor.

Currently, 35 of 49 active WROs are on goods from China, and 11 WROs are on goods made by forced labor from the XUAR, the White House statement said.

A 2020 report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute estimated that more than 80,000 Uyghurs were transferred out of the XUAR to work in factories across China between 2017 and 2019, though it said that the actual figure was likely to be far higher.

Under conditions that strongly indicate forced labor, the Uyghurs worked in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 82 global brands in the technology, clothing, and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony, and Volkswagen, the report said.

The measures announced by the White House coincided with the approval by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bill that aims to address the systematic use for Uyghur forced labor in the XUAR and to ensure that U.S. companies are not complicit.

The bill would create the presumption that all imports from the XUAR are in violation of U.S. laws prohibiting the import of goods produced by forced labor, and places the onus on importers to show that goods coming from the XUAR or other Chinese government labor schemes for Uyghurs were not produced with forced labor.

The legislation also requires the president to impose targeted Global Magnitsky sanctions on those responsible for serious human rights abuses in connection with forced labor and to report to Congress on diplomatic efforts to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation to address the issue.

The bill, which cleared the House Foreign Affairs Committee in April, now awaits full passage by both houses of Congress. It is the second major piece of U.S. legislation to address the Uyghur human rights crisis following the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act enacted in June 2020.

Congress is also considering the Uyghur Human Rights Protection Act, which designates Uyghurs who are at risk of refoulement in multiple countries as priority refugees.

The Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP) urged swift passage of the forced labor bill, introduced by lawmakers more than a year ago.

The Senates action puts a spotlight on both the corporate sector and the U.S. government, said Nury Turkel, chairman of the board of the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), in a statement.

Any and all business ties with the Uyghur region risk complicity with genocide. This has to end, added Turkel, who also is a commissioner at the bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

German parliament declaration

Also on Thursday, the German parliaments Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid declared that serious human rights violations against the Uyghurs are crimes against humanity.

The declaration of the Human Rights Committee of the German Bundestag is an important step to hold the Chinese government accountable for its brutal actions against the Uyghurs, but further actions need to be taken, said Dolkun Isa, president of the Germany-based World Uyghur Congress, in a statement.

We hope that the issue of genocide will also be discussed meaningfully during the plenary session of the Bundestag, he said.

The declaration was preceded by a public hearing on May 17 during which international criminal law experts and China experts acknowledged the Chinese governments crimes against Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in the XUAR.

That same month, the Scientific Services of the German parliament concluded in a report that Chinas government was committing genocide against the Uyghurs in violation of the Genocide Convention of 1948 to which China is a signatory and ratifying state. The organization then urged the Bundestag to recognize the situation as genocide.

Parliaments in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Lithuania have determined that Chinas policies in the XUAR constitute genocide. The U.S. government in January designated abuses in the region as part of a campaign of genocide.

Reports by RFA, other media outlets, rights groups, and independent researchers have documented other systematic abuse against the Uyghurs, including large-scale forced detentions in re-education camps, political indoctrination, torture, sexual violence, and widespread surveillance and monitoring.

Reported by Alim Seytoff for RFAs Uyghur Service. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
An official report by Canadian experts says it has found no evidence that the downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane shot down after takeoff from Tehran early last year was "premeditated." Tehran rejected the charge as "baseless and unacceptable."

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) flight PS752 crashed on January 8, 2020, while en route to Kyiv, killing all 176 people on board. More than 130 of them had ties to Canada. Citizens or residents of Afghanistan, Britain, Iran, Ukraine, and Sweden were also killed.

Days after official denials, Iran admitted that a unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) had inadvertently shot down the plane when it fired two missiles amid heightened tensions with the United States.

Tehran, which has come under international criticism for misleading statements and hampering independent inquiries, has said it had mistaken the aircraft for a U.S. missile.

A special Canadian forensic team charged with examining all available evidence about the tragedy said in a June 24 report that the blame lied with Iran's "civilian and military authorities."

However, the eight-month investigation "found no evidence that Iranian officials ordered the shoot-down or that it was premeditated."

The probe concluded that an air-defense-unit operator "likely acted on his own in making the decision to launch the missiles," but it added that the incident would not have occurred if not for the "incompetence, recklessness, and wanton disregard for human life" of Iranian officials.

According to the report, Iranian antiaircraft missiles were on high alert, yet the authorities did not close its airspace or notify airlines in operation at the time.

The report also acknowledged a lack of access to the evidence, crash site, and witnesses.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Baharvand on June 25 criticized the report as "highly politicized," and said that Canada is not qualified to present reports on the crash.

"The part of the Canadian report which criticizes Iran's report on the issue in the technical aspect is baseless and unacceptable," Baharvand added.

Iranian authorities initially denied responsibility and allowed the crash site to be bulldozed. They have also provided little public information about the 10 people indicted for their role in the incident.

In May, Human Rights Watch accused Iranian security agencies of harassing and abusing families of the victims of the Ukrainian passenger jet in order to "squash any hope for justice."

The IRGC's Aerospace Force said an air-defense unit had mistaken the Boeing 737-800 for a U.S. missile, and a final report from Irans Civil Aviation Organization in March concluded that an operator "misidentified" the plane and fired the missiles without authorization from a commander.

The Iranian government in December 2020 allocated $150,000 to compensate the family of each passenger, but some families have refused the money.

Iran's air defenses were on high alert at the time because the country had just fired ballistic missiles at two Iraqi military bases hosting U.S. troops in retaliation for the killing of top Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad five days earlier.

"Iran does not get off the hook in any way whatsoever," Canadian Foreign Minister Marc Garneau told a news conference.

"It is totally responsible for what happened," Garneau said, adding that a missile operator made "a series of extremely flawed decisions that could have and should have been avoided."

He also said that Iran's military command and control had been too slow both in addressing the failures and taking measures to prevent future tragedy.

Garneau said the Iranian report had "gaping holes" and "places all of the blame on people lower down in the structure," but he admitted that his government's forensic team relied upon the report and was unable to draw conclusions that differed from Iran's formal "human error" explanation.

"Iran's official account of events is disingenuous, misleading, and superficial, and intentionally ignores key factors," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

"Senior regime officials made the decisions that led to this tragedy, and the world must not allow them to hide with impunity behind a handful of low-ranking scapegoats," he said..

He said Canada would "vigorously pursue full reparations for the downing and the harm that Iran has caused to the victims and their families," which he said will include "seeking a full accounting of the events that took place, complete transparency regarding the ongoing criminal prosecutions, and concrete guarantees by Iran that measures have been taken to ensure such a tragedy never happens again."

Canada will also demand accountability from Iran in international forums, he added.

Trudeau's administration has indicated interest in pursuing sanctions or going before the International Criminal Court over the incident.

With reporting by the BBC, AFP, AP, and Reuters
Lawmakers in Belarus have approved the first reading of a bill amending the constitution to introduce a single voting day for all elections, a move that is likely to delay local elections and a referendum promised by authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka.

The changes, supported by Lukashenka during a speech to parliament last month, were approved on June 25 during the last day of the the legislature's current session.

The Telegram channel of the House of Representatives said the second reading of the bill will be held when parliament reconvenes in the autumn.



Lidzia Yarmoshyna , the head of the Central Election Commission, has said that if the changes are passed, the next municipal elections, which were scheduled for late 2021 or early 2022, will be delayed until 2023.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent.

In turn, that is likely to delay a referendum Lukashenka has pledged to hold on the constitutional amendments. He made the promise amid mass protests after a presidential election last year that opposition leaders and the West say was rigged.

Yarmoshyna has previously floated the idea of holding the referendum in tandem with the municipal vote.

Lukashenka's opponents have expressed doubts about the amendments, calling them a sham exercise to help him to cling to power after the opposition rejected his victory in an August 9 presidential election.

In February, at a Soviet-style "All-Belarusian People's Assembly," Lukashenka, 66, reiterated an idea he started pushing in December that the Belarusian Constitution needed unspecified amendments.

In mid-March, he signed a decree to create of a commission on constitutional amendments which will, by August 1, outline the amendments and present them to Lukashenka.

Opposition and public outrage over what they saw as a rigged vote in the presidential election has sparked continuous protests, bringing tens of thousands onto the streets with demands for Lukashenka to step down and new elections to be held.

Security officials have cracked down hard on the demonstrators, arresting thousands, including dozens of journalists who covered the rallies, and pushing most of the top opposition figures out of the country.

Several protesters have been killed in the violence and some rights organizations say there is credible evidence of torture being used by security officials against some of those detained.

Lukashenka, who has run the country since 1994, has denied any wrongdoing with regard to the election and refuses to negotiate with the opposition on stepping down and holding new elections.

The European Union, the United States, Canada, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka as the legitimate leader of Belarus and have imposed sanctions on him and several senior Belarusian officials in response to the "falsification" of the vote and the postelection crackdown.
Jailed journalist Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, who were arrested after Belarus diverted to Minsk a passenger plane they were on, have been moved from the prisons where they were being held to house arrest amid calls by the opposition and rights activists for their immediate release.

On May 23, Belarusian authorities scrambled a military jet to escort a Ryanair passenger flight over its airspace to land in Minsk in what many countries regard as a "state hijacking." After the plane landed, law enforcement immediately arrested Pratasevich and Sapega.

Pratasevich's father, Dzmitry, who lives in Poland, told the BBC on June 25 that he was not sure why the move was made, adding that "maybe he is involved in some kind of political game."

"The lawyer does not say anything, the authorities do not say anything," he added.

"If the measure of restraint has been changed, this is an improvement in their living conditions. Otherwise, what will happen next is unknown."

Sapega's lawyer, Anton Gashinsky, told Current Time that he had been informed that his client's parents met with their daughter on June 24.

"Yesterday, Sofia's parents met with her. The meeting took place in a restaurant, under guard, because house arrest implies the presence of an escort," Gashinsky said.

Gashinsky said he believes that Sapega's transfer to house arrest was connected primarily with last month's meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and and Belarus's authoritarian ruler, Alyaksandr Lukashenka, in Sochi. Sapega is a Russian citizen.

Earlier Sapega's stepfather told the BBC that his daughter had been moved to house arrest and was living alone in a small apartment in Minsk.

"We are in shock," the BBC quoted Sergei Dudich as saying.

The Belarusian Investigative Committee, the law enforcement body charged with prosecuting major crimes, said in a statement on June 25 that both Pratasevich and Sapega continue their confessions and have pledged cooperation with investigators in exchange for house arrest, which was later granted.

Opposition politician Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya's office said moving the two to house arrest, while good news, is not enough and they are still being held without cause.

"The fact that Raman and Sofia were moved to house arrest and are not in cells any more is good news," Tsikhanouskaya, who is based in Lithuania, said in a statement.

"But house arrest does not mean freedom.... They remain hostages," she added.

Crisis In Belarus Read our coverage as Belarusians continue to demand the resignation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. The West refuses to recognize him as the country's legitimate leader after an August 9 election considered fraudulent.

Pratasevich faces charges of being behind civil disturbances that followed a disputed presidential election in August 2020, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

He was a key administrator of the Telegram channel Nexta-Live, which has been covering mass protests denouncing the official results of the election, which handed Lukashenka a sixth presidential term.

Amnesty International said that justice will not be served until the two are released.

While under house arrest, Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega remain wrongfully detained by Alyaksandr Lukashenkas government. They have been unlawfully arrested and arbitrarily prosecuted for nonexistent crimes, and justice will not be served until they are unconditionally released," said Marie Struthers, Amnesty Internationals Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, in a statement on June 25.

We call on the Belarusian authorities to release Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega immediately and unconditionally. They must allow them to leave Belarus if they choose to do so, and if they remain in the country, the authorities must guarantee there will be no further reprisals against them.

This looks like a cynical ploy by the Belarusian authorities to secure the lifting of international sanctions which were imposed after Raman and Sofias arrests. Over the past year, the world has watched in horror as Alyaksandr Lukashenkas government crushes peaceful dissent with unspeakable cruelty -- these transfers to house arrest change nothing. We reiterate our call on the international community to do their utmost to end the human rights crisis in Belarus," Struthers said.

The Kremlin said on June 25 that Russian diplomats would continue to "guard" the interests in Sapega, who is said to also be facing criminal charges. The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not say whether or when Sapega may return to Russia.

On June 24, the European Union imposed sanctions on key sectors of the Belarusian economy and major revenue sources for Lukashenka's regime, including potash fertilizer exports, the tobacco industry, petroleum, and petrochemical products, in response to the incident.

In a statement on June 25, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry described the sanctions as being part of an effort to "disintegrate and undermine a sovereign and independent state," and said Minsk would take unspecified retaliatory measures in the coming weeks.

Lukashenka's regime has been under international pressure since it launched a brutal crackdown on the political opposition and independent media in the wake of a disputed election in August 2020.

The protesters have said the election was rigged, while the EU, the United States, and other countries have refused to recognize the official results of the vote and do not consider Lukashenka to be the country's legitimate leader.

With reporting by the BBC
The EU hit Belarus with a new round of sanctions on June 24 in response to the seizure of a Ryanair jet and subsequent arrest of two journalists on board. Here are some of the companies and industries with apparent links to Alyaksandr Lukashenka that are now restricted from trading with EU countries.

The manufacturer of oversized mining vehicles and low-profile aircraft tugs is based in Zhodino, just east of Minsk. BelAZ employs over 10,000 people. The company produced about 350 trucks in 2020.

Belarus is the worlds second-largest supplier of potash, the important fertilizer ingredient, after Canada. Nearly all potash exports shipped from Belarus currently leave from Lithuanias port of Klaipeda, in the EU. Analysts say Belarusian potash exports are now likely to be redirected through Russian ports. The shipments are the main source of dollar revenue for Minsk's budget.

The vehicle factory, known mostly for its trucks and buses, employs about 15,000 workers. In 2019, the company reported a loss of nearly $200,000, while last year MAZ turned a meager profit of $56,000. Most Belarusian vehicle exports go to buyers in Russia and other former Soviet countries.

The latest round of EU sanctions restricts EU countries from trading with Belarus in goods used for "manufacturing of tobacco products. That includes filters, papers, and machinery for making cigarettes. Belaruss Hrodno Tobacco Factory produces millions of cigarettes each day. The unusually specific sanction would apparently allow licensed production and export of foreign cigarette brands to continue at the factory.

In earlier sanctions announced in June, the EU blocked any aircraft operated by Belarusian carriers from using EU airports or flying through EU airspace. Belaruss national carrier Belavia has cancelled several routes for the foreseeable future. In late May, a flight to Spain was forced to turn around in mid-air and return to Minsk after pilots learned the plane may not be permitted to transit French airspace.

Petroleum Products

On June 24, the EU announced a halt on imports of various petroleum products made in, or exported from, Belarus. Crude oil is apparently excluded from the ban. Much of Belaruss petroleum exports are refined from Russian oil.

The latest EU sanctions will also restrict trade in surveillance technology, limit access to financial markets, and place further restrictions on the sale of weapons.

Previous rounds of Western sanctions also hit companies and individuals closely linked to Lukashenka. Those earlier sanctions came after a brutal crackdown by Belarusian authorities following last years disputed presidential election, which the opposition and many countries consider to have been fraudulent and have not recognized.

Belarusian officials have ruthlessly detained and jailed thousands of protesters and opposition members since the August 9 election.
The Kremlin has expressed disappointment over the failure of European Union leaders to agree on a proposal by France and Germany to hold an EU-Russia summit with President Vladimir Putin.

At late-night talks in Brussels, the proposal faced fierce resistance from member states -- especially in Eastern Europe -- over concerns that holding such a summit at a time of deteriorating ties between the West and Moscow would send the wrong message.

In a statement early on June 25, the leaders said they "will explore formats and conditionalities of dialogue with Russia," without mentioning any high-level meetings or plans for a summit with Putin.

They said the bloc was open to a "selective engagement with Russia in areas of EU interest," such as climate and the environment, health, the Iran nuclear deal, Syria, and Libya.

The Kremlin said it "regretted" the EU decision not to resume summit meetings with Putin.

"President Putin was and remains interested in establishing working relations between Moscow and Brussels," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

France and Germany proposed holding the first EU summit with Putin since January 2014 after U.S. President Joe Biden met the Russian president in Geneva on June 16, but the proposal was fiercely opposed by member states that remain deeply worried about Moscow's aggression: the three Baltic states -- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania  as well as Poland and Romania.

Russia is the EU's biggest natural-gas supplier and plays a key role in issues linked to Europe's strategic interests, including the Iran nuclear deal and the armed conflicts in Syria and Libya.

But the EU and Russia are on opposing sides of several other issues from matters involving Ukraine and Belarus to human rights. EU states also accuse Russia of meddling in elections, spreading disinformation, and threatening security and stability in Europe.

EU summits with Russia ended after Moscow seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and the West imposed sanctions. Conflict still simmers in eastern Ukraine, where Kremlin-backed separatists are active, and Russia caused alarm last spring by building up troops on its border with Ukraine and in Crimea.

"We cannot continue without dialogue," French President Emmanuel Macron said ahead of the Brussels meeting. "We have to talk, including about our disagreements. It's the only way to resolve them."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also argued for a summit with Putin, telling lawmakers in Berlin that the events of recent months have shown that "it's not enough if we react to the multitude of Russian provocations in an uncoordinated way."

She urged creating "mechanisms to respond in a common and unified way" to what she described as "hybrid attacks by Russia." That includes outreach to countries such as Ukraine, Belarus, and the western Balkans, but also engaging Russia and Putin directly.



After the summit was rejected Merkel said that even without one "formats will be explored...under which dialogues can be started."



Germany has strong economic interests in Russia and wants to see the completion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, which would deliver Russian natural gas to Germany.

Among the leaders who opposed the summit was Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, who urged caution in dealing with Russia.



"So far, we don't see any radical change in the pattern of behavior of Russia," Nauseda said. "If, without any positive changes in the behavior of Russia, we start to engage, it will send very uncertain and bad signals."



He said the idea of a summit was like "trying to engage the bear to keep a pot of honey safe."



Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said the EU risked rewarding Russia with a summit despite the failure of diplomacy to end the conflict in Ukraine.



EU leaders' statement fell back on a familiar pattern by warning of more sanctions against Russia if it continued what the EU says is a policy of disinformation, cyberattacks, and interference to try to divide the bloc.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, and Rikard Jozwiak in Brussels
Many Russians are complaining that the COVID-19 vaccine they signed up to get was swapped for another without their knowledge. Some only found out when they asked about it. They were promised the domestically produced Sputnik V, but instead got a drug called EpiVacCorona produced by the Vector research center in the country's Novosibirsk region. Some scientists have questioned the effectiveness of "EpiVac" and people don't understand why they're being deceived over which vaccine they'll get.
The UN nuclear watchdog said June 25 that it has not received a response from Iran about extending an interim atomic monitoring agreement, after the United States and France warned that not doing so could imperil talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

The temporary monitoring agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran expired on June 24, ending an arrangement agreed to in February that gave the international community eyes and ears on Irans nuclear program.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said in a statement that as of June 25, Iran had not replied or indicated whether it intends to extend the monitoring agreement.

"An immediate response from Iran is needed in this regard," Grossi said, adding that it was of vital importance the agency continue verification and monitoring activities in Iran.

The Iranian representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kazem Gharibabadi, said that Tehran was not required to comply with the IAEA head's request, Iran's semiofficial news agency Tasnim reported.



U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters earlier on June 25 that the United States was concerned and this "has been communicated to Iran and needs to be resolved." Blinken spoke during a news conference in Paris alongside his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian.

Grossi is expected to update the UN bodys Board of Governors on the matter at some point on June 25.

The interim monitoring deal was struck in February for three months, then extended by a month on May 24.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew his country from Iran's nuclear deal with six world powers in 2018 and reimposed economic sanctions on Tehran.

Iran responded by gradually breaching restrictions on centrifuges and uranium enrichment set out in the deal, known officially as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

In response to ongoing sanctions and the assassination of a nuclear scientist last year, Iran announced in February that it was scrapping some of the deal's inspection and monitoring measures.

While the temporary inspections regime eased some concerns, the reduced compliance has made it more difficult to detect a secret nuclear facility or activities, if there are any.

U.S. President Joe Biden is seeking to revive the JCPOA, but a sixth round of indirect talks in Vienna adjourned on June 20 with key issues still unresolved.

The negotiations have largely stalled over technical details and demands from Iran that all U.S. sanctions be lifted.

"We still have significant differences with Iran," Blinken said, warning that if too much time passes the JCPOA will remain moribund.

"There will come a point, yes, where it will be very hard to return back to the standards set by the JCPOA," Blinken said.

"We haven't reached that point -- I can't put a date on it -- but it's something that we're conscious of."

Blinken warned that, if Iran "continues to spin ever more sophisticated centrifuges" and steps up uranium enrichment, it will lessen the "breakout" time needed for Tehran to develop a nuclear bomb.

France -- a remaining party to JCPOA alongside Britain, Germany, Russia, and China -- also called on Iran to advance the talks.

"We expect the Iranian authorities to take the final decisions -- no doubt difficult ones -- which will allow the negotiations to be concluded," Le Drian said at the joint news conference with Blinken.

After the IAEA statement, Russias envoy to the nuclear negotiations said he hoped Iran would soon extend the temporary monitoring arrangement.

It would allow to avoid uncertainties which can have unjustifiable long-lasting negative effects, Mikhail Ulyanov wrote on Twitter.

Earlier this week, Irans outgoing President Hassan Rohani and other top officials signaled progress had been made in negotiations. Rohani's chief of staff, Mahmud Vaezi, said Tehran will also decide whether to extend its monitoring deal after its expiry on June 24.

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
In February 2016, just weeks before the North Caucasus republic of Chechnya was to hold an election for executive-branch head, incumbent leader Ramzan Kadyrov announced on state television that he had had enough.

My time has passed, he said. There are lots of successors on our team. We have got very good specialists.

Far from being the end of Kadyrovs notorious run as the regions strongman, the announcement was actually the start of an elaborate campaign to beg him to remain in power. It featured videos of weeping women and children and a statement from the regions rights ombudsman to the effect that Kadyrovs resignation would amount to a violation of the rights of every Chechen.

Society sees no alternative to [Kadyrov], and there can be no talk of successors, read a statement by a previously unknown group called the Civic Forum of the Chechen Republic.

The Kremlin-backed Kadyrov changed his mind -- if in fact he had intended to bow out -- and managed to whip up a last-minute formal campaign. According to the official result, he won a third term with 98 percent of the vote -- an outcome that government critics change was influenced by fraud and pressure on the populace to back him.

Now that term is coming to an end, and the political theater is returning. When Russia goes to the polls for national legislative elections on September 17-19, Chechens will vote for a republic head. And Kadyrov appears poised to claim another term despite his long record of human rights abuses, including what Human Rights Watch called egregious cases of torture, public humiliation, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.

People tied to Kadyrov have been convicted of involvement or implicated in the killings of investigative journalist Anna Poltikovskaya, human rights activist Natalya Estimirova, former Russian Deputy Prime Minister and opposition political leader Boris Nemtsov, and others.

On June 23, Grozny hosted a Global Congress of the Peoples of Chechnya, a half-day forum that brought together 5,000 delegates from 23 countries, despite only being announced at the beginning of the week.

The congress boasted delegates from Turkey, France, Germany, Belgium, and other countries, although none of the Chechen diaspora organizations contacted by RFE/RL had advance notice of the congress or sent representatives.

No one selected these delegates, said Aslan Murtazaliyev, head of the Association of Chechens of Europe. They are phantoms, and no one here knows them. Our association has chapters in many countries in Europe and we would never send to a Kadyrov event.

Ramzan [Kadyrov] is the only candidate for the post of head of the Chechen Republic, proclaimed State Duma Deputy Adam Delimkhanov at the event.

'In The Name Of All The Clans, All The Villages'

A man named Ali Bazhayev, who claimed to be the vice president of a group called the Alliance of Chechens in France, seconded the nomination in the name of all Chechens in France.

The 79-year-old Ruslan Khasbulatov, who was chairman of the Russian Supreme Soviet until his standoff against President Boris Yeltsin in October 1993, also called on Chechens to vote for Kadyrov.

After the delegates finished lunch, they formed a procession headed by the republics chief mufti, Salakh Mezhiyev, and made their way to Kadyrovs residence to urge him in the name of all the clans, all the villages, and all the respected figures of Islam to heed their call not to abandon them on this path.

Mezhiyev then personally handed Kadyrov a copy of the congresss unanimous resolution. Analysts said the event was hastily organized to present the resolution just moments before Kadyrovs video conference with President Vladimir Putin that afternoon. Putin praised Kadyrovs handling of the regional economy and urged him to run for another term to continue your work.

For my part, I wish you only success, Putin said.

Human Rights Watch said that Putins assertion that Chechnya under Kadyrov is one of the safest places in Russia was particularly cynical. Just two days earlier, the head of Chechen state television threatened to kill Kadyrovs critics.

If someone needs to be killed, someone who deserves death, then we will kill, Chingiz Akhmadov said in a video on Instagram, adding that any enemy of Ramzan Kadyrov is an enemy of the Chechen people.

Kadyrov, 44, virtually inherited the post of head of Chechnya after his father, Chechen President Akhmed Kadyrov, was assassinated in 2004. After a spell as prime minister, Kadyrov was appointed Chechen president by Putin in 2007. He was given a second term by then-President Dmitry Medvedev in 2011 and a unanimous vote by the regions legislature. During that term, the post of Chechen president was abolished and Kadyrov has since been head of the Chechen republic.

Written by RFE/RL senior correspondent Robert Coalson based on reporting by correspondent Pyotr Sevryuk of the Caucasus.Realities desk of RFE/RLs North Caucasus Service
ALMATY, Kazakhstan -- Most of Kazakhstans 130 colleges and universities are owned either by high-level officials or their relatives, an investigation by RFE/RL's Kazakh Service has revealed.

Its a scenario that has developed since 1993 when post-Soviet reforms in the countrys higher-education sector first allowed private schools.

Later reforms transformed most Soviet-era colleges and universities into joint-stock companies -- splitting their ownership between the state and private individuals or corporations.

One prominent example of private ownership by relatives of well-connected public officials is the family of the former Education and Science Minister Bakhytzhan Zhumagulov, who is now an influential lawmaker in the upper chamber of parliament.

As a long-time ally of former President Nursultan Nazarbaev, the 67-year-old Zhumagulov served as the acting chief of the ruling Nur Otan Party from its formation in 2006 until Nazarbaev formally took over its leadership the following year.

Zhumagulov also served as the rector of Kazakhstans flagship Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and was deputy chairman of the lower chamber of parliament, the Mazhilis.

When Zhumagulov was education minister from 2010 to 2013, he himself complained about vested interests blocking efforts to reduce the number of colleges and universities in the country.

There is someone from Astana behind every higher-education institution -- lobbying interests, Zhumagulov told journalists in 2013. This exists among the deputy corps. It is in the government. It is in all central bodies. People are lobbying so that we do not cut these higher-education institutions.

However, official registration documents obtained by RFE/RL list Zhumagulovs wife, Valentina Zhumagulova, and his son, Ruslan Zhumagulov, as the owners of five colleges and universities in Kazakhstan.

Zhumagulovs wife also is listed as the owner of the Independent Agency for Accreditation and Rating.

Headed by Zhumagulovs daughter, Alina Zhumagulova, that accreditation agency is one of several private firms that receive government contracts to evaluate the quality of higher-education institutions.

Another notable figure with a close relative invested in Kazakhstans colleges and universities is Murat Zhurinov, the president of the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan.

Zhurinov was the education and science minister from 1995 to 1997 when there was a spike in the number of new private schools in the country.

State registration documents list his son, Galymzhan Zhurinov, as the owner of the International Humanities and Technical University that was founded in 1998 in the southern city of Shymkent.

When that school merged in February with the Mardan Saparbaev Institute, Galymzhan Zhurinov became one of the founders of the reorganized institution, the Central Asian Innovation University.

Registration documents also reveal that the owners of dozens of other higher-education institutions include former aides of Nazarbaev, former university rectors with close ties to Nazarbaev, lawmakers, and the relatives of former ministry officials.

Dubious, But Not Illegal

There is no law in Kazakhstan prohibiting the relatives of ministers or former senior officials from owning a college or university.

But Elise Ahn, an expert on higher-education institutions in Central Asia, says Kazakhstans system itself creates the perception that there is a high degree of nepotism and corruption.

That perception can really serve to undermine the legitimacy of these institutions and the system as a whole, says Ahn, who heads the International Projects Office at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Ahn says she views RFE/RLs investigative reports on the issue in the broader context" of Kazakh politics.

There has been a lot of robust research demonstrating the connection between nepotism and corruption within the broader institutional landscape in Kazakhstan, she says.

Its not just about a one-off case or even the entire sector, Ahn says. Its really about the situation for higher education in Kazakhstans broader transparency landscape.

In fact, she says, an argument can be made that ministry officials and former officials from the education sector are familiar with the system and presumably would share the same ethics.

On the other hand, she says, cases like the Zhumagulov familys control over the Independent Agency for Accreditation and Rating are seen in the West as a clear conflict of interest. That is, unless the family members recuse themselves.

If you are an accrediting body, particularly in the private sector, youre essentially evaluating your competitors, she explains. There is an inherent conflict of interest there.

Still, Kazakhstan does not have any conflict-of-interest laws that make the practice illegal.

Ahn notes that there is a similar type of tension in Kyrgyzstan, where there has been a dramatic uptick in the number of accreditation agencies in the country with both former higher-education administrators as well as faculty.

Researcher Mihaylo Milovanovitch, a founding member of the Sofia-based Center for Applied Policy, says the problem isnt limited to academic institutions in Central Asia.

In a 2018 study published by the International Higher Education journal, Milovanovitch warned that conflict of interest becomes problematic when officials have a financial interest in the sector that lobbies them and for which they are responsible.

Milovanovitch noted that the education ministers in Armenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Russia, and Ukraine all were implicated in conflicts of interest in 2016.

Deputy education ministers in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Croatia, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine, as well as some cabinet members in Armenia and Kazakhstan have also been accused of having conflicts of interest.

These ranged from having an active "for-profit affiliation" to expectations of going through the revolving door into a salaried or shareholder position at a university after leaving government posts, the study said.

Milovanovitch found that for-profit affiliations with universities also were common among lower-level heads of departments in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Russia, and Serbia -- as well as among education-focused lawmakers in Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine.

Transformed Soviet Legacy

Before the Soviet era, there were no colleges or universities in what is now the territory of Kazakhstan.

Soviet planners changed that in the mid-1920s by setting up five public institutions to kick-start a mass-education program aimed at preparing teachers and specialists.

The first one created was Kirov Kazakh State University in Almaty, now known as Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

For decades it was the only classical university in Kazakhstan with multiple faculties and departments. It remains the largest university in the country and, like a handful of other Soviet-legacy schools with national status, is still owned by the state.

The goal of Soviet-era planners was to prepare students who could help sustain the U.S.S.Rs objectives -- including goals such as universal literacy while also instilling a commitment to Communist Party ideology.

From 1927 to 1932, central planners set up another 15 higher education institutions in Kazakhstan that expanded the focus of instruction to include medicine and agriculture.

Soviet administrators continued to establish new schools into the 1970s with the aim of producing specialists to work in Kazakhstans developing industries, such as the oil and gas sector.

When Kazakhstan declared independence from the Soviet Union in December 1991, there were a total of 55 state-owned, higher-education institutions in the country ranging from trade schools and colleges to universities.

But those schools were disadvantaged by their Soviet legacy. Their emphasis on political ideology left them isolated from international trends in education.

Most suffered from poor financing and had narrow specializations such as preparing students to become engineers or teachers.

Nazarbaev argued that education was the key to transforming post-Soviet Kazakhstan into a globally competitive market economy.

He and the government launched ambitious reforms they said would raise the quality of higher education to international standards -- starting with a regulatory framework.

The Higher Education Law, passed in 1993, allowed private colleges and universities to operate in the country, though they still had to work under the control that the Education Ministry inherited from the Soviet era.

By the 1996-1997 school year, 32 more colleges and universities had opened in Kazakhstan. Most were privately owned.

At the end of 1990s, there were 114 higher education institutions in the country.

The next major reform came in 2000 when legislation allowed the partial privatization of state-owned schools that had been founded during the Soviet era.

That scheme transformed most of those schools -- with the exception of those deemed as national institutions -- into joint-stock companies.

While the state retained partial ownership under the joint-stock reform, private individuals or companies picked up the remaining shares.

In many cases, the prices paid by private interests for their shares have never been made public.

The joint-stock reform led to an explosion of partially privatized schools in the early 2000s.

Along with new private schools, the number of higher-education institutions jumped to about 160.

But Ahn says the lack of emphasis on transparency and governance of schools brought new problems.

Some schools were seen as nothing more than diploma mills that only existed to take in tuition revenue and didnt even offer actual classes, she says.

People were essentially just paying for degrees at both the undergraduate and graduate level, Ahn says.

The Education Ministry started looking at this dramatic increase in the number of institutions and realized that it was counterproductive to have so much competition with little-to-minimal quality assurance, she says.

So in the 2010s we saw a contraction of the number of institutions operating in Kazakhstan, she explains. At one point, there was a 20 percent decrease in the number of institutions operating as these different types of entities.

Recently, under President Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, the trend appears to be reversing again toward the creation of more schools.

In November 2020, Toqaev announced that his administration wanted to open at least 20 new institutions with a focus on science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and digital technology.

Toqaev has made the opening of new [educational] institutions a priority of his administration, Ahn says, adding that a similar expansion is under way in Uzbekistan as President Shavkat Mirziyoev diversifies the higher-education system there.

But Ahn says the reforms Kazakhstan really needs to implement to bring higher education more in line with international norms is to introduce structures emphasizing things like transparency and governance that permeate throughout all levels of the institutions.

There are a lot of shell companies or [unknown] people, and a lack of information about the owners of some private Kazakh schools, she says. There is large-scale corruption, certainly, related to how money does and does not travel -- particularly through joint-stock companies where the finances of institutions arent quite transparent.

With joint-stock companies, she says, there arent clear rules regarding governance -- rules about who can be on the board [of trustees] and conflicts of interest, she concludes. That adds another layer of complexity about trying to develop a better understanding of finances and in whose interest decisions are being made.

Meanwhile, on a micro level, smaller strides are being made in Kazakhstan to establish norms on ethical practices in teaching and learning.

One example is a network formed by prominent universities around academic standards -- known as the Consortia on Academic Integrity.

Written and reported by Ron Synovitz in Prague with reporting by RFE/RLs Kazakh Service correspondent Manas Kaiyrtaev in Almaty
With a Taliban offensive across Afghanistan, neighboring Tajikistan is feeling the impact of the conflict. Residents of a border town said wounded Afghan soldiers fled into Tajikistan for safety earlier this week as fighting raged nearby. Some Tajiks fear the instability could spill over the border.
Bakhtovar Jumaev, a Moscow-based Tajik lawyer, says officials in Tajikistan have opened a case against him for inciting "extremist activity."

Jumaev told RFE/RL on June 25 that the Panjakent Organized Crime Department summoned his father a day earlier to inform him that they had opened the proceedings.

"I told him that my son was neither an extremist nor a terrorist, and that the accusations against him were slanderous," Jumaev's father said.

The Panjakent police department did not respond to calls from RFE/RL for comment.

Jumaev said earlier this month that officials told his family they should demand his return to Tajikistan.

After the warning, Jumaev left Russia for a third country. Without disclosing details, Jumaev said he had received information that Russian officials were planning to detain and deport him to Tajikistan.

Several Tajik activists in Russia say their relatives in Tajikistan are being targeted by the government in an effort to silence and threaten its critics abroad.

At least 15 Tajik activists have disappeared in Russia since 2015, human rights activists say. Some of them have reappeared in Tajikistan -- often in jails, facing dubious charges ranging from fraud to extremism. The whereabouts of others remain unknown.

Jumaev is a colleague of Izzat Amon, the head of the Center for Tajiks in Moscow, who was charged with fraud after his forced return to Dushanbe from Moscow in March.

Amon faces up to 12 years in prison if found guilty. His supporters dismiss the charges as politically motivated.

Amon's nonprofit organization in Moscow has helped Tajik migrant workers find jobs, obtain work and residency permits, and get legal advice.
For any Central Asia governments that thought they had time to consider their policies toward Afghanistan while the last foreign troops are withdrawing from the country, the clock already seems to have run out.

Few could have foreseen the rapid advances Taliban fighters have made in northern Afghanistan since the start of May. The fighting has spread swiftly to Afghanistan's northern borders and already involves Central Asia.

The defeat on June 22 of Afghan government forces at the town of Shir Khan Bandar, with its vital border crossing into Tajikistan, seems to have been as much of a shock to Central Asian authorities as it was to the 134 Afghan soldiers who escaped the Taliban assault by fleeing into Tajikistan.

Adding to the alarm, Uzbekistans Foreign Ministry has confirmed that 53 armed Afghan troops and allied militia fighters also fled into Uzbekistan on June 23.

Tashkent says that after questioning those soldiers and militia fighters, Uzbek authorities sent them back.

Uptick In Fighting

Eight Afghan provinces border former Soviet republics in Central Asia. From west to east, they are Herat, Badghis, Faryab, Jowzjan, Balkh, Kunduz, Takhar, and Badakhshan.

Those provinces were relatively peaceful for most of the decade after U.S. troops first arrived in Afghanistan in late 2001. There was little cause for concern in neighboring Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.

But Afghan security forces have become increasingly involved in fighting the Taliban and other militants since 2013. At times, some battles have taken place just across the border from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Stray rounds of artillery and gunfire have even occasionally landed in their territory.

RFE/RLs Turkmen Service, known locally as Azatlyk, reported on June 25 that the Afghan town of Andkhoy in Faryab Province had fallen to the Taliban the previous day.

Reports suggest government forces on June 25 were staging counter attacks on Andkhoy, which is just 10 kilometers from Turkmenistan.

The nearby town of Aqina, about 30 kilometers from the Turkmen border, is the location of a dry port and railway station for the only railway connection between Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. It also is a key link for the Lapis Lazuli transit route that connects Afghanistan with Turkey and Europe.

Afghanistans private Tolo News reported on June 19 that Taliban forces captured Faryabs Khwaja Sabz Posh district. Fighting also was reported outside the provincial capital Maimana.

In the neighboring province of Badghis, fighting in the districts of Murghab and Gormach has been going on since 2014.

In February 2014, militants crossed the Murghab River into Turkmenistan and killed three Turkmen border guards. Months later, militants crossed the border from the Gormach district -- killing three Turkmen soldiers and stealing their weapons.

In Jowzjan Province, to the east of Faryab, there are reports that the districts of Hamyab and Qarqin on the border of Turkmenistan have fallen under the control of the Taliban along with the districts of Aqcha, Mangijal, Faizabad, and Mardyan.

The town of Shir Khan Bandar, from where Afghan troops fled across a 700-meter-long bridge to Tajikistan, is in Kunduz Province.

In 2015 and again in 2016, Taliban forces temporarily seized parts of the provincial capital, Kunduz city, before they were forced out by Afghan counterattacks supported by U.S. air strikes and special forces.

All three districts of Kunduz Province that border Tajikistan -- the Imam Sahib district where Shir Khan Bandar is located, Dasht-e Archi, and Qala-e-Zal -- reportedly were under Taliban control on June 25.

The province's southern-most district of Aliabad also reportedly was captured by Taliban militants. But a report from Afghanistans Tolo News said Aliabad had been retaken by government forces.

Tolo News reported on June 21 that eight of the 12 districts of Takhar Province, just east of Kunduz, had either fallen to the Taliban or been evacuated by Afghan security forces during the previous week.

Those districts include Chal, Baharak, Ishkamish, Namak (Chah) Ab, Yangi Qala, Khwaja Ghar, and Hazar Samooch.

That report said Khwaja Ghar and another district, Bangi, were soon recaptured by government forces.

WATCH: Tajikistan Tense As Fighting In Afghanistan Approaches Border

Yangi Qala and Nama (Chah) Ab both border Tajikistan as does the district of Darqad, which has been under Taliban control for several years.

Takhar's provincial capital, Taloqan, was also reportedly under siege from Taliban forces.

Between the provinces bordering Turkmenistan and Tajikistan is Balkh Province -- the only Afghan province bordering Uzbekistan. With its capital of Mazar-e Sharif, most of Balkh Province has long held out against Taliban incursions.

But the 53 soldiers and militia fighters who fled into Uzbekistan on June 23 crossed from Balkh's Shortepa district.

Uzbekistan's Foreign Ministrys statement did not elaborate on why the group crossed into Uzbek territory.

At the time, there were no reports of fighting in the Shortepa district. But there have been recent reports of fighting in Balkh Province further to the south of the Uzbek border.

Deals With The Taliban

The Taliban briefly seized the provinces Balkh district on June 12. But government forces recaptured the territory by June 22.

Other districts in the province like Chimtal, just southwest of Balkh district, also have seen fighting in recent weeks.

As Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan watch these events unfold, their governments have surely seen reports of retreats by Afghan government forces.

In some cases, security forces have simply run out of ammunition or failed to receive reinforcements. Other times, they've reached deals with advancing Taliban -- leaving their weapons and other equipment behind in exchange for safe passage.

WATCH: Amid Taliban Offensive, Afghan Civilians Are Taking Up Arms

There is now little room for optimism that Afghan government forces can hold out long against the Taliban in northern Afghanistan, especially after September 11 when the last foreign troops are due to leave.

The government in Kabul already has signaled that it wants paramilitary forces to play a larger role in the fight against the Taliban.

But that raises a familiar old problem for the Tajik and Uzbek governments.

During the latter half of the 1990s, when Taliban fighters were advancing across much of northern Afghanistan, Uzbekistan threw its support behind the ethnic-Uzbek Afghan commander Abdul Rashid Dostum -- a controversial figure often described as a warlord.

Tajikistan threw its support behind ethnic Tajik commander Ahmad Shah Masud -- the legendary "Lion Of Panjshir."

Now, with Afghan government forces on the backfoot, there may be elements in Tashkent and Dushanbe looking for Afghan proxies to guard the doorstep of their countries.

Their concerns may not be so much about the Taliban, but rather, about radicalized Islamists from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan who are fighting in the ranks of the Taliban or other militant groups.

Most concerning to them are their citizens among groups like the Islamic State of Khorasan, or Central Asian extremist groups that now operate in Afghanistan -- the Tajik-dominated Jamaat Ansarullo or Uzbek-dominated groups, the Islamic Jihad Union, Katibat Imam al-Bukhari, Katibat Tahwid al-Jihad, or the remnants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.

Turkmenistan, with its official policy of neutrality, has always tried to stay out of Afghanistans internal conflicts.

In March 2019, when about 100 government soldiers attempted to flee into Turkmenistan to escape a Taliban advance in the Murghab district of Badghis Province, they were turned back by Turkmen border guards. That subsequently led to their capture by the Taliban.

Four years earlier, Turkmen border guards turned back a group of Taliban fighters who were fleeing an attack by fighters under the command of General Abdul Rashid Dostum in the Hamyab district of Jowzjan Province.

Uzbekistan now seems to be trying to follow this model -- judging by its decision to return the 53 pro-government fighters back into Afghanistan.

In contrast, Dushanbe this week allowed fleeing Afghan troops to remain temporarily in Tajikistan. The wounded were treated at hospitals there.

The head of Tajikistans eastern Gorno-Badakhshan region, Yodgor Fayzov, told a meeting of regional administrators on June 21 that they should be prepared to take in at least 5,000 and as many as 10,000 refugees from Afghanistan.

As the situation continues to unfold on the Afghan side of the border, the governments of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are also likely to be double-checking the bilateral and multilateral defense and security agreements they have -- just in case.
A Ukrainian hacker has been sentenced to seven years in prison for his role in a notorious cybercrime group that stole credit- and debit-card information from millions of people in the United States and other countries.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the sentencing of Andriy Kolpakov, 33, on June 24. Kolpakov, who pleaded guilty to wire-fraud and computer-hacking charges, was also ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution, the department said in a press release.

Kolpakov's lawyer said his client was disappointed with the sentence but respected the judge's decision.

Kolpakov was arrested in Spain in 2018 and extradited to the United States.

The three years he has spent in custody count toward his sentence. He plans to return to Ukraine after serving out the rest, Vadim Glozman, his lawyer, told Reuters.

Kolpakov's gang, known as FIN7, used carefully crafted e-mails that appeared to be legitimate and follow-up phone calls to target people working at hotels, casinos, and restaurants. Once the victims opened attachments, FIN7 would use malware to access financial information that the gang would then sell or use in other illicit ways.

Although the group also targeted victims in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, it especially hit U.S. businesses.

U.S. prosecutors said the gang's sophisticated operation had more than 70 people organized into departments and teams, including a unit devoted to crafting malicious software and another devoted to hacking into victims' computers.

Prosecutors say Kolpakov worked for FIN7 from at least April 2016 until his arrest in June 2018 and rose to become a mid-level manager who directed a small team of hackers.

Two other Ukrainians charged in the FIN7 cybercrime are Fedir Hladyr, 35, who pleaded guilty in September 2019 after being extradited from Germany, and Dmytro Fedorov, who is being held in Poland.

Hladyr was sentenced to 10 years in prison in April after pleading guilty to hacking and wire-fraud charges. He confessed to serving as a manager and systems administrator for FIN7 and agreed to pay $2.5 million in restitution.

The 10-year sentence includes the three years Hladyr has already spent in custody.
President Vladimir Putin issued Moscow's latest plea for "cooperation and security from the Atlantic to the Pacific," but provocative pronouncements about Ukraine may undermine the message. Meanwhile, a COVID surge slammed Russia and the Kremlin's crackdown spread deeper into the educational sector.

Here are some of the key developments in Russia over the past week and some of the takeaways going forward.

Security For Some

For years, Moscow has been calling for a new security architecture in Europe and beyond, or at least closer cooperation toward an arrangement in which no country's security would come at the expense of any other. It's been a mantra of sorts since even before the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991.

In part, at least, it's a euphemism for "NATO should be disbanded," something that President Vladimir Putin, in an article for the German newspaper Die Zeit marking the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, suggested he believes should have happened long ago.

He repeated the mantra about what his Foreign Ministry often calls "indivisible security," stating, "Our common and indisputable goal is to ensure security on the continent without dividing lines, a common space for equitable cooperation and inclusive development for the prosperity of Europe and the world as a whole.

Critics of the Kremlin might say that there are many reasons to doubt the sincerity of such calls: They come from a country that, particularly under Putin's long watch, has been repeatedly accused of undermining European security with a wide range of words and actions, from election interference to poisonings.

But it is Russia's approach to Ukraine that may stand out most prominently as evidence that in Putin's eyes, when it comes to security, some countries are more equal than others.

The most obvious example, or course, is what happened in 2014. Russia seized the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine after sending in troops, securing key facilities, and staging a referendum deemed illegitimate by the UN General Assembly. It also fomented separatism across much of the country and backed anti-Kyiv forces in a war that still simmers in the region known as the Donbas after killing more than 13,000 combatants and civilians.

Against that backdrop, words also may cast doubt on the sincerity of what Putin told Die Zeit were Russia's "calls to create common space of cooperation and security from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean."

Less than two weeks earlier, Putin had said in comments on state TV that Ukraine as a state was a "spawn of the Soviet period."

Insecurity For Others

Despite the fact that until the seizure of Crimea, Russia had formally recognized Ukraine and its borders, it was far from the first time Putin has sought to cast doubt on the neighboring country's legitimacy as a nation and an independent state.

In 2008, he reportedly told U.S. President George W. Bush that Ukraine was "not even a country."

Putin has also said, as recently as last year, that Ukrainians and Russians are "one people," an assertion that seems meant to sound like a positive statement -- but to some is an affront that goes deeper than his remarks about Ukraine's statehood.

Meanwhile, Putin's provocative comments about the neighboring country may sound mild compared to those of Vladislav Surkov, a longtime former aide who was his top adviser on Ukraine policy -- what an interviewer from the Financial Times described as the stage manager of the seizure of Crimea and Donbas war.

In February 2020, in his first interview since his departure from the Kremlin, Surkov stated bluntly and falsely that "there is no Ukraine."

And in the Financial Times interview published on June 18, he repeated that Ukraine "does not really exist" and that its borders "should be the subject for an international discussion."

Surkov also said that he was proud to have been "part of the reconquest," a reference to the takeover of Crimea and seizure by the Kremlin-backed separatists of parts of the Donbas, and that a 2015 cease-fire deal "legitimized the first division of Ukraine," suggesting he hopes for more.

Surkov no longer has a job in Putin's administration, so at least formally, he is not influencing policy.

Summit Talk

But as a backdrop to Putin's remarks and a window into the Kremlin's actions up until recently, the seemingly deliberately provocative tone and content of his statements seem to clash powerfully and unmistakably with Moscow's calls for cooperation, stability, and security across Europe.

The most recent remarks from Putin and Surkov come amid discord within the EU about how to handle Russia, with two core members calling for a meeting with Putin -- following the U.S.-Russia summit in Geneva on June 16 -- and others warning against.

As EU officials debated the idea on June 24, Sam Greene, director of the Russia Institute at Kings College London, observed that the "timing is odd."

"In just the last week, the Kremlin has doubled down on its hounding of the opposition, declared an American university to be an 'undesirable organization,' lobbed projectiles in the general vicinity of a British naval ship, and mounted a valiant crusade against the forces of reality in the ongoing MH17 trial in The Hague -- none of which would seem to suggest 'c'mon, let's do business,'" Greene wrote in a newsletter.

While opponents of an EU-Russian summit proposal prevailed at least for now, Putin was certain to welcome the calls by France and Germany for European leaders to meet with him -- in fact, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov quickly made clear that he had.

The warnings against -- from Kyiv and EU members including Lithuania, whose president said that engaging Moscow "without any positive changes in Russia's behavior" would "send a very bad signal to our partners," including Ukraine -- reflected, among other concerns, a lack of trust in the Kremlin's stated motives.

Not that Western leaders who have met with Putin, or are advocating an EU-Russia summit, have said anything about trusting him. Macron said that dialogue with Russia "is necessary for the stability of the European continent, but it will be demanding because we will not give up any of our values."

Trust Me

At a solo press conference after the Geneva summit with U.S. President Joe Biden, Putin said he thought he saw "glimmers" of trust emerging in their talks -- a remark that seemed to indicate that he cares about whether Western leaders trust him, or at least whether the Russian people, who will vote in September parliamentary elections that will test one of his main levers of power, the United Russia party, think they do.

Biden, at his own solo press conference a little later, countered by saying: "This is not about trust. This is about self-interest."

Trust has been a problem for Putin at home, too. The lack of it, more precisely, has contributed to a new COVID wave driven in part by hesitancy among tens of millions of Russians to get vaccinated.

Russians' trust in Putin is far from its highest levels. When asked to name several Russian politicians they trust, about 33 percent named Putin in a survey conducted by the independent Levada Center in May, before the spike in coronavirus cases was evident. The number was well above the 23 percent recorded on July 2020, but far below the 59 percent registered late in 2017.

Like Macron a week later, Biden said in Geneva that in seeking what U.S. officials have called a "stable and predictable relationship" with Russia, the United States would "speak out to defend our democratic values, to stand up for the universal rights and fundamental freedoms that all men and women have, in our view."

They and other Western leaders will have their work cut out for them, by all indications: The Russian state's crackdown on opponents of the Kremlin -- real, perceived, and in some cases, according to government critics, conjured out of thin air -- has continued apace.

One of the victims this week: Bard College, a small U.S. liberal-arts institution whose respected program with a university in St. Petersburg has awarded degrees to more than 2,000 students, most of them from Russia and other former Soviet republics in what Bard called an "exemplary model for Russian-American relations."

Fear And Disfavor

On June 21, authorities moved to list Bard as an "undesirable foreign organization," saying it "represents a threat to the constitutional order and security" of the country -- an allegation one Russian professor said was the product of "self-defeating state paranoia."

Government opponents also see paranoia, or plain old fear, in the state's efforts to bar millions of people from running in elections.

Three months before the elections, the independent vote-monitoring group Golos said that legal restrictions enacted by the government had deprived at least 9 million otherwise eligible Russians -- and probably many more -- of their right to run for public office.

Now-imprisoned opposition leader Aleksei Navalny was barred from challenging Putin for the presidency in 2018. Today, the swelling ranks of those who have been deprived of the right to be elected include, or will soon include, thousands of people who have worked for or backed organizations founded by Navalny.

Those groups, including his Anti-Corruption Foundation and his network of offices nationwide, were deemed "extremist" by a Moscow court on June 9. Five days earlier, Putin had signed a bill barring members and supporters of "extremist "organizations from running in elections at any level.

In the long run, experts say Putin's government may be shooting itself in the foot with the extremism designation -- in part because the designation is inaccurate.

"The popular movement Navalny has come to represent is the most ideologically committed to peaceful, nonviolent political change that Russia has ever seen," Greg Afinogenov, an assistant professor of Imperial Russian history at Georgetown University, wrote in an opinion article in The Guardian on June 21. "It has made millions of people, many of them young, into civic activists working to repair -- rather than overthrow -- the post-Soviet state."

"In closing a vital safety valve for what is otherwise a closed system," he wrote, Putin's government "is endangering its own future."
ONTARIO -- Advantage Credit Union is celebrating their 60th anniversary with an array of discounts and incentives designed to help customers save on mortgages, HELOCs, checking accounts, and credit cards. They are particularly excited about extending support to healthcare workers who have committed an abundance of time and energy this past year to keeping the Richland community safe.

CEO Camille Grayson shared why Advantage Credit Union cares so deeply for healthcare workers:

"Our Health Care workers are the unsung heroes of the unprecedented and deadly COVID-19 pandemic," Grayson said. "Ever compassionate, resilient and dedicated.

"We owe all of you a tremendous debt of gratitude. Thank you, all!"

In 1961, a group of local autoworkers started Auto Workers Credit Union to initially serve the employees of the General Motors Plant, their families, and retired employees. In 2002, the Board of Directors took steps for continued growth and gained a Community Charter, offering services to all who live, work, worship or attend school in Richland County.

The new name of Advantage Credit Union was established in 2009 to continue with the goal of serving everyone in the county.

Throughout all the changes over the past 60 years, Advantage still exists today with the same mission, to provide a full range of quality financial services in a cost-efficient, courteous, and professional manner. Advantage would like to invite you to become a part of our family.

Open a new savings account to receive a FREE lifetime membership. Available now throughout 2021.

Take advantage of the additional discounts listed below:

$500 Closing Costs on a First Mortgage Purchase or Refinance  LIMITED TIME OFFER.

No Closing Costs on a Home Equity Line of Credit  LIMITED TIME OFFER.

Secure Checking with identity theft protection and credit file monitoring.

Get $50 cash credit when you open a new, low fixed rate Visa Platinum Card with no annual or balance transfer fees, plus earn rewards.

NEW - Gift cards now available, the perfect gift for any occasion.

NEW - Reloadable travel cards just in time for vacation.

About Advantage Credit Union: Serving the community of Richland County, Ohio, Advantage Credit Union offers a range of checking and savings accounts, loans, investment accounts, and other services to its members.
BELLVILLE  For years, Jenny Resendez has watched the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on television, or from the audience.

She never imagined that one day she would participate.

But on Sunday, June 13, two of her Golden Retrievers strutted their stuff in the ring at the iconic dog show, the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the country.

The two four-legged competitors were CH JR's Golden Angel's Steer In The Right Direction BN CA DS DJ CGCA CGCU TKN - otherwise known as "Helm," and CH JR's Golden Angel's Quicker Picker Upper CGCA TKN - otherwise known as "Bounty."

In a weekend Resendez described as "a flash of light," she and her best friend Paulette Merrill departed for Lyndhurst in New York at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning, competed at 9 a.m. on Sunday, and were home by 8 p.m. that night.

"Helm made the cut in the male specials, which is a pretty good success at Westminster, although he did not get into the ribbons," Resendez said. "Bounty showed well for a 2-year-old dog; someone said she was the youngest dog in the ring for the females."

At Westminster, all of the entrants are AKC champions of record and therefore compete in the Best of Breed class. Only the Best of Breed winners advance to compete in the Group competitions.

Each canine at a dog show is presented to a judge by either its owner, breeder, or a hired professional. This person is known as the exhibitor or the handler of the dog.

For Helm, that person was Leslie Racine, a professional handler from West Virginia, wearing armband #9. Bounty was shown by her co-owner Brianna Pierce, who lives in Powell, wearing armband #38. This was Pierce's sixth trip to Westminster as a handler.

Each dog is judged against a written standard describing the ideal dog. They describe things like general appearance, movement, temperament, and specific physical traits such as height and weight, coat, colors, eye color and shape, ear shape and placement, feet, tail, and more. Each judge, applying their interpretation of the standard, gives their opinion on that day on which dog best represents its breed.

Due to New York State COVID-19 regulations impacting the allowable number of attendees at events, Westminsters 2021 events were not open to spectators or vendors. But Merrill said it didn't take away from the pomp and circumstance of the event.

"There's almost a friendship and kinship between the handlers and those who are showing; sometimes we know your dog better than we know you," Merrill said. "It's still a competition, but handlers may give one another tips or help each other with grooming."

Resendez would never describe herself as a show-dog breeder. For her, she loves showing her dogs to build their relationship and strengthen their bond.

"I feel very humbled; I myself have only been actively showing for five years, and I have three home-bred champions in my house over those five years," she said. "It's exciting in a five-year span to have that success in that venue with our guys."

The quick weekend trip to Westminster meant Resendez didn't spend too much time away from the rest of her pack. She runs The Lodge 4k9s out of her home, and currently owns 9 Golden Retrievers plus 14 puppies.

Goldens have always been a passion for Resendez; she owned her first Golden, named Kayla, when she was just shy of 13 years old. She grew up working for her parents at Cedar Creek Kennel. Now, 20 years later, there is nearly a two-year waiting list for the puppies she breeds.

"I just love them, they're such a great family pet, and such a versatile breed," Resendez said. "They love to retrieve, hunt, they're family dogs, therapy dogs. And they live in the house with us, laying at our feet or on the couch."

The next big adventure for Helm and Bounty is the Golden Retriever Club of America National Specialty in Florida this October. Plus, Resendez has high hopes to bring one or more of her dogs back to Westminster.

Whatever the future holds, she and her dogs will tackle it as a team.

"Helm has been with us from his first breath, so it's really exciting in that aspect," Resendez said. "We've reached so many goals through that, it's very rewarding."
MANSFIELD -- Richland County Emergency Management Agency has announced it has received verification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and State of Ohio Emergency Management Agency that its submitted and updated documentation for the Richland County Hazard Mitigation Plan has been approved.

The plan has met the required criteria for a Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan.

In the fall of 2020 Richland County EMA partnered with Ohio State Universitys Kimberly Burton P.E., AICP CTP, LEED AP ND, Associate Professor of Practice, City & Regional Planning/Collage of Engineering, Knowlton School.

She is the Internship Program Coordinator. She, along with her fall semester students outlined the following Project goals to develop the updated mitigation plan:

 Research and review federal and state guidance on Hazard Mitigation Plans.

 Perform a review and evaluation of the existing plan.

 Complete an update of the Countys Hazard Mitigation Plan.

 Conduct associated public involvement.

Also assisting with the development of the plan was Luan K. Nguyen, State Hazard Mitigation Planner, Ohio Emergency Management Agency.

The plan will be current for a period of five years and will need updated again by June 22, 2026.

Thank you to all community partners for participating and providing input to update the plan.
FREDERICKTOWN  The man who law enforcement officials say pointed a gun at a Fredericktown police officer last week has been apprehended, according to Knox County Sheriff David Shaffer.

Darren L. Price, 38, of Howard, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon, Shaffer said in a press release. He was found at a residence in North Liberty, near the Richland County line.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Price's arrest Tuesday, having used public tips and private investigative tactics to identify the suspect.

New information from the Mount Vernon Police Department in the days that followed prompted the sheriff's office to reach out to the U.S. Marshals Service and its Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, Shaffer said, which provided technical support and personnel to assist in locating and apprehending Price.

Price was apprehended at 2:19 p.m. Thursday, Shaffer said. He is currently being held in the Knox County Jail.

It's currently unclear if Price has been charged. Shaffer and Knox County Prosecutor Chip McConville were unavailable for comment Thursday afternoon.

Shaffer said Tuesday that Price's warrant was issued "on probable cause that we have to back up the charges we're looking at," Shaffer said.

Those charges included fleeing and eluding and having weapons under disability.

"He's got a felony drug conviction out of another state and that is the basis for the weapons-under-disability charge," McConville said.

Price has a long criminal record locally, court documents indicate. He has accumulated four felony charges and 15 misdemeanor charges over the last 20 years.

Price pleaded guilty in 2001 to 13 counts of forgery, as well as breaking and entering, and was sentenced to 22 months in prison. He was convicted in 2004 of failure to comply with a police signal or order, a third-degree felony, and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Price has also served jail time on charges of domestic violence, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and criminal trespassing.

Price was convicted twice in May of driving under FRA suspension, the penalty issued in Ohio for drivers who demonstrate a lack of financial responsibility. He was scheduled to have a pay-plan hearing on July 14 in Mount Vernon Municipal Court.

Last Thursday's incident began as a traffic stop, Fredericktown Police Chief Kyle Johnson said. Patrolman Josh Jones pulled Price over for a registration violation, as his license plate did not match the maroon Pontiac sedan he was driving.

When Jones approached the vehicle, Price allegedly pulled a gun on Jones, pointing it out of his driver's-side window.

It's still unclear if Price fired his weapon, although Johnson said Jones fired his duty-issued sidearm as a result. While Jones was not injured during the altercation, Price's medical status is unknown.

Price fled the scene after shots were fired, and Jones followed. He eventually lost the suspect near the Richland County line. Price's vehicle was found abandoned in Richland County approximately two hours later.

Jones has since been placed on paid administrative leave, per department policy, while the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation completes its investigation. Price remained at-large for nearly a week, as local and state authorities asked for the public's assistance in locating him.

This case remains under investigation by the Knox County Sheriff's Office, Fredericktown Police Department and BCI.
Summer vacation shouldnt mean going hungry for Ohio kids.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of Ohio students receive free or reduced-price lunches at school. One of the many challenges of this pandemic has been ensuring these kids can access healthy and filling meals when school cafeterias have been closed.

Over the past year our school districts and their kitchen staff have done an amazing job ensuring that children still had access to nutritious food even when schools were closed. Food banks like Second Harvest and other community organizations across the state have also played a key role to prevent Ohio kids from going hungry.

We need to continue to support those efforts, and take the lessons learned over the past year and use them to strengthen our summer food service program.

This is why I introduced the bipartisan Hunger-Free Summer for Kids Act, to make it easier for Ohio kids and their families to access free lunch and snacks through the Summer Food Service Program.

According to the Ohio Department of Education, in 2019, Ohios summer nutrition programs reached only about 10 percent of eligible children. We know one challenge is reaching families that live in rural areas or neighborhoods where feeding sites are not located.

Its why our bill would allow sites to offer grab and go meals for children to pick up and eat away from the premises, providing flexibility for busy parents who are often juggling work and child care while their children are out of school.

We also know that without a school bus, many children  particularly kids in rural areas  have no way to get to the churches, recreation centers, and parks where meals are served. Thats why our bill would also create an Electronic Benefit Transfer program, to give families money each month to buy lunches for their kids.

In USDA pilot programs, summer EBT reduced child hunger by 30 percent, and was particularly helpful for children living in rural communities.

We need to do all we can to support and raise public awareness of these programs. Ohio families need to know the end of the school year doesnt mean an end to healthy meals for their children.
A new bill introduced this month in the General Assembly is designed to give more teeth to audits of local governments such as the audit that 
State Auditor Beth Wood said on a local television station the findings of her offices May 2020 report of a probe of the City of Rocky Mount 
EXPLAINER: Why some schools in Canada have unmarked graves

Leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada say investigators have found more than 600 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school for Indigenous children in Saskatchewan
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. High 59F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Cloudy with periods of rain. Low near 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.
Danvers, MA (01923)

Today

Showers this morning, becoming a steady rain during the afternoon hours. High near 60F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low near 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Heartland Fire & Rescue firefighters/paramedics in El Cajon are singing the praises of Squad 6, a bright-red, fully equipped, custom-built 2017 Ford F-250 truck that could change the way communities handle emergency calls.

It was named Squad 6 because squad is the term used by fire departments to describe a two-person unit and the number corresponds to the El Cajon station it is run out of.

The department earlier this month started sending firefighters out to some crisis situations in the new emergency vehicle to take some of the heat off the departments big engine trucks.

Because it costs less and requires fewer personnel, its an attractive alternative for departments trying to manage budgets and lower response times.

Advertisement

The primary mission of Squad 6 is to respond to low-acuity medical emergencies, freeing up the departments Engine 6 and Truck 6 to respond to more significant emergencies.

Firefighter John Oslovar, who has worked for more than 10 years out of El Cajon, says the truck fills a needed niche and said its cost effectiveness and efficiency make sense.

If youre doing home improvement work on your house, you can pound nails with a big sledgehammer, Oslovar said. And it works. But its not the most efficient, not the most precise and really doesnt work as well as a regular carpenters hammer.

He said not only is the truck less expensive, but related needs are also, such as the cost of fuel and the trucks use of less specialized off-the-shelf tires.

The city of San Diego has two comparable trucks, but they are custom-made trucks from Pierce, which typically cost about $150,000. In October, National City rolled out a similar Ford truck at its new Station 33 in the northeastern part of the city. The fire department in Plano, Texas, has been using two Chevy trucks for the same purpose since 2013.

The truck cost the city of about 100,000 a little over $82,000 and was specially funded and intended to serve El Cajon, but Squad 6 will also support neighboring jurisdictions on emergencies other than medical aid calls.

Heartland Fire & Rescue serves El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove. It has four stations in El Cajon, three in La Mesa, and one in Lemon Grove, with a total of 12 apparatus staffed daily.

The department responded to nearly 26,000 emergency incidents last year, with 13,951 of those in El Cajon.

Advertisement

Heartland Fire Chief Colin Stowell said service calls have been increasing 5 percent every year in the city.

That number is quickly becoming unsustainable under traditional service delivery models, requiring alternative deployment methods such as the Squad 6 concept, Stowell said. The added call volume stretches emergency response resources and leads to slower response times or temporary lack of coverage in our communities.

Heartlands truck is fully equipped with medical aid gear; structural and brush firefighting safety equipment; and various firefighting hand tools.

The cost of the truck is far less than the cost of a fire engine, which can set a city back close to $1 million.

Advertisement

But City Manager Doug Williford says money savings was not the primary factor, but rather most effective, fastest way to respond to increasing number of 911 calls to fire.

Advertisement

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.com
Click here to read the full article.

A two-song performance by Madonna was the big surprise on Thursday night during a Pride party in New York City.

The evening, which took place at the Meatpacking Districts The Standard hotel, was billed as Boom x Pride with appearances by Kaytranada and deejays Honey Dijon, Misshapes and Eli Escobar.

Madonna, dressed in Material Girl gloves and Not My President leather straps, made her appearance in the Boom Boom Room at about 1:30 a.m., performing Hung Up and I Dont Search I Find from the lounges bar top.

At the top of the Standard, a heavy gold-plated door separates Le Bain  the Standards night club  from the hotels exclusive lounge, which Thursday night housed hundreds of New York pride guests awaiting Madonnas performance. Outside the door, a deep crowd of people fought to make their way into the party, where terms like deep red with No Fear, Courage and Resist were projected around the room; earlier in the evening, she had premiered a video bearing that title a few dozen blocks uptown on Times Square jumbo screens.

Free bottles of champagne were offered to anyone willing to wait their turn.

Inside, guests like Anderson Cooper, Andy Cohen, Billy Eichner, Zachary Quinto, Lance Bass, Adam Lambert, Jon Batiste and Lady Fag could be spotted around the room, dancing high above New Yorks skyline. A court of drag performers including Detox, Aquaria, Kandy Muse, Vanessa Vangie Matteo and Gottmik also assembled for the Queen of Pop.

To not celebrate pride without people would have been a tragedy for me, Madonna said to the crowd, decreeing the return of New York City nightlife and voguish, raucous parties of legend, the likes of which New York City hasnt seen for 15 months. Take nothing for granted because you never know whats waiting for all of us around the corner, she said. Learn to love yourself.

There to raise money for the Ali Forney Center and the Haus of US  two LGBTQ advocacy and support groups  Madonna was joined by Quinto to auction off three original polaroid photographs for $10,000, $25,000 and $25,000 each. Together, the pair raised over $100,000, each pledging a personal donation of $25,000.

Everybody in this room is here because youve been successful and are making a difference, said Quinto during the auction. And now youre here at the best fucking pride party, in the best fucking city in the whole fucking world. Now its time to make sure that other people get to be here, too.

Teasing the evening on Instagram earlier in the night, Madonna wrote, We are here to celebrate our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters, support some amazing Queer initiatives, declare Pride NY weekend open and the return of NYC.

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  California will extend its ban on evictions and cover back rent and utility payments for people who fell behind during the pandemic under a $7.2 billion plan announced Friday that Gov. Gavin Newsom called the largest and most comprehensive renter protection deal in the United States.

California placed a moratorium on evictions after Newsom imposed the nations first statewide shutdown in March 2020 and ordered most businesses to close and people to stay home to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

That protection is scheduled to expire Wednesday. The new agreement between Newsom and legislative leaders will extend the eviction moratorium by three months and pledges to pay off all unpaid rent and utility bills for qualifying renters from April 2020 through Sept. 30 of this year.

No one knows exactly how many people will qualify and how much it will cost. But the state has $5.2 billion to spend on back rents, enough to provide $10,400 each to a half-million tenants, all of it coming from the federal government.

I think that everyone is breathing a sigh of relief," said Madeline Howard, senior attorney for the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

Newsom's administration believes the pot of money is more than enough to pay off rental debts for everyone eligible. Another $2 billion in state money will cover peoples unpaid utility bills.

The proposal, which will be voted on in the Legislature next week, also gives tenants more time to apply for assistance after a landlord tries to evict them while also masking their credit and rental history so those debts wont show up and prevent them from getting future housing.

California has some of the most expensive rents in the country, driven by a statewide affordable housing shortage. In Los Angeles, the median rent in May was about $2,600, and in San Francisco it was $2,700.

About 25% of Californias renters pay at least half of their income on housing costs, a figure that includes rent and utilities, according to the California Department of Finance.

Our housing situation in California was a crisis before COVID, and the pandemic has only made it worse  this extension is key to making sure that more people dont lose the safety net helping them keep their home, said state Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, a Democrat from San Diego.

To qualify, people may only earn 80% or less of their area's median income and must have been affected by the pandemic  a nondescript requirement everyone can meet.

The federal government is giving every state lots of money to cover back rent during the pandemic. Some states, like Washington, have also extended their eviction bans through the end of September. Others, like New Hampshire, are also offering rental assistance of up to 15 months.

Californians who aren't eligible to have their unpaid rent covered can still qualify for the eviction ban, but only if they pay at least 25% of what they owe through Sept. 30. If they do that, landlords can still sue them to try to recoup that money, but they can't evict them for it.

This will be the third time California has extended its eviction ban. While some landlords say they are happy to have the state cover all of some tenants' rental debt, they are angry the state has continued to halt evictions.

The ban has caused irreparable harm to landlords who have been under severe financial distress for the past 16+ months, said Christine LaMarca, president of the California Rental Housing Association.

We are very concerned as to when this moratorium will actually end, she said.

California began offering rental assistance earlier this year, using a previous allocation of federal money. As of Thursday, 54,520 tenants have requested $616.4 million in assistance, said Russ Heimerich, spokesman for the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

But the state has paid only $61.6 million of those requests so far.

Those figures don't include applications made to some of the state's larger cities  including Los Angeles  that operate their own programs. Still, the state's slow response has frustrated landlord groups.

Both the federal and state eviction moratoriums would not be necessary if state and local governments were disbursing rental assistance funds to tenants and housing providers in an expedited manner, said Tom Bannon, CEO of the California Apartment Association.

Newsom acknowledged the state's slow response, adding the federal government has also been sluggish in getting the money to state governments. Newsom said the application process is laborious, but he said state officials are trying to make it easier.

We expect with this announcement ... we're going to see more people applying and more money requested, he said. Our job is to efficiently  and make sure appropriately, because we don't want fraud in this space  to get those dollars out as quickly as possible."

___

This story has been updated to say that people who make less than 80% of the area median income do not have to pay any portion of what they owe to be eligible for the money.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin faces sentencing Friday in the death of George Floyd, with a judge weighing a prison term experts say could be as much as 30 years.

Chauvin, 45, was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for about 9 1/2 minutes as the Black man said he couldnt breathe. It was an act captured on bystander video, which prompted protests around the world.

Here's what to watch for in a hearing that could run as long as two hours:

WHAT'S POSSIBLE?

Under Minnesota statutes, Chauvin will be sentenced only on the most serious charge of second-degree murder. That's because all of the charges against him stem from one act, with one victim.

The max for that charge is 40 years, but legal experts have said there's no way he'll get that much. Case law dictates the practical maximum Chauvin could face is 30 years  double what the high end of state sentencing guidelines suggest. Anything above that risks being overturned on appeal.

Of course, Judge Peter Cahill could sentence Chauvin to much less. Prosecutors have asked for 30 years, while defense attorney Eric Nelson is seeking probation.

Mark Osler, a professor at University of St. Thomas School of Law, said both sides have staked out extreme positions, and the gulf is huge between them. I don't think that either side is going to end up getting what they want."

WHAT'S REALISTIC?

Minnesota has sentencing guidelines that were created to establish consistent sentences that don't consider factors such as race or gender. For second-degree unintentional murder, the guideline range for someone with no criminal record goes from 10 years and eight months to up to 15 years. The presumptive sentence is in the middle, at 12 1/2 years.

Cahill last month agreed with prosecutors that aggravating factors in Floyd's death warrant going higher than the guidelines. The judge found that Chauvin abused his position of authority, treated Floyd with particular cruelty, and that the crime was seen by several children. He also wrote that Chauvin knew the restraint of Floyd was dangerous.

The prolonged use of this technique was particularly egregious in that George Floyd made it clear he was unable to breathe and expressed the view that he was dying as a result of the officers restraint, Cahill wrote last month.

Osler said Cahill's finding of aggravating factors showed his willingness to go above the guidelines. But he said those guidelines still function like a tether, and the further Cahill moves from the guidelines, the more the tether stretches. He said a 20- or 25-year sentence is more likely than 30.

Joe Friedberg, a Minneapolis defense attorney who has been watching the case, agreed. He cited a U.S. Supreme Court case, Koon v. United States, in which the court said a judge could consider that a former police officer would likely spend much of his sentence in isolation for his own safety. Cahill might take the harder time into consideration to give Chauvin a little less, Friedberg said.

WHAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE?

Minnesota sentencing data for the five years through 2019 show that of 112 people sentenced for the same conviction as Chauvin, only two got maximum 40-year sentences. Both cases involved children who died due to abuse; both defendants had prior criminal records and struck plea deals.

The longest sentence during that time period for someone with no criminal history like Chauvin was 36 years, in another case involving the death of a child due to abuse. The sentence was appealed but upheld, with an appellate court finding it was not excessive when a 13-month-old child was beaten to death.

WHAT'S EXPECTED AT THE HEARING?

Attorneys on both sides are expected to make brief arguments. Victims or family members of victims can also make statements about how they've been affected, but none have said publicly that they will.

Chauvin can talk if he wants, but it's not clear if he will. Experts say it could be tricky for Chauvin to talk without implicating himself in a pending federal case accusing him of violating Floyd's civil rights.

While some experts say Chauvin won't talk, Mike Brandt, another defense attorney watching the case, said he thinks Chauvin will speak, and that he can say a few words without getting himself into legal trouble. If I was him, I think I would want to try and let people know that Im not a monster.

Community members can submit impact statements online, and they may become part of the public record.

WHAT WILL CAHILL CONSIDER?

Cahill will look at arguments submitted by both sides, as well as victim impact statements, community impact statements, a pre-sentence investigation into Chauvin's past, and any statement Chauvin might make.

When judges hear from defendants, they are typically looking to see if the person takes responsibility for the crime or shows remorse. Friedberg, the defense attorney, said he doubts any statement from Chauvin would affect Cahill's sentence.

In state court sentencing in Minnesota it just doesnt seem to matter to the judges what anybody says at the time of sentencing, Friedberg said. When they come out on the bench they will have already decided what the sentence will be.

HOW LONG ACTUALLY BEHIND BARS?

No matter what sentence Chauvin gets, in Minnesota its presumed that a defendant with good behavior will serve two-thirds in prison and the rest on supervised release, commonly known as parole.

That means if Chauvin is sentenced to 30 years, he would likely serve 20 behind bars, as long as he causes no problems in prison. Once on supervised release, he could be sent back to prison if he violates conditions of his parole.

Since his April conviction, Chauvin has been held at the state's only maximum security prison, in Oak Park Heights. That's unusual  people don't typically go to a prison while waiting for sentencing  but Chauvin is there for security reasons. He has been on administrative segregation for his safety and has been in a 10 foot-by-10 foot cell, away from the general population. He has meals brought to his room, and is allowed out for solitary exercise for an average of one hour a day.

It wasn't immediately clear where he would serve his time after he is sentenced. The Department of Corrections will place Chauvin after Cahill's formal sentencing order commits Chauvin to its custody.

____

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP)  During a particularly violent week in Connecticuts capital city, Andrew Woods was among a small number of anti-violence workers who rushed in to help victims families, offering condolences and referrals to services while trying to discourage retaliation.

Three people were killed and about a dozen others injured in shootings in Hartford over the week that began in late May  a large number in a small city of about 120,000 people, which left local anti-violence groups reeling.

The group that Woods leads, Hartford Communities That Care, has eight anti-violence workers. With more funding, he said he would quadruple that number to allow employees to work in shifts instead of being on call around the clock.

Were overwhelmed by the sheer number of shootings and then the follow-up that is involved in that, he said. Were on call 24/7, 365 days a year. Its unsustainable to have people working these kinds of hours.

A rise in gun violence seen in cities across the U.S. is testing the limits of anti-violence groups that have been calling for more government funding for decades.

President Joe Biden acknowledged earlier this year that community anti-violence programs have been woefully underfunded and proposed $5 billion in new aid for them in his massive infrastructure plan, along with hundreds of millions of dollars for them in other parts of the federal budget. In a statement in April, the White House said such programs have been shown to reduce homicides by up to 60% where they operate.

Cities across the country are experiencing a historic spike in homicides, violence that is greatest in racially segregated, high-poverty neighborhoods, the statement said. Black men make up 6% of the population but over 50% of gun homicide victims. Black women, Latinos, and Native Americans are also disproportionately impacted.

Historically, the bulk of government funding aimed at reducing gun violence has gone to law enforcement organizations.

It has to be well-rounded, said Paul Carrillo, director of the Community Violence Initiative at the Giffords Law Center. If youre going to hire more police, OK, it should be something to the effect where  whatever your police budget is, X% should also be toward this violence intervention work.

In the first three months of 2021, there were 983 homicides in 24 U.S. cities monitored by researchers at the University of Missouri-St. Louis for reports prepared for the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice. The number was 193 higher than in the first quarter of last year and 324 higher than in the first quarter of 2019. Last years increase in homicides was likely due to the coronavirus pandemic, social unrest and other factors, according to a research report by criminal justice professor Richard Rosenfeld and graduate research assistant Ernesto Lopez Jr.

Researchers said the average homicide rate of the cities rose sharply after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May 2020, which sparked nationwide protests. The rate dropped in the fall and the beginning of this year, but is still higher than it was before the summer of 2020.

Among the groups responding to an uptick of gun violence in Chicago is BUILD, an organization that deploys intervention teams to canvas hot spots, a crisis response unit that supports survivors and families of victims, as well as therapists and case managers who support over 200 families.

An increase in funding would help us to increase capacity. To do that work it is very consuming, emotionally draining work. You need more people out there engaged, said Bradly Johnson, a BUILD spokesperson.

In Hartford, 55 people had been shot as of May 15, up from 45 during the same period last year, according to the latest data kept by city police. Eighteen people have died in homicides as of June 17, a number on track to surpass last years 25 homicides.

Community leaders in Hartford and other cities have applauded Bidens proposed new funding for anti-violence programs and are cautiously optimistic as the infrastructure plan is negotiated with Republicans on Capitol Hill.

We pray that the $5 billion will remain intact and is not diluted, Woods said. It would really be a shot in the arm for those of us who do this work across the nation.

Anti-violence groups around the country are reporting being overwhelmed during the spike in violence.

Iesha Sekou, chief executive of Street Corner Resources in the Harlem section of New York City, has had to adjust the schedules of its eight anti-violence outreach workers, including having staff come in later and work split morning-evening shifts.

Its become a little more challenging because we are responding more often to brutal beatings, stabbings and shootings and jumpings that come into the trauma unit of Harlem Hospital, said Sekou, whose group receives annual funding from the city through reimbursements but has struggled to secure the up-front funds.

In Connecticut, retired police officer Stacy Spell runs Project Longevitys New Haven program, a partnership between community groups and police aimed at reducing violence. His office only has four paid staff. In 2017 he said he went seven months without being paid because of a monthslong impasse on the state budget.

Like other anti-violence program leaders, Spell said he has had to lay off staff because of funding declines in previous years. Funding from government agencies and philanthropic groups has increased in recent years, but he said more is needed to adequately fight violence.

If were to move past addressing the violence that is happening not only in the city of New Haven, but happening in all the major cities of Connecticut as well as every urban city in the country  we need millions of dollars that go to grassroots organizations so they can play a more effective role, he said.

___

Associated Press writer Michael Melia contributed.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A police officer who was injured in the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection confronted House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy in a meeting on Friday, asking him to publicly denounce statements by GOP members who have voted against honoring police and downplayed the violence of the attack.

Officer Michael Fanone has said for weeks that he wanted to meet with McCarthy, who has opposed the formation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the attack and has remained loyal to former President Donald Trump. It was a violent mob of Trumps supporters that laid siege to the Capitol and interrupted the certification of Joe Bidens presidential election victory after Trump told them to fight like hell to overturn his defeat.

Fanone said after the meeting that he had asked McCarthy to denounce 21 House Republicans who recently voted against giving police officers a congressional medal of honor for defending the Capitol and also Georgia Rep. Andrew Clyde, who had compared video of the rioters to a tourist visit.

He said McCarthy told him he would address it in a personal level with some of those members, a response he said wasnt satisfactory. McCarthys office did not respond to a request for comment on the meeting.

As the House Republican leader, Fanone said, its important to hear those denouncements publicly. And as a police officer who served that day, he said, thats not what I want to hear.

McCarthy and Fanone were joined by Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who was also among the officers who responded to the rioting. Gladys Sicknick, the mother of Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, was also expected to be in the meeting but did not speak to reporters afterward. Brian Sicknick collapsed and died after engaging with the mob, and a medical examiner later ruled that he died of natural causes.

The meeting comes as many Republicans have made clear that they want to move on from the Jan. 6 attack  frustrating law enforcement officers who were brutally beaten by the rioters as they pushed past them and broke into the building. Senate Republicans have blocked an independent, bipartisan investigation of the attack and some House members are increasingly downplaying the insurrection. Fanone said he found Clydes comments disgusting.

Dunn said afterward that it was an emotional meeting." He declined to go into detail and thanked McCarthy for his time.

He was receptive, and I think ultimately, we have the same goal. Its just going to take a little time getting there, I guess," Dunn said.

The goal, Dunn said, is "accountability, justice for everybody that was involved.

As the officers and family members push for answers, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced Thursday that she is creating a special committee to investigate the attack. She said a partisan-led probe was the only option left after the Senate Republicans blocked the commission. .

Fanone, Dunn and Gladys Sicknick have all aggressively lobbied for the independent panel  which would be modeled after a similar panel that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks  and they visited the offices of several Republican senators before the vote last month. Seven Republican senators voted with Democrats to consider the legislation that would form the bipartisan panel, but it still fell short of the 60 votes needed to move forward.

Fanone was one of many Metropolitan Police officers who was called in to help deal with the increasingly chaotic scene as delays kept National Guard away. He has described being dragged down the Capitol steps by rioters who shocked him with a stun gun and beat him.

Dunn, a Capitol Police officer, has similarly described fighting the rioters in hand-to-hand combat and being the target of racial slurs as he tried to hold them back.

Both officers said they discussed the select committee with McCarthy, who said earlier Friday that he couldn't comment on it because he hadn't talked to Pelosi.

Fanone said he asked for a commitment not to put the wrong people on the panel and that McCarthy said he would take it seriously.

Dunn confirmed that account, saying McCarthy "committed to us to taking it serious.

In addition to Clyde, other Republicans have increasingly made statements defending the rioters and have spread conspiracy theories about what happened that day. Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar has repeatedly insisted that a Trump supporter who was shot and killed that day while trying to break into the House chamber was executed. Others have suggested that the Justice Department should not be charging the insurrectionists with crimes.

And last week, the 21 Republicans voted against giving medals of honor to the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police to thank them for their service on Jan. 6. Dozens of those officers suffered major injuries, including chemical burns, brain injuries and broken bones. McCarthy voted for the measure.

Seven people died during and after the rioting, including Ashli Babbitt, the woman who was shot and killed, and three other Trump supporters who died of medical emergencies. In addition to Sicknick, two police officers died by suicide in the days that followed.

Fanone made clear that the last several months have taken a toll. He said he was mentally and physically exhausted and that he felt isolated.

This experience is not something that I enjoy doing," he said. I dont want to be up here on Capitol Hill. I want to be with my daughters. But I see this as an extension of my service on Jan. 6th.

___

Associated Press writers Padmananda Rama, Michael Balsamo, Nomaan Merchant, Colleen Long and Alan Fram contributed to this report.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said Friday that he's hoping a judge's 22 1/2-year sentence imposed on former police Officer Derek Chauvin will be a moment for change.

Ellison spoke shortly after Chauvin heard his sentence for second-degree murder in George Floyd's death. Repeating part of his statement after Chauvin's conviction, Ellison said the sentence was a step toward accountability, even if not total justice.
TORONTO (AP)  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday he has urged Pope Francis to come to Canada to apologize for church-run boarding schools where hundreds of unmarked graves have been found, and he said Canadians are horrified and ashamed by their government's longtime policy of forcing Indigenous children to attend such schools.

Indigenous leaders said this week that 600 or more remains were discovered at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997 in the province of Saskatchewan. Last month, some 215 remains were reported at a similar school in British Columbia.

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian schools, most run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, in a campaign to assimilate them into Canadian society.

Indigenous leaders have called for Pope Francis to apologize  a demand echoed again Friday by Trudeau, who said the pope should visit Canada to do it.

I have spoken personally directly with His Holiness, Pope Francis, to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on Canadian soil Trudeau said.

I know that the Catholic church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken.

Following that discovery of the British Colombia remains, Francis expressed his pain and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on this sad affair. But he stopped short of a formal apology.

Don Bolen, archbishop of Regina, Saskatchewan, posted a letter to the Cowessess First Nation on the archdioceses website this week in which he repeated an apology he said he made two years ago.

Nearly three-quarters of the 130 residential schools were run by Catholic missionary congregations, with others operated by the United, Presbyterian and Anglican churches, which earlier apologized for their roles in the abuse.

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology in Parliament in 2008 and Canada offered billions of dollars in compensation as part of a lawsuit settlement between the government, churches and the approximately 90,000 surviving students.

The government has admitted that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages. Thousands of children died there of disease and other causes, many never returned to their families.

This was an incredibly harmful government policy that was Canadas reality for many, many decades and Canadians today are horrified and ashamed of how our country behaved, Trudeau said. It was a policy that ripped kids from their homes, from their communities, from their culture and their language and forced assimilation upon them.

Trudeau said many Canadians won't be able to celebrate as the country marks its birthday on July 1.

Canadians across the country are waking up to something that quite frankly that Indigenous communities have long known, Trudeau said.

The trauma of the past echoes very much today.

Indigenous leaders have called the residential schools a system of cultural genocide.

A search with ground-penetrating radar at the Marieval school resulted in 751 hits, indicating that at least 600 bodies were buried in the area after accounting for a margin of error in the search technique, said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess First Nation, whose lands today include the school.

Delorme said the search continues and the numbers will be verified in coming weeks.

He said the gravesite is believed to hold both children and adults, and perhaps people from outside the community who attended church there.

Delorme said that the individual graves had once been marked, but that the church at some point removed the markers.

Last month the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3, were found buried on the site of what was once Canadas largest Indigenous residential school near Kamloops, British Columbia.

On Friday, the MIssionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, which operated 48 residential schools in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, including those where the bodies were recently found, said it will disclose all historical documents it has.

It said in a statement that it already has worked to make the documents available through universities, archives and a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, but that the work is not complete because of provincial and national privacy laws.

A National Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued a report in 2015 that identified about 3,200 confirmed deaths at schools, but noted the schools did not record the cause of death in almost half of them. Many died of tuberculosis, an illness symptomatic of the deplorable living conditions.

In the United States, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced this week that the federal government is launching an investigation into its past oversight of Native American boarding schools there. She said it will review records to identify past schools, locate burial sites and uncover the names and tribal affiliations of students.
LONDON (AP)  Britain said Thursday that it intends to relax pandemic travel restrictions by allowing people who are fully vaccinated to visit a wide range of countries without having to self-isolate on their return.

The Department for Transport said it expects to implement the new policy in phases later this summer. The change would apply to fully vaccinated people traveling to destinations on the government's amber" list, which currently covers much of the world, including the U.S. and most of the European Union.
Local

$13.5 billion budget and policy bill headed to governors desk

In the end, the threats of Republican rebellion fizzled.

The New Hampshire Legislature passed a two-year, $13.5 billion budget Thursday, sending a compromise budget to Gov. Chris Sununu and sidestepping concerns from Republican leaders that libertarian-minded members of their party would upend the final deal.

Voting 198-181, the Republican-dominated House voted to advance House Bill 2, the policy bill packed with business tax cuts, an abortion ban at 24 weeks, and a provision banning public schools from certain teaching about systemic oppression and implicit bias.

The bill also includes a voluntary paid family leave program pushed by Sununu; an education freedom account program allowing public school money to go to private school tuition; an increase in the states rainy day fund; new powers to allow the Legislature to overturn emergency orders issued by the governor; and the creation of a new Department of Energy in the state.

Rep. Jason Osborne, an Auburn Republican and the House majority leader, hailed the changes.

We cut taxes, we reined in the Democrats bloated spending from the last term, we provided property-tax relief, we increased education choice, we provided much-needed reform to the governors emergency powers, and we prohibited the teaching of false ideas that certain individuals are inherently racist due to the color of their skin, he said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the chamber voted in favor of House Bill 1, the $13.5 billion appropriations bill that funds New Hampshire departments and positions, 208-172. The Senate had voted for both bills along party lines, 14-10.

Both bills now move through the enrollment process and will eventually head to the governor, who has indicated he will sign them.

Historic tax cuts, property tax relief, and paid family medical leave delivered all in one sweeping action is a win for every citizen and family in this state, Sununu said in a statement after the bills passed.

The Houses vote Thursday put to rest fears from Republicans that a vocal minority of their party would topple the policy bill. Members of the House Freedom Caucus, a subset of the Republican caucus, had objected in recent days to compromises the House made with the Senate to get approval of the budget.

Those members had complained that the budget did not contain strong enough guardrails against the governors use of emergency powers, which has rankled libertarians since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a historically slim Republican majority, a rebellion by 15 members of the party could have tanked the final vote.

But after a week of private appeals to wavering members, Republicans pulled their caucus in line; the policy bill passed by a margin of 17 votes. Only around 10 Republicans defected against HB 2, and none in the party spoke against the budget bills on the House floor.

Still, some said they were supporting the bill reluctantly.

I will be supporting the budget, but itll definitely be with my fingers pinched over my nose, said Rep. Terry Roy, a Deerfield Republican, in an interview Wednesday night.

It was a disappointment, he added. But, I mean, everything in politics is incremental, and we did get some change. And were going to refile some legislation first thing in the fall.

Instead, with little Republican dissent aired publicly, Thursdays House and Senate sessions were dominated by concerns from Democrats and rebuttals from Republicans.

This budget weakens individual freedom in the Live Free or Die state, taking away reproductive rights and dictating how history and racism can be taught in our schools, said Rep. Mary Jane Wallner, a Concord Democrat.

Abortion rights

One of the more striking moments of the day came from a visual presentation.

Speaking against a mandate that all women seeking abortions must receive ultrasounds, Sen. Tom Sherman held up a vaginal probe on the floor.

Let me explain the procedure, said Sherman, a Rye Democrat and practicing gastroenterologist. The woman must disrobe from the waist down. She is then placed in the lithotomy position with her legs in the air and her legs apart. A probe, a rigid probe, is placed into the vagina to the level of the vaginal fornix, just to the side of the cervix.

Only this probe is felt to be the standard of practice for determining gestational age in early pregnancy, he continued. And you are requiring this of women who want to have an abortion.

The visual was rebuked by Senate President Chuck Morse, who repeated a Senate rule against props on the floor. But the moment highlighted what was a common target among Democrats Thursday: the budgets ban on abortions at 24 weeks with limited exceptions.

Some took aim at the ultrasound requirement, which applies to all abortions before 24 weeks in the state. The vast majority of abortions occur during the first trimester when many women would have no medical need for an ultrasound, said Sen. Cindy Rosenwald, a Nashua Democrat.

Others said the 24-week ban itself was at issue.

In the House, Rep. Amanda Elizabeth Toll spoke of her own experience to underscore her objection.

As a teenager, I had an unplanned pregnancy and needed an abortion, the freshman Keene Democrat said. Having an abortion allowed me to go to college, then to graduate school to receive a masters in education. Ive been able to own a small business, teach yoga, and become a state representative advocating for public policy and grounded in compassion and justice. It allowed me to have, when I was ready, a child who is now six, and the love of my life.

Abortions are rare after 24 weeks, but Toll and others said the ban would prevent parents who find out that their child has a terminal condition from undergoing an abortion late in the pregnancy.

Some representatives said a decision by House Republicans not to backfill money to Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health centers lost during the Trump era would jeopardize care for nearly 15,000 people who rely on it for free or low-cost health care.

In a personal address, Rep. Joshua Query, a Manchester Democrat, recalled visiting a Planned Parenthood clinic for the first time during COVID-19 after learning they had been exposed to HIV. Query was unemployed, uninsured, and unable to afford the $43,000 bill for the necessary treatment and medication. The clinic treated Query at no cost and helped them get medication for free.

If Planned Parenthood hadnt been able to help me with that first round of medication, I could say, almost with certainty, that I would be HIV positive today. Planned Parenthood saved my life, Query said. My story may feel unique. But I represent so many people in our state with lost insurance coverage or who are underinsured.

No Republicans in the House addressed the abortion language. But during debate in the morning, Senate Republicans pushed back at Democrats characterizations.

Sen. Regina Birdsell, a Hampstead Republican, pointed to 18 states with similar bans. If New Hampshire is getting between a woman and her doctor, so are 18, 20, and 24 states, she said.

Democrats have noted that other states with 24-week bans have more exceptions for victims of rape and incest  which New Hampshires law does not have  and lesser criminal penalties for doctors. Under the New Hampshire law, a doctor in violation of the ban could be penalized with up to seven years in jail.

But Sen. Sharon Carson, a Londonderry Republican, said New Hampshire is one of just seven states with no time limits on abortion at all, and argued that the states status quo is extreme, not the proposed change.

Forty-three states in this country have agreed that at some point, you have to consider the life of the infant, she said.

And Carson said the depiction of the ultrasound mandate as oppressive was incorrect. The ultrasounds would give more information to patients, not less, she argued.

How is that anti-woman? she said. In fact, I think its probably empowering women to take control over their bodies and their lives.

Tax cuts

One provision driving Republican support for the budget  including Sununus  is a bevy of tax cuts. The budget lowers New Hampshires business profits tax, business enterprise tax, meals and rooms tax, and statewide education property tax, and gradually eliminates the interest and dividends tax over five years.

But that didnt stop Democrats from objecting to the tax cuts inclusion.

In a fiery speech at the outset of the Senate debate, Sen. Lou DAllesandro tore into the business tax cuts, calling them unnecessary and beneficial only to a handful of rich companies that pay them.

Nobody, not one person at our budget hearing, requested a reduction in business taxes, the Manchester Democrat said. He argued the tax cuts would not bring increased prosperity to average Granite Staters.

I hope my colleagues will think about it, and think about the 1.3 million people that we need to serve, DAllesandro said. Think about those 76 businesses that pay 48 percent of the tax and that theyre gonna get a nice bonus. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Thats Robin Hood in reverse.

Sen. Jay Kahn, a Keene Democrat, made a similar argument about the $100 million reduction to the statewide education property tax in 2023, which some analysts have said will benefit only richer towns when coupled with an end to previous aid.

When you hear that $100 million amount, you need to remember that $15.2 million of that is going to the highest property valuation communities, Kahn said.

The Democrats concerns fueled Republican counterattacks.

Sen. Bob Giuda, a Warren Republican, noted that past Democrats claims that cuts to the business taxes would ravage the states revenue streams had not materialized.

In 2019, Democrats said that allowing the business profits tax to drop to 7.7 percent from 7.9 percent would cause a budget hole, Giuda recounted.

Were now well past that point of time and we are running a $25 million a month surplus, because of those tax cuts, Giuda argued.

We should continue the reductions, which continue to let our coffers grow because of those reductions, he added. And put away the flawed notion that wealth is finite and we should tax those that have it beyond whats reasonable.

Rep. Steven Smith, the deputy House speaker, also invoked Democrats past pronouncements. And he said that tax cuts were the best way for lawmakers to serve their constituents.

Its not their money, he said, speaking of school districts. Its not my money. Its not your money. Its the peoples money, and were supposed to be here to keep Concords grubby paws off of it.

Divisive concepts

Democrats in both chambers rallied against one final lightning rod: the final version of the states divisive concepts bill.

The legislation bars public school teachers and public employees from teaching that a person of one race, gender, or class is superior or advantaged over another, and that a person is implicitly oppressive against another race or class. Critics have argued that it prevents teaching about implicit bias and structural racism and sexism.

In a speech drawing from her experience as a refugee from Afghanistan, Concord Democratic Rep. Safiya Wazir said the language, which would allow lawsuits against school districts and professional licensing consequences for teachers, was reminiscent of what she had fled under Taliban rule.

I bring a special perspective to this issue, having been born in a country where basic freedoms were denied. In this place, an open exchange of ideas (was) not always possible, Wazir said. This legislation takes us backward, making us like the ... countries that suffer from human rights crises. We call ourselves the greatest country, and we should allow discussion and the fullness of all learning opportunities.

Republicans in both chambers objected to the characterizations of the bill, noting that the language explicitly allows the teaching of the concepts in a historical context.

Its very clear: Were not telling you that you cant teach history, said Sen. Bill Gannon, a Sandown Republican. Were allowing academic freedom. What we dont want you to do is to tell my 12-year-old daughter at Timberlane School that because shes white that she is inferior.

After hours of debate, the differences were unbridgeable.

Heres what youre voting against today, said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, a Wolfeboro Republican, rattling off provisions ranging from tax cuts to increases to DCYF workers to expansions to the highway fund to funding for the developmental disability wait list.

We need to protect the interests of people that need our help, whether its mental health, whether its families with a disabled child, whether its substance abuse, and a whole range of other things, Bradley continued. Thats, my friends, what a no vote means.

Let me tell you a few other things that youre voting against, DAllesandro retorted. ... Youre voting against ... eliminating the interest and dividends tax, youre voting against silencing free speech, youre voting against restricting a womans right to choose.
Keene, NH (03431)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 59F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Thank you for reading!

You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below.

We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here.
An economics professor at one of Californias most diverse public universities has for years taught racist and discredited theories on intelligence, claiming that certain Black and Hispanic ethnic groups are inherently less intelligent on average than white Europeans and Northeast Asians.

Complaints about Gregory Christainsen, a white professor emeritus at Cal State East Bay, bubbled up at a Board of Trustees meeting for the college system conducted via live-stream video on Thursday. Three professors and three students aired concerns about Christainsens work, as well as the impact on students and faculty of color.

Christainsen asserts in his work that people of sub-Saharan African descent, people like me and many of our students, have significantly lower IQs than any other ethnicity, Pascale Guiton, a Cal State East Bay assistant professor of biology originally from the Ivory Coast said during the meeting. It is appalling and scary to know that he and others like him get to teach and evaluate Black students and Black faculty.

Meanwhile, a group of students posted an online petition calling on the university to put an end to institutionalized racism starting with the termination of (Christainsens) emeritus status. As of Friday morning, the petition had more than 900 signatures.

The pushback against Christainsens work comes amid wide alarm over a resurgence of far-right and white nationalist movements in the U.S. and around the world. Energized by President Trump, these organizations often draw on the core ideas of race science, spreading them in online communities and at public demonstrations.

Christainsen and leading figures in race realism are not trained geneticists. Experts in genetics  as well as authorities on neuroscience and psychology  reject the conclusions of race realists, saying their work relies on faulty assumptions and dubious statistics.

Alerted to the comments and the petition Thursday afternoon, Christainsen defended his intelligence research as legitimate and accurate, saying it has been published in respected peer-reviewed journals and that critics are trying to censor him.

In several emailed statements to The Chronicle, Christainsen described his work as uncontroversial, falling within the mainstream of contemporary intelligence research. He said he welcomes debate and that students upset with his papers or his teaching constitute a highly unrepresentative sub-sub-sample of the more than 10,000 students I have taught.

I would prefer that people provide evidence pertaining to the truth or falsity of research findings instead of recklessly using words like bigoted, Christainsen said. I do not enjoy reporting that different population groups have different average test scores, but I am open to continued discussion of reasons for test score differences.

Specifically, while referencing the work of others or his own research, Christainsen has written that the average level of intelligence in sub-Saharan Africa is quite low, that African American women are overpaid relative to their cognitive ability, that brain size varies along racial lines and IQ is linked to brain size, and that people should face issues of eugenics and dysgenics more forthrightly than has recently been the case.

Christainsen formally retired from the university in 2016 but has continued to teach economics and management courses on a part-time basis. This semester, according to the university, he is teaching three classes: Principles of Macroeconomics, Introduction to Urban Economics and Managerial Economics and Business Strategy. Emeritus faculty retain many university privileges and the option to teach again in the future.

Asked about the criticisms of Christainsen made at Thursdays meeting and the student petition, a university representative said, The statements and views expressed by this faculty member are antithetical to the core values of Cal State East Bay, which is committed to maintaining an inclusive community that values diversity and fosters tolerance and mutual respect.

But the university also defended Christainsen on academic freedom grounds.

It is important to note, however, that as a public institution of higher education, we are bound to uphold First Amendment guarantees of free thought and speech, including when  and in fact especially when  we strongly disagree with and find repulsive the viewpoints offered, as long as the expression is lawful and comports with our campus time, place, and manner policies, the Cal State East Bay statement continued.

Speaking 60 seconds at a time during the public comment portion of the Thursday meeting, members of the Cal State East Bay community described Christainsen as an advocate of eugenics, a discredited theory of human differences and human worth with a dangerous past.

The speakers paraphrased from his academic papers and from a lengthy interview with Christainsen that appeared on the white nationalist website American Renaissance in late September. American Renaissance is published by an organization that is designated as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Christainsen told The Chronicle he was not aware that the interview, conducted by a freelancer, would be published there, and it has since been removed.

I would have said the same things in an interview with the Nation, Mother Jones, or the Huffington Post, Christainsen told The Chronicle. I certainly am not a white nationalist, and in the interview I said that the evidence does not at all support white supremacism. I am a classical liberal in the spirit of John Locke.

The speakers also asked the incoming Cal State East Bay president, Cathy Sandeen, whose appointment was announced during the meeting, how she planned to fight racism on campus, pointing to broader obstacles faced by Black students and teachers.

An economist within Christainsens department, Christian Roessler, said there is a difference between academic freedom and academic malpractice. Citing and interpreting statistics selectively to align with personal biases is expression, but its not academic expression. Nina Haft, professor of dance, said such biases undermine our Black students and create barriers to their success.

The faculty speakers were followed by three students who demanded that Christainsens emeritus status be revoked.

As a proud Mexican American, I am appalled that CSUEB has tolerated a professor who publishes racist ideology while teaching at one of the most diverse CSU campuses, said Karen Parada, a masters candidate in biology, who quoted from a 2012 paper in which Christainsen writes that Hispanics in the U.S. score poorly on intelligence tests (on average), tend to have less massive brains than whites and have a high rate of dependency.

How is this person still allowed to teach? asked another student, Ashmita Ahluwalia, a sophomore majoring in human resources.

Christainsens department head, Jed DeVaro, chair of economics, told The Chronicle that while he has no comment on Christainsens research and no statement to make on behalf of the department, I would like to say that I personally condemn racism in all of its forms.

The battle is flaring up after a summer of activism and introspection at the university, where the student body is 10% Black, 37% Hispanic, 23% Asian and 14% white.

Since the police killing of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests that followed, some at Cal State East Bay have turned the lens on their own institution, questioning the administrations commitment to its stated mission of providing access to higher education for a diverse student body.

Students and faculty have pushed officials to address inequities in hiring, funding and achievement. For instance, according to figures gathered by the Alliance for the Black Community, an independent group of faculty and staff, the four-year graduation rate of Black, Hispanic and Native American students at East Bay is half the system-wide rate, and Black tenure-track faculty leave East Bay at five times the rate of their white counterparts.

During some of these discussions, Christainsens papers about intelligence have drawn fire.

Christainsen and other researchers who identify as race realists argue that race and IQ are biological realities, not merely social or cultural constructs, and cite genetic studies performed in the last decade to bolster their case. And they say their work holds lessons for public policy: If intelligence cant necessarily be altered, some forms of social spending are bound to be ineffective and some types of racial discrimination may be rational.

Angela Saini, a British science journalist who has tracked the movement, said race realism amounts to a rebranded form of eugenics, a discredited belief system that has been wielded to rationalize everything from Jim Crow laws to immigration bans to genocide.

What theyre trying to do is justify inequality, said Saini, author of the 2019 book Superior: The Return of Race Science. They set up their own journals, and then they cite each other. So they give the veneer of respectability. But the research, she said, is nonsense on so many levels.

Christina Chin-Newman, a developmental psychologist and professor of human development and womens studies at Cal State East Bay, said she was pretty shocked when she first read Christainsens papers on race and IQ.

She said the papers make fundamental oversimplifications that first-year psychology students are taught to avoid. For instance, Christainsen treats IQ tests as reliable measures of intelligence, when the psychology field has known for decades that the tests are inherently culturally biased, Chin-Newman said.

James Ahiakpor, a Cal State East Bay emeritus professor of economics from Ghana, said he has known Christainsen since 1991. He described him as a supportive colleague, cordial and respectful.

Ahiakpor said he wasnt aware of Christainsens intelligence research until now and has never discussed it with him. But Christainsen has earned his emeritus status on the basis of his meritorious teaching and academic publications/contributions, Ahiakpor said, adding that if people on campus object to Christainsens work, they should use internal channels instead of going public.

Christainsens detractors say students have complained about his classes in the past, but that the administration hasnt supported them. DeVaro, the department chair, confirmed that he has received student complaints about the professor that were addressed in accordance with university policy. Christainsen said he can only remember one student who ever emailed him with concerns about a class discussion of intelligence research, more than eight years ago.

Jung You, an associate professor of economics at Cal State East Bay and the only female economist in that department, said that while professors are free to publish what they want, they can cross a line if they bring biased views into the classroom that block students from achieving.

He is teaching his own research, which is not neutral, particularly, but promotes very racist and anti-education ideas to his own students, she said of Christainsen. So that has really broken my heart, and I feel really troubled.

Jason Fagone is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jason.fagone@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jfagone
Over 45% of San Franciscos small businesses remain closed despite an improving economy and Californias reopening, according to a new city report.

The rate has been flat from March to early June, even as coronavirus cases fell sharply and business restrictions were completely lifted. The city lags California, which had 40.8% of small businesses closed.

I definitely see a lot of for-lease signs. A lot of businesses closed and stayed closed, said Maryo Mogannam, president of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations, which represents small business owners. Some owners have considered reopening, but felt the risk of failing in a few months wasnt worth it, he said.

Ted Egan, the citys chief economist, said the stubbornly high rate of closures was surprising, but he expects it to improve next month. The data comes from anonymized payment and payroll figures compiled by nonprofit Opportunity Insights.

In contrast, credit and debit card spending has also returned to pre-pandemic levels in San Francisco, suggesting that residents are spending more on online shopping or other leisure activities rather than at local stores, Egan said.

Amazon, the online world, really exacerbated it, Mogannam said. Retailers are dying. Restaurants have done better.

Quieter streets, along with a spike in some crimes such as burglaries, could dampen the return of residents and visitors. Small business closures are a major challenge for the city going forward, Egan said.

Other economic data underscored that the city has a long, uncertain road to full recovery. Employment is still down around 10% from pre-pandemic levels, with most losses in the hospitality, arts and restaurant industries, Egan said.

There are signs of life in the tourism sector, the citys biggest industry. Hotel occupancy has doubled since February to around 35%, still far below the 80% pre-pandemic average. Room rates are up around a third since February.

San Francisco International Airport passenger boardings rose 50% since February but were only around 30% of pre-pandemic levels in the spring. BART ridership in downtown San Francisco is only 12% of pre-pandemic levels, though Bay Bridge traffic has fully recovered.

Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes

The business closure data wasnt separated by neighborhood, but previous sales tax data shows that downtown had lost the most consumer spending, and numerous stores remain closed.

Downtown has basically borne the brunt of the shutdown because there is such a reliance on tourists and commuters, Egan said.

The report doesnt include any policy recommendations, but supervisors are exploring waiving some fees for small businesses and Mayor London Breed has called for faster permitting.

But the costs of opening a business can easily reach six figures, including paying for permits, rent, hiring employees and building out a store, Mogannam said.

Kind of like death by a thousand cuts, he said. But in San Francisco, Id say you only need 250 cuts.

Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf
On Oct. 29, 1850, 16-year-old Ann Frances Moses married 20-year-old Eustaquio Valencia, reportedly in Mission Dolores. They were perhaps the most unlikely couple in San Francisco. She was the daughter of a disgraced Mormon immigrant; he was a member of one of the growing towns prominent Californio families.

The newlyweds moved into the Valencia family home, an adobe across from the old Mission Dolores, sharing it with their parents and Eustaquios three younger brothers.

As noted in the previous Portals, it was unheard of for a Californio man of Spanish descent to marry an Anglo woman. All of the numerous intercultural marriages recorded in Yerba Buena/San Francisco were between Anglo men and Californio women. But because they lived in the mostly Hispanic Californio colony at Dolores, Valencia and Moses were certainly accepted. Family was all-important to the Californios, and the fact that a Californio man had married an Anglo woman would not have been an issue.

However, if the couple had taken up residence by the cove in the former settlement of Yerba Buena, renamed San Francisco in 1847, some of their neighbors might have had a less benign reaction.

The longtime Anglo residents of Yerba Buena were cosmopolitan and tolerant. Many had married Californio women, learned to speak Spanish and converted to Catholicism. But the Americans who poured into San Francisco after 1848 were a different breed. Many viewed all Californios as greasers, a derogatory term derived from the stains left on the clothing of workers who carried bags of tallow. Valencias status as a Spanish don, a putatively aristocratic young ranchero from a leading Californio family, would have meant nothing to them.

Nothing is known about the young couples married life. An undated photograph of Moses shows a pretty, serious-looking girl in a checkered dress. There appear to be no photographs of young Valencia.

Ann Moses Valencia bore four children, but only one lived past 26. The couples first-born, Joseph, was killed at 16 in 1867 in a hunting accident near the 17 Mile House near present-day Millbrae. Their daughter, Lydia Ensign Valencia, was born in 1853; she died in Salt Lake City in 1879. Henry Lucius Valencia, born in 1855, was a peripatetic salesman who lived in no fewer than 19 different San Francisco apartments before his death in 1917.

Frank Eustaquio Valencia was born in 1858 and died three months later. Ann outlived him by just seven months. On Feb. 5, 1859, she died of consumption at Mission Dolores and was buried in the mission cemetery. She was supposedly the first person not baptized a Catholic to be buried there (she had converted for her marriage). She was not yet 25 years old.

Trivia time The previous trivia question: What San Francisco auto dealership was singled out by civil rights protesters in 1963? Answer: The Cadillac showroom on Van Ness Avenue. This week's trivia question: What was the first live jazz recording in a club? Editor's note Every corner in San Francisco has an astonishing story to tell. Gary Kamiya's Portals of the Past tells those lost stories, using a specific location to illuminate San Francisco's extraordinary history - from the days when giant mammoths wandered through what is now North Beach to the Gold Rush delirium, the dot-com madness and beyond. His column appears every other Saturday. Dig deep into Chronicle Vault Like what you're reading? Subscribe to the Chronicle Vault newsletter and get classic archive stories in your inbox twice a week. Read hundreds of historical stories, see thousands of archive photos and sort through 153 years of classic Chronicle front pages at SFChronicle.com/vault. See More Collapse

Her parents, Ambrose Todd Moses and Lydia Moses, had moved to Santa Cruz. After Ann died, Lydia Moses left her husband and moved back to the Dolores adobe to take care of her three grandchildren. What role Ambroses excommunication for discussing a polygamous arrangement with another woman on the familys voyage to California played in Lydias decision to leave him is unknown.

Ambrose Moses was kicked out of the Mormon church, and his daughter Ann converted to Catholicism, but his youngest daughter, Clarissa, returned to the bosom of the Saints. After the carpenter she married in San Francisco died, Clarissa moved to Salt Lake City and opened a dress shop. There she met a leading Mormon named Angus Cannon, who was shopping for dresses for his two wives, and married him.

She later became an odd footnote in legal history: When Cannon was convicted of polygamy, Clarissa was named as one of his illegal wives. He appealed his conviction, in part on the grounds that during the time in question he did not have sex with her, but the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his appeal.

After Anns death, Eustaquio Valencia became an active member of the rapidly changing Dolores community. In 1862 and 1863, he was a volunteer fireman in the Young America Engine Co. #13, the first fire company to serve the Mission. Sometime before 1866 he remarried to Guadalupe Sotelo Bernal, who was born in Marin and whose stepfather, Jose Bernal, was a member of another leading Californio family. The couple lived in the Valencia adobe on Dolores Street.

But like most Californios, Valencia did not prosper in the new Yankee world. In 1871, a bank foreclosed on the Dolores Street lot and announced its sale at auction, although city directories show that Valencias father continued to live there until 1875.

The familys decline reflected the Californios dwindling fortunes under U.S. rule. The father, Candelario Valencia, had once owned the 3,329-acre Rancho Acalanes near present-day Lafayette. Now he was variously listed in city directories as a farmer and a laborer.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

The Valencia adobe collapsed in a storm in 1878. Eight years later, Eustaquio and others sued Notre Dame College for illegally taking possession of the lot  although records show that Eustaquios brother Antonio, a firewood dealer, was living on the site in 1891.

Soon, however, there was nothing left. By 1899, even the old adobe ruins had vanished.

In 1873, Eustaquio, Guadalupe and their family moved to Millbrae, on land that was part of the once-vast Buri-Buri rancho that Eustaquios mother had owned. The couple lived in Millbrae for 42 years and had 10 children.

Eustaquio Valencia died in 1915 at the age of 87. His widow continued to live on the Millbrae remnant of the Buri-Buri rancho for 25 years. She died in 1940 at the age of 97, having outlived all but four of her children. By then, all that remained of the 14,639 acres of the rancho was the one-acre lot on El Camino Real where she had lived.

Guadalupe Sotelo Bernal Valencia had lived through the collapse of the gracious Californio society in which she had been raised, and had seen her own familys once-vast rancho dwindle down to a single acre. But she was content, according to the Examiner. The paper reported that being able to remain on even that last small piece of her familys land had prolonged the years of her life, and that she died with a smile on her face.

The stories of Ann Moses and Eustaquio Valencia, and those whose lives theirs touched, are a forgotten piece of San Francisco history  a lost world whose faded portal is an old gravestone in the Mission Dolores Cemetery, with the names of Ann F. Moses and E. Valencia on it.

Gary Kamiya is the author of the bestselling book Cool Gray City of Love: 49 Views of San Francisco, awarded the Northern California Book Award in creative nonfiction. His new book, with drawings by Paul Madonna, is Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City. All the material in Portals of the Past is original for The San Francisco Chronicle. To read earlier Portals of the Past, go to sfchronicle.com/portals. For more features from 150 years of The Chronicles archives, go to sfchronicle.com/vault. Email: metro@sfchronicle.com
Rafe Swan/Getty Image

Two people were arrested and booked for allegedly slaying an Antioch man who was shot and killed following an argument over a prostitution transaction, police said.

Charles Daniels, 33, of Pittsburg, and Alberta Stewart, 23, of Antioch were arrested Thursday and were being held in the Martinez jail in lieu of $1 million bail on suspicion of their connection with the Wednesday killing of Jabbar Mahmood, 19, of Antioch, Pittsburg police said.
On June 14, KGO television reporter Lyanne Melendez posted a video from a San Francisco Walgreens. The video showed a man shoving items into a garbage bag and biking out of the store without paying for them, as customers and a security guard looked on.

The video received over 6 million views on Twitter alone and generated dozens of news articles. Even before it was posted, however, many outlets had reported on a perceived spike in store thefts, including an article in the New York Times titled San Franciscos Shoplifting Surge.

But has there actually been a surge in shoplifting in San Francisco? Data from the San Francisco Police Department suggests these reports may be overblown. According to the data, overall shoplifting incidents reported to the police are below their levels before the start of the pandemic. And before that, shoplifting rates had been decreasing more or less steadily since the 1980s.

The Chronicle analyzed Police Department incident report data from January 2018 through April 2021. We looked at how overall numbers of shoplifting incidents and commercial robberies changed from month to month over that period.

The data shows that shoplifting rates dipped at the start of the pandemic, when many stores shut down, and have since recovered to just below pre-pandemic levels. The city saw 710 reported shoplifting incidents in the first four months of 2021, down from 933 during the same period in 2019.

Shoplifting declined in San Francisco during the pandemic largely because many stores closed temporarily or permanently. A recent survey of 22 large U.S. retailers found that while overall shoplifting apprehensions declined by about 41% from 2019 to 2020, essential retailers that didnt close stores saw apprehensions increase by 8%. This survey suggests its possible that chain stores like Walgreens and CVS in San Francisco have seen shoplifting incidents increase. But public data does not indicate an overall spike in shoplifting in the city.

While incidents are down compared with previous years, San Franciscos property crime rates are still unusually high compared with other U.S. cities. In 2019, San Francisco had the highest rate of property crime of any city in California. The citys high levels of economic inequality and population density could contribute to its relatively high property crime rate, criminal justice researcher Magnus Lofstrom previously told The Chronicle.

Still, shoplifting has been declining in the city since 1985, according to data from the California Department of Justice. Thats in keeping with broader national trends: Between 2009 and 2018, overall property crime in the U.S. declined by 23%, according to the FBI.

Californias crime rates remain comparable to the low rates observed in the 1960s, researchers at the Public Policy Institute of California, including Lofstrom, wrote in 2018.

While shoplifting incidents havent surged this year or last, the rate of shoplifting incidents ending in citations or arrests did go down  a continuation of a decline that goes back at least as far as January 2018, the earliest month included in SFPDs detailed incident data.

The San Francisco Police Department did not return a request for comment on the shoplifting data, and why citations and arrest rates are declining. However, in a recent Board of Supervisors meeting, police officers said that shoplifters are getting more brazen, and that shoplifting incidents are likely underreported.

Cmdr. Raj Vaswani, the head of the investigations bureau at the San Francisco Police Department, said during the meeting that the department had seen a trend toward more violent shoplifting events. He also said there was an increase in repeat offenders.

Police Department data shows that there were 91 incidents of shoplifting involving force against an agent, classified as robberies in the system, in the first four months of 2021, a slight decline from 108 instances in the first four months of 2020 and 102 in 2019.

At the Board of Supervisors meeting, the officers also said that thieves had been emboldened by the passage of Proposition 47, a statewide initiative that reclassified certain theft and drug possession charges from felonies to misdemeanors, including shoplifting of items under $950.

According to a 2018 Public Policy Institute of California report, several types of property crime, including shoplifting, increased in California immediately following Proposition 47. However, shoplifting reports decreased in 2016 and as of 2018, were at roughly the same levels as 2010.

Susie Neilson is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: susie.neilson@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @susieneilson

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated when the New York Times published its article about the perceived spike in thefts. The article published before the video was released.
Bola Mydrs, who has lived on the streets of San Francisco for 20 years, now resides in a blue-tarped tent outside Boeddeker Park in the Tenderloin.

Before the pandemic, when Mydrs had to use the bathroom, he went to a gym south of Market or to nearby businesses. But when those closed, he depended on a city-run public bathroom a block away - especially overnight.

The toilet started operating around the clock under a pilot program extended by Mayor London Breed two years ago - but under her proposed budget, it would revert to daylight hours only. While Breed has expanded locations and hours for public bathrooms in the past, her proposed budget would not keep any temporary toilets that popped up during the pandemic and would end overnight hours at three locations. Her department heads said the reasons were scarce resources, fewer homeless tent encampments and more indoor facilities reopening.

They say its funding. But were out here. Were using the restrooms. Its going to go back to a shole, Mydrs said as he sat calmly on the edge of his tent. Where would people go? Thats the million-dollar question.

Supervisor Matt Haney, who has crusaded over the past of couple years to put more bathrooms on the streets, plans to answer that question with $3 million a year set aside to add five sites, which would bring the total to 30 across the city, and make five sites 24/7. Some locations have more than one toilet.

He said you cant put a price tag on dignity.

There are huge costs to a filthy, inaccessible city that are much higher than the costs of these bathrooms, Haney said. Access to bathrooms is a human right and that the provision of clean, safe and accessible bathrooms is an essential part of any ... modern city.

Breeds proposed program budget was $4.6 million annually for 25 toilets, none 24/7. Haney, who will hold a rally at Boeddeker Park on Friday, has asked the mayor to add five more new bathrooms and five more 24/7 bathrooms on top of her proposal.

Breed told The Chronicle on Wednesday she was looking at the data to see usage before she directs more resources to public bathrooms as budget negotiations continue.

City officials have praised the free toilet program and say more are needed in general, but differ on whether theyre critical to fund right now as the city reopens. Breed grew the number of public bathrooms from three locations in the Tenderloin in 2014 to 24 before the pandemic. Two years ago she also expanded a pilot program to make three locations 24/7 until the next budget cycle.

When the pandemic shut down San Francisco, including homeless shelters, the city increased the number of public restrooms. By May 2020, the city had 31 temporary sites  now it has 11. One more permanent site was added during the pandemic.

The most highly trafficked sites have tracked up to 200 flushes a day over the past year.

The Department of Public Works, which runs the toilets, said the removal was due to lack of money. The eye-popping price tag ranges from just over $100,000 to nearly $632,000 a year to staff and rent a toilet depending on hours and type.

Toilets set up for COVID relief cost a total of $12.9 million until May 2021, with $2.5 million reimbursed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

It is a very expensive program, we simply just didnt have the money to run and keep all those units up and going, Public Works acting director Alaric Degrafinried told supervisors during a recent hearing.

But emails from earlier this year, obtained via public records request and initially shared on Twitter anonymously, also show that Jeff Kositsky, head of the citys Healthy Streets Operation Center, which responds to tent encampments, pushed Public Works to remove toilets after encampments were cleared to prevent people re-settling in an area. In one email, Kositsky wanted it done before the citys tent count, which showed a reduction in the number of tents on sidewalks this year.

Degrafinried told supervisors fewer toilets were needed as encampments were resolved and it wasnt necessarily true to say we were under pressure from HSOC.

Public Works would determine the best locations for the new toilets based on usage data, Haney said.

Public bathrooms arent only used by people living on the streets. Matt Ploscik, formerly homeless, now lives a block away from Boeddeker Park, and said once when the shared bathrooms in his single room occupancy hotel were broken, he used it at night.

We need more places, Ploscik said outside the toilet. Not just in impoverished or ghetto areas, but if youre walking down the street at 2 a.m. Businesses are not open 24/7. This isnt a 24/7 city. Theres nowhere to go.

Mallory Moench is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: mallory.moench@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mallorymoench
Good morning, Bay Area. Its Friday, June 25, and Gov. Gavin Newsom has more than a few Hollywood backers to his anti-recall campaign. Heres what you need to know to start your day.

It was a shocking video: a man shoving items into a garbage bag in a San Francisco Walgreens and biking out of the store without paying for them, as customers and a security guard looked on.

The video, first posted by KGO television reporter Lynne Melendez, received more than 6 million views on Twitter alone and generated dozens of news articles, including an article in the New York Times titled San Franciscos Shoplifting Surge. Companies like Walgreens and CVS have cited rampant shoplifting in the decision to shutter stores in the past five years.

But has there actually been a surge in shoplifting in San Francisco? Reporter Susie Neilson looked at the data from the San Francisco Police Department  including what happened before and during the pandemic.

Previously:

 Some increases, some decreases: San Francisco crime is starting to look more like it did before the pandemic.

 Oakland cuts police funding to pay for social services, violence prevention.

Coronavirus Updates

Lea Suzuki / The Chronicle

Six-figure office deals were a common occurrence during San Franciscos real estate boom in the past decade, but the office market came to a near standstill after the coronavirus shut down the city.

The citys beleaguered office market got a boost this week when Levi Strauss said it plans to renew its lease for its S.F. headquarters, the citys biggest deal during the pandemic.

 More than 45% of S.F. small businesses remain closed despite improving economy.

 Advocates for Black city employees call S.F. vaccine mandate harsh and insensitive.

 S.F. school officials discussing following citys mandatory vaccination policy, requiring teachers, staff to get shots.

Around the Bay

Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images

 Sia, Spielberg and more: Hollywood celebrity donors pitch in to defeat effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.

 Dangerous heat wave to torch the West: Heres where it will get hottest in Northern California.

 June 29 special election: Where East Bay Assembly candidates stand on proposed Oakland As ballpark.

 A hot mess on a steep lot: Whistle-blower report details how one S.F. inspector cheated the citys permitting rules.

 First meeting in 2021: Bay Bridge Series will put As and Giants depth on full display this weekend.

 Near-complete turnover: Sonomas City Council has seen three resignations and an arrest. Heres whats happening.

 From food critic Soleil Ho: Mr. Digbys brings a quiet mastery of hearty Midwestern food to San Francisco.

Fire season

Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle

East Contra Costa County only has three fire stations and crews for 128,000 people across 249 square miles. They need at least double that, according to multiple studies commissioned by the fire protection district.

They know fire season is coming for the dry and increasingly populated landscape. But their hands are tied.

Its nerve-racking, Battalion Chief Jeff Burris, of Station 52, said. You try not to think about it.

Rachel Swan reports on how the fire district proposes to get more resources  and the decades-old rule holding them back.

Bay Briefing is written by Taylor Kate Brown, Anna Buchmann and Kellie Hwang and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writers at taylor.brown@sfchronicle.com, anna.buchmann@sfchronicle.com, and kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com.
San Francisco will require all city workers to be vaccinated, or risk getting fired. Advocates for Black employees say that mandate is harsh and and insensitive to nonwhites. Still, S.F. schools are considering following the citys lead when it comes to mandatory vacciantions for staff. Cases of the highly infectious delta coronavirous variant are rising fast in California, more than tripling in one Bay Area county in the past month. And San Franciscans struggling to pay rent will get another six-month reprieve after officials extended a city eviction moratorium that mirrors the states protections.

Resources on COVID-19 and Californias reopening: For detailed maps and new city-by-city Bay Area data, check out The Chronicles Coronavirus Tracker. See a visual guide to what will and wont change here. To get regular updates on our coverage, sign up for our coronavirus newsletter.

Global death toll tops 3.9 million: The world reached another grim milestone on Friday, as the death toll reached 3,905,890 people from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, according to tracking by Johns Hopkins University. Experts say the actual number is likely higher. A recent analysis of blood samples from 24,000 Americans taken early last year suggests that the coronavirus popped up in the US in December 2019  weeks before cases were first recognized by health officials. The first known coronavirus death in the nation occurred on Feb. 6, 2020, in Santa Clara County. Since then, 600,442 U.S. residents had died from the virus, according to data published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Genentech receives emergency use authorization for COVID treatment: The Food and Drug Administration has issued the South San Francisco biotech company an emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 treatment for use in hospitalized adults and pediatric patients. In a study of more than 5,500 hospitalized patients, researchers found that the drug, Actemra, may improve outcomes in patients receiving corticosteroids and requiring supplemental oxygen or breathing support. Even with the availability of vaccines and declines in deaths from COVID-19 in various parts of the world, we continue to see new hospitalizations from severe forms of the disease, Levi Garraway, chief medical officer with Genetech, said in a statement. We are pleased that Actemra is now authorized as an option that may help improve outcomes for adults and children hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States.

Fully vaccinated people should continue wearing masks due to delta variant, WHO says: Punctuating its warnings about the rapid spread of the highly transmissible delta variant of the virus, which was first discovered in India, officials from the World Health Organization cautioned on Friday that fully vaccinated people should continue wearing masks. People cannot feel safe just because they had the two doses. They still need to protect themselves, Dr. Mariangela Simao, an assistant director-general with WHO, said during a news briefing. Vaccine alone wont stop community transmission. People need to continue to use masks consistently, be in ventilated spaces, hand hygiene... the physical distance, avoid crowding. The announcement comes as many U.S. states pull back pandemic restrictions, including mask mandates. The delta variant is spreading quickly around the world  leaving young, unvaccinated people more vulnerable than ever, President Biden tweeted Thursday. The delta variant, which the WHO says is becoming the dominant global strain of the virus, has the potential to be more lethal because its more efficient in the way it transmits between humans and it will eventually find those vulnerable individuals who will become severely ill, have to be hospitalized and potentially die, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHOs health emergencies program, said earlier this week.

Lambda variant  another mutation spreads globally: Officials in the United Kingdom said on Friday that they have identified six cases of a coronavirus variant known as lambda, which was first identified in Peru. Also known as the C.37, the World Health Organization classified lambda as a variant of interest on June 14. It is rapidly spreading in South American countries, accounting for 81% of sequenced coronavirus cases in Peru since April, and overtaking the alpha strain in Chile and Argentina. Public Health England said all the domestic cases under investigation were linked to international travel. The lambda variant has been sequenced in 26 countries to date. There is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective, U.K. health officials said.

Millennials and Gen Z severely lagging in vaccinations: Vaccine uptake among adults between 1839 years old has remained alarmingly low since all persons over the age of 16 years have been eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Overall, 34% in that age group have received a vaccine since April 19, 2021, according to a report published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Thats compared to 65.7% of the general population over the age of 18, and 62.8% of all those eligible for shots over the age of 12. The lowest reported vaccination coverage and intent to get vaccinated was among adults aged 1824 years, as well as Black adults and those with less education, no insurance, and lower household incomes, the researchers found. Addressing concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy and emphasizing the role of vaccination in protecting family and friends and resuming social activities might help increase coverage, the authors said.

Infections among vaccinated Californians make up less than 0.04% of state cases: Out of the approximately 19 million people vaccinated against COVID-19 in California between Jan. 1 to June 17, there were 6,903 confirmed post-vaccinated infections, according to health department data published this week. These breakthrough cases account for about 0.036% of all infections in the state. Out of those cases, 527 people (7.6%) were hospitalized and 54 individuals (0.8%) died. but the California Department of Health said it is unclear if hospitalizations or deaths can be attributed to COVID-19.

53% of public health workers suffered mental health issues during pandemic: Among a sampling of 26,174 state and local public health workers, more than half experienced depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal thoughts during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That number is significantly higher than previously reported incidences in the general population, which is approximately 41%. The highest prevalences among health care workers were reported among younger respondents, as well as transgender or nonbinary respondents.

Public health workers who reported certain workplace practices, such as long work hours and the inability to take time off, were more likely to have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Implementing prevention and control practices that eliminate, reduce, and manage workplace factors that cause or contribute to public health workers adverse mental health status might improve mental health outcomes during this and other public health emergencies, the researchers note.

Delta variant can spread within 5 to 10 seconds of exposure, officials caution: It takes seconds, not minutes to transmit the delta variant of the coronavirus, according to Australian health officials who are combating an outbreak in New South Wales. They warn that the variant first identified in India appears to be more transmissible across all age groups, including children. Queenslands Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said officials are seeing very fleeting contact in some cases. Health department investigators have found at least one case, caught on CCTV cameras, where a person was infected with COVID-19 as a stranger walked past them while shopping at Bondi Junction Westfield, according to ABC Australia. If you remember at the start of this pandemic, I spoke about 15 minutes of close contact being a concern, Young said. Now, it looks like its five to 10 seconds. Thats a concern. The risk is so much higher now than it was only a year ago.

New York state ends to-go cocktail program, sparking anger: With the lifting of its coronavirus state of emergency on Thursday, the New York State Liquor Authority also announced that the temporary pandemic-related privileges for to-go and delivery of alcoholic beverages have come to an end. The move has upset casual drinkers and industry officials. The sudden elimination of alcohol to-go will hurt many businesses that have come to rely on this critical revenue stream, said The New York City Hospitality Alliance in a statement. Melissa Fleischut, President and CEO of the New York State Restaurant Association added, A permanent extension of alcohol to go is supported by 78% of New Yorkers, but the legislature failed to extend it and now the executive order has ended. Only in New York would elected officials ignore an overwhelming majority of the public. Restaurants are struggling to find staff, keep up with rising costs and manage a limited supply of goods, and nearly two-thirds of the applicants will not receive Restaurant Relief Funds. New York State must do more to help, not hurt, our restaurant industry.

Delta variant can upend pandemic progress, WHO warns : Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organisation, said Friday that the delta variant is the most transmissible coronavirus variants identified so far and has been identified in least 85 countries, and is spreading rapidly among unvaccinated populations. A surge of new infections tied to the variant have been reported in countries such as Israel, Russia and Portugal. The U.K., where the variant is responsible for 96% of new cases, reported 90,511 infections over the past seven days  an increase of 48% over the previous week  and 110 new deaths, a 53% jump. Delta variant cases in New York City have quadrupled over the past week, accounting for 22.7% of all infections, up from only 5.6% the week prior. Closer to home, there have also been outbreaks tied to the variant reported in Marin County.

More than 45% of S.F. small businesses remain closed: Over 45% of San Franciscos small businesses remain closed despite an improving economy and Californias reopening, according to a new city report. The rate has been flat from March to early June, even as coronavirus cases fell sharply and business restrictions were completely lifted. The city lags California, which had 40.8% of small businesses closed. Read the full story here.

Levi Strauss renews lease for entire S.F. HQ, the citys biggest deal during the pandemic: Levi Strauss & Co. has renewed its lease for its San Francisco headquarters at its longtime North Beach home Levis Plaza, a boost for the citys beleaguered office market. Read the full story here.

S.F. schools could follow citys mandatory vaccination policy, require teachers, staff to get shots: San Francisco schools could require teachers and other staff to get a coronavirus vaccine, following the citys lead in mandating its 35,000 government workers are eventually vaccinated. Read the full story here.

Advocates for Black employees call S.F. vaccine mandate harsh and insensitive to nonwhites: A group advocating for Black city employees issued a scathing response to San Franciscos order that its workers be vaccinated against the coronavirus, calling the mandate harsh and insensitive and threatening legal action on grounds that Black people could be disciplined more often than others. Read the full story here.
Thick morning heat scorched the east Contra Costa County suburb of Brentwood. At Fire Station 52, the calls were already coming in.

There was one fire that day: A transformer explosion in nearby Oakley downed two power lines and set a fence ablaze. But the radio also buzzed with multiple medical emergencies, including a stroke and sudden death, which required firefighters to go out again and again. This was the relative calm in mid-June, before another wildfire season threatens to engulf vast swaths of California in flames this summer and autumn.

Battalion Chief Jeff Burris, of Station 52, gritted his teeth.

Its nerve-racking, he said. You try not to think about it.

In many ways, east Contra Costa County shows the disconnect between public attitudes, development patterns and increasingly bleak environmental realities across California. The residents predicament stems from Proposition 13, a rigid cap on property taxes that state voters passed in 1978. At that time, east county was a sparsely populated string of farm towns and orchards, served by on-call or volunteer firefighters. The cost of battling blazes was low; the law assumed it would stay that way.

When Prop. 13 went into play, there were 3,000 residents out here, Oakley resident and fire district board President Brian Oftedal said. And the volunteers would be mowing their lawns with little Plectron radios at their hips, and then theyd jump in their pickup trucks to drive to an emergency.

Yet that was before the suburban boom and climate change converged to turn fire season into a ruthless new normal. East Contra Costa County Fire Protection District currently has three fire stations and crews  half of what it needs to serve a 249-square-mile area with 128,000 people, according to multiple studies commissioned by the district.

In August, the districts firefighters spent more than a week battling lightning complex fires that gnawed through Marsh Creek and Morgan Territory, where mansions line two-lane roads on the north side of Mount Diablo. This summer could be worse, given the sweltering heat, the drought and a dearth of firefighting resources amid changing times.

East countys population and emergency call volume swelled over the past decade, from 6,260 calls in 2011 to 7,639 in 2020. Average response times increased by 32% in those nine years, from 6:27 in 2011 to 8:29 in 2020.

While district spending and staffing have appeared to keep pace, east Contra Costa receives half the property tax share granted to neighboring fire agencies. The low allocation was based on population demands in the 1970s and locked in by Prop. 13, which has so far withstood court challenges and reform efforts.

We have this pie thats allocated based on the way the world was back in the 1970s, Michael Coleman, an expert on local government finance, said of Prop. 13.

He noted that some jurisdictions are facing the reverse plight of east Contra Costa: Sacramento and Los Angeles counties have large urban fire districts in their unincorporated areas, so Prop. 13 cemented their property tax allocations at a relatively high rate at the expense of other services.

Thats not the case in east Contra Costa, where Oftedal is among many local officials pressing for an overhaul. They want to merge operations with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District  the bigger agency in the central county  and extract a third of the $81 million annual revenue generated by Measure X, the half-cent sales tax that passed last year.

The idea has skeptics, from the Antioch mayor, who would like to see the Measure X tax spent on other things, to residents who dont want to give up local control from their elected fire board. Advocates call it a sensible compromise for a district where taxpayers complain about the inadequate fire response but have resisted three attempts to fix it.

Voters rejected ballot measures to raise taxes or fees in 2012, 2015 and 2016. Now the district routinely pulls engines and crews from greater Contra Costa to supplement its modest labor force and equipment.

On June 14, for example, Antioch Station 88 sent an engine to respond to a vehicle accident in Oakley at 3:49 p.m. Three hours later, the city dispatched two more engines to a medical emergency on Lone Tree Way in Brentwood. Although the jurisdictions have automatic and mutual aid agreements, east Contra Costa needs assistance at about four times the rate that it sends out help, says east Contra Costa district fire Chief Brian Helmick.

He took an extraordinary step last year, enacting a policy to send three engines to structure fires in his jurisdiction. Other parts of the county get four engines and a truck.

I had to live within our means, Helmick told The Chronicle.

He and Burris noted that the outside help had effectively become a one-way subsidy.

Like the neighbor who is always borrowing your lawn mower, who never gives it back, Burris said.

In 2002, the east county area  Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Byron and Bethel Island  had about 62,000 people and eight fire stations. Housing developments were starting to blossom along the two-lane highways that crisscross the Delta.

Over 19 years, the population doubled and the number of stations shrank. Some of them were relics of the volunteer era, which didnt have the capacity to hold modern engines. Station 54 in Brentwood was basically a cardroom, Burris said. Built in 1957, it closed in 2012 and briefly reopened the following year before shuttering for good. Station 57, in Byron, shut down in 2010 because the call volume was too low, he added.

By 2017, this cluster of suburbs and towns was down to three stations, a choice Helmick made to create a leaner, more professional organization. Though there were few firehouses, they each had dormitories and a 24-seven staff. But each day is a scramble, Burris said.

People move out to Brentwood and they get a 3,500-square-foot home on a nice lot for half what it costs anywhere else in the Bay Area, said Bryan Scott, an empty-nester who moved to the suburb in 2009. The trade-off, he noted, is shoddy fire service.

Scott co-chairs a grassroots group called East County Voters for Equal Protection, which is pressing for more robust fire and emergency services throughout the area. The group endorses the plan to merge with Contra Costa County Fire, saying it would allow the combined district to cut back on administrative and legal costs, buy equipment in bulk, and spread resources throughout the region.

Such streamlining would save about $7 million annually, not enough to staff the three new stations the region needs, according to the studies. So, the countys nine executive fire chiefs are asking for $27 million in annual Measure X revenue, plus a onetime grant of $1.5 million, and would use some of that money to fill the hole. The rest, they say would be split among the nine fire agencies in Contra Costa County.

Both plans require approval from multiple governing bodies. Neither plan is guaranteed.

Still, the firefighters at Brentwood Station 52 are resolute. After years of leaning on neighbors and working mandatory overtime, they finally see a viable solution, station Capt. Robert Ruddick noted.

Ive just never seen it this close to being fixed, he said.

Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Others, however, are dubious. Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe hasnt taken a formal position on the plan, yet he questioned the amount of money the firefighters are seeking. Thorpe pointed out that the campaign literature for Measure X also emphasized health services, early childhood education and investment in vulnerable populations, such as the unhoused. County officials have discussed the possibility of starting a regional mental health crisis response program, and this sales tax would provide the funding to do it, Thorpe said.

It just seems that fire service (in east county) is not the reason we voted for Measure X, Thorpe said, adding that east county residents have their own problems paying taxes for their own services.

Even within east county, people have raised concerns about the proposed consolidation. Some critics are wary of giving up their local elected board and ceding all decision-making power to the county Board of Supervisors. Speaking at a recent meeting of the fire district boards finance committee, Discovery Bay resident Bob Mankin reminded the board directors that local governance was a big selling point when east county formed its own fire district in 2002.

Ruddick, the captain at Station 52, is hopeful that firefighters can rally support for their consolidation plan, because the status quo clearly isnt working.

Around noon Thursday, Ruddicks battalion chief gave him some bad news. His 48-hour shift  which would have been done that day  was being extended for another 48 hours. The district was short-staffed, with three people out nursing long-term injuries. Another pitfall of working in a slim operation, Ruddick said.

He flinched.

The overtime is nice, he said. But I cant say I want it.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan
Jeff Chiu/Associated Press

A natural gas leak near Morgan Hill prompted evacuations in a residential area on Thursday night, authorities said.

Evacuations were underway in the area of Stonebridge Drive and Stonebridge Court shortly after 8 p.m., said Cal Fires Santa Clara Unit.
Once a week for 30 years, from 1977 to 2007, aspiring artists were invited to bring a sample of their work to the California Palace of the Legion of Honor to be critiqued by staff curator Robert Flynn Johnson.

Only one of these aspirants got a solo museum exhibition out of it  a middle-aged Fairfax woman named Jackie Kirk who brought three portraits of AIDS victims shed painted in acrylic on stiff rag paper.

Those three portraits were the seeds of what became The Face of AIDS, a 1991 exhibition at the Legion of Honor that may have been the first to visually address the health crisis that San Francisco was then confronting.

It took some pleading by Johnson to make it happen, in part because Kirk was unknown and because AIDS was at that point virtually untouchable as a topic for fine art.

San Francisco was having a nervous breakdown over the AIDS crisis, and nobody was artistically addressing it like Jackie was. She caught that crisis through her art, said Johnson, now curator emeritus. Im as proud of the exhibition The Face of AIDS as any exhibition I did in my 32 years at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

What made the series unique is that Kirk painted a self-portrait after each time she painted a dying AIDS victim. They hung side by side in the gallery to reflect what she felt while staring into the eyes of a dying man.

Perhaps some people may approach this show with fear, she wrote in her artists statement for the historic show. They may think it is about death. It is not. I am painting courage and strength. It is, above all, about life.

The Face of AIDS traveled to other museums and became both a book and a documentary film. Kirk kept painting into her 90s. She had painted on May 21, the day she suffered a stroke at her home in Fairfax, said her daughter Bobbi Wilson. She died one day later, at age 91.

/Jackie Kirk Archives

Jackie was a talented, determined, really almost saintly individual in her love of her fellow man, Johnson said. She was an expressionistic realist, and her style of painting conveyed emotional feeling through her vigorous brushwork and color.

Jacqueline E. Karbach was born July 28, 1929, in Oakland. When she was in 11, the family moved to Edina, Minn., and at 12, she won a contest to attend art classes at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.

I saw The Scream by Edvard Munch, and I didnt feel so alone, she later wrote. Edvard Munch had a way of speaking his own personal truth that touched me and changed the way I felt forever.

After graduating from Washburn High School in 1947, she entered the University of Minnesota to study fine art, but dropped out to launch an interior design firm with Robert Osterhaus, whom she married in 1954. Soon thereafter they closed the design firm and headed to California, where she took up painting again.

She and Osterhaus had two children before they divorced. She then married Neal Kirk. That marriage didnt last, but the last name Kirk did. She was a single mom living on food stamps in San Rafael when she secured a tuition subsidy to Sonoma State University. She got her teaching credential in 1973 and got her first job teaching art at San Rafael High School, with her daughter in her class.

While there, she painted a portrait of one of her students who was dying of leukemia. It was the start of her career as a portrait artist, which she honed while teaching art therapy courses at nursing homes. Her approach was influenced by German Expressionism, which encouraged the inner feelings of the artist to seep into the portrait.

I was angry at society for letting old people suffer, she later wrote. I realized my art was close to politics.

Kirk did not believe in working from photographs of her subjects, or from preliminary sketches. She carried her full easel and oversize watercolor paper wherever she went. It took a commitment from the subject.

She was extremely personal while painting me over several days, said Kay Carlson, a Sausalito landscape painter who was part of a potluck group of artists whom Kirk practiced on, asking the hard questions, yet always ready with a quick wit and a wicked, naughty laugh.

At one of their monthly potlucks, Kirk brought her signature bean salad along with a portrait she had made of an AIDS victim named Larry, a Petaluma quilt maker shed met through her neighbor Roger Keyes, an esteemed art historian.

A few months later, she brought a second AIDS portrait along with a self-portrait that was even more compelling. She had invented this new way of responding to her subject, Carlson said.

It took her four or five years to build a portfolio of AIDS portraits. She met most of her subjects at the Peter Claver Community, an HIV residential program in San Francisco run by Catholic Charities. She also painted a priest, a woman and a child, all of whom had gotten HIV from blood transfusions.

When Kirk told the potluckers that she were being given a solo premiere at the Legion of Honor, It was a total stunner, Carlson said. Shed had local shows but not major gallery representation.

Kirk continued painting portraits on commission and also drew abstract landscapes of West Marin using colored pencil, graphite and pen and ink. She brought her work and her bean salad to the monthly potluck dinners for 37 years, until COVID-19 shut it down. Kirk had painted portraits of all 10. Now death has whittled the members to three.

Jackie was a humanitarian in the true sense, Carlson said. She understood people in their deep places and could be with them in these deep places.

Kirks third husband, Philip Rosenfeld, also a Fairfax artist, died in 2012. Survivors include daughter Bobbi Wilson of Sebastapol; son Tom J. Kirk of San Anselmo; and granddaughters Amanda Lincoln and Sophia Kirk, both of Seattle, and Winona Wagner of Sonoma.

A memorial exhibition of her portraits and recent work will open with a celebration of life at 3 p.m. on Aug. 21 at San Geronimo Valley Community Center, 5800 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Geronimo.

Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @samwhitingsf
The Oakland City Council passed a two-year budget Thursday that cuts $18.4 million from Mayor Libby Schaafs proposed police budget to fund violence prevention measures and social services, a pivotal moment in the police-reform movement that followed last years murder of George Floyd.

The $3.8 billion adopted budget was a counterproposal to Schaafs plan, which would have slightly increased police spending. The mayor sharply criticized the vote, saying it will lead to the loss of 50 police officer jobs and delay response to Oaklanders in their time of crisis.

The vote comes as Oakland struggles with a spike in homicides, including a mass shooting at Lake Merritt last weekend.

The counterproposal, introduced by Council President Nikki Fortunato Bas, was backed by Bas and council members Carroll Fife, Dan Kalb, Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan and Sheng Thao.

Im really proud of what this budget has become, Bas said during the meeting Thursday. We need alternatives to police responses to low-level nonviolent, non-criminal calls for service, and we need to invest in preventing violence long before it even becomes a possibility, by investing in our neighborhoods.

Council members Treva Reid and Loren Taylor, who represent neighborhoods on the east side of the city that have suffered from violence, dissented.

Critics of the effort to shift funding from the police force point to concerns about rising crime. As of Sunday, Oakland had seen 56 homicides, nearly double the number at the same time last year. All violent crimes  murders, assaults, robberies and rapes  were up 13%.

But advocates for deemphasizing police in public safety say traditional approaches havent worked, and that police abuses by a department that remains under federal court oversight have harmed or killed people while fueling mistrust. They say its past time to focus on the root causes of violence.

A clash over police funding is playing out in other Bay Area cities, as elected officials struggle with how to keep communities safe while investing in social services.

The cuts passed Thursday were still a fraction of the 50% Oaklands council said last summer it planned to chop from the Police Departments budget.

In May, Schaaf proposed a two-year budget that would have increased funding for the Oakland Police Department by spending $693 million total. The mayors plan would have paid for two additional police recruit academies, bringing the total to six.

Schaafs proposal would have set aside a slightly smaller share of the citys spending on police than in previous years. Though the share would have been slightly smaller, her budget would have increased police spending to account for overtime expenses.

Oakland far exceeded its budget when it spent $349 million on police in the 2019-20 fiscal year. The city budgeted $317 million for police the next year. Schaaf proposed spending $341 million on police in the 2021-22 fiscal year and $352 million in 2022-23.

Schaaf said Thursday the adopted plan cuts much-needed future academies, which will significantly reduce police staffing  now at 714 officers  and force our officers to work even more overtime shifts, which are expensive and unsafe for officers and residents alike.

On Monday, Taylor, Thao and Reid proposed amendments to Bas plan that included adding one police academy instead of the two suggested by the mayor.

Taylor said he and Reid voted against the budget because of the funding inequities with respect to central and deep East Oakland. Apart from the policing debate, he said, much of the budget skewed toward parks, workforce development initiatives and investment west of High Street.

After the vote, Taylor said the alternate plan had proposed the same amount in violence prevention (and) alternative community response, but would front-load police academies instead of spreading them out over two years, which he said would have ensured a higher level of staffing sooner. It was the same cost, the same amount of officers trained. We just wanted them trained earlier.

In an email Tuesday, Schaaf urged constituents to support the three council members plan.

Schaaf added that Bas plan would significantly cut the police budget, decimating 911 response and reducing officer staffing levels significantly.

Bas disagreed. In an email to constituents Wednesday, Bas said that 75% of those 911 calls are for low-level, non-criminal incidents such as car tows, blocked driveways and mental health incidents.

The budget would also pay for affordable housing, improvements to parks and sanitation services to more than 100 homeless encampments.

More than 100 residents and community members called into the virtual meeting Thursday for public comment, and the majority expressed support for cuts to police spending.

Resident Bekkah Scharf urged council members to vote for Bas proposal to reinvest funds from the Police Department into prevention measures that actually keep us safe, she said. The recent mass shooting at Lake Merritt that left one dead and seven injured demonstrated that no amount of police officers can prevent such incidents even when officers were present, Scharf said.

Cathy Adams, president and CEO of Oaklands African American Chamber of Commerce, expressed support for Taylors plan.

Without the fifth police academy that Taylor has proposed, Oaklands police force will shrink faster than the alternatives can be ... in place to offload the work. This will lead to longer wait time for 911 responses.

The Anti Police-Terror Project, an advocacy group that has long called for defunding police and investing in communities, applauded the councils vote on Thursday.

Today, (the) City Council gave much-needed hope to the organizers, mental health advocates ... faith leaders and working families across the city working to defund the police and invest in community, the group said.

Jessica Flores and Rachel Swan are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jessica.flores@sfchronicle.com, rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jesssmflores, @rachelswan
Regarding The miserable choice at the heart of the recall (June 24): I read the Open Forum piece comparing the upcoming recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom to the 2016 presidential election. Comparing Newsoms appeal to Hillary Clintons appeal, or lack thereof in either or both cases, is an inaccurate comparison as the results of these elections are not decided the same way. Clinton would have been the U.S. president for four years if presidential elections in this country were decided based on the popular vote of all who cast ballots. It is only the flawed Electoral College system of appointing a U.S. president that resulted in Donald Trumps disastrous 2016 selection. Its the second disastrous Electoral College mistake of this century. It is the reason this country must abolish this archaic method of selecting a president. While I feel that this recall of Newsom is a complete waste of time and money, at least I can take heart in knowing that my vote will count when the votes are tallied and the results are certified.

Charlotte Seekamp, San Francisco

Hope for overrule

Regarding Inalienable rights at risk (Letters, June 23): The letter writer opines that the Second Amendment gives the state the right to regulate the militia with gun control laws and so forth. He is righter than he knows. The Second Amendment comes from the 17th item in a Declaration of Rights proposed by the Virginia Convention ratifying the U.S. Constitution, and it is quite clearly a state right, like the 11th Amendment, not a personal or citizens right like the rest of the Bill of Rights. The fear was that without state militias, a standing army of the U.S. might become necessary  something which has happened anyway, as we know.

No conservative judge would take this original intent into consideration, but, as it happens, former President Donald Trump by some mistake appointed mainly original-intent textualists, not conservatives, to the courts, so there is a chance that U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez and his like will be overruled  if Attorney General Xavier Becerra submits things right.

John Wills, Oakland

Distorted reality

In response to Too much propaganda (Letters, June 23), let me point out the obvious: It is not the case that Fox News has a conservative slant, while MSNBC offers liberal and progressive diatribes all day long. (Note that even the topic sentence is neither fair nor balanced.) The two cable networks are not simply purveyors of opposing political points of view. Whereas MSNBC offers a generally liberal interpretation of the facts  knowable, observable, objective facts  Fox makes stuff up. Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson do not merely interpret the facts from a conservative perspective. They lie. They make factual assertions (or in Carlsons case, ask suggestive questions) that do not comport with reality. Often, these assertions are so ridiculous that I want to shout at their viewers: Dont you see they have no respect for you? They think youre so dumb that you actually believe the nonsense they spout.

Leslie Wellbaum, San Francisco

Stop double standards

While I dont have issue with Mayor London Breeds decision to veto the free transit pilot, I do have issue with some of her logic. Breed indicated that she does not support those who could afford to pay. While this logic makes sense, San Francisco already pays for car owners who could afford to pay. Pavement, streetlights, stop lights, free parking spaces and freeways all are subsidies to vehicle owners  many of whom could afford to pay. If Breed wants transit riders who can afford it to pay, then vehicle owners who can afford to pay should do so too. Stop the double standards for vehicles and transit.
Regarding Catastrophe near Miami (Front Page, June 24): Miamis tower collapse highlights San Franciscos own high-risk buildings.

Over 3,000 vulnerable non-ductile concrete structures dot the city, including well-known, tall and high-occupancy buildings. Designed per pre-1980 codes, these structural systems have brittle concrete beams, columns and walls, as well as insufficient steel reinforcing.

Already prone to crumbling and collapsing in earthquakes, the Florida disaster points out other potential weaknesses, like soil subsidence, differential settlement, poor maintenance, saltwater corrosion and aging, which can trigger spontaneous failure and pancaking.

San Francisco has made great strides in retrofitting unreinforced masonry, larger soft-story and public buildings. But like Los Angeles Non-Ductile Concrete Retrofit Program with its 25-year target completion date, San Francisco needs to take further steps to protect property and lives.

Howard Wong, San Francisco

Safety in vaccinations

As a retired San Francisco city employee, I applaud the decision to require all municipal employees in the city to be vaccinated against COVID-19. City Hall needs to get back to work, performing the services all San Franciscans depend upon. Lets have them do that in the safest environment possible.

The vaccines provide that safety and are amazingly effective.

Lets have San Francisco be a leader that the rest of the world can look to on this issue!

Laurel Turner, San Francisco

Wrong to defund

In defiance of the will of a vast majority of Oaklanders, the Oakland City Council decided to defund the Oakland Police Department, thus placing ideology over public safety, and casting the citys future into grim doubt, at a time when rising crime, including murder, threatens innocent citizens on the streets, and even in their homes.

The Council decided to cut $18.4 million from OPDs budget (Oakland police funds shifted to social programs, Front Page, June 25), an act that will lead to the loss of dozens of additional police officers, even as cops have been quitting the department in droves due to daily assaults upon their character.

The council meeting, at which nearly 100 citizens spoke, was dominated by defunders. But it is mainly younger, more politically active leftists who have the time to sit at their computers and Zoom.

A more realistic sample of public opinion came earlier this year, when an official city of Oakland poll found that 78% of Oaklanders want about the same number or more police officers patrolling neighborhoods and responding to 911 calls.

Sadly, the city council has chosen to disregard the will of the people. We will not forget.

Steve Heimoff, Oakland

Worth the risk

Regarding Kayak adventures lead to expensive rescues (Letters, June 24): We are all acutely aware of the time, energy and cost to rescue errant sailors, kayakers and ocean adventurers. But I am not an angry taxpayer.

I see it as a worthwhile expense to keep exploration and wanderlust alive and well in this modern, all-too-digital age.

Should we have prevented Amelia Earhart from her attempt to circumnavigate the world? Should we have prohibited Alex Honnold from free soloing El Capitan?

This red-blooded urge to conquer the unknown, push human endurance, and discover whats beyond the horizon is a unique quality of the American spirit. We need more of this in todays risk-averse society, not less.
Move aside, purported allies. Your snowballing presence is no longer needed at the San Francisco Pride parade.

Last year, event organizers banned uniformed officers from marching over a 2019 incident of police-involved violence at the parade. That was the right decision. And I know another group who join officers on the sidelines: openly heterosexual folks.

If you think these are the bitter musings of a forlorn 40-something gay man, youre only half right: It wasnt long ago that the annual march celebrating queerdom was primarily attended by those within our community.

Pride began as a rally against anti-gay laws and societal prejudice. It rose from the Compton Cafeteria riots in 1966, when a group of trans women in the Tenderloin fought back against police abuse inside Gene Comptons Cafeteria; the Los Angeles Black Cat Tavern raid in 1967, which erupted in protest after police beat and charged patrons with lewd conduct for same-sex kissing; and most notably, the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969. The first Pride march in San Francisco in 1970 was a child of these bold, raging acts of civil disobedience.

As the years went by  and Will and Grace, Ellen Degeneres, RuPaul and Schitts Creek acclimated the cisgender masses to a palatable and quirky queer life  the citys predominately heterosexual power players slowly and carefully co-opted the annual bacchanalia.

Now were stuck with contingent after uninspired contingent of supervisors or city attorneys riding in antique convertible cars with meek handfuls of aides and interns trailing behind, forced to don their bosses name on custom Zazzle tees.

Marvelous? Hardly.

The put-on revelry and cheap sentiment are offensive. In addition to a dearth of panache, their presence in the parade smacks of smarm, not support. Even the Trump administration held its own awkward Pride rally last year in an attempt to curry favor. And theyre taking space away from queer people. They might as well crash the DJ Booth at Beaux on a Friday night and blare Post Malone.

While some longtime locals love to bemoan the annual cavalcade up Market Street, it remains an important sight to behold. Taking part in the parade is a rite of passage for many queer people. It remains one hell of a blowout, so party crashers are inevitable. But its time to gently prune the interlopers vying for center stage.

Refurbishing Pride to make it something even better is nothing new.

Oakland Black Pride, happening this weekend, formed in 2020 to tackle the nuanced issues of LGBTQ-identified Black people, members of two historically underserved communities, in order to ensure their visibility, growth, survival, and celebration. (Reports on the increasing number of deaths of Black trans people are horrifying.)

Theres been an erasure of the architects and elders of the LGBTQ+ movement; it has been whitewashed and so has Pride overall, said Olaywa K. Austin, executive director of Oakland Black Pride. Two trans women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, led the Stonewall rebellion and are mothers of the Pride movement, but today its dominated by white cisgender gay men, allies and corporations and is far removed from Stonewall.

I agree.

Austins argument also dovetails nicely into SF Pride.

Once a queer mecca, San Francisco has lost its lavender-hued shine over the years. In a city that had at least one gay bar in almost every neighborhood 20 years ago, most of them are now relegated to the Castro and SoMa.

The real estate industry has taken to manufacturing misnomers for Castro, like Dolores Heights, or Eureka Valley, in order to cast a wider net for prospective heterosexual homebuyers. And the neutered Pride slogans (e.g., love is love) seen in storefronts across the city each June read less as genuine support and more like money-grubbing attempts to connect with LGBTQ wallets.

And, to be sure, theres gold in them there gay populations. The Pride parade is the centerpiece of the largest single-event revenue generator in San Francisco. Business groups estimate that Pride weekend generates over $350 million in retail, restaurant and hotel revenue. And queer folks, who still lag in the 2.5 children department, have money to burn.

San Franciscos Pride parade is, of course, canceled this year because of COVID. When it returns next June, elected officials and social climbers who arent on the LBGTQ rainbow should resist the urge to impede on queer spaces and gatherings.

No more riding in the procession. No more using our space to stump for votes. No more queerbaiting us by dressing in drag at the Powerhouse, which, for the unfamiliar, is South of Markets best dive bar for having literal penetrative sex on the dance floor (according to my very own eyes).

Exceptions are granted for young revelers who come from afar, get blitzed on a passed-around bottle of vodka, and later fill the city gutters with bile. (Young people act foolish by nature. And many still havent discovered themselves.) Pride is, after all, a riot and a celebration. Let those who havent had a liver-soaked in overpriced beer have their fun.

Other exceptions, of course, should be made for friends or family members of LGBTQ youth and  why not  your straight girlfriend you drag with you to Oasis each Friday night.

For everyone else, have a seat on the sidewalk.

Brock Keeling is an award-winning writer who covers California.
California will shield struggling tenants from eviction for at least three more months and attempt to pay off all of the rent lower-income residents missed during the coronavirus pandemic under a deal announced Friday by Gov. Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers.

The plan, which emerged after weeks of tense negotiations with renter advocates and property owner groups, would extend through the end of September the states moratorium on evictions for nonpayment of rent due to the pandemic.

Lower-income tenants who qualify for a state rental aid program  those who earn 80% or less of the median income in their county and were financially affected by COVID-19  would be protected from eviction for an additional six months. From October through next March, those residents would receive extra time to apply for rent relief if a property owner attempts to evict them.

While our state may be emerging from the pandemic, in many ways, the lingering financial impact still weighs heavily on California families, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, said in a statement. People are trying to find jobs and make ends meet and one of the greatest needs is to extend the evictions moratorium.

With a June 30 expiration of Californias eviction freeze looming, the proposal would give many of the estimated 758,000 California households behind on rent more time to pursue $5.2 billion in federal rent relief money that has been slow to materialize. The plan must still be voted on by the Legislature, which could happen as soon as Monday, and signed by Newsom, who said in a statement that he was eager to receive it.

The new bill, AB832, would also kick-start an ambitious expansion of the states rent relief program, aiming to pay 100% of the back rent owed by lower-income tenants. Its an unprecedented effort, and one that will depend on the state setting up a distribution process to reach reach a large and diverse group of tenants who owe an estimated $3.5 billion statewide, according to a National Equity Atlas analysis.

Advocates on both sides also warn that major changes must be made to help tenants and property owners navigate a confusing web of state and local pandemic housing aid programs.

Newsom said at a news conference Friday that the state would work to get those dollars out as quickly as possible while avoiding any potential fraud in the claims.

Under the terms announced Friday, property owners are still barred from evicting tenants for failing to pay their rent because they lost their jobs, had medical bills for COVID-19 or experienced other financial hardships during the pandemic. Tenant lawyers say evictions for other causes are ongoing, and the debate about what to do next divided advocates over how long to extend the moratorium, who should be eligible for rent relief and whether the states economy has recovered enough to phase out some emergency protections.

A few local governments, including Oakland and Alameda County, have existing eviction freezes that are more extensive than Californias and will continue after the state moratorium ends in October. A proposal by officials in San Francisco to extend its local moratorium for the rest of the year would be preempted, however.

The new state plan will also allow tenants to obtain full rental assistance even if their property owner refuses to participate in the program. Under an earlier, more limited version, tenants were offered between 25% and 80% of the rent they missed, depending on whether the owner would forgive the rest of what they owed. Tenants and property owners who already received aid will be able to apply again for full coverage.

Social worker Sara Kelley hoped the changes would help erase the $13,800 that she and her partner owe in back rent for their studio apartment in San Pablo. Kelley said they both lost jobs at the beginning of the pandemic, made sure they paid the minimum 25% of back rent to avoid eviction and filed paperwork required by the state, but the couples landlord still declined in an email to participate in the previous rent relief program.

With her application for rental aid in limbo since March, Kelley said her front door is covered in tape from months of notices about the debt and a proposed repayment plan.

I think that was an intimidation tactic, said Kelley, who has become an advocate for tenants with the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment. They wanted us to leave.

Tenant groups lobbied to extend the moratorium through the end of the year and make it easier for renters to access relief money, with or without the participation of a property owner. Some complained Friday that drawn-out, closed-door negotiations limited time for public scrutiny of the last-minute deal.

The California Apartment Association, which represents owners and developers of rental properties, had called for an end to the moratorium, as well as means testing to prevent tenants who were not harmed by the pandemic from abusing the system.

Tom Bannon, president of the apartment association, expressed disappointment that the state would again extend its eviction freeze and had not made additional resources available to help property owners whose tenants do not qualify for the federal aid.

It is frustrating that the state of California and numerous local governments have not quickly disbursed funds to those in need, especially to mom-and-pop rental housing providers who have not seen any rent payments yet must still pay the mortgage, insurance, taxes, maintenance and other expenses, he said in a statement.

With the new framework in place, what comes next is an even more daunting challenge: improving the process for doling out the billions of federal dollars available for rent relief. Instead of relying on the state rent relief program, many cities and counties are administering their own with their share of the money.

As of Monday, California had paid more than $61.5 million out of nearly $659 million in aid requested in counties relying on the state program, according to Russ Heimerich, a spokesperson for the states Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency. He said administrators are already preparing for the changes that will pay off all outstanding rent debt, which will simplify and speed up the program.

Were ready to go to do that, Heimerich said. That will significantly increase the amount of dollars going out the door.

Much of the challenge ahead lies in helping tenants navigate changing application processes and eviction rules, so that they dont get lost in the process, said Alex Werth, a policy associate with affordable housing advocacy group East Bay Housing Organizations.

What were seeing is a tremendous amount of hope leading to a tremendous amount of frustration, Werth said. Whos going to reach out to the tenants who got discouraged the first time around?

Lauren Hepler and Alexei Koseff are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: lauren.hepler@sfchronicle.com, alexei.koseff@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LAHepler @akoseff
Over 13 million people across the U.S. West are expected to be under an excessive heat warning this weekend as of Friday morning, and that number will grow as National Weather Service offices issue new warnings amid an event that's expected to break records.

The sweltering conditions will arrive as a dome of high pressure centered over the Pacific Northwest and southwest Canada strengthens and sends temperatures soaring.

Portland, Ore., is expected to see a three-day run of triple-digit heat Saturday to Monday, something that has happened only seven other times in its more than 80 years of records, according to Oregon Live. The highest temperature ever recorded at the Portland International Airport is 107 degrees and the National Weather Service is predicting a new record, a high of 109, on Sunday.

The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has reached 100 degrees or greater twice in recorded history. It hit 103 in July 2009 and 100 in July 1994. The mercury is likely to rise above 100 degrees on both Sunday and Monday, potentially breaking the all-time high record, according to the weather service.

UCLA climatologist Daniel Swain wrote on Twitter that this will be an "exceptionally dangerous" heat wave from a public health perspective, "especially since this is a part of the country where structures are not designed to shed heat and where air conditioning is rare." Swain said infrastructure and power disruption is also possible.

Tyler Hamilton, a meteorologist for Weather Network specializing in the Pacific Northwest, called the event "an unfathomable temperature anomaly" on Twitter.

The good news for the San Francisco Bay Area is the high pressure has shifted to the north. While the heat is expected to bleed into far Northern California (Redding could hit 105 on Saturday), the Bay Area is unlikely to see widespread triple-digit heat with this event.

"Late last week it looked like this heat dome was going to be centered over the North Bay and that would have encompassed the greater Bay Area," explained Drew Peterson, a meteorologist with the weather service. "Over the last week we saw that high pressure dome develop over the Pacific Northwest and move farther and farther north. We're only on the periphery of it. While there is excessive heat around the state, given our proximity to the Pacific coast and our onshore flow [ocean breeze], all of that is going to limit the heat that's well out of our area."

In the Bay Area, temperatures on the coast and along the bay front are forecast to be in the mid-60s to low-70s Friday while inland areas will be in the 80s.

Saturday is expected to be the hottest day of the event with spots on the coast and bay in the high 60s to mid-70s and inland areas in the 90s. The hottest locations such as Cloverdale in northern Sonoma County and Lake Berryessa in Napa County are forecast to break 100 degrees.

Sunday and Monday will be slightly cooler than Saturday.

"It will be hot, it will be above normal," said Peterson. "But it's not going to be to the point where people see excessive heat warnings. We've really been spared, but people should still remember it will be warmer than normal and people should stay hydrated."

Swain called the heat event across the Pacific Northwest and southwest Canada "truly exceptional." Swain, who writes the Weather West blog, noted that summer temperatures have been rising in Washington and Oregon over the past century. "Both OR's and WA's hottest summer on record have occurred in the past 6 years," he wrote on Twitter.

A large body of research indicates that severe heat waves have been made worse over time by climate change.

"Heat waves are occurring more often than they used to in major cities across the United States, from an average of two heat waves per year during the 1960s to more than six per year during the 2010s," according to the U.S. Global Change Research Program. "The average heat wave season across 50 major cities is 47 days longer than it was in the 1960s."
In two weeks, vaccinated travelers to Hawaii will find it much easier to enter the island state.

Gov. David Ige announced Thursday that the island state was planning to lift testing and quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated travelers from the mainland United States on July 8. However, those who are unvaccinated will still be required to have a negative COVID test before entering Hawaii.

Travelers who wish to be exempt from a 10-day quarantine will need to upload vaccination cards to a state website and carry a hard copy while in Hawaii.

The expansion of the "vaccine passport" comes after interisland travel resumed in May, though only for Hawaii residents who had been vaccinated in the state. Earlier this month, the state announced that interisland travel would no longer require a COVID test.

Ige had set a goal of 60% of Hawaii's residents to be vaccinated as a prerequisite for the expansion of the state's "vaccine passport" program. That goal is expected to be reached by July 8, the governor said.

In addition, other rules will also be eased on July 8. Restaurants will be able to expand their capacity to 75%, but social distancing between tables will not change. And when indoors, people will still be required to wear masks.

Thursday's announcements and easing are significant steps in fully reopening Hawaii, which shut down to travelers in March 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19. The state slowly began welcoming back travelers in October 2020 through the Safe Travels program, which had stringent requirements for travelers, including taking COVID-19 diagnostic tests through specific testing partners. Those who arrived without negative COVID tests were required to undergo a 10-day quarantine.

The Safe Travels program has been a critical factor in safely reopening Hawaii, allowing millions to visit and restoring jobs. For every 50 people that travel to Hawaii, one full-time job is restored for a year, Lt. Gov. Josh Green previously told SFGATE.

All pandemic restrictions will lift when Hawaii reaches a 70% vaccination rate.
GLENARDEN, Md. (AP)  One person is dead and two others are injured following a shooting late Thursday outside a restaurant at a mall in Maryland, police said.

The shooting happened outside the Silver Diner at the Woodmore Towne Centre shopping mall in Glenarden, police chief Philip O'Donnell told reporters.
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP)  About 150 death row inmates were on a hunger strike Friday to demand their sentences be commuted after Sri Lanka's president pardoned a former lawmaker who had been condemned for an election-related killing.

Several inmates protested on the roof of a prison in the capital, Colombo, holding up banners demanding equal treatment and bail consideration. Grant pardon to us like you did to terrorists and notorious politicians," one banner said in local script.

The former lawmaker's surprise release Thursday after he was pardoned by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has drawn widespread criticism, including from the U.N. human rights office and the U.S. ambassador in Sri Lanka.

Duminda Silva is widely seen as a favorite of Sri Lanka's ruling Rajapaksa family and had been serving a death sentence over the killing of a rival lawmaker from his own party in an election-related attack about 10 years ago.

The strike involved about 150 inmates sentenced to death who were demanding their sentences be commuted to life terms, prison spokesman Chandana Ekanayake said.

He said prison officials were discussing with the Justice Ministry and other government officials to resolve the issue but declined to give further details.

Sri Lankan prisons are highly congested with more than 26,000 inmates crowded in facilities with the capacity of 10,000. Unrest related to COVID-19 erupted in one prison last year, and at least eleven inmates were killed and more than 100 wounded when guards opened fire to control the unrest.

Silva's surprise release appeared to have set off the protest.

The United Nation's Human Rights Office said Silva's case is another example of selective, arbitrary granting of pardons that weakens rule of law and undermines accountability.

U.S. Ambassador Alaina B. Teplitz in a tweet on Thursday said the pardon of Silva undermines rule of law.

Sri Lanka has not hanged a prisoner since 1976 even though courts routinely pass death sentences. Rajapaksa's predecessor, Maithripala Sirisena, had vowed to end the moratorium on capital punishment and to use it against those convicted of drug crimes.

Prison officials hired two executioners to carry out the hangings, but none took place during Sirisena's tenure.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia on Friday filed a lawsuit opposing a law that would instate stringent requirements on needle exchange programs in the state.

Republican Gov. Jim Justice signed the bill in April over the objections of critics who said it will restrict access to clean needles amid a spike in HIV cases.

The bill requires licenses for syringe collection and distribution programs. Operators would have to offer an array of health outreach services, including overdose prevention education and substance abuse treatment program referrals. Participants also must show an identification card to get a syringe. Advocates see the regulations as onerous.

Supporters said the legislation would help those addicted to opioids get connected to health care services fighting substance abuse. Some Republicans lawmakers had said the changes were necessary because some needle exchange programs were operating so irresponsibly that they were causing syringe litter.

The ACLU-WV went to court to prevent it from taking effect on July 9.

The group called it one of the most restrictive state laws governing syringe exchange services in the nation and that it would likely lead to more HIV cases and the spread of other bloodborne illnesses.

The restrictions will cost lives and deprive West Virginians of numerous constitutional rights, including due process and equal protection among others, ACLU-WV legal director Loree Stark said in a statement. The bill should be declared unconstitutional and stopped.

The governor's office did not return an email seeking comment.

The law would take effect amid one of the nations highest spikes in HIV cases related to intravenous drug use. The surge, clustered primarily around the capital of Charleston and the city of Huntington, is being attributed at least in part to the cancellation in 2018 of a needle exchange program.

It led to an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that this week found emergency departments and inpatient medical personnel rarely conducted HIV testing on intravenous drug users in Kanawha County.

Previously, city leaders and first responders complained that the program in Kanawha County led to an increase in needles being left in public places and abandoned buildings, and it was shut down.

The CDC describes syringe programs as safe, effective, and cost-saving.
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Alaska faces the prospect of a partial government shutdown next week amid an ongoing legislative dispute over how much to pay residents in the form of an annual dividend from the states nest-egg oil-wealth fund.

The long-simmering debate has divided traditional political alliances and become more pointed as oil revenues have slumped to a portion of what they were a decade ago and lawmakers have come to rely on the fund to help cover government expenses.

Notices warning of potential layoffs went to state employees last week after lawmakers passed a spending package Gov. Mike Dunleavy called defective. He pointed, in particular, to the House's failure of a procedural effective date clause. The attorney general's office has said this means the budget would not become effective until at least mid-September; the new fiscal year starts next Thursday.

A top legislative attorney has said Dunleavy could give heed to retroactive provisions in the bill or use other tools to keep state government operating until it takes effect, such as interim borrowing. House Speaker Louise Stutes, a Republican like Dunleavy, has characterized Dunleavy's stance on the budget as a needless choice and said she would venture to say it was a way for him to push for a larger dividend.

Attorney General Treg Taylor has asked a judge to weigh in. Meanwhile, negotiations have continued between leaders of the House's bipartisan majority, led by Stutes, and minority Republicans who bristled at what they saw as strong-arm budget tactics, including the handling of the dividend, and said they want to be included in talks on what pieces should be considered as part of a broader fiscal plan.

What were really trying to do is help kickstart this process that everybodys been saying that we need to do, minority Republican Rep. James Kaufman said Friday.

Stutes, speaking at the Capitol Wednesday, said she was optimistic. Because we're working with good people and because I don't believe anybody in this building wants a government shutdown, she said.

The House coalition has 21 members, and the minority caucus has 18. One Republican isn't part of either group. Just two minority Republicans joined the majority in voting for the effective date clause, which fell four votes shy of the needed 27-vote threshold.

This is the third time in five years Alaska has faced a shutdown threat; the other times were in 2017 and 2019. Fights over how best to address the state budget and dividend have been recurring themes.

The dividend for years was calculated with a formula last used in 2015. Since then, it has been determined by political leaders amid persistent budget deficits. In 2017, the state Supreme Court found the dividend must compete for funding as other programs do, though many legislators, and Dunleavy, argued the formula should be followed until it's changed.

The recently passed budget cobbled together a roughly $1,100 dividend, using in part reserve funds and attaching strings requiring support from three-fourths of each the House and Senate for it and other projects. Failure to reach the three-quarter threshold meant the dividend would be $525, its lowest since the mid-1980s.

The budget maneuver was intended to elicit support but backfired, with the vote failing, and lawmakers were still trying to sort through that. Stutes and Senate President Peter Micciche, a Republican, said the immediate focus, however, was on the effective date issue.

Micciche said no one supports a $525 dividend: "But we have a looming shutdown. That comes first. We'll come together on the rest.

Lawmakers have been meeting almost continuously since Jan. 19, though it took the House a month to organize committees. Wednesday marked the start of a second special session.

Tensions have flared. Sen. Roger Holland, an Anchorage Republican, during a floor debate, called the budget a dumpster fire and wore a pin with a flaming trash bin. Sen. Natasha von Imhof, another Anchorage Republican, said the dividend has distracted from other issues, like reinvigorating the economy.

"The greed and the entitlement is astounding to me, she said.

Most Alaska residents qualify for the dividend. For many, it's extra money that goes toward such things as savings or vacations. Others, including lower-income Alaskans or those living in high-cost rural Alaska, rely on the annual boost.

A law passed in 2018 sought to limit withdrawals from the oil-wealth fund's earnings for dividends and government costs. The limit for the upcoming fiscal year is about $3.1 billion. As of May 31, the oil-wealth fund was valued at $80.5 billion, most of that constitutionally protected. More than $12 billion was available or uncommitted in the funds spendable earnings reserve, according to the Alaska Permanent Fund Corp.

Dunleavy and some legislators say the state can afford a bigger dividend. Dunleavy has supported a check for this year in the $2,300 range. But some lawmakers say violating the withdrawal limit without agreement on changes to the dividend program could open the door to unsustainable spending.

Lawmakers have already burned through billions of dollars from saving accounts amid the ongoing debates.

Dunleavy as part of the recently ended first special session wanted lawmakers to consider his proposal for restructuring the oil-wealth fund and putting in the state constitution a formula intended to provide a 50/50 split of what is withdrawn for government and dividends.

But many legislators questioned the assumptions underlying the proposal and said they would prefer a debate on the dividend program and other pieces of a fiscal plan later this year. Dunleavy has already called a special session for August on issues like revenue and a proposal that would allow voters to reject new state taxes approved by lawmakers.

____

This story corrects that this is the third time in five years a shutdown threat has been faced.
Currently Reading

Alert: Authorities: Colorado police responding to deadly ambush on officer fatally shot bystander who confronted, killed gunman
Currently Reading

Alert: Ex-cop Derek Chauvin offers condolences to George Floyd's family, says he hopes they eventually get `some peace of mind'
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Allina Health says the flu shot will be mandatory for all employees, starting this flu season.

The new policy will also include students, contracted staff and volunteers across the Allina Health system, which includes more than 90 clinics, 11 hospitals and 15 retail pharmacies throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Oregonians could mail their ballots up to and on Election Day and have them counted under a bill headed to Gov. Kate Brown.

House Bill 3291 was passed by the state Senate on Thursday by a 16-13 vote.

Sen. Rob Wagner, D-Lake Oswego, told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the measure would help decrease voter confusion.

Currently, ballots that arrive at county elections offices after 8 p.m. on Election Day are not counted.

Under the bill, ballots that arrive in the mail up to seven days after an election would be counted, unless their postmark showed that they were mailed after Election Day. If a postmark is missing or unreadable, the bill would direct elections officials to assume the ballot was mailed before to the deadline.

That provision concerned Republicans.

This is an invitation to fraud, said Sen. Fred Girod, R-Lyons. Whats to stop a box of unstamped ballots from going into the clerks office?

Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, joined Republicans and independents in voting against it.

The bill does not change the deadline to return a ballot at a drop box, which will remain 8 p.m. on Election Day. If Brown signs it, the change would take effect starting in 2022.

Oregon Senate Democrats said in a statement the bill aligns Oregon with 17 other states including Washington and the District of Columbia that allow ballots to be accepted if postmarked by Election Day.
Sam McNeil/AP

BEIJING (AP)  Chinas government on Friday criticized U.S. curbs on imports of solar panel materials that might be made with forced labor as an attack on its development and said Beijing will protect Chinese companies, but gave no details of possible retaliation.

The U.S. customs agency said Thursday it will block imports of polysilicon from Hoshine Silicon Industry Co., which might use forced labor as part of a Beijing campaign against ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region in the northwest. Imports from six other Chinese suppliers of raw materials and components for solar panels also are to be restricted.
BEIJING (AP)  Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China remains deeply committed to United Nations peacekeeping efforts, where more than 2,400 Chinese troops and police are serving  a contribution that underscores China's increasing prominence in the world body.

Speaking Friday at a symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of Chinas entry into the U.N., Wang Yi said China had made good on its pledge to establish a stand-by peacekeeping force of 8,000 troops and 300 police officers ready to be deployed for U.N. missions at any time when needed safeguard peace."

Its influence enables China to rally wide support among developing nations, but the U.S. and other Western democracies are increasingly wary about its role, particularly in squelching criticism of its human rights record and controlling the World Health Organizations efforts to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chinese officials loyal to the ruling Communist Party serve in numerous influential roles in the U.N., and China sends more peacekeepers into the field than any other permanent Security Council member and provides the second-largest amount of funding for such operations after the U.S.

Also, Chinese diplomats routinely cite the U.N. charter and what it calls the accepted norms of international relations in rejecting criticisms of its detention of Muslim minorities and crackdown on free speech democracy in Hong Kong.

The People's Republic of China was accepted into the world body on June 25, 1971, with the backing of developing nations and the Soviet bloc, replacing the Nationalist government of Chiang Kai-shek that had fled to the island of Taiwan amid civil war in 1949. Chiang's Republic of China, now better known simply as Taiwan, had been among the founders of the U.N. and a permanent member of the Security Council, but has since been excluded by it and related groups such as the World Health Organization.

Wang said China has participated in 29 former and ongoing peacekeeping operations, contributing more than 50,000 personnel, 24 of whom have died while in deployment.

China has the world's largest standing military, with more than 2 million members, and has 600,000 paramilitary police. The world's second-largest military budget after the U.S. allows it to expand its forces and add advanced fighter jets and a third aircraft carrier now nearing completion.

China denies being an expansionist power, despite its moves to shore up its claims to the South China Sea by building artificial islands, recent border skirmishes with India and vows to conquer Taiwan and take control of East China Sea islands held by Japan.

China has met its responsibilities for upholding world peace, Wang said. Over the past 50 years, China has taken the side of fairness, upholding equality and opposing interference in other countries' internal affairs, power politics and hegemonism."

Wang also said China, as holder of the rotating Security Council presidency, had been active in helping end recent fighting between Israel and Gaza, holding five sessions to broker peace and calling on all parties to fully adhere to the cease-fire agreement.
DENVER (AP)  Thousands of immigrant farmworkers in Colorado will soon have state minimum wage, overtime and labor organizing rights under a bill signed into law Friday by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.

Polis also signed into law a measure to create a state fund to help indigent immigrants get legal representation in deportation proceedings. The twin measures are part of a raft of bills passed by the Democrat-controlled Legislature to boost immigrant rights.

Other measures becoming law Friday will make it easier for immigrants to obtain state and local benefits; obtain licenses to work as child care providers and other professions as well as business licenses; and prevent state agencies from sharing personal information with federal immigration enforcement authorities, with certain exceptions such as criminal investigations or under court order.

Under the farmworkers law, agricultural business owners must provide employee housing that conforms to pandemic guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They must provide meal and rest breaks and limit the maximum number of hours worked by their employees.

Farmworkers in several U.S. states have collective bargaining rights to some extent -- rights originally denied them on the basis of skin color under U.S. labor laws first adopted in the 1930s. Colorado now joins that group. The law also offers whistleblower protections for workers reporting unduly harsh or unsafe conditions.

Colorados agricultural workers have been exploited for far too long in this state, and its well beyond time for us to provide them with the dignity and respect they deserve," said Democratic Sen. Jessie Danielson, a driving force behind the new law who was raised on a family farm in northern Colorado.

Under pressure from agricultural interests, sponsors of the legislation dropped language mandating that farmworkers immediately get the state minimum wage, currently $12.32 an hour, and overtime for those working more than 40 hours a week. But the law removes longstanding regulations exempting farm labor from minimum wage laws and directs the state labor department to devise pay, overtime and maximum working hour rules. Range workers will get a minimum of $1,500 a week.

It also bans the use of a short-handled hoe known in Spanish as el brazo del diablo, or the devils arm. The hoe has long been the bane of sugar beet, lettuce and other crop workers. It forces backbreaking work by laborers who must stoop day after day, often resulting in permanent injury. California banned its use in the 1970s, and Arizona, New Mexico and Texas have followed suit.

Last year, Washington became the first state to grant farmworkers overtime protections through the courts. California is phasing in some overtime protections, while New York last year began requiring overtime pay when farmworkers work more than 60 hours in a week. Maryland and Minnesota also offer overtime protections to farmworkers.

Dozens of supporters such as the Colorado Farmworkers Rights Coalition and Latino advocacy groups hailed the law as a continuation of the United Farm Workers movement led decades ago by Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta during Californias famed farmworker labor struggles. Huerta lobbied for the Colorado bill.

Many groups representing Colorados $47 billion agriculture industry argued the law would punish farmers who operate on thin margins and confront volatile market prices and weather that can threaten crops and livestock. They argued  and bill sponsors agreed  that a vast majority of farmers and ranchers treat their workers appropriately. The industry employs an estimated 50,000 people.

Polis also signed into law a bill creating a state fund  initially $100,000  to provide legal counsel to indigent immigrants, including seekers of refugee and asylum status, in deportation proceedings that often can last months or years. The state would issue grants to non-profit organizations that provide legal advice to immigrants who would otherwise have no legal counsel. Many of the immigrants have lived in the U.S. for years.

Under federal law, people in immigration proceedings have no right to legal counsel. At least seven states -- California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Washington -- have similar funds, and an estimated 35 jurisdictions in 18 states as well, including Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City, according to the Vera Institute of Justice.

Advocates say having legal counsel speeds up the resolution of asylum, refugee and other immigration cases in a backlogged court system, including the cases of those who should face deportation.

Polis also signed a bill creating an Office of New Americans to oversee the states refugee resettlement program and to coordinate with private sector agencies on immigration issues.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Congressional Democrats have approved a measure reinstating rules aimed at limiting climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling, a rare effort by Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump.

The House gave final legislative approval Friday to a resolution that would undo a Trump-era environmental rule that relaxed requirements of a 2016 Obama administration rule targeting methane emissions from leaks and flares in oil and gas wells.

The resolution was approved, 229-191, and now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it. Twelve Republicans joined 217 Democrats to support the measure.

Democrats and environmentalists called the methane rule one of the Trump administrations most egregious actions to deregulate U.S. businesses and said its removal would help launch a broader effort by the Biden administration and Congress to tackle climate change. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, packing a stronger punch in the short term than carbon dioxide.

Congress just delivered its first bipartisan win for the climate,'' said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund. Controlling methane is a winning proposition for all sides because it cuts pollution and reduces waste.''

The resolution was approved under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn certain regulations that have been in place for a short time. The Trump methane rule was finalized last September.

Action on methane was one of just three Trump-era rules targeted by the Democratic-controlled Congress under the review law, a sharp contrast to 14 Obama-era rules repealed by congressional Republicans in the first year of the Trump administration.

Other rules approved by Democrats targeted Trump-era actions loosening regulations on payday lenders and another that Democrats said gave employers an unfair advantage over workers in settling discrimination claims.

Rep. Diana DeGette D-Colo., who sponsored the methane measure, called its approval a big win in our overall effort to combat the climate crisis, and a critical first step toward sufficiently reducing our nations overall methane emissions.

If Biden and Congress are going to be serious about combating this climate crisis, we have to take steps now to cut the amount of methane in our atmosphere, DeGette said. The legislation will keep more than 1.6 million tons of methane out of the air that all Americans breathe and require oil and gas companies to take the steps necessary to better protect our planet and the publics health" by reinstating methane standards put in place in 2016, she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the action on methane was part of an effort by Congress to reassert its own power. She called the Congressional Review Act "one of the Congresss most important tools ... to deliver for the people and to reclaim our authority under the Constitution, upholding the balance of powers that is the foundation of our American democracy.''

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, said the measure approved Friday "will restore common-sense safeguards to limit methane pollution from oil and gas production. Its a modest and straightforward step in the right direction, but its a very important one.''

Republicans disagreed, saying the measure took unfair aim at oil and gas companies that are already working to reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases.

Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., said the repeal measure advanced radical activist priorities while empowering foreign oil producers in the Middle East and Russia.

Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M, said the measure would "nickel and dime the most essential business in my district,'' oil and gas producers who she said could be forced out of business by excessive government regulations.

Those statements were at odds with the oil and gas industry, which largely supported the Obama-era rule. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency curbed methane emissions at facilities built or modified since 2015, requiring companies to deploy technology to detect and fix leaks at oil and gas wells. Many large energy companies have embraced methane capture as a way to save money and promote natural gas as a cleaner option than coal in the nations power plants.

The action by Congress clears the way for the EPA to develop rules to regulate methane emissions from new and existing wells, including hundreds of thousands of older wells that are not subject to federal regulation under current law.

Oil giant BP said Friday it supports direct federal regulation of methane emissions.

Keeping methane in the pipes is good for the planet and for business. It means that we can sell it as a cleaner fuel source rather than losing it,'' said Mary Streett, a senior vice president at BP. Were pleased that Congress recognizes the importance of this objective and we encourage the president to sign the resolution.

The American Petroleum Institute, the industry's top lobbying group, said it will work with the Biden administration to support direct regulation of methane from new and existing sources.

We have an opportunity to build on the progress the industry has made in driving down methane emissions through technological advancement, and we are committed to finding common ground on cost-effective government policies,'' said API spokeswoman Jessica Szymanski.
GOODRICH, Mich. (AP)  A woman who won an election in a Genesee County community should have been scratched from the ballot for failing to indicate that she's a U.S. citizen, the Michigan Court of Appeals said.

Months later, no one is trying to remove Sherry Moore from the city council in Goodrich, southeast of Flint. But the appeals court said Judge Mark Latchana exceeded his authority when he overruled election officials and put her on the November ballot.
BOSTON (AP)  A former Boston Police sergeant admitted on Friday to collecting more than $9,000 in fraudulent overtime pay as part of a wide-ranging scheme at the department's evidence warehouse.

William Baxter, of the city's Hyde Park neighborhood, pleaded guilty before a federal judge to conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds. His attorney declined to comment.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in West Virginia:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

West Virginia wasn't among the states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings and is generally following the federal moratorium. Gov. Jim Justice had pleaded with landlords not to act toward evicting tenants during the pandemic, but thousands of eviction cases were filed, anyway.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Justice was among four governors, all Republicans, who chose not to set up statewide rent-relief programs last year after Congress passed its first coronavirus relief package.

This year, West Virginia received $152 million for emergency rental assistance under the American Rescue Plan championed by President Joe Biden. Renters who meet income thresholds can apply for the program, administered by the West Virginia Housing Development Fund. An additional $38.5 million is earmarked to help low-income residents pay utility bills.

Public housing authorities and local government consortiums throughout the state also have received millions of dollars this year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help offer rental assistance.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Magistrate courts have continued to accept eviction filings, but most hearings have been delayed until the CDC moratorium expires, said West Virginia Supreme Court spokeswoman Jennifer Bundy. Once the freeze ends, the state court system can expect an influx of filings and hearings, she said.

According to Legal Aid of West Virginia, the court eviction process moves fast. Typically a magistrate court hearing is held no more than 10 days after a landlord starts a case.

There are two types of procedures. One, called a summary eviction, is used by a landlord to take quick action, but generally they cannot ask for monetary damages or rent unless the tenant fails to answer the complaint or appear at trial. Under the other procedure, called an unlawful detainer, the landlord can ask for damages.

Bundy said 10,625 summary eviction cases were filed from June 2020 to June 2021, while there were 920 unlawful detainer cases.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

The market value for a two-bedroom apartment in West Virginia is among the lowest in the nation at $778, but many residents can't even afford that. About 16% of West Virginia residents live in poverty, while 34% of children had parents who did not work full time in 2019, according to the U.S. Census.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition said there is a shortage of affordable rental homes available to low-income households. It says the annual household income needed to rent a two-bedroom home in the state is about $31,000.

It sounds like affordable housing, but its not affordable when youre not making even $15 an hour, said Ellen Allen, executive director of the nonprofit assistance group Covenant House in Charleston. Theres so many people that are on the edge, that are just cobbling together enough part-time jobs to get their rent and utilities paid.

The Washington, D.C., metropolitan market, which is among the most expensive in the country, includes parts of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. The median monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment there had risen 5.9% over the last year to $2,328, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Allen said she is greatly concerned that homelessness will rise as court cases are heard.

One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 6,042 state residents worried that they could be evicted over the next two months.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Alabama:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Alabama is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. However, the measure expired June 1, 2020, leaving only the CDC moratorium.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Alabama has set aside more than $263 million from the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 to help tenants with outstanding rent, utility payments and other expenses. The Alabama Housing Finance Authority received $237 million to administer the statewide program for Emergency Rental Assistance Alabama. The money can go toward 15 months of rent and utilities. Renters who make no more than 80% of the area median income and have experienced economic hardship because of the pandemic qualify. The housing authority said 323 people have received some form of rent and/or utility assistance from ERA Alabama, and another 4,600 applications are pending review. However, that number excludes local jurisdictions that received separate grants in 2020 and 2021. Both renters and landlords can apply for the assistance.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Alabama judges have been holding eviction proceedings, and it is up to renters to claim protection under the CDC moratorium, said Laurie McFalls, an attorney with Legal Services Alabama. Judges are handling the cases differently, she said. Some judges have ordered tenants out but stayed the eviction until the end of the CDC moratorium. In other cases, the judge has stayed the eviction trial until the moratorium lifts. McFalls said her office has seen a dramatic jump in people seeking legal assistance in eviction cases.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Alabama has long had one of the countrys more open rental housing markets. Vacancy rates were about 16% before the pandemic, far above the 7% national average. But numbers suggest rents are increasing. As of May, the median monthly rent in the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area had risen 9.4% over the past year, to $1,039, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment had risen 11.1% over the past year, to $1,083. Contributing to the increase are pandemic-related delays in the construction of more multi-family homes.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Alabama. Both McFalls and Carol Gundlach, of the Arise Citizens Policy Project, say they believe there will be a surge in homelessness. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 57,049 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months. One issue is that people may have trouble finding another rental once they have an eviction proceeding on their record, McFalls said. Gundlach urged people to apply for available rental assistance.
ATLANTA (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Georgia:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Georgia is under the CDC moratorium. Judges around the state, with some exceptions, have not allowed landlords to throw tenants out for failing to pay rent. But they have continued to process those eviction cases and issue removal decisions that will go into effect once the moratorium expires. Tenants are panicked, said Lindsey Siegel, an attorney with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society. Theyre waiting for rental assistance. A lot of them have already received eviction orders from the court and are just waiting for the marshals to show up at their door.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

The federal government has set aside more than $1.2 billion for the state of Georgia and local governments to help with outstanding rents, utility payments and other expenses. The state received $552 million in the first round of funding. Another $437 million was set aside for Georgia this year. The city of Atlanta and numerous counties got separate funds from the federal government for their residents.

As of June 22, less than $8 million of the $552 million sent to the state had been distributed, according to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. The money has helped more than 2,000 tenants. The department has previous experience with rental assistance programs, but not at this scale, the departments deputy commissioner of housing, Tonya Cureton Curry, said in an email.

Elsewhere in the state, by the end of the first week of June, the metro Atlanta county of Cobb had distributed roughly $3.5 million of the $22.8 million in federal rental assistance funds it received. Nonprofits that are distributing the funds there have said rigorous federal eligibility requirements made it hard to come up with a coordinated system to process applications, according to county officials. In nearby DeKalb County, an even smaller share of the money has gone out so far. County officials have blamed delays on a cyberattack in March on a server handling rental assistance applications.

The state's money can go toward 12 months of past due rent and utility bills and is paid to landlords and utility providers, according to the community affairs department's website. Siegel said if landlords choose not to participate, she'd like to see money flow directly to tenants.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Courts have tried to connect tenants to rental assistance programs. But in some counties, there's not enough collaboration between the programs and the court system and applications aren't reviewed fast enough to prevent eviction orders, said Viraj Parmar, managing attorney with the Housing Court Assistance Center in Atlanta.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Georgia. Eviction attempts didnt stop during the moratorium. Parmar said some tenants unaware of the moratorium or their right to challenge an eviction have given up their housing. Landlords have also cited other violations unrelated to rent to remove tenants. The fact that people have already moved out, and theres a ton of rental assistance, all of this Im hoping means we dont see a tsunami, he said. Still, he expects eviction filings to increase. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 184,489 state residents concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months. Making people aware of rental assistance programs is key, said Protip Biswas, who spearheads efforts to address homelessness at the United Way of Greater Atlanta. Im hopeful that it won't be as bad as it could be, he said.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

For renters in the Atlanta area, an eviction could be particularly hard. According to Realtor.com, the region has experienced among the steepest spikes in rent in the nation over the past year. As of May, the median monthly rent in the Atlanta area had risen 13.2% over the past year, to $1,536, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment were 14.6% higher, at $1,680.
HELENA, Mont. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Montana:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Montana renters are protected by the CDC order halting evictions until it expires. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates nearly 17,000 Montana residents are somewhat likely or very likely to be evicted from their homes in the next two months

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Montana has received more than $350 million in federal funding to help tenants with outstanding rent, utility payments and other expenses. Last year, it allocated $50 million from the federal CARES Act for rental assistance and ended up providing $8.4 million to 2,500 tenants. The $600 per week in supplemental unemployment payments last year appeared to be a factor in lower-than-expected application numbers early in the pandemic, the Department of Commerce said.

Late last year and this year, the state received another $352 million in federal emergency rental assistance, the minimum amount allocated to small states. Renters can receive up to $2,200 per month for past-due and future rent payments, up to $300 for utility payments and $50 per month for internet. Households are eligible for that assistance for a maximum of 15 months, dating back to April 1, 2020, if they earn less than 80% of the median income in their area and can show the pandemic affected their income.

However, tenants are also losing housing when rental units are sold to take advantage of the booming real estate market, when landlords stop accepting federal housing vouchers or raise rents out of the reach of some workers  situations that aren't protected under the federal moratorium. Even with the federal assistance, renters are having a difficult time finding places to live.

There just arent enough affordable housing options for Montana renters  even if theyve been good tenants in the same place for years. If the landlord decides to sell their building or raise their rent, theres nowhere for the renters to go, said Amy Hall, an attorney with the Montana Legal Services Association. Under Montana law, tenants with month-to-month leases can be given a 30-day notice of a rent increase.

So far under the new rental assistance program, the state has distributed $7.6 million to just under 1,300 households. Landlords can apply for the assistance on behalf of their renters.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Beginning last October, the state created the Montana Eviction Intervention Project, in partnership with the Montana Legal Services Association, to provide legal help to low-income renters facing eviction. Since then, attorneys have helped with 264 evictions statewide, helping 608 clients and their family members.

Of the attorneys who report data on their cases, 80% say tenants were behind on their rent directly because of COVID-19. Of the court cases filed, 73% resulted in an agreement to move out without an eviction on the tenant's record, which could otherwise make finding another rental very difficult.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

The National Low Income Housing Coalition says there are 46 affordable and available rentals in Montana for each 100 extremely low income household, defined as those whose income is at or below the poverty level, or 30% of the area median income, whichever is higher.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS? No clients assisted under the Montana Eviction Intervention Project have moved to a shelter or became homeless, the Montana Legal Services Association said.

However, Hall said a lack of available rental housing in the state's major cities has people moving to other towns, sharing housing with family or friends or possibly leaving the state.

In Montana since COVID, rental prices have increased, and the number of vacancies has decreased, Hall said. Thats a terrible combination, especially for renters with limited incomes or who lost work due to COVID. 
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Oklahoma:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Oklahoma did not enact its own moratorium on evictions, so when the CDC's expires, thousands of renters will lose their protection. Before the CDC moratorium took effect, the Oklahoma Supreme Court required anyone filing an eviction petition to include an affidavit stating whether the tenants were protected from eviction under the federal CARES Act, which had eviction safeguards before the CDC moratorium took effect.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Oklahoma set aside $260 million in federal funding last December to help with emergency rental assistance, according to Katie Dilks, the executive director of the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation, a nonprofit that develops policy initiatives that expand access to justice for low-income Oklahomans.

Rental assistance is being distributed in Oklahoma by two groups: Community Cares Partners in Oklahoma City, which covers 57 counties in central and western Oklahoma, and Restore Hope in Tulsa, which oversees 20 counties in the state's northeast. So far, Community Cares has distributed more than $20 million in assistance to nearly 6,000 households, while Restore Hope has distributed more than $4 million to more than 900 households.

The state also has used about $1.3 million to provide legal representation for people facing eviction, Dilks said. There are employees in each of Oklahomas 18 legal aid offices who are at least partly paid with the federal funds, Dilks said.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Despite the CDC moratorium, more than 14,227 evictions have been granted by courts in Oklahoma since March 2020, according to Open Justice Oklahoma, a program of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, a Tulsa-based think-tank.

Dilks, with the Oklahoma Access to Justice Foundation, said that because the moratorium only protects tenants from eviction for nonpayment of rent, many landlords have pursued evictions for other reasons, alleging lease violations or damage to property.

In some cases, Dilks said evictions were granted because tenants never appeared in court to argue that they were protected from eviction.

The vast majority of people who have evictions filed against them, particularly in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, don't bother to go to court for a variety of reasons," Dilks said. They don't have enough notice. They can't get time off work. They can't find childcare. They can't find transportation. Or, quite frankly, before the existence of the moratorium and the current protections, they knew they were going to lose.

That made it a real challenge when the moratorium was put in place, to let people know about it and let them know how important it was now to go to court because the rules really were different."

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Although Oklahoma City has the lowest overall median rent among the country's 50 largest metropolitan areas, at $834 per month according to a June report from Realtor.com, the costs are increasing due in part to a lack of affordable housing.

As of May, the median monthly rent in the Oklahoma City area had risen by 5.6% over the past year, according to Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment in the Oklahoma City area were $895, which was 4.7% higher than the previous year.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its difficult to say how much homelessness will increase in Oklahoma. Dilks said she and other advocates expect homelessness to spike because of a tightening of the rental market and a lack of affordable housing. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing that nearly 44,000 state residents said it was somewhat likely" that they could be evicted in the next two months.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Virginia:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Virginias moratorium has expired, leaving only the CDC ban. Housing advocates say one of Virginias most significant eviction protections runs out at the end of this month. Its a requirement that landlords apply for rent relief money on their tenants behalf. Renters will have to seek it out themselves.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Virginia's Rent Relief Program helps tenants suffering financial hardship from the pandemic. Fairfax and Chesterfield Counties administer their own programs. As of June 2, more than $240 million has been paid out statewide to nearly 40,000 households, according to the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Virginia and its local governments will ultimately have access to about $1 billion in funds to help renters. The state has launched an awareness campaign, while legal aid attorneys are offering to help tenants navigate the application process.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction hearings and judgments have continued, but at a sharply lower rate: about 10% of pre-pandemic totals during 2021's first quarter, according to Virginia Commonwealth University's RVA Eviction Lab. Co-directors Kathryn Howell and Ben Teresa cite various reasons, from eviction moratoriums to landlords utilizing the relief fund. Judges have also postponed cases to allow more time to apply for relief, said Martin Wegbreit, director of litigation for the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society. But courts have continued to issue some judgments, oftentimes against tenants who already moved out and failed to show up to their hearing, Howell said.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

More than 20% of Virginias rental households have people with extremely low incomes  and a majority of them spend half their money on housing costs and utilities, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Plus, Virginia has a shortage of nearly 150,000 rental properties for people with extremely low incomes. Concerns about affordable housing are most acute in northern Virginia, outside the nation's capital, but housing advocates say Richmond and Hampton Roads have very tight rental markets as well.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

A recent U.S. Census survey of more than 180,000 Virginians found that nearly 40,000 feared they were very likely to leave their home in the next two months due to eviction. Housing advocates worry that evictions will surge, and homelessness could eventually follow, if landlords fail to tell tenants about the relief money. Some will still utilize Virginia's relief fund, said Holly Yates, a managing attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia. But she said others won't want to jump through any more hoops, especially in a tight rental market where folks who are a little bit more financially stable are lined up at the door. But Patrick McCloud, CEO of the Virginia Apartment Management Association, said the eviction process is far more arduous than working with a tenant applying for relief. Plus, McCloud said, If I evict the resident, Im never going to see that money.
CHICAGO (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Illinois:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

The state plans to end its own moratorium on evictions by August, sixteen months after Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued it.

Pritzker extended the order several times. After landlords of small properties complained that it was hurting them financially, the Democrat modified his order in November to require tenants to vouch that they met certain conditions.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

The state expects to provide $1.1 billion in rent relief payments to renters and landlords, plus $400 million that will be available in some cities. Pritzker's office estimated that the money could help more than 120,000 people.

Individuals can apply for up to $25,000 that would be paid directly to landlords. A separate $280 million program focuses on utility costs.

A new state law also seals records of any evictions between March 2020 and March 2022, aiming to prevent pandemic-related financial woes from deepening a renter's ability to get future housing.

Teri Ross, executive director of Illinois Legal Aid Online, also encouraged people who are behind in their rent payments to contact community groups that have received money from federal relief packages to offer aid or legal services.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

It varies, based on the renter's location. Ross said counties in the Chicago metropolitan area are not allowing landlords to file lawsuits seeking to boot tenants for being late on their rent.

Elsewhere, counties that have accepted eviction filings largely are not acting on them. Eviction orders entered before the pandemic began and those based on health and safety concerns have been allowed to proceed in the state.

But advocates expect that court hearings and eviction enforcement will resume once the federal and state moratoriums end.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority is providing training on rent relief and other assistance to judges around the state. The agency's director, Kristin Faust, said the goal is to encourage landlords and tenants to enter mediation rather than move toward eviction. Housing advocates said some counties already have embraced that approach and hope it will help some renters stay in their homes while giving their landlords financial relief.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

As of May, the median monthly rent for studio and one or two-bedroom apartments in the Chicago area had dropped by 1.9% over the past year, to $1,650, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment increased by 5.6%, to $1,900.

Those prices are far out of reach for many renters in the city and surrounding suburbs, said Karla Chrobak, a supervising attorney with CARPLS Legal Aid, an organization that provides free legal help in Cook County.

Chrobak said clients seeking the groups help already struggled to find affordable housing before the pandemic, making the prospect of being evicted now terrifying.

The Lawyers' Committee for Better Housing, a Chicago nonprofit that helps low-income renters, found that evictions in the city declined from 2010 through 2019. But the organization also highlighted an apparent link between the similarly sinking unemployment rate and the eviction trend.

In a December report, the organization worried that higher unemployment rates during the pandemic portended a looming surge in evictions this year.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Ross said community organizations around the state are in fear of seeing mass evictions.

I hope that we see communities working together, landlords and tenants, she said. Keeping communities stable is largely dependent on keeping people housed consistently  not precariously.

One indication of the scope of the problem is recent census data showing that 100,578 Illinois residents were concerned that they could be evicted within the next two months.

Faust, director of the state agency managing rent relief, hopes shared efforts to keep tenants in their homes will help Illinois avoid mass evictions.

Were going through a shared trauma here and were going to deal with it together and were going to address it together, she said.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes.

Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent. Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to oust tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Delaware:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Delaware, like many other states, halted eviction proceedings briefly last year as businesses closed and thousands of people lost their jobs. Democratic Gov. John Carney modified his emergency declaration to allow eviction proceedings to resume in July 2020, but proceedings have been automatically stayed if either party requests mediation or alternative dispute resolution. Sheriffs and constables have been prohibited from evicting people unless a Justice of the Peace determines that eviction would be in the interest of justice. Under the interest of justice standard, a landlord seeking eviction must have been awarded possession and demonstrated factors such as substantial economic injury or a tenant who is uncooperative or unaffected by COVID-19. A tenant might have to demonstrate COVID-related financial difficulties.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Delaware received $14.5 million under the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund for rental assistance in 2020. Under the first two versions of the Delaware Housing Assistance Program, which ran from March to April 2020, and from August to December 2020, the Delaware State Housing Authority provided $14.8 million in rental assistance to 4,201 households.

The DEHAP program was relaunched in March 2021, offering up to 15 months of rental assistance for rent arrears from April 2020 to the present and assistance with up to three months of future rent. Officials have received more than 6,900 applications requesting more than $33.3 million in rental assistance under the program. As of mid-June, $3.7 million for 696 applicants had been approved, and 433 renters had received payments totaling $2.47 million.

In addition to the $14.5 million in CRF money, Delaware has received $200 million in Emergency Rental Assistance funds in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, and $38.5 million of the $152 million in ERA funds the state was allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Despite receiving $253 million, Delaware has distributed less than $20 million in rental assistance.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

While eviction proceedings continue to be filed in Delaware, only a fraction actually result in evictions. From January through May, Justice of the Peace Courts issued 1,619 judgments in landlord-tenant cases, resulting in landlords requesting 725 writs of eviction. In that same period, however, only 393 evictions were completed.

Even without COVID-19, most landlord-tenant judgments in Delaware do not result in evictions. In 2019, 9,124 judgments resulted in 4,389 writs requested, with 3,045 evictions.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

In the metropolitan area encompassing Wilmington, Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey, the overall median rent as of May was $1,600, up 3.2% from May 2019, according to a June report by Realtor.com. Median rent for a two-bedroom apartment increased 4.7% to $1,800.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

The availability of rental assistance has resulted in fewer landlord-tenant cases being filed in Delaware, and its unclear how the lifting of the federal moratorium and of Delawares state of emergency will affect the number of evictions.

However, court officials say only 18 renters in Delaware have sought protection under the CDC moratorium.

In a recent Census Bureau survey of almost 6,800 renters in Delaware, 1,216 said it was very likely they would leave their current residence in the next two months because of eviction. Another 1,136 said it was somewhat likely.

Meanwhile, Delaware lawmakers are considering additional protections and assistance to renters on a permanent basis. A Senate-passed bill provides state-funded legal representation to eligible tenants in evictions and other landlord-tenant proceedings. It also establishes an eviction diversion program and prohibits landlords from pursuing eviction for unpaid rent if the amount owed is less than one months rent or $500, whichever is greater.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Missouri:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Missouri is not among the states that enacted an eviction moratorium in 2020. St. Louis city and county, and Jackson County, which includes Kansas City, issued their own moratoriums, though only St. Louis Countys extends to June 30. As of Friday, the St. Louis County eviction moratorium had not been extended to coincide with the CDC's extension. Meanwhile, tenant advocates claim that many evictions have continued in Missouri despite the CDC moratorium.

The pandemic also has hurt landlords. Nick Kasoff owns 15 rental homes in Ferguson, a St. Louis suburb. He said he's doing OK, but worries that the lengthy moratorium will result in many small-scale landlords losing their properties to foreclosure.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

The Missouri Housing Development Commission is promoting the State Assistance for Housing Relief (SAFHR) program to help people catch-up on past-due rent and utilities. The commission will disburse $593 million statewide. The money comes from federal coronavirus aid programs and is scheduled to last through 2025, although the commission said funding might run out within three years based on the pace of applications.

The commission also said it is working with nonprofit partners to assist those at risk of eviction. Advocacy groups such as Action St. Louis and Reconciliation Services in Kansas City are reaching out directly to needy tenants, in some cases going door-to-door. They are advising them of their legal rights and the steps they can take to try to stay in their home.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

The CDC moratorium has meant that most eviction lawsuits have been stayed. Before the expiration date was extended to the end of July, Legal Aid of Western Missouri attorney Rachel North said many eviction cases had trial dates immediately after the initial date.

Nearly 12,000 eviction filings have been issued against tenants in Missouris two metropolitan areas since March 15, according to the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, which tracks evictions nationwide. That includes 2,912 filings in the city of St. Louis, 4,432 in St. Louis County and 4,615 in Jackson County.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN MISSOURIS MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Like most of the Midwest, rent is less expensive in Missouri than on the coasts. However, average income also is far less. Robert Swearingen, an attorney for Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, said his tenant clients are often people living on Social Security with income of $600 to $1,000 per month: They have a hard time finding an apartment that is livable, he said.

According to research from Realtor.com, the median monthly rental cost in St. Louis in May was $1,145, which was 9.6% higher than a year ago. The average rent in Kansas City was $1,109, which was 4.6% higher than the previous year. Both costs were well below the national median monthly rent of $1,527, which rose 5.5% over the past year.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its possible. Lee Camp, an attorney with the legal advocacy group ArchCity Defenders, expects a big rise in evictions once the CDC moratorium ends. He notes that Missouri law allows for a swift removal process  tenants are often evicted within about six weeks of the eviction lawsuit being filed.

One indication of the scope of the concern is recent census data showing that 106,275 Missouri residents were worried they could be evicted within two months.

Kennard Williams, a housing activist with the group Action St. Louis, said that with housing insecurity already alarmingly high, the eviction wave is going to overwhelm the resources and infrastructure that we have.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes in many states. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Nevada:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Gov. Steve Sisolak's executive order putting a moratorium on evictions for those unable to pay expired on June 1, leaving the Center for Disease Control and Protection's moratorium as the final bulwark against eviction for struggling renters. The moratorium covered tenants who were unable to pay rent, but it allowed landlords to purse other kinds of evictions, for example no-cause evictions or lease violation evictions.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

State and local governments have been allocated $365 million in federal coronavirus aid for rental assistance, according to the Nevada Treasurer's Office. The aid is available to tenants and households with less than $99,000 in annual earnings, and approved funds are sent directly to landlords.

Officials have aggressively sought to publicize assistance programs because dollars that aren't spent will revert to the federal government and, once evicted, tenants become ineligible.

Sisolak signed legislation this month requiring courts halt nonpayment-of-rent evictions if tenants provide proof they have applied for rental assistance. The policy also requires landlords to offer information about protections and rental assistance to tenants before initiating evictions.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Nevada is the only state in the U.S. with a summary eviction system in which the burden of initiating court proceedings falls on tenants, not landlords. Renters arent granted court hearings unless they file challenges to eviction notices, meaning evictions can be carried out without court oversight and tenant protections only go to those who know and avail themselves of them.

Advocates say the policy has limited the effectiveness of pandemic-eviction protections in comparison with other states.

In some states, the federal moratorium's references to nonpayment of rent" are seen as a catch-all to prevent many kinds of evictions. In Nevada, the words non-payment of rent are used in state eviction laws, leading some judges to interpret federal guidelines narrowly and still allow for no-cause evictions, for example, for tenants with month-to-month leases who can't pay their rent.

To prevent overwhelming courts with an onslaught of eviction cases, lawmakers last summer created a program to provide 30 days for landlords and tenants to pursue third-party mediation.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Nevada, where nearly 45% of the population rents, ranks as the worst state in the U.S. for poor people seeking housing. A study of 2019 census data conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition concluded there are only 20 affordable and available units for every 100 extremely low-income renters in the state.

Home prices and median rents have skyrocketed in the Reno and Las Vegas areas.

In the Reno-Sparks area, the median rent for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment has risen to $1,327, and the vacancy rate has fallen to 1.6%, according to an April study by appraisers Johnson Perkins Griffin.

As of May, the median monthly rent in the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise region had risen 12.2% over the last year to $1,340, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Only seven metro areas saw larger spikes over the duration.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

In Nevada, about 6,900 people experience homelessness on any given night, according to a January 2020 study.

Experts aren't sure how much the lifting of the federal moratorium will exacerbate housing insecurity. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing more than 42,000 state residents are concerned that they could be evicted over the next two months.

Bailey Bortolin, policy director of the Nevada Legal Aid, said making it harder to evict tenants who have pursued rental assistance will to some extent insulate Nevada from a potential surge. But she still worries about vulnerable renters navigating the complexities of the eviction process on their own and finding the resources they are eligible for.

At the end of the day, people are in crisis, and navigating our eviction legal processes for people in crisis has never been easy or accessible  and that has only been made harder by the pandemic, she said.

___

Sam 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.
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Washington:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Washington is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. Evictions with a 60-day notice are allowed in cases in which the landlord intends to sell or move into the property, or if an affidavit declares the tenant created health and safety problems.

Gov. Jay Inslee has extended the moratorium several times, including this past week. The protections will now remain in force until Sept. 30 to give landlords and tenants sufficient time to access federal aid.

Through the end of July, landlords are prohibited from evicting tenants for past-due rent during the pandemic until rental assistance and eviction resolution programs are in place in their county. Starting Aug. 1, tenants are expected to pay full rent unless they negotiate a lower amount with their landlord or actively seek rental assistance. Landlords must offer tenants a reasonable repayment plan before starting the eviction process and provide them a list of services and support available to them under the assistance programs.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

The Legislature approved spending $658 million in federal money to extend the states rental assistance program. That doesnt include hundreds of millions of dollars from previous federal relief programs that are being distributed to landlords. The ultimate number of households to be helped is expected to be more than 80,000, said Jaime Smith, spokeswoman for the state Department of Commerce.

The governor also signed a right to counsel measure passed by the Legislature that ensures low-income tenants have legal representation when faced with eviction. Another one focuses on tenant rights and the circumstances in which they can be evicted.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

In most judicial districts, eviction hearings in Washington continue to be held remotely. In any given year, the courts receive 17,000 to 20,000 eviction filings across the state, said Edmund Witter, an attorney with the King County Bar Associations Housing Justice Project. While the number has decreased during the pandemic, he expects the pace will resume once the moratorium lifts.

Recent statewide data shows just 2,700 eviction filings in 2020, said Jim Bamberger, director of the Office of Civil Legal Aid, a judicial branch agency.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Washington has had a tight rental market for several years, with vacancy rates at 5% or below, said James Young, director of the Washington Center for Real Estate Research, which looks at data for rental buildings that have at least 20 units. From spring 2015 to spring 2021, the statewide average rent for a two-bedroom apartment increased more than 37%, to $1,476, according to state data. One-bedroom apartments saw a 30% jump during that same period to a statewide average of $1,422. This spring, one-bedroom apartments in most counties outside the Puget Sound area had vacancy rates below 2%.

During the pandemic, the state saw a shift away from urban areas as people looked for cheaper housing while working remotely. That's why King County, home to Seattle, had the largest vacancy rate at 7.1% this spring, compared with smaller markets that had a rental vacancy of 0.5% in a recent survey.

Data on multifamily units of five and larger from CoStar Group, a real estate research firm, shows that as the economy reopens, demand for housing in Seattle is coming back after vacancy rates were as high as 11.4% last year, and rents are increasing again after seeing a decline.

Seattle rents increased 4.4% over the past 12 months, with a one-bedroom at $1,674 and a two-bedroom rate at $1,983.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in Washington. Witter, with the Housing Justice Project, said the Seattle region already has one of the highest homelessness rates in the country, which could increase if pandemic-related evictions soar. According to the Census Pulse Survey for the week of May 26-June 7, about 13,000 households statewide are not paying rent and more than 40,000 have no confidence they could pay next months rent.

The Census survey found that more than 10,000 respondents said it was very likely they would have to leave their homes because of eviction in the next two months. More than 30,000 said it was somewhat likely. It doesnt take a lot to create a surge of homelessness, Witter said.
A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Connecticut:

WHAT'S THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Connecticut is one of several states that enacted its own eviction moratorium in 2020. The state's rule, which prevents landlords from filing most new eviction cases, with certain exceptions, is set to expire on June 30. The Connecticut Fair Housing Center, a housing advocacy group, has called on Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont to extend the state's moratorium until July 21, saying more time is needed to better educate the public about the state's rental assistance initiative.

WHAT'S BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Using roughly $400 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds, the state developed the UniteCT Program from scratch to provide both rental and utility payment assistance to qualified households impacted by the pandemic. Renters that meet income guidelines must demonstrate, among other things, a risk of becoming homeless to be eligible for up to $15,000 in rental assistance that's paid to their landlord. As of June 23 about $17.3 million had been approved for 2,352 cases. Additionally, up to $1,500 for unpaid utility bills is available to qualified applicants.

Sarah White, staff attorney for the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, warned state lawmakers in recent letter the effects of the pandemic will be needlessly amplified by the long-lasting consequences of eviction if more time isn't given to distributing the rental relief. The group also says it should be mandatory for landlords to participate, arguing that some are starting to evict people for nonpayment, even under the state's moratorium, without first applying to the UniteCT program for funding.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction hearings are still being held remotely because of pandemic restrictions, but are expected to resume in-person as state court operations continue to open back up. Meanwhile, the state is using federal COVID-19 relief funds to provide low-income tenants with no-cost legal representation for eviction proceedings or administrative proceedings.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATE'S RENTAL MARKETS?

The rent burden in Connecticut, the percentage of households that spend 30% or more of their income on rent, is near or exceeds 50% in most counties, according to AffordCT, a housing database. Fairfield County has the largest percentage of households meeting the rent burden standard, at more than 52%. It's more than 47% in Hartford County, where the overall median rent in the Hartford, West Hartford and East Hartford metro area is $1,500 a month, with an average two-bedroom costing $1,703 a month, according to data from Realtor.com.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Erin Kemple, executive director of the Connecticut Fair Housing Center, said she absolutely expects a surge in homelessness, noting there isn't much that a court can do to keep in tenant who is in arrears in their housing under Connecticut law. According to U.S. Census data from the end of May, 69,000 tenants in Connecticut said they were behind in rent. Kemple said that's about 3.5 times the number of eviction filings the state typically sees in an entire year. She said there's been a real spike already in eviction cases being filed because Connecticut's moratorium has an exception for tenants with more than six months of unpaid rent.

Aaron Turner, a spokesman for the Connecticut Department of Housing, said the state is making every effort, through a wide variety of programs and initiatives to prevent a surge in homelessness. He said: There are always evictions, for a variety of reasons, but we are taking steps necessary to prevent those evictions that are due solely to nonpayment of rent due to the financial impacts associated with the pandemic.
TORONTO (AP)  Leaders of Indigenous groups in Canada say investigators have found more than 600 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school for Indigenous children, which follows the discovery of 215 bodies at another school last month.

The new discovery was at the Marieval Indian Residential School, which operated from 1899 to 1997 where the Cowessess First Nation is now located, about 85 miles (135 kilometers) east of Regina, the capital of the province of Saskatchewan.

Ground-penetrating radar registered 751 hits, indicating at least 600 bodies were buried, said Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess. Some and perhaps most are from over a century ago. The gravesite is believed to hold the bodies of children and adults, and even people from outside the community who attended church there.

Perry Bellegarde, chief of the Assembly of First Nations, said it is not unusual to find such graves at former residential schools but is always a devastating discovery that reopens old wounds about the forced assimilation of native children at those often-abusive institutions.

Many non-Indigenous Canadians were not aware of the extent of the problems at the schools until the remains of 215 children were found last month at what was once the countrys largest such school in British Columbia.

WHAT ARE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS?

From the 19th century until the 1970s, more than 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend state-funded Christian boarding schools in an effort to assimilate them into Canadian society. Thousands of children died there of disease and other causes, with many never returned to their families.

Nearly three-quarters of the 130 residential schools were run by Roman Catholic missionary congregations, with others operated by the Presbyterian, Anglican and the United Church of Canada, which today is the largest Protestant denomination in the country.

The Canadian government has admitted its role in a century of isolating native children from their homes, families and cultures, and that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, where students were beaten for speaking their native language. That legacy of abuse and isolation has been cited by native leaders as a cause of alcoholism and drug addiction widely seen on reservations today.

Indigenous leaders have called it a form of cultural genocide.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday called it an incredibly harmful government policy that was Canadas reality for many, many decades and Canadians today are horrified and ashamed of how our country behaved.

He said the policy forced assimilation on the children.

WHAT'S BEHIND THE DISCOVERY OF THE REMAINS?

A National Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which was set up as part of a government apology and settlement, issued a report in 2015 that identified about 3,200 confirmed deaths at schools. While some died of diseases like tuberculosis amid the often- deplorable conditions, it noted that a cause of death for about half of them often was not recorded.

The government wanted to keep costs down at the schools, so adequate regulations were never established, the reconciliation commission said..

It said the practice at the schools was to not send the bodies home to their communities. Delorme said the graves at the Saskatchewan school were marked at one time, but that the Catholic operators of the facility had removed them.

WHAT APOLOGIES HAVE BEEN MADE?

Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized in Parliament in 2008 for the government's role. Among the Christian denominations, the Presbyterian, Anglican and United churches also apologized for their roles in the abuse.

A papal apology was one of 94 recommendations from the reconciliation commission, but the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops said in 2018 that the pope could not personally apologize for the residential schools.

Former Pope Benedict XVI met with some former students and victims in 2009 and told them of his personal anguish over their suffering.

After last month's discovery, Pope Francis expressed his pain and pressed religious and political authorities to shed light on this sad affair, but didnt offer an apology.

Trudeau said Friday he has spoken to Francis personally "to impress upon him how important it is not just that he makes an apology but that he makes an apology to indigenous Canadians on Canadian soil.

Archbishop Don Bolen of the Regina Archdiocese posted a letter on its website this week to the Cowessess First Nation in which he repeated an apology he said he made two years ago.

WHAT COMPENSATION HAS BEEN OFFERED?

The reconciliation commission was created as part of a $5 billion Canadian ($4 billion U.S.) class action settlement in 2005, the largest in Canadian history.

Under the settlement, students who attended the schools were eligible to receive $10,000 Canadian ($8,143 U.S.) for the first school year and $3,000 Canadian ($2,443 U.S.) for every year thereafter. Victims of physical and sexual abuse were eligible for further compensation.

Trudeau has said the government will help preserve gravesites and search for unmarked burial grounds at other schools, but he and his ministers have stressed the need for indigenous communities to decide for themselves how they want to proceed.

The government previously announced $27 million Canadian ($22 million U.S.) for the effort in what it called a first step.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in New York:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

New York is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. New York state law protects tenants from evictions  but only if they submit paperwork to the state stating they have a hardship.

That state law expires at the end of August. But tenants who apply for rental assistance will still have protection from eviction, even if they dont hear back from the state before the law expires.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

This year, the state set up a $2 billion fund that will provide up to 12 months of past-due rent and utility bills to eligible households. New Yorkers that spend 30% or more of their monthly income on rent can also receive up to three months of extra rental aid. Renters who earn at or below 80% of area median income qualify.

Payments go directly to landlords, who must agree to waive late fees due on past-due rent and to not increase monthly rent or evict tenants in most scenarios.

New York set up the fund as part of the state budget passed April 7  but it didnt release an application for tenants and landlords to fill out until June 1. Ellen Davidson, staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society, said state lawmakers have eased paperwork requirements that slowed rental relief last year.

The state told AP it expects to process cases four to six weeks after a completed application is submitted; its received at least 110,000 so far.

New Yorkers needing help paying their energy bill can also apply to the Home Energy Assistance Program before Aug. 31.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Davidson said that landlords in New York have been able to bring about lawsuits over evictions since last summer. But tenants are protected if they submit a hardship declaration form that tells the state they lost income or had more expenses during the pandemic or that moving would harm their health. If tenants dont sign it, a landlord can move forward with the case like if there were no laws on the books, Davidson said.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

New York City is often viewed as one of the nations costliest and most competitive housing markets: From 2007 to 2017 in New York City, the share of affordable rental units declined by 12.1 and 9.7 percentage points for low- and moderate-income households, according to a 2019 report by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. He found 2.8 million of 7.3 million households statewide were spending more than 30% of household income on housing.

The median rental price in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens was $3,195 in May  a 7% increase from April and a 10% drop compared to May 2020, according to a report by real estate company Douglas Elliman.

As of May, the median monthly rent in the New York City metropolitan area was flat over the last year to $2,400, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment averaged $2,725, up 7%. Meanwhile, rent for studios was down 14% to $2,002.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Davidson said New Yorks law is much stronger than the CDC moratorium, and doesnt expect any increase in homelessness in the state because tenants are protected by the state law.

More than one in five New York households are behind on rent, according to the left-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and one-fifth of households with children cant afford to buy enough food to eat.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in North Dakota:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Gov. Doug Burgum did not enact a moratorium halting evictions, but the state Supreme Court issued an administrative order suspending eviction hearings effective April 1, 2020. It was lifted a few weeks later. According to state Supreme Court data, the number of eviction judgments statewide have increased by 15% every year from 2016 through 2019. But last year, the number of eviction lawsuits dropped by about 15%, to just over 2,500, due in part to the federal moratorium and rent assistance, housing officials say.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

North Dakota received $352 million this year to help tenants with outstanding rent, utility payments and other expenses. In 2020, the state dedicated $2.9 million from the federal CARES Act to Emergency Rental Assistance through the Emergency Rent Bridge program. The state ended up providing $2.9 million in rent assistance to more than 1,360 tenants and almost 500 landlords. The $352 million in federal emergency rental assistance the state got this year can go toward up to 15 months of rent and other related expenses, including utilities. To qualify, applicants must have a household income of no more than 85% of their area's median income. So far in 2021, the state estimates it has distributed about $2.5 million to more than 1,800 tenants.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Not that well, according to Richard LeMay, executive director for Legal Services of North Dakota, which provides assistance to low-income residents.

Courts do not spend a lot of time on eviction hearings, Lemay said. The larger counties usually proceed by cattle call and if the defendant/tenant doesnt show up the complaint is granted without questioning the plaintiff.

I would have to estimate that at least 90% of all filings (in the past year) resulted in eviction and also a money judgment, Lemay said. Some judges are taking it upon themselves to say no to evictions, but they are the minority.

Lemay said the low-income clients his organization serves typically dont know how to navigate the court system or understand that there is help available to do so.

If they come to us, we can look at it and do a motion to reopen, if the eviction warrants it, or vacate the judgment, he said.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment in North Dakota is $841. According to state data, renters occupy 30% of the state's housing units. A household would have to earn more than $33,000 per year to afford the average rent and utilities for a two-bedroom without paying more than 30% of its income on housing.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness will increase in North Dakota once the CDC moratorium ends. Lemay said there are too little resources being put into a much bigger problem and already evictions and eviction lawsuits are tracking at least as high this year as last year. One indication of the scope of the problem is recent census data showing that about 8,000 state residents were concerned they could be evicted within two months.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Tennessee:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Like many states, Tennessee never enacted a moratorium last year that would have halted eviction proceedings. Instead, the state is under the CDC moratorium.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Earlier this year, the Tennessee Housing Development Agency announced it received $384 million in federal funding to be used for rental assistance. The statewide program is estimated to help 25,000 to 30,000 families cover up to 12 months of rent or utility payments as long as the financial difficulties were sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program applies to 91 out of Tennessees 95 counties, with the states largest metro areas excluded because they have their own federally funded rent relief programs.

Attorneys representing tenants, however, note that some relief has been difficult to obtain due to qualification requirements or landlords refusing to participate in the rent relief process.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Eviction cases where a judge determined the tenant was not protected by the CDC declaration have been allowed to proceed in Tennessee. According to Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and The Cumberlands, many landlords who pursued evictions during the moratorium did so to assert nonrenewal of a lease.

This was true even if the tenant initially asserted protection from eviction under the CDC moratorium only to see their lease expire some time later, said Zachary Oswald, managing attorney with Legal Aid. Because the moratorium has been in place since last September, nearly 80% of leases would have expired in the 10 months that have since passed.

Oswald added that his group is expecting a deluge of cases once the moratorium is lifted.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Over the past year, Tennessees most populated cities saw some of the highest rent increases in the country. Memphis rents jumped by more than 17% compared to last year, according to a new report from Realtor.com that analyzed the top 50 largest metros areas. That means Memphis median rent hovers around $1,092 a month but the median rent for a two-bedroom place is now $1,140. Only Riverside, California saw a bigger spike in rents.

Meanwhile, in Nashville, rent went up around 5.5% over the past year, with the median rent now $1,390.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Homelessness is difficult to estimate, but housing experts warn that evictions and eviction lawsuits are expected to jump once the CDC moratorium lifts. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing nearly 55,000 adults who fear being evicted over the next two months.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Wyoming:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN WYOMING?

Wyoming hasn't put a moratorium on evictions. But landlords who participate in the state Emergency Rental Assistance Program agree not to pursue eviction proceedings amid applications for assistance, said the program's contract spokeswoman, Rachel Girt. The federally funded program run by the Wyoming Department of Family Services, with assistance from the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, helps people affected by the coronavirus pandemic to cover their rent and pay utilities. The program also helps landlords cover expenses.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

As of January, Wyoming had an estimated 23,515 households eligible for help with rental arrears totaling around $40 million.

The federal government has given Wyoming $200 million, the amount allocated to the least-populated states, for such assistance. Of that, $180 million is available for direct rent, utility and internet assistance, and services to help prevent people from becoming homeless. The remaining $20 million may cover administrative costs and helping people apply for aid.

As of June 15, 3,200 tenants had opened applications seeking $6.8M in rent and utility assistance. Of those, tenants had completed and submitted 1,300 applications requesting $3.9 million. The state approved 211 applications, or 16% of those submitted, and paid $590,000 in assistance. Fewer than half a percent of applications were denied, Girt said.

HOW ARE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

The Wyoming Department of Family Services has been providing information about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program to Wyoming courts. The department also has provided $1 million to Equal Justice Wyoming for legal services to eligible households facing eviction or other housing instability, Girt said. While many evictions aren't going ahead while landlords get help covering costs, that could change once the eviction moratorium ends.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN WYOMING'S MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Outside pricey Jackson Hole, rental housing in Wyoming is relatively affordable: About $700 a month for a two-bedroom unit as of the second quarter of 2020. That's a fraction of typical rents in major U.S. metro areas.

Prices range from about $500 in Big Horn County to over $900 in Laramie County, where prices surged 9% from 2019 to 2020. As with home prices, rental rates in Teton County are the Wyoming outlier at almost $2,300 a month.

Average Wyoming rent was up about 3% from 2019 to 2020, with the steepest increase (26%) in the Afton area and biggest decrease (13%) just across the Wyoming Range in Sublette County, according to the state Economic Analysis Division.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

This remains to be seen. Wyoming has about 600 homeless people, one the smallest homeless populations of any state, and with 560,000 people is the least populated state. Almost 1 in 4 renters in the state surveyed by the U.S. Census Bureau reported they expect eviction in the next two months. Many of the state's homeless come from elsewhere.

The COMEA homeless shelter in Cheyenne served over 500 people in 2020. Especially in summertime, homeless people arrive in Cheyenne from elsewhere by highway and rail. The shelter gets busy but should remain able to help any influx of people, COMEA assistant director Camron Karajanis said.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Wisconsin:

WHATS THE STATUS OF OTHER EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Democratic Gov. Tony Evers issued an order in March 2020 barring landlords from evicting tenants as the pandemic took hold in Wisconsin. The order expired that May, though, and the state Supreme Court ruled in March 2021 that Evers can't issue multiple emergency orders for a single crisis, preventing him from imposing another state moratorium, the governor's office said.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Evers' administration has relied heavily on federal pandemic relief money to help tenants make ends meet. The Department of Administration dedicated about $35 million from the CARES Act last year to help roughly 13,000 tenants pay overdue rent and utility bills. That assistance ended at the end of the year.

The Trump administration, however, allocated about $385 million for rental assistance in Wisconsin in December. About $65 million of that has gone directly to the state's six most populous jurisdictions: Brown, Dane, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties and the cities of Madison and Milwaukee. The remaining money was earmarked for the rest of the state.

So far this year, about $33 million has gone to roughly 9,700 tenants in smaller communities. DOA Secretary Joel Brennan said he didn't have exact figures on spending in the six metropolitan jurisdictions, but he estimated that taken together, a total of about 20,000 tenants have received assistance since this April.

Renters who earn up to 80% of their county's median income can apply for aid through local social organizations that are acting as conduits between the state and tenants. The money can be used to cover up to 15 months of rent.

The Biden administration has allocated another $250 million for rental assistance in Wisconsin through the American Rescue Plan Act, but the state has received only a small amount of that aid so far, Brennan said.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

Legal Action of Wisconsin, which provides free legal services to low-income people, has twice asked the state Supreme Court to halt all eviction proceedings in light of the CDC moratorium. The conservative-leaning court refused both times, saying in its latest denial in May that the Legislature, not the court, should decide whether to tilt the balance in eviction proceedings in favor of tenants.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Wisconsin's rents are relatively low compared with the rest of the country's. As of May, the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis metropolitan area was $1,545, which was the same as last year, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Thousands of Wisconsin residents fear they could be evicted soon, according to a survey the U.S. Census Bureau released June 16. A little more than 16,300 Wisconsin adult residents surveyed said they felt it was very likely they would be evicted within the next two months. Another 23,000 said they felt it was somewhat likely they would be evicted. Only about 7,000 of those respondents said they were employed. The survey did not break down responses by specific metropolitan areas in Wisconsin.

Brennan said it's difficult to project how many people might lose their homes. The DOA set up a system this spring to monitor eviction filings in court, and the state will share that data with local housing advocates in the hopes that they can reach out to tenants and let them know about the government aid.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP)  North Dakota agriculture officials are asking the federal government to give farmers and ranchers more flexibility in dealing with drought conditions that have parched the state.

This week's U.S. Drought Monitor map shows exceptional drought, the worst of four categories, covers about 18% of the state. The next category, extreme drought, blankets another 46% of North Dakota. All of the state is in some form of drought.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)  Federal prosecutors subpoenaed nearly two decades' worth of campaign contribution records connected to backers of a giant, now-defunct online charter school accused of inflating the number of students it served, newly revealed records show.

The Justice Department and FBI sought Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow campaign records from the Ohio Secretary of State in a grand jury subpoena sent Feb. 4, 2019, the USA Today Network Ohio Bureau reported Friday. The document was obtained through a public records request.

The warrant sought all campaign contribution records since 2000 for ECOT, Altair Learning Management, IQ Innovations, WL Innovations, William and Jessica Lager, Richard James Harris, Melissa Vasil and Teresa Berry.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio declined to discuss details or the existence of any investigation. No charges have been brought.

William Lager founded ECOT in 2000 and used for-profit companies he created to manage and provide IT services to the school. The Ohio Department of Education determined ECOT should repay about $80 million in public funding that wasnt justified by student participation data. The cash-strapped school closed in 2018.

Then-Ohio Auditor Dave Yost, now the Republican attorney general, issued a report in May 2018 that found ECOT may have broken the law by withholding information used in calculating payments and inflated the amount of time students spent learning. The Republican referred his findings to the FBI and the Franklin County prosecutor for possible criminal investigation.

ECOT has unsuccessfully challenged the states method for determining the $80 million figure, which it contended was not an accurate reflection of all the learning opportunities pursued by its students. It continues to fight the repayment in court.

Ohio Republicans took more than $2.1 million in contributions from Lager and other ECOT officials over the years. After the school's troubles began, the Ohio Republican Party and several statewide GOP candidates either returned the money, donated it to another charter school or gave it to charity.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  The first woman to attain the rank of general in the Louisiana National Guard has retired.

The guard says in a news release that Maj. Gen. Joanne Sheridan retired earlier this month after 38 of service. Her retirement ceremony was held at Jackson Barracks in New Orleans.
George Floyd's girlfriend called for an evening of nonviolence Friday in Minneapolis after a judge sentenced former police Officer Derek Chauvin to 22 1/2 years in prison for Floyd's murder.

Courteney Ross said Floyd "will always be mine, he will always be the love of my life.
CHALON-SUR-SAONE, France (AP)  A French mother of four was sentenced to one year in prison Friday for killing her husband after decades of sexual, physical and psychological abuse starting when she was an adolescent. The verdict allows her to walk free, as she has already served time in preventive detention.

The case had drawn broad attention and support for the defendant amid a national reckoning with long-held taboos around domestic abuse.

Valerie Bacot, 40, has admitted to shooting Daniel Polette dead in 2016. Polette was her stepfather, who later married her and forced her into prostitution.

A jury in Chalon-sur-Saone, central France, found Bacot guilty of the murder. She was sentenced to one year in prison and a three-year suspended sentence.

The prosecutor had earlier requested that Bacot should not be sent to prison, saying he didn't consider her a danger to society.

The trial showed the degree of control and influence Polette  25 years Bacot's senior  had over her.

Yes, I killed him but if I had not done it, my children would have, Bacot said.

Polette arrived in Bacot's life in 1992 as her mother's companion. A few months later, she said, the sexual abuse started. She was 12 when he began raping her, Bacot said.

Polettes sisters reached out to a social worker and he was arrested in 1995 and convicted of sexual assaults, spending two years in prison.

Afterward, Polette returned to the family home and started abusing Bacot again.

When he came back, he said he would leave me alone. My mother had forgiven him. But it started again. Following a rape I got pregnant, Bacot said. She was 17 at the time.

Her mother threw her out of the house and she started living with Polette, whom she described as having total control over her life.

He did not allow her to work or use contraception. She had three other children.

He was beating me, slaps then punches, he throttled me. He was beating and then things were going better, she said, adding he also threatened her with a handgun.

In 2002, he forced her into prostitution, still controlling all of her actions.

In March 2016, following a violent prostitution-related situation, she shot Polette with the gun. Her children helped her bury the body, an act for which they were given suspended prison sentences.

Bacot was arrested by police the following year and imprisoned, before being released under judicial supervision in 2018 pending trial.

The psychologist who examined her said the protection of her children was key in Bacots reaction. In 2016, she feared Polette would assault her 14-year old daughter and force her into prostitution.

A petition in favor of Bacot has gathered over 710,000 signatures.

Family members came to the court to say they dont regret Polettes death. His brother and sisters described him as a monster.

The person I thank the most in the world is Valerie, because she killed him. She did what I should have done for a long time, said Polettes sister, 59. She said he raped her when she was 12.

Dr. Denis Prieur, a psychiatrist, said that at the time of the domestic abuse, Bacot no longer had free will. She was not able to turn to the law (for assistance) because her husband was always there.

Now, she has become somebody and is not a thing anymore, he said.

Bacots case echoes that of another French woman, Jacqueline Sauvage, who was convicted of shooting and killing her allegedly violent husband. Sauvage was granted a presidential pardon in 2016, allowing her to get out of prison.

Sauvage had been sentenced to 10 years in prison for fatally shooting her husband three times in the back with a hunting rifle in 2012. During the trial, she said her husband had beaten her for 47 years. The couples adult daughters also said he had abused them.

The Associated Press doesnt typically name victims of extremely severe abuse, but Bacot  like Sauvage  has told her story publicly.
An attorney for George Floyds family said Friday that family members were feeling anxious ahead of a sentencing hearing for former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder and other charges in Floyds death on May 25, 2020, and he faces a practical maximum of 30 years when hes sentenced Friday afternoon.

Family attorney Ben Crump told The Associated Press that family members were feeling anxious and tense. Floyds brother Philonise, his brother Terrence and his nephew Brandon Williams plan to make victim impact statements at Chauvin's sentencing.

Philonise Floyd often occupied the Floyd family's assigned seat in the socially distanced courtroom where Chauvin's trial was held. He also testified as part of prosecutors' efforts to humanize George Floyd to the jury, recalling their childhood in a poor part of Houston and his brother's knack for making banana mayonnaise sandwiches.

Philonise Floyd testified last year before Congress in support of a federal overhaul of policing just a day after his older brother's funeral.

Terrence Floyd, a bus driver in New York, also is a frequent representative for the Floyd family at protests and other events. Last fall, he appeared with Joe Biden in the presidential campaign's final days and separately joined a push encouraging people to vote.

Brandon Williams too has acted as a representative for the broader Floyd family since his uncle's death, advocating for a federal overhaul of policing and joining other family members who met with Biden at the White House on the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's death.

To us, George Floyd is a cause. Hes a case; hes a hashtag. To them -- thats their flesh and blood. You know, that thats their brother, Crump said.

Crump also said he wanted to see a sentence above what is typically given for a second-degree murder conviction.

There was nothing typical about what Derek Chauvin did in torturing George Floyd to death, Crump said. So we dont expect it to be a typical sentence. It needs to be a sentence that sets a new precedent for holding police officers accountable for the unjustifiable killings of Black people in America.

In Minnesota, the presumptive sentence for second-degree unintentional murder for someone with no criminal record like Chauvin is 12 1/2 years, and the judge could sentence Chauvin to up to 15 years while staying within the guidelines. But Judge Peter Cahill has already found that there are aggravating factors that would allow him to go above the state's sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors are seeking a 30-year sentence, while Chauvin's defense has asked for probation.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family is experiencing something that few Black American families have experienced since the advent of professional policing in the U.S. The list of acquittals and mistrials, in the rare cases where officers accused of brutality or misconduct have gone to trial, is longer than the list of those convicted and sentenced.

In recent years, the list of acquittals has included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis, Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and two mistrials over the death of Samuel Dubose in Cincinnati.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor, who has represented victims of police brutality in court. Everybody knows that this doesnt happen every day.

Black people deserve justice, said Taylor, who is Black.

__

Foody reported from Chicago, Morrison from New York.

__

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
MADRID (AP)  Voters in Gibraltar have endorsed legislative changes that will ease the British territorys current ban on abortion.

Supporters of the changes cheered and clapped when an official read out the referendum result at Gibraltar university after midnight Thursday.

The yes vote captured a majority of 62%. Officials said 12,343 votes were cast, a turnout of 53%.

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo, who heads the government, said the legislation will come into force within 28 days.

Abortion is currently illegal in Gibraltar unless it is needed to save the mothers life, and is punishable by up to life in prison. It is one of Europes most restrictive laws on pregnancy termination.

The referendum, postponed from last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was held to ask voters whether they agreed with a 2019 decision by parliament to allow exemptions on health grounds to the abortion law.

The legislation, now approved, will allow pregnancies to be terminated up to the 12th week if doctors deem the pregnant womans physical or mental health to be at risk or if there is risk of fatal fetal abnormality.

Gibraltar is a speck of British land on Spains southern tip. Many locals live and work across the border. In Spain, abortion is allowed upon request up to the 14th week of pregnancy.

Most political parties backed the yes vote. The leaders of the two parties in Gibraltars governing coalition, the Socialist Labour Party and the Liberal Party, joined with the Together Gibraltar party in urging voters to back the change. The leader of the main opposition Social Democrats fought the proposed alterations.

Some 80% of Gibraltarians are Catholic, and the Bishop of Gibraltar spoke out against the proposed changes. The Gibraltar Pro-Life Movement argued that the legal change amounts to introducing abortion on demand, because the mental health proviso can be misused.

Campaigners for the Gibraltar for Yes group said women should have the right to decide about terminating their pregnancy in Gibraltars public health care system.
HONOLULU (AP)  A pilot said he was was performing a stunt in his single-engine, two-seat plane when he lost power and crashed into the ocean in Hawaii.

Pilot Claus Hansen, 57, was not injured in the Thursday crash off Oahu. He told KITV that he sent a message on the radio just before crashing into the water.
PIERRE, S.D. (AP)  The South Dakota Department of Health's proposed rules for medical marijuana include a $100 annual fee for card holders and a $5,000 yearly fee for businesses that sell the cannabis.

The state health agency released 105 pages of draft rules this week that include license fees, the renewal process, packaging guidelines and security plans, among other things.

The proposed administrative rules are one of many steps our department has taken to develop a safe and responsible medical cannabis program in South Dakota, as the voters intended, South Dakota Health Secretary Kim Malsam-Rysdon said.

The businesses that sell medical marijuana would have to renew their commercial licenses every year.

Each employee of a commercial cannabis business would also have to be certified by the state health department and could not have violent offenses on their background report within the last 10 years, the Argus Leader reported.

While the initial application fee and the cost of renewing a medical marijuana ID card is $100, the draft rules include exemptions for low income individuals. The application and annual renewal fees are reduced to $20 for individuals at 130% or less of the federal poverty level.

The proposed rules require approval from the Legislatures Rules Review Committee, which is expected to formally consider them in September.

Although a voter-passed law legalizing medical marijuana takes effect July 1, the state has until November to start issuing ID cards, meaning people wouldnt be able to legally buy medical cannabis until then.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  The Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved a $13.1 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year that boosts support for affordable housing, social services and education without any broad-based tax increases.

The budget approved Thursday night passed on a 64-10 party-line vote, with all 10 Republicans in the chamber voting no.

Without broad-based tax increases and through the preservation and strengthening of services and programs that help the vulnerable, this budget is a bill that will support most Rhode Islanders attempting to get back to their normal way of life, Democratic House Finance Committee Chair Marvin Abney said in a statement.

The bill also includes $15 million to provide body cameras for patrol officers in every municipal police department that does not already have them, as well as state police.

The proposal also includes funding to help school districts losing students to charter schools, $5.9 million beyond the governors proposal to help Rhode Island College address its financial difficulties, and $7.7 million for the Rhode Island Promise program, which provides two years of free tuition at the Community College of Rhode Island for qualified high school graduates.

The budget does not include a proposed tax on sugary beverages, nor the creation of a new tax bracket for the state's highest earners.

House Republicans panned the budget.

The FY22 feel good budget only delays structural deficits, the House GOP caucus said in a statement. It does nothing to alleviate or reduce the future tax burden on Rhode Island residents and businesses. It merely ignores our failing economic issues and kicks the fiscal responsibilities down the road to be dealt with next year.

Republicans also wanted an amendment that would have limited the governor's power to declare a state of emergency to 90 days, saying many state residents were frustrated with the current pandemic-related state of emergency declared by two Democratic governors that has gone on for about 18 months.

The bill now heads to the Senate.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  The Indiana Department of Natural Resources recommends all Hoosiers statewide remove their birdfeeders after the agency received reports of sick and dying songbirds from 15 counties.

The agency said Friday it is working with the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory and the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wildlife Health Center to determine what is killing the birds.
KOKOMO, Ind. (AP)  A Kokomo man has pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a 2018 crash that fatally injured a 10-year-old girl who was walking near a roadway.

Joshua Cochran pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident. Police said he was high on marijuana when his vehicle struck Renay Jenkins in August 2018 in Kokomo. She later died from her injuries at an Indianapolis hospital.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran's supreme leader has received the first coronavirus vaccine developed by the Islamic Republic, state TV reported Friday.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that he was not interested in taking foreign-made vaccines, because it is better to "wait for the Iranian vaccine because we have to be proud of this national honor.

In January, Khamenei banned imports of the American and Britain vaccines, a reflection of mistrust toward the West.

Iranian pharmaceutical company Shifafarmed made the COVIran Barekat vaccine based on deactivated virus, and the first study of the safety and effectiveness began in late December.

The emergency authorization was approved last week after the country, which is the worst-hit nation in the Middle East, faced problems importing enough vaccines.

Iran has not published data about efficacy of the vaccine, but claims that people who get the home made jab have about 85% immunity to the deadly virus.

Iranian officials said the death toll from Covid-19 rose by 115 over the day into Friday, putting the countrys total at 83,588 since the pandemic broke out last year.

Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari said 10,820 new confirmed cases were registered over the same period, bringing that total to 3,150,949.

At least 1,397 people remained hospitalized with the virus, she added.

Lari said that 3,219 of the patients are in serious condition, and that 2,809,595 have recovered so far. Iran remains among the hardest-hit countries in the world.

Iran has also said it is working on a vaccine with cooperation from a foreign country. Iranian authorities said that another vaccine, produced jointly by Iran and Cuba, will join the countrys vaccine package in coming days.

Irans local vaccine research has gained urgency as officials allege that heavy American sanctions will hamper the Islamic Republics mass inoculation efforts.

Iran retains some access to vaccines, including through its participation in COVAX, an international initiative designed to distribute vaccines to countries regardless of their wealth. But international banks and financial institutions are reluctant to deal with Iran for fear of American penalties. Under COVAX rules, Iran could order enough doses to vaccinate half of its 82 million people.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP)  A Massachusetts Superior Court judge has denied a motion by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a man who says he was sexually abused as a child in the 1960s by a bishop and two priests.

The suit, brought by a Chicopee man identified in court documents as John Doe, says the plaintiff was victimed twice, first as an altar boy when he was repeatedly raped by the clergymen, and again more recently when the church failed to respond properly to his reports of that abuse.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)  A Marion County judge ordered Friday that Indiana must continue the federal governments unemployment benefits, putting a temporary stop to Gov. Eric Holcomb's move to drop the state from the program.

Marion Superior Court Judge John Hanley granted the preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed June 14 by two legal organizations, which argues that Indiana law requires the state to procure federal insurance benefits to residents.

The lawsuit emphasizes that the Republican governors actions to withdraw Indiana from the expanded unemployment benefits before the Sept. 6 expiration of those benefits will hurt thousands.

Indiana's decision to leave the federal program early violates state law, Hanley wrote in his court order, adding that the unemployment benefits are instrumental in allowing Hoosiers to regain financial stability at an individual level while the state continues to face challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic during its return to normalcy.

The decision requires the state to continue the extra $300 weekly payments to unemployed workers and remain in other programs that expanded unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Holcomb announced last month that Indiana would reinstate a requirement that those receiving unemployment benefits will again have to show they are actively searching for work as of June 1 and that the state would leave the federal programs effective June 19.

Indiana also ended its participation in a federal program that made gig workers and the self-employed eligible for assistance for the first time and another that provides extra weeks of aid.

The state of Indiana took the appropriate steps to terminate its participation in federal pandemic unemployment program. The agreement ended on June 19," the governor's office said in a statement Friday, adding that Holcomb and the state's Workforce Development office "will discuss an immediate appeal of the judges order with the Attorney General.

The decision to withdraw the state from the federal programs came as many businesses blame the extra $300 weekly payment and the ease of obtaining unemployment benefits with making it more difficult to fill job openings. Republican legislative leaders additionally urged Holcomb to withdraw Indiana from those federal programs.

The $300 payments have more than doubled Indianas average $280 weekly unemployment payment, which has a maximum of $390 a week, according to the state Department of Workforce Development. The changes could cut off or reduce unemployment benefits to more than 220,000 people in the state.

Holcomb said jobs are available around the state and pointed to Indianas 3.9% unemployment rate for April, which was down from the pandemic peak of 16.9% a year earlier. Ending the benefits early will also help Indiana businesses find and hire qualified employees for thousands of open positions, he said.

___

Casey Smith 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.
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP)  A Kansas City man who stabbed his father to death was sentenced Thursday to life in prison.

The Jackson County Prosecutor's office said Curtis Lee, 43, was sentenced to life for first-degree murder plus 15 years for armed criminal action.
DOVER, Del. (AP)  Delaware lawmakers on Thursday gave final approval to legislation requiring more people charged with serious crimes to pay cash bail in order to be released from custody pending trial.

The legislation was approved on a 32-8 vote in the House and cleared the Senate 19-to-2 less than half an hour later.

The Senate had passed the bill earlier this month but needed to approve a House amendment sought by Republican lawmakers. The amendment clarifies that when a court sets bail in a case involving any of the 38 categories of offenses enumerated in the bill, the defendant will be required to relinquish, but not forfeit, any firearms in his or her possession.

The bill establishes secured cash bail as the baseline to be used by judges in determining pretrial release conditions for defendants charged with any the specified offenses. Those offenses include the most serious violent felonies, as well as certain gun crimes, sex crimes involving children and certain domestic violence offenses.

Under current law, the presumption of cash bail as the standard for pretrial bond conditions applies only to defendants charged with committing violent felonies involving firearms, and for defendants charged with committing violent felonies while on a probation or pretrial release for a previous criminal charge.

The bill has received overwhelming support from lawmakers of both parties, even as Democratic lawmakers seek to end Delawares reliance on cash bail through passage of a constitutional amendment. The amendment would allow bail to be withheld entirely for cases involving the same offenses listed in the legislation. Currently, the Delaware constitution allows bail to be withheld only for capital crimes, which are crimes punishable by death. Delawares death penalty was abolished several years ago, however.

Supporters of the cash bail legislation say it is an effort to protect the public from dangerous criminals being released back to the streets while awaiting trial.

Opponents, including several newly elected progressive Democrats, have said cash bail requirements disproportionately affect low-income and minority Democrats, and that the legislation is a step backward in Delawares bail reform efforts.

While establishing cash bail as the presumptive bond for specified offenses, the bill gives judges discretion to conduct bail review hearings and to modify bail conditions as they see fit.

The legislation also requires the state Criminal Justice Council to include information about cases and the racial impact when courts set bail subject to the provisions in the bill.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A long-awaited U.S. government report on UFOs released Friday makes at least one thing clear: The truth is still out there.

Investigators did not find extraterrestrial links in reviewing 144 sightings of aircraft or other devices apparently flying at mysterious speeds or trajectories. But they drew few other conclusions and instead highlighted the need for better data collection about what's increasingly seen by Democrats and Republicans as a national security concern. In all but one of the sightings investigated, there was too little information for investigators to even broadly characterize the nature of the incident.

There were 18 cases in which witnesses saw unusual patterns of movement or flight characteristics, the report said, adding that more analysis was needed to determine if those sightings represented breakthrough technology.

Long the domain of science fiction and so-called ufologists, the subject of UFOs has in recent years drawn serious study from the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. The prospect of an adversary spying with unknown technology has alarmed lawmakers in both parties.

Congress last year required the creation of the report delivered Friday. While its lack of conclusions has already been made public, the report on what the government calls unidentified aerial phenomena still represents a milestone in the study of the issue.

U.S. officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity said there were no clear indications that the sightings could be linked to alien life. There is also no definitive linkage of sightings to potentially unknown technology of an adversary like Russia or China.

Its clear that we need to improve our capacity to further analyze remaining UAP observations, even as we accept that there are some limits to our capacity to characterize and understand some of the observations that we have," one official said.

The report was published online and delivered to the House and Senate intelligence committees with a classified annex. Lawmakers were given a briefing last week on the investigation. One person who attended the classified briefing and spoke on condition of anonymity said that lawmakers were given little information beyond whats publicly available and that the only videos shown had already been made public.

The report lists five potential categories, including the possibility of foreign adversaries flying unknown technology to events occurring naturally in the atmosphere.

But only one instance was categorized as airborne clutter" and believed to be a large, deflating balloon. The rest are uncategorized because of a lack of information. That includes three instances of potential sightings captured on videos that were declassified and released in recent years.

The Department of Defense will over the next three months develop a new strategy for collecting and tracking information on potential sightings.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said the UAP report highlights the problem of flight hazards on or near military test and training ranges. She ordered the Pentagons top intelligence and security official to establish a more formal means of coordinating the collection, reporting and analysis of UAP information. This body also would make recommendations on securing military test and training ranges.

It is critical that the United States maintain operations security and safety at DoD ranges, she wrote in a memo released Friday. To this end, it is equally critical that all U.S. military aircrews or government personnel report whenever aircraft or other devices interfere with military training. This includes the observation and reporting of UAPs.

Part of the data collection effort is destigmatizing UAPs and pushing pilots to report what they see, even when what they see is implausible.

A big problem around UAPs has been the cultural stigma," said Rep. Andre Carson, an Indiana Democrat and member of the House Intelligence Committee, in an interview last week. "It has largely been relegated to science fiction.

Sen. Marco Rubio, who as the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee has long pushed for more disclosure about UAPs, called the report an important first step in cataloging these incidents, but it is just a first step.

The Defense Department and Intelligence Community have a lot of work to do before we can actually understand whether these aerial threats present a serious national security concern, Rubio said in a statement.
AUGUSTA, Maine (AP)  Maine environmental officials said the state's ban on polystyrene foam disposable food containers will take effect on July 1.

The ban had been scheduled to go into effect on January 1, but was delayed because of disruption in packaging supplies due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection said. The new rules apply to restaurants, stores and numerous other eating establishments.
VALLETTA, Malta (AP)  A watchdog on the lookout for money laundering and terror financing said Friday it has placed the tiny Mediterranean island nation of Malta on a list for increased monitoring.

The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force, or FATF, added the European Union member to its so-called gray list, along with Haiti, the Philippines and South Sudan.

It is exceptional for an EU country to be put on this list, which also includes Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Syria. The move raised concerns in Malta about the potentially damaging impact on the nation's economy.

The Maltese government quickly issued a statement saying it believes that Malta doesnt deserve to be subjected to increased monitoring, given that in the last two years it has already launched a program of reforms.

Malta underwent a mutual evaluation in 2019, FATF president Marcus Pleyer told reporters at a news conference conducted remotely. The final report had outlined a large number of serious issues regarding risks in the country.

Pleyer added: Malta has made good progress in some areas but serious issues remain.

Maltas financial intelligence unit needs to support law enforcement authorities" to pursue criminal tax and related money-laundering cases, he said.

The Maltese government said a plethora of reforms (have) led to tangible progress in Maltas ability to prevent, detect and combat money laundering and the funding of terrorism effectively.

Still, it said, "Malta has been and will remain fully committed to working with the FATF and other international partners to ensure that the partially addressed recommended actions are addressed within the shortest possible timeframes.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  A Madison man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a high-speed drunken driving crash that killed his passenger.

David King, 50, told a judge in Dane County Circuit Court Thursday that his alcoholism has spiraled out of control at the time of the crash in March 2020.
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP)  A deputy in North Carolina has shot and killed a man after responding to a domestic call, a sheriff said Friday.

Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance said deputies were called to a mobile home park Thursday night after receiving a 911 call about an armed person, news outlets reported. The sheriff said the deputies encountered the armed man, who was shot and died at the scene. The victim's name hasn't been released.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP)  The state agency that oversees workplace safety is relaxing guidelines for businesses, allowing them to wipe down most surfaces with soap or detergent, rather than disinfectants that kill the coronavirus.

When no people with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 are known to have been in a space, cleaning once a day is usually enough to sufficiently remove viruses that may be on surfaces and help maintain a healthy facility, according to guidance published Thursday by Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP)  A North Carolina woman who left her newborn baby in front of a Planned Parenthood office has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, 11 years after the infant's body was found in a plastic tub.

Jennifer McMillan Crow pleaded guilty in front of a Forsyth County judge on Thursday, the Winston-Salem Journal reported. She said she never even knew that her infant daughter had died until police questioned her years later.

Forsyth Superior Court Judge David Hall gave Crow an active 60-day jail sentence to be served in July 2022 and a suspended sentence of between one year and two years. Hall also placed Crow, who had no previous criminal record, on supervised probation for five years.

Court records indicate Crow gave birth to a premature baby alone in her bathtub in 2010, then dressed the baby in a onesie, wrapped her in blankets and put her in a container. The baby was discovered on Sept. 11, 2010, by a Winston-Salem police officer called to the Planned Parenthood office over concerns about threats to the building by anti-abortion protesters.

No one claimed the child for the next 10 years, and she became known as Therese, the Little Flower, named after Saint Therese, a French nun who loved nature and flowers and died from tuberculosis at age 24 in 1897. The girl was buried in September 2010 at a funeral attended by more than 100 people.

Crow was arrested in March after police last year had fingerprints from a baby bottle put through a new data system.

Jennifer R. Martin, Crows attorney, said her client could not afford prenatal care and acted out of desperation.

Hall said Crow was criminally culpable because she didnt seek prenatal care and she didnt call 911, which she could have done anonymously.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP)  Atlantic City will remain under state control for another four years now that New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed a bill extending the takeover of most of the city's major decision-making power.

The Democratic governor, who campaigned against the state takeover only to reverse course after being elected, signed the bill late Thursday night without comment.

The state will have been in charge of most of Atlantic City's decisions for nine years at the end of the current measure.

Mayor Marty Small did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

The extended takeover comes as the city faces consequential decisions including what to do with the 150-acre former airport property known as Bader Field.

Small has said he soon will unveil a multi-billion-dollar project for the site. Any plan for Bader Field requires state approval.

The government takeover was proposed by former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, and enacted in the Democrat-controlled state Legislature in 2016.

It was designed to help the state reign in runaway expenses, high taxes, and poor governance in the seaside gambling resort that, despite the presence of the casino industry, had enduring financial woes. Appeals from the casinos successfully challenging their tax assessments blew large holes in the citys budget.

It stripped civil service rights and protections from many city workers, making it easier to make changes in the way city departments were staffed and run.

The citys financial situation has improved since the takeover began, and Wall Street ratings firms have upgraded the citys fiscal outlook.

State control had been set to end this year.

___

Follow Wayne Parry at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC
MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP)  A Muscatine County jury on Friday found a man guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of his girlfriend.

Jurors found David Hatfield guilty in the death of 18-year-old Kaitlyn Palmer, according to the Muscatine Journal.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  A two-year North Carolina government budget that spends, saves and cuts taxes thanks to a state revenue boon and billions more federal COVID-19 relief funds cleared the Senate on Friday.

Four Democrats joined all Republicans in voting for the spending proposal  just like Thursday when the chamber completed the first of two required votes after 2 1/2 hours of debate. There was no debate Friday.
CONCORD, N.H. (AP)  The six officers who fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of a man following a 10-hour standoff this month have been identified, the New Hampshire attorney general's office said Friday.

Local police and a regional SWAT team responded to a domestic disturbance call June 14 in which Anthony Hannon, 52, of Pittsfield, was armed and refused to leave. The standoff ended when gunfire was exchanged between SWAT team members and Hannon, resulting in his death.
ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK, N.J. (AP)  As New Jersey residents prepare to head outdoors for the Fourth of July, the state's parks are already seeing an explosion in popularity, with more than 100,000 people signing up for annual park passes as part of New Jersey's COVID-19 vaccine incentive.

Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy announced in May that any state resident who has at least one shot by July 4 can get a free state parks pass, which would cost $50 for residents this year.

The 100,000 signups is up from nearly 50,000 earlier this month, weeks after the program was announced, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees New Jerseys parks. It dwarfs the roughly 5,000 annual passes typically purchased in a year.

Although its not clear how many people were motivated to become vaccinated by the free parks pass, the state eclipsed its goal of 4.7 million vaccinations last week amid the allurement.

The COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 already had more people heading outdoors, as the number of Americans who went hiking last year rose by 8.1 million, the largest one-year gain on record, according to the Outdoor Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Outdoor Industry Association.

On a recent weekday, a parking lot at Island Beach State Park, a 10-mile (16-kilometer) stretch of mostly undeveloped shoreline and one of the state's most popular beaches, was packed but not filled to capacity. The beach-side bar at the park was humming with patrons. Colorful umbrellas flapped in the ocean breeze.

The Department of Environmental Protection urges park-goers to arrive early to be sure of a spot in parks like Island Beach that frequently reach capacity  as passes dont guarantee entry.

Linda Jakuboski, of Pine Beach, said she's been coming to Island Beach for 35 years and noticed it seemed busier than usual for a weekday. She didn't get the vaccine pass incentive, but did get the shot. If the spike in annual passes leads to crowding, she's prepared to get there early and frequent one of the less crowded sections of the beach.

Im just so used to being here. This is home, she said. This is like a second home, really.

Bob Smith, a retiree from nearby Manchester, said he's a newcomer to Island Beach but was impressed enough to buy an annual pass. He didn't get the incentive but did get vaccinated, he said.

If things get crowded, he'll just enjoy the pool at the 55-plus community where he lives, he said. But the crowds weren't a big concern now that more people are vaccinated.

It's nice to see people's faces, he said.

Roughly 70% of adults are vaccinated in the state. Most of the COVID-19 restrictions like face masks have ended.

Afaf Muhammad, of Jersey City, has been camping for years and got her two daughters involved with Team Wilderness, a Jersey City-based nonprofit aimed at getting Black and other kids of color outdoors.

She opted not to get the vaccine, but praised the idea of getting more people, especially people of color, outdoors. The Outdoors Foundation study found that three-quarters of people doing outdoor activities are white.

I think thats so important for children to be in fresh air. We live in public housing. You dont really see too many trees and grass here, she said. You're not going to see too much real nature. (City) parks arent really nature reserves like a state park would be.

Her daughter Aracelis Hannah is 18, and started Team Wilderness trips five years ago. She, too, opted not to get the vaccine, but said people should take advantage of state parks.

You dont know what the wilderness could do to you, to change you  to make you more observant of your surroundings, she said.

Juan Melli, an avid hiker and senior vice president at the public affairs firm Mercury, said he got the vaccine pass, but would have gotten the vaccine even without the incentive. He's noticed more people on hiking trails around the state since the program started.

Exposing people to outdoors  I think COVID did that anyway: Your weekend plans are canceled. There's no where to shop so what can you do? You can go outside," he said. So if it raises awareness thats great.

I just hope this gets people thinking more about the outdoors."

Asked whether the state's parks could handle the jump in annual pass holders, DEP spokesperson Caryn Shinske said in an emailed statement that the parks see millions of visitors a year.

Attendance in 2020 was about 14 million, down from 17 million, though parks were closed for about a month starting in April and admittance was limited because of COVID-19.
BERLIN (AP)  A 21-year-old German has been arrested at the French border on suspicion of trying to buy a firearm in preparation for an Islamist attack, officials said Friday.

Prosecutors in the southwest German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said the man, whose name wasn't released, was detained Thursday as he tried to enter from neighboring France, where he lives.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  Parts of Sydney will go into lockdown late Friday as a coronavirus outbreak in Australias largest city continued to grow.

Health authorities reported an additional 22 locally transmitted cases and imposed a weeklong lockdown in four areas, saying people could leave their homes only for essential purposes.

The outbreak of the highly contagious delta variant was first detected last week, and 65 people have been infected.

If you live or work in those local government areas, you need to stay at home unless absolutely necessary, said Gladys Berejiklian, the premier of New South Wales state.

She said the lockdown, which was due to go into effect just before midnight, would have a significant impact on businesses, especially in the central business district of the city of more than 5 million people.

This is in order for us to ensure that this doesnt take a hold for weeks and weeks, and we believe this is a proportionate response to the risk," Berejiklian said.

A day earlier, the premier had said there wasnt any need for further restrictions despite it being the scariest period the state had been through during the pandemic.

Berejiklian herself tested negative for the virus after her Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall tested positive. Health Minister Brad Hazzard is self-isolating as a close contact of a suspected COVID-19 case in Parliament House.

The local council areas in Sydney headed for lockdown are Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and the City of Sydney. People can leave their homes only for reasons such as essential work or education, shopping, and exercise. The lockdown is expected to affect more than 1 million people who live or work in those areas.

Authorities say the cluster spread from a Sydney airport limousine driver. He was not vaccinated, reportedly did not wear a mask and is suspected to have been infected while transporting a foreign air crew.

Australian states have closed their borders to travelers either from parts of Sydney or from anywhere in New South Wales. New Zealand has stopped quarantine-free travel with the state until at least July 6.

One of the people infected traveled to New Zealand's capital Wellington last weekend, visiting restaurants, bars and tourist spots. That prompted some restrictions in Wellington, although no one in the city has tested positive so far.

The Sydney outbreak prompted New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to cancel a planned trade trip to Australia in early July. She said she would reschedule it for later in the year.

Australia has been relatively successful in containing coronavirus clusters, although the delta variant first detected in India is proving more challenging. And the nation's vaccine rollout has been slower than in many other developed countries, with only about one-quarter of the population having gotten at least one dose.

The pandemic has claimed 910 deaths in Australia, which has a population of 26 million. The only COVID-19 death since October was an 80-year-old man who became infected overseas and was diagnosed in hotel quarantine.
PASCO, Wash. (AP)  A fertilizer manufacturing company in Washington state has been fined $25,500 for making large quantities of ammonium phosphate liquid fertilizer with a mobile reactor without an air quality permit.

Pacific Northwest Solutions LLC produced 650 tons (590 metric tonnes) of liquid fertilizer between March 7 and March 9 at Nutrien Ag Solutions in Moses Lake, 100 miles (160 kilometers) southwest of Spokane, the Tri-City Herald reported.
DENVER (AP)  Johnny Hurley was hailed by police as a hero for shooting and killing a gunman they say had killed one officer and expressed hatred for police in a Denver suburb. But when another officer rushed in to respond and saw Hurley holding the suspects AR-15, he shot Hurley, killing him, police revealed Friday.

The disclosure helped clarify what happened on Monday when three people  Hurley, Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley and the suspected gunman, Ronald Troyke  died in a string of shootings in the historic downtown district of Arvada, an area with popular shops, restaurants, breweries and other businesses about 7 miles (10 kilometers) northwest of downtown Denver.

According to a timeline and video released by police, Troyke, 59, ambushed Beesley after he pulled his truck into a parking spot near Beesley's patrol car as Beesley was responding to a report of a suspicious person.

The video shows Troyke running toward Beesley down an alley. When Beesley turns around, Troyke raises his gun and fires at him as two people stand nearby, police said. Beesley falls to the ground in the video.

According to the video, apparently from a surveillance camera, and a police narration of it, Troyke grabs an AR-15 rifle from his truck and is carrying it when Hurley confronts him and shoots him with a handgun. When another officer arrives, Hurley is holding Troykes AR-15 and the officer opened fire, police said.

Hurley's shooting of Troyke and the officer's shooting of Hurley are not shown on the video.

Police had not previously confirmed Hurleys role or said who shot him. In the video posted Friday, Police Chief Link Strate described Hurley as a hero whose actions likely saved lives. He didnt offer an apology but called Hurleys death by a responding officer equally tragic to Beesleys killing.

The threat to our officers and our community was stopped by a hero named Johnny Hurley, Strate said. Johnnys actions can only be described as decisive, courageous and effective in stopping further loss of life.

In a separate statement, the Arvada Police Department said: Finally, it is clear that the suspect bears responsibility for this tragic sequence of events.

The unnamed officers shooting of Hurley is being investigated by a team of other area law enforcement officers led by the district attorneys office. The district attorney will use the findings to decide whether the officer was justified in using deadly force or whether the officer should be charged with a crime.

That officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

Police say Beesley was targeted because he was an Arvada police officer. The department on Friday released excerpts from a document written by Troyke in which he said he planned to kill as many Arvada police officers as he could, seeing his actions as a way to hold police accountable.

We the people were never your enemy, but we are now, it said.

About 40 minutes before the shootings, Troykes brother called police asking for them to check on him because he said his brother was going to do something crazy. Beesley and another officer tried finding Troyke at his home near downtown but were unable to, police said.

A teenager then called police to report a suspicious person  an older man who walked up, made a weird noise and showed him a condom. Thats the call Beesley was responding to when he was shot and killed.

Hurleys family issued a statement late Friday saying they were thankful for support from the city and police and were waiting for the outcome of the third-party investigation into the shooting that killed the 40-year-old.

A witness had said this week that Hurley was shopping in the area on Monday when he heard gunshots and ran out to confront the shooter with his own gun.

He did not hesitate; he didnt stand there and think about it. He totally heard the gunfire, went to the door, saw the shooter and immediately ran in that direction, Bill Troyanos, who works at the Army Navy Surplus store in downtown Arvada, told Denver news station KMGH-TV.

Troyanos said he heard Hurley fire five or six shots. The gunman fell against a parked vehicle, he said.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  Authorities say a Portland, Oregon, police officer shot and killed a man outside a motel near the Oregon Convention Center.

Police initially were called to the Motel 6 Thursday night. Dispatch reports indicate the first two officers were at the motel about 7:15 p.m. Portland Fire & Rescue emergency medics also were at the scene when the shooting occurred.

Police described the man as a white adult. They said they went to the motel for a welfare check but released few other details.

The man appeared to have a weapon in his hand, Kalli Temple, who lives across the street from the motel and watched the scene unfold from her window, told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Police approached him and looked as if they were trying to get him to drop it, she said.

But he ran from them, Temple said.

An officer then shot the man from about 8 to 12 feet away, she said. Temple said it appeared the man had been having a mental health crisis.

The officer who shot him was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard practice, as police and prosecutors investigate.

Police said they would release the name of the man who was killed after the medical examiner confirms his identity and officers notify his family.
PHOENIX (AP)  Prosecutors are seeking the dismissal of a manslaughter charge in the death of a Salt River police officer after the accused man's lawyer raised questions about whether his client was texting, as investigators had initially claimed, when he fatally struck the officer as he conducted a traffic stop on a freeway.

Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adels office said Friday that theres no reasonable likelihood of winning a manslaughter conviction against 42-year-old Jerry Sanstead in the January 2019 death of Officer Clayton Townsend.
ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP)  Relatives of Paraguay's first lady are among the dozens of people missing after a beachfront condo building partially collapsed Thursday outside Miami.

Paraguayan Foreign Minister Euclides Acevedo told local media that six people from the South American country are still unaccounted for after the collapse. They are Sophia Lopez Moreira, the sister of first lady Silvana Abdo, her husband Luis Pettengill, her three children and the family's assistant, according to Paraguayan authorities.

President Mario Abdos activities were cancelled for Thursday and Friday so that he can be with his wife while she waits for word on the fate of her sister and her family, Paraguay's government announced.

Gilmer Moreira, press director of Paraguays presidential palace, told the Associated Press the first lady is planning to travel to Miami, Florida, tonight on a private plane.

A total of 22 South Americans were missing in the collapse  nine from Argentina, six from Paraguay, four from Venezuela and three from Uruguay, according to officials in those countries.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio tweeted that almost a third of the missing are foreigners, and that he's working with the consulates of different Latin American countries to help some of the families get U.S. visas.

The family's assistant was identified as Lady Luna. In Asuncion, Paraguay's capital, her cousin Lourdes Luna said she's a nurse and has been working with the Pettengil-Lopez Moreira's family for two years.

Before leaving home she asked me for my blessing, Juana Villalba, Lady's mother, said to a local television channel. As a mother, I have no consolation because they do not give me information about my daughter.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP)  The family of a man who died shortly after being released from prison for a killing he did not commit will receive a settlement of more than $800,000.

The State Finance Council on Thursday approved the settlement for the family of Olin Pete Coones, who spent 12 years in prison before he was exonerated in November. Coones died of cancer in February, 108 days after he was released from prison.
KOH DAMAN, Afghanistan (AP)  For two days the fighting was blistering. Rockets and heavy machine gun fire pounded Imam Sahib, a key district on Afghanistans northern border with Tajikistan.

When the explosions died down and Syed Akram finally emerged from his home earlier this week, three of his neighbors children had been killed, and a tank was burning on a nearby street corner. Several shops and a petrol station were still smoldering. In the streets, the Taliban were in control.

There were maybe 300 of them, he said. That had been plenty to overwhelm the government troops defending the town, who had numbered fewer than 100. Akram saw several bodies of soldiers in the street, but many had fled the district center.

In recent days, the Taliban have made quick gains in Afghanistans north, overrunning multiple districts, some of them reportedly with hardly a fight, even as the U.S. and NATO press forward with their final withdrawal from Afghanistan. By all accounts their departure will be complete long before the Sept. 11 deadline set by President Joe Biden when he announced in mid-April an end to Americas forever war.

The Taliban gains are significant because of the transportation routes they provide the insurgents. But equally significant is that the north is the traditional stronghold of Afghanistans minority ethnic groups, who aided the U.S.-led invasion that drove the Taliban from power nearly 20 years ago and have been part of the ruling leadership since.

The traditional stronghold of the Taliban, who are mostly ethnic Pashtuns, has been in the countrys south and east.

With the recent gains, Taliban now control the main border crossing with Tajikistan, a main trade route. They also hold the strategic district of Doshi, critical because the one road linking Kabul to northern Afghanistan runs through it.

As a result, a worried government this week launched what it called National Mobilization, arming local volunteers. Observers say the move only resurrects militias that will be loyal to local commanders or powerful Kabul-allied warlords, who wrecked the Afghan capital during the inter-factional fighting of the 1990s and killed thousands of civilians.

The fact that the government has put out the call for the militias is a clear admission of the failure of the security forces ... most certainly an act of desperation, said Bill Roggio, senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Roggio tracks militant groups and is editor of the foundations Long War Journal.

The Afghan military and police have abandoned numerous outposts, bases, and district centers, and it is difficult to imagine that these hastily organized militias can perform better than organized security forces, he said.

On Wednesday at Koh Daman on Kabuls northern edge, dozens of armed villagers in one of the first National Mobilization militias gathered at a rally. Death to criminals! and Death to Taliban! they shouted, waving automatic rifles. Some had rocket propelled grenade launchers resting casually on their shoulders.

A handful of uniformed Afghan National Police officers watched. We need them, we have no leadership, we have no help, said Moman, one of the policemen.

He criticized the Defense and Interior Ministries, saying they were stuffed with overpaid officials while the front-line troops receive little pay.

Im the one standing here for 24 hours like this with all this equipment to defend my country, he said, indicating his weapons and vest jammed with ammunition. But in the ministries, officials earn thousands of dollars. He spoke on condition he be identified only by his first name for fear of reprisals.

The other police standing nearby joined in with the criticism, others nodding in agreement. New recruits in the security forces get 12,000 Afghanis a month, about $152, with higher ranks getting the equivalent of about $380.

The U.S. and NATO have committed to paying $4 billion annually until 2024 to support the Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces. Still, even Washingtons official watchdog auditing spending says Afghan troops are disillusioned and demoralized with corruption rife throughout the government.

As the districts fell, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani swept through his Defense and Interior Ministries, appointing new senior leadership, including reinstating Bismillah Khan as defense minister. Khan was previously removed for corruption, and his militias have been criticized for summary killings. They were also deeply involved in the brutal civil war that led to the Talibans takeover in 1996.

Afghan and international observers fear a similar conflict could erupt once more. During the 1990s war, multiple warlords battled for power, nearly destroying Kabul and killing at least 50,000 people  mostly civilians  in the process.

Those warlords returned to power after the Talibans fall and have gained wealth and strength since. They are jealous of their domains, deeply distrustful of each other, and their loyalties to Ghani are fluid. Ethnic Uzbek warlord Rashid Dostum Uzbek, for example, violently ousted the presidents choice for governor of his Uzbek-controlled province of Faryab earlier this year.

A former adviser to the Afghan government, Torek Farhadi, called the national mobilization a recipe for future generalized violence.

He noted the government has promised to pay the militias, even as official security forces complain salaries are often delayed for months. He predicted the same corruption would eat away at the funds meant for militias, and as a result local commanders and warlords will quickly turn against him (Ghani) and we will have fiefdoms and chaos.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told The Associated Press on Thursday that the insurgents captured 104 districts since May 1, including at least 29 in recent fighting. That brought the total area of Taliban control to 165 of Afghanistans 471 districts nationwide.

There was no way to immediately verify his statements, and some areas often change hands back and forth. Most analysts tracking the front lines say the Taliban control or hold sway in roughly half the country. Their areas of control are mostly in rural areas.

Officials and observers say many across the country have allegiance to neither side and are deeply disillusioned by corruption, which has resulted in ordinary Afghans benefiting little from the trillions of dollars in international assistance pumped into the country the past 20 years.

There is no stability. There is no peace, said Abdul Khasani, an employee at a bus station not far from the Koh Daman militia gathering.

In Afghanistan, under the Taliban people are suffering, and under the government people are suffering, he said.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  A state commission has announced 35 grants totaling more than $900,000 for historic preservation and archaeological projects in Tennessee.

The Tennessee Historical Commission said the Federal Historic Preservation Fund grants are awarded each year for projects that support the preservation of historic and archaeological resources.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging Tennessees first-of-its-kind law that requires businesses and government facilities to post signs if they let transgender people use multiperson public bathrooms of their choice, seeking to block the requirement from taking effect on July 1.

The ACLU and its Tennessee chapter brought the lawsuit in Nashville on behalf of Bob Bernstein, owner of Fido restaurant in Nashville; and Kye Sayers, owner of the Sanctuary Performing Arts venue in Chattanooga, which was founded by members of the transgender community; and their corresponding businesses. It names the state fire marshal, state codes enforcement director and two district attorneys as defendants.

With the threat of misdemeanor penalties, the law requires that the following sign be posted in bold, uppercase letters outside public multiperson bathrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms wherever transgender people are not prevented from using the facilities of their choice: This facility maintains a policy of allowing the use of restrooms by either biological sex, regardless of the designation on the restroom. Its one of five new Tennessee laws this year that have drawn backlash from LGBTQ advocates.

The lawsuit argues that the sign requirement infringes on the business owners' First Amendment rights by requiring them to communicate a misleading and controversial government-mandated message that they would not otherwise display. The lawsuit says the phrase either biological sex" is offensive to transgender and intersex people because it asserts that transgender people are not the sex they know themselves to be and ignores the existence of intersex people."

Both owners are concerned that their businesses' accessibility to multiperson bathrooms will require them to post the signs, which they worry will offend people and drive some away from their businesses, the lawsuit says.

Sanctuary was founded specifically to create a safe space for transgender and intersex people and their families in a state that can be unwelcoming to LGBTQ people, Sayers said in a news release. I am against posting offensive signs that stigmatize and deny the existence of transgender and intersex people at our center."

The law's sponsor, Republican Rep. Tim Rudd, has said the law isn't discriminatory, noting it doesnt limit businesses on which facilities they can let people use and includes a 30-day window to post signs after an entity is informed it's not complying.

Its very shocking and a danger to people if they walk into a restroom thats marked men or women, and the opposite sex is standing there, it could scare them, it could provoke violence, Rudd said while lawmakers debated the requirement.

Samantha Fisher, spokesperson for Attorney General Herbert Slatery, said the office will defend state law but cannot comment further on pending litigation.

How the bathroom law will be enforced remains uncertain. It carries a misdemeanor penalty punishable by up to six months in jail despite an assurance from Rudd during legislative debate that the version that ultimately passed does not provide any fines or penalties at this point. Authorized enforcers under the relevant section of Tennessee law include all state officials, now having jurisdiction or as directed by the governor, the state fire marshal, local fire prevention or building officials, the fire department chief, some mayors, and county officials.

Last month, a spokesperson for Republican Gov. Bill Lee said about the law that state laws must be upheld, while the Department of Commerce and Insurance, which includes the fire marshal's office, said it's still reviewing the legislation to determine the appropriate implementation.

Earlier this month, Republican Senate Speaker Randy McNally told reporters he doesn't think the requirement will be enforced.

Its my understanding initially that it didnt contain a penalty," McNally said. "I dont think that individuals that dont post a sign are going to be penalized. I think its like the signs about washing your hands as you come out of the bathroom. I dont think it will be enforced.

Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk, a defendant named in the lawsuit, has said his office will not promote hate and wont enforce the law.
NEW YORK (AP)  Manhattan prosecutors are considering filing criminal charges soon against Donald Trumps company, stemming from a long-running investigation into the former presidents business dealings.

The New York Times, citing sources familiar with the matter, reported that charges could be filed against the Trump Organization as early as next week related to fringe benefits the company gave to top executives, such as use of apartments, cars and school tuition.

Trump Organization lawyer Ron Fischetti said he met virtually with prosecutors Thursday for around 1 1/2 hours to try and persuade them not to seek a criminal indictment against the company, but that the charges would not be unexpected.

The charges are absolutely outrageous and unprecedented, if indeed the charges are filed. This is just to get back at Donald Trump," he told The Associated Press on Friday. "Were going to plead not guilty and well make a motion to dismiss.

The Manhattan district attorneys office declined to comment.

No charges have been filed thus far in the long-running probe. Prosecutors have been scrutinizing Trumps tax records, subpoenaing documents and interviewing witnesses, including Trump insiders and company executives.

Law enforcement officials familiar with the matter say the investigation has reached a critical point. A grand jury was recently empaneled to weigh evidence and New York Attorney General Letitia James said she was assigning two of her lawyers to work with Vance on the criminal probe while she continues a civil investigation of Trump.

In addition to fringe benefits, prosecutors have looked into whether the Trump Organization lied about the value of real estate holdings to lower taxes or to obtain bank loans or insurance policies on favorable terms. They have also looked into the companys role in paying hush money to two women who say Trump had affairs with them, accusations Trump has denied.

Some of the scrutiny has been focused on longtime Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg.

Vances investigation of Weisselberg, 73, stemmed in part from questions about his sons use of a Trump apartment at little or no cost, cars leased for the family and tuition payments made to a school attended by Weisselbergs grandchildren.

Weisselbergs attorney, Mary Mulligan, declined to comment.

There's nothing illegal about companies giving lavish perks to valued employees, but in many circumstances those benefits count as compensation subject to income tax.

Fischetti said any charges against the company based on fringe benefits would be overreach by prosecutors.

We looked back 100 years of cases and we havent found one in which an employee has been indicted for fringe benefits  and certainly not a corporation, he said. For it to be a crime, he said, "it would have to be for the benefit of the corporation with the knowledge of the corporation. They dont have the evidence at all.

___

This story has been corrected to show that the lawyers met for around 90 minutes, not nine minutes.
LONDON (AP)  U.K. regulators said on Friday that they're investigating Google and Amazon over concerns the online giants aren't doing enough to stop fake reviews of products and services on their platforms.

The Competition and Markets Authority said it opened a formal investigation into whether the two companies broke U.K. consumer law by failing to protect shoppers. The watchdog started looking into phony reviews on some big websites last year - without identifying any specific ones - amid the pandemic-fueled boom in online shopping.

Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations, the watchdog's chief executive Andrea Coscelli said in a press statement.

Equally, its simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.

The CMA said its investigation has yet to determine whether either company broke consumer protection law. If it does, the watchdog could require that they change how they deal with fake reviews or be taken court.

Google and Amazon said they will work with U.K. regulators on the investigation.

To help earn the trust of customers, we devote significant resources to preventing fake or incentivized reviews from appearing in our store," Amazon said in statement. The company said it works hard to ensure reviews "accurately reflect the experience that customers have had with a product" and noted that it blocked 200 million fake reviews before they were ever seen by shoppers.

Google said its strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take action - from removing abusive content to disabling user accounts."

The CMA said its initial probe that began last year raised specific concerns about whether the two companies had been doing enough to detect fake and misleading reviews and removing them quickly from their sites.

It's concerned in particular about suspicious patterns of behaviour involving reviews, for example when the same users review the same unrelated products or businesses at around the same time.

Another red flag is when a positive review suggests the reviewer was paid or received an incentive to write it, the CMA said.

The watchdog said it's questioning whether Google and Amazon are doing enough to hand out adequate penalties to reviewers or businesses caught posting false or misleading reviews, as a way to deter frequent offenders.

It's also looking specifically into whether Amazon's systems are failing to stop some sellers from manipulating product listings by combining positive reviews for one product with a listing for a different one.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  Virginia's Old Dominion University will commission an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct against a former visiting professor, school president John Broderick said in a letter to the university community on Thursday.

The allegations are against Blake Bailey, a visiting professor to the state school in Norfolk from 2010 to 2016 and author of a widely noted biography of the writer Philip Roth.

Bailey is already facing allegations elsewhere. Earlier this year, two former middle school students in New Orleans and a book publishing executive alleged that Bailey had sexually assaulted them. He's denied any wrongdoing.

The Virginian-Pilot reported earlier this month that several women told the newspaper that Bailey sexually harassed and abused them during his time at Old Dominion University. The women also said administrators failed to adequately respond to their concerns.

It is clear the universitys initial response caused pain to members of our community, Broderick wrote in Thursday's letter.

Broderick said ODU is awaiting guidance from Virginia's Office of the Attorney General regarding who should conduct the review.

It is essential to me that we obtain a truly independent report on the matter and that we be able to assure our campus community that sexual harassment and other misconduct will not be tolerated," Broderick wrote.

Baileys lawyer, Billy Gibbens, told The Virginian-Pilot earlier this month that the allegations are false and not worthy of publication.

Bailey faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse before the Pilot's reporting on ODU. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the AP among others featured extensive, on-the-record quotes from former students of Bailey while he was a New Orleans middle school teacher in the 1990s.

The former students alleged a pattern of inappropriate behavior while he was a teacher, and that he later pursued sexual relationships. Two former students and book publishing executive Valentina Rice have alleged he assaulted them. Rices account first appeared in The New York Times and was confirmed by Rice to the AP.

In late April, Gibbens, Bailey's attorney, described the allegations as false and unsubstantiated.
VENICE, Italy (AP)  Away from the once-maddening crowds of St. Marks Square, tiny Certosa island could be a template for building a sustainable future in Venice as it tries to relaunch its tourism industry without boomeranging back to pre-pandemic day-tripping hordes.

Private investment has converted the forgotten public island just a 15-minute waterbus ride from St. Marks Square into a multi-faceted urban park where Venetians and Venice conoscenti can mix, free from the tensions inherent to the lagoon citys perennial plague of mass tourism.

This is the B-side of the Venetian LP, said Alberto Sonino, who heads the development project that includes a hotel, marina, restaurant and woodland. Everyone knows the first song of the A-side of our long-play, almost nobody, not even the most expert or locals, know the lagoon as an interesting natural and cultural environment.

It may be now or never for Venice, whose fragile city and lagoon environment alike are protected as a UNESCO world heritage site. Citing overtourism, UNESCO took the rare step this week of recommending Venice be placed on its list of World Heritage in Danger sites. A decision is expected next month.

After a 15-month pause in mass international travel, Venetians are contemplating how to welcome visitors back to its picture-postcard canals and Byzantine backdrops without suffering the past indignities of crowds clogging narrow alleyways, day-trippers picnicking on stoops and selfie-takers crowding the Rialto Bridge.

The recommendation by UNESCOs World Heritage Center took into account mass tourism, in particular the passage of cruise ships through the historic center, a steady decline in permanent residents as well as governance and management problems.

This is not something we propose lightly, Mechtild Roessler, director of the World Heritage Center, told AP. It is to alert the international community to do more to address these matters together.

Veneto regional officials have submitted a plan for relaunching the tourism-dependent city to Rome that calls for controlling arrivals of day-trippers, boosting permanent residents, encouraging startups, limiting the stock of private apartment rentals and gaining control over commercial zoning to protect Venetian artisans.

The proposal, submitted in March, aims to make Venice a world sustainability capital, and hopes to tap some of the 222 million euros ($265 million) in EU recovery funds to help hard-hit Italy relaunch from the pandemic.

Venice is in danger of disappearing. If we dont stop and reverse this, Venice in 10 years will be a desert, where you turn the lights on in the morning, and turn them off in the evening, said Nicola Pianon, a Venice native and managing director of the Boston Consulting Group whose strategic plan for Venice informed the region's proposal.

The proposal responds to Venetians' urgency to reclaim their city from the mass tourism that peaked at some 25 million individual visitors in 2019, and stanch the exodus of 1,000 Venetians each year. It envisions investments of up to 4 billion euros to attract 12,000 new residents and create 20,000 new jobs.

As much as Venetians groan at the huge tourist flows, the pandemic also revealed the extent to which the relationship is symbiotic.

Along with lost tourist revenue, Venetians suffered a drastic reduction in public transport, heavily subsidized by tourist traffic. Even city museums could not afford to reopen to residents when lockdowns eased.

Venice without tourists became a city that could not serve its own citizens, said Anna Moretti, an expert in destination management at Venices Ca Foscari University.

The pandemic paused the citys plans to introduce a day-tripper tax last year on visitors who sleep elsewhere  80% of the total tourist footfall.

Some 19 million day-trippers visited in 2019 , spending just 5 euros ($6) to 20 euros each, according to Boston Consulting. On the other side of that equation, the 20% of tourists who spend at least one night in Venice contribute more than two-thirds of all tourist revenue.

A reservation system with an access fee is expected to launch sometime in 2022 to manage day visitors.

With an eye on monitoring daily tourist arrivals, the city set up a state-of-the-art Smart Control Room near the main railroad bridge last year that identifies how many visitors are in Venice at any moment using cell-phone data that also reveals their country of origin and location in the city.

The technology means that future reservations can be monitored with QR codes downloaded on phones, without the need to set up check points. Pianon said the plan is feasible in a city like Venice, which has a limited number of access points and is just 5 square kilometers (2 square miles) in area.

Relaunching more sustainable tourism in Venice would require diverting tourists to new destinations, encouraging more over-night stays, discouraging day trips and enabling the repopulation of the city with new residents.

Much could go wrong. Tourist operators are desperate for business to return, and there is a pent-up global desire to travel. In addition, many changes being sought by regional and city officials must be decided in Rome, including any limits on commercial zoning or Airbnb rental properties.

I think the level of dystopia that we had reached was of such a scale that there has to be a reaction, said Carlo Bagnoli, head of an innovation lab, VeniSia, at Ca Foscari University. There are many projects emerging from many places.

Certosa island, after more than a decade, is still a work in progress, but its success is in the numbers: 3,000 visitors each weekend.

Sonino sees another 10 public sites in the lagoon with redevelopment potential, including former hospitals, abandoned islands and military bases.

He blames Venetians themselves for the citys predicament, being long on talk, short on action. But he feels the pandemic -- coupled with the worlds abiding interest in Venices future -- might just be the push the city needs to change.

I prefer to hope that we catch the opportunity. Carpe diem is not only a slogan but an opportunity, Sonino said. We need a lot of ideas and a lot of passion to take Venice from the past to the future.
MADISON, Wis. (AP)  Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, a vocal critic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates, announced plans Friday to hold a news conference bringing together people who claim to have had adverse reactions to the vaccine.

His plans drew renewed criticism from doctors who have been accusing Johnson for months of advancing conspiracy theories and putting people's health at risk.

Johnson, who has also advocated for alternative and unproven treatments for COVID-19, said the Monday event in Milwaukee will allow people from around the country to tell their stories and express concerns he said have been repeatedly ignored by the medical community.

The medical community has been consistent in stressing that the risk of side effects from COVID-19 vaccines is exceedingly low and that the benefits of getting vaccinated far outweigh the risks. Earlier this week, top U.S. health officials, medical organizations, laboratory and hospital associations and others issued a statement touting the overriding benefit of the vaccines.

Johnson, who has no medical training or expertise, hasn't been vaccinated, saying he doesn't think he has to because he had the virus last year and formed natural antibodies. He has said he's just asking questions and isn't against vaccines, but doctors and other critics have blasted him for spreading misinformation.

Dr. Jeff Huebner, a family doctor in Madison, said Johnson was promoting dangerous and unfounded claims about COVID-19 vaccines that contradict medical data and evidence.

As a member of the Wisconsin medical community Im gravely concerned about the impact his event and remarks will have on our ability to return to normal and protect Wisconsinites from COVID-19., Huebner said in a statement.

Wisconsin's Democratic governor, Tony Evers, also criticized Johnson on Friday, tweeting: The #COVID19 vaccine is safe and effective and based on years of science and research. Every time you suggest otherwise, youre jeopardizing the health and safety of the people of our state and our economic recovery.

Nearly all COVID-19 deaths in the U.S. now are in people who werent vaccinated, with breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people accounting for fewer than 1,200 of the more than 853,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations in May, based on an Associated Press analysis.

YouTube this month removed an interview Johnson did with the Milwaukee Press Club during which he touted the benefits of alternative treatments for COVID-19 and suspended Johnson for a week, saying his comments violated the company's medical misinformation policies.

Johnson, during the June 3 event, criticized the administrations of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump for not only ignoring but working against robust research (on) the use of cheap, generic drugs to be repurposed for early treatment of COVID."

Johnson said Monday's event at the federal courthouse in Milwaukee will include speakers from Wisconsin and other states, including Ohio, Missouri, Utah, Michigan and Tennessee.

U.S. health officials paused the Johnson & Johnsons single-dose shot for 11 days earlier this year, after 15 vaccine recipients developed a highly unusual kind of blood clot out of nearly 8 million people given the J&J shot. Experts said Wednesday that there also seems to be a link between the Pfizer and Moderna shots and some cases of heart inflammation.

Johnson's seat is up for election in 2022 and he has not yet said whether he will seek a third term.

___

Associated Press writer Kevin McGill in New Orleans contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Xcel Energy has scrubbed plans for an $800 million natural gas plant in Becker in the face of criticism from environmental and clean energy groups.

Instead, the Minneapolis-based company said Friday it now plans to build two smaller natural gas plants  one each in southwestern Minnesota and North Dakota  at less than half the cost of the Becker plant.
By Astrid Casimire

Bay City News Foundation

The city of San Mateo on Monday took its first step towards by-district elections, a move that would change how residents elect their councilmembers.

Under district-based elections, voters from each district in the city will vote on one councilmember who lives in that district to represent that district. Currently, the city of San Mateo has an at-large elections system, meaning that voters across the city, regardless of where they live, vote on each of the five city council members.

Shifting to district elections would require the city to create a district map, assign election years to each district and hold public hearings to get feedback from the public.

The resolution adopted on Monday does not immediately establish by-district elections. With the resolution, the council signaled its intent to change its election system and has 90 days to finalize a district map and complete the transition.

However, the city will likely apply for an extension in order to get community feedback and incorporate data from the 2020 census.

City Attorney Prasanna Rasiah said during Monday's meeting that the updated census data is very important when creating the district maps.

"Without that updated data, then the city would be looking at old data and then potentially having to draw maps using old data and then having to redo those maps using updated information," Rasiah said.

San Mateo is one of the latest cities to consider district-based elections after receiving a letter from attorney Scott Rafferty stating that its current at-large elections system could violate the California Voting Rights Act. Cities and school districts across California have received similar letters and have adopted district-based elections systems as a result.

A Voting Rights Act violation may occur if there is evidence of "racially polarized voting", in which voters of a racial or language minority group show voting preferences that are different from the rest of the electorate, according to state law.

While the city does not believe the attorney's letter provided sufficient evidence to support a Voting Rights Act violation, it could face a lawsuit unless it voluntarily changes its election system.

Councilmembers said they would not be willing to risk a lawsuit and the associated costs.

In a statement, Mayor Eric Rodriguez described the transition as "perhaps the most important shift in local City Council elections in San Mateo's more than 125-year history." He encouraged residents to get involved in the process.

More information is available online at https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/4537/District-Elections.

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 Megan Munce

Bay City News Foundation

The California Public Employment Relations Board ruled Wednesday that parts of a voter-approved measure in Sonoma County expanding law enforcement oversight are void and unenforceable.

Measure P, which Sonoma County voters approved in the November 2020 election, empowered the Independent Office of Law Enforcement Review and Outreach to, among other abilities, independently investigate Sheriff's Office employees and post body-cam footage online.

The measure was one of several around the Bay Area supporting police reform that passed in 2020 and was supported by the Santa Rosa/Sonoma County NAACP.

The Sonoma County Deputy Sheriffs' Association and Sonoma County Law Enforcement Association later challenged the measure under the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, a California law requiring public agencies to meet "in good faith" with employee organizations, such as unions, before adopting rules or regulations that affect matters such as dispute resolution and official communications.

The DSA and SCLEA alleged that the county violated the act by failing to meet with them before placing Measure P on the ballot, infringing on the unions' rights.

In its decision, the Public Employment Relations Board agreed in part, finding that certain amendments in the measure warranted meeting with employee organizations beforehand.

"We supported police reform and still do, but the Board of Supervisors rejected the appropriate legal process and squandered an opportunity to accomplish a mutually agreeable set of reforms," DSA President Mike Vail said in a statement.

The decision voids the portions of Measure P that allowed the IOLERO to receive and independently investigate whistleblower complaints without notifying the sheriff's office, review and post body-cam footage, conduct independent investigations in certain circumstances and supervise sheriff's office investigations by accessing records and observing interviews.

But the PERB left other portions of the measure in place, finding that they didn't warrant representation. Those provisions include establishing a community advisory council for the IOLERO and allowing the IOLERO to recommend further investigation or review databases of incident reports and body cam footage.

The county can still appeal the decision in state court.

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.
When you're a massive Hollywood star, sometimes you just need a place to get away from it all.

Actor Kim Novak, of "Vertigo" fame, found her hideaway at "Gull House," a stunning property built into the granite cliffs of Carmel. The house is now for sale for $12.5 million.

Realtor Jonathan Spencer with Compass says residing at 170 Spindrift Lane is like "living in a painting." The property is nearly entirely surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, and from the home's many picture windows one can see gulls, sea lions and whales frolicking in the rough waters below.

"If you look out of almost any room, you're looking straight down into the ocean below," Spencer said. "The drama of the scene is unparalleled."

Jonathan Spencer Properties

The property sits on two waterfront acres, just five minutes from town. Novak used the two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom home as her Hollywood escape and painting studio, Spencer said.

The home served as her primary residence from 1961 to 1973. She left after disputes with zoning authorities over her pet goat to a more animal-acceptable property in Jacks Peak near Monterey, according to Carmel Magazine, which recently profiled the actor.

Jonathan Spencer Properties

Novak remembers the day she found Gull House well. She told Carmel Magazine that the "day was heavy with fog, but just as I neared the house, it lifted, and the bright sun revealed the whole place."

She purchased it  without ever stepping foot inside  shortly after.

The home is ideal for a Hollywood star. It's located on a private road that's gated-access only. Just four other homes sit behind the gates, but Spencer says you can't see them from inside the main house or guest home.

Jonathan Spencer Properties

Though the home is move-in ready, Spencer said the previous owner spent two years working with the coastal commission to secure a permit  "an arduous process"  to build a 4,300-square-foot house on the property. You can view renderings of the massive home on the property's website.

It sounds like Novak found the peace she desired while living at Gull House.

Jonathan Spencer Properties

I had a goat named Creature, and Warlock, a Great Dane, she told Carmel Magazine. I loved piling them into my Jaguar convertible and taking them down the coast to Nepenthe, a lovely Big Sur restaurant. They knew me there and expected me to come with the guys. We would relax on the patio and have a White Russian. Sometimes Umi the racoon came too.

Novak now resides in Rogue River, Oregon, where she can keep her animals and ride her horses freely.
Placer County sheriffs authorities told members of the Lake Tahoe community at a virtual town hall this month that a deadly shooting in Homewood, on Tahoes West Shore, is thought to be a targeted incident.

The shooter, who is still at large, is not believed to be a threat to public safety, officials said.

Based on video surveillance, authorities believe the shooter knew where they were going. Officers canvassed the neighborhood and heard no other reports or complaints about suspect activity, break-ins, burglaries or anything else related to the shooting, said Lt. Nelson Resendes, a spokesperson for the Placer County Sheriffs Office.

The motive is still unknown.

All of those things put together makes me feel like there was some sort of a relationship between the victims and the suspect, said Resendes. [The shooter] was there for a reason.

On Saturday, June 5, Placer County Sheriffs officials found West Shore resident Robert Spohr, 70, dead at his home with a single gunshot wound. Spohrs wife, Wendy Wood, was also shot. Wood was taken to the ICU, and as of this earlier week, Resendes said Woods condition was stable. However, Resendes said, the family has asked Placer County sheriffs detectives to stop contacting the family and Wood. So Resendes did not have immediate, up-to-date information about Woods condition.

We know that she is stable. Thats pretty much all we have been told at this point, Resendes said. Sadly, the family has made a request for our detectives to stop attempting to contact the victim or any other people of the family.

SFGATE has reached out to the victims family for comment.

In a statement to Sacramento CBS Local earlier this month, the victims daughter, Adrienne Spohr, said her mother was shot in the head and is unresponsive.

We are horrified, Spohr wrote. We could have never imagined something like this could happen to our parents. We are desperate to find justice for them.

Tahoe is supposed to be a safe community. We love this community, and we need help from it."

Earlier this month, Placer County officials released a surveillance video that showed a figure wearing a backpack on the victims property around the same time of the incident. Resendes called the figure who appeared in the surveillance video a person of interest. The person was seen wearing a black jacket, gray sweatpants and gloves in addition to a backpack. Authorities are still asking for anyone with information related to the incident or the shooting to call a tip line at (530) 889-7853.

Resendes told SFGATE that authorities have received many tips since the video was released to the public. And while every tip is followed up on, no meaningful evidence has surfaced. "So far nothing has really panned out," Resendes said.

He believes the case is going to hinge on forensic evidence.

Its going to have to do with electronic forensics, cellphone data, banking information," he said. "Or its going to be physical forensics, which is hair fibers, cloth fibers, DNA. Bullet examination.

Resendes said that cases that rely on forensic data can take at least six months to a year for evidence to come back. The case is still under investigation. Authorities do not have a motive for the shooting as of yet.

Cooperation with the family helps authorities solve difficult cases like this one, Resendes said. While authorities are respecting the familys wishes for privacy, Resendes said they will continue to try to reach out.

Since the shooting, Resendes told SFGATE that authorities have not seen or heard anything suspicious thats related to the incident.

I dont believe that its just a wild gunman on the loose. It is such an isolated incident, Resendes said. We have not had a homicide in Homewood  well, Ive worked for the sheriffs office for 20 years and I dont remember the last one.

Anyone with relevant information should call the Placer County Sheriff's Office at (530) 889-7853.
Disney quietly filmed scenes for its upcoming "Ant-Man" sequel at a San Francisco police station on Saturday and Sunday.

The San Francisco Film Commission confirmed the "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" shoot took place at Central Police Station at 766 Vallejo St. in North Beach.

Filming under Pym Productions -- Hank Pym is a character in the film -- the production captured shots of the police station exterior and downtown San Francisco, according to the filming permit. It also filmed plate shots -- meaning images of the background sans subjects -- of the interior of the police station and captured the view looking outward from the building.

Susannah Robbins, the executive director of the San Francisco Film Commission, said the production is expected to film in San Francisco again sometime in the new year with the actors.

The third film in the series, the new "Ant-Man" stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer. It is set to be released in February 2023.

The previous two films in the series were also shot in and around San Francisco, with some of the scenes taking place in the most picturesque parts of the city, including the Embarcadero and Nob Hill. Rudd's Scott Lang and Lilly's Hope van Dyne both live in San Francisco in the film.

The new "Ant-Man" plot has been kept largely under wraps. But if it's anything like the previous two films, it will feature its size-shifting hero flipping cars and growing buildings from zilch.
NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

In-person work is fast becoming passe in the Silicon Valley and the larger Bay Area tech community, as the allure of living outside of the tech bubble and working in sweats will likely continue long after the pandemic.

Case in point: A report by Protocol found that of the more than 5,000 employees that work at the cloud computing company VMware, only 99 showed up to the first day of in-office work at the company's 16-building headquarters in Palo Alto.
Frontier

Frontier has done it again. The airline that seems to love to be hated  just as long as people continue to buy their ultra-budget fares, that is  managed to create a new, especially egregious way to outrage customers. In a brazen step beyond other penny-pinching fees, add-on costs for things like carry-on baggage and seat assignments, Frontier quietly started imposing a new COVID Recovery Charge in May. Though the fee had been in place for more than a month, it was first reported June 22 by the aviation blog Miles to Memories. Within a day after coming to light, the backlash forced Frontier to rescind the fee.



Considering that were now 15 months into the pandemic and it is finally, fortunately waning in the United States, the timing of the fees implementation, in May of 2021, was a bit head scratching. For many airline watchers, like William J. McGee, aviation and travel adviser for Consumer Reports advocacy arm, a COVID Recovery Fee was particularly offensive because of the airlines poor handling of the pandemic and the massive taxpayer bailouts it received.

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Im just going to be blunt, McGee said. This is bogus. You would think this industry would want to lay low and show some humility after three federal bailouts from taxpayers and the horrific job they have done with refunds for customers.
You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short.
LONDON (AP)  Airlines and holiday providers on Friday expressed frustration with the U.K.s plans to ease travel restrictions, saying uncertainty about how and when the new rules will be implemented make it difficult for people to book summer vacations.

The government on Thursday expanded its green list of safe travel destinations, allowing people to visit without having to self-isolate for 10 days after returning to Britain. However, all but one of the new additions were also placed on a watchlist, meaning the quarantine requirement may be re-imposed at short notice.

Transportation authorities also said they intend to relax travel restrictions by allowing fully vaccinated travelers to visit higher-risk destinations, including the U.S. and most of the European Union, without having to self-isolate. They expect to implement this change later in the summer.

The U.K. has already fallen behind the EUs reopening, and a continued overly cautious approach will further impact economic recovery and the 500,000 U.K. jobs that are at stake, said Shai Weiss, chief executive of Virgin Atlantic, which offers mainly long-haul flights to destinations such as New York, Los Angeles and Barbados.

Airlines and hospitality companies have pressured the government to ease travel restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19 following the U.K.s successful vaccination program. The pandemic has devastated Britains travel industry, with the number of people flying through Londons Heathrow Airport, the nations busiest, plunging 73% last year.

The government has created a traffic light system to manage the reopening of air travel. Destinations with low levels of COVID-19 and high levels of vaccination are placed on the green list, which allows pleasure trips and doesnt require self-isolation on return to Britain. Only essential travel is permitted to amber list countries, but travelers must self-isolate for 10 days when they return home. The government has banned most travel to destinations on the red list, and anyone arriving from one of these countries faces a 10-day quarantine in a government-approved hotel at their own expense.

The lists are updated every three weeks.

The Department for Transport said Thursday night that the expansion of the green list and plans to ease restrictions on fully vaccinated travelers were the result of the successful vaccination program. Almost 61% of U.K. adults are fully vaccinated, and 83% have received at least one dose.

But Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said caution was still required.

It wont be quite like it was in 2019 and the old days, but we are moving in a positive direction, Shapps told Sky News.

Public health authorities are concerned about the possibility that travelers may spread potentially more dangerous variants of COVID-19 to the U.K. from countries with low vaccination rates. The delta variant, first identified in India, has already become the dominant version of the virus in Britain.

Regardless of U.K. policy, officials in the European Union are considering imposing a quarantine on British travelers because of their concerns about the delta variant which is 40% to 60% more transmissible than previous versions of COVID-19. In minutes released from government meetings earlier this month, experts said the delta variant also may be linked to a higher risk of hospitalization, although numbers are still small and there is no evidence the variant is more deadly.

Diana Holland, assistant general secretary of the Unite union, said the government needs to change its approach to provide greater certainty for the travel industry and consumers.

The traffic light system is simply not fit for purpose, she said. It is impossible for a multibillion-pound industry to make plans for the future when the rug can be pulled from under them every three weeks.

The government on Thursday added more than a dozen countries and territories to its green list, including the popular holiday destinations of Malta, Madeira and the Balearic Islands. All of the destinations except Malta were placed the watch list.

The changes, which take effect at 4 a.m. June 30, will expand the green list to 27 countries and territories.

The newly added countries are: Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua, Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados and Grenada.

Britain also added six countries to the red list, including the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Uganda. That brings the number of countries covered to 56.
Shippensburg, PA (17257)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning will give way to occasional showers during the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 77F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 59F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Local

Spartan Spectacular starts today

McKenna Golat / McKenna Golat | Daily News McKenna Golat | Daily News photos Kay Stanek guides her horse, Arthur, to his stall at the Mason County Fairgrounds. Arthur will compete under his registered name, True Blue I Will Be, during the Michigan Quarter Horse Associations horse shows. McKenna Golat / Daily News Kay Stanek prepares a stall for her horse, Arthur. Stanek has been participating in horse shows for 50 years. McKenna Golat / Daily News McKenna Golat | Daily news Nicole Shaw bringing a bag into one of Mason County Fairgrounds barn stalls. She helps with the Dalton Performance Horses at the MQHA horse shows. McKenna Golat / Daily News Chris Dalton rides his quarter horse, Cash. Cash will compete under his registered name, Madd Money.

Starting today, the Michigan Quarter Horse Association will hold its Spartan Spectacular horse show at the Mason County Fairgrounds, and another major horse show  perhaps the biggest in the state  will follow soon thereafter.

The Spartan Spectacular will run until Sunday. The show is normally held at Michigan State University, but its coming to Mason County this year.

The Spartan Spectacular is usually held in May in Lansing, but due to COVID weve had to move it here, said Bard Foster, vice president of the association.

The Spartan Spectacular will include a youth show and a special event called the Thayne Minor Horsemanship Class. A traveling trophy will be given at the end of the event. The show will also hold different hunter under saddle and trail classes.

These classes are typically done at both the Spartan Spectacular and the Harbor Classic. Additionally, the youth board for the quarter horse association will hold a root beer float social, sponsored by the Manistee A&W.

The funds from the event go toward a good cause, according to Foster.

The proceeds from this Spartan Spectacular go to support our youth program, she said.

A week later, on July 4, the association will host its Harbor Classic horse show, also at the fairgrounds. The Harbor Classic usually ends on the Fourth of July, but with the Spartan Spectacular also taking place, it was decided to start the show on that day instead.

Foster said the Harbor Classic may be the largest horse show in Michigan.

It will last a total of six days. In addition to the classes from the Spartan Spectacular, the Harbor Classic will have a trail sweepstakes and a cornhole contest. Two youth fundraisers, a bouncy horse race and a dog race, will take place as well. Several get-togethers will be hosted for the exhibitors as well.

Each one will host something and theyll have hors doeuvres and people just kind of gather, Foster said.

Foster said the location and upkeep of the fairgrounds are the reasons why the shows continue to come to Ludington. New barns were recently installed and the campground makes it easy to stay in the area.

The exhibitors at these shows love the area, she said. During their downtime, theyll see the sights along the lakeshore, and spend time in Ludington. Foster said many enjoy going to the beach, kayaking and frequenting the restaurants and breweries.

Kay Stanek has participated in horse shows for 50 years. She attends the associations horse shows because she receives points at the end of the year if she participates. Stanek enjoys meeting new people at the shows and seeing the horses compete. During her downtime, she likes to go to the beach and buy ice cream from the shops in the area. Though she likes eating at the cookouts at the horse shows, she will sometimes get dinner at the restaurants in town.{/span}

I enjoy performing with my horse, it gives me a great thrill, Stanek said.

Stanek will perform with her horse Arthur. She said all the horses in the show have a barn name and a registered name, which will be read during the show. Arthurs registered name is True Blue I Will Be.

Chris Dalton will also be participating in the horse shows. He and his wife Tessa operate Dalton Performance Horses. Located in Whitehall at Silver Creek Farms, the couple trains horses for clients and bring them to horse shows around the country. Dalton said he is looking forward to the Harbor Classic.

I just want to do as well as possible, Dalton said.

Dalton said he enjoys being able to do shows in the Ludington area. He likes how the Harbor Classic coincides with the Fourth of July. Dalton described coming to these shows as a vacation because he usually gets done early and goes to the beach to hang out.

Another exhibitor at the horse show is Nicole Shaw. She has done horse shows for 21 years. She also enjoys going down to the beach during her downtime. She will be helping with the Dalton Performance Horses during the shows. Shaw arrives at the fairgrounds before most other exhibitors, cleans the stalls and feeds the horses. She described herself as an extra set of hands.

I really hope it doesnt rain the whole show, but its not Ludington without some rain, Shaw said.

The exhibitors will stay in Ludington for a total of 20 days. The Michigan Quarter Horse Association booked 160 camp sites and 417 stalls for the two events. The Harbor Classic will end on July 10.
Ludington, MI (49431)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 84F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds light and variable.
Lin has been handed over to Intelligence Bureau (IB) for questioning.

The police said she had a valid Chinese passport but her Indian tourist visa had expired.

Ni Wai Lin, 52, was arrested on Thursday evening in Jaigaon, Alipurduar district, while she was trying to cross into Bhutan's Phuntsoling town.

The IB's Counter-intelligence cell is interrogating her.

Lin's arrest comes within a fortnight of BSF intercepting a Chinese national Han Junwe in Malda district while he was entering India from Bangladesh.

He confessed to procuring 1300 Indian SIM Cards which were used to perpetrate financial frauds.

But IB is exploring a 'national security' angle as Han's network linked to financial frauds could also be used for paying off Chinese agents in India.

Lin's arrest is also significant because two Chinese tourists have been recently arrested -- one from Bihar-Nepal border, another from Lava in Bengal's Kalimpong district.

Both were found to have taken sharp high resolution photographs of strategic areas like the Rachen La pass on the Sikkim-Bhutan border near Doklam, where Chinese military intrusions were resisted by the Indian army in 2017.

These areas are on the strategic Siliguri Corridor that connects the Indian mainland with its seven northeastern states.

Former IB official Benu Ghosh told IANS that Chinese field espionage activity around the Siliguri corridor have intensified since the 2017 Doklam crisis.

"Since the Ladakh crisis in summer of 2020, the Chinese agencies have stepped up their field intelligence profile along the long Himalayan border. For that, they are sending Chinese operatives under cover of tourists or business-persons. The Siliguri Corridor is quite naturally their focus, because of India beefing up defence in the strategically vulnerable area," he told IANS.

"These agents are using our neighboring countries to enter India. West Bengal sharing borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh becomes a significant focus of Chinese espionage activity," Ghosh said.

--IANS

anwesha/ksk/


Initial Public Offering(IPO) is the initial auction of shares to the public by private firms. The companies are going public to increase funds through IPO for working capital, debt repayment, acquisitions, and a host of other uses.

The investor can apply for IPO Stocks by filling an online IPO application offered by the stockbrokers and banks in India. Brokers offer UPI-based online IPO applications, and banks provide both UPI and ASBA IPO applications.

A stock exchange displays IPO shares that are proposed to be listed. Primary IPO's are listed on BSE and NSE. The SME IPO's are listed on the NSE EMERGE or BSE SME platform of the respective exchanges.

India's primary markets have witnessed an outburst of IPO's in the year 2021, with ten companies listing on the bourses. So far, in 2021. It's a jackpot week for investors as four mainboard companies hit the Street with initial public offerings (IPOs).

However, the primary market is busy again with four public investments Sona Comstar, Shyam Metalics, Dodla Dairy, and KIMS Hospitals, for subscription this week. All four IPOs are very richly valued. As a result, most investors have been collecting to IPO's, assuming substantial listing gains. Nevertheless, investors should allocate carefully, as there is little left for investors given the issue prices.

Sona Comstar

Global automotive technology company "Sona Comstar" is anticipated to finalize the IPO share allotment next week. Rs 5,550 crore public issue was opened for subscription on Jun 14 and closed on Jun 16 after being subscribed 2.28 times. The retained portion for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) was subscribed 3.46 times and that of non-institutional investors 39 percent. The part set aside for retail investors seen a subscription of 1.57 times.

Sona Comstar effectively raised Rs 5,550 crore over its public issue, including Rs 2,498 crore from anchor investors. In addition, the offer contained a new point of Rs 300 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 5,250 crore by Singapore VII Topco III Pte. Ltd, an affiliate of The Blackstone Group. The Blackstone-backed technology and innovation-driven company will finalize the IPO share allotment around Jun 21, as per the schedule available in the prospectus.

Sona Comstar obtains 75 percent of business from foreign markets. It is among the top 10 automotive component manufacturers and supplies products across the countries such as India, the US, Europe, and China, with thrust on the electric vehicle segment. It has nine manufacturing and assembly facilities across India, China, Mexico, and the US, of which six are located in India.

The company has been supplying different gears and assemblies in the global electric vehicle market since 2016 and 2018 and has gathered 5 percent and 8.7 percent market share, respectively, as of CY20. At present, these two products contribute 46 percent of its income, while the balance 51 percent comes from starter motors, both Hybrid and conventional.

Shyam Metalics

Shyam Metalics is a leading metal producing company founded in India, focusing on Long Steel Products and Ferro Alloys. It opened its Rs 909-crore public issue on Jun 14, comprising a fresh point of Rs 657 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 252 crore by the existing shareholders.

The public offer of Shyam Metalics and Energy has obtained a subscription of 121.43 times on the final day of bidding, Jun 16, as investors put in bids for over 256.11 crore equity shares against an offer size of 2.1 crore equity shares.

The share set aside for capable institutional buyers has been subscribed 155.71 times, and that of non-institutional stockholders has been booked 340 times so far. The reserved share of retail investors witnessed a subscription of 11.64 times and that of employees 1.55 times, which showed the subscription data obtainable on exchanges led.

Dodla Dairy

Dodla Dairy is an integrated dairy in South India involved in the procurement, processing, distribution, and marketing of milk and other dairy products. It processes and vends milk consist of standardized, toned, and double toned milk and manufactures dairy products like curd, butter, ghee, ice cream, flavored milk, etc.

Dodla Dairy's operations are mainly assumed under the brand name "Dodla." However, it serves overseas markets under the brand name of "Dodla Dairy," "Dairy Top," and "Dodla+." Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra are the vital Indian market segments served by the company. While, in the overseas market, it mainly serves countries like Uganda and Kenya.

It holds13 processing plants to process raw material into packaged milk and production dairy-based value-added products. The business has a strong circulation network of 40 sales offices, 3336 distribution agents, 863 milk distributors, and 449 product distributors across 11 states in India.

Dodla Dairy IPO is subscribed 3.30x times on Jun 17. The public issue subscribed to 6.18x in the trade category, 0.28x in the QIB category, and 0.60x in the NII category. The Dodla Dairy IPO is being sold in the Rs 421-428 price band. This issue demands a post-issue annualized FY21 PE of 16.4 times at the higher end of this price band.

KIMS Hospitals

Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences is a healthcare chain based in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India. Now, the KIMS Group operates nine hospitals across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Krishna Institute of Medical Sciences IPO subscribed to 51 percent. Investors put in bids for over 73.93 lakh equity shares against the proposed size of 1.44 crore shares. The problem was with the price band of Rs 815-825 per share.

The reserved share for retail investors was subscribed the utmost 1.81 times, while the portion for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) was subscribed 30 percent. Non-institutional investors submitted bids for 8 percent of their reserved price, and the employee's shares saw 46 percent subscription. The company has reserved shares worth Rs 20 crore for its employees.

The IPO comprises 1.44 crore shares and an offer for sale of 2.35 crore equity shares. The total issue size comes to Rs 2,143.7 crore. The 75 percent of issue size has been reserved for qualified institutional buyers, 10 percent for retail, and 15 percent for non-institutional investors.
In recent years, private digital currencies or virtual currencies or cryptocurrencies have been in the spotlight due to their dramatic rise and fall in prices, views of specific high-net-worth individuals, and actions taken by various governments. In addition, the temptation of high returns has made several Indians invest in cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin, ethereum and dogecoin.

In contrast, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and India's crypto industry have an unequal equation between them, which can best be antagonistic. Meanwhile, the central bank involves India's capability to absorb fiscal shocks; it has often highlighted the drawbacks of using cryptocurrencies. On the other hand, though, the crypto industry has acclaimed RBI's response is hyperbolic. Usually, India's attitude towards cryptocurrency has been belligerent, and it leads to constitute a high-level intermediate committee to turn up on issues associated to it. However, as per a former story of 2019, the panel had recommended an absolute ban on private cryptocurrencies in India, which increased chaos among crypto investors and put them on the wrong side of the law.

Brought out by RBI, the attitude has led banks to distance themselves from the crypto community insistently. In May, HDFC Bank customers received a rather assertive email from the bank to warn them against virtual currency transactions. The email mentioned an RBI circular published on 6 April 2018 that instructed all businesses it regulates to conclude any involvement with cryptocurrencies. State Bank of India has also considered a tough stance on cryptos. Several large banks, such as ICICI Bank, have stepped up to block services to crypto exchanges. Many complaints of difficulties with getting bank deposits and transfers have reported.

Investor despairs: As it might be expected, cautionary emails from the bank had incited a ruckus among clients and crypto investors, with large numbers of them taking to social media to communicate their dissatisfaction. The discontent and anger can be ascribed to their fear of losing on the high profits offered by crypto trading. In addition, a study by Bloomberg Intelligence displayed past of the year, Bitcoin's recent slide alleged this crypto's technical outlook was strong, and its price could surge to $400,000 in 2021.

The government's temperament brings up whether all authorities in India are attentive to digital currencies. It's not. The Supreme Court knocked out the 2018 anti-crypto circular of RBI. In a March 2020 ruling, it was inspected that RBI had unsuccessful to present sufficient proof and detailed instances of losses arising from crypto transactions that might justify such a drastic measure as an in effect ban on banks' participation with cryptos. Hence, it can be observed that some pressure is being exerted on Indian authorities to permit crypto services.

Crypto endorsers: The news of Tesla founder Elon Musk as an ardent endorser of cryptos is tricky. Though many people might consider him a crypto guru and others view his pretences of operation as a reason for significant volatility in the market.

The news is one of the reasons for the unenthusiastic attitude of Indian authorities towards crypto. Their prices are incredibly unpredictable; they might not be running rationally, and these stances the risk of a fiscal bubble destined to burst. The pandemic has viewed crypto prices as prosperous, but there's no certainty if this will last. The most significant concern, possibly, is the lack of clarity of use that cryptos award clients, which has driven them to be viewed as safe transaction apparatuses for cybercriminals.

However, it is indistinct if cryptos should take care of authorities' failure in finding culprits of online violations. Everyday misfortunes of income are likewise a significant challenge for the government. Since the crypto market is free, it is practically challenging to follow crypto payments for any duty liabilities that may apply.

Internationally, cryptocurrency has been accepted and proceeding towards its growth. Crypto-friendly Miami, US, played host lately to a universal crypto conclave, and El Salvador has become the very first country in the world to permit Bitcoin legal-tender status. Demand to overturn the policy coin in support of cryptos seems to be emerging. Nevertheless, given the irrational behaviour associated with the market, and statements like "Crypto isn't the real economy" by Elon Musk and indulges by othersformer US President Donald Trump, for example, dismissed cryptos as a travestyboth sides of the coin seem evenly balanced at this moment.

While nations like South Korea are implementing legislative frameworks to legalize cryptocurrencies and exchanges, India believes in enforcing a successful prohibition on 'private' digital assets and currencies. The Indian government has demonstrated that it will table in Parliament the Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Bill, 2021, which will successfully boycott private cryptocurrencies and permit an option through central bank digital currency (CBDC).

India's attempt to diminish the national cryptocurrency sphere to a state-backed CBDC under RBI does not seem like a surprise; however, its viability is another matter. The Achilles' impact point of this approach is the hallucination that it is possible to prohibit cryptocurrencies. Simultaneously, the global experience so far advises that a blanket ban would be unproductive, and it may be wiser to legalize them to relieve systemic risks. Subsequently, a discussion on the concern of all stakeholders seems to be an actual event to happen. Henceforth, crypto investors and traders risk getting pulled into litigation dilemma, which could be a reason of much unease for the budding segment.

If Parliament passes India's cryptocurrency bill in its existing form, it will assist RBI's objective. Nevertheless, this would be a fight triumph and need not demonstrate who will ultimately win the crypto war.
Nureca reaches upper circuit of five percent at 1,627.50 after Hornbill Orchid India acquired 1.95 lakh equity shares of the company via bulk deal on Wednesday, 23 June 2021.

Hornbill Orchid India fund bought 1,95,766 equity shares (or 1.95 percent stake) of the company at 1,549.97 per equity share through bulk deals on the BSE on 23 June 2021.

On a consolidated basis, Nureca's net profit surged 63.4% to Rs 3.89 crore on 3.4% fall in net sales to Rs 31.84 crore in Q4 March 2021 over Q4 March 2020.

Nureca is a B2C company engaged in the business of home healthcare and wellness products. The company has a diversified product portfolio, which primarily caters to home healthcare sector. The company has most of the product lines supporting home health market in India, making it a one-stop solution provider. The company enables its customers with tools to help them monitor chronic ailments and other diseases, to improve their lifestyle.

Shares of Nureca entered the stock exchanges on 25 February 2021. The stock was listed at Rs 634.95, a premium of 58.7% to the initial public offer (IPO) price of Rs 400 a share. The IPO was open between 15 February and 17 February 2021. It was subscribed 39.93 times. The price band for the IPO was set at Rs 396-400 per share.
PTC India has announced that its board has approved the acquisition of the energy consulting business of IL&FS Energy Development Company Energy Deve.

However, the value of the deal is not disclosed. In a BSE filling it said, "PTC India Limited's Board in its meeting held on 24th June, 2021 has approved a Letter of Intent (LoI) dated 17th June 2021, for acquisition of the Energy Consulting Business undertaking of IL&FS Energy Development Company, a Group Company of IL&FS, for an undisclosed value, on a Slump Sale basis."

The LoI was issued after following due process prescribed under the resolution framework approved by NCLT for IL&FS Group entities, it added. PTC India, a Government of India measure, is the pioneer in starting a power market in the country. The company has maintained its leadership position in power trading since inception. PTC has also been mandated by the government to trade electricity with Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh

The trading activities undertaken by PTC include long-term trading of power generated from large power projects, including renewables, as well as short-term trading arising as a result of supply and demand mismatches, which inevitably occur in various regions of the country.
By Badlishah Sham Baharin / Mohammad Abdul Hamid



Last week was a tumultuous moment in the political landscape of our country, as the nation is facing an uphill task to contain the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the associated economic and social issues.

The eagerly anticipated Conference of Rulers meeting on June 16 had an air of salvation around it, a sort of promise of deliverance to the political conundrum afflicting Malaysia presently.

Prior to the meeting, on June 15, a statement representing the voices of the rakyat by a coalition of more than 40 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) was issued, initiated by Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia (IKRAM).

Among others, the statement was supported by Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia (GBM), G25, Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH) and Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM).

Four demands were raised in the statement. The first is to reconvene the parliament. The second is for politicians across political divide to put aside their differences to work together to resolve health, economic and social crises plaguing the nation. The third is for the state of emergency not to be extended beyond August 1, 2021. The fourth is for the NGOs and CSOs as well as experts and technocrats to be involved in addressing the issues faced by the nation.

Representing the often forgotten voices of the third sector, these demands were announced on the back of recovery plans by the Prime Minister as well as the opposition leader.

Following the Conference of Rulers meeting, the press release by the Keeper of the Rulers' Seal showed that the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Rulers had listened to the voices and plight of the rakyat.

The press release emboldened the call to reconvene the parliament, not extending the Emergency beyond August 1 and urged an inclusive approach to tackle the nation's crises.

The stand of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Rulers was welcomed and applauded by Malaysians from all walks of life, including NGOs and CSOs.

NGOs and CSOs were grateful that their voices were heard, as the stand by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Rulers is consistent with the four demands aforementioned.

However, considering the multifaceted nature of socioeconomic and political issues exacerbated by the pandemic, the battle is far from over. There are constitutional issues too, as highlighted recently by the constitutional expert Shad Saleem Faruqi, particularly in relation to a possible situation after August 1, where if the Prime Minister loses a vote of no-confidence in the Dewan Rakyat and nobody else can secure a stable majority in the hung parliament.

Nevertheless, it is of the view of many that to move forward constructively, recovery plans presented by both the government and the opposition should be carefully deliberated, debated, calibrated and ultimately strategized for implementation.

The nation badly needs the best ideas regardless of political affiliation to be translated into policy actions before it is too late.

The lack of the check and balance for the Executive, as a result of the Emergency since January had only worsened the situation. Hence, there is a need for the parliament to reconvene as soon as possible to allow the due process of deliberation to take place.

To complement the check and balance process by members of parliament, a whole-of-society approach as outlined by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Rulers, and by the statement of the CSOs and NGOs, is recommended to resolve the ongoing woes.

To implement this, an inclusive consultative assembly is suggested, set-up by the parliament where experts, technocrats, NGO and CSO leaders are involved, all for the best interest of the nation.

The idea of a consultative assembly is not new, where Ireland has set an example.

The Citizens' Assembly in Ireland was formed to deliberate on national issues. The assembly carefully considers evidence on an issue and delivers policy recommendations. Findings from the assembly are presented to the parliament for debate.

This is a form of deliberative democracy in which Malaysia can choose to emulate considering the current predicament we are in.

However, would Malaysia be ready for this?

(Badlishah Sham Baharin, Chairman, Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia, GBM; Mohammad Abdul Hamid, Public Policy Consultant.)
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
I have personally paid tens of millions of dollars in US taxes, software pioneer John McAfee said through a video link to a Spanish courtroom on June 15.

And my company has paid billions of dollars, he added, hoping to persuade the judge to block his extradition to the US on tax evasion charges. The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS), he claimed, was riddled with corruption and he would soon expose them.

Mcafee had a reputation for paranoia and allowed his guard dogs to roam free on the beach near his home. Credit:AP

Earlier this week, the National Court of Madrid approved McAfees extradition to the US, ending a freewheeling decade in which the antivirus pioneer embraced drugs, prostitution, firearms and cryptocurrency.

McAfee always saw himself as an outlaw, fighting against corrupt central governments. But his toxic mix of paranoia and libertarianism, encouraged by Silicon Valleys ideologies, would ultimately lead to his demise.
Childcare demands at home skyrocketed during the pandemic, but men and women did not split the burden equally.

Globally, women took on 173 additional hours of unpaid childcare last year, compared to 59 additional hours for men, a study released on Friday by the Center for Global Development, a poverty non-profit, found. The gap widened in low- and middle-income countries, where women cared for children for more than three times as many hours as men did.

Women have felt many of the pandemics worst economic effects, including an estimated $US800 billion ($1.05 trillion) in lost income, in large part due to increased demands on their time at home. The COVID-19 recession unravelled gains in pay equality, female labour force participation and unemployment.

Women have felt many of the pandemics worst economic effect. Credit:Getty Images

Global job loss rates among women were roughly 1.8 times larger than those among men, according to a McKinsey estimate. And as US workers return to the office, mothers are more likely than fathers and women without kids to stay out of work.
OK, how about that risk assessment? Space is dangerous, even an 11-minute cruise could go very wrong, very fast, Tucker says. Its obvious no one wants to insure this. Its not just about accidents in space and, yes, we know there will be accidents like there are in every industry, but its more the long-term effects of people going into space. Tucker suspects that the chance of equipment exploding or fatally malfunctioning mid-flight will be fairly low, given the number of successful tests and checks all three companies have been running. But theyre not looking at the humans enough. We already know astronauts have a variety of health problems, from clots to bone density and cardiovascular issues, even those just in space for short stints. You can see it when they come down: youll never see an astronaut standing up because all the blood is suddenly drained back down from their brains by gravity, and theyre pale and dizzy. And what is known about spaces side-effects comes from fit astronauts studied extensively by medical teams, during and after their missions. Thats not what youre average tourist who can afford hundreds of thousands of dollars on a space flight is going to look like, Tucker says. We could see your grey nomads, instead of selling the house for a caravan, they spend the savings on a trip around the moon. The older you are, like many things, the greater the risk.

There have been space tourists before, as early as 2001, but such trips have been run through space agencies, meaning those on board were monitored and trained as regular astronauts, Tucker says, alongside professionals. Bransons spaceliner will have pilots, but SpaceX and Blue Origin are autonomous, and in the case of all three there is virtually no regulation. With the wealthy already buying tickets, some US lawmakers now say its time to bring in standards and rules for space tourism, and so avoid a repeat of the chaotic early days of aviation. The cabin of a Virgin Galactic starship. Credit:Virgin Galactic While theres already a near $500 million market to insure satellites, rockets and unmanned flights, experts say there are no laws to insure passengers on board such commercial trips like Blue Origins upcoming mission for injury or death. And its unlikely anyone would get a claim accepted if they tried. The more missions and data the insurers have, the more they will start to weigh the risks, Tucker says. By contrast, professional astronauts are generally covered by their space agency, such as NASA, and government life insurance programs. Richard Parker of Assure Space, which specialises in space insurance, says NASA and the US government generally do not buy liability cover for missions but launches are in effect insured by taxpayers. In air travel, companies are liable in the case of passenger deaths, but US insurance experts told Reuters they were unaware of plans to bring in similar rules for space tourism there as yet (though some lower-flying sub-orbital missions have begun already making enquiries about potential cover.) In 10 years time, maybe the two lines, aviation and spaceflight will look very similar, says Parker. Some legislative somewhere will say, look, were now having average Joes flying on these launch vehicles and need to protect them. A spokeswoman for The Insurance Council of Australia says that while, traditionally, space insurance doesnt cover people, given the rapid advancements in commercial space travel for private citizens, there may be potential...to develop new products in the future to cater for this emerging risk. Right now, she says any civilian heading into space would need to try to get their own tailored insurance cover drawn up, negotiated with a specialty underwriter.

Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video But they have training right? Right? Even Homer Simpson had to hit the gym when NASA was choosing its everyman astronaut in the fictional TV show. What astounds Tucker is that commercial flights planned so far seem to have so few requirements. While they all talk about some level of space training, Virgins runs for only three days and Blue Origins is the day before launch. Its paying passenger only needed to fit a height and weight limit (and stump up the most cash at auction), though the flight time is very short. SpaceXs competition required heigh and weight caps too but also put entrants through physical and psychological tests. If you can go on ... an intense roller-coaster ride, you should be fine flying on Dragon, Musk has said of the SpaceX craft. (The winners have since been climbing mountains together as part of training.) Tucker says theres a reason they call the flight simulator at NASA the vomit comet. The human body is essentially plumbing with skin and, in space, your fluids move differently. Even the command pilot on the Apollo 8 mission [in 1968] couldnt stop vomiting. Loading
War veteran Ben Roberts-Smith has rejected as disgusting a suggestion that he took nude photos of a then-unconscious woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair in order to blackmail her, as his personal life came under intense scrutiny during his high-stakes defamation case.

On the 14th day of his Federal Court defamation trial against The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Roberts-Smith was asked about the timing of his affair with a woman dubbed Person 17 and whether it was abusive and controlling to hire a private investigator to follow her to an abortion clinic. He rejected the suggestion.

Ben Roberts-Smith arrives at the Federal Court in Sydney on Friday. Masks are now compulsory in the courtroom. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

He also denied he told his then-wife that she had to lie publicly and say the pair were separated when he embarked on the affair in 2017 or she would lose the children.

Mr Roberts-Smith is suing the newspapers over a series of reports, starting in 2018, that he says portray him as a war criminal and accuse him of punching Person 17 in the face after a formal dinner at Parliament House in Canberra. He denies all wrongdoing. The media outlets are seeking to rely chiefly on a defence of truth.
Dr Price said it was still unclear what would happen if GPs ended up with excess doses. However a federal health spokesman urged medical practices with excess stock to contact the Vaccine Operations Centre to have their doses collected and allocated to areas in need. He added that the government had made a commitment to support the countries without enough vaccine doses and any of the doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine not used in Australia will be donated overseas. Some poorer countries have run out of COVID vaccines or are on the brink of doing so, only months after receiving their first humanitarian aid shipments from Covax, a global program aimed at equitably distributing life-saving shots to poorer nations. Despite concerns raised over an extremely rare clotting disorder, the AstraZeneca vaccine has been successfully administered to millions of people worldwide and is extremely effective at preventing COVID deaths and illness. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia would donate 20 million doses of locally made AstraZeneca vaccines to Asian and Pacific nations as part of a global plan to deliver one billion doses to nations seeking urgent help confronting the pandemic.

Some general practices are expected to begin administering Pfizer jabs from July 5. Vaccine distribution by GPs fell just slightly this week compared to the week before, according to national data. Victorian GP Umair Masood, who runs the Neal Street Medical Clinic in Gisborne in the Macedon Ranges, said he put in an order for 200 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine last week, the bulk of which was for second shots for patients. Instead, he said the clinic was sent a batch of 800 AstraZeneca doses. Dr Umair Masood with the oversupply of the AstraZeneca vaccine he was given by the government. Credit:Paul Rovere Without doubt we are worried we wont get through the supply in the next few weeks and then what happens? Do we just throw them all out? Dr Masood said. AstraZeneca has become an impossible sell. Even elderly patients who havent had their first shot yet are saying: Ill just wait for Pfizer.

He said a vaccine clinic run by the medical practice on Friday afternoon had 45 patients booked in, but only 11 people showed up. A weekend clinic with almost 200 patients booked in, has already had more than half cancel and Dr Masood said he was worried others would not show up. Much of Dr Masoods vaccine supply will expire in October, but the vice president of the newly-formed Australian Society of General Practice said the clinic was actively considering scaling back its AstraZeneca vaccine clinics in the coming weeks. Australian Medical Association national president Omar Khorshid said it was inevitable doses of AstraZeneca, which can last for several months in a refrigerator, would be wasted if patients did not turn up for their appointments. However, he said it was critical there was a plan moving forward for the tens of millions of AstraZeneca doses the pharmaceutical giant had to commit in contracted arrangements with the Australian Government.

Roughly 4 million AstraZeneca doses have been administered in Australia, with contracts drawn up for more than 53 million. It is extremely important in Australia that we make sure that we dont waste too many AstraZeneca doses and that those doses get sent to people who want them, Dr Khorshid said. Victorian GP Bernard Shiu said his weekly AstraZeneca clinic in Geelong had 100 vaccination appointments, but on Friday just eight people got their first dose of the vaccine. The bulk of the patients, 78 people, were there for their second dose. Dr Shiu said the Federal Government was supplying medical practices with more vaccines than they had ordered on the expectation demand would be higher for first doses.

When we ordered 100, they gave us 200, he said. Our fridge is running out of space, and we need to prepare for space for Pfizer vaccines. It would be a good idea to look at other less-fortunate countries, to supply them with what we are not able to use. The Victorian deputy chair of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners said that there was now a real risk AstraZeneca vaccines would expire in the fridges of medical clinics. Dr Shiu said GPs hadnt yet been instructed what to do with any expired vaccines. Although they have been given permission to share them with other local practices, those practices may be facing the same oversupply issue, he said. Sydney GP Charlotte Hespe said the current outbreak in the harbour city underlined while it was important to have many people vaccinated as quickly as possible. But she said people had received so many mixed messages about the vaccine they were confused, and some who had already had one AstraZeneca vaccine were considering putting off their second dose, despite strong advice that it was safe.

Footscray GP Simon Benson said his clinic had several hundred doses in the fridge, but doctors were observing diminishing demand as patients who had their first dose of AstraZeneca were requesting booster shots of Pfizer instead. Loading Obviously its a real concern, Dr Benson said. We dont want it to go to waste. I think its a terrible shame that we cant use it in Victoria. I counsel five to seven patients a day who are eligible for AstraZeneca. After a complicated conversation about risk, most of them will still go ahead with it, but its getting harder and harder. He said the system for ordering coronavirus vaccines was flawed, because it only allowed doctors to order their maximum number of doses which had been outlined in the expression of interest process before challenges with AstraZeneca arose. Doctors are now asking to be able to request less vaccine doses in a system mirroring the annual distribution of influenza shots, where you make a request based on demand.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The world is not always black and white and that is certainly the case when it comes to police and criminals. We see it as a battle between good and evil but, behind the scenes, there is often dialogue between the two sides. In the old days, underworld informers were called snitches, fizzes or gigs. Now they are called human sources. The best detectives are always the ones who can talk to people and make them feel at ease  that includes victims, witnesses and suspects. The bad detective relies on intimidation and doesnt relate to the different strands in society. By its nature, law enforcement involves police and criminals having to relate to one another. But what forms can these relationships take? And how have they changed over time? How did it work in the past? Lets talk about crime before drugs changed the landscape. Crooks and coppers careers often mirrored each other. They grew up in similar suburbs and moved up the ranks together: one side committing and the other investigating petty crime, then moving to more serious offences. It was not unusual for a serious career criminal to say he would speak only to a senior ranked officer he had known for more than 20 years. Loading Christopher Badness Binse is one of Australias most notorious armed robbers and escapees. In the early 1990s, armed robbery squad detective Ken Ashworth began investigating him over a series of bank raids and Binses response was to post teasing messages in a newspaper public notice section. When he was finally caught, he expected to be bashed in the police interview room. Ashworth told him that wasnt going to happen and that he would be charged purely on the evidence. A visibly shocked Binse was even more surprised when he was offered a beer after the formal interview.

Advertisement

For decades Binse kept in contact with Ashworth, when he was in prison and when he was on the run. About 25 years after they first met, Binse contacted the now senior policeman and said he wanted to confess to a series of unsolved armed robberies: Im a leopard whose spots are fading. In Barwon Prison, young detectives were somewhat surprised when the career criminal related an anecdote about when Ashy and I were working together. Ashworth interjected: No Chris, we didnt work together. I wore the white hat and you had the black hat. The devil is in the detail. Binse confessed to seven armed robberies between 1988 and 1991, escaping with a total of $390,000. He later pleaded guilty, and a judge assessed his prospects of rehabilitation as reasonable. Senior Detective Dave Duggan with the drill stand and other safe-breaking equipment left behind by the Magnetic Drill Gang after a robbery in 1978. Credit:Bruce Devine What makes a good crook? Police would refer to some offenders as good crooks. This meant they were professional, remained calm and didnt use unnecessary violence while committing crimes. Graham Kinniburgh was considered a good crook. He was the leader of the Magnetic Drill Gang that set off alarms in the days before their raids, so that if they were tripped during the robbery, security would assume it was a false alarm. They would use electromagnets with a diamond-tipped drill to access lock tumblers. Then, using a doctors cystoscope, they could look into a safe to manipulate the combination. Kinniburghs team grabbed $1.7 million from a Murwillumbah bank, a huge jewellery haul from a Lonsdale Street office, valuables from safety deposit boxes in Melbourne and gold bullion in Queensland. One of the key investigators, Detective Inspector Bernie Rankin, reflects: Kinniburgh was one of the smartest crims I ever dealt with. He kept his own counsel and had a tight circle of friends. But he did have enemies. He was shot dead outside his home in Kew in 2003.

Advertisement

One detective, who looked more like a middle-aged dad than a crimebuster, was reputed to have the best criminal contacts on the east coast. I asked him why and he said there was no secret  just treat people decently. Once, when checking a house for stolen property, he asked the occupant, a career crim, what was behind a closed door. The man said it was his young son, asleep in his cot. I asked him Should I go in there? and he said there was nothing that would interest me. He took him at his word, which was a calculated risk. Years later, the crook rang the policeman to tip him off about a pending armed robbery, to square the ledger. During a raid, one police officer more interested in humiliation than resolution said to a frightened young boy, Do you know your daddy is nothing but a crook? He made no friends among his colleagues and an enemy for life. Consider a typical homicide squad interview. The suspect may have committed the worst possible crime, but the detectives remain non-judgemental, quietly asking questions and refusing to allow their faces to betray any sense of horror or disgust. This is because they dont want the offender to go back into their shell. The aim is not to win the argument in the interview room but to win it at the Supreme Court trial. Away from the headlines, police who have good relationships with criminals are able to broker deals, negotiate surrenders and stop underworld wars. Bandidos bikies on the Calder Highway in 2018. In 1997 the Bandidos National Run, an annual road trip for the bikie club, was to take them through Wangaratta on Year 12 muck-up day. Local police were horrified at the thought of hundreds of bikies and an equal number of drunken teenagers crossing paths. Instead of marshalling hundreds of police, an experienced detective reached out to the Bandidos national president at the time, Michael Chaos Kulakowski, who gave assurances there would be no trouble. There was none. Two days later, they were involved in a huge brawl and a shooting in Geelong. Chaos was later murdered in Sydney. Anti-bikie police dont just work on confrontations. As well as sometimes negotiating rules for bikie runs, the police broker peace deals between warring parties. There are no headlines in the murders they have stopped.

Advertisement

Who had the upper hand? In every major Australian city there were bars, pubs or clubs that were treated as neutral ground. In Melbourne in the early 1980s it was the Galaxy Nightclub where detectives would mingle with serious gangsters. Once a well-connected detective told a notorious gunman he knew there was a contract out on the life of another gangster. The cop said if the gangster was shot Ill be coming after you. Dennis Bruce Allen, dying of a rare heart disease, is wheeled into court by homicide squad detectives after being charged with the murder of Wayne Stanhope in August 1984. Stanhope's body was never found. Allen died less than five weeks later in hospital. Credit:Fairfax Media The trouble with these informal meetings is that they were uncontrolled and sometimes the crooks would have the upper hand. By any definition, Melbourne drug dealer Dennis Bruce Allen was a psychopath, but he remained free to deal drugs and kill with apparent impunity. Allen made between $70,000 and $100,000 a week from drugs way back in the 1980s and was on bail for 60 different offences with sureties of $225,000, then the price of five inner-suburban homes. To stay on the street, he would inform on other crooks  a win-win for Allen; he was free to deal drugs and had police arrest his competition. He tipped off police about the murder of bikie Anton Kenny, even helpfully pointing out the spot in the Yarra River where the dismembered body had been dumped in a concrete-filled drum. What he omitted was that he shot Kenny and, with the help of his half-brother Victor Peirce and a chainsaw, shoved him in the barrel and rolled him into the river. In Sydney, hard-nosed detectives would often drink with some of the most notorious crooks, particularly Arthur Stanley Neddy Smith. Sure, Neddy would occasionally provide titbits of information to make the relationship look semi-legitimate. The reality was they were corrupt partners and Neddy was given the green light to commit crime, sharing the profits with bent detectives. It was a sweet deal until Neddy proved to be an impulsive idiot. The green light turned red when he beat a tow-truck driver to death in a road rage attack.

Advertisement

In Queensland, in the late 1970s and 80s a corrupt deal was called The Joke, involving regular payments to police all the way to the commissioner Terry Lewis. In Melbourne, prolific drug dealer Tony Mokbel secretly met with police in a Melbourne park to try to broker a deal with the anti-gangland Purana taskforce. Loading I dont want to see  anyone else getting f---in killed, he told police in April 2004. Mokbel claimed he could guarantee an end to the underworld war and would organise several key figures, including Carl Williams and a prodigious drug cook, to plead guilty to drug offences. This, he said, would be conditional on an agreement that his people received minimum jail terms. His brother, Kabalan, he added, was off the table, because he expected those charges to be dropped. In Tonys vision of the world, the murders would stop and the Mokbels could go back to selling drugs, while Purana chased other crooks, just like the good old days. Con [his lawyer Con Heliotis] and Paul [then director of public prosecutions Paul Coghlan] will be able to work out the details, super-confident Tony told police. Arthur Stanley Neddy Smith with former detective and convicted murderer Roger Rogerson. As you would imagine, the police declined the offer. Mokbel was usually polite to the detectives investigating him, realising everyone was just doing their jobs. Now, in prison, his attitude has soured considerably. While police try to befriend crooks to infiltrate their networks, some crims use the same tactics to cultivate cops. It can be a slip of the tongue during a conversation or something more sinister. Secret police operations in every state have been sabotaged by corrupt leaks.

Advertisement
Sally Hawkins feels the cold. The former town planner always had a cardigan in her desk drawer when she worked in an office and thought the air conditioning was set for the comfort of men.

Being cold, though, is not a problem at her new home in Mystery Bay on the NSW South Coast. Outside last week it was breezy and felt like 12 degrees because of the wind chill. Inside it was T-shirt weather, without the heating turned on.

Thanks to a rammed earth wall that is longer than an Olympic swimming pool, and nearly a metre wide in some spots, it was 18 degrees when the Hawkins family woke up. By early afternoon, it hit 30 degrees inside.

Rob and Sally Hawkins sitting near the massive rammed earth wall on the eastern side of the Mystery Bay home. The house, designed by their son, architect Jack Hawkins, is one of the finalists in this years Australian Institute of Architects NSW award for best new house. Credit:Angi High

The rammed earth wall runs the length of the eastern side of the long home. It works with the homes concrete slab as a natural heat and cooling bank. Massive pivoting screens - that can be turned 360 degrees - on the western wall can be adjusted to block the sun in summer and let it heat the house in winter.
Before a Gold Coast mother disappeared more than two decades ago, she changed her name and put her belongings into storage. She left for Britain and her family never saw her again, nor the items she packed away.

Despite the years, Marion Barters daughter Sally Leydon continues searching for answers.

Marion Barter disappeared 24 years ago on a trip to the UK and despite records showing she may have returned to Australia, she has never been seen again.

Ms Barter, 51, was last seen at a bus depot on Scarborough Street, Southport, in Queensland on June 22, 1997. The mother of two and former wife of Socceroos star Johnny Warren flew to Britain using a passport with the name Florabella Natalia Marion Remakel.

Police believe she had officially changed her name the month before leaving the country. Her outgoing passenger card stated that she was divorced and intended to reside in Luxembourg.
The Prime Ministers spin about protection after one dose of any vaccine is putting the health and lives of many Australians at risk. British statistics show the Delta variant is twice as infectious as the Alpha variant. Four out of six people who get infected with the Delta will pass it on. Even with high levels of full vaccination, there have been some major spikes in Delta variant infection in some countries. If the PM wants to keep Australians safe, he needs to start telling the truth: that until we are widely vaccinated with two doses, we are not properly protected. Graeme Beere, Gladesville AstraZeneca may be less effective against symptomatic disease, but it is as effective as Pfizer in stopping severe disease. My AstraZeneca vaccination will keep me out of hospital and off a ventilator. Im happy. Anne Kirman, Kellyville If all of Sydney were to go into lockdown, those who dont see the need for getting vaccinated might finally get the picture that if they dont get vaccinated, lockdowns will be a permanent way of life for evermore. Michael Rorke, Northbridge Total mismanagement of vaccine procurement and rollout have jeopardised our safety and caused billions of dollars in costs to our economy. After a year and a half of look over there, nothing to see here and a trail of announcements and broken promises, we are relatively safe on an island, but lost and marking time. We need fair-minded and proactive action now. Paul Gannon, Coopers Shoot

Blame game As someone who experienced the lockdown at Avalon , I have been intrigued by the trend to identify the source as barbecue man, bottle shop worker, now limousine driver (Sydney cluster grows, June 25). During the northern beaches lockdown, the Health Minister and the Premier were repeatedly asked for the identity of the person at the centre of that quite significant outbreak. On each occasion we were told not to play the blame game. Why is it appropriate now to play the blame game? Is a Northern Beaches resident regarded as more worthy of anonymity? Sue Martin, Clareville If the NSW Police Commissioner needs to obtain urgent external legal advice regarding health orders for limousine drivers, then what chance does the average limousine driver have of complying with rules that either dont exist or are unclear? It strikes me that the Premier is looking for a scapegoat. Ross Krippner, Byron Bay We were warned Just imagine: if our Premier had made the wearing of masks mandatory everywhere, earlier, we possibly could have avoided another COVID-19 disaster as we see now. COVID is out there and it wont be going away any time soon. We were warned. Llieda Wild, Eastwood

Flight to safety Anyone been knocked down by those horses bolting through eastern Sydney recently? Charles Hargrave, Elizabeth Bay Rich keep JobKeeper, poor struggle for teachers It is hard to reconcile current news stories of the sad state of public schools unable to fill teaching positions with reports of private schools reaping millions of dollars from the JobKeeper scheme (Rich schools reap JobKeeper bonus, June 25). It appears that this same public money has enabled schools to reduce fees and build infrastructure, subsidised by government money while some public schools struggle to meet their basic staffing levels. A parallel in the business sector has been aired of very large retailers making many millions of dollars off JobKeeper and making a sizeable profit from their businesses. At the same time, many small businesses and their staff struggled to survive. JobKeeper is seen as an excellent program despite its shortcomings but the profits and disparity in some sectors reveal the flaws in public/private government funding. Anne Skates, Culburra Beach Why the shock and surprise to read that our richest, most privileged private schools trousered government pandemic assistance? There is more than one variant virus infecting our community. Mark Paskal, Clovelly

Good greef, minister Who is better informed about the state of the Great Barrier Reef, UNESCO and Ove Hoegh-Goldberg or the Federal Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, who has no academic qualifications in environmental science (This time, the reef danger sign must go up, June 25)? In attacking the experts and claiming China is behind it, Ley is not listening to the experts. She is part of a federal government that is diverting the discussion away from the real cause of the destruction of nearly half of the reef, which is rising water temperatures caused by too much CO2 in the atmosphere and in the oceans. Its a wilful dereliction of duty by leaders who care more about tourism dollars than anything else. Chris Moe, Bensville Go fizzle, Barnaby David Crowe has hit the mark in describing Barnaby as like a Catherine wheel on bonfire night letting off sparks all over the place (Joyces return raises old tensions, June 25). May he continue to be like a Catherine wheel and fizzle out quickly, leaving nothing but a memory of that fleeting moment when there was light and colour. Alan Russell, Netherby (SA)

Leniency too late The NSW government has taken 18 months since the 2019-20 bushfires to change the laws to allow councils to approve applications from property owners to repair or rebuild houses even if planning rules have changed since their houses were built. (Leniency for home owners hit by fires and floods, June 25). There are still far too many stories of people living in sheds, caravans and tents because their DAs have been delayed through the imposition of new building standards. The fires came to within 10 metres of our house, and we saved it. But the prospect of living in a tent in winter in the Blue Mountains, as well as many other places, was never an attractive proposition. Certainly not a timely response. Bill Johnstone, Blackheath Chaos of Sirius sell-off It is a sad indictment of where we have ended up in the disturbing saga of the Sirius building that its architect, Tao Gofers, laments that it may have been better demolished (I designed the Sirius building but I wish the government had knocked it down, June 25). Understandable, in terms of the current design additions and the social ramifications of providing a windfall for a private developer at the expense of a government taking responsibility for an asset once held in trust for the public. What was remarkable about Sirius was that Gofers designed a very complex building to accommodate and solve social requirements. In using just two building block modules, he produced a structure of impressive cohesion and rhythm. We have had planning chaos to arrive at this point, and it remains to be seen whether this results in the rhythm and balance of the building being compromised, with the additions tipping the whole towards chaos. Garry McDonald, Ultimo

Handy guide for spies Your article provides a comprehensive overview of Australias intelligence services (Why Spy?, June 25). It must provide a wonderful service to every other foreign spy agency which wants to penetrate ours. It would also make a very good training manual for foreign governments teaching and developing their new spies. Surely these details should be kept secret. If not, I hope that other foreign media return the favour for the use of Australian spy agencies. John Southwick, Pymble Bonded, squandered Those who are glorifying NSWs bonded teacher system of the past might well watch the movie Wake in Fright, or talk to those of us who were stuck in one-teacher schools hundreds of kilometres along a goat track from the nearest small country town (Letters, June 25). It was not the ideal way to spend some of the best years of our lives, and the system was also a major cause of energetic and idealistic teachers leaving the profession. Kevin Harris, Beecroft I have been teaching since 1987. I love my job. I have helped many hundreds of students reach their potential and achieve their best lives. I have made sure my own children have done the same.

My beautiful, intelligent, hard-working 27-year-old son is now earning more than I do after my career of more than 30 years. I am proud. I encouraged all of my children to move away from this

vocation that enriches your soul, but humiliates your wallet.

Pay teachers what they are worth and there will be no teacher shortages. Adriana Cufre-Sadnick, Bulli

The Aussie nose knows The wine-tasting terms funky and smashable from your article seem to me infelicitous (Grippy, funky, smashable: take note, June 24). Whatever happened to acetone,peatbog, metho and dissolved bath enamel? Excellent idiomatic Aussie terms, tried and true. Richard Black, Collaroy A dial on your smile Your correspondent must have the lucky touch (Letters, June 25). I recently spent a long time ringing David Jones, asking to be put through to a particular department. In the end, I was given the direct number so I could keep trying myself throughout the day as the DJs operators were unable to get any staff member to answer the phone. Janet Mann, North Strathfield

Spirited language Whats this nonsense about maggoted? What was wrong with blotto (Letters, June 25)? Norm Neill, Darlinghurst My favourite euphemism for tired and emotional is still fished as a newt, as used by Peter Costello many years ago to describe a parliamentary colleagues state. Jenni Stapleton, Kiama Some personal favourites include hammered, half cut and well oiled, to the more genteel squiffy and three sheets to the wind. But my favourite comes from a Sydney taxi driver, describing some late-night revellers hed picked up, the worst one he described as being blind as a welders dog. Nick Andrews, Bellevue Hill Just as letter writers were bemoaning Barnaby Joyces return as leader of the Nationals, their worst fears about how the move would hinder meaningful action on climate change by the Coalition were in part realised by UNESCOs declaration that the Great Barrier Reef is in danger.
Queenslands Acting Premier is refusing to shelve the push for a regional quarantine hub near Toowoomba, saying the project should be considered in tandem with a city site near Brisbanes airport proposed by the federal government.

After the federal government essentially blocked the regional plan this month, citing the distance to a tertiary hospital among other factors, Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrote to Queensland on Thursday night suggesting the Damascus Barracks at Pinkenba, about eight kilometres north-west of Brisbanes CBD, as an option.

Queensland will continue to push for a COVID quarantine facility to be built near Toowoombas Wellcamp Airport. Credit:Lydia Lynch

Acting Premier Steven Miles said the pitch for 1000 cabins to be built on the site was welcome, but he questioned why the move had taken so long and said more work was now needed to flesh out the 1-page letter.

The proposals that we had been working on were for regional quarantine facilities - this clearly wont be a regional quarantine facility, this will be an urban quarantine facility, and that will require different arrangements for infection control and for keeping the community safe, he said.
The trial has been triggered by the mastheads allegations that Roberts-Smith was party to or committed several unlawful killings of Afghan males, that he bullied a fellow soldier and that he punched Person 17 after she embarrassed him at a formal dinner in Canberra. The former soldier denies these allegations. Lawyer Nicholas Owens SC. Credit:Edwina Pickles The credit of witnesses and of Roberts-Smith himself will be critical in this judge-only trial. Owens has therefore paid close attention to the pattern of interactions Roberts-Smith has had with former colleagues who will be called to give evidence later in the proceedings. As former or serving special forces members, these men will only ever be known to the public as numbers, their faces never shown in open court. Owens claims Roberts-Smith workshopped his version of key contested events in Afghanistan with four of these witnesses , whom he described as the former soldiers crew, identifying them as Persons 5, 11, 29 and 35. Roberts-Smith accepted the four were his close personal friends and his key military witnesses.

He accepted hed communicated with them via prepaid SIM cards and burner phones purchased under the name of his wifes friend, Danielle Scott, and Scotts husband. He acknowledged hed ensured the phones were loaded with the encrypted apps in early July 2018, shortly after the first media stories broke. But Roberts-Smith denied this was because the burner phones were to be used in aligning the groups evidence for the trial. Nor, he insisted, were contacts between the five of them intended to thwart investigations by the Inspector-General of the Defence Force, who was also conducting a top-secret probe into wrong-doing by soldiers in Afghanistan at the time. Instead, Roberts-Smith argues, the burner phones were intended to protect him from having his calls tapped or intercepted by the media. Owens says records subpoenaed from the relevant telecommunications companies show clear spikes in contacts between the former soldier and members of the group around the time of key events, such as before and after interviews with the Inspector-General, which they werent meant to discuss or disclose.

He pointed to another spike in the burner phones traffic around October 2018, when Roberts-Smith flew to Canberra to meet a witness called Person 14 in a cafe. Owens alleges Person 14 warned Roberts-Smith he was going to tell the truth about events in Afghanistan, and that this panicked the former soldier. Owens drilled at length into communications with Person 5 who is likely to be a crucial witness later in the trial. Person 5 was Roberts-Smiths patrol commander during the SAS sweep of a compound designated Whisky 108 in 2009, a mission during which the media outlets allege Roberts-Smith machine-gunned a man with a prosthetic leg whod already been placed under control by the SAS and thus should have been entitled to protection. Roberts-Smith testified the man was armed and that he engaged him outside the compound, killing him lawfully. Owens put to Roberts-Smith that Person 5 had sent him a document detailing the contents of a compulsory interview Person 5 had undergone with the Inspector-General, including a grilling about the actions of Roberts-Smith himself. But the Victoria Cross winner insisted the letter was simply one of complaint by Person 5 who was wanting to vent about the interview.

Owens pressed him to acknowledge that he knew Person 5 should not have been discussing the Inspector-Generals line of questioning but Roberts-Smith demurred. Owens went on: Your evidence on this topic is nothing but an attempt to avoid acceptance of the obvious proposition that by reason of receiving this letter, you learnt an awful lot of information about the subject matter of the Inspector-Generals inquiry? I disagree, Roberts-Smith replied. Other questions from Owens went to meetings Roberts-Smith had held with Person 11, who is implicated with him in an allegation that the pair kicked an unarmed and handcuffed farmer off a cliff near the village of Darwan in 2012 and then executed him. Again Roberts-Smith has strongly denied this. The decorated veteran accepted he had flown to Perth to see Person 11 shortly after the media allegations were aired, and just before Person 11s second interview with the Inspector-General, but he says this was because he was concerned about Person 11s welfare at the time.

Late the following year, in 2019, Roberts-Smith underwent his own interrogation by the Inspector-General. At that point, Owens alleged, the soldier flew around the world to check in with his crew, meeting Person 35 in New Zealand, Person 5 in the United States, Person 11 in Perth , again, and Person 29 at his home. Roberts-Smith denied the purpose of the trips was to help align stories, saying the meetings had occurred while he was on holidays with his family, or in the case of Person 29s visit, because the latter was godfather to one of his children. Owens put to him that throughout this case, you have engaged in a deliberate course of conduct that was designed to conceal evidence of collusion between you and your key witnesses. Roberts -Smith replied forcefully, I say that is untrue. The former soldier has also had to defend his handling of several USB sticks containing thousands of images of SAS activities in Afghanistan, which he says were sent to him anonymously from late 2019 onwards.

Owens accuses the former soldier of burying the USB sticks in a lunch box in his backyard (which he denies) and refusing to reveal their existence until a 60 Minutes program broadcast in April publicly revealed their existence and forced his hand. Roberts-Smith claims he hadnt fully understood that as part of the legal discovery process he was required to retain the USBs in their original form. Instead, he transferred the images onto his computer, then onto a different USB stick, scrubbing his laptop afterwards using a zero wiping process which meant nothing could ever be retrieved from it. He says this was because he wanted to trade the device in. But Owens put to him that it was part of a deliberate course of conduct designed to conceal  evidence that you considered did not assist your case. This, too, Roberts-Smith denies. He admitted destroying three previous laptops in 2010, 2012 and 2018 by pouring petrol on them and burning them. The decorated war hero also came under pressure during the week to explain episodes that Owens claimed were examples of intimidation of witnesses expected to be hostile to him. He didnt deny recruiting a private investigator, John McLeod, who passed on information supplied by Roberts-Smith concerning one such witness, known as Person 6. Roberts-Smith told McLeod that Person 6 had smuggled unregistered weapons in to Afghanistan and later kept an unregistered firearm in his home.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size On the Monday morning of a sitting week in March 2021, I stood with fellow members of parliament and thousands of angry women on the lawns outside Parliament House in Canberra, listening as former political staffer Brittany Higgins detailed her experience of being raped inside the building two years earlier. Framed against the big white edifice, she spoke with extraordinary clarity: I was raped inside Parliament House by a colleague and for so long it felt like the people around me only cared because of where it happened and what it might mean for them. It was so confusing because these people were my idols. I had dedicated my life to them. They were my social network, my colleagues and my family. And suddenly they treated me differently. I wasnt a person who had just gone through a lifechanging traumatic event. I was a political problem. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Then I walked into the building, my workplace, to the madness of a Question Time where the voices of the multitude outside had not been heard inside. Prime Minister Morrison explained to the protesting women that it was a triumph of democracy that they had not been shot, then mumbled his way through a shopping list of Australian government reports that had something to do with women, to try to demonstrate that things were being fixed. Women arent a new feature of our legislature. It has been a century since the first woman was elected to an Australian parliament, with Edith Cowan having attained the Western Australian Legislative Assembly in 1921. Then, in 1943, Dorothy Tangney and Dame Enid Lyons became the first women to be elected to the federal parliament. During that crazy March 2021 parliamentary sitting fortnight, I and my colleagues Alicia Payne and Anika Wells paid tribute to these two trailblazing women by recreating the historic photo of them entering Old Parliament House, with the flourish that we walked into Parliament House holding our babies. Wed all just returned from parental leave, something that would have been unimaginable in Tangney and Lyons time.

Advertisement

Its at this point that I have to assert that which Jenny is most concerned for us to get across in this book: positive change for women does happen. Change in recent decades, for instance, without doubt has improved the lives of women in Australia. Now we can and we should push for even greater change for greater benefits for women in our parliament and across our country. Labor MPs Anika Wells, Kate Thwaites and Alicia Payne return to Parliament from maternity leave in March 2021, paying homage to a 1943 photo of Dorothy Tangney and Dame Enid Lyons entering the front door of Old Parliament House. Credit:National Film and Sound Archive, Alex Ellinghausen The Sex Discrimination Act and other significant developments have come about because women like Susan Ryan have worked hard to get elected, then spoken out and agitated. So much of politics is about the numbers. Having greater numbers means you wield the power to be in the room, then the power to form government, and then you have the power to make laws that can change the country. Having more women in parliament is vital, but the responsibility for change shouldnt rest solely with women. Fundamental cultural change in parliament will only happen when there are stronger structures in place to protect women, when there are strong consequences for mens actions and when men change their behaviour. Some of that structural change will involve reforming parliament as a workplace. This should include modernising our HR practices, bringing them into line with other Australian workplaces. There should be an independent someone that staffers can turn to for advice, counselling and support, to guarantee that all complaints are both taken seriously and dealt with appropriately. Just as in most other professional workplaces in Australia today, there should be ongoing training for ministers and MPs about what it means to be an employer and a leader, and about our professional responsibilities to our employees. Australias is not the only parliament to be confronted by these issues. The Independent External Review into Bullying and Harassment in the New Zealand Parliamentary Workplace, published in May 2019, identifies our neighbours parliament as a workplace with a high-intensity culture. The reviewer, Debbie Francis, makes the point that, in contrast to other modern New Zealand workplaces, the countrys parliament does not invest in workplace training and leadership development for MPs, and that while it may be a unique type of workplace, this is no excuse. She concludes:

Advertisement

It is unusual to expect those in key leadership positions in a high-intensity, demanding workplace like Parliament, whether Members or corporate managers, to lead without systematic and framework-driven professional development or support. I suggest that under-investment in this area may exacerbate the other risks inherent in Parliaments unique culture. Dame Laura Coxs 2018 inquiry into the bullying and harassment of staff in the United Kingdoms House of Commons also has many themes in common with the Australian experience. Julia Banks announces her decision to quit the Liberal Party over its treatment of women and join the crossbench in November 2018. But are men listening? Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Cox identifies a lack of support for staff who have been bullied, a culture that seeks to cover up harassment, an absence of accountability, and a lack of protection for staff who report abuse. In response to that inquiry, and two others, the British Parliament has undertaken a series of reforms, including establishing an independent expert panel to determine claims of bullying and harassment. MPs take no part in the panels decision-making, and it has the power to determine sanctions should a case of bullying or harassment be upheld. If the panel recommends any of the most extreme sanctions, such as the suspension or expulsion of an MP, they must be approved by the House of Commons via a motion in the chamber. The Victorian Parliament is currently considering a model that seems similar to parts of the UK model, including a proposed independent commissioner who could impose sanctions on those MPs found to have bullied or harassed staff. The Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Colin Brooks, told The Age there is a tendency for these matters to be viewed through a political prism, but the priority has to be the safety of staff. Members of Parliament are not above the law, he said. Jenny and I are firmly of the belief that without serious consequences, the worst of the behaviour is unlikely to change. As in Britain, we should have a system to penalise MPs who are found to have engaged in sexual harassment, including the option of having them forced out of parliament.

Advertisement

The Labor Party, after reflecting on its own not-always-sterling record, has adopted three key new policies and procedures: a national policy for bullying and harassment prevention and response, a national code of conduct, and a national complaints handling process. One of the biggest tests will be whether the consequences of not following these policies and procedures are serious enough to change behaviour. We also need to change the way we conduct the politics of parliament, including how the public see us conduct it. Question Time is the most visible aspect of parliament for most Australians  glimpsed on the TV news at night, or when they visit Parliament House as schoolchildren  but it is also an environment where loud voices and big bodies seem to dominate. I cant help but think that this affects not just how women who are currently in parliament get heard and recognised, but also what women outside parliament think to themselves when they look at it: That place is not for me. Reducing the testosterone level of Question Time may go some way towards changing this. The way Question Time is conducted is one place where reforms could have visible and profound impact. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen My colleague Peta Murphy and I were some of a number of MPs who made submissions to a recent parliamentary inquiry about how we might reform Question Time. One of the reasons we did so was because the feedback we get from observers is frequently amazement at a standard of behaviour that would not be tolerated in any other workplace. Some of the reforms we suggested to change the tone and conduct during Question Time were ending the practice of Dorothy Dixers, where a government minister is asked a question by a backbencher simply so that they can talk up their partys achievements; tightening the definition of relevance to prevent gratuitous personal or partisan attacks; and prioritising portfolio-specific Question Times and constituency-specific questions. Beyond the time of COVID, the ability to use a video link to participate in proceedings would help parliamentarians continue to do their jobs when caregiving responsibilities or personal illness mean they are unable to get to Canberra. The conversations we had as MPs about setting up remote facilities were serious ones. Many felt the weight of practice and the history of parliament in contemplating whether a remote presence should be permitted. When I talked about it with people in my community, though, they were bemused about why we took so long to work it out. Their workplaces had moved to a virtual model almost immediately at the start of the pandemic, and many continue with a hybrid work model today. The Westminster parliament, from where Australia draws many of its traditions and procedures, applied an even more extensive version of remote political work during the pandemic. The Centenary Action Group, which works to have more women included in British politics,has urged a continuation of the hybrid model rather than a return to business as usual. In particular, it highlights how conversations about what normal might look like in the post-pandemic world must not ignore questions of inclusiveness and diversity:

Advertisement

The images seen of MPs participating remotely, sitting at their kitchen tables in front of their microwaves, may work to demystify and normalise the job of an MP. If we combine this with a knowledge that, if needed, one would be able to participate remotely, this could transform who considers themselves able to fulfil the job of an MP. In particular, benefits will be seen for those with caring responsibilities, who live far from Westminster, who have long-term or fluctuating health conditions, or are bereaved. The parliament and our greater democracy have not fallen apart because weve changed the rules to allow parents who are caregiving to bring their small children into the chamber with them. We are confident they still wont fall apart when we take the next logical steps to make our procedures and practices even friendlier to caregivers, and through that, friendlier to women. There is a clear impetus for policies and politics that reset norms and create a new culture where we do not sharply divide work and care along gender lines. Thats why Jenny and I believe its time that Australias PPL scheme is extended to provide greater incentives and financial support for men so they can spend time caring for their young children. Jenny made a start on this when she introduced Dad and Partner Pay, but 10 years later we must do more with it. By having that early time where they actually get to be the primary carer, these fathers build different kinds of lifelong bonds with their children. Imagine what that could contribute to the resetting of gender roles and norms in our country, and how it could redefine the spaces we expect women and men to operate in. Enough is Enough by Kate Thwaites and Jenny Macklin. Credit: We have stronger laws against discrimination in its numerous forms, and we have more funding for services to support women. But we havent overcome the underlying inequality and misogyny, the way men feel entitled to harm women and are confident they can do so without serious consequences. We havent prevented young women from being harmed in our parliament. So what is it, if anything, that makes this moment any different from the other battles women have fought for decades? For one thing, because of what earlier generations of women achieved, the women of my own cohort of MPs can be far more public in talking about our gender, and how that influences and impacts on our politics. As a result of the bravery of women even younger than me  Brittany Higgins and other parliamentary staffers who have spoken out; 2021 Australian of the Year Grace Tame and her refusal to be silent  we are witnessing the unravelling of the unspoken deal around women taking a seat in the room, the deal where we have to largely shut up about the different experiences we bring.

Advertisement
Melbourne mother Natalie Dunlop went to bed on Thursday night thinking she would soon get to see her husband and one-year-old son after several days apart.

But she woke on Friday morning to learn that the Central Coast area of NSW, where her husband had travelled to help his mother while his father is in hospital, had been declared a red zone by Victorian authorities overnight.

Natalie Dunlop with her son Archer and husband Will.

Now, she is one of many Victorians trying to navigate rapidly changing border arrangements as the Sydney outbreak grows.

Shellharbour, the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Wollongong  previously green zones  were added to the list of Victorian red zones late on Thursday night, which already included Greater Sydney.
A shipping company has agreed to help seven Indonesian seafarers get home from a vessel docked in Port Melbourne after they complained of being bullied and harassed by senior officers on the vessel.

Seven seafarers from the MV Sincere signed a letter on Friday to Uniteam Marine, which manages the vessel, refusing to sail to its next port of Eden, on the NSW south coast, unless they receive a written guarantee they will then be repatriated.

Crew members from the MV Sincere, with ITWF official Matt Purcell (left), who are desperate to get off the vessel.

One man, Fanny Arhandika Trisna, said he had been at sea for 10 years and never faced the level of overwork and abuse he had been subject to on the Sincere. First time with a captain [that treats us] like animals, [with] no respect, Mr Arhandika Trisna said.

In a statement, a spokesman for the Cyprus-headquartered Uniteam said the company was working closely with the international seafarers union to investigate the workers complaints of officer misconduct and crew mistreatment.
People who live among the temperate rain forests of the Dandenong Ranges  home to soaring trees of mountain ash, pines and tree ferns  know their lifestyle comes with risks.

It is a risk most remain willing to take. But the severity of the past fortnights storms, and their trail of destruction, has raised questions about the dangers of building homes in areas prone to natural disasters and whether planning rules restricting growth need to be strengthened.

The June 9 storms left more than 200,000 households and businesses without power statewide and the SES has received 9500 calls for help from the SES since June 9.

Storms wrought widespread destruction in Olinda and other parts of the Dandenongs, east of Melbourne, last week. Credit:Joe Armao

Since Black Saturday, planners and governments have focused on the risk of bushfires. The recent extreme weather, however, has shown the climate risks in so-called peri-urban areas  townships and suburbs on the periphery of urban settings  go far beyond fires.
When and how will COVID end in Australia? No time soon it seems. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says we are living through perhaps the scariest period the state has endured since the pandemics start. It sums up the mood, with four Sydney local government areas now in official lockdown.

Its time, then, for us to concede one thing. For much of the past year, Australia has been the envy of the world, with extraordinarily low infection rates. But no longer.

Beyond masks and lockdowns, vaccinations are the way out - and our very freedom could be the incentive. Credit:Wayne Taylor

As vaccine rollouts transform the battle against the virus, weve gone from being internationally celebrated to being roundly mocked. Australias vaccination rate is ranked 49th of 50 among the worlds wealthiest countries.

And this has consequences. About this time last year, all the experts put lurching in and out of lockdowns among the worst scenarios. Yet here we are, very close to that reality.
Ben Roberts-Smiths defamation action against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Canberra Times and three journalists is nearing the end of its third week.

Mr Roberts-Smith, who was accused of being involved in a number of unlawful killings, bullying SAS soldiers, attempting to cover up his crimes and hitting a woman he had an affair with, denies all wrongdoing.

Last week Mr Roberts-Smith faced questioning from his own lawyer where he was painted as the victim of a smear campaign by jealous comrades and the media and as being a good, heroic soldier.

This week, under cross-examination from the media organisations barrister, Mr Roberts-Smith denied wiping a laptop was intended to destroy evidence and the intention behind giving information about one of his enemies to a private investigator that resulted in their home being raided by police was to expose their character rather than to intimidate them.
The Australian Medical Association says the Commonwealth needs to open purpose-built quarantine facilities in all states and territories with international airports, as quarantine will be part of life well into the future.

Potential quarantine sites in Queensland and Western Australia have been identified by the Commonwealth, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison has committed to completing the first stage of the Victorian facility before the end of the year.

The only purpose-built quarantine facility in Australia so far is the Howard Springs centre in Darwin. Credit:Getty

Mr Morrison wrote to the Queensland and WA premiers on Thursday night about suitable quarantine sites picked by the federal Department of Finance.

He also wrote to Victorias Acting Premier James Merlino confirming construction on a facility at Mickleham would be expedited. The facility will be built to house 1000 people but will open when the first 500 beds are completed.
The NSW government has introduced strict new health orders enforcing compulsory face masks and at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine for drivers who transport international passengers, including aircrew.

Transport workers will have three days to get their first dose of a vaccination before the new public health order kicks in on June 28, while face masks became compulsory at 4pm on Friday.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard signed the new health order after confusion reigned over whether an eastern suburbs limousine driver at the centre of the growing Bondi cluster had breached public health orders.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Friday. Credit:Janie Barrett

Police launched an investigation into whether the man was wearing a mask and undertaking daily saliva testing when he contracted the virus while working, but were forced to seek a second legal opinion after finding insufficient evidence he had breached earlier orders.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, Omar Ottley extends his deepest sympathy and prayers to the family and friends of Sint Maartens 33rd COVID-19 victim, who has passed away. He wishes the family much strength during this time.

As of June 24th, there were nine (9) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however, ten (10) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to fifty-two (52). The total number of confirmed cases is now two thousand five hundred ninety-four (2594).

The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring forty-seven (47) people in home isolation. Five (5) patients are hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to thirty-three (33).

The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to two thousand five hundred nine (2509). Seventy-four (74) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.



The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 3, 186 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 33, 371 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.

Minister Ottley encourages everyone who has not been vaccinated to come out to the COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Saturday, June 26th at the de Weever property in Dutch Quarter from 9:00 am until supplies last.
MARIGOT:--- Following the incident that took place at the Cite administrative, located in Concordia, on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, and given the seriousness of the facts, Vice-President Steven Patrick was removed from his Cadre de Vie delegation. However, he retains his function of vice-president and member of the Executive Council.

Due to a sufficiently serious incident, which occurred on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, in the premises of the Cite administrative de la Collectivite, rue Jean-Jacques Fayel, I decided to remove my vice-president Steven Patrick from his delegation in terms of the living environment . It is in these terms that President Daniel Gibbs justified his decision in a press release.

"After having consulted the members of the Executive Council of my majority on the sanctions to be taken the day after the events, I notified my decision to Mr. Steven Patrick on Wednesday, June 23".

President Gibbs specifies that Vice-President Steven Patrick destroyed, "in a fit of anger" the lock of an office in the Administrative City and had it replaced "to prevent an official of the Collectivity from accessing his office ( ) I am obliged to remove my vice-president from his delegation .

The latter, however, retains his functions of vice-president within the majority, registrar, and member of the Executive Council. The decision taken by Daniel Gibbs deprives Steven Patrick of his delegation and of his responsibilities in the field of town planning, development, the environment, and works.

If the President assures us that he understands the differences of opinion, "I cannot accept the manifestation of such violence. This behavior unworthy of an elected official must be punished ". Daniel Gibbs says he regrets "having to make this decision and I know that I can count on Mr. Patrick so that in the future he adopts a behavior appropriate to his position".

SMBN
~ A coup was formed behind my back~

MARIGOT: --- Vice President Steven Patrick who held the portfolio of Urbanism and Environment said in an interview with SMN News that the President of the Collectivite of Saint Martin allegedly formed a coup with his Director-General Adjoint (DGA).

Patrick said he strongly believed that he was heavily undermined by members of his own team because he informed the executive council on several occasions that DGA was not performing his duties. This person is always late with his work. Because of the lateness, I am not able to properly look over the files that have to be presented to the Executive Council for decisions to be taken. Last week Wednesday I felt I had enough, and it was time to take a stand, I then informed the President that I need a week to look over the files before the council deliberates on them. While that executive council meeting was taking place the DGA walked in with the files and the President decided that he would handle the files despite he was informed and know that I had concerns for over a year now. I then walked out of the meeting because I believed a coup was formed. I want to make clear that I had concerns about the DGA and the way he works, and I made those concerns known for over a year now. Yes, I agree I did something stupid by locking out the DGA from his office, but one must understand that enough is enough also that DGA already found a job elsewhere and he is scheduled to leave, be assured that I did not attack or hurt anyone."

Patrick said the service he is responsible for has been dysfunctional for an exceptionally long time, he said since the arrival of this DGA who was hired to manage the department has not made any improvements. He said that the DGA even told him that he had to subcontract some things that had to be managed by him. This makes me ask myself why was the DGA hired if the Collectivite has now pay someone to do the job then also have to subcontract projects that would then have to go through a bidding process and which would cause further delays and I would not be able to accomplish anything at the end of this term."

I need to make clear that there is a management problem within the Collectivite. The VP said that the DGAs are withholding information from civil servants which are delaying everything that relates and would benefit the local population.

Regarding the sanctions taken against him, by thePresident, Patrick said that there have been several incidences at the Collectivite where people were assaulted and the President did not intervene or did anything to avoid any further recurrences. He said he is wondering if the actions taken by the President are not political.With this being said I want to make clear that I am not running away from my responsibilities with the way I handled the situation.

I am not looking for titles, I just want to represent the people who elected me. I am not a ship jumper, certainly, I will not contest 2022 on Team Gibbs list.

Patrick said further explained that he will not be running on the Team Gibbs list, however, he said that he is not a ship jumper. Maybe he will not contest the 2022 election but stay out completely "I already resigned which will go into effect as of August 1st, 2020, as of now I can say boldly I am not part of the majority and if the President wants me out of the Territorial Council then he will have to vote me out."
PHILIPSBURG:---The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on Monday, June 28, 2021.

The plenary public meeting is scheduled for 10.00 hrs in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of General Affairs and the Council of Ministers will be present.

The agenda points are:

1. Incoming documents

2. Ontwerplandsverordening tot wijziging van de Landsverordening Algemene Rekenkamer, de Landsverordening Constitutioneel Hof, de Landsverordening Ombudsman en de Landsverordening Raad van Advies in verband met het verhogen van de leeftijdsgrens van de leden (IS/690/2020-2021 d.d. 24 mei 2021) (ZJ 2020-2021-147)

(National Ordinance amending the National Ordinance of General Audit Chamber, the National Ordinance Constitutional Court, the National Ordinance Ombudsman, and the National Ordinance Council of Advice in connection with raising the age limit for members (Parliamentary Year 2020-2021-147)

3. Ontwerplandsverordening tot vaststelling van de Begroting van het land Sint Maarten voor het dienstjaar 2021 (Landsverordening begroting 2021) (IS/729/2020-2021 d.d. 8 juni 2021) (ZJ 2020-2021-148)

(Draft National Ordinance stipulating the Budget of the Country for the year 2021 (National Ordinance Budget 2021) (IS/729/2020-2021 dated June 8, 2021) (Parliamentary Year 2020-2021-148)

Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliaments Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.
IsoEnergy Appoints Technical Advisor, Vice President Exploration, and Corporate Secretary

Posted by Publisher Internet

IsoEnergy Ltd. (?IsoEnergy?) (TSXV: ISO; OTCQX: ISENF  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/isoenergy-ltd/) is pleased to announce the strengthening of its technical team with the appointment of David Thomas as Technical Advisor and Andy Carmichael as Vice President, Exploration, effective July 1, 2021, and June 15, 2021, respectively. Also, the Company is delighted to announce that Elizabeth Williamson has joined IsoEnergy as Corporate Secretary, effective June 9, 2021.

Tim Gabruch, Chief Executive Officer, commented: ?On behalf of the Board and management of IsoEnergy, I am excited to announce the addition of Dave Thomas as a key Technical Advisor to the Company. Dave is very well-known globally as a leading expert on uranium geology, with particular expertise in Saskatchewan?s Athabasca Basin. We are thrilled that Dave is joining IsoEnergy at this stage to assist on all uranium-related matters, on an exclusive basis. With more than four decades of experience, Dave?s knowledge and expertise in this area are second to none.

We are also very pleased to announce the promotion of Andy to Vice President, Exploration.? Andy has been an invaluable contributor to all aspects of IsoEnergy?s exploration programs since the inception of the Company in 2016 and has played a significant role in putting together the current land package and contributed to the strategy that ultimately led to the discovery of the Hurricane zone.? Having Dave and Andy on board will be instrumental to the Company going forward and combined with NexGen?s ongoing support of our geological programs, IsoEnergy is well positioned for continued exploration success.

Additionally, IsoEnergy is very happy to add Elizabeth Williamson as Corporate Secretary. Elizabeth has many years of governance experience, including working with Cameco Corporation, where from 2005 to 2013 her focus was on governance compliance and supporting its Board of Directors. Both Dave and Elizabeth are based in Saskatoon, SK, which builds on IsoEnergy?s objective to reposition leadership of the Company to Saskatchewan ? home of our exceptional assets, including the high-grade Hurricane discovery.?

Dave Thomas stated: ?I have watched IsoEnergy with keen interest over the past few years. The Company has a top tier land package and its exploration approach, resulting in the discovery of the Hurricane zone, has elevated the Company to a unique position among some of the top uranium companies. I am excited about the prospects ahead for the Company and look forward to providing my experience and expertise to the Board and the entire IsoEnergy team.?

Andy Carmichael, Vice President of Exploration commented: ?Contributing to IsoEnergy?s success has been very rewarding and the discovery of the Hurricane zone, less than two years after our first exploration program, has been a highlight of my career to date. I am excited for the opportunity to lead our talented team of geologists in exploring our portfolio of highly prospective eastern Athabasca Basin uranium projects. Also, having exclusive access to such a highly regarded and experienced geologist such as Dave Thomas represents an incredible opportunity for the Company.?

David Thomas

David Thomas, M.Sc. is a Professional Geoscientist with more than 40 years of experience as a practicing geologist. From 1980 to 1994 David held positions in the Saskatchewan Geological Survey including resident geologist in Uranium City as well as a project geologist where he worked on structural and metallogenic studies, with a focus on gold and base metals in the La Ronge and Flin Flon areas of northern Saskatchewan. In 1994, Dave joined Cameco Corporation where he held various roles including Chief Geologist, Director of Exploration New Business and Generative Group, and Director of Geoscience. While at Cameco his roles and responsibilities provided significant international involvement and exposure to a wide variety of gold and uranium deposits in a diversity of geographic and geological settings across North America, South America, Africa, Australia, Central Asia, Scandinavia and Russia.? David retired from Cameco in 2018, although remains active as a consultant to mineral exploration companies.

Andy Carmichael

Andy Carmichael is a Professional Geoscientist with 17 years of mineral exploration experience. Since 2007 Andy has primarily explored for unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin which included contributing to the discovery of the Hurricane Zone and work at the J-Zone, Triple R, Phoenix and Gryphon deposits. Andy has also explored for uranium in the Hornby Bay Basin, Colorado Plateau, and Namibia.

Elizabeth Williamson

Elizabeth Williamson has been a lawyer in Saskatchewan for over 20 years. Her governance experience includes several years at Cameco Corporation, in the position of Director, Legal Services, Governance. She then continued her governance career as the University Secretary at the University of Saskatchewan. She is now a sole practitioner at Williamson Law, a law office that she began in 2017.? Elizabeth has a general practice advising clients on many varied issues, including numerous governance matters.

Stock Option Grant

The Company also announces that is has granted an aggregate of 1,600,000 incentive stock options to certain officers, employees, and consultants of the Company (the ?Options?).? The Options were granted on June 23, 2021, are exercisable at a price of $2.81, vest in three equal annual instalments commencing on the grant date and have a term of five years.? The Options were issued pursuant to the Company?s incentive stock option plan and are subject to regulatory approval.

About IsoEnergy

IsoEnergy is a well-funded uranium exploration and development company with a portfolio of prospective projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. ?The Company recently discovered the high-grade Hurricane Zone of uranium mineralization on its 100% owned Larocque East property in the Eastern Athabasca Basin.? IsoEnergy is led by a Board and Management team with a track record of success in uranium exploration, development and operations. ?The Company was founded and is supported by the team at its major shareholder, NexGen Energy Ltd. ?

www.isoenergy.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referenced herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ?U.S. Securities Act?), and such securities may not be offered or sold within the United States absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.

Forward-Looking Information

The information contained herein contains ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and ?forward-looking information? within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. ?Forward-looking information? includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as ?plans?, ?expects?, ?is expected?, ?budget?, ?scheduled?, ?estimates?, ?forecasts?, ?intends?, ?anticipates?, or ?believes? or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results ?may?, ?could?, ?would?, ?might? or ?will be taken?, ?occur? or ?be achieved? or the negative connotation thereof.

Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company?s planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate.

Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, the influence of a large shareholder,? alternative sources of energy and uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information.? The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws.
Kuya Silver Announces Appointment of New Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel

Posted by Publisher Internet

Kuya Silver Corporation (CSE: KUYA) (OTCQB: KUYAF) (Frankfurt: 6MR1) (the ?Company? or ?Kuya?  https://www.commodity-tv.com/ondemand/companies/profil/kuya-silver-corp/ ) is pleased to announce, subject to approval by the Canadian Securities Exchange (the ?Exchange?) that Ms. Annie Sismanian has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

Ms. Sismanian is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA, CA) with over 18 years of broad progressive experience in finance, strategy, and corporate development.? Prior to joining Kuya, she was Vice President, Corporate Finance and Investor Relations at Guyana Gold and has held senior financial roles at Hydro One, Kinross, Barrick, Fairmont and PWC.?Ms. Sismanian succeeds Ms. Lesia Burianyk as Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Burianyk has agreed to remain with Kuya in the role of Finance Director.

The Company is also pleased to announce, that Mr. Aaron Hunter has been appointed as General Counsel of the Company. Mr. Hunter has over fifteen years of business law experience, with a focus on the extractive industries. He worked for a senior gold producer for seven years, providing legal leadership on project development, supply chain, governance and integrity matters. Mr. Hunter has also been in-house counsel for two global engineering firms. Before becoming an in-house counsel, he practiced corporate and securities law at a prominent Canadian firm and a US-based global firm. He is admitted to the bar in Ontario and New York.

Kuya?s President and CEO, David Stein stated, ?We are very excited to be growing our senior management team with these outstanding and experienced industry professionals. We are very proud of the team we have assembled to date in Peru and Canada. Kuya has ambitious goals of achieving low-cost silver production and corporate growth, and building a high-quality team to execute our strategy is an important part of our plans?.

The Company also announces, subject to approval by the Exchange, that it has granted 625,000 incentive stock options (?Options?) to acquire common shares in the capital of the Company (each a ?Common Share?), 150,000 were granted to Ms. Sismanian in connection with her appointment as Chief Financial Officer at an exercise price of $1.55, 225,000 were granted to employees and consultants at an exercise price of $1.55, and 250,000 were granted to independent directors at an exercise price of $1.90. The Options are subject to varying vesting provisions. Any Common Shares issued pursuant to the Options, are subject to a hold period expiring October 25, 2021, unless written approval to issue the Common Shares without the hold period is obtained from the Exchange.

About Kuya Silver Corporation

Kuya is a Canadian?based silver?focused mining company that owns the Bethania Project, which includes the Bethania mine, located in Central Peru. The Bethania mine was in production until 2016, toll?milling its ore at various other concentrate plants in the region, the Company?s plan is to implement an expansion and construct a concentrate plant at site before restarting operations. The Bethania mine produced silver?lead and zinc concentrates from the run of mine material, until being placed on care and maintenance due to market conditions and lack of working capital.?

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

KUYA SILVER CORPORATION

David Stein, President and CEO

For more information, please contact the Company at:

Kuya Silver Corporation

Telephone: (604) 398?4493

info@kuyasilver.com?

www.kuyasilver.com

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

Jochen Staiger

info@resource-capital.ch

www.resource-capital.ch

Reader Advisory

This news release may contain statements which constitute ?forward-looking information?, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words ?may?, ?would?, ?could?, ?will?, ?intend?, ?plan?, ?anticipate?, ?believe?, ?estimate?, ?expect? and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company?s future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Lucille Morgan, 98, of Science Hill, passed away Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at the Hospice of Lake Cumberland. A Funeral Service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, July 3, 2021 at the Chapel of Morris & Hislope Funeral Home. Burial will be in Science Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be after 12:
ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions embraces BIM to smooth specification and installation of door security solutions

BIM (building information modeling) provides a process for creating and managing information during the building lifecycle and beyond. BIM is often equated with 3D modeling of construction projects, but the visual component is just part of the value of BIM. Additional data, such as specifications and other documentation, is also part of the process, underlying the visual aspects, helping to drive decision making and providing immediate access to detailed information about all facets of the building process. Incorporating BIM systems For the last six years, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions has worked with specification writers and architects in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) to make it easy to incorporate ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions doors, hardware, and security solutions into BIM systems. Everyone on a project can work together in the interactive and information-rich BIM environment. BIM tools are also used by contractors, distributors, facility owners, and security consultants. BIM software BIM information relating to doors, hardware, and security solutions is available in the cloud BIM information relating to doors, hardware, and security solutions is available in the cloud with the companys Openings Studio BIM software. This improves the process of door scheduling and visualisation and enables customers to focus on the design, installation, and management of openings. If you have up-to-date information inside the BIM model, you can reduce mistakes and misunderstanding in the building industry, says Marc Ameryckx, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions BIM Manager for the EMEIA region. It helps to eliminate mistakes before they happen or as early as possible in the building process. The earlier, the less it costs. We provide data as soon as possible in the process. (ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions also has comparable systems available in other regions of the global company.) Centralised data in BIM 3D model Expanding the data available in BIM provides additional value compared to merely providing BIM objects that can be incorporated into a BIM 3D model. The combination of BIM modeling and the underlying specifications boosts the quality of the project and its key to success, says Marc Ameryckx. Even after the building is complete, the BIM model is still valuable, providing a repository of as-built information that can be used by building managers and security professionals tasked with operating and maintaining the building. For example, if a lock needs to be replaced, retrofitting is simpler because all the information about the lock and existing installation is available in a centralised data file. Revit and ArchiCAD A widely used BIM software is Revit from Autodesk, a program that brings architecture, engineering, and construction disciplines into a unified modeling environment to drive more efficient and cost-effective projects. Another BIM software program is ArchiCAD, developed by the Hungarian company Graphisoft. Openings Studio added a plugin for ArchiCAD this year, in addition to Revit. Tailor-made information security solutions We provide tailor-made information security solutions with various hardware on projects with more doors" We can provide tailor-made information security solutions with various hardware on projects with more doors, adding more flexibility, says Marc Ameryckx. Customers do not need to be the experts on the products because we provide expertise as part of our specifications. For example, how often do building mistakes occur because of a misunderstanding about the electrical needs of a lock and the wrong cabling is installed? The problem is especially expensive if it is discovered only after the walls are complete. Providing complete data about the electrical lock as part of a BIM system avoids the snafu. Another example is the specification of a deadbolt lock on a door that operates with an electric strike. The deadbolt undermines the intended operation of the electric strike and can interfere with escape routes in case of an emergency. The mistake becomes obvious in the BIM environment and can be rectified before consequences impact the real world. Data addition to Opening Suites site ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions is continuously expanding the data it provides at the Opening Suites site, covering additional functionality and more components including the door, cabling, and electrical connections. Hardware sets are linked to specific doors in the BIM models, including all the details of various components, including article numbers, technical sheets, electrical requirements, all depending on customer expectations. Physical equipment includes QR codes that can be scanned by a smartphone to provide information on the door (A mobile app is in development). More details and more data Experienced BIM consultants work with the Openings Studio software on projects ranging from single doors to large buildings with many doors. Data will be more and more important, and there will be more data inside BIM models Adding more data and detail to the BIM process at the level of each door expands the usefulness of BIM, which has historically been focused on broader issues such as structural work and HVAC. Openings Studio provides all the data to integrate doors and security in the BIM process, says Marc Ameryckx. The higher level of detail may be a new aspect even for customers who already use BIM software. Data will be more and more important, and there will be more data inside BIM models, says Marc Ameryckx. In the future, the use of digital twins could expand the capabilities even further; for example, the software could simulate escape routes in case of fire. More data makes more things possible.
Support local journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution.

Contribute
Phil Heim of Medford, husband of Gail, is the father of four adult children, a son-in-law, hope-to-be daughter-in-law, and grandpa to four grandchildren.
Medford, NJ (08055)

Today

Rain showers early then thundershowers for the afternoon. High 69F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 56F. Winds light and variable.
First-look images revealed and further casting announced for BBC One's highly anticipated adaptation of This Is Going To HurtCasting has been announced, and first-look images released, of the highly anticipated adaption of Adam Kays multi-million copy bestseller This is Going to Hurt, which has just wrapped filmingEmmy, Bafta and Golden Globe-winning lead Ben Whishaw is joined by Dame Harriet Walter, Ambika Mod, Michele Austin, Alex Jennings and Rory Fleck ByrneCasting has been announced, and first-look images released, on the highly anticipated adaption of Adam Kays multi-million copy bestseller This Is Going To Hurt, which has just wrapped filming. The co-production with AMC will launch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.At times hilarious, at times devastating, This Is Going To Hurt is a 7X45 series following Adam (Ben Whishaw - A Very English Scandal, Skyfall, London Spy), a doctor who we find wending his way through the ranks of hospital hierarchy - junior enough to suffer the crippling hours, but senior enough to face a constant barrage of terrifying responsibilities. Adam is clinging to his personal life as he is increasingly overwhelmed by stresses at work: the 97-hour weeks, the life and death decisions, and all the while knowing the hospital parking meter is earning more than him.Whishaw is joined by newcomer Ambika Mod as Shruti, a young junior doctor just starting in obstetrics and gynaecology. Naturally bright, diligent and caring, she has everything it takes to be a great doctor, but the job still finds ways to throw her into chaos and doubt.Michele Austin (Meet the Richardsons, The Casual Vacancy) plays Tracy, a confident, sharp-witted senior midwife, and Bafta-nominated Alex Jennings (The Crown, A Very English Scandal, Unforgotten, The Lady In The Van) plays Mr Lockhart, a consultant and Adams domineering boss. Kadiff Kirwan (Chewing Gum, This Way Up, The Stranger) plays Julian, Adams colleague and professional rival, and Ashley McGuire (This Country, Malory Towers, Its A Sin) plays Miss Houghton, a formidable and forthright consultant who spots potential in Shruti.Emmy-nominated Harriet Walter (Killing Eve, The Crown, Succession) plays Veronique, Adams mother. Rory Fleck Byrne (Harlots, Vita And Virginia, Ghosts) plays Adams boyfriend Harry, and Tom Durant-Pritchard (Feel Good, The Windsors, Judy, The Crown) plays Adams best friend Greg, his two closest relationships and the ones forced to face the brunt of the pressures he faces at work.The series is based on Adam Kays award-winning international multi-million selling memoir of the same name, which has sold over 2.5 million copies to date and has been translated into 37 languages. The series, which is created, written and executive produced by Kay himself, rejoices in the laugh-out-loud highs, while pulling no punches in its depiction of the gut-wrenching lows of life on a gynaecology and obstetrics ward.Blisteringly funny, politically enraging and frequently heartbreaking, This Is Going To Hurt remains a stark reminder of the vital role played by the NHS and is a clarion call to support our medics, a message that is more urgent than ever.Created, written and executive produced by Adam Kay, This Is Going To Hurt is commissioned by Piers Wenger, Director of BBC Drama, is executive produced by Naomi de Pear (Dont Forget The Driver, Flowers, The Bisexual, The Power) and Jane Featherstone (Chernobyl, Giri/Haji, The Split, The Power) for Sister, James Farrell (Untitled Game Of Thrones Prequel) for Terrible Productions, Mona Qureshi for BBC One, as well as Kristin Jones and Dan McDermott for AMC. Ben Whishaw also serves as Executive Producer.The series is produced by Holly Pullinger (Dont Forget The Driver) with Lucy Forbes (In My Skin, The End Of the F***ing World series two) directing the first four episodes and Tom Kingsley (Ghosts, Stath Lets Flats, Pls Like) directing the other three episodes. The international distribution of the series will be handled by BBC Studios.
Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) emerged in the 1980s and '90s and are a popular investment option for beginners and experienced operators alike. According to one source, over $4 Trillion (USD) in assets are under management in US-listed ETFs. So, what are they and why are they so attractive?

ETFs are a form of security that tracks a specific index by holding stocks proportionate to the index. ETF ownership is divided among shareholders, with individual shares in various ETFs available over a vast number of exchanges.

ETFs have several advantages over other investment options including Equities, Commodities and other funds available on the market. Being aware of these advantages will enable investors to use ETFs skillfully and appropriately within a broader investment portfolio.

Cost-effective diversification

Benjamin Graham, the famous American Economist, stated that Diversification is an established tenet of conservative investment. Warren Buffet would invite the concentration of wealth in a specialist area at the expense of diversification, but in uncertain times and markets, there is nothing that protects investments better.

Rathbone Global Opportunities ETF offered 125.35% Cumulative Performance over the past five years and solid in-year performance over the same period (20.47% in July 2020 to 2021) for only 330.12p per unit. James Thomson, fund manager, is a successful player on the global scale with the potential to outperform his peers long-term. This investment is within the grasp of even the most modest investor and gives robust diversification  on a global scale.

Related: Everyday Money: What is Investment Diversification?

Passive is the new proactive

Every investor imagines beating the market on every position that they take. Put simply, that is not going to happen. Fund managers will not thank me for saying this, but by some measures and taking into account fees and associated costs, passive investments like ETFs can outperform all but the very best managed funds.

As of July 2, 2021, for only 1,422.19p, an investor can invest in the FSSA Greater China Growth Class B ETF. With an average of 21.9% discrete calendar year performance since 2016 and 157.23% Cumulative Performance over five years, investors can secure amazing Returns on Investment in one of the greatest economies in the world. Can your fund manager or own investment selection offer that? Martin Lau has a pedigree for investing in China and works within a team with an ethos as stewards of clients capital.

ETFs give investors the flexibility to take advantage of passive investments or carefully select actively managed funds led by specialist fund managers within their sectors. It is the investor's choice!

Related: Exchange-Traded vs. Index Funds

Tax-efficient wrappings

Fundamentally, ETFs offer immense flexibility, in terms of global scope, sector selection, active and passive management, and cost efficiency for a broad range of investors of various means.

The diversification that they can offer can bolster any portfolio, especially as the global economy seeks to overcome and recover from the challenges posed by the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.

While these macro considerations are important, the micro-level detail has the most direct significance to the individual investor. ETFs also meet the investors needs on this level as well. ETFs can be invested in through one of the many ISA models to tax-efficiently invest up to 20,000 per annum. ASI Asia Pacific Equity has raised 1,083 million since its launch in April 1987, which has benefited from 104.22% Cumulative Performance over the past five years. Thats a lot of retail investors ISAs!

ETFs are a healthy option with which to augment your investment portfolio in a broad range of circumstances, none more so than in these uncertain economic circumstances. Their strengths come from their adaptability and their mitigating effect through diversification while securing growth in and of themselves.

Related: Why New Investors Should Start With Some Allocation To ETFs As ...

This information does not constitute advice or a personal recommendation and you should seek advice concerning suitability from your investment adviser. As with any investment your capital is at risk. Past performance is not an indicator of future results.

Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Starbucks presents a new limited edition reusable glass with the aim of supporting coffee growers, their families and communities in Mexico. As part of the Todos Sembramos Cafe program, for each glass that customers purchase, the company will donate a rust-resistant coffee plant to producers in the communities of Tanetze de Zaragoza, Villa Talea de Castro and San Miguel Panixthlahuaca in Oaxaca.

The glass will be available in chain stores nationwide starting June 28 and while supplies last.
On Tuesday, Philip Morris International announced that it would establish its headquarters in Connecticut and add 200 jobs as a result. The company's relocation from New York City to its new Fairfield County destination will be complete by summer 2022. And the worlds largest tobacco company isnt the only one set up shop in Connecticut.

Businesses both large and small have either relocated altogether or established additional locations in Connecticut. In April, the parent companies of Webster Bank and Sterling National Bank announced a merger and the creation of a new headquarters in Stamford. Digital Currency Group also landed in Fairfield County in 2021, taking space in the Shippan Landing complex in Stamford while maintaining its main offices in Manhattan.

On the small business front, Brazilian restaurant Ipanema left New York City for a new Norwalk location at the end of 2020 after being open in Manhattan for over 40 years. Owner Victor Pedro said that his new location in Norwalk fit our vibe and our brand more than other places.

And it's not just New York City owners that like the "feel" of Fairfield County; Westchester County, N.Y. is also sending business to Connecticut. Appetit Bistro and Alex's Lounge III are two Westchester eateries that scooped up space on Washington Street in South Norwalk. And Mike Orefice, owner of Scarsdale, N.Y.-based Iron Vault gym is opening in Norwalk in mid-July. He said the areas potential matches that of his brand.

I think Washington Street and the whole [city] is super up and coming, very young, and kind of fits the same mold that we have at our brand, he told Hearst Connecticut. I think it was a perfect fit. The first time I went and saw it, I was blown away.

So why is this happening so frequently lately? An organization called AdvanceCT could be one of the reasons.

Peter Denious, the president and CEO of AdvanceCT  a nonprofit that aims to retain and recruit businesses and improve Connecticuts economic competitiveness  said that the organization is working in concert with the state to court companies into the state.

We're very actively pitching the Connecticut story to New York businesses and really businesses in some other metro markets that might be considering reconfiguring their urban footprint, he said. All of us are going through a complete reexamination of how we work and where we work  we've just been through this experiment in remote work and figured out we can actually be pretty productive.

Taking a sector approach to pitching companies to come to Connecticut, Denious said AdvanceCT focuses on five key clusters of industries to bring into the state: insurance, financial services, life sciences, manufacturing and technology. They dont do random cold calling, Denious said.

Instead, the organization tries to pitch companies that might already be thinking of relocating or are in one of those five key industries, Denious said. He works with the state Department of Economic Community Development, commissioner David Lehman and deputy commissioner Glendowlyn Thames to do so.

If theres some sort of linkage to Connecticut or some reason why they may want to be in Connecticut or we have a relationship through our board or our members to a companywere proactively reaching out to those companies, he said. We're comparing notes, were sharing pipeline [and] we're figuring out ways in which we can originate some of these ideas and move processes along for companies that have expressed some interest.

Jason Milligan, founder and broker of Milligan Realty in Norwalk, said he is already seeing movement in the retail and office properties he manages.

I have seen strong interest from New York companies, he said in an email. There have been many inquiries for people that live in Fairfield County that commuted to work prior to the [COVID-19] pandemic, and there are also a high number of people that are looking to move from New York City to Connecticut and to bring their business with them or open a new business.

Milligan noted that he has seen the most activity in Norwalk and said the features of the city have something to do with the increased interest in the area.

It is conveniently located, has supply and the most affordable rents in the area, he said. It is home to many small, medium and some larger office buildings of all different classes.

Having attractive accommodations isnt exclusive to one city, according to Denious. Connecticut as a whole has features that Denious said are eye-catching to prospective companies looking to relocate, citing the states 42 colleges and universities that produce a highly-educated workforce, as well as quality of life considerations, such as school systems, health care and childcare.

I think theres a lot of thinking going on about employees and making sure theyre taken care of in this new world, particularly given that work from home is likely to be a component of the new normal, he said.

Additionally, Denious cited Connecticuts smaller cities for their accessibility and livability  especially when compared to New York City and Boston  as well as cost of office space.

It's $90 a square foot or more still in these dense urban environments, particularly New York, he said. We can be half that are well below half that  that counts for a lot.

Also appealing to companies eyeing Connecticut are the organizations that are already here, according to Denious.

Our sort of tagline is if it has to be done right and its a highly-valued, highly-engineered product, it belongs in Connecticut, he said. Were making jet engines; were making nuclear submarines  those are highly complex, to say the least. So if its high quality, highly-engineered in advanced manufacturing, weve got a great ecosystem for that.

Noting that Stanley Black and Decker is considering a shared innovation space for advanced manufacturing in Connecticut, Denious said other companies are also eyeing entry to Connecticut to establish other kinds of shared spaces: satellite offices.

I think we have at least one company in our pipeline that Id put in that bucket of pretty sizeable companiesthat is a spinoff out of a large New York investment firm that has opened an office, he said. Were talking to another company thats not yet landed that fits that mold, too. Obviously, we have a lot of folks that work in Manhattan and live in Connecticut, and now these companies are saying, Hey, maybe we should have a hub out there.

Milligan said he has already seen satellite offices popping up, noting changes in companies employee policies for the move.

"Most people are never going back to a full commute, he said. Companies have changed their policies. People can work from home or remotely.

As companies continue to set up shop in Connecticut in the near future and beyond, Denious said these moves boil down to being able to recognize what the state has to offer.

We have this reputation of being this kind of stodgy place where you know a lot of these big companies have their headquarters, but there's nothing really innovative going on here and that's just not right, he said. When you look at the facts  whether it's technology or life sciences  I think the opportunity to come to a place like New Haven, in the case of life sciences and be a bigger fish in a smaller pond is really compelling and at half the cost than being in Cambridge outside of Boston.
THE GOAL: Creating an outdoor space perfect for working from home or rocking your creative side hustle.

THE ESTIMATED BUDGET: As little as $150.

Millions of people found themselves working from home during the past year. And many are likely to continue doing so this summer and beyond, even as pandemic restrictions ease.

One bonus when working from home: spending some or all of your work day outside.

But while curling up on an outdoor sofa with a laptop can feel like a treat during a workday, its not always conducive to getting things done. If work-from-home is here to stay, how do we really make our outdoor workspace as functional and professional as possible?

Weve asked three designers  California-based Nikki Klugh, New York-based Melanie Roy, and Room and Board Business Interiors expert Elise Nicpon  for some simple, inexpensive tweaks to help create a functional, attractive place to work outdoors.

A TRULY WORKABLE SPACE

Outdoor dining tables are usually about the same height as a desk (29 to 31 inches tall). But dining chairs may be low-slung and lack the back support you need.

Klugh suggests adding a lumbar pillow. And if needed, add a seat cushion so your arms are at the right height. (A good seat cushion/lumbar cushion combo runs about $50). For additional support, Nicpon recommends choosing chairs with arms.

Its very helpful, Nicpon says, if you can rest your arms just like you would in an office chair, and having that structure for your back.

If you dont have an outdoor dining table to use as a desk, you can add an adjustable-height laptop desk with locking wheels. (There are durable metal options available for under $200.)

For keeping office supplies and snacks handy, Roy suggests adding a rolling bar cart made for outdoors. Ikeas Applaro line includes an outdoor bar cart ($100) and matching closed storage bench ($70).

A splurge worth considering for work and entertaining: Add a small outdoor fridge to keep cold drinks nearby.

SUNSHINE AND RAIN

We go outside to enjoy the weather. But the biggest challenge outside is ... the weather.

A large, adjustable umbrella can help with the suns heat and glare if you dont have an awning or roof overhead. Another option: a fabric shade sail that you can string up over your chosen workspace. (Basic rectangles are available for about $35, though sail kits with poles can cost $100 and up.)

To further manage glare, Klugh recommends an anti-glare screen protector if youll be working outside on a laptop (about $30).

And a ceiling fan is a great addition to keep air moving, so heat and humidity wont distract you. A tabletop fan, too, makes a valuable difference (good, small fans are available for $15).

PRIVACY AND PROFESSIONALISM

Many remote workers spend part of the day on video calls. If youll be Zooming from your outdoor workspace, make sure the background feels professional.

One easy and stylish option: Klugh says outdoor curtain panels can help create privacy, offer an attractive Zoom background and also add style to your outdoor space.

Another option: Roy notes that many companies make outdoor shelving units. Use one or two to create a space for work-related supplies than can double as a professional background for video calls.

To further create privacy (and scent the air), Nicpon suggests adding upright planters with flowering plants inside. Especially in smaller outdoor spaces with neighbors nearby, theyre helpful to delineate your workspace and create a screen if you need one.

CONNECTIVITY

All three designers recommend adding a Wi-Fi booster (prices vary, but available for as little as $20) if your signal is weaker outside. And while many homes have at least one outdoor electrical outlet, it can be practical to add another near the spot where youd like to work.

To stay further connected with the news or online content, Roy points out that outdoor-safe TVs have become much less expensive.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Want to invest a bit more? Outdoor heat lamps come in many shapes and sizes, and can make your outdoor space work-friendly through much of the year in many parts of the country.

And for a true splurge, Roy suggests creating a dedicated work area by adding a wooden pergola or pavilion over an area of paving stones.

Its a bigger investment, but it can give you a true outdoor office.

Whatever your budget, Nicpon recommends working outside at least some of the time. Its such a more dynamic experience for you as a worker, she says. It changes how you feel.

-

Melissa Rayworth is a frequent contributor to AP Lifestyles. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mrayworth.
Over the past nine months, Hearst Connecticut Media Group requested and compiled records from internal police misconduct investigations and disciplinary proceedings from about three dozen municipal law enforcement departments, primarily in Fairfield and New Haven counties.

We reviewed files about more than 1,800 internal charges of alleged officer misconduct providing a unique, behind-the-scenes glimpse of proceedings that are typically shrouded in secrecy because police departments handle the matters in-house. In fact, some departments  including the states largest city  are continuing to keep their records on officer misconduct under wraps.

The investigation comes at a critical time. Across the country, there campaigns pushing for policing reform, and some laws are changing, to try to boost transparency and accountability among law enforcement agencies. National debate and protest over police conduct continue to swirl, sparked in part by the murder last year of George Floyd in Minneapolis by Officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted this spring on criminal charges that he killed Floyd by pinning him to the ground for nearly 10 minutes.

Here are several highlights from the Hearst Connecticut investigation:

1.) Officers often receive light punishments

When internal police investigations ruled that allegations of misconduct by officers were sustained, meaning misconduct was found, local departments often resorted to discipline that experts say is more of a slap on the wrist and insufficient to halt or reduce future misconduct.About three-quarters of sustained internal charges resulted in a verbal warning, reprimand, counseling or order for more training. About one quarter of sustained charges drew a suspension from duty, while about 1 percent resulted in the officer being fired.

Overall, among the hundreds of cases reviewed by Hearst Connecticut, the records provided showed departments collectively fired five officers for misconduct. The reasons for termination included making false statements and failure to properly investigate a complaint.

The documents that were provided outlined other grave offenses, such as lying, failing to make an arrest and violating conflict of interest standards, along with potentially criminal acts, such as faking timecards and larceny. More minor offenses included inappropriate social media posts, violating paperwork requirements and administrative procedure infractions.

In one case reviewed in-depth by Hearst Connecticut  a matter which has not been reported on publicly before  an officer, while saying you gonna go to sleep, used an improper chokehold on a man who cried out I cant breathe. The officer, who had been disciplined at least twice before, served a brief suspension and went on, records show, to engage in misconduct at least two more times; though details on his other misconduct cases were limited.

Mike Lawlor, a criminal law professor at the University of New Haven and a former chairman ofthe Legislatures Judiciary Committee, said the findings highlight how police discipline and accountability must be strengthened.The discipline handed out is not appropriate, Lawlor said. There is a lot of pressure to change the way they do this. A lot of this is governed by collective bargaining, which has to change.You cant keep giving a reprimand, said Howard Friedman, a Boston civil rights lawyer and member of the National Police Accountability Project, adding local police departments are often reluctant to get tough on their officers.

Milford Police Chief Keith Mello, a past president of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, said most departments try to issue fair discipline and use it to improve officer performance.What the public may not realize is we are holding people accountable, Mello said.Its not realistic to say every time a cop does something wrong, they should be fired, the chief said. Thats not supportable. We struggle with making sure we hold people accountable; that discipline is fair.

2.) Misconduct allegations are often dismissed

Most officers put under the microscope faced no discipline at all because their colleagues handling the internal investigations found no wrongdoing. Overall, about 40 percent of the charges against officers reviewed by Hearst Connecticut were sustained by the department, while the rest were dismissed as unfounded, not sustained, exonerated, and in some cases, officers quit mid-probe.

The rate of sustained charges goes down to almost one-third if one department, which had an unusually high rate of sustaining charges, is excluded.The records showed 34 officers retired or resigned while investigations were underway, a move that effectively ends the probe and results in no final determination.

Stamford in 2019 began investigations against four officers accused of alleged payroll theft. The officers retired before the probes concluded and were later arrested and charged with larceny related to off-duty work. The cases are pending in the state Superior Court in Stamford.

A Danbury officer in 2015 resigned after an investigation began in response to his arrest for larceny in New York state for allegedly breaking into vehicles.

3.) Police departments struggle with transparency

Seven departments, including Bridgeport  the states largest city  have not provided any information since Hearst Connecticut began requesting data months ago, with some requests dating back to last October.

Other departments that have not produced requested documents include: East Haven, Middletown, North Haven, Seymour, Shelton and West Haven.

The departments technically did not refuse to send information and claim to be working on producing it. However, the delays mean the departments are flouting timelines under the states public records law and keeping troves of data and documents about police misconduct effectively secret. Other agencies provided only vague descriptions of officer misconduct. Many offered standard terms such as code of conduct or performance of duties to describe the allegation against an officer, which offers no information about what the person was accused of or whether it was a serious offense.

That means its unclear, for example, if the records provided accurately reflect the total number of claims of excessive force. Only a small portion of charges Hearst Connecticut reviewed were clearly labeled as use of force investigations. Improper use of force allegations against 12 officers were sustained while 28 officers were cleared  more than twice as many.

Other departments provided heavily redacted documents, omitted punishments issued to officers or provided only investigation files that had been sustained. Some departments which initially provided information did not respond to requests for additional detail on specific cases. Few departments commented for the Hearst Connecticut investigation. Bree Spencer, senior manager of the policing program at the national Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, said transparency is key when assessing whether a police department is properly disciplining officers.

Ultimately, law enforcement agencies have been able to escape accountability, in part, due to poor data collection practices which obscure misconduct and use of force, Bree said. Transparency is necessary to change this paradigm.Internal investigations are not public proceedings and are conducted behind closed doors by other officers within the department. The results are rarely disclosed to the public and are not posted on town or city websites. State law can be used to block release of police personnel files and the discipline they receive. Friedman, the Boston civil rights lawyer, said one solution is opening police records so the public can easily assess discipline and allegations. Otherwise, [Officers] dont think the law applies to them because it doesnt.

4.) Law enforcement write the rules

For the most part, the rules local cops operate under, aside from federal civil rights dictates and state mandates, are determined by the police themselves. They come in the form of union contracts and internal rules of conduct and are generally similar from department to department.

Internal discipline is only as good as the rules, said Dan Barrett, legal director of the Connecticut Chapter of the ACLU. The cops write those rules ... [Those rules] may have nothing to do with the law or how we think they should behave.

According to the ACLU, half of the states in the U.S. have laws that give police special protections from investigation, though Connecticut is not among them; and 84 percent of police union contracts offer at least one barrier to disciplining an officer.

Some police contracts in Connecticut allow departments to destroy disciplinary records after only a few years, making it difficult even for internal investigators to determine a pattern of misconduct. Other provisions limit how officers can be questioned and bar disciplining an officer based on an anonymous complaint or even investigating anonymous complaints.

Police departments are also mindful of state labor boards. In Connecticut, the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration can reverse discipline, restore a demotion, or reinstate fired officers.

A Hearst Connecticut review in 2019 uncovered seven officers fired by Connecticut municipalities over the prior two years were reinstated by the mediation board.Mark Zuccerella, a spokesman for the Greenwich Police Department, said multiple factors go into establishing police rules and defended the departments existing processes.

The Greenwich Police Department disciplinary process is established in policy and governed bystate law, court decisions, collective bargaining agreements and best practices in model policies from professional organizations such as the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Zuccerella said. We stand behind our system of internal affairs and discipline and recognize thata carefully designed and administered system increases community trust in the Department, improves employee morale, identifies problems and remedies in the organization and enhances our ability to deliver superior police services.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A federal judge on Thursday appeared skeptical of arguments to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems over baseless 2020 election claims made by Trump allies Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani and the MyPillow Guy.

The voting system company sued the trio for $1.3 billion each after they claimed the company rigged the election for Democrat Joe Biden. Those claims, along with falsehoods from former President Donald Trump and others, helped spur a violent mob into storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, in a failed effort to stop the certification of Biden's victory.

The three persisted making the accusations even after government officials, both Republican and Democrat, and Trump's own attorney general said there was no evidence of widespread voter fraud. Dominion's voting equipment was used in several key battleground states.

On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols heard arguments made by attorneys for Powell, Giuliani and Mike Lindell, CEO of Minnesota-based MyPillow, that the case should be dismissed. The attorneys argued the speech was protected by the First Amendment, that Dominion should be considered a government agency because it provided voting equipment for elections and treated like a public figure. And in some cases, attorneys said, the statements made about Dominion were true  and therefore couldn't be considered malicious.

Nichols told the attorneys that the public debate over election security is "not the same as saying a particular company intentionally committed voter fraud."

Powell and Giuliani, both lawyers who filed election challenges on Trump's behalf, and Lindell made various unproven claims about the voting machine company, including that the company was created in Venezuela to rig elections for the late leader Hugo Chavez and that it has the ability to switch votes. Dominion has also sued Fox News and conservative media outlets over the same claims.

Dominion attorneys said that the three made purposeful and specific false claims aimed at defaming the voting company and that the claims persisted even after their legal claims challenging the election failed.

These were statements made in press conferences, in rallies, on social medial, on television ... including after the very lawsuits theyre referencing to the court were dismissed," attorney Tom Clare said.

Powell and Lindell appeared in court; Giuliani, whose law license was suspended in New York on Thursday after a panel found he'd made false statements about the election, did not.

There was no widespread fraud in the election, which a range of election officials across the country, including Trumps attorney general, William Barr, have confirmed. Republican governors in Arizona and Georgia, key battleground states crucial to Bidens victory, also vouched for the integrity of the elections in their states.

Nearly all the legal challenges from Trump and his allies were dismissed by judges, including two tossed by the Supreme Court, which includes three Trump-nominated justices.

The judge plans to rule at a later date.

___

Associated Press writer Nomaan Merchant in Washington contributed to this report.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Light rain this morning with thunderstorms developing for the afternoon. High 73F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms this evening. Skies will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low near 55F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Milton, PA (17847)

Today

Rain showers this morning with numerous thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. High 72F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Ogden jazz icon Joe McQueen may be gone, but his memory and legacy live on. One physical reminder of his life, McQueen's lifelong home at 3158 Grant Ave., has now become available for sale. The house received extensive remodeling, but as investor Richard Casperson has said, "Joe's energy is 
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, whose dying gasps under Chauvins knee led to the biggest outcry against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations.

The punishment  which fell short of the 30 years that prosecutors had requested  came after Chauvin broke his more than yearlong silence in court to offer condolences to the Floyd family and say he hopes more information coming out will eventually give them some peace of mind.

With good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could be paroled after serving two-thirds of his sentence, or about 15 years.

In imposing the punishment, Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines, citing your abuse of a position of trust and authority and also the particular cruelty shown to Floyd.

Chauvin was immediately led back to prison. As with the verdicts in April, he showed little emotion when the judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes moved rapidly around the courtroom, his COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his face.

The fired white officer was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for pressing his knee against Floyds neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man gasped that he couldnt breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020.

Bystander video of Floyds arrest on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner store prompted protests around the world and led to scattered violence in Minneapolis and beyond.

On Friday, Chauvin, who did not testify at his trial, removed his mask and turned toward the Floyd family, speaking only briefly because of what he called some additional legal matters at hand  an apparent reference to the federal civil rights trial he still faces.

But very briefly, though, I do want to give my condolences to the Floyd family. Theres going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest. And I hope things will give you some some peace of mind, he said, without elaborating.

In asking that Chauvin be left off on probation, defense attorney Eric Nelson called Floyds death tragic and said that Chauvin's brain is littered with what-ifs from that day: What if I just did not agree to go in that day? What if things had gone differently? What if I never responded to that call? What if what if what if?

Floyd's family members took the stand and expressed sorrow about his death. They asked for the maximum penalty.

We dont want to see no more slaps on the wrist. Weve been through that already," said a tearful Terrence Floyd, one of Floyd's brothers.

Floyd's nephew Brandon Williams said: Our family is forever broken. And Floyd's 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, in a video played in court, said that if she could say something to her father now, it would be: I miss you and and I love you.

Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked the judge to exceed sentencing guidelines and give Chauvin 30 years in prison, saying tortured is the right word for what the officer did to Floyd.

This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to the face. This is 9 minutes of cruelty to a man who was helpless and just begging for his life," Frank said.

Chauvin's mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, appeared in court to plead for mercy for son, saying his reputation has been unfairly reduced to that of an aggressive, heartless and uncaring person and a racist.

I can tell you that is far from the truth, she told the judge. I want this court to know that none of these things are true and that my son is a good man." She added: Derek, I want you to know I have always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that.

I will be here for you when you come home, she said.

The concrete barricades, razor wire and National Guard patrols at the courthouse during Chauvin's three-week trial in the spring were gone Friday, reflecting an easing of tensions since the verdict in April.

Ahead of the sentencing, the judge agreed with prosecutors that there were aggravating circumstances that could justify a heavier punishment than the recommended 12 1/2 years  among them, that Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty, abused his position of authority as a police officer and did it in front of children.

Before the sentencing, the judge denied Chauvins request for a new trial. The defense had argued that the intense publicity tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved away from Minneapolis.

The judge also rejected a defense request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct. Nelson had accused a juror of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered the juror had been open about his views.

Philip Stinson, a criminal justice professor at Bowling Green State University, said 11 non-federal law officers, including Chauvin, have been convicted of murder for on-duty deaths since 2005. The penalties for the nine who were sentenced before Chauvin ranged from from six years, nine months, to life behind bars, with the median being 15 years.

With Chauvins sentencing, the Floyd family and Black America witnessed something of a rarity: In the small number of instances in which officers accused of brutality or other misconduct against Black people have gone to trial, the list of acquittals and mistrials is longer than the list of sentencings after conviction.

In recent years, the acquittals have included officers tried in the deaths of Philando Castile in suburban Minneapolis and Terence Crutcher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Two mistrials were declared over the death of Samuel Dubose in Cincinnati.

Thats why the world has watched this trial, because it is a rare occurrence, said Arizona-based civil rights attorney Benjamin Taylor, who has represented victims of police brutality. Everybody knows that this doesnt happen every day.

Chauvin has been held since his conviction at the state's maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights, where he has been kept in a cell by himself for his own protection, his meals brought to him.

The three other officers involved in Floyd's arrest are scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. They will also stand trial with Floyd on the federal civil rights charges. No date has been set for that trial.



Associated Press writers Aaron Morrison and Stephen Groves and Associated Press/Report for America reporter Mohamed Ibrahim contributed to this report.



Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
Blog Archive Apr 2010 (22) May 2010 (25) Jun 2010 (8) Jul 2010 (12) Aug 2010 (18) Sep 2010 (19) Oct 2010 (29) Nov 2010 (30) Dec 2010 (18) Jan 2011 (13) Feb 2011 (21) Mar 2011 (23) Apr 2011 (19) May 2011 (31) Jun 2011 (36) Jul 2011 (46) Aug 2011 (26) Sep 2011 (12) Oct 2011 (15) Nov 2011 (17) Dec 2011 (7) Jan 2012 (18) Feb 2012 (4) Mar 2012 (12) Apr 2012 (18) May 2012 (10) Jun 2012 (21) Jul 2012 (8) Aug 2012 (15) Sep 2012 (7) Oct 2012 (17) Nov 2012 (20) Dec 2012 (10) Jan 2013 (58) Feb 2013 (59) Mar 2013 (60) Apr 2013 (98) May 2013 (135) Jun 2013 (204) Jul 2013 (293) Aug 2013 (351) Sep 2013 (363) Oct 2013 (348) Nov 2013 (374) Dec 2013 (442) Jan 2014 (547) Feb 2014 (476) Mar 2014 (526) Apr 2014 (527) May 2014 (469) Jun 2014 (408) Jul 2014 (472) Aug 2014 (522) Sep 2014 (443) Oct 2014 (472) Nov 2014 (497) Dec 2014 (536) Jan 2015 (539) Feb 2015 (520) Mar 2015 (582) Apr 2015 (658) May 2015 (679) Jun 2015 (673) Jul 2015 (728) Aug 2015 (803) Sep 2015 (923) Oct 2015 (924) Nov 2015 (802) Dec 2015 (791) Jan 2016 (782) Feb 2016 (835) Mar 2016 (929) Apr 2016 (866) May 2016 (947) Jun 2016 (1044) Jul 2016 (882) Aug 2016 (1035) Sep 2016 (967) Oct 2016 (918) Nov 2016 (854) Dec 2016 (885) Jan 2017 (881) Feb 2017 (777) Mar 2017 (897) Apr 2017 (872) May 2017 (851) Jun 2017 (851) Jul 2017 (971) Aug 2017 (1040) Sep 2017 (998) Oct 2017 (1144) Nov 2017 (1046) Dec 2017 (838) Jan 2018 (873) Feb 2018 (769) Mar 2018 (885) Apr 2018 (809) May 2018 (827) Jun 2018 (820) Jul 2018 (840) Aug 2018 (854) Sep 2018 (844) Oct 2018 (852) Nov 2018 (870) Dec 2018 (912) Jan 2019 (919) Feb 2019 (827) Mar 2019 (957) Apr 2019 (913) May 2019 (1007) Jun 2019 (935) Jul 2019 (950) Aug 2019 (936) Sep 2019 (910) Oct 2019 (920) Nov 2019 (874) Dec 2019 (908) Jan 2020 (942) Feb 2020 (849) Mar 2020 (898) Apr 2020 (848) May 2020 (822) Jun 2020 (789) Jul 2020 (819) Aug 2020 (858) Sep 2020 (841) Oct 2020 (873) Nov 2020 (812) Dec 2020 (780) Jan 2021 (765) Feb 2021 (716) Mar 2021 (819) Apr 2021 (805) May 2021 (815) Jun 2021 (824) Jul 2021 (65)
A number of 96 African swine fever outbreaks were active on Thursday in Romania, with as many as 34,708 pigs being affected, according to a press release sent on Friday by the National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA).

Of the 96 active outbreaks, two were in commercial exploitations and two outbreaks in type A commercial exploitations.

As of Friday, June 18 and until Thursday, June 24, there were 7 new African swine fever outbreaks recorded, as follows: 3 outbreaks in Teleorman County and one outbreak each in the counties of Bistrita Nasaud, Gorj, Satu Mare and Salaj, Agerpres informs.

During this period there were 41 African swine flu outbreaks extinguished: 16 outbreaks in Sibiu county, 10 outbreaks in the Alba county, 5 outbreaks in the counties of Mures and Maramures, 2 outbreaks in Buzau, one outbreak each in Bistrita Nasaud, Constanta and Salaj.

Regarding cases in boars, from Friday to Thursday there were 13 new cases of African swine fever registered.

Since the first signaling of the African swine fever in Romania - July 31, 2017 - and until now, there were 5,769 cases diagnosed in boars from 41 counties.

In accordance with European regulations, the cases in boars are extinguished after at least 2 years since they appear.

There is no vaccine for this disease, the only way of protecting the health of the animals is to respect bio-security conditions.

African swine fever does not produce illness in people but this virus has a disastrous impact at an economic and social level, ANSVSA specifies.
Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, in command of the British Royal Air Force and Chief of the German Air Force, Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, will sign, on July 1, at 57th Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, the Declaration on Eurofighter Typhoon interoperability for joint Air Policing missions, agerpres reports.

The ceremony will be hosted by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Major General Viorel Pana, informs a press release from the Ministry of National Defense (MApN).

During the same ceremony, Lieutenant General Gerhartz and Major General Pana will sign the Declaration of Intent on the Development of Bilateral Relations in the aviation sector.On this occasion, shows the MApN release, there will be a demonstration task on the joint execution of an Enhanced Air Policing mission, in which aircraft belonging to the MiG-21 LanceR detachment will participate together with Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft of the British Royal Air Force and German Air Force deployed at 57th Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base.Thus, on July 2, soldiers with the three air forces will conduct an enhanced Air Defense Exercise - ADEX.The execution of this exercise also includes the interception of a "target" aircraft, represented by a C - 27 J Spartan transport aircraft operated by the Romanian Air Force, on the route Otopeni Air Base 90 - 57th Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, by F16 Fighting Falcon aircraft belonging to the Romanian Air Force in the permanent combat service and air policing and, subsequently, of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft of the British Royal Air Force and the German Air Force.The joint air policing missions contribute to the development of the reaction and deterrence capacity, as well as to strengthening the interoperability between the Romanian, British and German Air Forces, the cited source states.The Romanian Air Force has been performing Air Policing mission under the command of CAOC Torrejon since the beginning of NATO membership. NATO enhanced Air Policing is a peacetime collective defense mission to protect the integrity of the Alliance's airspace. At any moment, two fighter jets are prepared for the Air Policing Combat Service at the 57th Air Base Mihail Kogalniceanu.The main mission of the combat- Air Policing service is to defend the national airspace, by intercepting aircraft entering the national territory without authorization, for various reasons.
The National Meteorological Administration (ANM) has issued a Code Orange warning for rains, heavy storms and hail for 32 counties, valid from Friday, 14:00, until Saturday, 6:00, as well as a warning temporarily accentuated atmospheric instability Code Yellow all over Romania, valid from Friday, 12:00, until Saturday, 23:00.

According to the Code Orange warning, in Maramures, Transylvania, Oltenia, Banat, Crisana, western and northern Muntenia and Moldavia, there will be periods of particularly marked atmospheric instability. There will be strong storms, wind intensifications with gusts of over 80-100 km / h, frequent electric discharges and medium and large hail grains. The showers will be torrential, and the quantities of water will exceed locally 35-50 l / sqm and isolatedly, especially in the west, centre and in the mountains, 70 l / sqm.

The targeted counties are: Botosani, Suceava, Neamt, Bacau, Vrancea, Buzau, Covasna, Harghita, Satu Mare, Maramures, Bistrita-Nasaud, Mures, Brasov, Prahova, Dambovita, Arges, Giurgiu, Teleorman, Olt, Mehedinti, Sibiu, Alba, Cluj, Salaj, Bihor, Arad, Hunedoara, Timis and Caras-Severin.Also, from Friday afternoon to Saturday night, atmospheric instability will intensify and expand so that in all regions there will be periods of storms, torrential downpours, lightning and hail. In short time intervals the water quantities will exceed locally 20-40 l / sqm.On the other hand, the ANM maintains the Code Yellow alert for Heat and Thermal Discomfort on Friday throughout the country. The temperature-humidity index will exceed the critical threshold of 80 units over large areas and locally there will be registered scorching heat.At the same time, for Oltenia, Banat, Crisana, the southwest of Transylvania there has been issued a Code Orange, because the thermal discomfort will remain particularly high, it will be hot, and the maximum values of the air temperature will frequently reach 35-38 degrees.
Deputy Prime Minister Dan Barna said today that given the German companies and municipalities' significant experience with green energy transition and smart cities, they should be a natural partner in this regard for the Romanian local authorities.

Speaking at a conference organized by the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK Romania) and the German Eastern Business Association e.V. (OA), with the support of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry e.V. (DIHK), Barna said: "The post-pandemic economy will change significantly. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) represents a great opportunity, because new economic areas will develop. (...) Germany is Romania's most important industrial partner and is ranked among the top three by overall investments, but in the field of industrial production it's the most relevant partner. The Green Deal means that Romania will have to use the PNRR funds for new industrial fields related to green energy, smart cities - where Germany has a significant experience. All this experience, this knowledge will have to be transferred to Romania, to our municipalities. And for most of them, German companies and German municipalities are and should be a natural partner."

Barna pointed out that the concrete implementation of projects under the six PNRR pillars (green transition, digital transformation, sustainable development, social cohesion, health and education) requires knowledge in the field of digitalization and public service development from a green perspective, Agerpres informs.

"There is a discussion underway within the government about this transition and its calendar, because, as in the case of railway infrastructure and highways, Romania registers significant delays. Therefore, in the energy sector where a quantum leap to pure green energy is not possible for social or technological reasons, we are planning a period of three to six years for this energy transition. (...) Just like everywhere else, mimicry works here too. When you see other companies implementing something that works, you become eager to do the same. We need a few projects to take steps ahead of the rest of the industry," Barna said.

In the digital field, he said that the priority for the next two to three years is to create a government cloud.

"There's a strange paradox in Romania. In the private sector - I dare say - Romania is one of the most relevant players in the field, with important companies, with good experience and services delivered worldwide. The public sector is lagging years behind. This is precisely the priority of the government and the PNRR, and the digital transformation is a crucial priority for the public sector. In recent years the strategy was wrong, in the sense that each public institution has tried to develop its own IT environment. They acquired their own servers, software, and at this moment the public sector is somewhat dysfunctional as regards digitization, because these softwares do not communicate with each other. The government cloud interconnecting all institutions is the main objective of the PNRR digitization pillar," said the Deputy PM.
Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu highlighted on Friday the importance that the European Union attaches to the countries in its Eastern Neighbourhood, as well as the EU interest in an increased involvement in the region, including in order to solve prolonged conflicts, in talks in Baku with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and with head of Azerbaijani diplomacy Jeyhun Bayramov.

According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE), Aurescu welcomed the recent progress in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and voiced EU support for continuing efforts to ease tension between the two countries, including the release of detainees in Azerbaijan following the conflict last year and to facilitate the submission by Armenia of the necessary maps for demining operations, with the aim of developing, as soon as possible, a positive agenda for cooperation in the South Caucasus, agerpres reports.

He pleaded for more exchange of persons detained in reciprocity with the submission of maps for demining. Other related issues were also discussed, such as the delimitation of borders between the parties and access of humanitarian organizations to the conflict-affected area, and the potential for EU involvement in the reconstruction of the area.Aurescu also voiced support for the need of measures to be adopted to increase trust between the parties, post-conflict rehabilitation and stabilisation, to which the EU can contribute, and steps to reconcile the two societies. He also said that, as proposed at the Lisbon meeting in May, the EU was encouraging increased co-operation among the three states in the South Caucasus, a trilateral format that could be joined by the EU as a facilitator. Energy can also play a relevant role. Last but not least, he underscored the importance of concluding a comprehensive peace treaty that would resolve all outstanding issues.Aurescu encouraged the Azerbaijani side to further deepen relations with the EU, including by finalising negotiations on the New EU-Azerbaijan Agreement, which will provide a comprehensive framework for co-operation, as well as by seizing the opportunities offered by the Eastern Partnership, with the Azerbaijani President agreeing on immediate resumption of negotiations and setting as its objective its signing by the end of the year. Aurescu underscored that Azerbaijan is an important partner of the EU in terms of its contribution to ensuring European energy security and its geostrategic position, and pointed out that Azerbaijan is essential for the stability, security and prosperity of the South Caucasus region.At the same time, Aurescu underlined the importance of a very good preparation of the Eastern Partnership Summit in December, with the Azerbaijani President maintaining his country's interest in a constructive commitment to the summit.Aurescu and senior Azerbaijani dignitaries mentioned the excellent state of relations between Romania and Azerbaijan, as Romania was the first EU member country to conclude a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan, in 2009, and 2021 marks 30 years since Romania recognised Azerbaijan's independence. In his conversations with his Azari counterpart, he underlined the importance of the Black Sea -Caspian Sea freight corridor project promoted by Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, for the growth of the regional community and for the intensification of the Romanian-Azerbaijani exchanges.Aurescu was on a two-day regional tour in the South Caucasus with Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis under a coordinated mandate with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Political Affairs Josep Borrell. The tour is a first concrete result of debates at the Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers (Gymnich format) of Lisbon on 27 May.
The visit to the South Caucasus of three EU foreign ministers is a "reconfirmation of the priority that both the EU and the Member States give to the stability and security of states" in this region, including "through greater involvement with a view to a lasting settlement of protracted conflicts," Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Friday during talks in Yerevan with President Armen Sarksyan and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, informs a press release.

In this context, the Romanian top diplomat expressed the EU's support for furthering efforts to de-escalate relations between the two states, including by continuing the release of detainees from Azerbaijan following last year's conflict and Armenia making available the necessary maps for the mine clearance operations.

The minister emphasized the importance of these gestures from a humanitarian point of view, respectively for boosting the trust between the two parties, reiterating the EU's readiness to support this process, Agerpres informs.

The minister also stressed the need for confidence-building measures in support of which the EU can get involved. Sensitive aspects of the overall settlement of the conflict were discussed, such as humanitarian access to the region affected by the conflict, the delimitation of the border, the withdrawal of troops from the border area, Minister Aurescu pointing out the steps in which the EU could get involved.

As regards the regional situation, similar to the discussions in Baku, Minister Bogdan Aurescu called for the the EU-facilitated promotion of a regional cooperation format between the three states of the South Caucasus, so as to project a positive agenda in the region, the Armenian prime minister's reaction being mostly positive, the Romanian ministry specifies.

The official reiterated Romania's support for the development of Armenia's cooperation with the EU, including by capitalizing on the opportunities offered by the Eastern Partnership and stressed the importance of leveraging the opportunities created in the process of implementing the EU-Republic of Armenia Consolidated and Comprehensive Partnership Agreement, ratified by Romania in 2019, having fully entered into force on March 1, 2021. The Romanian Minister also pleaded for the continuation of reforms in support of the consolidation of democracy and the rule of law, welcoming the progress already made in terms of justice reform.

Bilaterally, Minister Bogdan Aurescu evoked, in the discussion with the Armenian President, the solid foundations of the Romanian-Armenian relations: the historical friendship between the Romanian and Armenian peoples, as well as the contribution of the Armenian community in Romania to the achievements in Romanian culture and spirituality. Romania was the first country to recognize the independence of the Republic of Armenia and to establish diplomatic relations with the latter in 1991.

Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu is on a regional tour of the South Caucasus until Saturday, accompanied by the top diplomats from Austria and Lithuania, Alexander Schallenberg and Gabrielius Landsbergis, by virtue of the coordinated mandate with the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. The tour is the first concrete outcome of the debates at the Informal Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers (Gymnich format) in Lisbon on 27 May.
The total value of outstanding loan repayments in lei of the population and companies in May 2021 amounted to 4.5 billion lei, down 0.6% from the amount reported in the previous month, while arrears on foreign currency loans decreased by 2.64%, to 1.48 billion lei (equivalent), according to data from the National Bank of Romania (BNR).

The total loans in lei reached, in May, 209.8 billion lei (by 1.32% over the value of the previous month), of which 79.714 billion lei represented amounts taken out by economic agents and 125.388 billion lei were loans taken out by the population.

Loans in foreign currency totaled 90.104 billion lei equivalent in May 2021 (0.04% less than in April 2021), of which 53.351 billion lei - loans taken out by economic agents and 29.965 billion lei - loans taken out by the population.At the end of May, Bucharest had outstanding loan repayments in lei amounting to 1.812 billion lei (1.831 billion lei in April) and in foreign currency of 557.8 million lei, equivalent (557.3 million lei in April).The total loans in lei taken in Bucharest amounted to 76.567 billion lei in May (75.402 billion lei the previous month), and those in foreign currency to 46.767 billion lei (46.761 billion lei in April), agerpres reports.
Prime Minister Florin Citu today voiced his dissatisfaction that a bill repealing a regulatory act that prohibits foreign investments in state-owned companies is blocked in the Chamber of Deputies.

"I am not very happy that this law did not clear the Romanian Parliament. In fact, I am very upset that it did not pass. It is the law by which the Social Democratic Party forbade foreign investments in Romania in state-owned companies. It somehow tells us to give money from the budget, from the Romanians' taxes, to invest in loss-making state-run companies. We passed through the Government the bill that repeals that law. It cleared the Senate but it got stuck in the Chamber of Deputies," premier Citu told a press conference in Piatra Neamt.

He hinted that the delay in the passage of the bill in the Lower House led by Ludovic Orban is generated by the internal political struggle in the National Liberal Party, Agerpres informs.

"For a government that is right-wing, center-right, a government that wants reform, a government that attracts investment, there is no justification for that law not to pass, unless ... I hope it's not about internal political struggles and that we should all suffer because someone is trying to obstruct the Government due to internal politics," said Citu.
Prime Minister Florin Citu declared today in Piatra Neamt that investments are his government's priority because "for too many years the money has gone into social assistance" and this is not the right way to develop a country.

"The priority of this government are investments. When you allocate more resources to investments, more money is returned to the budget and not the other way around. For too many years (...) the money has gone into social assistance. You don't develop, you don't modernize a country by allocating money for social assistance, on the contrary, you make those people prisoners to poverty. The Liberal solution to lifting Romania out of poverty are investments. We made investments, we have economic growth - one of the most significant in the European Union, and you will see that then we will have money to also pay higher pensions, allowances and wages. This is the only way things work - first invest, then you can share out, because otherwise you have nothing to share but debts," said Florin Citu.

The Prime Minister gave assurances that investments under the National Local Development Plan (PNDL) will continue and all the bills for the works will be settled, Agerpres informs.

"I came here today as Prime Minister. I am touring the country because in recent years some of Romania's areas have been left behind by past governments and administrations, and for some this is still happening. I have been in the country south, I also came to Moldova, and it seems that these areas that had Social Democrat administrations were left behind in terms of investments. We started by paying the bills of the companies that worked in these areas and all over the country. When we took over government in 2019, unpaid bills were seven or eight months overdue. Today we paid two more bills of 220 million lei for PNDL projects, so no financing is halted, we announced that payments for projects will continue," Citu said
On Friday, Prime Minister Florin Citu expressed his support for dual education, but also for the competition for funding between research centers, agerpres reports.

The clarifications were made during a conference organized by the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK Romania) and the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, with the support of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce e. V. (DIHK).

The Prime Minister stated that education and health are priorities for the government and recalled that the National Recovery and Resilience Plan provides for 3.6 billion euros for the implementation of the "Educated Romania" programme. He also said he supports competition for funding between research centers."When it comes to research, I think there's a lot to be done. Personally, I envisage research centers near universities. This is the system I prefer. I also prefer these research centers to compete for funding. I strongly believe that only through competition for funds can we achieve something in the field of research. (...) We should make sure that the money allocated to research produces something. (...) Only competition brings the best results. Otherwise, we will allocate money to research centers, without any results. I think it is something that not only Romania understands. There is an understanding across Europe that research must be funded, but that on the other hand there must be something tangible, and the centers must compete for funding," the prime minister said.At the same time, he pointed out that, in terms of vocational education, there are models of collaboration at the local level that can be taken over."We don't have to reinvent the wheel. So when it comes to vocational education, we already have very good practices in Romania. We have companies, some of them German, that have already created systems: high schools are in proximity and students are trained for these companies or for others who need people in the field. What we need to do is take this practice and expand it across the country. We'll see how it will be financially supported, but I don't want to do anything differently. This works. And I saw it in Maramures, Satu Mare, Brasov or in Timisoara," said Citu.The prime minister said that the Kurzarbeit mechanism will be maintained even after the state of alert is over."The Kurzarbeit mechanism will be maintained. We have improved it, we will see how the new variant works. If it needs improvements, we will continue to improve it. But it will be maintained after the state of alert," Citu said.As regards the implementation of the Green Deal objectives, the Prime Minister showed that Romania supports these desiderata, but showed that they cannot be implemented by all states in the same rhythm."This is another challenge. Romania fully supports the Green Deal, but Romania is starting off, like a few other states, from another point. For us, the speed of implementing the Green Deal objectives comes with a social cost. There is, of course, support in this regard through funds from the European Union and we must ensure that they arrive on time, but we will also make sure that areas in Romania where there will be social costs develop faster, that these areas are priorities for investors. We don't want to leave anyone behind. (...) We know it's a global problem, everyone acknowledges this. We all have to do our duty, but I think Romania and a few other countries have a different speed to achieve that goal," Prime Minister Citu went on to say.
Florentina Peia reports: President Klaus Iohannis emphasized at the European Council meeting the importance of flexible and fast procedures to assess the National Recovery and Resilience Plans, so as to ensure an easy and fast access of the states to earmarked funds, the Presidential Administration informs.

"President Klaus Iohannis reiterated the importance and special contribution of the financial instruments of the 2021 - 2027 Multiannual Financial Framework and of the EU recovery instrument in supporting member states' efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic. In this context, the Romanian President emphasized the importance of flexible and fast procedures for the assessment of the National Recovery and Resilience Plans, in order to ensure the easy and fast access of the states to the allocated funds," the Presidential Administration said.

As regards the economic recovery process, the leaders' discussions focused on the stage of implementation of the European Recovery Plan, with the heads of state and government welcoming the timely coming into force of the Own Resources Decision, and encouraging also the continuation of procedures to approve the National Recovery and Resilience Plans whilst emphasizing the importance of a rapid implementation process, Agerpres informs.

The European leaders also welcomed the targets set at EU level through the Action Plan on the European Pillar of Social Rights, while also expressing expectations of progress in reforming the global tax system on a consensual basis within the framework of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

President Klaus Iohannis attended on Thursday and Friday the European Council meeting and the Euro Summit in an extended format.

The main topics on the agenda of the European Council were the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic recovery process, migration issues, the European Union's relations with Turkey, the EU's relations with the Russian Federation, as well as other topical issues of the Union's external agenda. The meeting of the European leaders ended with the adoption of conclusions. Another topic discussed were the recent developments in Hungary regarding the Law on the adoption of a stronger course of action against persons committing the crime of pedophilia and the amendment of certain laws for the protection of children. Also, a working lunch with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the topic of global challenges took place on the sidelines of the European Council meeting.
President Klaus Iohannis has invited European Union member states to contribute to the activity of the Euro-Atlantic Resilience Center in Bucharest by inviting experts.

The head of state attended the European Council meeting and the Euro Summit in an extended format on Thursday and Friday.

The main topics on the agenda of the European Council were the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic recovery process, migration issues, the European Union's (EU) relations with Turkey, the relations of the EU with the Russian Federation, as well as other topical issues of the Union's external agenda. Following the discussions of the European leaders, conclusions were adopted. Another topic discussed concerned the recent developments in Hungary concerning the Law on the adoption of a stronger course of action against persons committing the crime of pedophilia and the amendment of certain laws for the protection of children. Also, a working lunch with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the topic of global challenges took place on the sidelines of the European Council meeting, Agerpres informs.

The Presidential Administration points out that, with regard to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the conclusions adopted, the leaders welcomed the progress in the vaccination process and the improvement of the epidemiological situation in the Member States, also stressing the need to continue the vaccination process and to maintain a cautious, coordinated approach on future developments. The leaders also showed that recent progress on proposals for regulations on the COVID Digital Certificate and amending the Council's recommendations on travel within and outside the EU will help facilitate free movement across the Union. The heads of state and government reaffirmed the EU's commitment to international solidarity, as well as the need to continue efforts to stimulate global vaccine production. The European leaders also exchanged views on the lessons learned in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and on future directions for action to strengthen EU's resilience, based on the report prepared by the European Commission.

According to the Presidential Administration, in his speech, President Klaus Iohannis praised the efforts made at Union level on the joint procurement of vaccines that have contributed to an efficient management of the situation and welcomed the improvement of the epidemiological situation, advocating a balanced and cautious approach for the future. He emphasized the importance of strengthening the EU's capacity to respond to potential new crises by strengthening the Union's resilience, a key concept in future action. In this context, President Iohannis mentioned Romania's initiative to create the Euro-Atlantic Resilience Center, inviting the other member states to contribute to the activity of this Center by sending experts.
President Klaus Iohannis met, on Friday, before the meeting of the European Council, with the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sanchez.

According to the Presidential Administration, the talks between the two officials aimed at reaffirming the political commitment to deepen and properly capitalize on the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the Kingdom of Spain, especially in the context of celebrating 140 years of diplomatic relations this year, agerpres reports.

President Klaus Iohannis is attending a meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday and Friday.On Thursday, the head of state also attended the summit of the European People's Party (EPP) and decorated the President of the EPP, Donald Tusk, former President of the European Council, with the National Order "Star of Romania" in the rank of Grand Cross, in a ceremony that took place at the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union.
Prime Minister Florin Citu said on Friday that the Government will allocate at least 15 billion euros annually for investments and stressed that this aspect, together with the 76 billion euros from European funds, represents an opportunity for companies that want to develop business in Romania.

The clarifications were made during a conference organized by the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK Romania) and the German Economy Committee for Eastern Europe e.V. (OA), with the support of the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry e.V. (DIHK).

According to the Prime Minister, the 76 billion euros, coming from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, as well as from the other European funds, represents an important opportunity for Romania, to which will be added at least 15 billion euros spent annually by the Government for investments.Citu brought to mind that the Standard & Poor agency changed Romania's outlook from "negative" to "stable". At the same time, he reiterated the Government's commitment not to increase taxes, pointing out that there are other ways in which revenues can be increased, agerpres reports.According to Florin Citu, the increase in investments in the first quarter demonstrates that there is confidence in the current Government from the business environment."The relationship between the Romanian and German economy is a strong one. From my point of view, it must become stronger and this is what the Government will do in the future. We will do many things to make Romania more attractive for investment. Our strategy for this year and the next ones is to gradually increase Government's investments in the economy," he said.
This content was produced by Brand Ave. Studios. The news and editorial departments of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had no role in its creation or display. Brand Ave. Studios connects advertisers with a targeted audience through compelling content programs, from concept to production and distribution. For more information contact sales@brandavestudios.com
JEFFERSON CITY  A state program meant to distribute hundreds of millions of dollars in federal rental assistance has spent just a fraction of the funds thus far and is signing up social service agencies around the state to help it get money out the door.

The Missouri Housing Development Commission announced Thursday that it had enlisted help from 13 social service agencies across the state to help renters and landlords apply for the money.

The announcement comes more than four months after the agency began accepting applications for a $324 million pool of federal rental assistance dollars sent to the state as part of the $900 billion relief package Congress passed in December. Allocating the cash was among the first pieces of legislation state lawmakers sent this year to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, who signed it Feb. 11.

But the state has spent just $12.4 million of that, and an additional $269 million is on its way from the American Rescue Plan, the stimulus bill signed by President Joe Biden in March.
First to Fall provides an excellent overview of Lovejoys brief but eventful life. Born in 1802 in what is now the state of Maine, Lovejoy as a young man journeyed to St. Louis. He edited a newspaper until he experienced a religious conversion, which inspired him to study for the ministry at Princeton University. Returning to the Gateway City, he served as editor of the St. Louis Observer until his editorials lambasting slavery compelled him to move his newspaper across the Mississippi River to Alton.

Since Illinois was a free state, Lovejoy thought that Alton residents would better tolerate a newspaper whose editor criticized slavery. It was a deadly miscalculation on his part. Lovejoy spent the last few hours of his life besieged in a riverfront warehouse where he and a small band of allies unsuccessfully tried to defend his latest printing press from a whiskey-fueled mob. Lovejoy was shot to death by a member of this horde on Nov. 7, 1837, at age 34. The mob then entered the warehouse, smashed the printing press and tossed its pieces into the river. It was the fifth Observer press destroyed by mob action  the first one in St. Louis and the next four in Alton.
There is a certain sameness to the Illinois farmland.

Field after field of lush green corn. Field after field of emerald green soy beans. Occasional fields of green wheat.

And over there, standing out like an exclamation point, is a little patch of bright purple.

Tenderloin Farms, a few miles north of Edwardsville, has been growing lavender for five years. After mostly selling their products at farmers markets in Edwardsville, this year the farm opened to the public with a u-pick section.

Sisters Kim Hansen and Kris Straub grow about 15 varieties of lavender, including Hidcote (English lavender), Provence and the hardy Dilly Dilly, though only a few are ready for picking at any one time.

The cool weeks of early summer pushed this year's lavender season back a bit, which is a boon to local harvesters. The pick-your-own section this year opened June 4; the last weekend was originally scheduled to be July 2-4, but the farm may be open additional weekends if the lavender is still blooming.

Reservations are highly advised. Other lavender farms in the area include Long Row Lavender in Wright City and the College Hill Foundation Lavender Farm in north city.

Tenderloin Farms has been in the sisters family for more than 100 years, making it an Illinois Centennial Farm. Lavender is just a tiny part of the operation, spread out across one of the farm's 300 acres in four locations. The rest of the land is devoted to corn and soy beans.

It wasnt always that way. The name Tenderloin Farms dates back to when their parents ran it as a hog farm. Their grandfather brought in dairy cows, and their great-grandfather grew hay.

So in a sense, growing lavender is part of a family tradition of trying something new.

The idea for lavender came when the sisters were looking at how to make money from a small part of their farm that is too hilly to be tilled. Their father had used it as a pasture for beef cattle that he kept almost as a hobby, they said.

They inherited the farm after their mother died in 2014 and their father in 2016. They tested the soil to see what could grow there and discovered that lavender  or some types of lavender  might be a perfect fit. They were also influenced by an article they read about a couple of sisters on the East Coast who began growing lavender on a former hog farm after their parents died.

The coincidences were too great to be ignored.

The sisters have had some successes and some failures, and are still learning the business. Lavender usually grows in drier climates, so they allow extra room between plants to let the breeze blow away some of the humidity. Midwestern winters can be too harsh for some varieties of lavender, so they erect wind fences in the late fall that help protect the plants.

The lavender part of the farm is all natural, Hansen said. They do the planting and dig up the weeds by hand. They use no fertilizer or pesticides.

Deer leave it alone, said Straub, and so do most insect pests. The exception is grasshoppers, but they arent a problem at Tenderloin Farms, which is also home to about 30 wild turkeys.

The turkeys dont like the lavender, but they sure love those grasshoppers, Hansen said.

Beneficial bees seem to love most of the lavender there, though they clearly avoid a few of the varieties. Butterflies are attracted to it, too  the farm is in the migration path for monarch butterflies  but, anecdotally, mosquitos appear to be repelled by it.

All that, and its beautiful, too, with a heady aroma that many people find calming.

A converted, century-old dairy barn serves as the farms gift shop, where the sisters sell lavender-based items they grow and make themselves. Lavender-scented soaps  some use exfoliating loofah from gourds they grow on the farm  bath bombs and shower steamers are popular. Lavender eye and neck pillows are big, too, along with lavender candles set inside vintage tea cups and dessert bowls.

Where do they find the time to make all of these, run a farm and tend to regular day jobs in IT?

We really dont like sleeping, Hansen said.

Sleeping is a hobby, said Straub, who retired from her regular job at the end of last year.

Most of the items they make are available at their online shop; the physical shop is only open during the u-pick hours.

The lavender they grow is all food grade, and the sisters have been cooking with it. Hansen has grilled a lavender pot roast and made lavender chicken breasts, while Straub has taken a sweet route: lavender cookies, lavender lemonade and lavender-poppy seed pound cake.

Ill throw it in my coffee. I made lavender French toast and cooked it in a waffle (iron). Delicious, Hansen said.

Tenderloin Farms is open for photos for free on weekends when it is open to the public, or for $25 an hour  with a minimum of two hours  when it is closed. A high school graduate used it for photos recently, and so did a bride and a woman who came for pictures to celebrate her pregnancy.

With proper care, some varieties of lavender, such as Hidcote, will bloom up to five times a year (the next bloom should be in about four to six weeks, depending on the weather). There will be plenty more opportunities for pictures and picking later in the year.

Just look for the bright patch of purple among all the green.

Tenderloin Farms

Where 6368 St. James Drive, Edwardsville  When Open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at least through July 4  How much Admission is free; u-pick is $10 for a bundle of lavender. Reservations are available at tfilavender.com (use coupon code FREEVISIT for free admission).  More info tfilavender.com or 618-593-8194.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The highest proportion of the variant was detected in the southwest, with about 67% of all the known Delta cases. In addition, sewage samples from 23 wastewater treatment facilities across the state found the Delta variant at 16 locations.

U.S. Region 7, which includes Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, currently has the highest percentage of the Delta variant in the country, according to national variant surveillance data  almost 35% of virus samples collected over two weeks ending June 5, up from just 1.6% a month prior.

Vaccinations urged

State health officials continue to encourage those ages 12 and up to get vaccinated, and social distancing and appropriate masking remain very important countermeasures.

The DHSS advisory informed providers about patient data from the United Kingdom, where the Delta variant now accounts for 91% of COVID-19 cases. The data shows symptoms may differ among those sickened with the variant.

Headache, followed by a runny nose and sore throat, were more common than the typical fever and cough. Loss of smell was even less common.

Most cases were in young people who had not been vaccinated.
We hate the idea of even having to have cameras, Bosley added. Its stressful, but its as stressful or even more stressful not knowing where these bullets are coming from.

Boyd said he thought the bill would result in aldermen micromanaging the police department and said the measure needed more input from majority Black neighborhoods.

We (aldermen) dont understand law enforcement. We dont know what they need to do their job, Boyd said, adding, Aldermen that represent 90% Black wards are not interested in this and were not being listened to, and thats not right.

Alderman Carol Howard, Ward 14, also raised concerns that the reporting requirements might be burdensome to city police.

I wonder if we do not even have data from the police department, do we have staffing to do this? Howard asked, referencing a lag in police public crime data reporting. I really am concerned about how do we employ the police. We want more police on the streets, but then were asking them to do this type of thing.
SPANISH LAKE  When Trinity Catholic High School closes for good this summer, it will mark the end of more than 70 years of Archdiocesan secondary education in St. Louis County.

Trinity was established as a co-ed high school in 2003 with the merger of three schools  St. Thomas Aquinas-Mercy High (created in a previous merger) in Florissant and Rosary High in Spanish Lake. Nearly 30,000 alumni have graduated from the high schools since the oldest of the four, Mercy, opened in 1948.

Therese Leonard met her future husband at St. Thomas Aquinas, waiting for band class to start. Years later, their three children attended Trinity, where she also taught for 14 years.

I can say with certainty that their experience at Trinity went far beyond book learning. They were pushed out of their comfort zones and challenged to be better versions of themselves, Leonard said. We have all made lifetime memories at our schools.

Catholic high school enrollment in the St. Louis region has declined 22% over the last decade, according to the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Trinity was the Archdioceses last high school in St. Louis County. John F. Kennedy High School in west St. Louis County closed in 2017, after its enrollment fell below 200.

With Trinitys closure, there are 15 independent Catholic high schools remaining in the county, including the last co-ed school, Barat Academy in Chesterfield. Enrollment at many of those has been trending downward.

Despite mostly staying open for in-person learning during the pandemic, Catholic schools nationwide experienced an enrollment drop of 6.4% in the last year, the steepest annual decline in nearly 50 years, according to the National Catholic Educational Association.

Two of Trinitys top feeder elementary schools, Christ Light of the Nations in the Spanish Lake area and Most Holy Trinity in north St. Louis, closed after the 2019-2020 school year. Two more feeder schools closed within the past five years  Academy of St. Sabina and St. Angela Merici in Florissant.

Enrollment at Trinity has fluctuated over nearly two decades. In 2005, two years after Trinity opened, the school cut one-fourth of its teaching positions when enrollment fell to around 400. Archdiocesan officials thought the cutbacks would stabilize the school.

The Archdiocese is very committed to having Catholic education in North County, Terry Edelmann, a school spokeswoman, told the Post-Dispatch at the time.

In 2011, the Catholic Education Office at the Archdiocese started a scholarship program to recruit more students to its schools. The efforts paid off at Trinity Catholic, where enrollment was on the rise by 2016. Tuition peaked at about $11,000 per year  among the lowest for private schools in the region.

The Trinity Titans athletic teams won 48 district championships and several state championships, most recently in football in 2018 and boys and girls track and field in 2019.

But in the last year, enrollment had dropped to 284 students, including 77 in the final senior class. Just 37 students were projected to enter this fall as freshmen.

The atmosphere shifted to grief in February when students and teachers learned the school would be closing, said senior Lauren Swindle, 18, of Bellefontaine Neighbors.

"I cried for three days," said Swindle, who counts 12 relatives as alumni of the schools, including her mom, Tina Fichter, Rosary class of 1977.

"I'll still see the people, but the building is so special. You feel a sense of home when you come in," Swindle said.

At least 30 Trinity students are expected to transfer to Lutheran North High, according to its principal. Others could scatter to Marquette Catholic High in Alton or Duchesne High in St. Charles. There are no plans yet for the Trinity campus, according to an Archdiocese spokeswoman.

Hundreds of alumni and staff packed the school Saturday night to roam the halls and share memories for the last time at their alma mater. The local Beatles cover band Abbey Road Warriors rocked the gym for one last dance.

It's bittersweet, said Dan Grumich, president of Trinity and a graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High. What I'm excited about today is the opportunity to celebrate a legacy in education. While it's sad, it's a time to say goodbye and bring all the schools together.

A message from David Nicklaus Want to stay smart about what's happening in St. Louis? Make a modest investment in a Post-Dispatch subscription and I'll tell you how developments around the world affect local businesses big and small. Intro subscription rate: Just $1 for 6 months

Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.
The vehicle for the additional language is a tax on hospitals and nursing homes that generates billions of dollars for the states Medicaid program.

During floor debate on Thursday, Sen. Mike Cierpiot, R-Lees Summit, expressed concern about the potential loss of federal support based on the changes being considered.

The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services could challenge any or all parts of our Medicaid funding, Cierpiot said. What youre saying is, were going to throw the dice and dare CMS to defund us  where many of us are not going to be willing to take that chance.

On the emissions issue, a fiscal analysis of the legislation shows removing St. Charles, Jefferson and Franklin counties from the program  but leaving St. Louis and St. Louis County in  could cost the state $52 million.

Such a maneuver has been pushed by suburban St. Louis Republicans for the past several years.
Parson, who signed a bill in 2019 banning abortion at eight weeks, also expressed frustration with the gambit.

During a Friday morning interview with Marc Cox on 97.1 FM in St. Louis, the governor suggested the changes sought by Onder are overkill in a state that already has strict limits on abortion.

Ive just never seen anything like this. Were leading the nation in fighting abortion, and its like were almost looking for a problem to create, Parson said.

Finding an agreement in the Legislatures upper chamber was a slog Friday.

After a two-hour debate in the morning, Republicans turned down a Democratic amendment stripping the birth control language out of the legislation on a strictly partisan 22-10 vote.

At noon, Onder introduced an amendment that would bar the states Medicaid program from funding abortion facilities and affiliates.

Rizzo said the amendment was beyond the scope of the governors call for a special session, triggering the hours-long break in the action.

During the break, Parsons chief of staff and top attorney were seen in the Senate corridors as lawmakers waited on top-level negotiations to find an agreement.
Fefer said the encampments potentially would be set up by the city and overseen by nonprofit organizations. Referrals to health and other services would be provided and the sites would have fencing and privacy screens, he said.

Jones plan also includes $8 million for more traditional shelters, $2 million for additional tiny home developments and millions more for other homeless services.

Committee chairman Jeffrey Boyd, 22nd Ward, who asked about the encampments, complained that St. Louis County hasnt done enough to deal with the regions homeless problem and urged the mayor to get County Executive Sam Page to do more.

Why should we be the only government entity within this region that is laser focused on homelessness? Boyd asked.

The encampments were discussed during a briefing from aides to the mayor on the overall spending programs details.

Lindsey Noblot, who works at an early childhood center, urged the panel to endorse Jones proposal, which was based on ideas developed by an advisory committee of more than 30 people that held hearings and got other public input.

Jones plan has everything we need to move forward, Noblot said.
BOSTON (AP)  They were convicted of the same crime: the 2011 killing of a Boston teen as part of a gang feud. But Nyasani Watt  who pulled the trigger  will be able to fight for his release on parole after 15 years because he was only 17 at the time of the killing.

Sheldon Mattis, who was just eight months older, was ordered to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

U.S. Supreme Court rulings and state laws in recent years have limited or banned the use of life sentences without the possibility of parole for people who commit crimes as juveniles because of the potential for change.

Now, research showing that the brain continues to develop after 18 is prompting some states to examine whether to extend such protections to young adults like Mattis, who say they too deserve a second chance.

People who say that a person of 18 and six weeks is biologically different than a person of 17 and 364 days belong to the Flat Earth Society, said Mattis' attorney, Ruth Greenberg. There is no support for a bright-line rule at 18, biologically, neuro-scientifically speaking. And the scientific community is in broad agreement, she said.
As of June 1, the median monthly rent for Oahu units advertised on Craiglist was $1,800, slightly below $1,825 in March 2020, according to data compiled by Justin Tyndall, assistant professor of economics at the University of Hawaiis Economic Research Organization. Rents dipped as far as $1,600 in December during the pandemic but bounced back.

Ricky Cassiday, an independent real estate market analyst, said rental prices on other islands like Maui have gone up more given tourism has rebounded faster there than on Oahu. Thats because the robust pace of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S. has fueled a surge in tourists from the mainland, who dominate travel to those islands. Oahu, meanwhile, is normally also heavily visited by travelers from Japan, South Korea and Australia, where vaccinations have lagged.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Nicky Winter, the executive director of Achieve Zero, which is contracted by the state to provide services to homeless from Aiea to Kapolei and Mililani to Oahus North Shore, said she is concerned the expiration will lead to a spike in homelessness.

I dont know that anybody can fully prepare for the onslaught of those that will be in trouble come August when the moratorium ends, she said.
Besides inundating hospitals, cases are again causing problems for schools. In St. Joseph, the school district had to shift summer classes online last week at two schools because about 50% of the students were out sick with COVID-19 or another illness, quarantining or vacationing, said Bethany Clark, director of elementary education for the St. Joseph school district.

She said that wasn't what she envisioned when the district was planning for the summer. Case numbers were so low this spring that the district even decided to make masks optional for summer school.

I really thought, Things are looking good. Summer school is a great option for opening up some of our restrictions. Lets see how things work and we can return to as close to normal as we can in the fall,'" she recalled thinking. And then yeah these cases. It was a hard hit because we really wanted, we really want to be post-pandemic."

But the district is in Buchanan County, where just 20.8% of residents have received at least one shot.
Last month, top Republican lawmakers rescinded the executive order from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly that imposed the states pandemic ban on evictions and foreclosures. That left only the CDC moratorium, which offered slightly different protections.

The state moratorium had been in effect since August. Kelly also issued an eviction moratorium in March 2020 but let it expire two months later. When the latest Kansas moratorium was lifted, Kelly spokeswoman Reeves Oyster said GOP leaders had decided to kick people out of their homes. Republicans have argued that the states moratorium prevents landlords from getting paid.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Kansas has received two rounds of federal rental aid  $200 million in one and $20 million in the other. As of mid-June, the Kansas Housing Resources Corp. had distributed $5.5 million from the largest pot to about 950 of the 7,780 households that applied (Wichita is the only community not served by the housing corporation). The money can go toward 15 months of rent, utilities and internet expenses.

The state also distributed $17 million in rental aid from the smaller pot, said Emily Sharp, a spokeswoman for the agency.
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
Prime Minister Imran Khan recently (the 20 th ) appeared on an American TV news show and confirmed that Pakistan would not allow an American military base in Pakistan once all U.S. forces are gone from Afghanistan this year. Kahn said he feared retaliatory attacks if he did so. Pakistan has been suffering those retaliatory attacks for over a decade, mainly from Pakistani Islamic terrorists inspired by the Taliban, al Qaeda and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant).

Kahn also refused to condemn Chinese treatment of millions of Chinese Moslems. This is happening in a part of China, Xinjiang province , that borders Pakistan and Pakistani leaders have always refused to criticize China for something that Moslems are usually quick to protest, often violently. Chinese persecution, often fatal, of its Xinjiang Moslems has been going on for over a decade and criticism or protests from the Moslem world have been nearly non-existent. Since 2017 several million Xinjiang Moslems, most of them Uighur Turks, have spent time in re-education camps. There are only nine million Uighurs in the province and China has sent nearly all the adult (16 or older) males and many females to the camps for as long as needed to achieve attitude adjustment. Uighurs are a shrinking minority in the province and Han Chinese now comprise over half the population. The re-education camps contain very few Han Chinese.

Pakistan has long been very attentive to Chinese concerns about radicalized Uighurs establishing themselves in Pakistan near the 522-kilometer border Xinjiang has with Pakistan. In late 2015 Pakistan announced that all Uighur Islamic terrorists in Pakistan had been killed or driven from the country. In particular the primary Uighur Islamic terrorist organization, the East Turkestan Independence Movement (ETIM) was no longer operating in Pakistan. China is not so sure. Since 2007 China has been pressing Pakistan to do something about Chinese Islamic terrorists (Turkic Uighurs from Xinjiang province) based in Pakistan and Pakistan finally began making some serious moves on that problem in early 2014. There followed the June 2014 offensive in North Waziristan concentrating on the bad Taliban and their allies (like the Uighurs). Pakistan is still reluctant to admit it is the cause of so many regional Islamic terrorism problems but the neighbors were not being very understanding. China, who supplies a lot of Pakistans weapons and foreign investment, finally told its troublesome neighbor to fix the situation or see China go from being a helpful to a hostile neighbor. The other neighbors have had a similar reaction, but given Chinas place as Pakistans most important ally, Pakistan could no longer ignore the problem. This policy has worked with other Moslem-majority nations who fear economic reprisals from China for any criticism of how China persecutes its Moslems.

The June 20 interview spent little time on Chinese counterterrorism and concentrated on how Kahn had come under the control of the Pakistani military. While Kahn is the elected leader of Pakistan, he is also the first elected leader completely controlled by the military. Kahn denies this and has repeatedly done so since taking office in mid-2018. Despite the denials Kahn has done what the military wants and any acts of defiance are inconsequential.

Kahn spoke of civil war in Afghanistan if the Taliban attempted to take power and blamed that on the Americans. Kahn ignores the role of the Pakistani military who created the Taliban in 1995 as a means to halt the civil war in Afghanistan. That failed and the Americans intervened shortly after September 11, 2001 with a few hundred CIA field operatives and U.S. Army Special Forces troops, a few million dollars in cash plus American bombers overhead dropping smart bombs. The Americans were providing support for the Afghans still fighting the Taliban. Thats all it took to reduce Taliban control from 80 percent of Afghanistan in October to zero by the end of the year. There were prisoners and lots of documents captured that detailed Pakistani involvement with the Taliban and Pakistani efforts to control events in Afghanistan.

The Americans were mainly interested in preventing Afghanistan from once more becoming a sanctuary for Islamic terrorists seeking to carry out attacks in the West. The September 11, 2001 attacks were planned and organized in Afghanistan and the evidence left behind by the fleeing Taliban made Pakistani involvement in sustaining the Taliban clear. That involvement continued because the fleeing Taliban found sanctuary in Pakistan. Despite persistent Pakistani denials, Pakistan also provided sanctuary for the September 11, 2001 attack planner, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The Americans eventually found bin Ladens hideout and it was, as suspected, in Pakistan. In fact, it was in a military town containing several major military schools and headquarters. Without telling Pakistan the U.S. carried out a 2011 raid that killed bin Laden, who refused to be taken alive, and left with his body and a trove of al Qaeda documents. DNA tests proved the corpse was bin Laden, as did all the documents found in his compound. The Pakistani military denied knowing bin Laden was there but most Pakistanis suddenly had a much less favorable attitude towards their military. For a decade elected officials have attempted to regain control over the increasingly unpopular military and failed. The military is now controlling an elected government and had laws passed making public criticism of the military a crime. If the courts wont prosecute and convict, the military can arrange for the accused to disappear. Many Pakistanis still have a favorable attitude towards Islamic terrorism, especially it is carried out elsewhere. For example, prime minister Kahn has openly referred to Osama bin Laden as a martyr, an attitude shared by many Pakistanis, if only to avoid assassination by angry local Islamic conservatives. This is largely self-inflicted, because Pakistan did not have major problems with Islamic terrorists until one of the military governments, in the late 1970s, decided to use Islamic terrorism to attack India and control Afghanistan. That backfired, especially in Afghanistan.

Antagonizing Afghanistan

The Pakistan military has always had its own foreign policy and was able to force the Pakistani government to cooperate. Pakistani military leaders support a change to how it deals with the Afghan Taliban. Put simply, Pakistani generals no longer support the Taliban establishing a government that would control the entire country. Pakistani generals acknowledged there is widespread anti-Pakistan and anti-Taliban sentiment in Afghanistan. That means Afghans have increased their opposition to Pakistan and any Pakistani involvement with Afghanistan.

Pakistani generals have come to recognize that their Taliban effort cannot take control of the Afghan government, but believe it has a realistic chance of becoming part of the Afghan government. That may be too optimistic because the Taliban obtains most of its income from the drug gangs, which are hated by most Afghans and Pakistanis and all the local governments, except Pakistan, which is overruled by its own military which was in business with the Afghan drug gangs even before they created the Taliban. The Pakistani military pretends to care about the local addiction and corruption brought on by Afghan drugs, but actually cooperates with the drug gangs in return for large cash payments which have made many Pakistani officers very wealthy. This is obvious to most Pakistanis who note that many active and retired Pakistani officers have a standard-of-living that is not possible according to their official (and quite generous) pay scales.

While Pakistan wont allow the United States to establish a military base in Pakistan, Pakistan will allow American military aircraft (combat and transports) to continue passing through Pakistani air space to and from landlocked Afghanistan. This was not unexpected because the Pakistani military has come to regard their creation (the Taliban) as more of a problem than a useful asset.

Border Disputes

India appears to have calmed down border disputes in the northwest. In Kashmir the February ceasefire agreement with Pakistan continues to hold, mainly because the Pakistani military has other problems, like being classified and sanctioned as a supporter of international terrorism. The Pakistani military is also at war with Pakistani media, politicians and voters in general. The other border dispute with China in nearby Ladakh State has been less amenable to negotiations. China has violated several ceasefire deals, usually blaming India for misunderstanding the ceasefire terms. There are far fewer casualties on the Chinese border because the Chinese prefer to continue using their gradualist approach, which is easier to carry out along a high-altitude border with few civilians present.

June 23, 2021: In northwest Pakistan (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) a three-week old peaceful protest against the government turned violent with at least one protester killed and dozens wounded. Ten policemen were injured, two seriously. Leaders of the powerful pro-government Jani Khel clan of the Wazir tribe had earlier threatened to march on the national capital to protest the armys failure to eliminate Islamic terrorist groups in the area and find the killers of one of their tribal leaders. In early June, the Jani Khel leaders organized a large sit-in at the local (Bannu) district capital. Most of the tribal northwest consists of provinces that have Wazir in their name. That includes Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as well as neighboring North and South Waziristan. Most of the leaders and members of the Pakistani Taliban are from the Wazir or Mesud tribes. The Wazir tribe has about a million members in Pakistan while the Mehsud has about half as many. Both tribes have some clans across the border in Afghanistan. When the army invaded North Waziristan in 2014 to shut down what had become an Islamic terrorist sanctuary, the pro-government or neutral Wazir and Mesud clan leaders throughout the northwest were assured that the impact on them would be minimal. Over half a million Pushtun civilians were moved from the combat zone in North Waziristan and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to minimize civilian casualties and support from civilians sympathetic to some of the Pakistani Taliban. While this did reduce civilian casualties and forced most of the local terrorists to flee into eastern Afghanistan. From there they continued to launch attacks into Pakistan. The army operation in North Waziristan was supposed to be over in a year or two. The heaviest fighting was over by 2017 and most of the civilians were allowed to return from the refugee camps by 2018 and many of those civilians, and the clans they belong to, are angrier than ever at the army. The continued military presence includes the frequent use of army UAVs obtained from China and local manufacturers has also angered Pushtun civilians.

June 22, 2021: In eastern Pakistan (Lahore) a bomb hidden in a truck went off near a police checkpoint, killing four civilians and wounding twenty civilians and police. It was unclear if the bomb was detonated remotely or by someone in the stationary truck. Islamic terrorists are believed responsible because there has always been a lot of Islamic terrorists in Lahore because with 11 million residents it is the second largest city in Pakistan and also the capital of Punjab province.

June 21, 2021: In southern Pakistan (Karachi) four Baluchi separatists attacked the Pakistan Stock Exchange compound. The four attackers apparently expected to get into the compound and then take hostages. The attack failed, with all four attackers killed before they could get past the entrance. Five security personnel and one civilian were also killed.

June 19, 2021: In northwest Pakistan (North Waziristan) an army patrol encountered a group of Pakistan Taliban, apparently coming from bases in Afghanistan, and a firefight and night time pursuit ensued. Two Taliban were killed along with one soldier. These were also wounded on both sides.

June 18, 2021: At the UN India joined China, Russia and 33 other nations in abstaining when asked to back a non-binding resolution calling on the Burmese military to abandon its February 1st coup. China had lobbied hard to prevent a positive response to this resolution, by letting everyone know that anyone to backed this resolution could expect less cooperation in settling any current disputes with China. India was also admitting that the current Burmese military government was probably going to survive and India would have to deal with that for a long time, like it did with the previous Burmese military government which lasted from 1962 to 2010. Myanmar (Burma) is a neighbor of China and India and formerly part of the British colonial holdings in South Asia. The Burmese generals are seeking to maintain its close ties with China and Russia while it struggles to establish control of the country because this time, unlike 1962, the population is fighting back. China assured the Burmese generals that as long as Chinese economic interests in Burma were safeguarded China would continue to pay the military billions dollars a year. Some of that money was already being paid to the military because the military owns a lot of the companies that have lucrative contracts with China. Other Chinese investments are supposed to pay the Burmese government. The military wants it all. China will continue to use its veto powers in the UN to block UN actions against the Burmese military. Even before the coup Burmese generals maintained their connections with China and that was the main reason China has sold $1.4 billion worth of military equipment to Burma since 2010. Russia sold $800 million worth. Together China and Russia accounted for over 90 percent Burmese spending on imports of military gear. In 2011 the Burmese generals were forced to end nearly half a century of military government and allow elections. Russia has indicated that its support, at least as an arms supplier, would continue if a civil war developed and the generals could still pay for Russian arms, in advance if necessary.

The 2021 coup triggered an economic crisis and popular opposition that is moving towards civil war. Anti-government demonstrations continue despite troops and police being ordered to open fire. Some of the demonstrators are shooting back. So far nearly a thousand demonstrators have been killed by the security forces and ten times that number wounded or arrested. The Burmese military is comfortable with a cozy relationship with China and Russia but most Burmese are not. This has led to Chinese businesses being attacked and some have been set on fire. The alliance of separatist northern tribes, which reached a peace agreement with the elected government in 2016, has refused to recognize or cooperate with the military government. Many of those tribal militias have taken advantage of the situation, which has many army units in the north sent south to deal with the protests. Burmese military leaders were surprised at the extent and duration of mass protests since February. By popular agreement the economy has been shut down by the protestors and the generals have to worry about the morale and loyalty of their troops because of the months of popular protests and being ordered to open fire on fellow Burmese. The many foreign companies that manufacture in Burma have been evacuating their employees and that means getting those closed facilities operational again will take time.

The Chinese operations in Burma now face international sanctions but China believes it can handle that and advises the Burmese military government to emulate Chinese defiance. The end of the military government in 2010 and the return in 2021 is all about China. After the return of democracy in 2011, China no longer had as much freedom in the north. Most Western nations are imposing sanctions but not as energetically as before 2010. While the new coup is a tragedy for Burma, China sees it as a worthy challenge while India prefers to concentrate on its own battles against Chinese aggression.

For India 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 led to massacres of East Pakistan civilians and in 1971 India intervened on the side of the East Pakistanis and the Pakistan military occupation 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. Bangladesh has much less Islamic terrorist violence and a lot more prosperity than Pakistan.

June 17, 2021: In southwest Pakistan (Baluchistan province) unidentified gunmen attacked soldiers manning a checkpoint outside a local airport. One soldier was killed and the attackers fled, apparently unharmed. Baluchi separatists often attack economic targets and security forces are trying to find the group that attacked the airport.

June 16, 2021: In eastern India (Andhra Pradesh) police, acting on a tip, raided a Maoist leadership meeting attended by about thirty leftist rebels and their bodyguards. There was a brief gun battle in which six of the Maoists were killed, including three local leaders. Others were wounded but they got away. The police called in over 300 reinforcements in an effort to capture or kill some of those who escaped. Police captured these Maoist couriers in the area, who were carrying over $13,000 between them. This money was one reason for the leadership meeting because Maoist numbers have been declining in Andhra Pradesh and the money, provided by the national leadership, was to fund a recruitment campaign. The Maoist have been having personnel problems throughout eastern India, where they have been active for decades. Time and technology have caught up with the leftist rebels as surrenders and defections continue to increase as do tips from civilians about Maoist activity or specific Maoists with a reward offered for their death or capture. Rewards are also offered for hiding places where weapons or equipment are stored.

The Maoists are still active but are feeling the pressure from over a decade of attacks by local police and paramilitary police battalions. The Maoists have seen reduced membership and a reduction in territory where they exercise any effective control. The downside is that the paramilitary forces are often operating in unfamiliar territory and more vulnerable to ambush or roadside (or trail side) bombs. Such attacks are less frequent as are the casualties the security forces suffer.

Civilians in Maoist infested areas are less afraid of providing police with information about Maoist movements. It has also become easier to recruit Maoist members to become active informants. These spies are paid monthly and the sudden affluence of their families often alerts Maoist leaders to the presence of police informants. While details about informants are kept secret, the losses suffered because police had inside information is often obvious. The Maoist decline has demoralized leftist leaders, who have not been able to come up with any way to halt or reverse the losses. Maoists are a radical faction of the once mighty Indian communist party. Many Indian communists were slow to understand why all those East European communist governments, including Russia, collapsed between 1989 and 1991. Despite that many Indians still support communism, but not the violent, ineffective and increasingly unpopular Maoists.

Another indicator of the Maoist decline is that Maoist violence is no longer the major source of terrorist or rebel deaths. Over all these deaths declined in 2020, with 588 dead, compared to 621 in 2019 and 940 in 2018. In 2020 54 percent of the dead were in Kashmir, which is higher than usual. Most years non-Islamic terrorist violence accounts for most of the violence but in 2020 Maoist rebels in eastern India only accounted for 41 percent of the deaths with the five percent caused by tribal separatists in the northeast.

June 14, 2021: In southwest Pakistan (Baluchistan province) a bomb went off at a remote coal mine, killing four of the soldiers guarding it. No one took credit but Baluchi separatists often attack economic targets.

June 4, 2021: India has sent its leased Russian SSN (nuclear attack submarine) back ten months before the ten-year lease is up and declined to extend that lease until a new Russian sub could arrive in 2025. In early 2019 India signed a $3 billion 10-year lease with Russia to obtain the use of another Akula class nuclear sub. The new sub will not arrive until 2025 and will replace the unpopular INS Chakra, an earlier Akula class sub that earned the reputation of being something of a cursed boat. India received this Akula II SSN, originally the K-152 Nerpa, in 2010 on a ten-year lease. The Nerpa was renamed Chakra and was built specifically for the Indian lease deal. Nerpa finally completed its sea trials and was accepted into Russian service in late 2009. India was supposed to take it in 2008 but there have been many delays. The Indian crew for the Nerpa had been ready since 2008. Most of the delays stemmed from an accident in late 2008 when, while undergoing sea trials, there was an accidental activation of the fire extinguisher system on the Nerpa. This killed 20 sailors and civilians and injured more than 20. There were 208 people aboard the sub at the time, most of them navy and shipyard personnel there to closely monitor all aspects of the sub as it made its first dives and other maneuvers. The source of the fatal accident was poor design and construction of the safety systems on the sub. This accident led to sailors and shipyard technicians being fearful of going to sea on the boat. The sea trials were delayed, even after repairs were made. The post-accident modifications on the Nerpa cost $65 million. Traditionally, when a new ship loses lots of people during sea trials it is regarded as "cursed" and unlucky. Sailors can be a bit superstitious, especially when there are dead bodies involved. So far India has not had any problems with this, until the sonar dome incident. When Nerpa finally entered Indian service, the name was changed to Chakra II, because it was the same name used by the Charlie class Russian SSN India leased from 1988-91. The Chakra lease arrangement had India paying $178,000 a day, for ten years, for use of the sub. The 7,000-ton Akula II requires a crew of 73 highly trained sailors.

It was Indian money that enabled Russia to complete construction on at least two Akulas. These boats were less than half finished at the end of the Cold War. This was another aftereffect of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Several major shipbuilding projects were basically put on hold (which still cost a lot of money), in the hopes that something would turn up. In this case it was Indians with lots of cash and seeking to lease a sub.

June 2, 2021: Bangladesh revealed that increased economic activity in 2020 raised per capita income nine percent, to $2,227 per person. That is 45 percent more than Pakistan and 14 percent higher than India. This is remarkable when you consider that Moslem-majority Bangladesh has only existed since 1971, when it went through a devastating civil war and became an independent nation. East Pakistan became Bangladesh. It was still a Moslem majority nation but never had to worry about a military coup, Islamic terrorism or the crippling economic impact of the military.

May 31, 2021: In southwest Pakistan (Baluchistan province) two separate attacks left four soldiers and four attackers dead with even more soldiers wounded. Both attacks were believed to be the work of Baluchi separatists.
Biographical Information

Anthony Burokas Principal, IEBA Communications Anthony Burokas is a 20+ year broadcast TV video producer currently based in Dallas, TX. He has produced an extensive body of event, corporate, special interest, and broadcast TV. His website is IEBA.com. His new studio space, Frisco Studios, makes the latest live streaming and VR technologies available to his clients.

Articles for Anthony Burokas

Tech Check Checklist for Remote Production

Stream4us' Anthony Burokas discusses the importance of putting remote guests for pro productions through a detailed tech check before show day, to make sure they look and sound their best and can identify and address any issues well in advance of going live.

Going Pro with Remote Production

You're here. The guests are there. The audience is everywhere else. Here is an article that's chock-full of tips, tricks, and links for making it all come together in your latest remote production.

How to Maximize Reach with Multistreaming Solutions

If you want to maximize your reach without overtaxing your gear, then utilizing some cloud technologies to send your one upload to multiple destinations can multiply the reach of your content.

Camera Upgrades for Remote Streaming Production

As Zoom and other videoconferencing applications dominate our professional interactions, and remote productions and presentations remain a necessary alternative in-person conferences and other events, webcam video is often the weakest link in our remote connections. Anthony Burokas recommends alternative camera sources--smartphones, DSLRs, and better webcams--and explains how to make them work.

Elevating Remote Production in the Cloud

What's the best way to handle a multiday conference with one remote panel event after another, with about 5 minutes between them, maybe less? What if you add video playback, remote slide presentations, and the inevitable last-minute changes?

Virtual Audio Cables for Multi-Source Remote Streaming Production

Stream4us' Anthony Burokas explains how to use "virtual audio cables" from vb-audio.com to connect multiple audio sources when using a laptop for live streaming production with multiple remote guests.

First Look: BirdDog Flex 4K NDI Converters

An exclusive first-look review of the new BirdDog Flex NDI Converter, a tiny device that delivers tally, audio, video, PTZ control, audio intercom, and power via a single Ethernet cable.

Tutorial: Remote Live Production in the Age of COVID-19

With social distancing making in-person live production difficult-to-impossible, Anthony Burokas demonstrates how to produce a professional live show using multiple remote video feeds using vMix Call.

How to Manage Client Expectations

A large portion of my time is spent educating clients on what I do, what I can do, and what I can't do. In particular, what I can't do is key to managing client expectations. By making sure we're both working toward the same goals, we have a better chance of avoiding potential conflicts down the road.

All In On NDI

Many people have gone all in on NDI. But how they use it can be very different from how you might want to use it.

Best Practices for Live Audio Mixing

When it comes to live audio for streaming, there are a few additional wrinkles to consider that don't come into play with audio recording when you aren't streaming live.

Review: Cinamaker 2.0 iOS Live-Switched Streaming Solution

Cinamaker 2.0 is really coming together to a solid iOS-based production solution. Standout features include loading and saving projects, the built-in editor, and dedicated chroma key on each channel.

Review: Teradek VidiU Go

I found the VidiU Go to be up to the Teradek standard of professional production gear, now for the mobile, bonded streaming audience.

iOS Multicam Streaming Recording Video Quality Showdown

With the addition of Cinamaker to the field of contestants I discussed in my July 2018 iOS Head to Head article-Switcher Studio and Teradek Live:Air ActionI set out to determine which app would deliver the best video quality for live streaming and live recording.

Review: Teradek Link Pro Backpack and Core

Teradek's Link Pro Backpack offers enhanced MIMO cellular connectivity, plus the reliability of bonded cellular, connected to Teradek's powerful Link WiFi Access Point, and all rolled together in a backpack powered by your choice of V-Lock or 3-stud battery.

Review: Teradek Link Pro Backpack and Core

Teradek's Link Pro Backpack offers enhanced MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) cellular connectivity, plus the reliability of bonded cellular, connected to Teradek's powerful Link WiFi Access Point, and all rolled together in a backpack powered by your choice of V-Lock or 3-stud battery.

Head-to-Head: Switcher Studio vs. Teradek Live:Air Action

Today, producers can direct a professional multicamera live video event using just a few smartphones. Two apps stand out for multicamera live switching, so we put them to the test.

How to Become an iOS-Based Broadcaster

Looking to do professional work for clients on location without having to disassemble a TriCaster studio, one producer found apps for iPad and iPhone that let him connect everything wirelessly and stream it to the web via a cell phone.

NAB 2018: Harmonic Talks SaaS-Based UHD/HDR Live Sports Streaming

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Harmonic Director, Market Development Jean Macher in the Harmonic booth at NAB 2018.

NAB 2018: VDMS Talks End-to-End Live Event Managed Services

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Verizon Digital Media Services CMO Mary Kay Evans in the Verizon booth an NAB 2018.

NAB 2018: Akamai Talks OTT, Hacking, and DDoS Protection

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Akamai Director, Industry Marketing Shane Keats in the Akamai booth at NAB 2018.

NAB 2018: Lightcast Talks Cloud Media Management and Delivery

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Lightcast's Andreas Kisslinger in the Lightcast's booth at NAB 2018.

NAB 2018: Magewell Talks UltraStream Standalone Encoders

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Magewell's Mike Nann in the Magewell booth at NAB 2018.

NAB 2018: Zype Talks Social Media Multicasting

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Zype's Ed Laczynski at NAB 2018.

NAB 2018: Tulix Talks Quality Live Streaming at Optimal Cost

Streaming Media's Anthony Burokas interviews Tulix's George Bokuchava at NAB 2018.

Tutorial: Previewing and Reviewing Client Videos

This tutorial will look at online previewing and reviewing client videos with Frame.io through the lens of a 29-video series produced with a remotely located editor and a client reviewing the videos in development.

Case Study: Mobile, iOS-based, Live-Switched Streaming

Live production and streaming with mobile devicesfrom capture to deliveryisn't just for hobbyists anymore. But if you're looking to use your iOS device for professional production you'll need to gear up right, and this article will show you how.

Review: Panasonic AG-UX180 4K Professional Camcorder

With its 1" sensor, 20x optical zoom, and extensive array of image controls, Panasonic's AG-UX180 strikes a balance well-suited to the prosumer camera market.

A Buyer's Guide to Cameras and Camcorders for Online Video

New technologies are bringing more options for online video creation. Here are the questions to consider when shopping for a camera.

A Buyer's Guide to Lighting Kits

Learn about the five types of lighting commonly used in video productions, as well as the best uses for each.
Project will develop novel pathway to reducing carbon content of global hydrogen supplyConverting renewable DME into hydrogen will solve vexing issues related to hydrogen production, transport and storage and open up new feedstocks for cost-effective renewable hydrogen production

SAN DIEGO, June 24, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A public-private partnership between Los Alamos National Laboratory (the Laboratory) and Southern California-based Oberon Fuels has secured funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The Laboratory/Oberon project is expected to scale-up steam reforming technology to produce renewable hydrogen (rH2) from renewable dimethyl ether (rDME), an innovative approach to increasing the global renewable hydrogen supply.

The effort is funded by DOEs Technology Commercialization Fund, which supports mature, promising energy technologies with the potential for high impact and is also part of DOEs H2@Scale initiative to accelerate development of a hydrogen economy by funding advanced-technology research, development and demonstration (RD&D) with industrial partners.

Renewable DME has the potential to overcome the two largest barriers to widespread hydrogen adoption: the lack of cost-competitive, sustainable production and lack of energy-dense storage and transport.

DME is a hydrogen-rich molecule that can be produced from waste and/or renewable resources using Oberons modular production technology. Because DME handles like propane/liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), it requires minimal modifications to the existing global LPG distribution network and leverages the expertise of its existing workforce. This project will produce the final step  technology that can convert rDME into rH2 fuel at the point of use.

Our novel approach to generating hydrogen flips the current model on its head, said Rebecca Boudreaux, Ph.D., President and CEO of Oberon Fuels. We are producing a hydrogen-rich molecule, moving it using existing, low-cost infrastructure, and converting it to hydrogen fuel on demand. We are thrilled to partner with Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Department of Energy to meet Secretary Jennifer Granholms vision for a hydrogen economy.

This project builds on a previous bench-top demonstration of a DME steam reforming process conducted by researchers at the Laboratory, which produced 0.018 kg of hydrogen per day. The goal is to boost production to 25 kg per daya greater than 1,300-fold increase in hydrogen production capacity. The modeling and experimental outcomes of this project will be used as the foundational underpinnings to further scale the process from 25 to 500 kg of renewable hydrogen per day, which exceeds what an average hydrogen filling station currently uses per-day for light-duty vehicles.

Based on the guidelines for alternative fuels, the DOE requirements for hydrogen carriers, our own thermodynamics analyses, and our bench-scale proof-of-concept validation, we believe DME is ideally suited for the H2@Scale effort, said Troy A. Semelsberger, Ph.D., a Technical Staff Member at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Earlier this month, Oberon began commercial production of the first-ever renewable DME in the U.S. at its facility in Brawley, Calif., using waste methanol from the pulp and paper industry. Other potential feedstocks include: biogas from dairy waste, food wastes, agricultural waste, as well as excess electricity and CO2.

The team at Los Alamos National Laboratory has already shown the advantages of DME-to-hydrogen reforming including lower reaction temperatures, which can reduce the operating costs and the system footprint. We cannot wait to build on this strong foundation to show that rDME can be a pathway to help decarbonize the transportation sector, said Elliot Hicks, Chief Operating and Technology Officer and an Oberon Fuels co-founder.

About Oberon FuelsCalifornia-based Oberon Fuels is on a global mission to decarbonize transportation by producing a powerful, enabling molecule, dimethyl ether (DME). DME, which can range from being ultra-low carbon to carbon-negative, can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the transportation sector and beyond 1) as an energy-dense, cost-effective means to move renewable hydrogen, 2) as a blending agent for LPG, and 3) as a diesel replacement. Oberon has challenged the status quo by introducing innovative solutions to the transportation sector to reduce its carbon footprint, vehicle emissions and improve local air quality while creating economic opportunity for the communities where they operate. In 2013, Oberon Fuels refinery in Brawley, Calif., produced the first fuel-grade DME in North America, and in 2021 produced the first-ever renewable DME in the US. Oberons DME has powered vehicle demonstrations around the world with Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, Ford, among others. Founded in 2010, Oberon Fuels is privately held with both private and strategic investors, including Suburban Propane Partners, L.P.

More information about Oberon Fuels is available at www.oberonfuels.com.

About Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is managed by Triad, a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), and the Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energys National Nuclear Security Administration.

Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/aa226c95-0b77-4f2b-9247-d333e082b660.

Media Contact John Williams, Scoville PR for Oberon Fuels 206-660-5503, jwilliams@scovillepr.com

The Hydrogen Fueling Station of the Future Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oberon Fuels are unlocking the future of zero-emission transportation by developing technology to convert renewable DME into renewable Hydrogen at the fueling station.

Source: Oberon Fuels
VANCOUVER, BC, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus" or the "Company") (TSXV: NUMI), a mental health care company advancing innovative treatments and safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies, announces that it has granted 1,825,000 incentive stock options (the "Options") to directors, officers and employees of the Company, which are subject to regulatory approval.

Of the 1,825,000 Options granted during the month of May, 810,000 were issued to directors and an officer of Numinus, which have an exercise price of $0.90 per common share and are exercisable until May 19, 2023. The 1,015,000 Options issued to employees have exercise prices ranging between $0.87 and $1.00 with expiry dates ranging from May 1, 2023 to May 17, 2023.

The Company's Stock Option Plan allows for the issuance of up to 10% of issued and outstanding share capital in the form of incentive stock options. As the result of the above grants, the Company has 8,931,500 options issued, representing approximately 4.42% of the issued and outstanding share capital.

About NuminusNuminus Wellness (TSX-V: NUMI) empowers people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Numinus Wellness model - including psychedelic production, research and clinic care - is at the forefront of a transformation aimed at healing rather than managing symptoms for depression, anxiety, trauma, pain and substance abuse. At Numinus, we are leading the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into mainstream clinical practice, and building the foundation for a healthier society.

Learn more at numinus.ca, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing federal, provincial, municipal, local or other licences and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals, licences and permits to operate and expand the Company's facilities; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including federal and provincial legalization of psychedelic therapies, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use of psychedelics, delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; the Company's limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; the Company's requirements for additional financing, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with research and development institutions, customers and suppliers; the development and implementation of medical protocols and treatment standard operating procedures for the use of psychedelic therapies; the Company's goals to develop and implement partnerships with research organizations and other key players in the integrative mental health industry; the Company's ability to successfully withstand the economic impact of COVID-19; the medical benefits, safety, efficacy, dosing and social acceptance of psychedelics; the approval and/or success of compassionate access clinical trials; the cultivation and harvest of Psilocybe mushrooms; and the availability of trained personnel and medical professionals. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. The Company has no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/numinus-announces-grant-of-stock-options-301319875.html

SOURCE Numinus Wellness Inc.
TICKERS: CYON; CYNXF

Source: Streetwise Reports (6/25/21)

Cyon Exploration has a new name, new management and is about to start drilling deep.



Cyon Exploration Ltd. (CYON:TSX.V; CYNXF:OTCQB) has seen a lot of changes recently. The company changed its name from True Grit Resources to Cyon Exploration Ltd. It received approval for NEX reactivation and graduation to Tier 2 of the TSX Venture Exchange, and also listed on the OTCQB in the U.S.; a new management team has come on, and exploration drilling has begun. Plus in early June Cyon closed the acquisition of 1296067 B.C. Ltd., which held mineral claims and interest in leases of the Black Rock Canyon property.

Professional geologist Brian Thurston recently took over as president and CEO. He brings to the company 28 years of experience of working in public companies on projects around the world: North, Central and South America, Africa and India; in 2004 he transitioned from geologist to corporate management, founding and working for several public companies. He has brought in a new CFO and corporate secretary.

Under the new management, Cyon began drilling on its Black Rock Canyon property, which is situated within Nevada's Cortez Gold Trend. "That's a segment of the Battle Mountain Eureka mineral belt," Thurston told Streetwise Reports. "As of December 2018, the Pipeline-Cortez Mining Complex, located approximately 10-15 miles southeast of the Black Rock Canyon property, had about 45 million ounces of gold in documented past production and historical Proven and Probable resource and historical Inferred mineral resource. There are mines all around us that are in production."

Thurston noted that the Pipeline and Cortez deposits are examples of the Carlin type sedimentary rock-hosted disseminated gold deposits. "The gold mineralization is principally hosted within a silty limestone," he explained. "These deposits are in the Roberts Mountain and Wenban Formations in the footwall of the Roberts Mountain thrust fault system of the lower plate of the formation. Those are the targets we are looking for."

"Historical drilling adjacent to our property has shown anomalous concentrations of gold and other elements. One interpretation geologically is it could be leakage from one of the skarn or Carlin-type deposits from the lower formation," Thurston explained.

All the drilling on the property to date has been within the upper plate of the formation, but now the company is preparing to explore the lower plate. To that end it has drilled three pre-collar holes using reverse circulation drills to drill into the upper plate, down to approximately the 900-foot level.

"Historical records indicate that a total of 209 holes were drilled on and near the current property by at least eight different operators from 1986 through 2006, including companies such as Placer Dome, Teck Resources Inc. and Homestake Mining Co.," Thurston explained.

"The U.S. Geological Survey in 1965 projected that the Roberts Mountain lower plate would be at a depth of 5,000 feet. A more recent seismic survey by GeoInformatics indicated the depth of the Roberts Mountain Formation in and around our area would be about 1,500 feet below the surface, especially in the southern area of our property," Thurston explained. "We are planning to drill to a depth of 5,000 feet and if we are able to intersect the lower plate before that depth, great. The goal of this drilling is to see what the depth of the lower plate rocks is."

The company will begin the core drilling at roughly 900 feet. "Most of the historical holes were drilled by reverse circulation drilling, which would limit the depth potential by its nature. Holes were drilled on average to depths of between 100 feet and 500 feet, with some holes down to around 1,000 feet. For comparison, our pre-collar drill holes ended at depths of 820 feet, 930 feet and 840 feet, so I would not have expected any of the previous holes to pass through the upper plate rocks of the Roberts Mountain Formation," Thurston noted.

Cyon expects to have assay results from the reverse circulation drilling samples of the RC holes. Although the company is not expecting to hit high grade gold, it is hopeful that anomalous values of gold and other pathfinder minerals are intersected that may provide proof of leakage from a larger deposit at depth.

On June 8, Cyon announced that it had completed the acquisition of 1296067 B.C. Ltd., which held claims and lease interests in the Black Rock Canyon property, formerly owned by Metals Exploration Inc., comprising around 3,894 acres, 31 lode claims totaling 620 acres, and 440 acres of fee minerals lease, in exchange for 12 million common shares of Cyon. This agreement supersedes and reduces the acquisition costs laid out in the Mineral Option Agreement of March 13, 2020.

[NLINSERT]

Disclosure:

1) Patrice Fusillo conducted this interview for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. She owns, or members of her immediate household or family own, securities of the following companies mentioned in this article: None. She is, or members of her immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.

2) The following companies mentioned in this interview are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Cyon Exploration. Please click here for more information. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.

3) The interview does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

4) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the decision to publish an article until three business days after the publication of the article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Cyon Exploration, a company mentioned in this article.
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher McCall, 73rd Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron Shadow 71 aircraft commander, receives the Distinguished Flying Cross from Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, during a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., June 22, 2021. (Victor J. Caputo/U.S. Air Force)

An AC-130J Ghostrider gunship aircrew received several medals this week for extraordinary achievements while providing close air support to ambushed and wounded U.S. and Afghan ground forces nearly two years ago, the Air Force said.

Five crew members received the Distinguished Flying Cross and four others earned single event Air Medals for the September 2019 mission in an undisclosed area of Afghanistan. Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, head of Air Force Special Operations Command, pinned the medals on eight of the airmen Tuesday in a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., an Air Force statement said.

Operating under the callsign Shadow 71, the crew conducted nearly two hours of continuous close air support, helping save the lives of 88 Army Special Forces and partnered special security forces troops on the ground, 1st Special Operations Wing commander Col. Jocelyn J. Schermerhorn said Thursday on Facebook.

In total, the crew engaged three separate enemy positions, provided continuous fire to shield helicopter assault forces during the landing and casualty evacuation, and ultimately ensured the rescue of wounded ground forces, Schermerhorn wrote. I am humbled to serve alongside these heroes.

The crew of Shadow 71 pose after receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross and an Air Medal during a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., June 22, 2021. The crew received the medals for their actions to protect ground forces in Afghanistan in September 2019. (Victor J. Caputo/U.S. Air Force)

The Distinguished Flying Cross, which ranks below the Silver Star and Legion of Merit in the order of precedence, is awarded to any member of the U.S. military for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight.

It was awarded to Lt. Col. Christopher B. McCall, aircraft commander; Capt. Jasen K. Hrisca, weapons systems officer; Capt. Tyler D. Larson, combat systems officer; Tech. Sgt. Jake M. Heathcott, lead special missions aviator; and Staff Sgt. Kyle W. Burden, sensor operator.

I always say gunships are a team sport, McCall said in a statement. You really cant do something like this without a great team.

The Air Medal is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievements during aerial flight, and ranks below the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal.

Co-pilot Maj. Brian D. Courchesner, who was not at the ceremony, received that award. So did three special missions aviators: Staff Sgt. Alex Almarlaes, Senior Airman Brianna S. Striplin and Senior Airman Thomas I. Fay.

Shadow 71 has talent from front to back, McCall said.

The crew is part of the 73rd Special Operations Squadron, which plans, prepares and carries out close air support and interdiction missions to aid both conventional and special operations troops.

Neither Schermerhorn nor the Air Force statement provided further details of Shadow 71s mission, such as its precise date or location, the number of enemy forces or the number of casualties.

During September 2019, two Americans were killed in action, including one in a suicide bombing in Kabul that prompted then-President Donald Trump to briefly halt U.S.-Taliban peace talks. Some 37 service members were wounded in action that month  all Army soldiers with the exception of one airman  Pentagon data show.

The crew of AC-130 gunship Shadow 71 received Distinguished Flying Crosses and Air Medals for their actions to protect ground forces in Afghanistan in September 2019, at a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., June 22, 2021. (Victor J. Caputo/U.S. Air Force)

Green Beret Sgt. 1st Class Jeremy Wayne Griffin was killed Sept. 16, 2019, from small arms fire during combat operations in Wardak province, but the Army has given scant details of that incident.

The AC-130J Ghostrider, first deployed in 2019, is a heavily modified version of the C-130J armed with 30 mm and 105 mm canons and precsion guided munitions.

garland.chad@stripes.com

Twitter: @chadgarland
U.S. Air Force Maj. Josh Gunderson, F-22 Demo Team commander, conducts a practice show over Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, May 21, 2021. (Nicholas J. De La Pena/U.S. Air Force)

The Air Force plans to host F-22 fighter jet training at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., the service announced Friday, almost three years after the program left its original home at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., after a devastating hurricane.

The Air Force said it signed a Record of Decision approving Joint Base Langley-Eustis as the eventual home for the F-22s formal training unit that teaches pilots to fly the stealthy fifth-generation fighters known as Raptors. However, Air Force officials said Friday that the service had yet to determine when the unit would move to Virginia from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., where it was moved in the wake of Hurricane Michael, the Category 5 storm that devastated Tyndall in October 2018.

That decision will not come until the completion of a tactical air study ordered in February by the services chief of staff, Gen. Charles CQ Brown. That study is meant to determine the best mix of Air Force aircraft for the future and is expected to be completed by early next year. Some service officials have suggested the study could lead the Air Force to retire the F-22 well ahead of initial plans to fly Raptors into the middle of the century.

The study could alter or halt altogether the services plans to host Raptor training at the Virginia base, a service official said Friday.

The Air Force already has two active-duty F-22 combat squadrons at JBLE, the 27th and 94th Fighter Squadrons. It is also home to the F-22 Demonstration Team, which flies in air shows and other events.

Consolidating the F-22 fleet at Joint Base Langley-Eustis would make use of existing force structure, which would increase aircraft availability and shorten training timelines, the Air Force said in a statement. This, in turn, would improve pilot production rates and readiness.

The move would include 28 F-22s, 16 T-38 Talon training jets and about 600 airmen to JBLE, according to the environmental study the Air Force completed to consider the move.

The Air Force also has F-22 units at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.

The Air Force stopped buying new F-22s in 2012, and it now has 186 in its fleet.

dickstein.corey@stripes.com

Twitter: @CDicksteinDC
A quadcopter drone in flight. Technology developed by the U.S. and U.K. and put into use in October 2020 detected 50 violations in nine months of the airspace above RAF Mildenhalll and nearby RAF Lakenheath by small drones. (atimedia/Pixabay)

RAF MILDENHALL, England  New technology used in a collaboration between the U.S. military and British authorities has detected more than 50 small drones violating the airspace around two bases used by the U.S. Air Force in England in the past nine months, officials have said.

Since last October, when the technology was first used, the Air Force has tracked the small unmanned aircraft systems, or sUAS, flying in airspace surrounding RAF Mildenhall and Lakenheath, and notified British Defense Ministry police.

Mildenhall is home to the U.S. Air Forces 100th Air Refueling Wing, and the Air Forces only F-15 fighter wing in Europe is based at Lakenheath.

Buy Photo A sign posted on a perimeter fence at RAF Mildenhall in England bars the flying of drones over the base, which is home to the U.S. Air Force's 100th Air Refueling Wing. (Kyle Alvarez/Stars and Stripes)

Of the 50 drones detected, five were recovered by police. They were piloted by hobbyists who were found to not have malicious intent, said Staff Sgt. Austin Grimmer, the 100th Security Forces Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of counter-sUAS operations at Mildenhall.

But the growing number of violations of military and commercial airspace by drones have led the U.S. Defense Department to draft a strategy to counter sUAS and the British to pass legislation giving police more power to stop them.

Drones may impede flight operations and endanger personnel and equipment, military officials have said.

It is evident that the potential for hazards or threats (from small drones) has the ability to impact the Joint Force, then-acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said in the plan, which calls for the U.S. military to work with partner countries  as the U.S. did with Britain  to respond to the needs of a rapidly changing security environment.

Integrating the U.S. and British counter-drone systems provides a layered defense to detect, track, identify and defeat unmanned aircraft, said Lt. Col. Charles Carabell, chief of police and security for the U.S. Air Forces Europe U.K. coordination cell.

Further details on the new technology were unavailable due to security reasons, Carabell said. The counter-drone effort brings together at least five different joint agencies, including the Air Force Research Laboratory, making it one of the great coordination opportunities that we have with the U.K, Carabell said.

Beginning Tuesday, U.K. police will gain powers to ground drones and confiscate flying hazards under a new law passed by parliament. The law also allows police to search an operator or their property if there is suspicion of illegal activity.

British police may also use technology, such as radio frequency jammers, to stop drones from flying.

Drones in the U.K. are barred from flying over crowds or built-up areas, and near aircraft, airports and airfields.

alvarez.kyle@stripes.com

Twitter: @Kal2931
Aaron Stevenson of Vallejo, Calif. at 350 pounds, left, and, 18 months later, 215 pounds.He enlisted with the California Army National Guard this week. (Aaron Stevenson)

VALLEJO, Calif. (Tribune News Service) Aaron Stevenson could feel it walking up stairs, getting out of bed, or merely breathing. He couldnt bend down and touch his toes.

He was overweight. He knew it.

If he was 6-foot-4, those 350 pounds wouldnt have anchored him to the bottom of misery ocean.

I would have been able to carry it, Stevenson said.

But, at 5-foot-9, merely walking became tough. If there were stairs to be had, Id probably look for the elevator, he said.

Stevenson was king of the casserole while conquering the triglyceride trio of soda, candy and ice cream. Local fast-food eateries practically knew Stevenson by his first name.

I was eating everything. I let myself go a little bit, he understated. I was eating out three times a day.

But it didnt stop the 32-year-old from pursuing his dream of joining the military, following in the genetic footsteps of many. However, when he told the recruiter via phone call of his size, he would tell me I was too big, Stevenson said. They wouldnt give me a chance. Some wouldnt even return my calls.

Stevenson wouldnt surrender. And, inspired by his sons birth two years ago and motivated to change by the death of a heavy-set 30-year-old best friend, Stevenson started working out, and watching his consumption. He dropped down to 285 pounds  and found a sympathetic ear in Staff Sgt. Andrew Romano, a Vallejo-based California Army National Guard recruiter.

He gave me advice and encouragement to keep it going. Just to have someone believe I could do it and someone who would give me the opportunity is all I needed, Stevenson said.

On Monday, Stevenson was officially sworn into the California Army National Guard. He will be a Motor Transport Operator for the 2632nd Transportation Company in Sacramento after he completes Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Leonard Wood in the Missouri Ozarks.

Stevenson will help with natural disasters, wildfires, floods, earthquakes and other major events that the Guard is called upon for, Romano said.

Ive worked this job for a long time and it is extremely rare to see someone accomplish the amazing feat that he has, said Romano. His drive and determination are truly awe-inspiring.

When Stevenson signed his six-year Guard commitment, it was an amazing feeling, he said by phone Thursday. I felt so proud, so honored to have the opportunity to serve my country, my community, my state. Its one of the best feelings Ive had in my life.

Vallejo veterans advocate Nestor Aliga and Mayor Robert McConnell, also a veteran, praised Romano for his achievement and tenacity.

Everyone should be inspired by Aaron Stevensons story because it mimics the recipe found in our most-loved inspirational fables and movies, Aliga said. Hes had to first fight through various adversities  losing a friend, his commitment to lose weight  just so he can start on his goal to serve our community via the National Guard.

McConnell, a Vietnam veteran, said that Vallejo is privileged to have among our residents giving and motivated individuals such as Aaron Stevenson.

Stevenson again credited Romanos advice: Keep up the hard work, keep pushing, and well go from there.

He was willing to work with me, said Stevenson, adding that theres still work to be done after losing 130 pounds.

Grinding is the beautiful part of the journey, said Stevenson, a 14-year butcher at Safeway.

A lot of people didnt believe in me. A lot of times, I didnt believe in myself, Stevenson said, recalling his heavier days of just trying to get up and being that big and being so sore every day.

Yes, said Stevenson, when his best friend of 20 years died a few years ago, that was big. It was a changing point in my life. We did everything together. He was on the bigger side and had a heart attack. It was eye-opening for me, that I had to make some changes.

Stevenson wished his friend was alive to see him sworn in as a member of the California Army National Guard.

He would be so happy for me, Stevenson said.

Reaching the destination was far from easy, he said. There were 5 a.m. workouts. And eating right. And working eight hours a day while raising his son with his fiance.

It was mentally taxing, Stevenson said.

When he finally signed the papers as a member of the California Army National Guard, it was a huge weight off myself, Stevenson said. I thought, Wow! I did this. If I could it, anybody could do it. Put hard work in and you can make anything happen.

While millions of Americans put on weight during COVID-19, it actually helped me, Stevenson said. With the lockdown, there was nobody around tempting him with unhealthy food or drink. And with the extra time, Stevenson researched the best approach to losing weight.

From November 2019 to November 2020, he dropped 100 pounds. No more gluten, dairy  and especially no more chips. It was all fruit, vegetables and healthy proteins and I quit eating out, Stevenson said.

Saying no to temptation was super hard, he said. Its a whole mentality change, a change of my whole mindset.

Compared to his peak at 350 pounds, Stevensons nearly petite at 215.

Right now, Im at a good weight. Im trying to get down a little bit more before I ship to basic training, he said.

The commitment to the Guard is weekends, though full-time could be the plan, Stevenson said.

Ill get my feet wet and see what Im walking into, he laughs.

___

(c)2021 Times-Herald (Vallejo, Calif.)

Visit Times-Herald (Vallejo, Calif.) at www.timesheraldonline.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
U.S. Navy fleet replenishment ship USNS Henry J. Kaiser steams in a multinational formation during a photo exercise off the coast of Hawaii during the Rim of the Pacific exercise on Aug. 21, 2020. (Jenna Dobson/U.S. Navy)

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (Tribune News Service)  The Coast Guard said it is investigating reports made last Saturday of two oily sheens off the coast of Point Loma and San Clemente Island, but has yet to release any details about a possible source of the pollution.

Coast Guard Sector San Diego did not acknowledge the possible spill off the island about 70 miles from shore until Wednesday evening. A whale-watching captain called the agency Saturday to report a giant oily sheen stretching for roughly 50 miles, and he later posted a video to social media of dolphins swimming through the pollution.

The Coast Guard takes all reports of marine environmental pollution seriously, said Lt. Ryan Szabo, incident management division chief, in a press statement release Wednesday after 7 p.m. We thank all of the responsible citizens who reported these environmental concerns in a timely manner.

The Coast Guard confirmed over the weekend a roughly 100-gallon spill of what was likely diesel fuel about 11 miles northwest of Point Loma. Authorities said that a cleanup effort wasnt necessary because the spill would dissipate within a day.

Officials said they also contacted, on Saturday, a Navy vessel conducting training near San Clemente Island to verify the reported sheen.

Navy personnel reported no signs of sheening in or around San Clemente Island, officials said in Wednesdays press statement.

The USNS Henry J Kaiser, an aging oiler used for underway replenishment training exercises, was operating in the area of the sheen last weekend, according to marinetraffic.com.

Sal Mercogliano, a maritime historian at Campbell University in North Carolina, said spills can occur during replenishment training, where an oiler like the Kaiser transfers fuel and other supplies to nearby military vessels.

You pump under a high amount of pressure, a large volume of fuel goes across, and its not unusual for those large-diameter hoses to have ruptures at times, he said.  Henry Kaiser is also the oldest of the class. Shes close to 40 years old now, so shes at the edge.

Spills can also result from a cracked hull, such as with a Navy cruiser out of Norfolk, Virginia, that recently leaked fuel while attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean.

Thats the other way you get fuel spills like that; all of a sudden you start leaking from a tank, Mercogliano said. Thats an issue with older Navy vessels.

Navy officials have repeatedly denied any knowledge of the potential fuel spill off San Clemente Island.

2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune

Visit sandiegouniontribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Gogo, Naval Support Activity Naples, conducts maintenance on a mask leakage testing device in the air terminal at Capodichino in Naples, Aug. 28, 2020. Personnel at all NSA Naples facilities will no longer have to wear a mask outdoors if social distancing of at least 6 feet can be maintained. (Donavan K. Patubo/U.S. Navy)

NAPLES, Italy  Starting Monday, Naval Support Activity Naples will no longer require masks outdoors if social distancing of at least six feet can be maintained, the base said Friday.

The rule change falls in line with Italys eased coronavirus restrictions, which allow citizens in white zone regions to go without masks outside as long as social distancing of about 3 feet is maintained.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines recommend social distancing of at least 6 feet. NSA Naples adheres to the more stringent policy, the installation Facebook page said.

Non-immunized individuals, ages 2 and up, must continue to follow Defense Department policy of wearing masks on all installations, the announcement said. Masks must be worn at all NSA Naples facilities before approaching or entering certain aread.

This includes the Capo Spine walkway from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. if social distancing cant be maintained, any commercial shopping area, customer service areas, along with corridors, hallways and stairwells, and while riding a bus, the base announcement said. Masks may be taken off in spaces that are not open or accessible to the general public, such as office spaces and where 6 feet of separation can be maintained.

Individuals who desire to wear masks may continue to do so. Personnel should avoid asking questions about vaccination status or personal reasons for wearing a mask, the announcement stated.

news@stripes.com
BOULDER, Colo. (Tribune News Service)  The University of Colorado will partner with the Space Force in a new program aimed at developing a workforce, talent pipeline and research related to space.

CUs membership in the Space Force University Partnership Program is agreed to in principle with some details yet to be finalized, Gen. David Thompson said Thursday after touring CU Boulders aerospace building. Thompson is the vice chief of space operations for the Space Force.

The new program will create partnerships between the Space Force and approximately 10 universities across the country, Thompson said. Space Force leaders have been reaching out to universities about the program over the past year.

Thompson did not name all of the participating universities but said the list is similar to the universities with the top aerospace programs in the country and includes North Carolina A&T State University.

This idea just seemed to develop and coalesce and it makes so much sense for us, Thompson said. First is the challenge we face, the recognition that theres a next level of expertise and understanding and expectation of what these Space Force members have to bring to be able to operate successfully in an incredibly complex physical and technical domain.

The approach of the Air Force, the Space Forces sister branch, to training and educating its servicemembers has been broadly applied and worked well for a long time, Thompson said.

But when you say a new service, a new challenge in this domain, we need to adapt our approach to education, training and workforce development to meet our needs, Thompson said.

The foundation of training uniformed military members, including through ROTC programs, will remain. But a much heavier lift will be needed to develop the Space Force civilian workforce, Thompson said.

It is really a change in the way we do business. Weve had the opportunity in the Space Force to say, Brand new service, brand new century, brand new challenges, what do we need to do differently?

This is a new way of thinking about workforce development for the Air Force, Thompson said. Walking through CU Boulders aerospace classrooms and labs, Thompson said he was struck by how the service has not heavily emphasized science, technical knowledge and analytical experience.

Its not that we dont value it, its not that we dont want it, but in many cases in the past we havent required it, he said. Instead, the service has relied on universities, firms and research and development corporations to provide that deep expertise, rather than its own workforce.

This change could also have ripple effects beyond the Space Force, Thompson said. The increase in trained aerospace professionals could have positive impacts at NASA and the commercial sector.

The partnership program also intends to offer full ROTC scholarships to qualified students who are accepted into science, technology and math programs, Thompson said.

We hope to leverage that to recruit in areas of the nation, geographically and culturally, that we havent in the past, he said.

The benefits for CU Boulder include research and building a bigger capacity for aerospace and related programs, said Professor Iain Boyd, director of the Center for National Security Initiatives at CU Boulder.

What could be better than having this opportunity to have a formal collaboration with Space Force on both workforce development, the educational side and research? Boyd said. It couldnt be any better for us. Were really excited for it.

The partnership program will also serve the Colorado Springs campus, said system President Mark Kennedy, with potential to expand to the Denver and Anschutz campuses.

The day-to-day impacts of the partnership are still being worked out, said Professor Brian Argrow, chair of the Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences department. But it will strengthen the connections between the department and ROTC, the campus and Space Force, and students with potential employers.

The more we can solidify the relationship between CU and the Space Force, the better, Argrow said.

(c)2021 the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.)

Visit the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) at www.dailycamera.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(iStock)

Whats next? When will we move? Where will we live? Will I find a job? Where will the kids go to school? Will we make good friends? Will we be happy there?

These are the questions that bombard even the most level-headed military spouses mind, especially during the summer months when about 60 percent of the 430,000 annual Permanent Change of Station, or PCS moves, take place. Since military orders are issued only three to six months before report dates, military families are given very little time to make a long list of life-altering decisions about unknowns  housing choices, school placement, neighborhood demographics, local economy, employment options, etc.

Unlike most level-headed military spouses, Im one of those people who has never dealt well with unknowns during the 28 years when my Navy husband was active duty.

You know the type. The spouses who incessantly scribble lists titled Stuff I Gotta Do, Movies I Wanna Watch on Netflix, Household Projects I Never Quite Finished, Weight Loss Goals Ive Been Working on Since Ninth Grade, Meals That the Kids Wont Hate, and Embarrassing Questions to Ask the Doctor.

Yep, thats me.

Needless to say, military moves really stressed me out because I didnt deal well with unknowns. I needed something solid, an anchor of information to plan our familys life around. I dont care if we live in a cardboard box under an overpass, just tell me where well live, and Ill plan where to hang the pictures, Ive said often over the years.

All joking aside, there are legitimate unknowns that military families face every time they move. If we decide to geobach so the kids can finish school, how will that affect our marriage? Will I be able to find work in my field? If the kids change schools, will they struggle with a new curriculum, or will they have to sit through material theyve already learned? Will they fit in? How can I make sure they wont experience social isolation?

During the many PCS moves our family endured, I often worked myself into a tizzy over the unknowns about our familys next duty station and our next home. To make matters worse, the anxiety over moving would make me mentally fragile, prone to completely unrelated and illogical apprehensions about our kids, the dog, our health, our parents, taxes, fruit flies, sugar substitutes, world peace, whatever.

During one move when two of our three kids were enrolled in college, my moving-stress-battered mind went to irrational extremes. What if Annas roommate has green hair and bolts in her face? Could someones hot pot set the dorm on fire and ruin Annas entire freshman experience? Will Hayden get snapped up by some tech firm after he graduates, and move halfway around the world to California? Will he learn how to iron shirts all by himself? Who is going to pair up all his mismatched socks? Will I have to fly all the way out there to disinfect his bathroom and make sure hes eating enough fruit? Will our youngest, Lilly, be forced to forgo college altogether because we will be flat broke by the time we pay tuition for Hayden and Anna? Could we all fit into a cardboard box under an overpass if we had to?"

Its not easy being a nut job.

Id much rather drift contentedly through life like a twig on the shoulders of a mighty stream, banishing worry and embracing spontaneity while belting out Doris Days best Que Sera, Sera. Do I have deep-seated control issues that might one day spiral into a psychotic episode and leave me wandering in front of the courthouse in a dusty wool coat and a tin-foil turban, muttering something about campaign finance reform, and pushing a shopping cart full of empty tuna cans?

There I go again.

My rational side knows that all the worries in the world wont change two simple truths of military life: Well never know what will happen until it happens. And, just like Doris said, whatever will be, will be.
In this March 2, 2019, file photo, Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, attends a wreath-laying ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam. (Jorge Silva/AP)

SEOUL, South Korea  The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed prospects for an early resumption of diplomacy with the United States, saying Tuesday that U.S. expectations of talks would plunge them into a greater disappointment.

Kim Yo Jongs blunt statement indicates that the diplomatic impasse over North Koreas nuclear program is likely to continue unless the North suffers greater economic and pandemic-related difficulties, some experts said.

Hope for a restart of nuclear talks flared briefly after Kim Jong Un said last week that his country must be ready for both dialogue and confrontation, though more for confrontation. U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan called Kims comments an interesting signal.

On Tuesday, Kim Yo Jong derided Sullivans response.

It seems that the U.S. may interpret the situation in such a way as to seek a comfort for itself, the official Korean Central News Agency quoted her as saying. The expectation, which they chose to harbor the wrong way, would plunge them into a greater disappointment.

Shin Beomchul, an analyst with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy, said North Korea has been communicating the same message for months  that it has no intention to return to talks unless the United States offers meaningful concessions, likely in the form of eased economic sanctions. The Biden administration, for its part, doesnt want to budge either, he said.

Both parties are locked in a waiting game  North Korea wants the United States to make concessions first, and the United States has no intentions to match a level of action the North is demanding, Shin said.

On Monday, during a visit to Seoul, Sung Kim, the top U.S. envoy on North Korea affairs, said Washington is willing to meet the North anywhere, anytime without preconditions. But he stressed that the Biden administration would continue to pressure North Korea with sanctions over its nuclear and missile ambitions.

Just before Kim Yo Jongs statement was released on Tuesday, Sung Kim met South Korean Unification Minister Lee In-young and said Washington and Seoul remain committed to seeking the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy. Lee said he hoped North Korea would return to the negotiating table at an early date and called the current situation a very good chance to resume talks.

As a precondition for the talks resumption, North Korea has repeatedly called on the United States to lift its hostile policy toward it, an apparent reference to the U.S.-led sanctions and regular military drills with South Korea. But experts say the Biden administration wont ease sanctions or make other major concessions before North Korea takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.

North Korea may only ease its stance if it can no longer endure its ongoing economic hardship, some experts said. Kim Jong Un has admitted North Korea faces what he described as its worst-ever crises, due to drastically reduced international trade caused by pandemic-related border closings, mismanagement, the economic sanctions and crop-killing storms last year.

The deadlock could be prolonged unless theres a change in the conditions facing the North, such as greater economic or pandemic-related difficulties, Shin said.

Analyst Cheong Seong-Chang at the private Sejong Institute in South Korea said Kim Yo Jongs statement suggested North Korea isnt ready to rejoin talks anytime soon.

A mutual distrust and antagonism run so deep that the resumption of the North Korea-U.S. talks is difficult. Even if the U.S. and North Korea meet, itll never be easy to find common ground, Cheong said.

Last Thursday, Kim Jong Un ordered officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation, especially to get fully prepared for confrontation, in order to protect national security and dignity.

In an interview with ABC News, Sullivan said Sunday that 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.

U.S. officials have suggested Biden will take the middle ground between former President Donald Trumps direct dealings with Kim and ex-President Barack Obamas policy of strategic patience. Details of Bidens North Korea policy havent been publicly released.

U.S.-led diplomacy aimed at striping North Korea of its nuclear program has stalled since February 2019, when the Americans rejected a North Korean demand for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities during a summit between Kim and Trump.

Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.
President Joe Bidens negotiators are moving toward renewing former President Barack Obamas 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, a deal renounced by former President Donald Trump. If the Biden team succeeds, it will be the biggest foreign policy coup of the presidents first year  as well as a massive political headache.

Trump believed that by canceling the deal Obama had negotiated, he could force Iran to accept far tougher terms. So he walked away, slapping massive economic sanctions on Tehran, and waited for the regime to collapse.

But the mullahs didnt buckle. Instead, freed from the agreements limits, they accelerated uranium enrichment and moved closer to the point at which they could quickly build a bomb.

A renewed agreement would not only halt that progress, but reverse it. And it would reimpose international inspections that made it impossible for Iran to build a nuclear weapon more rapidly than the United States could stop it.

So whats the problem?

Like many international agreements  and this one involves not only Iran and the United States, but five other countries  the nuclear deal isnt perfect.

For one thing, it isnt permanent. Most of its major provisions expire in 2030, which seemed a long time away in 2015 but doesnt now. After that date, in the absence of a new agreement, Iran could return to increasing its stockpile of enriched uranium.

For another, the deal leaves many other problems unsolved. Beyond nuclear weapons, Irans militant Islamist regime challenges U.S. interests across the entire Middle East, supporting anti-American factions in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. The closest U.S. ally in the region, Israel, considers Iran a mortal enemy.

And the Tehran government is a singularly unpleasant regime. It imprisons dissidents, funds organizations the U.S. labels as terrorist and chants Death to America on major holidays.

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is as bitterly anti-American as ever, and the president whose election Khamenei engineered this month, Ebrahim Raisi, isnt just a hard-liner; hes guilty of crimes against humanity. In his earlier career as a judge, he presided over the summary execution of an estimated 5,000 political prisoners.

Any deal with a regime like that is an easy target for GOP attacks.

Religious zealots run the place, Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, recently complained. The idea of going back into negotiations with the ayatollah and his henchmen is insane.

Other critics have complained that the deal will require the United States to lift some economic sanctions, enabling Iran to resume exporting oil. Thats Irans reward for accepting renewed nuclear restrictions  but its not, as Sen. Ted Cruz, of Texas, suggested, a transfer of money from the U.S. Treasury.

The gaps in the deal have been criticized by Democrats, too. In March, 140 members of the House of Representatives, 70 from each party, joined a letter urging that any deal extend the nuclear agreement beyond 2030 and address other U.S. concerns, including Irans ballistic missile program and its intervention in other countries.

Biden and his aides have promised to tackle those problems  but later. Adding them to the already difficult negotiation, they argue, would make the nuclear deal unreachable.

We have to keep our eye on the ball, Jake Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser, said June 20, referring to the nuclear problem.

But the administrations promise of future negotiations on non-nuclear concerns took a hit the next day from Raisi, Irans president-elect. Regional issues and missiles are not negotiable, he said.

The promise of a continuing standoff with Iran over those issues offers Republicans a political prize as they look forward to elections in 2022 and 2024: a revival of the ancient GOP theme that Democratic presidents are soft on U.S. adversaries.

Republicans have already accused Biden of being soft on China, even though he has been tougher than Trump in criticizing Beijings human rights policies and ordered an official investigation of claims that the virus that causes COVID-19 leaked from a Chinese research lab.

More laughably, Cruz has accused Biden of being soft on Russia, even though the new president has been far tougher on Vladimir Putin than Trump, who often praised the Russian autocrat in effusive terms.

On Iran, though, the charge that Bidens policies are soft may have a better chance of sticking  in part because his nuclear deal wont constrain Irans behavior on other issues.

Republicans will say the deal was a bust because Iran will still be ruled by Khameneis regime. It will still be imprisoning dissidents, proclaiming enmity toward Israel and meddling in the affairs of its neighbors.

The Biden administration insists it will continue some economic sanctions on Iran, and reimpose more stringent ones if necessary. But the soft on charge has a long history for Republicans, who have denounced Democrats for being soft on everything from foreign policy and immigration to street crime.

Americans like neat, tidy and conclusive solutions to foreign policy problems, but Iran offers none of those. A new nuclear deal would clearly be better than no deal. But in the broader U.S.-Iranian standoff, no bright future is at hand  only choices among bad outcomes and less-bad ones, and that means political peril for Biden.

Doyle McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times.
An injured victim of an alleged airstrike on a village arrives in an ambulance at the Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia  Ethiopia's military on Thursday said it was responsible for a deadly airstrike on a busy marketplace in the country's Tigray region. Health workers said the attack killed at least 64 people, including children, but the military insisted only combatants were targeted.

A doctor who managed to reach the market in Togoga village after Ethiopian soldiers blocked medical teams from responding to Tuesday's attack described a "horrible" scene of badly wounded people lying on the ground, crying in pain with no medical care.

"It was very traumatizing," he told The Associated Press. "I think most of the patients, they died because we were late there, because care wasn't available."

Most of the patients taken to regional hospitals weren't critical, he said: "The critical patients were already dead." Like others, he spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

A military spokesman, Col. Getnet Adane, told journalists that fighters supporting the Tigray region's former leaders had assembled to celebrate Martyrs' Day when the airstrike occurred.

"The Ethiopian air force uses the latest technology, so it conducted a precision strike that was successful," he said.

But the doctor who reached the scene said "most of the patients we found were mothers, children and elderly fathers. There were few young men."

The airstrike wounded more than 100 people, half of them seriously, a regional health official said. Health workers said Ethiopian forces blocked medical teams from responding and shot at a Red Cross ambulance trying to reach the scene.

Bodies were still being pulled from the rubble and dozens of survivors were still arriving at regional hospitals with shrapnel and blunt trauma wounds two days after the airstrike, said a doctor in the regional capital, Mekele. The International Committee of the Red Cross called the transport of seriously injured to Mekele "a matter of life and death."

Even on Thursday, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the U.N. still hasn't been able to reach the scene. "Between the fighting and different groups on the ground we need clearance to go and we've just not been able to get it," he said.

The airstrike, one of the worst massacres of the war, came amid some of the fiercest fighting in Tigray since the conflict began in November as Ethiopian forces, supported by neighboring Eritrea, pursue Tigray's former leaders.

The Ethiopian military spokesman denied Tigray fighters' claims of gains in recent days, saying Ethiopian forces had been deployed to other locations for Monday's national election.

The United States and the European Union have condemned the airstrike in Togoga that left children, including a 1-year-old baby. screaming in pain.

A "reprehensible act," the U.S. State Department said. "Denying victims urgently needed medical care is heinous and absolutely unacceptable. We urge the Ethiopian authorities to ensure full and unhindered medical access to the victims immediately. We also call for an urgent and independent investigation."

The U.S. also called for an immediate cease-fire in Tigray, where thousands of civilians have been killed and 350,000 people are now facing one of the world's worst famines in years.

"At least 33,000 children in inaccessible parts of Tigray are severely malnourished and face imminent death without immediate help," the latest U.N. humanitarian update said Thursday.

Ethiopia claims that aid is being delivered to most of Tigray's 6 million people, but aid workers have said they have been repeatedly denied access to several parts of the region by soldiers.

With Ethiopia recently declaring Tigray's former ruling party a terrorist group, concerns have been widespread among Tigrayans, aid workers and others that anyone seen as linked to Tigray fighters, including civilians, could be targeted.

Tigrayans were appalled by Ethiopia's assertion that the airstrike was aimed only at combatants.

"It's an insult to the people and adding salt to the wounds, you know?" said Hailu Kebede, a former Togoga resident and official with the Salsay Woyane Tigray opposition party. He described how his brother, who has a shop in the market, ran for his life while his nearby home was destroyed.

"We know the area. I grew up there. There were no combatants," Hailu said. "The destroyed homes are those of my friends and my family."

One of his friends lost a child in the airstrike while another child had her hand amputated, he said.

The real death toll from the airstrike could be even higher because some people likely took the dead home to their nearby villages and buried them without telling regional officials, Hailu said.
German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp Karrenbauer attends a meeting in Brussels on May 6, 2021. Kramp-Karrenbauer said on Friday, June 25, that 12 German troops and a soldier from another country were wounded following an attack in Mali. (John Thys, Pool /AP)

BERLIN  The United Nations said 12 German troops and a Belgian soldier serving in the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Mali were wounded Friday in an attack in the countrys restive north.

The U.N. mission in the country, MINUSMA, had earlier said that 15 peacekeepers were wounded when a temporary operational base in the Gao region was targeted with a vehicle bomb. Later, it corrected the numbers.

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said three of the soldiers were seriously wounded. She told reporters in Bonn, Germany that two soldiers were in a stable condition while the third was still undergoing surgery.

All of the wounded soldiers were flown by helicopter to Gao, where they were being treated at German, French and Chinese medical facilities, the minister said.

The military operations on site arent completed yet, she said.

A German medevac plane will fly to Gao overnight to bring the wounded soldiers back to Germany on Saturday, said Kramp-Karrenbauer.

Germany has hundreds of troops taking part in U.N. stabilization and European Union training missions in the West African nation.

Mali has been trying to contain an Islamic extremist insurgency since 2012.

Islamic extremist rebels were forced from power in Malis northern cities with the help of a French-led military operation in 2013. However, the insurgents quickly regrouped in the desert and began launching frequent attacks on the Malian army and its allies fighting the insurgency.

The extremists have expanded their reach well into central Mali, where their presence has inflamed tensions between ethnic groups in the area.
A video screen grab shows an injured victim of an alleged airstrike on a village arrives in an ambulance at the Ayder Referral Hospital in Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (AP)

NAIROBI, Kenya  The medical charity Doctors Without Borders says it is "horrified by the brutal murder" of three colleagues in Ethiopia's Tigray region, the latest attack on humanitarian workers helping civilians in the deadly conflict there.

A statement by the aid group, also known by its French acronym MSF, says two Ethiopian colleagues and one from Spain were found dead on Friday, a day after colleagues lost contact with them while they were traveling.

"This morning the vehicle was found empty and a few meters away, their lifeless bodies," the statement said. It did not say where the attack occurred.

"We condemn this attack on our colleagues in the strongest possible terms and will be relentless in understanding of what happened," MSF said, calling it "unthinkable" that the colleagues  emergency coordinator Maria Hernandez, assistant coordinator Yohannes Halefom Reda and driver Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael  paid for their work with their lives.

A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office, Billene Seyoum, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Another MSF team was attacked in March after witnessing Ethiopian soldiers pulling men off two public buses and shooting them dead. Soldiers beat the MSF driver and threatened to kill him, the aid group said at the time.

This latest attack occurred amid some of the fiercest fighting in Tigray since the conflict began in November. This week Ethiopia's military acknowledged carrying out an airstrike on a busy market in Tigray that health workers said killed several dozen civilians. The military claimed it was targeting combatants.

The conflict in Tigray has been deeply challenging for humanitarian workers who have pleaded for better access to the region since the fighting began, with Ethiopian forces backed by ones from neighboring Eritrea pursuing Tigray's former leaders. Several aid groups have reported staffers killed.

More than 350,000 people in Tigray already face famine, according to the United Nations and other humanitarian groups. The U.N. on Thursday warned that at least 33,000 children in inaccessible parts of Tigray "are severely malnourished and face imminent death without immediate help."

Meanwhile, Ethiopia awaits the results of Monday's national election, the first test at the polls for Abiy who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. a year after taking office. He now stands accused by critics of backsliding on political reforms.

Abiy's government has said the election would be the first free and fair one in Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country. But on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the vote "was not free or fair for all Ethiopians," citing opposition boycotts, detentions of political leaders and insecurity in various parts of the country.

The statement also called for a cease-fire in Tigray and the withdrawal of Eritrean forces, who have been accused by witnesses of atrocities including gang-rapes and massacres.
The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is administered for the first time at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Dec. 28, 2020. (Juan Torres/U.S. Air Force)

All local area activities, including visits to bars, nightclubs and karaoke rooms, are no longer off-limits to fully-vaccinated personnel at the home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo.

However, unvaccinated personnel at Yokota Air Base remain barred from these and other nonessential activities that have a potential for crowds, close contact or closed spaces.

The update to Yokotas COVID-19 public health emergency was announced Friday in a letter from 374th Airlift Wing commander Col. Andrew Campbell.

Yokotas local area is now defined as the country of Japan, minus Okinawa prefecture, which is under a state of emergency until July 11. Fully vaccinated is defined as 14 days after a persons final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

All limits on social gatherings and fitness activity group sizes have been removed for fully vaccinated personnel, the base wrote in a Facebook post on Friday afternoon.

The unvaccinated must continue to wear masks on and off base, according to the new policy, though fully vaccinated individuals have been granted some leeway regarding masks on base.

Yokotas policy update follows a Tuesday decision at nearby Yokosuka Naval Base to relax many off-duty restrictions. Bars, nightclubs and tattoo parlors are no longer off-limits to most sailors in Japan, thanks to the decision by base commander Capt. Rich Jarrett.

U.S. military bases across the country have also updated off-limits area maps as infections number continue to fall in most parts of the country.

As of 7 p.m. Friday, the U.S. military in Japan had reported only one new coronavirus patient, an unvaccinated employee at Yokosuka Naval Base, 35 miles south of central Tokyo. That person tested positive after displaying symptoms of COVID-19, the base said in a statement Friday afternoon.

Yokosuka has had 10 people test positive for COVID-19 so far this month. There were also 10 infections all of May.

Japan on Friday reported 1,245 new patients, 315 fewer than the same day last week, according to public broadcaster NHK and the World Health Organization. There were 22 deaths nationwide.

The government has counted just shy of 790,000 COVID-19 cases during the pandemic and more than 14,500 deaths, the WHO said.

Tokyo on Friday reported another 562 coronavirus infections and two deaths, according to NHK, which cited metropolitan government data. Thats 109 more than the same day last week.

Okinawa prefecture, home to most of the U.S. troops stationed in Japan, reported another 82 new infections Friday, four fewer than the same day last week, according to NHK. There were four deaths.

burke.matt@stripes.com

Twitter: @MatthewMBurke1
Maj. Gen. Viet X. Luong, right, passes the U.S. Army Japan guidon to U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider at Camp Zama, Japan, Friday, June 25, 2021. (U.S. Army)

TOKYO  The 34-year career of the Armys first Vietnamese-born general officer came to an end on Friday as Maj. Gen. Viet X. Luong relinquished command of U.S. Army Japan to Brig. Gen. Joel Vowell.

To quote U.S. Army Pacific commanding general Charles A. Flynn, it has been an honor to serve in the most consequential theater during the most consequential time in our history, Luong said during a change-of-command ceremony at Camp Zama that was broadcast live on Facebook.

I would say we are in crisis now and the situation remains highly urgent, added Luong, who spent half of his three-year tenure tackling the coronavirus pandemic.

Vowell comes to Japan from Indo-Pacific Command headquarters in Hawaii, where he served as deputy commander of the Strategic Planning and Policy Directorate.

He mentioned during the ceremony that he and Luong have crossed paths a few times in their careers, including serving together in the Middle East.

Vowell served three combat tours to Afghanistan and one to Iraq, according to his Army biography. He was a War College Fellow at Stanford University in 2012 an Army Chief of Staffs Senior Fellow to the Brookings Institution in 2016.

Brig. Gen. Joel Vowell, right, and Maj. Gen. Viet X. Luong, center, prepare for the start of their change-of-command ceremony at U.S. Army Japan headquarters on Camp Zama, Friday, June 25, 2021. U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider stands at far left. (U.S. Army)

Our purpose is to work with our allies to make our collective deterrence and our defense during crisis robust and strong, he said as he took command on Friday. I pledge my best efforts to support the soldiers and families of U.S. Army Japan and our Japan Ground Self-Defense Force partners as we go forward together.

Luong was 9 years old when he fled Vietnam with his family in 1975. He shared his story during a USARJ Facebook Live event on May 18 as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

In 1993, he became one of only 27 battalion commanders of Asian descent in the history of the 82nd Airborne Division.

At the time, Luong said, he felt a need to outperform his white counterparts to earn equal recognition.

Maybe I was too naive, but I thought if we all just do our jobs and do well, everything will work out, he said during the May event. But it doesnt work like that. In order to be successful, you need a lot of support, you need mentorship, and you need advocacy.

earl.erica@stripes.com

Twitter: @ThisEarlGirl
Belarusian dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich attends a news conference at the National Press Center of Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Minsk, Belarus, on June 14, 2021. The dissident Belarusian journalist and his Russian girlfriend who were arrested after their airline flight was diverted to Minsk last month have been moved from jail to house arrest. (Ramil Nasibulin/BelTA, Pool via AP)

KYIV, Ukraine  The dissident Belarusian journalist and his Russian girlfriend who were arrested after being pulled off a flight that was diverted to Minsk have been transferred from jail to house arrest  a move the country's exiled opposition leader said Friday was positive but still left them "hostages."

Raman Pratasevich, whose messaging app channel was widely used in last year's massive protests against authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, and girlfriend Sofia Sapega were seized on May 23 when their Ryanair flight from Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in Minsk because of a reported bomb threat.

Several world leaders denounced the dramatic gambit as a hijacking, and it prompted another round of Western sanctions on Belarus, where Lukashenko responded to the months of mass protests with a brutal crackdown.

Pratasevich, who faces a potential 15 years in prison, has been seen since his arrest in videos on state television and at a government press briefing expressing regret for his activities. The opposition said he spoke under duress.

Belarus' Investigative Committee said in a statement that Pratasevich and Sapega have been moved to house arrest after they had cooperated with investigators and accepted a pre-trial deal. It said they "agreed to help investigators probe the crimes, expose their accomplices and do everything possible to compensate for the damage that was inflicted" and made "consistent confessional testimony."

Opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called their move to house arrest "good news" but stressed that their situation remains precarious.

"House arrest is not freedom, they're still facing charges, their every step is still being watched. It means they're still hostages," said Tsikhanouskaya, who left Belarus for Lithuania last year under pressure from the authorities.

She added that her team is in touch with Pratasevich's parents, who "aren't given any information about their son, aren't allowed to talk to him" and are "convinced that the regime is playing a game, using Raman's and Sofia's lives."

She urged the West not to ease its pressure on Lukashenko and keep pushing for the release of all political prisoners and early elections, noting that Western sanctions have been quite powerful.

"We are really glad that conditions have changed ... but still they are prisoners," Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press. "This so-called release after imposing sanctions is a political game."

Pratasevich's mother Natalia Pratasevich told Poland's TVN by phone that she has gotten no official word regarding her son or if conditions of his detention have changed. She said a move to house arrest is "likely an improvement in their living conditions. But I'll repeat, none of the charges against them have been dropped. They remain hostages and captives just like before."

Tsikhanouskaya's adviser Franak Viacorka, who spoke to the parents, added that they don't believe authorities plan to free their son. Instead, Viacorka said, the move might be aimed at holding off additional sanctions.

"We urge the European and the global community not to give in  everyone needs to be free and not under house arrest," he said, adding that Lukashenko's goal is "to create an illusion of softening and concessions. But this is just one prison replaced with another."

Viacorka said Pratasevich's sister has been able to pass on some belongings to him and talk to him. "The house arrest is not freedom, he lives there with operatives of the KGB, agents who watch him round the clock," he said.

Sapega's lawyer, Anton Gashinsky, also confirmed that his client was transferred to house arrest recently, without specifying when. She is now staying in an apartment in Minsk, and her parents met her on Thursday at a restaurant.

Gashinsky wouldn't say whether Pratasevich was also there  but said Sapega didn't go alone.

Pratasevich's lawyer, Inessa Olenskaya, refused to comment on her client's whereabouts and status, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Marie Struthers, Amnesty International's Eastern Europe and Central Asia Director, said putting the pair under house arrest "looks like a cynical ploy by the Belarusian authorities to secure the lifting of international sanctions."

The months of mass protests were fueled by Lukashenko's reelection to a sixth term in an August 2020 vote that was widely seen as rigged. The subsequent crackdown saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police. Most opposition leaders have been jailed or forced to leave the country.

In the wake of these violations and the flight diversion, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada joined forces on Monday to impose sanctions on several top Belarusian officials. The EU also imposed a series of bruising economic sanctions that target key Belarus exports, including potash  a common fertilizer ingredient  and petroleum products.

Belarus' Foreign Ministry says the sanctions will hurt ordinary people and "border on the declaration of an economic war." On Friday, the ministry again condemned the sanctions and promised "retaliatory measures" in the coming weeks. "It's about time European politicians realized that pressure and sanctions are not a language one should use with Belarus," the statement read.

___

Associated Press writer Harriet Morris in Moscow contributed.
A Russian Air Force MiG-31K jet carries a high-precision hypersonic aero-ballistic missile Kh-47M2 Kinzhal during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow on May 9, 2018. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP)

MOSCOW  The Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes armed with state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea.

Moscow said one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs in the path of British destroyer Defender on Wednesday to force her out of an area near Crimea that Russia claims as its territorial waters. Britain denied that account, insisted its ship wasn't fired upon and said she was sailing in Ukrainian waters.

The Russian drills that began Friday in the eastern Mediterranean come as a British carrier strike group is in the area. Earlier this week, British and U.S. F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat sorties against the Islamic State group.

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, allowing Syrian President Bashar Assad's government to reclaim control over most of the country after a devastating civil war.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that a pair of MiG-31 fighter jets capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived at the Russian airbase in Syria and flew training missions to practice strikes on targets in the Mediterranean. The Hemeimeem airbase, in the coastal province of Latakia, serves as the main hub for Moscow's operations in the country.

It's the first time the warplanes armed with Kinzhal have been deployed outside Russia's borders.

Russian submarines and warships are moored at the St. Petersburg Marine Station closed to receive cruise ships due to the coronavirus pandemic, during the International Maritime Defense show in St. Petersburg, Russia, Friday, June 25, 2021. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP) People watch a brig with scarlet sails floating on the Neva River during a rehearsal for the Scarlet Sails festivities marking school graduation in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (Dmitri Lovetsky/AP) A Russian MiG-31 fighter jet carrying a Kinzhal missile takes off from the Hemeimeem air base in Syria on Friday, June 25, 2021. The Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

The military says the Kinzhal has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles) and flies at 10 times the speed of sound, making it hard to intercept.

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft. The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernized the runway at Hemeimeem to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second one to expand the operations there.

Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia currently has outside the former Soviet Union.

The Russian military has increased the number and scope of its drills amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Moscow's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula. As part of President Vladimir Putin's efforts to beef up Russia's military, the Russian navy in recent years has revived the Soviet-era practice of constantly rotating its warships in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the eastern Mediterranean has become more "congested and contested" with the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes. He noted that a Russian warship has come within 10 kilometers (16 miles) of the carrier.

In Wednesday's Black Sea incident, Britain insisted the Defender had been making a routine journey through an internationally recognized travel lane and remained in Ukrainian waters near Crimea. The U.K., like most of the world, recognizes Crimea as part of Ukraine despite the peninsula's annexation by Russia.

Russia denounced the Defender's move as a provocation and warned that next time it could fire to hit intruding warships if they again try to test the Russian military's resolve.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov on Friday derided the British denials that the Russian military fired warning shots at the Defender and urged Britain and its allies not to "tempt fate" again. He added that the Defender is "just a juicy target for the Black Sea Fleet's missile systems."

___

Menelaos Hadjicostis contributed to this report from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The USS Porter sails the Black Sea during the annual Sea Breeze exercise in July 2020. Sea Breeze 2021 begins June 28, with Russia threatening possible military repercussions. (Ukrainian navy)

NAPLES, Italy  Spoofing the location of NATO ships, spreading disinformation on social media and threatening military repercussions are typical ploys from a well-worn Moscow playbook, analysts said ahead of an international naval exercise in the Black Sea co-hosted by the United States and Ukraine.

The annual Exercise Sea Breeze comes ahead of Russian threats to potentially fire on participants if they intrude in their territorial waters, and following a heated dispute over the passage of a British destroyer through the Black Sea on Wednesday.

Jorge Benitez, an expert on European security with the Atlantic Council think tank, said the incident amounted to a dangerous escalation by Moscow.

On Wednesday, the Russian military said it had fired warning shots at and dropped bombs in the path of HMS Defender, which sailed offshore of Sevastopol in Crimea.

Russia said the actions caused the destroyer to leave the area. London disputed that claim, denying that any shots were fired and saying the vessel was traveling through Ukrainian waters in accordance with international law.

The combined harassment from several Russian fighter jets and ships proves that this aggression against the Royal Navy was not the decision of one zealous Russian officer, but required top-level approval, Benitez said.

The Kremlins ultimate aim is to intimidate allies and frighten normal commercial shipping away from Ukrainian ports, he said.

The U.S. and other allies taking part in Sea Breeze should continue as planned while expanding NATO ship patrols in the Black Sea in the future, Benitez said.

U.S. strength will be more effective in decreasing Russias violent behavior than diplomatic meetings and promises ever will be.

Still, some analysts viewed Russias actions and threats as unlikely to be followed through.

Ships sail the Black Sea in July 2020 during the annual Sea Breeze exercise. Sea Breeze 2021 begins June 28, with Russia threatening possible military repercussions. (Ukrainian navy)

Sea Breeze always brings heightened Russian attention, naval and air activity, said Michael Kofman, Russian studies program for CNA, a national security-focused think tank based in Arlington, Va.

While there is some risk for a miscalculation as tensions rise and Russia continues to escalate, he described it as low.

It can happen, especially when it comes to air encounters, he said. Much is left to the skill and judgment of pilots. However, wars do not start from accidents, and are instead driven by political causes.

In addition to the incident with HMS Defender, Russia has stepped up efforts to spread confusion and fear of military conflict on social media in order to hamper Sea Breeze and protect its disputed claim to territorial waters around the Crimean Peninsula.

Much of the world does not recognize Russias claim to Crimea, which it occupied and annexed in 2014.

Last weekend, the location tracking data of a British and a Dutch warship was altered to make it appear they also were near Sevastopol, while the ships were actually moored near Ukraines port of Odessa.

Russians have put a premium on deception at least since Soviet days  they call it maskirovka  and they still excel at it, said James R. Holmes, the J.C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, R.I. Cellphones, social media, and on and on allow an opponent to reach directly into U.S. or allied military units to sow confusion or dissension, much as people are always trying to trick you with spam calls or email.

But so far, Moscows efforts seem to have had little effect, and the U.S. and its allies have continued preparations for Sea Breeze, one of whose aims is to send a firm message to Moscow that they wont be intimidated.

If Moscow believes we will stand together in wartime and have enough military might to fulfill our goals  in this case upholding Ukrainian sovereignty  then Russia will be deterred, Holmes said. At the same time our allies, partners, and friends will take heart and feel confident enough to oppose Russian demands.

This years Sea Breeze drills will include 32 countries from six continents. Thirty-two ships, 40 aircraft and 5,000 servicemembers will take part, the U.S. 6th Fleet announced Monday.

The continuation of this exercise program is a visible demonstration of our enduring commitment to work closely with our NATO allied and partner nations to enhance maritime security in the Black Sea, said Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Comer, 6th Fleet spokesman.

Kofman said he expects more Russian interference during the exercise, including shadowing, intelligence collection, overflights and naval live-fire exercises.

To be prepared, the U.S. and its allies will need to retain operational professionalism, discipline and readiness, he said.

Stars and Stripes reporter John Vandiver contributed to this report.

bath.alison@stripes.com

Twitter: @TMSWatchdog
Afghans help a man who was injured in a deadly explosion that struck a protest march, at a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, Saturday, July 23, 2016. (Rahmat Gul/AP)

WASHINGTON  A new U.S. intelligence assessment says that the Afghan government could fall within six months of the American military departing, according to U.S. officials familiar with the information.

The assessment, distributed among U.S. officials within the past week, highlights an increasingly stark picture as the U.S. military sends home troops and equipment: The Taliban continues to take control of districts across the country, and Afghan military units are either laying down their arms or are being routed in bloody clashes.

One U.S. official said numerous criteria are trending in the wrong direction, prompting the intelligence community to assess that the fall of the government in Kabul could come more quickly than previously forecast. The official and two other people familiar with the assessment, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the new consensus is that the government could fall within six to 12 months.

The Pentagons top spokesman, John Kirby, said Thursday that the withdrawal continues on pace with the expectation that it will be complete by September, following President Joe Bidens order in April to withdraw. A few hundred troops are expected to be stationed in Kabul to protect the U.S. Embassy.

Kirby declined to comment on the intelligence assessment, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, but he acknowledged that security in some parts of Afghanistan is certainly deteriorating, and thats of concern.

The United States will continue to provide financial support to the Afghan government, but Biden concluded that it is no longer in the interest of the United States interests to keep its military in Afghanistan after 20 years of war.

It remains to be seen exactly how this is going to play out, Kirby said. Its their responsibility to protect their citizens and their sovereignty, and thats what our ongoing, enduring support for them is going to be geared to helping them do.

Kirbys comments came ahead of Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis visit to Washington on Friday. Ghani will meet with Biden, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other senior American officials.

Kirby said Austin will emphasize to Ghani the American commitment to the people of Afghanistan and the Defense Departments goal of ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorist groups who pose a threat to the U.S. homeland.

While a deal that the Taliban signed with the Trump administration called for the militants to break with al-Qaida, they have not done so, according to U.S. and United Nations assessments.

As the withdrawal has continued, the Taliban has launched a broad offensive in several parts of the country, threatening provincial capitals like Kunduz in the north and Lashkar Gah in the south. The Taliban in recent days has said on social media that Afghan soldiers  some of whom had not been paid in months  have been sent home by the militants with cash, and the government troops left behind weapons and vehicles paid for by the U.S. government.

In the midst of the violence, U.S. officials briefly discussed delaying the expected American departure from Bagram air base, the largest airfield in the country, within the next week or so, three defense officials said. Administration officials ultimately decided to continue, with the U.S. military expected to consolidate entirely within Kabul in the final phases of the withdrawal.

On Wednesday, Army Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House Armed Services Committee that it is not necessary for the United States to stay at Bagram for what were going to try to do here with Afghanistan.

Eighty-one of about 419 district centers in Afghanistan have fallen under Taliban control, Milley said, with others contested by the militants. Sixty percent of the districts under Taliban control fell to them last year, and the other 40 percent in the past few months, the general added.

Milley said there are a variety of possible outcomes, including the worst-case scenario of a civil war and the fracturing of the Afghan government and security forces.

Thats very possible, and that would be a bad outcome, he said.

Milley also left open the possibility of a negotiated settlement between the Taliban and Afghan government, but described it as not high on the probability list, and said it is unlikely but possible that the Taliban could take over.

We are executing the orders that were given in a very professional way, Milley said. And thus far, things are relatively stable on our end.
USS Ronald Reagan conducts a fueling-at-sea with fleet replenishment oiler USNS Pecos on May 27, 2021, in the Philippine Sea. The Reagan and its strike group arrived in the Middle East on Friday, June 25, 2021, to help protect troops withdrawing from Afghanistan. (Jackie Hart/U.S. Navy)

WASHINGTON  The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group arrived in the Middle East on Friday to help protect troops withdrawing from Afghanistan, the Navy announced.

The Reagan, and its crew of 5,000 service members, joins the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, which has been in the region since early April. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin later that month ordered the ship to stay there ahead of the drawdowns May 1 start.

The Ronald Reagan [strike group] will operate and train alongside regional and coalition partners and provide airpower to protect U.S. and coalition forces as they conduct drawdown operations from Afghanistan, the Navy said in its announcement.

The ships strike group includes the guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh and guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey, according to the announcement.

Based in Yokosuka, Japan, the Reagan typically patrols the 7th Fleet area of operations in the Western Pacific, a region wrought with tension over China's military buildup on islands and reefs in the South China Sea.

Friday marks the first time since 2012 that the ship has entered the 5th Fleet region, which includes the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean, according to the Navy.

As an inherently flexible maneuver force capable of supporting routine and contingency operations, the carriers presence demonstrates the U.S. Navys commitment to regional partners and maritime security, the service said in its statement.

But with the ship now in the 5th Fleet region  the 7th Fleet region is no longer protected by an aircraft carrier.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson was in the Pacific Ocean as of Tuesday, according to a Navy statement that day, but the ship was in the 3rd Fleets area of responsibility, which spans from Hawaii to California.

The Navy did not say Friday whether the Eisenhower would travel home now that the Reagan has arrived. Before Austin ordered the carrier to stay in the region to assist with the drawdown, the Eisenhower already had been deployed since February.

The Reagan departed Yokosuka on May 19.

doornbos.caitlin@stripes.com

Twitter: @CaitlinDoornbos
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's president, departs following a multilateral meeting on the sidelines of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in London on Dec. 3, 2019. (Simon Dawson/Bloomberg)

As the U.S. prepares to exit Afghanistans sprawling Bagram base after 20 years of war, NATO partner Turkey is willing to take the lead securing another airstrip  Kabuls Hamid Karzai International, 40 miles to the south.

Throwing a protective ring around the landlocked nations airport is critical for those wanting to sustain a strategic presence in Afghanistan. That includes Western powers on the lookout for emerging terrorist threats, China with its now-stalled interest in vast mineral deposits and India, which wants Kabul as a key ally in its tussle with neighboring Pakistan.

But the proposed Turkish operation is being planned with few public details of the U.S. air support that would be rendered if the airport is targeted by an ascendant Taliban that has seized control of dozens of districts in recent weeks, and with power-sharing talks between the militant movement and President Ashraf Ghanis government in Qatar at an impasse.

Its a dangerous proposition for Ankara, which has provided security at the airports busy military section for six years as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, though, has his eye on the possible rewards. Taking on a job no one else wants would provide an opportunity to repair ties with Washington strained by years of disputes, most intensely Turkeys purchase of a Russian missile-defense system that NATO considers a threat to its security.

Safeguarding the airport is a way of making nice without giving too much up, on issues that really count with the U.S., including the missiles, said Jenny White, professor at Stockholm Universitys Institute for Turkish Studies.

With its aggressive policies, Turkey has lost friends in every corner, she said. It needs to put a good face on for the financial markets and hopes to curry favor with the U.S. and Europe.

Turkish officials privately acknowledge the challenges and were expected to push a Pentagon delegation visiting this week for the military, logistical and financial support they want. All aspects of the issue are expected to be discussed, Turkeys Defense Ministry said in a statement.

In direct talks with the Taliban aimed at resurrecting its plan to host an Afghan peace conference, Turkey this month stressed its role would be strictly limited to guarding the airport, according to people directly familiar with the matter who couldnt be identified discussing sensitive talks.

The Taliban response was swift: Turkish soldiers, while representatives of a great Islamic nation, are occupiers of Afghan territory and, just like the Americans, they should leave.

Unless there is an agreement between the Taliban and Turkey to temporarily operate the Kabul airport, it is mission impossible due to colossal security risks, said Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist at the Economic Policy Research Foundation in Ankara. The question is who will prevent the Taliban from firing mortar rounds or rockets at the runway from afar?

The airport has been struck repeatedly by bombings and rocket attacks over the years. One of the deadliest incidents was in 2018 when a suicide attack claimed by Islamic State targeted then-Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum as he returned from Turkey. Dostum survived but nearly 80 people who had come to welcome him were killed or injured.

Under Erdogan, Ankara has embarked on an assertive foreign policy, branding itself as a growing Sunni Muslim power and wading into regional conflicts. It has urged Pakistan and Qatar to use their influence with the Taliban to get it to drop its opposition to Turkeys airport plan, said the people, and would seek parliamentary approval to deploy soldiers in Afghanistan along with equipment, possibly including Turkish drones for surveillance.

The only certainty is that President Joe Biden is pulling out the remaining 2,500 U.S. troops ahead of a Sept. 11 deadline, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that precipitated the American invasion and the ousting of the Taliban leadership. Thousands of NATO troops who train and advise Afghan forces will follow.

Biden is scheduled to meet President Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistans High Council for National Reconciliation, in Washington on Friday.

Pentagon officials have repeatedly stressed that the U.S. will maintain over the horizon capabilities to strike back at the Taliban if they threaten U.S. interests and Afghanistans stability after American forces leave. But theyve also emphasized that the Afghan military needs to step up its defense of the country.

Thats rattling Afghanistans neighbors and U.S. allies further afield, as warlords and civilian militias stepping in to help counter recent Taliban advances raise the specter of a disintegrating state.

In two interviews with Turkish media, Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said the withdrawal is taking place at a fairly rapid pace, but the peace process is moving at a snails pace.

The U.S. should avoid catapulting Afghanistan into a period of anarchy and civil war, he said, such as the one that led to the Talibans rise in the 1990s  comments that will have raised eyebrows given the Pakistani militarys covert support for the movement since its inception.

Australia delivered the bluntest of messages. Citing an increasingly uncertain security environment, it has closed its Kabul embassy for now.
Pump jacks extract oil from beneath the ground on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation east of New Town, N.D., on May 19, 2021,. (Matt Brown/AP)

NEW TOWN, N.D.  On oil well pads carved from the wheat fields around Lake Sakakawea, hundreds of pump jacks slowly bob to extract 100 million barrels of crude annually from a reservation shared by three Native American tribes.

About half their 16,000 members live on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation atop one of the biggest U.S. oil discoveries in decades, North Dakota's Bakken shale formation.

The drilling rush has brought the tribes unimagined wealth -- more than $1.5 billion and counting -- and they hope it will last another 20 to 25 years. The boom also propelled an almost tenfold spike in oil production from Native American lands since 2009, federal data shows, complicating efforts by President Joe Biden to curb carbon emissions.

Burning of oil from tribal lands overseen by the U.S. government now produces greenhouse gases equivalent to about 12 million vehicles a year, according to an Associated Press analysis. But Biden exempted Native American lands from a suspension of new oil and gas leases on government-managed land in deference to tribes' sovereign status.

A judge in Louisiana temporarily blocked the suspension June 15, but the administration continues to develop plans that could extend the ban or make leases more costly.

With tribal lands now producing more than 3% of U.S. oil and huge reserves untapped, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland  the first Native American to lead a U.S. cabinet-level agency  faces competing pressures to help a small number of tribes develop their fossil fuels while also addressing climate change that affects all Native communities.

"We're one of the few tribes that have elected to develop our energy resources. That's our right," tribal Chairman Mark Fox told AP at the opening of a Fort Berthold museum and cultural center built with oil revenue. "We can develop those resources and do it responsibly so our children and grandchildren for the next 100 years have somewhere to live."

Smallpox nearly wiped out the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes in the mid-1800s. They lost most of their territory to broken treaties  and a century later, their best remaining lands along the Missouri River were flooded when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created Lake Sakakawea. With dozens of villages uprooted, many people moved to a replacement community above the lake  New Town.

Today, leaders of the three tribes view oil as their salvation and want to keep drilling before it's depleted and the world moves past fossil fuels.

And they want the Biden administration to speed up drilling permits and fend off efforts to shut down a pipeline carrying most reservation oil to refineries.

Yet tribes left out of the drilling boom have become outspoken against fossil fuels as climate change worsens. One is the Standing Rock Sioux about 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the south.

Home to the Dakota and Lakota nations, Standing Rock gained prominence during a months-long standoff between law enforcement and protesters, including tribal officials, who tried to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline that carries Fort Berthold crude.

A judge revoked the pipeline's government permit because of inadequate environmental analysis and allowed crude to flow during a new review. But Standing Rock wants the administration to halt the oil for good, fearing a pipeline break could contaminate its drinking water.

Meantime, attention surrounding the skirmish provided the Sioux with foundation backing to develop a wind farm in Porcupine Hills, an area of scrub oak and buffalo grass with cattle ranches.

The pipeline fight stirs bitter memories in Fawn Wasin Zi, a teacher who chairs the Standing Rock renewable power authority. She grew up hearing her father and grandmother tell about a government dam that created Lake Oahe  how they had to leave their home then watch government agents burn it, only to be denied housing, electricity and other promised compensation.

Wasin Zi, whose ancestors followed legendary Lakota leader Sitting Bull, wants to ensure the tribe doesn't fall victim yet again to a changing world, where fossil fuels warm the planet and bring drought and wildfire.

"We have to find a way to use the technology that's available right now, whether it's geothermal or solar or wind," she said.

Only a dozen of the 326 tribal reservations produce significant oil, according to a drilling analysis provided to AP by S&P Global Platts.

Biden's nominee to oversee them as assistant secretary for Indian affairs, Bryan Newland, recently told a U.S. Senate committee the administration recognizes the importance of oil and gas to some reservations and pledged to let tribes determine resource development.

Interior officials denied interview requests about tribal energy plans, but said tribes were consulted in April after Biden ordered the department to "engage with tribal authorities" on developing renewables and fossil fuels.

Joseph McNeill Jr, manager of Standing Rock's energy authority, said a conference call with Interior yielded no pledges to further the tribe's wind project. Fort Berthold officials said they've had no offers of discussions with the administration.

Fort Berthold still reels from ills oil brought  worse crime and drugs, tanker truck traffic, road fatalities, spills of oil and wastewater. Tribal members lament that stars are lost in the glare of flaring waste gas from wells.

Yet oil brought positive changes, too. As the tribes' coffers fattened, dozens of projects got underway. The reservation now boasts new schools, senior centers, parks, civic centers, health and drug rehab facilities. Oil money is building a $26 million greenhouse complex heated by electricity from gas otherwise wasted.

The $30 million cultural center in New Town pieces together the tribes' fractured past through displays and artifacts. A sound studio captures stories from elders who lived through dam construction and flooding along the Missouri. And one exhibit traces the oil boom after fracking allowed companies to tap reserves once too difficult to drill.

"Our little town, New Town, changed overnight," said MHA Nation Interpretive Center Director Delphine Baker. "We never had traffic lights growing up. It's like I moved to a different town."

Lower on the Missouri, Standing Rock grapples with high energy costs. There's no oil worth extracting, no gas or coal. The biggest employer beside tribal government is a casino, where revenue plummeted during the pandemic.

"There's nothing here. No jobs. Nothing," said Donald Whitelightning, Jr., who lives in Cannon Ball, near the Dakota Access Pipeline protest.

Whitelightning, who cares for his mother in a modest home, said he pays up to $500 a month for electricity in winter. Utility costs, among North Dakota's highest, severely strain a reservation officials say has 40% poverty and 75% unemployment.

The tribe hopes its wind project, Anpetu Wi, meaning "morning light," will help. Officials predict its 235 megawatts  enough for roughly 94,000 homes  would double their annual revenue and fund benefits like those Fort Berthold derives from oil  housing, health care, more jobs.

Standing Rock's power authority can directly negotiate aspects of the project. Yet it needs Interior approval because the U.S. holds tribal lands in trust.

Outside North Dakota, tribes with oil  the Osage in Oklahoma, the Navajo in the Southwest and Native corporations in Alaska  also are pushing the Biden administration to cede power over energy development, including letting tribes conduct environmental reviews.

A Navajo company's operations in the Aneth field in southern Utah bring about $28 million to $35 million annually. Active since the 1950s, the field likely has another 30 years of life, said James McClure, chief executive of the Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Co..

The company has considered expanding into federal land in New Mexico and Colorado. Biden's attempts to suspend new leases could slow those plans, and it's considering helium production as an option.

In northern Oklahoma, the Osage have been drilling oil for more than a century.

Cognizant of global warming and shifting energy markets, they are pondering renewables, too. For now, they want the Biden administration to speed up drilling permits.

"We are looking at what is going to be best for us," said Everett Waller, chairman of the tribe's energy regulator. "I wasn't given a wind turbine. I was given an oil field to protect."

___

Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Ariz.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
The moon above Centennial Park as an aircraft passes through the area on June 15, 2021, in Tinley Park. (Armando L. Sanchez, The Chicago Tribune/TNS)

CHICAGO (Tribune News Service)  Chicago-area UFO aficionados are buzzing in anticipation of a Pentagon report into strange aerial phenomena, but not T.J. Japcon. He doesnt need the government to validate what he recorded hovering above Tinley Park almost 17 years ago.

I dont think it makes a difference, he said. I know what I saw.

Japcon, who still lives in the southwest suburb, is the foremost chronicler of what has come to be known as the Tinley Park Lights  a trio of color-shifting orbs, seemingly connected, that slid across the horizon before a crowd of witnesses.

Some experts have dismissed the images he captured on videocassette as a prank, but such skepticism is facing new pushback. The military has released videos of flying objects it cant explain, and the upcoming report, according to journalists whove been briefed on its contents, doesnt rule out extraterrestrial technology.

That makes for heady days for locals who for years have compiled and analyzed UFO sightings, or who have seen odd things themselves.

A lot of people understand now that we are not alone in this universe, said Carlos Dominguez, a restaurant manager who runs the UFO Chicago Facebook group and says he has witnessed numerous curious sights, including a strangely bright and fast-traveling light near Midway Airport earlier this month.

Theyre not afraid to say there are UFOs, or even that aliens are living among us. Theyre not scared of that subject anymore. (The Pentagon report is) just going to confirm what we already know. Famous sightings

The National UFO Reporting Center lists 2,758 alleged sightings in Illinois since 1947, but director Peter Davenport says thats likely a tiny fraction of the true number.

My opinion is that out of 10,000 or 20,000 people who see an object they sincerely believe was or may have been a UFO, (researchers) capture only one of those sightings, he said. If you want to test my theory, go to a big party sometime and ask everyone who saw a UFO to raise their hands. Then ask how many have reported them. Virtually all of the hands go down.

There are exceptions, of course. In 2006, a dozen United Airlines workers at OHare International Airport reported seeing a large, disc-like object floating over the airport. According to their accounts, it rose after several minutes and punched a perfect circle into the clouds.

I tend to be scientific by nature, and I dont understand why aliens would hover over a busy airport, a United mechanic told the Chicago Tribune. But I know that what I saw and what a lot of other people saw stood out very clearly, and it definitely was not (a human-built) aircraft.

T.J. Japcon near Centennial Park in Tinley Park on June 15, 2021. In 2004, Japcon shot video of three lights hanging above the sky, a phenomenon that came to be known as the Tinley Park Lights. (Armando L. Sanchez, The Chicago Tribune/TNS)

The Federal Aviation Administration said at the time it was a weather-related phenomenon, and that the agency would not investigate further.

Mark Rodeghier, scientific director of the J. Allen Hynek Center for UFO Studies in Chicago, said that was typical of the official incuriosity long expressed by government agencies.

But that started to change in 2017, he said, when The New York Times revealed the existence of an obscure Pentagon program dedicated to studying reports of UFOs. The story came with a video showing an unknown object, captured by the camera of a Navy jet, soaring above the clouds.

Thats what broke everything open, Rodeghier said. That story made it more acceptable for people to talk about it  politicians, scientists and so forth. Weve seen an uptick in interest since then.

He added, though, that the vast majority of sightings have non-extraterrestrial explanations, a conclusion echoed by other researchers. The National UFO Reporting Center offers numerous disclaimers among its listings, ranging from stars, planets and satellites to outright hoaxes.

Dave Marler, a researcher and UFO historian who used to head the Illinois chapter of the Mutual UFO Network, said sightings are even harder to substantiate now as digital technology has made deception easy to pull off.

People take pride in posting fake things, he said. All it really does it pollute the field.

Support and skepticism

The Tinley Park Lights have so far escaped debunking among ufologists. The phenomenon was the subject of an episode of the History Channel show UFO Hunters, which subjected witness footage to video analysis and concluded one popular theory  that the lights came from flares carried by weather balloons  was incorrect.

Without saying its an alien spacecraft, I can definitively say by the strictest definition that it is an unidentified flying object, said an image processing expert who appeared on the show.

Sam Maranto, who took over from Marler as president of Illinois Mutual UFO Network, said evidence of the sighting was bolstered by a cross-section of observers that included police, members of the military and people who worked in aviation.

Its about time to realize the phenomenon does exist, he said.

But Mark Hammergren is far from convinced. The Evanston astronomer and planetary scientist says he, too, looked at the Tinley Park footage, but came away believing the orbs were indeed flares dangling from balloons  the likely work of a prankster.

He is equally unimpressed by the OHare sighting, saying the accounts bring to mind a hole punch cloud, in which supercooled water suddenly forms ice crystals that fall to earth, leaving behind a disc-shaped empty space in the sky.

Other ballyhooed sightings have similar common sense explanations, he said. The Navy video highlighted by The New York Times, he said, appears to be the infrared glare of a jets heat signature.

My ultimate position is wheres the hard evidence? he said. Unfortunately, we live in a day where video evidence usually doesnt cut it. And even when we have an unimpeachable source like the U.S. Navy, we still have to ask what else could explain those videos.

Inconclusive report?

The Pentagon report, which is due before Congress by June 25, could clarify matters, but advance accounts say it doesnt reach definitive conclusions other than the objects were not U.S. technology. Theres no evidence they were extraterrestrial, the report supposedly says, but neither is there evidence they were not.

Rodeghier said given the tight deadline and scant funding the reports authors were allowed, such ambiguity is to be expected. But he is hopeful it will lead to further government investigation.

The report absolutely will be another step in the evolution of UFOs becoming a topic that cant be laughed off, he said. That doesnt mean theyre aliens. It just means we need to study the UFO problem.

But some longtime buffs are dubious. Carl Jones, who co-administers the Central Illinois UFO Group on Facebook, said people who believe theyve encountered alien objects are suspicious of the militarys apparent openness.

In the back of my mind Im going, Yeah, its about damn time, he said. But the thing is, UFOs have been seen and reported for a long time. A lot of people dont really care if the government admits (the possibility of their existence) because theyve lost credibility.

Jack OHara, the leader of a Chicago-based Meetup group dedicated to UFOs, goes even further, saying many expect the report to be disinformation. After all, a CIA-formed group known as the Robertson Panel famously suggested in the 1950s that officials should discourage public interest in the subject lest it threaten the orderly functioning of the government. But the interest has remained, and OHara said no matter what the report contains, he hopes both academic and personal journeys of discovery will ensue.

If were right, it is the biggest secret in history, he said.

2021 Chicago Tribune

Visit chicagotribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
President Joe Biden, right, meets with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, center, and Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah, left, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Friday, June 25, 2021. (Susan Walsh/AP)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden on Friday promised Afghanistans top leaders a sustained partnership even as he moves to accelerate winding down the United States longest war amid escalating Taliban violence.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, met at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin before their sit-down with Biden at the White House later in the afternoon. While Biden vowed that the U.S. was committed to assisting Afghanistan, he also insisted that it was time for the American military to step back.

Afghans are going to have to decide their future, Biden said in brief remarks at the start of his meeting with the Afghan leaders. Biden did not elaborate on what a sustained partnership might entail.

The leaders visit to Washington comes as the Biden administration has stepped up plans for withdrawal ahead of the presidents Sept. 11 deadline to end a nearly 20-year-old war that has come with a breathtaking human cost.

Ghani also paid a visit on his own Friday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and with House Republican lawmakers. He met with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday.

More than 2,400 U.S. troops have been killed and 20,000 wounded in the war since 2001, according to the Defense Department. Its estimated that over 3,800 U.S. private security contractors have been killed. The suffering has been even greater for Afghanistan with estimates showing more than 66,000 Afghan troops killed and more than 2.7 million forced to flee their homes  mostly to Iran.

Roughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

Several hundred additional American forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September. Theyll assist Turkish troops providing security, a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said Thursday.

Overall, officials said the U.S. expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership, and most troops out by July Fourth, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago.

The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before Bidens Sept. 11 deadline. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months.

Ghani said at a news conference following the Oval Office meeting that the talks with Biden were productive. He pointed to an uptick in Afghans signing up for the military as a sign of hope. But he also acknowledged the difficulty that lies ahead, suggesting the moment was analogous to the difficulties the U.S. faced at the start of its civil war.

There have been reverses, we acknowledge it  but the key now is stabilization, he added.

Abdullah, who took part in the meeting with Biden, later emphasized the importance of continued U.S. support.

We tend to forget that al-Qaida had reached a certain level of capacity in Afghanistan that was an actual danger and homeland security threat, Abdullah told the AP in an interview. If Afghanistan is abandoned completely, without support, without engagement, theres a danger that Afghanistan can turn once again into a haven for terrorist groups.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking Friday in Paris, noted the increased violence and cited a real danger that if the Taliban tries to take the country by force, well see a renewal of a war or possibly worse.

But, Blinken said, the Biden administration came to the conclusion that not removing U.S. troops, as the Trump administration had promised the Taliban in February 2020, would have been a bad choice. The administration believes the Taliban would have resumed attacks on U.S. forces, prompting an escalation of the war.

Blinken added that a continued U.S. presence certainly would have helped significantly the Kabul government. But what is almost certain is that our military would have come to us and said, well, the situation has changed, we need more forces. And we would have repeated the cycle that weve been in for 20 years. And at some point, you have to say this has to stop.

Still, Biden faces strong criticism from some Republicans for pulling out of Afghanistan, even though President Donald Trump made the 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw all U.S. forces by May 2021.

McConnell on Thursday charged Biden has chosen to abandon the fight and invite even greater terrorist threats and urged the president to delay the withdrawal of U.S. forces.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki pushed back on Friday that Biden inherited an untenable situation from Trump, marked by a relatively small coalition troop presence and an agreement brokered by the Trump administration and the Taliban to draw down all U.S. forces.

Thats the hand we were dealt, Psaki said. The president made a decision which is consistent with his view that this was not a winnable war.

Biden acknowledged the difficult situation Ghani and Abdullah face as they try to build back their country while staving off Taliban aggression.

Theyre doing important work trying to bring back unity among Afghan leaders across the board and Afghans are going to have to decide their future, what they, what they want, Biden said. What they want. It wont be for lack of us.

Ghani in his meeting with House Republican leadership faced questions about how his government would use the $3 billion in security assistance it is seeking from the United States and recent gains by the Taliban.

We want to support them. We want them to be able to defend their country from the Taliban. But Ill tell you its a fairly grim assessment, said Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the senior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The question is: Can they push back the Taliban?

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Robert Burns contributed to this report.
Vice President Kamala Harris talks to the media after stepping off Air Force Two, Friday, June 25, 2021, on arrival to El Paso, Texas. Harris will visit the U.S. southern border as part of her role leading the Biden administration's response to a steep increase in migration. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

EL PASO, Texas  Vice President Kamala Harris asserted Friday that the Biden administration had made progress tackling a migration spike that's drawn fire from Republicans and made fellow Democrats uncomfortable. Her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border as head of the Biden administration's response is being closely watched on all sides.

Visiting El Paso, Harris called the situation at the border "tough" and said more work is needed.

She met with five young girls, ages 9-16, who had been held at a Customs and Border Protection processing center after crossing the border, the White House said, before visiting the border itself at the Paso del Norte Port of Entry.

"We inherited a tough situation," Harris said during a meeting with faith-based organizations, as well as shelter and legal service providers.

She added: "In five months we've made progress, but there's still more work to be done, but we've made progress."

The vice president has faced increasing criticism from members of both parties for deferring the trip until now and for her muddied explanations as to why.

"It was always the plan to come here, and I think we're gonna have a good productive day," Harris said after arriving into El Paso.

Republicans have seized on the absence of both Harris and President Joe Biden from the border to paint the administration as weak on border security, seeking to revive a potent political weapon against Democrats for the 2022 midterm elections. With former President Donald Trump visiting the area less than a week after Harris, Republicans will be watching the vice president's visit closely for fodder they can use in political attacks.

Other administration officials have made multiple visits to the border, but the absence of Biden and Harris has left some Democrats worried that damage already has been done. There's concern that the Biden administration has ceded the border security debate to Republicans.

Vice President Kamala Harris tours the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Central Processing Center, Friday, June 25, 2021, in El Paso, Texas, with Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, left. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

"The administration is making Democrats look weak," said Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in an interview with The Associated Press. "I've heard, from Democrats and Republicans in my area, what the heck is going on with this administration?"

Cuellar's district spans from south of San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border, and last year he won reelection by the slimmest margin of his nearly two-decade-long career. While he says he's not worried about his own reelection, he adds, "I worry about my colleagues."

Biden's first few months in office have seen record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000. The numbers were boosted by a coronavirus pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum, which encouraged repeated attempts to cross because getting caught carried no legal consequences.

Republicans have seized on those figures to attack Biden and Harris as weak on border security, a message the GOP used with success during the 2020 campaign.

Administration officials, including Harris, have sought to refute the charge, with Harris repeatedly sending the message to migrants during her recent visit to Guatemala: "Do not come."

But those comments drew fire from some progressives, most notably New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, who called the message "disappointing."

It was an incident that underscored the political no-win situation for Harris, taking on an intractable problem that's bedeviled past administrations and been used by both parties to drive wedges and turnout during campaign season. If Biden chooses not to run for a second term, Harris will be seen as the leading contender to replace him, and the immigration issue could become either a chance to showcase her accomplishments or an albatross.

Indeed, Republicans preemptively hammered Harris over her border visit, with Trump claiming credit for her decision to go.

Harris advisers have been careful to emphasize that her main focus is addressing the root causes of migration. She has been seeking economic and humanitarian solutions to improve conditions for residents of Central and North American countries who flee to the U.S. Her aides framed her trip to the border as part of an effort to better understand how to solve the problem.

Harris was being joined on the trip by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin and Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar, who represents the district there.

Mayorkas said the U.S. faced "significant challenges" back in March in securing the border but "we've made extraordinary progress" that he was hoping to share with Harris Friday.

Harris had no plans to visit the migrant detention facility at the Fort Bliss military post, which has drawn criticism from advocates who have described unsafe conditions and allegations of abuse toward some of the thousands of children housed there. Instead, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was set to travel there on Monday.

Democratic Rep. Cuellar called the decision by Harris to visit El Paso "politically safe," because, he said, most of the activity at the border happens farther south.

Trump said on Friday in an interview with the conservative outlet Newsmax that "I think she should go to the real part of the border, not a part of the border that's seldom violated."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Harris chose El Paso because of that's where Trump announced some of his controversial immigration policies that Biden sought to roll back.

"It's a place that has a little bit of historic connection in that regard and it's an opportunity to draw a bit of a contrast with what we're trying to accomplish," she said.

Nonetheless the head of a major Latino civil rights group expressed concerns that Harris's visit was "a day late and a dollar short."

"It almost feels like they're being kind of forced into it by the local communities, as well as the Republicans' political attacks from the right," said Domingo Garcia, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens.

Still, Garcia also expressed optimism that her visit could help the Biden administration shift on immigration and show a contrast to Trump's hardline stance.

"They should own this, and they should solve it, because it does need a bipartisan solution," he said.
President Joe Biden, with a bipartisan group of senators, speaks Thursday June 24, 2021, outside the White House in Washington. Biden invited members of the group of 21 Republican and Democratic senators to discuss the infrastructure plan. From left are, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Biden, Sen, Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

WASHINGTON  President Joe Biden's bipartisan infrastructure deal was thrown in doubt Friday as Republican senators felt "blindsided" by his insistence that it must move in tandem with his bigger package, while the White House doubled down on the strategy and said it should have come as no surprise.

The rare accord over some $1 trillion in investments faced new uncertainty barely 24 hours after Biden strode to the White House driveway, flanked by 10 senators from a bipartisan group, with all sides beaming over the compromise.

Senators were described as "stunned," "floored" and "frustrated" after Biden publicly put the conditions on accepting their deal, according to two people familiar with the private conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the reactions.

"I've been on the phone with the White House, my Democratic colleagues, my Republican colleagues, all darn day," said Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, the lead Republican negotiator, in an interview Friday.

"My hope is that we'll still get this done. It's really good for America. Our infrastructure is in bad shape," he said. "It's about time to get it done."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki, who was asked at her briefing about the GOP dismay, said senators should not have been surprised by the two-track strategy that Biden has publicly discussed on many occasions.

"That hasn't been a secret. He hasn't said it quietly. He hasn't even whispered it," she said.

Psaki said the president plans to stand by the commitment he made to the senators. "And he expects they'll do the same," she said.

The path ahead is now uncertain.

Senators launched into calls Friday seeking answers from the White House after a tumultuous past month of on-again, off-again negotiations over Biden's $4 trillion infrastructure proposals, his top legislative priority.

The Democrats' two-track strategy has been to consider both the bipartisan deal and their own more sweeping priorities side by side, a way to assure liberal lawmakers the smaller deal won't be the only one.

But Biden's vow to essentially veto or refuse to sign the bipartisan accord without the companion package being negotiated by Democrats, which is now eyed at nearly $6 trillion in child care, Medicare and other investments, was an additional step that throws the process into doubt.

"No deal by extortion!" tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Friday.

Biden reached out Friday to the lead Democratic negotiator, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and reiterated his strong support for the compromise agreement, according to a readout from the White House.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky set the tone for the turn of events, signaling late Thursday where the party was headed.

He framed the argument in a floor speech and a subsequent Fox News interview, declaring that Biden's messaging from his two news conferences Thursday "makes your head spin."

McConnell has been highly skeptical of Biden's agenda, vowing his "100%" focus to defeat it. He is not part of the negotiating team of five Republican and five Democratic senators who have been laboring for months on a potential deal.

Senators who were part of the bipartisan group were initially thrilled at striking the compromise. Many of them spoke about how it would be good not just for rebuilding the nation's roads and bridges, but also for showing the world that the United States government was functioning well.

Only after senators tuned in later to Biden's second news conference, where he outlined the path ahead, did frustrations mount and frantic phone calls begin.

At the press conference, Biden was asked what he meant by having the two packages move through Congress to his desk in "tandem."

"If they don't come, I'm not signing. Real simple," Biden said.

Senators from the group were never told of such an explicit linking of the two packages, the two people familiar with the discussions said.

It never came up in their talks with the White House advisers or with Biden himself during Thursday's meeting of the group of 10 key negotiators, they said.

Ten Republican senators would be needed to pass the bipartisan accord in the 50-50 Senate, where 60 votes are required to advance most bills.

While the senators in the bipartisan group are among some of the more independent-minded lawmakers, known for bucking their party's leadership, it appears McConnell's criticism of Biden's approach could peel away Republican support.

The White House insisted that senators have been well aware of the two-bill strategy, which has been openly discussed for months. They all but dared the Republicans to argue their way out of supporting what appeared to be a popular compromise of shared priorities.

"That's a pretty absurd argument for them to make," Psaki said. "Good luck."

Democrats plan to push the broader package through using a special budget process that would allow passage of their own priorities on a simple majority vote of 51 senators, with Vice President Kamala Harris a tiebreaker.

Progressive lawmakers have pushed for the more robust investments and could withhold their votes, as well, on any bipartisan package unless they have guarantees the $1 trillion effort won't be the end of the road.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Friday that the bipartisan infrastructure bill "simply isn't enough."

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Josh Boak, Kevin Freking and Dan Sewell contributed to this report.
Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference on voting rights at the Department of Justice in Washington, Friday, June 25, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

WASHINGTON  The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's new election law, alleging Republican state lawmakers rushed through a sweeping overhaul with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot.

"Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act," Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday in announcing the lawsuit.

Republican lawmakers in the state pushed back immediately, pledging a forceful defense of Georgia's law.

The Biden administration's move comes two weeks after Garland said his department would scrutinize new laws in Republican-controlled states that tighten voting rules. He said the federal government would take action if prosecutors found unlawful activity.

The suit also comes as pressure grows on the Biden administration to respond to GOP-backed laws being pushed in the states this year. A Democratic effort to overhaul election laws was blocked this week by Republican senators.

As of mid-May, 22 restrictive laws had passed in at least 14 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which researches voting and supports expanded access. Justice Department officials hinted that prosecutors were looking at other voting laws across the United States and warned that the government would not stand by if there were illegal attempts to restrict voter access.

The increased enforcement of voting rights laws also signals that President Joe Biden and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke are making good on a promise to refocus the department around civil rights after a tumultuous four years during the Trump administration. Clarke was one of the nation's leading civil rights attorneys before her nomination to lead the department's civil rights division.

Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, said he would contest the suit. The Republican official was harshly criticized by then-President Donald Trump and his allies for rebuffing efforts to challenge the outcome of the state's vote in the 2020 election. Raffensperger largely supported the new law and faces a primary challenge from a congressman backed by Trump.

"The Biden Administration has been spreading lies about Georgia's election law for months," Raffensperger said in a statement. "It is no surprise that they would operationalize their lies with the full force of the federal government. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court."

Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Ga., said in a statement that the suit was "born out of the lies and misinformation the Biden administration has pushed."

He accused Biden and other Democrats of "weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to carry out their far-left agenda that undermines election integrity and empowers federal government overreach in our democracy."

While much of the more controversial aspects of Georgia's new voting law were dropped before it was passed, it is notable in its scope and for newly expansive powers granted to the state over local election offices.

The bill, known as SB 202, also adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots, shortens the time period for requesting a mailed ballot and results in fewer ballot drop boxes available in metro Atlanta  provisions that drew the challenge from the federal government.

"The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum," Clarke said. "These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress."

The lawsuit also takes aim at another controversial measure  a ban on the distribution of food and water by various groups and organizations to voters standing in line to cast a ballot. Democrats say the support is needed to encourage voters who find themselves in long lines. Republicans argue the measure is needed to prevent unlawful electioneering from happening at polling places.

In 2020, just two states had ID requirements for voters requesting a mailed ballot. Along with Georgia, lawmakers in Florida have also passed a law requiring additional identification for mail voting. Clarke described the Georgia law as adding "new and unnecessarily stringent" identification requirements to mail voting.

In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the state's most populous communities.

For the entire metro Atlanta area, Democrats estimate the number of drop boxes will fall from 94 last year to no more than 23 for future elections based on the new formula of one drop box per 100,000 registered voters.

Clarke noted that metro Atlanta is home to the largest Black voting-age population in the state.

The NAACP and civil rights leaders such as Stacey Abrams applauded the administration's step. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Georgia's law was a "blatant assault on the American people's most fundamental and sacred right, the right to vote."

The law already is the subject of seven other federal suits filed by civil rights and election integrity groups that raise a number of claims under the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in voting.

The Supreme Court also is weighing a voting rights dispute from Arizona that predates last year's election in which the court could again significantly cut back on the use of the voting rights law.

Eight years ago Friday, the high court removed the Justice Department's most effective tool in combating discriminatory voting laws: the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination, mostly in the South, obtain advance approval of any voting changes from the government or a court.

The department also announced Friday that it was creating a task force and advising FBI and U.S. attorneys to prioritize investigations of threats against election officials.

___

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Mark Sherman in Washington and Kate Brumback and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
(Tribune News Service)  Plumes of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were found at both Holloman Air Force Base and Cannon Air Force Base near Alamogordo and Albuquerque, respectively.

The contaminant was also discovered at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where the State of New Mexico worked for years to clean up the pollution.

Federally classifying PFAs as hazardous waste by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency could set a path for more uniform regulations of the substances, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said, as they are known to exist in groundwater in New Mexico and other states.

PFAS are chemicals that have been used in food packaging, cleaning products, stain resistant carpet treatments, nonstick cookware and firefighting foam, according to the New Mexico Environment Department.

In the absence of a federal framework, states continue to create a patchwork of regulatory standards for PFAS across the U.S. to address these hazardous chemicals, Lujan Grisham said in a news release.

This leads to inequity in public health and environmental protections. This petition seeks swift EPA action to create a federal framework that will equally protect all communities across the U.S. by declaring PFAS what it is  a hazardous waste under federal law.

On June 9, New Mexico Environment Department Cabinet Secretary James Kenney testified during the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works hearing PFAS: the View from Affected Citizens and States, which saw leaders from multiple states describing their specific issues with PFAS and make recommendations to lawmakers

Kenney suggested Congress list PFAS as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and for the EPA to develop federal regulations to prevent exposure to the people and the environment.

New Mexico faces particular impact from the use of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), the concentrate of which contains PFOA and PFOS, Kenney said. AFFF is a firefighting foam developed in the 1960s to be used for flammable liquid fire extinguishment.

Training with AFFF is a critical part of proper AFFF use, and my state has contaminated areas directly associated with those training activities.

AFFF was used on U.S. Air Force installations including Cannon and Holloman Air Force at fire training areas, however, the foam has been used, stored or released in other locations including hangar fire suppression systems, firefighting equipment testing and maintenance areas and during emergency response actions due to fuel spills and other emergencies, Kenney said.

Although the drinking water on Holloman Air Force Base is not affected by PFAS contamination as it comes from wells near Alamogordo, recreation has suffered since one of the areas affected by PFAS contamination is Lake Holloman, he said.

He pointed to a request in 2019 by New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas that the Air Force close Lake Holloman due to the contamination and the New Mexico Department of Health directed the public to avoid swimming in or drinking of the water.

Lake Holloman is considered an important habitat for birds, including migrating ducks, shorebirds, and a number of federally listed endangered species and state-listed species of concern, Kenney said.

Lake Holloman also serves as a valuable recreational resource to the community surrounding the base, as it is used for boating, bird watching, and camping.

nmaxwell@alamogordonews.com

(c)2021 the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.)

Visit the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) at www.alamogordonews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Darryl Sterling tosses unserviceable uniform items into a burn pit at Balad Air Base, Iraq, on March 10, 2008. (Julianne Showalter/U.S. Air Force)

WASHINGTON  The House Committee on Veterans Affairs advanced a bill Thursday that aims to create a fast-track to Department of Veterans Affairs benefits and health care for millions of veterans suffering the effects of military toxic exposure.

The lawmakers voted 14-11 to advance the bill  a move the committee chairman, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said would kickstart in-depth negotiations with the Senate about legislation that Congress would approve.

Right now, only certain veterans exposed to certain toxins during a particular time window are eligible to access care and benefits through the VA, Takano said. The process places the burden on the veteran, and even if the veteran has proof, they might not qualify. Its time to change that.

The bill, titled the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2021, is similar to a bill that the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee advanced earlier this month. The House bill goes further than the Senates, including more cancers and respiratory illnesses on the list of conditions that would qualify veterans for VA benefits and health care.

The vote Thursday was along party lines, with no Republicans voting in favor of it. Several Republicans spoke out Thursday, saying there were too many unanswered questions and no realistic path for the bill to pass through Congress.

Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., the ranking Republican on the committee, tried multiple times to postpone the vote, but failed. Bost said that VA officials, nor anyone else from President Joe Bidens administration, had provided feedback on the bill, and the department hadnt answered questions about how the legislation might effect VA infrastructure, IT, staffing and delivery of health care and benefits.

I wish I could support [this bill], but the fact is, we simply do not have the information we need to report the bill out of committee, Bost said. We have no idea what the VAs views are on this bill, no idea what the Biden administration supports in it or doesnt, or what their input is.

Bost urged the Biden administration to be meaningful partners in the negotiation of the bill. VA Secretary Denis McDonough has previously refused to take a position on the bills in Congress to expand benefits and health care for veterans suffering the effects of toxic exposure. The department is working on its own solution and announced last month it would initiate the federal rulemaking process to consider adding more conditions to the list of conditions presumed to be caused by toxic burn pits.

In addition to input from the VA, Bost wanted to know the final cost estimate for the bill. A preliminary estimate from the Congressional Budget Office determined the legislation could cost about $1 trillion in new mandatory spending over the next 10 years, Bost said.

Theres been no discussion about how were going to pay for that, he said. The conclusion is clear  we have a lot more work to do. We cannot responsibly vote this bill out today.

Takano reiterated that the action Thursday was not the end of the process and there would be changes to the bill.

Both bills would automatically grant eligibility for VA health care to about 3.5 million veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and reform the VAs current process of handling claims of toxic exposure.

Like the Senate version, the House bill includes older veterans. The bill calls for presumptive benefits for Vietnam War veterans who have developed hypertension because of exposure to chemical herbicides, as well as veterans who served in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia and were potentially exposed to herbicides. It also includes veterans who participated in toxic cleanup activities in Enewetak Atoll or Palomares, Spain.

While the Senate bill adds 11 respiratory illnesses and cancers to the list, the House is seeking to add 23.

Well now begin in-depth negotiations on a final legislative package, Takano said. There will be time to discuss [costs] and views, but we have momentum on our side now.

wentling.nikki@stripes.com

Twitter: @nikkiwentling
Buy Photo Sailors salute during an honorable carry ceremony for the remains of USS Oklahoma service members at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii  The unidentifiable remains of 50 sailors and one Marine who died aboard the USS Oklahoma during the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor were flown to Hawaii on Thursday and will be buried in Honolulu later this year on the 80th anniversary of the raid.

During an honorable carry ceremony near the joint bases runway, Marine and sailor guards of honor carried 10 flag-draped coffins from a C-17 that had arrived from Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska where the enclosed remains had undergone DNA testing.

The return of the remains represents the near completion of the six-year project by the Defense Department to identify Oklahoma victims who had been long buried as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also called the Punchbowl Cemetery, in Honolulu.

The remains of 388 sailors and Marines that had been buried in the cemetery in 1950 were exhumed in 2015 and sent to Offutt.

To date, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has identified 337 of those remains.

We still will make identifications, Carrie LeGarde, the USS Oklahoma projects lead anthropologist, told reporters before the ceremony began. They are in progress, so its not completely done at this point. That will continue over the next couple months.

DPAA has been thus far unable to identify the 51 remains flown to Hawaii on Thursday, partly because DNA samples from some next of kin could not be found.

Buy Photo Petty Officer 1st Class Collin Reichow plays taps during an honorable carry ceremony for the remains of USS Oklahoma service members at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Thursday, June 24, 2021. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

The remains will be kept at DPAAs identification laboratory on the joint base until their reburial by the Navy on Dec. 7 at the Punchbowl.

The Navy is not actively pursuing family reference samples anymore for the Oklahoma project, LeGarde said. We did a big push in the last year, and they got a lot of family reference samples actually in the last year. That has made a huge difference and why were still making identifications now.

The USS Oklahoma was moored on Battleship Row on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, when Japanese torpedo bombers descended on Pearl Harbor. Several made direct hits on the ship, capsizing it and killing 429 crew members.

After being moved to several gravesites, the remains of 394 sailors and Marines who died that day  all too badly burned, disfigured or decayed to identify  were laid to rest in 46 plots for the unknown in 1950. A few of those remains had been identified in the years leading up to 2015.

Buy Photo Marines carry coffins from a C-17 during an honorable carry ceremony for the remains of USS Oklahoma service members at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Thursday June 24, 2021. (Wyatt Olson/Stars and Stripes)

During brief remarks to a small group of people gathered for the ceremony, Adm. Sam Paparo, commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet, reflected on the militarys ethos of striving to never leave a fallen comrade behind.

These heroes that you see here have begun their final journey to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, he said.

olson.wyatt@stripes.com

Twitter: @WyattWOlson

Wyatt Olson
Melissa Lindhorst, 45, passed away June 26, 2021. A "Come and Go" reception will be from 4-6:00pm Saturday, July 10, 2021 at the Strode Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will be at Fairlawn Cemetery at a later date.
Two women are now  and for the first time  jointly at the helm of Good Samaritans Board of Governors.

Susan Brocksmith was elected by her fellow board members Thursday to be president, taking the place of Jim Zeigler. To assist her will be Mary Cay Martin, a more than 20-year member of the board, who was elected to serve as vice-chair.

And both are honored, they said, to help usher Good Samaritan into a post COVID world.

Its been a tough year, but Im hopeful that well be able to get right back to doing all the things we did before, which is continuing the process of constantly striving to do better, Brocksmith said.

Brocksmith came onto the board in 2016; Martin joined in 2000 and served as president, herself, early in her service to Good Samaritan.

This will be Brocksmiths first time in a leadership position at the hospital; both of her parents, Rowe and Maridell Sergeant, served before her.

Looking back, both Brocksmith and Martin say they are proud of how the hospital handled COVID-19, and preparedness will likely continue to be a priority moving forward.

When the board first began talking about COVID, we reached out to other hospitals, and many of them said the thing they wished theyd done better is to be more prepared, Martin said. We did a lot; we had time to prepare. In fact, for awhile, we thought (COVID) might miss us altogether. But it came and everyone did a phenomenal job of getting us through it.

In the process, weve learned that we must remain aggressive in our thinking and look beyond where we are now to what could happen.

Martin, too, said Good Samaritan has been blessed to have such good employees, ones who truly care about our patients.

They give us a good foundation to return to, she said.

Brocksmith, who serves on several other boards, including the Knox County Development Corp., said serving Good Samaritan is among her greatest honors.

She called the organization an anchor for the community.

No matter the age, from birth to death, everyone in this community needs this hospital, she said.

My first grandchild was just born here, and we all know we lose our loved ones, so its important to me to have someplace to go, a place where we are blessed to have such great care, a regional center for health.

And as the hospital looks to move past the pandemic, the organization will need to be poised to meet needs that are likely here to stay, things like mobile units  Good Samaritan now has one with another on the way  as well as the continued availability of virtual visits.

I just look forward to being a part of what we can do for our community, she said.

Martin, too, said 20 years ago, as she and her husband considered leaving Vincennes, having a hospital close by was one of the determining factors in their decision to stay.

This will be her last term, she said, and she looks forward to giving it her all.

It doesnt feel like its been 20 years, but I love this community and I feel like, being here, Im doing something to make it better, she said.

Its been an honor to serve on this board.
City officials are gaining traction on their hike to a more pedestrian-friendly community.

The city councils new Walkable Cities Committee on Thursday held its second public discussion at City Hall, 201 Vigo St., one that drew a larger crowd than the time before.

More than 20 people attended the meeting, including some familiar faces as well as a handful of new ones.

A city thats more walkable, with people out doing things, attracts more people, said committee member and city council president Tim Salters.

We are all out in the community, and we see a lot, he said, gesturing to himself and other council members there, but we cant be everywhere. We need to know what the people of Vincennes want.

The sentiment was echoed by councilman Marc McNeece.

You are the eyes and ears of this city, he told the crowd. We should be doing what you all  you sitting in this room  want us to do.

Thats why these meetings are so important.

The meeting kicked off with a recap of topics that had been discussed previously, including details on what attendees have taken to calling, low hanging fruit, or relatively easily-accomplished tasks, such as repainting crosswalks or addressing dangerous street crossings.

Salters, too, on Thursday introduced a slogan for the Walkable City endeavor.

Go. Slow. Stop. Its simple to remember, he said.

But exactly how the city would pay for such projects took center stage.

Rick Williams was the first local resident to speak up, wanting to know more about where the money for these projects would come from, and he referenced money coming into the city from the federal American Rescue Act Plan. He wondered whether any of it could be used to make the city safer for pedestrians.

But for that particular pot of money, there are many rules in play, and the council is still developing a plan.

Mayor Joe Yochum, too, stepped up to help field funding questions and common misconceptions about the ARPA money.

Right now we are limited to what we can do with that money, he told the crowd. We are still waiting for a better understanding of what we can use it for.

Given the opportunity, some of it could be used for this, but nothing is for sure.

McNeece revisited the possibility of funding from the citys Redevelopment Commission, a board on which he holds a seat, and he likened it to the RDC contributing to the citys Tree Board in providing money to plant new trees within the Tax Increment Finance Zone.

Many funding possibilities, he said, should be in play.

There is no such thing as money from the federal government, McNeece said. Its all taxpayer money.

Vanessa Phillips, a project coordinator for Good Samaritans new Grants Services Department, suggested a partnership between the two, particularly in a search for monies specifically for healthier communities.

McNeece lit up.

Sign us up  now, he said, with a smile.

Also discussed again Thursday was the possibility of using sidewalks or walking paths to connect popular tourist areas, such as the Riverwalk, the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park and the Indiana Military Museum, to name a few.

The group discussed the importance of repairing sidewalks, building new sidewalks and creating safer places to cross the street.

And more is to come, Salters promised.

This is not the be-all, end-all meeting, he said. This (series will continue), and I hope we see progress. I hope we can keep knocking down some of that low-hanging fruit.

To offer feedback or for more information, contact City Hall at 812-882-7285.
South Bend officer rescues kitten from rush-hour traffic

SOUTH BEND  A northern Indiana police officer turned cat-whisperer to help rescue a kitten after the frisky feline darted in front of his cruiser during rush-hour traffic.

South Bend Police Officer Chris Voros was driving about 5 p.m. Wednesday when the gray kitten ran in front of his cruiser. Voros stopped, got out and tried to help the cat but it darted under his vehicle.

After trying unsuccessfully to coax the cat out by calling Here, kitty, kitty, he then tried to lure it into the open with a stick. But that didnt work and the cat hopped into a wheel well beneath Voros cruiser at one point before hopping back down, the South Bend Tribune reported.

A photographer with the newspaper who was driving by stopped and photographed Voros rescue efforts.

Bystanders soon stopped to help and within a few minutes the cat emerged and they helped Voros corral it. The officer wrapped the kitten in a towel, placed in his back seat and drove off.

2 Gary men to plead guilty in slaying of delivery driver

HAMMOND  Two Gary men have agreed to plead guilty to federal charges in the slaying of a pizza delivery driver and admit that they lured the man to an abandoned house for a planned robbery.

Terryante A. Flournoy, 22, and Ciontay J. Wright, 21, signed plea agreements Wednesday under which both will plead guilty to attempted robbery, with Flournoy also pleading guilty to possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.

The pair signed the plea agreements a week before they were scheduled to stand trial on murder and attempted robbery charges in the fatal November 2019 shooting of David J. Shelton, 30, of Portage.

The U.S. Attorneys office has agreed to drop murder charges against the pair in exchange for their guilty pleas. Prosecutors will in turn recommend that they receive more lenient prison sentences.

Flournoy and Wright are prepared to admit in open court that they called Luigis Pizza for a pizza delivery to an abandoned house in Garys Glen Park neighborhood and that Flournoy fatally shot Shelton during a planned robbery, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

The two men said they ran from the scene without obtaining any money from Shelton.

No hearing date had been scheduled as of Thursday morning for their formal change of plea.

Their plea agreements state that a federal judge in Hammond may sentence Wright to between 15 and 25 years, and Flournoy to between 25 and 40 years of imprisonment.
Road work announced for Hart Street Road

County highway superintendent Benji Boyd on Thursday announced that Fog Seal operations will begin today on Hart Street Road between Tower Road and Indiana 241.

Work will continue through most of next week, weather permitting. Work will include sweeping loose rock off the road and the application of fresh fog seal (oil). Motorists are advised to avoid the fresh oil for at least two to three hours. Drying time varies with weather conditions.

Library, Red Skelton museum to host Dan Barth Medicine Show

The Knox County Public Library and The Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy have partnered to bring the Dan Barth Old Time Medicine Show to town on Saturday. There will be three shows at 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. All three will be held in the librarys parking lot at 502 N. Seventh St.

Barths show combines magic and ventriloquism; Red Skelton started his career performing at medicine shows like this one.

Admission is free.

City seeking donations for Fourth of July fireworks show

The City of Vincennes recently announced that it is taking over the annual Fourth of July Fireworks show from veterans with the local American Legion. It was a long-time tradition for the American Legion to solicit donations for the fireworks, and the city plans to continue in that spirit.

To donate, contact City Hall at 812-882-7285 or send a check made payable to Vincennes Fireworks to City Hall, 201 Vigo St., Vincennes, IN, 47591.
News

City continues talks on creating a more 'walkable city'

Sun-Commercial photo by Jenny McNeece Members of the city councils new Walkable Cities Committee (from left) Brian Grove, Tim Salters and Marc McNeece hear from about 20 local residents Thursday night during a public discussion held at City Hall, 201 Vigo St., about how to make Vincennes a more pedestrian friendly community. Sun-Commercial photo by Jenny McNeece Local resident Shepard Dunn speaks to members of the city councils Walkable Cities Committee as it looks to make the city more pedestrian friendly. The public discussion was held at City Hall, 201 Vigo St.

City officials are gaining traction on their hike to a more pedestrian-friendly community.

The city councils new Walkable Cities Committee on Thursday held its second public discussion at City Hall, 201 Vigo St., one that drew a larger crowd than the time before.

More than 20 people attended the meeting, including some familiar faces as well as a handful of new ones.

A city thats more walkable, with people out doing things, attracts more people, said committee member and city council president Tim Salters.

We are all out in the community, and we see a lot, he said, gesturing to himself and other council members there, but we cant be everywhere. We need to know what the people of Vincennes want.

The sentiment was echoed by councilman Marc McNeece.

You are the eyes and ears of this city, he told the crowd. We should be doing what you all  you sitting in this room  want us to do.

Thats why these meetings are so important.

The meeting kicked off with a recap of topics that had been discussed previously, including details on what attendees have taken to calling, low hanging fruit, or relatively easily-accomplished tasks, such as repainting crosswalks or addressing dangerous street crossings.

Salters, too, on Thursday introduced a slogan for the Walkable City endeavor.

Go. Slow. Stop. Its simple to remember, he said.

But exactly how the city would pay for such projects took center stage.

Rick Williams was the first local resident to speak up, wanting to know more about where the money for these projects would come from, and he referenced money coming into the city from the federal American Rescue Act Plan. He wondered whether any of it could be used to make the city safer for pedestrians.

But for that particular pot of money, there are many rules in play, and the council is still developing a plan.

Mayor Joe Yochum, too, stepped up to help field funding questions and common misconceptions about the ARPA money.

Right now we are limited to what we can do with that money, he told the crowd. We are still waiting for a better understanding of what we can use it for.

Given the opportunity, some of it could be used for this, but nothing is for sure.

McNeece revisited the possibility of funding from the citys Redevelopment Commission, a board on which he holds a seat, and he likened it to the RDC contributing to the citys Tree Board in providing money to plant new trees within the Tax Increment Finance Zone.

Many funding possibilities, he said, should be in play.

There is no such thing as money from the federal government, McNeece said. Its all taxpayer money.

Vanessa Phillips, a project coordinator for Good Samaritans new Grants Services Department, suggested a partnership between the two, particularly in a search for monies specifically for healthier communities.

McNeece lit up.

Sign us up  now, he said, with a smile.

Also discussed again Thursday was the possibility of using sidewalks or walking paths to connect popular tourist areas, such as the Riverwalk, the George Rogers Clark National Historical Park and the Indiana Military Museum, to name a few.

The group discussed the importance of repairing sidewalks, building new sidewalks and creating safer places to cross the street.

And more is to come, Salters promised.

This is not the be-all, end-all meeting, he said. This (series will continue), and I hope we see progress. I hope we can keep knocking down some of that low-hanging fruit.

To offer feedback or for more information, contact City Hall at 812-882-7285.
Initial plans to create safe access to Omanawa Falls have been presented to residents.

However, some locals are not happy with the proposals, suggesting they have not been listened to and the beauty spot is simply unsafe.

Omanawa Falls is closed to the general public for safety reasons. However, it has generated a reputation online for its picturesque location.

Unfortunately, the location can also be deadly, with two fatalities in the past three years related to visiting the falls.

A meeting at Omanawa Hall on Wednesday, June 16, was attended by around 50 people with representatives from Tauranga City Council, Ngati Hangarau, whose rohe the falls are located within, police and Tourism Bay of Plenty present to address concerns and answer questions.

Together with Ngati Hangarau and Tourism Bay of Plenty we are working to provide managed physically and culturally safe access to the Omanawa Falls, says Tauranga City Council director of spaces and places Paul Dunphy.

On their website, TCC state they have invested $978,945 on the project to date, and further funding of $3.5 million was allocated in the draft 2021-31 Long Term Plan.

The Omanawa Falls project proposes to provide a track down to near the bottom of the waterfall, Paul explains.

This track will be safe but challenging, with a large number of stairs and a few ladders. On route there will be a couple of viewing platforms to provide views out over the falls.

This track will be supported by the appropriate infrastructure, including an off-road car park and public toilets.

However, Andrew Campbell, who lives in the area, suggests the plans put forward are not fit for purpose and residents are being ignored.

I would say 98 per cent of the residents are very much against and not happy with what the council are proposing, he says.

He suggests the area is simply not safe and should not be encouraged as a tourism hotspot.

They talk about safe access, but really the public should not be going down there.

Once Covid is over and New Zealand reopens to the rest of the world, there is no way you are going to control the amount of people going down there.

That is what they think they are going to be able to do, but that is never going to happen in reality.

Oscar Nathan, acting chief executive of Tourism Bay of Plenty, also insists that the area is currently unsafe and discourages people from visiting the site.

However, he believes the area is a potentially viable tourist destination once access issues have been addressed.

Tourism BOP is committed to seeing the reopening of Omanawa Falls as the unique regional experience it is - but only when it is safe to do so, says Oscar.

Full consideration needs to be given to the historical, cultural and environmental significance of this special site.

Accordingly, we will do our best to work with all the partners involved to ensure promotion only commences once it is safe to do so.

Koro Nicholas, co-chair of the Ngati Hangarau Hapu Trust, was happy to hear of awesome ideas that were brought to the table at the hui but admits, on specific aspects of the project, some parties are polarised.

He says that from the hapus perspective safety is the biggest factor.

However, as well as making sure people come to no physical harm he insists the mauri, or lifeforce, of the area must also be protected.

Every time someone injures themselves or dies down there it has a lingering effect.

We dont see safe access to those falls unless there is some sort of cultural element to go with the physical element.

Tauranga City Council also remains committed to the potential tourism opportunities at the location.

The project group will continue to explore tourism opportunities at the site and look into ways of managing access, Paul says.

We are planning to lodge for resource consent for this project in July.

But Andrew, who helped put in steps and a platform that service maintenance work of Omanawa Falls Power Station, also highlights traffic issues, budgeting, construction time and ownership of the finished project as key issues which must be addressed before Omanawa Falls are turned into a viable tourist trap - something he believes should not happen.

We are the ones that have to live down there and will have to deal with the ongoing problems that will occur, he says.

Believe me, there will be problems.
Tauranga MP Simon Bridges has spoken of his belief that freedom of speech is a fundamental right in light of the Governments release for public consultation on its long-awaited plan for the laws governing hate speech.

Hate speech will become a criminal offence and anyone convicted could face harsher punishment, under proposed legislative changes.

The plan is part of the government's work to strengthen social cohesion, in response to the Royal Commission of inquiry into the Christchurch terror attack.

Justice Minister Kris Faafoi says abusive or threatening speech that incites can divide communities.

"Building social cohesion, inclusion and valuing diversity can also be a powerful means of countering the actions of those who seek to spread or entrench discrimination and hatred."

Protecting free speech and protecting people from hate speech will require careful consideration and a wide range of input, Faafoi says.

Whilst Bridges says the National Party would need to see the law in writing before taking a conclusive position they oppose the criminalizing of speech except in cases of incitement to violence, something he says is already provided for in New Zealand law.

We are not ruling out supporting sensible changes to the Human Rights Act 1993 like perhaps updating the groups covered by anti-discrimination law, but we would need to see the law in writing before taking a conclusive position, says the National Partys Justice spokesperson.

This is all pretty meaningless until we see the draft law. National supports sensible change & will oppose criminalising speech short of incitement to violence. https://t.co/XhMZnA4Lrv  Simon Bridges (@simonjbridges) June 24, 2021

In any case, Minister Faafois proposed Hate Speech law changes seek to change a lot more.

The Prime Minister has already begun mischaracterising the proposed law changes by framing them as simply adding religion as a protected group in light of the Royal Commission. I encourage all New Zealanders to read the six proposals for themselves because these laws reach much further than that.

The government is considering creating a new, clearer hate speech offence in the Crimes Act, removing it from the Human Rights Act.

That would mean anyone who "intentionally stirs up, maintains or normalises hatred against a protected group" by being "threatening, abusive or insulting, including by inciting violence" would break the law.

The punishment for hate speech offences could also increase - from up to three months' imprisonment or a fine of up to $7000, to up to three years' imprisonment or a fine of up to $50,000.

The groups protected from hate speech could also grow - the government is considering changing the language and widening the incitement provisions in the Human Rights Act.

It has not yet decided which groups will be added. That is expected to happen following public consultation.

It is currently only an offence to use speech that will "excite hostility" or "bring into contempt" a person or group on the grounds of their colour, race or ethnicity. Gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or disability aren't protected grounds.

The National Party encourages open debate and discussion as this leads to people being better informed and able to form their own opinions, says Bridges.

Democracy relies on the ability of people to speak freely and in turn others are, of course, free to disagree.

Protecting free speech does not mean that there isnt speech that I find abhorrent. We are all offended by a variety of things. However, it would be complete overreach to criminalise people, throw them in jail for up to three years, because they caused offence.

The government is proposing several changes to the civil provision of the Human Rights Act, including making it illegal to incite others to discriminate against a protected group.

It also wants to amend the Human Rights Act to ensure trans, gender-diverse and intersex people are protected from discrimination.

The Ministry of Social Development will simultaneously consult with the public about what can be done to make New Zealand more socially cohesive.

Public submissions open today and close on August 6. The government's discussion document includes steps on how to submissions.

- Additional reporting/RNZ
Working on New Zealand roads is now a whole lot safer thanks to Mount Maunganui-based firm Road Science who have devised a way to substantially reduce the time their staff spend standing in the road corridor.

The innovation saw Road Sciences Mobile Data Capture Unit recently win a major category at the 2021 New Zealand Workplace Health & Safety Awards for the best initiative to address a work-related safety risk'.

Road Science staff often need to take measurements required for road maintenance programmes.

They typically used to survey one kilometre per day but a combination of new technology  one item of which is a high-tech mobile mapper, the only one of its kind in New Zealand  means 50km a day can now be surveyed from the safety of a vehicle instead of standing in the road corridor surrounded by traffic.

Road Science spokesman Richard Carter says he is incredibly proud of the dedication and professionalism the team display on a daily basis.

This award is great recognition of the work thats gone into improving both safety and productivity outcomes, says Richard.

Road Science wanted to be proactive, rather the just compliant in their health and safety approach, so the company invested in a Leica Pegasus Two Ultimate (P2U) Mobile Laser Scanner from Switzerland which is a precise geospatial tool.

The beauty of this machine is that it does a million scans a second while traveling at speed, says Richard.

Weve got it installed in the back of a ute. We drive down the road at 80km per hour and for the bulk of the tasks we do in transport and road construction, it picks up this same information, to the same  if not greater  accuracy than a surveyor.

We can substantially reduce peoples time spent standing in, and around the road corridor and therefore peoples exposure to traffic hazards is greatly reduced.

Carter says by replacing outdated methods and work practices, the Mobile Data Capture Unit has revolutionised Road Sciences business.

In addition to speeding up the surveying process and reducing health and safety risks, the technology captures comprehensive information that can be re-used over and over again.

You can go get all the roading information you need but you also get all the signposts, all the safety crash barriers, all the line marking, all the trees, and all the power line clearances.

It saves having to send a surveyor out repeatedly to do different tasks, says Richard.

Transport Technology General Manager for Road Science Doug Carrasco says, while this technology is now available in New Zealand, its benefits will only be realised through increase in its usage.

Road Science urges road, rail and port authorities to embrace this technology to achieve higher quality outcomes whilst eliminating risk to personnel, says Doug.

The P2U laser scanner can be used to scan sections of railway lines to help plan upgrades and to check tunnel clearances to ensure construction equipment will fit. It can also be used to build 3D model of any yards or port facilities.
Offer a personal message of sympathy...

By sharing a fond memory or writing a kind tribute, you will be providing a comforting keepsake to those in mourning. If you have an existing account with this site, you may log in with that below. Otherwise, you can create an account by clicking on the Log in button below, and then register to create your account.
Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. Activation will allow you to view unlimited online articles each month. To activate your Premium online account, the email address and phone number provided with your paid newspaper subscription needs to match the information you use in setting up your online user account. If you are having trouble or want to confirm what email address and phone number is listed on your subscription account, please call 952-345-6682 or email circulation@swpub.com and we'll be happy to assist.
Lawton, OK (73501)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms during the morning. Partly cloudy skies this afternoon. High 84F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 67F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph.
Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription.

Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service.
Interview with Synergys Rajesh Unni

Captain Rajesh Unni, CEO and founder of Synergy Group, told Tanker Operator about his companys experiences with COVID-19, support for seafarer mental health, digitalisation, decarbonisation and challenges for 2021.

Captain Rajesh Unni, CEO and founder of Synergy Group, talked to Tanker Operator about his companys experiences with COVID-19, support for seafarer mental health and welfare, digitalisation, decarbonisation and where he sees the biggest challenges for 2021. This article is based on Captain Unnis replies to our questions. Synergy has 360 vessels in its fleet as of March 2021, including over 160 tankers, also bulk carriers, 20,000TEU container ships and LNG-FSU conversions. The 160 tankers include VLGCs, LNG tankers, VLCCs, chemical tankers and smaller oil tankers such as Suezmax, Aframax, LR2, LR1 and MRs. COVID The COVID crisis has affected everyone in shipping and continues to do so. It has been  and still is to varying degrees - a humanitarian crisis, an operational crisis and a mental health crisis. How have we coped? We have done our utmost for seafarers and ship owners, but it has been a year of juggling constantly changing local and national rules and dynamics from day to day and port to port. Things have now settled down somewhat, meaning we are able to make more crew changes than we could six months ago, and we have vaccines being rolled out and that is helping. Synergy Group is a founding member of the Global Maritime Forums taskforce that led to the Neptune Declaration and this is also now bringing more pressure to bear to improve things. But, of course, we need more progress. The situation is still a long way from perfect. It is seafarers who have borne the real brunt of COVID and shipping must ensure this can never happen again. We need to have a voice with governments, and we need recognition that seafarers are key workers. We need to speak up more about shippings importance to global trade but also to global wellbeing. This has been clear in the response to the pandemic. The raw materials, the energy, the consumer goods, the PPE, the vaccines, the medicines and the food that people rely on have been delivered by ships without interruption throughout this crisis. This pandemic is not a black swan event. We should plan for the next one now so we can avoid repeating our mistakes. Seafarer mental health I think it is clear in any profession that if you take away the basics of human dignity and the means of maintaining personal morale that youre not going to get a better, or safer, working environment. Imagine what impact the last year has had on seafarers and their mental health, with so many confined to ships for so long despite all our best efforts. Synergys seafarers have been fantastic throughout and Synergy has maintained safety levels. But is forcing people to stay onboard ships in a confined and often hazardous environment a good way to ensure the safest possible industry? Of course not. Seafarer wellness has to be a priority. It was something we were looking at long before wed heard of COVID. iCALL is the helpline we established in 2018. It is professionally staffed by counsellors 24/7 and available to all in shipping in multiple languages. It certainly has seen heavy use these past 12 months. More generally I think shipping as an industry should look to the rest of society and see that we have a lot to learn about how we approach the mental health and wellness of our employees. We will be placing a lot of emphasis on leadership throughout the organisation in 2021. To ensure our operational resilience is shock proof and our staff have everything they need to ensure their physical and mental wellbeing. OCIMF human factors We welcome the [human factors] initiative by OCIMF in bringing such a detailed approach to the human aspects of maritime activities. Despite considerable improvements in systems approaches, the fundamental attribution error, where an individuals behaviour is overemphasized for failures, is still prevalent in shipping. We are engaging with human factors specialists in multiple areas and we are confident that appreciable changes will be evident in the short, medium and long term in full alignment with the intent of OCIMF. Digital technology Covid has most definitely accelerated digital adoption. I think that whatever the profession, weve all seen that technology can improve productivity and efficiency when applied correctly. We plan that more of our fleet will be fitted with [Synergy subsidiary company] Alpha Oris SMARTShip Internet of Things platform, which reduces GHG emissions in accordance with IMO targets and provides all stakeholders with live transparency via thousands of data points. We have now installed SMARTShip on over 100 ships with another 150 in the pipeline. A lot of interest has come during lockdowns when people have been inspired to look at the world in new ways. This includes the Saudi Arabian national carrier Bahri. Weve signed a strategic partnership agreement with the ship management division of the company which includes the installation of Alpha Oris SMARTShip digital platform across a substantial part of the Bahri fleet. We expect more uptake this year. Decarbonisation I think it is clear we all need to play our part in meeting the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. The IMO has been very clear about how we as an industry can play our part in reducing emissions and we fully agree with those aims and will be pursuing them with vigour. Eventually this means using alternative fuels, but in the here and now there is a lot we can do to cut emissions. More efficient ship management is something we specialise in, so stricter rules are not problematic. This is one reason why we are digitalizing to make vessel and fleet operational efficiency and fuel-saving gains through SMARTShip. We are also studying and implementing a range of ship design and operational steps to save energy, because saving energy is the first step to cutting emissions. This is the concept of the NegaWatt. Not using energy is the easiest means of cutting emissions. More immediately, we are looking at the IMOs Energy Efficiency Existing Ship Index (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) which represent s the next step in IMOs initial GHG strategy. The age of parts of the tanker fleet means that, in many cases, vessels may struggle to meet the required EEXI and CII criteria. So we are exploring currently with classification societies, owners and other stakeholders how we can best help them comply in time for the rules entering into force. We see ourselves as a technical thought partner to our customers and we see decarbonization as a joint responsibility. Were investing a lot of resources to ensure we can help lead this inevitable transformation of shipping. Biggest challenges for 2021 The burden of the coronavirus pandemic was felt most heavily by those on the front line providing healthcare and essential services, including seafarers. But Covid fatigue spared nobody. In 2021 we need to really focus on our people. So, I think for any shipping CEO looking at challenges this year [2021] addressing that fatigue element and the mental strains of working from home and lockdowns has to be at the forefront of your mind. We have found new ways of operating safely and technology has played a big part in how we have all coped, but I think this will prove to be only the start of the journey. How we work will never quite be the same again so addressing what this means for our organisation as a whole will be a top priority. Ensuring the wellness of all our personnel  and especially our crew - after such a torrid year will be the priority. We will also be placing a lot of emphasis on leadership throughout the organisation in 2021 to ensure our operational resilience is shock proof. Covid has also highlighted that collaboration  with customers and competitors  produces better results. For example, the alliance which we formed with an array of shipping companies to push for crew change solutions last year showcased that collaboration between CEOs can yield immediate benefits. So in 2021 Synergy will pursue more collaboration with those that share our progressive core values. Not only in relation to the crew change crisis, but also in addressing other emerging issues in ways that unlock multi-stakeholder benefits. The major strategic takeaway from 2020 is that, more than ever, it is clear a successful business must have a coherent long-term plan but remain flexible enough to adapt to short-term challenges. Predicting events such as pandemics is impossible, but you can strategize in a way that minimises risk and maximises resilience.




The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
Our Most Popular Magazines + Digital

We get it. You live by the Ski Valleys snow report even when youre hours away. You follow every Taos post on Instagram. Our small town occupies a BIG part of your heart. Keep in touch with all things Taos when you subscribe to FIVE of our national award-winning magazines, plus access to the website and e-edition for a full year at the special low rate of just $55.
The positivity rate for new cases of COVID-19 in Florida seems to be increasing. The state Department of Health reported a new case positivity rate statewide for COVID-19 of 3.8% for the week of June 18-24 compared to 3.3% for June 11-17 and 3.4% the week previous.
Before submitting an Obituary to the Temple Telegram, please review our Obituary Policy.

View Obituary Policy
What just happened? Windows 11 was finally announced yesterday, confirming much of what we already knew about the next version of Microsoft's OS. We also found out what the minimum requirements are for PCs that want the upgrade this holiday season.

Windows 11 doesn't ask for much in terms of PC hardware, though it is more demanding than Windows 10, so those still plodding along on an aging computer may want to consider something newer.

Like its predecessor, Windows 11 requires a 1 GHz or faster processor or System on a Chip. What's changed is that users now need at least a dual-core 64-bit CPU/SoC.

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC) RAM: 4 gigabyte (GB) Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 recommended Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9-inches diagonally, 8 bits per color channel Internet connection and Microsoft accounts: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use. Switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features. A Microsoft account is required for some features.

Microsoft starting phasing out 32-bit versions of Windows 10 beginning with the May 2020 update last year and began supplying OEMs with 64-bit versions of its operating system. According to the most recent Steam Hardware Survey, just 0.09% of participants use Windows 10 32-bit, while 92.87% are on the 64-bit version.

RAM requirements are being increased in Windows 11, going up from 2GB to 4GB. Users also need 64GB of storage instead of 20GB, a GPU compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver, and a 720p display that's greater than 9 inches diagonally with 8 bits per color channel. Windows 10 required a GPU compatible with at least DirectX 9 and an 800 x 600 display.

The Win11 requirement for TPM is the biggest substantive change in Windows minimum requirements since Vista. Massive swathes of the ecosystem physically do not have it, or the capability is disabled in firmware.  SwiftOnSecurity (@SwiftOnSecurity) June 24, 2021

The requirements also ask for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 chip, which is used to securely store login information, encryption keys, passwords, etc. Microsoft describes the 2.0 requirement as a "soft floor," with TPM 1.2 being the "hard floor."

"Devices that do not meet the hard floor cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, and devices that meet the soft floor will receive a notification that upgrade is not advised," it writes.

Update: Microsoft has backtracked and now states TPM 2.0 is a requirement, which is definitely causing no confusion whatsoever.

Those who lack a physical TPM or don't have it enabled may still get Windows 11 working by altering the BIOS settings. You can download and run Microsoft's health check app to find out if your PC is compatible. This writer's six-year-old PC isn't, according to the app, which is doubtlessly related to the TPM requirement.
(Photo : WiseStamp vs. Exclaimer Review  What Is the Best Email Signature in 2021?)

Let's face it, writing and sending emails is time-consuming, and when it takes a massive chunk out of your day, it can become notoriously repetitive and even dull, too.

Maybe you find the process so menial that you don't spare much time proofreading and editing. Or perhaps you run out of steam by the last few lines, so you sign off with a quick "cheers," and off it goes into the world of cyberspace, landing in your recipient's inbox.

You've written it, it's legible, you've got your point across, and it's reached who it needs to. Job done, right?

Well, not always.

Yes, for any marketer or salesperson, sending emails takes up a lot of time; it's so commonplace, it's easy to forget the power you could wield in the process.

When was the last time you considered the impact your email signature has on your business? Do you even have an email signature? If you don't, should you get one?

There are lots of questions, and thankfully, some pretty straightforward answers. So, read on to explore this WiseStamp vs. Exclaimer review to find out more about their email signature services and see which ranks better...

Who's WiseStamp?

WiseStamp is designed with professionals in mind. This solution empowers businesses to generate and manage email signatures for their entire organization.

According to their website, WiseStamp helps over 700,000 users across 194 countries promote their businesses via their email signature.

Whether you're a writer, a musician, a doctor, an accountant - or, for that matter, anyone looking to promote their name; no business is exempt from the importance of professional branding. With WiseStamp, you can make a lasting impression on your clients by standing out as a professional.

Who's Exclaimer?

Like WiseStamp, Exclaimer is an excellent tool for businesses and individuals alike. If you want a polished, professional email signature, Exclaimer promises to offer you just that.

According to their website, the company has over twenty years of experience in the field and has won several awards.

Like WiseStamp, Exclaimer's solutions are pretty versatile, meaning no matter your profession, you're sure to find an appropriate solution for your business.

Fees

It's likely the costs of these services are one of your heavier concerns; thankfully, neither solution breaks the bank:

WiseStamp

These guys claim to offer users: "Simple Setup, Simple Pricing" - and they're not wrong.

WiseStamp seems to really understand the importance of cost-effective solutions, especially for small businesses. Entrepreneurs shouldn't go out of pocket to get the right tools, and you won't have to with WiseStamp.

Their company plan costs just $3 per month per user (currently only $2 with their generous 33% discount).

Plus, not only do they offer an annual deal to their customers, but if you want to try before you buy, there's a 14-day free trial, and you don't have to sign up with a credit card. That's a real rarity these days and grants some extra peace of mind. If you want to cancel your trial and forget to do so in time (it happens to the best of us), you're not stung with a surprise charge. What's not to like about that?

WiseStamp's Email Signature Features

The other good news? This plan's features are just as palatable as the price. You'll get access to:

A signature that works on all email platforms (including Gmail, Outlook, MacMail, and more)

Central management

Pro signature templates

The use of email apps

You can send an unlimited number of emails

Template variations

Premium support

For a slight boost in price, WiseStamp also offers an 'Awesome' plan for $5.80 a month. This erases WiseStamp's branding and unlocks professional templates and multiple signatures.

Exclaimer

Compared to WiseStamp, how do these guys shape up? Let's take a look.

On the bright side, Exclaimer's services are also pretty affordable. However, the bad news is, they aren't as straightforward as WiseStamp. Trying to find a simple pricing solution on their website is like finding a needle in a haystack.

When you consider the variety of services on offer, this begins to make sense. You have to choose between cloud email signatures and on-premise email signatures with their own subcategories (like signatures for Office 365 and Signature Manager for Outlook).

As such, where versatility's concerned, Exclaimer's great. But, to find an accurate price, you'll have to use their website's sliding pricing scale to select how many users need a signature. For example, If you want signatures for Office 365 for 10 users, this will cost

$15.20 a month, which works out to be $1.52 a user. Or, for 100 users, this will set you back $138.00 a month, which equates to $1.38 a user.

The more users that need email signatures, the cheaper it is per user. That said, unlike WiseStamp, you can't pay for individual users, making this a pricier option for smaller businesses.

The features differ with each plan, too, but for the sake of consistency, let's look at cloud-based email signatures for Office 365. With this plan, you'll get:

Central management

Ease-of-use (like self-service web portals, no installs or downloads)

Security and complete integration with your Microsoft 365 directory

Microsoft certified support (this includes video guides and technical documentation)

Other Key Features

WiseStamp and Exclaimer also include other useful features, such as:

WiseStamp

It's fully customizable - you have complete control over layouts, colors, fonts, image shapes, and more

It's quick to deploy

No maintenance is necessary

Tracking and analyzing the performance of email signature campaigns is easy

Exclaimer

Like WiseStamp, Exclaimer is customizable - you can create different designs for different email replies, use simpler designs for internal emails, and benefit from a 'test before you send' feature

Track link clicks in email signatures

You can design as many email signatures as you like

The Pros and Cons

Now that we've covered the basics, let's take a more in-depth examination of the pros and cons, starting with WiseStamp:

WiseStamp's Pros:

WiseStamp's pricing model is simple to understand

Compared to Exclaimer, WiseStamp's more cost-effective for smaller businesses

WiseStamp's easy to use and received excellent reviews from its customers

WiseStamp's Cons:

You can't personalize pricing plans to the same degree as Exclaimer

You pay per user, which for a larger business, isn't always as cost-effective as Exclaimer

Exclaimer's Pros:

Exclaimer's pricing models are suitable for larger businesses

Pricing plans are more personalized than WiseStamp

Exclaimer offers a versatile array of services

Exclaimer's Cons:

Exclaimer's pricier for smaller businesses

Customers report that it's challenging to get email signatures to look good on all devices; a signature made for Outlook may format weirdly on iPhone, for example.

Some of their feedback suggests their customer service needs improvement.

WiseStamp vs. Exclaimer Review - Our Final Verdict

A professional-looking email signature is imperative for boosting brand awareness, generating more customers, executing successful marketing campaigns, and much more. In short, don't underestimate their importance!

In this WiseStamp vs. Exclaimer review, there are a few big takeaways. First, if you're a smaller business, you'll probably benefit more from using WiseStamp. Their pricing models are far more cost-effective for the little guys - especially when compared with Exclaimer.

Looking at their features, you'd be forgiven for thinking that both competitors offer the same thing. Yes, they can both generate beautiful email signatures and boast easy-to-navigate interfaces. Still, there are a few determining features that might sway your opinion.

Although both services are compatible with most email providers, with WiseStamp, all of these platforms are included in the price. This isn't the case for Exclaimer. So if you want signatures for multiple platforms, things get expensive pretty quickly.

Alternatively, suppose you're after some training. In that case, Exclaimer seems to provide a few more services (like webinars and video tutorials). However, these aren't as relevant to the tech-savvy readers among us though.

Customer service is important too, and according to Capterra, WiseStamp rates far higher for positive customer service than Exclaimer. Needless to say, that's definitely worth factoring into your final decision.

All in all, WiseStamp comes out on top in this WiseStamp vs. Exclaimer Review. They may not have been around as long as Exclaimer. However, they're certainly shaping up to be a strong competitor in the market.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tesla finally confirmed that its giant Supercharger Network will soon be available to other electric vehicle makers. Elon Musk's fast EV charger has been exclusive for its Tesla units for the past few years.

(Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A Tesla electric-powered sedan stands at a Tesla charging staiton at a highway reststop along the A7 highway on June 11, 2015 near Rieden, Germany. Tesla has introduced a limited network of charging stations along the German highway grid in an effort to raise the viability for consumers to use the cars for longer journeys.

However, this will soon change as the giant EV developer announced that Tesla Supercharger Network will support other electric car brands this coming September 2022.

This information came after some rumors claimed that the giant EV maker is about to open its valuable electric car fast-charging network. The company's announcement is a big deal since Tesla Supercharger Network is considered the most extensive of its kind.

Tesla developed its Supercharger so that its consumers no longer have to rely on third parties. As of the moment, the giant EV maker already deployed around 25,000 Superchargers at more than 2,700 stations across the globe.

Tesla Supercharger To Support Other EV Brands

According to Electrek's latest report, Tesla Supercharger Network is different from Electrify America, Ionity, Chargepoint, and other EV chargers since it specifically supports Elon Musk's own electric car brand.

(Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

A Tesla electric-powered sedan stands at a Tesla charging staiton at a highway reststop along the A7 highway on June 11, 2015 near Rieden, Germany. Tesla has introduced a limited network of charging stations along the German highway grid in an effort to raise the viability for consumers to use the cars for longer journeys.

Also Read: Tesla's Electric Taxis Blocked by Taxi and Limousine Commission to Operate in New York City

But, this will soon change since Tesla confirmed that it will allow other EVs to use its charging stations. Since this is the case, the giant automaker explained that those EV makers who want to use its Supercharger Network need to share the company's costs.

The announcement is not really surprising for some electric car experts since various rumors claimed that Elon Musk already low-key allowed other automakers to use its Supercharger stations back in 2020.

Another proof is that a German official confirmed that it talked with Tesla to open up the Supercharger Network to other automakers in the country.

Other Tesla Supercharger Innovations

Aside from allowing other automakers to use it, Tesla also launched solar-powered Superchargers in Chain. The company confirmed that the new solar-powered EV chargers are currently located in Tibet.

"Tesla's light storage and charging integrated supercharging station was officially completed in Lhasa today," said Tesla Charing Team via Teslarati.

"The annual average of 3,000+ hours of light let the gifts of nature be used efficiently and help build a new green travel and low-carbon life way," added the company.

For more news updates about Tesla and its upcoming innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Elon Musk: Starlink is Not Yet Going Public Anytime Soon, Will Focus More on Giving to 'Tesla's Shareholders'

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has said that the company and operating system are open to "welcome" Apple's iMessage as an application in the new Windows 11, released earlier today, June 24.

It would benefit many users, especially as Microsoft has allowed the free upgrade from Windows 10 to 11, provided that they own the software.

It is not a rare sight anymore, for Big Tech companies to work with each other or have ties to one another, despite competing in the market, known as a friendly rivalry. It was known that Apple brought FaceTime to Android, among other apps, which was a significant move for the Cupertino giant.

Microsoft CEO Wants Apple to Bring iMessage to Windows 11

The recently appointed chair and CEO of Microsoft, Satya Nadella, is willing to welcome Apple's iMessage onto its platform. It is with the hopes to connect more users who have an Apple account, iPad, or iPhone, but are Windows users in terms of a laptop, desktop, or PC in general.

According to the Wall Street Journal's interview with Nadella, the next generation of Windows has arrived with the eleventh version of the said operating system, ushering in a new era for them. In this interview, the CEO regarded that part of this new generation is welcoming different third-party applications, with its highlight focused mostly on Apple's iMessage.

Android apps known to be "APKs" or Android application packages, are now available to be used in the new OS and come with Windows 11.

Read Also: Xbox Game Pass Reveals Additional Games for June and July

Windows 11

The Windows showcase event welcomes the world, and it brought the highly speculated Windows 11, which got the name that precedes that of Windows 10 and did not have any special names to it. What is most iconic with the new OS is that it features more free or open Windows than ever, especially as it opened up a lot of doors for users.

What Microsoft and Windows have planned for its users is truly an upgrade from the previous version it had, especially as it optimized more on the looks and feels that it brings to the public, based on the initial looks. Microsoft has outdone itself by giving the OS a new life and certainly steps away from the shadow of Windows 10.

Windows 11 Upgrade: Free for Windows 10

According to Microsoft, Windows 11 is here, and it would not only be intended for new users or new computer buyers, especially as it would allow a free upgrade for current Windows 10 users.

Purchasing a Windows-enabled laptop or buying the legitimate disc itself gives one a complete and legal version of Windows, also entitling one to future updates. Check out the website or an article we have for system requirements down below, for eligibility to upgrade.

Related Article: Windows 11 System Requirements Revealed

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Andreessen Horowitz has recently announced its cryptocurrency fund and investment worth $2.2 billion, despite what the industry of the blockchain coins have been experiencing this past month. The venture capital firm still believes that cryptocurrency is the future of computer innovations, and would not be limited to finance only.

The massive concern of the present-day cryptocurrency market is that the frontrunner or leading crypto known as Bitcoin or $BTC, which has dropped to around $30,000 from its $60,000 valuation in April.

Andreessen Horowitz Crypto Fund

Andreessen Horowitz has looked into cryptocurrency before this recent engagement, which they have debuted almost three years ago with the venture funding round called "crypto winter." Now, the company is looking into a new fund for cryptocurrency, and it is for all of the digital coins and their value to rise on the current market, which has been seeing a downwards trend.

According to CNBC, the popular venture capital by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz from Silicon Valley are taking a massive turn for the better of crypto, which would help startups and the capitals of existing coins. The industry of blockchain, led currently by Bitcoin is still experiencing a slump, and it has caused the market into a trend that brought its prices down.

Read Also: $ETH Price Prediction | RSI Indicates 'Moderately Low' Volatility

The funding aims to help keep the market afloat, especially as the venture capital firm believes in the cryptocurrency industry that will be the future of computer innovations.

Why a Massive Investment in Crypto?

In the recent blog post by Andreessen Horowitz, the funding round is called "crypto fund III," and it would bring as much as $2.2 billion for the cryptocurrency market of the present. The company thinks that crypto is the future of finance, and is not necessarily limited to that, as they envision that it can do more for the current industry.

The venture capital company is known to bet on the early beginnings of massive corporations today, and it includes Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and more. The belief it has on cryptocurrency is a strong one, especially as it seems like a massive gamble to invest in crypto for now, especially because of its unpredictable trends.

Bitcoin and Crypto Market Prices Now

Bitcoin is experiencing a steady graph on the market today, as according to Coin Market Cap, $BTC is up at $34,000 today, with a 5 percent growth in the past 24 hours. However, in the past week's trend, it still faces an 8 percent downtrend.

Ethereum, on the other hand, is below its massive $2,000 valuation in the past months, being at $1,976, which saw a 15 percent drop for this week. And as follows, Tether takes the third spot, then Binance Coin, Cardano, and Dogecoin, which moved up to the sixth spot.

Related Article: BuzzFeed plans expansion with $50 million-investment from Andreessen Horowitz

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Walmart is facing a lawsuit from popular American rapper, Kanye West for allegedly copying the famous sneaker line called "Yeezy," particularly with the Foam Runner Shoes. The copycat sneakers were being sold off the massive retail company but have argued that they did not design or produce the sneakers copied from West's brand.

Yeezys are one of the most iconic sneakers of the current generation. Kanye West has popularized it as well as his lavish lifestyle, partnering with Adidas for its production and distribution.

Walmart Faces Lawsuit from Kanye West

Walmart was recently faced with a pending lawsuit against the American rapper known for "The Life of Pablo" and other controversies which put his name into stardom, Kanye West. According to Daily Mail UK, the lawsuit was for the copyrights of the shoes' production, made into a cheaper version, with looks of the original ones.

Yeezys are known for their iconic designs, which do not conform to societal standards of sneaker designs, particularly with the 2019-released Yeezy Foam Runners, which resemble Crocs' clogs. Unlike the initial designs of the Yeezy Boost, which have been the most successful sneaker line of West with Adidas before it got followed up by the current ones.

Read Also: Kanye West Wants a Christian Version of TikTok: Will ByteDance Bite Into It?

Walmart Defends Production of Copycat Sneakers

However, according to TMZ, Walmart has reached out for comments regarding the case, and the massive retail company has defended itself in the claims that West and his legal team made. Walmart regarded that they neither produced nor designed the copycat sneakers sold on their platform but were only distributors.

The retail company has also failed to remove the sneakers from their website, despite the petition made by West and his legal team that was addressed to the massive retail company. Currently, as of Thursday, June 25 (around 8 PM PST), the alleged counterfeit sneakers can still be seen on Walmart's online listing.

The sneakers from Daeful have striking similarities and designs to Kanye West's Yeezy Foam Runner but are sold for a third of the original price. West's Foam Runners are sold at $75, while the Daeful ones are only sold for less than $25 for the almost exact look in the color beige.

Yeezys, Are They Sold on Walmart?

In terms of the counterfeit Yeezys from Daeful, yes, they are sold on Walmart and searched on their website (as found above). Daeful also has the same "Foam Runner" designation for their copycat sneakers, hence easily found on Walmart and other retail stores.

However, for other Yeezy sneakers like the Boost 350, Yeezy 700, and the Yeezy Slides, there can be found on Walmart, but the legitimacy on some are questionable, and all have differing price tags. An Adidas official store does not sell it on the website, and popular retail stores are trusted in distributing premium sneakers.

Related Article: Walmart's New AI Offers Smarter Online Grocery Substitutions-Predicts Consumer Behavior and MORE

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Online Sneaker Marketplace GOAT has raised $195 million in late-stage funding, according to its parent company.

Reuters report that the e-commerce platform is now valued at $3.7 billion double its previous $1.8 billion valuations.

According to TechCrunch, its raise was led by Park West Asset Management, Franklin Templeton, Adage Capital Management, Ulysses Management. T. Rowe Price Associates advised on funds and accounts.

Online Sneaker Marketplace: What is GOAT?

The online sneaker marketplace was founded in 2015. It has since expanded to include apparel and accessories in its range of products. GOAT focuses on both primary and resale markets in the sneaker industry.

GOAT has over 30 million members in 170 countries.

How to Buy and Sell Sneakers on GOAT

Sellers, including retailers, boutiques, and resellers, can create listings on GOAT via the desktop website and mobile app. The GOAT App is available on both App Store and Google Play.

Products are then verified for authenticity regardless of their source. Products from retailers are pre-verified and shipped directly from the retailers and boutiques. On the other hand, products sold by resellers are first shipped to GOAT for verification before they're sent to buyers. Should an item end up being fake or not match the provided description, the buyer is notified and gets a full refund.

The online sneaker marketplace has made it convenient for buyers to make purchases on the app or website. Buyers simply have to peruse the listings available, select the right size, and click the option to buy. Buyers will then enter their contact and delivery formation and choose a payment option.

Related Article: Should I Sell My Products on Marketplaces?

GOAT Expansion

GOAT plans to use the proceeds to grow and expand its current sneaker business, according to CNBC. The company is also expected to add to its apparel and accessories offerings.

Per the same report, GOAT is also looking into expanding to Asian countries such as China, Japan, and Singapore.

According to TechCrunch, the online sneaker marketplace saw a gross merchandise value of $2 billion in the past year. Gross merchandise value refers to the total volume of goods sold.

Online Marketplaces on the Rise

As the world locked down and practiced social distancing the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a rise in online marketplaces. From food and beverage to apparel and art, countless products are being bought and sold online before they're shipped directly to consumers.

GOAT is one of the online sneaker marketplaces available to sneaker enthusiasts and counts eBay and Stock X as its closest competitors in the market.

Other online marketplaces include Facebook's Marketplace, which was poised to challenge Craigslist and eBay upon its launch, and Etsy, which focuses on handmade crafts.

Niche marketplaces are also available online. There is an online marketplace for digital art and another marketplace for scientific research.

Also Read: Facebook Marketplace To Challenge Craigslist, eBay: How Is It Different From Other Online Commerce Channels?

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by Isabella James

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
COVID-19 in the US reports 99 percent of its deaths are due to non-vaccinated people, or those who have not yet completed their dosages against the virus amidst this season of the immunization program. What is more alarming is the rising cases of the Delta variant from India, which has been becoming more dominant in the current times, showing off its effect against humans.

Vaccines are enough to protect against the Delta variant, with AstraZeneca and Pfizer's immunity shots having as much as 90 percent of protection against it, but without completing it, it's as good as a bust.

US COVID-19 Deaths

In the recent report by the Associated Press, they have regarded that "nearly all" of the COVID-19 deaths in the US are composed of those who did not opt for any vaccines, or have not yet completed their shots. Of course, those who are more susceptible to get infected or fall victim to COVID-19 are those who are against the vaccine, known as anti-vaxxers.

The main concern of the country is to mandate the vaccine for all of its citizens to surpass this pandemic and end it once and for all in the country. And while the virus would not disappear in the face of the Earth, knowing that it has vaccinated its people will give health professionals and the government peace of mind as everyone is protected.

Read Also: Ivermectin Undergoes Trial as COVID-19 Treatment in the UK

In May, 18,000 deaths were recorded due to COVID-19, and only 150 of those already had their vaccines, showing that it is less than one percent, with regards to the mortality rate of the virus. The data have shown how much vaccines have improved the chance of fighting against the virus, especially with the new variants such as the Delta and Kappa.

Delta Variant Moves Hastily

The Delta variant is highly regarded as one of the most notorious cases of COVID-19 in the modern world, and it has been plaguing the present-day fight against the virus, especially in controlling its spread. The variant is a highly progressive one, which has originated in India and has mutated into a more infectious one compared to Wuhan.

Even more so, the country has been detected for its Delta variant and has been spreading hastily on its way to people, particularly those who are more susceptible. And those who are more likely to contract this are the anti-vaxxers first, then those who have not yet completed their vaccines.

Immunization of COVID-19 has not met its goal by July and has made a lot of experts worry about this happening.

When Will Vaccination Pickup the Pace?

According to CDC, the COVID-19 vaccination in the country is currently at 45.6 percent for the fully vaccinated people, and 53.7 percent for those that have received their first dosages. The data is the entirety of the country, and while it is a massive achievement already, it is still believed to have slowed down.

So when will the country pick up the pace for vaccination? The answer to that currently remains unknown, as the statistics, stocks, and logistics of the company are what they primarily think about, in terms of distribution of the shots. Not to mention, those who have not yet signed up for vaccinations and are upholding to avoid it.

Related Article: This 'Cyber Seed' Grows to its Programmed Design - Possibly Changing the World in the Future

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Isaiah Richard

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Screenshot From AMD Official Website) AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Costs Twice as Much as the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT at $2,011.12 | Scalper Prices

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT now costs twice as much as the previous AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT. Although it costs more, it's hard to believe that the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT would cost all the way up to $2,011.12.

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT and AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT

For those that are already feeling the weight of buying GPUs like the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT or the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, the situation looks even harder for most gamers as a new stock update shows just how high the prices of these GPUs have reached. While the original SRP is already quite hefty, the scalper price reaches new heights as seen in a comparison made between the two different GPUs.

Due to the massive demand but the short supply, this has caused a very troubling situation for buyers wanting to get their hands on the new GPUs. The global chip shortage has directly affected the buying process for most gamers. Sadly, the situation looks like it won't be fixed any time soon due to the overwhelming demand and the time it takes to ramp up production.

China Impact on GPU Supply

One particular reason, however, as to why GPU prices have mostly been out of this world is because of the strong popularity of crypto mining. In the past few months, the number of crypto miners have significantly increased and this has affected the demand on GPUs as well. A new movement by China, however, might have positive effects on GPU supply.

China's crackdown on crypto mining specifically on Bitcoin has sent GPU prices in China going down by a whopping 45% according to TomsHardware. The reason as to why this has a huge impact in the GPU market is because for those that aren't aware, China is actually responsible for a massive amount of crypto mining.

If the question is how much, the answer is that China is responsible for a whopping 65% of Bitcoin mining, according to CNBC. Due to the massive size of Bitcoin, this would mean that the amount of GPUs needed to mine it is massive as well.

Read Also: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Restock Spotted | Close to SRP at $600.15

AMD Ryzen RX 6900 XT SRP and AMD Ryzen RX 6700 XT SRP

Going back to the AMD Ryzen RX 6900 XT and RX 6700 XT, prices are through the roof right now due to massive demands on the two GPUs. For those wanting to buy the GPU online, it's important to get notifications when new stock is available online. A particular restock tracker gave updates of both the AMD Ryzen RX 6900 XT and the AMD Ryzen RX 6700 XT.

While the original price for the AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT is at $999.00, the scalper price being sold on Amazon sells at $2,011.12. The AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT price at SRP is set at $479.00 but the scalper price is at $939.99. These prices are according to the official pricing by AMD.

Related Article: Nintendo Switch Lite Spotted Online with Free 128GB MicroSDXC Card | Console Sells at $199.99 on Amazon SRP

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Screenshot From Commons.Wikipedia.org) 'Samsung Pay' Feature Could be Included in Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 According to FCC Filing

According to one of its FCC filings, the "Samsung Pay" feature could be included in the additional features to come with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3.

When rumored devices finally pass through the FCC, it is usually a sign of their arrival in the United States market being nigh.

Samsung Pay Apk for Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3

According to Slashgear, of course, this would only confirm the earlier launch dates rumored for the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3 as they are now expected to make their entrance through the whole certification process. While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 already has a few of its features confirmed, the other phone also has some more features to offer users.

The new filing for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 phone now revealed one particular feature that is also both unexpected but remaining surprising at the same time.

As of the moment, it is expected that the new phone would be supporting Samsung Pay apk as almost all of the other high-end Samsung phones usually do.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 FCC

What remains pretty surprising as of the moment is that PhoneArena discovered that the new Galaxy Z Flip 3 would be able to support MST technology.

It is a feature that would give Samsung Pay its edge over some of the other mobile payment solutions since it would be able to work on traditional mag strip terminals and even easier with NFC.

Despite that particular advantage, Samsung is currently believed to be focusing directly on NFC moving forward.

The Samsung Galaxy S21 also does not support MST, even as it already has Samsung Pay online. It would now make finding the tech in the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 quite a pleasant surprise.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Production Starts | Foldable Clamshell Expected?

FCC Filing Confirmation

The FCC filing has also confirmed that the 5G bands and the phone will be supported. It would include Verizon's mmWave. It now supports the 9W reverse wiring charging, which would be just like what was previously noted for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Quite curiously, there is still no mention of the UWB, so the much smaller foldable phone might be skipping that particular wireless tech.

The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is now expected to bring a much larger external cover display as well as dual cameras located on the device's back. Although it might still seem to be getting a little less attention from reports and leaks, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is now rumored to have a sub-$1,000 price tag. If proven true, this would make the foldable that much more appealing to people due to it being much more affordable compared to other phones.

Of course, the affordability is still relative, depending on the buyer.

Related Article: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 Specs | Two Massive Storage Options Rumored

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Urian B.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
In its IPO (initial public offering) filings last month, Robinhood Markets Inc. said that it now decided to go out starting June publicly. However, the plans for the financial company would be hampered by postponements for the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reviews.

According to people who are knowledgeable about the event, the regulators would be evaluating the booming cryptocurrency business of the firm.

It is expected that the listing will be pushed through July instead of its original June schedule. Previously, Robinhood finished the filing of the public offering in March.

Robinhood's Cryptocurrency Business to Be Reviewed

According to Gizmodo's report on Thursday, June 24, it was in 2018 when Robinhood first engaged in the cryptocurrency operations. Presently, the company allows the traders to use digital currencies like the popular meme coin Dogecoin and Ethereum and Bitcoin.

In the platform, many newbie investors usually test it when exploring cryptocurrencies in the volatile market. This year, the investors experienced various trends that happened in virtual currencies.

During mid-April, the bitcoin price surged to over $64,000. Bitcoin purists believed that posts coming from Elon Musk dictate the value of the world's largest cryptocurrency. It recorded a massive spike of 458%, a double increase in the part of Robinhood's market cap in the past three months.

Going back to its IPO, the SEC officials will be reviewing its cryptocurrency business. It would take at least 30 days to finish the process and the additional two weeks for the possible amendments.

This month, Robinhood has assigned the new batch of board members, Bloomberg wrote in a report.

Read Also: Robinhood Trading Platform Crashes Due to Dogecoin Surge: 'Top Priority is to Provide Great Service to Our Customers'

Robinhood Sets Limitation to IPO Shares Flippers

In another report by Reuters, Robinhood informed the users to never sell their shares within the first 30 days of IPO.

The online brokerage said that those who would "flip" their IPO shares would be restricted from engaging in future undertakings. The punishment would persist for two months.

"We won't prevent you from selling shares you get through the IPO Access program. However, if you sell IPO shares within 30 days of the IPO, it's considered "flipping," and you'll be restricted from participating in IPOs for 60 days," the company noted on its website.

SoFi Will Collect Money From Flippers

Another company, Social Finance (SoFi), has stated that it would fine the "flippers" who abuse the selling of shares during the initial launch. The consultancy organization unveiled its IPO to the public recently.

All users could use Robinhood's IPO platform without limitation in the account number. The first company that accessed Robinhood's IPO Platform was the medical scrub firm FIGS Inc. last May.

The firm added that as much as possible, the IPO stock flipping should be avoided. When the flipping of shares continues, there will be fewer IPOS in the next years to come.

Related Article: Robinhood Negative Reviews Deleted From Play Store-Google Cries System's User Abuse!

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Joseph Henry

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Getty Image: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno)

Google is now testing a much-needed feature that could let users know whenever they search for a question that may have a list of unreliable results. The tech giant's power move is an essential step to ensure that users get more context about various information that's popular online, as well as to prevent misinformation.

Google Search Engine's New Feature

According to VOX, users will see, "If this topic is new, it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources."

Google's new prompt will now warn users that their search results are changing quickly.

The search engine giant recently confirmed that it has already started testing the new feature, and that the notice has been showing up on a small percentage of Google searches.

These searches tend to focus more on trending topics that continuously develop.

Social Media Against Misinformation

Various companies such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google have been struggling to handle the extremely high volume of social media misinformation, unverified news stories, and conspiracy theories that rampantly take over the internet.

During the 2020 US elections and the COVID-19 pandemic, several companies decided to take down popular accounts that contributed to the spread of questionable information.

However, Google's new feature is even more convenient because it allows daily users to identify reliable news from unreliable results. It does not block specific content -- it educates users that certain results are not credible.

Read Also: Google Search Blocks Autocomplete Functions Before Election Day 2020 to Prevent Misinformation

Google's Fight Against Fake News

In the VOX report, a public liaison for Google Search, Danny Sullivan, said that the company is trying to show relevant and reliable results. However, it could be hard to exemplify because of the new information it gets every second.

Sullivan mentioned that the notice does not say whether a piece of information is right or wrong. It only states that the topic is constantly changing, and that in-depth information may come later.

For example, Sullivan used a report about UFO sighting in the UK.

He said that a civilian released the report in Wales, where it had a bit of media coverage. Nevertheless, there is still not enough information about the said event. But we cannot stop people from searching about it by looking through social media posts and, of course, Google.

With this, Google can already tell if it is already starting to trend.

Some articles and social media posts tend to have higher SEO rank even though they are not the most credible sources. These are the search results that will get the warning.

As a result, Google can let people know that there is still not much reliable information out there, and that new information may come along later. It will stop people from spreading false rumors and malicious claims, especially now that anyone can post anything on the internet -- both real and fake.

Related Article: Twitter vs. Misinformation: How Twitter Will Handle Social Media Misinformation with Warning Labels

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Fran Sanders

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Getty Image: Chris McGrath)

El Salvador continued to work through its legalization of Bitcoin, an insanely famous form of cryptocurrency. Athena Bitcoin is now planning to invest more than $1 million to install a total of 1,500 cryptocurrency ATMs throughout El Salvador's vicinity.

It is an essential step for a country that legalized Bitcoin as a legal tender as it is a place where many citizens receive remittances from all parts of the world.

El Salvador - Athena Bitcoin

Reuters reported that the Athena Bitcoin ATMs could be used to buy and sell Bitcoin cryptocurrencies. The crypto firm expected to continuously install 1,500 ATMs in El Salvador, while hiring staff to open offices to carry out operations in the country.

The report also stated that El Salvador and Athena Bitcoin's move will push through in September.

According to Athena Bitcoin's director for Latin America, Matias Goldenhorn, President Nayib Bukele gave them a tough challenge: to build 1,500 ATMs. However, he assured everyone that it would happen in phases.

Goldenhorn added that Athena Bitcoin is a private company, and they plan to ensure that Bitcoin's development in El Salvador will be effective and sustainable.

Is Bitcoin Sustainable?

Throughout the years, Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency that has been proven as a sustainable asset.

Reuters reported that President Bukele has touched on Bitcoin's potentiality as a remittance currency for El Salvador residents who live overseas.

Goldenhorn added that at first, they only planned to bring dozens of ATMs in El Salvador because business models in the country are different from those in the United States.

However, a recent change of plan occurred, and they are now going to roll out 1,500 ATMs in the region.

Read Also: Paraguay Will Legislate Cryptocurrency in July - Crypto as A Legal Tender

Bitcoin ATM

In 2020, Athena Bitcoin installed its first-ever cryptocurrency ATM in El Zonte Beach, El Salvador. It is located 49 kilometers southwest of San Salvador, which is the country's capital city.

It is a part of the "Bitcoin Beach" experiment, which aimed to transform the town into one of the first Bitcoin economies in the entire world.

El Salvador's Bitcoin Law

According to Coin Telegraph, the El Salvador President Nayib Bukele announced that the government would provide $30 worth of Bitcoin cryptocurrency to every single adult citizen in El Salvador because of Bitcoin's legalization.

Bitcoin enthusiasts proudly welcomed the announcement, while influencers believe that El Salvador's government has to purchase the required Bitcoin cryptocurrency amount that it plans to distribute.

As a result, an additional $100 million buying pressure will be felt by the market.

Reuters also mentioned that, on average, Bitcoin's global user base would soar by 2.5% because of El Salvador's effort to legalize it. Over 4.5 million Salvadorians will join the BTC crypto community.

However, El Salvador citizens might only receive their $30 BTC once they download the government-issued BTC wallet app on their mobile devices.

On the other hand, President Bukele confirmed that El Salvadorian law would start recognizing Bitcoin as a legal currency on September 7.

Read Also: Britain Pushes Through Various Crypto Curbs - Gives Warning To Unregistered Crypto Companies?

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Fran Sanders

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The U.S. FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) now allows Virgin Galactic, one of the rising space companies, to conduct its upcoming commercial flights. Various critics and other space experts claimed that this decision is the first step to space tourism.

(Photo : Photo by Virgin Galactic via Getty Images)

In this handout image distributed by Virgin Galactic, an artists impression is seen of a Virgin Galactic passenger spacecraft, released September 27, 2004, in London. Virgin Galactic hopes to be able to offer sub-orbital space tourist flights by 2007 with expected pricing to start at 115,000GBP per seat.

Thanks to FAA's 'go signal,' Virgin Galactic will soon be the first space airline once it transports commercial passengers to outer space.

"The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) updated the Company's existing commercial space transportation operator license to allow the spaceline to fly customers to space," said Virgin Galactic on June 25.

Aside from this, Virgin Galactic confirmed it already finished its May 22 test flight, as well as the extensive review of data gathered during the experiment.

FAA Gives the Go Signal!

Right now, various space companies are trying to bring people to outer space. These include SpaceX, with its Mars Colonization goal and Blue Origin, NASA, and other organizations.

However, Virgin Galactic is currently in the lead when it comes to space tourism. Instead of studying space and creating advanced rockets to reach other planets, the rising space company focuses on commercial space flights.

(Photo : Photo by Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)

Virgin employees sit in the cabin of a prototype Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo spacecraft at the Science Museum on February 14, 2007 in London, England. The Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo is destined to be the first ever vehicle for space tourism. The SpaceShipTwo will carry six passengers and two pilots, offering a total flight time of 2 hours.

Also Read: NASA to Air Solar Array Installation, Northrop Grumman Cygnus Departure from ISS

According to Tech Crunch's latest report, Virgin Galactic aims to offer researchers and space tourists regular flight services to suborbital space. The company added that it will offer an experience that includes unparalleled views of Earth, as well as a few minutes of weightlessness during the roughly 2-hour trip.

Although FAA's approval might be a big deal, Virgin Galactic still needs to complete its three remaining flight tests before it can start sending out commercial passengers to space.

The company's CEO, Michael Colglazier, said that the company could start commercial flights this coming summer. However, this will still depend on the issues and other challenges they could face.

What Virgin Galactic Discovered During Flight Tests

Virgin Galactic's official website provided the things it discovered after analyzing its May 22 test flights' data. Here are some of them that you should know:

The spacecraft's cabin environment data was in line with predictions.

VSS Unity's pilots flew on a specific trajectory designed to meet the objectives of these research experiments.

Virgin Galactic's enhanced systems can allow for finer pilot control.

For more news updates about Virgin Galactic and its upcoming commercial space flights, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: SpaceX to Launch Satellites that Feature Climate Change Monitoring, Endagered Wildlife Tracking

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Pixabay/DariuszSankowski) iPhone 12 Pro

An iPhone recovered submerged in 10 feet of water in the Blackfoot area of Idaho was discovered still playing an alarm.

iPhone Still Working Under The Water

Tom Adams, the owner of the iPhone, told East Idaho News that he went kayaking on June 12, and when he capsized, he lost his fishing pole, keys, wallet, and his iPhone in the water.

On June 15, they were shocked to discover that his iPhone is still working. The phone was still alarming his Sunday morning wake-up call reminder.

The iPhone model that he is using is not known, but a diving team recovered it alongside Adams' keys and fishing pole. Unfortunately, his wallet was never recovered.

Also Read: Apple MagSafe vs USB-C MacBook Pro Chargers: What Are the Cons of Magnets?

The divers who did the recovery operation were from the Bingham County Search and Rescue Dive Team. The mission was a part of their life-saving practice exercise.

Adams continued that the divers use recovery operations to practice and get more dive time to prepare for the real rescue calls.

Adams told iMore that many dive team members met at the boat ramp, they geared up and dived into the water. Because of the river's current, the divers had to use a safety line.

The Snake River in Idaho is known for its strong current, and they doubted whether or not Adams' possessions would still be found.

However, one of the divers, Jack Lusk, recovered both the iPhone and the keys within 20 minutes of beginning the search.

No iPhone is expected to survive underwater for three days. However, all iPhones manufactured since 2016 have offered some protection against water damage, including the recent iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro.

MagSafe Helped Recover Phone From Canal

Adams' story is not an isolated case. In May, Frederik Riedel told MacDailyNews that his friend's iPhone 12 Pro slipped out of his pocket and fell into a canal in Berlin.

Riedel said that his friend could still see the blue phone shining through the water, which motivated him to jump into the canal water. However, after he jumped in, a lot of mud was stirred up, and the phone slid away further into the mud.

After spending time through the three feet deep sewer water, Riedel's friend called him. He suggested attaching magnets to try and fish the phone out of the water.

However, the magnets were not strong enough to lift the phone, and that was when they remembered the MagSafe feature of the iPhone 12 Pro.

The pair built a prototype with magnets that they had and tried to use it to detect the MagSafe feature of the phone.

After two hours, the two were able to recover the missing iPhone Pro. The device was still in perfect condition and without water damage.

The MagSafe feature is a magnetically-attached wireless power transfer and accessory-attachment standard that was first introduced on the Mac series of Apple Notebooks in 2006.

In 2020, a new version was introduced by Apple and added the capability to all of its iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro phones.

Related Article: Apple Sued Again for iPhone Waterproofing Issues

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
(Photo : Stephen Lam/GettlyImages ) SAN FRANCISCO, CA - APRIL 29: A Microsoft logo is seen during the 2015 Microsoft Build Conference on April 29, 2015 at Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. Thousands are expected to attend the annual developer conference which runs through May 1.

Microsoft shareholders have filed a resolution demanding the operating system company to consider building products that are easier to repair.

A non-profit that specializes in shareholder advocacy, As You Sow, delivered the resolution on June 24.

Microsoft Shareholders Seek Easy to Fix Products

According to As You Sow, Microsoft's shareholders issued the right-to-repair because electronics that are discarded have been proven to destroy the environment, and Microsoft has promised to help fix the issue.

The shareholders' resolution stated that Microsoft has pledged to take action to reduce climate emissions, yet the company still actively restricts consumer access to device reparability.

The shareholders said that Microsoft's refusal to build products that are easy to fix undermines their sustainability commitments because it fails to recognize the fundamental principle of electronics sustainability: its longevity determines device environmental impact.

Also Read: This Wearable Logs Your Day-To-Day Carbon Footprint Through Electromagnetic Sensors

In a blog post posted in 2020, Microsoft said that it would invest in climate innovation and eliminate the use of single plastics. However, Microsoft did not post any follow-up to that statement, according to Vice.

Kelly McBee, a waste program coordinator for As You Sow, said in a press release that Microsoft positions itself as a leader in climate change but still facilitates premature landfilling of its products by preventing consumers from accessing device reparability.

McBee added that to take genuine action on sustainability and ease pressure on the extraction of limited resources, including metals, Microsoft must extend the useful life of its devices by facilitating widespread access to repair.

Microsoft's Carbon Emission Promise

In 2020, Microsoft announced that it aims to be a carbon-neutral company by 2030. McBee pointed out that in order to reach that goal, the company would have to manufacture its devices to be more easily repaired to prolong its life, as reported by ChannelNews.

McBee said that for Microsoft to pursue its commitment to be carbon negative by 2030 authentically, it must make it easier for consumers to repair their device than to purchase a new one.

An important first step for Microsoft will be to consider the public provision of additional parts, repair tools, and instructions, as the resolution outlined.

The resolution is now demanding that the Shareholders' Board prepare a report on the environmental and social benefits of making Microsoft devices more easily repairable by consumers and independent repair shops.

The shareholders want this report to assess all of the benefits and the downsides of making product instructions, parts, and tools for Microsoft products more readily available.

The resolution came right after the national right-to-repair legislation was filed in the U.S House and after a similar law was cleared in the New York State Senate.

More than half the states in the country are now considering writing a law that would make it easier for consumers to fix their own devices. If the movement continues, tech companies will have to change the way that they do business. The resolution filed by the shareholders is a step in the right direction.

Microsoft has not released any statement regarding the issue.

Related Article: Microsoft Strikes a Deal With UK's Met Office to Build a Climate and Weather Supercomputer

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by Sophie Webster

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Windows 11 caused quite a stir when it was officially revealed last June 24, though not entirely in the way Microsoft planned it.

When the official system requirements were revealed for their upcoming OS, Microsoft indicated that all systems that want to run Windows 11 should have TPM 2.0. This caused a wave of confusion among PC builders. Now, Microsoft is explaining as why that certain TPM is needed.

(Photo : Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

UKRAINE - 2021/06/24: In this photo illustration a Windows 11 logo is seen on a smartphone screen with a Microsoft logo in the background. Microsoft has presented Windows 11, new generation of Windows operating system (OS), during an event on June 24, 2021.

According to WindowsCentral, Microsoft considers TPM 2.0 an important part of Windows 11's security features. They explain that the chip ensures hardware security and serves as a "critical building block" for the programs Windows Hello and BitLocker.

It can be remembered that during their live stream, the company claimed that Windows 11 is "the most secure yet." They say that the OS is built to be secure from hardware to software, which could mean that users will see far fewer cybersecurity issues during usage. But of course, this is still up in the air until Microsoft releases their product later this year.

In simpler terms, it's all about security. And maybe Windows 11 is up to something in that area. If they wanted to improve on Windows 10, which has had numerous security flaws in the past, they need to tighten things up with the next iteration of their OS.

Read also: Windows 11: Free Update for Windows 10 Users, New Features Users Can Expect

Windows 11 And TPM: The Basics

First off, let's explain what in the world TPM 2.0 is by starting with TPM itself.

The acronym means "Trusted Platform Module." As reported in The Verge, Microsoft's David Weston explains that the TPM is a certain chip installed into a computer motherboard by default or is available as a separate purchase. Its main goal is to protect things like user credentials, encryption keys, and other sensitive data behind a hardware-based barrier that hackers can't get into without physical contact.

TPM modules have been integrated into both consumer and data center motherboards since at least 2011. This means that if you have a relatively modern system, you don't have to worry if it can run Windows 11. However, the problem with TPM in these systems is that they're almost always turned off by default.

That is why a lot of users got the "this PC can't run Windows 11" error message using the app PCHealthCheck, because their TPM modules aren't turned on. Fortunately, it's easy to turn it on for current-generation AMD Ryzen and Intel Core-supporting motherboards, as indicated by a guide by Tom's Hardware.

But beware, however, of opportunists trying to ride the anticipation for Windows 11's release. It has been reported that scalpers are now hoarding TPM 2.0 modules, jacking up their prices on sites like eBay. Owners of systems older than 2011 are the ones most vulnerable to this new scam, so if you have one, steer clear of those scalper prices.

Related: Windows 11 Compatibility | Supported Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm CPUs

This article is owned by Tech Times

Written by RJ Pierce

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Medical startups and other similar health companies are currently battling various health issues, especially the deadly COVID-19. However, there are still some sicknesses that also need to have their attention.

(Photo : Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

National Amateur Body Builder's Association Pro-Am winner and new Mr. Universe Gary Lister of the United Kingdom poses during his routine at the 54th annual Mr. Universe competition October 12, 2002 in Newcastle, United Kingdom. Mr. Universe, organized by the National Amateur Body Builder's Association, is the most famous of all bodybuilding shows.

These include musculoskeletal (MSK) medical conditions and chronic pain. Because of this, some medical organizations now want to focus on using personalized health tech to enter the innovation market.

As of the moment, interventional medicine is still the dominant method in Western healthcare. Emily Melton, the founder and managing partner of Threshold VC, explained this thought.

"What's happening in our society? Chronic diseases, chronic pain, diabetes, and obesity," she explained.

"That doesn't require a magic pill and there's not just a surgery. Oftentimes, there are therapeutic components, behavior changes, and movable touchpoints," added Melton.

Medical Startups To Use Personalized Health Tech?

Right now, almost all medical companies and organizations are focused on battling the novel coronavirus, especially since the new variant called Delta is currently spreading in more countries.

(Photo : Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Dominique Entzminger, a physician assistant of family medicine, wears a stethoscope during an examination at the Codman Square Health Center April 5, 2006 in Dorchester, Massachusetts. State lawmakers approved a health care reform bill March 4 that would make Massachusetts the first state in the nation to require all its citizens.

Also Read: COVID-19 US: 99 Percent of Deaths are Composed of Non-Vaccinated People-Delta Variant More Dominant

Because of this, they are testing various COVID-19 vaccines once again, such as AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and other brands. However, some health firms are still developing devices that could maintain your health, such as Peloton's Heart Rate Band.

And now, many medical companies announced that they want to enter the personalized health tech market. In 2017, the global MSK medical market was valued at $57.4 billion. On the other hand, the chronic pain market is also making a huge noise since some experts claim it could value around $151.7 billion this coming 2030, as reported by Tech Crunch.

FIGUR8 Invests In MSK Diagnostics

According to Forbes' latest report, FIGUR8 raises around $12 million already in musculoskeletal diagnostics. As of the moment, average people only receive medical care in the form of simple questionnaires or exams.

This is a serious matter since WHO estimated that around 1.7 billion people are suffering from MSK medical conditions. Because of this, FIGUR8's portable health tech systems use a combination of sensors, AI, and software that could help cure people suffering from musculoskeletal medical issues.

For more news updates about personalized medical tech and other related innovations, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: This 'Cyber Seed' Grows to its Programmed Design - Possibly Changing the World in the Future

This article is owned by TechTimes

Written by: Griffin Davis

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced the world to accelerate digitally at a rate which it hadnt ever done so before. And as organizations across all industries transitioned their business processes and day to day from in-person to online, not so coincidentally, there was also a sharp increase in cyber threats and cyberattacks. Hackers leveraged the opportunity to attack vulnerable networks as office work moved to personal homes, with an FBI report finding a 300 percent increase in reported cybercrimes during the pandemic.

While cybercrimes of all kinds have been increasing in both volume and sophistication, ransomware in particular is quickly becoming the achilles heel to many organizations in a variety of industries. Ransomware is a form of malware that is installed covertly on a system and executes a crypto-virology attack that locks or encrypts valuable files on the network. Once in, malicious actors may also move laterally within an organization's network, infect endpoints and servers, and demand a ransom for access to a company's own data.

Ransomware attacks increased by 130% in 2020, and almost 40% of victims ended up paying the ransom. Enterprise ransomware accounts for 81% of total infections, and by market segment, 62% are small to medium-sized businesses, with losses for business averaged to $2,500 per incident, and ransom demands averaged to $13,000. The FBI estimates ransom payments per year exceed $1 billion, but others go further, estimating ransomware will cost as much as $6 trillion per year starting in 2021.

Considering how critical a ransomware attack can be for an organization of any size, cybersecurity has become one of the most important factors to companies today. However, to prepare for and try to prevent a ransomware attack, businesses need to do more than simply have a good security software. There are steps that can be taken to prevent ransomware pertaining to software, the staff, and steps the company itself can take.

Firstly, good cybersecurity is probably the most important step one can take in trying to prevent ransomware. Today, moving toward zero trust offers visibility and control over your network, when attempting to stop ransomware. Prioritizing assets and evaluating traffic, microsegmentation, and adaptive monitoring are all key aspects of the zero trust architecture, which help greatly reduce the risk of an attack.

On top of zero trust architecture, other simple software extensions such as Ad Block greatly aid in minimizing ransomware attacks. All devices and browsers should have extensions that automatically block pop-up ads. With the extensive use of the internet, malicious ads pose a long-lasting threat if not blocked.

Secondly, a staff must have the right training and procedures to both adequately attempt to prevent ransomware and know how to openly avoid cyber threats on the internet. Raising awareness about ransomware is a baseline security measure. But it could only take one employee lowering their guard for an organization to be compromised. While training sessions have influence over staff for every potential attack, added security is imperative nonetheless

In the case of remote work staff or just a loose policy surrounding devices acceptable for network access, it might be time to crack down. Unregulated use of new or unique devices poses an unnecessary risk to your network, and every device connected on an unsecure network is just another endpoint for potential cyber attackers. Such policies like bring-your-own-device (BYOD) are no longer the smartest options for organizations moving forward.

Finally, organizations themselves must take steps to prevent ransomware attacks. The most essential step a company can take themselves is having offline backups of vital data. While virtual backups are great, if youre not storing data backups offline, youre at risk of losing that data, in some cases forever. This means regular backups, multiple copies saved, and monitoring to ensure backups hold true to the original.

Testing and Updating are also crucial for any business in any industry. Updating anti-ransomware software to keep up with the latest digital innovations, and updating email gateways to monitor email attachments, websites, and files for malware are both necessities. As for testing, Sandbox testing provides a safe environment, disconnected from the greater network for testing the file, while rapid response testing is essential as well. In case of the unfortunate scenario of a successful breach, your team must be ready to restore systems and data recovery, which includes pre-assigning roles and ensuring a plan is in place.

While ransomware attacks arent going anywhere anytime soon, having reliable cybersecurity can greatly reduce the risk of getting hacked. Those interested to learn about the most up-to-date cybersecurity methods and applications can learn more at ITEXPO, one of the worlds largest, longest running, and most vital technology events. Taking place from June 22nd to June 25th, ITEXPO attracts companies of all sizes and represents all sectors of Communications and Technology Industries, including Enterprises and SMBs, Government Agencies, MSP/Resellers, Service Providers/Carriers, Manufacturers, Developers, and more.

Everyone from engineers and IT/telecom managers to C-Level execs and business owners will gather in Florida for the only event dedicated to solutions driving digital transformation for the enterprise mid-market, SMBs, resellers and service providers across traditional and emerging categories. Keynote speakers, panels, exhibitions, demos, special events and more will provide education, insight, and networking opportunities.

ITEXPOs myriad of presentations includes ones pertaining to the latest cybersecurity opportunities, such as Cybersecurity as Part of Your Solution Portfolio with Marcia Dempster, Senior Director of Channel Sale at Keeper Security. There is also a keynote presentation about cybersecurity opportunities for MSPs where a group of panelists will discuss how the security landscape is changing, and how security solutions are evolving to meet those changes. To learn more about ITEXPO click here.

Edited by Luke Bellos
LIVINGSTON  A judge has ruled that a former Livingston Parish sheriff's deputy and his ex-wife, who together face a slew of sex crimes charges, may be tried separately.

The decision Friday by Judge Erika Sledge in the case of Dennis and Cynthia Perkins marked a reversal from the judge's earlier ruling on the matter: She said on June 8 that the jointly-indicted couple must stand trial together.

Dennis Perkins, 45, and his now ex-wife Cynthia Perkins, 36, face 150 felony charges alleging rape, child pornography, sexual battery of a child, video voyeurism and tainting pastries that children later ate at school. The pair was arrested in 2019 after a five-year investigation and indicted via the same court document, setting them up to stand trial together.

Accused of child sex crimes, divorced Livingston Parish couple will be tried together, judge says LIVINGSTON  A judge has ruled that an ex-husband and wife charged jointly with 150 counts of sexual abuse  many of them involving children 

But the case has been beset by logistical complications over the past month. Defense lawyers have at turns asked that their clients' trials be severed in two, and that the July 12 start date for the joint trial be delayed.

Dennis Perkins' attorney, Jarrett Ambeau, argued two weeks ago that Cynthia Perkins planned to mount an adversarial defense against her ex-spouse if the two stood trial together, and that the trial should be separated.

On Friday, the defense lawyer added that Cynthia Perkins would effectively become a witness against her ex-husband in a joint trial scenario. Dennis Perkins would then be stripped of his 6th Amendment right to cross-examine her, Ambeau argued.

"It's my feeling that they're going to blame Mr. Perkins," Ambeau said, "and he won't be able to confront that witness because she's sitting at the table with him."

+2 Defense attorneys renew push to try Livingston Deputy apart from ex-wife Defense attorneys for Dennis Perkins, a former Livingston Parish sheriffs deputy who with his ex-wife faces a number of sex crime charges, on

In explaining her decision to grant Ambeau's request after initially denying it, Sledge pointed to new evidence requested by Cynthia Perkins' lawyer, James Spokes.

Spokes on Friday described "voluminous" amounts of digital data showing sheriff department background checks that Dennis Perkins ran on women he had consensual relationships with during his tenure as a deputy. He hopes to review and copy that evidence in Cynthia Perkins' defense, Spokes said.

"We're talking terabytes of data on these hard drives," he said.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

That evidence forms new grounds for the argument that Dennis Perkins would face an antagonistic defense from Cynthia Perkins, the judge said.

"The court felt [earlier] that there weren't specific enough reasons for severance," Sledge said. "The court now has specific information about Mrs. Perkins' defense at trial."

The Louisiana Attorney General's Office, which is prosecuting the case, on Friday reiterated its argument against severing the trials.

"This is the same argument all over again," Assistant Attorney General Barry Milligan said, just "dressed up."

The matter of whether to sever the trials resurfaced during a motions hearing on Ambeau's request for the trial date to be pushed back from July 12. He had previously asked for a later trial date as Dennis Perkins pondered a plea deal.

On Friday, though, the defense attorney explained that he faced a scheduling conflict with another trial in East Feliciana Parish also set to begin July 12. That trial is a death row case, he said; he expects he'll have to cross-examine up to 15 witnesses on the stand.

"It's absolutely necessary that I be there," Ambeau said.

Assistant Attorney General Erica McLellan argued that the trial's start date has been set for more than a year, and that delays could harm victims and their families.

Sledge on Friday sided with the Attorney General's Office.

"I do understand your position, Mr. Ambeau, and it's a difficult one," she said. "You'll do whatever you have to do."

Dennis Perkins' trial is set to begin July 12  the same date on which the ex-couple's joint trial had been slated to begin. Cynthia Perkins' trial date has not been decided.
James Finn writes for The Advocate as a Report For America corps member. Email him at JFinn@theadvocate.com or follow him on Twitter @RJamesFinn.

To learn more about Report for America and to support our journalism, please click here.
The Krotz Springs water tower is seen in the background near the Delek US refinery in May 2019. EPA records show the refinery is among at least two in Louisiana that have sought and received exemptions to renewable fuel standards that can place a hardship on small refineries.
Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission
Crown Resorts defended its relationship with junkets even after the Australian Federal Police told the casino it believed its high-roller gambling tour partners were laundering drug money for international crime syndicates.

Craig Walsh, the head of security and surveillance at Crown Melbourne, told Victorias royal commission into the group on Friday that Crown was aware a law enforcement agency was investigating its most important junket partner, Suncity.

Crown Resorts general manager of security and surveillance, Craig Walsh, giving evidence to the inquiry on Friday.

We were helping them put tracking devices and listening devices in rooms and cars, he said. We knew Suncity were targets of a law enforcement investigation.

Mr Walsh did not say when this occurred and the hearing adjourned shortly after he made the comment.
Mining giant Rio Tinto has been accused of keeping traditional owners in the dark for decades about hundreds of their priceless cultural artefacts ending up in a Darwin tip.

The Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation (WGAC), which holds native title to an area spanning almost 40 per cent of Rio Tintos Australian iron ore operations, says the company engaged in a cover-up following a bungle at a university that led to their artefacts and associated records being discarded and destroyed instead of placed in safekeeping.

Rio Tinto has been rocked by further evidence alleging mistreatment of Indigenous cultural heritage. Credit:

In documents provided to the federal inquiry probing Rios destruction of separate Aboriginal heritage at the nearby Juukan Gorge rock shelters, the group has alleged the disposal of material salvaged from the Marandoo mine in the early 1990s was a secret kept by Rio, its contractors and the WA government for 25 years.

Hundreds of Eastern Guruma cultural artefacts ended up in the bin, the group said.
Each week, Benjamin Law asks public figures to discuss the subjects were told to keep private by getting them to roll a die. The numbers they land on are the topics theyre given. This week, he talks to Mehreen Faruqi. The Greens senator, 57, immigrated from Pakistan in 1992, became the first Muslim woman in the NSW Parliament in 2013 and Australias first Muslim senator in 2018. Her upcoming memoir is Too Migrant, Too Muslim, Too Loud.

Mehreen Faruqi: I apologised to Mum when I started swearing publicly, but sometimes I have no better other words to portray what goes on in politics. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

SEX

After you migrated here from Pakistan, what were the big differences you noticed regarding attitudes towards sex, romance and relationships? When you grow up in a country like Pakistan  a developing country that had been colonised for a couple of hundred years by the British  you do think the Western world is better and superior. So my expectations of Australia were that it was a place where equality had been reached: in law, in society, in culture. But when I got here, I found that sexism and misogyny have no borders. I came here on a Saturday, started my masters degree in engineering science on the Monday, and found out there was only one female academic in the University of NSWs School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

What attracted you to your husband, Omar? It was love at first sight. We met at work, at a consultancy firm in Pakistan, and fell in love, but our families knew each other. Thats how the wedding was arranged. Weve been married now for 31 years and I really cant imagine life without him.
Billionaire businessman and former federal MP Clive Palmer has been ordered by a Queensland court to repay more than $100 million in loans to the liquidators in charge of one of his companies.

The Supreme Court ordered Palmers company Mineralogy repay the money to Queensland Nickel, which collapsed under Palmers ownership in 2016 and left hundreds without a job.

Clive Palmer at the Federal Court in Brisbane in 2016 to answer questions regarding the fall of Queensland Nickel. Credit:Bradley Kanaris

The Queensland Nickel liquidators appealed a decision of Supreme Court Justice Debra Mullins on June 3 last year, which dismissed their claim to retrieve the money from Mineralogy.

Their case was reviewed by Queenslands Court of Appeal and appeal justices Hugh Fraser, Justice Philip Morrison and Justice Martin Burns ruled in favour of the liquidators on Friday.
The decision of whether confidential documents kept from activist Ben Pennings in Adanis case against him will be released next week after a judge delivered her ruling to lawyers in court.

Adani, which has rebranded its Australian arm as Bravus, launched legal action against Mr Pennings in Brisbanes Supreme Court in last year, accusing him of trespassing, breaches of contract, intimidation and conspiracy to injure.

Ben Pennings.

The case comes after Mr Pennings involvement with anti-mining protest group Galilee Blockade during its efforts to stop Adanis coal and gas project in central Queenslands Galilee Basin.

In March, the companys lawyers asked the court to withhold information from Mr Pennings relating to 350 confidential contracts it would refer to in its case, with documents only to be handed over to Mr Pennings lawyers.
Short changing the north-east suburbs Your headline regarding the endangered butterfly mentions a deferment of a painfully long overdue $530million rail duplication project. There is no mention that the populations of Banyule, Nillumbik, Whittlesea and outlying feeder councils will be adversely affected. And no mention of the alternatives to accommodate both the project and the habitat. If Transport Infrastructure Minister Jacinta Allan thinks the revised plan with signalling and power works will result in the same level of service, why was the duplication planned in the first place? Every other line is duplicated, and this allows the level of service to be improved for current needs as well as the power and signalling improvements to be implemented to meet future needs. Yet again, this government has short changed the north-east suburbs. Second-rate ring road, second-rate rail service, second-rate government.

Wayne Tonissen, Kangaroo Ground The extra trucks will increase pollution levels The Andrews governments claim that the West Gate Tunnel will reduce toxic diesel pollution in the inner west (The Age, Online, 24/6) is all smoke and mirrors. Without filtration on the tunnel exhaust stacks, the concentrated diesel particles from 16,000 trucks a day will be jettisoned into the air above Yarraville, where it will drizzle back down again. And as The Age reported recently, once the tunnel opens, truck numbers will double on Williamstown Road, the very location of the alarming pollution levels. Dont worry, Dan Andrews (cough), we will survive (cough).

Graeme Hammond, Kingsville

THE FORUM More unsuitability When Tony Abbott took the position of Minister for Women, women were flabbergasted. Now it seems like a continuation of the joke with Barnaby Joyce included in a cabinet taskforce group on womens safety, given recent criticism of him from women in agriculture and rural affairs (The Age, 25/6). And now a WA Labor politician has told Parliament that she was warned Mr Joyce had a history of groping women (The Age, 25/6).

Rosslynne Crawford, Drouin Protect the vulnerable If the vaccine rollout had proceeded as originally planned, by now we would have vaccinated most younger people who have medical conditions which make them vulnerable to a COVID-19 infection  the original group 1b.

My son is one of these people. He is 23, otherwise healthy, but he has an autoimmune condition which significantly increases his risk of severe illness or death if he is exposed to COVID-19. His work in retail makes him especially vulnerable. So far he has been unable to obtain a safe vaccination for his age group due to the restricted supply of the Pfizer vaccine. The federal government is to be condemned for continuing to expose medically compromised younger people to this risk.

Bronwyn Benn, Burwood Weve all been there Sydney has been so smug about not going into lockdown, so perhaps we could now send the residents not so much our best wishes but a selection of our well-thumbed How to... manuals as a gesture of goodwill.

Barbara Abell, Essendon The test for Sydney

Melbourne is a much more dense city, whereas in Sydney things are more ghettoised and so, much easier to lock down parts to stop the spread of anything contagious. It will be interesting to see how things go over the next couple of weeks but I think NSW is moving in the right direction. It does not mean, however, that the same approach can be applied to all states.

David Jeffery, East Geelong The PMs lack of action I agree with Shelley Rowlands when she questions the lack of public health messages to promote vaccination (Letters 25/6). Scotty Morrison has been consistently indecisive since he became prime minister and lacks the skills needed to lead our country. It is not just a case of Where the bloody hell are you? It is Why the bloody hell dont you?

Lisa Bishop, Macleod Finally, at long last So after a geological length of time, Victoria and Western Australia will have quarantine facilities: fit for purpose, near airports and hospitals, and on Commonwealth land. Looks like, sounds like, the sort of facilities that should render Christmas Island redundant.

John Whelen, Box Hill South

But one slight problem Hooray. A quarantine centre is to be built at Mickleham and, hopefully, finished by the years end. My concern is where will the medical and security staff come from to support the centre.

Meg Biggs, Kew East Was there duty of care? I certainly hope that people will not just assume I am affected by alcohol if I should exhibit behaviour such as that allegedly displayed by Nationals senator Samantha McMahon (The Age, 24/6). Signs reported such as appeared to be disorientated, struggling to walk, barely awake and battling to sit upright in her seat can also be signs of serious medical problems. Where was the duty of care for her?

Nola Cordell, Hoppers Crossing Environmental tragedy

Isnt the world outraged, not just sad (World, 24/6) that a blue whale, dolphins and hundreds of turtles have died in a marine disaster which released chemicals and plastic pellets into Sri Lankan waters, causing immeasurable damage to ecosystems and threatening the lives and livelihoods of coastal populations? The suffering and loss of wildlife is nothing short of a profound environmental and human tragedy. No amount of money can compensate for this trail of remains.

Gail Pritchard, Templestowe Carpe diem on climate Re The Nats need to move on climate change by Warren Entsch (Opinion, 24/6). Rarely have the science, economics and technology lined up in Australias favour so beautifully as they do right now. Any party in power which ignores the need to seize this moment and act decisively to rapidly reduce carbon emissions will pay the electoral price for decades to come  as will we, the voters, and our descendants as the climate deteriorates. We have had drought, fire, flood and now a pandemic in the last five years. What are they waiting for?

Mary Macmillan, Brunswick East A leader in waiting The article by Warren Entsch is the single most honest statement on climate change I have ever heard from a Liberal MP. Watch out, Scott Morrison, this man has what it takes to do your job.

John Robertson, Greensborough

A better relationship Bill Mathews (Letters, 25/6) levels appropriate criticism at Australias outgoing top diplomat Frances Adamsons bad-mouthing of China. However, the declining influence of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with budget cuts, fewer overseas postings and reduced foreign aid budgets, is more alarming. At the same time, the Department of Home Affairs grows in power and influence, and quixotic, wasteful defence budgets balloon. The substitution of bombast and aggression for diplomacy has been grossly incompetent and disastrous. New Zealand and Canada have demonstrated that it is possible to maintain a workable trading relationship with China without sacrificing principles, or the freedom to criticise violations of human rights or international law.

Norman Huon, Port Melbourne

Drawcard for Australia We are concerned with the out-of-control growth of our cities and the dearth of migrants and labour in regional and rural areas. The Murugappan family are well-settled, integrated and loved in rural Biloela. Were they to be allowed to stay in that community, the news of their happy settlement would likely spread and attract migrants not only from the large Sri Lankan community in Australia but also future migrants from that country and others.

Peter Gaspar, North Caulfield Serious security concern Thanks, Neil Brown, QC (Letter, 25/6) for calling out iviews so-called privacy policy. Can we not expect the ABC to lead in policy on data collection? Consider that iviews target subscriber list includes every adult Australian. It is great that it will not sell the data; not so great that it might disclose it to third parties. There is also the very considerable risk of theft by hacking, whether by criminals or state actors. Commonly, organisations will claim best practices on data security, encryption of data at rest and so on. Despite this, we repeatedly hear of massive breaches. The larger the data set, the greater the attraction to bad actors.

The responsible way for any organisation, public or private, to manage privacy is to collect only the data absolutely necessary to run the service. In the case of iview, this means none at all. Think again, ABC.

Keith Joshi, Kensington ABC, you are wrong The Aunty we love is under intense pressure to modernise. Some see this as being more user-friendly. In other words, more like a pay TV station. In so doing, she may find that many viewers simply switch off. The Aunty we love and trust would not require more personal details than those already gleaned from ABC on-demands viewing histories. The Aunty we love, and of which we are part owners, must understand that we dont want a Siri to advise us on what to watch next. Neil Brown, QC, is correct that once given, such information is open to all. Please Aunty, if you must go down this path, dont make it mandatory. Maintain your integrity.

Gabrielle Pounsett, Preston AND ANOTHER THING Credit:Illustration: Matt Golding COVID-19 So, NSWs gold standard contact tracing stops at the border? Thanks for that.

Darryl Annett, Northcote

Gold-plated contact tracing needs gold-plated human behaviour, not tinny myth making.

Bernd Rieve, Brighton How do you like them apples, gold-star Gladys?

Eryl Lowe, Aspendale Gladys ideological stance not to lockdown until now invited the virus to spread throughout Australia, just like with the Ruby Princess.

Judy Loney, Drumcondra Hear, hear David Hamilton (25/6). Im over 60, Im not expendable and Id like to have a choice of vaccine.

Sidra de Zoysa, Glen Iris Barracking for Sydney (23/6)? More like fingers crossed for the whole country.

Peter McGill, Lancefield

If you want to travel in a car, put on your seat belt. If you want to go outside your home, get vaccinated.

Pat Dowling, Elsternwick Why would the PM create demand for vaccinations, knowing he had not secured sufficient supply?

Linda Skinner, Mooroolbark National

So George is considering a career in the clergy after politics (25/6). Will he practise here or in the Philippines? Preferably the latter.

Greg Bardin, Altona North Ted Baillieu will lead the Australian Heritage Council (24/6). Lets hope this time he actually starts the engine.

Paul Custance, Highett I fear the national interest is being replaced by the Nationals interests.

Michelle Goldsmith, Eaglehawk
The owner the dry-cleaning outlet, Henry Li, who has run his business for 19 years, told 3AWs Neil Mitchell on Friday that he and his employee wore masks at all times, used hand sanitiser and followed other precautions, but the virus had clearly spread when the pair worked together for just a couple of hours on Wednesday. This is horrible because we were really careful with everything. We still got it, Mr Li said. I dont know whats happened. We wore masks at work and used sanitiser to clean our hands. Both men are now being housed in one of Melbournes quarantine hotels, but on different floors. Mr Foley said he was confident contact tracers could chase down the latest outbreak, despite it being the more highly contagious Delta variant, because it had been identified quickly.

Loading Lets get our hands around this Sydney importation of the virus from West Hoxton. Lets bring that to ground, he said. It hasnt got ahead of us, unlike the cases that came in from Adelaide where we had a number of generations of transfers ... before it became obvious. Mr Foley urged anyone who visited Sandringham Dry Cleaning on Bay Street, Sandringham, between Monday and Wednesday to come forward for testing. I take this opportunity to urge anyone who has visited that dry cleaners earlier in the week, before they did the right thing and closed down, to come forward and get tested, urgently, Mr Foley said.

As a tier-1 site, you will need to get tested, and isolate for 14 days, and that contact tracing work is underway. Mr Li said his wife and two adult sons have, so far, recorded negative COVID-19 tests and are isolating at home. Mr Li said he felt fine but that his employee had symptoms of the virus. He hoped to reopen his business when allowed to do so, but feared his customers may not return. It could be a long time to get customers to have confidence to come back, he said.

Nearly 20 locations and public transport routes were added to the Health Departments list of venues visited by people with COVID-19 on Thursday (the first new sites in eight days), just hours before eased restrictions came into effect across the state. The additions included the Sandringham dry cleaners, supermarkets and a Black Rock convenience store. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Sections of the Forest Hill Chase shopping centre were the only location to be added as an exposure site on Friday, with anyone who visited level one or two of the mall between 11.50am and 1.30pm on Tuesday being told to isolate until returning a negative test. Several outlets within the shopping centre had already been added as tier-2 sites on Thursday evening.

Increased border controls Motorists who enter Victoria from NSW without a valid permit could be fined almost $5000 as police enforce new red zone rules along the border between the two states. Greater Sydney and Wollongong were classified as red zones by Victorian authorities on Thursday, with the new rules came into effect on Friday. Police monitor cars entering Victoria at Wodonga on Friday. The classification means non-residents of Victoria who have visited those areas will be barred from entering the state unless they qualify for an exemption.

Victorian residents can apply for permits to return home, but will have to self-quarantine for 14 days from arrival. They are also required to get a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of entering Victoria and then return a negative day-13 result before exiting isolation. Loading However, Victorian residents wont be eligible for a permit if theyve been to a very high-risk exposure site in a red zone in the past 14 days, are a close contact of someone with COVID-19, or have been diagnosed with the virus. Victoria Police confirmed late on Friday that 260 police officers would now be completing patrols of the border, with pop-up checkpoints and automatic number plate recognition being used to nab those entering the state in contravention of the new rules. In a statement, a spokeswoman for Victoria Police said this will support the current vehicle patrols around the NSW border working to identify car registration details and vehicles who may have travelled from NSW, including those who may have been in a red zone.

New 1000-bed quarantine facility to be built in Melbournes north A 1000-bed quarantine facility will be built in Melbournes north and is expected to be operating by the end of the year. A 1000-bed quarantine facility will be built in Mickleham and is expected to be operating by the end of the year. Credit:Joe Armao In a letter sent to Victorias acting Premier James Merlino, Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed Commonwealth land in Mickleham had been chosen to house the new purpose-built facility for international travellers. I am also advising of our intention to build a facility with an initial 1000 bed capacity, but opening when the first 500 beds are available to enable earlier opening, he wrote.

I have asked my officials to prioritise this project and I want to see that all efforts are made to deliver the first stages of the facility by the end of 2021. Mr Morrison said he expected the facility would enable Victoria to take in more travellers. On completion of the first stages, a facility with a 1000-bed capacity will increase the number of Australians that can return to Australia and provide options to assist in our economic recovery by enabling arrivals of international students, skilled migrants and other economic intakes into the medium term, he wrote. Hours after news of the letter emerged, Victorian Health Minister Martin Foley welcomed the federal governments decision to green light the facility.

Loading He said the state governments strong preference was for the Mickleham facility to only be used for high risk arrivals. This is all about reducing risk for the hotel quarantine system as we have seen time after time after time all of these outbreaks come from the very porous international border situation managed through hotel quarantine, Mr Foley said. Hotels are designed for tourists, they are not designed as quarantine facilities. All jurisdictions have tried to take as many measures as they can to make them safe. Mr Foley also addressed the fact that Mickleham residents may be angry that a facility would be built in their area.

This is about keeping us all safe, Mr Foley said. This virus does not make a distinction between where you live, and does not make a distinction between states or suburbs. To have a much better risk-based quarantine facility at Mickleham keeps all of us safe. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Victoria officially recorded two new local cases of coronavirus but both cases  the Oakleigh man who returned by plane from Sydney on Sunday and his boss  were revealed on Thursday. There were no additional cases. There were 21,991 tests processed on Thursday, and 18,019 vaccine doses were administered by state .
A mother whose teenage son was sexually abused by fellow students at one of Perths most prestigious private boys schools claims the schools response was one of silence and secrecy.

Speaking to Radio 6PR, Carolyn* said her son was sexually assaulted with a carrot by between 12 and 15 of his peers during an overseas school sporting trip in 2017.

Trinity College teacher Ian Hailes (inset) was found guilty of failing to report the sexual abuse under mandatory laws. Credit:Heather McNeill/Education WA

The Trinity College student told two teachers the next day, but they did not report the incident or inform his parents. They were later fined for failing to report sexual abuse under mandatory reporting requirements.

We were stunned and horrified about how we were treated by the school, Carolyn said.
All aged care residents and staff were meant to be vaccinated in the first phase of the Morrison governments vaccination rollout, which began in February and was meant to be completed in six weeks. It is voluntary for aged care workers to get vaccinated, and voluntary for them to advise their employer if they have been immunised. However, home managers must now report their level of staff vaccination to the federal Health Department each week. About 10 per cent of Australias aged care homes are publicly run, and most staff are vaccinated in these centres. About a third of homes are run by for-profit providers under a federally run system and the remainder are operated by charities and not-for-profit groups. The Age approached Aged Care Minister Greg Hunt and Aged Care Services Minister Richard Colbeck for comment on the vaccination program but received a response from the Health Department. Ensuring all aged care residents and staff have access to a vaccine is a priority of the government, a department spokesman said.

Labors aged care spokeswoman, Clare ONeil, said the vaccine rollout in aged care was disgraceful. Aged care workers were supposed to all be vaccinated by the end of March, she said. Its now three months later, and they have only managed to vaccinate a third of all workers. The federal figures came as a new report commissioned by the Andrews government found that aged care homes in Victoria must have better plans in place to respond to coronavirus, more personal protective equipment and knowledge of how to use it, and a strict rule workers do not move between sites. There were 655 resident deaths from coronavirus in Victorias privately run aged care homes last year, and almost 2000 infections. In Victorias 176 publicly run aged care homes, the majority of which are in regional Victoria, there were 15 coronavirus infections and no deaths. The new report, by the National Ageing Research Institute, was handed to the state government this month and recommended that to avoid a repeat of the disaster in private aged care, homes needed to follow a number of key rules. These included:

being better prepared, including having specific contingency plans should all staff need to be furloughed, as happened in several Melbourne homes in 2020;

a better supply of PPE and staff knowledge of how to use it;

that staff movements between aged care homes be restricted because of the higher risk of coronavirus transmission between centres, and;

that poor working conditions will increase the risk of major coronavirus outbreaks. National Ageing Research Institute director Briony Dow said the pandemic had revealed a whole lot of problems [in aged care] that were already there, like staff having to work in multiple facilities to make a living wage, and not really understanding what infection control meant. Loading Professor Dow said the clearest issue the pandemic had exposed was the low rates of pay and poor working conditions for aged care staff. Personal care assistants generally earn about $24 an hour on a typical weekday. Most casual staff work at more than one aged care home. The workforce needs to be paid properly and to have career pathways to have a living wage or better, working in one agency, Professor Dow said.

She said the damage to the mental health of the aged care workforce was also something more Melburnians needed to be aware of. During the pandemic, nurses were getting chocolates and accolades and, meanwhile, aged care workers were getting spat on and abused, she said. Its not only the underlying issues of pay; its how much they are valued. Professor Dow said the effect of the pandemic on aged care had also placed a spotlight on the Commonwealth-state relationship. With hundreds of new cases in homes last year, Canberra and the state created the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, to manage the response in aged care homes. It was a really excellent centre that did great work, Professor Dow said. She said the pandemic had shown how the rights of older people in aged care could be taken away too easily. We saw people isolated in their rooms, no communal dining. They were moved into hospital despite their end-of-life plan saying its not what they wanted. All of their rights went out the window, and thats really an ... issue that no one has come to terms with.

Melbourne University professor Kwang Lim is a geriatrician who also works with Melbourne Health. He worked through the worst of last years outbreaks in aged care. I didnt catch it, which was amazing because I was one of the first doctors, and we were just wearing surgical masks, he said. Professor Lim said that over the past few decades, the levels of care needed in nursing homes had increased dramatically. When I started training, people who went into homes were fairly fit. Whereas now [many people] are pretty disabled when [they] go in. he said. Mortality is fairly high, and so the caring requirements are fairly high. He said this was part of the reason vaccinations were so crucial in aged care, both in staff and residents. Professor Lim questioned why it had not been made compulsory for workers to have been given a coronavirus vaccination. Everyone who comes in has to sign a form saying they have had a flu vaccine, so I dont know what the difference is, he said.
Minneapolis: A Minnesota judge has sentenced former police officer Derek Chauvin to 22 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd during an arrest in May 2020 on a Minneapolis street, video of which sparked global protests.

A jury found Chauvin, 45, guilty on April 20 of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after a trial that was widely seen as a watershed moment in the history of US policing.

Derek Chauvin has been sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for the murder of George Floyd. Credit:AP

Before the sentence was handed down, Floyds brothers told the court of their anguish, Chauvins mother insisted on her sons innocence and Chauvin himself briefly offered condolences to the Floyd family.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill said it was important to recognise the pain of the Floyd family and acknowledged the global notoriety of the case, only to say it would not sway him.
Washington: A long-awaited US government report on UFOs released Friday makes at least one thing clear: the truth is still out there.

Investigators did not find extraterrestrial links in reviewing 144 sightings of aircraft or other devices apparently flying at mysterious speeds or trajectories. But they drew few other conclusions and instead highlighted the need for better data collection about whats increasingly seen by Democrats and Republicans as a national security concern. In all but one of the sightings investigated, there was too little information for investigators to even broadly characteristic the nature of the incident.

There were 18 cases in which witnesses saw unusual patterns of movement or flight characteristics, the report said, adding that more analysis was needed to determine if those sightings represented breakthrough technology.

The current UFO-mania centres on a series of sightings made by US Navy pilots in 2004, 2014, and 2015. Credit:AP

Long the domain of science fiction and so-called UFOlogist the subject of UFOs has in recent years drawn serious study from the Pentagon and intelligence agencies. The prospect of an adversary spying with unknown technology has alarmed lawmakers in both parties.
For decades now, director Andre Gregory and playwright/actor Wallace Shawn have been theatricalizing the end of the world. In Louis Malle's seminal 1981 film My Dinner With Andre, the pair debate love and money and death and whimsy over a shared meal. Their filmed productions of Chekhov's Uncle Vanya (Louis Malle's Vanya on 42nd Street) and Ibsen's The Master Builder (Jonathan Demme's A Master Builder) explore past regrets, and are probably the finest (and most despairing) versions of those plays you'll ever see (all three films are available as a Criterion Collection boxset).

As the Covid pandemic (and the events Trump Administration) wore on, Gregory and Shawn were approached by Gideon Media to turn two of Shawn's astonishingly prescient plays  The Designated Mourner and Grasses of a Thousand Colors  into multipart podcasts. Each audio play reunites the original New York casts, and Gregory once again directs them  which he has been, on and off, for decades. (His production of the former, about artist-intellectuals living through a totalitarian government, has been rehearsed and staged over and over for 21 years now, making it no doubt one of the longest ongoing collaborations in theater history.)

Here, the two artists discuss why these particular versions of the plays might be the best ones yet, and how the reality of the subjects isn't too far off from our own.

Wallace Shawn and Andre Gregory

( Tricia Baron/David Gordon)

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

There's certainly a relevance to these plays now. Do you hate that word when it comes to theater? Or is it fair to say in this case?

Andre Gregory: Well, yeah. Wally is sometimes called a prophet, but calling somebody a prophet suggests mystical powers. The fact is, the future is in the present. If you can look at the present, if you can look at the world you're in now with a sharp clarity, you can tell where the world is going. It's not mysterious. In rehearsals for The Designated Mourner in the late '90s, Wally, Larry Pine, Debbie Eisenberg, and I would talk about the approach of fascism in America. At the time, that was pretty far out. After Trump, sadly, the possibility of totalitarianism in this country is no joke.

Wallace Shawn: When we first did The Designated Mourner, people said "What is the political violence in the play? What are you trying to symbolize?" And I would say, "I'm writing about political violence. It's not symbolizing anything." People didn't get it. But then, you know, it's gotten easier and easier to understand.

Andre: And a strong theme in Grasses of a Thousand Colors is the approach of the apocalypse. When we first did the play, when people's eyes were closed to the reality of such a thing, they had trouble imagining what the play was about. Now that we have lived through Covid and the terrors of a shrinking world, Grasses, with its amazing sense of humor, is telling us about something we have already lived through.

Wallace Shawn, Larry Pine, and Deborah Eisenberg in The Designated Mourner at the Public Theater in 2013

( Joan Marcus)

Did recording the podcast version of these plays feel like doing theater?

Wally: It's a distilled version of everything that we have ever done. The listeners won't see the costumes that we wore or the haircuts we had, but the actors feel them. We remember them.

Andre: When I first heard that we were going to do this as a podcast, I was slightly contemptuous, because I sort of associated podcasts with things that you did because you couldn't do theater. Since we worked on this, I realized that this manifestation of the plays, and now there have been three or four manifestations of them all over the world, could well be one of the finest. You're getting extraordinary renditions of these two plays that are extremely powerful.

Wally: I don't want to say anything that would disparage the ancient and wonderful art of live theater, but I have been thinking, since doing the podcasts, that the plays are much easier to follow [in this form]. There is a kind of nastiness about forcing people to sit in an uncomfortable chair for hours when they go to the theater. You're putting people through an unnecessary anguish. The physical experience of sitting in those seats and having to pay that much attention is undeniably hard. Whereas with the podcast, each person can do it in their own way. You can read a book in bed and you can listen to a podcast in bed. You can be folding laundry or doing whatever you want to do, and it's a wonderful thing.

Andre: Wally is a great storyteller, and of course, the heart of telling a story is that you can imagine the action in your own head. People always say, "My Dinner with Andre is just two people talking?" But in fact, Louis Malle did point out that the screenplay is more theatrical than Lawrence of Arabia and Bridge on the River Kwai put together, because we take you to the Polish forest and the sands of the Sahara in your imagination. You are allowed to imagine whatever the words trigger. In that sense, the podcast or more radio approach to these plays is revelatory, in a way that they have never been before.

Emily Cass McDonnell, Julie Hagerty, Wallace Shawn, and Jennifer Tilly in Grasses of a Thousand Colors at the Public Theater in 2013

( Joan Marcus)

What does a post-pandemic theater look like for both of you? I know that you had been rehearsing a Hedda Gabler, and I know that the New Group was planning on a production of The Fever at some point.



Wally: That's what we believe. These days, nobody even knows if you can walk in the street. I think if I were an investor, I would not invest right now in theater.

Andre: And I wouldn't invest in the future of our country.

Wally: The whole future is up for grabs. To take Andre's point, if the Republican party manages to take over the country, and they're making progress toward that goal every day, that could be as threatening to theater as the pandemic. The first amendment is only as strong as the people who are defending it. Anything could happen.

Andre: Hedda Gabler, certainly because of Covid, is nowhere. The actors are spread far and wide. I don't know if I'll ever get back to it or not. And of course, we've done an Ibsen, The Master Builder, so I'm not even sure if I need to complete Hedda. Only time will tell if we work on it ever again.

Wally: The Master Builder does exist as a film.

Andre: If you buy the Criterion set, and of course, it would be great if you did, there are interviews that are quite extraordinary as added perks.

Wally: There are some very, very good interviews of different people about the different productions.

So much of your work has been captured on film. Designated Mourner also exists in a screen version, though it's not the production the four of you have been honing for decades now. What does it mean for you to have a record of it like the podcast?



Wally: For meWell, obviously, Andre and I are both older than you.

Andre: Only if you combine our ages.

Wally: But we both think a certain amount about the unfair reality that we may pass from the list of living humans. Some people don't care. I'm not sure that Andre cares. I care.

Andre: I care.

Wally: Not about death itself, but about what I've done after my death. I do care about that, at the moment. I won't when that time comes. But I loved the idea that our productions, in this form, are going to live forever. Which is a privilege that theater artists rarely have. It's wonderful, to me, to have this version of our many years of work out there. And as long as anybody cares, it'll be there.
If you've ever dipped your toe into the online dating pool, chances are you have been "ghosted." That's when you are chatting with someone, prospects for an actual meet-up look good, and then they suddenly stop responding. That's not exactly what happened to the protagonist of Jamie Beamish and Anne O'Riordan's Ghosting, now available for streaming through the Irish Repertory Theatre. She thought she was in a serious relationship with a man, and so did everyone else, until the day he completely disappeared from her life.

The circumstances surrounding this mystery and its fallout are revealed through an obscenity-laced monologue delivered by the ghosted woman in question, Si (pronounced "she"). Her name may be a nod toward universality, but there is nothing ordinary about the way Mark (voiced by Andrew Macklin) cut off all communication from her, nor in the way he appears in London (where Si has fled) standing at the foot of her bed six years after the fact. One might think that Si's next logical step would be to file a restraining order, but even stranger events lead her back to her hometown in Ireland to attend a most unexpected funeral.

I'll say no more about the plot, shocking reveals being one of the strong points of this 75-minute (mostly) solo show. Through the militantly independent Si, Beamish and O'Riordan comment on the oppressive social forces that lead smart women to leave Ireland for the comforting anonymity of a big city like London. They also touch on the alienation an expat might feel when returning to a country that no longer feels like home. This has been a popular theme in Irish drama for as long as there has been a diaspora, and was perhaps best summed up in a single monologue in Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane. Ghosting doesn't add much to the conversation, and feels like the last of its kind now that Irish society has been transformed by the influx of foreign wealth taking advantage of low corporate tax rates. Then again, maybe not.

Anne O'Riordan plays Si in Ghosting, now streaming through Irish Repertory Theatre.

( Throwin Shapes)

Happily, Beamish and O'Riordan season these themes with savory language: "I've tried everything to help me sleep," Si reveals, "Meditation, medication, MasterChef." Such clever wordplay is one of the joys of seeing contemporary drama at the Irish Rep, and it is hilarious in the mouth of O'Riordan, who played Si in a 2020 streaming production for Theatre Royal, Waterford (the same one now on offer through Irish Rep). O'Riordan is particularly good at embodying the 21st-century characters Si meets on her odyssey, including a Waterford native who speaks with a California valley girl lilt and who named her child "Biscuit."

Beamish directed this production for streaming, and while there are a few hair-raising moments (facilitated mostly through Dermot Quinn's unpredictable lighting), Ghosting never fully exploits the horror-inducing methods of the camera. One can easily imagine a truly terrifying live production in a dimly lit and intimate space, with a performer who knows how to scare (the high bar for this kind of theater was set by Daphne Rubin-Vega in Empanda Loca). Unfortunately, this streaming version of Ghosting is a passing shadow of the play that could be.
Up for debate:

Live legislation tracker

Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gestures as he speaks, Monday, June 14, 2021, at the Shul of Bal Harbour, a Jewish community center in Surfside, Fla.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gestures as he speaks to the media at a coronavirus vaccination site at Lakewood Ranch Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, in Bradenton, Fla.
Staff Reporter

Nyamekye Daniel has been a journalist for five years. She was the managing editor for the South Florida Media Network and a staff writer for The Miami Times. Daniel's work has also appeared in the Sun-Sentinel, Miami Herald and The New York Times.
Staff Reporter

Tim Gruver is a politics and public policy reporter. He is a University of Washington alum and the recipient of the 2017 Pioneer News Award for Reporting. His work has appeared in Politico, the Kitsap Daily News, and the Northwest Asian Weekly.
Vice President Kamala Harris talks to the media, Friday, June 25, 2021, after her tour of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Central Processing Center in El Paso, Texas. Harris visited the U.S. southern border as part of her role leading the Biden administrations response to a steep increase in migration.
Cheyenne, WY (82001)

Today

A few isolated thunderstorms developing this afternoon under partly cloudy skies. High around 85F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 60F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
The beer was flowing for a good cause at the Depot Plaza, June 18-19, as the Wyoming Brewers Festival, sponsored by Midas, drew a huge crowd of people who loved the event.

The festival shares its passion for craft beer with Cheyenne while raising money to preserve the Historic Depot Museum, so it remains an icon in the city.

The event was packed, the music was good, and attendees had over 100 beer choices to sample.

Cheyenne Depot Museum Executive Director Christy McCarthy said the money raised at the Brewers Festival goes into a maintenance fund.

"In the past, it was used to do the restoration of the bathrooms used by the Accomplice Beer Company," she said. "It was created for the elevator in the building as well, and we used the money for the backside windows. This year, we are going to use the money for door restorations and flooring in the historic stairwell."

If something wears out in a historic building, she said you can't get replacement parts at the local department store.

"In 2019, we did an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible door," she said. "This was a big deal for a historical building. It was a $50,000 project."

McCarthy is thrilled by the turnout this year.

"We feel supported, and we're excited the community came out," she said.

Visit Cheyenne proudly is a sponsor and Vice President Jim Walter said the event is an important reason people visit Cheyenne in the summertime.

"People take for granted that Cheyenne Frontier Days is the only thing to do for tourism in Cheyenne, and that's not true," he said. "Over the years, we've worked to maintain our western heritage and continue being a premier western destination, and at the same time, let people know that we've got amazing festivals and reasons to come up here outside of that."

Walter thinks the festival was a great time.

"There was a nice variety of beers on the plaza again this year," he said. "The music Saturday night was fantastic. We had Pearl Jam and Green Day cover bands that did a nice job. They did a nice job with the festival this year."

Kathy Miller from the Cheyenne Beer Social Club said in 2019, they started allowing homebrewers to compete at the festival.

"They allowed for all the brewers that had their chips, and they would go around and put their chip in the best homebrew tent that had the best beer," she said. "This is the second year we've won. My husband

Shawn is a homebrewer, and he brewed five of the beers that were on tap. We had a great time, and it was fun. We had our servers serving the beers and helping out. We thank the Wyoming Brewers Festival for allowing us to brew again."

Jason Knopp from Cowboy State Brewing said he brought their Cowgirl Up, an English Blonde Beer.

"We bring that one because it's not huge in the market right now," he said. "It's a light, easy-drinking beer. It's always good to bring light beers to festivals because it's what people like to drink. We also took a Cowboy Brown, which we are trying to expand into that market. We also brought a 7220 IPA, and that's a newer beer."
Jonah Bank sent an email to 4,196 customers, warning them of a scam that cost some bank customers thousands of dollars. The victims received emails or phone calls suggesting they give remote access to their computers.

We had different scenarios as to why they claimed they needed to remote in, said Kim DeVore, President of Jonah Bank of Wyoming. One of our customers received a phone call and they said that there was a problem with their Amazon account, and if they were to allow remote access, they could get in and fix it for them.

Another customer was told they had been automatically charged for renewal of a security service, and when the customer called to cancel, the company needed to remote in to remove the software.

And the customers did let them in. And unfortunately when they do that, they install software in the background that allows them access any time they want, DeVore said.

The hackers were able to transfer cryptocurrency out of one customers wallet, and got access to online banking from another customer. The total combined losses from the scams is more than $50,000.

Tom Herdt, the owner and President of Capitol Communications, Inc., a Cheyenne I.T. company, warned against allowing anyone remote access to your computer.

They can access anything that you have on your computer. Not only while youre sitting there watching them do it, but they leave behind that remote access so they can get in there anytime, Herdt said.

The situation can be much worse for businesses. If an employee allows access to their computer, the hacker can gain access to the companys entire network, including all of the computers, the server, the business files, and possibly online banking.

Thats why we sent the letter. Because right now that seems to be the current scam, is convincing people that you should allow someone remote access into your computer. And then the next thing you know theyve gotten into your online banking or your cryptowallet or whatever it is, said DeVore.

According to an article in ZDNet, Microsoft is going after a criminal organization called BazarCall. BazarCall set up a full call center just to convince people to allow remote access to their computers.

Microsoft's focus is on the group's phishing emails that target Office 365 users.The example it shows is an email purporting to be from a tech firm claiming that the victim has downloaded a demo version that will expire in 24 hours, at which point they will be charged for the software, the article said.

When victims contact the call center, they are told to download an Excel spreadsheet. The Excel file contains malicious software that allows access to the victims computer.

Tom Herdt said no one should allow access to their computers, unless it is someone they know and trust, or have a specific I.T. contract.

Theres really no reason for remote access unless you request it. We remote access our clients, but weve got a contract with them to do that. Anybody thats just calling you out of the blue verify who they are, who they work for, and that you have a contractual or a business arrangement with them to perform that work, Herdt said.

Herdt said do not use caller ID to call a company back, because those numbers are easily spoofed. Instead, Google the company, and use the number you find on their website.
New Details posted at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 27

ST. HELENS PUBLIC LIBRARY COOLING CENTER HOURS

375 S. 18th Street

Water bottle filling station and restrooms

Sunday, June 27: 2 p.m.  7 p.m.

Monday, June 28: 10 a.m.  7 p.m.

The Library is open for browsing and computer use during these times.

ST. HELENS RECREATION CENTER COOLING CENTER HOURS

1810 Old Portland Road

Water, restrooms, and P.P.E. available

Sunday, June 27: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Monday, June 28: 10 a.m.  7 p.m.

The splash pad at Columbia View Park will be open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. throughout the Excessive Heat Warning. If the splash pad is not working, please call non-emergency dispatch at 503-397-1521.

ADDITIONAL COLUMBIA COUNTY COOLING CENTER INFORMATION

ST. HELENS ALANO CLUB

215 N. 6th Street, St. Helens

Saturday - Monday, June 26-28: 10:30 a.m. - 8:15 p.m.

WARREN COMMUNITY FELLOWSHIP

56523 Columbia River Hwy, Warren

Sun: 12-9, Mon: 2-9

SCAPPOOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY

52469 SE 2nd St, Scappoose

Normal Business Hours

Mon: 10-6

VERNONIA PUBLIC LIBRARY

701 Weed Ave, Vernonia

Mon: 10-5, will open Sunday if demand is high on Saturday

New Details posted at 6:00 p.m. June 25

The following information is from the City of St. Helens.

Thanks to several community partners, we have been able to expand the cooling center hours at our St. Helens Recreation Center. We have also received notice that the St. Helens Alano Club will be acting as a cooling center location the next three days.

Updated days and hours can be found below. We will be updating our social media channels (City of St. Helens, St. Helens Parks & Rec, St. Helens Public Library, and St. Helens Police Department) and our website daily as we receive any new information: https://www.sthelensoregon.gov/administration/page/cooling-center-locations-during-excessive-heat

Previous Chronicle coverage posted at 3 p.m. June 24

The National Weather Service has issued an Excessive Heat Advisory through Monday with temperatures expected to be in the low 100s.

The City of St. Helens Communications Director Crystal King said the city is offering two locations as cooling centers during the excessive heat warning and hot temperatures.

"We ask that people wear a mask and observe social distancing," King said. "Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there are building capacity limits. The locations are available on a first come, first served basis until the building capacity is reached."

St. Helens Public Library

375 S. 18th Street, St. Helens

Water bottle filling station and restrooms available

Saturday, 10 a.m.  7 p.m.

Sunday, 2 p.m.  7 p.m.

Monday 10 a.m.  7 p.m.

Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m -7 p.m. (normal hours of operation)

St. Helens Recreation Center

1810 Old Portland Road, St. Helens

Water, restrooms, and PPE available

Monday, noon  5 p.m.

The splash pad at Columbia View Park will be open from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. throughout the Excessive Heat Warning. If the splash pad is not working, please call non-emergency dispatch at 503-397-1521.

A public cooling center is also being established at the Scappose Library.

Scappoose Library Director Jeff Weiss said the library's meeting room will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m Saturday, offering a place to sit down that includes air conditioning, bottled water and Wi-Fi options.

"We will off the meeting room as a cooling center anytime that we are open and it is more than 95 degrees outside," he said.

The Scappoose Public Library is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

"We have done this in the past," Weiss said. "It helps those who don't have air conditioning."

The library is located at 52469 SE 2nd Street in Scappoose and can be reached at 503-543-7123.

Stay Safe

During extreme heat, city and health officials urge everyone to take extra precautions:

Drink plenty of water

Stay out of the sun

Check in on family and neighbors

Never leave children or pets in a closed car

Avoid strenuous outdoor work during the hottest parts of the day.

If you are outside during the day, watch out for signs of heatstroke:

Headache

Dizziness

Nausea

Confusion

High body temperature

Fast pulse

If you think you or someone you know may be experiencing signs of heatstroke, call 911 immediately and move them to a cooler place. If you suspect someone may be suffering from heatstroke, help bring their body temperature down with wet cloths or a cool bath while you wait for emergency services.

For more hot weather tips visit Columbia County Public Health at: https://www.columbiacountyor.gov/.../hot-weather-and...
Towanda, PA (18848)

Today

Rain showers this morning with numerous thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. High near 70F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low around 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Towanda, PA (18848)

Today

Rain showers this morning with numerous thunderstorms developing during the afternoon hours. High near 70F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low near 55F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Oneonta, NY (13820)

Today

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain for the afternoon. Thunder possible. High around 65F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Overcast with rain showers at times. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.
Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks.
Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom.

Follow Melanie Tucker Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of The Ben Shapiro Show and editor-in-chief of DailyWire.com. He is syndicated through Creators.
A nurse is seen working at a COVID-19 testing clinic at Ipswich Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. on Aug. 24, 2020. (Glenn Hunt/Getty Images)

3 New Cases of COVID-19 in Queensland

Queensland has recorded three new community COVID-19 case linked to a flight attendant who was infected during hotel quarantine before briefly spending time in Brisbane.

One of the new cases is the manager of the Portuguese Family Centre, where the woman had visited, who has been in home quarantine before testing positive.

The other two were travelling with the flight attendant when she was out in Brisbane, and have been in hotel quarantine during their infectious period.

Im not concerned that any of these three cases are a risk to the Queensland community, Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said on Thursday.

There have now been four cases linked to the flight attendant after a man who visited the family centre tested positive earlier this week.

Others who were at the centre  36 in all  are continuing to isolate and are being monitored.

Dr Young said she was not concerned about the latest outbreak as all those believed to be at risk are in quarantine.

The flight attendants positive result was confirmed by a routine test after she visited the family centre as well as the direct factory outlet at Brisbane Airport on Saturday.

Its believed she was infected by a hotel quarantine worker who escorted a COVID-positive guest to an ambulance and then went to the attendants room to swab her.

Queenslands cases have all been the Alpha variant, which Young said was far less infectious than the Delta variant circulating in Sydney.

I strongly recommend that anyone in Queensland, unless you have an urgent unavoidable reason, this is not the time to go down into New South Wales, she said.

Queensland has now closed its borders to Greater Sydney and the surrounding regions of the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour in response to the growing outbreak.

Meanwhile, plans are underway for a man who was in hotel quarantine in Sydney to be reunited with his dying father in Queensland.

A quarantine exemption issued on Wednesday evening to Mark Kilian and his partner Anneli Gericke was conditional on NSW finalising arrangement of safe transfer of the couple to Queensland.

The couple were then granted an exemption by the Queensland state government and arrived on Thursday afternoon on the Gold Coast.

Kilian and his partner were seen exiting the plane, stopping to take a selfie and hugging each other before being whisked to a hangar then departing the airport via ambulance.

It will be something I think well all remember for the rest of our lives, Kilian told the Nine Network on Thursday.

Were not going on a holiday or a cruise, were going for something thats going to be very sad, but at least theres a dignity to the way we can do it now.

Marks father Frans Kilian, 80, is in hospital on the Gold Coast suffering from pancreatic cancer.

Kilian and Gericke have been in Sydney completing quarantine after rushing to Australia from Los Angeles more than a week ago.

Both are vaccinated and have returned at least three negative coronavirus tests.

Were not sure what the plan is when we arrive (on the Gold Coast)  were taking it one step at a time, Kilian told Brisbane radio 4BC on Thursday.

There are plans  to facilitate a visit with my dad, were just not sure when its going to be.

Kilian said his father was elated by the news.

He was the first call we made and he was absolutely (as) elated and emotional as he could be in his state about the situation.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Wednesday her state had done everything it could to allow the reunion.

At least a week ago  New South Wales made it clear there was no impediment for them to make that journey.

The decision on the quarantine exemption for the couple came after the senior Kilian pleaded with Queensland Health to show compassion.

Every day that they are in that hotel is a day less that I have with my son and daughter-in-law in my last days, he said in a video appeal from his hospital bed
The Amazon logo is seen outside its JFK8 distribution center in Staten Island, New York, on Nov. 25, 2020. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Amazon, Google Face Formal Fake Review Inquiry in Britain

Britains competition regulator started a formal investigation on Friday into whether Amazon and Google may not have done enough to prevent or remove fake reviews.

Along with regulators in the United States and the European Union, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has stepped up its scrutiny of big tech firms in recent years.

The British regulator said it will gather more information to decide if the firms may have broken consumer law by taking insufficient action to protect shoppers. Both Google and Amazon said they were continuing to assist the CMA.

CMA action last year over the trading of fake reviews resulted in Facebook, Instagram, and eBay removing groups and banning individuals for buying and selling fake reviews on their sites.

A sign is seen at the entrance to the Google retail store in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City, on June 17, 2021. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

Google said on Thursday it would delay blocking tracking cookies on its Chrome browser following intervention by the CMA.

The CMA started its investigation into reviews in May 2020, focusing on the internal systems and processes of several platforms for identifying and dealing with fake reviews.

The regulator said it was also concerned that Amazons systems had failed adequately to prevent and deter some sellers from manipulating product listings, through for example co-opting positive reviews from other products.

Our worry is that millions of online shoppers could be misled by reading fake reviews and then spending their money based on those recommendations, the CMAs Chief Executive Andrea Coscelli said in a statement.

Equally, its simply not fair if some businesses can fake 5-star reviews to give their products or services the most prominence, while law-abiding businesses lose out.

Enforcement Action

The CMA said it has not reached a view on whether Amazon and Alphabets Google have broken the law.

However, if it concludes they have broken consumer protection law, it can take enforcement action ranging from securing formal commitments to change the way they deal with fake reviews or escalating to court action.

Amazon said it would continue to assist the CMA with its enquiries.

We are relentless in protecting our store and will take action to stop fake reviews regardless of the size or location of those who attempt this abuse, said a spokesperson.

Google too said it would continue to work with the regulator.

Our strict policies clearly state reviews must be based on real experiences, and when we find policy violations, we take actionfrom removing abusive content to disabling user accounts, a spokesperson for the company said.
Americas Top General Read Marx, but Doesnt Understand How Its Destroying America

Commentary

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley says he is interested in theory. This past week, he defended teaching critical race theory in U.S. military academies because he thinks our troops should understand white rage. He said that he himself wants to understand why the American families who send their children to serve under him are angry.

And so he believes that its a good thing to read books by authors like Robin DiAngelo and Ibram X. Kendi who call white Americans racist. He says its good for the military and the country, but, in fact, its just good for Milley and the rest of the senior officer class thats making its retirement plans.

Milley told a congressional committee that hes read Marx, too, but that doesnt make him a communist. Hes right, but it signals his ambition. Outside of the faculty lounges of American universities, no one reads Marx because Marx is unreadable. You could fit everyone who has read all three volumes of Marxs masterwork, Capital, into a small prison cell.

Milley said he reads to understand what other people think, but people who boast of having read Marx are trying to shape what other people think about them. Hes addressing the kind of people who think reading Marx is part of the foundation of a well-rounded education. In America, these are the men and women of the establishment left who not coincidentally sit on the boards of big corporations and decide who gets to earn a million-dollar paycheck simply by occupying the board seat next to them. Saying youve read Marx shows that youre OK, even if youve spent your career with an American flag on your shoulder.

Milley said he reads to understand what motivates people. But no one in the communist world, neither its politburos nor its proletariats, have ever been motivated by Marx, regardless of what theyve written in their memoirs or on the walls of their prison cells.

Understanding Marxist doctrine was no help in explaining the actions of Soviet leaders during the Cold War. The U.S. intellectual class said it was important to figure it out because they wanted to be paid by the federal government to read and write so they said they were on the front lines in the War of Ideas.

Had the Cold War really come down to a War of Ideas, America would have lost. For all the social realist garbage that communism producedas intellectually vapid and morally vulgar as DiAngelo and Kendi and other work prized by the class Milley seeks to impressthe Soviets also promoted great art, like Russias great ballet troupes and filmmakers such as Andrei Tarkovsky.

Even in the West, most of the top writers and thinkers of the time enlisted on the other side. For instance, Jean-Paul Sartre, one of the most celebrated intellectuals of the 20th century, endorsed communism, revolutionary violence, and for a time, Josef Stalin.

Sartre mocked the Midwestern farm boys who manned the Fulda Gap to protect him and his friends in the cafes of Paris, but America still won the Cold War because it had nothing to do with the War of Ideas. Rather, it was because the families of those boys stationed in Europe constituted the core of the middle class, which has always been the engine of productive economies. The Soviets lost because, as with all communist regimes, it had looted the wealth that its middle class created.

In short, those who read Marx are among those least informed about the nature of communism. On the other hand, Americans who have suffered the depredations of the elites that Milley is courting have a better grasp of communism than any university professor. Indeed, what we have learned about communism in the last several years requires us to reinterpret the historical account.

Communism has nothing to do with ideology. Ideology (lifting the masses out of poverty, making all people equal, etc.) is just cover for class war. But the class war is not, as Marxists describe it, between the proletarian masses and the bourgeoisie. Rather, the proletariat is simply the instrument that the oligarchic eliteknown in the Soviet Union, for instance, as the nomenklaturauses to keep the middle classes at bay while they steal their wealth.

After watching the serial operations destroy the leadership of the America First movementfrom Russiagate through the second impeachment of Donald Trumpthe COVID-19 lockdowns, the George Floyd riots, and now the effort to categorize Trump voters as domestic terrorists, we dont need a theory to understand the nature of what has historically been called communism to obscure the fact that its nothing but the power grab of an oligarchic elite. Were living it.

Nor does Gen. Milley need critical race theory to understand why the middle-class Americans who send their children to serve under him are mad at the elites he flatters by promoting their ideas. Hes just not asking the right questions, which are these:

Why are they mad we exported their jobs to China? Why are they mad we send their children to kill and die in strategically pointless foreign wars that advance only our interests? Why are they angry we denigrate their symbols and their monuments, their heroes, and their history? Why are they mad we destroyed their businesses and kept their children from going to school? Why are they mad we didnt let them visit their loved ones in nursing homes and hospitals as they lay dying? Why are they mad we tell them they are racist, and their country will be remade in the image of those we encourage to cross our borders illegally, and the criminals we send to the streets to kill them? Why are they mad when we tell them that there is no place for them in the new country until they confess to the evil they have done?

Lee Smith is a senior fellow at Americas Future, and the author of the recently published book The Permanent Coup: How Enemies Foreign and Domestic Targeted the American President.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
A woman is taken to Ayder Referral Hospital, in Mekelle, after an airstrike in Togoga, Ethiopia's Tigray region, on June 22, 2021. (Tigray Guardians 24 via Reuters)

At Least 64 Dead in Ethiopian Airstrike on Tigray

ADDIS ABABA, EthiopiaEthiopias military on Thursday said it was responsible for a deadly airstrike on a busy marketplace in the countrys Tigray region. Health workers said the attack killed at least 64 people, including children, but the military insisted only combatants were targeted.

A military spokesman, Col. Getnet Adane, told journalists that fighters supporting the Tigray regions former leaders had assembled to celebrate Martyrs Day when the airstrike occurred.

The Ethiopian air force uses the latest technology, so it conducted a precision strike that was successful, he said.

The airstrike wounded more than 100 people, half of them seriously, a regional health official said. Health workers said Ethiopian forces blocked medical teams from responding and shot at a Red Cross ambulance trying to reach the scene.

Bodies were still being pulled from the rubble and dozens of survivors were still arriving at regional hospitals with shrapnel and blunt trauma wounds two days after the airstrike, said a doctor in the regional capital, Mekele. The International Committee of the Red Cross called the transport of seriously injured to Mekele a matter of life and death.

Even on Thursday, United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that the U.N. still hasnt been able to reach the scene. Between the fighting and different groups on the ground we need clearance to go and weve just not been able to get it, he said.

People gather as victims arrive at Ayder Referral Hospital, in Mekelle, after an airstrike in Togoga, Ethiopias Tigray region, on June 22, 2021. (Tigray Guardians 24 via Reuters)

The airstrike came amid some of the fiercest fighting in Tigray since the conflict began in November as Ethiopian forces, supported by neighboring Eritrea, pursue Tigrays former leaders.

The Ethiopian military spokesman denied Tigray fighters claims of gains in recent days, saying Ethiopian forces had been deployed to other locations for Mondays national election.

The United States and the European Union have condemned the airstrike in Togoga that left children, including a 1-year-old baby, screaming in pain.

A reprehensible act, the U.S. State Department said. Denying victims urgently needed medical care is heinous and absolutely unacceptable. We urge the Ethiopian authorities to ensure full and unhindered medical access to the victims immediately. We also call for an urgent and independent investigation.

The United States also called for an immediate cease-fire in Tigray, where thousands of civilians have been killed and 350,000 people are now facing one of the worlds worst famines in years.

At least 33,000 children in inaccessible parts of Tigray are severely malnourished and face imminent death without immediate help, the latest U.N. humanitarian update said Thursday.

Ethiopia claims that aid is being delivered to most of Tigrays 6 million people, but aid workers have said they have been repeatedly denied access to several parts of the region by soldiers.

Ethiopia recently declared Tigrays former ruling party a terrorist group.
This aerial photo shows part of the 12-story oceanfront Champlain Towers South Condo that collapsed in Surfside, Fla., early on June 24, 2021. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

Aussies Feared Missing After US Building Collapse

Authorities in Miami are trying to determine if any Australians were caught up in the collapse of a residential building in Florida amid reports that a Melbourne couple is missing.

At least one person is dead and at least 99 are missing, Miami Herald reported. Meanwhile, rescue crews are searching for survivors after one side of the 12-storey Champlain Towers South building in Surfside collapsed early Thursday morning while residents were asleep.

Joseph Waks, an Australian ex-pat, believes an elderly Australian couple hes known for many years was in the building at the time.

He has not heard from them since the collapse and has been waiting at the scene for updates from the police.

Were hoping for the best, were hoping therell be a miracle, he told the ABC.

He said the couple was originally from Sydney but later moved to Melbourne and divided their time between Australia and Miami, where they have family.

They have been in and out of this community for many, many years, he said.

Its devastating. They both became grandparents yet again a few hours before the tragedy. We still cannot believe it.

Danny Rivero, a reporter from National Public Radio in South Florida, wrote on Twitter on Friday: Weve been told many Argentinians and Australians were in the building as well, and that all are unaccounted for. This is an international disaster.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was aware of reports Australians may have been caught up in the disaster at the Champlain Tower South Condominium.

The Australian embassy in Washington is closely monitoring developments and making urgent enquiries to determine if any Australians were affected, it said.

Surfside is a community of 5,700 residents with a large Jewish presence.

The Australian Jewish Association has been in contact with a committee member who is in Miami, staying near the collapsed building.

There are no reports so far of any Australian Jews being caught up in the disaster, a spokesman for the association told AAP.

The cause of the collapse, which was described by witnesses as sounding like thunder, like a low-flying military plane, or like a sudden rush of wind, WLRN reported, is unclear.

AAP contributed to this report.
Police investigate the scene of a mass shooting in the Sixth Street entertainment district area of Austin, Texas, on June 12, 2021. (Nuri Vallbona/Reuters)

Austin Mass Shooting: New Murder Suspect Arrested After Manhunt

Texas authorities on Thursday arrested a new suspect on a murder warrant in connection with the June 12 downtown Austin mass shooting that killed one person and wounded more than a dozen others, police said.

Deondre Dre White, 19, was arrested without incident on Thursday afternoon following a manhunt by the Killeen Police Department SWAT team and members of the U.S. Marshals Services Lone Star Fugitive Task Force.

The Travis County District Attorneys office said in a statement that White was taken into custody on a murder warrant for the killing of Douglas John Kantor, 25, during the mass shooting on Austins 6th Street. Multiple aggravated assault charges will also be sought against the suspect by prosecutors.

White is being held in a local jail pending an initial court appearance, the city police department said in a statement.

The 19-year-old was identified by authorities in Texas as a suspect on Tuesdayon the same day that charges were dropped against the two juvenile suspects who were previously arrested. New information from a witness led to his arrest, authorities said.

This case covered multiple jurisdictions and together we were able to locate and take into custody a violent fugitive, Killeen Police Chief Charles Kimble said.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza said on Thursday that at this time, authorities believe White was the only shooter on June 12.

Based on both forensic and eyewitness testimony, we have full confidence that the person responsible for the shooting has been arrested and is no longer a danger to our community, Garza said.

Austin Interim Police Chief Joseph Chacon said on Tuesday that the two juveniles who were arrested had guns in their possession. But ballistics evidence showed that 25-year-old Douglas John Kantor was killed by a shot from Whites weapon.

Kantor, a tourist from Airmont, New York, was shot below the rib cage through the abdomen. He died from his injuries at a local hospital.

He [Kantor] was looking forward to marrying his high school sweetheart of ten years and starting a family, the victims family told FOX 7 in a statement. He was loved by all who knew him and had an infectious smile that would light up any room. He was loved by his family, friends, and everyone who met him. This senseless tragedy has put an end to all his dreams.

According to court documents obtained by FOX 7, the mass shooting is believed to have occurred following a dispute between rival groups of teenagers.

The tragic incident that occurred in Austin on June 12th received nationwide attention and we are happy to report that the murder suspect is in custody, Kimble said in a statement. We would like to thank the U.S. Marshals Service and our SWAT team for their dedication and persistence to help close a chapter in this investigation. We are glad to work with dedicated professionals that are committed to keep our communities safe regardless of boundaries.
Frances Adamson at the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia on June 23, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Beijing Beset by Insecurity and Siege Mentality: Australian Diplomat

The Chinese leadership is beset by insecurity and a siege mentality, according to the outgoing head of Australias Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Secretary Frances Adamson, a former ambassador to China who was present during the elevation of Xi Jinping to the Communist Party leadership, said that from his ascension, the Chinese regime underwent the most consequential change.

China speaks of a new type of international relations, as if it is a fairer way, an improvement. But underneath it is the same old power politics, the raw assertion of national interests, Adamson told the National Press Club on June 23.

Few really grasp that this great power is still dogged by insecurity as much as driven by ambition. That it has a deeply defensive mindsetperceiving external threats even as it pushes its interests over those of others, she said.

This siege mentalitythis unwillingness to countenance scrutiny and genuine discussion of differencesserves nobodys interests. It is too ready to suspect containment instead of judging issues on their individual merits.

Joseph Siracusa, adjunct professor of the history of international diplomacy at Curtin University, has pointed out that Beijings aggressive ambitions towards the South China Sea or Taiwan have been driven by fear and weakness, not strength or expansionism.

The expansionist story is a falsehood that the military-industrial complex tells each other as they go onto sell the latest weapon system, he told The Epoch Times.

The Chinese are worried about how the Soviet Union disappeared after 74 years, as theres this old rule that after five generations, it is very hard to pass on communist zeal.

The CCP is entering its 72nd year of control over China as of 2021.

In response to Adamsons speech, the Chinese propaganda mouthpiece The Global Times responded by trumpeting Chinas achievements and accusing Australia of having a deep-rooted sense of security and anxiety.

Australia-China bilateral ties have taken a battering over the past year after Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in April 2020. Following this, Beijing launched an extensive economic coercion campaign targeting Australian exports to China, including coal, beef, wine, barley, lobster, timber, lamb, and cotton.

However, Adamson said that Australia had a strategy for dealing with Beijings increased belligerence.

We have a robust policy framework governing our approaches to China, which rightly, we constantly test. It is partly defensive, yes, because Chinas actions require it, she said.

But it is also proactive and open to a possible model of beneficial co-existence that guards against conflict and protects Australian sovereignty.

Adamson, who has served the department for five years, has been appointed the next governor of South Australia.
(L-R) New Commissioner of Police, Raymond Siu Chak-yee, Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu and Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung pose for a photo with Chief Executive Carrie Lam after taking the oath of office in Hong Kong, China June 25, 2021. (Information Services Department/Handout via Reuters)

Beijing Promotes Security Officials to Senior Roles in Hong Kong

The Chinese regime approved the promotion of Hong Kong security secretary John Lee to chief secretary on June 25, while police chief Chris Tang, 55, will take Lees position in what critics say will further tighten Beijings security squeeze on the global financial hub.

The elevation of Lee, 63, a former police deputy commissioner, to chief secretary is the first time a security specialist has taken on the No. 2 position in the territory since Hong Kongs handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997.

Previous chief secretaries have had extensive economic and social policy-making expertise.

I am confident that they are competent for their new posts and would rise to the challenges in serving the community, Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Hong Kongs leader, said in a statement.

Beijings imposition of a sweeping national security law in Hong Kong in June 2020 has put Chinas freest city on an authoritarian trajectory, with mass arrests of democratic campaigners and curbs on public assemblies and free speech.

Critics say the reshuffle could further empower security officials who have faithfully implemented Beijings new security regimen to strengthen control and clamp down on freedoms in the former British colony after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.

The promotion of John Lee and Chris Tang completes the swift and total transformation of Hong Kong into a police state, Samuel Chu, of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, said.

Lam and Lee are expected to travel to Beijing for the Chinese Communist Partys centenary celebrations next week, local media reported.

Lee and Tang were among 11 Hong Kong and Chinese officials sanctioned by the U.S. government last August for undermining Hong Kongs autonomy and democratic processes after the enactment of the national security law.

Lam told reporters on June 25 that the changes would lay down a good base for a government transition next year, when her current term ends.

Lee holds a degree from Charles Sturt University in Australia and joined the Hong Kong Police in 1977, rising to become deputy commissioner, according to a government statement.

He played a key role in trying to implement a contentious proposed extradition law in 2019 that divided Hong Kong society and triggered mass protests. That legislation was eventually scrapped amid widespread public calls for Lee to quit.

Known for his hawkish stance, Lee had spearheaded the citys disciplinary forces, including the police, in the national security clampdown.

That suppression has seen mass arrests of democratic activists and politicians, as well as a freeze on the assets of the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper on national security grounds that led to its abrupt closure on June 24.

One source, who has worked with Lee, said he is resolute, earnest, and efficient, but as a career police officer, he doesnt have a natural feel for the politics of a highly-polarized Hong Kong.

By James Pomfret
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Senate's bipartisan infrastructure deal at the White House in Washington, on June 24, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Biden Says He Wont Sign Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill Without Reconciliation

President Joe Biden on Thursday told reporters that he wont be signing the bipartisan infrastructure deal if Congress does not also pass a another measurea budget resolution that Democrats call human infrastructure that they want to push through via reconciliation to bypass the Senate filibuster.

Biden told reporters at the White House that he would not sign the bipartisan deal if it was the only one that seeks his desk.

Im not just signing the bipartisan bill and forgetting about the rest that I proposed, he later said, adding that the Democrat-pushed package that seeks to expand the nations social safety net is equally important to the bipartisan bill that deals with physical, more traditional infrastructure needs.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who said at a press conference at the Capitol earlier on Thursday that she would not hold a vote on the bipartisan infrastructure bill until the Senate passes the bipartisan bill and a reconciliation bill.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he supports Pelosis plan, calling it a good way to ensure that both ends go forward.

Biden was in agreement with his Democrat colleagues, telling reporters on Thursday, Im going to work closely with Speaker Pelosi and Leader Schumer to make sure that both move through the legislative process promptly and in tandem. Let me emphasize that: and in tandem.

The bipartisan infrastructure deal Biden announced earlier in the day is projected to cost $973 billion over five years$579 billion of which is new spending. The total cost would rise to $1.2 trillion if projected over an eight year span. The new spending will be on building roads, bridges and highways, as well as power and broadband infrastructure, public transport and water infrastructure, among other initiatives.

The budget resolution that Democrats want to push through Congress involves what Biden proposed in his American Families Plan, which includes spending on home health care and child care, education, and other areas. The measure has been dubbed as human infrastructure, as opposed to the bipartisan bill that offers physical infrastructure.

Im getting to work with Congress right away on the other half of my economic agenda as wellthe American Family Planto finish the job on childcare, education, the caring economy, clean energy tax cutsclean energy, and tax cuts for American families, and much more, Biden told reporters, referring to the second measure he wants passed.

Democrats want to pass this measure through a Senate process called reconciliation, which would just require a simple majority to pass. Democrats would otherwise have to persuade 10 Republicans to support the bill to meet the 60 votes required to end a filibuster. Schumer launched the reconciliation process on June 16.

With the narrow majority Democrats hold in the upper chamber, the bill could theoretically be passed without Republican support if all Democrats vote in favor of the bill. They would need to garner support from moderates, including Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.).

Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) criticized Bidens latest remarks. Less than two hours after publicly commending our colleagues and actually endorsing the bipartisan agreement, the President took the extraordinary step of threatening to veto it. It almost makes your head spin, he said on the Senate floor.

One of the 21 senators who had negotiated the bipartisan bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), said on Twitter, If reports are accurate that President Biden is refusing to sign a bipartisan deal unless reconciliation is also passed, that would be the ultimate deal breaker for me.

I dont mind working with the other side for the common good, but Im not going to be extorted by liberal Democrats or anyone else, he added.
Cant Let a Human Being Walk Around With No Shoes: Florida Deputies Help Man in Need

After responding to a call about a person loitering behind a gas station, Florida sheriffs deputies saw there was more to the story: the man had no shoes, and he was hungry. Thus the kindhearted officers went above and beyond their call of duty to offer a solution.

In the bodycam footage shot in the Trinity area north of Tampa on June 14, Cpl. Dan Mills and Dep. Austin Cloutier of the Pasco Sheriffs Office approached the man to check on his welfare. The sheriffs office shared the footage on Facebook.

You aint got shoes, my dude? one officer asks, before the other ventures into a nearby store to buy a pair of flip-flops. Bringing the shoes back to the police cruiser, he cuts the tags, then drops the shoes to the ground for the man to slip his feet into.

Before parting ways, the officer has another intuition. He asks the man if hes hungry and gets a Yes, to which he replies, Let me see what I can do.

The officer walks into the gas station and hes soon out again with a hoagie. Then, after checking in with the manYou got shoes and you got food. Now, you good?both officers advise him to move on.

Running into a grateful citizen on the street, one deputy reasons, Cant let a human being walk around with no shoes.

Hundreds of netizens left Facebook comments commending the kind act.

Love the fact the officer cared to do this, but also note that he proceeded to do his job at the end. So proud, wrote one person.

Officer, you emulate what we teach our young, wrote another. You make a difference and you teach us how to make a difference. Its all about the ripple effect.

According to Amanda Hunter, public information manager for the Pasco Sheriffs Office, it wasnt the first time Pasco deputies have helped people in need, Faith Pot reports. Hunter claimed the majority of Pascos deputies enroll out of a desire to help people.

Their motto? We fight as one.

(Courtesy of Pasco Sheriffs Office)

Just four days after those deputies helped the barefoot man at the Trinity area gas station, four other officers from the Pasco Sheriffs OfficeDep. Bobby Ashley, Dep. Elizabeth Ulibarri, Dep. Anthony Princiotta, and Dep. Marquis Wrightresponded to calls to check the welfare of a family sitting by the side of a highway in the Hudson area.

They spoke to the father, who claimed he was looking for stable housing and was working hard to provide for his family.

The deputies told him about resources in the area before going out of their way to serve the familys immediate needs. Driving the father and two kids to a nearby CVS, they bought $275 worth of groceries, hygiene items, and toys, all from their own money.

A citizen pulled over to offer further support, and the deputies escorted the family back to where they were staying so they could get their supplies back safely.

(Courtesy of Pasco Sheriffs Office)

Sharing Ashleys bodycam footage on Facebook, the Pasco Sheriffs Office posted, Whether its combating crime in our community or just lending a helping hand to those in need  Were #PascoProud to serve our citizens and deeply grateful for the support of our community!

The inspiring footage has garnered over 2.5 million views to date.

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
CDC Investigating 13-Year-Old Michigan Boys Death After COVID-19 Vaccination: Officials

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is probing a 13-year-old Michigan boys death after he received the COVID-19 vaccine, according to county health officials in Michigan.

The Saginaw County Health Department said health officials were alerted to the teens death on June 17, which occurred about three days after the teenwho was not identifiedreceived the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Loss of life in an adolescent for any reason is heartbreaking. Health officer Chris Harrington, MPH, and medical director Delicia Pruitt, MD, are mothers of children near the boys age, so it hits close to home for them, said a news release from Saginaw County that was sent to local news outlets on June 23.

Its unclear if the teen had any underlying health conditions. Also unclear is whether the teen suffered from the rare heart inflammation conditions known as myocarditis or pericarditis, which the CDC has said have been linked to COVID-19 vaccines.

County health officials also didnt elaborate on what vaccine the teen received, only noting that he received two doses. The only two-dose COVID-19 vaccines approved for usage in the United States are made by Pfizer and Moderna.

COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

Officials said the CDC confirmed it is investigating the death and is probing whether the death was linked to the vaccination. The Epoch Times has reached out to Saginaw County and the CDC for comment.

The investigation as to whether there is a correlation between his death and vaccination is now at the federal level with CDC, the county health departments release added, reported Fox News. Meanwhile, the health department continues to encourage families to speak with their physicians to weigh their own risks and benefits of vaccination.

The teens death was reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a reporting system run by the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for further investigation.

Earlier this week, a CDC safety panel said more than 1,200 cases of heart inflammation in adolescents and young adults were reported following the administration of Pfizers or Modernas two-shot vaccines. After a review of VAERS submissions, the CDC discovered that 827 reports were for myocarditis or pericarditis after the second dose of the vaccine, while 267 people reported the heart condition after the first dose. The remaining reports did not specify which dose.

The majority of the myocarditis cases, according to the CDC, were associated with the Pfizer shot. The remaining cases were reportedly caused by the Moderna shot.

Following the CDCs latest findings, the FDA on June 23 announced it would add a warning about heart inflammation to a fact sheet for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.
China Launches Flurry of WTO Actions Against Australia

China has launched three simultaneous WTO actions against Australia, arguing that tariffs implemented on Chinese railway wheels, wind towers, and stainless-steel sinks were excessive.

The move has been described as petty by the Australian finance minister and follows World Trade Organisation (WTO) actions by the federal government against Chinese tariffs slapped on wine and barley exports.

The Chinese authorities launched the actions on June 24, complaining about Australian tariffs implemented on wind tower imports in 2014 (valued at 10.9 percent), railway wheels in 2015 (17.4 percent), and stainless-steel sinks in 2019 (60.2 percent).

The railway wheel tariffs also apply to French imports.

The measures vary, but we believe they are justified, Trade Minister Dan Tehan told reporters in Canberra in response to the action.

Obviously, China has the right to take this action, but we will vigorously defend the duties that we have put in place, he added. Why have they taken this action now?

Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) spokesperson Gao Feng said, (China) hopes that the Australian side will take concrete action to correct the wrong practices and avoid distortions to the trade of related products so that trade will return to a normal track as soon as possible.

On June 19, the Australian government decided to go ahead with a WTO action against Beijings punitive tariffs, varying between 107.1 to 212.1 percent, on wine exports to China. Australia is also progressing with an earlier action through the WTO on barley tariffs imposed by Beijing.

Chinas MOFCOM alleged that Australian winemakers deliberately sold wine at below-the-market prices into the country and effectively dumping the product to drown out local winemakers. An accusation Australian government ministers have strenuously denied.

Bottles of Australian wine are displayed at a supermarket in Hangzhou, in eastern Chinas Zhejiang province, on November 27, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The action against wine comes as one part of an extensive campaign by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to target Australian exports via tariffs or suspensions, after Foreign Minister Marise Payne called for an investigation into the origins of COVID-19 in April 2020.

Other impacted industries include coal, beef, barley, lobster, timber, lamb, and cotton.

Regarding the latest move by Beijing, Australian Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said, Id call it more petty than provocative, to be honest.

We dont think China will find it has any sort of strong case in the action it is taking, he told ABC radio on June 25.

Birmingham was also critical of Beijings approach to investigating and slapping tariffs on Australian wine and barley.

Our systems and our processes are strong ones and stand in contrast to the type of approach that was used in relation to Chinas decision against our wine and barley industries, he said.

Minister for Finance Simon Birmingham at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on May 13, 2021. (AAP Image/Mick Tsikas)

Joseph Siracusa, adjunct professor of the history of international diplomacy at Curtin University, said the move indicated that Beijing had no intention of backing down in its aggression towards Australia.

Theres a hell of a trade war going on with Australia. I mean, it is not a good sign. What it means is that Beijing doesnt intend to back off from Australia, and Australia is going to pursue all the legal avenues it has, he told The Epoch Times.

When youre in a ring with somebody, youve got to counterpunch when you get hit, he added. There will be (high level) people in Beijing who will ask: What are you doing about this? And the response will be: Were going to complain about it too.

So, its sort of an automatic response to a complaint with another complaint.

The Global Times, the CCPs official mouthpiece, said the latest WTO action was reciprocal treatment against Australia.

It also follows suspicions that Beijing was involved in influencing a recommendation by UNESCO to list the Great Barrier Reef as in danger.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the UNESCO process behind the determination appalling.
Detail of "George Washington," 1840, by Horatio Greenough. Marble; 136 inches by 102 inches by 82.5 inches. Smithsonian American Art Museum. (Public Domain)

Classic American Art: George Washington by Horatio Greenough

Neoclassical sculptor Horatio Greenoughs marble statue of George Washington is a wondrous work of art in more ways than one.

In 1832, the U.S. government commissioned Greenough to create the statue to commemorate the centennial of Washingtons birth.

Dressed in a toga and sandals, a defiant Washington appears with presidential poise. He raises his right hand to the heavens in recognition of God, and in his left hand he offers a sword.

George Washington, between 1918 and 1920. Glass negative. Statue Museum, Washington; Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress. (Public Domain)

The statue boasts many firsts. First in Peace and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen declare a couple of inscriptions on the pedestal for the statue of Americas first president.

But the sculptures pose is not original. Its based on one of the Seven Wonders of the World an approximately 40-foot-high statue of Zeus at the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, Greece.

A Greek Mythical Masterpiece

Around 430 B.C., the preeminent Athenian sculptor Pheidias, who created the statue of Athena for the Parthenon, created the gigantic Zeus.

Pheidiass Zeus is as mythical as Zeus himself. The original statue no longer exists, and the design was only replicated on coins or described in ancient texts.

Zeus, 1815, in The Temple of Zeus at Olympia. (Public Domain)

Long considered his masterpiece, Pheidiass Zeus was opulent. The god sat on a huge gold, ebony, ivory, and precious stone throne that was adorned with painted figures. Zeus had ivory flesh and a glass robe, gilded and carved with lilies and animals. He held the goddess of victory, Nike, in his right hand and a scepter inlaid with countless metals and topped with an eagle (Zeuss companion and messenger) in his left hand.

Greenoughs Washington

Greenough wasnt only inspired by Zeus. He depicted his Washington statue with myriad symbols of the ancient world to imbue nationlistic pride.

George Washington, 1840, by Horatio Greenough. Marble; 136 inches by 102 inches by 82.5 inches. Smithsonian American Art Museum. (Public Domain)

According to the Smithsonian website, on Washingtons throne the Greek god Apollo in his chariot symbolizes the American enlightenment, and Herculess fending off the snake and protecting his brother Iphicles indicates the courage of the American people.

And then directly from Americas history, Christopher Columbus and a Native American represent the meeting of the new and old worlds.

Inscribed in Latin, on the back of the throne: Horatio Greenough created this image as a great example of liberty and one which will not endure without liberty itself.

To find out more about the George Washington statue by Horatio Greenough, visit https://ept.ms/WashingtonStatue

School children facing Horatio Greenoughs statue of George Washington at the U.S. Capitol. Washington, 1899. Photograph by F.B. Johnston; Library of Congress. (Public Domain)
Coastal City Lifts State of Emergency Status

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.Newport Beach has lifted its state of emergency status following a unanimous city council vote during a June 22 meeting.

The vote was preceded by a staff presentation recommending termination of the order, which had been in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic since March 15, 2020.

Local elected officials have been unified in voicing support for lifting the citys state of emergency, citing that a crisis no longer exists and that, at least for now, there is no catastrophe it cant handle without federal or state support.

Councilmember Diane Dixon told The Epoch Times that should any unforeseen peril arise, the council is prepared to respond quickly.

Should there be another crisis, we could have an emergency meeting, if need be we will deal with it responsibly, Dixon said.

The lifting of the emergency status also repeals any related emergency ordinances and orders such as those related to outdoor dining or emergency duties. It also takes away special powers afforded to the city manager in her capacity as director of emergency services.

The City council moved to extend outdoor dining permits on June 8, prolonging the temporary use permits until Sept. 6, 2021.

The citys beaches, parks, trails, and playgrounds have been fully reopened for months and all capacity limits at other city facilities, such as community centers or libraries, were lifted with the states June 15 reopening.

Little Fiscal Impact

The city staff report also indicated that there is no immediate fiscal impact related to the adoption of the measure to lift the state of emergency.

City manager Grace Leung said that Newport Beach has received the first of two installments of the American Recovery Rescue Plan Act funds, and didnt expect any delay or withholding of the second payment. The only concern, she said, would arise if additional vaccination clinics or other measures are required in the future.

Several members of the public questioned the possible loss of federal or state resources or reimbursements for COVID-19 lockdown costs.

During the discussion, Councilmember Will ONeill clarified the statute stating: In order to maintain a status of emergency we have to, under the statute, be able to find an extreme peril situation where the local authoritys resources are inadequate to cope with the threat of COVID-19. We cannot make that finding any longer, its not a political statement, its a legal statement.

Even if there was money somewhere that we would be able to go after, we would be doing so under false pretenses.

Some council members noted the relevance of the lifting of restrictions as the city plans for the coming Fourth of July celebrations.

Prior to the June 22 vote, Dixon said: Let Newport Beach celebrate Independence Day a little early. This is our Independence Day, we are free.

Dixon told The Epoch Times that the council is doing everything the state is mandating at this time.

Were complying with everything the governor is requiring by order, she said.

ONeill said in an Instagram post following the meeting: Every city and county should be looking at the law and concluding that they cannot make the finding sufficient to justify their state of emergency and end it. The only pushback Ive heard so far is money. Theyre not sure if they might possibly potentially get more funding if they exist in a state of emergency. Heres my very blunt response: thats garbage.

Do you know what happens to citizens who request money based on false representations? Theyre charged with fraud. So how can it be any different for a government to claim money based on a represented state of emergency that they cannot possibly justify any longer?
Supporters stand outside the main gate of the Apple Daily offices after the company's final newspapers were printed at the printing facility in Hong Kong early on June 24, 2021. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Death of Free Press Spells the End of a Free Hong Kong: Jimmy Lai Adviser

After decimating Hong Kongs free press by forcing the closure of pro-democracy outlet Apple Daily, the Chinese communist regime will face little resistance in its bid to completely take over the city, warned Mark Simon, the newspapers senior executive.

Once youve let the genie out of the bottle, its not going to sit there. They are going to keep going as fast as they want, Simon said in an interview.

Simon, a senior executive of 21 years at Apple Dailys parent company Next Digital, spoke to The Epoch Times on June 24, the 26-year-old papers last day of publication. From midnight, supporters had lined up at newsstands across the city, sometimes in drizzling rain, waiting to get the last edition of Apple Daily. The outlet sold out at 1 million copies, more than 10 times its usual distribution of 80,000.

A woman takes a photo of the last issue of Apple Daily in front of a newspaper booth where people are queuing up to buy the newspaper, in downtown Hong Kong, on June 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

The front page of the last issue pictured a staff member on the Apple Daily building roof, waving at the crowds outside.

Hongkongers bid a painful farewell in the rain, the headline read.

One of the citys loudest voices critical of the Chinese Communist Party, Apple Daily is the latest and largest casualty yet of the draconian national security law imposed by Beijing last year to clamp down on the citys pro-democracy forces.

A Blow to a Free City

To Simon and many others, the abrupt closure of the pro-democracy tabloid, known for publishing racy celebrity gossip alongside pro-democracy views and investigations of corrupt officials, means more than the death of one newspaper. It marks the dismantling of all that has so far sustained Hong Kong as a vibrant city, a rock on which one of the worlds great economic miracles was born.

Hong Kong is a free society. Its based on free markets. Its based on free flow of information. And its primarily based on the rule of law. All three of those took a hit, he said, referring to the Western institutions inherited by the city when it was under British rule for 99 years, until the Chinese regime took over in 1997.

The final edition of the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily is displayed between two fake apples in Hong Kong early on June 24, 2021. (Bertha Wang/AFP via Getty Images)

You destroy a free press, you impact the free markets because people arent getting the proper information to make their economic judgments. And then, when you completely bypass the judicial system, as theyve done in Hong Kong in silencing us, well, then you basically destroyed the rule of law. Theres no need in Hong Kong anymore.

Simon said he takes pride in Apple Daily for holding power to account and taking up the cause of the people.

If you had a problem someplace, and it was a legitimate problem, you knew you could bring it to Apple Daily, and theyd air it out. You knew politicians would be asked questions. You knew police officers, if they beat somebody and were filmed, they would be there, he said.

Sweeping Campaign of Suppression

The paper shut down after authorities froze its assets amid a national security law investigation. A week earlier, 500 police officers raided the publications headquarters, arresting five of the companys top executives and accusing them of endangering national security. Two were later charged with collusion with foreign forces under the security law and denied bail.

A protester lays flowers on the ground at Chinas embassy in Paris, on June 25, 2021, in support of Apple Daily, a pro-democracy tabloid that was forced to close under Hong Kongs new national security law. (ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

The arrests were the first time that the Hong Kong government has applied the national security law against media professionals for articles theyve published.

The 55-year-old Yeung Ching-kee, a senior columnist, became the sixth staffer to be arrested on June 23. The same day, the police also called in another staff member for questioning, but didnt detain him, Simon said.

On the day of the raid, police were calling in the journalists for questioning by name, according to Simon.

They had a list and were taking details, he said.

The police asked for journalists phone numbers and where they lived, Simon said.

The only reason for that info is for one reason: picking people up, he said.

The media group had around HK$521 million ($67 million) in available cash at the end of March, enough to keep the company afloat for 18 months, according to an exchange filing provided by Simon. By halting trading of their shares and freezing the companys bank accounts, the Hong Kong government made it impossible for the outlet to tap into existing funds, effectively killing the newspaper.

Rubbing salt in the wound, the government-controlled Science and Technology Park Corp. moved to reclaim the land it leased to Apple Daily the very day the publication ceased printing, claiming the company had violated its contract.

An Apple Daily journalist holds freshly-printed copies of the newspapers last edition to be distributed to supporters gathered outside their office in Hong Kong early on June 24, 2021. (Daniel Suen/AFP via Getty Images)

Authorities cited more than 30 articles that they said have called for Western sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese governments, but wouldnt specify to which articles they were referring. Some of those articles date back to 2019, before the national security law came into force, even though the Hong Kong government has previously said the law wouldnt be retroactive.

Simon doesnt believe authorities will be transparent about the evidence supporting the charges.

They will never tell us what the offending articles were, he said. Because people have been digging through our archives, trying to find the articles. And if they were there, you can bet your bottom dollar that pro-China press will highlight them.

Wen Wei Po, a pro-Beijing newspaper, printed a 24-page pull-out section on June 23 celebrating the closure of Apple Daily, with a picture of its jailed owner Jimmy Lai and a headline calling him a China traitor Lai at Poisonous Apple.

Police State

Alongside the intensifying suppression of Hong Kongs once free-wheeling press, Beijing looks to be consolidating its clampdown on whats remaining of the citys pro-democracy contingent.

In a sign that the regime is solidifying its grip on the city, Secretary for Security John Lee was promoted to the chief secretary on June 25, Hong Kongs No. 2 position. Lees hardline stance during the 2019 pro-democracy movement as the former police commissioner, as well as his recent role in crippling Apple Daily, made the promotion alarming to critics who described the move as finalizing Hong Kongs transformation into a police state.

Legislator Alice Mak, from the Beijing-friendly Federation of Trade Unions, however, saw no reason for concern.

If it is a police state, why not? I dont think it is any problem with a police state, she said in a June 25 press conference, noting that when we say a police state  we emphasize security.

Lee, in a local radio interview on June 23, said that police have arrested 110 people and prosecuted 64 of them over 12 national security cases since last year. Among them are Lai, activist Joshua Wong, and opposition lawmaker Claudia Mo, whose WhatsApp message with Western reporters became evidence for the court to deny her bail.

A woman protects her copy of the Apple Daily newspapers final issue from the rain after lining up to buy it from a newsstand in Hong Kong on June 24, 2021. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Simon, who keeps track of Hongkongers targeted for political crimes, said he has a list of 180 namesincluding those charged and jailed over various non-security charges.

Those political prisoners are likely saying: Hey, give us some help. Were willing to stick it out here, according to Simon.

He said he hopes that the international attention could help keep the Hong Kong story alive, noting that his largest fear is that people move on.

I can assure you that the name Jimmy Lai will quickly disappear from the pages of the pro-China and pro-Beijing newspapers, Simon said.

Thats what the commies do, they just try to disappear you away.

But at the same time, the communist regime also needs Hong Kong to remain as an international financial hub to keep the money flowing in, Simon said.

Hong Kong will never be an international city, as long as you have political prisoners, he said.
In this screen grab from video, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is seen during victim impact statements as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides over sentencing, in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 25, 2021. (Court TV, via AP, Pool)

Derek Chauvin Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Prison Over George Floyds Death

Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin on Friday was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison for second-degree murder months after he was convicted in the death of George Floyd, coming hours after a judge denied his request for a new trial.

The sentence was handed down by Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill, who said in the hearing that he didnt base [his] sentence on public opinion or to send any messages. Cahill said that he handed down the sentence due to the particular cruelty Chauvin exhibited during Floyds death.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter in the death of Floyd last year. The incident triggered left-wing demonstrations, riots, and violence across the country as well as calls to defund the police, which some critics have said has led to a significant rise in crime across major U.S. metropolitan areas in recent months. Minneapolis was particularly hit hard by weeks of riots, arson attacks, looting, and violence in the wake of Floyds death, causing tens of millions of dollars in damage.

Chauvin, who didnt testify during his trial, only spoke briefly in court on Friday, and gave his condolences to the Floyd family.

Prosecutors argued during the hearing that Chauvin deserved a heavier sentence because he didnt render aid to Floyd during the arrest. He was dismissive to [the] duty of care that officers are supposed to adhere to, one prosecutor said.

In this image taken from video, former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin listens as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill sentences him to 22 1/2 years in prison, for the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd, at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on June 25, 2021. (Court TV via AP, Pool)

Eric Nelson, Chauvins attorney, told the court that if he received a heavy sentence, it would create a negative public impact and noted that hes received thousands of emails supporting Chauvin. Nelson further added that Chauvins Minneapolis police colleagues had a positive opinion of him, saying he was decorated for valor, was proud to be a Minneapolis police officer, and served in the U.S. Army.

Earlier on Friday, Cahill denied Chauvins motion for a new trial, claiming he failed to demonstrate that Minnesota engaged in prosecutorial misconduct and denied that he was able to establish a case of juror misconduct. Chauvin can file an appeal for a new trial with the Minnesota Court of Appeals after 90 days from the imposition of his sentence.

Nelson further claimed that a juror wasnt candid during the jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a Black Lives Matter-affiliated march to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors disputed Nelsons argument and said the juror was open about his viewpoints.

Prosecutors had sought 30 years in prison, while Chauvins lawyers argued for probation.

A destroyed building still smolders near the Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct the day after it was attacked and burned by rioters following the death of George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minn., on May 29, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Mr. Chauvin asks the Court to look beyond its findings, to his background, his lack of criminal history, his amenability to probation, to the unusual facts of this case, and to his being a product of a broken system, Nelson wrote in a court filing. Mr. Chauvins offense is best described as an error made in good faith reliance his own experience as a police officer and the training he had receivednot intentional commission of an illegal act.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, said in a sentencing memo that 30 years behind bars is twice the upper end of the presumptive sentencing range, adding that it would properly account for the profound impact of Defendants conduct on the victim, the victims family, and the community.

Minnesota sentencing guidelines called for 12 1/2 years due to Chauvins lack of a criminal record, but Cahill agreed with prosecutors that there were alleged aggravating circumstances that could justify a harsher penalty. Prosecutors argued that Chauvin treated Floyd with particular cruelty, abused his position of authority as a police officer, and did so in front of children.

With good behavior, Chauvin could be released on parole after serving approximately two-thirds of his sentence.

During the sentencing hearing, family members of Floyd issued victim impact statements. That included Floyds 7-year-old daughter Gianna, who told the court about what she would say if he were still alive: I miss you and I love him.

Chauvins mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, also attended the hearing and delivered a victim impact statement in favor of a lighter sentence.

Pawlenty said that the allegations foisted in the mainstream media that Chauvin is a racist or a heartless individual are false, saying the former officer doesnt deserve a heavy prison term.

None of these things are true, she said of the allegations. My son is a good man.
Discover Windsor Before the Tourists Return

Out for a late Sunday afternoon walk without another person in sight, I turned around when a voice called out, Move to the left.

That voice, in one of those so English of accents, came from a policeman wearing the stereotypical bobbys uniform.

Out of seemingly nowhere, a green Range Rover quickly approached me on the Long Walk, as the 2.6-mile-long pedestrian path from gates of Windsor Castle through the 5,000-acre Great Park is called. As the car came closer, I realized why I had been told to give way. The driver was none other than Queen Elizabeth II. She quickly passed and was off to one of her exclusive retreats on the Windsor Castle estate.

My royal encounterone that occurred during a pre-pandemic visitcould be yours. The queen always spent considerable time at Windsor Castle, which is always described as her favorite residence. In earlier years, the late Prince Philip was also a regular sight.

While crowded before COVID-19 with day-trip tourists from late morning through late afternoon, Windsor is a different experience in these early days and weeks of the United Kingdoms reopening.

Obviously, walking the Long Walk is a must. Not only is it your best chance of seeing the queen or another member of the royal family, but its also a great way to burn off a pint or two of English ale. Plus, the best views of Windsor Castle are from sculptor Sir Richard Westmacotts Copper Horse statue of King George III at the end of the Long Walk.

Then there is hallowed St. Georges Chapel with its perpendicular Gothic architecture and elaborate fan vaulting. It was built between the reigns of King Edward IV in 1475 and King Henry VIII in 1528.

The Upper Ward and Round Tower, as seen from the Long Walk. (Thayut Sutheeravut/Shutterstock)

The backdrop for so many royal occasions, including the recent ceremonial funeral of Prince Philip, the medieval chapel is best seen through attendance at one of the free Church of England services. Evensong, sung by choristers most days at 5:15 p.m., is arguably the most well-known rite.

A word of warning, however. The chapel is strict about no photography. Still, a quick search of #StGeorgesChapel on Instagram reveals that more than a few photographers managed to snap away inside.

St. Georges Chapel. (Boyan Georgiev Georgiev/Shutterstock)

Not far from Windsor is Runnymede, where King John sealed the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215. This document heavily influenced Americas Founding Fathers at the time of independence in 1776.

Just a stones throw from the Magna Carta Memorial, designed by architect Sir Edward Maufe and commissioned by the American Bar Association, is a simple but profound stone monument to the memory of slain President John F. Kennedy.

No trip would be complete without also seeing Windsor Castle, which is once again open to visitors. Do climb the 200 steps to the top of the round tower, as the panoramic view is a perfect backdrop for selfies.

The Magna Carta Memorial at Runnymede. (Paul Daniels/Shutterstock)

If You Go

I stayed at Oakley Court, which sits on 35 acres along the River Thames just minutes from everything to do and see. The four-star hotel features a decor that blends Victorian country house and modern-day refinement.

Eating at a French restaurant in a place as quintessentially English as Windsor may seem like an oxymoron, but French cuisine goes back to the days of the Norman conquest in 1066. Michelin three-starred Waterside Inn in nearby Bray wont disappoint.

Windsor is just 20 minutes by car from Londons Heathrow Airport, which is serviced daily by the big airlines. Uber, the iconic black cab taxis, and rental cars are all readily available upon arrival.

The Visit Windsor website (windsor.gov.uk) has the most up-to-date information.

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Epoch Times. Follow @dennislennox on Twitter and Instagram.
Discovering China Without Communist Influence?

The Biden administration has imposed trade bans on five Chinese firms over concerns of forced labor in Xinjiang. Some of them manufacture silicon, used in solar panel production.

Chinas space program appears to serve military purposes first and civilian needs second. A U.S. expert says that China could use its space program to cripple the American economy, sending it back toward the 1970s.

How long does it take the Delta virus variant to spread from one person to another? A surveillance video shows that it can make the jump in as little as 14 seconds.

The Chinese ambassador to the United States is stepping down. But will his successor become another wolf warrior diplomat or a sheep?

One westerners fascination with traditional Chinese culture took him to China, but the experience didnt live up to his expectations. It was only after he returned to the United States did he find the true China he had dreamed aboutin a most unexpected place. We sit down with Jared Madsen to hear his story.

Protests occurred in 50 cities around the globe. Concerned citizens are saying that China shouldnt be allowed to host the 2022 Olympic Games because of its human rights issues.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China.

For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter.
Education Secretary Dodges Questions on CRT, Refuses to Say How Many Genders There Are

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on Thursday faced a barrage of questions from House Republicans regarding his departments endorsement of critical race theory (CRT) and LGBTQ activism, which he downplayed, saying he trusts individual educators to decide what they need to teach.

During a House Education and Labor Committee hearing on the priorities of the Education Department, Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) asked Cardona whether New York Times 1619 Project is currently taught in schools as a part of the curriculum. The Pulitzer Prize-winning project consists of a collection of essays, which center around the idea that the United States was founded, and remains today, a racist nation.

A K-12 curriculum based on the 1619 Project, developed by Pulitzer Center, has made its way into many public school districts across the nation, including Chicago, Illinois; Buffalo, New York; and Newark, New Jersey. A new rule proposed in April by the Education Department also prioritizes funding U.S. history and civics programs that incorporate the 1619 Project.

Cardona deflected the question, saying his department does not get involved in recommending or mandating curriculum in schools. When pressed again by an unimpressed Walberg, he replied that students engage better when they see themselves in the curriculum.

We dont get involved, as the federal government, in monitoring curriculum in schools. I think thats a state responsibility, so I couldnt answer whether or not [the 1619 Project] is being taught in schools, said Cardona. What I can tell you is that we dont have a role, but as an educator I will tell you When students see themselves in the curriculum, theyre more likely to be engaged.

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.) expressed similar concern, pointing out that the Education Departments new rule also lists works of critical race theorist Ibram X. Kendi as an example for the kind of content it wants to promote in American classrooms. He quoted Kendis 2019 remark about a racial equity constitutional amendment, and asked Cardona whether he considers ideas like that to be radical and inconsistent with the goal of public education.

Its important that I reiterate at every opportunity I have that the federal government doesnt get involved in curriculum, Cardona said, adding that he trusts educators to make decisions about what their communities need. Its really not the federal governments role to determine what gets taught.

Cardona was also called upon by Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) over a resource (pdf) about confronting anti-LGBTQI+ harassment in schools, which was published earlier this week by the Education and Justice Departments. One of the examples of anti-LGBTQI+ harassment involves a teacher telling the class that there are only boys and girls and that anyone who thinks otherwise has something wrong with them.

Before we start penalizing teachers for stating a genetic and biological fact about genders, can you please clarify for the committee how many genders there are? Miller asked.

So, I know what youre asking, but Im going to get to the root of what youre asking, Cardona replied. I feel very strongly, that as educators, its our responsibility to protect all students.

That is an example [of harassment] under your leadership that you are putting out to people, said Miller, pressing Cardona again. How many genders are there?

Cardona once again deflected, asking how Miller would respond to a student who is nonbinary in your classroom, only to have the congresswoman repeating the same question.

I wont be answering your question, Cardona said. You can continue your line of questioning.
People vote on primary election day at P.S. 249 The Caton School in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York City on June 22, 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Election Integrity: The Firewall That Keeps America Free

Commentary

During the past year and a half, its become obvious to anyone whose head is not in the sand that America has been under assault on multiple levels from within. There is no denying that the COVID-19 viral invasion was a catalyst for so much of the disruption of 2020, culminating in election irregularity in November.

By spring 2020, normal activities and businesses were largely shut down nationwide by federal and local governments response to COVID-19. Antifa and Black Lives Matter protests and riots in May and June brought the most costly man-made damage to U.S. property in history.

Then, the cancel culture, already ensconced and in control of college and university campuses, came to the streets and parks of America in the tearing down of historic monumentsand all the while, law enforcement was coming under severe attack, with numerous police departments facing prospects of defunding.

This lockdown-crisis environment gave Democrats an opportunity to push for change in state election rules to their advantage, such as allowing the wholesale distribution of mail-in ballots, the extension of deadlines for counting those ballots, and legal challenges to voter ID and signature verification laws. And we all now know the result: The 2020 election was characterized by unprecedented election irregularities and charges of vote fraud in more states than any prior election.

4 Stages of Communism

The confluence of all this has certainly brought on confusion for many Americans. But a significant group of people believe they see things with clarity.

Where I live in South Florida, its an incredible melting pot of peopleimmigrants from all over the world. Many of my acquaintances and friendsfrom Eastern and Slavic Europe and Russia, Latin America, and Southeast Asiahave commented that what they see going on in America is a fairly classic communist-type subversion.

They believe that the takedown of the United States is well-advanced and now poses a real threat to the continuation of the United States as a free nation.

My immigrant and refugee friends point out that the communist playbook is really quite easy to understand. Several who lived under communist systems commented that communist revolutionaries are masters at using false fronts, whether critical race theory or social justice Marxist theories of wealth redistribution to advance their real objective, which is one-party rule and total control of society. While my friends see this so clearly, they are dumbfounded and mystified that so many American people remain so naive and passive in the face of cancel culture, censorship, and creeping cultural totalitarianism that is so obviously and rapidly redefining the country.

While there are minor differences in theory amongst the victims of communism, they basically agree that communists generally target four primary institutions to break down and replace: 1) the family unit; 2) religion and, in particular, Christianity; 3) individuality and independent thinking (which is supplanted by collectivist group think); and 4) loyalty to the nation-state (which is supplanted by global and internationalist affinities).

My friends also agree on the four steps or stages that communists employ to take over targeted peoples and nations. First, communists seek to bring about demoralization, which takes many yearsa generation or twoof brainwashing to destroy the moral fiber and integrity of the target people or country.

The second stage, which is shorter, is to bring about destabilization, and targets the weakening of the countrys economy, justice and law enforcement system, and its defense capabilities.

The third stage is to bring about a crisis. This is the last major step in the communist playbook, which usually involves a cataclysmic event that upsets and divides the countrypitting large groups against each other, creating either civil war or simply chaos and panic.

The fourth and final stage in the realization of the communist-type society is what is called normalization, which is generally irreversible. Thats the final stage, in which the new powerbrokers take over and the populace of the target country loses all its remaining freedoms and its connection to its past, while the new state employs censorship and propaganda to enforce acquiescence to the new reality imposed by the communist state.

According to the four stages of communist revolution, the United States is clearly in the third Crisis Stage, with division making the country nearly ungovernable and revolutionary change being manifest in a fraudulent election.

Not only is Joe Bidens election legitimacy as president in question, but his fundamental trustworthiness is in question because of his son Hunter taking large monetary sums on behalf of the Biden family from corrupt foreign countries, with China being the largest benefactor.

Soft Coup

The greatest crime against the American people and the U.S. Constitution is the soft coup of election fraud.

We all sense that many people in high places in the U.S. government have for many years violated their oaths of office and become compromised by gaming the system to gain wealth and stature. And with America now sometimes seeming to have a corrupt two-tiered justice system that gives cover and protection to a favored political party and its chosen figures, its free and fair elections that are the peoples chief Constitutional check on corruption. When election integrity is lost, the country will be lost.

Our communist enemies likely view the forensic audits of election results in Arizona and elsewhere as a means of keeping the Crisis Stage going. Regardless of the facts, the mainstream and social media will, in all probability, either ignore or discredit audit outcome results that are contrary to their narrative that denies the existence of 2020 election fraud. And with probably 40 percent of the American population being brainwashed and demoralized, the Crisis Stage in America is clearly a high-risk period.

While this late-stage challenge is frightening, the United States has overcome many equally daunting challenges throughout its past. And, historically, Americans have exhibited a tendency to wake up and rally at the 11th hour.

The good news is that a greater number of Americans are now more informed and better prepared to accept election audit findings and consequences than they would have been in the 2 1/2 months immediately after the election, when Trump was still in office.

What is critical now is that the people fully realize that the freedoms they have enjoyed under the democratic constitutional republic of the United States can only be guaranteed at this point by election integrity. There simply is no substitute for victory in the fight to restore and protect the honesty of our electoral system. Election integrity is the indispensable firewall to keep America a free nation.

Scott Powell is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and author of the forthcoming book Rediscovering America. You can reach him at scottp@discovery.org

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Emergency personnel at the site of a partially collapsed building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department/Handout via REUTERS)

Families Pray for Miracle With 159 Missing in Florida Condo Collapse

SURFSIDE, Fla.Rescue workers scouring the debris of a collapsed condo building in a Miami suburb said they heard sounds in the rubble overnight, as officials on Friday raised the number of people unaccounted for to 159 and the confirmed death toll to four.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava told reporters that three more bodies were pulled from the wreckage overnight. Another person was reported to have died on Thursday. The mayor also said the number of presumed missing had increased from the 99 reported missing on Thursday.

Im praying for a miracle, Rachel Spiegel, whose mother, Judy Spiegel, is missing, told CNN on Friday.

The last time Spiegel communicated with her mom was Wednesday night, when her mother excitedly texted her that she had bought a dress online for Spiegels daughter, her granddaughter.

Hours later, early Thursday morning, a large section of the Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, authorities said.

The dress is in the mail and I just want my mom to give it to her, Rachel Spiegel told CNN, wiping away tears.

Emergency crews continue search and rescue operations near Miami Beach, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (Octavio Jones/REUTERS)

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Assistant Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said on Friday that rescuers had heard sounds in the rubble overnight, but said it could be either falling debris or people tapping.

Video captured by a security camera nearby showed an entire side of the building suddenly folding in two sections, one after the other, at about 1:30 a.m. on Thursday, throwing up clouds of dust.

We are listening for sounds, human sounds and tapping, Jadallah said, as rescuers use shovels and jackhammers to tunnel under the debris to find pockets where survivors could be.

On Thursday, search teams detected sounds of banging and other noises but no voices coming from the mounds of debris.

Mariela Porras, a friend of a woman who lived in the building with her young daughter and is now missing, said she has not abandoned hope that the two were still alive beneath the rubble.

I vacillate between hope and Im heartbroken, Porras told CNN.

Porras said she has called, texted, and visited a reunification center, but has not heard from her friend, a photographer who was working to get a real estate license.

We Still Have Hope

Cava on Friday said that rescue teams were incredibly motivated to find anyone who might have survived the collapse.

We still have hope that we will find people alive, the mayor said.

A partially collapsed building in Surfside, near Miami Beach, Fla., on June 25, 2021. (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department/Handout via Reuters)

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration in the state of Florida and ordered federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts.

The presidents action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts, the White House said on Friday.

What caused the 40-year-old high-rise to cave in was not immediately known, although local officials said the 12-story tower was undergoing roof construction and other repairs.

Cava told reporters on Thursday that 99 people remained unaccounted for, although some may not have been in the building at the time of the disaster.

Another 110 individuals whose whereabouts were initially unknown have since been located and declared safe, she said.

A fire official said earlier that 35 people were evacuated from the section of the high-rise left standing, and response teams using trained dogs and drones in the search pulled two individuals from the rubble. One of them was dead.

Officials said the complex, built in 1981, was going through a recertification process requiring repairs, with another building under construction on an adjacent site.

The Champlain Towers South had more than 130 units, about 80 of which were occupied. It had been subject to various inspections recently due to the recertification process and the adjacent building construction, Surfside Commissioner Charles Kesl told Miami television station WPLG Local 10.

By Francisco Alvarado
Fire at China Martial Arts Center Kills 18, Mostly Children

BEIJINGA fire tore through a martial arts training center in China during the early hours of Friday morning, killing 18 people, with one state media outlet reporting that most of the dead were children who were staying there.

The blaze broke out at 3 a.m. and injured 16 people, four of whom were in serious condition as reported on the the government of Zhecheng county, in Henan province, website. It was unclear what caused the fire.

Most of the casualties were students aged between 7 and 16 staying on the centers second floor, the Beijing Youth Daily said in a report that was later deleted from its website.

The actual number of casualties is difficult to verify, as the Chinese regime routinely suppresses or alters information.

In a social media post, Zhonghong, a news outlet backed by Chinas state planner, identified the center as Zhenxing Martial Arts Center. Neither Zhenxing or its founder, Chen Lin, answered calls seeking comment.

My kid is nine years old, but I know nothing about his current situation. We cant see him or visit him, said Zheng, the father of one of the children admitted to hospital.

At Zhenxing, the kids would study and practice martial arts in the day and live there every night. I dont know what caused the fire, Zheng told Reuters by telephone.

Another father was filled with relief that his son was among the survivors.

Its extremely lucky that my son escaped from the fire, but I dont know anything specific, said Xu, 39.

All information is being blocked, he said in a text-message.

The county said the police detained the person in charge of the training center, but did not identify the person or name the center.

Fires are not uncommon in China, due partly to patchy safety protocols and sub-standard construction. In one of Chinas most horrific fires, 309 people were killed at a nightclub in the city of Luoyang, also in Henan, on Christmas Day in 2000.

Epoch Times staff contributed to this report
Fjords, Waterfalls, and Viking History: Sailing North in Norway

While its literally an everyday occurrence, the departure felt momentous, like a shipload of explorers launching north, searching for unknown worldswith terra incognita, guaranteed. Having spent a few days knocking around the seaside city of Bergen, riding its funicular up a verdant mountainside believed to be inhabited by trolls, and browsing at the storybook waterfront shops built centuries ago by the Hanseatic League, I was eager to get my sea legs. Rolling out of the harbor, we were bound for the frozen expanses of the Arctic, with plenty to do along this countrys famous express route.

The Lofoten archipelago is known for its dramatic peaks. (R7 Photo/Shutterstock)

Express Route

I was on the Hurtigruten, Norway, national steamship line, which transports passengers up and down the countrys famously serrated coastline. Every day, one ship leaves Bergen, going north, while another departs from Kirkenes, in the far north, headed south. Pronounced hurt-a-grooten, its namewhich means express route in Norwegianis a bit of a misnomer, as the ships call at 34 separate ports. The voyage takes about a week from start to finish, and Ive sailed it three separate times, watching the leafy south turn to shades of blue, gray, and white.

Hurtigruten launched its first voyage in 1893. Norway is exceptionally mountainous, sliced through by fjords, and girded by seas of the North Atlantic and the Arctic, making communications and transportation a major challenge. Until the 1940s, communities north of Trondheima fairly southern citywere unconnected by road, and air service only became common in the 1960s. For decades, these blue, red, and white ships were absolutely essential to the survival of isolated villages and towns, ferrying people between ports and, importantly, carrying the mail. Once these ships took on this task, they reduced delivery times by weeks.

Tromso, Norway, offers spectacular sunsets in the winter. (Babumon/Shutterstock)

And while Norwegians now have other optionstoday, an impressive network of tunnels and bridges unite most of this countryonboard the steamships is a mix of locals and tourists uncommon on most cruise ships. The fleet still carries the mail, and people board and disembark throughout the voyage, hopping between ports. Chatting with these Norwegians adds a nice cultural element, as well as learning about their lives in villages and towns along the way. The ships are comfortable but unfussy, with typically Scandinavian utilitarian cabins, stylish common areas, hot tubs on the upper decks, and hearty, satisfying meals.

Life at a Slower Pace

Half of the fun was the sailing itself. Sitting in the streamlined lounge, which crowned the fore of each vessel, there was a distinct pleasure in grabbing a coffee and a good book and sinking into a sofa while a never-ending display of the countrys best scenery rolls past. Just outside of the floor-to-ceiling windows were glimpses of life at a slower pacea pretty little house, sitting all by itself, or the docks of a bustling fishing village. Then there was the endless wilderness, the white snow caps on the mountains growing bigger as the ship crashed through increasingly frigid waters.

Crossing the Arctic Circle, an invisible line around 66 degrees north, passengers gathered on the open decks, snapping photos of a small monument onshore and toasting our entrance into the land of the midnight sun with flutes of champagne.

The captain made an appearance, giving the willing a traditional baptism, scooping up ice cubes and ladling them down the backs of passengerswho lined up for the chilly honor. At Trollfjord, the ship made an impressive maneuver, squeezing through the 300-foot mouth of the inlet. Everyone was up on deck again, marveling at waterfalls tumbling down its sheer cliffs that rose to 3,000 feet, as the captain executed a difficult U-turn to extricate us from the narrow waterway.

And there were the eagles. Boarding a smaller boat at Trollfjord, we cruised away from the ship. Arriving in a calm, sheltered cove, the crew opened up buckets of fish. As if from nowhere, they came: big, majestic sea eagles. With guides holding the food into the air, the birds swooped down, snatching the fish right from the hands of the staff. Gripping the meal in their sharp talons, the eagles eyes flashed as they returned, their massive, powerful wings propelling them back into the sky.

The Tromso Bridge and the Arctic Cathedral in Tromso. (Altrendo Images/Shutterstock)

The Lofoten Islands

The next day, we toured the Lofoten Islands, with their picturesque, colorful villages. Theres a long history of cod fishing there, and in some places, you still see the fish drying, baking on tall racks, under the sun. Those islands were also home to Vikings, whose settlement there dates back 1,000 years. In 1981, a farmer inadvertently uncovered the remains of a massive longhouse, once home to a powerful chieftain. More than 250 feet in length, it was rebuilt and turned into a museum, where visitors can learn hands-on Norse weapons skills, including ax throwing; try some blacksmithing; and partake in a Viking feast.

While winters there can be harsh, Norways northern latitudes are tempered by the Gulf Stream, a warm current that flows across the ocean from the Gulf of Mexico. Conditions are far more liveable than in comparable polar regions, where the sea ice remains almost year-round, and temperatures can hover around freezing all summer long. The moderation of the islands has enabled the growth of larger cities, like Tromso.

Its the third-largest city north of the Arctic Circlethe other two are in Russia. Steaming into the harbor there felt a bit unbelievable. A futuristic bridge soared over the harbor, and the white peaks of the Arctic Cathedral capped the skyline. On summer trips, passengers are invited to attend a midnight concert at the cathedral, its roof a little reminiscent of the Sydney Opera House. As we emerged afterward, in the wee hours of the morning, the sky still glowed.

Hurtigruten, a daily passenger and freight shipping service, travels along Norways western and northern coast between Bergen and Kirkenes. (Anibal Trejo/Shutterstock)

Proceeding north and west, the landscape became more severe, with the green disappearing and the mountains more rugged and weathered. At Hammerfest, we were given the option of joining the Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society, touring their small but informative museum. At the North Cape, once thought to be the northernmost point in Europe, we saw the place where the Atlantic meets the Arctic Ocean, the gray seas splashing at the bottom of cliffs that dropped away more than 1,000 feet on each side.

Final Port of Call

Finally, we reached Kirkenes, our final port-of-call, a small town of about 3,500 people that sat right on the Russian border. It was a hardy place, cradled by a stark landscape. Crab awaited, the perfect finish to a weeklong voyage.

Get ready for the best meal of your life, said the guide, with a smile. And he wasnt kidding.

Donning survival suits, we crashed out onto the ocean on a zodiac. Pausing to pull a trap, he explained that the millions of king crabs that now crawled below Norwegian waters were actually descendants of a 1960s experimental fishery in Russia. Invasive and fast to multiply, they moved about 60 miles west, into those waters. Fishermen were initially frustrated, as the crustaceans damaged their equipment. But now, these huge crabs have become a boon, reviving the economy in many of the villages, with the catch serving as one of the most valuable in the world.

That day, we saw a dozen or so specimens. the guide stacked them in the little boat and took us to a small, seaside cabin, where he boiled them up over a fire. The meat was juicy and sweet, and served simply, accompanied only by crusty bread, butter, and mayonnaise. It was a meal worthy of any explorer. Or maybe just a casual cruiser who had conquered the length of the Norwegian coast.

Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson is always traveling in search of the next great story. Having visited 140 countries across all seven continents, hes tracked lions on foot in Botswana, dug for dinosaur bones in Mongolia, and walked among a half-million penguins on South Georgia Island. He contributes to some of North Americas largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.
Following the Paths of D-Day in Normandy

Today, its a sleepy town not far from the sea, but in the wee, pre-dawn hours of the morning on June 6, 1944, Sainte-Mere-Eglise was wide awake. Fires and the repeating gunshots from automatic weapons lit up the skies. Allied paratroopers dropped from above, many paying a heavy price, descending into this burning hell to secure the primary road connecting the nearby landing beaches with the rest of France.

Famously, one soldier, John Steele, became suspended, hanging from the big, stone church in the heart of town, his parachute wrapped around the spire, as the bells rang outan event depicted dramatically in the film, The Longest Day.

A mannequin of a paratrooper hanging from the church steeple in St. Mere-Eglise (Bertl123/Shutterstock)

Walking into the main square on my visit here, I saw that he was still there, or at least a representation of Steele, in mannequin form, hanging from the side of the church, his legs dangling, his parachute still engaged. Seventy-seven years ago, Sainte-Mere-Eglise became the first town liberated on D-Day. You can still feel the legacy of those landings all across the coast here in Normandy, and on two separate visits, I experienced that history, a landscape sacred and scarred, and stunning.

My exploration began, as it should, on Omaha Beach. Instantly recognizable as a much-photographed, often-filmed icon of World War II, it still overwhelms. Stretching five miles along the English Channel, this was a central focal point of Operation Overlord, which poured 156,000 U.S., British, and Canadian troops onto five separate beachheads in a single day. They faced the Atlantic Walla series of German bunkers, pillboxes, machine-gun nests, and other fortifications, reinforced by land mines and barbed wire. Punching through the first breach, Overlord opened a western front to the war, one that would march across Western Europe to meet Soviet troops coming from Russia in the east.

The Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, near Omaha Beach, Normandy. (Bertl123/Shutterstock)

But the losses at Omaha were immense. The seas were heavy that morning. Landing craft were sometimes hung up on sandbars, leaving soldiers hundreds of feet from shore. Germans fired down from a steep line of bluffs, secure behind their battlements. On the beach, confusion reigned, with companies swept past their landing sites by a strong tide. Foot soldiers had to fight through water that often rose up to their waists, a hail of bullets raining down from above.

A dramatic conflict within the larger battle happened at Pointe du Hoc, a triangular promontory comprised of sheer cliffs jutting into the ocean, just to the west. Here, the Germans had positioned cannons capable of firing 15 milesto both Omaha and Utah Beaches. A small force of Army Rangers brazenly fought to the top, climbing up rope ladders, taking this key position. Of 225 who began this mission, only 95 were fit to keep fighting afterward.

Omaha Beach. (CTatiana/Shutterstock)

At Omaha, waves of reinforcements pushed back their adversaries, as afternoon faded to evening, capturing positions and moving the Germans back from the beach. But by days end, the Allies had suffered 2,400 casualties (with another 1,200 on the German side), and today, nearly 9,400 soldiers are buried here at the Normandy American Cemetery, with another 1,600 listed on the Walls of the Missing. Lush and green, the white grave markers stretch to the horizon in every direction, the beauty of the place contrasting with the melancholy of its meaning and history.

Thats true all across this stretch of Normandys coastline. Driving down quiet, winding roads, the seaside here seduces, drawing you into a reverie thats only broken when you reach a roundabout, say, with a big, green tank set atop it. A walk through the sand dunes might finish at a memorial to the fallen. The beaches stretch endlessly in both directions, the cobalt Channel rippling with waves, and its hard to imagine that on D-Day, almost 7,000 warships plied these waters.

A view of Arromanches-les-Bains. (Gimas/Shutterstock)

A perfect example of this juxtaposition: Arromanches-les-Bains, the windswept home of about 9,000, set atop a seawall amid a crescent of picturesque bluffs. At first glance, its just a charming French seaside town. Hotels and stores selling knick-knacks and ice cream shops line pedestrian streets. Bistros serve up moules frites (mussels and fries) and joue de boeuf (beef cheek cooked over two days with carrots, onions, and apples), the rich, evocative scents wafting out into the street, enticing you to wander, and sample, all day long.

Around one corner, a mural of two small children, writing: Please no more war  Love. And just off that seawall, a temporary harbor once unloaded the materiel that fueled the Western Front, thousands of tons arriving every day. But like everything with Operation Overlord, it wasnt easy. While the Allies locked down a secure stretch of coast on D-Day, none of that included a large port city like Le Havre or Cherbourg, places, at the time, still occupied by the Germans.

So the British built their own, known as Mulberry Harbor. Constructed in two sections (the other one was located close to Omaha Beach), ships carried the prefabricated pieces over the Channel. Workers assembled about six miles of floating roadways (with the code-name, Whales) set on buoyant steel and concrete pontoons (called Beetles), protected by rows of scuttled ships (Gooseberries) and other breakwaters. When its twin at Omaha was destroyed by a violent storm, this placed additional pressure on the facilities at Arromanches. In just over three months, millions of soldiers and supplies passed through, and, a testament to its strength, pieces of the harbor are still visible from the seawall in town.

The bridge that crosses over the Canal de Caen was the first objective taken by airborne troops in the Normandy campaign on D-Day 1944. The original bridge was replaced in the 1990s by this new bridge. (mountaintreks/Shutterstock)

After a visit to the excellent D-Day museum in town (which includes a detailed model of Mulberry), I continued across the region, visiting Utah Beach and Juno Beach. At the latter, Canadian soldiers and sailors, supported by French free fighters and Norwegians, pushed through bad weather and heavy resistance to push back the German line, linking up with the British, who had taken nearby Gold Beach. At Pegasus Bridge, panels told a dramatic story. Since it was one of only two links between the major city of Caen and the coast, capturing these spans was the very first D-Day objective. In Operation Deadstick, 30 airborne soldiers descended in six gliders, securing both Ranville and Benouville Bridgeswith Benouville renamed for the emblem of the British Parachute Regiment.

After a side trip to see the Bayeux Tapestry (which is completely unrelated to D-Day, but worth a visitdating back to the 11th century, it tells the story of the Norman conquest of England in 1066 along 230 feet of cloth), I continue down the coast. More beaches to walk, villages to visit, the rise of Le Mont Saint Michelthe path to its entrance ebbing and flowing with the tidejust beyond. Plenty more to explore, here in Normandy.

Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson is always traveling in search of the next great story. Having visited 140 countries across all seven continents, hes tracked lions on foot in Botswana, dug for dinosaur bones in Mongolia, and walked among a half-million penguins on South Georgia Island. He contributes to some of North Americas largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.
A general view at start of a European Union leaders meeting on the first day of the EU summit, in Brussels, Belgium, on June 24, 2021. (Olivier Hoslet/Pool via Reuters)

France and Germany Drop Russia Summit Plan After EUs East Objects

BRUSSELSEuropean Union leaders on Friday rejected a Franco-German proposal to hold a summit with Russia after Poland and Baltic countries said it would send the wrong message as East-West ties deteriorate.

After U.S. President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva on June 16, French President Emmanuel Macron said a first EU summit with Putin since January 2014 would be a dialogue to defend our interests. He said the EU must be proactive in its diplomacy with Russia.

Italy, a big exporter to Russia with investments in Russian energy, also backed a summit with Putin, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said. Russia is an important player on the economic and political front  We must have an active dialogue, Draghi told reporters at the Brussels summit.

But late-night talks between the EUs 27 leaders failed to secure an agreement, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said.

Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel gives a press conference on the second day of an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Belgium, on June 25, 2021. (Stephanie Lecocq/Pool via Reuters)

France and Germany want to be able to work with Russia on combating climate change and to find ways to stabilize relations. Merkel said that, even without a summit, formats will be explored  under which dialogues can be started.

Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he had supported the summit proposal, but many other leaders were opposed, and Russias direct neighbors were the most vocal.

Macron said he had concluded that EU unity was more important and the summit was not a top priority.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters that Putin must stop aggressive policies against its neighbors, and that there could be no summit while Moscow held Crimea, annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and sided with separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said the idea was like trying to engage the bear to keep a pot of honey safe, and Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins said Russia might see a summit as a reward when diplomacy had failed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

More Sanctions?

The Kremlin said it was committed to improving ties with the EU, Russias biggest foreign investor, and a big oil and gas customer, and Russias foreign ministry said the EU was being thwarted by an aggressive minority.

In general, President Putin was and remains interested in improving working relations between Moscow and Brussels, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The European position is fragmented, not always consistent and sometimes unclear.

The failure of the initiative underscores the contradictory pressures faced by the EU, which says it will never recognize Crimea as Russian territory and has accused Moscow of covert operations to try to undermine its democracies.

Moscow rejects what it says is Western interference.

In the event, the EU leaders fell back to a familiar position. In a statement, they called on the European Commission and the EUs top diplomat Josep Borrell to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions.

The EU already has sanctions in place on the Russian energy, financial, and arms sectors, and personal sanctions on Russians accused of human rights abuses or of using banned chemical weapons.

Diplomats say further sanctions could target Russian money laundering or powerful oligarchs suspected of serious corruption abroad, as non-EU member Britain did for the first time in April.

On Thursday, the EU imposed economic sanctions on Belarus, an ally of Moscow that the Kremlin sees as a buffer state between Russia and NATO.

Many EU countries are concerned that the Kremlin does not take the bloc seriously, after Borrell was publicly humiliated in February when Russia expelled EU diplomats without warning during his visit to Moscow.

We should be extremely cautious, Lithuanias Nauseda said. This is not like the relationship of Russia with the United States.
Gun Sanctuary Movement Erupts: 61 Percent of US Counties Now Second Amendment Sanctuaries

An analysis has revealed that more than three-fifths of all U.S. counties are so-called Second Amendment sanctuaries after a number of states this year passed legislation declaring them as such.

The website, Sanctuary Counties, found on June 20 that there are now 1,930 counties that are protected by Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation at either the state or county level, representing 61 percent of all counties.

It noted that a number of states have passed Constitutional Carry laws, while specifically, approximately 1,137 counties have taken it upon themselves to pass Second Amendment Sanctuary legislation and likely hundreds of cities, townships, boroughs, etc have done so at their level as well.

We have seen plenty of news about Constitutional Carry, which is another movement that we are actually quite supportive of, the site wrote. Yet the mainstream news has remained relatively silent regarding the massive Second Amendment Sanctuary movement, which leads us to a few questions.

In an attempt to clarify the difference between the two, Sanctuary Counties noted that the Second Amendment Sanctuary movement is from the bottom-up and a grassroots movement.

In a statement to The Epoch Times on Friday, a spokesperson for the Sanctuary Counties movement said that a Second Amendment Sanctuary  refers to a state / county / city or other municipality expressing their support for the Second Amendment and  many cases vowing not to enforce new / unconstitutional gun laws.

Constitutional carry generally, meanwhile, refers to the ability of a states citizens to carry a weapon without a permit, added the spokesperson, noting that in Texas, both constitutional carry and Second Amendment sanctuary bills were passed and signed.

It comes as after every sheriff in the state of Utah in mid-June signed a letter stating they would attempt to safeguard the Second Amendment.

Importantly, the Second Amendment of our divinely inspired Constitution clearly states  the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed, said the statement (pdf), which was signed by all 29 sheriffs in the state, and was released via Cache County Sheriff Chad Jensens office on June 15. We hereby recognize a significant principle underlying the Second Amendment: the right to keep and bear arms is indispensable to the existence of a free people.

Meanwhile, a number of Republican state lawmakers passed or proposed similar legislation. On Wednesday, the Wisconsin state Legislature sent a bill to Democrat Gov. Tony Evers that would prevent federal gun laws from being enforced in the state, which is sure to be vetoed by the governor.

In another example, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts in April signed a proclamation that designates his state as a Second Amendment sanctuary state.

Democrats and gun-control organizations have typically opposed such legislation, saying they would increase the number of mass shootings and provide easier access to firearms for individuals who shouldnt be able to own them.

After Missouri Gov. Mike Parson signed a bill that would nullify federal gun laws in the state, Moms Demand Action spokeswoman Tara Bennett said the measure will interfere with the enforcement of the critical protections that help keep Missourians safe from gun violence.

And in recent days, the federal government has increasingly pushed for more gun-control legislation amid a spike in crime around the United States, which has been linked to the defunding of police departments over the past year across the country.

President Joe Biden this week announced a plan to target firearms dealers who flout the law, calling them merchants of death. In recent days, the president and the Department of Justice have attempted to tie the sharp increase in shootings and homicides across major U.S. metropolitan areas with a lack of enforcement of gun laws.

Well find you and we will seek your license to sell guns, Biden said in the State Dining Room of the White House on June 23.

Attorney General Merrick Garland, who spoke before Biden, said that the majority of licensed firearms dealers sell to individuals who passed their background check.

But those dealers that willfully violate the law increase the risk that guns will fall into the wrong hands, he said, characterizing part of the administrations plan as a concerted effort to crack down on gun traffickers.
A person is inoculated with a vaccine in Chelsea, Mass. on Feb. 16, 2021. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

Half of Adults Infected in Latest COVID-19 Outbreak Were Fully Vaccinated: Israeli Official

About 90 percent of new COVID-19 infections in Israel were caused by the CCP viruss Delta variant, officials said, while adding that about half of the adults infected in the recent outbreak were fully vaccinated.

Ran Balicer, who leads an expert advisory panel for the Israeli government, in announcing the finding on Friday, said that the country might end up implementing another lockdown after opening up earlier this year, according to the Wall Street Journal. The fully vaccinated individuals were inoculated with the Pfizer COVID-19 shot commonly used in Israel.

The entrance of the delta variant has changed the transition dynamics, he noted, referring to the B.1.617.2 strain of COVID-19 that has now been detected in more than 70 countries. COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, otherwise known as the novel coronavirus.

New cases of the virus rose to more than 200 on Thursday, from around 10 per day in most of June, officials said.

And on Friday, Israeli authorities told residents that they must again have to wear masks again indoors, reported Reuters.

The health ministry reimposed the mask requirement for all indoor settings except the home, and said it was also recommending masks be worn at large outdoor gatherings, specifically mentioning gay pride events taking place around Israel this weekend.

Some 55 percent of Israels 9.3 million population have received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, officials said. Eligibility was extended to 12- to 15-year-olds in May.

Our goal at the moment, first and foremost, is to safeguard the citizens of Israel from the Delta variant that is running amok in the world, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Wednesday, reported the WSJ.

The reimposition of the countrys mask mandate and potentially a new lockdown is sure to prompt questions about the general effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccinesand amid reports of so-called breakthrough cases in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, for example, nearly 4,000 fully vaccinated people in Massachusetts tested positive for the CCP virus, according to health officials in the state.

Were learning that many of the breakthrough infections are asymptomatic or theyre very mild and brief in duration, said Boston University infectious diseases specialist Davidson Hamer, the Boston Herald reported. The viral load is not very high.

Breakthroughs are expected, and we need to better understand whos at risk and whether people who have a breakthrough can transmit the virus to others, Hamer said. In some cases, theyll be shedding such low levels of the virus and wont be transmitting to others.

And on April 30, the CDC reported that some 10,626 breakthrough cases were reported in 46 states and territories.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says on its website that COVID-19 vaccines should work against the Delta strain as well as other COVID-19 variants.

However, the U.N. agency warned that changes or mutations in the virus should not make vaccines completely ineffective, adding that if the vaccines prove to be less effective against one or more variants, it will be possible to change the composition of the vaccines to protect against these variants.

The Epoch Times has contacted Pfizer for comment.
House Ethics Committee Will Not Dismiss $500 Mask Fines Against Republican Congress Members

The House Ethics Committee confirmed Friday that it would require a handful of GOP lawmakers to pay the $500 fine issued to them in mid-May when they refused to comply with the House requirements of wearing a mask.

Reps. Brian Mast (R-Fla.), Beth Van Duyne (R-Texas), and Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) were among the House Republicans who refused to wear a mask appealing to the Ethics committee to waive the fines, citing that they were complying with the Centers for Disease Controls (CDC) guidance that said people can go without a mask if they are fully vaccinated.

Mast sent a letter to Chair of the House Ethics Committee Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Ranking Member Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) appealing a $500 fine Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) issued him for following the CDC guidelines instead of House rules for mask-wearing.

I am appealing Speaker Pelosis $500 fine because I was in full compliance with the CDC guidelines and it is unlawful. The scientists at the CDC told us if you are fully vaccinated, you can go about your life without wearing a mask or physically distancing. So, thats what Im doing, Rep. Mast said. It has never been about following the science for Speaker Pelosi. It has always been about power and control.

The CDC guidance on mask-wearing as of May 13, states that people who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear a mask or practice social distancing indoors or outdoors, aside from certain circumstances.

The House lifted the mask requirement about a month after the CDC guidelines and after the Capitol physician concluded that it was safe to follow the CDC guidance because enough of the Capitol complex staff had been vaccinated.

At the start of the pandemic, Pelosi ruled that all members and aides must wear masks in the halls of the House and on the House Floor. While the Senate chose not to implement any mask requirements, the Houses mask rules became a point of contention between Democrat and Republican members.

On May 14, Miller-Meeks made an appeal to House leadership to follow the CDCs example and stop requiring masks for House members.

Yesterday, the CDC issued guidance that fully vaccinated individuals can resume indoor activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing. I am pleased to see the CDC following the science and recommending that fully vaccinated individuals can go without masks indoors, she said from the House floor while not wearing a mask.

Speaker Pelosis office did not immediately return a request for comment on the fines being placed on the Republican congress members.

The House Ethics Panel said in a statement Friday, A majority of the Committee did not agree to the appeal.
Italys Draghi Dismisses Chinas COVID-19 Vaccine, Casts Doubt on Sputnik

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Chinas anti-COVID-19 vaccine did not fully work and questioned whether Russias Sputnik jab would ever get approval from European regulators.

The Chinese vaccine  has shown itself not to be adequate. You can see that from Chiles experience of tackling the epidemic, Draghi told reporters at the end of a European Union summit.

Chile has relied heavily on the COVID-19 shot developed by Chinas Sinovac, but health authorities in the South American country have questioned how effective it is against more transmissible virus variants and are also looking into how long it remains effective once injected.

A recent study by the University of Chile found that a single dose of Sinovac vaccine is only 3 percent effective in the 28 days between the first and second doses, meaning that the first dose has almost no effect, and people who received the first dose were just as vulnerable to infection as those who didnt receive any vaccine.

According to the study, within the first two weeks of getting the second Sinovac shot, the vaccines efficacy was only 27.7 percent. Two or more weeks after the second dose, the efficacy rate rose to 56.5 percent.

In Brazil, the Instituto Butantan published results of a Sinovac phase 3 clinical study on April 11, showing an efficacy rate of only 50.4 percent, which is similar to the Chilean study.

Draghi also questioned Russias Sputnik vaccine.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) had been expected to conclude its review of the Russian jab and issue a decision in May or June. However, approval was delayed because the makers missed a June 10 deadline to submit data, sources told Reuters earlier this month.

The Russian vaccine Sputnik V has never been able to get approval from EMA and perhaps it never will, Draghi said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
In this image from video, defense attorney Eric Nelson (L) and defendant, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, listen to Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill read instructions to the jury before closing arguments, in the trial of Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn., on April 19, 2021. (Court TV via AP)

Judge Rejects Chauvins Request for New Trial in George Floyds Death

MINNEAPOLISA judge on Friday rejected former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvins request for a new trial in George Floyd s death.

Judge Peter Cahill said defense attorney Eric Nelson has not shown that the court abused its discretion or that there was any prosecutorial misconduct that would have deprived Chauvin of his right to a fair trial. The ruling came hours before Chauvin was to be sentenced for murder in Floyds death.

Nelson argued that intense publicity around Floyds death tainted the jury pool and that the trial should have been moved away from Minneapolis.

Cahill also rejected Nelsons request for a hearing into possible juror misconduct, saying Nelson failed to show there was any juror misconduct or that a juror gave false testimony during questioning.

Nelson had accused juror Brandon Mitchell of not being candid during jury selection because he didnt mention his participation in a march last summer to honor the Martin Luther King Jr. Prosecutors countered that Mitchell had been open about his views in a jury questionnaire and during the questioning of potential jurors.

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill reads instructions to the jury before closing arguments at the Hennepin County Courthouse, Minn., on April 19, 2021. (Court TV via AP/Pool)

Under Minnesota statutes, Chauvin will be sentenced only on the most serious charge, which has a maximum sentence of 40 years. But case law dictates that a 30-year sentence would be the practical maximum sentence Cahill could impose without risk of being overturned on appeal.

Though Chauvin is widely expected to appeal, he also still faces trial on federal civil rights charges, along with three other fired officers who have yet to have their state trials.

Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.

Cahill has already found that aggravating factors in Floyds death warrant going higher than the 12 1/2-year sentence recommended by the states sentencing guidelines. The judge found Chauvin abused his position of authority, treated Floyd with particular cruelty, and that the crime was seen by several children. He also wrote that Chauvin knew the restraint of Floyd was dangerous.

The prolonged use of this technique was particularly egregious in that George Floyd made it clear he was unable to breathe and expressed the view that he was dying as a result of the officers restraint, Cahill wrote last month.

Attorneys on both sides are expected to make brief arguments Friday. Floyds family membersincluding his brother Philonise, his brother Terrence and his nephew Brandon Williamswill give statements in court.

Chauvin can also make a statement, but its not clear if he will. Experts say it could be tricky for Chauvin to talk without implicating himself in the pending federal case accusing him of violating Floyds civil rights.

Chauvin chose not to testify at his trial. The only explanation the public has heard from him came from body-camera footage in which he told a bystander at the scene: We got to control this guy cause hes a sizable guy  and it looks like hes probably on something.

Hes been held since his conviction at the states only maximum-security prison in Oak Park Heights. The former officer has been held in solitary confinement in a 10-by-10-foot cell, with meals brought to his room. He is allowed out for solitary exercise for an hour a day.

Its not clear if Chauvin will remain there. State prisons officials said that decision wouldnt be made until after Cahills formal sentencing order.

Chauvin and the three other officers involved in Floyds arrest are awaiting trial in federal court on charges of violating Floyds civil rights. No trial date has been set.

The three other officers are also scheduled for trial in March on state charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter.
Tahawwur Rana in a courtroom artist sketch, during an extradition hearing in federal US court in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 24, 2021. (Bill Robles for AP)

Judge Keeps India Terror Attack Suspect in US Custody

LOS ANGELESA former Chicago businessman will remain in the United States as a federal judge in Los Angeles weighs whether he will be extradited to India for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed more than 160 people.

Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian, is wanted by Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks that are sometimes referred to as Indias 9/11. An Indian warrant for his arrest was issued in August 2018.

Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian on Thursday ordered the defense attorneys and prosecutors to file additional documents by July 15. Rana will remain in federal custody.

In this courtroom artist sketch, Tahawwur Rana appears during an extradition hearing in federal US court in Los Angeles, Calif., on June 24, 2021. (Bill Robles for AP)

Indian authorities allege that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, or Army of the Good, in the orchestration of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, injured more than 200, and caused $1.5 billion in damage.

Headley and Rana attended military high school in Pakistan together. Ranas immigration law center in Chicago, as well as a satellite office in Mumbai, was allegedly used as a front for their terrorism activities between 2006 and 2008, prosecutors say.

Ranas attorneys said their client was not aware of Headleys terrorism plot and was merely trying to help his childhood friend and set up a Mumbai business office. They also said Headley is a serial liar who has deceived the U.S. government multiple times in several criminal cases, and his testimony should not be viewed as credible. The attorneys alleged that Headley had used Rana to further his terrorism efforts without Ranas knowledge.

Ranas two daughters attended the hearing. They declined to comment, as did his lawyers.

Rana wore a white jumpsuit and black glasses, as well as a mask at the hearing. His ankles were shackled.

Only one of the 10 Mumbai terrorists survived the four-day rampage and went on trial. He was convicted, sentenced to death in India, and hanged.

In this courtroom artist sketch, Tahawwur Rana, middle, appears with his attorneys on June 24, 2021.(Bill Robles for AP)

In 2011, Rana was convicted in federal court in Illinois of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark for a thwarted plot to attack a Danish newspaper to retaliate for its publication of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohamed in 2005. The cartoons angered many Muslims because pictures of the prophet are prohibited in Islam.

U.S. prosecutors, however, failed to prove that Rana had directly supported the Mumbai attacks. Ranas defense attorneys, in court papers, say because he has been acquitted of the Mumbai-related charges in the United States, extraditing him to India would be tantamount to double jeopardy.

Rana was sentenced to a 14-year prison term in the Denmark-related case, but his punishment was reduced to time served in June 2020 after he claimed he had contracted the coronavirus in a federal California prison, court documents show. He was ordered released but was held on an immigration detainer so he could not return to Canada to avoid the Indian extradition request.

Headley ultimately testified against Rana in the Illinois case after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder. As part of his plea deal, he cant be extradited to India.

By Stefanie Dazio
Nurses wearing personal protective equipment attend to patients in a COVID-19 intensive care unit at Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles, Calif., on Jan. 6, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

Kaiser Alleges $5 Million in Losses in PPE Purchase Scheme

LOS ANGELESKaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. is suing a company and a former Kaiser employee for allegedly defrauding the health plan out of millions of dollars as it raced to meet the challenges of having sufficient personal protective equipment for its medical staff during the pandemic.

The allegations in Kaisers Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against Wasatch Co. include breach of an oral and written contract, unjust enrichment, breach of the duty of loyalty, fraud and receipt of stolen

property. Kaiser seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages in the suit brought June 24.

All told, Wasatch billed, and Kaiser paid, nearly $5 million for goods that Kaiser did not need and never received, according to the suit.

A Wasatch Co. representative could not be immediately reached.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Kaiser, faced with extraordinary and unprecedented challenges, took every available measure to meet those challenges and to fulfill its mission of providing the highest quality affordable patient care while safeguarding the health and safety of its doctors, nurses, staff, and other stakeholders, the suit states.

While moving to meet the challenges of the pandemic, the Wasatch Co., led by its vice president and owner, Abdul Wahab Jr., conspired with former Kaiser purchasing manager Atif Siddiqi to bill Kaiser for goods Kaiser did not need and never received, according to the suit, which names both men as co-defendants.

Siddiqi introduced Wahab and Wasatch to Kaiser in March 2020, shortly after the pandemics onset and recommended that Kaiser purchase a large quantity of medical scrubs from the company, according to the suit.

With that legitimate purchase, Wasatch was provisionally approved as a Kaiser vendor and the proverbial fox was in the henhouse, the suit states.

Over the next 10 months, Wasatch and Wahab, aided and abetted by Siddiqi, placed a series of escalating and fictitious orders with Wasatch, the suit alleges.

Siddiqi would place these orders in Kaisers system, lying as necessary to his colleagues about what the goods were or why they were needed, the suit states. In addition to lying to his colleagues, Siddiqi

would avoid scrutiny by breaking up large orders into multiple smaller purchases to avoid attention.

Wasatch and Wahab issued invoices for the alleged false orders and collected payment without delivering any goods, according to the suit.

The conspirators became emboldened over time, raising the amount of their fake orders from the low five figures in April 2020 to more than a hundred thousand dollars per order by the time Kaiser uncovered the scheme in early 2021, the suit states.

Despite repeated requests, Wasatch did not provide any evidence the items were ever delivered, according to the suit.

In many instances, Siddiqi avoided scrutiny for purchase orders by breaking them up into multiple separate orders, each of which fell below his $50,000 purchase authority limit, the suit states.

At other times, Siddiqi justified the orders to his Kaiser colleagues and superiors by telling them that the goods were necessary to adapt to supply chain disruptions occasioned by the pandemic or to assist in Kaisers efforts to create and otherwise combat the coronavirus, according to the suit.

Following an internal compliance investigation, Kaiser determined that Wasatch had billed Kaiser for, and Kaiser had paid for, nearly $5 million worth of inventory for which Kaiser has no evidence of delivery and in many instances, such as with the postage meter ink and millions of envelopes, for which Kaiser had no conceivable business need, the suit states.
(L-R) Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) speak briefly to reporters as they exit the office of Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) following a meeting about police reform legislation on Capitol Hill in Washington on May 18, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Lawmakers Reach Bipartisan Preliminary Agreement on Police Reform Bill

A trio of bipartisan lawmakers leading negotiations on a comprehensive police reform package have reached a preliminary bipartisan agreement on the issue, they announced on June 24, bringing them one stop closer to passing the major bill.

Three of the five negotiators; lawmakers Sens. Tim Scott, (R-S.C.), and Cory Booker, (D-N.J.) and Rep. Karen Bass, (D-Calif.) touted their progress, which came after months of negotiations, in a joint statement on Thursday afternoon.

After months of working in good faith, we have reached an agreement on a framework addressing the major issues for bipartisan police reform, the lawmakers said. There is still more work to be done on the final bill, and nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed to.

Over the next few weeks, we look forward to continuing our work toward getting a finalized proposal across the finish line, they added.

The lawmakers did not give further details on the terms of their agreement and what exactly was in the framework.

The names of Sens. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) did not appear in the joint statement. However, majority whip Durbin told reporters on Thursday, When you get to this level, the little things are the big things, adding, We want to make sure that we clear them up.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki also released a brief statement on Thursday evening, in which she said that President Joe Biden is grateful to Rep. Bass, Sen. Booker, and Sen. Scott for all of their hard work on police reform and looks forward to collaborating with them on the path ahead.

Congress has worked to pass legislation since last summer following the high-profile death of African-American man George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, which prompted bipartisan calls for an overhaul of policing standards.

A core part of the issues is the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, which passed the House in March. But the legislation has since been embroiled in negotiations led by Bass, Scott and Booker.

The proposed laws would ban police tactics such as chokeholds and no-knock warrants, lower the legal standard required to convict an officer for misconduct, establish guidelines for police departments nationwide, and create national standards for policing in a bid to bolster accountability.

It would also prohibit qualified immunity, the powerful legal doctrine that shields law enforcement and other public officials from liability in civil lawsuits.

At the time, Biden said he had hoped that Congress would pass the reform effort by the first anniversary of Floyds death in late May.

However, qualified immunity has reportedly been a sticking point during prolonged negotiations, with Republicans opposing calls from Democrats to alter or revoke it from the act after mumerous members of law enforcement have warned they expect more police to walk off the job if the bill passes.

GOP lawmakers have argued that qualified immunity is necessary and that any effort to remove it would further complicate police work and hurt recruiting efforts.

Meanwhile, some civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers have said that the changes are necessary to ensure accountability among law enforcement officers.

Republicans have generally backed a scaled-down measure like the JUSTICE Act introduced last year by Scott, which called for reducing the use of chokeholds, increasing federal reporting requirements for use of force and no-knock warrants, strengthening of training methods and tactics regarding de-escalation, ramping up the use of body cameras, and reforming law enforcement hiring and disciplinary practices to reduce the number of bad apple cops in police departments.

However, Scotts measure failed in the Senate after Democrats block debate on the bill last summer, criticizing the legislation as inadequate.

Scott had told reporters on Wednesday that the group is now just focused on the language contained in the bill.

Were gonna have to now check the definitions and the language that were all putting on paper and make sure that were all saying the exact same thing, but I dont think theres outstanding issues that need to be worked out, we just need to agree on the actual language were using, he said.

Durbin had a different point of view though, and noted that there was much more to negotiate than just the language.

We felt that way several days ago. But then when you get the staff in the room, they need to have pretty explicit instructions as to what we agreed on, so we have to ask a few more questions, answer before we can reach that point, Durbin said.

Thursdays announcement came on the day before the Senate leaves for its two-week July Fourth recess, and also the day before Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murdering Floyd, is scheduled to be sentenced.
Garland Favorito outside Henry County Superior Court after winning a victory in a suit to allow an audit of Fulton County's November 2020 election, in McDonough, Ga. on May 21, 2021. (Screenshot Nydia Tisdale/The Epoch Times)

Lead Georgia Election Critic Condemns New York Supreme Court on Giuliani

Commentary

I already had scheduled an interview with Garland Favoritofounder of Voter GAto discuss the latest judicial decisions in his groups ongoing investigation of possible voter fraud in Georgia during the recent presidential election, when news broke that the New York Supreme Court had suspended Rudolph Giulianis license to practice law in the state.

The written decisionmore like a political tract than a legal briefreferenced the Georgia audit. So, before anything else, I asked Favorito about it, wondering if he had something to say about what happened to the man we used to call Americas mayor.

Did he ever.

At first, Favorito simply said, The New York Supreme Court made false assumptions about Georgia on it and used them improperly against Giuliani.

Then he added: The State Farm Arena video they showed, Im sorry, showed clear violations of Georgia law committed by election officials.

Favorito went silent. I thought that was ithe might even want to pull backbut the opposite was true. He wanted to say something stronger, with more evidence, and later sent me the following two paragraphs via email:

The New York Supreme Court falsely concluded that the Georgia hand count audit confirmed the results of the election with a zero percent risk limit. The truth documented by expert witness testimony at our May 21st hearing is that the hand count audit had a 21% error rate. That expert witness testimony and recently released public ballot images confirm the correctness of Giulianis argument that the vote count was inaccurate.

The New York Supreme Court also falsely disagreed that the State Farm Arena video can be viewed as evidence of illegal conduct during the vote tabulation process. We identified four violations of Georgia election transparency law in the video. In addition, the video clearly shows potentially illegal duplicate ballot scanning. Furthermore, the hand count audit results indicate thousands of duplicate ballots were scanned into the results further confirming Giulianis argument that the vote count was inaccurate.

[All bolds are Favoritos. The italics are direct quotes from the New York State Supreme Court.]

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in New York City on June 21, 2021. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

I first met Garland months ago, when we sat together in the aforementioned State Farm Arena watching that hand-count audit of the Georgia vote.

At that time, he got up to show me how one of the several Dominion machines could be connected to the internet by a short ethernet cable to a nearby server. A Dominion representative was standing a few feet away, nodding approvingly.

Favorito is a retired IT (information technology, as we all know by now) professional, now devoting his life to electoral integrity. He is also, from my admittedly few contacts, a thoroughly honest guy of the Mr. Smith Goes to Washington sort, just the kind of person to put the fear of Jehovah in the Democrats and the #NeverTrumpish Georgia GOP hierarchy, notably Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both of whom seem headed for the primary chopping block.

The latter is under suspicion for all sorts of covert activities, including having his agents snoop into at least one box of locked ballots without notifying anyone.

And speaking of the fear of Jehovah in Democrats, another Garland (Attorney General Merrick Garland) apparently has Georgia in his sights. For the first time, the Biden administration is suing one of the states for their new election laws. They claim Georgia is discriminating against non-white voters through its Election Integrity Act of 2021. (How fishy is it Democrats think its so hard for black people to obtain ID cards or go to polling places?)

Call it Garland versus Garland. Im going with the first-name variety who also told me during the interview that he has been deluged with more interviews than ever as his appeal draws closer. Manysuch as the left-leaning Atlanta Journal-Constitutionare doing their best to discredit him, implying in those interviews that Voter GA has failed, using such minor details as the judge denying the use of high-powered microscopes in the recount (something Favorito says they never wanted in the first place) as evidence of that failure.

But Ill let Garland (first name) speak for himself:

We are pleased that the court has ruled in our favor again for the fifth time. The ruling substitutes Defendants by replacing currently named government organizations with individual board members we named originally in our lawsuit. It also moots Don Samuels [Georgia government lawyer] attempt to dismiss our case. This continues the string of victories we have including how we obtained the original protective order, conditional approval to inspect ballots, access to ballot images, and the order to unseal the ballots.

Favorito tells me it will be another month before the next ruling from the judge. Voter GA, he says, will be taking that time to strategize.

Meanwhile, Free Rudy!

Roger L. Simon is an award-winning novelist, Oscar-nominated screenwriter, co-founder of PJMedia, and now, editor-at-large for The Epoch Times. His most recent books are The GOAT (fiction) and I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasnt Already (nonfiction). He can be found on Parler as @rogerlsimon

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
(From L to R) Phuong Lien (Lyn) Nguyen, Tung Nguyen, and Kathy Manning, the women at the heart of Hy Vong, and co-authors with Elisa Ung of the recently published memoir, "Mango and Peppercorns." (Photo by Libby Volgyes/Courtesy of Chronicle Books)

Mango and Peppercorns: The Unlikely Flavors of the American Dream

A new cookbook-memoir captures the powerful story of friendship, family, and food behind Miami's celebrated Hy Vong Vietnamese restaurant

Katherine Manning was a graduate student when she began taking in refugees. She had a degree in sociology, but left a career in social work due to dissatisfaction with what she saw as the governments wasteful habits. An Iowa-born Miami transplant, she had hosted Vietnamese friends in her Miami home before, but in 1975, when she saw on TV the plight of refugees fleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon, she was moved to take action.

I didnt know the culture, Manning said. I didnt know the class makeup. I learned it all on the job. She hosted 14 refugees in her home over the years, but her connection with one of themTung Nguyenwas special.

If Manning had listened to one Vietnamese friend from university, who told her not to talk to Nguyen because she didnt understand English well enough, their story of the power of friendship and food may never have unfolded.

That is part of the culture, because Tung comes from the country, Manning said. She would be called a farmer, a peasant. She didnt have a lot of opportunities that other people had.

On top of that, the 27-year-old Nguyen arrived at Mannings house pregnant and alone. Still, that didnt faze Manning. She didnt heed that friends advice, and she found that, in fact, Nguyen understood everything she said.

Despite the odds, the two hit it offand have worked in tandem ever since, not only to raise Nguyens daughter, Lyn Nguyen, but also to open and run a restaurant, Hy Vong, which means hope in Vietnamese. The venture began when neighbors requested regular deliveries of Nguyens fabulous homemade pho, and eventually grew into one of Miamis most celebrated restaurants, attracting foodies, celebrities, and a devoted local following.

Their storyand a selection of their recipesis now captured in full in a part-memoir, part-cookbook published by Chronicle Books. Mango and Peppercorns: A Memoir of Food, an Unlikely Family, and the American Dream was written by Tung Nguyen, Manning, Lyn Nguyen, and writer and editor Elisa Ung.

Its a story of two countries mixing, and two people from different religions, different educations, different languages, different countries, how they can mix, Manning said. Its not all easy, but its worth it.

Building a New Life

Upon Tung Nguyens arrival in America, she needed work, and it soon became obvious that she was a natural in the kitchen. She came into my house and she took over the kitchen, Manning said. I had a taste of her food and I said, Wow, I have tasted Vietnamese food before, but I never tasted anything like this. I began to see her talent. She has a knack for it thats unbelievable.

Nguyen worked in back-of-the-house roles at restaurants while selling her beloved pots of pho on the sideuntil fate intervened.

One day, on the way over, the pot spilled, Manning said. It spilled all over the car. It went everywhere. And that was Tungs money for the day. In that moment, Nguyen knew she needed a spot of her own: a simple, stationary place from which she could sell her soup. She and Manning found a cheap spot on 8th Street in Little Havana and, over the next few years, transformed it from its prior life as a clothing store into a bustling restaurant.

Soon after opening, Hy Vong received a positive review from the Miami Herald. From there, the restaurant went on to enjoy a 36-year run with brilliant success, during which beloved dishes like steamed pork rolling cakes (banh cuon), spring rolls, and chicken with sweet potato developed a cult following, thanks to Nguyen and Mannings hard work and uncompromising dedication to quality.

Their beautiful harmony is perhaps best symbolized by Hy Vongs signature mango and peppercorn sauce, which they often served over fish. Nguyen and Manning came up with the sauce togethera combination of elements that seem to contrast, but, in fact, create a flavor richer than the sum of its parts.

A Lasting Legacy

While thousands got to enjoy the tasty results of Nguyen and Mannings synergy over the years, none received an experience quite so holistic and personal as did Nguyens daughter, Lyn.

I had everything I needed from a family unit in Kathy and my mother, Lyn Nguyen said. They balanced each other out [and] I had very strong role models. I was able to look up to two women and say, I want to be like that.  We didnt have a lot of money, but we had a lot of love.

The values that Lyn Nguyen learned from her mother and Manning, especially her mothers bold individualism and entrepreneurial spirit, shaped her path in many ways; perhaps unsurprisingly, Lyn grew up to start her own business, an artificial intelligence firm.

It takes a lot to be your own boss and to run a company, and to have the confidence and the drive to say, I can do it when the world is against youand to keep pushing, she said. And I think thats a very strong value that I got from them.

Another is the beauty of being true to yourself. My mother would never compromise, she said. Even when they first opened the restaurant and people didnt know what fish sauce was and what lemongrass was and what ginger wasthings we take for granted todayshe still cooked with that and still made her food spicy, because thats who she was.

The Nguyens and Mannings story is an inspiring portrait of resilience, entrepreneurship, love, perseverance, and the sort of unlikely harmonies that weave the colorful tapestry of the American Dream. In her cooking and its power to draw all walks of life together, Tung Nguyen found belonging in a country that became her own.

I think of it similar to a lotus lily pad that is floating in the water and has finally found ground, Tung said of her perspective on the American Dream. In America, I was able to put down my roots and become a respected part of society. I was able to build a successful business and be appreciated for my talents and my contributions, not on where I came from. It was about having unlimited opportunities for me and my child.

While Hy Vong closed in 2015, that doesnt mean Tung stopped cooking. Occasional pickups of her culinary creations are available in the Miami area, and people anywhere have connected virtually with her flavors via online cooking classes.

What were really trying to do is teach people how to cook, Lyn Nguyen said. Our restaurant was very much about the democratization of Vietnamese food. Anybody could eat there; everybody was welcome. And so we really want to show people that they can cook Vietnamese food in their homes, and its not difficult. Its not way out there. You can get ingredients in your normal grocery store today.

It seems the best spot to settle in with a copy of Mango and Peppercorns is not a cozy reading nook but at your very own stovetop, where you can make their recipes your own and draw faces both familiar and foreign to your dinner table.

RECIPE: Hy Vongs Spring Rolls (Cha Gio) With Nuoc Cham

RECIPE: Hy Vongs Fish With Mango Sauce

Skye Sherman is a freelance travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Fla. She covers news, transit, and international destinations for a variety of outlets. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter @skyesherman
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) speaks about his opposition to S. 1, the "For The People Act" in Washington on June 17, 2021. (Joshua Roberts/Getty Images)

McConnell Now Pessimistic About Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, Says 2017 Tax Reform Is GOP Red Line

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Thursday that he and his Republican caucus have gone from optimism to pessimism after President Joe Biden said he would not sign the narrower bipartisan infrastructure bill without agreement from Congress of the passage of his tax bill.

Biden said at the second White House press conference on Thursday, after his press conference with the bipartisan infrastructure group, that he wants Congress to guarantee that Democrats multi-trillion-dollar non-traditional infrastructure plan, which includes undoing President Donald Trumps 2017 tax reform bill, would also be passed.

And, so I think weve gone from optimism to pessimism as a result of the presidents second press conference, McConnell said Thursday on Fox News Special Report.

McConnell called Bidens two talks on the infrastructure package, a tale of two press conferences.

After the first one, the president walks out with a bipartisan group and blesses an infrastructure bill that many of my members are quite optimistic about. And then, after all of those people depart the White House, the president goes out for the second press conference and says, Unless you pass my tax bill I wont sign the infrastructure bill,' continued McConnell.

McConnell said Bidens call to Democrats to pass the larger non-traditional infrastructure package through partisan reconciliation and undo the 2017 tax reform bill would be opposed by Republicans.

Thats our one red line. Were not going to revisit the 2017 tax bill, which was an enormous success for the country, led us to the best economy in 50 years as of February 2020, added McConnell.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Bidens demands.

Former Trump administration and congressional Republicans emphasize the 2017 tax reform bill fueled economic growth and eventually reduced the national deficit.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), who introduced the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, said in 2017, Our legislation is focused entirely on growing our economy, bringing jobs back to our local communities, increasing paychecks for our workers, and making sure Americans are able to keep more of the money they earn.

President Donald Trump, left, listens as Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) speaks, at the White House in Washington on Nov. 15, 2019. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)

While Democrats claimed the tax reform only benefits the richest 1 percent in the nation, Larry Kudlow, director of the National Economic Council during the Trump administration, told Fox News in March that the bill benefited middle and lower-middle-class workers.

The tax cut for corporations and small businesses, those benefited primarily the middle income and the lower-middle incomeyou can look at the Census Bureau numbers the Federal Reserve numbersthey got more growth in their income and wages, by far, than the top 1 percent, said Kudlow.

In 2019, Trump praised the progress made by the 2017 tax reform, pointing to a New York Times article titled, Face It: You (Probably) Got a Tax Cut.

We promised that these tax cuts would be rocket fuel for the American economy and we were absolutely right, he said at the time.

These things dont happen by accident. It could all go away very quickly, he said, adding that if the wrong people take office everything that weve done can be undone.

McConnell said that in order to pass a bipartisan infrastructure package the talks will have to continue, because Republicans will not agree to undoing the 2017 tax bill.

It puts us in a very, very challenging position. So, I would say we need to keep talking here, because I think the bill to be bipartisan is going have to have Republican support.

Emel Akan contributed to this report.
Chief Financial Officer of Huawei, Meng Wanzhou leaves her home in Vancouver, on March 25, 2021 to go to B.C. Supreme Court. (The Canadian Press/Jonathan Hayward)

Meng Loses Publication Ban Request on HSBC Materials Obtained via Hong Kong Court

VANCOUVERThe Supreme Court of British Columbia has dismissed an application for a publication ban from Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou on new evidence that her legal team wants to introduce in her fight against extradition to the United States.

Legal counsel for a media consortium including The Canadian Press that opposed the ban advises that the application has been dismissed, but the reasons for the decision have not been provided to CP or reviewed by it and they have not been publicly released.

Mengs lawyers obtained the new material from HSBC through an agreement in a Hong Kong court that they have said includes a stipulation that they protect confidential information.

Lawyers for Canadas attorney general opposed the application, arguing it goes too far by seeking a ban on all of the documents when redacting private information would do.

Meng is wanted by the United States on bank fraud charges that both she and Huawei deny.

She is accused of lying to HSBC about Huaweis control over another company, putting the bank at risk of violating U.S. sanctions against Iran.

Meng has been living in one of her Vancouver homes on bail since her arrest at the citys airport in December 2018.
Music, Mission, and Home Studies: A Visit With the Scott Family

Lets head down to Florida and meet the Scott family: homeschoolers and musicians extraordinaire.

But first, lets pay a visit to their website, TheScottDuo.com.

Here we find two musicians, Rosa and Marion Scott, who sport a list of awards and honors that will blow the reader away. Theyve attended various universities, including the Julliard School in New York, have won degrees, honors, and numerous musical competitions, and have worked as professional musicians in myriad capacities, most recently in churches.

Yet, when I first spoke with them by phone about homeschooling, neither of them said a word about these achievements. If there were a national award for humility, the Scotts would win hands down.

Now, the Scott duo appears to be headed toward becoming a quartet.

A Brief Family History

Marion is a native of North Florida and Rosa grew up in Lima, Peru. They met while in school at Julliard. Today, they make their home in Miami, where theyre homeschooling their two daughters, 8-year-old Marianne Rose and 5-year-old Faith Eugenia. Taught by their parents, both girls were playing the piano before they were 4 years old, and are also now studying the violin with concert violinist Mari-Liis Pak. Like Mom and Dad, theyve competed in various competitions and received awards for those efforts.

In addition to their musical instruction, Marianne Rose and Faith are also educated at home.

Faith at the violin, 2020. (Courtesy of the Scott family)

The family at the beach in Florida. (Courtesy of the Scott family)

The Decision

In their younger years, Rosa attended Catholic schools in Lima, and Marion was a homeschooler. When the time came to decide about the education of their children, they chose homeschooling because of the freedom it gave them to select their childrens educational materials and because they wanted their daughters to grow up imbued with their religious faith.

The primary thing was we knew we could bring up our daughters in the church, Marion said, They can explore their God-given talents without social pressures, free to worship God and follow their gifts.

Rosa added: We really emphasize that God has given them a mission and that he has given them a gift to develop and serve others. We tell them their lives will be fulfilled by serving God and others with their gifts.

Advantages

Both parents mentioned the flexibility that home education allows them in their work. Depending on the obligations of the dayMarion and Rosa both work as musicians for different churches, perform in a variety of musical venues, and teach piano lessons privately to students, including virtual classes onlinethey shift back and forth in their responsibilities at home.

Were able to spend every minute of their lives with them, Rosa said. Each day is a little adventure, and we can schedule learning in different ways, like going to the Everglades or the zoo.

Marion stressed the family bonds that homeschool creates.

The homeschooling families I know are very tight-knit. The education is centered around parents and children, and the schedule gives the family time to worship and pray together.

Rosa noted that homeschooling requires fewer hours of academic work than a regular school, and Marion said, Friends who havent had a background in homeschooling realize its more doable than they thought once they try it.

I dont think until parents experience it they understand it. The more families do it, the more they like it, Rosa said.

Both Rosa and Marion hope to continue to educate their daughters through high school, taking advantage of the dual enrollment opportunities in their local community colleges and helping the girls continue their musical pursuits.

At the Frost International Piano Competition Winners Concert, March 2020. (Courtesy of the Scott family)

The Way It Works

As for a typical homeschooling day, school starts immediately after breakfast.

Marion said: We start the school day around 10 a.m., and after lunch, we do more school and sometimes take a walk. During the day and the evening, we usually do two or three short practices on the piano. Weve found their attention span is better with the short practices. The girls focus better in the evening when it comes to music.

The family uses a full-curriculum program, Seton Home Study School, which supplies books, other supplementary materials, lesson plans, tests, a grading service, and counseling. This helps keep them on track in terms of academics.

Seton covers all the subjects, Marion said, which means I dont have to put together other programs. Plus, I like the fact that Seton is accredited.

Both parents commented on the importance of limiting time spent watching television and playing on computers. Though the girls do some online supplementary programs for subjects such as math and spelling, and they watch a few shows like VeggieTales, Rosa and Marion schedule plenty of time for their daughters for reading, exercise, and the pursuit of non-academic interests. Marianne Rose, for example, enjoys drawing, and her sister loves to be in the kitchen cooking and baking.

When we turn off the screens, its like a detoxification process takes place, Marion said with a laugh. Those screens are like a sugar high for the brain.

Obstacles and Inspiration

Not everything about homeschooling is easy.

Sometimes our scheduling is hard, Rosa said. And sometimes when they take their breaks from schoolwork, the breaks go on a little too long. So we try to keep a balance between their studies and time for play.

In their homeschooling journey, Rosa was inspired by a mother from her church whod taught her children at home. Shed see the mother and her two daughters, both of them now grown now and with advanced degrees, arriving at the music center of the university where Rosa then worked. She noted the closeness of the two girls and their mother both there and in the parish, saw that the father too was very involved in family life, and found in this woman an example for her own choice of education.

The family in Lourdes, France, in 2019. (Courtesy of the Scott family)

Some Takeaways

Rosa and Marion Scott should inspire all of us who are parents, grandparents, and educatorsand not just those who are homeschooling. Theyre giving Marianne Rose and Faith a love for classical music and a fine academic education, but just as importantly, theyre instilling in their children a sense of mission in the world. So many of our young people need to be made more aware that they have a purpose in life and that they possess the ability to fulfill that purpose.

These two girls, and so many others like them, also remind us of the great potential existing within our children.

I believe kids can handle more than some of us think, Marion said. Im glad we have a demanding academic curriculum. Some of my colleagues from places like Russia and China are shocked by how few demands we make of children [in the U.S.].

Mission, discipline, knowledge, passion, and love: Those are surely among the greatest gifts we can give to our children.

Jeff Minick has four children and a growing platoon of grandchildren. For 20 years, he taught history, literature, and Latin to seminars of homeschooling students in Asheville, N.C. He is the author of two novels, Amanda Bell and Dust on Their Wings, and two works of nonfiction, Learning as I Go and Movies Make the Man. Today, he lives and writes in Front Royal, Va. See JeffMinick.com to follow his blog.
Bruce McDougal hoses down vegetation while working to save his home from the Bond Fire burning though the Silverado community in Orange County, Calif., on Dec. 3, 2020. (Noah Berger/AP Photo)

Newsom Under Fire for California Wildfire Claims

California Gov. Gavin Newsoms wildfire management claims are in dispute following a report that claims he misled the public about his accomplishments.

Governor Newsoms deceitfulness and half steps dont cut it. He is a self-serving hypocrite who needs to get his priorities straight, Sen. Jim Nielsen (R-Red Bluff) said in a press release in response to the NPR and CapRadio report.

Rather than spending money in the budget to create several new do-nothing state agencies, his priority should be saving people, wildlife and property from devastating wildfires, like the tragic 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise.

The June 23 report said the governor slashed about $150 million from Cal Fires wildfire prevention budget in 2020, ahead of the worst fire season in modern history. The report also accused Newsom of exaggerating by 690 percent the number of acres treated with fuel breaks and prescribed burns.

Newsom claimed his executive order included 35 priority projects that resulted in prevention work on 90,000 acres. In reality, the preemptive work was completed on 11,399 acres, the report said.

The NPR and CapRadio investigation was released more than a year after Newsom claimed that the 35 preventative projects to protect wildfire-vulnerable communities were completed.

California isnt just waiting around for the next fire season. We are acting quicklywith emergency paceto protect communities most at risk and save lives before the wildfire starts, Newsom said in a January 2020 press release. The unprecedented scale of the crisis requires an unprecedented response. These projects are part of Californias all-of-the-above and all-hands-on-deck approach to preventing and fighting wildfires.

According to the governors administration, 90,000 acres of land were treated by removing hazardous dead trees, clearing vegetation, creating fuel breaks and community defensible spaces, and creating ingress and egress corridors.

In response to the report, Assemblyman James Gallagher said on June 24 that he would submit an emergency budget amendment to bolster the states wildfire response efforts.

Gallagher represents Paradise, California, which was heavily affected by a 2018 fire. His budget amendment would appropriate $200 million from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for fire prevention and forest programs.

California Natural Resource Agency spokeswoman Lisa Lien-Mager said the radio report contained misleading information.

In his interview with CapRadio, Cal Fire Chief Thom Porter recognized the topic is complex and acknowledged that Cal Fire has not done enough to explain these nuances to the public and to the governor, Lien-Mager told The Epoch Times. He did not, however, suggest that the 90,000 acres figure is an inaccurate description of the project areas collectively affected by the 35 projects.

The actions Cal Fire has taken to date on the 35 priority projects have collectively protected 90,000 acres near some of the most wild-vulnerable communities in California.

Project areas and treated acreage are not always the same thing, she said. Fuel breaks, such as those completed through the 35 priority projects, are designed to protect more acreage than the amount treated.

They do that through their intended effects of slowing fires, creating space for firefighters to take a stand, protecting escape routes, and creating safe havens for shelter, Lien-Mager said. The 35 priority projects benefited a total area of 90,000 acres, even though not every single acre within that was actually treated.

Lien-Mager said the impacts of the pandemic and unprecedented wildfire season impacted Cal Fires ability to complete treatment work last year.

She said the governor didnt reduce funding for wildfire prevention, despite CapRadios report.

Were proud of the work the state is doing as we continue to prioritize wildfire prevention and commit significant resources to increase the pace and scale of the work, she said.

Since the start of 2021, California has reported 29,195 acres burned with 24 structures either damaged or destroyed.
Noncitizens Can Vote in Local Elections in 2 Vermont Cities After Legislature Overturns Governors Vetoes

Noncitizen legal residents will be able to vote in two cities in Vermont after the state Senate narrowly overrode Gov. Phil Scotts vetoes of two bills earlier this month.

The Republican governor earlier this month vetoed two bills, H.177 and H.227, which are charter changes to allow noncitizen residents in Montpelier and Winooski to vote in local elections. He cited concerns that the measures would create inconsistency in election policy in municipalities across Vermont, and inadvertently create separate and unequal classes of residents potentially eligible to vote on local issues.

In his veto letters dated June 1, Scott asked the state legislature to revisit the issue of noncitizen voting in a more comprehensive manner, by creating a policy that could apply to the entire state, or by creating a uniform template and process for locales that want to give noncitizen legal residents the right to vote in local elections.

The Vermont legislature voted largely along party lines to overturn Scotts vetoes on the two bills, with the House vote at 103-47 on Wednesday and the Senate vote at 20-10 on Thursday. Democrats in both chambers were able to meet the two-thirds majority of members present threshold thats required to overturn the governors vetoes.

Noncitizens who are legal residents of Montpelier and Winooski can now vote in municipal elections. In particular, H.177 will allow noncitizen legal residents to vote in city government elections in Montpelier, while H.227 will allow noncitizen legal residents to vote in both city government and school district elections.

Voters in Montpelier and Winooski came out in favor of legal resident noncitizen voting, and the legislature, after rigorous debate and deliberation, supported their ability to regulate their own local elections in this way, Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint said in a statement Thursday. Today, the Senate affirmed that decision, overriding the Governors vetoes on H.227 and H.177.

Vermont House Speaker Jill Krowinski said in a written statement on Wednesday, We have a rich history of Vermonters coming together in their cities, towns, and villages to work together and chart a path forward that works best for their communities.

These charters expand local voting rights to residents of these respective communities, and these decisions were made by the voters after robust discussion and deliberation.
Pennsylvania Senate Passes Constitutional Amendment to Require Voter ID for All Ballots

The Pennsylvania Senate on June 23 passed a bill that would amend the state constitution to require that voters present identification each time they cast a ballot.

The measure, SB735, passed in a 3020 vote, mostly along partisan lines. The proposal was backed by all Republicans and a single Democrat.

Currently, state voters are only required to present identification the first time they vote at a polling station. The measure would require some form of verification every time a ballot is cast, including when voting by mail. It also proposes amending the voting age in the Pennsylvania Constitution from 21 to 18, making it consistent with the U.S. Constitution.

If both houses of the legislature approve a proposed amendment, or if it is adopted by a state constitutional convention, the measure is put on the ballot in a general election. If a majority of voters then approve, the state constitution is amended.

Its clear that Pennsylvania citizens want this commonsense requirement for secure elections, Republican state Sen. Bob Mensch said in a statement of the bill. We desperately need to settle on procedures that restore faith in our elections and arent subject to constant change. Approval of this measure will ultimately put the matter before voters and, if approved, into the state Constitution.

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero, a Democrat, said that amending the state constitution shouldnt be seen as a solution every time we may disagree on a particular issue of policy.

State Sen. Judy Ward, a Republican, cited recent polling that showed strong support for greater voter ID requirements in Pennsylvania.

This is something that the people of Pennsylvania are begging for, Ward said.

Others expressed concern over the lengthy process that accompanies obtaining proper identificationsomething critics argue could discourage some from participating in the electoral process.

There is very little evidence of systemic voter fraud in Pennsylvania, Sen. Sharif Street, a Democrat, said. We should all be working to try and get as many people to participate in the electoral process as possible.

Similarly, the nonpartisan Committee of Seventy, which opposes the bill, argued in a statement that voter fraud is exceedingly rare, and that sufficient voter ID requirements are already in place.

Just days earlier, the Pennsylvania state House approved House Bill 1300, which would include a requirement that voters present identification, among other measures relating to polls, audits, and procedures.

In their support of the bill, House Republicans said its necessary to restore what they described as integrity to the election process in the commonwealth. Other lawmakers said their constituents had pushed them to vote on the bill.

Democrat Gov. Tom Wolf has said several times that he will veto any election-related bill. On June 22, Wolf wrote on Twitter that he wouldnt sign the House bill into law, saying, I will veto this bill if it reaches my desk in its current form.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
Deputy Premier Steven Miles speaks at a press conference at an ambulance station on Bribie Island north of Brisbane, Australia on Oct. 12, 2020. (Jono Searle/Getty Images)

Quarantine Hub Proposed Near Brisbane Airport

The Queensland state government is considering an Australian federal government proposal for a CCP virus quarantine facility near the Brisbane Airport.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has offered to pay for the 1,000-bed facility on the site of the Damascus Barracks at Pinkenba.

Under the proposal, Queensland would build and operate the facility, which Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles said had previously been considered but was ruled out by the state due to asbestos on site.

The new federal proposal comes five months after Queensland first proposed a quarantine facility at Wellcamp Airport, near Toowoomba, about 130km from Brisbane, the states capital.

Miles indicated his preference for a quarantine facility in a regional area but said he welcomed working with federal officials to find a way to safely build a facility in the urban Brisbane area.

This was a one-and-a-half page letter received by us late last night, just after it was provided to the Courier Mail, Miles told reporters on Friday.

The only detail in the letter is an address. I just note that when Queensland provided a 15-page early proposal, we were told that that was far too little detail.

Now we will work with the Commonwealth through that detail. Our officers have already started analysis on that site but there is a lot more work to be done, he said.

The deputy premier called for the federal government to provide more details for the Pinkenba proposal while reiterating his case for the Wellcamp site.

He wants the prime minister to keep the Toowoomba proposal on the table, saying the plan is well advanced and therefore can be built more quickly, and is scalable beyond 1,000 beds.

I think what Queenslanders liked about the regional quarantine proposal was the distance between this facility and peoples homes  and an urban area, he said.

This Pinkenba proposal is in the suburbs of Brisbane.

In his letter, Morrison said Queenslands plan for a facility at Wellcamp Airport in Toowoomba did not meet his requirement, including beinge on Commonwealth lan, and within an hours drive of a tertiary hospital.

Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has attacked the prime minister for rejecting her plan for the Toowoomba facility, saying if hed agreed it would already be open.

Shes repeatedly warned that the use of hotels for quarantine increases the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks because they are not set up for infection control.

Our hotels were not meant to be the last line of defence for this type of infectious disease, she said this week in urging the prime minister to approve the Toowoomba plan.

But on Friday, her deputy premier admitted that the state would still rely on hotel quarantine to meet demand under both proposals.

We would continue to envisage a level of hotel quarantine going forward under either proposal, Miles said.

Currently, there are about 3,500 people in hotel quarantine in Queensland.

This comes as Morrison confirmed on Friday that a purpose-built, 1,000-bed quarantine facility for Melbourne had been green-lit for construction.
Reintroducing an Icon: The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

Theres no doubt that South Beach is hot, but todays buzzy iteration of the picture-perfect slice of South Florida is not its first or only heyday. The barrier island was mere farmland through the early 1900s, when two Miami businessmen and visionaries had the idea to develop the island by building single-family homes; construction of the Collins Bridge (later replaced by the Venetian Causeway) began in 1913.

With several roads sufficient to accommodate automobile traffic, the Town of Miami Beach was incorporated in 1915just in time for the Roaring Twenties. And the eras elite, with their mansions and their penchant for the finer things, came flocking. The ensuing decades were the golden age of South Beach, a time when the rich, the famous, and the stylish chose this stretch of sand as the place to see and be seen. Ritzy hotels were constructed all up and down the shoreline, particularly in the 1950s.

The porte-cochere. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

What goes up must come down, and by the early 1980s, the area had become rough and run-down; its said that the grittiest scenes of the 1983 movie Scarface were filmed on the streets of Miami Beach since very little had to be modified to set the scene.

Fortunately, in the following decades, South Beach rose again to its former glory; today, the area remains an affluent and vibrant neighborhood of Miami, attracting visitors (and money) from all over the world. Still, for most people, that former air of refined elegance isnt the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Miami, especially South Beach, where on any given day you can expect to sit in traffic and wade through hordes of tourists, most of them scantily clad.

But The Ritz-Carlton, South Beacha beacon of the golden age of the areais the upscale exception to this rule. Step off the steaming streets of South Beach and into a land of calm, a haven of attentive service and luxurious amenities. Here, you find the picture of class, from the Art Deco lobby bar to the lounge chair-lined, palm tree-shaded pool.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

Today, the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach is fresh off a multi-year closure due to a multi-million-dollar renovationand it shows.

The Legacy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach has been a landmark since its 1953 debut. A marriage of Miamis Art Deco glamour and Miami Modernist architecture (a style with roots in the decadent Art Deco period that came of age thanks to the influence of the Bauhaus movement), the hotel was one of eight Miami Beach hotels designed by architect Morris Lapidus.

The lobby. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

Step inside and touches of Lapiduss signature are immediately clear: there are sweeping curves, floating ceilings, and shapes reminiscent of a painters palette; staircases are strategically placed to maximize the drama, the sense of arrival, imbued by guests as they descend from the mezzanine level to the lobby and retreat again.

(Thats one thing that hasnt changed from the South Beach of yesterday to the destination it is today: the Miami crowds predilection for the bold and attention-grabbing.)

Historically significant elements were preserved even through the renovations conducted by Meg Sharpe Interiors in recent years.

This is plain upon arrival, where the first thing your eyes land on as you enter the lobby is the curved light wall, which is original to the building; in the remake, Reveal Design Group curated the mood by updating the wall to utilize LED technology, redesigning the entire lighting layout to accommodate the updated materials and furniture layout, and integrating lighting into many of the feature millwork pieces throughout the lobby, bar, and upstairs restaurant. Its said that Lapidus designed the iconic wall with the moth complex in mindthe fact that people are attracted to light and will gravitate toward it and gather around it. The lobby space is, indeed, an inviting spot to sit a spell. The walls original ombre effect is no more, but the new subtly ombre carpet pays homage.

Other elements of Lapiduss original design that were preserved include the black terrazzo flooring, the mezzanine-level railing, the outdoor signage, and Venetian plaster that was hand-scraped by master craftsmen.

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach of Today

The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach has been modernized to cater to guests sensibilities, but with much of the glory of yesterday intact.

For example, the Lapidus Bar in the lobby, with its rich marble and its mirrors custom-made to resemble the originals, calls to mind a vintage yacht and features tipples meant to capture the spirit of Miamis classic cocktail culture; near the pool, the indoor-outdoor Fuego y Mar is a Latin restaurant with a menu of revisited Cuban classics.

The Lapidus Bar. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

Fuego y Mar. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

In all 376 of the newly renovated rooms and suites, which were reimagined by Cristian Rubio with Hirsch Bedner Associates in Miami, guests will find marble bathrooms stocked with sumptuous towels and high-end toiletriesand rooms with enhanced soundproofing to keep out undesirable decibels and prevent unwelcome interruption.

Beyond the poolwhich is one of the few South Beach hotel pools elevated off of ground level, meaning loungers are treated to ocean views even while poolsideopen-air dining is offered at the oceanfront DiLido Beach Club, which sits parallel to but protected from the busy Ocean Walk boardwalk along the sand. Its a great spot to people-watch and ponder the fact that people have been enjoying this same scene for a century.

A Club Oceanfront Room. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

The pool. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

Cabanas. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

DiLido Beach Club. (Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach)

Aside from the historical points of interest, perhaps the crown jewel of the hotel is the upper-level Ritz-Carlton Club Lounge, the only hotel VIP lounge of its kind in South Beach. Here, guests have access to a dedicated concierge team and five culinary and beverage presentations per day (breakfast, lunch, snack, happy hour, and dessert), all included. Its a retreat within the already luxurious hotel and feels just about as exclusive as it gets in South Beach.

The hotels $45 per night resort fee covers things such as beach chair and umbrella service; beach games including volleyball, paddleball, and beach toys; a one-hour fitness class daily for up to two people; two four-hour bike rentals; and one complimentary serving of the hotels signature ice cream by Aubi & Ramsa, a local artisan boozy ice cream company.

Touches like these make the stay memorable, the kind of hotel experience youll tell your grandkids aboutas your own grandparents may have done with you.

While its true that todays guests pull up in Teslas instead of candy-colored Chevrolet Bel Airs, the sense of arrival is the same. The way we spend our timeand document it all excessively on our smartphonesmay differ from the way our forefathers spent their stay at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, but its long-established spirit of beachfront indulgence remains untouched.

Skye Sherman is a freelance travel writer based in West Palm Beach, Fla. She covers news, transit, and international destinations for a variety of outlets. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter @skyesherman.

The author was a guest of The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) speaks while walking through the Canon Tunnel to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, on Jan. 12, 2021. (Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images)

Rep. Donalds Calls Congressional Black Caucus Snub Kind of Comical and Very Petty

In the wake of Jan. 6, some Democrats have refused to work with Republicans on any legislation, especially if they voted against accepting the election results. In a demonstration of the level of disdain some Democrats have for Republicans on Capitol Hill, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has refused membership to Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who was one of the Florida Representatives who voted against the certification of electoral votes for Joe Biden.

Ive got to tell you, its kind of comical, Donalds told The Epoch Times. Were all adults, were all members of Congress. In some respects, you could argue we get paid to speak. We stoop to cameras and reporters all the time. But we cant talk to another member? I find that to be interesting.

As a freshman congressman, Donalds said its disturbing to see how members wont talk to each other, saying Democrats have become very petty since the events that transpired on Jan. 6.

Its easy to try to play political games to try to keep power and use these things to make it intolerable to have different opinions, Donalds surmised. I think thats really whats happened up here. Its just intolerable to have different opinions. It used to be tolerable. Now its intolerable. How can our nation stand if we cant even talk to each other in the hallways? Thats not going to work.

To date, there have only been three Republican CBC members: Rep. Gary Franks (R-Conn.), and former Reps. Allen West (R-Fla.) and Mia Love (R-Utah). In 2010, Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) declined the CBCs invitation to become a member, saying his campaign was never about race, and the ideals of a unified America cannot be advanced by focusing on one group of people.

While The Epoch Times reached out to multiple members of the CBC, the office of only oneDelegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)indicated she would get back in touch for a phone interview. However, even after several follow-up messages, that call never transpired.

Thus far, members of the CBC have also refused to speak to Donalds.

However, this isnt the first time Democrats have refused to allow a Republican membership into a caucus.

Exclusive Caucuses

When I applied to join the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), there were members who supported my application but the majority did not, former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) told The Epoch Times.

In 2017, the CHC voted against allowing Curbelo to join their ranks on the grounds they believed the positions held by the Cuban-American lawmaker were inconsistent with their values. Curbelo slammed the decision on Twitter, calling it a pathetic attempt by the Caucus to justify discrimination, bigotry, and intolerance against a fellow Hispanic.

It seems Congressman Donalds has had the same experience and its regrettable that some congressional Democrats believe in segregating people based on their views and rejecting any kind of diversity of thought, Curbelo added. Theres no need for or interest in having any dialogue that will challenge their views. Its a reflection of how dysfunctional Congress is and how its contributing to the division and distrust that exists in the country.

Asked what message this sends to the American people ahead of the 2022 election cycle, Curbelo said the message is clear: If youre not a Democrat, you dont count.

Hypocrisy is the Message

I think hypocrisy is the message, Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.) told The Epoch Times. If they would just say this is the Congressional Democrat Black Caucus, I could understand that. Theyre pretending to be inclusive when they clearly are not.

Virtually everybody in America would be disappointed and anyone who honestly looks at this would have to say you are not what you say you are. Youre the Democrat Black Caucus, Dunn reiterated. I think the American people are generally fed up with hypocrisy and, if they identify this as hypocrisy, which I think would be fair, they can expect to have some blowback on this.

Theres no mystery that Washington is embroiled in a bitterly partisan divide, Dunn noted. They dont really want additional ideas. They just want their homogenous ideas.

Still, while Donalds admitted he doesnt see the political disconnect ending any time soon, he insisted the gridlock doesnt bother him.

I think people sometimes forget, our process here is supposed to be hard, Donalds explained. Things arent just supposed to be flying out of the nations capital. Its supposed to be deliberative. Its supposed to be hard. Its supposed to take a long time to pass something out of here because what we pass affects the American people. So, if this place is running like a greased machine and members are just passing everything that happens, people in their everyday lives will have to try to catch up with what were doing.

Gridlock is the wrong thing to be concerned about, Donalds said. I think intolerance is the thing that bothers me. Intolerance, an inability or unwillingness to actually debate, to compromise, to communicate.

We Need More People Like Byron

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who recently took to Twitter to condemn Democrat identity politics as the new Marxism, spoke highly of Donalds.

We need more people like Byron Donalds in Congress because he is interested in solving problems, Rubio told The Epoch Times. It isnt about clubs or popularity contests. It is about getting things done.

The Democrats are in complete control so if theres no conversations about public policies and what the Republican ideas are, that comes from the majority party because they choose not to have these conversations, Donalds explained. So, if thats what they chose to do, Republicans have no control over that because we dont chair any committees, we dont have the speakers office, and they also control the Senate and White House.

As much as the left tries to deride President Trump at every turn, President Trump actually engaged Democrat leadership on a lot of issues, Donalds added. Now there is no dialogue at all.
San Benito County Board Rejects Resolution to Prohibit Vaccine Mandate

San Benito Countys Board of Supervisors recently voted against a resolution that would have prohibited any business or other entity in the California county from requiring employees or patrons to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Businesses would also have been asked to remove signs requiring masks or other face coverings.

During the June 22 board meeting, County Supervisor Peter Hernandez said the resolution would protect peoples freedom of choice and promote informed decision-making. He decided to introduce the resolution after Nevadas White Pine County approved a similar action in April.

As much as we think that we know whats best as elected officials, were not representing our duties right, I would say, because of the way that these things, this dialogue has become so mute with only half the information being provided, Hernandez told NTD Television.

The resolution failed in a 31 vote after more than three hours of discussion and public comments. While 32 people spoke on the issue, only three were against the resolution. However, the three supervisors who voted against the resolution stated that the majority of speakers werent from San Benito County, so they didnt represent the local community.

The resolution also would have asked medical providers to provide patients with comprehensive information to allow for informed decisions. The county would have been required to treat people equally regardless of vaccination status.

San Benito County borders Santa Clara County, which has experienced one of the highest levels of COVID-19-related restrictions in the country.

Supervisor Bob Tiffany of District 4 said, I do believe that for the most part, the decisions that have been made are based on whats best for society, how are we going to, as soon as possible, get out of this pandemic.

Supervisor Kollin Kosmicki of District 2 said: I really encourage everyone, and I think we all should encourage from a science standpoint, to get vaccinated. I think its the right thing to do, not just for yourself but for your fellow human being.

However, Hernandez said that elected officials and governing agencies need to better engage with the communities they serve. Regarding the vaccines, he believes individuals should have access to information that thoroughly explains the potential risks, benefits, and alternatives.

Informed consent is profound because it ultimately engages the individual to make a choice, and that choice is with all the consequences considered. Outside of that, it becomes a dangerous element where choices are made, and not considering the consequences, and then theres collateral damage that someone has to eventually atone for, Hernandez said during the meeting.

He also said that vaccine incentives and segregating people based on vaccination status are forms of coercion. Although there is no vaccine mandate, the State of California has been using money lotteries and promoting discounts at certain businesses as incentives for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

While the resolution failed, the conversations during the board meeting echoed a growing sentiment regarding vaccine mandates and so-called passports. In recent months, people have spoken out against mandates, citing them as a violation of freedom of choice and violation of privacy.

My big hope  is that it becomes a stronger grassroots national conversation that brings back the original intent of the founders that have given us ultimately the We the People element; that we become responsive to the public as elected officials; that we cannot just go by half-truths. We have to be very clear, Hernandez said.

He believes that peoples fundamental right to choose must be protected.
A Russian Air Force MiG-31K jet carries a high-precision hypersonic aero-ballistic missile Kh-47M2 Kinzhal during the Victory Day military parade to celebrate 73 years since the end of WWII and the defeat of Nazi Germany, in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2018. (Pavel Golovkin/AP Photo)

Russia Launches Mediterranean Drills Amid Rift With Britain

MOSCOWThe Russian military on Friday launched sweeping maneuvers in the Mediterranean Sea featuring warplanes capable of carrying hypersonic missiles, a show of force amid a surge in tensions following an incident with a British destroyer in the Black Sea.

Moscow said one of its warships fired warning shots and a warplane dropped bombs in the path of British destroyer Defender on Wednesday to force her out of an area near Crimea that Russia claims as its territorial waters. Britain denied that account, insisted its ship wasnt fired upon, and said she was sailing in Ukrainian waters.

The Russian drills that began Friday in the eastern Mediterranean come as a British carrier strike group is in the area. Earlier this week, British and U.S. F-35 fighters from HMS Queen Elizabeth flew combat sorties against the Islamic State group.

Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria since September 2015, allowing Syrian President Bashar Assads government to reclaim control over most of the country after a devastating civil war.

A Russian Air Force MiG-31K jet carries a high-precision hypersonic aero-ballistic missile Kh-47M2 Kinzhal, in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2018. (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP Photo)

The Russian Defense Ministry said that a pair of MiG-31 fighter jets capable of carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles arrived at the Russian airbase in Syria and flew missions practicing strikes on targets in the Mediterranean. The Hemeimeem airbase, in the coastal province of Latakia, serves as the main hub for Moscows operations in the country.

Its the first time the warplanes capable of carrying Kinzhal have been deployed outside Russias borders.

The military says the Kinzhal flies at 10 times the speed of sound and has a range of up to 2000 kilometers (about 1,250 miles).

The Defense Ministry said the maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean also involve several warships, two submarines, and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers along with other combat aircraft. The supersonic, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3s were first deployed to Syria last month in a demonstration of an increased Russian military foothold in the Mediterranean.

The Russian military has modernized the runway at Hemeimeem to accommodate heavy bombers and built a second one to expand the operations there.

Russia also has expanded and modified a naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus, the only such facility that Russia currently has outside the former Soviet Union.

In this grab taken from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service, a view of the British destroyer HMS Defender as it sails near Crimea in the Black Sea, on June 23, 2021. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

The Russian military has increased the number and scope of its drills amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, which have sunk to post-Cold War lows after Moscows 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. As part of President Vladimir Putins efforts to beef up Russias military, the Russian navy in recent years has revived the Soviet-era practice of constantly rotating its warships in the Mediterranean.

Speaking to reporters Sunday aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, Commodore Steve Moorhouse said the eastern Mediterranean has become more congested and contested with the heavier Russian military presence in Syria, resulting in regular encounters with Russian ships and warplanes. He noted that a Russian warship has come within 10 kilometers (16 miles) of the carrier.

In Wednesdays Black Sea incident, Britain insisted the Defender had been making a routine journey through an internationally recognized travel lane and remained in Ukrainian waters near Crimea. The UK, like most of the world, recognizes Crimea as part of Ukraine despite the peninsulas annexation by Russia.

Russia denounced the Defenders move as a provocation and warned that next time it could fire to hit intruding warships if they again try to test the Russian militarys resolve.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov on Friday derided the British denials that the Russian military fired warning shots at the Defender and urged Britain and its allies not to tempt fate. He added that the Defender is just a juicy target for the Black Sea Fleets missile systems.
Students sit behind barriers and use tablets during an in-person English class at St. Anthony Catholic High School during the COVID-19 pandemic in Long Beach, Calif., on March 24, 2021. (Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)

School Board Asks California to Revise Mask Mandate Policy

The Capistrano Unified School District Board of Trustees is opposing a California policy that will require students to wear masks when they return to classrooms.

It passed a resolution on June 23 to send a letter to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), requesting a timely revision of face-covering guidance for schools and school-based programs.

The resolution, which passed in a 52 vote, was authored by Trustee Lisa Davis, who said the risk of children becoming infected with COVID-19 was not worth the psychological problems face coverings cause.

Masking students in school for a disease that has minimal risk for them blatantly disregards the available clinical data, Davis said during the board meeting. Teachers, staff, and administrators can be fully vaccinated by the fall. There is no reason for continued masking of students.

The resolution, which asks the CDPH to revise its school mask mandates, is largely symbolic as the department holds power in making the decision, not any school board.

The resolution said that the school district has not had a single verified case of transmission on any of its campuses, that school-aged children are less likely to contract and transmit the virus, that infection rates have dramatically fallen amid increased vaccinations, and that students have reported an increase of rashes, eye infections, headaches, asthmatic symptoms, and anxiety related to wearing masks.

Not everyone agreed with the resolution.

Board Vice President Krista Castellanos said that as a teacher, she is well aware of the difficulties that come with teaching and learning with masks on. However, she said the guidelines are there for a reason.

Two of my 5-year-old students lost fathers this year, she said. And the anguish those families suffered is indescribable, Castellanos said. The safety guidelines that are in place are here for a reason and exist to keep our children and family safe. It would be difficult for me to sign my name to this resolution, demanding CDPH to expedite their research to accommodate the needs or the demands of some parents.

Trustee Amy Hanacek, who along with Castellanos voted against the resolution, said she had concerns that the perspective of families who still want masks are not being represented.

Is this really best practice for this board to send out a public communication that appears to elevate one group over another? Hanacek said. Is the board opening itself up to accusations of discriminatory actions? Should we collectively be taking sides sending a resolution that, although symbolic, appears to elevate one voice over another and thus could marginalize or have a deleterious effect on others?

The California Department of Public Health didnt immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times.
Lawyer Sidney Powell speaks to media while flanked by President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (L) and Trump campaign senior legal adviser Jenna Ellis at a press conference at the Republican National Committee headquarters in Washington, on Nov. 19, 2020. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

Sidney Powell, MyPillows Mike Lindell Appear in Court Over Dominion Lawsuits

Attorneys for lawyer Sidney Powell, Rudy Giuliani, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell argued Thursday during a federal district court in the District of Columbia that a defamation lawsuit filed by elections technology firm Dominion Voting Systems should be thrown out.

They argued that Dominion acted in a government capacity during the last election by providing counties with election software. As a result, their lawyers said the firm has to prove Powell and Lindell acted with malice when they made claims against the company after the Nov. 3 election, citing previous court cases that barred public officials from filing lawsuits against individuals who criticized them.

If you are criticizing the government  that is not actionable, Doug Daniels, an attorney for Lindell, said in court on Thursday, adding the company should be classified as a government entity because theyre administering the election.

But Tom Clare, Dominions attorney who filed billion-dollar lawsuits against the three, disagreed with that argument.

Theyre trying to tag us falsely with the label of a government actor, Clare said, reported USA Today. Dominion doesnt administer elections. Election officials do using the tools made by Dominion  That is a critical distinction.

Powell, Lindell, and several top Dominion officials appeared in the federal court. Giuliani did not but was represented by his lawyer, Joseph Sibley.

Giuliani, Powell, and Lindell previously have filed motions asking a judge to toss Dominions suits against them, which the company has opposed.

Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow, speaks during a campaign rally held by U.S. President Donald Trump in Minneapolis, Minn., on Oct. 10, 2019. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

We are excited to see this process move forward to hold people accountable and defend Dominions good name, said Dominion in a statement to The Epoch Times about Thursdays hearing.

Powells attorney, Howard Kleinhendler, also asserted Thursday she is protected and didnt act with malice because she used witness affidavits that were submitted in court. And lawyers for Powell and Lindell, meanwhile, argued that MyPillow and a fundraising website used by Powell shouldnt be able to be sued in Washington.

Furthermore, according to Kleinhendler, when Powell made public statements about the election, she used information from experts and they werent making allegations out of thin air.

Clare, however, said that Powell and the other defendants made allegations against Dominion outside the courtroom, pointing to their media appearances and social media posts.

These were statements made in press conferences, in rallies, on social media, on television, including after the very lawsuits that theyre referencing to the court were dismissed and after United States district courts told the world that  the sources of these allegations were wholly unreliable, Clare said.

Lindells and Powells attorneys have previously argued that Dominionby filing the lawsuitsis trying to silence its critics, which goes against the First Amendment.

This case is part of a coordinated crusade by [Dominion] to silence debate regarding a matter of the utmost public concern in a democratic societythe integrity of its elections, Lindells lawyers wrote in court filings. Plaintiffs are a private company hired by the government to perform the critical governmental function of helping to conduct free and fair elections. The freedom to speak openly in the public square about such subjects is a keystone foundational freedom of our democracy. It is under assault in this lawsuit.

But Dominions attorneys have said that the three defendants post-Nov. 3 claims caused injury to the Toronto-based company. In lawsuits, the company said it suffered more than $600 million in lost profit and revenue, as well as other costs, while adding it spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on enhanced private security.

The harm to Dominions business and reputation is unprecedented and irreparable because of how fervently millions of people believe it, its lawyers wrote in a lawsuit against Giuliani.

Dominion also filed a defamation lawsuit against Fox News, accusing it of making false claims about the firm. Fox has moved to dismiss the case.
People queue in their cars to get tested for COVID-19 at a pop-up testing clinic at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia on June 25, 2021. (Dean Lewins/AAP Image via AP)

Stay at Home Orders for Parts of Sydney Amid Outbreak

The New South Wales (NSW) government has imposed stay-at-home orders in four areas of Sydney after an outbreak of the Delta variant of the CCP virus grew on Friday.

Sydneysiders who live or work in the local government areas of Woollahra, Waverly, Randwick, or the City of Sydney itself will now be locked down until July 2.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said everyone in those districts would need to stay home unless absolutely necessary. Residents can only leave their homes to attend work, study, provide care, or buy essential items.

Residents may also exercise in groups of no more than 10.

We appreciate what impact this will have significantly on businesses, especially in the CBD and those four council areas weve announced, Berejiklian said.

And whilst were doing really well with the virusour contact tracers are doing an unbelievable job, the people who were interviewing are doing a great jobthe advice from [NSW] Health is, we dont want to see this situation linger for weeks.

We would like to see this situation end sooner rather than later, she said.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian at a press conference in Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 4, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

Berejiklian announced that pre-existing restrictions for other areas of Greater Sydney as well as Central Coast, the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, and Shellharbour would remain in place until midnight on Friday next week.

Those who live or work in the Inner West, Canada Bay, or Bayside council areas are also barred from leaving metropolitan Sydney.

The news of the localised lockdowns comes as the outbreak grew again, with eleven cases detected in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. on Thursday nightsix of which were already reported.

There were 17 further infections after 8 p.m. that will be recorded in Saturdays tally; this brings the total number of the Bondi cluster to 65.

However, 14 of the new cases are linked to pre-existing infections.

NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr. Kerry Chant, said the large number of exposure sites with confirmed transmission meant that increased restrictions were needed.

NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant at a press conference in Homebush in Sydney, Australia, on Aug. 17, 2020. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images)

The key issue is because of the growing number of venues, the fact that weve had confirmed transmission at a number of the venues, we need to reduce peoples movements, Chant said.

NSW Police Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said police had already handed out infringement notices for breaches to the new rules, including some on public transport.

Meanwhile, Deputy Premier John Barilaro, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and the premier have all tested negative to COVID-19 after the NSW parliament was declared a potential exposure site on June 24, after Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall tested positive.

Berejiklian also thanked the states Covid Tracing Team, which she said were doing an amazing job and noted that NSW Health was on top of all cases bar one, which they had yet to trace back.
Supreme Court Reduces Scope of Class Action Against Credit Firm That Falsely Implicated People as on Terrorist Watch List

In a 54 ruling on June 25, the Supreme Court sided with credit reporting company TransUnion, removing most of the more than 8,000 plaintiffs from a consumer class-action lawsuit against the firm, which had categorized those individuals as potential terrorists.

The ruling is a defeat for the Biden administration, which had argued all 8,185 individuals in the class sustained an informational injury at the hands of TransUnion and therefore had standing to sue. The high court decided that 6,332 of the class members lacked standing.

The opinion in TransUnion LLC v. Ramirez, court file 20-297, was written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh and backed by four conservative justices. On the other side were Justices Clarence Thomas and the three liberal justices. Thomas and Justice Elena Kagan both filed separate dissenting opinions.

Lead plaintiff Sergio L. Ramirez is the representative for a class-action lawsuit against the credit reporting firm TransUnion. He claimed the company deliberately violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a statute from 1970 that created a cause of action allowing consumers to recover damages for certain violations. Ramirez claimed the company falsely reported that his name appeared in the database operated by the Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

According to the government, OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on US foreign policy and national security goals against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States.

Its database contains the names of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries. It also lists individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific.

Ramirez claimed the inaccurate report hindered his efforts to secure credit, embarrassed him in front of family, and forced him to cancel a vacation. He discovered his OFAC listing when he tried to buy a car at a dealership.

He filed a class-action lawsuit that included 8,184 other class members to whom TransUnion sent a letter similar to the letter the company sent him in 2011 regarding the OFAC database.

TransUnion argued that the class action was improper because there was no proof that anyone other than Ramirez had suffered injuries. Most of the class members OFAC listings were never disclosed to third parties.

A U.S. district court ruled that all members of the class had standing and a jury awarded more than $60 million in damages to the class members. TransUnion appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which affirmed the judgment but reduced the damages to $40 million.

TransUnion argued in its petition to the Supreme Court that the jurys verdict reflected a perfect storm of standing, class certification, and punitive damages problems, combining to give rise to a multi-million dollar damages award in a case with no proven injury to anyone beyond the named plaintiff.

In the Supreme Courts decision, Kavanaugh wrote that to sue in federal court, plaintiffs must demonstrate, among other things, that they suffered a concrete harm. No concrete harm, no standing.

To establish concreteness, it must be shown that the harm bears a close relationship to a harm traditionally recognized as providing a basis for a lawsuit in American courtssuch as physical harm, monetary harm, or various intangible harms including  reputational harm.

In the case at hand, a class of 8,185 individuals sued TransUnion in federal court, claiming the company failed to take reasonable steps to assure their credit files were accurate. TransUnion provided misleading credit reports about 1,853 class members to third-party businesses, Kavanaugh wrote.

We conclude that those 1,853 class members have demonstrated concrete reputational harm and thus have  standing to sue on the reasonable-procedures claim, the opinion stated.

Because the credit files of the other 6,332 class members werent provided to third-party businesses, the Supreme Court determined that those class members have not demonstrated concrete harm and thus lack  standing to sue on the reasonable-procedures claim.

The fact that Congress created the Fair Credit Reporting Act and a cause of action does not relieve courts of their responsibility to independently decide whether a plaintiff has suffered a concrete harm, Kavanaugh wrote.

Joined by Justices Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan, Thomas wrote in dissent that the individuals whose reports werent provided to third parties nevertheless suffered harm.

TransUnion generated credit reports that erroneously flagged many law-abiding people as potential terrorists, Thomas wrote. In doing so, TransUnion violated several provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act  that entitle consumers to accuracy in credit-reporting procedures; to receive information in their credit files; and to receive a summary of their rights.

Yet despite Congress judgment that such misdeeds deserve redress, the majority decides that TransUnions actions are so insignificant that the Constitution prohibits consumers from vindicating their rights in federal court, he wrote.

The Constitution does no such thing, Thomas wrote. TransUnions misconduct here is exactly the sort of thing that has long merited legal redress.

In her dissenting opinion, which was joined by Breyer and Sotomayor, Kagan criticized her colleagues, saying the majority opinion here transforms standing law from a doctrine of judicial modesty into a tool of judicial aggrandizement.

It holds for the first time, that a specific class of plaintiffs whom Congress allowed to bring a lawsuit cannot do so under the Constitution.

TransUnion willfully violated the statutes provisions by preparing credit files that falsely called the plaintiffs potential terrorists, and by obscuring that fact when the plaintiffs requested copies of their files.
A supporter holds a poster of the Apple Daily newspaper logo outside the media company's office building in Hong Kong in the early hours of June 24, 2021. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Taiwan Condemns the Forced Closure of Apple Daily

On Thursday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen and legislators condemned the forced closure of the pro-democratic Apple Daily in Hong Kong, slamming the move as suppression of freedom of speech.

Tsai said on Facebook that she was deeply saddened by the forced silence of Apple Daily after its tycoon and executives were arrested and assets frozen under the Beijing-imposed national security law in Hong Kong.

She said that the tabloid, which printed the last edition on Thursday, is Hongkongers symbol of freedom. The vocal newspaper never bows to pressure from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and persisted in memorializing the June 4 Tiananmen Massacre, standing with pro-democratic protesters and covering public outcry against the national security law.

I want to tell the secretly ecstatic authoritarians that freedom and democracy are like a tree. It could be cut down, but the seeds have been sown in every corner of the land. There are always a few seeds that will grow into another big tree, she said.

Tsai told Hong Kong people that democratic Taiwan would stand with them to strive for freedom.

Lai Ching-te, Taiwans Vice President, said on Facebook on June 23, To silence the media by rude means is to deprive freedom and violate human rights.

The raids and arrests have  a chilling effect on the press in Hong Kong, he said of the police raid of the Apply Daily headquarters on June 17. Calling on the Beijing authorities to immediately stop suppressing the media and freedom of speech!

Lai said the promise the Chinese regime made that Hong Kong would remain unchanged for 50 years after the handover of the city to the regime on July 1, 1997, was still in his ears, and that in a short period of time it is regrettable to easily break promises and leave Hong Kong in a killing atmosphere that inhibits the expression of different opinions.

The people of Hong Kong have no fear of dictatorship, Lai added. The day after the raid Apply Daily sold more than 500,000 copies as Hongkongers, hold on to the voice of freedom that is facing harm.

People line up in the rain up to buy the Apple Daily newspapers final issue from a newsstand in Hong Kong on June 24, 2021, (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

Friends in Hong Kong, dont be discouraged, #Everyone must withstand it, after dark, dawn will come! Lai said.

You Si-kun, the president of the Legislative Yuan, pointed out that the CCP has chipped away at Hong Kongs freedom. He said democratic countries should take heed of it.

Hong Kong has inspired several generations of Asian people to visualize and seek freedom with its mass communication and film industry. Nowadays, under the situation of the CCP forcibly taking over Hong Kong, those who pursue democracy and freedom have become a thorn in the CCPs eye, You said on Wednesday.

The ruling Democratic Progressive Party at the Legislature in Taiwan urged the international community to continue supporting Hong Kong and speak up for their freedom.

The almost 26-year-old Apple Daily announced it was closing on Wednesday, citing current circumstances prevailing in Hong Kong.

The press had gained a following as a vocal defender for the pro-democratic movement. Its inaugural editorial stated, what we want is the support of readers, not the backing of any forces, which the press believed echoed until the last day.

We are convinced that Hongkongers who are accustomed to freedom will not stay silent in the face of unreasonable restrictions and unfair treatments, for Hongkongers are born with a passion for freedom.

On Wednesday night, hundreds turned up outside the headquarter of Apple Daily in the rain, shining mobile phone lights and sending their encouragement.

The founder of the press, Jimmy Lai, is now serving a 20-month prison term for participating in a pro-democracy assembly that was deemed unlawful under the national security law. Digitals CEO and Apple Dailys editor in chief, who were arrested in the mass raid last week, were denied bail after being charged with collusion with a foreign country. Hong Kong authorities alleged over 30 articles published on Apple Daily breached the national security law, but they refused to disclose a detailed list.

Zhong Yuan contributed to this report.
Border Patrol agents detain illegal immigrants after they crossed the border from Mexico into the United States in McAllen, Texas, on Aug. 7, 2015. The state's Rio Grande Valley corridor is the busiest illegal border crossing into the United States. Border security and immigration have become major issues in the U.S. presidential campaigns. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Texas Democrat: Vice President Making Politically Safe Trip to Southern Border

Vice President Kamala Harriss decision to visit the U.S. southern border in El Paso, some 800 miles from the epicenter of the surge in illegal immigration in the Rio Grande Valley, has been described by a Texas Democrat as politically safer.

Both Republicans and Democrats from border states have been urging Harris for months to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. However, her move to visit El Paso is being viewed on both sides as missing the mark.

Her planners told her that if you are going to go down to the border, go to something thats safer to go to, that is politically safer, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) said during a Thursday interview with Fox News. If you go down to the lower Rio Grande with high activity and youre there with kids and families, prosecutorial discretion where people are being released, high numbers of people crossing the border. You know, politically, thats its harder to do that.

I know that, I mean thats part of my district, but you gotta do what you gotta do, he added. You just cant, you know, just go to one place, but she does  check the box and go down to the border by going to El Paso, he added.

The White House did not immediately return a request for comment about the decision to visit El Paso.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) apprehends the highest number of illegal migrants in the Rio Grande Valley sector of south Texas, which includes McAllen, Texas.

In fiscal year 2021 so far, CBP apprehended 271,927 people in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), while El Paso had almost 114,000 apprehensions as of the end of May. None of the other border patrol sectors on the Southern border near that number to RGV.

Overall, As of June 12, 1,040 kids were in CBP care and over 14,400 were in HHS care. Border patrol agents have also seen a surge in adults and families. Illegal border crossings hit 180,034 in May, with 51,000 others avoiding capture.

Yes, the epicenter is down there in the lower Rio Grande, the lower part of my district down there, Cuellar added. If you look at the numbers that are down there compared to El Paso, youre not going to get a true picture of whats happening [in El Paso]. You go to the Donna facility, you go to Roma Texas, you go to Rio Grande City, you go to the McAllen area so you can get an ideathats how you can get an idea of whats happening.

On the same day, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) slammed Harriss decision to go to El Paso.

So, shes going where the height of the problem isnt. Let me tell you what Kamala needs to do. Kamala, you need to go to the Rio Grande Valley. Kamala, you need to go to McAllen. Kamala, you need to go to the Donna tent facility, which is the tent city your administration has built, that is massive over capacity, that has kids in cages, you need to look at the children in cages that you and Joe Biden put there in a way that is endangering their safety, is subjecting them to abuse and sexual assault, Cruz during an interview with Fox News.

And theres a reason, John, shes not going to McAllen, not going to the Rio Grande Valleybecause she doesnt want the cameras to see the Joe Biden cages with kids in cages, Cruz added.

Meanwhile, Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), representing the El Paso region, said she is looking forward to welcoming the vice president.

As I told VP last March, El Paso has chosen to employ compassion toward those seeking refuge, and her visit will provide key context for her diplomatic efforts to address root causes of migration, said Escobar on Twitter.
A man uses an AR-15 assault rifle at FT3 Tactical shooting range in Stanton, Calif., on May 3, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Texas Joins Multistate Coalition Seeking to Axe Californias Assault Weapons Ban

Texas has joined a multistate coalition challenging Californias so-called assault weapons ban, which remains in effect after an appeals court put on hold a judges ruling that the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 (AWCA) violates the Second Amendment.

Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, said in a press release that the Lone Star state had joined 21 other states in a legal brief (pdf) in the case of Miller v. Bonta, demanding that the San Francisco-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit uphold a lower court decision to strike down a ban on what California describes as illegal military-style rifles.

States do not have the right to dictate what is necessary or unnecessary when it comes to constitutional rights, and demonizing certain rifles that are widely used nationwide is an infringement on the Second Amendment, Paxton said in the statement.

Paxton objected to the label assault weapons, instead calling them modern rifles that are typically used for personal protection, as well as target and sport shooting.

In fact, California has admitted that most weapons used in mass shootings were obtained legally and that many law-abiding citizens own modern rifles for personal protection. We cannot allow this clear overreach to unconstitutionally restrict Americans cherished Second Amendment rights, he added.

On June 4, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez ruled that Californias decades-old ban on so-called assault weapons violates the Second Amendment.

The state government, through the law, bans an entire class of very popular hardwarefirearms that are lawful under federal law and under the laws of most states and that are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes, Benitez wrote in his 94-page ruling in Miller v. Bonta.

Under no level of heightened scrutiny can the law survive.

But on June 10, California Attorney General Rob Bonta appealed Benitez ruling, which he called disappointing and shocking.

I think we can agree that the decision was disappointing, and the reasoning, such as equating assault weapons to Swiss Army knives and false claims that COVID-19 vaccines have killed more people than mass shootings, was shocking, Bonta said at a press conference at the time.

In his ruling overturning the California ban, Benitez wrote that the evidence described so far proves that the harm of an assault rifle being in a mass shooting is an infinitesimally rare event. More people have died from the COVID-19 vaccine than mass shootings in California.

On June 22, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay of Benitez order, effectively leaving the AWCAs assault weapons ban in place pending appeal.

The AWCA prohibits the manufacture, use, or sale of an assault weapon, defined as a semiautomatic rifle with certain characteristics such as a fixed magazine that has the capacity to hold more than 10 rounds. People who violate the laws can be charged with a felony or a misdemeanor and face prison sentences of up to eight years.

Benitez, in his ruling, argued that This case is not about extraordinary weapons lying at the outer limits of Second Amendment protection. The banned assault weapons are not bazookas, howitzers, or machineguns. Those arms are dangerous and solely useful for military purposes.

Instead, the firearms deemed assault weapons are fairly ordinary, popular, modern rifles. This is an average case about average guns used in average ways for average purposes, Benitez said.

The amicus brief that Texas has joined characterizes Californias law as draconian, arguing that because the types of firearms that the law deems assault weapons are commonly used by millions of law-abiding citizens for a myriad of lawful purposes, the ban strikes at the core of the Second Amendment.

Besides California, six other states have imposed bans on so-called assault weapons.

Isabel Van Brugen contributed to this report.
Shen Yun: The Show the Chinese Communist Party Doesnt Want You to See

Theres little that scares the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) more than the growing popularity of traditional cultureembodied in the brilliant sights and sounds of Shen Yun Performing Arts.

It makes sense. New York-based Shen Yuns mission is to revive 5,000 years of Chinese civilization, an ancient culture centered around harmony between heaven, earth, and humankinda culture said to be passed down from the divine. This is everything the CCP has been working to destroy since the Partys inception.

Absolutely, this is blacklisted. This is the biggest threat to the Chinese Communist Party, said Jared Madsen, one of Shen Yuns emcees. If people believe theres something beyond the Chinese Communist Party, they believe theres something higher  thats a major threat to the Chinese Communist Party.

As such, the CCP has done everything from slashing Shen Yuns tour bus tires to hiring hordes of internet trolls to skew perception of the company on social media, to having Chinese consulates write letters to local officials saying that their letting Shen Yun perform in their areas would damage relations with China, to calling up theaters themselves (or through hired proxies) to demand Shen Yun be canceled. The interference goes back over a decade and has been well documented, and actually often backfires.

These measures may sound extreme, because Shen Yun is not even a political show. Its a performance of classical Chinese dance, of ethnic and folk dances from Chinas 50-some minority groups, of bel canto solos, and of an orchestra blending Eastern and Western traditions. And audiences step out of the theater aglow, uplifted by the performance, and happy to have learned the truth about the authentic culture of China, something little known in the West precisely because the Party has tried to erase it.

Fundamentally, the Chinese Communist Party is an atheist regime. Shen Yun reflects 5,000 years of Chinese culture, and Chinese culture is rooted in divine thoughtall different types of divine thought: Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianismthat goes directly against the atheist principles of communism, Madsen said.

The CCP is afraid because Shen Yun shows China before communism.

Jared Madsen, emcee for Shen Yun Performing Arts. (NTD Television)

What Is Traditional Culture?

One of the methods the CCP has used in trying to discredit Shen Yun is to create its own performing arts troupes, sending them all around the world.

They created all these companies  that they sent to the US. Now, have you heard of any of these? Madsen said. No, because they werent very good. Why? Because no one wants to see communist propaganda. In more recent years, the Partys method has evolved, and they talk often of promoting traditional culture and having major arts organizations emphasize classical dance in ways that turn out to be just lip service.

When they do talk about traditional Chinese culture, they use it to try to promote communism. I mean here, we see right through it, like this is propaganda, and nobody wants to watch this,' Madsen said.

Its worth understanding that all major organizations in China are state-run. Huang Peng, a violinist and vocalist with Shen Yun, explained how being an artist in China and in America has been like night and day.

Huang once had a prestigious career as a violinist. He studied the instrument under his father from childhood and successfully auditioned into a well-known philharmonic orchestra.

But then in 1999, the CCP began a persecutory campaign against Falun Gong, with official orders to ruin the livelihoods and reputations of those who would not give it up. Peng was one of an estimated 100 million people in China who followed this spiritual practice that teaches truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. He was also one of several million who would not give up his faith, and he tried to tell his colleagues and those around him about the truth of Falun Gong: that it is good, teaches people to be kind, and that the CCP was circulating blatantly false and slanderous information about the practice.

Huang was telling his fellow musicians about Falun Gong one day when a supervisor reported him to the police, who then ransacked his home and detained him for 24 hours where they kept him awake. Meanwhile, they also illegally arrested his mother for no reason other than to coerce him into writing and signing a testimony not only stating he would give up his faith, but denigrating it as well.

Huang refused, and he was fired.

His first thought was to seek work in another city, with a fresh start, but at the airport he learned that he had been blacklisted and was once again detained. Except this time, Huang was put in a transformation class, shorthand for brainwashing, and he didnt see the outside world for the next two months.

Much has been documented about the CCPs brutal torture and organ harvesting of groups of its own citizens, like spiritual believers of Falun Gong. But Huangs torture was mental; he was put under 24-hour surveillance, made to watch brainwashing films, and threatened in myriad ways. Under the intense pressure, he signed the testimony. After returning home, it felt like there was a knife in my heart, Huang said. He did what he most wanted not to do, and the mental persecution had stolen his integrity.

He spent the next few years constantly on the run. Not letting his regret weigh him down, he taught himself how to make and produce fliers that had information about the truth of Falun Gong, and taught others how to do the same, putting himself at risk for another illegal arrest. Huang had to give up his art, and it devastated him and his father both, but his faith was more important.

Then in 2008 he heard about Shen Yun, and in 2014 he was able to leave the country and successfully auditioned to be a part of the performing arts company he had looked up to.

In mainland China, the state wont allow people who practice Falun Gong to perform on stage. But here, we have freedom of belief. I think this is so important, as an artist, he said.

But why Shen Yun?

Shen Yuns mission is to revive Chinas 5,000 years of traditional culture, he said. It is a divinely inspired culture and a divine message. And it is a message of kindness, which can move peoples hearts.

Huang Peng, violinist for Shen Yun Performing Arts. (NTD Television)

The Truth Wins Out

Shen Yun was formed by a group of artistssome who left China, some who came by way of other parts of the worldwho came together in New York in order to do what they couldnt in their home country.

And despite the CCPs long arm of influence, despite its making use of the entire state apparatus to discredit the company, Shen Yun has become a worldwide phenomenon.

I remember there was one night, I believe in 2009, when we had three companies, and I got a phone call, Madsen said. All three shows were sold out. That was the point. From that moment forward, we usually sold out every show.

Today, Shen Yun has seven companies that simultaneously tour the world, giving hundreds of performances in over 100 cities globally. Its the only performing arts group of its kind, dedicated not just to preserving but also to reviving traditional Chinese culture. Audience members often express intrigue, piqued by the many rave reviews, and want to see what the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company looks like in action.

Audiences leave having all expectations filled and more, because Shen Yun is unique among performing arts companies as well, choreographing over a dozen new dances every season with a full-scale production that rivals top opera houses most lavish pieces.

The production value is incredibly high, Madsen said. That alone, this is a show you can really get immersed in.

But while the one-of-a-kind costumes, and orchestra, and digital backdrops dazzle, he thinks there is something deeper that the audiences leave with.

Theres this constant human pursuit of something greater, something bigger, something betternot just that, something deeper, something higher. All of that. It all comes together, he said. And our show really brings that out and brings that to life.

It really goes beyond a cultural show. Its these deep values and deep principles, he said.

NTD contributed to this report.

The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org
United States Marines infantrymen, taking cover behind large boulders, shoot at North Korean forces during a battle on a snow-covered mountain in the Korean War, Korea, on Dec. 6, 1950. The Marines won the battle, backed by close air support. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The Undeniable Importance of the Korean War and Its Lessons

Whether Americans or citizens the world over wish to remember or not, the Korean War is the symbol of the 70-plus-year war of attrition between two ideas: communism and democracy. June 25, 1950, moved the world from modern warfare into the existential warfare of the modern age, introducing the first hot war of the Cold War.

The Korean peninsula provides the world a precise cross-comparison of the effects of freedom or tyranny. She is, ironically enough, geographically split in half.

The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a republic in name only. This nation, led by the Kim Dynasty, promised freedom and equality but was founded on force and subjugation. Any new nation arising from the chaos of revolution often forgets what it has promised, or, at times, simply cannot fulfill its promises until opportunity allows. In the past 75 years, however, North Koreas rule has passed from one son to the next.

It took decades for the Republic of Korea (ROK) to find its footing and fulfill the promise of what a republic should be. On paper, when it comes to leaders, North Korea is the symbol of stability, averaging one every 25 years. Between 1948 and 1987, not one South Korean president left office voluntarily. They were either exiled, kicked out, or assassinated. The people, from the top down, however, continued to believe in the promise of democracythat people could be free to decide their own fate.

The 38th parallel should not be a symbol solely for Koreans of what could befor better or for worsebut should be a symbol for Americans and yes, even the world. The modern-day American perhaps knows little to nothing about the Korean War, for its a moment abandoned by the history books. Despite that, aside from World War II, the Korean War is quite possibly the most important war fought in the past 100 years.

A Brief History of Korea

Korea is a nation with a rich history, founded over a millennium ago. Though a longtime tributary state of China, it remained an autonomous, self-sustaining, and peaceful country. Even during the reign of the Mongol empire, while remaining defiant, it simply transferred its tribute from the Chinese to the Mongols. It had one war with Japan in the 16th century.

As the world continued its push toward a global economic system, isolationism was coming to an end. Nations of the Far East were being broken open by the Western powers. Japan would use American methods with extreme discretion to break open Korea. It established unfair treaties, infiltrated the culture, cut off other competing powers through the SinoJapanese and RussoJapanese wars, annexed, and eventually colonized Korea in 1910. By 1939, two years after the start of the Second SinoJapanese War, Korea was installed as part of the empire of Japan.

It wasnt until the end of World War II in 1945 that Korea became free. But in practicality, this freedom was in name only. The peninsula had been haphazardly split along its 38th parallel by the Americans and Soviets, ultimately establishing two separate countries. The leaders, South Koreas Syngman Rhee and North Koreas Kim Il Sung, were authoritarians who craved unification by any means necessary. Those means came to their ends when the communists of the North attacked in the early Sunday morning hours of June 25, 1950.

The Lessons of War and War Preparedness

This undated photo shows North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung (L) as he signs a document in Seoul, Korea. North Korean troops invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950, marking the beginning of the Korean War. (-/AFP via Getty Images)

The Korean Peoples Army (KPA) had the element of surprise, but more importantly, the Soviets, led by Joseph Stalin, continued to provide training and military equipment, including jets and tanks.

The South was stunned and ill-prepared, not just because of the surprise attack, but because the Americans, concerned about an invasion by the South Koreans, limited their military provisions. By June 28, Seoul was in the hands of the KPA, and the mass evacuation of civilians and retreat of soldiers had begun.

Despite intelligence from the ROK and the CIA pointing toward an imminent attack, it was disregarded out of hand as an impossibility. Far East Commander (FECOM) Gen. Douglas MacArthur categorized the intelligence as F6the lowest threat possible.

Furthermore, the Truman Administration, under the direction of Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, shrank the military from its 1945 levels of 12 million to 1.6 million, and its budget from $82 billion to $13 billion. American leadership seemed to view the rest of the world as just as unwilling to engage in a war as it was. It ignored, at least for a short period, the universal truth long established by the Romans that he who desires peace, should prepare for war.

Until the U.S. could deploy troops from Japan and America, all its tactical maneuvers were delaying actions. The first American force to confront the KPA on July 5 was a battalion of the 21st Infantry totaling 404 men. This battalion, as well as most of the U.S. military at that time, was ill-equipped and ill-prepared to fight. Many soldiers had never seen combat, and the weapons were not on par with what the Soviets had provided. They possessed limited amounts of ammunition, their rocket launchers were incapable of piercing the T-34 tanks, and they had no anti-tank mines. Of the 404 soldiers, nearly half were killed or went missing.

The United Nations Unite Against Communism

This photo from Sept. 20, 1950, shows United Nations troops fighting in the streets of Seoul, Korea. (NATIONAL ARCHIVES/AFP via Getty Images)

As the KPA continued its push to the sea, the nations of the world rose up in defiance of the invading army, but also in defiance of the invading ideology. The free nationslong free and recently freedfeared the encroachment of communism on their own shores and had been fighting a Cold War for five years to keep it from spreading. President Harry S. Truman had vowed to assist democratic nations by every means possible to resist the spread of communism.

The Korean conflict was the physical altercation the world needed to prove how far it would go to stop its spread. The United Nations, perhaps because of its newness or the absence of Soviet representation, fully advocated military action. It was the first time troops were sent to fight under the flag of the U.N. The U.N. had adopted the Truman Doctrine, and it was Americaas would become commonplacethat would lead the fight.

President Harry S. Truman (R) and General Douglas MacArthur, at the Wake Island Conference during the Korean War in 1950. (MPI/Getty Images)

Nearing annihilation, the ROK, American troops, and soon the U.N. troops, held off the communist invaders for six weeks at the Pusan Perimeter. When MacArthurs brilliant Inchon Invasion succeeded, the war turned. The KPA began its massive retreat north of the 38th parallel.

The pursuit of the enemy combatants was understandable, yet proved fatal. MacArthur, looking back on Task Force Smith, called it an arrogant display of strength. Ignoring the Chinese threat along the Yalu River was just as arrogant, if not more. The Chinese attacked by the hundreds of thousands, pushing the U.N. troops south of the 38th Parallel. Within the span of three months, the ebb and flow of the war placed the KPA and the U.N. at the threshold of ultimate victory. A stalemate would then occur for the next two years.

Dwight D. Eisenhower would become president on Jan. 20, 1953. Stalin would die March 5. The armistice would be signed July 27. And the two Korean countries would return to their previous line of demarcation.

The two nations continue their standoff, often fighting skirmishes or suffering assassinations, but ultimately keeping an eye on each other across the 38th parallel.

The standoff between democracy and communism is no different. The proverbial line in the sand and threat of encroachment remains. The Cold War never ended; it simply changed hands from the Soviets to the Chinese. If one wonders what it will take to fend off communism, the Korean War is the prime example. It may not end in victoryideas are rarely eradicatedbut it will be worth the fight, even if few remember it.

For Further Reading:

On the subject of the Korean War, I recommend the following books:

The Korean War by Max Hastings

This Kind of War by T. R. Fehrenbach

The Darkest Summer by Bill Sloan

The Coldest Winter by David Halberstam

The Korean War by Bruce Cumings

The Last Stand of Fox Company by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

Dustin Bass is co-host of the podcast The Sons of History and the creator of the channel Thinking It Through on YouTube. He is also an author.
Trump Announces 2nd Rally Since Departing White House

Former President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he will be holding a Save America rally in Sarasota, Florida, over the July 4th weekend.

The Save America rally, also billed as a 45 Fest, will be held on July 3 at the Sarasota Fairgrounds, and is co-sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida, according to a statement from his office.

It will be the former presidents second rally since leaving the White House in January and is in further support of the MAGA agenda and accomplishments of his administration, the statement says.

Live music and special guest speakers will feature at the event, with a HUGE fireworks show to celebrate America following President Trumps remarks to conclude a full day event commemorating our Great Country, the statement adds.

Doors open at 2 p.m., and the former president is expected to speak at 8 p.m.

Florida GOP Chair Joe Gruters told The Herald Tribune that he expects it to be an absolutely amazing event.

Its going to include fireworks and a lot of other great things, Gruters said. Its going to be a very patriotic and exciting day and Im so thankful were going to be able to host him here.

Two tickets are available for each registration with a phone number, and are available on a first come first serve basis.

The former presidents first campaign-style rally since leaving office is set for this weekend in Ohio. At the event, Trump will endorse former adviser Max Miller, who is running for Congress, Trumps Save America PAC stated on June 17.

Trumps website, which allows individuals to register for the event, states that the former commander-in-chief will deliver remarks at the first post-presidential rally sponsored by Save America.

Trump last spoke to his supporters at a rally on Jan. 6 in Washington. Around the same time, rioters breached the U.S. Capitol building, leading to months of Democratic-led accusations that the former president had incited an insurrection.

President Donald Trump at the Save America rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Lisa Fan/The Epoch Times)

Throughout his 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns, Trump held numerous rallies across the United States, sometimes attracting tens of thousands of people. The former president would often point to the size of his rallies as evidence of his popularity.

President Donald Trump points during a rally in Valdosta, Ga., on Dec. 5, 2020. (Lynn Lin/Epoch Times

Trump hasnt publicly indicated whether he would definitively run for president. However, he has committed to remaining active in politics and has not backed down from a potential presidential run in 2024.

Several Republicans, including two lawmakers, have predicted that Trump will make another bid for the presidency in 2024.

When asked during a Fox News interview about Trumps prospects on May 25, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said that every time he has spoken to Trump, the former commander-in-chief says that he wants to run.

He plans to run, I think, but he hasnt fully committed that yet. But I certainly hope he does, because no president has done more of what he said he would do than President Trump, Jordan said. Best president I think weve ever had. Keeping his word, doing what he said, doing what he was elected to do.

Mark Meadows, a former Republican congressman and Trumps former chief of staff, agreed with Jordans assessment.

Heres what I will say is, the American people want him to run. I believe hell run. And at the end of the day, its a time for choosing, and the American people will choose Donald Trump, Meadows said on Fox News.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
US to Keep About 650 Troops in Afghanistan After Withdrawal

WASHINGTONRoughly 650 U.S. troops are expected to remain in Afghanistan to provide security for diplomats after the main American military force completes its withdrawal, which is set to be largely done in the next two weeks, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

Moreover, several hundred additional American forces will remain at the Kabul airport, potentially until September. Theyll assist Turkish troops providing security, a temporary move until a more formal Turkey-led security operation is in place, the officials said Thursday.

Overall, officials said the United States expects to have American and coalition military command, its leadership, and most troops out by July Fourth, or shortly after that, meeting an aspirational deadline that commanders developed months ago.

The officials were not authorized to discuss details of the withdrawal and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

The departure of the bulk of the more than 4,000 troops that have been in the country in recent months is unfolding well before President Joe Bidens Sept. 11 deadline for withdrawal. And it comes amid accelerating Taliban battlefield gains, fueling fears that the Afghan government and its military could collapse in a matter of months.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking Friday in Paris, noted the increased violence and cited a real danger that if the Taliban tries to take the country by force, well see a renewal of a war or possibly worse.

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)

But, Blinken said, the Biden administration came to the conclusion that not removing U.S. troops, as the Trump administration had promised the Taliban in February 2020, would have been a bad choice. The administration believes the Taliban would have resumed attacks on U.S. forces, prompting an escalation of the war.

Had we not announced that we were leaving, then that restraint, in terms of attacking our forces and attacking the capitals, would have ended, Blinken said.

He said a continued U.S. presence certainly would have helped significantly the Kabul government. But what is almost certain is that our military would have come to us and said, well, the situation has changed, we need more forces. And we would have repeated the cycle that weve been in for 20 years. And at some point, you have to say this has to stop.

Biden faces strong criticism from some Republicans for pulling out of Afghanistan, even though President Donald Trump made the 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdrawing all U.S. forces by May 2021.

Officials have repeatedly stressed that security at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul is a critical requirement to keeping any U.S. diplomatic staff in Afghanistan. Still, the decision to keep additional troops there for several more months makes it more complicated for the Biden administration to declare a true end to Americas longest war until later this fall.

A U.S. Marine looks on as Afghan National Army soldiers raise the Afghan National flag on an armed vehicle during a training exercise at the Shorab Military Camp in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on August 28, 2017. (Wakil/Koshar/AFP via Getty Images)

In a statement Thursday night, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that as Biden has ordered, the United States will complete the withdrawal by early September. Nothing has changed about that goal. Kirby said. The situation is dynamic, and we review our progress daily. Speculation by unnamed sources about potential changes to that timeline should not be construed as predictive.

On Friday, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, chair of the High Council for National Reconciliation, are meeting with Biden at the White House. The two Afghan leaders also are to meet at the Pentagon with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

Getting most troops out by early July had been in doubt because of complications including an outbreak of COVID-19 at the U.S. Embassy and the push to get Afghan interpreters and others who helped the United States out of the country. Officials said U.S. commanders and NATO allies in Afghanistan have been able to overcome logistical hurdles that might have prolonged the withdrawal process. But they also warned that plans in place for the final stages of the U.S. military withdrawal could change if airport security agreements fall through or there are other major, unforeseen developments.

As recently as last week, there was discussion of possibly extending the U.S. troop presence at Bagram airfield, north of Kabul, but officials said the U.S. presence at the base is expected to end in the next several days.

The roughly 650 U.S. troops that are planned to be a more permanent force presence in Afghanistan will provide security for the U.S. Embassy and some ongoing support at the airport. Officials said the U.S. has agreed to leave a C-RAMor Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar systemat the airport, as well as troops to operate it, as part of an agreement with Turkey. The United States also plans to leave aircrew for helicopter support at the airport.

According to the officials, Turkey has largely agreed to provide security at the airport as long as it receives support from American forces. U.S. and Turkish military officials are meeting in Ankara this week to finalize arrangements.

U.S. Army soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division retrieve their duffel bags after they returned home from a 9-month deployment to Afghanistan at Fort Drum, New York, on Dec. 10, 2020. (John Moore/Getty Images)

On Wednesday, Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cited progress toward agreement with Turks on airport security. I feel very comfortable that security at the Kabul airport will be maintained and the Turks will be a part of that, he said.

The U.S. troop departure is ramping up just as the administration moves ahead with plans to evacuate tens of thousands of interpreters and others who worked with American forces during the war and now fear for their safety.

A senior administration official said Thursday that planning has accelerated in recent days to relocate the Afghans and their families to other countries or U.S. territories while their visa applications are processed. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss unannounced plans. The administration intends to carry out the evacuation later this summer, likely in August, according to a second official familiar with the deliberations but not authorized to discuss them publicly.

The Pentagon has said the military is prepared to assist the State Department as needed but indicated that charter flights might be adequate to move the Afghan visa applicants, thus not necessarily requiring a military airlift.

By Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns
Vice President Harris Arrives at El Paso Border Patrol Station Amid Bipartisan Pressure

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday visited a Border Patrol station in El Paso, Texas, amid criticism that she hasnt visited the border since she was tapped months ago by President Joe Biden to lead his administrations efforts on immigration.

When she arrived in El Paso, Harris was questioned by a Fox News reporter about the timing of her trip. Its not my first trip, Ive been to the border many times, she said, referring to trips she made to the border when she was a California lawmaker.

Because as Ive long said, I said back in March I was going to come to the border so this is not a new plan, but the reality of it is we have to deal with the causes and we have to deal with the effects, Harris said Friday.

Weeks ago, the vice president made trips to Mexico and Guatemala, triggering more scorn from Republicans who have said shes not handling the surge of illegal immigration along the U.S.-Mexico border. Some GOP lawmakers and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), meanwhile, argued that Harris should visit the Del Rio border areawhere illegal immigration has surgedinstead of El Paso, which is hundreds of miles away.

And being in Guatemala, and being in Mexico talking with Mexico as a partner frankly on the issue, was about addressing the causes and coming to the border at the advice and invitation of [Rep. Veronica Escobar] is about looking at the effects of what we have seen happening in Central America, she continued.

Border Patrol agents apprehend 21 illegal aliens from Mexico who had hidden in a grain hopper on a freight train heading to San Antonio, near Uvalde, Texas, on June 21, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times)

White House officials on Thursday confirmed Harris will partake in a walking tour of the El Paso Central Processing Center, a Customs and Border Patrol facility, while later said that she will receive a briefing on the operations of the facility.

As Vice President Harris said during her trip to Guatemala and Mexico: What happens at the border matters and is directly connected to what is happening in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, Harriss spokeswoman and senior adviser Symone Sanders said Thursday about her trip. It is directly connected to the work of addressing the root causes of migration.

Sanders said that the El Paso station visit is important and represents larger border dynamics and it is a critical part of understanding the human experience of migration.

Other officials traveling with Harris include Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas).

On Thursday, Cuellar called on Harris to travel to the lower Rio Grande with high activity rather than El Paso, arguing her planners told her that if you are going to go down to the border, go to something thats safer to go to, that is politically safer.

In fiscal year 2021 so far, Border Patrol agents apprehended 271,927 people in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), while El Paso had almost 114,000 apprehensions as of the end of May, according to recent data from the agency.
Roger Simon in an interview with EpochTV's CrossRoads. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

War Over Constitution at the Heart of Our Countrys Division: Roger L. Simon

A war over the Constitution has brought divisions in America to a truly unhealthy level, according to Roger L. Simon, co-founder of PJ Media and a senior political analyst for The Epoch Times.

We have a war over the Constitution going on now. Thats probably the heart of the big split, Simon told Joshua Phillip, host of EpochTVs CrossRoads program.

I think the divisions reached the level of being truly unhealthy, Simon continued. Whats going on is a bloodsport, and its extremely worrisome to me as a relatively old guyvery well worried about the future generations.

Simon mentioned that his daughter is turning 23 soon and the world shes moving into is not the world anybody over 50or even over 30, 40lived in.

I think therere two countries in America, Simon said. Thats really whats happened.

However, the ongoing Maricopa County, Arizona, forensic audit of the 2020 presidential election could lead to a more extreme split, predicted Simon.

Maricopa County ballots cast in the 2020 general election are examined and recounted by contractors working for Florida-based company, Cyber Ninjas, at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix, Ariz., on May 6, 2021. (Matt York/AP Photo/Pool)

The final report for Maricopas audit, which started on April 23, is expected to be out in August.

Democrats have largely opposed the audit. The Department of Justice wrote a letter in May to Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, expressing concerns with the audit. The move was criticized by Republicans as an attempt to block the audit.

If they do find fraud, of course, its not going to be believed, Simon said. Its going to be disputed immediately by the left, the current administration, the mainstream mediaall of itthat theyre going to find some way to discredit it, and theyre going to work as hard as they can to discredit it.

On the other hand, those 75 million or more Trump voters are going to have their vote validated, and theyre going to be thinking the opposite, Simon added. So whats going to happen is a more extreme split than weve had, but its almost an inevitable thing thats going to happen.

Simon said its very hard to know exactly what will happen, because neither the current Department of Justice, nor the Supreme Court is likely to solve this problem.

Simon also said that Big Tech and the educational system work together in a horrible way to suppress free speech, which has contributed to the split.

I graduated from two Ivy League schools, and I dont recognize them anymore. They are now kind of Institutes of Woke, Simon said. When I went to both of those schools, you could say anything you want. Now you cant say anything.

Simon graduated from Dartmouth College and the Yale University.

Simon pointed out that Big Tech sees the Chinese communist system as more efficient than democracy.

He noted that Google has already tried to develop a censored search engine specifically for the Chinese regime, a project know as Dragonfly.

The actual battle is going to occur via this election recountthat will determine whether our country goes back to the Constitution, or goes all the way to China, Simon continued. Because these people, these tech giants, voted for China a long time ago.

However, he said that things are not all doom and gloom, noting a grassroots movement to return to the Constitution.

I see it going on here in Tennessee right now with the rank and file, he said. Everybodys turning back to the Constitution and saying to their legislators, Looky herewe run the show here in our own hometowns.'

And this is very good, because I think that [Thomas] Jefferson and [James] Madison really would be smiling down on that, because thats what they were hoping would happen, Simon continued.

Simon noted the Founding Fathers tried to limit the power of the federal government and give more power to the states.

And actually, it is happening. And I think thats one of the most optimistic things about our country right now, Simon said.
This undated photo provided by The Gonzalez Law Group shows Samuel Olson. (The Gonzalez Law Group via AP)

Weapon Being Tested to See If It Was Used to Kill Texas Boy

HOUSTONInvestigators have recovered a weapon that may have been used to kill a 5-year-old Houston boy whose body was allegedly kept in a storage unit before being discovered in an East Texas motel.

The weapon was being tested to see if it was the one used to kill Samuel Olson, Andrea Beall, a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorneys Office, told reporters Thursday.

Were not going to stop until we get justice for little Samuel, said Beall, who declined to say what type of weapon was found or used to kill the boy.

The disclosure came the same day a third person was charged in the case. All three face evidence tampering counts and none have been charged with murder, though prosecutors said earlier this month that they expected to bring additional charges against one of them, Theresa Balboa, who was Samuels fathers girlfriend.

Samuels cause of death was ruled a homicide, but authorities havent said how he was killed.

A Jasper County grand jury indicted 27-year-old Dylan Walker on Thursday. Court records didnt list an attorney who might speak on his behalf. Balboa and her roommate, Benjamin Rivera, were previously charged.

This undated photo provided by the Jasper County (Texas) Sheriffs Office shows Dylan Walker. (Jasper County Sheriffs Office via AP)

Authorities allege that on June 1, Walker helped Balboa move Samuels body from a suburban Houston storage unit to a motel in Jasper, about 135 miles to the northeast, where it was found inside a plastic tote in a room Walker rented for Balboa.

Police believe Samuel, who would have turned 6 on May 29, died weeks before Balboa reported him missing on May 27, according to an arrest affidavit. His body was kept in a bathtub at Balboas and Riveras suburban Houston apartment until they put it in the tote and hid it in a storage unit on May 13, police allege.

After Walker helped Balboa move the body to Jasper, he called authorities to let them know where it was, police allege. Prosecutors said Balboa was on her way to Louisiana when she was arrested in Jasper.

Balboa, 29, remains jailed on bonds totaling $600,000. Rivera, 27, and Walker were freed after posting bond.

Im thankful justice is beginning to be served, Sarah Olson, Samuels mother, said in a statement.

This photo provided by The Gonzalez Law Group shows Sarah Olson holding her son Samuel. (The Gonzalez Law Group via AP)

Samuels parents had been involved in a bitter custody battle since filing for divorce in January 2020. His mother had primary custody, but she hadnt seen her son since the summer of 2020, according to her attorneys.

Samuel had been living with Balboa since April 30, which was the last day he was seen at school. Authorities havent said why Samuel had been staying with Balboa instead of his parents.

By Juan A. Lozano
Why Did Boris Johnson Pick a Fight Over Crimea?

Commentary

It is almost incomprehensiblethe UKs warship, identified formally as Delta 36, but named HMS Defender, entered Russian claimed waters around Crimea, which the UK does not recognize but knows full well about Russias sensitivity in this Black Sea area.

In a drama lasting more than six minutes, an unnamed Russian Coast Guard ship demanded the British ship exit, radio telephoning HMS Defender with the message: Keep Away from Borderline. Change Course to Starboard. You break the rule of innocent passage. If you dont change course to starboard, I will fire.

For a while Defender replied it was an innocent passage in international waters, but after three warning shots and flyovers by at least three Su-24 aircraft, Prime Minister Boris Johnsons warship turned right (starboard) and left Russias claimed waters, still insisting it was in international waters and accusing the Russians of unprofessional conduct.

The Russian reaction was very tough. It contested the UK statements vigorously, released an extensive video of the event, hauled in the Moscow-based naval attache and the UK ambassador, and made it clear it would not tolerate such intrusions.

But the real question is, why did Johnson do it?

It was hardly a helpful measure coming not long after an apparently successful summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Putin. Was Boris Johnson, the UKs Prime Minister, acting with Washingtons approval, or did he just go out on his own? Or was the whole confrontation cooked up by the Royal Navy without political authorization?

So far at least, the UK leader is defending the UK ships operation and insisting the ship was in international waters. Neither the British or the Russians are talking about Biden or Washington.

The British could have risked losing one of their precious naval assets. There are only six Type 45 destroyers currently operating. HMS Defender went into service in 2013 and is set up as a guided missile ship. With a crew of slightly less than 200 sailors, the ship is equipped with Aster 15 (max range 48km or 30 miles) and Aster 30 (max range about 112 km or 70 miles) anti-aircraft missiles.

The ship could have shot down the rather old Russian Su-24s that harassed Defender, but it would have encountered difficulty had the Russians used standoff weapons. Defender transited three kilometers (1.9 miles) inside Russian territory off Cape Fiolent in Crimea just before noon, local time on June 23.

The UK does not recognize the claimed Russian territorial waters around Crimea. Defender had just visited Odessa in Ukraine and appears to have taken the course it did as a provocation.

Putin, it will be recalled, had recently built up Russian forces around the Ukraine in a significant show of force. But as the U.S.-Russian summit approached, Putin stood down the assembled forces and deliberately pitched a Ukraine resolution based on the Minsk protocol.

The Minsk Protocol (original version and a second one called Minsk II) is an agreement involving the OSCE (the Organization for Security Cooperation in Europe), the Donetsk Peoples Republic, the Luhansk Peoples Republic, Ukraine and Russia. The Minsk Protocols do not address Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 and, while the Russian annexation is not recognized internationally, as a practical matter Crimea has become part of and increasingly integrated into Russias territory.

One of the problems for Johnsons Crimean stunt is that Russia will believe it was a Biden-promoted operation, only because the Russians dont think the UK, or, for that matter, NATO, ever does anything without Washington calling the tune.

Russian analysts, including the somewhat independent Vladimir Pozner, believe that Washington does not keep its promises and is unreliable. Russia is also worried that the United States would put Ukraine in NATO, and Putin told Biden this is a red line for the Russian Federation.

If Ukraine was part of the NATO military alliance, Ukraines claims on Crimea could get NATO into a war (which it probably could not win). It could likewise force NATO into a confrontation over the Donbas in eastern Ukraine (which includes Donetsk and Luhansk).

At minimum the confrontation off Cape Fiolent (Mys Fiolent) directly undermines any progress in the U.S.-Russian Summit and deepens distrust between the parties.

It is at minimum strange that the UK would go out on its own and disrupt a diplomatic process that has only just begun.

Stephen Bryen is regarded as a thought leader on technology security policy, twice being awarded the Defense Departments highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Public Service Medal. His most recent book is Technology Security and National Power: Winners and Losers.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
U.S. millionaire John McAfee gestures during an interview with AFP on his yacht anchored at the Marina Hemingway in Havana, on June 26, 2019. (Adalberto Roque/AFP via Getty Images)

Widow of John McAfee Says Antivirus Pioneer Wasnt Suicidal

The widow of antivirus pioneer John McAfee said her husband, who died earlier this week in a Spanish jail, was not suicidal and said the U.S. federal government was responsible.

McAfee, 75, died on June 23 hours after a Spanish court ruled that he could be extradited to the United States on tax evasion charges. Officials in Spain said that his cause of death was likely suicide.

Janice McAfee, his wife, spoke to reporters outside the Spanish prison on Friday and called on prison officials to carry out an investigation.

I blame the U.S. authorities for this tragedy. Because of these politically motivated charges against him. My husband is now dead, she said in a statement, adding that he wasnt suicidal.

His last words to me were: I love you and I will call you in the evening Janice McAfee said. He would have never quit this way, he would never take his life in this way, ever.

McAfees final statement to her are not words of somebody who is suicidal, his wife said.

The software pioneer-turned-cryptocurrency mogul was arrested last October at the Barcelona airport on a warrant issued by Tennessee prosecutors. They accused McAfee of evading more than $4 million in taxes.

All John wanted to do was spend his remaining years fishing and drinking, Janice McAfee added on Friday. He had hope that things would work out. We knew that there would be an uphill battle to continue to fight this situation. But hes a fighter  And anybody that knows John, that knows him even a little bit, knows that about him.

He was just so loving. He had a big heart and he just loved people and he just wanted to have peace in his life, his widow also said. My prayers are that his soul has found the peace in death that he could not find in life.

Following his death Wednesday, some pointed to tweets McAfee previously wrote, including one in 2019 that included a cryptic warning.

The cybersecurity software pioneer in October 2020 also made a reference to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who was found dead in a prison cell in August 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges.

The US believes I have hidden crypto. I wish I did but it has dissolved through the many hands of Team McAfee (your belief is not required), and my remaining assets are all seized. My friends evaporated through fear of association. I have nothing. Yet, I regret nothing, McAfee also wrote on June 16 of this year.
Youth Crime Prevention Teams in Northern Queensland Get More Resources

The Queensland government announced on Thursday that the states northern city of Townsville will receive more resources to help reduce the number of youth offenders and their high crime rates.

An additional co-responder team will be sent to the city to target issues that can lead to youth crime, such as homelessness and drug use.

The teams are made up of police and youth justice workers and they will help tackle anti-social behaviour, check that young people are meeting their bail conditions, and help direct offenders to required services such as health and housing.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said the expansion to a second team in the city would improve safety in the community.

This is about using all of the resources at our disposal to make our communities safer and also to make a difference in the lives of troubled youths, Ryan said.

Queensland Minister for Police Mark Ryan addresses the media during a press conference in Brisbane, Australia on Feb. 9, 2021. (AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)

Youth Justice Minister Leanne Linard said it demonstrated the state governments commitment to community safety.

Breaking the cycle is critical and thats exactly what these teams aim to do every time they connect vulnerable young people to services that can assist with everything from homelessness and domestic violence to substance misuse.

However, its also important that young offenders comply with their bail conditions, and this is why co-responders check up on them to ensure those conditions are being met, Linard said.

The co-responder team program, which has been deployed to eight cities around the state thus far, is part of an $11.9 million initiative aimed at reducing youth crime and providing more support to repeat offenders. A total of $290.6 million was allocated in the 2021-22 budget for youth justice services.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said the Queensland government needed tougher crackdown policies on youth crime.

There are people in this community who are at their wits end  and anything a budget does without keeping your community safeits an absolute waste of time, Crisafulli said.

Queensland LNP member for Broadwater David Crisafulli speaks to the media as he arrives for a party room meeting at Parliament House in Brisbane, Australia on June 15, 2020. (AAP Image/Dan Peled)

The latest government report on Australias youth detention population (pdf) found that Queensland had the second-highest number after New South Wales.

A June report (pdf) by the Queensland Family and Child Commission (QFCC) found that despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children accounting for seven percent of 10 to 17-year-olds in the state, they made up 45 percent of all young offenders.

In response to the data, QFCC principal commissioner Cheryl Vardon said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth were grossly over-represented and it was an indictment on the system.

There needs to be a shift away from a criminal focus to prevention, and we will be briefing the government and non-government agencies about these findings and proposed future directions, Vardon told ABC news.

In May, the government announced that recidivist young offenders were to be fitted with GPS trackers as part of their bail conditions.

The Palaszczuk Government is investing in strategies to divert young people away from crime in the first place but there are consequences for those who continue to break the law so they are held to account, Police Minister Ryan said.

However, the opposition called the program a stunt after the devices poor service coverage raised questions.
Nuvance Health, a health care agency overseeing several hospitals and medical offices throughout the state, is endorsing mandated COVID-19 vaccinations for its hospitals employees and clinicians following the Connecticut Hospitals Associations announcement to require it via a statewide policy.

Nuvance oversees multiple locations including the Danbury, New Milford, Sharon and Norwalk hospitals.

The benefit to our patients and commitment to public safety were at the core of this decision. We believe this initiative will help to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect our patients, physicians, nurses, employees and community, Nuvance Health spokeswoman Andrea Rynn said.

We will share timing and other details as they are finalized in the coming weeks, she added.

The move to mandate vaccinations for hospital employees came as the Connecticut Hospitals Association sought to continue enhancing patient and staff safety in hospitals, according to Paul Kidwell, vice president of policy for the CHA.

Due to the rapid spread of the virus in our state and across the nation, and the frequency of the variants that we are now discovering, we think it is appropriate that we take every action to ensure that we are keeping our patients safe from this highly communicable virus, he said. ... We know that the vaccine is safe and effective and that it has lowered the transmission of the virus in the state, which has resulted in a very low rate of hospitalizations. We want to continue down that path.

Requiring hospital employees to be vaccinated against an illness is not new for the CHA. Several years ago it enacted a similar policy obligating staff to receive the influenza vaccine.

Kidwell noted there was some variation in how the influenza policy was implemented but that it has been important in protecting patients from the flu annually.

If an employee refused to get the vaccine, Kidwell said it was too early to describe any of those details, but the CHA will develope best practices for implementation.

Albert Ko, a professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Yale School of Public Health who is in full support of the policy, said it will come down to two steps.

The question will be how will the health care associations approach those who either refuse or dont fall into those exemptions, but also how they will apply those exemptions, he said.

Ko suspects some agencies might opt to give religious and medical exemptions to certain employees as well.

Were learning every day about adverse effects, but as of yet these all have been very rare, very infrequent. And the benefits of the vaccination ... much outweigh the risks of the rare occurrences happening, he said. Were never going to eliminate or get rid of COVID ... so what we really can do to protect our hospitals with these mandatory vaccinations is really going to go a long way.

As of Friday, Connecticut reported having 36 COVID-19 hospitalizations across the state and a 0.44 percent positivity rate. According to state data, about 349,120 cases and 8,275 deaths have been documented throughout the pandemic.
BRIDGEPORT  In the early 1990s Caesar ONeil was known as Yellow on the street, was an alleged hit man for a Jamaican drug gang and had made the FBIs top 10 fugitive list.

Convicted later that decade, when he was in his early 20s, of two murders and ordering the murder of a witness against him, he was sentenced to a total of 120 years in prison.

But on Thursday, a contrite ONeil, breaking into tears at one point, urged Superior Court Judge Alex Hernandez to reduce his sentence so that he can go free.

The last time I was in this courthouse I had nothing to show for myself, I led a very selfish life. I failed to understand the value of life, ONeil told the judge. I cant change my past but I can try to make up for what Ive done.

The judge did not rule Thursday on ONeils request.

ONeils lawyer, Emma Rotondo, told the judge that her client was 16 when he was accused of the murders. She said while in prison he earned his high school degree and began a program mentoring other inmates.

One of those inmates was Tino Negron, who was sentenced to 50 years in 1988 for fatally shooting a Bridgeport man while trying to steal the victims microwave oven. Negron was released 20 years early.

Negron, who now works as a research assistant at Yale University, admitted some trepidation coming back to the same courthouse where he was convicted and sentenced. I know what it smells like downstairs in the lockup, he said.

But I promised Yellow when I got out that when he got a chance to tell his story I would be there for him, Negron told the judge. Change is possible and we are here to do it together. He (ONeil) will excel and go way beyond the things I have done.

Returning to the Fairfield County Courthouse for the first time since he retired as Bridgeport states attorney in February 2020, John Smriga told Hernandez that he had agreed when he was top prosecutor to give ONeil permission to request a sentence modification after meeting ONeil during a tour of the Cheshire Correctional Institution. He said he was impressed with the progress ONeil had made.

If you look at his crimes this is not an application that typically would be signed but I felt at the very least he deserved the right to present himself today, Smriga said.

But Supervisory Assistant States Attorney C. Robert Satti Jr. disagreed with his former boss. He said the crimes call for the courts to lock him up until hes dead.

Satti pointed out that there has been no contact with the families of the victims to determine their opinion on ONeils request for an early release and he questioned the claim that ONeil was just 16 when he committed the crimes, pointing out that ONeil used various alias at that time.

He urged the judge to continue the hearing so that Hernandez could review additional records in the case.

I am very seriously considering your application, the judge told ONeil. I felt your sincerity but attorney Satti was right, there are a few issues that need to be explored.

The judge continued the hearing to Sept. 16.
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  The revenge of the cows heated up Thursday with yet another instance of a herd getting loose in a U.S. community.

This time a cattle-hauling truck rolled over along Interstate 64 in West Virginia, and an emergency dispatcher in Cabell County said a bridge connecting Huntington to Lawrence County, Ohio, also had to be shut down temporarily.

The dispatcher, who cited policy in declining to give his name, said authorities were trying to determine how many cattle were on the truck. However, they took off in several directions, including onto the nearby bridge.

The dispatcher said police in Ohio told him that theyre running up and down the highway there, too.

Firefighters were dispatched to assist the westbound truck, which ended up in the highway's median. The driver was trapped for nearly two hours before being removed from the truck with minor injuries, Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader told The Herald-Dispatch. The accident forced the interstate to be shut down in both directions for several hours.

Huntington is home to Marshall University, whose nickname happens to be the Thundering Herd.

It marked at least the third time that week that cows have gotten loose and prompted responses in U.S. cities, including the second time this week in West Virginia.

On Wednesday, 40 cows escaped a California slaughterhouse and ended up in a Los Angeles suburb where one was killed after charging a family.

Three loose cows roamed the streets of Bluefield, West Virginia, on Monday. Trains had to be stopped as authorities tried to coax the animals off of railroad tracks.
NORWALK  Carlson Place, a residential facility recently shuttered by the state due to a unsafe conditions for residents will be closed for at least two months to allow for renovations to the aging building, according to the facilitys new owner.

Dr. Syed Reza, who entered into a pre-licensure consent order with the state this week to take over the troubled facility, said on Friday he plans to begin the renovation work as soon as next week.

State officials on Thursday announced they had reached an agreement to relocate the homes 26 residents after investigators determined the previous licensee failed to maintain a safe and sanitary environment. The residents will move to the Westport Rehabilitation Complex while the repairs are being made.

Reza, a primary care physician who specializes in occupational health, said the work will likely take between 60 and 90 days to complete. He plans to replace the buildings roof, carpeting and toilets, among other upgrades.

Im doing this to help and to create a better environment for these residents, Reza said. With any building of this age, its going to need some updating and thats what hasnt been done here in a really long time.

The 29-bed home, which city property records show was built in 1886, requires extensive renovations, according to the state Department of Public Health. According to a June 8 emergency order, health officials identified more than a dozen issues with the building.

The homes roof was leaking water, multiple walls were coated in a black substance from water damage, the carpeting was in poor condition and the bathrooms were soiled and in disrepair, according to the order.

Numerous mattresses were cracked and soiled, officials wrote in the order. Live bed bugs were noted on the mattresses.

Carlson Place residents have complained for years about the homes conditions. Last year, resident Mark Dipetro told Hearst Connecticut Media several bedrooms and common areas were infested with bed bugs. He also alleged disabled residents were often neglected by staff members.

The recent state investigation into the facility, which began in late April, is also not the first time the home has been hit with a violation by the state Department of Public Health.

In 2017, after a fire broke out at the building, investigators found that the fire alarm had failed to sound. The owners of the home were fined $1,000 and ordered to hire a consultant to evaluate the facilitys engineering and maintenance program.

Reza said the renovation work is expected to cost between $400,000 and $600,000. Reza will cover the cost of the repairs, and the state will not contribute any funds to the renovation, according to the state Office of the Attorney General.

Reza, who is based in Norwalk, is no stranger to the real estate industry. He owns several commercial properties in Fairfield County, including in Norwalk, Stamford and Wilton.

Its like a parallel career that I enjoy doing, he said.

The home, which once served as a hospital for tuberculosis patients, was previously owned and administered by Diane Mortali, according to state records. Mortali did not respond to requests for comment on Friday.

When the facility reopens, it will be managed by a longtime Carlson Place staff member, Reza said. Much of the existing staff will remain in place and new employees will be hired.

In addition to rehabilitating the building, Reza said he plans to address other concerns raised by state officials, including a lack of adequate food supply and nutrition for residents.

richard.chumney@hearstmediact.com
GODFREY  Lewis and Clark Community College has begun a series of community forums designed to gather feedback on the Mannie Jackson Center for the Humanities building in Edwardsville.

Lewis and Clark recognizes the historical significance and the value of this newly remodeled facility to the entire region, LCCC President Ken Trzaska said last month in announcing the forums. Our goal is to gather community input on options for this facility for future use.
BERLIN (AP)  A man armed with a long knife killed three people and injured five others, some seriously, in Germany's southern city of Wuerzburg on Friday before being shot by police and arrested, authorities said.

Police identified the suspect as a 24-year-old Somali man living in Wuerzburg. His life was not in danger from his gunshot wound, they said.

Bavarias top security official Joachim Herrmann said the injured include a young boy, whose father was probably among the dead.

The suspect was in psychiatric treatment before the attack and had been known to police, Herrmann said. There was no immediate word on a possible motive.

Videos posted on social media showed pedestrians surrounding the attacker and trying to hold him at bay with chairs and sticks.

A woman who said she had witnessed the incident told German RTL television that the police then stepped in.

He had a really big knife with him and was attacking people," Julia Runze said. And then many people tried to throw chairs or umbrellas or cellphones at him and stop him.

The police then approached him and I think a shot was fired, you could hear that clearly.

Police spokeswoman Kerstin Kunick said officers were alerted around 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) to a knife attack on Barbarossa Square in the center of the city. Wurzburg is a city of about 130,000 people located between Munich and Frankfurt.

Bavarias governor Markus Soeder expressed shock at the news of the attack. We grieve with the victims and their families, he wrote on Twitter.

A big thank you and respect for the spirited intervention by many citizens, who confronted the suspected attacker in a determined way, Soeder added. And also to all first responders for their work at the scene.

Almost five years ago a 17-year-old refugee from Afghanistan wounded four people with an ax on a train near Wuerzburg. He then fled and attacked a woman passer-by before police shot him dead.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court on Friday said an expanded number of small refineries can seek an exemption from certain renewable fuel requirements.

The high court ruled 6-3 that a small refinery that had previously received a hardship exemption from complying with Clean Air Act requirements may obtain an extension of that exemption. That's even if the refinery let a previous exemption granted by the Environmental Protection Agency lapse.

"It is entirely naturaland consistent with ordinary usageto seek an extension of time even after some lapse. Think of the forgetful student who asks for an 'extension' for a term paper after the deadline has passed, the tenant who does the same after overstaying his lease, or parties who negotiate an extension of a contract after its expiration," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority. He was joined by most of the court's conservatives and liberal Justice Stephen Breyer.

The court's other two liberals, justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, joined a dissent written by the court's newest justice, conservative justice Amy Coney Barrett. It is the first time the court has divided along gender lines since Barrett became a justice.

"The question in this case is straightforward: Does this provision limit EPA to prolonging exemptions currently in place, or does it enable EPA to provide exemptions to refineries that lack them? The statutes text and structure direct a clear answer: EPA cannot 'extend' an exemption that a refinery no longer has," Barrett wrote.

The case involved amendments to the Clean Air Act made in 2005 and 2007 that require transportation fuel sold in the United States to contain specified amounts of certain renewable fuels. Small refineries were exempt from that requirement until 2011.

The law also allowed the EPA to extend the exemption for individual small refineries if complying would subject them to disproportionate economic hardship.

Another section of the law says that a small refinery can ask the EPA for an extension of the exemption at any time.

President Joe Biden's administration had argued that to get an extension a refinery had to have maintained a continuous exemption since 2011. The administration said that followed from the word extension.

But three small refineries told the court that the phrase at any time meant they did not have to maintain a continuous hardship exemption to seek one.

A federal appeals court had said a continuous exemption was required for an extension. The Supreme Court disagreed.

The case involves HollyFrontier's Cheyenne Refinery in Wyoming, HollyFrontier's Woods Cross Refinery in Utah and Wynnewood Refining in Oklahoma. They argued that siding with the Biden administration would eliminate the exemption for most small refineries in the United States.

HollyFrontier said in a statement after the ruling that it was pleased that our longstanding arguments were today validated by the Supreme Court.
On this weeks episode of Segue, Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles weekly radio program exploring the lives and work of the people on campus and beyond, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Kevin Leonard, PhD, interviews Peter Cocuzza, former chair of the Department of Theater and Dance.

This episode of Segue airs at 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 27. Listeners can tune in to WSIE 88.7 FM The Sound or siue.edu/wsie.

Cocuzza earned a masters in fine arts in performance from the Professional Acting Training Program at Ohio University before joining the SIUE faculty in 1995. During his 26-year career, he taught a variety of performance classes, directed more than 35 productions and served as the department chair for five years.

As an actor, Cocuzza has performed dozens of roles on stage, adapted and toured a one-person show, toured childrens theater with the Saltworks Theatre Company, and has several regional commercials to his credit.

Welcome to Segue, Peter, begins Leonard. How did you become interested in theater?

I grew up in New Jersey, where there was no community theater in the 1950s and 1960s, answers Cocuzza. A friend in the next town asked me to join a junior theater company. I agreed and was cast the role of a lieutenant in South Pacific. The shows lead was drafted into the Vietnam War, and the director moved me up to play his role.

My parents came to see the play, and at that time, you had to grey your hair and put wrinkles on your face. My mom leaned over to my father and said, Who is that one boy? Hes so good! They didnt recognize their son, and that was my introduction to theater.

What was the most fulfilling aspect of your career at SIUE? inquires Leonard.

On a macro-level, I enjoyed being a teacher at a young university and impacting the lives of its students in many different ways, answers Cocuzza. On a more micro-level, I was able to teach the things I was good at. As a theater generalist, I could teach many different topics, and this experience was rewarding for me.

Cocuzza is credited for the Department of Theater and Dances growth, specifically through the development of new events and programs, and recruiting students from across the country to attend SIUE.

Is there a single production that stands out in your memory from your time directing at SIUE? asks Leonard.

Every production has its own personality, triumphs and challenges, says Cocuzza. I typically work with younger students on their first production, which tend to be largely cast. When I got to work on Proof, which has a cast of four people, it was delightful for me, because I was able to work with the most talented students we had.

Two other notable productions described by Cocuzza include Female Transport, a story about female convicts traveling from England to Australia, and High School Musical, a large-scale show that sold more seats than the theater allowed.

For different reasons, these productions stand out to me as each one is painted with its own color and brush, adds Cocuzza. When the light bulb goes off and you see that a student understood what was said in class two years ago, its so powerful.

What was it like teaching theater remotely throughout the pandemic? asks Leonard.

My personal teaching style is Socratic, where Im asking students stupid questions and leading them to find the answers rather than using a PowerPoint, says Cocuzza. The questions didnt change, but the format changed. Because the format changed, we lost some of the connectivity and intimacy that we have in a classroom.

Thankfully, we were able to have some classes on ground while socially distanced and wearing masks. Even though we couldnt do some of our normal group exercises, I was able to find creative ways to introduce the material and get students to understand the value of what theater can do in their lives.

Tune in at 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 27, to WSIE 88.7 The Sound to hear the entire conversation.
EDWARDSVILLE  Officials at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Scott Air Force Base, in Belleville, signed a three-year collaborative agreement for an educational partnership at a short ceremony Thursday afternoon in the schools engineering building.

SIUE Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Denise Cobb and Col. J. Scot Heathman, commander of the 375th Air Mobility Wing, the unit responsible for the base, said the agreement is designed to allow a formal exchange of expertise and resources between the base and university.

Heathman said there is an emphasis on innovation in the Air Force, and at Scott Air Force Base it is through an innovation hub called Elevate.

We are thrilled to have you join us on our beautiful campus and continue discussions about the tremendous potential that exists between SIUE and Elevate, Cobb said.

We are excited to establish this new partnership with the U.S. Air Force to utilize our resources and physical facilities, and to leverage the expertise and energy of our outstanding faculty, students with the airmen to imagine solutions to persistent challenges and emerging problems.

As part of the agreement, program managers from both SIUE and the 375th will meet monthly to identify, select and prioritize activities.

Heathman said they are looking for new ways to do things.

Theres always a better way to do X, Y or Z, he said. Maybe its something we have to look at from a commercial, off-the-shelf technology, or maybe its something we just havent even thought about yet.

A lot of the bases have started creating innovation hubs, he noted. Just a place where you can get out of your office, take a bunch of airmen and put them together, or bring in someone from outside and say, Heres our problem, how can we tackle this?

He said that the groups include everyone from senior officers who have expertise and education, to young airmen who might question, Why do we keep doing this over and over and are told thats the way the Air Force has always done it.

He said they are trying to do away with that mentality, while not forgetting that sometimes things are done for a reason.

And part of that is an emphasis on bringing in outside people.

If were just talking among ourselves, uniform member to uniform member, were probably not doing the best we can, Heathman said, which is why this partnership with SIUE is so important. There is expertise out there. We need to ask for help, tap into those resources, and vice versa.

Experiential learning and working with community partners is a hallmark of SIUE, Cobb said.

We believe this will be a critical partnership that will provide research, learning and societal benefits, she said. Were excited to explore these learning opportunities. For the university, it will expand possible educational avenues for students.

Cobb said she hopes students will have opportunities to engage in research and learn from the projects and personnel of Scott Air Force Base.

Im truly excited to see what wonderful opportunities emerge from this collaboration, and the impact we can make together, she said.
Heres a followup to a story we reported over the summer: the sorry state of the new benches on the Pike/Allen Street pedestrian mall. State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver had sent a letter to the Parks Department, urging the replacement of the wooden slats in the benches, which had either been broken or removed. The other night, during a community board meeting, Parks Department staff members said theyre working on repairing the benches.

Heres what an agency spokesperson told us yesterday about the situation. Apparently there was a problem with the treatment process used on the wood slats. The contractors responsible for the job have agreed to fix the benches without passing on any additional costs to the city. The replacement slats will be made from wood supplied by a different vendor. Once they are approved for exceeding the strength requirements, the spokesperson said, the new slats will be manufactured and installed during the winter.

Five blocks of the Allen and Pike Street malls were renovated using funds from the Lower Manhattan Development Corp., the Borough President, City Council and city Department of Transportation. The project was budgeted at $6.45 million. Trocom Construction was the contractor. Soheil Mosun was the bench manufacturer.

Several neighborhood groups, including the Lower East Side BID, Hester Street Collaborative and Asian Americans for Equality advocated for the beautification project and led a local visioning process for the refurbished pedestrian islands. Only five of 13 blocks were funded, so most of the overall project remains incomplete. In the past, the Parks Department has estimated each block would cost $1 million to renovate.
Salida, CO (81201)

Today

Sunny early then increasing cloudiness this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 86F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.
B3mn COVID insurance for O-A visa applicants may broaden options for retirees

PHUKET: Reports of a requirement for foreigners staying in Thailand on Non-Immigrant O-A visas now needing to have B3 million COVID health insurance caused much confusion last week, but several of the guidelines approved in principle by Cabinet may broaden the options for health insurance for retirees wanting to stay in the country

immigration

By The Phuket News

Friday 25 June 2021, 09:00AM

The TGIA home page redirects to a notice explaining that the insurance is for inbound foreigners only, and that it is not intended for foreigners living in Thailand. Image: TGIA

The Cabinet minutes show that some of the recommendations may give retired expats more choice in how they satisy the mandatory insurance requirement. Screenshot: Thaigov.go.th

The explanation of the O-A visa according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Image: MFA

The NNT story explaining the proposed changes to O-A visas is no longer available. Image: Screenshot

News of the B3mn COVID insurance spread quickly, with different reports marking different requirements (see The Phuket News story here).

The level of confusion even saw state news agency National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT) later removing their own story from their main news website. The link to the NNT story, originally posted here, now redirects viewers to the NNT news home page.

According to the official minutes of the Cabinet meeting last week (June 15), the Cabinet was very clear that the issue of retiree foreigners staying in Thailand needing health insurance that covered COVID infection was raised by the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).

The ministry had pointed out that the current insurance requirement for foreigners staying on Non-Immigrant O-A visas was likely to be insufficient.

Non-Immigrant O-A visas are offered to appeal to people who have retired from work and want to live in Thailand.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes the visa as, This type of visa may be issued to applicants aged 50 years and over who wish to stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 1 year without the intention of working. Holder of this type of visa is allowed to stay in Thailand for 1 year. Employment is strictly prohibited.

The MFA emphasises that applicants must be aged 50 years or over.

Currently, holders of Non-Imm O-A visas must purchase Thai health insurance with a limit for medical expenses of not less than B40,000 in case of outpatient treatments and not less than B400,000 in case of inpatient treatment required.

The MoPH recognised that many foreigners in Thailand were of an age that made the cost of obtaining such health insurance coverage prohibitive. Some were unable to be issued a policy at all, leading the government to launch a project so that such foreigners could buy insurance through confirmed insurance providers through the longstay.tgia.org web portal.

However, the issue of many foreigners not being able to afford the policies, or unable to be issued such health coverage persisted, prompting the MoPH to review the insurance coverage guidelines for foreigners staying on Non-Imm O-A visas, noted the Cabinet minutes.

The Cabinet specifically recognised that there were problems in the process of applying for a visa to purchase health insurance as follows:

1.1 Foreigners over 70 years of age cannot purchase insurance in Thailand. As a result, they are not qualified to apply for extension.

1.2 Form for buying insurance abroad inconsistent with the insurance business system/benefits from various funds

1.3 The application to renew the visa twice (extend) wish to take medical insurance overseas.

In the past, the Ministry of Public Health has issued health insurance certificates to four foreigners to use in applying for visa extensions due to being refused to purchase health insurance in Thailand, [and] as a result, the visa extension cannot be renewed, the Cabinet minutes read.

The new proposed guidelines, now approved in principle by the Cabinet, recommend that only those who are applying for a Non-Imm O-A visa for the first time be required to have health insurance or government welfare coverage of not less than US$100,000 or B3mn (adjusted health insurance limit) to cover medical expenses for COVID infection.

Of note, the Thai General Insurance Association (TGIA), which also operates the government-supported longstay.tgia.org web portal, refers visitors to its main home page, which it notes very clearly, in English, This COVID-19 Insurance Policy, together with its renewal, is a requirement for inbound travelers to Thailand only. It is not intended for foreigners currently living in Thailand.

The second recommendation approved in principle by the Cabinet was that those applying to stay in Thailand under the O-A visa be granted to purchase health insurance from abroad or have government welfare from abroad.

Such health coverage would need to be verified by a government agency, likely through embassies of foreign countries in Thailand, or by the applicant presenting the necessary documents to the relevant Thai embassy when applying.

However, the Cabinet minutes were not clear in differentiating whether this was to apply to just those applying for an O-A visa for the first time, or also to foreigners already staying in Thailand on an O-A visa.

The third recommendation, which may affect many retired foreigners in the country, was to allow applicants who had been refused health insurance coverage to instead be able to present evidence of security or deposits, other health insurance, with a total limit of not less than B3mn.

The minutes explained, In the case of a person who has a risk of causing the insurance company to refuse, in whole or in part, additional documents are required, such as: Letter of refusal to purchase health insurance; Securities/deposits/other health insurance with a total limit of not less than 3,000,000 baht according to the criteria specified by the Immigration Office.

The Cabinet minutes marked clearly that the guidelines had been approved in principle only.

However, the Cabinet formally tasked the Immigration Bureau to review its order that enacts the mandatory insurance requirements.

Any changes in the mandatory insurance requirements will not take effect until the Immigration Bureau officially changes its own regulations on the issue.

The Immigration Bureau has yet to post any public comment on the recommendations.
Patong Tunnel, at 3.98km long, to cost B14.4bn, work slated to start in 2023

PHUKET: Construction of the long-awaited Patong Tunnel project, spanning 3.98km from Kathu to Patong at a cost of B14.47 billion, is now expected to begin in 2023 and open for service in 2027, Expressway Authority of Thailand (EXAT) Deputy Governor Gardphajon Udomdhammabhakdi has revealed.

constructiontourismtransport

By The Phuket News

Friday 25 June 2021, 06:19PM

Image: Expressway Authority of Thailand / file

Mr Gardphajon was in Phuket in person yesterday (June 24) to be updated on progress on several transit megaprojects on the island, including the Patong Tunnel.

At a meeting of the Sub-Committee on Land Traffic Management of Phuket at Phuket Provincial Hall chaired by Phuket Vice Governor Vikrom Jakthee, Mr Gardphajon explained that the Public-Private Partnership Policy Committee had agreed in principle with the project.

On May 31, the Policy Committee received EXATs recommendations for proceeding with the project before the plan is submitted to the Cabinet for further approval. EXAT will prepare additional information based on the opinions of the Policy Committee and we expect those to be sent to the State Enterprise Policy Office in July 2021, he said.

Mr Gardphajon confirmed that the current plan is to construct a road with elevated sections and a four-lane tunnel through the hills separating Patong from Kathu. The road itself is to be 3.98km long and construction is expected to cost B14.47bn.

The project is expected to commence in 2023. Construction will take four years and it will open for service in 2027, he said.

Travelling through the tunnel is currently set to cost motorists B40 per car and B15 per motorcycle.

Regarding the Muang Mai-Koh Kaew-Kathu Expressway Project, Mr Gardphajon explained that the project was originally called the Sakhu-Koh Kaew Road project operated by the Department of Highways.

But now the central government has assigned EXAT come into action, he said.

Currently, the Expressway Authority is in the process of drafting a TOR [terms of reference] to hire a consultant to study the suitability of engineering, economics, finance and the environmental impact. The feasibility study is expected to begin in October 2021, he added.

The project will stretch some 30km, starting at the intersection of Thepkrasattri Rd with Highway 4026, which leads to Nai Yang Beach. The expressway will parallel Thepkrasattri Rd all the way through Srisoonthorn and will provide a connection with the main intersection in Koh Kaew, then continue to run parallel with the bypass road to finally connect with with Highway 4029 in Kathu, which will allow motorists to use the Patong Tunnel, Mr Gardphajon said.

For the Action Plan of the Muang Mai - Koh Kaew - Kathu project, construction is expected to begin in 2025 and the road open for service in 2028, he said.

Mr Gardphajon asked for patience and clear communication in explaining the projects to the public.

There are many important projects. Each project requires a period of time to complete. For example, the process of studying the environmental impact and the EIA, and the preparation of details, requires a period of time, he said.

The important thing is to create awareness and communicate to create an understanding among the people in the area to be informed of the process correctly, to participate and drive the implementation of various projects, to achieve results as soon as possible, he added.
PTA clarifies position on issue of separate rooms for unmarried couples under Sandbox model

PHUKET: The Phuket Tourist Association posted a statement today (June 25) to clarify its position on previous posts online claiming that couples who were not married would have to occupy separate rooms while staying in Phuket under the Phuket Sandbox model, to start next Thursday (July 1).

COVID-19Coronavirustourism

By The Phuket News

Friday 25 June 2021, 06:52PM

The statement issued by the Phuket Tourist Association earlier today (June 25). Image: Phuket Tourist Association

The statement directly referred to a post by the associations own president, Bhummikitti Raktaengam, a central figure in the creation and deployment of the Sandbox policy.

From the news on social media that Mr Bhummikitti Raktaengam, the president of Phuket Tourist Association, explained about the case that tourists want to stay with Thai people. They must be married couples only. Those who are just girlfriends, a buddy, or a person who is hired to entertain are not allowed, the statement read.

We would like to clarify that the sentence was misunderstood because Mr Bhummikitti explained that the stay together between foreign tourists and Thais can be done under the framework of law, which needs to be considered again, the statement added.

To not make any possible confusion, please wait for the clarity from the announcement by the Royal Gazette, the statement concluded.

Mr Bhummikitti himself shared the statement through his own Facebook page earlier today.

Please notice and to clarify The association and I cannot set up the cannot set the rules for traveling or the conditions of stay.

What I said was through a Zoom [meeting] by ATTA [Association of thai Travel Agents] and was only my own response to that question.

The law should allow [people] to do things under the framework, such as those who had a marriage certificate. For other cases, it needs to be considered by relevant officials, Mr Bhummitkitti added.

Please wait to hear from relevant officials. The association is a private organization. It does not play a role in setting any conditions.

If what I have communicated has caused any discomfort, I apologize to everyone. From now on I will be more careful when speaking, Mr Bhummikitti concluded.
Rallygoers likely to face legal action

THAILAND: Police are gathering evidence to take legal action against protest leaders and participants who turned up at city rallies yesterday (June 24) in violation of the emergency decree, says the deputy Royal Thai police spokesman.

Friday 25 June 2021, 10:45AM

A group of protesters led by red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan rally at the Phan Fa Lilat Bridge before moving to Government House in Bangkok yesterday (June 24). Photo: Pornprom Satrabhaya

Pol Col Kissana Phathanacharoen said the protesters also violated a health safety announcement issued by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

Bangkok has been designated a COVID-19 maximum and strict control zone, with a ban on gatherings of more than 50 people.

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered yesterday at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok to mark the 89th anniversary of the June 24, 1932 revolution. They also rallied on Ratchadamnoen Avenue last night.

About 500 people, led by activists Jatupat Pai Dao Din Boontaraksa, human rights lawyer Arnon Nampa, Panupong Mike Jadnok, Atthapol Khru Yai Buapat and Promsorn Veerathamjaree, began the rally on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

Demonstrators wrapped a huge cloth banner around the monument before lighting candles in remembrance of the June 24, 1932 revolution by Khana Ratsadon that transformed Thailand from an absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy.

Another group calling itself Re-solution set up a table to collect signatures in support of a bid to amend the constitution to remove the Senate and scrap the 20-year national strategy and reform plan. Some 46,781 signatures were gathered as of last night. The constitution allows the submission of a draft amendment supported by at least 50,000 people for consideration by parliament.

The Prachachon Khon Thai group led by activist and lawyer Nitithorn Lamluea also marched to Government House to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Cha-o-cha. The protesters were blocked by crowd control police at Chamaimaruechet Bridge. Police had two water canon and detention trucks on hand in case trouble flared.

However, the Prachachon Khon Thai group later moved to Nang Loeng intersection. Mr Nitithorn said he received reports that a third party would instigate violence. The group will gather again tomorrow. The Thai Mai Thon (Impatient Thais) group led by red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan also marched to Government House. The group dispersed at about 8pm and Mr Jatuporn said the group would gather again tomorrow at Phan Fa Bridge. There were no reports of violence as of press time.
The Ridgefield Theater Barn recently reopened its doors with a red carpet splash on Friday, June 11, welcoming back patrons with its premier of An Evening of One Acts.

The production is dedicated to the memory of Amy Oestreicher, a local artist, writer, public speaker and actress who was originally cast in one of the plays. Oestreicher died in April of this year.

Oestreichers family attended the opening night festivities, and along with the cast, crew and fellow patrons they all raised a glass after the performance to honor her legacy.

We thought it was appropriate to dedicate this reopening, our emerging from a dark time, to the memory of Amy, Ridgefield Theater Barn Executive Director Pamme Jones said. Amy was all about turning the darkness into light.

Several other special guests attended the sold-out event, including some of the playwrights and directors. Connecticut state Rep. Aimee Berger-Girvalo, a returning patron, was in attendance with state Sen. Will Haskell, who took to social media the next day, posting about the exceptional set of one-act plays he had seen the night before. The evening was capped off with drinks and light fare provided by The Painted Cookie, The Market at Union Hall and Cellar XV.

Still maintaining its signature cabaret-style theater, the reopening also saw the debut of the barns new spacious and COVID-friendly configuration, with tables for four spaced generously apart and capacity limited to 50 percent. Audience members are still welcome to bring their own food and drink, but concessions are also available for a suggested donation in the barn's lobby.

All staff, cast and crew members have been fully vaccinated. The theater is also keeping up with current CDC, federal, state, and local guidelines.

Upcoming events include an evening of improv comedy in August and The Divas, a compilation of one-act plays by Jack Neary. The Exonerated will officially open the barns 2021-22 season in September. For more information or reservations, visit www.ridgefieldtheaterbarn.org.
Today

Mostly sunny early then increasing cloudiness this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 97F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 97F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph.
Have an interesting bit of news youd like to see mentioned in the Along the Way column? Email it to Emma Leeuwenburgh at news@thesunchronicle.com .
Things to do in the Attleboro area and beyond
ALTON  The YWCA of Alton on Thursday hosted a small luncheon for the 2021 Women of Distinction honorees.

This years honorees are Marie Nelson, Sandra West, Trish Holmes, Lanea DeCocini, Cameo Holland, Jennifer Gottlob, Lacy Spraggins McDonald, Crystal Uhe, Yvonne Campbell, Amy Gabriel, Carrie Schildroth, Savanna Bishop, Star Smith, Leah Becoat and Katie Stuart.

The 2021 Women of Distinction Gala and dinner is planned for 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at Julias Banquet Center in East Alton. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.

The longstanding academy is in its 31st year. Though last year the Women of Distinction Gala ultimately was canceled because of pandemic restrictions, the 2020 honorees were nominated, selected and experienced many aspects of becoming a part of the Women of Distinction Academy.

YWCA Executive Director Dorothy Hummel said that she is excited that the gala is happening this year.

We tried to have it (the 2020 Gala) in April, she said. We tried in May, and again in September.

This year, the YWCA purposefully pushed the gala back to August; in prior years it had been held in April. The plan this year was to see of Illinois would enter Phase 5 of Go. J.B. Pritzkers Restore Illinois plan. It did so on June 10, less than a week before the announcement of the 2021 Women of Distinction.

We made a bet and it paid off, Hummel said. We thought about doing it in a virtual environment, but just didnt think it would have the same atmosphere.

The YWCA of Alton also will be hosting a tea gathering 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, July 11, at the YWCA building on 304 E. 3rd St., Alton.
BETHALTO  For the second comnsecutive year, 1st MidAmerica Credit Union has been named to the Forbes list of Americas Best-In-State Credit Unions.

The awards were announced June 24 and can be seen at visit www.forbes.com/best-in-state-credit-unions/.
WOOD RIVER  Madison County will meet President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccination goals, although the nation as a whole will not.

On May 4, President Joe Biden laid out a lofty goal to vaccinate 70% of American adults by Independence Day, saying the U.S. would need to overcome doubters and laziness to do it.

Id like to get it at 100%, but I think realistically we can get to that place between now and July Fourth, he said.

He wont.

With the July Fourth holiday approaching, the White House acknowledged this week that Biden will fall shy of his 70% goal and an associated aim of fully vaccinating 165 million adults in the same time frame.

As of Wednesday, 65.6% of Americans age 18 and older had received at least one shot, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control. The figure is expected to be over 67% by July 4.

As of Thursday, 213,285 Madison County residents, or 80.64%, had received at least one vaccine dose, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. A total of 108,443 county residents, or 41.01%, are fully vaccinated.

According to the IDPH, Macoupin and Jersey counties also have met Bidens goal, with 78.22% of Jersey County residents receiving at least one shot and 77.44% of Macoupin County. Calhoun County has recorded 64.78% of residents with at least one shot. Greene County has recorded 57.11% of residents have received at least one shot.

Almost 71% of Illinois adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose; more than 54% are fully vaccinated, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Thursday night, 12,360,117 vaccines had been administered in Illinois.

Fully vaccinated figures for other area counties include Jersey County at 39.27%, Macoupin County at 38.62%, Calhoun County at 32.51% and Greene County at 28.81%.

More Information COVID-19 cases by county Madison - 30,550 (506 deaths) Jersey - 2,657 (52 deaths) Calhoun - 531 (5 deaths) Greene - 1,397 (50 deaths) Macoupin - 4,963 (114 deaths) Montgomery - 3,798 (74 deaths) St. Clair - 28,425 (519 deaths) Clinton - 5,793 (91 deaths) Bond - 2,087 (24 deaths) Monroe - 4,391 (94 deaths) Randolph - 4,165 (87 deaths) Washington - 1,650 (25 deaths) Source: IDPH & MCHD COVID-19 cases by ZIP code 62002 (Alton) - 3,612 62010 (Bethalto) - 1,367 62067 (Moro) - 321 62035 (Godfrey) - 2,110 62037 (Grafton) - 196 62012 (Brighton) - 789 62014 (Bunker Hill) - 363 62052 (Jerseyville) - 1,710 62095 (Wood River) - 1,286 62084 (Roxana) - 166 62048 (Hartford) - 132 62087 (South Roxana) - 182 62018 (Cottage Hills) - 322 62024 (East Alton) - 950 62025 (Edwardsville) - 3,781 62034 (Glen Carbon) - 1,495 62062 (Maryville) - 991 62294 (Troy) - 1,956 62040 (Granite City/Pontoon Beach) - 4,601 62234 (Collinsville) - 3,677 62249 (Highland) -2,208 62281 (St. Jacob) -427 62097 (Worden) - 302 62088 (Staunton) - 749 62069 (Mt. Olive) - 317 62033 (Gillespie) -545 62626 (Carlinville) - 983 62016 (Carrollton) - 437 62044 (Greenfield) - 182 62092 (White Hall) - 396 62082 (Roodhouse) - 277 62047 (Hardin) - 182 62022 (Dow) - 131 For a complete list of cases by ZIP code, visit https://www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics. Source: Illinois Department of Public Health See More Collapse

MCHD is planning COVID-19 vaccination clinics June 26-28 and June 29 to July 3 at Gateway Center in Collinsville; June 28 at Collinsville Middle School; June 29 at Liberty Middle School in Edwardsville; June 30 at Highland Primary School; June 30 at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville; and July 1 at the Roxana Community Park District.

The county will close its mass vaccination center at Gateway Center after July 3.

Appointments are preferred for the vaccination clinics, but walkins are welcomed. Links to schedule appointments are located at www.madisonchd.org. People needing help scheduling appointments can email COVIDvax@co.madison.il.us or call 618-692-8954, Ext. 2.

On Tuesday Madison County recorded two COVID-19 related deaths late Tuesday, the first since June 11, to take the total number of deaths to 506. As of Thursday there were four COVID-19 patients in Madison County hospitals.

Since the start of the pandemic, the county has recorded 30,550 confirmed and probable cases, including 17 recorded on Thursday.The county also has recorded 342,482 COVID-19 tests.

The IDPH on Friday reported 1,744 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 66 additional deaths, since its last report on June 18. The IDPH on Friday was reporting a total of 1,390,432 cases, including 23,199 deaths.

As of Thursday night 435 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 99 were intensive care unit patients and 53 were on ventilators.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
EDWARDSVILLE  An East St. Louis man was charged Thursday with home invasion and domestic battery relating to a June 8 incident in Collinsville.

Dvante J. Lott, 27, of East St. Louis, was charged June 24 with home invasion, a Class X felony, and domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor.

The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department.

According to court documents, on June 8 Lott allegedly entered a residence in the 100 block of Idlerun Drive and struck the occupant, a family or household member, in the head with a door and punched her in the face multiple times.

Bail was set at $75,000.

Other felony charges filed June 24 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include:

 Joel L. Maxwell, 40, of Shannon, North Carolina, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On June 23 Maxwell allegedly repeatedly hit a security officer at Gateway Regional Medical Center in the head. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Levon T. Sneed, 25, of St. Louis, was charged with aggravated battery, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Edwardsville Police Department. On June 24 Sneed allegedly pushed down and headbutted a pregnant woman. Bail was set at $50,000.

 Theresa M. Hutchins, 52, of Alton, was charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On Dec. 10 Hutchins allegedly was found to be in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Bail was set at $15,000.

 Jamey A. Cassens, 35, of Athens, Illinois, was charged with burglary, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Granite City Police Department. On June 22 Cassens allegedly entered a 2011 Nissan Frontier truck in the 2200 block of Richmond Avenue, Granite City, to commit theft. Bail was set at $40,000.

 Dakota G. Clem, 20, of Edwardsville, was charged with false personation of a public official, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. On June 23 Clem allegedly falsely represented himself as a peace officer. Bail was set at $15,000.
EDWARDSVILLE  Edwardsville residents have two weeks to break out their old reusable bags or buy new ones before July 12.

On that date any retail location  excluding restaurants  within the city limits of Edwardsville with at least 7,000-square-feet of total floor space will start charging a 10 fee per bag for all single-use disposable paper and plastic checkout bags. There are 27 such locations within city limits.

The bag fee is not applicable for packaged bulk items such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, grains, candy, small hardware items, wrapped frozen foods, meat, fish, wrapped flowers, prepared foods or bakery goods.

This began with a June 2018 presentation by Bring Your Own Glen-Ed (BYOGE). Former Mayor Hal Patton requested the group make changes after its initial presentation and they returned in February 2019 with a new one.

BYOGE members explained the benefits of charging a green fee for single-use paper and plastic bags. Member Sheila Voss referred to it as a nudge and said she wants to help the area kick its single-use bag habit. Voss said she is not anti-plastic.

This fee is not a war on plastic; plastic is brilliant, she said. Its how we are using plastic that is the problem.

She also said the fee is not a tax or a war on Main Street or small businesses.

More Information Bag fee exceptions include:  Restaurants  Bags provided by a pharmacist with a prescription drug  Bags provided by a butcher or a grocery store's meat department  Produce department bags  Any newspaper bags  Door-hanger bags  Dry cleaning and garment bags  Bags sold in packages containing multiple bags  Bags used at seasonal events like farmers' markets, street fairs and yard sales  Restaurant bags to take home leftovers  Bags used by customers to package or wrap other items See More Collapse

Local businesses that went bagless, use less plastic or switched to recyclable materials in early 2019 included Restore Decor, Source Juicery, Artisan 222 Bakery, Sacred Grounds Cafe, Bella Milano and Recess Brewing. By April 2019, the local Aldi, Goodwill and Sams Club also no longer distributed single-use bags.

In July, Edwardsville consumers will see a sign at each retailers entrance, as well as near cash registers, that identify the requirement for the store to charge the fee on all single-use bags and remind consumers they can bring a reusable bag instead of paying the fee.

The city is not collecting the single-use bag fee; consumers will not be taxed on the fee. The retail affected establishments will retain the fee to help offset the cost of the bags and to recoup administrative expenses for changing point of sale systems and record keeping. Some retail establishments are choosing to use the fee to give back to the community.

Edwardsville has instituted a reusable bag program at Main Street Community Center and Glen-Ed Food Pantry where bags will be available free of charge. Additionally, Bring Your Own Glen-Ed has a Community Bag Share Program with the Goshen Market and other establishments in Edwardsville.

The Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce has not been on board with the program. In February 2019 chamber president Desiree Bennyhoff said that, while the chamber fully supports a voluntary participation program, it does not condone a regulatory mandate on businesses to comply with the proposed ordinance.

We remain steadfast that this should not be a government mandate and have concerns about diminishing the competitiveness of affected local retailers, Bennyhoff said Wednesday.

Originally, the plan was to get the fee passed in both Edwardsville and Glen Carbon. But in April 2019, the villages attorney, James Schrempf, determined Glen Carbon has no authority to levy such a fee as it is not a home rule municipality. If Springfield enacts a state-wide tax, city officials said they would discontinue the local 10-cent fee to avoid any double-dipping.

In October 2019, the city council unanimously approved the 10-cent fee request and it was to take effect April 1, 2020. With the pandemic, Edwardsville extended the start date to May 1, 2020, then to July 1, 2020, then to Jan. 1, 2021, hinged on Gov. J.B. Pritzkers COVID-19 restrictions on plastic bags. Those restrictions werent lifted until the Recover Illinois Phase 5 status on June 11.

The July 12 start date ends the 30-day notice period for all affected city retailers.

Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana all have laws preventing local bag taxes.

Reach reporter Charles Bolinger at 618-692-5735
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Oregon:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Oregon is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings. The measure is set to expire at the end of June. As experts warn about a mass wave of evictions in the state, lawmakers and the governor are working to pass additional safety nets for struggling tenants.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

Oregon has set aside $200 million in federal emergency assistance to help tenants and landlords with current and outstanding rent. Based on data from Oregon Housing and Community Services, as of Tuesday 10,830 households have completed applications for rent assistance, with the average request being $6,921.

While Oregon has hundreds of millions of dollars available to pay past-due rent, and up to three months current rent for qualified tenants, high demand has created a backlog that will not be cleared before the eviction moratorium ends next week.

With the state and federal eviction moratorium set to expire at the end of June, on Tuesday Oregon lawmakers passed a Safe Harbor amendment on Senate Bill 278 to pause evictions. Under the amendment, which received bipartisan support, tenants who are unable to pay their July or August rent would not be evicted for 60 days if they provide proof to their landlord that they have applied for rental assistance through Oregon Housing and Community Services.

The amended bill will head to Gov. Kate Browns desk next to be signed.

In addition, earlier this year Oregon lawmakers voted to extend the grace period for past-due rent during the moratorium, allowing tenants to have until Feb. 28, 2022, to pay back rent.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

As the state braces for evictions, courts are also hastily preparing for an influx of evictions.

We are closely monitoring the situation, but there continue to be a lot of unknowns and variables that will affect court workload and processes, said Todd Sprague, a spokesperson for the Oregon Judicial Department.

The Chief Justice Order directs courts to schedule eviction proceedings as soon as practicable, but allows them to schedule first appearances within 14 days and any trial within 30 days, both of which are double the normal time.

In addition retired judges are being assigned to courts that need short-term assistance. Some circuit courts are exploring mediation as well.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

The cost of renting an apartment in Oregon's most populous city, Portland, plummeted in 2020 amid the pandemic  at its peak dropping more than 7%. However, this year the cost of renting has slowly started to increase again.

The Oregonian reported that, from March to April this year, Portland apartment rents increased by 1.8% from, with median rents sitting at $1,153 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,344 for a two-bedroom apartment. However, at the time the cost of renting an apartment in Portland was still down 4% as compared with last April.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Oregon had a housing crisis before the pandemic and since then it has only been exacerbated. Its hard to say exactly how much homelessness will increase in Oregon.

However, one indication of the scope of the problem is census data in May showing 53% of Oregon renters who responded to a survey  or more than 27,000 renters  said that it was very likely or somewhat likely that they would be evicted from their home.

___

Sara Cline 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.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP)  Relatives of 16 Nicaraguan opposition figures jailed in recent weeks demanded Thursday that President Daniel Ortegas government let them see their loved ones, know where they are and how they are doing.

The families said during a virtual news conference that they believe most if not all of the prisoners are in the infamous El Chipote prison in Managua, where many of those detained for participating in street protests in 2018 were taken.

In 2018, families could at least line up outside to take their relatives food and medicine, but this time many families say they dont know where their relatives are. The majority are above age 50 and some suffer from chronic illnesses.

Its been 11 days without seeing him, they dont let him talk to his lawyer and they only let us bring him water. Why, because hes been beaten? asked Cristian Tinoco, daughter of the former deputy foreign minister Victor Hugo Tinoco. Police arrested him June 13.

Cristian Tinoco said her 68-year-old father suffers from hypertension and the family has been told he has experienced vertigo since his arrest.

I want them to let us see him because it is a human right, she said.

Nicaraguan police began locking up presidential hopefuls and quickly expanded to other opposition figures. In a speech Wednesday, Ortega, who is running for a fourth consecutive term in elections scheduled for Nov. 7. said that all of those arrested were criminals and terrorists plotting to overthrow his government.

Most face nebulous allegations of crimes against the government. The international community has condemned the arrests and called for their release.

Victoria Cardenas, wife of presidential hopeful Juan Sebastian Chamorro, has not been able to visit her husband.

I dont know where my husband is, nor how he is ... were desperate, helpless, she said.

Without knowing officially where their loved ones are held, the families said they consider them disappeared.

Berta Valle, wife of another detained presidential hopeful, Felix Maradiaga, said her husband suffers from high blood pressure and she doesnt know if he is receiving his medicine.

We suppose hes in EL Chipote, but there is not guarantee, nor evidence that he is, said Valle, a journalist who has been living in exile for more than a year.

Two others under arrest  Jose Pallais, former vice minister of government and foreign affairs during the presidency of Violeta Chamorro, and Violeta Granera  are both over age 60 and their families fear for their well-being.

Concern has become anguish, said Jilma Herdocia, Pallais wife.

Julio Sandino, Graneras son, said his mother was arrested June 8 and only in the past two days was the family allowed to bring her water, but no food.

That is also a form of torture, he said.

Also under arrest is 65-year-old Dora Maria Tellez, a well-known former guerrilla commander who later split with Ortega and became a leader of the Sandinista Renovation Movement. Another jailed former Sandinista guerrilla and Renovation Movement leader, Hugo Torres, is 73.
EL PASO, Texas (AP)  Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday used her first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border since taking office to call for an end to political rhetoric and infighting over immigration, an issue that Republicans have been eager to weaponize against her.

Immigration "cannot be reduced to a political issue, Harris told reporters. Were talking about children, were talking about families, were talking about suffering. And our approach has to be thoughtful and effective.

Harriss trip came after months of criticism from Republicans and some in her own party over her absence and that of President Joe Biden from the border at a time when immigration officers have logged record numbers of encounters with migrants attempting to cross into the U.S.

Her half-day stop  in which she toured a Customs and Border Protection processing center and met with migrant children there, visited an intake center on the border and held a roundtable with local service providers  is unlikely to quell GOP efforts to use immigration as a political cudgel against the administration.

Harris defended both the timing of her visit and the choice of El Paso for the stop. Some critics had said the location is too far removed from the epicenter of border crossings creating a strain on federal resources. She told reporters after landing in El Paso that she had said in March that she would come to the border and it was not a new plan.

And she said the choice of El Paso was meant to underscore a shift to a more humane approach to immigration policy by the Biden administration after the hardline stance of former President Donald Trump.

It is here in El Paso that the previous administrations child separation policy was unveiled, she said. She also noted Trumps remain in Mexico policy, which forced asylum seekers to wait on the other side of the border for their claims to be adjudicated.

We have seen the disaster that resulted from that here in El Paso, she said.

Harris visited the region with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Texas Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar and Illinois Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin, a prominent Democratic voice on immigration reform. Both Mayorkas and Escobar said they invited Harris specifically to the area, and Mayorkas was quick to emphasize that border security is in his portfolio, not the vice presidents.

But Republicans faulted Harris for a trip that they dismissed as little more than a photo session. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a conservative Republican and leading administration critic on immigration, charged that Bidens policies opened the floodgates to human smugglers and drug cartels.

While Cruz said he was glad Harris had visited, if the vice president came to Texas without a concrete plan to secure our border and is unwilling to reverse her administrations failed immigration policies that caused the crisis, then her visit is nothing short of a glorified photo-op.

Trump said on Friday in an interview with the conservative outlet Newsmax that I think she should go to the real part of the border, not a part of the border thats seldom violated.

Harris has borne the brunt of attacks from Republicans over immigration since Biden assigned her to lead the administrations efforts to address the root causes of migration to the U.S. from countries like Mexico, El Salvador and Guatemala. Shes emphasized that her focus is on improving conditions for residents of those countries through economic and humanitarian aid, to encourage them to stay home rather than make the journey to the U.S..

Republicans have tried to paint the administration as indifferent to border security, seeking to revive a potent political weapon against Democrats for the 2022 midterm elections. Trump plans to visit the area less than a week after Harris, and hes certain to seize on her trip to keep driving the GOP narrative.

Other administration officials have made multiple visits to the border, but the absence of Biden and Harris had left some Democrats worried that damage already has been done. Theres concern that the Biden administration has ceded the border security debate to Republicans.

The administration is making Democrats look weak, said Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar in an interview with The Associated Press. Ive heard, from Democrats and Republicans in my area, what the heck is going on with this administration?

Cuellars district spans from south of San Antonio to the U.S.-Mexico border, and last year he won reelection by the slimmest margin of his nearly two-decade-long career. While he says hes not worried about his own reelection, he adds, I worry about my colleagues.

Bidens first few months in office have seen record numbers of migrants attempting to cross the border. U.S. Customs and Border Protection logged more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000. The numbers were boosted by a coronavirus pandemic-related ban on seeking asylum, which encouraged repeated attempts to cross because getting caught carried no legal consequences.

Republicans jumped on those figures to attack Biden and Harris as weak on border security. Administration officials, including Harris, refute the charge. Harris repeatedly sent a message to migrants during her recent visit to Guatemala: Do not come.

But those comments drew fire from some progressives, most notably New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, who called the message disappointing.

It was an incident that underscored the political no-win situation for Harris, taking on an intractable problem thats frustrated past administrations and has been used by both parties to drive wedges and turnout during campaign season. If Biden chooses not to run for a second term, Harris will be seen as the leading contender to replace him, and the immigration issue could become either a chance to showcase her accomplishments or an albatross.

During a meeting with faith-based organizations, as well as shelter and legal service providers, Harris said she and Biden inherited a tough situation.

But she maintained that in five months weve made progress...theres still more work to be done, but weve made progress.
WOOD RIVER  Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul on Friday announced a lawsuit and an agreed interim order with Phillips 66 that ensures the company will take action to protect residents from sulfur dioxide emissions caused by contaminated sulfuric acid from Phillips 66s refinery in Roxana.

The Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery has been working cooperatively with the Attorney Generals office and Illinois EPA on this matter and will fully comply with the terms of this order, said Melissa Erker, Director Government & Community Relations of the Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery.

Raoul filed the lawsuit against Phillips 66 after sulfur dioxide releases on June 2-4 from four railroad tank cars containing contaminated sulfuric acid near Hartford and Wood River.

On June 9, the cars were resealed and returned to Phillips 66s refinery.

The interim order requires Phillips 66 to immediately analyze the root cause of the releases and submit its report to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and establish procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Phillips 66 must also submit to the IEPA all air monitoring data, remove and dispose of the venting tank cars and their remaining contents, and monitor other tank cars loaded during the same time period for similar emissions.

This order will protect residents of Roxana and Wood River from harmful sulfur dioxide emissions and ensure that Phillips 66 takes responsibility for allowing this harmful gas to be released into the atmosphere, Raoul said. I am committed to continuing to work to hold Phillips 66 accountable for jeopardizing public health and the environment.

Raouls lawsuit is based on a referral from the IEPA.

This incident resulted in the release of unknown amounts of sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, placing an undue threat on local residents and businesses, IEPA Director John Kim said. The interim order will ensure Phillips 66 provides all relevant information related to the incident and prevents such an event from occurring in the future.

Between May 24 and May 25, four railroad tank cars leased by Phillips 66 were loaded with contaminated sulfuric acid at its refinery. On June 2, those tank cars were loaded onto a train at a Norfolk Southern Railway transfer station. Later that day, a pressure relief valve on one of the tank cars activated and sulfur dioxide began venting to the atmosphere near the towns of Hartford and Wood River.

A railway employee conducting a safety inspection was injured by the release, according to Raouls office. Representatives of Norfolk Southern Railway were unable to seal the venting tank car, and two other tank cars later began venting sulfur dioxide as well. The next morning, a fourth rail car began releasing sulfur dioxide, and a shelter in place order was issued for residents in the nearby towns of Roxana and Wood River.

At least four other railcars containing contaminated sulfuric acid loaded between May 24 and May 25 were transported to Delaware, where they were vented under controlled conditions, according to Raoul.

In the lawsuit, Raoul states that the loading of contaminated sulfuric acid into Phillip 66s tank cars posed a substantial danger to the environment and to the public health and welfare of area residents. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties under the Illinois Environmental Protection Act.

Assistant Attorneys General Kevin Bonin and Brian Navarrete are handling the case.
PONTOON BEACH  A $31.9 million operating budget for the Madison County Transit District was approved at Thursdays board meeting.

Also approved was a proposed capital budget totaling $91.7 million that includes almost $28.5 million for trails, more than $24 million for vehicles and $19 million for facility improvements. However, the capital budge revenue is $64.2 million, so much of that would be contingent upon receiving grants or other funding sources.

The agencys fiscal year runs from July to June.

Managing Director SJ Morrison said there are no major changes on the operations side of the budget.

We continue to do everything we can to make sure we are operating our service efficiently, he said. We are still not at 100 percent of where we were pre-COVID. MCT responds to demand, and where demand increases we will ramp our services back up to those pre-COVID levels.

He said they are currently at about 80 to 85 percent.

However, one area that continues to see calls for service is the logistics valley near the intersection of Illinois 111 and Interstate 270.

Every service change, we deal with what we call the logistics valley down here in the 111 corridor, he said. We just recently added service to Gateway Tradeport.

In August MCT will begin a reorganization of trips to Gateway Commerce Center, especially express service, to coincide with logistics operations.

Its tricky, because there are 27 unique shift start and end times, and they change throughout the year, Morrison added. Were trying not only to keep up with that but to develop as efficient a service as possible.

As part of improvements to service in that area, the agency has $4 million in Rebuild Illinois funding to create a new 111 Transfer Station.

They are currently looking for a location, which would take about five acres. He said they have been hampered because of plans to make major improvements to the interchange, and other businesses that are developing in the immediate area.

When completed, he said it would operate like the countys other transfer centers, with bus service pulsing at regular intervals. They would then operate a shuttle service to take workers to various facilities.

Its a much more efficient way to operate a service, he said.

A project nearing completion is the $1.6 million Park n Ride Lot at Eastgate Plaza. At the meeting it was announced the project was about 80 percent complete, and a September opening is planned.

As part of the capital budget, a number of trail projects are planned.

The MCT board and my predecessor, Jerry Kane, did an amazing job of building this network of trails, Morrison said. Now we are making the connections into the neighborhoods, into the commercial areas, into the communities that dont have trails but want them.

They are also looking at making safety improvements, especially at-grade crossings.

A top priority is a tunnel for the Schoolhouse Trail under Illinois 157 at Horseshoe Lake Road.

The cost is estimated at about $2.5 million.

Were actually doing the design engineering work on it as we speak, he said, adding the plans can be held until money is available.

Thats an important project for us, he added. I believe this board has been pretty adamant that we want to build that tunnel, so well find a way to make it happen.

Also being considered is a bridge for the trail over Illinois 111.

On the transit side, he said within about 18 months they will have to start considering replacements for the districts light-duty buses.

In other business, the board approved new officers for the coming year.

Incumbent Chairman Ron Jedda will retain his position. There have been several attempts by Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler to appoint someone else to his position, but the attempts have been thwarted by the County Board, which has declined to bring the appointments to a vote.

County Board Member Chris Guy, R-Maryville, who also serves on the MCT board, was appointed vice chairman.

The board also approved a resolution to seek a public accounting firm to conduct annual audits. The contract would be for five years.

Several board members said they would rather not consider the current contract-holder, the Alton-based accounting firm Scheffel Boyle, because they have provided the service since the mid-1980s and board members wanted a fresh set of eyes. However, they did not bar the company from submitting a proposal.
ALTON  An unfounded bomb threat Thursday evening forced the early closure of the Lowes Home Improvement store on Homer Adams Parkway in Alton.

Alton Police Chief Marcos Pulido said the department was notified of the threat at around 7:23 p.m. Thursday. The Alton Fire Department was also called to assist.
Every American who cherishes freedom should rejoice in the fact that Juneteenth is now a federal holiday. Celebrated on June 19, Juneteenth commemorates the abolition of slavery.

While the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln freed all slaves held in Confederate states on Jan. 1, 1863, the liberation of these men, women and children was more theoretical than actual. Southern slaveholders considered themselves as citizens of the Confederate States of America, not the United States of America. They didnt recognize the legality of the Emancipation Proclamation because they denied the authority of Lincolns presidency.

These Confederate slaveholders who ignored the Emancipation Proclamation found it much more difficult to ignore the Union armies that entered their states to crush this rebellion. Many slaves took a hand in their own liberation by fleeing the plantations where they had been held in bondage and seeking refuge with the advancing Union armies.

Its fitting that Juneteenth was born in Texas, since that states history is so entwined with the Peculiar Institution. Texas was originally part of Mexico, which had abolished slavery in 1829. While Mexico allowed Americans to settle in Texas, its government made it clear that, after 1830, they couldnt bring their slaves with them. That didnt sit well with slaveholders, who instigated the Texas Revolution of 1835-1836.

The ensuing Republic of Texas was specifically created as a white supremacist state. Section 9 of the Texas constitution allowed immigrants to bring their slaves into Texas and ensured these slaves shall remain in a state of servitude. This section of the constitution also stipulated that No free person of African descent, either in whole or in part, shall be permitted to reside permanently in the Republic, without the consent of Congress. The Texas congress was denied the power to abolish slavery and no slaveholder could emancipate his or her slaves, without the consent of Congress.

The Republic of Texas was annexed by the United States and admitted to the Union on Dec. 29, 1845. Since Mexico had never formally recognized the independence of Texas, this annexation helped to trigger our nations 1846-1848 war with Mexico. Both the annexation of Texas and the ensuing war were strongly supported by southern slaveholders, who saw it as an opportunity to expand their Peculiar Institution.

Texas further demonstrated its commitment to slavery when its voters ratified an ordinance of secession on Feb. 23, 1861. Its Declaration of the causes which impel the State of Texas to secede from the Federal Union stated that Texas has been received into the Union as a commonwealth holding, maintaining and protecting the institution known as negro slavery.a relation that had existed from the first settlement of her wilderness by the white race, and which her people intended should exist for all time. Since Texans believed the federal government demonstrated hostility toward slavery, they decided to cast their lot with the Confederacy.

Texas experienced relatively few battles during the Civil War, which meant that slavery remained intact. Even Lees surrender at Appomattox on April 9, 1865 had no effect on slavery in the Lone Star State. However, that changed when Major General Gordon Granger and 2,000 Union troops arrived in Galveston. On June 19, Granger had his men read General Order No. 3 at various locations in Galveston. The order stated that, in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, Texas slaves were now free.

I wasnt able to attend any Juneteenth events, since it was a work day here at the book shop. But, for me, every single work day is a celebration of slaverys defeat. The building that houses The Second Reading served as an Underground Railroad station. The fugitive slaves who sought temporary refuge here before resuming their northward journey had no Emancipation Proclamation to legitimize their freedom. Indeed, the law at that time demanded they be returned to their owners if captured. No Union troops liberated them from bondage. Their only allies were civilians who chose to risk fines and imprisonment by giving them shelter on the Underground Railroad. I think of their courage each time I walk through the door of my book shop.

John J. Dunphy is an author, the Godfrey 15th Precinct Democratic Committeeperson and recording secretary for the Godfrey Democrats.
WILKES-BARRE TWP.

Blaze Pizza could open in July

Franchise owner Dhruv Acharya said he hopes to open Blaze Pizza next to Mission BBQ on Mundy Street by July 27 if he can hire enough workers and get all the equipment he needs amid supply and labor shortages.

This will mark the first location in Northeast Pennsylvania for Blaze Pizza, a national chain based in Pasadena, California, that features made-to-order service.

Blaze Pizza serves fast-fired pizza that can be baked in less than three minutes. Customers can choose their sauce, cheese and toppings, said Acharya, who was working inside the restaurant Friday. In addition to pizza, Blaze Pizza also will offer salads, cheesy bread and desserts.

Acharya said he hopes to hire 50 full-time and part-time employees but has only been able to hire about 10 so far.

The 2,700-square-foot restaurant will offer indoor dining for about 65 people as well as takeout and delivery through a third-party service, he said.

Robert Tamburro, trustee and general partner with TFP Limited that owns the site and the Arena Hub Plaza, said he and his team are excited about Blaze Pizza opening soon after the COVID-19 pandemic and about filling spaces impacted by a tornado three years ago.

The site where Blaze Pizza and Mission BBQ are located formerly housed an office building that was significantly damaged by the tornado and demolished.

TFP Limited also purchased the former site of Ashley Furniture on Mundy Street in 2019 after it was destroyed by a tornado and demolished. New developments are coming there as well, Tamburro said.

He is negotiating a lease with a tenant, he would not identify, who he said will occupy a 45,000-square-foot building on the Mundy Street site. He also plans to construct a 6,000-square-foot strip center on the site that would house multiple tenants. Construction of the two buildings should start in late summer and be completed next year, he said.

After the tornado, Ashley Furniture moved to a new location behind the Wyoming Valley Mall.

Tamburro said he also is negotiating a lease with a tenant that will move into 2,200 square feet of space in the former Avenue store in the Arena Hub Plaza next to Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa.

Gertrude Hawk opened in the closed Pier I Imports store and Tamburro said he plans to subdivide the remaining 6,000 square feet in the building into three spaces. He is negotiating leases with two interested tenants and is waiting on negotiations with a third tenant.

The pandemic year was challenging economically but my team and I are very pleased with the way things have rebounded economically, Tamburro said. Were looking forward to putting the pandemic behind us and moving forward and, hopefully, closing the book on the pandemic.

 Denise Allabaugh
WILKES-BARRE

LCCC to expand Square space

Luzerne County Community College plans to expand into the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerces former office space in a building on Public Square in downtown Wilkes-Barre, LCCC spokeswoman Lisa Nelson said.

Chamber officials and employees have moved into office space on the third floor of the Innovation Center on South Main Street.

At a meeting Tuesday, LCCC board of trustees approved a 10-year extension to the colleges lease agreement for its Wilkes-Barre center. The agreement goes into effect July 1 and includes expanding the colleges space from the lower level of the building on Public Square to include the first floor.

The colleges new space will be renovated over the summer to include two computer labs, a traditional classroom, a testing lab, staffing offices and a writing lab, Nelson said, The college will occupy the new area starting in the fall semester, she said.

Renovations will take place in the fall for a science lab which will be ready for the spring 2022 semester, Nelson said.

LCCC President Thomas Leary said the Wilkes-Barre center, that opened in the former Pomeroys building in 1998, was the colleges first off-campus site.

Before the pandemic, he said there has been enrollment growth and growing interest in expanded space for students especially for English as a second language courses and for tutoring.

LCCC will continue to offer the core courses in English and math it had been offering in the buildings lower level, Leary said.

While he said that space served the colleges purpose for a long time, expanding is beneficial to serve additional students and offer additional opportunities.

Leary said students like the fact that Wilkes-Barre Council recently approved Mayor George Browns proposed ordinance to reduce the parking meter rate in downtown Wilkes-Barre from $2 to $1 per hour.

Council is expected to approve the ordinance on second reading next month and Brown said he would then work to implement the cost reduction right away.

The reduced parking rates will help us as well as students, Leary said. Its all coming together nicely for us in Wilkes-Barre.

 Denise Allabaugh
A Wyoming County man was caught with child pornography when state police raided a house last month in Washington Twp., investigators said Friday.

Corey Richard Wilsey, 31, of Tunkhannock, faces 20 felony counts of child pornography possession as well as misdemeanor drug violations, according to court filings. State police said they also found drugs in his vehicle.

On May 26, investigators from the Northeast Computer Crime Task Force and the Tunkhannock barracks served search warrants at a home on Wilderness Drive in Washington Twp.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children had earlier provided the task force with a cloud-based account that was uploading suspected pornographic images of children, an email address and an Internet Protocol address, state police said. That gave police the information they needed to get a search warrant.

After a preliminary arraignment Thursday, Magisterial District Judge Carl Smith released Wilsey on $20,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled July 13.
Some people go through life with experiences they cant wait to tell other people. The Rev. Murray Thompson of Falls Twp. is one of those people.

Thompson serves as the chaplain of Post 457 Dennis Strong American Legion. He spent 10 years as a Presbyterian chaplain in the Army, a time in his life that he speaks very highly of.

Serving as a chaplain in the Army was the highlight of my career, Thompson said. I always tell people that should the opportunity ever arise again, I would raise my hand and take it. Im not sure if thats going to happen though.

Thompson thought so highly of his experiences that he wrote a book about them. Shepherds of God in Wolves Clothing: Random Reflections of a Former Army Chaplain was released June 15. He said the main reason he wrote the book was because not many people know the duties that being a military chaplain entails.

A military chaplain does everything that a soldier does but they dont carry weapons, he said. We go through just as much danger as a soldier does, only with less protection for us.

Thompson has always had military aspirations since he was a kid growing up in Ford City. He was ordained into the Presbyterian Church in 1976, serving his first church in Colfax, Iowa. In 1985, he graduated from the Chaplain Officer Basic Course at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and was assigned to the 101st Airborne & Air Assault Division of Fort Campbell, Kentucky. It was with that division that he served in Germany, Ghana and his most memorable experience, Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf. He writes about one particular experience he had in Saudi Arabia.

I was standing on the desert floor, looking up at the sky, and I felt the presence of the spirits unlike any other place, Thompson said. Despite everything that was going on, I felt perfectly safe. I knew this was where God wanted me to be.

Thompson also writes about the role military chaplains have played since the American Revolution, using excerpts from the Bible to help explain their roles. He also talks about the religion of Islam, and his experiences in Muslim-majority countries.

After finishing his time in the military, Thompson and his wife, Karin, moved to Northeast Pennsylvania, when he became pastor of Second Presbyterian Church in Pittston. It was in this area that he raised his five children, but the traveling wasnt done.

My spiritual journey took us to churches in New Mexico and Indiana, Thompson said. It came to the point where I was finally ready to retire and take a little bit of time for myself.

He retired in 2014, and moved back to Northeast Pennsylvania. He still helps out at the Providence United Presbyterian Church in Scranton, but only in minor roles. Writing had always been something he liked to do, but never had the time. Now he is taking full advantage of the opportunity.

He worked really hard and you could tell he was passionate about the material, his wife said. Anyone who has an interest in a different side of the military will love this book.

Thompson will hold a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Wilkes-Barre at 1 p.m. Sunday, July 18.
Some call it the summer sickness. Others say its the worst allergy season ever.

Emerging from the pandemic, hundreds of millions of unmasked Americans now are returning to a world of germs, where they more commonly mix with strangers, and reach less often for the hand sanitizer.

One doctor likened Americans to a Bubble Boy who was shielded from germs and viruses for much of 2020 and is now exposed to common bugs with understandable reactions.

You were kind of trapped in the bubble, in a way, said Dr. Ronak Bhimani, chief medical officer for Lower Bucks Hospital in Bristol Twp. You werent going out as much. You were wearing the mask, washing your hands, trying not to touch your face. Our immune systems were just so wrapped up.

However, doctors and scientists strongly cautioned that they can only speculate on health conditions for the next several months. Never before have so many people emerged from the protection of medical masks and social distancing measures.

There is nothing like this in history, said Dr. Michael A. DellaVecchia, president of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. If you go back and study the great Spanish influenza of 1917, it was different. Today, we have a greater level of travel. So this is a learn-as-you-go scenario.

Some Americans wore masks during the influenza pandemic that began in 1917 and reemerged in two additional waves. But there was no vaccine for the Spanish flu, and most of the victims were young people who were considered healthy before that pandemic.

Scientists now believe the Spanish influenza was caused by an H1N1 virus that continued on as a seasonal bug for the next 38 years.

In March 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic forced school closures and Americans masked up, cases of the flu dropped by nearly 20%, according to the CDC.

The global decline in influenza virus circulation appears to be real and concurrent with the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said in a report on decreased virus activity.

Other seasonal respiratory illnesses also fell off during the pandemic. The drop was described in an April 21 report in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Lab data and visits to emergency rooms showed that influenza and other viruses circulated at levels far below seasonal norms, researchers reported. Widespread interventions intended to reduce COVID-19 likely contributed to the reduced spread of a broad array of respiratory pathogens.

Believe it or not, it was a pretty normal allergy season

Allergy sufferers might also be surprised to learn it wasnt an unusually bad allergy season, said Dr. Donald J. Dvorin, an aerobiologist certified by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunologys National Allergy Bureau.

Honestly, it wasnt that much higher than normal years for tree pollen, said Dvorin. The pine pollen was also lower.

At the same time, immune systems werent as challenged during the pandemic, Dvorin noted.

Theres speculation about the pandemic and how we are all going to react when we are all off of the masks, said Dvorin. Weve not been exposed to the normal circulating viral infections in the environment or to bacteria and now youre going to be bombarded without having had that immune response that you would normally have during the year.

At the same time, he cautioned that there is no scientific data to support such concerns. Its a theory at this point that we wont be as strong, Dvorin said. But it has not been proven. We dont have the science or the data to prove it.

Were heading into uncharted territory, said DellaVecchia.

Come the fall were going to learn more, said DellaVecchia. Were going to learn about the impact of the flu, and were going to learn more about whether our (COVID-19) vaccine carries over or we will need a booster shot.

We could certainly see a pickup in the other airborne pathogens, added Bhimani. Ill be curious to see what happens.
The mayors of Scranton and six other area municipalities want state legislators to repeal a controversial 2017 law allowing the sale of aerial fireworks to the public.

They recently joined together in an open letter to express their distress with the increased use of consumer-grade Roman candles, bottle rockets and other aerial fireworks, which were made legal to purchase in Pennsylvania under Act 43 of 2017.

Scranton Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti joined mayors George Brown of Wilkes-Barre; Mike Lombardo of Pittston; Jeff Cusat of Hazleton; Kevin Coughlin of Nanticoke; Derek Slaughter of Williamsport; and Paul Roberts of Kingston in signing the letter.

The effort comes about a year after Scranton strengthened its fireworks rules following an accidental death and a deluge of complaints from residents. A 31-year-old South Scranton man, Corey Buckley, was killed instantly late last June when the commercial-grade firework he was attempting to deploy exploded.

The city prohibits use of consumer-grade fireworks between the hours of 9 p.m. and 7 a.m.  with exceptions made for New Years Eve, Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day  and imposes an up to $300 fine for fireworks violations. It also prohibits use of the devices on city property.

But issues caused by consumer-grade fireworks persist, frustrating residents disturbed by the explosions. The mayors letter notes that, last year, residents were besieged daily, from sundown to sunrise, with the constant deafening noise and reverberation of these fireworks.

They expect it to continue this year to the detriment of elderly residents, people with young children and pets and those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. When city police respond to fireworks complaints, the incidents are often over by the time they arrive, Chief Leonard Namiotka said.

The additional 12% fireworks tax added to the states 6% sales tax is not worth the stress and unease caused by the constant noise of the fireworks, the letter reads. Residents fear that these aerial fireworks may land on their homes and cause damage to their properties and harm to their families. There is no way to predict where the aerial fireworks will land.

The 2017 fireworks law established several restrictions. For example, consumer-grade fireworks cant be discharged from or within a motor vehicle or building, toward a motor vehicle or building or within 150 feet of an occupied structure. The mayors letter notes its often difficult to find such open space in many densely populated local communities, but also notes Act 43 preempts municipalities from regulating consumer fireworks via a municipal ordinance.

As mayors, we are asking our elected representatives to adopt legislation to repeal Act 43, the letter continues. Additionally, we request that municipalities be allowed to set their own firework regulations so that the ordinances can protect the safety of its residents.

A letter Scranton residents can download, sign and send to Gov. Tom Wolf, state Sen. Marty Flynn, D-22, Scranton, and state Rep. Kyle Mullins, D-113, Blakely, seeking the repeal of Act 43 is available online at scrantonpa.gov.
SCRANTON  City and state Department of Environmental Protection officials told North Scranton flooding victims there are no easy answers or quick fixes to stormwater problems.

Several city officials and a DEP representative met with seven residents Thursday on Leggett Street to discuss stormwater issues that last month flooded Leach and Leggetts creeks.

The group met for about an hour on Leggett Street, where Leach Creek empties into Leggetts Creek. The meeting stemmed from flooding on May 4, when a storm dumped about 4 inches of rain in three hours.

On that night, Leach Creek overspilled its bank and flooded an inground swimming pool and backyard of Ellen and Rick Scango of Yard Avenue. The Scangos blamed the backup on a prior city DPW repair job of an underground pipe that funnels Leach Creek under West Market Street. City officials said they replaced an old collapsed 4-foot-diameter pipe with a new one of the same diameter in October on an emergency basis. But after the May 4 deluge, the DEP said the city did that pipe work without a state permit.

Meanwhile, Leggetts Creek also spilled over May 4 and swamped several homes along Leggett Street.

Leggett Street residents want Leggetts Creek dredged to carve a deeper channel to handle heavy rain. The Scangos also think Leach Creek should be dredged.

Were asking for help, Rick Scango said.

But the city and state officials, including Michael Sames, engineering field representative for the Waterways and Wetlands Program of the DEP Northeast Regional Office; Scranton DPW Director Tom Preambo; DPW Emergency Control Manager Chris Jenkins and city Engineer John Pocius, said the recent flooding reflects long-standing stormwater problems throughout the city and region.

The state does not fund dredging projects because theyre viewed as Band-Aids, Sames said. Even if dredging were done, it would be based on a cost-benefit analysis, and there are not that many homes in these immediate areas of Leggetts and Leach creeks, he said.

Leggett Street resident George Koslansky said Leggetts Creek used to be dredged many years ago. If that was merely temporary, it worked and should be done again and repeated periodically.

Council President Bill Gaughan asked the DPW officials if they intended to pursue dredging.

Were not 100% sure well be removing sediment, Jenkins said.

The citys priority is resolving Leach Creek under West Market Street, Jenkins said. This waterway is channeled through a 5-foot by 10-foot conduit that goes under a building at the corner.

Somewhere under West Market Street, the 5- by 10-foot conduit funnels into a 4-foot diameter pipe. The city replaced a 4-foot-diameter pipe because officials feared a larger collapse chewing into West Market Street, Pocius said.

The Scangos asked why the city simply doesnt just put in a larger conduit to channel Leach Creek under the road.

You just cant do that readily, Jenkins said, noting the state Department of Transportation would have to get involved.

The conversation got heated at times. Ellen Scango told Jenkins that his only answers are no, no, no. Jenkins defended himself.

Preambo stressed the DPW would do whatever it could, within the constraints of limited funding, manpower and authority, to address stormwater problems.

We understand. We hear you, Preambo said.

City Business Administrator Larry West also told the residents, Well keep this front and center.

Pocius noted that hydrology and stormwater problems involve a combination of many factors. Every storm incident also is unique and cannot be compared to each other, Sames said. Generally, storms have become more intense, delivering more rain in shorter amounts of time than before, Sames said.

I can only attribute it to changing weather conditions, Sames said.
Republican state Sen. David Argall of Schuylkill County, chairman of the State Government Committee, came up with a unique excuse for killing reforms to Pennsylvanias awful system for crafting new state House and Senate districts while retaining some reforms regarding congressional districts.

In effect, Argall said that the nations largest full-time and second-most-expensive state legislature is too incompetent to deal, at the same time, with reforms regarding congressional and legislative redistricting.

We thought that, better we try to fix this one problem now and then move on rather than try to do it all at once. Our fear is that if we try to do it all at once, the bill will fail again, Argall said, after his committee passed his amendment to establish greater transparency for congressional redistricting while killing all reforms regarding state House and Senate redistricting. In this case, moving on means waiting 10 years for reapportionment following the 2030 census.

The amendment actually stripped out a provision that would preclude favoring any political party.

There are people that think thats a very difficult goal to attain, Argall said of a cohort that obviously includes David Argall, who has forfeited any claim to leadership on the issue. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court already has found that computer models readily can determine when a district is drawn for the advantage of a particular party.

Legislative Republicans already had ruled out the best solution  turning over the process to an independent commission  leaving it in the hands of the self-interested legislators themselves. Now Argall has killed modest reforms that would have made the process somewhat recognizable as an aspect of a functioning democracy.

The reforms killed by Argall would have required public hearings and other transparency measures, and established statistical and demographic criteria to combat gerrymandering.

Democratic Sen. Lisa Boscola of Northampton County, who had proposed the reforms, understood why Argall and company killed them: The four (party) leaders, they didnt want to give up the power of the pen. That is, the power to select their own voters to diminish the prospect of voters selecting someone other than them.
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

Rain likely, heavy at times in the morning. High 61F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch..

Tonight

Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 53F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Cloudy with periods of rain. High 61F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch..

Tonight

Showers this evening, becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 52F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
Financial media regards City communications firms with a degree of disdain. Many see the likes of Brunswick and Finsbury Glover Hering as obstacles, with a job to spin a tale and to keep intrepid reporters at a distance from the truth.

The dark arts deployed in hostile situations such as contested takeover bids, when less experienced reporters are ignored or cajoled into submission, should never be tolerated.

Yet we should remember that the new breed of global firms, which began as small outfits in or around the Square Mile, are as much part of London's emergence as a world-leading financial centre as the investment banks, the private equity buccaneers and 'magic circle' legal firms.

The new breed of global PR firms are as much part of London's emergence as a world-leading financial centre as investment banks, private equity buccaneers and 'magic circle' legal firms

My early discovery as a journalist working in the US was that there was no culture of financial PR.

Companies did their own communications and those which did employ outside experts, such as the investment bank Salomons, used publicists which usually consisted of one person and a dog.

Garnering reliable information on the complex rescue of Chrysler in the 1980s was like pulling teeth. There was a big space on Wall Street and in lobbying on Capitol Hill to move into.

The UK firms have become big hitters in the US, only rivalled by Clinton-connected Teneo.

It needs all the reputational advice it can muster following allegations of drunken, inappropriate behaviour by its boss Declan Kelly at the Vax Live concert in Los Angeles.

It is to the credit of Alan Parker at Brunswick, Roland Rudd at Finsbury et al that they saw the opening and exploited it.

From its understated HQ at Lincoln's Inn, Brunswick has grown into an enterprise valued at 500million, with tentacles which reach across the Atlantic and into Asia.

Releasing cash by bringing in outside investor BDT will assist in avoiding a brain drain. Parker's own local difficulty over disclosures at Save the Children, where he was chairman, has not held him back.

Among Brunswick's breakthrough operations was working with City newcomers Goldman Sachs in defending Britain's then premier industrial group ICI from an assault by Lord Hanson.

Finsbury was at the forefront of the battle to save Astrazeneca (an ICI spin-out) from a hostile takeover attempt in 2014. Andrew Grant at Tulchan helped to keep Unilever out of the hands of private equity and in London.

At present Brunswick is behind the barricades at Glaxosmithkline where aggressive activist Elliott Advisers has taken aim at Emma Walmsley, one of a handful of female FTSE 100 chief executives.

Global Britain is all about projecting the UK's skills as a service provider.

It is remarkable that from small acorns in the City, British PR has come to dominate global M&A tables.

No saints

Let's be clear from the start: St Modwen is no Morrisons. Britain's food security, up to 100,000 employees and consumer choice are not at stake.

That doesn't mean that it should be ushered into the arms of Blackstone enthusiastically.

The board, headed by the estimable Danuta Gray, has not covered itself in glory. It accepted a low-ball bid and was forced to eke out a higher price of 560p a share or 1.3billion after dissident investor JO Hambro felt it was sold short.

The difficulty is that St Modwen defies analysis because it is a dog's dinner of a company with a bit of housebuilding and a promising warehousing operation. It is the latter which made it attractive.

Blackstone has unlimited amounts of capital and is on a global rampage. If it carries on as it is, it could end up owning the whole world.

That would not be pleasant given its raw history with care homes in the UK and trailer parks in the US.

But it cannot be blamed for malfunctioning equity markets or an unambitious management team which could have picked up the logistics ball and occupied the fastest-growing space in real estate.

What a mess.

Timed out

There is a nice symmetry about ITV moving into the BBC's abandoned broadcast centre at White City. Cutting costs has been paramount but making long-term decisions about 'hybrid' working, with Covid still raging, is premature.

After all, media is all about mixing and creativity. As a senior FTSE 100 executive told me the other the other day: 'I would rather slit my wrists than attend one more Zoom meeting.'
Business software giant Sage Group has pledged to go net zero by 2040, alongside new measures to help tackle economic inequality across the globe.

In a sign of how businesses are increasingly shifting how they operate and making pledges to combat climate change, Sage outlined its stance.

Running all its offices on renewable energy and converting its transport fleet to electric vehicles are among the measures detailed in the firm's 'Knocking Down Barriers' strategy, which also contains a goal to halve carbon emissions by 2030.

Other actions to achieve the net zero target include cutting the number of flights and hotel bookings, funding green projects to offset 'hard-to-decarbonise emissions' and working with suppliers to understand their environmental plans.

Digital giant: Sage Group is a Newcastle-based software firm that aims to halve carbon emissions by the end of the decade and achieve net zero by 2040

This follows similar pledges by the National Health Service, supermarket Sainsbury's, and retail behemoth Amazon to become net zero companies by 2040.

This is ten years ahead of the agreement made at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in 2015 by over 190 countries for the world to achieve net zero emissions.

Sage has also signed up to the UN's Climate Change Race to Zero, an alliance of businesses, cities, higher education institutions, and other bodies to try and propel decarbonisation measures ahead of the COP26 conference later this year.

In addition, it has joined the UN's Global Compact Business Ambition for 1.5C, whereby companies set targets that will ensure temperature rises do not go 1.5C above pre-industrial levels.

Chief executive Steve Hare said: 'Sage is committed to addressing the challenges faced by our communities, society and the environment.

'Tackling the global climate crisis requires bold action, and through our ambitious plan to reduce carbon emissions and commit to Net Zero, Sage is determined to play its part. Our ambition is to be a leading sustainable business and to support our customers, partners and suppliers to do the same.'

Investing: Sage Group said it would fund green projects to offset 'hard-to-decarbonise emissions' and reduce the number of flights and hotel bookings its employees take

The Newcastle-based company has further promised new measures to challenge social and economic disadvantage by supporting young people from poor backgrounds to set up a business.

These include working with Silicon Valley-based microfinance firm Kiva to improve financial inclusion in deprived areas and offering mentoring as part of a partnership with the tech social enterprise MyKindaFuture and JobCentre Plus.

The FTSE 100-listed group, which serves millions of small firms worldwide, will also help break down the barriers to digital equality and diversity in the technology sector.

It said it would offer science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills to 10,000 children from disadvantaged areas in the North Tyne Combined Authority, which encompasses Newcastle-upon-Tyne and North Tyneside.

Next generation: Engineering firm Sage Group said it would offer STEM skills to 10,000 children from disadvantaged areas in the North Tyne Combined Authority

'Through our new Sustainability and Society strategy, we will use our technology, time and experience to back and build a new generation of diverse, sustainable businesses, driving meaningful and positive change,' Hare added.

Sage's announcement comes on the same day Newcastle newspaper The Journal and accountancy firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers revealed its annual top 200 businesses in the North East by turnover.

According to them, Sage is the sixth-largest firm headquartered in the region, making 1.9billion in revenues last year, about 300million less than housebuilder Bellway and more than double the amount made by seventh-placed Northumbrian Water.

The largest firm was Nissan's UK division, which has committed to making cars at its Sunderland factory for the foreseeable future. The plant employs around 6,000 people and supports another 70,000 jobs locally.

Shares in Sage Group ended trading 1.4 per cent higher at 6.88 on Thursday.
For those who have always dreamt of working down a mine in the middle of the Outback, this could be the opportunity youve been waiting for.

The shutdown of Australias borders during the pandemic has helped keep the virus at bay. But it has also fuelled an acute labour shortage Down Under  not least in its mining industry.

Anglo-Australian behemoths Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are among those facing spiralling wage bills, delays to projects and hits to production as they struggle to recruit key workers, from train drivers to engineers.

The shutdown of Australias borders during the pandemic has helped keep the virus at bay. But it has also fuelled an acute labour shortage Down Under  not least in its mining industry

Now ministers in Canberra have responded to urgent appeals from mining and hospitality bosses by doubling the scope of its fast-track visa programme for foreign skilled workers.

Engineers, drillers, underground surveyors and geologists are among 22 occupations added to the federal governments Priority Migration Skilled Occupation List, alongside chefs and accountants.

Other professions added to the fast-track visa list include prosthetists and cartographers, as well as software programmers.

They join key workers like GPs, nurses and midwives, taking the total number of professions in Australias fast track visa scheme to 41.

Applications for foreigners who work in these roles will be prioritised by immigration officials, so long as they have an Australian employer to sponsor them.

Drillers, geologists and engineers can expect to command six-figure salaries, with miners forced to pay top dollar due to the labour shortage.

One major catch is that  until the rules change  they will have to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks at their own expense.

Rising costs: Haulage trucks at the Rio Tinto West Angelas iron ore mine in the Pilbara, West Australia. Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton are among those facing spiralling wage bills

The skills crunch has echoes of the mining boom more than a decade ago when thousands of foreigners  including plenty of Brits  were lured Down Under to work in highly paid jobs.

This time the backdrop is very different, with Australias prime minister Scott Morrison warning its international borders may not be reopened until the second half next year.

This risks starving businesses of vital foreign labour for the foreseeable future.

A report commissioned by Western Australias Chamber of Minerals and Energy (CME) has warned the state, a mining powerhouse, faces a shortfall of up to 33,000 workers in the next two years without reforms to encourage interstate and international migration.

It said the severe skills shortage in the mining sector has been caused by a perfect storm of factors, including border closures, the backlog of maintenance work which was delayed by Covid, and the demand for skilled workers generated by big government-backed infrastructure projects.

Interstate border closures and restrictions have also contributed to the labour shortage in Western Australia.

Underlining the ongoing threat to the labour market, millions of people in Sydney have just been banned this week from leaving the city following a small outbreak of the Indian variant of Covid near Bondi Beach.

Western Australia, as well as Queensland and South Australia, have responded by shutting their borders to much of Sydney.





The CME report predicted a wide range of impacts on the resources sector, the Western Australian economy, and state government if the labour shortage is not addressed.

And it said mining companies could face spiralling costs and delays to major projects.

Rob Carruthers, director of policy and advocacy at the CME, said: The consequences of not addressing these shortages are pretty acute.

The skills crunch in the mining sector is set to become more urgent, with an estimated 76billion of projects in the pipeline as record iron ore prices have turbo-charged the mining sector.

Those with most at stake include FTSE 100 firms Rio Tinto and BHP, which have raked in bumper profits and paid out record dividends to investors on the back of the surge in iron prices. Rio Tinto has four big projects on the go.

The biggest of these is the new 2billion Gudai-Darri mine in the Pilbara, Australias mining heartland in the remote north-west.

The firm previously told investors that a combination of the labour shortage and cyclone season has already disrupted maintenance of its mines in the Pilbara region.

BHP has also warned of a critical shortage of train drivers in the Pilbara.

Steve Knott, chief executive of the Australian Mines and Metals Association, said the closure of international borders to skilled migrants has wreaked havoc on the mining industry.

The CME also said the expansion of the fast-track visa programme should help address the labour shortage.

But it has urged the Australian government to go further by establishing a special mining visa  similar to the agricultural visa launched for South East Asian nations.

Western Australias premier Mark McGowan will meet with industry leaders at a skills summit in Perth next week.

Rio and BHP shareholders, living half a world away back in Britain, have every reason to hope its a fruitful one.
Makeover mission: Former Capita boss Paul Pindar

Private equity has an image problem  but one man trying to change all that is Paul Pindar, the former 3i high flyer who then became boss of FTSE 250 outsourcer Capita for 27 years.

His venture Literacy Capital, which was founded in 2017, floats on the stock market today and he is hoping it can change how private equity is viewed.

While private equity is usually known for raking in vast returns and doling out eye-watering pay packages to its partners, Literacy Capital will donate 0.9 per cent of the fund's value every year to charities helping children learn how to read and write.

'We have an extremely unique structure because we are the only private equity firm in the UK which has part-charitable purposes,' Pindar says.

'Every year 200,000 kids in the UK leave primary school without being able to read or write properly. It's a massive barrier to economic growth.'

The idea was inspired by his wife Sharon. 'She was brought up in a tough council estate in Wrexham and her mum couldn't read or write well, and her dad was abusive,' he explains.

'The fact that her mum couldn't read or write meant she felt trapped  it affects your ability to work, and she felt that she couldn't leave.'

Pindar is happy to address the villainous image which private equity has created for itself, promising that his firm is in it for the long term.

'We will happily take a 15-year view when we invest,' he says, dispelling any worries about short-term outlooks.
British financial technology star Wise has confirmed plans for what could be the biggest stock market float in London for a decade.

The company said it was planning a direct listing on July 7 in a deal that could value it at anything between 5billion and 9billion.

A value at the upper end of that range would make it the biggest float in London since Glencores blockbuster 38billion stock market debut in 2011. And it is set to hand its founders a fortune.

Payday: Wise's founders Taavet Hinrikus (left) and Kristo Kaarmann (right) look set to earn a fortune from what might be the biggest stock market float in London for a decade

London-based Wise was set up in 2010 by two Estonian entrepreneurs, Kristo Kaarmann and Taavet Hinrikus.

Kaarmann owns 19.8 per cent of the company  a holding that could be worth up to 1.8billion  while Hinrikus stands to see his 11.5 per cent stake valued at as much as 1billion.

But unlike a normal float, the direct listing will see it sell shares without setting a price in advance, with the opening figure determined by an auction on the day.

It is being seen as a key test of investors appetite after a mixed record for floats in recent months.

Food delivery firm Deliveroo was dubbed Floperoo after its shares tanked by a third on the first day of trading, while chip designer Alphawave IP also tumbled out of the gate.

Others such as cyber-security firm Darktrace and e-greetings card retailer Moonpig have fared better, while bathroom products firm Victorian Plumbing romped higher this week, but the overall picture remains patchy.

Neil Wilson, chief markets analyst at Markets.com, said: Wise seems a good business, I just dont know if in the current market investors are willing to pay up at this kind of valuation.

'I dont think the London market is that able or willing to provide this kind of liquidity.

It is also unclear whether Wise has secured guaranteed backing from institutional investors yet.

As we saw with Deliveroo this was the biggest problem, as there was no buyer of last resort that was willing to take on more as the share price fell, thus stabilising it, Wilson added.

Wise is using a controversial dual-class share structure that will ensure that investors who held shares before its listing  including Virgin tycoon Richard Branson and Paypal founder Peter Thiel  retain outsized voting powers.

Kaarmann said: Since announcing our expected intention to float last week, weve had over 60,000 expressions of interest in our customer shareholder programme.
Drunken episode: Teneo chief exec Declan Kelly

A public relations guru who advised some of the world's most powerful executives has quit his post at a charity after a drunken episode at a fund-raising concert.

Declan Kelly, chief executive of Teneo, 'behaved inappropriately towards some women and men' at a Global Citizen event last month, his spokesman admitted.

The star-studded gathering in Los Angeles was chaired by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and featured music performances by Jennifer Lopez and Foo Fighters.

The concert  called Vax Live  was meant to rally financial support for the global Covid-19 vaccination effort.

But following Kelly's drunken behaviour at a cocktail party attended by 'dozens of people including Global Citizen board members and guests', he was removed from the charity's board, the Financial Times reported.

Kelly 'deeply regrets his actions', his spokesman said, adding that Kelly was 'committed to sobriety' and is undertaking counselling.
About 17,000 hospitality and retail businesses could be closed for good because of the decision to delay lifting lockdown restrictions for a month, a survey has warned.

Hospitality staffing app Stint also found that 20 per cent of retail and hospitality owners said that they expect to lose over half of their revenue from the planned delay running from June 21 to July 19, which the government put in place after a rise in Covid-19 infection rates.

Even when restrictions are raised, over a quarter of firms believe they will never recoup the losses they incurred from the postponement, while another 23 per cent think it will take more than a year.

Pouring money: Stint also found that 20 per cent of retail and hospitality owners said that they expect to lose over half of their revenue from the delay in lifting restrictions

About a quarter also said they would be unable to operate at full capacity when venues fully reopen because of staff shortages, an increasingly common complaint among business leaders in the UK.

This is partly due to the continuation of the furlough scheme, on which 1.5 million Britons remain, but also because many migrants have returned to their home countries during the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 15 per cent of company owners told Stint they think about a quarter of their workforce at a minimum are unlikely to return as a result of moving onto different careers.

The hospitality industry has been one of the worst affected industries by the pandemic, with thousands of pubs and restaurants closing permanently and hundreds of thousands of jobs being lost.

Stint's co-founder Sol Schlagman said the results of his group's survey 'shows us the very real cost of just a few weeks delay to freedom day and why certainty is key to unlocking our economy.

'Over the last 15 months, businesses have faced heavy losses and further push backs could see tens of thousands more close their doors for good.

'The industry desperately needs help, both in the form of short-term solutions to the current crisis and longer-term changes and innovation. At Stint, we're empowering hospitality businesses to transform their operations and rebuild from the pandemic in a better way.'

Shortages: About a quarter of hospitality and retail businesses said they would be unable to operate at full capacity when venues fully reopen because of staff shortages

Organisations representing the sector, including UKHospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association, warned earlier this month that any delay to ending curbs would cause even more redundancies and venues to close.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: 'The delay in lifting restrictions was a hammer blow to a sector in which so many businesses are already teetering on the brink of existence, with so many jobs and livelihoods at risk.

'This survey tallies with our own findings and affirms the anecdotal evidence that we have received over recent days, weeks and months - that breaking even is a challenge and profit is a distant hope until restrictions are lifted.

'It also evidences the acute workforce shortages, which look set to stifle the recovery of a sector which otherwise has the potential to drive national economic recovery.'

Relaxation: Cabinet sources have told the Daily Mail that Prime Minister Boris Johnson (above) is seeking to get rid of the one-metre rule from July 19 to help boost the hospitality sector

Stint's findings come as Cabinet sources have told the Daily Mail that Prime Minister Boris Johnson is seeking to get rid of the one-metre rule from July 19 to help boost the hospitality and arts industries.

However, the growth in Covid cases has left many concerned that restrictions will continue after that date, and officials are formulating contingency plans if only a limited lifting of curbs goes ahead.

The latest government figures show that just over 16,700 cases were recorded in the latest 24-hour period, the largest figure since early February. But only 21 deaths were noted, whereas 716 deaths were recorded on February 4 when 17,951 cases were registered.
TIFTON [mdash] Everette Allen Ivey, 80, of Tifton passed away Sunday, June 27, 2021, at his residence. A graveside funeral service will be held for Mr. Ivey at 4:00 p.m. Thursday, July 1, 2021, at Oak Ridge Cemetery, where he will be laid to rest. The Rev. Rickey Wells will officiate. The fa
For generations, African-American families have celebrated Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in America. This summer, President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making it an official federal holiday.


remaining of

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
Thomasville, GA (31792)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the morning becoming more widespread this afternoon. High near 85F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
The Times News has teamed up with area clergy to share Words of Comfort daily in our print edition and online at TimesNews.Net. Any member of the clergy whod like to get involved can contact Carmen Musick at cmusick@timesnews.net.
Respect LGBT rights or leave the European Union, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told his Hungarian counterpart as the blocs leaders confronted Viktor Orban over a law that bans schools from using materials seen as promoting homosexuality.

Several participants spoke of the most intense personal clash among the 27 EU leaders in years on Thursday night.

It was really forceful, a deep feeling that this could not be. It was about our values; this is what we stand for, Rutte told reporters on Friday.

I said Stop this, you must withdraw the law and, if you dont like that and really say that the European values are not your values, then you must think about whether to remain in the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron called it a battle over civilisation and culture.

Hungary is now likely to face a legal challenge at the EUs highest court. Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel said Budapest should also be subject to an as-yet untested procedure to cut EU funding for those who violate democratic rules.

The new mechanism was introduced as closely aligned conservative governments in Poland and Hungary have shielded one another for years from grave sanctions under existing tools to protect EU democratic and human rights values.

The provisions for schools have been included in a law primarily aimed at protecting children from paedophiles  a link that Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo described as primitive.

In power since 2010 and facing an election next year, Orban has become increasingly conservative and combative in promoting what he says are traditional Catholic values under pressure from the liberal West.

He told reporters before the closed-door meeting that the law was not an attack on gay people but aimed at guaranteeing parents right to decide on their childrens sexual education.

The EU is pushing Orban to repeal the law  the latest in a string of restrictive policies towards media, judges, academics and migrants.

Seventeen out of 27 leaders, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, signed a joint letter reaffirming their commitment to protecting gay rights.

We all made it very clear which fundamental values we adhere to, she said.

Bettel, who is openly gay, said the only country other than Poland to support Orban in the discussion was Slovenia.

He said it was time for Brussels to test its new procedure: Most of the time, money is more convincing than talk.

SOURCE: REUTERS
An eagerly awaited U.S. Intelligence report submitted to Congress today finds no concrete evidence that unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) reported by U.S. Navy pilots were alien spacecraft. But the report also did not go as far as to say definitively that the phenomena were not extraterrestrial in nature, calling the available reporting largely inconclusive.

The report, which concentrated its review of 144 incidents of UAP originating from U.S. government sources since 2004, concedes that much about the footage of flying objects and reports of observed phenomena are difficult to explain, including the ability of the unidentified aircraft to accelerate and change directions at high speeds.

The report goes on to say that UAP clearly pose a safety of flight issue and may pose a challenge to U.S. national security.

We take the issue of unexplained aerial phenomena seriously to the extent that were dealing with the national security interests of the United States, U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-Cold Spring), a member of the House Intelligence Committee who saw an advance copy of the report last week, said via email.

I think its important to understand that there are legitimate questions involving safety and security of U.S. military personnel, our operations, and our sensitive activities. Theres a proliferation of technologies out there, and we need to know more.

The declassified intelligence report submitted to Congress was commissioned as part of broader legislation passed late last year, and is widely considered a landmark moment for the U.S. government, which publicly for decades has been dismissive of alleged sightings of flying saucers and similar phenomena. The Department of Defense in August established the Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Task Force under the auspices of the Pentagon to investigate and catalog incidents of UAP.

In New York State, the National UFO Reporting Center (NUFORC) lists 3,830 reported sightings here since 1947, when the center began tracking observations. New Yorkers across the state filed 64 reports with NUFORC this year alone, ranging from two alleged sighting in Glens Falls in May to another in Warwick in the Hudson Valley in the same month.

One suggested explanation for the mysterious flying objects is that China or Russia is experimenting with hypersonic technology. Christopher Deperno, assistant director of the New York Mutual UFO Network, which studies reported UFO sightings, told the Times Union: Hudson Valley that he doesn't share that belief.

It would be a logical thing for the government to claim this as a national security threat and ask for more money for satellite defense or whatever, said Deperno. But there is weakness with them saying this could be China or Russia. Anyone who has looked at this knows things were flying around before the Chinese even had planes. They had nothing like this in technology then.

The so-called UFO Report has attracted widespread interest, particularly among UFO believers who say the moment has finally legitimized the topic.

Its been a great validation, said Linda Zimmermann, a Hudson Valley expert on paranormal activity and phenomena. The fact were even able to talk about this in public venues is a huge change, and a positive one.

Nevertheless, she and others also believe that any truly significant findings will remain classified by the government and will never see the light of day.

UFOs appear to be refreshingly nonpartisan subject: a 2019 Gallup poll shows that 30 percent of Republicans and 32 percent of Democrats believe that UFOs are, indeed, alien spacecraft from other planets, while 75 percent of all Americans believe that life of some form exists elsewhere in the universe.

The timing of the report from the Department of Defense coincides with the eighth annual Contact in the Desert, purportedly the worlds largest UFO conference, dedicated to UFOlogy, alien phenomenon, crop circles and, yes, government disclosure.

PLUS: Aliens in Hudson Valley? Pine Bush doubles down on its decades-long UFO history with a new museum
Fifty years ago this month, New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller signed the law establishing the Adirondack Park Agency. As Brad Edmondson explains in his new book A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks, some people believe the APA has saved the economic and ecological health of the Adirondacks. Others believe it has done the opposite.

Brad Edmondsons thoroughly researched book A Wild Idea: How the Environmental Movement Tamed the Adirondacks (Cornell University Press, $29.95) details the difficult process behind the enactment of this law.

The original idea was not a book, Edmondson, the Ithaca-based author, said. I had been awarded a grant to record the stories of the people who worked to establish this law because these people were approaching the end of their lives. I conducted 40 interviews that spanned six years. I thought it would be a fun way to get some mileage money to travel around the Adirondacks. But when I turned on my tape recorder and let them talk, I was hooked. Many of them were great storytellers, and I realized this needed to be a book.

Edmondson was impressed with the strong, often opposing feelings from people on each side of the issue. He was also impressed with the mutual respect and friendship they shared. Unlike the political climate today, these people liked each other even if they disagreed about the best way to preserve the Adirondacks, he said. They had intense policy disagreements, but I never detected any personal attacks among them.

As Edmondson writes in the book, this may have had to do with the greater degree of trust that tended to be placed in the government, and in politicians, during the era.

That quickly ended after Vietnam and the Watergate scandal, Edmondson said. But when this debate was going on  (there was) intense public concern for the environment, and Governor Rockefeller was an immensely powerful leader who needed strong environmental laws to get elected.

It was also a time when politicians were willing to negotiate to get legislation passed. There were small concessions made, but the environmental community got about 90 percent of what it wanted, Edmondson said. This book is really (about) a triumph of the environmental movement. Those against the APA were totally outgunned, especially with Rockefeller vowing this would happen.

In 1894, New York voters added a section to the state constitution that put severe restrictions on how the forest preserve could be used. That amendment, which came to be known as the Forever Wild clause, meant that lands owned or acquired constituting the forest preserve should be forever kept as wild forest. The problem was the ambiguity of what Forever Wild meant.

Many people living in the Adirondacks had no problem with the Forever Wild clause, but what infuriated them about the APA Act was that now a state agency had the authority to regulate privately owned land inside the Adirondack Blue Line of the park, Edmondson said.

As he sees it, the clause and the APA Act together have made the Adirondack Park the best-protected wilderness in the world. If you look at other areas in our country, you can clearly see the enormous demand for lakefront property, he said. It makes you wonder, without these laws, if every lake in todays Adirondacks would be covered with homes. You can also see in Colorado and the Great Smoky Mountains how development just exploded and went right to the edge of their wilderness areas. That never happened in the Adirondacks.

When public support for something is strong, and a political organization listens to what the people want, amazing things can happen  a fact borne out by Edmondsons research. There are many people in New York state, such as some residents in the Adirondacks and developers, who would like the Forever Wild clause and the APA to just go away  but they are clearly in the minority. The continued existence of both of these provisions still depends on the voters in New York state to defend them.

Nelson Rockefeller even had to convince his brother Lawrence that the APA and the Forever Wild clause were a good thing. Lawrence wanted the Adirondacks to become a national park. He wanted the Adirondacks to be available to as many people as possible, and he was willing to buy up the properties of many Adirondack landowners to accomplish that.

The Rockefeller family had already done this in Maine, with Acadia National Park, and in Wyoming, with the Grand Teton National Park. Lawrence felt that most Americans do not hunt, fish or go backpacking," Edmondson said. "He was arguing to build roads to many of the high peak mountains and put food areas at the top. He was pushing for something entirely reasonable to a lot of people.

Edmondson loves many parts of the Adirondacks, particularly the Saint Regis Lakes area. I especially love the areas where most of the tourists dont go. I find the remote forest areas to be as compelling as the High Peaks wilderness. I actually love the entire park, and one of the best parts about writing this book is that I know it so much better now.
PITTSFIELD, Mass.  A young man, his eyes destroyed and hands amputated after an attack by a crazed co-worker at a Navy shipyard in 1945, sits on a bed in a Long Island hospital. He can still see, he insists  not perfectly, but at least a bit  and his hands are intact. Why does his doctor keep saying otherwise?

The exploration of the gray-matter areas between simple delusion and protective imagination after a trauma in the 2016 play "Chester Bailey," by Emmy Award-winning writer Joseph Dougherty ("thirtysomething"), would be profound and beautiful at any time. Right now, as we emerge from the pandemic and venture back to the theater, they are also stunningly resonant.

Understanding this, Barrington Stage Company has reunited the father-son team of Reed and Ephraim Birney, who first performed the two-character "Chester Bailey" in West Virginia in 2019, with their director for that production, Ron Lagomarsino. To be in a professional theater again with appreciative fellow audience members would be welcome almost regardless of what's on the stage. That it is "Chester Bailey"  deeply sad, richly complex, nuanced in its understanding of human frailty and resilience  feels like a gift for everyone, on both sides of the footlights.

The younger Birney plays the title character, who as the play opens is already in the hospital. We learn that his parents arranged for the shipyard job to stop him from being drafted, believing that keeping him out of military service would keep him safe. Instead, he's been horrifically injured, and he spends the play confined to a hospital room, designated by a simple bed, table and wheelchair at the side of a magnificent set by Beowulf Boritt. Known to BSC audiences for his eye-popping set for BSC's "The Pirates of Penzance" five years ago, complete with a ship extending into the audience, Boritt here creates a tall, deep set that gives the illusion of a long room receding into the distance, at once evocative of a hospital, the inside of a ship's hull and Manhattan's old Pennsylvania Station.

While we understand instinctively why Bailey's brain protects him from the reality of his situation, the doctor, played by the elder Birney, explains it: "Chester was creating a visible world for himself. We all do it. We get raw information through the eyes, but its the brain that interprets what we see. Chesters brain was doing that without the benefit of actual visual information." In other words, he tricked himself into believing he could see, which prompts the doctor to wonder, "Why arent there intense debates about the imagination? Where does it come from, what is its purpose?"

The doctor considers such questions, and more importantly whether his obligation as a medical professional means "curing" Bailey by shattering his illusion, regardless of the further psychological damage it would cause. Meanwhile, Bailey, in his room, relates his pre-injury life, of nights out dancing with a girl he liked and a chance encounter with a captivating redhead with a Southern lilt who sold him a newspaper at Pennsylvania Station.

Though the characters' lines are interspersed, for most of the play they tell their stories independently, interacting directly only in the final quarter of the 90-minute running time. It's a challenging conceit, but the combination of the writing, direction and cumulative power of the Birneys' acting  they are astounding together, particularly in Ephraim's most emotional scene  makes it work, to remarkable effect.

This is true theater: the evocation of people and the world they live in. It's complete and, though fictional, completely real.
ALBANY  United States Roman Catholic bishops should not create a rule banning all pro-choice politicians from receiving the Eucharist, Albany Diocese Bishop Edward Scharfenberger said.

If they proposed such a rule this fall, hell vote no, he said in an interview with the Times Union on Friday, explaining that such a rule would be counterproductive.

It would just cut people off. Thats not how we do our faith. Its a faith of accompaniment, he said. Were not there to judge other people. Only God can do that.

He sees his ministry as talking with and walking with people who are in crisis or facing difficult decisions, and supporting them as they wrestle with their conscience. A ban on the Eucharist would end those conversations.

Some bishops have said they want that ban, and the bishops had a lively debate at last weeks conference before deciding to go ahead with writing a statement on the meaning of the Eucharist. The final version might include a ban, which would then be up for a vote at the bishops next meeting. Scharfenberger voted yes on crafting a statement, but said he wouldnt approve such a ban if its written.

I think there are some who would expect there will be some language (about a ban) but I dont see the bishops' conference as having the authority to make national policy, he said. Plus, I dont think it will help. ... It would end the conversation.

Right now, bishops are talking with President Joe Biden and legislators about whether taxes should be used to pay for abortions, he said.

In May, Biden submitted a budget proposal that dropped the Hyde Amendment, which bans federally funded abortions. While campaigning for president, Biden said he wanted to drop the ban because some states used state funds to pay for abortions for people on Medicaid and Medicare, while other states do not. The federal funding ban led to some women being unable to afford abortions because of their state of residence, which Biden said was unfair.

Scharfenberger said taxes must not be used to pay for abortions.

Its that kind of situation that creates the controversy, he said. This is not right, to take such an aggressive position.

But he said reasonable Catholics can tackle the abortion issue in different ways without being cut off from communion.

Some Catholic politicians have said they want to reduce abortions by helping families in other ways, such as by providing an increase in child tax credits, free preschool and other supports. Scharfenberger doesnt object to that.

That is a reasonable position, he said.

From the outside, its not clear where Biden stands on that continuum. Considering that, if Biden and his wife came to Scharfenbergers church, Scharfenberger said hed likely give them the Eucharist.

I would give them the benefit of the doubt, he said.

He noted that he regularly gives communion to people he does not know, without any knowledge of the state of their soul.

Sometimes, there are people I dont even know if theyre Catholic or not. I celebrate funerals, I celebrate weddings, he said. I dont know the state of some individual who approaches for communion.

So he relies on people making their own decision about whether they are ready to receive the Eucharist.

He emphasized that no one needs to be perfect first.

I want every Catholic who is disposed to receive it, to receive it, he said. We dont consider any of us worthy. Were all sinners.

A person who is voting on something they know is immoral should rethink that, he said, but a person who is trying to craft legislative compromises in the quest for a morally good outcome is generally eligible for the Eucharist if they think theyre doing the right thing.

At least theyre wrestling with the issue, he said, and not engaged in immoral activity.

He added that theres too much focus on legislation regarding abortion instead of a societywide focus on "persistent evils," including racism.

We need cultural change," he said. "We need a deeper respect for all life."
NEW TOWN, N.D. (AP)  On oil well pads carved from the wheat fields around Lake Sakakawea, hundreds of pump jacks slowly bob to extract 100 million barrels of crude annually from a reservation shared by three Native American tribes.

About half their 16,000 members live on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation atop one of the biggest U.S. oil discoveries in decades, North Dakotas Bakken shale formation.

The drilling rush has brought the tribes unimagined wealth -- more than $1.5 billion and counting -- and they hope it will last another 20 to 25 years. The boom also propelled an almost tenfold spike in oil production from Native American lands since 2009, federal data shows, complicating efforts by President Joe Biden to curb carbon emissions.

Burning of oil from tribal lands overseen by the U.S. government now produces greenhouse gases equivalent to about 12 million vehicles a year, according to an Associated Press analysis. But Biden exempted Native American lands from a suspension of new oil and gas leases on government-managed land in deference to tribes sovereign status.

A judge in Louisiana temporarily blocked the suspension June 15, but the administration continues to develop plans that could extend the ban or make leases more costly.

With tribal lands now producing more than 3% of U.S. oil and huge reserves untapped, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland  the first Native American to lead a U.S. cabinet-level agency  faces competing pressures to help a small number of tribes develop their fossil fuels while also addressing climate change that affects all Native communities.

Were one of the few tribes that have elected to develop our energy resources. Thats our right, tribal Chairman Mark Fox told AP at the opening of a Fort Berthold museum and cultural center built with oil revenue. We can develop those resources and do it responsibly so our children and grandchildren for the next 100 years have somewhere to live.

Smallpox nearly wiped out the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes in the mid-1800s. They lost most of their territory to broken treaties  and a century later, their best remaining lands along the Missouri River were flooded when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers created Lake Sakakawea. With dozens of villages uprooted, many people moved to a replacement community above the lake  New Town.

Today, leaders of the three tribes view oil as their salvation and want to keep drilling before it's depleted and the world moves past fossil fuels.

And they want the Biden administration to speed up drilling permits and fend off efforts to shut down a pipeline carrying most reservation oil to refineries.

PIPELINE FIGHT

Yet tribes left out of the drilling boom have become outspoken against fossil fuels as climate change worsens. One is the Standing Rock Sioux about 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the south.

Home to the Dakota and Lakota nations, Standing Rock gained prominence during a months-long standoff between law enforcement and protesters, including tribal officials, who tried to shut down the Dakota Access Pipeline that carries Fort Berthold crude.

A judge revoked the pipeline's government permit because of inadequate environmental analysis and allowed crude to flow during a new review. But Standing Rock wants the administration to halt the oil for good, fearing a pipeline break could contaminate its drinking water.

Meantime, attention surrounding the skirmish provided the Sioux with foundation backing to develop a wind farm in Porcupine Hills, an area of scrub oak and buffalo grass with cattle ranches.

The pipeline fight stirs bitter memories in Fawn Wasin Zi, a teacher who chairs the Standing Rock renewable power authority. She grew up hearing her father and grandmother tell about a government dam that created Lake Oahe  how they had to leave their home then watch government agents burn it, only to be denied housing, electricity and other promised compensation.

Wasin Zi, whose ancestors followed legendary Lakota leader Sitting Bull, wants to ensure the tribe doesn't fall victim yet again to a changing world, where fossil fuels warm the planet and bring drought and wildfire.

We have to find a way to use the technology that's available right now, whether it's geothermal or solar or wind," she said.

Only a dozen of the 326 tribal reservations produce significant oil, according to a drilling analysis provided to AP by S&P Global Platts.

Biden's nominee to oversee them as assistant secretary for Indian affairs, Bryan Newland, recently told a U.S. Senate committee the administration recognizes the importance of oil and gas to some reservations and pledged to let tribes determine resource development.

Interior officials denied interview requests about tribal energy plans, but said tribes were consulted in April after Biden ordered the department to "engage with tribal authorities" on developing renewables and fossil fuels.

Joseph McNeill Jr, manager of Standing Rocks energy authority, said a conference call with Interior yielded no pledges to further the tribe's wind project. Fort Berthold officials said they've had no offers of discussions with the administration.

ONE TRIBE'S BUILDING BOOM

Fort Berthold still reels from ills oil brought  worse crime and drugs, tanker truck traffic, road fatalities, spills of oil and wastewater. Tribal members lament that stars are lost in the glare of flaring waste gas from wells.

Yet oil brought positive changes, too. As the tribes' coffers fattened, dozens of projects got underway. The reservation now boasts new schools, senior centers, parks, civic centers, health and drug rehab facilities. Oil money is building a $26 million greenhouse complex heated by electricity from gas otherwise wasted.

The $30 million cultural center in New Town pieces together the tribes fractured past through displays and artifacts. A sound studio captures stories from elders who lived through dam construction and flooding along the Missouri. And one exhibit traces the oil boom after fracking allowed companies to tap reserves once too difficult to drill.

Our little town, New Town, changed overnight, said MHA Nation Interpretive Center Director Delphine Baker. We never had traffic lights growing up. It's like I moved to a different town.

HOPING FOR MORNING LIGHT

Lower on the Missouri, Standing Rock grapples with high energy costs. Theres no oil worth extracting, no gas or coal. The biggest employer beside tribal government is a casino, where revenue plummeted during the pandemic.

Theres nothing here. No jobs. Nothing, said Donald Whitelightning, Jr., who lives in Cannon Ball, near the Dakota Access Pipeline protest.

Whitelightning, who cares for his mother in a modest home, said he pays up to $500 a month for electricity in winter. Utility costs, among North Dakota's highest, severely strain a reservation officials say has 40% poverty and 75% unemployment.

The tribe hopes its wind project, Anpetu Wi, meaning morning light, will help. Officials predict its 235 megawatts  enough for roughly 94,000 homes  would double their annual revenue and fund benefits like those Fort Berthold derives from oil  housing, health care, more jobs.

Standing Rock's power authority can directly negotiate aspects of the project. Yet it needs Interior approval because the U.S. holds tribal lands in trust.

AN OIL FIELD TO PROTECT

Outside North Dakota, tribes with oil  the Osage in Oklahoma, the Navajo in the Southwest and Native corporations in Alaska  also are pushing the Biden administration to cede power over energy development, including letting tribes conduct environmental reviews.

A Navajo company's operations in the Aneth field in southern Utah bring about $28 million to $35 million annually. Active since the 1950s, the field likely has another 30 years of life, said James McClure, chief executive of the Navajo Nation Oil and Gas Co..

The company has considered expanding into federal land in New Mexico and Colorado. Bidens attempts to suspend new leases could slow those plans, and its considering helium production as an option.

In northern Oklahoma, the Osage have been drilling oil for more than a century.

Cognizant of global warming and shifting energy markets, they are pondering renewables, too. For now, they want the Biden administration to speed up drilling permits.

We are looking at what is going to be best for us, said Everett Waller, chairman of the tribes energy regulator. I wasnt given a wind turbine. I was given an oil field to protect.

___

Fonseca reported from Flagstaff, Ariz.

___

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.
As summer vacation kicks off and high school seniors attend commencement ceremonies across the region in person, we compiled COVID-19 data for the 2020-2021 school year from each school district in Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties.

As other school districts closed for days or weeks this school year or delayed opening, the district with the most in-person students  Shenendehowa  remained open and maintained a similar rate of infection among students, teachers and staff than schools that closed or delayed opening.
SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP)  It was just a small hand waving through the wreckage, yet one of the few hopeful moments amid a largely fruitless effort to find survivors.

Nicholas Balboa was walking his dog on the beach when he heard the rumbling he thought was thunder, he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Friday. Sensing something was wrong, he dropped off his dog and hurried back outside.

Residents were flooding the streets and pointing at a gaping hole and dust cloud where a seaside condominium tower had collapsed. Fire and rescue crews had not yet arrived, and it was eerily quiet on the back side of the building. As he began to take photos of the wreckage, he heard what sounded like a child's voice.

Balboa, 31, climbed through a pile of glass and rebar in his flip-flops, desperate to get closer.

Keep yelling so I can follow your voice, Balboa said. He soon saw a hand waving from the rubble.

The boy, Jonah Handler, said he and his mother, Stacie Fang, were the only ones in the condo that had imploded when part of the building went down. He kept asking about his mom. Balboa and a stranger tried desperately to clear away the rubble surrounding Jonah but it was too heavy. It looked like a wall or support beam, Balboa said.

I'll be right back. I'm going to get help," Balboa said, trying to comfort the boy.

Please don't leave me, please don't leave me, the boy cried.

He was absolutely terrified. The sheer terror in his voice, that fact that his mother, that he cant find her, said Balboa, who was in town from Arizona visiting his father.

Video of Jonah's rescue has played on repeat in the news, tugging hearts as rescuers with flashlights slowly helped him out from under a pile of cement and twisted steel and carried him away on a stretcher.

Asked about his condition, Lisa Mozloom, a friend of the family told the AP, He will be fine. Hes a miracle. Mozloom said Jonah had been taken to the hospital at one point but said he was stable.

Authorities have said at least four people died in the building collapse, and with 159 still unaccounted for they fear the death toll will rise sharply. They have not publicly released the identities of the deceased, but Mozloom confirmed Fang's death.

There are no words to describe the tragic loss of our beloved Stacie, members of her family said in a statement that Mozloom released on their behalf. They said they were deeply grateful to those who had reached out and that the many heartfelt words of encouragement and love have served as a much needed source of strength during this devastating time.

The family requested privacy on behalf of Stacies son, Jonah, saying it needed time to to grieve and to try to help each other heal.

Balboa said he was heartbroken to learn of Fang's death.

I lost my mom recently, so I know how its going to be, he said.

___

Associated Press journalist Lisa J. Adams Wagner in Decatur, Georgia, contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A timeline of key events that began with George Floyd's arrest on May 25, 2020, by four police officers in Minneapolis:

May 25, 2020  Minneapolis police officers respond to a call shortly after 8 p.m. about a possible counterfeit $20 bill being used at a corner grocery and encounter a Black man, later identified as George Floyd, who struggles and ends up handcuffed and face down on the ground. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. Bystander video shows Floyd crying I can't breathe multiple times before going limp. He's pronounced dead at a hospital.

May 26  Police issue a statement saying Floyd died after a medical incident, and that he physically resisted and appeared to be in medical distress. Minutes later, bystander video is posted online. Police release another statement saying the FBI will help investigate. Chauvin and three other officers  Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao  are fired. Protests begin.

May 27  Mayor Jacob Frey calls for criminal charges against Chauvin. Protests lead to unrest in Minneapolis, with some people looting and starting fires. Protests spread to other cities.

May 28  Gov. Tim Walz activates the Minnesota National Guard. Police abandon the 3rd Precinct station as protesters overtake it and set it on fire.

May 29  Chauvin is arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. President Donald Trump tweets about thugs in Minneapolis protests and warns: When the looting starts, the shooting starts. Protests turn violent again in Minneapolis and elsewhere.

May 30  Trump tries to walk back his tweet. Protests continue nationwide and some turn violent.

May 31  Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead prosecutions in Floyd's death. The nationwide protests continue.

June 1  The county medical examiner finds that Floyd's heart stopped as police restrained him and compressed his neck, noting Floyd had underlying health issues and listing fentanyl and methamphetamine use as other significant conditions."

June 2  Minnesota's Department of Human Rights launches a civil rights investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department.

June 3  Ellison files a tougher second-degree murder charge against Chauvin and charges the other three officers who were involved in Floyd's arrest.

June 4  A funeral service for Floyd is held in Minneapolis.

June 5  Minneapolis bans chokeholds by police, the first of many changes to be announced in coming months, including an overhaul of the police department's use-of-force policy.

June 6  Massive, peaceful protests happen nationwide to demand police reform. Services are held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, near his birthplace.

June 7  A majority of Minneapolis City Council members say they support dismantling the police department. The idea later stalls but sparks a national debate over police reform.

June 8  Thousands pay their respects to Floyd in Houston, where he grew up. He's buried the next day.

June 10  Floyd's brother testifies before the House Judiciary Committee for police accountability.

June 16  Trump signs an executive order to encourage better police practices and establish a database to track officers with excessive use-of-force complaints.

July 15  Floyds family sues Minneapolis and the four former officers.

July 21  The Minnesota Legislature passes a broad slate of police accountability measures that includes bans on neck restraints, chokeholds and so-called warrior-style training.

Oct. 7  Chauvin posts $1 million bond and is released from state prison, sparking more protests.

Nov. 5  Judge Peter Cahill rejects defense requests to move the officers' trials.

Jan. 12, 2021  Cahill rules Chauvin will be tried alone due to courtroom capacity issues. The other officers will be tried in August.

Feb. 12  City leaders say George Floyd Square, the intersection blocked by barricades since Floyd's death, will reopen to traffic after Chauvin's trial.

March 9  The first potential jurors are questioned for Chauvin's trial after a day's delay for pretrial motions.

March 12  Minneapolis agrees to pay $27 million settlement to Floyd family.

March 19  Judge declines to delay or move the trial over concerns that the settlement could taint the jury pool.

March 23  Jury selection completed with 12 jurors and three alternates.

March 29  Opening statements are given.

April 11  Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, is fatally shot by a white police officer during a traffic stop in suburban Brooklyn Center, sparking successive days of protest.

April 12  Judge declines request to sequester Chauvin jury immediately due to Wright shooting.

April 15  Testimony ends.

April 19  Closing arguments. Jury begins deliberations.

April 20 -- Jury convicts Chauvin on murder and manslaughter charges.

May 7  Federal grand jury indicts Chauvin, Lane, Kueng and Thao on civil rights charges in Floyd's death.

May 25  A street festival, musical performances and moments of silence are held in Minneapolis and elsewhere to mark the one-year anniversary of Floyd's death, and Floyd family members meet with President Joe Biden in Washington to talk about continuing pursuit of police reforms.

June 25: Cahill sentences Chauvin to 22 1/2 years in prison, beyond the 12 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state guidelines but short of the 30 years prosecutors had requested. Earlier in the day, the judge denied a new trial for Chauvin.

___

Find APs full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
HAMILTON, Mont. (AP)  A western Montana couple were able to save a horse from drowning in the Bitterroot River on Father's Day, and may have made a new friend in the process.

Matthew and Christina Eickholt of Hamilton were floating down the river on Sunday with Matthew's parents at a spot called Bell Crossing north of Victor when they noticed some splashing near the shore.

They soon realized it was a horse that was fighting the current as it tried to get out of the river near a steep bank in a spot where the water was about 10 feet (3 meters) deep.

He was breathing super heavy, Matthew Eickholt told the Ravalli Republic. Its eyes were all bugged out. At times, all we could see was its teeth above water. It was snorting. I think it may have been 30 seconds to a minute from going under.

The Eickholts pulled to shore at a shallower spot in the river just downstream from the horse.

We started clapping and yelling, Matthew Eickholt said. We were able to coax him to come downstream. When he saw us, I think he knew we were there to help him. Once he got to us, he was able to pull himself out of there.

He was a super nice horse, he said. We were all so happy that it turned out the way it did."

Two days later, the couple was floating the same stretch of river with Christina's parents when they spotted the horse and pulled over to say hello.

The horse remembered us and came running up to us with his two friends, Christina Eickholt said.

The Eickholts haven't yet learned who the horses belong to.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday evening Christina wrote: Hoping to visit the horse every time we float our favorite route!
Heres a math puzzle: If the law says a judge must retire at 70 but also must be allowed to hold office until the age of 76 if theyre of sound mind and body, which of the following is true:

a) 76 = 70.

b) 76 is the new 70.

c) The law is an ass.

d) All of the above.

Youre probably thinking, this must be a trick question; no one would make a law like that. But under a bill passed by New Yorks Legislature, the correct answer would arguably be d  if Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs it into law. Which he should not.

As the law now stands, judges in New York must retire at the age of 70, but those on the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals may apply to stay on for terms of two years, up to three times, to the age of 76. An administrative board comprising the chief judge and the presiding justices of the four departments of the Appellate Division have the discretion to accept or reject a judges request to continue working past 70.

Concerns about declining taxes and other revenues in the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the governor to warn that the state might have to impose spending cuts to deal with a potentially huge budget deficit. Faced with an estimated $300 million in cuts to the court system  cuts that were canceled in the 2021 budget  the extensions for 46 septuagenarian judges were revoked to save $55 million over two years.

That prompted a bill in the Legislature to change the wording of the law, which currently says that the state may extend judges terms for two years and up to three times. The new wording would say that the state shall extend their terms as long as they have the mental and physical capacity to do the job, and provide services necessary to expedite the business of the court.

As Lawrence K. Marks, the chief administrative judge for the Unified Court System, told the Times Unions courts reporter Rob Gavin, this would end the discretion the administrative board has, and would open the door to some troubling scenarios. A judges performance couldnt be taken into account if he or she is slow to handle cases. Nor could a pending investigation of their conduct impede their reappointment. The wording change, Judge Marks points out, could force the reappointment of judges accused of sexual harassment, making racist remarks or other serious misconduct.

The reappointment system, its worth noting, takes the place of the normal electoral process for Supreme Court justices, who serve 14-year terms. Since they no longer run for reelection, theres no opportunity for voters to vet them as they normally would. So the public relies on the administrative board to do that. This law would turn the board into a rubber stamp that essentially would have to reappoint judges regardless of whether they are competent, productive, and of unquestioned character.

This is not to say that the mandatory retirement age of 70 shouldnt be revisited. Studies have found that people are staying mentally and physically stronger as they age, particularly among those with better education, earnings, and access to good health care. But if the Legislature wants to raise the age, this is an awfully cumbersome way to do it. And, as Dickens Mr. Bumble might say, a rather asinine way, too.
Jacquelyn Martin

The League of Women Voters strongly supports the For the People Act (S1), a comprehensive proposal to enhance public participation in the nations elections and minimize the influence of big money in politics. We urge the United States Senate to pass it

To restore our faith that those we elect will serve the electorate, the bill includes three sections: expand and protect voting rights; end the dominance of money in political campaigns; and promote ethics in government.
ALBANY  A man snared in a state attorney general's investigation in which nearly 50 people were charged with drug trafficking and weapons offenses was arrested hours after his arraignment Thursday for allegedly stealing the purse of an Albany County assistant district attorney.

Benjamin D. Badgley, a 29-year resident of Saranac in Clinton County, was among dozens of people swept up in the case that was announced at the state Capitol earlier Thursday by state Attorney General Letitia James and Albany city officials. James characterized the takedown as "another major action to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who seek to endanger our communities."

The attorney general's office said the felony indictments had unraveled "two major drug and firearm distribution networks" that had been trafficking heroin, cocaine, oxycodone and firearms in the Capital Region.

These individuals have allegedly flooded our streets with dangerous narcotics and are responsible for many of the shootings that have been at the center of this devastation," James said Thursday, referring to the surge in crimes, especially shootings, over the past year in Albany. "Todays takedown is yet another major action to combat violent crime and hold accountable those who seek to endanger our communities."

It's unclear how Badgley, who has several pending criminal charges in Lake Placid, had become involved with the groups indicted in the case. Most of the defendants are from Albany and Schenectady.

Hours after he was released from custody following his arraignment in Albany County Court on Thursday, Badgley allegedly stole the purse of an Albany County prosecutor who was seated with an Albany Law School student at a patio table outside a downtown restaurant.

Albany police tracked down Badgley a few blocks away and arrested him. The purse and belongings were recovered, according to law enforcement officials.

Badgley was charged with felony grand larceny and  under new bail guidelines in New York  was released on an appearance ticket. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Albany next month on the grand larceny charge. He also has open criminal cases pending in Lake Placid for charges of petit larceny, burglary, grand larceny, possession of stolen property and conspiracy.

In the attorney general's case, which officials said was the culmination of a yearlong investigation that included wiretaps, police seized nearly 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, 140 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl, oxycodone, $40,000 in cash, and nine firearms.

Today, were sending a strong message that we will use all available resources to address violent crime in our neighborhoods and remove any offenders responsible from our streets," Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said at Thursday's news conference. "Through operations, such as Cross Town Quarantine, we remain committed to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to ensure that our communities remain safe."

An earlier version of this story misstated that the stolen purse belonged to an Albany Law School student.
Johnny Hurley was hailed by police as a hero for shooting and killing a gunman they say had killed one officer in a Denver suburb and expressed hatred for police
The eviction moratorium in Idaho put in place by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the spread of the coronavirus ends July 31, raising concerns that many Idaho renters could be made homeless
An Alabama district attorney on Thursday pleaded guilty to perjury and an ethics charge following trial testimony in which a witness likened his office to a fraternity house
The end of tenant protections by July 31 has raised concerns that thousands of Colorado residents will be unable to afford their monthly rent and face eviction
June 25, 2021

It is true that the change is constant, especially with the tech innovations. The technology is constantly evolving, and there are numerous tech advancements that are impacting both the business and public sector.

In terms of businesses, they need to keep up with the latest tech innovations mainly because if they don't, they will become obsolete. So, in order to stay ahead of the competition, they need to implement the right technological innovations to their business. In this article, we provide an overview of the impact different technologies have on the business sector and are already redefining how businesses operate in specific industries.







AI-Technology

AI technology is very important because it has the potential to create more personalized services for users. AI technology is notably used by betting sites, particularly its subset of machine learning. Machine learning allows the platforms to collect large data sets about the behavior of the members, and then they can analyze this data, and based on the noticeable patterns and insights, they are able to create promotions, bonuses, and recommendations that are suitable for their target group.

This is especially important for betting sites because this sector has great competition, and there are a lot of new betting sites. Hence, in order to retain their customers, they need to take the betting experience to the next level by providing a personalized experience on their platforms.

If you want to learn more about the best betting bonuses, check out vedonlyontibonukset.com. This is a trustworthy platform that consistently provides high-quality and detailed reviews about the best betting sites.

Artificial intelligence technology is also useful for customer service. There are Artificial intelligence-powered chatbots that are able to execute customer service quickly and instantly answer basic questions about the company. This is one of the latest innovations which a lot of businesses use, especially if they have a huge audience online. It allows the customer to get quick and accurate customer service, and it simultaneously reduces the work the customer service agents need to do.

Virtual Reality

VR technology has found new popularity thanks to the technological progress in this field and better Virtual Reality headsets. It has a lot of applications in different sectors, but in the business sector, it can be used as a part of the marketing strategy of the company.

For example, if the business is part of the tourism sector, it can use virtual reality technology to showcase specific destinations, hotels, or apartments. Also, VR technology has shown a lot of potentials to revolutionize the gaming sector, and as we know, there are already high-quality VR games that are developed by some of the best companies in the market.

Another use of VR technology is for the training of the employees, especially if there need to complete complex tasks. This has already been tested in the healthcare sector for the training of medical professionals, so it's definitely a good option for any business that needs to extensively train its employees.

However, the only reason why VR technology is not widely used is the price of VR headsets. But, as the technology progresses over time, we expect this to change and for more businesses to use the advantages of VR technology.

Blockchain Technology

Blockchain technology is known for its use in the crypto market, specifically for cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. But, it can also be used for various businesses. Blockchain technology is especially important because it allows the business to enhance their security, increase the transparency of the operations, and reduce their costs because the transaction fees are low due to the peer-to-peer-based design of the blockchain network.

More specifically, blockchain-based solutions have been used in supply chain management systems that are complex and involve multiple parties. One example is the Food Trust program by IBM (News - Alert) . For example, in supply chain management, the technology will allow real-time tracking of the products or specific ingredients, and it will also allow complete transparency regarding the information about the products and their status in the supply chain.

Blockchain technology can also be used in other sectors such as banking because, as we said, it enhances the security of the business, eliminate errors due to its transparent nature, and increases the accountability of the users.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing technology has definitely had the biggest impact on businesses because it solves a lot of problems regarding the storage of the data, and it helps businesses to decrease their costs while simultaneously offering better services to their customers.

Namely, cloud computing is delivering IT resources over the Internet. It could cover everything from infrastructure, cloud backup to storage and other resources meant to improve the operations of the business and quickly meet their specific IT requirements.

The main advantage is that the company will be able to relocate the funds necessary for buying high-end equipment into other areas of their business that require more attention. Other benefits are accessible data, consistency between users, and increased flexibility.

Summary

In conclusion, technological innovations, when employed properly, can definitely boost the performance of the business. However, businesses need to have a good understanding of their business goals and what they want to accomplish in the long run. This will help them make better choices when it comes to the implementation of different tech innovations. Overall, modern tech trends can definitely impact the business sector in a positive way.
[June 25, 2021] Acronis fortifies its presence in India; launches first cloud data center in the country

SINGAPORE, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Acronis, a global leader in cyber protection, today announced the availability of a new Acronis Cloud Data Center in Mumbai, launched jointly with local partners  Compuage India, Ingram Micro and Crayon Software Experts India. As one of the 111 new data centers being deployed by the company globally, it gives service providers access to a full range of cyber protection solutions upon which they can build new services while delivering faster access, constant data availability, and data sovereignty to their clients. With news about cyber-attacks appearing weekly, despite the prevailing pandemic concerns, cyber protection has simply never been in higher demand, with data compliancy among the top priorities for companies in India. Rustom Hiramaneck, Acronis General Manager in South Asia, said, "Having a local Acronis Cloud Data Center was extremely important to our partners in India  and we are proud to collaborate with companies that remain focused on delivering best data security and business continuity solutions to their clients. With one less thing to worry about, they now know their clients' data is locally backed by a global partner who is on standby 24x7  ready to resolve any issues." All Acronis Cloud Data Centers are designed to meet and exceed corporate and regulatory requirements. The initiative includes global management for all data centers, geographic redundancy, control for local partners, and a local disaster recovery site  all with competitive pricing. As a result, service providers have no trouble meeting the ever-changing compliance, data sovereignty, and performance requirements. "With more businesses moving to the cloud, the demand for local data centres in India has shot up in recent years. Cyber protection is critical nowadays, and Acronis is by far the leading expert in this area. It was a no brainer for us to leverage this opportunity  it will be a win-win situation for both our partners and end customers, given the overwhelming interest in cloud," says Bhavesh Mehta, Compuage Director & COO. The global network of Acronis Cloud Data Centers already includes locations in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Switzerland, France, Germany, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Bhutan, South Korea and Singapore. With the new data center in India, ocal service providers now have a location within the country where they can store business-critical data for their clients. Managed service providers (MSPs) will also benefit from the full range of managed cloud solutions and cyber protection solutions available via the Acronis Cyber Cloud platform.



"The reality in knowing where your corporate data resides and ensuring it remains secure has become a necessity in a global partner community  and having your data stored locally provides complete data control both to you and your clients. The investment by Acronis in a new cloud data center guarantees just that," says Vikas Bhonsle, CEO of Crayon Software Experts India. Among the solutions now available through the new data center is Acronis Cyber Protect, a unique integration of backup, disaster recovery, next-gen antimalware, cybersecurity, and endpoint management tools  all managed via a single pane of glass. The solution is VB100 certified and its unique capabilities earned Acronis Cyber Protect the 2020 New Product Innovation Award for Data Protection from Frost & Sullivan.

All of Acronis solutions are designed to address the Five Vectors of Cyber Protection, ensuring the safety, accessibility, privacy, authenticity, and security (SAPAS) of an organisation's data, applications, and systems. In the same way, Acronis Cloud Data Centers are designed to deliver the highest levels of data availability, security, and safety  with each facility featuring state-of-the-art equipment as well as the best operational and security controls. India-based service providers interested in learning more about the advantages and opportunities of cyber protection solutions available through the Acronis Cyber Cloud platform are encouraged to visit https://www.acronis.com/en-us/cloud/service-provider/platform or contact us at marketing-RM-APAC@acronis.com. About Compuage Compuage Infocom Ltd is a distribution house creating opportunities for its channel partners through aggressive market development backed by efficient supply chain management. The company acts as a strategic link between vendors (brands) and partners (resellers), equipping them for unprecedented levels of business performance. Compuage has its footprints in 7 countries across SAARC nations with focus on Enterprise solutions, Cloud computing, PCs & Peripherals. With 46 offices, 25 warehouses, 69 service centres and a team of over 750 professionals across the country and region, Compuage supports over 12,000 online & offline retailers, resellers and system integrators. Visit us at: https://www.compuageindia.com About Crayon India Crayon, a global leader in IT and digital transformation services and the largest independent 'cloud economics' practice, strongly believes in the "Pay-per-usage" model  organizations must pay for the IT resources they actually need. Crayon is the most reliable and trusted technical advisor for many of the world's leading organizations. Through unique people, tools, and systems, the company ensures the best ROI from complex technology investments. Crayon  specialized in software asset management (SAM), cloud and volume licensing and associated consulting services, is headquartered in Oslo, Norway with offices around the world. For more information, visit: www.crayon.com About Acronis Acronis unifies data protection and cybersecurity to deliver integrated, automated cyber protection that solves the safety, accessibility, privacy, authenticity, and security (SAPAS) challenges of the modern digital world. With flexible deployment models that fit the demands of service providers and IT professionals, Acronis provides superior cyber protection for data, applications, and systems with innovative next-generation antivirus, backup, disaster recovery, and endpoint protection management solutions. With advanced anti-malware powered by cutting-edge machine intelligence and blockchain-based data authentication technologies, Acronis protects any environment  from cloud to hybrid to on-premises  at a low and predictable cost. Founded in Singapore in 2003 and incorporated in Switzerland in 2008, Acronis now has more than 1,600 employees in 33 locations in 18 countries. Its solutions are trusted by more than 5.5 million home users and 500,000 companies, including 100% of the Fortune 1000, and top-tier professional sports teams. Acronis products are available through 50,000 partners and service providers in over 150 countries in more than 40 languages.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Celebrate Independence Day with American-Made Tees and Seasonal Savings

AUSTIN, Texas, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Austin-based blank apparel retailer, Threadsy, announces a Fourth of July campaign featuring apparel made in the USA and 40% off select accessories. Just in time for Independence Day gatherings, people can shop and save on totes, coolers, hats, and other must-have gear. "As Americans prepare for Independence Day, Threadsy is proud to help people celebrate and commemorate their gatherings" said Threadsy Senior Director Kathryn Hutchison. "Our mission is to empower others to be creative. Whether you are an artist looking to transfer your patriotic designs to tote bags or a family looking to create your own t-shirts, Threadsy is here to help."



The company is featuring hundreds of American-made products on its website, including those from well-known brands American Apparel, Bella + Canvas and more. People who are looking to outfit a crowd this Independence Day will benefit from Threadsy's bulk savings and free shipping programs. Shoppers will also find deep discounts on select accessories for their parades, barbecues, and family gatherings. The promotion will be available until July 4, 2021. Want to decorate your own patriotic apparel? Or stock up on totes, coolers, caps, and more? Visit Threadsy to shop tees and tanks, and to save 40% on featured accessories with promo code FIREWORK at checkout.

Threadsy is an Austin-based online retailer of blank apparel and accessories. Founded in 2021, the company helps small businesses, hobbyists and home-based decorators get high-quality goods at a fantastic value. Threadsy has no order minimums and offers free shipping for orders $50+ and free returns for 30 days. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celebrate-independence-day-with-american-made-tees-and-seasonal-savings-301319953.html SOURCE Threadsy

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Germany Data Center Market Investment Opportunities Report 2021-2026 Featuring 128 Existing Facilities and 15 Upcoming Facilities

DUBLIN, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Germany Data Center Market - Investment Analysis and Growth Opportunities 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Germany data center market size to witness a CAGR of 2.35% during 2021-2026



Over the last 5-7 years, the Germany data center market has grown significantly with the increase in the development of hyperscale data centers, and owing to the implementation of GDPR. In Germany, digital transformation strategies, the adoption of cloud computing by enterprises, IoT, AI, implementation of GDPR, and COVID-19 are the major factors fueling the growth of data centers, thereby, increasing the adoption of high-power computing servers.



KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORT: Industry 4.0 and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) expect to drive the market growth in Germany between 2020 and 2026. By the end of 2021, IoT spending is likely to cross over USD 45 billion .

between 2020 and 2026. By the end of 2021, IoT spending is likely to cross over . In 2020, NDC-GARBE Data Centers, Vantage Data Centers, and Trusted-Colo were among the new entrants in the data center market in Germany .

. CloudHQ and L3 Logistics Parks have planned to develop hyperscale campus in Germany .

. In 2020, German power grids and utility firms spent over USD 900 million to meet data center power demands in Frankfurt .

to meet data center power demands in . M&A activities continue in the Germany data center market. In 2020, Dutch investment company, Penta Infra, acquired a data center facility with over 9,000 square feet in Dusseldorf . In 2021, Penta Infra acquired another data center in Hamburg for 16.4 million. GERMANY DATA CENTER INDUSTRY INSIGHTS Germany is the second largest data center colocation market in Europe , with an estimated revenue of over USD 1 billion generated in 2020.

is the second largest data center colocation market in , with an estimated revenue of over generated in 2020. Over 78% of organizations in Germany have adopted cloud services for at least one service, which is expected to grow at a rate of 2%-3% YoY during the forecast period.

have adopted cloud services for at least one service, which is expected to grow at a rate of 2%-3% YoY during the forecast period. In 2020, over 32 smart city projects were selected and funded with over USD 420 million dollars to accelerate digital transformation in Germany .

to accelerate digital transformation in . To make data centers climate neutral by 2030, data center operators and trade associations are committed to the European green deal. In Germany , T-Systems, ScaleUp Technologies, noris network, and others are part of this European green deal.

, T-Systems, ScaleUp Technologies, noris network, and others are part of this European green deal. The adoption of advanced technologies such as AI and big data analytics will increase the demand for high-performance all-flash torage arrays among data center facilities in Germany .



WHY SHOULD YOU BUY THIS RESEARCH? Market size available in terms of investment, area, power capacity, and colocation revenue.

An assessment of the Germany data center market investment by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators.

data center market investment by colocation, hyperscale, and enterprise operators. Data center investments in terms of area (square feet) and power capacity (MW) across Thailand .

. A detailed study of the existing Germany data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the data center market size during the forecast period.

data center market landscape, an in-depth industry analysis, and insightful predictions about the data center market size during the forecast period. Snapshot of existing and upcoming third-party facilities in the country

Facilities Covered (Existing): 128

Facilities Identified (Upcoming): 15

Coverage: Frankfurt and Other cities (including Munich , Berlin , Hamburg , Nuremburg, Dusseldorf , among others)

and Other cities (including , , , Nuremburg, , among others) Existing vs. Upcoming (Data Center Area)

Existing vs. Upcoming (IT Load Capacity)

Data center colocation market in Germany by revenue & forecast (2020-2026)

by revenue & forecast (2020-2026) Retail Colocation Pricing

Wholesale Colocation Pricing

Classification of the market investments into multiple segments and sub-segments (IT, electrical, mechanical, general construction services, and tier standard) with market sizing and forecast.

A comprehensive analysis of the latest trends, growth rate, potential opportunities, growth restraints, and prospects for the data center market.

Business overview and product offerings of prominent IT infrastructure providers, construction contractors and sub-contractors, support infrastructure providers, and investors operating in the market.

A transparent research methodology and the analysis of the demand and supply aspect of the market GERMANY DATA CENTER MARKET VENDOR LANDSCAPE





China Mobile International (CMI), Colt Data Centre Services, CyrusOne, Datacenter One, Digital Realty, envia TEL, Equinix, Iron Mountain IO, noris networks, and Maincubes One are some of the data center investors in Germany. CyrusOne Frankfurt IV facility will add over 70,000 square feet area of data center space and is expected to be online by Q4 2022.



IT Infrastructure Provider Atos

Broadcom

Cisco System

Dell Technologies

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

IBM

Lenovo

NetApp Data Center Construction Contractors & Sub-Contractors AECOM

Arup

Collen Construction

DPR Construction

ICT Facilities

KLEINUNDARCHITEKTEN

Lupp Group

Max Bogl

Mercury Engineering

M+W Group (Exyte)

Royal HaskoningDHV

STS Group

Winthrop Engineering

Zech Group Support Infrastructure Providers ABB

Caterpillar

Cummins

Delta Electronics

Eaton

KOHLER-SDMO

Legrand

Rolls-Royce Power Systems

Piller Power Systems

Riello UPS

Rittal

Schneider Electric

Socomec

STULZ

Vertiv Data Center Investors China Mobile International (CMI)

Colt Data Centre Services

CyrusOne

Datacenter One

Digital Realty

envia TEL

Equinix

Iron Mountain IO

KeyWeb

Maincubes One

NDC-GARBE Data Centers

NewTelco

NTT Global Data Centers

Penta Infra

Vantage Data Centers

noris network GERMANY DATA CENTER INVESTMENT COVERAGE



Infrastructure Type IT Infrastructure

Electrical Infrastructure

Mechanical Infrastructure

General Construction IT infrastructure Servers

Storage Systems

Network Infrastructure Electrical Infrastructure UPS Systems

Generators

Transfer Switches & Switchgears

PDUs

Other Electrical Infrastructure Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems

Rack Cabinets

Other Mechanical Infrastructure Cooling Systems CRAC & CRAH Units

Chillers

Cooling Towers, Condensers, and Dry Coolers

Economizers & Evaporative Coolers

Other Cooling Units General Construction Building Development

Installation & commissioning Services

Building Design

Physical Security

Data Center Infrastructure

Management (DCIM) Tier Standard Tier I & Tier II

Tier III

Tier IV Geography Frankfurt

Other Cities For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/u0dtco Media Contact: Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/germany-data-center-market-investment-opportunities-report-2021-2026-featuring-128-existing-facilities-and-15-upcoming-facilities-301320199.html SOURCE Research and Markets

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Government of Canada invests to bring high-speed Internet to over 85 more homes in Bloomingdale

Ontarians in rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity OTTAWA, ON, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on our connections. Now more than ever, Canadians across the country need access to reliable high-speed Internet as many of us are working, learning, and staying in touch with friends and family from home. Right now, too many Canadians living in rural and remote communities lack access to high-speed Internet. Through the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get Canadians connected to the high-speed Internet they need. Today, Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for KitchenerConestoga, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced over $640,000 in federal funding for Avetria Wireless to bring high-speed Internet to residents of Bloomingdale, Ontario. This project will connect over 85 underserved households in the Waterloo region to high-speed Internet. This project was announced along with 26 other projects funded under the UBF Rapid Response Stream to bring high-speed connectivity to over 7,500 households in rural Ontario. The federal investment in these projects is nearly $16 million. The Universal Broadband Fund was launched in November 2020. Projects funded under the $2.75-billion UBF, as well as through other public and private investments, will help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. Today's announcement builds on the progress the Government of Canada has already made to improve critical infrastructure in Ontario. Since 2015, the federal government has invested more than $2.85 billion in over 4,060 infrastructure projects in Ontario communities with a population of fewer than 100,000 people. These investments mean 452 km of new or upgraded oads that are making our communities safer; more than 938 projects to provide residents with cleaner, more sustainable sources of drinking water; and more than 5,427 additional housing units built in rural communities, helping ensure all Ontarians have a safe place to call home.



Quotes "Broadband connectivity is essential to work or study from home and to stay in touch with loved ones. Today's important investment will help connect over 85 households in Bloomingdale. I've heard from many constituents who appreciate our response to the needs of the rural communities with these broadband investments, helping small businesses scale up and families stay connected."

 Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for KitchenerConestoga



"Founded in 2014, Avetria Networks Inc. is proud to have been chosen by the Government of Canada to deploy high-speed fibre Internet to over 85 homes in Bloomingdale. In the coming months, Avetria will invest nearly $220,000 to offer 1 Gbps Internet, telephone and TV service in this community. With our strong local roots, we are committed to improving the viability of a rural lifestyle while maintaining meaningful connections to the community and the world. Avetria is grateful for the support provided by the Government of Canada."

 Arnold Stoll, President and CEO, Avetria Networks Inc.

Quick facts Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.

Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload. The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75-billion investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until March 15, 2021 , and are now being evaluated.

investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until , and are now being evaluated. The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. The suite includes the Connect to Innovate program, which is expected to connect nearly 400,000 households by 2023, and the $2-billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Associated links Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit satellite capacity agreement

Universal Broadband Fund

Connect to Innovate Program  Project status updates

Canada Infrastructure Bank announcement

High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy Stay connected Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Government of Canada invests nearly $16 million to bring high-speed Internet to 7,511 more homes in rural Ontario

Underserved communities to benefit from increased connectivity OTTAWA, ON, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on our connections. Now more than ever, Canadians across the country need access to reliable high-speed Internet as many of us continue to work, learn, access essential services and stay in touch with friends and family from home. Right now, too many Canadians living in rural and remote communities lack access to high-speed Internet. Through the Rapid Response Stream of the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF), the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get Canadians connected to the high-speed Internet they need. Today, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced nearly $16 million in federal funding through the Rapid Response Stream of the UBF for 27 projects to bring high-speed Internet to 7,511 underserved households in 49 communities across rural Ontario.

The funding distribution and communities to be connected are as follows:







Provider Funding amount Communities to be connected Avetria Wireless $642,149 Bloomingdale Bell Canada $2,245,418 Ashburn, Carp, Codes Corner, Dwyer Hill, Eastview, Greenbank, Greenwood, Macedonian Village, Willowbank Blue Sky Net $421,763 St. Charles, Musky Bay, Sucker Creek Landing, Hagar Cable Cable $886,424 Coboconk, Isaacs Glen, Kirkfield Cogeco Connexion $2,944,070 Bloomfield, Brockville, Humphrey, Maitland, Orrville, Tincap, Wellington Eastlink $1,046,797 Mindemoya Execulink Telecom $697,872 Port Ryerse Leepfrog Telecom Ltd $157,635 Carpin Beach, Gros Cap, Pointe Louise NRTC Communications $2,384,900 Alice, Eganville, Golden Lake, Osceola Rogers $452,269 Elmvale, Fergus Hill Estate, Gamebridge Beach, Hillsdale, Lagoon City Standard Broadband $1,148,364 Aberfoyle, Morriston Storm Internet $513,182 Clayton, Middleville Vianet $865,423 Bradford Wireless Farm $44,721 Ariss WTC Communications $884,138 Battersea, Inverary Xplornet $500,216 Nanticoke, Peacock Point, Selkirk

The $2.75-billion UBF was launched in November 2020. Projects funded under the UBF, as well as through other public and private investments, will help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. Today's announcement builds on the progress the Government of Canada has already made to improve critical infrastructure in Ontario. Since 2015, the federal government has invested more than $2.85 billion in over 4,060 infrastructure projects in Ontario communities with a population of fewer than 100,000 people. These investments mean 452 km of new or upgraded roads that are making our communities safer; more than 938 projects to provide residents with cleaner, more sustainable sources of drinking water; and more than 5,427 additional housing units built in rural communities, helping ensure all Ontarians have a safe place to call home. Quotes

"High-speed Internet service is essential to the success of everyone living and working in rural communities across Ontario. Today's investment will bring reliable, high-speed broadband access to 7,511 households in 49 communities in the province. This will help create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep people connected to their family, friends and loved ones. Our government has committed over $281 million to 125 broadband projects in Ontario, which will connect over 115,000 more households to better, faster Internet. We will continue to make investments like these to help connect every Canadian to the high-speed Internet they need."

 The Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

Quick facts Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.

Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload. The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75-billion investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until March 15, 2021, and are now being evaluated.

investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until March 15, 2021, and are now being evaluated. The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. The suite includes the Connect to Innovate program, which is expected to connect nearly 400,000 households by 2023, and the recently announced $2-billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank. The Government of Canada has committed $1 .829 billion to broadband projects from coast to coast to coast that will connect over 920,000 homes to high-speed Internet. Associated links Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit satellite capacity agreement

Universal Broadband Fund

Connect to Innovate Program  Project status updates

Canada Infrastructure Bank announcement

High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy Stay connected Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Great Learning announces International UG Programs in collaboration with Deakin University and Great Lakes Institute of Management

- The two undergraduate programs - Bachelors in Business and Bachelors in Business Analytics from Deakin University present an opportunity for Indian learners to gain international exposure and build global careers - Students will complete the first year at Great Lakes Institute of Management and the remaining two years at Deakin University, Melbourne - Students will receive a Bachelors degree from Deakin University along with career support and a post-study Australian work permit NEW DELHI, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Learning, a leading global ed-tech company for professional and higher education announced the launch of two International undergraduate programs from Deakin University, Australia's largest university in collaboration with Great Lakes Institute of Management, one of India's premier B-Schools. Education agents and career counsellors can get a detailed understanding of both these programs at a launch event on June 28, 2021, at 11:30 AM. Mr. Brett Galt-Smith, Counsellor (Education and Research), Australian High Commission India, will be the Chief Guest. He, along with other eminent speakers from Deakin University and Great Lakes Institute of Management, will be addressing the attendees. These 3-year full-time programs provide learners with an opportunity to experience a world-class education, hands-on practical projects and dedicated placement assistance. Upon successfully completing the program, students will also receive a post-study work permit to work in Australia, which will help them gain international work experience. As a part of this collaboration, the first year of the program will be conducted at Great Lakes Institute of Management, at their Gurgaon and Chennai campuses in India. Students who successfully complete the first year would then progress into either of the degrees and complete years 2 and 3 on-shore in Australia. The rigorous programs are designed to help learners gain global exposure and acquire in-demand management and data analytics skills. The programs will further help them in nurturing core communication, teamwork, and problem solving competencies that are crucial to jumpstart a career in international job markets. Established in 1974, Deakin University is a public university in Australia, and has featured regularly in the prestigious Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, 'Top 50 Under 50' and was ranked 29th in 2020. It is also ranked in the top 1% of universities gobally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020.



Founded in the year 2004, Great Lakes Institute of Management is one of only 14 institutes and the youngest to have received AMBA (Association of MBAs) accreditation in India. The institute has been ranked 3rd by Outlook in Top standalone institutions, 9th by Business India in top Indian B-Schools, 23rdamong top B-schools in NIRF Ranking under Ministry of HRD, and is part of the Super League 2 by Business Standard. Speaking about the collaboration Mohan Lakhamraju, Founder and CEO, Great Learning, said, "In the past 7 years, our endeavor at Great Learning has been to make high quality, transformational education accessible to all. With this vision, we aim to constantly bring forth new opportunities for our learners to widen their horizons. The introduction of these two new UG programs from Deakin University will help all those students who are looking to gain foreign exposure, and be a part of a prestigious global university. In the midst of the pandemic where travel has been ruled out, students will have an advantage of starting their programs in India for a year and then flying out to Australia to conclude their learning journey and pursue exciting career opportunities. Over the past 10 years, Great Lakes Institute of Management has established itself as the leading Institution of excellence in the highly sought-after area of business analytics. This track record of excellence combined with Great Learning's technology and industry expertise will lay a solid foundation for the young learners in their first year. We are confident that students who take up these programs will benefit immensely from the quality of education being offered and will go on to build successful careers in Australia and beyond."

Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Global Engagement at Deakin University, Professor Gary Smith said that Deakin continuously seeks to develop such innovative pathway models to provide students an opportunity to keep their study and career goals on track, especially in these challenging situations. "This collaboration with Great Lakes Institute and Great Learning is an important one which would enable a high value outcome both in terms of quality students coming to Deakin and also developing a pool of high-end talent who would be able to find their place in the global workplace in the future." The partners will further explore developing similar pathway programs in other emerging study areas with an aim to expand innovative learning options for the young students in India. To understand more about the program and for detailed information, students can reach out on +918310688421 | bba.deakin@greatlearning.in About Deakin University : With over 45 years of experience as one of Australia's leading tertiary education providers, Deakin has won numerous awards and teaches over 60,000 students each year. It offers students various world-class programs and endless opportunities. The university is ranked in the top 1% of universities globally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities 2020. This rating indicates world-class facilities, research and teaching, as well as employability, innovation and inclusiveness Deakin was also awarded a 5-star rating by the prestigious university ranking organization Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The rating indicates Deakin is world-class in a broad range of areas, has cutting-edge facilities and is internationally renowned for its research and teaching About Great Lakes: Great Lakes has emerged as a top-ranking business school within a short span of 15 years, driven by its exceptional academic faculty, innovative and path breaking initiatives, eminent advisory council, world class campuses and international collaborations. It is the youngest B-school in the country to receive the accreditation of the Association of MBAs (AMBA, UK) for its PGPM and PGXPM programs in 2014 in Chennai and 2019 in Gurgaon. Consistently ranked among the top business schools in India, Great Lakes continues to innovate to meet the fast evolving needs of its students, corporate partners and the community at large. About Great Learning Great Learning is a leading global ed-tech company for professional and higher education. It offers comprehensive, industry-relevant, hands-on learning programs across various business, technology and interdisciplinary domains driving the digital economy. Great Learning's programs are developed in collaboration with the world's foremost academic institutions like MIT, Stanford, The University of Texas at Austin, Northwestern University, IIT Madras, IIT Roorkee, and Great Lakes Institute of Management and are constantly reimagined and revamped to address the dynamic needs of the rapidly evolving business landscape. Great Learning is the only ed-tech company to provide these programs in a blended mode, classroom mode and in purely online mode, relying on its vast network of expert mentors and highly qualified faculty to deliver an unmatched learning experience for over 1.2 million learners from over 160 countries around the world. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1458111/Great_Learning_Logo.jpg Media Contact:

Rishita Chiranewala

rishita@greatlearning.in

PR Head

Great Learning

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] LaunchPad Cafe Ltd. Announces Closing of Transaction with Ventana Biotech, Inc. (VNTA)

DENVER, June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LaunchPad Cafe Ltd. announces that it has closed its previously announced transaction with Ventana Biotech, Inc . (OTC:VNTA) pursuant to which VNTA has purchased 100% of LaunchPads shares in exchange for shares in VNTA.

Mr. Stephen Replin, new President and CEO of VNTA and President of LaunchPad Cafe said, We are pleased to announce the closing of this important transaction for VNTA. We are now working to update the publicly available financial information for the VNTA on OTCMarkets.com The immediate goals are getting to Yield Sign within the next two weeks and Pink Current Reporting by mid-August. We also anticipate changing the Companys name sometime in the coming months.



About Ventana Biotech, Inc.: Ventana Biotech, Inc. (OTC:VNTA) is a publicly traded Nevada company making acquisitions in the fintech and traditional specialty finance space.

About LaunchPad Cafe Ltd.: LaunchPad Cafe, Ltd. , a specialty finance Company, makes alternative funding available to entrepreneurs who are starting and growing businesses, and to those who have investment opportunities. In all cases, the two characteristics that are anticipated to be common among most borrowers from LaunchPad are that they are essentially unbankable, and the second is that they need to close on their funding quickly. Mr. Replin, CEO of LaunchPad Cafe Ltd. is the author of the book Where to Go when The Bank Says No -www.launchpadcafe.net. Forward Looking Statements: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainty and may not come to fruition. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement including statements that list numbers and dates. Contact:

Stephen Replin, CEO

Stevereplin@launchpadcafe.net

303.916.3479 A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2842695f-3568-44e8-b774-b2b787c8684e



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021]

National Convention and Exhibition Center (Tianjin) ushers in first exhibition

TIANJIN, China, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Convention and Exhibition Center (Tianjin) ushers in its first exhibition, the China Building Science Conference and Green Intelligent Building Expo, on Thursday.

The expo gathers leading providers and players across the entire chain of the building industry, exhibiting products, materials, and applications that are innovative, resource-conserving and eco-friendly.

Upon completion, the center will be one of the largest in theworld, and will be the third State-level modern pavilion for the Ministry of Commerce for staging exhibitions, joining venues for the Canton Fair in Guangzhou and the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.







Covering 550,000 sq m, the super large national center in Tianjin's Jinnan district is expected to power the exhibition industry in northern China and facilitate city's plan of becoming an international and internal consumption and business center as outlined in its 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25).

Contact: Chen Wanting

Tel.: 0086-22-88517564

E-mail: chenwanting@ncec.cc

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-convention-and-exhibition-center-tianjin-ushers-in-first-exhibition-301320189.html

SOURCE National Convention and Exhibition Center (Tianjin)
[June 25, 2021] TEMSA to Power Up with 143% Capital Increase

Following its acquisition by Sabanci Holding and the PPF Group, TEMSA, continues to increase its exports thus a decision to increase its capital has been taken. The capital of the company will be increased by 143 percent from 210 million TL to 510 million TL. Industry SBU President of Sabanci Holding and Chairman of the Board of Directors of TEMSA Cevdet Alemdar commented, "We are strengthening our capital to have TEMSA attain a stronger and more competitive financial structure in both domestic and foreign markets." ADANA, Turkey, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TEMSA Transportation Vehicles continues its growth in both domestic and international markets, through the partnership of Sabanci Holding and the PPF Group, in which Skoda Transportation acts as its subsidiary, is reinforcing its capital. First Step Towards a Success Story In his assessment regarding the 143-percent capital increase decision in TEMSA, Cevdet Alemdar noted that: "Today, TEMSA has been undersigning significant export achievements in Europe, especially in Sweden, BelgiumFrance, and Czechia. We consider these export moves as the first step of a new success story that TEMSA will write. With the support of our new organizational structure, we have gone through a period in which we will achieve greater success in foreign markets. Now, we are increasing the company's capital from 210 million TL to 510 million TL, injecting 300 million TL cash, 150 million TL of which from Sabanci Holding and 150 million TL from the PPF Group. Accordingly, we are strengthening our capital to have TEMSA attain a stronger and more competitive financial structure in both domestic and foreign markets."



"Today, TEMSA is a brand that has proven itself in the field of electric buses and autonomous vehicles. We exported our first electric bus to Sweden in recent months. In other words, today, we are selling our electric vehicles that we produce in Adana to a country that has a say in the field of electric vehicle technology in the world; moreover, with its own software and batteries. Skoda Transportation that operates under the roof of our partner PPF Group has substantial global experience in electric transportation solutions. This know-how will pave the way further for TEMSA to expand its product range and markets in the forthcoming period. Hence, we aim to reinforce TEMSA's leadership in new generation electric vehicles and fortify its growth," Cevdet Alemdar added. Skoda Transportation and TEMSA Synergy

Ladislav Chvatal, PPF Group Chief Officer for Strategic Projects, highlighted the synergy between TEMSA and Skoda Transportation in TEMSA's future growth plans:

"PPF Group has invested in TEMSA aiming to utilize its synergies with Skoda Transportation and provide a boost for both companies as they expand on international markets. PPF is therefore delighted that TEMSA and Skoda Transportation have been attracting major customers around the world for its modern and environmentally friendly mass transport solutions. The contribution of Skoda Transportation are electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses." Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1551160/TEMSA.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1318937/TEMSA_Logo.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Verizon Frontline supporting first responders battling Colorado wildfires

Verizon Frontline technology has been delivered to 10 locations in Colorado by the Verizon Response Team (VRT) to help enable mission-critical communications in remote areas as first responders battle wildfires throughout the state.



The VRT is supporting interagency wildland fire management teams in their efforts to combat the Muddy Slide, West, and Sylvan fires.

Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders, developed over three decades of partnership with the public safety community.

PUEBLO, Colo., June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Verizon Frontline recently deployed its advanced public safety platforms and technology, via the Verizon Response Team (VRT) , to support first responders battling wildfires throughout Colorado. Collaborating with Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center, the VRT deployed Verizon Frontline technology, includingfour Satellite Pico-cells on Trailers (SPOT) to numerous locations in the state of Colorado, to provide mission-critical voice and data service to public safety professionals operating in remote areas as they combated the Muddy Slide, West, and Sylvan fires. Verizon Frontline technology was also distributed to first responders in six other Colorado cities Thursday and included routers, jetpacks and smartphones.



This support, provided at the request of the incident management teams, is a continuation of Verizon Public Sectors commitment to working alongside our partners in public safety and government. Verizon Frontline is the advanced network and technology built for first responders  developed over nearly three decades of partnership with public safety officials and agencies  to meet their unique needs. From network priority and preemption and a commitment to real interoperability, to developing and delivering the most innovative product roadmap, Verizon Frontline is built on Americas most reliable network1, and will be able to harness the transformative power of 5G1.

The VRT provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies, emergency responders, nonprofits and communities on a 24/7/365 basis. VRT members set up portable cell sites, WiFi hotspots, free charging stations and other devices and solutions that enable communications and/or boost network performance. 1 RootMetrics US RootScore Report: 2H 2020. Tested natl operators on all available all network types. Experience may vary. Award is not endorsement. 5G Nationwide available in 2700+ cities. 5G Ultra Wideband available only in part of select cities. Media contact:

Eric Durie

eric.durie@verizon.com

(516) 382-8219



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 24, 2021] Greenbaum Represents New Jersey Institute of Technology in Development of Newark Student Residence Hall with Unique Public-Private Partnership Financing Structure

ROSELAND, N.J., June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP represented the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) in connection with the development and financing of a 548-bed state-of-the-art residence hall on the university's campus in Newark. The Warren Street Residence Hall, located at 211-214 Warren Street in the University Heights neighborhood, is a project critical to the continued expansion of NJIT's Newark footprint, as well as the revitalization of that area of the city. The $90 million+ project was financed through a complex and unique public-private partnership structure established with NJIT development partner RISE Highlanders, the University's collegiate housing partner Collegiate Housing Foundation (CHF), and its public partner, the Essex County Improvement Authority. The Greenbaum team, led by partners Steven G. Mlenak and Thomas J. Denitzio, Jr., represented NJIT throughout the process. NJIT ground leased the project to CHF, which borrowed the proceeds of Authority bonds to finance the cost of construction. CHF leased the property back to NJIT under an agreement in which the rent was devoted to repayment of the bonds. CHF entered into a development agreement with RISE Highlanders to construct the project and NJIT entered nto a management agreement with an affiliate of RISE Highlanders to manage the student housing facility upon completion. This multi-faceted arrangement required extensive and detailed coordination of various substantive documents providing for the rights and obligations of the parties.



In addition to Mr. Mlenak and Mr. Denitzio, the Greenbaum team included Robert S. Goldsmith, Kellianne Greenwood, Steven Nudelman, David A. Roth, and Lydia C. Stefanowicz. The team's work included the review and negotiation of the ground lease, facility leaseback agreement, management agreement, bond documents, development agreement, contracts with construction and architectural firms, and obtaining a title insurance policy that met the lender's requirements. The Warren Street Residence Hall will provide eight stories of apartment-style student housing with a gross floor area of 271,000 square feet, with a total of 176 dormitory units along with 76 parking spaces with retail space and amenities on the ground floor, including an internet cafe and a gaming room. A large, open landscaped terrace will provide seating areas, grilling stations and a fire pit area. The sustainable-minded facility, which will open in fall 2022, was the location of a ceremonial groundbreaking event on Thursday, June 10, 2021.

Visit us online to learn more about the capabilities of the firm's Real Estate and Redevelopment & Land Use Departments and our work on behalf of clients. Media Contacts:

Diana Parker dparker@greenbaumlaw.com 732.476.2464

Erin Faltin efaltin@greenbaumlaw.com 732.476.3278 View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greenbaum-represents-new-jersey-institute-of-technology-in-development-of-newark-student-residence-hall-with-unique-public-private-partnership-financing-structure-301319884.html SOURCE Greenbaum, Rowe, Smith & Davis LLP

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 24, 2021] Moving ahead: Copan announces a major rebranding and launches a new website

BRESCIA, Italy, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Time of change for Copan. The Italian preanalytics company announced the completion of an extensive rebranding initiative which includes a new logo and a new website with updated functionalities. The rebranding aims to represent at best the company values and offer an improved customer experience. From preanalytics to patient care, it has been a turbulent time for professionals and companies involved in COVID-19 testing, screening, and treatment. This is the case for Copan  the leading manufacturer of microbiological collection systems and preanalytics lab automation  which has addressed its decades of experience working around the clock to support the fight against the pandemic. Accomplished the goal of reaching 2 billion swabs produced per year, the company is now moving forward, stabilizing the supply of all the products that drove preanalytics development in the last years. Conscious of the importance of a consisten identity and clear communication, Copan unveiled its rebrand, a project started for its 40th anniversary in 2019 and postponed by the pandemic. According to Stefania Triva, CEO and President, "a rebranding was necessary to represent at best the value we give to people, innovation, and trust, and face new challenges that are approaching the international market."



Key features of the rebrand are the new communication strategy and graphic design, with a new logo that has been designed as an evolution of the historical one. The "Innovating together" tagline, on the other hand, remains unchanged. "Innovating together symbolizes the core values Copan  the innovation brought into the world of preanalytics and the strong bonds of trust that we've always built with our partners and employees  and is a fundamental part of our identity." The rebrand also introduces Copan's new website; www.copangroup.com offers an engaging design and easy navigation optimized for either desktop or mobile use, providing worldwide access to essential information about products, scientific studies, news, and services quickly and intuitively.

This fresh new identity captures Copan's values and commitment to building successful business relationships and professional services in an ever-changing environment, to shape  as the company states  the microbiology of the future through people-focused innovation. About Copan Copan is dedicated to developing high-quality and cutting-edge sample collection products for infectious diseases, human genomics, environmental and forensic applications, along with automated workflow solutions. Our ideas drove 40 years of progress in the field of preanalytics, resulting in the development of meaningful products tailored to fit any need. Among them, our patented FLOQSwabs reinvented completely sample collection and transport, while the WASPLab automation ecosystem revolutionized laboratory workflow. Today, Copan is still eager to continue this innovation, providing quality products, customized services, and prime solutions to improve patients' health. SOURCE Copan Italia Spa

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 24, 2021] L.A. Community Hearing on Homelessness, Housing and Hunger

Housing Is A Human Right (HHR) and key state and local legislators will host a "Community Hearing on Homelessness, Housing and Hunger" on Friday, June 25th in Downtown Los Angeles. The hearings will include 3 panel discussions with public testimony ('Hunger' at 11:00 a.m., 'Housing' at 1:30 p.m. and 'Homelessness' at 3:00 p.m.) to explore root causes, brainstorm solutions-and hear compelling testimony from people who are unhoused, rent-burdened, facing hunger issues and grassroots organizations working on the ground. The event is FREE and registration is encouraged. (Registration link) The community hearing will also be streamed live on Facebook (News - Alert) : to view the panels and testimony, click here:







WHAT: 'COMMUNITY HEARING on HOMELESSNESS, HOUSING & HUNGER' Seeking root causes, brainstorming solutions and hearing testimony. WHEN: Friday, June 25, 2021 - 11:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Gold Room, 506 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles 90071

HUNGER Panel: 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Moderator: Tammi Mac, KJLH-FM radio host 'The Tammi Mac Show' HUNGER Hearing Board: Hon. Henry Stern , California State Senator, (D, SD27), and 

, California State Senator, (D, SD27), and  Hon. Sue Himmelrich , Mayor, City of Santa Monica

, Mayor, City of Santa Monica Hon. John Erickson , West Hollywood City Council Member

, West Hollywood City Council Member Hon. Steven F. Veres , Los Angeles Community College District Board President

, Los Angeles Community College District Board President Hon. Nichelle Henderson , Los Angeles Community College District, Board Member

, Los Angeles Community College District, Board Member Pastor Kelvin Sauls, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commissioner Testifying before HUNGER Board: Margie Chavez , Food Bank Customer

, Food Bank Customer Carlos Marroquin , Urban Partners Los Angeles and AIDS Healthcare Foundation

, Urban Partners Los Angeles and AIDS Healthcare Foundation Michael Flood , President / CEO, L.A. Regional Food Bank

, President / CEO, L.A. Regional Food Bank Adriana Cabrera , Founder, Co-Founder, South Central Mutual Aid Los Angeles

, Founder, Co-Founder, South Central Mutual Aid Los Angeles Ryan Conners , Vice Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District

, Vice Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District Kim Olsen , West Valley Homes Yes

, West Valley Homes Yes Alberto Tlatoa , Founder, South Central Restoration Committee

, Founder, South Central Restoration Committee Jackie Venters, Founder, Inner City Child Development and Youth Foundation HOUSING Panel: 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Moderator: Beverly White, reporter, KNBC-TV4 HOUSING Hearing Board: Hon. Kevin de Leon , Los Angeles City Councilmember, 14th District, and former California State Senate President Pro-Tempore, and 

, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 14th District, and former California State Senate President Pro-Tempore, and  Hon. Ben Allen , California State Senator (D, SD26)

, California State Senator (D, SD26) Hon. Henry Stern , California State Senator, (D, SD27)

, California State Senator, (D, SD27) Hon. Miguel Santiago , Assembly Member, (D, AD53)

, Assembly Member, (D, AD53) Hon. Sue Himmelrich , Mayor, City of Santa Monica

, Mayor, City of Santa Monica Hon. Mike Bonin , Los Angeles City Councilmember, 11th District

, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 11th District Hon. Sepi Shyne , Councilmember, City of West Hollywood

, Councilmember, City of West Hollywood Pastor Kelvin Sauls, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Commissioner Testifying before HOUSING Board: Danny Tabor , Former Mayor of Inglewood

, Former Mayor of Inglewood Michael Soloff, President , Santa Monica Housing Commissioner

, Santa Monica Housing Commissioner Michael Weinstein , President, AIDS Healthcare Foundation

, President, AIDS Healthcare Foundation Carolyn Fowler , Anti-Gentrification Coalition

, Anti-Gentrification Coalition Sam Pratter , Founder and Executive Director, Los Angeles Room and Board

, Founder and Executive Director, Los Angeles Room and Board Elena Popp , Executive Director, Eviction Defense Network Student Housing

, Executive Director, Eviction Defense Network Student Housing Dan Wright (News - Alert) - Housing Attorney HOMELESSNESS Panel: 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Moderator: Josh Haskell, reporter, KABC-TV7 HOMELESSNESS Hearing Board: Hon. Kevin de Leon , Los Angeles City Councilmember, 14th District, and former California State Senate President Pro-Tempore, and 

, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 14th District, and former California State Senate President Pro-Tempore, and  Hon. Ben Allen , California State Senator (D, SD26)

, California State Senator (D, SD26) Hon. Sue Himmelrich , Mayor, City of Santa Monica

, Mayor, City of Santa Monica Hon. Lindsey Horvath , Mayor, City of West Hollywood

, Mayor, City of West Hollywood Hon. Mike Bonin, Los Angeles City Councilmember, 11th District Testifying before HOUSING Board: Melvin Tunstall , Unhoused, Skid Row

, Unhoused, Skid Row Renay Grace Rodriguez , Attorney, Formerly Unhoused

, Attorney, Formerly Unhoused David Busch-Lilly , Unhoused, Los Angeles

, Unhoused, Los Angeles Suzette Shaw , Skid Row Ambassador, Formerly Unhoused

, Skid Row Ambassador, Formerly Unhoused Shawn Morrissey , Union Station Advocacy Director, Formerly Unhoused

, Union Station Advocacy Director, Formerly Unhoused Sam Tsemberis , Founder, Pathways to Housing

, Founder, Pathways to Housing Anne Miskey , Executive Director, Union Station Homeless Services

, Executive Director, Union Station Homeless Services Representative , Midnight Mission

, Midnight Mission Representative, People Concern WHY: Cities across California are facing an unprecedented homelessness crisis. It is estimated that over 150,000 Californians are experiencing homelessness, including over 60,000 in Los Angeles County with nearly 40,000 of those found in the City of Los Angeles. The global pandemic only exacerbated this humanitarian crisis. Despite the COVID pandemic subsiding due to increased vaccinations, homelessness continues. The "Community Hearing on Homelessness, Housing and Hunger" is intended to bring new urgency among government and elected officials and the public to these three overlapping crises. Elected officials and decision-makers will hear from those with lived experience from people who are unhoused, rent-burdened, facing hunger issues. They will also hear from stakeholders from grassroots organizations working on the ground and others who will provide various points of view on addressing these three growing humanitarian issues. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210624006044/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 24, 2021] Samsung Biologics Issues Its First Annual Sustainability Report

Consolidation of the company's roadmap to creating an improved business environment

Establishment of an ESG Committee for its continued efforts for environmental performance

Showcases the company's long-term commitment to social responsibility as part of its mission to build a better life INCHEON, South Korea, June 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Samsung Biologics (KRX: 207940.KS), the world's leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), published its first annual sustainability report, consolidating the company's policies for an enhanced ESG management system and related plans. The report focuses on the company's commitment to taking part in social responsibility over the past decade and its future plans for the next ten years and beyond. John Rim, CEO of Samsung Biologics, said, "The publication of our annual sustainability report showcases our aims to accelerate innovation and contribute to building a healthier future for all stakeholders. As we have always been since our founding in 2011, Samsung Biologics will continue to carry out its social accountability - creating a safer and healthier culture, reducing its environmental footprint, and increasing reporting transparency on ESG initiatives.



In the report, Samsung Biologics stated its plans to build an eco-friendly business environment, supported by recently awarded ISO Certifications for Energy Management (ISO5000) and Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO45001). The company is also planning to install solar powered generators and introduce eco-friendly refrigerants to its Plant 4, which is currently under construction. The report also focuses on the various social activities Samsung Biologics has been taking part in, including a scholarship and mentoring program for students and medical care support for the most vulnerable members of the local community. Furthermore, the report exhibits the company's collaborative efforts with its partners, including the support for domestic suppliers and localization efforts to improve supply chains.

In February this year, Samsung Biologics established an ESG Committee to construct and supervise its managerial policies. The committee consists of four independent directors with expertise in the fields of management, economy, biotechnology, and law and systems. The committee is expected to closely monitor the ESG performance of Samsung Biologics moving forward. In order to stably supply biopharmaceuticals to the market while also protecting the assets of its clients, Samsung Biologics is operating under a robust and proactive management system. Since 2018, the company has obtained BCMS (Business Continuity Management System) ISO certification from BSI (British Standard Institution) and has recently been certified across all business areas. This extended achievement has reaffirmed Samsung Biologics' capabilities to stably operate in a dynamic business environment whilst maximizing clients' satisfaction and fulfilling its social responsibilities. Link to Samsung Biologics' Sustainability Report About Samsung Biologics Co., Ltd. Samsung Biologics (KRX: 207940.KS) is a fully integrated CDMO offering state-of-the-art contract development, manufacturing, and laboratory testing services. With proven regulatory approvals, the largest capacity, and the fastest throughput, Samsung Biologics is an award-winning partner of choice and is uniquely able to support the development and manufacturing of biologics products at every stage of the process while meeting the evolving needs of biopharmaceutical companies worldwide. For more information, visit www.samsungbiologics.com . Samsung Biologics

Media Contact:

Claire Kim

Senior Director, Global Public Relations

cair.kim@samsung.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/samsung-biologics-issues-its-first-annual-sustainability-report-301319898.html SOURCE Samsung Biologics

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] JA Solar Signs 2021 Cooperation Agreement with Mexican PV Distributor Exel Solar

BEIJING, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- JA Solar recently announced the signing of a 2021 cooperation agreement with Exel Solar, a major distributor in the Mexican PV market. According to the agreement, the two sides will further strengthen cooperation in module sales and continue to provide customers with JA Solar's high-quality modules while promoting the sustainable development of the local PV market. Despite having abundant solar energy resources, Mexico has relatively high electricity prices, which has created a strong desire for the local market to develop distributed PV power plants, so the distribution market enjoys a broad space for development. Exel Solar is one of the largest PV distributors in Mexico, having established a solid cooperative relationship with JA Solar since it entered the local market in 2016. Based on the mutual trustbuilt during previous collaboration, the two sides signed a distribution cooperation agreement for the first time in 2020, helping JA Solar further develop in Mexico and continuously increase its shipment volume to the local market. In 2021, the two parties signed another cooperation agreement to continue to jointly boost the development of Mexico's PV market.



Horacio Duhart, President and CEO of Exel Solar, said, "JA Solar is an outstanding partner who we are very honored to be its distributor in Mexico. Not only providing us with high-quality PV modules, but JA Solar has also helped Exel Solar achieve our current market performance with its excellent sales, marketing and operations services. Our previous cooperation has proven to be very fruitful, and we look forward to even brighter achievements together in the future." Dr. Xinwei Niu, Member of the Board and Executive President of JA Solar, noted, "Distributors are a vital part of JA Solar's global sales system, and our achievements could not be realized without the support of partners with whom we work hand in hand. With more than ten years of experience in Mexico's PV market, Exel Solar is a well-established professional PV products distributor who has provided a massive boost in the promotion of JA Solar products in the country. In the future, JA Solar will continue to work with Exel Solar to provide Mexican customers with high performance, high-reliability PV products and promote the development of local PV market."

SOURCE JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Oxurion NV to Focus Resources on Clinical Assets THR-687 and THR-149

Timeline Guidance for Both Programs Confirmed Leuven, BE, Boston, MA, US  June 25, 2021  07.00 AM CET  Oxurion NV (Euronext Brussels: OXUR), a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard of care ophthalmic therapies, with a clinical stage portfolio in vascular retinal disorders, today announced a restructuring plan to better align resources towards executing its clinical development strategy, including advancing its two novel programs, THR-687 and THR-149. Following a detailed review of its operations and growth opportunities, Oxurion will no longer make direct investments in non-core activities, including research in dry AMD and oncology (Oncurious). Tom Graney, CFA, Chief Executive Officer of Oxurion, comments: Todays decision means we are now focusing all our resources on progressing our two exciting clinical programs THR-687 and THR-149, which we believe could play a key role in improving clinical outcomes for patients with a number of important retinal vascular diseases such as DME, wet AMD and RVO which today represents a greater than $12 billion market opportunity. This decision has been made to align our organization and resources with the Companys strategic priorities so that we can maximize value creation in the most capital efficient way, whilst safeguarding our scientific and clinical leadership position in the global retina community. The changes we have announced will not impact our clinical development timelines which we have previously communicated. We are expecting to begin the Phase 2 development of THR-687 in DME in mid-2021 and are on-track to deliver the initial Part A data from the Phase 2 trial with THR-149 in DME later this year as planned. Unfortunately, a number of Oxurion associates are impacted by todays changes and I can assure you that we are taking all the measures we can to assst them towards their next career opportunity. I would like to deeply thank those colleagues that are impacted for their contributions to Oxurion and in helping us make the important progress we have made to date.



Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to confirm our commitment to Belgium as our prime business location and home to the vast majority of our employees. The Company will further report on the outcome and impact of todays decision as part of the Half Year Results Business & Financial Update of September 9, 2021.

END For further information please contact: Oxurion NV

Wouter Piepers,

Global Head of Investor Relations

& Corporate Communications

Tel: +32 16 75 13 10 / +32 478 33 56 32

wouter.piepers@oxurion.com



EU

MEDiSTRAVA Consulting

David Dible/ Sylvie Berrebi/Frazer Hall

Tel: +44 20 7638 9571

oxurion@medistrava.com







US

Westwicke, an ICR Company

Christopher Brinzey

Tel: +1 617 835 9304

chris.brinzey@westwicke.com About Oxurion Oxurion (Euronext Brussels: OXUR) is a biopharmaceutical company developing next generation standard of care ophthalmic therapies, which are designed to better preserve vision in patients with retinal vascular disorders including diabetic macular edema (DME), the leading cause of vision loss in diabetic patients worldwide as well as other conditions, including wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Oxurion is aiming to build the leading global franchise in the treatment of retinal vascular disorders based on the successful development of its two novel therapeutics: THR-687 is a pan-RGD integrin antagonist that is initially being developed as a potential first line therapy for DME patients. Positive topline results in a Phase 1 clinical study assessing THR-687 as a treatment for DME were announced in 2020. THR-687 is expected to enter a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with DME in mid-2021. THR-687 also has the potential to deliver improved treatment outcomes for patients with wet AMD and RVO.





THR-149 is a plasma kallikrein inhibitor being developed as a potential new standard of care for the 40% of DME patients who respond sub optimally to anti-VEGF therapy. THR-149 has shown positive topline Phase 1 results for the treatment of DME. The company is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating multiple injections of THR-149 in DME patients who previously responded sub optimally to anti-VEGF therapy.



Oxurion is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and is listed on the Euronext Brussels exchange under the symbol OXUR. More information is available at www.oxurion.com. Important information about forward-looking statements Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, and, accordingly, entail and are influenced by various risks and uncertainties. The Company therefore cannot provide any assurance that such forward-looking statements will materialize and does not assume an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or any other reason. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties affecting the business and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any forward-looking statement is contained in the Companys Annual Report. This press release does not constitute an offer or invitation for the sale or purchase of securities or assets of Oxurion in any jurisdiction. No securities of Oxurion may be offered or sold within the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or in compliance with an exemption therefrom, and in accordance with any applicable U.S. state securities laws.





[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Konnect Worldwide Business Media concludes a successful digital event India Gaming Conclave 2021

NEW DELHI, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Konnect Worldwide Business Media, successfully concluded one of the country's largest comprehensive gaming forum, India Gaming Conclave (IGC) 2021 in India today. At its first digital edition, the conclave focused on discussions around - the future outlook and vision for the new decade, global and domestic trends, opportunities and the potential that the India has to disrupt the gaming industry. The IGC 2021, witnessed participation from industry stalwarts, gaming gurus, change-makers, growth agents, entrepreneurs and disruptors, who took the stage to share insights, learnings, and expertise. This event was supported by JAB Cloud India, MediaTek, POCO India, Zupee, Hunter Games, Velia.Net and TechARC, amongst others. In addition to the keynote addresses by industry experts, the conclave delved into four in-depth knowledge sessions, curated around key topics including: Gaming with a purpose: a new paradigm in modern education & cognitive development; How 5G: Cloud gaming & innovations in devices & smartphone technology will revolutionize gaming in India; Gamification - a powerful tool to engage, monetize & grow revenues in e-commerce and payments; and Understanding a Gamer and innovations in gaming infrastructure in India and for India. The event program was power packed with an impressive line-up of speakers (in alphabetical order) including: Amit Dey , Managing Director  India , GMobi

, Managing Director  , GMobi Anuj Sharma , Country Director, POCO India

, Country Director, POCO India Anuj Sidharth, Deputy Director, Marketing & Communications, MediaTek India

Anurag Khurana , Founder & CEO, Newgen Gaming

, Founder & CEO, Newgen Gaming Dilip Krishnaswamy , Vice President New Tech R&D, JIO Platforms, Reliance JIO

, Vice President New Tech R&D, JIO Platforms, Reliance JIO Dushyant Saraswat , Founder & CEO, Hunter Games

, Founder & CEO, Hunter Games Faisal Kawoosa, Founder & Chief Analyst, TechARC

Jeffrey D'cruz , Country Manager, JAB Cloud India

, Country Manager, JAB Cloud India Kashyap Reddy , Co-Founder and CEO, HitWicket

, Co-Founder and CEO, HitWicket Kuldeep Malik , Director Corporate Sales  India , MediaTek

, Director Corporate Sales  , MediaTek Laxmi Khanolkar , Co-Founder & CEO, Apar Games

, Co-Founder & CEO, Apar Games Naman Jhawar , Senior Vice President, Strategy & Operations, Mobile Premier League

, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Operations, Mobile Premier League Nitin Goel , Country Manager, Gameloft

, Country Manager, Gameloft Rohitashwa Bhotica, Senior Manager, Future Pay

Sourabh Deorah , CEO, Advantage Club

, CEO, Advantage Club Dr. Subi Chaturvedi , Chief Corporate & Public Affairs Officer, Zupee

, Chief Corporate & Public Affairs Officer, Zupee Sumit Chhazed, Co-Founder, OTO Capital

Uday Sodhi , Senior Partner, Kurate Digital Consulting "I am honored to be a part of the India Gaming Conclave, an excellent platform to witness disruptive technologies and be a part of effective conversations and exchange of ideas that are shaping the industry. India is one of the biggest markets for mobile gaming had has seen rapid growth in recent times. There is a need to build a sustainable ecosystem for the domestic gaming industry," said Kuldeep Malik, Director Corporate Sales, MediaTek India. "Consumers are increasingly demanding more from their devices leading to cutting-edge innovations and R&D. MediaTek SoCs are power-packed with incredible technology for lag-free gaming, video, connectivity and power efficiency to enable a longer and immersive gaming experience."



Anuj Sharma, Country Director - Poco India, further added, "Right from its inception POCO has been delivering high performance devices. We continue to maintain that focus and our partnership with MediaTek is further improving the performance to price ratio for the gaming community. The smartphone gaming market has exploded in the last few years and is witnessing a rapid growth thanks to competitive games especially in the Battle Royale genre. We see the experience around P2P getting better as 5G is going to make a massive difference to the ping rate and bandwidth available for gamers. In fact during the recent launch of POCO M3 Pro 5G, we were able to demonstrate network speeds of 800+ MBPS taking the gaming performance to the next level." "While India is the second-largest online market in the world with around 700 million internet users, more than half of its population still has to be covered with high-speed data connectivity. Even with the current Internet penetration, online gaming surged in India to command 17% of the global market share of installs volume in 2020. The phenomenal rise of online gaming means that it could be the face of the digital India dream. The Indian Government has been remarkable with its digitalization initiatives such as Digital India, PM Digital Saksharta, the Jandhan, Aadhar, and Mobile (JAM) trinity, playing a pivotal role in bridging the digital divide and bringing better e-governance. But to become a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2025, we need all growing digital sectors, especially sunrise sectors like online gaming, to be protected by progressive and supportive policy frameworks that protect our homegrown nimble-footed startups that are generating revenue and creating employment. For any sector to innovate, there is one simple thing that all stakeholders look at - a policy that is stable, predictable, pro-investment, and allows for innovation and disruption. Perhaps, for the first time in modern history, India finds itself leading the world market of emerging technology with limitless potential and applications. We should do everything to retain this edge and stamp India's position as a leader in the global tech-led innovation segment. At the same time, the Indian gaming startups can reinvent India for the rest of the world by creating games that reflect the history, culture and heritage of our great nation," said Dr Subi Chaturvedi, Chief Corporate & Public Affairs Officer, Zupee

Dushyant Saraswat, Founder & CEO, Hunter Games, said, "I would like to congratulate Konnect Worldwide Business Media team for organising such a relevant and insightful event. We at Hunter Games, are always driven by the challenges and excitement of innovation, games and gamification. At the India Gaming Conclave forum, I am glad that I was able to witness similar enthusiasm, learnings and discuss the growth vision of the industry as a whole with representatives from the fraternity." Jeffrey D'cruz, Country Manager, JAB Cloud India, said, "We extend our thanks to AWS & Konnect Worldwide Business Media for assisting us in organising IGC2021 at a huge magnitude of success. We would also like to thank all the leadership speakers & delegates at the forum. Solutions like CDN & Security are our forte. We look forward to associating ourselves and adding extensive value to your business." Commenting on the successful culmination of the event, Rahul Sindhwani, CEO, Konnect Worldwide Business Media said, "The gaming industry in India has come a long way since the early 2000s, and there's an increased focus on the local development of games, large volume of users and rising potential of monetization. Therefore, through India Gaming Conclave we aimed to offer a platform wherein top business leaders, experts and like - minded participants could come together to explore synergies and interact about opportunities, future and all topics that are relevant to reflect upon the sector. I am extremely grateful to our industry partners & leadership speakers for their support and without them this success would not have been possible. We look forward to partnering with them in many editions in future." About Konnect Worldwide Business Media: Konnect Worldwide Business Media is India's leading live business media and events company that engages people and enriches businesses .Through its most knowledgeable and experienced event experts, it organizes strongly conceptualized and content-led conferences & seminars and exhibitions, webinars, corporate events and briefings. Its conferences are major industry gatherings focusing on strategy, innovation, technology and customers and its trade exhibitions are marketplaces for global business. It operates from a network of offices in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Media Contact: Aman Khanna

aman@konnectworldwide.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1551431/India_Gaming_Logo.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Ivory Coast transport start-up Moja Ride partners with O-CITY by BPC for its next phase of growth in mobility innovation

LONDON and ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Moja Ride, an Ivorian startup providing a reservation and cashless payment system for transport services in Abidjan, today announced it has partnered with O-CITY for its next phase of digital innovation and future expansion. Founded in 2020, Moja Ride is an application that allows commuters to book and pay for their rides digitally, while also enabling transport operators to manage their fleet, routes and payment methods. The app is available in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast, which has over 35,000 share-taxis ("Woro-Woro") and 8,000 minibuses ("Gbaka") - all managed independently by vehicle owners. Since its launch, Moja Ride has gained a growing market share across multiple transport services in the city, supporting over 1,200 taxis and buses. The company plans to continue its growth by driving innovation in mobility services in Abidjan and elsewhere in West Africa with help from O-CITY - a leading automated fare collection solution that operates in 130 cities around the world. Through its open loop platform, O-CITY will enable public transport drivers to accept different payment methods from passengers, including QR code, NFC, and prepaid cards such as the 'Moja Carte' which can be topped up to pay for public transport. The recharge is done either through mobile money or a network of agents. Transport operators, owners and drivers can also track their revenue in real time and manage their fleet for the first time. According to Jean-Claude Gouesse, founder of Moja Ride, the public transportation idustry worldwide is becoming less dependent on proprietary closed loop payment solutions. Africa, with little legacy infrastructure to slow down progress, has the potential to leapfrog the rest of the world by harnessing the benefits of mobile technology and payments processing solutions to deliver a better and safer customer experience for commuters and transportation providers.



"O-CITY's technology is the key to accelerating the delivery of a frictionless payment experience that benefits everyone," explained Gouesse. "At the moment, the siloed nature of the mobility market with thousands of owners makes it difficult to ensure transparency in terms of pricing and operational management. The dependance on cash as primary fare payment method creates an unsafe and dangerous experience for both riders and drivers. Through our partnership with O-CITY, Moja Ride can quickly answer the needs of drivers, riders, the vehicle owners, and the financial institutions that are seeking further transparency to facilitate lending processes. Drivers gain improved efficiency to foster business growth while commuters can use the app to plan their journey and hop on and off public transport faster through digital payments - all while helping to reduce the spread of virus transmission through the handling of cash." Tokhir Abdukadyrov, Director of O-CITY, said, "We are thrilled that Moja Ride has selected us as its preferred partner. With our support, the company can achieve its mission to ease travel journeys for both commuters and transport operators through digital transformation. O-CITY enables tap-to-pay for travellers using their card or any other means of payment and addresses the response to social distancing requirements and contact-free precautions. This will not only improve the quality of the country's public transport but also put Moja on a path towards greater domination of the contactless payments space in the Ivory Coast and beyond."

Moja's partnership with O-CITY comes hot on the heels of a series of funding rounds from leading global investors, including Orange Ventures and most recently Toyota Tsusho Corporation ("Toyota Tsusho") and its group company CFAO SAS ("CFAO"). The company was also the winner of the prestigious Mobility54 Special Prize at the Startups in AFRICA, hosted by Nikkei Inc. ("Nikkei") and the Japan International Cooperation Agency ("JICA"). About O-CITY Adopted by more than 130 cities worldwide, O-CITY is an innovative automated fare collection solution designed by BPC, a leading banking and payment firm with in excess of 350 clients across more than 90 countries. O-CITY was born from the vision of digitalising micro-payments as a key driver of a cashless economy while improving the well-being of citizens. With O-CITY, government, public transport operators and merchants can deliver a frictionless payment experience at every touch point leveraging smart, digital and open technologies. (tollgate, bus, train, subway, parking facility, bike rental or city tourist attraction). Citizens can move freely and make quick payments using their mobile or existing bank card, removing the need for cash or queuing at a ticket counter. www.O-CITY.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Cambridge University Spin-out Lucida Medical Joins GE Healthcare Edison Accelerator Programme

Cambridge start-up Lucida Medical has today announced that it has joined the Edison Accelerator, a programme designed by GE Healthcare in partnership with innovation organisation Wayra UK, to support early-stage and technologically advanced businesses developing AI applications for healthcare. Participation in the Edison Accelerator programme is a major advance towards Lucida Medical's goal to disrupt the cancer diagnostic pathway with technology that finds prostate cancer more accurately by analysing MRI, enabling radiologists to save time and patients to receive the best possible diagnosis and treatment. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in Europe, Africa and North and South America, with 1.4 million diagnosed worldwide each year and 375,000 deaths. Earlier and better detection saves lives. The Edison Accelerator creates a collaborative environment for start-ups, research centres, hospitals, clinicians and large corporations across the EMEA region. It aims to foster open innovation and digital transformation of healthcare. Lucida Medical was invited to join the Edison Accelerator programme for its pioneering work in helping identify prostate cancer and its exceptional development team led by Prof Evis Sala and Dr Antony Rix, both highly experienced in artificial intelligence, or AI, medical technology. In joining the Edison Accelerator programme, Lucida Medical will: Receive mentoring on problem validation, busiess, regulatory and clinical validation, and deployment.

Participate in joint pilots between start-up and healthcare partners.

Access support in customer discovery and product validation.

Access support in adapting, integrating and launching solutions on the Edison marketplace.

Access GE Healthcare global commercial force and customers in various markets.

Receive support for clinical studies and regulatory preparation in target geographies.



Dr Antony Rix, CEO and Co-founder, said: "That Lucida Medical has been chosen to join the prestigious Edison Accelerator programme is both a demonstration of confidence in the technology and our team. This development comes soon after our Prostate Intelligence technology received a CE mark. The support of GE Healthcare and Wayra will help us develop further our technology and access new partners and markets."

Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Prof Evis Sala, Professor of Oncological Imaging at the University of Cambridge, said: "We are tremendously excited by our ability to support radiologists to detect cancer accurately and early. The Edison Accelerator programme will now help us bring our technology into clinical use." XTX Ventures, the venture capital arm of XTX Markets, provided Lucida Medical with early-stage investment capital from a group of investors in March 2021. ## ENDS ## About Lucida Medical

Lucida Medical develops AI systems to assist clinicians to detect and diagnose cancer using MRI. Its technology helps radiologists find cancer more accurately leading to earlier diagnosis and removing unnecessary biopsies. Lucida Medical was founded by Dr Antony Rix, an expert in medical devices, machine learning and AI, and Prof Evis Sala, Professor of Oncological Imaging at the University of Cambridge & Addenbrooke's Hospital. Prostate Intelligence, the company's first product, has received a CE mark and is available in certain countries. The software is not for sale in the US. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005007/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] ATFX's MT4 Trading Volume Ranks among the Top Five Worldwide for Three Consecutive Quarters

LONDON, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Finance Magnates recently released its Market Intelligence Report for Q1 2021, which ranks most global brokers based on different criteria. The report highlights the various developments in the global financial markets in Q1, including clients' trading volume and activity at each broker in detail. ATFX is honoured to announce that its MT4 trading volume was ranked among the top 5 MT4 brokers globally for the third consecutive quarter, with the MT4 trading volume reaching US$139 billion. The ranking demonstrates ATFX's strong standing in the industry driven by its desire to meets its clients' need and serve them professionally. ATFX's management team believes that "the interests of clients override everything, and all our decisions are for the interests of clients". ATFX always strives to provide clients with high-quality services and an efficient trading experience, which is why it launched the new brand AT Premier for local investors in the Middle East, and the ATFX TeamUp APP for Latin America. At the same time, the annual total trading volume of ATFX connect, ATFX's institutional arm, increased by more than 500% year on year.



From its establishment up to now, ATFX has gone through multiple upgrades. The broker is constantly developing new features to improve its clients' experience. Some of the recent upgrades include the launch of an upgraded member centre, a revamped trading platform, better platform interface management, cash management, and shock warnings triggered by significant events. In 2021, ATFX has won 7 global awards including the "Best Financial Technology Broker", the "Best Trading Experience", the "Best MT4 Broker in Asia". ATFX remains committed to its original aspiration of making the financial markets accessible to traders from every corner of the world via developing innovative technologies and expanding product portfolio to create increased opportunities for traders.

ATFX intro: ATFX is an award winning FX/CFD broker with an established global presence. Globally, the company has offices around the world including London, Dubai, Mexico, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines offering support to its clients in more than 15 different languages.? ATFX is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK, the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) in Cyprus, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Mauritius, and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.? www.atfx.com SOURCE ATFX

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Only 13% of online retailers deliver a completely personalized customer experience, reveals Netcore Cloud's E-commerce Personalization Benchmark Report 2021

MUMBAI, India, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Netcore Cloud is a globally recognized marketing technology SaaS company offering unified customer views, orchestrating omnichannel communication journeys, personalizing the apps and websites, optimizing user experience, real-time reporting, and actionable analytics for over the past 23 years. Netcore Cloud collaborated with Wakefield Research, a leading, independent quantitative, qualitative, and hybrid market research and market intelligence provider, to create a detailed Ecommerce Personalization Benchmark Report 2021. The finding of this research report is based on a study conducted by Netcore & Wakefield Research across 200 e-commerce retailers & 600 e-commerce shoppers between February & March 2021. The report offers profound insight into the personalization goals and challenges of online retailers. Speaking about the report, Kalpit Jain - Group CEO, said, "e-commerce brands globally are increasingly focusing on Personalization as more and more shoppers lookout for a personalized customer experience while shopping on e-commerce platforms. However, the concept of Personalization can have a very different meaning to retailers and customers alike, which is resulting in varying levels of customized experiences across the e-commerce landscape." "There is a definitive need for a report that would help leading e-commerce brands make informed decisions," he added. This report ("Ecommerce Personalization Benchmark Report 2021") answers many questions on the state of Personalization in e-commerce:



What is the cost of falling behind that e-commerce brands are experiencing when their personalization endeavors do not match customer expectations? What benchmarks should e-commerce brands pursue on their personalization efforts? What is the ROI from investments in Personalization? What rewards are e-commerce brands reaping from their personalization efforts? What are the hottest innovation trends in e-commerce personalization? And many more. Further, the report quantifies the cost of falling behind for e-commerce brands when shoppers do not find the Personalization on e-commerce platforms adequate. It highlights the top challenges that online retailers face in their personalization efforts. The Ecommerce Personalization Benchmark Report 2021 reveals critical insights on Personalization that every e-commerce brand can use to benchmark their personalization efforts as they try to match the shopper's expectations:The report defines average conversion rates in the e-commerce industry. It highlights the impact of Personalization on other key metrics like ROI, average revenue per user, average order value, etc. It also reveals how the 70% of users abandoning the cart as a stat is not valid anymore and reveals a new norm.

About Netcore Cloud Netcore Cloud is a globally recognized marketing technology SaaS company. It offers full-stack Martech products that help product and growth marketers deliver AI-powered intelligent customer experiences across all touchpoints of the user journey. The platform is an all-in-one solution for building unified customer views, orchestrating omnichannel communication journeys, personalizing the apps and websites, optimizing user experience, real-time reporting, and actionable analytics. All the products are designed to scale, with a focus on ROI. Netcore Cloud delivers 12+ billion emails and tracks 100+ billion marketing events every month for the world's top marketers. Netcore Cloud serves over 5000 clients spread across 18 countries. Industry-leading brands like Canon, Disney+ Hotstar, Jockey, Puma, The Body Shop, Jack & Jones, Tommy Hilfiger, SOTC, MakeMyTrip, Vedantu, MPL, Standard Chartered, Swiggy, Pizza Hut, and McDonald's trust Netcore Cloud to power their customer acquisition, engagement, and retention goals. Netcore Cloud has been in business for 20+ years and operates out of India, the USA, Germany, Nigeria, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, and UAE. For additional information, please contact us at hello@netcorecloud.com About Wakefield Research Wakefield Research is a leading, independent quantitative, qualitative, and hybrid market research and market intelligence provider. Wakefield Research supports the world's most prominent brands and agencies, including 50 Fortune 100, in 90 countries. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1495164/Netcore_Cloud_Logo.jpg

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] GSMA Partners with Cision PR Newswire for MWC Barcelona 2021

BARCELONA, Spain, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ -- GSMA announced today that Cision PR Newswire will be the official media and communications partner for the organization's flagship mobile industry and technology event, MWC Barcelona 2021. The event is being held from June 28 through July 1, 2021. Every year, MWC brings together leading companies and trailblazers to share the latest topics relevant to the future of the mobile and tech ecosystems. PR Newswire, an industry-leading content distribution network and media advisory platform, is powering the official MWC21 Online Press Room. Event Exhibitors and PR Newswire members will use the Online Press Room to share show news, multimedia assets and other content with attendees, media and members of the public. Exhibitors can gain visibility in the press room by purchasing a show package here: https://mwc.vporoom.com/order "We are excited to have PR Newswire as our official media partner for this year's event," said Lara Dewar, Global Head PR & Communications at GSMA. "MWC21 is a hybrid event so, ensuring a seamless experience regardless of an attendee's location or platform is critical. PR Newswire's team is creative and solutions oriented. I'm delighted that they are helping us bring press resources into this virtual space allowing media from around the world, to access important content." PR Newswire has provided tips for companies navigating a hybrid event strategy in their guide, 3 Ways to Increase Your Visibility at MWC.



The theme of this year's event is Connected Impact and attendees will explore how AI, 5G, Big Data, and IoT will shape the future and continue to transform lives. It's time to reconnect, rebuild  and reimagine a more connected world. To attend the event, please register here.

About Cision

As a global leader in PR, marketing and social media management technology and intelligence, Cision helps brands and organizations to identify, connect and engage with customers and stakeholders to drive business results. PR Newswire, a network of over 1.1 billion influencers, in-depth monitoring, analytics and its Brandwatch and Falcon.io social media platforms headline a premier suite of solutions. Cision has offices in 24 countries throughout the Americas, EMEA and APAC. For more information about Cision's award-winning solutions, including its next-gen Cision Communications Cloud, visit www.cision.com and follow @Cision on Twitter. About GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting more than 750 operators with almost 400 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and internet companies, as well as organisations in adjacent industry sectors. The GSMA also produces the industry-leading MWC events held annually in Barcelona, Africa, Los Angeles and Shanghai, as well as the Thrive Series of regional conferences. For more information, please visit the GSMA corporate website at www.gsma.com. Follow the GSMA on Twitter: @GSMA. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gsma-partners-with-cision-pr-newswire-for-mwc-barcelona-2021-301319981.html SOURCE GSMA

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] American Oncology Institute at Citizens Specialty Hospital performed a Free Life-Saving Surgery for a Two-Year Old, Akshaya

HYDERABAD, India, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Two-year-old baby Akshaya, suffering from a life-threatening neoplastic swelling measuring 8.8cms x 8.1cm on the right side of her neck pushing major blood vessels in the region and obstructing the supply of blood to the brain, underwent a successful surgery by doctors of American Oncology Institute at Citizens Specialty Hospital, Hyderabad. A team of robotic onco surgeons lead by Dr. Jagdishwar Goud Gajagowni performed the surgery that included identification, dissection, and preservation of the carotid artery, as well as of the nerve which produces voice. The team also separated off food pipe and breathing pipe before the bleeding was secured and surgery completed satisfactorily. "The little child had been suffering from the condition for over a year and a half. The swelling has been exerting pressure on food & breathing pipe of the child, thereby manifesting in as a life-threatening condition," says Dr. Jagdishwar Goud, Head of Department for Surgical Oncology & Robotic Surgery at the American Oncology Institute. Hailing from a remote village in the state of Telangana, the parents have been running from pillar to post to find a solution for the swelling. Unable to find a viable solution, and afford the costs associated with those offered, a person known to the family made an online plea to the Minister Shri KT Rama Rao, who promised to help the ailing child. American Oncology Institute along with Dr. Jagdishwar stepped up and volunteered to handle the surgcal procedure, and Shri KTR's office got in touch with him to work out the modalities concerning the surgery. Dr. Bala Vikas Kumar and Dr.Challa Teja assisted Dr. Jagdishwar in the procedure, and it was completed within 24 hours of the hospitalization.



Following a period of post-op observation, the little one was satisfactorily discharged from the Hospital. American Oncology Institute honored its commitment to accessible cancer care and enabled the surgery without any financial burden to the family. AOI endeavors to continue its efforts to provide advanced cancer care at subsidized costs so that all in the society could have access to best-in-class benchmarked carcer care. "American Oncology Institute (AOI) is committed to accessible, best-in-class Cancer care for our patients in South Asia. AOI has an internal program to help the underprivileged and provide them treatments at free and subsidized rates so that they are not denied our expertise," says Dr. Prabhakar, Regional Director, American Oncology Institute, Hyderabad. He further added, "We are happy to share that the patient was treated through this initiative."

Minister Shri KT Rama Rao, expressed his delight and lauded the expertise of the doctor and the hospital in bringing much needed-relief to baby Akshaya. About American Oncology Institute (AOI): American Oncology Institute (A unit of Cancer Treatment Services Hyderabad Pvt Ltd) is a wholly owned subsidiary of CTSI (Mauritius) Ltd , which is owned & Controlled by Varian Medical Systems, Inc (ultimate holding company is Siemens Healthineers AG). American Oncology Institute is a leading cancer care provider across South Asia. It operates a chain of cancer hospitals in multiple cities across India. American Oncology Institute was co-founded in 2006 by a group of physicians and industry experts, with decades of experience in University of Pittsburgh Medical College (UPMC), Pittsburgh, USA in managing oncology practices. AOI brings US university-level medical care to underserved areas worldwide. AOI was started with an aim to close the gap between standards of cancer care in South Asia and the US through transporting the rich lineage of its parent organization in offering Precision Cancer Care. AOI provides comprehensive cancer management that is powered by clinical excellence, world-class technology as well as international pathways and protocols for treatment planning and execution, providing never-before quality in cancer care across India and South Asia. Equipped with the world's latest medical technology including TrueBeam Linear Accelerator, American Oncology Institute stands at the forefront of cancer care excellence.



[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Leading innovation for self-directed investors: RBC Direct Investing launches customizable, web-based Trading Dashboard, free for all clients

Advanced charting capabilities, drawing tools and real-time visual indicators make it easy to spot and act on opportunities

Video tutorials help investors navigate dynamic capabilities TORONTO, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ - RBC Direct Investing is leading Canadian bank-owned online brokerages with its latest innovation for self-directed investors: the launch today of a customizable, web-based Trading Dashboard, available free to all its clients. In response to client feedback, the Trading Dashboard includes a number of features that make it stand out in the Canadian online brokerage space, including no need to download. This dynamic Trading Dashboard elevates the trading experience for self-directed investors, making it easier to monitor and trade with confidence. The features include: Trading Dashboard is latest value-add for RBC Direct Investing, as it continues to build upon its self-serve options The ability to easily customize views with the investor's choice of interactive components and widgets, providing advanced traders with full control of how they view market data

News and research readily accessible on the Dashboard

Advanced charting capabilities, drawing tools, and real-time visual indicators to give investors an in-depth picture of North American equity markets, making it easier to spot opportunities and act on them

Online video tutorials embedded in the Dashboard to help clients get started and make full use of this powerful platform "Our clients told us what they were looking for and the features we've introduced reflect their feedback, including their two top asks for the Dashboard: the ability to customize and configure views and the ability to access news and research," noted Lori Darlington, President & CEO, RBC Direct Investing. "This is such an exciting time for self-directed investors and the online brokerage industry, as we continue to see more Canadians choosing to start trading themselves." Darlington added, "We're committed to enabling this trend and responding to the needs of both new and more experienced investors. We'll continue to innovate, to deliver additional capabilities to support our clients." The Trading Dashboard is the latest value-add for RBC Direct Investing, as it continues to build upon its self-serve options to bring investors a superior investing experience. Other enhancements include: A Value Analyzer tool that gives clients a concise view of key information to help them evaluate a stock's value, complete with a forecasting feature that shows the fair value of a company change, based on shifting assumptions for earnings growth.

tool that gives clients a concise view of key information to help them evaluate a stock's value, complete with a forecasting feature that shows the fair value of a company change, based on shifting assumptions for earnings growth. The consolidation of screeners for stocks, ETFs and mutual funds on one link in the navigation menu, so invetors can populate a watch list with multiple investment products without the need to navigate from page to page.

for stocks, ETFs and mutual funds on one link in the navigation menu, so invetors can populate a watch list with multiple investment products without the need to navigate from page to page. Free access to real-time streaming quotes for all clients. This includes Level 2 quotes on TSX and TSX-V with up-to-the-moment information about the top 10 bid and ask prices  essentially bringing clients onto the trading floor by enabling them to quickly move from monitoring up-to-the-moment information to placing trades.



In addition, the online brokerage's Investing Academy offers a wealth of articles with investing insights and how-to resources, including a series of Investing Guides that can help new and experienced investors find the answers they need quickly. As examples:

For newer investors: Investing Truths: Investors' Tips for Getting Started

For investors looking to build on their knowledge: How Do ETFs Compare to Mutual Funds?

For investing 'pros' looking for a bit more of an edge: Why Investors Sometimes Make Poor Sell Decisions More information about what RBC Direct Investing brings to the online investing experience is available at www.rbcdirectinvesting.com. About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 86,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.? We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact. About RBC Direct Investing

A leading Canadian online brokerage, RBC Direct Investing provides an intuitive, reliable trading experience, through its three powerful trading platforms: the online investing site, the web-based Trading Dashboard and the re-imagined Mobile experience  for self-directed investors who want to be in control of their investment decisions and access to markets at low cost. Extensive investor resources include research from experts and earlier innovations such as Practice Accounts and the Community social network help investors increase their knowledge and confidence. Clients with account and trading inquiries also have access to experienced investment services representatives who can assist in multiple languages (English, French, Cantonese and Mandarin). In addition, all clients automatically have free access to real-time streaming quotes for stocks and ETFs. RBC Direct Investing is a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada and a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. For more information, please visit www.rbcdirectinvesting.com. SOURCE RBC Direct Investing

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] We're Back in Vegas and Online - BICSI to Host In-Person and Virtual Fall Conference & Exhibition 22 - 26 August

TAMPA, Fla., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BICSI, the global association leading the advancement of the information and communications technology (ICT) profession, is in full-throttle mode registering enterprising professionals for its Fall Hybrid Conference & Exhibition, an unprecedented industry event to be held 22-26 August 2021 at The Venetian Resort/Sands Expo Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Information and communications technology (ICT) professionals will meet in Las Vegas and online for BICSI's Fall Conference. As communities worldwide transition back to an in-person lifestyle, BICSI is fully embracing all the benefits associated with face-to-face learning and networking. Once again, attendees will be able to connect in person while enjoying the full Fall Conference experience in Las Vegas. In addition, those who are unable to attend in person can still take part in the conference via a virtual platform. On-site keynote speakers in Las Vegas will live-stream to virtual attendees. On Tuesday morning, 24 August, Tom Smith, ENV SP, CAE, FASCE, CEO of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), will sit down with BICSI President Todd W. Taylor, RCDD, NTS, OSP, to discuss how to anticipate, reimagine, and prepare for future changes in "FUTURE WORLD VISION: Infrastructure Reimagined."



On Thursday, 26 August, Lieutenant General Ronald L. Bailey, USMC (Ret.) and National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) Vice President of Industry Development, will address both in-person and virtual attendees with "What is Your Leadership Blueprint?" With decades of military and ICT leadership experience, attendees will gain valuable leadership insights that will benefit any organization or individual in the ever-changing business environment. The Venetian Resort, where every room is a suite, is the official hotel for the 2021 BICSI Fall Conference. Attendees can enjoy pampering amenities including award-winning eats and lounges, a ride down the Grand Canal on a Venetian gondola, shopping in the Grand Canal Shoppes as well as the gyms, pools, spas, and a 3D gaming room that visitors might expect from a luxury resort. With everything they need essentially under one roof, attendees won't even need to step out into the Nevada heat once they arrive at the hotel. The early-bird hotel discount for attendees will be available through 19 July.

Additionally, BICSI is taking many aspects of their past virtual conferences and applying them to those who cannot physically meet their ICT colleagues in August. Virtual attendees can watch educational sessions from their home office, as well as tour the Exhibit Hall via their computer or mobile device. Companies like Diamond Sponsor Sumitomo Electric Lightwave will be there to share their game-changing advancements. This year's conference includes more than 35 industry leading presentations covering all areas of ICT including: smart cities, intelligent buildings, Internet of Things (IoT), Power over Ethernet (PoE), data centers, audiovisual technologies, optical fiber, passive optical networks (PON), wireless, distributed antenna systems (DAS), and more. Professionals seeking career advancement will have several opportunities to explore next steps for their ICT journey while swapping stories with colleagues. Packed with innovative products and subject-matter experts, companies facing industry roadblocks may discover novel solutions. Past BICSI virtual conference attendee, John Raye, RCDD, OSP, RTPM, INSTF, TECH, said, "I hope that BICSI continues with a hybrid conference moving forward (virtual and in-person options)," he said. "I really like the swag bag option/idea and having access to sessions and exhibits for 30 days after the conference is great." The conference will also include "What's New, What's It Do?" product presentations in the BICSI Theatre on the exhibit floor. Attendees will be able to watch back-to-back demonstrations from multiple exhibitors, each offering a unique sampling of their specialized area within the ICT industry. For more information, visit bicsi.org/fall. About BICSI

BICSI is a professional association supporting the advancement of the information and communications technology (ICT) profession and currently serves more than 26,000 members and credential holders. BICSI is the preeminent resource for the Connected World. Headquartered in Tampa, Florida, USA, BICSI membership spans nearly 100 countries. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/were-back-in-vegas-and-online---bicsi-to-host-in-person-and-virtual-fall-conference--exhibition-22--26-august-301319999.html SOURCE BICSI

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Nytro.ai Wins 2 Gold Globee Awards for Best Sales Enablement Solution and Best Sales Training Solution of the Year in the 8th Annual 2021 Sales and Customer Service Excellence Awards

PALO ALTO, Calif., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nytro.ai, the leading Pitch Intelligence platform for experiential onboarding and sales readiness, today announced that The Globee Awards, organizers of world's premier business awards programs and business ranking lists, has named Nytro.ai a two-time Gold Globee winner in the 8th Annual 2021 Sales and Customer Service Excellence Awards. These prestigious global awards recognize achievements in sales, service, support, and business development from all over the world. The annual Sales and Customer Service Excellence Awards are industry and peer international competition honoring achievements in disciplines that create the best customer experience for business successes everywhere. Nytro.ai was recognized in the following categories: Gold Globee Winner for Best Sales Enablement Solution

Gold Globee Winner for Best Sales Training Solution of the Year "It's an honor to be recognized as an industry leader by the Globee Awards and we couldn't be more proud for receiving the Gold Award for both the Best Sales Enablement Solution and the Best Sales Training Solution of the Year," said Mike Stone, CEO of Nytro.ai. "This further validates our position as the leading SaaS provider in preparing sales reps and customer-facing teams to confidently and effectively pitch at scale." Nytro.ai is an AI-Powered Pitch Intelligence platform that is changing the way sales and customer-facing team leaders onboard and continually prepare their teams. The platform integrates ongoing real-world pitch practice scenarios to identify which customer-facing reps are ready to speak to prospects before they get on live calls. Nytro.ai uses artificial intelligence to score, grade and rank pitch submissions against best practice examples, giving managers instant insights into rep readiness acrss a number of useful dimensions. Companies utilizing Nytro.ai see faster sales productivity ramp periods, higher win rates, and greater ability to adapt to change.



The Globee Sales and Customer Service Excellence Awards is the world's premier recognitions program created to honor industry-wide and peer achievements of individuals, teams, departments, most valuable professionals, milestones, and champions in Sales & Customer Success, Customer Service & Contact Centers, Sales and Service Enablement which includes Training, Consulting, and Outsourcing. To learn more about Nytro.ai visit: nytro.ai

About Nytro.ai

Nytro.ai is the leading Pitch Intelligence platform for sales onboarding and readiness. Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning, Nytro.ai can analyze customer-facing rep pitches and demos at scale, providing instant visibility into rep performance and actionable insights that accelerate onboarding, improve readiness and increase sales velocity. Fortune 100 companies along with Global 1000 companies are benefiting from Nytro.ai's modern and intuitive platform to enable customer-facing reps and their managers with the sales readiness and pitching confidence needed in the new age of remote selling. For more information, please visit Nytro.ai. About the Globee Awards

Globee Awards are conferred in eleven programs and competition: the CEO World Awards, the Consumer World Awards, The Customer Sales & Service World Awards, the Globee International Best in Business Awards, the Golden Bridge Awards, the Cyber Security Global Excellence Awards and Security World Awards, the IT World Awards, One Planet American Best in Business Awards, the Globee Employer Excellence Awards, the Globee Corporate Communications & Marketing World Awards, and the Women World Awards. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind their success, the Globee Awards recognize outstanding achievements and performances in businesses worldwide. Learn more about the Globee Awards at https://globeeawards.com Media Contact:

Rajiv Parikh

650.218.1121

313028@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nytroai-wins-2-gold-globee-awards-for-best-sales-enablement-solution-and-best-sales-training-solution-of-the-year-in-the-8th-annual-2021-sales-and-customer-service-excellence-awards-301319669.html SOURCE Nytro.ai

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Ally Law Launches New Legal Services Platform Focused on Latin America

MINNEAPOLIS, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ally Law, a prominent global network, is pleased to announce AllyLatinx, a collaborative regional platform for delivering international services in eight countries and 11 dynamic cities across the Americas. This project unites more than 250 top-tier lawyers and nine member firms that are, individually and collectively, highly ranked by Chambers, Legal 500 and IFLR. An invitation-only organization, Ally Law maintains the quality and reliability of its member firms through rigorous vetting processes and ongoing monitoring of client satisfaction. Ally Law Director Juan Pablo M. Cardinal, a founding partner in Buenos Aires, Argentina member firm Richards, Cardinal, Tutzer, Zabala, Zaefferer, commented, "In the last year, we have added several dynamic new firms in the region, with proven credentials in our key business sectors. The AllyLatinx initiative is an exciting next step. Our alternative model offers high service standards and competitive pricing with firms bound by common quality standards and a similar business culture, rather than merger." AllyLatinx has launched with nine member firms in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Information about the participating firms is available through a new online resource (https://allylatinx.com) that provides legal news, regional member firm credentials, and information on practice areas and industries of focus for the region.



Added Paul Franke, president of Ally Law and a partner in Denver, Colorado member firm Moye White, "Our member firms and their clients continue to see commercial, infrastructure, and international trade opportunities throughout Latin America. As an organization, our primary goal is to help clients identify potential collaborations, negotiate forward-thinking deals and achieve their business objectives. AllyLatinx further enhances our ability to meet these needs." About Ally Law

Ally Law, a Chambers-ranked Global Network, provides sophisticated legal services to major corporations, with a sharp focus on value and efficiency. Our 70+ firms include nearly 3,000 lawyers in 100 business centers worldwide. For more information, visit www.ally-law.com.

Press contact:

Wendy Horn

Ally Law

+1.612.770.6046

313038@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ally-law-launches-new-legal-services-platform-focused-on-latin-america-301320034.html SOURCE Ally Law

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] K12 Private Academy Celebrates Class of 2021 with Virtual Graduation Ceremony

After a year like no other, K12 Private Academy, a private online college preparatory school serving K-12 students worldwide, will celebrate its graduates with a virtual commencement ceremony on Friday, June 25, 2021. This year, K12 Private Academy will graduate 180 students. Collectively, the Class of 2021 reports receiving scholarships of more than $4.1 million The graduating class reports it has been accepted to colleges and universities across the world, including: American University, Brown University, Carnegie Mellon University, Elon University, Georgia Institute of Technology (News - Alert) , Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Spellman College, and Yale University. "I'm excited to recognize the hard work of all of our graduating students," said Leslie Smith, K12 Private Academy Head of School. "All of the graduates have demonstrated their dedication to reach this point. No matter where they are, we know that they are ready to grow into leaders as they pursue their passions and make an impact on their community." The guest speaker for the commencement address is Class of 2020 valedictorian Ariana Carden. Now a student at Carnegie Mellon University double majoring in Chemical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, Ariana will speak wth graduating students and share the exciting opportunities that come as a graduate of K12 Private Academy.



K12 Private Academy's curriculum is delivered through live online classes with credentialed teachers who share a passion for meeting the needs of all students. Students in kindergarten through 12th grade study the core subjects of math, science, English/language arts, honors, and Advanced Placement options. K12 Private Academy's online setting enables students to access this unique learning opportunity across the world. Through the Stride Career Prep program at K12 Private Academy, full-time and part-time students in grades six through twelve can get a head start on future career paths. Stride Career Prep offers career learning courses in a variety of in-demand fields, such as business, health and human services, and information technology. Students gain exposure to a wide range of college and career paths to pursue after earning their high school diploma.

Students choose online school for a variety of reasons, including advanced learning, special needs, the safety of a bullying-free environment, and a schedule that supports academics while balancing extracurricular pursuits or medical needs. Details of the event are as follows: WHAT: K12 Private Academy Virtual Commencement Ceremony

WHEN: June 25, 2021 | 2 PM EST

WHERE: Virtual - Link available upon request. About K12 Private Academy K12 Private Academy, a program operated by K12 International Academy, is a private online college preparatory school for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. K12 International Academy, doing business as K12 Private Academy for the 2020-2021 school year, is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI) and is recognized as a diploma-granting institution by the Virginia Council for Private Education. In addition to accreditation, many of the school's courses meet NCAA requirements. Credentialed teachers deliver a personalized education experience using the online classroom platform provided by K12, a Stride company (NYSE: LRN). Stride offers learners of all ages a more effective way to learn and build skills for their future. For more information about K12 Private Academy, visit https://www.k12privateacademy.com/. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005017/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] ID Technologies Featured on CRN's 2021 Solution Provider 500 List

ID Technologies, a systems solutions provider that is focused on delivering mission IT outcomes to its Public Sector customers, announced that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named ID Technologies to its 2021 Solution Provider 500 list for the third year in a row. CRN announces its top 500 solution providers list each year, ranking the leading IT channel partner organizations across North America by revenue. This year's impressive list represents a remarkable combined revenue of over $403 billion, underscoring the immense impact and influence these partners have on the IT industry today. "We are honored to be recognized on the Solution Provider 500 list for the third consecutive year," stated ID Technologies CEO, Chris Oliver. "Being ranked on CRN's Solution Provider list continues to demonstrate the growth the company is achieving by applying its deep mission understanding to working with our partner ecosystem to develop innovations that solve highly complex problems faced by federal customers." "CRN's Solution Provider 500 list serves as the industry standard for top-performing technology integrators, strategic service providers, and IT consultants, which makes it a valuable resource for technology vendors looking to partner with today's best-of-breed IT solution providers," said Blaine Raddon, CEO of The Channel Copany. "On behalf of The Channel Company, I'd like to congratulate these companies for their incredible contributions to the growth and success of the IT channel."



The complete 2021 Solution Provider 500 list is available online at www.CRN.com/SP500 and a sample from the list will be featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine. About ID Technologies

ID Technologies is dedicated to developing, delivering, and integrating forward-thinking, proprietary, reliable solutions to government customers in the Intelligence, Civilian and Federal markets. Trusted with over 20 Government Contracts, ID Technologies pairs market leading technologies and supportive acquisition strategies with agility, expertise, and mission-understanding to enable government agencies to achieve mission success. ID Technologies calls this approach "Accelerating Simplicity" - making it easier for their customers to buy and use IT that is fit-for-purpose, at mission speed. For more information, please visit www.idtec.com. About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers, and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequalled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelcompany.com Follow The Channel Company: Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005041/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] New Goldman Sachs and Bipartisan Policy Center Report Reveals Systemic Roadblocks for Small Businesses in Federal Contracting Process

In partnership with the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices program released a new report detailing the systemic barriers small businesses face during the federal procurement process. The report offers policy recommendations that Congress should consider including in an infrastructure package or other legislation to reform the system. The report revealed that, over the last 10 years, there has been a 38% decline in the number of small businesses participating as federal contractors. Even more dramatically, the number of small businesses entering the procurement marketplace as new entrants declined by 79% from 2005 to 2019. Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices found that 88% of small business owners support changes to the federal procurement process.



Furthermore, while federal agencies have met annual goals of spending 23% of procurement dollars with small businesses for seven consecutive years, the government has generally failed to meet procurement goals for women-owned small businesses and small businesses located in historically underutilized business zones. Since 1994, the federal government has only met its goal of awarding 5% of contracts to women-owned small businesses twice and it has never met the 3% HUBZone goal. "It's deeply troubling that the federal government has failed to meet its own goals for small business contracts over the last 20 years," said Joe Wall, director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices program. "Our report makes clear that significant reforms are needed to ensure the federal contracting process gives small businesses a level playing field to compete and succeed."

"The Bipartisan Policy Center is proud to partner with the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices community to raise awareness about this important issue that impacts small businesses and our economy," said Dane Stangler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Bipartisan Policy Center. "Policy action by Congress and the Administration to reform federal procurement can increase access for small business and strengthen the American industrial base." The new report also outlines a number of different policy priorities that can promote greater small business participation in federal contracting, including: expand the breadth of small business participation, increase diversity, and reduce entry barriers; enhance assistance for small businesses to increase competition; improve transparency, accountability, and oversight; and modernize the 8(a) program to streamline the certification process at the beginning and for annual renewal. The full report with detailed policy recommendations for procurement reform can be found here. ABOUT 10,000 SMALL BUSINESSES VOICES Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices is an initiative for program participants to organize and advocate for policies that matter to them. It builds on Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, which over the past decade has provided access to education, capital, and support services to more than 10,000 small business owners across all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005033/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Aviation Capital Group Receives Two Aviation 100 Awards

Aviation Capital Group LLC ("ACG"), received the Aviation 100 "Americas Editor's Deal of the Year" award for the Aircraft Financing Solutions ("AFS") $1 billion Funding Facility and the Aviation 100 "Asia-Pacific Supported Finance Deal of the Year" for the $500 million NEXI Loan Financing. ACG launched its AFS Program in March 2018, which focuses on the development and marketing of credit-enhanced financing structures to provide airline customers more alternatives and greater access to additional sources of capital for aircraft purchases. The AFS funding facility was structured by Credit Agricole, and the initial $650 million commitment was provided by a syndicate of ACG's relationship banks including Credit Agricole, Societe Generale, BNP Paribas, Commerzbank, Caixa Bank, and Credit Industriel et Commercial Bank. The facility has an accordion feature that enables ACG to increase the amount of the facility to $1 billion. "As a compliment to the ACG guarantee product, the funding facility enabled ACG to expand its aircraft financing program at the height of the pandemic when bank lending for aircraft finance had moderated and, in some cases, withdrawnentirely," said Bob Roy, Managing Director of ACG. "Through the facility, we have been able to remain engaged with our customers and offer certainty of execution and attractive terms during a period of great uncertainty."



In December 2020, ACG closed a $500 million three-year loan with Mizuho Bank, which was supported by an Overseas Untied Loan Insurance policy from Nippon Export and Investment Insurance ("NEXI"), the official export credit agency of Japan. Tokyo Century Corporation helped arrange, lead, and support the transaction, which represented a true cross-border collaboration between teams from NEXI, Tokyo Century, ACG and Mizuho in Japan and in the USA. This financing is the first NEXI facility provided to an aviation leasing company or to any pure-play leasing company. "The teams at Tokyo Century and NEXI were quite visionary and forward-thinking in identifying this unique opportunity to utilize Japanese ECA financing to support Tokyo Century's core holdings in ACG," says Eric Blau, SVP, Treasurer & Head of Capital Markets at ACG. "This deal also demonstrated the high level of coordination that exists among Tokyo Century, ACG, and the Mizuho New York and Tokyo teams." The award winners were decided by an industry survey sent out to a global distribution list of more than 10,000 names over a two-month period. The results are subject to strict criteria and the deals of the year awards are also determined by an extensive nomination process.

About Aviation Capital Group Aviation Capital Group was founded in 1989 and is one of the world's premier full-service aircraft asset managers with approximately 400 owned, managed and committed aircraft as of March 31, 2021, which are leased to approximately 85 airlines in approximately 40 countries. ACG is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tokyo Century Corporation. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005326/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of China Merchants Insurance Company Limited

AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of "a-" (Excellent) of China Merchants Insurance Company Limited (CMI) (Hong Kong). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable. The ratings reflect CMI's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its adequate operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management. The ratings also reflect the parental support from China Merchants Group Limited (CMG), including capital support, brand recognition, investment management and risk oversight. CMI's very strong balance sheet strength assessment is underpinned by its robust level of risk-adjusted capital, as measured by Best's Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR). The company's capital continues to grow organically in 2020 through full retention of operating profits. The company's investment strategy remains conservative in 2020, with majority of the investment assets in cash and bonds. Notwithstanding, the level of exposure in non-investment grade and non-rated bond in the company's investment portfolio remains moderate, and AM Best expects the company will continue to increase the proportion of investment grade bonds in the future to enhance the overall credit quality gradually of its bond portfolio. CMI's operating results remained positive in 2020, with a profit after tax of HKD 13 million (USD 1.7 million). The company's net combined ratio continued to improve in 2020, mainly contributed by an improvement in the company's net commission ratio, whilst partially offset by a deterioration in the net loss ratio and gradual increasing trend in the management expense ratio. A growing stream of interest income over the past five years also contributed to the company's positive and stable investment results, despite yields remained low. CMI maintained a stable-yet-small market presence in Hong Kong's non-life insurance market, with a market share of 0.38% in 2020, in terms of gross premium written (GW). The company's underwriting portfolio remains diversified, with major lines of business in liability, marine, property, accident and motor. Notwithstanding, the company's product mix slightly shifted in 2020, mainly attributed to a decrease in the GPW in the accident line, whilst other lines of business continue to grow in 2020. Going forward, CMI expects marine, property and liability businesses will continue to be the growth driver for the company, whilst the GPW in accident line is expected to rebound as travel restrictions relax in the future years.



Although CMI is well-positioned at its current rating level, negative rating actions could occur if the company experiences a material deterioration in the company's risk-adjusted capitalisation or its operating profitability due to sustained adverse experience in underwriting or investment results. A deterioration in the credit profile of the ultimate parent company, CMG, also may impose a negative impact on CMI's ratings. Ratings are communicated to rated entities prior to publication. Unless stated otherwise, the ratings were not amended subsequent to that communication.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper media use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best press releases, please view Guide for Media - Proper Use of Best's Credit Ratings and AM Best Rating Action Press Releases. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright  2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005349/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Statement Pursuant to Section 19(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940: DEX CUSIP #: 246060107

On June 25, 2021, Delaware Enhanced Global Dividend and Income Fund (NYSE: DEX) (the "Fund"), a closed-end fund, paid a monthly distribution on its common stock of $0.0598 per share to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 18, 2021. The following table sets forth the estimated amount of the sources of distribution for purposes of Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the related rules adopted thereunder. The Fund estimates the following percentages, of the total distribution amount per share, attributable to (i) net investment income, (ii) net realized short-term capital gain, (iii) net realized long-term capital gain and (iv) return of capital or other capital source. These percentages are disclosed for the current distribution as well as the fiscal year-to-date cumulative distribution amount per share for the Fund.







Current Distribution from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.0348 58.2% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0% Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0000 0.0% Return of Capital or other Capital Source (News - Alert) 0.0250 41.8% Total (per common share) 0.0598 100.0% Fiscal Year-to-Date Cumulative Distributions from: Per Share ($) % Net Investment Income 0.2074 51.5% Net Realized Short-Term Capital Gain 0.0180 4.5% Net Realized Long-Term Capital Gain 0.0053 1.3% Return of Capital or other Capital Source 0.1720 42.7% Total (per common share) 0.4027 100.0%

Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's managed distribution policy. The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this 19(a) Notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. Subject to the foregoing, the Fund estimates (as of the date hereof) that it has distributed more than its income and net realized capital gains for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2021; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income.' Presented below are return figures, based on the change in the Fund's Net Asset Value per share ("NAV"), compared to the annualized distribution rate for this current distribution as a percentage of the NAV on the last business day of the month prior to distribution record date. Fund Performance and Distribution Information Fiscal Year to Date (12/01/2020 through 5/31/2021) Annualized Distribution Rate as a Percentage of NAV^ 6.35% Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV^^ 3.56% Cumulative Total Return on NAV* 12.49% Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5-Year Period Ending 5/31/2021** 9.06% ^ Based on the Fund's NAV as of May 31, 2021.

^^ Cumulative distribution rate is the cumulative amount of distributions paid during the Fund's fiscal year ending November 30, 2021 based on the Fund's NAV as of May 31, 2021.

*Cumulative total return is based on the change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions for the period December 1, 2020 through May 31, 2021.

**The 5-year average annual total return is based on change in NAV including distributions paid and assuming reinvestment of these distributions and is through the last business day of the month prior to the month of the current distribution record date. While the NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. About DEX

The Fund's primary investment objective is to seek current income, with a secondary objective of capital appreciation. The Fund invests globally in dividend-paying or income-generating securities across multiple asset classes, including but not limited to: equity securities of large, well-established companies; securities issued by real estate companies (including real estate investment trusts and real estate industry operating companies); debt securities (such as government bonds; investment grade and high risk, high yield corporate bonds; and convertible bonds); and emerging market securities. The Fund also uses enhanced income strategies by engaging in dividend capture trading; option overwriting; and realization of gains on the sale of securities, dividend growth, and currency forwards. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objectives. Under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest: (1) at most 60% of its net assets in securities of U.S. issuers; and (2) at least 40% of its net assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers, unless market conditions are not deemed favorable by the Manager, in which case, the Fund would invest at least 30% of its net assets in securities of non-U.S. issuers; and (3) the Fund may invest up to 25% of its net assets in securities issued by real estate companies (including real estate investment trusts and real estate industry operating companies). In addition, the Fund utilizes leveraging techniques in an attempt to obtain higher return for the Fund. The Fund has implemented a managed distribution policy. Under the policy, the Fund is managed with a goal of generating as much of the distribution as possible from net investment income and short-term capital gains. The balance of the distribution will then come from long-term capital gains to the extent permitted, and if necessary, a return of capital. Even though the Fund may realize current year capital gains, such gains may be offset, in whole or in part, by the Fund's capital loss carryovers from prior years. Currently under the Fund's managed distribution policy, the Fund makes monthly distributions to common shareholders at a targeted annual distribution rate of 6.5% of the Fund's average net asset value ("NAV") per share. The Fund will calculate the average NAV per share from the previous three full months immediately prior to the distribution based on the number of business days in those three months on which the NAV is calculated. The distribution will be calculated as 6.5% of the prior three month's average NAV per share, divided by 12. The Fund will generally distribute amounts necessary to satisfy the Fund's managed distribution policy and the requirements prescribed by excise tax rules and Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. This distribution methodology is intended to provide shareholders with a consistent, but not guaranteed, income stream and a targeted annual distribution rate and is intended to narrow the discount between the market price and the NAV of the Fund's common shares, but there is no assurance that the policy will be successful in doing so. The methodology for determining monthly distributions under the Fund's managed distribution policy will be reviewed at least annually by the Fund's Board of Trustees, and the Fund will continue to evaluate its distribution in light of ongoing market conditions. The payment of dividend distributions in accordance with the managed distribution policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expenses and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The managed distribution policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the dividend distribution. The managed distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, cause the amounts of taxable distributions to exceed the amount minimally required to be distributed under the tax rules, such excess will be taxable as ordinary income to the extent loss carry forwards reduce the required amount of capital gains distributions in that year. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state, and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. About Macquarie Investment Management Macquarie Investment Management, a member of Macquarie Group, includes the former Delaware Investments and is a global asset manager with offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. As active managers, we prioritize autonomy and accountability at the team level in pursuit of opportunities that matter for clients. Macquarie Investment Management is supported by the resources of Macquarie Group (ASX: MQG; ADR: MQBKY), a global provider of asset management, investment, banking, financial and advisory services. Advisory services are provided by Macquarie Investment Management Business Trust, a registered investment advisor. Macquarie Group refers to Macquarie Group Limited and its subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide. For more information about Delaware Funds by Macquarie, visit delawarefunds.com or call 800 523-1918. Other than Macquarie Bank Limited (MBL), none of the entities referred to in this document are authorized deposit-taking institutions for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Commonwealth of Australia). The obligations of these entities do not represent deposits or other liabilities of MBL, a subsidiary of Macquarie Group Limited and an affiliate of Macquarie Investment Management. MBL does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of these entities, unless noted otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005353/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Sanctuary Wealth Welcomes Another Billion Dollar Team to Network with mFORCE Capital

INDIANAPOLIS, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sanctuary Wealth, home to the next generation of elite advisors, announces the latest firm to join its network of partnered independence firmsmFORCE Capital in Fort Worth, Texas. Led by Founder, CEO and Wealth Management Advisor Bradley Bruce, CEPA, CPFA, CPWA, CRPC, CIMA, the four-person team comes from Merrill Lynch Wealth Management where they were known as the Bruce Wealth Management Group, managing $1.22 billion in client assets. mFORCE Capital is the eighth team in Texas to choose partnered independence with Sanctuary Wealth and brings the total of new assets added to the network this year to more than $6.5 billion. "We couldn't be happier that Brad and his team have chosen Sanctuary's partnered independence as the best platform for them to serve their base of highly sophisticated clients. It's really a testament to what Sanctuary Wealth has become in such a short period of time," said Jim Dickson, CEO and Founder of Sanctuary Wealth. "Texas is an extremely strong market for us, but we will continue to expand into additional centers of wealth around the country throughout the coming months." "The advisory business changed a lot in the last few years, and we wanted to take advantage of that. Our practice has grown to the point where clients need more complex solutions than we had been able to offer and we wanted to be a little more creative in helping them," explained Brad Bruce, Founder, CEO, and Wealth Management Advisor, mFORCE Capital. "In my due diligence I looked at broker-dealers, wirehouses, and every other option out there, and Sanctuary just made the most sense. Most importantly for our clients, joining Sanctuary really gives us the flexibility to shop the whole market to find the most appropriate solutions for their particular situation." Prior to founding mFORCE Capital, Brad Buce spent his entire 33-year career with Merrill Lynch, rising to the position of Managing Director, Senior Resident Director, Wealth Management Advisor. He has earned the designation of Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA) and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) from the Investments & Wealth Institute, the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA) designation from National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA) as well as the Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM (CRPC) designation awarded by the College for Financial Planning. Most recently, in February 2020, he earned the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) through the Exit Planning Institute. Brad was named to the Forbes "Best-in-State Wealth Advisors" list in 2021 as well as to Barron's prestigious list of "Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" in 2021 for the eighth consecutive year. He was also named to the Financial Times "400 Top Financial Advisers" (FT 400) list in 2020.



Joining Brad at mFORCE Capital from his team at Merrill is Joanna Horton, who will serve as COO, Wealth Management Advisor. Prior to joining Merrill in 2016, she spent 25 years with Capital Institutional Services in Dallas, serving as Director of Global Trading, running the largest institutional global trading desk in the Southwest for 15 years. Joanna has an MBA from Dallas Baptist University and holds Series 3, 4, 7, 8, 24, 53, 55, 63, and 65 FINRA registrations. Also on the team are April Bierle, who began as an intern with Merrill in 1995 and will be Director of Office Relations and Senior Client Relationship Manager; and Cheryl McCarson, who joined the team ten years ago and will now be Senior Client Relationship Manager.

"I've known Brad for years. His office was in my division at Merrill, and I've always had tremendous respect for his strong work ethic and intense devotion to his clients," said Vince Fertitta, President, Wealth Management, Sanctuary Wealth. "We're extremely gratified that he chose to join Sanctuary Wealth and I personally look forward to working together again and helping Brad and his team propel mFORCE Capital to even greater growth." "I'm excited about tapping into Sanctuary's diverse resources and the depth of knowledge in the network to grow my wealth management practice to the next level," Bruce concluded. "I now have endless possibilities for my clients and for myself. It's a vision that's grand but I know it all starts with taking care of clients to the best of our abilities." About Sanctuary Wealth

Sanctuary Wealth (sanctuarywealth.com/) is the advanced platform for the next generation of elite advisors, who have the entrepreneurial spirit to build and own their own practices and desire the freedom to deliver the tailored service their clients deserve. Sanctuary's ecosystem of partnered independence provides a complete technology and operations platform, as well as support from a community of like-minded advisors and the resources of invaluable affiliated businesses. Currently, the Sanctuary Wealth network includes partner firms across 20 states with over $16.0 billion in assets under advisement. The Sanctuary Wealth Group includes the fully owned subsidiaries Sanctuary Advisors, a registered investment adviser, and the broker-dealer Sanctuary Securities, as well as Sanctuary Alternative Solutions, Sanctuary Insurance Solutions, Sanctuary Global, and Sanctuary Global Tax and Family Office. CONTACT:

Michaela Morales

JConnelly

973 224 7152

mmorales@jconnelly.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanctuary-wealth-welcomes-another-billion-dollar-team-to-network-with-mforce-capital-301320269.html SOURCE Sanctuary Wealth

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] UTU.ONE Recognized for Excellence in Innovation

MELBOURNE, Australia, June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UTU.ONE, the blockchain-powered social app built to redefine social, is pleased to announce the company has been recognized and nominated for three out of the six iAward categories. The iAwards are Australia's longest-running and most broadly scoped innovation recognition program, promoting excellence in the Australian digital technology ecosystem. "To be a finalist is an extraordinary achievement for the company," shares UTU.ONE CTO Stephan Zhang. Australia's peak industry representative body for innovation technology, the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) announced the finalists of the 2021 New South Wales (NSW) iAwards and nominated UTU.ONE with the following proud distinctions: Startup of the Year - Finalist. Best Platform Solution - Finalist, and Best Community Solution - Finalist. The caliber of entries for this year's awards was extremely high, and choosing the winners proved to be a difficult decision for the panel of judges ranging from a wide array of executives from well-known companies in the Asia Pacific digital industry. The iAwards recognize and reward excellence in Australian innovation for companies that are making a difference and have the potential to create positive change for their community - whether this is at home, in the office or on a global scale. The UTU.ONE app is designed with user-friendliness and is the next-generation social media platform for real people offering unique features such as facial recognition sign-up and reward tokens designed to benefit UTUONE members for interacting with the platform and other members. The App is currently in Beta Test, but users can begin preregistering through the following link: utu.one/request-beta-access/



The company has made a total commitment to privacy, security and transparency by making a significant investment in the EOS blockchain to develop a platform that is scalable, reliable, eco-friendly and most of all, secure. This is the UTU commitment that our User to User community (UTU) can expect from UTU.ONE. We would like to remind everyone the value of privacy and real connections. Together we will create amazing user experiences designed to redefine social values for the benefit of everyone. We look forward to welcoming you to UTU.ONE - Gordon Weiske, VP of PR and Marketing. For all media inquiries, contact: pressrelease@utu.one

For all investment inquiries, contact: investment@utu.one About UTU.ONE - The company originated in Australia and Canada with a group of experts in Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, with business executives from IBM, Alibaba, Apple, and Deakin University's Blockchain Innovation Lab. The company developed the world's first DAC app for iOS and Android on EOSIO and many other blockchain business solutions and decentralized applications. In 2020, UTU.ONE made the strategic decision to establish its HQ in Toronto, Canada, to further the company's business expansions worldwide. Additional information on the company can be found at: https://www.utu.one Related Images utu-one-iaward-finalist.png

UTU.ONE | iAward Finalist

UTU.ONE | Logo View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/utuone-recognized-for-excellence-in-innovation-301320249.html SOURCE UTU.ONE News

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] David Roberts Retires From Cayman Management Ltd, JS de Jager Assumes Role Of Managing Director

Cayman Management announced today that following a successful 39 years with the company, David Roberts has taken on retirement and stepped down from his role as Managing Director effective 26th May 2021. Long-serving senior employee JS de Jager has taken over as Managing Director, with David accepting the invitation to continue to serve on the Board of Directors as Chairman and to provide ongoing consultancy services to the Cayman Management Group. David is the long-standing Managing Director of the Cayman Management group of companies, joining the business in 1982 having gained senior experience with an international publicly quoted group based in the United Kingdom. He provided extensive experience in the establishment and operation of a variety of corporate structures, having maintained executive and non-executive directorships, including hedge funds, insurance and reinsurance companies, investment companies and international holding company structures. "On behalf of the board and management team, I want to congratulate David on a well-earned retrement, and for his invaluable contributions, leadership and mentorship over his near four-decade career at Cayman Management," said JS de Jager, Cayman Management's Managing Director. "I am deeply appreciative that David will remain with Cayman Management in an advisory capacity as Chairman of the board, and I wish him and his family all the best on his retirement."



JS de Jager is taking over the role of Managing Director of Cayman Management Ltd., and has overall responsibility for the diverse range of services provided by Cayman Management and its affiliated companies. JS joined the firm in 2007, having previously worked as an accounting and corporate governance professional in both general practice and industry in South Africa. JS' new stewardship marks an exciting new chapter for the group of companies, as he iterated his commitment to "expanding existing business lines and client offerings to private and institutional clients in the investment and local / international business spaces." About Cayman Management

With a history of 45+ years in the Cayman Islands, Cayman Management offers a wealth of expertise combined with an extensive range of company management and personal services. Services provided extend from corporate governance at a multi-national level through to the registration and management of private companies within the Cayman Islands and other jurisdictions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005471/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] ADDING and REPLACING Archer Aviation: Wisk Employees' Testimony and Documents Evidence That Wisk Filed Patent for Aircraft Design Nearly Identical to Archer's Weeks After Learning of Archer's Design

Add after last paragraph of release dated June 24, at 4:23 PM ET: Forward Looking Statements The updated release reads: ADDING AND REPLACING ARCHER AVIATION: WISK EMPLOYEES' TESTIMONY AND DOCUMENTS EVIDENCE THAT WISK FILED PATENT FOR AIRCRAFT DESIGN NEARLY IDENTICAL TO ARCHER'S WEEKS AFTER LEARNING OF ARCHER'S DESIGN Wisk Chief Engineer, after learning Archer's design in recruiting meeting, emails himself on his Wisk email specific details of Archer's plans and designs and also informs Wisk CEO and CTO of what he learned and only afterwards Wisk files patent application

Comprehensive forensics investigation for any Wisk data proves not a single confidential Wisk document exists at Archer

Wisk fails to provide any evidence whatsoever-not a single document, not a single witness, nothing-that Archer received or used any Wisk trade secret

Archer asks Court to deny Wisk's request for Preliminary Injunction In court papers filed late last night by Archer Aviation Inc. ("Archer") in opposition to Wisk's motion for a preliminary injunction, Archer, citing Wisk employees' testimony and documents produced by Wisk in discovery, states that Wisk filed its aircraft design patent application -- which as Wisk points out in its lawsuit appears nearly identical to Archer's -- weeks after learning of Archer's aircraft design. The filing says that Wisk's Chief Engineer learned of Archer's aircraft design during an Archer recruiting meeting in December 2019, shared that information with senior executives at Wisk, and then weeks later, Wisk filed a patent application for an aircraft design which appears nearly identical to the one described to him by Archer executives. The court filing goes on to state that Wisk subsequently used this patent application as evidence of wrongdoing by Archer with both criminal authorities and the court. The court filing also states that despite Wisk's claims to the contrary, Archer is not the target of an FBI or Justice Department criminal investigation and that an extensive forensic review of Archer's systems belies Wisk's allegation that Archer has stolen any of the documents that Wisk claims it did; the forensic review showed that none of the allegedly stolen documents exist on Archer employee Jing Xue's Archer devices or any of Archer's systems. "Allegations of 'brazen theft' and 'wholesale' misappropriation are gravely serious, and have serious consequences," the filing says. "At a minimum, such allegations demand serious evidence. Wisk's motion provides none, and should be denied." Wisk's Patent Application Underlying its Lawsuit Was Filed Weeks After Wisk Learned of Archer's Aircraft Design The filing states, "Wisk fundamentally misrepresents the 'facts' on which it urges this Court to infer misappropriation, starting with its central allegation that the similarity between Archer's aircraft and a design in Wisk's patent application 'could not have been a coincidence' and shows that Archer 'ripped off wholesale' Wisk's design. Wisk plasters a side-by-side comparison throughout its motion, claiming that it proves Archer's misappropriation because 'Archer's aircraft is inexplicably a copy of a design Wisk submitted confidentially in a January 2020 patent application-more than a year before Archer's copycat design was revealed." "This is the centerpiece of Wisk's motion (and media blitz), and every aspect of it is a fraud. Wisk's design was not even in any document Xue downloaded. And Wisk's claim that its application was filed before Archer 'revealed' its design is a sleight of hand. That is because Wisk knows-but does not tell the Court-that Wisk's application was filed after Archer developed its design. In fact, Wisk's application was filed after Archer disclosed its design to Wisk." "On December 9, 2019, Archer's founders told Wisk's chief engineer about the aircraft designs Archer was developing, including tilted rotors on a fixed wing. Wisk's engineer reported Archer's plans to Wisk's CEO and CTO; days later, Wisk ... quickly filed an application that included the very designs Archer had disclosed to Wisk. Wisk mentions none of these admitted facts that conclusively disprove Wisk's claim of copying, and show that if there is a 'copycat design' here, it is not Archer's aircraft. Yet, Wisk uses the application it created after Archer's disclosure and including Archer's design as a litigation and media prop to falsely accuse Archer of theft." The court filing also states, "Tom Muniz, who was the Vice President of Engineering for Wisk and predecessor entities from May 2017 to December 2019 and now works for Archer, has testified that at the time he left Wisk he 'was unaware of any development project or efforts by Wisk for a tilting rotor aircraft of any configuration.'" Forensics Investigation Shows Archer Does Not Have A Single Confidential Wisk Document

Wisk Has No Evidence Xue Retained a Single Document Archer's filing states, "Wisk's motion is predicated on downloads by former Wisk employee, Jing Xue. But Wisk admits that it has no evidence that Xue retained even a single document, let alone brought any to Archer. Wisk ominously claims that 'Archer's agent Xue stole thousands of Wisk's files,' but Xue downloaded files to his work computer while at Wisk, and Wisk does not even allege that the downloads were imprope or outside the scope of his work. Instead, Wisk speculates that Xue may have downloaded files for an improper purpose, and then copied files to a USB drive (though Wisk's forensics expert admitted there is no evidence), and then retained those files after certifying in writing that he did not, and then brought those files to Archer, and then shared those files with Archer, which then used them to build its aircraft. Literally no evidence exists for any of these assumptions, all of which are necessary to Wisk's motion. Wisk's motion is based on rank speculation about what Xue might have done if he were a thief, as Wisk recklessly assumes and publicly declares."



"More importantly, regardless of Xue's conduct, this case is against Archer, and there is not a shred of evidence-literally nothing-that Archer received or used any Wisk confidential information at any time about anything. Archer has provided overwhelming, undisputed evidence (sworn declarations and documents) establishing the independent development of its aircraft. Archer conducted an exhaustive forensics investigation for any Wisk data (including all files Xue allegedly downloaded) and determined that not a single confidential Wisk document exists at Archer." Later the filing states, "In Xue's exit interview at Wisk on January 10, 2020, Carlie Russell-the Wisk Senior People Person-asked Xue to sign a termination agreement confirming he was not retaining any Wisk proprietary information, but Xue advised Russell that he could not yet do so because he still had some Wisk files on his personal devices. Russell later emailed Xue and asked him to confirm that 'all items have been returned and/or removed from [his] personal devices and accounts.' Xue did exactly that, confirming that, '[a]s instructed, all items have been returned and/or removed.' Xue then signed the termination agreement and Russell was 'satisfied' that Xue had done what she asked and 'had no reason to believe that he hadn't upheld his obligation."

Wisk Provides No Evidence Whatsoever-Not a Single Document, Not a Single Witness, Nothing-That Archer Received or Used Any Wisk Trade Secret The filing states, "Wisk provides no evidence whatsoever-not a single document, not a single witness, nothing-that Archer received or used any Wisk trade secret. Archer independently developed its aircraft, working with leading eVTOL consultants and a world-class team of engineers; Archer did not need, did not have, and did not use, anything from Wisk-and there is not one iota of evidence to the contrary. Instead, Wisk's motion is suffused from top to bottom with misdirection and misrepresentations that preclude the equitable relief it seeks." To read the full text of Archer's most recent court filing and supporting evidence, click here. About Archer Archer's mission is to advance the benefits of sustainable air mobility. Archer's goal is to move people throughout the world's cities in a quick, safe, sustainable, and cost-effective manner. Archer is designing and developing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for use in Urban Air Mobility that can carry passengers for 60 miles at speeds of up to 150 mph while producing minimal noise. Archer's team is based in Palo Alto (News - Alert) , CA. To learn more, visit www.archer.com Forward Looking Statements The information in this press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "will," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," "would," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "may," "should," or other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of financial and performance metrics, projections of market opportunity, market share and timeline, expectations and timing related to commercial product launches, expectations regarding potential proceeds from the transaction; Archer's ability to complete the commercial relationship with United and ultimately deliver and sell aircraft to United under the agreements, Archer eVTOL aircraft's ability to reduce carbon emissions, potential benefits of the transaction and the potential success of Archer's go-to-market strategy, and expectations related to the terms and timing of the transaction. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Archer's and Atlas Crest's management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of the Company. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the early-stage nature of Archer's business and its past and projected future losses; Archer's ability to manufacture and deliver aircraft and its impact on the risk of investment; Archer's dependence on United Airlines for its current aircraft orders and development process, and the risk that United Airlines cancels its contracts with Archer; risks relating to the uncertainty of the projections included in the model; the effectiveness of Archer's marketing and growth strategies, including its ability to effectively market air transportation as a substitute for conventional methods of transportation; Archer's ability to compete in the competitive urban air mobility and eVTOL industries; Archer's ability to obtain expected or required certifications, licenses, approvals, and authorizations from transportation authorities; Archer's ability to achieve its business milestones and launch products on anticipated timelines; Archer's dependence on suppliers and service partners for the parts and components in its aircraft; Archer's ability to develop commercial-scale manufacturing capabilities; regulatory requirements and other obstacles outside of Archer's control that slow market adoption of electric aircraft, such as Archer's inability to obtain and maintain adequate facilities and Vertiport infrastructure; Archer's ability to hire, train and retain qualified personnel; risks related to Archer's Aerial Ride Sharing Business operating in densely populated metropolitan areas and heavily regulated airports; adverse publicity from accidents involving aircraft, helicopters or lithium-ion battery cells; the impact of labor and union activities on Archer's work force; losses resulting from indexed price escalation clauses in purchase orders and cost overruns; regulatory risks related to evolving laws and regulations in Archer's industries; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Archer's business and the global economy; the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed business combination, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed business combination or that the approval of the stockholders of Atlas Crest or Archer is not obtained; a decline in Archer's securities following the business combination if it fails to meet the expectations of investors or securities analysts; Archer's inability to protect intellectual property rights from unauthorized use by third parties; Archer's need for and the availability of additional capital; cybersecurity risks; the dual class structure of Archer's common stock, which will limit other investors' ability to influence corporate matters; the amount of redemption requests made by Atlas Crest's public stockholders; the ability of Atlas Crest or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities in connection with the proposed business combination or in the future, and those factors discussed in Atlas Crest's final prospectus filed on October 29, 2020, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2020, in each case, under the heading "Risk Factors," and other documents of Atlas Crest filed, or to be filed, with the Securities and Exchange Commission (" SEC (News - Alert) "). If any of these risks materialize or if the Company's assumption prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that neither Atlas Crest nor Archer presently know or that Atlas Crest and Archer currently believe are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Atlas Crest's and Archer's expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views as of the date of this press release. Atlas Crest and Archer anticipate that subsequent events and developments will cause Atlas Crest's and Archer's assessments to change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Atlas Crest and Archer assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither Atlas Crest nor Archer gives any assurance that either Atlas Crest or Archer will achieve its expectations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210624006002/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] ESO Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Emergency Reporting, Leading Fire Records Management System (RMS)

ESO, a leading data and software company serving emergency medical services (EMS), fire departments, hospitals and state EMS/trauma offices, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Emergency Reporting. "This is a significant step forward for both our organizations and the industry," said Chris Dillie, President and CEO of ESO. "Our mission is to improve community health and safety through the power of data, which aligns perfectly with Emergency Reporting's mission. We know we are stronger together and can accelerate the great work each of us are doing by combining our collective resources. We are very excited to have the team from Emergency Reporting bring their knowledge and expertise to the table." By combining the assets, expertise and resources of the two organizations, ESO will accelerate data standardization across its product ecosystem to offer customers and the industry deeper insights into emergent events and responses. This will ultimately drive quality and performance improvements across the entire health and public safety spectrum. Emergency Reporting and ESO's collective industry acumen will provide departments and agencies worldwide with a comprehensive incident and event picture that will allow key personnel to make the most informed decisions when it comes to patient care, provider safety, operational efficiency and clinical improvement. Founded in 2003, Emergency Reporting is one of the largest providers of cloud-based fire RMS software globally. The company serves more than 7,500 fire service and EMS agencies in North America. Additionally, Emergency Reporting has a strong federal footprint, serving more than 170 Department of Defense/military installations around the world. Emergency Reporting recently acquired Medusa Medical Technologies, which will be part of the ESO acquisition. "We're excited to join forces with ESO," said David Nokes, CEO of Emergency Reporting. "Their focus and emphasis on providing data and insights to empower first responders has helped change clinical and operational ractices that makes all of our communities safer and healthier. We're looking forward to the collective journey with ESO to transform the industries we serve."



The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of this year. Shea & Company served as the exclusive financial advisor for Emergency Reporting. Goodwin Procter, LLP acted as legal counsel to Emergency Reporting; Kirkland & Ellis, LLP served as legal counsel to ESO. About ESO

ESO (ESO Solutions, Inc.) is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of today's EMS agencies, fire departments, hospitals, and state EMS offices. ESO currently serves thousands of customers throughout North America with a broad software portfolio, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind healthcare interoperability platform; ESO Fire RMS, the modern fire Record Management System; ESO Patient Registry (trauma, burn and stroke registry software); and ESO State Repository. ESO is headquartered in Austin, Texas. For more information, visit www.eso.com. About Emergency Reporting At Emergency Reporting (ER), our mission is to empower first responders worldwide with fast and easy-to-use technology that provides the data needed to keep themselves and their communities safe. Our Records Management and Reporting Software act as the centralized ecosystem that powers an agency's entire operation, from training and events to incident reporting and compliance, to real-time analytics and performance feedback through data. As the pioneer in cloud-based EMS and fire software, ER has always been the smarter way forward for the Fire Service while also managing to be the most user-friendly solution available. Since 2003, we've proudly supported over 750,000 first responders through this mission worldwide - including DoD/military installations and large entities such as NASA, nuclear power plants, and hospitals. For more information, visit https://emergencyreporting.com/ or https://emergencyreporting.ca/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210625005026/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] White House Officials Call On Silicon Valley Companies to Develop, Deploy, and Commercialize Climate Solutions at SVLG Summit

SAN JOSE, Calif., June 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the White House's top climate officials stressed the critical role that Silicon Valley companies will play in tackling the climate crisis at the Race to Net Zero Summit, presented by PG&E and Genentech. It included an urgent call by Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry to invest, scale and commercialize emerging solutions to achieve a cleaner and more resilient economy. "Government action alone will not be enough," said Secretary Kerry. "That's where Silicon Valley steps in." "Government action alone will not be enough," said Secretary Kerry. "That's where Silicon Valley steps in. We need to supercharge the deployment of technologies that already exist, and we need to find out how to do some things we can't do yet today." The summit, convened by Silicon Valley Leadership Group, also featured White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan; Acting Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities Melissa Dalton; as well as the CEOs of PG&E, Lucid, Logitech, ChargePoint, the UN Global Compact, and more. In his remarks, Special Presidential Envoy Kerry emphasized that the net zero transition represents the greatest market transformation since the Industrial Revolution and presents tremendous growth opportunities. Another key highlight included a call from Advisor McCarthy to Silicon Valley to collaborate with federal officials on prioritizing the infrstructure and clean energy investments needed to jumpstart innovation and foster domestic job growth.



"I want you to say that we can do this; I want you to say you have the technologies, the business savvy and the practices and that you're going to be transparent about the risks," said Advisor McCarthy. "We will be there to make sure the federal government doesn't take the field but we set it, we seed it in a way that businesses can thrive." In a conversation with SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas, EPA Administrator Michael Regan discussed the Biden-Harris Administration ambitious climate agenda. He pointed to EPA's commitment to encouraging innovation and greater prosperity for all while addressing communities of color that are disproportionately vulnerable to climate impacts.

"The good news is that I don't believe we need a tradeoff between innovation and fighting climate change impacts," said Administrator Regan. "The President's plan recognizes that climate action presents an unprecedented opportunity for the U.S. to build stronger, to leverage American ingenuity, and to create more clean energy jobs here at home." In a local segment, PG&E CEO Patti Poppe spoke about expanding PG&E's clean energy supply and the company's efforts to adapt to the challenges of climate change in California including developing innovative wildfire protection solutions to minimize shutoffs. "I do think there is no more important place in the world than this area and the role that PG&E can play as a key enabler to thwarting climate change," said Poppe. SVLG CEO Ahmad Thomas noted that the Race to Net Zero event represented one of the most significant conversations on climate in the region in recent memory. "The only way to drive the bold solutions we need to address the climate crisis is by leveraging the unique innovation ecosystem of Silicon Valley to save the world's ecosystem. Getting to a Net Zero world requires building a meaningful partnership between federal, state and local governments, the nonprofit community, and our businesses." Melissa G. Dalton, Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, pointed to multiple climate change challenges confronted today by the Pentagon -- increased migration pressures, severe weather damaging U.S. military bases, and greater competition for scarce resources. She also highlighted the military's new sustainable procurement practices. "[Climate change] is a priority for the President, it's a priority for Secretary of Defense Austin," said Assistant Secretary Dalton. "He has noted that climate change is making the world more unsafe, and we need to act." Clips of the summit can be viewed online here and a full rebroadcast of Race To Net Zero will be available on Monday, June 28th, at SVLG.org/Watch . About the Silicon Valley Leadership Group

The Leadership Group is a business organization of hundreds of Silicon Valley's most dynamic companies working to shape the innovation economy of California and the nation. Founded by David Packard of Hewlett-Packard, for over 40 years the SVLG has worked to address issues that affect the region's economic health and quality of life. Today the SVLG Is focused on economic competitiveness with a special focus on diversity & inclusion, climate change and infrastructure. SVLG members collectively provide nearly one of every three private sector jobs in Silicon Valley and contribute more than $3 trillion to the worldwide economy. For more information, visit svlg.org . Laura Wilkinson

Media & Communications

Silicon Valley Leadership Group

415.713.9288

Media@SVLG.org View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/white-house-officials-call-on-silicon-valley-companies-to-develop-deploy-and-commercialize-climate-solutions-at-svlg-summit-301320460.html SOURCE Silicon Valley Leadership Group

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
[June 25, 2021] Alphageneron to Participate in the ROTH Virtual Healthcare Private Company Forum on June 28th, 2021

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., June 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alphageneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Alphageneron or the Company), a privately-held clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing autologous and allogeneic Natural Killer (NK) cellular and antibody therapeutics announced that Robert Brooks, JD, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Alphageneron, will participate in the ROTH Healthcare Private Company Forum to be hosted virtually on Monday, June 28, 2021.

Alphagenerons CEO, Robert Brooks will speak on the Cancer Panel 2, entitled Natural Killer Cell Approaches To Eradicate Tumors, as one of the presenting companies on the panel with proof of concept data utilizing NK cells against solid tumors. Mr. Brooks, will discuss a prior completed Phase IIa Clinical Trial with Advanced non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, receiving autologous Hsp70 targeted NK Cell therapy (ENKASTIM), after radio-chemotherapy, in Germany. The Company is planning a Phase IIa Clinical Combination Trial with Advanced NSCLC patients receiving ENKASTIM and PD (L)-1 checkpoint inhibitors, after Standard of Care, in the United States. Alphageneron is also planning a Phase I clinical Combination trial with Metastatic Colorectal cancer with allogeneic donor genetically edited NK cell therapy, (ANKASTIM) in the United States. Date: Monday January 28, 2021 Time: 12pm-1pm EDT To register for this virtual event click www.roth.com/healthcareprivateday or please contact Gerald Roger, c/o Trinity Capital Advisers Tel. 347-730-5108, or email jerry.alain@trinitycapitaladvisers.com





About Alphageneron



Alphageneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., is developing targeted autologous and allogeneic natural killer cell (NK cell), Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) NK cell, NK Cell Engager, and Antibody Drug Conjugate, combined with checkpoint inhibitors, and supported by companion diagnostics. The Companys lead clinical autologous therapy, called ENKASTIM, engineers the patients NK cells to target a novel biomarker on cancers, a membrane form of Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70). Membrane Hsp70 is highly expressed by a wide range of cancers, not highly on normal cells. Patients are screened first with our Companion Diagnostic (AP-CDx), an ELISA blood test that measures exosome levels of membrane bound Hsp70 with a simple blood test. A Phase I clinical trial involving twelve (12) patients was conducted in Germany, with metastatic colorectal cancer and non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving our autologous NK Cell therapy, called ENKASTIM, after standard of care (SOC), demonstrated safety and signs of efficacy. A Phase IIa (randomized, controlled) clinical trial involving fourteen (14) patients with advanced (Stage IIIb) NSCLC was conducted in Germany, in the treated group of seven (7) patients whom received ENKASTIM after radio-chemotherapy, five (5) patients had a clinical benefit, including a Complete Response and Partial Response (71%). Pre-clinical animal studies using allogeneic donor NK cell therapy, (ANKASTIM) against various cancers, demonstrated significant NK cell killing of cancers. We are developing Hsp70 NK Cell Engagers, and Antibody Drug Conjugates to treat cancer. Alphageneron is also developing allogeneic Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) CAR-engineered NK (CAR NK) cells to an undisclosed target. Statements in this message that are not based on historical or current facts, and constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Alphageneron believes that expectations conveyed by the forward-looking statements are reasonable based on the information available to it on the date such statements were made, no assurances can be given as to the future results, approvals or achievements. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, and should assume the Company has no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law.





[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
JACKSON, Tenn.  On June 18, the Tennessee National Guard and the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) held the first Boss Lift since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in 2020. Soldiers with the 1/230th Assault Helicopter Battalion transported local employers from Army Aviation Support Facility #3 in Jackson to Milans Volunteer Training Site via UH-60 Blackhawks.

Once the employers arrived at the Volunteer Training Site, they viewed weapons and equipment displays, spoke with Soldiers on military training such as clearing buildings, and later, simulated convoy operations and foot patrols. These simulations allowed the employers to use the same equipment that Tennessee Guardsmen train with.

The Boss Lift is an ESGR program that allows local employers to experience a small taste of military life. Employers ride in military vehicles, visit training sites, observe military weapons and try field rations. They also get a better understanding of the military tasks performed by the Guardsmen they employ.

Tom Buckley, the area chair of the Jackson ESGR, spoke about the importance of Boss Lifts and how they help strengthen the understanding of military service for employers that are chosen to participate.

"Boss Lifts allow us to educate the employer regarding the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA, Buckley said. We also explained to the employers that they were invited to participate in the Boss Lift to recognize their contribution to the well-being of our Guardsmen. Your average person has never flown in a Blackhawk, and they're usually pretty excited to do that."

Monte Cooper, the Senior Vice President of the Electric Division of Jackson Energy Authority, was impressed by the experience.

This event gave us a good feeling for how detailed an operation that Guard service is, said Cooper. As an employer, the more we understand about what our Guardsmen do, the better we can serve them.

Jim Mungenast, the state chair of the Tennessee ESGR, emphasized how the ESGR helps to strengthen the relationship between the National Guard and businesses through recognition of their dedication to their Guardsmen employees.

"The ESGR's main mission is to ensure that employers of those serving in the Guard and Reserve, and their service members all understand their obligations under the USERRA law; and to recognize those employers who support our troops, said Mungenast. We have a robust awards program from individual boss recognition with the Patriotic Employer Award, to the Freedom Award, which is awarded by the Secretary of Defense to those employers who provide exceptional support to their employees who serve in the reserve components.

Through events such as Boss Lifts and Breakfasts with the Boss, we help employers understand the importance of the militarys reserve component to our national security, and learn what their employees do during their military duty, said Mungenast.

Due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the ESGR had to adjust the ways it engaged with companies that employ Guardsmen. In order to protect the health of local employers and Guardsmen, the ESGR scaled back on some of its typical activities. That resulted in a temporary suspension of Boss Lifts. The last Tennessee National Guard Boss Lift prior to the pandemic had taken place in August 2019.

During the COVID restrictions, we made some virtual award presentations to recognize those employers who supported their Guard and Reserve members, said Mungenast. In March we were able to start back with in-person award ceremonies. This personal touch is appreciated by the service member and the employers who are recognized.
A sloppy and rushed ordinance is now handing over an EPIC sum to homeless activists.



The legislation only earned no votes from council members Ellington, Hall & Loar . . . Everybody else was on board and supportive of Mayor Q's agenda.



Ordinance #210432: Authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract to provide hotel, motel and other livable spaces arrangements for unhoused persons in Kansas City; designating requisitioning authority; appropriating $2,700,000.00 from the unappropriated fund balance of the General Fund; and recognizing this ordinance as having an accelerated effective date.

It gets worse . . .

$1.6 MILLION WILL BE ALLOCATED THE 'LOTUS CARE HOUSE' A NON PROFIT WITHOUT A VERY HIGH PROFILE AND NO IRS NUMBER AVAILABLE TO COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO ASKED NICELY FOR INFO!!!



Warning sign . . .

Councilman Brandon Ellington asked for a line item budget for this funding and was rebuffed by his colleagues.



There are more unanswered concerns . . .



Homeless housing dumped on the Northland continues to drain scarce police resources . . .

There's a lawsuit filed by the Econo Lodge over non-payment but no answers from homeless advocates . . .

And of course a reported rape and ongoing violence at homeless housing have been downplayed.



Apparently, local politicos are answering this crisis with a money hose and very little accountability or transparency.



Developing . . .


Here's a progressive local ID that offers a bit of comfort to our friends without the proper documentation.

The idea is a long shot in red state Kansas but activists are still asking politicos for a get out of jail free card nonetheless.

Check-it . . .


A progressive resolution earned overwhelming support this week from Mayor Q and most of the council.



Our blog community was FIRST to highlight this sketchy idea.



And then we noted council debate on the topic.



Now . . .

It's part of local legislative history.

Only council members Hall, Loar & Fowler stood up against it.



To wit . . .

MAYOR Q & MOST OF COUNCIL PASSED NEW PROGRESSIVE 'PRINCIPLES' FOR KANSAS CITY POLICE WHICH DOWNPLAY CATCHING CRIMINALS!!!



For those who haven't already, read the resolution text for a good laugh.



The opening line sums up the effort nicely . . .

"WHEREAS, the first goal of policing should be the prevention of crime and not catching criminals with the intent to punish citizens or suppress their rights; prioritizing low crime rates over high arrest rates; and"



And so . . .

FOR THE RECORD, IN A TOWN THAT JUST BROKE A HOMICIDE RECORD LAST YEAR, TELLING POLICE TO EASE UP ON CATCHING CRIMINALS IS NOTHING LESS THAN INSANITY!!!



This would be hilarious if most of our elected officials weren't so myopic and egomaniacal.

I could rant all day . . . And I've got my own debates with police, by no means is TKC a police "stan" -- This blog is on record disputing po-po on issues ranging from pointless weed prohibition to how some officers seem indignant about defending themselves after putting a shoe on pregnant minority women . . . When we all know that pregnant white women would never get that same rough treatment. Real talk, middle-class pregnant white ladies can take a cop's hat & gun if they feel like it . . . Life isn't fair, lattes aren't free.

Better than all that . . . Here's the word from an insider and witness to the decision . . .

"Things are getting nightmarish at city hall. The kind of divisiveness and outright hatred that's being encouraged is something that this city has never witnessed in its history. Worst of all, the politics are now completely devoid from reality. Think about it . . . With so many officers leaving the force and the feud over the defunding lawsuit . . . Do we really want to antagonize police right now? Isn't their job hard enough without the Mayor & Council member Melissa Robinson giving them marching orders?"



It's a good question and something that hasn't been answered by most of the denizens at 12th & Oak.

More to the point . . . Just a bit of real talk and perspective . . .



This resolution signals nothing less than Mayor Q & most of the council undertaking a political vendetta against the Kansas City Police Department . At the outset of a Summer wherein most American cities fear worsening violence, this is one of the most counterproductive strategies we've seen as leadership at 12th & Oak has never before been this hostile against law enforcement.

Developing . . .


In this post we offer a COMPREHENSIVEview of local crime over the latest news cycle along with a peek at efforts revealing that "defunding" police doesn't really work.



Check-it . . .

Cowtown Defund Backtrack

Kansas City to apply for federal funds to hire more police officers Kansas City will apply for new federal money to hire more police officers. The money comes from a new White House plan.The White House is offering $350 million in COVID relief money to police departments to restore departments to pre-pandemic levels for community policing, other anti-violence groups, and cracking down on gun dealers who don't do background checks.U.S.

Newspaper Against 2nd Amendment

Sen. Hawley, hiring more cops won't bring down murder rate without gun restrictions Washington has finally noticed the violent crime crisis in Missouri. On Wednesday, Sen. Josh Hawley ripped a page from the Bill Clinton playbook by offering a plan to hire 100,000 new police officers, using federal funds. The junior senator - whose lust for lapdog Fox News interviews is unquenchable - said the additional officers would slow down a growing violent crime wave.

Fast Cash Earns Hard Time

Kansas City payday loan businessman sentenced for fraud KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A Kansas City payday loan business owner who tried to hide his financial assets to avoid paying up to $7.5 million in debt has been sentenced to one year and a day in federal prison. Del Hodges Kimball, 54, was sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty in January to bankruptcy fraud.

Deadly Aftermath In The Dotte

2 juveniles arrested for shooting death of KCK teenager KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) --- Two juveniles have been arrested in connection to the shooting death of a KCK teenager. Kaden Bauswell, 15, was murdered in the 6600 block of Cleveland on June 8. This week, a 17-year-old was arrested by the U.S.

Daddy Issues Confront Meth Town Lifer

Kansas City man sentenced to life in prison for father's 2018 murder in Independence by: Brian Dulle Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A 43-year-old Kansas City man has been sentenced to life in prison for the deadly stabbing of his father, Charles Burton, in 2018 in Independence. Curtis V. Lee was found guilty in April 2021 by a Jackson County jury for first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Bad Hombre Behind Bars Forever

Jury recommends life in prison for KC man convicted of sex crimes involving 10-year-old JACKSON COUNTY, MO (KCTV) -- On Tuesday, a Jackson County jury convicted a Kansas City man of sex crimes involving a 10-year-old girl and recommended a sentence of life in prison. The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office says Adalberto Gaitan, 36, was convicted of two counts of first-degree statutory rape, two counts of statutory sodomy, and first-degree statutory sodomy.

Rock Chalk Crook Convicted

Kansas man sentenced for stealing from Kansas Medical Center KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A Lenexa man has been sentenced to two years in prison after stealing more than $556,000 from the University of Kansas Medical Center and other institutions, the U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas announced Wednesday. Michael Tae Kim Ahlers, 50, pleaded guilty in February to bank fraud and filing a false tax return.

Shallow Grave Uncovered In Kansas

KCKPD investigating after KDOT employee locates human remains KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department is investigating after human remains were found on Tuesday afternoon. At about 1 p.m. that day, officers went to 400 S. Bayard just north of Kansas Avenue and west of 18th Street Expressway. The area is north of Procter & Gamble's shipping and receiving building.

Law Enforcement Confronts Questions Alleged Sex Assault Aftermath

Court document reveals new details in alleged rape by former Johnson County deputy JOHNSON COUNTY, Kan. - Editor's Note: The following story contains information that may be triggering to survivors of sexual assault. The 41 Action News I-Team obtained a probable cause statement that reveals new details in an alleged rape by a now former Johnson County deputy.

Golden Ghetto Hero Cop Tribute

Johnson County deputy wins award for helping stop pursuit involving kidnapping suspect A Johnson County, Kansas deputy has won an award for helping stop a pursuit involving a kidnapping suspect.Deputy Gary Graniewski received the Stop Stick Hit of the Year for 2020.

South Side Fears Summer Daze

Neighbors worry sideshows at vacant Kansas City shopping center could spiral out of control KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The vacant Robandee Shopping Center in south Kansas City is now the home of frequent illegal sideshows. It's a troubling trend that's been happening across various parts of Kansas City, but residents of the Hickman Mills United neighborhood group said the noisy gatherings happen every Sunday.

Developing . . .
Johnstown, PA (15901)

Today

Cloudy early, then off and on rain showers for the afternoon. Thunder possible. High 76F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Some clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.
Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.

Sponsored By: Dorsett Automotive
Mark Bennett has reported and analyzed news from the Wabash Valley and beyond since Larry Bird wore Sycamore blue. That role with the Tribune-Star has taken him from Rome to Alaska and many points in between, but Terre Haute suits him best.

Follow Mark Bennett 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
Instant unlimited access to all of our content on triplicate.com.

The Triplicate's E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street!

This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers.

(The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement)


MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month. The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, has been the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and have fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing that they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rent.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they would face eviction within the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Minnesota:

WHATS THE STATUS OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUM IN MINNESOTA?

Finding an off ramp for the state's eviction moratorium was one of the priorities for the Legislature's special session this month. Negotiators announced a bipartisan agreement June 14 that they said would offer strong protections and clear timelines for people who owe back rent to secure assistance, which is paid directly to landlords.

Landlords would be required to send notices to tenants who are behind on their rent 15 days prior to eviction. Tenants who have claimed but not yet received state rental assistance would be protected from eviction through June 1, 2022.

Walz has said he would sign whatever off ramp the state's divided Legislature is able to pass.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP MINNESOTANS FACING EVICTION?

Minnesota is making $672 million in federal aid available through RentHelpMN.org to tenants in need, although landlords and tenant advocates say the program's rules are too cumbersome and that the pace of payments has been too slow. To qualify, an applicant's household income may not exceed 80% of the median income of an applicant's home county. Applicants can ask for retroactive help back to March 13, 2020, and up to three months of future rent, for a total of 15 months' worth.

According to the PolicyLink National Equity Atlas dashboard, 62,000 Minnesota households are behind on their rent  an average of $3,300 per household for a total of $207 million in total rent debt.

HOW ARE MINNESOTA COURTS HANDLING EVICTIONS?

The governor's moratorium put most eviction lawsuits on hold. The Minnesota Multi Housing Association, which represents landlords who own about half of the state's rental units, filed suit in federal court on June 14 to try to force an end to the moratorium, though the case may become moot if the off ramp legislation passes. The trade group argued that Walz's moratorium, which was broader than the CDC's, allowed for only extreme exceptions that had proven impossible to meet in practice, such as when a tenant endangers other tenants or causes serious property damage.

The association also said threats of prosecution by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison had chilled landlords' efforts to evict problem tenants in all but the most egregious circumstances. The group said Ellison brought at least four enforcement actions in just over a month after the moratorium was imposed and threatened several others.

WHAT IS THE AFFORDABILITY IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Minneapolis, St. Paul and some other Minnesota cities traditionally have tight rental housing markets, although vacancy rates have risen amid the pandemic and following the unrest over the killing of George Floyd last summer. As of May, the overall median monthly rent in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area had risen by 0.8% over the last year, to $1,468, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rents for a two-bedroom apartment rose by 4.9%, to $1,750.

Efforts are underway to put rent control measures on the November ballot in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

Its hard to say how much homelessness might increase once evictions ramp up. State Rep. Michael Howard, a Democrat from Richfield who was one of the lead negotiators in crafting the off ramp plan, said it would provide some of the strongest protections for renters anywhere in the country. One indication of the scope of renter concern, however, is recent census data showing that 16,759 state residents were concerned they could be evicted within two months.
Tucson, AZ (85741)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. High 92F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later at night. Low 78F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
You will receive full, ad-free access to TullahomaNews.com.com as well as full access to the Electronic Edition of the newspaper.





ONLY $3.99 per month for the first 3 months!

Only $5.99 per month after promotional period.



Or



ONLY $39.99 per year for the 1st year

Only $44.99 per year after promotional period.
After they were caught inside the Residence Nightclub, back in January, 85 people have been now been charged.

And, drinking a beer in Arima, leads to a man being arrested, and fined three-thousand dollars.
Over the past day, 22 ceasefire violations by the Russian-occupation troops were recorded in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine.

"In particular, the enemy opened fire from 82mm mortars near Novoselivka (16km west of Luhansk) and Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk); 120mm mortars  outside Pivdenne (40km north-east of Donetsk); hand-held antitank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns  near Mayorske (45km north of Donetsk); tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns and small arms  in the area of Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk); tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns  near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk); 82mm mortars and 122mm artillery systems  outside Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk); 82mm and 120mm mortars, hand-held antitank grenade launchers and heavy machine guns  in the area of Avdiivka (17km north of Donetsk); grenade launchers of different systems and heavy machine guns  near Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk) and outside Vodiane in the Sea of Azov area; tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns  in the area of Novooleksandrivka (65km west of Luhansk); small arms  near Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk); hand-held antitank grenade launchers  outside Zolote-4 (59km west of Luhansk); heavy machine guns and hand-held antitank grenade launchers re-equipped to fire 82mm mortars  in the area of Shyrokyne (20km east of Mariupol)," the press center of the JFO Headquarters informs.

In addition, near Avdiivka, Russian-occupation forces arranged a provocation using a Mavic-type unmanned aerial vehicle trying to overfly the JFO positions. The provocation was stopped.

In the area of Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk), the enemy Orlan-10-class UAV was seen to fly, crossing the line of contact. The drone was timely suppressed with radio-electronic warfare equipment.

As of 07:00 on June 24, four ceasefire violations were recorded.

No combat casualties were reported.

Ukrainian service members fired back in response to the enemy shelling.

The Ukrainian side of the Joint Control and Coordination Center (JCCC) informed the OSCE SMM about all violations by the Russian-occupation troops.

ol
Over the past day, 14 ceasefire violations by the Russian-occupation troops were recorded in the Joint Forces Operation area in eastern Ukraine.

"In particular, the enemy opened fire from 82mm mortars near Novhorodske (35km north of Donetsk) and Novotoshkivske (53km west of Luhansk); 120mm mortars  outside Pivdenne (40km north-east of Donetsk), Nevelske (18km north-west of Donetsk), and Shumy (41km north of Donetsk); MT-12 Rapira 100mm antitank gun  in the area of Marinka (23km south-west of Donetsk); tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns, heavy machine guns, and small arms  outside Starohnativka (51km south of Donetsk); grenade machine guns, small arms, and under-barrel grenade launchers  near Vodiane in the Sea of Azov area; 120mm mortars, tripod-mounted man-portable antitank guns, and small arms  near Krasnohorivka (21km west of Donetsk); hand-held antitank grenade launchers, under-barrel grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, and small arms  outside Pisky (11km north-west of Donetsk)," the press center of the JFO Headquarters informs.

In the area of Mayorske (45km north of Donetsk), the enemy delivered POM-2 mines.

One Ukrainian soldier was wounded in shelling over the past day.

As of 07:00 on June 25, three ceasefire violations were recorded.

Ukrainian service members fired back in response to the enemy shelling.

As the JFO Headquarters informs, Ukrainian troops control situation in the JFO area.

ol
The United States calls on Russia to afford the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission full freedom of movement throughout Ukraine, including Crimea.

Briefed by the tireless team at OSCE SMM in Mariupol about the important work they do. The United States calls on Russia to cease obstructing the SMM and afford it full freedom of movement throughout all of Ukraines territory, including Crimea, U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine Kristina Kvien said following a meeting with staff of the OSCE SMM Mariupol Patrol Hub, the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine posted on Twitter.

On June 25, Kvien is visiting Mariupol and Berdiansk. In Mariupol, she will also visit the seaport and meet with members of the business community who receive support from the USAID.

In Berdiansk, U.S. Charge d'Affaires in Ukraine will lead a delegation during a visit to the Maritime Guard base of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine which is being built within the framework of U.S. Embassy's Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program.

ol
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky called on French business to join the modernization of Ukraine's road infrastructure within the framework of public-private partnership projects.

As the President's press service reports, Zelensky met with MEDEF President Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, Chairman of the MEDEF International France-Ukraine Business Council, CEO of Egis Laurent Germain, and Alstom Senior Vice President Philippe Delleur on June 24.

As noted, the businessmen visit Ukraine, heading the delegation of big French companies.

The meeting participants discussed the possibilities of implementing joint projects.

The President noted that the visit of such a level of French business was taking place for the first time and was very important for Ukraine.

"I pay considerable attention to the development of favorable conditions for investment and infrastructure projects in Ukraine. Your visit demonstrates interest in business projects in Ukraine and opens up new opportunities," Zelensky said, adding that French business cares about expanding and establishing cooperation despite the coronavirus pandemic.

"I am glad that, despite COVID-19, representatives of different countries meet and talk about the economy. It is very important. This shows that life goes on, that there is a real interest in the development of business relations, investment projects," Zelensky said.

In particular, the President drew the attention of investors to the implementation of the Great Construction national program, within which more than 4,000 km of roads were built last year and just as many are planned to be built this year. He called on French business to join the modernization of Ukraine's road infrastructure within the framework of public-private partnership projects.

Among the large-scale investment projects, Zelensky also mentioned railway transportation service, IT, modernization and management of ports, airports, construction of subway and underground tunnels, etc. He stressed the need to localize production in Ukraine.

French entrepreneurs confirmed their interest in cooperating in these areas. In some of them, cooperation has already begun. In particular, a contract was signed with Alstom for the supply of 120 locomotives for the Ukrainian Railways with partial (35%) localization of production in Ukraine. In total, intergovernmental agreements worth more than EUR 1.3 billion were recently signed between Ukraine and France.

The meeting participants paid special attention to the creation of a national Ukrainian air carrier.

Zelensky suggested that Airbus, which already has a contract for the supply of helicopters, should consider participating in the project and examine Ukraine's involvement in the company's production.

According to Airbus representatives, they are currently examining the feasibility study of the project and considering the possibility of creating a concept and business plan. The company is also studying the technical capabilities of Ukrainian companies in order to use them as a production site.

According to Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, MEDEF International has more than 170 members and represents 75% of French business and is interested in Ukraine. Despite the relatively high level of cooperation, both countries have the potential to develop business relations, he said.

"To date, France is the sixth largest investor in Ukraine. Not a bad figure but we understand that it is not the best one and we can do much more," said the MEDEF President.

ol
Ukraine and the Republic of Turkey have agreed on cooperation in the energy sector, in particular on the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Ukrainian Energy Deputy Minister for European Integration Yaroslav Demchenkov said this during the fifth meeting of the Ukrainian-Turkish working group on energy on Friday, Ukrinform reports.

"Our government is deeply interested in intensifying joint projects between Ukraine and the Republic of Turkey in the field of energy. I would like to note the significant potential of the bilateral partnership in the energy sector, in particular, in the oil and gas and nuclear industries, power industry, as well as in the context of building generating capacity and alternative energy sources," he said.

According to Demchenkov, the parties already agreed to promote cooperation of energy companies in the diversification of natural gas supplies to Ukraine, which includes the development of LNG terminal infrastructure.

The countries also decided to cooperate in transporting natural gas through the Trans-Balkan pipeline in both directions between Ukraine and Turkey.

As Ukrinform reported, Azerbaijan may become one of the new sources of gas supplies to Ukraine.

ish
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani, and Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi will visit EU institutions in Brussels in the Associated Trio format on Thursday, June 24.

The ministers will present to the European Union a joint strategic vision of the further development of the Associated Trio format, according to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

The key topics of the talks will be the European integration of the three countries, opportunities for further liberalization of trade relations, new promising areas of sectoral cooperation with the EU, in particular in the context of the implementation of the European Green Deal and the digital transformation, the report reads.

The parties will also coordinate their positions on security threats in the region and exchange views on preparations for the Eastern Partnership summit to be held in December 2021.

As reported, on May 17, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi signed a memorandum on the establishment of the Associated Trio for the joint successful European integration of the three countries.

ish
President Volodymyr Zelensky enacted the June 18 decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine to impose sanctions on Dmytro Firtash, Pavel Fuks, and another 536 individuals and 540 companies.

The relevant decree was published on the website of the Head of State, Ukrinform reports.

"To endorse the proposals made by the Security Service of Ukraine on the imposition of personal special economic and other restrictive measures (sanctions)," reads the decision of the National Security and Defense Council.

By this decision, the sanctions were imposed, in particular, on Dmytro Firtash, Pavel Fuks, Dmitry Utkin (member of PMC Wagner Group), Oleg Deripaska, Alexey Miller (CEO of Gazprom), terrorist leaders Igor Bezler, Igor Girkin, Pavel Gubarev, Vladimir Zhevaha (PMC Wagner Group) and others.

In addition, another decree enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on the imposition of sanctions on 312 individuals and 103 legal entities in accordance with the proposal of the Cabinet of Ministers.

The sanctioned individuals are mostly citizens of the Russian Federation, including Director General of Channel One Russia Konstantin Ernst, editor-in-chief of Russia Today TV channel Margarita Simonyan and others.

The sanctions were also imposed on a number of Russian airlines, factories, several TV companies and TV channels, including Channel One. Worldwide Network, RTR-Planet, Russia-24, NTV, etc.

As reported, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine at a meeting on June 18 approved a decision to impose sanctions on Dmytro Firtash and Pavel Fuks.

NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said at a briefing that the Security Council had extended the sanctions imposed on June 21, 2018, on all legal entities and individuals that were included in the list. The Presidential Decree of June 21, 2018, enforced the decision of the National Security and Defense Council to impose economic and other restrictive sanctions on 1,759 individuals and 786 legal entities for a period of three years.

ol
Ukraine praises the relationship of strategic partnership with China, a solid foundation of which is mutual non-interference in each other's internal affairs and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.

The Ukrainian Ministry for Foreign Affairs said this in a statement released on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Ukraine and China, Ukrinform reports.

It is noted that the strategic partnership between Ukraine and China was launched during the state visit of President of the People's Republic of China Hu Jintao to Ukraine 10 years ago.

According to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, this event marked the opening of a new page in the history of Ukrainian-Chinese relations.

Since then, the parties have been constantly working to deepen political dialogue and cooperation, to expand cooperation in trade, economic, scientific and technical, agricultural, energy, infrastructure, aerospace, education and cultural and humanitarian sectors.

"Our state is convinced that the effective use of the existing potential of bilateral cooperation based on the principles of international law and the interests of national security will further strengthen the constructive atmosphere of mutual respect between our countries," the ministry said in the statement.

iy
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will discuss with the ambassadors of Germany and France the idea of resuming summits between the European Union and Russia.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba said this in his video address on Facebook.

In particular, Kuleba said that the proposal of France and Germany to resume EU-Russia summits grossly violated the national interests of Ukraine. According to him, it is necessary to be open with them and firmly defend our national interests.

"Therefore, today we will talk with the ambassadors of Germany and France. We want to better understand what intentions Berlin and Paris are pursuing and how this relates to the sanctions policy against Russia and their role as mediators in the Normandy format," he said.

Kuleba also called the lack of support for the proposal to resume EU-Russia summits at the summit of EU leaders a victory.

As Ukrinform reported, during a meeting with EU High Representative Josep Borrell on Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba expressed deep concern over the idea of resuming EU-Russia summits. According to the minister, such a decision without any progress on the part of Moscow in the field of compliance with international law can only undermine the EU's non-recognition policy of the illegal annexation of Crimea and the effectiveness of sanctions, as well as push Russia to non-fulfillment of the Minsk agreements.

ish
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky assumes that the settlement of the conflict in eastern Ukraine may be put to an all-Ukrainian referendum if the international negotiations fail.

Zelensky said this at the VIP with Natalia Moseychuk TV program, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

According to the Head of State, the decision on a "wall" in relations and communications with the temporarily occupied territories should be made by the people of Ukraine.

If we do not reach any alternative agreements with the United States, with Russia, separately with Europe and in parallel within the Normandy format, if all this fails, the people of Ukraine will vote on the wall, said the President.

At the same time, he stressed that was a difficult issue: Donbas, this or that kind of a wall is definitely unpopular with the population, so we want to return people and territories, Zelensky said.

He added: If we reach that point, I want people to really understand that this will remain for many years.

As reported, on January 26, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada passed the Law of Ukraine On All-Ukrainian Referendum. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the document on April 8.

ol
The European Union will introduce the principle of differentiation towards the Eastern Partnership countries based on their European integration aspirations.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba made a corresponding statement following his visit to Brussels in the Associated Trio format.

Kuleba noted that Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova had insisted for several years that the principle of differentiation should be introduced in the Eastern Partnership which also includes Belarus, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

"That is, the three countries with European ambitions and the association agreements should have access to more advanced assistance programs and instruments than those that do not seek European integration. We have not been heard for a long time. However, once the Associated Trio was created, its probably a coincidence, we were heard during our visit to Brussels. The principle of differentiation will be introduced into the European neighborhood policy of the Eastern Partnership," Kuleba said.

Moreover, specific projects to be implemented with the EU were discussed during the visit.

"We do not want everything to run upon aid forever, we need joint equal projects where everyone sees their benefits. This will be the real European integration of Ukraine," the minister stressed.

On Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani, and Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi made the first joint visit to the EU institutions in Brussels in the format of the Associated Trio.

l
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has thanked the European Council for calling on Russia to ensure full implementation of the Minsk agreements.

Kuleba wrote this on his Twitter account, Ukrinform reports.

Grateful to the EU Council for calling on Russia to fully assume its responsibility in ensuring the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the key condition for any substantial change in the EUs policy towards Moscow. Realistic approach instead of underserved presents, the minister wrote.

The foreign minister also reminded that Ukraine called on the European Commission and High Representative of the EU Josep Borrell to present options for additional restrictive measures, including economic sanctions, if Russia takes further destructive steps.

Weve been calling for this during the latest Russian escalation in April, Kuleba wrote.

On June 25, the heads of state and government of the EU countries adopted a resolution on foreign policy, which, in particular, covers the vision for further relations between the EU and Russia based on the five guidelines set in 2016.

The European Council stated that the EU expects the Russian leadership to demonstrate a more constructive engagement and political commitment. The European Council called on Russia to fully assume its responsibility in ensuring the full implementation of the Minsk agreements as the key condition for any substantial change in the EUs stance.

iy
Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Vasyl Bodnar and Lithuanian Ambassador to Ukraine Valdemaras Sarapinas have discussed preparations for Ukraine Reform Conference and the program of President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Lithuania.

Bodnar wrote about this on his Twitter account.

"Meeting with Lithuanian Ambassador Valdemaras Sarapinas. The main focus is preparations for Ukraine Reform Conference (July 7-8, Vilnius) and the program of President Zelensky's visit," the deputy minister wrote.

Bodnar also thanked Lithuania for its principled position on the inadmissibility of the EU-Russia summit.

This year Ukraine Reform Conference will be held in Lithuania on July 7-8.

Ukraine Reform Conference, launched by the government in 2017, is a platform that brings together Ukrainian and international government officials, top businesspersons, representatives of the EU, NATO, G7 and civil society to summarize the annual results of the reform process in Ukraine and discuss further priority steps and prospects.

iy
Verkhovna Rada Speaker Dmytro Razumkov believes that the Security Service of Ukraine should engage in the extradition of Ukrainian businessman Dmytro Firtash to bring him to justice under Ukrainian law.

"If a person finances the Russian army, provides it with, as has been said, titanium alloys for armaments, then we must already appeal to our foreign partners with a request to extradite him [Firtash] and continue the process within the framework of the legislation in effect. It will be absolutely correct. I think that the Security Service will have to engage in this process after the imposition of sanctions. We are waiting for their response," Razumkov said during the press conference entitled "Parliamentarism. Constitution. Independence," an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

Razumkov also noted that he did not support sanctions against citizens of Ukraine because he believes that, according to the law on sanctions, they can be imposed on foreign businesses or foreign citizens who cannot be held accountable under Ukrainian law.

As reported, on June 18, the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine approved a decision to impose the maximum set of sanctions on businessmen Pavel Fuks and Dmytro Firtash. According to NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov, sanctions against Firtash were imposed because of his participation in the titanium business, the supply of raw materials, which then are delivered to Russia's military enterprises. The National Security and Defense Council also imposed sanctions on companies that are directly affiliated with Russia's military-industrial complex and that use this titanium in the military sphere.

Since 2014, Firtash has been living in Austria where he is on trial over his extradition to the United States, where he has been accused of money laundering and corruption schemes abroad.

ol
The ambassadors of the G7 countries have reaffirmed their commitment to help Ukraine implement its vaccination programme.

"G7 Ambassadors, during their meeting with Minister of Health Viktor Liashko, reiterated their commitment to help Ukraine deliver its vaccination programme and support its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic," reads the statement posted on Twitter account of the UK Presidency of the G7 Ambassadors Support Group in Ukraine.

The diplomats also said they had heard the ministers clear plans for health reform that improves care quality and outcomes for Ukrainian patients. G7 Ambassadors welcomed steps taken to increase transparency and efficiency in healthcare procurement, by empowering the independent Central Procurement Agency.

As reported, over the past day, 96,180 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 in Ukraine. In particular, 40,970 people got their first jab, and 55,210 people were fully vaccinated.

Since the beginning of the vaccination campaign, which started on February 24, 1,834,971 people have been vaccinated, of which 490,376 people have received two doses.

Ukraine recorded 876 new COVID-19 cases on June 24.

ish
facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter

Published June 25, 2021

University of Louisiana Monroe College of Pharmacy Dean Dr. Glenn Anderson, right, and students in Pharmacys new active learning classroom. Siddharth Gaulee/ULM Photo Services

$250,000-classroom first of its kind in the state

By Mark Henderson

Special to the University of Louisiana Monroe

A new approach to learning needs a new kind of classroom.

That's the belief of Glenn Anderson, Pharm.D., Dean of the University of Louisiana Monroe's College of Pharmacy. He took that belief, and a magazine article, to Greg Andrews, ULM's classroom and audio-visual coordinator.

He pointed to a picture accompanying the article about an active learning classroom in Cincinnati and told Andrews, "I want this." Andrews and Pharmacy manager of technology services Marcia Wells delivered.

"We wanted to create a learning environment that goes beyond memory. Students, we know, are going to learn more here." Dean Glenn Anderson, Pharm.D. ULM College of Pharmacy

That active learning classroom, the first of its kind in Louisiana, is now in use. It's clear something different happens here.

"We wanted to create a learning environment that goes beyond memory. Students, we know, are going to learn more here," Anderson said.

Creative thinking enhanced by technology

In a traditional classroom, students all face the instructor with their backs to their fellow students. A teacher shares expertise; students take notes, memorize those notes, and then state those facts when test time comes.

"That's really the lowest form of learning, the regurgitation of facts," Anderson said, referencing Bloom's Taxonomy, a classification system used to define and distinguish different levels of human cognition. "At this level, students can tell you only what a drug can do."

It doesn't encourage students to think for themselves, however.

"We want our students to move to the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy, creative thinking. We want them to be able to build a treatment plan."

In the center of the studio-style classroom is the instructor, usually a professor, workstation with an interactive smartboard. The students sit all around the instructor at 14 tables.

Each table features a 360-degree microphone, plug-ins for laptops, and a large multiscreen monitor. The technology enables professors and students to wirelessly share notes, presentations, project materials, and other content from any laptop, smartphone, or tablet between the instructor station and the tables where students collaborate as a team.

"The idea is if you sit here in the classroom, you should always see content from the learners and from the instructor. Students will learn faster and deeper through group learning," Anderson said.

The team behind the ULM College of Pharmacys active learning classroom are, from left, Marcia Wells, manager of technology services, Dean Dr. Glenn Anderson and Greg Andrews, classroom and audio-visual coordinator. Siddharth Gaulee/ULM Photo Services

Team-building and innovation

Students work together to find answers, challenge each other, and call upon the instructor as a resource. As the team's individuals compare notes, swap ideas, and resolve conflicts, creative thinking evolves, Anderson said. What follows is development of solutions based on collaboration as a team.

Each team presents its findings and proposals with the other teams in the room, which view the presentation on the monitor at their tables.

"As professionals, we don't get to pick who we work with. Team-building involves conflict resolution. And today, medicine is moving more and more to a team-care concept," Anderson said. "It's all about team-building."

The technology expands the reach of the classroom as well, Anderson said. ULM's College of Pharmacy has two satellite campuses in New Orleans and Shreveport. A 360-degree camera and up-to-date technology allow the instructor in the Monroe classroom to extend learning to include teams there.

College of Pharmacy endowments funded the $250,000 classroom. The college worked with Scott Albarado of Metairie, a liaison with technology company Trox, in developing the room.
A UNHCR staff member speaks to internally displaced people in the street in Axum, in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.  UNHCR/Lana Chouhfeh

Earlier this week, hundreds of civilians were wounded or killed by air strikes on a market in Tigray near Mekelle. This latest tragedy underscores the escalation of conflict in the region as the humanitarian situation becomes increasingly dire, with the threat of famine, increased displacement and continuing reports of human rights violations, including particularly disturbing incidents of gender-based violence and the forcible return of refugees to persecution or danger.

UNHCR has teams on the ground to address the critical situation of the hundreds of thousands already displaced, particularly in the areas of shelter, camp management and protection. We are continuing to scale up our response to address the ever-growing needs despite the volatile context. UNHCR has assembled a team of highly qualified emergency staff who are ready to reinforce teams on the ground. The quick deployment of these technical experts and emergency teams to Tigray will make a difference to the lives of thousands of civilians.

Since the onset of the conflict last November, I have repeatedly called for all parties to respect the protection of civilians and the safety of humanitarian workers on the ground. Civilians, including refugees, have suffered enough, and UNHCR and other humanitarian agencies must be allowed to help them. Only improved security and entry and access throughout Tigray will allow UNHCR and other humanitarian partners to carry out our mandate to assist those desperately in need.
Register for a FREE account to keep reading!

Register now for a FREE account to keep reading. No cost and no credit card required!

Access up to 5 articles per month when you register, or get unlimited access to all of our content online starting at $1.99 now!

Already registered? Click the log in link below
Elaine Snyder, of Mars, and Cindy Magdinec, of Valencia, talk and laugh as they stain pieces of wood during the Bunks Across America event where local chapters of the charity Sleep in Heavenly Peace spend the day making beds for children in need, Saturday, June 12, 2021, at Hosanna Industries in Gibsonia. Snyder and her husband Ed Snyder started this chapter of the national nonprofit. (Alexandra Wimley/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)
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
The threat of climate change has challenged the world to find new and innovative ways to reverse its effects. However, actions that benefit one region may take a toll on another, meaning that curing the earth starts with building global relationships.

A study titled Rethinking Sovereignty in a Changed Climate: The National Security Role of Commons-Based Geoengineering by a UNO researcher explores the barrier that sovereignty poses to facing climate change as an international united front.

Wilson Centers John Milewski was joined by Beth Chalecki, Ph.D., an assistant professor of political science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), in an episode of the Wilson Center Now series.

Chalecki discussed a multitude of topics from her study such as sovereignty and research and advances in geoengineering.

Weve tried mitigation options, which basically means cutting greenhouse gas emissions, [but] nations havent been very good at it. They havent done it, including, Im sorry to say, the United States, Chalecki said. And then we tried adaptation, and that basically means try to adapt to this change in climate and we havent been very good at that either.

There is a technological third option Chalecki mentioned called geoengineering, which is climate manipulation technology used to alter the climate to offset the worst aspects of climate change.

Chalecki says the international community must come together, rethink the international order, and tackle the growing threat of climate change.

Watch the full interview on the Wilson Centers website
Bamako, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :A car-bomb attack in northern Mali has wounded 15 UN peacekeepers, the United Nations said on Friday, in the latest attack in the war-torn Sahel state.

The UN said on Twitter that an evacuation was underway after a car bomb struck a temporary operational base in the area around Tarkint, in the lawless north of the country, without offering further details.

The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, has some 13,000 troops drawn from several nations deployed across the vast semi-arid country.

Mali is struggling to contain an insurgency that erupted in 2012 and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives since.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

On Monday, six French soldiers and four civilians were wounded when a car bomb detonated near a French armoured car in central Mali.
(@FahadShabbir)

Bamako, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :A car bomb in northern Mali has wounded 15 UN peacekeepers, the United Nations and the German government said on Friday, in the latest attack in the war-torn Sahel state.

The UN said on Twitter that an evacuation was under way after a car bomb struck a temporary base near Tarkint, in the lawless north of the country, injuring 15 peacekeepers.

In a public statement, German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said that 12 of the peacekeepers were German, and that three were seriously injured.

Two of the three were in stable condition, she said, while one has undergone surgery. All of the wounded have been evacuated by helicopter, Kramp-Karrenbauer added.

The Belgian defence ministry also said in a statement Friday that the attack had injured a Belgian soldier, who received medical attention at the site before being evacuated.

About 13,000 troops from several nations are deployed in the UN's MINUSMA peacekeeping mission across the vast semi-arid country.

Mali is struggling to contain an insurgency that erupted in 2012 and which has claimed thousands of military and civilian lives.

Despite the presence of thousands of French and UN troops, the conflict has engulfed the centre of the country and spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.

A security official, who declined to be identified, told AFP that the forward operating base attacked on Friday was only set up the previous day, after a land mine damaged a UN vehicle in the area.

The peacekeepers set up the temporary base in order to remove the damaged vehicle, the security official said.

On Monday, six French soldiers and four civilians were wounded when a car bomb detonated near a French armoured car in central Mali.
(@FahadShabbir)

Montreal, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jun, 2021 ) :A painting by British pop icon David Bowie recently discovered and purchased for about $4 at a Canadian store that resells donated goods, has been sold at auction in Toronto for nearly $90,000 (Can$108,120), the auction house said Friday.

The sale price blew past auction house Cowley Abbot's estimated $7,000 to $10,000 valuation of the diminutive artwork, which went to an American collector.

Auctioneer Rob Cowley said a dozen bidders vied for the computer and acrylic collage on canvas that is part of the so-called D Head series of portraits of the Ziggy Stardust rocker himself, his friends, and others that he painted between 1995 and 1997.

The 24 by 20 centimeter painting of a pale figure dressed in teal clothes, with teal and red hair on a crimson background, was originally sold through a website around 2001.

It somehow found itself two decades later at a donations store in South River, Ontario -- 300 kilometers north of Toronto.

There, an anonymous buyer paid $4 (Can$5) for it.

"We were very excited to discover that the artwork was original and authentic," Cowley had told AFP at the start of the two-week online auction. Bowie's signed initials on the back, he said, were authenticated by a Bowie autographs expert.

The seller is "delighted and shocked" that the painting fetched such a high price, Cowley said on Friday.

Bowie attended art school and collected hundreds of artworks during his lifetime that were sold off for tens of millions of Dollars after his death. But his own artworks, according to Cowley, rarely go on sale.

Starting with "Space Oddity" in 1969, Bowie scored hit after hit over more than four decades, ranging from "The Jean Genie" and "Heroes" in the 1970s to "Let's Dance" and "Modern love" in the 1980s to more recent hits like 2013's wistful "Where Are We Now?".

Two days after the release of his 25th studio album, "Blackstar," on his 69th birthday, Bowie died of cancer on January 10, 2016.
Surfside, EtatsUnis, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :Staring into space or sobbing, family members of those missing in the Florida apartment building collapse waited in anguish for news of loved ones, while others scrambled for a place to live after their home was destroyed.

The disaster in Surfside, near Miami Beach, left one person dead and 99 unaccounted for after the collapse early Thursday, with fears the toll may rise much higher.

"Everything is gone," said Erick de Moura, 40, who was at the town's community center trying to find temporary accommodation.

The Brazilian had lived for three years on the 10th floor of the oceanfront Champlain Towers South, part of which pancaked in the middle of the night for reasons yet unknown.

He survived because he had decided to stay at his girlfriend's house last night.

"I am homeless now. I lost my papers, documents, everything. My green card, my money," de Moura said.

"I just came back and the scene is shocking," he added. "There is a lot of pain. I'm blessed that I am alive." As for his neighbors, "I think they're gone." These residents had had the best view, overlooking the beach and ocean, until their part of the tower collapsed like a house of cards in the night.

Firefighters, police and search dogs spent the day trying to locate survivors in the rubble. A crane cleared away pieces of debris, while a helicopter patrolled from above.

The rest of the 12-story building was still standing, but all residents were evacuated and several surrounding streets cordoned off.

The survivors and families of those missing gathered a few blocks away at the community center, where volunteers were providing water, coffee, lunches, and clothes, as well as emotional support.

Displaced residents were trying to figure out where they can now live, whether it's with relatives or in hotels which have offered rooms. Others waited grimly for news of their loved ones.

People come and go. Some are seated and motionless, while others are sobbing.

More than a thousand people have passed through the community center, said Ron Ben Hayoun, a 22-year-old volunteer and north Miami resident who had returned to his childhood neighborhood to help.

In this city with a large Jewish community, "we try to help everyone, we are not exclusive.""It's pretty shocking. people are very emotional," said the young man, who had recently returned from Israel where he did his military service.
(@FahadShabbir)

Hong Kong, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2021 ) :Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily tabloid said it was a "victim of tyranny" in a defiant final edition on Thursday after it was forced to close under a new national security law, ending a 26-year run of taking on China's authoritarian leaders.

The sudden death of the popular newspaper -- which US President Joe Biden called a "sad day" -- is the latest blow to Hong Kong's freedoms, deepening unease over whether the international finance centre can remain a media hub as China seeks to stamp out dissent.

Queues formed across Hong Kong on Thursday as residents raced to snap up one of the one million copies Apple Daily said it planned to print. Many vendors sold out within minutes and were awaiting fresh deliveries.

The swansong front page featured the paper's own journalists waving goodbye to crowds outside its headquarters.

"Apple Daily is dead," deputy chief editor Chan Pui-man, who was arrested last week on a national security charge, wrote in a farewell letter to readers.

"Press freedom became the victim of tyranny." In the working-class district of Mongkok, hundreds queued through the early hours of the morning to get their hands on the final edition, some chanting "Apple Daily, we will meet again!" "It's very shocking," a 30-year-old woman, who was in the queue and gave her first name as Candy, told AFP.

"Within two weeks, authorities could use this national security law to dismantle a listed company." - Asset freeze - Hong Kong's most popular tabloid had long been a thorn in Beijing's side, with unapologetic support for the city's pro-democracy movement and caustic criticism of China's authoritarian leaders.

Biden, whose country is at diplomatic odds with Beijing on a number of issues, lamented a "sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong and around the world" and called on China to "stop targeting the independent press and release the journalists and media executives that have been detained".

Apple Daily owner Jimmy Lai, currently in jail for attending democracy protests, was among the first to be charged under the national security law after its imposition last year.

But the final chapter was written over the last week when authorities cited the law to raid the newsroom, arrest senior executives and freeze its assets.

That last move crippled the paper's ability to conduct business or pay staff, and the news group decided Thursday's newspaper would be its last.

Overnight it took down its website, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Its edition in Taiwan will continue to operate.

But some 1,000 people, including 700 journalists, are now out of work.

"Hong Kongers lost a media organisation that dared to speak up and insist on defending the truth," eight local journalist associations said in a joint statement, as they called on colleagues to dress in black on Thursday.

- Forbidden opinions - China imposed its security law on Hong Kong last year after the city was convulsed by huge and often violent democracy protests in 2019.

The prosecution of Apple Daily was sparked by articles and columns that allegedly supported international sanctions against China, a view now deemed illegal.

Lai, chief editor Ryan Law and CEO Cheung Kim-hung have all been charged with colluding with foreign forces to undermine China's national security and remanded into custody.

The decision to freeze Apple Daily's assets laid bare the sweeping powers now at the disposal of authorities to pursue any company deemed to be a national security threat.

Multiple international media companies have regional headquarters in Hong Kong, attracted to the business-friendly regulations and free speech provisions written into the city's mini-constitution.

But many local and international outlets are questioning whether they have a future there.

- First trial - Hong Kong has plunged down an annual press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders, from 18th place in 2002 to 80th this year. Mainland China languishes at 177th out of 180, above only Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea.

China and Hong Kong's authorities have hailed the security law for successfully restoring stability after the 2019 demonstrations and said media outlets must not "subvert" the government.

Authorities initially said the law would only target "a tiny minority".

But it has radically transformed the political and legal landscape of a city that China promised would be able to keep key liberties and autonomy after its 1997 return by Britain.

On Wednesday, the first trial under the new law got under way for a man accused of riding a motorbike into police officers.

His trial is not being heard by a jury, a major departure from Hong Kong's common law traditions.

His case is unusual because he is the only Hong Konger so far charged under the security law with an explicitly violent act.

More than 60 people have now been charged under the law, including some of the city's best-known democracy activists, but their offences are related to political views or speech that authorities have declared illegal.
ANKARA, 25 June (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) -:Japan on Friday announced it will provide Oxford-AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines to Asian nations starting next week.

The country will donate one million coronavirus vaccine shots each to Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters in Tokyo.

"We are making the final preparations," he said, adding that Japan will also offer one million doses each to Taiwan and Vietnam. This will be in addition to the batches of 1.24 million and one million shots it provided them, respectively, earlier in the month.

Separately, it will also provide 11 million doses of the vaccine to Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, and the Pacific island countries under the UN-backed COVAX Facility, a global vaccine sharing initiative, from next month.

The minister said Japan is leading efforts to meet the program's funding gaps, and the countries have been selected on the basis of vaccine shortages, rate of infections, their bilateral agreements with manufacturers as well as relations with Japan.

While Japan has secured enough AstraZeneca vaccines for 60 million people, it does not intend to use them immediately due to reports of rare cases of blood clots.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Ljubljana, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Jun, 2021 ) :Political divisions were on display on Friday as rival rallies were held in Ljubljana to mark the 30th anniversary of Slovenia's independence.

While right-wing Prime Minister Janez Jansa will preside over an official rally in the capital, just days before the country takes over the rotating presidency of the EU, a few streets away thousands of anti-Jansa activists backed by the largest unions and the centre-left opposition held a rival event.

Jansa took over the premiership amid the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic and critics accuse him of exploiting the emergency to target media he deems hostile and to corrode democratic institutions.

IT student Matjaz Skerjanc turned put for the opposition saying he wanted an end to Jansa's government as soon as possible because of what he called its corruption.

"They have been using the coronavirus crisis to frighten people", he told AFP.

A woman in her 60s, Sasa Jenko Pahor, said she was protesting "because the constituion in our country is not being respected".

The official celebration is to be held in front of parliament with Jansa welcoming several of his counterparts from neighbouring countries, including his close ally, nationalist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

The head of the European Council Charles Michel is also expected to attend.

Slovenia takes the EU presidency on July 1, its second time since joining the bloc in 2004.

Friday's rallies mark 30 years since the Alpine state, along with neighbouring Croatia, declared independence from the former Yugoslavia.

While Slovenia achieved independence after a comparatively short conflict, the events marked the beginning of years of bloodshed in the wider region.

Slovenian authorities have lifted most coronavirus restrictions for the two million population as the number of new cases has dropped over the last month and the economy is recovering faster than anticipated.

While being spared the worst of the first wave of the pandemic, Slovenia suffered from a surge of infections over the autumn and winter, leaving it with one of the worst death rates from the virus in the EU.

According to a poll published this week by the daily Dnevnik newspaper, 66 percent of citizens are dissatisfied with the government while only 30 percent describe it as successful.

Even though some MPs have peeled away from Jansa's coalition in parliament, two opposition attempts to oust him this year have failed.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2021 ) :The US government banned imports of solar panel materials from a Chinese company and placed trade restrictions on four others Thursday for alleged use of forced labor in the Xinjiang region.

The White House said in a statement that Xinjiang-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. would not be able to sell its products into the United States due to "information reasonably indicating that Hoshine used forced labor to manufacture silica-based products." In parallel the Commerce Department announced that Hoshine and four other Xinjiang firms would be subject to tight restrictions on their ability to acquire US commodities, software and technology due to their involvement in the use of forced labor.

"These actions demonstrate our commitment to imposing additional costs on the People's Republic of China (PRC) for engaging in cruel and inhumane forced labor practices," the White House said in a statement.

"The United States believes that state-sponsored forced labor in Xinjiang is both an affront to human dignity and an example of the PRC's unfair economic practices." The White House said the use of forced labor was part of Beijing's systematic effort to repress millions of ethnic Uyghurs and other minorities in the far-west region, an effort which it said includes sexual violence and large-scale detentions in labor camps.

The four other companies include two producers of polysilicon materials for the solar panel industry, Xinjiang Daqo New Energy and Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Technology, aluminum processor Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals, and state-owned Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, already hit with restrictions for its cotton-related business.

The actions hit producers from the regions that supplies close to half of the world's polysilicon used in solar panels.

An official from US Customs and Border Protection, which issued the block on Hoshan imports, estimated that the United States imported goods from the company worth $150 million over the past 30 months.

Asked if the US trade actions could conflict with promoting solar energy, US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said stopping forced labor comes first.

"Our environmental goals will not be achieved on the backs of human beings in a forced labor environment," Mayorkas told reporters.

"We're going to root out forced labor wherever it exists and look for alternative products," he said.

The import ban on Hoshine adds to similar action against producers and users of cotton and tomato products and hair products like weaves from the region.

The United States also recently placed a ban on imports from a leading Chinese fishing company, Dalian Ocean, for its use of forced labor, unrelated to Xinjiang and the Uyghurs.
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar has said the present government has been actively pursuing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Projects for early their completion.

Addressing at virtual inauguration of high-power Testing of  660kV Matiari-Lahore HVDC Transmission Line project being witnessed simultaneously in Pakistan and China here Friday, the minister said CPEC was of utmost importance for Pakistan as it would enable the country to enhance industrial production, upgrade energy and communication infrastructure and improve connectivity within the region.

The CPEC has generated number of employments and investment opportunities in Pakistan and beyond, he said.

The minister said the government was committed to providing basic necessities to the masses through its power projects.

The government has performed well in last 3 years and it has attained various projects on different fronts, he said.

Hammad said the government has also worked to improve electricity transmission system in the country and a record 24,633 MW power was transmitted in current month through its national power system.

He said Matiari Lahore HVDC project was now successfully starting of high power transmission.

He appreciated the hard work of NTDC Management, PPIB, PMLTC and State Grid Corporation of China for making the project a huge success.

He said the friendship between Pakistan and China was spanned over seven decades started in 1951 when the first high level official delegation visited China.

"We have also celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan recently. The friendship between the two countries is expanded in different sectors like education, power sector, tourism, trade, defense, health along with CPEC projects," he observed.

He said the  660kV HVDC transmission line was a new technology in our current AC transmission infrastructure.

The transmission line would evacuate power from power plants located in Sindh to the North load centers. Thus, bringing stability in the power system and enhancing the transmission capability to overcome the power crisis in Pakistan. He said the project was continued despite the pandemic and was successfully completed. The project would bring relief to the consumers, he said.

Speaking on the occasion Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong congratulated NTDC Pakistan and State Grid Corporation of China for the successful completion of high power test for Matiari-Lahore HVDC Project.

He also expressed sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Energy , CPEC Authority,NEPRA and China National Energy Administration for the unremitting support and convenience provided.

"Matiari-Lahore HVDC Project is the only power transmission project in the CPEC priority list, as well as the first HVDC transmission project in Pakistan, devoting itself to address the bottleneck of electricity transmission from south to north and upgrading the layout of Pakistan national grid, " he said.

He said over 1,300 Chinese engineers and technicians along with 6500 Pakistani workers overcame the impact of the pandemic and intensively worked together. They successfully implemented low-power test and High-power test, and smoothly made it into the new phase of High-power trial run operation in spite of the difficulties and obstacles, presenting us a good interpretation of China speed in Pakistan, the ambassador said.

He said up to now, CPEC has attained $25.4 billion investment in Pakistan, which increases for Pakistan as much as 5,200 MW of installed power generation capacity, 886,000 meters of national power transmission line, 510 kilometers of highway, and 75,000 jobs created while in the peak time of construction.

He said, " due to its tremendous contributions to the Pakistan's economic and social development, CPEC gains widespread praises from the whole society of Pakistan and attracts extensive attention from international community as well".

He said at present, CPEC moved up to the new phase of high quality development, focusing on industry, agriculture and livelihood cooperation.

"As we know, stable power supply is the foundation of industrialization and industrial cooperation. For that purpose, the project, under the strong guidance and leadership of China National Energy Administration and State Grid, is supposed to well operated and maintained, functioning as the main artery to transmit the power from south to north, and be gradually adapted to localization" he said.

He expressed the hope the Matiari-Lahore Transmission Company could make further study with the Pakistani counterpart on how to deepen and expand the power transmission cooperation to meet the demand of the local economy and community, making more contribution to the high quality development of CPEC.

He said the year of 2021 marked the 70th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Pakistan. Over the past 70 years, no matter how the international landscape, regional situation and domestic situation of the two countries changed, the two sides have always trusted and supported each other, and the bilateral relationship becomes a model with different social systems, different historic background, he said.

Ambassador said China was willing to work closely with Pakistan to well implement the consensus reached by leaders of two countries, and continuously advance the progress of CPEC, enriching the all-weather strategic partnership and building a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in new era.

Speaking on the occasion, MD NTDC Muhammad Ayub said low testing of the transmission line had already been conducted during which 800 MW and 2200 MW electricity was successfully transmitted.

He said it was a great achievement for both China and Pakistan and the project would bring stability in transmission system.

He said the commercial date of operation of the project was September 1, 2021.

He said the total length of the transmission was 886 km with the transmission capacity of 4400 MW.

CEO Pak Matiari-Lahore Transmission Company Wang Bo and other also spokes on the occasion.

The ceremony was also attended by Chairman NEPRA Tauseef H Farooqi, Chairman CPEC Authority Lt Gen ( R) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Secretary Power Division Ali Raza Bhutta, MD PPIB Shah Jahan Mirza, the CEO PMLTC, Chairman CET China while Chinese senior officials also participated through Video link from China.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Friday said the federal government is working on a comprehensive plan for uplift of agriculture sector in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib on Friday said the Federal government is working on a comprehensive plan for uplift of agriculture sector in line with the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Chairing a meeting on communication policy for agriculture sector, Farrukh Habib said that the ministry of Information and Broadcasting and its allied departments would play a key role in development of agriculture sector by disseminating information to the farmers through official media.

He added that the government has devised a communication policy to boost the agriculture sector.

He said that agriculture sector is a backbone of a country and a large number of people are linked with it, adding that following directions of the Prime Minister, the government is striving hard for progress of both agriculture and construction sector.

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on food Security, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema apprised the meeting that government has increased the allocation for agriculture sector eight times more in the present budget 2021-22 as compared to last fiscal year while steps were being taken to encourage sugar, textile, pesticide, flour and rice industry for better production.

The Special Assistant said farmers were badly exploited during the tenure of past regimes which damaged the agriculture sector, however, the present government has allocated substantial funds of Rs. 680 billion as subsidy.

He said the government only fixes the support price of wheat and sugarcane while there are open prices for other crops.

During the past era, he said Rs.90 billion were plundered from the pockets of farmers by paying them low price on sugarcane.

"Our first priority is change the life of farmer, while second is the promotion of pollution-free industry." He added the government has allocated Rs.10 billion in the next financial year for the purpose.

He informed the meeting that around 60 tons of soybean seeds have been given to the farmers in low temperature areas.

Jamshed said Dera Ismail Khan is turning into a pulses market while research centers are being set up in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

Secretary Information and Broadcasting Shahira Shahid, Principal Information Officer, Sohail Ali Khan, MD APP Mubashir Hassan, Managing Director, PTV, Amir Manzoor, Director news and Current Affairs ptv Mirza Rashid Baig, and other senior officials of the ministry attended the meeting.
No new confirmed case of dengue virus was reported in the province on Thursday

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2021 ) :No new confirmed case of dengue virus was reported in the province on Thursday.

According to the Primary & Secondary Healthcare Department the surveillance teams conducted activities at 25,070 places in the province during last 24 hours while dengue larvae was confirmed at 15 places among these areas. In the provincial capital, dengue larvae was traced from 8 places out of 6784 places where surveillance was made during the last 24 hours.

During the previous week, 3 confirmed cases of dengue virus were reported.

No death due to dengue has been reported this year due to effective measures taken by the government whereas 50 confirmed cases have been reported from January 2021 till date.

As many as two patients of dengue were under treatment of in the hospitals across the province.

The Punjab government is continuously working against dengue across the province and the anti-dengue staff is implementing all out measures to eliminate the larvae.

The P&SHD urged the people to adopt precautionary measures and keep their environment clean and dry to protect themselves from dengue.

The department urged the citizens to prevent themselves from dengue mosquitoes, take care of cleanliness in and around the house.

Accumulation of water in low-lying areas during the monsoon increases the risk of breeding dengue larvae, so the P&SHD appealed the citizens to be careful. The public is requested to keep the surrounding environment dry and clean.

The P&SHD urged the people to cooperate with dengue surveillance teams as it could be overcome with the cooperation of all.

Citizens may contact 1033 for health information or information on dengue-related symptoms.
(@FahadShabbir)

The Canadian government has designated three groups and an individual as terrorist entities among which are two far-right collectives and an Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) offshoot in Africa, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2021) The Canadian government has designated three groups and an individual as terrorist entities among which are two far-right collectives and an Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia) offshoot in Africa, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said on Friday.

"Today, we are announcing the addition of four new entities - three groups and one individual - to the list of terrorist entities under the Criminal Code [of Canada]," Blair said in a press briefing.

The list includes the Three Percenters and Aryan Strikeforce far-right groups active in North America, the Islamic State in the Democratic Republic of Congo and James Mason, a US neo-Nazi.
The highly-contagious Delta variant is causing a surge in new Covid-19 cases even in countries with high vaccination rates and experts warn that inoculation campaigns are in a race against time to contain it

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :The highly-contagious Delta variant is causing a surge in new Covid-19 cases even in countries with high vaccination rates and experts warn that inoculation campaigns are in a race against time to contain it.

For the moment the pandemic is still slowing down with the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting the lowest number of new cases worldwide since February and decreasing deaths attributed to the coronavirus.

But concerns are growing about the fast-spreading variant, prompting new restrictions in countries that had previously managed to control their epidemics.

Cases are on the rise in Russia, Australia, Israel and across parts of Africa, in part due to Delta.

Other countries fear they could be next.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2021) A George Floyd statue, which was unveiled less than a week ago in New York City, was defaced by unknown persons on Thursday, a day before the police officer charged with his murder was to be sentenced, the Mayor of New York City said.

"Last night a far-right extremist group vandalized a statue of George Floyd in Brooklyn. A racist, loathsome, despicable act of hate. The City Cleanup Corps is repairing the statue right now and a hate crime investigation is underway. We will bring these cowards to justice," Bill de Blasio said on Twitter.

A statue of George Floyd in Brooklyn was installed to commemorate the Juneteenth, Liberation Day, the end of slavery in the US. Early on Thursday, the monument was spray-painted black and marked with the name of a white supremacist group Patriot Front, that originates from neo-Nazism, The New York Times reports.

George Floyd died in May 2020 in Minneapolis during a brutal arrest by the police officer Derek Chauvin. The case provoked a massive movement against police violence and racism. Chauvin is now under arrest and is to be sentenced soon.
(@FahadShabbir)

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed a medical trip to London that had been scheduled for Friday, his office said, without elaborating

Abuja, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Jun, 2021 ) :Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has postponed a medical trip to London that had been scheduled for Friday, his office said, without elaborating.

Buhari, 78, has flown to London several times for health reasons since he was first elected in 2015, though the nature of his ailment has never been made public.

He most recently flew to the UK at the end of March, staying until mid-April, as doctors in Nigerian government hospitals went on strike over pay and inadequate facilities.

On Thursday, his office said he was scheduled to return for a two-week follow-up.

But on Friday presidential advisor Femi Adesina said the trip had been postponed, adding in a statement that "a new date will be announced in due course." It was unclear why the trip was postponed, and two aides did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The president's health was hotly debated before the last election in 2019 when the opposition claimed he was not physically fit to govern -- but Buhari won a second term.

The former army general visited London for check-ups in 2016 and 2017, saying he had "never been so ill" and that he had received several blood transfusions.
LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th June, 2021) UK transport minister Grant Shapps announced on Thursday changes to the "green" and "red" lists of countries depending on the risk of COVID-19 exposure, effective June 30.

Eritrea, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Tunisia and Uganda were downgraded to high-risk countries and put on the red list in a bid to safeguard UK vaccine rollout.

Malta, Madeira, the Balearic Islands, several UK overseas territories, and Caribbean islands, including Barbados, were added to the green list, which means arrivals do not need to quarantine at a hotel.

All additions to the green list, apart from Malta, will also join the green watchlist, as will Israel and Jerusalem, signaling that these countries are at risk of moving from green to amber.

The amber list requires arrivals to self-isolate at home for 10 days and allows those who test negative on Day 5 to leave early. Shapps confirmed plans to remove the self-isolation requirement for fully vaccinated travelers.
Valdosta, GA (31601)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies this morning followed by thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 86F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then cloudy skies after midnight. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.
Malaysias Catholic bishops have made a contribution to a fund that is helping fight the spread of Covid-19 pandemic and treating patients. They have also asked their faithful to contribute to it.

By Robin Gomes

The Catholic Church in Malaysia has given a hand to a solidarity movement battling the Covid-19 pandemic. The Malaysian Catholic Bishops' Conference (CBCM) has committed a sum of 1 million Malaysian ringgit (RM) to the Malaysia Solidarity Covid-19 Fund. Several faith-based organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have contributed to this fund initiated by the Malaysian chapter of the Tzu Chi Foundation. The Taiwan-based international humanitarian and non-profit organization is inspired by the Buddhist virtue of compassion and is devoted to spreading love through its work in the fields of charity, medicine, education, and culture. The Tzu Chi Foundation aims to support initiatives and programmes to fight the pandemic through prevention and treatment.

The Church's endeavours

"This is an emergency fund in response to the urgent request for assistance from our public hospitals and healthcare workers for the supply of various medical equipment to cope with the high number of critically ill Covid-19 patients," said Father Michael Chua, the chancellor of Kuala Lumpur Archdiocese. The priest who works with the CBCM said the bishops have urged their faithful to support this cause by making donations to the Malaysia Solidarity Covid-19 Fund. The Tzu Chi Foundation Malaysia guarantees that 100% of the funds raised will be used for the purposes indicated.

"This is an emergency fund to which we are contributing in order to help health workers to provide life-saving equipment for 142 hospitals", said Bishop Bernard Paul of Melaka-Johor. It is in the spirit of solidarity and charity that the Church in Malaysia is working to combat the pandemic and its effects. Caritas Melaka-Johor has launched a food aid programme for people affected by lockdowns. Several parishes run food banks, with grassroots church communities working at the forefront to identify families in need.

The Archdiocese of Kuching has donated 10,000 face masks and 6,200 units of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Sarawak General Hospital, thanks to the contribution of Catholic benefactors and friends across Sarawak State.

Archbishop Simon Poh of Kuching coordinated a special collection together with Bishop Joseph Hii of Sibu and Bishop Richard Ng of Miri. "The spirit is to offer material and spiritual support to frontline workers in Sarawak during this period of Covid-19", he said, calling for new collaborative initiatives. "Every little help from people of goodwill contributes to the common good for all", he added.

As of Friday, Malaysia Solidarity Covid-19 Fund received RM 5,669,136 in donations and RM 7,230,554 worth of medical equipment.

A minority community

According to government figures, Christians are a minority community, forming 9.2 per cent of the nation's 32.7 million people, 60% of whom profess Islam. Buddhists are more numerous making up 19.8 per cent. Catholics who number a little over 11.7 million, are spread across the countrys 9 dioceses, of which three are archdioceses.

The bishops of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei together form a single episcopal conference  the Catholic Bishops Conference of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (CBCMSB). Most members are Malaysians, with a bishop each from Singapore and Brunei. However, the CBCM takes decisions on national issues.

Malaysia's Covid19 scenario

Malaysias health ministry reported 5,812 new cases of Covid-19 on Friday, taking the total to 722,659, since the first three cases were reported on January 25, 2020. With 82 deaths the total has risen to 4,803.

The government imposed a lockdown on June 1, which is slated to end on June 28. Meanwhile, more than 13 million citizens have already registered for inoculation as part of a mass vaccination programme.

Khairy Jamaluddin, coordinating minister for immunization, said the target of fully vaccinating 10 per cent of the population  one of the key criteria to evaluate easing the ongoing lockdown  will not be fulfilled before June 28. By end-June, we estimate to be able to deliver eight million doses. Going by the ratio of first dose and second dose, we need to have administered 10.7 million doses in order to fully vaccinate 3.2 million of the population, Khairy said in a Straits Times report. We expect to reach 10.7 million doses in mid-July.

As of June 20, 1.6 million people, or 5 per cent of Malaysias population, have received both doses of the vaccine. In total, 4.2 million people, or 12 per cent of the population, have received at least one dose of the vaccine, according to The Straits Times.



Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said last week that the government will allow all economic sectors, social activities and domestic tourism by the end of the year when herd immunity is achieved with 80 per cent of the 32 million population fully vaccinated. (Source: Fides/UCA News)


Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here.
One on One with Joe Korkowski, as heard Saturdays on KXRA-1490AM (@7:40am) and KXRA-92.3FM (@8:00am), as well as each Sunday morning on KXRZ Z99.3fm (@10:15am).

The interview is also re-broadcast on Monday mornings on KX92 at 10:00am and on Z99 at 9:10am.
Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM

News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria.



Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria.

Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria.

Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens.
Contribute:

Leave a comment if you find a particular report interesting or want to add to it.

Flag as inappropriate.

Mark as helpful or interesting.

Send your own user report!

catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : hear a rumblings and house shake | 9 users found this interesting. Thats what I heard and felt too in Catonsville MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

1427 william street, Baltimore, MD 21230 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Shaking/vibration- like a car had run into our row of townhomes. | 7 users found this interesting.

Catonsville, Md 21228 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Sitting at work and felt a jolt... I'm from California so my first thought was this was a quake. | 5 users found this interesting.

3.4 km ESE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 2-5 s Loud bump, followed by a sharp rattling noise. I grew up in California and am used to earthquakes and recognized it right away. Very strong bump. | 2 users found this interesting. (reported through (reported through our app I live in Glen Burnie/Pasadena area. I heard a loud noise like a large low flying plane and then felt a low rumble underneath me. I was sitting in my basement. / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 2-5 s

10.5 km SE of epicenter [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : I felt my entire house shake fir approx 2-3 seconds and a breeze like effect went through my home moving curtains, etc. I thought someone hit my home with a vehicle. I heard nothing but have AC and Tzv on. Other neighbors reported a loud boom. | One user found this interesting.

Ellicott City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : Heard a rumbling noise with the slightest of rumbling motion for maybe a second. | 3 users found this interesting.

Baltimore Maryland 21229 at home / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s : Felt and heard a very loud sound like an explosion and vibration was felt deeply in the 2nd floor of my home. Everyone came out of their homes frightened. We thought it was a gas explosion. | 3 users found this interesting.

Halethorpe, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : In basement level, felt like deep bass vibration below concrete floor. | 3 users found this interesting.

Gwynn Oak (2 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : I have a rancher and was sitting in my bedroom when I heard a boom and felt my house shake. My granddaughter was in the basement. She heard and felt the house shake

1118 Light Street, Baltimore MD 21230 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt like someone dropped the building or something on the building. I thought it was an explosion | 2 users found this interesting.

21207 (1.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / very short : Felt like an explosion or sonic boom. | 2 users found this interesting.

Baltimore, Maryland / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s : It felt like a very low flying plane passing over you at a high speed. It was very quick and a lot of people in my neighborhood felt it too. There was no damage or at least I don't think there was and it wasn't like a shake where things would fall off shelves or anything like that. There was a rumbling and then a sort of shake/vibration that felt like it rolled under you, almost wave like.

Hampden, Baltimore, maryland / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Standing outdoors on the ground in Hampden Baltimore, I felt vibrating or scraping beneath me for about 5-10 seconds.

21211 (7.8 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I was on the third floor sitting at my desk and rumbling started coming from the basement, I could hear it and it shook the floor up and down a little bit under my feet like it was jumping, then there was a loud sound (I thought the furnace or water heater had exploded or a car had hit our house), then windows started vibrating (sounded like when you bend plexi glass back and forth) and it sounded like someone was pounding on the window/ storm door to get in the house. | One user found this interesting.

Baltimore 21211 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I thought it was an Earthquake, but then I second guessed it might be a huge semi truck that was in bad shape causing vibrations and shaking the house. | One user found this interesting.

Lansdowne / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : House shook. The report is only letting me say light shaking but it felt like something big hit the house or right outside the house. Heard a loud boom.. | One user found this interesting.

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s : In garage standing on concrete. Strong vibration similar to a large truck passing but without any discernible direction. | One user found this interesting.

Pikesville, MD 21207, at home / not felt : I did not feel anything, at all. I read on the Ring Neighbors app that some people close to me and some not so close felt it. I felt envious of them! | One user found this interesting.

Charlestown retirement campus / Light shaking (MMI IV) : We were moving today and in the apartment. We looked at each other. What was that?! Some thought it was banging from movers. I thought earthquake and thought about the building collapse in miami want to string, only lasted maybe 4 seconds | One user found this interesting.

4 Blythewood Road Baltimore MD 21210 (9 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I was on second floor of home. Heard a low rumble and felt a small vibration. | One user found this interesting.

Catonsville, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Felt some minor shaking. Our neighbors are having some trees removed so I thought it was that, to be honest. | One user found this interesting.

Coleraine Rd., Baltimore 21229 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short : 2 heavy thumps-I was on the 2nd floor of our house & thought my husband fell down the stairs. He was in the basement & ran up to see what happened as I ran down to check on him. (Nothing broken, fell over or off the walls.). Went outside to see if car accident & our neighbors on either side reported feeling it as well. | One user found this interesting.

Gwynn Oak, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : A very loud bang; like something very heavy dropping. | One user found this interesting.

Gwynn Oak, MD 21207 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : There was a loud boom like an explosion, then rattling/shaking for about 5-7 seconds. | One user found this interesting.

Windsor Mill (4.2 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : I didnt feel it personally. However, my rabbit and puppy did become upset around that time. The puppy barked profusely with his hair standing. The bunny thumped for about 2-3 minutes. | One user found this interesting.

Cherry hill / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake : Shaking waking me up out my sleep | One user found this interesting.

21229 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / very short : It was just a loud noise. The house shook a little bit - many of my neighbors left their houses right after wondering what happened. | One user found this interesting.

Lansdowne, Maryland / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : A single boom and shake | One user found this interesting.

Baltimore MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : The dog started freaking out felt like a possible explosion | One user found this interesting.

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : House shook | One user found this interesting.

4627 briarclift Rd 21229 Baltimore md (2.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / very short : It was like an explosion. We thought it could've been a tree falling but hearing that more people felt it, it was probably an earthquake. It was very short but a very intense vibration | One user found this interesting.

HALETHORPE maruland (6.9 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 5-10 s : Loud rumbling on house | One user found this interesting.

Lansdowne, MD 21227 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : Felt like a loud bang, as if a large object struck the house. | One user found this interesting.

Linthicum Heights, MD (13.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Decent rumbling | One user found this interesting.

Rambo ct Lansdowne md (10.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s

Baltimore MD (11.3 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) Slight shaking, just felt like a big tractor trailer truck drove by (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Baltimore (13.5 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : On second floor of solid brick home- felt weak vibrations

Home (6.9 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Baltimore Maryland (16.6 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Baltimore, Md (3.4 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : House felt like something dropped on it

w preston st (8.4 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Lochearn MD (2.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

6.4 km SSE of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short

Baltimore, MD (10.4 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : It definitely felt like an earthquake.

Anne Arundel county Maryland (14 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Weak shaking sound of thunder

8.2 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

BALTIMORE maryland (10.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : Hard shake lasted 5 seconds.

Baltimore (11.4 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s

Charles Village, Baltimore, Md (8.4 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short

Millersville home (25.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

pigtown (8.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore (8.1 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short : Book was loud. No shaking, just a rumble.

7.6 km NW of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt : Nothing 21133

4.7 km S of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short

Baltimore (1.4 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / very short : single big jolt

Baltimore city (11.8 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Violetville, MD (6.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Yes, felt the ground shake and a loud bang.

Catonsville MD (4.3 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : the whole house moved felt like something had fallen

21228 (3.7 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Vibraty rumbly

Lansdowne / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt like the sound of a Boom, but without the noise of one. | One user found this interesting.

South baltimore, Md inside Baltimore city (10.8 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 15-20 s

21045 / not felt : Didnt feel it

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : Single loud boom and brief tremor like someone dropped a large boulder on our roof.

Columbia / not felt

Pikesville Maryland / not felt : Felt nothing

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s : I live not far from where it happened. My whole house shook very quickly and hard. It sounded and felt like a big explosion. I was laying on my bed and it made me leap up when I felt it.

Reisterstown / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Linthicum / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Very sharp boom that shook my house.

Gwynn Oak, Maryland, USA (1.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : I had just gotten home from work and was heading up my interior stairs. It felt and sounded like a truck drove into my front door! I thought my cats knocked over a lamp or something else large, but they were just staring at me with their ears and tails alert.

Ellicott City MD / not felt : I was totally unaware of this and felt nothing inside my house!

Baltimore, MD 21229 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 15-20 s : Did not last long.Maybe 15-20 seconds Loud rumbling from underground. Very loud.

21244 (3.6 km W of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Baltimore / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / very short

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : House shook

Catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : It felt like something huge fell and we felt the vibration.

Gwynn Oak / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Sitting in the chair in the dining room it felt like my chair jumped my husband was in the living room sitting in a recliner same feeling.

3500 granite Road Woodstock md 21163 / not felt

Hamden Maryland / not felt : Someone else said they felt it in their house, but I was walking from the store didnt feel a thing

halethorpe, maryland / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : sounded like a big tree fell and shook the ground for a spilt second

Baltimore City (8.8 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Two of us on the back screen porch. Heard a deep rumbling like thunder, but clearly from the ground. At the same moment, we felt like a heavy thump, and my laptop screen shuddered. Immediately we realized it was an earthquake; went to the web to check it out & make a report.

80.3 km SW of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Dorchester rd 21207 / Light shaking (MMI IV)

Charlestown retirement campus / Light shaking (MMI IV) : We were moving today and in the apartment. We looked at each other. What was that?! Some thought it was banging from movers. I thought earthquake and thought about the building collapse in miami want to string, only lasted maybe 4 seconds

Baltimore, MD 21211 / Weak shaking (MMI III) : A low momentary shaking of the house from the floor, an up and down motion

Baltimore City / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Pikesville Maryland (7 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : I was told that it had just occurred.

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt like a truck hit the dock very hard

Baltimore (12.3 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Woodlawn Maryland / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Shaking and vibrating

Baltimore MD Southwest. / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : I knew something wasn't right something fell in my bedroom like a person fell off a bed and I'm in the basement by myself

Columbia, md / not felt

Lansdowne at home 21227 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt more like a boom rather then a shake but a very big boom

21228 (5.2 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Baltimore City (14.2 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s : been feelings these sporadically for months

Gwynn Oak / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Felt like an underground collision, loud and quick shake and vibration

Baltimore, MS / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : Felt like the building dropped

Ellicott City MD / not felt : I was totally unaware of this and felt nothing inside my house!

21230 (10.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Heard loud noise and felt shaking

Columbia / not felt : Felt nothing

1702 Webster st, Baltimore Md (11.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking for about 3 seconds.

Baltimore,MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s : I thought the building was going to collapse.

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump : It was a big boom I thought someone fell. Everyone was scared in my building.I pray for us all. I believe it was a bomb

Halethorpe / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Catonsville, Maryland / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I was laying in my bed and I felt my bed move

1503 W Lafayette Ave / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Sounded like an explosion and the building rattled.

10.4 km ESE of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Heard a loud boom and felt shaking

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe : It was like a rumbling like heavy machinery running and moving my house . I live in west Baltimore city 4 miles From Woodlawn .

Catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Very minimal, thought someone had closed a door in my apartment building too hard but heard about the earthquake at a later time.

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : It was a shake but nothing harmful. It shook the whole house but no damage is done to anything .

Catonsville Maryland (5.9 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Heard rattling

1801 Chelsea Road, Baltimore, MD 21216 / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / 1-2 s : Seemed like an underground explosion.

Brooklyn park / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Arbutus md (6.4 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short : Sounded like an explosion with one shake immediately following

21211 (7.4 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Lutherville, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

Fells Point, Baltimore, MD (11.5 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Reisterstown / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Montgomery Run Road (12.7 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

1111 cooks lane (2.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short

Catonsville MD (5.9 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s

Columbia Maryland. I was at the supermarket. I did (8.4 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : When I came home I noticed pictures had fallen on the floor from my fireplace mantle. I am wondering if it happened because of the earthquake. Before hearing of the earthquake I could not come up with the cause.

21227 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : I was in bed and I felt the house shake.

Towson MD 21286 / not felt

Monastery Ave / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : 1The porch shook and there was a loud boom like something explode we d

Catonsville, md 21228 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Vibration type of feeling about 1540 eastern standard time. Loud enough to hear through my noise canceling headset. Whole house vibration similar to train passing by nearby if there was a train near

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Heard a loud bang and felt the house shake like an explosion right outside my home. First thought was someone's kitchen or water heater just blew up or a car accident right outside that led to a car explosion.

Havre de Grace / not felt : Nothing

Pedro at home Lansdowne Maryland / Light shaking (MMI IV) : The whole house was shaking

21227 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 s

Baltimore md 21227 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Heard like a boom, then everything went quiet even the birds were quiet, then swing back and forth

7 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

halethorpe md / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : we thought it from an explosion

BALTIMORE / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s

Baltimore (10.5 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : None

Columbia md / not felt

20759 / not felt

2500 block of West Lombard Street 21223 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : I felt the house move

700 s Luzerne Ave, Baltimore md 21224 (12.7 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Rumble, felt like someone pushing furniture upstairs

Towson (12 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : did not feel anything in 21204 zip code

1702 Webster st, Baltimore Md (11.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking for about 3 seconds.

Pasadena / not felt

Baltimore City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Catonsville 21228 Woodbridge valley / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s : Sounded like low airplane or heavy truck and obviously not thunder. Reminded us of the feeling of the one in 2011

West Baltimore, Maryland 21229 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short

Catonsville, md / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating

Glen Burnie, Md / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Catonsville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : We felt a sudden vibration and shaking. Lots of rattling for a few seconds.

Temple Hills (57.7 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

13.1 km ESE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Middle river, md (25.4 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : A very short sudden vibration felt like a explosion

Baltimore md / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : A loud noise building shake and vibration

Westminster / not felt

11.6 km NE of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Laurel (24.1 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Catonsville, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : Short duration but distinct sound and vibration.

3304 Chestnut Avenue Baltimore, MD 21211 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Catonsville, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : It was a loud boom and then some shaking. Very brief.

15 s Hilton st, Baltimore, MD (5.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : there was a loud noise, and i felt my house shift a bit

Prince Frederick / not felt

21227 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 s

67.6 km NW of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt : I didn't feel anything

21216 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : It felt like someone had driven a car into the side of my apartment building. Was worried that some kind of accident had happened.

21227 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore city / not felt

BALTIMIRE CITY / not felt

9.2 km SE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Loud bang followed by short, sharp, shake, initially assumed large truck had backed into building.

Hanover, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Rosedale (Northeast Baltimore county), Maryland / not felt : Nothing at all

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : I was in bed and I felt the house shake.

Baltimore Maryland / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / very short

home / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating : ian feel shit i dont know what yall talking about

Baltimore City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short : There was a loud thump that sounded like an explosion. No shaking.

Westminster / not felt

Making tea (5.1 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short : Loud bang followed by momentary shaking of house, initially assumed to be explosion or major car accident nearby

Catonsville Maryland / Very weak shaking (MMI II)

715 Maiden Choice Lane / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Woodstock, Baltimore County / not felt

Elkridge, md / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : Loud thud and house shook briefly like something had hit it

Mount Vernon, Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

21229 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

21046 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : Just a second of shaking

My husband and I are in the 21217 area code. / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : The whole house shook! It kinda sounded like a big heavy duty truck that was dropped and my husband said that he felt our room and bed shake!!

pikesville, md / not felt

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 s

21230 (10.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Heard loud noise and felt shaking

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : The whole house shook from the bottom to the top! It was loud I did t k is if something was wrong with someone in my house downstairs or what is was u til I heard someone say it was an earthquake.

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

7.1 km ESE of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt

Gaithersburg / not felt

Baltimore, md / not felt : I didnt feel anything but a friend of mine whol lives in Catonsville did.

54.4 km SSW of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt

Woodlawn, Maryland, USA / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : I thought something had hit the house, like a heavy tree limb. No breakage or apparent damage,so I assumed it was an aerial shockwave, until I heard news of the earthquake.

Pikesville, MD / not felt

21012 / not felt

Owings Mills / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : N/A

Essex, MD / not felt

21211 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Baltimore, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s

Catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : It felt like something huge fell and we felt the vibration.

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

40.1 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Baltimore Maryland 21229 at home / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s : Felt and heard a very loud sound like an explosion and vibration was felt deeply in the 2nd floor of my home. Everyone came out of their homes frightened. We thought it was a gas explosion.

11.6 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : sounded like an explosion far away

BALTIMORE / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 5-10 s

Halethorpe Maryland 21227 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short : 1 large boom and small shake

Woodlawn Maryland / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Shaking and vibrating

Baltimore (7.1 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / very short : I heard what can only be described as a "distant explosion" or like VERY loud thunder, but not in the immediate area. The frame of our house creaked and cracked once. My dog was sleeping and never woke up.

Gwynn Oak MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

4400 Maple Wood Dr (3.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : I was sitting at the back deck and felt a loud bang

900 S Caton Ave, Baltimore, MD 21229 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Like a loud truck moving and a light shake side to side

Parsonsburg / not felt

2110 Southland Rd gwynn oak md 21207 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Loud rumble

Pikesville, Maryland 21208 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : heard a boom and felt a slight jolt

Halethorpe Md 21227 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / very short : Thought my house had been struck by a truck

Forest Park Community in Baltimore City (48.4 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt a jolt and very a light shake of my bedroom. I thought that something fell in the attic or on the roof.

Catonsville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short : Thump

Linthicum / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : While sitting on couch felt the house shake and heard rumbling.

Baltimore City Maryland (Edmondson Village) / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : There was a loud boom.

Abingdon / not felt : I didn't feel a thing.

Catonsville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : I thought someone dropped something heavy on my porch, heard a thud and felt a shaking..I looked but of course no one was there..Ring doorbell did not record any movement...

Catonsville, MD (4.2 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short : A single loud THUMP! as if a large object had struck the house, enough to bounce me in my seat. Felt like it came from behind and below me, but not from inside the house. I thought maybe the neighbors hot water heater had blown. It was loud enough that my sister heard it over FaceTime on my laptop!

Catonsville, Md 21228 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Baltimore / not felt : I know of someone that did in the Edmondson village area.

21228 (6.7 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s

Woodlawn, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Linthicum Heights Maryland / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s

Bethesda (47.5 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Very brief shudder through house, thought it was from slam of garbage truck, but no truck in area.

Baltimore MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : just a small shake i wasnt even sure it was an earthquake at first, i heard something that sounded like a boom too

Catonsville 4 wade Ave 21228 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Woodstock / not felt : Felt nothing, heard nothing.

Baltimore Maryland 21211 / not felt

3912 Beech Ave Baltimore, MD 21211 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Mostly low frequency noise like a truck was maybe offloading something nearby. My neighbor heard it also we both went to the front yards to see what caused it. My dog who is scared of thunder and fireworks was distressed by it too.

Halethorpe, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Towson / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Just felt like a large truck shaking the ground

Baltimore City, MD (North East - Loch Raven & Cold / not felt : Did not feel it but heard what sounded like a loud long rumble of thunder. It was definitely out of the ordinary and my daughter was asking what is that noise, where is coming from? Then we saw the notification about the quake.

Baltimore, MD 21218 (9.2 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

21229 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s

Gwynn oak, md / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

21230 (10.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Heard loud noise and felt shaking

21228 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe : Sounded like an explosion followed by the entire house shaking. Neighbors felt it as well.

10 hills near Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s

Catonsville, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : It was a loud boom and then some shaking. Very brief.

21207 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s

Woodlawn / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

TRC - UMBC / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : Yes. I felt it. There was a loud noise as if something rattled. Impact could be felt on walls. Laster for only a few seconds though. I felt extremely giddy for a good 10-15 minutes after.

CATONSVILLE / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Whole house shook for approximately 2-3 seconds.

21120 (32.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : Didnt feel anything.

Normount ave / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short : It felt like one big boom. Like something exploded for 1 or 2 seconds.

Sitting / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Thought someone had tripped and feel in my home. It was very quick and mild.

4.5 km SSW of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : Felt like a truck hit the house. One big bump and nothing else. It did wake the cat.

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore Federal Hill / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

21228 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Almost as if a big truck drove by!

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : My boyfriends apartment building lightly shook back and forth for just a second or two. It wasnt intense at all.

Hanover / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Pets went crazy most noticeable to them. It was very light shaking feeling.

EDGEWOOD / not felt

Pasadena, md (24.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : I felt a light shake and heard a rumble

Elkridge / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Thought maybe it was thunder

Owings Mills / not felt

8432 Bay Drive , pasadena md 21122 (29.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short

306 W Franklin St / not felt : Did not feel anything.

Leonardtown was sitting on my couch and thought Is / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Light shaking

21244 / not felt

Ferndale / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : Thought my deck collapsed.

Windsor Mill / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : In the moment I thought it could be a passing truck but I wondered why it was making the house shake.

PIKESVILLE, md / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Woodlawn MD 21207 / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Shaking , rattling, chandelier swinging, rumbling noise

Lansdowne / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short : I was sitting in recliner . The whole char shook .

Owings Mills / not felt : felt nothing

21218 (8.8 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / very short : very minimal shake, accompanied with a loud boom

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Thought it was a heavy truck riding over street graits.

7.3 km S of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

9 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / very short

Glen Burnie, MD 21061 (16 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short

1702 Webster st, Baltimore Md (11.2 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking for about 3 seconds.

Baltimore county / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Baltimore,Maryland 21223 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : I was upstairs in my townhouse and felt a quick rumble I thought there was a car accident outside.

elkridge MD (13.8 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : nothing here

WINDSOR MILL, MD 21244 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Thought it was a heavy truck passing by so just continued with our work

Lansdowne Maryland 21227 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Lansdowne / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : House shook windows rattled lamps swayed

Baltimore Highlands 21227 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : felt like something hit the house or my teenage boys were play fighting

Glenarden, MD (43.6 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Baltimore, Md. 21216 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : I thought it was a huge object that fell in the house next door or maybe an explosion happened next door.

Halethorpe (8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short

1751 Covington Street, Baltimore, MD 21230 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : Heard a very loud boom, felt some vibration

Owings Mills / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / complex motion difficult to describe

Canton MD in Baltimore, in my apartment / not felt / very short : Sounded like a large explosion or something dropping. I thought my neighbor dropped something really large and heavy.

Linthicum Heights, Maryland / not felt

Millersville, MD (24.4 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Bladensburg, MD / not felt

Catonsville / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt like a tree fell down nearby

Edgewood / not felt

21229 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : Single loud boom and brief tremor like someone dropped a large boulder on our roof.

Cooking At home / not felt

On couch / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

oella maryland (7.5 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : friends across town of catonsville felt it but i did not

maryland / not felt

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Southwest Baltimore city / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s : I thought something very heavy fell in my basement

21231 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Catonsville, MD 21228 / not felt : I heard what sounded like a fairly large explosion in the distance. I have experienced a number of earthquakes both here and in California including the 2011 5.8 in Catonsville.

Penn-North / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : It felt like someone slamming there door

Catonsville, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

55.7 km SSW of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt : didn't feel anything

21211 Baltimore Maryland Hoe's Heights (7.6 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : It was a loud sound like someone slamming a door but it was different than that. Hard to describe.

Baltimore, MD (7.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : A very large boom. Shook the house. I thought there was a gas explosion.

Woodlawn MD (0.2 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s : Light shaking. House rattled.

BALTIMORE / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Thought it was construction nearby.

625 Southmont Rd, Catonsville, MD (4.6 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Terence Parrish Springdale Avenue NW Baltimore I w / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Sounded like a car hit the house

University of maryland hospital / not felt

21111 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Halethorpe, MD / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Felt like something very heavy dropped, and very strong bang/boom/bump on the 2nd story floor. No shaking movement.

Pikesville, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s

elkridge, md / not felt : Was driving South on I-95. Sorry I missed it.

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Catonsville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Felt like an explosion happened in the distance. Rumbling and a vibration for about 3 seconds.

11.1 km NE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : On second floor of my house, felt vibration like heavy truck passing. Heard creaking/rattling from the house structure.

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 5-10 s : Sounded like someone was banging on the door at first. But I noticed there was several bottles of liquid (soda, water) that was shaking while in the container long after the earthquake.

Catonsville Maryland (7.9 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / very short : It felt like a car hit the house, a brief boon and house shook Or like a big tree suddenly fell nearby with a boom

Germantown, Maryland / not felt

Baltimore (2.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / complex motion difficult to describe / 2-5 s : Loud boom

Nottingham / not felt

St. Agnes Hospital / Light shaking (MMI IV) / very short : There was a bang and a shake. i was on 1st floor, solid building. i thought a heavy piece of equipment dropped

Baltimore maryland / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : It didnt feel like a quake it felt like something blew up underground

South Abington Ave Baltimore MD 21229Yup / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : I thought it was an explosion!

Idlewylde, md / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Windows rattled, felt a rumble.

7.9 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

200 East Wells St Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Loud bang, like someone dropped something from upstairs. Coworker was outside and said she saw our building shake right after I heard the loud bang

EDGEWOOD maryland / not felt

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating : Rumbling, vibrating, shaking. Loud thud noises were heard but nothing collapsed.

Reisterstown / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore md 21230 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short

2200 Kernan Drive, Baltimore, MD 21207 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Large boom, just a few seconds, sounded more like an explosion than earthquake. Felt in basement of the building

Baltimore city md (4.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 5-10 s : Felt like an explosion rather than a shaking.

Forest Park / not felt : Honestly it sounded like an explosion, we didnt feel anything we just heard what sounded like an explosion or a really long thunder rumble.

West Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Made me jump out of my chair

Working / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

Rockdale / not felt : I didnt feel it.

Halethorpe / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s

Halethorpe (9.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Felt shaking for about 5-10 seconds

Baltimore, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : House shook

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Baltimore, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : This was very fast and felt like a shockwave from an explosion. It shook my whole house for a second or two.

Catonsville Md / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : I was upstairs in my room and felt a shake at first I didn't think much of it until then it kept going

15 s Hilton st, Baltimore, MD (5.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : there was a loud noise, and i felt my house shift a bit

Roland Park / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : It felt like a wave traveling from East to West. I heard the building creak.

5109 Brook Green Rd Baltimore, MD 21229 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : The whole house shook, neighbors for blocks felt it.

21231 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Woodlawn, Maryland (2.3 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : A loud boom and a intense wobble. Felt like an explosion or something collapsed.

Catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Heard a felt a boom.

Baltimore Forest Park Area / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s : Sound like an explosion or trees falling. I ran outside to see if a tree fell on the house.

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : Felt ground moving while outside. Not very aggressive but can still be felt.

Brooklyn Md. / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short

809 Mangold (8.9 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Halethorpe / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / very short

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : It was like one big shudder - like a huge truck or plane went by making my house shutter.

Catonsville MD (5.9 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s

Pikesville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Thought something hit my house.

Catonsville 21228 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : 2 seconds, house shook

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

3800 Frederick Ave Baltimore (4.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 1-2 s

4.8 km S of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : There was damage in the front lawn where a huge hole had just been dug and filled in. Theres a bunch of cracks right over the hole now, Im nervous about it

Catonsville Manor, MD 21207 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : No shaking. Just large boom that shook the house and made the dogs go crazy.

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : Felt it in my body, house, and seemed like it was happening mostly outside. Did not know it was an earthquake. Was unsettling, for sure.

Catonsville, MD / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : This didn't feel like a quake. It felt like some sort of explosion. It was only a second or two long and I heard a pound boom along with it.

126 e Clement st / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Baltimore, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Yes. A slight rumble.

Catonsville 4 wade Ave 21228 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Catonsville / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : It felt like something huge fell and we felt the vibration.

Baltimore City, Edmondson Village / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short : I felt 2 big booms

Woodlawn md / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Columbia Maryland (20.1 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Columbia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s

GWYNN OAK, MD 21207 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : felt like a speeding garbage truck hitting a gnarly pothole. would not have known it was a quake.

Gwynn oak / not felt

Baltimore, MD - Cherry Hill / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : We thought someone hit our apartment building.

Arbutus. MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short : A loud boom and I felt the tremor.

Bethesda (48.1 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short : Sounded and felt like something very heavy fell over or crashed into my house.

Mt. Winans Community / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / very short : like something big fell causing me to feel a shake, I thought my neighbor had fell or something big fell down next door

In my house / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short : I heard a loud boom ( not sure what caused it) and felt my entire house shake.

CATONSVILLE / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s

Halethorpe / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s

1331 Glendale Rd. Baltimore 21239 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I heard more than felt the walls of the house shaking; the biggest noise was generated by our wooden fence outside. It sounded like a strong animal got caught in it and was trying to get free.

Pasadena, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump

Baltimore 21216 (6.3 km NE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / complex motion difficult to describe / very short

Germantown, Maryland / not felt

Alexandria, VA (79.1 km SSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s

Baltimore / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : The ground Shaked and the building nearby trembled for 1 second

21229 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

311 N Edgewood St Baltimore Maryland 21229 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : I was in my basement when it happened, it sounded like a big explosion and my whole freaking house shook

Baltimore Maryland / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short

21230 (10.3 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

11.3 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt : Heard about it in Ring Neighbor

Hampden, North Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Felt like a huge truck, and heard a quick deep rumbling sound too

Glen burnie maryland / not felt

New Market, MD (50.4 km WNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / very short

Dundalk / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short

21 ridge rd. catonsville md 21228 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Catonsville, Maryland USA : Sharp rumbling noise and vibration lasting a couple of seconds

Halethorpe / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Baltimore, MD 21210 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Shook the house - cat was sleeping and it woke her up, lol.

Timonium, MD / not felt : Didnt feel anything

GWYNN OAK / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short : I actually thought a tree had fallen in my neighborhood.

Arbutus, md / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Small floor shake that lasted longer than what I would have thought caused it.

21230 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / very short

7 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Huntingtown (77.1 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Lansdowne / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : Felt more like an explosion of great magnitude lasting for a few seconds.

Baltimore 21229 westhills community (11.8 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating : My whole house shook. The sound and vibration woke me up out of my sleep and my family members in the basement felt it and heard it as well.

Perry Hall / not felt

Cockeysville Maryland / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 1-2 s

Catonsville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short : sounded like an explosion followed by light shaking

Brooklyn Park, Maryland (15.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I was sitting on the edge of a bed on the second floor of a two story house. The rumble was like multiple large Mac trucks were passing by feet away.

6.6 km SSE of epicenter [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short : Shaking

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling

5720 Executive Drive Catonsville MD 21228 / not felt : Very loud boom

Arbutus, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking to the point that it was audible.

Columbia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

8.5 km ESE of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt

Augusta Avenue 21229 / very short : Very loud boom and the whole house shook, items fell from the shelf. Though it was an explosion.

Baltimore City (11.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : I felt loud rumblings, wasn't sure if someone hit multiple houses with a bus. The intensity was a 4 out of 10.

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex motion difficult to describe / very short : Just felt the house shake while sitting outside

baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Ellicott city / not felt

Linthicum heights / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Halethorpe / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s

Baltimore-winsorhills area / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s

Home 21228 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s : I was walking down the stairs. I was thrown off balance. I thought it was an explosion.

Baltimore,Maryland 21217 / Light shaking (MMI IV) : I though it was a truck driving pass

Linthicum Heights 21090 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

40.1 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / not felt

12.5 km ESE of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : slight shake and noise like a large truck

Glen burnie md (20 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

Catonsville, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s

Ridgely street / not felt

Morrell Park - Baltimore City / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Sounded like an explosion but felt like something big fell or hit a house. Never seen my dogs startled.

Ashburton 21215 / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I jumped out of my chair. Scared me. Kept thinking about the condo in Florida that collapsed.

Catonsville / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : I thought someone upstairs dropped something really heavy.

116 Clyde Ave Halethorpe MD 21227 (9.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

21202 (10.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

21211 (8.4 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s

4 Blythewood Road Baltimore MD 21210 (9 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : I was on second floor of home. Heard a low rumble and felt a small vibration.

Baltimore (9.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Na

Catonsville / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Linthicum, Maryland (13.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Glen Burnie, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : I heard a boom and felt my apartment building shake, it felt like a truck hit the building

21228 (5.2 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

21224

21228 / not felt : it was like an explosion

West Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s : Loud boom and shaking fir 1-2 seconds

Baltimore, MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s

Woodlawn / not felt

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / very short : I heard a loud boom and quickly jumped up to see what it was, I thought my air conditioner fell out the window but it is secure. Many neibors went outside because they heard it also

In my house / not felt : The house shook

West Baltimore / 10-15 s : Felt like an underground explosion and I was on the 3rd floor.

Catonsville md / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Felt loud and hard. One big bolt with building shake.

Home / not felt

Owings mills / not felt : I didnt feel anything.

Baltimore / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s

Baltimore MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

1300 birch ave 21227 / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / very short : A single loud rumble and vibration like something huge fell or distant explosion

Towson / not felt

Baltimore, MD / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s

1801 Chelsea Road, Baltimore, MD 21216 / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / 1-2 s : Seemed like an underground explosion.

6.1 km ENE of epicenter [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / very short : I heard a boom and felt my house shake.

Baltimore MD / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s

Ellicott City (9.5 km SW of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt

BALTIMORE / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s

21093 / not felt

Lying down on bed (32.9 km S of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt : Nothing felt.

Arbutus, MD (6.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

21223 / Weak shaking (MMI III)

Brooklyn, Maryland 21230 / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / very short

Baltimore city, Forest Park area. / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 s : The house shook and there was a loud boom. Thought it was a bump truck but it wasnt.

Baltimore (8.1 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : There was a large bang and I felt a sharp thud.

Catonsville md / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : A single bump....no real shaking.

306 Farwind Dr. Apt 3C Baltimore , Maryland 21220 / not felt : Felt nothing where I live.

91229 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump

1233 Circle Drive Arbutus MD 21227 (7.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : A short sudden loud rattling thud that sounded and felt as if deep in the ground from first and second floor of which one person was woken from sleep, it did not last long at all but was definately unusual and alarming.

21224 / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s : The

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore, MD / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : Felt like a large boom followed by a quick shake.

baltimore md / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 s

Baltimore / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : i heard a loud boom (like if someone dropped something really heavy) and it shook my house...also my neighbors homes... we all came outside to see what had happened...

Lidl Brooklyn Park MD 21225 / not felt

Baltimore / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s
Longtime Lamoille Union High School principal Brian Schaffer has resigned.

He offered his resignation to superintendent Catherine Gallagher April 30.

It has been a privilege and an honor to serve the families of Belvidere, Cambridge, Eden, Hyde Park, Jeffersonville, Johnson and Waterville; as well as the families of the many surrounding towns who chose to attend our school, he wrote in his letter.

Five months prior to his resignation, on Christmas Eve 2020, Schaffer was subject to a temporary order for relief from abuse, court records show.

Schaffer was already on family leave when he offered his resignation.

Gallagher told the school board at its March 22 meeting that Schaffer was on leave.

Last week she said she didnt know when he went on leave. Schaffer was still principal as of Feb. 8, the last time his name appears in official school board minutes.

In an interview, Gallagher adamantly denied she had been aware that a relief from abuse order had been filed against Schaffer at any point  before or after his leave began  and that she had accepted the resignation of the longtime and distinguished high school principal quietly and without question.

She said that his resignation was not sudden, was not prompted by any particular event, that it had been planned and that his leave was part of the transition to his eventual departure.

What I can tell you is that Brian Schaffer resigned, she said. He just resigned. He sent an email saying I resign.

Shaffer was paid through the day he resigned, confirmed Deb Clark, business manager for the supervisory union.

Schaffer had been principal at the high school since 2007. He received the 2015 Outstanding Educator of the Year award from Outright Vermont  an organization dedicated to promoting safe environments for LGBTQ+ students  and a National Association of Secondary School Principals High School Principal of the Year for Vermont in 2017.

Schaffer did not respond to a request for comment.

The relief from abuse order alleged that Schaffer abused and stalked the person who brought the order against him, and at one point indicated there was an immediate danger of physical or emotional harm. Schaffer was ordered to stay 300 feet away from his accuser and forgo any contact.

The order was dismissed with prejudice  or permanently  after Schaffer agreed to comply with a temporary stipulation order issued Jan. 13 that he continue drug/alcohol and mental health counseling as recommended by his counselors, according to court records.

The school district never updated its public website to alert parents, students or taxpayers of Schaffers departure. He is still listed as principal on the high schools website.

We wish Brian well in all of his future endeavors and thank him for his years of service, Gallagher said in a message to district employees, which included a copy of his resignation letter, on the same day Schaffer resigned in April.

Schaffers letter contained heartfelt words of praise to students and staff, and he encouraged students to explore education as a possible career path and to use their unique talents to improve the world.

He concluded, To all Lancers: be kind and be good to one another. Love yourself. Remember that when asked about high school, most don't recall a test or those (sometimes many) overdue homework assignments. People tend to recall the relationships and the formative experiences in the most visceral way. Understand your impact and reflect on your decisions.

Looking ahead

When Schaffer went on leave, dean of students Bethann Pirie became interim principal.

Pirie, who recently spoke at the 2021 commencement ceremony, will remain in her role into the next school year, when Gallagher said a search will likely be held to fill the role of principal on a permanent basis.

Pirie, a Hyde Park native, was a teacher at Hyde Park Elementary before becoming dean of students at the high school, according to Gallagher.

Gallagher described Pirie as beloved and a principal for all students. She indicated that Pirie will likely be a part of the candidate pool when the school looks to choose a new principal.

Tommy Gardner and Greg Popa contributed to this report.
Wendy's is testing a new plant-based burger -- but it doesn't use a meat alternative.

Beginning June 28, the fast food chain is selling a new "Spicy Black Bean Burger" in three US cities, including Jacksonville, Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio. The sandwich costs $5.79 and will be on menus for a limited time.

Wendy's knocked its main rival, McDonald's, in a statement, saying "certain plant-based creations have spawned a bland reputation for the category -- looking at you McImpossible -- but luckily, Wendy's has spice in her DNA."

The sandwich certainly lives up to that because it features a black bean patty seasoned with paprika and chipotle pepper, topped with crunchy chipotle jalapenos and a smoky chipotle sauce plus a piece of melted pepper jack cheese.

Spice is a way Wendy's differentiates itself. Earlier this year, it added a new chicken sandwich covered in jalapenos and a fried chicken salad topped with a creamy jalapeno ranch dressing. A new "Ghost Pepper Ranch" dipping sauce for its chicken nuggets will be sold nationwide beginning on July 12.

"Consumers are looking for flavor, and unfortunately there's boring and bland options out there from our competition," Wendy's Chief Marketing Officer Carl Loredo told CNN Business in February. "They are hyper-focused on flavor and it's something they want and need right now."

Plant-based alternatives are also continuing to grow in popularity. Burger King sells the Impossible Whopper and McDonald's is soon rolling out a McPlant sandwich that uses Beyond Meat. Yum Brands, which owns KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut, also recently struck a deal with Beyond Meat to bring new plant-based items to its chains.

Taco Bell said Wednesday it made a new shell that uses a "pea protein-based proprietary blend" for its Naked Chalupa. The creation is being sold at only one location, which is in Irvine, California, until June 27.
More companies are bringing workers back into the office -- and some employers want to know about vaccination status.

Morgan Stanley told employees who work at its Manhattan headquarters that they have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 before returning to the office. The bank also said in a memo to New York employees that staff working in buildings with a "large employee presence" must confirm their vaccination status by early July.

Goldman Sachs is also requiring US employees to disclose whether they've been vaccinated, but isn't mandating that workers get inoculated.

"We are seeing more and more policies for employees who have been fully vaccinated and policies for employees who have not been," said Erin McLaughlin, labor and employment attorney at Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney.

Employers can ask about status

Generally, employers can mandate that workers be vaccinated. But federal laws may require companies to provide exemptions or reasonable accommodations to workers who aren't vaccinated due to a disability or religious belief.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that enforces employment non-discrimination laws, said that asking about vaccine status or documentation doesn't violate federal equal employment opportunity laws.

But any documentation that an employer keeps regarding vaccination status should remain confidential.

"If you are going to ask for a [vaccination] card and make a copy of it, maintain that information as you maintain other medical information," said McLaughlin.

Some employers may choose to just ask employees their vaccination status and rely on the honor system, rather than ask for documentation.

"In some respects, you don't even necessarily need to require that documentation. You could simply have the employee represent to you that they have in fact been vaccinated," said McLaughlin. "We rely upon our employees to be trustworthy and act in good faith in compliance with our policies."

When asking about vaccination status, attorneys advised employers to limit the inquiry -- especially if the answer is 'no.'

"Generally speaking, the impulse is going to be to ask why," said Stephen Riga, an attorney at Ogletree Deakins in Indianapolis. "A response that is involved there is potentially fraught, legally."

Asking questions about why someone didn't get the shot could reveal medical, disability or religious information that are protected under federal laws.

"The employer can't ask why aren't you vaccinated because the EEOC has said you can't," said Patricia Pryor, co-leader of the National Advice and Counsel Practice Group of employment law firm Jackson Lewis in Cincinnati. "The ADA prohibits employers from making medical inquiries that could identify or disclose a disability. So you can't ask the why because it's possible that type of question could impact the ADA."

McLaughlin said that employers who don't plan on mandating vaccines or who don't plan to put in place different policies for vaccinated and unvaccinated workers, likely don't need to know a worker's shot status.

"Don't ask for information you don't need," she said.

State laws could be more limiting in what employers can do.

"A handful of states have passed restrictions on the ability to ask or use status of vaccination in certain circumstances," said Riga.

Even though they can ask, should they?

Companies should be aware of the impact that asking about status can have on workers, said Pryor.

"Regardless of the fact that, legally, it does appear that in most circumstances employers can ask, there are risks with it," she said. "The practical risk of it is that a good percentage of your employees are going to believe -- whether true or not -- that you can't ask, shouldn't be asking or invading their privacy."

And that can hurt a company's employee relations and diversity efforts, she added.

"One thing for employers to consider is what impact will this have on our employees and are we set up where we can handle that impact and or potential change in employment," Pryor said.

CNN Business' Paul La Monica and Matt Egan contributed to this report
Many businesses have been struggling to fill open positions for months.

With all of the competition in this tight labor market, some companies are offering hiring bonuses to sway candidates to sign with them.

GE Appliances in Decatur is offering a $750 sign-on bonus for employees who join their team before July 1st. That bonus is for entry level positions, with no previous experience required.

"No prior experience, we don't require a high school diploma," explains Lisa Terry, HR leader for GE Appliances.

Since the labor market is so tight right now, they want to hire as many people as possible.

"The number of people is unlimited at this time because, in this market, we don't want to put a cap on it," says Terry.

The sporting goods store, Cabela's, is offering a similar deal for entry level employees.

"We're considered short staffed right now, that's why we're doing the $750 sign-on bonus. We could hire 10, 20, 30 people and we would feel more comfortable," says Lionel Green, Cabela's club membership manager.

As to why the labor market is so tight, some employees blame the unemployment bonuses from the pandemic.

"I think, you know, the unemployment bonus, in some cases they get paid more to stay at home than actually come to work," says Green.

Thursday morning, the Alabama Department of Labor released the most recent unemployment numbers for the week.

With more than 7,000 unemployment claims in the state of Alabama, about half are thought to be COVID-19 related.

But as of last Saturday, Alabama stopped participating in the federally funded pandemic unemployment compensation program - meaning those filing for unemployment will no longer receive an extra $300 a week.

It's too soon to say if stopping those extra unemployment checks will push people to get back to work, but employees at Cabela's certainly hope so, since their hiring efforts have not been as successful as they would like.

"We've gone on Indeed.com and other places promoting our job openings. But we haven't just seen a huge spat of, a huge spade of applications," says Green.

He said he's never seen it this competitive among different companies, as they all try to fill their positions while picking from a similar pool of candidates. That's why businesses are doing whatever they can to make their company seem like the best offer.

GE Appliances will be holding a job fair on Saturday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm in Decatur to try and fill those extra positions. They're hoping to see hundreds of candidates show up.
Decatur Police Department is hosting its annual Explorer Program.

Explorers go through hands-on experiences and training to learn more about a career in law enforcement.

15-year-old Jackson Sherrill says hes wanted to work in law enforcement for as long as he can remember.

Sherrill said the program has kept him on track to become a police officer.

Hand-on experiences are now allowing him to explore every area of law enforcement and pinpoint exactly what he wants to do.

The crime scene investigations is what Im really interested in, said Sherrill. A few days ago we did the fingerprints on the CSI Tahoe and that was really cool, fun for me, and the rest of the students who were there.

Explorers are 14- to 17-years old. The spokesperson for Decatur Police Department, Irene Cardenas Martinez, said, The Explorers were able to see a Taser demonstration, they saw the inside of the ALEA helicopter, they learned about the warrant unit, and learned what to do when getting pulled over by a police officer.

Ascend in Decatur is a sponsor for the academy. On Thursday, Explorers went to the plant to learn about fire safety.

How to put out kitchen fires, grease fires, to not use water on grease fires, to use the foam and just teaching us how to put out the fires, said Sherrill.

Jordan Carter said the areas of policing hes learned about will help him in life, whether he goes into law enforcement, or not.

If I keep applying myself and keep reading it really should help me, said Carter.

Last year, the academy was canceled due to the pandemic. On Friday, all of the kids involved in the Explorer Program will graduate.
Sangamon Co. man accused of assaulting police officer on day of U.S. Capitol breach
Tourists coming to Rome have an extra six months to see the legendary Torlonia Marbles.

Rome's Torlonia Marbles exhibition has been extended until 9 January 2022, organisers announced today, just days before the blockbuster show had been due to end.

The Torlonia Marbles: Collecting Masterpieces, one of Italy's most eagerly-awaited exhibitions in living memory, has been hampered by extended closures and delays - as a result of covid-19 restrictions - since it opened last year.

Many people living outside Italy had expressed disappointment that they would be unable to travel to see the show - which displays a selection of the revered "collection of collections" - due to complications arising from the coronavirus pandemic.

However tourists now have an extra six months in which to travel to Italy to see the legendary collection which has been largely hidden away for more than 70 years.

Considered among the world's most important private collections of Greek-Roman classical art, the Torlonia Collection comprises a total of 620 ancient sculptures.

Amassed between the 15th- and 19th centuries by the aristocratic Torlonia family, the collection includes marble, bronze and alabaster statues, busts, bas-reliefs and sarcophagi dating to the ancient Roman era.

Now, until 9 January 2022, visitors can admire more than 90 pieces from the priceless collection at Villa Caffarelli, a newly-restored exhibition space in Rome's Capitoline Museums.
Five people caught after running away from Piazza Navona fountain.

Rome police fined five people, aged between 25 and 30, after the group jumped into the waters of Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona last night.

The five, all foreigners and fully dressed, fled the scene on the arrival of the police.

However officers soon caught up the group, still dressed in their wet clothes, handing them fines and temporary 'daspo' bans on returning to the area.

The incident, which took place at around 02.00 on 25 June, was immortalised in a photograph by a passerby.

The five people involved reportedly included two Germans, one Belgian, one French and one Iranian.

The amount they were fined has not been reported but an individual fine for a similar act is usually around 400.

The 17th-century fountain had recently undergone works to restore the face of the 'Nile lion' which was damaged after a metal anchor pin became detached, due to wear rather than vandalism.

The incident in Piazza Navona came five days after a woman took a dip, completely naked, in the Giacomo della Porta fountain near Italy's parliament in Piazza Colonna at around 11.00 on Saturday morning.

The 22-year-old Argentine woman, described as suffering from a severe psychiatric disorder, was later escorted to hospital by police. It is not known if she was fined.
A global dirty money watchdog said on Friday that it had added European Union member Malta to its "gray list" of countries under increased monitoring and kept Pakistan on the list despite its progress on tackling terrorism financing. The Financial Action Task Force also said that Haiti, the Philippines and South Sudan were added to its list and that Ghana had been removed after the country had made progress. The Maltese government had already flagged its inclusion on the list, which indicates deficiencies but has no legal repercussions, in a move that Prime Minister Robert Abela called "unjust."
They say the ICC is a flawed institution and an ecocide law could constrain economic development. On the first point, the ICC has 123 members, but its holdouts include three of the top five world economies -- the U.S., China and India -- as well as Russia, Israel, Qatar, Iraq and Libya. These non-members arent exempt from ICC actions but can be investigated by the court only upon direction by the United Nations Security Council. Some criticize the ICC as slow, with weak management and ineffective prosecutions. The courts existence didnt deter atrocities in places like Myanmar or Sri Lanka. (Jojo Mehta, chair of the Stop Ecocide Foundation, acknowledges all kinds of problems with the ICC but says its the only global mechanism that directly accesses the criminal justice systems of all its member states.) On the question of economic development, some argue that the Earth is a resource and see ecocide laws as tipping the legal scales too far in the direction of protecting nature and away from human needs. The head of Medef, a French business group, told lawmakers his members fear being stigmatized if people interpret ecocide as, the economy kills.
With roughly 43 million Covid shots administered each day, its inevitable that some people will die soon after they receive immunizations; the question is, did the vaccine cause it? Determining that can be very difficult, particularly in cases where the deceased had one or more underlying illness, was aged, frail or all three. In the U.S. and the U.K., apart from fatalities from the clotting syndrome, authorities have reported that the evidence does not suggest that vaccines played a role in post-vaccination deaths. In Norway, an expert group of geriatric specialists studied the first 100 deaths among nursing home residents following receipt of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and concluded that a causal link to the inoculation was likely, though not certain, in ten cases. The group recommended that in cases where life expectancy is short, the risks and benefits of vaccination should be carefully assessed. It suggested that the risk of death from vaccine reactions could be reduced using measures such as good hydration.
Eighteen states allow for the removal of a governor by referendum, and the District of Columbia allows recall of its top official, the mayor. Since the start of the pandemic, 14 governors have been the targets of recall efforts, said Joshua Spivak, a senior fellow at the Hugh L. Carey Institute for Government Reform at Wagner College, who runs a blog on recall elections. Most such efforts fail when organizers are unable to collect the required number of signatures by a certain deadline, a difficult and costly endeavor in normal times, made more challenging with the pandemic. Californias 2003 recall of Davis, a Democrat, was the first successful recall of a governor since North Dakota carried out the feat in 1921. In 2012, Wisconsin voters decided against removing their Republican governor, Scott Walker.
Snorkel on pristine coral reefs, hike through tropical forests and explore ruins of old sugar mills and even older Taino settlements in a national park that covers more than two-thirds of St. John and its nearby waters. Due to the pandemic, the park has not resumed most ranger-guided tours or reopened the campground at Cinnamon Bay. But a taxi or an hourly bus can take you to the most popular beaches. Put on a snorkel and look for endangered hawksbill, green and leatherback sea turtles at Francis Bay, Maho Bay or Waterlemon Cay, or try the marked Underwater Trail at Trunk Bay. Go early if you drive yourself because parking is limited. Food vendors, and rentals of chairs, paddleboards and kayaks are available at Honeymoon Beach and Maho Bay. If you hike on the well-marked trails, wear sturdy shoes or sneakers: The trails can be rocky or slippery in places. Park admission is free.
While there is a heightened risk of blurred boundaries in remote work, many workers appreciate having more control over when and how they work, Gruttadaro said. Some people have adapted their schedules to suit their natural energy levels; perhaps they feel most productive early in the morning or they may be night owls. Others enjoy being able to squeeze in a nap in the early afternoon and benefit from a boost in productivity afterward. These advantages can be difficult to replicate in a traditional office setting.
Ellis had ordered Lapp back to the prison for further care, but officials said they could not take him unless he was deemed incompetent again or required a new psychiatric evaluation. So Lapp went to the Alexandria jail, where, according to court records and testimony, he stopped taking his antipsychotic medication and deteriorated. He died May 18.
To reverse course, the report proposes the formation of a $275 million job creation fund that would offer grants and other perks to companies willing to set up shop or expand operations in the Maryland suburb of 1 million people. The District and Northern Virginia have unveiled similar incentive programs in recent months, but it is unclear whether officials in liberal Montgomery, who have been focused on supporting vulnerable residents hit hardest by the pandemic, will be receptive to the idea.
Wines has it all: the piercing intelligence, the battered strength, and also the easy selfishness, the dramatic posturing, the self-pitying martyrdom, the uncanny ability to win every round by shifting her emotional weight so that her opponent goes flying over her head, Washington Post theater critic Lloyd Rose wrote in 1992. Winess boisterous spirits make the character even more impressive. This isnt just an intellectually powerful woman; this is a fleshy, greedy life-lover. The chill truth at the center of this performance is that love of life is utterly, and sometimes destructively, amoral.
In reality, few school districts nationwide are gunning to teach critical race theory, even as five GOP-led states have banned it. But many schools, including in Loudoun, are reevaluating how they approach and discuss systemic racism in the aftermath of the police killing of George Floyd last year, which sparked a vast racial reckoning.
One U.S. official said numerous criteria are trending in the wrong direction, prompting the intelligence community to conclude that the fall of the government in Kabul could come more quickly than previously forecast. The official and two other people familiar with the assessment, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the new consensus is that the government could fall within six to 12 months.
While the agreement was in effect, the amount of time the U.S. government estimated it would take for Iran to produce enough fissile material for a nuclear weapon expanded from no more than a few months to about one year. After President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in 2018, reimposed the lifted sanctions and added more than 1,500 new ones in an effort to cripple Irans economy, Iran expanded its enrichment efforts. The breakout time is now estimated to be two to three months.
Granted, no celestial mandate dictates that the United States must grow at a faster clip than other developed countries, as it has for most of its history. But population stagnation may mean a very different future, and probably a less vital one, than many Americans might imagine. In the short run, it might mean jobs that go begging for workers as caretakers for the elderly, truck drivers, computer programmers and other occupations. In the long run, it could impede the countrys ability to maintain its status as a superpower, project influence and compete with China.
By embedding principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the federal workforce, todays Executive Order is a tremendous step towards a government that better reflects the nation it serves, Susan Rice, head of the presidents Domestic Policy Council, told the Federal Insider by email. If youre a person with disabilities seeking equal access in the workplace, someone who was formerly incarcerated trying to get back on your feet  or just a young person who cant afford an unpaid internship  these changes will make it easier for you to enter public service. Thats going to allow us to draw more fully on all of our national strength, and thats a huge win for our entire country.
Officials in Afghanistan say Taliban attacks have increased since Bidens withdrawal announcement in April, The Washington Post reported last week. In some areas, local forces have surrendered after negotiations between community elders and the Taliban. In others, departing U.S. troops have destroyed bases or stripped them of anything the Taliban might be able to use.
Delaware, like many other states, halted eviction proceedings briefly last year as businesses closed and thousands of people lost their jobs. Democratic Gov. John Carney modified his emergency declaration to allow eviction proceedings to resume in July 2020, but proceedings have been automatically stayed if either party requests mediation or alternative dispute resolution. Sheriffs and constables have been prohibited from evicting people unless a Justice of the Peace determines that eviction would be in the interest of justice. Under the interest of justice standard, a landlord seeking eviction must have been awarded possession and demonstrated factors such as substantial economic injury or a tenant who is uncooperative or unaffected by COVID-19. A tenant might have to demonstrate COVID-related financial difficulties.
This defendant used his status as the pastor of a mega-church to help convince the many victim investors that they were making a legitimate investment but instead he took their hard-earned money from them and used it for his own personal gain, said acting U.S. Attorney Van Hook in a Jan. 13 statement when Caldwell was sentenced.
In recent years, Bass has been influenced by philosophers who argue that the nature of all human knowledge is not only cognitive but deeply experiential. We no longer think about truth merely as facts, but as something that adjudicates itself through our lives, Bass told me. I know something is true because it rings true in me, and we know its true because it rings true in others. And this goes for our understandings of Jesus too.
What the violence has ushered in for many of us are routine messages of support, news conferences of condemnation and expressions of solidarity from politicians and faith leaders across the spectrum  almost expected courtesies of sorts that havent actually slowed down the violence itself. Yet politicians still decorate their resumes and campaign speeches with their symbolic support of targeted communities to portray themselves as champions of inclusivity.
She spent the next 18 years in what she has described as hell. The couple eventually married, but the abusive relationship became increasingly violent, she recalled in court, and Polette forced her to prostitute herself. Bacot said Polette made her wear an earpiece during sexual encounters with the men so that her husband could give her instructions.
The government has created a traffic light system to manage the reopening of air travel. Destinations with low levels of COVID-19 and high levels of vaccination are placed on the green list, which allows pleasure trips and doesnt require self-isolation on return to Britain. Only essential travel is permitted to amber list countries, but travelers must self-isolate for 10 days when they return home. The government has banned most travel to destinations on the red list, and anyone arriving from one of these countries faces a 10-day quarantine in a government-approved hotel at their own expense.
Everyone has a stake in the system now, said one senior government security adviser, speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak freely. Even our strongest critics have enjoyed the freedoms that came with civilian rule. Nobody wants things to go backwards. Our forces cant be in every village, and we are counting on the people to help. They are not trying to grab power. They are defending the system.
The CME WA represents about 80 companies which are responsible for 95 per cent of the commodities produced in the state. Woodside operations executive vice president and CME WAs first-ever female president Fiona Hick said the coming together of industry was a sign of its commitment to dealing with harassment and abuse. We have 140,000 people in the sector and weve always been committed to safety, she said. Scale of harassment still unknown There have been two separate cases of alleged rapes involving BHP staff and a third misconduct incident at Fortescue which have come to light in the past week, with resources companies scrutinised on what they are doing to protect female employees on male-dominated sites.

Mr Everingham, who has been in charge at the chamber for more than three years, said he became more aware of problems in the industry following the Australian Human Right Commisions Respect@Work report which investigated sexual harassment in workplaces across the country. A 2018 survey in the report asking whether respondents had been sexually harassed in the past five years found 74 per cent of female respondents in the mining industry said they had. Although Mr Everingham said the issue was prevalent, he did not know how many instances there had been across the industry and had not asked the government regulator for the information. Representatives from Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Woodside, and BHP also would not say how many cases they had dealt with historically or just how big a problem they were facing. Rio Tinto and BHP said they had undergone recent workplace reviews on the issue while Fortescue and Woodside pointed to annual surveys where employees could bring up their problems.

Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Simon Trott told reporters his company was not immune and had experienced instances of sexual harassment and bullying. I want to acknowledge the impact that that has on the individuals and on our company, were certainly committed to doing better, we have a number of actions on the way and we have more work to do to really make sure our workplaces are safe and inclusive, he said. Newmont regional chief financial officer Felicity Hughes, Fortescue people director Linda OFarrell, Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA chief executive Paul Everingham, Woodside operations executive vice president Fiona Hick, Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Simon Trott, BHP WA iron ore asset president Brandon Craig, and BHP integrated planning and operations general manager Jess Farrell taking a stand on sexual harassment in the resources industry. Credit:Peter de Kruijff People havent always felt safe to raise their voice. People havent always felt safe within our workplaces and thats something we have to change. Sometimes they felt that it may impact on their career, sometimes they felt that they perhaps wouldnt have been listened to and I would just encourage anybody that has ... suffered from disrespectful behaviours, in our workplace or across the industry just to speak up and help us eradicate this from the industry.

Resources companies have brought in measures such as safe spaces, personal safety apps, security chaperones, and increased CCTV as part of efforts to protect workers at fly-in, fly-out camps. BHP has reduced the amount of alcohol allowed per day to six beers with a further reduction to four beers to come on July 1. The companys iron ore asset president Brandon Craig said the alcohol changes came out of a broader review of the iron arm of the business. We identified there was potentially a risk of impacts inside our camps, we decided it was important to take action, he said. One of the key things that came out of that review was how well we manage alcohol as a business. So it was subsequent to that that we started taking steps to better manage alcohol inside our business.

Rio Tinto is also looking at reviewing its alcohol policies. Fortescue people director Linda OFarrell said its business would not be completely inclusive until everybody could be safe. Clearly, theres still cases that are incredibly distressing and as Ive said a number of times, one is too many. So I think we just need to get on with the job and make our workplaces, the places that we want them to be, she said. Mr Craig said BHP was taking an approach to sexual harassment that was similar to its general safety policy. The target is zero, he said. We want this eradicated from our industry.

When we really put our energy and focus on this particular issue I think we are going to do a particularly good job. Parliament turning the microscope onto industry Liberal MP Libby Mettam has signalled she wants to start an inquiry into sexual harassment in the resources industry in her role as chairwoman of the Community Justice Standing Committee. She said the recent allegations were distressing and it was clear the committee should look into examining FIFO workplaces and the concerning treatment of women who work in the sector. I firmly believe theres an opportunity for the community to hear from workers, speak to industry and understand this issue, and to report to the parliament and the community on how these workplaces can be more conducive to women, Ms Mettam said.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

A Melbourne cosmetic surgeon faces a lawsuit over the removal of a 13-year-old girls labia, which allegedly left her disfigured and suffering serious psychological trauma.

In 2008, the girl, who The Age has decided not to name, had concerns about the appearance of her vagina and was advised by Dr Asarjahu Granot that there was an abnormality with her labia minora, which could be corrected by a surgical procedure known as labiaplasty.

Cosmetic surgeon Dr Asarjahu Granot. Credit:Eddie Morton

Now aged 26, the woman and her legal team claim the operation she had was inconsistent with the procedure to which she had consented.
If we can learn one thing about the return of Barnaby Joyce to the leadership of the National Party, its that politicians would prefer a polarising and populist leader over a smaller target.

Joyce, who Tony Abbott once described as Australias best retail politician, is loved and despised in equal measure.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during Question Time on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Few politicians have faced such a comprehensive annihilation of their character as Barnaby Joyce but a majority of his colleagues agreed to resurrect him because they think he offers them the best chance of electoral success.

Those who supported his return praise his authenticity, his ability to talk directly to voters without spin and his apparent willingness to stand up for regional Australians.
Theres never been any question about the lofty ambitions of Labors federal health spokesman, Mark Butler. The South Australian frontbencher, whose take-no-prisoners approach to his climate change responsibilities resulted in him being re-directed earlier this year to the health portfolio, has never been backwards in coming forwards as a potential leader.

Credit:John Shakespeare

But new data obtained by CBD shows just how keen he is to get his message out there. Butler has outspent every other federal MP on Facebook advertising in the past year, even outspending his leader Anthony Albanese ($42,783) and Prime Minister Scott Morrison ($41,003).

Butler shelled out $87,457 on Facebook posts in the 10 months since August 2020. In the past seven days, hes racked up close to $3000, with a post spruiking his good work in getting his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Didnt hurt a bit! a smiling Butler said mid-jab.

Butler spent more than South Australian Liberal Premier Steven Marshall ($87,191), and the West Australian Liberals ($84,755) and West Australian Labors Why take the risk campaign ($83,472) ahead of the most recent West Australian state election.
Barnaby Joyce has talked so often and so freely for so long that plenty of Nationals have heard him claim he would not stay in politics for too many years if he ever had the chance to lead his party again.

The vague idea that he would not stay too long in Parliament was planted with colleagues over the past few months and helped him gain the edge over Michael McCormack in this weeks leadership spill.

Re-elected Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce during question time on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

But now the Nationals are waking from that moment to wonder how long they will have to live with a volatile leader who is like a Catherine wheel on bonfire night  a frenzied whirl of energy, throwing off sparks, a risk to anyone who comes close.

Scott Morrison will be wondering when he might be burned by some of the gunpowder. The early signs are that the Prime Minister is awake to the danger to city Liberals in looking too close to Joyce and his agenda. On the first test, water policy, the answer has been to tell the Nationals to talk to the hand.
Below is what we know about the variant.

It has been found in Britain, parts of Europe and North America, as well as India.

Pune, India: Indian authorities said on Wednesday they had found around 40 cases of the Delta coronavirus variant carrying a mutation that appears to make it more transmissible, and advised states to increase testing.

The variant, referred to as Delta Plus in India, was first reported in a Public Health England bulletin on June 11 and is among a number of other variants.

It is a sub-lineage of the Delta variant first detected in the country and has acquired the spike protein mutation K417N which is also found in the Beta variant first identified in South Africa.

Some scientists worry that the mutation, coupled with other existing features of the Delta variant, could make it more transmissible.

The mutation K417N has been of interest as it is present in the Beta variant (B.1.351 lineage), which was reported to have immune evasion property, Indias Health Ministry said in a statement.

Shahid Jameel, a top Indian virologist, said the K417N was known to reduce the effectiveness of a cocktail of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.
Brussels: France and Germanys call for European Union summit talks with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, met fierce opposition from Poland and the Baltic countries.

EU leaders discussed overhauling their foreign policy towards Moscow at a European Council meeting, held a week after Joe Biden, the US president, met Putin in Geneva.

Member states, especially those bordering Russia, were infuriated after Paris and Berlin blindsided them with a last-minute proposal on Wednesday.

Gitanas Nauseda, Lithuanias president, said the idea was like trying to engage the bear to keep a pot of honey safe. Credit:Bloomberg

Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron want to resume EU-Russia talks, frozen after Russias illegal annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.
The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead.
Lawyer says IU students suing over vaccine requirements are being 'stripped' of their rights


Thank you for Reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.
While the latest data shows only a marginal increase in Delta variant COVID cases in Connecticut, one researcher cautions that could be attributed to the low number of infections in the state overall.

As of Thursday, 43 cases of the Delta strain have been identified in Connecticut, and the variant comprised just 2.3 percent of samples sequenced by researchers in the previous week, according to the latest report from the Yale School of Public Health and The Jackson Laboratory. The percentage of Delta samples was down more than 4 percent from the previous week.

But Nathan Grubaugh, who heads the Yale School of Public Healths efforts to sequence samples of the virus, suggested the low percentage of cases is likely due to noisy data from the states small number of infections.

Looking at our neighbors in Massachusetts and New York, delta is 10-20 (percent), so we in Connecticut are probably pretty close to that, Grubaugh wrote in a tweet accompanying the latest report Thursday.

The variant is believed to be even more transmissible than the Alpha strain, also known as B.1.1.7, first detected in the U.K., which went into a second lockdown last winter when it quickly became the dominant strain there. Researchers now believe the Delta variant comprises the majority of the cases in the U.K., having supplanted the Alpha variant as a the dominant strain.

Public health officials in the U.S., where Alpha remains dominant, believe the country could follow a similar path as the U.K. Besides being more infectious, researchers believe the Delta strain may also be able to evade antibodies from the vaccines and from monoclonal antibody treatments, potentially rendering both less effective at stopping the disease.

But a study out of the U.K. this week showed the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca vaccine appear to work against the variant  though the effectiveness was reduced.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reclassified the strain as a variant of concern, up from a variant of interest.

On Friday, Connecticuts daily COVID-19 metrics remained low, with 127 new cases found out of 28,755 tests for a positivity rate of 0.44 percent. There were two more hospitalizations, increasing the statewide total to 36. One more death brought the Connecticut total to 8,275.

The weekly variant report showed Alpha comprised 59.1 percent of cases sequenced over the past week. Iota, a variant first detected in New York, made up 18.2 percent of cases, and Gamma, the variant first detected in Brazil, made up 4.5 percent of cases. Just under 16 percent of cases were identified as variants neither of concern nor interest. Out of all the samples sequenced, 26.3 percent were found with the E484K mutation and 8.8 percent were found with the L452R mutation  both mutations found in variants of concern.

With COVID-19 cases low in the state, Grubaugh tweeted that we are not yet seeing any real impacts of Delta locally.

But, if Delta continues to become more prevalent, it has the ability to make outbreaks among unvaccinated populations a lot worse, furthering the health disparities in our communities, he wrote. As a result, we may also see an increase in total cases, as seen in the UK.

He said people who have been vaccinated should encourage others to do the same.

About 66.5 percent of Connecticut residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to CDC data, while 59.5 percent are fully vaccinated.

But data compiled by the state shows that in some communities, less than 40 percent of residents have initiated vaccination, far below the state average. And new vaccinations have dropped off significantly in recent weeks. For the week ending June 19  the most recent data available  61,673 doses were administered statewide, down about 30 percent from the week before and far lower than the peak of almost 315,000 in mid-April.

Hoping to convince more people to get vaccinated, Gov. Ned Lamonts office on Friday announced the state will raffle concert tickets online and offer tickets to people who get a shot at upcoming clinics. Other states have offered lottery drawings for people who get vaccinated, and Connecticut last month offered free drinks with a meal purchase at participating restaurants for those who were vaccinated.
LONDON (AP)  Britains health minister apologized Friday for breaching national coronavirus restrictions after a newspaper ran pictures of him embracing a woman with whom he allegedly had an affair.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who has led the countrys response to the pandemic, is the latest in a string of British officials to be accused of breaching restrictions they imposed on the rest of the population to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The tabloid Sun newspaper ran images appearing to show the married Hancock and a senior aide kissing in an office at the Department of Health. It said the closed circuit television images were taken May 6  11 days before lockdown rules were eased to allow hugs and other physical contact with people outside ones own household.

Hancock said in a statement that I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in these circumstances."

I have let people down and am very sorry, he said. I remain focused on working to get the country out of this pandemic, and would be grateful for privacy for my family on this personal matter.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson stood by Hancock, but the main opposition Labour Party said he should be fired for breaking social distancing and, potentially, government hiring rules.

If Matt Hancock has been secretly having a relationship with an adviser in his office  who he personally appointed to a taxpayer-funded role  it is a blatant abuse of power and a clear conflict of interest, said Labour chairwoman Anneliese Dodds.

His position is hopelessly untenable. Boris Johnson should sack him.

Johnson spokesman Jamie Davies said the prime minister had full confidence in Hancock.

The prime minister has accepted the health secretarys apology and considers the matter closed, he said. He and the rest of the government remain focused on continuing to tackle the pandemic.

Davies said the appointment followed all the correct procedures. The aide was employed last year as an unpaid adviser and this year became a non-executive director at the Department of Health, a role that pays about 15,000 pounds ($21,000) a year.

Johnsons Conservative government has been branded a chumocracy by critics for hiring special advisers and contractors from outside the civil service without long-customary levels of scrutiny.

Hancocks department has been accused of waiving procurement rules to award lucrative contracts for protective equipment and other medical essentials, often to personal contacts. Hancock has said he was driven by the need to secure essential supplies quickly at the height of the outbreak.

Hancock has faced weeks of pressure since the prime minister's former top aide, Dominic Cummings, accused him of botching the governments response to the pandemic. Cummings, now a bitter critic of the government he once served, told lawmakers last month that Hancock should have been fired for alleged lies and errors. He also published a WhatsApp message in which Johnson branded Hancock totally (expletive) hopeless.

Cummings himself was accused of breaking the rules and undermining the governments stay home message when he drove 250 miles (400 kilometers) across England to his parents home during the spring 2020 lockdown. Johnson resisted pressure to fire him, but Cummings left his job in November amid a power struggle in the prime minister's office.
Have you driven on Fairfield County highways recently? You might have noticed conspicuous dead trees among the living ones. It is likely that most of these dead trees are the same species: ash.

Ash trees are being selectively killed by a beetle known as the emerald ash borer, which lays eggs on the bark, allowing the larvae to burrow into the wood, and causing the tree to die. Emerald ash borers are among an array of invasive insects that are beginning to invade the northeast. These insects have become a dire problem in some areas and pose a threat to more than just a few trees.

Each year, state and federal organizations, including the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), conduct surveillance throughout the state to monitor for presence of new and emerging invasive insects. These monitoring programs help determine which invasive insects are present in Connecticut, their relative abundance and if they have established populations.

Such insects include the southern pine beetle, which infects and damages several pine species, including the rare pitch pine, and the spotted lanternfly, which poses a threat to many plants, including grapes and fruit trees.

CAES monitors these insects by setting up traps and identifying the captures. Traps are distributed around the state, but coverage in Fairfield County is of particular interest since it is the southernmost entry point into the state  the location from which many invasive insects first enter Connecticut.

I have been able to explore my interest in entomology by working with Dr. Rayda Krell, an entomologist at Western Connecticut State University, and CAES to detect local invasive species. I have helped set up monitoring traps and collect and identify their contents. Of course we hope we wont find invasive insects, but if they are here, we want to be aware so management can be considered.

We have already seen what can happen to our ash trees with just one beetle species, but there are several other invasive insects of concern. New invasive insects could pose a major threat to biodiversity in our region by out-competing native species and killing plants on which they depend. An overall loss of biodiversity will, in turn, make our local ecosystems more vulnerable to environmental disruptions.

Invasive insects also pose economic threats. For example, the spotted lanternfly is estimated to have caused more than $50 million in losses in Pennsylvania per year from the plants it has killed. Southern pine beetles threaten the logging industry by killing trees before they are felled and depleting the quality of the wood.

Because of our research, there is hope to stop invasive insects before they become a problem. However, the dead ash trees lining Connecticuts highways are a reminder of what happens without vigilance. Additional invasive insects could repeat this scenario, each one invading the state and bringing their own unique burden on our ecosystem and economy with them.

Its amazing how these small animals have the potential to massively influence our lives, and we need to be aware of these types of ecological threats while we still have the chance to stop them.

Written by Jacob Corsilia, Ridgefield High School graduate.
The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV.
Clean rooms, full pool, distanced loungers: Hotels in Turkeys Antalya resort region, popular with foreign holidaymakers, are preparing to reopen after Russia's lifting of flight restrictions to Turkey. While many Turkish businesses suffered during the pandemic, tourism has been clobbered. In 2019, it brought in $34.5 billion and nearly 52 million visitors. In 2020, visitors dropped by 69% and revenues were down to about $12 billion, according to the tourism ministry. The fear of another missed season has prompted the Turkish government to exclude tourists from what they called a full lockdown for Turks.
Actor and comedian Rufus Hound (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) will star in a stage version of iconic sitcom The Good Life.

Penned and directed by Jeremy Sams, the stage show is based on John Esmonde and Bob Larbey's beloved series, which follows the Goods, a pair of suburban eco-warriors causing a stir in the area. The original 1975 series starred Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Penelope Keith and Paul Eddington.

The tour will open at Theatre Royal Bath on 7 October 2021, before visiting Cheltenham Everyman, Salford Lowry, Oxford Playhouse, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Malvern Theatres, Richmond Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre. Full casting is to be revealed, with the show featuring set and costume design by Michael Taylor, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Fergus O'Hare and casting by Ginny Schiller.

The show was originally scheduled to open last summer, but had its run postponed by the pandemic.
The carpet in the Harold Pinter is vibrating  trembling at the awesome power of Carnival, taken from the streets of Notting Hill and condensed onto a West End stage. A subwoofer thunders on, carefully steered by DJ Zuyane Russell, who is overseeing proceedings from the back of Sandra Falase and Chloe Lamford's set. Amongst the assembled, masked, socially distanced crowd  a crackle of electricity seems to fizz.

What has been so refreshing in Sonia Friedman's Re:Emerge season is that it has shown that shows of any size cast and any playwrighting level are more than capable of thrilling in the West End. That was true of Amy Berryman's Walden, a world-building three-hander that found the end of the world in a copse of tranquil trees, and it's definitely the case in Yasmin Joseph's rip-roaring J'Ouvert, taking its name from the iconic street party which is long held to be one of Notting Hill Carnival's best kept secrets  beginning in the early hour of the morning and rolling on throughout the day.

Joseph's text, lyrical, pulsing, woven with tunes and multi-roling, blends the past and present, the spiritual and the instant. The show follows three young people  south Londoner Nadine (Gabrielle Brooks), west Londoner Jade (Sapphire Joy) and Holland Park resident Nisha (Annice Boparai)  making their way through the technicolour throng in 2017.

As the day wears on Nadine is visited by spirits  the ghosts of those long dead: the girl is traversing a procession through time as much as one through the streets of London. Guiding her is a vision of Claudia Jones  one of the founders of Carnival and a woman now recognised with a blue plaque in Notting Hill. "Carnival is a street", Joseph tells us: it's those involved that give it life.

Gabrielle Brooks (Nadine)

 Helen Murray

Director Rebekah Murrell's production, though rough and ready in places, makes so much out of so little on Falase and Lamford's bowl-like revolving incline. The cast of four power their way through 100-minute runtime, owning every quarter of the Harold Pinter auditorium. Boparai appears in a box, costumes are brought down from above. Carnival is all-consuming.

Brooks book-ends the show with two power-house monologues, but it would be wrong to highlight any in the cast: Russell, who has DJ'd at Notting Hill Carnival, gives proceedings an authentic endorphin injection with a wave of tunes whenever the pace starts to slip.

The piece originally ran at Theatre503 in south London in 2019, but the last two years have naturally amplified its power  Carnival has now been cancelled twice, for starters. But more importantly  this is a show that revels in questions of community and proximity  as Nadine puts it: "Carnival is flesh. Carnival is body. Carnival is touch." These are all things that have been transformed, often robbed, by the pandemic.

For a moment, a 72-second silence washes over the stage in a sea of green. It's 3pm, one of the characters says. It is powerful  quietly so. Then the party continues  never for a second forgetting what has been lost and what must be fought for, but still celebrating what has been able to thrive.
Mexican authorities have arrested four more suspects in the weekend shootings in the northern Mexico border city of Reynosa that killed 19 people, 15 of whom appeared to be innocent bystanders
Two New Jersey towns have renamed streets in honor of the Isley Brothers, the legendary R&B group that behind songs including Shout, Twist and Shout and It's Your Thing.
More Information

The Upper Missouri District Health Unit is continuing to offer a free walk-in clinic for those wishing to get a coronavirus vaccine. They have all three kinds that have been authorized to date, Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnsons one-shot.

North Dakota also offers an online vaccine locator, to find the closest vaccine clinic to you. It is at health.nd.gov/covidvaccinelocator, or call 866-207-2880.

More information about coronavirus is available on the Health Departments web page, www.healthnd.gov/coronavirus.




Have any questions? Please give us a call at 701-572-2165
Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. Hot. High 94F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Partly cloudy. Hot. High 94F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 72F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
BOSTON (AP)  A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31, after the Biden administration extended the date by a month.

The moratorium, put in place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in September, was the only tool keeping millions of tenants in their homes. Many of them lost jobs during the coronavirus pandemic and had fallen months behind on their rent.

Landlords successfully challenged the order in court, arguing they also had bills to pay. They pointed out that tenants could access more than $45 billion in federal money set aside to help pay rents and related expenses.

Advocates for tenants say the distribution of the money has been slow and that more time is needed to distribute it and repay landlords. Without an extension, they feared a spike in evictions and lawsuits seeking to boot out tenants who are behind on their rents.

As of June 7, roughly 3.2 million people in the U.S. said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureaus Household Pulse Survey. The survey measures the social and economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic every two weeks through online responses from a representative sample of U.S. households.

Heres the situation in Massachusetts:

WHATS THE STATUS OF EVICTION MORATORIUMS IN THE STATE?

Massachusetts is one of several states that enacted a moratorium last year halting eviction proceedings due to the pandemic. The states pause on evictions expired on October 17, 2020, at which point the CDC moratorium became effective in Massachusetts. A bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Charlie Baker earlier this month also aims to help prevent evictions in cases where tenants are unable to pay rent due to COVID-19-related financial hardship until April, 2022.

WHATS BEING DONE TO HELP PEOPLE FACING EVICTION?

When the state moratorium on evictions and foreclosures expired, Gov. Charlie Baker outlined a $171 million plan to increase rental assistance and help landlords negotiate with tenants. While much of that money has been spent, an additional nearly $440 million in federal money was set aside in December for rental assistance in Massachusetts and more was expected through the American Rescue Plan Act. Much of the federal aid remains.

The new law signed by Baker this month also includes provisions aimed at helping tenants facing possible eviction understand their legal options. The law requires that landlords notifying tenants to leave a dwelling for nonpayment of rent also provide a form explaining the notice is not the same as an eviction and that tenants don't immediately have to leave the unit.

HOW ARE THE COURTS HANDLING EVICTION HEARINGS?

The same law signed by Baker this month also includes protections for tenants in court. The law continues hardship protections to those facing eviction by continuing the court practice of offering temporary continuances to tenants who have filed applications for rental assistance. The law also requires that the form landlords must give to tenants when they notify them to leave because of nonpayment of rent must also include information on rental assistance programs, trial court rules and relevant federal or state legal restrictions on residential evictions.

HOW AFFORDABLE IS HOUSING IN THE STATES MAJOR RENTAL MARKETS?

Massachusetts has long had one of the countrys tightest rental housing markets, driven in part by a strong economy and a shortage of affordable housing, although the pandemic put a dent in rising rents at a time when a vast numbers of college students stayed home to take classes remotely. As of May, the median monthly rent in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton area had fallen 3.8% over the last year to $2,400, according to a report released June 16 by Realtor.com. Median rent for a two-bedroom apartment was $2,650. The report found that Boston was just one of two metro areas  along with Seattle  where rents need another 5% to 6% to reach the previous peaks.

ARE EVICTIONS EXPECTED TO CREATE A SURGE IN HOMELESSNESS?

It isnt clear how much homelessness will increase in Massachusetts. One indication of the scope of the problem is census data showing 17,387 state residents are concerned that they could very likely be evicted over the next two months. Another 38,032 say they are somewhat likely to be evicted over the next two months.


Viewed of

Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period.Stay in touch with all of the news from Winchester, Frederick and Clarke. Sign up today for complete digital access to The Winchester Star.
Every morning on her way to work, Mel Prociuk clambers up the scaffold that hugs the spire jutting up from the east side of Augustine United Church. The metal and plywood steps clang as she rises above the trees, above the roofs of Osborne Village, and into the blue Prairie sky.

Every morning on her way to work, Mel Prociuk clambers up the scaffold that hugs the spire jutting up from the east side of Augustine United Church. The metal and plywood steps clang as she rises above the trees, above the roofs of Osborne Village, and into the blue Prairie sky.

From the tip of the steeple, 46 metres above River Avenue the city splays out a blanket of leafy green, pierced by the blocky tops of nearby apartment towers. Across the river, the Golden Boy turns its back towards the church, which was already 15 years old when that statue first raised its torch atop the legislature dome.

For the two months they've been working to paint and restore the steeple, Prociuk and her Valour Decorating co-worker Lindsay Nakonechny have liked to sip their morning coffee up there, enchanted by the view, unfazed by the height. You can see the whole city from up there, Prociuk says, an incredible sight.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Mel Prociuk (left) and Lindsay Nakonechny paint the steeple.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... you're never going to be that high again," Prociuk says, squatting on a plywood platform about five storeys up the church's elegant limestone face. "You can see all the green, all the beautiful buildings all around."

When their work is done, the steeple will shine more brightly than it did in 1904, the year the church was completed. The cross at the top now wears a skin of gold leaf; lights underneath will beam a beacon. On July 1, the lights will flick on for the first time: a symbol of a building, and a church, in the process of renewing.

It won't simply be Augustine United Church anymore. Now, it is Augustine Centre, a non-profit entity created to guide the building toward a vision as a community hub and union of like-minded tenants, with the sanctuary to serve as a performing arts and gathering space as well as a place for worship.

So far, improvements to the building have included a thoughtfully designed 4,500-square-foot space for the growing Oak Table non-profit, which supports hundreds of guests each week with everything from meals to health services and art classes. The former guild hall is also undergoing a massive renovation to create the 8,900-square-foot Splash Child Care Centre, which will open this summer with 24 infant and 44 preschool spaces.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Jeff Carter, chair of the Augustine Centre board of directors.

More changes are coming. To complete the $8.5-million transformation, much of which has been funded through grants, long-term financing and donations, this month Augustine Centre will launch a $1.5-million capital campaign. The hope is that others will join in to preserve one of the city's most striking buildings  and, in a way, bring it back to what was.

"The catchphrase for this is 'the heart of the Village,'" says Jeff Carter, a longtime church member and president of the Augustine Centre board. "A community hub is what were envisioning, and thats exactly what this building was built for, but in a radically different time, with radically different undertones."

In some ways, Augustine's journey is not just the story of one church. It is the story, more broadly, of sweeping changes that have come to modern congregations, and to the monumental properties many inherited. It is also about how those churches find ways to forge ahead in keeping with their values and their mission.

To put that journey in context, it is best to start at the beginning.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS From the beginning, Augustine Church, whose sanctuary and attached guild hall cost about $2 million to build in today's dollars, made an imposing presence on the street.

The early 20th century was a grand time for Winnipeg architecture. Augustine, designed by prominent architect J.H.G Russell, was one of a clutch of handsome churches that rose in quick succession, testament to the wealth that was accumulating in the growing city and to the central role the church played in community life.

From the beginning, the church, whose sanctuary and attached guild hall cost about $2 million to build in today's dollars, made an imposing presence on the street. Its soaring steeple and elegant Gothic Revival face became a landmark of the neighbourhood, and the pride of a large and affluent congregation.

Church life was vibrant back then. When Christine Coltart moved to Winnipeg in 1946 after finishing university in Brandon, she rented a room from an Augustine congregant. In those days, Coltart recalls, the church was full on Sundays, with hundreds of people squeezing into pews throughout the main floor and balcony.

Before long, Coltart herself was deeply involved in the church. There were many young women her age, so she found friends in the congregation, and there was always something to do. She liked that the folks there seemed to live their faith, opening the church kitchens to feed people in need and looking for ways to help.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The kitchen at the newly renovated Oak Table which feeds hundreds of guests each week.

In 1981, the church began opening its doors all day, inviting anyone to come for a coffee and chat. That effort was eventually spun off as Oak Table community ministry, which today feeds hundreds of guests each week as part of its mission to "provide hospitality, support and advocacy for those in need of a safe, respectful community." In 1995, Augustine made history when it became Canada's first LGBTTQ+-affirming United congregation.

"The church was more than just a place to go on Sunday," says Coltart, who is now 96. "It was involved in the community and looking to see what could be done... Its always been a church that looked beyond the walls."

But times were changing. Starting in the mid-1960s, congregations began to dwindle, and the church's role in community life faded with it. When Coltart began going to Augustine, 67 per cent of Canadian adults attended church weekly; by 2013, as little as 13 per cent of Canadians attended any religious service weekly.

This declining Canadian religiosity fell particularly heavily on mainline Protestant denominations, including the United Church. Today, Augustine has 140 members, most of them seniors. Before COVID-19, about 50 to 90 people came to the average Sunday service.

"The legacy is wonderful. The beauty is wonderful. This is a beautiful church in many respects but the cost of upkeep can cripple you if you dont have other resources. Thats where the congregation was getting to."  Jeff Carter, president of the Augustine Centre board

While the congregation shrank, the costs of the building kept rising. It took Augustine members years to cobble together enough cash to pay for a needed roof replacement, which was completed in 2015; by then, water had seeped into the sanctuary's ceiling, causing plaster to tumble. It will cost $675,000 to fix that damage.

By 2018, the building had become "an albatross around (the congregation's) neck," Carter says. Keeping up with basic bills cost more than $140,000 a year, to say nothing of more substantial required improvements; when the church lost a key tenant in 2017, the congregation's finances were plunged into the red.

"The legacy is wonderful," Carter says. "The beauty is wonderful. This is a beautiful church in many respects but the cost of upkeep can cripple you if you dont have other resources. Thats where the congregation was getting to.

"Everyone loves historic properties, thats the good news," he adds, and gives a tired laugh. "In other words, its valued by the community, up to the point where you ask for money to help."

It's a squeeze many congregations feel, especially those who have inherited those monumental old buildings. The costs of stabilizing a sinking building or replacing an old heating system can soar high into the six figures, and even the seven: too heavy a burden for congregations that are now counted in the dozens.

JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS FILES In 1968, prescient members of Westminster United Church, at the corner of Maryland and Westminster, created the Westminster Foundation.

Some churches have found ways to get through. In 1968, prescient members of Westminster United Church, at the corner of Maryland and Westminster, created the Westminster Foundation. At the time, the church's finances were robust, but the members surmised there would be leaner years ahead.

That prescience proved critical. Opened in 1912, Westminster is another of architect J.H.G. Russell's Winnipeg churches, arguably the grandest. In recent years it's needed many repairs, including a major ceiling fix and rehabilitation of bowing stained glass windows.

Because of the foundation, which is managed separately from the church, the congregation was able to afford the repairs to keep the spectacular building healthy. Were it not for the foresight of those 1960s members, says Westminster board chair Carol Latter, the congregation today would be in far more difficult straits.

"This is where were saved by that foundation," Latter says. "Thats the release valve that our congregation has from that worry that those funds are there for us. We still are very conscious of, the more you draw on them, the less likely they are to be there. So its a balancing act."

"Thats the release valve that our congregation has from that worry that those funds are there for us. We still are very conscious of, the more you draw on them, the less likely they are to be there. So its a balancing act."  Westminster board chair Carol Latter

Not all churches have been so lucky. Two years ago, the National Trust for Canada estimated that 9,000 worship spaces in Canada will shutter within the next decade. In Toronto, many historic churches have been redeveloped as condos, as have several old churches in Manitoba. Others across Canada have simply been razed.

Yet perhaps something is lost when buildings that had once been such a heartbeat of their neighbourhoods are relinquished to different, more private uses of the space. It is difficult, for instance, to imagine the visual texture of Osborne Village without its picturesque churches; their presence helps create a sense of place.

"Were lucky in Winnipeg to have an inventory like this, still, that needs to be preserved and looked after," says Karl Loepp, co-founder of real estate investment firm Private Pension Partners, who has been leading the work to restore Augustine's steeple.

In a way, Loepp's involvement reflects the bonds that historic churches still hold with their neighbourhoods. His company has its offices in Osborne Village; every day, Loepp drove past the aging church, seeing with dismay the disrepair of the steeple. One day, he approached church leaders to see if he could help.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Karl Loepp has been leading the work to restore Augustine's steeple.

"This steeples been a beacon of Winnipeg, long before the Golden Boy was up there," Loepp says. "If you really travel anywhere in the world with great monumental cathedrals, theyre always the centrepiece of a townsite. Its a gathering place, whether youre there for faith or anything else. Its a place that draws you in.

"It was sad that it was in such bad shape. It was such an important piece; why not bring it back to life?"

As Loepp learned more about the church's plans to create Augustine Centre, he was inspired. When he began to reach out to donors, he was pleased by how many were quick to pitch in; before long, he'd helped raise over $300,000, enough to fully refurbish the steeple with some left over for the church's next renovations.

The eagerness with which donors responded speaks to the affinity that exists for the buildings. It's notable, for instance, that many Osborne Village residents profess to having a favourite among the community's historic churches, even if they've never set foot in any; the beauty of the old designs has stood the test of time.

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Loepp helped raise over $300,000, enough to fully refurbish the steeple with some left over for the church's next renovations.

But to see these buildings through the decades to come will require more than just cash. For congregations, it often also means a great deal of reflection on what the church can be, what it means, and what it meant when the buildings were first raised. Because times have changed, and the context of the church is changing too.

Consider that the beauty of the old churches is also a monument to the wealth generated during the turn-of-the-century colonial scramble, a time when it was "church above everyone," notes Rob Dalgleish, a United Church minister. It was a similar attitude that enabled residential schools and other church abuses.

And just a few decades before Augustine was built, the land on which it now sits belonged to a thriving Metis farming community, which was pushed out as affluent settlers, charmed by what was then the area's bucolic ruralness, moved in. History can be beautiful, but on these lands, it is also complicated.

"The legacy of these huge dominating buildings... Thats also kind of a mixed blessing," Dalgleish says, chatting over the phone from his office in Toronto. "'Church over everyone' is not a message the church would want to make right now. Communities themselves cherish the place of these buildings, so part of it is to maintain the good of that history, and the need to transform it."

"The legacy of these huge dominating buildings... Thats also kind of a mixed blessing."  United Church minister Rob Dalgleish

Ten years ago, Dalgleish co-founded the EDGE Network, linked to the United Church of Canada. It started as a way to help congregations innovate their ministry, in order to address the membership decline that has chipped away at the church; soon, it became clear that property was one of their foremost concerns.

In an EDGE survey of 600 churches, about a third reported property challenges so severe that they would have to redevelop or sell their building on a short-term horizon. Three years ago, EDGE added a property mission, to help congregations navigate how to adapt, preserve or repurpose their buildings, in tune with their values.

"We never anticipated getting into property issues," Dalgleish says. "But almost every congregation we were working with was having significant issues with their property, struggling to keep up with maintenance of their facilities in their current conditions.

"These assets are the biggest physical asset of the church, but they're not well-aligned with the kind of ministry were doing right now... Congregations are often quite desperate and feel like theyve failed, because they cant keep this thing going. Its not that you cant keep it going. Its that you cant keep it going in the form that its in."

"We never anticipated getting into property issues. But almost every congregation we were working with was having significant issues with their property, struggling to keep up with maintenance of their facilities in their current conditions."  United Church minister Rob Dalgleish

Which is to say, as congregations have become smaller, churches have sought to become more nimble. Now, church leaders are often looking to expand from the "box, book and preacher" model, towards a more flexible definition of what ministry looks like: it might be as simple as holding space for coffee and fellowship.

To narrow this gap between massive empty sanctuaries and modern life, EDGE encourages congregations to invite community members to meetings. These conversations have been "rich and generous," Dalgleish says: through them, the problem of a building becomes an opportunity to give a community what it needs.

In all, EDGE has helped more than 600 congregations innovate their ministries. Not all involved changes to the church's physical building, but all required reimagining how that property can be used. Some were inspired to share their space as a venue for local artists; others have launched new social enterprises.

"What are the values we want to proclaim? What kind of place do we want to make?" Dalgleish says. "Its really a project of loving the neighbourhood. How can we love the neighbourhood with this real estate, in a way thats sustainable, that honours the gift and historical journey of the church, but also reaches out in new ways?"

BORIS MINKEVICH / FREE PRESS FILES In 2013, St. Matthew's Anglican on Maryland Street began a $6.6-million transformation into the West End Commons.

In Winnipeg, this approach has led to several significant church adaptations. In 2013, St. Matthew's Anglican on Maryland Street began a $6.6-million transformation into the West End Commons, turning its vast sanctuary into 26 units of subsidized housing, complete with an indoor play area and separate space for worship.

Earlier this year, All Saints Anglican on Broadway completed its groundbreaking endeavour, a joint venture with the University of Winnipeg Community Renewal Corporation to replace its dilapidated parish hall with a soaring 110-unit mixed-income apartment complex, allowing income for the church but also affordable housing.

In this vein, the transformation of Augustine United Church into Augustine Centre will, the congregation hopes, carry the church into the future, but also, in a way, bring it back towards its roots. Once, it hummed with life as the centre of its community and heart of the Village; soon, perhaps, it will serve that role again.

"I just have to pinch myself. This little old church, this old congregation being able to even think of things like that."  Christine Coltart

Do you appreciate the extensive faith coverage by the Free Press? Become a supporter of the Religion in the News project! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more can help us keep offering trusted coverage of faith in Manitoba. Become a supporter Click here to learn more about the project.

"I just have to pinch myself," Coltart says. "This little old church, this old congregation being able to even think of things like that... some congregations might just fold up, dwindle away, but here we are trying new things. This is a new phase of its life, and I just hope it can be used for whatever. To provide friendship for a lot of people too."

Change rarely comes easy. Yet when Augustine's members voted for the plan that would make them tenants in the building and turn control over to the new Augustine Centre board, the vote was unanimous. There is a hope for the future, Carter says, and now, they hope Winnipeggers will show their support.

"People know we have no choice," Carter says. "We have to move forward, and were courageous enough to do that."

melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca

Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.
EDMONTON - A U.S. senator has asked that Canada be investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Alberta pastors accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions.

Supporters gather outside court as Pastor James Coates of GraceLife Church appears in court after he was arrested for holding Sunday services in violation of COVID-19 rules, in Stony Plain, Alta., on Wednesday Feb. 24, 2021. A U.S. senator wants Canada investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Coates and another Alberta pastor accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON - A U.S. senator has asked that Canada be investigated for violating religious freedom over the arrests of Alberta pastors accused of flouting COVID-19 restrictions.

In a letter released Thursday, Missouri Republican Josh Hawley asked his country's Commission on International Religious Freedom to consider putting Canada on its special watch list.

"I am troubled that our Canadian neighbours are effectively being forced to gather in secret, undisclosed locations to exercise their basic freedom to worship," Hawley wrote.

"Frankly, I would expect this sort of religious crackdown in Communist China, not in a prominent western nation like Canada."

Hawley refers in his letter to the arrests of Alberta pastors James Coates and Tim Stephens.

Coates spent a month in the Edmonton Remand Centre after he violated a bail condition not to hold church services that officials said were ignoring COVID-19 measures on capacity limits, physical distancing and masking. He was released March 22 after pleading guilty and was fined $1,500.

Coates, who is a pastor at GraceLife Church in Spruce Grove, has argued provincial regulations meant to curb the spread of COVID-19 infringed on his and his congregants' constitutional right to freedom of religion and peaceful assembly.

Earlier this month, a judge ruled his religious freedoms under the Charter were not violated.

Stephens remains in remand after being arrested last week following repeated public complaints over an outdoor service that officials say broke public health orders. Calgary police and Alberta Health Services allege that Stephens of Fairview Baptist Church chose to keep holding services without respecting orders on physical distancing and capacity limits, even after his church had been twice ordered closed.

Litigation director Jay Cameron of the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms, which is representing Stephens, has accused Alberta Health Services in a statement of being "engaged in an intentional act of public deception and abuse of authority in arresting pastor Stephens and others."

The U.S. commission lists three requirements to declare that a country oppresses religious freedom. It says the oppression must be systematic, ongoing and egregious. Any two of those is enough to be placed on the special watch list. Countries already on the list include Afghanistan, Egypt, Cuba and Turkey.

A commission spokesperson said the agency is aware of Hawley's letter and is "looking into it."

A spokesman for Alberta Justice said the department couldn't comment on Hawley's accusations because the matters are still before the courts.

Hawley is a longtime supporter of former U.S. president Donald Trump. He gave a clenched-fist salute to the hordes outside the Capitol as he arrived on the day of the Jan. 6 riots to press his challenge of the presidential election results.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.
YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesias most volatile volcano erupted Friday, releasing plumes of ash high into the air and sending streams of lava with searing gas clouds flowing down its slopes. No casualties were reported.

Motorists ride past as Mount Merapi looms in the background, in Sleman, Friday, June 25, 2021. Indonesias most volatile volcano erupted Friday, releasing plumes of ash high into the air and sending streams of lava with searing gas clouds flowing down its slopes. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia (AP)  Indonesias most volatile volcano erupted Friday, releasing plumes of ash high into the air and sending streams of lava with searing gas clouds flowing down its slopes. No casualties were reported.

Clouds of hot ash shot 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the sky and an avalanche of lava and searing gas spilled down Mount Merapis trembling slopes up to 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) at least six times since the morning as the volcano groaned and rumbled, said Hanik Humaida, the head of Yogyakartas Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center.

A series of strong pyroclastic flows were released from the actively growing lava dome in the inner summit crater of the 2,968-meter (9,737-foot) high volcano, Humaida said.

Pyroclastic flow is a volcanic phenomenon includes turbulent and hot avalanches of hot lava rocks, ash and volcanic gasses mixed together.

Hot cloud of volcanic materials run down the slope of Mount Merapi during an eruption in Sleman, Indonesia Friday, June 25, 2021. Indonesias most volatile volcano erupted Friday, releasing plumes of ash high into the air and sending streams of lava with searing gas clouds flowing down its slopes. (AP Photo/Slamet Riyadi)

She described the volcanos lava dome as growing rapidly, causing hot lava and gas clouds to flow down its slopes. Parts of the lava dome were collapsing, sending rocks and ash flowing down the southwest flank of the volcano.

Ash covered several villages and nearby towns, she said.

Mount Merapi has seen increased volcanic activity in recent weeks and ash plumes extended about 1.8 kilometers (1.2 miles) to the southwest of the volcano before dawn, Humaida said.

Indonesias Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center did not raise Merapis alert status, which already was at the second-highest of four levels since it began erupting last November.

Villagers living on Merapis fertile slopes are advised to stay 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the craters mouth and should be aware of the peril of lava, the agency said.

The volcano is on densely populated Java island near the ancient city of Yogyakarta. It is the most active of more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia and has repeatedly erupted with lava and gas clouds recently.

Merapis last major eruption in 2010 killed 347 people.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines around the ocean.

____

Associated Press writer Niniek Karmini in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed to this report.

This version has corrected that the volcano's alert status was at the second-highest, not third-highest, level.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's new election law, alleging Republican state lawmakers rushed through a sweeping overhaul with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot.

FILE - In this June 15, 2021, file photo Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the Justice Department in Washington. The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's voting laws, a person familiar with the matter said Friday, June 25. (Win McNamee/Pool via AP)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Justice Department is suing Georgia over the state's new election law, alleging Republican state lawmakers rushed through a sweeping overhaul with an intent to deny Black voters equal access to the ballot.

Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Friday in announcing the lawsuit.

Republican lawmakers in the state pushed back immediately, pledging a forceful defense of Georgia's law.

The Biden administration's move comes two weeks after Garland said his department would scrutinize new laws in Republican-controlled states that tighten voting rules. He said the federal government would take action if prosecutors found unlawful activity.

The suit also comes as pressure grows on the Biden administration to respond to GOP-backed laws being pushed in the states this year. A Democratic effort to overhaul election laws was blocked this week by Republican senators.

As of mid-May, 22 restrictive laws had passed in at least 14 states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, which researches voting and supports expanded access. Justice Department officials hinted that prosecutors were looking at other voting laws across the United States and warned that the government would not stand by if there were illegal attempts to restrict voter access.

The increased enforcement of voting rights laws also signals that President Joe Biden and Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke are making good on a promise to refocus the department around civil rights after a tumultuous four years during the Trump administration. Clarke was one of the nations leading civil rights attorneys before her nomination to lead the department's civil rights division.

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks during a news conference on voting rights at the Department of Justice in Washington, Friday, June 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Georgia's secretary of state, Brad Raffensperger, said he would contest the suit. The Republican official was harshly criticized by then-President Donald Trump and his allies for rebuffing efforts to challenge the outcome of the state's vote in the 2020 election. Raffensperger largely supported the new law and faces a primary challenge from a congressman backed by Trump.

The Biden Administration has been spreading lies about Georgias election law for months," Raffensperger said in a statement. "It is no surprise that they would operationalize their lies with the full force of the federal government. I look forward to meeting them, and beating them, in court.

Gov. Brian Kemp, R-Ga., called the Justice Department's lawsuit legally and constitutionally dead wrong and said the accusations made by prosecutors were baseless and quite honestly, disgusting.

Today, the Biden Justice Department launched a politically motivated assault on the rule of law and our democracy, he said at a news conference.

While much of the more controversial aspects of Georgia's new voting law were dropped before it was passed, it is notable in its scope and for newly expansive powers granted to the state over local election offices.

The bill, known as SB 202, also adds a voter ID requirement for mail ballots, shortens the time period for requesting a mailed ballot and results in fewer ballot drop boxes available in metro Atlanta  provisions that drew the challenge from the federal government.

The changes to absentee voting were not made in a vacuum," Clarke said. "These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress.

The lawsuit also takes aim at another controversial measure  a ban on the distribution of food and water by various groups and organizations to voters standing in line to cast a ballot. Democrats say the support is needed to encourage voters who find themselves in long lines. Republicans argue the measure is needed to prevent unlawful electioneering from happening at polling places.

In 2020, just two states had ID requirements for voters requesting a mailed ballot. Along with Georgia, lawmakers in Florida have also passed a law requiring additional identification for mail voting. Clarke described the Georgia law as adding new and unnecessarily stringent identification requirements to mail voting.

In Georgia, drop boxes were permitted last year under an emergency rule prompted by the coronavirus pandemic. State Republicans have defended the new law as making drop boxes a permanent option for voters and requiring all counties to have at least one. But critics say the new limits mean there will be fewer drop boxes available in the states most populous communities.

For the entire metro Atlanta area, Democrats estimate the number of drop boxes will fall from 94 last year to no more than 23 for future elections based on the new formula of one drop box per 100,000 registered voters.

Clarke noted that metro Atlanta is home to the largest Black voting-age population in the state.

The NAACP and civil rights leaders such as Stacey Abrams applauded the administration's step. NAACP President Derrick Johnson said Georgias law was a blatant assault on the American peoples most fundamental and sacred right, the right to vote.

The law already is the subject of seven other federal suits filed by civil rights and election integrity groups that raise a number of claims under the Constitution and the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in voting.

The Supreme Court also is weighing a voting rights dispute from Arizona that predates last years election in which the court could again significantly cut back on the use of the voting rights law.

Eight years ago Friday, the high court removed the Justice Departments most effective tool in combating discriminatory voting laws: the requirement that states with a history of racial discrimination, mostly in the South, obtain advance approval of any voting changes from the government or a court.

The department also announced Friday that it was creating a task force and advising FBI and U.S. attorneys to prioritize investigations of threats against election officials.

Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Mark Sherman in Washington and Kate Brumback and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Biden administration signaled in a court filing this week that it does not plan to cancel federal permits for Enbridges Energy's Line 3 oil pipeline project, despite pleas by Native Americans and environmental groups for the president to intervene.

Everlasting Wind, aka Dawn Goodwin, joins others by raising her fist in the Mississippi River near an Enbridge pipeline construction site, on Monday, June 7, 2021, in Clearwater County, Minn., to protest the construction of Enbridge Line 3. Goodwin is a co-founder of RISE Coalition. More than 2,000 Indigenous leaders and "water protectors" gathered in Clearwater County from around the country. The day started with a prayer circle and moved on to a march to the Mississippi headwaters where the oil pipeline is proposed to be built. (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  The Biden administration signaled in a court filing this week that it does not plan to cancel federal permits for Enbridges Energy's Line 3 oil pipeline project, despite pleas by Native Americans and environmental groups for the president to intervene.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers used the filing to defend its decision in November to grant Enbridge a water permit for the project, the last major approval the Calgary, Alberta-based company needed.

Wednesday's filing by the Corps and its attorneys at the Department of Justice marks the first time President Joe Bidens administration has taken a public position on Enbridge's plan to replace its aging Line 3, which carries oil from western Canada to Enbridges terminal in Superior, Wisconsin, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported.

Environmental organizations expressed displeasure Thursday.

Allowing Line 3 to move forward is, at best, inconsistent with the bold promises on climate and environmental justice President Biden campaigned and was elected on, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, said in a statement.

But Enbridge said in a statement that the Corps filing is an expected next step in the court appeal process, and that it laid out the federal agencys very thorough review of Line 3s federal permits.

Two Ojibwe bands and three environmental groups sued the Corps in federal court late last year. They claimed the Corps did not properly evaluate the pipelines impact on climate change, and that the agency should have conducted its own, full environmental impact study on the pipeline instead of relying on the state's. Their lawsuit also alleges that the Corps failed to fully consider treaty rights. The pipeline crosses lands where several tribes claim treaty rights to hunt, gather and fish.

The Corps asked for the case to be dismissed, saying the agency met all requirements under federal environmental law. The permit allows Enbridge to drill beneath certain rivers during construction and discharge dredged material.

The Minnesota segment of the pipeline is more than 60% complete. The Wisconsin and Canadian sections are already carrying oil. Protests along the route in Minnesota have ramped up significantly over the past few weeks.

Since Biden took office in January, opponents of Line 3 have repeatedly called for him to stop the project. The most practical legal way for him to do that would be by revoking Line 3s Army Corps permit, or by ordering that the permit to be redone.

Todays decision is the Biden administration on autopilot, defending a Trump water permit for a massive tar sands pipeline that is actually indefensible, said Andy Pearson, an organizer with MN350, a climate change group.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden celebrated Pride Month at the White House on Friday, a reflection of the growing stature of the LGBTQ community at the highest level of government.

President Joe Biden waves before walking up the steps of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Thursday, June 24, 2021. Biden is traveling to North Carolina and will meet with the people on the front lines of his administration's vaccination effort in Raleigh. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden celebrated Pride Month at the White House on Friday, a reflection of the growing stature of the LGBTQ community at the highest level of government.

Pride Month represents so much, Biden said. It stands for courage. The courage of all those in previous generations and today who proudly live their truth. Stands for justice. Both the steps weve taken and the steps we need to take. And above all, Pride Month stands for love.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the first openly gay person confirmed to a Cabinet post, joined the president and first lady in the White House's East Room and also gave remarks.

Us even being here proves how much change is possible in America," Buttigieg said. So many lives have been changed, saved by the sustained advocacy, the moral resolve, the political courage of countless LGBTQ-plus leaders and allies, some elected, some invisible, some long gone, some in this room right now.

A White House hallway was lit in the colors of the rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBTQ movement, and Biden said he takes the hallway each day as he goes between the residence and the Oval Office. Also on display was a candle carried during the AIDS vigil and a pair of sandals owned by Matthew Shepard, a gay college student who was fatally beaten in 1998 and whose death inspired new hate crime laws.

President Joe Biden applauds Ashton Mota of the GenderCool Project during an event to commemorate Pride Month, in the East Room of the White House, Friday, June 25, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Also on Friday, Biden named Jessica Stern as a special diplomatic envoy at the State Department for LGBTQ rights. Her responsibilities will involve ensuring that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect LGBTQ rights around the world. Stern is currently executive director of OutRight Action International, which defends human rights and works to prevent abuses of LGBTQ people.

In her new role, Stern will help put in place a presidential memorandum to advance the rights of LGBTQ people as well as bring together like-minded governments, nonprofits and corporations to uphold equality and dignity, according to the White House.

The focus also carries personal resonance for many in the Biden administration. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House's principal deputy press secretary, tweeted out her own story Friday about coming out to her mother at the age of 16 and the revolted look in response that left her sexuality a family secret for many years.

Im proud to be an out Black Queer woman and I have been for quite some time, she wrote. Im happy to say, my Mother is now proud of ALL of who I am; she loves my partner and she loves being a doting grandmother to the daughter we are raising.

Jean-Pierre added that her journey toward acceptance was not easy, but it was worthwhile.

Biden also signed into law Friday a measure that designates the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida, as a national memorial. A mass shooting at the gay nightclub in June 2016 left 49 people dead and 53 wounded in what was the deadliest attack on the LGBTQ community in U.S. history.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Congressional Democrats have approved a measure reinstating rules aimed at limiting climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling, a rare effort by Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump.

FILE - In this April 21, 2021, file photo the sun sets beyond a pumpjack near Goldsmith, Texas. Congressional Democrats have approved a measure reinstating rules aimed at limiting climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling. The House gave final legislative approval Friday, June 25, to a resolution that would undo a Trump-era environmental rule that relaxed requirements of a 2016 Obama administration rule targeting methane emissions from oil and gas drilling. (Eli Hartman/Odessa American via AP, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  Congressional Democrats have approved a measure reinstating rules aimed at limiting climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling, a rare effort by Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump.

The House gave final legislative approval Friday to a resolution that would undo a Trump-era environmental rule that relaxed requirements of a 2016 Obama administration rule targeting methane emissions from leaks and flares in oil and gas wells.

The resolution was approved, 229-191, and now goes to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign it. Twelve Republicans joined 217 Democrats to support the measure.

Democrats and environmentalists called the methane rule one of the Trump administrations most egregious actions to deregulate U.S. businesses and said its removal would help launch a broader effort by the Biden administration and Congress to tackle climate change. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, packing a stronger punch in the short term than carbon dioxide.

Congress just delivered its first bipartisan win for the climate,'' said Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund. Controlling methane is a winning proposition for all sides because it cuts pollution and reduces waste.''

The resolution was approved under the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to overturn certain regulations that have been in place for a short time. The Trump methane rule was finalized last September.

FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2015, file photo, a gas flare is seen at a natural gas processing facility near Williston, N.D. Congressional Democrats have approved a measure reinstating rules aimed at limiting climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas drilling, a rare effort by Democrats to use the legislative branch to overturn a regulatory rollback under President Donald Trump. The House gave final legislative approval Friday, June 25, to a resolution that would undo a Trump-era environmental rule that relaxed requirements of a 2016 Obama administration rule targeting methane emissions from oil and gas drilling.. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File)

Action on methane was one of just three Trump-era rules targeted by the Democratic-controlled Congress under the review law, a sharp contrast to 14 Obama-era rules repealed by congressional Republicans in the first year of the Trump administration.

Other rules approved by Democrats targeted Trump-era actions loosening regulations on payday lenders and another that Democrats said gave employers an unfair advantage over workers in settling discrimination claims.

Rep. Diana DeGette D-Colo., who sponsored the methane measure, called its approval a big win in our overall effort to combat the climate crisis, and a critical first step toward sufficiently reducing our nations overall methane emissions.

If Biden and Congress are going to be serious about combating this climate crisis, we have to take steps now to cut the amount of methane in our atmosphere, DeGette said. The legislation will keep more than 1.6 million tons of methane out of the air that all Americans breathe and require oil and gas companies to take the steps necessary to better protect our planet and the publics health" by reinstating methane standards put in place in 2016, she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the action on methane was part of an effort by Congress to reassert its own power. She called the Congressional Review Act "one of the Congresss most important tools ... to deliver for the people and to reclaim our authority under the Constitution, upholding the balance of powers that is the foundation of our American democracy.''

Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, said the measure approved Friday "will restore common-sense safeguards to limit methane pollution from oil and gas production. Its a modest and straightforward step in the right direction, but its a very important one.''

Republicans disagreed, saying the measure took unfair aim at oil and gas companies that are already working to reduce emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases.

Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn., said the repeal measure advanced radical activist priorities while empowering foreign oil producers in the Middle East and Russia.

Rep. Yvette Herrell, R-N.M, said the measure would "nickel and dime the most essential business in my district,'' oil and gas producers who she said could be forced out of business by excessive government regulations.

Those statements were at odds with the oil and gas industry, which largely supported the Obama-era rule. In 2016, the Environmental Protection Agency curbed methane emissions at facilities built or modified since 2015, requiring companies to deploy technology to detect and fix leaks at oil and gas wells. Many large energy companies have embraced methane capture as a way to save money and promote natural gas as a cleaner option than coal in the nations power plants.

The action by Congress clears the way for the EPA to develop rules to regulate methane emissions from new and existing wells, including hundreds of thousands of older wells that are not subject to federal regulation under current law.

Oil giant BP said Friday it supports direct federal regulation of methane emissions.

Keeping methane in the pipes is good for the planet and for business. It means that we can sell it as a cleaner fuel source rather than losing it,'' said Mary Streett, a senior vice president at BP. Were pleased that Congress recognizes the importance of this objective and we encourage the president to sign the resolution.

The American Petroleum Institute, the industry's top lobbying group, said it will work with the Biden administration to support direct regulation of methane from new and existing sources.

We have an opportunity to build on the progress the industry has made in driving down methane emissions through technological advancement, and we are committed to finding common ground on cost-effective government policies,'' said API spokeswoman Jessica Szymanski.
Swansea, WALES (AP)  More than 15 months into the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of seafarers vital to the global shipping industry remain stranded at sea or in ports, unable to leave their ships or get to new assignments due to global travel restrictions.

FILE - In this Wednesday, March 3, 2021 file photo, container cargo ships are seen docked in the Port of Los Angeles. More than 15 months into the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of seafarers vital to the global shipping industry remain stranded at sea or in ports, unable to leave their ships or get to new assignments due to global travel restrictions. Friday, June 25, 2021 is International Seafarers Day, and ships around the world, from Los Angeles to Singapore to Rotterdam, planned to blare their horns in solidarity. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

Swansea, WALES (AP)  More than 15 months into the coronavirus pandemic, tens of thousands of seafarers vital to the global shipping industry remain stranded at sea or in ports, unable to leave their ships or get to new assignments due to global travel restrictions.

Friday is International Seafarers Day, and ships around the world, from Los Angeles to Singapore to Antwerp, Belgium, planned to blare their horns in solidarity.

Theyve been the forgotten heroes of this pandemic and theyve really been collateral damage, because it was so easy for countries to say well take nobody into our country, except, of course, they wanted the ships to come in and just discharge their cargo," said Guy Platten, head of the International Chamber of Shipping.

It's been a problem since near the beginning of the pandemic, but Kasper Sgaard of the Global Maritime Forum said the situation has worsened recently, largely due to new travel restrictions countries have imposed in response the delta variant of the coronavirus, which was first identified in India.

The forum found that the percentage of stranded seafarers jumped from 5.8% to 7.4% from May to June, figures that are continuing to rise, Sgaard said.

More than 80% of world trade is transported by sea, meaning seafarers play a critical role in global commerce. The International Chamber of Shipping estimates that 200,000 are affected by travel restrictions, either stuck at sea or unable to leave home to get to their ships.

Some have been stranded for as long as 20 months, which contravenes the International Labor Organization's Maritime Labour Convention, which allows a maximum of 11 months.

Daresh Villarayan of Punnaikayal in Tamil Nadu, India, spent a month on the MT Peterpaul while it was stuck in Sri Lanka. He has also had to quarantine numerous times. He recorded video of himself and his crewmates talking about their predicament from the ship, which is now back on the move.

Because of corona, there are lot of problems in the life of a seaman, he said.

Hermant Solanki, another Indian crew member from Surat, Gujarat, could not find work for eight months. He tried to join a ship in Egypt, but instead had to spend a month in a hotel before finally making his way to the MT Peterpaul.

The chamber says seafarers from India are most affected because they have the most travel restrictions imposed on them.

About 900,000 crew members are from countries that aren't producing vaccines, meaning their movements may be further limited if they can't get vaccinated.

Beyond tooting horns, there has been a global push to better safeguard seafarers rights. In January, more than 700 organizations and companies, from the World Economic Forum to BP and Shell, signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change. One call to action was declaring seafarers as essential workers. Sixty countries so far have done so.

The chamber says 12 countries have prioritized the push to vaccinate merchant crews, while ports in the United States, Belgium and the Netherlands are vaccinating all crews who arrive, regardless of nationality.

Even as the pandemic has raged, some 400,000 seafarers have kept the industry going, Platten said.

We owe the seafarers a huge debt of gratitude because not one time during the last 15 months have they stopped sailing on the ships, stopped delivering the vital ... the fuel, the food, the medical supplies and all the other essentials that keep the world going," he said.

Bzganovic reported from Belgrade, Serbia.
TORONTO - Hudson's Bay Co. is being ordered to pay up after it withheld rent from a prominent mall landlord.

The Hudson's Bay Company sign in downtown Toronto, Wednesday July 16, 2008. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

TORONTO - Hudson's Bay Co. is being ordered to pay up after it withheld rent from a prominent mall landlord.

Ontario Superior Court Judge Cory Gilmore told the Toronto-based department store chain this week to pay rent it owes Oxford Properties Retail Holdings for its Hillcrest Mall location in Richmond Hill, Ont.

The two sides have been feuding since the COVID-19 pandemic pushed health officials and politicians to force some non-essential retailers to temporarily close to quell the spread of the virus.

As Hillcrest and several other malls closed for lengthy periods, HBC stopped paying its rent and argued Oxford was in breach of lease agreements and its contractual duty of good faith because it was no longer operating "first-class shopping centres."

HBC claimed Hillcrest's status was slipping because it had only been in operation 40 per cent of the time since the first lockdown and it claimed the mall was refusing to make safety upgrades to features like its HVAC system.

It also argued the mall had "changed in its character" because it deterred shoppers from lingering in stores and provided minimal food court seating.

Judge Gilmore wasn't swayed by the arguments.

"The landlord is not in breach of the lease for failing to meet operating standards," she wrote in a court order.

"Making such a finding would lead to a commercial absurdity in that the landlord would be put in a position of having to ignore provincial laws and public health guidelines in order to maintain what HBC determined was a first-class mall."

In her order, she said HBC is not entitled to any abatement or reduction of rent, but granted the retailer relief from forfeiture, which allows tenants to address their defaults and outlines a repayment schedule.

Under her order, HBC will begin repaying its arrears and on July 1, start paying portions of its rent on a scale that "generally reflects" the intended Ontario government phased reopening plan with the outstanding amounts to be paid by next March.

By Oct. 1, 2021, the company will have to pay 90 per cent of its rent and will resume full payments in November.

We are pleased with the courts thoughtful decision. The ruling, which finds HBC must finally and fully meet its contractual obligations, benefits more than 500,000 Canadian pension members who own this shopping centre," Daniel ODonnell, Oxford's vice-president of communications, wrote in an email.

The court also found HBCs complaints about the operation of Hillcrest Mall, filed six months after HBC ceased paying rent, are without merit and would have led to a commercially absurd result if accepted.

Meanwhile, HBC said it was "disappointed" with the decision.

"This is another example of non-essential retail bearing the brunt of government lockdowns in Ontario and an approach that is arbitrarily creating winners and losers," the company said in an email.

"HBC maintains that retailers and landlords should equitably share the burden of the pandemic, and we are reviewing all our available options from that perspective."

The court decision comes after another Ontario judge, Glenn Hainey, ordered HBC to pay half the rent owing at Hillcrest, while blocking Oxford's attempt to evict the retailer last year.

Oxford previously said the ongoing loss of rent from an anchor tenant like HBC would have a significant affect on its business.

In court documents, the landlord said HBC continues to pay rent under protest at three of its shopping centres, but is withholding rent at eight other locations.

 With files from Brett Bundale in Halifax.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.
MOSCOW (AP)  They tried grocery giveaways and lotteries for new cars and apartments. But an ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June still has fallen short by a third.

People, most of them without face masks, walk at Red Square during sunset in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, June 24, 2021. An ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June against the coronavirus has fallen short by a third, and the country has started to see a surge in daily new infections. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

MOSCOW (AP)  They tried grocery giveaways and lotteries for new cars and apartments. But an ambitious plan of vaccinating 30 million Russians by mid-June still has fallen short by a third.

So now, many regional governments across the vast country are obligating some workers to get vaccinated and requiring the shots to enter certain businesses, like restaurants.

As many Western countries lift coronavirus restrictions and plan a return to normal life after mass vaccinations, Russia is battling a surge of infections  even though it was the first in the world to authorize a vaccine and among the first to start administering it in December.

Daily new cases have grown from about 9,000 in early June to about 17,000 on June 18 and over 20,000 on Thursday and Friday.

Officials have blamed Russians lax attitude toward taking necessary precautions and the growing prevalence of more infectious variants. But perhaps the biggest factor is the lack of vaccinations.

Over 21 million people, or about 14% of the population of 146 million, have received at least one shot as of Friday. According to figures from earlier this week, only 16.7 million, or about 11%, have been fully vaccinated.

Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said only 0.5% of those who had gotten both doses have contracted COVID-19.

Experts say those numbers are due to several factors, including the public's wariness of the rushed approval and rollout of the Sputnik V vaccine; an official narrative that Russia had tamed its outbreak; criticism on state TV of other vaccines as dangerous; and a weak promotional campaign that included incentives such as consumer giveaways.

In light of the surge, 18 Russian regions  from Moscow and St. Petersburg to the remote far-eastern region of Sakhalin  made vaccinations mandatory this month for employees in certain sectors, such as government offices, retail, health care, education, restaurants and other service industries.

Moscow authorities said companies should suspend without pay employees unwilling to get vaccinated, and they threatened to temporarily halt operations of businesses that dont meet the goal of having 60% of staff get at least one shot by July 15 and both shots by Aug. 15.

As of Monday, all Moscow restaurants, cafes and bars will admit only customers who have been vaccinated, have recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, or can provide a negative coronavirus test from the previous 72 hours. City officials also limited most elective hospital care to those who are fully vaccinated or can provide tests showing they have antibodies to fight the infection.

A restaurant employee, right, checks a visitor's COVID-19 vaccination QR code at the entrance of a restaurant in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

The moves seem to be an act of desperation by authorities.

They backed themselves into a corner, they have no choice now, said Judy Twigg, a political science professor specializing in global health at Virginia Commonwealth University.

They overhyped this vaccine so that people didnt trust it. Then they took a series of measures that were clearly attempted to make it seem as though the government had everything under control, the pandemic was no big deal.  And now theyre in this situation, not surprisingly, where low vaccination rates have left an opening for the delta variant to come in, she said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov insisted Friday there were no mandatory vaccinations and no one is making Russians get shots. Earlier this week, Peskov explained that those required to get vaccinated because of their line of work can refuse it and seek a different job.

The governor of the southern region of Krasnodar, home to the Black Sea resort of Sochi, said hotels and sanitariums will only accommodate vacationers with a negative coronavirus test or a vaccination certificate starting July 1. As of Aug. 1, only vaccinated individuals will be admitted.

Russia's Association of Tour Operators has since reported a flood of requests to cancel bookings in the usually popular destination.

The mandates have drawn mixed responses, with some saying they are welcome if they prevent closures of businesses, while other say it's unclear how employers can persuade those who don't want the shots.

Most restaurateurs believe that vaccination is necessary, said Sergei Mironov, founder of a restaurant chain and vice president of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers. But it is necessary to create (the right) conditions for the vaccination (drive)."

"There are too many rumors, and even doctors say different things," and convincing younger employees to get vaccinated is especially difficult, he said.

Tatyana Moskalkova, the government's human rights commissioner, said the unvaccinated have cited discrimination by employers, with threats of dismissal or withholding bonuses.

At a TV awards ceremony Tuesday, popular actor Yegor Beroyev wore a yellow star akin to those worn by Jews under the Nazis in World War II, and he spoke of waking up in a world where (COVID-19 vaccination) became an identification mark of whether you are a citizen,  will you be able to visit institutions and events, will you enjoy all the benefits and rights.

As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner.

Restaurant owners won concessions Thursday when Moscow agreed the QR codes aren't needed for the next two weeks at establishments with outdoor terraces, and underage customers won't have to provide documentation if accompanied by their parents.

Still, the situation for many restaurants is hard and will be harder by the day, Mironov said.

In Moscow, online searches for fake inoculation documents increased shortly after the mayor announced mandatory vaccinations, social anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova told an online lecture on vaccine hesitancy.

Police quickly cracked down, launching 24 criminal cases last week against sellers of fake vaccination certificates. Still, several accounts offering the bogus documents could be found easily on the Telegram messaging app this week.

The number of such offers has grown about 19% every month since March, said Evgeny Egorov, digital risk protection analyst at Group-IB, a Singapore-based cybersecurity company. In mid-June, Group-IB found at least 90 active offers, he said.

The independent pollster Levada Center said polls show about 60% of Russians are unwilling to get vaccinated.

Levada director and sociologist Denis Volkov said the vaccination mandates could change the minds of many because it's a clear signal from the government that the shots are necessary.

I often hear (from respondents) that they wouldnt do it, are afraid and so on, but if there are restrictions, and it is required for travel, state services, or at work, then yes," Volkov said.

It could be starting to change attitudes. Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said the average vaccination rate across Russia has almost doubled in the past week, and long lines have been seen at pop-up vaccination clinics in Moscow shopping malls.

Murashko, the health minister, said Sputnik V, Russia's most widely used vaccine out of four domestically developed shots, has been cleared for pregnant women, a group previously ineligible for vaccination. He cited positive" study results but didnt provide the data.

A demand for vaccines could also lead to shortages. As of mid-May, just over 33 million doses were produced in Russia, and a significant amount was exported.

Several regions have reported supply problems this week, but Peskov assured those were temporary logistical difficulties.

-

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
The U.S. Senate has approved a measure intended to encourage greater use of farming and forestry practices that prevent greenhouse gas emissions and remove planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

FILE - In this April 5, 2021 file photo, farmer Rick Clifton drives a spray tractor across one of his fields, applying herbicide to cover crops that occupied the ground during fall and winter in Orient, Ohio. The U.S. Senate has approved a measure intended to encourage greater use of farming and forestry practices that prevent greenhouse gas emissions and remove planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. (AP Photo/John Flesher, File)

The U.S. Senate has approved a measure intended to encourage greater use of farming and forestry practices that prevent greenhouse gas emissions and remove planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

It authorizes the federal Department of Agriculture to create a program helping farmers, ranchers and private forest landowners earn payments through private markets for planting offseason cover crops, reducing tillage and taking other steps to lock up carbon in soils and trees.

Solving the climate crisis is a critical challenge for all of us ... and we are taking landmark steps toward supporting agriculture and forestry leadership in addressing this, Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat and the bill's chief sponsor, said Thursday before it passed on a 92-8 vote.

It now goes to the House, which is considering a similar proposal.

Federal policies have long supported environmentally friendly practices such as planting buffer strips to prevent soil and nutrient erosion that feeds harmful algae blooms in waters.

Some of those actions also work against climate change. Pulling marginal lands out of crop production, for example, can make way for carbon-absorbing grasses, trees and wetlands.

The National Academy of Sciences estimates agricultural soils could take in 250 million metric tons (276 million tons) of atmospheric carbon dioxide annually, which would offset 5% of U.S. emissions. If scaled up significantly, farm and forestry actions could offset the yearly carbon output from nearly 110 million automobiles, Stabenow said.

In recent years, companies wanting to shrink their environmental footprints have begun purchasing credits for carbon and other greenhouse gases stored in farmlands and forests, working through brokers who contract with farmers to use the best-management practices.

Under the Senate bill, the agriculture department program would certify those who provide technical assistance to farmers entering carbon markets  and third-party experts who verify that the emission-preventing steps are taken.

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican who voted against the bill, argued the federal program wasn't needed and could hamper innovation.

It would insert the federal government into a market that is blossoming on its own, imposing burdensome regulation and picking winners and losers in the carbon credit marketplace, Lee said.

Some environmental advocates contend voluntary actions by farmers won't do enough to prevent climate change.

Rather than embracing offset schemes, we need to keep fossil fuels in the ground and transition away from emissions-intensive agricultural practices like factory farming and large scale monoculture, said Mitch Jones, policy director of Food & Water Watch.

But the bill drew support from other environmentalists  and farm groups which which they are often at odds.

The Department of Agriculture is perfectly positioned to define science-based best practices for measuring, reporting and verifying agricultural carbon credits," said Elizabeth Gore, senior vice president of the Environmental Defense Fund.

Without the department's involvement, it could be risky for farmers to participate in the markets and hard to determine whether the credits represent genuine emissions prevention, she said.

Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federatioin, said lack of access to reliable information about carbon markets and a shortage of technical assistance have deterred some landowners.

The bill acknowledges the potential of climate-smart farming while ensuring farmers would be respected as partners who can build on our strong foundation of environmental stewardship, Duvall said.
A COVID-19 patient is admitted to a hospital in Johannesburg, Wednesday, June 23, 2021. South Africa's third wave of COVID-19 infections is overwhelming the health system in Gauteng, the country's most populous province that is now running out of beds to treat patients. (AP Photo)

JOHANNESBURG (AP)  A rapid resurgence of COVID-19 is slamming South Africa's largest city, Johannesburg, and threatens to overwhelm its hospitals.

Johannesburg, a city of 5 million, and the surrounding Gauteng province account for about 60% of the countrys new daily infections. South Africas 7-day rolling average of daily new cases has doubled over the past two weeks from 10 new cases per 100,000 people on June 10 to 22 per 100,000 people on June 24, according to Johns Hopkins University.

South Africa's rising cases are part of a rampant resurgence across Africa whose peak is expected to exceed that of earlier waves as the continent's 54 countries struggle to vaccinate even a small percentage of their populations.

The steep rise of cases in Gauteng has not yet reached its peak, bringing authorities to consider increased restrictions on public gatherings and liquor sales. South Africa's vaccination drive has had a slow start and to date about 2.5 million people of the country's population of 60 million have received at least one jab.

The military has sent medical personnel to help treat the growing number of patients. Hospitals in Gauteng province are so full that many patients are being sent to medical facilities hours away in Mpumalanga and North West provinces, Lucky Mpeko, a director at QRS ambulance services, told The Associated Press.

The normal practice is that a patient must be taken to the closest hospital to their home, but that has not been possible because hospitals are full, they do not have beds," said Mpeko.

Even when you are allowed to bring a patient to a hospital, you will have queue (wait in line) for two or three hours while they try to find space for your patient, said Mpeko.

He said under normal circumstances, taxis take 30 to 45 minutes to transport a patient to a hospital, but now the time is often hours because they must drive such long distances.

The beta variant, first identified in South Africa, continues to dominate here. The alpha and delta variants are also here, but they are responsible for a minority of cases, according to health experts.

This week health faculty at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg demonstrated against the government's management of the crisis and called on authorities to urgently reopen Charlotte Maxeke Hospital in Johannesburg, a designated COVID-19 center. Some parts of the hospital were gutted by a fire in April and more than 700 patients were evacuated. Initially, officials said the hospital would be reopened within two weeks, but two months later it's still closed.

It is having a huge impact. We are talking about a 1,000-bed hospital being closed in the middle of a pandemic, with a wave that is not comparable to the ones we previously had," said Professor Johnny Mahlangu, head of Wits university's pathology school and who participated in the protests.

This hospital has been declared as a COVID-19 treating facility and it is missing in action and that is negatively affecting us," he said. The province is currently under siege from the pandemic and opening this facility will help us manage it.

On Friday, the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters, protested in the capital, Pretoria, against the slow pace of vaccinations.

South Africa's sluggish rate of vaccinations is blamed for contributing to the new surge. The country has had a shortage of vaccines, among other delays.

On Thursday acting health minister Mamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane announced South Africa will soon include people aged 50 years and older as eligible to get vaccinated as the country seeks to expand its inoculations. So far vaccinations have been limited to health care workers, people aged 60 and over, and schoolteachers.

This week, 300 000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were allocated to start vaccinating teachers and other workers in the education sector.

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging Tennessees first-of-its-kind law that requires businesses and government facilities to post signs if they let transgender people use multiperson public bathrooms of their choice, seeking to block the requirement from taking effect on July 1.

In this Aug. 15, 2019 file photo, Rep. Tim Rudd, R-Murfreesboro, speaks on his bill that would impose new restrictions on groups that hold voter registration drives during a House session in Nashville, Tenn. The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Friday, June 25, 2021, challenging Tennessees first-of-its-kind law that requires businesses and government facilities to post signs if they let transgender people use multiperson public bathrooms or similar facilities of their choice. Rudd, says the law is not discriminatory and doesnt limit businesses on which facilities they can let people use. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit Friday challenging Tennessees first-of-its-kind law that requires businesses and government facilities to post signs if they let transgender people use multiperson public bathrooms of their choice, seeking to block the requirement from taking effect on July 1.

The ACLU and its Tennessee chapter brought the lawsuit in Nashville on behalf of Bob Bernstein, owner of Fido restaurant in Nashville; and Kye Sayers, owner of the Sanctuary Performing Arts venue in Chattanooga, which was founded by members of the transgender community; and their corresponding businesses. It names the state fire marshal, state codes enforcement director and two district attorneys as defendants.

With the threat of misdemeanor penalties, the law requires that the following sign be posted in bold, uppercase letters outside public multiperson bathrooms, locker rooms or changing rooms wherever transgender people are not prevented from using the facilities of their choice: This facility maintains a policy of allowing the use of restrooms by either biological sex, regardless of the designation on the restroom. Its one of five new Tennessee laws this year that have drawn backlash from LGBTQ advocates.

The lawsuit argues that the sign requirement infringes on the business owners' First Amendment rights by requiring them to communicate a misleading and controversial government-mandated message that they would not otherwise display. The lawsuit says the phrase either biological sex" is offensive to transgender and intersex people because it asserts that transgender people are not the sex they know themselves to be and ignores the existence of intersex people."

Both owners are concerned that their businesses' accessibility to multiperson bathrooms will require them to post the signs, which they worry will offend people and drive some away from their businesses, the lawsuit says.

Sanctuary was founded specifically to create a safe space for transgender and intersex people and their families in a state that can be unwelcoming to LGBTQ people, Sayers said in a news release. I am against posting offensive signs that stigmatize and deny the existence of transgender and intersex people at our center."

The law's sponsor, Republican Rep. Tim Rudd, has said the law isn't discriminatory, noting it doesnt limit businesses on which facilities they can let people use and includes a 30-day window to post signs after an entity is informed it's not complying.

Its very shocking and a danger to people if they walk into a restroom thats marked men or women, and the opposite sex is standing there, it could scare them, it could provoke violence, Rudd said while lawmakers debated the requirement.

Samantha Fisher, spokesperson for Attorney General Herbert Slatery, said the office will defend state law but cannot comment further on pending litigation.

How the bathroom law will be enforced remains uncertain. It carries a misdemeanor penalty punishable by up to six months in jail despite an assurance from Rudd during legislative debate that the version that ultimately passed does not provide any fines or penalties at this point. Authorized enforcers under the relevant section of Tennessee law include all state officials, now having jurisdiction or as directed by the governor, the state fire marshal, local fire prevention or building officials, the fire department chief, some mayors, and county officials.

Last month, a spokesperson for Republican Gov. Bill Lee said about the law that state laws must be upheld, while the Department of Commerce and Insurance, which includes the fire marshal's office, said it's still reviewing the legislation to determine the appropriate implementation.

Earlier this month, Republican Senate Speaker Randy McNally told reporters he doesn't think the requirement will be enforced.

Its my understanding initially that it didnt contain a penalty," McNally said. "I dont think that individuals that dont post a sign are going to be penalized. I think its like the signs about washing your hands as you come out of the bathroom. I dont think it will be enforced.

Nashville District Attorney Glenn Funk, a defendant named in the lawsuit, has said his office will not promote hate and wont enforce the law.
PORTLAND, Maine  Maine is approaching getting 70% of its eligible residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says he sees that figure as more of a floor than a ceiling.

A restaurant employee, right, checks a visitor's COVID-19 vaccination QR code at the entrance of a restaurant in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, June 22, 2021. As proof of vaccination for entering a restaurant, customers must visit a government website and get a QR code, a digital pattern designed to be read by a scanner. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

PORTLAND, Maine  Maine is approaching getting 70% of its eligible residents fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, and the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention says he sees that figure as more of a floor than a ceiling.

Dr. Nirav Shah says he considers it too early to tell how high the states final number could be, but he intends to push for more.

Maine has been one of the most successful states at getting vaccines to residents. State officials say about 65% of people age 12 and older are fully vaccinated, and the number is nearly 75% for people age 40 and older.

The state has recorded 858 deaths from COVID-19.

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

 Russia struggles to improve vaccine uptake as cases surge.

 Japan vaccinates 1 million a day, but will it be enough as the Olympics approach?

 What should I know about the delta variant?

 Scary cluster blamed on the delta variant grows in Sydney

Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic and https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine

HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

LANSING, Mich.  Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has vetoed two bills that would let businesses seek refunds for taxes paid on personal protective equipment, disinfectants and plexiglass barriers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Whitmer said Friday that she instead favors creating a direct grant program with federal money. She says tax credits would be ineligible for reimbursement from Washington, a blow to the state budget.

The bills passed the Legislature with support from both parties.

The Detroit Regional Chamber, an influential business group, is disappointed. It says the bills responded to the needs of businesses that were doing everything that Gov. Whitmer asked of them to keep employees and patrons safe.

GENEVA  The head of the World Health Organization lamented the lack of coronavirus vaccines being immediately donated by rich countries to the developing world.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday that there was nothing to discuss during a recent meeting of an advisory group established to allocate vaccines.

A health worker administers the Covishield vaccine during a special vaccination drive against COVID-19 in Hyderabad, India, Friday, June 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

In his words: There are no vaccines to allocate.

Tedros says concerns being raised by some donors that African countries dont have the infrastructure to deliver vaccines or that there are vaccine hesitancy problems are inconsequential. He criticized rich countries that may be using that as a pretext not to donate vaccines.

RALEIGH, N.C.  Less than half of North Carolinians eligible for a coronavirus shot are fully vaccinated, even though there are more than 2.1 million doses waiting on shelves for residents to take.

In the two weeks since the state announced four $1 million prizes would be given out to vaccinated adults, less than 118,000 residents, about 1% of the state population, came in for a first dose.

North Carolina ranks 12th worst in the nation in vaccines administered per capita, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

LONDON  British officials say there were only 28 reported coronavirus cases among tens of thousands of people who attended mass-audience test events including soccer games, a snooker championship, a nightclub event, an outdoor rock concert and the Brit Awards ceremony.

The government said 58,000 people attended indoor and outdoor events in the Events Research Program in April and May, and there were no substantial outbreaks as a result.

But scientists cautioned that the results did not provide direct evidence of the risk of coronavirus transmission at specific types of events. Thats because only 15% of attendees reported the results of coronavirus tests taken both before and after the event, as they were meant to, and because infection rates in the U.K. were low at the time of the events.

WASHINGTON  U.S. health officials have granted emergency use for another antibody-drug to help hospitalized patients with the most dangerous cases of COVID-19.

The Food and Drug Administration said late Thursday it authorized the drug Actemra from Roche for hospitalized patients who are already receiving steroid drugs, oxygen and other measures to fight COVID-19.

When added to those treatments, studies showed Roches drug reduced the risk of death and cut hospitalization time.

Actemra does not target the coronavirus directly but instead helps reduce inflammation, a driver of the disease. It is already approved for rheumatoid arthritis and several other diseases.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka  Sri Lankas president says that the government will be vaccinating nearly all of its population of over 30 years of age for COVID-19 by the end of September.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a televised speech Friday that the government has laid out plans to import 17 million doses of vaccines from China and Russia over the next three months.

By September end 13 million out of the countrys nearly 22 million people would have been vaccinated, he said.

Sri Lanka is facing a spike in the number of COVID-19 patients and Rajapaksa is facing public criticism for allegedly mismanaging the pandemic.

Sri Lanka has reported 248,050 confirmed COVID-19 patients so far including 2,814 deaths.

GENEVA  The head of the World Health Organization said the COVID-19 variant first seen in India, also known as the delta variant, is the most transmissible of the variants identified so far and that it is now spreading in at least 85 countries.

A nurse enters a COVID-19 unit at the Honorio Delgado Hospital in Arequipa, Peru, Friday, June 25, 2021. Due to increased cases of COVID-19 and the Delta variant of the disease, the city is under a strict lockdown for 15 days beginning June 21. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)

At a press briefing on Friday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the U.N. agency was concerned about its the increasing reach of the delta variant, particularly among unvaccinated populations.

We are starting to see increases in transmission around the world, Tedros said, adding that more cases means more hospitalizations...which increases the risk of death. WHO has previously said that two doses of the licensed COVID-19 vaccines appear to provide strong protection against the variant first seen in India, but warned the lack of access to vaccines in poor countries  which have received fewer than 2% of the billion doses administered so far  makes them extremely vulnerable.

Tedros also said the unchecked circulation of the coronavirus could lead to the emergence of even more variants.

New variants are expected and will continue to be reported, Tedros said. Thats what viruses do. They evolve, he said. But we can prevent the emergence of variants by preventing transmission.

___

AMSTERDAM  The European Medicines Agency has approved a new manufacturing site for Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine, in a move that should boost production of the one-dose vaccine across the 27-nation EU.

In a statement Friday, the EU drug regulator said the new site in Anagni, Italy, will finish manufacturing of the J&J vaccine, which was licensed for use in adults across Europe in March. Production problems have stalled J&Js roll-out across the European Union in recent months and millions of doses made at a U.S. factory had to be thrown out after contamination issues.

The EU has ordered 200 million doses of the J&J vaccine and was expecting 55 million by the end of June; to date, fewer than 14 million doses have been distributed.

J&Js vaccine roll-out was also stalled after the EMA concluded there was a possible link between the coronavirus shot and very rare blood clots and recommended that a warning should be added to the label. Health officials say the vaccines benefits still far outweigh the risks.

JERUSALEM  Israel, a world leader in vaccinations, is once again requiring people to wear masks in indoor public spaces amid a coronavirus outbreak driven by the arrival of a new variant.

Israel rolled out one of the most successful vaccination campaigns in the world, inoculating some 85% of its adult population. In recent months, nearly all restrictions were lifted as the number of active cases plummeted.

But there has been a spike in recent days after weeks in which the number of new daily cases was in the single or low double digits. Dr. Nachman Ash, who is leading the coronavirus response, said 227 new cases were confirmed on Thursday, according to Israeli media.

The Health Ministry said masks must be worn indoors in public places starting midday Friday.

The outbreak appears to be driven by the arrival of the highly contagious delta variant, which spreads rapidly among unvaccinated individuals, including children. Vaccinated Israelis have reportedly been infected, but generally appear to have only minor symptoms.

BERLIN  Germanys health minister has lamented that European Union countries havent been able to agree a single set of rules for travelers from regions with high rates of coronavirus variant cases.

Chancellor Angela Merkel had raised the issue at a summit of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday. Germany requires people arriving from so-called virus variant areas such as Britain to quarantine for 14 days, even if they are fully vaccinated; other EU countries have shorter or no quarantine periods for vaccinated people.

Health Minister Jens Spahn told reporters in Berlin on Friday that he regretted better coordination among the blocs 27 members hadnt been possible.

It would have been better to find uniform rules for this, he said. If not, we will have to keep making our own to protect ourselves.

HONOLULU  Hawaii is dropping its testing and quarantine rules for vaccinated domestic travelers in two weeks.

Gov. David Ige says the state will drop the current travel restrictions for fully vaccinated U.S. mainland travelers on July 8.

The governor says he expects the state will reach a 60% vaccination rate among all residents by that time. Ige had previously set a 60% rate as a milestone for allowing more so-called vaccine passports.

Restaurants will also be able to seat up to 75% of their capacity.

People will still be required to wear a mask when gathering indoors. Masks are not required outdoors.

SEATTLE  A Nigerian information technology worker has been indicted on federal wire fraud and identity theft charges after authorities said he and his co-conspirators filed false claims for pandemic-related unemployment benefits in 17 states.

According to an indictment unsealed Thursday in Seattle, Chukwuemeka Onyegbula was linked to at least 253 fraudulent filings for unemployment benefits.

The states paid out nearly $290,000.

Onyegbula has been detained in Nigeria, but prospects for his extradition to the U.S. were unclear.

Court documents did not list an attorney who might comment on his behalf.

WASHINGTON  The White House says it will provide Afghanistan with 3 million doses of Johnson & Johnsons COVID-19 vaccine to help with a coronavirus outbreak fueled by the delta variant.

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre made the announcement aboard Air Force One on Thursday as President Joe Biden flew to Raleigh, North Carolina, to encourage Americans to get vaccinated. The announcement also came a day before Biden meets with Afghanistans leaders at the White House on Friday.

Jean-Pierre says the Johnson & Johnson vaccines  only one shot is required  could be shipped as soon as next week.

The U.S. is also providing oxygen and other supplies to Afghanistan.

The 3 million doses are part of an overall donation of 55 million doses to the world that the White House announced earlier this week.

COLUMBIA, S.C.  South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill Thursday preventing people from suing companies over COVID-19.

The new law protects businesses and other groups as long as they follow guidelines to protect people from the virus. Dozens of other states have passed similar measures.

McMaster again said his decision to resist closing restaurants and other businesses as long as he could and allow them to reopen more quickly meant South Carolina suffered fewer economic problems.

The May unemployment rate in the state was 4.6%, down from the pandemic high of 11.5% in May 2020 and well below the national rate of 5.8% in May 2021, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.
ROME (AP)  Prosecutors in Genoa on Friday formally requested a trial for defendants charged with multiple manslaughter over the 2018 collapse of a highway bridge in the city that killed 43 people.

ROME (AP)  Prosecutors in Genoa on Friday formally requested a trial for defendants charged with multiple manslaughter over the 2018 collapse of a highway bridge in the city that killed 43 people.

State TV and other Italian media said the prosecutors want 59 people to be tried. The defendants include some former top executives of Austrade per lItalia, the company managing many of Italys highways and bridges.

The northwestern port city's Morandi Bridge broke apart during a rainstorm, sending cars and trucks plunging into a dry riverbed on the eve of Italy's biggest summer holiday, when roads are packed with travelers.

Former executives of the maintenance company which did work on the bridge as well as officials from Italy's transport ministry are also among those who prosecutors want to be tried, state TV's RaiNews24 said.

A judge will conduct hearings to decide whether to order a trial. Those hearings are expected to start sometime after this summer.

In their indictment request, prosecutors argued that some of the defendants were aware that the bridge which was built in the 1960s was at risk of collapse. They said that corners were cut on maintenance to save money.

The bridge's designer had recommended continual upkeep to remove rust, especially due to the corrosive effect of sea air as well as pollution's toll on concrete.

Italy's president has insisted that a demand for justice by the victims' families be honored.

Genoa daily Il Secolo XIX said prosecutors are also want defendants to reimburse the investigation's costs, including 2 million euros ($2.4 million) to develop software capable of handling information gleaned from thousands of files sequestered by investigators.

In 2020, the then-government of Italy forged a deal in which the Benetton fashion family agreed to exit Autostrade per l'Italia.

Genoa last summer inaugurated a replacement bridge which connects key highways. The span, designed by renowned architect Renzo Piano, a Genoa native, features 43 lamps in memory of the victims.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  Virginia's Old Dominion University will commission an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct against a former visiting professor, school president John Broderick said in a letter to the university community on Thursday.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP)  Virginia's Old Dominion University will commission an independent inquiry into allegations of sexual assault and other misconduct against a former visiting professor, school president John Broderick said in a letter to the university community on Thursday.

The allegations are against Blake Bailey, a visiting professor to the state school in Norfolk from 2010 to 2016 and author of a widely noted biography of the writer Philip Roth.

Bailey is already facing allegations elsewhere. Earlier this year, two former middle school students in New Orleans and a book publishing executive alleged that Bailey had sexually assaulted them. He's denied any wrongdoing.

The Virginian-Pilot reported earlier this month that several women told the newspaper that Bailey sexually harassed and abused them during his time at Old Dominion University. The women also said administrators failed to adequately respond to their concerns.

It is clear the universitys initial response caused pain to members of our community, Broderick wrote in Thursday's letter.

Broderick said ODU is awaiting guidance from Virginia's Office of the Attorney General regarding who should conduct the review.

It is essential to me that we obtain a truly independent report on the matter and that we be able to assure our campus community that sexual harassment and other misconduct will not be tolerated," Broderick wrote.

Baileys lawyer, Billy Gibbens, told The Virginian-Pilot earlier this month that the allegations are false and not worthy of publication.

Bailey faced multiple allegations of sexual harassment and abuse before the Pilot's reporting on ODU. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times, the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the AP among others featured extensive, on-the-record quotes from former students of Bailey while he was a New Orleans middle school teacher in the 1990s.

The former students alleged a pattern of inappropriate behavior while he was a teacher, and that he later pursued sexual relationships. Two former students and book publishing executive Valentina Rice have alleged he assaulted them. Rices account first appeared in The New York Times and was confirmed by Rice to the AP.

In late April, Gibbens, Bailey's attorney, described the allegations as false and unsubstantiated.
BOISE, Idaho (AP)  U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting to more full-time firefighting crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and making the jobs more attractive by increasing pay and benefits.

FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2020 file photo Cal Fire Battalion Chief Craig Newell carries a hose while battling the North Complex Fire in Plumas National Forest, Calif. U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting from seasonal firefighting crews to full-time, year-round crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and to make wildland firefighting jobs more attractive by increasing pay and benefits. U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Christopher French, testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, said Thursday, June 24, 2021 agencies will seek to convert at least 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to permanent, full-time, year-round workers. (AP Photo/Noah Berger,File)

BOISE, Idaho (AP)  U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting to more full-time firefighting crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and making the jobs more attractive by increasing pay and benefits.

Theres a push in Congress to increase firefighter pay and convert at least 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to year-round workers, furthering a shift in their ranks over the past decade as fires have grown more severe.

It comes as fires raging in Western states parched by severe drought and record heat have burned more than 2,000 square miles (5,300 square kilometers) this year.

That's ahead of the pace in 2020, which ultimately saw a near-record 15,000 square miles (40,000 square kilometers) burned as well as more than 17,000 homes and other structures destroyed.

U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Christopher French testified Thursday before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources that firefighters need more pay in recognition of the growing workload.

The year-round firefighters could also remove brush and other hazardous fuels when not battling wildfires. French said the Forest Service treats 3 million acres (4,700 square miles) annually, but to make progress would need to treat two to four times that much in the 193 million acres (301,500 square miles) it manages.

He called for a paradigm shift in forest management to address the impacts of climate change.

We have a crisis," French said while testifying on a infrastructure bill sponsored by West Virginia Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. We must address it at the scale of the problem, and bring long term relief to our firefighters, our communities and our forests.

FILE - In this Oct. 26, 2020 file photo Firefighter Raymond Vasquez battles the Silverado Fire, in Irvine, Calif. U.S. wildfire managers are considering shifting from seasonal firefighting crews to full-time, year-round crews to deal with what has become a year-round wildfire season and to make wildland firefighting jobs more attractive by increasing pay and benefits.U.S. Forest Service Deputy Chief Christopher French, testifying before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, said Thursday, June 24, 2021 agencies will seek to convert at least 1,000 seasonal wildland firefighters to permanent, full-time, year-round workers. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong,File)

The challenge has increased in recent decades as more homes were built outside cities and towns, forcing wildland firefighters to protect the structures.

President Joe Biden this week called for an increase in firefighter pay from $13 an hour.

That's a ridiculously low salary to pay federal firefighters, he said.

Firefighters can often boost pay by working overtime, a regular occurrence on bad fire years.

The Forest Service and Department of Interior combined employ about 15,000 firefighters. Roughly 70% are full-time and 30% are seasonal. Those figures used to be reversed, said Forest Service spokesman Stanton Florea.

Increased pay and more full-time firefighters were included in infrastructure legislation sponsored by Manchin, the chair of the energy and natural resources committee and a key swing vote in the evenly divided Senate. He was among a bipartisan group of 10 lawmakers who announced a deal Thursday with Biden on a pared-down version of the administrations plan.

Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, also in the group, said the package would contain money for addressing wildfires but was unclear whether raises were included. If not, Tester said raises would be addressed in next year's federal budget.

This is dangerous work, folks need to be paid for it. Were going to need to hire people to do this work, he said.

Still, officials at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise said they face a potential shortage of firefighters this year because the $13 starting wage isnt enough.

Theres not technically a shortage of firefighters because we always overprepare, said Jessica Gardetto, a fire center spokeswoman with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and a former wildland firefighter. But its a concern right now. We're seeing people taking jobs at local businesses that pay the same or more than starting fire positions.

She also said the length of time firefighters spend in the field has been increasing. That can be a problem for seasonal firefighters who are college students and need to get back to class.

In the past we had fire seasons, now we have fire years, she said.

Officials at the center on Tuesday raised the national preparedness level to 4 on a 1-5 scale, the second earliest dating back to 1990. The primary reason is the drought will likely make it harder to put out fires and strain firefighting resources.

We dont know what kind of support were going to be able to get from other agencies, said Sharla Arledge, spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Lands, which is responsible for protecting state and some federal land. It's a tinderbox out there.

More than 90% of the U.S. West is in drought. Forecasters expect the drought will persist at least through September across most of the region.

The nation's wildland firefighting system is a network of local, state and federal agencies, and in Idaho includes a unique program where ranchers are trained and given equipment to keep wildfires small until help arrives. The vast majority of wildfires are put out within days, but some grow to thousands of acres and draw hundreds firefighters.

Major blazes that raged in Oregon, California, Washington and other states in 2020 revealed how stretched thin the ranks of firefighters have become. By September, with more than 30,000 firefighters deployed, there were so many fires burning that hundreds of requests for help went unfulfilled as agencies scrambled to get enough firefighters, aircraft, engines and support personnel.

Firefighters from across the U.S. and other countries including Canada and Israel were summoned to help fill the personnel shortage.

Idaho officials have struggled to retain state wildland firefighters who are sometimes poached by federal agencies after gaining on-the-ground experience. Starting pay for an Idaho wildland firefighter is $12.55 an hour.

As of Friday, the National Interagency Fire Center said almost 9,000 firefighters were battling wild fires across the U.S. About 80% of wildfires annually are started by people, often while enjoying outdoor activities or using fireworks.

Brown reported from Billings, Montana.
SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES, Spain (AP)  The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead.

Lawyer Javier Villalba, left and John McAfee's wife Janice, centre, enter the Brians 2 penitentiary center with an unidentified woman in Sant Esteve Sesrovires, near Barcelona, northeast Spain, Friday, June 25, 2021. A judge in northeastern Spain has ordered an autopsy for John McAfee, creator of the McAfee antivirus software, a gun-loving antivirus pioneer, cryptocurrency promoter and occasional politician who died in a cell pending extradition to the United States for allegedly evading millions in unpaid taxes. McAfee's Spanish lawyer, Javier Villalba, said the entrepreneur's death had come as a surprise to his wife and other relatives, since McAfee "had not said goodbye." (AP Photo/Joan Mateu)

SANT ESTEVE SESROVIRES, Spain (AP)  The widow of John McAfee, the British-American tycoon who died in a Spanish prison this week while awaiting extradition to the United States, said Friday that her husband was not suicidal when she last spoke to him hours before he was found dead.

His last words to me were I love you and I will call you in the evening, Janice McAfee told reporters outside the Brians 2 penitentiary northwest of Barcelona where she recovered her late husband's belongings.

Those words are not words of somebody who is suicidal, she added in her first public remarks since the software entrepreneur's death on Wednesday.

Authorities in Spain are conducting an autopsy on McAfee's body but have indicated that everything at the scene indicated that the 75-year-old killed himself.

John McAfee was arrested at the Barcelona airport in October last year on a warrant issued by prosecutors in Tennessee for allegedly evading more than $4 million in taxes. Hours before he was found dead, Spain's National Court agreed to his extradition to the U.S. but the decision was not final.

We were prepared for that decision and had a plan of action already in place to appeal that decision, Janice McAfee, 38, told reporters. I blame the U.S. authorities for this tragedy: Because of these politically motivated charges against him my husband is now dead.

Results of McAfee's autopsy could take days or weeks," authorities have said.
OTTAWA - As calls mount for the federal Liberals to do more to support Indigenous communities calling for independent investigations into deaths of children at residential schools, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Friday Ottawa would do "do what is necessary."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Friday, June 25, 2021. As calls mount for the federal Liberals to do more to support Indigenous communities calling for independent investigations into deaths of Indigenous children at residential schools, Justin Trudeau pledged Friday Ottawa would do "do what is necessary." THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - As calls mount for the federal Liberals to do more to support Indigenous communities calling for independent investigations into deaths of children at residential schools, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Friday Ottawa would do "do what is necessary."

But he would not say exactly what that would look like, nor would he give a dollar figure beyond the previously announced $27 million allocated in 2019 to help identify and investigate burial grounds near residential schools.

"We will continue to give all the resources necessary to track down their loved ones, to give closure, to do what is necessary for those communities," Trudeau told the country Friday.

"But that is only a small part of what we need to do," he continued, listing off a number of areas in which the federal government has invested "billions upon billions of dollars in the past years and will continue," including on efforts to preserve Indigenous languages, culture and community ways of life.

"So yes, Indigenous communities have my commitment that they will get the resources necessary to recover and document as much as possible these kids in these graves. But they also have my commitment to be there on the healing and the fixing of the generations of trauma that Canadians have all too often turned an eye from."

Trudeau's comments come as the country continues to react in horror and grief over the discovery of two unmarked sites adjacent to former Indian Residential Schools where the remains of hundreds of children are believed to have been buried.

Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan announced Thursday that ground-penetrating radar indicated 751 unmarked graves at its school site. Last month, the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation said the same technology had detected what are believed to be the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops institution.

But while Trudeau and his Liberal ministers continue to pledge to put Indigenous Peoples at the core of any further search or identification efforts, leaders and Indigenous experts have been calling on Ottawa to take more direct steps.

Retired senator Murray Sinclair, the former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, is among those calling for an independent investigation to examine all burial sites near former residential schools.

He told a House of Commons committee earlier this month that such a probe should not be run by the federal government, but rather should be overseen by a parliamentary committee to ensure it is done in a proper way.

The United Nations Human Rights Office has also called on all levels of Canadian governments to investigate the deaths of Indigenous children at residential schools and to intensify efforts to find those who are missing.

Calling the discovery in Cowessess First Nation a "crime against humanity," Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron called for a full, independent public inquiry into the "genocide" of Indigenous Peoples at these schools.

After spending six years studying and documenting the history of these institutions, the TRC found Canada's policy of tearing children away from their families and sending them to the schools for the purposes of assimilation amounted to a "cultural genocide." Many of the children were physically, sexually and emotionally abused. Many were starved and left untreated for illnesses. Their hair was often cut, their names were changed and they were not permitted to speak in their own languages.

Some survivors told the TRC they were made to dig the very graves now being discovered when their classmates died at the schools. Others relayed memories of priests fathering children with young female students and quietly spiriting the babies away.

Calls have continued for the Vatican to issue a formal apology for the Catholic Church's role in running many of these government-funded, church-operated institutions  so far to no avail.

Trudeau is among those who have taken the pope to task for failing to apologize, but on Friday he took a more conciliatory tone. When asked what steps his government is considering when it comes to pushing the Catholic Church to apologize and hand over documents  including the possibility of revoking the church's charitable tax status  Trudeau demurred.

"I don't think we're going to get to anywhere near that level of conflict," Trudeau said.

"I know that the Catholic Church leadership is looking and very actively engaged in what next steps can be taken. We will continue to be there to work with them, to facilitate things and to encourage them to keep doing right by Canadians and Indigenous Peoples who are very preoccupied by this piece of history."

Meanwhile, Indigenous leaders say there are likely many more unmarked burial sites that have yet to be uncovered.

A number of Indigenous communities and First Nations are now working toward searching former residential school sites in Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta, with the help of provincial funds being made available in those provinces.

Trudeau said Friday the federal government will stand alongside Indigenous leaders and communities "every step of the way, as needed" in finding, identifying and memorializing the lost children of residential schools.

"My pledge to all Canadians is that we will put Indigenous Peoples and their wishes for their loved ones, for their communities, at the very core of whatever next steps we take."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.
OTTAWA - The Trudeau government has added two more right-wing extremist groups and an American neo-Nazi to its list of terrorist entities as it tries to counter the rise of white nationalist violence.

Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair responds to a question during question period in the House of Commons Tuesday December 8, 2020 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA - The Trudeau government has added two more right-wing extremist groups and an American neo-Nazi to its list of terrorist entities as it tries to counter the rise of white nationalist violence.

Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announced Friday that the Three Percenters and Aryan Strikeforce will join the list alongside the Proud Boys, who were added in February after the storming of Capitol Hill in Washington on Jan. 6.

A 69-year-old white supremacist named James Mason, who senior intelligence officials describe as a lifelong neo-Nazi whose writings laid an ideological foundation for multiple terrorist groups, has also been placed on the proscriptive list.

Groups on Canada's terror roster, created after the 9/11 attacks on the United States, may have their assets seized, and there are serious criminal penalties for helping listed organizations carry out extremist activities.

Blair said the threat of white nationalist violence is a growing concern that has exploded into public view recently with tragedies such as the deadly attack against a Muslim family in London, Ont., earlier this month as well as a spike in other Islamophobic, antisemitic, anti-Asian and misogynist incidents.

"These acts that have been taken over the past several weeks and months against the Muslim community  women whove been attacked for simply wearing the hijab, a Canadian family out for a walk on a Sunday evening being attacked and murdered by an individual clearly motivated by hatred  and the ideologies which drive many of the groups which weve spoken about this morning is deeply concerning to us," he said at a virtual news conference.

Members of the Three Percenters, a militia movement, have been linked to a plot to kidnap the governor of Michigan, and officials say Canadian chapters have carried out firearms and paramilitary-style training in Alberta, with another chapter in British Columbia.

"Their adherents are active in Canada. We monitor their activities in Canada with growing concern," Blair said.

The Aryan Strikeforce also has chapters in Canada as well as the United States, eastern Europe, South America and South Africa, he said.

An affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant based in the Democratic Republic of Congo has also been placed on the terror list.

The four latest additions follow 13 others named in February, four of which were right-wing extremist groups, including the Proud Boys.

Blair warned of an abiding risk that far-right ideologies will take root in the rank and file of police and the military.

"Both the Aryan Strikeforce and the Three Percenters have indicated their interest in recruiting among our law enforcement and military agencies, and they do attract some adherents who are former law enforcement and former military," he said.

The problem is a matter of concern  "and, Im sure, of action  by law enforcement and the Canadian Armed Forces, he said.

The Three Percenters, whose name references the false belief that a minuscule proportion of colonists fought against the British in the American Revolution  has been linked to bomb plots targeting U.S. federal buildings and Muslim communities. One member was convicted of assault after shooting and wounding five men at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Minneapolis in 2015.

Aryan Strikeforce, a United Kingdom-based neo-Nazi group, views violence as a means of inciting a race war and eradicating racialized minorities. Adherents of the decentralized skinhead movement planned a suicide bombing attack on counter-protesters during a 2016 white supremacist rally in Pennsylvania, and have been convicted of crimes in the U.K. and U.S. involving chemical weapons production and bomb-making instructions.

Officials lump such groups under the catch-all term "ideologically motivated violent extremist entities."

Conservative public safety critic Shannon Stubbs said her party supports the latest designations, but demanded the Liberal government also list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a branch of the Iranian military with close ties to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

"The IRGC is not only the largest sponsor of terrorism in the world, its responsible for the killing of 138 individuals with ties to Canada with the downing of flight PS752," Stubbs said in a statement, noting that Liberals backed a Tory motion calling for its listing in 2018.

A forensic report on Thursday found that Iran did not plan last year's deadly downing of the passenger jet in advance, but a series of failures by the regime's civil and military authorities set the stage for the shoot-down of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 minutes after it took off from the Tehran airport on Jan. 8, 2020.

In Canada, the terror listing process begins with intelligence reports that provide reason to believe an organization has knowingly carried out, attempted to carry out, participated in or facilitated a terrorist activity.

If the public safety minister believes the threshold is met, they may recommend to the federal cabinet that the organization be tacked on the list. The listing is then published if cabinet agrees with the recommendation.

A listed group is not banned, nor is it a crime to be on the roster. However, the group's assets and property are effectively frozen and subject to seizure or forfeiture.

Canada previously placed two right-wing extremist groups on the list in 2019: Blood and Honour, which is an international neo-Nazi network, and its armed branch, Combat 18.

They joined more than 50 other listed organizations at the time  the number has since swelled to 77  including al-Qaida, the Islamic State militant group Boko Haram, and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Barbara Perry, director of the Centre on Hate, Bias and Extremism at Ontario Tech University, identified just over 100 far-right and white supremacist groups in 2015. But an updated study shes completing highlights more than 300 active groups, "some of which are explicitly Islamophobic," she said in an interview.

The "atomization" of hate movements is another phenomenon of the past five or six years, she said.

While groups remain central, there is a growing number of "floaters"  individuals who are unaffiliated with organizations and drift "in and out of social media platforms associated with an array of different groups, cherry picking bits and pieces of their ideologies that suit their needs," she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 25, 2021.
As he ran an agency that helped Winnipegs vulnerable homeless population, the executive director of Main Street Project  who has since been removed  used credit cards improperly, filed inappropriate travel expenses and submitted expense claims with two funding agencies for the same expenses.

As he ran an agency that helped Winnipegs vulnerable homeless population, the executive director of Main Street Project  who has since been removed  used credit cards improperly, filed inappropriate travel expenses and submitted expense claims with two funding agencies for the same expenses.

The irregularities were uncovered by a forensic examination of the not-for-profit agency that was conducted by Manitobas auditor general, Tyson Shtykalo, whose report was released Friday.

"There is a duty of care when entrusted with public funds," Shtykalo said in a statement.

The finance minister had ordered the forensic examination in fall 2019, prior to Rick Lees' departure.

Lees ran the agency, which includes an overnight shelter, from 2016 to July 2020. At the time of his departure, the board chairman said the organization wanted to go in a different direction than Lees' vision. His departure raised eyebrows because of his high standing in the community.

The auditor discovered the federal government paid just over $15,000 for flooring for the shelter during a renovation. An invoice for flooring expenses was also submitted to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, which paid the shelter $10,000  the maximum allowed under its agreement with the WRHA, resulting in Main Street Project getting $25,000 for a $15,000 expense.

The auditor examined $71,000 of Lees' expenses; all but $8,128 in charges were properly documented. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)

It also found there was weak oversight on the executive director's credit card claims  the not-for-profit has an overall credit card policy, but not one specific to the executive director.

The auditor examined $71,000 of Lees' expenses; all but $8,128 in charges were properly documented.

Items that aren't considered properly supported included those without a receipt or invoice, restaurant charges without an itemized receipt, or with a receipt but with no details provided about the purpose for the meal or who attended.

Some regular operating expenses were paid for with the executive director's credit card, which the auditor deemed improper, instead suggesting accounts be set up with suppliers instead.

Certain travel expenses filed by Lees weren't adequately supported, the auditor found. That included two airline tickets worth $407, with which the former executive director travelled from Toronto to Winnipeg, and returned to Sudbury, Ont., the following day. He owns property in Toronto and Sudbury, the auditor said. The explanation on the expense claim indicated the flights were for a meeting in Winnipeg.

The auditor also found a $1,070 ticket to fly from Winnipeg to Sudbury, including a $198 charge for the Toronto to Sudbury portion of the trip that was bought two days before the former director left, but the expense claim said the trip was to meet with a federal minister in Ottawa.

Weak board oversight of the former executive director as well as weak administrative policies and practices allowed the incidents to occur, the auditor general said in a news release.

The auditor also said Main Street Project's board of directors' due diligence wasn't sufficient when it hired Lees.

However, other allegations of misused funds and misplaced equipment at the non-profit were unfounded, the audit report shows.

The auditor made 12 recommendations, most of which focused on the executive director position and the board, such as improving policies on executive director expense limits and approvals, performance reviews, purchasing and credit card policies, and recordkeeping.

Main Street Project's board chairman said the non-profit strongly supports the auditor's findings.

"We have already implemented, or are in the process of implementing, all of the audit recommendations," Vince Warden said in a statement.

The not-for-profit received $4.8 million from the province in 2019. Other funding, worth $1.7 million, came from the federal government and other sources.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca
Following the discovery of 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan, Manitoba political leaders and First Nations organizations weighed in Thursday on how to mark Canada Day.

Following the discovery of 751 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school in Saskatchewan, Manitoba political leaders and First Nations organizations weighed in Thursday on how to mark Canada Day.

Premier Brian Pallister says it should be celebrated while acknowledging Canada has its "warts."

Opposition NDP Leader Wab Kinew called for a day of mourning, and for people to wear orange in solidarity with residential school survivors and their descendants.

The Treaty One Nation  the Winnipeg-based governing council for seven First Nations  is organizing an event on July 1, but its no celebration.

Pallister was asked if Canada Day celebrations should be cancelled out of respect after the Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan reported the discovery of what are believed to be 751 unmarked graves at the site of the former Marieval Indian residential school.

"My thought is that we learn from our past. We admit it and confront it and then we move forward," the premier said at a COVID-19 briefing.

"Part of reconciliation, I dont think, should be denying the history of Canada. We should confront it," said Pallister, whose government pledged $2.5 million toward the search for unmarked residential school graves in Manitoba.

"No country is perfect, absolutely not one on the face of the Earth, but Canada is a lot closer than many. I dont think denying Canada Day celebrations is a respectful way for us to move forward. I think we should celebrate our country but we should celebrate it with its warts, too."

Kinew said its appropriate to be "solemn," and not celebrate.

"Our country is in mourning," he said in a scrum Thursday. "On this Canada Day, I will be wearing orange and I would encourage all Canadians to wear orange because we are in mourning and this is a time to send a message of solidarity," he said. "All of us in this country today are the inheritors of this legacy. We ought to be moved to action to make this country a better place."

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said its been a "horrible year," and this Canada Day should focus on two themes: "grief for what weve lost and gratitude for being alive." Hed like to see a solemn ceremony to commemorate the children who didnt return home from residential schools, "but only if First Nations agree," the member for St. Boniface said.

When asked for his thoughts on how to observe this Canada Day, Mayor Brian Bowmans office issued a statement saying that the city hasnt issued any special events permits for in-person Canada Day celebrations this year due to the current COVID-19 public health restrictions on gathering sizes.

"Canada Day is a time to come together to celebrate our common bond as Canadians and to reflect upon the actions necessary for our country to live up to the ideals we hold dear," the mayors statement said. "Each year, Canada Day activities should continue to evolve to better reflect our communitys values of inclusion."

Members of the First Nations that signed the first of the numbered treaties at Lower Fort Garry 150 years ago on Aug. 3 have hit pause on this years Canada Day celebrations.

Treaty One Nation executive director Katherine Legrange said theyve organized a "No Pride in Genocide" walk and ride on July 1. It starts at noon at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and will proceed to the First Nations office building at 1075 Portage Ave. She said 19 horses from different parts of Treaty One Nation will take part.

Theyre encouraging everyone to wear orange shirts on Canada Day and those who need to get one to buy it from an Indigenous seller, Legrange said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca
Qaumajuq has a new benefactor to help in the final push toward its main fundraising goal.

Qaumajuq has a new benefactor to help in the final push toward its main fundraising goal.

The Richardson Foundation has announced it will match donations to the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Qaumajuq, the gallery's new centre dedicated to Inuit artists and their work, up to $1 million.

The gallery is only $3 million away from reaching its $65-million capital-campaign target and the head of the gallery says getting the Richardson Foundation on board adds to his optimism.

"I can see the finish line. I know we're going to get there. Hopefully, we'll be done by the end of the summer," said gallery CEO Stephen Borys Friday.

An initial announcement Friday morning said the matching program would end on July 31, but that deadline has been lifted.

Hartley Richardson, the foundation's president, says the new white-granite clad structure on Memorial Boulevard, which includes a three-storey main gallery, honours Inuit art and cultural traditions while connecting Canada's northern and southern communities.

Qaumajuq, which means "it is bright, it is lit," in Inuktitut, opened March 25 and 26 with livestreamed ceremonies that included Indigenous dignitaries from Inuit, First Nation and Metis organizations.

The public was able to visit the new gallery beginning March 27 by using an online appointment system that kept the number of visitors to 25 per cent of capacity to comply with COVID-19 pandemic regulations.

The gallery, including Qaumajuq, had to close May 8 after the provincial government ordered museums and galleries to close.

The funds raised are solely for Quamajuq's capital campaign, and Borys says provincial and federal grants have kept the gallery's finances solid despite it being closed most of the time since the pandemic began in March 2020 and having welcomed relatively few visitors when it was allowed to open.

Qaumajuq is the result of a decades-long dream for the gallery to find a permanent home for the more than 14,000 pieces of Inuit art it has collected and purchased and the thousands more owned by the Nunavut government the gallery holds in trust until the territory can build its own art gallery.

The Richardson Foundation was founded in 1957 to mark the 100th anniversary of James Richardson & Sons, the Winnipeg-based, family-owned company that focuses on agriculture, transportation, real estate and financial investments.

The foundation donated $1 million to support the STARS Air Ambulance's foundation in 2019. Its website lists dozens of community projects and organizations it funded in 2018, mostly on the Prairies.

Donations to the gallery and Qaumajuq can be made online at wag.ca/donate.

alan.small@freepress.mb.ca Twitter:@AlanDSmall
OTTAWA  Manitoba children are likely buried among the potential 751 unmarked graves identified at a former Saskatchewan residential school this week, as the country braces for more burial sites to be uncovered.

OTTAWA  Manitoba children are likely buried among the potential 751 unmarked graves identified at a former Saskatchewan residential school this week, as the country braces for more burial sites to be uncovered.

"We are not asking for pity, but we are asking for understanding," Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme said Thursday, as he revealed that a ground-radar search had found evidence of hundreds of Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves.

"We need time to heal, and this country must stand by us."

Caravan of Winnipeg survivors heads west MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Gerry Shingoose Three Winnipeg residential school survivors will lead a delegation that's driving to Brandon, Cowessess, Sask., and Kamloops, B.C., to commemorate Indigenous children who died away from their homes. We want to share our condolences and we want to bring our love, said Gerry Shingoose, who survived nine years at the Muscowequan school in Saskatchewan. When we were in the schools, all we got was hate. click to read more Three Winnipeg residential school survivors will lead a delegation that's driving to Brandon, Cowessess, Sask., and Kamloops, B.C., to commemorate Indigenous children who died away from their homes. We want to share our condolences and we want to bring our love, said Gerry Shingoose, who survived nine years at the Muscowequan school in Saskatchewan. When we were in the schools, all we got was hate. On Monday, Shingoose will leave Winnipeg alongside survivors Viv Ketchum and Chickadee Richard on a 1,950-kilometre journey to the former residential school at Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation in B.C. On July 2, theyll deliver gifts, including the ashes from the sacred fire that was lit at the Manitoba legislature after the news of the Kamloops burial site, as well as local symbols such as flags, a Metis sash and four sacred medicines. The group added Brandon to its list after First Nations shared research showing there are 104 suspected unmarked graves at a former residential school site. On Thursday, they decided to add Cowessess to the tour. Shingoose wants people to know that survivors have traumatic memories dredged up each time they hear about a new burial site. To hear the number, 751, I broke down and all the memories just came pouring in, she said. The best thing that could come of that is for the public to realize the reality of what happened at residential schools, Shingoose said. She encourages Manitobans to follow along through Facebook livestreams, all of which can be accessed at: http://wfp.to/7Fe Dylan Robertson Close

Manitoba bands are researching whether their ancestors are buried at the site. They have demanded that the Catholic Church hand over records.

Known as the Marieval or Grayson school, the site is on Cowessess territory, 80 kilometres west of the Manitoba border. Delorme said children from across southwestern Manitoba were sent there.

"I have been advised from oral stories from survivors that (children from) some southwestern areas of Manitoba did go to Marieval," he said.

Delorme said children whose Manitoba reserves were administered by Catholic priests, or Indian agents who were Catholic, were often sent to Cowessess. Similarly, kids from Saskatchewan reserves administered by Protestants were often sent to the school in Birtle, Man.

His band commissioned experts to survey a part of the grounds where children were known to be buried, sometimes by their own classmates. The experts found 751 markings that would suggest a burial site with about 90 per cent accuracy, meaning there are more than 600 graves.

The chief said other sites likely contain graves because children who werent baptized Catholic wouldnt be buried in the main gravesite.

Grand Chief Jerry Daniels, who represents Manitobas southern First Nations, said families need time to grieve, but wont heal until they know whether their relatives are among those buried in faraway places.

"We dont know where our family members went," said Daniels.

FSIN / THE CANADIAN PRESS A ground-penetrating radar is used to record hits of what are believed to be 751 unmarked graves near the grounds of the former Marieval Indian Residential School on the Cowessess First Nation, Sask.

He said Manitoba children were sent to schools across Saskatchewan, based on what was convenient for the churches and the government.

"We're in the process of stitching together that story, of what exactly happened in southern Manitoba."

He joined leaders at Cowessess in calling for records from the Catholic Church, including the Oblates who ran the Marieval school until the early 1970s.

Delorme told reporters that Catholics who ran the school removed grave markers. Don Bolen, the archbishop of Regina, seemed to acknowledge one of those incidents. In a written apology Thursday, he noted how "one priest who served in the region in the 1960s destroyed headstones in a way which was reprehensible."

Delorme also claimed that in the early 1970s, the Oblates transferred almost all Cowessess records to an office in Winnipeg.

The head of the religious order said he couldnt confirm those accounts but has asked his archival staff to look into them.

Rev. Ken Thorson said hell provide as much clarity as possible to Indigenous families in Manitoba and across the country.

"All of the energy we can spare, and more, is being focused on ensuring the records are made accessible. Were trying to comply and we're trying to help people to have access to their history," said Thorson, who leads the Lacombe branch of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

That branch holds the records for all residential schools run by the Oblates across the Prairies.

"We're facing our history (and) our complicity with the colonial system, and residential schools are an integral part of that system," Thorson said from Mississauga, Ont.

According to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report in 2015, there was at least one dormitory fire at Marieval that was believed to be deliberately set. Many of the children ran away.

The youngest survivor to testify at the commission went to the Cowessess school. Amber Pelletier testified that school officials cut her hair and assigned her a number in 1993.

"We could tell when the keepers were mad, because they would use our number to call us or talk to us," said Pelletier, who attended the school until it closed in 1997.

We could tell when the keepers were mad, because they would use our number to call us or talk to us.  Amber Pelletier, the youngest survivor to testifiy at the TRC

In Winnipeg Thursday, flags at city-run buildings were lowered to half-mast.

"Given what we know about residential schools, these two recent discoveries shouldnt surprise anyone in Canada, but that doesnt take away from the horror of finding them," Mayor Brian Bowman said.

"Its so vitally important that action towards reconciliation is a result of these discoveries."

The Winnipeg sign at The Forks will be lit orange and dimmed for four days "in harmony with the four levels of the spirit world in Anishinaabe tradition," Bowman said.

Premier Brian Pallister said Manitobans shouldnt shy away from the history of residential schools.

"We have to dedicate ourselves to reconciliation," he said.

FSIN / THE CANADIAN PRESS Flags mark where ground-penetrating radar recorded hits of what are believed to be 751 unmarked graves near the grounds of the former Marieval Indian Residential School on the Cowessess First Nation, Sask.

The NDP and Liberals both argued the public needs to press for better policies for Indigenous people, and accountability on residential schools.

"All of us in this country today are the inheritants of that legacy," said NDP Leader Wab Kinew.

The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, based at the University of Manitoba, urged governments to provide better healing supports to survivors of residential schools, and let the organization complete its register of children who never returned home.

"The least governments and churches must do now is to provide access to the necessary records to identify the locations of all the children and allow communities to honour them with the traditional ceremonies and protocols they were denied," wrote Stephanie Scott, director of operations.

Grand Chief Arlen Dumas of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs warned that the number of unmarked graves is expected to increase as more bands conduct ground-radar searches.

"Those numbers are our people. They were our children, our loved ones, our ancestors," Dumas wrote.

"The survivors have always told the stories; it just took this long for the world to listen."

 With files from Carol Sanders and Joyanne Pursaga

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca
FAMILIES will learn in August exactly what COVID-19-related classroom measures  if any  are going to be in place for back-to-school in 2021-22.

FAMILIES will learn in August exactly what COVID-19-related classroom measures  if any  are going to be in place for back-to-school in 2021-22.

Manitobas education minister announced Thursday his hope is all students can return to school buildings full-time.

"Our goal is that all students will return to in-person classes full-time this September; however, we have asked school divisions to plan for various scenarios," Education Minister Cliff Cullen said during an end-of-year news conference.

Cullen said a decision about the upcoming academic year will be made in consultation with public health officials.

For those who are unable to attend in-person classes for medical reasons, Manitobas remote learning support centre will continue to operate, Cullen said, noting $5 million has been earmarked for the hubs ongoing operations. Other restrictions, if any are required, will be revealed before Labour Day.

The province previously announced $58 million is being set aside to support pandemic expenses, wellness initiatives, and recovery learning for next year.

Before taking questions at a media availability Thursday, the minister gave opening remarks about the challenges school staff, students and parents navigated this year and the resilience everyone involved in educating children showed.

He gave shout-outs to teachers who worked in pandemic hot spots to provide in-person learning to critical service worker students and members of the Class of 2021, who are graduating after a school year that was plagued by uncertainty.

"While difficult, there are certainly some positive lessons learned that can be carried forward. Many teachers embraced technology, the outdoors  and students were better for it," Cullen said, adding Manitoba students were able to learn in school for most of the year.

"It was a full Team Manitoba effort that allowed this school year to be different but, at the same time, successful."

Since Sept. 1, there have been 4,592 COVID-19 cases connected to schools in the province, with nearly 80 per cent involving students. The province declared a total of six school outbreaks during that time.

On the subject of the governments controversial plans to overhaul public education, Cullen spoke Thursday about positive feedback during parent engagement sessions and hinted there will be more updates on related initiatives in the coming weeks.

He reiterated the importance of the public doing research on Bill 64 (Education Modernization Act) and the Better Education Starts Today strategy.

Critics of Bill 64 have raised questions about why the province is following through with plans to transform public education amid the chaos that is the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This summer needs to be about rest and restoration for people who have just completely given everything they can give to the students of this province," said Alan Campbell, president of the Manitoba School Boards Association.

"Unfortunately, so much of this summer is going to be dedicated to the ongoing fight against this legislation."

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie
THE owner of a Winnipeg apartment complex that was the site of a suite fire this month says they dont know why tenants claimed to be shocked the sprinklers didnt come on  there arent any in the building.

THE owner of a Winnipeg apartment complex that was the site of a suite fire this month says they dont know why tenants claimed to be shocked the sprinklers didnt come on  there arent any in the building.

Rivard Group lawyer Susan Cepanec said the Island Lakes building at 40 Charbonneau Cres. wasnt required to have them.

"I dont know why your sources would have thought there were sprinklers in the building," Cepanec said Thursday.

"There are no sprinkler heads in those suites. The fire department confirmed this as well, that the building is not required to be sprinklered," she said.

"There, obviously, is the hard-wired smoke detector in the units, but there (is) no piping."

Cepanec said the building was constructed without sprinklers, something not required at the time, prior to the Rivard Group purchase.

The blaze, which broke out in a suite June 2, at about 9:30 a.m., resulted in one person being taken to hospital. Tenants in other suites were able to get out safely.

It took firefighters about two hours to put out the blaze. They used a drone to locate the interior fire using thermal imaging cameras.

The damage was so extensive all tenants have been forced to relocate.

In the wake of the fire, a couple of residents told the Free Press in an earlier report that the sprinklers didnt come on in the building.

Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service spokesperson Kristin Cuma also verified the building didnt need to have sprinklers. She said the Manitoba Building Code outlines which fire and life systems must be put into a structure when it is built or when it is renovated.

"The Manitoba Building Code did not require the installation of a sprinkler system at 40 Charbonneau Cres.," Cuma said.

The code does require a fire alarm system.

"In addition, all suites require the installation of a standalone smoke alarm as an early-warning system," she said.

"Smoke alarms are designed to detect fire in the early stages and are not required to be interconnected or connected to the fire alarm system. They are separate from the fire alarm system, and sound only the suite they are installed in.

"Residents of apartment blocks are advised to ask questions of the property management team regarding the fire and the safety systems in their building and emergency procedures when they move in."

Cuma said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Meantime, Cepanec said there was also no hesitancy by Rivard in refunding damage deposits or the pro-rated rent for June.

"The reality was we were dealing with a traumatic, unexpected situation and we were trying to organize, trying to help as many tenants as we could, find alternative places to live," she said.

"It took us a few days to try and do that first, before we started processing doing the refund of damage deposits and June rent. Those were all refunded as appropriate in accordance with requirements of the Residential Tenancies Act, except for one, which was missed due to human error."

Cepanec said refunds were also delayed because it was near the first of the month, a busy time for staff because rent is coming in while tenants are moving in and out of buildings.

"Were in the middle of a pandemic, which also means we have some staff members who, like a lot of other people, are working from home as much as possible," she said. "It just exacerbated our ability to deal with this any quicker than what we did."

Cepanec said the company contacted the Residential Tenancies Branch to let it know about the fire and keep it in the loop with updates about what it was doing to assist tenants.

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca
Canada will soon celebrate its 154th birthday. This year, however, will be different.

Canada will soon celebrate its 154th birthday. This year, however, will be different.

There wont be fireworks, downtown parties, and maple syrupy sweet songs of pioneers, golden goals, and multiculturalism. Not just because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but for a bigger reason, something far more important.

This year there will be talk of residential schools, land theft, and an Indian Act that will not go away.

For most Canadians, this will be a radical, new story; something they are not prepared for. Some will be in shock and tears. Others will say, "This has nothing to do with me." A few will simply try to ignore it altogether.

Young girls from the Marieval Indian Residential School in Saskatchewan with father and a group of Sisters of Saint Joseph. (Supplied / Societe historique de Saint-Boniface)

All are a sign Canada has sold Canadians a one-dimensional, biased, and boring story for 154 years.

Its also partly a lie; a story about an empty land of inferior savages "discovered" and tamed by superior settlers, who rose to glory due to Gods intention.

This story will fall apart as its interrupted by testimonies about murdered and missing Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit peoples, an overwhelming amount of Indigenous children in care, and communities that have tainted water, mouldy homes, and lands flooded out yearly.

These will expose most of Canadas "heroes," whose names adorn buildings and statues, got to be honoured due to atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples.

Canadians will be asked whether they want to celebrate them and what they stood for. Hopefully, a real definition of heroism will emerge as a result.

In the end  whenever that is, 154 years is a long time to retell  the most accurate story in Canadian history will emerge.

It will be a story that will show, for 154 years, Indigenous peoples  and particularly their children  havent mattered.

In some places, however, Canada Day should continue, but be held in a space where a simple fact is talked about: its not just maple syrup on the flag, but blood, too. (Sean Kilpatrick / Canadian press files)

This was proven as late as last week, when the federal government took Indigenous children to court yet again to fight the compensation ordered by the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal for their mistreatment and neglect.

For the first time in 154 years, new chapters  already well-written and told by Indigenous peoples for more than a century-and-a-half  will come to the surface.

By the end, there will be one universal truth  whether Canadians are ready to hear it or not.

Canada is a country built on genocide against Indigenous peoples yesterday, today, and likely, tomorrow, too  unless something is done.

Thats the only conclusion when the unmarked gravesites of hundreds of children are found in places like Kamloops, B.C., Brandon, and Cowessess First Nation in Saskatchewan.

Thats the only conclusion when Canadians found out, in the 1960s, Catholic leaders reportedly removed headstones off the graves of children linked to the Marieval Indian Residential School, some 160 kilometres east of Regina.

Thats the only conclusion when a country commits crimes, with thousands more yet to be uncovered.

Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's final report was tabled in 2015, its been well-documented Indigenous children were abused, assaulted, and even murdered in residential schools.

Over six volumes, any Canadian can read how the churches starved children and ran unsafe, unsanitary institutions rife with sickness. Children ran away from these schools, only to be forcibly returned by farmers, police, and everyday Canadians or, worse yet, had their bodies found and sent back.

The TRC also documented the many crimes that took place in the schools; neglect, abuse, and murder that implicated clergy, staff, and every single person who interacted with the schools.

The past four weeks, another truth has been laid bare: crimes have been covered up.

Indigenous altar boys leaving the church in Marieval in 1961. (Supplied / Societe historique de Saint-Boniface)

The one point the TRC struggled to make  and the one, singular argument people who say residential schools were "good" hold on to, with all their might  was those who ran the schools had nothing but good intentions; to educate Indigenous children, above all else.

The conscious removal of headstones  whether by lack of care or a planned removal  constitutes a clear awareness by residential school officials what was happening was wrong.

The Canadian government, which funded many such schools, either didnt know and didnt bother to see what was happening or, worse, knew and didnt care. Either shows a gross negligence on behalf of all Canadians.

In other words: a crime.

This year, in many circles, Canada Day should  and must  be cancelled. There are simply no possibility for real, honest conversations in spaces led by immature and unprepared leaders invested in continuing violence.

In some places, however, Canada Day should continue, but be held in a space where a simple fact is talked about: its not just maple syrup on the flag, but blood, too.

A sombre, truthful, and real discussion needs to happen. Its just too bad it took 154 years to get here.

But, if it happens, it will result in the best Canada Day yet.

niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca
For Claude Ndeba and his wife, Gloriose Nsabimana, being able to worship in French at the St. Boniface Cathedral is very important.

For Claude Ndeba and his wife, Gloriose Nsabimana, being able to worship in French at the St. Boniface Cathedral is very important.

"French is our first language. Its the language of our faith," Ndeba, 49, said, adding its also easier to discuss their faith with their three children in French.

For the couple, who came to Canada from Burundi, the cathedral "feels like our family. We feel very at home," Nsabimana, 37, said.

Being able to worship in French is important because, "Its our spiritual language," she said.

"We want to see services continue in French," Ndeba said of how much the songs, prayers and homilies in that language mean to them as a family.

Finding ways to serve people such as Ndeba and Nsabimana better is the goal of a survey being conducted by the Archdiocese of St. Boniface in June and July.

"Were noticing a shift in the membership," director of pastoral services Mireille Grenier said, noting there are more people from French-speaking African countries such as Togo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast and Cameroon in the archdiocese.

The archdiocese is also seeing a decrease in Francophones who consider themselves Catholic.

About 50 years ago, a francophone was likely to identify as Catholic, Grenier said. "But thats not true anymore."

Changes in society means many people arent as religious or believe they can be spiritual without attending church, she said. In their place, the archdiocese is seeing new French-speaking people from different countries.

"Its important for us to make them feel welcome and involve them and find ways to serve them better," Grenier said. "We want to be as welcoming and hospitable as possible."

One way to do that is by finding out how to best serve them in French.

Francophone members of the archdiocese, which has more than 127,000 members, are being asked how they are living out their faith in French as individuals, families and communities; about the biggest challenges they face as French-speaking Catholics; and what they think the French-language Catholic community in Manitoba will look like in five to 10 years.

"Im interested to see what people say," Grenier said, noting 40 per cent of archdiocese members are Francophone.

Archbishop Albert LeGatt said the survey is a way to "ensure the ongoing vitality of the Francophone Catholic community" in St. Boniface. He noted Manitobas French-speaking Catholics have a rich history and tradition dating back to the early 1800s and that the Catholic church has played an important role in promoting the French language in the province.

Changes in society, including the pressure to anglicize, are bringing changes to the archdiocese.

"Through the survey, we want to hear from those practicing their faith in French and learn what we need to do to assure the vitality of French for their faith through services, education, resources, French-speaking pastors," LeGatt said.

"This is a historically French archdiocese," he said. "But it is changing. It is very multicultural, but we dont want to abandon our roots."

A report about the results of the survey is expected in October.

faith@freepress.mb.ca
I read a lot of books about British Columbias political history while growing up in that province. One was David J. Mitchells Succession: The Political Reshaping of British Columbia, which examines the resignation of Social Credit premier Bill Bennett in 1986 and the subsequent leadership race to replace him, which former minister Bill Vander Zalm won. Vander Zalm went on to lead Social Credit to yet another victory in the next provincial election.

Opinion

I read a lot of books about British Columbias political history while growing up in that province. One was David J. Mitchells Succession: The Political Reshaping of British Columbia, which examines the resignation of Social Credit premier Bill Bennett in 1986 and the subsequent leadership race to replace him, which former minister Bill Vander Zalm won. Vander Zalm went on to lead Social Credit to yet another victory in the next provincial election.

Political succession  moving from one party leader to another  is a tricky feat for any governing party. Leaders tend to step down when things are tough, handing an old-in-the-tooth government and harried legislative record to a successor who must immediately be on defence. Often, succession is accompanied by subsequent electoral defeat. But Social Credit, Mitchell argued, had cracked the code of political succession by replacing a long-term and unpopular premier with a new, popular leader who continued to win.

Manitobas Progressive Conservatives may now be looking to the old Social Credit Party for inspiration. Premier Brian Pallister has promised to stay on through the pandemic, but is widely expected to depart shortly after COVID-19 is brought under control.

Manitobans can therefore expect a leadership race in the near future, and we will see if the Manitoba PC Party is up to the challenge of political succession. But what will that look like?

The biggest clue is the current governments standing in the polls. Public approval of the government has been low for months, but has recently cratered. Polling released by Probe Research last week showed 47 per cent of Manitobans would vote for Wab Kinews NDP if an election were held today. Only 29 per cent of Manitobans would still vote for the PCs.

That gulf is even wider in Winnipeg, where provincial elections are won and lost. And the PCs face a daunting obstacle to re-election, in the form of a gender divide in party support, 55 per cent of women supporting the NDP compared to 21 per cent supporting the PCs.

These numbers cement what will be the central challenge of succession for the PCs: taking a government that is very unpopular and righting the ship in time for the next election.

The first consequence of this unpopularity might be a winnowed-down list of leadership candidates. Some potential candidates may look at the current poll numbers and decide that righting the ship is next to impossible. No one wants to be a sacrificial lamb, so A-list candidates might decide to take a pass rather than committing substantial time and effort only to be shellacked by Kinew in 2023.

Succession will need to include some distance between the old and new PC leaders. It will be difficult for ministers in the current government to distinguish themselves from Pallister, and this will likely be more so for ministers who are identified with the governments pandemic response. Instead, the party may look to an outsider to put a fresh face on the provincial Tory brand.

Selecting a female leader could help to address the partys current lack of popularity with women.

Once the leadership race is over, succession will likely take the form of the new leader distancing him or herself from the Pallister record. Contentious legislation may be dropped. The new leader may reach out to certain groups  for example, public-sector unions  that have experienced Pallisters hard-nosed negotiating style.

There is still time before the next election, and some PCs may be hoping the NDP will enter a period of internal discord before then. There is also the possibility the PCs can benefit from going back to the well and employing personal attacks related to Kinews past personal indiscretions and comments.

I wouldnt count on either scenario. Both Kinew and his party have been steady and disciplined since the last election, emphasizing traditional NDP issues but for the most part standing by while the PC government has immolated.

There is an important epilogue to the story of the B.C. Social Credit Party: Vander Zalm seemed to solve the challenge of succession, but as anyone familiar with B.C. history knows, Vander Zalm, despite being an outstanding campaigner, was a disastrously poor premier and ended up resigning in scandal. Social Credit was subsequently badly beaten and, in fact, no longer exists as a competitive party in British Columbia.

Losing elections can be healthy for political parties as they regroup, reorganize and re-orient themselves. Social Credit never got that chance.

Here in Manitoba, some PCs may have already resigned themselves to the view that dragging the party up from its current position in the polls is next to impossible. For them, succession might involve accepting time out of office in order to start building toward challenging Premier Wab Kinew in the future.

Royce Koop is an associate professor in the department of political studies and co-ordinator of the Canadian studies program at the University of Manitoba.
There are a few reasons why Manitoba will likely avoid a surge in COVID-19 cases after the province eases restrictions Saturday.

There are a few reasons why Manitoba will likely avoid a surge in COVID-19 cases after the province eases restrictions Saturday.

The most significant, and obvious, is that nearly three-quarters of eligible Manitobans have received at least one dose of the vaccine. While only 31 per cent of Manitobans over the age of 12 have the required two shots, that number is climbing rapidly. With new shipments of the Moderna vaccine announced Thursday, the province has projected 60 per cent of eligible Manitobans will be fully vaccinated by the second week of July.

Manitoba didnt have that level of vaccine protection in April when the B.1.1.7 variant caused widespread infection and overwhelmed hospitals last month. Fewer than one-quarter of Manitobans had received one dose by mid-April (most were over the age of 60). That left unvaccinated people in their 30s, 40s and 50s vulnerable to the B.1.1.7 variant. Many ended up in hospital and in critical-care units. Those age groups are now far better protected.

Studies have shown that one dose of the vaccine is less effective against the newer, more contagious Delta variant (the B.1.617.2 strain first detected in India). However, a single shot does offer some protection. Unlike having little to no vaccine immunity against the B.1.1.7 variant in April and May, the majority of Manitobans have at least some defence against all strains.

Still, strict public health measures are required to keep the Delta variant at bay for at least another month, while second doses ramp up. Its debatable exactly what those restrictions should be, but the new public health orders announced this week seem adequate.

Unlike provinces such as Alberta and Saskatchewan, which are throwing their economies wide open in July, Manitobas restrictions are still relatively strict.

Many indoor facilities will remain closed, including movie theatres, casinos, libraries and museums. Public schools are shuttered for the summer and indoor household visits (a significant source of spread) remain off-limits.

Retail outlets and places of worship will expand to 25 per cent capacity, but mandatory masks are still in effect in all indoor public places. Even hair salons and other personal services, which can reopen at 50 per cent capacity, must be by appointment only.

Some aspects of the reopening plan are riskier than others, such as allowing unvaccinated people from different households to dine and socialize on outdoor patios. However, with existing vaccine coverage, the potential spread in those settings is far lower than it was at the beginning of the third wave.

Theres an added feature to the Pallister governments reopening plan that will help keep transmission low: new incentives to get fully vaccinated.

Theres an added feature to the Pallister governments reopening plan that will help keep transmission low: new incentives to get fully vaccinated. Manitobans with two shots can already visit nursing homes and travel to other provinces without having to self-isolate upon return. Added to the list this week for the fully vaccinated is dining indoors at restaurants with people from other households and attending large-scale arts and sporting events.

The province says it intends to expand that list. The message is clear: if people want to enjoy the things they did before the pandemic  such as going to concerts and restaurants with friends  they will have to get fully immunized. It may not have an immediate effect on transmission, but it will convince some who still havent had their first shot to get one as soon as possible (which will reduce transmissions two to three weeks from now).

The number of cases of the Delta variant in Manitoba is still relatively small (165 cases reported as of Thursday). Its not spreading out of control, but it has the potential to. It likely would grow exponentially without adequate public health measures, at least until enough people are vaccinated.

Cases and infection rates in Manitoba have declined sharply in recent weeks. Under the new orders, theres no reason to believe cases will start to climb again. The Pallister government is striking the right balance between reopening safely and guarding against a fourth wave.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  The revenge of the cows heated up Thursday with yet another instance of a herd getting loose in a U.S. community.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP)  The revenge of the cows heated up Thursday with yet another instance of a herd getting loose in a U.S. community.

This time a cattle-hauling truck rolled over along Interstate 64 in West Virginia, and an emergency dispatcher in Cabell County said a bridge connecting Huntington to Lawrence County, Ohio, also had to be shut down temporarily.

The dispatcher, who cited policy in declining to give his name, said authorities were trying to determine how many cattle were on the truck. However, they took off in several directions, including onto the nearby bridge.

The dispatcher said police in Ohio told him that "theyre running up and down the highway there, too."

Firefighters were dispatched to assist the westbound truck, which ended up in the highway's median. The driver was trapped for nearly two hours before being removed from the truck with minor injuries, Huntington Fire Chief Jan Rader told The Herald-Dispatch. The accident forced the interstate to be shut down in both directions for several hours.

Huntington is home to Marshall University, whose nickname happens to be the Thundering Herd.

It marked at least the third time that week that cows have gotten loose and prompted responses in U.S. cities, including the second time this week in West Virginia.

On Wednesday, 40 cows escaped a California slaughterhouse and ended up in a Los Angeles suburb where one was killed after charging a family.

Three loose cows roamed the streets of Bluefield, West Virginia, on Monday. Trains had to be stopped as authorities tried to coax the animals off of railroad tracks.
Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot by a white officer, Darren Wilson, in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri, touching off weeks of sometimes violent protests. A St. Louis County grand jury declined later that year to indict Wilson in the unarmed Black teen's death, and the U.S. Department of Justice later also declined to charge him. Wesley Bell, the current St. Louis County prosecuting attorney, conducted a five-month review of witness statements, forensic reports and other evidence and announced in July that he would not charge Wilson.

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke shot 16 times at Laquan McDonald, killing the Black 17-year-old as he walked away from officers in October 2014. Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder the same day the city released the shocking dashcam video of the shooting. Van Dyke was found guilty of second-degree murder in 2018 and sentenced to nearly seven years in prison.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A timeline of key events that began with George Floyd's arrest on May 25, 2020, by four police officers in Minneapolis:

May 25, 2020  Minneapolis police officers respond to a call shortly after 8 p.m. about a possible counterfeit $20 bill being used at a corner grocery and encounter a Black man, later identified as George Floyd, who struggles and ends up handcuffed and face down on the ground. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. Bystander video shows Floyd crying I can't breathe multiple times before going limp. He's pronounced dead at a hospital.

May 26  Police issue a statement saying Floyd died after a medical incident, and that he physically resisted and appeared to be in medical distress. Minutes later, bystander video is posted online. Police release another statement saying the FBI will help investigate. Chauvin and three other officers  Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao  are fired. Protests begin.
Winston Boogie Smith Jr., a 32-year-old Black man, was fatally shot in a Minneapolis parking ramp by members of a U.S. Marshals Service task force. Authorities said they were trying to arrest Smith on a weapons violation and that he showed a handgun. The state investigative agency said evidence shows Smith fired the gun. A woman with Smith said through attorneys that she never saw a gun on Smith or in his vehicle . The two sheriff's deputies who shot Smith weren't wearing body cameras, saying the Marshals Service told them they could not. The lack of video in the city where George Floyd died contributed to anger over Smith's death, sparking several days of protests.

Prude, a 41-year-old Black man, died in Rochester, New York, in March 2020, several days after encountering police after he was released from a hospital following a mental health arrest. He ran naked from his brother's home and was seen breaking store windows; his brother Joe testified that he warned an officer who came to his home not to kill his brother. His death drew new attention six months later when his family released body camera video obtained through a public records request that showed Prude handcuffed and naked with a spit hood over his head as one officer pushed his face against the ground and another pressed a knee to his back. The officers held Prude down for about two minutes until he stopped breathing. A gran d jury declined to indict any officers in February. An internal investigation may still result in disciplinary charges.
It was my intention to get attention, Hoppe said.

The sign, which is a pre-ordered flag Hoppe attached to a different one he had displayed for more than a year thanking emergency workers for their duties during the COVID-19 pandemic, got attention. Hoppe said as he was doing his job driving a semi-trailer in another state, he received a call about its placement.

Those upset over the display had called local officials, from the Sauk County Sheriffs Office, Sauk County Highway Department and Sauk County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Tim McCumber.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Highway Operations Manager Darren Carrigan viewed the sign. Hoppe said Carrigan marked off the location of his property line to ensure the sign was placed on private property rather than the easement or county right-of-way. White spray paint marked the line directly next to where Hoppe had recently moved his sign posts.

Signs like that can go both directions, McCumber said, and though most people wouldnt prefer one with that language displayed, private property owners are allowed Constitutional rights.
Kirchstein was also a reassurance during her pregnancy.

I didnt realize how painful pregnancy was, Elder said. It was nice to hear that everything I was going through was normal and just having somebody there to tell me that I wasnt crazy, those things do happen, was reassuring.

With the hurdle of a pandemic, Kirchstein said the department had to change its method of operation, switching from home visits to phone calls and making videos of each nurse to highlight what they are like and what they do to help the family.

I dont know necessarily that our numbers are down a pinch because of the pandemic, Kirchstein said, adding that the adjustments helped in a way. I think there might be a little bit of hesitation with people, with the pandemic, maybe not ready to start. I think weve also become a little bit more versatile.  Now we have the opportunity to just call instead or do the video thing and so it takes a little bit less time and fits into our schedule. I think, ultimately, we werent super excited about not being able to meet with our families, but the way it worked out, it became almost a benefit at the same time.
Former Wisconsin State Rep. Robert Goetsch, 87, died Tuesday at his lifelong home in the town of Oak Grove.

Goetsch was born Aug. 5, 1933. He attended Beaver Dam High School, Wayland Junior College and graduated from UW-Madison. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954-56.

A public servant, Goetsch was a member of the Oak Grove Town Board from 1971 to 1983, serving as chairman from 1975 to 1983, and of the Dodge County Board of Supervisors from 1972 to 1984.

He was first elected to the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1982 and served through 2001. As a member of the Assembly, he served on multiple committees, including Ways and Means, Urban and Local Affairs, Children and Families, and was chairperson of the Criminal Justice Committee.

Rep. Mark Born, R-Beaver Dam, called Goetsch a mentor.

I am saddened today to hear of the passing of my friend and mentor, former State Rep. Robert Goetsch, Born said. For me personally, Bob was always there whenever I needed advice or guidance. He was a dedicated public servant who served his country in the U.S. Army, his community in a number of roles. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
JUNEAU  The Dodge County Sheriffs Office released the names of two people involved in fatal accidents that occurred around the Beaver Dam area earlier this month, without releasing the names of those the department deems as victims in the crashes.

The two names released are those the department says caused the crashes, so they do not fall under Marsys Law, Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt said. The other names are being withheld due to Marsys Law.

Wisconsin amended its Constitution in April 2020 to include the provisions knowns as Marsys Law. The amendment is meant to strengthen the rights of victims.

The Dodge County Sheriffs Office respects these rights and will not release the identities of victims of crimes, including those that are traffic crash related, unless we have received consent to do so or are otherwise compelled to by the Wisconsin Constitution or State Statute, according to the press release from the Dodge County Sheriffs Office.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The press release states that since traffic crash investigations can be complex it can take months to complete them and to determine if the crashes can be considered criminal.
Kelly Harper was desperate, she said, because nobody would listen to her allegations of child abuse against a man she is accused of trying to have killed, so she went to a murky corner of the internet called the dark web to find someone to do the job.

Harper, 38, of Columbus, pleaded guilty Thursday as expected, in accordance with a plea agreement she signed earlier this month. Under the pact, she agreed to be sentenced to six years in federal prison for a murder solicitation charge.

Court documents alleged that Harper had tried in December to hire someone to kill a person who was not identified by the documents. They also indicate that in October she had paid another murder-for-hire dark website, but Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Elgersma said Thursday that the earlier solicitation turned out to be a scam.

Dressed in an orange Sauk County Jail uniform with shackles on her legs, Harper spoke softly as she told U.S. District Judge William Conley she was going through a custody battle with the person only identified in court and in case documents as the "known victim" or "KV." She claimed he had been abusing her children mentally and physically "for years."
The statement stops short of indicating whether they believe Blake would proceed further with the municipal claim.

Officers cleared

Following more than four months of investigation and review of Blakes shooting, officers involved  including Sheskey  were cleared in January of criminal wrongdoing by Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley. Graveley also did not file criminal charges against Blake.

The federal suit filed by Blakes attorneys on March 25 alleges Sheskey put the health of onlookers and of Blakes children, who were inside the SUV he was getting into, at risk. It also alleges that the officer acted with excessive force and reckless indifference by firing at him seven times.

Both the federal suit and police account have agreed upon facts, including that Blake was walking away from officers while carrying a knife and trying to get into the car while two officers, Sheskey among them, followed with guns drawn. Police have said that Blake did not follow orders and was climbing into the drivers seat of the SUV and had quickly twisted toward them while holding a knife. The lawsuit, however, claims that Blake never threatened the officers.
Adamson again said this was a misrepresentation of evidence and testimony.

This is not a search for the truth, Martinez said of the way the investigation played out in the 2010s after the case went cold. He said the state is, in fact, calling the Bringe children liars.

This case has gone on for far too long. This investigation has dragged on for far too long, Martinez told jurors. It falls to you. You can end this once and for all.

He said no one can bring back Avice and Galens mother, but the jury can prevent the state from taking away their dad.

In the states response to the defense, which they heard just before being excused to deliberate. Adamson said the idea Lori took all the steps she would have needed to in order to kill herself is more complicated than the idea of an angry and jealous husband killing her.

He emphasized prosecutors argument that the physical evidence of blood and saliva at the scene did not indicate a suicide and in fact showed that someone moved her when she was still alive to stage the scene. He questioned why there would have been a holster found near Lori if she supposedly carried the guns in her purse.
A man was convicted Friday of murdering his wife nearly 33 years ago in a case that went cold for decades.

A jury found Mark Bringe, 73, guilty of felony first-degree murder in Columbia County Circuit Court following a two-week trial. Prosecutors accused Bringe of shooting his wife Lori to death in 1988 despite his claims that she died by suicide. He now faces life in prison.

After the verdict was read, a court officer said Bringe would not be allowed to hug his adult children in the courtroom.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Lorelei Lori Bringe was found dead on Aug. 19, 1988 in a wooded area near her Butternut Road home outside Poynette. She died following a gunshot wound to the head, and she was found with two small guns and gun components near her body.

Lori and Marks two children, who were 8 and 6 at the time of her death, testified that they were with their father when they heard the gunshot, which would mean Mark could not have committed the crime. Prosecutors had to build a case off circumstantial evidence and testimony from witnesses whose memories have faded over the decades. Attorneys also dealt with physical evidence like where blood was found and how the gun was shot.
New senior executive appointments

Professor Ruksana Osman has been appointed as Senior DVC: Academic and Professor Ian Jandrell as DVC: Systems and Operations.

Professor Ruksana Osman appointed as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic

Professor Ruksana Osman has been appointed as the Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at the University of the Witwatersrand from 1 June 2021. In this position, she is responsible for the broad coordination of the academic project, across all divisions of the University. The five faculty deans will continue to report to her, and she will also oversee the Universitys online and blended-learning academic strategy.

Prior to this appointment, she served as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Advancement, Human Resources and Transformation, as the Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, and as the Head of the School of Education. Her experience in higher education, and her 40-year association with Wits University therefore spans the full range of roles at all levels of institutional management, governance, and leadership. These have included internally- and externally-facing foci on enabling staff capacitation, directing the academic project, intellectual leadership, fundraising, contributing to policy development and implementation, and being centrally involved in institutional strategy development.

A Professor of Education, Osman has extensive teaching and research experience in the field of teacher education and higher education. She has an established reputation for impactful scholarly work in the broad fields of higher education policy, pedagogy and students lived experiences of equity and access to higher education. She is known for the connections she has made between research-centred and research-led approaches to learning and teaching and the transformative practices of learning contexts such as schools and universities.

Professor Osman holds the UNESCO Chair in Teacher Education for Diversity and Development and has established a global network to support the research and development work of the Chair. She is widely published in the academic and popular press, and is the author or co-author of multiple papers, journal articles and books. She is the co-editor of Research-led teacher education: Case studies of possibilities(2012); Large class pedagogy: Interdisciplinary perspectives for quality higher education (2013); Service learning in South Africa (2013); Transforming teaching and learning in higher education: Towards a socially just pedagogy in a global context (2017); and Teacher education for diversity: Conversations from the Global South (2018), amongst others.

An elected member of the Academy of Sciences of South Africa, Professor Osman is recognised for the quality and relevance of her work in higher education as a teacher and researcher in pursuit of socially just education. Her research and experience in the education sector provides an excellent intellectual and practical grounding as we reimagine the future of teaching and learning at the institution.

Professor Ian Jandrell to take the reins as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Systems and Operations in August

Professor Ian Jandrell has been appointed as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Systems and Operations from 1 August 2021. This is a crucial post which seeks to ensure that systems and operations are efficiently and effectively managed in order to adequately support the academic and research project of the University. His portfolio will include leadership of the following entities: Property and Infrastructure Management; Services; ICT; Campus Protection Services; Re-Imagining Wits Property Portfolio; and the implementation of the online strategy, amongst others.

A Professor of Electrical and Information Engineering, Jandrell is an engineer and a scientist who has held executive management positions in the higher education sector in South Africa for over 20 years. He served as the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment since 2014 and prior to this served as the Head of the School of Electrical and Information Engineering for ten years.

A registered local and international Professional Engineer, Professor Jandrell has more than 30 years of experience in engineering, with a special focus on Lightning, High Voltage Engineering and Forensic Engineering. He served as the Transnet Professor of Systems Engineering in the Wits Transnet Centre for Systems Engineering on its establishment and held the CBI-Electric Chair of Lightning.

A widely published scientific author, Professor Jandrell is a rated scientist with the National Research Foundation of South Africa, recognised for more than 25 years. In 2018, he was honoured to receive the National Science and Technology Forum-South32 individual award for Engineering Research Capacity Development.

Some of Professor Jandrells scientific work focusses on lightning injury and more broadly the risks associated with lightning. He and his team have published work on keraunopathology, the fifth and sixth mechanisms of lightning injury and more recently on lightning detection and location.

He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Fellow of the South African Academy of Engineering and an Executive Committee member. He is also a Fellow of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers.

He serves as a Member of the Scientific Committee of the International Conference on Lightning Protection and the IEEE International Conference on High Voltage Engineering and Application, amongst HIS many other roles. He has served as a reviewer of several international journals including the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, the IEEEs Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, and the Electric Power Systems Research Journal, amongst others.

Professor Jandrell volunteers his time to the service of organisations promoting science education, including the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists in South Africa and the Society for Science and the Public in the United States.
Universities SA Condemns Attack on SAHPRA

It is an essential part of the national science system and it must be protected to perform its regulatory work.

Universities South Africa (USAf) condemns the call made by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for a march on the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). This kind of political pressure to force SAHPRA to authorise the use of the Sputnik-V and Sinovac vaccines, seriously undermines its mandate and authority.

USAf condemns, as well, the ad hominem attack on the Chair of the SAHPRA Board, Professor Helen Rees and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela. They are excellent scientists deeply committed to the wellbeing of South Africans and to upholding the role of SAPHRA as a regulatory authority.

The anxiety and disappointment related to the slow rollout of the South African vaccine programme is fully understandable but to target SAHPRA  and for that matter any other part of the national science system  with this kind of political pressure is clearly unwise, dangerous and misplaced. It is not SAHPRA that determines the vaccine procurement strategy of government.

SAHPRA ensures that newly developed health products such as vaccines, orthodox medicines, medical devices and radioactive agents for diagnostic or treatment purposes are made available for use only after rigorous analyses of the safety, efficacy and quality of such products are completed with satisfactory outcomes.

The decision by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to choose South Africa as the nation to host the first vaccine technology transfer hub to produce mRNA vaccines was shaped largely by what the WHO observed as a sufficiently developed and robust institutional, scientific and policy infrastructure to support such an endeavour. Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the WHO, made clear at a press conference that one of the reasons for the choice of South Africa was its regulatory infrastructure led by SAHPRA.

South Africa is a multi-layered, complex democracy and it requires a strong, robust science system for its effective functioning. Regulatory institutions such as SAHPRA are central to this purpose. Undermining them weakens the capacity of this democracy to take seriously the safety of its people from dangerous health products.

South Africas science system, though small in international terms, is a strong, mature system that is central to South Africas development trajectory and to addressing the challenge of creating an inclusive, growing economy. Undermining one part of that National System of Innovation (NSI) weakens the entire system. The universities are a very large part of the NSI and it is in this context that USAf comes out in defence of SAHPRA. It is an essential part of the national science system and it must be protected to perform its regulatory work without undue political influence whether that may come from government, political parties or other sources.
John McAfee, the controversial antivirus software magnate who'd had multiple recent run-ins with the US law, has died at 75. McAfee was awaiting extradition in a Spanish prison after being charged with tax evasion in the United States last year.

McAfee was found dead in his cell in a prison near Barcelona on Wednesday around 1 p.m. ET and a medical examiner went to the scene, a spokeswoman for the Superior Court of Catalonia told CNN. She said the cause of death is under investigation.

A statement from the Catalonia regional government Justice Department, which manages prisons there, said that prison medical personnel and guards attempted to perform life-saving procedures after finding McAfee, but were unsuccessful. The statement said "everything indicates" that McAfee could have died by suicide.

His death came after a ruling from a three-judge panel at Spain's National Court in Madrid this week that McAfee could be extradited to the United States to face charges there. That decision could still have been appealed to a larger panel of judges at the same court, according to court documents.

McAfee had a cell mate at the prison, but that person was not in the cell around the time that McAfee was found dead, a prison official, who asked not to be named, told CNN. The official added the other person was out doing other normal activities at the prison. Asked if authorities had imposed special monitoring measures on McAfee in his cell, the official said, "I'm not aware of that."

McAfee was arrested in Spain in October after being indicted in the United States for tax evasion months earlier. He allegedly failed to file taxes for four years despite earning millions in income between 2014 and 2018 from promoting cryptocurrencies, consulting work, speaking engagements, and selling the rights to his life story for a documentary, according to court documents. The amount he owed was not specified in the indictment.

The Spanish judges approved his extradition to face charges for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 tax years.

In a virtual hearing in Spanish court earlier this month, McAfee argued that the US tax evasion charges against him were politically motivated, the Associated Press reported.

McAfee  founder of the eponymous antivirus software firm, with which he is no longer affiliated  was also indicted in March on separate fraud and money laundering charges. The US Department of Justice alleged that he and a business partner participated in a scheme that earned more than $13 million by falsely promoting cryptocurrencies to unwitting investors.

The final two decades of McAfee's life included a somewhat bizarre series of events.

In 2012, McAfee briefly vanished after fleeing his home in Belize because local police tried to question him on the death of his neighbor. (He has denied involvement in the death and claimed he fled because he feared for his life.)

He spent time in Guatemala, and then moved to Montreal, Canada, where he worked on a documentary about his life. He ran for US president in 2016 as a Libertarian, and launched a new security product that he called "a f---ing game changer."
ROME, N.Y.  A commencement ceremony was held Friday for three students graduating from the New York State School for the Deaf in Rome.

Seniors Nathaniel Hoose, Hunter Ocmand and Harland Oldick donned green caps and gowns while listening to a special message from Assistant Superintendent Kara Shore.

"Lastly I hope you all share the gift of American Sign Language with one other person in your life, she said. Maybe a stranger, maybe a friend, either way this will be a gift to those who embrace it. A gift that will last a lifetime. The graduates we are celebrating today I've done this for me so thank you."

Hoose and Ocmand plan to attend Mohawk Valley Community College in the fall for culinary arts and geology, respectively.

Oldick wants to go enter the workforce in landscaping, construction or fixing houses.
Bridge construction in Forestport is completed a week ahead of schedule, and its just in time for the summer rush of tourists. NY State D.O.T. Chief of Staff Todd Westhuis talked about the importance of these 2 bridges.

"When we kicked off this project in late March of this year, the Department of Transportation was keenly aware of the importance of this road. This is a critically important link that connects the Mohawk Valley to the Adirondacks."\

The $2.2 million project required all hands on deck.literally.

"This project put a new concrete bridge deck on that span. We also replaced the concrete beams and deck of the route 28 bridge over Woodhull Road. Constructed new parapet walls on both structures. Installed new guide rails, and repaved the approaches to both of the bridges to create a smoother ride and enhance safety for all travelers."

The main Truss Bridge over the Forestport Reservoir is now named after Private 1st class Gregory Paul Huxley Jr. who gave his life serving in the Army during the war in Iraq. He died at the age of 19. Greg Jr.s Father Gregory P. Huxley, Sr. spoke about his son.

"He joined the Army right out of High School, went into the Engineers in the Army and we lost him when he got to Baghdad the first few days of the war. Yeah."

The dedication brought back feelings of the day Greg Sr. was notified about his sons death, but he remembers him in a good light.

"He was one to help anybody. Loved kids. Our house was always the Cool-Aid house and kids were always there."

The bridge will now serve anybody looking to cross, and serve as a reminder of how Greg Jr. served his country.

"It was in bad shape. It was hard on a lot of communities. Even Boonville you know because of the detour and everybody, and glad its over now."
The coronavirus pandemic has separated nursing home residents from loved ones for nearly a year and a half, and a Utica woman is headed to Washington D.C. in her quest to make sure that never happens again.

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, R-22, introduced the Essential Caregivers Act in April, with the help of Karla Abraham-Conley, who lost her mother during the pandemic after she wasnt allowed to see her for several months due to visitor restrictions.

The legislation would allow any resident of a nursing home or group care home to designate two family members as essential caregivers who can have contact during a health emergency or pandemic. This ensures any patient or resident has access to care and support from their loved ones. The bill would also allow the caregivers to have regular communication with the doctors at the facility, in order to advocate for the resident or patient.

Abraham-Conley said she is confident the bill, which she helped write, will pass.

"We wrote a good bill. We wrote a very strong bill and it's a very doable bill, and one that's absolutely 100% necessary; and it's so well written and every angle was thought out and we covered the loopholes, she said.

Abraham-Conley is going to Washington Tuesday to meet with other supporters on Capitol Hill before a press conference scheduled for Wednesday.
Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed George Floyd on a Minneapolis street last year, was sentenced Friday to 22 and half years in prison.

Chauvin, in a light gray suit and tie and white shirt, spoke briefly before the sentence was imposed, offering his 'condolences to the Floyd family.'

Under Minnesota law, Chauvin will have to serve two-thirds of his sentence, or 15 years -- and he will be eligible for supervised release for the remaining seven and a half years.

The sentence exceeds the Minnesota sentencing guideline range of 10 years and eight months to 15 years for the crime. Floyd's death sparked massive protests across the nation over police brutality.

Judge Peter Cahill said the sentence was not based on emotion or public opinion. He wanted to 'acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all of the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family,' the judge said.

In a 22 page memorandum, Cahill wrote that two aggravating factors warranted a harsher sentence -- that Chauvin 'abused his position of trust or authority' and treated Floyd with 'particular cruelty.' Chauvin, the judge wrote, treated Floyd 'without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings.'

Cahill said the former officer 'objectively remained indifferent to Mr. Floyd's pleas' even as Mr. Floyd was begging for his life and obviously terrified by the knowledge that he was likely to die.'

'Mr. Chauvin's prolonged restraint of Mr. Floyd was also much longer and more painful than the typical scenario in a second-degree or third-degree murder or second-degree manslaughter case,' the judge wrote.

Chauvin will remain in a restricted housing unit separated from the general population at the Minnesota Correctional Facility- Oak Park Heights 'for the time being,' Minnesota Department of Corrections spokesperson Sarah Fitzgerald told CNN.

'His ultimate placement is undetermined, but his safety will be our predominate concern when determining final placement,' Fitzgerald said, adding Chauvin has been on administrative segregation status for his 'general safety.'

People watch hearing on phone at corner where Floyd was killed

Chauvin, 45, was convicted in April on charges of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for his role in Floyd's death.

Floyd's final moments, captured on searing cell phone footage by a 17-year-old, illustrated in clear visuals what Black Americans have long said about how the criminal justice system treats Black people. Floyd's death set off mass protests across the globe as well as incidents of looting and unrest.

At the intersection of Chicago Avenue and 38th Street in Minneapolis, where Floyd took his last breaths, people watched the hearing on mobile phones.

Outside the court complex, Floyd supporters expressed mixed emotions about the prison term.

Floyd's sister, Bridgett, who founded the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, said in a statement that the sentence 'shows that matters of police brutality are finally being taken seriously.'

'However, we have a long way to go and many changes to make before Black and brown people finally feel like they are being treated fairly and humanely by law enforcement in this country,' she added.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump, in a statement, said the 'historic sentence' brings the family and country 'one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability.'

'With Chauvin's sentence, we take a significant step forward -- something that was unimaginable a very short time ago,' he said.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told reporters he hoped 'this moment gives us pause and allows us to rededicate ourselves to the real societal change that will move us much further along the road to justice.'

'My hope is that he takes the time to learn something about the man whose life he took and about the movement that rose up to call for justice in the wake of George Floyd's torture and death,' he said of Chauvin. 'Today is also an important moment for our country. The outcome of this case is critically important. But by itself, it's not enough.'

Chauvin's defense attorney, Eric Nelson, declined to comment.

Chauvin offers condolences to Floyd family

After members of Floyd's family delivered victim impact statements, Chauvin stepped to the lectern beside his lawyer and said, 'I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family.' He said pending legal matters prevented him from saying more.

The victim impact statements included an emotional video from Floyd's 7-year-old daughter, Gianna, who wore a bow wrapped around her hair.

'I ask about him all the time,' the little girl said, responding to questions about her dad.

'I miss you and I love you,' she said when asked what she would tell her father.

Chauvin, wearing a face covering, listened from the defense table.

Floyd's two brothers and a nephew spoke about the birthday parties, graduations and other family milestones he will miss.

Philonise Floyd said he has nightmares in which he hears his brother pleading for his life and calling out for their mother. He said he relives the video of his brother 'being tortured to death' by Chauvin, especially the smirk on the former cop's face.

'My family and I have been given a life sentence. We will never get George back,' he said.

Philonise wiped tears from his eyes as he spoke about Gianna. Terrence Floyd, another brother, struggled to speak as he asked for the maximum penalty.

'We don't want to see no more slaps on the wrist,' nephew Brandon Williams said. 'We been through that already -- in my community, in my culture.'

Carolyn Pawlenty, Chauvin's mother, grew emotional as she described him as her favorite son and 'a good man.' She said the happiest moments in her life were when Chauvin was born and when she pinned his badge on his uniform for the first time.

'Derek, I want you to know I've always believed in your innocence, and I will never waver from that,' she said.

Chauvin's post-verdict motion for a new trial was denied by Cahill hours before the hearing.

Cahill ruled Thursday night that Chauvin 'failed to demonstrate ... the Court abused its discretion or committed error such that Defendant was deprived of his constitutional right to a fair trial.'

Cahill also ruled that Chauvin failed to demonstrate prosecutorial or juror misconduct.

Defense attorneys had argued that 'errors, abuses of discretion, prosecutorial and jury misconduct' made the trial unfair.

Prosecutors had asked for a 30-year sentence

State prosecutors had requested a 30-year prison sentence, saying it 'would properly account for the profound impact of Defendant's conduct on the victim, the victim's family, and the community,' according to a sentencing memo.

Nelson argued for probation and time served, or at least a sentence less than what the law guides.

'Mr. Chauvin asks the Court to look beyond its findings, to his background, his lack of criminal history, his amenability to probation, to the unusual facts of this case, and to his being a product of a 'broken' system,' Nelson wrote in a filing.

The guilty verdict on all three charges against Chauvin came nearly a year after he impassively kneeled on the neck and back of Floyd, handcuffed and lying prone on the street, for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Under the officer's knees, the 46-year-old Black man gasped for air, repeatedly exclaimed 'I can't breathe' and ultimately went silent as a group of horrified bystanders looked on.

Chauvin arrived at the court complex in downtown Minneapolis hours before his sentencing.

Three other officers who were on scene during Floyd's fatal arrest -- Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and Alexander Kueng -- have pleaded not guilty to charges of aiding and abetting. Their trial is currently set for March 2022.

Since his conviction, Chauvin has been held at Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights, outside of Minneapolis, and was put into a segregated housing unit for his own safety, a prison spokesperson said. The Minnesota Department of Corrections will decide on where Chauvin will serve his time after receiving Cahill's sentencing order, spokeswoman Sarah Fitzgerald told CNN.

Legally, Chauvin could have faced up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for third-degree murder and up to 10 years for manslaughter. The second-degree murder charge said Chauvin assaulted Floyd with his knee, which unintentionally caused Floyd's death. The third-degree murder charge said Chauvin acted with a 'depraved mind,' and the manslaughter charge said his 'culpable negligence' caused Floyd's death.

Chauvin has no prior criminal record, so Minnesota's sentencing guidelines recommend about 12 and a half years in prison for each murder charge and about four years for the manslaughter charge.

In this case, state prosecutors asked for a tougher sentence than the recommendations provide, citing five aggravating factors they said applied. Cahill had ruled that four of the five factors were proven beyond a reasonable doubt: (1) Chauvin abused a position of trust and authority, (2) he treated Floyd with particular cruelty, (3) children were present during the offense, and (4) Chauvin committed the crime as a group with the active participation of at least three other people.

The findings allowed the judge to sentence Chauvin beyond the guidelines.

Over about three weeks of testimony in court, Minnesota prosecutors repeatedly told jurors to 'believe your eyes' and rely on the infamous video of Floyd.

'This case is exactly what you thought when you saw it first, when you saw that video. It is exactly that. You can believe your eyes,' prosecuting attorney Steve Schleicher said in closing arguments. 'This wasn't policing. This was murder.'

The defense called seven witnesses -- but not Chauvin himself, as he invoked his Fifth Amendment right not to testify. Nelson argued that Chauvin's use of force was reasonable, that he was distracted by hostile bystanders and that Floyd died of other causes.

Chauvin faces other legal issues as well. A federal grand jury indicted all four former officers in connection with Floyd's death, alleging they violated his constitutional rights, according to court documents filed in federal court in Minnesota. They are due to be arraigned on the charges in September, according to a court filing.

Chauvin also was charged in a separate indictment related to an incident in which he allegedly used unreasonable force on a Minneapolis 14-year-old in September 2017, the Justice Department said in a statement. He is also expected to be arraigned in that case in September, according to court filings.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)- The Wabash Township board held one emergency meeting earlier this week and will be holding another one on Friday. However, Wabash Township Trustee Jennifer Teising didn't attend the meeting earlier this week. She says she wasnt properly notified.

"The process for holding a board meeting that the board and I agreed upon in January and that we have done for every other meeting is that the board needs to send me the meeting notice with an agenda of what is going to be discussed with more than 48 hours notice," said Trustee Teising.

According to the Indiana Open Door Law that 48-hour notice is required so that the public is able to attend. Public Access Counselor for the state of Indiana Luke Britt says there are some other requirements surrounding the law.

"There has to be 48 hours notice posted either at the meeting location itself or the principal place of business the only additional requirements is that 48-hour requirement can't include holidays or weekends," said Britt.

Teising claims that the proper information wasn't posted on her door therefore, she views the meeting as illegal. Board members say they did properly post it. However, the emergency nature of the meeting doesn't necessarily require the board to have 48-hour notice.

"That's the kind of meeting you can have without posting 48 hours' notice," said Britt.

The board says they didn't take that approach because the meeting was properly posted. This photo sent to WLFI by board member Angel Valentin shows the posting of the meeting on the board of the trustee's office.

However, Trustee Teising says the issue at hand is funding the Fire Department which she says needs to be done in a sustainable way.

"I don't understand why people are not moving forward with the fire district if they want to keep the fire department," said Trustee Teising. "Does the community not want to pay taxes but they want to have the services? I don't know, but if that's the case then that's just not an option."

She feels this is the only way to properly fund the department, but creating a fire district isn't up to the board. That option would require a thousand signatures from Township community members who support it. However, Teising says so far only 100 people have signed the petition. If the proper number of signatures are achieved that petition would go to the county commissioner who would create the fire district and a board to oversee the department. However, that's an option that would increase taxes.

"If we do not want to increase our tax revenue then we have to pivot to a volunteer department and what we can afford is part-time positions," added Trustee Teising.

None of the members of the board were available for an interview. However, Board Member Brendan Betz says there is another option. He says a tax levy could be created to help fund the fire department as well. For that option to be on the table a feasibility study would have to be done to see if that was a viable option. This option would also increase taxes. If the department does become completely volunteer-driven, response times could go up, in turn potentially increasing community members' Homeowners insurance. Teising says people in the community need to see the bigger picture.

"To keep it in perspective we are losing three maybe at the most 5 percent of our response right," said Trustee Teising. "So we still have a response. People have been contacting me thinking the entire department is being eliminated. We are not eliminating the fire department. We are not eliminating the volunteer department. We are not cutting our ties as far as our mutual aid agreements with other agencies."

The next emergency meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 25th at 6:00 PM. It's unclear if Trustee Teising will be in attendance.
The COVID-19 pandemic strained our health care system nearly to a breaking point and mounted additional challenges for many to see a doctor in person. Fortunately, over the course of this past year, telehealth has allowed many Arizonans to use technology to conduct virtual visits with their 
Show Low, AZ (85901)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. High around 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
With federal agencies trying to crack down on passengers who are violently acting out on commercial flights, officials now say travelers are attacking -- and even biting -- those staffing airport security checkpoints.
87 year old, Woodward resident passed away December 28, 2020. A memorial service will be held Wednesday, July 7, 2021 in the Elmwood Cemetery at 10:00 a.m. Remembrances may be shared online at www.billingsfuneralhomewoodward.com
A Vision for Productivity Gains through Document Automation

As businesses constantly seek to traverse the challenging landscape while increasing their efficiency, saving valuable resources such as time and money. Modern businesses must deal with a variety of attention-consuming issues, some of which take up excessive amounts of time that could be better used to increase profitability.

To this end, the onset of document automation led by companies such as Vasion has proven incredibly economical by simplifying and redesigning powerful workflows that assist throughout a company's infrastructure in areas of management, productivity, and reducing human error.

This comprehensive technology is being featured at ITEXPO this week in Miami, for companies hoping to improve productivity within their company through streamlining an exceptional workflow that enhances the potency of their entire workforce.

One area of improvement provided by document automation is organizational visibility, as the cloud-based automation platform removes the necessity to exchange various documentation between departments. Instead, the platform allows all employees with granted access to have clear visibility of the persistent centralized platform alleviating significant amounts of time-consuming interchange. It also allows new company instructions to be simultaneously visible for all employees near a device without requiring manual distribution.

Another benefit is a large reduction of human error, removing the necessity of paper documents which can be lost, damaged, or misplaced. In addition, this would remove the possibility for great amounts of wasted time searching for a document due to disorganization, instead allowing all employees to constantly have access to the most updated version of the document, also removing the possibility of working with outdated information.

Additionally, with document automation, organizations will witness easier and more effective manageability of workflows even across differing departments. This is due to the accessibility and simplicity of the centralized platform that allows straightforward distribution of forms to the correct recipients, allowing documents to be sent and received at a faster pace creating a more connected and productive workforce. This increased productivity will extend further to enhance customer experience and encourage a loyal customer base to expand due to automation's seamless workflow.

Another service provided through document automation is instantaneous reporting that allows companies to monitor and gauge productivity with the press of a button. This simplifies addressing issues by offering clarity to where gaps in the workflow exist, enabling the organization to quickly improve a smooth and coherent workflow within the company while avoiding major disruptions.

Automation is an incredibly effective way to dramatically increase productivity within a company. With the right automation platform provided by companies such as Vasion, businesses can create a flawless workflow that rarely lapses its quality. Vasion is showcasing this technology at Booth 550 during ITEXPO (News - Alert) from June 22nd to 25th.

Edited by Luke Bellos
Coronavirus cases rising fastest in under 25s with early optimism vaccines are slowing the spread of the virus in other age groups

Cases of coronavirus in Wales are increasing fastest in those under the age of 25, with the first minister today issuing a fresh plea for people to come forward for first and second vaccination doses.

The rise in cases has been put down to a higher level of socialising in the age group and the Delta variant, which is now spreading freely in communities right across Wales.

It is thought the variant is between 40 and 80 per cent more transmissible than the Alpha (Kent) variant, which was responsible for the majority of cases during the winter peak.

So far 1100 cases of the variant have been identified across Wales as it has doubled in a week, with Delta making up 90% all new cases in North Wales.

The First Minister said 15 people have so far been hospitalised across Wales as a result of the variant. Wrexham.com asked the First Minister if there was, like there is in England, a breakdown of those people in terms of vaccination status however was told due to the low numbers involved that was not yet possible  but is known internally. That data from Public Health England (PHE) has been included in the most recent Technical Advisory Cell document from Welsh Government yesterday, however was superseded by the latest release earlier today (below).

North Wales has seen the largest rise of coronavirus cases over the last week, with Public Health Wales announcing yesterday than the seven day rolling average in nearly at 100 cases per 100,000.

This has been put down to the porous border between the region and the north west of England, which has seen the largest outbreak of coronavirus cases in England

In Wrexham cases have steadily increased over the last few weeks, with the seven day rolling benchmark now at 54.4 per 100,000 people.

Earlier today we reported how more than 1300 pupils across the county borough are now self-isolating.

In Flintshire, which has the highest case rate per 100,000 in Wales, cases amongst under-25s in are seven times higher than amongst those aged over 60.

Speaking a press conference this afternoon, First Minister Mark Drakeford said there are early indications that vaccines are protecting the most vulnerable age groups.

Mr Drakeford said: As you can see in the red line, cases amongst people aged 60 and over are either static or rising very marginally.

The rise in cases amongst people under 25 is accelerating much faster.

And that tells us that here in Wales, some of the same patterns that we have seen elsewhere in the United Kingdom and which we saw in Wales, during the first two waves is emerging once again,

The gap between the age groups in numerical terms looks like this, for people under 25 the rate is around 67 cases per 100,000, and just 9 cases for people aged over 60.

What this may be telling us, and I must say it is suggestive, its what may be showing, rather than being sure about it, is that were seeing the positive impact of the vaccination program in slowing down the spread of the virus across the age ranges.

Thats because more than nine out of 10 people aged over 65, with healthcare staff and people living in older peoples care homes in Wales, all of those people have already had two doses of the vaccine.

More than 85% of people between the ages of 55 and 64 have been double vaccinated.

And there is that positive research and evidence emerging that despite the speed at which the Delta variant spreading, vaccination is helping to prevent serious illnesses.

That is why of course we are working so hard to focus our vaccination program on getting as many people as possible to have two doses of the vaccine.

However the first minister noted that there has been a drop in health boards across Wales in the number of people aged 30-39 coming forward for vaccination in recent weeks.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board issued a fresh plea to those aged between 18-39 earlier this week after seeing a similar drop in numbers.

For the local health board to reach the 75% vaccine target for the two groups, it needs to target an additional 10,173 people aged 30-39 and 8,609 people aged 18-29 need to be vaccinated.

The first minister said: Take up rates in Wales have been fantastic and overall people have been really enthusiastic about the vaccine,

Were seeing some small signs of hesitancy, lower numbers coming forward in people in the age 30-39.

Health boards are working hard to make clinics and appointments as flexible as possible, as close to peoples homes and work as possible.

Its very important, I think, that employers give staff the time off, they need to go and be vaccinated when they are invited to be so.

We also continue to work with particular communities and groups to maximise their protection, to make sure that nobody in Wales is left behind and that everybody in Wales is able to say yes to the vaccine.

One dose we know is not enough to give you the protection which this vaccine can provide.

We need everyone to complete the two dose course to make sure we all get the full protection the vaccine offer.

So please keep on saying yes to vaccination and keep that appointment when it comes to you.

You can view the full briefing from today on the below video:
Councillor quotes research by reading out Shell website as plan to call on pension fund to move away from carbon fuel investments fails

An attempt to get Wrexham Council to call upon their regional Pension Fund bodies to seek rapid disinvestment in companies that produce carbon emitting fuels has failed.

The non political motion, introduced as an opposition motion, was signed by members of the Labour, Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat councillors and was debated at the end of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Wrexham Council on Wednesday.

The motion pointed to the Climate Emergency declaration by Wrexham Council and asked councillors to back a call, like others have done in Wales, on the Clwyd Pension Fund to seek rapid disinvestment in companies that produce carbon emitting fuels.

The motion noted, In particular, given the very long history of carbon fuel companies investing huge sums of their money to distort and deny climate change evidence, the likelihood of persuading them to go against their narrow financial interests seems remote.

Wrexham Councillors Cllr Nigel Williams (Main member) and Cllr Trevor Bates (Substitute if Cllr Williams cant attend) are co-opted members of Clwyd Pension Fund Committee and would have effectively been asked via the motion to press for the rapid disinvestment in carbon fuel companies at every available opportunity via that role.

Labour Group Leader Cllr Dana Davies opened the debate saying a global transition to a low carbon economy is essential, pointing to actions by Dyfed Pension Fund earlier this year that screened out investment in companies with exposure to fossil fuel reserves and thermal coal.

Pension funds in Wales are already doing this, so this motion in front of you isnt new. Cardiff and Monmouthshire councils have also been very proactive in this area. So the question is, why cant we here in Wrexham?

We as a local authority have a responsibility to work for the public good and we do that by supporting Im developing ethical policies.

If we are serious and committed as a council to our local decarbonisation plan. We need to support this motion.

Cllr Marc Jones seconded the proposed motion, adding that the council has to persuade those corporations to consider renewable energy options.

Due to the meeting taking nearly two hours to get to the debate on this motion Cllr David A Bithell was juggling two screens and two meetings and indicated he would not be taking part in the vote (he did), and he gave a brief presentation on achievements as he stated that Wrexham has got a real good track record for decarbonisation  something the motion itself stated.

Cllr Bithell also gave a run down of the finances, explaining: Fossil fuels make up about 25 million approximately 1.1% of Clwyd Pension Fund assets, which are over 2 billion.

There are over 49,000 Clwyd Pension Fund scheme members, 17,000 contributors, 18,000 deferred contributors and 14,000 pensioners. This council works proactively to promote decarbonisation across the council at every opportunity.

My belief is its not our role as elected members to interfere with trustee matters where 1000s of peoples are affected with their pensions. I will not be supporting the motion today. Clearly, I wont be voting against it.

But I would if I was here, Mr. Mayor, and Im asking councillors not to support the motion, because I think this is meddling in trustee matters, which is a matter for trustees of the pension committee and not elected members of this council.

Cllr Malcom King urged Wrexham to lead the way as he related conversation with other councillors in North Wales saying others would follow suit if such a motion was agreed.

Cllr King pointed to the finances of pension funds and share prices of such fossil fuel investments, stating: Youd got to be completely bonkers thinking that the share price for oil and gas and coal is going to go up.

Its been going down now for years. If it suddenly goes down, that will affect the pension funds. It will affect all of us, including us as councillors.

If that were the case, we would have to as a council add more money into their pension contributions, which would affect council tax payers. Is that something really, really we would want to risk by not getting out of a failing share price for oil, gas and coal?

Cllr King also focused in on possible hypocrisy, adding: The other issue to do with finance is that were trying to persuade Wrexham electors to do more about this and recycle and so on and put themselves out because theyre all worried about climate change.

Whilst at the same time, we as councillors are making money out of the share price for oil and gas, would we would we be advocating investing in smoking, in tobacco companies? Im sure we wouldnt.

Lets get on with this, lets try and protect our grandchildrens future by getting out of coal and gas and oil as soon as we can. Otherwise, Im afraid all of us will be asked by our grandchildren, What on earth were you thinking of?.

How could we be saying that the best approach is for positive engagement with oil companies that have lied to us for decades about climate change? I dont think there is a positive engagement you can have with organisations like that.

We just need to get out of it before theyre worthless shares and before we have to use council taxpayers money to make up for the poor, poor investment choice we made now, besides the poor ethical choice we were making by not doing it.

Cllr Trevor Bates offered an animated rebuttal to Cllr King, saying: The motion before us calls for disinvestment in fossil fuel companies, the likes of Shell and BP, for instance. So I thought I would do some research into what exactly we might be withdrawing our investment from in these companies who are the enemies of climate change, and who stands with this council in the war against climate change.

Cllr Bates appeared to have been reading this page along with others on the Royal Dutch Shell PLC UK website as part of his research.

He added: I took a look at the Shell website to start and according to their website, Shell wants to be a leading player in the sustainable transport system of the future and its invested in a range of alternative fuels with low or no carbon emissions like hydrogen and electric vehicle charging.

So perhaps theyre not our enemy after all? In 2017, Shell signed an agreement with high powered charging network operator IONITY. They offer charging points across 10 European countries, starting with 80 of its biggest highway stations.

This meant that drivers could travel long distances with confidence for the first time using EV vehicles. In 2018, Shell opened a new hydrogen refueling station at Shell Beaconsfield in Buckinghamshire, supplied by ITM power. This opening follows the launch of its first fully branded and public hydrogen refueling site in the UK at Shell Cobham in 2017.

The motion before us calls for disinvestment in this company  Shell, but is Shell the enemy? This is a company driving the change but the motion says disinvest. This is a company seeking out carbon neutral alternatives. But the motion before us says disinvest.

This is a company testing developing carbon neutral alternatives but the motion before it us disinvest. This is a company funding the development of alternatives. But the motion for calls for Clwyd Pension Fund to disinvest, but not only Clwyd Pension Fund, it calls for everyone to disinvest in some of the biggest drivers of change today, I hasten to add the BP are also doing similar things.

Cllr Bates clarified, I have not been paid by Shell to do this, by the way.

Cllr Bates speech went on, For the time being our world depends on petrol, diesel, coal, and gas, etc. To disinvest in such companies is to disinvest in our future. Apart from planning the future, what else are these companies doing? Well, like it or not, right now, your lives, your familys lives and indeed, my life depends on fossil fuels.

These companies are keeping the country moving, or perhaps you want the country to stop? How do you think our police force would manage to police without petrol to drive their cars? How do you think our paramedics would get about, our ambulances? How about our fire engines? How many electric powered fire engines out there right now?

Yes, we do need to change but the change needs to be controlled. We cant just turn the tap off. Not today, not tomorrow. But hopefully if we get it right sometime in the near future.

Cllr Bates wrapped up his points by targeting those who signed the motion, So you the councillors who signed this motion? You think our pension fund managers should just cash in their shares in all these fossil fuel companies? Like Shell, like BP, and you want everyone else to do the same? If we did this, Im sure all the overseas investors would really snap them up at a discount and take further control in the UK.

Perhaps this motion was brought about from a genuine feeling that we can make a difference to our environments. Those more cynical amongst us might feel that perhaps it was brought in an attempt to make favourable sound bites ahead to the next elections. Either way, this motion has not been thought through, indeed, the war against climate change.

Perhaps the first thing we need to do is work out whether these companies are indeed our enemies, or perhaps we should be standing side by side with a common aim of future survival.

Cllr David Griffiths said: We all want to cleaner future, we all want a future for our children and grandchildren. I think has been said earlier on, these firms cant do it on no money. They need the money to do it.

The Finance Officer interjected and pointed out that the Clwyd Pension Fund has its own governance framework (Page currently 404ing) and also noted, that none of the eight pension funds have divested in fossil fuels at this point, what they are doing is putting in place responsible investment policies and the Clwyd Pension Fund approve the responsible investment policy on the June 9th which moves towards a carbon neutral position.

Cllr Nigel Williams, the co-opted member on the Clwyd Pension Fund committee, then addressed the meeting, Ive been accused of not caring for the environment.

Well, Id like to say this, I have a young family myself and I do care. Since becoming elected four years ago I have planted dozens of trees in my ward, together with volunteers planted 1000s of plants, and bulbs all which reduce the carbon footprint. I hope everyone bringing this motion here this evening and all the people who have contacted me by phone and email are doing the same to do their bit.

My main fiduciary function is to ensure that the pension fund can financially meet its obligations and pay the pensions to all of those who are entitled, which people have worked so hard for all the working lives, also parents or family members, or maybe widowed, so they depend on this money also. However, the Clwyd Pension Fund also has to ensure that we have a robust, responsible ethical investment policy that we adhere to. 

Cllr Williams pointed to the Finance Officer comments earlier, adding: We have set out our policies to gradually divest over a period of time that we feel are sustainable and will not adversely impact on the fund.

Citing Cllr Bates speech earlier about share ownership and losing control, Cllr Williams said: Selling the shares simply passes ownership to another investor, and has no impact at all on the company. Instead, we use ownership powers to engage these companies to ensure that policies are in place to transition away from fossil fuels. If were not sitting at the table, we cant be party to those discussions.

The focus on engagement rather than blanket divestments allows the fund to benefit from opportunities from fossil fuel companies who are in the process of transitioning to renewable forms of energy.

Several of the companies included in the 25 million total that we have invested, now also generate revenues from renewable energy. The approach of engagements rather than divestments is supported by government representatives and best practice initiatives, including the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion, the Pensions Regulator, Local Authority Pensions Forum, and the Wales Pension Partnership, and other groups such as Pensions for Purpose.

The fund has made investments in green, and new energy technologies for a number of years by investing in private rather than public companies. This includes investments selected by fund managers in solar and wind farms, as well as other environmental technologies.

Cllr Williams also told the meeting that at the last Clwyd Pension Fund meeting earlier this month he brought up the subject of disinvestments and asked that we try and bring this forward as quickly as practicable, pointing out he did not need a motion to make him do that.

Cllr Williams also called out Flintshire councillors, pointing out he was the only one pushing for change, and said there were six members from Flintshire on the committee.

Cllr Alun Jenkins said he was staggered that Cllr Williams was the only one putting pressure on, adding: I agree with what Trevor is saying that, yes, theyre already doing much of this.

But, if theres a threat to that existence, then they are more likely to work more quickly to do what is necessary to bring about faster change. Im certainly not pressing for immediate change to pull the plug now on these investments, that would not be sensible for anybody.

I think that that discussion needs to take place within the within the [Clwyd Pension Fund]. Nigel is obviously raising the questions, and hopefully our resolution will give would give encouragement, and add strength to his arm now to be able to achieve that.

Cllr Michael Dixon did not mince his words speaking about progress with Exxon Mobil towards greener energy generation, adding I wouldnt presume to instruct either Nigel or Trevor, or indeed the others to say divest from these companies. I want to nail those companies feet to the floor, and change them.

With the oil companies, were stuck with them for the time being. From the short term point of view I would not wish to divest from them, because I dont want some so and so thinking Great, we can screw money out of other people!

I want to be in there fighting and changing them because I believe thats the only way were actually going to get the future that we want, that we desperately need before we blow everything else on this planet. So from that point of view, whilst I welcome the fact that this motion has come and that were having some debate, and I wont be supporting it this evening.

Cllr Dana Davies wrapped up the debate, reminding those still present that the motion actually gives Councillor Williams more encouragement, more strength in his argument that he presents at that meeting and helps him in driving the agenda.

A named roll call of councillors left in the meeting took place with 15 votes in favour of the motion and 19 votes against the motion meaning that the motion was lost.
Digital NHS COVID Pass is now available in Wales for those who need to travel abroad urgently

People living in Wales who have received the Covid vaccine will be able to access their vaccination status via the internet from today to generate an NHS COVID Pass for urgent outbound international travel.

Vaccine certificates have been available in Wales since May for those who need to urgently travel internationally and provide proof of their vaccination status, with certificates being sent in the post.

The paper certificates will continue to be issued only for people who are unable to access the digital Pass. Access to the NHS COVID Pass in Wales means that proof of vaccination will be available for people to show on their phone, tablet or laptop.

The paper certificates will continue to be issued only for people who are unable to access the digital Pass.

Covid vaccination status is available if you:

Have had the COVID-19 vaccine

Were vaccinated in Wales

Are aged 16 or over

The digital pass will show if you have been vaccinated against Covid, although you will still need to check entry requirements for the country you intend to visit such as number of vaccination doses, testing and isolation, and will still need to follow travel rules such as pre-departure testing.

Your Covid vaccination status can be viewed online on the NHS COVID Pass website, where you can either download or print it as a PDF document. This is the only valid digital vaccination status available; any alternative services claiming to offer proof of vaccine status for a fee are not legitimate.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: Im pleased that people in Wales can now access their vaccination status via the NHS COVID Pass if they need to travel urgently and have completed their vaccine course.

Its important to remember that the Welsh Government advice on travel hasnt changed, and people should only consider international travel if absolutely essential.

People in Wales can now access their vaccination status on their phone, tablet or laptop using the digital NHS COVID Pass.

Work is ongoing to integrate Englands NHS App and NHS Wales systems to allow people in Wales to use it.

People can request a bilingual NHS COVID Pass letter by calling 0300 303 5667.

The NHS COVID Pass can be accessed here: www.gov.wales/get-nhs-covid-pass-show-your-vaccination-status-travel
Public invited to have their say on how North Wales is policed

People in North Wales are being urged to help draw up a new blueprint for the way the region is policed and help decide where 20 extra PCSOs should work.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin and Chief Constable Carl Foulkes are asking local communities, groups and representative bodies to tell them what they think is most important and what they are most worried about.

Mr Dunbobbin is preparing to write his first Police and Crime Plan after being elected in May and is keen for as many people as possible to have a voice in the process.

Along with the Chief Constable, he is asking people to take part in a survey which will help shape North Wales Polices priorities.

The survey covers all aspects of policing, from tackling serious and organised crime and protecting children and young people from sexual exploitation and abuse, to dealing with social media trolling and responding to non-emergency calls.

Paper copies will be available for those who do not wish to fill in the online version. There will also be an easy read version available.

Its in the form of multiple choice questions with participants indicating on a scale of one to five how important they consider each different aspect of policing to be.

The aim is to publish the plan in September.

Mr Dunbobbin said: North Wales is one of safest places to live, work and visit in the UK and I want to ensure we keep it that way. As the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, I have statutory duty to consult local people on policing priorities.

In consultation with the force, Im drafting my first Police and Crime Plan and in order to do that the force and I need to be aware what local people believe the policing priorities should be.

My aim is to ensure that the views, needs and expectations of all parts of our communities are reflected in the plan.

I am accountable to the people when it comes to crime and anti-social behaviour so it is vitally important for me to find out what people think about how the region should be policed.

The updated Police and Crime Plan will set out in plain English and Welsh the level of service people can expect to receive from their local police force.

Essentially, I will be consulting the public on the policies contained in my manifesto when I was elected.

The Welsh Government is funding an increase in the number of PCSOs in Wales from 500 to 600. I have had conversations to make sure that North Wales gets its fair share and as a result the force is to have an additional 20 of them.

The survey also provides people with the opportunity to give their view on where they think the PCSOs should work.

Importantly, the rights and interests of victims will be at the heart of the Police and Crime Plan.

The North Wales Victim Help Centre does excellent work and it has specialist teams have been set up to provide support for victims of cybercrime, child sexual exploitation, modern day slavery and fraud.

I am keen to invest further in victim services and I will be setting up a victims panel so that survivors also have a voice in the way we operate and the support we provide so that we can do things better.

The purpose of the Police and Crime Plan is to ensure the force is paying specific attention to those points which have been identified as crucial by the public, me and indeed by the force itself.

An important part of my role as Commissioner will be to monitor the forces compliance with the plan and I will be rigorous in holding them to account on behalf of the people of North Wales.

Chief Constable Foulkes said: The views of the people of North Wales are are really important to us and through previous surveys have shaped the force we are today.

We want to make sure we are addressing the concerns of local communities to influence the content and priorities of the Police and Crime Plan, and crucially how North Wales is policed. Our aim is to ensure that all our diverse local communities have a say in shaping future services and the allocation of resources.

Completing the survey wont take up too much time but it will make a big difference in terms of our understanding of what is important to the public, what they think we do well and where they think we could improve. The Commissioner and I look forward to hearing from as many people as possible.

The survey is now available at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SMDKY8R for people to complete until Friday, August 20.

Paper copies of the survey are available by contacting opcc@nthwales.pnn.police.uk or 01492 805486. An easy read version of the survey is also available.
President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that he was endorsing an infrastructure plan put forward by a bipartisan group of senators that was a fraction of his original $2.25 trillion proposal unveiled last March.

Standing outside the White House with a group of five Democrats and five Republicans, Biden said, We have a deal and then added none of us got all that we wanted. Biden got far less with the bipartisan plan proposing to spend about $579 billion in new investments in roads, broadband internet, electric utilities and other projects, a drop in the bucket in comparison to the funding need to repair and update the countrys crumbling and neglected infrastructure.

President Joe Biden speaks about infrastructure negotiations, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, June 24, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Attempting the political equivalent of making a silk purse out of a sows ear, Biden said, When we can find common ground, working across party lines, that is what I will seek to do, adding that the deal was a true bipartisan effort, breaking the ice that too often has kept us frozen in place.

While the corporate media hailed the endorsement as a major breakthrough, the reality is that a commitment by the US government to any infrastructure spending plan is still far from a certainty. As the New York Times wrote, the bipartisan plan may not even muster the support of at least 60 senators to overcome any filibuster from Republicans, and the two track strategy of the Democratspursuing a larger funding bill through the process known as reconciliation at the same timepromises to be a heavy lift.

The $579 billion in spending above expected federal levels in the bipartisan proposal would bring the investment in infrastructure to $973 billion over five years and $1.2 trillion if it is continued for eight years. According to a White House press statement, if adopted, the eight-year plan contains $109 billion for roads, bridges and major projects; $73 billion for power infrastructure; $66 billion for passenger and freight rail; $65 billion for broadband access; $49 billion for public transit; and $25 billion for airports.

Republican opposition to tax increases to pay for the plan won out in the deal, with the cost of the spending covered by repurposing existing federal funds, public-private partnerships and revenue collected from enhanced enforcement at the Internal Revenue Service, sales from the strategic petroleum reserve and wireless-spectrum auction sales, among the other sources of revenue.

Bidens original proposal called for a partial roll back of the corporate tax breaksraising rates from 21 percent to 28 percentput in place by the Trump administration in 2017.

Democrats such as Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut were reduced to complaining that bipartisan agreement was way too smallpaltry, pathetic. I need a clear, ironclad assurance that there will be a really adequate robust package that will follow.

The president attempted to gloss over his surrender to the Republican Party agenda and right-wing Democrats such as Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mark Warner of Virginia by claiming there would be more added to the bill as it moved through the legislative process. He said, If this is the only thing that comes to me, Im not signing it.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also claimed the Democrats would not support the bipartisan bill until the Senate presents a bill that is focused on Bidens human infrastructure proposalsincluding funding for child care and tax credits for families. Pelosi added, There wont be an infrastructure bill unless we have a reconciliation bill. Plain and simple.

That the Republicans are clearly driving the bus on Bidens infrastructure agenda was immediately revealed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who attacked the Democrats posturing, saying, Less than two hours after publicly commending our colleagues and actually endorsing the bipartisan agreement, the president took the extraordinary step of threatening to veto it. From the Senate floor McConnell said on Thursday that Biden and Pelosi were issuing an ultimatum on behalf of your left-wing base.

Vice President Kamala Harris attempted to paint the collapse of the 2021 Democratic Party legislative initiative in the name of bipartisan compromise as a victory. This agreement signals to the world that we can function, deliver and do significant things, Harris said in a veiled reference to the January 6 assault on the US Capitol by a fascist-led mob organized by leaders of the Republican Party and the Trump White House in an effort to overturn the election.

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the current condition of the backbone of American society earns a grade point average of a D+ or a rating of poor, at risk, based on an evaluation of eighteen different categories of infrastructure. The ASCE report card states, A large portion of the system exhibits significant deterioration. Condition and capacity are of serious concern with strong risk of failure.

The disastrous state of the US infrastructure is one manifestation of the decline of American capitalism since its emergence after World War II as the dominant industrial, financial and military power internationally. A study performed in 2018 called Economic Impact of Infrastructure Investment, by Jeffrey M. Stupak, revealed that infrastructure investment by federal, state and local governments in the US peaked in the 1930s at 4.2 percent of GDP and has fallen since then to 1.5 percent.

The study also pointed out that the US lags behind many other developed countries with respect to annual infrastructure spending, with all G7 countries with the exception of Italy and Germany spending more each year as a share of their economy than the US. Stupak also argued that while infrastructure is often thought of as roads, railways, airports and utilities, it also includes things such as hospitals, schools and other public buildings.

The decades of malign neglect by the US ruling establishment in relationship to these critical elements of modern society emerged in stark relief over the past year during the COVID-19 pandemic as more than 600,000 Americans perished from the disease in the wealthiest country in the world. The world is right now witnessing a further example of the crisis in the US, as a 12-story oceanfront condominium building in Surfside, Florida has collapsed, with at least 99 people currently unaccounted for.

As the financial resources of society have been funneled into the hands of a small layer of millionaires and billionaires, the essential infrastructure that hundreds of millions depend upon has been starved of resources and transformed into more and more of a public danger.

The Democrats and Republicans have both overseen this process of wealth transfer through a combination of budget cuts and reductions in regulation, health and safety inspection and enforcement. Subordinating everything in society to the drive for profit and the accumulation of share values on Wall Street, the ruling establishment has combined the assault on infrastructure with a reduction in the wages, benefits and working conditions of the working class.
One of the most recognizable features of the COVID-19 infection is the loss of smell and/or taste, disturbances that often precede respiratory symptoms affecting upwards of 80 to 90 percent of those infected. Early in the course of the pandemic, clinicians began to associate the sudden onset of these symptoms without an underlying cause as indications of infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

CT image of a normal brain (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Additional neurological symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea and vomiting in many infected individuals. In severe cases, strokes or impairment in consciousness can occur. Viral neurotropism, a term that describes the ability of viruses to infect nerve tissue, has been hypothesized as possibly the cause for some of these symptoms. Still, evidence for direct invasion by the virus into the central nervous system (CNS) has been limited.

In the course of the pandemic, there has been an intense investigation into the neurotropic ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Given the neurological manifestation of Long COVID symptoms and its impact on cognition, it is critical to understand if the CNS is directly affected by the live virus or if these symptoms are a secondary byproduct of our immune systems response to the infection.

Often, the current literature on this topic is based on only a small series of cases, which can be confounded by a lack of comparisons to uninfected individuals, leading to conflicting results and conclusions. Even many of the neuro-imaging reports published have been performed in people with acute symptoms revealing a broad range of findings but without consistent patterns to elucidate the impact of the infection on the brain in general.

For instance, in an intriguing report published in Nature in November 2020, the authors from Charite University of Medicine, Berlin, summarized their findings after conducting a careful postmortem evaluation of the olfactory mucosa, its nervous projections, and several defined CNS (central nervous system) regions in 33 individuals, who died from COVID-19. According to the study, one-third had severe neurological symptoms before succumbing to their infections. The olfactory system is the structure that makes up the nose, nasal cavities and the nerves that carry the sense of smell to the regions of the brain where it is perceived.

The authors wrote: Taken our findings together, we provide evidence that SARS-CoV-2 neuro-invasion can occur at the neural-mucosal interface by trans-mucosal (nasal passages) entry via regional nervous structures. This may be followed by transport along the olfactory tract of the CNS, thus explaining some of the well-documented neurological symptoms in COVID-19, including alterations of smell and taste perceptions.

The olfactory mucosa is situated under a thin strip of perforated bone called the cribriform plate.

Head anatomy with olfactory nerve, including labels for the nasal cavity, olfactory nerves, cribriform plate, olfactory bulb, and olfactory tract. Source, Wikipedia.

The sensory neurons that detect smells are threaded from these holes leading to the brain just above it. Additional study findings included microscopic blood clots in six cases with recently localized infarction of the brain.

Dr. Kiran T. Thakur, a neurologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, speaking with the Washington Post, explained that the ability of the virus to penetrate deeper into the brain tissue has critical consequences. A person who has a virus in their brain can have symptoms related to brain involvement. Viruses that invade the brain are tough to eradicate because a barrier protects the brain from the rest of the body. Once viruses enter the brain, the organ can become a refuge for stowaways.

However, countering the findings in the Charite study, he and his colleagues recently published a study that found levels of the actual virus in the brain, compared to the nasal cavities, were very low. This was corroborated by neuropathologist Frank Heppner of Charite, who has studied the brains of over 100 COVID-19 victims. In their not yet published findings, he told the Post, [Our] investigations show low amounts of virus in the brain.

Precisely because there is an urgency for large, well-designed trials to address these questions, the findings of a new UK brain imaging study are fairly important.

Before the onset of the pandemic, UK Biobank, a long-term 30-year study established in 2006 to follow 500,000 volunteers ages 40 to 69 to investigate the contributions from genetics and environmental exposure to disease development, had already conducted 40,000 brain scans. In the context of COVID-19 and its association with the brain, serendipitously, the scientists from the University of Oxford and Imperial College London invited hundreds of these volunteers to participate in a second imaging visit in 2021 to investigate the correlation.

As the authors noted, this was the first large-scale longitudinal imaging study in COVID-19 patients whose brain scans were compared to before the pandemic and with well-matched controls (for age, sex, ethnic background, and the interval between the two scans) and comparing people who were positive and negative for COVID-19 infection. There were 394 COVID patients and 388 controls. The concluded study was posted on the preprint server medRxiv.

The authors wrote their findings revealed a significant, deleterious impact of COVID-19 on the olfactory cortex (region of the brain responsible for smell perception) and gustatory cortex (taste and flavor), with a more pronounced reduction in grey matter thickness and volume in the left para-hippocampal gyrus, the left superior insula and the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex in COVID patients. It should be emphasized that this study provided objective evidence of the destructive impact of COVID on the brain.

Grey matter is distributed at the brains surface, containing most of the brains neuronal cell bodies and essentially controls all our brains functions. Besides involving peoples sense of smell and taste, the mentioned areas play a role in memory and emotional reactions. The study findings were troubling because the brains of those with mild cases of COVID-19 infection were similar to a small number of hospitalized patients with severe disease, hinting that the impact on the brain is not predicated on the severity of the condition.

The other aspect of the study that makes it compelling is the longitudinal nature with matched controls that assured the researchers that these findings were free of substantial interpretational bias from case studies. However, what remains to be better elucidated is if these findings are a byproduct of a direct infection by the virus or immune/inflammatory changes caused by the disease.

They summarized that the limbic nature of the regions of the olfactory system, and their physical proximity to the hippocampus, in particular, raise the possibility that longer-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection (for which some suggest that the coronavirus itself enters the brain via the olfactory route) might in time contribute to Alzheimers disease or other forms of dementia.

MRI imaging of the Olfactory nervous system. a: frontal view - white arrow pointing to cribriform plate and white tip showing the olfactory bulb. b: side view - image of the olfactory bulb placed on the cribriform plate. c: front view - olfactory tract between the right gyrus and the medio-orbital gyrus. d: Side view - olfactory tract under the frontal lobe (tip of white arrow). Source - diagnostic and interventional imaging.

The compelling evidence between COVID-19 and the long-term effects on the brain and nervous system led to the initiation in January 2021 of a large international study investigating the correlation between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the issues behind the cognitive decline, Alzheimers disease and other dementia that afflict the elderly.

For decades, evidence has been accumulating that respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses, may potentially increase a persons risk for these neurological diseases. Circumstantial evidence for this exists after the Spanish flu. Researchers from almost 40 countries will enroll and follow 40,000 participants aged over 50 who have survived COVID-19 infections to answer these critical questions.

One of the lead authors of the international study, Dr. Gabriel A. de Erausquin from Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimers and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio, explained: When the trail of the virus, when it invades the brain, leads almost straight to the hippocampus. That is believed to be one of the sources of the cognitive impairment observed in COVID-19 patients. We suspect it may also be part of the reason why there will be an accelerated cognitive decline over time in susceptible individuals.

Given that estimates of the global burden of COVID-19 infections are in the hundreds of millions if not billions, the social and economic implications of the pandemics impact will be considerable, especially in the decades that will proceed the eventual end of the pandemic.

Dr. Erausquin added: It really worries me, because if you think that we are already, in developed countries at least, an aging population, and the rate of dementia and diseases of the brain is already likely to increase, the impact of an additional hit on the brain that can accelerate or precipitate the disease without any additional risk factors, thats scary to think about.

The more transmissible Delta variant is well underway to becoming the dominant strain in the US and throughout Europe before the summers end. In the context of the complete abandonment of all public health measures and school reopenings, school-age children and young adults, who have for the most part still to be vaccinated, face considerable consequences to their long-term neurological health. Most of the planets population remains naive (unexposed) to the virus. Should they survive the infection, as most will, how has the criminal response to the pandemic, which continues to place profits over lives and livelihoods, impacted their lives that are still unlived?
The Socialist Party (PSOE)-Podemos government has pardoned nine Catalan nationalists serving decade-long jail sentences over their role in the October 1, 2017, Catalan independence referendum. The decrees eliminate the remainder of the prison sentences, which were based on fraudulent convictions on charges of sedition and misuse of public funds. They maintain the prisoners disqualification from holding public office for a decade, however.

Podemos party leader Pablo Iglesias speaks as Spain's caretaker Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez looks on after signing an agreement at the parliament in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Yesterday, they were released from jail.

The PSOE-Podemos pardons are not a recognition that the Catalan nationalists were jailed due to a far-right campaign using trumped-up charges and a show trial. In fact, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez made clear that he defends the Supreme Courts reactionary sentences and refuses to halt the prosecution of 3,000 Catalan-nationalist activists. Rather, it is a pragmatic decision dictated by the need to rapidly shower Spanish corporations and banks with billions of European Union (EU) bailout funds, while trying to defuse mounting working class anger over the pandemic and EU austerity measures.

The pardons have received the full blessings of powerful sections of the Spanish and European bourgeoisie. They come after Sanchezs speech last Friday titled Re-encounter: A project for the future, for all of Spain at the Gran Teatre del Liceu. Speaking in front of Catalan businessmen, Sanchez announced the pardons, calling them a resounding message of the desire to live together in coexistence.

Antonio Garamendi, president of the Spanish Confederation of Employers Organizations (CEOE), which represents Spanish big business, told RTVE that if this ends in things normalizing, it is welcome. Two days later, he said in another interview, I would like companies to return to Catalonia, and normality is needed. An estimated 7,500 companies have left Catalonia since the 2017 independence referendum.

Javier Faus, president of the Cercle dEconomy, Catalonias big-business association, founded during the 1950s by pro-Francoite Catalan businessmen, said: We consider that political stability has an economic value in itself. Politics and economics are not unrelated. ... We need tranquility, calm and get to work on things.

Even the Catholic Church, a bastion of the 1936-1978 fascist Francoite regime and still one of Spains largest landowners, posted a statement defending the pardons. It said, dialogue must always be proposed as an effective way that responds to the hope of resolving divisions.

Spains largest trade unions, the Stalinist Workers Commissions (CCOO) and the social-democratic General Union of Labor (UGT), which are negotiating wage cuts and sackings, and advising the government on austerity, posted a joint statement hailing the pardons as a necessaryalthough certainly not a sufficientcondition to overcome past episodes.

Outside of Spain, major factions of the European bourgeoisie supported the pardons. The Council of Europe, a human rights body headquartered in Strasbourg, the seat of the EU parliament, passed a resolution defending the pardons. It also demanded the withdrawal of Spanish extradition requests for exiled Catalan nationalists facing charges in Spain.

Londons Financial Times posted an editorial, Catalan pardons offer a chance of reconciliation, calling the pardons a commendable attempt to try to open a route to reconciliation and coexistence within Catalonia.

Workers and youth must be warned. The WSWS has always opposed the incarceration of the Catalan nationalists and called for their release, but Spanish big business, the Catholic Church and the European bourgeoisie are not trying to defend democracy. Indeed, barely three months ago, the PSOE was busily seeking extraditions of Catalan nationalist lawmakers charged with sedition sitting in the European parliament. The question raised by the pardons is: what has changed?

The pardons are part of back-door negotiations between factions of the ruling class in Madrid, spearheaded by the PSOE-Podemos government, and in Barcelona, led by the Catalan nationalists, over the disbursement of billions of euros in EU bailout funds.

In coming years, Spain is set to take in 140 billion from the EUs 750-billion recovery fund. The bailout mechanisms were approved by all 27 EU countries last month. In Spain, they were approved earlier this year, in January, thanks to parliamentary support from the fascistic Vox party. Sanchez has hailed the EU bailouts as the most ambitious and transcendental of Spains recent history.

Leading sections of the European and Spanish bourgeoisie aim to scale back the nationalist, anti-Catalan campaign that Madrid launched after the 2017 independence referendum, in order to secure agreement on the disbursement and spending of these funds. Spains regions will play a prominent role. They are to manage around 54 percent of Madrids allocated bailout for 2021, around 18.7 billion. Catalonia is to receive the second-highest payoff on the list.

The bailouts were a major part of the phone call between Sanchez and Catalan regional premier Pere Aragones earlier this month. They are set to meet next Tuesday; the bailout will again be on the agenda.

The Catalan bourgeoisie expects to be one of the main beneficiaries. The Catalan government has already selected 27 projects for the fund valued at 41 billion. Major transnationals, such as ICL, Celsa, Aigues de Barcelona, Telefonica or Cellnez are set to benefit. The largest budget is allocated for a carbon recovery project, involving large companies such as Suez, La Farga, Nedgia Naturgy, Holaluz, Factor Energia and Serradora Boix.

The bailout is sealed in blood, however, amid the catastrophic loss of life to the pandemic. Claiming there was no money to implement a scientific policy to combat the virus, including to end non-essential work and subsidize small businesses, the EU instead funneled 750 billion to the super-rich. There was also a 1.25 trillion European Central Bank quantitative easing plan and a seven-year 1 trillion EU budget.

So far, it has cost the lives of over 1.1 million people across Europe. Now, as mass COVID-19 deaths are expected from the Delta variants spread, the ruling classes demand that nothing impede their orgy of self-enrichment.

The agreement also involves the Catalan nationalists supporting the PSOE-Podemos minority government to implement draconian social cuts dictated by the EU. These include a new labor reform and measures to flexibilise the workforce, raise the retirement age, cut pensions and increase taxes.

Pledges of unity, concord and coexistence made by Spanish and Catalan politicians and businessmen, will prove utterly empty, and sooner rather than later. The coming together of Spains ruling factions will not produce the economic stability they predict. Instead, it will be accompanied by mounting attacks on the working class amid an international upsurge of the class struggle.

Recent months have seen a series of significant strikes by workers across the United States, including the Volvo strike. Major struggles have also been waged by educators, health care workers and Amazon workers across the US and Europe. In Spain, not a week has passed by without one major strike since the beginning of 2021. This includes bus, metro and tram workers; health workers opposed to redundancies and cuts; Airbus workers struggling against plant closures; bank workers opposed to 18,000 redundancies in the banking sector.

The pardons agreement vindicates the analysis made by the WSWS of the reactionary character of both Catalan nationalism, which promoted itself as an alternative to the authoritarian, anti-democratic Madrid, and the pseudo-left forces like Podemos. While the Catalan nationalists are endorsed by the CEOE and the Catholic Church, Podemos oversees reactionary policies in government.

The pardon agreement shows that fighting the turn by the ruling classes toward dictatorship, austerity and fascism requires a break with the PSOE, Left Populist Podemos and the pro-austerity Catalan nationalists, and a fight to build a socialist movement in the international working class.
The collapse of an oceanfront condominium tower just off the beach in Surfside, Florida, north of Miami Beach, early Thursday morning filled news networks and social media feeds with horrifying scenes of its towering structure ripped apart in the dead of night crushing as yet unknown numbers of residents under broken concrete.

More than a day after the collapse, authorities are still unable to give an accurate count of the deceased and injured, confirming four deaths and 159 people missing.

Survivors, many of them injured, were left dangling from their balconies to be plucked to safety by the dozens of rescue teams who rushed vehicles and heavy equipment to the Champlain Towers South. Nearly three dozen survivors had been pulled from the wreckage Thursday and ten injured persons were treated at the scene while at least two others were transported to a local hospital.

Rescue worker walk among the rubble where a wing of a 12-story beachfront condo building collapsed, Thursday, June 24, 2021, in the Surfside area of Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A young mothers leg had to be amputated on site, said Frank Rollason, director of Miami-Dade Emergency Management, to free her from the death trap while members of one of his search-and-rescue teams sheltered her daughter.

The oceanside condominium, where prices range from $350,000 to $750,000, had become a war zone of twisted steel, broken concrete and the anguished screams of trapped and searching residents. A young boy was pulled from the rubble after bystanders heard his screams and saw his hand sticking up from the concrete.

Rollason said the building to the south, which is newer, seems to be stable. The building to the north, however, is older and had to be evacuated. The Solara Surfside hotel, next to the tower that collapsed, was also evacuated.

The apartments that face the water at Champlain Towers South, which was completed in 1981 with 130 units at 8777 Collins Ave., collapsed at around 1:23 a.m. Thursday while many residents were asleep in their beds.

A disturbing aspect of the tragic events are the detailed descriptions provided by a few of the residents of the unmistakable warning signs that they had previously noticed of the impending disaster.

Adriana Chi said her brother, sister-and-law and teenage niece lived in a ninth-floor unit and that her father has owned the unit for about 30 years. She told the Miami Herald there were chronic leaks and said, The last time I was there, I looked at him and I said: I am serious. This building is going to collapse.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue spokeswoman Maggie Castro said more than 80 rescue units from all over the county rushed to the scene and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency that allows federal assistance to be brought to the area.

Rescue workers are using dogs and sensitive microphones and cameras to locate survivors. Castro commented that the rescue work was particularly dangerous because the rubble and the remains of the tower are unstable.

Construction work to repair the buildings roof over the last 30 days will be a subject of concern for investigators.

The curing process for concrete is continuous from the time that it is placed and causes hairline cracks as a normal result of shrinkage during the process, which is not dangerous because the concrete mix and placement of reinforcing steel are designed for it. But when concrete structural members begin to deform and cracks in the concrete open to exceed design tolerances, such details represent clear warning signs of impending failure.

While not frequent in the United States, there have been major building collapses in Massachusetts, Missouri, South Carolina, New York, Florida, Louisiana, and Connecticut over the last 50 years that have claimed multiple lives.

The five-story condominium called Harbour Cay in Cocoa Beach, Florida, collapsed on March 27, 1981, due to multiple construction and design flaws while workers were pouring concrete for the roof slab, according to Florida Today. The collapse killed 11 people and injured 23 others.

The 400-room, eight-story Grand Central Hotel opened in 1870 in New York, at the time one of the largest and most elegant hotels in the U.S. On August 3, 1973, the hotel collapsed due to years of neglect and unreported interior renovation work, according to Village Preservation, killing four people.

Two other historic collapses are reminiscent of the horrifying images of the World Trade Center, which collapsed inward as the upper floors progressively broke the structural members underneath them like so many dominoes, then bringing both towers tumbling to the ground.

A 16-story high-rise apartment building at 2000 Commonwealth Avenue in Boston, Massachusetts, collapsed Jan. 25, 1971. A failure during construction of the roof precipitated a collapse all the way to the basement, resulting in the deaths of four workers.

Internationally, the March 2020 collapse of a hotel in China being used as a quarantine center for people possibly infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus sparked widespread public anger over the measures taken by the regime in Beijing to curb the virus.

Of the 71 people inside the Xinjia Hotel, in the city of Quanzhou, Fujian Province, 29 died in the collapse.

The World Socialist Web Site reported on the outrage of residents at the hotels collapse and solidarity with those trapped. On the evening of March 7, the accident was the top trending topic on the social networking site Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter. One person wrote: The Quanzhou government must be scrutinized! This is not a natural disaster. This is a man-made disaster! Another wrote: Gravely hold those responsible accountable.

Building collapses and industrial accidents are common in capitalist China, where companies often cut corners and ignore safety regulations to inflate profits. In May of 2019, a building undergoing renovations in Shanghai collapsed, killing 10 construction workers.

The WSWS noted, Many people on social media referred to the hotel as another example of tofu-dreg construction, meaning shoddy work. This term gained wide use after the Sichuan earthquake in 2008, when several schools collapsed as a result of poor construction, leading to the deaths of thousands of children.

The collapse in Surfside also echoes the devastating 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in London, England, in which 72 men, women and children died in their apartments. The social murder that was committed at Grenfell was the immediate outcome of a decision to cover the building in cheap, flammable cladding, which allowed a fire in one apartment to quickly spread to the whole tower.
Written and directed by Nancy Buirski

A Crime on the Bayou is an evocative, affecting documentary about events in the civil rights era of the 1960s. Inspired by Matthew Van Meters 2020 nonfiction work Deep Delta Justice, it was directed by Nancy Buirski. The filmmaker is well known for her 2011 documentary, The Loving Story, about an interracial couple in 1960s Virginia who fought a landmark battle against the states prohibition on mixed marriage.

Gary Duncan in 1960s Louisiana, from A Crime on the Bayou. Credit- Shout! Studios / Augusta Films

The new movie concerns a young black fisherman, Gary Duncan, falsely charged with assault, whose case went to the US Supreme Court. Duncan was defended by Richard Sobol, a white civil rights attorney from New York.

The episode took place in a part of Louisiana ruled with an iron fist by the racist and corrupt Democratic Party political boss, Leander Perez (1891-1969).

Opening the film, murky, swirling swamp water immerses the camera, which then focuses on Duncans striking face, one imprinted with the tough battles of the day, yet astonishingly sensitive and humane.

In 1966 in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (bordered to the south and southeast by the Gulf of Mexico), then 19-year-old Gary, a shrimp trawler, was on his way to pick up his wife and newborn child from the hospital, when he noticed an altercation between his nephew and cousin and a group of white teenagers outside the newly desegregated school. After lightly laying his hand on one of the white boys arms, Gary is arrested for cruelty to a juvenile, a charge that could not stick even in Louisiana. Despite the lack of evidence that anyone was injured, Perez and his legal machine then charged Gary with assault and battery. He was denied a trial by jury.

In his book, Van Meter describes how the struggle for school integration unfolded in the parish: Perez found a mass audience in 1960, when New Orleans became the first big city in the South to desegregate its schools. At a rally against integration, Perez delivered the keynote speech: Dont wait for your daughters to be raped by these Congolese! he shouted. Dont wait until the burr-heads are forced into your schools! Do something about it now! Deep Delta Justice explains that the next day, a throng of whites stormed city hall. Finding that the mayor was in hiding, the mob ran into the streets of black neighborhoods, assaulting anyone they could find. As a result, 250 men were arrested, nearly all of them black.

According to the movies production notes, by 1966, there was an open battle for overcoming Jim Crow laws throughout the south, and Duncan found himself allied with Richard Sobol, a liberal Jewish lawyer from New York, like many who threw themselves into the civil rights movement. It was an intense relationship that would last a lifetime.

The mug shot of Richard B. Sobol, following his arrest in Louisiana in the mid-1960s. Credit- Shout! Studios / Augusta Films

Richard, steely willed but physically frail, speaks cogently in the documentary, which includes excerpts from a 2011 interview conducted for the Library of Congress.

As noted, the injustice to Duncan occurred at a tumultuous moment in American history, and in particular in the South. One year earlier witnessed the famed Selma, Alabama march to the state capital in Montgomery, an event that played a key role in the passage of the Voting Rights Act later that year. The Act outlawed longstanding violations of the 14th and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution that for generations disenfranchised millions of African Americans in the southern US.

In the two years leading up to the Selma march, the reaction against the civil rights movement had claimed the lives, among others, of civil rights leader Medgar Evers, the four schoolgirls killed in the infamous Birmingham church bombing of September 1963, and civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner in June 1964.

The Harlem riot also took place in 1964, and the social explosion in Watts in Los Angeles the following year. The inner-city rebellions in Detroit and Newark, New Jersey erupted during the Long Hot Summer of 1967. Mass opposition to the Vietnam War was developing, and in 1966 boxer Muhammad Ali refused induction into the US military in protest against the war.

Richard Sobol connected with Gary Duncan through the Lawyers Constitutional Defense Committee (LCDC). LCDC lawyer Armand Derfner, one of the documentarys major interviewees, recalls the systems of pretend law that were prevailing in the Southern states. Another commentator is writer Lolis Eric Elie (story editor on HBOs Treme), whose father, Lolis Elie, was a partner in the most prominent black law firm in New Orleans, for whom Sobol worked. (Sobol eventually moved to Louisiana and spent much of his life there).

Gary Duncan (Credit- Shout! Factory / YouTube)

Well, first off, our office was bombed, recounts Lolis Elie, before detailing the abuses he and his colleagues suffered, from the petty (hearings scheduled on holidays, when the courts were closed) to the physically dangerous (being teargassed in a church by the state police).

My first day in Clinton, Louisiana, Judge Rarick said to me, I didnt know they let you coons practice law, Elie relates. Judge Rarick kept a Ku Klux Klan cross that had been burned in his office. This incident is referred to in both the movie and Van Meters book.

Van Meter further details that Garys persecution was not limited to the courthouse. He was pulled over for speeding one day by a man in a suit who claimed to be a plainclothes deputy; instead of writing a ticket, though, the man arrested Gary and took him to jail. Another time, Lynns brother, Calvin Lange, was harassed while borrowing Garys car. He had stopped at a gas station when the police rolled up, threw him against the side of the car, handcuffed him, and hauled him to the Port Sulphur jail.

At one point in A Crime on the Bayou, Gary chokes back tears when he remembers considering suicide rather than face re-incarceration.

The music of legendary jazz figures Chet Baker and Miles Davis provides the documentarys soundtrack, creating a cool, smooth rhythm, despite the charged imagery. Additionally, Buirski incorporates archival footage of the area showing energetic funeral processions and violent segregationist demonstrations.

Gary and Richard found themselves teamed up against Perez, who tells William F. Buckley in an infamous 1968 television interview that African Americans were innately immoral, claiming their brains could not develop due to the thickness of the cranium. The square-framed, would-be fuhrer had ruled the parish since 1924. (In 1929, Perez successfully defended Gov. Huey Long in the latters impeachment trial before the Louisiana State Senate.)

Both the book and the movie describe a prison camp Perez built for racial agitators on the grounds of Fort St. Philip, a structure that dated back to the War of 1812. The stronghold was in the middle of a snake-infested tract of marshland twenty miles from the nearest road. It had no beds, chairs, or tables, but it boasted cattle pens, an electrified barbed-wire fence, and machine-gun emplacements. (Van Meter).

Perez would die in 1969, less than three months after the US Supreme Court found for Gary in Duncan v. Louisiana (1968), a significant decision that incorporated the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial and applied it to the states. In 1983, it was discovered that $80 million in oil royalties had been paid to Delta Development Co., which Perez secretly owned.

Despite its limitations, pens Van Meter, [the] Duncan [ruling] opened the way for changes in criminal procedure that have affected the outcomes of millions of cases. Immediately after the courts decision in 1968, dozens of cases went through the courts, including the arrests of nine hundred anti-war demonstrators at Columbia University that year. To avoid these challenges, most states rewrote their jury laws to come in line with the courts mandate.

A Crime on the Bayou deals with a critical and telling but little known civil rights case. The filmmaker feels obliged to insert bits and pieces of contemporary identity politics, but thats not what predominates in the well-constructed, emotionally stirring movie.

In a June 2021 interview with Haaretz, Buirski explains that both Duncan and Sobol were incredibly humble and very noble, in my estimation ... Richard was at first reticent to do the documentary, because he was proud of what he did but didnt understand why the world would need to know about itand we convinced him that the world did need to know about it.

Gary is a very gentle and stoic man, Buirski also remarks, and still feels very strongly about his rightsnone of that has changed. But hes also incredibly warm and generous. I came to love both of them. I was happy that Richard Sobol could see the film before he passed away; that meant so much to me.

Richard Sobol in A Crime on the Bayou

In the documentary, the Haaretz interviewer points out, Sobol speaks briefly about how Jews who survived the Holocaust, or close descendants of those who did, felt driven at the time to help black people given their dire situation. Did he say anything else about that?

Buirski replies that Sobol thought it was fairly obvious that if the Holocaust had touched you in any way, one would clearly empathize with people who are going through similar struggles ... I didnt intentionally set out to frame it that way, but the relationships between racism and anti-Semitism seemed very clear to me.

In a tribute to Richard, who died in 2020, Gary spoke eloquently about his friend: When he passed away, I lost part of myself. He was one of the greatest people in the world...

He was dedicated for what he was doing, Duncan continued. There was no money involved really but he had a belief that everybody should have equal rights. He represented a lot of people in Louisiana and was threatened everywhere he went but he didnt let that get in his way. He was a strong man to be able to do that.

These are extraordinary figures, and Buirskis film captures that.
The student parliament (StuPa) at Berlins Humboldt University has issued a statement to commemorate the German invasion of the Soviet Union 80 years ago and the fight against militarism and fascism. Following a motion tabled by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), the StuPa passed the following resolution on Tuesday evening:

The Student Parliament commemorates the tens of millions of victims of the German attack on the Soviet Union, which began 80 years ago today. The war was waged as a war of extermination from the beginning and is the greatest crime in human history. Some 27 million people in the Soviet Union lost their lives, and at least 6 million Jewish people were industrially murdered in the Holocaust. Precisely because the mass murder in the General Plan East was also elaborated and National Socialism [Nazism] in general was supported and scientifically underpinned by this university, we have a special responsibility to preserve this commemoration and to oppose the trivialisation of these crimes. We reject any falsification of history that attempts to deny these facts, to relativise National Socialism or to blame the consequences of this war of aggression on the Soviet Union, and we condemn all current efforts to prepare the way for a new fascism and militarism and new wars. Nie wieder Faschismus! Nie wieder Krieg! (Never again fascism! Never again war!)

At Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitattodays Humboldt University (HU)academics around the agronomist Konrad Meyer had played a significant role in the plans for the extermination of the Slavic population under National Socialism. From 1940, Meyer himself was primarily responsible for the development of the General Plan East in the planning department of the Reich Commissioner for the Consolidation of German Nationality (RKF).

With this resolution, the student parliament is sending an important message, said Sven Wurm, IYSSE spokesperson at HU. Today, at this university, Professor Jorg Baberowski claims it was not the Nazi aggressors, but the victimthe Soviet Unionthat was responsible for the methods of the war of extermination and the starvation policy. The professor claims the Bolsheviks had already waged a war of extermination in 1918 and that Hitler was not cruel. These historical lies serve to prepare new crimes of German imperialism. We will not allow this.

As part of this years student parliament election campaign, the IYSSE hosted an online meeting on Monday to explain the importance of fighting historical falsifications and linking the struggle against war and fascism with a socialist perspective.

Support our election campaign and build the IYSSE at HU! Vote for us today by postal vote (list 14) or take part in the ballot on June 29! You can find the list of polling stations as soon as they are fixed at www.iysse.de.
On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) released a report highlighting the brutal and inhumane treatment by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of migrants who went on hunger strikes in various detention centers around the country. The report, based on over 10,000 pages of information released under the Freedom of Information Act, deals with ICEs response to hunger strikes in its facilities between 2013 and 2017, a period that covers parts of the Obama and Trump administrations.

Young minors lie inside a pod at the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley run by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), in Donna, Texas, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. The minors are housed by the hundreds in eight pods that are about 3,200 square feet in size. Many of the pods had more than 500 children in them. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills, Pool)

Apart from outright intimidation and threats of retaliation, the involuntary and invasive medical procedures detailed in the report include force feeding, forced hydration and forced urinary catheterizationwhich involves inserting a tube into the urethra to involuntarily collect urine from people on a hunger strike.

A hunger strike is often the last resort available to desperate detainees, who have no other means to draw attention to their plight.

As Jose Tapate, who was held in immigration detention and went on a hunger strike over poor food and medical care, told the authors of the report: What we want people to know is that people go on hunger strike because something is happening on the inside There are so many things happening behind closed doors that people are not aware of.

Joe Mejia, a detainee who went on a five-day hunger strike with other detainees in Mesa Verde, California, to protest against poor conditions and lack of COVID-19 precautions, stated in an interview: No one wants to starve, to feel their intestines move inside their body because of hunger  The housing, conditions, clothing, food, hygienethey try to make individuals in ICE detention miserable.

That conditions in ICE detention centers are dire does not come as a surprise. In April, an internal watchdog report released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General found serious concerns regarding detainee care and treatmentincluding one case where a cancer patient ran out of leukemia medication after staff forgot to order a refill in time.

A peaceful protest by detainees to demand better Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) during the pandemic was met with a response that included the deploying of chemical agents from the ceiling and the firing of pepper spray from handheld devices.

The watchdog report was based on an unannounced, remote inspection of a single facility, La Palma Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, for a span of just four months between August and November 2020. One can only imagine what the results would have been had the sample included more facilities and a greater timespan. The ACLU-PHR report provides a version of this perspective.

The report found there were hunger strikes by at least 1,378 people across 62 immigration detention centers from 2013 to 2017. While it was not clear how many were subjected to forced and invasive measures, documents acquired by the ACLU and PHR show evidence that force feeding had been carried out by ICE as early as 2012.

The report highlights the travails of John Otieno, whose name was changed to protect his identity, a 28-year-old East African asylum seeker held at Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center in Louisiana. Otieno, who had been detained by ICE after seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border, had been moved between multiple facilities and found it impossible to fight his case since he was not being released on parole. In early 2020, he decided that he would seek asylum in a different country and sent multiple letters to ICE stating that he would even pay his own way if he was released. His requests met with no response. After finding out that refusing to eat for three days would mean higher officials would have to become involved in his case, Otieno decided to go on a hunger strike. It was the only option I had, he said. I needed my freedom. I needed to move on with my lifebecause at that point, I was stuck in one place with no hope, only doom.

After day four of his first hunger strike in March 2020, Otieno was sent to solitary confinement and threatened with forced feeding. After 12 days, he met with an ICE supervisor who agreed to look into his case if he ate. Otieno agreed and ended his strike. But it was an empty promise.

In July 2020, Otieno went on a second hunger strike with 28 other detainees who were fighting for improved conditions within the center. On day three, ICE guards in riot gear escorted the detainees to solitary confinement. On day nine, Otieno and two others collapsed and were taken to a medical facility. When the employees at the hospital refused to force-feed the hunger strikers, ICE took Otieno back to the Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center. The next day, Otieno was sedated and strapped to a stretcher with restraints placed on his arms, chest and legs. With six officers and three nurses surrounding him, a plastic feeding tube was forced into his nose, down his throat and finally to his stomach.

It was cruelty, Otieno told BuzzFeed News. Its humiliating to me as a man when some other man can do as he wishes with my body You feel hopeless like a piece of trash.

In addition to the medical procedures, the ACLU-PHR report details the other measures used by ICE to retaliate against hunger-striking detainees. These range from denying commissary privileges to limiting water access and threatening prosecution. In one case, ICE reportedly brought in a Bangladeshi consulate official to meet with asylum-seekers on a hunger strike who had fled persecution from their government. Another document reveals that during a hunger strike in 2016 by 22 mothers at the Berks County Residential Center in Pennsylvania, Dr. Philip Farabaugh, an associate medical director at ICE, suggested separating families, taking the children away from the mothers as a way to control the situation.

Joanna Naples Mitchell, a US researcher for PHR, told Buzzfeed News that she had seen documents in which ICE was planning to transfer immigrants on a hunger strike to Krome Service Processing Center in Miami, where force-feeding was more likely to be administered, so that the detainees could be deported as scheduled.

Responding to the report, ICE released a statement claiming it does not retaliate against hunger strikers: For their health and safety, ICE carefully monitors the food and water intake of those detainees identified as being on a hunger strike Additionally, ICE explains the negative health effects of not eating to its detainees, and they are under close medical observation by ICE or contract medical providers.

To say that this pro forma response is ludicrous is to perhaps state the obvious. It should also be noted that the force-feeding that has been adopted so enthusiastically by ICE and its private contractorssimilar to the methods the CIA used to torture detainees at international black sitesis condemned by the American Medical Association as a violation of core ethical values of the medical profession and by the United Nations as torture and a breach of international law.

The ACLU-PHR report comes on the heels of testimonials from migrant children about the horrifying conditions that currently exist in the emergency shelters set up by the Biden administration, and on the eve of Vice President Kamala Harris first visit to the US-Mexico border. Harris, who was appointed as the Migration Czar by Biden in early March, has so far stayed away from the border region.

When questioned about it in a much-derided interview with NBCs Lester Holt, the vice president claimed that a visit would only be a grand gesture and that she had not been to Europe either. However, the increasing number of revelations about the horrifying conditions faced by migrants in federal custody has perhaps made the administration feel like it is time for a grand gesture.

During her trip to Guatemala earlier this month, Harris chided desperate immigrants who would seek entry into the United States. Her message was very clear: Do not come. Do not come If you come to our border, you will be turned back. Left unsaid was what the recent reports make clear: if they are not turned away, migrants will be subjected to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment in violation of ethical norms or international law.
Indonesias daily cases reached a record high on Monday as the country passed the mark of two million cases since the pandemic began.

There were 14,536 infections recorded on Monday, mostly centered in the most populous island of Java, where the capital city of Jakarta is located. High case numbers, however, were also registered in Aceh, Riau Islands and Central Kalimantan. Mondays infection tally is more than double the typical daily figure at the start of June.

UNICEF aid workers in Indonesia (Credit: UNICEF)

According to the COVID tracking website worldometers, there have been 2,018,113 cases and 55,291 deaths in Indonesia, the highest figures in South East Asia, and third in all of Asia behind India and Iran.

A major reason behind the increased spread has been the emergence of the Delta variant, first recorded in India, which has now spread to over 74 countries worldwide. Scientists have stated that the variant, which is driving an international resurgence of the pandemic, is likely twice as infectious as the initial coronavirus.

According to epidemiologist, Dicky Budiman, from Australias Griffith University: This Delta variant nearly meets the criteria to be a super-variant as it is very conteconomagious, it can clinically worsen the patients condition, and it can reduce the efficacy of antibodies, which means that vaccinated people can be infected, as well as COVID-19 survivors.

Budiman warned there is a big probability that Indonesia may face a similar situation as in India, where, at its height, an outbreak of Delta was resulting in up to 400,000 cases per day and thousands of deaths.

Indonesian health officials report that Delta is now the dominant strain in the densely populated areas of Jakarta, as well as Central and East Java.

The rise in cases has also been reflected in an increase in hospital occupancy rates, which shot up from 45 percent in Jakarta over a week ago to 90 per cent, according to government data. In the central Java district of Kudus, bed occupancy rates also exceeded 90 percent last week. There have been reports of sick people forming queues lining the corridors outside the hospitals.

The South China Morning Post stated on Monday that the intensive care ward at Persahabatan hospital in Jakarta is now full, and the emergency ward too overwhelmed to accept new patients. Indonesian lung specialist Erlina Burhan added that supplies of oxygen tubes are dangerously low, and that doctors are begging for beds to be made available for sick relatives.

According to Reuters, hundreds of health care workers have also contracted the virus. The number of health employees dying from the virus has reportedly dropped from the highs of 158 in January to 13 in May, according to independent research group LaporCOVID-19. It states that this is a product of the vaccination of workers in the sector, which began early this year.

Large scale infections of doctors and nurses, however, are compromising the ability of major hospitals to treat those requiring urgent care. Laura Navika Yamani, an epidemiologist from Airlangga University in Surabaya, East Java, stated: We need to brace for a collapse in our health system, if we dont take the necessary precautions.

The positivity rate, indicating the percentage of all tests that return with a confirmation of infection, is at the shocking level of 41.1 percent. This value, far higher than the level advised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) of 5 percent, indicates that the virus is running rampant and many cases are not being identified.

With increased transmission due to variants of concern, urgent action is needed to contain the situation in many provinces, the WHO warned Thursday last week.

The Indonesian government, however, like many of its counterparts internationally, has rejected calls for a comprehensive lockdown to contain the spread.

Instead, 29 red zones have been announced, where two-week partial lockdowns have been instituted. Restaurants, cafes and malls are limited to 25 percent capacity and religious activities at houses of worship have also been suspended.

Offices outside the red zone areas have also been instructed to operate at 50 percent capacity.

The governor of Jakarta, Anies Baswedan, has resisted demands for a full lockdown, opting for the closure of non-essential businesses at 8 p.m. Curfews have been imposed between the hours of 9 p.m. and 4 a.m. in 10 locations including Gunawarman and Senopati roads in the central business district.

Speaking on the spread of the virus, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Pandjaitan attempted to blame it on the population itself for participating in last months celebration of the Islamic holiday of Ramadan, when millions visited their hometowns in spite of a government ban.

In a virtual conference, Pandjaitan stated: Its all our fault. The government went all out to remind us to stay at home, not to mudik [travel to your hometown ], but we still went ahead. This is the consequence.

This is a cynical attempt to deflect from the governments own responsibility. It has consistently sought to downplay the extent of the coronavirus crisis, in order to justify the refusal to implement full lockdown measures when required. This has inevitably undermined the hastily-announced, and partial restrictions that the government has occasionally introduced, when it has been threatened with an explosion of the pandemic and a collapse of the health system.

The circulation of the Delta variant in the worlds fourth-most populous country poses the risk of further mutations, including those that may limit the efficacy of vaccinations.

Speaking outside a vaccination centre near Jakarta, President Joko Widodo called for the acceleration of vaccination efforts last week. We need vaccination acceleration in order to achieve communal immunity, which we hope can stop the COVID-19 spread, he said. Widodo said that local governments and cabinet ministers should work to increase vaccinations next month to one million each day.

The inoculation campaign, largely using Sinovacs CoronaVac vaccine, which is the least effective against the Delta variant, has been consistently behind schedule. The government has aimed for 181 million of its 270 million population to be vaccinated by March 2022, but currently only 11.8 million are fully vaccinated.

Whilst Bali plans to have fully vaccinated 3 million of its 4.36 million population by the end of this month, so far only 1.9 million residents have received their first dose. In Riau, population 6.83 million, a little more than 490,000 have received their first jab.

Along with the risk that it is posing to the health and lives of ordinary people, the expanding coronavirus crisis is intensifying the social hardships facing workers and the poor. Reports prior to the pandemic consistently recorded rising social inequality. In 2017, Oxfam ranked Indonesia the sixth-most unequal country in the world. In a country of some 264 million people, the four richest individuals have a combined wealth greater than the poorest 100 million.
On Wednesday, a British warship entered waters claimed by Russia near Crimea, a peninsula in the Black Sea. A Russian border patrol boat fired several warning shots and a Russian fighter jet bombed the path of the British destroyer HMS Defender, Moscow said. The Kremlin has since released footage of the incident. The British government denies that the Russian side fired shots and dropped a bomb, and insists that not much should be made of the incident.

F-35 aircraft takes off from the U.K.s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday, June 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

However, the Kremlin summoned British Ambassador Deborah Bronnert to the Foreign Ministry and issued a note of protest to the British military attache. Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov warned that should such an event occur again, we can bomb on target.

Wednesdays confrontation in the Black Sea highlights the enormous danger of war and is a serious warning. Similar incidents have led to the outbreak of wars in the past.

The crisis in the Black Sea is the result of a decades-long US-led imperialist encirclement of Russia following the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The imperialist interventions and military build-up on Russias borders dramatically escalated in 2014, when the US and EU backed a far-right coup in Kiev that toppled the pro-Russian government of Viktor Yanukovich. The coup triggered an ongoing civil war in the Donbass in East Ukraine and Russias annexation of Crimea.

In February, the Ukrainian government announced plans to recover Crimea and the Donbass, provoking a major military crisis in the region. In May, NATO staged the massive Defender 2021 exercise in the Balkans and Black Sea region, which involved non-NATO members Ukraine and Georgia.

Under these conditions, the actions of the British ship HMS Defender had the character of a provocation. The ship was in the Black Sea ahead of the Sea Breeze naval exercise set to take place from June 28 through July 10. Co-hosted by the US and Ukrainian navy, it will involve a staggering 32 countries, 5,000 troops, 32 ships, 40 aircraft and 18 special operations. The Kremlin has called upon the US to cancel the exercise, warning of an inadvertent military confrontation.

Onboard the HMS Defender on Wednesday were senior Ukrainian and British government officials, including Ukraines Deputy Minister of Defense and the British Minister for Defence Procurement. They signed a major bilateral naval agreement that day which provides for substantial military aid by Britain for the Ukrainian navy and the creation of new naval bases in the Black Sea.

Highlighting the seriousness of the crisis, Conservative British MP Tobias Ellwood said on British radio, We should recognize this is a dangerous game. Su-24 Russian jets buzzing ships, theres huge scope for an accident to occur, misinterpretation leading to an actual kinetic engagement, and it could be a bit of time before someone grabs that red phone and calms things down. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko stated, This situation is explosive, even if all parties remain prudent. Unintentional incidents, which can result in a real conflict, are not ruled out.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions have grown significantly. Claiming that there is no money for the most basic needs of workers and refusing to undertake any serious measures to stop the pandemic, capitalist governments have increased global military spending in 2020 to a stunning $2 trillion.

US imperialism, in particular, has responded to the pandemic by seeking to divert growing class tensions outward. The Biden administration has proposed a record military budget of $753 billion for this year, including $24.7 billion for the modernization of nuclear warheads. The UK is increasing its stock of nuclear warheads by 40 percent.

While there are indications that the Biden administration is trying to ease tensions with Moscow in order to focus on war preparations against China, there are sharp conflicts over foreign policy within the US ruling class. There are also growing tensions between the imperialist powers and within NATO. A proposal for a EU summit with Russia by Germanys Angela Merkel and Frances Emmanuel Macron has provoked major conflicts within the EU.

Whatever the intentions of individuals, shifting alliances and tactical maneuvers, the danger of war is objectively rooted in the crisis of the world capitalist system. In a lecture explaining the origins of World War II, David North, the chairman of the editorial board of the WSWS and chairperson of the Socialist Equality Party (US), stressed:

It is not necessarily the case that the ruling classes want war. But they are not necessarily able to stop it. As Trotsky wrote on the eve of World War II, the capitalist regimes toboggan to disaster with their eyes closed. The insane logic of imperialism and the capitalist nation-state system, of the drive to secure access to markets, raw materials and cheap labor, of the relentless pursuit of profit and personal riches, leads inexorably in the direction of war.

Wednesdays incident occurred one day after the 80th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941. The Nazis imperialist war of annihilation claimed the lives of at least 27 million Soviet citizens, among them an estimated 2 million Soviet Jews and over 3 million Soviet prisoners of war. Yet beyond a few perfunctory remarks by German politicians, the imperialist powers met the anniversary of the beginning of the bloodiest war in human history with deafening silence.

The policies of Russian President Vladimir Putins regime, oscillating between seeking deals with the NATO powers and military threats, are reactionary through and through. On the anniversary of the Nazi invasion, Putin penned an article in Die Zeit first denouncing NATO aggression in Ukraine in 2014, then appealing to the European imperialist powers for support. This followed shortly Putins cordial summit with Biden, which restored ambassadorial relations that Moscow had broken after Biden called Putin a killer in March.



The Kremlins decision to then drop a bomb near a British warship opens the way to a catastrophe. It is apparent that, should Moscow indeed bomb  on target, as Ryabkov threatened to do, in a future Black Sea incident, this could rapidly escalate into a full-scale military confrontation between nuclear-armed NATO powers and Russia.



Moscows policy, combining reassuring statements with reckless stunts, reflects the class character of the Putin regime. It is the heir of the Stalinist bureaucracy that in 1991 restored capitalism and destroyed the Soviet Union, which German imperialism failed to accomplish in World War II. Bitterly hostile to the working class, it relies on both close relations with imperialist finance capital abroad and the ceaseless promotion of nationalism at home; it will use such an incident to appeal to nationalist sentiments and divert social opposition within Russia itself.

The only social force capable of fighting against imperialist war is the international working class. It is propelled into revolutionary struggles by the same objective contradictions that drive imperialism toward war. Across the world, workers have been radicalized by decades of austerity, war and the experience of the pandemic, and are beginning to fight back. The critical task now is to fight for the establishment of a Trotskyist political leadership for these struggles in the working class through the building of the International Committee of the Fourth International.
Teachers from Oaks Park High School in East London picketed Redbridge Town Hall Wednesday, protesting the Labour-run councils decision to back school management over COVID-19 safety victimisations.

Around 20 teachers chanted, Stop bullying Oaks Park staff! and Justice! Their protest followed a strike and picket earlier that morning outside the school.

Oaks Park High School staff protesting Wednesday outside Redbridge Town Hall (credit: WSWS media)

Teachers and support staff have taken part in four balloted strike days since June 15. They are opposing the victimisation and sacking of colleagues who invoked their rights to a safe workplace under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act. Workplace victimisation has become entrenched during the pandemic, aimed at suppressing opposition to the Johnson governments herd immunity agenda that has claimed more than 150,000 lives.

Teachers at Wednesdays protest told the World Socialist Web Site that 26 staff members had asked to work from home at the start of January during a national lockdown and amid a surge of infections and deaths. Their requests under Section 44 were initially denied and four of the teachers have since had their employment terminated.

Redbridge Council, which Labour holds with an 81 percent majority, has sided openly with the Conservative governments Department for Education. In a letter sent to staff at Redbridge Borough Schools on May 19, Colin Stewart, the councils Director of Education and Inclusion, claimed there was no evidence of workplace victimisation or bullying at Oaks Park.

Stewart wrote, we have reviewed the evidence base and are satisfied that the schools actions were not as a result of the submission of Section 44 letters, nor were they as a result of union rep activity and we are satisfied that subsequently, the school followed the correct procedure.

Kieran Mahon, a National Education Union (NEU) co-rep at Oaks Park High, strongly disagrees. He helped to organise Section 44 letters for vulnerable colleagues last year. He was sacked and frog-marched from the school grounds in May.

At Wednesdays protest, Mahon spoke with London bus driver David OSullivan who was also sacked for defending co-workers health and safety rights under Section 44.

Mahon told OSullivan, I was democratically elected as an Oaks Park High School co-rep on the 13th of December 2020, and by the 5th of January I was advising and supporting members of our union to use Section 44 because our head teacher wanted to bring in all staff to teach from school even though the students werent supposed to be in.

By the 7th of May I was summarily dismissed on inflated and overblown charges, and Ive lost my job, and we are currently on strike for bullying and intimidation at Oaks Park High School, and also victimization of a rep.

In the same week that Redbridge staff acted under Section 44, OSullivan had warned drivers about the spread of infections at Cricklewood bus garage. With hospitals in London threatened with collapse, Labour Mayor Sadiq Khan had declared a major incident in the capital, but teachers and key workers were left defenseless.

Mahon recalled that Redbridge borough (with a population of over 305,000) was placed under Tier 4 lockdown on December 19. The infection rate in London that week reached 224 per 100,000 people, while in Redbridge it rose to 363 per 100,000. On average, two to three Redbridge residents were dying from COVID-19 every day. On December 17, with a new strain of Covid ripping through schools, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson threatened legal action against three London councils, Greenwich, Islington, and Waltham Forest, unless they reversed their instructions that schools in their areas close a few days earlier for Christmas.

Redbridge Councils leader, Jas Athwal, issued a statement on December 19, claiming, we cannot ignore the alarming rate the pandemic is now growing at in London and the southeast. The virus is rampant and warning that any mixing with other households could be devastating and result in a severe loss of lives.

Despite the clear and publicly stated risks, teachers at Oaks Park were instructed to report for duty. This was in line with the school reopening policy of the government throughout 2020, backed by the National Education Union and by Labours Sir Keir Starmer who had declared last August that schools must reopen no ifs, no buts, no equivocations.

Mahon explained the risks faced by teachers, To give you some background, Oaks Park is a school of 2,000 children, and it has over 250-300 staff that our head teacher refused to let work from home. She wanted them all in the building. My girlfriend was in her third trimester of pregnancy, and she expected me to come into a school with 300 staff members.

Everything in my job at that time could have been done from home, and it would have kept my partner safe. After consultation with our regional reps, we advised that members could issue Section 44 [notices]. 26 members of staff did thatI was one of themas well as my co-rep, Bill. Yes, it was very, very impactful, because they were too scared to come in. One of them who was pregnant was told to come in, another said she had an auto-immune disorder and was living with a parent with auto-immune disorder. She was told school was safe.

Another said, Im worried about taking two trains and a bus to get into school. The response from the head teacher was, But school is safe, missing the point that actually this teacher could pick up the illness on the way in, and spread it round the school, but also, she could pick it up herself and become ill, so it was completely ignored, School is safe. I want you in.

On top of that, we then found outand this is when I knew the head teacher did not have our best interests at heartshe intended to bring in 140 B-Tech [business and technology] students for face-to-face revision during the pandemic. It was at that point I knew I had to use Section 44.

Not only did we have potentially 250+ staff members, but we would also have 140 B-Tech students, plus support. There could have been 350-400 humans in that building at the height of a virus that was spreading rapidly, and she wanted those people in. When we did Section 44, I can only describe what happened as a campaign of intimidation and fear. We joined the joint union risk assessment meeting. Of the six unions represented, only me and Bill were staff members. The rest were SLT [Senior Leadership Team], or certainly three of them were SLT members.

They took turns having a go at us. She lectured us on how were not the employers, the local authorities are the employers. Her leadership team was aggressive, it was intimidatory, they kept interrupting Bill at times. I sat there, made notes, and just kept myself to myself. But it was extreme intimidation. After that, the members that used Section 44, twenty-six of them, started to receive phone calls and emails from the leadership team demanding to know why they thought school was unsafe, why it is that they cant come and teach in school, etc., and they were told that their absence was considered to be an unauthorised absence.

Id like to add at this point that Section 44 is not refusing to work, its refusing to be in the building because its unsafe, and we were working from home at this time, teaching.

With teacher opposition running high, NEU members in the region were balloted. Mahon recalled, if the school remained open and the teachers were expected to come in, the region of Redbridge would go on strike. Very, very quickly the local authority backed down, and told the head teacher she should let staff work from home. Thats when the bullying continued, but much more quietly I was informed that I would be disciplined on a mistake I made over lockdown while teaching from home, while supporting a girlfriend whos in her third trimester.

Once my course work was assumed to be finished, and after Ive graded it all and done all that hard work, they escorted me from the building in front of the kids. Members are on strike now for that.

Mahon said the extent of staff victimisation was shocking, A member of staff who had used Section 44 because she was pregnant, when she went to hand in her maternity pay forms was told, sorry youre on a fixed-term contract, no maternity leave for you. You wont be employed further than that.

Keiran Mahon with David O'Sullivan at Wednesday's protest (credit: WSWS media)

They made NQTs [Newly Qualified Teachers] go up against other NQTs for jobs and positions They were set up against each other in interviews, but it just so happens that the ones who didnt use Section 44 got the job, and those who did use section 44 happened to miss out on a job. Some of them have now been appointed to other positions So, theres four staff including myself who are facing the prospect of losing our jobs.

Like other teachers at Wednesdays protest, Mahon said he was disgusted with Labours opposition to the strike: The unfortunate thing is that our local Labour MP is Wes Streeting, former Shadow Education Secretary, and he has completely backed and supported the head teacher. He spoke to the head teacher and said he was satisfied that they were not bullying people. He did not speak to the union or listen to our side of the story.

Its disgusting. Im a Labour supporterI was a Labour supporter. I will no longer be voting for Labour. I think we call it champagne socialists. Im disgusted with Streeting. He is clearly a career politician and the fact that he cannot support, where Labour was backed by trade unions, shows how far the Labour Party have fallen in my opinion.

Visit here to find out more and join the campaign for David OSullivans reinstatement. You can donate to OSullivans legal defence here .




The Sri Lankan government has announced new anti-democratic measures and mobilised police to suppress so-called fake news on social media.

On June 7, police media spokesman Senior Deputy Inspector General Ajith Rohana declared that the criminal investigation department has established a special team to patrol in the cyber space and trace false news related to COVID-19 or any other sensitive issues.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, attends 2020 event to mark the anniversary of countrys independence from British colonial rule. [Credit: AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena]

It was an offence, Rohana said, if a person created a panic situation by spreading fake news.

The following day, a police media statement detailed the new measures. Persons who propagate false information, photos or video, it said, could be arrested without a warrant for disrupting public order, creating ethnic or religious disharmony or contributing to the sexual harassment of women and children.

Those arrested could be charged under any of the countrys harsh laws, including the Penal Code, the Computer Crimes Act, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Pornography Act.

These laws can be used to punish anyone opposing or criticising the government and the capitalist state. Those arrested under the draconian PTA can be detained for up to 18 months, with any confessions obtained during this time used as evidence.

Addressing parliament on June 8, Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara repeated the police statements, indicating that the decision to clampdown on social media was taken at the highest levels of President Rajapakses government.

Government claims to be defending religious and ethnic harmony or curbing misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic are outright lies.

Successive Sri Lankan governments, including the current regime, are responsible for countless anti-Tamil and anti-Muslim provocations, most notably the nearly 30-year anti-Tamil civil war against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Likewise, the government is responsible for circulating misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical experts have repeatedly voiced concerns that the number of infections and deaths are greater than those recorded by Sri Lankan health authorities, especially under conditions of very low testing rates. As has been the case internationally, moreover, the Sri Lankan government has sought to downplay the severity of the pandemic, to justify its profit-driven and inadequate response.

In reality, the Rajapakse regimes moves to criminalise so-called fake news on social media are a response to the deepening political and economic crisis of the Sri Lankan capitalist class and rising social opposition to Colombos criminal mishandling of the now worsening pandemic.

Government and big business-imposed wage and job cuts, along with the rising cost of food and other essentials, are provoking working-class resistance with strikes and protests by health, education, railway, electricity and water board state sector workers.

Nervous about this developing opposition, President Rajapakse on May 27 and June 2 used the essential public services act to impose strike bans on virtually all state sector workers. Colombo has also been systemically militarising the state apparatus, appointing senior in-service and retired officers to key positions in the administration. The governments attack on social media is part and parcel of these repressive preparations.

On June 13, five days after the police announcement, Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told Sunday Morning that the sharing of fake news on social media had seen some people pushing the country towards re-enactment of the criminal defamation law.

The notoriously anti-democratic, criminal defamation law (previously repealed in 2002) was initiated during British colonial rule, but retained after Sri Lanka was granted formal independence in 1948. The law was used by successive governments to intimidate and censor the media.

In April, the cabinet office announced that it had approved a paper, presented by Justice Minister Ali Sabry and the media minister, for new laws to protect society from the harm caused by false propaganda on the internet.

Sabry said the cabinet was discussing the introduction of laws similar to Singapores punitive Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, which carries fines of nearly $US750,000 and imprisonment of up to 10 years.

In a statement condemning Colombos anti-democratic measures against internet users, the Journalists for Rights in Sri Lanka group said that the government was trying to intimidate social media users.

On June 11, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka issued a statement, voicing its concerns about police being allowed to arrest without warrant anyone accused of publishing fake news. It warned that the new measures meant that police are allowed to decide on what is or is not fake news and, based on their subjective decisions, arrest and detain those persons.

The parliamentary opposition parties and the unions do not oppose these repressive measures. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the main opposition party, attempted to disguise its support by declaring that its youth wing would provide legal support to anyone arrested for holding views opposing the government.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, the Tamil National Alliance and the United National Party, along with the unions, have not said a word about the new measures. Nor have they opposed the governments anti-strike essential service orders. Like the government, these organisations are terrified of the rising working-class opposition.

These attacks on social media in Sri Lanka are part of an escalating assault on freedom of speech and expression, underway on every continent.

In the US, Twitter suspended the account of data scientist Rebecca Jones in early June, because she published real information about COVID-19 infections in Florida. Jones opposed the reopening of schools during the pandemic last year and refused to alter infection and death counts on the states coronavirus dashboard.

In April, Twitter removed over 20 accounts in India at the request of the Modi government, because they had made critical comments about New Delhis pandemic response.

The World Socialist Web Site also continues to be censored by Google search engines, and on social media platforms.

Galle Face Green protest in 2018 supporting plantation workers' wage demands (Source: WSWS Media)

In every country, social media provides a powerful weapon for workers to organise their struggles. In Sri Lanka, its use has grown exponentially in recent years. According to the Asia Pacific Institute for Digital Marketing, 63 percent of Sri Lankas 10.1 million internet users were active on social media in 2020.

In 2018, during the plantation workers struggle for higher wages, thousands of estate youth, working in and around Colombo, with the support of other young people, used social media to organise a protest at Galle Face Green to support workers pay demands. Colombo is afraid this will be repeated, on a much wider scale, by the working class and rural masses to challenge the existing order on the basis of a socialist and internationalist program.
As the strike of 1,300 Allegheny Technologies (ATI) steelworkers in five states approaches the end of its third month, the United Steelworkers union (USW) has informed workers that the state of Ohio has ruled against providing unemployment benefits to striking workers in that state. The decision is a strong indication that strikers in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts will also be denied benefits. This ruling is a devastating exposure of the USW's entire conduct of the strike, which has already led to mass attrition of experienced workers.

ATI Pickets in Brackenridge, PA on the first day of their strike

At the onset of the strike on March 30, the USW all but promised workers unemployment benefits and used that as a justification for starving workers on the picket line on below-poverty-level strike pay of $150-$175 per week out. The USW's line was that $900 a week in unemployment benefits would allow workers to strike longer, but this would only be possible if workers conducted the struggle as an Unfair Labor Practices (ULP) strike in which workers could not raise any economic demands.

For the entire duration of the strike, the USW used the ULP claim as the grounds for insisting that workers raise no demands and refrain from active picketing, let alone calling for sympathy action from other workers. In practice, this muzzled workers, kept them isolated, and prevented them from taking any action that could achieve their demands. These include a substantial wage increase, an end to layoffs, premium-free healthcare, and an end to benefit tiers, which divide newer and more experienced workers.

At a meeting at of ATI Brackenridge workers this week in Pennsylvania, USW lead negotiator Dave McCall broke the news about the Ohio case, workers told the World Socialist Web Site. As of this writing, the USW has not posted this news on its ATI Bargaining Updates webpage. McCall then further angered workers by denying requests for basic assistance with the conduct of the strike, such as keeping the union hall open on weekends for picketing workers.

A worker at ATI Brackenridge expressed the anger many workers are feeling against the USW, saying, Theyre giving me $150 a week, and they won't give me the $150 if I do work [a second job]. They want me to come down there and picket every day. They expect me to change my entire life. I think theyre aware of the fact that its completely ridiculous, its unfair. To my understanding, everybody at the USW International is getting paid. Were losing money. Its us that are down there every day, putting in the effort.

In the meeting with McCall, Brackenridge workers opposed the USWs isolation of the strike and complained about the lack of information and publicity about their strike. McCall lamely noted that the USW puts out occasional press releases and it isnt the USWs fault if the media are not picking them up. In fact, the USW is adamantly opposed to any measures which would inform other workers and draw them into a common fight.

The USW does a great job of putting on a glossy coat of paint, the striking worker told the WSWS. They have all these things you can go into to be leaders in your union. At the end of the day, the USW is every bit as much a business as ATI. They are looking after their interests, and our interests are essentially nonexistent.

The USWs isolation of the three-month strike has led to a growing number of workers choosing to retire early because they recognize the USW will not fight for them. The vast majority of guys at Brackenridge hired in between 1988 and 1989. There was another big hire in 2005-06 and they have their 15 [years] in. A lot of people who had no intention of leaving have signed their papers to retire.

The striking worker said the company has constantly slashed jobs with no resistance from the USW. The guys at Brackenridge have just been decimated. There were maybe 800 at the beginning of last year. With the closing of #3 [department], it went down to maybe 500-600 at the start of the strike. Now, news is they might not bring the melt shop back up. The finishing shop is done.

Successive USW-backed contracts have robbed new hires of pensions and other benefits, creating a tiered system, which ATI's current contract proposal would further extend. This creates an incentive for ATI to replace experienced workers with new hires, which is precisely what the current attrition is allowing ATI to do. Thus, the USW's deliberate sabotage of the ATI strike is helping the company save money by forcing out higher paid, more experienced workers.

A worker at the Vandergrift plant in Pennsylvania reported the same attrition of the workforce during the strike, with as many as one out of six workers quitting. A lot of people have taken other jobs and aren't coming back. A guy from New Castle [a plant in Indiana that closed in the early 2000s] got his 15 [years], froze his time, and went back to Indiana to do something else. I think we're about 30 people short now. That's a lot. We have 170 people at Vandergrift.

Explaining the implications of this loss, the worker continued, When we go back, were probably running 7 days a week. I know what's coming. To get people in there to alleviate that takes time because the companys not real quick on that.

The other day I thought, maybe all the guys who are leaving was part of the plan to get them out of there. For the guys with 15 [years], in the past typically ATI would buy you out to get you off the books. Most of the guys take the lump sum money, and when you do that, you sever ties with ATI. Thats people who had defined-benefit pensions and healthcare.

"This is really good for them [ATI]. Workers like me are getting forced out because they don't want to live with this oppressive lifestyle."

The loss of unemployment benefits in Ohio, and the likely loss of those benefits in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, is a serious warning to ATI workers. The USW never had a strategy to win the strike. It had one to lose. As was the case in the 2015-2016 lockout, the USW is waiting until it believes the workforce is sufficiently worn down to accept ATIs major demands. With the prospect of financial security quickly vanishing for many workers, the USW will likely attempt to ram through another pro-company deal sooner rather than later.

Workers must understand that bargaining between the USW and ATI is not a negotiation between antagonistic parties. These two businesses are debating behind closed doors how best to give the company what it wants, irrespective of what workers need.

The USW is deeply embedded within the Democratic Party and is poised to profit handsomely from the Biden administrations proposed infrastructure plan. The USW is doing everything it can to keep a lid on workers' militancy to avoid jeopardizing this money-making opportunity. This requires preventing strikes if possible and keeping them isolated if they emerge.

But workers at ATI have many powerful allies. Within the USW, 650 ExxonMobil refinery workers are locked out at a refinery in Beaumont, Texas. 2,400 miners in Sudbury, Ontario have been on strike since January 1. 2,500 steelworkers in Quebec are angered over the USW betrayal of their strike against ArcelorMittal. Roughly 70 workers at Custom Hoists in Ashland, Ohio walked off the job on June 13. In addition, 1,100 Warrior Met coal miners remain on strike in Alabama. 700 nurses in Worcester, Massachusetts have been on strike since March.

Most importantly, nearly 3,000 striking Volvo workers in Dublin, Virginia are showing the way forward for ATI and all workers. Recognizing the treachery of the United Auto Workers (UAW), workers have formed the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee, which led the fight to defeat two UAW-backed contracts 90-91 percent. The committee has issued an open letter to the UAW and advanced a real strategy to win their strike.

ATI workers should follow the Volvo workers lead and form democratically controlled rank-and-file committees, independent of the USW. Now that ULP unemployment benefits have been exposed as a lie, workers should reject the USWs efforts to gag them and raise their own demands, based on what they need, not what the company and the USW say is affordable.

These should include the opportunity for all workers who retired during the strike to return to their prior positions with no loss of pay or seniority, the recovery of all concessions and across-the-board wage increases and cost-of-living allowances to protect workers from rising prices. They should also demand no cuts to health care, full pensions for new hires, job security (including for the hundreds of workers slated to lose their jobs this contract), an end to wage and benefit tiers, and a return to the eight-hour day. At the same time, to sustain striking workers and their families, ATI workers should demand immediate payment of $900 a week in strike pay from the USWs $170 million Strike and Defense Fund.

ATI workers cannot fight alone! Striking workers should establish lines of communication with striking Volvo workers and other workers in struggle. In Pennsylvania, ATI workers should send delegations to their brothers and sisters working nearby at US Steel plants, the Custom Hoists strikers in Ashland, and elsewhere in the area. ATI workers in Massachusetts and Connecticut should send delegations to striking Worcester nurses. At the same time, all workers have the duty to break the isolation of the ATI, ExxonMobil, Warrior Met, Massachusetts nurses, and Volvo strike and fight for joint demonstrations, protests and strikes.

We call on all workers who agree with this perspective to contact the World Socialist Web Site today to learn how to join the growing network of national and international rank-and-file committees.
Sacked London bus driver David OSullivan joined striking teachers outside Oaks Park High School in East London on Tuesday. The teachers are demanding the reinstatement of four colleagues victimised for upholding health and safety rights during the coronavirus pandemic.

David O'Sullivan

Teachers and support staff have held a series of one-day strikes at the school since June 15, with pickets outside the school gate.

This week, teachers picketed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a three-day strike set to begin on June 29. There is growing anger among educators after the Labour-run local authorityLondon Borough of Redbridgepublicly attacked the teachers for striking. The teachers responded with a protest outside Redbridge Town Hall on Wednesday.

Amid a surge in Covid infections last winter, 26 teachers at Oaks Park High cited their rights under Section 44 of the Employment Rights Act and requested to work from home due to the threat of workplace transmission. Four teachers have since been victimised, including two National Education Union (NEU) co-reps at the school.

Teachers at Oaks Park used the same workplace safety legislation cited by OSullivan at Cricklewood bus garage in northwest London where Covid infections were spreading rapidly in early January. OSullivan was summarily dismissed for alerting colleagues to the spread of infections and informing them of their rights under Section 44.

At Tuesdays picket, OSullivan distributed copies of a leaflet, Reinstate London bus driver David OSullivan: For a safe workplace against COVID-19! No to victimisations! It was warmly received. Strikers readily drew the connection between the experiences of London bus drivers and teachers during the pandemic. One teacher declared, Well done for standing up for your health and safety rights. An intense discussion ensued as educators and support staff described the atmosphere in the school.

One teacher explained, The bullying at Oaks Park High school has become outrageous. Its got to the point where the last resort is to strike. There was a letter to parents saying this was not the last resortit has been. We have gone to the local authorities and got nothing. We have gone to the governors who just pushed our concerns away. We know parents have also contacted the governors, again nothing. So, this is a last resort, unfortunately. We are getting a lot of support from parents, we have the parents meeting on Thursday, which is excellent, so hopefully we get some more leeway with this.

I know there have been other schools with concerns regarding Covid. That is why a lot of our teachers are out today. At Frederick Bremer school in Walthamstow where my nephew goes, about 40 percent of staff and students have got Covid or been exposed to it and the school has shut down today. Its still a problem, its still an issue. We should not be still having this argument or this conversation later on, it is still a problem.

There are probably around 35-40 teachers, support staff and other staff [on strike today]. Thats enough to make a difference. This time round, compared to last week, we are much louder this time and we have had more parent contact than we did last week, and that is really good.

There should be more involvement when we recruit school governors. No one seems to know how they are recruited. It would be nice for them to come to some of the meetings to actually hear what the teachers are concerned about, instead of hearing it from SLT [Senior Leadership Team] and the head teacher. It would be great to have more parents involved in what happens in the school. I don't feel like parents know what's going on a lot of the time.

A teaching assistant (TA) outlined the health risks faced by teachers at the school: As a TA there is no space to socially distance from the students. There was a situation where a TA had been sat next to a student doing her job and supporting them in the lesson. She went to our designated person who deals with Covid and said, this student has been taken home to self-isolate because he has been in contact with someone with Covid. I was sat next to him and Im worried about this, what shall I do? And she got a disciplinary for breaking the Covid rules. There is a mark against her name, and its gone on file. When that happened, it made me feel like I need to keep my mouth shut. If I feel unsafe because of the working conditions, you get punished for stuff like that.

Another teacher explained: For some reason they seem unable to distinguish between reasonable and fair and even helpful criticism and just attacking the school. There is no distinction. If you do raise something for whatever reason it is just perceived like outright trashing the school. Its not of course, its raising a concern. Youre not trying to force them out of their jobs, to undermine them or question their authority. It is just can we think about x, y and z and it is perceived as an outright attack on the school.

Her colleague agreed: People are on the bad list, and I think that people are put on that list if they raise a criticism and they come down very hard on you and that becomes the focus of everything. There are people who have been put on absent policy for having three days off in six months and you have got others who are in the pocket of the leadership who are popping out to do this and that, [and being asked] do you need any support, which is right, they should be supported, but others arent.

Another teacher described how NEU rep Kieran Mahon was dismissed in retribution for defending teachers health and safety rights, Kieran as a new rep was good but there was one email where he shared information with people that was a bit of a retort [against teachers being forced into face-to-face teaching]. At the time I thought, ooh you just put a big target on your head. The fact that I even thought that is crazy. To have that lead to losing his job a few weeks later, that's just the most overwhelming evidence to me that theres something incredibly wrong with what is happening.

To lose your job when previously you have an unblemished record is incredibly unfair. The way that happened, allowing someone to come into work while they were undergoing investigation and asked, oh can you do the exam grades for the kids before you leave and then marched off site by the leadership team like some criminal. They escorted that person off site at lunch time in front of everybody. The headteacher took this person to a classroom, not a meeting room but a classroom. There was a class of children outside the room who were hanging around the corridor. The teacher was awkwardly popping their head around saying, shall I take these children somewhere else because you seem to be having quite a hostile meeting. And then he was just taken off site.

Visit here to find out more and join the campaign for David OSullivans reinstatement. You can donate to OSullivans legal defence here .




The marine mucilage, or sea snot, that first started to appear in the Sea of Marmara in January, mostly on Istanbuls shores, has continued to spread over the past months. It recently covered the coasts of almost all the provinces that have a coast to the Sea of Marmara and brought a major environmental disaster to the surface.

When marine mucilage was first seen on the beaches, it was thought to be just a layer over the sea. However, scientists have explained that its greatest impact takes place underwater.

An aerial photo of Pendik port in Asian side of Istanbul, Friday, June 4, 2021, with a huge mass of marine mucilage, a thick, slimy substance made up of compounds released by marine organisms, in Turkeys Marmara Sea.

The mucilage layer on the bottom particularly affects sea creatures. The layers seen on the surface prevent sea creatures from getting the necessary oxygen, causing them to die. Thus, the entire marine ecosystem is rapidly disappearing.

Alice Alldredge, an expert on marine mucilage and a professor emeritus at University of California, Santa Barbara, told The Scientist: Sea snot is a colloquial term for the mucus that is exuded by a lot of different phytoplankton species. She added: [t]he main problem is that the material eventually sinks and completely smothers the organisms that are on the bottom. It kills corals, it kills fish, it kills all the crustaceans down there, the bivalvesit kills pretty much everything because theres not enough oxygen.

Studies have shown that the pollution is not limited to the Marmara Sea, which is an inland sea. The pollution has been seen both in the neighboring Aegean and Black Seas. Like all environmental problems, it ignores artificial national boundaries and has an international character.

Alldredge said: There have been scum events like this in the Adriatic [Sea] going back to the 1800s.  It seems these events are increasing in the Mediterranean. It used to be just the Adriatic, [and] in the area around Sicily. Now, theres been some events up around Corsica and the Italian-French border. So, its not just Turkey thats suffering from this.

Scientists agree that this mucilage originates from industrial and urban wastes that have been dumped into the Marmara Sea for decades, as well as from climate change. If comprehensive measures are not taken soon, Marmara will turn into a completely dead sea.

M. Levent Artuz, a hydrobiology expert from the Marmara Environmental Monitoring Project, claims that the Sea of Marmara already died in 1989. Speaking to the 1+1 Forum website, he said: This is not an isolated event; it is a chain, a result. Marmara died in 1989. What we see is the decay of a corpse. The diversity of species in the sea was dealt a grave blow, it was hollowed out, competition between species disappeared.

The Marmara Region links Europe and Asia and consists of cities clustered around the Sea of Marmara. While it makes up 8.5 percent (approximately 67,000 square kilometers) of Turkeys surface area, over 25 percent of countrys populationover 20 million peoplelive there. Its largest cities, including Istanbul, Kocaeli, Bursa and Tekirdag, and host many of the country largest industrial facilities. Waste from industrial plants and these major cities is dumped on the bottom of the sea without passing through modern wastewater treatment facilities.

Professor Bars Salihoglu, head of Turkeys Middle East Technical University (METU) Institute of Maritime Sciences, stated: Indeed, mucilage is very common. We have seen a gel-like structure spreading across the sea and never encountered such a large mass before. He also warned: Oxygen levels have dropped drastically, so we need to take action quickly. It is not the first time mucilage has been seen, but it is the first time it has been so widely spread.

Pointing to deoxygenation caused by the waste from provinces surrounding the Marmara Sea, Mustafa Yucel, deputy director of the METU Institute of Marine Sciences, said: There is also an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus that creates other ecosystem problems, such as deoxygenation, which is the main cause of mucilage.  The problem is big.

He also stated: The main cause of this deoxygenation is essentially the same thing that causes sea snot: nitrogen and phosphorus loads. According to our models and calculations, this deoxygenation only comes from Turkish territories. These loads have entered the sea for the last 20-30 years.

Capitalist politicians have reacted by covering up the roots of the problem, which is in the capitalist systems failure to build the proper waste management infrastucture. They either blame each other or make empty promises to solve the problem quickly. President Recep Tayyip Erdogans Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has blamed the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, controlled by the bourgeois opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), which was elected two years ago, for this issue.

Erdogan himself was silent on the issue for months and then cited untreated wastewater discharged into the sea as the cause of the problem. He blamed municipalities that passed from the AKP to the bourgeois opposition parties in local elections held in 2019. However, most of the municipalities, especially Istanbul, have been ruled by AKP mayors since 1994.

Nurettin Sozen (CHP), a former mayor of the Istanbul metropolitan area, claimed that three full biological treatment projects planned to be built in Istanbul were shelved after Erdogan was elected mayor of Istanbul in 1994. Sozen said that under Erdogan, a low-cost method of discharging the wastewater, which pollutes the Sea of Marmara to the bottom of the sea, was implemented.

The CHPs criticisms are utterly hypocritical, however, as smaller cities on the Sea of Marmara that have been governed by CHP mayors for years have not pursued a waste treatment policy fundamentally different from AKP municipalities.

On June 8, Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum announced that Turkey is launching its largest and most comprehensive sea cleaning mobilization ever to save the Sea of Marmara. The only action proposed by Kurum, who met the mayors and governors of the Marmara Regions seven provinces fully six months after the mucilage emerged, was to begin collecting mucilage by boat. However, the source of these problems is the control of industry and urban planning by capitalist interests and bourgeois governments who serve them.

While industrial enterprises do not implement necessary purification and filtration measures, the national and local governments who serve them transfer public resources to the wealthy instead of acting to protect the environment.

The Turkish state refuses to make long-term, comprehensive infrastructure investments needed to save the Marmara Sea from turning into a dead sea or to ensure the safety of millions in an expected Istanbul earthquake. Instead, it is preparing to build an Istanbul Canal in line with the NATO military alliances geopolitical calculations and plans for massive profiteering by Turkish and international investors.

However, scientists warn such a canal would damage the ecosystem of the Sea of Marmara and the Black Sea, destroy Istanbuls wetlands, increase traffic and even damage inflicted by a possible earthquake. Valuable resources and time are thus wasted.

A scientifically-guided struggle against the problem of mucilage spreading from the Sea of Marmara, and other forms of the environmental degradation, can only be waged on the basis of an international, anti-capitalist program. The implementation of this solution requires the conscious struggle to transfer power to the working classin a struggle for international socialism, based on the planning of global economic life around social needs, not private profit.
Campaigners from the World Socialist Web Site have encountered broad support among workers across the United States for its call to form a network of rank-and-file solidarity committees in support of the strike by nearly 3,000 Volvo Trucks workers in Dublin, Virginia.

A worker at the Mack Trucks assembly plant in Macungie, Pennsylvania, told the WSWS, I think its a great idea. ... I totally support the workers in Dublin. I believe its time for the companies to stop taking from the workers and give them back some of the profits that theyre making from us.

Striking Volvo Truck workers (Source: UAW Local 2069/Facebook)

Pointing to the growing divergence between the incomes and interests of trade union executives and rank-and-file workers, he noted, Just because their pockets get filled, does it mean ours do?

Manufacturing at Mack Trucks, a subsidiary of Volvo, is tightly bound together with the New River Valley (NRV) plant in Virginia where workers are striking. Production at several Mack sites is being significantly impacted by the strike, similar to how the NRV plant was forced to idle during the Mack Trucks strike in 2019. However, the United Auto Workers (UAW) keeps workers at the two subsidiaries on separate contracts with different expiration dates in order to isolate them from each other.

The strike at Volvos New River Valley plant, the second this year, emerged out of a rebellion by workers against the pro-corporate UAW. Workers have twice overwhelmingly voted down UAW-backed contracts containing substantial givebacks, defying intimidation from UAW national, regional and local officials, including Secretary-Treasurer Ray Curry, head of the Heavy Trucks Department.

Workers at the NRV plant have formed the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee (VWRFC) to fight the combined efforts of the company and the UAW to impose concessions in pay, health care, and working conditions, and the committee played the leading role in organizing the opposition to the two sellout agreements. The VWRFC issued a powerful open letter last week calling for the UAW to reveal its plan for the strike and demanding substantial improvements to wages, benefits and working conditions.

From the start, the UAW has been seeking to isolate the struggle, publishing nothing on its national website or Facebook page on the walkout, while keeping striking workers in the dark about what it is supposedly negotiating with Volvo that is different from its previous two agreements. Talks between the UAW and Volvo nominally resumed on Wednesday, but the union has said nothing about the content of its discussions with the company.

The UAWs silence on the strike has gone in tandem with a near-total information blackout by the national media. Most workers, including UAW members, who spoke with the WSWS had either previously been unaware that the strike was taking place or had learned of it recently only through the WSWS.

Campaigning to support Volvo strikers at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit

Workers spoke with particular enthusiasm about the WSWSs proposal that rank-and-file solidarity committees demand sharp increases in pay from the unions $780 million strike fund. The UAW is currently giving out only $275 per week, less than the minimum wage, while it continues to pay hundreds of bureaucrats at the misnamed Solidarity House headquarters their bloated salaries, averaging in the thousands of dollars a week.

Honestly, I think the most important thing is getting the union to pay them full pay, another worker from Mack Trucks in Macungie said. They have Volvo where they want them. They should not have to be forced to fight their own union as well. They paid their dues in, trusting the UAW for strength in return in times of need. This is their time of need, and they are failed by the union they paid to protect them.

The worker said they were interested in the idea of a solidarity committee at the plant, noting, I think everyone needs to be moving in the same direction, so it makes sense to me.

There has also been broad support from readers of the Autoworker Newsletter from across the US auto industry. One worker from Fords Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky said, Ill post this [statement] on Facebook. Youre doing more for members than the UAW nationally and the locals. Nothing has changed since they put [former UAW Presidents Gary Jones and Dennis Williams] in prison. 

Referring to the WSWSs analyses of the UAWs tax returns, which reveal multimillion-dollar expenditures on UAW officials, including hundreds who make six-figure salaries, he said, Ive seen your articles about the LM-2 reports. They cant lie about it. Keep up the good work.

Members of the Faurecia Gladstone Rank-and-File Safety Committee at the Columbus, Indiana, auto parts plantwhich produces catalytic converters and exhaust systems for Volvo truckshave been circulating articles about the strike at their factory. A supporter of the committee told the WSWS Wednesday evening that attempts by the media and the unions to isolate the strikers are already breaking down, and support for the strike is beginning to build.

The Volvo strikers are running into the same problems that we all confront when it comes to the unions, auto workers, teachers, miners, it doesnt matter, he said. The union is doing nothing for its constituents. It does for the company. And that has to stop. That little bit of strike pay just goes to show what kind of crooks are running the unions.

The union has almost $800 million in its strike fund. The strikers should get their full pay. They paid into that union, and now the union wants to screw them. That is bull!

People here are starting to hear about the strike at Volvo and theyre all for it, he continued. We are getting to the same place at Gladstone, working more hours and people are not getting paid what they should be getting. These companies are going to keep pushing the concessions. Thats why we need to stand together in solidarity all across the nation.

On Thursday, supporters of the WSWS Autoworker Newsletter went to the Stellantis Sterling Heights Assembly Plant (SHAP) in suburban Detroit to distribute copies of the statement calling for rank-and-file solidarity committees.

The Stellantis workers were anxious to hear about the strike and thanked the WSWS for informing them. Most workers knew nothing about it due to the news blackout by the UAW and the corporate news media. After distributing scores of leaflets at the plant gates, guards hired by Stellantis from Securitas told the campaigners they had to leave the area, and later called the police on them, even though they were standing on a public sidewalk.

Despite the company attempts at intimidation, the WSWS supporters continued to distribute the statement, and workers driving their cars in and out of the plant enthusiastically took copies of it. One worker replied, Hell yes, I support them, as she took the leaflet. Asked how she learned about the strike, she said, I read it on the World Socialist Web Site.

Another worker took the leaflet and asked, Why were the cops out here? The campaigner replied, Stellantis called them because they dont want workers to read about this strike. When he added, The UAW doesnt want you to know about it either, the worker asked, Why not? The campaigner said, Because the Volvo workers voted down two UAW-backed contracts by 90 percent and they dont want Stellantis workers to rebel against the UAW too. Oh, I understand, the worker replied.

Stellantis was formed by the merger of the Italian-American company Fiat Chrysler and the French PSA Group. Former UAW Vice President General Holiefield signed a series of concessions with Fiat Chrysler in 2007, 2009 and 2011, which introduced the two-tier wage system, cut the pay of new hires in half, and established the 10-hour Alternative Work Schedule, all but eliminating the eight-hour day. As head of the UAW Heavy Truck Department, Holiefield also sold out the two-month strike by Volvo Trucks workers in 2008 and signed Volvo Trucks deals establishing and expanding the multi-tier wage system there in 2008 and 2011.

It was later revealed that Holiefield and his wife were paid more than $1.2 million in bribes by Fiat Chrysler executives in exchange for signing the pro-company contracts. Holiefield died in 2015 before he could be convicted for his crimes.

These were the same crooks? asked one Stellantis worker, when a campaigner explained about Holiefield negotiating the contracts at Fiat Chrysler and Volvo. Told that the Volvo Trucks workers were fighting to get rid of the two-tier wage system and prevent the establishment of a 10-hour workday, the young worker said, Thats great. We all should be supporting them.

Another SHAP worker who spoke to the WSWS said an increase in strike pay is more than fair. He said, What is $275 when they spend millions defending incarcerated former UAW presidents who lied, and they still defend them? The strikers should get $900 a week. Thats what the strike fund is for.

He drew parallels between conditions at Volvo and his plant. Right now at SHAP our shifts are overlapping, he said, since the company ended staggered shifts and other safety measures on Monday. While were there till 9:30, C shift comes on the line at 9:30. The parking lot is a mess. Were still wearing masks and self-certifying, but no temperature checks, no cleaning, they cut all that out to get extra 30 minutes of trucks, so the line never stops now. SHAP was the site of a massive outbreak of COVID-19 earlier in the year, with more than 10 percent of the plants workforce of more than 7,000 at one point quarantining or on sick leave.

He continued, Were still working three Saturdays a month [in forced overtime]. People are upset because they are putting us at risk by not checking temperatures and not cleaning. Were in close quarters now more than ever, just so they can get more trucks.

Workers in other industries also sent in statements of support.

A leading member of the Baltimore Amazon Workers Rank and File Safety Committee called for the formation of new workers organizations in auto and other industries. The UAW could care less about its members. It has an agenda. Whats the point of joining a trade union? From what I hear from workers in other industries, and from looking at the history of what workers could get then versus now, why would I want to give them my money and cross my fingers that theyll represent me properly? You cant trust them.

The Baltimore Amazon committee has released a statement endorsing the Volvo workers struggle and calling on Volvo and Mack Trucks workers to reach out to the World Socialist Web Site and fight to break the wall of silence imposed on you by the UAW. The committees statement declares: If corporate giants like Amazon are allowed to intervene in this struggle to push workers living standards down, then it is workers duty to intervene in their own interests to raise them.

A registered nurse in California also wrote to the WSWS about the strike, saying, I support the courageous Volvo workers fight against the greedy multinational Volvo corporation and the corrupt United Auto Workers (UAW). These are the same issues faced by nurses such as myself from greedy hospital conglomerates and nurse unions. The nurse union bureaucrats work in tandem with hospital administrators to tamp down on nurse opposition. They would have secret meetings behind nurses backs to discuss concessions such as wages, benefits, employee/union rights, working conditions and safe patient care policies.

She added, It is time that the working class unite in the United States and abroad to fight the murderous herd immunity policies started by the Trump administration and continued by the Biden administration. I am giving my full support to the Volvo workers and encourage them to stand strong against the Volvo corporation and the corrupt UAW. I encourage all autoworkers to form rank-and-file solidarity committees to break the isolation of the Volvo workers strike and come out to support their fellow brothers and sisters on the picket line.

We urge Mack Trucks workers, autoworkers and other workers to sign up today to learn more about joining or forming a rank-and-file solidarity committee to support the Volvo Trucks strike.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - We are learning more about a Terre Haute death investigation that started earlier this week.

We first told you on Thursday Anthony Cleveland faces three felony charges.

On Monday, the Terre Haute Police Department discovered Cassandra Ryan's body in a home she shared with Cleveland at 28th Street and Prairie Avenue.

MONDAY | Police launch death investigation at a Terre Haute home

On Friday, we received the probable cause documents from the Vigo County courts.

The Four-Wheeler

On Sunday, people in the neighborhood saw a man and a woman on a four-wheeler. They said the woman on the back appeared to be unconscious, and the man driving the four-wheeler appeared to be struggling to keep her on the ATV.

Those same people also described what the man and woman on the ATV were wearing, along with a description of the ATV.

Police were also able to watch video captured from the incident.

The discovery of Cassandra Ryan

Police talked to a witness about Ryan's death. This person said they've known Cleveland for a few years and told police Cleveland and Ryan had been lifelong friends.

This person told police Cleveland became Ryan's caretaker and power of attorney following a stroke a few years ago.

This witness told police Cleveland called them on Monday morning to check on Ryan. Anthony was a truck driver and out of town at that time.

Anthony allegedly told the witness he wanted them to make sure Ryan was "still breathing." Cleveland told the witness he noticed several bruises on Ryan's body from a previous fall.

When the witness entered the home on Monday morning, they noticed the doors were all fully locked, and nothing was out of place. That person went into Ryan's room and found her lying there, not breathing.

The witness called both Cleveland and 9-1-1.

Cleveland gave police permission to enter the house.

Anthony Cleveland's Statement

Once Cleveland returned to Terre Haute, police said they took him to the department to make a statement.

He told police Ryan seemed fine on the Sunday before, and they grilled out, saying she went to bed early. He also told police they went to Kroger that morning to get donuts. He said they didn't leave for the rest of the day.

THURSDAY | Police make arrest following Terre Haute death investigation

He reportedly told police he had not had an argument or was in any way physical with her.

The evidence and arrest

After obtaining a warrant and searching Cleveland's property, they allegedly found a four-wheeler matching the description the witness reported seeing on Sunday.

Officers were also able to watch surveillance video from Kroger that showed what appeared to be Cleveland and Ryan entering the store, wearing the same clothes the witness reported seeing the people on the four-wheeler wearing. Ryan did not seem to have any bruises on her body during the Kroger visit.

During Ryan's autopsy, officials learned she had scratches, bruises and suffered blunt force trauma. She also had several broken ribs. Dr. Kor, who performed the autopsy, believed Ryan would have survived her injuries if she had medical treatment right away.

Her time of death was around midnight on Sunday night.

Cleveland was arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent that results in death.
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - The Lowndes County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in locating Roger Jamal Coleman Jr.

For identification purposes, he is described as a being a black male, 39-years-of-age, six feet and one inches tall, and weighing 315 lbs. He was last seen driving a silver 2002 Honda Accord, with a Mississippi tag displaying the letters and numbers L-T-C-1-3-3-6.

Coleman Jr. was last known to be in Jackson, MS at the Downtown Red Roof Inn located at 700 Larson St. on June 10, 2021.

He last spoke with his father by phone on June 14, 2021. Since then, he has not answered any phone calls or text messages.

Coleman Jr. has also not shown up for work and does not appear to have been home.

If you have knowledge of the whereabouts of Roger Jamal Coleman Jr. or have any additional information, please contact Golden Triangle Crime Stoppers at 1-800-530-7151 or the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office at 662-328-6788 or use the P3-Tips app.
TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Tupelo Police Agents arrested Keondra Lockridge in connection to a shooting that occurred at Regions Bank on West Main earlier this month.

On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the agents, assigned to the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force, located and arrested the 21-year-old male and charged him with drive-by shooting.

The initial shooting happened on June 11, 2021, at Regions Bank in Tupelo.

Investigation into the incident reveals that Lockridge and the shooting victim had previously been in an altercation.

On June 24th, a day after police arrested Lockridge, Tupelo Municipal Court Judge Weir set Lockridge's bond at $500,000.
James E. Casto is the retired associate editor of the Herald-Dispatch and the author of a number of books on local and regional history.
James E. Casto is the retired associate editor of the Huntington Herald-Dispatch and the author of a number of books on local and regional history.
Please purchase a subscription to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please Log In .

Your current subscription does not provide access to this content. If you believe you've gotten this message in error, please Log In.
Frontier Airlines is discontinuing its "Covid Recovery Charge." David Zalubowski/AP

Frontier Airlines had been charging flyers an extra "Covid recovery fee" on tickets booked since May.

The $1.59 fee was levied for each passenger and flight segment on new bookings.

This is Frontier's second attempt at raising revenues under the guise of the pandemic.

See more stories on Insider's business page.

Frontier Airlines has abandoned yet another plan to increase revenues by charging flyers extra fees under the guise of the pandemic.

Travelers who had booked flights with the carrier from May until June 23 have been paying an extra fee, called the "Covid recovery charge," as first reported by ABC News. Embedded in the total fare was an extra $1.59 surcharge levied to each passenger and each flight segment in a new booking.

"The charge, which was included in the airline's total promoted fare versus an add-on fee, was meant to provide transparency and delineate what portion of the fare was going toward Covid-related business recovery, including repayment of a CARES Act loan from the U.S. Government," Frontier said in a statement to Insider.

Ultra-low-cost carriers like Frontier rely on additional fees for services, known as ancillary fees, that are non-taxable by the government. It's unclear whether the surcharge would have been tax-free and Frontier did not confirm to Insider whether or not the fee was taxable.

But travelers looking to make new bookings will notice that fares are slightly lower now that the surcharge has been discontinued. "Frontier Airlines has made the decision to rescind its Covid Recovery Charge of $1.59 per passenger per segment that was implemented in May," a Frontier spokesperson confirmed to Insider.

Frontier tried a similar move to raise revenue around this time in 2020 when flyers were just returning to the skies after a crippling March and April. Flyers could pay extra to book seats in rows that had a guaranteed empty middle while the rest of the aircraft could be filled.

Story continues

Airlines were divided between those filling planes and those blocking middle seats and Frontier Chief Executive Barry Biffle publicly spoke in favor of filling planes, even while offering the buy up for the rows with an empty middle seat.

"We don't believe this is what you need to be safe but it's one more thing that we can do to put people's minds at ease," Biffle told CNBC at the time, citing the effectiveness of aircraft filtration systems, mask mandates, and Frontier's expanded cleaning practices.

The product was quickly abandoned by Frontier after backlash from federal lawmakers. Other carriers like Alaska Airlines debuted similar products that offered guaranteed empty middle seats, but those also offered extra amenities like complimentary alcohol and extra legroom.

"I find it outrageous that an airline sees the imperative for social distancing as an opportunity to make a buck," Rep. Peter DeFazio, chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said in a statement at the time, as Insider reported. "Frontier's decision to charge passengers to keep middle seats empty is capitalizing on fear and passengers' well-founded concerns for their health and safety."

Frontier, alternatively, was an early adopter of a mask mandate for all passengers and crew and it was the only US airline to require temperature checks before boarding, which ended earlier in June.

Read More: Spirit Airlines' low-cost model puts it in the perfect spot to be the big winner of the pandemic, a Deutsche Bank analyst says

Read the original article on Business Insider
Jun. 25BOSTON  A Georgetown woman was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in Boston for embezzling over $419,000 from her employer, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Michelle Higson, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 27 months in prison, five years of supervised release and ordered to pay over $419,000 in restitution. In September 2019, Higson pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud.

Higson was also sentenced separately for violating her supervised release, which was imposed in a prior case following her September 2017 conviction for a fraudulent scheme. Judge Denise J. Casper sentenced Higson to an additional six months in prison for the supervised release violation.

In 2013, Higson began working as a part-time bookkeeper for a Wilmington company, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release. Earlier news coverage reported that the company was based in Rowley, but federal officials did not name the firm.

From 2015 until her termination in 2018, Higson stole a series of the company's checks, made them payable to herself or to her husband, and forged her employer's signatures. Higson cashed and deposited the checks for her own personal use, according to the release.

To conceal her criminal conduct and avoid detection by the company, Higson falsified entries in the company's books to make it appear as if the stolen checks had been issued to satisfy payment to actual vendors.

Higson also inflated her pay rate and falsified the number of hours she worked on several occasions, which let her collect more money than what she actually earned. In total, Higson embezzled more than $419,000.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joshua McCallister, acting inspector in charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement Thursday in a press release.
via IDF

Gaza is often described as the worlds largest open-air prison. Over two million people inhabit the tiny coastal strip, and they must endure a 70 percent unemployment rate; frequent shortages of medical supplies, fuel and clean water; constant power outages; and the fundamentalist governance of the extremist group Hamas. Add to that the Israeli air strikes that knocked down multiple high-rise residential buildings in a war last Maythe third war since Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007.

Gazans whove had enough will find it difficult to leave. Theres both a naval blockade and a 40-mile-long border fence barring entry into Israel, complemented by an additional nine miles of steel and concrete walls on the Gaza-Egyptian border. Only a lucky minority are granted permits to pass through checkpoints into Israel or Egypt for work or medical care. But the checkpoints are frequently closed at times of high tension.

And now, in a new dystopian twist out of RoboCop, people defying the border barrier may be confronted by a robotic six-wheeled car blaring warnings from a built-in public address system. And if non-compliant, the robot can address the infraction with a turret-mounted machine gun.

Jaguars stalking

The Gaza border barrier is supported by many Israelis because it has reduced to almost nil the ability of Hamas and other militant groups to carry out ambushes, kidnappings and suicide bombings in Israel. The Israeli border barrier features miles of sensor-infused smart fencing guarded by ground troops and armored vehicles, surveilled by orbiting drones, and monitored by SentryTech towers armed with remote-control .50 caliber machine guns capable of shredding light vehicles. The barriers extend underground too, blocking some but not all cross-border tunnels used by Palestinian smugglers.

Nonetheless, Gazans periodically mass in protest outside the one-mile-long buffer zone in front of the fence and sometimes even blast holes through it. While IDF guards can and do shoot to kill those deemed armed infiltrators, others appraised to be non-combatants may instead be repelled with tear gas dropped by drones, or accorded warning shots, sometimes followed by a sniper shot to the leg. During a violent surge of protests at the border in April and May of 2018, over 11,000 Palestinians were injured and 100 killed by IDF border forces, which suffered one fatality and several wounded.

Story continues

Improvements to the barrier have caused Hamas to redirect efforts towards cultivating an arsenal of inaccurate long-range rockets it can launch towards Israeli cities from within Gaza, though the crude nature of the weapons mean a substantial fraction fall within Gaza, sometimes causing casualties.

Still, militants in Gaza do also harry IDF units surrounding the area, as well as nearby civilian communities, with sniper rifles, anti-tank missiles, shorter-range Qassam rockets and mortar bombardments. The only Israeli soldier to die in the May 2021 war was in a Jeep hit by a Russian-made anti-tank missile.

The IDF therefore wants these Jaguar armed robots to partially substitute for mobile patrols by flesh-and-blood soldiers, thereby improving force protection, in military jargon. The reasoning is that its preferable for a Jaguar to risk taking a hit from a rocket-propelled grenade or anti-material rifle than a human soldier. And should the robot somehow get captured, it can even reportedly self-disable its more sensitive components.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The IDF first announced it was deploying the 1.5-ton unmanned ground vehicles in April, prior to the May war with Hamas. Then on June 19, the National Resistance Brigades, the armed wing of a Palestinian Marxist group, posted photos of Israeli forces on the border, including an image of a Jaguar close to the fencing, though when the photo was taken is unclear.

Built by Israeli Aerospace Industries in cooperation with the IDF, the Jaguar is a semi-autonomous system, meaning it receives some directions from human operator but can perform tasks with more independence than a fully remote-controlled system. For example, the Jaguars AI can effectively drive around off-road obstructions or recharge itself at a charging station without supervision.

Likewise, a human operator ordinarily makes the decision to employ the armament on the Jaguars Pitbull remote weapon system by using a so-called point-and-shoot interface. The AI then automatically aims its stabilized FN MAG 7.62-millimeter machine gun and adjusts fire as necessary. The turrets combination of electro-optical and thermal sensors can detect humans up to 1.2 kilometers away, or 800 meters away at night.

Killer choices

As creepy as being gunned down by border patrol robots may be, military ethicists might argue that the Jaguars AI isnt intrinsically problematic: the robot may be killing people, but its not deciding to kill them. That call is made by a human operator located miles away, someone who may be less likely to jump the gun than a soldier on the ground fearing for their own safety, and who potentially may have to clear lethal actions with a supervising officer.

That said, Israeli defense expert Arie Egozi noted in a profile piece of the Jaguar that pre-programmed scenarios enable the UGV to fire autonomously. That sounds like it could enter the realm of robots making lethal kill decisions.

However, a former IDF soldier told me he thought it unlikely an autonomous hunter-kill mode would be enabled in Gaza given the risks of mishap and lack of compelling need. He speculated the autonomous combat capability might allow rapid return fire when fired upon, or be reserved for conventional warfighting missions where there would be a greater likelihood of disruption to a command link. I would be very dubious of the claim that its fully auto for border patrol, he wrote to me.

Indeed, once the IDF finishes deploying Jaguars to the Gaza division, it plans to integrate the robotic vehicles more broadly as relatively expendable scouts supporting manned ground forces. Russia and the United States are busy developing a range of more heavily armed robotic armored vehicles with similar missions in mind.

An Israeli soldier also comments in a video that the Jaguar could alternatively employ less-than-lethal weapons and crowd control capabilities. That seemingly refers to rubber bullets, tear gas and similar weapons, implying the Jaguar might be used beyond Gaza to police unrest and rioting, which spiked leading up to and at the onset of the May 2021 war.

In the end, unmanned systems amount to a new way to harm an adversary while denying them a chance to inflict meaningful harm in retributiona basic principle in military tactics. But reducing the risks and costs of using lethal force make resorting to force more appealing, and easier to scale up and maintain over long periods of time, just like the U.S. has maintained a drone assassination campaign for nearly two decades.

In that lens, the Jaguar is of a piece with the entire smart border wall around Gaza. As Basem Aly wrote in a 2019 piece for the Carnegie Endowment of International Peace that the wall is so effective at reducing Hamass ability to directly attack Israel that its part of a larger strategy to remove any security-based pressure on Israel to reach a two-state solution.

Ultimately, it remains debatable whether Jaguars will prove more problematic as border enforcers than regular patrols from a human rights standpoint. However, the increasing sophistication of the smart border is emblematic of a preference to use technology to manage away the security issues presented by Hamas and Gaza, rather than attempting to address the material and political conditions feeding a seemingly interminable conflict.

Its hard to imagine that young Gazans growing up in a geographically constrained world without economic prospects will not rage against the hi-tech machines deployed to keep them penned there, potentially radicalizing future generations in the coming decades.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here

Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!

Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
The British and Irish Lions launch their 2021 tour when they face Japan on Saturday before departing for South Africa 24 hours later.

Here the PA news agency examines five talking points heading into the Murrayfield appointment.

Lift off

Alun Wyn Jones will lead the Lions against Japan (PA)

After months of uncertainty over where the tour would be staged  and if it would even take place at all  the 2021 Lions are poised to finally step on to the playing field in defiance of the coronavirus pandemic. Now it is up to Alun Wyn Jones and his team-mates to plant a flag in the sand by delivering a momentum-building victory over Japan in Edinburgh.

Scotsmen on parade

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Only the third ever home Lions fixture had promised to be a celebration of Scottish rugby, but their four starters have reduced to two after Hamish Watson and Zander Fagerson sustained injuries, leaving just Duhan van der Merwe and Rory Sutherland in place with Ali Price on the bench. It is a disappointing development for a 16,500 crowd eager to acknowledge Scotlands largest squad representation since 1989, but Watson and Fagerson will get their chances again soon.

Enjoy the send-off

Murrayfield will host a 16,500 crowd for the Lions against Japan (Jane Barlow/PA)

The Lions must embrace the reception awaiting them at Murrayfield, where the sports largest crowd since the pandemic began will gather to send off the elite of British and Irish rugby, as when they reach South Africa they will be playing in empty stadiums. An escalating number of coronavirus cases, particularly in the Gauteng region that encompasses Johannesburg, have removed any faint hope that fans will be allowed into stadiums and have forced a tightening of the tourists bubble restrictions.

Generals to take centre stage

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Of all the combinations picked to face Japan, it is half-backs Conor Murray and Dan Biggar that has the greatest look of a Test axis in waiting. Murray has beaten Gareth Davies and Price for the number nine jersey while Biggar has benefited from Owen Farrell and Finn Russell being late arrivals into camp. It is early days, but a strong showing at Murrayfield would place the Irish and Welsh veterans in pole position to start the first Test.

Story continues

Japan plot early setback

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Gregor Townsend described swashbuckling Japan as the toughest opening opponents in Lions history, and while Jamie Josephs men have not played a match since their 2019 World Cup quarter-final defeat by South Africa, they are a quality side who fully warrant the attack coachs evaluation. There are 10 survivors from the loss to the Springboks, including captain Michael Leitch, and they will remain loyal to the joyful high-tempo game that lit up the global showpiece 18 months ago.
Photo credit: Amy Shore

Photo credit: Amy Shore

Automakers are rarely shy when it comes to celebrating past glories, but old cars and far-distant victories are normally nothing more than set dressing. Nostalgia should never be allowed to distract from the more important business of moving new metal. Few modern industry executives would publicly repeat Henry Fords assertion about the bunkness of history, but all would agree that the most important car is the one you can sell today.

Yet history has become an increasingly salable commodity with the rise of what have been dubbed continuation models. High-end replicas, as distinct from shoddy kit cars, have been around for decades, and the line that divides them from originals is often thin. But the growing market for officially sanctioned re-creations has created a fresh class of classic, proving that people are willing to pay serious money for an all-new piece of the past. For high-end carmakers with a past to plumb, continuation cars are a way to burnish their image and make a little money in the process. Jaguar has created, over the last decade, new versions of all its biggest midcentury hits. Aston Martin has been dabbling in the business since 1991.



Yet no previous continuation has been anything like this one. The Bentley Blower makes the Fifties and Sixties cars that have previously been, well, continued, look about as daring as a Greatest Hits compilation. The Blower comes from an earlier and more savage time, a car that you dont drive so much as engage in hand-to-hand combat with.

This story originally appeared in Volume 5 of Road & Track.

SIGN UP FOR THE TRACK CLUB BY R&T FOR MORE EXCLUSIVE STORIES

Photo credit: Amy Shore

The sight of the Blower Continuation Series prototypeofficially known as Car Zeroparked next to the car it copies, the original No. 2 team car, makes the ambition of this project clear. Nine decades separate these two cars, yet both are almost identical beyond the 2021 versions obvious lack of wear. To build the prototype, and the sold-out run of 12 production Continuations that will follow it, Bentleys dream-weaving Mulliner division spent hundreds of hours disassembling and scanning every part of the No. 2 car (which wears the number 9 on its grille) before putting it back together so that we could confirm the closeness of the relationship. Car Zero wears ugly supplemental LED headlights so it can be driven on test tracks at night, as well as turn signals and an electric engine fan. It is also fitted with a digital display screen and some modern data-logging equipment; my time in it on the Millbrook Proving Ground in the U.K. is part of 5000 miles of high-intensity durability testing. But in every other regard it is a facsimile.

Story continues

Despite the No. 2 cars roughly $34 million value, Im sent out in it first. This is to give me a sense of the richness of its long and distinguished history; it wears a hood-mounted plaque listing its racing achievements, including the vital cameo it played at the 1930 Le Mans 24 Hours, and its dashboard features the mechanical scorekeeper stolen from a Parisian billiard hall to be repurposed as a lap counter for the race. But Bentleys PR manager admits to another reason: The teeth of the original cars non-syncho crash gearbox have been worn down by decades of graunchy changes and will therefore be more tolerant of my inexperience. Fair enough.

No part of the Blower experience is modern, but it is soon clear that some bits are less archaic than others. The shift for the four-speed gearbox is a conventional H-pattern, although its located to the right of the right-hand driving position. The clutch pedal is where my left foot expects to find it, but Ive been warned that it also incorporates a brake to stop the gearboxs input shaft so that first can be selected. Pressing too hard when the car is moving will effectively lock the transmission. Im also ordered to double-clutch for both upshifts and downshifts. Oh, and the Blower predates standardized pedal positioning: Its accelerator is in the middle, its brake pedal on the right.

Photo credit: Amy Shore

Getting rolling is surprisingly easy. The engine is already warm so starting is no harder than flicking the twin magnetos onthese are controlled by what were almost certainly 1920s domestic light switchessetting the spark advance to retard and then hitting the vast starter button. The huge four-cylinder engine churns a few times and then bursts into a loud, industrial idle. The gear selector is heavy and its throw long, but the clutch bites progressively andwith minimal throttlethe Blower moves off without drama.

Everything gets harder from that point. The driving experience could be politely described as challenging, indelicately as a total mindfuck. Its a reaction and coordination test that gets exponentially harder as speed increases. The reversed pedal positions cause less confusion than I had expected, especially as it becomes clear the cable-and-rodding brakes can only slow the car at a gradual rate and stopping needs to be planned well in advance. The steering is hugely heavy and, unlike most unassisted racks, doesnt get any lighter once the car is moving; the hugeness of the wheel is necessary to fight the car into tighter turns. But these are of small concern compared to the need to battle the recalcitrant gearbox.

The clutch-neutral-clutch-gear change comes with a little practice, but the need to match the speeds of the engine and road sides of the transmission requires much more dexterity, with the need to deal with both the stubborn gearchange and deliver a rev-matching throttle blip with an accelerator pedal in the wrong place. After half an hour Im hitting one downshift in three sweetly. By the end of a day Im little better than 50/50.



Yet crunchy changes aside, performance is never lacking. On Millbrooks high-speed bowl, a two-mile banked circle, the No. 2 car accelerates at a rate that would be impressive if it were 40 years younger, pulling strongly as the needle on the boost gauge records increasing positive pressure. There is no noticeable supercharger whine, and revs turn the engine louder without making it in any way melodic. The redline is marked at 4500 rpm, but a single exploratory run proves there is no point venturing so far, as acceleration feels just as strong at 3000. At an indicated 80 mphthe fastest Im permitted to gothe Blower feels absolutely in its element, steering true and with its aeroscreen and low seating position doing a good job of minimizing wind buffeting. The sight of rushing road through the many gaps in the floorboards adds to the sense of velocity. When the Blower racing cars were advertised for sale in 1931 each was guaranteed to be able to achieve 125 mph.

Photo credit: Amy Shore

Returning to Millbrooks staging area to swap to the Continuation Blower gives a chance for a closer examination of both the massive engine and the complicated plumbing that connects it to the huge, front-mounted supercharger. This incorporates twin SU carburetors that supply the motor through several feet of inlet piping. It is a spectacular piece of engineering art, but also proof of the ideological split that divided Bentleys racing efforts at the time.

Company founder W. O. Bentley didnt hold with forced induction and, even as supercharged rivals like the Bugatti Type 35C and Mercedes SSK started to win more races, he preferred to add urge through the proven expedients of more cylinders and increased capacity. But one of the aristocratic Bentley Boys who regularly raced for the company, Sir Henry Tim Birkin, was convinced that a blown version of the companys smaller 4.5-liter four-cylinder engine would make more power. Having used most of his personal fortune to try to make one, Birkin then employed his considerable charm to persuade a wealthy heiress and famous racehorse owner, Dorothy Paget, to further fund his project.

The finished Blower was impressively potent, its 240-hp output being more than the six-cylinder works cars made from their 6.6-liter engines. But it was also prone to understeer and thirsty even by the standards of its era, managing around 2 mpg at racing speeds. Birkin entered a privateer team of three Blowers at Le Mans in 1930, nominally competing against Bentleys factory cars. He led the charge himself in this No. 2 car, passing Rudolf Caracciolis supercharged Mercedes SSK twice in the early stages of the race. Birkins searing pace was part of a patriotic pact with the works team, forcing the Mercedes to chase him in the expectation it would break. It did, but none of the Blowers lasted until the end of the race, either. The factory team scored a one-two finish.

In short, the No. 2 Blower possesses an almost intimidating amount of history, while the continuation car does not. Something that feels surprisingly liberating after swapping between them. Mess this up and Ill be forever known as the guy who crashed an old Bentley, rather than the guy who crashed the old Bentley.

Car Zeros lack of roof denies any sense of new-car smell, but the combination of leather and Rexine bodyworka cloth and cellulose covering more often used for bookswould certainly be pungent in a confined space. The dashboards Edwardian mantelpiece impression of wall-to-wall dials and chaotically strewn controls seems more incongruous in something that has been newly created, but its duty is obviously to reflect the original.

Although Car Zero is restricted to 3200 rpm during testing, I drive the rest of it harder than I do in its more famous predecessor, and on a more demanding bit of track. Millbrooks Hill Route was apparently modeled on an Alpine passa narrow, tight oneand its condensed combination of corners and crests gives the chance to both push the car and feel it push back.

The gearbox is no friendlier than in the original, but the engines flexibility means it can be left in second gear for most of a lap. The brakes are truly dreadfuleven panic pedal pressures bring minimal retardationit later transpires the prototype had just been given new pads that hadnt been properly bedded in. Fortunately the sizable hand brake on the outside of the cockpit applies a separate and obviously toothier set of pads inside the rear drums, pretty much doubling the stopping power when used with the pedal.



Photo credit: Amy Shore

The Blowers handling balance is also impressively benign. The semielliptical leaf springs and lever arm dampers maintain surprisingly impressive order over bumps, at the expense of a teeth-rattling ride. The narrow, positively cambered tires can be powered into understeer in tighter turns. But the limiting factor on cornering is the strength required to turn the vast wheel, especially as accelerating with the chassis loaded up causes the steering to try and straighten itself. This is a car that lives for the straights, and I emerge from a half-hour stint behind the wheel feeling as if Ive wrestled an octopus. Also understanding Ettore Bugattis famous dig about Bentley making the worlds fastest trucks.

Yet the Continuation Blower is not supposed to be easy or civilized or in any way tamed. Its supposed to be an accurate copy, and in that the engineering team has absolutely delivered with a driving experience direct from the Thirties. It is a glorious, deliberate anachronism, one that makes other continuation cars seem as safe and unimaginative as vanilla ice cream. Each of the dozen buyers worldwide is spending at least $2 million. Given the scale of the projectand the cost of an originalthat makes each one a bargain.

Photo credit: Amy Shore

The Re-creation

The expansion of the continuation market has created conflict between the makers of sanctioned and unsanctioned replicas. Conflict, as always, meaning lawyers. Lots of lawyers.



The legal war began in Sweden. Karl Magnusson, a professional car designer and longtime Jaguar enthusiast, wanted to build a replica of the early-Fifties C-Type. He started to collect drawings and pictures and to use his CAD skills to create a digital design. He told Jaguar of his plan and, he says, was invited to the U.K. in 2016 to make a presentation about the car to JLRs Classic division. Two years later he was sued in Sweden for copyright infringement, subsequently losing the case. The court ordered Magnusson to pay JLRs costs and also to destroy his car. My idea was to make them interested in my digital database of the whole car. It was a professional presentation, he told R&T. When I got the warning letter my wife and I didnt believe it was from Jaguar. It was so completely different to the experience I had with them.



JLRs line is that Magnussons venture was a commercial endeavor since he said he was planning to produce a series of cars. Magnusson admits he wanted to build two cars in addition to his own, but that he agreed not to when the lawyers first made contact. We got very close to a settlement, and I agreed to pay the money they were asking, Magnusson said, but they were still demanding destruction of my car. I couldnt accept that.

Magnusson appealed the verdict and still has the caralthough the rest of his collection was sold to pay costs. But JLR has already cited the case in legal correspondence with at least one other company building a C-Type replica in the U.K. Two weeks after sending this cease-and-desist notice in January, Jaguar Classic announced its plans to build eight officially sanctioned C-Type Continuations.



JLR Classic activities fall under the companys Special Vehicle Operations division, and although SVO boss Michael van der Sande refused to comment directly on either case, he made it clear to R&T that the larger company is planning to try to shut down the creation of unofficial replicas.Clearly its a sensitive subject, but its not just to protect our Classic business, which is a minor component, but also the integrity of our brand, he said. We dont want to kick the person in the teeth who might have bought a replica 10 years ago or who might want to build something in their garage tomorrow. . . . However, when businesses want to use our copyrights and trademarks to make money and sometimes compete against us, thats where we will step in.



How then, you might be asking, does GTO Engineering get around this sticky legal problem with its replica 250 SWB (page 125)? Well, the company buys a less valuable Ferrari of the same era, takes it down to pieces, and builds it back up as the vaunted SWB. So, its a Ferrari, but not the Ferrari that Ferrari made. George Orwell wasnt thinking of intellectual property pursuits when he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four. But its hard to look at the growth of both the continuation market and rights-based litigation around it without thinking of one of the dystopian masterpieces most famous lines: Who controls the past controls the future.

Photo credit: Max Earey

The Curio

Neither a car nor a stage prop, Aston Martins DB5 Goldfinger Continuation is a full-size Corgi toy.



The Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation is preposterous. Its a trinket fitted with stage-prop weaponry. Its a car that cant be registered for road use in many parts of the world. Yet spending time with it triggers a visceral desire to play. It isnt a reborn DB5 so much as a 1:1-scale version of the Corgi toy that used to eject its plastic passenger under the couch. It is also a very different car from Astons previous factory-sanctioned Continuations. The DB4 GT and its Zagato sister were aimed primarily at historic racing. As a pixel-perfect re-creation of what is the most famous movie car of all time, the DB5 Goldfinger is more frivolous. Its $3.5-million price tag is certainly not lacking in seriousness. It is also a car with a split personalityhalf heirloom, half gewgaw. The continuation car has tighter tolerances and a crisper paint finish than the 1964 DB5 did, but the basic mechanical package is the same. The new version is, after all, built using the same materials and techniques as its predecessor. This means heavy, unassisted steering and a straight-six engine that breathes through period- correct SU carburetors. The Q-department weapons are, necessarily, play-acting. They are, of course, nonlethal. They include twin machine guns that emerge from behind the front turn signals, onboard radar, a motorized bulletproof rear screen, smokescreen, oil-slick dispenser, three-way rotating license plates, and front and rear bumper rams. The film cars guns used blank ammunition; the Continuations barrels simulate fire with ultra-bright LEDs and a motorized recoil action, playing a loudspeaker soundtrack deliberately more subdued than real gunfire. The Continuations oil slick fires water, and the Mustang-chewing tire-slashers come in a display case and cant be fitted to the car. Most disappointing is the lack of a passenger ejector seat. The asymmetric moonroof aperture and hidden red button in the gear lever are both present, but there is no ability to fire somebody out of the car.



Although Aston provides a remote control box to allow operation outside the car, the novelty of the gadgets fades quickly. Like most noisy toys, you dont want to play with them for too long at a time, even if youll enjoy the chance to show them off to the next unsuspecting victims.



Which is where the appeal of a factory-fresh DB5 takes over. Aston helpfully demonstrated the legal wiggle-room around the Goldfingers lack of street legality by road-registering its demonstrator under the U.K.s permissive individual vehicle approval rules. (Youll want to consult your states DMV to see how you might slither around the rules in the U.S.) Driving it through Middle England feels every bit as special as youd expect, although the gadgets were temporarily inhibited.



Performance is brisk rather than 21st-century fast. The Goldfinger has been upgraded to a larger capacity 4.0-liter engine than a period DB5, this making a claimed 290 hp. But loose-feeling steering gives no encouragement to try to confirm the claimed 140-mph top speed. The Avon Turbospeed tires run short of grip early and noisily in tighter turns. The suspension manages the neat trick of feeling too hard and too soft at the same time, crashing over smaller imperfections and heaving over larger ones. Small wonder Connery had so much trouble outrunning Goldfingers goons in their 63-hp Mercedes 180 sedans. None of this matters, of course. Youre driving James Bonds car.

You Might Also Like
Watch: Euro 2020 briefing - Wales face Denmark in top-16 clash

Wales touched down in Holland looking to continue their Euro 2020 journey against Denmark, while Italy will fly to London later on Friday ahead of their last-16 tie with Austria at Wembley.

Robert Pages squad had been training at the Acqua Acetosa complex in Rome following their final group match against the Italians  and are one of the most-travelled nations after playing their opening two fixtures in Baku.

Danish fans will be able to make their way to Saturdays clash at the Johan Cruyff Arena and avoid quarantine by spending less than 12 hours in the country as part of an exemption to the entry rules for European Union and Schengen area residents.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Wales, though, will be out to give them little to cheer as they aim to book a place in the quarter-finals.

Italy and Austria will not be able to train at Wembley  which will also host both semi-finals as well as the final on July 11  ahead of their last-16 tie in order to protect the pitch, with England set to play Germany less than 72 hours after Saturdays match.

Roberto Mancinis squad are instead expected to train at their Coverciano base on Friday morning before then flying to England later.

The Azzurri have impressed so far, finishing top of Group A ahead of Wales, while Austria progressed as runners-up in Group C behind Holland.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

England expects

England have started the build-up to their last-16 tie against Germany (Nick Potts/PA)

But there was still some downtime  which included being serenaded with a chorus of Footballs Coming Home by Ed Sheeran (Carl Recine/PA)

Post of the day

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Denmark hoping for fairytale ending

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand has guided his squad into the last 16 through the most testing of circumstances after Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during their opening group game (Claus Bech/AP)

Quote of the day

The road (back) to Wembley

Stat attack

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Cristiano Ronaldo sits top of the Euro 2020 scoring charts with five so far as Portugal prepare to face Belgium in Seville on Sunday. Having made his debut at Euro 2004, Ronaldo has set a new goals mark for finals tournaments with 14. The Juventus striker has also now moved into a share of the all-time scoring record in mens international football on 109, alongside Ali Daei of Iran.

How the last 16 at Euro 2020 shapes up (PA Graphics)

Up next

Wales vs Denmark (Round of 16, June 26, Amsterdam, 1700 BST)

Italy vs Austria (Round of 16, June 26, London, 2000)

Watch: Euro 2020 - What is England's route to the final?
Jun. 25Hawaii Department of Health officials reported 55 new confirmed and probable coronavirus infections today, bringing the state's total since the start of the pandemic to 37, 484 cases.

No new virus-related fatalities were reported today so the statewide COVID-19 death toll remains 513.

The state's official coronavirus-related death toll includes 397 fatalities on Oahu, 57 on Maui, 54 on Hawaii island, two on Kauai and three Hawaii residents who died outside the state.

The U.S. coronavirus-related death toll today is more than 603, 000 and the nationwide infection tally is more than 33.5 million.

Today's new confirmed and probable infection count by island includes 29 new cases on Oahu, 10 on Maui, seven on Kauai, six on Hawaii island, one on Molokai and two Hawaii residents diagnosed outside the state.State health officials began including probable infections in its total case counts last month. Probable infections include people who never received a confirmatory test but are believed to have had the virus because of their known exposure and symptoms or because of a positive antigen test.

The total number of confirmed and probable coronavirus cases by island since the start of the outbreak are 27, 715 on Oahu, 4, 663 on Maui, 3, 228 in Hawaii County, 356 on Kauai, 115 on Lanai and 80 on Molokai. There are also 1, 327 Hawaii residents who were diagnosed outside of the state.

Today's probable infections since the start of the pandemic added to the counts today include 817 on Maui, 774 on Oahu, 66 on Hawaii island, 24 on Molokai, three on Kauai, three on Lanai and 53 residents diagnosed outside the state.

The statistics released today reflect the new infection cases reported to the department on Tuesday.

Health officials also said today that, of the state's total infection count, 628 cases were considered to be active. Officials say they consider infections reported in the past 14 days to be a "proxy number for active cases." The state's total number of active cases increased today by eight.

Story continues

By island, Oahu has 321 active cases, the Big Island has 171, Maui has 106 and Kauai has 30.

Health officials counted 3, 428 new COVID-19 test results in today's tally, for a 1.6 % statewide positivity rate. The state's 7-day average positivity rate is 1.5 %, according to the Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard.

The latest Hawaii COVID-19 vaccine summary says 1, 661, 972 vaccine doses have been administered through state and federal distribution programs as of Wednesday, up 4, 748 from a day earlier. Health officials say that 57 % of the state's population is now fully vaccinated, and 62 % have received at least one dose.

Of all the confirmed Hawaii infection cases, 2, 436 have required hospitalizations, with 10 new hospitalizations reported today.

Ten hospitalizations in the overall statewide count are Hawaii residents who were diagnosed and treated outside the state. Of the 2, 426 hospitalizations within the state, 2, 005 have been on Oahu, 272 on Maui, 133 on the Big Island, 10 on Kauai, 5 on Lanai and one on Molokai.

According to the latest information from the department's Hawaii COVID-19 Data dashboard, a total of 41 patients with the virus were in Hawaii hospitals as of Wednesday, with eight in intensive care units and three on ventilators.

Oahu this month moved into the less-restrictive Tier 4 of the city's four-tier economic recovery plan. The change allows social gatherings of up to 25 people at outdoor venues, including at parks and beaches, but the group size for indoor social gatherings remains at 10 people.

Hawaii is expected to reach a statewide vaccination rate of 60 % on July 4, which is expected to trigger far less restrictive travel and gathering levels on July 8.--------This breaking news story will be updated as more information becomes available.------
The Critics Choice Association is looking to capitalize on the absence of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association on the awards scene following NBCs announcement that the Golden Globes would be canceled in 2022. Hoping to present itself as a credible alternative, the CCAs announced its show would air on Jan. 9, 2022, and sources have revealed that the organization has been looking to secure the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the Golden Globes have been held for several decades. However, the HFPA looks to be blocking any such efforts as the CCA has been unable to secure the venue for its telecast due to the Beverly Hilton management receiving pushback about releasing the dates.

The HFPA values its longstanding relationship with the Hilton, the HFPA said in a statement to Variety. However, the organization is focused on its reform efforts and working on the transformational changes it has already announced and has made no other plans for the show at this time.

More from Variety

The Critics Choice Awards has also been looking at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel as a possible venue to hold its awards show. The Beverly Hilton Hotel did not provide a comment for the story.

Following an avalanche of scrutiny regarding the complete lack of Black members since at least 2002, the HFPA has been hemorrhaging support from its longtime publicists and studio executives. Amazon Studios, Netflix and Warner Media were among the studios that severed ties with the organization until it demonstrates real, lasting reform and change, according to a letter that was sent to HFPA president Ali Sar. The last known Black member of the HFPA was Lowell Staine, a native of Belize who died in February 1998, and no evidence has emerged to suggest any other Black members belonged to the group before that time.

Story continues

It looks as though the battle for the secondary awards show behind the Oscars is in full effect.

Full disclosure: Clayton Davis is one of 466 members of the Critics Choice Association and a Board member.

Best of Variety

Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Home and Away spoilers follow.

Home and Away has brought back Amy Peters for the murder mystery storyline.

Amy, played by Lisa Flanagan, previously appeared in 2016 spin-off Home and Away: Revenge which starred Lisa Gormley (Bianca Scott) and Dan Ewing (Heath Braxton). This is the first time she has appeared in the main show.

Australian viewers saw Amy arriving in Thursday's episodes to take over as the lead investigator of Susie McAllister's murder, after the case was handed over to the homicide department.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Related: Home and Away  who is Summer Bay's secret killer?

Cash Newman, who is portrayed by newcomer Nicholas Cartwright, was the previous lead on the case.

Although she told Cash that she was keeping an open mind on the identity of the killer, Amy began to interrogate John Palmer and Irene Roberts, both of whom have motives for killing Susie. She then told them separately that they were her prime suspects.

Irene later told a panicking John that Amy was likely just trying to see if they would crack under the pressure.

Photo credit: Foxtel

Related: Home and Away's Sam Frost reveals Jasmine Delaney danger in explosion storyline

Con artist Susie's body has yet to be discovered on UK screens. The murder mystery storyline will kick off in July on Channel 5, when two fishermen find a body in the water.

It's been a dramatic few weeks in Summer Bay on Australian screens. On top of the murder, there was an explosion when Chloe Anderson and Ryder Jackson's La Cucaracha food truck is goes up in flames.

Home and Away airs weekdays at 1.15pm and 6pm on Channel 5 (UK) and Mondays to Thursdays at 7pm on Channel 7 (Australia). Selected classic episodes are available via Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

Digital Spy now has a newsletter  sign up to get it sent straight to your inbox.

Read more Home and Away spoilers on our dedicated homepage

Want up-to-the-minute soaps news, spoilers and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account.

You Might Also Like
In an undated family photo, Lulu Merle Johnson. (Family photo via The New York Times)

A county in Iowa cut ties Thursday with a slave-owning U.S. vice president for which it had been named, choosing instead to be named for a professor who was the first Black woman to earn a doctorate in the state.

They shared a surname: Johnson.

Johnson County chose Lulu Merle Johnson, who taught history at several historically Black colleges and universities, as its official eponym after a unanimous vote by the countys Board of Supervisors. The county, a Democratic bastion, is home to Iowa City and the University of Iowa.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

It had been named after Richard Mentor Johnson, the ninth vice president and a Kentuckian who had no known connections to Iowa. He served with President Martin Van Buren, a fellow Democrat, from 1837 to 1841.

Officials said that his past as a slave owner who boasted about killing the Shawnee chief Tecumseh during the War of 1812 made him a negative role model and that he did not embody the values of the countys residents.

Lisa Green-Douglass, a county supervisor who helped write the resolution to change the countys eponym, said during the boards meeting Thursday in Iowa City that naming something for a person puts them on a pedestal.

So if were going to do that, she said, it indeed should be somebody of character who represents those values that we hold dear.

It was not the first time that a county had renounced a vice president as its eponym. In 2005, lawmakers and the governor of Washington state approved naming King County after the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. instead of William Rufus King, the 13th vice president, who owned slaves and supported the Fugitive Slave Act. King County, which includes Seattle and is the most-populous county in Washington, had sought the change for about two decades.

Johnson Countys reckoning with its identity came amid a national examination of names and symbols associated with slavery and prejudice after George Floyds killing last year in police custody.

Story continues

The measures supporters said that Lulu Johnson, who died in 1995, was unquestionably deserving of the honor.

In 1941, she received a Ph.D. in American history from the University of Iowa, becoming the first African American woman in the state to earn a doctorate, according to her biography. She was one of the first Black women in the United States to earn a doctorate in history, said a post on the website of the university, which named a fellowship after her that helps underrepresented minority graduate students.

Johnson faced discrimination as a student. She recounted to academics at the university that she had been required to take a swimming class for her Ph.D. even though it had no relevance, but she was not allowed to use the pool at the same time as white students. She was also not welcome to live on campus.

Her family was very familiar with the practice of slavery, Leslie A. Schwalm, the chair of Gender, Womens & Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa, said during a conference call with the board before the vote. On her fathers side, she was the first person born free in that side of the family.

Schwalm, who served on a committee that considered the change, said that Lulu Johnsons family achieved prosperity as farmers in Gravity, Iowa, after the Civil War.

That prosperity eventually allowed Lulu to attend the University of Iowa, where she became part of a group of Black students who really challenged segregation and discrimination in the city and at the university, she said.

Johnson taught history at Florida A&M University, West Virginia State College (now West Virginia State University) and what is now Cheyney University in Pennsylvania, where she served as a dean of womens studies, according to her biography.

Kim Jackson, a great-niece of Johnson, expressed her gratitude to the board before the vote.

Thank you for this great honor for an extraordinary person, she said.

Royceann Porter, the boards lone Black member, beamed moments before the measure passed.

I am so proud of this moment, she said. Im so happy.

Those who supported the change said that Iowa was part of the Wisconsin Territory in 1837 when the territorial legislature named the county after Richard Mentor Johnson. He was the only vice president to be chosen by the U.S. Senate, based on the 12th Amendment of the Constitution, in February 1837 after no vice-presidential candidate received a majority of votes in the election, according to his biography.

Richard Johnsons critics said that he preyed on women who were enslaved and fathered two children with one of them.

Ronald K. McMullen, a professor at the University of Iowa and career diplomat who supported the change, called Richard Johnson a despicable person during the boards meeting.

Dr. Lulu Merle Johnson should be a positive role model for all of us, he said.

He said it was fitting that the county should be named after someone from Gravity.

Now, if you so vote, he said, we can say that we have an eponym with gravitas.

 2021 The New York Times Company
England have been dealt a blow with the news Jos Buttler will miss the rest of their white-ball series against Sri Lanka because of a small tear in his right calf.

Buttler felt tightness and discomfort  with a subsequent MRI highlighting the damage  after starring in Englands eight-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20, anchoring their pursuit of 130 with a classy 68 not out.

His appearance on Wednesday was his first international match in three months, after being among a number of Englands Indian Premier League contingent to be rested for the Test series against New Zealand earlier in June.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

He is now set for an enforced spell on the sidelines and, as well as Saturdays final T20 at the Ageas Bowl, Englands limited-overs vice-captain has been ruled out of next weeks one-day international series against Sri Lanka.

Jos Buttler has been ruled out of the remainder of England Mens Vitality IT20s and Royal London ODIs against Sri Lanka after sustaining a right calf injury in Englands first IT20 victory at Sophia Gardens on Wednesday, an England and Wales Cricket Board statement said.

He underwent an MRI scan in Cardiff on Thursday morning, which revealed a small tear. Buttler felt tightness and discomfort at the end of the game after a match-winning 68 not out secured an eight-wicket win.

He will return home (on Friday) and commence his rehabilitation programme.

Dawid Malan has been added to Englands ODI squad (Bradley Collyer/PA)

The wicketkeeper-batsman was absent for the penultimate T20 against Kusal Pereras side on Thursday, with Sam Billings coming into the team and Jonny Bairstow moving to the top of the order and taking the gloves from Buttler.

England moved into an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series with a five-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare in a rain-affected encounter at Cardiff.

Yorkshires Dawid Malan, already with the T20 squad, has been added the ODI squad ahead of 50-over fixtures against Sri Lanka next Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Buttlers injury puts a question mark next to his availability for the subsequent three-match ODI series against Pakistan, which gets under way on July 8.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration is suing Georgia over a spate of new voting restrictions Gov. Brian Kemp signed in March that impose voter ID requirements on absentee voting, make it illegal to give people water and food while they wait in line to vote, and limit remote drop box sites.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the lawsuit on Friday morning along with Kristen Clarke, the newly confirmed head of the Civil Rights Division. "The rights of all eligible citizens to vote are the central pillars of our democracy. They are the rights from which all other rights ultimately flow, Garland said.

In addition to the lawsuit, which will accuse Georgia lawmakers of passing the new restrictions with the purpose of violating the rights of Black voters, Garland also announced new measures aimed at protecting election officials against threats; Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco issued a directive to federal prosecutors and the FBI on Friday highlighting these threats, making clear they would promptly and vigorously prosecute offenders and creating a new cross-department task force focused on the issue.

Where we believe the civil rights of Americans have been violated, we will not hesitate to act, Garland said.

Garland also announced a doubling of staff in the Civil Rights Divisions voting section focused on enforcement and described the Georgia case as the first of many steps the department was taking to protect voting rights. He said staff were analyzing restrictions passed in other states and keeping tabs on proposals pending before state legislatures.

The Georgia law, SB 202, was immediately denounced by voting rights activists and Democrats as a sweeping effort to suppress the vote of the states Black residents, describing it as Jim Crow 2.0. There are multiple lawsuits already pending challenging the provisions. Asked what the Justice Departments case adds to that group, Clarke replied that after carefully studying the law, officials determined that there were important federal interests to protect  ensuring that all voters across the state have equal access to the ballot.

Story continues

Kemp responded to Garlands announcement in a series of tweets, accusing the Biden administration of weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to carry out their far-left agenda that undermines election integrity and empowers federal government overreach in our democracy.

Now, they are weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to carry out their far-left agenda that undermines election integrity and empowers federal government overreach in our democracy.

The announcement came on the eighth anniversary of a US Supreme Court decision that struck down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, a key section that had required state and local governments with a history of civil rights violations  a list that included Georgia  to get approval from either the Justice Department or a federal court before making changes to their election practices.

Garland noted the significance of the Shelby County v. Holder anniversary in his remarks announcing the Georgia lawsuit, urging Congress to restore the invaluable preclearance tool and saying that its unlikely Georgia would have succeeded in adopting the voting restrictions now being challenged if theyd had to go through that process. According to Garland, the Justice Department had blocked Georgia from enforcing more than 175 proposed election laws while Section 5 was in effect.

Clarke accused state lawmakers in Georgia of passing SB 202 through a rushed process that departed from normal practice and procedure.

These legislative actions occurred at a time when the Black population in Georgia continues to steadily increase, and after a historic election that saw record voter turnout across the state, particularly for absentee voting, which Black voters are now more likely to use than white voters, Clarke said. Our complaint challenges several provisions of SB 202 on the grounds that they were adopted with the intent to deny or abridge Black citizens equal access to the political process.

The lawsuit challenges sections of the law that prohibit election officials from mailing out absentee ballot applications unsolicited; shortening the period of time for voters to request an absentee ballot and the deadline for those applications; impose fines on outside groups that send follow-up absentee ballot applications; and impose what Clarke described as unnecessarily stringent identification requirements to get an absentee ballot.

The suit also challenges provisions that would reduce the number of drop box sites for ballots. In the 2020 election and the 2021 runoff, there were more than 100 such sites in the metropolitan Atlanta area, but under the new law there would be roughly 20, she said.

By making it harder to vote absentee, Clarke said the law would force people to go in-person, and she cited studies that Black voters are more likely to face longer lines. The federal lawsuit challenges a part of the law that bans groups from distributing food and water to people waiting in line.

These changes come immediately after successful absentee voting in the 2020 election cycle, especially among Black voters. SB 202 seeks to halt and reverse this progress, Clarke said.

Finally, Clarke said the lawsuit will challenge a part of the law that would disqualify provisional ballots that voters cast at a location that isnt their assigned precinct. Notably, the US Supreme Court is poised to decide a case soon about a similar law passed in Arizona, which was struck down in the lower courts as discriminatory.

Friday's announcement was the latest instance of Garland appearing in person for the rollout of new legal action to signal the Biden administrations renewed support for the departments civil rights work; he previously made public statements on camera announcing investigations into police departments in Minneapolis and Louisville.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.

More on this
Photo credit: Courtesy Nikki Margarita

As Asian American women, were acutely aware of the disturbing realities faced by Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) people in the United States: Racism, violence, xenophobia, misogyny, and the fetishization of Asian women are all problems we have to deal with. After the Atlanta murders of AAPI women in March, the two of us started processing these issues, each in our own way. But then we connected on Instagram through the BikePOCPNW group. We started to feed off each others energy from afar.



As our conversations evolved, we were inspired to organize and lead bike rides for the AAPI communities in our home cities, Seattle and Portland. We wanted to create a space of healing by bringing Asian Americans together in a visible way. We chose bikes because they stir up common feelings of empowerment, strength, and joy among riders. Heres how we came to that decision, and how you can draw on our experience to create your own solidarity ride.

SEATTLE COMMUNITY RIDE: Kae-Lin Wang

My Taiwanese mother was widowed when I was 8 years old; she spent most of my childhood working nights to make sure we had frozen dinners available and a roof over our heads. After my dad died and we moved to Texas from Massachusetts, I started to unconsciously assimilate into white culture. I was losing a sense of my racial identity and community, socializing with mostly white friends, and seeing whiteness as superior.

The Atlanta shootings on March 16, 2021, flipped my world upside down. I started unfolding my entire racial identity. What resurfaced was all the family trauma and racism that Id been suppressing my whole life as I tried to fly under the radar.

I realized that I had diminished myself so much as an Asian American that I was severely lacking in close Asian friends. I decided to put together a bike ride for the AAPI community in Seattle because I needed to be surrounded by my people during this time. I wanted to feel seen and supported. I chose bikes because theyre a vehicle for change and for bringing people together. Plus, its easy for folks on bikes to feel comfortable being themselves around new people. Mostly, Im just super obsessed with bikes right now!

Story continues

Photo credit: Courtesy Sammy Davis

I was first inspired by Ron Holden, another All-City sponsored rider, who started Ride for Black Lives in Los Angeles during the pandemic last summer. Hearing Ron speak about his passion for the community was infectious. I had always wanted to organize a ride but felt I wasnt experienced or educated enough to start one myself. But I knew it had to happen in Seattle. My idea was to create a safe healing space for the AAPI community where people could use bicycles as a unifying force and build genuine connections by meeting people where they were.

The evening of the ride, I felt more pride in my own race and identity than I ever have before. Around 40 riders showed up to do a very chill five-mile ride to a nearby park. People of all skill levels rode all kinds of bikesroad, gravel, mountain, e-bikeand came together because we had our racial identities in common, seeking support and healing from each other. I felt so seen, cared for, and supported by my own community. This ride was the spark of something more; it was only the beginning of our healing journey.

PORTLAND SOLIDARITY RIDE: Nikki Margarita

I am a first-generation Filipino American who arrived in New York City in the late 1980s. I grew up with a religious family dynamic that taught me to be insignificant and insufficient. Yet at the same time, it formed me into an incredibly empathetic person. My multigenerational Pinoy family always asked those who entered our home, Did you eat?

My relationship with being Filipino and American is complicated. It took me years to learn how to process my identity in a remotely healthy way. In fact, anything I do outwardly at this stage of my life feels like an act of healing. I had to break away from taught prejudices against LGBTQ communities, break down my own body dysmorphia and fatphobia, and unlearn that anti-Blackness that was very much normalized at home. There is this often-unspoken entanglement between racism against Asians and Asians who are racist. We need to confront this before we can effectively work toward any real liberation or solidarity.

Photo credit: Courtesy Will Cortez

My relationship with biking began around the start of the pandemic. In the heat of the summer 2020 protests, thousands were demanding justice for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. (Protests and mutual aid efforts are still ongoing in Portland.) The Black Girls Do Bike Community Ride last summer inspired me. I witnessed the beauty of how the city came together, and I hoped that a solidarity ride for AAPI would help my community find folks who are feeling the same things. Plus, I wanted to organize something around what I already felt good about and enjoyedbikes. Ive learned that there is a sense of significance in collectively experiencing something new, while being unmistakably seen at the same time. At least in Portland, you rarely notice Asian cyclists going down the street. And riding a bike makes me feel visible, contemplative, and expressive. These are the kinds of feelings I often had to suppress when I was younger. I felt that other Asians like me were searching for that same intentional spacethe space to be fully ourselves while finding a way to process the violence against people who look like us.

Wanna plan a solidarity ride? was what I DMd Will Cortez from BikePOCPNW, a Portland-based BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) community riding group, on an Instagram story the group shared about the Atlanta spa shootings. He answered with a swift, affirming yes. Within minutes, I reached out to the rest of the group for support in laying the groundwork for planningbecause even though I am an initiator, this is not work you do alone. We had two weeks to mobilize, delegate, and get the word out. Midway, I asked Molly Sugar from Friends on Bikes, a group Ive admired since I first heard about them years ago, to take on a co-organizing role. In a short time, we had managed to assemble everything we needed and garnered enough support to offer this ride to Portlands AAPI community.

Photo credit: Courtesy Katya Reyna

Folks started slowly riding to the starting point at Laurelhurst Park and packed the area underneath the trees. About 300 of us rode off and filled the streets for blocks. I overheard people say, I have never seen this many Asians riding bicycles! At the front, spirited kids, families, and elders led the way ringing their bells; poignant homemade signs were fastened to their bikes. The sun got everyone out that day, outdoor diners and pedestrians cheered us on, and we even convinced commuting cyclists to join. At one point I heard my name and realized a friend I hadnt seen since summer was there with their kid. I exclaimed and felt so much love and excitement at that moment. There were a lot of joys like that along the ride. Every time I look back, I am floored by the willingness and tenderness folks displayed to make it happen.

Planning Your Own Community Ride

If youve been despairing over senseless hate and violence, we hope our story inspires you to organize or join rides in your own community as a way to heal.

Here are some tips to help you take the initiative to plan your own community or solidarity ride.

Before the Ride

Make your messaging clear on who, why, and what the ride is for.

Set the tone of the ride early on. Ask yourself why youre organizing the ride, and who its for. For example, the Portland ride was open to communities of color while centering on Asian cyclists, and the Seattle ride specifically welcomed AAPI-identifying people. Though each ride had a different approach, both rides held affinity space for each other and built connections.

Photo credit: Courtesy @sukhostarpdx

Create a concise flyer with important information on it and spread the word via social media, bike forums, and word of mouth! Consider the labor of the creative people who make your artwork or graphics. Reach out to your local artists and pay them! Dont forget to add descriptions to your images to make them accessible.

Plan a route and provide details so riders know what to expect.

Be as upfront and clear as possible. Establish a meeting time, location, mileage, and departure time. Brainstorm a safe route, and practice the ride ahead of time if possible. We suggest a loop route so that people who drive in will end up back at the start, near parking. Consider kids and novice riders when planning mileage and elevation. Something under 15 miles and 90 minutes is about the max for newer riders. Decide if you want to stay on trails to avoid cars, or ride in the street to have space to spread out and take the lane. Remind riders to bring bike lights, snacks, and layers.

During the Ride

Designating roles is key!

Reach out to your community and ask for supportfolks will most likely be happy to help. Ahead of time, coordinate multiple leaders, floaters, corkers (people to help block intersections), medics, and sweepers to manage group size and keep the flow of the ride. Consider splitting the group up into smaller sections if that makes the event easier to manage. Implementing a no drop could mean waiting at quieter intersections so the back can catch up. Walkie-talkies help with notifying leads on any issues. Its also a good idea to have a mechanic on hand to help with minor bike issues.

Address the crowd.

Emphasize why everyone is gathered and acknowledge the ancestral lands where the group is recreating. A rundown of safety and hand signals is also helpful for interacting with cars or other riders. Give an overview of the route and note any breaks and areas to regroup. Create an open communication so riders feel comfortable speaking up if they feel uneasy about anything.

Enjoy the ride and one anothers company.

Take up space! As soon as we started riding, we noticed that the stress of the planning completely disappeared. Thats whats so special about riding a bikeit makes you feel like a kid again. Weve also noticed that riding helps bring people out of their shell, and theyre more open to meeting new people and making connections.

After the Ride

Debrief. Reflect. Ride on.

At the end of the ride, take a moment to ground yourself in what happened. Designate an organizer to give a brief message or short reading, which will help spark post-ride conversations. Be open to difficult conversations. Reflect with one another and listen. Talk in the moment or chat online. Acknowledging fear and violence is uncomfortable, but its a necessary practice in seeking healing. Be open to what might come next. For us, these rides were just one small part of a much larger undertaking. The work is not finished.

You Might Also Like
The Old Wilson Schoolhouse, where Sofia LaRocca and Beau Maier worked at a Democratic Party fundraiser in August 2019 near Jackson Hole, Wyo., June 23, 2021. (Ryan Dorgan/The New York Times)

CHEYENNE, Wyo.  The young couple posing in front of the faux Eiffel Tower at the Paris hotel in Las Vegas fit right in, two people in a sea of idealistic Democrats who had arrived in the city in February 2020 for a Democratic primary debate.

Large donations to the Democratic National Committee  $10,000 each  had bought Beau Maier and Sofia LaRocca tickets to the debate. During a cocktail reception beforehand, they worked the room of party officials, rainbow donkey pins affixed to their lapels.

In fact, much about them was a lie. Maier and LaRocca were part of an undercover operation by conservatives to infiltrate progressive groups, political campaigns and the offices of Democratic as well as moderate Republican elected officials during the 2020 election cycle, according to interviews and documents.

Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times

Using large campaign donations and cover stories, the operatives aimed to gather dirt that could sabotage the reputations of people and organizations considered threats to a hard-right agenda advanced by former President Donald Trump.

At the center of the scheme was an unusual cast: a former British spy connected to security contractor Erik Prince, a wealthy heiress to the Gore-Tex fortune and undercover operatives like Maier and LaRocca who used Wyoming as a base to insinuate themselves into the political fabric there and in at least two other states, Colorado and Arizona.

In more than two dozen interviews and a review of federal election records, The New York Times reconstructed many of the operatives interactions in Wyoming and other states  mapping out their associations and likely targets  and spoke to people with whom they discussed details of their spying operation. Publicly available documents in Wyoming also tied Maier and LaRocca to an address in Cody, Wyoming, used by former spy Richard Seddon.

What the effort accomplished  and how much information Seddons operatives gathered  is unclear. Sometimes, their tactics were bumbling and amateurish. But the operations use of spycraft to manipulate the politics of several states over years greatly exceeds the tactics of more traditional political dirty tricks operations.

Story continues

It is also a sign of how ultraconservative Republicans see a deep need to install allies in various positions at the state level to gain an advantage on the electoral map. Secretaries of state, for example, play a crucial role in certifying election results every two years, and some became targets of Trump and his allies in their efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

The campaign followed another effort engineered by Seddon. He aided a network of conservative activists trying to discredit perceived enemies of Trump inside the government, including a planned sting operation in 2018 against Trumps national security adviser at the time, H.R. McMaster, and helping set up secret surveillance of FBI employees and other government officials.

Prince had set Seddons work in motion, recruiting him around the beginning of the Trump administration to hire former spies to train conservative activists in the basics of espionage and send them on political sabotage missions.

By the end of 2018, Seddon secured funding from Wyoming heiress Susan Gore, according to people familiar with her role. He recruited several former operatives from the conservative group Project Veritas, where he had worked previously, to set up the political infiltration operation in the West.

Project Veritas has a history of using operatives with fake names to target liberal organizations and make secret recordings to embarrass them.

The endeavor in the West appears to have had two primary goals: penetrate local and eventually national Democratic political circles for long-term intelligence gathering, and collect dirt on moderate Republicans that could be used against them in the internecine party battles being waged by Trump and his allies.

Nate Martin, the head of Better Wyoming, a progressive group that was one of the operations targets, said he suspected that its aim was to dig up this information and you sit on it until you really can destroy somebody.

Toward the first goal, operatives concocted cover stories and made large campaign donations to gain entree to Democratic events such as the Las Vegas debate and a Washington fundraiser attended by Democratic lawmakers.

They also took aim at the administration of the Republican governor of Wyoming, Mark Gordon, whom hard-right conservatives considered far too moderate and whose candidacy Gore had opposed in 2018. They targeted a Republican state representative, now the Wyoming speaker of the house, because of his openness to liberalizing marijuana laws  a position Gore vigorously opposes.

Using her Democratic cover identity, LaRocca got a job working for a consortium of wealthy liberal donors in Wyoming  the Wyoming Investor Network, or WIN  that had decided to back some moderate Republicans. The job gave her access to valuable information.

Getting the WIN stuff is really damaging, said Chris Bell, who worked as a political consultant for the consortium. Its the entire strategy. Where the money is going. What were doing long term.

Seddon, Maier and LaRocca did not respond to requests for comment about the operation or the campaign contributions. Cassie Craven, a lawyer for Gore, also did not respond to emails or a voicemail message seeking comment about the operation, nor did Gore herself.

When The Times reached out to political activists and politicians who had come to know Maier and LaRocca, informing them of the couples true agenda, some said the news confirmed their suspicions that the pair might not have been on the level. Others were stunned and said they regretted any part they had played in helping them gain entree to political circles in the West.

George Durazzo Jr., a Colorado businessman and fundraiser who coaxed the large donations from Maier and LaRocca and shepherded them around Las Vegas before the debate, said he was both angry and embarrassed. He had planned, he said, to take them to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee before the pandemic turned it into a virtual event.

If they are indeed Benedict Arnold and Mata Hari, he said, I was the one who was fooled.

Setting Up in Wyoming

LaRocca first met Seddon in 2017, when he ran training for Project Veritas operatives at Princes family ranch in Wapiti, Wyoming. Seddon taught them how to work undercover, build aliases and recruit sources. Prince, who had recruited Seddon, is the brother of Betsy DeVos, Trumps education secretary.

Maier, 36, a brawny and tattooed veteran of the Armys 82nd Airborne Division who fought in Iraq, also trained at the Prince ranch that year. His mother is a baker and was the cook at the ranch, and he is the nephew of conservative commentator Glenn Beck.

At one point, Gore came to watch the training at the ranch.

The next year, Maier and LaRocca lived in a luxury house in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington that Project Veritas rented for undercover sting operations against government officials that tried to expose deep state bias against Trump.

People who worked for the conservative group identified the couple and linked them to the Georgetown house. Others confirmed LaRocca was pictured on the website Project Veritas Exposed, where she was identified as Maria.

Seddon left Project Veritas in the summer of 2018. He lured Maier, LaRocca and others to work with him in Wyoming on a new venture  one that would more closely model his time as a British intelligence officer working overseas. Seddon wanted to run a classic espionage operation in which undercover agents would burrow into organizations and potentially recruit others to help collect information. As in his days at Britain's MI6 intelligence service, the goal was to spy on potential adversaries or targets without getting caught and then quietly use the information to gain an advantage. If conducted correctly, such operations can last for years.

And he found someone to pay for it: Gore, the Gore-Tex heiress who for years had supported conservative and libertarian causes.

Hints of Seddons project surfaced recently in a memoir by Cassandra Spencer, a onetime Project Veritas operative. In the book, she describes being called in June 2018 by an associate of her former colleague, Richard, who was trying to secure funding for a new initiative. The man, whom she calls Ken, told her it was a pay for play operation  where clients would put up money for an undercover effort.

LaRocca, 28, first approached the Wyoming Democratic Party in January 2019, fresh off her attendance at the Womens March in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with an offer to help raise money. Her goal, she told people, was ambitious: help flip one of Americas most conservative states into a reliable victory for Democratic presidential candidates  as Colorado had become over the past two decades.

Seddon appears to have directed LaRoccas outreach to the Wyoming Democratic Party as a safe first step toward building up her bona fides for future operations. Democrats in the state are vastly outnumbered, have little political clout and are eager for volunteers. LaRocca quickly declared her candidacy for vice chair of the Wyoming Young Democrats, obtained a contract position at the party as a fundraiser paid by commission and had meetings with the state partys top two officials, Joe Barbuto and Sarah Hunt.

Her behavior raised some suspicion. LaRocca and Maier lived in Fort Collins, Colorado, only about 45 miles from Cheyenne, Wyomings capital, but their residence prompted some Democrats to ask how they planned to organize a grassroots campaign to flip the state while living in Colorado. LaRocca told others she could not rent a home in Cheyenne because she had a dog, an implausible explanation.

LaRocca had also introduced herself to party officials as Cat Debreau. She eventually told a story about why she later went by the name Sofia LaRocca: She had been the victim of an online stalker, she said, but decided to once again use her original name because the police had told her that her stalker had reformed.

Her story from the start rang very untrue, said Nina Hebert, who at the time was the digital director for the Wyoming Democratic Party. The police dont call you and say, Hey, your stalker is better.

Hebert said she began to restrict LaRoccas access to the partys email system in the summer of 2019.

At the same time, Maier was making connections of his own around the state, meeting with Democrats and Republicans on the issue of the medicinal use of marijuana, which he said was particularly valuable for war veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

In August 2019, the couple volunteered at a Democratic Party fundraiser at the Old Wilson Schoolhouse, a community center in the shadow of the Teton mountain range near Jackson, Wyoming. LaRocca had her picture taken with the events headline guest: Tom Perez, a former labor secretary and then the chair of the Democratic National Committee.

Months later, LaRocca secured a spot in a program training young progressives in the state on the basics of political and community organizing. She dashed off an email to Martin, the head of the group running the program, saying how thrilled she was to be receiving the training.

During the course, she paired up with Marcie Kindred, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Wyoming Legislature; LaRocca later gave $250 to her campaign. LaRocca used a picture they took together for her Facebook profile.

It was kind of odd she put it on Facebook, Kindred said. We werent really that close. Now it makes total sense. She was playing the long game, trying to be my friend in the hopes of me getting into the Legislature.

LaRocca also told Kindred that she wanted to work on the campaign of Karlee Provenza, a police reform advocate who ultimately won a seat in the Legislature in one of the few Democratic districts in the state.

She and Maier eventually began going on double dates with Provenza and Martin, the head of Better Wyoming who was then her fiance and is now her husband.

Over dinner one night at Sushi Jeju in Fort Collins, LaRocca and Maier made a big announcement: They, too, were engaged. LaRocca flashed a large diamond ring. Maier paid for dinner.

But the relationship began taking strange turns. Months later, meeting with Provenza and Martin in Laramie, Wyoming, Maier told them to turn off their phones.

He then proposed a plan to target Republicans  using some of his contacts who could befriend politicians and dig up dirt on them. Maier said he had friends in military intelligence who could run background checks on people and suggested he had been on a kill squad while serving in Iraq.

This is the tip of the iceberg in terms of what they can do, Martin recalled Maier saying, adding that the conversation danced around who would fund the operation.

During the meeting, Maier described the purpose of the operation, saying they would collect the damaging material and hold it quietly until the person they targeted mattered  a philosophy that seemed to reflect Seddons view on long-term infiltration efforts.

Maier had brought intelligence reports that appeared to be drawn mostly from public records. One was about the Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill, Martin said.

Why Maier proposed this operation is unclear.

We knew something was fishy, but we couldnt prove it, Martin said.

Weeks later, Martin and a colleague hosted an advocacy training event at a library in Laramie. Martin was secretly videotaped, in what appears to be a sting operation tied to Seddons project.

Shortly afterward, a video clip appeared on a now-defunct website, showing Martin declaring that he had voted in the Republican primary race. The videos publication served as an attempt to expose alliances between progressives and moderate Republicans.

Martin said he immediately suspected it was recorded by a woman who had attended the event and approached him afterward, claiming that her name was Beth Price and that she was from Michigan.

The woman, whose real name is Alexandra Pollack of Grand Ledge, Michigan, acknowledged in a brief interview that she was in Wyoming at the time but declined to answer questions about what she was doing there, saying she had a nondisclosure agreement. Kindred, who had attended the Laramie event, recognized Pollack from a photo on her LinkedIn profile.

Pollack lived not far from LaRocca in Maryland when they were younger, and both are around the same age. She did not respond to an email asking whether she knew LaRocca.

Donations, Then Access

Democrats across the country began 2020 with twin goals: ensuring that Trump was defeated, and pouring energy into key congressional races that could flip the Senate and keep the House in Democratic hands.

Achieving those goals meant raising millions of dollars, and the large checks written by Maier and LaRocca opened doors for them into elite political circles.

In February, Durazzo, the Colorado fundraiser, secured a pledge of $10,000 each from the couple to the Democratic National Committee. We are all vulnerable to charm and hefty contributions, he said later. Ten thousand bucks, you definitely have me by the ears.

Within days, they were in Las Vegas for the Democratic presidential debate, schmoozing with committee staff members and other donors during a party beforehand.

Before submitting their names to be cleared by security for the Democratic National Committee events in Las Vegas, Durazzo said he asked Maier whether any surprises might come up. Maier revealed that he was the nephew of Beck but said he did not share his uncles politics.

He said: Im a supporter of your causes, Durazzo recalled.

Separately, Maier gave $1,250 to the campaign of Jena Griswold, a rising Democratic star in Colorado, for her reelection bid as secretary of state. The donation gained him and LaRocca an invitation to a Washington fundraiser, where they met Griswold.

A $2,000 donation to the campaign of Mark Kelly, then a candidate in Arizona for a U.S. Senate seat, got the couple on a committee for an April fundraiser. The next month, Maier gave $6,000 to the Wyoming Democratic Party.

It was not clear where they got the money to make a flurry of generous campaign donations.

Under federal law, it is illegal to make campaign donations at the behest of another person, then get reimbursed. So-called straw donations have been at the center of numerous federal investigations.

Sometimes when youre looking at patterns of contributions, you start to see people with relatively limited resources making sizable political contributions, said Brendan Fischer, director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center and an expert on campaign finance law. That can be a red flag.

A Wealthy Conservative Donor

Wyoming is a rural state with a small population, a place where cities are separated by hours of open highway, vast prairies and jagged mountains. Statewide political campaigns can be won on a shoestring budget.

In this political environment, Gore has long been a mysterious yet influential figure  quietly using her large fortune to ensure the supremacy of conservative causes.

She was one of several children to inherit the wealth of her father, who helped invent the waterproof fabric that came to be known as Gore-Tex.

After getting a divorce in 1981, she joined the Transcendental Meditation movement, according to court documents in Delaware, but she became gravely ill and left the movement to convalesce in monasteries for three years. In a bizarre turn two decades later, she tried to adopt her former husband in an attempt to increase their childrens share of the family inheritance.

She has been a force in Wyoming politics since she moved to the state in the 1990s. In 2008, she established Wyoming Liberty Group, a nonprofit in Cheyenne that pushes libertarian and conservative causes.

In 2018, Gore opposed the candidacy of Gordon to become Wyoming governor. His main opponent in the Republican primary was Foster Friess, a wealthy investor who was also a Project Veritas donor. Both Trump and his son Donald Trump Jr. had endorsed Friess, with the president posting on Twitter that he will be a fantastic Governor! Strong on Crime, Borders & 2nd Amendment.

Friess lost, in part because a large number of Democrats switched parties to vote for Gordon. The outcome embittered Friess and his allies, who saw Gordons victory as part of a worrying trend of creeping progressivism in the state  and believed too many Republicans were part of that trend.

Friess died last month at age 81.

2020 Strategy

With months to go before the 2020 election, the biggest political fights in Wyoming were in the Republican Party, between hard-right candidates and more moderate politicians battling to represent the party in November.

Trump was eager to make all elections something of a referendum on his leadership, and in Wyoming, the battle lines hardened between the Trump loyalists and the candidates the right wing of the party derided as RINOs, or Republicans in name only.

Given the barren political landscape for Democrats, a consortium of wealthy liberal donors  the Wyoming Investor Network  made the strategic decision to quietly support certain Republican moderates. One regular donor to WIN is Elizabeth Storer, a Jackson millionaire and granddaughter of George Storer, who amassed a fortune in the radio and television industry.

By hiring LaRocca, the consortium put her in a position that gave her valuable intelligence about which Republican candidates the group was supporting with independent advertising. She took notes during a board meeting and had access to the complete list of the candidates WIN supported.

Maier began making contacts in the offices of moderate Republican legislators and befriended Eric Barlow, now the Wyoming speaker of the house. He told Barlow that he was passionate about the medicinal uses of marijuana, and the men met several times  including once when Maier and LaRocca had dinner at Barlows ranch.

In an interview, Barlow, a retired veterinarian who said he was open to decriminalizing marijuana and allowing it for medical use, labeled himself a practical Republican.

For some people, thats a RINO, he said.

Barlow said that he believed he had met Gore only once, but that she usually gave money to his Republican primary opponents every election cycle.

Maier and LaRocca often told her colleagues that they were committed to upending the political dynamics in the Mountain West  saying that even a deeply conservative state like Wyoming could eventually turn liberal. LaRocca said she wanted to continue working at WIN and other progressive groups.

But then, right before the November election, Maier and LaRocca disappeared. On Oct. 21, she wrote an email to her boss saying that she had to leave the country. I have a family emergency and am going to Venezuela as my grandmother is gravely ill, she wrote.

Others she had worked with  and befriended  over two years said they had not heard from her in months.

She kind of dropped off the face of the earth, said Hunt, the executive director of the Wyoming Democratic Party.

In fact, the couple never left the area. Maier and Seddon have also been working together on a business venture importing ammunition from overseas, according to a business document linking the two men that was obtained by The Times.

Last week, LaRocca and Maier married in Big Horn, Wyoming. Beck, the conservative commentator and Maiers uncle, delivered a wedding toast.

 2021 The New York Times Company
Photo credit: Getty Images

A woman in Scotland died from cervical cancer after she was wrongly excluded from the smear test programme, a new report has concluded. The unnamed woman had undergone a hysterectomy, which mistakenly left her on a list of people who didn't need to be screened, and she went on to develop the cancer.

The tragic error has come to light as a result of a routine audit of cervical cancer data over the past 24 years, which uncovered that 430 women were wrongly left off the list for smear tests. The mistake arose because of a wrong assumption that women who have hysterectomies do not require a cervical screening as they no longer have a cervix. In reality, however, some hysterectomies do not remove all of the cervix, and these women should still be invited for routine smear tests.

An assessment of the data found that five of the women who weren't included in the health scheme went on to develop cervical cancer, and one died. All the people affected my the mistake have now been written to, say the Scottish Government, who have apologised profusely for the fatal error.

Photo credit: sturti - Getty Images

"I want to offer my condolences to the family of the woman who we now know died from cervical cancer after being excluded from the screening programme," Sky News reports Maree Todd, Scotland's women's health minister, said in a statement.

"These exclusions from the cervical screening programme should not have happened and I want to apologise to all those affected by this error. I offer my heartfelt apologies in particular to the women who were excluded from the programme who went on to develop cancer, and to their families."

Photo credit: Getty Images

While the women involved in this situation missed out on smear tests through no fault of their own, the case still serves as an important reminder of just how vital it is to attend cervical screenings when you're invited. In England, Northern Ireland and Wales, women are invited for a smear test every three years from the age of 25, through to the age of 49, when they then revert to a five-yearly check up. In Scotland, cervical screenings take place every five years as standard for over-25s.

Story continues

Research conducted by Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust in 2019 found that 81% of women said they either delayed or didn't go to their cervical screenings because they were embarrassed about the procedure. We know many people have also been put off going for a smear test due to the coronavirus pandemic. While some women, for example survivors of sexual assault, have understandable traumatic associations with such a procedure, it's worrying that so many might swerve a potentially life-saving screening because they're nervous about the intimate nature of it.

If you're concerned about feeling embarrassed in a smear test, read this valuable advice to put your mind at ease.

Follow Cat on Instagram.

You Might Also Like
Yankton, SD (57078)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Hot. High 93F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 73F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph.
Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 105F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 86F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy skies. High 106F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph.
Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.
The church was completed and dedicated Sept. 14, 1873, by Dr. Raymond of the Biblical Institute at Evanston, Illinois. History books say $1,100 had been subscribed from the membership, which was more than the indebtedness. This church was sold in 1880  for five years, services were held in the city hall or Bells Hall.

In the winter of 1883-1884, Bells Hall was the scene of revival meetings. All seemed to think the time had come to build another church, history accounts say. These meetings had added largely to the membership. The Board of Trustees decided upon the corner of Seventh and Nebraska Avenue. The church was to cost no more than $12,000; it was decided there would be no building until $10,000 had been subscribed. On Feb. 27, 1886, the church was completed and dedicated by Bishop H. W. Warren.

But on Oct. 16, 1895, the church burned to the ground. The Sunday after the fire, the congregation assembled in an empty store building. The task of rebuilding was an arduous one, but the building went on and on Wednesday, Oct. 17, the anniversary of the fire, the new church was dedicated.

The Church School was added and dedicated on Dec. 11, 1910. This annex was remodeled in 1949. When the education wing was built, this area became the chapel and is now the large hall leading to the fellowship hall.
I tried to take one of those big checks to the bank. They used to ask me what I got myself into, Boyd said.

Boyd said his daughter loved fishing. She used to sit under the console of the windshield in the shade with her Barbie dolls. Boyd said he used to gently throw a fishing lure at her because he couldnt tell if she was awake or not.

The one thing she requested was that I picked a motel with a pool, Boyd said.

Fishing full-time came with challenges. Boyd said it sometimes took the joy out of fishing because of the pressure he had to make a living income.

It was a business, Boyd said. It was fun because we were catching fish, but it was tough when I didnt catch anything at a tournament. It left me thinking of where I could go next. It was a very stressful job.

It was also hard for him to be away from home. Boyd said he would come home to see his wife in June. He would be home for few months, and then he had to be back fishing in Texas by the end of January.

Boyd fished full-time for seven years until he got sick.
During Father OBriens administration, the parish acquired two lots south of 14th Street, between Platte and Beaver Avenues. On this plot, a frame church was erected, measuring 24x40 feet with an arched ceiling. It cost about $700, history books say. On June 11, 879, Father OBrien reported that the church was completed and he had acquired an organ for it. The congregation, however, was not happy with the location and they intended to move the building to a better location during the summer.

Some of the early families who helped establish the parish in York were the Bishops, Clabbys, Conrys, Dowds, Feeneys, Friels, Hannons, Nevilles, Horns, Larkins, McCarthys, Macks, Meehans, Quinns, Ritgers, Tighes, Corcorans and Zimmerers.

On April 29, 1881, Bishop James OConnor of Omaha, Bishop of Nebraska, made his first visit to York, when he confirmed three persons. In October, 1882, he appointed Rev. Patrick Lysaght as pastor of Seward and York. It was during his administration that three lots were purchased from the South Platte Land Company for $235. The deed to the property was signed on Jan. 30, 1883. The property was located on the west side of Iowa Avenue between Eighth and Ninths Streets. The frame church was then moved to this new location, at 813 Iowa Avenue, and a rectory was built north of the church at a cost of $1,300.
St. Pauls Lutheran Church northeast of York stood in the same place (seven miles from York) for 98 years. In the summer of 1999, it was moved to the York College campus where it has remained since, as the York College Prayer Chapel.

At the end of the Civil War, the westward trek of the pioneers began to move quickly as homesteads were being claimed. As part of the movement, a small band of German immigrants made their way to Nebraska in the late 1860s and early 70s, settling in York County. This settlement, seven miles northeast of York, was intended to be a trading headquarters until the railroad was built.

As with all of the pioneers, they began to build their homes and eventually put great emphasis on building a church. Non-denominational meetings were held in the settlers houses, until the decision was made to build St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The first to arrive in the community were John and Fredricka Heiden and their family. Their settlement was located just east of the church site. They were later joined by the August Schultz family and others.

Rev. K. Theodore Gruber is credited with gathering the pioneers together to organize this church. The Rev. G. Andres arrived on Dec. 29, 1978, and the charter was adopted.
Meanwhile, St. Peters Lutheran Church in Gresham was organized in 1909 (with 13 charter members) and the original church and parsonage were built during the summer months of that year. The St. Peters Lutheran Parochial School was stated in December of 1909. School was taught four days a week, which included lessons in German. In 1916, Mr. George Richert, a member of the congregation, donated a building to be used as the school house. It was placed south of the church and in 1918, the congregation found it impossible to continue its parochial school instruction because of changes in state laws, according to historical accounts. It was used for German lessons once a week in the early 1920s with Pastor Hendricksen as instructor.
Precious McKesson of Omaha, who chairs the Black Caucus of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said she was "definitely disappointed" by some of the choices.

"There's people on the commission who do not represent the values of the African American community," she said. "I think the governor is just pushing his agenda."

State Sen. Terrell McKinney, who represents historically Black North Omaha, called it a problem that the governor did not create partisan balance on the commission.

He also raised concerns about the number of African immigrants on the commission, noting that they would not have the same experiences as people who grow up Black in the United States. Three of the 14 members are immigrants who originally hailed from Kenya, Nigeria and Togo.

But Ricketts' spokesman Taylor Gage said party registration was not a factor in selecting commission members, nor were applicants asked about hot-button political issues.

In fact, Gage said the governor was surprised to learn that no Democrats were in the group. He noted that the legislation creating the commission does not set any requirements regarding partisan affiliation. The only requirement is that members be African American.
I accessed historical books and articles in order to write the histories of the churches that are featured in this publication. Saylor Newman of Henderson photographed each of these beautiful local churches. Callie Hurley of York produced videos featuring each of the churches, which include beautiful footage of the architecture while the churchs history is verbally told (go to our website at yorknewstimes.com to watch each of these videos). Kerri Pankratz, senior copy editor and layout manager at the York News-Times, designed/created the end print product, showcasing The Houses Built By Faith.

Our Houses of Worship, Our Heritage, a passage written by Ruth Zersen for Greshams Diamond Jubilee, says, The staunch faith of the early pioneers in a God who did not forsake them in the many trials of pioneering, was evidenced in the monuments they built  the churches of this community. Any nation, ignoring an Almighty God, has failed. A community not ashamed of, or selfish with, its religion will prosper and continue to exist. A history cannot be written without a brief backward glance at tragedy, failure, difficult times and heartbreaking memories. All of these would be dominant if it were not for the solace, peace, the forgiveness found and the blessing assured in the little churches dedicated to an all-knowing and understanding Heavenly Father. These churches have prospered and their histories are proof of their growth. They will continue in a country dedicated to the four freedoms, namely: religion, press, speech and assembly. And the fifth freedom added by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the freedom from hunger. Our houses of worship are our true heritage.
Quickly, the church plans proceeded. History books say George Keith, a carpenter, and his son, Charles, and two other men did the work after the foundation was laid by another contractor.

On Jan. 28, 1894, the dedication services were held with Rev. A. C. Crosthwaite in charge.

In 1895, there were 129 members and an enrollment of 132 in Sunday School.

By 1915, more room for classes was badly needed. A group of 50 young people  called the Delta Theta Class  took over the project of digging a full basement under the church building. A furnace and kitchen were installed. Ray Schoch and Rev. Hutchins built the original chimney when the furnace was installed. Until this time, they had only had heating stoves.

In 1918, Rev. Clinton Seneff had the first Methodist directory printed, which included an honor roll of the 18 soldiers and sailors who were in World War I.

In 1947, a kitchen and restrooms were installed.

In 1959, the members undertook major redecorating and repair work inside and outside. Youth, along with a Mrs. Marolf, made and sold woven potholders to purchase the drapery material for the sanctuary. On May 3, 1959, a rededication of the church was held with many former members returning for the program and service.
The M. E. Church was very successful in serving the community until the dry years of 1892 to 1894, when they became involved in financial difficulties, the church history reads. In an emergency, then as now, the pastor, George Shuman, turned to the ladies of the church for assistance and through the leadership of Mrs. Lucy Inbody and Mrs. William Bradley, the ladies organized the first Ladies Aid Society, with Mrs. Lucy Inbody as president. The first meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Inbody. It was through these ladies efforts that the church as able to continue and the necessary funds were kept available for every demand.

The first recorded wedding at the church was that of Alvina Fase and Adam Biehl in 1907. (Its also noted that all nine of their children were baptized in this church and were members at some point in their lives).
New Delhi: Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Friday interacted with the students and addressed their concerns related to the CBSE and various other entrance exams.

Pokhriyal announced that students who wanted to sit for the exams offline will be able to do so in August. In his address streamed live, he said, "Students who wish to appear for exams will be able to do so in August."

He said while speaking to students regarding their queries about the CBSE marking schemes and other concerns related to these exams.

Further, the Education Minister assured that the health of students is the primary concern for the government. "Class 10, 12 students will be evaluated based on an objective scheme and will benefit students. Students who will not be satisfied with the result will be given a chance to appear for exams," he said.

The Central Board of Secondary Education had recently announced the marking scheme for the evaluation of Class 12 students after the board exams were cancelled on June 1. As per the finalised marking scheme, students will be assessed based on their marks in Class 10, 11 and 12.

According to the policy for class 12 results, decided by a 13-member panel set up by the board, the theory paper evaluation formula of 30 per cent weightage will be given to class 10 marks, 30 per cent to class 11 marks and 40 per cent weightage to class 12 marks obtained in unit test/mid-term/pre-board examinations.

The CBSE scheme further elaborated that for class 10, the 30 per cent marks based on the average theory component of best three performing subjects out of main five subjects will be taken.

According to the evaluation criteria announced for class 10 students, while 20 marks for each subject will be for internal assessment as every year, 80 marks will be calculated on basis of the students' performance in various tests or exams throughout the year.

While schools have been asked to submit class 10 marks till June 30, the deadline for schools to compile class 12 marks is July 15.

Whereas, a decision on conducting NEET, JEE, and other entrance examinations is still pending.
NEW DELHI: 46 years ago, on June 25, 1975, the Emergency was declared in India by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which remained in force for a period of 21 months. On this day, the then President of India, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed officially announced the imposition of Emergency across the country on the recommendation of the Indira Gandhi-led Congress government at the Centre.

President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed imposed the Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing "internal disturbance". The Emergency, which is regarded as the ''darkest phase'' of independent India, remained in force June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.

During this period, the Congress regime ordered a crackdown on civil liberties, trampled all dissenting voices, jailed top opposition leaders, censured the freedom of speech, and committed severe human rights violations.

What led to the imposition of Emergency?

On June 12, 1975, Allahabad High Court convicted Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of electoral malpractices and debarring her from holding any elected post. This verdict had a far-reaching consequence and is believed to be one of the reasons that led to the imposition of the Emergency.

In the 1971 Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, Indira Gandhi had defeated socialist leader Raj Narain. Narain later challenged India Gandhis election alleging electoral malpractices and violation of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The socialist leader alleged that her election agent Yashpal Kapoor was a government servant and that she used government officials for personal election-related work. The Allahabad High Court convicted Indira Gandhi of electoral malpractices and disqualified her from Parliament and imposed a six-year ban on her holding any elected post.

Just a day after the Allahabad High Court verdict, Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency by suspending all fundamental rights, ordering a crackdown on all opposition leaders and imposing curbs on the media.

When was Emergency lifted?

Gandhi lifted Emergency in 1977 and called for Lok Sabha elections in which the Congress was handed a crushing defeat, its first-ever since the country's Independence in 1947, by the combined opposition of the Janata Party.

Dark days of Emergency can never be forgotten: PM Modi

On the 46th anniversary of the imposition of the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said those "dark days" can never be forgotten and called for taking a pledge to strengthen India's democratic spirit and live up to the values enshrined in the Constitution.

"This is how Congress trampled over our democratic ethos. We remember all those greats who resisted the Emergency and protected Indian democracy," he tweeted while sharing a link about several draconian measures taken by the then Congress government.

"The dark days of Emergency can never be forgotten. The period from 1975 to 1977 witnessed the systematic destruction of institutions. Let us pledge to do everything possible to strengthen India's democratic spirit, and live up to the values enshrined in our Constitution." he said.

Other senior BJP leaders also hit out at the Congress with Home Minister Amit Shah saying he Congress "murdered" democracy on this day in 1975 for its lust and arrogance of power.

Emergency was imposed to trample on voices that were raised against a family, he said, calling it a dark chapter in India's democracy. BJP president J P Nadda paid tributes to those who fought against the Emergency while suffering numerous atrocities.

Live TV
New Delhi: The governemnt on Friday claimed that the Delta Plus variant calls for caution and not panic as its virulence and transmissibility are still being investigated. So far, India has reported 48 cases of the Delta Plus variant, with most of these cases being reported from Maharashtra, followed by Kerala and Madhya Pradesh.

The new Delta Plus variant formed due to a mutation of the Delta or B.1.617.2 variant, it was first detected in India and is considered the principal cause of the deadly second wave in the country.

The Centre informed that around 48 delta plus variant Covid cases were detected from 45,000 samples sequenced so far, PTI reported.

This highly infectious variant also known as AY.1 has also been seen in nine other countries of the world with 205 infections detected in Europe, America, and Asia. The health ministry has already categorized it as a variant of concern'.

While, the Maharashtra government on Friday decided to impose stricter rules in the state in view of rise in COVID-19 Delta Plus cases with one patient succumbing to the disease. The latest development comes amid reports of Delta and Delta Plus variants of coronavirus and a possible third COVID-19 wave in the state.

Meanwhile, India on Friday recorded 51,667 new COVID-19 cases and 1,329 deaths in the last 24 hours. With this the country's total tally is now 3,01,34,445, of which, 3,93,310 have succumbed to the virus, while 6,12,868 are active cases, the Union Health Ministry informed.
New Delhi: Just hours after Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad reported that he was denied access to his Twitter account temporarily, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor too claimed that his accounted had been locked, briefly.

Taking to Twitter, Tharoor said that he was blocked from his Twitter account for a copyright violation over a video he had posted of a dance performance featuring the popular song Rasputin.

Raviji, the same thing just happened to me. Clearly DMCA is getting hyperactive. This tweet has been deleted by @Twitter because its video includes the copyrighted BoneyM song"Rasputin": https://t.co/ClgP2OKV1o #DanceIsNotJihad pic.twitter.com/IqQD50WhaU

After process, a/c unlocked. https://t.co/TCeT8aGxV6  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) June 25, 2021

The Congress MP didnt blame Twitter for the action but rather in a toungue-in-cheek fashion said "the complainant was the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry which is zealously defending the rights of Sony Music." He added that he was a keynote speaker at their last conference in India.

Tharoor also said that as Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, he will seek an explanation from the microblogging site for their action against his and Prasads accounts.

Earlier, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that he was denied access to his Twitter handle for almost an hour on grounds "that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA."

He said that he was not informed before his account was blocked though his acces was subsequently restored.

Ravi Shankar said this action by Twitter is in violation of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 in which he did not tell them before denying access to the account. He also accused Twitter of running their agenda.
NEW DELHI: In view of declining cases of coronavirus across the country, the Indian Railways has decided to operate a special train in August covering several top tourist destinations, including seven Jyotirlingas.

This special train called the "Bharat Darshan Special Tourist Train", will be operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) from August 24.

The IRCTC is offering the passengers one of the most affordable, all-inclusive tour packages, covering all the important tourist places in the country onboard the "Bharat Darshan Special Tourist Train that offers a visit to seven Jyotirlingas as well as Dwarka and the Statue of Unity in Gujarat.

The total duration of the journey onboard the Bharat Darshan train, which will begin on August 24, will be of about two weeks. The Bharat Darshan train will return on 7th September.

Under this tour package, the passengers can book tickets and board or deboard the train from various destinations like Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Varanasi, Jaunpur City, Sultanpur, Kanpur and Jhansi.

Cost of Bharat Darshan tour package

The estimated total cost of the Bharat Darshan package will be Rs 12,285 per passenger, according to the IRCTC.



According to the IRCTC, the Bharat Darshan special train will go to Omkareshwar, Ujjain, Ahmedabad, Dwarka, Nageshwar, Somnath, Trimbakeshwar, Shirdi, Bhimashankar and Greeshneeshwar, Kevadiya.

During the journey, the passengers onboard the train will be given vegetarian food at all three times. Apart from this, they will also be provided with the facility of staying in Non AC Dormitories/Hall in Dharamshala and local excursions by buses.

How to book tickets for the Bharat Darshan tour?

Interested passengers can book tickets by visiting the IRCTC website www.irctctourism.com. Apart from this, they can also get more information about the package by calling helpline numbers - 8287930908, 8287930909, 8287930910 and 8287930911.

Live TV
New Delhi: India has backed the establishment of an 'independent, viable, and democratic State of Palestine' and called for an end to the decades-long conflict in the Middle East. At a session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), India has expressed concern about the potential for renewed violence in East Jerusalem and called for the resumption of peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.

Addressing a UNSC session on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (West) Vikas Swarup said, "India is committed to the establishment of an independent, viable, democratic State of Palestine. There is no alternative to a two-state solution for ensuring meaningful and enduring peace."

Vikas Swarup, Secretary (West), MEA called for "Immediate humanitarian assistance to Palestinian people, particularly in Gaza, should reach through verified channels. We call for reinforced cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian authorities in the area of humanitarian aid."

"Recent developments in Palestine are of concern. They can restart the cycle of violence, resulting in immense suffering and deaths. We urge both Israeli and Palestinian authorities to honour the ceasefire arrangement," Vikas Swarup added.

"India supports all diplomatic efforts, including by the Quartet, which are aimed at strengthening the collective commitment of the international community to resume these negotiations and facilitate the peace process," he said, adding "After a period of brief calm, tensions are rising again in Gaza. The launch of incendiary balloons from Gaza targeting civilians in Israel and the retaliatory strikes into Gaza threatens to restart the cycle of violence, which caused immense suffering and resulted in deaths recently."

Swarup also urged all parties to honour the ceasefire arrangement to ensure that the situation does not spiral out of control, adding "We are concerned at the potential for renewed violence in East Jerusalem and other parts of West Bank over the legal process that could lead to possible evictions in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem. Incitement and inflammatory rhetoric, as witnessed during the recent escalation, only drives and fuels violence."

The MEA Secretary further said that any attempt to unilaterally change the status-quo that undercut efforts to advance a negotiated two-state solution should also be avoided.

The focus of the international community, he said, should not be diverted from the immediate needs of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly in Gaza.

Recognising the centrality of the Palestinian Authority for the delivery of international assistance to the Palestinian people, India also encouraged all Palestinian parties to work with the Palestinian Authority to ensure the well-being of the people of Palestine.

Notably, Israel and Hamas concluded 11 days of fighting during which hundreds of rockets were launched from both Israel and Palestine sides.

According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, 253 Palestinians were killed during the fighting, including 66 children, while 13 Israelis, including a 5-year-old boy and a soldier, were killed.

Swarup`s remarks come in the backdrop of the Israel Defense Forces conducting airstrikes on Hamas targets throughout the Gaza Strip last week in response to ongoing arson attacks from the enclave. The ceasefire deal, between Israel and Palestine, was reached on May 21, but it was violated on June 16.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
On June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency across the country. Today (June 25, 2021) marks the 46th anniversary of emergency's declaration, that remains one of most debated and contested topic of independent India's political history. Emergency was declared for a 21-month period from 1975 to 1977 by PM Indira Gandhi. Officially issued by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution due to the prevailing "internal disturbance", the Emergency was in effect from June 25, 1975, until its withdrawal on March 21, 1977.

Why was the Emergency declared?

The goal of the 21-month-long Emergency in the country was to control internal disturbance, for which the constitutional rights were suspended and freedom of speech and the press withdrawn. The order vested upon the Prime Minister the authority to rule by decree, allowing elections to be suspended and civil liberties to be curbed.The final decision to impose an Emergency was proposed by Indira Gandhi, agreed upon by the President, and thereafter ratified by the Cabinet and the Parliament (from July to August 1975), based on the rationale that there were imminent internal and external threats to the Indian state.The Emergency is considered to be one of the most controversial periods of independent India`s history.

Indira Gandhi said the drastic measure was needed to safeguard the national interest. First, she said Indias security and democracy was in danger because of the movement launched by Jayaprakash Narayan. A war with Pakistan had also just concluded. Second, she was of the opinion that there was a need for rapid economic development and upliftment of the underprivileged. Third, she warned against the intervention of powers from abroad which could destabilise and weaken India. The June 12, 1975 verdict of the Allahabad High Court convicting then Indira Gandhi of electoral malpractices and debarring her from holding any elected post is considered as one of the factors, one of the final nails in the coffin, that led to the imposition of the Emergency. Narayan called for Indira and the CMs to resign and the military and police to disregard unconstitutional and immoral orders.

'A dark chapter in the history of independent India'

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday remembered June 25 of 1975 and said that the Emergency was imposed in the nation to quell the voices against one family and termed it as a dark chapter in the history of independent India. Taking to Twitter, Shah said, "Emergency imposed to quell the voices against one family is a dark chapter in the history of independent India. Salute to the sacrifice of all the countrymen who fought relentlessly for the protection of the Constitution and democracy of the country while suffering the brutal tortures of the ruthless rule for 21 months."

Blaming the selfishness and arrogance of the Congress, Shah said, "On this day in 1975, Congress killed the world's largest democracy by imposing emergency on the country in the selfishness and arrogance of power. Innumerable satyagrahis were imprisoned overnight and the press was locked. Taking away the fundamental rights of the citizens, made the Parliament and the court a mute spectator."

(with ANI inputs)

Live TV
As the COVID-19 vaccination drive picked pace in the country, several reports of fake jabs being administered and unauthorised camps being organised came to the forefront. And even celebs were not spared as they fell prey to the vaccine scam. Actor and Trinamool Congress MP Mimi Chakraborty had got the first dose of the Covishield vaccine at a Kasba vaccination camp in Kolkata, among several others. However, she did not receive the customary SMS that is sent to people after they are administered a dose, and this aroused her suspicion.

In Mumbai, the police informed Bombay High Court on June 23 that over 2,000 people received fake COVID-19 vaccines at nine separately held private vaccination camps across the city. says media reports. The High Court expressed concern and asked the state government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to formulate a specific policy or guidelines to prevent such occurrences in future.

But what about the health repercussions? So far, there have been no reports of any side effects amongst the people who were administered these fake vaccines. However, Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice GS Kulkarni of the Bombay High Court asked the BMC to keep a tab on the health of citizens who were given fake jabs. The court has also told the BMC to find out what was there in the fake jabs, if it was saline water or anything else, if the people given the fake jabs have developed antibodies and to generally keep a check on these people's health.

Meanwhile in Kolkata, some of the "vaccines" seized from the office of the arrested fake IAS officer, Debanjan Deb - who had organised several camps to inoculate people - revealed that they are antibiotic injections used for a number of bacterial infections, a Kolkata Police official said on Thursday (June 24). "Debanjan Deb's office was raided this afternoon from where we have seized a large number of vials of Amikacin injections. We have also recovered fake labels of Covishield from there. Several documents and computers have been seized," an official told PTI.

As per some other media reports, a senior Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) official later revealed that the seized vials, which were administered to Mimi and others at the camp, are indeed fake and they don't have Covishield but "is dust and some liquid."

The KMC has started spotting people who have taken COVID vaccines from Deb's camps. "After identifying all of them, we will consult doctors after evaluating their (those who took the jab) health conditions," a senior KMC official said.

Doctors say what the exact side-effects of the fake vaccines will be is difficult to say as it depends on the constituents of the fake jab. Experts point out that if it contains harmful ingredients, the fake vaccine can lead to illness, which can even be fatal.

But even if the effects are not fatal, it might take time to realise that a jab administered is fake. In some cases, a fake jab causes symptoms like swelling in and around the injected area or fever, which are similar to the side-effects of real vaccination. And there are dangers associated with people not realising the fact that they were given fake jabs. One, it will give them a false sense of security that they have been vaccinated, which might lead them to drop their guard. Second, it can also raise the risk of someone with asymptomatic COVID spreading the virus.

Of course, malpractices like this can add to the already existing vaccine hesitancy in the country, which can have an adverse effect on the country's already stretched health infrastructure.

Live TV
New Delhi: On the morning of June 26, India's then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi annouced Emergency in the country from the office of All India Radio at 7 am. Though the Emergency was announced on June 26 it was declared by the then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed at 11 pm on June 25.

On Friday's episode of DNA, Zee News Editor-in-Chief Sudhir Chaudhary spoke on Emergency, Chapter 2 of the special series, which was announced by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on June 26, 1975.

This episode talks about how the system of democratic governance ended in the country after the Emergency was imposed and Indira Gandhi oppressed every section of the country to preserve the legacy of the Gandhi-Nehru family and how a large part of the media and film industry did not just bow down in front of Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi, but laid down before them.

A cabinet meeting was called at 6 am and all the Union Ministers were informed about the imposition of emergency in the country for the first time. Eight Union Ministers had attended this meeting - among them were the then External Affairs Minister Yashwantrao Chavan, Agriculture Minister Babu Jagjivan Ram, Defense Minister Sardar Swaran Singh, Law Minister H.R. Gokhale, Parliamentary Affairs Minister K. Raghu Ramaiah, Home Minister Kasu Brahmananda Reddy, Health Minister Karan Singh and Information and Broadcasting Minister Inder Kumar Gujral.

Unfortunately, no one questioned Indira Gandhi's decision at that time.

And, thus began the dark chapter in India's history as it brought along an atmosphere of uncertainty in the country. It was historic and yet an unfortunate announcement, which tarnished the Indian Constitution.

Live TV
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will embark on a two-day bilateral visit to Greece on Friday (June 25, 2021) to hold talks with his Greek counterpart, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Following Greece, Jaishankar will travel to Italy to attend the G20 Ministerial meeting, MEA spokesperson Arnidam Bagchi said during a weekly briefing.

"EAM Jaishankar will be leaving tomorrow for the visit to Greece and to Italy. In Greece, he is making a bilateral visit on June 25-26 to hold talks with Greece counterpart along with other engagement," Bagchi said.

This is the first EAM-level visit to Greece in about 18 years, the one being in 2003, said the spokesperson.

"After Greece, EAM will travel to Italy to attend the G20 ministerial meetings. These related to ministerial meetings at foreign ministerial level as well as development ministerial level," he added.

The G20 is an intergovernmental forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union.

Since December 2020, Italy holds the Presidency of the G20. The Foreign Affairs Ministers` Meeting is one of the ministerial meetings organized as part of the G20 Leaders Summit 2021.

The G20 is an influential bloc that brings together the world's major economies. The G20 member countries collectively account for more than 80 percent of world GDP, 75 percent of the global trade and 60 percent of the population of the planet. The G20 member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has arrested a trader in a money laundering case linked to an alleged PDS foodgrains scam in Maharashtra's Nanded district involving 3,000 ration shops and over two dozen FCI godowns. The central agency said in a statement that trader Ajay Chandrashekhar Baheti was arrested on Thursday.

He was produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Friday that sent him to eight days' ED custody. Baheti, the agency said, gained "illicit pecuniary advantage from the Public Distribution System (PDS) by forming a syndicate and started systematic theft of government quota ration grain at Nanded". The modus operandi of the alleged scam, it said, was that PDS foodgrains like wheat and rice were transported from the warehouses of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in trucks to various tehsils of Nanded and Hingoli districts in Maharashtra.

"These trucks were diverted to a factory of Baheti called India Agro Anaj Limited instead of their designated destination. This scam involved more than 3,000 ration shops of two districts and 28 godowns of the FCI," the agency alleged.

Some unknown agents, traders, businessmen and government officials were also involved in the said scam, it claimed.

The ED booked Baheti and others under the PMLA after studying the chargesheets filed against him by the Maharashtra Police that charged him under various sections of the IPC and the Essential Commodities Act.

Live TV
New Delhi: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed to a group of leaders from Jammu and Kashmir that he wanted to remove "dil ki doori and Dilli ki doori" -- distance between hearts and the distance with Delhi -- National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that both Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah assured that they were committed to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood.

Talking to reporters after the meeting on Thursday, Abdullah, however, said that "Ek meeting Se Dil Ki Doori Nahi Mitati", and asked the government to chalk out the future course of action in the union territory.

The NC leader Omar Abdullah said, "there has been a breach of trust between Jammu and Kashmir and the Centre" and it is the union government`s duty to restore it."

He further said, "As it was an open discussion, we have put our views openly. We told Prime Minister that we don`t stand with what was done on August 5, 2019. We`re not ready to accept it. But we won`t take the law into our hands. We will fight this in court, and hope that we`ll get justice there."

Abdullah said, "We also told Prime Minister that there`s been a breach of trust between the state and Centre. It`s the Centre`s duty to restore it, and for that whatever Prime Minister thinks best, he should do. The Prime Minister listened to us in a good and peaceful environment. We told him that it is important to reverse the decisions that were taken and are not in favour of Jammu and Kashmir."

The former Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir was given the status of a Union Territory and "people don`t like it", adding "They want full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir with Jammu and Kashmir cadre restored."

"Both Prime Minister and Home Minister said the work for elections and restoring statehood should start soon. However, Azad Sahib said that first statehood should be restored and then elections should be held. On this Prime Minister didn`t say anything," Abdullah added.

As many as 14 prominent leaders from Jammu and Kashmir took part in the meeting, the first high-level interaction between the Centre and political leadership mainly from Kashmir since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and the state was bifurcated into two union territories.

(With Agency Inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: If you plan to visit Goa after the COVID-19 induced restrictions are lifted, ensure that you are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Goa government is planning to make it mandatory for tourists to be fully vaccinated with both doses. Those visiting Goa will also need to produce a negative RT-PCR report, state Ports Minister Michael Lobo told ANI on Thursday (June 24).

"We have to wait till July and let the number of cases go down to zero. We will reopen Goa for tourists with proper screening. Both doses of vaccines and a negative RT-PCR report will be made mandatory for tourists for the first three months after reopening of tourism in the state," Lobo said.

"The cases are coming down but we will wait for a month to start the business. For the first two months, we need to keep a close watch," the minister stated, adding that it is important to screen people coming by air and train.

Lobo further said that these rules will not apply for tourists visiting around New Year and Christmas. "In October, November and December the protocols will change and so it will not affect the tourists coming in the state for New Year or Christmas," he assured.

On June 19, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant extended the corona curfew till June 28. Sawant said that tourism activities in Goa would resume only after the population in the age group of 18-44 is administered at least the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, Goa registered 229 new COVID-19 cases, 258 recoveries and 9 deaths on Thursday, as per the media bulletin issued by the state.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Friday dispelled rumours that COVID vaccines cause infertility, saying that most of the people who receive the shots do not face any side effects post-inoculation, but it does not mean that the jabs are not efficient.

COVID vaccines do not cause infertility, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

NK Arora, Chairman, National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation in India (NTAGI), said, "When the polio vaccine came and was being administered in India and other parts of the world, this sort of a rumour had spread at that time too. At that time, misinformation was created that children who are getting polio vaccine may face infertility in the future.

"This sort of wrong information is spread by the anti-vaccine lobby. We should know that all vaccines go through intense scientific researches," Dr Arora said.

#IndiaFightsCorona: Most people do not face any side-effect after COVID vaccination but it does not mean that vaccines are not efficient Some common Questions on #COVID19Vaccination answered by Dr. N.K. Arora, Chairman, NTAGI Details:https://t.co/0BwA348uwA#Unite2FightCorona pic.twitter.com/0ocetv7QAx  #IndiaFightsCorona (@COVIDNewsByMIB) June 25, 2021

"None of the vaccines has this sort of a side-effect. I would like to fully assure everyone that this sort of propaganda only misguides people. Our main intention is to save ourselves, our families and the society from coronavirus," he added.

"At least six different types of COVID-19 vaccines will be available in India soon. We expect to procure 30-35 crore doses in a month to be able to vaccinate 1 crore persons in a day," the Ministry said.

Arora further said that if the efficacy of a vaccine is 80 per cent, 20 per cent of the vaccinated people may contract mild COVID. The vaccines available in India are capable of reducing the spread of the virus. If 60-70 per cent of people are vaccinated, the spread of the virus can be checked, Arora said.

He said that as far as side effects are concerned, all vaccines have mild side effects. This includes mild fever, fatigue, pain in the injection site, for a day or two. It does not cause any serious problems.

Only 20-30 per cent of people are going to experience fever after vaccination. Some people may get a fever after the first dose and not have any fever after the second dose and vice-versa. It varies from person to person and it is highly unpredictable, according to medical experts.

Live TV
New Delhi: India recorded 51,667 new COVID-19 cases and 1,329 deaths in the last 24 hours, the Union Health Ministry informed on Friday (June 25, 2021). India's total coronavirus caseload has now increased to 3,01,34,445, of which, 3,93,310 have succumbed to the virus, while 6,12,868 are active cases.

India reports 51,667 new #COVID19 cases, 64,527 recoveries and 1,329 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry. Total cases: 3,01,34,445

Total recoveries: 2,91,28,267

Death toll: 3,93,310

Active cases: 6,12,868 Total vaccination: 30,79,48,744 pic.twitter.com/0JXZ1weaTK  ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2021

Additionally, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that 39,95,68,448 samples tested for COVID-19, up to June 25, 2021. Of these, 17,35,781 samples were tested yesterday.

Meanwhile, the US-based pharmaceutical company Pfizer on Thursday claimed that its coronavirus vaccine is highly effective against the Delta variant. Pfizer's medical director in Israel Alon Rappaport cited data to confirm findings of the vaccine efficacy to be nearly 90 percent.

"The data we have today, accumulating from research we are conducting at the lab and including data from those places where the Indian variant, Delta, has replaced the British variant as the common variant, point to our vaccine being very effective, around 90%, in preventing the coronavirus disease, COVID-19," Rappaport was quoted as saying to local broadcaster Army Radio by Reuters.

Additionally, the AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria on Wednesday had said that the spread of the new Delta plus variant in India could be controlled through proper COVID-19 protocol, lockdown and vaccinations.

It is difficult to say that the Delta plus variant is creating any problems in India. But we cannot let our guard down, we need to keep a close look at any surge that is registered. We have to be vigilant to avoid the third wave and follow COVID protocols. We need to aggressively test and track, get more people vaccinated," AIIMS Director said.

Live TV
Kochi: India's first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) will be commissioned next year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday. In a statement to the media after reviewing the progress made in the construction of the IAC, Singh described it as India's pride and a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

"Commissioning of this IAC next year would be a befitting tribute to India's 75th year of India's independence", he said.

Reviewed first-hand the ongoing work on the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, which is India's pride and a shining example of Atmanirbhar Bharat. The IAC has made significant progress. Commissioning of the IAC next year will be a befitting tribute to 75 years of India's independence. pic.twitter.com/N9542pJneq  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 25, 2021

The Defence Minister said the Navy`s forward deployment showed the country`s intent and readiness during the Galwan Valley standoff amid the military face-off in Ladakh between India and China.

This is the first official word on the Indian Navy`s proactive deployments in wake of the tensions between India and China. Singh was speaking after inspecting the work on the country`s indigenous aircraft carrier in Kochi.

"Navy`s proactive forward deployment during the Galwan standoff signalled our intent that we seek peace but are ready for any eventuality," Rajnath Singh. The Defence Minister said that the Navy remains poised and combat-ready to tackle any challenge.

Singh, who is on a two-day visit to Karwar and Kochi, had on Thursday reviewed Project Seabird at Karwar, which will be the largest Naval Base of the Indian Navy in future. It will provide the facilities and infrastructure to support the Navy`s operations in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

INS Vikrant - the aircraft carrier - is a much-needed boost for the Indian Navy`s capabilities as the navy currently functions with only one aircraft carrier.

The construction of the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in Kochi has faced many delays since work started on it in 2009. An additional aircraft carrier is key in wake of growing Chinese forays into the Indian Ocean Region.

While INS Vikrant awaits completion even after 11 years since work started, China`s first indigenous carrier was commissioned in 2018 within 3 years of starting construction.

India currently has INS Vikaramditya as the only operational aircraft carrier while INS Vikrant is under construction and the Indian Navy has been pressing for the third one but faces resistance from the government and military planners.

Vikrant is in an advanced stage and is expected to start sea trials soon and be fully ready by later 2022 or early 2023. "Our impetus to modernisation, harnessing India`s indigenous industry and know-how, is a key priority," he said.

Pointing out that the Navy is looking at indigenous options, the Defence Ministry said 42 of the 44 warships on order being built at Indian shipyards is a testimony to this. During his address, Singh also talked out the Navy`s significant contributions in the fight against Covid-19, bringing back Indian citizens from overseas during Op Samudra Setu-I, and much needed Liquid Medical Oxygen during Samudra Setu-II, despite dangers of Covid spread onboard warships.

(With Agency Inputs)
Chennai: In a swift and coordinated Search and Rescue (SAR) operation that involved multiple vessels, the Indian Coast Guard(ICG) rescued nine crew off a sinking tug, near Port Blair. This operation was carried out late on Wednesday, a few hours after the information regarding the vessel in distress was received.

On 23rd June, the ICG received a distress call from Tug Ganga-1 that was nearly 30 nautical miles southeast of Port Blair. The 9-crewed tug had left from Port Blair on Tuesday noon, towing a barge loaded with construction material and was to arrive at Hutbay in the early hours of Wednesday. But it had activated a distress signal owing to flooding in the engine room, while on the way.

Due to uncontrolled flooding, the crew abandoned the Tug and took shelter onboard the attached barge. The distress call information was shared with concerned authorities at Port Blair, following which ships ICGS C-146 and ICGS C-412 on routine deployment were immediately diverted for assistance.

CGS Durgabai Deshmukh and PMB Tug Ocean Marvel sailed from Port Blair with a damage control team and de-flooding equipment for immediate assistance. While the crew were safe, one member who suffered a leg injury was evacuated by Coast Guard Ship C-146 and taken to a hospital.

ICG ships that attempted to save the sinking vessel realized that it was dangerous, risky to board it owing to heavy flooding and adverse sea conditions. Owing to water weight, the tug had titled to its port (left) side and its aft(rear portion) had gone lower into the water than usual.

Despite PMB Tug Ocean Marvel towing the distressed vessel towards Port Blair with ICG ships in escort, the distressed tug sank off Cinque island, in a region where depth was more than 1500meters. All crew of the sunken ship were embarked onboard Tug Ocean Marvel and brought to Port Blair late on Wednesday.

Live TV
New Delhi: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Friday (June 24) awarded states, cities and union territories based on their performances under the Smart Cities missions India Smart Cities Awards Contest (ISAC) 2020. Uttar Pradesh was ranked as the best performing states in the country with respect to the Smart City mission. UP was followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu in terms of best performing states. Meanwhile, Indore and Surat jointly shared the Smart Cities award for best performance by the Ministry.

Chandigarh topped the rankings among union territories in India. The Ministry announced the awards to commemorate 6 years of the launch of three central government schemes aimed at improving the lives of citizens in cities smarter, safer and easier.

These three schemes - Smart Cities Mission (SCM), Atal Mission for Urban Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U) - were launched on May 25, 2015 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a tweet, the ministry said, Congratulations to all the winners of the ISAC Awards 2020 awarded by the @SmartCities_HUA mission. The winners stand as exemplary Lighthouse projects for other cities across India & for other ULBs to learn and implement ways and policies to provide Ease of Living to citizens. Also Read: Mahindra XUV700 to launch with high-beam assist, production may begin next month

Congratulations to all the winners of the ISAC Awards 2020 awarded by the @SmartCities_HUA mission. The winners stand as exemplary Lighthouse projects for other cities across India & for other ULBs to learn and implement ways and policies to provide Ease of Living to citizens. pic.twitter.com/nA10svJM6h  Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (@MoHUA_India) June 25, 2021

The ministry handed out awards across themes after taking several factors into account. Some of these factors are governance, culture, urban environment, sanitation, economy, etc. Special themes related to how cities controlled the COVID-19 pandemic were also launched in this years award show. Also Read: Pakistan continues to remain in 'Grey List' of FATF, says FATF president Marcus Pleyer
Leh: The administration of the union territory of Ladakh and the Army is renovating the Rezang La war memorial on the Sino-Indian border where Indian troops fought the Chinese army during the 1962 war, officials said on Thursday.

The UT administration along with the Indian Army is renovating the Rezang La memorial, situated in Chushul in Ladakh, and we hope for its timely completion this year, Lieutenant Governor R K Mathur said.

He said the brave battle fought by the Indian forces at Rezang La in 1962 should always be fresh in the minds of all Indians.

The battle of Rezang La that was fought during the war of 1962 is one among the few battles of the world where troops fought with the enemy till last man, last round and created history of their valiance in the defence of the motherland, the officials said.

The troops of 'C' Company of 13 Kumaon, led by Major Shaitan Singh, will always be remembered in the annals of history as 'Bravest of the Brave', they said.

The Indian Army will be observing the anniversary of the battle of Rezang La at Chushul in Ladakh in November this year, to commemorate the historic battle with China in 1962, the officials said.

Mathur said the 11 war monuments spread across Ladakh are reminders of the courage of Indian soldiers during their battles against enemy forces.

He said the same courage was portrayed by Indian troops during the Galwan standoff last year.

Live TV
New Delhi: Amid multiple cases of new Delta Plus variant being directed in different parts of the state, the Maharashtra government on Thursday (June 24, 2021) held a state cabinet meeting on the issue. The new Delta Plus Variant, which has been tagged as a Variant of Concern by the Union government, can likely force Maharashtra to impose uniform restrictions across the state. In the cabinet meeting, the state health ministry with experts briefed the ministers on the issue of the new variant and stated serious concerns over its presence.

Earlier, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope had said that multiple cases of the variant has been reported in seven districts in the state, adding that the authorities are isolating such cases and taking all details like travel history.

According to a report in Times Now, Rajesh Tope said that the state has decided to send the samples for the genome sequence study. No deaths have been caused due to the Delta Plus variant. Symptoms and treatment are the same for this variant. No children have been infected with this variant, he added.

The state health minister has directed officials to closely monitor the Delta Plus variant cases as the information about these cases needs to be collected and recorded for study.

Additionally, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has ordered the officials to focus on seven districts in the state, where the infection rate is higher. CM Thackeray also stressed on the fact that there needs to be no rush in relaxing the COVID-induced restrictions if there is a threat of virus spread.

Speaking to collectors of Raigad, Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg, Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur and Hingoli districts, where the number of cases being reported is high, Thackeray said the state health department should plan about making available oxygen beds, ICU beds, setting up field hospitals in all districts in view of the possibility of a third wave.

CM Thackeray said that upgrading health infrastructure is necessary in view of the prevailing second wave, the Delta plus variant of the virus and the threat of the third wave.

"We have to be very careful in the future. We are at the tail of the second wave. Unlocking shouldn't be done in a hurry. Each district should be self-sufficient in oxygen production. Administration must ensure that oxygen, medical equipment are available for rural and remote areas," he said.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra on Thursday recorded 9,844 new COVID-19 cases, while 197 patients succumbed to the infection. The states total caseload now stands at 60,07,431, said the health department in a statement.

Mumbai city reported 773 new cases and 10 deaths, taking its infection tally to 7,22,736 and the toll to 15,348.

The Nashik division reported 748 cases and 12 deaths, the health department said. The Pune division recorded 2,465 infections and 40 fatalities, of which 26 came from Satara district alone, the statement said.

The Kolhapur division reported 3,516 new cases and 74 deaths, of which rural parts of Kolhapur accounted for 22 fatalities followed by 16 from Ratnagiri.

Kolhapur city added 14 fresh deaths. The Aurangabad division registered 232 new infections and 11 deaths, while the Latur division added 302 cases and six fatalities, the statement said.

(With agency inputs)

Live TV
New Delhi: Maharashtra on Friday (June 25) reported first death due to mutated Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 in the Ratnagiri district. The death has put the local authorities on their toes once again forcing them to closely monitor such cases in the state. According to reports, an 80-year-old man died due to the Delta Plus variant in Ratnagiri's Sangameshvar area, becoming the first such casualty in the state.

Officials confirmed that the deceased was suffering from other age-related ailments as well. As per the health department, as many as 21 cases of Delta Plus variant have been identified in Maharashtra so far. With one death, 20 such cases are now left in the state and they are being closely monitored by authorities.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has set a target of producing 3,000 tonnes per day liquid medical oxygen amid the threat of a third wave of coronavirus looming on the horizon. Currently, the state's LMO production is barely 1,300 tonnes daily and he called upon the oxygen manufacturers to hike their oxygen production and storage facilities on a priority basis.

On Friday, Maharashtra reported 9,677 new COVID-19 cases, 156 deaths and 10,138 recoveries. The recovery rate of the state stands at 95.94 per cent while the case fatality rate is at 2 per cent. As many as 50 cases of Delta Plus variant of COVID-19 have been recorded across 11 states in India, government sources said on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Maha Vikas Aghadi government on Friday clamped Level-3 norms across entire Maharashtra and hinted at "wider and stricter restrictions". FDA Minister Dr Rajendra Shingne warned that the potential third wave could see a staggering 50 lakh infections, of which around 8 lakh would be active cases needing hospitalisation. He apprehended that up to 10 per cent of the infectees (5 lakh) could be children and urged people to exercise all COVID-19 protocols, even as the state crossed the landmark 3 crore vaccination mark, the highest in India.

Under the revised Level-3 norms, all shops would shut by 4 p.m., malls, and cinemas would remain shut and there will be strong curbs on unnecessary movement of people. Of these, Ratnagiri has the highest (9), followed by Jalgaon (7), Mumbai (2) and one each in Thane, Palghar, and Sindhudurg districts and the rest of the state is on a high alert.

Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte issued a fresh notification, saying that the new Covid-19 variants like Delta and Delta Plus have come to spread and are fuelling the potentiality of imminent (4-6 weeks), more severe third wave with a wider geographical area.

The government has directed all the District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) to ensure that large number of people turn up for vaccinations in the state - which crossed the 60 lakh case tally (60,07,431) on Thursday, besides recording the highest death toll now at 119,859.

"Push vaccination through public awareness activities, attempt must be to achieve vaccination of 70 per cent eligible population at the earliest, encourage workplace vaccinations especially of blue-collar workers," says the new set of guidelines announced by the state.

Live TV
New Delhi: Refuting accusations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday (June 25) claimed that the report BJP has been quoting has not been approved by the Supreme Court yet.

"BJP leaders have been talking about a so-called report which states that there was no O2 shortage in Delhi during COVID peak and Delhi exaggerated its O2 requirement by four times. Let me tell you that the report BJP has been quoting doesn`t even exist," said Sisodia, according to news agency PTI.

Supreme Court`s oxygen audit team submitted its report and stated that the Delhi government exaggerated its oxygen requirement by four times at the peak of COVID-19s second wave.

Challenging the party to present the report, signed by the committee, Sisodia said, "Supreme Court constituted Oxygen Audit Committee has not approved any report yet. Then, which is this report that BJP leaders have been quoting? I challenge BJP to bring this report signed by members of Oxygen Audit Committee."

The panel, led by AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria, included Delhi Government Principal Home Secretary Bhupinder Bhalla, Max Healthcare Director Dr Sandeep Buddhiraja and Union Jal Shakti Ministry Joint Secretary Subodh Yadav.

"The Delhi government exaggerated the oxygen requirement for the city by more than four times during the April 25-May 10 period, at the peak of the second COVID wave," the report said, adding that supply of excess oxygen to Delhi could have triggered a crisis in its supply to 12 states with the high caseload.

"There was a gross discrepancy (about four times) in the actual oxygen consumption claimed by the Delhi government (1,140MT) as it was about four times higher than the calculated consumption as per the formula based on bed capacity (289 MT)," said an interim report of the oxygen audit panel appointed by the Supreme Court.

The average consumption of oxygen in Delhi was between 284 to 372 MT, said the report, and added that "the excess supply of oxygen affected other states in need of oxygen".

It further stated that four Delhi hospitals claimed high consumption of oxygen with fewer beds.

The report said the Singhal Hospital, Aruna Asif Ali Hospital, ESIC Model Hospital and Liferay Hospital had "claimed extremely high oxygen consumption with a very few beds and the claims appeared to be erroneous, leading to extremely skewed information and significantly higher oxygen requirement of the entire state of Delhi".

The Petroleum and Oxygen Safety Organization (PESO) told the sub-group that Delhi had surplus oxygen, which was affecting liquid medical oxygen (LMO) supply to other states and apprehended that if excess oxygen was kept supplied to Delhi, it could lead to a national crisis.

It said that the data from the Delhi government showed the consumption of oxygen did not exceed 350 MT from April 29 to May 10.

On May 5, the Supreme Court, on the Delhi government`s request about oxygen shortage in the national capital, had directed the Central government to maintain a supply of 700 MT of oxygen to the national capital.

Live TV
Los Angeles: Tahawwur Rana, a former Chicago businessman will remain in the United States as a federal judge in Los Angeles weighs whether he will be extradited to India for his alleged role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed more than 160 people.

Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani-born Canadian, is wanted by Indian authorities for his alleged involvement in the deadly attacks that are sometimes referred to as India's 9/11. An Indian warrant for his arrest was issued in August 2018.

Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Chooljian on Thursday ordered the defense attorneys and prosecutors to file additional documents by July 15. Rana will remain in federal custody, news agency ANI reported.

Indian authorities allege that Rana conspired with his childhood friend David Coleman Headley to assist the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, or 'Army of the Good', in the orchestration of the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people, injured more than 200 and caused USD 1.5 billion in damage.

Headley and Rana attended military high school in Pakistan together. Rana's immigration law center in Chicago, as well as a satellite office in Mumbai, was allegedly used as a front for their terrorism activities between 2006 and 2008, prosecutors say.

Rana's attorneys said their client was not aware of Headley's terrorism plot and was merely trying to help his childhood friend and set up a Mumbai business office.

They also said Headley is a serial liar who has deceived the US government multiple times in several criminal cases, and his testimony should not be viewed as credible. The attorneys alleged that Headley had used Rana to further his terrorism efforts without Rana's knowledge.

Rana's two daughters attended the hearing. They declined to comment, as did his lawyers.

Rana wore a white jumpsuit and black glasses, as well as a mask at the hearing. His ankles were shackled.

Only one of the 10 Mumbai terrorists survived the four-day rampage and went on trial. He was convicted, sentenced to death in India and hanged.

In 2011, Rana was convicted in federal court in Illinois of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in Denmark for a thwarted plot to attack a Danish newspaper to retaliate for its publication of cartoons that depicted the Prophet Mohamed in 2005. The cartoons angered many Muslims because pictures of the prophet are prohibited in Islam.

US prosecutors, however, failed to prove that Rana had directly supported the Mumbai attacks. Rana's defense attorneys, in court papers, say because he has been acquitted of the Mumbai-related charges in the US, extraditing him to India would be tantamount to double jeopardy.

Rana was sentenced to a 14-year prison term in Denmark-related case, but his punishment was reduced to time served in June 2020 after he claimed he had contracted the coronavirus in a federal California prison, court documents show.

He was ordered released but was held on an immigration detainer so he could not return to Canada to avoid the Indian extradition request.

Headley ultimately testified against Rana in the Illinois case after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder. As part of his plea deal, he can't be extradited to India.
New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday (June 25) commenced a journey to Kanpur on a special Presidential train from Delhi Safdarjung railway station, New Delhi.

President will be visiting his native place Paraunkh, Kanpur Dehat in Uttar Pradesh. This is the first time that President will be visiting his birthplace after taking over his present assignment.

The service of the Presidential Saloon which was in use since independence had been discontinued on the instructions of the President itself. This helped Railways to save crores of rupees annually utilized in the making and maintenance of the Saloon.

Railways had requested the President to travel by the peoples transport. Special train service was run for his excellency to travel from Delhi to his native village.

The special Presidential Train will make two stop-overs, at Jhinjhak and Rura of Kanpur Dehat, where the President will interact with people known to him. On June 28, the President will board the train at Kanpur Central railway station to reach Lucknow for his two-day visit to the state capital. On June 29, he will return to New Delhi.

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, Chairman and CEO of Railway Board Suneet Sharma, General Manager Northern Railway, Ashutosh Gangal, Divisional Railway Manager, Delhi Division SC Jain and other senior officials of Railway Board and Northern Railway were present at the station on this occasion.

Live TV
New Delhi: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed that he was denied access to his Twitter handle for almost an hour on grounds "that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA." He said that he was not informed before his account was blocked though his acces was subsequently restored.

Taking his greivance to social media platform Koo, Ravi Shankar said this action by Twitter is in violation of Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 in which he did not tell them before denying access to the account.

Friends! Something highly peculiar happened today. Twitter denied access to my account for almost an hour on the alleged ground that there was a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of the USA and subsequently they allowed me to access the account. pic.twitter.com/WspPmor9Su  Ravi Shankar Prasad (@rsprasad) June 25, 2021

After his account was restored, Ravi Shankar in a thread of tweets, accused the microblogging platform saying "its not a harbringer of free speech".

"Twitters actions indicate that they are not the harbinger of free speech that they claim to be but are only interested in running their own agenda, with the threat that if you do not tow the line they draw, they will arbitrarily remove you from their platform," he wrote.

He said, "Twitters actions were in gross violation of Rule 4(8) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 where they failed to provide me any prior notice before denying me access to my own account."

He warned that 'all socia media platforms will have to follow the new IT rules'. "No matter what any platform does they will have to abide by the new IT Rules fully and there shall be no compromise on that.
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will present a future vision of Ayodhya's development to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a virtual meet on Saturday (June 26), according to sources.

The future vision of Ayodhya's development includes modernisation, roads, infrastructure, railway station, airport and other several pending projects. Earlier in February this year, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the state government's proposal for an international airport in Ayodhya has been approved by the Centre.

"Uttar Pradesh government's proposal for an international airport in Ayodhya has been approved by the Centre. About Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated to the district administration by the state government. The Central government has disbursed Rs 250 crore," the Chief Minister had told ANI.

Speaking about tourism and pilgrimage in Ayodhya, the chief minister had said, "Ayodhya is popular for Ramjanmabhoomi. Work in Ayodhya is going on for the construction of Lord Ram temple. Lakhs of devotees and pilgrims visit Ayodhya. The city offers an amalgamation of spirituality and tourism and both the central and state governments are working for its development."

Live TV
New Delhi: Google will now be telling its users when search results are rapidly changing around a breaking story, with some searches bringing up a warning that "it looks like these results are changing quickly," and a subheading that will explain "if this topic is new, it can sometimes take time for results to be added by reliable sources." According to The Verge, in a blog post, the company suggested that users might want to check back later when it`s found more results.

The notice is initially appearing on US-based English-language results "when a topic is rapidly evolving and a range of sources hasn`t yet weighed in." Google will expand the tool`s presence to other markets in the coming months.

The company explained, "While Google Search will always be there with the most useful results we can provide, sometimes the reliable information you`re searching for just isn`t online yet. This can be particularly true for breaking news or emerging topics, when the information that`s published first may not be the most reliable.

"A tech news outlet reported on the feature yesterday, following up on a tweet from Stanford Internet Observatory researcher Renee DiResta.A sample Google search screenshot features the query "ufo filmed travelling 106 mph," an apparent reference to a recent tabloid story about a 2016 UFO sighting in Wales. (Currently, that precise search result does not actually include the warning.)"

Someone had gotten this police report video released out in Wales, and it`s had a little bit bit of press coverage. But there`s still not a lot about it," Google search public liaison Danny Sullivan told the same outlet.

He further added, "But people are probably searching for it, they may be going around on social media -- so we can tell it`s starting to trend. And we can also tell that there`s not a lot of necessarily great stuff that`s out there. And we also think that maybe new stuff will come along."That whimsical example aside, Google has inadvertently showcased incorrect information after mass shooting events -- where early official reports are often inaccurate and deliberate misinformation is common. This is sometimes exacerbated by "data voids," or keywords that have few search results and can be easily hijacked by bad actors.

This warning won`t necessarily stop bad content from surfacing, and it`s not clear exactly how Google determines a sufficient range of sources. But it could remove some of the false legitimacy that high Google placement can confer on early, unreliable search results.
New Delhi: McAfee antivirus software creator John McAfees widow has said that the late entrepreneur was not suicidal. His widow Janice told media publications on Friday (June 25) that she blames the US authorities for his death inside a Spanish prison near Barcelona. McAfee was reportedly awaiting his extradition to the United States. Notably, hours earlier his suicide, a Spanish court had issued a preliminary ruling in favour of the 75-year-old tycoon's extradition to the US, which has increased the suspicion of his sudden death.

Janice is now demanding a thorough investigation related to the circumstances of the death of her husband.

Spanish authorities have previously said that the software mogul died due to suicide. McAfee`s lawyer Javier Villalba has also made a request for a second autopsy on behalf of the McAfee family.

Previously, security personnel at the Brians 2 penitentiary near the northeastern Spanish city tried to revive him.

According to a PTI report, Tennessee prosecutors had charged McAfee with evading taxes after failing to report income made from promoting cryptocurrencies while he did consultancy work, as well as income from speaking engagements and selling the rights to his life story for a documentary. Also Read: Apple working on tamper-proof camera indicator for AR headset privacy

McAfee was arrested in October 2020 at Barcelona's international airport. At that time, a judge had ordered that he should be held in jail until the final result of the outcome of hearing on extradition comes out. Also Read: Mahindra XUV700 to launch with high-beam assist, production may begin next month
Dhaka: A prominent Muslim Bangladeshi cleric Maulana Ahmadullah has issued a fatwa against people using Facebooks Haha emoji, calling it totally haram (forbidden) for Muslims.

According to media reports, the cleric who has over three million followers on Facebook and YouTube posted a video warning against the use of Haha react on Facebook as it can be considered as a way to mock people.

In a three-minute video, Ahmadullah said that people nowadays use the Haha emoji to mock people, while adding that using it just for fun is fine. If your reaction was intended to mockpeopleits totally forbidden in Islam, he added.

Nowadays we use Facebooks haha emojis to mock people. If we react with haha emojis purely out of fun and the same was intended by the person who posted the content, its fine. But if your reaction was intended to mock or ridicule people who posted or made comments on social media, its totally forbidden in Islam, Ahmadullah said in the video.

For Gods sake, I request you to refrain from this act. Do not react with haha to mock someone. If you hurt a Muslim, he may respond with bad language that would be unexpected, he said further.

While many of his followers agreed with his teaching, several others made fun of it  using the haha emoji.

Live TV
Brussels: European Union leaders clashed with Hungary's Prime Minister during a heated summit Thursday (June 24) over new legislation in his country that will ban showing content about LGBT issues to children, a measure that has been widely criticised across the region and has angered human rights groups. A majority of the leaders insisted that discrimination must not be tolerated in the 27-nation bloc and told Viktor Orban that the new Hungarian law goes against the EU's fundamental values.

"Being homosexual is not a choice; being homophobic is," Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo told Orban during the meeting, according to an EU diplomat. The person spoke anonymously according to usual practice.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte launched a virulent tongue-lashing, suggesting that Orban activate the same clause in the bloc's treaty that Britain used to leave if he is not happy with the EU's principles, another diplomat said.

Hungarian Justice minister Judit Varga said on Twitter that Hungary has no intention of leaving the EU. On the contrary, we want to save it from hypocrites," she wrote.

Hosting the summit in Brussels, European Council president Charles Michel recalled that values such as freedom, tolerance and human dignity are at the heart of the EU, said another diplomat with direct knowledge of the discussions.

ALSO READ: Pakistan COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa calls on German minister, seeks support for regional issues

He added that the discussion was an in-depth and at times even emotional debate. The law was signed Wednesday (June 23) by Hungarian President Janos Ader after Hungary's parliament passed the bill last week. It prohibits sharing content on homosexuality or sex reassignment to people under 18 in school sex education programs, films or advertisements.

The government says it will protect children, but critics say it links homosexuality with pedophilia. It will enter into force in 15 days.

Speaking upon arrival at the meeting in Brussels, Orban ruled out withdrawing the law, insisting it does not target homosexuals. It's not about homosexuality, it's about the kids and the parents," Orban said. I am defending the rights of homosexual guys but this law is not about them."

The issue has turned a harsh spotlight on the EU's inability to rein in the illiberal democracies among its ranks like Hungary and Poland, whose deeply conservative, nationalist and anti-migrant governments have flouted the bloc's democratic standards and values for years.

Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who is openly gay, said the Hungarian law further stigmatizes homosexuals and should be fought. "The most difficult thing for me was to accept myself when I realized that I was in love with this person of my sex," Bettel said.

"It was hard to say to my parents, hard to say to my family. ... We have a lot of young people who do suicide because they do not accept themselves, how they are." In coordinated messages on Twitter, several EU leaders wrote that "hate, intolerance and discrimination have no place in our Union. That's why, today and every day, we stand for diversity and LGBTI equality so that our future generations can grow up in a Europe of equality and respect.

Many attached a letter to their tweets addressed to European Council President Charles Michel, who hosted their summit, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who also took part in the meeting.

Respect and tolerance are at the core of the European project. We are committed to carry on with this effort, making sure that future European generations grow up in an atmosphere of equality and respect, said the letter, signed by the leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Spain, among others.

ALSO READ: China deleted COVID-19 data in possible cover-up: Report

Hungary was not mentioned by name, but many of the same leaders signed a letter earlier this week backed by 17 countries calling on von der Leyen's commission, which watches over the respect of EU laws, to take the government in Budapest to the European Court of Justice over the bill.

The commission has already taken the first step in legal action. On Wednesday, Brussels sent a letter to Hungary's justice minister seeking clarifications, explanation and information about elements of the bill.

It said that some provisions appear to directly violate the prohibition of discrimination based on sex and on sexual orientation,? and would put homosexuality, sex change and divergence from self-identity on the same footing as pornography.

Asked Thursday (June 24) about the Hungarian bill, Guterres said all forms of discrimination are totally unacceptable and obviously any form of discrimination in relation to LGBTQ+ people are totally unacceptable.

Speaking after a meeting with Guterres, EU Parliament president David Sassoli said a mechanism making payouts to Hungary from a COVID-19 recovery fund conditional to the respect of the rule of law should be activated. The time has come now for the law to get applied, Sassoli said.

ALSO READ: Britain`s $30.6 billion COVID-19 test-and-trace programme still missing targets: Watchdog

Live TV
Berlin: General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Army staff (COAS) who is on official visit to Germany called on His Excellency Mr Heiko Maas, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany.

His Excellency Markus Potzel, Special Representative for the Federal Government for Afghanistan and Pakistan was also present.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, overall regional security situation including latest developments in Afghan Peace Process and bilateral cooperation in various fields were discussed.

COAS said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with Germany and expressed desire for enhanced mutually beneficial bilateral relations.

The German dignitaries also acknowledged Pakistan's continuous efforts for peace and stability in the region and pledged to further enhance bilateral relations between both countries.

Later on, COAS also visited Command & Staff College of Germany, where he addressed students and faculty members and shared his views on "Pakistans Regional and Internal Security Perspective".

During the address, COAS apprised the audience on external and internal security challenges faced by Pakistan and measures taken in the regard to mitigate the threats. COAS said that future of enduring peace and stability in world hinges on ability to resolve long pending issues within the region.

This can only be complemented through meaningful international support to take on challenging regional issues.

Focusing on COVID-19 pandemic, COAS said that Pakistans Government along with other state institutions is doing its best to counter the challenges faced by Pakistan.

Earlier on arrival at Command & Staff College, COAS was received by Major General Oliver Kohl, Commandant Bundeswehr Command & Staff College Hamburg, Germany.

Live TV